I took the day off today to do a last long training session - a simulation of what to expect on race day. 13.5 mile of hills, 2100 feet elevation change, 85-95 degree hot weather, with 9 sets of 30 burpees dispersed in-between the miles, and a rope climb at the end.
5 hours, 2L of water, 2 Gus, 1 Stinger waffer, 1 bar, 1 banana, 1 mustard packet. The last 2 miles of hill climb were awful. That's where the mustard packet test came in, and it really did relieve muscle cramp in the legs!
Race day is not going to be easy... I'm aiming just for completion at this point and changing my finish time estimate to 7 hours now. #gettingverynervous
Update: As I'm unwinding from my training session and on mama-duty now, Ryan gears up and heads out for his! I LOVE this family and how we get our training done! =)
Friday, August 29, 2014
Wednesday, August 27, 2014
My Geek Girl
The nanny sent me this adorable photo of my girl playing with the nanny's glasses. I remember doing that as a kid with my dad's glasses!
Spartan Race Prep : Gear Review
“It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.”
― Ernest Hemingway
Spartan Beast is in 3 weeks time, and the last 2-3 months pre-race is my favorite part of the journey. Right now, I am having fun! The excitement. The anticipation. The focus and the last chance workouts! When I look back to what I could do 9-12 months ago to now, esp with the knee, it feels great to see that progress. That progress comes from being disciplined in doing daily workouts, setting myself daily/weekly/monthly plans, and doing it to the best I can... whether it be adapting the program if the kids are sick or changing things up to make it harder or easier. I am enjoying the journey and the race is in sight.
The last part is getting all the details right for game time and testing it all out beforehand! What gear to wear/bring? What fuel/food and hydration?
Everyone has their own race fuel preferences. Back from my half marathon days, I leaned towards the GU brand. Vanilla, Salted Caramel, and Espresso Love. I plan to take a GU every 1-1.5 hour interval during the race. I am estimating a 5-6 hour finish (no more than 8 hours worst case), so 4 GUs. Ryan doesn't like GU, so he has his own.
Next comes the bars. I researched and followed up on various recommendations for taste and protein/carb/sugar/fiber content.
* Stinger Waffles - A HIT! I will be bringing 2 of those along
* Epic Bar - Paleo. Meat. Taste HORRIBLE.
* The Builder's Chocolate Mint - High reviews, but a miss for me.
* Simple Square - Too sweet.
* Picky Bars - Top Contender. Natural ingredients. Good nutritional ratios. Tasty!
* Quest bars - Top Contender. Cookies'n'Creme flavor. Decadently tasty.
* ThinkThin - Nut bars only. Good.
* Chia Bar - Decent taste. ~100 cal.
* Tanka - Mainly protein. Good post-race.
* Marathon Bar - TBD - Meal replacement bar. Recommended to eat 1/2 at a time.
* Luna & Balance Bar - TBD
My race pack will contain 4 GUs, 2 Stinger Waffles, 2 bars, and 5 travel size mustard packets (good for leg cramps).
Next are the SHOES. These are not to be considered lightly. At Alpha Warrior, one of the many mistakes I made was choosing to wear the wrong shoes. It will affect the grip, stability, water drainage, blisters, etc. And hence the search for the right pair began 2 years ago when we first signed up for a Spartan. At that time, we were only signed up for a 3mi Sprint.
* Inov8 X-Talon 212 (top left) - Most popular for OCRs. Shoe fits like a glove and has the best traction. Unfortunately its a minimalist shoe and for me, not enough arch support for long distance.
* Brooks Cascadia (top middle) - Perfect for 5K road or easy trail, hot sports form with longer distance.
* Pearl Izumi Trail M2 (top-right) - most comfortable out of all the shoes.. perfect for trail and long distance. Traction is just ok.
* Addidas Kanadia Tr6 (bottom-left, snug fit) yet enough room in toe area and good treads for traction.
* Altra (bottom right) - Roomy wide toe box, great for long distance road running, but not good in traction and support for trail.
* Salomon Speedcross - High reviews, but not comfortable.
* Reebox Spartan Sprint/Supers - Not comfortable.
