Filed under: KingsBridge Train | Tags: cyclo-cross, vicki thomas, world championships, ulcerative colitis, Specific Carbohydrate Diet
It’s Vicki here with another blog post on my cyclo-cross racing life…
Mmm, I love baked goods. Nothing quite like a squishy gooey cinnamon bun or a rice tart from my fave Belgian bakery. But sadly, I’m not talking about such soothing baked goods. Nope rather baked goods refers to how I felt out on my ride today. My plan was to “beat the heat”… Ya right!
Lets just say the “heat beat me”… I had an innocent 75 minutes on the plan today some endurance to warm-up the legs and then tempo intervals to shake things up and get the blood flowing. No problem. I had two full water bottles with a bit of apple juice in them and I was ready to go. Hit the road just after 9:30. Perfect – still not too hot and a slight breeze to keep me cool.
Ha! Well, the first hour or so was spot on. Great ride. Legs were ticking over smoothly and I liked the numbers I was seeing. And then the it happened. Almost as soon as I finished my last interval – the goosebumps came on. The hair on my arms was standing straight up, my legs were covered in goosebumps and I felt cold. Uh oh.
Not sure if it was a bonk or heatstroke or a combination of the both. Whatever it was, it resulted in a death ride home. What normally takes me 30 minutes or so took close to an hour. It was all I could do to turn the pedals over. I stopped worrying about power, cadence and speed. My focus was getting home. I had about 3/4 of a bottle left at this point. I stopped at a couple of businesses in hopes of filling up my bottles but strangely there was no one around.
So mind over matter and just focus on getting home. My mind was beginning to wander from listening to my podcasts to food. A sure sign that things have gone badly. Funny how appetizing a recovery drink seems when you’re out baking on a hot road far from home! Luckily as I rolled into town, I came across a couple just getting out of their car – they kindly filled my bottles with ice cold water (thank-you). I rolled home very happy to be returning to air conditioning. And no, I haven’t been outside since!
I’m sure this bonk/heatstroke incident was induced by my dietary changes over the past few days. As you know I’m following the Specific Carbohydrate Diet and in the first week of the diet, carbohydrates are strictly limited. Today I was able to add bananas to my diet – but there aren’t a lot of carbohydrates in bananas. Still the dietary changes are making a big difference in my ulcerative colitis symptoms and I’m feeling much better than I have in a long time. It will take a bit of time and research to tweak the diet to make it work for cyclo-cross training and racing, but I know it can be done. I’m currently reading The Paleo Diet For Athletes – very interesting read and follows many of the same principles as the Specific Carbohydrate Diet.
All this to say – it is hot out there! Make sure you take more liquid than you think you need on your ride (normally I wouldn’t need two bottles for 75 minutes…) and bring some food in case the dreaded bonk/heatstroke sets in. This heat is nice but really, I’d take some rain right about now! Tomorrow is a recovery day for me so I’m off to play in the woods on my cyclo-cross bike and then to the park for some skills and drills. Good sensations all around.
Filed under: Knowledge, software | Tags: business continuity, business continuity software, business disaster, business impact analysis, Continuity of Operations, COOP, disaster preparation, disaster recovery, disaster recovery software, KingsBridge Disaster Recovery, phoenix foundation, Phoenix online, Phoenix software, software
We need it to be hosted! I don’t trust the security of the Internet! Can I access my plan online?
These are just a few of the questions and objections I hear when talking with clients here at KingsBridge. For the last few years there has been a significant shift in how software and applications are delivered and run – all thanks to the growth of the Internet. This Internet boom has given us access to information at a moments notice as it is being held in the cloud.
It is this shift that motivated us to re-evaluate how we deliver products to our customers.
From our early days in 1985, our flagship Phoenix Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity software has always and only been offered in a local install version. The application resides physically on the hard drive of the computer much like its integrated partner Microsoft Office.
But just like you, we’ve also recognized the power of the Internet and how we can use it to ensure that you have constant and immediate access to your disaster recovery and business continuity plans. After months of development and testing, in February we launched our online version of Phoenix.
The product launch was a big success, with many new and existing customers choosing the online version of Phoenix. But as is normal, we’re still getting many questions about the pros and cons of the online and local install software solutions.
So to help you out, we’ve put together a list of the key considerations you need to make when determining the best way to manage and deliver your disaster recovery planning and business continuity software.
Advantages of the Online Version of Phoenix
- Constant and immediate access to the online version of Phoenix. Assuming you have Internet access, you can quickly and easily access, update, and use your disaster recovery plan.
- Your office truly becomes global. With the online version of Phoenix, you can interact with co-workers wherever they are – you are no longer limited by the “cubicle” walls.
Advantages of the Locally Installed Version of Phoenix
- The software is running independently of the Internet. You can be guaranteed that if you’re in your office and the Internet goes down – you can still access Phoenix and you disaster recovery and business continuity plans.
- Working on a laptop with a locally installed version, gives you the flexibility to access your plans without worrying about Internet access.
In the end both solutions can work, the answer lies within your business environment. Regardless of the path you choose, having a plan and being able to manage it is the deal breaker for your company. Selecting the appropriate tool comes second.
Ultimately, don’t be caught standing in the parking lot of your burning building wondering where your plan is, or worse asking yourself why you didn’t take the time to get a plan in the first place.
About KingsBridge
KingsBridge offers private businesses and government organizations a unique combination of industry knowledge and cost-effective disaster recovery / business continuity solutions. KingsBridge products and seminars provide the tools to assess possible threats and create tailored plans which mitigate risks and minimize losses in the event of a disruption to business. Kingsbridge is headquartered in Ogdensburg, New York, with offices in Ottawa, Canada and Burlington, Vermont. For more information visit us at www.DisasterRecovery.com.
