07.02.08
Posted in Workouts at 6:23 pm by admin
I LOVE summer in Seattle!!! We have had over 70 degree days now for an entire week, with a few days in the 80’s and 90’s. I have been swimming in Lake Washington twice so far this week. Hooray for summer!
We are all probably feeling the heat a bit. We had such a long winter that we have not yet adapted to this warmer weather. You do want to be careful when working out in the heat. Here are some words of wisdom:
1. Stay hydrated. This is a big duh, but it just had to be said. Carry water with you when it’s warm, you will be glad you did.
2. Wear sunscreen. Of course, with sunscreen you won’t be soaking up vitamin D, but you also won’t get sunburned. SPF 30 is recommended.
3. Workout in the morning or evening when it’s cooler. Sunset is still around 9pm, so you have a few hours between after work and dark to get in a workout during the cooler hourso of the day.
4. Dress for about 20 degrees warmer than the current temperature. If it’s 70 degrees out, dress for 90 degree heat for your workout. You do warm up a lot and if you dress for comfort at the ambient temperature, you will be over dressed for your workout.
5. Wear a visor to keep the sun off of your face. A hat will keep you warm, where a visor will allow the heat to dissipate and also keep your face shady.
6. Consider swimming as a workout when it’s really hot. Water is cooling and refreshing. If you are not comfortable in the water, swim laps in a swim area with a life guard or wear a floatation device.
7. If you start feeling dizzy, overly tired, or nauseous, stop your workout. Heat exhaustion happens all the time and if you don’t get a handle on it, can lead to Heat Stroke - which can kill you. Your body is telling you to stop, so listen. Go get into the shade, cool yourself and rest.
8. Wear sunglasses to protect your eyes.�
9. If you are working out for an hour or more, make sure you replenish your electolytes. There are many mixes you can add to water (my favorite is Luna Pink Lemonade). It will keep your body in the right balance so you can keep on going.
10. Enjoy! Summer is fleeting - get out there and enjoy it!
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06.22.08
Posted in Adventures at 9:49 pm by admin
Today I went for a trail run with Murray and Lucky. We went up the Pratt Lake trail to the Mt. Defiance Trail. We turned around at the fork. At about 3500 feet we hit the snow line, which at first was fine, but then got very steep. So steep in fact, that we could no longer run and were just gripping our trail runners. We turned around and went back to the fork with the Granite Mountain trail, and headed up to the top of Granite Mountain.
On our way down the Pratt Lake Trail, we passed the Forest Service RAnger, who informed us that having Lucky off his leash was a $125 offense, Surprisingly, he next let us know there were no other rangers out today, and that we were fine to leave Lucky “free”. He even gave Lucky a pat on the head. Seems so odd to have a trail that busy with a leash law.
Up the Granite trail we went. Most people had on goretex, gaiters, and were carrying packs full of warm clothes and ice axes. We, of course, had only our water blatters and were both wearing trail runners. We crusied up into the mist and fog (not the nicest day) and before we knew it were at the lookout. Lots of dogs, people, and snow up there. Not much view.
Murray is so inspiring. He is so dedicated to his workouts and makes sure he is completely prepared for any adventure he aspires to complete. He works out as much in one week as most of us watch TV. He inspires me to work at my own physical goals. I think about what he would do to prepare for a big goal.
Who helps motivate you to prepare for your goals?
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06.21.08
Posted in Events and Races at 9:07 am by admin
Seattle Bride Magazine had their Best of 2008 party on Thursday evening. It was a fun party at Lake Union Cafe. The Healthy Bride was selected by vendors and readers as the Best Bridal Fitness program!! Hooray!
A BIG Thank you to everyone who voted for us!
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06.19.08
Posted in Articles about health, Food, Nutrition, Recipes and Restaurants at 4:29 pm by admin
Naomi asked me about this article last week. I searched for it, and found that it was more than 2 years old. I certainly agree that sports drinks are expensive and that most women do not get enough calcium….so, I agree that milk is a great beverage choice before or after exercise.
