Wow, I am two weeks away!

Hey Athletes!

Wow, in only 2 weeks I am getting on a plane and headed south to Brazil for the Marcha di Resistencia. I have been waiting for this date since late 2019 so it hardly feels real.

Pictured above is Almirante with his owner Adriana. He will be my mount for this adventure. He is a Criollo gelding and was actually the winner of the Gelding division last year.

Let me tell you a little bit more about the race in anticipation of your questions. Here are a few quick facts in no particular order:

• The race lasts 15 days and 750 km on one horse

• The first 12 days are controlled speeds (meaning you have to go between a minimum and maximum speed similar to our set speeds or CTRs here)

• The final 3 days are open speeds, so only horses who hold up to the first 12 days of riding will be allowed to “race” but like with any endurance ride, the rider has to ride smart and with their horse’s welfare as their top priority

• The race is being held in Quaraí, RS, Brazil and attracts riders from Brazil and Uruguay (my friend Krystal rode for a couple of days but I will be the first official international competitor and carry the Canadian flag)

• There are 35 entrants in this year’s race

• Some days we ride once, some days we ride twice. Individual legs are anywhere from 15km to 60km

• I will absolutely have time to tour around and we will be doing some day-tripping to Uruguay and Argentina for shopping and sightseeing on the days with less riding

I am still figuring out how I am planning on sharing this journey with you all. Might come through this newsletter, or perhaps my personal social media handles so make sure you are following along (just search equestriancyborg on your favourite platform)

Stay tuned!

-Sarah

Have you practiced your “what ifs”?

Hey Athletes!

Sometimes things don’t go as expected… and when horses are involved it seems like the chances of that happening double, no matter how well prepared you are!

This past weekend was supposed to be the first endurance ride of the season here in Ontario. I am always a bit of a mental case preparing for the first ride of the season. It is less to do with the actual ride but more to do with the packing and preparation. Honestly it takes me days to make sure everything is moved back to the trailer that needs to be there for camping, all the memberships are current and other paperwork is filled, the logistics are all sorted (especially if I have additional riders or crew) and I have prepared for every other circumstance that I could possibly think of.

I told my rider, Alia, to pack for all weather.

Little did I expect we would be hit with a Derecho… a new term that southern Ontario learned. A devastating storm that went from one side of the province to the other, leaving destruction and at least 8 deaths in its wake.

We had already finished our ride for the Saturday (12 miles) and were all cleared for Sunday’s 50 miler. Everyone was looking GREAT. We went back to our campsite and shared updates about the day’s ride. Then we got an emergency alert on our phones about a severe thunderstorm incoming. So we sprung into action and put anything we didn’t want to get wet into the trailer, then sat out in the sunshine and watched the horizon to the east.

The grey came, and the wind turned cold. It started changing directions, circling. I called Alia that it was go time and to get in the trailer NOW as the hairs on my arm stood up. Seconds after we closed the trailer door, my large and heavy camping table got whipped off the ground, right past the door where we had just stood and landed at the other side of our campsite.

Alia looked at me and asked if we should go get it, ABSOLTELY DONT GO OUT THERE. Buckets, tents, EVERYTHING was flying around. We watched out the window as the grass flattened, other riders struggled to lock things down and get into shelter, trees started coming down on the corrals at the treeline. The trailer bounced up and down and shook. The horses wobbled, trying to stay upright.

It was genuinely terrifying. I still am choking up a lot typing out this story.

We were incredibly lucky for many reasons. Some riders were still stuck out on trail, hearing all the trees snapping above them, getting trapped in the forest. Campsites only a couple kms away had total destruction of trailers and campsites and required emergency evacuations. Other posts I see on facebook confirm that tornadoes were touching down around us. I can’t even imagine each individual experience through this disaster.

I honestly can’t think of a worse weather event that could happen at an endurance ride than a tornado. If you can think of one, I am not yet ready to hear about it but you can start preparing yourself too.

