#WellnessWednesday - Workout Adventures in DC

I took a break from blogging recently due to my annual trip back to DC and my crazy work schedule the weeks leading up to trip.   In this week’s #WellnessWednesday post, I wanted to tell you about the gyms I visited while in the DC metro area.

My old neighborhood and morning running route

The metro

Christmas tree at my old metro stop

The afternoon of my first full day in the DC area was spent at one of my old gyms, X Sport Fitness - Merrifield.  I remember this gym being built and joining as a charter member before the gym had even opened. I don't recall how much the monthly membership was, but it was low enough to capture my attention. 

X Sport is on the main level of one of the first two buildings constructed as part of a brand new development called the Mosaic District.  When I moved back to the Midwest in 2011, they had started construction on the other phases but only the front two buildings were complete.  Now the Mosaic District has just exploded and continues to expand both towards Dunn Loring Metro Station and towards my old office.

I remember swimming laps several mornings a week at X Sport.  I regularly used their whirlpool and sauna.  This is where my running journey began and I met the trainer that showed me that I could run, I just had to start slow (actually I just never sped up J).  All the equipment was shiny and new and I don’t remember any equipment breaking down and being out of order.  I had this image in my mind of how things used to be when I went into X Sport that day, and I was definitely let down.  The daily pass used to be $16 or $20 and now it was only $10.  The Yelp and Google reviews talk about how crowded this gym gets around 5 p.m. and how it is very difficult and confusing to cancel your membership.  Back when there were only two buildings in this new district, we didn't have the crowding issue and cancelling my membership was a breeze.

I still wanted to try it, so I went in a purchased my day pass.  To my surprise, staff did not have me fill out a liability form or guest information sheet - nothing!  That was odd, but I still wanted to work out so it didn't phase me.  I ended up staying at X Sport for a few hours that day.  I used an elliptical, treadmill, some of the weight machines, and the steam room.  I was excited to try X Sport again but also disappointed to see that the gym had not been maintained well.  It just wasn’t as good as I remembered, but it also really made me appreciate the gym I work at in St. Louis and it made me very proud of how hard we work to maintain and then regularly upgrade our equipment.   In the end a $10 day pass to a gym with an indoor pool, steam room and saunas in the locker rooms, rows and rows of cardio equipment, and a variety of classes is still worth it.

Thursday of that same week I ended up taking a Body Pump class in Bethesda and an interval training class in the Mosaic District.  Body Pump was scheduled via my favorite fitness app, Class Pass, but more on the app another day.  I haven’t taken a Body Pump class in years, so I was excited!  The class was taught at the Sport and Health in Bethesda.

I didn’t have an opportunity to tour the whole gym and I was strictly there for Body Pump but from what I did see, the locker rooms were clean and quite large, fitness studios and sport courts were on upper levels away from the main cardio and weight area, they offered towel service, and they had free coffee!  Since this class was from Noon - 1:00 p.m. on a weekday, there were less than 10 of us in the class.  The instructor made the effort to ask the names of those of us she did not already know.  The equipment was what I remembered, just an updated style and the format was the same, just newer music.  I knew I would be sore from this class, but I continued to push through the moves even if I had to decrease my weight all the way down to body weight only.  If you have the opportunity to take a Body Pump class, I highly recommend trying it out.  Don’t be intimidated by those using more weight than you, they had to start somewhere too!

By Thursday evening, I was back on the Virginia side of the metro area and back in the Mosaic District.  I signed up for a 5:30 p.m. class at Elevate Interval Fitness through the Class Pass app.

When I signed up for the class, they sent me an email confirming my reservation and sending me a few tips to prepare me for my first visit:

• Arrive 15 minutes early. We'll have some paperwork for you to fill out and the coach will give you a walk through right before class.
• Bring a photo ID.
• Wear athletic clothes and shoes and bring water. You may need it. 
• We offer smart lockers and showers, so if you have valuables or need to wash up after, we have you covered.  
• If you can't make it, please call or email us and let us know so we can give your space to someone else and reschedule your Introductory Workout.
• Drink lots of water throughout the day and get a light meal in at least 90 minutes before the workout.
• Don't forget to inquire about our 1-Week Trial offer after your workout!

What drew me to the class at this gym was that it sounded a lot like classes offered at Orangetheory, Shred415, and other treadmill classes I have taken before.  Little did I know that this would be much more difficult than I had anticipated.

When I walked into Elevate, a staff member greeted me immediately. After I signed a waiver, he introduced me to the trainer of the class I would be taking.  I explained that I had taken classes with a similar format, but was brand new to this particular gym.  The set-up was very similar to Shred415 in St. Louis. There were several lockers available for members but also a few cubbies in the classroom itself.  There were restrooms, showers, and towels available for your workout.  There were three of us that were new to Elevate that night, so the trainer showed us around the classroom, showed us how to use the equipment, and how the format of the class is displayed on the overhead tv's.  It all made sense and seemed straight forward at first.

