One Step at a Time

That's how marathons are finished. And trained for. I'm finding that the mental aspect of a marathon is the most tricky and overwhelming. You can't think of it as a half-marathon plus one more. You can't think of it as a longer distance than what you've run before. You picture it as one training week at a time...one mile at a time...some days it's just one step at a time to get you through the run.

I've found having a training plan in place is helping tremendously. I was pretty nervous starting in on Week 5 of Galloway's program (that's him in the picture above) when I hadn't been in a routine of running 3 days a week. The last time I ran a race of any distance was October of last year. I've been pleasantly surprised to find that I've had am easy time adjusting to the training schedule. So far the longest weekend run I've had to do was 7.5 miles, which I completed this past Saturday---had to take advantage of the only cool day out of Memorial Weekend! I felt great both during and after the run, and my route that day even included what might possibly be the hilliest stretch of Indiana-- 106th street between Hague and Allisonville. (The last time I tried to run that stretch I had to resort to walking up a couple of the hills.) I've noticed a gradual decrease in my 3 mile times since I've started the program too. It's down to 26:23, which is good for me, and that's at what I consider a comfortable pace...not an all-out 3 mile run.

Other perks of following the program: on the weeks where I'm only supposed to do short runs, I don't feel guilty for not running further. Normally, I feel the need to run the furthest distance that I can realistically do, or have time for. Now, if 3 miles is the furthest I'm supposed to go, I don't feel like I'm copping out. Also, I just feel an overall sense of relaxation as compared to past races where I've made my own training schedules. I'm putting my faith in Mr. Jeff Galloway and hoping that these programs made him for a reason.

On another note, I was trying to think of a way to visually organize my runs and the stats of each one. I have all of the weekend runs written on my calendar as well as a printed copy of the program on my desk with check marks after each week is complete. But why have the fancy Garmin watch if I'm not going to use the online features! I totally forgot about the calendar feature on Garminconnect. So now I can easily see how many runs I've done over the course of each month, my weekly mileage and the times of each run. If for some reason I don't wear the watch, aka a treadmill run, I can manually input it into the calendar.

And to think that people have been running marathons long before these gadgets and tools were invented!

Think Before you Nip and Tuck!

http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=143968

One of my clients recently alerted me to this article, and I saw it again posted on the NIFS website...pretty shocking stuff. Some recent studies have proven that patients who have had liposcution eventually see the fat return to the body. But not in the same place where they had it removed...it returns higher up in the body, for instance in the abdomen or arms. Who wants to trade chubby thighs for chubby arms?! And then what do you do...keep getting liposuction on the new areas until the only place the fat has to return is in your cheeks?

Two plastic surgeons mentioned in the article pointed out the limitations of this study saying that not enough studies have been done yet to assume this is true for all lipo patients. However, even the surgeons made these statements: "Liposuction can be a very gratifying operation but it's not a substitute for diet and exercise," and "Liposuction should serve as a springboard to a healthier lifestyle."

Obviously, there are some great reasons for plastic surgery--reconstruction after an accident, or eliminating extra skin after a large amount of weight loss (think "Biggest Loser" contestants on week 15). I have a client who has finally decided on having a breast reduction, and I could not be more thrilled. Not only does she deal with the typical back pain all throughout her day, but she is inhibited during exercises such as dead lifts, push-ups, crunches, etc. But, if you think liposuction is a fix for being overweight or for resolving any underlying self-esteem issues, you thought wrong.

I know some people around my age who make comments like "Oh, I will TOTALLY have a mommy-makeover after kids," meaning the whole tummy tuck, breast lift, etc. It's always a personal decision, and I wouldn't judge friends of mine for doing that, but with the industry I'm in, it's just NOT an option. Not only would my clients stop taking me seriously when I talk about how exercise can transform the body, but I wouldn't feel right about the decision myself. I work hard for results, and want to konw that what I see in the mirror is 100% me.

