Before you even THINK about exercise, consider this…
Hey Athletes!
I wanted to share another one of my Instagram posts that I thought would be helpful to you all here who might have missed it.
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Fitness comes first with self care - implementing lifestyle changes to improve overall well being. Before adding specific exercises or treatments. Good sleep hygiene, nutritious food, variety of movement, adequate hydration, social interaction.
Before stepping into a new fitness program, check that you have these in place.
Set a regular bedtime, avoid blue light before bed, build a routine to bring stress down (this is a great time to do your stretching!)
Stop thinking about calories and start thinking about nutrients. See where you can add in more fruits and vegetables, complex carbs, and clean protein.
Vary up movement in your day. Work in an office? Get up every 30 minutes to walk. Work in a barn? Remember to switch mucking hands and take stretch breaks. Explore new ways of moving your body and see what feels good.
Get more water in you! 8 cups is a good starting point but needs vary based on age, activity level, and other individual factors. Try adding in one cup immediately after you wake up.
And get social. Call your grandma. Volunteer at an event. Walk down the road and say hi to your neighbors. Or best yet... go hug a friend!
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Can I tell you a secret? This is the starting point for all athletes I work with regardless of experience level, limitations, or goals.
Why is this important? Because maybe you are sitting there reading right now and thinking to yourself “I am not ready to work out, coaching would be a waste on me” or maybe “I want to start getting fit before I work with a coach”
If that sounds like you, listen up! I want to challenge that thinking!
Often the hardest parts of building a new workout routine is getting started and staying committed in the first few weeks. This is why so many gyms fill up in January but are deserted by February!
This is why I would love to see you in my group coaching. It works threefold:
1) You get help from me and the other group members with our tips and tricks to keep your motivation when interest starts to wane. I have proven tools here and I can help match you with the ones that will work best for you.
and
2) You have added accountability. When you know you have to report back to me and the group, you will be less likely to miss a workout or make excuses.
and lastly
3) You get to knock off the last item of my post above - you get to spend an hour with me and a couple other athletes working through the same struggles and help meet those basic needs that will help support your baseline health factors so you can just START to feel ready to add in exercise.
Does that sound like something you could use? Then PLEASE join me!
-Sarah
Do you know how to turn your dreams into a destination?
Hey Athletes!
I wanted to give you an update on what is going on behind the scenes at RLAA!
This summer has been super busy for me with riding, in person bootcamps, hiking, and spending as much time outdoors as possible. When the sun is out, as soon as the workday is over the computer gets shut off! I don’t spend a lot of time on extras like the website development or all the backup stuff I do to plan out courses and workouts for you all. However, that is all about to change!
Like when I suggest to you all, I periodize my work and workout so I can make the most out of my summer… put in the gym and office hours in the cold dark winter, and reap the benefits when ride season starts! In fact, I got to reap it the weekend before last when competing in the final endurance ride of the season and we had pretty much a perfect ride. What a way to go out!
I have a few more fun things on the list before I end my riding season, but I don’t dread what is coming up. Instead I am looking forward to improving some things in multiple aspects of my business and life.
For my own fitness, I need to work on my leg strength. I was so sore after that endurance ride because I let my horse flow and he picked canter! I spent most of the ride above the saddle and well… the stairs were my nemesis for the next few days. Usually we trot the course so I used my body in a different way and it showed!
Ow, ow, owwww!
Instead of getting down on myself for not being fit enough for the task at hand, I came out excited. Excited that I found something that I could work on. Excited that my path forward for improvement so so obviously clear. Excited knowing I had the tools I needed to work on this. It feeds my motivation when I hit my limits! What an opportunity I have received!
If you have hit a limit this year and are feeling discouraged, take a moment to flip it around and get excited that you have clarity. If you didn’t get that clarity, get some help!
Of course, this it the time when I mention that I would LOVE to help you. My group coaching sessions are coming up quickly and I want you in them!
When I conduct coaching sessions we DO spend some time working on our fitness, but we actually end up spending more time on the mental aspect and how we can tie it all together. We work on creating our own definitions of success, we work on setting SMART goals, we work on breaking those goals down into actionable steps… and then we do some sweating.
We work on clearing that trail so that your dreams can turn into a destination. Then we wear down that trail with habits and behaviours so that we don’t have to struggle with motivation… so that your natural choice of trail is the one that will get you to where you want to be.
Does that sound like something you could use? Then PLEASE join me!
-Sarah
Can I help you lose weight?
Hey Athletes!
Last week I posted a thought on my Instagram and Facebook that really seemed to hit deep with a lot of people, and I think really encapsulates how I feel. I wanted to share it here in case you missed it.
“Question I get a lot... can you help me lose weight?
Below is an excerpt of response I recently wrote up to this question:
"Unfortunately I do not do weight loss training as I believe that every body should find joy in movement regardless of size and shape. I focus on exercises that will improve riding performance, encourage curiosity in activity and help counteract the stresses and imbalances of our daily routines so we can come to the saddle with balance and energy. Sometimes weight loss comes as a result of the higher activity levels and improved body composition, but I definitely don't make promises of these types of numbers as I don't find them to be as motivating as pure joy in movement."
