Happy New Year!

I began the big job of planning my winter calendar yesterday and 24 hours later, pieces continue to fall into place.

Big change this winter over last is that now when I go to spinning, I face the other direction! Being an instructor has really been a huge benefit so far, and I look forward to helping even more clients at RPM this winter by adding Thursday mornings (6am) as well as part-time instructing through the usual 12-week Base Camp I've been a student of the past five years. A graduation of sorts! Add all that to my regular Monday evening (6:15pm) class and there's plenty of opportunity for me to see you there, I hope!

2012 is also the first year I will be forgoing my gym membership which is fantastic. Instead, Grahame -- a colleague and fellow cyclist -- and I have discovered a mysterious "Room of Requirement" deep in the bowels of our office. It's fully stocked with free-weights, mats and the like and so 2012 will also be the year of the training partner!

Grahame and I are also 4 days into #teampushup ... on January 1, we did five pushups and have been adding one every day since. Last time I challenged myself like this I made it all the way to 60 ... who knows how far we'll get this time?! Join in if you want! Today we did eight.

Speaking of training partners, Nathania and I continue our thrice weekly early-morning runs ... although with the impending arrival of "Bean" we have taken to power-walking to keep the mom-to-be in action, safely. For the second half, she usually insists I do something difficult like climb a hill 9 nine times as we did this morning while she does the same at her own pace. Bean arrives only three short months from now!

For 2012, I am also hoping to add more yoga to the routine -- potentially even taking on Moksha's famous 30-Day Challenge. We'll see how it all fits in.

Supported by plenty of help from my trusted helpers -- Henry the Chiropractor and David the RMT -- I suspect 2012 will be one of my best winters yet.

Which brings me to the most important part of any training program: Goals. While I prefer to keep my specific training goals to myself (mainly because I haven't really thought about them yet, tsk tsk), here are my top five 'philosophical' goals:

1. Travel with the bike more

As much as I hate packing up the pieces and paying the extra cost of flying avec bike box, the amazing adventures I've had on distant soil have steeled me to make such travel a more frequent priority.

One trip is already on the books: Dad and I will be tackling the French Alps this August with Trek Travel so getting into good climbing form this winter will be really important to me.

With Gerhard in California, I hope to also take advantage of some SoCal riding when I do my winter visit.

And of course, widening the scope race-wise would also be cool. For example, I just got back from Mount Washington for some holiday skiing and was excited to learn that the BC Cup Mtb Champs will be held there this summer. Options!

2. Switch it up

2012 could be the year of the marathon. Or at least the half-marathon. And I mean on my FEET. I am allowing myself to succumb to peer pressure and will hopefully be adding the Goodlife Half Marathon to my schedule, May 6. Anyone else?

3. Stay on top of strength training

Skipping the weight room a few too many times last season made for a noticeable lack of power come race day. I think it is also partly to blame for frequent trips to see afore-mentioned Henry the Chiropractor. Room for improvement in this area, as always.

4. Keep it real

I do this because it's fun. I do this because I like it. I do this because it makes me feel good. Time to turn down the intensity a notch because I was definitely close to making my healthy hobby a stressful chore in 2011. In fact, I'd argue I was successful in that. So this season, worrying over results or missed workouts won't be on the agenda. As Matt P often reminds me: everything in moderation! Balance! And we'll get there either way and it's up to us if we want to stress the whole time or just relax knowing it will all work out. (I'm paraphrasing ... )

5. Socialize

Did I mention riding bikes is fun? In 2011 I found out it's even more fun when it's social. So this season (as you can already tell from my training plans) I am making it an official goal to get out more with the amazing people in our little mtb/cycling community.

Hope to see you on the trail -- skiing, running, or riding.

Happy New Year!

Put to the test

Big night in Base Camp spinning group! 20 minute test night. Glad to put another one of those behind me! The hardest part of a fitness test such as this is the anticipation. All day I was dreading those few sufferable minutes and it's never the hell we think it's going to be.

Tonight though I think I was saved because with less than an hour before class I got an email asking if I would step in as instructor!! Daffyd our regular leader was delayed at the office. So even though I've never led a spinning class before I agreed to help out. In comparison to the unknown territory of "Spin Instructor", a 20 minute test all of a sudden seemd like small potatoes.

