Licking The Spoon: Another 7 Hour Meal Chez Moi

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)

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)

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!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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!