U-U-USA!

About a month ago I was bestowed the honor of being asked to join the USA Boxing Team. Since then, I've been in a bit of a haze - signing contracts, accepting invites to training camps, training harder than I ever have.

On Sunday, June 8th, I left Minneapolis for my first training camp with the team. We are at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, CO. I've now been here for three and a half days and am already sore and tired.

It's been an awesome experience thus far. The other girls on the team are pretty cool and have welcomed me warmly. It's an incredibly competitive environment though so practices have been more on the "no-muss, no-fuss" side. Everyone sort of puts their head down and goes all in. We have two coaches working with us. Pedro Roque is a decorated Cuban coach who has been coaching Olympians for more than 40 years. USA Boxing recently brought him on and he has been working us hard the last couple of days. Ramon Franco is our other coach. He translates for Pedro (who only speaks Spanish) and has been a great motivator for all of us.

Our practices include a lot of conditioning work and many rounds of "tech sparring" - we wear headgear, gloves and a mouthpiece while we work with a partner at about 50% of full power and speed. We typically have a conditioning practice in the morning, boxing practice in the afternoon. Today will be our first formal sparring session. I will likely spar with the Olympic Gold Medalist from the 2012 London Games. I'm pretty nervous. I'm the newest girl to the team and my experience pales in comparison to many of these girls.

Despite that, I feel like I am getting stronger every day. I'm also learning from each of the girls - they all have different styles of movement and their punches are incredibly sharp and accurate. I'm hopeful that within the next 8 months, my skill level matches that of my team mates.



It has been beautiful weather so far in CO. Lots of sunshine and an occasional rain/thunder storm. And the view of the mountains is beautiful. I'm looking forward to another week of mountain views, kick-ass conditioning sessions and lots more sparring. Who knows, maybe that Olympic weight class won't be far off come next week...

That's all for now! I'll keep you posted as the week presses on!

The Kind Project - Day 3

First off, I am sorry to report that the 3-day juice cleanse to kick off this whole experience was a complete bust. I gave it a good college try, but it was just plain yucky. I have so much respect for those who juice large quantities of veggies and who get incredible results. Personally, I would much rather ingest my kale with a fork and a nice vinaigrette than through a straw. *see note

The first couple sips of my morning green drink were OK, then my stomach decided my brain had the wrong idea. It wasn't as tasty as I had initially tricked myself into thinking. I managed to finish the first bottle. The second bottle was worlds better - carrot, orange and cucumber with a little jalapeno kick. I made it through that one, no problem. Then came another round of the green. I got two-thirds of the way through bottle #3 for the day and had completely lost my willpower to continue. I had a handful of grapes thinking that I could rally for bottle #4. I took one sip and...

Nope!

Wasn't having any more to do with it! So, juice cleanse aborted. Don't worry though, I'm still following through with the vegan thing. ;) I'm also hoping to make vegan fruit snacks out of the remaining juice (check here for the recipe - I'll sub the gelatin for agar). So maybe it wasn't a total bust. I'll report back on how the gummies taste!

Secondly, vegan grocery shopping... whoa. After compiling an epic grocery list (I edited it down significantly after the first draft), I ventured out to my local Cub Foods to stock up my pantry. I was hopeful that they would have the majority of what I was looking for and I was pleasantly surprised at the results. I was able to find most of what was on my list for less than $100. I will note, however, that it took close to double the time to find everything than on a usual trip to the market.

Cub Foods has made things relatively simple by stocking a lot of their organic, vegan and specialty products all in one place. It's like a little market within the supermarket and it's quite handy. Vegan cheese, almond milk, whole grains, organic greens, etc. all can be found in one handy place. A few items on my list weren't so easy... I had difficulty finding non-dairy chocolate chips for less than $7/bag (I'm still debating the necessity of those. It may be worth it in the end.) Brown rice syrup is a bajillion dollars for a tiny bottle, and maple sugar was almost non-existent. There were also about a million different kinds of flour and whole grains. I mean, I love choices, but holy crap! It took 5 minutes to find chickpea flour and sorghum. Icarumba! I was so pooped out by the time we got to the checkout that I was starting to see little chickens and bowls of ice cream circling my head like stars after a knockout.

I was pleasantly surprised by the manageable cost of all this strange food. And my cart was definitely colorful - bright orange carrots, yellow squash, beautifully green kale, an assortment of colors and textures of grains. It was lovely. And my exhaustion waned once I was home and enjoying a recipe of avocado and bean dip from Alicia's cookbook. So tasty! And again, full of color and flavor.

After just a couple days of eating from the earth and laying off the dairy and the meat I feel lighter and a bit brighter. I've also slept like a rock the last few days. Not sure if that's a result of the diet or my pure exhaustion from the weekends activities but I'd like to think that the former is a huge factor. I am really excited about the next 28 days!

