A Little Motivation - By Cathy LaClair

Motivation…Gotta get me some of that!!

“People always ask me how I stay motivated.  Some friend’s have even claimed that I am one of the most motivated people they know.”  (Use as a starting quote??  Or, remove entirely.  I think the latter.)

I once had a friend who was training for her first Iron Man.  She swam several times a week at the same pool where I was taking swim lessons.  I was surprised when one day she told me that I was a source of motivation for her!  Although grateful for the compliment, I wondered how this could possibly be true.  Where was the catch?  I was nearly 50, learning to swim laps for the first time in my life while dealing with a recent injury.  She on the other hand, was about to become an Iron Lady.

Up until my 49^th birthday, age had never bothered me.  I was happy as long as life wasn’t too bumpy or at least if the bumps weren’t too mountainous.  It was that year my right IT band and various places on my right leg started bothering me.  Most of my friends said that it was “just aging” and “get used to it”.  “So you won’t be able to do the things you used to do, so what?” So what?  I was only turning 50 and certainly not ready to check into assisted living.  I felt I was in pretty good shape.  I’d worked with a trainer a few times a week for almost two years.  I ran regularly and used the rower.  I was a strong intermediate skier.  I loved to hike and bike.  How could all of this suddenly be over? 

After about six months of denial, a few different doctors, physical therapy and begging someone to send me for an MRI I finally found the right doctor.  (It is common with this injury to take on average two years before getting the correct diagnosis.) This doctor looked at my x-rays, did an exam and told me that most likely my labrum was torn and that I had some arthritis in my hip.  I’d need surgery but should have an MRI to confirm the diagnosis.  Finally an MRI! Yea! 

My official diagnosis in non-medical terms was labrum torn beyond repair, beginnings of arthritis and an oval rather than round hip ball.  However, there was good news too.  The hip had good spacing in the joint so I was not a candidate for replacement…yet. 

I had two choices; sit back relax, severely curtail my physical activity and wait for my joint spacing to deteriorate until I’d be a candidate for hip replacement.   Or, I could try a relatively new surgery that would shave my ball to round, replace my labrum with a cadaver labrum (another good reason I am an organ donor), clean out the arthritis (as best they could) and get micro fracture (they poke holes in the bone to re-grow cartilage in the joint).  Recovery time would be 10 – 12 months.

It seemed like a no brainer right?  I’m married and have twin boys who were 10 at the time.  I wasn’t ready to sit around and watch them have all of the fun?  Besides, how healthy would it be for my mind and body to hang stagnate in pain waiting for my joint spacing to deteriorate?  So yes, from my perspective it was a no brainer.  There was one problem; it was September and I could not get in for surgery until late February.  The doctor was confident that my spacing wouldn’t deteriorate too much during the wait.  By this point I was frustrated beyond belief.  How can I possibly wait another five months I thought?  It was 155 days away…it seemed like forever.

I had a few options.  I could slump into depression until the surgery or I could make an effort to be as healthy as possible, physically, mentally and spiritually.  I chose to live life instead of counting the days until my surgery.

In my opinion, the biggest part of motivation is choice.  I could choose to feel sorry for myself or I could choose to see this as an opportunity for personal growth.

What is one of the first things you do if you are looking for a new job?  You tell your family and friends.  You build a network.  It is the same with health and fitness. I told everyone about my five-month wait period, not so they’d feel sorry for me but so that they’d support me when it got tough. I had a wonderful amount of support, especially from my husband and children.  I know the road would have been much more difficult without them. 

It’s times like this it’s important to build your network.  They will help you be accountable.  Comprise your network strong, supportive people.  Choose people who live their lives the way you want to live yours. 

Another way to stay motivated during an injury is to focus on controlling what you can.  I asked my doctor to give me a prescription for physical therapy so that I’d know what to work on to prepare for both the surgery and recovery.  I also didn’t want to make the injury any worse.  Thankfully, I have an excellent trainer who offered to go to physical therapy with me so that he’d get the instructions directly.  My PT (physical therapist) was open to working with my trainer and their partnership was invaluable both to my pre-surgery preparation, and post-surgery recovery.

