The Tasty Spoon

Nina The Barbarian Day 4: Sushi, Mochi, Pineapple, Crepes, and the Great Buddha

2011-06-09T12:32:00.006-04:00

Adventures in the Tsukiji Market, the purchase (and later confiscation) of the most glorious wasabi ever consumed, Kamakura, fabulous treats, and finally, after getting lost, again, the Great Buddha. I tried to rub its tummy, but the officers didn't like that idea for some reason...

Follow the link for the full story. More pictures and less talk.

The Great Buddha

Nina The Barbarian Day 3: Consumers R Us

2011-06-01T13:07:00.002-04:00

Last bit of Day 3 in Japan: Kiddyland, Roppongi Hills, Starbucks, and Kirin.
Jeesh, every day was like 3 days.

Please follow the link! Thanks :)
Day 3 Finish

Nina The Barbarian Day 3: The Search For The Perfect Noodle

2011-05-31T11:53:00.002-04:00

The Tale of Nina's Failed Search For Ganko
Please follow the following link!

Day 3 Ganko Search

Nina The Barbarian Day 3: Ghibli Studio

2011-05-27T17:02:00.003-04:00

Day 3: Ghibli Studio

I found that I had alot to say about this place and alot of great pictures--even though you are only allowed to take photos of the outside. The images I discovered here stayed with me throughout the trip. Whenever I saw hills/mountains of a particular shape I thought of Totoro. I also got myself a little Totoro cup at Kiddyland later in the day and had my Aquawater in it nightly. I like interactive places that make you think. I am much more likely to remember what I learned and saw here for the rest of my life.

The Ghibli Museum

p.s. I upload a couple of drafts to scribd before posting here (and settling on a final version). Read: I think I'm done, then I reread on scribd and find errors. I'm pointing this out because 18 people had already read this article before I got my final version up (which only took 10 minutes). Hmm. Wow. So, just saying that if you are one of the people who is eagerly waiting for my next entry, you may want to give it a little while before you read. Once I post it here, it is pretty much finalized. Savvy? Ok. Thanks.

Nina The Barbarian = Nina Goes To Japan

2011-05-25T10:07:00.017-04:00

Blogger and I are having relationship issues, so for now I am publishing over at Scribd.com. Please follow the below link. I have issues viewing files on scribd on certain computers--letters seem squished together. I apologize if you experience this too. Hopefully I can work out a better system soon!

Enjoy!

Nina the Barbarian

Japan and China Trip Part 1: Training and Trip Preparation

2011-05-24T15:15:00.010-04:00

It's been a while since my last post. I guess I've been waiting for something really noteworthy to write about. I suppose completing the Great Wall of China Marathon is noteworthy...not to mention traveling around Japan solo. I've wanted to go to China and Japan since I was a little girl. Specifically since Kindergarten when my mom (also my Kindergarten teacher) played "Big Bird Goes To China" and "Big Bird Goes to Japan" in class. I remember clearly daydreaming about the mysterious cultures around the world. In the 6th grade, I loved learning about Japan in Mrs. Curtis' Social Studies Class and proudly got a 100% on Japan history and customs exam--the test was of course laminated and hung on our refrigerator. I also used to have this huge, laminated world map that I liked to draw on (unfortunately one time I used permanent marker...) and plan out itineraries. Starting in elementary school, my favorite treat was when my mom would borrow "Around The World In 80 Days" from the library and I would watch it eating buttery, salty elbows macaroni. Just like in the movie, I wanted to see the Great Buddha and the famous Geisha girls "not to be sneezed at."

A few times since college I have thought whimsically about going to Japan, but never really seriously. There were always reasons not to go: I'm too busy with school, I don't have any money, I'll go when the timing gets better. But you know what? Timing never gets better. I never suddenly have excessive amounts of money. For some reason, it's always easier to not have new experiences and to think of why-not's. At some point, you just have to DO IT. Make it happen.

I started thinking about a trip seriously after the NYC Marathon back in November. Obviously that was a very painful experience that I wouldn't like to repeat, but I was attracted by the idea of destination races. I enjoyed going to an unknown city and being able to experience a tour in this unique fashion. I was exhilarated regardless of the pre-race errors. In fact, my sense of achievement was even larger because of all the obstacles I overcame. I started looking around at races in Japan first. The Tokyo Marathon was appealing--but it was in February. I decided that was way too soon after the NY debacle. My body needed more time to heal before building up mileage again.

I somehow typed in "adventure marathons" into Google and found my way to the Great Wall Marathon website. I immediately was intrigued. A destination marathon in China! That's what I'm looking for. Something big. Something to shake up my schedule. Something to really motivate myself to the next level.

Reading through the site, I discovered that you can't just sign up and go to the marathon. You have to sign up with a tour group, go ~1 week before the race and tour around Beijing. I wrote Steve Hibbs, coordinator for Marathon Adventures, and asked him exactly how much things would cost and about any hidden costs as well. Once he confirmed that it was indeed a pretty good deal for the trip, I went ahead and booked a flight. Wow! Even back then, I didn't really believe that it was going to happen. I didn't think about how hard it would be--other than "it's a marathon. It's gonna be tough, but I can do it."

That's the thing about me, I get involved in activities and I never question whether or not I can do something. I assume that I can, someway or another. I like that about me. On the other hand, when I actually saw the course I definitely had a few [hundred] doubts and fears, but I didn't let that hold me back.

When I booked my plane ticket, I noticed that I had a layover in Tokyo. This is when it dawned on me, "I'm going to be in Tokyo. I really should just take a few extra days and go to Tokyo." Once I started to plan a trip to Tokyo, I realized where I really wanted to go was Kyoto, the historical capital of Japan. I would need more than a few days. So, my trip to China with a short stop in Tokyo became 8 days in Japan and a week lead up to the marathon in China.

My marathon training was an experiment of sorts. I wasn't sure how healed my body was after NYCM. I was mostly uninjured after NYC race day, but I did feel a lingering weakness in my left ankle. Not pain, just a tiredness. I took December off from running. Started walking everywhere in early January--the hardest was walking home after spin class Wednesday night's, my ankle would definitely be weak after an hour of walking. I looked online, found ankle-strengthening exercises, and started doing them 3x a week.

In mid-late January I started running again at a very slow pace. We're talking 13-15 minute miles. And for just 10 minutes at first. And then I would alternate 10 minutes walking and 10 minutes running a couple of times. And I kept up with the walking home from lab/class. I decided for this race, I wouldn't care about speed, just building up endurance safely--keeping close watch on that left ankle.

By February, I was thankfully feeling good. Ankle weakness was getting less and less. Slowly building up continuous running. Still, I didn't concern myself with pace or miles. Just time on my feet without injury! When I was able to handle the continuous running without pain, I started to focus on building mileage.

Since I still needed to make money for my travels (and pay my bills), I continued my schedule at the gym: 3 spin classes and 2 body pump per week. I love love love teaching, but if I didn't need the cashola for travels, I would have definitely liked to cut back a little bit. It is definitely tough to manage a marathon training plan on top of teaching five classes. The plus side is that I am always cross-training and limiting the number of runs per week, which definitely prevents overuse-running injuries. The Body Pump classes also kept my arms and core strong right up through Race Day, which definitely was a big help on the Wall.

Also, when you only have 3-4 running days per week, it forces you to make them high quality workouts with specific aims: long distance, hill/stadium repeats, tempo/fartlek, easy/mid-distance. Instead of my usual weekly Thursday speed workouts, I stuck to stadiums and hill repeats. I didn't want to tempt myself to go fast. Listening to my body, I knew that if I pressed the pace too soon, I would injure myself. No speed! Just hills.

In March, I paid off the final payment for the marathon tour. Started getting obsessed about possible itineraries. I'm not usually a detail-oriented person, but I knew that I had to plan as much as I could before leaving, both so I wouldn't be clueless in an unknown city as a lone female traveler and so that I knew exactly how much money would be needed before the trip and during. April was spent obsessing over travel guides, blogs, and stories from other people. I made sure I knew how much hotels would cost, museums, temples, onsens, subways, rail passes--fortunately I found out that you have to buy the Japan Rail Pass before you go to Japan and this saves you hundreds and hundreds of dollars, no exaggeration.

By the end of April, the weather started getting nicer and my body started feeling strong and healthy. I started some fartleks--no real speed sessions, but short bursts of speed on mid-distance runs. Warm, sunny weather always makes me say "I feel the need. The need for SPEED." Yeah. My body handled this well. Mid-April to the beginning of May was my Monster Month. 50-65 miles a week. Plus teaching class. Needless to say I didn't do much besides work and workout. I went to a party at the end of Peak Week and was ready for bed by 10. I toughed it out until 1am, but I basically was a zombie.

Here is something that I hope I remember for next time: for me, the worst of marathon training is not Peak Week. It's actually the week (or two) after I hit my highest mileage. Mentally, I keep saying to myself, "Just make it through Peak Week and then we're in Taper Phase!" What I always seem to forget is that the week after is still pretty high mileage. I went from a 23 mile-long run to 20 miles and 65 miles per week to 50 miles. Really didn't make that much of a difference and didn't give me much (or any) relief. The good news is that my ankle was fine and I felt uninjured, albeit tired and achy. Relief did finally come the following taper weeks with just 35 miles, then 25, then hardly any running for the 2 weeks before Race Day. I did end up doing ALOT of hiking the 2 weeks beforehand, since I'd been packing in as much touring as possible.

Part 2 Up Next:
"Nina The Barbarian = Nina Goes To Japan"

May 2010 Spin Profiles I (#94-96)

2010-11-24T16:26:00.002-05:00

SP #94: Wild Thing, Muppet Style 5/3/10 47:51
1. Believer by Goldfrapp (3:42)/WU
2. Surrender by Cheap Trick (4:14)/WU Run mix
3. Looking For Paradise by Alejandro Sanz & Alicia Keys (4:42)/cnc
4. Gives You Hell by Glee (3:27)/heavy cad + pu
5. Daylight by Matt & Kim (2:51)/int
6. Survival Of The Fittest by BOB (4:20)/jump mix
7. Automatic by Tokio Hotel (3:15)/Run + pu
8. Boom, boom, boom by Venga Boys (3:22)/int
9. Wild Thing by The Muppets (1:52)/iso + iso pu
10. Not Afraid by Eminem (4:11)/jump + iso progression
11. I Like by Enrique Iglesias ft Pitbull (3:49)/sprints w/r
12. Can I Get A... by Jay-Z (5:10)/int
13. Stay by Lisa Lobe (3:04)/CD

SP #95: BOYBANDS 5/5/10 49:10
1. MmmBop (3:54)/WU
2. All 4 Love by Color Me Badd (3:32)/jump mix
3. The Hardest Part Of Breaking Up by 2gether (3:18)/Rolling
4. Quit Playing Games With My Heart Rmx by BSB (3:11)
5. I Want You Back by The Jackson 5 (3:00)/Break, run
6. When The Lights Go Out by 5ive (4:01)/cnc
7. Wake Me Up Before You Go by Wham (3:26)/run
8. I Want You Back by NSYNC (3:26)/agg climb
9. Breakfast At Tiffany's by Deep Blue Something (4:23)/break, cad
10. S.O.S. by The Jonas Brothers (2:33)/pickup mix
11. I Want It That Way by BSB (3:33)/iso + iso pu
12. I'd Do Anything by Simple Plan (3:17)/fast cad + pu
13. Bye Bye Bye by NSYNC (3:20)/agg climb + sprints
14. I'll Make Love To You by BoysIIMen (3:56)/CD

SP #96: Forca! 5/6/10 56:29
1. I've Been Thinking About You by Londonbeat (4:44)/WU
2. Get It Poppin' by Fat Joe ft Nelly (3:34)/WU Mix
3. Heat Of The Moment by Asia (3:48)/cad + pu @ 2
4. Reloaded by Lady Gaga (4:07)/mod jumps
5. That's What You Get by Paramore (3:40)/cad @ 3
6. Womanizer by Britney Spears (3:44)/mod jump + hold
7. Now That It's Over by Everclear (3:58)/descend progression
8. Morena My Love by Tom Boxer (3:52)/fr + pu
9. S.O.S. by Jonas Brothers (2:33)/recovery
10. Forca! by Nelly Furtado + Tiesto (8:22)/int
11. This Ain't A Love Song by (3:09)/recovery
12. My First Kiss by Ke$ha + 3OH!3 (3:18)/hp3 cad + pu
13. Naked Eye by Kelly Clarkson (3:23)/start @ 1 HP3 cad + pu
14. Secrets by OneRepublic (3:40)/CD

April 2010 Spin Profiles (#82-93)

2010-11-24T13:58:00.006-05:00

SP #82: Move, Shake, & Drop 4/7/10 47.8 min
1. World Tour by Wale (4:08)/WU
2. Whatever You Like by TI (4:12)/Jump Mix
3. Move, Shake, & Drop by DJ Laz ft Pitbull (4:26)/30 seated, 30 HP3, 30 pu

4. Wavin' Flag by K'naan (3:41)/Jump Mix
5. Where The Streets Have No Name by U2 (4:48)/CnC

6. Little Freak by Nicki Minaj (4:37)/mod jumps
7. Booty Call by Ke$ha (3:52)/chorus-iso pu

8. Gasolina by Daddy Yankee (4:51)/Easy cad

9. Be Faithful by Fatman Scoop (3:55)/Agg Climb/standing max v max r
10. Chillin Planes by Wale (5:11)/max v max r x2
11. Don't Let Me Fall by B.O.B. (4:35)/CD

SP #83: Steve's Requests 4/9/10 53.8min
1. Rockin Robin by The Jackson Five (2:34)/WU
2. Tomber La Chemise by Zebda (4:27)/Jump Mix
3. Uptight by Stevie Wonder (2:53)/Run
4. 90210 by Wale (3:22)/8 ct iso. mod jumps
5. Another Man's Woman by Carbon Leaf (4:28)/Heavy Climb, Rolling

6. City Of Blinding Lights by U2 (5:45)/Clim N Cad
7. Love In This Club by Usher (4:28)/Jump Mix
8. Plus Minus by East Hundred (3:49)/agg climb, HP3
9. Chillin by Wale (3:30)/mod jump, rec
10. Got To Give It Up by Marvin Gaye (4:12)/easy jump mix
11. How Low Remix by Ludacris (4:01)/standing max v max r
12. I Want You Back by NSYNC (3:00)
13. Knockout by Lil Wayne (4:10)/iso, iso pu, climb
14. Gypsy by Shakira (3:19)/CD

SP #84: I'm Awesome 4/10/10 48min
1. Bodyrock by Moby (3:36)/WU
2. Let's Go Crazy by Prince (4:39)/30 sec intervals
3. All Star by Smashmouth (3:20)/mod jumps, pickups
4. Dirt off your shoulder by Jay-Z (4:05)/30 sec int, agg climb

5. Party Like A Rock Star by Shop Boyz (4:13)/jumps
6. I'm Awesome by Sam Adams (4:09)/mod, iso 8ct
7. Personal Jesus by Depeche Mode (3:45)/rolling
8. OMG by Usher (4:44)/heavy cad

9. Buttons by PCD (3:51)/cnc
10. No One Workout Rmx by Alicia Keys (4:45)
11. Everybody Needs Somebody by The Blues Brothers (3:21)/sprint w/r
12. Life Less Ordinary by Carbon Leaf (3:35)/CD

SP #85: Everybody Loves Me 4/12/10 45.7min
1. Darshan by B21 (5:03)/WU
2. Want U Bad by Ke$ha ft Travis McCoy (3:26)/Jump Mix
3. Electric Feel Remix by JUSTICE (5:27)/Rolling + PU
4. Day N Night Rmx by Chiddy Bang (3:15)/mod
5. Plus Minus by East Hundred (3:49)/Agg climb
6. Get It Anyway by Kid Cudi (4:20)/jump mix
7. Chelsea by The Ready Set (2:25)/sprints w/r
8. Love Is Gone by Kelly Rowland (3:17)/int
9. Everybody Loves Me by OneRepublic (3:55)/rolling + pu
10. Shut Up + Kiss Me by Orianthi (3:16)/Sprint w/r
11. Dirt Off/Lying by Jay-Z/Linkin Park (4:05)/Agg climb
12. Vanilla Twilight by Owl City (3:52)/CD

SP #86: I Can Be A Freak 4/14/10 46.6min
1. Freak by Estelle (3:41)/WU
2. Midnight Hour by Estelle (4:13)/WU Mix
3. Can't Stop Partying by Weezer (4:22)/8 ct iso
4. Who Wants To Be Alone by Nelly Furtado & Tiesto (4:20)/Alt fast + slow int 30sec
5. The Boxer by Carbon Leaf (2:26)/cnc

6. Alors On Danse by Stromae (4:14)/30 sec int
7. Pretty Girls Rmx by Chiddy Bang (4:01)/int
8. Aicha by 123 Soleils (6:52)/hill-descending progression
9. On To The Next One by Jay Z (4:17)/int
10. Tellement N'Brick (3:43)/agg climb
11. Secrets by OneRepublic (3:34)/CD

PEAK WEEK

SP #87: Flat Peak 4/16/10 59min
1. I'm Too Sexy by Right Said Fred (2:51)/WU
2. It Ain't Over Til It's Over by Lenny Kravitz (4:03)/Jump Mix
3. Roam by The B52's (4:53)/WU Int
4. What Is Love by Haddaway (4:30)/baby sprints
5. Rhythm Is A Dancer by Snap! (3:42)/Climb N Cad
6. Everlasting Love by Gloria Estefan (4:02)/long sprint
7. Hey Sexy Lady by Shaggy (3:20)/Recovery
8. Angel In The Night by Basshunter (3:24)/int
9. Enter Sandman by Metallica (5:32)/cnc
10. Waiting For Tonight by J Lo (4:06)/seated cad + surges
11. Bailamos by Enrique Iglesias (3:34)/standing cad 1
12. Ray Of Light by Madonna (5:21)/seated max v maz r
13. Beautiful by Akon (5:13)/standing max
14. Drop It Like It's Hot by Snoop Dogg (4:26)/CD

SP #88: Hill Peak 4/17/10 60.1 min
Stole the last set from February's peak week (80s) profile. It proved to be just as hard, especially during "Nasty Boys". Definitely have a recovery song before the last four songs, you really need to be fresh going in.
1. Mony Mony by Billy Idol (5:01)/WU
2. Hey Sexy Lady by Shaggy (3:20)/WU HP3
3. On To The Next One by Jay-Z (4:17)/Hill int
4. Troublemaker by Weezer (2:45)/Rolling
5. Like A G6 by Far East Movement (3:39)/jump mix
6. Alice by Avril Lavigne (3:50)/iso, iso pu
7. Uprising by Muse (5:05)/Easy Rolling
8. Dirt Off/Lying by Jay Z/Linkin Park (4:05)/Agg Climb
9. I Can't Help Myself by Four Tops (2:46)/Recovery
10. Straight Up by Paula Abdul (4:10)/Standing Max V Max R
11. Maniac by Michael Sembello (4:07)/Seated Max V Max R
12. Nasty by Janet Jackson (4:04)/Standing max v max r
13. Billie Jean by Michael Jackson (4:53)/Seated max v max r
14. Lean On Me by Club Nouveau (4:01)/CD

SP #89: Make Me Smile (Taper Class) 4/21/10 48.1min
1. Acapella by Kelis (4:06)/WU
2. It Ain't Over Til It's Over by Lenny Kravitz (4:03)/Jump Mix
3. Fire In Your New Shoes by Kaskade (2:45)/agg climb
4. Janie's Got A Gun by Aerosmith (5:31)/cnc
5. Riding Solo by Iyaz (3:38)/jumps
6. Ride by Cary Brothers & Tiesto (3:42)/cnc
7. Cinta Itu Buta (4:01)/Run
8. With Me by Sum 41 (4:51)/sprints w/r
9. Make Me Smile by Chicago (4:28)/cad + pu
10. Hook by Blues Traveler (4:49)/heavy climb
11. Angel In The Night by Basshunter (3:24)/max v max r
12. Everytime by Licoln Hawk (2:58)/CD

SP #90: RACE DAY #3 (separate post)

SP #91: Cry For Me? Cry For You! 4/26/10 46.5min
1. Perfect Gentleman by Wyclef Jean (4:10)/WU
2. Magic Dance by David Bowie (5:11)/standing climb
3. Driving me crazy by Sam Adams (4:04)/rolling
4. Tonight by The Raspberries (3:41)/cad + double time
5. St. Teresa by Joan Osborn (5:22)/int
6. Airplanes by B.O.B. (5:23)/iso 8ct + mod jumps
7. Signs Rmx by Bloc Party (5:49)/break, int
8. Ironic by Alanis Morrisette (3:49)/pu
9. Cry For You by September (5:26)/int
10. All I Wanted by Paramore (3:46)/CD

SP #92: I Can SPIN On Water, D-bag! 4/28/10 45.8min
1. You Drive Me Crazy by Britney Spears (3:18)/WU
2. Feel Your Love by Kim Sozzi (3:25)/easy int
3. Frat Star by Sam Adams (3:16)/rolling
4. Commander by Kelly Rowland (3:40)/cad + sprint
5. Into The Night (3:41)/rolling, hp3
6. Boy Like You by (3:05)/8 ct iso
7. Egoista by Belinda ft Pitbull (3:25)/mod
8. Hurricane by Something Corporate (3:51)/agg climb
9. Big Time Sensuality Rmx by Bjork (4:55)/descend and cad
10. I Can Walk On Water by Basshunter (3:46)/int
11. Teenage Dirtbag by Girls Aloud (3:50)/iso, iso pu
12. Magic by BOB (3:16)/int
13. Yellow Submarine by The Beatles (2:43)/CD

SP #93: Alors On Spin 4/30/10 54.3min
1. Lo Hecho Esta Hecho by Shakira (4:24)/WU
2. The Sweet Escape by Gwen Stefani (4:06)/WU mix
3. Believe Somebody mashup by DJ Earworm (5:00)/rolling
4. Everlasting Love by Gloria Estefan (4:06)/cnc
5. Elevation by U2 (3:47)/break, cnc
6. We Made It by Kevin Rudolf, etc (3:58)/jump mix
7. Breakneck Speed by Tokyo Police Club (3:58)/cnc
8. That Not My Name by The Ting Tings (5:11)/jump mix
9. Untouched by The Veronicas (4:14)/int
10. Hey by The Justus Boyz (3:40)/break, cnc
11. Alors On Danse by Stromae (4:14)/int
12. On To The Next One by Jay-Z (4:17)/agg climb
13. All I Wanted by Paramore (3:46)/CD

March 2010 Spin Profiles (#70-80)

2010-11-24T10:00:00.009-05:00

NUMBER 74 is one of the ALLTIME BEST SPIN PROFILES.

SP #70: This Is My Thunder 3/3/10 46 min
1. The Anthem (4:05)/WU

2. Walking On The Sun by Smashmouth (3:27)/Jump Mix
3. Lean by Lupe Fiasco (4:06)/Seated Rolling, Fast Pace

4. Machine Gun Shelter mashup (3:25)/30 sec pace intervals @1
5. Shut It Down by Akon ft. Pitbull (3:47)/Cadence + pickups

6. I Work Hard (3:49)/Fast Jumps
7. Memories by David Guetta ft. Kid Cudi (3:30)/Rolling + pickups

8. This Is My Life by Edward Maya (3:49)/Climb N Cadence, FR-2
9. Thunderstruck by AC/DC (4:52)/1 min pace, 2 min sprints w/R @ 1-2, 1 m in rec, 1 min sprint w/R

10. Get Back by Ludacris (3:51)/short rec, sprints with R
11. Shake That by Scooter (3:18)/max v, max r

12. Young Forever by Mr Hudson (4:15)/CD

SP #71, Missing

SP #72: Dorsey's Birthday 3/5/10 54.4 min
1. Ice Cream Mash (3:24)/WU
2. Pretty Girls by Wale (3:16)/Fast Jumps @1
3. If You Kiss Jesus mashup (4:31)/Jump Mix
4. Black Fingernails, Red Wine (4:07)/Mod Jumps

5. New Workout Plan by Kanye West (5:27)/Jumps, Climb N Cad
6. Lady Marmalade by Pink, Christina Aguilera, etc (4:25)/Heavy Climb, Mod jumps
7. Imma Be (4:17)/Tempo Changes
8. Popular by The Veronicas (2:42)/Sprints w/R

9. How Low Rmx by Ludacris (4:01)/HP3 cad @ 1-1.5
10. Mother Lover by JT (2:47)/iso's
11. Sex On Fire by KOL (3:23)/HP3 pickups
12. Feel It by Three 6 Mafia & Tiesto (4:02)/max v max r
13. Knockout by Lil Wayne (4:10)/iso, iso pickup, climb

14. Eternal Flame by The Bangles (3:55)/CD

SP #73: I Want You To 3/8/10 49.5 min
1. Walking On Sunshine by KC and The Sunshine Band (4:01)/WU
2. Troublemaker by Weezer (2:45)/Jump Mix
3. Hot Rich Girls mashup (4:28)/Stamina drill, cadence + pickups
4. Magnificient by Kelis (3:57)/Jump Mix @1-2

5. Sweet Dreams Rmx by Beyonce (3:39)/Rolling + pickup @1-3
6. Louboutins by J Lo (3:39)/Mod jumps @3
7. If you are wondering by Weezer (3:39)/30 sec int seated, standing HP2/HP3
8. Evacuate The Dancefloor by Cascada (3:30)/Sprints w/R @1-2

9. I'm On A Boat by The Lonely Island (2:37)/Agg Climb
10. Drunk Girl by Something Corporate (4:08)/Sprint w/R @1-2
11. Down With All The Sober Freaks mashup (4:10)/Iso Int
12. Halo/Walking by Glee (2:05)/Int

13. Hey, Soul Sister by Train (3:37)/CD

SP #74: RUDE BOY 3/10/10 45.9 min *****One of the BEST******
1. Sexual Healing Rmx by Shaggy (4:00)/WU
2. All Night Long by Alexandra Burke (3:42)/Jump Mix or easy pickups
3. Armada Latina (3:49)/Jump Mix
4. Pursuit of Happiness by Kid Cudi (4:55)/8 ct iso

5. Slide by Goo Goo Dolls (3:33)/Sprints w/R
6. Lonely No More by Rob Thomas (3:47)/Jump mix, mod
7. Up, Up, + Away by Kid Cudi (4:46)/Run + pickup
8. Alice by Avril Lavigne (4:38)/iso + iso pickups

9. I've Got You by Marc Anthony (3:53)/Fast cadence + climb + pickup opt
10. Rude Boy by Rihanna (3:43)/Agg Climb
11. Break Your Heart by Taio Cruz (3:07)/Sprints w/R

12. Hold On (Crossroads) by Wyclef Jean (4:12)/CD

SP #75: Follow Me Down 3/12/10 48.1 min
1. I Think We're Alone Now by Tiffany (3:49)/WU
2. Lose Control by Missy Elliot (4:28)/Jump Mix @1
3. Can You Tell by Ra Ra Riot (2:43)/Run + pickups
4. We Didn't Start The Fire by Billy Joel (4:48)/Sprints w/R

5. Follow Me Down by 3OH!3 (3:46)/8 ct iso
6. Fly Away by Lenny Kravitz (3:42)/mod jumps, agg climb
7. Monster by Lady Gaga (4:20)/mod jumps @3
8. Gangsta's Paradise by Coolio (4:01)/Agg Climb @2+

9. This Is My Life by Edward Maya (3:50)/ C + C
10. Closing Time by Semisonic (4:34)/Standing Sprints w/R
11. Not My Love by Janet Jackson (3:30)/Seated Sprints w/R
12. The Scientist by Cold Play (5:11)/CD

SP #76: St. Paddy's 3/17/10 49.1min
1. Drunken Lullibies by Flogging Molly(3:53)/WU
2. DJ by Akon (3:26)/HP3 cad
3. I'm A Rover by Great Big Sea (3:32)/Run
4. Sexy Movimiento by Wisen y Yandel (3:32)/Mod jumps
5. Chillin' Planes Rmx by Wale (5:11)/Cad
6. Drums of Belfast by Scythian (2:54)/C n C
7. Music Is My Hot Sex by CSS (3:06)/Rolling + pickup
8. Mr. Brightside by The Killers (3:48)/Sprints
9. Shake My by Scooter (3:19)/Sprints
10. The Wild Rover by Dropkick Murphys (3:26)/Agg Climb
11. Express Yourself by Madonna (4:04)/Cadence
12. Riverdance (5:42)/Descend + Cad
13. If I Ever Leave (3:21)/CD

SP #77a: LATE NIGHT 1: Summer Grooves 3/18/10 31.5 min
1. All Summer Long by Kid Rock (4:47)/WU
2. Surfin' USA by The Beach Boys (2:28)/Run
3. Summer Love by JT (4:13)/Jump mix
4. Summer of '69 by Bryan Adams (3:39)/Climb
5. Margaritaville by Jimmy Buffet (4:11)/jump mix
6. Summer Nights by Grease (3:37)/Rolling + pickup
7. Sweet Home Alabama by Lynyrd Skynyrd (4:45)/agg climb + pickup
8. Walking On Sunshine by KC + The Sunshine Band (4:01)/max v maxr

SP #77b: LATE NIGHT 2: Parodies 3/18/10 32.2min
1. It's All About The Pentiums by Weird Al (3:35)/WU
2. Mother Lover by JT (2:47)/HP3 climb, iso 8cts
3. Yoda by Weird Al (4:00)/climb n cad
4. ...Baby One More Time by Bowling For Soup (3:29)/Top Climb
5. Ebay by Weird Al (3:36)/iso int
6. Amish Paradise by Weird Al (3:19)/agg climb
7. I'm On A Boat by The Lonely Island (2:37)/agg climb
8. White N Nerdy by Weird Al (3:20)/seated climb n cad
9. Eat It by Weird Al (3:20)/maxv max r
10. Do I Creep You Out (2:49)/CD

SP #78: Recovery, FS, CS 3/24/10 48.6min
1. Save Tonight by Eagle Eye Cherry (3:59)/WU
2. When Love Takes Over by Kelly Rowland (3:09)/seated warmup sprints
3. All About The Pentiums by Weird Al (3:35)/St Agg Climb

4. Oohh Ahh (3:57)/recover, jumps
5. In Her Eyes by Basshunter (3:14)/set-90%-100% x2 @fr
6. River of Dreams by Billy Joel (4:06)/HP3 Agg climb

7. Monster by Lady Gaga (4:20)/recovery, jumps
8. Because The Night by Cascada (3:26)/ cad, 90%, 100% x2
9. Cry For You by September (3:30)/seated verse, std chorus @1-2

10. November Rain by Guns N Roses (8:57)/iso, 8ct iso, agg climb
11. Bye Bye Bye by NSYNC (3:30)/Sprints w/R
12. La Belle et Le Bad Boy by MC Solar (3:12)/CD

SP #79: Like A G6 3/29/10 49.9min
1. Do Ya Think Deceptiback? mashup (5:25)/WU
2. Live Like We're Dying by Kris Allen (3:33)/Easy pickups
3. Say Aah by Fabolous (3:28)/Jumps
4. Electronic Music by Akon (2:26)/max v max r

5. Styrofoam by Ke$ha (3:23)/iso 8ct
6. Breakeven by The Script (4:21)/seated pickups @2
7. Energy by The Apples In Stereo (3:23)/cadence @1; jumps
8. Like A G6 by Far East Movement (3:39)/FR, 30 sec pickups

9. Strange by Tokio Hotel (3:49)/1 min iso, 30 sec pickup
10. The Technicolor Phase by Owl City (4:27)/Easy climb
11. All The Above by One Republic (3:21)/jump mix
12. Wear My Kiss by Sugabees (3:23)/max v max r x2
13. Shooting The Moon by Ok Go (3:16)/CD

SP #80: Not Myself Tonight! 3/31/10 44.5min
1. Jumps 2. Flats 3. Rolling
1. Mamma Mia! (3:35)/WU
2. Zoosk Girl by Flo Rida (3:13)/Run mix
3. Red Blooded Woman by Kylie Minogue (4:23)/mod, jump mix
4. Kids Rmx by Chiddy Bang (3:13)/30 sec pace int

5. In + Out Of Love by Armin Van Buuren (3:03)/cad + speed bursts
6. Say It Right Away Mashup (5:08)/Fr-1 +pickups
7. Not Myself Tonight By Christina Aguilera (3:02)/Fast cad, climb

8. One Song by Rigby (3:23)/Start heavy, descend-control + pickup
9. Pyromania by Cascada (3:30)/rolling + PU + pace
10. Just Say Yes by Snow Patrol (4:47)/CnC
11. Fever by Cascada (3:20)/sprints w/r
12. Haven't Met You Yet by Michael Buble (4:05)/CD

Race Day #2: February 27, 2010

2010-11-24T09:14:00.008-05:00

RACE DAY is a chance for spinners to measure their fitness level and challenge themselves beyond a normal class by keeping their heart rate above 80% for twenty minutes or more. It is also an opportunity to build team-spirit in your group exercise program, a sense of "we will overcome together". If your participants have a goal, a team, and a coach, they are much more likely to stick to a fitness schedule, reach their fitness goals, and feel good about themselves. Make spinning more than a class that random individuals go to; make it an integral part of their lives that they can't miss.

