Mother Runner Party Time and Giveaway

March 12, 2014 by beewhobabbles

A few weeks ago, the Mother Runners held a party at a running store here in Orlando. I first heard about the event from my local mother running group and I thought, “A night out with wine and runner chat and two of the coolest women in this community? Absolutely!” The Chicks are longtime fans of Sarah and Dimity. I love their books. Run Like a Mother was one of the first books I ever mailed to Meridith. Mer raves about their podcasts. (Which I still haven’t made time to listen to. However, I can sing all of the Kidz Bop catalog. Mother Runner, indeed.) And to be completely honest, I had heard that their swag bags for these events were THE BEST.

This party did not disappoint! I met the Mother Runners when I checked in-

Dimity complimented my outfit, and she’s just a funny and tall as I thought she would be. The awesome thing about both of these women is that they’re just real. The supportive, girlfriend vibe that is uniquely them is present even in person.

After some socializing and shopping, we got down to business. They did a few readings from their book, Train Like A Mother, a book I pre-ordered on Amazon before it came out two years ago, but still haven’t read. I was pregnant and not running at the time, and frankly, it was too depressing to read it. I’ve loaned it out a few times though, and after hearing someone say they had a 13 minute PR from one of the training plans, it’s definitely at the top of my running reading list.

Then it was time for the giveaways. BEAUCOUP DE GIVEAWAYS. Sadly, I didn’t win anything. I did get to take home a pretty sweet swag bag though:

I also bought this awesome shirt:

And some goodies for a lucky reader!

Click the link below to enter our Mother Runner giveaway, for a super cute Sweaty Band and a motivational magnet. I will also throw in the Mother Runner book of your choice: Run Like A Mother or Train Like A Mother.

Giveaway ends at midnight on March 19, so get to it!

Are you in a running group? What would your “Mother Runner” shirt say? Do you like a bare refrigerator front or do you have things posted all over it? I used to have a million papers and pictures on ours but we upgraded to a steel fridge that only holds magnets on the sides or top corners. So now it’s plain. Boo.

The Princess and The Speed

March 5, 2014 by beewhobabbles

I feel like I’m still catching up on sleep from Princess Weekend. Actually, let’s be real here. I have a 15 month old who doesn’t sleep through the night yet. The 2:30am wake up calls during the Glass Slipper Challenge made for a longer stretch of sleep than I typically get. So I guess I’m still catching up on sleep from the birth of my son. I should really just be napping right now.

Anyway. Princess Weekend was a whirlwind. Sara and I drove down to Disney on Friday night to sleep at the Art of Animation resort so that I could have uninterrupted sleep and we could wake at 2:30 instead of 1:30, because that would have just been crazy. We ran the 10k on Saturday and Sara had a PR by five minutes. Go Sara!

Everyone is obsessed with Frozen in my house (even the boy yells “Go!” at the tv, which is his way of asking to see the “Let It Go” video), so it was exciting to see Elsa at mile one of the 10k, talking to people as they ran past. You guys, there was a snow machine! (I’m sure you’ve read this on the internet already. I know I’m a week and a half late on this. But Elsa and snow! I could have cried. I took video for my girls. Definitely a “Disney Magic” moment of the weekend.)

On Sunday morning, we met up with Dorothy to complete 13.1 miles. I had been having stomach issues all weekend- I still haven’t figured out if it was related to the Clif shots (I took one prior to the start of each race-tested beforehand too) or if it was an isolated incident- and I had to stop to use a bathroom during the race, which I’ve never done before. Annoying. And TMI? (but really, any recs on pre-race fuel?) So, we ended up getting separated around mile five, but met at the finish to celebrate Dorothy’s first half marathon.

For me, the highlight of the half marathon is the choir just before the finish. If you follow us on instagram, you saw my video from that moment (and yes, I thanked them as I passed).

The real Disney magic of this race comes from the volunteers. They’re wonderful. They dance along the course, give high fives, cheer you on as you pass. When you walk into the bag claim (and for this race, you have to pass through even if you didn’t check a bag), they all applaud. It’s just really special. I said thank you to as many as I could, because they got up even earlier than I did, and they don’t get to go home until everyone is finished. If you’re reading this and you’re a race volunteer- THANK YOU. You make the race a success.

