Flat Ab Challenge Final Week

Only a few more days until we take the tape back out and measure you up! I hope you have been working on your cardio and strength, but even if you weren't as spot on as you had hoped, I encourage you to measure and test; take those pictures! Just see the difference and maybe find a little motivation to go one step further!

Today, I am posting the final ab video. Again, there are five movements, which should each be completed for 30-60 seconds five times. I apologize for lack of a full film. My phone does not allow me to upload full films, I guess. Some people had trouble watching my last one, so I went back to the explaining version. Though they are quick explanations, you can always pause the film or write each exercise down before doing the sets on your own!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GR1PDsfZTSI&feature=youtu.be

A few weeks ago, my girlfriends and I went to see Katy Perry perform in Portland, Oregon. While in town, we ate at PF Chang's, my sister's favorite restaurant. We ordered the lettuce wraps, but as I looked down at the wrap, I couldn't help but notice all of the grease dripping off from the tip. Could this really be the healthiest option?

This week, I have found a healthy lettuce wrap, which is gluten- and dairy-free (celiacs, rejoice!).

Healthy Chicken Lettuce Cups

Recipe from Steamy Kitchen’s Healthy Asian Favorites
serves 4

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 tablespoon cooking oil, such as Canola or Vegetable
• 1/2 pound ground chicken breast
• 2 shallots, sliced
• 1/4 red onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic, very finely minced
• Minced fresh chilies or jalapeno – more or less depending on how hot you like it
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1/2 lime juiced
• 1 teaspoon gluten-free soy sauce
• 1 head iceberg lettuce, leaves separated into “cups”
• 1 handful of cilantro & mint, cut into finally chopped

DIRECTIONS
Heat a wok (or large saute pan) over high heat. When hot, swirl  1 tablespoon of oil and add the ground chicken. Use your spatula to break up the meat and spread out of the surface of the pan. Cook until browned, about 3-4 minutes.
Push the ground chicken to one side of the pan and swirl the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of oil. To the oil, add the shallots, red onion, garlic, and fresh chilies and saute until fragrant, about 30-60 seconds. Add fish sauce, lime juice and gluten-free soy sauce.
Serve with lettuce cups and herbs.
Enjoy!

The Skinny On Sugar

There is this podcast I love listening to on road trips. It's called Stuff You Should Know: How Stuff Works. A recent podcast to which I listened was about how sugar works. Did you know that added sugar (aka empty calories) accounts for 16% of the yearly calories we consume? That's around 95 pounds of added sugar on average for each person every year.

In the last post, I challenged you to give up sugar for the first three days of October. Seeing as today is October 1, I hope you remembered when you prepared your breakfast this morning! If not, it's not too late! Just use the rest of the day to focus on clean, healthy eating!

Here is a recipe to start your day off right! Ani Phyo is a raw foods chef who has inspired me for years. Here is one of her recent recipes from her site: www.aniphyo.com

Warm Green Salad

• 3 cloves garlic, chopped, to taste
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 cup baby broccoli, chopped
• 1 Tablespoon coconut oil
• 2 cup romaine, chopped
• 1 cup spinach
• 1 cup arugula
• 3 Tablespoons capers
• 1/2 cup artichoke hearts

Warm up your pan on medium heat, add coconut oil and garlic. Sauté until soft. Add tomatoes and broccoli. Lightly cook, to desired consistency.
Place romaine, spinach, and arugula into a large mixing bowl. Top with cooked vegetables and toss to mix well, wilting your greens. Add capers and artichokes, and toss to mix well.
Serve and enjoy!

Flat Ab Challenge Week 3

Welcome to week 3! You have made it this far! This is a good week to check in. Re-weigh yourself, take your measurements, get some halfway photos!

A few people requested I do the full exercise in the video, so this week, you will find 30 seconds of each movement in the video. There are only five movements, each done for 30-60 seconds. Make sure you do the exercises three times with a minute break in between!

https://fbcdn-video-p-a.akamaihd.net/hvideo-ak-xfp1/v/t42.1790-2/10491403_651109341672712_158684041_n.mp4?oh=e613ea6b830722c01638fe58137c5c30&oe=542A0ACC&__gda__=1412041164_ef621d844a54e94c2d191173791e923a

Wednesday is the first of the month! Let's try a real challenge: For the first three days of the month (Wednesday-Friday), I challenge you to give up all processed foods and white sugar. Increase your intake of water, fruits and vegetables. If you get a really bad craving for sugar and just cannot stay strong, drink a glass of milk. This should help curb your cravings!

