Ragnar Relay: The Wasatch Back in Review

A week ago tomorrow, I embarked on a journey. I embarked on a 31 hour, 23 minute, 7.4 second journey to be exact. I got to run an 18.5 mile leg of 188 miles from Logan to Park City, UT. And I got to spend it with 11 amazing others who ran the remaining 169.5 miles. I knew I would be tired. I knew I would be sore. I knew I would enjoy the kid-free weekend (maybe too much...the things I'll do to have some me-time!). I also knew I would cry (because races always bring out my emotional-sentimental side). What I didn't know, however, was what an impact this race, more than any previous race, would have on me.

You see, most races are purely selfish in nature. You go to the start line, the whistle blows, and you end at the finish line. YOU end at the finish line. However long the distance, you complete it yourself. Someone might be there to cheer you on. And if you're lucky (like my husband), someone might even run a bit with you. But you start, you finish, you get your medal, you feel amazing for what you accomplished, and you go home.

The Ragnar Relay series, however, are different. You are part of an actual team. No one wants you to finish more than your team does. 12 runners, same goal: to finish 188 sleepless miles. That's right, one hundred and eighty-eight crazy-uphill-in-the-rain-and-fog-and-middle-of-the-night-into-the-morning-while-breathing-dust-and-smelling-like-yesterday's-sweat-while-hanging-out-with-previous-strangers-who-are-now-your-best-friends-stinking-glorious miles.

I got to start the race as runner #1. That meant that after my 3rd leg, I was the first to finish. But my finish didn't feel like a finish at all. I got to watch the rest of my team run up c.r.a.z.y. steep hills, and down c.r.a.z.y. knee-jarring descents. I wanted to cry as slowly, but surely, we all finished. WE. ALL. FINISHED.

At a post-race team BBQ, we all looked (and smelled) like different people. We'd all felt like sleeping for days straight when the race was over. But every runner said that they'd do it again. In a heartbeat, even. (Or maybe in Vegas in October?!?!?!)

Life gives us hard things. In this case, we each chose the hard thing. We knew we'd be exhausted. We knew we would experience hot and cold and rain and sunshine. And somehow, we knew we'd survive. At some point we would see the glorious "ONE MILE TO GO" sign (or at least the faint smell of the "honey bucket" at the exchange point). But let me tell you...after surviving that, I know I can do anything. The proverbial "ONE MILE TO GO" sign is looming ahead during any trial. You just keep going, and remember to reach out to your team for support (and water)!! That's what they're there for...to help you make it to the finish line!

And guess what else got me through? The OTHER teams! I would read the vans as I ran to pass the time. One of my favorites read, "We tell ourselves there's nothing to fear. Sometimes we're wrong." That pretty much sums it up. Thanks for the laughs, fellow crazies! I LOVED it!

Who's in for next year?

20 Reasons I LOVE Yoga!

Here's a little tidbit of information about me: I'm a little bit OCD about my work outs, and missing a workout seriously stresses me out. Forgetting to wear my heart rate monitor before going to the gym just about sends me into a fit of hysteria. I love my cardio workouts, and I love strength training workouts. But today I reminded myself that I LOVE YOGA! I often opt for the higher calorie burn, thinking that Yoga just isn't enough. But tonight I attended a Yoga class, and remembered why I should do it more often! We would all do well to incorporate some Yoga into our regular fitness regimen.

I LOVE YOGA BECAUSE...

• I have to adjust my rear view mirror for the drive home...it makes me sit taller by improving my posture.
• It decreases blood pressure, lowers the heart rate, and improves circulation.
• It helps me control my breathing in normal-life-stressful situations.
• It massages my internal organs, so I'm more in tune with my body.
• It helps me stay regular (along with my fabulous fiber!)
• It gives me a stronger immune system.
• It gives me a higher tolerance for pain.
• It reduces spinal compression and back pain.
  
• It stimulates detoxification of the body...and keeps me younger.
• It is non-competitive. (Although I'm still working on remembering that I don't need to compare what I'm doing to what the instructor is doing.)
  
• It makes me stronger...using only my own body weight.
• I sleep better.
• It teaches me balance and control over my body.
• It makes me a better runner.
• It improves...ahem...sexuality.
• It improves my mood.
• It reduces stress and anxiety.
• It humbles me into better self-acceptance. I can't do every move. And that's OK!
• It's a great measuring stick for my own level of strength and fitness.
• It teaches me to remain calm in the midst of a storm.

For more surprising health benefits of Yoga, read this. Why do YOU love Yoga?

Bear Lake Marathon Highlights (and Lowlights)

A week ago, I was a nervous wreck. My husband was getting ready to run his 9th marathon. Well, he did, and here's a bit of good news: he finished, and he lived to tell about it! That's all that really matters, right? Actually, the race itself wasn't too bad. The weekend, however, wouldn't top my list for best vacations ever. But bad stories are good stories, right? Here's what went down in Bear Lake, Utah last weekend.

THE BAD...

