Preserve the Species Campaign

Before I launch into a fairly fun post on my favourite training music (aka my POWER play list), I want to share a brief story with you.

There is a field hockey team in the CIS whose funding has been cut. This team sets the bar very high indeed, for community involvement, for hours of training on the field and in the gym, and most of all, for commitment to excellence. The threat of losing this team impacts the whole of the Alberta field hockey community and high school programs, as well as the very existence of our sport at the university level.

This is my team, the University of Calgary Dinos. We have launched a campaign, spearheaded by out amazing Alumni, called Preserve the Species. If you are interested in contributing to this cause (admittedly my proximity bias may come in to play) I think you may find that it is one of the best investments you ever make, toward supporting youth empowerment.

Please visit the Dinos FHC site to learn more and to support our efforts to keep our program alive and thriving.

Thanks!

Ready, set, glow.

Exhale.

Here we go, just 2 more days and it's hammer time. I made it safely over to Calgary and have had the most amazing unloading week. From fantastic workouts to spectacular scenery and a soulful reunion with Manski, I feel refreshed, energized and rested.

All the work is done, now it is time to recognize and accept that I am ready. I've never felt more calm or excited about tryouts and despite some minor setbacks earlier this year, I know I came through stronger than I ever thought possible.

I have amazing people in my life, and the support I have received can only result in success. A few quick shout outs:

Thanks to my family and Manski for challenging me at times, but giving me the space and support I need to fulfill these crazy dreams at times.

Thanks to Mike Robertson for helping me to take my body from mangled to mobile and always being available for advice and support. Most of what applies to physical movement applies to mental movement too.

Thanks to Teen and Robin, who are my constant companions in every bend and curve of the journey.

Thanks to my Carleton teammates for helping me to finally actualize this CIS dream.

Thanks to my professors who have pushed me beyond my perceived scope of thinking, to make me a more open-minded and inspired student.

Thanks to all those at the gym (especially C+P) who showed the joyful, diligent spirit that embodies well-being, and for making it an amazing environment.

Thanks to friends, old and new, who have shown me that no achievement is ever complete without good people and balance in your life.

Thanks to time for ticking forward and to gravity for its gentle push, providing a constant reminder that my best is ahead of me.

Now it's time to rest hard and have some fun. Easier said than done, but I think we're starting to get the hang of it!

I'll share the news as soon as I can, but just making it here is has been a trip... In so many more ways than one.

It was only a matter of time, and the time has come

I realize that I've been a bit of a posting delinquent lately. These days my logs are strong, my workouts stronger, but my desire to spend any more time than is absolutely necessary in front of the computer is virtually zero.

What's a lot more important than the numbers (and they are looking better every day) is that I get to play a great game called "If I knew then, what I know now".

You see, for a few months, I would pre-emptively tell people about my nosebreak/brainthump injury from last October, as if to dispell any sense that I had lost my training edge, or gotten "soft" (in more way than one). This was much more a reflection of my own insecurities surrounding my injury and sense of self, than it was of the way I was likely perceived by others. Unfortunately, this developed in to something of a self-fulfilling prophecy and I let this injury hold me back psychologically, long after my body had healed.

Well, I do know more now than I knew "then" and now is where I need to be; not trapped in the excuse of injury or haunted by the fact that I have been exceptionally fit in the past. In better or worse times, I am always armed with the achievements of my past, and the awareness that I have everything I need within me to get to new and better places.

What I know NOW:
-Rest is equally as important as training
-Fatigue needs to be managed systematically and intuitively
-Internal dialogue is rehearsed, not spontaneous. Take every opportunity to express yourself with the power of the written or spoken word.
-That which must be, must be affirmed out loud to yourself and/or others
-Training for sport is about movements more than muscles
-Use discipline (and indulgence) with care; be firm with yourself. Be gentle with yourself
-I am not my body. I am so much more.
-It's ok to eat treats now and then. In fact, it's much better than having a great big one that leaves you feeling ill, just once a week!
-Let your body do the talking most of the time, and know when to let your mind tell your body what to do.
-The more you repeat the same movements/motions, the more you need to get on that foam rolling son!
-Seek out a coach, a CSCS or a mentor. No one can know your body better than you, but there is always something to learn about life and athleticism from others.
-Be seasonal with sports. Humans were not designed to just sleep, sit, walk, lift, repeat.

At the risk of getting excessive with this post, I will finish by laying out the plan to be at a stage 11-11.5 beep test by end of August. Right now I run around an 8, after many months off from any real fitness/conditioning work. This means roughly a stage/month improvement. So you see, moving from average to elite really isn't so daunting after all! So here we go, anatomy of a plan!