As always, here is the suggested recipe for the week. It is getting colder out due to the new season, so here is an incredible paleo chili recipe I made last week; honestly, it tasted phenomenal! I highly recommend you give it a try!

AIP Carrot and Sweet Potato “Chili”

Photo and recipe thanks to Mickey Trescott

AIP Carrot and Sweet Potato "Chili"

Prep time

30 mins

Cook time

45 mins

Total time

1 hour 15 mins

Serves: 5-6

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons solid cooking fat
• 1 onion, chopped
• 8 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
• 2 cups carrots, cut into large chunks
• 4 cups sweet potatoes, cut into large chunks
• 4 cups bone broth
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 pounds grass-fed ground beef
• 1-2 avocados
• cilantro for garnish

Instructions

1. Heat your cooking fat in the bottom of a heavy-bottomed pot. Add the onion and cook for a few minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic and thyme and cook for another couple of minutes, stirring.
2. Add the carrots and sweet potatoes and cook for 5 minutes, or until gently browned. Add the bone broth and sea salt and bring to a boil, cover and then simmer for 20 minutes, until the vegetables are soft.
3. Meanwhile, cook the ground beef in a skillet until thoroughly cooked throughout and browned. Set aside.
4. When the vegetables are finished, add the ground beef and stir to combine. Continue cooking for another 15 minutes covered at a simmer. Serve each bowl garnished with avocado slices and fresh parsley.

Flat Ab Challenge Week 2

One week done! Onto week 2. I hope you are all feeling terrific and really focusing on what you are putting into your body and how you are promoting strong abdominals in your activities of daily life.

I have new exercises for you this week. Last week, a few people came to me and commented that they didn't know how they were supposed to perform the last group of exercises. In the video, to keep it short, I show you each movement and the basics of how to do them. After you know what you are doing, pause the video and perform one set of each of the movements for 30-60seconds/movement. It should take between 2:30-5 minutes total. After you finish, rest for thirty seconds and repeat the set. Please remember: This is your workout. Only perform the movement for the amount of time that you can keep proper form. Also, take breaks and grab water if you need it. If you want to make it more challenging, come to a class! If you have pain associated with any of these exercises, either modify or substitute for another exercise. Sometimes, it is difficult to find an exercise that works the same muscles if you need to substitute. Feel free to email me and I can send you some suggestions: pureawesomenesspilates@gmail.com.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3xpTBuz9Uc&feature=youtu.be

Try to add 10-15 additional minutes of cardio to your current activity every day. Remember, always strive to improve!

Food wise: Did you know that almonds help decrease belly fat? They fill you up with healthy fats that help burn flab and build muscle! Here's a recipe from Self.com that helps promote flat abs. This specific recipe only makes one serving, so if you are making it for more than yourself, be sure to multiply the recipe.

Black Bean and Almond Pesto Chicken

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup packed fresh basil
2 tablespoons slivered almonds
2 tablespoons canned black beans
1 clove of garlic, chopped
2 teaspoons extra light olive oil, divided
1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast (about 6 oz)
1/2 large zucchini, thinly sliced
1/4 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, quartered
1/2 cup cooked brown rice (left over from Tuesday's dinner)

PREPARATION

In a mini-chopper, blend basil, almonds, beans, garlic, 1 tsp oil and 1/8 tsp salt until mixture is combined but chunky. Heat oven to 400°. Heat a small ovensafe skillet over high heat. Add remaining1 tsp oil. Sprinkle chicken with remaining 1/8 tsp salt. Cook chicken until it browns, 2 to 3 minutes. Move chicken to one side; add zucchini and tomatoes. Top chicken and vegetables with pesto. Cover and bake until chicken is cooked through, 12 to 14 minutes. Cool 5 minutes, then slice chicken. Place rice in an airtight container; top with chicken and vegetables and refrigerate until ready to serve. When ready to eat, microwave on high 2 to 3 minutes.

Flat Ab Challenge Week 1

I want to start this post by saying: THIS CHALLENGE IS NOT ABOUT STARVING YOURSELF OR LOSING INCHES QUICK. This is about changing your habits, what you eat and the way you treat your body. Throughout the month, I will be uploading homework you can do three times a week at home on top of your regular cardio exercise (I recommend twenty minutes or more 4-6 days a week, depending on your current level of activity). Don't come into this challenge saying, "Man, I have so many inches to lose. I'm going to cut everything but vegetables from my diet, workout 3 hours a day and only eat 900 calories a day." That approach is the best way to lose some quick weight then put it all plus more on as soon as the challenge comes to an end. It's not sustainable. Don't even go there, folks.