And thank you to those who have already chipped in some awesome recommendations and ideas! I couldn't be more thrilled at the support! Keep 'em coming!

*Note: For the record, I own a juicer and completely love it. I have discovered, through the epic fail that was this juice cleanse, that I'll stick to juicing things I know I like in combos I know I will enjoy! :)

The Kind Project

"Let food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy food." 

-Hippocrates

Inspired by conversations with one of my clients, I made the decision to spend the month of May as a vegan. I know it sounds extreme coming from the girl who always has venison in her freezer and whose favorite food group is macaroni and cheese. Real cheese, not that fake soy or tofu stuff. But I couldn't help but be intrigued by the positivity this woman spoke of her three-year foray into plant-based eating. Having been an athlete her whole life and spending time around healthy, active people, she decided to give it a shot. Despite some skepticism from her children, she managed to live as a vegan for three years! Her family continued to eat meat, but she got creative and found ways to cook for the whole family and stay on track herself. She now has adopted a kind of "practicality" policy. She chooses vegan or vegetarian foods when they're available and is realistic in knowing those choices aren't always an option. Her optimism and realism have strengthened my resolve to at least give it a shot and see how it feels.

She recommended a couple resources for me to scope out and I got to it right away. I ordered Alicia Silverstone's book, "The Kind Diet", borrowed a vegan cookbook from a friend and dug out my copy of "Eat, Taste, Heal", an Ayurvedic guidebook to nutrition and eating. After reading some pretty crazy evidence and based on my own common sense, I do believe that plant-based eating lessens our carbon footprint and also softens the mark we make on this earth (via farming, shipping, producing, packaging food, etc.). While I don't intend to become a vegan for life, I'm realizing that a more mindful approach to what I put in my body, where it comes from, how it got to my plate and how I go about savoring it can impact not only my health and well-being, but also the environment I live in. Food, along with being delicious, really can be medicine. If we're conscious and aware of how we nourish our bodies, we get to take full ownership of our health.

To kick-start this 31-day escapade, I thought I'd try the latest trend in plant-based eating - a 3-day juice cleanse. I researched a few different shops and ultimately decided on Truce - a locally-owned juicery in the Uptown neighborhood. Along with selling fresh juice by the bottle, they offer two cleanses. They prepare your juice, have it ready for pick-up in either one batch (if you're cleansing for 3 days or less) or multiple (for longer programs), and neatly organize for you which juices to drink when.

I started with my first juice this morning. It definitely takes some getting used to - I know that I would much rather chew my salad than drink it through a straw! However, I'm just trying to savor the experience. So many people testify that juicing makes them see colors brighter, gives them more vitality and energy, heightens their senses. I can definitely agree on those fronts. My tummy feels a bit empty but it's also nice to give my stomach and intestines a break from digesting all the heavy food that I eat. Imagine how I'll feel on day 3!

After my 3 days of juicing, I'll undoubtedly be ready for some solid foods and I can't wait to experiment with a few of the recipes in Alicia's book as well as some awesome recommendations from friends. I'm also stoked to try out the vegan menus of a few Minneapolis restaurants that I so enjoy - Cafe Barbette, French Meadow, Tao Foods. If anyone has more recommendations, please pass them on!

So here goes nothin'! The Kind Project. 31 days of eating from the earth, being mindful of and gentle toward the creatures that share this globe with us. I can't wait to see how it resets my body and my mind. Who knows, maybe I'll even end up enjoying vegan mac and cheese... ;)

I'll keep you posted on my progress!

Life Lessons 101 - Do One Ridiculous Thing Every Day

I have this friend. And he is always talking about doing at least one ridiculous and crazy thing every day. Whenever he talks about it, that Mary Oliver quote pops up in my head:

"Tell me what is it you plan to do with your one, wild, and precious life?" 

So last Thursday I got real crazy and joined the local Lululemon Run Club (see photo below) on a trail run through Hyland Hills ski area in Bloomington. And I mean "ski area" as in "downhill skiing and ski-jumping". So the inclines were nothing to shake a finger at. Fair to say it was the most challenging and humbling run on record for me. I showed up at 6:15 not wanting to be late for the 6:30 start time. I waited in my car, listening to MPR and silently dreading what was about to happen. My ego got the better of me and I kept thinking how my credibility as a fitness instructor would be shot if I couldn't keep up to the group. I set myself up for failure before even getting out of my car.

