On Belay

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Photo Gallery: Coeur d'Fondo

If you happened to be in downtown Coeur d'Alene Saturday, you would have had a really hard time getting around due to one successful bike race.

Several cyclists crowded Sherman Avenue Saturday morning to race the Coeur d'Fondo. This year was the first time Coeur d'Alene has hosted a Fondo event.

Organizers say the race turned out above and beyond their expectations as they went over their registration limit. After late registrations the day of the race, approximately 850 riders from all over the United States showed up for the race.

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Cyclists to take over Coeur d'Alene for the Fondo

What is a Fondo? It may sound like a car or something you eat but for Coeur d'Alene, its a giant bike race that's gaining national attention.

On Saturday, September 29, cyclists will fill the streets of downtown Coeur d'Alene for the 1st annual Coeur d' Fondo. It's a race where riders can choose from four different courses that range in mileages from 108 miles to a family friendly 15 miles. And at the end riders will be rewarded for the efforts at the the Coeur d'Alene Oktoberfest.  

And due to a large spike of interest nationwide, it's sure to be crowded downtown.

"When we first started out, we thought let's keep it small. Let's keep it to 200 to 500 riders," said race director Issac Mann. "But we got so many entires, we had to stop at 800."

Mann said the unanticipated spike is due to so much support from the area which led to the word being spread around the United States.  

"We have people from Alaska, Georgia, Ohio, Portland and California signing up for this race," said Mann.

You can see a map of the course and more about the race by going to http://cdagranfondo.com/

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Getting back outside - my little helper

It's hard when a bunch of things happen to you that hinder your ability to do what you enjoy. 

At first it was just knee injury that kept me from reaching my goal to race a half marathon. I've been training so hard for my first half marathon race. But then my knee started feeling very tender and sore after a 6 mile training run a few months ago. So I had to back off a little bit until my knee healed. 

Then I got sick, and had to stop exercising let alone doing anything I enjoy. 

I felt defeated. I felt like I could never go outside and enjoy the outdoors again, and I felt horrible. 

But then, I got this little guy: 

This is Tucker, my new dog that I just got a month ago. And that picture is from his first night with me. 

My meeting with him could be described as an answered prayer.

When I started having issues, I started hearing about the benefits of dogs and how they can heal you. Of course, I've had dogs all my life, and knew they were smart, but I started finding tons of articles from all kinds of medical sources about how dogs can work wonders for my health. 

Then one week, I started my search for the perfect companion. I wanted an Italian Greyhound because they are small and can run. But after a search in every newspaper, every shelter and a lot of websites....I couldn't find one. 

One morning, I prayed asking for a puppy. Then I checked my work e-mail, and voila! Someone found a puppy that they couldn't keep. 

I met Tucker in a radio booth that night, and I fell in love with him. Just the fact that he kept putting his head over my shoulder, and started hugging me in a dog like way had me sold. 

Little did I know...Tucker has a gift. 

I immediately started taking him everywhere I could and started to get out as much as possible with him. And I started to notice that little 15 pound, 6-month-old puppy could keep up with me. And he is very in tune with how I feel and immediately responds when I'm down. 

And this is how he does it: 

Everytime me or someone in my family would feel down, Tucker always would come up and give a hug. In fact it's his specialty. 

Then I found out why. A friend of mine was watching Animal Planet one day and discovered what breed my dog is. He's an Australian Kelpie. 

I've never heard of a Kelpie, but he's a dead ringer. Australian Kelpies are a cross between a collie and a dingo and are very popular in Australia as sheep herders. They are incredibly smart, but they are working dogs for a reason...they love to be outside and need as much exercise as possible. And they need to have a job. 

For some reason he started healing me just in the fact he was very in tune with everything about me. And combined with the fact that he needs a lot of exercise, he is practically the perfect dog for me. 

My healing isn't done but Tucker makes it a lot better.  

So I have him to thank for bringing me outside everyday and helping me improve.  And in a way, Tucker is showing me again why I love the outdoors and why life is good. 

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Young Spokane designer headed to Fashion Week

You may have heard the saying the one man's trash is another man's treasure. One Spokane designer is using that phrase to make clothes out of reuseable materials. 

Rachel Mace is only 22 but she's getting ready to show her designs in one of the biggest fashion events in the United States, New York's Fashion Week. 

"Fashion Week is the biggest event in fashion in our continent," said Mace. 

Fashion Week is known by designers and fashion enthusiasts everywhere as one of the "must attend" events. In fact big names such as Donna Karan and Chanel show their pieces at this event while stars like Kim Kardashian, Kanye West and Heidi Klum attend their shows. 

Although Rachel didn't have any formal training as a designer like others that will be at the event, she said she got her start when someone recognized her talent. 