One thing that has me a little hung up though is the emergency alert we received. It was for a thunderstorm, and I had completely underestimated what we would get. Thankfully nobody in our endurance family or their horses were injured, but I do have a lot of “what if’s” in my mind if I had known tornadoes were possible.

My spouse, Lee, said on the way home when I was talking it through (and about the time my shock of the event wore off) that the best thing we can do is treat every storm alert like its the worst case scenario. I think we did a pretty good job, not waiting to prepare and taking action where we could. Not every thunderstorm is going to yield these results, but I had practiced the pack up many MANY times in the past which helped us (though next time the table is going DOWN).

While I don’t want to send this out as a message to scare you, I do want you to take a moment to think about some of the what if’s and whether you have a plan for it.

I do a lot of “what if” training with Mongol Derby riders too. Its not to be pessimistic, but to set up tools and processes that can get you out of a jam and could potentially save your life. And if you are someone who is anxious about all the what if’s actually writing these down and coming up with the solution is actually an incredibly empowering exercise.

What if you are in ride camp and a tornado is bearing down, what if you are riding? What if it is a fire? Or hail? Or flood? Who has your back? What will you do? Where will you go? Is someone keeping an eye on the storms and calling you with updates?

You can’t prepare for everything, but you can learn from the experience of yourself and others, and explore those fears to help give you the confidence you need when the stakes are high.

I hope this helps.

-Sarah

I got burned! Ouch!

Wow I would sure hate to be that chick! LOL!

Is it any wonder why we get impostor syndrome? Can I ask you to read through that again… do you feel any less like an impostor after reading that? Do you feel encouraged?

Let me try rephrasing it a little bit.

Example… chick did 2 days, and despite not finishing, she was able to learn from her mistakes and watch those of others and since then has completed and even excelled at many noteworthy races, enough to feel confident in training others to chase their dreams.

Or what about this one

Example… chick did 2 days and after withdrawing and following the riders around with the crew, discovered her true passion was in helping others achieve their dreams and decided to dedicate her life to this.

Are you feeling a little better yet? I always find redemption and the underdog story much more inspiring - at least more than saying “you can’t possibly be worse than this poser!”.

My point here is the driver of impostor syndrome is in the black and white - success and failure as defined in the dictionary. No, I have not completed the Mongol derby, but I did get my derby experience. A race that big changes someone whether its what you expected or not. It gives you what you need… are you open to accepting its gifts?

My gift was people. Amazing people who brought me into their tribe, who I get to ride in wild places with. Who share their derby experiences with me and give me more tools and advice to then pass on to others. People who challenge me to continue to learn and share. Knowledge doesn’t have to be first hand to be valuable, but we still have to earn it. I earned mine by being friendly, helpful, and encouraging. I earned mine by dropping my defenses and learning to be vulnerable so others could do the same with me. That was my biggest “failure” in the derby, the refusal to be vulnerable.

Think back now, how have you earned the tools in your toolkit? Have you learned them as a result of perceived “failures”? Great, stop calling them failures and call it progress. As you can see from me, yes, some people will continue to define you only by your failures. You can’t change their opinion, but there is one person’s whose opinion you can change. That is yours. That is one less person hating on you, and that feels wonderful.

Here is another thing that I tell the riders that I work when when they are doubting themselves.

1) Nobody is thinking about you as much as you think they are thinking about you (they are spending 99% of their time thinking about themselves, this is the absolute truth!)

2) Even when they do think of you, its rarely what you think they are thinking of you

and

3) Even if you are right in what they think about you, relish the fact that you have made enough of an impact to hold a space in their mind… for everyone hung up on hating you, there are 10 more people silently looking up to you as their role model, and they think you are AWESOME (and if you don’t believe this, count me as superfan #1)

Yes, I still get impostor syndrome here and there, but its a little less than I felt last year, and last year was a little less than before that, and it most certainly was lower than when I lined up at the derby start line.

