Climbing heals with Ti Conkle in Alaska

Part II

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Ti Conkle works full time as an internal auditor/investigator for the government in Alaska but every chance she gets, she find ways to get outdoors and explore the world outside from every angle. And she means every chance ... she commutes to and from work on her bike during the spring, summer, fall and parts of winter until it gets colder than -20F/-29C. She blogs at Element 22. 

Talking to Ti about climbing, a simple question about cameras showed me just how inspirational she is. 

Why climb with a camera? 

So along with all the gear we talked about here Ti always takes her camera along. And it's for much more than the family album. She says: "A series of traumas over a span of several years left me coping with long term memory loss and experiencing gaping holes in my own personal space-time continuum.  By accident, I discovered that photography helped store memories and allowed me access to my own recollection." 

She explains without her photographs she would have "little memory" of what happens from day to day. And of course that loss would block conversations, exchanges, all the intimate things between us that we rely on memory for without ever appreciating it. "Twelve years went by in which I did not write at all and, in fact, spoke rather little as well. In discovering photography, I found my voice."

All the amazing photographs on her blog are not just for us as readers but a key part of who she is. It makes you look again at these shots doesn't it? She says "I enjoy sharing my photos, my window to the world. My hope is that I can bring just a bit of the experience, the moment, the nuance of light and shadow to others."

Italy's boot AK

Climbing with the next generation

Ti blogs beautifully on the joys of introducing her daughter to kayaking and climbing. So why should adventurous parents should make the effort to induct their kids into that love of the outdoors? She says "Largely, my job as a mother is to provide an environment where my daughter can learn to assess risk, make informed choices and explore the world outside and within herself with absolute confidence." Explaining her idea that risks are just "unexplored adventures" she says people are always afraid or nervous of the unknown and aren't able to properly assess risk until we have all the information. So I guess that's why the whole notion of "winging it" freaks most of us out so much.

Ti finishes by saying "There will be failures. There will be mishaps. There will be falls and drops and missing toenails and blistered hands. There will be rainy, stormy days and days overflowing with sunshine and laughter. If I have done my work properly, she will know that all of these things are a healthy, normal, required part of life. The most inspiring way to encourage is to lead by example, to simply go and do."

Winter Biking

Tips for new climbers

But if you don't have a climber mum to get you op the ridges, where to start? Ti says "the best way to train for climbing is to climb." Before worrying about the technical aspects or equipment, she says you need "strength, endurance and cardiovascular stamina" from some other sport - presumably to get up the rock-face in the first place. But there's something even more important than that "More than just carrying your own weight, physically and existentially, a good climber needs to understand the team dynamic, foster excellent (verbal and non-verbal) communication skills and be prepared to give more than they take," says Ti.

•     Prepare, prepare and prepare; mentally, physically, emotionally.
•     Know your gear, inside and out.
•     Rehearse and practice your knots, anchors, belay and ice axe technique.
•     Under duress, we do what we have memorized. The simpler you make things, the better.
•     Don’t wait. If you have the desire to climb, the interest, a spark of longing… don’t wait. Do it.

And her final word on why climbing simply rocks (pun intended):
"Climbing will not bring you happiness, but you can bring happiness to climbing- or any other endeavor you undertake. The mountain does not care if you climb it, nor does it care if you fail in the undertaking. Mountains are the perfect foil for the ego, as they simply are."

Ice fall

The first part of this interview is available here on ISW. 

Climbing in Alaska with Ti Conkle

Ti Conkle

 Ti Conkle works full time as an internal auditor/investigator for the government in Alaska but every chance she gets, she find ways to get outdoors and explore the world outside from every angle. And she means every chance ... she commutes to and from work on her bike during the spring, summer, fall and parts of winter until it gets colder than -20F/-29C. She blogs at Element 22.

Where do you start with a climber who casually mentions the Pika Glacier as her local spot but is afraid of heights? Someone who can spot a Jackson kayak at 20 paces but is afraid of water? Ti's blog is filled with shots from Alaska and other parts of the States, none of which give any hint of fear. 

