Friday, February 27, 2009

The Runs On A Run: Nutrition For Runners

Runners, and in particular marathoners, must keep properly fueled and hydrated throughout the day for peak performance. But what happens if during your hard runs you can't keep the nutrients in your stomach long enough for it to be digested and efficiently used; i.e. you either have to spew or you get the runs? Both are very pleasant experiences.

I started to have this problem during my monster month of training for my first marathon (monster month = weekly mileage of 60+ miles). I just couldn't keep the food in my stomach. Even though I was eating like crazy, I lost 20 pounds in a month. People were asking me if I had an eating disorder. I was mortified: "Really guys, come with me during the day and see how much I'm eating; I really can't pack in anymore...I just can't seem to get control of my stomach during the speed workouts or after those 17-20 mile runs." I remember being in that last mile of my run and panic-stricken: "Oh my God, I don't know if I'm going to make it!" I always did make it just in time, but not without cursing, scrambling up the stairs, and pleading with God.

What was going on?

Since I didn't want to lose anymore weight or be accused of eating disorders (which is ridiculous if you know me), I knew that I had to get into research mode and figure out what the heck I was doing wrong. After much reading and talking with my doctor friends, I realized I was making rookie mistakes in my view of nutrition and how I should be properly fueling myself during the day.

NUMBER ONE THING TO REMEMBER. Etch this in your brain:
If I'm not running, I'm recovering.
If I'm not running, I'm recovering.
If I'm not running, I'm recovering.

For the serious runner, these are the only two states that matter. The period of time from the second you finish a run to the moment you start a run is your recovery time. Recovery does not just happen in the 30 minutes proceeding a run. And getting ready for the next run does not just happen 30 minutes before a workout

Rookie mistake #1: "Oh yeah, I've got to take that run soon, let me toss back a bit of water and a power bar" = what NOT to do).
Solution #1: Recovery is an all day/night process. Every meal and snack is geared towards your recovery and preparation for the next workout.

Rookie mistake #2: Only eating/drinking when you feel hungry or thirsty (this applies during and after the run). If you are feeling hungry, you are NOT fueling properly. Your brain sends out signals to make you have the sensation of hunger AFTER it realizes that you are low on nutrients.
Solution #2: Schedule 5 mini-meals during the day/evening. www.runnersworld.com has many great suggestions for these mini-meals. The key here is to be balanced and to not fully satiate yourself with food at any one time during the day. Read: you never feel hungry, but you never feel stuffed either.

Rookie mistake #3: Carbo loading pre-workout. Carbo loading, i.e. eating tons of pasta, is a phenomenon of the past and can contribute to the GI problems I mentioned above. Pasta is great and should definitely be incorporated into any runners diet, however, to load up on pasta before a hard workout is not only ineffective, it can give you gas and diarrhea. The reason is because if you have too many carbs in your system, they will sit in your stomach, unused and just be excreted. If you have a lot of undigested, complex carbs sitting in your stomach by the time the workout comes along, you will in the very least get very gassy.
Solution #3: Eat balanced. Check out www.runnersworld.com for meal plans and new recipes. On day with hard workout, avoid foods that take a long time to digest--i.e. complex carbs, fats, greasy foods in general. Hold off on that pizza til tomorrow! I also am careful about what I eat after the hard run, i.e. for dinner. I find that my stomach stays in sensitive mode for the hours following a run. I stay away from watery fruits (berries), acidic foods (orange juice, tomatoes), and I go easy on the cheese and milk. Definitely drink non-water beverages lightly, especially juice. Drinking lots of juice post-run is a sure way to get sick. I wait to have that burger until the following day. Post-run, I can always handle a bowl of multi-grain pasta, olive oil, garlic salt, chicken breast, and broccoli or peppers. Rice is good too!

Rookie mistake #4: Guzzling Gatorade or water post-workout. If you're feeling extremely thirsty by the time you reach the end of your run, this means that you did not hydrate properly before and during your run. Hydration is an all day and night requirement. Even if you down a liter of water before you go to sleep at night, it has already been used up by morning. Again, you want to avoid drinking large quantities of anything at one time. Drinking more than your body needs at any particular time will just lead to its excretion in the best case scenario. Over drinking is one of the common causes of diarrhea post-run.
Solution #4: Find out for yourself the amount of water per hour you can drink and feel comfortable--again, you never want to feel thirsty or overly satiated. Obviously, if you have to gulp down tons of liquid at any time, you are not drinking enough.

Rookie mistake #5: Drinking Gatorade or water and nothing else post-workout. In order to speed recovery of the muscles, protect against sickness, and to get ready for that next run, you need to replenish the nutrients that were lost within 30 minutes of the workout. The worst thing you can do is just replace the water or the carbs. Flooding your body with too much water or too many carbs without sodium, protein, or carbs will lead to diarrhea--it could also lead to cramping of your muscles as well.
Solution#5: Make the trip to GNC. Buy a recovery drink (it comes as a powder and you add water). ****Amy, I am not asking you to buy a protein drink like that disgusting one that Edward has, this is different and imperative that you invest in this!!! Check out the label. You want a drink that has a three to one ratio of carbs to protein. It will also have some form of sodium in it as well. Some have Vitamin C and Calcium/Vitamin D, but these are not as important. Bananas are always great--never had a problem eating those post workout. Stay away from juices and watery fruits (i.e. berries). Be careful of oranges, these are a traditional post-sport snack, but the acidity can be brutal on your stressed-out stomach.