Strive to find opportunities in difficult situations and surround yourself with positive people who cheer you on.  My trainer never complained and made our rehab workouts as fun as possible.  That encouragement and support helped me stay on course.  It was still difficult to be unable to do the things I really loved like running and skiing but the focus had to be on what I could do, not what I couldn’t.  I needed to have hope and faith that things would turn in my favor.  I knew that I might not get back to all my favorite activities but I was confident that I could still lead the life I wanted.

A few months earlier I’d worked with a nutritionist.  I met with her to prepare my mind and plan for the lack of physical activity during the recovery.  I knew this would difficult, as I like to eat a lot of food.  Normally, I would be able to work off the food through exercise, but not anymore.  I needed a good plan.  It was essential that I viewed this step in a positive light, as an opportunity to learn to focus on healthy eating with appropriate portions.  At times this was even more difficult than the physical restrictions.

My story would not be complete without discussing my faith.  Often when difficult things happen people think that God doesn’t care about them or that He is punishing them.  I believe that life happens and the difficult parts are intended to help us grow in our relationship with God and to help us become the best version of ourselves.  I used this opportunity to expand my conversation with Him.  I make the time to work out almost every day.  Why wouldn’t I make the time to talk to and listen to God every day?  Once I opened myself more fully to that relationship the burden of the injury was much easier to bear.

So…how did I end up in that pool with the Iron Lady?  I’d had to stop running months before my diagnosis and needed some cardio to keep me sane so I decided to use this injury as an opportunity to learn to swim.  I’d always wanted to swim so I hired a swim coach and learned to swim laps.  That’s how I ended up in the pool every Tuesday and Thursday morning at 6:15.  Now remember my friend is training for an Iron Man; that is 2.5 miles in open water.  By the time I get to the pool she has already been swimming for up to a half hour.  Initially, I struggled to swim more than one lap without drowning!  How could I possibly motivate someone with so much drive?  How? By being there!  By not giving up and staying positive.  She said she had to come because she knew I’d be there every morning even with my hurting hip.  This in turn motivated me to be there.  I used to tease her that if she didn’t keep showing up, one day the old lady with the bum hip would lap her!

Another way to motivate yourself is to find someone at the gym, pool, track, etc…that you see often when you are doing your fitness activity.  Do you think they have anything on you?  Maybe they have some goal that keeps them going, maybe they enjoy the exercise or maybe they see someone else getting out there and that keeps them going.  You don’t need to compete with these people.  You need to share the energy!  Two peoples’ combined energy is more than that of one person’s.  Use that energy to encourage others and you will be surprised at how much of that encouragement comes back to you.

Working out and eating healthy is an investment in your future.  The truth is that we don’t know what is around the corner.  We can’t predict our health and the changes in our life.  Things happen, stress, injuries, diseases, typically things we can’t control.  We will however handle all of life’s bumps and even mountains a little easier the more we take care of ourselves, physically, mentally and spiritually. One of the keys to healthy living is staying motivated. Make it your choice to be a source of motivation to yourself and to others.  You will be surprised how much lighter you feel.

Cathy LaClair

Health Begins at the Grocery Store: An Interview with Nutritionist Sarah Worah

Hi y’all. It’s Alex, your non-expert blog crasher. I recently sat down with an actual expert, Explore Fitness consultant and certified nutritionist Sarah Worah, to ask her about diet, nutrition, and some of the things we should know before we head to the grocery store.

Put yer learnin’ cap on. Here’s what she said:

What are the most common mistakes people make at the grocery store?

1. Shopping hungry: When we’re hungry, everything looks appetizing. This causes us to purchase the types of food and drink we normally wouldn’t purchase (i.e. the bad stuff). Hunger also makes in-store food samples more appealing, and when we take the bait, we can add up to 500 extra calories. 