The warm-up included running specific distances on the treadmill followed by push-ups on the treadmill and then kettlebell swings before repeating the combination.  Difficult, but a simple enough pattern to follow even though I was slower than everyone else.  After the warm-up, we partnered up and alternated between treadmill work and riding the wind bikes.  This is where I got lost.  I kept looking up at the overhead tv's and then watched the demonstration by the trainer, and I still wasn't clear on what we were supposed to do and when.  We turned the treadmills on manual mode for this segment.  Now I have used this treadmill brand in manual mode before, but only to run.  This time, we were doing walking planks and donkey kicks in manual mode which is beyond difficult for someone like me that is still working on even perfecting the plank.  Because my core is weak, I opt to do planks from my knees in fitness classes (which usually isn't an issue), but the trainer of this class just would not let me do that.  Although he kept encouraging me and correcting my form, I just got more and more frustrated with myself because I lacked the core strength to do the walking plank and donkey kicks without wobbling and falling frequently.  I was so frustrated and embarrassed and just wanted to quit.....but I didn't.  I did the best that I could and then switched my partner.

Once that segment was over, I was hoping for something that would be "easier," but our next station included segments on the TRX.  Ugh!  Again, core strength is required, so I did the best that I could until the timer hit 0:00.  I was glad that I tried this workout, but my body just was not prepared for it.  This workout was far more difficult than any of the treadmill classes I have ever taken, including those at Shred415, but it showed me what I needed to work on.....which is apparently a lot!

After the class, the gentleman at the desk asked me what I thought, and I was honest and told him that it was the most difficult workout in recent memory.  As I waited for my ride, I told him how I used to be a member at X Sport when it was brand new and before Elevate was even built.  He said that this location had been open over a year and they were still building their membership.  Within the Mosaic District there is a Zengo cycling studio, Solidcore fitness studio, X Sport fitness, and a Gold's Gym close by.  Closer to the metro station there is also a brand new Orangetheory, so there is a lot of competition within a few miles.  I really hope that they continue to grow, because it is a tough workout and worth a visit.  I just hope that I am much, much, much stronger the next time I take a class at Elevate Interval Fitness!      

My week in DC ended with my bachelorette party.  I rarely drink and I didn't want a "typical" bachelorette party, so I opted to get a few girlfriends together for tapas followed by candlelight tours of colonial-era sites in Old Town Alexandria.  The picture below was taken at Gadsby's Restaurant and Museum, where the ladies forced me to dance with this gentleman during the English Country Dancing demonstration.  I honestly would not have tried it had they not forced me, but I was so glad that I did it.

This trip made me realize that although I seek out the abnormal and the unique, I also tend to live in my comfort zone a little too often.  I just need to keep pushing and stop comparing myself to the person on the treadmill next to me and stop being embarrassed that I can't do something 100% correct yet.

#WellnessWednesday - Heart Rate Based Training Clinic at Big River Running

Last Thursday evening, I took a class called Treading at NutriFormance gym.  Pasted below is the class description:

An instructor will cue you through changing intensity levels by manipulating speeds and simulating a variety of terrain. Take your treadmill workout to the next level. Heart rate monitors are recommended.

My trusty Polar heart rate monitor shows that during the 45 minute class, I burned 800 calories (including pre-workout warm-up and post-workout cool down)!  My average heart rate was 155 and my maximum heart rate hit 185 beats per minute.  The Treading class was tough and left me sweaty and breathless.  Even though the other participants around me were running at faster paces, I never felt left out or like I was behind in any way.  In addition to being a great class, it was also a perfect way to kill time before the Heart Rate Based Training Clinic at Big River Running - West County, which was scheduled for 7:00 p.m. 

At some point, my name and phone number were added to the marketing list for Orangetheory Fitness because I get a call from one of their St. Louis area locations about once each month.  Every time they call, I am offered a free class if I wanted to come in and check it out.  Why don't I take advantage of this offer?  From what I have read, my Polar heart rate monitor would not be compatible with their system, so I would have to purchase their heart rate monitor.  No thanks!  I am still intrigued by Orangetheory's workouts and heart rate zone training, so this workshop was a perfect way to get more information without being pressured to purchase a membership.

The presenters for this workshop included a personal trainer/coach and a manager from one of the St. Louis area Orangetheory Fitness studios.  The personal trainer/coach started by telling us about the many benefits of high intensity interval training, especially for runners (see below).  My notes just quote the trainer when he said that running longer doesn't make you faster; running faster will make you a faster runner.  

The trainer then explained the different training zones used at Orangetheory Fitness and how to calculate the lower and upper limits for your zones:

I used the first and simplest formula from the options above and then I noted my lower and upper limits for each zone on our handouts.

In order to take advantage of the Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption (EPOC) effect that Orangetheory bases their workouts on, you must stay in Zone 4 or the Orange Zone for 12-20 minutes during your workout.  By meeting that goal, you have a greater EPOC effect which means that you end up burning more calories in the 24-hours following your workout than if you had stayed in Zone 1, 2, or 3 the entire time.  I personally love seeing the number of calories that I burned during my workout, so knowing that I could be burning even more post-workout was exciting news!

