Ecuador & The Highest AR in the World

Home safely from an amazing trip to Ecuador in South America. I didn't have much email access so therefor, getting regular posts up was a problem. Attempting to put up pictures, out of the question. However, a featured article will be appearing in the next issue of BREATHE Magazine and some updates are on their blog. Luis took amazing photos will be shared as well. Congrats to the Canadian teams - Untamed New England and Milton Basement Racers as well as Carena Dean from Canmore who took 1st place racing with an Ecuadorian team. We enjoyed following you at Huairasinchi! I'm convinced to come back and race it myself - little convincing needed :)

In the mean time, here are just a few from our travels on day #1 when we arrived in Quito. Oh, and add this place on your "to adventure to" list! Within 2 hrs of the main city, you can be virtually ANYWHERE - the Andes, the coast, the Galapagos!

Getting Acquainted with Ecuador

Without any travel issues, Luis and I arrived late last night into Quito, located at 2800meters above sea level. Greeted by Diego, our local guide for the next week, we made it to Hotel Mercure and enjoyed a much needed sleep. I knew they were there, but could not see the majestic mountains that surround the city. I was eager for morning to come!!!

And disappointed we were not! Blue skies and a great European style breakfast started off the day. By 9am, we were making our way up to the TeleferiQo, a tram system that would take us up to 13,500 ft to the base of Los Pinchinchas and an amazing view over looking the city. Luis and I were both experiencing the altitude as we slowly crawled our way up a little higher on a hiking trail, trying to mask the heavy breathing and limiting our conversation. From our viewpoints and frequent stops, we could see 5 of the major volcanoes in the northern part of the country including the grand daddy of them all, Cotopaxi.

It was then onto a tour of the city where we parked the jeep and enjoyed visits to the Cathedrals and monuments as we strolled the lively cobble stoned streets that were full of hustle and bustle. The Spanish and Native influence is very much apart of the Ecuador culture and is extremely captivating.

The later part of the day took us out of the city boundaries and into rural Ecuador. Diego took us to his families “Campo Base”, a stunning piece of property and cozy lodge for their climbing clients. I vowed to return to climb Cotopaxi with Diego and his father as my guides in the future.

Luis and I learned a few things today as well. First off, when on top of these mountains, sunscreen and hat is essential unless you want to look like a burned lobster in the rest of your trips pictures. Next, the traditional food is amazing and must be tried. Lastly, altitude is VERY humbling no matter how great you thought your fitness level was.

Will keep the updates coming here as well as to the BREATHE Magazine homepage. Luis will be posting pics! For some reason, mine aren't uploading...

SOLE gettin' corked!

Here is something to look forward to this summer! I was really excited when I learned that one of my amazing sponsors SOLE had recently partnered with ReCORK to create this new flip-flop sandal out of old wine bottle corks! How very very cool. I'm always so impressed when I see companies taking the incredible products that they already make and applying it towards an even greener technology and one that is more sustainable!

Back in 2008, my entire BADWATER crew ran along side and paced me at this 135miler extreme heat running race in Death Valley, CA. The SOLE flip-flops are so comfortable that most of them logged some serious mileage while in this sandal. Top notch support while being crazy comfortable.

I love SOLE and I can't wait to try these out! Summer will be here soon.

Lunchtime Update on JEN & JUDE

I've just received an email from race staff with a quick little update:

STAGE #6 Today
Jude ran today and did well.
Jen has been doing fantastic everyday and has run each stage strong!!!

It's only time until these ladies we will be online and we will all get to hear from them!!
CONGRATS TEAM CANADA from the proudest coach ever!

#5 The results of Hardwork and Dedication

I'm still trying to believe that today is the last day of the TCC - what an incredible experience and journey for all the athletes who undertook the challenge. I am the proudest coach ever to have gotten to see Jude, Shannon & Jen train through the last 7 months so that they could taste that amazing finish line feel. Oh, your 1st beer afterwards is the best beer in the world.

I awoke this morning to see this update from Greg Dawson in my inbox. It brought me to tears as I know how the girls have been feeling through this entire race.


Seven-month training schedule paying off for daycare teacher on day five of The Coastal Challenge

Written by Greg Dawson

While race leaders continue to push forward in their quest for race champion on day five of The Coastal Challenge, Shannon MacLeod (Canada) has already won the race in her mind.