It's funny because although I write speeches for a living, public speaking is so not one of my favourite things. And in spinning class, riding bikes is only half of it. You also have to be someone your spinners can rely on to talk enough that the time doesn't drag on, but at the same time, you can't talk too much.

Then there's music selection.

Then there's actually making the music thingy play.

And not to mention everybody is looking at you while you sweat.

Anyway, I made it through it all, and actually enjoyed it too, so maybe there's an oppotunity there that I hadn't thought of before.

Much respect to our regular instructor Daffyd who makes all that look easy. I'll think twice before I chirp about time keeping or ask him to repeat the workout (again) from now on. Perspective!

I'm kind of bonking at this point, so I think that means the test went well. Although I don't think it's doing much for this blog post. So I'll cut this off here, and take my tired body to bed, satisfied with both the evening's performances.

Spin Class Top 8

I take a spinning class. I've said before that the group work we do there is the easily one of the most important things I do to prepare for an upcoming race season. I've been taking it for four years now or thereabouts, always with the same instructor.

Last night we had a different instructor and he is the inspiration for this blog post.

First of all, in fairness to him, because I'm sure on any other day I would not have been quite as picky, I was in no mood to go to spinning. I was feeling very much like I'd prefer a movie night on the couch, but having already taken three weeks off training for the Olympics, there wasn't really much lee-way for laziness. Off I went, bad attitude and all.

In such a mood, the following things were crystalized for me in terms of what I like best about spin instructors.

1.) I like to know where we're going (even if it's technically nowhere). I like to know how many pieces, how many sets, what zones we'll visit and how much rest. I like to know all of this before we start so I know where we are in the workout and how much I'll need left in the tank (and when I know it's time to empty it).

2.) I like varied music. Rage Against the Machine and Rammstein for sure have their place. It's a dark, hurtful place, but totally applicable to a power workout. But four RATM songs in a row, and little outside the genre to fill the 90 minute class makes me feel a little bit stabby. Feel free to throw in a little Glee soundtrack, or Taylor Swift.

3.) I like to be told again and again what we're doing, and what zone I should be aiming for. Because when I'm sweating it out in zone 4 or 5, I tend to forget.

4.) If I ask a question, usually related to the forgetting mentioned in number 3, I like to be answered politely, and with a certain forgiveness for letting some details slip.

5.) I like a proper cool down, and stretch. And if we can add in some core work before that, that's okay with me too.

6.) I like chit chat, or "stand up" when we're not working. Anything to make me smile again after grinding out whatever piece we've just finished.

7.) I like real-life simulations. I don't like to do anything on a spin bike that I wouldn't do on my bicycle.

8.) I think proper rest should be built into the workout so that when we're working on power, you don't hit that point where you're just beating yourself up.

So there you have it. If you're a spin instructor, I bet I'm not the only person who values these points. In the mean time, I'll work on cheering up. :)

Any Given Sunday

Woke up early: spin class. 2 hours of spin ups and then low cadence work plus one legged drills. quote of the day: "Pretend you're going to be on display at Body Worlds and you want to be the one with the awesome hamstrings."

Got home, finished winter vegetable stew in the slow cooker, moved on to yam-and-butternut-squash soup so lunch is ready all week. Out the door for night skiing.

James was kind enough to do the driving tonight. He also helped me with my ski technique which was long overdue and got me back into the groove, literally: side cut anyone? Awesome night "shredding the gnar", jumping off boxes and discussing the bigger questions of life over hot chocolate and -- yes, I admit -- Wendy's.

So tired I can't sleep. Goodnight anyway!

Gravity.

I had to work late on Wednesday, so I missed the workout I had planned to do, thus decided that I'd try one of RPM's Gravity classes before our regular spin Thursday night.

OMGithurtsomuch.

Gravity machines are cool because they use your own body weight and ... um ... gravity to give you a full body workout. The first thing we did was legs: squats, lunges and hamstrings. My quads felt like hot butter: it was intense. The second half of the work out we did abs and upperbody.

Best of all, it kind of feels like a carnival ride at first. That slide board can be a lot of fun.