• Husband and his brother think camping sounds like a fun way to spend the night before a marathon.
• Husband and brother think camping really close to a lake sounds like a fun way to camp.
• Husband and brother don't think about the thousands of Edward-esque mosquitos that will want my Bella-esque blood at said campsite.
• Husband and brother don't think it's worth an extra $13 to park both cars at the campsite.
  
• Husband informs me as he's setting up our tent that, oops, he forgot the tent poles!
• Husband thinks sleeping in the car with our two children sounds like a good alternative. I think eating our chicken parmigiana spaghetti foil dinners, and going home sounds better! Forget the darn race!
• Husband's brother graciously offers to let our family of four share a tent with his family of seven. Yes...that's eleven people in one tent, including two babies in two pac-n-plays.
• One of those babies (mine) decides that sleeping in a tent isn't her thing, around 1 am. All ten of us get to hear her scream for the next hour.
• Husband and brother awake at 4:45 am to run the race.

THE GOOD...

• 7 kids sleep until 7.
• Sister-in-law and I drive these 7 kids to find the runners.
• We arrive at mile 17 early, so I put my kids in the jogging stroller, and run to find the husband.
• We find him with bloody nipples at mile 15, and run with him to our car at mile 17.
• Husband requests that we run a little further...to mile 18.
• We run back to the car.
  
• We drive and stop at every subsequent mile...yes, we're supportive!.
• At mile 22, husband requests that we drive to mile 24 to accompany-run-push-and-possibly-drag him along the final 2 miles.
• We love him, so we do it.
• I cry as we cross the finish line, and feel guilty that I'm crossing it. I sure didn't run 26.2 miles! Hauling two kids in a stroller for 8 counts for something, I guess!
• Husband gets his 2nd worst time ever, but somehow wins 2nd place for his age group.
• We fall in love with the small marathon!
• We clean up camp and drive home.

Fun weekend, no?

16 Fitness Facts You Might Not Know...

Did you know that toning your butt actually makes your stomach look smaller?

Did you know that it only takes 100 too many calories each day to gain 10 pounds in a year?

Did you know that it only takes a deficit of 500 calories a day to lose a pound a week?

Did you know that a pound of muscle burns about 9 calories a day, and a pound of fat only burns 2?

Did you know that you eat more calories each day if you enter your home near the kitchen than if you use the front door?

Did you know that oatmeal, citrus fruits, and honey can improve fertility, and boost your sex drive?

Did you know that rinsing your nose with salt water can help decrease allergy symptoms?

Did you know that a 20-minute nap does wonders for mood, productivity, and overall alertness?

Did you know that eating fruits and vegetables may help the human body make its own aspirin?

Did you know that the combination of adequate sleep and exercise may decrease a woman's chance of getting cancer?

Did you know that your brain is much more active at night than during the day?

Did you know that in addition to having more fun, blondes have more hair?

Did you know that the lifespan of a human hair is 3 to 7 years?

Did you know that you get a new stomach lining every three to four days?

Did you know that women's hearts beat faster than men's?

Did you know that it takes twice as long to lose new muscle when you stop working out than it did to gain it? (So go build some muscle...it grows fast!!!)

Now you know! What interesting tidbits can you share?

The Runner's Diet: 6 Tips

I'm a nervous wreck. My husband is getting ready to run his 9th marathon this week. The fact that he's done this 8 times before should mean NO PROBLEM, right? Well, if you remember his last marathon, I let you in on a little secret...my husband is a wait-until-the-last-possible-second-to-start-training-to-run-a-measly-26.2-miles-kind-a-guy. About a month ago, he came out of hibernation and started running. As a training bonus, he's been riding his bike to work. But the longest run my DH has yet to complete in his latest bout of training is about 8 miles. 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8. That's not very many when he has to run 26.2 in a few days! If he acted at all worried about it, then I wouldn't be. But one of us has to worry!!! Why is it always me?

Another aspect of training that my husband waits until the last few hours to worry about, is his diet. This morning, realizing that the race is just days away, he nonchalantly sauntered into the kitchen asking, "So, babe...what do you think I should be eating this week?" Are you kidding me?!?! I didn't have an immediate answer. Can't he hear the echo of my nagging voice? "You really need to eat better if you think you're going to run a marathon in June." NOW he decides to care! So yes...I have tips for the next week. But really, I have tips for what he should have been doing ALL ALONG. I bring you my top diet tips for runners:

1. If you're just a normal runner, don't eat like an elite runner. If you're only running a few miles, you don't need to load up on energy drinks, bars, and gels. Calories still count...even for runners!
2. The Runner's Diet consists of a 50-25-25 plan. 50% of your daily calories should come from carbohydrates, 25% from protein, and 25% from fat.
   
3. I'm not a calorie counter, but if you know how many calories you're aiming for in a given day, half of them should come from carbs. Because carbohydrates provide the fuel you need for a run, plan to eat them just before and just after your runs. Opt for fiber-rich carbs with high water content.
   