Since I had just completed the Treading class, I had a great example to compare to the Heart Rate Zones from Orangetheory.  My Polar heart rate monitor has three intensity zones rather than Heart Rate Zones, but they are adjustable and similar to the five Heart Rate Zones above.  

• Intensity Zone 1 = 93 - 101 beats per minute
• Intensity Zone 2 = 102 - 138 beats per minute
• Intensity Zone 3 = 139 - 175 beats per minute

During the Treading class for example, I stayed in intensity zone 3 for 46 minutes, intensity zone 2 for 6 minutes, and intensity zone 1 for 6 minutes.  So although my Polar intensity zones don't compare apples-to-apples with the Heart Rate Zones, I am going to assume that at least 12 of those 46 minutes were spent in Zone 4/Orange Zone, meaning that I was able to take advantage of the EPOC effect.

Going forward, I may adjust the intensity zones on my Polar heart rate monitor to more closely match the Heart Rate Zones so that I can make sure I stay in Zone 4/Orange Zone for at least 12 minutes.  Now that I know about the EPOC effect, I want to achieve it as often as possible!

This workshop was definitely worth my time, especially since I have my own heart rate monitor.  Without a heart rate monitor, I think I would have been a bit lost without that basis for comparison.  I LOVE my Polar heart rate monitor and it syncs with a most of the cardio machines at the various gyms I visit, but there are other brands out there.  Orangetheory Fitness has gyms located throughout the U.S. and abroad.  Check out their list of studios here.  I believe all locations will give you the first class free, so check them out if you have the chance.  

Weekly Goals:

1. Plan meals for the week days - 50% Met - Still struggling but I did at least opt for the lower fat/healthier options when purchasing items for our Thanksgiving meal.
2. Practice Yoga at least once per week - 0% Met - I downloaded the Down Dog app but haven't had time to use it yet. I know.  It should be so easy, yet I make it seem so impossible.
3. Run at least twice per week - GOAL MET  - I took the Treading class and a treadmill class at Shred415 this week.  
4. Foam roll at least once per week - GOAL MET - I foam rolled once last week and again this morning.
5. Attend a boot camp at least once per week - GOAL MET - YES!!!!  I am double counting the Shred415 class here because we were on the treadmill half the class and then at weight stations the other half,  I took a boot camp at a gym near my house this morning too.

Have a great Thanksgiving and good luck to everyone running Turkey Trots tomorrow!!!!!

#WellnessWednesday - FREE class at Sweat Gym

If you didn't know this about me already, I LOVE Groupon because saving money is an absolute thrill for me.  Every few days I scroll through the deals and if they meet my criteria of either being a good deal or something/someplace I have wanted to try but didn't want to pay full price for, I will make a purchase.

Several of my Facebook friends have checked in or mentioned a gym in Clayton, MO called Sweat.  It is a boxing gym that also offers personal training, corrective exercise, massage therapy, and nutrition counseling.  When I saw the Groupon offering four weeks of unlimited boxing classes for $39 instead of the normal $80, I clicked "purchase" right away.

The next day I emailed Sweat to see how I could get started with the Groupon and they informed me that my first class was FREE and did not count against my Groupon.  In fact, EVERYONE gets their first class free.

I decided that I wanted to go ahead and use my free class this past Saturday at 9 a.m. for the Punchers Class.  I selected this class in particular because it is supposed to teach you:

I have taken boxing boot camps before but I still could not tell you the difference between a jab, cross, hook, etc. and I wanted to learn the difference so that I will eventually look like I know what I am doing during class.  I showed up 15 minutes early as recommended, and the trainer told me that it would be a full class.  Just before 9:00 a.m. we all walked into a rectangular-shaped classroom with punching bags hanging from the ceiling.  When the trainer said that it would be a full class, I thought he meant that every bag in the room would be in use by one participant.  What he actually meant was that we would have to double up, if not triple up per bag.

Once everyone found a spot, we started throwing punches.  The trainer would tell us which punches to throw in the combinations, but I still felt like I was winging it.  As I looked around the class, some people knew what they were doing and were very serious about it while others were in the same boat as me.  Regardless of whether my "jab" was actually a jab instead of a hook, I burned over 700 calories during class and I was exhausted!

My Groupon expires at the end of December, so I am going to wait to activate my four weeks of unlimited classes until after my trip to DC.  I will keep you posted on how that goes!

What is provided at Sweat:  

• Showers are available but bring own towels
• Workout towels are available at the desk
• A few pairs of boxing gloves area available at the desk

What to bring to Sweat:

• Water, but you could purchase a bottle of water if you forget your own.
• Boxing gloves if you have your own (I personally do not like sharing those)
• A great attitude!  You may have to share your bag with someone else and you will all be working out in a small room together.  You will see all levels of boxing skills in class, so don't be intimidated.
• Be ready to WORK!  Sweat's boxing classes = a high calorie burn.

