In training for the Bribie Island adventure race the Kayak section is big chunk of time out of the event and if it is not a discipline that is trained for you are going to suffer.

My training buddies and I get down to the water after work during the week for a 1.5 hour session a generally against the tide haul, depending on the tide it can be a strong tidal race and if it is a wind on tide its a lively ride.

Dale lives quite close to the ramp and

has a novel method of getting the kayak to the water,

now you have to agree that he has come up

with quite a contraption but what the heck it works.

Idle daydreams

There is always the possibility of finding an excuse for not following your goal, no matter if it be a training goal, or a life goal this is one of the obvious connections between sport and life.

If you are willing to get up to the start line you need to be connected to your true intent then there will be no excuses, a desire based on a whim is just a daydream and you need more then just idle daydreams to weather the voice of the inner critic.

Connect to your true intent and you will be empowered to rise above all obstacles and this holds true in all aspects of your life. Dale could have easily said I would love to go training with you but I can’t get the Kayak to the water but he is connected to a motivation that takes an obstacle an uses it as a stepping stone not a wall.

You will eventually get smooth waters and wonderful sunsets on your way

As always love to hear back from you all

Hey what are you using for excuses…….?  Can you change it around and use it to get your self motivated and get closer to your goals

I have done up to a three hour session and seem to work alright on my fuel intake. I still have to back off a bit so I do not overload the ankle, but apart from that I seem to recover okay from training and feel good.

After being out of competition with an injury for awhile its all coming back to me how hard it is to fit everything in around a working life.

Remembering the effort it takes to get to a competitive position I was reminded of chat I had with me ole mate  Coach Jeff awhile back just after the Triathlon age group world titles were held on the gold Coast here in Australia.

It did not start of as bitch fest about the state of the sport and its administration but we both had misgivings about the bench marks that ” Championship events” have set up for qualifying race participants.

I remember posting awhile back that I did not get to the World Championships event and wondering if the sport itself was attracting me anymore after a more then a couple of races with a crowded a race course and inexperienced participants making it unpleasant if not downright dangerous.

Hey I am all for participation and encourage newcomers to step up to a start line but when it comes to state and national tittles and especially world championships a real qualifying protocol should be in place and consideration given for those who have put a lot of effort into their skills and fitness to participate in a ” Championship event”

Here is a recording of the call  I have got it set to send you over to Smithies website after it finishes playing but just hit the back button if you want to leave a comment

As always look forward to hearing from you and what you think ….. Should there be a certain standard before you can compete……

I saw a tweet by Clynton Taylor over at http://www.runningquest.net/ regards a Harvard study into bare foot running.  It was a link to what I thought it is a great video on barefoot running, with needless to say, a positive outcome based on science and successful implementation of the knowledge.

Brave souls that stand up to be a voice against the flow of opinion know that they are going to get sniped at but still have the belief that the message they have is part of a truth that needs to be voiced

I find it astounding that the message of the benefits of barefoot running has been around for many years and the early proponents of it have been seen as some heretic misguided fools who had obviously been inhaling the herb and had addled their senses.

I am obviously overjoyed that a percieved authority has come out and said hey…. barefoot running is really good for you. It is seen as a permission to look at the information as a serious piece of information.

Though to me it is another reason further adding to the need of being aware of the voice of the herd that is influenced by the mind shaping power of advertising.

Unfortuantly the power of advertising is so prelevent and encompases all our tribal thinking even if we are not aware of it.

The tribal thoughts are only of strength because the inherent laziness we have adopted in our rush to have a sanitized world that we think we are in control of.

The subliminal message that the face of advertising presents to us, has the influence to lull us into a set of belief”s that blunt our own innate and god given understanding of the truth about what we are supposed to be as a good animal of this world.

In my own circle my raw food diet is seen as extreme and I get presented with many reasons why I can not eat only fruit and vegetables and be healthy, partly because the meat and dairy industry have so much vested interest in controlling the tribal mindset it is a echoed thought without understanding ” but where do you get your protein “.

