And you thought running would be cheap....

It shouldn't require much expensive equipment to take up running. You don't need a gym membership, you don't need to sacrifice 1/4 of your living room to a ginormous treadmill. You don't need a $200 iPod or $400 Garmin. Not really. I mean, they are great, but you don't NEED them.

It should be as easy as throwing on some shorts and lacing up your shoes and hitting the pavement, right?

Well, hold on. 

Let's have an honest conversation about what it's going to cost to start running.

how much of this do you actually need?

First and foremost, good shoes. You might think the cute Nikes or Adidas that you run errands in will be good enough for running. And they probably were, a year ago when you first bought them. So please let me give you some good advice for choosing your running shoes. First, make sure they are running shoes. Not cross-trainers. Not walking shoes. Not court shoes. Running shoes, when you look at them from the front, are narrower and the toes lift higher than in other shoes.The unfortunate truth is that there is no real way to test running shoes in a store, and most stores that claim to properly "fit" you-- they still work on commission. So if a $60 shoes fits just right but they are "fitting you" to a $120 shoe, guess what their motivation really is? Be wary. It's hard to tell if a shoe in the store is going to work for you on the street. If anything, you want the shoe to fight more tightly than loosely. The shoe will break in, giving you more room. You want to wear the right socks, you want to move around (yes, I am the girl who goes running to the back of the store and back to make sure the shoes don't shift on me). And after all that, you still may find, after 3 runs, that the shoes give you blisters. Or don't support enough and give you shin splints. I am so sorry but this is just how it is with runners and shoes. When you find the perfect running shoe, just buy several pairs! You can expect to pay $60 at the very least and up to $125 within reason. Consider that you will be putting lots of miles and time in these shoes! Last word on this-- do not use your running shoes for anything else. Not for gym classes, not for running errands. Keep your running shoes just for running!

Second- ladies only-- a good sports bra. Oh.... the trials and tribulations of finding a good sports bra. I have had some so tight they left dents on the tops of my shoulders and some that wiggled so much that I got huge chaffing welts on my ribs and some that fit just right but soaked with sweat all the way through. You've got to keep the movement to a minimum and the cotton bra from Wal-Mart just isn't going to do that for you. I don't know why they are even allowed to make and sell those. Expect to pay a good $40 and up for a good, quality sports bra and realize that this investment is going to prevent back problems, shoulder problems, keep the ta-tas well lifted and supported. If you are buying online, read the reviews! If you are trying it on in the store, do a few jumping jacks in the dressing room! 

Third- seamless running clothes. If you are out for any run past 30 minutes, and especially when it's hot out, you'll be rubbing, constantly, against your clothes. Under your armpits and between your legs. You will want to find clothes that have no seams in these areas, and it's not nearly as easy as it sounds. They are washable, so you only need a few pieces, not an entire wardrobe. But believe me, seamless tank tops and shorts will save your from getting rubbed raw-- you don't want to be the girl trying not to let your thighs touch as you walk down the office hallway.

Fourth-- useful miscellaneous-- Sunglasses. Protect your eyes from sun and wind. Get less crow's feet from squinting. Hats-- keeps your hair and the sun and if you're lucky, some sweat, off of your face. Fuel belt-- if you're going for a long run (2 hours) in the countryside, get a Nathan's belt. They fit wonderfully well and hold the canteens tightly and you can fit your iPod, some toilet paper, and at least two Gu packs in there. But don't dishwasher the canteens, they will have this nasty chemical taste that you can NOT get rid of.... Yes, yes I am an expert in what you can fit and how not to take care of your Nathan's fuel belt. Arm warmers-- well, these are just so super cute. But also, you can wear them instead of another long-sleeve layer, and removing them in the middle of a race is much much easier. 

Now.... do you need to wait until you have all of these things before you start running? The only one I would say yes to are the shoes. You NEED to have good running shoes. You'll save yourself a lot of pain, soreness, and you'll have a better running form when you aren't trying to modify your pace because of your shoes. The sports bra and the seamless running clothes can wait until you have a good chance to get into a good sporting goods store but don't skimp on these things-- they are well worth it in the long run. I have had good Adidas shorts and tanks that have lasted two years, salted all the way through with sweat and run through the washing machine repeatedly without any problems. 

