Back on Snow!

There is skiing at Glenn Alps! The above photo is courtesy of Wrecka. These early season days on snow remind me of why I love being a skier.

Nordic Bear Sighting

I realize CXC's Brian Gregg recently reported a black bear sighting in his local grocery store, but I also had a bear sighting in my local store-- a Nordic bear! I was psyched. Stopping at the Carrs on Huffman for a photo opp midway through an evening run is cool, right?

Wenatchee, Washington's Northern Fruit Company, is my Gold Level Sponsor that helps me pay the bills. They also provide the highest quality of fruit to people all over the globe. I always enjoy hearing about the locations my friends have seen Northern fruit. If you are in some distant place and you see a box of Northern Fruit, you should take a photo and email it to me!

Fueled by Hammer

One of the key components of training and recovering well is nutrition. Of course, everyone knows a balanced diet rich in whole grains, vitamins, and minerals is undeniable. But athletes have specific nutritional needs to get the most out of training and recover quickly.

I've been keeping my engine running smoothly and have been absorbing my highest training load ever in the past year with the help of Hammer Nutrition. Here are a few of my fueling essentials:

During training sessions up to 2 hours: HEED, the "High Energy Electrolyte Drink", is the drink of choice. It's a complex carbohydrate sports drink that's loaded with electrolytes and is easily digestible. I've found that this is a "don't leave the house without" type of drink to have in my water bottle for any type of intensity workout.

After high intensity and over-distance sessionsRecoverite! I think most athletes will see considerable benefits if they meet their fueling needs within a 30 minute period after a challenging session. Glutamine is an extremely important amino acid that becomes depleted during intense exercise. Whey protein is LOADED with glutamine, so a Recoverite drink or Hammer Whey smoothie immediately after training is super helpful.

I am also a fan of having solid food immediately after training. Fruit and a Hammer Bar is a good way to go. The Cashew Coconut Chocolate Chip bar is my all time favorite.

During very long training sessions and events Perpetuem or Sustained Energy are ideal for over-distance workouts, since they contain both complex carbs and soy protein. Your body will automatically go through "gluconeogenesis" in over-distance workouts, so you will need to take in some protein if you want to prevent your body from cannibalizing its own muscle tissue for energy. A little soy protein is ideal for during workouts, because it is a type of protein that doesn't readily produce ammonia. These drinks can also be ideal for in between sprint heats, if there's not enough time to digest a full solid meal. I definitely need more than just carbohydrates to last through a challenging day of racing.

Before races: Quite often, I like to take a swig of Hammer gel moments before starting a distance race. The little plastic flasks make this convenient prior to race time because you are not committed to having an entire pre-packaged gel, and you can mix it with a little water to make it go down smoothly.

If you would like to check out Hammer products for yourself, you can enter in my promotional code (64109) and receive a 15% discount. Hammer on!

"The Physical Therapy Place" as a New Sponsor!

I am proud to announce my newest sponsor, The Physical Therapy Place, LLC. This is an exceptional clinic that specializes in orthopedics and woman's health. Their support will help cover my travel expenses this winter-- begining with getting me to the Olympic qualifying races.
Joy Backstrum (L) and Katie Pirano (R) are the outstanding PT's at The Physical Therapy Place. They work with their patients to promote healing, restore normal function, and improve quality of life. Joy and Katie are also involved with education and promoting wellness within many aspects of the Anchorage community.
I was introduced to the benefits of PT for athletics last spring and I have felt it has been a contributing factor to my improved athletic performance. Joy identified specific weak muscles, which incidentally mirrored my weaknesses in skiing. After working on specific exercises to strengthen certain muscles (such as my lower abs and abductor thigh muscles) I have been able to sustain the desired adjustments in my skiing technique. I also had a gait analysis on the treadmill. After receiving numerous tips and reading the recommended "Chi Running" book, I've seen noticeable improvements in my running and skiing, largely due to improved bio-mechanics. Every day I think about the ways I can enhance my posture and correct my movements to keep my muscles balanced and body injury-free. I am thankful to be a recipient of services at The Physical Therapy Place as well as their financial support!