Friday Fitness Links: Eat More Chocolate

30 March 2012

Oh, Friday, how I love thee. Friday means a light school day, work day and date night. And what’s on tap for date night this week?

Drumroll, please…

Golden Gloves Finals!!!! (are they the Finals? I don’t really know. I’m just the arm candy tonight) The event itself isn’t not nearly as interesting as the spectators themselves and the way that they react to the fights. So fun.

And don’t forget to stop by the lululemon athletica store on E. 66th St. & 3rd Ave. between 8:30-10am THIS SUNDAY for the Star Studded Total Body Tune-Up, hosted by yours truly. You know how I’ve never missed a marathon due to injury (or anything else)? Come and find out why, courtesy of Dr. Shure and Lara Benusis. It’ll be fun! Stay for yoga! Stay for run club!

In other news, eat more chocolate.

No, really. EAT MORE CHOCOLATE (the good kind, anyway).
And if you overdo it on the chocolate, don’t worry. We women don’t have to wear a skimpy two-piece on the beach volleyball courts anymore.
More bad stuff about BPA in your plastic containers (pssst…could it lead to obesity?).
Some people believe they will lose weight faster/have a better workout working out at higher temperatures. Thoughts? Let us all please remember what happened to Korey Stringer in 90° heat in Minnesota. Be safe, ya’ll.
And here are 5 other things NOT to do during your workout.
The lucky ducks in Connecticut better be ready to ROCK. My favorite Flywheel Sports is coming!
Here are some of the other HOTTEST fitness classes happening around the country.
But if you’re just looking to get faster, trick yourself.
Oh, look. Vibram is being sued. Shocker.
Pinterest is taking a stand on Thinspiration Boards and other eating disorder-supporting images.
And, finally, a homecoming video that makes me so happy. Love.

Ok, everybody. Have an amazing weekend and I hope to see all of you on Sunday morning! Come by any time between 8:30-10am. Run fast. Run far.

Now go out and run!

Friday Fitness News: Olympic Trial Weekend

13 January 2012

4 Comments

“I am feeling very Olympic today.” Name the movie. Anyone?

Image courtesy of flags.net

*sigh*

I am alone in my Olympic geeky-ness. Well, not entirely. The Twittersphere is abuzz with Olympic Trial spirit as our best distance runners duke it out down in Houston, Texas this weekend for the coveted marathon spots at the London 2012 Games. Kara, Meb, Ryan, Deena and so very many more will toe the line for 6 spots (3 women, 3 men) on Team USA.

Sadly for us running geeks out there, the Trials will NOT be televised NOR will they be streaming live ANYWHERE. Thankfully, there are fabulous people who have traveled down to Houston to help us out.

Runner’s World will be live blogging and Tweeting as much as possible.
New York Athletic Club will also be throwing down updates on Twitter, but probably NYAC athlete-heavy.
Did YOU want to go to the Trials? Oh, here is what you would have had to do.
The Lehmkuhles are both headed to the trials. That’s cool. JB and I will be sitting on the couch.
Here’s a breakdown of the Men’s and Women’s fields for Saturday, in case you are unfamiliar with how unpredictable this race could be.
Everything else you need/want to know is here.

And my predictions? Deena, Shalane, and Desi for the women and Meb, Ryan, and Brett for the men.

Now for the rest of the Fitness News!

So, the yoga world is in an upheaval this week. Even I got in on the discussion. Well, NY Magazine and NY Times both published anti-yoga articles and both Regelin and Black had something to say about their respective interviews.
Lululemon founder and CEO Chip Wilson stepped down from his position this week. No scandal, he’s still the Chairman of the Board of Directors for the company and your favorite yoga pants won’t be affected.
This breakdown of the difference between male and female runners is both hilarious and true.
Hostess filed for bankruptcy. Again. I’m not their biggest fan. So long as Entemann’s is still up and running, I’m cool. Mmmm…crumb top donuts.
This firefighter will run the MARATHON PORTION OF A TRIATHLON in full firefighter gear 27 TIMES THIS YEAR. If that doesn’t call for all-caps, I don’t know what does.
Virtual Anatomy. Cool.
What’s it like at the Biggest Loser Ranch/Resort? Find out. Does this make you want to go?
If you’re in the NYC area on February 12th, come ride at Flywheel Sports for Michael J. Fox’s charity, Team Fox. Do it.

Wow. That was a lot of news. I wonder if any of you read to the end of this? Well, if you did, allow me to share a bit of good news with you. I received my first, and hopefully not only, call for an interview at a school for their Doctorate of Physical Therapy program. VERY exciting since it’s my school of choice. Fingers crossed, everybody!

And thank you all who voted for me for Best New Run Blogger on the Run Chat Awards. I did not win but it’s an honor just to be nominated, right (plaster fake smile on my face)? Seriously, congratulations to those who won. I will fight you to the death next year.

What are your marathon predictions for tomorrow? Do these anti-yoga articles dissuade you from hitting up your favorite studio? Will you miss Twinkies when they’re gone? Tell me all about it.

