Category Archives: Goals and Challenges

Join us in a number of ongoing challenges and share your successes with a community of women who are there to cheer you on!

My Life Run/BanteringBlonde ~ 5/31 – 6/13

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Summer is officially upon us!  My kids are out of school and we are having a ton of fun.  I’ve been getting my runs in and am feeling very strong.  More and more women are joining our group and we’ve established an official forum on DailyMile.com – be sure to join us as we get the conversations in there flowing! We will officially be calling this endeavor My Life Run and you will start to see us using the hashtag #MyLifeRun, we’d love to have you join in so that we can cheer you on as well!

My kids love to play with my iphone camera and video and they are forever snapping pictures of me.  Whenever I sync with iphoto I’m always finding strange shots of the grocery store floor or videos of some goofy skit they make up on the fly.  Today, however there were several shots of me in my running gear.  I have to say that when I saw the pictures, my first thought was, “Wow I don’t look all that bad right now!”.  I’ve been losing weight slowly but the numbers on the scale don’t really reflect how much healthier I have been getting.  I feel like I look healthy in this photo… and I feel strong.  I feel whole.  I feel like me.

Getting back into the swing of things after my trip to Atlanta for The Race Relax Weekend with @theblogrollers meant missing my update last week so I’ve attached it to this weeks.  You can see that I’m starting to increase my mileage and I’ll be running 3-5 mile straining runs from now on while increasing the distance of my one long run each week.  I’m looking at races and will likely try to run at least one half marathon before the Disney Wine and Dine in October.

How was your week?  If you would like to become a contributing writer to MomActive for the “My Life Run” series just email me at fiona.bryan@momactive.com!

Here is what my training has looked like over the past two weeks….

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Running For My Life: Week 1 Update, Fitting Exercise Into A Busy Schedule

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Our Training Schedule

Image by ScrappinMichele via Flickr

I completed the first week of my running for my life project. I ended up running 2 days and walking one day. I was not able to get a long run in over the weekend. It was Memorial Day weekend and filled with family activities. Running just wasn’t in the plans. But that’s ok. Sometimes family has to come first!

It was a very HOT week with most days nearing 90 with high humidity. Running was hard, but I just mixed it up with some walking and I felt awesome. Changing my focus to just going out there and running and walking really helped me. I didn’t think about the final goal and just went out.

Exercise And Busy Schedule

One day it was really hot, but I wanted to move, so I decided to walk around the track during my daughter’s soccer practice. I have been trying to think about ways to fit the exercise into my already busy routine. I’m using the time I used to sit and watch kids or just gab and getting out there and moving it. It feels really good.

My suggestion if you think you don’t have any time to work out is to really look closely at your schedule and see when you can fit in some time. Even if it’s 30 minutes while your kids are in practice. Yesterday I saw a women walking around the pool while her kids were swimming in the pool. the pool was crowded, but she made it work. It is important to schedule it in to your week as an appointment.

Week 2 Plan

For this week I am planning on running 3 days, walking 1 day and doing yoga twice.

  • Monday – Rest
  • Tuesday – Run 30 minutes
  • Wednesday – Walk 30 minutes (during soccer practice)
  • Thursday – Run 30 minutes
  • Friday – Yoga
  • Saturday – Run 40 minutes
  • Sunday – Cross Training – EA Sports Active
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Weekly Round-up 5/17/10 … Bantering Blonde

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I feel like we need to explore a name for the weekly check-ins.  We are all having “aha” moments and major mental breakthroughs … this is no longer about a race and we need to start reflecting that.  So let’s get on that….’mkay?

Those of you following us on our journey will start to see people coming out of the woodwork making all kinds of crazy declarations that are going to push them to BE MORE and DO MORE than they ever imagined. **giddy**

Ok, so my week was not fantabulous but it was actually ok.  I struggle with allergies and the cotton wood came out fierce last week.  Our lawns and streets and screens were clogged with the white cotton of ick.  The trooper within pulled this out….

Monday - Core Power Yoga 60 mins

Tuesday- 6.5 miles 1:10 (easy run)

Wed/Thurs/Fri –  Allergies and lack of sleep!

Sunday – 33minutes 2.66 miles (very easy run)

So, not awesome but at the same time I still put in almost 9 miles and the 6.5 distance gave me a peak distance to train down from for my 5k race next Saturday #RaceRelax weekend in Atlanta with @theblogrollers!  My goal is to run a sub 30min 5k… totally doable!

Tune in to @momactive on MomTV on Wednesday at 10pm ET – we’ll be talking training schedules and plans, getting out of your own head and over the mental hurdles!  We may have a super duper top secret special guest popping in  ….. ooooh la la

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Week 2 Training Wrap-up ~ Bantering Blonde

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When The Blogrollers held their #RaceRelax Weekend contest a few weeks ago, I knew I absolutely had to win. I worked that contest hard and when I won, it felt like it was “meant to be”.  Training to race a 5k is a whole different game than the half marathon or longer distance races I had been looking to run.  I plan to use the Atlanta race as a training run in my long term schedule but I’ll be running along side some very tall rock star runners and I’d like to turn in a respectable time… lest they start calling me Bumbling Blonde….

