April 2014 - The Fittest Dog Issue by Austin Fit Magazine

AustinFitMagazine.com

Run, Fetch, Jump, Climb! The Annual â&#x20AC;&#x153;Fittest Dogsâ&#x20AC;? Issue April April 2014 2014

Foods that give back High Rise Living with pets Are fit couples more fertile? Failure is Your Friend

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Contents

The Fittest Dogs Issue

April 2014

Features + Cover Stories 32 Socially Conscious Food

Bars, bites, and brew that give to the needy

36 High Rise

Pets in Austin

Profiling two petfriendly luxury towers

76 Fitness

Can Improve Outcomes Fitness factors can help with fertility

106 Learning

from Failure

Sometimes the best lessons in sports are hard learned

50 AFM’s Starting on page

“Fittest Dogs” Issue This year’s pick of the pack includes all sizes, breeds, and personalities.

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Cover and contents photos by Brian Fitzsimmons

Contents

April 2014

Departments + In Every Issue

AFM Gym Equipment Review Five fitness machines get Andy Rivadeneira’s once over

Fuel

44 Meet West Hansen,

26 Wasabi Edamame Hummus

Ultramarathon Paddler Traveling the length of the Amazon by kayak and canoe

28 Two Supplements to Know When to add vitamin D and calcium to your healthy diet

46 Homeless Pets Benefit from

This variation on the traditional dip makes a spicy spread

30 Putting Whole Food into Your Pet Taking a look at changing what your dog eats for the better 34 Rip Esselstyn’s Top Ten Vegetables The author of The Engine 2 Diet picks his winning plant team

LIVE

40 Turning Camp over to the Kids

Camp Spark lets its youthful charges have a say in leadership

74 FitFinds: Sandals

TRAIN

FEEL

Summer footwear can combine comfort and function

Running Nonprofit RuffTail Runners help dogs find exercise and forever homes

78 Protecting Your Active Pet

Vaccination and prevention help keep Texas' dogs and cats healthy

90 Finding Your Fittest Self Patrick Evoe explains that phasing can peak perfomance

66 Is Your Young Athlete Too

80 What Do You Know About

Specialized? Today’s children may be missing out on sports with forced focusing

the Nose? Defining the olfactory differences in dogs and people

92 Self-Set Goals Guide the Journey How you set your athletic sights is important to success

LOOK

82 Sniffing Out Illness Teaching canines to detect cancer through scent

70 #SXSWfit Readers’ photos show the festival’s active side 72 Tips for Grooming Your Dog Whether DYI or not, tips on how to make it a pleasure for Spot

84 Companions for the Elderly How dogs and cats can provide health benefits for seniors 86 Healthy Bits

Keeping you informed with new studies and discoveries

In Every Issue

14 From the Publisher 16 Letters to the Editor 20 Contributors

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88 AFM FITTEST: Using Competition as Opportunity Training for an event gives great gains

22 WWW 24 Fit Focus 42 FAQ

48 The Pulse 110 Events Calendar 112 Rides & Races

94 April is Million Mile Month Helping Texans achieve 1,000,000 miles toward health 95 Revisiting Dove Springs Revamping a recreation center to engage users 102 Developmental Exercises from Diane Vives Building strength and getting a great return on exercise effort

114 Discover!

photography by Brian Fitzsimmons

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Publisher's Letter

Time Flies

A special letter makes the difference

very now and then, something happens in our lives that—though very personal—simply must be shared. It seems incredulous that the spring of 2014 celebrates my 50th high school reunion from Episcopal Academy, a wonderful institution in the suburbs of Philadelphia that significantly shaped my life. Since mid 2013, the Class of 1964 Alumni Committee has been dutifully reminding me of my obligation to participate in this august event. I found my reticence challenged by a late night visit to my graduation yearbook (I quickly fled). Fond memories were mixed with the guilt of losing contact, fear of having aged—well or poorly—and the very real question of what one says to once-intimate friends who have been absent a lifetime. I was really on the fence about attending. And then I received a special letter that grabbed my heart and pushed me over the edge. I’ve shared it here, just as my pen pal wrote it.

“Dear Mr. Louis, Hi, my name is L--- and I am in third grade at the Episcopal Academy. I am in Mrs. K---’s class. I am writing to invite you to visit the Episcopal Academy for your Alumni weekend on Friday, May 2nd and Saturday, May 3rd. I would like to tell you some things about me. I am 9 years old and my birthday is September 13. My family includes my Mom, my Dad, my sister L---, and my brother S---. My favorite color is blue. I also love to read. My favorite books are Big Nate and Geronimo Stilton. I like the sport video game Supper Mario Sport Mix. In my free time I also like to color and build Legos. I would love to know a little about you if you have a chance. I would like to tell you what I love about Episcopal Academy. I love my classroom because I have a desk, a mimio, bean bag chairs and a fish tank. The fish are named Thing 1 and Thing 2. I love the dining hall food. Some of my favorite foods are pizza, breakfast and cheese steaks. I also love the field trips and the chapel service too. My favorite teacher is Mrs K---. I love everything we do in Math. Im reading Big Nate and Geronimo Stilton. I like writing letters too. What did you like about EA? How is Texas? What was third grade like when you were here? I would love to hear back from you, and really hope that you decide to come back for your reunion so that we can meet it person! Sincerely, L---” I will be there with bells on and I can’t wait to meet L---, who took the time to send me such a warm and thoughtful invitation to my reunion, where memories will be rekindled, lifetimes shared, and friendships renewed. I’m looking forward to revisiting that very special time in my life at Episcopal Academy with some very old friends of a half a century ago.

Keep Austin Fit,

Lou Earle, Publisher, CEO

Publisher/CEO Louis M. Earle COO Alex Earle eDITOR in Chief Leah Fisher Nyfeler Assistant Editor Natalie England Art Director Weston Carls Assistant Art Director Sarah Schneider Director of Marketing & Communications Carrie Crowe Senior Advertising Consultant Betty Davis Writers Carrie Barrett, Kim Brackin, Jasmin Carina Castanon, Rip Esselstyn, Patrick Evoe, J. Jody Kelly, Emily C. Laskowski, Andy Rivadeneira, Mason Wheeles, Anne Wilfong, Diane Vives Operations Assistant Jackie Pica Interns Alexa Harris, Sara E. Sanchez (Editorial), Dionne Smith (Design), Allegra Boutch (Marketing) General Inquiries info@austinfitmagazine.com Advertising Inquiries ads@austinfitmagazine.com Submissions ideas@austinfitmagazine.com fitfocus@austinfitmagazine.com Event Listings austinfitmagazine.com/events/ submit-an-event Subscriptions austinfitmagazine.com/subscribe 2201 N. Lamar Blvd., Ste. 220 Austin, TX 78705 p 512.407.8383 f 512.407.8393 Austin Fit Magazine assumes no responsibility for the content of articles or advertisements, in that the views expressed therein may not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher or any magazine employee or contributor. This publication and all of its contents are copyrighted. Austin Fit Magazine is the assumed name of its publisher, Louis M. Earle, who has no interest in the business of Denis Calabrese who operates an exercise program under the assumed name of Austin Fit, which trains individuals to improve their jogging or running skills to participate in marathons. The views, opinions and other representations published in Austin Fit Magazine are not those of Austin Fit or any of its directors, officers, employees or agents. Please recycle this magazine

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Letters to the Editor Dear AFM, I noticed something that most wouldn't—your avatar of the deadlift on page 88 is actually one of a stiff-legged deadlift. Perhaps a minor point, but considering the number of people who get injured due to wrong form on this exercise, you may want to correct yourself. –Tyler Borders

Thanks for paying close attention to the illustrations, and we appreciate the correction. Note: In the photo caption on page 62 of “Austin’s Lions Municipal is Home to Women’s Golf Association,” the photo caption incorrectly identified one of the golfers. Juanita Flores is shown taking a swing in the upper photo; the golfer shown below, in a yellow jacket, is Mary Rodela.

Questions from readers about specifics in the AFM FITTEST (May 31–June 1) are coming in; you can read questions and responses from test creator Diane Vives in their entirety at afmfittest.com. Here’s a sampling of Q&A, and don’t forget to register before the next price increase on May 1. Q: I competed in the men’s 40-49 age group in the 2013 AFM FITTEST competition, and I have a question about how you guys timed the 40-yard dash…In 2012, the 40-yard dash was timed different from 2013. Why were the times in the 40-yard dash so slow? Has anyone else asked this question yet? And is it going to change? – Adrian Coe A: In 2012, we used a chip-timed system that is the same as the systems used in road races such as 10Ks and marathons. We made this choice as we were assured that it would be accurate and reliable, even though it typically is not used for short race distances. Unfortunately, we had issues with when chips were being picked up at or near the start line as well as with some missed scores all together. For 2013, we sought out a system that is regularly used with more than 150 track meets in the high school and collegiate divisions. We also chose a timing company experienced in running timing systems that use an electronic, computerized start triggered by the starter's pistol and detects the finish to 0.000 of a second….The difference in the times is thought to be a combination of the different types of timing systems used in 2012 as compared to 2013 events as well as the grass surface, which will not compare perfectly with a firm surface such as road or track. This has led to some confusion with athletes who are putting time and effort into performing timed trials on other surfaces prior to the race and then trying to compare them to their actual race times. This year, we are planning to go with the same system as [2013] in order to create consistency from year to year with a reliable and accurate time measurement. At this time, we are convinced this is the best possible option for fair, reliable and immediate scoring results. – Diane Vives

How do you #KeepAustinFit? We want you to show us! Tag AFM in your social media post with @AustinFit or #KeepAustinFit and you could be featured in the magazine. This month, photos by @spartan_grit, @lovelindawagner, and @fit_donovan made the list. What We’re Looking For Show us how you keep Austin fit by capturing your fitness moments—doing a handstand at an historic Austin landmark, SUPing around Lady Bird Lake, or working out with your children when you find time around the house. However you keep fit, we look forward to seeing what you can do! The best photos will be included here in the Letters to the Editor page. Join Us

AFM wants to hear from you! Letters should be addressed to Letters to the Editor, AFM, 2201 N. Lamar Blvd., Suite 220, Austin, TX, 78705. Email address is leah@austinfitmagazine.com. All letters should include the writer’s name, address (email included), and daytime phone number. We are unable to acknowledge or return unpublished letters. Letters may be edited for length and clarity. 16 • a u s t i n f I t m a g a z i n e . c o m • 0 4 . 2 0 1 4

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Contributors Thank you to AFM’s contributors who make this magazine a worthy source of health and fitness information in Austin.

Write for AFM Here’s how.

David de Leon

Ryan Cummings Lori Burkhardt

Lori Burkhardt is a freelance writer and copy editor. You will find her running, biking, kayaking, or enjoying almost any outdoor activity during her free time. She travels often with her brother, keeps calm with yoga, and volunteers with Heart of Texas Lab Rescue. Burkhardt is most content and at peace when she is spending time in the country with her three dogs, Daisee, Doggie, and Pumpkin. (page 56) hotlabrescue.org nburkhardt@gmail.com

Ryan Cummings, who has a master’s degree in agricultural business and five years’ experience in the pet food industry, is the founder of The Bones & Co., a local Austin business that puts dogs first. The heart of the company’s philosophy is feeding dogs the way Mother Nature intended by using high quality ingredients from local suppliers, and supporting natural and organic businesses whenever possible. The Bones & Co. focuses exclusively on a biologically appropriate raw foods diet. (page 30)

David de Leon, owner and head coach at OTL Fitness, is passionate about helping others change their lives for the better—helping others to live lives well beyond mediocrity. It is his goal to create an environment of likeminded individuals who thrive off of being greater. Whether it’s a business owner, a student, a mother, a doctor, or a lawyer, what is important is to be surrounded by people who motivate De Leon to become a better coach just as much as he motivates them. De Leon believes the way athletes perform in the gym is a direct reflection of the way they perform in life. The ability to push past those last few reps is your ability to push through life when things get tough. These people, the ones who are willing to push their limits and motivate those around them, are welcome at OTL Fitness. (page 88) otlfitness.com Twitter: @OTLFitness Facebook: OTLFitness info@otlfitness.com

Sara Sanchez is a senior studying English writing and rhetoric at St. Edward's University in Austin, Texas. She is a New Mexico native, triathlete, and lover of stories. During her free time, Sanchez enjoys baking, blogging, and growing her succulent plant collection. (page 52)

Dr. Stacy Mozisek

John Byczek is a senior at the University of Texas studying sport management and business. Originally from Galveston, Texas, Byczek has spent the last four years in Austin and will graduate in May. Byczek has worked for Texas Athletics Media Relations for the past three years, primarily as a feature writer. Byczek's parents, Bill and Sandra, currently live in Houston and his older brother, Michael, lives in Colorado. (page 82) Twitter: @jByczek

Alexa Harris

Alexa Harris graduated from the Edward R. Murrow College of Communication with a minor in nutrition at Washington State University in May 2012. Originally from Seattle, Wash., she made her way to Austin last year. Harris is extremely passionate about all things healthy, and spends most of her mornings at Pure Austin or running the trail at Lady Bird Lake. (page 32)

Dr. Stacy Mozisek was raised in Fort Worth where her love for animals and the outdoors began. She holds a bachelor's degree from UT and a Masters of Science degree from TCU. Prior to veterinary school, Dr. Mozisek worked for several years as a biologist for an Austin based environmental consulting firm focusing on various endangered species. Dr. Mozisek graduated from Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine in 2009. Shortly after vet school, she followed her husband to Athens, Georgia while he continued his career in poultry medicine. Although she enjoyed practicing small animal medicine there, she was very excited to bring her experience and passion for veterinary medicine back home to Texas. Her special interests include internal medicine, soft tissue surgery, and preventive medicine. When not working, Dr. Mozisek enjoys cycling, hiking, and spending time with her family and friends. Dr. Mozisek was very excited to join Firehouse Animal Health Center where she can live, work and play in our great Austin community. (page 78) firehouseaustin.com

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austinfitmagazine. com . Response time

may vary greatly due to publishing dates. Detailed submission guidelines will be provided by AFM as appropriate.

Sara Sanchez

thebonesandco.com info@thebonesandco.com Facebook: TheBonesAndCo

John Byczek

Letters should include the writer’s name, address (email included), and daytime phone number as well as a short description (250 word max) of the article premise. Send to Story Ideas, AFM, 2201 N. Lamar Blvd., Suite 220, Austin, TX, 78705. Email address is contributors@

Submit FitFocus Photos Here’s how. Photos

must be original artwork submitted in 300 dpi. Include credited photographer’s name, title of photo, and location in an email with the photo attachment. Email photos to fitfocus@

austinfitmagazine. com . Images

published in Austin Fit Magazine become the property of AFM.

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AFM FITTEST test designer Diane Vives can help you prepare for the AFM FITTEST on May 31–June 1. Visit afmfittest.com to see videos about how to perform each of the ten basic tests in the 2014 AFM FITTEST. Need help with the workouts on pages 103–105? Watch Diane Vives direct Holly Kendall through these strength-building

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GIVEAWAY April 22 is Earth Day. In honor of clean water everywhere, AFM is giving away Aquasana’s Powered Water Filtration System to one lucky reader. This countertop device helps eliminate plastic waste and quickly provides filtered, fresh-tasting tap water. To find out how you can win, make sure you receive the AFM weekly e-newsletter. 22 • austi nf Itm agazin e .com • 04.2 014

Upcoming Stories: More fit dogs! When we received our record number of entries this year, a new category became apparent: trainer’s dogs. As a result, we’ve included a special digital collection of entries from fitness professionals and their dogs. One dog, Mollie Mae, stood out from the pack; you can read her story in this web-exclusive companion piece to our 2014 “Fittest Dogs.” This Patriot’s Day (Monday, April 21) marks the one-year anniversary of the Boston Marathon bombing. AFM will have exclusive digital content at austinfitmagazine.com from Michael Madison, who is back again and will give his impressions of the impact of that day on this storied running event.

Reader Submissions Wanted Dogs Drool— Cats Rule! For years now, AFM has featured Austin’s fittest dogs in the print magazine. It’s time to see some cats! Send your active cat photo or video to fittestcat@austinfitmagazine.com by April 24. We’ll feature the best in our digital magazine at austinfitmagazine.com

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Send your active lifestyle photos to FitFocus@AustinFitMagazine.com for a chance to be published. Guidelines are provided in our Fit Focus photo album on Facebook.com/AustinFitMagazine

Recipe

Did you know? One half cup of edamame contains 11 grams of protein and 16 percent of your recommended daily dietary fiber.

Wasabi Edamame Hummus

Nutrition

What You Need

Calories: 55 Carbohydrates: 3.5 g Protein: 3.5 g Fat: 3.4 g Fiber: 1.2 g

2 cups (16-ounce bag) frozen shelled edamame, thawed ¼ cup tahini 1 teaspoon fresh, grated ginger 1–3 teaspoons wasabi* 2 cloves garlic, peeled

Turn up the heat on this gluten-free dip

1 teaspoon salt

By Carly Reed

¼–½ cup water

How to Make It

Use this traditional hummus as a dip or a spicy spread to give flavor to sandwiches and wraps. 26 • austi nf Itm agazin e .com • 04.2 014

1. Combine all ingredients— except water—in a food processor and blend until smooth. Add water as needed to get to desired consistency. *Wasabi is made from the wasabi plant, native to Japan. Wasabi found in the U.S. is usually pre-made, not fresh, and

contains horseradish, mustard, and a starch (generally corn starch). You may want to check with the restaurant to ensure the wasabi used does not contain wheat as a thickening agent.

Makes 16 servings Serving size: 2 tablespoons

photography by Brian Fitzsimmons

Fuel

Vitamin D

Vitamin D and Calcium— Supplements to Know Making healthy choices about adding dietary vitamins and minerals By Anne Wilfong, R.D., L.D.

Vitamins and mineral supplements have taken a bruising in the last year. Several studies have shown they offer little protection against cardiovascular disease or cancer in healthy adults, and some editorials have gone as far as saying they are complete waste of money in healthy adults. Clients who meet with me because they want to make healthy lifestyle choices are often very confused as to what supplements they should be taking—and rightly so. They frequently assume they should be adding to their diet in some way. Let’s take a look at two of the most commonly used supplements, vitamin D and calcium, and what research has to say about who should take them and who really doesn’t need them at all. 28 • austi nf Itm agazin e .com • 04.2 014

Vitamin D plays many roles; we regularly hear about it in conjunction with calcium, particularly as pertains to absorption. There’s been a lot of information regarding the role of vitamin D in maintaining a healthy immune system and the possible protection it could provide against certain cancers. If your doctor suspects you are deficient in vitamin D, a test can check your vitamin D level. Optimal levels for healthy individuals determined by the Institute of Medicine are 20 ng/ml (50 nmol/l). If your levels are lower, your doctor will most likely prescribe vitamin D. But what about the rest of us? Would we benefit from extra vitamin D? The jury is still out. Studies seem to indicate that, in regard to bone mineral density, supplemental vitamin D is most beneficial when combined with calcium. With regard to cancer, the Department of Health and Human Services noted, “Further research is needed to determine whether vitamin D inadequacy in particular increases cancer risk, whether greater exposure to the nutrient is protective, and whether some individuals could be at increased risk of cancer because of vitamin D exposure. Taken together, however, studies to date do not support a role for vitamin D, with or without calcium, in reducing the risk of cancer.” If you are not deficient and choose to supplement, please keep the dosage below the tolerable upper intake level (TUL) of 4,000 IU for adults.

Calcium

We often hear that supplemental calcium improves bone density, but how does that extra calcium affect other areas of the body?

