Change: A four-letter word

 

I hate change. 

You wouldn’t know that from my lifestyle for the last decade, but its true. Change causes me stress, anxiety and fear. It has been this way for as long as I can remember. The end of a school year, the end of a season, new jobs, new house new anything. 

Mid May every year for the last 7 years I have packed up my car, driven long distances and began a new lifestyle for the summer months. This year is no different. I will be packing up the car with the dog, and driving to Washington State to Guide on Mt. Rainier for a month.

Trapper enjoying the sunshine after a long run

I have worked for International Mountain Guides for 5 years now. After finishing finals, refreshing my wilderness first responder certification, a few local races and packing the car to make the 12-hour drive to Ashford, there has been quite a bit of change in my life. Not to mention my upcoming wedding in July. With all this change comes a lot of stress.

People always ask me how I handle my stress so well, because it never seams to show on my face. Well I have a little secret, I exercise, sleep eight hours every night and eat healthy. These simple lifestyle elements make all the difference to me. I am able to balance some crazy busy days with the help of my awesome fiancé Josh, and by taking care of what is most important, myself.

So my advice: Get off the computer, close out of facebook or pinterest, make a list of what is important to do in the next 3 days, plan out your days, and you will find that you have more time than you think.

I plan everything from my meals, to when I will cook, and when I have time to shower and walk the dog. This planning help we control the stress in my life from all the change that is constantly happening.

Finishing the 5K

On another note, here is a recap of my last three weeks:

April 27,2014 – Icebreaker Road race, Great Falls MT

            1^st place female overall. 19:44

What an awesome race, so many people involved. I was surprised and excited to have won the race. I didn’t set any land seed records but it was a personal best time for me in a 5K and my first win ever. A moment I will hold deer for a long time.

April 30^th – End of the Semester of Nursing school

            I have completed another semester of nursing school. I continue to add to the vast amount of random and not so random medical information floating around in my head. No the challenge is to retain it for the 13 week summer vacation. I am happy to say with as busy as I am I was still able to end the semester with all A’s and B’s. Another very proud moment for me.

May 3-4^th – WFR refresher

            Every two years I have to re-cert my wilderness first responder certification. This is a first aid course focused on providing care in wilderness situations. This was a fun course because it reminded me how much I miss and love wilderness medicine and why I got into nursing in the first place.

May 9^th 2014:

            Josh Left for his stint on Rainier. We will pass each other on the mountain but we will not see much of each other for 6 weeks. The life mountain guides.

May 11^th 2014:

            Unravel the scratch Gravel, Mt bike race, Helena MT

I’ll let you know how it goes.

May 12^th Last day of work as a CNA at the hospital for a month

May 13^th: Drive the 12+ hours to Washington

My Hammer Nutrition supply to get me through the 8 climbs up Rainier

May 14^th: 1^st climb of the season. I will start walking up Mt Rainier with my clients and begin our three-day adventure to the summit and back.

Whew, I’m tired and stressed just thinking about all that is going on right now. Good thing I went for a run today and already had a wonderful meal. Until the next adventure, I have one last piece of advice. Take time every day to do something for yourself. An extra 5 minutes in the hot shower, sitting in your car outside the grocery store to take deep breath and enjoy the quite, or go for a run on your 30 min lunch break. Whatever it is that make you happiest, find a way to work it into your schedule to help balance the craziness of life.

Race Recap-Grizzly Tri

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Race Recap:

2014 Grizzly Triathlon

Missoula, MT

April 19, 2014

Springtime in Montana can bring a variety of weather condition. Its possible to see snow, wind, rain or even sunshine. We lucked out this year with clear skies and temps in the mid 60’s for the race.

I raced in the afternoon with the elite women. This was an honor in and of itself. racing with Pro’s and other amazing athletes. The competition was tough this year, and unfortunately for me two days prior to the race I came down with a nasty GI Virus. This was the worst timing but there isn’t much you can do but let its run its course. 2 hours before the race the worst of it was over and I could keep water and a banana down, so I decided I would race.

The elite heat went off at 2:40 on the dot. I had a pool lane to myself and I started off strong. Less than 500M into the race I started to feel the effects of not eating for over 48 hours. My energy quickly declined and my swim went to hell. I jumped out of the pool in just under 17min, (significantly later than I had hoped), ran through transition, mounted my bike and I was off. Thankfully still keeping what food I had on board in my stomach.

The bike course was beautiful. Winding along the Clark Fork River, through East Missoula and all the way to Bonner. I wasn’t too far behind but I just didn’t have the Getty-up to push my way up the pack during the short 12-mile bike course. Since I knew this wasn’t my race, I settled into a comfortable pace and enjoyed the beautiful day.

Next up the run. Almost done you keep telling yourself, only 3 more miles. Yeah…if only. This run course may be only 3 miles, but it has a killer hill right before the turn around. Once I hit the turnaround, and was on the home stretch everything started cramping, I felt as if I would throw up or pass out. Not sure which would be worse. The elite men began passing me and it gave me the last bit of umph to push it out to the finish line.