We started the run and immediately were climbing hills. My shoes were soaked through in a matter of minutes and I very quickly established the "beginners group" at the rear of the pack. We ran for about 10 minutes, then the group convened so everyone could catch their breath before taking off again. Now, the drawback to being the last to finish is that, when you get to the rally point, everyone is ready to go and you are still catching your breath. No rest for the wicked I suppose... The group continued to get further and further ahead of me and, as they disappeared from view, my confidence and willpower sank below healthy levels. I got angry and competitive. I wanted so badly to prove I could do this but my legs just wouldn't move the way I wanted them to.

Eventually, realizing I was struggling, a friend (one of the group's fearless leaders) dropped back and jogged with me for a bit. He was making silly jokes, giving me pointers on form, offering some company. And what did I do? Nothing but complain.

We made it back to the parking lot after 4 miles and about 45 minutes. I finished the run with a smile on my face but my legs were numb, my feet like lead, and I promised myself that I would NEVER be back. We all stuck around to have a cup of coffee and visit and then one by one headed off to work. As soon as I got home, there was an email in my inbox from another friend who is just starting her own fitness routine by walking every morning. She wrote:

"Alright, I did it. Well, so far anyway. I have been up everyday this week and gone on a nice sweaty walk before getting ready for work and today... Are you ready for this.. I jogged three times! The total time may have only been a minute, but I jogged! This is crazy because I have always despised running. I'm not built for it number one, it makes me breathe heavy and I get headaches. But I kept doing it today and I'm excited to try again tomorrow. I have no idea what is wrong with me!? ...I've been mentally preparing myself for the physical switch - so quite possibly I'm just ready and this is it..."

My lingering negativity from my morning run immediately disappeared. This woman did something that in her world was ridiculously crazy, and she was so determined and excited to get up the next morning and do it again! If she could approach a morning jog with that zest and enthusiasm, well then I could probably drag my ass out of bed and try run club again. In my response to her I talked about seeing the beauty in moments when your body surprises itself. It's like God's little way of saying, "You've got this. Trust me." A good reminder that we are capable of so much more than we often give ourselves credit for. My friend's email was what I needed to shift my perspective, set my ego aside and tell myself, "You've got this."

That trail run was a lesson in patience, perseverance and humility. I can rock a boxing class and be at the top of the group but stepping back and not being the best in the pack is an amazing place to be as well. It was an opportunity to hang back and recognize the amazing skills and strength of all the others running with me. To give them an opportunity to lift me up and empower me to do something ridiculous.

I may take a week off to recover. But I will certainly be back. I do only have this one, wild, and precious life after all. Tell me, what do you plan to do with yours?

Clockwise, from top left: Hyland Hills Ski Slope, The Amazing Lululemon-MOA Trail Run Club, the view from the slopes, Allen, leading the way!

Let it Snow

For those of you who don't live in the Twin Cities or aren't in the area today, it's snowing here again. That's right. On the 18th of April, when it should be a balmy 55 degrees, it is 32 degrees and snowing. Hard. 

On the other hand, if you live here you are completely aware of this fact and have probably A.) posted something about it on Facebook, B.) called your mom to complain, or C.) at the very least you sat in your car sobbing quietly as you said goodbye to your last shred of hope that spring will ever come. 

I took a yoga class last week (coincidentally, during our last snowstorm) in which my instructor began by asking us to acknowledge times in our lives that we ask the question, "When?" 

When will spring finally get here? 

When will I land that dream job? 

When will I meet someone to fall in love with? 

When will they schedule my next fight? 

I could go on and on...

The point is - we are all asking some form of this question multiple times everyday. And when we spend so much time living in the space of when, we lose sight of what is happening and what we can make happen right now.

I have a particularly difficult time setting aside my "when" questions and just being ok with what I have now. I am a futurist, an idea generator, a brainstormer, and so my mind is always jumping to the next thing. It is a huge part of being a creative person. It also means that very seldom do I allow myself to sit quietly without always making plans for what comes next. 

Needless to say, the yoga class was challenging for me in ways I wasn't anticipating when I stepped into the studio. A little later in the class, our instructor shared a vision that she had experienced during a meditation. She had been coming back again and again to the idea of "getting out of your own way". She saw this image of herself and her spirit walking up to a door. When she got there, she stepped off to the side, opened the door, and graciously let her spirit enter first. She saw herself getting out of her own way, and letting spirit take the lead.

Isn't that all it is to step out of the space of when and to really be present? To step aside and really let spirit, or Source, or your true self (whatever you decide to call it) take the reins and do what it will? I am consoled by the fact that at any given time, I can assure myself that I am exactly where I need to be. There is something to be gained from each and every moment we are alive and breathing on this planet. It may not always feel comfortable or easy, neither were the 50 chaturanga pushups we did in class, but each of those uncomfortable moments can show us as much about ourselves as the nice, warm, cozy moments too.