The article mentions instant breakfast, which adds much more fortification than just chocolate milk. I am not sure that regular chocolate milk is your best post-workout option. It just has a lot of sugar 23g (6 tsp) per one cup and a cup of regular milk has 12g (3 tsp) per one cup. You would not put 6 tsp of sugar on your cereal, in your coffee or tea and I really doubt you would put it (willingly) into your milk. It’s a lot of sugar!
I have asked Karen Seibert, my favorite nutritionist to chime in on the subject. I will share her comments.
Chocolate Milk: The New Sports Drink?
Feb. 24, 2006
(WebMD) During a 2004 Summer Olympics awash in controversies over steroids and supplements, one sportswriter wryly noticed that top American swimmer Michael Phelps was playing it safe — he preferred to drink Carnation Instant Breakfast between races.Now it appears that the six-time gold medalist may have been onto something. A new study shows that plain old chocolate milk may be as good — or better — than sports drinks like Gatorade at helping athletes recover from strenuous exercise.
The study, published in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, was small in scale; it was partially funded by the dairy industry. But dietitians say the study should help to counter the notion that high-tech, expensive supplements are better than whole foods when it comes to athletic performance. They also note that milk contains key nutrients, such as calcium and vitamin D, in quantities that sports drinks can’t match.
“[Milk] is a sports drink ‘plus,’” Keith Ayoob, EdD, a registered dietitian and associate professor of pediatrics at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, tells WebMD. “It will supply you with things you need whether or not you’re working out.”
The study builds on findings that intense endurance exercise reduces the muscles’ supply of stored glucose, or glycogen, a key source of fuel for exercise. To maximize glycogen replacement, the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Dietetic Association recommend taking in a serving of carbohydrates within 30 minutes after a long and vigorous workout.
Milk vs. Sports Drinks
Common sports drinks such as Gatorade supply those carbs, as well as fluids and electrolytes lost through sweat. However, more recent research suggests that adding protein to the mix may further hasten recovery. Hence the new wave of drinks such as Endurox R4 that include protein as well as higher doses of carbs.
In the study, nine male cyclists rode until their muscles were depleted of energy, then rested four hours and biked again until exhaustion. During the rest period, the cyclists drank low-fat chocolate milk, Gatorade, or Endurox R4. During a second round of exercise, the cyclists who drank the chocolate milk were able to bike about 50% longer than those who drank Endurox, and about as long as those who drank the Gatorade.
The findings suggest that chocolate milk has an optimal ratio of carbohydrates to protein to help refuel tired muscles, researcher Joel M. Stager, PhD, Indiana University kinesiology professor, tells WebMD.
But the most puzzling result of the study, experts say, was why Endurox — which has the same carb-to-protein ratio as the chocolate milk — fared so poorly. Researcher Jeanne D. Johnston, MA, tells WebMD it may have to do with the different composition of the sugars in the milk. Another theory is that the sugars in the milk may be better absorbed in the gut than those in the Endurox.
Edward F. Coyle, PhD, a researcher on exercise and hydration at the University of Texas, tells WebMD the trial would have been stronger if the researchers had also tested the effect of flavored water or another dummy (placebo) drink.
The study was partly funded by the Dairy and Nutrition Council, an industry group. Coyle says that the study’s reliance on industry funding is not unusual in the world of sports research, as federal funding for such research is hard to come by.
A Cheaper Alternative?
While rapid nutrient replacement may not be important for casual exercisers, it can make a big difference in performance for competitive athletes who work out vigorously once or twice a day, says Roberta Anding, a sports dietitian and spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association.
Anding has long recommended chocolate milk for young athletes who come to her practice at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston. For children and teenagers from lower-income families, it doesn’t make sense to spend serious money on sports drinks when they can get milk as part of a subsidized lunch program, she tells WebMD. The only advantage of sports drinks, she notes, is that they never spoil.
Ayoob estimates that more than two-thirds of teenagers should be drinking more milk anyway because they don’t get enough calcium in their diets. He also recommends milk for its vitamin D and potassium content. “For me, this is a no-brainer,” he says.