Weekly Goals:

1. Plan meals for the week days - 50% Met - I am slowly getting better at this.  When I don't have a plan or a quick/delicious option ready to go, I am easily persuaded to select a not-so-healthy option.  This week was still around 50% successful.
2. Practice Yoga at least once per week - 0% Met - I just didn't find the time this past week to fit it in.  I really need to just download an app or have a dvd on stand-by so I don't have ANY excuses anymore! 
3. Run at least twice per week - GOAL MET  - I took a treadmill boot camp class and ran a 5k this weekend.
4. Foam roll at least once per week - GOAL MET - I foam rolled last night after a cycling class and this morning after a boot camp.
5. Attend a boot camp at least once per week - GOAL MET - YES!!!!  Last Friday I took a treadmill boot camp class, Saturday morning was my free class at Sweat, and this morning I attended another boot camp.  

I feel like this past week has been very successful and I feel more motivated to work out because I love seeing how many calories I burned during class.  Now I just need to keep the ball rolling and plan more of my meals and find a no-excuses way to fit yoga into my week.

Have a great week and weekend!!!!

#WellnessWednesday - Week 1

My first week of setting goals and actually working towards something was mostly successful and I learned a lot about myself and ended up trying new things.  The one goal I need to work on is my meal planning because when I end up working later than anticipated or anything else unplanned pops up, it throws me off.  I have a feeling this will be the goal that will elude me the most.

When I hurt my back last Spring, I started doing Yoga at home with videos we could stream through our Roku box.  I thought that I wanted to start practicing Yoga at my gym since it was a free class, but I found it difficult to relax and unwind because people around me were coughing, I was too worried about how I looked in poses because everyone else seemed to move much more gracefully, and I could hear other members boxing in the adjacent room.  It's all in my own head but I think I will stick to the at-home videos for now so that I feel more comfortable and don't have to wait around for a scheduled class.

Goal three was to run more and I actually ran more this week than I had in a LONG time!  I found a great running group through Meetup.com that meets Thursday evenings.  The paces range, which is what I was hoping for since I am currently slow.  The assistant organizer actually ran with me most of the way, and it made me run faster that I would have made myself run which was the goal of joining a running group.  I can't make it every Thursday, but I am planning on going again this week.  This weekend was also rare in that I had two races planned, so I ended up running three 5k's this week.  I need to stay motivated on weekends and weekdays that I don't have a running group or a race, so that is something that I need to dig a bit deeper into.

Although Goal four was met, it was only because I JUST remembered that I needed to complete it.  It needs to become habitual, but I may try to attend another foam rolling class to remind myself why it is so important.

Goal five was to attend at least one boot camp, which I met before the weekend.  The plan was actually to have gone to several this week but that didn't happen.  Again, I need to set a plan and stick to it as if I were going to be charged a cancellation fee if I don't go.

So for next week, my goals are the same but I am going to tweak how I approach them.  I think they were all attainable, so I am not going to decrease or increase anything for now.

Weekly Goals:

1. Plan meals for the week days - I was only 50% successful at this, so hopefully week 2 will be better.
2. Practice Yoga at least once per week - GOAL MET - I took a 90 minute Yoga class Saturday but found out that practicing at home works better for me, so that is what I will do for week 2.
3. Run at least twice per week - GOAL MET -  I actually ran three 5k's this week between a new group run and two races.
4. Foam roll at least once per week - GOAL MET - I only just completed this goal this morning, so I will still try to be better for Week 2.
5. Attend a boot camp at least once per week - GOAL MET 

I have another 5k scheduled for this weekend, so you will likely see a race recap before the next #WellnessWednesday.  Have a great week and weekend!

#WellnessWednesday - Making a Plan

Since I had enough runners use my MO' Bassador code for registration in any of the MO' Cowbell races, I earned a free race entry for the 2016 races and I could have used that entry for a marathon, half marathon, or 5k entry.  At the beginning of 2016, I had planned on registering for the half marathon, but my training has been non-existent as I have been trying to fully bounce back from my spring back injury that occurred after a year of dealing with plantar fasciitis.  I had actually signed up for several half marathons this fall, but eventually I decided to just "call a spade a spade" and admit that I needed to downgrade to the 5k at all those races.  Luckily I had registered so early for all those races that I beat the price increases and didn't end up losing much money, if any at all.

I knew I needed a plan going forward if I was ever going to get back to the fitness level I was at in 2014 and the years prior.  I felt like I have just been winging it ever since then.

One of the very first running blogs I came across when I started blogging was Road Runner Girl.  Her blog is not only an easy read, but I really like the way that she lists her goals for each week in her Weekly Chase posts on Mondays.  She gives us a recap of whether or not she met her goals from last week and then she lists her goals for the current week.  Some goals will stay the same week-to-week, but others change depending on what she is training for and what is going on in her life.  At first, I thought that was a bold move to put your goals out there for everyone to see, but then I realized that it was a great way to hold yourself accountable.

There it is, the definition of accountability in plain English.

