Now I can Foundation - Physical Therapy for children with Cerebral Palsy

I had the pleasure of visiting with Tracey Christensen who is the co-founder of the Now I Can Foundation in Provo Utah. Along with her husband Joel, they give hope to those affected with Cerebral Palsy.
We are going to work together as a team to promote the rehabilitation and care that is needed for the children in their clinic. I will be using my skills as an Athlete to promote their cause and to help the children in need by making families who have children with Cerebral Palsy and other neuromuscular disorders more aware of the possibilities that they have for rehabilitation through the techniques that Tracey and her crew use at Now I Can.
You have the availability to visit the clinic or you can make it easy and log onto their website to make a charitable donation to the foundation. www.NowICan.org

Here is a little bit about what they do:
Our mission at Now I Can is to help children with disabilities reach their full potential and greatest independence. We know the joy we have experienced along with our daughter when she’s exclaimed, "Now I can do this!", as she achieves a new goal. What a great feeling — and now more and more children will experience it.
Now I Can offers traditional physical therapy, intensive suit therapy, mild hyperbaric oxygen treatments, and feeding therapy. Intensive therapy sessions are three or four week longs, Monday through Friday for four hours daily.
Now I Can's therapy team has extensive experience in both intensive and traditional physical therapy. They are also trained in neuro-developmental treatment (NDT), proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF), and kinesio taping. We also have experienced, skilled and caring aides to assist in giving children the best care possible.
Children with neuromuscular problems, such as cerebral palsy, will benefit greatly from the use of the NeuroSuit — now the first suit of its kind to include elbow and glove attachments! The Intensive Model of Therapy is becoming increasingly popular for the results and growth it produces in children. Once or twice a month visits to a physical therapist are often not enough to help a child make the strides they would like to make.
For those of you who have traveled far and wide to seek therapy for your children, we invite you to visit Utah — a great place to bring the whole family! Excellent choices in accommodations are nearby (with free shuttles), and there is a lot to do in the area. (please see our list on the Visitors page)


You can see me racing for now on geared up in NOW I CAN swagg on all my next races.

Here is a picture of me and a couple of the kids and one of the physical therapists.

Stansbury Triathlon

US Trisports put on an awesome series of races this year, I was lucky enough to register for two of those. The fourth and final race was the Stansbury Tri held at Stansbury Park out by Tooele, just a short drive from Slat Lake City.
Arriving just as the Olympic men started their swim, I only had mere moments to set up my transition area and get back down to the boat dock. Thank the good lord of Triathlonism that I was prepared the night before. The swim distance always scares me at first when I see how far away that first turn around bouy is, but before long the fear fades; I just hope I am not the only one.
PowerTri of Lehi Utah was out in full force as the number one sponsor of the Stansbury Tri, they along with some awesome volunteers carried this race to an outstanding finish. This being my first year attempting anything competitive or race related for that matter; I have seen a lot of heart put into these Triathlon events. The athletes come out to have a good time as well as the spectators and with that mentality the final results are greatness.
Stansbury is a very fast and very flat course to race on with only minor inclines during the bike leg which were not enough to slow down the many seasoned athletes. A few dips in the road and some corners to speed through and before you know it you were coming up to the bike dismount area where it was time to hope those legs were ready for a run. Luckily the run was just as flat as the bike. The run leg lead us through the middle of the Stansbury subdivision that is surrounded by the lake, a mere 3 mile loop for the Sprinters and a second loop for the Olympic distances racers with a turn-around so close to the finish that you could just taste it.
All in all it was an awesome time by had by everyone who showed up. There were some beautiful bikes in the transition area; from the high end Cervelo's to the Quintana Roo , many Specialized and Trek as well. I will have to admit, I was disappointed to not see any Ellsworth Handcrafted Bikes anywhere; I will see what I can do about that little problem for the next race.
I was the only one from Team Aquaphor who was able to make this race but I am sure the whole heart of our team was with me. I was hoping they could of pushed me to a 1st place finish but I have been pretty consistent with 5th, so I am happy. I did get a personal best on the bike leg; as I said, it was a fast course.
So in closing I give major kudos to the fine folks at PowerTri and US Trisports, for having such awesome spirit and drive so those of us that love to race can have the locations and resources needed to compete.  We cannot forget the wonderful people of Stansbury for allowing us to have the race in their town.  

You can check out a few of the pictures from the Stansbury Tri as well as a few of my other Triathlons on FLICKR

See ya in Emmett Idaho at Emmett's Most Excellent Triathlon.

Time to help out the kids. Now I can.

Now I Can:

Address

1675 N Freedom Blvd Ste 10B Provo, UT 84604

Employer Identification Number

26-2996097

This Charity's Administrator:

Joel Christensen, Treasurer/CFO

MISSION STATEMENT

Our mission at Now I Can is to help children with disabilities reach their full potential and greatest independence.

1,543

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NEXT!!!

I have one more Sprint Tri before the First Olympic Tri in August, then of course the 70.3 is shortly there after at Bear Lake.
Stansbury Triathlon is next.

US Tri Sports and Power Tri are hosting the 4th in a series of 4 Tri races this year.
I am lucky enough to have registered for the Stansbury Tri. I am not exactly sure where Stansbury is at this moment, but I will figure that part out soon enough.

So if there are any athletes that would like to race with me to support Utah Tri sports and also Team Aquaphor, that would be awesome.