Here are a few pictures from my weekend:

Before the 10k. No, we did not run with the braids!

Wondering, and wondering, and wondering, and wondering- when will this race begin?

Yep, we totally stole our daughters’s Halloween costumes for the half-marathon.

Our other PNK sister, Dorothy, at her first half-marathon!

This was my last Run Disney event for a while. (I think. Never say never, I have a few local friends planning to run Wine and Dine and hmmmm. But probably not. Maybe.) I was happy to meet up with Vic and Heather and had a blast training and running with Sara and Dorothy. As for my own race, my chip time was 22 seconds faster than my Wine and Dine time, which was sort of a bummer. I wasn’t going into this race to PR- I’m pretty far from that right now- but I had hoped to improve a bit more than 22 seconds. I’ve thought a lot about it, as I tend to do, and I know there are some variables in my life now that weren’t there before when I was able to sub 2:00 in a short amount of time-

First, I have a baby who doesn’t sleep through the night. This isn’t a mom blog, and he’s my third child, and I’m totally not looking for advice. Or sympathy, haha. It is what it is, and the way we choose to parent- well, he doesn’t sleep through the night yet. He will eventually. As far as my running goes though, less sleep must factor into it, right?

Second, and this is the big one…I’m not training to run faster. Oops. I know I have to run fast to get fast. I know it. I said that I would start speed work after the run streak and I didn’t. Womp womp. In the spirit of Meri’s brilliant post about faking it vs. doing the work, I am going to do the work- starting this week.

Next up on my race calendar is a 10 miler at the end of this month, followed by two half marathons in April. I don’t plan to PR, but I hope to be closer to doing so (and I hope to get my fuel sitch figured out too). Any advice for me? For speed work, do you prefer tempo runs or track workouts?

Princess Half Marathon weekend: Picture Pages

February 28, 2014 by vfreile

While the scoot chicks love to chat, we also love to share our favorite pics with our friends.

So instead of a traditional race recap, I will instead share my favorite photos from last weekend. If you wish to read my Princess Half Marathon weekend recap on my work blog, CLICK HERE.

We arrived at Animal Kingdom Lodge on Thursday and each “Princess” was presented with a rose. Well played, Disney. I loved this special treatment!

We celebrated our first night with a dinner at the California Grill atop the Contemporary. Here we watched fireworks over the Magic Kingdom and enjoyed an incredible meal! We were also a obsessed with the wine coolers.

LOTS of Rapunzels! From left, me, Brooke, Sara and Heather. And yes, we did plan to all dress as the same character for the Enchanted 10K. Heather made the two matching tops, and they were so comfortable to run in! Thank you Heather! All four of us participated in the inaugural Glass Slipper Challenge, which is a 10K on Saturday and a half-marathon one day later.

Post-10K with friends Tara and Kelly.

On Saturday, I worked at the expo with the Sparkle Athletic ladies. Here I am with Kelly as we take a 3-second break from all the sales at their popular booth!

Heather made our fantastic costumes. We’re Ariel’s sisters Aquata and Attina!

Soon enough, it was time to run the half-marathon. We snapped a few shots before the race at the starting line before the fireworks started us off on our 13.1-mile journey.

With Elise (in pink), Kelly (in blue) and Carrie (in green) aka Sleeping Beauty’s fairies at the start. And yes, they wore those hats the entire race.

Those sparkle fairies sure are fast! I hung with them for the first mile, then decided to run a much slower race. This was my parting shot of them. Great job ladies!

This foggy moment near mile 3 was one of my favorite images from the course.

Selfie by Cinderella’s Castle. I’m still laughing at this one. The crowd behind me was so motivating and encouraging. Hundreds cheered and whooped as I jumped into the air and ran off. It was among of my favorite moments from the race.

Hanging with Princess Tiana mid-race

Watching Mickey cheer several Princesses at the finish was pretty cool.

Selfie with my girl Kristin!

