Fitness Friday: Yoga & Running

Athleta has been hosting a yoga pose-a-day contest on Instagram that couldn't have come at a better time. I mentioned that I had to re-focus after a recent injury, and yoga has been a source of inspiration.

So in addition to using the Yoga for Runners app that I love, I have been trying to replicate Athleta's Insta-Pose of the Day. From the different poses, I have learned a lot about myself.

I'm pretty good a planks. I used to do them after every run. I've even done a monthly plank challenge. Since they're so good for the core, I should probably do them more often. I wish I knew why I lose interest.

My hamstrings and quads are VERY tight, which of course makes me realize that they are the root of all my running injuries. Then after seeing the pictures, I noticed my poor stretching form. So not only do I not stretch enough, but when I do it's relatively ineffective. Ugh!

Some poses are brand new to me and I've been having fun experimenting. Even though I've never heard of them and need assistance getting my hands, feet, body in the right position, I'm happy that I'm trying and learning more each time.

Athleta's contest has inspired me to learn more about yoga. Since I'm new to it, I figured I'd better start with the basics. I found a great source of basic poses on the Fitness Magazine website, so I have somewhere to start.

Do you yoga? What is your favorite pose?

Spirit of the Marathon II

Happy Hump Day!

Tonight I am joining a small of group of running friends at the Cinemagic Theater in Hooksett, NH to watch the US screening of Spirit of the Marathon II presented by NCM Fathom Events and Competitor Group. The movie follows seven inspiring runners as they prepare for the 2012 Rome Marathon and includes motivational interviews with running legends such as Paula Radcliffe, Frank Shorter, and Katherine Switizer.

I took one look at the trailer that accompanied my invitation from Fathom Events and knew that I had to see this movie.

So after immediately adding Rome to my bucket list of places that I want to run, I looked up the 2008 award-winning original documentary Spirit of the Marathon and found it on HULU and Netflix. Saturday evening you could've found mr. C and I cheering for the runners of the 2005 Chicago Marathon as they trained and competed. This movie is about more than running marathons. It's about passion, motivation, inspiration, and celebration. It's a must see for all runners and anyone who loves a runner.

Tonight I will be watching the much anticipated sequel and cheering on a new set of runners as they embark on their journey to the finish line of the Rome Marathon. To find a select theater near you, visit the Fathom Events website. A portion of the proceeds from the event will be donated to the One Fund Boston to assist the families affected by the bombings at the Boston Marathon.

Many thanks to NCM Fathom Events, Competitor Group, AMC Entertainment Inc., Cinemark Holdings Inc., and Regal Entertainment Group for the complimentary tickets to the event.

TrainingTruths: Pack Mentality

Last week I was spoiled and enjoyed several workouts with family, friends, and co-workers. It was fun to mix things up and organize a fun event.

I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that my stepdaughter will be running the BAA 10K with me. I wrote up a training plan for her that she has been great to follow. On Monday we went on a bike ride to keep her company on her training run since it was a rest day for us. She ran 4 miles and made it look so easy! I tried out my new shoes from Under Armour as part of my participation in the What's Beautiful campaign with FitFluential and it's nice that you can slide them right on.

Tuesday - A normal run day 4 miler with mr. C on the same route that we biked on Monday.

In celebration of National Running Day on Wednesday, I convinced my co-workers to wear a running shirt to school, donate old running shoes and go for a group run on the local trail. The group ran anywhere between 3-5 miles depending upon how speedy you were.

Thursday - A 4 miler with my regular running partner miss daisy through the local neighborhood.

The weekend started off nice and rainy thanks to Tropical Storm Andrea, so we delayed our run to Sunday when the best weather would arrive. Mother Nature did not disappoint! It was gorgeous blue skies for the entire 5 miles with mr. C.

I'm still building my mileage back up after my strained ab muscle, but overall it was a good week with some short easy running and lots of yoga for focused stretching.

Do you prefer to workout alone or with buddies?

Fitness Friday: #GoalGetter 2013 May Update

Happy Friday! It is hard to believe that it is already June. I wish I could say that it was summer vacation already too (like my Ohio peeps!), but that will not come until the end of the month (thanks to all those hurricane/snow days).

