The first ski of the year is always very exciting. Typically the conditions are not optimal, but that usually doesn’t matter – skiing on any kind of snow at this time is fun.
This morning I went out with a few of my XC Ottawa teammates and we were more than pleasantly surprised – not only was there plenty of snow – but the groomer had been by and set classic and skate tracks!
Conditions were quite good – a dry snow on a hard packed base. . . and good enough to do intervals – 3 times 3 minutes on (Zone 4-5), with 5 minutes rest. Possibly the best first tracks conditions ever!
Here are some pictures. . .
Liza & me. . . getting ready for intervals!Katie said classic tracks were pretty goodLiza pointing to the Yeti on our new suit. We LOVE the Yeti!
Katie and Liza toward top of “neverending” hill. We used this for intervals. Liza and I were skate skiing and conditions on this hill were pretty good.
Katie and Liza excited about snow, and skiingWe weren’t the only ones enjoying the snow – here’s Nakkertok’s Emily Stewart Jones. Classic tracks don’t look as good here, but the base is quite hard (no pavement).Check out the groomer in the background! Cross country skiers often get excited about groomers (especially when not expected!).Share This:
This week, read about sports science infographics, how to evaluate scientific evidence, processed foods that are healthy, treadmill running, age 60+ ultra athletes, and more.
Sports Science Infographics
Summarizing complex studies can be a challenge. Exercise physiologist Yann Le Meur is helping make sports science research understandable for all, using graphics and simplified text to illustrate recent studies. Le Meur conducts research at the National Institute of Sport, Expertise, and Performance in Paris. The graphic below is a good example of his work: here Le Meur describes a recent study reviewing the importance of carbohydrates for exercise and outlining carbohydrate intake recommendations to optimize endurance performance.
Not all scientific evidence is equal. How do you know what to believe? Learn why you should be wary of anecdotes, testimonials, and personal stories (e.g., “I stopped eating wheat and lost 10 lbs), and how to interpret other evidence. (Ask for Evidence)
Can processed foods be healthy? Not all “processing” is equal, and in some cases processing may make foods better for you. This article explains how to figure out if processing foods adds or takes away nutrients. (Nutrition Diva)
The costs of continuously checking e-mail, twitter, your phone, etc. As many studies have shown, multitasking is inefficient. Our current environment promotes multitasking, so you’ll need to make a conscious effort and learn strategies to manage the allure of these constant distractions – this article includes some good tips. (Psychology Today)
What’s good for your health is good for the planet. Study provides good data showing that, if widely adopted, vegetarian and Mediterranean-style diets (less meat, less refined fat, and less sugar) could reduce the climate change impacts of food production, in addition to decreasing the incidence of many chronic diseases.(Nature 12 November 2014)
Here’s a diversion from recipes, food, health, and fitness news to give you an update on a passion of mine – training and racing for cross country skiing. Let’s just say that at my age I’m not the typical athlete on the Canadian race circuit, but enjoy this high-level competition tremendously. Smart training and a sport where technique is paramount and improvements always possible keep me motivated and competitive with the younger athletes.
November can be a tricky time of year for cross country skiers. The leaves have fallen from the trees, the days are getting colder and shorter, the ground is frozen, and pole tips are slipping on the hard pavement: the stage is set for snow. For me, feeling winter in the air, planning ski trips, and the arrival of new gear certainly keeps the motivation high! Especially this year, with the arrival of our bright and stylish XC Ottawa suits from Podiumwear and Kama hats! Top that off new Rossignol skis and boots and Excel poles, and it’s hard not to be enthusiastic.
Someof my XC Ottawa ski team showing off our new Podiumwear suits
What do cross country skiers do when there’s no snow?
From May through November, my training included running, ski bounding and ski-specific dryland, road cycling, mountain biking, swimming, strength training, and roller skiing. . . . lots of variety challenging most of your muscles, which I love. I had some opportunities to stay sharp racing a triathlon, some 5k running races, rollerski time trials, and a unique race up Whiteface mountain. It’s been a great summer and Fall of training with my team XC Ottawa, and as winter approaches rollerskiing is an important part of our training.