Had an incredible time eating my way around EPCOT with the wonderful Jillian! Starbucks and cronuts, then German Pretzels and Pilsner? Yes please!

Speaking of beer in Germany….

We ended my final night watching Fantasmic at Hollywood Studios. All I can say is WOW!

And of course, here’s the parting shot of all my girly medals, including my pink Coast to Coast medal, which is awarded upon completion of the Tinker Bell and Princess half marathons.

I hope you all had an equally magical weekend!

Tell me about your race adventures! What was your favorite moment from the course(s)? Which was your favorite Princess race?

2014 Disney Princess Weekend- Expo Edition

February 26, 2014 by beewhobabbles

Well, after a spur-of-the-moment 3.5 mile run with Sara yesterday (we were supposed to be walking) and an hour long strength session with Trainer Jen this morning, I guess I’ve recovered from Disney’s Princess Weekend. Victoria and I participated in the Glass Slipper Challenge- running the 10k on Saturday and the half-marathon on Sunday. It was a weekend filled with girl time, running and not nearly enough sleep, and concluded with the award of three gorgeous medals. (Victoria’s weekend also included some vacation time! She’ll fill you in on that soon.)

Let’s back up a bit though- to Thursday afternoon (for Vic) and Friday morning (for me), when we visited the race expo.

Disney doesn’t do small- even the expo is a Major Event. Tons of shopping, seminars, and even a beer cart! It’s very well organized, and also has some of that Disney magic we all know and love.

Here are some expo moments we captured-

Vic and Heather outside the expo entrance. Glass Slipper Challengers, holla!

An overview of the expo.

Run Disney nutritionist Tara Gidus and the mother runner authors; Dimity McDowell and Sarah Bowen Shea speak at a seminar.

Dorothy and me with Sarah Bowen Shea (and cute baby boy who couldn’t stop staring at SBS.)

Dorothy’s haul!

Favorite booth from the Princess Expo? I bought a few new Sweaty Bands and a six pack of cupcakes from the Yum Yum truck. Victoria got the very last Glass Slipper Challenge Sweaty Band.

A Bunch Of Random Things, With Pictures

February 19, 2014 by beewhobabbles

I wanted to tell you all about the two yoga classes that my fit friends and I hit this month (Take that, Fit Club Fail!) (Spoiler: Neither one was Bikram.) but I am just crazy busy this week. Instead, I present to you some things I am doing and loving and thinking about right this second, along with some pictures. In other words, a completely self-indulgent blog post.

First- this arrived at my house yesterday.

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We visited the tasting room for Thumbprint Cellars on our 5th anniversary trip to California a few years ago, and this Christmas, J gifted me with a membership to their wine club. This is chardonnay, and they even sent a bar of chocolate. It’s like they know me.

Second- it is Girl Scout cookie time and I am eating all the cookies. My friend sent me one of those cat meme pictures that says “ATE 4 BOXES OF THIN MINTS. NOT FEELING VERY THIN.” That cat is my soul sister, you guys. I mean, really- could those cookies be any more delicious? And the scouts are just too cute to deny-

Alright, so that is my adorable kid. (You may think she is channeling Vanna White here at our cookie booth, but that is really her Elsa pose. She does it for all photos these days. Don’t you want to build a snowman? And buy some cookies?) I’m her troop leader, so I really can’t say no, but next year I am buying two boxes and donating the rest to the military. Remind me, okay?

Our council is one of the test councils for the Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Shortbread and I bought a bag for one of you! I’ll be posting a giveaway for that soon.

Third- A Fresh Market opened in my city and it’s a Very Big Deal. I popped in last week to check it out and took home this bag of popcorn-

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Which might taste better than Boom Chicka Pop. LE GASP. But really. Black pepper! It’s delightful. (It has an odd smell though, which I can’t figure out because the ingredients are normal, non-chemical-y things. But still. Tasty. Just don’t stick your nose in the bag. Which would be a weird thing to do anyway.)

In non-food related things that I love this week, my daughters are now proud owners of Nike sneakers.

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They’re very excited to be “matchies” with me, and now beg every day to go for a run. I know I gave birth to them, so I have to think they’re adorable, but really. SO ADORABLE.