Here’s an interesting fact to keep in mind: Researchers from Cornell University asked 68 adults to fast for five hours. At the end of the fasting period, some were given crackers and some were not, and then they were sent to a grocery store to shop. Those who didn't eat the crackers ended up buying about 19% more food than those who did eat the crackers, and roughly 31% of their food choices were higher in calories. So there you go.

2. Not bringing a list: Make a list and stick to it! Without it, you’ll be more tempted to make impulse purchases, and more likely to forget important ingredients. 

3. Not reading or understanding labels: Don’t be fooled by front-of-package advertising. The faces of products are designed to catch your eye in a short amount of time, and they take advantage of the healthy buzzwords we’ll recognize. For example, a product that’s labeled “organic” can still contain high amounts of sugar, fat, and sodium — regardless of where those products came from. The same goes for products that tout antioxidants, vitamin-enriched ingredients, etc.

Even if it adds more time to your grocery store visits (at least for the first few times), checking labels and ingredients is the only real way to check the health benefits and claims of the foods you’re purchasing.

What 3 simple steps can people take to create a lifelong plan for healthy eating?

1. Use this checklist when reading nutrition labels:

- Look for whole grains (1st ingredient on list)

- Avoid trans fat (partially hydrogenated oil = trans fat)

- Buy lower sodium foods (no more than 2300mg per day)

- Check for added sugars (1 tsp = 4g)

- I’ll say it again: don’t fall for front-of-package labels and claims

2. Shop the perimeter and spend less time in the aisles. The healthiest foods are found in the perimeter of the store. This is where fresh fruits and veggies, lean proteins, and refrigerated dairy products are sold. Go into the aisles for certain ingredients (canned and frozen vegetables, olive oil, 100% whole wheat crackers and bread, brown rice, canned tuna, and peanut butter) and avoid anything in the checkout lanes. These are designed to target impulse shoppers as they leave the store, and they’re typically high in sugar, fat, and empty calories. 

3. Load up on fruits and veggies. The bulk of your shopping list should include fruits and veggies. These should be the basis of all your healthy meals and snacks. Compliment them with lean proteins, low-fat or non-fat dairy, whole grains, and healthy fats. Focus on whole foods and avoid overly processed items. It’s important to note that some packaged foods can be healthier and quicker than buying the fresh version. These include frozen and canned vegetables, which are picked at their nutritional peak and packaged to preserve the nutrients. Fresh fruits and vegetables can lose nutritional value over time as they sit in your refrigerator. If you are not planning on using something immediately, go for the canned or frozen variety and just be mindful of sodium. Look for “no salt added” or low sodium varieties. 

Do you think cutting things out (calories, carbs, fats, etc.) is a smart way to lose weight?

I don’t think completely cutting out whole food groups or certain foods (unless there is an allergy) is an effective way to lose weight. When people do this, they almost always fail.

When you cut out entire foods groups like carbs, you’re taking away a lot of important nutrients such as B vitamins and fiber. Also, you’ll tend to eat more animal proteins, which can increase saturated fat and cholesterol in the diet.

Another reason diets like this fail is because you feel deprived. When whole foods or food groups are eliminated they become “off limits” or “bad foods.” This will just make you crave them more and lead to an eventual binge. If you allow yourself everything in moderation, you will not feel deprived and more likely to stick to a healthy eating plan.

Lastly, drastically cutting food intake (calories) can actually lead to weight gain and nutrient deficits. When your body is not getting enough calories, it will go into deprivation mode and hold onto everything it gets. You need a certain base amount of calories each day to maintain proper body functions (i.e. breathing, digesting, maintaining body temp, keeping your heart beating, etc.). When you go below this level your body starves and holds onto all of its energy (calories). Body fat loss will be stalled and you may even experience some weight gain, even though your calorie intake remains low.

The best way to eat healthier is to follow the 80/20 rule: 80% of the time eat healthier foods and the other 20% you can indulge. Just make sure to watch portion sizes and include treats in moderation.