Sources: Karp, J. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 2006; (16: 78-91). “Nutrition and athletic performance — Position of the American Dietetic Association, Dietitians of Canada, and the American College of Sports Medicine,” http://www.eatright.org/cps/rde/xchg/ada/hs.xsl/adap1200.cfm. Svrluga, Barry, “Olympics Swim Trials,” Washington Post, July 13, 2004, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A44785-2004Jul12.html. Jeanne Johnston, department of kinesiology, Indiana University at Bloomington. Joel M. Stager, PhD, department of kinesiology, Indiana University at Bloomington; Keith Ayoob, EdD, RD, associate professor of pediatrics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Edward F. Coyle, PhD, professor, kinesiology and health education, University of Texas. Roberta Anding, clinical and sports dietitian, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston.
By Richard Sine
Reviewed by Michael W. Smith, M.D.
© 2006, WebMD Inc. All rights reserved.
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06.10.08
Posted in Events and Races at 5:15 pm by admin
Megan, Christi, Barb, Kristen, Erica and Annelie all dressed in what and donned veils for the 4 mile Rose Festival Parade walk on Saturday June 7. We walked the Rose Parade Route tossing bird seed sachets as we went. The theme of the parade was “romancing the rose” and there was an actual wedding party on a float. Perfect!
We walked with 2000 others, while 500,000 viewers cheered us on! We were serenaded by a drum corps from behind, and a magician decided to be the groom for all of us “brides”.
lucy (our friends in fitness) was a major sponsor and had many of their employees (inclunding their CEO) walking.
Our bird seed sachets had “winning” numbers. The winning numbers were 640, 861, 673, 836, 339, 68, 663, 63, 611, & 73.
Thanks to the Portland Brides for supporting The Healthy Bride!�
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06.09.08
Posted in Articles about health at 2:29 pm by admin
It’s a little technical, but certainly gets the message across about how great high intensity exercise is - at least one time per week.
High Intensity Cardio
by Monica Neave
Twenty minutes of high intensity cardio increases your aerobic capacity (VO2max) dramatically, maintains lean muscle mass, boosts your metabolism during and after exercise, and burns more fat calories than 30-45 minutes of low intensity cardio. Sound too good to be true? It’s not. In one research study participants who engaged in 90 sessions of traditional cardio over a 20 week period lost 1% bodyfat, while participants who engaged in 25 sessions of moderate intensity cardio then 35 sessions of high intensity cardio over a 15 week period lost 3% bodyfat. Additional studies have shown that participants who engaged in short high intensity training lost 9 times more fat than those who performed long low intensity training. Longer low intensity cardio can actually be counterproductive for more fit individuals because it burns up hard earned muscle decreasing fat burning. It’s also incredibly boring and time consuming and doesn’t do much for your aerobic capacity.
How To Start
The key to high intensity cardio is to incorporate it into your existing cardio routine. Because it’s a much more demanding workout you should start by replacing two of your weekly long low intensity cardio sessions with two short high intensity cardio sessions. Eventually you can work up to three sessions of high intensity cardio per week.
Best Activities
Choose an activity that you enjoy but is easy to adjust in intensity level and monitor like, walking, running biking, or any cardio machine such as the stationary bike, cross-trainer, treadmill, stair-master, or versa-climber. Most of these machines have high intensity programs but a lot of times they don’t provide a good enough workout so it’s good to just punch in a manual workout and then adjust your intervals as you go by manually changing the speed and or incline.
Helpful Gear
You will sweat like you never have, so be sure to take a towel to wipe off the excessive amounts of sweat. Hi-energy music whether it’s rock, techno, dance, or country, can help motivate you and makes those higher intervals go by a lot quicker. A heart rate monitor is a great investment and a fun toy that can help you maintain those intensity levels high and ensure that you’re rest intervals don’t go too low. A 5×7 with your intervals and corresponding minutes written out is a big help for most beginners.
Measuring Intensity
Using a heart monitor guarantees that you’ll stay within 60-90% of your target heart rate but using a ratings of perceived (RPE) scale is much easier for beginners. The scale goes from 0-10 with 0 being no effort and 10 being maximum effort but it has been simplified by various fitness experts as follows:
· Level 4: low intensity, warm-up level, easy
· Level 5: low to moderate intensity, still fairly easy
· Level 6: moderate intensity, working and breathing a little hard
· Level 7: moderate to high intensity, breathing harder, more challenging
· Level 8: high intensity, very challenging, breathing very hard, difficult to talk
· Level 9: very high intensity, busting your butt to keep up, breathing seriously hard
· Level 10: maximum intensity, feels like your heart will burst out of your chest.