Note: I did not buy all these shoes for this race. Its an accumulation from prior races or cross-training workouts. I did get the Pearl Izumi and Addidas in hopes of finding something that would work better for longer distance, trail, and mud. Reebox and Solomons were nixed after trying them on in the store and not feeling comfortable right from the start. Right now, plan is to go with the Addidas for the traction in mud.
And definitely not the last of all things to consider, but other things that will be needed or very helpful.
* Mountain Hardware Fluid Race Vest - Great vest with minimalist approach to carrying water and food that is lighter weight and less bounce than a hydration pack. The running vest has a back pocket that can carry a 1L Platypus soft water bottle. There should be at least 1 aide station, so 1L water should get me to the half way point easily and then re-fill.
* Gloves and knee pads - Protection for the obstacles.
* Gaiters - keep them rocks out of the shoes.
And, of course, there has to be a prep list. The final touches to my obsessive-compulsive.
"By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail." - Benjamin Franklin
Other miscellaneous tips from reading various forums:
* Apply coconut oil in hair and braid. This will help keep mud out and tangles easier to manage.
* Use a sharpie to write race number on arms/legs. Easier to identify in race photos.
* Wear all things tight fitting and non-cotton.
* Bring lots of mustard packets to help with muscle cramps.
* Bring headlamp if you have a late start.
― Ernest Hemingway
Spartan Beast is in 3 weeks time, and the last 2-3 months pre-race is my favorite part of the journey. Right now, I am having fun! The excitement. The anticipation. The focus and the last chance workouts! When I look back to what I could do 9-12 months ago to now, esp with the knee, it feels great to see that progress. That progress comes from being disciplined in doing daily workouts, setting myself daily/weekly/monthly plans, and doing it to the best I can... whether it be adapting the program if the kids are sick or changing things up to make it harder or easier. I am enjoying the journey and the race is in sight.
The last part is getting all the details right for game time and testing it all out beforehand! What gear to wear/bring? What fuel/food and hydration?
Everyone has their own race fuel preferences. Back from my half marathon days, I leaned towards the GU brand. Vanilla, Salted Caramel, and Espresso Love. I plan to take a GU every 1-1.5 hour interval during the race. I am estimating a 5-6 hour finish (no more than 8 hours worst case), so 4 GUs. Ryan doesn't like GU, so he has his own.
Next comes the bars. I researched and followed up on various recommendations for taste and protein/carb/sugar/fiber content.
* Stinger Waffles - A HIT! I will be bringing 2 of those along
* Epic Bar - Paleo. Meat. Taste HORRIBLE.
* The Builder's Chocolate Mint - High reviews, but a miss for me.
* Simple Square - Too sweet.
* Picky Bars - Top Contender. Natural ingredients. Good nutritional ratios. Tasty!
* Quest bars - Top Contender. Cookies'n'Creme flavor. Decadently tasty.
* ThinkThin - Nut bars only. Good.
* Chia Bar - Decent taste. ~100 cal.
* Tanka - Mainly protein. Good post-race.
* Marathon Bar - TBD - Meal replacement bar. Recommended to eat 1/2 at a time.
* Luna & Balance Bar - TBD
My race pack will contain 4 GUs, 2 Stinger Waffles, 2 bars, and 5 travel size mustard packets (good for leg cramps).
Next are the SHOES. These are not to be considered lightly. At Alpha Warrior, one of the many mistakes I made was choosing to wear the wrong shoes. It will affect the grip, stability, water drainage, blisters, etc. And hence the search for the right pair began 2 years ago when we first signed up for a Spartan. At that time, we were only signed up for a 3mi Sprint.
* Inov8 X-Talon 212 (top left) - Most popular for OCRs. Shoe fits like a glove and has the best traction. Unfortunately its a minimalist shoe and for me, not enough arch support for long distance.
* Brooks Cascadia (top middle) - Perfect for 5K road or easy trail, hot sports form with longer distance.
* Pearl Izumi Trail M2 (top-right) - most comfortable out of all the shoes.. perfect for trail and long distance. Traction is just ok.
* Addidas Kanadia Tr6 (bottom-left, snug fit) yet enough room in toe area and good treads for traction.
* Altra (bottom right) - Roomy wide toe box, great for long distance road running, but not good in traction and support for trail.
* Salomon Speedcross - High reviews, but not comfortable.