 Conquer Fear

"The first time I ever rappelled over the edge of a cliff, I nearly vomited. I was shaking so badly that my teeth were chattering and my hands were white clear to the elbows. The same thing happened the first time I put my face in the water to learn how to snorkel. I stood there in waist deep tropical ocean water, tears filling up the snorkel mask and knees shaking," says Ti. When I asked her how she deals with fear, she said she believes fear and pain both exist for good reasons but sometimes fear gets in the way so she has had to find a way to deal with it. She says: "These things are not to be “fought”, “battled” or relegated to the back closet. Make friends with the things that scare you. Get comfortable with uncertainty. That’s the stuff that living out loud is made of."

Pika Glacier Alaska

Even a few minutes on her blog give you an insight into the beauty of her home. I love, love the mountains and get that restless feeling just flicking through her shots. She says; "I’ve lived, worked and played in Alaska for 35 years and still haven’t begun to peel back the layers on the breathtaking scenery in this cradle of adventures. From mountains to rivers to glaciers, coastal waters, lakes… there is an enormous bounty of places to explore and an equally staggering number of ways to go about it. Climbing is just one aspect, one medium that allows me access to the backcountry. My three favorite ways to enjoy the outdoors, no matter where my journeys take me are: climbing, kayaking/canoeing, and cycling."

Stay Focused

One of the posts on her blog which really caught my eye was this one on hiking + climbing up Mount Olympus. So there's an 18-mile trek, climb the mountain, descend the mountain and do it all in 72 hours without sleeping. As you do. When I ask how she motivates herself for days like this, she says; "Every time I put on a pack that is more than half my bodyweight, I feel it. Sometimes, in order to do the things I want to do, hauling a lot of gear is just necessary." And I get the feeling it's not just the bag she's talking about. 

Mt Olympus

She goes on: "There are a lot of things I will do simply for the sake of doing the thing. Nothing more. I had wanted to climb Mt. Olympus for a number of years. The roundtrip approach is a long one (44 miles) and it requires patience and time spent just hauling a pack up a trail like a mule. Everything worth having or worth doing comes at a cost; the only question is, how bad do you want it?"

Even looking at some of the climbing photos makes my stomach drop out but Ti says it's all in the mind and really it's just a matter of one step after the other. Hmm ... 

Mountain-stupid

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While reading (cyber-stalking) on Element 22,  that phrase jumped out at me. I thought it was a term for people who get into trouble because of lack of knowledge but Ti's explanation made me laugh. While climbing with two friends, one of them found himself trying to belay the others simultaneously. All fingers and thumbs, he ground out the phrase while trying to get the ropes right. We've all been there - well, maybe not swinging from an overhang - in that place where you brain just stops but you can't afford to lose it. 

Ti says: "It’s the same thing that occurs when a person enters an international airport. You find yourself walking down the aisle of the plane, staring at your boarding pass as if you’ve never seen the combination 27C in your life and checking and rechecking the aisle numbers. Over-stimulation, information-overload and the prospect of increased altitude combine to occasionally render the human brain completely void of useful feedback." Come on, you know you can relate to that too.

Resting

Medical gloves and cucumbers, 

Headlamp and Kleenex,

Eyeliner and carabiners,

Laptop and hiking boots,

Climbing harness and cashmere sweater,

External hard drive and protein shake,

Pelican case inside a leather briefcase,

Roget’s thesaurus and daisy chains,

Soccer shoe and Benadryl,

Coffee thermos and Metolius chalk…

Back seat of my Jeep really needs

A good cleaning. ... Get in Gear, by Ti Conkle


Come back on Thursday for the rest of this interview - teaching your kids to be brave, tips on learning how to climb and photography. If you have any questions, leave a comment ...

CORRECTION: "I might clarify one point- though there was very little sleep involved in the Olympus trip, we definitely set up camp and made the attempt at resting. It wasn't a single-push, alpine style climb- it was an expedition climb. For those who know, it does make a difference."  from Ti July 26th

Winter Olympics joins 21st century

A Norwegian reader (thanks Marte) sent me a link about the IOC's decision to allow women ski jumpers in the tournament. I'm a bit late to the party on this one but bloggers' prerogative and all that ...