After seven months of training with running coach and professional endurance athlete Jen Segger, MacLeod reached her goal on day two.

With 12,000 feet of elevation change over a 55 kilometer course, day two features one of the hardest routes of the race. Runners had to climb the continental divide by a certain time or they were disqualified and moved down to the shorter, but still difficult adventure portion.

"I trained for seven months with countless back-to-back weekend long runs and raised money by selling coffee and muffins to my kids' parents and collected cans to recycle," said MacLeod. "There was absolutely no way I was going to miss that cutoff."

MacLeod, with thoughts of well wishes from her students, made the cutoff and has been running strong everyday since.

"Physically, I knew Jen's training had me ready," said MacLeod. "And mentally, I had prepared myself to finish since day one so I was determined to make it and I did."

Of course, it didn't get any easier from there. MacLeod, who had given everything she had to make the cutoff the day before, found herself struggling on day three.

"I had gone out so strong the day before that I felt very weak the next day," said Macleod. "But looking around I realized I was running somewhere wicked and awesome and I powered through."

Day#5 on the way

Hard to believe that 5 days have already gone by. Here we are at home, going through our daily routines while Jude, Shannon and Jen continue to grind it out on the race course. These amazingly strong willed girls have now entered into the warmer parts of Costa Rica and so all those heat sessions in the sauna should be coming in very useful.

The TCC was having some internet issues but here is what we know from stage #4. Yesterday was the last of the long days at 46.5km. That is a HUGE milsetone to get through. Jude finished 2nd by about 20mins. She maintains 1st place by approximately 2hrs so as long as she holds on and is steady, the race is hers to win.

I don't have updates on Shannon and Jen just yet but as soon as I hear, more to come!

Keep sending energy to these girls - let's get them through 2 more days :)

Day #3 Results just in!

Yeah!!! Another great day for the ladies (I think I can get some sleep tonight seeing as this is all that has been on my mind.) Here is what we know:

Flatter terrain and cooler weather made for a faster course on the
third stage of the Coastal Challenge Tuesday morning, allowing for
Judith Abbot (Canada) to lengthen her lead in the women's division.

With a strong finish on day one and taking first place on day two,
Abbot is poised for her first adventure race win.

"It's very exciting to watch Judith take on some of the most
breathtaking, remote and challenging running routes in the world and
come out with the will and ability to endure more," said Race Director
and Event Founder Tim Holmstrom. "Her mental strength is very tough
for her first stage race and we're very excited to see the outcome."

Top five women's division finishing times: Judith Abbot (Canada)
4:19:48, Margaret Phillips (USA) 4:57:56, Stacey Shand (USA) 5:19:48,
Melinda Barbee (CR) 5:51:29, Shannon MacLeod (Canada) 7:38:39.

EXPEDITION

# Bib #Name Country Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3 Overall

1 70 Judith_Abbot (Ultra) CANADA 3:48:16 9:02:25 4:19:48 17:10:29

2 88 Margaret_Phillips USA 4:01:42 10:24:14 4:57:56 19:23:52

3 95 Stacey_Shand USA 5:05:10 10:42:05 5:19:48 21:07:03

4 177 Melida _Barbee CR 4:25:49 11:37:15 5:51:29 21:54:33

5 71 Shannon_MacLeod CANADA 4:34:34 11:37:15 7:38:39 23:50:28

ADVENTURE

8 69 Jen_Jolliffe CANADA 6:05:09 7:18:12 7:38:39 21:02:00

Jen is currently ranked 8th in the Adventure category!!! That a girl!!! You are doing fabulous!!! Dig deep, tomorrow is the last long day then you are on the home stretch!!!

Canadian Ladies Rocking!

I couldn't be a more proud coach! The results from yesterday's stage (#2) just got posted. Here are the stats from the TCC Costa Rica race:

Jude is now leading the way in 1st place for the females. She has over 1hr35mins on the 2nd place female. AWESOME!!!!!! I also got word that she finished strong today (stage #3) and so will continue to widen her lead.

There only remains now 5 ladies on the full course expedition run and our very own Shannon McLeod is in there! YEAH!!! Shannon is in 5th place right now. And get this, 4th place is only 8mins out of her reach and 3rd place is just over 20mins in front. Stay strong girl and keep moving up!!!

