Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Anaerobicize!


Today was my first foray into the grueling world of anaerobic training. What's that, you say? Well, according to our training guide that we received from BCF: "anaerobic exercise is high intensity training, typically greater than eighty five percent (85%) of your maximum heart rate. This causes the body to function in the absence of oxygen for short periods of time and helps the body to tolerate higher levels of lactic acid in your system. Anaerobic exercise shifts your aerobic training zone and lactate threshold higher allowing your body to perform harder activity more efficiently."

In other words, you push yourself to the point of the inability to breathe for about 20 minutes with a couple short "breaks" in there somewhere.

I'm pretty sure this training would be nearly impossible to do without someone guiding you -- it's just too hard and your body naturally resists going there. ...Or maybe it's just me. But Wednesday is Wade day. Wade is the CLIF trainer that I've been working with the longest so he's really taken me from pretty much zero to my high level of athleticism today :). I trust him & he says I'm ready, so bring it on!

The best way to anaerobically exercise is interval training which for me meant being tethered with a bungee while I ran forward, backward and all ways sideways and picked up a 15 lb medicine ball. Fun, right? Then because it's good to mix up the activity so your heart is forced to circulate to differing areas, I did some improvised "swimming" with resistance bands and some "speed skating" on a slide board.

Wade's sweet personality offered up his regular dose of positive reinforcement throughout, but I really couldn't hear him over both the voice in my head that was telling me I was going to die and the incessant pounding of my heart trying to keep up. So I limped out of the gym with a serious cough even after a self-imposed 5 minute cool down.


I proceeded to cough for the next two hours. To the point where co-workers asked me if I was OK. Strangely enough, I just had to mention anaerobic training and because CLIF is so full of athletes, they all knew what I meant. They, too, had felt lungs burning so badly that it felt like smoking 2 packs in a day (not that I would know what that feels like.)

But after what felt like 8 gallons of water and a few more hours of just breathing, I felt a little better. My snarky side felt even better still when Abbs emailed me and said Wade enjoyed what he did to me so much that he did it to her, too.

Is that wrong??! -W

Monday, January 26, 2009

Eliminating the Environmental Causes of Breast Cancer



Saturday was the Strong Voices Training held by the Breast Cancer Fund.

Wendy picked me up at 8:00 (another early weekend day for me) and we rode into the city. The weather was overcast, and we were both a little pooped from the week of work but with a newly acquired fasttrak (wendy where have you been) and the knowledge of the West Grand 80 entrance (your welcome Wendy) we made it into the city with a little added energy. A tip to all, make sure you have some cash on you, the parking lot attendants in SF are not big on the IOU, we'll pay when we leave, so we left, found an ATM and found our way back to the lot, with time to spare.

The training was held at the Embarcadero YMCA, which has fantastic views of the Bay and the bridge. Name tags procured, coffee in hand, and with a new found breakfast food, Fage Greek Yogurt, we sat down for a day of training about the Breast Cancer Fund. The day included training on the Grassroots program that the BCF has, the legislative work they are doing, the environmental factors that lead to cancers and breast cancer in particular, fundraising tips and a media training. There was a break for lunch, a salad with daikon radishes, the choice of a Vietnamese Chicken Sandwich, or a Veggie Sandwich with butternut squash, a potato salad with wasabi, and these delicious chocolaty brownie bites. The BCF was on our green wave length and everything was compost-able. 





Out of all the things I learned about the BCF and the Breast Cancer here are a view highlights

  • BCF is the only organization dedicated to the ELIMINATION of the environmental causes of breast cancer, and the PREVENTION of the disease
  • Today a US woman's risk of breast cancer is more than 1 in 8
  • Only 10% of breast cancer cases are linked to genetics
  • Of about 100,000 synthetic chemicals on the market, less than 10% have been fully tested for there effects on human health
For me the training really highlighted why what Wendy and I are working towards is so important. At the beginning of the training, we were asked to stand up and introduce ourselves. Being at one of the front tables I was elected to go first, "My grandmother has had breast cancer twice and she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, most likely due to the treatment she received. It runs in my family and that in conjunction with the environmental causes of the disease scares me and I don't like to be scared." The reasons continued, I have had breast cancer twice and it is my duty to fight this and honor those who have struggled with me and still battle this disease, I have a daughter and I don't want her to have to face this disease, I am an end of life care provider and I have seen too many faces of those who have lost this battle... the reasons were varied but as they were told the same looks were held by the speaker, looks of remembrance, pride and little anger mixed together. We wrote the names of the honored on prayer flags and in a ceremony of remembrance we recited a prayer. These are some of the flags that we will carry to the peak of Shasta with us.


Training completed, we embarked on an "urban" hike through the city to the stairs by Coit Tower. The sun was out for a bit and the rain had stopped which made the hike more enjoyable. It was nice to be on my feet and to be honest, being a Bay Area native, there are a lot of "toursit" sights that I never see. The view at the top of the stairs, (the ones featured in the Parrots of Telegraph Hill,) was breathtaking and almost, almost made the second journey up the stairs worth it.