So it seems ski-jumpers have Canadian Katie Willis and her friends to thank for this. They took a rights case to a Canadian court, claiming they were being discriminated against by not being allowed to take part. Can you imagine having to take a human rights case to be allowed compete in a sports tournament? Well, not just any tournament but still. Really Jacques Rogge, this is what you want happening on your watch? Can we all please pack up and join the 21st century? (hard to do in Europe at the moment with royal weddings and beatified popes everywhere but let's try)

Katie Willis, Canada

I'm pleased for the new generation of ski-jumpers, and sure there will be more of them now with the Olympic gold as a lure. But was saddened to read that Katie Willis herself is near the end of her career so may not compete in Sochi 2014. In the story, she said: "I've been off for a bit so that does make it hard to get back and get into the rhythm of it. But it's definitely possible, there's still a few years."

I'm sure we missed out many great boxing fights too. Looking forward to seeing all of these women compete in the next few years.

Mountain biking in the Rockies with Deborah Atkinson

Deborah Atkinson is a former journalist, current senior administrative assistant and an avid cyclist, photographer, writer and needleworker.  Originally from New Mexico, she has called Colorado home for 23 years.  She and husband Brett spend most weekends cycling, hiking, cross-country skiing, gardening or volunteering. She blogs at Snowcatcher.

Your blog is a mixture of cycling and needlework patterns, how did you get involved in cycling? 
I’ve loved riding my bike ever since my dad took the training wheels off my first bike, when I was about 6 or 7 years old.  The wind in my hair, listening to babbling brooks and singing birds you can’t hear in an automobile, powering myself to someplace I want or need to go without using gasoline, the exhilaration and exhaustion at the end of a long, hard ride...  I think the best part now is having a partner in life and riding who enjoys the challenge and thrill of riding even more than I do. 

Colorado, USA is a beautiful part of the world, where are your favourite cycle-ways? (If there is such a word!)
Picking a favorite ride might be impossible because motivation varies.  I have favorite training rides because they help me prepare for the MS-150, Ride the Rockies and Assault on the Peak.  The MS-150 probably would be my favorite organized ride because, like the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, everyone is riding for the same purpose, a worthwhile cause, and so many riders have MS.  It’s inspirational.  And then there are favorite rides and routes for just getting out into the mountains and taking pictures.

Mount Evans, one of two of Colorado’s 14ers with a paved road up it, probably is my favorite ride for training because it’s the only place you can ride a road bike up to 14,000+ feet on a regular basis (except for winter) because Pikes Peak, the other 14er with a road up it, has been closed to cyclists until last year’s Assault on the Peak, which organizers are hoping to make an annual event.  Mount Evans is the only place a cyclist can effectively prepare for Pikes Peak.  However, Mount Evans has some of the worst ripples and freeze cracks of any road I’ve ever ridden, and I despise the descent because I don’t want to have to replace my wheels at the end of the ride.  To me, going down is more difficult than going up because I have to be aware of every bump and crack in the road, especially where there are extremely steep drop-offs, and I have to contend with tourist automobile traffic, too.  Pikes Peak, on the other hand, is smooth and nearly fully paved now (plans are to finish the unpaved two miles by the 2012 Assault, which may or may not be offered), but open to cyclists for a price only one day a year. 

Deborah with her husband Ride the Rockies

The view from both peaks is extraordinary; they say you can see three states and nearly all of Colorado’s mountains from the summits.
Mount Evans has exceptional wildlife and wildflowers in season, and Pikes Peak looks very much what I expect the surface of Mars would look like and on a hot summer day.  Pikes Peak also has the worst biting fly population I’ve ever encountered.  On Mount Evans, vehicles compete with cyclists for road space, and Pikes Peak is closed to vehicles the day of the Assault.  Both peaks can be so windy, a cyclist could have trouble keeping the bike on the ground.  On Pikes Peak, high winds eliminate the biting flies.  Both mountains are subject to unpredictable weather changes, and both can see severe weather any time of year.

