Jessi Stensland - Adventures in Endurance Performance

Windhoek Lager Namib Quest Coming Up!

First North American Team Set To Compete in Upcoming Windhoek Lager Namib Quest Extreme Mountain Bike Race

WINDHOEK, Namibia (April 24, 2012) – Colorado-based elite multisport athlete and journalist, Jessi Stensland, has joined the first North American team to participate in Namibia’s six-day Windhoek Lager Namib Quest Extreme Mountain Bike race April 29 through May 4, 2012. 

Approximately 100 teams from across Africa and the globe will participate in this six-day, 500-kilometer/311-mile journey from the Namibian capital Windhoek to the coastal town of Swakopmund through the remote Namib Highlands. The Windhoek Lager Namib Quest is an extreme safari by mountain bike where participants will travel through some of Namibia’s most iconic landscapes, including the soaring sand dunes of Namib Naukluft National Park. 

“I’m thrilled to have the amazing opportunity to take part in this race while experiencing some of the stunning untouched landscapes Namibia has to offer,” said Stensland. “I think it’s only a matter of time before the Windhoek Lager Namib Quest joins the ranks of other global ‘bucket list’ events on the extreme mountain bike circuit.”

Stensland joins teammate Luis Vargas, and Manager of Adventure Travel Programs for REI, North America’s leading outdoor adventure retailer/consumer cooperative and travel provider, who is also an avid mountain bike racer and photographer. Luis is also a valued member of Sustainable Travel International's Board of Directors.

Both teammates will be covering the race on assignment for Active.com which receives 1.7+ million unique visitors a month. The pair will also contribute to other North American traditional and online media, while generating video footage of the event for future use by the event organizers and for editorial purposes.

Sustainable Travel International works very closely with festival and event planners throughout Namibia as part of the North American Destination Marketing campaign.

About the Windhoek Lager Namib Quest

The Windhoek Lager Namib Quest is the only true multi-stage mountain bike event in Namibia – an extreme wildlife safari on wheels, through spectacular landscapes, desert, and indigenous villages to the ocean. Riders will have the privilege of passing through areas that are essentially closed to the general public, providing an up-close-and-personal connection to Namibia’s unspoiled land.

An eco-friendly low-impact race village is built each night, complete with hot showers, catering, massage therapists and a mechanical support team.

For more information, visit AEP's Namib Quest website

About the Namibia Tourism Board

With the mandate of promoting tourism both nationally and internationally, ensuring the quality of accommodations and other tourist facilities, and developing environmentally sustainable travel practices, the Namibia Tourism Board (NTB) was formed by an act of Parliament in April, 2001. It brings together both the private and public sectors and is the only national body devoted entirely to implementing the national policy on tourism. The NTB’s domestic and international offices provide custom-tailored services to the members of the travel trade.

To discover more about Namibia’s vacation experiences, visit Namibia Tourism 

About The Team

Jessi Stensland (www.gojessi.com) is an elite multisport athlete and video journalist, with 20 career wins both nationally and internationally. In 2004 she won the Half Ironman Mexico, her first attempt at that distance. The highlight of her career however was the Olympic journey which culminated with the 2004 US Olympic Triathlon Trials where she finished 4th and 6th among the American women. Since 2006 Jessi has covered events such as the Tour de France, the Ironman World Championship and the Tour of California. She recently covered the Boston Marathon for Powerbar. Her sponsors have included Specialized bikes, Oakley, ClifBar, Asics, Active.com and XTERRA wetsuits.

Luis Vargas is the Manager of Adventure Travel Program team at REI. Luis has spent more than 15 years in the Adventure Travel industry guiding, managing and developing business across the globe. He has previously held leadership positions with leading brands such as Backroads and The Walt Disney Company. Luis has raced his bike competitively in such events as the Everest Challenge, the hardest stage race in USA cycling. Luis currently rides for the Second Ascent team based out of Seattle, Washington.

The Stensland-Vargas team’s participation in Windhoek Lager Namib Quest is supported by Air Namibia, Africa Extreme Promotions, and the Namibia Tourism Board North American Destination Marketing Campaign.

