Vote for Josh

Today I am asking you to do something completely non-bike related. And it won't cost you anything beyond a couple of minutes of your time.

Meet my cousin, Josh Newey. He's participating in a contest for a new van. Read below about Josh and his current situation and then click the link and vote for Josh. That's all it takes to help change someone's life!

Josh Newey was born on May 13, 1977. His date of injury (C5 quadriplegia) was January 11, 1997. Always an active young man, Josh became quadriplegic at age 19, following a terrible accident involving a snowmobile. After three years of rehabilitation, hard work and perserverance, Josh began attending Bridgewater State College, becoming involved with the Peer Leadership Program and also Managing the Swim Team! Josh’s bright spirit and love of life showed through during his Peer Visitor sessions at Braintree Rehabilitation Hospital, where Josh also did his rehab. He has visited others injured under similar circumstances, in an effort to “give back”, and to aid those whose injuries are fresher, and has tried to help them as they face an altered future.

Josh is very independent, taking care of his own “personal” needs, even working three days per week as a Marketing Specialist. Each workday morning Josh must roll out to a cold vehicle which may or may not start, with a MANUALLY operated door and ramp. Somehow he manages to open the door and pull down that ramp by himself – a difficult task for even an able-bodied person. Seeking financial independence and wishing to end his need for disability payments, Josh’s greatest wish is to work full-time, but desperately needs a reliable vehicle to make that dream come true. Unfortunately, the economy has hit Josh’s family as hard as many others and they are unable to help him acquire a new van.

His current van, a 1999 Dodge, is in deplorable condition – unsafe and undependable, with rotting floors, some non-functioning equipment and no heat. Josh acquired this van after family and friends pulled together a fund-raiser THIRTEEN years ago. He has certainly made full use of that van, putting 204,000 miles on it in the course of his travels. Josh is a dear friend and a loving son, brother, cousin,  and uncle, and is always looking out for the welfare of others. Josh leads an active life that could only be made more productive with the increased mobility a new van would provide. Josh’s love of life, selfless spirit and independent nature truly make him our HOMETOWN HERO!

http://www.mobilityawarenessmonth.com/entrant/joshua-newey-bridgewater-ma/

The Giant 4-OH!

I'll be the first to admit that when I woke up this morning, I wasn't in the mood for a mega ride (well, that isn't exactly true, more like I wasn't in the mood to motivate myself for a mega ride). You know the feeling, we all get it, that it would be so much easier to stay in bed, hang around and watch movies, take a day off, anything but get our butts out of the house and DO something.

But, I'll be the first to let you  know that I AM GLAD I DID IT! I am glad that I made myself eat breakfast, made myself mix up a delicious Camelbak of nutrients (Dripping sarcasm there, folks!), made myself put on 3 layers. Yes, count them, 3 - It's still cold here in Alberta! - Complete with hat under the helmet & gloves for my poor little cold hands... Glad that I kept going. Glad that after 2 hours when I needed a pit stop I was strong enough to make myself go back out for another hour. And then another. Yup, ended up riding for 4.5 hours today - 40 miles - ON THE STREET, against the wind, and uphill both ways! Okay, that's a bit of an exaggeration but it was difficult. And when it was all over, I was able to say: I did it! And not only did I do it, but I felt good after I was done and even came to the conclusion that I might even be able to ride 50 Miles, 60 Miles, or even 65 (that is the daily requirement on the Enbridge Ride to Conquor Cancer - 2 days, 125 miles total) and all because I DID IT!

Now my question to you is: Since I did it, won't you get out there and sponsor me so that all of this hard work will not be in vain? Click here and when the new page loads, click the big green button to sponsor my ride. I'm only $925 away from being able to ride June 22nd & 23rd. Every little bit helps and I appreciate every dollar donated.

Session 2 - Week 3

Week 3 of Session 2 now completed! My schedule was as follows:

Sunday April 21th - Dropped in to spin with the Bulls-eye Bike Club at 6:30am. This is an open spin from 6am - 9:30am until the weather gets warm enough to move outdoors. I completed 2.5 hours during open spin and a 3rd hour during an instructor lead Boxing Club spin. In total I rode 3.5 hours and 75 KM (46.5 miles).

Monday April 22th - A much needed day of rest! My hip has been aching since spin class (old injury from 2011 that decided to tighten up and prevent me from doing squats yesterday). Took the dog for 1/2 hour walk to warm up the hip and then spent a another half hour stretching.

Tuesday April 23th - TRX Suspension training. Squats, leg lifts, arm work, and more!

Wednesday April 24th - A trip to Edmonton to check out Campers Village & pick up a pair of hiking boots for Saturday. I've got plans to hike the Chickakoo Lake area! Picked up a nice comfy pair of Keens! :)

Thursday April 25th - TRX Suspension training - Round 2 for the week. Plenty of leg work in this class with jump squats, sprinter starts, single leg balance squats, & split single leg lunges. And let's not forget the biceps and triceps... no, we wouldn't want to forget those!

Friday April 26th - a REAL day of rest. A couple of movies on Netflix and an early bedtime.

Saturday April 26th - 1 Hour of raking leaves followed by an hour of Butt & Gutt -Crunches, Leg Lifts, Fire Hydrants (donkey kicks), Russian Twists, Crunchy Frogs, Side Crunches, Diagonal Single Leg Lifts with Crunch, and I'm sure I forgot the rest. Sore and tired for the day! And yet.. off I went to Chickakoo Lake for an hour and a half hike to wrap up the week.

Time for some protein, carbs, and a nap! See you all next week!

The Adventures of Saturday

Saturday always marks the end of another week of fitness in the 12 week program that I'm participating in. As usual, there will be a Week Summary post (this is week 3) at the end of the day. But what am I up to today? Glad you asked! I've been up since 6am, washing dishes, raking the yard, eating breakfast, making smoothies (dreaming up new recipes just for you!), and scheming up the rest of the day. 10am will be Butt & Gutt class and then I'll be heading off to Chickakoo Lake Recreation Area for some hiking. Of course pictures will follow at the end of the day! So, stay tuned...