The RACE DAY in the fall semester was a lot of fun, but there were several issues I wanted to ameliorate for the second try. Our spin bikes have no way of measuring heart rate or pace or effort levels. Last Fall, I had made the race about percent effort, how you feel at the time. This is not very scientific and doesn't give any concrete marker for participants to measure their efforts. This time I had spinners learn how to measure their heart rates throughout PEAK WEEK, so this time racers could have some data and a benchmark for future comparisons.

There was a lot more organization to this event. I made sure people knew to wait outside the spin room until all the bikes were set up. I spoke with the attendant beforehand to make sure he knew there would be a special event and to make sure everyone stayed in line. Instead of making the sweat bands (they turned out to be way too hot), I bought Nike headbands for the ladies and gel packs for the fellows. I still set up all the cards with inspirational phrases, the photos of far away places, and streamers.

This course was a figure eight loop. Each song was one figure eight. 2 min flat, 2 min standing flat, 1 min flat.

Warm Up Tracks:
*Heart Rate (HR) Check #1
1. Survivor by Beyonce (4:13)
2. Mony Mony by Billy Idol (5:00)
3. How Far We've Come by Matchbox 20 (3:31)
*HR Check #2

RACE:
1. All I Ever Wanted by Basshunter (4:45)/Lo
2. Pour Some Sugar On Me by Def Leppard (4:50)/Hi *HR Check #3
3. Into The Groove (Sidechains Remix) by Madonna (5:32)/Lo
*HR Check #4
4. Lose Yourself by Eminem (5:20)/Hi
5. Crazy by Britney Spears (3:18)/Max, *HR Check #5

Cool Down:
We Are The Champions by Queen (3:00), *HR Check #6

Six Hours To Paradise: One Woman's Epic Tale of Bravery & Perseverence

2010-11-11T14:19:00.009-05:00

Alternative title:
Highway to Hell! One Woman's Epic Tale of Stupidity, Insanity, and Frozen Feet

Follow the link to the document. Sorry, this was a massively long story and it was easier to make a word document and then embed it here.

Six Hours to Paradise

PEAK WEEK Spin Profiles (#65-67)

2010-06-10T13:22:00.003-04:00

The first profile introduces a new drill: iso pickups! Woo! Super fun! You must be familiar now with isolation intervals. Now that we are becoming more advanced, it's time to try a more advanced version. We start with a regular isolation drill (HP3, super heavy, slow the pace down, focus on keeping the upper body perfectly still, hips to the rear, circular pedal strokes). Then we add in the fun: turn the R down just a quart-half turn to allow your pace to speed up, and pick up holding that isolated upper body position. Since this is really challenging, no more than 10 secs to start. Knockout by Lil Wayne is a perfect song for this drill because it has a slower feeling part, followed by a short faster feeling part. Warning! Must be advanced to do this. All about core strength! Sucking in your gut, keeping your shoulders level. Do not do this with beginners! Form first! To newer people, I coach a slightly easier option: after isolation, just pick up at same resistance (anything faster is great!). Remember that the lower the resistance, the harder it is for your core (so less R isn't necessarily easier).

NB: These profiles also took place during PEAK WEEK, which means they are particularly challenging. I forget if I've explained this in a previous post or not, but I design our semester training to correlate with how I would train for a race (I'm a marathoner, so I bring my knowledge from the running arena into spin class). I plan two RACE DAYs per semester: one in the middle and one at the end. Just like in marathon training, we build up our fitness levels (endurance, stamina, speed, mind power) and have one week where we really challenge ourselves every day (PEAK WEEK). We then back off the intensity for TAPER WEEK to give our legs time to refresh. We then have RACE DAY to show how much we've progressed over the months! After Race Day, we then back off the intensity to a base level. The goal is that our base level of fitness after Race Day be higher than it was in the beginning of the semester. It is also a great way to keep motivation high (since it is something exciting and different to look forward to).

PEAK WEEK Profiles:
Spin Profile #56: Aww Eff It, Gimme That Damn Bucket 2/17/10 49.2min
1. Easy Love by MSTRKRFT (5:32)/WU
2. Bang A Gong (Get It On) by T. Rex (4:27)/Run + pickups @1
3. Starstrukk by 3OH!3 ft Katy Perry (3:23)/Speed bursts !-2 alt. seated and standing
4. Bitch by Meredith Brooks (4:13)/Jump Mix @1-2
5. I Like by Keri Hilson (3:37)/8cts isolation, chorus HOLD, @3

6. Stereo Love by Edward Maya (5:21)/Climb N Cadence FR ==> 3
7. One Way Or Another by Blondie (3:36)/Aggressive Climb @2
8. Dirty Picture by Taio Cruz (3:40)/Mod Jumps @2-3
9. Shut Up! by Simple Plan (3:01)/Cadence @FR-1; at 1:30, slow interlude: HP3 UP-->2:20 (drum roll) sit
10. 7 Things by Miley Cyrus (3:41)/Sprints with R @2
11. Knockout by Lil Wayne (4:10)/Start up @1, cad > iso > iso pickup (repeat 3x). End on aggresive climb
12. Ice Cream by Sarah McLachlan (2:44)/CD

SP #66: 80's II 2/17/10 60min
1. Friday I'm In Love by The Cure (3:35)/WU
2. Always Something There To Remind Me by Naked Eyes (3:42)/Run + Pickup
3. Escapade by Janet Jackson (4:44)/Jump Mix
4. Kiss by Prince (3:38)/Alt. Fast Slow Tempo, Standing @2
5. Our House by Madness (3:23)/Rolling
6. The Goonies R Good Enough by Cyndi Lauper (3:38)/Run @1
7. The Power Of Love by Huey Lewis (3:54)/Mod Jumps @3
8. Rhythm Of The Night by DeBarge (3:54)/30sec @HP3, 30sec seated, cadence + pickups
9. Danger Zone by Kenny Loggins (3:35)/Stamina Test! @FR-1

10. How Will I Know by Whitney Houston (4:36)/Easy Recovery Run

11. Straight Up by Paula Abdul (4:10)/Standing Max V Max R
12. Maniac by Michael Sembello (4:07)/ Seated Max V Max R
13. Nasty by Janet Jackson (4:04)/Standing Max V Max R
14. Billie Jean by Michael Jackson (4:53)/Seated Max V Max R

15. You Can Call Me Al by Paul Simon (4:40)/CD

SP #67: You Want This 2/20/10 51.9min
1. Now That We've Found Love by Heavy D (4:18)/WU
2. Her Diamonds by Rob Thomas (4:39)/Climb N Cadence
3. Life Goes On by The Beatles (3:11)/Fast Jumps @1-2
4. Sweet Dreams Remix by Beyonce (3:39)/Rolling Hills + pickups
5. Time by Hootie & The Blowfish (4:54)/Start w iso @3; 8ct iso
6. Don't Stop The Music by Rihanna (4:27)/Cadence + pickups @2
7. You Want This by Janet Jackson (5:06)/Max V Max R
8. Revolver by Madonna (3:41)/Heavy Jump Mix @3

9. Abdel Kader by 1,2,3 Soleils (4:58)/Standing Max V Max R
10. This Is How A Heart Breaks by Rob Thomas (3:51)/Sprints W R
11. Knockout by Lil Wayne (4:10)/Start @1; Cadence > iso > iso pickups x3, end on aggressive climb

12. Bennie & The Jets by Elton John (5:09)/CD

February Spin Profiles, Part 1: 59-64

2010-05-10T12:13:00.009-04:00

Wednesday marks my 100th Spin Profile! Wow! While compiling the Ultimate Spin Profile Song List for this class, I started to realize that I'm about 40 profiles behind on my blog. Whoops! I had wanted to keep things pretty UTD on this site so I would have fresh impressions of things, but it seems as though living has gotten in the way of writing. Oh well.

February was all about build up to our Race Day at the end of the month. Also featured some Valentine's Day Themed Classes (however, I don't think I could top last year's Classic Rock Love Songs Themed Class (SP #03)).

Spin Profile #59: Face Lift 2/1/10 48.2 min
1. Cruel Summer by Blue Crush (5:24)/WU
2. Breakin Dishes by Rihanna (3:21)/Rolling Hills
3. Pink Houses by John Mellencamp (4:44)/Climb N Cadence
4. Replay by Iyaz (3:02)/Jump Mix @ 1-2
5. Once In A Lifetime by Talking Heads (4:19)/Climb N Cadence
6. Uprising by Muse (5:05)/Mod jumps @3 + Rolling
7. Imma Be by Black Eyed Peas (4:17)/Jumps @2
8. You're So Damn Hot by Ok Go (2:39)/Run + pickups @1
9. I'm In Philly Trick by LMFAO (3:50)/Mod jumps @3
10. Twist & Shout by Ike & Tina Turner (3:02)/Run + pickups @1
11. In The Air Tonight by Nonpoint (4:31)/Sprints w R
12. Falling Slowly by Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova (4:04)/CD

SP #60: I Got The Power! (hooray) 2/3/10 47.5 min
1. The Power by Snap! (3:49)/WU
2. Tik Tok by Ke$ha (3:20)/Warm Up Jump Mix + easy pickups
3. Hip Hop Hooray by Naught by Nature (4:24)/Jumps @1
4. Cruel To Be Kind by Letters To Cleo (3:03)/Run + pickups @1
5. Popular by The Veronicas (2:42)/Standing Climb N Cadence
6. Speakerphone by Kylie Minogue (3:54)/Standing Rolling Hills
7. God Is A DJ by P!nk (3:44)/Chorus Sprints w R
8. Empire State Of Mind by Jay-Z (4:37)/Mod Jumps @3
9. Calypso by Spiderbait (1:51)/Standing Sprints w/R; follow music
10. Don't Trust Me by 3OH!3 (3:13)/Recover, cadence
11. Numb/Encore by Jay-Z & Linkin Park (3:25)/Aggressive Climb
12. Boom Boom Boom by The Outhere Brothers (3:22)/Faster to Fastest @1-FR
13. Call On Me by Eric Prydz (2:49)/2 sets of max v max r *****
14. Horchata by Vampire Weekend (3:27)/CD

** Before class I sent out an email to my spinners saying, "Oh look, my BodyPump class was filmed the other day and some of you were in it. Check out the video. The song will be on tonight's play list!" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_fCqg92qks
Some people just replied "Oh Congrats Nina" before actually watching the video. Check it out for yourself! Real workout motivator....

Hahahahahaha! I'm still cracking up about this. Yes, if you come to my spin class, you know my humor is stupid and corny. It does get you smiling though! :D

SP #61: Miseducation 2/5/10 57.1 min
1. Take The Lead (Wanna Ride) by Bone Thugs N Harmony (3:28)/WU
2. I Like To Move It by Reel 2 Reel (3:43)/Easy sprints, FR-.5
3. What Would You Do? by City High (2:56)/Climb N Cadence (remember this song after watching Intervention with my housemate...)
4. Dani California by RHCP (4:43)/Climb @2 HP3
5. La La La by LMFAO (3:30)/Rolling
6. Carry Out by Timbaland (3:52)/Jumps @1
7. The Game of Love by Santana (4:14)/Jump Mix @1-2
8. Proper Education by Eric Prydz v. Floyd (3:24)/Rolling + pickups
9. Youth Of The Nation by P.O.D. (4:18)/Aggressive Climb HP3
10. Everything Is Everything by Lauren Hill (4:53)/mod jumps
11. Asereje by Las Ketchup (3:31)/Fast cadence + pickups @FR-1
12. Walkin Out Yo Girlfriend mashup by DJ Lobsterdust (3:40)/Jump Mix
13. Whoa Oh! by Forever The Sickest Kids (3:25)/Fast cadence + pickups
14. Everytime We Touch by Cascada (3:20)/max v max r
15. Halo by Beyonce (4:22)/CD

SP #62: Jump N Bang 2/8/10 48.6 min
1. Bang Bang by K'naan (3:07)/WU
2. Big Yellow Taxi by Counting Crows (3:45)/Climb N Cadence
3. Send My Love To The Dancefloor (3:52)/HP3 surges @2
4. Symphonies by Dan Black (3:47)/Rolling + seated pickup
5. Jump by Van Halen (4:02)/mod jumps @3 + pickups @1
6. Down by Jay Sean (3:32)/Jump Mix + pickups @1

7. Hand In My Pocket by Alanis Morissette (3:42)/Recovery, Climb N Cadence
8. I Made It by Kevin Rudolf (4:22)/Alt Fast + Slow jump mix
9. Fake Plastic Trees by Radiohead (4:51)/High R! 1) iso intervals 2) sit + pickup 3) iso intervals
10. Troublemaker by Weezer (2:45)/Rolling + pickups
11. Crazy Remix by Alanis Morissette (3:40)/Rolling + pickups: Up 2, down 1 to sprint
12. Oh Africa by Akon (3:21)/CD

Two Valentine's Day Themed Classes! (we had the competition again: points for guessing artist, name of song, theme, technique, movie name)

SP #63: Tainted Love 2/12/10 59.1 min
1. Love At First Sight by Kylie Minogue (4:00)/WU
2. Tainted Love by Soft Cell (2:40)/Jump Mix @1
3. Killing Me Softly by Fugees (4:50)?mod jumps @3
4. One Way Or Another by Blondie (3:36)/Rolling + pickups
5. Turnin Me On by Keri Hilson (4:09)/Fast jump mix @1
6. Your Love by The Outfield (3:36)/Run @1, Climb HP3
7. Ooops!...I Did It Again (3:31)/Climb HP3 +pickups
8. Angel by Aerosmith (5:07)/isolation intervals, climb
9. Oops (Oh My) by Tweet & Missy Elliott (3:58)/alt fast and slow jump mix
10. My Bloody Valentine by Good Charlotte (3:55)/stamina test, max v maxr
11. #1 Crush by Garbage (4:45)/iso, mod jumps
12. I Touch Myself (3:45)/jump mix + pickups
13. Head Over Feet by Alanis Morissette (4:24)/iso, high R pickups
14. Take Me Home Tonight by Eddie Money (3:31)/Sprints w R
15. Can't Help Falling In Love by UB40 (3:27)/CD

SP #64: Lovey Dovey Movies 2/13/10 48.9 min
1. Pretty Woman by Roy Orbison, Pretty Woman (2:58)/WU
2. Love Fool by The Cardigans, Romeo + Juliet (3:14)/Warm up Jumps
3. Tenderness by General Public, Clueless, Werid Science (3:38)/Run @1
4. Love Stinks by Adam Sandler, The Wedding Singer (1:26)/iso, heavy
5. I Want You To Want Me by Letters to Cleo, 10 Things I Hate About You (3:26)/30 sec int jump mix
6. Lady Marmalade by Christina Aguilera, et al, Moulin Rouge (4:25)/Rolling
7. In Your Eyes by Peter Gabriel, Say Anything (5:27)/Climb N Cadence
8. Walking On Sunshine by Katrina & The Waves, High Fidelity (4:01)/Fast cadence seated and standing @FR-1
9. Mrs. Robinson by Simon & Garfunkel, The Graduate (4:03)/HP3 cadence @2
10. Summer nights, Grease (3:37)/Rolling + pickups
11. All I Want Is You by U2, Reality Bites (6:30)/Descend N Cadence
12. I'm A Believer by Smash Mouth, Shrek (3:03)/climb, run, sprint
13. Seasons of Love, Rent (3:03)/CD

January Spin Profiles (#52-58)

2010-02-16T14:05:00.006-05:00

NB: Dialed back the intensity of the profiles for the beginning of the semester. There were alot of new spinners/people who hadn't worked out over the break. How did I make it less intense? More breaks. Less fast jumps. Pickups instead of sprints.

Rememer that a set means we wait until the end of the set (usually after the last song has ended) to sit back and take a water break. From the beginning it's important to get into good conditioning habbits and not waste time in the workout. The first profiles have three song sets. By the end of the month, we are on four song sets. We will continue this endurance training/progression in February. **We will have a mid-semester training peak/test at the end of February (READ: RACE DAY).

New drills:
1. The Slow Sit. Similar to our modified jumps (moving hovers), but we slowly sit down in the saddle from position 3 then slowly rise. This is supposed to be another method of isolating your glutes. It should feel similar to a squat. I learned about this in and RPM class by Les Mills.

2. Max V Max R. I LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS. Yes, my new favorite creation! By the end of the profile, it gets harder and harder to communicate...so this month I naturally started shortening words like Resistance to just "R". Well, for us Geeks out there, talking about R naturally gets us thinking about I and v...v in this case referring to velocity. I also wanted to give spinners a bit more freedom in choosing their ending levels. And thus Max V Max R was born. What does this mean? When I shout this out in, for example, the last song, this means that we are slowly going to build up both speed and resistance until we are at our max for both. This level is different for everyone. I usually do it during a song that builds up tempo for a minute or two, breaks, then build up again to the finish. Therefore, we usually will have two-three sets of max v max r with breaks in between. These are meant to drive you to your MAX. Exhaust yourself.

Spin Profile #52: Best of 2000's I (57.2 min) 1/8/10
5 sets, 3 songs per set
1. Hot In Herre by Nelly (3:48)/WU
2. Switch by Will Smith (3:19)/Run mix @1
3. Milkshake by Kelis (3:03)/Slow sit @2

4. When I Grow Up by The Pussycat Dolls (4:06)/Chorus pickups @2; HP3
5. Rehab by Amy Winehouse (3:41)/Jumps @1
6. Disturbia by Rihanna (3:59)/Alternating seated-standing cadence @2

7. Hot N Cold by Katie Perry (3:40)/Verse: HP3 @2 Chorus: seated pickups @FR
8. Stronger by Kanye West (5:12)/Climb and Cadence @FR-2
9. Yeah! by Usher (4:10)/ Slow sit + cadence @2-3

10. Since U Been Gone by Kelly Clarkson (3:09)/Verse: Run @1; Chorus: Seated sprint @FR-1
11. It wasn't me by Shaggy (3:48)/Mod Jumps @3
12. Single Ladies by Beyonce (3:13)/Verse: seated cadence @1; chorus: Run

13. Chasing Cars Remix by Power Music Workout (4:45)/Climb N Cadence @1-3
14. Girlfriend by Avril Lavigne (3:37)/Verse Run @1, Chorus Sprints Standing then seated @1==>FR
15. Angel by Shaggy (3:55)/CD

SP #53: Can't Get Enough! (50.7 min) 1/6/10 ***One of my favorites
1. Ice Cream Mash by Mad Mix Mustang (3:24)/WU ***LOVE this song!
2. Give It Up To Me by Shakira (3:04)/FR pickups. Just a lil speed.
3. Body Snatchers by Radiohead (4:02)/30 sec intervals: Sit-Run-Out; Cadence @1.5

4. Can't Get Enough of Your Love Babe by Barry White (3:50)/Climb N Cadence @FR==>2
5. Good Time by Brazilian Girls (3:49)/Alternating Fast (@1) and Slow (@2) Jumps
6. If You Kiss Jesus Mashup by Robin Skouteris (4:31)/Cadence @3-3.5; HP3

7. Slow Burning Crimes by East Hundred (4:09)/Mod Jumps @3
8. One Of Us by Joan Osborne (5:21)/Climb N Cadence FR-3
9. If We Ever Meet Again by Timbaland (4:53)/30 sec run; 30 sec out to HP3 @1-2\

10. Take You Hands Off My Girl by Good Charlotte (4:09)/Chorus Pickups HP3 @3
11. More Than A Feeling Remix by Rockout (5:43)/Gradual to Max V; Max R
12. Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm by Crash Test Dummies (3:55)/CD

SP #54: Best of 2000's Part II (50.7 min) 1/11/10
1. All Because Of You by U2 (3:39)/WU
2. Beep by The Pussycat Dolls (3:49)/WU Mix @1
3. Crazy by Gnarls Barkley (2:58)/Standing Climb + Mod Jumps @2-3

4. Get Me Bodied by Beyonce (3:26)/HP3 Cadence @1
5. Let Me Go by 3 Doors Down (3:53)/Climb = pickups FR==>3
6. Don't Let Me Get Me by P!nk (3:31)/Start @3, chorus: sit, turn down and pickup @2

7. I Believe In A Thing Called Love by The Darkness (3:37)/Verse: jumps @1; Chorus pickups HP3
8. 4 Minutes by Madonna ft JT (4:05)/Mod Jumps @ 3 + chorus pickups @2
9. Feel Good by Gorillaz (3:41)/Jump Mix @1
10. Poker Face by Lady Gaga (3:59)/Cadence @2 + climb + pickups

11. Ms. Jackson by Outkast (4:35)/Isolation Intervals @3
12. Big Girls Don't Cry Remix by Nick Skitz (5:43)/Sprints
13. Far Away by Nickelback (3:57)/CD

SP #55: Hotel Groove In Black (48.6 min) 1/13/10
1. Groove Is In The Girls Mashup by Dunproofin' (3:36)/WU
2. Ride by G. Love (3:44)/Speed Bumps
3. Material Girl by Madonna (3:53)/Jump Mix @1 plus pickups

4. Hotel by Cassidy (4:07)/Jumps @1; FAST
5. 3 AM by Matchbox 20 (3:45)/Climb + pickups
6. Pretty Girls by Wale (3:16)/Speed Bumps

7. Stacy's Mom by Fountains of Wayne (3:18)/Cadence @2; Chorus surges HP3
8. Roses by Outkast (6:10)/Jump Mix @1
9. In Your Eyes by Peter Gabriel (5:27)/Stamina Test, Cadence FR ==>2

10. Back In Black by Simon Wright/Sprints with Resistance
11. Shooting Star by David Rush ft LMFAO (3:43)/Sprints w/R
12. La belle et le bad boy by MC Solaar (3:12)/CD

SP #56: The Real Deal (47.9 min) 1/16/10
1. Good Girls Burn Miami Mashup by Titus Jones (3:32)/WU
2. Don't Call Me Daughter by Pearl Jam (3:55)/Climb
3. Je T'Emmene Au Vent by Louse Attaque (3:13)/FR==>1 stamina test!
4. The Adventure by Angels and Airwaves (5:13)/Climb
5. Gone Til November by Wyclef Jean (3:27)/Mod jumps + isolation intervals @3

6. A Circus Of Heartbreakin' Divas Mashup by Titus Jones (2:56)/Cadence @ FR-1
7. Shades of Grey by Billy Joel (4:11)/Jump Mix @1-2
8. Fair by Remy Zero (3:56)/Isolation Intervals @3

9. London Bridge by Fergie (3:28)/Cadence @1-2 alternating seated and standing
10. Call Me Uprising Mashup by CjR (3:29)/Standing Climb @2-3
11. Sunday Bloody Sunday by U2 (4:39)/Max V Max R
12. Superwoman by Alicia Keys (4:01)/CD

SP #57: Ridiculous (47.6 min) 1/20/10
1. Krazy Day N Nite Mashup by A Plus D (2:40)/WU
2. Happy by The Rolling Stones (3:04)/Run @1
3. 1973 by James Blunt (4:40)/Jump Mix @2
4. Secret by Madonna (3:50)/Mod Jumps @3

5. Girls FM by Happy Birthday (3:00)/Active Recovery, Run @1
6. White And Nerdy by Weird Al (2:49)/Jump Mix @2 + HP3 cadence
7. Jet by Paul McCartney (4:09)/HP3 @2.5 ==> long pickups, shorter breaks on slow bits
8. Lollipop by Lil Wayne (4:59)/Mod Jumps @3

9. Mary Jane's Last Dance by Tom Petty (4:29)/Active Recovery, Climb N Cadence FR-->2
10. Mother Lover by Justin Timberlake (2:47)/HP3 @2-->3/isolation
11. Megamix by Jock Jams (3:13)/
0-1:30 Max V Max R
1:30-2:27 @Max R, slow it down + rise out to HP3
Sit and turn down to FR when hear "Hey, hey you, get out of our way..."
2:27-3:13 Max V Max R
(10 sec left when hear "Let's get ready to rumble...B E Agressive")
12. This Too Shall Pass (Passion Pit Remix) by Ok Go (4:26)/
0-2:00 Max V Max R
2-2:37 Base Pace
2:37-3:12 Build Up
3:12-end Max V Max R
13. I Hate Everyone by Get Set Go (3:33)/CD

SP #58: I'm Serious As Cancer When I Say Rhythm Is A Dancer. (47.5 min) 1/25/10
1. Dude (Looks Like A Lady) by Aerosmith (4:24)/WU
2. Pump Up The Jam by Technotronic (5:24)/Easy Sprints @FR
3. Meet Me On The Equinox by Death Cab For Cutie (3:44)/Stamina Test: cadence FR-->2
4. The New Workout Plan by Kanye West (5:27)/Speed Bumps

5. Train In Vain by The Clash (3:10)/Jumps @1
6. Clothes Off! by Gym Class Heroes (3:55)/Cadence @2 with pickups
7. Rhythm Is A Dancer by Snap! (4:42)
8. All The Things She Said by T.A.T.U. (3:34)/Sprints w/R @2

9. Sometime Around Midnight by Airborne Toxic Event (5:04)/Climb N Cadence
10. Shout! by The Isley Brothers (4:28)/Sprints @Half Turn Up from FR
0-47 Sprint, Song Breaks at "I still remember"--just for a second though
48-1:15, Sprint
1:15-1:45 "I want you to know", slower part, R @2, HP 3/option: isolations
1:45-2:11, Sprint! Sit, Half up from FR/stops at "Now wait a minute"
2:11-2:42, slower part, R @2, HP 3; option: isolation
2:43-2:55: Quick Sprint "You been so good to me"
2:55-3:25: Cadence/Base Pace/"A little bit softer now.."
3:35-4:28: Sprint to finish (one minute!)! "A little bit louder now!"

December Spin Profiles (#48-51)

2010-01-26T12:28:00.003-05:00

It's the end of the semester (ok it was--over a month ago now)! Time to get intense and see how far we've come. Read: these profiles are crazy hard. Stress burners! Why are they so hard? Very little rest; lots of fast-paced jumps that require you to use your core strength; lots of sprints with resistance. Max R, Max V!

Spin Profile #48: 90's Memories (Parte Dos) (51.2 min)
Like part 1, I brought up a memory with each song. For instance, when "Fly" comes on, I always think back to sophomore year of high school at the Topsfield Fair and going on the upside-down-ride with Alex Rich (this track was playing on the loud speaker as we were waiting in line). Very soon after that fright, we started going out. This song always reminds me of those magical moments during that Fall. "Say It Ain't Say So" also brings up great memories as I've covered it in three separate bands (as well as "Laid"). Also, Joan Osborne had a well-known, one-hit-wonder song, "One of Us", but I always preferred her song, "St. Teresa" because of the cool visuals in her music video (goldfish coming out of the toilet). And, who hasn't done the Macarena (yes I did it on the bike)? Lastly, I belted out a good deal of the lyrics to "Gangsta's Paradise" and thought of Michelle Pfeifer. This profile was pretty popular and thus used it in several classes.

1. Wannabe by the Spice Girls (2:53)/WU
2. Fly by Sugar Ray (4:53)/WU mix, seated to standing HP2 to HP3 @1
3. Push by Matchbox 20 (3:58)/Standing cadence with chorus surges plus climb @1-2.5
4. St. Teresa by Joan Osborne (5:22)/Verse: seated cadence; Chorus: standing pickup
5. Say It Ain't So by Weezer (4:21)/Climb with chorus pickups @1-3
6. We Trying to Stay Alive by Wyclef Jean (3:12)
7. Come To My Window by Melissa Etheridge (3:56)/Climb with chorus pickups @2-3
8. Ironic by Alanis Morissette (3:49)/Chorus sprints @2
9. Zombie by The Cranberries (5:06)/Isolation Intervals @ 3
10. Macarena by Los del Rio (4:12)/stamina test, cadence @1-2 Do the dance!
11. Laid by James (2:37)/Fast Jumps @1.5
12. Gangsta's Paradise by Coolio (4:01)/Climb and cadence! As fast and as heavy as you can.
13. Stay (I Missed You) by Lisa Loeb (3:04)/CD

#49: Fight For Your Woman, Baby (53.9 min)
1. The Rhythm of the Night by Corona (4:24)/WU
2. Here Comes My Baby by Cat Stevens (2:54)/Run @1
3. Say My Name by Destiny's Child (4:31)/Fast Jumps @ 1
4. It Wasn't Me by Shaggy (3:48)/Jump Mix @2
5. I Can See Clearly Now by Jimmy Cliff (3:16)/Mod Jumps @2-2.5
6. If Looks Could Kill by Camera Obscura (3:30)/Run @1 with pickups
7. (You Gotta) Fight For Your Right by Beastie Boys (3:29)/Chorus sprints with resistance @2
8. American Girl by Tom Petty (3:32)/Stamina Test, Cadence @FR-2
9. Mercy by Duffy (3:40)/Alternating Fast Jumps @1.5 and Slower Mod Jumps @2.5
10. Man! I Feel Like A Woman! by Shania Twain (3:54)/Cadence standing HP3 @2.5-3 with pickups
11. Loser by Beck (3:55)/Climb Mix 2-Max
12. Can't Stop The Rock (4:35)/Sprint intervals, @FR-1
13. Scream by Michael & Janet Jackson (4:38)/Sprints w/resistance, switching seated + standing HP3 @2-1
14. I'll Make Love To You by Boyz II Men (3:56)/CD

#50: Lapdances, Tigers, Sex, & Love In Da Club (50.3 min)
Two sets of six songs. Only one "break"!
1. Survivor by Destiny's Child (4:00)/WU
2. Walk Like An Egyptian by The Bangles (3:23)/ Speed Bumps: Cadence. 20 secs "up" + 20 secs "down".
3. In Da Club by 50 Cent (3:13)/Fast Jump Mix @1
4. Bruised by The Bens (4:40)/Seated climb with standing pickups @FR-2.5
5. Heartbreaker by MSTRKRFT (3:13)/Jumps @2-2.5
6. Sex On Fire by Kings of Leon (3:23)/Standing HP3 with pickups @2.5
7. Faint Toxic Mashup, Linkin Park v. Britney (2:29)/cadence @2

8. Alive With The Glory Of Love by Say Anything (4:15)/30sec break; alternate run + HP3 @1
9. Lapdance by N.E.R.D. (3:30)/HP3 @2, mod jumps with holds
10. Crazy In Love by Beyonce (3:56)/Cadence HP3 @2.5-3, alternate fast and slow
11. Eye Of The Tiger by Survivor (4:09)/Climb n Cadence @2.5-max
12. How Far We've Come by Matchbox 20 (3:30)/Verse: Run @1, Chorus HP3 pickup
13. Footloose by Kenny Loggins (3:46)/Verse: HP3 cadence @1, Chorus seated sprint @1-FR
14. We Are The Champions by Queen (3:01)/CD

#51: The Final Countdown (52.7 min)
Last profile of the semester! Watch out!
Profile: 3 sets of four songs (plus CD).
First Song: lowest R; Second Song: Medium R; Third Song: Highest R; Forth Song: increasing R
1. Hey Ya! by Outkast (3:55)/WU
2. Tessie by Dropkick Murphys (4:16)/Jump Mix @1
3. Secret Crowds by Angels & Airways (5:03)/Standing Climb @1-3
4. Wonder Woman by Super Heroes Invasion (1:38)/Sprint

5. Golden Years by David Bowie (4:01)/short FR cadence, jumps @1
6. We're Not Gonna Take It by Twisted Sister (3:40)/Run @1.5
7. Evacuate The Dancefloor by Cascada (3:30)/Mod Jumps @3
8. Livin' On A Prayer by Bon Jovi (4:09)/Sprints w/resistance @2

9. YMCA by Village People (4:44)/active recovery, shorter; jumps @1 (dance optional ;) )
10. Morning After Dark by Timbaland (3:53)/light surges out to HP3 @2
11. The Final Countdown by Europe (5:10)/Top of the hill! @2-max
12. My Life Would Suck Without You by Kelly Clarkson (3:32)/Aww, corny finish! Sprints with decreasing resistance. First chorus: standing HP3 sprint @2, second: HP2 standing sprint @1; finish seated @1-FR
13. We Will Rock You by Queen (2:02)/CD
14. Lean On Me by Club Nouveau (4:01)/CD

Happy [belated] Holidays!