Excessive supplemental calcium has been linked to production of kidney stones. Recent research has also indicated that doses exceeding the daily requirement for healthy adults may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. Further research is needed, but you should use both dietary and supplemental calcium when calculating total daily intake. If you do choose to supplement, check the label; there are two forms of calcium. Calcium carbonate is best absorbed when taken with food, and calcium citrate can be absorbed well with or without food. Large doses of calcium, however, cannot be absorbed at once, so spread it throughout the day. If you are taking 1,000 mg total, for example, you are most likely to absorb the calcium in two 500 mg doses, one taken in the morning and another in the evening. Just because you can buy supplements without a prescription doesn’t mean they are harmless. Vitamins and minerals have a set TUL. If taking supplements, please talk with your pharmacist to ensure they are not interacting with any prescribed medications; you’d be surprised at how often this happens. Bottom Line: Unless you are deficient or have been prescribed a supplement by a doctor, aim to maximize your intake of vitamins and minerals from the food you eat. Food works synergistically, the way it was created, and a pill in a bottle can’t duplicate that. Also, play the devil’s advocate as you consider adding these to your diet; don’t forget that supplement companies are also profit driven, so be sure you actually need what you are buying and consuming and not just swayed by advertisements. afm

Fuel

Changing Your Dog's Food Could a whole food diet bring more energy to your pup? By Ryan Cummings

ust as Americans are suffering from an obesity epidemic, so are their pets. According to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, nearly half of American dogs are overweight. Obesity in dogs can lead to diabetes, arthritis, high blood pressure, kidney failure, and shorter life spans. That extra weight is literally killing America’s pets. One problem for pet owners who are working to help their dogs become healthier is that most traditional dog food contains ingredients with low nutritional value. All that canned food and kibble may be damaging to a dog’s health, and owners are taking matters into their own hands by assuming more ownership of their pets’ food quality. This rapidly growing movement of consumers concerned about providing more nutritionally dense feed has created a revolution in the pet food sector. There is an alternative to kibble: raw, biologically appropriate foods. After all, dogs and their wild brethren wolves have been carnivores for thousands of years. It was really only in the last 60 years, with the advent of highly processed kibble, that dogs started eating cooked foods with high carbohydrate loads. Switching to a balanced

diet of raw, whole foods could prove wondrous for your pup’s health. A balanced raw diet consists of approximately 80 percent muscle meat and bones, 10 percent organ meat, and 10 percent vegetables. Mimicking your pet’s naturally occurring ancestral wild diet achieves a host of health benefits. Your dog may have

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more energy (get that tennis ball ready), smaller stools (thank goodness), and a shinier coat (which the ladies will love); it’ll also be healthier and happier, and research has shown that it will live a longer life. The two most common ingredients found in pet foods are rendered meats and carbohydrates. What is

rendered meat? “Rendering” uses chemical and mechanical processes to separate dead animals into three substances: carcass meal (protein-based solids), melted fat (tallow), and water. If it meets certain FDA standards, carcass meal can be used in pet food to provide an inexpensive source of protein. Carbohydrates act as a filler. photo by Teresa Chang

RONALD CHENG

Some foods that are fine for people are toxic for dogs. According to the ASPCA, onions, garlic, avocados, raisins, grapes, macadamia nuts, xylitol, and additives Dogs, unchocolate are harmful and to increase like people, should not be fed to dogs. the dry matdon’t have any

great need for carbohydrates; they can’t effectively digest them, as they are missing a critical enzyme in their salivary glands, amylase, which helps break down starches into digestible nutrients. And yet nearly all kibble has an unnecessarily high carbohydrate load. Grains, soy, sweet potatoes, and brown rice are all used as photo by Melissa Skorpil

ter needed for processing. Switching to raw food is not the whole answer, though. You also have to be sure that you’re meeting your pet’s nutritional needs by supplying the right amount and variety of macro- and micronutrients and minerals. Studies have shown that many home-prepared pet foods are deficient in

several critical nutrients and vitamins. Consult with your veterinarian to get advice before changing your dog’s diet. Also be sure to use a veterinarian- or nutritionist-approved formulation and pre-measure your food to ensure you are providing your pup with a balanced and complete diet. If you are looking for a more convenient alternative, many pet stores are carrying a growing line of raw dog food. afm

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FINE ASIAN CUISINE

Did you know?

Fuel

Food for the Socially Conscious

Snack options that help fight hunger at home and abroad By Alexa Harris

t may be time to start putting our money where our mouth is. Think TOMS Shoes, but for food. A number of food companies are aiming to satisfy taste buds and make a difference. So the next time you are out shopping or need a boost after a hard workout, consider an item that not only cures your hunger, but aids someone in need.

Kutoa

Founded by Joey Grassia, Kutoa resembles the coming together of two life-changing events in Grassia’s life. He spent seven months in South Asia, where he witnessed firsthand the issue plaguing underdeveloped areas of the world—hunger. Upon returning home, the idea of Kutoa (which means “to give” in Swahili) became clear. Grassia wants to enable people to live well, “give health, and empower change around the world.” The bars are made from natural, nonGMO ingredients, handcrafted in small batches, and made available to the public online or in retail stores. For every bar purchased, Kutoa gives a bar to a hungry child in need. Since 2011, Kutoa has sent almost 200,000 bars to malnourished children. Kutoa offers bars available in four flavors, and in kids’ squares.

2 Degrees Bar

Founded by Will Hauser and Lauren Walters, friends who wanted to make a global impact on the lives of children, 2 Degrees has a mission to help feed the 200 million hungry children (under the age of 5) around the world. They’ve partnered with organizations already involved in the process of helping provide relief to the world’s children, such as IMA World Health, Relief International, and Valid Nutrition. 2 Degrees also works with Feeding America to distribute meals to individuals in the United States through area food banks. These gluten-free and vegan bars come in four different flavors and are made with all natural ingredients. To this date, 2 Degrees has donated more than 1 million meals.

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Bumble Bar

The vision for Bumble Bar began in 1995, when Liz Ward decided to combine her two passions in life— healthy food and sustainability—into an energy bar. She was adamant that her bars be organic: no chemicals or pesticides allowed. Manufactured in Spokane, Wash., Bumble Bar is a sesame-based, organic, glutenfree, vegan energy bar. In addition to providing jobs in its own community, Bumble Bar also helps support farmers around the world. Ward buys all the

organic ingredients from farmers in countries such as Ethiopia, Honduras, Turkey, and Canada; the sesame seed used, for example, comes from a farm in Selet Hulling, Ethiopia. For every pound of sesame seed Bumble Bar purchases, 5 cents are donated toward school construction in Ethiopia. Additionally, another 5 percent of sales go toward in-kind donations. Bumble Bar are available in 14 different flavors and can be purchased online or in retail stores.

photography by Brian Fitzsimmons

TOMS Roasting Co. New coffee venture continues company’s “one for one” business model

Hope Hummus

Ryan Weilert founded the company Hope Hummus, based in Boulder, Colo., which makes an organic, gluten-free, vegan, and kosher hummus from local ingredients. Hope Hummus donates 10 percent of its annual profits to the communities that purchase the product. They also donate a generous amount of their product to local communities in need. There are currently six different hummus flavors available, including Thai coconut curry. The company is continuing

to expand into grocery stores throughout the country; in Austin, it can be found at Whole Foods Market.

Kind Bars

Launched in 2004, Kind Bars began with eight varieties and hopes of showing people that healthy food can be tasty, too. Kind now offers 22 bar varieties and six snackable clusters made from healthy grains. All Kind snacks are made from all natural, whole-grain ingredients. Each month, Kind likes to “Do the Kind thing” and

donate $10,000 to support one project of their choice. January’s winner was an organization called Greenheart International, a summer nature camp for inner city Chicago youth. With Kind’s $10,000 donation, the organization can offer scholarships to campers who would otherwise not be able to attend, as well as help with the purchase of camp supplies. afm

he Twittersphere lit up on Tuesday, March 11 when TOMS founder and CEO Blake Mycoskie announced at SXSW that he was launching a new venture, TOMS Roasting Co. The Texas native and former Austinite let the world know that TOMS was expanding into the coffee business in order to provide fresh water for people in need. It makes sense to harness America’s ever-growing coffee addiction for charity; the World Health Organization estimates that people need 20 liters (that’s a little more than 5 gallons) every day for “adequate health and hygiene.” Buying a bag of TOMS coffee guarantees a donation of 140 liters (almost 37 gallons) to a person in need. TOMS is already in the business of giving; their buy-one, give-one approach to shoes has put 10 million pairs on needy feet over eight years. In 2011, the company began a similar program with a line of eyewear; every pair of glasses purchased means TOMS “provide[s] Giving Partners with funding to restore or save the sight of one individual.” There are now two TOMS Roasting Co. locations, one here in Austin (1401 South Congress) and another in Venice, Calif. Though the beans are roasted in the U.S., the coffee comes from a variety of countries, all of which will receive donated fresh water in return for their product. The coffee bar features representative flavors from each country; in addition to coffee (beans and brewed), mugs and cups, gift cards, and assorted apparel are for sale. Bags of coffee can also be purchased exclusively at Whole Foods Market. Mycoskie told Fortune that there are plans to release a new product category each year under this giving model. In the meantime, Austinites can stop in for a fix and feel good about their daily cup of TOMS.

04 .2014 • au stinfI tmaga z in e . c o m • 33

Fuel

gold medal-winning sprinter Usain Bolt’s father attributes his son’s speed to his favorite food: the Jamaican sweet potato. Wrap them up in aluminum foil and place in the oven or toaster oven for 1 hour at 400 degrees. Sweet potatoes don’t need a thing added; eat ‘em naked. Beets Like Claressa Shields, the first American woman to win an Olympic medal in boxing, these root vegetables pack a great one-two punch. Boil the beetroots in water for 45 minutes or place in the toaster oven for 45–60 minutes. Immediately rinse them off in cold water and—behold! The brown outer layer flakes off and a glistening silky red dermis reveals itself. Remember to cook up the beet greens as well. You get great nutritional benefits with both parts of this plant. 3

Engine 2’s Top Ten Plant-Strong Vegetables These super veggies offer a variety of tastes and textures By Rip Esselstyn

hen it comes to nutrition, vegetables are all gold medal winners. Filled with fiber, macro- and micronutrients, phytochemicals, antioxidants, and possessing other cancer-fighting, disease-preventing, and health-enhancing qualities, they taste great and maintain health at the same time. With the 2014 Winter Olympics over, we can look forward to the 2016 Summer Olympics. In the meantime, what about building a team of the world’s best nutritional plants? We’ve offered up

the following vegetables as must-haves on the Engine 2 squad in the plant-strong Olympic Games. Green Leafy Vegetables Green leafies are the Michael Phelps of vegetables. Kale, spinach, Swiss chard, collard greens, mustard greens, beet greens, turnip greens, or Brussels sprouts can be cut up and tossed into most any soup or pasta. Or try them stir-fried or steamed, topped with garlic, lemon juice, or cashew sauce. 1

Sweet Potatoes Sweet potatoes are hearty and satiating. Olympic

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Romaine Lettuce This robust, leafy green vegetable is a nutritional monster. Use this hearty and hefty lettuce as the foundation in salads. As an added bonus, Romaine lettuce will keep for several days in the chiller bin of your fridge. 4

and sizes—white button, shiitake, crimini, portabello, and oyster, to name a few—and all are delicious. Used as a meat substitute in any dish, mushrooms are a chef’s best friend. Tomatoes Tomatoes are a gift of nature. A versatile food, they are actually classified as a fruit. You can use them in sandwiches, salads, casseroles, and appetizers. Like decathletes, they can perform in a variety of settings. 7

Avocados Ditch the mayo and butter and go for the green gold. Avocados are smooth, satisfying, and satiating; they work well as either a tasty condiment or a hearty side. 8

Bell Peppers Red, gold, green, purple, and orange, bell peppers make the top ten list due to their color, taste, presentation, and versatility. Whether cut up in a pasta primavera sauce, stuffed, served in a stir fry or salad, roasted, or simply left plain, bell peppers are an Engine 2 favorite. 9

Asparagus Ancient Greeks and Onions 5 Romans prized They may the asparagus; a make your Find Rip's sweet recipe for preeyes water, but potato bowl recipe paring this vegthere’s nothing online at gie is included wrong with a austinfitmagazine.com in the oldest few tears—even known cookbook. tough Olympians The asparagus is may cry when they still valued today as a win a gold medal. Start wonderful veggie that can any stir fry, soup, or homebe eaten hot, cold, in salads, made pasta sauce with an and with grains, and it always onion. They are multi-layered makes a special addition to and complex, just like us. any meal. afm Mushrooms 6 Technically a fungi, mushrooms are a strange breed, indeed. They come in a variety of weird shapes 10

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Living the High Life with Pets Austinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s high-rise towers accommodate four-legged family members photography by Brian Fitzsimmons

Thaddeus & Oscar, goldendoodles

Joe Burke & Mark Smith, owners

aust infIt magazine.c om â&#x20AC;˘ 04.2014

side from being the live music capital of the world and America’s fittest city, Austin is clearly a standout in one other area—the dog-friendly life. Where there are Austinites, there is surely a dog. You see them kayaking and SUPing with their masters on Lady Bird Lake, enjoying a bite in the Second Street district, and even shopping at the Domain. With the boom in high-rise luxury living, Austin Fit Magazine wondered how pets were accommodated in downtown’s towers. We took a look at the Austonian and 360 Condominiums to see how the fourlegged residents enjoy the high life.

The Austonian

he tallest residential building west of the Mississippi, the Austonian promises a luxury lifestyle in the center of Austin—for pets, too. Among the 171 high-end residences, and amenities like a wine vault, theater screening room, fitness center, Austonian residents have exclusive access to a 600-square foot dog park on the building’s tenth floor. With synthetic grass and a complete draining system, residents and their four-legged roommates can enjoy the outdoors without ever leaving the building. The Austonian also offers an indoor dog grooming room, which includes raised bathing areas and grooming supplies. Residents can schedule services in the room with a preferred groomer.

Rue, standard poodle puppy Trey Phillips, owner

Enzo & Atlas, standard poodles Robert Hirsch, owner

04 .2014 • au stinfI tmaga z in e . c o m • 37

360 Condominiums

Forrest Ballou and Rocky, who live in the 360 Condos. (photography by Zee Denny)

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t 44 stories, 360 Condominiums is second only to the Austonian in Austin’s high-rise cityscape, with 430 condos in the tower. Residents Forrest Ballou and his boxer Rocky have become well known. Ballou didn’t set out to live in a condo; he’d owned a home in Austin for 20 years and had a dog, Zeus. However, a friend wanted to look at a condo. Ballou went along and within a week, his house was on the market. “Everybody thought I’d lost my mind,” he recalled. “They said, ‘But you have a dog!’” He took Zeus on a test visit to see how he’d deal with the elevator, and the dog’s positive reaction sealed the deal. Surprisingly, Ballou has found that living with a dog in a high rise is actually a benefit. “It’s easy to get isolated in a condo environment,” he said. “In fact, when Zeus passed, I actually thought about putting my condo on the market; it just wasn’t any fun anymore without him.” The two had been out on the town together so often that the Austin Music Hall and Trifecta staff all knew the dog. “You think it would be a pain to go out with a dog, but it’s a very social thing,” Ballou explained. “I’ve met so many people because of having a dog—in fact, when I’m by myself, people stop to ask, ‘Where is he?’” Rocky is Ballou’s new boxer puppy, and he’s happily adapted to downtown living. The elevator posed no problem and, because of the cleanliness of the 360 Condominium dog park, Rocky had vet approval to be out and play even when undergoing his Parvo vaccination. Ballou also takes advantage of a pet service to provide more socialization for Rocky. “I wanted him to be comfortable being walked by other people, and I met this guy in the elevator with several dogs,” he recalled. That man was Sam Sears, owner and founder of Austin Pet Services, a company that provides dog walking/running, “potty breaks,” and pet sitting services to clients mainly within the central and downtown areas. One unique part of Sear’s business is the GPS-trackable feature: walkers scan a QR code at the start and end of the appointment, and the client receives an email showing the walker, route taken (marked in paw prints), and duration of the appointment. APS’s most popular service for the downtown area is the “potty break,” a quick, $10 visit to make sure the dog does its business outside. Sears takes Rocky out once a week, mainly for the exposure to another handler, as Ballou works out of his condo. Ballou and Rocky take full advantage of the dog park for residents on the fourth floor. It encompasses 400-square feet of special grass, and well-behaved dogs are welcome to play off leash. It’s available 24/7 (“It’s very secure, especially for the ladies, when you have those late-night needs to take the dog out”). Care is taken to clean and sanitize the area several times a day; a special drainage system whisks away urine and Mutt Mitts are on hand for residents to pick up waste. The area is also a great gathering place for neighbors. “I’ve met a lot of people through the dog park,” Ballou said. “In fact, there are a lot of people I’ve seen at the pet park who I haven’t seen out elsewhere.” afm

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Family

For the Kids, By the Kids Founded by teenage brothers, Camp Spark provides flexible summer options By Emily Laskowski

ummer camps are certainly not a new idea. But a summer camp operated by kids and for kids is defying the somewhat traditional parameters of the supervised summer mainstay. Camp Spark, founded in Texas by brothers Blake and Ryan Lieberman, is the result of young people combining a philanthropic goal with a growing business model. Standing for Strong, Powerful, Athletic, Rockin' Kids, Camp Spark held its first camp for boys in Dallas in 2010. “My brother Ryan and I started Camp Spark because we loved going to summer camps as kids and knew we could positively affect children by creating a camp of our own,” said Blake Lieberman. “In addition to my own entrepreneurial motives to start a business, I love working with children and acting as a role model to younger kids. I know 40 • austi nf Itm agaz in e .com • 04.2 014

that the other counselors and I have a lot to offer to the kids, and it’s extremely rewarding to positively impact a younger generation.” The “other counselors” that Lieberman mentions are fellow high school students; the campers themselves range in age from 5 to 13. A significant factor in the success of Camp Spark thus far seems to be the age of the staff in relation to the campers. “We distinguish ourselves as a camp that is run by kids for kids,” said Lieberman. “It allows for a unique relationship between the campers and those running the camp.” It also allows for a unique experience for young entrepreneurs and philanthropists. In fact, Camp Spark has a section on its website specifically dedicated for aspiring entrepreneurs who are interested in opening their own local chapter. Zachary Dell joined the leadership

team at Camp Spark in 2012 after the initial success of the Dallas location. Dell, who has been involved in efforts to fight childhood obesity through the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation, recognized this opportunity to contribute in his own way. “Doing my part in inspiring our generation to be more physically fit was a huge inspiration to expand Camp Spark,” Dell said. He admits that, as an athlete himself and with his passion to help other young people live healthier lives, the physical and athletic benefits of Camp Spark immediately appealed to him. “I loved the idea of immersing kids in all kinds of sports,” Dell said. And although Camp Spark does offer exposure to all kinds of sports—including basketball, lacrosse, and whiffle ball—Lieberman adds that it is “as much about sportsmanship as sports.” Daily activities at Camp Spark in-

clude swimming, arts and crafts, dance, and cheerleading; awards are presented on Fridays. Lieberman is proud of the environment that this culture provides each camper. He notes that, in addition to the variation and organization, counselors are “creating genuine relationships with [the] campers” even during down time, and Lieberman, Dell, and the entire Camp Spark staff take this unique opportunity to impact younger kids very seriously. “We have learned that campers are much more likely to follow direction from counselors they can relate to rather than significantly older counselors,” Lieberman said. Indeed, campers seem delighted with the environment their counselors have created. “I loved that the counselors let us all vote on what we wanted to do,” said Greyson Hillin, an Austin camper. Mark Greenberg, a two-year returning camper who is also from Austin, agreed that, "Camp Spark is an awesome place to go, because it's not only fun, it's a place where you have a bit of freedom.” Since its inception in Dallas in 2010, Camp Spark has expanded throughout the United States into nine cities and serves approxi-

mately 300 kids. In addition to Dallas, Camp Spark locations currently include Austin and Plano; Denver; San Francisco; Las Vegas; Boston; Winston-Salem, N.C.; and Waunakee, Wisc. Each location holds separate sessions for boys and girls and, in some cases, multiple sessions of each are held to accommodate the number of campers attending. The length of each camp is flexible: kids are able to sign up by the day, week, or for multiple week-long sessions, if available. Camp Spark blends business and philanthropy within a carefree, summer camp environment. Its young founders have tightly intertwined their own positive entrepreneurial experiences into the beneficial impact that the camp has on its young campers’ wellbeing. With this model in place, Lieberman is confident that Camp Spark will continue to make a lasting impact. “The Camp is full of fun and great physical activities. They keep you moving between one tournament to another, from basketball to football to soccer, and in between there [are] some small games, keep[ing] you active all the time without getting close to being exhausted,” said Ian Chamoun, another

Photos from the 2013 sessions provided by Camp Spark.

Austin camper. “There’s water all over the place so you don't get hit by the hot weather and at all times, we are reminded to keep hydrated. The most fun part of all is swim time, and the fun games by the beach…it's a beautiful place with so much of open fields, areas that allows for multiple activities to happen at the same time without even feeling it is crowded. It's the most amazing camp with a lot of fun stuff to do, I can't wait for this summer to come.” afm 04 .2014 • au stinfI tmaga z in e . c o m • 41

Live

F A Q Guidance for working out your healthy conundrums Questions submitted by readers, answered by AFM staff

Q How can I overcome the blues after resolution season or my big race?

A: Post-race blues can happen after completing your A-race and can include lethargy and an overall sad feeling. To get out of your funk, try signing up for your next race, even if it’s a long way away. Having a new goal will let you make some sense of your training. Don’t forget to also allow yourself some less rigorous exercise. Activities like yoga and team sports can help you relax and cheer up. Q Is there something I can do to kick start weight loss so that I don’t burn out on a diet immediately?

A: Congratulations on starting your weight-loss journey! There are a couple things you can do to make sure you don’t burn out immediately. First, don’t consider your change as a diet. Consider it a lifestyle. Calling it a diet will make you less likely to enjoy doing it, and can hinder your success. Next, take baby steps. Gradually start to phase out what might not be the best for you. For example, have a chocolate chip cookie once a week instead of once a day. Finally, start incorporating more fruits and vegetables into your diet. Before you know it, you’ll be craving carrots instead of chips. Best of luck!

Q How important is your BMI for your overall health long term?

A: Your BMI is a calculation of your weight-to-height ratio. Generally speaking, a healthy weight is one that equates with a body mass index of less than 25. A BMI between 25-29.9 is considered overweight, and a BMI of 30 and above is considered obese. While measuring individuals BMI is the easiest way for a doctor to measure obesity for the mass population; it is not a good indicator for an individual’s status. Your BMI cannot distinguish between fat and muscle. Muscle and bone are more dense than fat, so an athlete or a more muscular person for example may have a higher BMI when they do not have a high percentage of body fat. Your BMI cannot distinguish between the different types of fat in your body and where they are being stored. Visceral fat, for example, is a bad fat found in your stomach and will not look any different than good fat that is simply sitting under your skin. Therefore, keeping track of your weight and body fat percentage is much more important for your long-term health than worrying about your BMI. afm

Do you have a workout question that needs addressing? Submit your healthy conundrums to FAQ@austinfitmagazine.com (please include your name, email address, and phone number with your question). 42 • austi nf Itm agazin e .com • 04.2 014

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Fit Over 40

Amazon Express Pioneer

Austinite West Hansen paddled the Amazon River, from source to terminus By Carrie Barrett ou've seen the black and white stickers on the backs of cars—13.1, 26.2, 140.6. If you live in the world of endurance racing, you instantly recognize those distances, but did you know there's a car in Austin driving around with a similar sticker of 4,103.2? Just who is this endurance freak, and what did he do for more than 4,100 miles? That Austinite is 52-year-old West Hansen, a long-time ultramarathon canoe and kayak racer. And that sticker? Well, that sticker put him in the history books. From Aug. 17 to Dec. 5, 2012, West and his whitewater and flatwater crews became the first ever to paddle 44 • austi nf Itm agazin e .com • 04.2 014

the entire Amazon River, from its newest discovered source at 14,000 feet on the Mantaro River in Peru, to the Atlantic Ocean in Brazil. This recordsetting Amazon Express Expedition was sponsored in part by the National Geographic Expedition Council and collected data for the Pacific BioDiversity Project that monitors changes occurring in the Amazon Region. As one can imagine, ample adventure took place during those four months and 4,100 miles on the Amazon. Much of it was expected, including the Class V whitewater rapids in the first 500 miles, the altitude adjustments from 14,000+ feet to sea level, and even the blizzard-like conditions just days into

the expedition. Being held at gunpoint five times, however, was not part of the plan, and neither was tearing a shoulder muscle on Day Three, finding copious amounts of marijuana floating down the river, or facing 12-foot high waves just miles from the finish. “You definitely have to have a sense of humor and flexibility, especially when you're going places no one has gone before,” said Hansen, who was the leader and self-proclaimed chief bottle washer of this expedition. “A good leader has a strong sense of self and knows how to make firm decisions, but also listens to others, especially when tough decisions need to be made.” The leader and his crews were faced with many precarious photography by Erich Schlegel, Amazon Express Expedition

moments and, many days, it seemed like paddling was the easy part. Hansen’s journey as a central Austinite turned ultramarathon canoe/kayaker and leader of an historic expedition all started in college. He was born in League City, Texas and went to college at Southwest Texas State in San Marcos. He took a class on whitewater kayaking in the early 1980s and was hooked. He's been paddling and racing ever since. “What's funny is that I'm not even fit right now,” the 52-year-old social worker laughed. “I had shoulder surgery in early December, and I can't run, ride, or do anything that would jar loose the work they've done.” Unfortunately, he's no stranger to surgeries, having endured four of them as a result of decades of ultramarathon canoe racing. “There are ways to not get injured,” he reflected when asked if injury is just part of the gig, “but probably not if you want to win.” Hansen has won his fair share of ultramarathon races throughout the years and holds speed records in the 260-mile Texas Water Safari and the Missouri River 340. When prepping for a long race like the Texas Water Safari (billed as the World's Toughest Canoe Race), there is no substitute for practicing on the water. However, he also does a lot of dryland strength and intensity work, and he credits local trainers—including David Goodin from Shredderbuilt, Lance Hooten from Hooten Sport Performance Training, and Brook Jones from Hyde Park Gym— for whipping him into shape when he needs it most. When preparing for the Amazon Express Expedition, Hansen also spent time at the U.S. Canoe and Kayak Training Center in Charlotte, N.C., honing his whitewater skills on Class V rapids. Hansen’s racing days aren't necessarily behind him. In fact, he hopes to race the Texas Water Safari this June. Racing did, however, take a backseat to the rigors of planning and completing the Amazon Express Expedition. “There is some overlap between racing and expeditions,” he said. “Racing helps you prepare mentally, but expeditions are much easier on your body as you slow the pace down, establish a rhythm and a consistent daily routine. The only time we felt pressure on the Amazon was getting back to our families.” It was hard to adjust and disconnect at first, but this expedition also gave Hansen a fresh perspective and appreciation

for seeing the world at a pace that our senses can actually absorb. He doesn't like to call it “slowing down” as much as he calls it, “correcting” our natural pace. “It's cool to be on a rocket,” he joked, “but it's just not natural. “Racing is like being on a rocket. An expedition is like being on a long hike. You may pass by the same objects, but you just get to see them differently.” Hansen's approaching his post-50th birthday years that way, too. But why live in Austin, seeing as it's not totally conducive to whitewater training? “Because it's Austin,” he replied right away. “It's home. I love the lifestyle, the political flavor, and the creative energy here.” He's definitely taking advantage of that creative energy—Hansen has hired all local editors, graphic designers, and musicians for his forthcoming documentary about the expedition, called “Peeled Faces on the Amazon.” Currently finishing up his documentary and simultaneously preparing for the next top-secret, history-making paddle expedition taking place this month,

Hansen plans to tackle some dryland adventures after that. He’s taking on the Tour Divide Mountain Bike Ride, Leadville Trail 100, and the entire 2,100-mile Appalachian Trail. “As I've gotten older, my stamina and endurance have actually increased,” he said. “I can persevere and endure more discomfort than I could when I was younger.” Based on his passion and enthusiasm for ultra endurance events, he's not stopping anytime soon. So, if you're driving down the road and you pass that car with the 4,103.2 sticker, know that West Hansen paddled every mile, from source to sea, along the entire Amazon River. afm 04 .2014 • au stinfI tmaga z in e . c o m • 45

Live

Saving Dogs through RuffTail Running

Andre, running with a RuffTail Runners volunteer.

Pairing homeless pets with runners benefits all By Mason Wheeless e have all seen the commercials. Gut-wrenching images of disfigured and clearly abused cats and dogs displayed on screen as Sarah McLachlan’s “Angel” plays in the background, every second of it carefully crafted to tear at our heartstrings and encourage us to do something about the problem of abused, abandoned, and generally neglected pets. For many of us, we will see this commercial, be saddened by it, and forget all about it when the ad is over and our show of choice starts back up. For the folks at RuffTail Runners, though, this is a problem they are confronting every single day, and they are doing it in a way that attacks the problem on multiple fronts and uniquely benefits every person and dog involved. “At the simplest level, we are about connecting shelter dogs and people with something that benefits them both, running or walking,” said Rob Hill, RuffTail Runners’ founder and co46 • austi nf Itm agazin e .com • 04.2 014

was approached about running some of director. “Our goals are to make shelter Austin Pets Alive!’s high-energy dogs. dogs happier, healthier, and betterIn July 2011, the program was officially behaved, all of which makes them opened to the public, and participation easier to adopt.” has exploded since. It was also around The group, working mostly with this time that Lindsay Marsh came on Austin Pets Alive! but also with Loveboard as co-executive director, taking a-Bull (a nonprofit that educates and things “up yet another 80 notches,” advocates on behalf of pit bulls), trains according to Hill. In addition to volunteers on how to properly run with promotion from Austin Pets Alive! and shelter dogs so that they can take them wide-scale media exposure, RuffTail for unsupervised runs. Runners finds runners and dog lovers “The vast majority of runners want to alike through the social networking take the trail, but runners are allowed site MeetUp, amassing 2,590 followers on the road as well, and we coach them to date. RuffTail has also worked with on how to run a dog properly, safely, and several local businesses to offer politely on both,” Hill said. incentives to regular volunteers RuffTail Runners is an with the program. offshoot of the wonderful The group has been folks at Team Spiridon, a model for similar a registered 501(c)(3) interested in programs around the nonprofit focused on volunteering with world. Groups from as helping people achieve RuffTail Runners? far away as Melbourne, running goals while You can find more Australia have contacted fundraising for Austin’s information at Hill about how they homeless pet dilemma. rufftailrunners.org. might mimic the success The offshoot was created RuffTail has experienced informally in 2010 when Hill

Spring Condo Charlotte Bri 27th floor Unit, $360,000 51 Photo by Karen Hardwick

here. Though the commitment required to manage and maintain the program here in Austin makes expansion on any serious level difficult at this time, Hill and Marsh have been able to guide the creation of pilot programs in Dallas and Arizona, where they are experiencing similar growth and success. Locally, though, RuffTail continues to create happy endings to sad stories of abandonment and neglect. Nora Dock knew about RuffTail Runners for several months before she finally made the decision to attend a training class in December 2013 and was able to begin running some of the dogs. On her fourth trip out, Dock was paired with a dog named Cachito, and off they went, hitting the Lady Bird Lake trail. Following their run, Cachito spotted a woman and his reserved demeanor changed immediately. Wagging his tail and shaking, Cachito dragged Dock to the feet of a woman, whom he greeted and smiled at excitedly. The woman—Suzanne— immediately fell for Cachito’s charms, but she had just lost a beloved pet and didn't think she was yet ready to replace it. Dock understood completely and detailed how Suzanne might track them down if she became ready. “It turned out Suzanne couldn't forget about Cachito,” Dock recalled, “and a few weeks later, she tracked him down, [then] in foster in our home. At the meet-and-greet, Cachito was so happy to see Suzanne again. He wiggled and smiled and wouldn't leave her side. He definitely chose her. His new mom takes him to the trail every Sunday. He has his very own sofa to lie on and a fireplace to nap in front of.” Though connections such as Suzanne’s and Cachito’s are wonderful to behold, Hill knows that their work will likely never be done. “What we would really like,” Hill joked,”is to not have any dogs to run with and for Austin Pets Alive! to go away because there’s nothing for them to do.” RuffTail Runners will continue offering temporary companionship to Austin’s forgotten best friends and doing their best to create a world where we won't have to cry while watching those heartbreaking commercials ever again. afm

CharBrig

Charlotte Brigham, Your Down Broker, MBA

512-423-5707 • CharBrigham@gmail.com

Realize Your Dreams of Downtown Charlotte Brigham, Broker, MBA Living Today!

RuffTail Runners Fit Dog Needs Home

512-423-5707 CharBrigham@Gmail.com Your Downtown Condo Expert

Meet a rescue dog that was submitted as one of AFM’s Fittest Dog contestants.

ndre Agassi is a 4-year-old bully breed mix (the American pit bull terrier, American Staffordshire terrier, and Staffordshire bull terrier are some examples of bully breeds). Andre, an Austin Pets Alive! rescue, was named after the pro athlete because of his habit of hoarding tennis balls. He was the star of the RuffTail Runners program and went on long runs almost daily before being adopted in 2012. But in 2013, Andre escaped from his home while it was being burgled and got hit by a car, suffering extreme injuries. Unfortunately, his adopters couldn't afford the medical cost or attention his injuries required, and they surrendered him back to APA!. Dr. Kristen Kjellberg, APA!’s amazing vet, said Andre's good physical condition played a tremendous part in his recovery. Though he’s missing a patella in one leg, Andre is able to hop into cars, and he pulls eagerly on his leash in order to meet people, especially kids. “I don't know for sure whether he'll ever be able to run again,” said Kjellberg, “but if he can't, I don't think it's the end of the world. Some of the best triathletes and runners I know have had knee injuries that took them out of the game for months, years, or even forever. It's what they’ve done with their situation that speaks the best of them. You find something else to do (be it swimming, CrossFit, or hiking) because we are all athletes, and the particular sport is just a medium to express that.”

Check in with Austin Pets Alive! (austinpetsalive.org) to discover if Andre— or another wonderful and fit dog—is available for adoption.

04.2 014 • au stinfI tmaga z ine.co m • 47

Realize your Dreams of Downtown Living Today!

Charlotte Brigham, Broker, MBA 512-423-5707 CharBrigham@Gmail.com Your Downtown Condo Expert

ATTENTION ALL

Realize your Dreams of Downtown Living Today!

ATHLETES

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Michael W. Burris, M.D. Specialty Trained in Sports Medicine Providing a more personal experience for injured athletes CapitalCityOrtho.com 12201 Renfert Way • Suite 370 512.617.1989

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The Pulse | Keeping Fitness Fun If you’re looking for some spring reading, check out these books before their film adaptations hit theaters later this year.

April is tax time and, if you’re lucky, you’re getting a return. Here’s what you can buy with the average individual tax return in Texas, or

$2,687.68

Gone Girl

(in theaters Oct. 3)

Book by Gillian Flynn Film starring Ben Affleck, Neil Patrick Harris

• 1,191 packs of GU

This Is Where I Leave You (in theaters Sept. 12)

Book by Jonathan Tropper Film starring Jason Bateman, Tina Fey, Adam Driver

The Giver

(in theaters Aug. 15)

• 673 Sumo tangerines from Whole Foods Market • 34 annual memberships to Austin B-Cycle

Book by Lois Lowry Film starring Jeff Bridges, Meryl Streep

• 12 weekend passes to Austin City Limits 2014

• 1 pair of Lucchese Sweetwater crocodile skin boots

The Fault In Our Stars (in theaters June 6)

Book by John Green Film starring Shailene Woodley, Laura Dern

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay (in theaters Nov. 21)

Book by Suzanne Collins Film starring Jennifer Lawrence, Liam Hemsworth

Book Bit From Duel in the Sun: The Story of Alberto Salazar, Dick Beardsley, and America’s Greatest Marathon by John Brant “In the course of all his marathons and in all the thousands of miles he’d covered in other races and workouts around the world—from a gravel road along the St. Croix River on the MinnesotaWisconsin border to the London Bridge across the Thames—Dick thought he’d seen, heard, touched, and felt everything possible. He’d been chased by dogs. The skin between his thighs had chafed until he bled. His muscles had cramped into iron. Opponents had knocked him down, and he had knocked down opponents. He’d been snowed on, rained on, hailed on, scorched and frozen, and raked by tempest winds. He had taken wrong turns. He had run superbly, wretchedly, and indifferently. But he had never, ever felt phantomlike pillars of air where his legs ought to be.” Photo by Brian Fitzsimmons

Playlist: Willie Nelson "Whiskey River" — Willie Nelson "Shotgun Willie" — Willie Nelson "Roll Me Up" — Willie Nelson feat. Snoop Dogg "On the Road Again" — Willie Nelson "Always on My Mind" — Willie Nelson

Willie Nelson marks his 81st birthday on April 23, so let's celebrate by listening to some of his greatest hits and covers.

" My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys" — Willie Nelson "Midnight Rider" — Willie Nelson "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain" — Willie Nelson "Cold War with You" — Willie Nelson feat. Lukas Nelson "Forgiving You was Easy" — Willie Nelson http://ow.ly/pVyS9 http://ow.ly/uAZCD http://ow.ly/twS23 http://ow.ly/rKVeb

48 • austi nf Itm agazin e .com • 04.2 014

Introducing the pick of the pack

2 0 1 4 F i t t e s t Do g s photography by Brian Fitzsimmons

aust infItmagazine.c om â&#x20AC;˘ 04.2014

Mowgli (page 52)

Steve (page 53)

Faith (page 54)

Riley (page 55)

Bailey (page 56)

Gunnar (page 57)

Ninja (page 58)

Rosebud (page 59)

Sugar (page 60)

Steven Jalape単o (page 61)

Lacy (page 62)

Molly Mae (online at austinfitmagazine.com)

Mowgli

She also loves to jump. Mowgli, lover and destroyer of Frisbees, can Re a dy f o r jump high in the air to A dv e n t u r e catch them. Her current favorite toy, however, is a ometimes you see dogs plain purple squeaky ball accessorized with frilly she found at a park. Since bows, stylish scarves, then, the two have been or cute little shoes. It’s a little inseparable. “She’s obsessed less common to see a dog with it,” said Keiser. with an adventure backpack. Mowgli loves adventure as Mowgli is a German much as she loves her purple shepherd mix, with one ball. She’s traveled to Moab, perky and one floppy ear. Utah with her owners, where She’s mostly black-brown they go mountain biking and with an outline of toffeehiking in the vibrant desert colored coat. Although she’s setting. Mowgli wears her already 2 years old, Mowgli orange backpack. “As soon as still retains that puppy her backpack comes out, she look. And in a city full of knows it’s time for some kind active people and their pets, of adventure,” said Keiser. Mowgli leads the pack. By“She Natalie As active as Mowgli lovesEngland to please us,” Photography by Brian Fitzsimmons can be, she is also calm said owner Kristen Keiser.

aust infIt maga zine.c om • 04.2014

and sweet with children and other animals, and her puppy face makes her approachable. Keiser recalled, “Last time we were in Moab, a little girl came up to us and said ‘Did you know your dog’s ear is broken?’” While Mowgli enjoys chasing squirrels, that gentle, approachable character remains constant; she’s been know to simply let a squirrel scamper away after catching it. “She has yet to meet a person, child, dog, or creature that she doesn’t want to be friends with,” Keiser said. Like a true Austinite, Mowgli relishes her time outdoors at local parks, including Zilker Park, the Barton Creek greenbelt, and

“She has yet to meet a person, child, dog, or creature that she doesn’t want to be friends with.” Kristen Keiser Barton Springs spillway. She can also be found canoeing on Lady Bird Lake and socializing at local bars. “As long as she is with her family, she’s the happiest dog around,” Keiser pointed out. That is, unless it’s bath time.

— Sara Sa n c h e z

STeve

Sta n d i n g O u t from the Crowd

eet Steve—the dog who outruns his owner for longer distances, catches fish with his mouth, and stars on his own Instagram account. Steve is a 2-year-old pit bull and pointer mix. He’s white with black spots, his coat vaguely resembling an Oreo shake from P. Terry’s. He’s an unstoppable ball of energy who remains fiercely loyal to his owner, Buck Ashcraft. Steve was adopted from Austin Pets Alive! on April 2. Ashcraft had been looking to adopt a dog, but hadn’t found a compatible one. Everything changed that morning. “I woke up on a Monday and thought, ‘Go adopt a dog,’” Ashcraft said. Since joining his new home, Steve has been by Ashcraft’s side on all sorts of high-energy adventures. He even pulls his owner on his skateboard. Steve isn’t your usual mixed breed. His pit side gives him high amounts of energy, while his pointer side makes him a hunter and a herder. This mix has created some memorable occasions. Once, when Steve and Ashcraft were hiking, Steve took off running and returned with deer he herded straight toward his startled master. “As funny as that may sound, there’s nothing more frightening than to look up and see 100 deer, with a ‘deer in the headlights’ look, coming at you at full speed because they’re being herded by the dog you adopted with a herding instinct,” Ashcraft said. Aside from his natural instincts, Steve can perform some pretty cool tricks. He can catch fish with his mouth while stand-up paddling with Ashcraft. He can also run at speeds up

“Like people, if you show them love, you will get love.” B u ck A s h cra f t

to 20 mph while pulling Ashcraft on his skateboard with incredible agility. Steve also likes to run along the trail as Ashcraft wakeboards. Steve’s Instagram account (spottedsteve) features pictures and videos of the dog in action, such as jumping through a tire swing. Since Steve is so active, his diet has to be able to keep up with him and provide the proper nutrients. Ashcraft feeds him a lean diet with little to no “people food.” Steve eats grain-free dry food mixed with Healthy Hound lamb and brown rice packs that Ashcraft finds at the farmers market. “I like that they are local, and I know [the food is] natural and fresh, and it shows on Steve,” Ashcraft said. Under the layer of Steve’s active personality is a more gentle side. He greets his owner at the door—and has learned how to close it, too— and is an overall gentle dog. “People make assumptions about certain breeds,” said Ashcraft. “Like people, if you show them love, you will get love.”

— Sara Sa n c h e z

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Faith

O v e rc o m i n g O b stac l e s

hen you think of a dachshund, you might picture tiny legs and creatures prone to lounging in the sun. But Faith, a 4-yearold female, is out to prove everyone wrong. Faith was adopted from a breeder as a companion for her owner Shelly Mattson’s other dachshund, Bevo. She was first enrolled in agility classes as a way to boost her confidence and help her come out of her shell. “We noticed her immediately due to her loud black and white coat color, and the fact she was twice the size of the other puppies. We picked her up out of the crate and you could tell she was

extremely scared and nervous,” Mattson said. “It really was love at first sight.” Faith is now an active member in her agility classes, and she can keep up with classmates that are two to three times bigger than she is. Mattson can use voice commands to guide Faith through the agility course obstacles, and she said that Faith has passed her classes “with flying colors.” Outside of agility classes, Faith spends the majority of her time running around with siblings, chasing squirrels in the backyard, and getting in a fair amount of stretching. According to Mattson, Faith hasn’t seemed to figure out that she’s a dog, and enjoys being the center of attention. Since dachshunds are prone to weight issues that

aust infIt maga zine.c om • 04.2014

“She is extremely eager to learn.” S h e ll y Ma t t s o n

can cause back injuries, Faith eats three meals a day. Two of those consist of organic weight control dry food, and the other of fresh protein and vegetables. Faith’s personality emerges as she starts on the obstacle courses. Is motivation provided by a fresh bag of turkey? It appears that, overall, Faith enjoys her obstacles. “She is extremely eager to learn,” explained Mattson. “My only challenge is keeping up with her once she starts.”

— Sara Sa n c h e z

Riley

S o m eo n e to Watc h Ov e r

n her own, Riley won’t come up to you when you first meet. Instead, she’ll look for a while, and then look some more. But when you see her with her owner, Jay Cushman, it’s another story. Riley first came into Cushman’s life a little more than a year ago. She was being fostered by Cushman’s wife Ashley’s hairdresser, who cares for as many as ten dogs at a time. The Cushmans decided to adopt Riley, who has a slim build that, except for her tan color, bears a slight resemblance to a coyote. As

Riley is far as agility as loyal and is concerned, gentle as she is she could active and curibe one. But ous. She reRiley’s a J ay C u s h m a n ceived training basenji mix, from her previwhich means ous owners that included she very rarely barks and is such unique and whimsical more reserved. Nonetheless, activities as wiping her paws she enjoys running around before coming inside. She can with other dogs and also play dead and dance. swimming in a retention Riley also herds the Cushpond at her local dog park. mans when she feels it’s their She also likes jogging and bedtime. “The main signal exercising with Cushman, that she is ready for bed is who has multiple sclerosis. that she will jump into my lap Cushman found out he (even though she is too big had MS after going for a run to be a ‘lap dog’) and put her and then mowing the lawn; muzzle on my neck as if she suddenly, parts of his body is hugging me. She loves to went numb. Since then, Riley cuddle,” Cushman said. has been by his side on the jogs and during the exercises that help Cushman manage — Sara Sa n c h e z his MS symptoms.

“She Loves to Cuddle.”

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Bailey

A M o d e l f or H e r Br e e d

ailey the therapy hound catches curious glances everywhere she goes. With her classic floppy ears, tri-color markings, and ample muzzle, the skeptical watch in awe as thoughts of rotund, waddling basset hounds cloud their perception. “There’s really only one reason why people think she’s strange looking— she isn’t fat,” owner Cynthia Martinez said.

“There’s really only one reason why people think she’s strange looking— she isn’t fat.” C y n t h i a Mar t i n e z

Martinez, a former gym rat, now tailors her activities to Bailey. She quickly realized that her previous notion about having a basset hound meant “the occasional walk during the week” was far from true. This team gets moving multiple times a day, logging between two and five miles on their long walks. Bailey’s slim swagger can be seen at many area charity dog walks. Her favorite event, Strut your Mutt Austin, gives her the opportunity to raise money for Helping Hands Basset Rescue. To date, Bailey has donated more than $700 to the group that treated her for heartworms and gave her a second chance at a healthy life. “She’s always been an advocate for dog rescues, basset hounds, and giving

people kisses after they’ve eaten,” Martinez explained. Spreading joy comes naturally to Bailey, who was titled “Canine Good Citizen” in February 2013. Her aptitude for exuberance and high energy slightly prolonged her training time, but she persevered and now makes weekly therapy visits while wearing her neon green “therapy dog” vest. Bailey is a member of Divine Canines, and she recently completed her 50th dog therapy visit, which includes frequent rounds at her favorite place, St. David’s Rehabilitation. She is now eligible for the American Kennel Club’s prestigious “Therapy Dog” title. During her downtime and on a rainy day, you won’t find Bailey lounging idly on the couch. Instead, she keeps her mind sharp with daily mental exercises such as nose work and puzzle toys. “Sniffing for fun with food rewards is the best thing ever, for her,” Martinez said. All of her hard work deserves a treat, and Bailey keeps her paws crossed for her unquestionable favorite, peanut butter. You’ll find this fit dog sharing her sense of adventure anywhere dogs and people mingle. Whether it’s on a local trail, at a dog-centered charity 5K, an event like Dogtoberfest, or even the vet (yes, the vet), Bailey’s fun-loving spirit is contagious: “She’s a serially happy dog.”

— L or i B u rk h ar d t

aust infIt maga zine.c om • 04.2014

Gunnar

T hr il l Se e k i n g S o cc e r S t a r

unnar is unconventional in many ways. His journey into the lives of Terry and Liana Collie was not that of your typical rescue dog. The couple had always owned “big dogs” and was dealing with the heartbreak that comes from saying goodbye to an older pet. After a month or so of watching some friends unsuccessfully attempt to raise a then three-monthold Yorkshire terrier for use as a “good chick magnet,” Liana convinced Terry that a heartworm-positive and flea-ridden puppy should be the newest member of their family. After being treated for both health issues, he

was primed for adventure. The Collies have always been an active couple, but Gunnar has spurred participation in more regular outdoor activities. “We like to plan outings that he is able to participate in,” Collie said. The Collies worked diligently with Gunnar to overcome serious issues with carsickness so frequent outings would be possible. He is now a “happy little furbaby, hanging his head out the car window, enjoying the wind in his face.” When Gunnar isn’t taking advantage of the outdoors, by hiking on the greenbelt or around Lady Bird Lake, chasing squirrels, or on duck watch from atop a kayak, he’s showing off his “mad soccer skills.” Using the house hallway as his field, he can dribble, trap, stop, and control the tennis

ball he uses as a more proportionate soccer ball. “We have no idea where [the ability] came from,” Collie said, though she speculates it could be due to his “need to play with all his toys at once,” as he plays with one toy while carrying another in in his mouth. Even though Gunnar prefers to play soccer solo, he is a team player. He tags along with the Collies to pet-friendly sporting events like local races and CrossFit competitions to cheer on friends. When Gunnar visits Liana’s mom, he is eager to join her Georgetown Triathlete Club evening track workouts and swims in Lake Georgetown. Thanks to Gunnar’s early exposure to a myriad of energy requiring activities, this Yorkie was never destined to be toted around in a handbag

“It’s all about how they are raised early on. He could have easily been an inside/patio dog for the rest of his life.” L i a n a C oll i e

or spend lazy days on his owners’ laps. When asked to comment on the notion that small dogs can’t be active, Collie said, “It’s all about how they are raised early on. He could have easily been an inside/patio dog for the rest of his life.”

— L or i B u rk h ar d t

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Ninja

B u n d l e Br a w n

o f

aised from puppyhood by Jerod and Christina Rollins, this pint-sized inspiration for perspiration is just what his owners needed to stay healthy. With a name like “Ninja,” this Pomeranian was destined to tear down small dog stereotypes, and he hasn’t stopped yet. Weighing in at seven pounds, Ninja has always been at the breed’s target weight. His daily enthusiasm for activity and inclination to be outdoors keep him active. “His in-your-face, take-meout personality is what we absolutely love about him,” Jerod Rollins said. Four years ago, the Rollinses made a commitment

all about,” Rollins said. to positive change. “[We] With Ninja’s ever wanted to see a change energetic, “go-getter” in ourselves and become attitude, he’s helped Team proactive in living a healthier Rollins lose more than 40 lifestyle,” Rollins said. pounds. On average, he Busy workdays forced runs six to eight miles per workouts to be scheduled week and has increased his in the evenings and were stamina enough to tackle the initially done without Ninja. challenging hills of Lakeway. Admitting to feeling a bit In 2013, he logged more than guilty for leaving Ninja at 100 miles between trail and home, the couple found pavement, and Ninja holds a way for their pet to join a 26-minute 5K personal in their outdoor exercise record. Not what you might adventures. They would soon expect from such short find out that Ninja was the stature and petit poundage. perfect personal trainer who When the was thrilled Central Texas to spend time heat starts to with his owntake its toll, ers and “overly Ninja and team eager and don’t retreat itching to burn to an air-consome energy ditioned living …He brings room. Instead, joy to our day, J e ro d R oll i n s they look to every day, and the water to that’s what it’s

aust infIt maga zine.c om • 04.2014

“He brings joy to our day, every day, and that’s what it’s all about.”

keep cool. Passersby often do a double take when they see Ninja, who may possibly be confused with a vibrant puffball, riding shotgun aboard a SUP or at the bow of a kayak. “Contrary to his physical aesthetics, he is ready to get down and dirty if the activity calls for it,” Rollins said, citing “anywhere water is accessible” as a preferred destination for Ninja. “Sometimes he even surprises us with what he can accomplish, being so small,” Rollins said. Since Ninja has proven he isn’t a just-along-for-the-ride pup, “cycling” may be in his future. Rollins is a cycling enthusiast, and he and his wife recently welcomed their newborn son Colt to the family: “I’m sure an attachable [bike] trailer is in our near future.”

— L or i B u rk h ar d t

Rosebud

O n e To u g h Co o k ie

t just six years old, Rosebud has overcome more trials and tribulations than most dogs see in their lifetime. A double rescue, Rosebud was adopted by her current owner Max Woodfin and his family in 2009 from Austin Dog Rescue. Rosebud immediately showed her love for swimming, diving, and running. Every morning at sunrise, Woodfin and Rosebud run the MoPacPfluger Bridge loop, with the Deep Eddy trail as an occasional addition. This usually equals 3–3.5 miles; Rosebud, however, has shown her endurance by running as much as ten miles.

“the sweetest disposition of any dog we’ve owned in our almost 40 years of marriage.” Ma x Woo d f i n

A couple of years back, Rosebud was diagnosed with a fleshy, non-cancerous tumor on her left rear leg. The vet assured them that there was no hurry to have it removed and advised waiting to do so until Rosebud could be confined for a few days, which is difficult considering Rosebud’s active lifestyle. Just last year, before the Woodfins had the opportunity to have Rosebud’s tumor removed, she dug her way under their house to chase a cat across the street. While in the

middle of the street, Rosebud was struck by a taxi and immediately dropped to the ground. After taking several x-rays, the vet determined that there were no broken bones or internal injuries, just a lot of soft tissue trauma on her left rear hip and knee, the same leg as her tumor. After a quick three-month recovery, Rosebud was back to her old self, running with Woodfin and living her active

lifestyle. Her tumor was removed three months ago, and Rosebud’s leg and spirit offer no evidence of trauma. She runs close to Woodfin’s side, matching and keeping his pace. She loves the water, will swim or run as far as it takes to retrieve a tennis ball, and proves the strength of her leg by climbing over rocks and boulders. Not only is Rosebud tough, she has a sweet, calming

presence that makes her lovable. Woodfin summed up her character best when he said she has “the sweetest disposition of any dog we’ve owned in our almost 40 years of marriage.”

— A l e x a Harr i s

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Sugar

Ca n ’ t Sto p Clim b e r

th i s

limbing and running up trees is usually an activity more suitable for squirrels, cats (big and small), and some people. However Sugar doesn’t know this. At the sight or sound of a squirrel, the 3-year-old Rhodesian ridgeback/Labrador retriever mix runs up a tree faster than you can say “Sugar, where’s the squirrel?” Andrew Collins was at Pease Park when he first saw Sugar effortlessly climb 30 feet up into a live oak, all in the hunt for a squirrel. Sugar has caught two squirrels since that day; she remains on the constant hunt to catch more.

“Since then, she has pushed herself to the limits in life.” A n d r e w C oll i n s

When Sugar is not climbing trees, she spends her time running, swimming, hiking, and playing catch, and her favorite places to play are the Barton Creek greenbelt and Pease Park. While Sugar is extremely friendly and loving, she also likes to spend time alone. She enjoys sunbathing in her yard or sitting on the porch and paying close attention to the happenings all around. Sugar is very observant. After a long day of activity, Sugar tends to have a big appetite. She eats grass, bones, and lean dog food throughout the day, but her favorite foods are asparagus and watermelon. While Sugar is fearless now, she has not always been

this way. “My earliest memory of her is as a puppy, underneath the streetlight at night, reluctantly whimpering, but eventually following me on our first night walk,” said Collins. “Since then, she has pushed herself to the limits in life, and that’s why I know she is Austin’s fittest dog.”

— A l e x a Harr i s

aust infIt maga zine.c om • 04.2014

Steven JalapeÑo

N ot h in g S h ort o f a M irac le

eighing just 8 ounces at birth and the runt of the litter, Steven Jalapeño’s life was expected to be short. At eight weeks, he fit into Ashley Hargrove’s palm, and his new owner knew she wanted to fight for his life. After Steven became unconscious several times and had near-death experiences, Hargrove was

ing with all forced to the other feed him dogs. After by syringe swimming, every two Steven runs hours around in around the the open clock for A s h l e y Har g ro v E grassy areas two weeks before lying in order to down and keep the drying off in the sun. Bruspup alive. sels Griffons are natural Thanks to her efforts, the climbers, and Steven chan4-year-old Brussels Griffon nels that ability to navigate is now a little ball of energy challening obstacle courses with no sign of his past created by Hargrove. medical traumas. Steven also uses his One of Steven’s favorite climbing skills on hikes. He pastimes is swimming. He is can run up and down the a frequent visitor to Barton Hill of Life, an extended, Springs and enjoys interact-

“He can run up and down the Hill of Life without a problem.”

rocky incline near the Barton Springs greenbelt at the Camp Craft trailhead, without a problem. Finally, like any active dog, Steven loves a good chase. Whether it is a squirrel or the occasional cat, his little legs get going faster than might be expected based on his pampered lapdog appearance. After a long day of playing, this energetic pup is often completely spent. “Steven will literally lay like a baby in my arms, on his back, never flinching and will just pass out,” Hargrove said.

— A l e x a Harr i s

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Lacy

Canine Move

the

icole Fisher’s sister was the one who originally rescued Lacy from the pound. For the first six months of the puppy’s life, she had spent most of her time closed in a kennel. Her high energy was too much for a house already full of young children and three cats, and Lacy was growing faster than the toddlers; she couldn’t stay. After much persuading, Fisher was convinced to take Lacy in, and the rest is history.

“Lacy is a loving, jumping, Fireball that likes to be outdoors as much as possible.” N i col e F i s h e r

Now 2 years old, Lacy is a loving, jumping fireball that likes to be outdoors as much as possible. Her favorite form of activity is swimming. This was recently demonstrated at Lake Georgetown when, at the first sight of water, she took off and completely immersed herself in the water. She loves sticks

aust infIt maga zine.c om • 04.2014

and, when one is thrown, she’ll swim as far as it takes to retrieve it. Fisher explained that Lacy’s theme song is Reel 2 Reel’s “I Like to Move It, Move It” because she really never stops. At this photo shoot, she was a whirling dervish of activity; she ate leaves, ran enthusiastically, slid across concrete platforms, and jumped into the creek, all without tiring. Lacy spends most of her weekends hiking. She runs ahead on the trails but always checks to make sure Fisher is not too far behind. And she jumps belly first into the first body of water that she finds. But Lacy is most famous for her love of tug-a-war. She has proven that the game need not be played with a rope; any object will suffice. She demonstrated this when she began playing tug-a-war with a stick. When Lacy is still, she likes a good belly rub. Fisher said that she signals when she’s ready by laying on her back with her paws up in the air, and any location is fair game for a massage: “Whether wading across rivers at the greenbelt, chasing Frisbees at Zilker, or enjoying the cool hardwood of the office, every place is a good place for a belly rub.”

— A l e x a Harr i s

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The Specialized Summer leagues give way to year-round focus on sport By Natalie England

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Child Athlete T

quicker around the base pads, but Meyer breaks his teaching he sanctity of spring and summer league play has long down to a foundational level. been immortalized in moving picture. The Bad News Speed and agility are the result of body control—or Bears revealed to everyone the joy that comes from essentially core strength. By working on coordination, uncoordinated misfits unifying together as a team, flexibility, and balance, young athletes also gain the fitness taking delight in small, innocent pleasures like brand that makes them more durable to perform and less prone new uniforms and celebratory pizza parties. to over-use injury. “We’ll start with bear crawling, singleEven The Sandlot provided a glimpse into the elation leg balance—all the foundational movements that lead to that surrounds daily throw and catch, new friends turned plyometric movement,” Meyer said. teammates, and the honor of playing on an actual field, with A certified physical educator, Meyer views himself more real bases and chalk lines. as a teacher, someone who is guiding children how to Once upon a time, youth sports participation changed by workout. His one-hour classes are structured like most any the season. Fall was for soccer or football, basketball during group fitness class, with a warm-up/movement preparation the winter, and summer was a time for baseball and softball piece, followed by speed and agility, and then strength. The leagues, when motivations were social as much as they core stability demonstrated during movement preparation were about the score. And for the kids participating, this dictates how athletes are introduced to speed and agility, arena allowed a casual whetting of the competitive appetite. with the overall goal being linear speed, multidirectional Functional movement training was disguised as sprinting agility, and deceleration skills. Lastly, athletes focus on total around the bases and diving after fly balls. body strength that will allow them to perform all of their But social eventually gave way to specialization. Now, as athletic movements with more early as the third grade, boys and speed and power. girls are beginning to play the same “There’s certainly a periodization sport throughout the year. Last factor,” Meyer said. “During sports spring, researchers from Loyola seasons, they might not come in for University Medical Center produced training as much, because they’re a study that concluded children at practice. Parents will sometimes shouldn’t spend more hours per say, ‘We haven’t seen you in a week than years of their age playing month, and we can tell.’ Regular one sport. Those who did were 70 maintenance is key.” percent more likely to experience Meyer opened his facility in overuse injuries. Ever heard of Loyola University Medical Center 2011 after previously working as a pitcher’s elbow or swimmer’s coach for CATZ, which also offers shoulder? youth performance and even elementary fundamentals As more children tend toward organized sports over free programming. As options for youth sports continue to grow, play or pick-up games, there’s also specialized, functional trainand seasons blend together into one continuous year-round ing that can complement their body awareness and activity. schedule, youth conditioning will continue to be a need. For Fitness facilities are adding youth performance training. instance, the West Austin Youth Association offers 30 sports “First and foremost, we want to teach that fitness can be and learning programs, starting at 18 months of age. fun,” said Tim Meyer of Meyer Athletic Development, located “The goal is really to produce capable, dynamic athletes,” in Cedar Park, Texas. “Exercise is not punishment.” Meyer said. “Maybe not everyone is going to end up with a The majority of Meyer’s youth athletes are 8–13 years college scholarship or even play on varsity. But we want kids old, and he says 95 percent of them are also engaged in a who are strong and performing at their very best.” afm competitive sport, either through club, school, or both. New athletes may sign up for performance training looking to get

“children shouldn’t spend more hours per week than years of their age playing one sport.”

04 .2014 • au stinfI tmaga z in e . c o m • 67

Reader Generated

#SXSWfit This year may have introduced the new SXsports, but AFM readers can always find the active side to SXSW.

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Dog Grooming 101

Tips for enjoying bath time with your pup By Sara Sanchez

rooming your dog can be either a fun bonding experience for both of you or a job you immediately want to pass on to someone else. Either way, be sure to prepare for an experience that both your dog and you will enjoy. Give your dog treats and praise while you do your work. This will help keep your dog engaged and obedient and will help it feel loved. If you want, you can even give your dog different treats than usual so that it can look forward to grooming time a little more. Be sure to engage with your dog. Talk

to it and reassure it throughout the entire process. Increased communication can help your pet feel less anxious, and it will make the grooming experience more fun for you, too. Be gentle with your dog. If you’re not, you’ll be making the process less inviting, which could make your pet less than excited for the next bath. Make sure you know what you’re doing. For example, nail clipping is an important part of regular dog grooming, especially for dogs that are kept primarily indoors. But it can be intimidating, and many dogs are anxious about the process. Educate

yourself before you go to work on your dog—there are instructions on the ASPCA website, aspca.org, and many vet-created videos on YouTube. Avoid getting water in Fido’s ears and eyes. Water in a dog’s ears can lead to an infection that has to be treated by a vet. And just like you, your dog doesn’t like the sensation, either. Take precautions; don’t just dump a bucket of water over the head when rinsing or wetting. If you need to clean out gunk, dog-friendly wet wipes can be useful and gentle. Don’t have the accessories needed at home? Consider using a self-serve dog 04 .2014 • au stinfI tmaga z in e . c o m • 71

Look

Mallory Adams, Austin Dirty Dog salon manager and professional groomer, with Duke.

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p ©

LIFT YOUR SEAT TONE YOUR THIGHS BURN FAT IN RECORDBREAKING TIME. grooming service. These places have all the tools you might need, including shampoo, clippers, and raised tubs. Different places have different rates and sometimes offer specials or packages. If you just can’t groom your dog, another option is a groomer. Do your research, though. It might take a couple of times to find a groomer that both you and your dog are comfortable with. Once you do find the right

groomer, don’t hesitate to state—and even write down—what specific services you want. Otherwise, your poodle might come out looking like a naked mole rat. At the end of it all, reward your dog with a new toy, a nice meal, or other special treat. Whatever you choose, make sure you end your grooming time on a positive note, so that it’ll be easier to start the next time around. afm

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Mallory Adams, Dirty Dog salon manager and professional groomer, took Duke (shown here and on page 72) through his paces and shared the following tips: • Shampoos with an oatmeal base or specialized formula are good for dogs with sensitive skin and allergies. There are even specialized shampoos that can help with heavy shedders. • Once lathered, brush your dog so that the soap reaches its skin. The type of brush you use depends on your dog’s breed. Rinse well. • Drying your dog with a highvelocity pet dryer can help with shedding and dander. These dryers use no heat so they don’t damage the skin and have a high (for fast drying) and low (gentle, for puppies and small dogs) speed. • Brush your pet’s teeth regularly, about 2–3 times a week; there

are a variety of methods—with a brush or using your finger—and special doggie toothpaste to use. Pet stores may also carry doggie mouth spray, which contains enzymes and helps the mouth stay cleaner longer.

ance meets strengt Where eleg h

• Cleaning the anal glands is important. Instructional videos are available at aspca.org/pet-care/ to show you how. As with all aspects of animal care, your vet is an excellent source of information.

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Fit Finds

Sandals 1

Birkenstock Arizona $129

birkenstockusa.com InStep Central (The Triangle: 815 W. 47th St.) Good news: Birkenstocks are back in style (even though most of us thought they never left). Give your 20-year-old pair a rest, and opt for some with brighter color and new designs. Although you can choose from more colors and designs, the comfortable yet durable soles have remained the same. Find your new pair and walk with comfort into the next 20 years. 2

Olukai ‘OHana $65

olukai.com Texas Running Company (1011 W. 5th St. #110) These Hawaiian inspired luxury waterproof sandals are designed to provide all-day durability and comfort. The sandals feature synthetic

Longer days, higher temperatures

leather, a jersey knit lining, neoprene foam back, and additional layers of comfort to ensure comfort and stability. Olukai makes men’s and women’s sandals, slip-ons, and boots.

Chaco Unaweep $100

Chacos.com REI (601 N. Lamar Blvd.) Physical therapists often recommend Chaco’s sandals; they carry the Seal of Acceptance from the American Podiatric Medical Association. But forget all that stodgy stuff: these super durable sandals hold up for all types of adventure. Adjustable strapping makes for a personalized fit, the footbed design provides comfort and support, and Vibram outsoles accommodate any surface. You can also throw these in the washing machine when they’re dirty.

beg for life without socks 4

Keen Clearwater CNX $100 Keen Owyhee $95

Keenfootwear.com REI (601 N. Lamar Blvd.) Keen has long been the go-to for functional water sandals and the new models include one significant and noticeable change—they’re extremely lightweight. Laser siping and multidirectional lug pattern on the sole creates extra grip; the new hybrid concept in construction encourages natural movement. Toe protection makes these a great choice for trekking through creeks on your hike, which is no accident; “CNX” is a play on “connect,” as the focus here is on you and your shoe finding that sweet spot in the environment.

photography by Brian Fitzsimmons

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There’s nothing quite like spring in Austin, or perhaps it’s more appropriate to call it the few weeks between winter and summer. Embrace the blue skies and warmer temperatures with some strolls about town, and don’t be afraid to feel the wind in between…your toes. Yep, that’s right. Sandals aren’t just for slackers anymore. Check out a few styles to keep you comfortable and carefree without sacrificing fashion. 04 .2014 • au stinfI tmaga z in e . c o m • 75

Medical Tent

Fitness Improves Outcomes for Infertile Couples Assisted reproductive technologies benefit from better health By Parviz K. Kavoussi, M.D. and Shahryar K. Kavoussi, M.D., M.P.H.

require in vitro fertilization (IVF) here is no better field in with a specialized process. To help medicine than fertility care with fertilization, one individual for treating two people at sperm is microscopically injected into the same time for optimal each individual egg in the IVF lab, a results. One unique aspect process known as intracytoplasmic of fertility care is that it requires an insperm injection (ICSI). Performing depth understanding of multiple organ varicocele repair in infertile couples systems and their complex functions that also undergo ICSI increases between two individuals. When pregnancy and live birth reproductive endocrinologists rates while decreasing and reproductive urologists miscarriage rates. work together, they are Twenty percent of Where does fitness able to optimize fertility infertility cases are enter the discussion? outcomes for the couple attributed solely Infertile men can as a whole. Although to the male while also benefit from evaluating and treating 30–40 percent counseling regarding both partners optimizes include both male lifestyle modifications. fertility, couples can and female factors. A reproductive urologist enhance their fertility may advise overweight men with fitness. A fitter couple who have a high body mass is a more fertile couple. index to lose weight, as that extra Having fertility problems? Data is mass invites a host of negatives for revealing that combination treatments fertility: worse sperm parameters, DNA provide the best outcomes. Forty damage to the sperm, worse embryo percent of infertile men with low sperm development, and decreased live birth counts have varicoceles. A varicocele is rates with IVF. Overweight men carry an abnormal dilation of veins around more fat deep in the pelvis and the the testicle; this is harmful to a man’s upper scrotum; as with a varicocele, this fertility because varicoceles trap accumulation of fat results in a heat heat and damage function. Surgically effect on the testicular cells, which is bad repairing varicoceles has been shown to for sperm production. Weight loss in this improve outcomes. instance is one area where good diet, Some infertile couples ultimately 76 • austi nf Itm agazin e .com • 04.2 014

adequate exercise, and overall fitness go a long way in aiding infertile couples. Fat in infertile men also affects those with non-obstructive azoospermia, a condition where there is no sperm in the semen. This is due to a deficiency in production rather than a blockage in anatomy, and 1 percent of men have this condition. A close relationship between the reproductive endocrinologist and reproductive urologist allows for coordination and enhanced outcomes in this complex case, as couples can still have a child together. A highly specialized surgical procedure called a microdissection testicular sperm extraction (MicroTESE) is required to use the man’s sperm and woman’s egg. MicroTESE consists of a meticulous microsurgical dissection through the testicle to find small pockets of sperm production, which may then be used along with IVF/ICSI. Again, how does fitness affect this procedure? Men who are fit and, therefore, leaner, carry less fat cells; fat cells convert testosterone into estrogen, and a good testosteroneto-estrogen ratio optimizes the odds of sperm retrieval with MicroTESE. Many women have questions about the effects of exercise and weight loss on their ability to become pregnant. Research has shown the positive effects of weight loss on the ability to become pregnant and decrease miscarriage rates. For example, recent studies have shown that weight loss improves live birth rates among overweight women dealing with infertility. In overweight and obese women, short-term weight loss improves pregnancy rates with IVF. Furthermore, a study published this year associated an active past year of sports and exercise with favorable IVF outcomes (the women in this particular study participated in mostly light physical activity and sedentary behaviors after embryo transfer, so the effects of an active lifestyle on embryo implantation was difficult to assess). Those with higher pregnancy rates with IVF had a higher level of continuous active living, sports and activity, and total activity indices during the preceding year. Ultimately, it's very important to evaluate both when couples are struggling with infertility. Often, solutions require teamwork from medical professionals and a combination of treatments, but a great first step in taking charge of fertility is becoming and staying fit. afm

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Medical Tent

Taking your dog to a pet care professional makes all the difference.

Preventative Veterinary Medicine for Active Central Texas Pets An ounce of prevention can keep your pet healthy

By Stacy Nipper Mozisek, M.S., D.V.M.

’m not sure Benjamin Franklin was thinking about our furry domestic friends when he said “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” but maybe he should have been. I feel fortunate to live in a city where there is ample opportunity to play outdoors with our beloved pets. From hiking to paddle boarding, fun outdoor activities can also pose risks for our pets that can often be prevented. Preventable dog and cat diseases seen in Central Texas stem from parasitic, bacterial, viral, and even environmental elements. Heartworm disease, a potentially 78 • austi nf Itm agazin e .com • 04.2 014

life-threatening condition for dogs and cats, is transmitted by an infected mosquito. If you have lived in Austin more than one minute, you know the Congress Avenue bats have not decimated our mosquito population. Fortunately, heartworm disease is easily prevented with a monthly oral or topical prescription medication. Keep in mind, indoor cats and dogs can also get heartworms since it takes just one pesky infected mosquito bite to spread heartworm disease. Other bothersome bugs, such as fleas and ticks, also facilitate disease transmission in the Austin area.

Historically, fleas and ticks were just part of pet ownership, but fortunately prescription and some over-thecounter flea and tick preventions have come a long way. Not only do fleas and ticks make our pets’ skin miserable, they also can carry diseases that are transmitted through their bloodsucking bite. I feel confident I can keep my patients flea- and tick-free with the proper topical and/or oral monthly preventions. When it comes to bloodsucking parasites like mosquitoes, fleas, and ticks, monthly prevention is the key. In Austin, these preventative measures should be given monthly and year-round. Another preventable and potentially life-threatening disease in our area is leptospirosis. Leptospirosis is a bacterium that is passed from infected wildlife (such as raccoons, skunks, squirrels, opossums, or deer) through their urine and into our yards, swimming holes, and along daily walking routes. A vaccine given annually can help protect dogs against the common strains of this zoonotic (meaning people can get it, too) disease. Although not as commonly diagnosed as some other diseases, this is one you don’t want to encounter. Leptospirosis can be life-threatening or could cost you lots of money to successfully treat—this is another disease you’d be better off preventing. Intestinal parasites are certainly prevalent in the outdoor environment. Your pets’ monthly heartworm prevention is also formulated to protect against many of the common intestinal parasites, such as hookworms, roundworms, and whipworms. However, other parasites such as giardia are also present in our area and require additional prescription medications to treat when present. Routine fecal screenings by your veterinarian will help ensure your pets are parasite free. The best vaccine protocol is one based on your pets’ lifestyle, age, health, and environmental exposure. This should be a customized protocol designed with your veterinarian. Routine wellness visits should address all of the above concerns. A trip to the vet isn’t just for sick animals; annual vet checkups are an important part of a proper wellness plan. That “ounce of prevention” is critical as we are our pets’ best advocates. afm photography by Brian Fitzsimmons

Feel

Dogs vs. People What do you know about the nose?

The Canine Nose Ever wonder why a dog’s nose is always wet? Dogs’ noses secrete a thin layer of mucous that helps them absorb scent. By licking their noses, they are able to sample the scent through their mouth.

10,000–100,000 X That’s how much more acute a dog’s sense of smell is than humans.

6 vs. 300 million Number of olfactory receptors in a person’s nose versus the maximum found in dogs.

How it Works When dogs inhale, the airflow enters the nose and splits into two different flow paths, one for olfaction and one for respiration (by contrast, humans smell and breathe through the same airways within the nose.)

Dogs can wiggle their nostrils independently. This helps them determine which nostril an odor has arrived in, which is helpful in tracking down the source of a particular scent. All dog owners know that moment when your dog is weaving back and forth trying to pinpoint that smell.

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The vomeronasal organ (also know as Jacobson’s organ) is what gives dogs their superior olfactory skill. Jacobson's organ, which humans do not possess, is located in the bottom of a dog's nasal passage; it picks up pheromones, the chemicals unique to each animal species that advertise mating readiness and other sex-related details.

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18,000 to 20,000 liters of air pass through an adult’s nose each day.

The floor of the nasal cavity is also the roof of the mouth.

The two human nostrils are divided by the nasal septum, which is made up mostly of cartilage, a tissue that is stiffer than muscle but more flexible than bone.

Did You Know? Anosmia: The inability to smell. Dysosmia: When things don’t smell as they should. Hyperosmia: Having a very strong sense of smell.

It is traditional for Maori people in New Zealand to press noses (hongi) as a greeting. “Thumbing your nose”—putting your thumb on your nose and wiggling the fingers while sticking your tongue out—is a derisive gesture that first appeared in about 1903.

The short hairs in the nasal cavity remove dust and other particles. While you can still smell if your nose is cut off, you lose that filtering ability, which makes it difficult to breathe.