Spoiler alert, it did not earn me a client. That is ok - everyone is on a different chapter in their story. Can I tell you a bit about my story as it relates to this topic?
There was a point in time where weight loss would be something that interested me. A point where I believed that weight and fitness were more related than they actually are. A point where I thought being better for my horse meant being a lower weight for them to carry.
I am not there anymore. And it doesn't feel like I "overcame" these thoughts so much as I gave them up. They were exhausting, demotivating, and unnecessarily punishing. Why should I continue these beliefs when they don't serve me?
We are bombarded with images and words that tell us that we need to be less to be more. Its impossible to avoid these messages, and even though I have worked hard to be body positive, occasionally some less positive thoughts creep in... but I am getting better at squashing them.
What has really helped me though and I hope can help you, is to focus on what excites me rather than avoiding punishment (and realizing that the punishment is totally self inflicted!).
Weight loss just doesn't excite me. What does excite me? Hitting a personal best in a workout, having a good ride, completing crazy long horse races, spending time meeting new people in different cultures, exploring new places, trying new sports, finding community of true peers.
So what excites you?”
-Sarah
7 Tips for when you are feeling burnout
Hey Athletes!
Last week our FitRiders hit an incredible milestone… 200,000 active minutes in 2022! Wow! That is even more impressive when you know that the logs are coming from less than a dozen regular loggers. Summer seems to have been quite friendly for our riders, and they are making the most of it. As I tally up their logs daily, I am inspired to keep up my routine. Community makes a difference!
Now, that is a lot of minutes. Its totally possible by this point in the year that many of us are feeling burnout. This might be in our riding, our workouts, work, or really any other aspect of life.
I want to give you some quick tips now that can help with burnout, no matter where you are feeling it. Apply these tips generously anywhere in your life where you could use a little extra motivation.
1) Identify the cause - is it an injury? Exhaustion? When was the last time you took a proper rest? Ask yourself what you think the cause is and then knock it back and forth like you are on the highschool debate team. Understanding the root cause is critical to true transformation! Treat the cause not the symptom right?
2) Make it fun again - try doing the activity without a goal or agenda. Try adding music. Switch up your route or your sequence. Bring a friend along. Try a completely different activity (IE if you have been doing a ton of trail, why not try an obstacle course). Check in with yourself and see if you can reconnect or rediscover your “why”
3) Create mindfulness with intention - go back to your “why” from #2, set an intention at the start of each ride, workout, or workday. Have you ever been to a yoga class where the instructor had you set a mantra or intention for the class? Maybe you want to work through a problem you are struggling with, maybe you want to go back to basics. Whatever it is copy, paste, and apply!
4) Aim for a small win - When you can succeed at something, you enjoy what you felt successful at. Work back from the big picture… go smaller, still smaller, one or two rungs down now. Good. Get that teeniest of tiniest goals done, hit your body with that serotonin, and enjoy its effects. Repeat as necessary!
5) Evaluate your process - step back and ask what is working and what isn’t. Is there something you have been drilling at but haven’t seen progress? Is there another way to go about doing this? Is there someone like a coach you can ask for help? What about intensity, duration, frequency? Does your schedule actually work or does it leave you with overwhelm?
6) Set your own goal - is there something you are working towards because it is expected of you or you got pulled into someone elses ride? You might be surprised how frequently we get caught up with other people’s goals because we haven’t set our own and it is easier to draft off someone else. Or maybe you are pursuing something because it is the conventional “next step.” Take a look at the end destination you are currently headed, was that where you wanted to go when you started? Is it what you still want now?
7) Work with a coach - a good coach will be your #1 cheerleader. They can help you when things aren’t going right. A coach can give you a plan that is monitored, individualized and realistic. A coach can keep you accountable on the days when your motivation wanes (If you want to know about our coaching packages, click here!)
I know, that sounds like a lot and is an existential crisis in of itself, but you would be surprised how easily it goes. If you are someone who loves to journal, you can use these thoughts and prompts.
If you aren’t into that, take 2-5 minutes before you start to consider some of these questions. Maybe spend a little extra time with that curry comb while pondering it or slow down your warmup. Hell, you might have already answered these questions in your mind just reading this newsletter (in which case, save this for any time you need it!)
You may find that these questions slip in and out on a regular basis. The more you practice this, the more they will naturally find their way into your thoughts each time you hit that brick wall. You might already be taking most of these steps already, now is your chance to go deeper!
Ok, that’s enough soul searching today! Now get out and get it!
-Sarah
Here are my tips for picking an activity goal and sticking with it
Hey Athletes!
There is a nip in the air and the leaves are starting to fall again. I don’t know about you but I got sucked into the idea that perhaps for once, summer might last forever this year.
Where I live, it was hot… until it was not. Literally overnight!
The kids are going back to school, fall programs begin, and the riding season starts to wrap up.
These natural season changes are a great opportunity to build our routine. While dates may seem a bit arbitrary, big transition dates like this are shown to increase reflection and motivation for change.
I want to help you get the ball rolling here… lets get you moving while the perfect storm is brewing. I have come up with a few tips (or assignments if that word helps!) for you to start building an autumn routine that will set you up for continued motivation through the winter.
Lets make this a 4 week challenge. What is something you can commit to doing every day for 4 weeks? Here are my tips for picking an activity goal and sticking with it:
Think about something you are already doing 3-4 times a week but perhaps erratically. Can you make it a daily thing? Example: Maybe you eat a good breakfast on weekdays before work but go for fast food on the weekend. Can you adjust your weekend to better nourish yourself?
What is something you are already doing daily? Can you add intensity or another form of challenge? Example: Maybe you take the dog for a walk daily. Can you add in some short jog intervals? Or maybe increase the duration? Add more hills?
Can you attach a certain time or trigger point for it? Example: At the end of the workday, when you close your computer, can you take 5 minutes to unwind with a short walk or stretch break before moving onto your next activity?
Can you find a commitment partner? Example: You ask a friend to join you in a program and report back to each other at the end of the day. Why not make it a fun game too, assign each other a daily exercise. Get a little mean if you have to ;)
Use tools and resources already at your disposal. The FitRider membership already has 2 great 30 day programs that you can follow along with, or use the exercise demos to design your own. I recommend printing off a copy of the download as well so you can put a big satisfying X on every day you complete. Or if you aren’t a member, try our favourite stretch video for free.
-Sarah
Do you remember why you got into riding?
Hey Athletes!
Every year I book off the labour day long weekend for the Cala-boogie endurance ride - my favourite ride ever!
Of all the places that I have been, this one holds the most special place in my heart. Even before completing the 100 mile buckle ride, I found a way to get to this ride every year in some capacity. Sometimes I am a rider, sometimes a co-ride manager, sometimes riding my horse and sometimes on others.
It’s not the closest ride for us, in fact it is probably one of the furthest that we go to. Most people in this area don’t travel much more than 2 hours for an endurance ride. How spoiled are we that we can participate right in our own backyards? Whenever I travel I am reminded of this, knowing that riders in other areas of the world would consider the 6 hours I travel to Cala-Boogie to be a short trip.
So what makes the trip worth it?
I used to look at the rides as a purely mathematical equation. I wanted to ride more than I drove, and that was totally fair! I wanted to increase my mileage, be eligible for awards, and spend a lot of time in the saddle. I LOVED spending lots of time in the saddle… driving, not so much! Working on my stats was a tangible goal and it felt good to knock off the miles.
Now? I think I am more adventure focused than mileage focused. This past weekend I even dropped down to a lower distance.
Maybe I like riding a little less? Maybe not. I do know I am looking more for quality of riding than quantity of riding. Spending so many hours in the saddle is still fun, but sometimes heading back to camp for the party is fun too.
I think for me, this is why I love the Cala-boogie ride so much.
I definitely feel the quality and adventure in this ride. Whether you are riding 100 miles or 12, there are so many little things that add a sense of fun along the way. Lots of reasons so slow down and savour it. Then we have a wonderful party and enjoy good company.
It is not uncommon for me to have to do the math to avoid going overtime at this ride. It completely pulls me out of competitive or mileage mode and into adventure mode: stopping to swim in the lake, picking delicious berries and grapes in the forest, meeting golfers on the golf course (which yes, we get to gallop across!). If we have entered the longer distances, the quiet enjoyment of riding through the cottages and lakes and looking up at the moon and stars above, knowing its only me and my horse awake for miles.
I believe that everyone needs a ride like this in their life. A ride that helps them think less about the numbers and spend time in the moments.
THATS a ride worth travelling for.
I spend a lot of time with myself and my people working on redefining success. Take a moment to ask yourself now:
Do you remember why you got into riding?
Has that changed since you started?
When was the last time you checked in with yourself? Do your current riding goals still motivate and reward you?
Is it time to step back or step up?
Are you ready to be more competitve? Or do you need a break from these feelings?
Next time you go out to a ride, whether it be competitive or not, take these answers and feelings into your ride. Plan your ride out accordingly. Plan to be competitive, or plan to ditch your plans. Go somewhere new. Eat the berries. Go for a swim.
Motivation comes and goes in cycles, changing the focus every so often can refresh your body and mind, and your horse as well! Lean into what your gut is telling you, and get out and ride!
-Sarah
Celebrating one year of FitRider
Hey Athletes!
We are coming up on the one year anniversary of the FitRider membership platform, and as you can imagine, my mind is whirling.
I started Ride Like an Athlete with one goal in mind, to help riders believe that they are absolutely athletes and that they deserve to treat themselves as well as they treat their horses.
For as long as I can remember, there has always been a badge of honour with riders treating themselves poorly for the sake of their horses. Eating ramen noodles so you can afford high quality grain, wearing old damaged shoes while your horses get the finest farrier work. Nearly passing out of dehydration while fretting about your horse at the trough who merely isn’t drinking because they know their biological needs and just aren’t thirsty.
However, as anyone who has watched the safety demonstration on the plane knows, we need to take care of our own needs so that we are physically capable to take care of others. The thing is it isn’t a secret, its widely known, but it is so culturally ingrained and celebrated, that we still participate.
Working with the group of FitRiders for the last year, I feel more and more like we are starting to see a shift in this. Not only within our own group, but I see more and more social media accounts popping up with similar views. The tribe is building.
With my Mongol Derby riders who are now reflecting on their experience, we have been talking a lot on the topic of success and what makes something a success. While I could go on endlessly on that topic, I want to take that same mentality back to the FitRider program in my own reflections.
There have definitely been a lot of things that haven’t worked this year. I threw a lot of spaghetti at the wall to see what stuck. What did everyone like? I spent a lot of time, money and energy on things that didn’t take. I have lost some subscribers in the process, but I am learning. Much like fitness and cross training might be new for many of you, training online is new for me. Trying to close the gap between who I am with my athletes online vs who I am when I can physically be with them is really hard! Soliciting feedback is hard! Sometimes I feel a little blind when behind the online curtain. There are many days when I worry whether my FitRiders are satisfied enough to let their membership renew for year two.
I don’t talk about it a lot, but I often have self doubts. These feelings are innately human and none of us are alone in that.
Do I let it get me down? In all honesty, I have some bad days where I wonder why I haven’t gotten it just right yet, and I give myself that hour or that day to feel that, and then move on from my pity party and try something new. One of these days my million and two ideas will come together in a more cohesive way and that light bulb will shine bright and things will click. Perhaps its because I am an optimist, but I believe that giving up on one thing might open up my spirit for even more possibilities.
So I guess that is my long winded way of saying, I hear you guys.
I am going to keep trying for all of you.
I am going to keep trying to inspire you to treat yourself right.
I am going to keep making changes to the FitRider program to find the right product or service for more of you.
I am going to keep narrowing it down until its easy for you to use and feels good!
I am going to keep throwing some spaghetti, but I am working on my aim and the consistency of the pasta.
I am going to keep looking around and seeing the positive changes in the world, beyond just my own clients, and keep believing that one day there will be a new generation of athletes, who will be born into the belief that riders DO deserve to treat themselves like an athlete, and the self-inflicted suffering to win a badge of honour in their community never has to even cross their mind.
I’m going to keep defining success not on my numbers but on staying true to my values and personality.
-Sarah
PS. In case you didn’t gather, some changes will be coming soon to the FitRider program! :) I really hope to see you there!
The Mongols are taking back the Mongol Derby
Hey Athletes!
Well another edition of the Mongol Derby is done and dusted. Something very exciting this time around was that there were two Mongolian riders competing… a first! I don’t think anyone was all that surprised when one of them won the race entirely.
I made the joke the other day… have you ever seen the meme that is something along the lines of “We should send one normal person into the Olympics for reference so we can truly appreciate the talents of these world class athletes”? I like to think of the Mongolian rider being the opposite of that. It gives us a solid reality check.
When I finished the Marcha, I had a dramatic change in my perspective of these races. Competing alongside the locals with the best of THEIR best was satisfying beyond all belief. It made these “adventure” races seem like a big ego driven tourist escapade. A bunch of foreigners descending on an exotic land, prepared to conquer the landscapes and horses, while the locals looked on in amusement as our narcissistic attempts swiftly humbled us into the dirt of the steppe.
It’s what I loved about the Marcha. I didn’t speak the language, I couldn’t bring ego there if I wanted to… I could never tell them how wonderful I am and all the things I did in the past or to prepare (cue air quote and eye rolls). I had to prove myself worthy of being there by riding with skill, kindness, and a willingness to learn and adapt to the local style.
So going back to the Mongol Derby, after having that experience at the Marcha, it had zero appeal to me anymore. I don’t have any FOMO from my attempt at it, but it kind of sealed the deal with me because I had a taste of riding shoulder to shoulder with the locals and I loved it. It was such a relief to give up any ego still clinging to life after many wins and defeats and just RIDE.
I still love the people that I work with for rides like MD, and I love the “genie in a bottle” effect that the MD has on your life. It gives you what you need/want but not necessarily in the way that you asked for and you may not be happy about it. I absolutely encourage others to enter and take a crack at it. However, I knew it wasn’t the experience I was looking for… my genie gave me that.
Having the locals compete in the Mongol Derby, now THAT changes the game! That is an amazing gift to both the locals and the riders who get to compete. Sure, it can add to the intimidation factor (which is already so high during these races), but it will pay dividends to the riders who are ready give up the ego and fully submit to the experience. Those are my people, and I am overjoyed for them. I do love and appreciate that the Adventurists are committed to improving the race every year, perhaps they heard inside my head through the Marcha and wanted to get ahead while the gettin’s good and try to dominate on all fronts.
Good job to everyone in both derbies, riders and staff alike. Whether you finished or not, may your personal growth continue as you reflect on your experiences.
Watch the world around you change, its the same as it always was but your view is a little different - life will never quite be the same.
Take some time to look inside of you, this is the perfect opportunity for self honesty. You can get everything you want if you are willing to dig through to find and open to receiving it.
-Sarah
New Service Alert!
Group coaching is now available to book - sessions start November and space is limited, so sign up now!
Starting in November 2022, we will be offering group coaching for various levels. These will be held online biweekly and limited to groups of 5 to ensure everyone receives the personal experience they need. Each will be 6 month sessions and complete near to ride season (northern hemisphere) or close to the event date in the case of ultra ride.
Group coaching offers athletes access to a coach at a lower cost, and the added benefit of the group’s questions - sometimes you don’t know what you don’t know! It also gives you a community of riders working through similar struggles, working as a group builds confidence faster than working alone.
Ultra-ride: Riders preparing for the Mongol Derby, Race the Wild Coast, Marcha di Resistencia. We will cover a wide range of topics from endurance riding rules, gear, fitness preparation, time management in your training program, coping with emotions surrounding your race and getting the most out of your adventure.
Endurance ride: Riders who are interested in trying their first distance ride (20km+) or upgrading to the next level (40, 80, 160kms). We will largely be working on rider fitness to prepare you and be an open forum for discussing horsemanship, time management, organization for your ride, horse training plans, gear and camping with your horse.
Fit Ride: Riders of other disciplines who would like to improve their personal fitness levels. We will be focusing on balance, recovery strategies, core strength, riding stamina and the prevention of injury.
After your purchase, your coach will contact you to confirm your admittance. Once we have a full group or are nearing the start, days and times will be selected based on what is most convenient for the group.
Please note, NONE OF THESE are weight loss coaching. We don’t believe in that here so don’t ask for that. We believe in creating a a healthy relationship with exercise and movement to bring joy into our lives and appreciation for the amazing things our bodies can do… not what they look like!
When the going gets tough…
Hey Athletes!
I want to take a moment to brag a bit about my amazing FitRiders.
Combined, all of us logged 170,000 minutes of activity since January first! That’s 2,833 hours, 118 days, 16 weeks. I mean you could state it any way you want, but that’s a lot of time spent in the saddle, stretching, walking, running, paddling, even lighting it up on the dance floor!
Each month I run a mini-challenge to encourage riders to keep consistent with being active and log their activities. At the end of each month I will draw a prize ranging from RLA swag to gift cards.
Well this month I did a little something different. As you can imagine it was difficult for ME to keep recording the logs while I was riding the Marcha in Brazil so I combined June and July into one big prize.
But if we are combining the months, it better be a damn good prize. I wanted to let my FitRiders know how much they mean to me so I brought home a busal (halter) from Brazil for the prize. Its hard to get more special than that!
In fact, it was the only souvenir I brought home outside of the clothes I bought to wear during the Marcha and some leftover mariolas (banana fruit leathers) that were my pocket snacks and a couple of gifts given to me by my new friends (ask me nicely on Monday and I will show you one that’s particularly meaningful to me). My spouse didn’t get souvenirs, nor my family, nor the usual friends.
Sorry guys, I just don’t do souvenirs anymore - just stories, photos, and life lessons to share.
So when I drew this special prize, it filled me with joy when the winner wanted to donate it forward. We chatted a bit for ideas and came up with a new awards at the Calaboogie Endurance ride that she manages (and I help manage to a much lesser extent too!).
So we have come up with the Resiliency Award. This is a nominated award that anyone at the ride can win (yes volunteers and crew too!). Now, we could set parameters on what it means to receive this award, but I think keeping it a bit mysterious and open will make it even better.
I want to hear YOUR best stories of resilience, as it relates to this particular endurance ride of course. I want to hear all your stories about what you had to overcome to get to or through this ride. Nominate someone you know who struggled but pulled through, or share your own story.
Here is mine. We entered the first Calaboogie 100 mile (160km) ride ever held. It was during COVID so we hadn’t been able to test out our fitness on any other races because it was the ONLY race held that year. We went big. It poured rain so hard all day, so hard I could feel the rain filling my boots and I would sit in a puddle on my saddle each and every down beat of the posting trot. It turned most of the trail to either slick rocks or deep mud bogs.
We had actually entered in the elevator, starting with the 75 mile and choosing to go on for an additional 25 miles after that completed. I was the only one who elected to go on, people thought I was absolutely crazy for not quitting while I was ahead. What they didn’t know was that I had intended on retiring my horse at the end of this ride. I cried so much.
Bentley had done many amazing things, but he has terrible arthritis and every year it gets more difficult to manage. My vets been telling me for ummm maybe 7 years to retire him, but he won’t quit. Now she says “I have stopped telling Bentley what he can’t do” (That’s the kind of person you want on your team BTW!).
Only two years earlier too he had a horrible accident and a fun hack turned into a Tarantino film and had to undergo emergency major surgery on his hocks. We didn’t know if he would live through the drive to the hospital, or through the surgery, or if he would ever be sound enough to even be comfortable on pasture.
Of course, we don’t tell Bentley what he can’t do, and after nearly 23 hours, we finished that impossible ride. On the last loop as we quietly walked out on trail alone in the dark, he didn’t even look back to camp.
He is one of only 3 horses who has ever been able to successfully complete the course and earn a buckle.
So it seems only fitting that this is the ride to honour resiliency and I am so excited to support this. Oh and I guess me riding 750kms qualifies me as a suitable sponsor lol.
Cheers!
-Sarah
PS After we earned our buckle Bentley once again told immediately me where I could stuff my retirement plans, and thanks to some amazing work by our vet, the magic of stem cells and Bentley’s sheer will to compete, he saw absolutely zero time in retirement lol.
PPS I highly recommend the Calaboogie endurance ride for your bucket list. Check out the facebook group to find out more or you can reply to this email as I may just have a resilient grey horse available to lease ;) And its not all 100 miles… we have 12/25/50/75 milers if any of those are more to your liking!