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Event Contact:
Tinus Hansen
Africa Extreme Promotions
Mobile: +264 811 288 481 / +264 811 275 778
tinus@aep.org.na

Media Requests:
Terry Levine – Media Liaison
Namibia Tourism Board – North America
212.725.0707 x. 128
terry.levine@aboutdci.com

Colorado a success! NJ, Boston, Chicago next!

MovementU's Spring Tour is in full swing.  This past weekend we were creating speed, sustainability and smiles for a great crew in Colorado (below.) MovementU hits New Jersey on March 24th, Boston April 1st and Chicago April 14th.  Join us!!  www.movementu.com

Bits of January. In Photos.

The Anti-Shoe. All for it.

Ladies! Join me at the Jersey Girl Triathlon in July

Nine Minutes. One Big Lesson.

In December 2003 I quit the sport of triathlon because my body couldn't handle it.  In January 2004, Athletes' Performance took me under their wings and introduced me to movement-based training.  By April 2004 I had the race of my life at the US Olympic Trials.  The rest of the year was a dream.

Before that year, all of my racing seasons had come to close only once my performance had taken a dive, a sure sign that my season was over.  Not the most fun way to end a season.  Alas, that's how it went.

Until 2004.

It was thanks to Athletes' Performance's methodology that integrates all aspects of performance into one complete training program, that I began to truly understand the concept of training with a purpose.  Completely gone were the moments of misery and exhaustion, the disregard for sleep and recovery and the lack of confidence in my training and racing.

I have learned so many things over the years.  I've gotten to experience first hand, with my own body, what many only get to read about in scientific studies.  One particular example comes to mind.  I was reminded of it after reading yet another twitter from a professional triathlete that mentioned: "It's simple.  Train more and you'll go faster." This certainly has truth to it.  However, assuming he means swim/bike/run more miles and minutes, then one major drawback is: there's no insurance policy against injuries, which can kill anyone's season, including top pros who have their career and major $$ on the line. A few examples, all from this past season: Terenzo Bozzone, Paula Findlay, Michael Raelert.  The key here is, although volume works, it's not the only, nor the most efficient, and in my opinion, not the best, way to go about it.

Another mentioned to me this summer, in preparation for a triathlon that included a 40-45 minute climb on the bike:  "You need to ride 2.5-3 hours consistently to prepare for that climb."  Wait what?  Why wouldn't I just do what it takes to ride 40 minutes faster and faster?  My power output over a 2.5-3+ hour ride would never train my body to generate the amount of force required to maximize my power potential over a 40-minute climb.  That's like saying you could squat with 100lbs for 3 hours and that would prepare you to squat with 300lbs for 40 minutes. Really?  On the contrary, the opposite is what works quite well.  If you train to handle 10 x 300lb squats it makes 30 squats with only 100lbs easy.  Seems simple to me.

No doubt, before I started movement-based training I was riding a lot, and I was fast on the bike, but I was also often on the verge of injury.  Training wasn't always fun, and it didn't always make sense.

Here's the story that comes to mind...

In 2004, I had a stellar year.  Unlike previous years I was still fresh as ever come November, so on a whim I decided to tack on one final race:  Half-Ironman Mexico.  It would be my first race at that distance. I considered it more like a vacation with a race at the end as it was in beautiful Huatulco, Mexico, and the race organizers were going to cover our accomodations and food all week.  All we had to do was get ourselves down there.

Greg Welch had some great advice for me, which included not changing much from my current Olympic distance training load, including doing nothing longer than 2.5 hour bike rides.

I found myself at Athletes' Performance prior to the race, doing their typical training schedule which includes 4 days per week of 90 minutes of movement, 90 minutes of strength and 30-40 minutes of cardio system development (usually consisting of intervals on the bike or treadmill.)  When it came time for an ESD workout on the bike one day, I remember asking them if, due to this longer race I had coming up, they would keep me on the bike a little longer: 60 minutes total instead of 30 or 40.  I suggested I could warm up for 10 minutes instead of 5 and warm down for 5 minutes instead of 2. I asked if they could increase my interval work a just a bit: instead of 20 minutes total maybe 30-40 minutes.  Metabolic Specialist Paul Robbins nodded his head and off I went.  At some point in the workout I was completely crushing it, my heart, lungs, legs, everything felt like it was about to burst and I remember asking how long it had been.  The answer I got:  6 minutes [of work.] When the workout was over I'd done a total of 9 minutes of work in a handful of intervals.  I was never happier to get off that bike.  They didn't have to tell me, I knew it:  I was better.  Once my heartrate came down I wasn't miserable, exhausted, unable to move, as was often the case after a hard group ride.  I was fresh and confident in my work.  It was obvious that my effort caused a positive change on a cellular level.  Tomorrow I would be able to do more work.  It was consistent workouts like that which inspired one of my favorite quotes: "Today's 100% is tomorrow's 99."