For now I will happily say goodbye to the month of May, although I did have some seriously fun adventures.

Here's a look back at some memorable moments and my running goals:

I started the month with a crazy, unexpected two day trip to Atlanta courtesy of Mizuno to participate in the Mezamashii Run Project. The project launched this month, but my role in it has yet to be revealed. Stay tuned!

Immediately following my trip to Atlanta, I headed to Cincinnati to get a quick family visit and run the Flying Pig Half Marathon with mr C. I wasn't into running when I lived in Ohio the way I am now, so this was my first time running this race. It was one of the best race weekends I've ever experienced. 

I began working on a sponsored campaign with Under Armour and FitFluential. What's Beautiful is a competition that focuses on inspiring women to set goals and conquer them together. My goal is to work on adding up the miles to reach my running goal for the year. May was not my best month with 56.76 miles, but I'm not giving up on hitting 1000 for the year. 

Another one of my goals for the year is to improve my overall core strength, so I jumped at the chance to try SurfSet at TI Fitness Training in Manchester with New Hampshire Bloggers & Tweeters. This all-in-one workout was the hardest thing I've done in a long time, but so fun I went back for more! This is going to be my summer core workout plan. 

Even though May was filled with amazing running adventures, I'm disappointed that I didn't meet my monthly mileage goal to keep me on track to reach 1000 for the year. What's Beautiful is that I will keep pushing through the obstacles. I will not give up.

How was your May? Any achievements or setbacks?

National Running Day Recap

Here's how I celebrated on National Running Day!

I made a running declaration.

I wore one of my favorite running shirts to work.

I donated an old pair of running shoes.

I went on a fun run with a bunch of running friends.

Hope you were able to celebrate in some way!

National Running Day is Swagtastic!

It's that time of year again. On National Running Day people start talking about all the reasons they run. I wrote about my reasons here and I still feel the same.

It doesn't take much to convince me to run and I'm always on the lookout for a good race. Last week I was asked to help promote a virtual race series put on by Swagtastic Virtual Races to support the organization Medals4Mettle, which collects earned race medals from runners and triathletes and donates them to children and adults facing serious illness or injuries.

The Swagtastic Race Series features a virtual 5K, 10K, and half marathon and 100% of the registration proceeds go to cover the costs of presenting medals to the victims of the Boston bombings through the Medals4Mettle organization.

What makes the race series unique is the swag - the first 300 registrants receive a swag box filled with samples from over 25 companies and all participants that self-report their race finish times are entered into a drawing for over 60 prizes. You can check out what they have lined up by going to the Facebook page or following on Twitter. 

What better way to celebrate National Running Day than to sign up for a Swagtastic Virtual Race? Registration closes on June 28th and they are hoping to reach 100%. If you are interested in supporting this fundraiser, you can register here.

Do you like virtual races? 
How will you be celebrating National Running Day?

Disclosure: I was comped a race entry for promoting the Swagtastic event.

TrainingTruths: What's Beautiful: Reach

Stretching has become a priority after spending most of last week nursing a strained lower abdominal muscle. I'm pretty sure that my lack of attention to pre and post run stretching is what led to this injury and I can count my blessings that it stayed minor. So last week I went on a mission to turn stretching into a habit.

I'm still working on the What's Beautiful campaign with Under Armour and FitFluential and came across the REACH challenge. This challenge reminded me that it feels just as good to stretch as it does to run. The challenge was to upload a video of your favorite stretch and cool down routine. Since I was in rest mode I'd been using a favorite app, Yoga For Runners, and stretching everyday using the pre-run sequence.

On Friday I was feeling better, so I decided to lace up my running shoes and jump on the treadmill (I didn't want to be away from home if my muscle acted up). I started with my Yoga for Runners pre-run stretching sequence and then ran 3 easy miles. Even though I felt like I could pick up the pace, I forced myself to leave the speed set to 5 and just ease back into it.

On Saturday morning I attended another TI SurfSet Fitness class in Manchester, but this time I took mr C with me. I'd been looking forward to this since my first session a couple of weeks ago. It was another sweat-fest and my first time tossing a tire, booyah! Later in the evening I completed another stretch session knowing that it would help preclude muscle soreness.