More on the topic of running- Tonight, I get to hang out with THE MOTHER RUNNERS. Well, not “hang out” so much as listen to them talk about running at a local fitness store. But yay! I love their books and the way they inspire women, and well, I’m also looking forward to the swag bag.

And finally, this weekend is the Glass Slipper Challenge! Sara and I are working on our matching costumes (we’ll be dressed up as the same character that our daughters did for Halloween this year. That’s all I’m sharing for now.), and I’m making plans to see Vic and Heather. There will be lots of squeeing, hugging, merriment and pictures of it all.

I’ve been doing my long runs with my friends, Sara and Dorothy, and this weekend will be Dorothy’s first half marathon and Sara will most likely PR in both races. Even though I won’t be setting any personal records, I’m really excited to see my friends reach their goals. As much as running is a solo sport, it can also have the feel of being on a team. We’ve all worked hard, and we’ve done it together. On Sunday, I’ll be as happy for them as I would be if it were my own personal victory.

On a completely superficial note, I cannot wait to have that shoe medal. Because SHOES.

So…favorite wine? Favorite Girl Scout cookies? Favorite expensive health food store snacks? Talk to me! Who is running Disney this weekend?

Prepping for Princess

February 13, 2014 by vfreile

One week from today, I’m heading to the Happiest Place on Earth!

That’s right, in seven short days, I’ll be reunited with several good friends in Orlando as we celebrate Princess Half weekend at Walt Disney World. I’ll be honest, I need this respite from rough wintry weather. As I write this, it’s 4 degrees below zero outside.

NEGATIVE FOUR

And I haven’t even factored in the wind chill (-15, for the record.) But enough about the weather. Let’s talk about all things girly and warm!

Princess Half Marathon and Tangled 5K were my first runDisney race in February 2012 as Brooke and I ran with Meri as she tackled her first-ever 13.1. We all loved the experience, but learned a few things in the process.

Brooke, Mer, and I with Cinderella and Prince Charming

SO! Here are a few tips for a successful Princess weekend:

How and where do I get my race packet (and shirts)?

Each runner is required to retrieve her (or his) bib and race packet from the “Fit for a Princess” expo, held at the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex. There, you’ll also get a race shirt (or shirts, if you’re running several races!)

And of course, there’s LOTS of temping shopping inside the Jostens Center ranging from official runDisney merchandise, New Balance sneakers, Sweaty Bands head bands and other apparel, like Champion, Raw Threads and Sparkle Athletic. (These are also great spots in case you need a last-minute costume too!)

The expo also features a Speaker Series that includes seminars on training, racing, how to deal with Florida’s heat and humidity and nutrition. This is pretty fantastic and filled with LOTS of great info.

The expo runs for three straight days:

10 am to 8 pm on Thursday, Feb. 20
9 am to 7 pm on Friday, Feb. 21
9 am to 5 pm on Saturday, Feb. 22

Some times will be busier than others at the expo. If you want a Dooney and Bourke Princess themed purse, go Thursday morning as these babies will sell out quickly.

If you want to avoid as much shopping temptation as possible, go on Saturday afternoon as a lot of items will be sold out by then.

Meri and I at the 2012 Princess expo

How do I get to the expo?

If you are staying at a WDW “race weekend” resort, follow posted signs to the resort bus stop and look for the appropriate bus. There’s usually someone on hand at the bus stop to direct you. (and the buses are usually well-labeled.)

Don’t see a sign? Ask a cast member or ask at the front desk and they will direct you to the appropriate location.

If you are driving to the expo, parking is free at the Wide World of Sports.

Can I change my corral at the expo?

Sadly no. Until 2013, runners could switch corrals if they provided proper proof of time.

Race morning: What’s the drill?

My motto here is “better to be early than sprinting to the start.”

Personally, I get up insanely early to hop the first-possible bus out of my resort. It’s absolutely worth rising a few minutes ahead of an already nutso wake-up call, to arrive early at the starting area. This gives you enough time check your bag, hit the bathroom and walk 20 minutes (in a crowd) to the starting corrals.