Walk/Run Workout
This workout out can be done outdoors or on a treadmill, stairmaster, or crosstrainer. It’s very simple for beginners and you can adjust the interval lengths as your fitness level improves.
High Intensity Walk/Run WorkoutMinute Interval RPE/Intensity Target Heart Rate
0-1 60sec. 4 low(warm-up) 50%
2 60 sec. 5 low to moderate 60%
3 60 sec. 6 moderate 70%
4 60 sec. 7 moderate to high 75%
5 60 sec. 8 high 80%
6 60 sec. 9 really high 85%
7 60 sec. 6 moderate 70%
8 60 sec. 7 moderate to high 75%
9 60 sec. 8 high 80%
10 60 sec. 9 really high 85%
11 60 sec. 6 moderate 70%
12 60 sec. 7 moderate to high 75%
13 60 sec. 8 high 80%
14 60 sec. 9 really high 85%
15 60 sec. 6 moderate 70%
16 60 sec. 7 moderate to high 75%
17 60 sec. 8 high 80%
18 60 sec. 9 really high 85%
19 60 sec. 5 low to moderate 60%
HIGH-INTENSITY INTERVAL TRAINING:
THE OPTIMAL PROTOCOL FOR FAT LOSS?
James Krieger
As exercise intensity increases, the proportion of fat utilized as an energy substrate decreases, while the proportion of carbohydrates utilized increases (5). The rate of fatty acid mobilization from adipose tissue also declines with increasing exercise intensity (5). This had led to the common recommendation that low- to moderate-intensity, long duration endurance exercise is the most beneficial for fat loss (15). However, this belief does not take into consideration what happens during the post-exercise recovery period; total daily energy expenditure is more important for fat loss than the predominant fuel utilized during exercise (5). This is supported by research showing no significant difference in body fat loss between high-intensity and low-intensity submaximal, continuous exercise when total energy expenditure per exercise session is equated (2,7,9). Research by Hickson et al (11) further supports the notion that the predominant fuel substrate used during exercise does not play a role in fat loss; rats engaged in a high-intensity sprint training protocol achieved significant reductions in body fat, despite the fact that sprint training relies almost completely on carbohydrates as a fuel source.
Some research suggests that high-intensity exercise is more beneficial for fat loss than low- and moderate-intensity exercise (3,18,23,24). Pacheco-Sanchez et al (18) found a more pronounced fat loss in rats that exercised at a high intensity as compared to rats that exercised at a low intensity, despite both groups performing an equivalent amount of work. Bryner et al (3) found a significant loss in body fat in a group that exercised at a high intensity of 80-90% of maximum heart rate, while no significant change in body fat was found in the lower intensity group which exercised at 60-70% of maximum heart rate; no significant difference in total work existed between groups. An epidemiological study (24) found that individuals who regularly engaged in high-intensity exercise had lower skinfold thicknesses and waist-to-hip ratios (WHRs) than individuals who participated in exercise of lower intensities. After a covariance analysis was performed to remove the effect of total energy expenditure on skinfolds and WHRs, a significant difference remained between people who performed high-intensity exercise and people who performed lower-intensity exercise.
Tremblay et al (23) performed the most notable study which demonstrates that high-intensity exercise, specifically intermittent, supramaximal exercise, is the most optimal for fat loss. Subjects engaged in either an endurance training (ET) program for 20 weeks or a high-intensity intermittent-training (HIIT) program for 15 weeks. The mean estimated energy cost of the ET protocol was 120.4 MJ, while the mean estimated energy cost of the HIIT protocol was 57.9 MJ. The decrease in six subcutaneous skinfolds tended to be greater in the HIIT group than the ET group, despite the dramatically lower energy cost of training. When expressed on a per MJ basis, the HIIT group’s reduction in skinfolds was nine times greater than the ET group.