So, for tonight, I'm not going to post anything negative about the weather on Facebook or keep wishing away the day. I'm going to cook a beautiful dinner with my roommate, curl up with a good book and a warm blanket, relish in the amazing ways the world works, and just... let it snow.

Maybe it should say, "Whenever you are, be all there." Just food for thought...

Source: shrimpsaladcircus.blogspot.com via Heidi on Pinterest

Back in the Ring

I had a match three weeks ago. It was the first time in the last year and a half that we successfully found an opponent for me to fight. It is so difficult to find matches for me and so I was thrilled to have the opportunity to get into the ring again, on my home turf. It was, as always, an exciting day of bouts at Uppercut Gym in NE Minneapolis. 

My opponent was St. Paul native, Nicole Carl. She and I have worked together before. I helped her prepare for a match a few month ago. She was gracious enough to come in last minute, as my original opponent backed out. She was a formidable match - much taller and incredibly strong. I was able to use my footwork and strong left hand to wear her down. The fight was stopped late in the third round and I won by RSC. )In amateur boxing, RSC stands for Referee Stopped Contest) I was able to overpower her and the referee stepped in after giving her a standing 8-count to call the fight. It was an exciting win and I was overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from friends and family. There are very few things more powerful than hearing your name cheered from a crowd of fans. I was heart-warmed  by that support throughout the entire afternoon and evening.

I am working on another post about boxing. In particular, why I box. Stay tuned on that. And in the mean time, enjoy the pics! I also posted video of the match. Let me know if you have questions on anything in the video, i.e. referee calls, rules, etc! 

Middle left: My amazing coach, Alfonso Vazquez, encouraging me in the corner. Bottom left: Good sportsmanship Bottom right: And the winner is...!

Beat Treadmill Boredom

I don't know about you, but I think running on a treadmill can be the most boring and tedious form of exercise known to humankind. Are we on the same page??

I don't consider myself "a runner" by any stretch of the imagination. I merely run as a means to an end. Because I am a competitive boxer and running helps me stay in peak cardiovascular shape, I do it grudgingly so I don't lose my conditioning in the ring. I have been known, however, to subject myself to the odd race here and there. I use the term "race" very loosely as I am clearly not trying to win any sort of running title.

I recently agreed to enter the lottery for Grandma's Half Marathon in Duluth, MN. It takes place every June and my friend L has been hinting at getting me to run it with her for some time. Well, she finally harangued me into it. We got in and will start training runs very soon. Since it is still winter in MN, most of my running for the next month will have to happen inside. Enter: The Dreaded Treadmill. In order to keep my runs interesting, I have a couple interval workouts that I use to beat boredom on the treadmill. If you are needing to spice up your running with a little variety, try one of these out! I find that I'm much more inclined to hop on the treadmill if I have a set amount of minutes and an interesting routine to work with.

Notes: 

*If you are lucky enough to be in a place where it is warm and safe to run outside these workouts translate well to the road.

*These can all be easily customized to your personal fitness level. Simply adjust the speeds according to where you're at physically. At your base pace you should be able to maintain a short conversation. At your fastest pace you should be working pretty hard. Try to push yourself. You'll be amazed at what you're capable of!

The Workouts

#1

Only have a few minutes to get moving? This workout will torch calories, improve your cardiovascular strength, and get you sweating in no time flat!

Duration: 14 minutes

-Warm-up with a brisk walk or light jog at your base pace for 5 minutes. My base is anywhere between 5.5-6.0mph depending on the day.

-Keep the treadmill moving and step onto the tracks to the side. Bump the speed up to a sprint pace. I usually start at 7.0mph and work up to 8.5mph by the last sprint.

-With the treadmill running, hop on and run a 20-second sprint, then hop off and take a 10-second rest.

-Repeat the sprint 8 times. For an added challenge, increase the speed with each sprint or with every other. The sprints should be challenging so keep the pace up!

-Cool down for 5 minutes at a pace just slower than your warm-up. And you're done!

#2

Want to run a faster 5K? This workout will help to improve your overall speed. The key is finding a consistent pace throughout the longer intervals.

Duration: 44 minutes

-Warm-up with a brisk walk or jog for 5 minutes.

-Now find a pace 1.5-2mph over your base rate. You should be working much harder here but still be able to maintain this pace for up to 3 minutes. 

-Run at this faster pace for 1 minute and then slow down to your base rate for 1 minute.

-Run at the faster pace for 2 minutes, then slow down to your base rate for 2 minutes.

-Continue with the following interval pattern, always matching your faster pace with your base rate.

-Intervals:

1. 1 minute
2. 2 minutes
3. 3 minutes
4. 2 minutes
5. 1 minute
6. 2 minutes
7. 3 minutes
8. 2 minutes
9. 1 minute

-After the final interval, slow down to a brisk walk and cool down for 4-5 minutes. Done!