What a feeling, crossing the finish line. I don’t care how many races you have done, how long it took you, the feeling of crossing the finish line in any race is euphoric.

Finishing among men and women who are pro’s in the sport and the camaraderie of the athletic community all watching. What a feeling I almost forgot I was still fighting a nasty bug. Don’t worry I soon remembered!

I had friends cheering me on and Josh at the finish line to great me. What a feeling. I knew it wasn’t the race I as hoping for, but all things considered I was glad to have had the opportunity to race and I was proud of myself for what I had completed.

Everyone has a bad race now and again, and I’m a firm believer that we learn more for the bad days than from the good ones.

It was a great day all around, just bad timing on my immune system.

Thanks for all the support Hammer Nutrition and my family. I wouldn’t be where I am without you.

Here’s to the next adventure:

            Nursing School Finals….Then

Next race: Icebreaker 3mile 4/27/14 – Great Falls MT

                   Spring Meadow Triathlon 7/6/14- Helena MT

Recipe of the Week- Quinoa Pancakes

Happy weekend, and the start of the 2014 Winter Olympics.

Today as I watch the Olympics, do my taxes and some homework I fuel for the day with some amazing gluten free Quinoa blueberry pancakes. Quinoa is high in protein and healthy amino acids.

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Quinoa Pancakes

Makes approximately 12 pancakes

Ingredients
2 cups quinoa flour

½ cup almond flour* optional
2 tbsp. light brown sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup milk
2 tbsp. canola oil, plus more for cooking

¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
1 tsp. vanilla extract

1tsp almond extract
2 eggs

1-2 cups frozen or fresh blueberries

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, whisk together quinoa and almond flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and cinnamon.

2. In another bowl, whisk together milk, yogurt, oil, vanilla, almond and eggs until well-combined.

3. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until combined.

4. Heat a well-oiled, large skillet or griddle over medium heat.

Add oil to skillet/griddle in 1/4 cup scoops, top with 5-10 frozen blueberries and cook until small bubbles just begin to form on the pancake’s surface.

5. Flip and cook the opposite side for another 1-2 minutes.

6. Serve immediately with syrup. ( I prefer plain yogurt and syrup) 

Let me know what you think and any modification you make! Enjoy!

Stay Hydrated, Stay healthy!

6 easy ways to stay hydrated this year!

We all make New Year's resolutions to be more active or eat healthier, but what about drinking more water.
Here are my tips for adding more good 'ole H20 into your daily life.

1.)  Add some fresh or frozen fruit to your water bottle.

We have been told forever that lemon is great, but not everyone likes lemon. I like to add oranges or raspberries for some subtle fruit flavors. I also like cucumber for a fresh taste. I have even tried apple slices and a cinnamon stick for a new zing on your water bottle.

2.)  Drink water with a straw. We tend to drink more in a single sitting with a straw then if we were to just take sips.

3.)  Have a glass of water right when you get up in the morning (before your coffee), and right before bed.

4.)  Trade one coffee or soda drink mid morning for a cup of herbal tea. The warm tea gives you the sensations of having a hot cup of coffee, but you get all the benefits of herbal tea and hydration.

(Still need the caffeine boost, try a black or green tea with honey!)

  

5.)  Try a supplement in your water.

I love Hammer Nutrition’s Endurolytes Fizz. Subtle flavor, light carbonation and more interesting than plain water. I like peach, grape and lemon lime. (Add it to carbonated water for a low sugar soda like drink). http://www.hammernutrition.com/affiliates/

6.)  Right before a meal or snack, start with a glass of water. Not only will the water help your body digest the food your about to eat, but it will keep you from eating too much, by making you fill up faster.

Hope you enjoy these tips! Stay happy and healthy this year. Stay tuned for more health, fitness, and other lifestyle tips.

Joining The Hammer Team!

It's official!  I am a member of the Hammer Nutrition 2014 team.

I will be your go to person if you have fueling needs or questions. Check back often for race reports, season updates, and of course pictures! When you go to reorder your awesome Hammer products use my name as a referral, and if its your first order get a 15% discount.

Some of my favorite products:

Perpetuem: The perfect fuel for multiple hours of endurance training and racing.

Endurolytes: An electrolyte replacement in a pill form.

Whey Recovery Bars: I keep these in my car, backpack, pocketbook and work locker. A great snack, post workout recovery bar and good anytime you need a pic me up.



Check back for more Hammer products highlights and reviews.   

Recovery Smoothie

The Ultimate recovery drink has a perfect ratio of Carbohydrates to Proteins. It also contains key vitamins and minerals to help your body recovery and rebuild from hard efforts.

This recipe is great after long runs, hard bike rides or any other activity your out there doing. It only takes a few minutes and tastes awesome!


