ok! Enough already! MY JAN 2012 RESOLUTION!

So, this week was a bit of an awakening for me in respect to BLOGGING! I find myself, thinking of lots of interesting this to blog about when I am training, and I have started probably 20+ blog posts that I have never really gotten around to finishing! My inspiration to blog initially was inspired by Gretchen Rubin and "The Happiness Project" and I was really intrigued to start blogging more to record my thoughts and experiences!

I had a few experiences this week as well, that opened my eyes to the blogging experience... in conversation with patient and friend Mat Curry, he was speaking about blogging and how "nobody reads my blog anyways!" Wait I read your blog Mat, and think it is super interesting!! I had another New Patient this weekend, a recreational cyclist, who decided he was going to come and see me, vs another chiropractor because he found my blog on google, and really liked it...

So, here it is, I am proclaiming publicly on my blog that this is going to be a regular occurrence, PROMISE.

So today was a pretty long day at the track! 10 hours on my feet, treating, carrying bikes, some waiting around. Didn't get much fitter today on my quest for fitness, although carrying bikes and supplies, being on my feet and I am tired like I did a workout or two myself!

Michelle and I got to go on an adventure to the Chipachapee mall, a 10 min cab ride to a big outdoor shopping centre where we grabbed a delicious cuppicino (I don't typically drink coffee but this was delicious!) Walk around a bit, it was nice just to be somewhere different than locked up in the hotel or the track.

On the subject of groceries, grocery shopping in colombia is quite different than in Canada. There are very few recognizable brands. Foods are very different
Bread is not a common staple in colombia, and is gross, the yogurt is runny and all in liquid form, there was no cottage cheese, beans, lentils or tofu, to be found, and very few sources of protein available.

We have been eating from the buffet the athletes are served from. Unfortunately, we can't eat everything that is put out for chance of being ill. We have had this issue in the past where it's gone through the whole team. For starters, we can't drink the water. Therefore we have to be careful with what we eat- no lettuce: it's been washed with water, no watermelon- as sometimes they are injected with water to keep it fresh, none of the delicious looking fresh fruit juices they have, and careful with the rice, as it is re-warmed a number of times to serve it is mass quantities, even anything on ice. Some athletes have even used bottled water to brush their teeth. It would be awful to come all this way for a competition, and be unable to race your best, or race at all due to an unfortunate gastrointestinal situation. Better safe than sorry!

It is amazing to think of the variety and the quality of food we have in Canada, and made me grateful that I have so many choices for healthy eating.

(Oh ya- athlete update: zach started the omnium today and I'd sitting at the end of the day in 2nd place with another day tomorrow, our men's team sprint had another great race, continually improving from their previous performance and one of our new female endurance riders gained some international experience in the women's points race!)

Today was the day the racing started- so I usually have way less time- preparation treatments, recovery treatments and looooong days at the track doing part deux of my job with the National Team. Part deux entails taking care of the athletes, doing any last minute tweaks that are necessary, but also making sure they are always comfortable, water, food, ice, etc. Going up to the start line and standing by during the race- it's really quite the exciting experience!

That left a small window of time for me to fit in a workout of the day! I opted for the circuit type again, on my own this time, in my very spacious room- 2 circuits, 3 times through, 30 seconds each exercise, 10 seconds between each- trying to push myself without my workout partners, who were attending to their track jobs!

Circuit 1

-pushups

-side planks

-squat jumps

-ham bridge

-lunge stretch

Circuit 2

-plank lifts

-burpees,

-crunch obliques

-cross over lunge

-squat jumps

It was enough to get my heart rate high, get a goood sweat on and actually get my legs to shake a little bit!!

Then at the track later on- our women's team pursuit hit the qualifying rounds and finished in their top 8 showing consistency at the World Cup Level. The first 2 kilos they were on pace for breaking the world record! I am excited to see the progress these girls make before the Olympics!

Not sure what tomorrow brings as we have a fairly long day at the track, and Michelle and I are being sent on a grocery shopping adventure and then a few events on the track in the afternoon- should be exciting: men's omnium, mens team sprint and women's scratch race!