Rookie mistake #6: Not drinking or eating during a run. When I first started the training, I drank some water during the run, but never ate anything--with my sensitive digestive system, I certainly wasn't going to upset it further with food. Much to my surprise, I learned that not replenishing your nutrients during a run can also lead to cramps/gas and diarrhea. Again, it's all about balance. If you just put water in your system, but not protein, carbs, or sodium, the pH balance in your stomach is altered, you body tries to adapt, and in this process you get diarrhea. Have I mentioned yet that diarrhea in this scenario is caused by having too much water and (mostly likely) low sodium levels in your stomach--your body reacts to this state by excreting watery poo. That unfortunately also gets rid of that power bar that was trying to be digested as well...
Solution #6: They're FUEL BREAKS, not water breaks! It's probably no surprise that you should be drinking water during a run. During my long (15+ miles) runs, I like to make a stop at CVS along the way and slowly drink some Gatorade, in addition to stopping at the water fountains along the bike path. This translates into taking fuel breaks twice an hour (more if it's hot out). If you have a sensitive GI system like me, you are going to have to experiment a lot with different combo's of drink and food. Unlike during a meal, during a run you want to snack on simple carbs. I often find that power bars are too hard to digest--I cannot handle digesting any bars that have protein or too much fat in them. Again, if you prefer the classic power bar, make sure that it has a high carb to fat ratio (read, you don't want a meal replacement bar that has tons of fat in it--hard to digest and really not helpful during a run anyway. We need quick fuel = carbs. Plus, if you are looking to lose weight, this will counteract that goal). I like the Cliff Shot Blocs--they very easily dissolve and are digested. Also, I sometimes bring along pieces of hard candy--like the butterscotch or peppermint candies. These give you just a little extra boost (NB: I'm not a candy person at all, but to avoid getting sick during the run, I've had to try all sorts of different things). For longer runs, I always bring one or two power bar gels. Again, if you have a sensitive stomach, suck these SLOWLY. I take one during the first 10 miles, and then another in the second ten miles along with sips of Gatorade. Remember, these gels don't replace water--you still need to hydrate. Diarrhea can also be caused by the reverse of the above scenario--too much sodium/carbs and not enough water. The mechanism is different for this case (since with the above situation, you would think that you'd get constipated, but it's a different response system, but believe you me the consequences are the same).

In Sum:
If you do have problems with the GI tract, the best thing that I've learned is that whatever you are eating or drinking, do it SLOWLY. Do not overwhelm your system. Do not wait until you feel thirsty or hungry.

Also, be careful what you eat during the day. If I know I have a super hard workout that evening, I avoid cookies, any kind of greasy food, and certain vegetables--even these can be hard to digest. I love chocolate chip cookies, but even one cookie can cause me problems during a run--keep that in mind when you are picking out what to eat on a given day. Stick to plain foods. Eat balanced.

NB: I am not a nutritionist, so if I've said anything incorrectly, feel free to correct me. This is just what I've learned to survive the hard workouts and it works for me.

Say again three times to yourself:
If I'm not running, I'm recovering.
If I'm not running, I'm recovering.
If I'm not running, I'm recovering.

Thursday, February 26, 2009

Heffeweizen, Burgers, and Truffled Popcorn: A Perfect Winter Evening At The Royal Tavern

It's Thursday, so of course I'm already dreaming about the weekend: where am I eating, with whom am I eating, and what am I eating? My New Year's Resolution this year was to try out new places to eat in Philly. In my search for little known gems, I came across a helpful article in the Philadelphia Weekly on "The 50 Best Bars In Philly." This led me to their "Top 50" website and a handy restaurant/drinks search tool. You can perform searches according to price, neighborhood, cuisine, and time of day/week.

Search engine aside, the Top 50 list itself is pretty impressive. After a quick scan of the list and recognizing a few of the places, I absently nodded my head in agreement: yes, I should put my taste buds in the hands of these talented reviewers.(www.philadelphiaweekly.com/articles/16566/cover-story)

The first place I hit up on the list was called The Royal Tavern and did not disappoint! I have already been back four times, each time ordering a different entree and each time being thoroughly pleased. Located near 6th & Passayunk, it's a small, one-room "gastrobar"on the fringe of South Philly and the Italian Market and in the heart of the Bella Vista neighborhood. It's a great, low-key refuge for anyone trying to get out of the cold, have a beer and some food (it has a bar + dining area). The atmosphere is chill, twenty/thirty something, and semi-hipster. The white twinkle lights that adorn the walls and low lighting enhance the gastrobar aura.