Then, be prepared to wait. Depending on how early you get to the starting corrals, you may have a wait until the 5:30 am race start.

Also, it’s a good idea to know WHERE you are going to be catching the bus. I tend to the bus stop to check it out the day before the race.

What should I bring race morning?

Bring a garbage bag (to sit on) or an old mylar blanket from a previous race. If the forecast calls for a chilly race morning, bring a throwaway shirt or sweatshirt and if its cold enough, gloves. You can toss all of these items over the corral fence and to the side once you start running.

And obviously, bring your pre-race fuel, such as a banana, bagel or packaged treat.

I also always bring a package of tissues….just in case I head into a portable toilet without any toilet paper or need to make a pit-stop in the woods.

And you’re off!

Once you start running your 5k, 10k, or half-marathon, enjoy your experience! Snap lots of photos as he run and please be courteous to your fellow runners!

Til next week, I’ll be packing and hydrating….and repeatedly checking the forecast. Have a great Princess weekend everyone!

Brooke and Meri celebrate at the finish in 2012.

Do you have any burning questions about Princess weekend, races, the expo? Send them our way! Are you running this weekend? What corral are you in? (We will look for you!)

Going Green

February 12, 2014 by beewhobabbles

We’ve been going green for the past few months in our house. Green, pink, purple and sometimes even brown. I’m talking about smoothies, of course, which is not a new thing but it’s new to me. In the past I’ve preferred to eat my fruits and veggies whole, but I’m slowly starting to enjoy drinking my greens.

Once I began using the blender daily, we decided it was time for an upgrade. My friend, Dorothy, sang the praises of her Vitamix, and even made me some peanut butter with hers. When she showed me how easy it was to clean, I was sold. Two weeks ago, we brought home this baby:

Even Little Dude is excited.

Prior to setting up my Vitamix, I stuck to a pretty basic smoothie- banana, greens, almond milk. Now I’m alllll about experimenting.

First, I tried this kale smoothie- mango, kale, banana? Delicious. I drank this every morning until I ran out of frozen mango.

After eating Mexican food on Super Bowl Sunday, I tried this cilantro smoothie-

photo 2-13

The cilantro flavor was strong but I’m a cilantro fan, so hooray! Another win.

After my long run on Sunday, I had a recovery smoothie, but used protein powder instead of greek yogurt (because that was what I had on hand). This tasted okay…I’m not sure about the powder. However, I’m usually ravenous after a long run, even after eating, and with this, I felt satisfied until lunch time.

On Monday, I made a spinach and avocado smoothie . This was interesting, in a good way. I mainly tasted the tang from the greek yogurt and the lime. It was super creamy, and I think the fat in the avocado cut the chalkiness of the greek yogurt (fat free greek yogurt isn’t my favorite). I’ll definitely make this again.

Yesterday, I decided to try the Glowing Green smoothie. Dorothy swears by this one, so I knew it had to be good. I shared some with my husband and also brought one to Sara, and we were all impressed with the taste, considering the amount of greens in it.

photo 5-6

I’m almost out of peanut butter, so that’s up next. I’m so excited to use this machine every morning!

Smoothie fans, send me your fave! Vitamix owners, what else can this thing do?

These Are a Few of My Favorite Shoes

February 5, 2014 by beewhobabbles

I enjoy crafting and creating. One of my favorite things to volunteer for at my daughter’s preschool is decorating the classroom door. I typically choose to do something detailed. Something hand-drawn with a lot of writing and cutting. Something that forces me to use many curse words. It’s all worth it in the end though- my daughter is proud and happy, and I get a little flutter of smug mommy feelings when I drop her off at school each day. Last April, I made a Lorax-themed door.

This year, I chose February. I knew I wanted to do another book; a popular book that the kids enjoyed, and I wanted it to tie in with Valentine’s Day.

Enter Pete the Cat. Pete loves his white shoes. They change colors but does Pete care? Goodness no! “It’s all good,” says Pete.

We’re big Pete fans in our house- those books and anything by Mo Willems are a must-read- and when I emailed my girl’s teacher to ask for some help, she was pretty excited about a Pete door.