I'm not telling you all these things to scare you into not running unless you have perfect gear, but just to emphasize how important it is to take care of yourself, to invest in yourself and your running goals. These aren't the kind of things you will normally hear unless someone is trying to sell you something, so I just wanted to put it out there so that you gals who have questions about running clothes get some ideas. And remember, you can always ask us for advice or suggestions!

Seamless running clothes was DEFINITELY something that I wish someone had told me about early on. And I've gone through more sports bras than I care to admit. But the best runs are the ones where your mind is completely somewhere else-- not worried about the pain in your shoe or the chaffing under your arms or.... OMG, HOW MANY MILES DO WE HAVE LEFT?! So hopefully you can get properly taken care of and get out there!

See you on the roads, in my bright blue Brooks Launch running shoes-- I'm on my second pair!

Happy Running~

Jen

p.s. Although we don't have any PAID endorsements yet, we don't promote one company or brand over the other. In fact, our running gear is a mish-mash of brands. You have to find what you like! It's perfectly okay to show up with an Adidas tank, Nike Shorts, and Brooks shoes. No one is judging you! 

Recovery

You're in training, you've set a goal for a 5K, 10K, 13.1 or full marathon. You're building up your runs and you're running further and further each time.

In fact, you just ran the LONGEST run EVER in your entire life! You're exhilarated, proud, and exhausted and dreading the soreness that's sure to follow.

Now what do you do?

You've got to put in as much time and effort and energy into your recovery as you put into your preparations. You eat all the right foods to get ready for a run, do you eat the right foods after? You invest in all this gear for your run, have you invested in your recovery gear? You have a plan for heading out the door for a 7am start, but do you have a plan for afterwards?

Not only will proper recovery tactics help you heal faster and stay healthier and stronger, but it will also save you a lot of heartache and frustration. If I was out running my first 10 miler and I couldn't walk for 3 days, how am I supposed to motivate myself to go out for 11 by the weekend?

When I left San Antonio after the Rock N Roll Marathon, I was on the plane with a girl who was so stiff and sore and exhausted. I was bright and fresh as a daisy and walking around in heels. She asked me "Oh my gosh, aren't you dying?" And I gave her a weak smile and said "No, I know what I have to do to recover properly." Not to be a total snot, but because recovery should be an integrated part of your training plan!

So, if you're new to running or if you've always run but suffered through the days after your long runs, here are a few of our favorite tips and tricks. As always, we encourage you to try different things to tailor to your specific needs.

The most obvious is to rehydrate so I'm not even going to cover that. Believe me, you'll be thirsty and you will rehydrate yourself.

1- Refuel. We talk about refueling a lot, primarily in the form of pancakes. And while, yes, after a LONG run (anything OVER 90 minutes) you probably really need to restore your glucose right away, carbs are not the only thing you will want. After a long run, your body will start to draw out protein for fuel as well. Additionally, you are taxing your muscles and in order to help them repair themselves and grow stronger, they are going to need a good source of protein. If you're on the go, a protein bar (truthfully, I can only stomach about half a protein bar) or even a protein shake will help your recover. The beautiful thing is that when you help your muscles repair themselves, they tend to be LESS SORE the next day!! Actually, I drink two really big glasses of cold skim milk when I am done with my long run. I know both Becky and Glenda drink chocolate milk too. It's gotten to the point where my body actually drives me to CRAVE this source of protein the minute I step back into my yard. My daughter and Becky's daughter know to fix their mommies a big glass of milk when they get home from running!

It's my favorite recovery drink. Get in some protein! 

brrr!!!!... no really, it works!

2- Ice. Ice is your new best friend. Not only does it immediately reduce the swelling in your joints (doesn't matter how conditioned you think you are, it will happen) but the ice also speeds up the healing of the microtears that happen when you're running and breaking into that muscle. (Note: do not be afraid, this is just how muscle build up happens. You tear it down, when it repairs itself, it grows stronger. Just Google it because I'm not going to go into it except to say that ice speeds it up.) Now, you may have seen these giant metal tubs where proathletes jump into an ice bath.

super cute, much more my style!