It was a fantastic lesson and one I've never forgotten. I like to create change fast.  Sure I may have adapted over miles and miles, weeks and months, and gotten stronger, but I prefer to make those adaptations in the least amount of time.  Another key factor:  time efficient workouts like that allow for plenty of time to work on movement efficiency, strength and recovery to get ready to do it all again.  

The result?

In the race I got off the bike with a 25 minute lead over the other pro women and easily won my first attempt at the 70.3 distance. A short race report is here.

I was sold.

A perfect end to a perfect season. And a perfect beginning to what's proving to be a fantastic rest of my life in endurance performance.

Enjoy the effort.  Challenge your 100% daily. 

Go get after it in 2012!!

Race Recap // Resolution Run 5k on New Year's Day

Hello 2012!! 

My year began, thankfully not until 11am, at the Resolution Run 5k with family and friends in central New Jersey.

Wow was I stoked to start the year off on this note.  For a few reasons:

1.  It was my PARENTS idea.

2.  My PARENTS (MOM included!) ran in the event. 

3.  Last year my training/racing did not begin until April.  Headstart!

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MY MOM

2011 was a breakout year in Mom's desire to workout and see just how much she and her body are capable of.  She was an athlete (springboard diver) until 18-years old but that athletic prowess has been overshadowed the last 40 years due to a torn cartilage at 19, 3 kids by 24 and a reconstructed knee from a skiing accident at 32.  Her "knees" have always been her limiting factor, or so she'd been told. She's finally realized that it hasn't been her knees, but her mindset, believing she would always be limited due to her knees (thanks in large part to the inherent issues of, and advice from, the medical field.)  For nearly 40 years she has limited her activity which resulted in lower body weakness, instablity and a decrease in elasticity.  That combo would make running hell for anyone and result in thinking they're not good at it.  So why would they ever want to do it? True we're born to run, but running requires a few things.  Let those things slip, day to day, year to year, and running becomes as foreign as freestyle swimming for some and not nearly as fun an experience.

Now, 25 years since her major knee surgery, it's been fantastic to see her blossom, thanks in part to my Dad's inspiration and that of a friend, Philomena Loy, who leads a 3-times/week, 1-hour, small group functional training workout that they have attended all year without fail, complete with kettlebells, rope swings, box jumps and more. I was overjoyed to toe the line with her on Sunday and see her finish strong, with a personal best time and  hand-in-hand with my 3-year old neice Anna all smiles.

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PRE-RACE

On my end of things, training time has been minimal since XTERRA Maui on October 23rd, and the time I HAVE spent has been primarily on movement correction.  I would hit the gym fully determined to spend time on everything: my soft-tissue work, movement prep, strength and a cardio session.  I would end up spending my 2+ hours on movement and movement correction. I'd squeeze in a couple strength movements and elastic exercises at the end for all of about 10 minutes just to keep my nervous system in check and continue to connect the dots in my bodyweight plyometrics perfectly.  It doesn't take much to maintain once you've got the coordination.  A little consistency works wonders.  Yes my fitness faultered, but it's well known "you can't put fitness on top of dysfunction."  I've corrected quite a few major things, none that would have injured me (I've eliminated chronic pain/injury since January 2004 when I started with Athletes' Performance) but all things that widen my umbrella of injury resistance (as Darcy Norman would call it) and increase my total body efficiency.  Examples: better mobility and movement in my feet, a better connection between my foot contact and my gluteMAX activation on my left side and better activation of my right side thoracic extensors.)  It becomes much easier to add fitness to a body that's moving well.  I'm looking forward to utilizing it all in my swim/bike/run performance in 2012. That said, with minimal strength work and only a couple sessions that have challenged my cardio since October, I knew that this 5k would be a challenge, but was excited to see just how far my movement training alone would get me. 