The questions I field in regards to running barefoot are mostly of the same ilk,  echoed questions straight from the sports shoe advertising rhetoric

If we as good animals of this earth learn to trust in our own sense of what is right for us, we stand a chance of living a fulfilling and rewarding exsitence here on this wonderfull planet.

Being mindfull of what dictates our actions is a great start to being in control of your health, wealth, and happyness.

Taking your shoes of and going for a run is just the start of getting a greater connection to who you are in relationship to the real you and your enviroment.  It is a very liberating thing to be able to have the thought. “I am going to try this without being told i am broken” and have a need what ever the advertising numbed tribal mindset is embracing.

Tell me

what do you fear to do because nobody else does it, but it feels right for you.?

what do you hide uder the covers, because you are worried what somebody else thinks?

always great to hear from folks all the best with your journey

Your Food Dehydrator

I find that for my self  the longer I am following the raw food life style fresh fruits, green smoothies and blended salads are the majority of my food intake.

I will admit to giving in to emotional food choices and this is where have some sort of treats on hand can be great.

There are several fruits and vegetables that can be dehydrated but not every fruit or vegetable retains quality.

As I am no great chef in the Kitchen, I thought I might just throw in a couple of lines about choosing a dehydrator if you are thinking about getting into healthy food choices

Depending on how much dehydrating you plan on doing you might be okay with a mid-level unit.

Getting the cheapest model isn’t recommended here is a couple of things to consider when choosing a unit

1. Cheap stuff won’t last.
2. You can hold off on upgrading if (when) you find out you love drying food and want to do more of it.
3. Get one with an adjustable thermostat. This will let you dry everything, from fruits to meats to potpourri. Some recipes require drying at one temperature for two hours and a lower temperature to finish. Being able to adjust the heat makes your dehydrator more useful.
4. Look at shape. There are cylinders and cubes. I recommend the square food dehydrators because you get more usable drying space. The round ones have a hole in the middle, ( speaking from experience  its  inefficient) you can’t lay food down all the way across the tray.
5. Finally, think about getting one with a timer. Food dehydrator recipes vary widely when it comes to drying times. You might dehydrate something that won’t finish until the middle of the night. A timer will turn the machine off at the right time

How To Make Chia Seed Crackers

Ingredients: Chia seeds and water

2 cups of Chia seeds  I put them through my coffee grinder for easy mixing

2 1/2 – 3 cups or more of water

Mix together in mixing bowl and add more water if necessary. It should be very moist. Don’t worry – it does not have to be perfect. They always turn out.

Spread onto dehydrator trays I tend to make a thicker type of cracker but you can vary it to your own preference.

It depends on what else you are drying with it I try to put a few trays in that will take about the same time to dry so the thicker the cracker the longer it will take

Before starting cut into triangles is you have a round unit or squares if obviously you have a square one. Dehydrate at about 95 degrees for 12-24 hours or until they look dried and crispy.

About half way through the process, just make sure they are scored through flip over and continue dehydrating.

Now this is a very basic Chia seed cracker recipe. But you’ll want to add spices or additional ingredients to make them flavorful. Otherwise they will be bland.

Optional:

I often add the pulp of stuff I have juiced to the mix which gives it a variety of taste.

A favorite one of mine is, after soaking a couple of cups of dates  which I use the liquid for a sports drink  when I go for a kayak or run, the pulp of the dates added to the chia seed gives it a good texture and taste.

Raw in the Kitchen is great but stuffed in a kit bag for a hike or a paddle it does not travel well this is the beauty of being able to dehydrate a calorie packed food source.

After awhile you know what works with what  Don’t be frightend to experiment, I have to admit to some faliures that even the animals won’t eat but what the heck it’s all fun.

At times like these, it is even more frustrating having a problem that seems to have no solution, this is where thinking outside the box is a valuable skill for anyone to pick up.

