Kim Magrini: Here's a day in the life of me

When I’m not training or practicing, I’m honing my professional skills.  I’m currently a law student at the Earle Mack School of Law at Drexel University in Philadelphia.  Soon to be a real lawyer with a real job, something I’ve never experienced – a real income!!  I basically live in a wonderful bubble of eternal student-hood.  And I love it. 

So my day consists of walking to school – every day I walk past the famous Rocky steps at the Philadelphia Museum of Art (they currently have a Picasso exhibit which is spectacular). 


I sit in my business organization law class where we talk about smart things like corporate morality (or lack thereof). 

  “always the vigilant student…”

After class I walk to my practical legal clinic office, making a stop at Trader Joe’s to taste whatever they are sampling that day – my life largely revolves around food.  Anyway, my clinic work deals with environmental justice and public health.  We basically represent environmental justice communities – lower income or minority communities that suffer a disproportionate amount of environmental risks or hazards – and help ensure the environmental and public health and safety of these communities.  Some of the work is office work, legal research, and writing.  But the best part of this clinic is the interaction we have with the people of the communities we represent – makes for very rewarding work!!

“Don’t be an idiot.  It changed my life.” – Dwight Schrute, The Office

I basically walk everywhere I go around the city.  And I am constantly searching for loose change along the way, which I put in a can and add up after an entire year (last year I found $35.88!!).

After a full day, I take my beautiful walk home out of center city and through tree lined parkland, hopefully picking up a few pennies along the way, or even a quarter if I’m lucky!  I love my life!

Rugby Chef with WNT prop Lara Vivolo

Looking for a healthy snack that will satisfy your sweet tooth?  Check out WNT Eagle prop Lara Vivolo's video "Rugby Chef," now in the video module on wewantrugby.com's homepage.

A Day in the Workout Life of Claudia Braymer

Ever wonder what a typical "workout" day looks like for a member of the USA WNT?  Sneak a peek at a day in the life of Eagle Scrumhalf Claudia Braymer now on www.wewantrugby.com

Getting Motivated=Getting Organized

Ever wonder how the Eagles fit it all in? Check out Eagle forward Naima Reddick's video "Getting it Done" available for viewing now, on the wewantrugby homepage

A Day in the Life of Eagle Center Emilie Bydwell

 

5:30 am… time to wake up…
And what do I have to wake up to??

And now time to go to the gym…
•Pool session and lift to get the day started

And now… the commute to work
Bus number one…



Bus number two…..

And now, an hour later, I arrive at work at the
Harvard Medical School

I currently work at the Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center DNA Resource Core which provides DNA Sequencing and Plasmid storage and distribution services to researchers in the Harvard community and around the world.

I am lucky to work in a small lab with coworkers that are more than understanding about my rugby commitments and are always willing to pick up my slack when I have to head off for rugby!

Below is the robot (BioBank) I work with daily that is home to over 60,000 plasmid DNA samples.  When its working my day in the lab goes pretty smoothly… when it’s not working my day can get… LONG.

And now… the trek back home…
Bus number one…

Bus number two…..

Once home I get into my car to head to my favorite part of the day… coaching the Brown University backs down in Providence RI.

But not without my copilot… bizzle

I learned how to play rugby 5 years ago on this field when we were a team struggling to stay in D1…

So now it’s not only an honor to be able to come back and coach this team… but also to prepare them to compete in Brown’s 3rd consecutive final four run!

These girls have single handedly reminded me what rugby is really all about and why working my butt off (or should I say… working a butt on) is more than worth it.

After Brown practice Biz and I hop back in the car and drive an hour back to Boston… where all I have the energy to do is make this slide show and go to bed!

Thank you to all my family, friends, coaches, players and coworkers who make it possible for me to pursue my World Cup goals!


Emilie

Looking for some new music for your workout?

Start off with the right mix. Check out the first installment of workout tunes from US Women Eagles. This one by Eagle Flyhalf Stephanie Bruce who says, "This mix is like my extended training montage soundtrack, I rock out between sets of olympic lifts and keep my pace up during those fitness tests." Download it now from iTunes.

Weights on a Jock Brain #1:

A Quest for Python Legs by Christy Ringgenberg

I am a jock. I have been my entire life. Played every sport growing up, received a jock degree (Kinesiology Major), and continue to rearrange my life to play the sport I currently love.  As a jock I mostly think about where my 3^rd, 4^th and 5^th meal are coming from and  how I am going to get errands done around my workouts that day. Sometimes interesting issues do pop up. When working toward being a National Team Rugby player, you can't let those pesky thoughts slow you down. This column is my release of heavy thoughts. Who knows, maybe you are thinking these things too. Welcome to “Weights on a Jock  Brain”.

First, I have to get the food topic off my mind before I can move on to super “heavy” thoughts.

I often get teased about my chicken legs. I am strong and lift heavy weights but my legs never get bigger. In feedback sessions with coaches, I am always told to gain weight. I put on ten pounds, they take one look at my legs and say “gain ten more.” My upper body gets larger which makes me resemble a box on toothpicks. My mentor, Coach Wiley, tells me I have to eat a ridiculous amount of food. She says eat until I am full and then eat more. (Most women are most likely not very empathetic to my plight at this moment. In fact hatred is probably a good word for their feelings.) But this is difficult. How do you fit in all that healthy eating into days filled with jobs, school and aims of being an USA rugby player? How do you do it without spending all your money eating out?  Even if you don't want massive legs like me, here are 5 steps to eating healthy on a budget, a tight schedule and with very little cooking skill.

Step 1: Make all food for the week on Sunday.

Step 2: Pack 2 backpacks. One for work, school and workouts. One for food.

Step3: Eat every 2 hours

Step 4: Date a Prop

Step 5: Let him/her cook dinner.

Here is how I cook for the week.

3 containers of the following: 

-Cottage cheese with spinach (or leafy greens) salt and pepper

-Plain Yogurt, Frozen fruit, Whole Oats and honey optional

• 
  
  The fruit keeps it cold through the day. The yogurt soaks into the oats and makes tasty oatmeal.

-Trail mix: almonds, raisins, soynuts, pumpkin seeds

• 
  
  The bulk foods isle is my friend.

2-3 containers of 2 of the following:

-Chicken sandwiches (whole chicken or chicken salad*)

or

-Brown Rice and beans

• Usually just take a can of bean soup or lentil soup to pour on rice. Super easy! Amy's Organic Soup brand is my favorite.

or

-Peanut Butter and dried cranberry sandwiches

• the bulk cranberries are less sugary than jelly with the same great tang.

or

-Bean and cheese tortillas 

• must always remember to pack Franks Red Hot Sauce. This is clutch.
• I also sometimes add part of a taco seasoning packet to the beans for flavor. Watch out for sodium.

or

-Chicken and wheat pasta

• To some people wheat pasta tastes like cardboard. Pesto or Thai peanut sauces spice up cardboard and are still good when cold. Trust me its good.

-Sweet Potato chips

• Throw some thinly sliced sweet potatoes in the oven with rosemary and salt. 350 Degrees watch closely and cook until it looks tasty to you. Again, these are good cold.

Planning and cooking ahead gives you options everyday to prevent boredom. It is as and easy as grabbing  prepackaged foods except it's cheaper and you know exactly what is in it.  Maybe someday I will have respectable rugby legs. For now I will just eat.