The menu features fare that you would see at any pub, but often with a gourmet flair (hence it's label as a gastrobar). For example, the popcorn with truffle butter ($3) is divine! Great accompaniment to the wide selection of microbrews and other, more well known beers. I personally love to order a heffeweizen or a weizenbock (i.e. Franziskaner Hefe-Weisse) and the popcorn. The range of appetizers is eclectic (from mussels with chorizo to arugula salad with white beans, prosciutto, grilled asparagus, pickled egg, white balsamic vinaigrette). The portions are comfortably large, made with the best in season ingredients and very well priced. You can eat here on a budget and feel like you haven't eaten greasy crap that leaves a rock-like feeling in your belly!

The main entrees are fabulous as well. Full panel of sandwiches, burgers, pizzas, and pastas/gnocchi. I can personally vouch for the grilled cheese (with gouda, provolone AND goat cheese = very VERY filling and tasty) and the Royal Burger (bacon, caramelized onions, smoked gouda, pickled longhots and chili mayonnaise on seeded brioche bun). With all of the working out I do during the week, I am absolutely craving a burger by Friday night. Royal does the job (and more). Very satisfying. Amazingly, this is also a vegan/vegetarian friendly place--pretty rare for a bar in Philly. I personally haven't tried any of these entrees, but Taylor over at the "Mac and Cheese" blog (http://macandcheesereview.blogspot.com/2007/03/royal-tavern.html) can vouch for those options.

In sum, you can't beat the balance between the quality of the ingredients versus the price. Bring your friends, chat and chillax. I can't wait for my popcorn and burger fix tomorrow night!

Info:
Royal Tavern
937 E Passyunk Ave
Philadelphia, PA 19147
215-389-6694
Mon.-Fri. 11:30-2AM
Sat.-Sun. 10-2AM
*They also serve breakfast which I didn't know about until writing this review. Maybe I need to check this out? Just to be thorough of course.

Monday, February 23, 2009

Rock You Like A Hurricane: Spin Profile #4

A new week. A new spin class (Mon's @ 7:30pm). And fresh beats. I spent a good chunk of this past weekend listening to songs in the iTunes Store (and eventually purchasing). With new music comes new motivation. I'm excited to have a night class and hopefully we'll have a lot of fun with the workout tonight.

Since it's a new class and I'm not sure who's going to be coming, I've made this workout geared to general fitness. Read: a solid mix of flats, hills, jumps, runs and sprints. Once I assess the fitness levels tonight, I'm going to come up with a plan for the rest of the semester.

I'm also going bring paper/pencils to class and try to get everyone to write down one (or more) song that they really love to workout to, etc. I think this will be a good way to connect more to the participants and it'll make it their own class.

Spin Profile #4: Rock You Like A Hurricane

1. Hit Me With Your Best Shot by Pat Benatar (2:51)
Warm up. One minute flat road. One minute on bike stretches. Ride it out.

2. Untouched by The Veronicas (4:14)
Still warming up. Turn resistance up to 6--just enough so you'll be able to stand up easily.
Verse: alternate verses seated cadence/position one and standing cadence/position 3
Chorus: standing run/position 2 "I feel so untouched!"

3. Right Round by Flo Rida (3:27)
Last warm up song. Still @ 6.
Chorus (song starts in chorus): standing/position 3 "You spin my head right round, right round"
Verse: Seated cadence.

4. Let It Rock by Ken Rudolf & Lil Wayne (3:51)
"Intro to sprints". Start off in standing/position 3 @ 7. During chorus ease back into the saddle, turn the resistance down to 5 (flat road) and pick up the pace = "my fire..let it rock". Still semi-warm up, so don't go all out. Just anything faster than cadence. Focus on form and keeping upper body relaxed.

5. Gifted by N.A.S.A ft Kanye West, Santogold & Lykke Li (3:39)
New beats by N.A.S.A. just released on Feb. 17th. Pretty awesome. Follows "Let It Rock" really well.
Hills with cadence. Start at flat road/cadence. Increase/decrease resistance by half a turn every 10 sec; i.e. reach top of hill after 30 sec, then descend the hill in 30. Repeat 3x. Add in a 20 sec hold at the apex. Stay seated and try to keep on pace for as long as possible.

6. Paper Planes by M.I.A (3:24)
Jumps. Bring resistance to 6. Alternate seated/position 2 and standing/position 2. Counts of 8 during verse. Counts of 4 during chorus "All I wanna do is..."

7. Sex On Fire by Kings of Leon (3:23)
This song is hottt and so are we. Turn resistance up to 8. Rock a standing cadence/position 3 the entire song. All about your buttt! Time under tension = toning.

8. Rock You Like A Hurricane by Scorpions (4:16)
SPRINTS!
Verse: Seated or standing cadence @ 6 or 7
Chorus: seated @ flat road
Now is the time for all out sprints! Take advantage of the flat road. Try to relax your grip, keep shoulders down, and focus on keeping upper body still--all in the legs.
NB: I like to put on a little bit of resistance during flat road sprints. Gets my heart rate going and trains my legs to work the load better. This is only for those who have been spinning for longer than two months. Also, tell people that if they have not been spinning more than 6 times, they should not go "all out", just anything faster than cadence. Always be in control! If you feel weirdness in the knees, stop what you are doing!