I was back in the running shoes on Sunday and up early to meet some friends for a nice trail run before the heat set in for the day. This was a new running location and we fell in love with the trail, the views, and the wildlife. About a 1.5 miles into the run I thought we were being ambushed by some wild animal when I was startled by Gary & Michelle's shouts... it was just a snake slithering across the path!

What is your training priority?

A Race Not to Miss: ZOOMA Cape Cod

On Saturday I worked for a couple of hours in the ZOOMA Women's Race Series booth at the Run to Remember Half Marathon expo in Boston.

Part of my role as a Cape Cod Ambassador is to promote the race, so hanging out with other Ambassadors, like super fun Andrea from I Run For Donuts, and talking to people at a race expo was easy peasy!

Hanging with Andrea

It was so much fun talking to (mostly) women about how much fun the ZOOMA races are and why they should sign up for the 10K or half marathon. 

Michelle and Andrea

Here are some of the highlights:

1. THE SETTING: Spend the weekend hanging out and running around the Sea Crest Beach Hotel on the Cape. 

2. THE BLING: What woman doesn't love a gorgeous race medal that you can wear around your neck all the time? 

3. THE AFTER PARTY: Massages, music, wine, and hundreds of your best new girlfriends just hanging out and celebrating together.

4. THE COURSE: Both the 10K and half marathon courses offer stunning water views and start/finish just steps from the resort doors.

I ran the inaugural half marathon last year (you can read my recap here) and now I'm looking forward to returning to do it all again. If you are thinking about joining me, enter my ambassador code CCAMB3 when you register to save 10% off the 10K or the half marathon registration price. 

What race do you consider a NOT TO MISS?

_____________________________________________________________________

Congratulations to the 1BandID giveaway winners

 Jill F & Sheena

Check your email for details!

Not a winner? Don't worry, you can still save 15% on every band you order by using my code
runesc15
Just enter the code during the checkout process!

TrainingTruths: What's Beautiful: Keep Fighting

As the last week of May arrives, I am beginning to realize that I may not hit my mileage goal for the month. As a competitive person this bugs me a little. Ok, more than a little, but I try to keep it all in perspective.

Despite a month filled with tapering, traveling, and recovering I have still logged some good miles. I knew that my goal of 1000 miles for the year was going to be a challenge. That's the point, right?

This is what last week looked like:

Tuesday: This after school run was a family affair. My husband and I ran 5 miles and my step daughter joined us for the first one before turning back. Back at the house, the dog tried to pretend like he was part of the workout too.

Friday: There was finally a break in the rain, so after school I went for a run when mr. c got home. Although I had been complaining about the yucky weather for most of the week, I admit that when it comes to running, I don't mind the cooler temps.

On Saturday I hung out at the Run to Remember expo in Boston working at the ZOOMA Women's Race Series booth, handing out free stuff while getting ladies signed up for the Cape Cod event. If you weren't there, you can still get a 10% off discount by using my ambassador code. Look for it on my sidebar. After my shift, we headed to Newport and logged some miles walking through the "summer cottages" along Bellevue Avenue.

I had plans to do along run with mr c. in Newport on Sunday morning, but we postponed it after waking to freezing, rainy, and windy weather. Even though we were really looking forward to logging miles running along the Narraganset Bay, we knew that we would be suffering. The forecast for Monday was much better.

The good news is that the weather on Monday was beautiful, but the bad news is that I've got an injury. I went to bed feeling fine, but woke up feeling a strain in my groin area. I have NO IDEA what I did. Too many mansion tours in Newport, I guess?

Anyway, I am hoping to feel better after a couple of days rest. In the mean time, have you entered my 1BandID giveaway? Details here.


Have you ever had an unexpected injury? 

I'm not Wearing Anything Else on my Wrist!

Last week I received a 1BandID to try out. I don't often run alone, but when I do I think about what would happen if I got injured or became ill. How would my family be contacted? I can carry my phone with me in a wrist band, but sometimes I'd rather run "lighter" especially as the warm weather arrives.