A number of explanations exist for the greater amounts of fat loss achieved by HIIT. First, a large body of evidence shows that high-intensity protocols, notably intermittent protocols, result in significantly greater post-exercise energy expenditure and fat utilization than low- or moderate-intensity protocols (1,4,8,14,19,21,25). Other research has found significantly elevated blood free-fatty-acid (FFA) concentrations or increased utilization of fat during recovery from resistance training (which is a form of HIIT) (16,17). Rasmussen et al (20) found higher exercise intensity resulted in greater acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) inactivation, which would result in greater FFA oxidation after exercise since ACC is an inhibitor of FFA oxidation. Tremblay et al (23) found HIIT to significantly increase muscle 3-hydroxyacyl coenzyme A dehydrogenase activity (a marker of the activity of b oxidation) over ET. Finally, a number of studies have found high-intensity exercise to suppress appetite more than lower intensities (6,12,13,22) and reduce saturated fat intake (3).
Overall, the evidence suggests that HIIT is the most efficient method for achieving fat loss. However, HIIT carries a greater risk of injury and is physically and psychologically demanding (10), making low- and moderate-intensity, continuous exercise the best choice for individuals that are unmotivated or contraindicated for high-intensity exercise.
1. Bahr, R., and O.M. Sejersted. Effect of intensity of exercise on excess postexercise O2 consumption. Metabolism. 40:836-841, 1991.
2. Ballor, D.L., J.P. McCarthy, and E.J. Wilterdink. Exercise intensity does not affect the composition of diet- and exercise-induced body mass loss. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 51:142-146, 1990.
3. Bryner, R.W., R.C. Toffle, I.H. Ullrish, and R.A. Yeater. The effects of exercise intensity on body composition, weight loss, and dietary composition in women. J. Am. Col. Nutr. 16:68-73, 1997.
4. Burleson, Jr, M.A., H.S. O’Bryant, M.H. Stone, M.A. Collins, and T. Triplett-McBride. Effect of weight training exercise and treadmill exercise on post-exercise oxygen consumption. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc. 30:518-522, 1998.
5. Coyle, E.H. Fat Metabolism During Exercise. [Online] Gatorade Sports Science Institute. http://www.gssiweb.com/references/s0000000200000015/s0000000200000016/d000000020000006d.html [1999, Mar 25]
6. Dickson-Parnell, B.E., and A. Zeichner. Effects of a short-term exercise program on caloric consumption. Health Psychol. 4:437-448, 1985.
7. Gaesser, G.A., and R.G. Rich. Effects of high- and low-intensity exercise training on aerobic capacity and blood lipids. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc. 16:269-274, 1984.
8. Gillette, C.A., R.C. Bullough, and C.L. Melby. Postexercise energy expenditure in response to acute aerobic or resistive exercise. Int. J. Sports Nutr. 4:347-360, 1994.
9. Grediagin, M.A., M. Cody, J. Rupp, D. Benardot, and R. Shern. Exercise intensity does not effect body composition change in untrained, moderately overfat women. J. Am. Diet Assoc. 95:661-665, 1995.
10. Grubbs, L. The critical role of exercise in weight control. Nurse Pract. 18(4):20,22,25-26,29, 1993.
11. Hickson, R.C., W.W. Heusner, W.D. Van Huss, D.E. Jackson, D.A. Anderson, D.A. Jones, and A.T. Psaledas. Effects of Dianabol and high-intensity sprint training on body composition of rats. Med. Sci. Sports. 8:191-195, 1976.
12. Imbeault, P., S. Saint-Pierre, N. Alméras, and A. Tremblay. Acute effects of exercise on energy intake and feeding behaviour. Br. J. Nutr. 77:511-521, 1997.
13. Katch, F.I., R. Martin, and J. Martin. Effects of exercise intensity on food consumption in the male rat. Am J. Clin. Nutr. 32:1401-1407, 1979.
14. Laforgia, J. R.T. Withers, N.J. Shipp, and C.J. Gore. Comparison of energy expenditure elevations after submaximal and supramaximal running. J. Appl. Physiol. 82:661-666, 1997.
15. Mahler, D.A., V.F. Froelicher, N.H. Miller, and T.D. York. ACSM’s Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription, edited by W.L. Kenney, R.H. Humphrey, and C.X. Bryant. Media, PA: Williams and Wilkins, 1995, chapt. 10, p. 218-219.
