10 Reasons to love the Frosty Mountain Ultra

Everybody has their favourite event on the calendar each year and for me that is the  Frosty Mountain Ultra trail race, which has been  held in Manning Park BC since 2008. I will be going back for the 3rd consecutive year this September.

Here are the top ten reasons why I love the Frosty Mountain Ultra (and you can too):

1. Frosty is one of the most scenic courses you'll ever find anywhere with seemingly endless Mountain views. It's wonderful to be in a wild place like this.
2. The location is perfect for either driving in from Vancouver for the day or spending the whole weekend in beautiful Manning Park. The 8 am start time helps with that too.
3. The event has a great grass-root feel about it which I love. It's actually quite amazing how the race director Gottfried and a couple of dozen volunteers are able to pull off a quality event like this.
4. There is absolutely no cell reception in the area, so you will not be able to check your tweets, texts or Facebook as you make your way across the course or reach the finish. Nothing could be more relaxing.
5. My schedule allows me to do a lot of my training during school hours. It's tough for me however to do any kind of structured training in the lead up to the Frosty Mountain race due to the fact that my kids are off school throughout the summer. So there is very little pressure for me to do my best. I just show up and do the best I can with some run commuting, random long runs and peak bagging missions for preparation.
6. Making it to the finish before the veggie burgers run out is a good motivator (legend has it that this has happenend in the past).
7. Any race distance can be humbling, but there is also a realistic chance that you bump into somebody who just completed the Pacific Crest Trail which is a 4270 km trek from Mexico to British Columbia with the northern terminus close to the race start at 20 Minute Lake. Now that really takes self propelled long distance travel to the next level.
8. It's a "Goldilocks" course in terms of technicality. Not too easy, but no crazy ankle eating terrain either. Make no mistake though. There is lots of climbing and descending to be done.
9. It's a great value with the ultra distance costing $ 60 for the early bird registration.
10. There is a challenge for every ability level with a flat and fast 13 km, a one mountain 27 km option and a 50 km two mountain ultra distance.

Don't take my word for it. Check out the Frosty Mountain Ultra homepage and register for this awesome trail race.

See you in September in Manning Park.

Marc

The Workout You'll Love To Hate

I did quite well on my inaugural improvement of the month in May. I learned a lot about creating delicious smoothies in the process  and I have the recipes to prove it.

This month I set out to incorporate more strength and stretching exercises into my routine.
I vowed to strength train at least 2 times a week for a total of at least 90 min per week and stretch at least 3 times a week for a total of at least 60 min per week . I aim to implement this change permanently. So far I have managed to complete 2 strength and 3 stretch sessions per week, I am however not meeting my goal for the total weekly duration of the workouts. It's never easy to implement a new habit and make it stick, but I will keep working at it and maybe make myself a schedule to help me be more consistent.

I have however manged to design a little benchmark workout for myself and I would like to share it with you today. When I used to teach fitness classes a couple of years ago, many of the participants really hated a similar workout that I subjected them to once a month. Others loved to hate it. The reason for that is that it is quite hard, because it falls into the "get it done and get out" category.

So here is my little body weight pyramid workout that I designed:

Aim to complete the entire workout in the least amount of time possible without compromising form and execution of the exercises. Don't worry if you need to rest between exercises or even in the middle of a set at first. Push yourself, but respect where you are at. Remember: You are only competing with yourself. Note or remember which progressions of each exercise you are using and take down your times, so you can gauge your progress over time. As your fitness increases you might come to a point where you are unable to significantly better your time without compromising form and execution of the exercises. If that happens, pick harder progressions of the exercises where available.

• 10 Burpees   harder
• 20 Back Rows    easier: bend your legs   This exercise can be done on most playgrounds, with a sturdy stick between 2 chairs, on a sturdy railing or even using your dinner table
• 30 Push Ups   easier / harder
• 40 Side Bridge (20 on each side) easier / harder
• 50 Single Leg Split Squat (25 on each side)  easier / harder
• 50 Squats harder (forget about the flag - just do squat jumps and try to reach high with both hands)
• 40 Arm Reaches in Plank position (fully extend your arm above your head before returning to plank position - repeat 20 times with each hand) 
• 30 Close Grip Push Ups  easier / harder
• 20 Back Rows with underhand Grip   easier: bend your legs (Palms are facing up / you are pulling the bar towards your abdomen rather than your chest)
• 10 Burpees   harder

I always welcome new ideas for home or outdoor based core and strength workouts or stretching routines. What is your routine? What motivates you?