Sunday - Lower body + sprint work
Mondays - off
Tuesday - Upper body + long walk/xtrain
Wednesday - Lower body (+ interval training starting in one month)
Thursday - Medium intensity cardio (depending on energy levels)
Friday - hockey game
Saturday - upper body + long walk

I had wanted to dive right into 2 interval sessions/week, but Mike and I agreed that it would be best to master an intermediate workload and add in the second session in a month. The goal is to peak around September. I will take a deloading week every 4 weeks and run the beep test at the end of this week to assess my improvements.

I have a very specific plan for intervals, but right now I don't need to micromanage my fitness sessions yet. I just need to make sure that I'm doing some change of pace work for 20-30 minutes and feeling a bit spent by the end. Within 2 weeks, I'm going to be on fire and that's when I refer to 100m sprint workouts and all kinds of cool conditioning workouts I have in my playbook.

MOST importantly, I've been honoured to enjoy some of the rewards of strong academic integrity; something that means a lot more to me than just being a force on the field. Although all-star athletes are glorified (and with good reason), I will always stand by my vision of iconic figures as being those who gave of themselves wholeheartedly to be better people .

What dreams are you moving toward realizing? Drop me a line, I'd love to hear!

On our 10th Anniversary...

Hockey, I love you more than I ever thought possible. Here is to another 10 years of hockey, health, happiness, hockey and hardcoreness!
(cool shot eh?)

If it Ain't Broke, Don't Break it!

Oh, how I've missed my blog! Believe it or not, the season is done. It's not so much the macro elements of hockey season as it is the minutia that really change. It's things like spending weekends (gasp) in town, not showering at school every day, wearing non-sporty clothes sometimes, being able to actually have a bit of a social life, and..drumroll please... GETTING BACK TO THE IRON...WAHOO!
Don't get me wrong, I love nothing more than hockey (aside from a small circle of loved ones, and sometimes green tea) but lordy, I have missed the weights.

MR and I are gearing up for a pretty rockin off-season. We are heading back to my original goal sheet and picking right back up where we left off in August with mobility, movement efficiency type goals. Might not sound so sexy, but believe me, I can put the FUN and funk back into "functional" training. I also want to get the hells away from running for a little while. I love running, but I can't deny that it is just not flowing with the plan that is going to make me "bulletproof" (Mike's word)! I am moving to 3-4 crosstraining sessions/week and possibly 1 run per week. All I know is that I feel a bit geriatric from the neck down these days and I have no doubt that it could be from 10-15hrs of pounding the pavement/week. I'd like to work in a spin class and definitely some pool running. I would love to start getting back in to the water once a week.

Now, one minor setback, if you please. I managed to seal off my CIS career in this, my first and last season, by breaking my nose with 10 mins left in our final game. Second half, game vs. Queen's at TD Waterhouse Stadium in London, Ontario. Yep, rebound off the keeper's pads (from about 1 metre away), a loud crunch and moments later, there I am lying on the turf with some warm liquid pooling in my hair, hands and face. There really was quite an obscene quantity of my extremely well-nutured hemo-mess on the field. Aw Jaya, for real?
For real. The therapist was on site immediately and managed to get a look, determining that I had definitely taken a major blow to the nose and would need some stitches to clear up a small gash between my eyes.

Please note that I have an extremely lucky bastard of a broken nose with minimal swelling/bruising! Now, if only I felt as minimally marred on the inside...

I felt quite calm and aware of everything that was going on. I seriously just didn't want to walk past a mirror, is all! I was seen fairly fast at the hospital in London and the doctor stitched up my nose lickitysplit, then handed me some T3's that he instructed me NOT to take for my splitting headache (No, thank YOU!) and asked that I remain awake and unmedicated until I got home to Ottawa, saw a doctor, had a CT scan and was cleared for skull fractures. So off I went, imploring my eyes to remain open for the 7 hrs back to Ottawa. Mom picked me up as soon as we got in and so at 1am we went to the Civic, where they assured me a 7hr wait. Nah, not so much. We then moved to the Queensway Carleton, where we were told to expect a
1-2hr wait. At 6a.m. I saw the doctor, had my scan and saw the results; I have one lucky skull! My nose was too swollen to xray, but I had definite concussion symptoms. The doctor finally gave me the go-ahead for pain relief and sleep, mandated 3-5 days bedrest (yikes) and ..tear...
2 to 3 weeks off from sports! I can live with just about anything, but this will truly test my resolve and sense of self-care. Good googly, 2 weeks? I have been suffering from quite severe headaches, nausea at times, and general exhaustion but I will be back on top of my game before you can say endoplasmic reticulum!

So far things haven't been too bad. I have nausea on and off, an axe stuck in my head (or so it seems) and actually.. the whole thing is kind of exciting. I secretly revel in the romanticism of finishing my career on such a dramatic note! I am really proud of how this season has gone. I have to forgive some of my own mistakes and accept that I may not have played as consistantly well as I had hoped, but I did gain much MUCH more from this season than just hockey. Although I won't be coming back next year, I am really looking forward to pursuing the off-season with a heightened sense of desire to synchronize wish and will, mind and body, action and reaction.