And if you can stand it, I say go for it. 5 minutes in an ice bath will do wonders. Frankly, I am not at all that brave. Run 26.2 miles? Hell yeah! Submerge myself in an ice bath? Oh, hell no! So I always have ice packs at the ready. If I am travelling, I used to pack some ziploc bags and use the hotel ice machine and a towel. Now I can pack my pretty little ice bag that my friend Heather gifted me :) I rotate the ice pack up and down my legs and even my lower back, about 15 minutes on any given spot. It works. Trust me. Use ice!





3- Motrin. If you can stomach ibuprofen, do so. Ibuprofen reduces swelling. The quicker you can get the swelling down, the better.

4-Legs up- as much as you can, and right away, lay back and elevate the legs. I once read that this helps to detoxify your legs from the lactic acid. I don't know if it's true. I know that it feels really good and it helps to decompress the back as well.

5- Stretch. This simply cannot be overstated. Stretching actually does help to get the lactic acid back out of the muscles. It helps to get the muscles and tendons and ligaments back in line. It helps to loosen them up again after you've tightened them into one basic form/position for 3 hours. It allows the joints to fully extend to oppose the constant muscle contraction. Muscles that are tight WASTE ENERGY (I bet you didn't know that one) so loosening them, fully extending them will help both your muscles and your brain rest! Stretching feels so good!




6- Massage- again, this helps to release the toxins in the muscles and loosen them up. Frankly, I am the kind of girl that only likes one person-- my big husband-- rubbing on me. No seriously, I have issues. So if you can, learn what you can do to self-massage your quads, your calves, your hips. If there isn't a masseuse or significant other with a bottle of massage oil waiting for you at home, invest in a foam roller or The Stick. (OMG, we love The Stick!!) and learn to use them properly (they come with guides or DVDs or you can youtube it!). I swear to you if you get The Stick, you will not know how you ever lived without it.

Aaaaahhhhh!!!!!

7-Keep moving. I know you want to collapse on your bed/couch/floor and never move again. But your muscles will stiffen into that position and hurt so badly when you finally do move again. So keep moving. I know this sounds crazy, but after your long run, after your rest, and ice, and stretch, and shower, and eat, and maybe take a power nap, get up and go walking again. Keep moving around your house or even just walk up and down your block before you go to bed. Keeping the muscles loose and keeping the joints moving will help to prevent them from tightening up so badly.

8- Above all else, be gentle with yourself. Remember that training to run is a long, long process, and you want to stay in peak physical shape for the long haul. If you're schedule for a 20 miler on Sunday and an 8 miler on Tuesday and you're just not feeling that 8 miler, give yourself credit for the 20 miler!!! and modify your training schedule to rearrange the 8 miler or substitute that run with another cardio based activity.

So.... to highlight.... Refuel with carbs and protein. Reduce the swelling with Ice and if you can stomach it, ibuprofen. Keep the muscles loose with stretching, massage, and by moving around even when you don't want to.

Taking a proactive approach to a speedy recovery will make you a better runner physically and keep you motivated for the next run!

Happy running!
~Jen

Fuel

I fueled up my gas-guzzling 4 wheel drive SUV today for the highest rate I have ever paid for gasoline, $4.00/gallon. But as I got in my car, I was smirking to myself. Because I know that I can run on much cheaper-- bananas are still less than a dollar a pound.

But I do have to approach the subject of fueling up our bodies today. It's been coming up again and again lately. Many of us North Dakotans are hitting our final build up weeks before tapering down for the Fargo Marathon. My current running schedule puts me at 20 this weekend, and I have loaded my fridge with tons of salads, apples, oranges, and whole wheat bread as I spend this week slowly building carbs to load up my glycogen stores, and guage them being completely depleted again by the end of 20 miles.

good carbs

I have to monitor my nutrition closely-- knowing what to eat, and when to eat it, means all the difference between getting in a good, long training run, or suffering and hitting the bathroom every 5 miles.

But as we talk to other crazy running chicks, many of them have some misconceptions when it comes to running nutrition.

The number one misconception is that you need lots of carbs for running. Well, while this is true for endurance runners, the truth is that if you are running for less than 75-90 minutes, you should be able to rely on your body's own glycogen stores. So if you are training for the half marathon and running 5-6-7 miles right now, you probably don't need a big pasta dinner... and toast.... and gu gels.

Another misconception we see is these people with a ton of Gu gels on their belts. OMG, do not be that guy. The ones who show up to the half marathon with 8 Gu gel packs.

too much gu. OMG, you are going to be pooping so much before the end of the race. Good luck with that.

For every hour (past the original hour) you probably only need another 100-150 carbohydrate rich calories. (Of course, everyone is different. As Runner's World magazine points out, a Hummer needs more fuel than a MiniCooper. You need to experiment to see what is right for you.) Some of that is going to come from your electrolyte drink (Gatorade or Powerade) and you shouldn't be discounting that. Whether you take in a gel, chomps, or even some Skittles, you only need a little at a time, and certainly not a whole serving every 30 minutes.

Too much food, too many carbs, and you're not going to get more energy. You're going to have a heavy stomach, gas, bloating, and food product churning in your digestive tract and you're going to waste valuable time in the porta-potties or nursing a side-ache. More likely, in the porta-potties.

On the other hand, I was once in a Triathalon with a girl who was running the whole event (over 2 hours) without any fuel on hand. She had eaten breakfast hours ago and was headed into the swim/bike/run with nothing.... She had been in a training program and no one had addressed proper fueling with her or their group. Since then, she has started long distance running and, after a little experimentation, discovered what to use and when to use simple sugars to keep her energy up.

You've trained way too long and way to hard to finish like this! Fuel properly!

Your body can only hold so many stores of glycogen. Once that is gone, you will experience cramping, dizziness, random crazy thoughts (because your brain needs glucose. If you don't believe me, try doing long division after 3 hours of running!). So you need to introduce simplex carbs-- the kind that are easy for your body to break down into sugars and use up- before you hit that point. While for many of us, it's around the 90 minute mark, you may experience it at 75 minutes or at 2 hours. Still, it's important to get some carbs in before you hit that point, so your body has time to convert and use it, and you don't experience a yo-yo effect of tired, reenergized, tired, reenergized.

Refueling- ok, yes, I like to eat pancakes when I'm done with a long run in order to refuel. But let's be honest. We all know that we don't really need to pig out after an hour long run, or even a three hour run. Even burning 1800 calories during a 20 mile run can easily be recooperated in a healthy way-- including the fuel taken in during the run, a little post-run recovery with carbohydrates and protein (half of a bagel and a tall glass of skim chocolate milk), and a healthy, if not slightly larger, meal will provide plenty of refuelling nutrition without going overboard. But for most of your training runs-- 60 minutes of exercise is NOT an excuse to load up on big pasta dinners.

For more information on proper nutrition for running and fuel for endurance, please seek out articles from well known, responsible sources, such as Runner's World or Competitor. Visit with repeat marathoners, many of whom will tell you that less is more effective. Make sure you give yourself plenty of time to experiment before race day, to see what works with your stomach and what gives you energy versus what gives you gas. (Yes, I have talked about poop and gas a lot today. I am sorry but it's part of running, and an important consideration when considering your fuel options.)

Properly fueling up for race day will keep you light while giving you plenty of energy to cross that finish line, AND walk to the nearest Denny's for pancakes.... ask me how I know! *wink*

Happy Running! ~Jen

Eating Right-- Abs are made in the kitchen. And on the treadmill. Not from crunches.

Same disclaimer as yesterday: We're not scientists, doctors, dieticians, or snake oil vendors. But we do make a lot of sense.

Also, an extra warning on this one. Imma give you some tough love.

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More regular conversations, in which I wish people would listen to me:

Them: "What kind of exercises can I do to get rid of this?" (points to jiggly tummy)
Me: Cardio.

Really?

Yes, cardio.

What about crunches?

Are you trying to develop a thin layer of muscle under all of that? Because you're not going to see it until that is gone.

