Forks Over Knives

People (North Americans) seem to think you need to eat a lot of meat to be healthy and strong. Of course we get those ideas through years of unwittingly being on the receiving end of huge billion-dollar marketing and lobbying campaigns by the meat industry.

Every once in awhile I read about super athletes who are vegetarians, even vegans. Now, added to that list, is Frank Medrano, whom I just heard of yesterday. I found this article about him from the folks at "Forks Over Knives," a program followed by our friend Rick, whom we met our first year at Reach the Beach.

Here's the official Forks Over Knives Web site.  Here's the Web site of another vegan body builder. 

Hmmmm. Looks like all these guys are selling something! That's okay with me. But is the vegan diet for super strength really legit? Lots of people say it isn't. Just Google "forks over knives debunked" to find out more.

I'm not planning to go completely vegan, but I'm always looking for healthy ways to eat and get stronger....without succumbing to that whole orthorexia phenomenon, where you become so obsessed with "healthy eating" that it becomes an eating disorder!

So, like I said, just trying to get healthier and stay healthier.

Archery

I just posted this on my Aunt Louise page, where I also posted a few weeks ago a video of some amazing archery tricks.

Here's the new and amazing archery trick: 

And here's part of a workout of one archer. Hmmm...seems like a workout that would be good for anyone and everyone!

I found these at Frank Medrano's Web site. Anyone know anything about his programs? They look intense and look like they give good results, for those who are committed (and don't have shoulder issues!). Anything else?

Hippie Chick Half

Yep, I'm all signed up. I'll be "running" (jogging and walking) this event with my friend Lara, who did it with me last year. It was a great event, the day before Mother's Day, all the participants  women, except for the kids who participated in the various fun-run activities. And what I really loved about that day were all the husbands/dads who were there to support their ladies.


I've decided to keep regarding all these events as training exercises, to keep myself from getting too stressed out about them or worrying afterwards that I should have done this or that better.

I'll be signing up soon for a couple of duathlons and I think I'll do another triathlon this year, after skipping that whole idea in 2014. But...I'm not positive about any of this. We'll see. There are lots of other things to do on Saturdays!

Huntsman 140 Training Season Starts

....with this message and training calendar from the folks at the Huntsman:

WEEK	DATE	TIME	50 | 75 MILE	100|140 MILE		LOCATION
1	3/7/2015	9:00 AM	15	30		Highland High School
2	3/14/2015	9:00 AM	20	35		Highland High School
3	3/21/2015	9:00 AM	20	45		Highland High School
	3/24/2015	6:30 PM	HHH Cycling Team Orientation			Huntsman Cancer Foundation
4	3/28/2015	9:00 AM	25	50		Highland High School
5	4/4/2015	9:00 AM	15	25		Highland High School
6	4/11/2015	8:00 AM	30	60		Highland High School
7	4/18/2015	8:00 AM	25	50		Sandy, UT
		6:00 AM	SALT LAKE CITY BIKE TOUR			Salt Lake City, UT
8	4/25/2015	8:00 AM	30	60		Highland High School
9	5/2/2015	8:00 AM	25	50		Sandy, UT
10	5/9/2015	8:00 AM	40	70		Highland High School
11	5/16/2015	8:00 AM	40	80		Centerville, UT
12	5/23/2015	8:00 AM	25	50		Highland High School
13	5/30/2015	7:00 AM	20	40 - LRRH	90 - H140	Sandy, UT
14	6/6/2015	7:00 AM	50	100		Sandy, UT
		---	LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD			Lewiston, UT
15	6/13/2015	7:00 AM	25	50		Highland High School
16	6/20/2015	---	HUNTSMAN 140			Salt Lake City, UT

 
I'm impressed, aren't you? And here are their words of advice on training:

HOW TO PREPARE FOR TRAINING

·         Base of 15 miles for 50 | 75-mile events & 30 for 100|140-mile events

·         Have your bike tuned and ready for the season

·         All riders MUST wear a helmet at all times

·         Ride 2 to 3 days during the week in conjunction with the long ride on Saturday with the group.  These mid-week rides will help you get use to time in the saddle and should take about half the time it will take you to ride your upcoming long ride that week.

TRAINING TIPS

• Do some weight training for upper body strength.  You'll need arm and shoulder strength to fend off fatigue.
• Play games to make the cycling more interesting.  Try pedaling with only one foot and then the other. This helps teach smooth cycling technique.
• The up-stroke on the pedal is important. Wear toe clips or clipless pedals to optimize each rotation.
• When training, tackle wind and hills.  You'll likely encounter both on your century ride, so be prepared.
• Take the century ride in segments.  Don't think of it as a 100-mile ride.  Just do the distance from one rest stop to the next.  Before you know it, you've done 100 miles.
• Take a break if you get tired.  Even a short break of five minutes will revitalize you.
• Use a mirror to see behind.  Not all cyclists like using mirrors attached to the helmet or bike handlebars but they are helpful for looking for traffic and other cyclists.
• Be sure your bike is the correct size.  This includes the correct leg extension and posture.  Keep your back straight and at a 45-degree angle.  You will need a bike that fits to ride 100-miles or more.
• Use a bicycle computer.  Develop a better understanding of what you can do, keep track of your improvement and enter your training accomplishments in a log.
• There's no alternative to training!  You must have experience in the wind, heat, cold, rain, steep grades and thirst.  You need to get to a "bonk," which is that condition where you run out of energy and feel you can't go on, but do. Then you're ready to manage the challenge of a long ride.

Okay, so, it's on, and I'm on it!