On the school front, it has been hard to accept that my congnitive faculties are not 100% at the moment, but my profs have been incredibly accomodating and I think tomorrow I will try to hit the books for a little while after my appt to get les stitches removed.

In the meantime, I realize that some of you may be losing sleep and now becoming completely consumed by my last post and what became of the leftover ganache. Well my little sweetpeas, allow me to ease your minds by sharing what I believe to be one of the best desserts for bringing together those with an affinity for healthy foods with those who value taste and decadence. Manski and I put these little ladies together for a Thanksgiving dinner we attended and they were well-liked by all! Just another example of how holidays can be healthy and delicious!

Sexy Little Fruits in Chocolate Lingerie
Ingredients:
1 quart fresh strawberries, washed and hulled
2 bananas, peeled and cut into 1-inch rounds
(Feel free to add anything else you can think of! I added a few slices of apple, and even some jumbo roasted cashews)
Leftover ganache

Method:
1. Cut fruit and arrange parchment paper on platter.
2. Melt chocolate in double boiler until just warm and melty. Yes, I'm getting tired.
3. Dip fruit in chocolate and place on parchment paper, dipped side up.
4. Store in fridge and serve alongside just about anything. Toss them over ice cream, pies, creme fraiche, you name it.. or even just by their lonesome, they make a lovely apres dinner palate refresher.
(Aerial view!)

Of must-win games, memories made and melty ganache

It has been an amazing few months with so many small battles won and at last I am guided by my own sense of belief in what I can do and the kind of life I want to lead. A big part of this has been as a result of the people around me. Looking at my Mom and sisters, I see women of incredible integrity, intelligence, beauty and kindness. In my better half I find unwaivering calmness and a sense of commitment to self, work, other and life that continually makes me reach higher...and laugh harder at the difficult times in life. I revel in the youthful energy and camraderie of my teammates, all of whom posess a tapestry of qualities that make them all superb people and diligent athletes. My friends have shown me that the best path to walk is one that is laced with love, laughter and comfortable silences and that I am worthy of all 3 of those things; none of which should ever conditional or dependent upon my grades, sports or any other "stuff."

Today we played McGill and were finally able to execute! We won 2-0 and the score does not even reflect the quality of the game we played. Yes, there is much to be worked on, but we were so hungry for the win and it felt amazing to finish on such a high. I was very proud of how everyone played! Myself, I could have done a few things better:
1) Recovered a bit faster when I got beat defensively.
2) Shot the ball from INSIDE the circle (duh!)
3) Taken more shots! I don't know why I always assume that I should leave that to someone else and take the assist :/
4) Transferred the ball laterally to build the width/depth of the game

All in all, not a bad game for me. I hit the post (conk!) on a penalty corner shot and had 2 shots go in but they were both taken from outside the circle. Bahhhhh... oh well. I've done my mental training log and jotted down some stuff to work on this week and I'm ready to look ahead to next weekend when we play York, UofT and Western in Toronto.

One of my teammates (who is basically a long lost sister of mine) was celebrating a birthday today, so I whipped up these rather sassy little peppermint brownies for her and they turned out pretty darn excellent! Im the interest of keeping my post-game nutrition high quality, I opted not to have one, but I had a taste beforehand and definitely think they were enjoyed by all. :) My sister has obviously left her magic touch in the oven :) Yes, smiles squared!

Here we go!

Peppermint Chocolate Brownies with Confused Jaya Minty Ganache (Brownie recipe from Epicurious)
I believe there are brownies under all of that chocolate!

For Brownies:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped (I accidentally used semi-sweet, so I tossed in a bunch of cocoa. Phew!)
2 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup all purpose flour (I used 1/4c AP and actually tossed in 1/4c of the 6-grain healthy stuff and no one was the wiser!)
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

For Minty Ganache (sorry, this was very amateur in its conception)
-Lots of table cream (about 1/2c)
-3 oz chocolate
-1/4c carob chips
-1/2 tsp each: pure vanilla and peppermint essence

Make brownies:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly butter 8x8x2-inch metal baking pan. Stir butter and chocolate in small saucepan over low heat until smooth. Set aside. Using electric mixer, beat eggs and sugar in large bowl until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add chocolate mixture, flour, peppermint and vanilla extracts and salt; stir until just blended. Mix in nuts.
Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake until tester inserted into center comes out with moist crumbs attached, about 25 minutes. Cool slightly.

Make Ganache:
-Melt chocolate and cream, toss in the carob chips just because you can and should.
-Add extract
-Glaze those brownies good!

I made WAY too much ganache and now have about 1/3c in the fridge.
Pardon my terrible photography in this whole post - the blog entry was almost an afterthought! Also thanks to Cathy for stirring the ganache with attitude and picking the best ever retro high school hockey songs while we were a-glazing.

I want to wish you all a very wonderful weekend and encourage you to think hard about the everyday people who make your life and days just that much better.