Weekend Warrior II

No pun intended on the title of this post--this was the second weekend I've had recently where I crammed in a lot of exercise, and it just so happens that I'll spend the most time talking about the yoga class I tried. On Saturday, I went to a class at All People Yoga Center in Indy. My personal training client/work friend Audrey told me that the second Saturday of the month they always offer a free 90-minute yoga class. Great deal!! A pretty common class would cost at least $15 (I make $25/hour on the nights I teach yoga, and it's not even my "specialty" per se). So, it's a great opportunity to try out different styles of yoga, if nothing else. The class on Saturday was called "Warm breathing, flexibility, and meditation." The temperature was set around 85 degrees, and while the style of the class wasn't hot yoga, aka Bikram, it was definitely warm!! We started with several breathing exercises, including the Ujjayi (which sounds like Darth Vader) and the alternate nostril breathing (which made me feel like I was going to pass out--lots of breathing, but not a lot of oxygen coming in, combined with the heat of the room!). Next we did some flexibility poses, which were fantastic. Maybe it was because I was extremely tight and sore from boot camp on Thursday (we had an odd number of participants that day, so I had to be someone's partner for ladder sprints and walking lunges/squats down the basketball court), but all the moves focused on the hips were awesome. We used straps to really enhance the stretches, and I picked up few really good ideas to use in my next yoga classes.

Here's where it got funny and a little weird for me....meditation. First we did guided relaxation where you focus on one small body part at a time starting with the fingertips, working your way up the arm then down the torso and leg. By the time that part was over, I was so relaxed I felt like my body was glued to the floor...in a good way. Then the instructor led a breathing exercise where we silently counted down from 27-0 with each of our breaths. I'm pretty sure the number 27 was just arbitrary and meant to give you something to think about to avoid falling asleep, which is a BIG no-no of meditation. Well...I would have to give everyone in our class an F on meditation. Those people that were actually awake still, including me, were so focused on trying not to giggle at the other half of the class that was snoring. And you know how pointless it is to try not to laugh in these situations. Blame it on the heat, or the fact that we were about 78 minutes in at this point, or the lavender-scented eye pillows that blocked out all light...but one by one people were falling asleep, no matter how many times the instructor told us not to lose track of what number breath we were on.

Next, the instructor tried some visual meditation. She said phrases 3 times each and we were supposed to picture that image, for example "endless desert" or "waves breaking on a beach." Even though meditation isn't really my thing, I was shocked that when she said "snow-capped mountains" my whole body instantly felt cool. I had to laugh to myself when she said "sunrise over a Greek temple." How do you even picture something that specific?? As she repeated the phrase 2 more times, I just kept thinking what does that even look like? What kind of architecture would be on a Greek temple?? Again, I give myself an F on meditation abilities. A+ on how great my muscles felt afterwards!

Next, after a very necessary Starbucks run, Audrey and I went to Relay for Life to put in our designated hour of walking around the track. Not very eventful, but the hour flew by! I decided that new friends are great workout buddies because you have more to talk about and learn than the people you see 24/7.

Lastly over the weekend, I officially kicked off my marathon training! I had carved out time on Sunday for a 6-mile run, according to Galloway's training program (Week 4, which is my Week 1). Unfortunately, it was cold and rainy that day, so I ended up using a treadmill. Something about the first 2 miles of a run never feel quite right or easy to me, especially on treadmills. It's borderline torture. Not the cardio, not the leg muscles, just the mechanics of running. My shins, ankles, knees...nothing feels right, and I have to keep jumping off to the sides of the treadmill to stretch out. But once I hit the magic mile 2, something just clicks. After a few months of not much running, I was a little nervous going into a 6 mile. I remember doing a 4 mile in April and an 8 mile back in January, but my long runs these days are so few and far between. It couldn't have gone better though. If I'm on a treadmill, I always cover up the screen, so I can't see the time or mileage. I told myself after 9 songs on my ipod, which should be about 3 miles, I would peek and see how far I had gone. When I did that, I was shocked to see the display at 4 miles! The next 2 zoomed by and I was done and feeling great. Just under 1 hour, including my 3 minute walking warm-up, which is a little slower than my normal pace outdoors, but that's how it always goes with treadmills.

