We are very excited to announce our new Outdoor Athletic Movement 3-week series led by Elia Mrak-Blumberg.
There’s no explaining this class – it must be experienced and we think there’s nothing like it. This class will challenge your strength, cardiovascular system, balance, agility and overall movement skills. It is ‘challenge by choice’ and all levels of fitness are welcome. The background and curriculum designed by Elia is drawn from many activities and sports as wide ranging as; mountain climbing, running, basketball, football, cycling, skiing, windsurfing and no small measure of Elia’s professional dance instruction. The program is led to music, is fun, and very energizing.
When is it? The class begins Thursday, July 29 for three consecutive Thursdays. The class is from 6:30pm to 8pm.
Where to go? Click here for a MAP of the class location. Or call for directions: 206-282-4208
What is it good for? The training will improve movement skills, balance, strength, flexibility and coordination. You can also be sure that workshop will make you sweat and send your heart rate up so you’ll definitely burn some energy.
Who does it? The program is designed for any athlete wanting to see cross training strength improvement in their main sport or activity. The workshop will also appeal to anyone who enjoys classes like high intensity circuit training and Zumba.
What to bring? Wear normal gym or outdoor training clothes and shoes. If you want to get some designer grass marks – wear your best white T-Shirt, otherwise wear something you’ll be comfortable getting close to the earth in. A sports drink is a good idea.
This series is offered for $25 per class or $60 for the series, and for those adventX unlimited members there is no additional charge. This is open to everyone so invite your friends and family to join the fun!
The class is limited in size so sign up now. Contact Kellie at kelliemorrill@adventx.com, info@adventx.com, or 206-282-4208 to get your name on the list.
For any questions about the class; contact Elia at Elia@adventx.com or info@adventx.com.
-The adventX Team
ATTENTION: WEDNESDAY GREENLAKE CLASSES CANCELLED
We apologize for the short notice, but the 6am and 10am classes tomorrow will be cancelled. All other classes will continue as scheduled.
The adventX Team
Summer sessions start July 7th
Our summer sessions are here! The first classes to get moving will be 6am and 10am 10-Week Fitness Challenge at Greenlake Community Center this Wednesday, July 7th. The Endurance Cross-Training at Discovery Park begins Saturday July 10th.
Check in tomorrow for a complete calendar of all current classes and keep checking for our exciting new classes that are coming soon.
For any questions, contact us at info@adventx.com or john@adventx.com.
Get fit. Stay fit. Have fun!
We are very excited to announce and invite you to our brand new class led by Elia Mrak-Blumberg. 
There’s no explaining this class – it must be experienced and we think there’s nothing like it. We want you to come and learn just how this class will challenge your strength, cardiovascular system, balance, agility and overall movement skills. It is ‘challenge by choice’ and all levels of fitness are welcome. The background and curriculm designed by Elia is draw from many activities and sports as wide ranging as; mountain climbing, running, basketball, football, cycling, skiing, windsurfing and no small measure of Elia’s professional dance instruction. The program is led to music, it is much fun and very energizing.
Where to go? Click here for a MAP of the class location. Or call for directions 206 282 4208
What is it good for? The training will improve movement skills, balance, flexibility and coordination but you can be sure it will also make you sweat and send your heart rate up. So you’ll definately burn some energy.
Who does it? Primarily the program is designed for any athlete wanting to see cross training strength improvement in their main sport or activity. However it will also appeal to anyone who enjoys classes like, high intensity circuit training, Zumba, certain types of Yoga (Although expect a more dynamic and vigorous session than most types of yoga)
What to bring? Bring yourself – and a friend. Wear normal gym or outdoor training clothes and shoes. If you want to get some designer grass marks – wear your best white T-Shirt otherwise wear something you’ll be comfortable getting close to the earth in. A sports drink is a good idea. Afterwards we’ll head over to Greenlake Bar and Grille for snacks and drinks so if you’d like to join us – bring a spare shirt to change into.
This demo is offered as a one time chance to explore how this class can be a great addition to your weekly training. It’s a $25 value and for current adventX members there is no charge. If you are not a part of the adventX team you may sign up for a free week trial and attend.
In July we will offer a summer session for this class starting on July 22nd for three consecutive thursdays. The class will be limited in size and we have started a list for people interested in that program.
For any questions; contact Elia at Elia@adventx.com or John at john@adventx.com
June in the Cascade Range is wet. Sometimes it’s a 30 minute shower and sometimes it’s all day. Camping adds a level of complexity in that it’s difficult to dry clothes at camp unless the sun is shining. Some preparation goes a long way to maintaining your energy, staying warm and being happy. As we all know hiking in rain is fine, its what you do when you stop that can either leave you miserable or as happy as a clam.
