With all the talk about carbs being evil and more and more people jumping on the carb free bandwagon, no wonder people are nixing any form of bread for the promise of being thin. But did you know that you need carbs? Did you know it is also an effective way to stay slim? And did you know that carbs (that evil thing people blame for being squishy) should make up the majority of your diet especially if you’re active? No carbs are off limits, but lets just say some are better than others so lets break them down with what you should be eating daily. Starches and whole grains (6 servings): 1/2 c. corn or peas, 1 potato, 1/2 c. chickpeas or lentils, 1/2 c. brown or whole grain rice or pasta, 1 slice whole wheat bread. Veggies (3-5 servings): 1/2 c. broccoli, 1 cup leafy greens, 12 baby carrots. Fruit (3-4 servings): 1 apple, 1 banana, 1 c. berries. Dairy (2-3 servings): 1 c. low-fat yogurt, 1 c. skim milk, 1 1/2 oz. reduced fat cheddar. Refined grains (no more than 2 and they count toward your starches): 1 c. white rice, 1 flour tortilla, 1 plain bagel. Treats (1 serving :(, yup just a nibble): 2 squares dark chocolate, 1 small cookie. It is all about keeping track of things either writing them down or in your head, but be honest as we all kind of think we are eating a serving, but in reality are eating several. If you keep track by writing it down, pretty soon it will become second nature, but the way I remember how to keep track of serving sizes is balling my hand in a fist and that generally is my serving size (obviously if you have massive hands this won’t work).
Carbs are necessary to keeping our brain working and our heart pumping, they break down into glucose, your body’s primary source of energy, and loads of foods contain them. Not all carbs are equal though and that is where they get their bad rap. Natural sugars like fructose in fruit and lactose in dairy, sugars that are added to foods and refined grains like white rice are broken down quickly by our bodies. They provide almost instant energy, but it fizzles out fast, and unless they are eaten with an apple for the fiber and the protein in yogurt then they are empty calories. So bundling is key. Whole grains, veggies, legumes take longer to digest and you get a steadier supply of energy. Carb-rich foods like bread are high in calories and low in vitamins and minerals, but fruits and veggies are low in calories and high in vitamins and minerals. Whole grains have lots of nutrients, but lots of calories. Dairy has a medium amount of both. Just cut down on added sugar and refined grains, the rest are the carbs (whole foods) are fair game. Carbs release insulin which helps your body regulate an increase in blood sugar, but your body being this amazing machine processes refined sugars so quickly it may cause your blood sugar to dip and send “eat more” to the brain. If you cut out all carbs when you are active (your primary source of energy during exercise) you won’t get the same level of intensity during your workouts. You need 130g/day for your brain to function, 200-300g/day if you are active. You can miss out on important nutrients if you cut carbs out of your diet, many come from fruit and veggies and this can in turn lead to deficiencies. Cutting out carbs messes with your moods, it has been studied and reported that people on low-carb diets felt angrier and depressed. Which makes sense since carbs help produce serotonin which helps regulate that “I want to kill you or cry” feeling. What it boils down to is moderation, keep it in your diet and don’t overindulge and you can enjoy it without guilt and adding to your waistline.
I had the unfortunate luck of getting geared up one day (in fact it was the warmest we had in a while) only to have my bike not start. Have you ever had one of those days? The worst part was it was Monday so no shops were open and the frustration was due to having the bike on a tender which should have guaranteed a start right? Wrong! The battery was less than a year old, in fact it had a sticker bearing the words “NEW 5/26/2013” so was I one of those lucky Ducati owners with a bike that had character? After messing with it for about 3 hours, I gave up and called Troy, my boyfriend, to discuss the issues I was having and a quick text to Fuzzy in Seattle Ducati to confirm that the symptoms amounted to a dead battery. Come Wednesday I was pretty cagey and unhappy, I called Ducati Bellevue and inquired about batteries and their opinions. Not sure why I do that, I am gonna do what I want regardless of what anyone says…I know you gals know what I mean ;)! I was planning on getting a Shorai battery, since my stock was a Yuasa and I sure as heck was not going to do that to myself again. Let me tell you this battery feels as light as a feather in comparison to the Yuasa being a lithium-ion battery. I was told that it will require getting a special charger for it, but I’m hoping that this years riding weather won’t require it since I will be riding all the time. This battery change got the ball rolling for all the parts we already had, but needed a good reason to take the bike apart for upgrades.
The list of things we did included new tires, SBS sintered brake pads, Vortex rear sets and of course the new Shorai battery. The battery is smaller and lighter than ordinary batteries and if you ask the shop it also requires a bit of rethinking when starting your bike…normally you’d just fire it up, let it get to temp, then go. With lithium ion batteries I was told by John in Ducati Bellevue that you needed to turn bike on, let the cells wake up, even turn on the brights for a minute then fire it up. Shorai comes with foam which you pack around the battery (see pic) to fit the area your old battery used to be, the first thing you’ll notice is that the bike even fires up differently there seems to be a more deliberate delivery system as it doesn’t cough and choke. If you are in the market for a new battery, give them a try (and no I am not sponsored by them or get kickbacks, just a very happy owner of a bike with a little less character now).