My philosophy is anything can fit into a healthy diet. Variety is the key to getting all of the nutrients you need. And splurging every once in a while, while keeping portions in check, can help prevent the feeling of deprivation and can be more effective in keeping you on track with a nutritious eating plan.

If you’re interested in learning more about this topic, sign up for our next Nutrition Lecture on May 24th! Sign up here.

What are you eating for dinner tonight?

Grilled Buffalo Burgers on a 100% Whole-Wheat bun, with a baked sweet potato and grilled asparagus.

Yum. For more information or to get help with your own nutrition plan, please contact Sarah Worah at sarah.worah@gmail.com. 

“Record What You Eat. Weep. Repeat.”

Don’t Eat That. You’re Being Watched.

Hi, this is Alex again. Isn’t it funny how aware of your own habits you become when you know
someone else is watching?

Case in Point: this past weekend I had to perform the daunting task of recording every single
calorie I ate and drank, every day for three days, as part of the Summer Shape Up Challenge.

According to Explore Fitness nutrition consultant Sarah Worah, who will be vetting my dairy
entries in the coming days, “Those who record their food intake do better at losing weight and
keeping it off. They tend to eat healthier, too.”

In other words, the idea behind this diary exercise was to help me begin the process of enacting
long-term, permanent, changes in my life.

But truth be told, I didn’t do as well as I had planned with this process. What I though would
be a piece of cake ended up being more complicated, and I still ended up making some poor
diet choices: I drank more beer when I knew it was proportionate to a few more minutes on the
treadmill; I ate a second brownie at the risk of gaining more body fat; I had second helpings of
food when the first serving was plenty.

By the time I was done with the three-day activity, it was obvious that the whole “keeping track
of my diet” thing was going to take some getting used to. However, I should mention here that it
wasn’t a complete disaster.

Apart from my obvious mistakes, I did watch my consumption more carefully than usual. I
knew Sarah was going to be combing through my nutritional intake with scrutiny, so I made an
attempt to plan out my meals more effectively. That’s a big step. And if I make that a permanent
frame of mind, I could make some serious progress over the next year. (Fingers crossed.)

This was the first of three diet-tracking opportunities I must complete during the challenge, so I’ll
let you know how the next one goes. At that time I should be able to lend a few simple nutrition
tips that I learn in the process.

How to Start Tracking Your Diet
If you’re curious about ways you can track your diet, visit MyFitnessPal.com and/or download
the mobile app. The obvious next step would be to speak with a nutritionist, like Sarah Worah
http://explorefitness.com/bio_nutrition.html, who can help you get started with a personalized diet plan.

Honey, Who’s the Chubby Man in the Mirror?

Hi, I’m Alex. I’d like to quickly introduce myself, then I’ll tell you why I’m crashing this blog.

Honey, Who’s the Chubby Man in the Mirror?

As recently as 4 months ago, I was your basic American cocktail of health hazards: overweight, in my thirties, working a desk job, eating delicious but unhealthy food, and enjoying the best microbrews in the country.

I was having a great time getting fat, but I couldn’t even recognize the bloated body in the mirror. Just two years prior I was a healthy, thin groom at my wedding. The person I came to see every day in my reflection definitely wasn’t him anymore.

It was finally when I walked up a few flight of stairs and couldn’t catch my breath for at least 5 minutes that I realized I was at a precipice. A familiar voice inside my head screamed louder than ever, Do something, do something! And I finally listened.

Goodbye, Large Cat. Goodbye.

Today, thanks to the guys at Explore Fitness, I’m currently 15 pounds lighter than my previous form…that’s like a large cat made of fat just climbed right off my body. And now I’m only momentarily out of breath after several flights of stairs. Yay.

So that’s me—the lighter, healthier version of a fat guy who still loves great food and microbrews.

Great, So Why Am I Reading This Again?

I’m going to occasionally crash by this blog to catalogue a few of my personal experiences throughout the Explore Fitness Summer Shape Up Challenge (or as I call it: the 2-month long journey through fat-burning hellfire).