Some thoughts on weatherproofing yourself:
1. Waterproof raingear, boots, hat, gloves and gaiters by first washing with TechWash by Nikwax then proofing with TX Direct also by Nikwax. It’s available at Second Ascent and REI. Note; if you wash your goretex in household detergent, it will strip away the water-resistant coating and if you use fabric conditioner it will make the material more porous – these two things together will turn your rain-gear into a sponge. An alternative to the wash-in treatment are any number of spray on waterproof agents. However I like the Nikwax products as they effectively make your old goretex garments work like new again.
2. Take extra trash compactor liners – I like the trash compactor (Fred Meyer has them) bags as they are thicker 0.3 mm and will not tear. Use one to line the pack, another to contain things in your tent (Rain on the tent leads to condensation so its important to keep your gear in a bag while inside the tent). Bring an extra 1 or 2 bags. Use Gallon sized ziplock bags to contain smaller items.
3. In heavy rain put your pants over the outside of your gaiters (otherwise the water will funnel into your gaiters and boots).
4. Get a water resistant running hat; they dry quickly and the brim will keep the rain off your face.
5. Consider using the shells of your mittens instead of finger gloves – they will keep your hands dry and dry quickly themselves.
6. Go Commando: In very heavy rain – everything you wear will get wet. If not from rain, then from condensation. If you don’t mind rain-gear against your bare skin, then take off your dry clothes and put them inside your rucksack. You will stay warm from the goretex as you move and then when you arrive at camp you’ll have all dry clothes to change into. Additionally you’ll have saved yourself the problem of having a pile of wet useless clothes that you now have to dry. If you get too cold you can always add a synthetic layer. An alternate for underwear in very wet conditions is swim wear, speedos or bikini top & bottoms - They dry very quickly and of course they are designed to be worn wet – so they tend to not chafe.
7. Keep the wet stuff out of the tent: After setting up the tent, a good strategy is to get one dry person in the tent. (if you are cold – get right into a sleeping bag) and have the other partner hand in the contents of your backpack. Once everything is inside leave the wet backpacks and wet goretex in the vestibule. If the sun comes out you can put it on top of the tent (be sure to tie it securely in case wind blows it away). Worse case scenario – you put the wet stuff back on in the morning! Your body heat will dry it as you move.
8. Use your body heat to dry damp items: If you have damp clothes, especially socks, gloves and hats. You may be able to dry them by putting them in your sleeping bag with you. You’ll need to be warm and should make sure that this is not sucking your valuable heat away, but it is amazing how quickly damp gear will dry against your body. Another option is to put damp gear in your pockets or down your shirt. Use your judgement – you don’t want to put soaking wet gear on you but damp is OK.
9. Make hot water bottles. Take some extra fuel for this – a hot nalgene waterbottle will heat you and you can lay your gloves and other clothes against it. It’s a portable radiator. Caution; drying too much wet gear in the tent will lead to condensation inside the tent.
10. Take a microlight synthetic towel to dry you and a small kitchen sponge to remove the condensation from the inside tent walls.
I hope this helps. And remember any fool can be uncomfortable! Take some time to prepare and turn a potentially soggy camping trip into a fun adventure which leaves you warm, dry and happy inside your tent.
John Colver.
May 30th Fit2Climb – McClellan Butte
For this weekend’s Fit2Climb hike we will be heading out to McClellan Butte. http://www.summitpost.org/mountain/rock/150418/McClellan-Butte.html
The hike to the peak is over 4.5 miles each way, and goes up to 5,160 feet (3300 total elevation gain), however, it is likely that we will only make it to a little above 4000 feet as the trail is difficult to follow when the snow takes over. Most parties hiking there last Saturday turned around at about 4200 feet. Plan for about a 5 hour roundtrip hike (approximately 7 miles roundtrip and 2200-2500 feet of elevation gain). Gaining only about 800 feet in the first hour and 1200 feet in the second, the steepness increases as we ascend.
Except for the top scramble, which we won’t reach, this is a non-technical climb that will be more or less challenging depending on the weather and trail conditions. Anyone seeking a greater challenge can bring a heavier pack for some weight training. (water bottles work well as weight, because you can easily lighten your load)
Time: Arrive at the parking lot by 9am
What you’ll need:
Clothing:
- Hiking pants with gaiters (we will probably start hiking with the gaiters in the packs and put them on when we reach the snow.)
- Sturdy hiking boots (there is snow on parts of the upper trail)
- Dress in layers – short sleeve, long sleeve, soft shell or fleece jacket.
- Hat (baseball or sun hat)
- Gloves: Light gloves and warm gloves/mittens
Equipment:
- Ski or trekking poles (Note: We did not need/use Crampons or other tractions devices when we were there last week, but if you have them, can provide some peace of mind if it gets slippery)
- Backpack
Food:
- Water, Gatorade, etc. Bring at least 2 liters!