Within my sporting life, I read quite regularly of problems related to shin splints and calf injuries, etc etc and unfortunately the old hoary chestnut gets wheeled out as to the solution to the problems the obvious one is it if you are a runner ….OH its time for new shoes….. Duh!!! dint you buy the last lot cos they said with the pronation control and extra spongy stuff in the heel will save you.

Just because something is seen to be a truth it can be often be the truth only because the lie has been repeated over and over enough times it becomes the truth.

There are many instances of this in our world, ranging over many aspects of our existence.

Whenever there is an alternative to be considered it will always be measured against the tribal mindset, this is where the ability to assess a new concept or way of thinking sets you against the considered norm.

In the search for answers, or solutions to a quest of unfettered free thinking it is a strong individual that can honestly challenge the tribal mindset and change the Truth that people operate on.

I know that when people are exposed to a new concept the chord it strikes is dependent on what immediate impact it has on their current state of existence, and their ability to accept a new way of thinking.

Injury happens to all of us, sometimes it is obvious and other times the subtle and insidious meme of tribal mindset thinking shackles the desire for change. If you are challenged and want to believe for something different but people say to you OH it cant be done or worse still, what will people think !!!! get the F**k out of there.

For me, if I choose to run in my huarache sandals

pic by G3 photograhy

How about you ? What thing do you want to challenge or change in your life ? what sort of outside the box thinking do you need to commit to.

Though in saying that I am one of a lucky few that does not have a boss standing over my shoulder and giving me a hard time.

I have been away and have not got alot of structured training in but have been happy with Kayaking in waters with views like this at the end of the day

It was my first time I have been away for an      extended period of time without access to my blender and kitchen utensils that I come to rely on for ease of maintaining my my Rawfood lifestyle. As much as it was a departure from the routine I found I maintained quite well.

It was a good wake up call for me as I realized I was going down the path of making the mistake of trying to complicate eating.

I like mucking around in the kitchen and I make up dehydrated goodies and stuff to tart up meal

While I was away, I found that I kept going on a very simple plan that involved very little more than Fruit and lettuce wraps.

It was the biggest chore I had was to figure out how to keep the kids dead animal products from spoiling and cooking it up.

It has become more of a challenge to me to prepare animal products for meals as I gain more insight into how much impact unnecessary killing and production of animal food products have on the planet and the end consumers.

Even after the length of time I have been been following a raw food lifestyle commitment I have not got all the bumps worked out and unfortunately there is quite a good deal of mixed information on what constitutes  long term  raw food protocol.

What I do know is that amongst the terrifying statistics of obesity and attendant health challenges  in the western world today even a stumbling adherence to a raw food lifestyle is greater then the lemming like involvement that people have with the food choices on offer today.

I have not completely gotten over the injury to my ankle as yet but even on the limited training I am able to do my performances have been steadily getting more comfortable and I believe my bare foot running techniques and Raw food lifestyle are the reason that I am able to get good results.

I am finding that to be competitive I do need to be able to have some form of cushioning for stony downhill tracks as I have to back off to much, and the huarache running sandal does not preform very well in wet weather,

On the weekend I was out at Woodford for a trail run and coped a barrage of questions about why I was running barefoot.

Photo by Tim Miller

I spied a set of  vibram five fingers of another minimalist runner that in turn led to an interview with the photograper for a story to be put out on bare foot running so it was a great day out escpecialy as I ran a second place finish for my race.

This is a summer seiries race so it is apropiate the start and finish line is at the woodford swimming pool

As always the sense of gratitude I have for being able to run and enjoy the companionship of of fellow runners is the true motivation for being involved in sport, the other health benefits are just a bonus.

to some the motivation to start a training program is what is required for some it is loosing weight for others it can be as painful as needing motivation for carrying on with life.

