Alpine Ascent by Susan McCallum

Looking for a trail challenge after Coastal Classic I was taken by Fran’s description of ‘awesome’ for Alpine Ascent. Who could refuse a run up Kosciuszko? Cathy Rowney was quickly on board and even my husband who hates racing reluctantly agreed. After all, it was ‘only 25k’ and cutoff times were generous. Characteristically fearless, Nadine Aronheim went straight for 50. Greta did her best with the training plans and many weeks of hills in the steamy summer heat followed , up and down city streets, Manly Dam trails and the Blue Mountains , with backpacks bursting with mandatory gear ( waterproof pants, anyone?) .

Finally we made the trip down, surprised at the delicious mountain chill . Jindabyne was buzzing with runners looking for vegan treats, bandaids and beer.

The start was at Charlottes Pass with the ski lifts strangely empty on a beautiful sunny morning As we trotted off up the hill I could feel the effects of 1800 m altitude -sloow . Might need to revise that ambitious 3:30 goal....A short descent to the first of a few creeks sorted out the runners - orderly queue for the stepping stones( them) or run straight through the water ( us) . Then followed a long and winding trail with occasional stairs passing through fantastic mountain scenery ever upwards above the Blue Lake and Lake Albina with a few patches of single trail to keep us on our toes. Plenty of walk - run allowed for inspiring chat with fellow runners: ‘ great view ’ gasp- ‘yeah! ‘ We were high on life! Or low on oxygen! Just when I thought we could climb no more we linked up with the main trail to ascend Kosci. Cold wind gusts reminded me that we were at the top of Australia , as did the tourists wrapped up in puffer jackets and beanies- Why was I in my shorts and singlet again ? No time for questions, onwards and upwards to the cairn at the top and a quick selfie in the howling gale. ‘Get down before the rain comes’ was the general advice from experienced vollies and we began a glorious run down the gravel trail to the Snowy River and on to Rawson’s pass. The single aid station had just a bottle of water and a few red frogs by the time I shuffled past . As I came to the top of the hill to begin the final descent there was a roar from the Valley- Stephanie Auston had just won the 50k outright! I staggered home in 3:29 meeting Fran who had come in earlier, rapt to get a pb . Shortly after, the first male winner for the 50 arrived across the line , still smiling . Cathy and I caught up with Aiofe and a few beers while we sat around to wait for the 50 k runners . Through the afternoon as the rain came down and the wind picked up we had opportunity to wear all our mandatory gear . We cheered Nadine across the finish in the dark - absolute hero . Everyone slept very well that night! Bonus was my husband discovering he’d won his AG in the 12k and attending the medal presentation next day with the incredible Steph Auston .

I’ll definitely be back next year , waterproof pants and all !

All smiles ladies!!

Rock stars!!

Northburn NZ 100 MILES by Lisa Mintz

Northburn 100 mile race done. Got my buckle within the 48 hours required. If I’m crazy enough to enter I now have a Hard Rock qualifier. Only one race in Oz and one in NZ are qualifiers. 
Thank you Greta and Chris for the awesome training and just as importantly each and ever member for your camaraderie, encouragement and friendships along the way. 
A very tough race in extreme weather ranging from
searing heat to gale like wind storms over a 47 hour period. I’m in a total daze at present. I can’t quite comprehend it. 
I was very lucky to have two amazing pacers. One did the second 50 km with me and one did the last 60. To be totally honest, I would not have this belt buckle without their help. They deserve a piece of it. 
The first pacer was great at reminding me to fuel often and put on more clothes at night, she knows the mountain well and was good at spotting markers at night. This helped keep me strong, healthy and safe. 
The second was my friend Alia who came with from Sydney. She kept me at pace and moving forward in the last 10 kms when I said to her. What are we here for? I don’t care about the buckle anymore. I want to go to sleep. 
This has been a dream of mine. 
Four, 100 Miler’s started. Second one completed. But first one completed within offical cut off. I’m elated, tired and happy. Goal achieved. 
Blessed to have the health, and family and friendships supporting me to do this. I never take that for granted. Thank you all xx

Lisa Mintz with her belt buckle scoring her 100 miles - biggest congratulations Lisa!!

Snacks - friend or foe?

By Lisa Sherman, Nutritionist, Mobile 0413 580 608

Email:  wholelifenutrition1@gmail.com Website: www.wholelifenutrition.net.au

Snacking is often an area that can derail someone’s best laid plans to eat healthier or to lose weight.  We might choose the wrong type of snack (such as a highly processed or packaged option with high added sugar, salt or unhealthy fats), we don’t think about portion size so end up having a snack that is the same size or possibly larger than a main meal, or we might eat the snack too close to our next meal. 

But having a snack isn’t always the wrong choice.  Snacks are a great way to get some extra energy, protein, vegetables, and fruit into your day, and as part of a nutrition strategy to support optimal exercise performance, training and recovery.  The key is selecting the right type of snacks and adopting a few simple tips to ensure snacking fits within your nutrition goals.

·      Opt for snacks that are nutrient dense with a mix of complex carbs, protein and healthy fats.  These types of snacks will help you to feel full and not have you reaching for more.  Some good options are piece of fruit with handful of nuts, yoghurt with nuts and seeds, rice cakes with cottage cheese and sliced tomato, hummus or mashed avocado and raw vegetable sticks, homemade protein balls or a protein shake with berries.

·      Check the time and if you are planning on eating your next main meal (be it lunch or dinner) in the next two hours, forgo the snack and have a glass of water or a herbal tea instead.

·      Watch your portion size – it can be very easy and tempting to eat more than we need with a snack. Examples of good snack portion sizes are one piece of fruit, a small handful of nuts (about 30g or 15-20 nuts, depending on the nut), 2-3 rice cakes, 1-2 tablespoons of hummus or avocado.

·      Practice mindful eating when snacking – prepare your snack (such as cutting up your piece of fruit and putting it on a plate), make it look more appealing and appetising, take the time to enjoy it and don’t snack on the run – this way you are less likely to reach for more.

·      Think about variety for your snacks. A key component to a healthy diet is eating a wide selection of foods from the different food groups and varying your choice of foods day to day.  This applies to our main meals and our snacks and not only provides us with a wide variety of nutrients but also makes meals more appealing and appetising.  Snacking on different vegetables on a regular basis is a great way to up your daily vegetable quota too.

If you do find you need to snack on a packaged or processed item, check the nutrition label on the packet.Look for snacks that have less 10g of added sugar and at least 10g of protein per 100g.Also be mindful of the number of serves in the packet – often there is 2 or more serves, not just a single serve.