Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Tri Club Interest Meeting and other news

Several people have mentioned the lack of a strong tri club in the west valley and as you may have seen on Facebook that is changing. AZ Cyclery is building a tri club with the help of Glendale Sports. There will be a meeting at the Glendale Sports facility on Saturday July 13th at 2:00 PM. We are located at 6808 N Dysart Rd beside AZ Cyclery & Multisport.

While we gear up for that meeting I want to share some great pictures of a full workout facility from this morning. Thank you to Paul from Caballero's for adding to the group as we had five people working out at Glendale Sports at the same time.

Working hard on the obliques! 
Balancing is a key part of core workouts
You see Paul gets in the picture even when he is behind the camera.
No Breaks Kelsey
Swimming towards each other but never getting closer.
As they drop like flies a few persevere with help from Eagle

Friday, December 7, 2012

Caballero Grill

We Ate at the Caballero Grill tonight. It's our usual Friday nite date place. Ben makes the best ceviche in Phoenix. You can have it with wahoo, scallops or shrimp. Almost every week they also get in a fresh catch of something special for the ceviche bar.  Eagle likes the halibut and gets it on fresh tostadas. You can also have it in a bowl or in lettuce bowls.


Caballero grill has a large selection of craft beers on tap as well as specialty bottles including an organic chocolate stout that Eagle said tasted like a liquid chocolate bar with a bite. I personally prefer the fresh strawberry or blueberry mojito. 

Try the buffalo blue cheese sticks or the trio dip to start. Home made fresh bliss. (Ben makes the guacamole, too). Individual cheesecakes in vanilla or salted caramel make a happy ending.

The food is fresh and delicious and they will make any substitutions if you ask them. They are always making specials of the day. And if you follow them on twitter they post pictures. From now to the end of the year, they are running a special on gift cards. If you buy a $100 gift card, you will also get four $25 gift certificates, one for each quarter of 2013.  This is such a great deal!  If I were you I'd get down there right away, have a great meal in good company and buy a gift card that will reward you for a whole year.

Maybe we will see you some Friday night.

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Tour de Cure Kickoff Party

Saturday night, December 4th was the Phoenix Tour de Cure Kickoff Party!  This is an event that is filled with contagious enthusiasm and hope. The Tour de Cure is a day of cycling and celebration as part of the fight to stop diabetes.  The start/finish is at REACH 11 Sports Complex  (2425 E. Deer Valley Rd, Phoenix, AZ).  There are rides for every level of rider from 8 to 100 miles.  The big date is March 16, 2013.  There is a finish party and full lunch.  All rides have fully stocked rest stops and are supported by support and gear vehicles.  Southwest Ambulance will have a vehicle standing by on site for those emergencies we hope won't happen.
The kickoff party started with a greeting at the door by Ann. Ann is the Senior Manager of Mission Delivery at the American Diabetic Association (ADA). Mary Rein (@mrein1 on twitter) is overseeing the Phoenix Tour de Cure 2013.

 


I was the volunteer making sure the beverages stayed full and cold. with around 180 people at the event, I was kept busy. lots of food was served and it sure tasted good. Healthy too: brown rice with spices, nuts and cranberries; seasonal vegetables, and chicken breasts.
 



 

 












Usually at events I have no trouble locating Eagle because he is the one wearing red. Woops! There are so many people at this event wearing red. They are either RED RIDERS (Those riders who have diabetes) or Team Red (riders who support the RED RIDERS). but I found him - he's wearing the white cap.
We heard from James Quinones, the weather anchor at 12 news (you can follow him on twitter @JamesQuinones); Sammi Leight, the 2013 youth Ambassador; and Michael Schofield. Michael works for AT&T and HAS BEEN CURED of type 1 diabetes via islet cell transplant.  WOW!



















I tried to get pictures of the speakers, but it was too far away for clarity on my iphone.  We also heard from various Tour de Cure chairs and committee leaders with information about the 2013 Tour.  This is the best bike event in the valley. You will want to be a part of it. Join a team, donate money, volunteer. We would love to see you out there helping us find a cure for diabetes.  Tto sponsor me, go to http://main.diabetes.org/goto/Glendalesports  you can also find more information about the Tour at this site. Thanks so much. Together we can make a difference.


Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Volunteering at IronMan Arizona


Volunteering at IronMan Arizona





We arrived in Tempe late Friday night. So excited to be a part of IMAZ. Eagle volunteered in the Massage booth last year and had a great time. This year I was able to join him - working doping control and in the medical tent.

On Saturday they held the IronKids race. Kids of all ages ran along Tempe Town Lake to the cheers of their parents and IMAZ participants. After the race the held the volunteer orientation meetings.  The numbers of willing volunteers was awesome. It boggles the mind to realize how many people are needed to pull off an IronMan race.


