November 2011

Tell Me Tuesday: Strength-Training Tools

Trust us: There are better ways to crosstrain this winter!

The marriage of running and strength training can sometimes be as challenging as a raising-kids, who’s-turn-is-it-to-empty-dishwasher marriage. I struggled for years to find a balance between our beloved cardiovascular activity and building (or at least maintaining) muscle, everything from running 30 minutes before hitting the weight room at a neighborhood gym for 20 minutes (too boring and mentally challenging for my brain) to a circuit of body-weight resistance (think squats, lunges, push-ups, etc.) in my basement.
But I think I’ve finally found what works for me: I do a boot camp class every Wednesday and Friday morning at a nearby studio. I had been boot-camping once a week since January, but I recently stepped it up to 2x and I’m finally seeing some results. I’m not running in just a crop top and skirt anytime soon–but I will now be showcasing slight shoulder definition in a sleeveless dress at my brother’s wedding next month.
Boot camp has made me a believer that we all need to find the strength training option that works for us in terms of enjoyment, time commitment, finances, and knowledge. For many moms, the best option is something that can be done at home. In case your creative juices regarding strength moves are as stagnant as mine, here are a bunch of use-at-home options to make you stronger and fitter. (And just in time to add to your holiday wish list!)

Two dumbells; nearly countless weight options

Dumbbells: Nothing says “versatile” like a range of dumbbells. Different muscles are capable of foisting different weights, e.g. you can heft more doing bicep curls than you can punch out with tricep extensions or overhead raises. But unless you want to be continually stubbing your toes, who wants to have a bevy of weights lying around? Instead opt for a pair of dumbbells like these that equal 25 pounds, adjustable in 2.5-pound increments, in a single, compact tray.
Kettlebells: Swinging these contraptions–like a cannonball with a handle–makes me feel badass. Holding them while doing squats or lunges increases the intensity of those exercises, and there are a host of kettlebell moves you can do to pump you up. (YouTube has loads of instructional videos, like this short one. Bonus: Instructor has Aussie accent!) Ones to consider: This rack of three kettlebells or this adjustable one.
Weighted Vest: While we can’t condone running wearing a weighted vest, it can be a versatile addition to lower-leg exercises, like calf raises, squats, and lunges, as well as wearing while walking on a treadmill or using an elliptical. This NordicTrack one comes with adjustable weights, up to 20 pounds total, that slide in and out of pouches.
Suspension Training: If you’re got slightly more workout space and a desire for something a bit different, consider suspension training, either with Rip60 or TRX. For full-body moves, you attach this strap-and-handle system over the top of a door and close it, or for a dedicated workout, suspend from ceiling mount. In warmer climates or come spring, this is can be looped around a swing set, tree branch, or deck post. When not in use, these products can be stuffed into a sack and even taken on the road when you visit in-laws.

Snap to attention with this DVD

Workout DVDs: In the early morning hours, sometimes my brain isn’t firing on all cylinders, so I love the simplicity of following a workout DVD. Sure, my body–and moves–look nothing like the chica on the screen, but I do my best to follow along. A few to consider: 10 Minute Solution Ultimate Boot Camp, Personal Training with Jackie: 30 Day Fast Start, and Jari Love’s Revved to the Max.
Tell us: What gets you–and your muscles–revved up?

Post-race Recovery

Congratulations, you’ve crossed the finish line! Now what? Post-race recovery is the oft-overlooked part of a race plan, yet it’s as important to your overall running health as training.

After walking you through the steps of a reverse taper, Sarah and Dimity discuss how soon to sign up for another race as well as how to get over the post-race blues. Go ahead, wear your finisher’s medal while you listen—you earned it.

[audio:http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/podcasts.pagatim.fm/shows/amr_111711_101347681.mp3]

*If you’re digging our podcasts, we’d be super-grateful if you’d take a minute (because we *know* you have so many to spare!) to write a review on iTunes. Many thanks.