Dot watching… its tough work!
Hey Athletes!
It has been quite the week watching dots travel across Mongolia. Have you been keeping tabs on the Mongol Derby? I must admit I haven’t been sleeping well and my stress levels are high. Tuesday I spent most of the day in bed feeling like garbage in what I am going to dub SDS (Sympathetic Derby Syndrome) after several days with less than 5 hours of sleep and some intense back to back zoom calls with current and upcoming derby riders.
My spouse, now a hardened dot watcher, lights an imaginary cigarette with a steely stare. “You don’t even know Sarah. You deserve this misery.” Boy, have I put my family through a lot… enough that they barely bat an eye when I announce my next crazy adventure like I just declared “I think I will order the shrimp today”. Actually if I ever ordered shrimp, it would probably set of fireworks of red flags to those who know me, far more than any of these adventures that could quite literally kill me.
For those readers who have never done one of these races, let me tell you a thing or two about dot watching: it only shows you about 0.1% of the story. There is a HUGE disconnect between the race itself and what we see back here. Add in the twitter and facebook posts and you maybe get up to 0.5% of the story.
I want to share with you a story that I always try to keep in my mind to keep myself from panicking when I see dots doing weird things.
It was 2016 and I was riding in the inaugural Race the Wild Coast. At the pre-race training we were given two trackers - one for the horse and one for the rider in case we got separated because rescue is so difficult on that terrain. One of mine was missing a cover to the data port on the back side of it. I pointed this out to the organizers (knowing that we had to swim rivers and this wouldn't be watertight) and they said it would be fine, just throw it in a plastic bag. Ok. Done.
The race starts and on day 2 we had our first major river swim. I am not a good swimmer, so of course I was rather nervous, but I used the techniques in training and all went off without a hitch. I was actually leading the race much to the surprise of everyone involved.
However, the surprise wasn’t just because I had a bad track record of flunking out of ultra rides…
As I had somewhat predicted, my tracker got waterlogged and malfunctioned. Did you know that the default in this scenario is that it sends out SOS signals? I know that! (Now)
When I reached the next vet check, one of the organizers ran over to me and told me my SOS signal was going off. Knowing they were filming us for a reality TV show, I assumed this was a ploy to get some drama and improve their ratings, so I rolled my eyes and dismissed it.
“No, we actually sent a helicopter to rescue you, but it turns out you were fine… winning actually!”
I pulled the tracker out from my bag, and sure enough, that little red light was flashing! Oops! Lol! Apparently I am the only one looking for drama.
After I got over myself and decided to ride on without the second tracker, I asked about what would get posted about the situation on the social media channels and how it would look on the map. After all, people at home might be freaking out just a wee bit. I was assured that something would be mentioned in the updates so my family and friends at home knew I wasn’t sleeping with the fishes.
That night, we also didn’t have cell reception. Usually I would call in and give Ashley updates to post about. So I just had to sit and assume all was good.
Well, I guess nothing ever got posted and my family got to spend some time living the fear that I had drowned in the river. Eventually they saw a post the following day about me continuing to lead into the vet checks and decided I was in fact alive and even thriving, but that had to be a pretty tense day for them!
That’s not a slight to the organizers of course, things get crazy during these races and if everyone is ok, good news is ok to let slide. If things weren’t ok, emergency contacts would be called.
So that’s what I go back to every time things aren’t quite adding up on the map. There are SO many things that could happen out there. This was especially important for me this derby session as I live only through the tidbits I can find on the map and official pages and the dots that I was invested in were showing irregular behaviour.
Bottom line is that we can’t put ourselves into panic mode when we don’t hear updates about our loved ones… its not always bad news. Trust the riders, trust the organizers, and let them all focus on their race… if we are lucky they will share their full stories with us down the road. The only person that feels your stress is you, so treat yourself to a deep breath and a distraction. Nobody needs that extra cortisol if it isn’t imperative to your survival.
There are only a few days left of this session of the derby. I will probably sleep for 2 days straight so I am fresh for round 2.
How about you?
Cheers!
-Sarah
Its Mongol Derby time again!
Hey Athletes!
It’s that time of year again… or rather finally again! The Mongol Derby kicks off this evening (my time) or tomorrow morning (Mongol Time). 40+ riders will be galloping over the starting line about to challenge 1000kms of Mongolian wilderness on wild horses.
Sounds a little crazy right? If you are like me though, you love a little bit of crazy in your life. Well… the right kind of crazy as I like to say!
This year, as a result of two skipped pandemic races, there are not one but TWO sessions of the race. The organizers have made an absolutely brilliant effort to be able to bring this experience to so many riders this year.
The race itself is more popular than ever, and rumour has it they are already accepting athletes into 2024 (and I think there aren’t too many spots left up for grabs then either).
As for me, I fear my social media detox is going to have to be over at least for the next 10 or so days while I eagerly await updates and follow dots on a map. Those of us who remain home can live out our riding dreams watching these riders go after the impossible.