16. McMillan, J.L., M.H. Stone, J. Sartin, R. Keith, D. Marple, Lt. C. Brown, and R.D. Lewis. 20-hour physiological responses to a single weight-training session. J. Strength Cond. Res. 7(3):9-21, 1993.
17. Melby, C., C. Scholl, G. Edwards, and R. Bullough. Effect of acute resistance exercise on postexercise energy expenditure and resting metabolic rate. J. Appl. Physiol. 75:1847-1853, 1993.
18. Pacheco-Sanchez, M., and K.K Grunewald. Body fat deposition: effects of dietary fat and two exercise protocols. J. Am. Col. Nutr. 13:601-607, 1994.
19. Phelain, J.F., E. Reinke, M.A. Harris, and C.L. Melby. Postexercise energy expenditure and substrate oxidation in young women resulting from exercise bouts of different intensity. J. Am. Col. Nutr. 16:140-146, 1997.
20. Rasmussen, B.B., and W.W. Winder. Effect of exercise intensity on skeletal muscle malonyl-CoA and acetyl-CoA carboxylase. J. Appl. Physiol. 83:1104-1109, 1997.
21. Smith, J., and L. McNaughton. The effects of intensity of exercise on excess postexercise oxygen consumption and energy expenditure in moderately trained men and women. Eur. J. Appl. Physiol. 67:420-425, 1993.
22. Thompson, D.A., L.A. Wolfe, and R. Eikelboom. Acute effects of exercise intensity on appetite in young men. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc. 20:222-227, 1988.
23. Tremblay, A., J. Simoneau, and C. Bouchard. Impact of exercise intensity on body fatness and skeletal muscle metabolism. Metabolism. 43:814-818, 1994.
24. Tremblay, A., J. Després, C. Leblanc, C.L. Craig, B. Ferris, T. Stephens, and C. Bouchard. Effect of intensity of physical activity on body fatness and fat distribution. Am J. Clin. Nutr. 51:153-157, 1990.
25. Treuth, M.S., G.R. Hunter, and M. Williams. Effects of exercise intensity on 24-h energy expenditure and substrate oxidation. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc. 28:1138-1143, 1996.
Washington State University Athletics
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06.02.08
Posted in Shopping, Uncategorized at 6:05 pm by admin
Join lucy and The Healthy Goddess founder Christi Masi for an hour of planning your (realistic) goals for this summer. In this workshop we will, together, make a plan for your fitness goals for the entire summer of 2008. Perhaps this is the year to be in the best shape of your life! Join us!
Time: 6:30pm – 7:30pm
Location: lucy U village
What else: Win prizes from lucy and The Healthy Goddess!
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06.01.08
Posted in Adventures at 10:59 pm by admin
I know summer is not quite “here” yet, but it seems that I better get focused on my summer goals so that they are successful.
I usually have a plan for summer by now - and it struck me this weekend that I didn’t really have anything to focus on - until now! The plan is coming together. Next weekend, I am travelling to Portland to participate in the Rose Festival parade with our Portland Group. It will be really fun to meet the Portland Brides.
After the walk, I am going to head to Mount Saint Helens to climb. It’s perfect, as Mount Saint Helens is not quite a two day climb, but also not quite a one day climb - at least this year. I will probably have to ski in to camp and then can climb on Sunday and ski out. The perfect warm up for the (alpine) climbing season.
The following weekend, I think I can convince Scott to head to the mountains for an early season climb. The plan for June is to get in a couple short weekend climbs. Either that, or head to the sunny weather cragging areas to get ready for the bigger climbs this season. Scott and I talked about where to go and our list includes: Sahalie, Colchuck and the North Face of Shuksan. This should keep us busy in June. It’s unlikely that Scott will go 3 of 3 weekends, he will definitely want to go flying or something else in between, which is fair enough as long as it’s not wasting perfect Seattle weather to stay home and work on the fence.