"I went to the store and bought some garbage bags, but when I home and realized I already had some. So I made a skirt out of the new ones," said Mace. 

It was that decision to use reusable materials that helped her get her start. 

"A designer named Ronnie Ryno saw a picture of me wearing the skirt on my facebook page. She asked me if I could put 10 pieces show in August," said Mace. 

Although Mace just had the skirt, she decided to make more pieces. 

She now has several dresses and items made out of garbage bags, plastic wrap, and pretty much anything that is not fabric. And Mace said that's the only type of material she likes to use. 

"I look at a piece of fabric and I don't know what to do with it. But paper I know exactly what to do with," said Mace. 

Mace said she also can not have started designing without the help of others. Business and friends have given her all sorts of materials to work with and even help her get the word out. However, she still needs help to get her designs and models to Fashion Week. 

On Saturday, September 1, her models and supporters will be having a car wash as part of a fundraiser for her trip. The car wash will be from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the car wash at Nevada Street and Lyons Avenue. 

Mace and her models will be leaving September 13 for New York. 

You can learn more about Mace and her designs by clicking here. Or search for her on facebook by searching Totally Trashed Fashion. 

You can also donate online by clicking here.

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Cyclists ride for affordable housing efforts

A national non-profit organization is using bike trip across the country to spread the word about affordable housing causes and give young people the chance for a little adventure.

Bike & Build Inc. offers eight cross country biking trips each summer that gives 18 to 25 year old riders the opportunity to experience first hand the affordable housing need in the United States. The riders stop in towns along the route and help with construction of affordable housing units. They also meet with local officials and community members to discuss affordable housing issues.

"I would say, Bike and Build is an incredible opportunity to get young people out to get across the country and get exposed to housing situations," said rider leader Christopher Clark.

On Wednesday, a group of 30 of the cyclists from Bike & Build rode into Spokane after doing several other trips around the country. They started their trip on June 13 in Providence, Rhode Island and are headed to Seattle.

They've done several projects along the way from Iowa, to Ohio to Montana. As Clark said, it's been more than a trip to help those in need, it has been an adventure.

"I've seen a bunch of Americana I've never seen before," said Clark, "I've seen the Appalachian Mountains, the rolling hills of Wyoming...there are just so many things I just can't list them all."

Clark said their group rides at about a pace of 10 miles per hour. The pace may seem slow to some but for the riders, the pace doesn't matter.

"It's not so much a race but more of an adventure," said Clark.

The group has also completed a few projects in the Inland Northwest. On Tuesday they completed two projects in Coeur D'Alene, all in a period of 8 hours.

"The project is important because a family with a house gives them a greater chance of success," said Clark.

Although the group's trip is winding down, they have one last chance to help out all of those affected by a need for housing. The group has received about $150,000 in grants from all over the country and they get to decided which places will benefit from those groups.

The cyclists will make their decision on Wednesday night which organizations will receive money. Clark estimates 5 or 6 organizations including one possibly for Coeur D'Alene.

To track groups progress and read more about Bike and Build click here

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Red Rock Sharp (Taken with Instagram)

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Red Rock Las Vegas (Taken with Instagram)

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My buddies (Taken with Instagram)

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Happiest dog in the world right now (Taken with Instagram)

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There's "Greatness" in any kind of athlete

(Olympian Oscar Pistorius and a 5 year old girl racing.)

There's been something in the back of my mind that's always nagged at me since I was 11.

When I was younger, I watched the 1996 Olympics and always wanted to be an Olympian. Specifically, I wanted to be a swimmer. 

I would draw pictures of me swimming with a gold medal around my neck and I would write "I want to be an Olympic swimmer" whenever I had to write what I wanted to be when I grew up for elementary school. 

Eventually, I got to be on a swim team for 2 years and I thought "this is my chance!" But slowly, I realized I wasn't that great of a swimmer. I would get beat by other kids and even my dad and stepmom would talk about how great the other kids were. 

I felt crushed. I felt like I was a failure. And ultimately, I gave up on those Olympic dreams. 

So here I am, almost 23 and watching the Olympics, wishing I was there with Missy Franklin and Michael Phelps...but I realized something. 

If you look at all the Olympic athletes that are highlighted in the games...sure they get accolades for being the "fastest", "strongest", and best. But the one thing that stands out more than anything else, is most of those athletes are celebrated because they overcame something. 

For some Jamaican and Kenyan runners, they overcame poverty and bad living conditions just so they could come to race. Others like Michael Phelps battled long training hours just for a 1 minute race in the pool. And look at Oscar Pistorius, he had both legs amputated when he was little, and sure he's fast, but the more amazing thing is he didn't let that bring him down. 

Even though most of the world's population aren't Olympic athletes, they should take a note and realize as long as you are overcoming something...YOU ARE GREAT! 

For you it might be the fact that you are trying to get in shape... YOU ARE GREAT because you are trying to make yourself better. 

You run at a 16 minute per mile pace...YOU ARE GREAT because you are trying your hardest just trying to run for a period of time. 

You had both of your legs amputated when you were a child (like the picture above) but you are trying to race!

And even though you weren't the best swimmer in the bunch...YOU ARE GREAT because you at least tried to accomplish a dream. 

So let's think about redefining the meaning of Greatness. It's not the fact that you are the best at something (although that is worth celebrating), it's the fact that you overcame something or are reaching towards a goal that makes you great. 

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Welcome to heaven (Taken with Instagram)

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Why I love climbing so much

I am always asked, why do you love climbing so much? 

To me, it's not the actual act of climbing that make me happy, its the feeling I get while I am doing it. 

There's a joy that comes when walking up to a rock. You stop at the bottom of the rock, look up at all the cracks, knobs, flakes, overhangs and ledges and think to yourself, I can get up that! 

When you start ascending the rock, every time you find a sturdy hold there's a joy that comes through you. You think to yourself, "YES! That's it! I've made it this far! Now where do I go?"

I've heard some pro climbers describe the ascent up the wall as a trance. You aren't focused on how high you are, or how much your muscles ache. You are more focused on getting to the next hold and how you will position your body to get to the next place. You notice things on how the rock feels in the palm of your hand or how your fingers crimp on to the smallest edge. You smell the dust, feel the wind on the side and notice there are so many facets to a rock that it becomes inticate and beautiful. In a way, it sounds cliche but you truly become part of the rock. Or in another way, rock climbers study mountains. 

It's also like on big puzzle. There a different ways to get up to the top and its your job as the climber to figure it out. You spend a lot of time at the bottom before you even go studying the face and wondering where you should put your feet, and which move you should make to get through each portion. Your mind goes on several climbs before you even place your hand on the rock. Then when you get on it, you try several moves with your hands and feet, trying to get the optimal placement to get up. 

And then there's the culture. Climbers are a different easy going people. They aren't aggressive but more laid back and patient. They know that it takes time and effort and studying to finish a climb. Today, while I was waiting for my friend to clean up our anchors at the top, 4 other climbers came to our spot. They were very easy going and while we sat and talked, one of the girls was playing a ukulele.  Climbers are friendly and share the same passion for the area around you. You tend to form a bond with people you don't even know and talk about the rock and your experience with it. They are very peaceful people who love the environment. 

Finally, I get a sense of peace when I'm around the rock. I come to the bottom away from traffic, work and troubles to something so sturdy and quiet. There's usually trees or landscape around you and the occasional wildlife. To me I feel like I am a part of a different world, one that I am not used to. And that settles me down. 

If anything I can truly say, rock climbing is not only a sport, it's my "thing" and I love it. 

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#Climbing!!! (Taken with Instagram)

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Beautiful view for a #run (Taken with Instagram)

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How to start prepping for a half marathon

It's always been a dream of mine to be a runner, let alone doing races. For some reason there is an appeal to just running around in the morning before work and being able to go long distances.

So as of last May, I decided to give running a shot.

For those of you that don't know, half marathons are one of the bigger distance races. The smallest is a 5k which translates to approx. 3 miles. Then there's 7k, 12s and eventually you get to half marathons and marathons. Half marathons are for 13.1 miles while marathons are 26.2 miles.

Because I'm a beginner and don't want to cause serious injury...I chose the half marathon portion. I did a 12 k in the past but I wanted to do something big this time.

As I write this article, its the last week of July. I have been running for a little over 3 months and I've learned a lot on the way just by trial and error. So just for the sake of helping others and knowing how hard it is to start out, here's what I found out about getting to 13.1 miles.

THE PLAN

When I started, the first piece of advice I got was to pick out a race. Then choose a half marathon plan just by searching on the internet or finding someone who has done a half before and ask them how they did it.

I chose a 13 week plan (most recommend this kind of plan) that would allow me to do other activities at the same time. Every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday I run. Every Tuesday and Thursday I do some other activity (I like bike riding or rock climbing). On Friday and Saturday I rest.

The Monday and Wednesday runs are smaller runs...They slowly ramp up through the weeks starting with 3 miles up to 5 miles. Saturday is the day you run slowly and work on distance. That slowly ramps up as well and varies from 4 miles to 10 miles. But you never get to the actual 13.1 miles for training...that's saved for race day.

Before I even started my 13 week plan, I just worked up to running 30 miles straight. Then once I got there, I just worked on getting up to 3 miles and working on pace. It saved me a lot of hurt my first day of official training.