At the request of the Explore Fitness team, I’m going to offer you readers the flabby voice of the love-handled laymen, the recipient of the workout punishment, the complete opposite of the fitness experts you normally hear from on this blog.

But I promise not to blather on about myself in future posts. I’ll also lend a few nuggets of pertinent information that I’ll glean throughout the process of the challenge—things like surprising nutrition facts and fitness tips.

Stay tuned. I’ll be in touch.

Alex

Physics of Fat Loss (Should women run?)

Should Women Stop Running?

“I watch my friend Jessica running on the treadmill — day after day, year after year—like a madwoman, and going nowhere. Her body seems to get softer with every mile [...] actually, she’s gotten fatter,” proclaims fitness expert and Dangerously Hardcore blogger DH Kiefer in his recent article, Why Women Should Not Run.

The article, which pushes for the end of “solid-state cardio” — a fancy term for maintaining a consistent pace on a single machine, like a treadmill, for long periods of time — is causing quite a stir online, as well as with a few of my clients.  

 

In fact, I received this email just a few days ago:

"I’ve seen this article floating around (mostly on my crossfit friend’s fb pages) and I finally read it.  What are your thoughts on this?  I could see if all you did was 2+ hours of steady cardio a day, didn’t lift and didn’t eat right (starving yourself) that this could be bad but I can’t think that doing the occasional 3.5 hour bike ride once or twice a week is actually increasing fat storage.  Also, I do know some fit female runners and bikers but they are also very healthy eaters too.  What’s the deal, crossfit cult propaganda??"

Here's my response:

DH Kiefer is essentially correct, and it looks like he's done some great research, yet he fails to provide any real solutions to the problem.

I know a lot of people who are like Jessica, the article’s scapegoat, whose fitness program consists of medium pace, medium distance, medium heart rate cardio, periods of starvation, periods of gluttony, and no resistance training. And I agree: That’s a surefire recipe to slow down metabolism and increase body fat. As the article mentions, this type of training can also lead to hypothyroidism, a common condition among women especially.

To help explain my take on the subject, let’s do a quick break down fat and weight loss.

Let’s say one pound of fat contains an even 3500 calories worth of energy. If you want to lose one pound of fat in one week, you have to burn 500 calories more per day than you eat. Simple enough, right?

But the way you burn off that pound is crucial, especially over the long term. If you eat less and do solid-state cardio for extended periods of time, your body will actually reduce its Base Metabolic Rate (how much energy it takes for you to live while resting) in response to your decreased calorie intake and increased activity, or Active Metabolic Expenditure (AME).

This is a basic function of human survival. It’s essential for your body to conserve energy, or fat, when expenditure is high and resources are lacking.

Though Mr. Kiefer and I would agree on this issue, I disagree with his prescription to terminate all solid-state cardio. As my client mentioned, there are many avid runners and bikers who regularly incorporate solid-state cardio into their lifestyle, and many show no signs of hypothyroidism. It’s important to note that a person’s genes also play a role in how our bodies regulate metabolism, so it’s difficult to paint the issue with a broad stroke.

For these reasons, I believe these tactics make for a better course of action than simply ending your cardio:

1. Eat well and eat regularly.  Make sure to eat every 2-3 hours. This helps regulate your insulin levels and keeps your metabolism purring along like a well-oiled machine. But don’t just eat any food; eat the right food. Want to know what the right foods are? The Explore Fitness Summer Shape Up Challenge would be a great start. The competition includes 4 nutrition seminars and a trip to the grocery store: http://explorefitness.com/summer_shape_up.html

2. Pick up heavy things, then put them back down. Functional lifting produces an endocrine (hormonal) response that helps you to build muscle. This muscle-building process increases your metabolism and helps you burn fat throughout the day. Think of lifting as an investment that earns, even when you're not working.