I must admit, I don’t quite feel ready to come down from my adventure and move onto the next exciting race, even if I am just an observer and superfan. My mind is still bursting with ideas and lessons learned from the Marcha that haven’t really gone anywhere. Honestly, I have been spending my time just living a happy life… and I cannot remember the last time I could genuinely say that! That’s a feeling I want to hold onto as long as I can.
Courses and blogs can wait…but, of course, the Derby will wait for no human to be fully prepared. Just tell that to the riders currently assembling at the start line!
Riding times I understand this year will be 8am to 6pm (this is so riders can be safely into wherever they may lie for the night before darkness falls). I am thankful Mongolia is a 12 hour difference, which means a bit of media with my morning coffee and then again before bed. While the riders sleep, I will be at my desk or in the saddle, musing how I may support and encourage the riders for 2023 and beyond.
I already have some awesome ideas that I think will make an impact, but they are still floating around my mind like little clouds I can’t quite touch, perhaps this session or the next of the Derby will produce the thirst quenching rain so I can grow the seeds into a satisfying meal for trainees. Fingers crossed I can get my mind from the sky to the earth… or at least pen to paper.
I am going to leave it at that, you can follow along on the Equestrianist’s website too, and I am sharing what I can to the Ride Like an Athlete facebook group.
Cheers,
Sarah
What do you want to know about the Marcha?
Hey Athletes!
Are you enjoying your digital detox as much as I am? Hopefully this was one of the few newsletters you actually wanted to keep receiving if you did choose to take my advice last week and step back from social media and/or other digital triggers that may be causing you stress and overwhelm.
Just in case, I am sending this announcement out nice and early so that when you return to your emails, you can still get in on this special event.
My mind has still been whirling thinking about everything that happened during the 20th annual Marcha Di Resistencia and I have about a million and one topics that I could write or talk about. Like most things horses, if you get me started, I could probably go on forever and take a lot of tangents along the way.
So you are probably not surprised this in of itself is a huge source of overwhelm for me. How am I going to combat it? It’s so simple I feel a little foolish not starting here… I just want to go right out and ask you!
All this is to say, I am going to host an online Q&A about the Marcha and I would like to invite you to attend.
It won’t have any particular topic beyond the Marcha, there is no agenda or presentation (though I will likely screenshare some great photos), just open Q&A, no topic is off the table!
You must register in advance through our web shop. If you can’t make it, a replay will be available to FitRider Members (see below for more details) within a couple of days. I expect that we will limit the discussion to half an hour, but if it goes well there will be more sessions added… so tell me you want this and register now!
Cheers,
Sarah
Do you need a digital detox?
Hey Athletes!
Wow, a lot has happened since I last wrote you… namely I rode 750km in 15 days on one horse in Southern Brazil. Trust me, a lot happens in 750km! I definitely have a lot of stories to tell and I spent a lot of time inside my own mind, learning about myself and making plans for all the wonderful things I can bring back for all you.
But all that will come with time.
I promise.
Today I want to talk to you about what I have been doing since I got home - I have been taking a social media break. Rides like this change your life, and like a good pot roast, you need some time to let the juices work in and do their magic… unspoiled. Set it in the slow cooker and forget about it for a few hours if you want a delicious meal to come home to.
So instead of poking and prodding through social media to distract me from the teachings of this adventure, I have deleted Facebook and Instagram from my phone so I too can sit in my mind’s juices and soak in everything that I thought of while I rode.
Do you live in Southern Ontario? If so, last Friday you likely had your internet and/or cell phone services interrupted for a full day thanks to a widespread service outage from Rogers Communication. If you weren’t affected, just take a moment to close your eyes and imagine now that you woke up and there was no internet or cell reception and you have no idea when service will be returned.
Were you scared? Were you relieved?
Unless your answer was that you were indifferent, this is likely a sign that you need a bit of a digital detox.
Lets go back to that day. Without internet or cell reception, what does your day look like?
Do you pull out a book? Do you spend some time being active? Do you go for a ride or spend some time grooming your horse with no deadline? Do you get some yardwork done? Do you take your stash of cash and walk uptown for poutine and ice cream?
Now pay attention to your breath - take one deep breath in through your nose into the bottom of your lungs and let it out forcefully. Did even just thinking about this slow your heartrate?
Now you don’t necessarily need a full day to do this. Once you have gone through this little mental exercise, why not just take half an hour randomly (or maybe even better when you are feeling most stressed by your day job or social media influences) and do one of these things… leaving the phone behind and without setting a deadline. Unless someone is bleeding out, most “urgent” items can be best handled with a bit of space and time for reflection.
I find a lot of my time has already been freed up by giving up social media, its only been a week but I can already feel the effects. You might think too that I am getting so much work done. That is not true! I am getting about the same amount of work done that I always do, and the extra free time is spent in the yard with a beer, or chatting with friends at the barn.
Remember, your time doesn’t need to be completely filled to be valuable. We only have so much productivity in us until we need a rest, the difference is whether we choose it or whether it is forced upon us by our body or mind limits.
So that is your homework today, take that time to be unproductive, step away from technology, and give yourself that physical and/or mental rest you need and deserve.
Cheers,
Sarah
Is your Horse Uncomfortable?
Hey Athletes!
Is your horse uncomfortable?