• Have I been holding myself accountable for my training?  NO
• Have I been making excuses to skip workouts and runs?  YES
• Have my excuses been very clever at times?  SURE
• When I eat unhealthy food or eat too much food do I avoid documenting it in My Fitness Pal because I don't want to see how those poor choices actually affect me?  DEFINITELY

Wow!  I think Road Runner Girl was on to something.  Somehow writing down the truth is therapeutic because I can't hide it from myself anymore.  

So here are my goals for this week.  I am sure I will tweak them along the way, but this is where I am going to start:

1. Plan meals for the week days (no more winging it)
2. Practice Yoga at least once per week (my legs have been so tight which is still affecting my lower back)
3. Run at least twice per week (need to run consistently again and stay motivated)
4. Foam roll at least once per week (I have take the class through Fleet Feet twice now)
5. Attend a boot camp at least once per week 

So now we start Week 1 on a #WellnessWednesday.  I will check back in next Wednesday to let you know how I did.

Two 5k's to start off 2016

By now you have probably heard of the Run The Year 2016 challenge where you run 2,016 miles either as an individual runner or by splitting the total mileage as a team.  In 2015, I signed up for the challenge as a team and I was nowhere near my half mileage of 1,007.5 miles.  Nowhere near!  I only completed two half marathons and a few 5k's last year compared to 2014 when I completed 14 half marathons and quite a few 5k's and races of other distances.  But last year I battled plantar fasciitis on and off, which completely destroyed my confidence.  I loved my training experience with Fleet Feet, but my heart just was not in it!  So here we go....a new year, a new start.  Another chance and the motivation by way of a challenge, to continue running throughout 2016 and not fail a second year.  So this year, I *only* have to run 1,008 miles by December 31st.  Doable, right?  I hope so, especially since so many runners complete the challenge SOLO.

So to start the New Year off right, I ran the Commitment Day 5K in Ellisville, MO on January 1st.  The race started and ended at Lifetime Fitness, which sponsors the race at various locations across the country.  I was so self-conscious about my time (since I had not run in more weeks than I want to admit), that I removed the timing strip from the back of my bib.  I didn't care about my time, I just wanted to feel that excitement when I crossed the finish line.  I really enjoyed this race.  Why you ask?

1. The race didn't start until 10 a.m., giving you time to sleep in a bit.
2. Plenty of parking.
3. FREE access to Lifetime Fitness for the day.  This gym was incredible!  I even work part-time at another local gym and I was very impressed.
4. Nice short-sleeved race shirt.
   
5. Pre-race group stretch and warm-up session.
6. Post-race coffee, water, bananas, protein bars, AND fresh waffles!

On Saturday, I was sore.  I hate admitting that after only 3.1 miles, but it is the truth.  I needed that wake-up call.  My parents came in town for an overnight visit and so that my step-dad and I could run the Way of Lights 5K in Belleville, IL.  This is a night run through the Christmas lights at Our Lady of the Snows.  I left my timing chip on my bib this time, and although my time was slow, I see it as a starting point and just hope that I don't get any slower this year!  The race was fun, unique, and well-attended.  So well-attended that they ran out of bananas by the time I finished and my step-dad took one of the last bottles of water when he finished.  You could pay for one of several post-race buffet options, but I was not interested in paying for post-race food having been spoiled by the Commitment Day 5K food the day prior.

Race shirt

Post-Race food for purchase

Running through the lights

On the drive home, my step-dad and I agreed that while the race was fun, we likely would not make it a yearly event.  

Last Sunday, I remembered that I was running after work on Monday with a co-worker.  I thought, we not run Sunday too so that I can say that I ran four days in a row after so many weeks off?  Well that running streak has now continued 10 days.  I have ran (meaning walk-run in intervals) at least a mile every day and so has my Run the Year 2016 partner.  Hopefully we can keep this streak going for a while.

Happy New Year!

Half Marathon Training - Spring 2016 Edition

In 2015, I decided to train with Fleet Feet - St. Louis for both of the half marathons I ran this year and I LOVED the program!  You can read more about my experience here.

Fleet Feet's long runs are early Saturday morning with rotating locations and varying mileage according to your pace group and goal race.  Their track workouts are on Tuesday evenings at a local junior high school.  I really enjoyed being a part of this program but my fiance requested that I switch my long runs to Sunday mornings so that I would not wake him up so early on Saturdays.  I knew that there were two other major running stores in the St. Louis area offering half marathon training programs, one of which offers long runs on Sundays, so I agreed to try a different program for my Spring 2016 half marathon training.  

On a cost scale, Fleet Feet is the most expensive at $140.  Their program offers:

• Individualized training program with a suggested workout for each day for your pace and goal race
• Discount card for in-store purchases (I believe it was 5%, but I never used it)
• Training t-shirt
• At least one coach in your pace group
• Saturday long runs at rotating locations
• Tuesday track workouts

Big River Running offers three programs which cost $99, $50, or FREE depending on which level you choose.  I chose the $50 or SILVER program which seems to offer exactly what Fleet Feet was offering me minus a training t-shirt, for almost $100 more!  Even if I ordered the training team sweatshirt, I would still pay less with Big River Running program.

