WANT

Eating From the Field: Benefits of Pasture-Raised Chicken

So in addition to swimming, biking, and running (and refereeing rugby), I also farm. I still teach yoga and train individuals for health, fitness, and weight loss, but the farming is the main thing. It's my new career. I enjoy it; moving to a farm was a healthy choice for me (and much better than the alternative of running away with a circus).

Our main product here on Prairie Om Farm is pastured chicken, although I also raise grass-fed lamb and am getting some pigs for pastured pork this summer. If you're a health-conscious eater, you've probably already read many reasons why pastured meat products are better for you. But if you haven't been exposed to this information yet, I'll try to provide a little information on the subject.

First off, "pastured poultry" is different from organic, free range, or cage free. 

• Organic chickens are raised on organic feed (the grains and supplements that make up their feed have been grown organically without pesticides, irradiation, sewage sludge, synthetic fertilizers, or genetically-modified organisms/GMOs), are never given hormones or antibiotics, and are provided access to the outdoors. Organic chickens are good. But, although they have access to the outdoors, they may not ever venture outside; they still eat a grain-based ration almost exclusively; and they can still be housed in over-crowded intensive production facilities.
• Free-range chickens are chickens who are raised with access to the outdoors. Again, this doesn't necessarily mean that the chickens go outside; it means only that they could if they wanted to. Free-range chickens are still raised in houses, and their outdoor access is usually limited to a small yard. Because of the nature of chicken poop, even if their ranging yard begins as verdant pasture, it soon turns into a hard clay surface. Free-range chickens still derive all of their nutrition from a grain-based ration; they can still be housed in over-crowded facilities; and you don't have the guarantee that they've been fed organic or non-GMO feed, or are antibiotic and growth-hormone free. Still better than Tyson chickens, though.
• Cage-free eggs are produced by hens who are not confined to cages. That means they can engage in many natural chicken behaviors. Again, it's better than your standard grocery store eggs. But cage-free chickens aren't necessarily given access to the outdoors; they're still usually overcrowded in large production facilities; de-beaking is allowed (that's where producers cut off the beaks to prevent chickens from cannibalizing each other due to over-crowding and stress); and there's no third-party auditing system to ascertain how the animals are being treated.

Pastured poultry producers are usually small farmers raising relatively small numbers of birds (20,000 is the upper limit for exemption from USDA on-farm inspection); our farm raises less than 1,000 per year. Chickens who are raised on pasture have constant access to fresh grass. Joel Salatin of Polyface Farm, one of the the big kahunas of pastured poultry, moves his "chicken tractors" daily; we move ours as often as we need to keep them on fresh, poop-free grass (by the end of the production cycle, 2-3 times per day). In addition to eating a grain-based ration, pastured chickens eat grass, bugs, worms, snakes, frogs, and whatever else they can get their hands on. Because they're not overcrowded, they're not overstressed. And because they're not wallowing in their own feces, we end up with a much cleaner end product. Pastured poultry is very good.

But don't get me wrong; there are potential downsides to pastured poultry. First off, there's no official labeling or oversight of the term "pastured," whereas the terms "organic" and "free-range" are regulated by the federal government (at least in America). As a result, there are no regulations on what kind of feed may be used; some producers I know use only certified organic, we use certified non-GMO, and still others use standard commodity rations. And there's always the possibility that your farmer might be cutting corners, that his or her feed might not be up to snuff, that he or she is not taking good care of the birds. However, the other side of the coin is that most producers are small scale enough that you can go and check them out for yourself. In other words, this liability is only a downside if you're unwilling to make the effort to know the person who's making your food.

That's one way in which eating pastured meats is more costly--you have to put more time and effort into obtaining it. One of the other costs, of course, can be measured in dollar signs. Pastured chicken is more expensive, but I can tell you exactly why. First, there's the grain. We feed non-GMO grain, and it's about twice the cost of conventional grain. That's because farmers can't grow as much corn per bushel using traditional production methods as they can using the technologically advanced, biologically engineered versions produced by Monsanto. That means a lower return on their time and effort, from their land, seed, and fuel, so they have to charge more money. Feed costs are by far the greatest factor in setting our prices. There's also the fact that we are smaller-scale producers, and we can't get grain or even the baby chicks for the same price as vertically-integrated, large-scale producers. The labor plays a part, too, especially once it comes time to process the birds. It takes a lot of experienced hands to butcher chickens in a way that we believe is ethical, respectful, and clean (we have a group of Amish women who help us out, and we pay them well for it). All the costs add up, and contribute to a more expensive final product.