9. Mercy by Duffy (3:40)
Resistance up high enough to keep on the beat of this song. Probably around an 8.
Modified jumps: standing, alternate between position 2 and 3. Keep light on the bars. Movement is all in the core!
Verse: alternate counts of 4 and 8
Chorus: hold position 3, push the glutes back as far as they'll go, keeping a solid core. This isolates the butt! Make sure to keep abs in, tighten midsection, back flat, squeeze the glutes, pull knees up. You'll be begging me for mercy!

10. Dead and Gone by TI featuring JT (5:00)
Our legs are going to be 'dead and gone' by the end of this workout! Big hill here. Starting at the last song's resistance (around an 8), increase every 60 sec. We're going up to a 10. Start seated/position 2, then alternate between standing/position 3 and seated position 2 once you get up to level 9 and 10 .

11. Perfect Gentleman by Wyclef Jean (4:10)
Active recovery. Cadence @ 6. Mix of hand position one, two and three/seated and standing. This is not a break, just getting the circulation moving again. Focus on breathing and technique. Give option for flat road if they're new (or if anyone looks like they're going to pass out).

12. Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana (5:01)
This song is hardcore and so are we. Sprints with resistance! Yay!
Challenge yourself more than "Rock You Like A Hurricane", it's a similar workout, but your legs should be on fire by the end of this one.
Verse: Seated cadence @ 7 or 8
Chorus: seated sprints with resistance @ 7 or 8.
Goal: get the heart rate up and to work on stamina. Read: keep up a hard pace for a longer time. Work through that load, don't touch that dial!
Get comfortable with feeling uncomfortable.

13. My Life Would Suck Without You (3:32)
Big cardio finish!
Verse: switch between seated/position two or standing/position 3 cadence (@ 6 or 7)
Chorus: Position 2/standing SPRINT
This song should be at a slightly lower resistance than the previous so you can go at a faster pace. The goal of this song = big cardio finish. Heart rates up!

14. Ride by Cary Brothers - Tiesta Remix (3:42)
Flat Road. Ride it out for 2.5 min. On bike stretches.

15. 1, 2, 3, 4 by Plain White T's (3:18)
Off bike stretches.

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Nina Solo

First off, I'm getting my own BODYPUMP class starting next week. My boss has deemed me ready, so here I go!

**New classes to my schedule**
Monday's @ 7:30 pm = SPIN
Thursday's @ 7:30 pm = BODYPUMP
Saturday's @ 11:00 am = SPIN

In the second half of the semester (after Spring Break), I'll be teaching additional BP classes. I was lucky to get added to the schedule mid-quarter as that's usually not done. I must be doing pretty well! (NB, I'm still teaching the original spin classes Monday @ 6:30am and Friday's @ 2pm (Row Team only). I've be co-teaching BP on Tuesday's and Friday's at 5:30pm--I'm not sure yet if I'll continue this, I'll let you know).

Last night was my first solo BODYPUMP class. For the past month I've been co-teaching with my boss, Katie. I taught three tracks to begin with, then moved up to five (out of ten). I guess Katie thought I was ready to graduate as she let me sub a BP class last night.

As I was walking from the lab to the gym, my heart was racing. I was listening to the music and miming the moves, reassuring myself that I'm ready and I'm going to do great.

Yeah, I was a little nervous.

When I arrived at the studio, I didn't know anyone there. I didn't even know the bouncer. This was bizarre because I'm friendly with a lot of people at the gym, including every other class monitor. I had hoped to see at least one friendly face. I started the class promptly at 6:15 with a packed room--forty twenty-something year old's! If I had hoped to start off with a smaller, less intimidating group, no dice. I put a smile on my face and outwardly appeared calm and composed. I was thankful that I perform well under pressure.

It technically went very well. We got a great workout, I didn't mess up the choreography, people applauded at the end and asked me about my other classes--all positive responses. For me, however, there was just something missing. I didn't feel quite myself. Sure, I said everything that I had wanted to say, but I didn't feel like I was really connecting with the group. It's really hard to judge what people are thinking though--forty people staring at you, not making much noise. I'm used to teaching with Katie and we bring alot of energy and positive reinforcement not only to the group, but to each other as well. It's much harder when it's just you up there trying to make a connection with that many people who don't know you from Darth.

Things that I'm working on:
1) pre-cueing. I'm now at the point where I have the chorey down 100%. I need to just get more confident with the pre-cues about 4-8 beats before the actual change in movement.

2) Initial cues. I have gotten much better at keeping the transitions quick between songs, keeping people moving and motivated. I just have to keep practicing my little speeches so they come out without thought. Just focus on a couple of key technique points then quickly move on.