The newest kid on the block, True Runner, offers a FREE half marathon training program with Wednesday track workouts and Saturday long runs.

You get less of an individualized program with both of the free training options above, but you still get some guidance for track workouts and long runs and most importantly (for me at least), you still get the camaraderie that group training offers.

I am very anxious to see how the Big River training program compares to Fleet Feet.  So far my experience has been great.  A few days after I signed up, I received a survey to help determine by pace group and learn about my running history and goal race.  Then a day or two later I received my training plan via Google docs.  I have already emailed one of the coaches several times with questions (this is included in my package), and received quick responses every time.

Our kick-off meeting is January 6th with our first long run bright and early on January 10th.  On January 11th, I also start a 6-week evening boot camp.  Prior to all of that I also have two 5k's lined up, so it time to get back in the gym and stop eating all these sweets and drinking holiday mochas and lattes.  Ugh!

Happy Holidays everyone and happy training!

My first experience with TRX Suspension Training

Have you ever heard of TRX Suspension Training?  It isn't a new class at my gym, I just haven't had the time to take a class until this past Monday.  Finally today (Saturday), I am no longer sore.

TRX Suspension Training was first used by the Navy SEALs because of its' portability and because it utilizes your own body weight.  The class I took had a boot camp setup where we spent two minutes at each station.  Throughout the hour, we covered each muscle group at least once, hence my soreness.  I was completely drenched in sweat by the end of the class and my body was so exhausted that I had no strength left in me to complete the last round of pull ups.  It is definitely worth a try if you have it available at your local gym, or the portability intrigues you and you want to purchase the system for yourself.

Click here for more information, including a great video about TRX Suspension Training.

Have a great week!

Where have I been?

So my blog has been silent since May.  Where have i been?

Last summer I was running a lot of 5k's and posting race recaps after each one.  I was pretty busy.  This summer has been the total opposite so far.  I mentioned in my last post that I was battling plantar fasciitis.  It all started when I was training for the GO! half marathon in April and it was only in my right foot.  When I was running, I didn't feel any pain.  But when I woke up every morning, I found that I was limping the first 5 minutes until my right foot "warmed up."  The pain was just awful, but then it would go away for a while.  At my full-time job I sit at my desk most of the time and I am always cold.  When I would get up to walk away from my desk, the pain would return and again I found myself limping until my right foot warmed up to moving again.  Even when I was working at the gym, I could feel that my right foot felt different from my left and sometimes I would feel a little pain.

When I realized that it just wasn't going to magically go away, I started Googling how to treat it and one of the suggestions was of course "rest."  So this summer, I took a break from running long distances.  I kept a tennis ball at my desk to roll my foot over throughout the day, which seemed to help.  I bought the Gaiam Restore Hot & Cold Therapy Kit for use at home, and I LOVED how it made my right foot feel afterward.  Slowly I started feeling like myself again.  Slowly.

Then yesterday, the Fleet Feet fall half marathon training program had it's kick-off party.  One of my co-workers was also returning to the program and since the kick-off did not include a group run, we decided to meet up before the party to get in a quick run.  We ended up run-walking 2.5 miles and it felt great despite the awful humidity!  When we got to the kick-off party, we met our new pace groups.  This time I opted to be in the 8:1 group, which means 8 minutes of running and 1 minute of walking repeated during the long runs.

I am so pleased with the members of my pace group this season.  We have a gentleman that was talked into running his first half marathon by his brother, yet he hates running.  Several runners who are returning after a hiatus from running and other members who are also running their first half marathon.  Then you have our leader has run 31 half marathons.  So a wide-range of ages, paces, personalities, and experiences and I look forward to training with them and getting to know them this season.

As I look at the training schedule they provided us, I like the structure and how each day is laid out with what to do, how long, and what intensity to do it at.  I can follow a schedule fairly well.  Sometimes I still feel pain in my right foot, so I am still going to continue rolling my foot both at home and at work because I want to get back to running.  I have really missed it!

GO! St. Louis Half Marathon race recap

It has been one week since the GO! St. Louis Marathon and Family Fitness Weekend.  Saturday morning was the Read, Write, and Run children's fun run, the Mature Mile, and the 5K all in Forest Park.  I spent Saturday morning working one of the t-shirt pick-up tables at the expo.  It was a four hour shift but because we were so busy, the time just flew by.  Not only do you get a free t-shirt for volunteering but as I mentioned before, your volunteer hours also accumulate and can earn you free GO! St. Louis apparel or free races!

After my volunteer shift, I met my co-worker/training buddy so that we could pick up our packets and walk through the expo.  We then decided to eat on The Hill, which is St. Louis' famous Italian area.  She chose Favazza's, and the weather was perfect for sitting out on the patio.