                                                    
   If I’m riding just to be riding, my favorite routes would be anywhere with fields of sunflowers, alpine lakes or hot air balloons.

On the Ride the Rockies cycle, you camped out with your husband and the other cyclists. What do you bring with you on these long trips?  

If I’m doing an organized ride, typically there are rest stops where cyclists can refill their water bottles and eat.  Diabetes runs rampant in my family, and I’ll probably be battling blood sugar levels all my life, but I’m trying to avoid medical intervention for as long as I possibly can.  Last year I was able to pull my levels back down to normal, below pre-diabetic, for the first time since 2005, and I think it’s because I exercise and watch my diet.  So even on organized rides now, I carry most of my own food because I don’t know if the rest stops will have food I can eat.
I also carry rain gear, sometimes winter gear, a small first aid kit, a notebook and pen, my phone and small speakers so I can listen to climbing music (I NEVER wear headphones while biking), minimal bike tools (the ones I know how to use), a spare tire, a patch kit, a pump, hand cleaner, my camera, a spare battery and a spare memory card.  On a weeklong ride, I’ll also carry along something to crochet...  All the multi-day rides I’ve participated in offer transportation for sleeping bag and tent, so I don’t have to carry them, but I try to make sure I am able to carry them so if the day ever comes that I need to, I won’t be complaining about the added weight or sleeping on the ground without shelter.
Oh, and I run tire liners and don’t have flats often.  Very worth the extra weight!

Deborah was very generous with her time, so she'll be back tomorrow with insights into what you should eat for a great cycle, and how newbies could get started. Plus some more photos from her trips! You can find more on her blog Snowcatcher if you can't wait. 

Wordless Wednesday

Loving the broccoli - pic by Re Wikstrom

Wordless Wednesday is a group of bloggers who give words a rest once a week.

PS: some words today:

Re Wikstom is a finalist in the Olympus Pro-Photographer Showdown tomorrow April 21st 2011; only woman in the line-up.
You can see her entries (and the boys') here on the Telus World Ski and Snowboard Festival site

Grete Eliassen in Minneapolis

Thanks to Red Bull for sending on this great footage of American skier Grete Eliassen heading back to her hometown yesterday for some snow action and an interview. With daffodils and crocuses popping out all over Dublin, it's strange for me to see how much snow is still around if you know where to look!

You can see more footage of Eliassen in action on her website   And what about other Northern Hemisphere readers, is it still winter where you are?

Wordless Wednesday

Photographr Re Wikstrom

Wordless Wednesday is a group of bloggers who give words a rest once a week.

Sports Injuries from high heels to running shoes without pain

UK runner Steph Twell, pic Nike UK

This is a guest post from Don Connigale, a freelance journalist, copywriter and regular runner who is currently working with a number of clients including No Win No Fee UK

Common Sports Injuries

While the sports injuries that make headlines tend to be the most dramatic ones, or ones that affect our top athletes prior to major sporting events (be honest, how many of us had even heard of a metatarsal before a number of England footballers – most notably David Beckham – managed to fracture theirs inconveniently close to a World Cup tournament?), the most common sports injuries experienced by the public tend to be more run of the mill and are often, fortunately, quite minor. It’s worth remembering that if an injury is due to poor coaching, incorrect treatment or being provided with the wrong equipment, you may be eligible for sports injury compensation.



Shin Splints
Most common of all, according to figures from Sports Injury Clinic, are shin splints. This is because running is such a popular, effective and affordable method of keeping fit and/or losing weight, but many of us set out and train too much, too soon. The key is to start gradually and build up slowly, particularly if you haven’t exercised for a while. Shin splints generally refer to pain on the inside lower half of the shin, and the injury is often at its most painful in the day or so after exercising, meaning you may not even realise you’re hurting yourself until it’s too late. It is perhaps this fact that makes them so common. The good news is, the injury is usually temporary and will pass in time, provided you rest and don’t try to “run through the pain”. In the mean time, you can stay fit with non-weight bearing exercises such as cycling or swimming. Then you can start running again, starting off slowly and not trying to cover too much ground, increasing your mileage by no more than around 10% each week.

