Chances are high you’ve seen Tess' name around Twitter and our Facebook page, answering your product questions or handing out virtual high fives for recent goals crushed. As one of our incredibly social savvy team members - Tess spends her days pursuing the internet and chatting with some of the coolest people out there (like you!). The conversations Tess has every day at work consistently inspire her and recently led her to create a badass goal - "the Ambassador Project".

Have you ever had one of those moments where you wonder “Is this real life?” Those happen to me on the regular in my job. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I work in social media. This vague title (much to the confusion of border control officers and my parents – hi, Mum!) allows me the opportunity to spend my days cruising the internet and chatting to some of the raddest people out here – you guys.  I answer tweets about anything from directions to the nearest store to the best places to sweat in your hood. I’m naturally chatty (ask anyone who’s ever been in a room with me) so getting up each morning to hear about all the cool and inspiring things our guests are up to is such a treat.

One group of people that inspire me daily are our  ambassadors. Now, I fully intend on finishing my degree and eventually winding up with my PhD in physiology but if the opportunity arose for me to be a professional marathon cheerleader, I’d drop the textbooks in a heartbeat. The thing is, I love athletes. I have the deepest respect for anyone who is willing to go all out to try something they’ve never done before. Nothing moves me to keep going than knowing that there are people out there getting up to 4am alarms to run track in the rain, juggling schedules to create workouts or showing up on their mats for their students. I’m a person who turns to sweat when things gets rough. I wanted to spend some time getting to know the people that have helped me through some of my darkest hours and might not even know it. It started with a simple declaration and lo, the Ambassador Project was born.

sweats so far

Yin Yoga – Elle Basten

Spin – Mike Porter

Spin – Natasha Lowe

Hot Yoga with Music– Sasha Smith

Hot Yoga – Heather McEwen

Barre Method – Carolyn Williams

the road ahead

I have a long, sweaty road ahead of me which is perfect for working off holiday shortbread and one too many spiked eggnogs.  After the YVR edition is complete, I’m headed to NYC to stretch, spin and sweat with our ambassadors in the city that don’t sleep. I can’t wait to see all of you on the mat, in the box or on the bike.

Feeling inspired? Get out there and get to know the ambassadors in your neighbourhood. Needing inspiration? You know where Tess can be found and she’d be happy to chat about your goals and sweaty pursuits. If you’re an ambassador and you want to sweat with her, leave a note or shoot her a tweet @thatgirlsix with the hashtag #ambassadorproject. Let’s get sweaty!

You only have to be in a room with Tess for 4.3 seconds before it become clear that she’s addicted to two things: running and the world’s most popular psychoactive drug. No, not Ryan Gosling – caffeine. Tess, one of our GEC educators and a marathoner extraordinaire, tells us why she believes in a good hit of caffeine before an intense workout.

caffeine: the wonder drug

Known in the chemistry world as trimethylxanthine coffeine theine mateine guaranine methyltheobromine (phew!), caffeine can lend a hand to help you get through some of your most gruelling workouts. It acts as a stimulant to increase your muscle reaction time and cognitive reflexes. Research has shown that caffeine can delay fatigue, reduce muscle pain during exercise, and lower your ‘perceived exertion’ making workouts feel easier. In addition to that, other research shows that having caffeine in your post workout recovery drink can help rebuild your glycogen levels faster than one without it. So, faster muscles, thinking and recovery? I’ll take it!

methods of intake

While there is no faster way to my heart than a strong double Americano with cream, I avoid firing up the percolator before I run. The combination of acidity and dairy can leave me feeling a little out of sorts, so I prefer to get my fix through gels. Each gel contains around 20 – 40mg of caffeine (roughly the equivalent to 1/5 of a cup of coffee) and acts as the perfect pick me up. I usually take my first gel 45 minutes into my run and then every 30 minutes after. My personal favourites are Vanilla Bean and of course, Espresso Love by Gu. Post-workout, I treat myself to that double Americano we talked about.

hydrate responsibly

There is a common misconception that caffeine dehydrates you faster than a package of beef jerky with a salt lick chaser. You actually need close to 550mg – about five cups of coffee worth - to affect your hydration levels. As long as you’re taking in electrolytes and some good old H2O, you should be able to caffeinate without a problem.

If you’re just like Tess (who identifies herself as a dedicated caffeine enthusiast) she strongly suggests finding a way to incorporate it into your workouts. Are you a caffeine exercise devotee too?

want more?

• coffee fuels our workouts and our work: check out our office coffee taste test
• running out of steam? Get a new fueling strategy
• try our post-run energizer: the green smoothie

No, Tess is not auditioning for the role of Cinderella. Cinderella had the good sense to at least keep one shoe on. And no, she hasn’t forgotten her shoes at home.  In her preparation for the New York marathon, Tess recently embarked on a barefoot training regime. That’s correct – She's willingly elected to go running with naked feet.

Barefoot running is a hot topic in the world of runners right now. The debate between barefoot running, zero drop shoes (shoes where the forefoot and the heel are at the same level) and traditional (raised-heel) shoes rages on. So, when my coach asked me if I would be willing to try doing some of my track warm-ups barefoot, I jumped at the chance…and then immediately wondered what I had gotten myself into.

injury prevention or cause

I have battled IT Band issues my entire running career and a large part of the problem stems from the fact that I have weak feet. The theory behind barefoot running is that standard running shoes actually offer our feet unnecessary support and by removing the shoes, we teach our feet to stand (and run) on their own. Devotees of the practice also claim it to be an excellent tool for teaching your body proper running form – landing with a mid-foot strike rather than a heel strike which means lower impact on joints – while opponents claim that the continuous pounding without protection will only set you up for injury.

the mid-foot strike

If you’re doing it correctly, your foot will hit the ground almost directly under your hip, making it easy for you to bring the foot back and have the heel just barely graze the ground. It should also be markedly quieter than when you run with a heel strike. I sometimes feel as though I’m doing my very best Godzilla impression when I start running with my heels down first.

what devotees and opponents are saying

• Pro – strengthens under-used muscles in the feet
• Pro – naturally promotes good form
• Pro – good form means fewer injuries and faster race times

• Con – repeated pavement pounding without support can lead to overstress and injury
• Con – feet exposed to the elements could become injured by objects on the ground
• Con – Not enough research has been performed to prove that it prevents injuries

take it slow

One of the most important things to know is that you have to ease into it (um, isn’t there some line about learning to walk before you run?) I only ran 400 meters and my feet felt like they got a workout. Take it slowly so your body has time to adapt and you don’t wind up sidelining yourself. And, while I may not ever take on my beloved 26.2 mile distance shoeless, I will continue to spend part of my training free of my shoes and spend the time when I'm shod wearing zero drop racing flats. It’s earned me a new nickname from the boys at the track – “Foot Nudist”.

They say, "don’t knock it ’til you try it" but for some people the idea of going shoeless just doesn't add up. Are shoe-wearers being over-sensitive or are 'foot-nudists' a pack of heavily calloused idealists?

want more

• not convinced? How to find a good running shoe.
• the ABCs of running.
• don't go further than bare feet.