Throughout the month, I encourage you to keep track of your food calories and the calories you burn through physical activity. I do this through an app called MyFitnessPal. It's awesome; you can track everything you eat and see how much you lose by walking for 12 minutes. If you want accountability, you can add me and fix your settings so I can see your daily food journal. My username is: itriharder. Add me!

Alright, so here it goes! Welcome to the Pure Awesomeness Flat Ab Challenge! I'm so excited to have you all participating.

Below is a video of exercises for week 1. I recommend doing each move for :30-:60 seconds. After completing the set, take a one minute break and repeat two more times. Do this 2-3 times a week on non-consecutive days.

Here is a fun recipe from Fitness Magazine, which includes foods that help banish bloat in the stomach. Try it out and let me know what you think!

Lemon-Walnut Chicken

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Makes: 4 servings
Ingredients
2 tablespoons very finely chopped parsley*
2 tablespoons very finely chopped toasted walnuts*
1/4 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
4 medium skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, pounded to 1/2-inch thickness
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons diced shallots
1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus lemon wedges for serving
1 1/4 cups brown basmati rice, steamed
Directions
1. In a small bowl, mix together the parsley, walnuts, and lemon zest. Dust the chicken with the flour and season with the salt and black pepper.
2. In a very large skillet (or two medium-large skillets), heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and saute until they begin to turn translucent, 1 minute. Push the shallots to one side of the pan, add the chicken breasts, and cook until golden, about 2 minutes per side.
3. Pour the chicken broth and lemon juice into the pan. Cover, and let simmer over low heat until the juices run clear when the chicken is pierced, 3 to 4 more minutes.
4. Use tongs to transfer the chicken to a serving dish, leaving the liquid and shallots in the pan. Bring the liquid to a boil over medium heat and stir until thickened, 1 minute. Stir in the parsley mixture. Pour the sauce over the chicken and serve over the rice with the lemon wedges.
*Use a mini food processor to reduce chopping time.
Nutrition facts per serving: 293 calories, 36g protein, 19g carbohydrate, 8g fat (1.3g saturated), 2g fiber

Around the Corner!!!

Wow! So cool to see how many people are committing to the Flat Ab Challenge!! Even some of my awesome peeps in Santa Barbara are doing the challenge from afar and some people I don't even know have asked to join! You all are AWESOME! And you know what else will be awesome soon? YOUR ABDOMINALS. Get stoked!

Don't forget: You still have three days to spread the word! Get your friends involved! Spread the wealth.

If you are one of the people in North Carolina, Illinois, England, etc. who can't make it to Bend for the test in day, you can still participate! Send me a picture of your stomach (without it being covered) from the front, side and back. Wear as little as possible! Don't forget what you wore though, because you will need to wear the same outfit when we test out on October 15! After taking photos, have someone (friend, spouse, parent) measure your waist- that's the smallest part of your stomach where it comes in just a bit. Then do the plank test. Get on your toes and elbows and hold that position (with a flat back, straight body) for as long as you can. Time it and send me the results at pureawesomenesspilates@gmail.com.

I'm so excited for you all to come out of this month feeling leaner, meaner and maybe even greener!

Flat Ab Challenge

Great news! I'm opening a fitness studio in good ol' Bend, Oregon! Once the studio opens, I will be selling memberships. Everyone loves free membership though, right? Well, I propose a challenge to all of you: How about a "Flat Ab Challenge"? One month to tone up, get ripped and change the way you view food, exercise and wellness. You can participate even if you can't attend classes in Bend. And the winner? Well, not only does the winner get a fantastic stomach to flaunt at the steam room, more core strength for the slopes and some bragging rights, the winner will also get free unlimited classes for a month and a gift card to Patagonia @ Bend!!

Without further ado, here are the rules:

Sign up with me before September 15, 2014. We will take measurements of your stomach and a beginning photo (for your and my eyes only). We will also test to see how long you can hold a plank. The challenge lasts for one month. That's only one month; you can do anything for a month. Within the month, I will update the blog with recipe ideas that incorporate foods that flatten the tummy. I will also post workouts and videos to do at home or with others to strengthen, tone and burn that stomach.

The winner will not be the person who has the best 8-pack; no, the winner is the person who took the most off of his or her waist and who shows the most progression before October 15, 2015.