Today I made a variation of the Strawberry Chocolate Banana smoothie. I omitted the cinnamon, added a second TBSP of Cocoa powder, and 1/2 scoop of protein powder. OM NOM NOM!

11:30am - Just back from Butt & Gutt, had a tasty lunch of Kitchen Sink Chili with Quinoa & Rice Noodles for added carbs before my hike.  I've started tracking foods, calories, carbs, nutrients, and protein again after a 3 week break. Using www.caloriecount.com and My Plate at www.livestrong.com. I highly recommend an application like this for anyone who is interested in knowing exactly what they are eating whether for weight loss, training, or general nutrition.
More later....

5:30pm - Had a nice 1 1/2 hour hike at Chickakoo Lake Recreation Area today. Left just before the dark clouds and wind rolled in. More on the hike in the weekly roundup. I'd picked up a new pair of Keen hiking boots and broke them in at the office for the past couple of days. They were comfortable and warm today. Nice to have dry feet on a wet, snowy, and muddy trail. Pictures from the hike can be seen here. 

A Beary Happy Ending

One morning Beary woke up, looked around, and was surprised to find himself sleeping in his Auntie's truck. Beary had played in a soccer game the evening before and had been so tired that he had fallen asleep as soon as he got into Auntie's truck with his Mom. But he wondered how he had come to spend the entire night in the truck. Beary was happy that he had a warm fur coat and he hoped that someone would come out and find him soon as he was getting hungry. Beary decided to explore Auntie's truck, hoping he might find a snack left there by his cousin Matthew who was a teenager and was always eating something in the truck. As Beary was checking in the cracks between the seats for lost granola bars, the truck door opened. Auntie had come out to get him! "There you are!", said Auntie. "Your Grammy called this morning and told me that you were at my house. I bet you're hungry. Let's get you some breakfast.". Beary smiled and dropped the empty granola bar wrapper he had been investigating for crumbs. Breakfast was better than leftover granola bar crumbs any day. He hoped that Auntie had his favorite: frosted mini-shredded wheat cereal.

Having slept right through dinner, Beary was very hungry and ate a giant bowl of cereal while Auntie swept the kitchen floor. Beary knows that if he is going to grow up to be a big, strong soccer player like his cousin Matt, he is going to have to eat a healthy breakfast every day. When Beary was done with his cereal, Auntie gave him a straw to finish his milk. Beary picked a blue and green striped straw because blue is his favorite color.

After breakfast, Beary asked Auntie if he could use her computer to read the local news. Beary likes to keep up with current events and regularly reads WMUR and CNN.





As it was the weekend after Thanksgiving, Beary read about Black Friday Shopping in Portsmouth,

NH and around the country. He read that Snugglies were a very good seller on Black Friday and that lots and lots and lots of people went shopping. He wondered how he would look in a Snugglie. Perhaps he could get a zebra print or maybe even a leopard print Snugglie, he thought. He had always wondered what he would look like as a zebra. Beary was really happy though that bears don't shop because he is nervous that he would get lost in a big crowd, being so very small. 

After Beary finished the news, he asked Auntie if he could help her with any chores. He helped Auntie to do the laundry  by pouring in the laundry detergent. Beary realized that he had not had a bath in some time so after he was done pouring in the soap, he decided to jump in for a whirlpool bath with Cousin Matthew's soccer clothes. 

 

Beary came out of the washer all clean and white. He had to wait for the dryer to finish before he   could get into the fluff cycle with the other wet clothes. His fur gets all squished and matted in the wash and he loves to ride in the dryer where it is warm and soft with all of the clothes and it makes his fur stand up on end. While Beary was waiting, the electricity at Auntie's house went out. It was a very very very windy day and somewhere in town, there was a problem with the power lines. Beary waited patiently for the electricity to come back on so that he could go in the drier. After about half an hour, the electricity came back on and Auntie let Beary climb into the dryer. Auntie checked on Beary after half an hour. Beary was a bit tangled and dizzy from going around and around but he was having a lot of fun so Auntie let him ride in the drier some more. Since Beary has beanies inside, it takes in a while to dry in the middle. He had an extra long ride in the drier to get all of the water out of his beanie middle. 

Beary came out of the drier all fluffy and soft. Though he was having a good time visiting Auntie, he was beginning to wonder where his Mommy was and if she was coming to pick him up or not. Auntie let him know that his Mommy was on her way and that she missed him very much. Then Auntie took Beary out of the drier and upstairs to help with the dishes.

On the way upstairs, Beary stopped to play with Auntie's puppy dog, Ghiry. Ghiry's favorite toy is a

large, stuffed chocolate chip cookie pillow. Beary throws the pillow for Ghiry and Ghiry chases it and brings it back so that Beary can wrestle it away from him and throw it again. Beary and Ghiry played for over half an hour at "chase the cookie". When Beary was done playing with Ghiry, he came upstairs to see what Auntie was doing. Auntie was getting ready to empty the dish washer. The dishes were still a little too warm to put away so Beary climbed up to see what Auntie was doing in the sink.

It takes quite a bit of work for a tiny bear to climb into the dishwasher but Beary was determined to get up and look around the kitchen so he worked very very hard to get to the top rack in the dishwasher.
Once Beary was on the top rack, he sat down on the warm dishes to look around. Auntie was washing more dishes in the sink and boiling water on the stove to make hot tea. Beary sat on a warm cup until Auntie was done with the dishes and making tea. He was so tired from his morning adventures that he could barely keep his eyes open. Auntie told Beary that it was still another hour before his Mommy would be there and that he could take a nap if he wanted.                                Beary curled up in Aunties big, fluffy bed, under the polka-dotted sheets and fell asleep. He likes Aunties big purple pillow and fluffy comforter. They remind him of clouds. While Beary was sleeping, he dreamed of climbing trees and finding a whole hive full of honey. Beary loves honey (as all bears do) and woke up very hungry.        

Beary's cousin Matthew shared his snacks with Beary. Matthew's favorite snacks are Cheezits, Pepsi, and Oreo cookies. Beary likes Oreos but thinks that the Pepsi is too fizzy. It always tickles his nose when he drinks it.