So cut yourself a break.

Get off social media for a day.

Go out and spend some time with those positive people who think you are a rockstar - I will be here if you need me ;)

-Sarah

PS if you hadn’t guessed, I am that chick! And proud of it!

Do you work in an office?

Hi Athletes!

The past couple of weeks I have been 50% work from home and 50% work from the office, its a very big change from what I have become used to the last 2 years working solely remote.

One of the biggest changes is I have become used to going for a run and/or doing a workout on my lunch break… which is a little hard to do when you are in a nice dress and other people can smell you upon returning!

So I wanted to put together this list of how I am adding movement into my day on the day’s I am working from the office, maybe a couple of these will work for you too!

• Save hard workout days for WFH, active recovery type activities for the office

• Take the stairs - not just on your way in/out but each time you need to use the washroom I go up and down 3 flights for “fun”

• Set a timer for 30 minutes, whenever it goes off… MOVE (doesn’t matter how… my coworkers are also listening for this now too lol)

• Do movement snacks (I discussed this last week) Ideas in the FitRider Library and stretch at your desk

• Eat your lunch at your desk while working (usually discouraged), take your lunch break time for a walk instead. Most people I know eat at their desks anyway, so TAKE your break and take it to move.

• Invite those around you to do these with you and foster a culture of movement at your workplace

Hope this helps!

-Sarah

May is all about Movement Snacks

Hi Athletes!

Phew I have had a week (or two perhaps!). Every newsletter I want to start out by saying sorry for the delay, and I feel like I am adding a day or two every time. Perhaps instead of a weekly newsletter, I should be calling it a “every 9 days or so” newsletter. Hmm not quite as catchy I suppose.

Let me catch you up on what I had going on which kept me away from my writing.

First off, I want to say HOW PROUD I am of all my FitRIders. Combined, we have achieved 100,000 minutes of activity since January 1st! That’s about 1,666 hours of activity. This group is pretty phenomenal and I am so happy to have them to help motivate and inspire me… plus share challenges, wins, and the things we have been learning along this journey. If this sounds good to you, its never too late to join in on the action as we have monthly prizes and challenges happening. Just join FitRider and start logging, and I will be there receiving your stats, pumping my fists, and cheering you on!

Next, the photo above is of 2022 Mongol Derby rider Nancy O’Neil (better known as Mama Nancy or @canamnightmares) who came in from Kelowna BC last weekend for bootcamp training. I put her through a RUS ride where she got to learn how to take her balance to a different place. She is no slouch having done many years of classical dressage, search and rescue, trail guiding and more… but getting up on top of a saddle really changes how you use your body and it is an amazing tool to add to any trail riders toolkit. She remarked several times on our 40km ride on Sunday how well the RUS prepared her for better riding the trail at speed and balancing the horses over terrain. She was such a joy to have and a refreshing break from my day to day.

The 40km ride was also a good test for my own fitness as I prepare for the Marcha which I leave for in one month and 10 days. Both Nancy and I came out with our own todo list of things we still need to do before our respective races.

As for what is happening inside the FitRider portal, the month of May is all about fitting small movements into our day. We are focusing on movement snacks - little exercises or stretches that you can do when you only have one single minute - because everyone deserves to treat themselves to movement. In fact, as soon as you hit the end of this email, I want to you to go do 1-2 minutes of ANY movement. I am working on a few more digital downloads to this extent, but that will be announced in a little bit still.

Right now the sun is shining and I am getting ready to get mounted and take full advantage!

Cheers!

-Sarah

When was your last deload?

Hi Athletes!

I want to talk a little bit today about training and deload. What is a deload? It is an intentional rest week where you greatly reduce your activity. Those who do any kind of distance racing might know this as tapering before your race, but it has a place outside of competition as well and it can benefit all athletes - human and equine.