Like Pete, I’m also a fan of white shoes. Well, no. Not white shoes, per se. I don’t think I’ve owned any white shoes since my sorority days. But shoes? Yes. I love those. It may sound cliche (A girl who likes shoes? No way.) but my email is shoe-related and so is my voice mail message. My birthday and Christmas gifts are usually shoes. It’s all very Carrie Bradshaw.

Sharing is caring, my friends, and today, I’m going to share some of my favorite shoes with you.

First, my running shoes- the Nike Pegasus. I’m basically married to these shoes. I can’t tell you if they are low to the ground, or have a lot of padding, if they are snug or have lots of room. I have nothing to compare them to, because they’re the only shoes I’ve run in for the past four years. I love them. They come in so many beautiful colors (right now I’m sporting an ombre purple pair) and they just feel good to me.

This next pair just makes me happy. Who doesn’t smile at Hello Kitty? As my girls and I like to say, “What will they put her cute face on next?”

These shoes are stylish and functional. They’re rain flats! Florida is way too hot for Hunter boots- trust me, I have some and I’ve worn them twice. I keep these babies in the car during rainy season and I get so many compliments on them.

Going back to Carrie Bradshaw- there’s an arc in one of the seasons where Carrie goes to write for Vogue. She visits the accessories closet, finds a pair of Manolo Blahnik Mary Janes, and exclaims, “I thought these were an urban shoe myth!” They’re not so elusive now, but they’re still amazing. So beautiful and surprisingly comfortable. I got these a few years ago for my birthday and I love fall and winter because I get to wear them.

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I’m a girly girl. I love sparkle. These were another birthday gift and they’re perfect for holiday parties or New Year’s Eve.

photo 3-10

I only wore gold for a long time, and then only silver and now that gold is back in style, I mix metals. My wedding set is white gold, so I have no choice if I want to be on trend. My watch is rose gold, my arm party of bangles is usually gold, my favorite ballet flats are silver and my favorite sandals are gold. So I just go with the mixing. I bought these last summer and I love their femininity.

Josh and I visit NYC a few times a year. He goes to work, I go to see shows, visit museums and shop. One of my best friends lives there, so I try to persuade her to skip out on work and join me for some retail therapy. We both bought these two years ago and I just adore them. They have a little kitten heel, so they’re very comfortable, and I will never be over the polka dot trend. They make me smile.

My next big shoe purchase will be a pair of red heels. My brother got engaged on Christmas Day and his fiancé wants her bridesmaids to wear red shoes. I’m already searching for the perfect pair.

What’s your favorite running shoe? Do you collect shoes? Share your faves with me!

Chick Chat: Advice for Beginners

January 29, 2014 by beewhobabbles

Every January, treadmills and tracks see a new flurry of activity. One has to arrive earlier than usual to find a space at yoga. There’s a line for the weight lifting equipment at the gym.

I used to work at a gym, so I’m familiar with the whole “January Joiner” thing. A new year provides a perfect opportunity for a new beginning. A new attitude. New goals. New shoes. (Okay, that last one might just be me.)

However, the whole concept of a “January Joiner” is that these individuals will be done by February, and I hate that that’s a thing. Why can’t we encourage others to be fit? Active? Their healthiest, best self? We were all beginners once, right?

Two of our Scoot chicks are getting back into the swing of running things, and what better way to celebrate them- and other runners either returning to the sport after a hiatus or those who are dipping their toes in the running pond for the first time- than with some Chick chatter. We want to help you make the best start on your running journey; whether you are running for general fitness or adding miles for a race goal. Our advice:

CAM:

I haven’t clocked any miles since Wine and Dine, so it’s like I’m a newbie. I’d have to say the 2 min work/1 min rest routine is helping me immensely. It’s not so daunting when you have a guaranteed rest. There are awesome apps for phones that keep track of your time, and of course, there’s those fancy schmancy time-pieces that everyone’s sporting nowadays. I use HIIT Interval training timer. Also, get a buddy. I’m far less likely to slack if I know someone’s expecting me. Or even better, if someone’s picking me up!