SPECIAL NOTE FOR THE LADIES: You won't get huge from lifting weights. That’s a myth. People with massive muscles work out for hours and take all sorts of dangerous steroids and weird supplements to look like that. Yes you will notice growth in your muscles, but this won't make you look weird (it will make you look and feel hot). 

3. Do workouts that increase Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption (EPOC). EPOC is a process in your blood where oxygen is depleted during exercise, then replenished after your workout. This “afterburn” effect elevates your metabolism and improves your body's capacity to utilize oxygen and burn fat. Workouts that boost your EPOC include: Tabata, High Intensity Interval Training, CrossFit, and many other great workouts you can find, and join, here: http://explorefitness.com/programs.html.

4. Something > Nothing! Mr. Kiefer’s argument that traditional, solid-state "cardio" is less effective than HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) is correct, but women shouldn’t feel like they have to jettison running and other activities altogether. If you’re trying to lose fat, try balancing your longs runs and rides with higher intensity cardiovascular workouts, and work in the weights (see #2 above). The fact that you’re doing some sort of physical activity is a benefit to your health, no matter what anybody says. Just be sensible and try to add more diversity to your workouts whenever you can.

Hope that helps clear things up a little. If it doesn’t, shoot me a message at nate@explorefitness.com.

In good health,

Nate Lawrence

CPT - CES - CSCS

explorefitness.com

Inexorable.

This word, defined as "unyielding, unalterable" became my mantra for 16 hours yesterday. One foot in front of the other. Don't stop moving. I will cross the finish line. I am an inexorable force of perpetual motion traveling by ski from Crested Butte to Aspen, Colorado.

The race is called the Elk Mountain Grand Traverse (elkmountainstraverse.com). It stretches 40 miles between the ski resorts over the Elk Mountains following an old route used by traders who (wisely) took multiple days to complete the journey. The race starts at midnight to allow racers to finish in the daylight the following day. Along the route racers gain about 9k vertical feet and spend about half of the race above treeline in the alpine.

Explore Fitness entered two teams. Team A consisted of two time Olympian Carl Van Loan and Land Monster Taylor Leary (Bubba). These guys finished in 13.5hrs and by their accounts were almost as miserable throughout as team 2, consisting of Brandon DeBenedet and myself, finishing in 15:57.

Preparation for a race this long is intensive. We were required to carry emergency shelters, avalanche rescue gear, food and water for 24hours and other sundry equipment that added up to a 25lb pack in my case.

Physical preparation called for long backcountry tours, cross training and lower body strength conditioning. The biggest challenge for us as soft city-dwellers in training was finding opportunities to get out and train in race conditions. As preparation we signed up for the Vail Mountaineering Challenge in February, which was a grueling, brutal, race in itself that taught us a lot about our equipment, what kind of food was easiest to digest etc. In addition we pt treadmill miles in whenever possible and performed three interval training sessions per week for twelve weeks approaching the race.

The race started at midnight on Friday the 29th. The timing is arranged so that racers are over the steep alpine sections of Star Pass before the sun has a chance to warm the snow and increase the likelihood of avalanches.

 Taylor Nate and Carl Prepare to start

Beforehand at the pre-race meeting I noticed that people were noticing me, and specifically noticing my  Liberty Helix skis with Hammerhead telemark bindings (20lb approximate weight), and snickering at the relatively massive load I was preparing to cart 40miles through the backcountry. The average person involved in the race was 40-50lbs lighter than I and ratty facial hair abounded. Skis were skinny, light and had expensive backcountry bindings with their weight measured in ounces not pounds. It was evident to me that this was a real mountain man race and worried I was in over my head.

The race started at midnight with the town Crested Butte out in full party mode as they celebrated the end of the ski season with fireworks and crazy costumes. Combined with a full moon and 300 headlamps the noise and the energy made it hard not to start with a bang. We tried to remind ourselves not to get too caught up in the excitement and keep a "twelve hour" pace. 

The first five hours of the race seem e a blur. We climbed two thousand feet to exit the resort and skied into the Brush Creek Drainage where we found long flats and breakable snow crust that kept us in a single file jam for some time. Those who dared to try to pass out of turn were rewarded by being dumped into several feet of snow on the perimeter of the track set by  the course officials.