3) Motivational cues. I'm already sliding into some repetitive habits. I heard myself saying "dig in" and "awesome" way too many times. I looked through my BP handbook and training notes today and found alot of suggestions. I'm going to try to incorporate these words: explode, power, drive, fire. For the slow moves: ease, ooze, put on brakes.

4) Teaching to all three learning styles: visual, aural, kinesthetic
While I'm doing the moves, take my hand off the bar and point out the key technique. Like in lunges, put hand/arm vertically in air--body should be moving straight up and down. I also am going to write out three key technique points to say during the track--but very succinctly (follow up cues).

5) I think this connection problem will work itself out once I get my own class and I've done the whole thing to a crowd several times. This is how it was with the spin class. I get super pumped for it, but I no longer feel nervous before a spin class. I also feel like myself and completely at ease. This feeling of ease and self-confidence just comes with practice.

I always like to remind myself when I get too critical to take a couple steps back and look at the big picture: this was my first time by myself (and the first time teaching the entire class) and most importantly the main goals were all accomplished. The things that I am criticizing are advanced coaching principles--I've got the basics down and I should be proud of myself for that.

Thanks for your support!

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Happy Valentine's Day: It's All About The Estrogen Baby!


A comment from "Lab Tips" asked 'what is estrogen inhibitor'. The obvious answer would be that it inhibits estrogen. To understand this and why I was so glad that my boss handled the estrogen inhibitor, you'd have to know what estrogen is.

I'm sure if you're a female, you've at least heard of estrogen (aka estradiol). It is most associated with the menstrual cycle and is one of the hormones in The Pill. Little known fact: both males and females have estrogen! Different functions of course.

The above cartoon represent the different stages of a woman's menstrual cycle. It shows 1) the changes in hormones (i.e. estrogen, progesterone, FSH, GnRH, LH), 2) the development of the egg (ovum), 3) the varying thickness of the uterine lining aka the endometrium (this is what is shed during "my period"). Changes in hormone levels cause a physiological change, like the development or release of the egg. Remember this: the changes in hormone levels and the correct timing of these changes are very important.

Overview of hormone cycle:
First, the pituitary gland sends out follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). Just like the name implies, FSH stimulates follicles in the ovaries to grow. The follicles release estrogen, which sets off a chain reaction. Estrogen triggers the pituitary gland to secrete gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), which in turn triggers a rise in the secretion of luteinizing hormone (LH). Estrogen and LH continue to rise, which prompts the uterus to build up its endometrium, the thickened uterine lining, and causes changes in the vaginal mucus that make it a better environment for the sperm.

A rise in LH causes the largest follicle to mature into an ovum, or egg, while the immature follicles dissolve. The egg releases from the ovary (a process called ovulation) and enters a fallopian tube. If it goes unfertilized, the egg eventually dissolves. If sperm are present, the egg may be fertilized in the fallopian tube. Then it travels down into the uterus and implants in the endometrium. After the egg is released, a structure in the ovary known as the corpus luteum produces hormones such as progesterone and estrogen. These hormones help make the endometrium suited for the egg's implantation and cause changes in the uterus to support the egg's growth.

Why am I taking this Pill every day?
When you take the pill every day, you are releasing steady concentrations of estrogen and progestin (which mimics progesterone). This decreases the release of GnRH, and therefore the release of FSH and LH. This restricts the follicles from growing, and by extension, an egg from growing and releasing from the ovary. Essentially, these synthetic hormones trick the ovary into thinking that it's already released an egg. The endometrium still builds in the uterus and is released, but this is known as a "withdrawal" period. It's the body's reaction to the withdrawal of the normal hormonal cycle. This is why a period while on the pill is usually lighter and shorter; the corpus luteum can't grow unless the ovary has released an egg. The progestin may also make it harder for sperm to enter the fallopian tube by making the vaginal mucus thicker.

So, why would I be concerned about estrogen inhibitors?
It does get a bit confusing when you read the above paragraph and think, "well, I'm taking estrogen to prevent pregnancy, shouldn't it follow that blocking estrogen will get me pregnant?" NO! Remember how I stated that the timing of hormone release is vital to the menstrual cycle. Look again at the cartoon above. It is the sharp increase of estrogen and progesterone that precedes the thickening of the uterine lining and the release of the egg. The increase in estrogen is necessary for the egg to survive and be fertilized. When you have constant levels of estrogen in the body like when you are taking the pill, there is never this sharp increase in estrogen concentrations. It's just a trick on your body!

In sum, if my estrogen is inhibited, blocked, or damaged in an irreversible fashion, this means that the lining of my uterus will no longer thicken and it will be a hostile place for eggs to be fertilized. Not that I particularly care about this today, but if I ever want to have kids, I had better stay away from the estrogen inhibitors.

Why am I using an estrogen inhibitor in the lab?
This is a slightly more complicated topic and I'm probably going to save it for another post. Basically, I am making a genetically modified mouse using the cre-lox system. Skin and bones explanation: I am looking to delete a gene of interest in my mouse. Through a little magic, I am able to label gene of interest with a specially tagged estrogen receptor. When I want to delete said gene, I inject an estrogen inhibitor, namely tamoxifen, into the mouse. This blocks the production of my gene.