Favazza's on The Hill

I was excited about this race, but also nervous.  I didn't make it to as many training runs or run as much as the training schedule indicated.  The longest training runs were rough and my legs just felt tight, but I was still excited to be part of the Fleet Feet group and was glad that I didn't train on my own this winter.

The Fleet Feet Training group - Full and Half Marathoners of various paces

This was the 3rd time I have run this particular race but this year's course was different and in my opinion, more interesting since we ran over the Mississippi River into Illinois and back.  I was only able to snap a few pictures at the beginning of the course since I was running with my training group for part of the course and it started sprinkling within the first five miles.

Our 10:1 pace group

Our group started together running 10 minutes and walking one minute before repeating the process again.  I was able to stay with my group until we were crossing back into Missouri.  This is where two of us fell behind and I saw the group slowly disappear in the mass of runners.  At first I wanted to fight to keep up, but I have run most of my races solo so I was OK with finishing on my own.  The great thing about being part of a large training group was that I never felt alone because I kept seeing other Fleet Feet runners and we would yell words of encouragement to each other.  While I was on my own, I wasn't sticking to the 10:1 pace.  I just ran and walked when I felt like it.  Then just past the halfway point, my pace coach appeared out of nowhere. She was at the base of a hill that I had every intention of walking up, but she wouldn't let me walk it.  We started back on the 10:1 pace, but by that point I was pretty exhausted.  Luckily, she is a talker so we kept talking (I was mostly listening) and that helped the miles pass.  There were so many times that I wanted to walk, but she wouldn't let me.  The hills seemed so steep, but she wouldn't let me walk and kept encouraging me.  Her energy and determination to keep me moving was amazing.

Once we were finally making our way to the finish, we ran by the Fleet Feet tent and everyone screamed.  This was a great spot for them because you see the finish line, loop around the block, and then head uphill to the finish and I really needed that last boost before the uphill to the finish.

My coach stayed with me all the way until the finish, and then she went back to find the other woman in our group who fell behind on that bridge.  I don't think I have ever been that happy to be done with a race.  I was just exhausted and so thirsty!  Although my 2:42 time was nowhere near the time I had hoped for, I knew that I wouldn't have even gotten that time had my coach not been there.  I thanked her for being there for me on race day, but I get a little emotional when I think about how great it was to have her there.

The Fleet Feet training experience was a great one, so I am already thinking about joining their fall training group, which starts in July.  I had another half marathon lined up in May in Indianapolis but my parent's kitchen renovations had some unexpected delays and I am moving into St. Louis County next weekend, so this spring is just too hectic for all of us to go out of town.  I was incredibly sore for several days after this race, so I think I may start all over with my training, literally ground zero with a couch to 5K program until the half marathon training program starts again.  I also know that I am not going to get any faster until I can drop some of this extra weight, so I am going to spend more time at the gym and try to eat better too.  So although my time wasn't what I had hoped and the race was literally painful, I learned a lot about myself and have many new goals going forward.

Have a great week!!!!

1st experience with Endless Relays

This is the track work details I receive Monday via email:

Track Work Details

It is time for a little speed play. Your schedule reads Endless Relays. Here's the scoop.

Purpose of Endless Relays: The purpose of this workout is to provide you with short bouts of moderate to vigorous activity coinciding with short rest periods.

How to Play Endless Relays: Begin by choosing a partner. You will run 400 meters (or one lap) while your partner rests. After you complete one lap, tag your partner who continues the relay by running 400 meters (or one lap) while you rest. The relay continues until the clock dings 40-minutes.

If you can't make it out to the track, simply perform a two-minute work bout, followed by a two-minute rest bout for a total of 40 minutes. Work intensity should be fairly aggressive (a Rating of Perceived Exertion of an 7-8 out of a 10-scale)

Please bring a watch to hold your own rest intervals.


As I am writing this, I am exhausted! My partner and I each ran 8 times around the track to get us to the 40 minutes. It sounds awful, but I wanted her to run her 400's slower and slower because I wanted more rest in between my 400's, but she and I both stayed fairly consistent the entire time. My 400's looked like this (no judging or giggling since I know you would run it faster):

Lap 1 - 2:28

Lap 2 - 2:25

Lap 3 - 2:24

Lap 4 - 2:23

Lap 5 - 2:22

Lap 6 - 2:23

Lap 7 - 2:31

Lap 8 - 2:22

Now that I am done with this workout, I can honestly say that I liked it and will probably repeat it sometime. At several points I wanted to walk a bit of the last turn because I tend to start out too fast and then fade. But I didn't walk because my partner would see me as would all of the other runners waiting at the line for their partners to finish. The other runners and having a partner waiting for me to finish definitely motivated me tonight, so grab a friend and hit the track for Endless Relays!

I think I fell in love yesterday.....

One of my goals or resolutions for the year was to complete a half marathon closer to my Rock ‘n’ Roll San Antonio PR of 2:20:16.  That was in November of 2010.  It is now 2015. 