The big objectives for me are: July 4th long weekend - a multi day trip to either the Tatoosh Range near Mt. Rainier, or up Ross Lake to climb in the Pickets. Then, July 18 there is an adventure race in The Gorge called The Wicked - Perfect! I have enough time to train, and it will get me focused on a race for July. Toward the end of July Matt and I are going to climb the North Ridge of Mt. Stuart. I have climbed it once before and it was one of my top 5 climbs ever! I am excited to go back there and this time to get up the Gendarme, the classic pitch on the route.
Then in early August, my friend Lynn and I are planning to ride our bikes to climb Mt. Rainier and then after we climb, will ride home. That will be a long ride for me, so that is really what I need to get focued on. I have climbed Mt. Rainier 7 times before via 4 different routes. I know I can do that. What I am less sure about is riding my bike that far. Sure, I have done the STP, but that was years and years ago. My bike rides are for transportaion and gettng from point A to B in the city. My most recent long ride (before today) was the 33 mile chilly hilly. So, as far as training goes, I need to fcous on riding a bike.
The first step in this process was buying a bike worthy of such a ride. I did that last Tuesday. I bought a brand new shiny blue Trek (my 25 year old bike was also a Trek). The new one is very nice, light and is perfect for me. I really don’t ride much for anything other than trasportation, so when Jeff (the bike store owner) asked me why I was buying a road bike instead of a commuter bike, I couldn’t really come up with a good answer and ended up getting what I really needed instead of what I thought I wanted.
Jeff is on Bainbridge Island. Classic Cycles is his shop and he has been working with me on my old trek for the past 10 years or so. Never once did he roll his eyes, or tell me I was ridiculous for having, keeping and maintaining a 25 year old bike. He has always been helpful, kind, and very generous. He’s a great guy. If you need a bike, go see Jeff - he will take really good care of you.
Today, I went for my first real ride. I went 24 miles around the south end of Lake Washington. It was a nice ride and only 2 people passed me. That is amazing. I get passed all the time. Today, I even passed someone else, in fact, two people. At one point, there was a guy behind me and when I finally had to see how far behind me he was, he was gone. That made my day! My speed averaged 15 mph, so not too bad.
Before the bike ride, I went for a run with Lucky. We did our usual run that is about 6 miles and we stopped for pushups and abs and today pullups too. I really want to get back to 10 pullups. I can do 10 lame ones……they don’t count. I need to be able to go down lower before they count.
Tomorrow my plan is to ride one hour, run 1.5 hour and do 1 hour of weights. Monday is always a big workout day for me.
Tuesday: I will run for 1 hour.
Wednesday: Ride 1 hour, swim 1 hour or weights for 1 hour.
My plan is to ride 5 x per week with one ride a long one (more than 24 miles) do weights 2 x per week (3 will be a target, but is not terribly realistic), and I will run 4 times per week. In addition to this, I will swim 1 x per week OR do 1 trail run per week.
Ok, now it’s out there. I will check in and let you know how it’s going. My summer climbs and outings are a lot more fun when I’m in shape for them. I have a good base, just need to get back to tip - top shape for the season. I feel good already!
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05.30.08
Posted in Weddings and Honeymoons at 5:28 pm by admin
We have photos from our first Bellevue Wedding! The season has begun. Claire was married on May 24 in Scottsdale AZ.
Claire wrote: “Hi Girls, as promised, here are a few wedding pics I promise to get you some pics of me doing push-ups on the dance floor 
”
That will truly be a first for The Healthy Bride!! I love the fact that she thought of us while dancing on her wedding day.
Congratulations Claire! You look absolutely radiant!
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05.27.08
Posted in Workouts at 9:58 am by admin
Hey Christi, I just wanted to give the Healthy Brides here in Portland a thumbs up for a job well done! We finished our first session last night, and our assessments were outstanding. All three women exceeded their goals on every level, losing pounds, inches, and gaining strength and endurance in every area. We may still be small in numbers, but we are becoming a fierce team of fit women who will not only look amazing come wedding day, but will be healthy and happy for the long haul, making some good friends along the way.
Way to go Erica, Barb, and Annelie!!! I am so proud of you all. I can’t wait to see your progress continue, and for you to inspire those who join us to work hard and look as good as you do!!
Have a great holiday weekend,
Megan
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