Staying loose!

There’s something in the Toronto water I tell ya! It seems like everywhere I turn, there are rowers with rib injuriesL. 

I feel like it’s the “me too” scenario because everyone is getting it at the same time.  That said, I think it’s a perfect time for me to mention some things that could help loosen up those muscles around the ribs (and muscles in general).  When you have tight muscles around the ribs, the ribs are more prone to being pulled out or even worse, fractured!  It may be too late to prevent me from injury in general since I have quite a lot of scar tissue built up in my upper left back from previous injuries, but for those of you who can prevent chronic injury, take note of some of these tips and see if they work for youJ.

A massage is always good because the therapist can really get into your muscles to help loosen them up, help flush out lactic acid, and simply just relax your body.  The following things can be done on their own or in conjunction with a massage…there are enough home remedies you can follow for there to be no excuse…

Hot/Cold showers (this was taken from About.com-Sports Medicine)

“Some athletes swear by ice baths, ice massage or contrast water therapy (alternating hot and cold showers) to recover faster, reduce muscle soreness and prevent injury. The theory behind this method is that by repeatedly constricting and dilating blood vessels helps remove (or flush out) waste products in the tissues. Limited research has found some benefits of contrast water therapy at reducing delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS)”.

How to use contrast water therapy: While taking your post-exercise shower, alternate 2 minutes of hot water with 30 seconds of cold water. Repeat four times with a minute of moderate temperatures between each hot-cold spray. If you happen to have a spa with hot and cold tubs available, you can take a plunge in each for the same time.

Friendly Massage Equipment (they may hurt but they will be your BFF!)

Acuball: http://www.acuball.com/

Stick with Rollers: http://www.mountainbiketales.com/reviews/stick.htm

There are so many causes for rib injuries, but I think a lot of the time they happen because of a change in the training volume, and it may be more than the athlete is prepared for.  I’m sure technique may also be a factor?...don’t quote me on that.

So yes, “me too”.  I have been feeling my own rib a bit, BUT I think it’s just got to be popped back into place, it’s not a fracture or anything serious.  This is why I have been able to keep doing my workouts this week.  Plus, I am seeing my massage therapist and chiropractor as often as possible, ha!  I will have no more health coverage after this week:S Just kidding!

My taper is starting, so this will be good to get the muscles healthy and fresh for race day…today was a nice hard short piece (I sounded like a tennis player, no joke!), and I am already craving more pieces since it was so short, but that’s what a good taper will make you feel like.  By the time race day comes on February 5^th, I will be craving the erg and ready to push hard.

Off I go to my friend Joanna Chapman-Smith’s album release (woo hoo!!).  I’ll let you know how it goes;).

Stay injury free!

World Record day!

What an afternoon!!!

After work I went to practice as I normally do, but little did I know this was going to be a WORLD RECORD dayJ.

I met up with Kathleen, and a new training partner, Serena.  Our workout was a 60minute piece at a stroke rate of 22 (this workout is also done as a “test” for RowOntario RADAR – provincial rowing organization).  Since it was a practice and not a test, I was going to aim to hit 220W for as long as I could at this low stroke rate and then settle to just keep pace for the remainder of the 60 minutes.  No pressure for me, BUT for my friend Kathleen, today was the day she was going to go out to break the world record for women 40+ on a Concept2 Erg for 60 minutes.

And with no doubt, she did just that and broke the current world record – WOOT WOOT!!!  Results will be posted later, but being that she’s a tough a** athlete, I bet we’ll be doing the 60 minute again to only kick her own buttJ.

She definitely was my motivation to get through the workout…and pull my own personal best.  When I submitted my test for 60 minutes this past November my split was 2:03.5/500m, and today I held 2:02.5/500m!  I went out at 220W for the first 5 minutes just to get a feel for that REDICULOUS pace (not ready for it yet!), and then I just settled into my rhythm, breathing, and drive on the legs.  Kathleen’s consistency rubbed off on me, and Serena training right there with us was really nice (she’s a lightweight, and so I’m looking forward to getting in a 2x this summer).

And of course being Wednesday, I made my way down to ZUMBA after…it was A-MAZING!..I still have the music in my head – LOVE IT!!!

So my advice for today is to not only work hard in racing/testing, but to work even harder in practice when you are doing pieces so that when it comes to racing/testing, then it is actually a nice break, ha!

Just look at how relaxed Ursula Grobler looks in this video below (she's the one in the white t-shirt and black/red/white shirts)...this is when she broke the Women's Lightweight World Record for 2000m.  She looks relaxed and strong because this is how she trains and she knows no differently...love this video:

Happy Training

Believe.

Here is one of the definitions I found for this word:  to have confidence in the truth, the existence, or the reliability of something, although without absolute proof that one is right in doing so.

This comes back to the mental part of sport, but rather than look at a test or race, look at your training plan.  Do you fully believe in the training plan you are following, do you trust that it will take you to that next level in your athletic career?  This can also be applied to work.  For work, there is no doubt I fully believe in the products we sell for detecting breast cancer!  I wouldn’t enjoy my job as much as I do if I didn’t “believe”.