EQUIPMENT

I doesn't seem like runners have a lot of equipment but they do. First, go to a running specialty store where a salesperson can look at your stride, the arch of your foot and can help you choose the shoe that's right for you. I tried about 7 different pairs before I found "the one."Also find a good pair of running socks to ensure you don't get as many blisters on your feet. I'm a huge fan of "Feetures" socks because they are light and thin.

You will also need some good clothes that wick sweat and keep you cool in summer/warm in winter and work with your body movement. I highly recommend a good pair of running shorts in the summer because you will want to avoid any way of overheating.

You can also wear a hat if you want...just make sure it's ventilated properly. You might want to get a specialty running hat as well. Normal ball caps don't work and will cause you to overheat (I learned the hard way). 

NUTRITION

Think about what you eat! Its the only fuel you have that can keep your motor running.

Definitely eat before hand! I recommend anything with at least 25 carbs an hour before hand. Carbs are what give your body energy and if used while exercising, can really help you out. Oatmeal and cereal are great...but if you eat cereal, consider something like almond milk instead of normal milk because it doesn't digest well.

During your runs, I like to keep things light. For anything under 4 miles, I don't use anything except maybe water. The reason is my stomach starts hurting and I get nauseous. But if you want to eat during the run, try an energy bar or a gel, just make sure you have water with you. Or you can go natural and try a granola bar and honey.

Then within 30 mins after the run, I like to have water mixed with an electrolyte tablet and something with at least 25 carbs in it. An hour after the run, I have a normal meal.

2 hours after the run I drink a protein shake. Protein is super important as that is what your body uses to recover. If you don't have protein, your muscles will hurt a lot more and you have a good chance of not doing well the next time you go out for a run.

You will also need to drink a lot of water. I just carry a water bottle with me all day and just sip on it. The more medical advice that comes out, the more I start to see there doesn't need to be a set amount of water...just drink enough so you stay hydrated.

I also recommend taking multi-vitamins everyday. You lose a lot of nutrients when you run all the time (especially in the hear). I noticed when I didn't take them, I felt really tired all the time. In fact I would sleep most of the day. Post-vitamins, I feel wonderful and have a lot more energy.

I will have a lot more tips in the next few weeks and months as I keep experimenting and running. Until then, on to 13.1 miles!

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Day one is complete! (Taken with Instagram)

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Historical preservationists excited to come to Inland Northwest

(The owner of the Edgington House in Browne's Addition is painting the final touches on the exterior of the home. Virgil Gering owned the historical home at 1st and Cannon for 33 years. Now equipped with seven rental units, the house was built in 1889.) (Photo Courtesy: Nicole Hensley)

Spokane and the Inland Northwest are known by its residents as a place with rich history. The roads are dotted with homes and buildings that were constructed in the 19th and early 20th century. Every place you go, from the Davenport Hotel, to Browne's Addition, to the mining towns of North Idaho, can tell its own story. That's the kind of atmosphere that caught the attention of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

The Trust announced earlier this year that the Inland Northwest will be the host of their annual conference with Spokane at the center from October 31 to November 3.

Spokane was in the running with Phoenix, Ariz. and San Jose, Calif to have the conference in their city. However, the Trust liked Spokane the best because it had the complete package. 

"We are looking at cities that would be a great place for attendees. Not only does Spokane have a rich history that would attract preservationists, it has a rich coffee culture, shopping downtown and all our events would be within walking distance of the convention center," said Lori Feinman, Director of Conferences and meeting for the National Trust.

The variety of historical value is evident in community efforts to preserve and acknowledge the region's history. In Browne's Addition, the Museum of Arts and Culture covers regional history while a walking tour mobile site exists for the neighborhood to help visitors learn about the rich history of the historical homes.

The trust recognized the vast wealth of history, but also know it will reach appeal with those who plan to attending the conference.

The conference will play host to hundreds of lawyers, architects, business professionals and other preservation enthusiasts from around the country. Those attendees have the option to attend hundreds of field events in the area in addition to main conferences in downtown Spokane. Conference events include house tours in Browne's Addition, tours through the Hanford B reactor near Tri Cities and tours in the mines of North Idaho.

According to Feinman, some of the tours are already selling out: "We have a few (field events) that have sold out. The Age of Excellence tour is sold out and a lot of people are interested in the Kirtland Cutter tour."

Feinman also expects a huge economic impact for the area.

"We expect about $4 million to be brought in during the conference," said Feinman.

Registration is available for members and non-members. The super early deadline ends July 31. Click here for registration prices. To learn more about the conference and the National Trust for Historic Preservation click this link.

Nicole Hensley contributed to this report.