November Spin Profiles (42-47)

2010-01-07T15:46:00.003-05:00

Spin Profile #42: Requests
I continue to use the email list to get song suggestions from my Spinners--even better, they sometimes send me the mp3 file. Emailing specific people and saying, "I'm playing your song tonight!" is a great tool for getting people to show up and be excited. Several Regulars have said that they've worked much harder (without even realizing it) because they got so pumped up when their song came on.

1. No More Gas by Earworm (5:02)/WU
2. Dancing In The Dark by Bruce Springsteen (4:00)/Jump Mix @1
3. The Way You Move by Outkast (3:54)/Speed Bumps; 20sec on/off
4. Here It Goes Again by Ok Go (3:00)/Chorus surges up & out to HP3
5. Paper Planes REMIX by M.I.A. (3:27)/Heavy Jumps and Mod Jumps @2.5-3
6. In The Shadows by The Rasmus (4:06)/Chorus Surges @1
7. Get Over It by Ok Go (3:17)/Start heavy + slow, pick up with music
8. Hip Hop Saved My Life by Lupe Fiasco (4:03)/Jump mix @2.5, alternating slow/fast pace
9. Time Is Running Out by Muse (3:58)/Rolling Hills
10. Rock In Black Mashup by Go Home Productions (3:58)/Isolation intervals @3+
11. One More Bright Side Mashup by DJ MikeA (3:57)/Cadence ==> Sprint; start @1, end @FR
12. Maps by Yeah Yeah Yeahs (3:40)/CD

SP #43: Barbie's So Bloody High (44.3 min)
1. Groove Is In The Heart by Deee-lite (3:52)/WU
2. Every Bleeding Breath Mashup by Divide & Kreate (3:53)/Climb Mix, Inc ever 30
3. A Girl Like You by Edwyn Collins (4:00)/Jump Mix @1.5-2
4. She's So High by Tal Bachman (3:45)/Seated verse cadence @1, standing chorus pickup @2
5. I Got A Man by Positive K (3:48)/Fast Jumps @1
6. Take On Me by A-Ha (3:49)/Run + chorus pickups @1.5
7. Inside Out by Eve 6 (3:39)/Sprint mix with resistance @2
8. Vogue by Madonna (5:19)/Stamina test; FR @1+, pick a pace, stay with it
9. Down with all the sober freaks Mashup by Mashup-Germany (4:10)/Mod jumps @3+
10. Barbie Girl by Aqua (3:18)/1st chorus, standing sprint, all others, seated chorus sprints
11. What's Up? by 4 Non Blondes (4:55)

SP #44: Back From JTree (47.3 min)
1. My Hero by Foo Fighters (4:20)/WU
2. Bad Romance by Lady Gaga (4:55)/Standing HP3-HP2 mix; @1, add in a few easy surges
3. L.E.S. Artistes by Santigold (3:25)/Jump Mix @2
4. Escape by Enrique Iglesias (3:28)/Verse Standing HP3 @2; Chorus seated pickup @FR-1
5. Lithium by Nirvana (4:15)/Climb standing HP3; 1-3+; Option add in seated pickups chorus
6. No Sleep Tonight by The Faders (2:59); Chorus Run @1.5; Verse Standing HP3 @1.5-2
7. Sea Lion Woman by Feist (3:40)/Cadence @1
8. Whatever You Like by Anya Marina (3:49)/Isolation Intervals @>3
9. Run This Town by Jay-Z (4:35)/Alternate fast/slow pace jump mix @1.5-2.5
10. I Can Transform Ya by Chris Brown (3:49)/Heavy Cadence @2+
11. Ain't Nothing Wrong With That by Robert Randolf (3:30)/Run with Pickups @1
12. Already Gone by Kelly Clarkson (4:42)

SP #45: Reused Sprints (48 min)
Every other song = progressively longer sprint (ALL OUT). In between rolling revocery hills. As sprint gets longer, hill portion gets easier.
1. Ain't Nothing Wrong With That by Robert Randolf (3:30)/WU
2. Buffy The Vampire Slayer (1:02)/90% max speed--still warming up, not all out!
3. Ching-a-ling by Missy Elliott (3:39)/Standing HP3 @2==>3
4. It's My Life/Confessions by Glee Cast (1:51)
5. Down With All The Sober Freaks by Mashup-Germany (4:10)/HP3 @3, Mod Jumps
6. Halo/Walking On Sunshine by Glee Cast (2:05)/All out, 1 min FR, 30sec @1 seated, 30 sec @1 Standing HP3
7. Paper Planes Remix by M.I.A. (3:27)/Standing HP3 @2
8. Bleed It Out by Linkin Park (2:45)/1:45 seated sprint FR, 60sec standing sprint @1
9. Take My Hand by Dido/First half easy recovery, beat picks up, standing HP3 @2
10. Take My Hand by Simple Plan (3:51)/All out FR sprint
11. Whatever You Like by Anya Marina (3:49)/Easy Cadence Standing HP3 @2-3
12. It's The End of The World As We Know It by R.E.M. (4:07)/All out, short water break when beat cuts out, then continute sprint pace (ALL THE WAY THRU TO NEXT, LAST song)
13. One More Bright Side by DJ MikeA (3:57)/All out, finish strong
14. Maybe by Ingrid Michaelson (3:14)/CD

SP #46: D N G (47.5 min)
1. Did It Again by Shakira (3:23)/WU
2. Paint It, Black by The Rolling Stones (3:22)/1min cadence intervals seated, standing @1
3. All Falls Down by Kanye West (3:44)/Jumps @1, alternate fast/slow pace
4. Daylight by Matt and Kim (4:35)/Climb, Standing HP3,1==>3 adding isolation drills @3
5. If by Janet Jackson (4:31)/Seated, standing chorus sprints @2
6. Country Basket Mashup (2:50)/Seated Cadence @1
7. Try Sleeping With A Broken Heart by Alicia Keys (4:09)/Mod Jumps @3
8. Morning After Dark by Timbaland (3:53)/Standing chorus surges @1, verse cadence @2
9. Make It Hot by Missy Elliot (4:27)/Isolation Intervals @3+
10. Hard by Rihanna (4:11)/Standing HP3 Verse, Standing HP2 chorus pickups @1.5
11. All Over You by Live (3:58)/Start @3, Standing HP3, half turn down after each chorus
chorus= sprint, end on FR all out
12. Dance With You by Live (4:36)

SP #47 Beware My Louboutins (51.9 min)
1. Beware of the Boys by Panjabi MC (4:00)/WU
2. My Band by D12 (4:59)/Jump Mix @1
3. I Feel The Earth Move/Standing HP3 @ 1 with chorus pickups
4. Louboutins by Jennifer Lopez (3:39)/Mod Jumps @3
5. Deja Vu by Beyonce (4:00)/Seated cadence @1==>2
6. Guantanamera by Wyclef (4:40)/Climb w modified jumps @2==>3
7. U + Ur Hand by P!nk (3:34)/Seated verse cadence @1; standing chorus sprint @1-1.5
8. Telephone by Lady Gaga (3:34)/Seated cadence @FR-1; active recovery
9. Smooth by Santana (4:56)/Jumps @1; chorus, sit and ride out
10. That's not my name by The Ting Tings (5:11)/Standing HP3 verse cadence @2; Run chorus @2==>3
11. I'm Shipping Up to Boston by Dropkick Murpheys (2:34)/Seated cadence @1==>2
12. Shots by LMFAO (3:42)/Sprints with Resistance @2==>1 or FR
13. High and Dry by Radiohead (4:17)/CD

RACE DAY Musings

2010-01-07T11:26:00.006-05:00

Forgot to mention in my last post how RACE DAY actually turned out. My cryptic email messages and in-class announcements did their job: Spinners got really excited about the day. There was a buzz around Pottruck Gym which reached new participants and my rather surprised boss. One of my Regulars even said that she'd been talking about it to her parents and was bursting with anticipation all week long. Said Regular and two others also decided to make 'costumes' for the occasion. I was completely tickled to see their "NINA IS MY HERO" jerseys. I myself bought a racing outfit (NB: I bought a triathlon outfit that would help motivate me to sign up for my first triathlon in August...I mean, if I have the duds, I HAVE to sign up, right?). My race attire matched my neon green sweatband, which I wore 80's style across my forehead. In block letters, you could easily see my "TEAM" and "MIND/BODY" catch phrases. Did I mention that I stayed up until 2AM the night before making those bands? Crafts take so much longer than you think... It was just as well the bands took me so long, I was so excited I couldn't sleep.

The hours leading up to class passed in a whirl wind. Greg had agreed to meet me an hour before class to help me set up the bikes, etc...however, the day before he had a huge exam and slept through his alarm. He did make it in time for the event, but this left me alone to move all the bikes into a square, hang streamers, and set up the cards and photos. Fortunately Cecilia and others arrived 35 minutes early to claim their spots and I was able to delegate the duties. By T-30 minutes, there was already a bulging line out the door. It was up to me to take charge, make sure people stayed outside and then pass out the right bands to the right people.

Slight difficulties arose because this wasn't a separate, official event. It was first come, first serve; so a complete Newbie could have show up and come into this situation. For my Regulars, I had specific bands that I wanted to give them. For instance, I wanted Dorsey to have the "SexyBack" band because we had worked on posture technique together. To Linds, the "Endure" band because a) she's made so much improvement since she started last year and b) she said it was her favorite of my catch phrases. Cecilia: "Breathe" because she's really into yoga...Hope: "Faith", obviously you can't have Faith (the second song) without Hope (made connection and joke during the track). Anyways, the list goes on. I had made up a list of all the people that I knew, and hoped, would come to class and what power words I associated with them. The tricky part was that I didn't know for certain who was coming. And I was hoping that no one new showed up that day and took the spot of a Regular.

I, myself, felt the same feelings and anticipatory-nerves that I'd feel before any race (and I was a little nervous about whether people would show up)--which is exactly what I was going for! The Race went off without a hitch and I made my usual corny jokes. For instance, during "Sex Bomb," which was popular during my first semester in France, I told the story of how this French guy commented, "Nina, normally you are like ice, but tonight you are on fire!" I then followed with a "Fire it up, Team!" Also, I had a real blast beating on the cowbell during "Phantom of The Opera" to signify pace changes.

*The feedback to me personally and to my boss, Katie, was so positive that Katie has agreed to make TWO OFFICIAL RACE DAYS this next semester! Now we can have a sign up sheet and a separate time just for this event! I have so many ideas already on how to make it better and run more smoothly.

In any case, the goal of this class was two-fold. A) To test how your training is going & B) To keep people excited about working out. Definitely accomplished both of those tasks. Success!

Thank-you, thank-you, thank-you to all the Regulars who make planning spin classes such a delight!

RACE DAY (Spin Profile #41)

2010-01-04T13:11:00.005-05:00

Over the course of the last semester, I pondered what makes a good spin class. And more importantly, what makes my spin class awesome?

1. Music. Connecting me and the participants to the music.

2. Well thought-out and organized profile that fits with the music.

3. Challenging. My classes are hard. I push us to only take breaks at the end of a set.

4. Sense of team. We're in this together. For me, it's not just about showing up to class, playing the profile, and then leaving. I care about the Team and if we all meet our goals (and whether or not we all make it through and feel good about ourselves afterwards).

5. Innovation leads to motivation. I keep myself and the team excited about coming to class with new ideas: new music, themes, race day, spin list serve

6. Belief in my Team. I believe that everyone can do more than they think. Sometimes we all need just one person to believe in us and push us to that next level.

Notice how I mention 'Team' several times. Last January, I was taught in my Body Pump training to think of myself more as a coach than an instructor; to think of my class as my Team. The number one aspect of college that I miss the most is my Track Team: people with whom I share common goals and who support me to achieve those goals. In following this train of thought, I realized that perhaps the students who come to my class are looking for those same things. A sense of belonging to a team that will help them feel good and challenge to the next level.

This is when I thought about doing a Race Day. As a runner, I've had many opportunities to experience the adrenaline rush and re-motivating euphoria of a race. This is what we need our spin team to experience as well! You may wonder, "Nina, you're on an indoor-stationary bike, how can you have a race?" With a little planning, creativity, competition, and just the right spin profile, you can simulate the feeling of showing up to that starting line, racing through an 'out and back' race course, and challenging yourself to your edge.

What does that mean for the indoor cyclist? Racing means (at least to me), picking a pace that is not comfortable and holding it (more or less steady). On our bikes, there is neither a heart monitor nor a pedometer...so the only way to gauge effort level is by manually checking your HR and the less-scientific approach of "How do I feel." Either way, the goal is to keep your heart rate above 80% for most of the ride (just a slight break in the middle on the "turn around").

To hype the event and add on mystery, I organized a spinning list serve with the regulars (this actually has turned out to be a great tool to connect with regulars and get song suggestions). I made sure that people knew this was coming and to mark their calendars, but I didn't really say what it meant. Unbeknownst to my spinners, I started preparing them for Race Day two months in advance with Endurance and Strength Profiles and also by slowly decreasing the number of breaks allowed. For example, we started out the semester doing sets of two songs--can take a water break at this point. Then it became after three, then four and so on. We slowly increased our overall endurance so by the time Race Day came around, we had the endurance to last through 6 (regular length) songs without a break.

It took me three weeks to narrow down the profile. I at first thought of doing only longer-than-seven-minute songs to encourage the endurance aspect...but there are not many songs that everyone can stand for seven minutes. And many of them start out with slow, guitar anthems...

I decided on five songs to take us out, one middle song to transition us for the turnaround, and then four songs (more intense pace) to take us back.

Instead of a usual profile filled with different drills, I kept it simple. It's a race after all, we want it simple and you wouldn't be doing drills or intervals in a race. So, I had two commands: Rolling and Flats. Rolling means we turn the resistance up to a 2 (aka your challenge resistance) and go out to standing-position 3. Flats means we sit down, turn the resistance down, and get on the FR cadence. That "rolling" was meant as a sprint up a hill. In terms of how fast you should be going, mostly the cadence/tempo of the song is a good indicator. For instance, Take My Hand by Simple Plan is FAST and it's near the end, so just keep up with the song.

But remember, this is a race. Every moment should be at your edge. There are only three speeds today: FAST, FASTER, and FASTEST!

Additional Surprises:

1. Set the bikes up in a square. Everyone had a partner/competitor across from them

2. Decorated with Penn-colored streamers

3. Made sweatbands for each participant. Each had one of my favorite motivational words on it (Endure, Fire It Up, SexyBack...)

4. Each bike had card on it with one of the words from the sweatband with an inspirational quote on it or technique. Participants were given sweatband upon entering and had to find their matching bike

5. Each bike also had a post card of (what I thought) was a good visualization (mountains, beach, sunsets...)

6. I brought out my cowbell (what race isn't complete without one) and used it in the second half to signify bursts of speed (Fast, Faster, Fastest)

The List:
1. I'll Be There For You by The Rembrandts (3:08)

2. Faith by George Michael (3:13)

3. Sex Bomb by Tom Jones (6:05)

4. I'd Do Anything For Love by Meatloaf (7:41)

5. Like A Prayer by Madonna (5:41)/treat this song like it's the last one. FASTEST! Break is coming in next song.

6. Take My Hand by Dido (6:43)/take the first minute to get control of breath and form...as the song picks up, so do you with some easy rolling.

7. Phantom of the Opera by Harajuku (6:21)/Back to our max intensity! (brought the cowbell out for this...bursts of all out sprints)

8. Hey Girl by O.A.R. (8:14)

9. Take My Hand by Simple Plan (3:51)/Coach ppl to go all out for the last two songs by moving at cadence or faster. This is RACE DAY! ENDURANCE AND STAMINA CHALLENGE TO THE MAX!

10. Halo/Walking On Sunshine by Glee Cast (2:05)

11. Symphony No. 9 Choral: IV. Ode To Joy by London Symphony Orchestra (3:19)

Licking The Spoon: Another 7 Hour Meal Chez Moi

2009-11-04T11:14:00.005-05:00

My old eating buddy and long-time friend, Grant, left last May for his residency at Boston University. More or less once a month for the past two years (since that first seven hour meal) we had been getting together at my apartment for an over-the-top culinary experience orchestrated by yours truly. Since his departure, I have been having a hard time getting motivated to bake. I love having meaning in my meals and without someone/something to inspire me, my rolling pin and puff pastry skills have been collecting dust.

The beginning of October marked several momentous occasions: my best buddy, Emily, left for a six week adventure to Nepal and Thailand, it was Greg's birthday, and it was my birthday. These two friends have become like family to me and have brought so much positive energy to my life. I can't think of a better way to show my appreciation for them than by creating a sensational meal.

Like many other things in my life, I make my meals with tons of consideration for the participants. What are Emily's and Greg's favorite foods? What tastes will send them over the edge? Will I be able to combine the two preferences in each course?

Emily's favorite tastes were easy to discern as I've eaten with her on many occasions and I had already made her a scrumptious Truffle Themed Meal last year for her birthday. Emily loves anything truffle (truffle honey, truffle oil, truffled cheese, truffles). Other than that, her tastes are very rustic and pure: gamey meats, vegetables: asparagus, artichokes, simple fruits--blueberries, blackberries, cheeses. Also, she only likes white chocolate, not dark chocolate. She prefers simple flavors to complex.

Greg was more difficult. Sure, he and I are very close, but we don't eat together. Ok, we eat sandwiches post-spin or burgers post-climbing, but I've never witnessed his favorites. For two-three weeks I discreetly observed his tastes. He's a med student, so he doesn't have a lot of cash to spend. And when he does spend his cash, he opts to spend it on activities (climbing, going out) instead of tasty meals like Emily and I do. Post climbing session, we usually go out for dinner at some low-key joint like Grace Tavern. You would think that this would give me some insight into what he likes, but no. He ALWAYS orders exactly what I'm having (except he orders his burger well done). When we are hungry and listing off what foods we'd really like to have right now, he just goes on and on about "delicious soups and sandwiches." Only once did I get a hint of one taste he likes: at Caprogiro all he wanted was a caramel gelatto. Ok, that gave me one workable clue: CARAMEL.

So, what did I have to work with after combing the two:

Gamey meats, delicious soups, hearty vegetables, cheese, truffle, fruits, white chocolate, caramel.

Sounds like a good start.

I also wanted to share something that was special to me, so I decided to make my original venison meal that my French mom taught me (original post) but with new twists and turns to combine Emily's and Greg's preferences.

1. Kir

Aperatif. Great way to cleanse the pallet and start off the socializing.

1 part Creme de Cassis (black current liqueur) + 5 parts dry white wine (used a 2007 Chablis)

2. Pecorino shaved on puff pastry rounds brushed with truffle honey

3. Pumpkin Soup (don't forget the baguette!)

Made from real pumpkins! NB: it was so hard to cut off the pumpkin skin...make sure you plan for this. Used an immersion blender for extra fluffiness.

I got this recipe from Patricia Wells' book, Simply French. She takes her favorite recipes from the famous french cookbook, Robuchon, and explains the how's and why's behind the seemingly complex baking techniques. This and Robuchon's book also focus on the purity of taste--bringing out the simple and wonderful flavor of the main ingredient.

Served with the left over Chablis from the kir

4. Roasted Venison (Chateauneuf du Pape marinade) with Raspberry Gastrique on top of butternut squash rounds and served with scalloped potatoes

1st bottle: 2003 Hermitage (Chave) from my collection

*At this point, Emily took over the role of DJ and got the party hopping while I was finishing the main course preparations. Of course, the preparations then took a little longer than planned, as we all stopped to bust a move for a bit. Good times, good times.

2nd bottle: 2003 Chateuneuf du Pape, Chante Cigale

*I snazzed up my venison presentation by placing the meat medallions on top of a butternut squash round. Got the idea from The French Laundry At Home site. I arranged the scalloped potatoes in a semi-circle around the squash. I placed fresh raspberries on the other side of the circle. Served in a light green, 1-inch deep bowl. Excellent color presentation.

5. Amuse Bouche: Marbleized chocolate wafers with caramel mousse filling
Think three layers of swirling white/dark chocolate with a tan-looking caramel mousse layered in between. Approximately one inch across. Bite-size so everyone got one to pop in their mouth.
**While we were digesting and preparing for the final course, Emily turned on my "Nobody Puts Baby In The Corner" spin profile. Good times singing and dancing to "I've Had The Time Of My Life!"

6. Shortcake with vanilla-almond custard sauce accompanied by blueberries and blackberries

7. Calvados
Apple brandy digestif from Normandy. The only way to be sent off to bed after a labor-intensive, gut-busting meal.

The meal was of course fabulous and went off without a hitch. Putting together a huge meal like this takes a lot of time, patience, and thought. Fortunately for me, I had two great friends with the right spirit to experience the joy of eating.

October Spin Profiles (36-40)

2009-11-02T11:33:00.005-05:00

Last batch of profiles to catch up on!

Spin Profile #36: Who Says It's The End? (49 min)
1. Let's Talk About Sex by Salt-N-Pepa (3:30)/WU
2. Teenage Wasteland by Puhdys (3:21)/WU Climb: FR ==>2, Cadence
3. When You Were Young by The Killers (3:40)/Standing HP3 Verse Cadence @ 2.5; Chorus Pickup @ 1
4. Pot Kettle Black by Tilly and The Wall (2:50); Standing HP 3 Cadence @ 2. When get to the "Pot Kettle Black" part, seated FR sprint for ~1min
5. 'Til The Dawn by Drew Sidora (3:09)/Jump mix with pickups on chorus
6. 1901 by Phoenix (3:13)/Fast Jumps @1; Run on chorus
7. Hella Good by No Doubt (4:03)/sprints w resistance
8. I Will Not Bow by Breaking Benjamin (3:37)/Climb n Cadence FR ==>3.5
9. Watch Me Move by Fefe Dobson (1:56)/Stamina Sprint
10. Supermassive Black Hole by Muse (3:29)/Rolling hills
11. Sexy Bitch ft Akon by David Guetta (3:16)/Rolling hills
12. Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover by Sophie B. Hawkins (5:25)/Climb w/pickups
13. It's The End Of The World As We Know It by REM (4:07)/Start @1.5-2, standing HP3 verse cadence; sit down chorus sprint. After each chorus turn down. End at FR all out sprint.
14. Who Says by John Mayer (3:00)/CD

Spin Profile #37: Golden Oldies (53 min)
1. La Bamba by Ritchie Valens (2:06)
2. Gimme Some Lovin' by Spencer Davis Group (3:01)
3. You Keep Me Hanging On by The Supremes (3:08)
4. Ain't No Mountain High Enough by Marvin Gaye (2:26)
5. It Takes Two by Marvin Gaye (3:11)
6. Uptight (Everything's Alright) by Stevie Wonder (2:53)
7. Stop! In The Name Of Love by The Supremes (2:55)
8. It's The Same Old Song by The Four Tops (2:47)
9. Dancing In The Street by Martha Reeves (2:40)
10. I Can't Get Next To You by The Temptations (2:52)
11. I Heard It Through The Grapevine by CCR (3:52)
12. It Ain't Me Babe by Johnny Cash (3:05)
13. Tutti Frutti by Little Richard (2:25)
14. Cecilia by Simon & Garfunkel (2:55)
15. Baby I Need Your Loving by The Four Tops (2:45)
16. I Can't Help Myself by The Four Tops (2:46)
17. Good Lovin' by The Rascals (2:32)
18. Let's Get It On by Marvin Gaye (4:51)

Spin Profile #38: Rockers Only (47 min)
1. Buddy Holly by Weezer (2:41)/WU
2. Love Is A Battlefield by Pat Benatar (5:23)/Run w/pickups @1
3. Mr. Jones by Counting Crows (4:33)/Climb Mix
4. You Shook Me All Night Long by AC/DC (3:29)/Cadence @2 + chorus pickup run
5. Janie's Got A Gun by Aerosmith (5:31)/Climb FR ==> 2.5
6. Too Much, Too Young, Too Fast by Airbourne (3:49)/Mod jumps @3
7. Go To Sleep (little Man Being Erased) by Radiohead (3:22)/FR cadence, inc slightly @1:20
8. Rock You Like A Hurricane by Scorpions (4:16)/Climb N Jump N Pickup
9. You Outta Know by Alanis Morissette (4:08)/Sprints w.res
10. Any Way You Want It by Journey (3:22)/Chorus Run @1; Verse standing cadence @ 1
11. It's My Life/Confessions Mashup by Glee Cast (1:51)/110 sec FR sprint to the finish

Spin Profile #39: Hate On Jude (48 min)
1. I Get Around Rmx by Power Music (4:28)/WU
2. My Heart Goes Boom by Jenifer (3:44)/Seated Verse Cadence @1; Standing Pickups during chorus @1.
3. Thong Song by Glee Cast (3:24)/Jumps @1 Fast!
4. Champagne Supernova by Oasis (7:27)/Climb N Pickups; FR ==>3.5
5. La La La La La (3:38)/Jump Mix @1
6. He's A Pirate by Captain Hook (3:15)/Stamina Sprint. 2 min
7. All About Soul by Billy Joel (6:01)/Climb 1==>2; Cadence (easy hill)
8. Hung Up by Madonna (5:38)/Keeping it light, do short speedy surges out to pos 3 then returning to seated cadence. Keeping it lighter means more core work.
9. Hey Jude by The Beatles (7:04)/Start heavy @ 3.5 with isolation intervals. At 3:50, turn down to 2, 30 sec spint/pickup intervals (keep it heavy); longer one at end.
10. Hate On Me by Glee Cast (3:31)/CD

Spin Profile #40: Barbie's So Bloody High (49min)
1. Groove Is In The Heart by Deee-Lite (3:52)/WU mix
2. Every Bleeding Breath (mashup) by Divide & Kreate (3:52)/jumps @1
3. A Girl Like You by Edwyn Collins (4:00)/Jump mix @2
4. She's So High by Tal Bachman (3:45)/Verse seated cadence @1; chorus standing run-pickup @1
5. I Got A Man by Positive K (3:48)/jump mix @2
6. Sunday Bloody Sunday by U2 (4:39)/seated climb n cadence FR ==>2 keep on beat!
7. Take On Me by A-Ha (3:49)/Run @1
8. Inside Out by Eve 6 (3:39)/Chorus Sprints w/resistance @2, verse easy cadence
9. Vogue by Madonna (5:19)/Jump mix @2 w/run during chorus
10. Down with all the sober freaks mashup by Mashup Germany (4:10)/Mod jumps @3
11. Barbie Girl by Aqua (3:18)/FR sprint intervals. Go with music. Cadence on rests. Finish strong!
12. What's Up by 4 Non Blondes (4:55)/CD

The next spin-related post will be about the awesome RACE DAY we had last Saturday! Oh the excitement!

September Spin Profiles (31-35)

2009-11-02T10:02:00.004-05:00

We left off last time at the "Back to School" spin profile. It's November now, so we still have quite a bit of catching up! I'm doing my best to post in the order of creation, but I'm really excited about this past weekend's spin class. I hosted my first ever "RACE DAY" spin class and it was a blast. First things first.