Some of you may already heard of tamoxifen. In other realms its is used in the treatment of breast cancer. The above description of estrogen deals solely with its function in the menstrual cycle in pre-menopausal women. Estrogen has diverse functions in other parts of the body and differs in pre versus post menopausal women.

For more information see:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menstrual_cycle
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamoxifen
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estrogen
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estradiol

Monday, February 9, 2009

Lab Tips

#1. Don't mistake dry ice for regular ice. Trying to pick up dry ice will instantly turn your hand a deathly looking white. Fortunately the searing pain follows soon after and your brain figures out this is not something that should be in your hand. FYI, liquid nitrogen has the same effect on skin, however, it evaporates as quickly as it spills on your hands...so the white spots only last 2-5 sec. Preferable indeed.

#2. If you have a choice between spilling methanol or hydrochloric acid on your skin, choose the methanol. Sure, it can easily diffuse into your blood stream and cause liver damage. The more important part is that you can immediately feel its cooling effects on your skin and can rinse off right away. You don't notice the HCl until your skin starts melting off and you look like the Joker's skinless cousin.

#3. Be sure to show appreciation to your boss when he handles the estrogen inhibitor.
Jorge: Here Nina, let me handle the estrogen inhibitor.
Me: Gee, thanks Boss, that's the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me.
Jorge: I hope you don't think I'm being sexist.
Me: Jorge, when dealing with estrogen inhibitors you definitely get a free pass. I'd do the same for you if we were dealing with testosterone inhibitors (we never do of course).

Be on the look out for more helpful and slightly amusing (at least to myself) lab tips.

Friday, February 6, 2009

Classic Rock Love Songs: Spin Profile #3

Every spin class that I've taught so far has been fun. However, today's class was the best class ever. I started doing a themed class and held a little competition for the Women's Rowing Team. Five points to whomever guessed the theme. One point for the name of the song. One point for the artist. I also gave out points for energy, form, and pace. First place got a Gatorade and Kashi Bar; second place got a Kashi Bar. The ladies were psyched for the challenge. One woman even remembered that I had announced last week that there would be a theme and came into class already excited about it!

Theme #1: Classic Rock Love Songs

Going into class, I wasn't sure if the college ladies would be familiar with this genre. They've enjoyed all my beats so far, so I figured my judgement was sound. Boy was I right! This was the most high energy class. Everyone was singing--even to songs they hadn't heard before! Oh, ok, there were songs that people were so out of breath that they couldn't sing anymore, but the spirit was still there.

Goals:
The main focus of this class is endurance; second goal is stamina. This means lots of cadence work and lots of running; get on that fast pace and hold there regardless of small changes in resistance. I wanted to keep the heart rate up for as long as possible (almost the whole time, I gave two short recoveries). You want to get yourself into that uncomfortable place where you don't think you can hold on that much longer--and I make you go longer than you think you can. Whenever I brought resistance up during a song, I brought it immediately down in the next song, brought the tempo back up, and then adjusted resistance again. The songs that I did have heavy resistance on, I kept the pace and resistance steady for the entire song. Feel the burn and hold it there! Endurance!

1. More Than A Feeling by Boston (4:45)
Warm up; Flat Road (5)
The women had a great reaction to the song. Most people knew it right off the bat and were singing along.

2. Brown-Eyed Girl by Van Morrison (3:00)
Standing Run @ 6
Everyone got a point on this song :) The energy in the room was incredible. EVERYONE was singing and smiling. So great.

3. Make Me Smile by Chicago (4:28)
Cadence on verses; Sprints on chorus (and extra sprint at end to finish; seated) @ 6
NB. We played this song in the marching band in high school (yes I was a band dork, but I think I gain some cool points because a I was/am a drummer...). Shawn Hildonen played this song on drums and had an awesome solo. I took the more swingy Chicago song "Does Anyone Know What Time It Is?" This was actually the first song I ever played in front of people on the full drum set. Good times!!! None of the women had heard this song before, BUT someone did guess that it was Chicago. I was very impressed! By the end of the song, everyone was singing along to the chorus. "Makes me happy!...Makes me Smile!" Great energy.

4. Layla by Derek and the Dominoes (7:03)
~3min of standing run @ 7; 4 minutes standing climb (position 3) @ 8
Don't let your heart rate fall on second half of song. It may have a slower feel, but you have to keep the resistance up and steady pace for 4 minutes. Focus on form; drive through the glutes!

5. Crazy On You by Heart (4:53)
Cadence on verses; sprint on chorus (seated) @ 7 (acoustic intro~gave 30 sec break; flat road; grab water). These are sprints with resistance. Burn, baby, burn!

6. Any Way You Want It by Journey (3:22)
Standing Run @ 7. No breaks! Get people up quick. Again, people had a blast singing and rocking out to the chorus. It was a great way to get people re-energized.