Now go out and run!

Fitness News Fridays: Free Shipping Friday

16 December 2011

2 Comments

First off, thank you all for your feedback regarding yesterday’s first ever workout video blog! According to my stats, over 100 of you have clicked on it…has anyone actually tried it? Love to know what you think/how you felt! Regardless, more of those to come.

Second, today is the day when online stores promote free shipping in time for Christmas. So, if you’re like some people I know and you just started TODAY, get your butts online and grab that freebie before it’s gone!

Third, I wanna throw a shout-out to my optometrist who, while I was getting my annual exam, casually told me she ran her first marathon in Chicago this fall on a whim. Ummm, AMAZING and congratulations! Best part about my visit with her? We talked running and lululemon the entire time and then she told me my eyesight is holding steady at the current prescription. Rock on, both of us!

My Runner’s World Holiday Streak kinda hit a bump this week. I got all my runs in, but they were all interrupted and that suuuuuucks. Soon, very soon, I will be run-interrupted free (right, Dr. Boz & PAK?) and blazing on the Highline Trail in Denver! Yay holidays! Yay streak!

And now, the news this week is all about the Olympic trials for the marathon predictions, summing up fitness for the year (this seems to go on throughout all of December *yawn*) and the rest of it is a mish-mosh. Here goes!

Shalane Flanagan is poised to be our best female runner at the Olympic marathon distance.
When it comes down to the Olympic trials, time really isn’t the goal, it’s all about placement.
The owner of my favorite running shoe store in NYC, Jackrabbit Sports, did a talkback with Well + Good on Facebook about running: read it here.
2012 Wellness retreats. I will happily go on any one of these if someone wants to sponsor me Pretty please?
Can you be overweight and healthy? #1. Define “healthy” (My answer: no. Your joints & connective tissue are suffering even if your organs are not. It’s a total body equation)
Oh yeah, I’m on the luluemon blog. Global domination, baby!
New Yorkers: You have 3 days to get Barry’s Bootcamp classes for $22/each. Hurry up!
New Yorkers: Fly for FREE @ Flywheel Sports UES tomorrow @ 3pm with my girl, Aleah. You will not regret it.
New Yorkers: Come to the E. 66th St. luluemon store for a spa experience THIS SUNDAY from 4-6pm. You may just see your favorite fitness blogger there. Maybe…
The CDC says non-smokers get the flu less. Duh.
Do you speak ”runner”?
And finally, what is your reaction to famous ladies signing onto multi-million dollar weight loss contracts? Good for them or just a ploy to get paid?

Good luck to all of you who are running the Ted Corbitt 15K this weekend. One of my favorite races, though I’m just not ready to pay to run in Central Park with NYRR yet again. Who else is racing this weekend? Anyone still marathon-ing? Tell me all about it and then…

…go out and run!

Winter Running: The Sweaty Truth

12 December 2011

4 Comments

My 6.5 miles this morning was a balmy 37°, exactly the temperature I like my runs to be! Cool, breezy and I still get all sweaty and warm by the end. I am still wearing my favorite Run: Inspire Crops Run: Swiftly Tech Long Sleeve & the slightly heavier Define Jacket on my runs. I am also sporting my Run: Brisk gloves but they are clean out of them all over the country AND online! (All images courtesy of lululemon athletica because I forgot to take one of myself)

I don’t generally break out the super-long, brushed inside layer Sugoi tights until about mid-January. Because I have the luxury of running when the sun is out in the winter, it isn’t necessary to do the crazy-warm hat and full tights that those of you who are busting out your runs at 5am in the dark. Ya’ll bundle up out there!

The idea surrounding dressing properly for your winter runs is that you are warm enough that you DO sweat. Sometimes it’s just too damn cold and, no matter how many layers you have on, you just don’t feel those beads of sweat roll down your face.

HOWEVER (read this carefully)

JUST BECAUSE YOU AREN’T DRIPPING SWEAT, DOESN’T MEAN YOU’RE NOT SWEATING!!!!!!

What it means is that you may not be releasing as much heat as during the hot summer months and/or the heat that your body is releasing that normally forms sweat beads on your skin is evaporating quickly in the cool, dry air. If your heart rate is elevated, you are releasing heat from your body. It’s science. You are sweating whether you feel sweaty or not.

What does this mean for your winter running? Quite simply, it means you need to pay as much attention to your hydration in the winter as you do in the summer. MORE, since the heat blasting from your office building and forced air heaters at home are probably sucking every bit of moisture out of your body throughout the day and by the time you get to your run, you’re already dehydrated.

The water fountains in Central Park are almost all turned off (didn’t the just turn on?) but the Hudson River Park ones are year-round temperature controlled so New Yorkers, take note and plan ahead for your runs. The rest of you, don’t forget your mobile hydration! Last thing you want is to be the runner who passed out due to hydration on the coldest day of the year. That’s just embarrassing.

Ok, now go out and run!

(PS. I wrote this entire post with one hand while the other arm had an IV in it. Now that’s talent!)