What about Pilates?

Good for all over toning and conditioning, not good for burning off lots of pounds.

Well, my daughter/friend/sister-in-law/cousin/hair stylist is doing this ab workout and she says it's great!

I'm sure it is. But it's not going to get rid of belly fat. Sorry. Cardio.

What kind of cardio? Does walking count?

Maybe, but you need to be aware of how many calories you're actually burning, because it's going to be less than you think.

Well, my daughter does yoga. Maybe I'll just do that.

Oh. Okay. Let me know how that works out for you.

***

I will never understand why some people want to argue with me about this. Do you think you're going to convince me that you can lose 10 pounds of stored belly fat in yoga? By breathing and stretching? And Yes, there are some great stomach exercises I can  give you, once you lose that layer of jiggle that is still going to hide all of your efforts.

Wait, let me say that again because that seems to be the part that people don't hear: That layer of jiggle is still going to hide all of your efforts.

Look, friends. We all want tight toned Victoria's Secret model abs. I teach fitness classes and train for marathons and my abs are still not clearly defined unless I suck in my breath, okay?

But if you're dead serious about losing the weight around the middle, you are going to have to accept the fact that "abs" are 60% efforts in the kitchen, 30% efforts in the gym, 10% genetics and willpower and you know, those few extra days we bloat up sometimes.

Because the belly area is where we start to store, under the general layer, visceral fat. This is the stuff that attches itself to organs and tissues. Tell me that you honestly believe that crunches are going to get rid of that stuff. And that general layer on the belly likes to stay there because your body, through the magic of creation/evolution/whatever you believe, likes to keep it there like a warm fuzzy protective blanket around all of your most important vital organs. The cells in our body have not yet evolved to realize that Taco  Bell is open late and SuperWalmart is open 24/7. Therefore, it still likes to store up whenever it can to protect the most important organs. And that warehouse stubbornly sits around our torso area.(Or, if you are a hippy running chick, your warehouse is just a little further south, but you get my point!)

So no, sorry, crunches will NOT get rid of it. Man, if crunches did half of what they were supposed to do I'd be so freaking ripped right now.

So, you want a thinner waistline and a toned sexy core.

Let's start with that 60% in the kitchen statistic I gave you. If I were to ask you "How do you eat during the day?" Guess what you would tell me? "Oh, I eat healthy." But as we pick apart your daily diet, most of you do NOT get the 5-6 servings of fruits and vegetables. You eat snacks you THINK are healthy but are sugary and overprocessed. It's okay to be there right now, I am not judging you, I am telling you that we can just make some adjustments and do better.

Typical American diet:
Breakfast-- big coffee drink "(I don't have time to eat", "I am not hungry in the morning")
Mid-morning snack (because now you are hungry)-- something from the vending machines or a storebought snack like minimuffins or 100-calorie snack pack with a sugary drink like another coffee or lemonade or soda. Or maybe you do buy yogurt and granola bars. Check the sugar content on those. Yuck.
Lunch- sandwich of some sort. Subway. Or cheeseburger. Or homemade. 2 servings of bread. And some chips. And another soda. You think the lettuce and tomato on the sandwich counts towards your veggies but it doesn't. You need 2 cups of lettuce to be a serving of veggies.
Mid Afternoon snack (because you need a little pick me up)-- sugary drink like soda or juice or coffee, and something sweet like candy or cookies. Here's an interesting tid-bit. This is the point of your day when stress starts really piling up AND you're hitting an energy slump so your BRAIN sends you signals that it needs extra glucose and makes you crave something sweet! But then you don't actually burn off that glucose and worse, the cortisol that is trying to help you deal with the stress doesn't work because rather than go through fight-or-flight, which demands a physical response, you just continue to sit at your desk. So guess what? Your body just sabatoged you into eating poorly AND storing it as extra fat. Booooo....
Dinner: Either fast food, or something frozen, or boxed. Maybe you do cook a full meal, in which case it probably looks like: Meat. Rice/pasta/potato. Vegetable. Bread.
10pm-- ice cream. Or candy from you're kids' holiday stash. Or cookies. "just a little"

So, by the numbers, you've had probably 2-3 servings of protein as processed meat. About 1 1/2 servings of fruit and vegetables. And about 6 servings of grains (and probably processed and not whole grain). About 3-4 sugary drinks. And in all honesty, we don't see anything wrong with this. This is pretty typical for everyone!