After Gravity with Trina, it was time for spinning with Daffyd. He didn't have such an easy ride in mind so with Gravity and a morning ride already under my belt I was worried I'd really be digging deep. Sure enough, on our third of four 3 min efforts, I exercised my gag reflex.

But to be honest, a little bit of tummy upset and a celtic-slash-heavy-metal song was all the discomfort I encountered -- either I wasn't working hard enough, or I'm in better shape than I thought! Good legs.

This morning I slept through my alarm, and as the day goes on I'm only getting more sore. Ah, the gentle hum of recovery.

Can't wait to get home and spin out some of this junk.

Spinning Day One

Yesterday was the inaugural "Base Camp" spin course kick-off. In previous years (this is my fourth run) we've started our Sunday mornings at the leisurely hour of 11am. Ride for two hours, stop for pho on the way home, call it a day. (Or make the mad dash to get ski gear all ready and head to Blue for the night, whichever.)

This year, we've changed start time to 7:00am. I think I am actually in favour of the switch, despite first impressions experienced at 6am Sunday morning.

1) While the TTC doesn't run that early on Sunday, there IS free parking on Bloor, right up to 1pm. And no traffic.
2) By the time I actually wake up, spin class is already half over.
3) When you start early, you finish early. Home by 10am, leaving plenty of time for a nap, two lunches and then the traditional 2pm departure for Sunday-Nights-At-Blue.
4) Forces me to behave myself on Saturday nights.
5) Another feather in the cap for green smoothies which are the perfect pre-spin fuel it turns out.

Also, everyone's different but my body is happiest in the morning I think. So my workout went very well. For our first session, we completed 2x8 minute tests* at race pace to log averages and come up with a "basement" and a "ceiling" heart rate for our base miles. We also completed some single leg drills and kept a mostly steady pace for a total of two hours.

Then I got home where my lentil soup was just finishing in the slow cooker, and my kitchen smelled amazing. I had a bowl, caught up with Athena who's eight-months-down-one-month-to-go from the most beautiful physical test of all, and tended to my crops in Farmville. An hour after lunch one, I was ready for lunch two and whipped up some whole wheat pasta to go with the turkey-pesto-meatball sauce I'd made in the slow cooker the day before. Then it was off to Blue Mountain for night skiing.

Who told everyone about Sunday nights?! Snow was mostly great, line-ups were aggravating but with our little posse we had no trouble killing the time. Too bad about the cold wind waiting when you disembark at the top though. brrrr. That's why night-skiers are tougher. Who's in next Sunday?

And so, tired and sore, I start another week. On the menu: book club tonight (only 50 more pages to read before then ... eep)! yoga, training, and of course our next spinning class Thursday night! Still room if you're interested in joining. Contact Mike at RPM, 416-761-9717



*The "industry standard" for testing is the famous [dreaded] 20 minute test. But Lance Armstrong's coach, Chris Carmichael has found that in the early season, when athletes are not yet at their prime (or anywhere close to it), the 2x8 minute test will usually produce the same results as the 20 minute version, without straining capillaries, muscles and tendons that aren't ready yet.

New Shorts!

A week ago, @Specializedwmn who I follow on twitter posted a call for captions on their BG Pro RBX shorts. I submitted "Your new training partner" and won myself a pair! Woo hoo!

Here's the victorious tweet:
specializedwmn: Congrats to the Women's BG Pro RBX shorts winners for their great captions: @walcottav @MCjunkie @kristenmlake @camille001 #RBXcap

They couldn't come at a better time either. A couple chamois are on their way out in a big way. And I'm back on the bike a couple times a day. Yesterday, I had a lovely spin with The Grinch Who Stole Christmas and an excellent snowboard video before work.

Last night I went on over to RPM for a little Christmas spinning. We donated our entry fees to the Daily Bread Food Bank and then did a fairly intense workout for an hour and a quarter. If this all sounds good to you, keep in touch with RPM because they'll be doing another Daily Bread spin in the new year so it's not too late!

This morning, I was riding with the Griswold's in the Christmas Vacation, but then my roommate came in to head out for the holidays with the PS3 so I had to watch Canada AM instead. Boo hoo.

However, I learned that egg nog is the more nutritous choice over apple cider. And if you are choosing between a gingerbread latte or a gingerbread loaf, get the latte. Save an extra pile of calories by skipping the whipped cream.