So who is in? E-mail me at pureawesomenesspilates@gmail.com with questions or just to tell me that you are in! I look forward to hearing from you!

The Saga Continues AKA Part 2 of the Rest of My Life AKA Victory Never Tasted So Bubbly

Swim 2.4 miles.  
Check.
 Bike 112 miles.  
Check.

Only one more activity and I would be finished... except that one more activity was a marathon. No big deal, right? At that moment, it felt like a very big deal. I had just finished 112 miles in almost 100 degree heat with no shade. My legs had cramped to the point of no return. My hope was crushed and my ego was busted. I had no desire to go on, no drive to be an Ironman.

"Ashlee, RUN!!!!! GET YOUR FEET UP! RUUUUUUUUN!" When I had first heard Sloan's voice, my mind did not comprehend that the man was shouting at me. Once I saw that my friend had driven all the way out just to cheer me on, I knew I had to get my butt in action. Running to the transition tent, I handed The Thunder to a volunteer, flashed a weary smile at Amanda and Kaylee and lifted my arm to acknowledge my mom as I entered the tent.

I made one mistake in that tent: I took my sorry behind and I sat it down on a plastic folding chair. The cold material welcomed my weary legs and cradled me like a mother cradles her baby during a cold winter night... except it wasn't cold... it was scorching outside that tent. The sun was shining bright and the sweat sitting on my forehead and eating away at the material of my bike kit proved that.

One of the female volunteers noticed that I had not moved since I entered the tent. "Would you like some help?" She offered, cautiously. At least she was not forcing her help upon me like the swim volunteer.

No, I would like a doctor. 

I am not a woman who asks for help. Independent, stubborn, fearful of appearing weak or needy... ask my boyfriend, ask my dad, ask any man... I am my own gentleman. Asking for a doctor's help was my first sign that this race was coming to an early end.

While I waited, I peeled my tri kit off and stood naked in the middle of the tent, ignoring the two male doctors standing behind me. Taking my red racing tights and green Patagonia top out of my bag, I hastily worked to cover my rear end before the doctor's arrival. When he came over and I told him about my cramping, he told me I had two options: I could go sit in the medical tent and have my legs massaged and nursed back to life or I could ignore the pain and grab straight Coke from the aid station when I passed it. The rest of my belongings were tossed back into their bag and I looked at him, shrugged my shoulders and said, Alright. Thanks.

He responded by lifting a spray bottle and squirting my legs. Not sure if I appreciated the mist or was upset that he just got my thighs wet and I might chaff, I walked out of the tent and out to my family with a forced smile. I'm done, guys. Dad, please stop videotaping this. I'm seriously done, guys. I don't want to finish. Dad, seriously. Please turn the video camera off. Okay, fine... I'll walk a little. 

Walking was not an option though when I came around the bend and people began cheering my name. "Yeah, Ashlee! Great form! Looking strong!" Great... thanks for printing my name on my race bib, Ironman. I'm just SOOOOO glad that everyone knows the name of the girl who is about to collapse on that grassy spot over there. 

I had no option but to run... until I came to a spot where people weren't watching. As soon as the crowds died down, so did my pace. Instead of maintaining the run, I walked two minutes, ran one minute. My pace stayed below fifteen minutes per mile, super quick, I know, but at least I would finish before the cut off time.

The run course was brutal. It was three out and backs repeated twice on concrete. The only change of scenery were the fading smiles of the runners coming back from their second lap.

"Ashlee! Ashlee! Ashlee! Looking so good! Check her fly!" Yeah, I'll fool you by running until you can't see me! What up!?

My buddy ZackZack Bertges ran toward me on his last lap and I was glad I was in my running portion of my walk-2-run-1 plan. He looked strong as an ox and nimble as a gazelle. "AshleeAshlee!" Hey you! Yay you! Okay, he's gone... now I can walk. 
  

Outhouses waited at the aid station and I realized I hadn't peed since 5am. I waited in line for five minutes then walked into the fragrant hut. As I started wrapping toilet paper around every edge of the seat to protect my rear from the germs, I felt my crotch get wet... Yup, I just wet myself a little bit. Murphy's Law kicked in when I finally did pull my tights down to go and nothing came out. Checking the damage to my leggings, I wondered if I should wait in the porta potty until I was dry or if I should run and hope no one noticed. Oh, people noticed all right. I went with the latter option and heard several, "Oh, poor girl"s as I ran by.

C'est la vie! It's a race... pros do it all the time. 