This is what my week looked like:

Monday

- 6am 60 min. Hot Power Fusion Yoga (Core Power)

- 30 minutes easy run

Tuesday

- 6am 60 min. C2 Yoga (Core Power)

Wednesday

- 60 min. Yoga II-III Vinyasa Flow (CCAC)

-  55 minute interval training on tread mill at CCAC – I climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro twice!

(since it was rainy and my club has a spa I popped in for a 50 minute sports massage ahhh)

Thursday

- 60 min.  C2 yoga (Core Power)  **bonus, Kat had a play date so I took advantage!

Friday – Rest

Saturday

- 45 minute run with Jogtunes Podcast 180 bpm peak (my nike+ wasn’t picking up so I’m not sure of the distance)

Sunday – Rest

Observations: I’m a fair weather runner and I don’t love the treadmill so every winter I fret about “losing” my groove with running.  It makes sense that I always fall right back into it because I stay very active during the winter with yoga, snowboarding, strength training etc.  The wear and tear on your body when running is pretty significant and I’ve always tried to force myself to stick to a 3-4 day a week max of actual running. As my body has changed from practicing yoga i am now convinced that I might actually be able to train a marathon with 3-4 days of running a week…. I think ;)

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Week 1 Wrap-up for ScrappinMichele

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I wish I could report that I am back on track and working out and eating right and well on my way to running a half marathon. Believe me. I considered lying and telling you all that I ran 3 days, but I can’t do that. I promise I wick always be honest with you even if I am embarrassed.

I did manage to get in one really good hour long cardio workout last Tuesday and that was it. This week I am focusing on getting back into the routine of working out. I am at a point right now where unfortunately it isn’t taking a high priority in my day. Each day this week I am going to focus on getting in at least 30 minutes of some type of exercise. Three days I will focus on running.

What do you do to get yourself back in the habit of working out when you have gotten off track? I need all the ideas I can get.

Michele Reaching a Goal of a 4 miles Straight Up Hike

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Week 1 Wrap-up ~ Banteringblonde on the Run

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runwifeylogo-03I took the week to get myself back in the running frame of mind.  I am a fair weather runner so winter tends to keep me in the yoga studio with a jaunt on the tread mill here and there.  My training schedule includes 3 runs a week right now.  Since I typically practice yoga 3-5 times a week normally I’ll used those classes to cross-train and strength build.  In my opinion anyone who participates in yoga is getting quite a bit of strength training just by lifting their own body weight.

Here is what my week looked like.

Monday 5/3 -  40 minute run easy

Tuesday 5/4 – 60 min Core Power Fusion Yoga/cross train

Wednesday 5/5 – (Rest)

Thursday 5/6 – 30 minute run easy

Friday 5/7 – 60 minute Core Power C2 Yoga/cross train

Saturday 5/8 - 5k paced run – I used my Nike+ iphone app to check my pace.  I wanted a point of reference since I’ll be flying to Atlanta for #racerelax weekend THAT I WON in just four weeks.  I’d like to turn in a semi decent time and while my long term training really requires work on increasing my distance, I’ll be giving special attention to my speed/interval training runs over the next few weeks.

The 5k race that I’ll be running is on June 5th and I thought it would be fun this week to highlight some other 5k’s around the country.  Watch for this post next Friday and please comment or email fiona.bryan at momactive.com if you would like me to highlight or find a race in your area on June 5th.

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The MomActive Challenge ~ Let’s Talk Training Schedules

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Last week Michele and I announced that we’d be training to run the Inaugural Disney Wine and Dine Half Marathon Weekend Oct 1-3.  No matter what your fitness level you can train for this race or any of the races we’ll run along the way.  We have LOTS of time and you’ll be amazed at how your body and mind transforms over the next 21 and a half weeks.  Did you know that most training schedules for a half marathon are only 12 weeks in length?  Yes, 12 weeks… just about three months.  We almost have enough time to train for a half marathon TWICE! When you look at it that way it doesn’t seem like such a big deal does it?

We decided to break the next 23 weeks into 3 phases, building a base in the first 8 weeks, using the 5k race as a training run prior to running a 10k.  When we get to the 3rd phase we hope to have inspired enough people along the way to be able to split into training groups so that we can customize schedules based on individual goals and experience.

Right now this is what it looks like….

Phase I:  8 weeks Build a Base (5k race at end of week 8)

Phase II:   2 weeks – Great place to jump in! (10k race at end of week 10)

Phase III:  12 weeks half marathon training

Each week we will post an example training schedule with options for different levels.  If you would like help customizing a plan that works for you please contact me at fiona.bryan @ momactive . com and I’m happy to help you out!  Michele and I will be documenting our training and posting our personal training schedules and logs weekly.  We’ll also be posting about the nutritional advice we receive.  If you’d like to join the official MomActive Team and cross post updates from your personal blog on MomActive, let us know!