Merry Christmas to all!! Can't believe there's only two more sleeps!

The 24 Hour Spin

This weekend, RPM Spin Studio, where I usually do my weekend workouts donated all their bikes to the 24 Hour Spin for the Trillium Health Foundation. So I signed up and went off to the Hershey Centre in Mississauga to claim my workout. I raised more than $200 for the cause. Every year it benefits something different; this year we rode for Trillium Health's Cardiac Care Centre. 

The event was awesome. They took great care of the 1500 participants. The arena had been converted to a jumbo spin studio. Except, where the ipod dock usually sits, they had live bands including Mudmen, Superfreaks, the Cat House Dogs ... and even the Burlington Marching Band. Where the juice bar usually is, they had Starbucks, Booster Juice and Extreme Pita providing free refreshments. Add in some massage therapy, a couple vendors, coloured lights and a great turnout and you start to get the picture. 

I'd like to thank the volunteers especially. They came by at regular intervals to fill up our water bottles, bring us orange wedges and other treats and even fresh towels. So huge thanks to them! 

And for my own 4 hour experience I've posted my real-time updates below, straight from facebook.  

Kris is spinning in the 24-hour spin for Mississauga's Trillium Cardiac Centre. 10:14 - Comment - Like

 Kris Lake at 10:15 21 February via Facebook Mobile

Thanks to everyone who sponsored me!!

 Kris Lake at 11:09 21 February via Facebook Mobile

Updates: (cause what else is there to do?) 
1) The lights in here are sooo hot. So I'm melting and it looks like I'm working a lot harder than I am
2) The bands they got are awesome, but even more fun is biking AND singing karaoke at the same time!! 
3) Orange wedges are the best evar
... More updates to come the next time need to fidget.

 Kris Lake at 11:47 21 February via Facebook Mobile

4) Someone just came around offering sweets and squares ... Is this some kind of test? 
5) The Little Prince is an easy, awesome read. Can't believe I'm only reading it for the first time now. Grownups are so silly.

 Kris Lake at 12:06 21 February via Facebook Mobile

6) Punk rock bagpipes. Yeah. You heard me. *stoked*

 Kris Lake at 12:20 21 February via Facebook Mobile

7) I just looked down into one of the recycling bins around me and saw two heiniken bottles. Must have been some hydration going on last night. It's now past noon and I'd like my beer please.

 Kris Lake at 12:25 21 February via Facebook Mobile

8) Every day, your heart beats 100,000 times pushing blood through 70,000 miles of blood vessels.

 Kris Lake at 12:33 21 February via Facebook Mobile

9) This is really starting to hurt. 
10) Snowboarding/skiing/telemarking/one-legged skiing on the big screen now. Sweeeet. 
11) I'd like to thank eload (my sports hydration potion of choice) for sponsoring this event. I have now pocketed enough single serve packets to last all of 09. It's not stealing if they put it out, right?

 Kris Lake at 12:41 21 February via Facebook Mobile

12) I'm now rockin out to "home for a rest" courtesy of The Mudmen. And I'm not drunk. I think this is a first.

 Kris Lake at 12:49 21 February via Facebook Mobile

13) The Raptor was here earlier. Last time I saw him he ate an innocent spectator. I was happy to get away with just a hug. Sucks to be him though. I wouldn't hug me. I'm really gross.

 Kris Lake at 12:53 21 February via Facebook Mobile

14) About to cross a line: longest training ride of 09 so far!! And still another 90 minutes to go. Oh man.

 Kris Lake at 13:01 21 February via Facebook Mobile

15) Praise Jesus for Star Wars and Disco. Together at last!

 Kris Lake at 13:17 21 February via Facebook Mobile

16) I'd like to get off this ride now ... Pukey pukey.

 Kris Lake at 13:40 21 February via Facebook Mobile

17) Ugh. This is a very dark place ... With a light at the end of the tunnel!! I'm so getting a cupcake after this.

 Kris Lake at 13:47 21 February via Facebook Mobile

18) I just had a jooster boose and I am HAPPY again!! Almost done :)

 Kris Lake at 14:02 21 February via Facebook Mobile

19) All done!! Thanks for tuning in. I'm now going to nap the crap out of the afternoon. After my cupcake, of course.