#TrainingTruths: Bouncing Back

At the beginning of last week, I fell victim to some sort of illness. Whatever it was knocked me off me feet and put me to sleep for about 8 extra hours on Monday afternoon. One sick day later and I was bouncing back.

#TrainingTruth: It's ok to be down, as long as you get back up.

Monday's run did not happen. Tuesday became a sick day. Wednesday I was granted a snow day. As soon as I received notice, I changed into my running clothes and jumped on the treadmill. Usually a long run on the 'mill is torture, but I was eager to run. With the loyal hound keeping me company and the first episode of The Bachelor tuned in, I logged 7 miles. I forced myself to do an easy one mile warm up, then upped my pace to 9:30-ish for five, before ending with another easy one mile cool down. It felt good to be back.

Itching to run again, on Friday night I jumped on the treadmill. First, I wanted to stay on track to get at least three runs for the week. Second, I had some new shoes to try (review coming soon). Once again, I sandwiched my five mile run between a one mile warm up and cool down. This is pretty easy to do on a treadmill where pushing a button controls your pace. I need to learn how to do this on my outdoor runs because it makes my legs happy.  

 
On Saturday morning, Daisy and I met downtown for our weekly run for smoothies long run. We did the same loop as last week only she had the great idea to do it backwards. The tough hill was at the beginning, and the rest of the run felt mostly down hill and easy. Fresh fruit smoothies after proved that I was indeed feeling better.

How was your week?

#TrainingTruths is not just about me. We all like to see what everyone else is doing and use that information to assess ourselves. It's not judgement. It's a way to share and learn and make changes when necessary.

To participate all you have to do is share your #TrainingTruths:

1. Tag a Twitter post with the hashtag #TrainingTruths
2. Comment on the Running Escapades Facebook page 
3. Leave a link to your own blog post in the comments

I look forward to reading your #TrainingTruths!

Fitness Friday: #ChillyChallenge Update

I am so happy with the results of the first two weeks of the Chilly Challenge.

We have over 300 participants!

We have logged more than 8000 miles in just over two weeks!

Proof from Meagan Katherine Nancy Michelle

I've seen tons of motivation, encouragement, and inspiration on Twitter and Facebook!

We have awesome sponsor support from some of our favorite product lines.

from Janine

When Janine and I began talking about putting together a January challenge, I never imagined so many people would be interested in participating. It is so exciting to see so many people being motivated and having fun. To those of you who have taken the time to send me an email or comment online, Twitter, and Facebook: thank you for being fit, for being inspiring, and for your support.

Review: FRS Healthy Performance

During the day my energy levels sometimes dip, as if I could take a nap. On long runs I always fill my Simple Hydration bottle with some kind of performance drink to give myself a mid-run boost. I was pretty excited when  I received a box of sample product to try from FRS Healthy Performance. 

FRS is a product line that offers an energy boost from natural ingredients rather than using caffeine or high levels of sugars. The main ingredient in FRS is Quercetin - it's basically a source of energy from plant extracts instead of calories. 

My first test of the FRS product was a 20 calorie Healthy Energy Bottle. About mid-morning on a non-running day I drank the wild berry before hopping on the treadmill for a walking workout. When I saw the yellow color of the liquid I was expecting it to taste like oranges, but I was pleasantly surprised to find a very sweet berry flavor. Although the drink was good, I can't say that I felt a change in my energy level.  

I next tried the Healthy Slim Bottle during the slump between lunch and dinner when I sometimes feel like snacking. What I really liked about this product was the low 20 calories it packed; that's my kind of snack! I opted for the tropical flavor which reminded me mostly of grapes. It wasn't as sweet as the Energy Bottle, but it was still good and it held my appetite until dinner.

I tried the Energy Powder packets at work mixing them right into my bottled water. At first the bright yellow color of the orange flavor mix was surprising, but I was relieved to find the taste refreshingly sweet and quickly followed by an energy boost. The single serving packets are just 10 calories.

For one of my long runs, I put together an FRS line up. I used the cherry limeade Healthy Energy Bottle pre-run and also put some in my Simple bottle. I ate four orange Healthy Energy Hard Chews at the start of my run, but they left a slight chalky taste in my mouth, so I did not use the rest. The blueberry pomegranate soft chews were better. Even though I never felt sluggish during my run (which usually happens), I didn't feel a burst of energy either. The blackberry Acai Healthy Protein Bottle was very tasty after my workout and I can easily see myself using this as a recovery drink. 

My favorite FRS product is the single serving Energy Powder packets. After using these for multiple days at work, I have noticed that I do have more energy and the orange flavor is just yummy. I have already placed a couple of boxes in my online shopping cart. I also really like the Healthy Slim and Healthy Protein Bottles and can see myself purchasing these individually in a store. 

Do you use specialty drinks as part of your workout routine?

I received this product to review as a FitFluential Ambassador. All opinions are my own.

TrainingTruths: NYC Plans

Training for the New York City Half Marathon has officially started. In a short nine weeks, I will be lacing up my Mizunos and readying myself for a running tour of Manhattan. My running has been in maintenance mode since the Manchester City in November, so my training plan for NYC is really just upping the mileage on my long runs. 

#TrainingTruth: I plan to be running for as long as I can and have no plans to stop - Frank Shorter

A busted water heater at Daisy's (sorry chick) led to a cancelled run date, so I went home for a runch (lunch run) with my husband. The weather was a cool 42 degrees, so I pulled out the Nike capris and matched my Mizuno Wave Rider 15 Limited Editions to my new pink Nike thermal top. We enjoyed a quiet unplanned run. 

Thursday's six mile run after school served up some challenges. First we had melting snow puddles to dodge, followed by slippery sidewalks and some strong headwinds. At the end my Wave Inspire 8s looked like they been on a trail run. 

We took our Saturday morning long run to downtown Manchester. The heavy fog at the start never dissipated and was even joined by some drizzle. Our run ended at Baked, a new local cafe, where we ordered fresh fruit smoothies with a shot of protein as our reward.

My goal for the week was to do a walking workout on my rest days. Walking workouts have many benefits for runners. It keeps leg muscles loose, alleviates soreness after a tough run, and helps maintain good circulation. For me it's about elevating my heart rate to burn as many fat calories as possible, and I can add my miles to the Chilly Challenge for my team.

Are you in maintenance or training mode?

If training, what are your training for?

Chilly Challenge Reminder: Log your miles for Team Escapades!

Fitness Friday: No Gym Required

When I lived in Ohio, I was a member of the local YMCA. It was affordable, conveniently located, and offered many amenities that appealed to me. Since moving to New Hampshire, I have opted not to join a gym and instead find other ways of working out.

Running is obviously my first choice and because we have a treadmill, I have the option of running inside when the weather is bad. Lately I have also been using the treadmill to do walking workouts on my non-running days.

One thing I have learned over the last couple of years is that to be a better runner, you must cross train and do strength training. One way that I incorporate strength training is by following various 30 day challenges. Several sites publish calendars to follow making it easy to find one that works for you.

I also search for workouts in magazines that I can tear out, tack to the bulletin board, or save for future use. 

A new workout that I recently learned about is a challenge from TribeSports called British Military Fitness: Blue Workout. It's a circuit workout that anyone can perform because all you need is your own body weight. 

I like these workouts because they are easy, quick, and can be done indoors or out. No gym or equipment required.

How do you feel about gyms or fitness centers?

Chilly Challenge Reminder: Log your miles for Team Escapades!