Wearing good-quality running shoes is vital too, and visiting a specialist running shop is highly recommended, as everyone’s feet hit the ground differently (some roll in, some roll out, some hit the road flat) and there are specialist shoes to suit all types, and wearing ones with the right support for you can really reduce the impact on your joints.

Achilles Tendon 

Next most common is also a running injury, achilles tendonitis, which is basically heel pain. The causes are similar to those stated above – overtraining, incorrect running shoes, lack of rest – but can also be exacerbated by running up hills, which puts extra strain on this part of the foot. Particularly susceptible are women who wear high heels frequently when not exercising, as such footwear shortens the tendon and calf muscles, leading to additional strain when running in flat shoes. Sadly this one can take longer to heal, as there is limited blood supply to this part of the body. But the cure is basically the same: rest. And maybe think about wearing sensible shoes more often!

Snow-time in Switzerland

Just when we thought winter was over in Ireland, temperatures dropped again this week. And the snow continues to fall elsewhere too, bit of a blessing if you snowboard and take a deep breath if you don't. Have you seen Chalet Girl yet? Not sure if I will fit it in as I'm pretty sure the story-line is maybe, umm, a little predictable! 

If you do go to see it, leave a comment here and let us know if it's realistic! 

In the meantime, enjoy this film from Mpora with some real-life snow-girls shot earlier this year at Saas-Fee, Switzerland. (Important -  no comment on the lifestyle of these women implied)

More Snowboarding Videos

Happy International Women's Day

It's women's day here every day but in honour of the occasion here's some of the photographs you liked the best:

Stephanie Gilmore, Australia - ripcurl pic

Hurling pic Lorraine O Sullivan

Anne-Flore Marx Swiss pic matt george

Nikki Kelly NZ pic playak.com

Caley Lewis Australia pic riddlers' gym

Mary Kom India pic IABA

Are you doing anything special this week for Women's Day, March 8th 2011?

Wordless Wednesday

Goodbye winter!

Wordless Wednesday is a group of  bloggers who give words a break once a week.

The Butterfly Effect

You know how everyone says you should take up a sport, meet some people and get out and about? A group of women kayakers and surfers do just that - in ten different countries around the world. The Butterfly Effect  was set up about four years by Tatiana Howard ago to encourage women to get in the water.

But it's not just about having fun. The list of sponsored activities goes on and on ...." teaches kids the sports, encourages yoga for injury prevention and health, donates to charities by funds, clothing, food and/or school/art supplies, and cleans up beaches around the globe."

The next event is on March 26th in Grindelwald Switzerland. It's the first snow event so will be interesting to see if it gets the same enthusiastic turn-out. This video is from one of the 2010 events in Fiji.

Fiji Expedition Butterfly Effect 2010 from Tatiana Howard on Vimeo.

Cross-training to do or not to do?

Goergl FIS

Austrian skiier Elisabeth Goergl not only skies but is a fan of Thai boxing ( cough, the best martial art around IMHO). And on Monday we learned that she can sing too. Not a bad CV when you add in winning the Women's Super G this week at the FIS Alpine Ski World Championships. She beat Lindsey Vonn to the win, more on Vonn here.

Singing

She sang the official song at the opening ceremonies on Monday.  Now you might that think someone who clocked up five medal-places on the World Cup tour in 2008 wouldn't feel nervous about a little song but she said in an interview: "Even before I sang in Zauchensee I had that racing heart feeling, the same like if you do an exam or when I’m at the start [of a World Cup race]. But I think it will be OK.”

Thai Boxing

But when it comes to Thai boxing, she has the same love that most people who give it a go discover. She says: ""Thai boxing is great to let off steam, to free your head. That's what I need." Maybe that's what helped her win two bronze medals in the 2010 Winter Olympics.

Goergl pic sottozeronews

You

Do you think it's important to cross-train and mix it up?  Or do you worry about injury and stick to one sport?

