Of course, it's easy to stay motivated looking back at these photos from October's visit to the Red River Gorge. This place is truly magical. Such an amazing experience and can't wait to get back next year!
Monday, December 4, 2017
CLIMB | RED RIVER GORGE
Monday, October 16, 2017
NOW PLAYING | E+F OCT 17 PLAYLIST
With my ACL reconstruction now just a little more than two weeks away, the countdown is on to my last blast climbing trip this weekend and first visit to the Red River Gorge. One of my climbing partners, Shawn, who never gets excited about anything, describes the Red as "magical." Sounds like an excellent way to go out.
For the first time in my life, I'm finally learning how not to be motivated by achievement and outcomes. It's now all about experiences and living, and the only thing on the agenda this weekend will be hanging with great friends, eating pizza at Miguel's and climbing some amazing pitches.
This month, the E+F Oct 17 throwback playlist is the perfect soundtrack for the current mood. Enjoy!
Saturday, September 30, 2017
CLIMB | COSTA BLANCA
To say my trip to Spain this month with Rock & Sun was amazing is an understatement. My favorite place to climb always seems to be the last place I've been, but Costa Blanca was incredibly special. Got what I would qualify as my hardest send to date, made some great new friends and learned so much that has improved my climbing technique and onsite ability.
Definitely experiencing some post-trip blues and missing my daily walks to La Estufa to enjoy an outrageously good three-course meal with wine for just 12 Euro, but planning the next adventure always helps. Already looking at Morocco next fall with a couple of my new friends from Spain — and my first trip to the Red River Gorge in less than three weeks!
Until then, I'll be dreaming of Spanish limestone and the beautiful landscapes of Costa Blanca...
Friday, September 1, 2017
NOW PLAYING | E+F SEPT 17
12 months, one trip delay and a torn ACL later, I'm now exactly one week out from climbing in Spain. SPAIN!!! This time next week it's wheels up for Costa Blanca with Rock & Sun, and it can't get here soon enough.
This will be the official kick off of what I'm calling my 'Last Blast' fall season before knee surgery in November, and I plan on making the absolute best of it. And because every great trip needs a solid playlist, here's E+F Sept 17 that includes a few of my favorite tracks currently in rotation. Enjoy!
Sunday, August 27, 2017
NOTED | 8.27.17
"The best way to find contentment is to give it your all." —big wave surfer, Nic Lamb, speaking of his relentless pursuit of excellence in the water.
The benefits of an unbalanced life.
4 go-to meals for the road.
What life's really like 1,400 feet up a big wall.
4 happiness hacks to free your inner optimist.
What's your North Star?
(photo: Getty Images)
Friday, August 18, 2017
TRAILSIDE KITCHEN
Let me start by saying I am not at all what I would describe as a natural athlete. In fact, I joke that I'm the girl that failed PE. I started climbing pretty late in the game and didn't get dedicated until I was almost 40. Now, at 43, I'll take whatever edge I can get.
With the goal of climbing 5.13 by 45, I already had a solid training plan. However, my job as a sales manager has me on the road almost every week, and even though I try to make smart food choices, my nutrition definitely needed some help. So when I came across this post on improving climbing performance with Trailside Kitchen, I immediately got in touch.
I've since been through two rounds of the Trailside Kitchen Method Strength Training Course. The eating method has become a lifestyle for me, and I've seen not only significant gains in my climbing, but some pretty dramatic improvements in my overall health.
Julia Delves is the founder of Trailside Kitchen, and during the course of our one-on-one coaching sessions, she's also become a friend. Julia recently launched Trailside Kitchen Dark Drinking Chocolate with grass fed collagen. This product has quickly become both a climbing and travel essential that I wanted to pass along, so I invited Julia to share a little bit about her inspiration, the development process and what's so special about grass fed collagen.
What was the inspiration for Trailside Kitchen Dark Drinking Chocolate?
In working with clients, one of the biggest issues that kept coming up was getting a good source of protein after a long day outside for muscle recovery purposes. Most bars were too sweet and not a good protein source or eating a big meal with meat wasn't appetizing if experiencing that queasy feeling after intense exercise. I noticed I kept recommending over and over again that people use collagen powder as a great source of shelf stable, high-quality protein. It is kind of a unique ingredient that is unfamiliar to incorporate into your daily routine, so I decided to do something about it!