Nobody Puts Baby In The Corner: Spin Profile #31/Patrick Swayze Tribute class.
1. Love Is Strange by Mickey & Sylvia (2:54)/WU
2. Hey! Baby by Bruce Channel (2:22)/Warmup Jump Mix
3. Dirty Dancing by Black Eyed Peas (3:48)/Chorus pickups @1
4. She's A Lady by Tom Jones (2:55)/Run @1
5. While My Guitar Gently Weeps by the Jeff Healey Band (5:16)/climb & cadence FR ==>3
6. Dance Like This by Wyclef Jean (4:09)/verse seated cadence, chorus standing surge @1
7. Stay by Maurice Williams (1:39)/Jump Mix @2
8. Hungry Eyes by Eric Carmen (4:08)/Climb N Cadence 2==>3.5
9. Satellite by Santana (4:19)/30 sec FR cadence; seated FR sprint intervals; 20sec on, 20 off
10. Do You Love Me by Contours (2:52)/Run @1
11. Seven and Seven Is by Rush (2:52)/Sprint/stamina test. 2 min as fast as you can
12. Love Man by Otis Reading (2:17)/Run @1
13. Gloria by Van Morrison w/Them (2:39)/Cadence N Climb, 1==>3
14. Cry To Me by Solomon Burke (2:34)/Isolation Intervals; HP3 @3
15. (I've Had) The Time Of My Life (6:46)/Start heavy, come down 1 turn everytime music changes temps. Speed up as descend. Finish FR all out.
18. Unchained Melody by Righteous Brothers/CD
19. She's Like The Wind by Patrick Swayze (3:51)/CD, stretch

Spin Profile #32: La Vida Loca (47 minutes)
1. Livin' La Vida Loca by Ricky Martin (4:03)/WU
2. Hey Leonardo (She Likes Me For Me) by Blessid Union of Souls (3:28)/Easy Pickups during chorus; seated
3. Say Hey (I Love You) by Michael Franti & Spearhead (3:56)/Run w/pickups
4. 4Ever by The Veronicas (3:31)/verse seated, chorus surge into standing HP3, light resistance, keep it fast.
5. Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me by U2 (4:45)/Climb, FR ==> 3; inc every 45sec
6. Rump Shaker by Wreckx-N-Effect (3:58)/Fast jumps @1
7. Everything You Want by Vertical Horizon (4:17)/Seated cadence, pickup during chorus @2
8. Rumors by Lindsay Lohan (3:16)/Isolation Intervals; standing HP3 @ 3; 20 sec slow, upper body still "isolate"; 20 sec "pace" = allowed to use body weight
9. Maneater by Nelly Furtado (4:19)/30 sec FR cadence, back to jumps on beat @~2
10. Because The Night by Cascada (3:26); FR sprint intervals, go with the music
11. Desparately Wanting by Better Than Ezra (4:37)/Sprints on chorus; standing then seated; @2
12. 1234 by Feist (3:04)/CD

Spin Profile #33: I Get Up Again (52 minutes)
1. Dancing Queen by Meryl Streep, etc. (4:04)/WU mix
2. I Got You (I Feel Good) by James Brown (2:49)/Run
3. Rock 'n Roll All Nite by KISS (3:49)/Jump Mix @ 1-2
4. Time To Pretend by MGMT (4:21)/Modified Jumps HP3 @2
5. Tubthumping by Chumbawamba (4:39)/Climb n Cadence; 1 ==>3
6. Sing Sing Sing by The Spitfire Band (3:09)/Seated spint/stamina test
7. Man In The Mirror by MJ (5:19)/Cadence climb @2-3; Mix HP
8. I Gotta Feeling by Black Eyed Peas (4:49)/Seated sprint intervals @FR-1
9. Jump by Kriss Kross (3:15)/Jumps @1; FAST
10. Yeah! by Usher (4:10)/Modified Jumps @ 2-2.5
11. Deadpan by East Hundred (4:50)/Pickups during chorus; HP3 @ 2.5-3
12. In The Air Tonight by Nonpoint (4:31)/Sprints w/resistance
13. Caring Is Creepy by The Shins (3:20)/CD

Spin Profile #34: Mashups! (47min)
Available for free download at Best of Bootie (http://www.bootieusa.com/bestofbootie2008/) or DJ Lobsterdust (http://djlobsterdust.com/)
1. Celeshake; Celebrate by Kool & the Gang v. Celebrate by Ying Yang Twins ft Pitbull (5:19)/WU
2. I Want You To D.A.N.C.E.; Justice v. Jackson 5 (2:34)/Run @1
3. Work It Out; Beyonce v. Dave Matthews Band (4:41)/Climb FR==>2.5, cadence
4. Hot Rich Girls Dropped In A Grange; Gwen Stefani v. Snoop Dogg v. ZZ Top (4:28)/20sec sprint intervals @FR-1
5. Real Back Poppin; Cheryl Lynn v. Fat Joe & Nelly/Jumps @1 or 2 (fast or slow)
6. Pour Some Hot Sugar; Mims v. Def Leppard/Modified Jumps @3
7. Hung Up On Soul; Madonna v. Death Cab (4:31)/Cadence @2 w chorus surges
8. Timba Funk Land; Timbaland v. Daft Punk (3:44)/Jumps @1 with Chorus Pickups
9. Don't Stop Believing In Planet Rock; Journey v. Africa Bambaataa/Climb Mix 1==>3
10. Nirgaga; Smells like Teen Spirit v. Just Dance (4:23)/Sprints w/rest @2
11. Walking Out Yo' Girlfriend/Run Mix, 2==>FR; end on all out sprint
12. If I Were A Free Fallin' Boy/CD

Spin Profile #35: Shooting Agony (50min)
1. Run-Around by Blues Travelor (4:40)/WU
2. #1 by Nelly (3:19)/Jump Mix @1
3. Love Drunk by Boys Like Girls (3:47)/Seated Verse Cadence @1; Standing Chorus Surge HP3 @1
4. Electric Feel by MGMT (3:50)/originally planned jumps @1; however, can't seem to jeep on the beat. so switch to climb. Standing HP3, 2==>3.5; cadence
5. Bleed It Out by Linkin Park (2:45)/Run with 15sec pickups @1.5 Great song!!!
6. Clumsy by Fergie (4:00)/Standing HP3 Cadence @2-2.5; 15sec Run/pickup during "Girl Can't Help It. Increased resistance by 1/4 after each pickup
7. Dear Agony by Breaking Benjamin (4:18)/Climb mix FR ==>4
8. 3 by Britney Spears (3:33)/Seated Verse Cadence; Standing Chorus Surge alt HP2&3 @1-2
9. Higher Ground by Red Hot Chili Peppers (3:22)/Standing Verse Cadence HP3 @3; Seated Chorus Pickup @1
10. Bounce ft Missy Elliot by Timbaland (4:04)/Isolation Intervals; Standing HP3 @3; 20sec isolate, slow, weight back, circular pedal strokes; 20 sec rest "pace"
11. Shooting Star ft LMFAO, Pitbull by David Rush (3:43)/ FR 30 sec sprint intervals
12. Here I Go Again by Whitesnake (4:36)/Start at top of hill, HEAVY Standing HP3 @3.5; before each chorus, turn down 1/2 turn; chorus seated sprint; fininsh FR sprint
13. All I Wanted by Paramore (3:46)/ CD; new album released september 29th!

Climbing, Yoga, Concerts, & Weddings, Oh My!

2009-10-22T14:51:00.012-04:00

Here are the new and interesting things I've been up to the past few months. In the works is a ginormous post on climbing in celebration of my big trip/Tweetup out at Joshua Tree next month with Katie (@adventuregrrl).

Dave Matthews Band Concert in Jerz. Went with my BB Emily and it felt like we were transported back to high school. We had seats waaaaayyy back in the lawn section, making it even more like high school... The band was awesome, of course, and played a great mix of Big Whiskey and our old fav's including Stay or Leave, Ants Marching, and Crash.

Me, at the Gunks, testing out my trad anchor. It holds!
Woo, it was a lil nerve wracking to sit back and trust the gear I had placed!

Gunks! Katie, Dan and I traveled up North to the Gunks, a range of cliffs where trad routes abound. We hired a guide, Jason, to teach us how to set up anchors, place trad gear, and generally prepare us for the indoor/outdoor climbing transition.

On top of the trad learning, we bouldered. This was quite the eye opening experience. What did Nina learn outside on the rock? Indoor climbing prowess does not translate to real rock...at least not until you learn to trust your feet.

I'll have plenty more time to work on my outdoor skills during the Joshua Tree Climbing Tweetup next month!!!!

Weddings! There have been two this month. My good high school friend, Amy Moran, married Don Lowe in Gloucester, Ma.

Cute story: they kept seeing each other on the commuter rail for months before Don introduced himself finally and asked Amy out. The rest is history!

One other wedding. My band mate Jory got hitched! The reception was at the Society Hill Dance Academy. He looked very dapper in his gray suit! His bride, Susan Gager, plays the keyboard in the band East Hundred.

Last month, my favorite yoga studio, Yoga Sutra, unexpectedly closed down (within a week of notice). In the wake of that sketchiness, I have been in search of a new studio. I like Vinyasa yoga best for a nice, deep, and relaxing stretch. I prefer Friday night yoga--excellent way to wind down your week and work on being in the Now. Here's a list of places I've tried.

Dyhyana Yoga Studio
http://www.dhyana-yoga.com/
40th & Chestnut
Most likely, this studio will replace Yoga Sutra. It's only blocks from work and the Penn gym, making it easily accessible. So far I've taken the Sunday Vinyasa Align and Flow class with Marisa. I really enjoyed this class. She helped me get into positions that I didn't think I could do and was helpful about explaining why we do this or that.

Class description: realize our vibrant true nature by aligning our poses and intentions to their fullest potential in the moment. By applying the Universal Principles of Alignment, we integrate physical action with inner awareness. Classes include an engaging flow of postures, demonstrations, individual adjustments and modifications.

Bikram College Of India

http://www.bikramphiladelphia.com/

1520 Sansom St Philadelphia, PA 19102-2810

(215) 977-9642

Bikram is a form of yoga noted for its extremely high room temp of 105 degrees and about 60% humidity. The room is kept at this temperature to keep the body from overheating (contrary to popular belief), protect muscles to allow for deeper stretching, detoxify the body (open pores to let toxins out), thin the blood to clear the circulatory system, increase heart rate for better cardiovascular workout, improve strength by putting muscle tissue in optimal state for reorganization, and reorganize lipids (fat) in the muscular structure.

I felt invigorated and well stretched out after this class.

Beginner special: $20 for first week: unlimited classes

Philly Power Yoga

http://www.phillypoweryoga.com/

2016 Walnut St Philadelphia, PA 19103

(215) 636-9642

Power yoga is a general term used in the West to describe a vigorous, fitness-based approach to vinyasa-style yoga. Most power yoga is closely modeled on the Ashtanga style of practice. The term "power yoga" came into common usage in the mid 1990s, when several yoga teachers were looking for a way to make Ashtanga yoga more accessible to western students. Unlike Ashtanga, power yoga does not follow a set series of poses. Therefore, any power yoga class can vary widely from the next. What they have in common is an emphasis on strength and flexibility. The advent of power yoga heralded yoga's current popularity, as people began to see yoga as a way to work out. Power yoga brought yoga into the gyms of America.

Beginner special: first class is free!

Go to Troy's classes. He is the best instructor!

I very rarely go to Power Yoga because it is more of a workout than a good stretch session. After teaching Body Pump 2-3 times a week, it's more beneficial to me to lay off more strenuous activity. That said, I think it's an excellent workout and a great way to work your core without having to do boring/traditional abs.

Lastly, where have I been eating? New and old places have made the list:

Village Whiskey. New whiskey bar at 20th & Samson. Amazing burgers! Really, I think the best in the city. AND that's coming from me. Trying the goat cheese one. UH, so good. Plus, the fries are cooked in DUCK FAT. Mmmm. Have already been here multiple times. Plan to put your name and cell down and then go do something else for 40 minutes. It's worth the wait! And they make it easy by calling you on your phone.

Tinto. 20th & Samson. It's become the magic corner! (Tinto, Village Whiskey AND Caprogiro gelatto). Tried this tapas place out with Em during restaurant week. Same owners as Amadas and it lives up to its rep!

Noble. On Samson between 20th and 19th I think. New french fusion restaurant. Excellent! Went with Katie--she was able to get a coupon online somewhere.

Audrey Clair. Always exceptional.

X0 Chitl (so-cheat). Tasty margaritas and upscale mexican food.

Taste of Philly. This was just last night and I'll prolly write a whole article on it. Very enjoyable in any case!

Post-climbing haunts: Grace, Standard Tap, 10 Stone, Doobies. Always dependable for a good microbrew and burger!

TONIGHT: Distrito. New(ish) restaurant in West Philly. Chef is Jose Garces who is finalist on the Next Iron Chef show.

Last thing to mention. TANGO lessons. Yes, that's right. Katie & I went to Society Hill Dance Academy and took group lessons. No partner necessary.

Catch Up! Spin Profiles 26-30

2009-10-22T12:02:00.005-04:00

Well, now that I'm 15 spin profiles behind, it's time to get writing again!

I left off back in August right before my last big themed spin class: Covers! The game here was to guess whether the song was an original or a cover and who sings the original/cover.

See for yourself if you can guess "Original or Cover"! No cheating! Post in comments.

1. Respect by Aretha Franklin (2:25)
2. Smooth Criminal by Alien Ant Farm (3:29)
3. After Midnight by Eric Clapton (2:51)
4. Everywhere by Yellowcard (3:35)
5. Turn The Page by Metallica (6:06)
6. I Want It That Way by Dyanamite Boy (3:32)
7. The Devil Went Down To Georgia by The Charlie Daniels Band (3:44)
8. All Along The Watchtower by Jimi Hendrix (3:59)
9. Red Red Wine by UB40 (3:04)
10. Blue Suede Shoes by Elvis Presley (2:00)
11. I Will Survive by Gloria Gaynor (8:02)
12. Time After Time by Quietdrive (3:05)
13. Cat's In The Cradle by Ugly Kid Joe (4:04)
14. ...Baby One More Time by Bowling For Soup (3:29)
15. Proud Mary by Tina Turner (4:59)
16. I Am The Walrus by Bono (4:44)
17. Such Great Heights by Iron & Wine (4:11)

Spin Profile #27: Cecilia
I created this spin profile to congratulate my spin buddy Cecilia upon her dissertation/defense completion. I pulled out my stalker skills and looked up her favorite music on her facebook page. That's what it's there for, right?

1. Cecilia by Simon & Garfunkel (2:55)/Warm Up Mix
2. Persiana Americana by Soda Stereo (4:52)/Run @ 1 w/10 sec pickups
3. Friday I'm In Love by The Cure (3:35)/Jump Mix
4. Suerte (Whenever, Wherever) by Shakira (3:14)/Verse: Seated Cadence; Chorus: Standing Surge (alternate choruses, HP 2 <==> 3)
5. Drums of Belfast by Scythian (2:54)/Cadence; Increase Resistance every 30 sec FR ==> 2
6. She Wolf by Shakira (3:08)/Modified Jumps, (Middle of Seat ==> Back of seat, Standing HP 3)
7. Ojos Asi by Shakira (3:58)/Stair Climber Intervals. Standing HP 2. 60 sec bounding @ 3 (high resistance), 30 sec recovery @ seated, FR
8. The Prince of Parties by Flight of The Conchords (1:48)/Easy Cadence, Active Recovery
9. (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction by The Rolling Stones (3:43)/Run with pickups @ 1.5
10. Summer of '69 by Bryan Adams (3:34)/Cadence & Climb, Standing HP 3, 1.5 ==> 3. Steady!
11. Beautiful Liar by Beyonce & Shakira (3:22)/Isolation Intervals. 20 sec isolate, 20 sec pace. Isolate legs by keeping core squeezed in tight, upper body completely still, and working the circular pedal strokes. Weight back over legs. Slow! The higher the R, the easier it is to keep core still.
12. De Musica Legera by Soda Stereo (3:33)/Back to FR the start climb again. Half turn up every minute. Slight pickup during chorus.
13. Eye of the Tiger by Survivor (4:09)
14. Jump That Rock (Whatever you want) by Scooter & Status Quo (3:24)/Verse Cadence Seated or Standing/HP3; Chorus Sprint w/resistance getting less each time (@ 2, @1, @FR). Finish seated, all out sprint.
15. Me Gustas Tu by Manu Chao (4:00)/Cool down mix
16. Vivir Sin Aire by Mana (5:44)/Stretches

Spin Profile #28: School of Rock
Profile inspired by the movie. I never actually used it for a class, just for my own workout.
1. Growing On Me by The Darkness (3:29)
2. Set You Free by The Black Keys (2:45)
3. Edge of Seventeen by Stevie Nicks (5:26)
4. Santeria by Sublime (3:03)
5. Immigrant Song by Led Zeppelin (2:24)
6. All Over You by Live (3:58)
7. Sunshine of Your Love by Cream (4:11)
8. Substitute by The Who (3:48)
9. Bell Bottom Blues by Derek & The Dominos (5:03)
10. Alive by Pearl Jam (5:41)
11. You Give Love A Bad Name by Bon Jovi (3:43)
12. School of Rock by School of Rock (4:13)
13. Black Hole Sun by Soundgarden (5:18)
14. Heal Me, I'm Heartsick by No Vacancy (4:46)

Spin Profile #29: 3 Obsession
This was a great profile. Workout was killer and ppl enjoyed this mix. Going on the top ten list for sure.

Think of the profile as three steps. Each 'step' consists of three songs which are at the same resistance level (more or less). Sprint -- Run -- Climb. What each level targets: power--heart rate--strength.

Get to the top of the third step, comes all the way down to the bottom for a second set.

1. Hey Mama by Black Eyed Peas (3:35)/Warm Up Mix
2. Surfin' Safari by The Beach Boys (2:07)/Run + Pickups
3. Do You Love Me by The Contours (2:52)/Run + Pickups

4. Accidentally In Love by Counting Crows (3:09)/Jump Mix @ 1.5
5. She Wolf by Shakira (3:08)/Modified Jumps @ 2
6. Fly Away by Lenny Kravitz/Stair Climber Intervals @ 2, 20 sec on/20 sec off

7. Bring Me To Life by Evanescence (3:56)/Isolation Intervals @ 3
8. Come to My Window by Melissa Etheridge (3:36)/Heavy Jumps @ 3
9. Dream On (Live) by Aerosmith (4:53)/Alternating Seated/Standing Climb

10. You Get What You Give by New Radicals (5:01)/Cadence + 10 sec pickups
11. Song 2 by Blur (2:01)/20 sec sprint intervals
12. Gonna Make You Sweat by C+C Music Factory (4:04)/10, 20, 30, 60 sec sprints + 10 sec receovery

13. I Believe In A Thing Called Love by The Darkness (3:37)/Verse Cadence, Chorus Surge out into 3 @ 2
14. The Monkees Theme by The Monkees (2:21)/Run + chorus pickups @ 1.5-2
15. Punk Rock Princess by Something Corporate (3:52)/Standing HP 3 Cadence, chorus pickups

16. You Give Love A Bad Name by Bon Jovi (3:43)/Seated sprints w/resis during chorus @ 2, verse standing cadence @ 3
17. I Alone by Live (3:40)/Chorus: Standing sprints w/resistance @ 2
18. Kiss The Girl from The Little Mermaid (2:42)
19. Unchained Melody by The Righteous Brothers (3:36)

Spin Profile #30: Back To School
This was made for the first class of the Fall semester...I now have two 45 minutes classes in addition to some hour-long classes, so I had to change my profile dynamic to fit the shorter format. More intense, less warmup/cool down to make up for that 15 min loss.

1. Back to School Again (from Grease 2) by The Four Tops (3:49)/WU Mix
2. Hot N Cold by Katie Perry (3:40)/HP 3 Standing Surges during chorus
3. Life Is A Highway by Tom Cochrane (4:27)/Standing Climb, 1==>3
4. Kids by MGMT (5:03)/Jump Mix @ 1-2
MGMT, one of my "new" favorite bands. The next couple of spin profiles feat their songs.
5. Paparazzi by Lady GaGa (3:28)/Isolation Intervals
6. Mass Pike by The Get Up Kids (3:25)/FR-->3 Climb + 10 sec sprints w. res. @2
7. Kryptonite by 3 Door Down (3:54)/Slow inc. FR ==>1.5; Cadence/Fast!
8. Shattered (Turn The Car Around) by O.A.R. (4:14)
9. Chasing Cars Rmx (4:45)/Climb Mix; 2==>4
10. Right Now by Van Halen (5:23)/Climb Mix 2==>3 plus pickups on chorus
11. School of Rock by School of Rock (4:13)/Bring it home. Decreasing every 30 2 ==> FR. Pick up pace on each decrease so ending at FR sprint.
12. Live Your Life by T.I. (5:39)/CD

Concertina: Spin Profile #25

2009-08-19T14:53:00.003-04:00

Concert Going-Ons In The Past Week:
Last night I went to the O.A.R. outdoor concert with my Best Buddy, Emily, on Penn's Landing. Despite a severe thunderstorm following the opening act, perilous body surfers, beer bottle throwing, and a moderate rain throughout, the show was wicked fun. Everyone was dancing and singing along; generally very happy and content. The rain actually added to the magic of the show, as the stage lighting made the air sparkle and glitter. If only Guster and Ben Kweller had been there too...

Last week, I was asked to a show by one of my workout buddies, Greg. His explanation of who we were going to see: There's this guy playing...I don't know what kind of music it is or where, but we know his dog from Doobies [Bar]...

Unbelievably, I still agreed to go to the gig even though from his description, I thought we were going to see some dude and his dog play guitar or something.

We went to KungFu Necktie in Northern Liberties--a really awesome venue despite it sketch location in North Philly--and met up with another friend, Naomi, who fortunately had more details. Amazingly, not only did I know the band, but it was my bass player's (Jory) fiance's band EAST HUNDRED. Really awesome local, indie rock band (www.easthundred.com). They won Battle of the Bands last year at World Cafe Live.

Sure enough, as soon as I entered the bar, I saw Jory and Susan, who were very surprised to see me there! Spontaneous run-ins are the best!

Next month, I'm seeing Dave Matthews Band and hopefully Journey. In light of all these great shows, I decided to make a spin profile featuring music from concerts I've been to.

Here's a list of the biggest shows I've been to:
Neil Diamond, America, Madison Square Garden, 5th Grade, John + Dee & Family
Billy Joel, River of Dreams, 6th Grade, with Band Director Bob Lassonde + Family
Guster, Goldfly, The Shell, 8th Grade (first Guster concert, not going to list all)
No Doubt, Tragic Kingdom, 8th Grade, with Pam Hershey, etc, in white limo
Smokin' Grooves, All High School Years
Lilith Fair, All High School Years
Janet Jackson, Velvet Rope, Junior Year HS, Lara Clemenzi
Usher, Junior Year HS, Lara Clemenzi
*NSYNC, No Strings Attached, Senior Year HS, Chris Pearson, surprisingly very good!
College:
Guster multiple times @ Tufts, Bates, The Shell
Rusted Root @ Colby
O.A.R. @ Bowdin
Post-college:
Ben Kweller @ Festival Pier, @ Johnny Brenda's
Guster @ Festival Pier, with Cristin
Guster + Akon @ Franklin Field, Penn with Emily
O.A.R. Festival Pier/Penn's Landing
East Hundred, @World Cafe Live with Jory, @The Khyber with Jory, Jeff, Grant, Todd, Melissa, + Kevin, @KungFu Necktie with Emily, Greg, Naomi (and Jory).

The profile:
Four sets. Three song set.
1) Climb
2) Run/Jump
3) Sprint

Start out at highest resistance, slowest pace and work your way down to lowest resistance + fastest pace.

1. Love and Memories by O.A.R. (3:25)
2. Only The Good Die Young by Billy Joel (3:53)
3. Spiderwebs by No Doubt (4:28)

4. Ants Marching by DMB (4:31)
5. Cherry, Cherry by Neil Diamond (2:43)
6. Center of Attention by Guster (4:07)

7. We Takin' Over by Akon (4:30)
8. Bye Bye Bye by *NSYNC (3:20)
9. Rhythm Nation by Janet Jackson (5:31)

10. Deadpan by East Hundred (4:50)
11. This Town by O.A.R. (3:36)
12. Two Step by DMB (6:27)

13. Need You Back by Ben Kweller (3:17)/**1st min: climb, 2nd min: run, 3rd min: sprint!
14. Heard The World by O.A.R. (5:01)/CD
15. Slow Burning Crimes by East Hundred (4:09)/CD + stretch

Cruisin' to the 80's: Spin Profile #24

2009-08-19T14:30:00.004-04:00

Following the popularity of the 90's mix, I had to compile an 80's mix as well.

Some Musings:
What makes one class better than the others? The music in this profile was just as fun as the 90's mix, however I didn't get the feeling that it was as popular. Why? Well, first of all, the 90's was fun because I made it personal. I grew up during the 90's and had a memory to share for each song. Also, because I was remembering back to my more geeky days, I had no problem cracking jokes about myself or grooving along to the club music. In contrast, I didn't have this personal connection to the music for the 80's mix. I mean, I love these songs, but I didn't make the mix my own.

This is alluding to what I described in my Body Pump training post back in January as "Fitness Magic." The magic comes from going beyond instructing the class to creating a bond between yourself, the music, the people, and the workout.

Resistance Scale: 0 (flat road, FR) to 4
Endurance Sets, Try To Keep The Intensity Level Up During Sets (no breaks, work all the way through to the next song)

1. Dancing In The Dark by Bruce Springsteen (4:00)/WU
2. Girls Just Want To Have Fun by Cyndi Lauper (3:55)/Run @1
3. Hungry Like The Wolf by Duran Duran (3:25)/FR cadence, pickups during chorus

4. It's Raining Men by The Weather Girls (5:26)/FR ==> 1 Sprints
5. I think We're Alone Now by Tiffany (3:49)/Run + Pickups @1
6. When Doves Cry by Prince (3:48)/Climb, StP3
7. Material Girl by Madonna (3:53)/Jumps, Fast! @1.5-2, Medium Hill
8. We Built This City by Starship (4:55)/Power Climb!

9. What's Love Got To Do With It by Tina Turner (3:48)/Active Recovery, 40sec, climb
10. What I Like About You by The Romantics (2:55)/Run! @1
11. Sweet Dreams by Eurythmics (3:37)/Sprints with resistance, real breaks btw intervals
12. Flashdance Rmx by DJ Party (4:34)/Climb + pickups, burn out!

13. I Wanna Dance With Somebody by Whitney Houston (4:51)/CD
14. Don't Dream It's Over by Crowded House (3:57)/CD + Stretch

Started In Here: Spin Profile # 23

2009-07-29T13:34:00.004-04:00

Admittedly it was hard to follow up that 90's class. This profile definitely didn't beat that one, but it was still fun and sweaty.

Groupings of songs meant to be done "as a set." Meaning: try to endure through the whole set without breaking/backing off the intensity. Take water as needed!

1. Fire Burning by Sean Kingston (4:03)/WU
2. Good Girls Go Bad by Cobra Starship (3:18)/Verse = Seated Cadence @1; Chorus = Standing Surge. Let's get some speed early on today!
3. Do Wah Diddy by Manfred Mann (2:23)/Run @ 1

4. Shawty Get Loose by Lil Mama (3:33)/Jump Mix @2, Standing Surge during chorus
5. What I Got by Sublime (2:51)/Standing Position 3, Cadence @ 3
6. Summer of '69 by Bryan Adams (3:34)/Seated Climb 1 ==> 3, Add in some standing surges
7. Swing, Swing by The All American Rejects (3:53)/Standing Position 3, Cadence during verse, sit down pick it up during chorus.

8. Ignorance by Paramore (3:38)/Back to the flats. Sprint Intervals. All out!
9. Stacy's Mom by Fountains of Wayne (3:18)/Climb, seated + standing mix
10. I Know You Want Me by Pitbull (4:26)/Jump Mix @2
11. Baby Got Back by Sir Mix A Lot (4:23)/Speed Bumps, FR > 1.5 > FR. 20 sec intervals. Pace stays constant through the resistance changes.

12. Welcome To Paradise by Green Day (3:44)/Active recovery. Cadence @ FR or 1. Recovery so you can go at the last set with 100% effort.

13. Let's Get It Started by Black Eyed Peas (3:37)
14. Just Dance Rmx by RedOne/Lady Gaga (4:19). verse = standing post 3 @ 3, chorus = mix of standing and seated sprints w/resistance @ 2 or 3.
15. New Divide by Linkin Park (4:30)/standing climb from 2 ==> 3, add in surges.
16. Rock Around The Clock by Bill Haley & His Comets (2:10)/Race to the finish! 1min standing run, 1 min seated all out sprint.

17. American Boy by Estelle (4:45)/CD
18. Smile by Lily Allen (3:16)/CD

Opposites Attract in the 90's: Spin Profile #22

2009-07-29T10:53:00.004-04:00

Flasback to the 90's! And it was a hit! People (including myself) had so much fun working out to this music. As an added bonus, I told a story during each song. See, I didn't just pick out random 90's songs, I picked ones that drew up strong memories. Like the first time I drove my Mom's Volvo all by myself with a good friend riding shot gun. Or my first concert by myself (No Doubt). Or hanging out in my sister's room, listening to Vanilla Ice or New Kids On The Block and thinking that she's the coolest person in the world (in her scrunchy and jams!). And of course there are the high school dance memories...

Anyways, each song has a particular meaning to me and it was fun to bring us all back into those times.

During the second song, Opposites Attract, explain the workout. Think of it as six sets of two songs. Breaks should hold off for after the second song of a particular set.

First song: Flats. Fast and Furious.
Second song: Climb!

As soon as the second song ends, turn resistance all the way down and pick the pace up. The point is to exhaust yourself in "opposite" ways from one song to the next. Work your power during the sprints, work your strength (and butts) during the climb.

NB: I finally changed my resistance scale to something that makes more sense.
0 = Flat road (FR), just enough res to feel the road beneath you(NOT no resistance)
1 = Light hill, just enough res to stand up
2 = Medium Hill, starting to feel the quads burn, but can keep up with the beat
3 = Moderately heavy hill, want to jump out of the saddle, uncomfortable, starting to want to slow down
4 = Heavy hill (top of the hill), cannot hold for more than 20 sec, cannot pick up the pace even if you try, are behind the beat of the music

1. Save Tonight by Eagle Eye Cherry (3:59)/WU, cadence, 0
*All 90's, all hour long! Get excited!
2. Opposites Attract by Paula Abdul (4:25)/WU, jumps @ 1-2
*Pre-reality TV show, Abdul was a great singer and dancer in the 80's/90's. Although there are plenty of more popular songs by her, this one happens to be my favorite. Why? Because of the awesome music video. Only in the 90's would it be cool to be dancing in your video with a cartoon wolf in a bright blue zut suit...

3. Just A Girl by No Doubt (3:26)/Pickups, 80% during verse ==> 90% max speed during chorus. 80% = cadence. Not all out sprint yet.
*In the 8th Grade me and Pam Hershey (and others) rented a white limo to take us to the No Doubt Concert at Great Woods. We thought we were so cool going to the concert in style without any parents!
4. Jumper by Third Eye Blind (4:33)/Climb, seated + standing mix FR ==> 3
*I spent the summer before sophmore year of high school learning how to play this song on the drum set. I started taking drum set lessons (in secret) my freshman year and blew people away at the jazz band auditions at the end of that summer.

5. Whoomp! (There It Is) by Tag Team (3:45)/Speed bumps, cadence/constant pace, 20 sec intervals: FR > 1 >FR. Pace stays the same no matter the changes in resistance!
*Remember to bring that resitance down quick and work the turnover. No breaks yet!
6. I'm Too Sexy by Right Said Fred (2:51)/Modified jumps @ 3
*I'm too sexy, 'nuff said.

7. What Is Love by Haddaway (4:30)/20, 30, 40 sec all out sprint interveral followed by same amount of active recovery.
*Sure, today people associate this song with the goofy dance from Night At The Roxbury. I, however, always think of Ricky from My So Called Life. He busts out his moves at the school dance, leaving Angela alone in her drama with geeky Brian and Jordan Catellano.
8. No Scrubs by TLC (3:38)/Standing climb, FR ==> 3, add in pickups during chorus
*Every 90's mix must have TLC in it. Period.

9. Blue (Da Ba Dee) by Eiffel 65 (3:30)/Keeping same fast cadence, inc resist from FR ==> 2. Slow and steady burn, do not go higher than 2. Want to keep it fast and furious.
*Still can't figure out what the heck they are singing about, but Senior year of high school this song was popular at the dances. Not knowing the lyrics would never stop me from belting the song out!
10. I will buy you a new life by Everclear/Standing Climb, 2 ==>4, adding seated pickups here and there.

11. Ice Ice Baby by Vanilla Ice (4:31)/Speed bumps, this time changing res: FR > 1.5-2 > FR every 20 sec. Fight thru the resistance to keep that pace constant!
*Yeah, I still know the dance...
12. American Woman by Lenny Kravitz(4:22)/Isolation drills @ 3 or 4 = 20 sec isolation intervals. 20 sec isolate the legs by focusing on keeping the upper body still, slowing the pace down, circular pedal strokes, high knees. Keep the weight back! No weight in the arms. Work the core to stabilize. Flat backs, abs in, shoulders down and back. Then 20 sec of cadence. Repeat. I call out "Isolate!" and "Pace" to signal changes. Notice the difference between isolation of legs and using your body weight to help you push the pedals.
*Great running/workout song then and now.

13. Boom, boom, boom, boom! by the Vengaboys (3:22)/100% sprints during chorus, for greater challenge, bring it up to 1 or 2. But fast! Cadence during verse.
-Last chance to sprint! All out!
*Another high school dance favorite my senior year.
14. Closing Time by Semisonic (4:34)/Seated climb 1 ==> 3, standing surges during the chorus. Exhaust yourself!
*Love, love, love this song. First heard it in my car summer before junior year. Again, was the first summer that I could drive by myself (I was the last year to be able to get my license at 16.5).