- Bring at least 2 snacks
- Lunch
Other:
- Sun screen and spf lip balm
Weather: The forecast for Sunday looks good right now, but it is important to be prepared for anything.
Carpooling: If you have questions or need further information, please send a message to Heather hdevrieze@gmail.com or the Adventx facebook page.
Here are some photos from last Saturday: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=172427&id=613442755&l=f58ff4949a
Fit2Climb – Mt. Adams Roster & Gear List
Attention all climbers!
We need to get an accurate count for the upcoming Mt. Adams climb (June 4th – 6th). Please leave a comment and let us know you are coming.
I have included a link to the IMG Rainier Gear list. You’ll need pretty much everything on this list EXCEPT the helmet and harness. You can print off a .pdf file from the site as well.
http://www.mountainguides.com/rainier-gear.shtml
Tent Gear: Each tent will be responsible for their own setup, cooking, etc. Stoves, tents, and any other gear can be rented from REI.
There is a tentative meet up on either Wednesday, June 2nd or Thursday June 3rd to review gear needs. We will post the date, time, and location once everything is confirmed.
If you have any questions, please leave a comment here or on the adventX facebook page.
Sunday run: Gasworks Park 8 a.m. – 10 Miles.
For anyone who wants to join, Wendy and Casey will be running from Gasworks at 8am.
Route is towards & over the U Bridge (before Beat the Bridge gets there), down Eastlake, up Howe St. Stairs, through Volunteer park, down Interlaken and out to the S. edge of the Arboretum, back through the Arb, over Foster Island, across the Montlake bridge (after Beat the Bridge is pretty much over), back on Burke/Pacific to Gasworks for a total of 10 miles and 764 feet of gain.
Pace is about 9 minutes per mile.
May 16 Fit2Climb – Camp Muir
Here is more information about Sunday’s hike. If you have any questions or need any additional information, please leave a commet here or send a message to adventX facebook.
Time:
- Plan to arrive at the Paradise parking lot no later than 8:45am
- We’ll be leaving for Camp Muir at 9:00am.
What you’ll need
Clothing:
- Snowpants or hiking pants with gators
- Sturdy hiking boots
- Dress in layers – short sleeve, long sleeve, soft shell or fleece jacket.
- Hat (baseball or sun hat)
- Glacier glasses or very dark sunglasses
- Gloves: Light gloves and warm gloves/mittens
Equipment:
- Ski or trekking poles (Note: Crampons are not needed)
- Backpack
Food:
- Water, Gatorade, etc. Bring at least 2 liters!
- Bring at least 3 snacks
- Lunch
- Don’t forget to eat a good breakfast!
Other:
- 30spf or better sun screen and lip screen
Weather:
Here is a link to the weather forecast for Rainier. The extended forecast shows Sunday should be mostly cloudy with a chance of showers. http://www.atmos.washington.edu/data/rainier_report.html
Carpooling:
If you would like to carpool, please send a message to the adventX facebook page, or leave a comment here, or send e-mail along with a contact number and if you would prefer to Drive or Ride. We’ll contact you by Saturday afternoon to let you know what is available and make the final arrangements.
Other Info:
This is a link to the “Mount Rainier Climbing” blog. A great place to learn more about what is happening on the mountain. http://mountrainierclimbing.blogspot.com/
Elia Mrak-Blumberg
It’s an honor to welcome my friend, Elia to the adventX coaching team. Over the past few years I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Elia and watching him pack an enormous amount of activity into a few years. Personally we’ve summited mountains, shared some good bike interval training sessions, trained at adventX and played some good poker. I first learned of Elia’s remarkable teaching/coaching skills when I found myself a third of my way down the steepest ski area descent in North America (Garnett Bowl at Whistler). I do not ski much, am scared of heights and I would have climbed back to the top but it was too steep. Elia – an expert skier coached flawlessly me down through the cliffs with a remarkable confidence and rare understanding of how to teach dynamic movement.
In addition to being a hardcore mogul and downhill skier, Elia is a windsurfing instructor, an accomplished bike racer and mountaineer. However his greatest passion and talent is the understanding of movement. A professional Dancer and Dance teacher. Elia received a Watson Fellowship to research movement in different cultures, he studied and taught dance in places as far away as the Balkans, Mozambique and Costa Rica. During the past year he has toured western Europe performing with David Zambrano in his new project, SHOCK, and assisting him in workshops at the Impulstanz International Dance festival in Vienna.
This summer Elia will be a member of our coaching team leading classes and teaching the adventX curriculm. In addition for anyone who wants to explore the movement techniques that Elia has developed we will be offering 2 half-day movement workshops. These will take place outdoors in Seattle – dates to be confirmed (June and July).
Please welcome Elia to the team; I wholeheartedly recommend Elia’s techniques and approach as a way to add strength, stability and balance to ANY sport. I also recommend not challenging him to a game of poker…!