* Reebox Spartan Sprint/Supers - Not comfortable.
Note: I did not buy all these shoes for this race. Its an accumulation from prior races or cross-training workouts. I did get the Pearl Izumi and Addidas in hopes of finding something that would work better for longer distance, trail, and mud. Reebox and Solomons were nixed after trying them on in the store and not feeling comfortable right from the start. Right now, plan is to go with the Addidas for the traction in mud.
And definitely not the last of all things to consider, but other things that will be needed or very helpful.
* Mountain Hardware Fluid Race Vest - Great vest with minimalist approach to carrying water and food that is lighter weight and less bounce than a hydration pack. The running vest has a back pocket that can carry a 1L Platypus soft water bottle. There should be at least 1 aide station, so 1L water should get me to the half way point easily and then re-fill.
* Gloves and knee pads - Protection for the obstacles.
* Gaiters - keep them rocks out of the shoes.
And, of course, there has to be a prep list. The final touches to my obsessive-compulsive.
"By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail." - Benjamin Franklin
Other miscellaneous tips from reading various forums:
* Apply coconut oil in hair and braid. This will help keep mud out and tangles easier to manage.
* Use a sharpie to write race number on arms/legs. Easier to identify in race photos.
* Wear all things tight fitting and non-cotton.
* Bring lots of mustard packets to help with muscle cramps.
* Bring headlamp if you have a late start.
Friday, August 22, 2014
Laguna Seca : Day 1
Waiting at the bus stop for the bus ride to Laguna Seca.
The kids first bus ride! They are excited.
Testing out the Ducati bikes at the Ducati Island tents.
We're not as skilled as in Thailand or Vietnam in fitting the entire family onto one bike.
Emilia got a time out. "Time out. Any time. Any where." is my parental motto. No messing with this mama.
Liam is a natural on the mini-moto.
The little man with the retro-Beatles do.
Caught a glimpse of some racers and a trail of paparazzi following them. Too bad I didn't snap a shot of the paps.
Walking pass the start/finish line. Notice Liam's passed out in the baby carrier.
We walked up to the corkscrew area where lots of the action happens. Lots of spectators hang out here during the races.
Em's way of "spectating"...
Shots of the corkscrew action.
Kiddies are way tired and not willing to sleep in the portable crib... so, all of us in one tiny queen.
Luckily they were so tired after the first day of the races, they passed out in less than 15 minutes.
Sunday, August 10, 2014
Climbing Cameos!
Check it out at 0:33-0:36 seconds, and the lil' boy in light blue shirt at 1:12 and 1:57. My pink back makes an appearance at 0:29. The family made it into the grand opening video at a new climbing gym in town. =)
Friday, August 8, 2014
The Snatch
My latest obsession. The Snatch. I am finally starting to get the feel for the Snatch, after 3+ months of the coach correcting every aspect of my form as I re-learn how to do the Snatch in the real Olympic weight-lifting technique versus the crossfit one. I hit my newest Snatch PR this Wednesday, at 31Kg (68#)! Another small milestone, coach says it is time for me to get weight-lifting shoes! Yes!
Here's a great video of women olympic weightlifters snatching. They are in the 69+Kg (152#) bodyweight category.
It's pretty amazing. Olympic weight-lifting is definitely physical, but also very much a mental game. I spend a bit of time just staring at the bar (especially if it is heavy) trying to get myself to focus before doing the lift. I go over aspects of the form and then try to back off over-thinking it cause my brain thinks slower than the entire movement.
Knuckles down. Hook grip. Lats engaged in pulling bar close. Core tight. Initial lift off ground, butt up, legs straighten as bar goes up to knees. As bar reaches knees, bend knees as gluts and hamstring generate power to drive the bar up. As bar travels upward, posterior chain finishes it with a "shrug" or a "pull" as the weight travels up, lifter drops down below the bar, usually in a squat, and "catches" it at the top of the bar movement. For the catch, think of not just holding the bar, but pushing the bar upwards.
This video below shows the Snatch that I learned in Crossfit. The "Jump and Shrug" technique. WRONG. Pause at the 8 and 9 second mark, and you'll see that the bar travels out/away from the lifter at chest level. Notice how the lifter also has to arch his back to "shrug" the barbell up.
This below is the Olympic weight-lifting Snatch technique that uses a "pull". Pause at 14 through 18 second mark, and you'll see that the bar actually gets pulled towards the body until the body is upright, and then the bar travels directly upward. Notice how as the lifter "pulls" his back remains in an upright fashion.
What I"ve learned is that using the "Jump and Shrug" technique, it loses some of the momentum because the lifter will have to bring the bar back above him/her because it has traveled horizontally away. Also, the lifter uses more of a hip thrust to generate the power to throw the bar out and up, and tends to arch the back more.. which means putting back into a hyper-extension, while the shoulders end up having to pull the bar back into alignment. The Oly method keeps the bar horizontal movement as minimal as possible and uses the pull from the entire posterior chain - hammies, gluts, back/lats to generate movement of the bar upward and close. Ideally, the arm/shoulder muscles are used to guide the bar versus doing the actually pulling of the bar.
Comparison of Bad Versus Good Snatch
Seriously. Weightlifting is so much more fun that I thought!
Update: I noticed the comments on the comparison video. The Snatch technique is taught mainstream by two camps, Crossfit and Olympic Weight-lifting. I have learned both now, and Oly lifting is the sure way to go if you don't want to hurt yourself. Guy on the right is the Oly way. Guy on the left is the Crossfit way.
Here's a great video of women olympic weightlifters snatching. They are in the 69+Kg (152#) bodyweight category.
It's pretty amazing. Olympic weight-lifting is definitely physical, but also very much a mental game. I spend a bit of time just staring at the bar (especially if it is heavy) trying to get myself to focus before doing the lift. I go over aspects of the form and then try to back off over-thinking it cause my brain thinks slower than the entire movement.
Knuckles down. Hook grip. Lats engaged in pulling bar close. Core tight. Initial lift off ground, butt up, legs straighten as bar goes up to knees. As bar reaches knees, bend knees as gluts and hamstring generate power to drive the bar up. As bar travels upward, posterior chain finishes it with a "shrug" or a "pull" as the weight travels up, lifter drops down below the bar, usually in a squat, and "catches" it at the top of the bar movement. For the catch, think of not just holding the bar, but pushing the bar upwards.
This video below shows the Snatch that I learned in Crossfit. The "Jump and Shrug" technique. WRONG. Pause at the 8 and 9 second mark, and you'll see that the bar travels out/away from the lifter at chest level. Notice how the lifter also has to arch his back to "shrug" the barbell up.
This below is the Olympic weight-lifting Snatch technique that uses a "pull". Pause at 14 through 18 second mark, and you'll see that the bar actually gets pulled towards the body until the body is upright, and then the bar travels directly upward. Notice how as the lifter "pulls" his back remains in an upright fashion.
What I"ve learned is that using the "Jump and Shrug" technique, it loses some of the momentum because the lifter will have to bring the bar back above him/her because it has traveled horizontally away. Also, the lifter uses more of a hip thrust to generate the power to throw the bar out and up, and tends to arch the back more.. which means putting back into a hyper-extension, while the shoulders end up having to pull the bar back into alignment. The Oly method keeps the bar horizontal movement as minimal as possible and uses the pull from the entire posterior chain - hammies, gluts, back/lats to generate movement of the bar upward and close. Ideally, the arm/shoulder muscles are used to guide the bar versus doing the actually pulling of the bar.
Comparison of Bad Versus Good Snatch
Seriously. Weightlifting is so much more fun that I thought!
Update: I noticed the comments on the comparison video. The Snatch technique is taught mainstream by two camps, Crossfit and Olympic Weight-lifting. I have learned both now, and Oly lifting is the sure way to go if you don't want to hurt yourself. Guy on the right is the Oly way. Guy on the left is the Crossfit way.
Saturday, August 2, 2014
Fallen and Can't Get Up
When the two kiddies are left to their own devises, it's only a matter of time before parental units need to step in.
Cooking dinner is almost always longer than I intend it to be. My cooking time tends to forget to factor in "momma, I need your help with [fill in the blank]!", or refereeing shouting matches "I was playing with that first! No. I WAS!", or when it suddenly turns too quiet, as in where did the children go?. Sure, these stops are short in duration, but when there's 10 different things that come up... it easily doubles the amount of time it takes to get dinner prepped, cooked, and on the table.