Rollerskiing last weekend in the Gatineau Park – check out the picture below for a better picture of our typical rollerski training grounds
The Gatineau Park features stunning scenery and many kilometers of good pavement. Designated hours without car traffic in the summer and fall make this an amazing venue for cyclists and rollerskiers.
Coming Up . . .
Much as I love the variety of dryland activities, nothing beats skiing on snow! And plenty of skiing is around the corner. Here are the main events coming up:
This week, read about another reason to limit fruit juice, how you can you be your fittest at 50 (and older), increasing your iron intake with teff, killer chairs, anti-inflammatory diets, and more.
Many people think fruit juice is a healthy choice, but the evidence is mounting that juice’s health impact is similar to that of other sugary beverages. A study out this week adds to the evidence, suggesting that daily fruit juice drinkers had significantly higher central systolic blood pressure than those who consumed fruit juice rarely or occasionally. It was a small observational study and didn’t look at overall sugar intake, but the findings provide insight for more rigorous research. (Appetite, 84; Jan 2015)
Similar to soda and other sweetened beverages, fruit juice gives your body a huge amount of sugar to process at once, and liquid calories are not as filling as whole foods. Do you think juice is natural? Not really (when would you eat 6 oranges, without their fiber, in one sitting); read more on the “naturalness” of juice in this great article by Travis Saunders. Also, juicing removes more than just the fiber (health-promoting substances, polyphenols, are bound to the fiber). Your best bet? Skip the juice and choose whole fruit instead.
Slowly but surely, I am adding recipes to my recipe page. This apple cake is a winner in many ways: simple to make, seasonal and common ingredients, healthy, and great tasting!
More links of interest this week:
Can you get fitter at 50 than you’ve ever been in your life? A review of Margaret Webb’s book looking into the possibility of achieving peak physical condition at 50. Overall this look like a good book, and I liked the article, but was discouraged at the promotion of a fad (paleo-style) diet (Macleans Magazine).
Eating teff (iron-rich grain), can boost iron intake in endurance athletes. A recent study showed that a dietary intervention to increase teff consumption can increase iron intake in runners. Teff is an iron-rich grain, popular in Ethiopia and the main ingredient in injera (Ethiopian flatbread). I’m curious, and will be looking into this grain (so far I have found out it can be pricey . . . ). Many athletes don’t get enough iron from their diet – check out my tips for getting more iron in your diet here. (Competitor Magazine, J Int Soc Sports Nutrition 2014; 11(1): 50.)
Excellent athlete profile: how Canadian trampolinist Rosie MacLennan overcame fear, body image concerns, and went from “never the best” to world champion. (CBC Sports)
Killer Chairs. Sedentary behavior and obesity expert James Levine reviews the emerging area of research showing that standing more, even at a desk job, could lower risk for obesity, illness and death. (Scientific American)
Where Age Equals Happiness. Study examines trends in well-being across age, region, gender, and income. Some fascinating findings! (The Lancet, Nov 6 2014, reported in the The Atlantic)
What’s the Ideal Age for Marathoning?Alex Hutchinson examines the question of whether top marathoners getting younger, older, or both. (Runners World)
What’s so bad about “quality carbs”? Sports Nutritionist Nancy Clark addresses the “Carbs are bad for us” message that is popular in the media these days, and does a good job clarifying carbohydrate confusion. (Nancy Clark)
Bring Back the Mandatory Long-Form Census. Ending Canada’s mandatory long-form census was a bad idea in many ways, ignoring the importance of how good data is critical to research, public policy and many other important areas. Bill C-626 is a private member’s bill that would restore this survey and protect the Chief Statistician of Canada from political interference, but unfortunately the bill has little support. Three exerts argue about the importance of bringing back this important survey in this week’s Globe and Mail: Ending mandatory long-form census has hurt Canada; Poor census data is crippling Canada’s ability to compete; Policy making suffering in Canada without the long-form census.
Katie and Liza toward top of “neverending” hill. We used this for intervals. Liza and I were skate skiing and conditions on this hill were pretty good.