Can you tell us a little bit about the development process?
Around the time that I had the inspiration for "a collagen product," I had the opportunity to take an entrepreneurship class in my MBA program at Sonoma State University. It was the most academically challenging thing I've ever experienced, but also the best thing I've ever done for my business. The first day of class my professor said, "Get used to having me call your baby ugly," and that's exactly what happened.
Through a series of interviewing, testing, pitching and intense critique sessions constantly getting asked, "Why do I care?," I finally had my product. I interviewed over 75 outdoorsy people to find out what's important to them and where they struggle in terms of food, nutrition and performance and learned that if you ask the right questions and listen carefully, they will create the product for you.
I kept hearing the word "indulgence" over and over again. As outdoorsy people, we go outside because we love the feeling we experience in nature (physical indulgence) over the experience at the gym (function). But our food options outside don't match that. Usually, it's peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, bars, trail mix, etc. The options available are for function, not indulgence. That's how I landed on a dark drinking chocolate collagen product. It's rich, but not too sweet and easy to stomach after an intense exercise session. It feels naughty to have, but it does wonders for your body in the recovery process. It's also portable, lightweight and easy to carry even for the most intense backpacking.
What's most unique about this product?
Definitely the versatility. There is nothing more amazing than a good cup of hot chocolate around a campfire after a long day of backpacking or climbing. I love that this product allows people to bring that feeling home with them, but how often to people drink hot chocolate in their normal lives? This product is designed to benefit outdoor adventures, but also at home when people are running out the door and about to have coffee on an empty stomach or get home from the gym late and don't want to eat a full meal right before they go to bed. Not only can the drinking chocolate be mixed into coffee for a mocha feel, but it can also be mixed into different meals like oatmeal, smoothies, banana pancakes, yogurt, etc. I have even built a whole section on my Website dedicated to all the different ways customers have used it.
Why is collagen so special?
Collagen is the most abundant source of protein in your body that makes up your connective tissues (joints, ligaments, tendons and cartilage) and makes up 70% of the protein in your skin. Most widely known for its use in skincare products, collagen molecules are too large to be absorbed through the topical application, so getting it from the inside out is the best way to reap the benefits!
Collagen contains amino acids such as proline, glycine and lysine not present in high quantities in muscle meat (steak, chicken breast, etc.) and is derived from the skin and bones instead. Most recently the benefits of collagen have hit mainstream media in the form of homemade bone broth. If you’ve ever seen your homemade broth gel, that’s the component we’re talking about here. Gelatin is what causes your bone broth to gel and is a broken down form of collagen through the simmering process when making your broth.
Unlike bone broth, collagen powder is flavorless, odorless and shelf stable. In short, having collagen in the drinking chocolate is getting all the benefits of homemade bone broth, but you can bring it anywhere, have it anytime and it tastes like Oreos.
What's your favorite TK Dark Drinking Chocolate recipe?
My favorite crag food is actually leftovers. I store them in an insulated food container and put them in the fridge overnight so that they stay cold all day when I'm out there. There's nothing more amazing than eating real food outside when everyone else is having goldfish. Other than that, I try to get as close to real food as possible, so sometimes I'll bring packets of tuna, sun dried tomatoes, olives and Brami's snacking beans and make a little antipasto mash up like I talk about here.
Favorite way to spend a rest day?
I still try to be outside as much as possible, so rest days are usually spent with my husband, Pat, and dog, Rosie, going on an easy hike or hanging outside at a winery, which is definitely a perk of living in Sonoma County. If not that, I love projecting in the kitchen, especially in the world of fermentation. Not usually something that creeps into Trailside Kitchen world since it's a bit of an odd hobby, but I love making kimchi, saurkraut, kombucha or curtido. There's usually something fermenting on our counter at all times.
A deep breath, a look around to take in the view and a very conscious reminder that I live the best life. During the week it's so easy to get caught up in the stress of a busy life and being an achievement-oriented person, I'm always working with my head down towards that next goal. My time outside is where I let that go, have fun and enjoy everything I've accomplished. I've been blessed with the passion and drive to do what I love for a career, the health to be active in the sun and the relationships to turn it all into a community. Life really doesn't get better than that.