After orientation we took in the expo. I tried on, and then bought a pair of Newton running shoes. (I have a race coming up in December). We tried samples of gels and bars and protein drinks. We bought Eagle a pair of Tri-shorts (in red, of course). He's been talking for years about doing a 70.3 and then an IronMan, but something Always gets in the way at the last minute (bike wreck, son getting married, then daughter getting married, etc). Now, I've put the pressure on by buying a t-shirt that reads "IRONMATE".




We spent the rest of the day relaxing knowing we had a hard day coming up on Sunday. First thing in the morning we watched the swim and T1 (transition from the swim to the bike).  A picture doesn't begin to show the number of bikes in the transition area. Then we walked around a bit until the racers started coming into T2 (transition from bike to swim). A quick bite to eat then off to our volunteer positions.








Eagle spent his time from 2pm until midnight giving post race massages. I got to  stand at the finish line and hear the USADA rep say "congratulations, you've been selected for drug testing". I was assigned to one of the racer and was responsible to get their signature and then took them to the drug testing area. Then an hour break to watch the runners coming in before it was time for my shift at the medical tent.

Most of the racers just needed a warm blanket and electrolyte replacement (we gave them chicken broth). Some had abrasions from falls that needed to be cleaned. A couple wanted their blood Glucose checked because they were diabetic and felt like their levels were low. A little sugar water and they were on their way again. There were a few more serious issues, but overall a healthy bunch.

At midnight, I cheered in the final racer and then we went home. And back to work. I had a busy couple of days at work in the emergency department and then some of my kids were here for the holidays. So now I finally had a chance to write this episode. Looking forward to next year.



Friday, November 2, 2012

Cooking With Quinoa

Quinoa (pronounced keen-wa) is a gluten free seed that is used like a grain. It is becoming very popular. So maybe you buy some. It looks strange. And what do you do with it? Quinoa should be rinsed prior to use to eliminate the slightly bitter coating.  It comes in natural, red and/or black. Quinoa has a slightly nutty flavor. 

I prefer to sauté it in a small amount of coconut oil and stir it until it starts to turn brown. Immediately pour in twice the amount of water as you have quinoa. When the water comes to a boil, turn the heat to medium low and cover pot with a lid for 15-20 minutes until all the water is absorbed.  I usually shake in some dried herbs such as cilantro. You can use broth instead of water for a fuller taste. Mix the quinoa with your favorite chopped vegetables either raw or sautéed. It can be eaten hot, warm or cold as you prefer. Quinoa is a good source of protein. 

Quinoa can be a side dish, or it can become your meal. For a vegetarian dish add beans or nuts with the vegetables.  Adding  some leftover chicken or fish makes a good meal for those who are not vegetarian. It can be served on a bed of lettuce for a salad type meal. You can totally change it by using italian herbs, or indian spices such as turmeric. As you can see, quinoa is a versatile food worth trying. 

At Glendale Sports Massage, Training and Nutrition we look forward to helping you become more healthy in all aspects of your life. Our personal trainers and massage therapists are experienced in proper sports nutrition. We also have a sports nutritionist and health coach.  Call and book your free consultation today. 623-215-2525.  

Saturday, October 20, 2012

How can massage improve your performance?


         Regular exercise improves performance. It also causes oxidative stress from free radicals which cause muscle breakdown.  Muscle breakdown byproducts end up in the bloodstream and are toxic to the body.  Some ways they are toxic is a result of the size of the particles and thus the way they move out of the bloodstream into the kidneys and cause damage, or flow out of the blood vessels and into the fluid in between cells.  The debris gets picked up by the lymph system and processed by the lymph glands.  If the debris is not transported out of the body, it can have long term negative effects that include congestion and fatigue.
          Deep tissue/functional massage can loosen the debris or toxins.  A good sports massage helps the body heal itself by increasing blood flow which in turn increases the flow of oxygen to the muscles, eliminating the waste materials from muscle breakdown, releasing muscle tension and trigger points, and realigning muscles, tendons, and fascia to their proper positioning. Sports massage can relieve the stress placed upon your joints, tendons, ligaments and muscles from long training hours. Delayed onset muscle soreness which results from overuse of a muscle or muscle group can be alleviated by deep tissue massage.
          Almost all professional athletes receive regular massages to help improve their performance. The motto of Glendale Sports is that "life is a sport".  Make a call today and get a massage to improve your performance. 623-215-2525.



References:
*Findlay, S. (2012). Sports massage benefits and effects. Sportsinjuryclinic.net
*Hughes, M. (2010). What are the benefits of sports massage therapy. Livestrong.com
*Powers, S.K., & Jackson, M. J. (2008). Exercise-induced oxidative stress: Cellular mechanisms and impact on muscle force production. Journal of applied psysiology 113(3), 510-512.
Picture courtesy of massageqnerd.com