Well, with a few tweaks, we can reduce the calories, get in much more healthier fuel, STOP your body from sabatoging itself, and get some physical results.

Breakfast: EAT BREAKFAST!!! How about 1 scrambled egg and 2 slices of tomatoes on an english muffin. Wow! Yummy! Still don't have time to cook? How about just 1 slice of toast with peanut butter and grab a banana on the go.
Midmorning snack: Fruit. Pack your own snack packs of grapes and strawberries and pineapple. So sweet! Or apples with a spoonful of peanut butter or sunflower butter. Or raw almonds with some dried cranberries and a few chocolate chips.

make your own!



eat lots and lots and lots

Lunch: Instead of the sandwich, order the salad. Control the dressing and the cheese. Water. Or juice diluted with flavored carbonated water. Lemon water. Cucumber water. Mash up some strawberries and throw those in the bottom of your water glass. If you do want the sandwich, just skip the chips and the soda. Just the sandwich is about 500 calories, you don't NEED to add an extra 400!
Mid afternoon snack: Apple slices and nuts and a few pretzels and some peanut butter and some WATER.
Dinner: Salad. And roasted veggies. And some lean protein. And, if you're still hungry, maybe a little less potatoes/rice/pasta
10pm-- water!

None of that is really unreasonable. And really, even if you just changed up lunch and mid-afternoon snack you'd be saving almost 600 calories.

The bottom line:

Tip the scales in your favor. Know the numbers. How much are you storing up and how much are you burning off? Replace some of those bad ideas with new favorites!

Happy Eating and Running! ~Jen

Eating Right-- The War on Carbs is OVER (Part 1 of a miniseries on eating right)

So, unforuntately, we gals get caught up in issues regarding our weight. Now, when you become a crazy runner chick, health generally takes a priority in your life, because you have to fuel up properly and you run off a bajillion calories so you tend to stay slim. With that in mind, people always have to add their input regarding our health, their own justifications for their health, and the ability or excuses that make up our world of diet and exercise. That being said, we're going to talk about some of the things that we commonly hear from our friends and coworkers and families, and hopefully share just a little information. (Disclaimer: we are not scientists. Or doctors. Or dieticians. Or snake-oil vendors.)

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Here's a fun little conversation I get to have with people at least once a week.

Them: "I cut carbs right out." "I don't eat carbs" "I'm doing low carb diet."
Me: soooo.... are you eating your fruits and vegetables?

"Oh yes, of course. I have salads and carrots and celery and apples...."
You know those are carbs right?

"What?!"
fruits and veggies... carbs...

"Oh, well I mean I cut the carbs like breads, pastas, rice...."
so how are you getting your Vitamin Bs? Or Fiber?

"What?"
Your whole grains are your best sources for fiber and vitamin B and other minerals.

"Oh, well I will have some whole grains."
Right. So you do have fruits and veggies, you are eating your whole grains. But you're saying you're not eating processed junk food, is that right?

"Uh.... I guess..."
GREAT!!! Just keep doing that!!!!

I'm by no means the carb police. I am a fitness instructor and a chef and I had my own weight loss journey and I put myself out there with this blog. And, not to brag, but I am slender enough that people often need to ask me what I do or tell me what they do. I honest-to-goodness get people coming up to me in the grocery store to tell me about their diet plans. And most of the time, people have no idea what they are doing.

And me? I'm not qualified to tell you what to do.

But if you tell me you don't do carbs, or sugar, or fat, or that you are trying to "eat healthy" then maybe I can make a few suggestions. Primarily:

I wish I could say that there was indeed, weight loss in a bottle or a specific diet that would work for anyone, everyone, and be super easy and cheap and delicious. But here's the cold hard science: 1 pound = 3500 calories. How you spend or control those 3500 calories is entirely up to you. Trade your greasy hamburger for TONS of lettuce that is lower in calories? It will work. Exercise an hour a day and change your afternoon snack from soda and sugary granola bar to water and a banana? It will work. Drink a smoothie that claims to be a weight loss miracle but, in reality, just has a lot of fiber and protein to sit heavy in your stomach and just relies on calorie deprivation? That will work too. Not because it's a miracle product, but because it's relying on basic calorie deprivation.