I bring this up because I am in this phase of my training AND I was just covering this topic with a Mongol Derby trainee.

When it comes to a training program, I have noticed how much people are attracted to the 30 day programs. It’s a special magic number. You see it on the magazines, online challenges, books, and gyms. It is a nice bite size number which can encourage us to get started when we are feeling a little overwhelmed.

The problem is health, fitness and life in general isn’t done in 30 days. It is a continuous endeavor whether you are training for a big event or not.

If the 30 day program was successful, you are feeling motivated to get started on another, and another, and another. At some point in time, you have built in habits and a mentality that you need to be constantly working out and progressing in order to be successful. That’s when it all falls apart.

Does this sound familiar?

Here is the thing… if you don’t give your body the chance to deload (think rest and recover), it is going to force one upon you with injury or exhaustion. More is not always more… BUT if you take the opportunity to do a deload, you are almost guaranteed to be able to do more on your return.

So what is the magic recipe for a deload? How often and what does it look like?

Well… that is a difficult question because everyone is going to be different. However, here are two tips you can use to get started. Make sure to check in frequently with your body and energy levels to see if you need more or less.

Follow a 5 week schedule: 4 weeks on, 1 week deload

Deload = 50% of a regular week (either in intensity, frequency, duration/mileage, or all)

Remember, we still have rest days in our “on” weeks. The deload is an extra chance for your body to recover. It can be a big mental step to scale it back when you are used to going hard, but trust in the process and the value of rest in your programme.

So if you have been enjoying those 30 day programs, perfect timing! Take a week, then get back at it. Trust me, you won’t be losing out!

Cheers!

-Sarah

Welcome to the team Twang!

Hi Athletes!

I had an exciting weekend. Twang arrived at our farm. He was originally supposed to come back in March, but he had a slip in the field (which anyone in Southern Ontario knows was sheet ice this year) and had an injury which delayed his arrival.

He is all recovered now, and ready to get into the bootcamp that I have planned for him.

Now before I get into those details, I will put out there that I am NOT allowed to keep Twang. I have already made that promise to my spouse lol. While I know horse people say that a lot, I am doing the mental hurdles to make that actually happen. In fact, I have become super excited to prepare him for his new home (wherever that might be).

I have to say in the last few years I have been more focused on getting new riders into endurance sport. I am less excited about myself entering and completing endurance rides, and more about the people who I can support on their first endurance ride. So it feels natural to now be excited to produce a really lovely horse to help someone else fall in love with horse sport. While no doubt it will be hard to say goodbye whenever that happens, I truly am excited to be in this role for him.

That being said, he’s getting the same treatment that he would if he WERE mine, and even more important to this discussion he is getting the same treatment as if he were one of my human trainees.

You have probably heard me say it before, I believe the humans deserve to treat themselves as well as they treat their horses. Part of being an athlete (and the basis behind my brand name Ride Like an Athlete) is that we want to develop holistically, its not just about working out or adding more to our programs. It’s about considering all aspects of our lifestyle and how it can contribute to our athletic performance.

So when Twang arrived yesterday, he got the spa treatment that every athlete deserves. He got his hooves trimmed by my farrier (humans, when was the last time you replaced your running shoes or had your stride assessed?) then he got a massage and diagnostics on this musculoskeletal status (human, have you been cleared by a doctor or physiotherapist to begin an exercise program?).

My two experts helped me build the game plan for what the first month of his training will look like. Same as my humans, the first month is about rebuilding the body frim any issues that are present from lifestyle and previous injury - things that could potentially get in the way of success down the road even if they aren’t screaming at us now - those little nagging things that we tolerate but maybe aren’t best long term. Its also about building good habits and getting used to the routine of consistent work. Its about giving him the skills and awareness in his body to be able to complete the work in good form BEFORE we add any load or intensity.

Yes, all my humans get that too. It’s a program that I trust to build a lifelong love for movement. It’s something you can use for yourself and your horses as well.

Next time you are wondering where to go, whether starting a new fitness program or reviewing your current one, ask yourself… “If it were for my horse, what would I do?”

Would you seek help from professionals? Would you go back to the basics? Would you spend the money on bodywork or better equipment?

If you believe your horse deserves it, you deserve it too.

-Sarah

What did I learn from my root canal?

Hi Athletes!

Well I promised that you would hear more from me… looks like you are going to see more of me too! Lol. How is my tooth looking? Fabulous right?

I had meant to make Monday’s my regular email day but I had a portion of a root canal yesterday that knocked me down for the better part of the day.

The fun thing about the root canal (yes I said that), is I have nothing to do but lay back and let my mind wander for 1-2 hours and think about all the things I want to write you about. It’s been a crazy week and there are so many things going through my mind and lessons learned. It is definitely a good problem to have a busy mind when there are bright lights, scary drills, and bleach going down into your face.

I had so many different topics that I had thought of to write you all and now I have totally forgotten them. Seriously, I have a bit of an idea of what was going through my head but no one clear and concise topic for today. So let me know what I DO know from this little exercise…

Letting your mind wander can be super helpful for your body. I know you hear lots about meditation and clearing your thoughts and how good that can be for you. I have never been able to do that. I just CANT sit and do nothing AND think about nothing. I am just not programmed that way.

I DO zone out down long sections of trail in an endurance ride or on a particularly intense run or lifting session, but that is the closest I have ever felt to a meditative state. Moving my body settles my mind.

The dentist was the opposite, I needed to move my mind to settle my body. Believe it or not, my heart rate was consistently at least 20bpm below what it was during my drive to/from the dentists office.

So if you are like me and antsy, excitable, curious and just can’t seem to find a way to BE still, why not try what I did? Try one at a time. Pick which you want to settle (based on your current situation and feelings) and move the other.

I like to say, sport is 20% physical and 80% mental. Let yourself wander and see where the amazing interaction between the physical and mental will take you.

-Sarah

PS extra bonus of being at the dentist, I am forced to take long deep breaths through my nose and concentrate on that. This is your reminder to take a few moments to BREATE today!

Spring is in the air

Hi Athletes!

I don’t know about you, but with spring finally getting serious about commitment to our cause, I have renewed energy and enthusiasm for all things movement and outdoors… even talking (or in this case writing) about all things movement and outdoors. I want us to get back in touch with each other this season and not just let you know what promotions we are having at RLA, but what we are actually getting up to while practicing what we preach.

So today’s email is a bit of a blog from me about my first run outside of the season.  I love my treadmill, but the sun was out, the streets were clear of ice, and the dog was giving me that “look” that he gives me when I run on the treadmill. “Human, you know you could just take me for a walk right?”

I had also purchased a handy new gadget from Amazon that I was keen to try out - a running belt leash for the dog.  Just band it around my torso and get running.  

The first part of our run was what you could expect, I ran and with the instructions of my reactive dog trainer in mind, I did not stop to let him engage in barking at other dogs, lifting his leg to mark every fence post, or any other distractions.  We were getting down to business.  I ran like I meant it!

I ran down the road to this little wooded park with some trails that makes a nice 30 minute loop. Perfect little lunch break run. Knowing how well traversed this park is with dog walkers, I was expecting MANY distractions. So many things to smell.  Game face on. No distractions dog!

So I continued through the parking lot and straight to the trail as the dog began to linger behind me, until I could feel that resistance. Yup, here it is. Focus Sarah, he will snap out and come along. Remember, this is good core conditioning too!

After probably a dozen strides with the drag behind me, I turned to look and there he was… skiing along behind me in a squat with a trail of poop you could use as a passing lane marker on the highway.

Oops!

So lesson learned… some distractions ARE worth stopping for.

-Sarah

PS. The rest of the run went well and while I seemed to last longer than the dog, we very well may make this a regular part of our training.