Finally Mommy arrived to take Beary home. She picked him up and gave him a huge hug and a

kiss as Beary told her all about his adventures at Auntie's house.

 

Getting Closer!

Fundraising update: $1,575 raised to date. Only $925 left to go to be able to ride in June! That means...

58 Days left to raise funds
$15.95 needed per day to meet goal.

Won't you sponsor me today?

P.S. stay tuned for a new post with story tonight!

THANK YOU TO ALL OF MY SPONSORS SO FAR! I appreciate each and every one of you. :D

Cherry Lime Smoothie

Ingredients:

1 medium to large banana
1/2 fresh lime
1/4 to 1/2 cup fresh or frozen cherries
1/2 cup milk
1/2 to 3/4 cup Greek yogurt
1 tbsp ground flax seeds
1 tbsp ground chia seeds
1 tbsp hemp hearts

Blend the milk and sliced banana until smooth. Add cherries and blend again until smooth. Squeeze in the lime juice, add the yogurt, flax, chia, and hemp hearts and blend again until smooth. If you like a thicker shake, refrigerate for an hour or more to allow the chia seeds to gel and thicken.

Enjoy!

Lemon-Garlic-Basil Fish

Ingredients:

Fish! - any good white fish will do. I use Basa, Cod, or Haddock as these tend to be thicker than Talapia or Flounder but any of these will work.

1 Red Pepper
1 Pound of Fish
1 Lemon
2 Cloves of Garlic
1/8 cup Fresh Basil
Butter - the real stuff
Salt & Pepper

In a pan, melt your butter over Medium heat and add the basil and chopped red peppers. Add the sliced, chopped or minced fresh garlic and cook until garlic is soft.

Squeeze in the juice of 1 lemon, lower the heat to Medium-Low and add your fish. Sprinkle with Salt & Pepper to taste. Cover the pan and allow fish to simmer approx 10 minutes, turn and finish cooking with cover on until the fish begins to fall apart.

Serve and enjoy!

You've Got This!

As I contemplated today's post, I couldn't help but think of the many people who have helped me to get to where I am today.

Sunday, April 21, 2013 - Spruce Grove, Alberta, Canada - Today I rode 3.5 hours - 70 KM (43.5 Miles). And all the while, I couldn't help but hear "You've got this!" in my mind.

Looking back over the past 6 months, I couldn't have done it without so many friends;

My mom who encouraged me to take the leap, pack the truck, and head northwest from New Hampshire to Alberta to chase a dream.

Gayle who I laugh & cry with on a regular basis. More laughter than tears.

Cindy who encourages me to stay strong and positive.

My friends in NH who, even though they miss me, never say "just come home".

My friends in AB who push me to do my best.

Lyz(y) who was the first to donate to my ride and appreciates my brand of silly.

Ashley who gave me "You've got this!".

Sheila who gives me "What? Are you giving up?" with a grin because she knows I won't.

Scott who always makes me grin. :D

Bobbi who lets me sit and spin, and spin, and spin...

Herb who encouraged me to join in on Sundays and who says "You'll be able to do it, no problem".

Svetlana with her happy smile (and very mean workouts)!

Doug, Peg, Jenn, Kim, Terry, Sandy, Deb, Grace, (and I'm sure I've forgotten some) who have been so friendly, welcoming, and encouraging since I got here. 

All of the folks who believe in me and have donated to the ride I am training for (some are anonymous so I won't list them here but you know who you are!!!). 

Thank you all!

Session 2 - Week 2

Week 2 of Session 2 now completed! My schedule was as follows:

Sunday April 14th - Dropped in to spin with the Bulls-eye Bike Club at 6:30am. This is an open spin from 6am - 9:30am until the weather gets warm enough to move outdoors. I completed 2 hours during open spin and a 3rd hour during an instructor lead Boxing Club spin. In total I rode 3 hours and 65 KM (40 miles) You can read about the day here.

Monday April 15th - Day of rest! WHOO HOO! :D

Tuesday April 16th - TRX Suspension training. Never the same class twice. 60 minutes of hard work each and every time!

Wednesday April 17th - 1 Hour bike ride OUTSIDE! 12.44 miles (20 KM) completed while checking out the Spruce Grove Heritage Trail. Stay tuned for map drawings on future rides.

Thursday April 18th - TRX Suspension training - Round 2 for the week. Plenty of leg work in this class with jump squats, sumo squats, hamstring runners, and more.

Saturday April 20th - Butt & Gutt - Another circuit style workout where you move from station to station. Today's concentration? All of those tiny little "baby" muscles that you didn't even know existed as you are usually too busy working the large muscle groups. Let me tell you that, today, I know they exist and they are all crying loudly. The things that Ashly comes up with... I just don't know how she does it. Butt & Gutt was followed by 1 hour of spin (Thank you Bobbi for letting me stay and use the bike!) - the format this time was 5 minutes seated, 5 minutes standing for 40 minutes and then 10 minutes seated, 5 minutes standing & 5 more minutes seated. Gears 10 & 16 utilized. 21 KM (13 miles) completed.

Time to head home for some protein, carbs, and a long hot shower and stretch. See you all next week!

The Cliffs of Insanity

NOTE: This year's ride link is here (not the ones below, they are last year)

In my family, when something is too big to believe, it becomes "The Cliffs of Insanity" (reference The Princess Bride - yeah, even you guys can appreciate this movie). My mom grows Delphinium that reaches 6 ft tall or better - it has become The Delphinium of Insanity. I have registered for the Enbridge Ride to Conquor Cancer - a 2-day, 200 KM (125 Mile) bike ride to raise funds for Cancer Research Alberta. It has become The Bike Ride of Insanity!

Why did I do it, you might ask. And the answer is here: Why I am riding in The Bike Ride of Insanity.

Now, registering for The Bike Ride of Insanity is one thing. That is the easiest part (after a bit of nudging and encouragement from a good friend). The hard parts (Yes, there are more than 1 hard part or else it wouldn't be so insane, now would it?) are The Training of Insanity & The Fundraising of Insanity. Let's take them one at a time, shall we?