**Also, the quickest way to get our podcasts is to subscribe to the show via iTunes. Clicking this link will automatically download the shows to your iTunes account. It doesn’t get any simpler than that!

Tell Me Tuesday: Building Blocks for Post-Run Recovery

What I daydreamed about on this weekend’s long run

On Saturday morning, I did my longest run since last spring—14 miles in prep for the Rock ‘N’ Roll Las Vegas Half Marathon. It was also my first solo long run in quite a while, so lots of time alone with my thoughts. As usual, I wasn’t able to hold a train of thought for very long, my mind skipping over topics like flat stones skittering across a calm inlet. But my thoughts kept coming back to my post-run treat: a tall glass of chocolate milk. Dimity and I are different in a lot of ways—I have to listen to music in a race; she finds tunes distracting; she hits snooze; I pop out of bed before my alarm—but there’s one thing we both wholeheartedly agree upon: Lowfat chocolate milk is the perfect post-run refuel.
Chocolate cow-juice is Step 1 in my post-run recovery process. Here’s what I did once I walked in my back door—and I’m thinking it’s the reason my legs felt no worse for the wear-and-tear in the days since my 2:20-trot.
-Lowfat chocolate milk: A big glass of the brown, lowfat liquid provides the perfect blend of carbohydrates and protein, sending those vital building blocks straight to my muscles even if my stomach can’t handle anything solid. Since it’s tasty, I chug-a-lug, ensuring I take in enough liquid to make a difference, both in terms of nutrients and hydration. Recently, I was surprised to learn chocolate milk contains many of the same elements as sports drinks, like sodium, magnesium, and potassium. (Who knew?!)
-Stretch and roll: I wasn’t always diligent about this step toward recovery, but my plantar fasciitis makes me dedicated to doing heel drops on our back porch stairs. I balance all my weight on the ball of my bum foot, then drop my heel as far as possible below the step and just hold the stretch for 30 to 45 seconds. For good measure, I do the same on the other foot, but I usually hit up my “bad” foot an extra time or two. Motivated by Dim’s video from last week, I then spent a few minutes with my oft-ignored foam roller, but we’ll see if that stays a part of my routine.

Ice, ice, baby

-Sit in ice bath. (See my previous post for 411 on that fun 15 minutes.)
-Shower, then slip on a pair of compression sleeves. I go through phases of wearing compression for recovery and skipping it, but thanks to a Runner’s World review I’m writing, I’m all about my hot pink CEP calf sleeves. And I don’t think it’s a coincidence that my tight-for-months (years?) calves are no longer continually tender.
-Head back to the kitchen and make a proper protein-packed lunch. Saturday it was scrambled eggs with spinach and feta (along with Dave’s Killer Bread toast) because the kids were asking for eggs, but it could have just as easily been hummus and pita or a turkey sandwich.
-Yardwork with the family. Oh, wait, that was just regular life, not recovery.
What are your must-do’s for post-run recovery?[Disclaimer: Yes, Dimity and I are spokespeople for the Refuel with Chocolate Milk campaign, meaning we’ll each run the Rock ‘N’ Roll Las Vegas Half Marathon as a Team Refuel Road Warrior. But we’ve been preaching the power of chocolate milk for years (even giving it a shout-out on page 125 of Run Like a Mother), way before any of this affiliation.]

Stop, Hey: What’s That Sound?

My mom and I, telling stories–and listening.