The 1BandID is a customized identification band that can be worn on your watch or your shoes. The band can hold up to 6 lines of 20 characters per line. Most people include their "in case of emergency" contacts and any allergies they might have, but there is also room for a motivational message.

The great thing about the 1BandID is that it wraps right around your current watch band and attaches securely using Velcro. It's that simple. You don't have to do anything to your gear to use it.

It doesn't interfere with wearing my watch the same way I always have. Other than the super cool purple standing out against the black, it's hard to notice it's even there. This ID will not be coming off my watch anytime soon.

Joe, the brains behind 1BandID, is an athlete who used to forget to wear his separate ID bracelet or tags. So, he decided to simplify safety by designing a band that could securely attach to the gear that athletes already wear every time they head out the door.

1BandID would like to give TWO Running Escapades readers a customized 1BandID. Simply use Rafflecopter below to enter. Giveaway ends Thursday May 30. Winner will be announced on the blog Friday May 31.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

TrainingTruths: What's Beautiful: Try a Tri

First let me announce the winners of the Firmoo sunglasses giveaway:

Congratulations to Jenelle, Lydia R, Meredith, Cristi Rae, Shelley Oz, and Heather Hunter!

Please email me at so that I can give you your gift card code.

I mentioned last week that I am participating in the What's Beautiful campaign with Under Armour and FitFluential to help redefine the female athlete. My goal to run 20 miles a week fell a little short, but I did add a challenge to help make me a stronger runner.

The first part of my week was pretty normal. Tuesday I went for a 4 mile run after school with my Crazy Running Partner. It was a little cooler and my legs felt fresh and bouncy again.

My CRP was doing RTB MA and had to leave on Thursday afternoon, so I went home to run. I choose a route that took me off the main road, but was much hillier. It was a rough 5 miles in the bright afternoon sun. I tried to focus on how I was feeling and adjust my pace, but I ended up having to take a few walk breaks. It's going to be a tough transition to summer weather.

After a late start on Saturday, my sleep deprived husband and I drove to one of out favorite routes to do our long run. Ironically, we couldn't get to it because there was a race going on! Instead we headed downtown and ran on the Manchester portion of the rail trail. It was a tough one for him, but I LOVE paved paths. I rewarded mr. c with a stop for delicious fruit smoothies.

Saturday I also did the Try a Tri challenge. I'm not a triathlete, so I put together three workout moves of my own and ran through them ladder style starting at 20. Here's a snippet of what it looked like.

As always, how was your week? Try any new challenges?

Friday Favorites: Things You Find at a Race

Every once in a while I stumble upon something new or I'm reminded why I already love a product.

A couple of weeks ago, I went to Cincinnati to run the Flying Pig Half Marathon. One of the big race sponsors was Proctor & Gamble. At the expo, P&G handed out A LOT of sample products. One that was new to me was Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream. I've been using it at night on my 40+ year old face, and I've noticed that my skin feels very soft and dewy again.

One of my favorite snacks (or desserts depending on the time of day) is Stonyfield Organic Greek Yogurt. I actually tried this yogurt for the first time when it was handed out to finishers after the Half at the Hamptons a couple of years ago. I love chocolate on the bottom!

A favorite staple that has been coming in very handy as the weather heats up is my Simple Hydration Water Bottle. It always takes me awhile as a runner to acclimate to the heat and my bottle makes it so easy to carry water or performance drinks on my runs. I had the pleasure of hanging out at the Simple Hydration booth at the Flying Pig Expo and talking to people about the bottle. It's really fun now to read the positive comments on the Facebook page from runners who bought and used the bottle at the race.

Have you ever tried a sample from a race day expo, goodie bag, or finisher's treat and fallen in love with it?   

There's still time to enter to win a pair of sunglasses! Details here! Giveaway ends tomorrow!

SurfSet Fitness Session

I've been hearing great things about the urban surfing craze ever since the inventors swam with the sharks. As a member of New Hampshire Bloggers & Tweeters, I was invited to attend a TI SurfSet Fitness event at TI Fitness Training in Manchester.