I do apologize for such a lengthy time between post I make no secret of the fact, my sport and my adherence to a healthy Raw food life style is a complex at time and slippery relationship I have with functioning in this world without the weight of depression taking hold of my life.

This is not the place I talk about depression I have other places I post for that info but I just felt after the absolute depths I went down into over the past few weeks I had to bring it up as the more I get challenged and overcome I would hope it might help any other who has a journey that has similar challenges.

I speak often about the power of exercise and diet to be at optimal functional place I am a practitioner of all I write and speak of so when I go down into such abject places as have been my reside over the past few weeks I question why and wonder if I am speaking a lie and advocating something that is only a good idea in my thoughts.

I have not understood how I have been training well and gaining form and strength, summer has arrived and the beautiful fruits are with us, my garden is producing and the ocean water is warm .

Yet I could not stay with the good things in my life as the dark clouds sent me into the introversion of isolation and wretchedness that hides you under the covers and leaves you curled up on the floor.

I have resisted the medical advice to start medication believing in my talk that depression can be managed through a combination of exercise, diet and support, this time was the closest I have ever come to accepting the drugs so i could be free of the wretchedness of my thoughts.

I did not take up the drugs, I had a wonderful connection with a spiritual community that gave me the bump to stay on my course and see my course through. I will not make this any more then what it is a cathartic writing for me about a challenge that is mine.

We all have our own forms of challenge and we call on what ever motivation is on hand to see us through it, I have no doubts that if I did not lead the life I do with the exercise regime and dietary habits I adhear to I would be in a different place and possibly taken another course of action to to gain peace in my life.

As an encouragement to anybody reading this be you a veteran athlete or a raw beginner, somebody thinking of changing your diet for better results in your life don’t give up Please don’t give up.

Find a companion to share the load, stick to a belief of what can be accomplished, not of how far it is to go and why bother.

I will leave you with a great clip that I found relevant

In my transition from a low animal intake diet to a vegan low fat raw food life style there has been a lot of learning for me. I have had no eureka moments, and a few challenges.

Part of the difficulty is the amount of diversity in what is the accepted form of raw food regime.

1. You will get
2. high fat,
3. low fat,
4. gourmet
5. vegan
6. super foods
7. non fruit
8. high greens
9. no nuts
10. stay away from the Avos

Unfortunately there is almost a religious fervour that surfaces in the various forums and leaders of the practice.

It is a case now, where  that I will use  the tag Rawfood Barefoot Athlete it is not an issue that I like to spend any time defending.

I am finding that for me it is not only about what you are eating that makes up your overall health.  For me I see a great more harm done with the belief structure that you have to adhere to this and that principle before you can get the raw foodist badge.

I tend to look at other elements of the  Raw food lifestyle that make up more of the holistic side of being able to walk a with caring for all elements of what keeps us alive on this earth

I read other testimonials that glow with instant this and instant that results, I guess it is where you are starting from that is a datum start point for measurement to take place.

I came from a competitive athletic back round so had an awareness of the positive building blocks and the negative foods that impacted on my performance. After a couple months of the 811 regime I had definitely better digestion. This had been a problem for me for a long time.

It often that manifested in chronic energy leval dips, to actualy

vomiting after a fish and chip meal which I was fond of.

The first challenge in consuming more fruit I had, was to get through was salicylate allergy.

Salicylates are in a lot of foods, I found that I reacted more to some then others. http://salicylatesensitivity.com/

At 4 months proper food combining and more understanding of a raw food life style as opposed to 811 dogma, I balanced out definite mood swings that always exasperated my ability to control my bouts of depression that spun me of into places that were hard to see out from.

Mum Was Right Eat Your Greens

At six months the difficulty I had was always feeling hungry all the time and never feeling satiated.

Getting information on the quantity of greens and juices needed, enabled me to get a larger volume and variety of water and nutrient dense intake, apart from fruit.