When we are exercising or working out, we can feel in ourselves when we start to fatigue, when something feels uncomfortable or when something starts to hurt, but can you recognize that in your horse? Aside from “acting out” or bucking their rider off, can you recognize when your horse is uncomfortable or trying to tell you that the work they are doing is too much for them?
Research has shown that the Ridden Horse Pain Ethogram (RHPE) is made up of 24 behaviours. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7341225/
If a horse shows only one or two of these traits while being ridden, a musculoskeletal problem cannot be assumed. However, if eight or more of the 24 behaviours are identified in a ridden horse, the likelihood that this horse is in pain during ridden exercise is high. The studies done showed that lame horses an average of nine of the above traits displayed when ridden versus an average of only two traits when they were not lame.
The benefit of this ethogram is that it can enable horse owners, coaches, trainers to identify an issue, even if they are unable to recognize lameness. This ethogram isn’t conclusive and more research needs to be done but if riders and owners can become more attune to what their horse is telling them and get them help sooner rather than later, we may be able to address issues before they become bigger problems and we can improve horse welfare and their quality of life.
Have empathy when working with your horse and you will maintain motivation and confidence in your horse.
-Ashley
The importance of posture
Hey Athletes!
Since Sarah is on a plane to Brazil to compete in the Marcha da Resistência (follow the RLAA socials to keep track of all the updates), you get to hear from me, Ashley, for the next little bit. I am an equine body worker with a main interest in fitness building as well as exercise rehabilitation.
While most coaches and trainers are well versed in exercises to improve the horse’s skill in a particular discipline, a lot them do not know a lot about biomechanics and proper movement to enable the horse to perform those specialized skills to the best of their ability.
In the wild, horses had to hide any sort of pain or weakness because if it was outwardly displayed, a predator would know that horse would be easier to attack. Because that has worked so well for horses over the course of evolution, we still see that in domesticated horses of today. The difference is wild horses were just trying to survive and the horses of today are being asked to do incredible athletic feats.
Let’s take a look at the above photo as an example. Looking through photos from shows or endurance rides, how often have you seen horses displaying posture like the second or third photo? A lot of competitive horses are great examples of how horses are excellent compensators and shows how a horse CAN perform the task but not in a bio-mechanically correct way.
A lot of the horse’s posture has to do with core engagement. Just like when you are doing a workout, you’ll often hear the trainer or coach tell you to engage your core before performing the exercise or movement. We need to do the same with our horses when we are working with them.
One of the simplest ways to strengthen your horse’s core is using pole work. Don’t have poles at home? Utilize logs on the trail. While different pole set ups and going over them at different gaits have different purposes,just walking over poles is a great way to start. Try it yourself! Set up random poles in your arena and incorporate them into your workouts.
Keep an eye out in upcoming Ride Like An Athlete emails to see when the new “ Fit Horse” program is going to be released. Similar to the Fit Rider program, Fit Horse will be comprised of exercise videos for your horse with ridden and ground exercises, stretches, pole work layouts and more. If you have any suggestions on what you would like to see, send us an email at ridelikeanathlete@gmail.com and let us know!
-Ashley
Counting down the days!
Hey Athletes!
I am counting down by the day now, my flight leaves Wednesday morning and my first day of riding is Saturday.
This is of course the time when I (or sub in your name here if you wish), feel the insane desire to do something stupid. Its the final crunch and out mind starts to wander to the thoughts of “Have I done enough training?”, “Should I try a different piece of equipment?”, “What have I forgotten?” “Can I sit a rodeo the way I think?” “Maybe I should drop 10lbs to save my horse”
STOP
BREATHE
There is very little than you can or should change before a big adventure. You can either trust in your training, or trust in your ability to figure it out, or best yet both. Nothing you can do in the last week or two before your adventure will make your trip… but it can break your trip. So again.
STOP
BREATHE.
Ok now having been through this a couple times, here are some of the things I am doing to avoid doing something stupid before I leave because I think I haven’t worked hard enough. You can do these too, whether you are prepping for a big race like the Mongol Derby, or you just need to take some time to yourself to chill and be kind to your body and mind.
Got a massage
Fixed some nagging dental issues
15 minutes of daily stretching and/or mobility work
10 minutes of low weight strength training daily
Walking the dog
Building my packing list and online shopping for anything I am missing (PS if you want a copy of my packing list, reply to this email and if I get enough I will make it a free digital download)
Focusing on others and making sure they are prepared for me to be MIA for 3 weeks examples:
making food for my spouse
arranging alternate coaching for my Team Riders
filling up supplement buckets for my horses
making clear instructions for the person who has to do my day job while I am gone
Basically… busywork that keeps my mind off the race and help me feel like the stuff at home can STAY at home and I can enjoy my ride
Fixing the things that hurt - my broken toe is getting iced daily in hopes of bringing the inflammation down before I have to shove them in boots for 750km
Talking to others about anything I am struggling with, its surprising how many great ideas you get when you JUST ASK!
No hard rides on crazy or green horses (ok other than this weeks photo where I am cross country schooling, if you have ever ridden Westie you know just how safe that is with him!). No high intensity workouts. No big equipment changes (just some tweaks like duct tape) and most importantly…
NO NEGATIVE SELF TALK
I’ve got this. You’ve got this.
-Sarah
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