15. No Rain by Blind Melon (3:37)/CD
*Great song, but in the 8th we performed it in the school chorus and butchered it. Ahhh, some songs should just not be harmonized by a group of 14 year olds.
16. Torn by Natalie Imbruglia (4:05)/CD
*I will always remember me and Rob Jack cruising in the Volvo, all the windows rolled down, belting out this song. He sang it even louder than me! End of sophomore year.

5 "Aha!" Moments In The Lab

2009-07-28T15:48:00.004-04:00

Alternatively, I could have also called this post "five illogical things I did in the lab today that seemed to make perfect sense at the time..."

1) If the label on a powder chemical says, "use mask, toxic to airways," pulling the collar of your pink, Nike long sleeve running shirt over your nose is not an acceptable substitute for a real surgical mask. In fact, the fabric doesn't protect at all from the diffusion of powder through the air, through the semi-spandex non-barrier and into your air passages. Indeed, as you are coughing and choking on the white substance, you will probably think back to what it does and why it's toxic: dissolve proteins. You may then be slightly concerned about it coming into contact with your lungs and the membranes being degraded...

2) If you are working with mice that are known to be a particularly aggressive strain, make sure the head is securely held back between your thumb and pointer and tail is wrapped tightly around your pinkie before attempting to inject estrogen inhibitor (particularly if you are a twenty something female hoping to have kids one day) with your other hand. The aggressive mouse will fight you, bite you, and squirm away from you before you can say "infertile." Before you know it, you will be on your hands and knees, heart racing, trying to grab the tail with oily, estrogen inhibitor all over your gloves, hoping not to get it on any of the surfaces.

3) If you are working with aforementioned aggressive mouse strain, be sure to notify the animal facility technicians of this lovely uniqueness. This prevents escape of feisty rodents from the cage to the Great Unknown. This is handy information if the mouse is worth, say, $400 plus six months of hard labor on your part.

4) If working with your mice requires you to be in a surgical mask for 5+ hours, be sure to take hourly breaks to get fresh air. This prevents development of mouse allergies and, for instance, nose bleeds. Should you get a nose bleed after being in a mask for six hours, do not be surprised and try not to leave a trail of blood from the lab to the bathroom. Oh, and FYI, the lab's paper towels are not very blood absorbent, so the blood will just pool on top and then spill over the sides, thus adding to the trail.

5) If making a buffer from a powder base, remember that a buffer is a detergent, even in powder form. So, should you spill several grams on the counter top, try not to clean it up with a wet paper towel or you will soon find the entire counter covered in suds. Not the worst thing to happen, but it will take at least 10 minutes to remove all bubbles and lots of H2O.

The Tasty Cup: One Woman's Search For The Best AM Brew

2009-07-22T10:10:00.003-04:00

Favorite morning beverage: Medium Chai With A Shot Of Espresso
(Otherwise known as Dirrrtay Chai, Chai Charger, or The Hot Nina...only rarely do I go for a Cold Nina...)

Since moving away from the Gayborhood and my daily coffee haunt, Brewhaha, I've had to find a new morning coffee shop to frequent. In the past three weeks, I have visited a handful of coffee shops and was shocked to find that none of them have had the same melange of goodness found at Brewhaha. For someone who used to think Starbucks was great coffee, I had to ask myself, "What made the Brewhaha experience so pleasurable? What am I looking for in a morning coffee shop?"

Here's my list of criterion, in no particular order:
1) They know what I want and how I want it.
2) They taste good.
3) They are laid back and don't rush me to into making decisions or leaving.
4) They make me feel special, i.e. they like to chat me up and know what's going on in my life
5) They seem genuinely happy to see me each morning.
(Chris says whenever he sees me, "Let's get Dirrrtay!" with a grin on his face. Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside)
6) They are easily accessible (I don't want to walk too far out of my way in the am).
This one I'm willing to sacrifice a bit, if the other criterion are met.

Here's the list of coffee shops I've tried so far.

La Colombe: Mr. Emotionally Unavailable
I went to La Colombe after reading rave reviews on CitySearch. Their coffee and espresso are supposedly the best in the city. Perhaps the place is different post-am rush, but I have to say I was traumatized by my experience here. I went in around 7am--admittedly prime time coffee rush. As soon as I entered, I was shoved into what felt like a frenzied production line. It was strangely robotic: step up, cash down, small cup taken, exit, repeat. As the line quickly moved along, I started to tense: I have no cash, do they accept cards? Can I order a chai or is it just coffee? Upon frantically scanning the joint for a menu to no avail, I ardently listened to the interactions between the barrista and the patrons to get a clue. Unfortunately for me--an obvious foreigner in a strange land--there really was no conversing. Everyone was getting the same thing and already had the exact cash counted out. Everyone else knew exactly what was expected. My turn approached and I actually contemplated stepping out of line because I didn't want to be a cog in this otherwise smooth and efficient machine. Why hadn't I looked this up online beforehand to become familiar with the protocol?

Anyways, I got to the front, frowned, and hazarded actual conversation with the gorgeous Italian-looking man behind the counter (which believe you me did not help at all with the tenseness of the situation): "Hi, how are you?...Medium Vanilla Latte?" The suave man returned the frown and uttered, "Latte?" Yes, please. I embarrassingly shoved my card at him and shrunk off to the side to wait for the seemingly out of place latte. FYI, they do make lattes, but they have no syrups. Just simple coffee, espresso, and lattes. And there is only one size.

Once I left the intensity of the interior, I breathed deeply and sighed. My God! That was definitely not the laid back and friendly experience I was looking for. I understand that there are plenty of people out there who rush around in the morning and want their coffee experience to be quick and efficient. I like to gab a bit in the morning. I like to take my time and enjoy the aromas and tastes. And I definitely don't want to feel like I should've looked up a protocol just to get my steamed beverage.

Good Karma: Mr. Physically Unavailable
Good Karma ranks up there with Brewhaha in terms of quality of espresso and friendly/laid back service. I usually go there after work or on the weekend when I want to read. See, I'm in the habit of taking the bus to work and walking home in the evenings. And when I walk home, Good Karma is right in my path. However, in the mornings, Good Karma diverges 5-7 blocks away from the bus stop. Factor in my gabbing and slow walking pace and all of a sudden it has taken me an hour to get from my house to the bus stop. An hour that I'd rather be spending elsewhere.

NB: I'm not saying anything bad about Good Karma! I love Good Karma with all my heart. This is the quest for the perfect AM coffee shop and it's just not at all convenient or practical to make it there in the morning.

La Va: Mr. Overrated/Mr. I'm-Too-Cool
People rave about this hipster coffee shop on South Street. Umm, not to be harsh, but their espresso sucks. Big time. And their chai? Gross. It tastes like the chai at Bucks County, now known as Saxby's, which is a chain. Anytime an espresso tastes like a chain-store's espresso...I'm just saying.

I think the real draw of this place is "The Scene" and the tasty snacks and sandwiches offered. Their are a lot of cool looking people there. And a plethora of scrumptious looking pastries. However, I can barely finish my coffee/latte/chai ordered from there, so I'll pass.

Cafe De Miel: Mr. Changed
About 6 months ago, Cafe de Miel went under a change of management. Now they do not offer chai or any syrup-containing drinks. This limits the beverages to simple espresso, coffee, or latte. The quality of espresso is high, but as a sweet tooth, I really need to have the option to get a vanilla latte or a chai with a shot of espresso. Do not worry, the pastry selection is still divine! Just not what I'm looking for in the am.

Beauty Shop: Mr. Real-Potential

This is the coffee shop that most closely fits all of my criterion. It's on the way to the bus stop. Laid back. They make an excellent chai with a shot of espresso. I have had pleasant conversations with the owner, John. He recognizes me when I come in and knows what I want and how I want it. It's a quality establishment.

Nonetheless, no matter how many criterion it fits, it's just not Brewhaha. This is an unfair comparison. I spent two and a half years making daily visits AND I used to spend entire days studying there. That's a long time to form connections and feel a real affinity for a place.

Trust and relationships take time. I need to be patient for the new links to form!

Check them out for yourself:

La Colombe: http://philadelphia.citysearch.com/profile/11352860

Good Karma: http://www.thegoodkarmacafe.com/

La Va: http://www.lava-cafe.com/

Cafe De Miel (awesome pastries): http://www.mielpastry.com/Scripts/openExtra5ca0.asp?Extra=23

The Beauty Shop: http://www.yelp.com/biz/beauty-shop-cafe-philadelphia

Nina And The Cursed IT Band: A Running History

2009-06-30T11:27:00.012-04:00

In middle school, I had been a promising runner and had won many of the 5k-cross country races by a minute or more. I specifically remember several times looking back behind me, seeing no one at all, and feeling my shoulders relax: I had the race in the bag. I would then impressively kick it in at top speed to the "Ooos and Aaahs" of the crowd. I loved to win.

My style of racing was similar in the 800 meter race. The first of two laps were spent in the mid to back of the front pack. At the 500 meter mark I would start to pick up the pace, pour on whatever I had in the tanks, and speed ahead to win the race.

I also excelled at the triple jump. In 8th grade, I had already been jumping over 30 feet and got to go to the state comp (most other girls were jumping 26-28 ft).

Getting in shape and winning was easy for me back then. I could start the running season with no preparation at all. I'd take for granted that my body could go from no distance work (just soccer running) to full on cross country training, including hills, speed work, tempo runs, and distance runs. And stretching? Yeah, maybe I'd quickly "stretch" for a couple seconds before or after a run--you know, go through the motion of reaching for my toes or grabbing some shoelace to stretch my quads.

For three and a half years (6th-part of 9th Grades), I was able to do this no problem.

Then it all went downhill and not in a good way.

I remember the exact moment that my knee started hurting me. It was the last home meet of the cross country season in the 9th Grade and I'd done fairly well--tenth place. Post race, some people were stretching out, cooling down properly, but I was lazing about in the grass, eating Smart Food and scanning for my Mom's silver Volvo to pull into the parking lot. When I finally caught a glimpse of the car pulling up, I instantly jumped off the ground, threw my bags across my back and sprinted across the field. As I was sprinting, I gradually felt a burning sensation just below my kneecap. The pain increased exponentially and I hastily stopped, stretched out, massaged the area, and prayed to the Gods. It seemed to go away. After five minutes, I was running across the field again, telling myself that it must have been a weird fluke.

Of course it wasn't a mere fluke. It was the start of Illiotibial Band Syndrome or ITBS, a common overuse injury for runners.

At the end of the Fall running season and into the Spring track season (I played basketball during the Winter), I started to consistently feel the pain in my left knee. Instead of doing what a normal person would do--take time off, see a physical therapist, cross train, stretch...--I felt that I should just continue to push myself through the pain. It didn't seem to change my gait or running style; I could still keep my pace up; I was still getting PRs (personal records). It just became another challenge to overcome. Isn't that what running is all about: staying mentally strong, pushing yourself as hard as you can go? It didn't occur to me then that not all pain is good pain and that this injury could go on to affect me for the following ten years.

After almost a year of pushing myself through the left knee pain, the burning sensation started to travel up into my hip. And then, probably because my gait had changed without me knowing it, my right knee started to hurt. And then my right hip.

You would think that all of this pain would have been a signal to me to listen to my body and ease up. No dice. I was stubbornly stupid [back then] and convinced that these problems would work themselves out without taking time off or changing my lifestyle.

Well, mid-cross country season in 10th Grade, my body went on strike without my permission. By the time homecoming came around, I was barely able to walk. My hips were so stiff I couldn't stretch properly--yes, now I was at least trying to stretch out. I was unable to keep a good pace during the races. I was now finishing in the latter half of the race.

What a blow to my ego! No longer being able to run through the pain, and no longer being able to walk without pain, Coach Sawyer ordered me to physical therapy. I went to a local place, to a guy who specialized in IT Bands. He told me that in his entire 20 years of therapy he had never seen a case as severe as mine. Usually ITBS localizes in the knees or the hips. My entire band (from the knee extending into the hips) was tight and tender. We started with FRICTION rubs--massage meant to break up tissue, circulate the blood, and release tension. These are not nice, soothing massages. The pain was so severe that I would feel it shoot into my brain.

This did help a bit. I was able to walk without pain. Unfortunately, I was too stubborn to take time off. And I wasn't really stretching outside of the PT sessions. And I did no cross training to help build the muscles around the knee.

Junior year was a disaster. I consistently ran in the back. I physically couldn't hit good times. I became frustrated and negative. The spring season was worse. My triple jumps were an abysmal 25 ft and often I would fault out because I couldn't keep my stride consistent and mess up the timing.

I would often end these meets in tears.

In retrospect (ahhh, how nice it is to be able to look back on these events with the wisdom I've gained since then), my problems with my knee and the way I handled the situation was representative of a larger problem in my life. That is, every time a problem would arise, I would be convinced that somehow it would just work itself out. The best thing to do would be to keep plugging along, don't change how I'm going about things, and just hope for the best.

The wrongness of this line of thinking is so obvious when I'm here, sitting at my desk, contemplating my life, and trying to suss out the past. If only I didn't have to keep learning about this the hard way! As a side note, my Dad has always said that the sign of true intelligence is being able to learn from mistakes and to not make the same ones over and over again. This is a wise statement and has proven to be hard to follow through on!

Anyways, this lack of problem confrontation came to an apex in the winter of Junior year when I came down with the croup and almost died--mostly because I did too many things and didn't admit that I needed help or needed to take a break when I felt overwhelmed with life. Again, even though I felt pretty sick and overwhelmed, I kept thinking that if I just kept going and made it through this difficult time, my health would work itself out. Sound familiar? How stubborn of me!

This bent with the croup and near-death caused me to re-examine my life. I realized that my problems with my Health, the IT Band, and doing too many activities were all connected. I'm not taking action to make my life better. I just keep going forward, making the same mistakes over and over again. Not the sign of intelligence at all!

I needed to change. Easier said than done, right?

Ameliorating my knee situation turned out to be the easiest change (at least in the short term). I researched the IT Band, found out the causes and the solutions (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sz73i3O01d8). I ended up not doing any sports Senior year and the first semester of college--I thought this was going to be hard, but I had been so frustrated and down that I was glad to get out of it for a while. I went to PT, did the stretches for real, and focused on relaxing more.

By the time I got to college, I was ready to start running again. But this time, I was going to do things right. My first semester, I still didn't run, but I walked everywhere I went. I read that it's important to build a strong foundation before getting into serious training. Once I had been walking for 30 minutes 4 times a week, I started easy jogging--just for one mile and then walk the rest. In this fashion, I started to add on more and more mileage. A slow build up was key.

In addition, I made sure I added in stretching sessions after each run and one longer session per week (one hour focused solely on stretching and core work). This lateral and core work turned out to be a key to rehabilitation: I had learned that ITBS is not only caused by doing too much too soon, but also because the muscles surrounding the knees are not built up [in runners]. Makes sense: with all the forward motion we do, the sides of the legs are completely neglected, weak, and tight. This causes imbalances in the knee which can lead to injury.

The real test began in the Winter of freshman year at Colby: I joined the Track & Field Team. I'll admit, I was nervous. Would I fall back into my old patterns? Would my knee start hurting again? Will I ever be as good as I used to be?

I will never forget my first race back. I gave up being a distance runner and became a 400m runner instead. I came in dead last. By five seconds. Yep, Nina Martin came in dead last and could only whip out a 75 second 400. And my glutes had never burned so much! While I went on to improve my 400m time by 12 seconds over the course of the next four years, I sadly was never able to regain my triple jump skills. Indeed, I never broke 30 feet again and fouled out many, many times.

Regardless of this one negative, many good things happened for my running career at Colby. I relentlessly worked on technique and form and became one of the "instructors" of weight lifting technique to the underclassmen. Me and my workout out buddy Liz (and then later Kate), would think nothing of spending an extra two hours in the weight room before or after practice. Cross training, stretching and core work became a normal part of my everyday routine (on top of the running workouts). Also, I proved to myself that I could train hard and remain injury free: a sign of a responsible runner. My confidence and good spirit was rejuvenated as well.

These good habits and experiences at Colby not only prevented further injury, but also influenced decisions post-graduation. After college, I went on to train for the Philly Marathon AND remained injury free! I made sure I trained for this correctly and took an entire year to build up the mileage, adding in massages, stretching sessions, and lots of cross training. I followed the Runner's World Training plan. I was (am) extremely dogmatic about training safely.

My obsession with technique that started at Colby has also influenced me to become a group exercise instructor in Body Pump (weight lifting) and Spinning (great cross training for running). I feel it's very important to share my mistakes with other athletes and help them safely achieve their goals.

In summary:

*The good news: no IT Band pain since high school!

*The bad news: I never regained flexibility in my hips--they still cramp up and are rod-stiff.

*The Extra Good News: I am a marathoner with no injuries (knock on wood). I continue to be vigilant about listening to my body, stretching, and dealing with problems as they come up. I have taken up climbing and yoga to work on my flexibility and hopefully one day I'll be able to sit in the V-position and lean forward.

So, if you are serious about running, my advice is to become serious about cross training and stretching. My story turned out well because I am now completely dedicated to the well being of my body. Health comes first! This means taking the extra time to stretch and work on your weaknesses.

I learned these lessons the hard way, but at least I have proved over time that I have at least some intelligence and have stopped making the same running mistakes over and over. Now if I could only apply this to the rest of my Life, I'd be a genius!

Lessons Learned:

1) Health comes first. You have nothing without your health.

2) Listen to your body; don't ignore pain. Take action: ice, aspirin, stretching, heating...

4) If you feel bad pain, immediately take three days off, if persists, take more time off, get help!

5) Make stretching part of your daily routine

6) Make cross training part of your weekly routine; build up those non-running muscles + strengthen the running muscles! When I do consistent core work, I feel stronger when running.

7) Be consistent...my racing style used to be start off slow, then sprint the last leg. Terrible, can lead to injury! Pick a goal pace, stay with it. Never do more than you have trained for. This goes for your overall training plan too. Be consistent with your running. Don't leave off training until the last minute and expect your body to do more than it's ready to.

8) Add on mileage slowly, never more than 10%--this lets your body adapt slowly

9) Have your race pace be consistent with your training pace.

10) Be patient with your training, i.e. building a solid foundation or taking time off. Shit happens. Deal with it.

11) Have fun; don't take yourself too seriously. We are choosing to do this in our free time. Most of us will never be pro's, so why get all bent out of shape if one day you can't hit a pace or if you have to take a day off. Things that you do for yourself in your free time should be fun.

Happy Training!

Useful links:

Great YouTube Video on ITB(S): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sz73i3O01d8

ITBS Article: http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-241-290-291-2861-0,00.html

Injury Prevention: http://www.runnersworld.com/channel/0,,s6-241-0-0-0,00.html

The King Of Pop: Spin Profile # 21

2009-06-26T14:52:00.014-04:00

Regardless of the convtroversy behind the man, the music of Michael Jackson is legendary. Who doesn't have memories of trying to learn Thriller, the Moonwalk, or belting out "Billie Jean Is Not My Lover!"? His lyrics and beats will stay with us for the rest of our lives and will go on to affect generations beyond our own.

I scrambled to get this profile together this morning for the Friday at Noon Spin Class. Everyone had a great time--really enjoyed the songs. I saw more people singing, smiling AND working really hard. Seriously, some people were sprinting like there's no tomorrow.

The five song ending set is killer...

1. Beat It (4:18)/WU

2. Rockin' Robin (2:34)/WU Run @ 6

3. Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough/Seated Cadence + short bursts of standing/pos 3 @ 6.5

4. Scream (4:38)/Ahh, Janet + Michael. Fierce song to start the workout. Agressive pos 3 stance @ 7.5 ==> 8.5. Increase every minute. CADENCE!

5. Smooth Criminal (4:17)/Start @ 9, standing pos 3; ascend every 30 sec, after 1 min sit down + pick up the pace. Small changes in resistence. Down to a 6 (not FR) by end

6. Man In The Mirror (5:19)/Start with modified jumps @ 7 (standing pos 3, shift hips from center of saddle to back of saddle). 2 minutes in, start to climb. Increase every 30, keep cadence, up to 9.

Love the lyrics to this song. Make A CHANGE! Got to live with the 'man in the mirror.'

7. P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing) (3:59)/@ 6 Jump Mix, Add in 10 sec surges in pos 3

8. Black or White (4:15)/Seated cadence to start @ 6, 1 min seated/standing jumps, 1 min pos 2/3 jumps, 1 min seated pickup. Fast Pace!

9. The Way You Make Me Feel (4:26)/@ 8, Jumps + seated pickups in chorus

FIVE PART FINISH.

Visualize: alternate slow ascent, run, slow ascent, run, slow ascent.

Goal: Keep yourself in an uncomfortable zone.

--In the slow ascent, goal is to keep the pace fast, increase resistance slowly from FR to 8 (no higher). Do not let your legs slow down!!!! Once you get to a resistence level where you feel you can't keep the pace fast, do no increase any more. Make you legs burn + feel uncomfortable. Mental challenge to push yourself to the edge.

--Run songs: Immediately turn resistance down to a 6 after the climb. Stand up quick! Pick the pace up. The res is light, so the challenge should be with your heart rate/breathing and less in your legs.

SO, we're alternating feeling uncorfortable in a our legs versus our breathing. PUSH PUSH PUSH. BREATHE!!
This was really challenging. Focusing on form + breathing will get you through.

10. Bad (4:08)/remember, small changes in resistance (FR ==> 8). PACE STAYS FAST! Burn the quads out.

11. ABC (2:57)/Run @ 6.

12. Thriller (5:57)/This one was the hardest for me since it's so long. FR ==> 8. FACE PACE. Slow ascent.

13. I Want You Back (3:00)/Last RUN @ 6. Push the pace.

14. Billie Jean (4:53)/Slow ascent FR ==> 8 FAST PACE. Ahhh killer!

15. I'll Be There (3:58)/Cool Down

This was a great finish to the tribute. Beautiful song. I remember this most from the Michael Jackson movie that VH1 plays.

RIP Michael Jackson June 25, 2009

Take It On The Run: Spin Profile #20

2009-06-26T14:21:00.003-04:00

1. My Sharona by The Knack (4:04)/WU
2. Only Wanna Be With You by Hootie & The Blowfish (3:47)/WU Run @ 6
3. Louie Louie by The Kingsmen (2:45)/Cadence w/chorus pickups @ 6

4. 25 or 6 to 4 by Chicago (4:50)/30 sec Sprint Intervals @ 90%

5. Take It On The Run by REO Speedwagon (4:01)/Climb + Jump Mix

6. And She Was by Talking Heads (3:38)/Modified Jumps + Pickups on chorus

7. Train In Vain by The Clash (3:10)/1 min run + 1 min standing pos 3 + 1 min seated pickup

8. Knock You Down by Kerri Hilson, Kanye West (5:26)/Jump Mix

9. Scream by Zac Effron (HSM3) (3:56)/Climb pos 3, 7 ==> 8.5

10. In The Air Tonight by Non Point (4:31)/Sprints w/resistance @ 7, extra long one at end

11. Eye Of The Tiger by Survivor (4:09)/Run + Climb mix

12. Jai Ho by A.R. Rahman (5:19)/Cadence, climb/standing position 3/Run + Climb Mix @ Cadence.

13. Jump That Rock by Scooter & Status Quo (3:24)/Jump mix, pickups

14. Low by Flow Rida (3:51)/Standing pos 3, cadence @ 8; chorus sit down + pick up

15. Escape (The Pina Colada Song) by Rupert Holmes (4:36)
16. The Weight by The Band (4:35)

Soon To Be Gumby

2009-06-24T10:30:00.006-04:00

Hi folks,

My goal for next week: write posts that are not spin profiles! "The Tasty Spoon" is supposed to be about all my hobbies, not just spinning, so I'm going to make more of an effort on that part.

Lots has been happening the past few weeks, including APPLYING TO MED SCHOOL, running, climbing, spinning, MOVING, yoga, Body Pump, movies, ALIAS, eating, and day dreaming about climbing trips out West or to Mexico...

My climbing obsession has peaked [again] in the last month--have been climbing at least three times a week and pushing myself to climb more challenging routes. I have broken into the 5.9's and have been consistently climbing 8's very well. Also, I have gotten back into Sunday lead climbing sessions with Howard and Chris. I will sit down and write about this over the weekend! Lead climbing is so different from top roping--it's more about keeping your cool than anything else. My partners and I have been trying to figure out outdoor climbing trips this summer (the Gunks, El Potrero Chico Mexico, Rumney, North Conway...). It's getting me very excited!

I moved a few weeks ago. This was a big deal as I'd been at my place at 11th & Pine for 2.5 years--longer than I'd been anywhere since high school. I moved in with two, very laid back dudes near 18th & Christian. So far it's been going well. I was worried about living with other people after having been by myself for so long, but there hasn't been any transitional difficulties thus far. One of my housemates, Adam, and I have been watching Alias together. By the way, I am a huge Alias fan and own all the seasons on DVD. Adam had never seen Alias, but thought he would like it (side note: I was very pleased to discover that he is also a Smallville fan!). So, little by little we have been making it through season 1: only have 2 episodes left! It's really nice to bond with someone in this way and share my obsession for the series with a housemate. FYI, he's totally obsessed now too!

NEWS FLASH: I have also taken up yoga. If you know me, you are probably familiar with my extremely inflexible hips. My hip flexors feel like rods, my IT Band (at the hip insertion point) cramps up, and I can't sit up straight (let alone lean forward) when in the sitting V position. It's thoroughly pitiful. Running and spinning do nothing to help this. Climbing does get me moving around, but the more challenging 5.9's have been forcing me to get into positions that make my hips cramp, burn, and shake. It's only my will and pure stubbornness that have gotten me through those moves! After one particularly stemmy 5.9 a few weeks ago, I decided it was time to fix this problem: it's only going to get more inflexible as time goes by. It's not going to magically get loose and limber. I've got to take action now! So the very next day I went to Philly Power Yoga Studio. It was awesome! So invigorating.

Since then, I've been trying to find the right style for me. I liked Power Yoga, but it was more of a workout than a therapeutic stretching session. I've tried Iyengar, Power Yoga, and Ashtanga. Tomorrow I'm going to a Vinyasa class. So far I have liked Iyengar the best because it went at a slow pace and focused on correct alignment and technique. I'm planning on writing a whole post on this soon...

I'm also planning on a huge baking session this weekend. It's been since Grant's Goodbye Dinner that I've baked anything (over a month). I haven't had much inspiration to bake, but I've been eying some recipes in my favorite dessert book, "The Sweet Life: Desserts from Chanterelle."

I will be making more of an effort to make this site a bit more well-rounded. If you judged my life by my posts, you'd think I just taught spinning all the time. On a given day, I'm prepared to do at least 4 different activities (running, climbing, spinning, yoga--my mat stays at the lab so I can go right to the studio when I get a chance).

Alright, more to come this weekend. Must get back to my PCRs, Western Blots, and cell culture here in the lab...

Against All Odds: Spin Profile #19

2009-06-22T15:00:00.002-04:00

Themed spin class for June!

Against All Odds Movie Songs! Read: Songs from movies where the characters had to overcome a great feat to achieve their goals. Oh the inspiration. Thankfully, the turnout was superb, despite the cats and dogs rain outside. Everyone was energized and gave a great effort. Several people said that the hour sped by and were surpised when I announced the "3 songs left" mark. Quite the accomplishment to make it challenging, but also so fun that people don't notice the time (or the pain).

First prize this month was a lovely pineapple. Everyone recieved a fruit prize (bananas, oranges, apples) just for showing up. I was glad that the class was full and the fruit was all gone by the end--it was difficult to lug all that fruit through the rain to class!

Point System:
1 point for naming: artist, movie, song name, scene
2 to 5 points for best: sprint, run, climb, isolation, or jump technique/pace
3 points for theme

Point is to get a great workout, have fun, connect, and get to know eachother better. Share a bit about yourself. When did you first watch that movie? What does it mean to you?

1. The Imperial March Remix (2:32) by Sas Leon--originally by John Williams
2. That Thing You Do! by The Wonders (2:47)/Run @ 6
3. Spiderman Theme by Danny Elfman/30 sec intervals; Cadence + 90% Sprints

4. Jai Ho by A.R. Rahmun et al (5:19)/Seated & Standing Climb Mix (FR ==> 9)
Slumdog Millionaire

5. Time Warp by Little Nell, Patricia Quinn & Richard O'Brian ( 3:19)/
Verse: Cadence; Chorus: Run @ 6
Rocky Horror Picture Show

6. Greased Lightnin' by Jeff Conway & John Travolta (3:13)/Cadence + Pick Up During Chorus
Grease

7. Damn It Feels Good to be a Gangsta by Geto Boys (5:10)/Jumps
Office Space. Ahh, the awesome scene where the office guys beat the heck out of the malfunctioning photocopier/fax machine!

8. Don't Stop Me Now by Queen (3:30)/30 sec break
Shaun Of The Dead. So funny, Shaun + Co are killing zombies left and right while this up beat track plays in the background.
After break, increase resistance to 7. Hi speed for 2 min. Increase to 8, standing position 2/3 for 1 min. Keep the pace up!

9. Do You Hear The People Sing by Les Miserables Original Cast (2:16)/Isolate, standing position 3 @ 9

10. (I've Had) The Time Of My Life by Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes (6:46)
Dirty Dancing of course!
Continue from last song, heavy standing position 3. After 30 sec, sit it down--still heavy. Once music starts to pick up, bring down resistance to 6. Pick the pace up--cadence. During chorus--all out sprints at FR or 6.

11. Requiem For A Tower by London Music Works & Clint Mansell (4:10)
Isolation Challenge (standing position 3)! Who can hold the position as long as Nina? And have perfect form? High resistance @ 9. Slow the pace way down. Isolate the legs by keeping the upper body completely still--all from the legs, circular peddle strokes + high knees. Focus on working your core--abs in and flat back. Keep the weight back to isolate those glutes!
*This song was remade for Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. Everyone loves this instrumental!

Option for newer folks. 30 sec intervals: 30 sec isolation, 30 sec "pace". I kept calling out 30.

12. Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen (5:55)
Wayne's World, Wayne's World! Party time! Excellent!
Continue with the standing position 3 heavy resistance from previous song. After one min music picks up. Sit down and gradually descend for flat road sprint. At end, music slows down again, increase resistance for short, seated climb.

13. Minas Morgal by Howard Shore (1:58)
Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King
Short & fast. Standing Position 3 @ 8. Drive the pace.

14. Old Time Rock & Roll by Bob Seger (3:13)
Ahhh, Tom Cruise dancing around in his tightie whities! Everyone had a good chuckle.
Risky Business.
Run @ 6. Surges in pos 3 during chorus.

15. Gonna Fly Now by Bill Conti (2:44)
Of course, we have to have a lil Rocky in our "Against All Odds class! Especially since we're in Philly too. Standing position 3 @ 7. Surges: 20 sec on/10 sec off

16. Everybody Needs Somebody to Love by The Blues Brothers (3:21)
Ahh, the Blues Brothers. Against all the odds, they get the band back together and perform a rockin' gig (with the 'fuzz in attendance of course). Love this number!
Big finish. Sprints with resistance. 30 secs on, 10 sec off. As hard as you can go!

17. You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling by The Righteous Brothers (3:45)
Top Gun. Cool Down.

18. Harry Potter Theme by John Williams (5:02)/Stretches
Anyone else getting super excited for the movie release next month??!?!?

This class was a bit longer than an hour. I would take out the Minas Morgul song. Didn't seem to be a hit (though I like working out to it).

All in all it was a great class!