I kicked the morning off with pre-race movement prep. My mom, dad and our friends entertained me (and themselves) by following along.  In the midst of the festivities near the starting line, with plenty of on lookers, we did about a 15 minute routine.  One that, if not used to it or the mobility/stability/strength/coordination it entails (which is the same required for running) would feel like a workout.  It is meant to elongate, activate and coordinate the muscles and movements while increasing body temperature to prepare for the workout.  Here's a rundown of what we did:

Mini-band External Rotations
Mini-band Bent-Knee Lateral Walks
Knee Hugs
Lateral Lunge
Forward Lunge Elbow to Instep
Hand Walks
Drop Squats
Ankle Bounds
Pillar Marching
Pillar Skipping

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THE RACE

It was a very warm winter day.  Perfect.  I know the golden rules of running a 5km:  The first mile must feel easier than easy and the race doesn't begin until the last mile.  My race didn't quite follow this plan, but so it goes early in the season.  My first two miles were around 6:30/mi pace.  Early in the third mile I could feel things getting harder.  My bowels were looking for an exit strategy for one and I wasn't sure I was going to make it. The other thing I noticed around that time was my breathing, particularly how hard my diaphragm was having to work to help me keep breathing at the rate my muscles and movements were requiring.  Thanks to having learned so much about the diaphragm this year, I could tell it was tuckered out!  Why? I haven't been breathing that hard for that long in months.  The diaphram is an amazing muscle, more amazing than I even know.  What I do know is that it contracts on every breath in order to allow the thoracic cavity to widen so air can be drawn in.  You can get the basic rundown on Wikipedia if curious. Think about it:  breaths can be shallow, weak, slow.  They can be hard, fast, strong. The diaphram is working to allow for the depth of those breaths.  Mine had been able to chill out for about 3 months and all of a sudden is asked to work hard, fast and strong for a long time (relatively speaking.) You can imagine it would get tuckered out!  I was able to tax it that hard because I had so many other elements I had brought to the table.  My strength, my movement, and my mind, were all allowing me to work extremely hard, which caused the diaphragm to have to step up.  If I wasn't as strong, or moving as well, or capable of getting into the form that would allow me to run 6:30min/mi, my diaphragm wouldn't have had to work so hard on the day.  Also, because I was so comfortable running that pace in most of my muscles, it was easy for me to pinpoint that the most uncomfortable part of my last mile was the ache coming from the diaphram, just under my lungs, working so hard every breath.  It just wanted to stop moving.  Knowing that however, I could use my mind to focus on that one spot, enjoy the challenge and coax it to keep going.  Great motivation to get going on my cardio system training ASAP. The other spot that I was having to put a lot of energy toward was my upper back muscles to keep my thoracic spine extended and my posture stacked. This I'll strengthen with movements like the Romanian Dead Lift as well as running intervals.

In that third mile, I thought I really was going to have to stop for a sec. (Stop?? in a 5km?  No way.  But it did cross my mind.) One way I get over that thought when it happens it is to tell myself to "make it feel easier right now."  Going easier doesn't always mean going slower.  It can also mean getting more efficient.  One example on the run that I often use is to take the effort/tension out of my arms and legs and put it toward the core to get TALLER.  Doing so often feels easier and may even allow for an increase speed for the same effort (efficiency.) 

Instead of stopping in that third mile I did back off my pace a bit (same cadence but shorter amplitude and length of each stride) to what felt like about 1min/mi slower.  It felt MUCH easier and I was able to relax a bit...which is much more fun than stopping all together. Inevitably when I do that, there comes a time when I am able to pick up the pace again, and that's just what happened.  I picked up my knees a little higher, put a bit more force into the ground and sped up, probably only about 30 seconds/mile, but feeling great to the finish.

Finish time: 21:15. 6:51/mi pace. 3rd female. 30th overall. Results here.

I'll take it!  It's January 1!  And I have done about 2 runs since October 23rd. 

Movement matters. Majorly.

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POST-RACE

My mom asked if I was sore later that day.  Not at all.  The next day yes a bit, but where?  In all the right places:  around my entire midsection (core/pillar) and my upper back (thoracic extension.) I have great posture and maintained it in the race, but it had to withstand more force than it has in a while (remember my minimal strength/run work?)  Just sitting/standing with good posture requires a lot less strength and stability than maintaining it during the forces the body has to deal with in motion during every stride.  I'll increase that strength both with my strength workouts and my running interval workouts where I'll run speeds FASTER than my race pace so that my muscles get coordinated and strong at that speed and that force production so that race pace feels easier (and improves.) I was a little sore in my right trapezius and I knew why.  I'll be working on relaxing it in my movement/strength/run sessions in near future while making sure the right muscles are doing their work so it CAN relax.  It'll be about one or both.

Post-race photos. Note the Jersey-style award. I like!

To top the day off, my sister, who was at the race cheering us on and who joined us for brunch afterward, had her third child at 8:27pm that night.  Wowza...great day!  Onward...

Zen Triathlon Base Camp 2012!!

For the second year MovementU and I are invading the Zen Triathlon Base Camp.  Four full days of feel-great nutrition, movement, swimming, cycling and running instruction in sunny Southern California.  In this case BASE does not mean miles and miles and miles; it means KNOWLEDGE.  And as we all know, knowledge is power. 

Daily MovementU sessions, grocery store shopping, homemade meals with a purpose, bike fitting, running form and ocean swimming sessions, video analysis, cycling and running hill climb challenges and more. Check out the jam packed awesome agenda HERE. There's nothing else like it.

My favorite quote from a participant last year, said with a grin:

Thank you for teaching me what
I did not know I needed to know.

Come!  Your mind and body will thank you for it.

All details and registration HERE.

Also leading the charge...

Mike Ricci - Level 3 USAT Coach - D3 Multisport

Christine Lynch - Live and Eat Better - Holistic Health

John Hirsch - Professional Triathlete + Coach

Rich Roll - Ultra Endurance Athlete + Plant-based Nutrition Advocate

and Mr. Zen Triathlon himself: Brett Blankner

Questions?  Please ask. Love to see you there!

Wishing you a happy, healthy, best ever start to your new year!!

Move well.

The Body's Bare Necessities

by Jessi Stensland for CycleOps Power

There will always be times in life when it is necessary to put training on the back burner. It could be the off-season, career or family commitments, injury, lack of motivation or just because you feel like it. Whatever the reason, although your fitness might flounder, you can never afford to forget about your health. Conveniently, maintaining optimal health is the foundation of any proper training program. Simply being diligent about a few things in your day-to-day routine can make a positive impact on your health while helping you maintain a great foundation for piling back on the fitness once you are able to get back at it.

Here are four things, in order of importance, which you can incorporate daily that can make a huge impact on your performance in life and sport...

Click HERE to link to the full article at CycleOps.com.

Holiday Gifts To Get After It With

It wasn't hard to come up with this year's list.  The smarter the world is getting in the world of human performance, the more options that are being created to facilitate all the right stuff! Enjoy.

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Get IT | SLEEP!

Before hydration, nutrition and movement strategies should come great sleep strategies. My favorite definition of sleep: "The suspension of consciousness when the powers of the body are restored."

Gear to go for: The Zeo Sleep Manager

What gets measured gets improved.  Think of it as a power meter for your  recovery.   Like a power meter for the bike, the tool itself it won't make you sleep more or better, but by having quantitative data to measure, track and analyze, you can get to know more about your sleep habits and implement strategies to make quantitative improvements in your sleep and ultimately your performance.

I first heard about the Zeo Sleep Manager from Dr. Allen Lim who was using it as a training tool with the riders he was working with.  He spoke about how on any given day, the squad might have an A, B or C ride (differing in distance and intensity.) Which ride the riders were allowed to do on a particular day was dependent on their quality of sleep the night before as indicated by their Zeo Sleep Score.  Something else he mentioned that stood out: if one gets one more hour of sleep per day in the week before a race, they will perform better in the race.  How great is that.  Sleep to perform better? I love learning things like this.

Zeo Sleep Manager has both a bedside unit (above) and the new mobile version (below right.) On the left is a sample of a graph you'll get every morning of your sleep patterns along with an overall sleep score.  My PR is 155! I love sleep.

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Work IT | Happy, strong feet!