One woman named Michelle and I had played leapfrog so much during the run/walk/jog/trot that we started cheering each other on until we decided to walk together and exchange life stories. Michelle decided to continue walking, but I wanted to pick up the pace, so I said goodbye and made my way toward the final out and back. As I passed two men in their 40's, they congratulated me on my pace. That's when my minute came to an end and I started to walk. They passed me and right when they began the walk, I ran past them again. They had the same walk-run plan as I did. We pushed each other along with our game of cat and mouse. With 800 meters left in the run, I charged past them and sprinted toward the finish line.

Cheers and screams sprung my feet along the red carpet as I approached the finish line. With each prance closer to the end, the shorter the distance between me and victory and the louder the shouts of pride from the crowd. My smile widened and I ran past the clock only 15 hours and 27 minutes after starting my morning. I jogged up to a woman who wrapped me in a heat blanket and placed a medal on my neck. "How are you so awake?" She asked. "The others look so defeated, but not you!"

I went slow and saved it for the end, I confessed. She had me pose for the finishers photo and I did some modeling poses for the man behind the camera. Yeah, I'm a bad ass and I still look cute after 15 hours. What now, Mr. Photographer?

My dad called my name from the other side of the gate and I could see the pride in his eyes. I had made my daddy proud. He didn't think I would finish. My mom, Kaylee and Amanda ran up to the gate and gave me a hug. A bouquet of flowers was exchanged from my sister's hands to mine as a bottle of champagne emerged and Amanda drenched me in a cool, refreshing explosion of alcohol.

With a plate of untouched food in one hand and my flowers in the other, I ran to the finish line and looked for Michelle. When we found each other, we hugged and introduced each other to the families of which we had spoken.

End scene with my family and Amanda walking into an empty Pearl Street in downtown Colorado. Camera pans out on a day well spent and a very bubbly victory.

First Date aka I Found The One aka Part 1 of the Rest of my Life

Everyone remembers his or her first love. Some people claim to find love at first sight, while other insist it takes hard work and time to differentiate true love and lust. My first love was a little different than most. My first love kicked my butt, left me out of breath and made me question if I had lost my sanity. Despite my nervousness, I knew after the first date that I was hooked. I guess it's true what they say: When you know, you just know.

The date started with the sun rising over the reservoir in Boulder, Colorado. The glow from the sun was a hue of yellow, red and orange; vibrant colors that seemed to dance over the water's edge. I hid behind my bag as my sister made remarks about cats, crazy people and The Lord of the Rings. My heartbeat was calm, but I was still excited to make eye contact with my date. Mom, Amanda, Kaylee and I stepped off of the yellow school bus in which we had traveled to the Boulder Resevoir. They helped me prepare for the date by holding my belongings while numbers were painted on my muscular calves and arms. I put on my nicest wetsuit and braided my hair back out of my face. My sister's arms wrapped around my neck and tears formed in her eyes. I think she knew this would be love before I even knew. Amanda snapped a photo and my mom looked at me with eyes that said, "You've got this, but if you don't, I'm still your biggest fan."

Like a headless chicken, I wandered through the crowds trying to find my one and only. My neoprene-clad arms pushed their way through the crowds to the sign that read "1:15-1:30". The woman on my right anxiously played with her pink breast cancer bracelet. I started conversation and we spoke of life, love and butt-kickings while we shuffled our feet forward. When my toes collided with the water, I knew the moment had come. I positioned my goggles and dove into the liquid, feeling my body become buoyant.

The start was slow as every time I tried to sped up, I found myself getting kicked in the chest or grabbing onto someone's foot. Pink, green and white caps bobbed all around me. Mouths gasping for breath, eyes shaded by tinted goggles, arms splashing the surface. I was so distracted by the multitudes of people surrounding me that I barely even noticed when the swim was over. People around me were trudging up the boat ramp while I was still using my arms to pull my way through the material. When my hand hit the concrete, I pulled myself to an upright position and ran toward the grass. A hand pulled my strap from behind, causing me to choke back like a dog on a leash. "Just undoing your wetsuit," he informed me.

A cute blond women who looked like Kristen Bell's long lost cousin jumped in front of me and told me to sit down on the ground. What? Why would I sit? "I'm going to strip you. Sit down." I plopped my butt down with a thud onto the muddy grass while she peeled the suit off of me like a banana peel. When I stood, my butt was brown with thick mud.