My Low Budget Life: Spin Profile #18

2009-06-22T14:36:00.002-04:00

Two hill sets. First longer than second. Valley in between. Second set shorter, but more intense.

1. Soul Man by The Blues Brothers (3:01)/Warm Up
2. These Are Days by 10,000 Maniacs (3:41)/Warm Up Run
3. Bring Em Out by T.I. (3:39)/@ 6 Standing Position 3, Sit & Pickup during chorus; after each pickup, increase resistance half turn; stand up again

4. Once In A Lifetime by Talking Heads (4:19); Seated Climb FR ==> 8.5
5. Low Budget by The Kinks (3:51)/Standing Position 3 @ 9
6. I Gotta Feeling by Black Eyed Peas (4:49); Sprints during "rap" @ 6
7. My Life by Billy Joel (4:42)/Climb FR ==> 7; Jumps; Climb ==> 9; Descend ==> 6
8. Apologize Remix by Power Music Workout (4:21)/Climb + pickups during chorus

9. Just What I Needed by The Cars (3:44)/Flat Road; Verse: Cadence; Chorus: Sprint
10. Waking Up In Vegas by Katie Perry (3:19)/Run @ 6; Pickups during chorus

11. Carry On Wayward Son by Kansas (5:21)/Climb 6 ==> 9; Add in some pickups
12. Shake Your Pom Pom by Missy Elliot (4:00)/2x1min, 1x30sec stair climb (@ 9; quick feet), FR break in between
13. In The Air Tonight by Non Point (4:31)/Climb 6 ==> 8.5, Sprint during chorus
During last minute (drums): take 10 sec break, then 50 sprint to finish with heavy resistance. Whatever you have left!

14. Popular by Kristen Chenoweth (Wicked) (3:44)/Cool down
15. Falling Slowly by Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova (4:04)/stretches
-From "Once" soundtrack. Beautiful!

Another Nite An Elevator: Spin Profile #17

2009-06-10T16:24:00.006-04:00

1. Dame Un Beso (2:00)/ Cadence + Drill Explanation
Originally I heard this song in the movie "Auberge Espagnol" when I was living in France. It's about french foreign exchange student in Spain and his identity search. Very apropos for my time abroad and a great warmup-cadence beat!

2. Please Don't Leave Me by P!nk (3:52)/WU @ 6, Surge during chorus
P!nk keeps coming up with fun workout songs (or sing-a-long car songs!). Use the bigger feel of the chorus to explode up into a standing run and surge the pace.

3. Another Night by Real McCoy (3:57)/WU Sprint Intervals, 10/20/10 repeats
90's club classic. Love to sing that male part. So cheesy! Easy sprints @ 85%. Get 'em moving, but not all out yet. Plenty of time to work it later.

4. I Want You Back by Jackson 5 (3:00)/Chorus: Surges @ 6, Stand/Pos 3; Verse: Cadence
Jackson 5 songs generally make me very smiley happy. Good way to get those legs moving early.

5. The Way I Are by Timaland (2:59)/Climb, Standing/Pos 3. Increse Res/30 sec
Option: Pick ups during chorus

6. Everytime by Britney Spears-Valentin Remix (3:25)/Power 10's
Sit it down. Verse: Cadence @ 6. Chorus: Turn it up 2x. Power 10 all out sprint by my count. Next verse: bring it down to 6 again. Repeat to end. Remember: exhaust yourself during the Power 10!

7. Elevator by Flo Rida (3:50)/Stairs
Stair climber drill. 3x 1min. Sit down in between stairs and bring down to flat road. Should be out of breath.

Form: Imagine that you are charging up stadium stairs. Bounding two steps at a time! A little different than the normal run. Increase resistance to 8 or 9 [HEAVY!]. Dance on your toes; quick feet; as soon as you reach the bottom of the pedal stroke, drive knee up. Should feel this in calves and lower quads. Make sure you stand tall, suck in the abs, keep your weight back, and light grip. This is for the advanced spinner. Easier option, 1 minute pick ups in standing position 3.

8. Use Somebody by Kings of Leon (3:52)/Power 10's ==> chorus

9. Gimme More by Britney Spears (4:14)/Modified Jumps, Stay in Pos 3 whole time go from normal climb position to as far back as you can go. During chorus keep it back.

10. Turn My Swag On by Soulja Boy Tell 'Em (3:27)/Jump Mix

11. B.O.B. by Outkast (5:05)/Stairs! Burn it out. 1 min intervals w/20 sec rest
This beat is driving. Use that to explode up the stairs. Picture

12. Glycerine by Bush (4:27)/20 sec isolation intervals @ 9.

13. Heaven Is A Place On Earth Rmx by Ultra Flirt (5:18)/Start @ 9, down/30 sec
After 2.5 min, sprint intervals: 15, 30, 45, 60 @ FR or 6

14. I Do Not Hook Up by Kelly Clarkson (3:21)/Verse = Cadence Chorus = Surges @ 6

15. Any Way You Want It by Journey (3:23)/Big Burning Finish! Sprints with resistance during chorus @ 7 or 8. Last extended chorus at FR. All Out!

16. The Fear by Lily Allen (3:28)/FR cadence
17. Such Great Heights by Iron & Wine (4:12)/Stretches

Busy Little Bee

2009-05-29T09:51:00.003-04:00

Hi Folks. Been a crazy week and I've definitely fallen behind on my communication.

Here's what's happening.

My band is playing tonight! Funny story behind this. Last week I had my final pre-med committee interview during which I of course talked about the band. A few days later, I received an invite from the director of the program to play at the Penn Post-bac Premed Reception this evening in Houston Hall! Ha. We of course accepted. Looks like we're doing a Health Program Tour (since our first gig last month was for Temple Musicians In Medicine Spring Concert and our next gig will be for Penn as well in July at an employee bbq). We are so cool.

Med school applications open on Tuesday. Yikes and excitement! I've been waiting and planning for this process for five years, so I'm pretty psyched (and a bit nervous) to get things moving. Wish me luck!

I've also been keeping up with climbing about 3 times a week. My climbing buddy, Emily, has been doing a rotation in NE Philly Hospital and has been working 10 hours a day and doesn't get out until 8. We've been meeting up at 8:30 and climbing until the close of the gym at 10. It's not a long session, but we've been consistent and definitely been improving. I'm hoping we'll be getting up to the Gunks in the next month or so.

Running has been going well, though I only run 3 times a week now. I have a new running buddy, Greg, who is in his first year at Penn Med. We met randomly in a spin class that I substituted about 1.5 months ago and have been fast friends. We balance each other quite nicely--when he's lagging I motivate him to push harder and vice versa. He's been getting me to challenge myself in the push up domain (I'm up to 30 in a row!). It's quite a relief to have an equal; meaning, I love class and motivating people, but it's also nice to have someone who can challenge and motivate me too. He's going to help me get the extra edge to qualify for the Boston Marathon (whether he knows it or not!).

One of my oldest and dearest friends, Grant, graduated from Drexel Med School on May 15th. I can't believe he's actually a doctor! So crazy! I got to go to all the events that week--formal, family dinners, graduation, cocktail parties. It was quite the week, going out every night, celebrating his accomplishment, and unfortunately, saying goodbye. He took off that following weekend for Boston. He's doing his residency up at Boston University. I'm so proud and happy for him, but I'm really going to miss him. He's like family and it's going to be hard to be without that tie (and our famous seven hour meals together).

Work in the lab is going well, but slow. One week I'll be getting really awesome results, and then it seems as though the next week none of the experiments are working. This is pretty normal for lab work and you just have to accept it as the way of "Science." It's a bit trial and error. Also, the mouse workload has increased a 100 fold in the last couple of weeks. I've been spending a lot of time down in the "Mouse House", collecting hearts, livers, and tails for DNA genotyping. I like mouse work in general, but spending six hours at a time down with the smells, bad lighting, and Death has me appreciating bench work a bit more.

And lastly, summer session at the gym started this week. My schedule is completely different from last semester. I'm teaching three spin classes and one body pump class (plus lots of subbing). I'm bummed to be only teaching one official BP class, but they really cut down on the amount of classes during the summer and that's all I could get.

So, yes, I've been a busy bee, but thankfully with things that I love to do. Hopefully things are going well with you, too. I'd love to hear your own update!

Until next time!

Philosophy On The Bike: Spin #16

2009-05-27T17:34:00.004-04:00

Summer session started yesterday after a week-long break from classes (A week with out class?! Yikes!). Wednesday nights I'll be teaching "Power Hour" spin class. Now I can officially teach for an hour! Excellent!

1. Jumping Jack Flash by Rolling Stones (3:45)/WU
2. Run Around Sue by Dion & The Belmonts (2:43)/WU Mix
3. Crazy by Aerosmith (4:03)/WU Rolling Hills

4. The Joker by The Steve Miller Band (3:38)
Jumps & Surges. Jumps during verse. Surges during chorus (standing/pos 3).

5. Who Are You? By The Who (6:22)
Cadence & Climb. Start out fast @ FR. At 3min mark, rhythm changes from slow to fast. Alternate climb and pick ups accordingly.

6. You're All I Need by Method Man (3:41)
Jump Mix. Start @ 6. Increase Resistance Every Min.

7. Philosophy by Ben Folds Five (4:37)
Cadence and Flat road sprints. Every 20 sec. Cadence @ 6. Sprint @ FR.

8. Lightening Crashes by Live (5:26)
Climb. FR ==> 9. Add in some surges.

9. Paranoid by Black Sabbath (2:48)
Cadence. Standing Run @ 6 or 7 (on the beat).

10. Reckoner by Radiohead (4:50)
Hi Resistance Intervals.
30 sec isolation of lower body (standing/pos 3 @ 9)
30 sec recovery (options: turn down/sit down/just go back to using body weight)

11. Self Inflicted by Katy Perry (3:26)
Cadence @ 5 or 6. Active recovery.

12. Eternal Life by Jeff Buckley (4:53)
Power song. Sprints with resistance. 10, 20, 30, 45 intervals-same amount of recovery in between.

13. Riverdance by Bill Whelan & Anuna (5:42)
I happen to love the music from Riverdance. This track starts out very slow and dreamy and then every minute gets faster and faster; BIGGER & BIGGER! And that's what we're going to do. Start out at the top of the hill @ 9-10. Hold for minute. Each minute come down a level AND pick up the pace. By the last 30 sec-all out SPRINT to the finish!

14. A Boy Named Sue by Johnny Cash (3:47)/Cool down
15. The World At Large by Modest Mouse (4:33)/stretches

Stand UP. Spin Profile #15

2009-05-15T07:55:00.002-04:00

End of semester challenge. Keep out of saddle entire class. Make sure to focus on keeping weight back--center of mass right over the pedals. Protect the knees, feet and back!

1. You Got Your Cherry Bomb (3:09)/Warm Up, Seated
2. Two Princes by Spin Doctors (4:17), Warm Up, seated, explain workout
3. Plush by Stone Temple Pilots (5:14)/Stand UP! No more saddle for us. Position 3, Baby hills

4. O.P.P. by Naughty by Nature (4:29)/Modified Jumps

5. Pink Houses by John Mellancamp (4:44)/Position 3, Climb FR ==> 9

6. Color Blind by Counting Crows (3:39)/@ 9, Isolate lower body challenge
Slow pace way down, HI resistance, upper body stays as still as possible, CIRCLES

7. The Bad of Spuds by O'Malley's Folk Music/ Run @ 6, active recovery

8. The World I Know by Collective Soul (4:15)/Climb 6 ==> 9

9. Whatta Man by Salt N Peppa (5:08)/Modified Jumps @ 8

10. Iris by The Goo Goo Dolls (4:50)/ Climb, 8 ==> 9, During Chorus SURGE the pace

11. Last Train To Clarksville by The Monkees (2:46)/Run @ 6

12. Jump That Rock (Whatever You Want) by Scooter and Status Quo (3:24)
Chorus: Standing Sprint (pos 3); Verse: Climb + Cadence alternating pos 2 + 3

13. Brick by Ben Folds Five (4:31)/Sit it down and cool off!

"Hip-sters U-nite!" Spin Profile #14

2009-05-08T15:38:00.003-04:00

Excited to find out the great songs I have lined up for this week's spin class? I sure am! Have I mentioned before how much I love to plan out these classes? Maybe? As always, it's a challenge and a pleasure to mesh what I'd like to groove to versus what I think the spinners in my class will enjoy.

The past couple of weeks have been stressful for all. Whether the cause be the end of your school year, getting ready to apply to med school (that's me), or paying all those bills, we could all use a fun and challenging workout. It's the one hour of the day where nothing else exists but that bike and you.

This is what I enjoy most about teaching: no matter how my day is going or how tired I feel, the moment I sit on that bike and focus on the music and the moves, everything else melts away. This is what I want everyone in the class to experience. And this is what I aim for when I'm picking music. Music that's relatable, singable, and recognizable. If you can connect to the music, it's easier to forget about the burning in your legs or the stresses happening outside the room.

Here's the new spin profile for Saturday's class. Filled with my own college fav's (Something Corporate, The Bens), songs my band has covered (Stairway, Need You Back, Cherub Rock, With Or Without You), old marching band songs (Centerfold) and other songs that are just plain fun. That's the key word here: fun. I'm sooo ready for some workout fun!

1. Hurricane by Something Corporate (3:51)/Warm Up
2. I touch myself by The Pretenders (3:45)/Warm Up Mix
3. Mr. Jones by Counting Crows (4:33)/Warm Up Run

4. All I Really Want by Alanis Morissette (4:45)
Verse: Modified Jumps (get on the fast beat)
Mix up counts of 2, 4, and 8
May throw in a pickup during chorus (standing run)

5. Bruised by The Bens (4:40)
Verse: Cadence @ 7
Chorus: Sprint with resistance (option bring it to flat road)

6. Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots by The Flaming Lips (4:48)
Seated/Standing Climb, Inc Every 30sec

7. Centerfold by J. Geils Band (3:39)
Jumps. Verse 8cts. Chorus 4 cts. Last chorus, sit it down + pick up pace

8. 500 Miles by Proclaimers (3:39)
Verse: Seated Climb
Chorus: Standing Surge

9. Drunk Girl by Something Corporate (4:08)
Verse: Standing Climb
Chorus: Sprint

10. With Or Without You by U2 (4:56)
Rolling Hills. 10 sec intervals. Up for 3, down for 3 (increase 3x10sec then decr 3x10sec)

11. Need You Back by Ben Kweller (3:17)
Surges @ 7 or 8. Cadence during verse. Stand up and surge during chorus. Challenge: stay standing during verse. Easier option is to sit it back down.

12. Cherub Rock by Smashing Pumpkins (5:01)
20 sec intervals. 20 sec isolation/slower--standing in position 3 @ 9; 20sec seated pickup (FAST) @ 6 (just a little heavier than FR).
Last ~60 sec = sprint to finish. Big build up.

13. Stairway To Heaven by Led Zepellin (8:36)
Start out at the top of the hill. Standing Climb @ 9 for four minutes. Come down to 8: 2 minutes of slow paced modified jumps. Come down to 6: standing or seated run/sprint to end. Go with the song.

14. Crazy Love by Van Morrison (2:37)
Cool Down

It's Alive! Video of heart cell contraction

2009-04-30T11:43:00.006-04:00

I am currently working on the effects of cholesterol on heart muscle cells (cardiac myocytes). This week I cultured heart cells that I extracted from experimental mouse models (read: I removed the hearts from several mice, broke down the heart into individual cells, and grew them in petri dishes with a nutritious broth). I'd never seen these kinds of cells under the microscope before and boy, did I get a neat surprise!

As you know, the heart pumps blood by contracting muscles in the wall of the heart. The force of the contraction pushes blood out of the heart and into the arteries to be carried off to our extremities. To review a little biology, remember that the structural hierarchy in the body is as follows:

Organ (heart) ==> Tissue (heart muscle) ==> Cell (cardiac myocyte)
Macroscopic ==> Microscopic

Although we see the entire heart contract as one muscle tissue, the contractions are actually taking place on the cellular level. This means that individual cells contract independently. It is the function of the brain and the nervous system to coordinate thousands of cellular contractions into one big muscle contraction of the whole heart.

When you culture cardiac myocytes in a dish, you can observe the individual contractions. Indeed, long after you have extracted the cells from a mouse, the cells are still beating on their own. Incredible! And it makes experimenting a lot easier...

Here's an example of what I can see under the microscope:

Truly amazing!

Mad, Mad River: Spin Profile #13

2009-04-27T14:47:00.002-04:00

It's Monday. Sometimes all we can think about on Monday is "WEEKEND." Perhaps we're thinking of the great times from the past weekend. Perhaps we're already thinking ahead to next weekend and wondering what interesting events will come to pass.

Wouldn't it be great if we could extend that feeling a little longer? Yes? Alrighty then! Head on down to spin class this evening and join me in a sing-a-long to all those classic bar songs that have us jumping up and down and belting out "Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch" (you know you have!) and all those other bar favorites.

What's better than having a sing-a-long? COMPETITION!

That's right. Let's see how much you've been paying attention to me all semester long.
Points for:
-Song name
-Artist
-Theme (Bar Songs; Mad River = bar where I hear all of these songs)
-Form (sprints, jumps, climb)
-Knowing the words
-Showing up

It's the end of the semester and people are getting a bit burnt out. Let's encourage by giving an award to everyone who shows up and the highest point scorer. This is a place where just showing up earns you points! Sweet!

1. Video Killed The Radio Star by The Buggles (4:14)
2. ABC by The Jackson 5 (2:57)
3. Jump Around by The House of Pain (3:36)
4. Drift Away by Uncle Kracker (4:16)
5. Come On Eileen by Dexy's Midnight Runners (4:00)
6. Laid by James (2:37)
7. I Can't Help Myself by Four Tops (2:46)
8. Lola by The Kinx (4:25)
9. You Shook Me All Night Long by AC/DC (3:29)
10. Sweet Child of Mine by Guns N Roses (5:58)
11. Free Fallin' by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers (4:20)
12. Beautiful by Akon (5:13)
13. American Pie by Don McLean (8:29)
14. Cecilia by Simon & Garfunkel (2:55)
15. It's Five O'Clock Somewhere by Jimmy Buffet (3:44)

Welcome Music
Undone (Sweater Song)
I Touch Myself

A Different Kind of Sunday School: Tria Wine & Cheese Bar

2009-04-20T13:10:00.012-04:00

It's Sunday night and you're sitting at home wondering why/how the weekend sped by so quickly. You may already be in your pj's or you may be still sitting around in your sweaty running clothes post-Sunday-Long-Run. Suddenly a vibrating noise cuts through the end-of-weekend-dread: you've received a text message from a good buddy saying "Let's hit up Sunday School."

You may be like me and first grimace at the memory of waking up way too early on a Sunday morning to go to CCD class...then you remember that your friend is referring to Sunday School at Tria Wine & Cheese Bar. Immediately you hop in the shower and get giddy for some 'last call' Sunday evening fun. The work week suddenly feels far away again!

Ok, I may have used "you" here, but really this situation describes a common Sunday evening situation for me. If you have yet to experience Sunday School at Tria, please get yourself there next weekend! Honestly, Tria is fun any night of the week. It specializes in unique wine, cheese and beer pairings. The menu changes often, so there are always a plethora of choices. On top of the wine and cheese, they do also have entrees, but be prepared to spend the buckaroos. I wouldn't recommend coming here for dinner, though the fare is exceptional (I love the truffled poached egg with fontina cheese and the nutella panini). The real deal here is the wine and cheese pairings (all cheeses come paired with some culinary delight like honey, fruit, nuts, and bread).

Sunday nights are particularly great at Tria because of Sunday School. The House picks an interesting wine, cheese, and beer and sells it at half price. This means you can try a wine or cheese that you wouldn't normally venture. Awesome!

Last night the selection was not disappointing (copied from website):

WINE: Cahors, Château Les Hauts D’Aglan, '05 (Soturac, France)
We absolutely love Argentine Malbec, but the grape didn’t just fall from the sky and plant itself in South America. Everybody’s got a story, huh? This rich, tannic, midnight-colored grape now flourishing in the New World hails comes from a sleepy valley region in southwest France surrounding the River Lot. The Malbec grape dominates the Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) region of Cahors, but the French call it Côt, Côt Noir or Auxerrois. In the Middle Ages is was called the Black Wine of France for its intense, opaque inky hue. Today’s robust version contains 10% Merlot, no oak and the skilled touch of a very talented female winemaker. This black beauty was aged for 18 months in the tank allowing the dark and delicious fruit flavors to coalesce and the tannins to gracefully refine. When you’re feeling a little lost in the big New World, head back to the source for a glass of the real deal.
Regular Price $10 glass Sunday School Price $5 glass

This was good. I'm not a Merlot fan, but the 10% was well balanced (and mostly overpowered) by the other flavors. I'll admit that the after-taste was not pleasant--as per usual with merlot. On my way home 30 minutes later I had to pop some gum in my mouth to disperse the bitterness. The best wines I've had leave the palate well-balanced for hours.

CHEESE: Quiejo Toledo (Torres Vedras, Portugal · Cow, Goat & Sheep-P)
This firm little puck of mixed milk is bursting with flavor. The exterior is rubbed with a spicy smoked paprika of the piquant variety. They slowly smoke the paprika over the course of two weeks before grinding it into a fine paste and rubbing it on the cheese. The powder is rich, moist and brightly hued, so be forewarned of orange fingers. The handcrafted pieces are aged for 3-4 months and can become quite dense. During the aging process the distinct flavors of three different milks marry, but manage to maintain their individual qualities. The acidic kick of the goat’s milk is balanced by the beefy texture of the cow’s milk. The fatty sheep’s milk provides a gamy punch of flavor and texture. The complexity of this cheese is complimented by an accompaniment of legendary Piedmontese Millefiori (thousand flower) honey for a touch of sweetness. A little bit of this bold cheese goes a long and delicious way.
Regular Price $8½ Sunday School Price $4

Love, love, love cheese and honey pairings (where appropriate of course). Very tasty, but watch out for the delayed kick of spice.

I also had a Chevre d'Argental which was paired with a blueberry compote. I preferred this to the Quiejo, but that's only because I prefer the creamy sweetness of the chevre to the spiciness of the Quiejo.

http://www.triacafe.com/sunday_school/

18th & Sansom Streets • 215.972.TRIA

Washington Square West • 12th & Spruce Streets • 215.629.9200

Back To The Future at Colby

2009-04-20T10:28:00.004-04:00

Last weekend I went up to Colby College to meet up with an old professor of mine and to catch part of a track meet on the new facility. I hadn't been back to Colby since graduation five years ago.

I went up to campus spontaneously--not really processing what it would be like to be back at my alma mater and in the middle of nowhere Maine; and in a blur--trying to reach my destination as quickly as possible. As I finally reached Waterville and was trying to recall how to navigate the roads to campus, I noticed some small differences. I was shocked to come off the highway and not find the WALMART, but some other large store called Mardens. What happened? In Waterville, Walmart used to be the center of shopping unless you wanted to high tail it to Augusta to the more upscale Old Navy or Barnes & Nobles....What Colby student didn't easily waste $50 when you only went in to buy, for example, a $3 notebook? What happened there?

Anyways, I passed the Mardens and remembered to take a left at the first light. This road leads directly to campus. I am glad to report that nothing has changed here. Still lonely, narrow, and filled with potholes. So many TREES! All of a sudden, there's a bend in the road and, VOILA, a clearing in the trees gives way to a breathtaking view of the Pond, Miller Library, Bob's, the Athletic Center, and the various sport fields.

I parked next to the pond, stepped out of the car and almost died of shock. It was sooooo gorgeous! Dumbstruck, speechless, overpowered...these are a few words to describe the wonder I felt at being back at Colby. Sure, I had a picture in my head of the picturesque campus and I knew that it was beautiful, but seeing it was a different matter. I uttered the following two statements about every other minute: "I used to live here??" "Oh my God, sooo Gorgeous!"

You also have to remember that I've been living in Philly for the past five years. As much as I love Philly, I still have to run 2.37 miles to experience any semblance of Nature and trees.

I waited at Bob's to meet up with my old advisor, mentor, and friend: Professor Jim Webb. As I waited for him there--in a place that I'd waited for him countless times before--I felt as though no time had passed. Not true, of course. I've had many experiences since last I saw him that have taken me on a different path than the one I had envisioned at Colby years ago. I had no idea back then that I'd love biochem, signal transduction and would want to apply to MD/PhD programs. I hadn't even expected to run multiple marathons or become a group exercise instructor.

Life takes us in interesting directions; directions that can't be predicted. Along the way we discover new aspects of ourselves. In this process we sometimes forget our old goals, opinions, and feelings until we are somehow reminded of what used to be important to us. At these junctures, maybe you decide that these feelings are no longer a part of you. Other times, like for me at Colby, you decide it's important to remember those feelings and incorporate it into your present goals.

As a parting gift, P. Webb gave me a copy of his new book, Humanity's Burden: A Global History of Malaria. I started reading it and was transported back to Colby again when I was his research assistant and he my advisor for my Senior Scholar's project; both of us working on mosquito research. Last weekend, we "jokingly" said that someday we would do a collaboration. I hope we do! I want to keep alive my ties to Colby. I feel very proud to be a Colby grad and have been sporting my "Colby Track & Field" hat all week.

Continuity gives us roots; change gives us branches, letting us stretch and grow and reach new heights. ~Pauline R. Kezer

Letter from Bro

2009-04-17T15:10:00.003-04:00

Here's the letter I received via email today from President Bro Adams regarding the incident at Colby last Sunday am. I've been getting updates all week about the incident and it still seems unclear what happened and why. On Monday, I received reports saying that a kid got so drunk someone had to call EMS. Some other kid interfered with the treatment. He reacted in a verbal then physical way. Security and police were called in and the kids were arrested. That story seemed straightforward enough. By Tuesday there were reports saying that the kids were treated forcefully and unfairly and perhaps this has something to do with race. Five days later it still seems pretty unclear... Let me know what you think.

Dear Colby Alumni,

I have received hundreds of e-mails and voice messages in response to my communications with all of you regarding the events of April 12. I cannot respond to each message individually in the thoughtful and timely manner they all deserve, so I hope you will understand my resorting again to e-mail in order to provide an update. Some common questions and concerns emerged in many of your messages.

Chief among them were:
-requests for specific information about the April 12 events and Colby’s response to them;
-expressions of shock regarding the video that shows Colby Security officers restraining two students;
-questions about a possible racial element to Colby’s and local law enforcement’s handling of the situation;
-how Colby will proceed in investigating the events of April 12.

At a forum on campus last night, I reiterated to members of the on-campus community that I find the video deeply disturbing. I understand why, in the absence of other information, students and others would respond to the video with expressions of anger and fear. The host of emotions called forth by images of security officers restraining students is complex, and the complexity deepens because the officers are white and the students are of color.

While I acknowledge the power of those images, I also recognize that the video depicts only a very brief portion of the time in which the Colby personnel, students, and law enforcement officers interacted. A full and complete understanding of the facts and circumstances of that morning is required if we are to have any hope of addressing productively the many concerns raised. As I did in my last message to you, I underscore my feeling that we must not rush to judgment in the absence of that complete understanding, even while I acknowledge the many requests that Colby act quickly. We do not yet know whether any of the events was motivated by racial considerations. We do not yet know whether the methods used constitute excessive force.I understand that these are questions that demand answers and that the pace of our investigation and the scarcity of detail surrounding it are clearly of concern to many of you. So I will share with you what I have told students about how the investigation has been mounted and how it will proceed.

Beginning early on Sunday morning, Associate Dean of Students Paul Johnston, Coordinator of Multicultural Programs Joseph Atkins and Richard Nale from Colby’s Human Resources Department have been conducting interviews with witnesses. They were selected to conduct Colby’s initial investigation because of their knowledge of Colby policies and federal laws surrounding student privacy issues and employment regulations and because each is experienced in gathering information immediately following an event. Experience, not only at Colby but in other settings, suggests that the sooner such interviews are conducted, the more complete and accurate a picture of events will emerge. Paul, Joe, and Richard have been unable to interview all potential witnesses because some have not responded to requests from them, but they hope to conclude this phase of the investigation shortly, joined by Director of Equal Employment Opportunity Cora Clukey as we make the transition into the next phase.

At the forum last night, students asked whether it would be helpful for Colby administrators to receive information germane to the investigation from students who were not present – for example, from students who have had interactions with Security that they believe may be exemplars. Vice President Doug Terp and I agreed that the wider scope could indeed be helpful and encouraged those who wanted to talk to us, to Dean Jim Terhune or anyone on his staff, or to the investigators to do so.

Since Monday, I have worked to identify a person unconnected with the College who will evaluate the facts and provide an independent determination of what happened. This independent investigator will have the full cooperation of the College administration and will conduct his or her inquiry as he or she chooses. I cannot provide details now of how or when the conclusions of that investigation will be shared, but I hope to have more to say about this soon.I will continue to keep you informed as to the progress of the investigation and Colby’s response to these events. In the meantime, the College also is maintaining a Web page that contains, in addition to our communications about the matter, links to the media coverage of which we are aware. The address of that site is: www.colby.edu/april12incident. By tomorrow, we hope, a complete video of last night’s forum also will be posted on the site.

I am grateful to all of you who have engaged in these discussions. As difficult as it is to hear and to read some of the more negative criticism, my sense of the power of the Colby bond has been deepened by the thoughtfulness of your comments and your clear commitment to making this College stronger in every way.

William D. Adams
President

Fling It: Spin Profile #12

2009-04-17T11:05:00.003-04:00

This weekend is Spring Fling at Penn. Since 1973, Spring Fling has been the ultimate student festival at Penn. Thousands of students descend onto the Quad, Hill Field, College Green, and Wynn Commons to dance, eat, party, and enjoy a day full of surprises. Each Spring Fling consists of a Carnival with games and events, a Concert hosting the hippest new bands, and the Quad Concerts, which showcase some of the hottest local bands and performers.

This year, the big show features GUSTER and Akon. I am a huge GUSTER fan [hence the capital letters] and cannot wait for the show tonight! I've been listening to Guster since the 7th grade. Way back then, they were students at Tufts and living in Somerville. I've been to countless concerts. Their beats never get old.

In honor of the concert I will be hosting an all Guster and Akon spin class tomorrow. Ok, honestly it is mostly Guster with a few Akon songs thrown in. The other day I was going through my iTunes library and throwing Guster songs into the playlist. After choosing all my "favorite" Guster songs, I went back to inspect the playlist. I found that I had 2.5 hours worth of Guster tracks with about 10 minutes of Akon. Whoops. Don't think anyone will be interested in spinning for 3 hours.

So, after much pruning and ripping out of my heart, I came up with the following spin profile. Along with bopping along to the awesome beats, we will be working on endurance and stamina. Each position and pace will be held for two songs.

1. Window by Guster (3:35)/Warm Up
2. Manifest Destiny by Guster (3:02)/Warm Up Mix

3. Right Now (Na Na Na) by Akon (4:01)/Jumps
4. Medicine by Guster (3:57)/Jumps

5. Amsterdam by Guster (3:37)/RUN
6. Center of Attention by Guster (4:07)/RUN

7. Beautiful by Akon (5:13)/CLIMB
8. Demons by Guster (4:26)/CLIMB

9. Sweetest Girl by Wyclef Jean ft Akon (4:30)/Cadence + FR SPRINTS on chorus
10. Barrel of A Gun by Guster (3:12)/Cadence + FR SPRINTS on chorus

11. Shake Down by Akon (3:52)/JUMPS
12. We Takin' Over by DJ Khaled ft Akon (4:30)/JUMPS

13. The Captain by Guster (3:26)/SPRINTS with Resistance
14. Airport Song by Guster (3:32)/SPRINTS with Resistance

15. Don't Matter by Akon (4:53)/Cadence + Cool Down
16. Parachute by Guster (5:12)/Cool Down

Songs I Sing In The Shower: Spin Profile #11

2009-04-14T14:52:00.002-04:00

The other day I was in spin class and I was feeling pretty disconnected to some of the songs. Most notably the songs that I threw in from the top 40 that I either don't like or haven't listened to enough to be excited about. I used these songs because I knew my participants would really like them. Sometimes it's tough to find that balance between what I think the participants will like versus what I like.