7. D'yer Mak'er by Led Zeppelin (4:22)
[Fast] Jumps. Counts of 4 the whole song!

8. Paradise By The Dashboard Light by Meatloaf (8:29)
This song is a bit complicated with many changes in tempo, but it mostly stays pretty up beat.
Here are my approximate notes on timing (numbers refer to the clocked time):
Start at a level 6.
0-57: Verse 1; Standing Run
57-1:11: "I can see by the dashboard light", music slows, out to position 3, standing climb, half a turn up
1:11-2:30 "Ain't no doubt about it" interlude then verse 2 ; standing run
2:30-3:18 "I can see paradise" tempo slows again, position 3, half a turn up (should be at 7 or 7.5); last 16 sec of this gets faster again; speed up but stay in pos 3
3:18-4:25 "We're gonna go all the way tonight" and radio talk- seated SPRINT, hand pos 2
4:25 "Stop Right There" Ease Off
4:30 "Will you love me forever" standing run
5:30 "Let Me Think On It...will you" man and woman back and forth; seated SPRINT
6:00 Talking; Ease it off, cadence
6:20 "Let Me Sleep On It" Standing Run
6:50 Drums build up + "Love You Til The End Of Time" seated SPRINT
7:30ish "Now I'm Praying For the end of time" back off then standing RUN
Run to the end or 30 sec of running then 30 sec seated sprint. Either way, race it to the finish!

This song is all about keeping the pace up for an entire 8.5 min = pushing your comfort zone. It's more about cadence and less about having heavy resistance. I didn't go higher than a 7.5. Option would be to keep it at a six. Regardless of resistance level, heart rate should be up the entire song. Pace is fast! All about endurance and stamina! They did actually guess Meat Loaf, but not til half way through the song when Ellen Foley's voice came in. The team didn't know the song in the beginning, but after 7 min everyone was singing along (in between huffs that is).

9. Love Stinks by The J Geils Band (3:46)
Standing climb. Level 9. Pos 3. Keep the butt back as far as you can for the entire song. Make sure every one's resistance is up high enough so they're either on the beat or behind it. Drive it through the glutes! Again, resistance up, but this is about getting on a pace and sticking to it = endurance and stamina! You should feel uncomfortable the entire song!

10. I'm A Believer by The Monkees (2:51)
Standing Run. Start @ 7; half way through back off to 6, but pick up the pace. I threw in a couple of seated sprints during the choruses, especially the last one. Race to the finish line! I personally felt sick at the end and my heart was going crazy...this should be the goal. This is it so give it everything you have. More pace! The women loved this song. Everyone singing again--except at the end. I don't think anyone had any breath left :)

11. Somebody To Love by Queen (4:57)
We made it! 2.5 minutes flat road; then take resistance all off; on-bike stretches

12. Lay, Lady, Lay by Bob Dylan (3:17)
Off bike stretches; prizes! Every song was guessed correctly! Wow, very impressive. The points for form, energy, and pace worked very well too. Just about everyone in the class had great form.

I told the Team that in two weeks time we'd have a form contest. Special prizes again! That got cheers all around.

Positive, positive energy!

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Byatch at the gym

The post-Holiday rush at the gym has tested my limits of patience. It starts with waiting for 20 minutes to get a free locker. Then there's the 30 minute wait for a treadmill (annoying when it has a 30 min limit to begin with). Then you get to squeeze yourself into a foot radius on the mat in order to do abs and stretching.

If you go during peak hours (5-7), this is what I have come to expect. So, yesterday after waiting for the locker, the treadmill, and dodging athletes on the mat, I trudged down to locker room again, already slightly disgruntled, to find that there was a lock on my previously unlocked locker. Did I forget which locker I was using? After a check of all the lockers in the place, my heart rate picked up, and I realized that that had indeed been my locker. Where was all my stuff then? As I start exclaiming out loud, fellow locker-goers join in my distress. One woman points to a ball of stuff on the floor, shoved underneath some benches. "Is this your, eh-hem, stuff?" Phew, it was indeed! But how did it end up on the floor?

The gears began working in my head and realization struck. Someone had taken over my locker and thrown my belongings on the floor. That was the last straw.

Said person soon returns from the showers and opens said locker. I glare at the back of her head and seriously consider approaching her and giving her a piece of my mind (or a couple of blows...). Instead I talk loudly and menacingly to the closest person and reveal that "someone" (emphasis) had been really rude. I include eye gestures and eyebrow-raises in the culprit's direction. My new "friend" helps me out and also emphatically complains about the crime.

I was really fuming. I almost resorted to name-calling and pointing out her lack of clothing style...fortunately I kept that to myself, though it is a token of how pissed I was. I'm so glad she was important enough to not wait her turn for a locker.

3 "Brought Me To Tears" Moments

This week has me thinking about moments that have moved me to tears--tears of joy, sadness, spirituality, and bittersweetness. Here are three strong memories, in no particular order.