The Training of Insanity: In order to ride in The Bike Ride of Insanity, I need to be prepare to pedal 200 KM (125 Miles) over 2 days. Broken down, that is 100 KM (65 Miles) per day, most likely over 6+ hours each day. How does one train for such a thing? Personally, I participate in several high-intensity workouts at a local gym each week (3 days a week) and I ride 2-3 days per week. My last 2 riding sessions consisted of 3 hours of indoor spin on a Sunday and 1.5 hours of outdoor street riding on a Wednesday. Each week I add more time/distance to my rides so that by June 22nd (just 9 short weeks away), I'll be able to ride 6+ hours a day, at least 2 days a week. I know I can do this but that brings us to...

The Fundraising of Insanity: This is where you come in. I can't do The Bike Ride of Insanity alone. I've registered and I am training but I need to raise at least $2,500 to be allowed to get on my bike on June 22nd and ride out of Calgary, Alberta with 1,500 other riders who have raised their funds. This is why I am making The Plea of Insanity. I am asking you, a total stranger who may be reading my blog for the first time, please, sponsor me in The Bike Ride of Insanity.

Here are the stats as of April 20, 2013:

Date: June 22nd & 23rd, 2013

Distance: 200 KM (125 Miles)

Location: West of Calgary, Alberta

Donation Link: http://www.conquercancer.ca/goto/nhkayakgirl

Fundraising required to ride: $2,500.00

Money raised to date: $1,490.00

Money left to raise to date: $1,010.00

Days left for fundraising: 63

Dollar amount needed per day to make Minimum goal:  $16.03

Personal fundraising goal: $5,000.00

Dollar amount needed per day to make Personal Goal:  $55.71

Dollars that I have personally donated towards my goal: $100.00

Dollars that I have personally spent on training, nutrition, and equipment to date: $500.00 (note: this does not count the 24 weeks of fitness training at The Boxing Club that I have been participating in since January).

The Challenge to you: Become one of my sponsors by donating at least $25.00 towards my goal.

The Challenge of Insanity: Match what I have donated. 

Questions for me? 

Need a Laugh of Insanity today? 

A HUGE THANK YOU out to my many sponsors who have already donated and a Hug of Insanity to my #1 Cheerleader.

Monty Python

And who doesn't love some Monty Python? :D

It all started with a simple conversation... By the way, one of the best conversations I've had in a while.

FMM: It shall kneel before me, oh yes! If not I shall taunt it a 2nd time
Me: Well, it's mother WAS a hamster afterall....
FMM: Better than an African Swallow
Me: Depends on how you look at it. Hamsters aren't often tasked with transporting coconuts.
FMM: Not generally and they're never asked to bring out their dead
Me: Quite so, though weighing less than a duck, they are often mistaken for witches
FMM: BBBBUUUUURRRRRNNNN

And from there the weirdness began...

The funniest thing happened to me today after work. You are so not going to believe it. I was driving home (and you know it is only about 4 miles from work to home) and out of the clear blue sky, there dropped a coconut! I'm not kidding you. I was shocked!! It bounced off of the roof of my truck and then the hood and rolled across the road. Now, as you can imagine, I was looking around to see if there might possibly be a Swallow in the area (European or African, at this point I wasn't picky). However, I saw no trace of a winged culprit and so I continued on.

When I reached my house, I was surprised to find that Ghiry had been turned into a newt. Not an ordinary newt, mind you, but rather a giant orange and purple spotted newt. Knowing, as you do, that Ghiry is 120 pounds and rather large, you can understand my fear at finding such a creature in my house. Fortunately he got better and is now back to his current state of being a dog. Thank goodness because I don't know what newts eat.

I was wondering at this time whether my day could get any weirder. I changed for TRX class and headed out the door. When I arrived at the club, I was confronted by a rouge dressed all in black who insisted that none should leave the class until they had proven themselves in battle. Alas, what was I to do but draw my sword and plunge right in? An hour later, I was fortunate to scarper off with myself and my dignity mostly intact, licking my wounds, and swearing revenge upon this foul being.

Making a quick stop to board my trusty steed at the farriers, I headed home befuddled, but happy, that the cost of board and re-shoeing is only 1 small shrubbery, planted neatly next to a white picket fence. Though were I am to find such an item is currently beyond me as there is so much snow on the ground that all shrubberies are either buried or had migrated south for the season and have yet to return.

I am hoping that the evening will proceed with far less excitement as I fear I may pass away from shear shock and require a special pick-up to be scheduled with the dead cart. I am hoping to avoid that scenario though and am willing to do penance in the form of whacking my head against a solid chunk of wood while chanting if that is what is required.

For now I retire to the castle Anthrax and light my beacon in the hopes that some brave fellow should come and save me from this insanity...

If I have in any way left you with a smile, a chuckle, or a guffaw, kindly return the favor and sponsor me in the Enbridge Ride to Conquor Cancer - which will make me smile. :)

Strawberry Banana Chocolate Smoothie

Think you can't have a chocolate fix when you are eating healthy? Think again! This smoothie is chocolatey deliciousness in a cup and packed with goodness.

Ingredients:

1 Medium Banana, sliced
1/2 - 1 cup sliced fresh Strawberries
1/2 - 3/4 cup Greek (not Geek) Yogurt
1/2 Cup Milk
1 Tbsp Hemp Hearts
1 Tbsp ground Chia Seeds
1 Tbsp ground Flax Seeds (Flax Meal)
1 Tbsp Cocoa Powder
1/2 Tsp Ground Cinnamon

Add Milk, Banana, & Strawberries to blender and blend until smooth. Add Yogurt, Hemp Hearts, Chia Seeds, Flax Seeds, Cocoa Powder, & Cinnamon. Blend again until smooth. Serve and Enjoy.

Note: If you like your smoothies thicker, let it sit in the fridge for an hour or so. Chia Seeds act as a thickener!

First Outside Ride

Last night was my first outside ride of the season as part of my training for the Enbridge Ride to Conquor Cancer. 

Date: April 17, 2013
Days until The Ride: 66
Temperature: 41F (5C)
Funds Still Needed to Ride: $1,360 (hint, sponsor me! Click the big green button, you know you wanna!)


I left the house just after 5:30pm to explore the Spruce Grove Heritage Trail. This trail is a wide paved walkway that winds around neighborhoods and through Ghiry's favorite forest in the City of Spruce Grove. As the snow has finally receded from 98% of the trail, it makes a good training ground with it's winding paths and various levels of incline. I should note that I'm using the Nike Running App to track distance and let's just say that because I ride here, there, and wherever the Megrims take me, my route map looks pretty funny! I may have to make it a goal to come up with the weirdest looking maps possible just to amuse myself.

As you can see, I got in 12.44 miles (20 KM) last night. Overall it was terrific to be outside but I continue to struggle with the nutritional aspect of endurance training. I added some extra carbs in the form of Spelt Pasta to my mid-day meal and brought along electrolytes in my water but by mile 12, I was spent. Perhaps more pasta is in order...

Stay tuned for the next ride, most likely on Saturday before and after the regularly scheduled Butt & Gutt class! See you there!

Kitchen Sink Vegetable Chili

Ingredients

Note that amounts will vary depending on how many people you want to feed or how much you want left over. Chili freezes well so don't be afraid to make extra and pack some away for another day. I typically use several varieties of beans in my chili including black beans, navy beans, lentils, fava beans, & chickpeas. The following will make approximately 20 cups of chili:

4 Cans of Beans.
5 Medium-Large Tomatoes
1 Large Sweet Potato
1 Medium Onion
1 Medium bunch of Kale
2-3 Cloves of Garlic
8-10 Mushrooms
1 Medium Small Eggplant
1 Large Red Pepper
1/2 - 1 Jalapeno Pepper
1 1/2 Cups Purple Barley
Chili Powders (I use several varieties of powdered chili peppers)
Cajun Seasoning
Paprika
Garlic Powder
Salt
Pepper
Olive Oil or Butter (the real stuff)

Drain and rinse the canned beans and put put into a large pan (think lobster pot sized pan for this much chili). Add enough water to just cover the beans, cover the pan and cook over Medium-High heat. Add the Purple Barley (Note that the barley takes 1 1/2 hours to cook thoroughly). Chop and add the Kale, Mushrooms and Tomatoes. Peel, dice, and add the Sweet Potato.

In a separate frying pan, melt some Butter or warm up some Olive Oil and add chopped Onion, Garlic, Jalapeno, diced Eggplant, and Red Pepper. Sprinkle with a combination of Chili Powder, Salt, Pepper, Paprika, and Cajun Seasoning and cook until soft. Add to the large pan of Beans and other ingredients. Once the Chili comes to a boil, lower the heat to Medium-Low, keep covered and simmer for about half an hour.

Now add additional seasonings to taste, cover and allow to cook for another hour until the Sweat Potatoes and Barley are soft.

Your Chili is ready to serve and enjoy!

Pineapple Mango Chili Smoothie

Chili powder and Cajun seasoning add a kick to this tropical smoothie.

Ingredients:

1 medium to large banana
1/4 to 1/2 cup chunk pineapple with juice
1/4 to 1/2 cup cubed fresh or frozen mango
1/2 to 3/4 cup Greek yogurt
1 tbsp ground flax seeds
1 tbsp ground chia seeds
1 tbsp shelled hemp hearts
Chili Powder
Cajun Seasoning

Add the pineapple with juice and the sliced banana to the blender and blend until smooth. Next add the mango and blend again until smooth. If the mixture is too thick with frozen mango, add some additional pineapple juice.

Next add the Greek yogurt, flax, chia, hemp and blend again until smooth. Now add your chili powder and Cajun seasoning to taste. Note that most Cajun seasonings have salt in them so you'll want to start with less and add more to taste to avoid making your smoothy too salty.

Enjoy!

Base Gear

I love my base gear! But I get ahead of the story...

Sunday is a hardcore riding day. The only day that I have off from work and workouts to concentrate 100% on riding. And today was a big one. The longest ride I'd completed before this morning was 2 hours. That was last Sunday with 1 hour of Open Spin & 1 hour of instructor led Spin Class. I'd decided to add a half hour to my ride each Sunday until I hit 6 hours. I figure that I'm going to need approximately 6 hours to get from point A to point B each day during the Enbridge Ride to Conquor Cancer. The distance is 100 KM (65 Miles) per day. Gosh I hope 6 hours does it! I'll let you know if it doesn't!

The alarm went off at 5am this morning and oddly enough, I was awake before it did. It still took me a good 20 minutes to be out of bed and downstairs in the kitchen fixing breakfast. I'm still learning about sports nutrition (endurance sports nutrition specifically) but figured I couldn't go wrong with a scrambled egg cooked up with onion, mushrooms, purple barley, and cheddar cheese. I'm working to incorporate more whole grains into my diet (non-wheat whole grains). Currently Quinoa (white and red) and Purple Barley are favorites. My Camelbak holds 3 Liters (Litres) of water and today I figured it was a good day to test out the new nutritional supplement that I plan on using in June: Hammer Perpetuem. The label on the bag says Orange-Vanilla flavor, I say BLECH! It has a nasty flavor. Must remember to mix in some Orange flavored electrolytes in the future! Duly armed with this nasty concoction, 1.5 Litres of plain water, a change of clothes, and my best attitude, off I went to The Boxing Club - arriving at 6:30am.

I hit the bike at 6:40 after a quick stretch and began my first hour of pedaling for the day. Let's just concede the point that riding inside, in a building, staring at a mirror, is boring. That being said, Rod was there riding too so there was someone to chat with. Rod rides 10 minutes seated, 10 minutes standing (those are some looooong hills!). I'm not quite that talented yet so I chose a format of 10-15 minutes sitting, 2-5 minutes standing. The first hour went by fairly quickly and we were joined by 2 more cyclers (don't know their names yet though one was wearing a Boston Bruins t-shirt!!!!).

At the 1 hour mark I had hit 24.5 KM pedaled and it was time for a quick break. There are rumored to be pit-stops every 20 KM during the ride in June and I sure hope that's true. Back on the bike to start hour 2, my bum was feeling a bit numb so I switched up my circuits to 10 minutes sitting, 5 minutes standing. You pedal at a harder gear standing and so go a shorter distance than you do just sitting. The time flew by fairly quickly and before I knew it, it was going on 8:20 and I'd completed 2 hours of biking this morning. As I was THIS CLOSE to another 25 KM completed, I stuck around on the bike another 7.5 minutes to get to 25.6 KM for a total of 50 KM (31 miles) before calling it a day on the Free Spin.

But wait! There's more! Don't forget that I have a 10-11am instructor led Spin Class at The Boxing Club.... yeah, I wasn't done yet. :) As it was only 8:45, I quickly changed into dry clothes and headed the 1 mile home for some real food to supplement the ICK I'd been drinking for the past 2 hours. I quickly blended up a Lime, Banana, Pineapple smoothie with an additional ingredient this morning: Hemp Seed Hearts (I suggest you check them out). I figured my best plan would be to head back to the gym where I was less likely to sit and veg for a half hour and more likely to stretch and stay warm before the next hour long session. Once on the bike again (here's where 'base gear" comes in), we were instructed to pick a gear that is comfortable to ride at, where we could maintain at for 30 minutes at a time. I picked "10". From here on out, we would increase and return to base gear in 1 minute intervals, stepping up the gear by 2-5 gears depending on the exercise. Each time we came back down to base gear, I loved that gear more and more! It was a super ride with 5 other terrific gals and I look forward to doing it again next weekend. Thank you Ashley & Bobbi for co-leading this spin class today. It was a load of fun! 16 more KM added to wrap up the day at 66 KM (40.9 Miles) worth of spinning. PHEW! Now on to cooking dinner for the week but that's another post for another time...

Thanks for tuning in!

Session 2 - Week 1

Saturday completes Week 1 of Session 2 training at The Boxing Club in Spruce Grove. My schedule was as follows:

Sunday April 7th - Dropped in to spin with the Bulls-eye Bike Club at 8:30am. This is an open spin from 6am - 9:30am until the weather gets warm enough to move outdoors. As I had not ridden longer than 1.5 hours in any of my previous sessions, I decided to ride 1 hour with the club from 8:30 - 9:30 and then a second hour with The Boxing Club spin class from 10 - 11. I managed to ride 25 KM (~15 miles) in the first hour. The padded bike shorts are a great help and I won't ride without them! During the spin class hour I noticed that I had a "crick" at what I thought was the top of my inner quad muscles. It didn't get any worse but it didn't stop hurting on being stretched. Turns out I had annoyed my groin on the right side. Though I finished out the hour, by the time afternoon rolled around I was struggling to climb stairs at home. Rest was in the cards for me as I need to be healthy and strong enough to pedal again during the next session so I wrapped up the afternoon with a movie and early bedtime.

Monday, Wednesday, & Friday were rest days. Thought I participated in my regular classes Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, the exercises were somewhat modified to accommodate my annoyed groin.

Tuesday April 9th - TRX Suspension training. This was the first class back after a 1 week break and Sheila had big plans for us. It was great to see a couple of familiar faces and many new ones in our class. Warm up started with jogging the perimeter of the room followed by a calisthenic style warmup with Jumping Jacks, Burpies, Jogging in place while bringing your heels high, Side Lunges, and Squats. 2 rounds and we were ready to take to the TRX straps. A great workout that picked up right where we left off last session - kicking our butts!

Thursday April 11th - TRX Suspension training - Round 2 for the week. We used the same warmup but did a bit more core and arm work than Tuesday's session. I found my calf attempting to cramp several times during any exercise that required we stand on the balls of our feet. Most likely due to the calf raises we completed on Tuesday (hmmmmmm - must stretch the calf muscles more). Outside of this, it was a great workout, much muscles burning & tiredness was achieved by all!

Saturday April 13th - Butt & Gutt - First class in 2 weeks as recovery week started on a Friday. And Ashley was ready and waiting with the Shock Your Body Workout! This was a circuit style workout where you move from station to station much like what I described in an earlier post. However, nearly every station had a weight associated with the exercise. The intent is to push us further, shocking our bodies out of complacency, away from muscle memory so that we work harder. It worked... Thank goodness for hot showers and long stretches coupled with lots of hydration and protein! 

Pineapple Lime Smoothie

This smoothie is refreshingly tart.   

Ingredients:
1 medium to large banana
1/2 fresh lime
1/4 to 1/2 cup chunk pineapple
1/2 to 3/4 cup Greek yogurt
1 tbsp ground flax seeds
1 tbsp ground chia seeds
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 

Squeeze the juice from the 1/2 lime into the bottom of the blender. Slice the banana into the blender and add the pineapple. Blend until smooth.

Next add the yogurt, flax, chia, and cinnamon. Blend again until smooth.

Pour and enjoy.

I find that both flax and chia tend to settle to the bottom of the blender. By blending the fruit first, you create a thick base to support the flax and chia so that it mixes in rather than sinks during the second blending.

Lime adds a tartness to this smoothie and a good dose of fresh vitamin C! If you like your smoothies a bit sweeter, add half a scoop of vanilla protein powder.

Journeys

This week marks my 23rd week of nutritional changes, 14th week of fitness training, and 6th week of bike specific training.

I have 10 weeks remaining to train until the day of the Enbridge Ride to Conquor Cancer - a 200 KM (125 Mile) ride. I can't believe how quickly time has gone and how many changes have happened since November, 2012. Here is a "recap":

23 weeks ago, I embarked on a journey of nutritional changes:

November 4th, 5th & 6th, 2012 - with the help of my mom, sister Cindy, and E, we packed a 17' U-Haul with my pared down belongings & my dog, Ghiry, (sad that it still took a 17' truck) and I departed for Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. You didn't realize I was a Yankee in Alberta did ya? Yuppers, that is me! What was to be a 5 day drive from Lee, NH, USA to my new home turned into 7 with a forced 2 night stay in Weyburn, SK, Canada due to Winter Storm Brutus.