Load up on these carbs:

Fruits (about 60 calories per serving)
Apple, orange, pear, nectarine
Banana
Peach, plum
Grapefruit
Canteloupe
Berries
Fresh pineapple
Canned fruit (in its own juice)

Low-Starch Vegetables (about 25 calories per serving)
Carrots, celery, cabbage, brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, eggplant, leeks, onions, green beans
Green pepper
Asparagus
Lettuce/raw greens
100-percent vegetable juice

Carbs to eat a bit more sparingly:

High-Starch Vegetables (about 80 calories per serving)
Beans (lima, navy, pinto)
Corn
Peas/lentils
Baked white or sweet potato with skin

Pasta/Rice (about 80 calories per serving)
Couscous (cooked)
Brown or white rice (cooked)
Noodles/pasta (cooked)
Bulgur (cooked)

Breads/Cereal/Crackers (about 80 calories per serving)
Tortilla (wheat)
100-percent whole-wheat bread
Mini-bagel
English muffin: 1/2
Pretzels: 3/4 ounce or 8 sourdough nuggets
Popcorn (air popped): 3 cups
Saltine crackers: 6
Rice cakes (all varieties, large): 2
High-fiber cereals: 3/4 cup
Oatmeal: 2/3 cup cooked or 1 instant packet

4. Choose lean protein! Not only does protein help with muscle recovery, it also keeps you full longer!

Protein Selections:

Very lean (about 35 calories per serving)
Chicken or turkey breast (skinless)
Fish fillet (all whitefish)
Canned, water-packed tuna
Shellfish
Egg whites
Egg substitute

Lean (about 55 calories per serving)
Chicken or turkey (skinless dark meat)
Salmon, swordfish, herring, trout, bluefish
Lean beef (flank steak, top round, ground sirloin)
Veal or lamb (roast or lean chop)
Pork (tenderloin)
Canadian bacon
Low-fat hot dogs
Low-fat luncheon meats

Dairy Products (about 90 calories per serving)
Fat-free or 1-percent-fat cottage cheese (calcium fortified)
Low-fat, sugar-free yogurt
Fat-free, sugar-free yogurt
Low-fat cheese (all types)

5. Before you cut fat out of your diet, think again! Foods with a little healthy fat help slow digestion, and keep you full longer! 25 percent of a runner's calories should come from heart-healthy vegetable, nut, and fish fat sources.

Try the following fats of choice:

Fat sources (about 50 calories per serving)
All oils: 1 teaspoon
Avocado (medium): 1/8
Almonds, cashews, filberts: 6
Peanuts: 10
Pistachios: 15
Olives (green or black): 8 medium
Peanut butter (creamy or chunky): 1 teaspoon

6. Make sure you know your daily running schedule ahead of time, so you can plan your 50-25-25 eating plan around your runs. The bulk of your carbs should be eaten around your runs. Leave the high calorie energy bars and gels for race day, and fuel up during training with mother nature's choice: food!!!!

For more running tips, check out runner's world! Wish my hubby luck! And wish me, the spectator, luck! Not to give myself all the credit, but hauling two kids around to cheer on daddy is a lot more work than just running from start to finish. I'd trade any day! Well...maybe...just not on Saturday!

Watch Out For the Falling Treadmill

Buenos Dias, fitmepeeps. Have you missed me? Truth be told, I've been questioning whether I'm actually qualified as a fit blogger. Why, you ask? Well, apparently I don't know how to operate a treadmill. I'll spare you the details of my own treadmill mishap. Rather, I'll give you an "imaginary" scenario in which you, the reader, get to choose the outcome.

Here it is...

It's Friday morning. Your house is (once again) full of family-guests. Your mom has requested that you accompany her to meet your brother's future mother-in-law at the reception venue in approximately two hours. Everyone leaves for other wedding-planning events. You have the house to yourself, and before dropping your own children off at your angel mother-in-law's house (so you can actually enjoy the outing), you decide to squeeze in a quick workout.

Option 1: Treadmill
Option 2: Yoga
Option 3: P90X

You choose the treadmill option. You head downstairs and quickly move the air mattress and lovesacs out of the way. You proceed to move the treadmill away from the wall. You step on the treadmill to wheel it into place before lowering the running belt to the ground. You forget to check to make sure the belt was actually latched at the top. As you tilt the treadmill towards you, the unlatched belt falls, smacking you in the head, and knocking you into the wall.

What do you do next?

A. You sit on the floor and cry for a minute, then get up, set up the treadmill properly, and run anyway (with a pounding headache, and a mixture of tears, blood, and sweat on your face).

B. You scream for your 3-year old to bring you the phone so you can call 911.

C. You lay on the floor crying hysterically as you think of the "what-ifs" for the next 20 minutes. What if I'd been knocked unconscious or paralyzed and my kids found me downstairs and didn't know what to do, and no one found me for days...

D. You curse the treadmill and decide to never run again. But you proudly show everyone the big bruise on your head from when your treadmill tried to kill you.

That's the scenario. And since this isn't my story...ahem...I'm curious what you would do. (Psssshhh...like I wouldn't check to make sure the treadmill was latched. Duh.) Choose your option!