Jen Joliffe is doing a great job of holding her own as well. She is now ranked in the Adventure Category which is still incredible and is sitting mid pack. I'm so impressed!!! I think as the days go on, she will continue to get stronger. And I should note, Jen made a last minute decision to start in the expedition category, knowing that she could always drop to adventure. I can't commend her enough for doing so!!!! Keep it real Jen, the hardest days are now behind you.

So there you have it. I'm sure we are all eager to see how they managed today! They are 1/2 way done now, the hardest days and longest stages are finished!!! Keep ya posted on stage #3.

From a proud coach.........adventure onwards......... jen

PS - if anyone is considering a TCC race in the future (hint hint) there is group of us headed to Bolivia in September and then once again to Costa Rica in January 2011. Let me know if you are the slightest bit interested in taking on an incredible challenge and having an experience just like these girls. It's pretty dang cool if you ask me!!!!

Day #2 @ the TCC - quick update

Folks!!! This news just in as of 7:30pm.

Jude just finished 1st today. She has now overtaken the Women's lead and is favored to win!! Not only did Jude finish 1st, she finished todays stage in the top 5. My sources tell me that she is running STRONG!!!!!! GO JUDE GO!!!!!! Today's stage was a grueling 62km - a long day out there for everyone! It's mind over matter and that is what keeps you pushing through.

Leading the women's division through stage two and breaking into the
top five overall, Canadian Judith Abbot overtook day one leader
Margaret Phillips (USA) prior to checkpoint one. Showing no signs of
fatigue, Abbot is fast becoming favored to win the overall women's
division.

"This is the most challenging race I've competed in," said Abbot.
"Even though it's a tough race, I look around at the volcanos, hills
and lakes and realize I'm in Costa Rica having a wonderful time."

As soon as I have some info on Shannon & Jen, I will let you know.

TCC Results from Day #1

Hello everyone! It looks as though the TCC staff have been experiencing some difficulties with technology. This sometimes happens when the race courses are remote. But, let's skip to the great news! I am so excited. Click here for the full leaderboard results. TEAM CANADA is doing awesome! It looked like a tough day on the race course but all 3 girls made it through and under the cut-offs.

Jude Ultra Abbott is currently sitting in 2nd place for females!!!! With a time of 3:48 on stage #1, this puts her only 14mins behind the first place lady. This is a VERY do-able amount of time to make up, considering there is still another 5 days of running to go.

Shannon McLeod is sitting in 6th place for females, having finished with a time of 4:34. Excellent. She is surrounded by several other females so I expect we are going to see some fluctuations over the next few days of running and her overtaking a few of them.

Jen Jolliffe from Campbell River finished up in a time just over 6hrs which is great. She's making the cut-offs and keeping it going.

The team is currently ranked 4th in the team category which is a bonus way of ranking. You need a minimum of 3 people to hold a rank so as long as the girls all stay healthy and keep the feet turning over, they will stay ranked. However, the results are incorrect and have messed up the times besides the racers names as of right now. Stay tuned and I'll see if I can get those corrected.

K everyone, please send ALL the energy that you have to the girls! Today is a long day on the course and they need all the support we can give!!!

Acid/Alkaline Balance of Body

My mom just sent this onto me. Finding ways to keep my body in an alkaline state (especially as an athlete and the amount of acid it creates) has always been a constant struggle. I follow a rich diet of veggies, fruits, nuts and proteins and have been eliminating most dairy (except for in my coffee.) I've been using a full line of VEGA products as well in my smoothies for pre workouts and post recovery. And I add Udo's oil to my smoothies for the extra omega 3 + 6

s. My goal is always high quality food full of life and nutrients.

Anyways, here is something to think about. This was published in the National Post (Jan 25th, 2010)