Over the past several years I'd suffered an injury to my lower back and had gotten into some very bad eating habits. I was determined that this new move was going to be the start of a new me as well. I packed only healthy foods for my trip northwest and thus began my nutritional journey. What did I bring? Whole wheat bread, Granny Smith apples, bananas, organic natural (no sugar added) peanut butter, granola bars, and water. I picked up some fresh cheese in Wisconsin (couldn't pass it up!) at the Mousehouse Cheesehaus and enjoyed eggs and fruit for breakfast at the hotels that I stayed in. After 7 days of cleaner eating, it was easier to keep it up after arriving in Canada. The past 23 weeks haven't always been easy and I've had to spend a lot of time learning how to eat healthy, what my body needs, how little is too little, what doesn't work for me, etc. This is an ongoing process. For those interested, I'll include a link in the future to what I do eat in a day, during training and not.
Pictures of the trip from NH to AB

14 weeks ago, I began my journey to re-incorporate fitness into my daily life:

I signed up for classes at a local gym that runs a 12 week schedule. It was just by chance that I found them and that this turned out to be the right fit for me. Over my life I've been everything from a couch potato to a gym rat. I find that the programs that work best for me are group classes with a high-energy instructor and a challenging format. I found this at The Boxing Club in Spruce Grove, AB. My instructors: Sheila, Ashley, & Svetlana are as high-energy as they come with a mix of positive encouragement and constructive correction. The classes are hard work. You will hurt, you will struggle, and it won't get easier. You'll do more reps over time but you will work just as hard week 12 as you did week 1. It has been amazing.

6 Weeks ago, I began my bike journey:

I signed up for the Enbridge Ride to Conquor Cancer and began bike training. This is where the blog started, where the serious biking started, & where the next adventure begins. You can page back through the blog to see what has happened since March 4, 2013, how far I have come & how far I still have to go. Saturday and Sunday are my major riding days. Currently I am up to 2 hours on a weekend day with a plan to push it up 1/2 an hour each weekend. This weekend will be 2.5 hours per session on the bike.

Where will this journey go from here? Stay tuned...

Amazing

You are all amazing! I have to send a big THANK YOU out to my sponsors. Some of you I've known for years and some for only a little while but you are all pulling together to help me with this HUGE and amazing journey that I am on.

THANK YOU!

For those of you just joining me in this journey, start here: The Blog

Wondering why I have decided to take on an amazing 2-day bike ride that covers 125 miles (200 KM)? Read about it on my personal Enbridge Ride to Conquor Cancer page. And while you are there, consider making a donation towards my ride. 

And again, Thank You to all who have donated so far!

Be Epic!

I have an epic goal:

To raise $5,000 before I ride 200 KM (125 miles) in 2 days as part of the Enbridge Ride to Conquor Cancer - June 22 & 23rd, 2013. 

All proceeds benefit Alberta Cancer Research

Where it all started

Why I am riding

My Training Programs:
TRX
B&G
Spin
Hiking

MY CHALLENGE TO YOU! - Be Epic! I can't do this without you. Will you help me to reach my goal?

Shake it up, Baby!

Something I eat (drink) every day: a shake! Otherwise known as a smoothie. What goes into mine? Read on to find out!

Current favorite: Spinach Smoothie
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon ground flax
1 tablespoon ground chia seeds
1 tablespoon powdered cocoa
1/2 cup mixed frozen fruit
1 medium banana
1/2 - 1 cup raw chopped spinach
(Optional - 1/2 to 1 scoop whey protein powder - typically on a training day)

Other favorite ingredients: peanut butter, cinnamon, instant decaf coffee
Thanks to Cid-Pid for the Chia Seed & Spinach suggestion! :)

And on a side note, I track what I eat using a couple of online websites - phone apps. It is important to know what you are eating especially whether you are getting the correct combination macro-nutrients, fiber, etc. I started using www.caloriecount.com but (thanks to a referral from a friend) have also started using www.livestrong.com's My Plate. Perhaps a side by side comparison is in the cards next month.

Spinning - Day 1

Training re-commences today with an open spin with the Bulls-Eye Bike Shop Club (drop in whenever) and a scheduled spin class with The Boxing Club. The goal is 2 hours of riding (spinning) today. The protein and electrolytes are mixed and ready to go. Stay tuned...

1st hour down - 25 KM completed. Finally met Herb of Bulls-Eye Bike shop and spent an hour on a bike for the first time in a week. My inner thigh muscle on my right leg is a bit tender after yesterday's hike (would help if I had actual hiking boots, not the 20LB Boots of Death that I wear) so I took it fairly easy but managed to kick out 25 KM anyway. Still learning to ride while standing on a stationary bike. Not as easy as you would think. Nice to be dry, warm, and on a flat surface but I really can't wait to start riding outside!

Next up - 1 hour spin class at The Boxing Club - taught by Svetlana. Small class today, myself, Ashley "Crunchy Frogs" Lydia, and Crystal.

Did you know that you can do push-ups on a bike? Neither did I until today. I have never attended an actual Spinning Class before so today was a day of firsts. First time spinning in a class, first time doing push-ups on a bike, first time doing squats on a bike (yes, while riding). Another hour under the belt (along with 30 jumping jacks and 30 actual squats) and I'm looking forward to pushing it up to 2.5 hours total next weekend.

Gear note: I love my Camelbak, I managed to get 2.5 liters (litres) of water/protein/electrolytes down in 2.5 hours. Padded bike pants are a blessing too!

If you've just joined my blog, you may be wondering why I'm doing all of this. You can read about it here.

White Mud Ravine & Nature Reserve Hike

It was a good day for a hike. Not too cold or windy, high of 34F, but no sun. I met up with the Edmonton Hikers Group (MeetUp) at 10:15 in the Fox Drive parking lot for roll call and introductions. The trail selected for the day is ~6.3 KM each way for a total of 12.6 KM (7.8 miles) which we completed in just over 3 hours. The trail winds through a ravine and crosses a river several times. Part of the trail is through an old forest with very tall Pine and what look like Ash trees while the rest of the trail is in the open. It is beautifully maintained with bridges and the pathways are paved under the snow.