At this time I started getting really severe itching on my back and shoulders, to the degree of causing the skin to bleed with scratching. I also developed a tear drop psoriasis on my scalp.

I persevered through the ‘detoxing’ thinking but the discomfort was to much to bear ( see bed sheets with blood stains all over from bleeding skin)

After reading varying discourses on the amount of fats in a diet I added more fats than the 10% through more nuts, avocados, hemp seed oil, olives, and coconut oil as a skin oil.

After 12 to 14 days I saw the shift and the the itching subsided and after a month the psoriasis cleared up.

I have my own garden that can provide 40% of my veg, and live in a sub tropical climate with readily available fruits and vegies.

At 10 months I have found an eating regime that has me feeling more satisfied, but I still am adjusting as I go along.

I know that as a lifestyle, a raw food eating plan has seen me gain a lot of ground in reclaiming a quietness of mind and focus, from a demolition site of depression, alcohol dependency,and scattered thoughts.

I continue to learn and respond to the feed back my body gives me. At this time I still working out the way that my body optimally work’s at. It is a journey of conscious eating I am sure is more preferable and long term more beneficial for my soul and the earth I inhabit.

As always love to hear from you guys and tell me what effect a change of diet has had on you.

I have recommended

This product to you before if you are a little lost on how to start on a change of diet to one that includes a lot more plant based product go over and look at this offer

Depending on when you read this Kardena is doing a special with a 50% price reduction opportunity. This lady walks her talk and has the body and looks to prove it. Click on the banner above and take a look

Now I really like my Triathlon and I have been a competitor since 1996 and have enjoyed so much of what is something I still enjoy but the spark has gone
It is not about the need for competition that gets me up for early morning training and so another chapter
is closed on my life

Does this mean I become a couch potato, no of course not I still have an ego that would want to be able to get through a 5k run without barfing up a lung

For me it brings up a separation of an old way of thinking and a new set of goals and aspirations. When you set an Identity of self around being something achieving a thing, it is a vulnerable place as many people
find even if the goal has been achieved there is a place of loss while the next objective is settled on

I have been going through plenty of Raw Food Blues and BareFoot Pain as I progress through my transition I think that like many others who take the time to write to a blog it is a mixture of cathartic writings and love of a subject to be shared with anybody that happens to stumble upon whatever ranting you are involved in.

This can be an awkward place to be at times especially if your position is one of a left field stance as you are positioned for a great deal of negativity if you find your self in a position of reexamining your path or having to adopt a different tack then you had previously taken.

That is I find is to the heart of all dogmatic disposition when the ego refuses to admit a change is in order to be more in line with an emerging truth.

I find this effect in most avenues of expression and the topics I like to write about are of no exception.

Indeed the very topics I like to write on have gone through a metamorphosis what floated my boat 10 years ago is not what winds me up now

Though I would hope the vigor in which I pursue something has not diminished I would hope that my ability to look at what i now consider a barometer of my health both mental and physical be dictated by growth and
understanding as opposed to the fear of change and damage to an ego.

I recently asked interested readers to participate in a survey that asked for responses for what topic material, frequency of contact and form of contact.

Thanks to all those who replied if you missed out and still want to add your thoughts

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=RAoD9UBdL_2fAanifxIbNZig_3d_3d

So to that end I will still ramble on about my involvement in triathlon,and multi sport participation,but will be commenting more on the role diet and conscious habits have in our involvement of sport and achievements as we set out to be active participants of a life well lived

be an active participant by stepping up to the start line.

As always leave a comment and tell me how you are doing let me know what challenge you are going to give yourself to see growth in your life

My Mate Dale has been in training for the world titles, we have had a few training sets and  spoken about what is needed to get him to the line in good shape.

Part of the training was to apply the running principle of the Pose technique and shifting his diet to a more plant based regime in an attempt to loose some weight and not making to much of a radical shift in the run up to the worlds.

Dale took a couple of minutes to have a chat with me about his 4hour a day training schedule