I ran into the changing tent and an older woman came hobbling down to my corner of the tent. "I can help you change," she told me. I'm okay. Thank you. She insisted. My body seemed to be moving at light speed compared to her calm, slow movements. She handed me a pair of shorts. I actually don't need those. I've decided to wear these. I stuffed them back in the bag. She pulled them back out. I tried to get to my bag, but she would not let me lay hand to it; her frail hands pulled out my sunscreen. Thanks! I reached for the sun repellent but she pulled it away. "I can spray you," she spoke. You can't fight the system. I allowed her to spray, noting the spots she missed so I could go back over them. She handed me my shorts a second time. I don't need those; I'm going to wear these. My tone was polite, but more firm. I just wanted to get to The Thunder, my Felt DA4.

Finally, I shook the woman off and handed my bag off to a volunteer. A tunnel of cheers greeted me as I ran to my bike and mounted, immediately riding off into the day. I knew I would be on The Thunder for at least 7 hours, so I tried to start slowly, but the pace still felt like I was in the danger zone of drafting the rider in front of me. At mile 17, my legs picked up pace and I hammered my way to the halfway mark feeling strong and pretty. At mile 56, the halfway point, I hopped off my bike and found my emergency bag. In it, I had packed a banana and sunscreen. I painted my face, found room for the banana in my back pocket and resumed the ride.

Mile 73.1 approached and I bonked hard. At mile 72 I felt fresh as a daisy, though I did note I had not eaten in 2 hours. I tried to take a Honey Stinger gel to my lips, but I felt nauseous. Regret hit when my hamstrings cramped at the 73rd mile. I found a dirt pull out and parked my bike. As I tried to loosen my cycle shoes and savor each bite of the banana, a dark-haired man on a shiny red motorcycle pulled off next to me. "You good to go?" He asked. Just cramping. "Good thing you have a banana." He rode away and I watched as other cyclists passed me, all asking if they could do anything for me.

I thought I would find my energy after the pit stop, but it refused to come back. My legs felt like they were filled with lead paperweights. My teeth were grinding together as my feet continued to grind the pedals. I looked at a group of people standing at a stop sign with signs and cowbells. It took all the energy I had left not to stop and ask them for a ride back into town. And if I called my dad for a ride, he would get stuck in the race traffic. I might as well just finish the bike then I can call it quits. These were the only thoughts that kept me going through the heat as I watched others drop off like drunken flies.

"We must dance on the pedals again," an Australian voice came from the man next to me. He was young, in his early-thirties, a blue kit clothed his perfectly toned booty and whisps of golder brown locks peered out from under his helmet. Yeah, you go do your dance. I'm gonna huff and puff back here, Mr. Ironman.

I stopped at mile 95 to throw out my empty water bottle and replace it with a mix of thick, sugar-filled Powerade. My throat opened up as the sugar coated the walls and energized my tired legs. The open road continued on and I with it. Momentum began to return to my deprived body and I found comfort knowing that the ride was coming to an end. Only 17 miles to go... and we will start with a big A hill.

Push. Pull. Push. Pull. 

All I saw were athletes falling to the ground, dry heaving in the shade and struggling to get to the top. At least I wasn't alone... or was I just in the first-timers' group with all the newbies? I reached the top of the hill and my legs cramped to the point of being unable to move. I stopped my bike and painfully clipped out. Resting my head on my bars, I tried to hide tears of pain and disappointment. Was this the end? Would I be able to move my legs again? A man asked if I would like to walk around and get the cramp out while he held my bike. I couldn't even imagine lifting my leg off of the bike though. Choking down some water and eating half of a Picky Bar seemed to minimize the cramping, so I got back on and pedaled toward the next elevation changing hill. Dance on those pedals, I did. I danced like Alex Owens earning her spot in the Pittsburgh Conservatory of Dance and Repertory. My heart was on my sleeve, along with my drool and snot.

With three miles to go, I could taste the victory. My bike started passing people on their bikes and it felt like smooth sailing... until I reached the last teeny, tiny hill and my legs cramped for the last time. This was the worst time. I stopped and barely could unclip. People passed chanting, "Only three miles!" I know it's only 3 miles! I can't do it. I literally cannot. 

A kind gentleman came and put his hand on my back. "You doing alright?" He stayed with me while I waited for a medic. While I waited, I asked him about his life and forced water down my throat. After 15 minutes, no medic came and my legs were feeling a little better. I decided to give it my all and find that finish line. Smashing the pedals like there was no tomorrow, I passed everyone in front of me and made my way to the finish line. I watched as people who were dazed, confused and sunburned were helped off of their bikes. A woman came to help me, but I was already off, limping to T2.