Best piece of nutritional advice for climbers and active outdoor enthusiasts?
It all starts at home and is about consistency. How you eat consistently is how you perform consistently, there is no magic pill for getting the best performance results. Living a healthy lifestyle all the time focused on strong digestion, immune system and blood sugar balance is the key. Eat as many vegetables as you can, eat the best quality animal proteins, eat whole grains and legumes and limit alcohol and caffeine consumption. Also get 7-9 hours of sleep a night and drink plenty of water. This is the foundation of the Trailside Kitchen Method Strength Training and Cardio Endurance Program that you can learn more about here.
Can you share a little bit about your long-term vision for Trailside Kitchen?
The long-term vision is to help as many people as possible get the best experience outside. I want to grow the program offerings and work with groups of young adults who are training for sports in order to teach them healthy habits around food and nutrition to set the stage for long-term health. I want to have a product line that is oriented to the outdoor crowd with ease of portability and being shelf stable, but I also want it to be accessible to everyone — travelers, busy moms and professionals on-the-go. I feel really strongly about empowering underserved populations outside, so while I don't know what that looks like yet with what I offer, I hope to contribute to that movement in some way.
Now that's a vision I can definitely get behind! With the response to the Trailside Kitchen Method Strength Training and Cardio Endurance Program and the launch of her Dark Drinking Chocolate, something tells me we'll be seeing a lot more of Julia and Trailside Kitchen in stores very soon.
Definitely the versatility. There is nothing more amazing than a good cup of hot chocolate around a campfire after a long day of backpacking or climbing. I love that this product allows people to bring that feeling home with them, but how often to people drink hot chocolate in their normal lives? This product is designed to benefit outdoor adventures, but also at home when people are running out the door and about to have coffee on an empty stomach or get home from the gym late and don't want to eat a full meal right before they go to bed. Not only can the drinking chocolate be mixed into coffee for a mocha feel, but it can also be mixed into different meals like oatmeal, smoothies, banana pancakes, yogurt, etc. I have even built a whole section on my Website dedicated to all the different ways customers have used it.
Why is collagen so special?
Collagen is the most abundant source of protein in your body that makes up your connective tissues (joints, ligaments, tendons and cartilage) and makes up 70% of the protein in your skin. Most widely known for its use in skincare products, collagen molecules are too large to be absorbed through the topical application, so getting it from the inside out is the best way to reap the benefits!
Collagen contains amino acids such as proline, glycine and lysine not present in high quantities in muscle meat (steak, chicken breast, etc.) and is derived from the skin and bones instead. Most recently the benefits of collagen have hit mainstream media in the form of homemade bone broth. If you’ve ever seen your homemade broth gel, that’s the component we’re talking about here. Gelatin is what causes your bone broth to gel and is a broken down form of collagen through the simmering process when making your broth.
Unlike bone broth, collagen powder is flavorless, odorless and shelf stable. In short, having collagen in the drinking chocolate is getting all the benefits of homemade bone broth, but you can bring it anywhere, have it anytime and it tastes like Oreos.
What's your favorite TK Dark Drinking Chocolate recipe?
Definitely mixed into the Banana Pancakes. Being in the culinary industry for a long time and also being a teacher at a culinary school, I typically look at food in a critical way, always wondering how to improve what I'm making, so it is very rare for me to impress myself. The first time I mixed the drinking chocolate into the pancakes I started dancing while I ate it, which is my husband's indicator for how much I like something, and realized that I had struck gold with that combo.
Other essentials in your crag pack?
My favorite crag food is actually leftovers. I store them in an insulated food container and put them in the fridge overnight so that they stay cold all day when I'm out there. There's nothing more amazing than eating real food outside when everyone else is having goldfish. Other than that, I try to get as close to real food as possible, so sometimes I'll bring packets of tuna, sun dried tomatoes, olives and Brami's snacking beans and make a little antipasto mash up like I talk about here.
Favorite way to spend a rest day?
I still try to be outside as much as possible, so rest days are usually spent with my husband, Pat, and dog, Rosie, going on an easy hike or hanging outside at a winery, which is definitely a perk of living in Sonoma County. If not that, I love projecting in the kitchen, especially in the world of fermentation. Not usually something that creeps into Trailside Kitchen world since it's a bit of an odd hobby, but I love making kimchi, saurkraut, kombucha or curtido. There's usually something fermenting on our counter at all times.
Any pre-climbing rituals?
A deep breath, a look around to take in the view and a very conscious reminder that I live the best life. During the week it's so easy to get caught up in the stress of a busy life and being an achievement-oriented person, I'm always working with my head down towards that next goal. My time outside is where I let that go, have fun and enjoy everything I've accomplished. I've been blessed with the passion and drive to do what I love for a career, the health to be active in the sun and the relationships to turn it all into a community. Life really doesn't get better than that.
Best piece of nutritional advice for climbers and active outdoor enthusiasts?
It all starts at home and is about consistency. How you eat consistently is how you perform consistently, there is no magic pill for getting the best performance results. Living a healthy lifestyle all the time focused on strong digestion, immune system and blood sugar balance is the key. Eat as many vegetables as you can, eat the best quality animal proteins, eat whole grains and legumes and limit alcohol and caffeine consumption. Also get 7-9 hours of sleep a night and drink plenty of water. This is the foundation of the Trailside Kitchen Method Strength Training and Cardio Endurance Program that you can learn more about here.
Can you share a little bit about your long-term vision for Trailside Kitchen?
The long-term vision is to help as many people as possible get the best experience outside. I want to grow the program offerings and work with groups of young adults who are training for sports in order to teach them healthy habits around food and nutrition to set the stage for long-term health. I want to have a product line that is oriented to the outdoor crowd with ease of portability and being shelf stable, but I also want it to be accessible to everyone — travelers, busy moms and professionals on-the-go. I feel really strongly about empowering underserved populations outside, so while I don't know what that looks like yet with what I offer, I hope to contribute to that movement in some way.
—
Julia's Trailside Kitchen Dark Drinking Chocolate is now available online here. Enter code ELEMENTSFOUND to get 20% off your first purchase.
—
Julia Delves
Founder, Trailside Kitchen
Sonoma County, CA
Sonoma County, CA
Sunday, July 30, 2017
NOTED | 7.30.17
Productivity advice for the weird.
Train, eat and exercise like an athlete.
Why climbers have the headgame of Zen monks.
Turn it up.
"In times of change, we instinctively ask, 'What’s the problem and how do I solve it?' But we tend to ignore a question that is every bit as useful: 'What’s working already and how can we do more of it?'" - Dan Heath
"In times of change, we instinctively ask, 'What’s the problem and how do I solve it?' But we tend to ignore a question that is every bit as useful: 'What’s working already and how can we do more of it?'" - Dan Heath
Sunday, July 23, 2017
NOTED | 7.23.17
Here's another one for the bucket list...
Currently on repeat.
Finally getting over my commitment issues.
Because actions speak louder than words.
Be an upstander, not a bystander.
"Build a good name. Keep your name clean. Don’t make compromises, don’t worry about making a bunch of money or being successful. Be concerned about doing good work. Protect your work and if you build a good name, eventually that name will be its own currency." - Patti Smith
Sunday, July 16, 2017
NOTED | 7.16.17
This is a thing.
Just wow...
Because what you don't do determines what you can do.
Turn it up.
"If all else fails, muster up some grit and try, you might just exceed your expectations." - Marin Bonk
(photo via Fresh off the Grid)
Sunday, April 2, 2017
NOW PLAYING | E+F APRIL 17
Rainy day Sunday in Austin this weekend, so will be pulling on plastic later this afternoon at ABP and checking out Friends and Allies Brewing Company after. Things could definitely be worse.
Still I was really looking forward to an outdoor volume session in prep for Spain, now pushed off until September. A series of events at work forced me to delay my March trip to Costa Blanca with Rock & Sun, and, once I got over being irritated, I realized it was definitely for the best. Forever a glass-half-full kinda gal, it gives me six more months to train and get strong for the endurance fest I'm anticipating.
Speaking of training, started a six-week Endurance and Stamina training cycle with Power Company Climbing last week and already feeling the performance gains. More details to come, but for now will be finding my flow with the E+F April 17 playlist. Enjoy!