While watching a strip of orange litmus paper turn a rich kale green after being dunked in my saliva, Sam Graci admits that his feelings match the strip. "I'm a little jealous," jokes the nutrition expert and author of several healthy-eating books. "I have worked bloody hard for a lot of years to get there. You have a beautifully balanced pH." Graci is in town to promote the idea that if our bodies maintain the proper pH balance, we can reduce cancers and other degenerative diseases, slow aging and maintain our energy and well-being. We are in a grocery store so he can show me which foods can help achieve the perfect pH balance. If pH were a teeter-totter with 100-per-cent acidity on one end and full alkalinity on the other, a healthy human would just tip the balance of the see-saw toward alkalinity. But oddly, everything we do - from breathing and exercising to eating - creates acids. Under good conditions, our bodies get rid of most of the acids through exhaling and urinating. But most Canadians do not live under good conditions - they eat too much meat, grains and dairy - and their bodies build up acidity. Acidifying foods are not all bad; we need some for digestion and muscle development, Graci says. However, we should strive for a balance of 75 per cent alkalizing to 25 per cent acidifying. That is the ratio, researchers say, that was maintained by our early ancestors. Excess acidity creates an environment in which viruses, bacteria, carcinogens and fungi can flourish. Graci says we need to maintain the same pH levels as our ancestors, using foods available today. We can't do that with a diet that consists mainly of dairy, cereals, refined sugars and refined vegetable oils. Most people in western society exceed acceptable acid levels by eating these foods. The alkalizing foods we should eat to maintain the proper pH balance are the same foods we have been told to eat. These include brightly coloured veggies and fruits, especially those that maintain the colour throughout; and spices such as turmeric and cinnamon, but also herbs, raw nuts and fermented foods such as sauerkraut, the Korean kim-qi, yogurt and tempeh. The acidifying foods, which we need to reduce to 25 per cent of our diet, include meat, dairy products (except yogurt), and sugar and grains (especially refined grains). Fish is acidifying, but not nearly as much so as red meats. These are the foods that the long-living Okinawans in Japan eat, and that the octogenarians along the Mediterranean Sea eat. These are the foods that are loaded with antioxidants, fibre and omega-3 fatty acids. As a pescaterian, it's pretty much my diet, too. "When you look at the Okinawan diet or the Mediterranean diet, they have one commonality," says Graci. "They are both alkalizing diets, and they both have the same results: less degenerative disease and long, healthy lives." The good news is, dark chocolate, black coffee and tea, dry red wine and locally brewed dark beers are also alkalizing. Now here is the bad news. Milk chocolate, coffee full of cream, sugar and flavourings, sweet wines and purified beers are acidifying. So are soft drinks and hard liquor. Graci says an acidic pH affects us in many ways, including disrupting sleep, affecting decision-making abilities and causing anxiety and depression. And over the long run, it is linked to all the degenerative diseases, including cancer and osteoporosis. Graci explains that our bones contain a lot of minerals, which are alkalizing. Scientists have shown that when the arterial blood gets a little acidic, it leaches minerals from the bones to restore its balance, leaving our bones depleted and brittle. "Our bones are now used as a reservoir of minerals that go to our kidneys to make antacid sponges to neutralize all the acid in the body," says Graci. An imbalance affects our beauty, too, Graci emphasizes. The bone loss that so many of us accept as part of aging shrinks our jaws, leaving our skin with less to adhere to. So it sags and wrinkles. We can prevent this if we maintain a balanced pH, but we can't rebuild the bone. As we wander through the grocery aisles, Graci grabs a bag of lemons and offers a tip: An easy way to build the alkalinity in your body, is adding lemon to the water you drink. It's simple and effective, he says. Here are a few more tips. If you eat acidifying oatmeal for breakfast, buffer it by adding apples, berries, raw seeds or nuts. Make a rainbow of colour with every meal. Limit your dairy intake. It seems counter-intuitive to eat citrus fruits and tomatoes, both of which are very acidic in the mouth, to boost the alkaline levels in the cells, but Graci explains that when they are broken down in the stomach, the acids are converted to alkalines. Conversely, dairy products such as milk or cream convert to acids. Goat cheeses, however, are alkalizing at the cell level. So is coconut milk. Sugar is the opposite, highly acidifying. Foods are not the only things that affect the pH balance. Stress produces the hormone cortisol, which is corrosive to the cells, so keeping calm keeps you alkaline. Likewise, exercise produces acids, so athletes need to be especially careful to avoid overdoing it with acidifying foods. At the bread counter, Graci grabs a bag of white bagels and compares with to a loaf of spelt bread. We know which one is better for us, but now we know another reason why. Both are acidifying grains, but the bagels use white flour and a lot of sugar, making them far more acidifying. Our pH levels change throughout the day depending on what we eat and do, but if we test every day at the same time, we can get a pretty good sense of our levels. Graci recommends testing first thing in the morning, before breakfast.