April 2011 - Team Squamish

NEWSLETTER
APRIL 2011
BE PREPARED!
TEAM SQUAMISH—PREPARING FOR RACE SEASON
Sam Bowerman, Nick Bruce, Kristin Drygas, Maia Kilby, Mo Lawrence,
Quinn Moberg, Miranda Miller, Jereomy Pelletier, Lauren Rosser, Alex Toews,
Luke Di Marzo, Daniel Hennigar, Alex Hinkson, Michael Kilby, Mikayla Martin,
Mason Moberg, Austin Ross, Ethan Toom, Jessica Vanderhoeven, Rhys Verner
TEAM SQUAMISH THANKS OUR SPONSORS FOR
BEING PREPARED TO HELP US
Like the Boy Scouts &
Girl Guides — it’s
important to
BE PREPARED
Newsletter kindly
printed by:
OUR SPONSORS ARE NO APRIL FOOLS
INTERVIEW WITH OUR McSPONSOR
Mr. Rod Adrian of McDonald’s Squamish
By Ethan Toom
On behalf of all of Team Squamish, I’d like to thank you for answering these questions.
How long have you lived in Squamish?
I have lived in Squamish since June 2006.
What do you like most about Squamish’s outdoor recreation scene?
I spend most of my time outside riding my mountain bike on the trails or my road bike on the highway.
What bike do you use, and what is your favourite local trail?
I ride a Kona Dawg Deluxe mostly up Mashiter, Tracks From Hell, down Roller Coaster. On the road I ride a
Trek.
Why did you start to sponsor team Squamish, and why have you continued to do so for so long?
The previous McDonald's owner (Jens Rolinski) was really into cycling and sponsored Team Squamish. I saw the
possibility to encourage young athletes through supporting the Team, so we continued what was done before we
got here.
Do you do any volunteer work?
I have volunteered as a basketball, football, baseball,
soccer, and mountain bike coach in Squamish. I also
work through The Rock Church as a youth leader
with my wife, Amanda.
And finally, how did you get to be manager of
Mcdonalds, and what inspired you to do so?
I started working at McDonald's in 1985, as a regular
employee. I worked my way up in the company
through promotion, and in 2006 was able to buy my
first franchise in Squamish. It's a great company to be
a part of, and the variety of staff and customers keeps
my job interesting. I was inspired to join McDonald's
because of my dad who retired from McDonald's after
39 years of being a part of McDonald's.
Thank you very much for your time, and thank you for your support, Mr. Adrian
A Message from Scar:
So prepare for a chance of a lifetime
Be prepared for sensational news
A shining new era
Is tiptoeing nearer … BE PREPARED
Lyrics by Tim Rice
GOING DOWNHILL FAST
INTRODUCING NEW TEAM MEMBER—RHYS VERNER
By Rhys Verner
Hi, my name is Rhys Verner and I am in Gr. 8 at DRSS. I love to mountain bike, both downhill
and cross country and I think that they both complement each other immensely.
Ever since I can remember I have been going out for
rides with my dad. At first it was just for fun, but I kept getting better and better until I was almost better than he was. I
started riding with Lauren Rosser and she has been my mentor since I was 11 years old. Every week Lauren and I would
go out for a ride. She would help me with both DH and XC
while showing me all these new types of trails. Lauren has
taught me everything I know and I would definitely not be
the rider I am today without her. Through the years I have
progressed tons and I started going to the Whistler Bike Park
and doing Toonie races. I have also competed at Crankworx.
Last year was a really fun year for me. I started biking a lot
with my friends and since we are all about the same ability
level we push each other. I also started making these little
movies with my friends. They are really fun and I think making the videos has improved my riding. With videos you get
to see what went wrong and figure out what to do to make
yourself a better rider.
Getting a little air in the Whistler Bike Park—summer 2010
This year with Team Squamish I hope to do a lot of biking in other places and see what the the
trails and terrain are outside of Squamish. I hope to do all the BC Cups I can, and get good results in both
XC and DH.
Starting to bike was the best choice I have ever made!
TEMECULA TO PORT ANGELES—Prepping for 2011
By Miranda Miller
Enjoyed a great training camp in Temecula, CA with the PerformX guys. Drove down with my
friend, Remi from Nanoose, and was delighted to take in some southern sunshine as well as some
challenging riding. Days were filled with healthy food, yoga, gym, riding and watching the sun go
down over the vineyards. We had a weekly Fitness Olympic Challenge and tried to outdo one another
in Burpee Competitions—what can be more fun than that? Came home via Santa Barbara and Santa
Cruz—and confirmed that I’d winter there in a heartbeat … just a little more prize money ….