Back in 2010 I was still living in DC and my weekend long runs included running through parts of the National Mall and by the Lincoln Memorial before I crossed over the Potomac River into Virginia to continue my run on the Mt. Vernon Trail.  This trail took me right by Reagan airport, where I often took a short break to watch the planes taking off and landing.  Sometimes I would turn around and head back before I reached Alexandria and other times I would end in Alexandria just so I could walk up King Street to metro back home.  The scenery I came across during those long runs was beyond motivating. 

My runs during the week were primarily morning runs when the streets were quiet and I felt like I had the city to myself.  When I lived on Capitol Hill, I would run by the Capitol Police onto the Capitol grounds, down the hill to the National Mall and towards the Washington Monument.  Then I would turn around and go back up the hill (whew), back by the Capitol Police and then stretch in Stanton Park.  When I lived near U Street, I would run to the Dupont Circle area where the streets were absolutely quiet in the mornings.  I also ran with Pacers Running Store once per week.  Everyone in the Pacers group was much faster, so I fought to keep up.  All of this running plus my weight training at the gym helped me get that PR in 2010. 

In 2011 I moved back to Illinois to be closer to my family and because I was dating a guy from my hometown.  Now imagine my beautiful runs in DC where I prided myself in being able to run by monuments on my weekly long runs that other people would take vacation days to see, and then imagine flat Midwestern farm country with limited trails and scenery.  Don’t get me wrong.  I am the person I am today because I grew up in a small town, but it is difficult to re-adjust to small town, rural life after living in the hustle and bustle of our nation’s capital.  My running suffered because I completely lost my mojo and my motivation to get outside and run.  I couldn’t find that “click” anymore.  The only reason I continued to run was because I LOVED races and medals and races were my reason to escape the country for a weekend.  But my training leading up to each race was nowhere near where it was when I was living in DC, so my times suffered.  I was running under-trained and pretty unprepared.

Eventually I realized that I was no longer fit for small town life and that boyfriend and I parted ways.  In 2013 I found a great job in St. Louis and I moved back to an urban area.  STL is a great compromise; it is close to home so it does not require a flight and someone driving 1.5 hours to pick me up from the airport, but it is far enough away and urban enough for me to feel like "me" again. 

I picked an apartment in St. Charles because it was just across the Missouri River from St. Louis County and it was near the Katy Trail, which connects to numerous other local trails.  The Katy Trail also runs along the river, much like the Mt. Vernon Trail runs along the Potomac.  The Katy Trail is scenic in a “natural” way more so than a national monument way but on the weekends in the spring and summer, the Katy is just as busy as the Mt. Vernon Trail  was.

Even though I had access to numerous trails again since moving to the St. Louis area, something still just was not clicking.  I still lacked motivation to train properly, but I still continued to run races.  I actually signed up for a free half marathon training program through a local running store last spring, but I never went.  Not once.

It was when I went in to Fleet Feet to have my Caloric Expenditure test done that I met Coach Tim who is in charge of many of Fleet Feet’s training programs.  Even though Fleet Feet’s 12-week half marathon training program cost $140 vs. the free program I had previous signed up for, I knew this was a better fit for me.  I thought it was exactly what I needed to get back to the way running used to be for me, and paying for a program would hold me more accountable plus I would get the socialization back that I had been missing. 

Since I signed up for Fleet Feet’s training program, I received emails about training programs from the other local running stores:

http://www.bigriverrunning.com/run/training/full-and-12-marathon-training-teams/
http://www.truerunnertraining.com/default.aspx

I could try one of the other programs next time since they are cheaper, but I think I just fell in love with Fleet Feet’s program and may stick with it for fall training too.  I was immediately impressed with Fleet Feet and their attention to detail.  The head coach and I played phone tag last week as he tried to get me into the right pace group.  We finally settled on the group shooting for a 2:22:00-2:32:00 half marathon.  This group runs for 10 minutes and walks for one minute at a 12:00 per mile pace.  My other option was the 2:30:00-2:40:00 group which runs eight minutes with a one minute walk at a 12:00/mile pace.  I don’t quite understand the science behind training at a 12:00/mile pace and running a race day pace between 10:50 and an 11:36, but that is why I am paying them and following their training plan.  Plus their training plan is far more advanced than my recent training plan of “winging it.”

Coach Tim actually ended up explaining how this training method works in one of the emails leading up to the orientation/celebration yesterday.  Click here to read more.

Orientation and the celebration was at Ballpark Village, and there were more people signed up that I had imagined.  We received a folder with our training group listed as well as our individualized training plan.  I am on the 10:1 Intermediate plan.  

First week of my training plan

My goal paces - VERY lofty goals!

Bagels, energy bars, COFFEE, and water was also provided.  We also received a training t-shirt along with other goodies pictured below.  

Our first group run went well and I really like my group.  Several runners are veterans of the program, with several of us being new to the group but not new to running.  One runner was brand new to long distance running, so we have a wide range of experiences and abilities, which I love.  I am really looking forward to working with this group and am just going to sit back and trust the training rather than question it.

Have a great week!