"Ashlee, RUN!!!!! GET YOUR FEET UP! RUUUUUUUUN!" I knew that voice. That drive and encouragement was undeniably Sloan Campi. Pointing at him, my heart started jumping up and down, but I'm not sure that my feet followed. "YOU'VE GOT THIS!!!! RUNNN! GO!!!!!" Still limping and really wishing I could deny his urging me on, I picked up my speed and ran toward the track, where Amanda, Kaylee, my mom and my dad were waiting to take pictures and root for me.

To be continued...

Sea Level to 7,000 Feet

Six days. That is all that is left until I race Ironman Boulder! The day is almost here and I am so not ready.

This last week, I took a group of freshman ladies to Malibu Club in Canada. It's a beautiful YoungLife camp on a private island. As wonderful as the week was, my training regimen was out the window. There is one stretch of boardwalk that reaches half a mile down the island. When I could find a chance to break away, I would run laps on the boardwalk.

"You go, girl!" People cheered as I ran back. "How many laps is that? Nine. You're awesome!"
 
My ego was way off the charts!

I didn't feel tired at all. I'm a stud! Look at me run! Ironman, here I come! 

...Oh wait... I'm at sea level... 

I came back from camp and took my friend up to Club 360. It is a tiny little walk, but I found myself trying to catch my breath as I climbed up the rocks.

Today will be spent trying to catch up on my workouts. I'll leave you with some photos of my trip though!

What Was I Thinking?

The Monday after the Wild Canyon Games, I was driving home from a YoungLife barbecue and saw Stephen Campbell on a run. I waved him down to introduce myself. As we chatted about triathlons, training and the WCGs, he asked if I was going to be participating in the Pacific Crest Triathlon.

The more I thought about it, the more realized what a good idea it would be. Being a half Ironman, it would be a great race to practice nutrition and go half the distance of my August race. So I pulled in the driveway, parked my car, rushed inside, turned on my laptop and... realized my credit card was still in my car. After flying downstairs to grab my wallet, I tried again. Five minutes later, I was signed up. Well, that was quick.

The race was this last weekend. I stayed up late the night before to pick up a friend from the bus station. The next morning, I felt confident. I woke up early, watched some Wimbledon and ate my oatmeal. On my way to the race start, I took a new route... and got really lost. I made it to the race start with 10 minutes until "Go Time". Well shoot. So much for setting up the transition area. My wetsuit magically appeared on my body (with some effort from my strong arms and some wetsuit shuffling) and off I went. The woman next to me asked how I kept such a calm face. Thank goodness my eyes weren't betraying my inner nerves.

Swimming felt amazing. I grabbed on to the feet of the man in front of me and drafted off of him for a good 400 meters before he kicked me off. The water was a wonderful 64 degrees. 1.2 miles went by in a flash with reggae music playing in my head. Every stroke felt efficient, my body placement was correct, my sighting was on for the first time ever. The orange swim caps around me bobbed up and down. I was in the middle of the gaggle, not the back.

I pulled out of the water and ran up to my bike.

This is not a race. This is a dress rehearsal. 

These words reminded me to slow down, to savor the moment. I ate half of a Picky Bar and peeled my wetsuit off. My face turned green with envy as I looked at the bikes stacked next to mine. I thought mine were beautiful, but I was so wrong. My Felt DA4 is chicken scratch compared to the Cervelo next to me. But hey, it's the rider, not the bike, right? Too bad I was losing both those standings.

I started the bike going way too fast. 20.1 mph uphill compared to the 16 mph at which I usually train. Once I made it to Elk Lake, it will be all downhill from there... or so I thought... I figured it would be okay to push hard on the false flat because I would have a fast downhill to reward me at the end. So wrong I was. Before that nice, rewarding downhill is a 20-mile uphill battle. Not just uphill. We are talking UP THE FREAKING BIG A HILL. As I started the climb, I shifted gears and felt my chain freeze; it had fallen off the chain ring. I unclipped and struggled to get it back on the ring. People passed me and asked if everything was okay- the same people I had just passed. Grrrrr. I walked to a fairly flat area and got back on the saddle. Up I went. And up some more. And more. And... wait, there's some more. QUADS. GLUTES. GET ME OFF OF THIS DARN BIKE!!!

At the top, I found the descent. It was windy... so windy. As I gripped my aerobars, I feared a gust of wind would take my tires right out from under me and leave me with major road rash and a bruised ego... best case scenario. A man flew past me and screamed WAHOO! I passed him a little later and said, "Tag, you're it!" He laughed and we kept the game going until the second transition.