I had brought ice cleats but ended up taking them off (well, one fell off and I removed the other) and not needing them due to the recent snowfall being sticky. Not knowing what to expect for weather, I dressed in my Under Armor Cold Gear top, a thin Nike Fleece, and my UNH hoodie on top. I brought a spare top layer, 2 pairs of gloves, wore 2 pairs of socks (the new Bike socks that are designed to keep your feet warm when wet were a DREAM), and figured I'd be safe with my Nike leggings under a second layer for pants. All in all, I was pretty comfortable. Not a bad way to test out some new socks but I was happy that I also brought along dry socks for after the hike.

I spent the first half of the hike (the uphill portion) chatting with Aneika - who is here from England. The hike flew by and before I knew it, we were at the turn around point. By then I had donned my winter hat (a frog) and Aneika suggested we call it Frodo. So Frodo the Frog it is.

The second half of the hike I spent chatting with Tomomi - who is here from Japan. I've always loved the names that mean something and her's means Beauty & Wisdom. Such a lovely name! :)

I also had the opportunity to walk with Sheila & Neil and chat about biking, training, nutrition, and life in general. In case you can't guess, this was a social event! :) Or I talk a lot.. hmmm, that might be it but either way, some very nice folks came out today and I really enjoyed meeting and chatting with them.

This was my first hike in a long time but I look forward to getting some real hiking boots and hitting the trails again soon. Perhaps the Glory Hills north of Stony Plain, Alberta. While this was not a particularly difficult hike, it was fast paced and I can quite honestly say my bum is sore! :)

Tomorrow I get back on the bike.

Some pictures from the hike can be found here.

Planning a Hike!

Tomorrow I'll be attending an Edmonton MeetUp group hike! So excited to have a day off to do this. It will be another 12 weeks before I have a Saturday off so I'm taking full advantage and HIKING!

This hike will be in the Whitemud Ravine & Nature Reserve and I'll try to get some pictures to share, depending on the weather and time for picture taking. I'll bring the camera anyway. :)

Have a fantastic Friday!

Training starts up again on Sunday so stay tuned for tales from the bike!

Beautiful Skies

 

We get some beautiful skies here in Alberta. And yes, I quite frequently stop my truck in the middle of the street to check them out. :) Fortunately it is a very quiet street (dead end) and I work in that building down there on the left. 

If you missed yesterday's post on the Enbridge Ride to Conquor Cancer and my challenge to you, you can read it here.

If you'd like to see some beautiful pictures of the Canadian Rocky Mountains, visit my album.

Lastly, if you'd like to donate to my Ride to Conquor Cancer, I'd appreciate it!

Have a fantastic day!

My Challenge to You

Hello There!
      By now many (most) of you know that I am participating in the Enbridge Ride to Conquor Cancer on June 22nd & 23rd. While I have registered for the ride, I must raise $2,500 in order to actually participate. And I want to ride this one, not just sit on the sidelines!

The money I raise for the Alberta Cancer Foundation through this Ride will directly support patients and families at the Tom Baker Cancer Centre in Calgary, Alberta, the Cross Cancer Institute in Edmonton, Alberta and 15 additional cancer centres throughout Alberta, Canada. The Alberta Cancer Foundation provides funding to a team of top doctors and scientists whose search for new discoveries and improved patient outcomes will have a real impact in the community, across Canada, and around the world.

A bit about the ride:
Date: June 22nd & 23rd, 2013
Distance: 200 KM (125 Miles)
Location: West of Calgary, Alberta
Donation Link: http://www.conquercancer.ca/goto/nhkayakgirl
Fundraising required to ride: $2,500.00
Money raised to date: $610.00
Money left to raise to date: $1,890
Days left for fundraising: 80
Dollar amount needed per day to make Minimum goal:  $23.65
Personal fundraising goal: $5,000.00
Dollar amount needed per day to make Personal Goal:  $54.88
Dollars that I have personally donated towards my goal: $100.00
Dollars that I have personally spent on training, nutrition, and equipment to date: $300.00 (note: this does not count the past 12 weeks of fitness training at The Boxing Club nor does it include the next 12 week session that starts next week).
The Challenge to you: Become one of my sponsors by donating at least $25.00 towards my goal.
The BIGGER Challenge to you: Match what I have donated.

Questions for me about this ride, my goals, my training, etc? Email me.

Want to learn more about my training, my life musings, my dog, and myself? Read my blog.

A couple of posts about the fitness training I've been participating in:
Butt & Gutt
TRX Suspension Training

The dangers of becoming a zombie in Alberta are high!

And I cook a lot!  So expect to see a few food pics and perhaps I'll share the recipes. 

And above all, a HUGE thank you to my family, friends, clients, and co-workers, on both sides of the border, who have sponsored me to date. I can't do this without each and every one of you!

And Now For Something Completely Different

Today's post has been forgone in favor of sharing a fun hike. I'll be back tomorrow but rest assured that you aren't missing anything during recovery week. :D

Read it here.

I LOVE PASTA!

Just like the subject line of this post says: I LOVE PASTA! The problem is, pasta does not love me. Over the past several years I've discovered that wheat based products don't care to be consumed by me. I don't believe that I am allergic to wheat but generally when I eat it (whole grain or not) I end up with a headache and feeling a bit tired. So what is a girl with a love affair for pasta to do?

RICE NOODLES!

Actually, there are several noodle types that I'd like to try over the next couple of weeks such as; Rice Noodles, Brown Rice Noodles, Black Bean Pasta, and a couple more obscure items that I'll probably need to find a health food store to locate. Stay tuned as the girl who LOVES pasta falls in love all over again. :D

And what does this all have to do with training you ask? You don't miss a thing, do you? Carbs, plain and simple. Muscles need fuel, complex carbs, and you can only eat so much Quinoa...

Last night's rice noodles were quite tasty and acted very nearly like regular wheat based pasta. The sauce is homemade - Tomato, onion, mushrooms, red peppers, spinach, ground turkey, garlic, salt, olive oil, and dried basil.

YUM!