So you see, I have no real simple answer about what to eat and what not to eat. Most of the time, I have no idea what to say when you tell me that you are eating healthy, because I don't know what that looks like compared to how you used to eat. I have a feeling if I sold you on a diet plan that consisted of only 1200 calories of chocolate cookies and then told you you only had to walk 30 minutes... you'd still lose weight eating all those cookies because of the simple calorie deprivation. (But don't do that. That seems just a bit irresponsible.)

But for the sake of my sanity, please quit telling me you don't do carbs. You NEED carbs.

Do you know what carbohydrates are? A group of organic compounds consisting of carbon, hydrogren, and oxygen, which can be broken down into energy.

How does that relate to the 3500 calories = 1 pound principle? A calorie, is in fact, a measure of energy. Actually, it measures in terms of heat which is why we refer to "burning off calories."

So, you know how you move and breathe and think hard all day right? You NEED ENERGY!

I like to ask people to think of their bodies as a warehouse. If you take in the amount of carbs that you need send out as energy, your warehouse stays clean, right? It comes in, it ships out. But if you take in excess carbs or even low carbs but you don't send them back out as energy, they have to pile up on the shelves, waiting for their turn to get used up and shipped out. Your body/warehouse starts storing up lots and lots of excess energy, and eventually, you have to expand your warehouse to hold this excess. You know what this looks like on your actual body? Yeah, fat. Sorry, no nice way of putting it.

So maybe slow down the intake and start sending out more energy bundles and you'll start clearing the shelves and your warehouse will be light and clean again, right?

Okay. Bottom line people. Educate yourself. Don't do "no carb" because it worked for someone else. Don't buy into someone's miracle shakes when the ultimate principle is still calorie deprivation. Burn off more energy. Break down that stored energy and send it on its way. Walk, run, dance with your kids and grandkids. Don't eat pizza for an entire week. Quit drinking sodas and enjoy the great outdoors more.

Love your body. Be gentle with yourself. Eat your fruits and veggies. Move more.

Also, if you do lose weight eating only 1200 calories in cookies, send me the before and after pictures. And money, because I copyrighted that miracle diet.

Happy Eating and Running! ~Jen

Heart of a Marathoner

I'm absolutely fascinated by the stories my friend Glenda shares. She's so fun to get to know. Especially around mile 6 when she starts to really open up! Yesterday, she shared with me that her resting heart rate was 48. When the nurse said "I need to check that again," Glenda of course asked why? The nurse's response was that a resting heart rate that low indicated she had the heart of a marathoner. Glenda proudly told her, "well, I am in training for a marathon."

I am so proud that other people recognize the heart of a marathoner!

(p.s. I tested my resting heart rate and it's just over 60. I blame the caffeine that I am addicted to.)

On the medical side, a marathoner's heart has a slower resting heart rate because 1-- the arteries are less clogged so it doesn't have to pump as hard and fast to get blood flowing and 2-- the heart is stronger, pushing through a greater volume at each squeeze, making it more efficient at pushing oxygen fresh blood through the cardiovascular system, and thus, slower. The marathoner's heart is stronger and less stressed.

But in non-medical-technical terms, what does it mean to have the heart of a marathoner?

I know many of us crazy running chicks may not be marathoners.

But the truth is, we probably have hearts for endurance whether or not we acknowledge it.

We wake up running-- running kids to school, running errands, running the office, running the household, cooking, cleaning, listening, encouraging, giving, laundering, baking, more cleaning, chauferring, loving... We are in it, for the long haul, day after day.

And when the heart gets stronger it gets less stressed.

I don't know about you, but somedays I don't know about that "less stressed" part. In fact, some days I'm holding on with everything I've got looking forward to some down time. That's when it's time-- passed time-- to listen to my heart and SLOW DOWN.