Wordless Wednesday

Mateja Robnik pic Petr Josek

Wordless Wednesday is a group of bloggers who give words a break once a week.

Anne-Flore Marxer

Swiss/French snowboarder Anne-Flore Marxer won out at the Nissan Freeride World Tour this week. This was Anne-Flore's first time at the event, and a wild-card at that. It's one way to make a lasting impression.

She was quoted on the Powder Room as saying: "“The last three days have been very stressful and I’ve been really tense. But when I got to the top of the course I realized that is what I usually do! I regained my confidence and rode without hesitation. I’m especially glad that tomorrow is my birthday - I’ll have two reasons to celebrate tonight!”  You can read more about Anne-Flore in this post here.

As the snow threatens to swamp Ireland again, I wonder if we will ever get enough to do things like this here?

Irish runner Fionnuala Britton

Fionnula Britton (right) Belgium 2010

Cross-country running often calls up images of mud, shivering legs and rain-soaked heads. And that's just in the summer. Irishwoman Fionnula Britton was named Sports Woman of the Month for an impressive month of international racing in December.

Within a week she came second at an IAAF Cross Cup race in Belgium, and 4th in a sprint finish at the European CC Championships. The irony is that she beat people in the lesser race to come second who had earlier beaten her into fourth.

She said in an interview at the time: "“I suppose it’s a bit sweet to get some measure of revenge but it still does not make up for last Sunday. I do feel a little better now and it’s a good end to the year for me."

Only 26 in a sport where athletes often get better as they age, she ran the 6,000m in 20.37 for the Belgium race, just behind Kenyan Caroline Ken Chepkwony at 20.35.

Who would you nominate for sportswoman of the month? 

Anne-Flore Marxer Snowboarder

AFM by matt george

Switzerland used to be the staid land of European mythology, all cow-bells and Heidi-girls. But, leaving aside the questionable ethics of their never-tell-all banking system, Swiss snowboarders are carving out a whole new image for the country.

Anne-Flore Marxer was the snowboarder with the most coverage in 2010, yup more than all the boys too. And there's a reason for that, not only is she one of the top boarders in the continent, she's a fierce advocate for women in the sport - one of the driving forces behind equality in prize-money for men and women - and apparently one of the most fun people to have out on the slopes in your gang.

I love the intro on her blog:  "I'm euro, provocative and passionate. I live through love, spontaneity and happiness.I' m a heart core snowboarder. I smile and I bite, I crash and try harder. I ll give it all to be better,go bigger and laugh more. I support global happiness.. I ll do my  thing no matter what people think. P.S. please don’t call me Anne. Thanks"

Note the 'euro' as she's actually French/Swiss. From Rookie of the Year in 2006 to Rider of the Year in 2010, that's an inspiring journey by anyone's count. Plus she's said in interviews that hot chocolate is one of her favourite things about the snow, a woman after my own heart. Her favourite tricks on the other hand, I could never emulate: Backside rodeo 720 and Backsides 180.

AFM pic vanessa andrieux

Read more on her blog Anne-Flore Marxer here.

Anne-Flore tackled sexism in prize money, what would you change in your sport? 

Katarzyna Radzka Runner Cook

Warsaw XXII Independence Day Run

A Runner’s Life is a blog about running, eating and having fun. Polish runner Katarzyna Radzka says she appreciates the smaller things in life and hopes her dreams will become her reality. She talks here about running in sub-zero temperatures and preparing for a winter of running in the snow.

Polish runner Katarzyna Radzka says -5C (23 F) is the coldest weather you’ll see her out running in. And with all the snow piling up over Europe and America in the last few weeks, she’s had plenty of chances to test that resolve.

But in spite of living in Warsaw, the biggest city in Poland she still loves to get out in the nearest park and run. Katarzyna says “I love running in the forest. I’m lucky to live near the Mazowiecki National Park and also have some woods on either side of my street which makes the forest very accessible for me. I love being surrounded by nature, hearing the birds chirping, breathing in the fresh air instead of car fumes, and the stillness of everything.”