The human foot is a masterpiece of engineering + a work of art. - Leo da Vinci

So true IF you let them be themselves.

"Phalangeal Freedom + Phalangeal Fitness = Phalangeal Fun"

...says Mark Verstegen of Athletes' Performance.

Gear to go for: Vibram 5 Finger Shoes

Forget about running in them for a moment.  Forget about fashion and think function. There are so many things your foot, all of it, would love to do with you:  walk, strength train, skip, hike.  There are numerous muscles of the foot and they want to be loved and put to work.  Most shoes force the foot into an unnatural shape (similar to a cast.)  They can limit mobility of the certain joints necessary for natural motion and they often soften the forces the foot has to withstand during activities thereby allowing some muscles to weaken and others to have to compensate, often unhappily.  Just like bigger muscles you can see and feel like glutes, quads, biceps and triceps, the muscles of the foot must be strengthed gradually to handle increased loads.  Depending on your level of phalangeal fitness, Vibram Five Fingers may be an even better option than simply going barefoot as they also help spread the toes. 

I'm amazed I have seen only one, ONE, other person doing their movement/strength training in my local gym in Five Fingers.  Running shoes, cycling shoes, casual shoes more the norm.  Let's move it!

Your feet are a huge part of your performance.  You wouldn't wear mitts when swinging a bat, club or racket would you?  Have fun with them this year.

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Get IT | Smooth, supple muscles.

How?  By hydrating, eating right, massaging tight tissues and activating, strengthening and stabilizing other muscles.

Gear to go for:  Self-Massage Tools

Self-massage tools should be just that: tools. Not crutches. Trigger Point Performance has lead the way with their tools and concurrent education.  I go no where without my GRID, Quadballer and Massage Ball.

A new kid on the block that I immediately put to use and is now a permanent addition to my gear bag is the Myorope.  Although I maintain my movement so well I rarely need to spend much time with the tools, they are an important part of my pre-covery and recovery strategies.

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Move IT | Whenever, wherever.

Wherever you are, be there.

Gear to go for:  Gaiam's Travel Yoga Mat

Why I love it: It takes up virtually no space.  Great for adding to a gear bag so you don't have an additional item to carry.  Also perfect for the frequent traveler who doesn't mind others turning their heads while he or she indulges in some pre-flight movement preparation (or post-flight when waiting for a ride while everyone else is in line at Dunkin' Donuts OR when one misses a flight and has to spend a night in the airport in which case it pairs well with the TP Therapy GRID as a head rest.)

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Reduce and Reuse IT | For yum on the run.

Gear to go for:  To-Go Ware RePEat Utensil Set

 

I have saved the lives of more plastic forks, spoons, knives and even chopsticks than I can count since I started carrying these with me.  Not only great for the environment but for convenience as well.  They are incredibly handy, wash easily and are just plain bamboo cool.

 

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Create IT | Au Natural Beauty

If you wouldn't want to eat it, why would want to smear it on your face?" 

...says Supermodel Sunny Griffin in this video from The Cool Vegetarian.

Gear to go for:  Organic Body Care Recipes

Stephanie Tourles offers a better solution to everyone frustrated with the endless cycle of expensive, synthetic, famous-name cosmetics that often fall short of expectations. With Organic Body Care Recipes you can take control of beauty treatments with homemade products that use safe, nourishing ingredients to pamper the body and soothe the senses. Click on the book to read more about Organic Body Care Recipes.

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Prepare IT | Athlete Food Fast

"Skills in the kitchen, rather than skills on the bike, were such a limiting factor for so many of the athletes I was working with.” - Biju Thomas

Gear to go for: The Feed Zone by Allen Lim and Biju Thomas

 

I'm a huge fan of Biju and Allen's work.

Get a glimpse of their genius in the videos below:

Dr. Allen Lim's Beet Juice

Dr. Allen Lim's Rice Cakes

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Get After IT | Be great. Train great. Race great.

Get after it with...

A week of individualized performance training + nutrition with Jessi

A week of training at Athletes' Performance in PHX, Dallas, LA or Gulf Breeze

A race entry

A mountain bike skills clinic

A Functional Movement Screen

A massage

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WHATEVER YOU DO...GO GET AFTER IT.

BE YOUR BEST YOU!!!