Cali, Colombia Fitness Quest-Day 3

Today, with aching abs, triceps and biceps from the previous 2 days total shock to my runner's motor patterning system, my partners in fitness and I embarked on a 20 minute journey back to Windsor Pilates land...

With Buns and Thighs being the target of today's fitness blast, we again, grunted and groaned with Dagney (not Doris!), and Mari Windsor as she made us 'scissor kick' and 'fetal thigh' our way to sculpted buns and thighs!

Having flashbacks to my mom's 80's aerobic exercise days, Tanya, Michelle and I sometimes quite awkwardly accomplished some killer exercises that I am going to teach my patients and kinesiologists!

I had a few extra mins after that video was done. So I got to try out the pilates version of "sculpted Abs" as well, which was also an adventure of some next to impossible moves and some "chiropractic nightmare moves" (that I did anyways, very carefully- I didn't want to omit any move that's gettin me a 6 pack of scuplted abs!).

Racing for the athletes start tomorrow, and I would like to do another circuit training type workout- stay tuned to see what we can fit in when it gets more tricky to continue our Cali fitness quest!

Fitness Quest- Cali, Colombia!

Today's fitness was a Windsor pilates DVD courtsey of Michelle. As Tanya and I "warmed up" for the 20 minute session, I think we both had the same thoughts in our head... 20 mins, pilates.. No biggie.
Well 5 minutes later, there was some grunting and groaning happening and my abs were screaming at me (mostly from the water jug "kettlebells" yesterday!). A few more moves "using my powerhouse" and I was certain this workout was good for me.

Highlights of this workout video included the various green jumpsuits the team were sporting, and of course Doris/Dankie?!?, doing the modified version (which Tanya and I REFUSED to give into no matter how much we were struggling to kick our leg over our heads at times!) We concluded that this 20 minute workout, that guaranteed to "sculpt us" indeed did have its noticable benefits and I for one, am looking forward to trying the 57 minute workout in the next few days!

Fitness Quest in Cali Colombia

So, it was the first day at the track today, and we are starting to see lots of the athletes arriving and training. Not all of our athletes have arrived yet, so It meant a bit of extra time to fit a workout in.

It was a nice sunny day- and I was dying to go for a run, wanting to counterbalance the rain I have been running in at home! Then my Aussie-living-in-Denmark-mechanic friend told me the german staff were robbed while they were running the previous day. YIKES!! So today's workout was a circut training bonanza with crossfit genius Michelle and CCA coach Tanya Dubnicoff:

Circuit 1: 30 seconds each

3 times through- skipping, burpees and glider hamstring curls.

Circuit 2: 30 seconds each

3 times through- stairs, water jug kettlebells and pushups!

All three of us were sweating like crazy, and I certainly had a "shake" going- was shaky to treat the next two athletes!
Great to be able to have the motivation of these two awesome athletes, and also to have time in the day to challenge our own bodies and fitness. One of the athletes commented on how they will have the fittest staff ever! We try!

Quest to Stay Fit During a World Cup.... in Cali Colombia

For the 3rd year in a row, I am in Cali, Colombia for a World Cup Event with the Canadian Track Cycling Team. A little blown-out on Cali, it's not very safe, there usually ends up that SOMEONE gets sick and I hate the bugs that eat you alive at the track! But I consider myself lucky to be able to travel with the National Cycling Team and "live the dream!"

The other downer is that I can't really "get out" and train at all due to the potential danger that lurks in the city. Two years ago, the team from Russia was riding their bikes to the track, when they were held up at knife point and had their bikes all stolen! Lucky they were all safe, but it's not a good situation! There is no gym in the hotel we are at, no pool and no fancy fitness facilities...leaves us a little stuck for any training.

This year I am going to approach this trip with a fresh outlook! Along on this trip is performance analyst Michelle Wyngarden who is big into cross fit and is completely fit herself. Olympian turned coach, Tanya Dubnicoff is always up for some exercise. I thought it would be fun to blog about the "fitness" aspect of Cali. Depending on the training/racing/treatment schedule, I find I HAVE to squeeze in some exercise myself. C'mon, I am surrounded by some of the fittest people in the world- imagine the guilt! So follow me over the next few days to see what We can dream up for staying fit during this tenure in Colombia!