The run started and I downed the rest of my Picky Bar. Three miles in, I realized my pace was way too quick. Maybe I should walk for two minutes just to slow down, I told myself. Bad idea. I didn't have to walk, but once I did, the pain set in. I could not get my run back. Four miles later, in a fit of 8 minutes jogging, 2 minutes walking, I saw Robbie at the water stop. Robbie!

Robbie is a runner and good friend. He cheered me on and I felt a slight amount of inspiration. Okay, I got this. Oh, wait, no I don't. I was done. My legs were done. It would be a long "run". I trudged through the run path and gave up hope. Hanging my head low, my bike friend passed me and said hello. Well, shoot... now I was in for trouble. Am I really going to do a full Ironman next month? Yuck. No motivation left on the path.... until...

My mom's blonde fro peaked around from the corner of some bushes. MOM! She jogged with me and suddenly I felt much more motivated. I took off toward the finish line. Not too much time passed before I was walking again. A man came to my side and said, "You and I are playing the same walk/run game. C'mon, there's only a mile left. Let's do this." Kevin, as the man's friends called him, and I jogged slowly toward the town center. I could smell victory. With 400 yards left to go, I encouraged Kevin to kick it up and finish strong with me. He declined and my legs kicked in. I dashed to the finish line, crossed with my head high then wobbled to get my medal... the prettiest medal I've ever seen.

Kelly and my parents were waiting for me at the end. It was a wonderful way to finish the most beautiful, yet most challenging course in which I have ever competed.

That night, Kelly, Megan and I went to Cruxapalooza and won the selfie contest! WINNERS!!!!!

And that's what it takes to be a Bad Ass.

Wild Canyon Games

Go shorty, it's your birthday. We gonna party like it's your birthday. We gonna sip bicardi like it's your birthday. And you know we don't give a WHAT 'cause it's your birthday!

The boys I was babysitting wanted to show me the new song they had downloaded that day. It just happened to be one of Lauren's and my favorite songs growing up. I smiled and shook my head, thinking about the time LaurLaur and I took a hip hop dance class and failed miserably.

Some days, the memories of Lauren are crystal clear. I see a bag of guacamole chips and I just want to go back to surf camp, dancing to Lionel Richie, eating guacamole chips and mangoes, taking photos of the token surfer guy and having to pay to use the restroom. I think about our tickle wars, where instead of tickling me, she would just bite me. Swimming in the pool reminds me of the trip we took to the coast where we buried hidden treasure. Every memory just makes me smile. Lauren was so full of love and life. She was by far the most beautiful girl from the inside out.

But she is gone and that kills me. Last night, Thanittha, Amanda and I went out to dinner to celebrate all the great things happening in their lives. It was a lovely evening and we had a wonderful time. Then I came home. I don't even know what started it. There was absolutely nothing that sparked it, but the tears just came. Just like they came the moment I found out she was gone.

It was the last weekend of March/first weekend of June. I was on my way to kayak with Amanda when I received a few texts from Ashley, Monica and Kim if I was okay. That was how I found out. I pulled over on the side of the back country road and let the tears flow.

There were five hours left until I would climb into a car and make my way to Washington Family Ranch. That weekend, I had the pleasure of competing in the Wild Canyon Games with the YoungLife team. I was not sure I had the strength to compete that weekend, but I didn't want to bail on the team the day of the race. I had no energy. The entire drive out to the ranch, I slept. My mom was hesitant about me driving out there since there is no cell service out at Wildhorse and since it was the camp where Lauren and I had spent so many weekends and summers. It turned out to be the best thing for me though. Not only was I surrounded by awesome memories of my best friend, I was constantly in competition mode so I didn't have time to think about the fact that she was gone. Not having service was perfect, too, because I didn't have the constant reminders.

Wild Canyon Games were incredible! The first evening was a big celebration at the pool with food booths. The next morning, we woke up at 5, ate some breakfast and waited for the games to begin. I was on a team of 7: One person swims 1 mile, one person mountain bikes 25 miles, one person runs a 10k uphill and two teams of two people geocach. I was a geocacher, which required running for over 4 hours straight while searching for caches. As soon as we completed the hunt, our team came together and participated in a competition to see who could do the activities worth the most points in the shortest amount of time. We ended the day in 7th place.

The next morning, we woke up and competed in a relay. I did the blob portion of the relay. Our team kicked butt! At the end of the weekend, we finished in 9th place overall.