1. I am a HUGE Harry Potter fan. Ghostbusters and HP and the Sorcerer's Stone were my first two DVDs. I even traveled to London (while I was in France) for the premiere of HP2. I also used to visit the website www.mugglenet.com every single day between the years 2001-2007.

When the 7th and final book was released, I was up in Acadia National Forest, ME on my annual camping trip with my Dad. He and I waited outside a bookstore in Bar Harbor from 10pm-midnight with a mix of excited adults, teens, and kids. I of course was wearing my red Harry Potter t-shirt that I had bought in London--I wore this to all of the book and movie releases.

Once I had the book in hand, I was dead to the world--okay, dead to my Dad who was the only person around. I read 3/4's of the book in my tent that night by the light of a small, red lantern. I stayed up the entire night reading it, as per tradition. We were headed back to MA the next day and as I was in super obsessive-bubble mode, I had to continue reading in the car, despite being susceptible to car-sickness. About two hours from our destination, I was cruising through the last fifty pages of the book.

Spoiler Alert!

J.K. Rowling led me into a very emotional place when she led Harry off to his doom--to face Lord Voldemort. As Harry faces Voldemort with fear (as any human would), but resolution and falls to the death curse, the tears started rolling down my own cheeks. I took a moment to put down the book--something which I've never done before, usually I have to bulldoze through--and I let out sobs of grief and sorrow. Even though I was well aware that I had at least 50 more pages to go and Harry would probably somehow survive, it was still poignant and beautiful. Touching. And it signified The End, which left me feeling lonely and empty. Which was I grieving for more: the "death" of Harry or the end of the series? Hard to say.

Of course, I was not alone when I started to bawl. My Dad was right next to me in the car and kept shooting me glances of concern. Fortunately he knew me well enough to remain silent and let me experience the bittersweet ending to the series in my Bubble.

2. Three years ago on Christmas, my Grandmom passed surrounded by me and my family. We were not particularly expecting this to happen that day, but the increasingly bad cases of flu hinted that we wouldn't have much more time with her. My grandmother was a deeply religious Irish Catholic. I don't claim to be particularly religious or even spiritual for that matter, but the fact that she died on that particular day (and with all of us there) had us all thinking that the Angels had indeed come down from Heaven and taken her with them. I cried at her passing of course, but not tears of sorrow and sobbing (ok maybe a little bit of that kind too), but quiet tears of wonder and peace. Here is a woman that had lived a full life--she died at 98 and was independent and strong up until the last 6 months of her life. Here is someone whose faith would claim that this Holy Day made her passing more meaningful. And finally, she was at peace, she would no longer be suffering. If anyone was going to Heaven, it certainly would be her.

3. To conclude my year abroad study in France, I had an internship at the Tour du Valat Biological Station in the wetlands of the Camargue. Ten french researchers and I lived on the lands in a dorm and got to know each other quickly and deeply. On the last night there (and in France), we went to a secluded beach, built up a bonfire, roasted veggies, meats and toasted me off with many, many bottles of wine. Unfortunately/fortunately, we overslept and my goodbye was very rushed as I jumped on a moving train and threw kisses. I slept the whole way to Paris and didn't give myself a chance to let the moment sink in until I heard "final boarding for Flight 256 to Boston." This announcement triggered an explosive chain reaction: Oh, it's time to leave. I'm going back to the States. Ah when will I be back??!!??


And then the flood gates opened. I broke out into shaking sobs which included wheezing, tears, and wails. I can't recall ever losing control like that (especially not in a public place). I somehow collected my belongings and made my way to the gate. Since I couldn't say anything besides spasmodic contractions of the throat, I thrust my papers at the male attendant and looked at the floor. In french he consoles, "Oh, poor thing, are you leaving behind your lover?" I nod my head and pass on.

Yes, I felt like I was leaving a lover behind. A part of my soul. I was at home in Provence. I was living to the fullest: speaking other languages, learning about different cultures, meeting new people from a range of backgrounds, enjoying nature and its beauties, participating in centuries-old traditions...I couldn't want more from Life. I knew that I was meant to be there.

Faced with the return trip to the States, I was overwhelmed: I could barely remember how to speak English let alone melt back into 'habitual' life.

Six hours later, the sobbing had waned to silent tears only to be jump started again once the Boston skyline came into view. I was questioned at customs for ten minutes, mostly because I was talking in a french accent. (Official: Where are you from? Me: Massachusetts. O: Yes, but where are you really from--originally? Me: Hamilton...MA? O: I mean what country? Me: USA? O: Why do you have an accent? Me: (I start sobbing again) ...I...school...France...no...english... year... Official: Ooookkkaaayyy. Just tell me your name again. Me: Martin (accent)...I mean Marrr-tinnnnn. Please...let...pass. O: Okay, I'll let you go but I don't like this.

My Dad was waiting outside Logan with the car. He was so excited to see me and was all smiles--I mean it had been an entire year since I'd been home. Whatever control I had regained I lost completely when I saw him. My Dad was like, "Nina, I'm so glad you're so happy to be with us again. Umm yeah."