I had the opportunity to go to Medora to cook for a retreat this weekend, a crafting retreat of about 20 ladies, plus myself and the director. On Sunday, as I was making brunch for 20, I was asked if I was going to relax after working so hard all weekend. I smiled and said that it was my long run day, so I was headed out for 13 miles, followed by a birthday party, followed by pancake supper at my church. The person just said "wow, you're busy."

Yes, I am. But you will never hear me complain  about it.

A few years ago, I was sitting with two other women on a planning committee. Admittedly, I wasn't fond of these other two women. And we had to spend the first 15 minutes of our meeting chatting about how overly busy and stressed they were, each seeking sympathy and empathy. And as I sat there listening to their kids' hockey schedules, dance schedules, swim team schedules, not to mention finding the time to pack for vacation-- all I could think of was how ungrateful they seemed.

Which is why I don't complain about being busy. If God has chosen to fill my life with abundance and opportunity and adventures, who am I to complain about it? I am grateful for every little thing that comes our way!

And do I still take time to go train for a marathon in the middle of it? Yep. Yes, I was exhausted this weekend after long hours in a hot kitchen. But God has given me a strong, healthy body to endure working in His ministries and still go run outside, enjoying the beautiful world around me! Ironically, the long run was my slow-down time.

I know it seems like life is too hectic sometimes. I know I would rather stay home than go to the grocery stores. I know my legs feel weak some days and I would rather veg out in front of the tv than lace up my shoes again. But my heart IS strong. And my heart IS trained for endurance. And I can push myself just a little more, just enough to open it up to love and abundance again. Just enough to strengthen it just a little more, so that it's less stressed when I'm resting.

I know you have a heart for endurance too. I know whatever piles up in your day, in your path, you can conquer it, one step at a time. I know, whether or not you admit it, you have the heart of a marathoner too.

Happy Heart, Happy Running! ~Jen

Out of Sync

I didn't get in my long run at all last week due to cooking for an 80-person seven course fundraiser dinner.

My running wife wants to go watch her actual husband play basketball this weekend instead of sitting around waiting for me to go running.

None of my music is inspiring me to move. In fact, as I did speed drills on the treadmill yesterday, I spent a frustrating amount of time searching for perfect run music and there was none to be found on my 48+ hours worth of music.

I can't seem to pick up my pace lately. I have been doing speed work and we've been running fast all winter, but lately, I seem to be slowing down.

My little girl's spring dance recital has been booked for when? The day of the Fargo Marathon! So it's breaking my heart to have to consider one over the other. I feel like a bad mom that it's even a toss-up, but I THINK as long as I finish in 4 hours I can make it back in time. Yeah, a 5 hour drive after a 4 hour run sounds like a good, safe, not-at-all-gonna-fall-asleep-at-the-wheel idea.

And now I'm headed back out to cook for a retreat for the weekend-- long hours on my feet and severe lack of sleep and my long run this Sunday is going to be even slower.

....

I'm in a funk.

I'm out of sync.

I think I want to give up running and just become a yogi instead. Or ballet dancer.

I'm not good at holding down long-term commitments unless I birth you or sleep with you.
....

And then I get notes from a friend whose doctor told her she could never run and she's running the Mickelson Trail half marathon.

And my mom just finished a 20 minute run this week. My mom is so NOT a runner but she did 20 minutes!!!

I feel so proud and so full of joy for these women.

And it reminds me that even in a funk, running itself is the reward. Pushing ourselves despite out setbacks is what strengthens us, in body, heart, and mind.

There are people who don't have the luxury of running shoes and iPods and great friends to stand by their sides. So help me to remember all that running gives me, all that I have, and all that you guys do for running, all the reasons why we run, all the people we run for, all the loves we share and have lost- those that can not be there at the finish line for us and those who are. Help me to remember that even when my running is slow, I am still out there, with the freedom and the health to run whenever I want.

Even if I am out of sync.

Happy Running! ~Jen

p.s. Note to my running wife: I miss you terribly! It's unnatural to go for two weeks without running together!