So....good thing I had a lunch meeting today and got to eat instead of teaching spin class right?!

Making a Dent in the Ol' Bucket List

Do one thing every day that scares you. Just did...signed up for the Monumental Marathon in Indianapolis on November 5, 2011. I had told practically everyone in my life that I was seriously considering doing this marathon, but it takes that extra leap of faith to actually click the "register" button. After 4 successful half-marathons (3 running, 1 walking) I've forgotten that feeling of not being entirely sure that I can even complete the race! Anything beyond 13.1 miles is unfamiliar territory for me. But, I always tell my clients, once you get comfortable with something, it's time to change it up!

I actually feel relieved knowing that I'm officially registered and it's on my calendar. Now I can start my training plan with certainty. I decided to follow Jeff Galloway's marathon training program-- the version designed for those trying to finish the race, not shoot for a time goal. Obviously, being a virgin marathoner, I have no idea what my finish time will look like. This particular program of Galloway's is 30 weeks long. Since we're currently only 26 weeks out from race day, I'm starting in on Week 4 of the training program, which means I'm due for a 6 mile run this weekend. Galloway suggests getting in two separate 30 minute runs as well as an easy walk during the week, then doing a progressively longer run on the weekend. He actually advises doing the full 26 miles on Week 26 of the training program, but I don't plan on doing the entire length until race day. Isn't that part of the thrill?? Besides, after having a bad bout with IT band syndrome 3 years ago, I don't intend on setting myself up for any overuse injuries.

The tricky part for me is finding time in the week to do the short runs. With my physically demanding work schedule of teaching group fitness, there's really no good time to fit it in. Here's my anticipated weekly schedule:

Monday: 60 min spin class; followed by my own 30 mins of upper body and core strength; 60 mins of yoga after work (I've started doing in-home sessions for a husband/wife couple, and they are both the type of people that like me to do the poses along with them, so they can watch my body placement)
Tuesday: 45 min spin class; workout night with Chad (usually consists of 30 minutes of tennis or outdoor bike riding in the summer)
Wednesday: I don't normally teach any group fitness on Wednesdays, unless I'm needed as a sub here and there. This could potentially be a 30 minute running day.
Thursday: 45 mins stability ball strength class; 60 mins boot camp (depending on the day or the class format, I sometimes do parts of the class along with the participants. More often than not, in the summer I strictly instruct, because we are outdoors and things tend to be more chaotic.) This also, could become a day designated to a 30-minute run on my lunch break.
Friday: Rest
Saturday: Long run (that way, if I don't get it in due to travel, plans, rain, etc. I still have Sunday as a back-up.)
Sunday: Rest

We'll see how it all pans out. There may be some shifting around as I get into the groove of training and being more disciplined with my running schedule. Running a marathon has been on my life's to-do list since I was in high school. Not quite sure what inspired me to put it on there in the first place, since I was FAR from being a runner at that point in my life. With each recent year though, I know it's something that I have to do. This probably sums it up the best: When I went to pick up my packet for the Ft. Ben Harrison half-marathon last fall, Chad asked me if I was going to buy one of those bumper stickers that say 13.1. I looked at him like it was a ridiculous question and said, "No. Because they make ones that say 26.2."

Go Hamilton County!

Recently I got an email from another NIFS employee with a link to the health rankings of each county in the nation. http://www.countyhealthrankings.org/indiana Any of you Fishers, Carmel or Noblesville residents should be proud to know that Hamilton County ranked #1 for health outcomes in the state of Indiana! I was just thinking the other day, as I was driving from Fishers to Carmel that it seemed like EVERYONE was outside either running, walking or biking. Even a really elderly man was out on a tricycle!

I think one thing that helps any county increase their residents' level of physical activity is having paved sidewalks. Fishers has an abundance of these that make it easy to plan out a route for running. On the flip side, the southside of Indianapolis where my mom lives, has practically NO safe or easy options for running. None of the main roads have sidewalks, so running in neighborhoods or at a park would be the only good option. Growing up in Greenwood, even in the nicer Center Grove area, I don't remember any sidewalks or great park areas on the southside either.