Saturday, March 4, 2017
TAKE 10 WITH COACH SEIJI
I flirted with rock climbing years ago when I was living in Dallas, TX, but didn't get dedicated until I relocated to Houston for work in 2014. In that short time and since returning to Austin this past August, I've been fortunate to connect and climb with some pretty amazing folks, living the uncommon life, each with their own
unique stories to tell.
unique stories to tell.
I've learned so much from their experience, both for climbing and for life, that it's inspired this new 'Take 10' series featuring a few of these personalities. First up, Seiji Ishii. Seiji and I were introduced very early in my climbing through the outdoor program at Austin Rock Gym. He was my guide when I was working to build my outdoor skills before my first big trip to Moab, UT, and I now count him as a friend and one of my personal climbing Jedi Masters.
He's been a trainer to professional motocross and supercross riders for the past decade, boasting 12+ amateur national championships and a professional championship. Since 'retiring' (I use that term very loosely), he's returned to his past life as a full-time climber, outdoor enthusiast and gear designer. You can find him writing for both Upshift Online and Dirt Rider Magazine and providing gear reviews for Gear Institute, as well as developing and leading ARG's Performance Training Program.
|1|
I climb because...
It’s a non-competitive sport that takes place in wilderness environments that has an element of risk. I am attracted to the wilderness and risk, and after a lifetime of competitive sports both as an athlete and a trainer, climbing offers the risk and wilderness without the negatives that can be spawned by person vs. person competition.
|2|
My tried-and-true redpoint ritual:
Left shoe on first while mentally saying “it’s only climbing,” for perspective; right shoe on next while mentally saying “climb position to position (clip stances),” as a strategy. Tie in and connect in some way with the belayer. Touch rock with hands, breathe in through nose while saying “right here,” breathe out through mouth saying “right now,” to keep focus on the present.
|3|
Essentials in my crag pack:
This is Texas. Lots of extra chalk, lots of water. Satellite messenger and first aid, just in case.
|4|
The biggest impact on my development as a climber:
When I first started climbing, I lived with really passionate and basically full-time climbers. I was the weakest one of the group so I had the most to gain and they accepted me without regard to my ability. I will never forget.
|5|
Favorite way to spend a rest day:
Having an adventure with my three year old daughter Sequoia. Cycling or dirt biking. Attempting to improve my photography.
|6|
Last song I added to my playlist:
Life in a Northern Town by the Dream Academy. Yep, I’m old.
|7|
If I could only climb one route, it would be...
Alpine route that started with an approach through the trees, giving way above treeline to alpine terrain before the glacier starts. Then climb a route that has glacier snow climbing, then crossing a ‘shrund so you have to climb ice, then mixed to gain the rock. Alpine rock to the summit. All forms of climbing in one route. Lots of this type of objective in the PNW.
|8|
Best advice to new and/or experienced climbers:
Shelve your ego and seek mentorship, both for safety and progress.
|9|
My personal climbing icon(s):
|10|
In 2017, I'm planning to...
Fully recover from a dirt biking accident and return to solid 12’s on sport. Get 50+ trad multi pitch routes off my tick list. Be present and stoked when I’m around my daughter Sequoia. Hit up at least one alpine objective that adds to my progression in that realm. Stay up on dirt bikes.
Age gracefully. No. Fuck that. Beat age into submission.
Age gracefully. No. Fuck that. Beat age into submission.
—
Seiji Ishii
Climbing Guide/Coach, Action/Adventure Sports Writer, Rookie Father
Climbing Guide/Coach, Action/Adventure Sports Writer, Rookie Father
Wimberly, TX
t. @coachseiji
i. @coachseiji
Sunday, February 26, 2017
NOW PLAYING | E+F MAR 17
Climbing season is (almost) here! We're already experiencing some pretty superb days in Texas. Here's a gorgeous image from Smith Rock captured by Pete Keane from Smith Rock Climbing School, together with a few tracks from my current playlist rotation for inspiration. Enjoy!
Sunday, February 19, 2017
5 FAVORITE THINGS
Trailside Kitchen Banana Pancakes. Make it a meal or a snack, perfectly packable for the crag.
Jaybird X3 Wireless Buds. Now The Chainsmokers sound even better during my treadwall sessions.
LunchBots. Hot or cold, I'm finally learning to like leftovers.
SendWax. Made in Texas and healed up my split tips STAT.
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