Got back on 11th from a fun w/e at the first Pro GRT of ‘11—
in one of my favourite locations—Port Angeles. They run a
great race, with lots of laughs & lots of top quality riders. As
per, the dry weather turned to bucketing rain changing the
course to rutty slop. Made some
shift change errors etc on my seeding run, but despite still not
achieving perfection, I managed to shave a second off on rainy race day,
and came four seconds closer to Jill’s time. It was novel to share the podium with Katherine Short—my partner in the GKRipper many moons
ago. Next up—Sea Otter.
Prepping the bike—credit to David Fournier for the shot
STRETCHING & PERFORMANCE
The 3rd in a monthly tip sheet from physiotherapist & sponsor, Heidi Drygas
REMEMBER YOUR TRAINING TIPS
Do's:
• Do stretch dynamically before each training session.
• Cool down with gentle rhythmic dynamic (moving – not sustained) stretches done in the pain free
ROM rather than static stretches after hard workouts. This is because the hard workouts can
shorten or aggravate are muscle fibres.
• Static stretches can be done after moderate workouts or at a separate time.
• Do establish optimal sport specific range of motion prior to competition season.
• Use static stretching (4-6 times per week) to maintain or gain your optimal ROM
Don't:
• Don't do static stretching prior to high quality power or speed training. Instead use dynamic
stretches.
• If a particular stretching exercise causes discomfort, try an alternative one.
• Try to include one stretch for each major muscle group used in the sport.
• If a particular muscle group is stiff stretch it first and last.
• Allow a minimum of 10-15 minutes for stretching.
This Month: the Calves: Pedal Power
The calf is located on the back of the lower leg.
The muscles in the back of the lower leg are actually divided in two layers, superficial and deep. The
superficial muscles are the ones that you likely know because these are the muscles you can see. The
superficial layer includes the gastrocnemius (gastroc) and under it is the larger soleus. The tendons of
these 2 muscles blend to form the Achilles tendon.
The picture on the right is the superficial muscles on stretch and the picture on the left is when they are
concentrically contracted to allow you to go up onto your toes. The deep layer includes the popliteus,
flexor hallicus longus, flexor digitorum longus, and tibialis posterior. The deep muscles can’t be seen
visibly as they are beneath the gastrocs and soleus.
AND NOW, LADIES AND GENTS, FOR ONE MONTH ONLY, TEAM SQUAMISH’S
NEXT FUN ACTIVITY … THE FAMED, THE FANTABULOUS, THE ONLY-INSQUAMISH-YOU-SAY, YES … IT’S THE WILDY POPULAR …………………………...
STRETCHING & PERFORMANCE— Continued …..
CALF GUESSING GAME
Can you identify which
calves belong to: Kristin,
Lauren, Nick, Quinn,
Rhys, Arnie and a TS
sponsor? Come on, don’t
be shy, give it a try. No
fee—and some hairy hints
included.
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
Calf Muscle Function
The main action of the calf muscles is to point the toes or help to raise you onto your tip toes
and control the lowering (deceleration) from the tip toes position- this motion is known as plantar flexion. Every muscle in the back of the calf (with the exception of the popliteus) helps to do
this. The calf muscles provide the majority of the push off power for jumping, sprinting, stair
climbing, cycling and walking. Cyclists use this muscle almost constantly during the pedaling
motion. The deep muscles also stabilize your arch stabilizes and point the toes down.
All the muscles within the calf region connect in the foot. Strength and stability in the foot and
ankle can be compromised once these muscles lose their flexibility. Dehydration further compounds the loss of flexibility and elasticity within these muscles causing them to adhere together. This makes the muscles more reactive (achy, weak, tight, injury prone) than active.
When muscles are reactive they can develop exquisite tender points, trigger points. These are
the points where the motor nerve (nerve that makes the muscle contract) enters the muscle. Rolling or massaging these points can be a good adjunct to stretching if your calves become reactive.