Obviously, the factor to consider is the populations that live in these different counties. Hamilton County is mostly comprised of young to middle aged families with 2.5 kids and a dog. Clearly these kinds of populations are more concerned with health for their families and engage in less risky behaviors, as opposed to more urban areas that have a wider mix of ages and races. And the other obvious factor is county size. Indianapolis just contains more people in general--healthy and unhealthy--so Marion County will have higher numbers for items like teen births and smoking, and therefore ranked 77th out of 92 counties.

The bottom line is that anyone can lead a healthy lifestyle regardless of where they live. Just because Scott County ranked dead last in health doesn't mean that those people are doomed. Sometimes it just takes a bit more of a personal effort though, and that's where people get lazy (or are uneducated) and perpetuate the cycle of an unhealthy culture.

Dear God, please let there be somebody behind me to read this.

(This blog title came from the back of an 80-year old woman's t-shirt at the Mini!) Well, my mom and I did it! We crossed the finish line of the Mini Marathon after walking for 3 hours and 8 minutes. Our time goal was 3h15m or under, but we ended up at an average pace of 14:23--which for walking, means we were clipping right along! I have to confess, as we were all standing in our corrals counting down to the start of the race, I felt a huge wave of longing pass over me, because I wanted to be running. You could feel the adrenaline and nervousness of the crowd--many probably first time runners, or those shooting for a PR--and I just wanted to take off with them. But I wouldn't trade the experience with my mom for that. I'm sure there are several more mini marathons in my future.

Here are some highlights of the race this year:
1. Hearing someone at the very beginning of the race say "Wow! That first minute went by fast!" Honey, you've got 180 more of them...give or take.
2. There are always not-so-great teenage garage bands lined up along the streets of the mini, but this year there was one group singing a horrible rendition of "Scotty Doesn't Know." At one point the lead singer yelled, "You guys keep walking, and we'll keep rocking!" An older man beside my mom and I yelled, "If I stop walking, will you STOP rocking??"
3. Getting my mom to run the last quarter mile of the race and seeing that running isn't so bad after all.
4. Every year you see someone doing the race that makes you stare in awe..i.e. someone with an artificial leg who's blowing past you. This year it was a blind man, who was clinging to his dad for guidance, but moving faster than we were. They even stopped for the bathroom at one point only to come back and pass us a few miles later.
5. My mom and I have a lot of the same quirks in that as knowledgeable as we are in our respective professions, and other life topics, we still have our ditzy moments. (Ask me about the first time I tried to deposit a check at the bank drive-up window a couple years ago.) During mile 2, my mom asked me, "What's the pitareea?" I had no idea what she was talking about until I saw her pointing to a sign by the porta-pots...the PIT AREA. In her defense, there was no space between the two words, and the letters were vertical instead of horizontal...but still, we had a good laugh about that.
6. And as always, splurging on a big dinner and knowing you deserve every calorie :)

Picture Library of Work Events

Since my job is sometimes a bit hard to describe in a nutshell, and since we do quite a range of health promotion activities besides just personal training and group fitness, I'm starting an on-going library of work event photos. It'll give you a little peek into corporate fitness....


For the past two years, Dow AgroSciences has participated in the Indiana Sports Corp's "Corporate Challenge." As the team captains, Lucy and I recruit employees to participate in various athletic events from a 5K, 1/2 mile sprint, football toss, corn hole, bowling and much more. Our team competes against other Indianapolis companies--basically like track and field day for adults! This is me pictured with two of my personal training clients at 2009's Corporate Challenge.


This is a shot of 2010's Corporate Challenge, as we were first arriving to IUPUI Carroll Stadium, where the event takes place each year.


Last year at DAS, our Health Services team put on a big Health Expo up the lobby of our main building. We invited various vendors and organizations, and employees were able to browse through all the booths. This is me and our nurse practitioner, Janice.