Starving again, we were invited over to Connie's home to have dinner and socialize with our fellow climbers. After filling up on veggie chili, cornbread and cole slaw, we headed back to the East Bay. Meeting more of our team was great, everyone is so different but with our common goal we are ready to climb this mountain as the BCF says one step at a time. It was a long day and at times the information was overwhelming, but we have so much support and determination this journey is sure to be life changing and a whole lot of fun. A



(Oh and by the way Wendy's got some pretty awesome base layers)

Friday, January 23, 2009

Will I be back???


Today was our first training with The Terminator (aka Stephanie to her friends if any of them survive an hour with her.) We're lucky enough to have an onsite gym at CLIF Bar including personal training which is a great luxury for our training.

So like complete gluttons for punishment, we signed up for an hour a week with The Terminator in preparation for climbing. She's trained a lot of the other climbers at CLIF and Abbs has trained with her as well. But (don't tell her) I've always been terrified. I've seen first hand people limping, heaving and red-faced as they leave the gym after being under her watch. And I'm not an athlete, right?

But commitment has to come from many angles to climb this mountain so I signed up. In future, it's every Monday at 2, but because we were out for MLK day this past Monday, Abbs thought we should reschedule it to Friday. Yeah...great thinking Abbs.

We started with some step work, pushups and heaving around some medicine balls. OK...I'm breathing heavy, but I can do this. Then we did about 1/2 hour on the spin bikes (which I have discussed with one of my other trainers, Derike about how the saddles are not so great for tender female parts.) As red as a lobster and sweating buckets, I still soldiered on.

Then we hit the weights. By the first set of leg presses, my quads were screaming. My mouth soon followed and I was finding it hard to "push through" as Steph said. I really preferred to get off the machine and push her. Onto tricep dips and pulls, 10 minutes of ridiculously hard core work, some crazy medicine ball balancing and donkey kick-like thing and about 15 seconds of yoga's child pose and we were done.

I took a shower immediately after and crumpled my soaking, stinking clothes into my gym bag -- but you would never have known I'd attempted to clean myself up. I was red-faced and sweaty for the next 1 1/2 hours. And I admit to being too prideful to post a picture of myself in this state.

But I will tell you there was a smile on my face that kept coming back throughout the day (and even now as a type this.) At the end of the grueling 65 minutes (yes, Steph went over the time limit much to our dismay,) Steph looked at us and said "Good work today. And I'll tell you that if you wanted to, you guys could go up there today and do this. I'm not worried about you at all."

Yes...I'll be back. - W

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

First Group Hike Done & Done


Wendy and I spent Sunday morning hiking the Cataract Trail on Mt. Tam. We were asked to bring 20lbs packs and snacks.

After picking Wendy up at 7:45, choking down a pb&j sandwich, and making the windy trip up to the trail head, we arrived at a sign. The road was closed to cars, bikes and hikers. As we turned around, tried to dig up Connie's (the wonderful Breast Cancer Fund liaison, from meeting her once and interacting with her via email she is really a fantastic woman) contact number, and get cell reception out in the boonies, we passed a few other women driving up to the trail head. Turns out the trail head was a few feet after the road closer and we were the first to arrive (who would have guessed).


Hiking poles gathered, and names exchanged, we started off on the hike with 6 other members of our Shasta team. We climbed stair after stair, up ridges, chatting with our new comrades and getting used to navigating the paths and the poles, which were a gift during the downhills. This time of year the trail normally has gorgeous falls, but due to the current CA weather and lack of rain, the falls weren't as strong as normal. The total hike was about 9 miles and we finished it a little before 2.

Snacks were a welcome break to the fast pace that we carried on during the day. While training at sea level, Cat (the hike leader), has told us we need to keep up the pace and our heart rates, in order to prepare for the altitudes we will be at in June.

I am still trying to figure out what will work in my stomach and give me the most energy. (Luna Moons and Shot Bloks were a welcome addition to some nuts and fruit). It really is amazing to observe how well my body responded to the calories I gave it. After each water/food break, both Wendy and I had more energy and were able to get through the next patch.

After the first hike, Wendy and I learned we were in pretty good shape, from the lack of soreness the next day and being able to keep up with our leader for a good portion of the hike. I am excited to get to know our team a little better, and I am already inspired by the women and men in our group. But there is nothing better after a strenuous hike, then a cool drink of water, chips & salsa, and two gianormous burritos. Thanks to a quick call to our friend Sharkey, we were directed to Casa Manana in Fairfax, where we refueled, happy and full for our drive home. - A

Friday, January 9, 2009

We're in!


Abbs and I were chosen to represent LUNA at the Breast Cancer Fund's Climb Against the Odds at Mt Shasta. Six months of intense training, serious fundraising and great swells of emotion are guaranteed in our future. But the calves we'll have when we're done?? Totally worth it. - W