To Get Started Read:  Preparing for Phase I of The MomActive Challenge

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Preparing for Phase I of The MomActive Challenge

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arunning2

We are so glad you are here!  Reading this post is the first step in what promises to be a fun journey.  Phase I: Week 1 kicks off on Monday May 3rd!

Walk/Run – As we mentioned last week our main goal right now is to just get out there and walk or jog for at least 30 minutes at least 3 times this week.  Start to get a feel for what the most convenient days for running are.  Also pay attention to the day or days that would work best for longer runs.  Keep in mind that we’ll be increasing the distance/time of our one day a week longer distance runs all way through to October. The days that you do not run experiment with other recreational fun activities like biking, hiking, Wii Fit, etc.

Ideally, you should be able to run for at least 30 minutes without stopping by the end of this week.  More advanced runners, take it easy and just do your thang.

Shoes/Feet

Whether you plan to run or walk with us you’ll need a good pair of shoes.  If you have a running (or walking) specialty store close by this is your best bet in finding the right shoe.  Most stores have a treadmill that you can test shoes out on and many now have video and computer analysis that will analyze your stride.  To read more about choosing a shoe and the terms pronate and supenate you can read this Runner’s World article, The Best Shoe For You.

A quick word about your feet.  Running or walking distances does not pretty feet make!  Prepare to build tough calluses and be sure to monitor and stave off any cracking or peeling.  You’ll want to keep your toe nails short, although I will say that I have lost many toenails despite keeping them short. We’ll likely talk more about different remedies and foot related products as we build our time/distance, but it is worth a quick mention before we get started.

Clothing (and a word about sports bras)

You don’t need fancy clothes or any special gear to get started running.  An old t-shirt and comfortable shorts or sweats will do.  Ok, the sports bra conversation is an important one.  WEAR A PROPER SPORTS BRA – no matter what your size you need to have good support in order to be comfortable and if you can imagine the what having kids did to them … just imagine the damage from bouncing and jiggling out of control for long periods of time.  If you are blessed, as I am, with ample bosom I want you to know that I am livin’ it right there with you and we will be devoting an entire article and MomTV program to The Sports Bra very soon.  Not all sports bras are created equally and the right bra can will be crucial when we start racking up the miles.

Nutrition

This is also a topic that we’ll be covering in detail over the entire 21-ish weeks.  Here are few tips to get you started:

  • Write down what you eat – I know it seems like a pain but we’ll use this information when we start analyzing our diets to be sure that we are fueling our bodies to do what we are asking them to do!
  • Drink lots of water – uber important girls, just find a water bottle you can fall in love with and keep it with you all day long.  Another topic that will be published as a full article very soon.
  • Take a multi-vitamin – I’m the worst at this – I make my kids take vitamins but I never take them myself.  The fact is most of us do not get the proper amount of vitamins and mineral solely from our food intake.  We’ll work on this but let’s just consider the multi-vitamin our insurance policy to fill in the gabs.

That’s it!  No fancy diets here – we’ll talk common sense and best practices for now and as we learn more we’ll begin to incorporate and eliminate foods as needed/desired.

Any questions? Ask away  ~ you can email or leave a comment!

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Run With Wifey Race & Relax Contest!

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Run With Wifey Race & Relax Contest!
One lucky lady who wants to Get Moving will win the opportunity to join @theblogrollers for the Race & Relax weekend and take part in all of the fun festivities they have planned.

I entered! The Blogrollers are running a super fun contest!  One lucky person will be flown to Atlanta for the Race & Relax weekend – racing and relaxing are right up my alley!  I’d love to win this because the race is in June and falls at the perfect time in my training schedule for the  Disney Wine and Dine Half Marathon in October!

WISH ME LUCK!

Check out some of the details and then head on over to The Blogrollers to find out how to enter….

What You Win:

  • Race & Relax Event Registration (which includes the Virginia Highlands Summerfest 5K run/walk; post-race brunch sponsored by Walt Disney World Resort; a Get Moving! Race & Relax “Powered By Red” race-day T-Shirt, train to manage your pain Red Recovery Routine and bottle of tart cherry juice sponsored by the Cherry Marketing Institute; and other goodies)
  • Round Trip Airfare
  • Hotel accommodations for Friday (6/4) and Saturday (6/5) night
  • Transportation to airport and Race & Relax event activities.
Official Rules:
  • Contest entries will be accepted until 11:59pm EST on Monday May 3rd.
  • Contest open to continental US residents only.
  • If you are already registered for the event you are not eligible for the contest.
  • Georgia residents are permitted to enter but will NOT receive airfare and will be responsible for all transportation. If you live more than 100 miles from the Atlanta city limits, you are eligible for hotel accommodations.
  • Contest winner must confirm their acceptance by 11:59pm EST on Thursday, May 6.

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