I was fortunate to get a set of Dunlop Q2’s and went from a 180 in the rear to a 190 (had to check the measurements to make sure they would fit). Thanks to the village it took to not only get that rear wheel off (torque spec is 130 ft lbs), had to borrow a breaker bar, get Barry from KFG to balance rear tire (the Axle is bigger than most and requires a special size cone to correctly balance the tire) and lastly buy a torque wrench that would allow us to tighten the rear wheel to 130 ft lbs. Taking it to a shop to have it done certainly sounds way better now huh? With the tires off, the calipers were easy to get to and replace the brake pads (although mine were only slightly worn, Troy swore by them and said I would never go back once I got a taste of them). Then came the rear sets which stock has always been too low and too far to back for my small frame.
The adjustable nature of the vortex ones allowed me to raise them up and forward to get me in a nice aggressive and comfortable stance while riding. With everything in pieces it was the perfect time to really clean all the nooks and crannies on the bike and the wheels which I normally can’t get to. I used Silkolene’s Pro Prep to clean the wheels and Silkolene’s All in one to clean and polish the bike’s hard surfaces (see pic). With the bike all put back together, it was time for a ride to determine if anything needed tweaking, my absolute favorite part! So off I went heart racing as I felt the tires and took the first turn in them, felt the brakes and how progressive they were and the comfort of being able to sit in a much more aggressive and comfortable position. Had to be careful of course, new tires on cold pavement could lead to a bad day…with going up in the tire size, the rear felt really stable and secure on the road, turns were not a problem and the brakes are amazing! Interesting side note having the lighter battery was obvious to me in the weight near the front of the bike, not sure why, but I really do like the feeling. I have ridden two more days after the test ride and both were equally enjoyable. If you haven’t fired up your baby, it’s time to start getting her ready for the upcoming great weather (being positive her) and track days! Feel free to comment on this post and ask questions, hope you got the chance to enjoy the few days we had that were dry and mild. If not, be ready for the next opportunity! Vixens Ride!
For those of us in the PNW, we get excited as the temperatures rise, the rain lets up and the sun graces us with her presence more often…that means perfect riding weather. At the first sight of sun in the forecast, we eagerly tune, wash and pull our warmer gear out (I mean that relatively speaking of course) and head for the road. Only problem is that after a long hiatus, we aren’t fully “tuned” ourselves and we need to treat ourselves like our bikes. Even if you’ve been riding through the winter months, chances are you’ve been more hesitant due to the inclement weather while being lazy about your skills, since traction can be tricky on rain soaked or icy roads. I am a huge advocate of continuing education or refresher courses, whether it be advanced courses or specialized ones offered by track schools, it all helps you become a better and safer rider. Riding style is important too, if you ride in groups you must understand a group dynamic and that every decision you make impacts the riders around you, so join a group start in the back and work your way up as your confidence and skills grow. If you ride on the track, take a course from the track day company to just retune your mind and give you some new tools to put in your toolbox should you require them. This is just like anything else, the more you put in the more you get out and being informed is invaluable.
In my search for more comfortable and protective safety gear that actually fits, I was introduced to the owner of Impact Armor, Mike Braxton, through my boyfriend, Troy Cook. Troy has raced in Impact Armor for many years and crashed several times while wearing their chest and back protectors…he swears by them for comfort and safety. Last season I wore a Tryonic Feel 3.7 Race back protector ($199.99) which did not have kidney protection and had a Dainese chest protector ($69.95) of which I could only wear one on track since it was too bulky to wear both. 
Not to mention how uncomfortable and distracting either of them were to have on while riding. The purpose of protection is safety and what good is protection when it is uncomfortable and a distraction? Impact Armor changes all that! While filling out the custom armor form it became very clear I was going to have to discuss my body type with Mike to make sure the armor would fit accordingly. As we all know, women come in all shapes and sizes
and that comes with serious challenges when trying to purchase things off the rack. Mike believes protective armor will only work if it fits, doesn’t distract from the task and the individual is confident it will function as needed. I believe the list of clients on his website are a testament to his dedication and success in his endeavor to protect us all in our chosen sport.
gals will need to add some extra measurements, send pictures and stay in contact with Mike during the process of the development of their protective gear. Impact’s female chest and back protectors are made to measure. And as such, your input during the design phase of the chest protector 
profile (in particular) is essential. It is also important to note that this process can last a month (during off season) or more should racing season be in progress as protectors are placed in order of urgency. Racers that require protectors before a certain date will need to tell Mike that they have a deadline. Mike will ship to tracks, hotels, where ever needed 
to make sure individuals receive their order when needed. Impact Safe-T Armor can withstand multiple crashes, however should their be a question sending a quick text or email will allow Mike to determine if they are still usable or require repairs and/or replacement. Please be aware these are not just for racers, they are made for various applications 
including street and track day riders. If you are unsure which one to order call Mike and he will guide you to the one that best suits your riding needs. The offer is as follows: