Fitness Follow-up Friday

Fitness Follow-up Friday is here! Well, it was here a few days ago but since we were out of town for the weekend, I didn't have a chance to post it until now!

Several people have asked what all is included in my weekly fitness.  So going forward, I am going to try and give you some idea of what my weeks consist of!  Each Friday will (hopefully) consist of a Fitness Follow-up!

Super Saturday Circuit

Super Saturday!

Last weekend started off this adventure with a Super Saturday Circuit at the gym!  30 Minutes, 9 exercises, as many rounds as possible.  The gym was packed and it was awesome to see everyone pushed it as hard as they could to get through this workout!  I managed to get through 4 1/2 rounds in my 30 minutes, using heavier weights on the OH lunges that I normally would, and modifying my plants to be one leg plants!  Then the circuit was followed by a 5 minute mini-mission consisting of sit-ups, squats and bicep curls!  I was definitely feeling that at the end!  After the workout, I spent some time in the other end of the gym hanging out with a foam roller and doing some other stretching.  Overall great way to start my weekend!

Sunday Funday in Bairds Creek

Sunday Funday with Friends!
Sunday afternoon we hit Bairds Creek and wandered the trails for just over 4.5 miles.  It was an awesome crisp afternoon spent enjoying the beautiful fall afternoon, watching ducks in the pond, sprinting up hills, and listening to the woodland creatures scurrying in the leaves.  I even got Colleens daughter to RUN up and down some of the hills with me!

Colleen - Next time I am climbing that tree when I see it, since we never made it back by it this time!!

Monday Morning Mini Rowing session

Manic Monday
Monday Morning wake up call!!  Last week I started meeting Tom at the gym for some mini rowing sessions before work.  We usually do a 5 minute warm up and then another 5 minutes of intervals.  Normally we do 1 minute on and then 30 second rest in between (5 total intervals),  but today we hanged it up and did 40 seconds on and 30 seconds off for 8 rounds (still 5 minutes total rowing time).  Those shorter intervals will catch up to you quick, however we both found that we actually rowed further in the same about of time!  Last weeks intervals gave me a total of about 1200m in the 5 minutes, today it was over 1300.

Remember, you need to change things up once in a while, otherwise your body becomes accustomed to the workouts and you may find yourself stuck on a plateau!  Keep your body guessing!

Afternoon Strength Adventures

Monday afternoon was Strength time at the gym!  Thanks Joe for  another great session! It was just one more day that I can say that I left the gym knowing that I pushed myself a little harder, stepped out of my comfort zone more, used heavier weights and still lived to tell about it!

Tuesday
Tuesday was "sleep in" in day... well not really. Instead of the alarm going off at 4:15 or 4:30, it went off at 4:45 so that I could get dinner in the crockpot before being at work for 6am.  After work it was time to hit the gym for another Strength class with Joe!  Forgot to take a picture of the board but it was a day full of Rowing, Clean's, KettleBells and Squats!  Between the KB work during the workout and then the mission at the end, I think I did  a zillion squats.  Ok maybe not a zillion, but it felt like it!  Then the Farmer Walks with 40lb KB's in each hand were epic!  Was fun to have Joe working out with us today as he was testing out the new MyZone units that they got in at the gym!  Thinking I might need to get one for myself to play with too!

Wacky Wednesday

Wacky Wednesday = Crazy sock day at the gym!

No rowing with Tom this morning since I have other things going on after work, needed to get my circuit in early!

5:15 Circuit class was THE way to wake up!  Was nice to see Lisa at the gym early today (I usually see her when she comes in for 6am, as I am jumping in the shower after the 5:15 class!) 3 stations, 9 exercises and burpees were not one of them!  4 minutes of wallballs, pushups and squats was tough but the 4 minutes of KB swings, pushpress and squats was enough to make my arms cry!  Then when you throw in some weighted crunches, Russian twists and flutter kicks, you get a morning workout that will definitely get you moving!

Tired Thursday
I am calling today Tired Thursday because I was too exhausted to get out of bed and get to the gym this morning.  My body said sleep, so I did  :)  I had to work at the bowling alley tonight for a few hours for a private party and the multiple trips up and down the stairs to the basement meeting room at least made me fee like I got in somewhat of a workout!

Finally Friday!
No work today since John and I were heading out of town for a long weekend, but I still was up early and got me workout in!  I also decided to splurge and get myself one of the new MYZONE monitors at the gym.  Charlene worked on getting it set up for me while I was doing a quick warm-up and then it was time to test it out!

MYZone  is a heart rate monitoring system that was recently installed at the gym to give us live feedback on how hard we are actually working out!  Anyone that is wearing a monitor has their live date displayed on the TV monitors that have been put up in each gym, to include current heart rate, calories burned, points earned (based on workout time, time in each heart rate zone and more!) and most importantly - your current max heart rate percentage! If you are not pushing hard enough, everyone will know - how's that for motivation to push your self that much harder?

This morning, started out with a rowing session with Tom, so my data was the only one on the screen (each gym has it's own screen showing data for those working out in that room).  I instantly found myself challenged by the numbers!  I was on a mission to keep that percentage as high as I could!   It was really cool to have a more accurate calorie burn too, since this takes into your age, heart rate etc.

After Tom and I finished rowing, I stuck around for the 6am Strength class.  There was one other person in class with a monitor too so it was interesting to see how our numbers compared during the 45 minute class!    At one point, we both we over 90%!    

After just one morning, I am easily able to see how this is going to help me get even more out of my workouts!  Results from this morning?  718 total calories burnt, peak heart rate 164, point earned 271.

What did you do to push yourself this week??  What are your goals for the next week?

Am I really crazy? I guess it depends on who you ask!

I am the first to admit that over the last few years I have become more that just a casual runner.  What started out as a few casual 5k's over several years has turned into something much bigger. 5 years ago, I was overweight, tired and could barely run a 5k.  This year I will have run over 700 miles and 6 half marathon, as well as countless other races and relays, still have a few pounds to lose, but the scale is no longer my focus.  Getting health is.  I am the first to admit that what I do is not what "normal" people do... but then again, I don't think I could really ever be called normal!

I have lost track of how many times I have been asked why I do all of the running that I do, if I am completely nuts or how I can have that much energy to do everything that I do.  My husband has commented to of several of our friends that if someone ever wants to know where I am, it is usually one of 3 places... Running, the Gym or working (ok, maybe 4 - home either trying to catch some sleep or relaxing with a glass of wine)!  If you say one of these places, you are probably right!  The response is usually "Why" or  "You're nuts", "You really RUN 13 miles... at once... for fun?" Honestly, I don't expect most people to understand.  Hours each week at the gym, miles on my feet running hitting the pavement (or Dreadmill on some of those extreme weather days), early morning alarms to get to the gym or to meet a friend to run... these are just some of the crazy things that I have been doing over the last few years. In fact there are times I have questioned why I do it all. However, it is a choice that I made and it has been one of the best things that I could have done!

Yes, I have lost track of the number of times that I have turned down plans with friends because I have an early run the next morning.  Or the nights that we have gone out with friends and instead of ordering a beer, I have stuck with water or some other beverage because I had a race coming up.  I don't need to have a beer in my hand to have fun - I just need my friends!  Running, as well as all of the strength training, has taught me so much about myself and what I am capable of and how strong I really can be.  

Is it worth it?

Absolutely!

The idea of challenging myself to do something that only a small percentage of the population does is beyond exciting.  Each time I cross the finish line at any race, it is a true feeling of accomplishment, knowing that all of the hard work I have been doing is paying off.

But it is more than just what running has proven to me that I can personally accomplish!  Between all of the running and working out at Fitness Renegades, I have made some great friends who help to keep me motivated (and I cannot forget the friends that I have met via social media - we may have never met, but sometimes that does not matter)!  We are all in this fitness adventure together, sharing workout ideas, training together (I will never look at a tubing hill or a pile of car tires the same again!), sharing healthy meal ideas and everything in between.  We all may not be runners, but the fitness mentality is there!  Together, we understand what the other is going through, the aches and pains of running or lifting, what to eat (or not eat) before a long run or tough workout, the pains of foam rollers (or even what one is), proper hydration... the list goes on.  Unless you are a runner,  are married to one or are a fitness junkie, you probably don't get it - and I don't' expect you to.  It is a truly unique lifestyle that one chooses.

I started doing this as something for me, but it has turned into something more.  Hearing that someone has started running because of me, or they started a new workout program because I somehow inspired them, or that they are working on improving their eating habits as a result of watching what I have been doing... well, that is still something that is taking me some getting accustomed to!  It also encourages me to keep going!  My son has started running 5k and 10k events with myTEAM TRIUMPH, has improved is race times and has even started coming to the gym with me once in a while!  Heck, my husband has even started walking some 5k's now!  I know that he will never be a runner, but just the fact that he is out there walking, I am super proud of him!  Everyone has to start somewhere and if I can help someone with that start, it makes all of this worthwhile!

I know that I am still a work in progress.  I know that with continued hard work, I will eventually get where I want to be - even if that end point changes from time to time! I also love the fact that I am helping other people make healthy changes, no matter how small, in their life!  I am also forever grateful for my husband who has put up with my crazy schedule, countless "vacations" that are somehow related to a race I want to run or my 2 hour trips to the grocery store(s) to find everything that I need for the next week's meals!  Without him, I know that I would not be able to do everything that I do!  Thank you John, for everything you do for me!

Then I originally started this blog, my thought was that if I could encourage ONE person to make a small change to improve their life, it was worth it.  In the end it is helping me to continue to make healthy changes in my life, and I am continuously grateful for those that I am meeting along the way that 

Yes I probably am crazy, but that's just who I am!  It is just an honor to know that I have done something to encourage positive changes in others!

Oh, and technically I am only HALF crazy... maybe one day I will run a full marathon and be completely crazy, but right now, half is my limit!

So for all of you out that that keep me going, Thank you!

... and now time to pack and get ready to head to Chicago!  Women Rock Half Marathon, here we come!

Hike, Bike and Ice (part 2)

Any morning that you can wake up with the sound of the waves less than 50 yards from your front door, you know is going to be a good day! The waves also so relaxing that we didn't wake up as early as we originally planned!  Hitting the trail at 7am can't happen if you don't wake up until 7:30!

The fog over the lake left an almost eerie look to the morning and brought with it some chilly air.  This was not going to be the morning for the shorts out on the trail today!  We grabbed a quick breakfast in the room (hard boiled eggs and refrigerator oatmeal!) and headed out on the 20 minute drive to the trail head.

I didn't have a chance to get a photo of the parking lot of the trail but there were a few cars already here... which we figured were probably people that were out camping on the trails somewhere.  A few minutes later we were on our way!  The fog out on the lake was floating into the woods so it gave the trail a very calming, serene feeling.

Start of the trail

A few miles in on the trail, we came across Chapel Falls.  This is a high cascading falls that you can either see right from the top or from across the ravine.  When we got to the overlook to the falls from the other side of the ravine, it was so foggy you could hardly see the falls - but you still could hear it!

Chapel Falls

A short while later we made it to Chapel Rock.  We actually didn't even realize we were there until we were literally right next to it because the fog was still so thick!  In the below picture, the beach is actually just beyond the tree but you can't even see it below!  From here, our original plan was to head down toward the beach and head south, but yesterday when Darrin was looking at the map, he asked if we wanted to add a few miles to our adventure and head up to Spray Falls.

Chapel Rock

We hiked up towards Spray Falls, knowing that we had about a mile and a half to travel.  With the current pace we were hiking we guessed on how long we would have to hike to get there.  With the dense fog still around us, it was difficult to tell where we were and how for we had traveled.  After a while, we knew that we were getting close, however with the rain that fell the night before, the trail was starting to get really muddy and, although my shoes were already wet, I decided that I didn't need to get them covered in mud to. We opted to turn back around and head back to Chapel Rock/Beach.  We figured that we were probably only a short distance from the falls.  I guess we will have to come back another time to find Spray Falls!

Lunch stop @ Chapel Beach

Once we got back to Chapel Rock, we actually saw the first other people of the day on the trail!  We left the parking lot nearly 3 hours ago and did not see a single person on the trail, up until now!  The dense fog obviously kept more people at home early in the morning. We stopped and chatted with them for a while and then headed down to the beach to find a spot to have lunch.   

The beach was deserted except for us, a seagull and one gentleman walking along the shoreline.  We found a big log to stretch out on, have lunch and relax for a while,  With the fog and cold breeze, we didn't stay down on the beach for too long.  It was time to get back on the trail and keep moving!  Darrin was on a mission to get back to the motel in time for the Packers pre-season game.

The lake is out there somewhere!!

The fog still was just as thick as this morning, even though it seemed to be trying to roll back out.  We kept watching it roll out, only to have it roll back in a few minutes later.  When we got to Grand Portal Point, we came across a group that had actually camped on the bluff the night before.  They commented on their fabulous view that morning - a large white wall of fog!  

Mosquito Beach

We kept moving and before long we made it to Mosquito Beach where it was time to stop for a snack break.  While we were sitting on the shoreline, I noticed a bald eagle flying nearby, which landed right on the top of one of the nearby trees.  It was then that we noticed a second one soaring around the same tree.  We watched them for a while, until they took off, heading south and getting lost in the treeline.

Mouth of Mosquito River

 Next stop, the mouth of the Mosquito River. We had fun looking at all of the "rock men" stacked up on the bigger rocks!  Someone obviously was having fun building these little piles all over the mouth of the river! By this time, I lost track of how many miles we actually walked but I knew that we were on the last leg of our adventure - and we were both starting to get tired!  Knowing that we were at less than 5 miles to go, we kept us moving!

Mosquito Falls

After nearly a full day of hiking we finally made it to the final stop on our adventure - Mosquito Falls!  We had a mile to go, we were tired and getting hungry so we didn't waste much time at the falls.  We made it back to the car, scraped some mud off our shoes, exchanged those wet shoes for flip flops and headed back to town!

This was a awesome day, but time to go back and put our feet up for a but while we contemplate dinner!

Dinner at Mudoon's Pasty Shop

We finished out this day with dinner from Muldoon's Pasties.  Last night was the best fish in town, tonight, the best pasties in the Upper Peninsula!  The rest of the evening was spend relaxing at the motel, chatting with the group of scuba divers that were staying right near us and watching football.

Total mileage for today = 16.5
trip total so far = 27.5

Tomorrow - final day of vacation, heading to the UP state fair!

Hike, Bike and Ice weekend 2014 (Part 1)

This past weekend was the 4th annual mom/son Michigan Adventure weekend.   From my last posted, I said announced this year's challenge of 50 miles of hiking, biking and running. We knew this was going to be a tough challenge, a lot of miles but we were going to give it our best shot!

 When we made it into town, our motel room was not quite ready (we anticipated this since we were getting to town before lunch!), so we left the car at the motel, grabbed the bikes and headed out to Sand Point and Munising falls. The falls are just a short ride from the motel and are one of the first stops that we make when we get to town.  We were going to head to Sand Point first, but for some reason, we decided to stop at the Falls first.

While we were hiking back town from the falls overlooks, we ran into group that was trying to get a group picture.  We offered to take the photo so they could all be in it. We started chatting with this group a bit and found out that the one young man was originally from the Czech Republic, currently living near Detroit, the other two young men were his friends and the older couple was his parents that were visiting from the Czech Republic for 2 weeks.  The boys were looking for waterfalls that they could actually walk it... They were on the mission!  Since Darrin and I have visited virtually every waterfall in the area, we knew exactly where they needed to go.  We gave them directions to Tannery and Memorial Falls, right down the road!  Darrin's favorite falls to walk though/under.

 After we got back to the parking lot, we decided that we didn't need to go to Sand Point.  We could just take this group to the falls.  We waited for them to get back down from the falls and told them that if they wanted to, we would bring them to the falls that we had mentioned.  They were more than a little excited when we offered this!  We spent the next hour with them, guiding them back to the hidden gems of waterfalls that were just down the road.  They boys all enjoyed getting into the falls, following Darrin's lead and walking right into water!  They all said it was really cold, except for Darrin - he said it was warmer than last year!  lol

 After the adventures at the falls, we headed back to check into the motel, change clothes and head into town for lunch.  Since our motel is only a short distance from town, it was a quick bike ride into town for lunch at "The Lunch Bag" - the awesome little cafe that we found at the end of our trip last year!  First place we stopped this year after checking into the the motel was the last place we visited last year!  Once again, we had great food and got some great ideas for places to visit all over the UP!

After lunch we stopped at the local winery so I could see what else new they might have, tasted some of their new creations and picked up a few bottles of wine.  As we were walking out the door, I spotted a brochure for the local frozen yogurt hot spot that was right down the road... so dessert was next!

By this time, we had put on a few miles riding around town, checking out the local waterfront park and were ready to head back to the motel. One of the places that the guys at The Lunch Bag told us about was a place the locals apparently call "Paradise"  It was a remote beach area just on the other side of Christmas.  So we figured we would see if we could find it.  Time for another adventure!

We found the road off the main highway without any issue and a few miles later we found the small dirt road.  This was definitely a typical Upper Michigan road - dirt, narrow and full of potholes!  We figured we were getting closer to the lake, but unfortunately with the rain the few days prior, the road ended up a little rougher that I was comfortable driving on so we ended up turning around.  Thankfully there was a small clearing there that we could turn around in - otherwise it would have been a long drive in reverse back to the other road!

Once we finally made it back to the main road it was smooth sailing back to the motel.  On the way back, it hit me.  We are on the shore of this massive, wonderful lake - I wanted FRESH fish for dinner.  We saw several signs for the local Elks fish fry and one other, but I didn't want some frozen, over processed, over cooked fish.  I wanted something that was swimming in the lake yesterday!  So, when we got back to the motel, we stopped at the front office to check with Pam and what she recommended.  She gave us the name of 3 different places, so we had a decision to make!

I did some research online.  One of the places was further out of town than we wanted to venture, the second was more of a supper club (and far dressier than any clothing options that we had with us!).  The 3rd was the steakhouse and bar that was on the corner where we had to turn when we were looking for "paradise" just an hour before. So we were off again!  Back to Christmas we go!

Foggy's did not disappoint!  From the outside, this steakhouse bar/grill looks like your typical small bar.  Nothing fancy on the inside but I was pleasantly surprised that it was not just a bar that served food.  The front half of the building was the bar and the back half the restaurant.  They even have a huge grill in the middle of the dining room where you can grill your own steaks!  You can read my full review of the restaurant here.  Fabulous food, great service and reasonable prices!

After that awesome dinner, we made out way back to the motel to relax and figure out our game plan for tomorrow.  Darrin opted to add and extra section of trail to our hike so we needed to figure out how early we needed to hit the trail so that we could get back in time for kick off of the Packers Pre-season game!  As we were sitting outside, enjoying the view of this amazing lake, we decided that we needed to get out and move a little!

We jumped in the car and made the 20 minute trek out to Miner Castle - another must stop each year that we are here.  We made it out there about a half hour before sunset and decided to stick around to see what kind pics we could get...  The scenery did not disappoint!  The colors in the sky were amazing - the pictures that we were able to get could not capture the true uber awesomeness of the fire in the sky!


When we finally made it back to the motel, we were beat!  We tried sitting outside to enjoy the calm quiet of the lake, but the mosquitoes were ready to dinner... and we didn't want to me the main course so we headed in and called it a night!

Day 1 total miles = 11

I leave you with a few images from Miners Castle...

Part 2 coming soon - we tackle 14 miles of pristine wilderness and cliffs!

5th Annual Packers Training Camp 5k

This past weekend marked the 5th annual Packers Training camp 5k.  Since I have run this event every year since it started, it was one that I didn't hesitate to sign up for when registration opened.  This is one of 2 times during the year that I know I will get inside Lambeau Field (the other time is each spring with the Cellcom (Half) Marathon or 5k).  This is always a fun race to run and it brings out so many people - why not, when you can run through Lambeau Field.  There have also been times when several of the Packers players were spotted running the course.  A few years ago, I actually ran with Mark Murphy, Packers President and CEO, for a while, but he quickly left me in the dust!

Each year this event has been slightly different... the first few years, it was at 10am.  Now, normally, I don't mind the 10am start, but when you are talking the end of July, by 10am it was always too warm.  I can understand why they went with a slightly later start time - they were looking to make it a family event and a 7am start time is not practical when you are looking to get families together to come out and run/walk.  During the second year, I think it was 85 degrees by the time we finished!  Then they changed the run to the evening.  Last year, this was awesome!  It was unseasonably cooler than the year before - low 60's and cloudy!  It it was not for the bottleneck getting into the stadium, this would have been the first time I broke the 30 minute 5k time.  My official time last year was 30:08.

This year was a little different for my family!  This was the first time that the entire family was participating in the event!  I had a bunch of friends that I was going to be running with, John decided to sign up to walk and Darrin was going to be running with myTEAM TRIUMPH.

Darci, Kim, John and Myself before the start

This year they once again went with the 6:30pm start time and the weather was not as mild as last year.  As it turned out, Matt and I were signed up for wave 2 (7-9 min mile pace) and then Darci & Kim were in wave 3 (9-11 min mile pace), so we headed to our respective corrals while John and Molly headed to their corral with the rest of the walkers.  Darrin was already hanging with the rest of the crew from mTT.  He was running with Captain Tristan and fellow Angel Adrianne this year.  At the time the start gun went off, it was 87 degrees and virtually not a cloud in the sky!  This was going to be brutal.  There was no way that I was going to attempt a 5k PR in these conditions.  Our goal for tonight - not to die!  Ok, and hopefully hit under 35 minutes.

Matt and I waiting at the start line

I would love to say that I had a fabulous race and that I was able to put the heat out of my mind and just run, but that was not the case.  Matt and I started out strong and made it through mile 1 in 9:30.  Unfortunately, that was the only mile that was under 10 minutes.  Shortly after the 1 mile marker, the course begins a long gradual uphill stretch.  I was determined to make it to the top of this hill before I had to walk, but the heat really started to get to me.  I had to stop to walk for a bit.  Thankfully this part of the hill was somewhat in the shade so that helped.  The entire second mile was a combination of walking and running, just trying to survive and not over heat.

The anxious crowd awaiting the start of the race

As we came around one of the last corners, and the stadium was back in front of us, I felt like I was running on near empty.  Matt was my godsend in this race.  He slowed and walked when I had to but yet pushed me to keep going.  He was determined to get me to the finish line, and I am truly grateful for that!  Just before we reached the parking lot back to the stadium, we passed the second water station.  Since I had my Nuun with my in my water bottles, I was ok yet on hydration that way, so I grabbed 2 cups of water and poured them over my head to try and cool of.

Feeling a little more refreshed, it was time for the motivation run through the tunnel and around the field in Lambeau Field.  I pushed that last mile for everything it was worth.  As we ran through the tunnel on the final approach to the parking lot - and the finish line, Matt turned and said "there's the finish - time to kick it in and finish strong"  Normally I would do just that, but today, there was nothing left in the tank.  I pushed with what I had left and we did finish side by side.

Matt and I crossing the turf at the finish line!

I honestly didn't even see the clock as we crossed the finish line.  I had one thing on my mind... I needed to find water and needed to cool off.  Around the corner from the finish, they were handing out medals!  I honestly had forgotten that they were giving out medals this year!  5 year anniversary of the event = medals for all finishers!  OK, that works for me... but I still need water!

Finally I got to the water and kept walking.  After a few minutes of standing in the shade of the food tent I could feel that I was finally cooling off a bit - plus I had dumped half my water on me, instead of drinking it.  That was by far one of the most brutal, warm runs that I have ever done... but I finished!

We may be warm, but we ROCKED that!

We slowly found everyone else in our party - Kim and Darci finished just a few minutes later.  Thankfully by the time we finished, the temps had started dropping so it was not as hot and sticky anymore.  Kim was extremely proud of her first official race medal - smile away Kim - you earned that one! My official time came in at 32:04 - much better than I thought it would have been with how I was feeling out of the course!  All in all, we all agreed that we were happy that we were done, we were happy with what we did and we all needed showers!

Darrin, Adrianne and Captain Tristan!

This race was definitely a challenge but we all kept each other going and got through to the finish!  I am very proud of all of us for encouraging each other to keep going, helping push each other to do our best and celebrate our success at the end!  You guys all rock (and this includes you Jeff for getting the awesome finish line photos!)  I am proud to call each of you my friends and family! Together we can accomplish anything!

What kind of extreme's have you dealt with during your outdoor fitness activities that have pushed you to your limits?  How did you deal with it?  Did it change anything about the way you train?

Energybits Product Review!

A about a week ago I was having a casual conversation via twitter with fellow runner @crystalduff about energy and what we use to keep us moving.  She mentioned that her go to is Energybits.  This was a new product that I had seen a few other posts about, but never really looked into them further.  I was intrigued!

From their website:

Need more ENERGY? We're your answer!

ENERGYbits® are tiny algae tabs so nutritionally dense, they eliminate fatigue and hunger instantly. Want a healthy, natural way to fuel your game or fire up your brain? ENERGYbits® are for you! NO caffeine, sugar, chemicals, gluten or soy, just pure, plant based nutrition, all for just ONE calorie per tab.

Need better HEALTH? We're your choice!

ENERGYbits® have just ONE ingredient - organically grown NON GMO spirulina algae – a super food endorsed by the United Nations and NASA as the most nutritionally dense food in the world. Spirulina has been a favorite of gold medalists for decades. Now it’s your turn. Be powered by BITS™

A rep from the company offered to send me a sample of the product to try!  WooHoo!!!  I was not going to pass up that opportunity to try a new, all natural way to fuel my long runs and crazy days at the gym!

When I received my bits, it was Saturday afternoon, after I already finished my long run, so I had to wait for another good run to come up so that I could try them out... One of the cats tried to get into them before me, but at least she didn't get them open!  Just a few holes poked in the bag from her teeth, so my bits were safe!  They ended up sitting there for a few days before I finally got to tear open one of the packages.  That was a long 4 days!

In the meantime, I had some time to do some reading up on these little gems.  From the information I received with my sample:

Trial 1 - Wednesday nights have turned into a fitness frenzy of sorts!  This week was no different!  My Wednesday evening was going to consist of:

~ 1 hour class at the gym

~ 2-4 mile training run

~potential yoga class to follow

Seemed like a great night to give these bits a try!  Before heading to the gym I tore open that little plastic bag that has been staring at me since Saturday! Honestly, I was expecting something that looked like small jelly or gummy type bits, not a bag full of small tablets... and now I had to swallow all of these?  Since this was the first try with these and not knowing how they might affect me, I opted to only take half of the bag before the gym and then take the other half between the gym and my run... just in case...

The workout at the gym was intense but when I finished, I was feeling good and ready for more!  So we left the gym and headed for the training run.  After meeting up with the rest of the crew (and finishing off the rest of the bag of Energybits), it was time to hit the streets!  I was feeling good and was determined to make the best of this run.  We did decide to only do the short loop for the training run, as the workout at the gym was a lot of leg work again... probably best to not push the knee any further today! It ended up being a fast 2 miles!

Trial one with Energybits complete... ok, not really!  I will have to say I felt great when I finished my run.  We opted out of yoga for the evening as we were all hungry!  Food trumps Yoga on days like today!  So we headed home to make dinner.  I will have to say that my first experience with Energybits was better than expected... not only did they carry me through my workout and run, but they also kept me going once I got home.  I was busy doing stuff around the house and I actually had to make my self stop and go to bed!  I could have kept going, but when the alarm goes off at 4:30am, sleep is a good thing!

Fast forward to today...
I received the ok from from PT for a 10 mile run this weekend!  Energybits don't' fail me now!  I grabbed a protein bar for breakfast and headed out the door to pick up Matt and we arrived at the school to meet up with everyone for the training run.  This was the first time Matt and I were actually are running together since Thanksgiving - hope I can still keep up with his long legs!  I popped my Energybits, and before long we were off.  Our mission was to finish our 10 miles before the rain!

The weather was perfect, I was out on the trail with good friends and I was feeling awesome!  It was not until we turned around at the 5 mile point that I realized one HUGE thing... ok, 2 things... 1st, my knee seemed to be holding up well, not pain so far! and 2nd, usually be this time I am on my second  GU pack!  So far, I had not even thought about grabbing one!

We turned around and started on the second half of our run, back to the Middle School.  So far, the rain was holding off (although the skies were not looking very promising!)  We were feeling good and I was really enjoying just going out there in the crisp spring air.  Before we knew it, we were at 9 miles!  Now at this point, I did notice that my knee was starting to flare up a bit, but it was less than a mile - I had this!

We ended up finishing 10.1 miles in 1:54:07.  Just over 11 minute miles - I'll take it!  and we beat the rain!!  I felt great for the entire run and never felt like I was running out of steam.  I just wanted to run! If it was not for my knee and making sure I didn't push that too far, I probably would have run more!

That run was all Energybits!  All of the rest of the fuel I had with me was still in my pockets!   What an amazing feeling!

Final comments for my review...
1.  The cost per serving might be a bit more than GU or any other race fuel I have tried, but in the end, if I can get through a 10+ mile run with 1 serving of Energybits instead of 2-3 GU packs, that is a win in my book!

2.  Yes, they do taste a little funky when you are swallowing them, but that is a minor detail that I can look past!

3.  With the changes that I have been making in my diet over the last 6 months, if I can use real food to fuel my runs instead of uber processed fuel with 20+ ingredients in them, I know when I would prefer!

4.  No sugar high or sugar crash

5.  There may not be any caffeine in these bits, but they sure can keep me going!

Overall, I am loving what I has seen from Energybits!  The natural fuel that I think I need to make part of my routine!

Thank you Energybits for offering to send me a sample of these little treasures!  Now I just need to get my own supply ordered!

Marathon training, 6 weeks down, 13 to go!l

No one ever said that training to run a marathon would be easy... but it will be worth it!

So far, the first half of that statement rings very true!  Training for the Cellcom Marathon has taken some getting used to for me. Miles, Miles Miles!  I live my life these days by the number of miles I have run!  Getting in the long runs, has not been the hard part for me.  It's the short, mid-week runs that  usually get me.  However, I have run more miles so far in 2014 than I did in the first 4 months of 2013 and have a gold of at least 750 miles by the end of the year.

 Between work and family schedules, sometimes it is hard to crank out a 4 mile run on a Tuesday or Wednesday evening.  Getting up early to run before work?  Been there, tried it.  It's tough, especially when I am usually in the office by 6am, and I really dislike treadmill running!  To get in a 4 mile run before work would mean that the alarm is going off before 4am every day, and this time of year means a date with the dreadmill.  Doing it once it a while is ok, but is not practical for every day. However, anything more than 4 miles would require getting up even earlier and I do admit - I like my sleep!

Now, please don't think that I my week days are void of activity.  Part of the reason that it is difficult for me to find time for my evening runs is that I don't want to miss my (almost) daily workouts at the gym!  Fitness Renegades as become such a part of my life that when I do have to skip a class, my day just seems "off".  These workouts are by no stretch "easy" and are definitely a key component in my conditioning. Each and every day is something a little bit different so I am never bored - which is a huge plus in my book! So, giving them up, or skipping them is NOT an option.  Plus, the crew there is pretty much like a second family and we are all out to help each other accomplish any goals that we have set.  Between the support from my family at home and at the gym, I know that I can conquer this adventure!

Last Thursday's Renegade workout

 On many occasions, I will head home after I leave the gym and knock out 3-4 miles on the TM or 10-15 miles on the bike, so the miles are still there, just in smaller quantities.

I also have found that I really look forward to the long Saturday morning training runs.  They have really shown me that I can do this.  Not only have I been able to increase the miles successfully each week, but I have also been able to keep my pace.  This past weekend, I finished the 10 mile training run faster than my average pace for the Brewers Mini Marathon last fall, so we still moving forward. I may not be the fasted one out there, but I am getting it done!

Anyone who is a runner, is used to having people tell them they are crazy (yes, this is actually a compliment to many of us!) and I heard that this weekend!  Not only did I complete my 10 mile training run, right after I finished, I drove around the corner to the gym (I drove, only because I had to move my car - next time, maybe I should just park AT the gym), warmed up, grabbed a foam roller, did some stretching and then joined the 10am Cardio Circuit class for 45 minutes of "fun".  Yes, I probably am on the edge of insane, but if I can pull off a 45 minute cardio circuit, I just proved to myself that there are more miles that I could have run!

Oh yeah.... I got up Sunday morning to catch another 45 minute fitness Renegade Cardio Circuit with Ty!

So, no matter what your running goals are for this year, they are going to push you to run further, run longer and probably make you wonder why you decided to do it, but don't give up!

It will be worth it in the end (at least that is what they say!)

Winter Polor Vortex and my new best friend, the Dreadmill

 Anyone who has lived or visited Wisconsin in the winter is aware of the beauty and crispness of a new fallen snow.  They also have knowledge of the bone chilling cold that we are blessed with on more than a few occasions during the winter.

Frozen eggs!

This year is a harsh exception.  They called it a Polar Vortex... I just know it has been really cold! We have had more below zero days in the last 2 months than I can recall in the 15 years I have lived through Wisconsin winters.  Of course, the 25 years before that, I lived in Michigan, so I am no stranger to cold, snowy winters.  The schools in the area have closed more this winter due to frigid temperatures than they normally do for snow days. In fact on one one of these "Cold Days" off from school, my 15 year old decided to freeze an egg outside... took less than 15 minutes!  We have gotten into the habit at work of going out to start our cars a few items during the day just so that we know that we will be able to start our vehicles to get home in the evening!

This year is the first winter that I have attempted to keep my miles up through the winter.  In the last, I did all my running in the summer and by the time the Turkey Trot rolled around, I was ready to hang up my running shoes for the winter.  There were a few years that I did do the Noodleini 5k and the Seroogey's Valentines run, but this was definitely not my desired running environment.   After all of the miles that I logged over the summer, I made a vow to myself that I was going to keep the miles going through the winter... and I was going to try and run outside as much as I could.  I did not want to face the Dreadmill!  However, Mother Nature had other plans!  running outside when temps hit the mid 20's is one thing.  Sub zero temps in an entirely different beast.

After 6 mile training run

In January when the Cellcom Marathon training runs started I had plans to get out and run with everyone else.  The first Saturday morning training run, Green Bay was covered with a thick blanket of ice from the storm the night before.  I hit the dreadmill for a few miles before heading to the gym for a food cardio circuit.  The following weekend, despite sub zero temps, I headed out for the training run.  It was nice to get out and see many friends on the course but when you finish a run with icicles on your eye lashes, you know it was cold!  But I survived... and then went to the gym to warm up with a good cardio circuit!

My mornings and/or evenings have been spent with short visits to the Dreadmill and I was still struggling to get beyond 3-3.5 miles.  The treadmill has never been my first choice when it comes to running, but I knew this is what I had to do.  Fast forward to the end of January... 7 mile training run at 7am.  When you wake up at 5am and the temp outside is -9, there is no getting out of bed for that! After 45 minutes, it did warm "up" to -4 but with 30mph winds, running outside was out of the question.

I finally came to the harsh realization that this winter there was not going to be as much running outside as I wanted.  I needed to learn to get past my hatred of the treadmill and just suck it up.  I really have no reason to not enjoy these runs just as much as my outside runs.  I have a TV with cable, Netfix and a DVD player right in front of the treadmill so I can watch what I want.  My headphones still work inside, so I can still have my music.  Plus, there is a bathroom less than 10 feel from my treadmill so I can take a quick break when I need to, without having to find the next park or gas station to find a bathroom.

Since we were up in Michigan at the Eben Ice Caves last Saturday, I had no choice but the miss the training run and had to do my 8 miles solo.  These solo miles ended up being on Sunday morning, before the Super Bowl festivities started at our house.  I knew I had to do the miles and needed to get past the negative thoughts I have about the treadmill.

It was tough.  I wanted to quit.  I had to walk part of the time, but I finally broke that 3.5 mile barrier on the treadmill.  I finished my 8 miles inside on the treadmill!  I have no excuses anymore!  Winter may have thrown me a curve ball and changed my running plans, but I'm not going to let that stop me!

Now that I know I can do the miles on my treadmill, time to kick it up a notch and start some more intervals and hills on my treadmill!!  This weekend is the Seroogy's Valentines Run.  Instead of doing the regular training run, I opted for this 15k.  I get chocolate and cookies at the end of this one!  My first official race of 2014 and it promises to be a memorable one - I'm just hoping that the weather forecast changes at least to be a little warmer before 8am Saturday morning rolls around!

Marathon training is officially underway!

Last weekend marked the official start of training for the Cellcom Green Bay Marathon.

The night before the opening training run, Green Bay was blessed with an ice storm.  Freezing rain started early Friday evening and continued well into the night.  By the time Saturday morning showed up, there was a glaring sheet of ice several inches thick through out the entire city!  I opted to skip the Prevea Saturday Morning run and wait until Sunday to put in my miles.

And I am so glad that I did!  Even though Sunday afternoon was not much warmer, the extra day allowed time for some of the ice to melt on the streets... I however did have to do the "penguin walk" for 4 blocks when I left the house before I found streets that were not covered in sheets of ice.  But once I found that point, I was off.

 The last few weeks were spend on the Dreadmill, putting in some needed miles, hiding in the basement.  UGH.  I would rather run outside in ran, cold or snow than inside, but Mother Nature seems to have come down with a twisted sense of humor and has blessed us with some very extreme weather that has made running outside nearly impossible.  When temps drop to -15 or below, the last thing that I want to do is try and run outside.  So I dealt with what I had to!  But getting outside was awesome!

Overall, it was a great first run outside of the season! As long as I kept to the more well traveled streets and payed attention to which side of the road saw more sunlight, it was fairly smooth running.  Before long, I had my 5 miles in!  and as if on cue, as soon as I hit my 5 miles point, John and Darrin were heading home from errands and passed where I was at... just about to start my 4 block penguin walk home!

Fast forward  to today.  I gave myself a challenge that many people told me was crazy... I was going to head out for the Prevea Training run at 7am and then hit the gym for the 9am circuit class.  It was officially the coldest run of the year (or that I think I have ever done!) so far, a balmy -4 when I started!  Despite the cold, it still felt great do get outside and run.  After a month of treadmill running, the cold was refreshing and actually awakening!

just a little cold out there this morning!

Running with a few hundred people this morning also gave me a sense of renewal... the 2014 running season has officially started and I was surrounded by people who share the same "insanity" as me. We run.  Why?  Everyone has their own reason, but whatever that reason is, it is what keeps us going, keeps us getting up at all hours of the morning, it various (often inconceivable) running conditions.  Most of all, for many of us, no matter what the ultimate why is, we have also grown to love running.

After my run, a quick stop in the Distillery to warm up a bit was in order.  I can officially say this is the first time that I can remember going out for a run and actually coming back covered in frost!  Someone actually told me I looked very Eskimo-ish!  Not my preferred look, but it's days like this that we will remember when we are complaining about running in the summer heat!

Then it was off to the gym for a dose of insanity from Ty.  Insanity was it!  It was a full cardio core circuit!   After 6 miles, it was going to be tough, but I was determined to make it through.  A few of the stations were a challenge, but I was not going to let this workout get the best of me.  I pushed through and came out smiling on the other end.  After we finished our workout, I told Ty that although I may make faces at him and look like I am scowling, I will never complain about a tough workout!  Today, I proved to myself that after that 6 mile training run, getting through his circuit workout proved that I still had more left after the run!

What challenges us, only makes us stronger!  Here is to continually finding things to keep challenging me!

Next weekend... 7 miles plus a visit to the gym after for more from Ty!