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Feel

Canine Cancer Detectives A California research group trains dogs to sniff out cancer By John Byczek

ogs have an immeasurable desire to serve, and they do so very humbly, asking for little in return. All across the globe, dogs have learned to help the blind see and the deaf hear, and out in California, there is a new kind of pup sniffing its way into the pack of service dogs. The Pine Street Foundation, a nonprofit cancer research group in San Anselmo, Calif., has trained five dogs to sniff out cancer with incredible accuracy. It’s known that a dog’s sense of smell is far superior to that of humans, but Pine Street’s research has taken it to a new level. The Pine Street team started looking at alternative The dogs were able three Labrador retrievers and two Portuguese detective methods after a 1989 report about to sniff out the lung water dogs. a dog who spent an inordinate amount of cancer patient samples Using clicker training, an operant condiattention sniffing a skin spot on a female; with 99 percent tioning method that uses a clicker to indicate after clinical examination, it turned out to accuracy and breast success followed by a food reward, the dogs be a malignant melanoma. cancer patient samples were successfully trained in two to three With curiosity high, foundation staff with 88 percent week’s time. Pine Street Foundation then conbegan reading into other reports of dogs accuracy. ducted a series of single-blind and double-blind detecting disease by smelling skin, bodily experiments to test their training. waste, removed tumors, and even exhaled The dogs would enter a room with five containers, breath. After extensive research, Pine Street deone with a cancer patient breath sample and the other four cided to stick its nose into the biochemical markers that containers with controlled samples of patients with no prior people release while breathing. cancer history. Sitting by a specific container meant that Dr. Michael McCulloch and the Pine Street team took the dog had picked up a cancer scent. Upon completion, the breath samples from 55 patients with lung cancer, 31 patients results were astounding. with breast cancer, and 83 control subjects with no prior The dogs were able to sniff out the lung cancer patient cancer history. Then, it selected five dogs to undergo training: 82 • austi nf Itm agazin e .com • 04.2 014

samples with 99 percent accuracy and breast cancer patient samples with 88 percent accuracy. A very low number of false-negatives appeared, too, as the dogs sat by healthy samples only four times and did not sit 708 times. The results from the Pine Street Foundation’s study intrigued other groups and clinics to test their methods and accuracy. They are finding very similar conclusions. “We’re actually now engaged in a project where we are assisting multiple other teams around the clinic who are doing this kind of work with the dogs,” McCulloch said. “We’re providing leadership and guidance for those teams. That’s where you really start to see that the method actually works. When you see the method being replicated, that’s when you start to know that it really has validity.” Concerns have been raised, though, regarding nonmalignant inflammatory conditions, smoking, and what the patient ate before providing a breath sample and how that affects outcome. The Pine Street Foundation recognizes these concerns, but offers good news. “There were findings that the dogs were actually able to really be quite discerning in separating out feeds from other things, like smoking,”

McCulloch said. “And that’s wonderful—the dogs knowing what they’re supposed to be targeting.” The Pine Street Foundation’s research is moving toward the development of an “electronic nose”—one that can detect the specific biomarkers in exhaled breath. “Well, since our first paper was published, there are now dozens of different teams across the planet that are doing that kind of dedicated chemical analysis work,” McCulloch said. “So, it’s quite exciting to see that happening. It’s not going to be one compound, but rather a mixture of compounds, a panel of them.” The success and continuation of Pine Street’s research could provide a medical breakthrough for screening processes. Instead of using radiation or surgical biopsies, our four-legged friends could provide their service sooner than anticipated. “I’m going to anticipate that within the next five years, you’re going to see results from screening studies,” McCulloch said. “That’s where I think the benefit is really going to be—using the dogs as a low-cost screening method.” This research proves once again that the benefits dogs offer to mankind are limitless. afm 04.2 014 • au stinfI tmaga z ine.co m • 83

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Feel

Pet and Prescription

Finding health benefits of animal companionship for older people

oncerned about your elderly relatives’ loneliness, high blood pressure, boredom, grief, high cholesterol, depression, social isolation, lack of purpose in life, dementia, anxiety, sedentary lifestyle, or negativity? One of the best ways you can help your elders improve these and other aspects of their lives is to put them into regular contact with animals. Connecting your senior citizens with animals can also better your own life by giving you something positive to share with them. Unless your elders are among the 35 percent who don’t like cats or the 12 percent who don’t like dogs, according to a poll conducted by the American Humane Association, you can develop four strategies for increasing their contact with animals to enhance the quality of their lives. The first two strategies apply to elders still living in their own home or in a retirement community that permits pets. The other two relate to elders who live in an apartment, an assisted living facility, or a nursing home that doesn’t permit pets. The first strategy, of course, is to encourage Mom to get a pet if she is able to take care of it. A small dog, a cat, a bird, or a tank of fish can provide significant health benefits. Even if you have to help with the veterinarian visits or take care of the pet while Mom travels, you’ll know that her daily life will contain the enjoyment a pet can provide. If you don’t have a pet of your own, you can get your “fix” by 84 • austi nf Itm agazin e .com • 04.2 014

frequently visiting Mom and her pet. Sharing the care of a pet can cement a genuine intergenerational connection. The second strategy is to bring your own pet along, if you have one, when you visit your older relatives. Most dogs and many cats travel reasonably well. When you arrive at Dad’s with Fido in tow, you’re more likely to enjoy a pleasant conversation and maybe even a walk, and Dad is less likely to launch into a recital of his aches and pains. When Dad visits your house, your pet can serve as the welcoming committee, especially if there are no grandchildren for Dad to greet. Fido will provide endless topics of conversation and will give Dad something pleasant and beneficial to anticipate. The third strategy is best used before Grandma leaves her own home and moves into a facility, but you might be able to arrange it retroactively. Find out if there’s a therapy dog or cat that lives at the facility. If there isn’t, encourage the administrators to get one. Various local therapy organizations have cats and dogs who might be able to help. If there’s already a resident therapy animal, encourage Grandma to spend time with the animal and be sure to take her to visit the animal whenever you go see her. The final strategy might work when a resident therapy animal isn’t possible: Ask the administrators for regular visits from volunteers who take courses and have their pets certified for hospital and assisted living visits. Grandpa may find that the highlight of his week is the day the therapy dog

By J. Jody Kelly

If you are interested in arranging for pet therapy services, volunteering, or training your dog to participate, the following organizations are available in the Austin area. In addition to working with the elderly, many of these organizations provide therapy for those on the autism spectrum, wounded soldiers, children with reading disorders, and a wide variety of other groups. Austin Dog Alliance austindogalliance.org Divine Canines divinecanines.org • PAWS of Austin pawsofaustin.org Therapy Pet Pals of Texas therapypetpals.org

comes for a visit. Arrange to go see him on one of these visits so you can participate in the fun as well. Is regular contact with animals so beneficial to older people that you should consider making it a priority? Yes. Studies show that companion animals provide many health benefits for older people.

Many families wouldn’t dream of bringing up their children without providing the joys of animal companions. More and more, families are realizing that they should make an effort to accord the same joys and health benefits for their oldest friends and relatives as well. It’s a win-win situation. afm

BLUEDOG

RESCUE Blue Until They Meet You

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Overcome Pet Allergies SPE CI AL ADVE RT I SI N G

Allergy drops from Texan Allergy can put you on the path to living an allergy-free life. hat if there was an answer to ease the symptoms of nasal stuffiness, sneezing, and itchy eyes caused by animal dander? Texan Allergy medical professionals offer allergy testing and treatment, utilizing both allergy drops and allergy injections, called immunotherapy. This treatment applies to patients with multiple allergies; including: pets, pollens, molds, and local trees and grasses. Texan Allergy tests patients for 58 common allergens to create an individualized treatment plan. Much like injection therapy, sublingual immunotherapy delivers a slowly increasing dose of a physicianprescribed antigen that, over time, can build the body’s tolerance to irritating allergens. The course of immunotherapy progressively eliminates the need for antihistamines, which simply mask allergy

symptoms. Sublingual drops are unique because they are self-administered underneath the tongue, without the need for frequent visits to the Allergist’s office to receive painful shots. Allergy drops are safe for patients as young as two years old and are an effective route for building tolerance to bothersome allergies. Texan Allergy’s safe and convenient allergy drops will allow your family to enjoy the company of your pet without the fear of suffering reactions to pet dander. Dr. Christopher Thompson is board certified in Otolaryngology and Allergy treatment and has been practicing Ear, Nose and Throat medicine in the Austin area for 18 years. Call Texan Allergy today to schedule an appointment for allergy testing at one of our four offices in North Austin, South West Austin, Round Rock, and Kyle so that you and your family can get back to enjoying your furry friends.

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Feel

Healthy Bits Taking a brief look at the science behind wellness

A new study from the Journal of Clinical Oncology (March 2014) showed improved physiological changes and better quality of life for those who regularly practiced yoga. Patients in varying stages of breast cancer (0 to III) were divided into groups; for three times a day over a six-week period, one group practiced yoga while the other employed stretching routines as they all progressed through radiotherapy. While both groups showed a reduction in fatigue, the group doing yoga had greater increases in physical functioning and generally felt better. Study: http://jco.ascopubs.org/content/early/2014/03/03/JCO.2012.48.2752. abstract?sid=08bf821b-a558-4134-8774-8375a2f837e7

Some supplements may actually be hurting your endurance training instead of helping it. In a Norwegian study published in The Journal of Physiology, researchers found that some supplements, such as vitamins C and E, when taken at high dosages, could lower mitochondrial creation. Mitochondria produce the body’s chemical energy, the chemical commonly known as ATP or adenosine triphosphate. It’s particularly crucial for athletes because ATP makes muscles contract, regulates blood circulation, controls cardiac function, and provides fuel for cells, so limiting mitochondrial creation is not a desired result. However, both supplement and placebo takers were found to be more fit at the end of the study. Study: http://jp.physoc.org/content/ early/2014/01/31/jphysiol.2013.267419.full.pdf+html 86 • austi nf Itm agazin e .com • 04.2 014

According to a study published in Cell Metabolism Journal, there was an upside to this winter’s “polar vortex.” Research shows that when people are cold, their bodies releases a hormone called irisin, which stimulates fat tissue. This stimulation helps the body produce heat in order to maintain its core temperature. An increase in this hormone turns the body’s white fat into the more metabolically active brown fat, which helps the body burn more calories. Study: http://cell.com/cellmetabolism/retrieve/pii/S1550 413114000060#ExperimentalProcedures

AFM FITTEST

Purpose Driven Fitness Competitions like AFM FITTEST are opportunities to train weaknesses into strengths By David de Leon

f you’re like most people, you are not training to be a professional athlete. You’re training to be a professional human being. You’re training to be 70 and playing with your grandkids. You’re training to be able to help your spouse, if he or she falls down and needs a lift back up. You’re training to be that person who is able to jump into the pool and then go run the trails with the kids. The purpose in your fitness has to be something greater than day-to-day vanity. Training just to get ripped will only drive you for so long and can become discouraging when anticipated results are not achieved. Instead of focusing on training for 88 • austi nf Itm agazin e .com • 04.2 014

training’s sake, say, “I want to do this for my family, for my health now and when I’m 70.” Too many resources exist, inside and outside of gyms, for any of us to be living sedentary lives in our golden years because we weren’t mobile when younger. Everyone, regardless of age, race, or level of wealth, has the opportunity to live a fit life. Public parks, pools, and trails—everyone has access to these. And everyone can gain by being competitive. There are plenty of competitions around town. Whatever you choose to sign up for doesn’t have to be a high-level of competition; any competition exposes weakness, especially a competition like AFM FITTEST. The

events are clearly identified and one of those events will likely be an area of weakness, whether it’s balance, agility, or speed. Putting yourself in a competition situation forces you to train outside your comfort zone. When you sign up, you commit yourself to that date. You put it on the calendar, and it forces you to start working outside of your wheelhouse. And then, when you show up in that competitive environment, you’re there to prove to yourself that you can make strides in weaker areas. As you begin to assess your strengths and weaknesses, one of the best things you can do is monitor, or log, your preparation. A log will

KNOW YOUR NUMBERS

“Longevity is the reason for fitness” and the AFM FITTEST wants to show you where you stand. • Sign up for the AFM FITTEST Sunday non-competitive day to find out your baseline fitness score. Visit afmfittest.com to register and learn about the exercises and free training options. • Opt out of any test you don’t feel comfortable completing; because you’re not ranked like the competitive participants, there’s no penalty for not taking on a test. (There’s also no penalty for trying.) • Use your scores to set goals, work on improvements, and make investments in a healthier future.

AFM FITTEST TEAM BUILDING DAY

Looking for a team for the AFM FITTEST? Need one last teammate for your group?

eventually reveal much about your fitness and nutrition habits. Many people who don’t train with a coach or in a group often find they repeat the same workouts or movements over and over again. And what they repeat is what they’re good at, feels easy, and is most comfortable. A truthful, “no-lie” nutrition log usually looks pretty good on Monday and Tuesday; Wednesday sees a few cheat meals creep in, and by Friday it’s all off track. What monitoring may show you is that your competition weakness isn’t physical so much as nutritional. Know your strengths, know your weaknesses, and fine-tune your programming to lead you to that final stage. You’re training because you want to become healthier and fit—for your future and your family. photography by Kristen Carey

Make sure that workout is one of the positive moments in your day, so that you leave the gym full of positive energy. The gym should be where you go to relieve stress, to get rid of that anxiety; if you’re getting agitated because of a bad day at the gym—and you’re not a professional athlete—then you’re doing it for all the wrong reasons. From there, take the positivity from your workout into all facets of your life. Working out is just like driving down the street: you’re going to hit a pothole once in awhile, but even so, your car continues on. When you train—for triathlon, boxing, track, whatever—you will have ups and downs. A missed lift, or a bad day in training, is just a learning experience. Longevity is the reason for fitness. afm

• Come out to the free AFM FITTEST prep community workout on Sunday, April 20, from 9-10 a.m. at lululemon athletica (the Domain). • After the workout, stay to meet and mingle. If you’re looking for a team or needing a member for an existing team, come out! • Remember: Captains can substitute team members up to the day before the competition (May 31), so get signed up before the price increase on May 1. • Look to the AFM FITTEST Facebook page for an Event posting—feel free to post and share your info.

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Train

Are You Phasing Your Year?

Find your fittest self by departing from the usual grind By Patrick Evoe thletes of all ability levels often hit a performance plateau. One reason for this is that we all tend to get into training and racing routines and become hesitant to change. We do the same workouts day after day and keep the same schedule all year. A very effective way to break through a performance plateau is to implement training cycles or phases, what coaches and exercise physiologists refer to as periodization, into your schedule. It's taken me years to incorporate this approach into training. Many high-level athletes know about periodization, yet they go back to their same-old training routine. Athletes in Austin, especially triathletes and runners, seem to be some of the worst offenders. Don't worry; I'm not here to criticize but to hopefully open your eyes to a way of breaking through performance plateaus. I myself have fallen into that same trap, but the more I implement periodization into my training, the bigger gains I make. The idea behind phasing is that training doesn't stay the same throughout the year. You don't train the same in the winter as you do in the summer. You change your approach depending on where you are in the calendar. At the end of a racing season, you scale back workout time, incorporate easy training, build a base or foundation, work on strength, and then start different types of tempo, threshold, or VO2 max speed work depending your important races. I feel that athletes in Austin struggle with this concept because the climate is so friendly to training throughout the seasons; nature doesn’t force a change. Triathletes train hard all summer and race; in the late autumn, they switch gears to focus on the many winter running races in central Texas. Afterwards they switch back into triathlon mode and get ready for race season all over again. Another aspect of Austin's exercise culture that makes proper phasing a challenge is that there are so many training opportunities. It's too easy to fall into a routine of long run and long ride with your group on the weekend; there are master’s swim practices every week. It’s the same tempo or bomb run, with hills on Tuesday, track on Thursday. Speed work, tempo sets, endurance, muscular endurance, and strength are all critical to your performance, but many people make one of two mistakes: Trying to do all in every sport every week, or doing workouts that touch on these areas in a hodge-podge fashion. These are all great workouts— and you'll get very fit—but, at some point, you'll plateau. 90 • austi nf Itm agazin e .com • 04.2 014

Many people may say they're taking time off, yet they still go on easy runs and swims. Time off is time off.

How do you get past this trap? By building yourself up one step at a time. An organized approach to focused fitness areas at different times of the year can help catapult your racing to the next level. This winter I started working with a great new coach, the longtime Danish national triathlon team coach, Michael Krüger. He's trained many Olympians, Ironman champions, long-distance triathlon world champions, and top Kona finishers. He's opened my eyes to phasing, and I'm just now seeing the results of this approach.

Good Health Always Begins with a Healthy Smile...

The first and toughest part is to give yourself down time in your sport's offseason, a period of time away from training followed by a period of very little exercise. I took a month; I did no exercise at all for the first two weeks. I then spent another couple of weeks with only 30–60 minutes of very easy exercise each day. Many people may say they're taking time off, yet they still go on easy runs and swims. Time off is time off.

Your body and mind need to heal from the stress and damage you've done in training over the year. It’s hard for many athletes to take down time, get out of shape, and gain a few pounds. After my month of down time, I had some three weeks to ease back into training. This is where most people err; they jump back into their routine of group rides, runs, and swims. Fitness is back in a few weeks, and they keep their training the same for the rest of the year. I, however, have learned to accept that I'll be out of shape. I’ve also accepted that, during this time, people who normally don’t drop me in workouts will. I don't mind if people pass me on Lady Bird Lake Trail, or if I'm in a slower lane at swim practice. If you struggle with this, I say let go of your ego. The only day that I have an ego is race day. Remember: You have to get slower to get faster. I've just now finished about six weeks of strength work. While I'm back to the same number of swim, bike, and runs, those workouts focused mostly on functional strength and were shorter. Over the last months, I've spent more time working in the gym, bounding up hills, pushing big gears, doing squat jumps, swimming with a band around my ankles, and performing other strength-specific sessions than I ever have. I haven't yet done any true speed, threshold, or much tempo work—that's to come later. When it does, I know I'll have the functional strength foundation on which to build sucess. As you look at your training and racing, can you divorce yourself from the same routine and workouts you've done every year? Can you take a step back? Can you focus on different aspects of your fitness to build the fastest and fittest you? afm 04.2014 • au stinfI tmaga z ine.co m • 91

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Train

How you think your Goals are achieved

How they are actually achieved

Enjoy Your Personal Journey

Self-set goals make the road to success manageable By Kim Brackin nstead of the final outcome, it is actually those valleys, bumps, and obstacles that we learn from in life. I am also a strong believer in the adage that we learn more from failing than succeeding. Then why do we call it failure? I suppose it is the notion that we should continually be improving ourselves. In striving to be better, I propose that you learn to enjoy and value the process. Besides helping you reach your desired outcome, goal setting can help to develop focus, discipline, and a strong sense of self-worth. Goal setting allows an athlete to focus on the process rather than just the result. An outcome92 • austi nf Itm agazin e .com • 04.2 014

focused approach (“I will place third in that meet”) often leads to frustration, disappointment, and in many cases, giving up. Dr. Kieran Kingston, a noted sport psychology professor and author, outlined three types of goals.

Outcome: This is a goal based on what happens. This includes goals such as winning, being ranked No. 1, getting a 4.0. All are great aspirations but, unfortunately, you can’t control the outcome. Someone may just be faster, better, or your professor might grade really tough. Performance: What will you do? Some

examples: swim a 0:59 Ironman split, break 13 hours in the Ironman, or squat body weight. These types of goals can dramatically affect the attainment of outcome goals. They are specific, measurable, and action oriented. The key is that they are based on your own personal level of performance and not contingent on how others perform.

Process: Goals of this type are based on what you need to do. These are actions to perform in pursuit of attaining your goal. Using a small six beat kick, riding a cadence of 90, keeping core engaged while squatting—these are all examples of process goals. illustration pulled from pinterest.com

TRI SE S

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Though I can still have that as Whether athletes are beginners a long-term goal (maybe 2015), or world class, I have found that the for now, I should scale back to a greatest success utilizes all three types more realistic time of 1:05. of goals because they each influence the other. You need process goals to • Timely: Set dates for reaching your achieve performance goals, which goal. This will keep you on task and will, hopefully, get you closer to those disciplined. outcome goals. • Example: I will swim a 0:59 I like to use Dan Kirschenbaum’s Ironman split by Ironman Coacronym SMARTS when helping my zumel (Nov. 30, 2014). athletes design an effective goal-setting • Self-Determined: Your goals should regimen. If you apply Kirschenbaum’s be made by you and for you. While principles, you will find your goals a coach can help you come up with much more manageable, achievable, realistic goals, you have to believe and enjoyable. in and own them in order to really invest hard work and energy into • Specific: Be very clear about what achieving them. you want to accomplish; write it down and look at it often. I encourCreate a plan that will help you age you to share this with others so build toward your goal. Make a list that they can encourage and help identifying all the areas where you need hold you accountable. to improve to put yourself in a position • Example: I will achieve a perfor success: If I need a stronger kick, I sonal best time in my Ironman need stronger legs; I need to learn how swim split this season. to tactically swim in open water, so I will • Measureable: Be sure that you can sign up for a clinic. objectively track your progress. Recognize potential setbacks and This criterion is often combined obstacles and come up with a plan with “specific.” for dealing with those, if possible. • Example: I will swim a 0:59 or Unfortunately, goals can be affected by faster on my 2.4-mile swim. the course, weather, illness, and injury, • Action-Oriented: Establish things to all of which are out of our control. do that directly affect the outcome I need to be aware that, as I set my of the goal that you can commit to. goals and take care of my body during • Example: Besides my regular training, things happen. Being mentally master’s swim workouts, I will prepared for setbacks helps promote have an open water 1500m time levelheaded responses as they arise. trial at Quarry Lake once every Although there is much hype and two weeks. I will also track my reward for the result in sport, it is performance (measureable) truly the process that should matter with these action-oriented goals. the most for athletes. Reflecting I will hold 1:15s on my set of back on what knowledge was 30 x 100s on 1:30. gained, new relationships • Realistic: Know what created, sights seen, and you can handle challenges overcome and develop along the way—all steps along Are you an accomplished pool are valuable pieces the way to get swimmer or triathlete looking for a competitive edge? to the journey. there. Your Brackin Elite Swim Training hosts When I reflect long-term goal “Access to Expertise: Open Water” on with my collegiate may be just out May 30–June 1 at Pure Austin Quarry. athletes, their of reach, but Visit brackineliteswimtraining.com for strongest memories the everyday more information or to register. aren’t of NCAA titles steps (process or Olympic medals; their goals) should be stories invariably go back achievable. to their teammates and the fun • Example: If I have they had on the way—or, better yet, to never broken 1:10 in an Ironthe crazy hard sets they endured. afm man swim, going under one hour may be too challenging an objective for this season.