The Fine Print:

 I strongly recommend that you consult with your physician before beginning any exercise program.
You should be in good physical condition and be able to participate in the exercises described.
I am not a licensed medical care provider and have no expertise in diagnosing, examining, or treating medical conditions of any kind, or in determining the effect of any specific exercise on a medical condition.
You should understand that when participating in any exercise or exercise program, there is the possibility of physical injury. If you engage in this exercise or exercise program, you agree that you do so at your own risk, are voluntarily participating in these activities, assume all risk of injury to yourself, and agree to release and discharge me from any and all claims or causes of action, known or unknown, arising out of performing this exercise program.

In July I will aim to be an UltraVeggie activist.
I will take action by signing petitions, inquiring at companies and in stores about vegan friendly products and choices and generally promote a plant-based conscious lifestyle. I will take action a total of 31 times during July or on average once a day.

Ready, Set, Go!

Marc Schmitz

UltraVeggie Smoothie Awards

For my inaugural improvement of the month I decided to challenge myself with manufacturing 20 new to me smoothie recipes throughout the month of May. I am always interested in improving my nutrition and I reckoned being well versed in the preparation of smoothies is a step in the right direction. Am I a master smoothie maker now? Hardly, but I did learn a lot and have a solid idea of what else I want to try in the future to adapt some of the current recipes to my taste preferences.

Among other things my self imposed smoothie ninja apprenticeship taught me that smoothies are meals. I always kind of scoffed at that idea, but many of the recipes I tried had plenty of wholesome ingredients and made me feel satiated for hours.

I was also quite impressed how many ingredients such as greens, ground flaxseeds or avocado,  you can "hide" in any given recipe without it being too dominant in taste.

I did use some recipes from the internet, borrowed books from the library, followed 2 different smoothie formulas and made some recipes up myself. Some recipes were simple, some more complex, but there are many different ways to end up with a tasty healthy smoothie.

High speed blenders seem to be the talk of the town right now. Throughout this project however my $ 50 department store blender impressed me time and time again. Would a $ 600 machine have produced smoother smoothies? Probably, but as I said I was thoroughly pleased with the results of my entry level machine.

I rated the taste and nutritional value of each smoothie I made on a scale from 1-5 with 5 being the best possible rating. I furthermore decided to double the taste score, because regardless how good the finished product might be for your overall well-being you want it first and foremost to taste good. Therefore the best possible score is 15 points (5 points for taste times 2 plus 5 points for nutritional value). I realize that both values are very individual since everybody's taste, nutritional needs and the perception of the nutritional value of the ingredients will vary.

For an extra boost of protein I used hemp seeds rather than an isolated protein powder. It's up to you to omit this ingredient or substitute your personal favourite protein instead.

Add captionRoad trip without my blender. I had to outsource the smoothie making.Shamrock smoothie at the Glover Street Market in Twisp.

The Awards

Best Smoothie Formula

I found 2 smoothie formulas for my recipes. The formulas are great starting point if you like to experiment, but you are not ready to work without any kind of guidelines.

The winner for this category is the Green Smoothie 101 from simplegreensmoothies.com. It is the more foolproof of the two formulas I used.

At it`s heart is the combination of 2 cups of greens, 2 cups of liquid and 3 cups of fruit, plus added ingredients to supercharge the smoothie.

The best result I achieved so far with the simple green smoothie formula is this:

Green Smoothie 101 Sample

Taste: 3.75 Nutritional Value: 4.5 Total Score: 12

2cups of greens:

1 cup kale
1 cup spinach

2 cups of liquid:
1 cup water
1 cup coconut water

3 cups of fruit:
1/2 avocado
1 kiwi
1 medium sized apple of your choice (I like gala or ambrosia)
1 banana
3/4 cup blueberries

Boost it with:
3 tbsp hemp seeds
1 tbsp ground flax seeds

Start by blending the liquid and the greens, before adding the remaining ingredients.