This profile focuses songs that I like to sing in the shower. Read: songs that I really enjoy bopping along to. Let's breathe some life into the spin room!

This is geared for a 45 min class (most of mine are an hour-long).

1. If Today Was Your Last Day by Nickelback/Warm Up

2. River of Dreams by Billy Joel/Inc every 30 sec (FR ==> 8) + Jump Mix

3. Janie's Got A Gun by Aerosmith/Seated Climb 8 ==> 10

4. That was a crazy game of poker by O.A.R./Lots of tempo changes: mix of climbing + running + sprinting/FR ==> 10

5. Rockin' Down The Highway by The Doobie Brothers/Cadence @ FR or 6

6. 5000 Ones by Drama/Jump Mix @ 6 or 7

7. Fool In The Rain by Led Zeppelin/Standing Climb @ 8; mid-song Sprint; back to climb + inc. to 10

8. Jessie's Girl by Rick Springfield/Verse = Cadence; Chorus = RUN @ 6

9. Hook by Blues Traveler/FR ==> 10; Climb Mix; add in some pick ups

10. Always by Bon Jovi/Cool Down + Stretches (This is my favorite shower song!!)

Start The Fire! Spin Profile #10

2009-04-06T10:23:00.003-04:00

Today's spin profile features two long hills, the second being a little longer and harder than the first.

Visualize the hill as: Increase and plateau; Increase and Pleateau; Descend (x2).
Flat road in between the two hills (song 8). Active Recovery! Keep it fast.

On the "increase" songs:
-Mix up standing/seated climb--the second hill will probably feature more time standing out in position 3.
-I may throw in some sprints--especially on song 11. Depends on how people are looking.

"HOLD" songs:
-standing/pos 3 = great time/way to work the glutes.

1. Don't You (Forget About Me) by Simple Minds (4:21)/WU
2. Let's Twist Again by Chubby Checker (2:18)/Run
3. Magic Dance by David Bowie (5:11)/ WU Mix

4. Country Grammar by Nelly (4:47)/Inc/60 sec: FR ==> 8
5. Can You Tell Me by Ra Ra Riot (2:43)/Run @ 8
6. Sweetest Girl by Wyclef (3:59)/Inc/60 sec 8 ==> 9 or 1o
7. All I Need by Radiohead (3:49)/HOLD @ 9 or 10
*At end of last song, bring resistance down quick to FR*

8. Airport Song by Guster (3:32)/Cadence @ FR
Ride it out!

9. Living On A Prayer by Bon Jovi (4:09)/Inc/60 sec: FR ==> 8
10. Run! by Gnarls Barkley (2:49)/Run @ 8
11. Dirt Off Your Android by Jadiohead (3:34)/Inc/60 sec 8 ==> 9 or 10
12. Stand By Me by Ben E. King (2:58)/HOLD @ 9 or 10
13. F**k You by Lily Allen (3:43)/SLOW descent- decr./30 sec: 9 or 10 ==> 6 or FR
14. Live and Let Die by Paul McCartney (3:13)/Mix Standing pos 2 + 3 (chorus, verse, interlude)
15. We Didn't Start The Fire by Billy Joel (4:48)/Cadence + Sprints (seated and standing/pos 2)

16. My Girl by The Temptations (2:44)/Cool Down
17. Every Rose Has Its Thorn by Poison (4:23)/CD + Stretches

3x3: Spin Profile #8

2009-04-05T13:37:00.002-04:00

This profile features 3 hills (up and down) separated by short, one-minute sprints (all out!). On the third song of each hill, goal is to come down the hill slowly. By end of song, be back at flat road (or at 6 for an extra challenge) to sprint for a one minute interval.

As always. three song warm up.
1. Oye Mi Canto by N.O.R.E, Big Mato, Nina Skyy, Gem Star, Daddy Yankee (4:01)/WU
2. Bad Moon Rising by CCR (2:20)/RUN
3. Boom Boom Pow by Black Eyed Peas (4:12)/Warm up mix

4. Bittersweet Symphony by The Verve (6:01)/Inc. Every 30 sec
5. No Diggity by Black Street (5:05)/Modified Jumps
6. Kiss Me Thru The Phone by Soulja Boy Tell 'Em (3:13)/Decrease Every 60 sec

7. Buffy The Vampire Slayer by Knightsbridge (1:02)/SPRINT

8. I Love College by Asher Roth (4:01)/Inc. Every 30 sec
9. Sugar by Flo Rida ft Wynter (4:13)/Modified Jumps
10. Shoop y Salt N' Pepper (4:09)/Decrease Every 60 sec

11. Mythbusters by The TV Theme Players (1:05)/SPRINT

12. Creep by Radiohead (3:57)/Inc. Every 30 sec
13.Waterfalls by TLC (4:40)/Modified Jumps
14. Traveling Man by Bob Seger (4:55)/2 min at top; decrease for min to 6; RUN to finish

15. Ride Wit Me by Nelly (4:52)/Cool Down
16. Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye by Steam (4:10)/Stretches

The Spy Who 'Burned' Me: Spin Profile #7

2009-04-05T13:21:00.003-04:00

Another themed class! Woo-hoo!

Point break-down:
1 - Artist
1 - Song Title
1 - Origin (some have multiple)
3 - Theme (= Spy Songs)

1. James Bond Theme Remix by Moby (3:23)
2. Secret Agent Man by Johnny Rivers (3:07)/Secret Agent Man TV Show, Ace Ventura
3. Live & Let Die by Paul McCartney & Wings (3:13)/Bond
4. Pink Panther Theme by Henrey Mancini & Chris Mancini (2:37)
5. Die Another Day by Madonna (4:38)/Bond
6. Goldeneye by Tina Turner (4:46)/Bond
7. It's The Hard Knock Life by Dr. Evil (1:44)/Austin Powers
8. Short Skirt/Long Jacket by Cake (3:24)/Chuck TV Show
9. Mission Impossible Theme Remix by Top Secret (5:37)
10. Main Title by Michael Giacchino (0:28)/ALIAS
11. Decode by Paramore (4:22)/Twilight--ok not a spy flick, but Decode = spy themed so it's ok
12. The World Is Not Enough by Garbage (3:58)/Bond
13. James Bond Theme by John Barry Orchestra (1:48)/Dr. No

Link To School List Spreadsheet

2009-04-02T12:55:00.004-04:00

Sorry about the problems with the embedded MD/PhD School List spreadsheet. After many attempts of trying to work it out, I just decided to post a link to the published spreadsheet.

Let me know if you still have problems viewing this!

Thanks.

http://tinyurl.com/dbdg39

I'm A Rock Star Baby.

2009-03-26T18:04:00.008-04:00

New 14" Sabian X-Plosion Crash. Oh the sweetness!

Come check out Gozer & The Gozarians from 12:30-2:30 pm tomorrow, March 27. I'm the hot drummer in the back. You can't miss me; I'm the only female. Wuzzzup!

Location:
SFC/4th floor
3340 N. Broad St (Southwest corner of Ontario & Broad)
Philly

MD/PhD programs: The Application List

2009-03-26T12:26:00.026-04:00

I am finally applying to MD/PhD programs. It's been a long road to get here, but I finally have my MCAT scores, science GPA, recs, and research all in line. Here's what I'll have to do over the next few months.

TIMELINE~
April 1st:
Letter of Intent
Autobiography

April 15th:
Finalize school list

May 1st:
Have all letters of recommendation
Submit Forms 1 & 2 to Pre-Med Committee

May 10th:
AMCAS application opens - can fill out app, but can't submit yet
Complete AMCAS Primary Application includes Transcripts, Committee Letter, Extracurriculars, Volunteer Positions, Jobs, Research Experience, Personal Statement (1.25 pp), MD/PhD Statement (1.5 pp), and Research Statement (4 pp).

June 5th:
Application submission opens. Press SUBMIT.

By July:
Complete Secondary Applications
Includes Supplemental Questions and more fees.

August-August
Responses from schools. Yes it may take that long.

THE LIST:

The way these applications work is that the deadlines for submission are in October/November, but they start interviewing & accepting on a rolling basis (i.e. as soon as they receive your application). So, you can wait until October to apply, but your chances are diminished. Applying early really does help; or so "they" say.

I submitted my letter of intent this morning.

I am officially declaring my MD/PhD goal.

Yowza.

Six-Week Training Plan For Broad St 10 Mile Race (May 3, 2009)

2009-03-21T18:14:00.012-04:00

Goal Pace: 7:50 min/mi pace

Notes: First race of the season. Haven’t been running that much since I started teaching Body Pump (BP) and Spinning in January. Last year, I ran 8 min/mi pace for this race. This year I’m shooting for sub 8. I think 7:50 min/mi is a reasonable goal. My PR for a half marathon was last year’s Nike Women’s Half Marathon in October and I averaged 7:31 min/mi. Obviously, not at that pace yet, but sub 8 is def doable considering I am very fit from my classes!

-Speedwork gets 800m jogs in between sets.
-I’m not sure that I’ll be able to keep to the >7 min/mi pace for the mile repeats….that’s pretty slow, but that’s the suggested pace considering I haven’t done any speed all Winter. I’ll let you know how that goes!
-I also kept out 400 repeats from the schedule…going to save that ‘til after I get my legs back.
-Tuesdays are my worst energy days (so much teaching mon/tues). I tried to allow for that in my planning.

Re: Twitter Updates

2009-03-18T16:36:00.003-04:00

This post is directed mostly to my mom and dad (and possibly my sister too) who have never heard of Twitter. It's another social networking phenom sort of like Facebook that enables its users to send and read other users' daily (or hourly) updates known as tweets. In this fashion, Twitter is more of a micro-blogging tool where Facebook is an all-encompassing social network. Although both FB and Twitter have these "update" features, FB and Twitter are very different. Twitter is much more conversational and filled with observations on the world while Facebook status updates tend to stick to a formulaic “I am doing this,” or “I have done this.” Many FB users only update their status once a day, if that, while Twitterers update more often. You can also follow the tweets of famous people (I'm following Ben Kweller and Jimmy Fallon) or news stations (i.e. NPR). I have really enjoyed this last feature as I feel less ignorant already. Also, Twitterers have developed their own language (twead, tweetup, twis, twadd) which adds to the richness/addictiveness of the network.

I just signed up for Twitter this week, as a way to keep track of what I'm doing and thinking on a daily basis. I have planted a Twitter widget into my blog so you can follow my updates as well and get a better feeling for how I'm spending my days.

Happy Tweading!

Seattle!

2009-03-18T14:35:00.004-04:00

It's been over a week since my last post. What have I been up to?

Mostly I've been out visiting Andrew D'Avis in Seattle. Unfortunately, I didn't take any pictures during this time, despite having brought two digital cameras with me. So much for my new "take more daily photos" resolution. Here's a breakdown of what I saw.

Runs:
-Lake Washington
-Interlaken Park/ran part of the marathon course
-Volunteer Park
-Humongous hills up to Capital Hill; my Philly legs were put in their place!
-Very eclectic architecture. Each house seemed different; moreover even each window on each house was different.
-Sprawling buildings/lots more "space" for a city

Coffee Shops:
-Victrola Coffee & Art http://www.victrolacoffee.com/
-Bauhaus Books & Coffee http://www.bauhauscoffee.net/
I was not disappointed!

Restaurants/Pub/Other Fooderies:
-Spinasse http://www.spinasse.com/ Highly recommend this one. Food was great, but the ambiance was excellent. Designed like you are in an Italian dining room and can see through to a homey kitchen. Very cool!
-Volunteer Park Cafe http://www.alwaysfreshgoodness.com/. Smells divine as soon as you walk in! Great waitress. Great food, though I was so tired from travel I don't remember what I ate. I do recall a nice bottle of Syrah from Columbia Valley, Washington (l'Ecole no 41, 2005).
-Honey Hole http://www.thehoneyhole.com/
-Dish Cafe http://seattle.citysearch.com/profile/10783787
-Kimchi Bistro http://www.yelp.com/biz/kimchi-bistro-seattle. Small family owned restaurant. Very nice people there. Had very filling and tasty Dol Soht.
-The Stumbling Monk http://www.drunkenmonks.org/. Great selection of Belgians.
-Pikes Place Market
-Madison Square Market (coop)
-Dave Zucker's Pi(e) Party! However it was on 3/13 as he had to leave for China on Sun. Thanks Dave for inviting me! It was the most memorable Pi Day! There were many, many tasty pies; I sampled at least 10. There was a raspberry/strawberry one that was quite good. Well, actually that's the only one that I can recollect with any clarity, so it must have been very good...
-Last night, went to Charlie's apartment for dinner [cooked by Andrew's housemate (lamb ragu, very tasty!)]. Then Andrew and I made chocolate souffles. Turned out well if I do say so myself!

Yes, we ate well!

NB. Of all of the wines we drank, I didn't like any of the European wines--which was odd because I'd had those wines before on the East Coast and know that I've liked them before. There was a 2005 Chateauneuf du Pape that I was very disappointed in. It was really acidic and never opened up even after a half hour of breathing. On the other hand, all of the West Coast wines were impeccable. I wonder if anyone else has experienced this phenom. In any case, I was glad to finally try some good California wines, in particular a Pinot Noir. I was very impressed. I am completely ignorant when it comes to West Coast wines.

Cool views:
-The Library. Thanks to Andrew's friend who works at the library, I was able to get a look at the cool conveyor belt system that ushers/organizes the incoming and outgoing books. Pretty high tech! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seattle_Central_Library
-The view from Charlie's apartment. Amazing! Can see all of Seattle skyline, the Needle, Elliot Bay. You could really see how quickly the weather changes there. The apartment had sunshine, but you could see rain falling out over the bay. Clear view of the sunset (well it got hidden in the end by little storm clouds). But you could imagine how wondrous it would be on a clear day.
-First night there, walked up to Volunteer Park. Great view of Elliot Bay and all the mountains that surround Seattle. There's also an art museum, a green house, and an interesting circular sculpture. I forget what it actually was, but it reminded me of The Death Star with it's center blown out (yeah, a little strange, but come on, I was on EST and I'd been traveling all day).
-I was blown away by views from path around Lake Wash. To be so close to the mountains, but still in a city. Awesome! So much green too. I almost (ok, I did) tripped several times just because I couldn't tear my eyes away from Nature.
-Up on Cap Hill it seemed as though there was a great view from every street corner: mountains, lakes in both directions.
-Drove out to Puget Sound. Wow! The wind was crazy that day. I'd say this added to the magic of the shore. Lots of dogs and other people strolling the beach and tide pools, having a relaxing Sunday morn. There were seaweeds, rocks, shells, and drift wood to play with/on. This is one of the downfalls of Philly: no beaches, no lakes, no waves. I felt utter glee from being out in nature like this; energized by the wind and surf and salty smells!
-The Fremont Troll http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/2236

So, yes, I had a great time in Seattle. Is it the better coast as Emily Meshberg incessantly argues? TBD.

Bullies Then & Now

2009-03-08T10:17:00.005-04:00

I recently became Facebook friends with someone who used to be a bully. He was a terror at the bus stop; nobody was safe from his demeaning comments or physical threats. I personally remember him picking out my own insecurities, namely my "buck teeth with the gigantic space in between." Yup, sometimes he'd even just call me Bucky for short. Just one utterance from him could send you reeling.

I wonder what he is like now. Is he still a jerk? Unfortunately his facebook page doesn't (or can't) reveal his current personality. Propriety prevents me from writing on his wall and demanding if he is still that same bullying creep or if he has matured into a better person.

What do you think? Are people who were bullies in middle school or younger (he moved before high school) really jerks or are they just going through an insecure phase themselves that passes?

My Band; RIP John Pike

2009-03-06T11:05:00.012-05:00

Aka Gozer & The Gozarians aka Zuul aka Apoptonic aka Work In Progress.

Yes we're geeks and proud of it.

I've been officially playing the drums since the fourth grade. Unofficially, I've been tapping out beats since I was born. Some of my earliest memories are of me sitting atop my Dad's shoulders, watching the drum core of the local marching band stomp by. I'd try to imitate the rhythm, using my Dad's head as my first snare drum. Thinking back, he must have had bruises from my 'sweet' beats, but he never complained. Always a supporter!

In high school I mostly just played with the school bands (marching, jazz, and orchestra) under Band Director Bob Lassonde. I'd occasionally play a school musical or with fellow students (shout out to Four Green Polo Shirts). Back in those days I was obsessed with playing Zeppelin, namely Kashmir or Stairway to Heaven. Couldn't get enough of that heavenly bass drum sound. In college, I branched out a bit. My other drummer friends and I would go down to this park with our sticks and knock out rhythms on anything we could play on. This is what I'd like to call my "creative/hippie" phase. Later years at Colby saw me playing in a band with a good friend of mine, Leif. We did a lot of covers and had a blast together, though we didn't really practice that regularly.

My drum playing reached an all time low in the years immediately following graduation. My grad school program sucked me into a dark abyss and I didn't do much besides study and run. I kept thinking to myself that I'd get back on those drums soon, once I got some more free time and motivation. However, I 'all of a sudden' found that three years had passed and I still hadn't picked up a drum stick.

In June 2007, all of that changed. A childhood friend of mine and fellow drummer died unexpectedly. Just as his own band, Ra Ra Riot, was starting to get momentum and start a tour that summer, Johnny Pike's life was suddenly taken away. Apart from feeling an immense sorrow for the loss of such a talented and outgoing musician, I was reminded of how quickly things can end and how important it is to take advantage of the moment. Don't put off things until tomorrow because a) you'll most likely put it off again to the following day, etc, or b) shit happens, you may not be around tomorrow.

*You can't wait around for that magical free time, good timing, and/or motivation to suddenly appear. It's not going to come. Stop thinking about doing something and just go do it.

And thus, the day I returned from the funeral, I sent out an email to the Penn listserv and asked if anyone wanted to get together and jam; I explained that I hadn't played in a couple of years, but I really wanted to get into something consistent.

Matt and Jeff replied quickly; eagerly saying that this is exactly how they felt too. Jory got recruited through Matt; they've known each other for a while and had discussed getting together, but never got around to it. We've met pretty much every Saturday since then (ok, we have periods where life has gotten in the way, but overall we've been consistent).

And that is the story of how the band got together.

I cannot express how happy playing with the band makes me. The first level of pleasure comes from the mere act of playing and making music. It's great to be inside that beat and feel it easily flowing from you. Second, I feel happy because this is something that I actively sought out. I could have just as easily kept on slogging through my schedule, still claiming that I just didn't have enough time. Activities like this make me feel alive and that I'm living to the fullest. There's a jubilation in that knowledge.

March 27th! 12:30-3:30p. Temple Musicians In Medicine Spring Concert. Be there or be square!

Shameless self-promotion

2009-03-06T10:36:00.005-05:00

Few things coming up I'd like y'all to know about.

*March 27th*: MARK YOUR CALENDARS. My band is playing at The Temple Musicians In Medicine Spring Concert. Yay! It's from 12:30-3:30. Everyone is welcome to come, even if you're not in med school...Please come! I'd love to see familiar faces in the crowd. For you HW folks out there, Nick Papacostas shall also be in attendance an playing in his band. He sings, he plays piano, he raps a bit! Multi-talented dude. We're reppin' good ol' Ham-Wen well. Come show your support.

*I opened up a flickr account last month and have been uploading photos little by little.
Check it out: http://www.flickr.com/photos/daisie981/
I'm planning to get a bunch of films developed this weekend from my 1970 Nikon and scanning them in. Be on the look out!

*If you are looking to do something artsy this weekend, come see my friend Amanda Juner's art show at T Bar (12th & Samson). It's Saturday, March 7 from 6-8p. Free teas and treats AND there's going to be a jazz band. Need more reason to be there? Yours truly shall be present! Fo Sho! And then I'll be headed to see The Watchmen. Sweet!

*Next week is Philly Beer Week. Yes! It's here again! Last year I was so caught up in studies, I didn't get to attend any of the events. Not this year! I'll be posting my favorite stops. Get ready!

*Sunday, May 3. Broad Street Race. 10 miles of flat & fast & fun. You still have two months to get ready. Sign up and join Melissa and my Dad and me! Give it a try! http://www.broadstreetrun.com/site3.aspx

Philly Fav's

2009-03-03T10:32:00.005-05:00

Stuff I do on a regular/seasonal basis in Philly.

Relaxing Weekends:
1) When the weather gets a bit nicer I like to stroll down to the Italian Market with a book. I get a slice of Laurenzo's Pizza at 9th and Christian for a buck-fifty then head across the street to Anthony's Cafe, purchase my favorite chai with a shot of espresso, then sit outside at one of the tables and people watch/read my book.

2) Weather permitting, I like to take a book down to Locust Street Park (it's down by 25th & Locust, near the River). I either sit in the grass or on one of the many benches. Everyone from the neighborhood brings their dogs here (there's also an enclosed dog park). I love to watch all the doggies at play. It's also a great (and safe) location to sun bathe during those steamy summer months. You can also enjoy the abutting community garden.

3) Head over to Go Vertical Indoor Rock Climbing Gym near Columbus and Spring Garden. It's great for newbies and veterans alike. If you go with a member (like me), first time is for free.

4) Take a stroll or run along the Boat House Row on Kelly Drive. There's a sweet bike path the runs along the river (out and back = 8 miles). About .75 miles from the start of the bike path at Logan Hall, there a nice bouldering spot and bench area. If you go a bit farther, you get the sense that you are no longer in the city: there are lots of trees, grassy areas to sprawl out, and benches to relax and admire the lovely view of the Schukill River.

5) When my trusty best buddy Emily is not off skiing in Jackson Hole like she is this month, we take a weekly drive out to the Wissahickon Park (The Wiss) in Mount Airy area of Philadelphia for some trail running. If you want to feel like you are in the woods but not actually leave Philadelphia, this is the place to go. You'll see runners, walkers, families, and dogs out on those paths. Beautiful weekend retreat! If you can, stop at Valley Green Inn for brunch or lunch. Very quaint and always has the best food!

6) Another enjoyable day trip to cast off the city blues is to Media. Media contains a cute Main Street with a brew pub, cute shops, a Trader Joes, and top notch restaurants. What pulls me to Media is Tyler Arboritum--a great preserve with a plethora of trails. You can choose from 3 mile up to 10 mile loops. The air smells soooo good here! Do try out the brewpub on that Main St in Media. I forget the name of it, but they always have good beers on tap and tasty dishes.

7) Manayunk. Another section of Philadelphia in the Northeast. FYI, the City of Philadelphia is huge--sections like Manayunk and Mount Airy are so far from Center City that you feel like you have entered the suburbs. It's still Philly though! Manayunk has it's own Main Street which has a small town feel. Lots of coffee shops, bars, restaurants and boutiques. I am in Manayunk every Saturday for my band practice; the studio is just off main street (East Side Studios). Since you have to drive out there from Center City, I haven't gone out there alot at night, but when I have it's been a blast. Kildare's Irish Pub is one of the favorites and it hosts quizzo every Tuesday night. A favorite spot of mine is The Machismo Burrito Bar = build your own burrito. They're pretty cheap and very tasty. They also have a Le Bus restaurant. The bread here is fantastic! Lot's of vegetarian dishes.

My favorite place to hit up in Manayunk is the Manayunk Brewery and Restaurant (or just The Brewpub). ****Great weekend combination: trail running at the Wiss following by dinner and beers at The Brewpub. Sweet! I've done this many a time and it's always a very satisfying day.

Ok, I'm going to move to list form or this will get very lengthy...

Favorite Cafes/Coffee Shops:
1) Brewhaha (between Walnut and Locust on 12th). I am there every day.
2) Anthony's Italian Cafe: 9th & Christian
3) Mug Shots: 21st & Fairmount (great food here too! and it's across from the old prison which looks like a medevil castle...this is in the Art Museum district). **Every Weds night they show a movie. http://www.mugshotscoffeehouse.com/
4) Cafe de Miel: on 17th in between Walnut & Locust. The pastries are to die for!
5) Naked Chocolate Cafe: Walnut & 13th or new location at Penn's campus (uh oh!). Yes, this is a cafe that specializes in chocolate goods too. Try the aztec hot cocoa. OMG.
http://philadelphia.citysearch.com/profile/44522863/

Favorite BYOs: (MAKE SURE YOU BRING CASH)
1) Mercato. 13th & Spruce. Gourmet italian/french. Get the cheese plate! http://www.mercatobyob.com/
2) Audrey Claire. 20th & Spruce. Ahhh, this may be #1, but Mercato is only a couple of blocks from my apartment...you must go here. Expect to wait, but it's worth it!
3) Effie's. 11th & Pine. Best Greek food in the city! And it's a half a block from my house. The feta is unbelievable.
4) Salt & Pepper. 6th & Fitzwater. Great Queen's Village/Bella Vista neighborhood BYO. Menu changes all the time, so can't really recommend a specific dish. Small & intimate.
5) Cochon. Ok, I haven't been here yet, but it's on the way to The Royal Tavern and every time I pass by it looks delicious. Who wants to go with me? It's at Catherine & Passayunk. http://www.cochonbyob.com/

There are soooo many great BYOs in Philly, but these are my top four that I keep going back to and have never been disappointed. To try these or to look for more, go to this great interactive BYOB search engine: http://www.gophila.com/byobmap/

Also check out the City Search Philadelphia webpage. I'm on there just about every day for one reason or another: http://philadelphia.citysearch.com/roundup/38802

Best Margaritas:
1) Xochitl. On 2nd between Lombard & Pine. High end tequila and full range of tequila types. I never knew how many different kinds of tequila there are; it's as complex as wine! Tastiest margaritas in the city. This is actually a restaurant too. The food menu looks divine but I've only sat at the bar. I need to go back to eat. The food is pricy, but looks filling. Headhouse Square is neat, too. There's the Society Hill Dance Acadamy across the way--can take lessons there or go in Thurs/Fri nights for open dance party. There are also other pubs there too, but I haven't tried them out yet.
2) Mixto. 11th & Pine. The best cuban food and drinks in the city. The mojitos, margaritas and plaintains are particularly good! And it's a half a block from my apartment!
3) El Vez. 13th & Samson. Great after-work or weekend night drinks. Try the blood orage margarita, you won't be disappointed. Also Mexican food served.

Best Pubs/Gastrobars:
1) The Royal Tavern (see my review). 6th & Passyunk
2) The Standard Tap. 2nd & Poplar. The beginning of North Philly, it's near the climbing gym so Emily and I go there fairly often. Great food, great beer on tap. Lots of local brews. Victory Wiezenbock is my fav when in season. The salad with duck leg is great as are the daily selection of soups.
3) Monk's. 16th & Spruce. Specializes in Belgian beer and food. Order the mussels and any of the burgers. This is a Philly must.
4) Good Dog. 15th & Locust. Try the Good Dog Burger. Stuffed with Roquefort! Sweet potato fries come with.
5) The Belgian Cafe. 21st & Green Street. Owed by same dude as Monk's. Different feel though. Awesome fries!
6) Doobies. 23rd & Lombard. On the dive bar side. Great burgers and cheap beer.
7) Nodding Head Restaurant & Brewery. 16th & Sansom. Great bar food and beers on tap.

Best non-BYO restaurants:
1) Amada. 2nd & Chestnut. Oh god this is good. Spanish tapas. Not cheap, but worth every penny. Take that special someone here.
2) Vetri. 13th & Spruce. Italian at it's best. More modern than traditional though. Gnocchi!
3) Ghenji. 18th & Sansom. SUSHI! Great Japanese beers too and plum wine.
4) Ralph's. 9th & Christian. Ok, some people have called this place the "Walmart of Italian Restaurants"...I however enjoy this place. It's the oldest family Italian restaurant in the country (opened circa 1905). If you're expecting high end Italian, this is not it. If you're expecting a more laid back family restaurant then this is the place for you. The table wine is great and anything with prosciutto. South Philly has so many great Italian restaurants, so if you want something with a bit more class in the same neighborhood, try Dante & Luigi's (on 10th between Catherine & Fitzwater). If you want real decadance, head to SALOON on 7th st in between Fitzwater and Catherine. You will need someone to cart you out of there at the end!

Best treats:
1) Capogiro. 13th & Samson or 2oth & Samson. GELATTO! This is a must!
2) Reading Terminal Market. Arch & 12th. Amish market place. http://www.readingterminalmarket.org/
3) Italian Market. Starts at 9th & Christian. DiBruno Bro's--cheese, butcher, fresh veggies, spice shop, pizza place, chocolate shop, pre-made food shop, kitchen shop, patry shop...
http://www.phillyitalianmarket.com/
4) Termini Brother's: 8th & Tasker. Totally worth the trip to South Philly. The BEST pastries, cookies, cakes, CHOCOLATE COVERED BANANAS, etc, etc ~ really whatever your heart desires it is there. http://www.termini.com/
5) Isgro's. 9th & Christian. (seeing a trend? get yourself to 9th & Christian). Best cannoli's. http://www.isgropastries.com/
6) Famous 4th St Cookies...up until recently the shop used to be over at 4th & Bainbridge. I recently went back and panicked because it was no longer there. Fortunately I checked online and found out that they are now in the Reading Terminal Market. The peanut butter cookies are amazing as are the oatmeal chocolate chip. They'll heat them up for you!!

Best breakfast/Brunch
1) Sabrina's. 9th & Christian. If you get there too late (after 10) expect a wait in the cold. It's worth it though. Filling proportions, unique flavors added to classic breakfast items, and all organic/fresh ingredients. Look for the pumpkin pancakes when in season. Uhhh, so good.
http://www.sabrinascafe.com/ There's also one near Mugshots. Breakfast then coffee? Sounds good to me. Let's go!
2) Morning Glory. 10th & Fitzwater. Diner. Classic. Never disappoints.
http://philadelphia.citysearch.com/profile/8990918/philadelphia_pa/morning_glory.html
3) The Dutch Eating Place. Reading Terminal Market. You sit at the counter. Cheap, quick, greasy and filling. An Amish family runs it. Get some scrapple. It will feel like a stone in your stomach after but it's a Philly classic!
Great Philly Food Blog: http://comradechufood.blogspot.com/2008/12/dutch-eating-place-philadelphia.html
4) The 21st Street Gourmet. Near 21st & Walnut. Jewish influences. The poached egg on croissant with cheese is amazing.

Well, that should get you started. My stomach has led me to many interesting spots! There's still so much more to explore too! Let me know if you have anything specific you are looking for.

Booties and Hineys and Tushes, Oh My! Spin Profile #6

2009-03-02T13:39:00.006-05:00

The majority of the spinners in my classes are college students. And what's preoccupying everyone's mind this week? SPRING BREAK! Aww yeah. Soon we'll all be getting away to exotic (Jersey's exotic, right?) locales and hoping that all of our hard work at the gym shall pay off. OK, maybe we're not all going down to the Islands, but we still all want to have booties we can shake on the dance floor and be proud of!

In honor of this hope, I am doing a butt-busting class. Each track is focused on making those glutes burn! Woo-hoo!