Several downhills and stream crossings later we began the gradual climb to Star Pass, where we would need to pass a checkpoint by 7am to avoid being disqualified, turned around and sent back to Crested Butte in ignominy and defeat.

I called a break at about four in the morning hoping to intake some calories and rest my legs. Five minutes later Brandon and I were shivering and our hands and feet had grown completely numb. Realizing that we needed to start moving again, we set off at a furious pace and remained in danger of frostbite and hypothermia for forty-five minutes after. We realized that extended breaks were dangerous until the sun rose and had a chance to warm the air.

ROUTE MAP FROM CRESTED BUTTE TO ASPEN

Uncertain of how far we were from the cut-off at Star Pass, we pushed harder to gain the high ridge line by dawn. To my surprise and relief, we made the12,500ft  pass an hour before the cutoff.

Nate Lawrence on top of Star Pass

Our relief at crossing the high barrier was short lived as we began the next ascent towards Taylor Pass. We would end up traveling for over fifteen miles at an altitude over 11,000ft, and the altitude and distance would make the journey a true test of determination and focus.

Brandon's feet started to cramp and seize, my breathing became ragged and it was all I could do not to collapse into coughing fits and the ridges we knew we would cross seemed to get farther away even as we worked.

Regardless, we pressed on. Having passed the turnaround point and an aid station, we were now committed. Rescue at this point would have taken hours and potentially have cost thousands. We chose not to consider whether rescue by snowmobile was possible. Pressing on was mandatory.

Carl Van Loan feeling confident at dawn

I wanted to see the distant finish line so bad it brought tears to my eyes. Surprisingly, I found that this desperate yearning brought much needed energy. I decided to embrace what I normally consider negative emotion and channel it. These are the lessons that physical struggle can help to teach.

After some hours we reached the final backcountry checkpoint at Barnard Hut, a mere eight miles from the Aspen Sundeck from which we would descend to the finish line at Aspen Mountain. At Barnard we were asked some cursory questions about our health, fed hot soup and "Aclimate" the dubious tasting but undoubtedly nutrient filled supplement sponsor of the race.

We felt we were nearly home at Barnard, but the last eight miles stretched in distance. Fatigue set in and it took us three and a half hours to cover the distance, a pace significantly slower than our previous. I fought heat exhaustion, dehydration and nausea. 

Regardless we were confident in our ability to finish.  What's eight miles when one has covered thirty-two?

We finished the trek with enough energy to plan a descent to the base in style. We cut tight figure-eight turns and embraced a purple haired volunteer at the finish.

Carl and Taylor had finished two and half hours previously and were fast asleep at the hotel before we arrived but I did not begrudge them their rest. They later told us that they were tracking us online and that they felt happy that we would finish and sympathetic as they relived the challenges of the terrain we were covering.

Brandon and Nate hold their medals for display.

Carl and Taylor enjoy their victory

We made it. 

Some stats along the way:

40+ miles

7800 veritcal feet

14,500 calories burned/person

Average Heart Rate of 135bpm (Nate)

Pace 2.3mph

Moving Time: 14:50

Stopped Time: 1:20

240oz of fluids consumed

Five open blisters created (Nate)

Two toenails lost (Brandon)

Thanks to the Crested Butte Nordic Counsel and all of the volunteers it took to pull this thing off, Jeff Koether for letting us crash at his place pre-race, Ali Lind, Paula Van Loan, Stephanie Pobrislo and Jackie Dauw for meeting us at the finish and resisting making comments about the stench and to all of you who followed our progress and sent your thoughts and prayers in our direction.

Nate Lawrence

What a Year Explore Fitness!