No Meat Athlete Smoothie Formula Sample

Taste: 4 Nutritional Value: 3.75 Total Score: 11.75

1 soft fruit:
1 banana

2 handfuls of frozen fruit:
2 handfuls of frozen blueberries

2-4 tbsp of protein powder:
3 tbsp of hemp seeds

2 tbsp of binder:
2 tbsp of almond butter

1.5 tbsp of oil:
1.5 tbsp of coconut oil

1.5 cups of liquid:
1.5 cups of almond milk

1 tbsp of sweetener (optional):
1 tbsp of agave syrup

Superfoods , greens and other ingredients:
2 tbsp of cacao nibs
1 tsp of cinnamon

6 ice cubes (optional)

I suggest you use either formula as a guideline until you become confident enough to create your own recipes.

Best 30 Second blenderless Smoothie

Taste: 3 Nutritional Value: 5 Total Score: 11

1 pouch of baby food (banana, blueberry is my favourite, but pick whatever flavor you like)

1 cup of water

1 scoop of Vega One berry flavor

Mix all ingredients in a glass or a shaker bottle.

Tip:

Add the Vega One after the water or else you will have trouble getting the powder on the bottom of your glass to dissolve.

Best Own Creation

UltraVeggie Delight

Taste: 3.75 Nutritional Value: 4.5 Total Score: 12

1 banana

1 medium sized apple of your choice (I like gala or ambrosia)
1 mango
1/2 cup of blueberries
2 tbsp of flax oil
6 ice cubes
3 tbsp of hemp seeds
3 leaves of black kale
1/2 avocado

Just blend and enjoy.

Best Smoothie for Junior UltraVeggies

Taste: 3.75 Nutritional Value: 3.75 Total Score: 11.25

1 1/2 cup strawberries

1 mango

1 banana

3/4 cup of coconut water

6 ice cubes

1 tsp of maple syrup (optional)

Out of the more than 20 smoothie recipes which I tried throughout the month of May this is pretty much the only one that both my kids liked. If you are feeling adventurous try to sneak some ground flax seeds - or other ingredients that boost the nutritional value - into the drink and see if they will still like it.

Bonus Recipe

Angie's Carrot Creation

Taste: 3.75 Nutritional Value: 3.75 Total Score: 11.25

1/2 cup packed shredded carrots

1 mango (we really like mangoes it seems like, we usually use Ataulfo mangoes)

3/4 cup of coconut water

1/2 cup of orange juice
1 tbsp of lemon juice

Just blend and enjoy.

Links to more great Smoothies

Nice Chocolate Avocado Recovery Smoothie
Taste: 4 Nutritional Value: 3.75 (Maybe higher if you have it post workout) Total Score: 11.75

Oh She Glows Green Warrior Protein Smoothie
Taste: 3.75 Nutritional Value: 5 Total Score: 12.5

Oh my Veggies Pineapple Coconut Vitamin C Smootie
Taste: 3.75 Nutritional Value: 4 Total Score: 11.5

Healthy Blender Recipes Vegan Chocolate Spinach Shake
Taste: 4 Nutritional Value: 3.75 Total Score: 11.75

One Green Planet Strawberry Rhubarb Smoothie
Taste: 3.75 Nutritional Value: 4.25 Total Score: 11.75
I used soy milk and a little extra maple syrup.

Here is the look ahead at my upcoming Improvement of the Month projects. I would be thrilled if you felt compelled to join me in my quest for more strength and flexibility staring on June 1st. If you do, let me know about your progress and challenges throughout the month, so we can commiserate ... I mean encourage each other.

June:

I will finally be more consistent about incorporating strength and stretching exercises into my routine.
I vow to strength train at least 2 times a week for a total of at least 90 min per week and stretch at least 3 times a week for a total of at least 60 min per week . Not huge numbers, but I am shooting for consistency here rather than a one time effort. This change shall be implemented permanently. I will share some of the exercises I subject myself to with you on my blog, but I always welcome new ideas for home or outdoor based core and strength workouts or stretching routines.

July:

I will be an UltraVeggie activist this month.
In the month of July I will take action by signing petitions, inquiring at companies and in stores about vegan friendly products and choices and generally promote a plant-based conscious lifestyle. I will take action a total of 31 times during July or on average once a day.

Happy Trails,

Marc Schmitz