Warm up. First three songs as per usual.
1. I Melt With You by Modern English (3:49)
2. Dancing With Myself by The Donnas (3:28)
3. What's Your Fantasy by Ludacris (4:36)

4. Snow (Hey Oh) by Red Hot Chili Peppers (5:36)
Lots of hill work today! 2.5 minutes seated climb. 2.7 min standing climb.
Increase resistance every 60 sec. Go from 6 to 8 or 9.

5. Shake That by Eminem (4:34)
Keep it at 8. 30 seconds standing/position 3. 30 sec standing/position 2. Repeat through entire song.

6. 22 by Lily Allen (3:06)
Bring it up to a 9. Standing/position 3. Goal of this song is to keep upper body completely still and to make circles with the peddles. This should isolate the glutes more than usual. Core! Pace is slow. Slower than the beat. Option to do this at an 8. However, it's actually easier to keep your upper body still when the resistance is up (but you burn alot!).

7. I'm Really Hot by Missy Elliott (3:31)
Modified Jumps. Standing. Alternate hand position 2 and 3 @ varying tempos (counts of 2, 4, 8, 16)

8. Such Great Heights by The Postal Service (4:26)
Active Recovery. This is the only "break" song we're getting.
2 options.
Option 1. For the newbies. If you're feeling really dead, you get to sit it back in the saddle and just ride it out = cadence @ flat road or 6.
Option 2. Standing/position 3. Cadence @ 7.

9. I'm On A Boat by The Lonely Island (2:36)
Bring up resistance to 9. Cruise standing/position 3. Glutes!

10. Seven Nation Army by The White Stripes (3:52)
Bring it back down to 6. Get into standing/position 3. Increasing resistance every 30 seconds reach a 10 by the end. Last 30 seconds do core balancing from a position 2. Watch the knees!
Option for Vets: During chorus, ease into the saddle and "sprint" (resistance so high that it's really just anything faster that what you're doing during the verse)

11. Shake Ya Tailfeather by Nelly & Murphy Lee
Alternate standing/position 3 and seated/position 2 every 30 seconds. Resistance @ 7 or 8. Keep up with that beat! Focus on using those butts to stand up. When standing/pos 3, stick that butt back as far as it will go.

12. 867-5309/Jenny by Tommy Tutone (3:46)
8 counts seated, 8 counts standing/position 2, 8 counts standing/position 3. Repeat the entire song. Resistance up at an 8, should be very hard to keep up with the beat. Focus on using squeezing your glutes when you stand up.
Option: Hold it out in position 3 during chorus. Pick up pace. Then go back to cadence.

13. Freebird by Lynyrd Skynyrd (9:07)
First half of song, seated/position 2. Heavy, heavy resistance. 9 or 10.
Second half of song bring it down to 8 (still pretty heavy though!). Get out to standing/position 3. Bring it home as fast as you can hand. Push the beat! It's heavy, so prolly won't be able to keep up with the tempo of the song, but that doesn't mean we can't try. Focus on pushing down on those pedals with the glutes!

Cool Down. Ride it out until heart rates come down. On/off bike stretches.
14. Crazy by Gnarls Barkley (2:58)
15. Sober by Pink (4:12)

Chicken Noodle Soup & A Soda On The Side: Spin Profile #5

2009-03-02T12:25:00.002-05:00

I just started a new spin class on Saturday's at 11am. Here's what I did for the first class last week. The songs are different, but the workout is similar to profile #4. Introduction to sprints, hills, running/cardio work. Focus on technique. The end is killer (just like #4).

3 Song Warm Up~
1. Working For The Weekend by Loverboy (3:41)
Flat Road. On bike stretches.

2. Take Me On The Floor by The Veronicas (3:30)
Cadence. Standing/Position 3. Resistance @ 6.

3. Bend Me, Shape Me by American Breed
Run. Standing/Position Two. Resistance @ 6.

3. Misery Business by Paramore (3:31)
Flat Road
Verse: Cadence
Chorus: Easy sprints/90% effort. Still have juice in the tanks.

4. Ooh La La by Goldtrapp (3:23)
Cadence @ 7/10 resistance. Mix up seated/position 2, standing/position 2, and standing/position 3.

5. Where'd You Go (Single Version) by Fort Minor (3:52)
Hill. Move from flat road to level 9/10 resistance. Increase every 30-60 seconds. Get every one to have same pace.

6. Bootylicious by Destiny's Child (3:27)
Jumps. Alternating 8 counts and 4 counts for the verses. During chorus sit it down and sprint. Resistance is lower to keep up with the fast pace = @ 6.

7. Born To Be Wild by Steppenwolf (3:30)
Back to our Hill.
Verse: standing/position 3.
Chorus: standing/position 2 ~ Run/Sprint it out. Pick up the pace!

8. Going On by Gnarls Barkley (2:54)
Love this song. Running with resistance. Resistance @ 7 or 8. When tempo changes at end of song, go out to position 3, increase resistance by half a turn.

9. Chicken Noodle Soup by Webster & Young B (4:43)
Here's the entertainment of the hour. Turn resistance way, WAY up. To 9 or 9.5. Start in standing/position 2. Using your CORE, find your center of balance and let go of handlebars. If you falter, use your core to straighten yourself (read, contort your core back into place, only minimally using your hands. This should BURN--not only in your core, but in your legs as well. Also ****make sure to instruct people to not let their knees fall in front of their feet. Keep the weight right over the pedals!!

**Added challenge/laugh. On the chorus, try to do the hand motions of the "Chicken Noodle Soup" dance.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZvZ3G65E1c (this is my favorite video, but their are official ones too...this just makes me laugh everytime I watch it). Most college students know this dance. One of my high school students from the lab taught me this dance a couple of years ago. Do the "Let it rain-and clear it out part".

On the "Let's get it, let's get" part and the verse, I went out to standing/position 3 and tried to pick up the pace as much as I could. Keep bringing it back to the balance exercise on the chorus. Keep reminding people to engage the core.

Corniness aside of the dance, this was a tough workout. I kept missing the transitions back to the position 2/balance part during the chorus because my legs were burning so much I could hardly think.

Keep reminding people to protect those knees! Watch that they don't slide beyond your toes!!!

Big Finish! These last two songs are killer.
10. Falling Down by Atreyu (2:59)
Sprints with resistance. Bring resistance to an 8.
Verse: Cadence
Chorus: SPRINT. These are all out/100% sprints. Stay tough.
Option: for those who are newer, turn resistance down during verse to give legs more of a rest. Vet's, don't touch that dial--you know who you are!

The chorus to this song is so fun to work out to: "We're Falling Down!/It's in your head/all the voices mistaken/(shake it off, shake it off)/We're all dying in the end" I sing right along and it's good motivation too. Sprints with resistance are killer!

11. Good Lovin' by The Rascals (2:31)
Run to the finish! Standing/position 2 @ 6 or 7 (you should be able to keep the pace up). Run/sprint. This is it. Heart rate should be spiking.

Cool Down. We made it. Yay!
12. You Found Me by The Fray (4:01)
Pedal it out. Flat road for 2 min. Seated/position 1. Third minute bring resistance up to 6. Ride out easy standing/position 2 or 3. Last minute, sit it back down. Flat road.

13. Bed by J. Holiday (4:35)
Take resistance all the way off. On/off bike stretches.

Welcome To The Jungle: An Introduction To Philly Nuances

2009-03-02T10:12:00.006-05:00

My sister's good friend Darlene just moved to Philadelphia from Boston and has already done the wisest thing she could do: ask me for advice regarding the cool places to go in Philly. Philly can be intimidating to outsiders, especially if you are from up North where it's a bit colder: environmentally and emotionally. What I remember from my time in Boston is that people are perfectly content to ignore each other on the street; in fact, if a stranger addresses you on the street they must either be asking you for money or are getting ready to do some dark deed. Strangers who talk to you for the sake of talking to you don't really exist. Maybe that was just my impression?

In comparison, Philly can be a bit "in your face." Random people are always talking to you, whether they be harmless crazies (who you're never really sure if they're talking to you or to some invisible person X standing next to you) or normal folk who like to reach out to others and, for example, complain about the snow or how bad the traffic is.

Oh and concerning that traffic, drivers are rude and/or enraged all the time. Get used to people honking at you, whether it be to catcall or to curse at you because you're trying to cross in the cross walk. Moreover, if you take a second to get your car in gear when the light turns green, that's a second too long and the dude behind you will honk at you. The following anecdote pretty much sums up this phenom: my friend Emily and I were on our way to the climbing gym one day and stuck in traffic. As she pointlessly laid down on her horn multiple times, I raised my eyebrows and looked askance at her. "What?!" she barked at me. I softly asked whether or not beeping at the gridlock traffic was really helping the situation. She explained that she knows it's not going to speed things up, but it makes her feel better to be rude. She is at least doing something. And that would explain this honking phenomenon; though it still annoys me...

On the flip side, the other people who randomly talk to you on the street are just trying to connect with the world and are perfectly normal. When I'm walking through my neighborhood, most people say hello to each other when passing or at least smile. When you get on the bus, you always say hello to the driver and likewise give thanks and salutations on the way off. At the hospital, most people greet you with a "Hey there baby girl" and say goodbye with a "You take care now, sweetie." Often people will make conversation in lines. It's nice. I really like making connections with the people in my city.

I do remember, however, when I first moved here and how suspicious I was of random people talking to me. I'd just ignore them, avert my eyes to the ground, and keep walking. What did they want from me? I think it took me a couple of years to adjust to this laid back, talk to your neighbor style. Maybe these friendly manners are influences of the South?

For newbies, the other intimidating factor about Philly is that the neighborhoods change dramatically from town house to crack house and back again within blocks of each other. If you don't know your way around, you can feel very out of your element and wonder what you are doing there. Often times in Philly, the coolest places to go are little, hole in the wall places that are off the beaten path. It takes time to learn how to navigate the streets and the best (and safest) routes to all of your locations.

The good news about this last concern is that the city is spending millions of dollars on 'urban renewal.' This means that the city and private owners are buying out and renovating property from the poorest neighborhoods. The results are incredible: neighborhoods that were sketchy five years ago are now completely safe and hip. For example, the University of Pennsylvania has been buying up dilapidated houses and businesses (we're talking houses that look like a bomb went off in them) in West Philly and making them livable and safe. Along with the renovations has come increased police presence. The West Philly neighborhood I used to live in used to be slightly sketchy (hey, but I only paid $250/month!), now, there is a security officer on every corner, lighting, and call boxes. Temple has been doing a similar buy up in North Philly.

On the downside, the regular folk that used to live in these areas are being pushed farther and farther to the periphery. With the recession going on as well, these people are not happy and this is the cause of a lot of the violence in the outskirts of West and North Philly. If you look at a map pinpointing the crime and violence in Philadelphia, not much occurs in Center City (an occasional burglary; mugging is more common)--the most violent crimes are all concentrated in Southwest Philly and North-north Philly for the most part. We Center City-ites can feel safe, but I wish we could come up with better solutions for the regular, hard-working folk who just can't afford the revamped neighborhoods and grocery stores, rather than forcing them into even worse neighborhoods.

On a final note, I love Philly. I loved it even before I moved here. I also know a lot of people who didn't like it at first, mainly for the above reasons. However, after exploring the neighborhoods and finding their niche, they also learned to love it. Now they can't imagine leaving. My best buddy Emily is one of these converts (she's from Massachusetts too : ) ).

My next post will be on my favorite places to go in Philly. Stay tuned.

The Runs On A Run: Nutrition For Runners

2009-02-27T09:57:00.005-05:00

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.

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

2009-02-26T11:16:00.006-05:00

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.

Rock You Like A Hurricane: Spin Profile #4

2009-02-23T10:22:00.005-05:00

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.

Nina Solo

2009-02-12T15:08:00.003-05:00

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!

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

2009-02-11T09:49:00.005-05:00

Source: http://8e.devbio.com/images/ch19/11.HMEM.01.thumb.jpg

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

Lab Tips

2009-02-09T12:33:00.004-05:00

#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.

Classic Rock Love Songs: Spin Profile #3

2009-02-06T15:53:00.007-05:00

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!

Byatch at the gym

2009-02-04T14:02:00.003-05:00

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

2009-02-04T13:14:00.008-05:00

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."

5 Most Embarrassing Race Moments

2009-01-30T09:29:00.007-05:00

If you've been running in races since the sixth grade, shit happens...literally.

5. I took a year and a half off from running between senior year of high school and spring of freshman year at Colby because of IT band problems...in this time, the most exercise I did was walking from my house to school. When I started running again in January of 2001, I found that I had, surprise, lost all fitness. My first race back, I got dead last in the 400...by five seconds. Five seconds in the 400 meter race is equivalent to at least ten minutes behind in a mile race. It was pitiful and embarrassing.

4. Again, freshman year of college. I attempted to triple jump as I had in middle school and high school. The bounding drills caused me to get incredibly painful shin splints so I would have to pull a "seagull on hot sand": shifting my weight from one leg to the other and then back again. The pain was particularly acute at one indoor meet, so I decided to take some ibuprofen. Well of course the regular dose was not enough...20 pills later I was feeling a bit loopy. At the end of the meet, I jump onto the bus and am ready to head back to Colby. One by one my teammates climb onto the bus and say, "Whose Colby sweatshirt is this?" "Whose Colby tank top is this" "Did someone leave their spikes on the risers" "Who left their Colby sports bra by the track." I embarrassingly kept raising up my hand. Whoops. In total, I had left ~20 items of clothing strewn about the track. It's a wonder that I was still fully clothed. Chalk it up to dehydration. Chalk it up to ibuprofen overdose. Whatever. That earned me the title (and end of season award) for "I-took-so-much-ibuprofen-I-left-all-my-shit-at-the-track-and-apparently-my-brain-too." Definitely felt a bit sheepish after that and stopped triple jumping. NB, my other end of season awards included "The Prime Rib" Award (I'm particularly fond/proud of that one) and the "Full-Body Spandex Suit" Award (let me know if you want to hear about that).

3. Sophomore year of college. I was at a race at Tufts and wicked excited because my whole family was coming out to watch. Before the race, my mom was standing next to me and helping me to take off my warm up clothes. Once down to my race tank and underwear bottom, my mom gives me a good look up and down, smiling in support..until her gaze rests on my neck. Instantly her eyes narrow and her smile transforms into a grimace. "What is THAT?" she barked. "What?" "You have a hickey on your neck! I can't believe it. Don't let your father see this." My hand automatically shoots up to try to cover the evidence. But what are we kidding, you can't hide anything in my skimpy track uniform. I then had to walk proud over to the start line to greet my coaches and teammates. Apparently my mom was correct, my boyfriend must have gotten a little too frisky before the meet, and left a nice love bite for all to see. And everybody did see it. Nice. My sprint coach laughed, my head coach raised her eyebrows, and at least my teammate threw up her hand to give me a high five.

2. In the eighth grade I was an awesome distance runner. I often placed first by a minute or two. At the end of the cross country season, we had a big state meet at Pingree School in Ma. Kids from all over MA were competing in this meet = more competition = more pre-race jitters for Nina. The first half of the race went very smoothly, I was in a solid standing in the top ten and was feeling smooth. Little by little however, I became aware that I had to go to the bathroom...and not just pee, but a full on number two. The race was only 3.1 miles, so I figured I would just hold it in. Unfortunately, after five minutes of holding it in, I started to get sharp pains in the ol' GI tract, pains that turned to stabbings. I had a choice. Pull over to a Jiffy John and lose precious time. Or relax. I mean really relax. Ha. I chose the latter option and just let it go. The results were twofold. On the one hand, pooping in your race bloomers is obviously disgusting. What if some came out and I left a trail of droppings? Oh God. And then there's the stewing. Ah, yes, yuck. But on the other hand, I got rid of the pains, I felt light and smooth again. I was able to kick it in and get 8th place (and a nice little trophy). The embarrassing part was not just the act of defecating in my shorts; the embarrassing part came afterwards when everyone came up to congratulate me. I had to make an excuse and high tail it to the Jiffy Johns (finally) and clean myself up as best I could. Wow. I was pretty committed/insane even back in the 8th grade.

1. Most embarrassing moment ever. May 5, 2007. Broad St 10 mile race. In the two weeks leading up to the race, I had been suffering from a bad case of bronchitis: coughing, wheezing, fevers. Obviously this is not a good way to prepare for a race. I was feeling better by race day and felt compelled to do it because my Dad comes down every year to do it; it's a special event that we share together (though we don't actually run it together). That year my running buddy Melissa and I were running it together. Things were going well at an 8 min/mile pace for the first 7 miles. Around mile 7.5 however, the consequences of the illness started to rear their ugly heads. I got a case of brick legs and my tummy started to act up and I start coughing lots of nice balls of phlegm. Fun fun. I was determined to just keep going, so I threw back some Gatorade and put one foot in front of the other. By the last 200 meters I was feeling like complete crap and my stomach was definitely having a bad reaction to the orange Gatorade. 100 meter mark comes into view and I realize that I'm not going to make it...not going to make it in the sense that I had to pull over and puke on the sidelines. This is unfortunately not the most embarrassing part. Melissa tugs at my hand and says, "Come on, Nina, let's just finish this. It's right over there." Me being masochistic, stupid, stubborn, easily goaded--however you'd like to describe it--totally let her pull me in. I hadn't gone more than 50 meters when I got that queasy feeling again. And oh man, in the last 100 meters, of course the street is jam packed with spectators and worse, CAMERAS. That's right film and video. I'm pleading with myself, "Please, please, please, not now. Not here!" I think that I'm in the clear when I reach two feet in front of the finish line, only to suddenly experience an involuntary heaving. Oh no. As Melissa observes that I'm slowing down and tugs on my hand again, the vomiting commences. Not just any kind of spew...uncontrollable projectile vomiting (and what was the culprit--uh huh, the orange Gatorade). In front of hundreds of people and, oh yes, right into the cameras (only five feet in front of me and I was projecting the Gatorade at least three feet. Impressive?). Yes, so what's my awesome race photo from that year? That's right, they caught the projectile vomit on camera. And not after the fact; as it's coming out of my mouth. OMG. Grossest (and, come on, it's a bit hilarious too) moment ever.

As I was writing this post, I realized that I have many embarrassing moments (none so disgusting as that last one, thank goodness). These ones are the first that came into my head. I haven't even gotten into the wonders (and pitfalls) of marathoning. Perhaps another time.

A Meal To Remember: The Story of The Famed Bottle of 1997 Hermitage

2009-01-28T11:29:00.006-05:00

In a previous post I mentioned how I've experienced several seven hour, very memorable meals. Two of these meals have been chez moi. This post shall detail the first seven hour meal that I created myself.

The Origins of My Own Seven Hour Meal:

As you can probably tell by now, I am a francophile. I've spent almost two years living over there, for school, work and pleasure. My junior year of college was spent in the south of France, more specifically in Aix-en-Provence. A lovely hill town/city, with narrow, winding cobblestone roads, and a splendid array of fountains--indeed, 'aix' means 'water' in Latin (vestige from the Roman times) and Aix-en-Provence derived its name from the many, many fountains that adorn the streets. In the fall of that year abroad (2002/2003), I volunteered on a small winery in the Rhone Valley in the Northwestern part of Provence. In the autumn, vinophiles come from all over the globe to help with the harvesting of the grapes. My program director (an avid lover of food and wine herself) gave me an 'in' at one of the most prestigious wineries in the Rhone Valley: The Jean-Louis Chave Winery that produces (arguably I suppose) the best Hermitage wine (red).

If you're not into French wines and if you're not into Rhone Valley Reds, you may have never heard of Hermitage. For centuries some of the most sought after wine in France has come from Hermitage in the northern Rhone. Even Thomas Jefferson, a noted wine expert of his day, raved about the wine from this region.The granite hills of Hermitage rise above the Rhone at Tain l'Hermitage where the river bends sharply to the east before resuming a southward flow. This gives the vineyards a direct southern exposure. Vines have been growing here since Roman times. The locals claim that vines were first planted here by Phoenician Greeks around 500 BC. Although the evidence is not conclusive, Greek coins and amphorae dating back to 500 BC have been found in the area.

Some experts feel that the greatest maker of Hermitage is the firm of Jean-Louis Chave (see Wine Spectator website for more info and reviews). The Chave family has been growing grapes at Hermitage since 1481. They have a reputation for making good wine in poor years, and excellent wine in good ones. They use low yielding vines (average age 60 years) and a late harvest to produce the ripest fruit, and there is virtually no intervention in the wine making and bottling with no filtration.

I took the bus to the vineyard for the last three weekends in October. I really felt lucky to be there, as I was the only American who got to volunteer. Unlike the other vineyards, this Hermitage domaine is kept very small--he only employs ~40 workers a year to keep everything going. I only got in because my program director's husband is a famous french actor (from the 60's) who travels all over the country for the best meals and wine. Background: My director, Madame Masson, and her husband, Claude, are true connoisseurs. From the first week in France, I latched onto their incredible knowledge of food and wine and we shared many meals together. Over there, we thought nothing of hopping into the car and traveling 100 km because we heard 'such and such' restaurant was sublime. In token of their appreciation for my passion and zest for food/wine knowledge, they made some calls on my behalf.

Anyways, being a part of the harvest was amazing. To think that people had been walking the same paths, cutting the same vines since the 15th century! Wow! And I was there, doing the exact same motions that the Romans supposedly did centuries ago. The first day I was there, I wasn't too skilled with the knife and ended up cutting my hands quite a bit. Fortunately, I got into the rhythm of the manual labor quickly and just enjoyed using my hands and working the Earth.

Fast forward five years. Last summer I returned to France and of course returned to the Chave domaine. I was pleased that they remembered me and even more exhilarated when they invited me to dinner. Five hours later, I felt like I was part of the family. I've never had better wine--and it was just table wine. No labels, nothing specific. Just divine. When it was time for me to move on, the family was so impressed by my passion for food and life (and that I spoke french fluently) that they said they would gift me a whole case of wine from the year that I participated in the harvest. And they would ship it to me in the States! OMG. I felt truly blessed.

On my return home, I impatiently awaited the treasure to arrive. Three weeks later I opened up a case of 12 dusty bottles of 2003 Hermitage. I was giddy. As I was inspecting the bottles, I observed that one bottle had a lot more dust on it than the others and had a different color label. I quizzically perused the label and as realization hit me as to the contents, my eyes bulged and I started shaking; shaking so much that I had to put the bottle down for fear that I would drop it. It was a 1997 Hermitage! This is by far the best bottle of wine that I've had in my possession. An accompanying note revealed that they knew the bottle was in the right hands now and to enjoy. I let out a long breath (for I realized I'd been holding it in) and sighed to know that it wasn't a mistake, it really was all mine.

Now that I had this treasure in my possession, what would I do with it? Store it? Drink it?

I couldn't not partake in it. I had to have it now. But if I was going to have it now, I'd have to honor it the best way I knew how. Create my own seven hour french meal--using recipes that my host-mom had taught me while I was living her family in France.

But who would I share this with? Who would appreciate it? Whether or not a person is educated in wine and knows 'what vintage means what' is irrelevant to me. It's all about the spirit of a person. Will the person appreciate the full sensual experience of the meal? Will they be able to be swept up into the moment and not think about time or other concerns?

My best buddy Melissa first flashed into my head. We spent the most amount of time together. However, two memories floated to the surface: "I wish they would make a pill for eating, it's such a waste of time sometimes" and "why use a recipe that takes a whole day when you can use Rachel Ray's 30 Minute Meals?" I knew in my heart that Melissa was too practical to appreciate the bliss.

Soon after, I thought of my long-time family friend, Grant Swisher. As I considered him as a candidate, I absently nodded in approval. He may not know anything about wine, but he enjoys sitting and enjoying the simple pleasures in life. Plus, I've known him my whole life and he would know exactly what this bottle and accompanying food would mean to me. Our fathers went to Dartmouth together; his Dad was my Dad's best man; our families went on ski vacations every year; we both spent a considerable amount of time living abroad; we both went to Colby; and now we both found ourselves living in Philadelphia. Two New Englanders and old time friends coming together to enjoy a meal. Yes, I liked the idea of that.

I sent him an email entitled "A Sumptuous Affair" and he of course eagerly accepted.

I took a full two weeks to plan out the meal. The majority of the time was spent researching what flavors would go best with the Hermitage. Four days before the event, I walked down to the Italian Market and bought supplies at the butcher, the cheese shop, the chocolate shop, the spice corner, and the fruit/veggie stand. This is one of my favorite parts of making a big meal. Taking an afternoon to leisurely peruse all the specialty shops and converse with the owners. The Italian Market makes me feel like I'm fifty years in the past and doing things that many, many women before my time have done. It makes the meal all the more special.

Each course of the meal was prepared from a recipe that my french host mother had taught me during my year in Aix.

First Course: Assorted cheeses
Accompanied by 2003 Riesling

Second Course: Puff pastry filled with goat cheese and shitake mushrooms
Accompanied by 2003 Croze-Hermitage

Third Course: Roast Venison with scalloped potatoes
Accompanied by 1997 Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage

Fourth Course: Arugula salad with a broiled Crotin de Chavignole on top. Dijon dressing

Fifth Course: Mocha pot de creme

Sixth Course: Calvados

Grant came over around 7pm. We finally finished the meal around 2:00 am. It was sublime. The wine made me giddy. Grant had to pour it into our glasses because my hands were shaking so much. I was ridiculously caught up in its aromas, so much so that I told Grant not to talk while I was taking a sip because I wouldn't hear a word he was saying. I was in its trance, in its thrall, whatever you want to call it; I was completely enraptured. What did it taste like, I mean other than heaven? Hmmm, not very good at descriptions. Blackberries. Slightly acidic. After taste of tannins, but only slight. Full-bodied. Left a very good taste in your mouth, even five minutes later. The scent was the most powerful I'd ever experienced. That's what really got me giddy. Drinking in the aromas was just as satisfying as drinking the actual liquid.

I also learned a lot about Grant that I didn't know before. Growing up, he had an obsession with the number 11 and made his mom give him 11 of everything in his lunch (i.e. exactly 11 grapes has to be prepared). He also has to have the volume of the background music at the perfect level at all times. This means that he may have to inexplicably get up from the table--mid-conversation or no--and tinker with the volume knob on my speakers. The music selection was awesome. Radiohead, of course, as we are both avid fans, then a selection of music from my France days. In particular I played a type of music called Rai which hails from french-Northern Africa. This always gets me feeling very sentimental and reminiscent, so of course the conversation also drifted down my memory lane in France. Grant has a wide and eclectic range of music so he eventually pulled his iPOD out and set the conversation and tone into another direction.

And that is how the evening played out. I remember it remarkably well considering the haze that set in around the second course.

Block Rockin' Beats: Spin Profile #2

2009-01-26T13:57:00.005-05:00

New addition last week to my instructor schedule: spin class for Penn Women's Rowing Team. I'll be meeting with the same group of women every Friday from 2-3. I'm trying to make a plan for the for the next couple of months so we're not just doing random workouts every week. First couple of weeks we'll work on general conditioning. Then move into an endurance & strength period, ending with power development. Last week I started off with Spin Profile #1. This Friday I'll be doing the following profile.

NB: In constructing these workouts, I have been carrousing two sites in particular:

http://spinningmixes.wordpress.com/
http://spinningmusic.wordpress.com/

I like the first site because Atwood has great visualizations and descriptions of each track. I also like the idea of having "themed" spin classes. Next week I'm going to look for songs that have the word 'fire' in them. So far I'm thinking Billy Joel's 'We didn't start the fire' and "Walk through the fire" from that Buffy the musical episode (Once more with feeling). Anyone else have suggestions??

Spin Profile #2 (60 min class):
Goal: Hit 'em hard and early with speed and resistance. Work on endurance and strength.
1. Break Myself by Something Corporate
Warm up. One minute flat road, easy cycling. 1 minute stretching. Notch up resistance to a 6 (enough so you can easily stand up). Ride it out to end.

2. I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch) by the Four Tops (2:46)
Still warming up. 1.5 min of standing run. Turn up resistance to a 7. Take it out into position 3, standing climb.

3. When I Grow Up by the Pussycat Dolls (4:06)
Turn resistance up to an 8 (another full turn). During verse do standing climb. During chorus sink back into saddle and sprint. 100%. Sprinting with resistance. If want to go easier, turn resistance down to 6 or 7 during sprint sections. "Sprint" here means anything faster than cadence pace. It's not meant to be a "flat road" sprint, so the wheels shouldn't be spinning too fast. Verses are not breaks! Turn back up the resistance and jump out to position 3/standing climb.

4. Jump Around by The House of Pain (3:36)
Resistance to a 7. A bit heavier than last week's jump song. And we're going double time. Fast 8 and 4 counts. 8 count jumps during the verse; 4 count jumps during the chorus.

Here is the start of our mountain (no hills for us!). 6 parts.
5. Teenage Wasteland by Puhdys (3:21)
We're going up quick! Start at 7 (starting heavier than last week) and increase resistance every 30 sec. Increase just enough so you can feel the change. Move from a 7-9. By end of the song, resistance should be so high that you are peddling just behind the beat of the song. Remind people to keep upper body stationary and the peddle strokes smooth through the hi resistance.

6. Lose Control by Missy Eliot ft Ciara (3:15)
Rolling Hills. Last song ended at a 10, bring it down to a 6. Each minute of music is a hill. Increase (then decrease) every 10 sec. Increase/decrease at least one full turn, trying to keep the same cadence.

7. Bust A Move by Young MC (4:22)
Modified jumps (alternating between postion 2 and 3/both standing). 30 sec modified jumps. One minute holding back in position 3. Push hips further back--really isolates the glutes. This should make your butt burn! This is a great core workout. Keep reminding people to push their hips back, lift up the hips, keep the abs tight, really focus on using the glutes to push the peddles. Resistance should be high, around an 8. If your butt is not on fire, turn it up, lean it farther back!

8. The Distance by Cake (3:00)
We're going the distance! Halfway done with the mountain! Steady climb. First 1.5 minutes standing climb; second half sit back in the saddle. Time to dig in. Last song was at an 8, turn it up to a 9. Should be hard to keep up with the beat = resistance up enough so you're on the beat (or slightly behind). For an extra challenge, crank it up to a 10 last 30 seconds of song. Form! Smooth peddle strokes!

9. Block Rockin' Beats by The Chemical Brothers (4:54)
Sprints with resistance. Turn down resistance to a 7 (maybe an 8 if not getting a good burn). 15, 30, 45, 60 second sprints with 15-30 sec recovery based on how people are looking. Ideally time it so last minute is sprint to finish (I usually do the 15, 30, 45 intervals and then leave one longer, 60 second sprint at the end). THIS SHOULD FEEL HEAVY! Time under tension = toning. This time you get a real rest in between sprints. But try to gradually get back to cadence and then a sprint (= anything faster than cadence pace) instead of going really slow then all of a sudden jerking back into a sprint. Remind people to preserve their form during the sprints. Don't ever sacrifice form for speed! Stay in control! For an extra challenge, jack up resistance quarter turn last 60 sec. It's the end, race it in!

11. 'Til I Collapse by Eminem (5 min)
Last hard song and last blast up the mountain (downhill after this). Seated Climb. Highest resistance song. Start at 9, make an increase every minute~enough so you can feel a change. Alternatively: middle two minutes pop out into position 3/standing climb then sit it back again into the saddle. This makes it a bit easier.

10. 15 Step by Radiohead (3:57)
Time to go down the mountain. Take resistance down to 6 (position 3/standing climb). Cadence. Get the blood moving through the legs again. Active recovery. Concentrate on form. Not done yet, no sitting back. 2 minutes standing climbs. 2 minutes eated.

11/12. I Envy The Wind by Lucinda Williams; So Long by Guster
Cool Down. Resistance all the way off. On bike streches. Off bike stretches.