TEXAS

Train

Get Moving with Texas’ Million Mile Month Working together to make the Lone Star State healthier

April is Million Mile Month here in Texas, a 30-day focus on collectively logging 1,000,000 miles of workouts throughout the state. This initiative is designed to help battle childhood obesity by encouraging Texans to get out and move toward a group goal.

How Do You Sign Up? o to millionmilemonth.org and register. Basic registration is free, and signing up makes you eligible for awards and prizes—everything from gift certificates to sports equipment. In addition, the premium registration (it costs some money and provides some extra functions) includes MMM swag, and your fees help support children’s health programs.

What Do You Do? se the MMM website or mobile app to log the distance or time of your workouts. These workouts can be walks, runs, bike rides, swims—there’s a pull-down list of movements to choose from, and these are done at whatever pace and effort fits you. The key here is to get moving! Are you on MapMyFitness? Your MMM can automatically be pulled into your MapMyFitness account.

What’s in it for Texas? he MMM program will give you a fitness score by converting your miles into calories. Employers can use the MMM to boost wellness programs, build teamwork, and reduce health care costs over time. Families can move together to build healthier lives and develop a habit of fitness in children. According to the Centers for Disease Control, some 30 percent of Texas’ teens (grades 9–12) and 32 percent of children (ages 2–5) are overweight or obese, so modeling a healthy lifestyle at home is important for future fitness.

What’s in if for You? he MMM program can help you start an exercise program and track improving fitness to build healthy lifestyle habits. As the community reaches milestones (200,000 miles, for example), prizes, coupons, and perks from sponsors will be handed out to folks who have contributed with miles on their profiles.

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How Can AFM Help You? heck out Coach Carrie’s beginning workout program at austinfitmagazine.com. It’s got a variety of levels for people who are just stepping out into fitness. Remember—it’s all about movement, and every little bit helps! Use MMM to help get ready for the AFM FITTEST on May 31–June 1. This event is for everyone—beginner to exercise enthusiast to hard core workout pro—who wants to get a reading on his or her basic physical fitness. Check out the tests at afmfittest.com and look for Diane Vives’ Muscle Movement workouts to help you get ready. AFM will be providing regular fitness tips for MMM participants throughout the month of April. Let’s get moving, Texas! afm

Train

Dove Springs Initiative Inspires Family Fitness

ublic parks are often the heart of a neighborhood. They’re where families convene, kids caper, and harried city folks commune with nature. Dove Springs District Park, located in southeast Austin, has filled all these roles and has also been “ground zero” for natural disaster; in 2013, the recreation center served as the donation headquarters for materials to aid Dove Spring residents who suffered losses in the historic Halloween flash flood. The Austin Parks Foundation and Austin-based landscape architects TBG Partners, Inc. have been working with the Natural Learning Initiative (NLI) to develop an exciting renovation plan for the Dove Springs District Park landscape and playscape. The comprehensive concept behind the redesign is to teach children about nature and healthy activity through their play at the park. NLI, part of the college of design at North Carolina State University, was founded to “help communities create stimulating places for play, learning, and environmental education.” The Austin Parks Foundation is a nonprofit group that creates public and private partnerships in order to fill the gap between what the City of Austin Parks and Recreation Department needs to do to maintain more than 19,000 acres of city parkland and the budget they have to meet those needs. TBG Partners has been involved in the landscape architecture of many outdoor spaces near and dear to Austinites’ hearts, including the children’s garden at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, the award-winning Dell Children’s Center, Circuit of The Americas, and the new trailhead at Auditorium Shores. This coalition has been working with community representatives and the city of Austin to create an innovative and invigorating space for activity. This redesign is in response to a groundswell movement in America for reconnecting kids to nature, inspired by research and materials such as Last Child in the Woods, a book by child advocacy expert Richard Louv. Louv uses a descriptive term—“nature deficit”—in regard to today’s pluggedin kids; lack of outside active playtime has been linked to conditions such as Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, depression, and childhood obesity. The Dove Springs neighborhood has been working hard to combat some of the conditions that make a healthy family lifestyle difficult. The area has been described as a “food Renderings provided by TBG Partners, Inc.

Park revitalization project designed to encourage activity By Leah Fisher Nyfeler desert”—it is seven miles to the nearest grocery store; residents recently (and successfully) fought to block construction of a convenience store that would have sold alcohol and junk food, and they’ve been working for years to establish a community health center. With Austin’s city council moving this November to a ten-member panel elected from singlemember districts, there’s great hope that District Two will find more representation and attention to a variety of beneficial projects. The plans for the approximately 25-year-old district park are exciting. According to Brian Ott, managing principal of TBG Partners, the new features and amenities are “redefining engaged moments to offset the potential health crises down the road.” New nature pathways will be created to encourage kids to play in the forest bottoms along Onion Creek. Because of the heavy emphasis on family gatherings in the neighborhood usage of the park, there will be “engaged signage” denoting dedicated areas where children can, for example, ride bikes. Plantings will encourage a “food forest” –layers of trees, shrubs, and plants that sustain wildlife. The planning committee has spent months on the redesign, working to create a more naturalistic environment and find ways to connect with the culture of the area. There will be information at the park that celebrates the history of the Dove Springs neighborhood, and the hope is that pride of place and an engaging environment will encourage families to get out and get moving. Construction of the playscape (Phase I) begins this summer and will take approximately three to four months to complete. afm 04 .2014 • au stinfI tmaga z in e . c o m • 95

Review

What’s This, and What’s It Do?

Taking a look at ARC Trainer, Concept 2 Row Machine, Ab-Carver Pro, and Prowler Sled By Andy Rivadeneira, C.P.T.

ow that we find ourselves well into the new year, I hope that all of your fitness endeavors are moving along with a full head of steam. Some may be pleased with their results while others may be frustrated to the point of throwing in the towel. The bottom line is, whether you are succeeding or falling short, exercise will play a major role in your fitness karma. It is very likely that you have heard or read that nutrition is the most important component to weight reduction but, if you’re looking to slim down for your new bikini or fluorescent board shorts, that juice diet can only get you so far. At 96 • austi nf Itm agaz in e .com • 04.2 014

some point, your efforts in the gym or outdoor boot camps have to pick up the slack. What you may not realize or even understand is that the fitness equipment you’re using—as well as how you are using it—could have a significant impact on your weight loss goals and your overall fitness experience. I’ve compiled a review of cardio and strength equipment that may help with accelerating weight loss, alleviating your joints, and making your cardio experience a little less of a grind (pun intended!). So let’s get to it and learn a bit about the Cybex Arc Trainer, Concept 2 Rower, and Ab-Carver Pro. I’ve also included a review on one of my more recent preferred fat-torching devices, the Prowler sled. photography by Brian Fitzsimmons

Cybex Arc Trainer

ith so many cross-training cardio machines stacked across today’s gym floors, it is hard to find one that meets all needs. While elliptical machines have their place in the health club scene, some fitness experts believe they might not be as rewarding as initially perceived. The Cybex Arc Trainer offers a form of cross-training that is similar, yet distinctive, from the conventional elliptical machine. With a familiar stride motion as its cross-training competitor, the Cybex design team did their homework on this unique machine. The Arc Trainer allows for a stride motion that is not only effective in burning calories, but also friendly on joints. I was excited to formally review the Arc Trainer because I use the machine on a regular basis. Aside from serving as a great option for a low-impact cardio session, I find it to be a great way to warm up on resistance training days because of the option to integrate upper-body work. One thing to watch out for: shoulders tire more easily, so users should keep this

Pros: • Easy on joints (knees, hip, ankle) • Great workout with less perceived effort • Great option for those who cannot use elliptical

in mind if planning upper-body workouts that same day. Encouraging for newcomers is how welcoming the Arc Trainer can be. It doesn’t take a cardio machine connoisseur to enjoy a workout on the Arc. But don’t be fooled by the easy stride motion; there is still a challenge awaiting even the most experienced cardio buffs. A few things to keep in mind before giving this crosstrainer a go. Always stretch hip flexors (front) and extensors (rear) before and after using any cross-trainers. This is especially important for professionals who spend a lot of time at a desk and for people with hip tightness. The Arc Trainer can be a great option for those coming off an injury who are looking to slowly increase workout intensity. Similarly, for those with weight-loss goals, the Arc Trainer will save you time and money as a machine specifically designed to burn fat without the wear and tear of other cross-trainers.

Cons: • High cost • Requires a lot of space as a home option

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Review

Concept 2 Rower

hat if I told you there was a piece of equipment that comes close to perfection in the fitness world? And what if I told you there was a fitness device that not only offers relief to joints but also engages an array of muscle groups for a high level of fitness efficiency? The machine commonly known as an ergometer (a rowing machine) offers a plethora of fitness benefits. Some have specifically called the Concept 2 Rower the “ultimate cardio machine,” and as a personal trainer, I can speak highly about it. Through simulating the movement of watercraft rowing, users get a workout that really packs a punch. While there are quite a few versions of indoor rowers on the fitness market today, the classic Concept 2 Rower stands the test of time. I have found the Concept 2 Rower to be the gold standard in cardio exercise, mainly because of its benefits and impact on aerobic fitness. In my HIIT cardio sessions, I occasionally incorporate the row machine after lifting workouts, while others may choose to use the Concept 2 Rower for longer cardio bouts. However you use it, “erging” is one of the top calorie-burning and cardio-based methods in fitness due to the involvement of so many high-demand muscles. It makes sense; as the larger muscles engage, they increasingly require more oxygen, which elevates your heart rate and pushes you harder. Using the proper technique for an indoor rower can seem difficult at first, but when broken down into two phases—the catch (pulling) and recovery (rest)—it is relatively easy to use. There is a lot of hip flexion and shoulder protraction involved during the catch, so I recommend doing hip and shoulder stretches before your workout to avoid discomfort. If you’re doing the strokes correctly, the mechanics should be very fluid and, as you

Pros: • Superior cardio workout • Low impact on joints • Occupies little space, easy to store • Great for weight loss 98 • austi nf Itm agazin e .com • 04.2 014

master the stroke, your experience on the machine improves right along with your endurance and efficiency. Beginners and those with back or knee tenderness should start with a light test for the first few tries. Remember: Form is your friend.

Cons: • Takes time to understand proper form • Can be a bit tedious during longer rides

Ab-Carver Pro

ow do I get six-pack abs? If there were a Hall of Fame for fitness-related questions, I am sure this may be the first enshrined. It should come as no surprise that most— if not all—fitness enthusiasts strive to have that chiseled midsection. Well, I have good news (and, of course, not-sogood news). The good news is we all have abdominal muscles that can be trained to look as appealing as you’d like. As for the bad, well, you still have to regulate what you eat and shed the layer of adipose tissue (fat) that covers those abs. I know; it’s a sad truth, but it is the truth nonetheless. So if you want to make a commitment this year to getting that washboard stomach, cleaning up your diet would be a great start. The Ab-Carver Pro is a more evolved and husky version of the ab wheel. The Ab-Carver Pro comes from the same company that launched the Perfect Pushup handles, which turned out to be an excellent product. This more recent creation targets all who would like to use an ab wheel as a

method to strengthen abdominals. The ab wheel rollout can be a very difficult exercise if you do not have the necessary strength to perform the movement correctly. This product claims to have addressed many of the previous ab wheel flaws, with a few enhancements, to include a wider audience. One of the noticeable differences between the Ab-Carver Pro and the original is the wheelbase. This husky wheel frame was developed to improve stability, a quality lacking in the older model. This important feature assists with proper form while minimizing the potential for wrist injury. The husky wheels also have a slight slant so you can easily maneuver to target oblique areas. The wide handles and rubber grips create another unique trait; the downward angled handles engage proper supporting muscles while limiting overuse of the shoulders. My favorite aspect of this product is the internal spring, a pleasant surprise for those who once felt the ab wheel was impossible to master. The spring, by far the best feature for those who want to progress slowly in developing core strength, assists in controlling pace and maintaining form. I took the Ab-Carver Pro for a spin and there is a big difference in the level of difficulty. The spring assistance made it so much easier to control and allowed me to perform more reps. The grips, made from high quality material, felt very comfortable and should last, if durability is a concern. Still, I felt a little shoulder action when I was going through reps but that may have been user error. After a few adjustments to my form, I quickly felt less shoulder involvement as more of my core region took over. I really liked the large wheelbase and its ability to maneuver fluidly. The Ab-Carver Pro also included a set of floor pads to place under your knees during your workout. The workout followed through and was tough as advertised. A big plus for me was how little my shoulders worked throughout the sets. Overall, I can say this is a great find.

Pros: • The spring support is a great feature, easy for beginners • Wide wheel track to assist with stability • Handles allow comfortable grip • Durable product • Hardly occupies any space

Cons: • Cost (but worth investment, in my opinion) • Not much lower back support for those with back injuries

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Review

The Prowler

rom throwing chains to flipping tires, staying in shape is no longer centralized around high tech equipment. This is especially exemplified in the growing number of boot camp and CrossFit communities that are less focused on tech-based equipment. It is with this in mind that I’d like to dedicate this review to all the former high school football heroes out there with more memories of pushing sleds up and down the field than spending time in the conventional gym. The Prowler, a sled that increases lower body strength while challenging cardio endurance, is a hidden gem in the minimalistic fitness community. At the risk of losing readers’ interest, I should say that I’ve found people of all fitness levels find the Prowler to be somewhat intimidating. To be clear, though, all fitness levels have the ability to push the Prowler sled, and the form that one uses is less important than the dedication to pushing through a bit of temporary discomfort.

Pros: • Great form of cardio exercise • Great method for strengthening legs • Easy learning curve • Low impact on joints 100 • austi nf Itm agaz in e .com • 04.2 014

The Prowler has a small following due to its requirement for physical space and the “kicks my butt” factor. It is far from being a new fitness invention; most men who have played football or rugby at any level in the state of Texas have likely used a sled at one time or another. The Prowler has also become popular in women’s fitness, as it provides leg and glute work in addition to weight-loss benefits. I will admit that I have a few years of experience “on the prowl,” from high school football and as a personal trainer. Personally, I find this low-impact/high-return method of training very rewarding, and I use the Prowler in my own circuit training and with my clients as a way to end a great workout. Sled work does not discriminate on fitness level, and as long as you stay within your limitation, there is very little chance of injury. If you are looking for a workout to blast your legs and test your mental toughness, dig those toes in and take off. afm

Cons: • Expensive product (some cost-effective options exist) • Requires open or outdoor space and flat ground • Sound cardiovascular fitness baseline needed

Workout

Getting Your Best ROE!

Increase strength through developmental exercises et’s bump up the strength and get the best return on effort (ROE). This means working on strength without ignoring the developmental exercises that reinforce good movement ability. As we move through phases of training that emphasize particular 102 • austi nf Itm aga z in e .com • 04.2 014

By Diane Vives, M.S., C.S.C.S.

aspects of performance (such as conditioning, strength, hypertrophy, or power), it’s important to continue reinforcing good movement patterns. When adding higher external loads to develop strength, a common mistake is allowing compensation to creep in, which promotes poor movement patterns. This deviation from good form

is often accepted because the exerciser is “pushing more weight.” Some trainers may argue that it’s okay to allow some deviations during a personal best attempt or “challenge” set (this one won’t necessarily agree) but that is based on the purpose of the set—to push limits and determine physical capacity. However, if the set’s purpose photography by Brian Fitzsimmons

is to develop strength through applying the appropriate volume and intensity, form and technique are crucial to achieving ROE. In reality, exercisers produce more force, recruit more muscle, develop higher levels of strength and are then able to transfer that strength to performance when attention is given to proper form and technique under load. Even the best trainers at the gym need to be reminded of this at times. In this training, I’ve used a target set strategy that provides a simple way to integrate stability-enhancing movements that also serve as a movement-specific warm-up. For

simplicity’s sake, the example uses one strength exercise, but for the more advanced exerciser, a super set of two strength movements that focus on the same movement group could be used. The third piece in this strength strategy consists of “active recovery” that reinforces functional movement in a different group. For this set, I chose to incorporate a rotary stability movement that, though not used by most adults (who then, as a result, lose the benefits it offers), is a common developmental movement pattern: the bear crawl. This exercise uses upper and lower extremity movement sequences that encourage good force transference through the

torso and proper core stability during many “real life” activities (walking, running, throwing, climbing). Even though it may seem like child’s play, when done properly, the bear crawl is harder than you think.

Target Set Strategy: Stability Specific Movement Prep Strength Exercise Active Recovery Movement

Here we have chosen to focus on a lower body movement, but the same strategy can be applied to upper body pushing or pulling movements.

Single-Leg Bridge with Leg Lock Target Warm-Up

Purpose: Focuses on lower body hip extension while maintaining a proper pelvic position and core stability. This encourages mobility in the hip used in the squat, and the leg lock ensures that lumbar flexion (a common compensation when performed with limited hip mobility) does not occur.

• Start by lying on your back, feet flat on the floor and hip-width apart, with knees bent. A great way to find your best natural foot position is to extend the hips and march your feet up and down a few times. • Use both hands to grab behind one of your upper legs and pull that knee and hip into flexion. (Pulling on the back of the thigh versus the front of the lower leg avoids unneeded pressure and stress on the knee joint.) • Fully extend the opposite hip until the same-side knee, hip, and shoulders are aligned. • Lower the hips in a smooth and controlled manner until your butt lightly taps the floor. Then, immediately perform the next repetition.

tweak down Perform a two-leg bridge and pay attention to good form during the movement; do not flex the low back or allow the knees to bow out or cave in. Tweak UP Hold a tennis ball or rolled towel in the crease of the flexed hip without the assistance of using your hands to keep the leg in flexion.

performed by Holly Kendall at Evolve Gym

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Workout

Strength

Front Squat

Purpose: Applies a strengthening load to the deep squat position for a lower body triple extension movement. This encourages strength development through a full range of motion, provided the exerciser has first established the ability to achieve this full range of motion with body weight. The front carry position assists with counterbalancing of the body as you use the hips to sit into a deep squat.

• Position a barbell on a rack low enough so that you slightly flex the legs

•

• • •

to move under it; you should be able to easily “rack” the bar across the meaty part of your anterior (front) shoulder. To prevent the bar and weight from shifting forward, use a cross-arm grip so that hands secure the bar while elbows remain raised throughout the entire movement. Extend your legs to lift the bar off the rack. Take one pace back away from the rack so that you can clear the rack during the squat. Start by setting your feet shoulder-width apart with toes turned slightly out. Flex the ankle, knees, and hips in order to vertically descend while maintaining an upright torso with a neutral spine posture. There should be no rounding of the lower back.