As the blood drive coordinator at DAS, I plan 4 on-site blood drives per year, partnering with the Indiana Blood Center. Last year, DAS won a competition by having the highest percentage of blood donors compared to other companies our size. Our grand prize was a special visit by the Vince Lombardi trophy won by the Colts in 2007. Even though I had seen and touched it before, as a Colts fan, you can never get enough of it!


Also related to being the blood drive coordinator, I was invited out to Lucas Oil stadium during the Indiana Blood Center's annual "Bleed Blue" event. My friend Malorie and I got a tour of the Colts locker rooms--I couldn't resist taking a picture on their warm-up bike, since I do also teach spinning classes :)

Words of Wisdom from Jillian

Most of you know that Jillian Michaels is my role model. It started out just because of how awesome she was on the Biggest Loser, totally whipping her contestants into shape with a don't-question-me attitude. I've started to admire her more each year though, because she's just so REAL. If you watch the show you know that she does more than yell and demand. As a life coach, she has a true passion for uncovering all the deeper issues in a person that made them obese to start with--and really, unless you're getting to the root of the problem, what good are we doing in the fitness industry? She has a new book out called "Unlimited: How to Build an Exceptional Life." While I haven't read it yet, I definitely plan on it. I'm excited to see her take on whole body wellness as opposed to some of her earlier books that spoke just to exercise and nutrition.

Example A of how Jillian is just so down to earth: In this May's issue of Shape magazine, she talks about how even SHE has trouble spots on her body. "There's this one dimple on the back of my butt that's like a cavern. I swear to you, it's un-friggin'-believable! No matter how thin I get, I still have cellulite. I've tried every cream. I've ironed my ass at the plastic surgeon's office with a laser--nothing worked. I've finally reached a point where I accept my flaw, but that doesn't mean I feel good about it." Really?! It's so reassuring to hear this from Jillian Michaels, world-renowned trainer, someone that most people would agree has a rock solid body, and is just plain hot (can I say that?). Did you all also catch that there are NO magic pills or creams for cellulite!!

Being a pear-shape, I used to hate my entire lower body, but after losing 18 pounds and several percents of body fat since college, I've gotten to the point where I can honestly say I like my legs and butt. And not just for being strong or carrying me through a half-marathon, but because I actually like how they look in my skinny jeans. Still...there's those trouble zones. I always thought that if I lost a certain percent of body fat, or did a few more squats each day that I could eliminate the inner thighs or that area right beneath the butt cheek (you all know what I'm talking about!)...but I guess the bottom line is that EVERYBODY carries fat in certain pockets, and it's just going to be there....so get over it.

I think being 97% confident in a swim suit is pretty darn good!! And I can only assume that Jillian would say the same thing :)

"Relay for Life" Wine Tasting Recap

Wine tasting = success. As mentioned in my previous post about Relay for Life, my husband Chad and I hosted a wine tasting party last Saturday night as a fundraiser. We offered six different wines that our guests could taste and make notes about, as well as all kinds of appetizers from sushi rolls to cheese, crackers, fruit and dark chocolate of course. Each person had a wine "worksheet" to fill in notes about the aroma, taste, color etc. as well as rank the wine on a scale of 1-10. It was funny how seriously people were considering their notes about each wine, being sure to get just the right word to describe it, and capturing all the info about the winery it came from and what year the grape was. While the venture proved to be more expensive than we anticipated (we spent over $250), I surpassed my fundraising goal! Better yet, I got over my hesitation about participating in fundraisers in general...you just have to make it fun and appealing to people. And who doesn't want to eat and drink for $5?? I have a feeling this could become an annual event (with a slightly higher entry fee.)

Stats of the night:
Total number of guests: 21. That's not counting myself or Chad, so we set a record for the highest number of people we've had in our apartment at one time!
Money raised: $118
Bottles of wine consumed: 14. Wow guys. That's all I can say!
Highest ranked wines of the night: Cycles Gladiator syrah; Tres Ojos (a red spanish wine); and Bota Box Reisling--yes, a boxed wine was thrown into the mix. Surprisingly good, but maybe because everybody likes reisling.