In general I must say that I have come a long way in “believing” in myself.  I used to let doubt overcome my mind, and so in turn, I failed many athletic tests/races (or at least I didn’t reach the true potential I could at the time).

I’m the type of person who will put my trust in somebody and give them the benefit of the doubt, until they prove to me otherwise.  Perhaps this is not the best approach, but it has helped me see a lot of good in people, and I feed off of positive energy.

That said, I have put trust in my new coach Stani (which was hard after having such an amazing friend and coach in Stompo), and  I am following her training plan closely, as well as a muscle strengthening program that my friend Rory gave me.  Believing in these two programs has helped strengthen the trust that I should be putting into me.  Through the workouts, I have seen that my fitness is improving and that I could hold splits in practice that used to be held as personal bests.

Two other things come to mind when I think about this word:

1)      Yesterday I participated in my friend Robyn’s fundraiser for an organization called “KidSport”.  Those who attended got two amazing workout sessions – one was muscle conditioning and the other was Zumba!  In the muscle conditioning session I saw how Robyn helped encourage all participants, and everyone knew that although it was going to be a tough hour of working out, they could finish.  The workout was set up as a pyramid, so we first did 10 repetitions, then 9, 8, 7, and so on until 1.  This approach helped everyone believe that if they could do 10, then they could 9, etc.  As you can imagine, everyone finished the workout (and I know for me that I am definitely feeling it todayJ).

2)      Moneyball!  Moneyball is a movie about baseball in which statistical analysis was applied to help identify undervalued players and create a winning team (thanks Andrew for the wording on that, haha).  The two main characters played by Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill, were alone in their views, but they believed, and this belief helped them make history with the longest winning streak and the beginning of a new scouting method.

Believe.  Enough said:)

WORKIN' IT OUT for KIDSPORT!...and fighting the cold season:S

First things first...

Reminder that tomorrow is my friend Robyn's fundraiser called "WORKIN' IT OUT for KidSport!"

January 15th from 1-4pm

Muscle Conditioning Pyramid Workout at 1:30pm

Zumba Fitness at 3:00pm

In North York near Yonge and Sheppard - 49 Bogert Avenue, M2N 1K4

www.workitoutfitness.ca

Hope to see you there!  Please message me if you can come or have any questions.  It’s going to be a GREAT afternoon filled with fun and sweat, all for a great causeJ.

Now, how has my past week of training been?...well, a little frustrating to be honest.  I can imagine that there are many of you out there in the same boat (no pun intended, har har) – fighting off silly colds that like to cling onto you for much longer than normal!

9 days! 9 days is how long I've now had this viral infection.  I finally went to a doctor today and he said although all my symptoms lead to viral, it could be an atypical bacterial infection, so he gave me antibiotics as back up.  If drugs will help bring me back to normal, then I welcome them with open armsJ.

Speaking of drugs, there was a documentary on CBC about ColdFX.  I used to swear by this immune strengthening pill, but now I'm not so sure:S It's important to educate yourself on what you're taking and where the product is coming from:

http://www.cbc.ca/marketplace/2012/whatfx/ 

I must say I tried really hard not to get sick this winter. I've:

- Made home-made vegetable/fruit juice with my juicer everyday
- Taken my multi-vitamin daily
- Done salt/water gargles twice a day (who DOES that by choice!)
- Dried my hair after showering before I go outside
- Etc...

I think this one night at hot yoga changed my luck...I sat right next to the door (opens out to the outdoors), and since the class was packed, it got extremely hot, and so the instructor opened the door various times throughout the class and the VIRUSES ATTACKED ME!  Maybe they were already in the room from someone else, but the viruses were alive and well that night!

I can deal with fever, cough, sore throat and painful ears, but I can't deal with poor training! This is why I'm excited to start taking the antibiotics - hopefully I can make the most of the last 3 weeks before CIRCs (Canadian Indoor Rowing Championships on Feb 5^th).

Although my results haven't been as strong as I would have liked, I am soooo thankful to have amazing training partners who still motivate me by how much they push themselves, and in turn, push me.  I’ve only trained once a day this week because of my low energy levels, but they’ve been good sessions.  One of the brutal sessions included 3x5km at a fixed stroke rate...this type of workout makes you wish for a cold if it means the muscle pain in your legs will go away! At the same time, the muscle pain is kinda nice because it reminds me that they are still functional and trying to get stronger.  I held an average of about 2:01 over the 3 pieces, with my first one being just under the 2:00 mark, so it’ll be good to do this workout when I’m healthy so that I can compare my results.  Always good to keep a training log;)

With that, here’s a really healthy juice recipe you can try:
- 2 beets
- 3 apples
- 2 celery
- 2 carrots
- 1 cucumber
- 1 lemon
- Juice and then put in a jug to enjoy over the next few days, or mix with your favourite protein powder, yum!

Have a great week-end!