As I sit in the Don Mueng Airport of Bangkok (the old one that the budget airlines fly out of), I'm inspired to reflect on the year 2012, the beginning of Explore Fitness and the blessing that Carl and I have received from all of you. We have an amazing existence and I think Carl would agree when I say thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

To reflect, here are some highlights

1. 99% of those of you who were training with Carl and I made the unsolicited decision to accompany us to our new location at Form Fitness. I was blown away by this. How humbling. What an honor. It was when I realized this that I realized how much you all care about our community, Carl and me, and most importantly, yourselves.
2. CrossCut/Booze Burn in the sweltering heat at Commons and Skyline Park. You participants really deserve a round of applause. Punctuated by vagrant hecklers, impromptu squirt-gun fights (some instigated by Erica's son Vaun), perennially shirtless Brandon, Goldi always wanting her picture taken with a sledge hammer and the open mouthed stares of local business people, this was quite a year. I've no doubt our CrossCut product will continue to improve and we'll look back on this sometimes-rocky start with ear splitting grins.
3. Explore Hiking. Grays, Torryes, Princeton, Bear Mountain, Eldorado Canyon and Mount of the Holy Cross. The boots of Explore Fitness covered some serious territory with a surprisingly small amount of whining. We will definitely be exploring new mounntains and terrain farther abroad this upcoming Spring and Summer.
4. Tough Mudder. This half-marathon length obstacle course was no match for Guicho, Erica, Lauren and I. Punctuated by three electrified obstacles (somehow Guicho and I got shocked about a dozen times and the girls were spared... how is that possible?), this race is for the stout of heart and the fleet of foot and we crushed it!
5. Explore Mountain and Road Biking. While this was often just a few of us (6am weekdays is a tough pill for most of us) we covered some serious territory at Kenosha Pass, White Ranch, the Colorado Trail, Lookout Mountain, Golden Triangle, the Monarch Crest Trail and capped it all off with a respectable finish (26/188) at the 24hours of Moab Race. We'll definitely be organizing even more mountain bike and road bike trips in 2013. Many thanks to Brandon Debenedet and Clay Wyatt for patiently waiting for me on the trails out there!
6. Shedding those lbs. By my rough estimation,  Explore Fitness clients SHREDDED 320 combined pounds in six months.Do you know a seamstress?You're getting RIPPED!
7. Scout trip to Costa Rica. While just a prelude to our big March blowout fitness adventure it was nonetheless amazing for Carl and I to get the opportunity to spend five days in beautiful Jaco Beach. Highlights include a tree branch breaking off as my big ass tried to climb, attempting to surf, succesfully paddle boarding and the face-to-face-splits-to-high-five dance move Carl and wowed the locals with (I assume they were laughing out of amazement). 
8. Personal Training. So many of you reached amazing new heights of fitness this year. The best part of my job and the the thing that brings me joy on a daily basis is helping all of you understand just how capable you are of so much. I've repeatedly been asked by clients if I prefer working with my class or with my young, fit people, the assumption being that I must be most enthused by those who can do the most advanced moves, the most intense workouts or lift the most weight. Not so. My most rewarding moments come from seeing people of all ages, shapes and sizes discover or rediscover how truly capable and strong they really are. Those smiles, those moments of triumph regardless of the actual accomplishment are what makes this job the best I can imagine.
9.  Sean Gale, KT, Sarah, JR and Club Form Fitness. Whe. I learned that Dumbbells was under new  I could not resist but pop my head in to scout the competition. After a quick conversation with Sean I realized that our dream of Explore was closer to being a reality than I had imagined. Here, all set to go, was a beautiful facility with a perfect location, an amicable small-business owner who sees his success intrinsically tied to our own and a friendly knowledgeable staff. It's been a pleasure and I look forward to growing together. 
10. The future. What little we've accomplished in 2012 has given me inspiration to believe that some of our biggest dreams could really happen. I know that Carl and I are not even close to satisfied with what we've done so far. In 2013 we will continue to strive to give you tne best fitness services possible. As you've seen already we've invited Justin Biel to join us, and I know that our team will continue to grow with quality individuals. Know that we are always looking to improve and what we've delivered to date is just the tip of the iceberg.