Those are the costs of pastured poultry; let me break down some of the benefits for you:

• Pastured chickens are cleaner. There's less poop on their feathers, less poop on their skin, less poop on their feet, less poop in their intestines. At standard, USDA-inspected facilities, the poop on skin, feathers, and feet comes off in the scalding water and chill tanks and gets re-absorbed into the chicken meat. Gross.
• Pastured chickens have better taste and texture. They move around and get more exercise than confinement house chickens, so they have better muscle tone. That contributes to a more chicken-y flavor and firmer, meatier texture.
• Pastured chickens have higher omega-3 fatty acid content, lower fat and saturated fat levels, and higher levels of essential vitamins and minerals (notably vitamins A and E).
• Pastured chickens are never fed arsenic as an appetite stimulant or preventative antibiotic.
• Pasturing chickens puts vital nutrients into the ground as all-natural fertilizer in small amounts that can be readily absorbed by the soil.
• Purchasing pastured chicken helps your local agricultural community, and farmers like me!

If you live in Missouri and would like some pastured chicken, please contact me! You can reach me by e-mail (jamielynnmorton@gmail.com) or by phone (316.841.6593). I make regular deliveries to Kansas City, Liberty, Independence, Cameron, Kirksville, Columbia, and Jamesport (where I live). If you live on the Kansas side of Kansas City and don't feel like driving to the Missouri side to pick up chickens, I can hook you up with some farmers on the Kansas side. If you live near Wichita, Kansas, I can recommend a farmer down there, as well.

Remember, as athletes, food is our fuel. Better food equals better fuel, and better fuel means better performance!

Runner's High: Slow Down and Enjoy the View

Sometimes it's worth taking a break to snap a picture.

Officially Registered

I just officially registered for the Shawnee Mission Park Triathlon!

This ought to get my rear in gear, training wise!

End of a Brief Chapter

In this photo, I am concussed.

Last Saturday, I scored my first try in a rugby game!

And I got my second concussion. In six months.

This second concussion felt worse than the first. I heard ringing in my ears like a gong had gone off in my brain. I went down and stayed down on the ground; I knew exactly what had happened. The official stopped the game and came over to me to see what was wrong. My teammates helped me up and off the field. After 5 or 10 minutes, I lost vision in the left half of my left eye. It was as if I saw the kind of aura you see before you get a migraine. I had a splitting headache, and I started to feel nauseous. My vision cleared up after another 20 minutes or so, and a friend drove me home. On the way back to Jamesport from Kansas City (it's about 80 miles), I asked her to stop at the ER in Cameron. I felt that badly.

The doctor gave me a clean bill of health, but he also said, "Your rugby days are over." So my rugby days are over. Maybe I'll coach or ref.

That puts me in need of a sport! I've decided to sign up for the Shawnee Mission Triathlon again this year. This will be my fifth time for this race. I need something to light a fire under my butt for training. I'm coming back to the triathlon fold!

I also kicked my first conversion in this tournament! Drop goal!

My Variation on Recovery

A couple weeks ago, I posted about how it makes sense that individuals (being individuals) need variations on how much recovery they need, relative to how much working out they do. One-size-fits-all training plans don't. Fit all, that is.

Through trial and error, I've found that they don't fit me. Three weeks on, one week off training plans are so nice and neat and tidy . . . they segment your days and weeks and months so well! But that doesn't work for me. This time around, I at least didn't develop an overuse injury. Instead, I lost all motivation to run. I still did yoga, and I started indoor cycling again, but I had absolutely no interest in running. So I didn't run. And I haven't run for three weeks, now. And this is why I need to remember that dividing my days and weeks and months into tidy, four-week blocks doesn't work for me!

With that in mind, I've revised my half marathon training plan to recover every third week. Small change, really. And I'm pushing the bounds of safe progression, here, especially since I haven't been keeping up with the plan for the last three weeks. I'm relying on my youth to keep me healthy through the extra miles.


Half Marathon training 2013

Ex: Week 1 includes a 3 mile fartlek, 2 mile tempo run, 5 mile long run, 10 miles weekly total

11. 4 2 10 (16)
12. 4 2 11 (17)
13. 3 2 6 (11)

14. 4 2 12 (18)
15. 4 2 13 (19)
16. 0 4 8 (12)

17. 4 3 13 (20)
18. 4 3 15 (22)
19. 6 3 15 (24)

20. 3 2 10 (15)
21. 2 2 13.1 (17.1)

Variants on Recovery

I recover better with company.

It seems like I figure this out every year or so.

Most endurance plans orient training by month, in four-week chunks. They give three weeks of hard work for every one week of recovery. Seems like every time I write a new training plan for myself, I start with this schedule. And every time, two or three months into training, I get overloaded and end up taking my recovery a week early. Sometimes, like with this training cycle, I lose my motivation and get caught in two or three weeks of recovery.

It makes sense that there would be natural variations among members of our species on how much work we can do, relative to how much rest we need. And there's nothing special about a seven-day week, either, or a four-week month. It's not like our species evolved with modern weeks or months. There's no real reason to maintain this dominant ratio. Except that it's what everyone else does.

I plan to start marching to the beat of my own drum in this regard, however; it's a waste of time to re-do my training plan because I overestimated my own training capacity.

Spinning Workout: Country Rollers

This workout gives you a series of rolling hills to country music! If you have been waiting for a workout to country music, this is perfect for you!

Country Rollers (50 minutes)

9 to 5 (102 BPM) - Warm up
Cry, Cry, Cry (104 BPM) - Warm up
County Orange (175 BPM) - Cadence
1st roller
Love Don't Live Here (140 BPM) - Gradually build steepness of hill
Hot Summer Day (137 BPM) - Standing the whole time
If You Can't Help Your Own (143 BPM) - Jumping climb
Bless the Broken Road (90 BPM) - Roll downhill
2nd roller
Sugar Magnolia (77 BPM) - Mostly standing
California Girls (151 BPM) - Long standing/seated sections
Don't Mess Around With my Sister (155 BPM) - Hard climb
Love's Gonna Live Here (91 BPM) Roll downhill
3rd roller
Long Time Gone (85 BPM) - Fast climb, up and down
Good Times (84 BPM) - Same
How Bad do You Want it (88 BPM) - Same
God May Forgive You (103 BPM) - Cool down



Note: After purchasing the workout, I will send you an e-mail with instructions on how to download.

This is one of my paid workouts. Looking for the free workouts? Go here!

Spinning Workout 31 - 2:00 Climbs

Ready for a new free spinning workout? This workout is one I turn to when I'm called upon to teach a cycling class at the last minute. There are two climbing sections of 4 x 2:00 climb/2:00 rest separated by about 5:00 of spinning. If you really want a good workout of it, be sure to apply plenty of resistance to your trainer or spin bike! Click the link to download.

Spinning Workout 31 - 2:00 Climbs

Take on me - Reel Big Fish

Bad Reputation - Joan Jett

Smells Like Teen Spirit - Nirvana

One Way or Another - Blondie

Barracuda - Heart

We're Not Gonna Take it - Quiet Riot

Like a Prayer - Madonna

25 or 6 to 4 - Chicago

Ooh La La - Goldfrapp

Feel Good, Inc. - Gorillaz

Bathwater - No Doubt

Groove is in the Heart - Dee Lite

Falling Away With You - Muse

Such Great Heights - Iron & Wine

Looking for more workouts? Go here!

Runner's High: Sore

You know the feeling.

It's when you can't walk down a flight of stairs. Oh sure, going up the stairs is a breeze. But coming back down? Not so much.

It's when you go to sit down on the commode and you have to lower yourself slowly, with sound effects for emphasis.

It's when you try to get up off the couch and it takes more than one attempt.

Oh yes. You know that feeling. And I know that feeling.

But normally I don't get that feeling after an easy, 3 mile run.

Half Marathon Training 2012-2013

Now that rugby season is over, I've decided to get back on track with some endurance sports training. I've selected the Wickedly Fast Half Marathon in mid-April. It's close to home, in Olathe, and gives me enough time to build up from nothing. I haven't been running at all, so this training plan is designed to take me from 0 to 13.1 in about 20 weeks. If you'd like to join me in training, I've posted my minimalist training plan below. The program is designed around a tempo run, fartlek run, and long run, with cross training on off days. It's not a very scientific training plan, but it will work for me, and you're welcome to join!

My training will begin the week after Thanksgiving, on Tuesday, November 27. Leave a comment or e-mail me if you'd like to train with me!

Half Marathon training 2012-2013

Ex: Week 1 includes a 3 mile fartlek, 2 mile tempo run, 5 mile long run, 10 miles weekly total

1. 3 2 5 (10)
2. 3 2 6 (11)
3. 3 2 7 (12)
4. 2 2 4 (8)

5. 3 2 8 (13)
6. 4 2 8 (14)
7. 4 2 9 (15)
8. 3 2 6 (11)

9. 4 2 9 (15)
10. 4 2 10 (16)
11. 4 2 11 (17)
12. 3 2 6 (11)

13. 4 2 11 (17)
14. 4 2 12 (18)
15. 4 2 13 (19)
16. 4 8 (12)

17. 4 3 13 (20)
18. 4 3 15 (22)
19. 6 3 15 (24)
20. 3 2 10 (15)

21. 2 2 13.1 (17.1)

Bike Build

I made this

Look like this!

Meet my new cyclocross bike. Only took me 3 years to finish building it. I call it the Bumble Bike.

Cycling Workouts

I've set up a new cycling workouts page! Try it out and let me know what you think!


Spinning Workouts

Spinning Workout: Pop Workout 3

In this workout, you get progressively longer and more difficult climbs, interspersed with steady cadence work. Oh, and sprints at the end!

Pop Workout 3 (60 minutes)

I Like it Like That (Hot Chelle Rae) - Warm up
Rock You Like a Hurricane (Scorpions) - Early climb/terrain
Don't be a Girl About it (Kelly Clarkson) - Climb
Babylon (Melissa Ferrick) - Steady cadence
Hotel Room Service (Pitbull) - Early climb/terrain
How Low (Ludacris) - Climb
Into the Morning (The Weekend) - Heavy climb
Brothers (Tanlines) - Cadence
Edge of Glory (Lady GaGa) - Early climb
Can't Take me Home (P!nk) - Climb
The Sharpest Lives (My Chemical Romance) - Heavy climb
Sing for the Moment (Eminem) - Heavier climb
One Week (Barenaked Ladies) - Sprints
Pain (Jimmy Eat World) - Heavy climb
Somebody That I Used to Know - Cool Down



Note: After purchasing the workout, I will send you an e-mail with instructions on how to download.

This is one of my paid workouts. Looking for the free workouts? Go here!

Moved!

I live in Jamesport, Missouri, now.

:-)

Important News!

I am making a very important announcement.

I'm moving to Jamesport, Missouri, next week. I resigned from Genesis Health Clubs. My last day is this Saturday, June 30. I'll be living and working on a friend's farm for room and board, teaching yoga, and training individuals privately. I'll also be enjoying the great swimming, biking, and running opportunities of the area!

I've enjoyed working at Genesis and living in Wichita more than I imagined I would. I've learned a lot in the last five years, and I'm glad that I came back to Kansas after graduating college. I never intended to stay here forever, though, and the time has come to move on!

Jamesport lies about an hour away from the northeastern-most suburbs of Kansas City, MO. If you or anyone you know would be interested in working with an experienced personal trainer, or needs a cycling/triathlon coach, I would love to talk with you. Since I won't be affiliated with a gym, I will be free to travel to you and train in home, or you can come to my studio to work out (as soon as I find one and get it set up). I am toying with the idea of traveling to Kansas City once a week to train clients there. I'd also be open to traveling to St. Louis once a week, if I have enough clients to warrant the 4-hour trip.

I'd also like to get into some group runs and rides, but I'm not sure where to start. If you know of a good group ride that I could join, please let me know! I'd also like to join a cycling team in the KC area, so if you have any tips on that, I'd love to hear them.

You guys are great to come and read my rambling race reports, and let me coach you in your cycling. I'm hoping that, with this change, I'll have more time to devote to making new workouts. Thank you guys for everything you do. I really appreciate you.

Race Report: El Dorado Lake Tri 2012

I am never training for a race again.

You may remember this post, in which I declared that I had no intention of training for this race. And I remained faithful to my word. I haven't done a pool workout since February, and I haven't run (except in my rugby training) any distance this year.

In spite of that fact, I had one of my best races ever! My performance this year was comparable to my performance last year (when I was training my butt off), and I had a great time!

Pre-race:
I always run late to this race! At least I didn't get lost this year.

My plan was to wake up at 5:00, leave my house by 5:30, and arrive at 6:30. Transition closed at 6:50, so that didn't leave me much time to set up my stuff. I didn't get out of my house until 6:45, and I arrived at around 6:40. That only gave me 10 minutes to set up my area, but that was plenty. The one downside to arriving so late was that all the good bike rack spots were already taken (no assigned spots, this year), and I had trouble finding a place to put my gear. Even so, I was out of transition with a good minute to spare.

The olympic race started at 7:00, and my race started at 7:30. I thought about warming up, then decided against it. I jogged back and forth to the bathroom a couple of times. That was my warmup. Hey! I didn't even train for this race! It seemed hypocritical to do a warmup, after following my training regimen so precisely.

Swim: 750 m in 14:44 (last year 13:56)
This swim course is short, I think, but the time includes a long run-up to transition, so I guess that makes up for it. It's a rare beach start, and I get to use my dolphin dive to get out ahead of the melee. I started in front, but I felt sure that everyone else passed me as soon as we got into open water. Which I didn't mind. I was just focusing on getting through a full 750, seeing as how the only time I've spent in a pool this year has been in a very tiny bikini with a fruity mixed drink in my hand. My dad said that I was the first orange cap out of the water, though! I can hardly believe that. Maybe my dad missed the half dozen women who surely must have been out in front of me. But I wasn't paying attention to who came out of the water in front of or behind me, because I was so sure that I was bringing up the rear!

I have to admit, the swim was a little bit painful. My neck, shoulders, and arms aren't used to that kind of exertion. My traps and neck cramped up from breathing to the right. I tried breathing to my left, but that just made me swim off course, and my neck cramped on the other side, anyway. My triceps felt like lead by the end. But I made it through the swim, and didn't feel like I was over-exerted or anything.

T1: 44 seconds (last year 37)
Meh. I had no reason to be in a hurry, this year. I took my time getting my stuff together before grabbing my bike and heading out.

Bike: 20 km in 42:15 (last year 38:36)
Tailwind going out, headwind coming back, way more hills than I remember. I felt strong and capable on the bike, always my best event. I passed plenty of people. There was one woman who paced me pretty well. I passed her after 4 or 5 miles, but she stayed close throughout the bike. Staying in front of her encouraged me to hold a hard pace. I was somewhat concerned that I was going to push myself too hard and not have anything left for the run. I was worried about the run, but I tried to keep my mind on the present moment. My legs felt tight, and tired. I think my road bike may be too compact for me; I felt all scrunched up.

My rabbit passed me back around the 10 mile mark. We were going just about the same speed, and I had to work to stay out of her draft zone; I wasn't interested in trying to pass her back again. I was ready to settle in and wait for the run.

T2: 49 seconds (last year 42)
Took my time in T2, too. I could have gotten in and out in 30 seconds, probably. But what was the rush? I was just out for fun! Besides, I wasn't looking forward to running, and I was putting it off as long as I could. I was motivated to leave, though, by my rabbit from the bike leg heading out. I could at least beat her out of transition!

Run: 5 km in 30:26 (last year 28:13)
I don't know what I was so worried about! I felt pretty good on the run, and I passed a lot of people. Last year, I was so far out in front that I just got passed; I didn't get to do any of the passing. I didn't feel like a terrific runner or anything, but it did feel like a good run. I mean, it hurt. But that's how it's supposed to feel.

I did have some cramping in the first two miles. I've had some trouble with my anterior tibialis on the right leg spasming. There was one night at the gym when I was going to run sprint intervals, but my leg cramped so badly that I could barely stand, let alone run. I altered my gait, so I could run more on my toes (less dorsiflexion, so the anterior tib isn't contracted as much). That worked for a while, then my right calf started cramping. I had to alternate between running on my toes and running on my heels. Then my right psoas started cramping, and I got a little worried. But it worked itself out by about the halfway point. And then I felt okay.

Of course, "okay" isn't "great." I still hurt. It was still hard. I was still ready to be done with the whole thing. But I felt strong, in terms of my endurance. You know what really got me, though, was muscular endurance. By the last mile, my legs were done. I could feel that the muscles in my right leg weren't even working, anymore; my right foot felt floppy.

With about .2 mile to go, two women passed me. But I didn't have to worry about that, because I was just out there for fun! I smiled and told them they looked great. And then we were over the bridge and around the corner and into the finishing chute. I did my best impression of a sprint, which just involved picking my knees up slightly. And that was it!

Total: 1:28:55, 4th female overall, 1st female 25-29, 51st overall (male and female)
In terms of field placement, this is exactly what I did last year. 4th female overall, 1st in my age group. I had been counting women ahead of me, and I figured I came in 7th overall, but I failed to account for the fact that there were two swim waves, so the older women started 2 minutes ahead. That meant a better result for me!

I had so much fun at this race! It was a great time, and a surprisingly great result for me. I guess that the high intensity sprint work I've been doing for rugby actually keeps me in pretty good shape! I would like to add in one long-ish run (5-8 miles) on the weekends, once a week, just to keep my endurance up. We're going into the fall season, where more of the matches will be a full 80 minutes. That means I need to be able to work for a full 80 minutes! An 8 mile run will be perfect.

I do still enjoy triathlon. I just don't want to organize my life around a super-serious training plan. I think I was taking myself way too seriously, last year, and it lead to a good result, but I didn't feel good about it. This year, I didn't take myself so seriously, and I had a lot more fun. And I still had a good result, but I was able to enjoy it!

Thanks for reading, guys. I really appreciate you all!

El Dorado Lake Triathlon

I'm thinking of doing this race again.

Last year, I didn't podium.

The year before that, I had fun!

This year, I have no intention of training. So I plan not to podium and to have fun!

My Capacity

I don't do much coaching, anymore. I have a few athletes, but mostly, I focus on personal training, yoga, and cycling classes. However, when I was coaching I had two athletes--one male, one female--who used to drive me nuts. They did not drive me nuts by doing too little and expecting too much; rather, they did (in my perception) WAY too much work, and not nearly enough recovery. I kept telling them that they needed to slow down, to do less, to recover more, or they might risk sickness or injury. Certainly, I thought, they wouldn't be able to achieve their potential.

Well I think I understand, now.

Over the past few months, I've gotten into rugby. I like it. It's tough. It's aggressive. It's different. It allows me to run side to side, as well as straight forward.

Trouble is, I'm finding it pretty difficult to achieve my definition of "training," which is working hard enough that I feel like I've been hit by a train. I've been lifting weights and doing aerobic endurance workouts and doing sprints and running agility drills and practicing my passing. Now that I think about it, I don't do a lot of tackling practice, and that might help with the whole "hit by a train" sensation.

But I understand now the urge to, say, run in the morning, swim at lunch, and finish the day off with bootcamp. When you are a ridiculously fit individual, it's hard to find the exercise--or, more probably, combination of exercises--that will make you sore. So you do lots.

Help me. I'm becoming an exercise junky.

And Now For Something Completely Different

Namely, a different kind of workout. A High Intensity Interval Training kind of workout. This is a coaching session that I made for my own use, and I figured heck! I ought to share this with my loyal followers!


So here, loyal followers. Enjoy this HIIT session!


HIIT Progression 1
2 x 15 seconds hard, 45 seconds rest
Grass drills x 2
2 x 30 seconds hard, 45 seconds rest
Grass drills x 2
2 x 10 seconds hard, 50 seconds rest
Grass drills x 2


The whole workout takes all of 15 minutes, but give yourself a nice, long warm up beforehand. This workout was designed for rugby, but will be applicable to any field sport (soccer, football, field hockey, lacrosse, ultimate frisbee . . . whatever). CrossFit and boot camp enthusiasts will also enjoy it!