New Year's Resolutions begin - ZUMBA FUNDRAISER

First week of January…a time when:

-          It feels like EVERYONE is sick (I'm drinking tea, honey with lemon, and gargling as much as possible!)

-          There are so many birthdays - Joanna, Rob, Kristin, Andrew, Ming and my PapaJ

-          People are starting their new year’s resolutions

Now although my overall resolution is to be more patient, I do have another that is related to training…I need to make a bigger effort to stretch more, and what better way to do so than do Yoga?!

In general, stretching is practiced to help lengthen muscles (increase range of motion), and it is an ongoing debate whether stretching has a direct affect on decreasing the risk of injury in athletes.  There are many philosophies out there, but what I’ve found to work for me is a session of dynamic stretching before training, followed by static stretching after.  So far I’ve been lucky to stay away from injury (knock on wood PLEASE!!!). 

When to Stretch – Experts Recommend Static Stretching After Exercise (About.Com)

http://sportsmedicine.about.com/cs/flexibility/a/aa022102a.htm

Yoga for me has now become a time when I can focus on stretching out my back (since I am always in a seated position: rowing, sitting at a desk, and driving), be in tune with my breathing, and strengthen my core.

There is no doubt that I am one of many new members at this Yoga Studio (the room is absolutely packed!) – plus, I’m taking advantage of their new member’s promo (don’t mind if I do thank youJ).  I’ve gone three times this week, and it has really been a good change in my training schedule.  I also think it’s helping me sweat out the silly bug I have that’s going around - it's been a tough week with less than ideal erg results since my immune system is down...BUT, better to be sick now than later on when I can't afford to be.

Speaking about “new year’s resolutions” and fun activities…if anyone out there is looking to change things up, I strongly suggest you try ZUMBA.  As you may recall, my good friend Robyn is a Zumba instructor, and she is holding a fundraiser on January 15^th from 1-4pm at 49 Bogert Ave in North York.  The $10 donation will go to KidSport – a national not-for-profit organization that provides financial assistance to funding the participation and inclusion of kids in sport and healthy living!  I will be there without fail, and if you are free, come by as it would be great for you and your friends to support such a great cause too!

ZUMBA FUNDRAISER!

http://workitoutfitness.ca/

Now, back I go to drinking more Tea with Lemon and Honey (need to get healthy again as the countdown will soon begin for the Canadian Indoor Rowing ChampionshipsJ).

Night

Closing 2011 with a bang...and a bit of a tan:)

Paradise.  That is what I experienced over the past week in the Dominican Republic.  My husband and I were invited by our good friend Nico, and we stayed in a villa in “Casa de Campo” (a place where the rich and famous go to vacation) – definitely something I would have never experience if it weren’t for Nico and his family (gracious hosts, thank you!).

There, Andrew and I met new friends and together we all enjoyed the luxuries of this paradise: spent new year’s day on a yacht in the middle of the ocean, played beach volley-ball, ran most days to familiarize ourselves with the hang out spots, enjoyed ridiculously incredible authentic home-made food (I had no trouble putting on my 5lbs of extra weight that I neededJ), had marathon games of “mafia” and “crazy 8 countdown” almost every night, and much much more.  The games definitely brought out everyone’s competitiveness, it was fun!

As for rowing – I found a very interesting way of cross training while on vacation!  It’s called “tanning”J.  Just kidding (somewhat).  The gym at the local hotel did have a weight room and so fortunately I was able to get onto a type of rowing machine for a couple of workouts and also do my weights circuit.  Unfortunately though, the rowing machine was quite different than the standard rowing machine I’m used to, so I struggled to effectively activate my leg drive, which is why I tried a few other ways of simulating the rowing motion.  Knowing that I need to work on my finish timing (having my arms finish at the same time as my legs), I did the following:  tied bands around a door knob so that I could pull the ends of the bands with my hands and get some tension, while wrapping another band around my knees so that when I would squat and stand, the bands would force me stay strong and activate my legs and glutes.  Doing this for 3 sets of 10 minutes (each set followed by 30 squat jumps) definitely hurt!

Too bad the tanning part of my training didn’t help me stay as fit as I needed to.  I got back this morning at 2am and got up at 8am as I had to get on my computer and attack the work day.  I just finished about 4 hours of training, and it shows that I lost some of my fitness.  Right before leaving to Dominican I was able to hold an average of 170 watts for 2 sets of 30 minute low stroke rate pyramids…and today I could barely hang on to 160W average.  But was it worth it…yes!  I know I can make it up as long as I buckle down and get down to business!

Everyone needs a mental/physical break once in a while so that the fire inside continues to burn strong right?!  Well, it’s good to know that I’m not the only one.  Even professionals need a break…

In the Dominican, we had the pleasure of hanging out with Jose Bautista (he’s a professional Baseball player who plays for the Toronto Blue Jays).  He is the number one Blue Jay, and has previously earned the title of American League Home Run Champion.  He was incredibly modest and humble, despite his big success here in Toronto.

All in all, an amazing vacation ends, but an amazing journey still continues onJ.

Happy 2012 everyone!