TI SURFSET© is a 45 minute workout based on the movements of surfing. The comprehensive routine centered around the RSX board is designed to build core strength, burn fat, and create lean muscles. Other gear such as jump ropes and kettle bells can be incorporated into the routine as well. What you don't need are shoes. This workout is done completely barefoot.

After a quick meet and greet, our instructor Christine, explained some of the common moves we would be using like sup stand (below) and surf stand while walking us through some exercises to get used to the board. I was grateful for this part as 1) I am not a surfer and 2) this was my first time taking a class like this.

Once we were all warmed up, the high-intensity aerobic intervals began. We worked our core from the plank position doing moves like wave runners (basically mountain climbers on the board) and cha-chas (knee taps while in the plank position).

We tried to balance while doing squats, kicks, and knee ups. We even did some surfing moves such as  stand up paddling, pop ups, and carving outs.

Photo credit: TI Fitness Instagram

Toward the end of the session we did some floor work with the jump ropes and kettle bells. I've never used a kettle bell before, so I could feel all of my muscles firing up.

This total body workout kicked my butt. It was challenging, but completely achievable. Christine led us through a progressive routine that pushed our muscles to the max and left us feeling proudly spent.

This class was so much fun, I'm already thinking about when I can do it again. 

In addition to SurfSet, TI Fitness Training also offers Fitness Bootcamp, Children's Fitness, Running Programs, and Private Sessions. They have a variety of pricing packages along with a punch pass program and a separate drop-in fee for those who prefer to pay as they go. One thing I love is the 20% discount offered to students, teachers, military, and government employees.

What do you think of SurfSet?

TrainingTruths: A Recovery Week

The downhill that followed the run up into Eden Park during the Flying Pig Half Marathon left my legs feeling a little like mush. Add the rising temperatures and my running last week wasn't pretty. Since I know from past experience that there is a period of adjustment between cold and warm weather, I'm trying not to sweat (haha) the ugliness of my runs.

Tuesday I ran after school with my running partner. We were both nursing tired legs so we did a quick 5K. It was tough and the warmth made it feel even harder. I did try out my new Mizuno running shorts  and along with my Wave Inspires, they were the most comfortable part of the run.

I waited until Friday to do my second run because I was still feeling tired. I came home after my last class and did a lunch run with hubs. It was basically a 4.2 mile repeat of Tuesday's run: tired legs and warm temps. We earned a good sweat on this one and I was reminded how much I love cucumber facial wipes.

I went to a SurfSet class on Saturday morning and experienced my first total body urban surfing lesson. It was the toughest non-running workout I've done in a long time. Recap coming soon!

Photo credit: TI Fitness Instagram

Sunday morning when I woke up, I was reminded right away that I had done a total body workout the day before! Even though I was hurting, I went for a six mile run with the hubs and it was the best run of the week. I'm definitely a cooler weather, morning runner!

When was the last time you were sore from a workout? What kind of runner are you?

There's still time to enter to win a pair of sunglasses! Details here!

Inspirational Fit Female

What better day to celebrate your female fitness inspiration than Mother's Day? There are so many mom's out there that are working hard, raising families, and staying fit. The Fit Female Blogging Campaign is a collaborative effort to share stories about women who have inspired us.

My first inspiration was my mother. She taught me at a young age that I could do anything I set my mind to. She showed me that girls could play sports and be just as tough as the boys. From her I learned the value of teamwork, dedication, and perseverance. She got me involved in sports and has supported my athletic endeavors ever since. My mom is one of the strongest women I know and I am so grateful to have her cheering for me on the sidelines or from miles away.

After the Cincinnati Flying Pig Half Marathon

My friend Sarah is also a #fitfemale. Sarah is a mother and a runner, too. Sarah is planning to run a half marathon and raise $5,000 for Children's Hospital at Dartmouth-Hitchcock! Her motivation is her son Jack, who has had to endure several surgeries to correct a congenital birth defect. You can read Sarah and Jack's story here and find out how you can help her accomplish her goal. While you're there, give Sarah a shout of encouragement!

Participation in the Inspirational Fit Female Blogging Campaign is open to everyone. If you don't have a blog you can share your story on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. You can also read more inspiring stories here.

Happy Mother's Day!

*There's still time to enter my Firmoo sunglasses giveaway**