She says that winter just involves making some adjustments to her routine, but she’s determined to keep going, saying she loves: “The euphoric feeling afterwards. There are days when I don’t feel like putting on the running shoes, but when I do I never regret it – however, when I don’t, I kick myself over it for hours.”

So I asked her for some advice for those of us new to running in sub-zero temperatures.

“Stay hydrated and dress in layers when you’re going for a run. I wouldn’t recommend running when it’s colder than -5 although I’ve heard people run even when it’s -10 or more. If you haven’t run in the snow or below zero temperature than start slow, twenty minutes is enough. If you want a longer run simply split it into two and do 20 minutes in the morning and 20 minutes in the afternoon. And most importantly be careful – it can get slippery. Keep the endurance runs and interval training for the treadmill if the temperature is too low.

Otherwise enjoy, I’ve found running in the snow very relaxing recently.”

Dressing in the right gear is key to having fun when there is an inch or two (or more!) of white powder on the paths. Katarzyna says: “This is one of my problems. My partner was kind enough to give me a pair of winter running pants for Christmas which I must say are wonderful to run and keep me warm.”

And she adds, “I tend to dress in multiple layers – sports bra, shirt, jacket and jumper - which I must say sucks but it’s a necessity here. I haven’t bothered to change shoes for the winter as the ones I have are working out fine for the time being.”

Katarzyna spent many years living on the Gold Coast of Australia, where running involves beaches and lazy sunsets, a big change from a Polish winter. She uses races to keep her motivation high saying that competition is the thing. She swam competitively as a child, and that urge just doesn’t seem to leave us.

Mexican Soup from Katarzyna

You’ll find some great running food ideas on her blog A Runner's Life as well as training tips.

It’s sports' best kept secret – the more you run the more you can eat and eat and eat.  Pre-race food varies from person to person, she says: “My usual breakfast before a fun run consists of a bowl of unprocessed oats, banana, mixed nuts, flaxseed oil and milk. I find that this gives me enough energy for a long run, I tried having scrambled eggs once, which is what I always have at the weekend, but it didn’t work out too well.”

Although you might be surprised at some of the food Polish race organizers hand out. Katarzyna says: “Once after a race the organizers gave us pea soup, and lard on bread with pickles. Lard is very popular here in Poland especially when it’s consumed after a shot of moonshine (bimber) or vodka – though I wouldn’t recommend eating it after a run unless you’re used to that sort of food.”

Do you have any questions for Katarzyna, post them here!

Top Ten Inspiring Sports Women 2010

1922 Washington USA flickr

It's the time of year for polls and surveys and in that spirit I offer the women you loved the best on this blog. It's a tad unscientific as ISW only started at the end of May but Statcounter says these are the sports women you enjoyed reading about the most:

1. Caley Lewis, Australian Muay Thai fighter 
2. Zenyatta, American race-horse 
3. Jessica Kurten, Irish showjumper 
4. Marjan Kalhor, Iranian skier 
5. Melissa Ray, British Muay Thai fighter 
6. With this Ring - a film on Mary Kom and other Indian boxers
7. Dr Jessie Stone, American kayaker 
8. Irish Surf Kayak team - Aisling Griffin and Muireann Lynch 
9. Silken Laumann, Canadian rower  
10. Mischa Merz, Australian boxer 

You also rated this post 'Sweat and the City' on the four girls we'd really like to be. 

Did Statcounter miss any of your favourites?

Lindsey Vonn Skier

 Continuing our week of women in the snow...
Lindsey Vonn was named as Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year for 2010 - the first time a skier has won the award. It probably helped that she won a gold and bronze at the Winter Olympics and just capped her third world title this month. Just a little.

Vonn,26, said in an interview with the Denver Post: "For sure, 2010 was the best year I've ever had. It couldn't have gone any better for me. Even if I just won the Olympic gold medal, that would have made it the best year of my career and the best day of my life, period. Winning the World Cup races and the overall title just topped it off."

And remember Zenyatta from this post? She came 2nd in the AP poll. 

Lindsey Vonn in action