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• A deep squat is achieved when the crease of the hip is lower than the top of the knee.

• To return to the start position, push your feet through the floor, emphasizing the mid-foot to heel in order to produce the force needed to extend the lower body.

tweak down Use body weight or lightweight dumbbells at the shoulder carry position until proper form and technique can be achieved with each repetition. Tweak Up Increase the weight in very small increments. Always end the last repetition with proper form and feeling as though you could have successfully completed 1–2 more reps. Technical failure (meaning loss of form) due to pushing your strength limits is high risk and not recommended in this exercise.

Active Recovery

Bear Crawl Purpose: This rotary stability movement is a natural part of the human neurodevelopmental sequence. As babies learn to creep and then crawl, these movements

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combining upper and lower extremities—movements that require force energy transfer

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through the torso.

• Start in a quadruped stance on your hands and feet; knees should not touch. Lower hips until the torso is mostly parallel and the neck in line with the spine or slightly extended. • While maintaining the torso position, walk the right hand and left foot forward. • Follow with the opposite hand and foot for the desired amount of steps forward, turning the body to return with a forward bear crawl.

Tweak down To accommodate any lack of mobility in the hip or stability strength in the holding torso position, slightly raise the hip position.

Tweak Up Instead of

his target strategy is part of the SMARTsets system and focuses on strength and force development. Most people want to be more powerful, faster, or efficient and have a leaner build. Just remember: FORCE + TIME (SPEED) = POWER. So taking the time to gain strength is a great ROE that deserves a place in your long-term programming. For those training for the AFM FITTEST, this movement strategy sets you up for training at the higher levels of intensity necessary for developing power. afm

turning around to return to the start position, add a backward bear crawl. Increase the speed and distance of movement for more of a challenge.

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Train

How My Rookie Failure Became My Greatest Success

Learning and growing at the 2002 Danskin Women’s Triathlon 'll never forget June 2, 2002. It was a typical blazing hot, postMemorial Day, pre-first official day of summer in Austin—a day I anticipated with both dread and excitement. It was the day I was going to do my first triathlon, the Danskin Women's Triathlon. There wasn't a cloud in the sky to buffer the sun as it made its ascent over Decker Lake in East Austin. Not exactly the most Walt Whitman-esque setting; it was, however, another memorable turning point in my life, which had 106 • austi nf Itm agaz in e .com • 04.2 014

shifted direction when, only a few months before, I had decided to do the Motorola Austin Marathon. In the fall of 2001, I’d made a conscious decision to turn my life around before I went any further down the rabbit hole of early onset adulthood self-destruction. The events of September 11 that same year only solidified my resolve to live life with passion, health, and purpose. Friends I met through run training had convinced me that a triathlon would give me purpose after the marathon. “If you can do a marathon, you can surely do a

By Carrie Barrett

triathlon,” they chided. In post-race bliss, I agreed and so there I was, sitting on the shore of the brown, murky lake next to a power plant, with 3,000 other people who also had the same feelings of trepidation and self-doubt. I did train—as much as one can train with zero swimming and cycling experience. I watched a friend do a triathlon so that I could actually see how it worked. The whole “three sports with no costume change” had been a mystery to me until then. Trust me: I wasn't relieved much when I discovered that photography by Brian Fitzsimmons

the costume (“race kit,” as I later learned to call it) was a bodysuit of spandex and Lycra. Ew. People pay for this selfmutilation? Apparently so. That friend also helped me buy my first road bike, and I promptly loaded it up with 30 pounds of extra gear. I headed out to Decker with friends each weekend to ride the course. “Holy Moly,” I thought. “This is a beginner race?” Even now, those hills suck the life out of me. I even gave a couple of them names. The last two hills were (and always will be) “the B*tch and the B*st*rd,” as if somehow cursing them by name makes it just a little easier. Swimming was a whole different beast. My roommate, a swimmer, took me to the YMCA to teach me what a proper stroke should look like—which was, evidently, not at all like a duck precociously flapping its wings to protect its territory. How was I supposed to have known? Until then, my swimming had mainly involved jumping off a diving board and somehow getting back to the ladder. Over three months, I trained myself to swim exactly the distance of the race: 17 laps in the pool, or 800 meters. So, though I was super nervous (like everyone else on race morning), I knew I could do the distances. I just had no idea what I was really in for until my wave started and the trashing began. Somehow, I survived the less than 20 minutes of swimming. Of course, those who've been in an open water event understand that those minutes felt more like hours—of sheer torture. Still completely pumped up on adrenaline, I sped through transition, hopped on

and finish. Failure wasn't an option I had even considered, and so this experience had thrown me for a loop. I told myself that, if I just got back to the transition area, I could quit. Some bargaining technique, eh? So, after a bit of time and some generous water donations, I got back on my bike and, through tears of humiliation and determination, pedaled those last four miles. Pride, encouragement, and hydration were apparently my magic elixirs because, by the time I made it back to transition, I was ready to dig through that run. “If I can run a marathon, surely I can make it through a 5K,” I rationalized. Cheers from volunteers, family members, friends, and other athletes carried me through those 32 minutes. I walked some, and I know I felt horrible for much of it but, when I crossed the finish line, I felt exactly like my two-wheeled aluminum tank, and the medal said: “The woman who starts proceeded to ride as fast as I could, as the race is not the same woman who only 12 miles surely wouldn't be a big finishes.” Man, they got that right. I had deal. Hence the big fat rookie mistake. gone from zero to hero in less than two No one told me about pacing. No one hours, and it changed me forever. told me about managing my effort level During those moments by the side so that there would be gas in the tank for of the road, I was stuck in the failure the run. No one told me that no water trap; I didn't think I could finish. That + heat = severe consequences. By mile possibility of failure was a good thing eight, I was seeing the proverbial dead because it meant that I was putting people. I remember feeling so dang hot, myself out there; I was challenging all while trying to figure out why I had myself in ways I never dreamed goose bumps and chills. I pulled to the possible. It also meant I was facing my side of the road, got off my bike, and lay fears. Instead of giving into them, down in the grass, eight miles into I got my butt back on that a 12-mile bike ride, while that bike and kept pedaling. relentless clear blue sky spun And you know what? I above me. I was toast— finished. burnt, dehydrated toast. Download The hard truth is, Many of the events of the entire Rookie Tri you can't have success that day have faded, but or Lifetime Tri: CapTex without failures along the feelings I had while training program on Training Peaks at the way. In fact, as my staring up at the sky http://ow.ly/sL8hN inaugural triathlon haven't. I felt like a total experience can attest, failure, and this was only feeling like a flat-out failure compounded when athletes can also mean success is just a few would pass with some words of miles away. You just have to climb your encouragement like, “You got this, sister,” versions of the B*tch and the B*st*rd to or “Hang in there!” What I wouldn't get there. have given to have traded places with As you get close to your goal triathlon, them (or thrown some tacks in the road embrace the failures you will inevitably so they’d wallow in self-pity like me). I have along the way. They will make the sat there trying to collect my thoughts finish line that much sweeter. Because I and ego, which were melting along had people rooting for me, I'll leave you the pavement with my resolve, and with a cheer to remember when the going pondered: “Do I quit? If so, who do I even gets tough (because it will): tell? Where do I go?” Dang, I still had four miles to go, which seemed like an Give Me an “R”– Real! Yep, when you eternity. I had two choices: I could turn in sign up for a race, it means that it's REAL! my timing chip or get back on that bike 04 .2014 • au stinfI tmaga z ine . c o m • 107

Train

Give Me an “O” – Oomph! It takes a ton of guts and oomph to get out of your comfort zone and face your fears. Give Me Another “O” – Oh, yeah! That’s the feeling you’ll have as you cross the finish line—“Oh, yeah! I did it!” Give Me a “K”– Kick! Kick some butt and save some energy for your kick at the end! Give Me an “I” – Ignite! Crossing the finish line will ignite your passion and drive because, once you've conquered this, anything feels possible! Give Me an “E”– Elation! You may have had a few small bumps in the road along the road to the race, but elation (and success) always follows failure. Congrats – You are a ROOKIE Triathlete! afm

Rookie Tri or Lifetime Tri: CapTex

Weeks 10-13 (4/7/14-5/4/14)

Details of each workout will be on the Interactive Training Plan.

Week 10 (4/7-4/13)

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Bike: 40 min with 10 x 1 min fast cadence sprints, 2 min recovery

Swim: 1,500 Run: 45 minutes easy

Bike: 30 minutes recovery ride

Swim: 1,600 Run: 30 min, RPE 5-6 out of 10

Rest

Bike: 75 minutes Run: 10 minutes after bike

Run: 45 minutes

Swim: 1,600 Run: 20 minutes easy

Bike: 45 minutes strength/hills

Swim: 1,700 Run: 20 minutes, RPE 5-6 out of 10

Rest

Bike: 45 minutes Run: 30 minutes after bike

Run: 30 minutes

Swim: 800-1,000 Run: 30 minutes, RPE 5-6 out of 10

Rest

Bike: 60 minutes Run: 10 minutes after bike

Run: 40 minutes

Swim: 500 Run: 30 minutes, RPE 5-6 out of 10

Rest

Core or Flexibility Work

Week 11 (4/14-4/20)

Bike: 30 min at fast 90+ cadence Core or Flexibility Work

Week 12 (4/21-4/27)

Bike: 40 min with 20 min straight at 90+ cadence Core or Flexibility Work

Week 13 (4/28-5/4)

Bike: 40 min with 10 x 1 min standing sprints, 2 min recovery

Swim: 800 time trial Run: 20 minutes easy

Swim: 500 Run: 45 minutes easy

Core or Flexibility Work

Core or Flexibility Work Bike: 30 minutes recovery ride Core or Flexibility Work

Bike: 30 minutes endurance Core or Flexibility Work

RACE DAY!

RPE = Rate of Perceived Exertion (1 is super easy – 10 is incredibly difficult) Core or Flexibility Work = Can include activities like yoga, Pilates, stretching, and functional movement training We also pick up duration on all workouts

Get a head start on the competition and sharpen your skills to become a more efficient and confident swimmer this season with SwimVersity Pre-Season Plunge Swim Clinic. Register: Swimversity.eventbrite.com 108 • austi nf Itm agaz in e .com • 04.2 014

Events Featured Mack, Jack & McConaughey

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Check out the class schedule at jazzercise.com/FindaClass.

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60 minutes. 600 calories burned.

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Offer valid at participating locations for new customers. Auto-pay registration required. Other restrictions may apply. Expires 00/00/00.

Sports and Outdoors

Arts

April 6

April 4-5

Jillian Michaels "Maximize Your Life Tour" Jillian Michaels is bringing her "Maximize Your Life" tour to Austin. She will provide you with the tools you need to motivate and jump-start your active lifestyle, while providing a unique personable experience. The program will be held at the Long Center. Tickets start at $25. jillianmichealslive.com

The 13th Annual Lone Star Round Up At the Travis County Expo Center, the Lone Star Round Up is an outdoor car show and live music festival featuring vintage hot rods and custom cars. Some of these cars have been driven in from all around the country. While you walk around and check out the cars, there are bands playing on stage as well as vendors displaying their one-of-a-kind artwork. You can also sample food and drinks from local vendors. lonestarroundup.com

April 13

The Austin 10/20 The Austin 10/20 is returning for its third year and will feature 20 bands along the ten-mile course, including a headliner concert at the finish line. There is a prize money purse at stake in the 10/20 Championship division of the race. Walkers and wheelchairs and welcome! austin1020.com

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April 12-13

Art City Austin There will be more than 150 works of art by local Austin artists on the streets of downtown. Enjoy food, live music, and interactive projects for kids. artallianceaustin.org/art-city-austin-2014-draft photo by MackJackMcConaughey

K Karen Knight D.D.S.

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April 16-27

April 12

Fusebox Festival This is the tenth annual Fusebox Festival. The festival includes more than 50 events in more than 20 different locations around the city. Enjoy everything from film, music, culinary, art, and everything in between. Free to attend. fuseboxfestival.com/2014-festival

The Louisiana Swamp Thing and Crawfish Festival There's food, drink, music, and more at the 20th annual Louisiana Swamp Thing and Crawfish Festival. Crawfish is given away one plate at a time while supplies last. General admission is $20 at the gate. roadwayevents.com

April 18-20

Austin Reggae Festival Butler Park plays host to live music at this benefit for the Capital Area Food Bank of Texas. austinreggaefest.com April 24-May 3

Austin Fashion Week The sixth annual Austin Fashion Week creates opportunities for independent and up-and-coming designers. They can display their collections to the media, buyers, and the public. Experience the latest in clothes and beauty. fashionweekaustin.com April 25-26

April 24-25

Mack, Jack & McConaughey This event is the joint fundraising effort of actor Matthew McConaughey, singer Jack Ingram, and coach Mack Brown. The event benefits a variety of nonprofit organizations that empower children. Activities include music, golf, fashion, and a variety of other events. mackjackmcconaughey.org/about-mjm April 25-27

• Centrally located

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Austin Food and Wine Festival Presented by Food and Wine Magazine, enjoy tasting, demos and more from some of the top chefs and sommeliers from around the country. There will also be live music Submit your event while you are satisfying online at austinfitmagazine.com your taste buds. austinfoodandwinefestival. com

Euphoria Music Festival Euphoria Music Festival is returning for a third year and has moved to Carson Creek Ranch. The festival will include a camping option and will feature music, art, workshops, and more. euphoriafestival.frontgatetickets.com

Lifestyle

April 26

Eeyore’s Birthday Bash The 51st annual Eeyore's Birthday Bash will be held at Pease Park. Dress up and be a kid again with live music, games, and fun. eeyores.org/14/index.shtml

April 5

Texas Veg Fest The third annual Texas Veg Fest will take place at Fiesta Gardens on Lady Bird Lake. There will be a wide variety of vendors and sponsors showcasing their vegetarian-friendly food products. Enjoy food, entertainment, activities, and cooking demonstrations. texasvegfest.com

Buddha Tooth Tai Chi New DVD Release The Secret Buddha Tooth Tai Chi Belt

04.2 014 • au stinfI tmaga z ine.co m • 111

Visit Fit4Zip.com or call 512-695-3746 to learn more.

Rides&Races Featured The Rookie Triathlon

April 15

April 26–27

HITS Triathlon Series Marble Falls, TX • hitstriathlonseries.com

April 5

Splash ‘n Dash 750m swim/3K run Pure Austin Quarry Lake, Austin highfiveevents.com/events/splash-n-dash/

Texas Gran Fondo Fredricksburg, TX • texasgranfondo.com

April 19

April

Spokes ‘n Spurs Liberty Hill, TX • spokesnspurs.org/sns-home/

April 27

ASH Dash 5K Bunny Run Austin • ashvolunteers.org April 26

April 6

Statesman Capitol 10,000 Austin • cap10k.com April 12

ZOOMA Texas Half Marathon, 10K and 5K Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort and Spa zoomarun.com/texas

Run to the Sun Relay Enchanted Rock State Park • beyondbatten. org/run-to-the-sun-relay Fredricksburg Wildflower Run/Walk Fredricksburg, TX • hillcountrymemorial.org/ Main/WildflowerRun.aspx Red Poppy Ride Georgetown, TX • redpoppyride.org

Fiesta Wildflower Ride San Antonio, TX • fiestawildflower.com Texas State Sprint Triathlon San Marcos, TX • txstatetriathlon.webs.com/ texas-state-sprint-tri Leander Lion 5K Leander High School • yellowcheetah.com/ leanderlions5k The Maze 10K, 30K Walnut Creek Park, Austin roguetrailseries.com

April 13

Austin 10/20 Austin • austin1020.com

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Blue Bonnet Adventure Race: TX State Championship Adventure Race Series Burnet, TX • terrafirmaracing.com/view. asp?id=127 photography by Kevin Saunders

Cash. Keys. Phone. ID.

Carry all of your running essentials!

May 31

MAY

Atlas Ride Cedar Park, TX • texas4000.org/about/atlas

May 1

Rogue Distance Festival Cedar Park, TX • roguerunning.com/play/ roguedistancefestival/

Krause Springs 10K Trifecta Spicewood, TX • facebook.com/events/6375 90839621085/?source=1

May 3

May 31–June 1

Chuy’s Hot to Trot 5K and Kid K Arbor Trails Shopping Center, Austin chuys.com/#/events

2014 AFM FITTEST Camp Mabry, Austin • afmfittest.com

May 4

The Rookie Triathlon Walter E. Long Park, Austin • therookietri.com May 10

Ants in your Pants 5K and Kids’ K Pflugerville, TX • antsinyourpants5k.com

JUNE June 1

The Ranch 10K, 30K Reveille Peak Ranch, Burnet, TX roguetrailseries.com June 8

May 17

Memorial Hermann Ironman Texas The Woodlands, TX ironman.com

Skeese Greets Women’s Triathlon Walter E. Long Park, Austin skeesegreetstri.com

™

Mighty Texas Dog Walk Palmer Events Center, Austin • servicedogs. org/16th-annual-mighty-texas-dogwalk-2014/

Toros Tri for Kids Cedar Park, TX • torostri.com June 12

Submit your ride or race online at austinfitmagazine.com

Real Ale Ride Blanco, TX • realaleride.com May 18

Maudie’s Moonlight Margarita Run Austin • thetrailfoundation. org/act/events/maudiesmoonlight-margarita-run/

June 17

Rockin R KAYAK Triathlon New Braunfels, TX redemptionrp.com/RockinRTri

Splash ‘n Dash Pure Austin Quarry Lake, Austin highfiveevents.com/events/splash-n-dash/

Rockin R Triathlon New Braunfels, TX redemptionrp.com/RockinRTri

June 28

Capt’n Karl’s Night Time Trail Series: Pedernales Falls 60K, 30K, 10K Johnson City, TX • runthehillcountry.com

Gator Bait Sprint Triathlon Boerne, TX • redemptionrp.com/GatorbaitTri May 26

Life Time Tri CapTex Austin • captextri.com

www.spibelt.com 866.966.4440 04.2 014 • au stinfI tmaga z ine.co m • 113

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A Go-To Loop for Cycling Central Austin MapMyFitness ambassador Nathanial Friedman loves a coffee and snack along with his ride. Here’s his go-to 20-miler; to access the route in detail, visit http://ow.ly/uz6Ci

MapMyFitness Ambassador Nathanial Friedman

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ne of my favorite places for bike workouts is Great Northern Boulevard. This 1.5-mile stretch is perfect for riding intervals and multiple loops to get in extra miles on flat terrain. The entire 20-mile loop is an essential bike route for cyclists in Austin, and it brings together two of my favorite things: cycling and café stops. It’s a great early morning ride with plenty of places to grab a coffee and snack. Start your ride at Jack &Adams Bicycles and then head west to Zilker Park, crossing over to the north side of Lady Bird Lake at the MoPac bridge near "The Rock." A quick climb up Veterans Road will take you down Lake Austin Boulevard into Tarrytown and onto the rolling climbs of Exposition. Turn right on 35th Street. The route then flattens out as you cut through the Rosedale and Allandale neighborhoods. Head north on Shoal Creek Boulevard; turn left on White Rock Road, where you will make your way to Great Northern Boulevard and an opportunity to add on more miles, if needed. Return back via Shoal Creek Boulevard; cut across 45th Street into Hyde Park before proceeding south on Duval—and start planning where you want to grab coffee and a snack. Cut over onto Red River for a few more rolling climbs before returning to the shop. A few of my favorite stops: 1) Upper Crust Bakery 2) Quack's 43rd Street Bakery 3) Juan Pelota Cafe Elevation Chart (feet) Distance: 19.72 miles Climb: 606 feet

mapmyride.com/routes/ view/342110701

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photo by Brian Fitzsimmons