What you need:
1/2 banana
1 Cup dark berries (frozen cherries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries or Strawberries) I like a comb of blueberries and cherries because I always have them stashed in my freezer, but whatever you have access to is great. 
6oz plain yogurt
3/4 cup Soy Milk
1 TBL almond Butter
2 TBL wheat Germ
1 TBL honey *optional


Blend together and enjoy! Makes 2 servings!



This recipe combines protein from the yogurt, soy milk and almond butter with carbohydrates in the fruit, healthy fats from the almond butter. It also has crucial vitamins and minerals like vitamin E and zinc from the wheat germ, and pro-biotic in the yogurt to keep your immune system kicking.

GRIZZLY TRIATHLON! 4/20/13

Half way through a 20 week training program, on my way to my first half Ironman distance triathlon on June 23rd. This past weekend was the Grizzly triathlon in Missoula MT, and a great tune up race to see where my fitness level is.

Its great to be able to get outside and have a real race experience this time of year in Montana. The weather can always be iffy in April. The day started out around 40 degrees and rainy, but slowly warmed up. By the time I was cruising down the highway on my bike in nothing but a bathing suit and helmet, the sun was shining. The wind was gusty on the bike course, which made for a tough bike back into the wind, but the sun stayed out for the remainder of the day.

The race has a pool swim, rare for major triathlons, and I hoped in at 1:10pm. I swam a 16:06 1000M swim. exactly what I predicted and hoped to do. I jumped out of the pool second in my lane and on to my bike and took off for the 12 mile canyon ride. I had the wind at my back going out which helped my keep my speed up. After the halfway mark and turnaround the wind picked up and it was a battle all the way back. I handed my bike off, slipped on my running shoes and off I went for the final segment, a 5K run. I started strong, but felt that my legs were lead weights. I pressed on for the finish for a final time of 1:22:12, good enough for a second place age group award.


Training and races takes up a lot of time and so it need to be fun. I was having fun. There were moments, the last lap in the pool, when I was having type 2 fun (fun after the fact), but the race itself as a whole was fun. The crowd, the atmosphere, the local support and the positive attitudes of other races made for a great day all around.

Snack Time

#1- Cucumbers: I just love this green Veggie! sliced thin, topped with salt, garlic and pepper, its a quick snack that satisfies crunch, salt, and is mostly water so your not undoing your workout or diet for the day.

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Most days I don't eat just three meals a day. I usually have a small snack every few hours between meals to stay energized.

In order to stay away from the ice cream in the freezer I have a few go to quick snack ideas to will get you through the day

#2- Fruit plate: Cut up 4-5 strawberries, 1/2 apple, and 1/2 an orange. full of color, vitamins and minerals there is nothing better than fresh fruit. 

 

#3- PB&J: Half a PB&J on whole wheat bread is more than a snack and less than a meal. I  eat one 45 min before a workout or  30 min after. I'm big on flavors and textures and this tasty treat satisfies your sweet tooth, your salty and your crunchy sensations (if you use chunky PB)

#4- Greek Yogurt: Not just a breakfast food. Yogurts are great for days on the go. Greek yogurt is packed with protein, just watch out for the one's with lots of added sugar. 

#5- The good 'Ol Cheese and crackers: I'm not big on most cheese, but when I really want something salty (do you see a theme here) I will dig out the sea salt and cracked pepper Triscuits crackers and dig into some cream cheese. I could eat the whole box like this, so I'm careful to pour out just a few crackers into a bowl and eat away. 

#6-  Water: Many times when I think I'm hungry all I really need is some quality H2O. I'll pound down a 1/2 liter and instantly feel better. Add a hint of lemon for flavor without the artificial stuff.

These are just of a few of my favorite. I try new combinations and ideas all the. To stay current with what looks good to me follow me on Pintrest as well: http://pinterest.com/culvie26/

 

Balancing Act

Between a full time job, part time school, a relationship, 8-10 hours a week of training, a dog and trying to manage a social life, my days are packed.

How do I fit it all in you might ask. Well work is self explanatory, I have to work to pay bills, no questions asked. In order to have quality time with Josh, give trapper enough play time and get my training in I sometimes combine two components of my life. I will take trapper on my run's or trail rides, a win win for both of us. Josh and I also find quality time by training together. We will go to the gym and pool together, do separate workouts but be together, and then after we have time to enjoy a recovery meal together, usually before I rush off to work for the evening.

The couple that plays together stays together

Every athlete, working mom,  stay at home dad and anyone else with any sort of goals knows, there has to be sacrifices in order to be successful and accomplish those goals. But I feel pretty fortunate to be able to combine my personal, professional and relationship commitment into one successful well balanced lifestyle.

Most Important meal of the day

The Most important meal of the day for me is breakfast. Starting your day off well helps fuel your mind and body for everything you will encounter.

This morning I was a bit rushed (I slept in) and so to get going I threw together onions, broccoli, green pepper and spinach, sauteed for a few minutes, topped my veggies with 2 over easy eggs, and a 1/2 a bagel with cream cheese.

In under 10 minutes I have a filling healthy breakfast. Bam!

Finish it off with 16oz of water with some lemon and off to the Pool I go.