Blacktail Canyon triathlon in Idaho Falls, Idaho

The experience this past weekend in Idaho Falls was a very memorable one at that.
I made the trip to Idaho Falls Thursday morning to get a good idea of the course and what was in-store for me. Making my way down Lincoln road into the canyon I did not think twice about the sign that said "11% grade". I just made my way to the Blacktail canyon parking area and walked to the boat dock where we would be diving into the water. An "off the dock" start is exciting as long as the guy behind you does not jump on you and cause minor drowning, but none of that happened. The Lake was still and warm; a beautiful view of the mountains and a clear sky made this the perfect area for a fabulous day of racing.
Not until Friday afternoon when I went to the Packet pickup location did I realize that the road leaving the canyon was the same road that the cycle leg road out on. "11% grade incline? Are you serious?" I asked the guys from Personal Best Performance . They replied with a simple; "Yup."
The whole 6 miles out and 6 miles back was a plethora of hills dedicated to the separation of man and child.
So far to date the toughest and yet most satisfying Triathlon I have completed. Granted I have not been doing this for that long, but they do get better every time.

It did appear that the P.B. Performance group had it all together for this race. The only thing that would have made it better would have been if they had shut the road down so no big trucks with big boats would be not paying any attention to us cycling folk and almost run a few down. Nobody got hurt or ran over, it was a good day.

"On to the next one."


Go Team Aquaphor!!!

My hero

I was asked today, just why was Matty Boom Boom Reed my hero. All I could think of was he is an amazing athlete and gave me some hope in my racing career; and he is a bad a$$ to boot.
Keep up the killer work and racing Matty. You are an inspiration.

Blacktail Canyon triathlon in Idaho Falls, Idaho

I am not really sure just how many races I have completed thus far in 2010, but I can say it has been the most challenging and funnest thing I have done in a long time; and now as Jay-Z says; "On to the next one."

So sports fans, the Blacktail Canyon Triathlon is almost here. I leave in the morning for Idaho Falls Idaho where I will be staying with my cousin and her,............ 7 kids; I think that's right. I couldn't be more grateful to her and her husband. I will be in town a few days early to get in some final training and eating; can't forget that. Lord knows I love to EAT!!!! Here little chicken.  So yeah they have a farm and I am hoping for a really big tractor tire so I get the plyometrics working for me. That's some good stuff. Any of you P90X fools know what I am talking about. So back to it.
1) Drive to Idaho Falls
2) Workout like a bad dog. (I heard one old IronMan dude say that tapering was for sissy's)
3) EAT
4) Eat just a bit more.
5) Ride
6) Run
7) Swim
8) Eat some more.
9) Rest
10) Race. YEAH BABY!!!!

May sound funny but it works. Fartlek.

Q. I have been running for about three years. I really love it and would like to begin improving my speed and distance. What are your recommendations for doing this safely and effectively?

 A. One word: Fartlek.

I love Active.com website.

Cooking Sweet Potatoes

Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes don’t need sugar, butter or marshmallows to be delicious. With a few simple steps you can enjoy sweet potatoes the healthy way and avoid the extra fat and calories often added to them.

A Traditional Source of Nutrition

Sweet potatoes have a long history as an important source of food. Native Americans were growing sweet potatoes when Christopher Columbus arrived in the Americas in 1492. Recognized for its flavor and nutrition, the sweet potato spread to many countries and helped to feed people around the world.

Packing a Nutritional Punch

Sweet potatoes are loaded with nutrients, including fiber and vitamin A, as well as calcium, magnesium, and potassium. One cup of cooked sweet potatoes has 200 calories and no fat.

Naturally Sweet

There is a good reason they are called sweet potatoes: they contain natural sugars. To get the most nutritional benefit from this vegetable make sure you prepare them in a healthy way, by avoiding butter and sugar. We’ve provided a few easy recipes below.

Healthy Cooking Tips for Sweet Potatoes

Oven Roasted Sweet Potato “Fries” Recipe

Here is a new and healthy twist on “fries”, roasted in the oven.

• Pre-heat oven to 400°F.
• Peel the sweet potatoes.
• Slice into little sticks or “fries” shape.
• Coat a baking sheet with a little olive oil, so the fries don’t stick to the pan.
• Arrange the “fries” evenly across the pan.
• Season with salt and pepper, or cinnamon.
• Spray or brush ½ teaspoon of olive oil on top of the fries.
• Place pan in oven.
• Bake at 400°F for 12-15 minutes, or until “fries” are golden brown.

Oven Baked Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes can stand alone for an easy and healthy side dish.

• Preheat your oven to 375°F.
• Clean and rinse the sweet potatoes to remove any dirt.
• Dry the potatoes, then using a fork make holes in the skin, to let the steam escape as they cook.
• Place the potatoes on a baking sheet, and place in oven at 375°F.
• Bake for around 45 minutes, or until the inside gets soft. (The time may vary depending on the size of the potato)
• Remove from oven and slice open lengthwise to serve.
• Instead of butter, top the potato with a drizzle of olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Or just enjoy them plain, enjoying the natural sweetness.

This article is provided for general educational purposes only and is not intended to constitute medical advice or counseling, the practice of medicine or the provision of health care diagnosis or treatment, the creation of a physician-patient relationship, or an endorsement, recommendation, or sponsorship of any third party product or service by the sender or the sender's affiliates, agents, employees, or service providers. If you have or suspect that you have a medical problem, contact your doctor promptly.