Some examples of rolling the calf trigger points:
TP
Double Ball
Calf
Exercise
And the answers are:
Quinn M: F
Lauren R: E
Rhys V: D
TS Calf Line Up— Pleading Guilty as Charged for Stretching
Kristen D: A
Nick B: B
Sponsor: G
Arnie: C
The Stretching Options: The Dynamic Stretch
Dynamic stretching, also known as mobility drills, uses sport-specific movements to prepare the body for
activity. A study published in the "Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research," found that dynamic
stretching improves muscular performance because it generates an increase in body temperature,
which facilitates movement because it lowers the blood viscosity (thickness) as it travels to the muscles, tendons and ligament. Read more:
http://www.livestrong.com/article/330422-power-stretch-protocol/#ixzz1HDFa92uQ
1) The Famous TS Lauren-can’t-do-it-right Walking Lunge 2) The Spot Walk Stretch
Lift both heels > lower the left> up again
and lower the right x 20
The Static Stretch:
Gastroc Bias: back knee straight—Standard Stretch
1) Stand about an arm’s length from the wall
2) Lean forward and place both hands on the wall about shoulder width apart.
3) Extend one foot (the side to be stretched) behind you with heel on the
ground and one foot closer to the wall.
4) Lean into wall with your hips until you feel a stretch in the calf of the
extended leg.
5) Hold this stretch for about 30 seconds and change sides.
6) For a deeper stretch, move your foot farther back.
Alternatives: If your foot is very flexible (flat) you might find that these stretches do not work for
you. For example you might not feel a stretch. Blocking the extra foot motion will then make this stretch
an effective one for you. However you will only feel the stretch if the muscle is tight!
And … VOILA! You have calves like this:
1)
2)
Ball of the foot against a wall
A 2x 4 inch wood block under the
forefoot
Be Prepared: You can’t pedal to metal without power to the pedal!
Thanks, as always to our lovely TS Models and to Able Photographer Sherri Rosser
APRIL’S STORY OF THE MONTH
Spring Break 2011: My bum hurts
By NICK BRUCE
Spring Break is a time of relaxation, sitting under the Mexican sun, traveling through
France, and writing poetry. That is, if you’re my friends/competitors on Team Squamish who
have managed to snag a trip to Puerto Vallarta or Paris, or pick up an bad case of Affinity for
Literature. I was more than happy, however, to spend my spring break in Beautiful BC, training
and riding with national and in some cases, international competitors.
Team BC Training Camp-XC: I spent my first three days in Cumberland, on Vancouver
Island, training and sweating with the Junior provincial XC race squad. Kristin Drygas, Mo
Lawrence, Quinn Moberg, Lauren Rosser, TS Coach Michael Charuk, and myself rode while
Coach Steve Lund directed us through 10+ hours of riding. The trails were incredible, if a bit
damp, and I was thrilled to finally put in some long rides outside of Squamish. We had to race
each other a few times and it was nice to realize that Mo is getting fat. Flipping huge. His bum
hardly fits in his spandex. I had a ton of fun and our final 4-hour ride was a beautiful scenic ride
up to Comox Lake. At the end of the ride, old-men muscles started to prove superior as Steve
and Mike powered through and forced us to lay down some last minute speed.
Team BC Training Camp-Road: Later in the week, I rode in Burnaby and Pitt Meadows
with the Junior provincial road-racing team led by Coach Jeff Ains. Again Kristin Drygas and
Quinn Moberg rode with me and I had another stellar few days. We got to rip around the velodrome on the first day and then had a sunny hill climb time-trial. The next day we had a flat TT
in Pitt Meadows where I spent my day trying to figure out how roadie’s necks don’t snap in half
getting into ridiculously aerodynamic positions, and how they convince themselves that skinsuits are ever a good idea on cold, rainy days. It was also the first time in my life where I felt
like I had manly, hairy legs.
My final epic of this relaxing and luxurious Spring Break was a ride to Vancouver and
back with Dwayne Kress. I’d never made the journey before and 130km later my chamois
chaffing has me in doubt of a repeat performance anytime soon. I had a fun ride and through the
haze of concentration and trying to stick on Dwayne’s wheel I had some killer views. BC really
is the best place on Earth.
Spring Break 2011: Hoorah.
Worth noting in this
photo:
10 riders
5 are from Team
Squamish—not a bad
statistic.
Kristin Drygas,
Nick Bruce
Quinn Moberg
Mo Lawrence
Lauren Rosser
Cycling BC Coach, Steve
Lund 2nd from left
TS Coach Mike Charuk,
hiding behind Mo
XC CALENDAR 2011—Don’t forget to check websites & verify
DATES LEVEL
RACE
LOCATION
WORLD
CUP
GRASS
ROOTS
CANADA CUP
CHAMPIONSHIPS
PROVINCIALS
APRIL
23/24
World Cup #1
Pietermaritzburg
Pietermaritzburg (RSA)
MAY
MAY
14
21
Grassroots
Canada Cup
Squamish, BC
Mont-Tremblant, QC
21/22
World Cup #2
28/29
29
World Cup #3
Provincial-BC
Cup
Orecrusher
Canada Cup, Mt.
Tremblant
Yorkshire, Dalby
Forest
Offenburg, (GER)
Race the Ranch XC
29
Canada Cup
Canada Cup, BaieSaint Paul, QC
Baie-Saint Paul, QC
JUNE
05
Canada
Cup/Ontario Cup
Barrie, ON
JUNE
18
Provincial-BC
Cup
Grassroots
Provincial-BC
Cup
Trek Store Canada
Cup/Hardwood Ski and
Bike/Ont. Cup
Bear Mountain XC
Challenge
Test of Metal
Cardiac Classic XC
2011 MTB World Cup
Mad Trapper XC
Mont-Sainte Anne, QC
Invermere
Windham (USA)
Canadian National
XCO Championships
Windham, NY, USA
Canmore, AB
Kokanee Edmonton
Canada Cup
Gearjammer
Panorama Mountain
Resort
Edmonton, AB
Mt. Washington XC
Mt. Washington
Nove Mesto Na
Morave (CZE)
Just Another Bike
Race
Val di Sole (ITA)
World Championships
Nove Mesto Na Morave
(CZE)
Squamish, BC
KEY
18
26
JULY
02/03
2
9/10
16/17
23
JULY
AUGUST
23
30
World Cup #4
Provincial-BC
Cup
World Cup #5
Canadian XCO
Nationals
Championship
Canada Cup
Grassroots
Canada Cup
Final
13/14
Provincial/
XC BC
Championships
World Cup #6
20
Grassroots
21/22
31
World Cup #7
World
Championships
13
Yorkshire, Dalby Forest
Offenburg, (GER)
Kamloops
Mission, BC
Squamish, BC
Burnaby, BC
Squamish, BC
Panorama Mountain Resort
Val di Sole (ITA)
Champery, SUI
I say chaps—I
spot a lesser
spotted Change
in Schedule
HAIKUS FOR SPRING
In honour of the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival Haiku Contest … a few
thoughts poetical from Team Squamish
Biking in the Spring
Mud splattering on my face
Exhilerating
Rhys Verner
Heart racing quickly
Sweat dripping between my eyes
Finish line in view
Maia Kilby
I went for a ride on my bike
My tire went flat on a spike
Out came the air
There was no more there
And now I am having a hike
Maia Kilby
Sunshine, pouring rain
He’s riding his bike again
Pushing through the pain
Maegan Bruce
Spandex is freedom
Quadriceps like Chuck Norris
The ladies love it
Nick Bruce (I'm here all week)
Gyming all winter
Hour a day of bicep curls
Watch out Miranda
Nicholas B
Oh so skinny legs
Nick Bruce bikes uphill real fast
But I always win
Miranda Miller
Road riding in spring
Blinded by cherry blossoms
Dangerous beauty
Miranda’s Mom
Roadies: sleek segments
Lithe spandex-o-skeletons
Fragile windscreen goo
Spandex, his new god
Stretching, breathing second skin
Buff on slim, he’s in
EAT, spin, gym, swim, EAT
Endless consumption, then ride
Shop, cook, start again
Three by Nick’s Mom
REMEMBER: THINK GLOBAL, SHOP LOCAL
COACH’S CORNER—PAY ATTENTION!
By Mike Charuk
Bike Strength
April is the time to start converting the strength and power gained in the gym, into
strength and power on the bike!
Try this workout :
Start at the bottom of a hill ... I like Thunderbird Ridge, but any hill will do.
Begin with a track stand and find a big gear that you can pedal at 60-70
rpm.
Keep seated, focus on pedaling complete circles... It should be hard.
A typical work out could be 3 x 2 minutes with a 5 minute spin between
each set.
Do 4 sets.
24 minutes in total of work.
ON THE TRAILS—A PARENT’S PERSPECTIVE
BY
MEG TOOM
As a family, we have been sharing the trails since Ethan was a little chubby blob of a
baby. He started out in a snugli, grew into an MEC backpack and then graduated into hiking
and biking on his own steam. We’ve never looked back…
Whether it’s a simple walk with our dog, a multi-day backpacking trip in the local
mountains, paddling the Bowron Lakes, cycling the Kettle Valley Railway or hiking the
Nootka Trail, we are a family that thrives on being active together. Every year we try to plan
at least one big trip and then pepper little trips into the year as the calendar allows; this year
we are setting our sights on a multi-day trek through the Stein Valley.
We are fortunate here in Squamish to have so many trails to choose from right outside our front door. It’s a struggle for me to keep up with Toom boys, but we still manage to
get out on the local trails together and night riding in the summer months is a favourite past
time.
As a family, it’s important for us to set aside time to unplug from the cell phones and TV and
get out into nature. It’s also important to spend that time together exploring and playing tourist in our own backyard.
MECHANICAL TIP
BE PREPARED
Make sure you arrive at races
fully equipped to service your
bike and deal with any problems that arise. DON’T rely on
borrowing from others—they
may not have what you need!
Want some help putting together a tool kit? Just drop by
one of your handy bike stores &
we’ll be glad to help.
Scout Troup Toom in the Kettle Valley—load distribution
seems a little uneven there, Akela Meg.
Don’t forget your handy Boy Scout flag on a
post—so useful when riding a bike!
Many thanks to Adam for his contributions over the
last few months
It is good to hear that Adam is so busy that he feels too stretched to continue with this column. He sends his best
wishes and reminds everyone he is happy to assist. Reachable at: [email protected]
BE PREPARED—CREATE YOUR RACESIDE MEAL PLAN
When heading out to a race one of the most important things to try to prevent
is last minute blind panic. Good preparation in all areas helps prevent this.
You need a good packing list — see next month. You need your game plan,
your mental prep plan, and your meal plan. Flying? See next month.
Consult your coach about mapping out your meal plan —when to plan a major
protein fix, when to pack in the carbs, what snacks are best on course, if protein shakes are for you—
what’s the best recovery drink? How nervous do you get before a race? Some people say “I feel sick. I
can’t eat.” Understood, but bonking ain’t fun. Pick something easy to get down. A smoothie often does
the trick and breakfast wraps never seem like ‘real’ food although they can be packed with nutrition.
Next—actually plan the meals. Don’t forget travel food and snacks to save $. Then work with your parent/s to decide exactly what you are going to eat at each meal and make out a list of the ingredients you
will need. Help with devising the list, offer to help with the shopping and to pack it. Some parents are
really in the know about pre-race nutrition, others will need some help. Maybe you can help prepare food
ahead of time and freeze it so the last minute rush is lessened.
Pre-marinating some chicken (Feb menu) or steak in a ziplock and freezing it is a great way to organize.
Pre-cook a batch of muffins and freeze some. Make up a batch of cookie dough and freeze some pucks
to take and bake on site. All these ideas ensure good food and less stress on your race day.
KIDS – TRY THIS AT HOME
Morning Magic Muffins &Quinoa Salad—great travel companions
MORNING MAGIC MUFFINS
2 cups all purpose flour
2/3 sugar (brown or white)
2 tsps baking soda
2 tsps cinnamon (or spice to taste)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup each coconut, raisins, nuts
2 cups grated carrots
1 peeled & grated apple
3 eggs
1/2 cup each buttermilk & oil
2 tsp vanilla
Mix together dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients. Stir ‘til combined. Scoop into paper lined or
greased muffin cups and bake at 375 for about 20
mins
You can add mix and match seeds/nuts/dry fruit.
QUINOA SALAD—cook quinoa & rice & let cool. Add
everything but the nuts, toss in the salad dressing & put
in the fridge. Sprinkle on the nuts at serving time—if
you leave them in they get gross, limp and soggy—
bleagh.
2 c cooked quinoa (1/2 c quinoa to 1 c water = 2 c cooked q)
1 c cooked wild rice (1/4 c rice + 1c water = 1 c cooked r)**
2 tomatoes seeded & diced
3/4 c chopped parsley (good for you EAT it)
1 c chopped dried figs (full of calcium, iron & Fibre)
1/2 c chopped green onions
3/4 c toasted slivered almonds (those skinny pointy ones)
** Quinoa cooks REALLY quickly—bring to boil & lower
heat done in 10 mins or so—Wild Rice takes AGES—1 hr?
DRESSING: whisk together
1/2 c lemon juice, 1 Tblspn Sesame Oil, 2 cloves garlic, 1
tsp salt, 1/2 tsp ground cumin & 1/2 tsp ground coriander
Try a breakfast wrap of scrambled eggs, melted cheese and salsa with a side of quinoa salad.
So now …
Tota
lly