I was on Denver Public Library website a few weeks ago and saw that the mobile version of StoryCorps was coming to town. I jumped on it. StoryCorps, in case you’re not an NPR geek like me, are 40-minute conversations between any two people–relatives, friends, employees–that are recorded and archived in the Library of Congress. Small segments of a small portion of interviews are broadcast weekly on NPR stations. Because I love the pieces and because I never know what to get my mom for gifts, I signed us up for a session for her birthday.
If your family is anything like mine, you “hear” the same stories again and again: when Sarah, my little sister, split open her chin on a patch of ice; when I decided to see if my lip would really stick to a the frame of a hockey net (it did, oh, how it did); when Megan, my older sister, bought a head-to-toe outfit from The Limited that a couch from the 70’s would’ve been proud to wear. The words circulate at gatherings, but I’m not sure anybody really hears them. I know I don’t.
I wanted to hear (and record) my Mom’s history, her stories, her thoughts, her advice, minus the drama that comes with the wine and emotional baggage that always get served with family meals. I did my best to listen to her words during our conversation, but I fully admit, I am not a good listener. Part of that comes from the patterns my job–during an interview, I ask a question, then as I type the answer, I think about a follow-up q.–but most of it comes from impatience and familiarity.
On a good day, I listen to my kids maybe 50% of the time, which is likely why they only listen to me half the time too. (“WHERE ARE YOUR SHOES? GET THEM ON!” I bellow regularly, so annoyed that this is the fifth time I have to ask.) Ben is a total chatter, and I just can’t process everything he says, especially when he gets going on Star Wars. Amelia is more reticent, but the noise that surrounds those two makes me subconsciously tune out. And I’ve been with Grant for long enough to know his speaking habits and his typical responses. I shouldn’t take them for granted, but I do. (To wit: I’ve stopped asking him what he wants for dinner, because he always turns it around and asks me what I want. So not helpful.
Because I can’t seem to stop striving–and because I need to channel my non-running-energy somewhere–I am trying to listen better. (StoryCorps calls listening an act of love. I want in on that action.) That means keeping my mouth shut. For longer than is comfortable. And when I open my mouth, not having some response I’ve already formulated. Just like most patterns in my life–I drink skim milk; I hate heavy metal; I lose most of my ability to function after 9:30 p.m. –it’s hard to break.
So I’ve decided to start with regularly listening to one thing I have the most control over: myself. Yeah, I realize it’s not much of a conversation, but it’s a start. I’m trying to listen to my body, which might be the best thing you can give yourself as a runner.

The next AMR tee?

Listen for the times it wants to rest, even when you want to go. (Really tune in: is it super tired, or is it just trying to fake you out?) Listen to your knee when it tells you that it really doesn’t want to go another three miles, thank you very much. Listen to the whispers that tell you to try a longer distance. Don’t just immediately shut them up, assuming they clearly don’t know your limits. Listen to the what-if’s that are wondering if you can go faster or get up that hill. If they’re wondering, it’s likely you can. Listen to your muscles sing after a good run, your pride pounds as you cross the finish line.
Tune in, and you’ll hear yourself in ways that could be music to your ears. Sorry: really bad cliche. I couldn’t think of something better. It’s nearing 9:30, after all.
How are your listening skills? With your body? Kids? And, if you want to go there on a Monday, your significant other?

Follow This Couple!

Chris and Crea at the Disneyland Half

Crea and Christopher Wilno, ages 41 and 45 respectively, have been thrown more than their share of speed bumps. They lost their baby, Isabella, just before she was due to be born, and Christopher lost his father to leukemia shortly thereafter. While pregnant again, Crea was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. Still, the family, which includes Tiana (19 years old), Jaden (7) and Thalia (3), is thriving and, of course, running.
Best recent run:

Crea touching down at the finish line

Crea: Last Sunday. It was only my second run since taking a long break from running while Chris trained for his last Ironman. It is difficult to fit in my working out when he is training for such an intense race. My run was just a slow 3 miler through our neighborhood but it reminded me of what I have been missing by being away from running: a few moments to myself to listen to some good music and focus on myself.
Chris: Last week, my son wanted to go for a run with me. We went 1.65 miles at a 10-minute pace. I got to hang out with my best buddy doing what I love to do.
Roots of running:
Chris: I ran cross-country in high school, but then the sport faded into the distance after graduation. Seventeen years later, my father was diagnosed with leukemia. I spent 15 months watching this disease beat him down. In high school when I was a fast runner; the marathon was something that really scared me. I felt like the gesture of staring my fear in the face would be a good tribute to my father. I walked into a running store, Go Tri Sports in Hilton Head, and shared my story with the owner, who grabbed a Team in Training flyer and handed it to me. I went back home and told my Dad. He never spoke a word about it. He just shed one tear. That is how my second running life began.
Crea: I’m a reluctant runner. I prefer swimming, which is funny because Chris would rather run 20 miles than spend 30 minutes in the pool. Chris is really why I had any interest in running. He was so determined to fight back against cancer.
After Chris completed his first marathon with Team in Training, I joined as well and walked 26.2 miles at the San Diego Rock N Roll Marathon. The importance of this race was that it came 7 months after our son was born, 7 months after having a thyroidectomy tied to cancer, and 5 months after all the radiation treatment that accompanies a cancer diagnosis.

Chris at the 26.2 mile… stretch?

Not quite across the finish line yet: (Crea) In November 2009, I thought my doctor would tell me I was cancer free, but the cancer had returned. I had my second surgery for thyroid cancer in February 2010 and a year later they found another very small nodule. I recently received the good news that the nodule had not grown so for now, I sit and wait until the next test. The goal is to have good results for 5 years that I can move on with my life and leave cancer behind.
Princesses for a Day: (Crea) I ran the Disneyland Half in 2010 with Chris while I was training for my first marathon, the Santa Barbara International Marathon. This year I walked it with my stepmother, who is a breast cancer survivor. She has always wanted to do the three-day Avon walk but health issues kept her from being able to, so we did the half instead. It was great to share the day and the miles with a fellow cancer survivor and to be able to push her along when it got difficult near the end.
Music to her feet?: (Crea) My iPod is my most important piece of gear. It gives me time to do something I am trying to learn to love—running—while doing something I do love: listening to music. In time, I hope these two merge and I love to do both.
And the winner is…:(Chris) Our complicated story of loss certainly helps to generate donations, but I also like to believe it is tied to the way we have handled the hardships. Instead of focusing on the tough times, we choose to focus on the blessings that came out of them.
I simply believe you have to speak from the heart and good things tend to come your way. Beyond this, I have used raffles as a tool for raising funds. I accumulate prizes and then sell a limited amount of tickets for a chance to earn those prizes.
Kona, here she comes: (Crea) I am signed up to compete in the Lavaman Triathlon on April 1, 2012. Chris has done this race 3 years in a row with Team in Training, so I’m keeping up the tradition. I’m very excited for the post race vacation in Kona with the family.
Gotta know: where is the name Crea from? It is simply a Santa-Barbara made-up hippie name.
Follow this couple at: Good Plus One (Caveat from Chris: “I am not sure if you can really call it a blog but it is where I post things I write when I have the time to write.”) or @run2savelives (Chris) and @createrese (Crea)

Does Size Matter?

Bart Yasso in the house!

Dimity and Sarah knew there’s no one better than Runner’s World Chief Running Officer, and general race expo bon vivant, to debate the pros and cons of of big race versus smaller race, so the gals brought their bud Bart on to chat.

They let Bart lead the conversation, and it ends with the gals getting a little choked up and teary-eyed. In a word: acceptance.

One note: We had a tough time with sound coming from Portland, Denver, and central PA, so don’t think it’s your headphones. It’s us.

[audio:http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/podcasts.pagatim.fm/shows/amr_110311_101331811.mp3]

*If you’re digging our podcasts, we’d be super-grateful if you’d take a minute (because we *know* you have so many to spare!) to write a review on iTunes. Many thanks.

**Also, the quickest way to get our podcasts is to subscribe to the show via iTunes. Clicking this link will automatically download the shows to your iTunes account. It doesn’t get any simpler than that!

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