Badwater Videos

some badwater videos for your enjoyment...

lisa smith-batchen

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a recap of the race

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the jamie donaldson 'victory' video

Shots from Grand Targhee

"people are always going to underestimate you. why not start quietly doing what no one thinks you can?"

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rode up to targhee on the mtn bike from driggs today and was just going to hike up fred's (top of the lift at 10,000ft). however once i got up there the nipple and peaked were calling me. it gave me a great look at alaska basin which i trekked up a few weeks ago. it's melted out a lot. you can see in the photos what was once a massive snow field is now patchy at 10,000ft. that is great news.. but i won't be able to do a teton circumnavigation until who knows when. i'm gone most of august on the AT w/meltzer and racing through colorado w/meissner.

i must have said "wholly sh*t" 100 times on this hike. the backcountry skiing options from targhee are endless and amazing! seriously.. endless and amazing.

the tetons from the trail that wraps around the back side of the nipple
the back side of mary's nipple
looking back at fred's from the ridge (those cliffs on the left.. i'm droppin 'em!)
looking out towards the granite basin lakes
who doesn't wanna live here?

Quick Workout - Cheryl's Planks

you don't have enough time to excersise you say?... well strengthen your core in as little as 5 minutes per day using a variety of yoga plank poses.

i have historically hated to do ab work. after my double hernia surgery i decided it was time to build the strongest core i could. now i do core every day. this is my rest day core workout (or a varaition of this) that i alternate with my hard core workout - the around the world or ATW. monday planks, tuesday ATW, wed planks, thurs ATW, etc. ATW is the best all around core workout i have found, non stop effient and gets the entire core. my clients do this workout and i teach it to our weekly track group in jackson.

arnold will tell you the same, "do core every day". in his book The Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding he talks about how he knows spot reduction does not work. however when he is doing abs daily he says more than any body part his abs look and at least feel like the spot reduction is working. and i mean who wouldn't take advice from this guy (funny video)?

a strong core is essential to any athlete, it's where all your movement begins. so why do ultrarunners and ultra cyclists need a strong core? here is an example: i tried to get lisa to do ATW with me yesterday.. but her abs are sore from her 300+ mile odyssey. my abs were sore after just 100 miles after the grand teton 100 (granted i had two hernias!). but i've talked to many top runners who say the same. these are athletes like lisa who already have mega strong cores... so you can see the importance of going into a long race already strong. if not your form will start to break down and you will become less efficient, etc.

i have had the pleasure of coaching an amazingly dedicated and strong coast guard employee named cheryl. i started her out with my favorite ab workout, the ATW. on her non ATW days she would do this plank set - i think it's great.. try it for a week!

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"Chery's Planks"
do 3 sets holding each pose for 30 seconds this week. 3x @ 40sec next week, etc. (cheryl is up to 1 min each)

or

start w/30 sec each on the first set
then add 10 seconds to the next set for as long as you can hang on!

1. Push-up plank (basically plank but like you are starting a push-up)
2. Side plank on elbow
3. Reverse plank (the push-up position with your abs facing upward, try to get your abs up as high as you can. fingers pointing to toes. this is a lower back strengthener. It is similar to 'table top' in yoga but with straight legs which makes it harder.)
4. Side plank on elbow (the other side you didn't do)
5. Regular plank on your elbows

without resting start the next set. you will find this will work your shoulders pretty good too. effective and quick!

Nuns, Bruce at Hardrock & Snow King Shots

lisa is back safe and sound in driggs now. she's accomplished some astonishing things in the last couple of weeks and the stories are just amazing. i like this shot. lisa said "sister marybeth doesn't like water and now she only drinks nuun."

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i just had to post this photo of nuun ultrarunner bruce grant finishing the hardrock 100. you have to kiss the rock in silverton, colorado when you finish. nuun was his only source of electrolytes the whole race - he drank 35 tablets! awesome. check out his blog for his race report.

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these other two are from a 20 mile run up and out snow king in jackson yesterday. wild flowers are going off!

pure bliss
eric taft - eric thanks for showing me some new trails!

Quick Workout - Barbara Variation

"Share your knowledge freely as it has little value if hoarded."

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in an effort to pass along more training ideas to the masses.. i'm going to start posting some workouts on the blog that i like and that i prescribe to my coaching clients.

i truly believe as athletes we need to do what you suck at. i suck at high intensity anaerobic efforts. these type of workouts is one way i get them in and i've got some bike intervals planned for later today too.

i just did this workout on the deck, in the sun, with my flip flops on (after some french press coffee of course). it's a slight variation of the crossfit 'barbara' workout. i didn't have a pullup bar, but i think the arm haulers are a great substitute. i love these short (about 20 mins) and intense workouts! my super busy clients love (and hate) them too.

as you can see there is no equipement needed. i call these "prison cell" workouts, because you could do them even if you were locked up.

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"Barbara"
Five rounds, each for time of: (for time but don't rush)

20 Pushups (start w/knees pushups if necessary - perfect form please)
30 Arm Haulers (video - however i try to lift the thighs up too)
40 Sit-ups (tighten lower abs and pause slightly at top to squeeze!)
50 Squats (thigh parallel to ground)

Rest precisely three minutes between each round - or jump rope for 3 min (not suggested in flip flops).

The Haps.. in Photos

i rode to the darby canyon for my run
annabella = cute
the batchen's riding home from victor
trevor, me and z finishing up our wed night group run at targhee
me and gabby (and her milkie)