Such as tonight. I always aim for easy, one-pot meals if possible. Tonight was a regular saute chopped bok choy with ground bison meat. Simple. And yet, it took me an hour for a dish that would take no more than 15 minutes. This was the main crisis of the evening...cries of help emanating from both kiddies.
"Momma, I can't get out.Help me up."
Then, cries of despair turn into giggles as I give them the eye.
And. There you have it. They are both conspiring against me! Em just chilling in her stuck spot until I get there.
With kids, there is no such thing as a simple task. It's like engineering projects. The general rule of thumb is to multiple how long you think it will take for you to complete the task by PI, and that will be closer to the actual completion time.
Cooking dinner is almost always longer than I intend it to be. My cooking time tends to forget to factor in "momma, I need your help with [fill in the blank]!", or refereeing shouting matches "I was playing with that first! No. I WAS!", or when it suddenly turns too quiet, as in where did the children go?. Sure, these stops are short in duration, but when there's 10 different things that come up... it easily doubles the amount of time it takes to get dinner prepped, cooked, and on the table.
Such as tonight. I always aim for easy, one-pot meals if possible. Tonight was a regular saute chopped bok choy with ground bison meat. Simple. And yet, it took me an hour for a dish that would take no more than 15 minutes. This was the main crisis of the evening...cries of help emanating from both kiddies.
"Momma, I can't get out.Help me up."
Then, cries of despair turn into giggles as I give them the eye.
And. There you have it. They are both conspiring against me! Em just chilling in her stuck spot until I get there.
With kids, there is no such thing as a simple task. It's like engineering projects. The general rule of thumb is to multiple how long you think it will take for you to complete the task by PI, and that will be closer to the actual completion time.
Friday, August 1, 2014
#BestHusbandEver
Take a look at what Ryan got me as an anniversary present!! #besthusbandEVER #SpartanTraining
Yes, I have started doing the hashtags when words do not adequately convey the excitement. #RyanISawesome!
I would say there is probably a small percentage of women that want tractor tires as a gift. And out of that small percentage, I would guess there's even a smaller percentage where the husbands would go out and find a way to get tractor tires versus something easier.. like buying a box of chocolates.
Yes, I have started doing the hashtags when words do not adequately convey the excitement. #RyanISawesome!
I would say there is probably a small percentage of women that want tractor tires as a gift. And out of that small percentage, I would guess there's even a smaller percentage where the husbands would go out and find a way to get tractor tires versus something easier.. like buying a box of chocolates.
5 Years Ago Today!
Five years ago, we decided to converge our lives and start a new adventure... family hood! And with the start of that adventure, we choose to dictate our "wedding" in our own style and manner. The actually wedding day was a very simple one. On top of Torrey Pines cliff overlooking the ocean, it was a scenic blend of Ryan's mountaineering ways and my love of the surf and sea. With a few close friends as witnesses and very pretty flowers, our lives converged.
Our "wedding" really was more than just this one day. We had fun going about wedding festivities in a non-traditional manner, with three separate parties/dinners. We tricked our friends into thinking they were celebrating a bon-voyage party.. cause you know..we have always wanted to go see Africa, only to have them play trivia games and surprising the with the "real" celebration. We had two dinner parties for the family where each affair was just right... no set itinerary, just casual time with the family. I may be biased, but even to this day, our wedding/festivities stand out as being the best wedding I've ever been to. =)
Five years of having the best and challenging life adventure (kids and such) with the best partner in crime that allows me to be me (with full neurosis and compulsive obsessiveness).. and eats mostly what I cook!
Our "wedding" really was more than just this one day. We had fun going about wedding festivities in a non-traditional manner, with three separate parties/dinners. We tricked our friends into thinking they were celebrating a bon-voyage party.. cause you know..we have always wanted to go see Africa, only to have them play trivia games and surprising the with the "real" celebration. We had two dinner parties for the family where each affair was just right... no set itinerary, just casual time with the family. I may be biased, but even to this day, our wedding/festivities stand out as being the best wedding I've ever been to. =)
Five years of having the best and challenging life adventure (kids and such) with the best partner in crime that allows me to be me (with full neurosis and compulsive obsessiveness).. and eats mostly what I cook!
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