MER:

When you begin (or begin again) I think it’s really easy to compare. Comparing yourself to other runners or to the runner that you once were – whether it be your high school self, your pre-injury self, or your twenty pounds ago self. My advice would be to treat yourself kindly. Use positive words and remind yourself that you are doing the best that you can within this given moment. When you’re running consistently, it’s very easy to forget just how difficult it is at the beginning of things.

Be consistent. But also be forgiving. If you have a bad day or a bad run, acknowledge it and then let it go. Don’t carry it with you.Try not to let it turn into a bad week or a bad month.

When I first started running, I was heavily reliant on my friends. I’d ask them to meet me at the park. It kept me motivated and they never minded going my pace (which was always slower than theirs). Now I’m more of a solo runner for many training runs but I still check in on the daily mile and chat with friends.

VIC:

Any journey begins with a step. It sounds cheesy, yes, but it’s also true.

Anytime anyone asks me about starting to run, I suggest they start with a run-walk. Run for a minute, walk for five. Run for two minutes , walk for five. Run for three minutes, walk for five. You get the idea!

Soon enough, you will be running without wanting – or needing – to stop and walk! I did this when I first got back into running. I’d actually count light poles on my route. I’d run past 2 light poles, then walk for two more. Then repeat. And again.

For me, the break was enough to look forward to, to get me through “the tough part.” And by distracting myself to look for and count light poles, it went by in a flash!

BROOKE:

I’m a big fan of small goals; they can add up to Big Things. Start with 20-30 minutes of running, 2-3 days a week. Once that is routine and comfortable for you, you can up the time, number of days and/or switch to a mileage goal. And don’t forget to celebrate your achievements!

Missing a day is just that. Missing a day. We all do it- hell, I did it last week. Don’t be too hard on yourself, just get back on track tomorrow.

Find your fit people. I’ve been lucky to find a regular crew to run with each week. We motivate each other and we laugh a lot too.

Happy running, everyone!

Any new runners out there? How’s it going? Experienced runners, please add your best advice in the comments!

Fit Club Fail

January 23, 2014 by beewhobabbles

Last Friday was the first meeting of my Fit Club and it was a total FAIL.

Let me back up- in years past, I’ve tried to make different “club” nights happen. It worked fine for actual clubbing in college, but once my circle of friends got jobs, husbands and children, it became harder to make a night out part of our routine. Enter the “club.” If it’s a club that meets monthly, you have to attend, right?

“Husband, you handle dinner and bedtime tonight, I have craft club!”

“Oh, be sure to schedule a baby-sitter, I’ve got book club.”

It sounds like a responsibility, rather than a night out with your best girlfriends, right?

To he honest, I really thought the wine club would be the one to survive, but none of our little clubs had staying power. Someone forgot to read the book, someone’s child got sick, someone made other plans…it just never became a regular occurrence.

Enter Fit Club. I rounded up my favorite workout buddies to do something we all do regularly anyway. It should have been foolproof.

Ready to shake it like a polaroid picture.

Back to last Friday night: We arrived at a local zumba/aerobics studio to try a cardio hip hop class only to find that the class didn’t start until February. I had double checked both the website and the Facebook page earlier that day so needless to say, I was not a happy hip hopper.

The owner told us that the regulars knew it hadn’t started yet…so I guess they decided not to update the schedule elsewhere. What about the January Joiners, sir? WHAT ABOUT THE FIT CLUB? I mean, really.

So our January meeting was a bust. Next up is bikram yoga. Sara, Danielle and I love hot vinyasa flow but we’ve never tried bikram. I hope it’s more successful than hip hop.

On the plus side, Sara and I had an amazing long run the following morning, which might not have happened (the amazing part. The running was a done deal) if we had danced the night prior. My pace is getting faster- I’m not doing speed work yet, just focusing on the miles- which feels wonderful. And since we aren’t running together for four days a week anymore, we have a week’s worth of topics to discuss.

Speedwork will commence following the Glass Slipper Challenge and I’ll be asking for all of your tips and tricks. In the meantime, tell me what fitness classes we should try! Any advice for bikram yoga?

Scootadoot

fitness, food, friends, fun

Tag Archives: Brooke