Getting Started

Ever wanted to tackle a marathon but don’t have a clue of where to start? Sure, you could run as far as you can as many times a week as you can but that would most likely leave you with an injury and a mental breakdown.

Over the next 4 months I will be coaching someone to get ready for a marathon with very little distance running experience. We will call this person Gertrude for the time being and her true identity will be revealed once she has crossed the finish line on March 18^th at the Wrightsville Beach Marathon. I will post updates on training, running tips and even gear reviews throughout the coming weeks. Any questions on Gertrude’s training methods are more than welcome.

Before we get started here is a little background on Gertrude. She played soccer growing up and continued to play in college at a high level and after graduating would join the odd women’s and coed rec leagues.  But as getting tackled and taken out for a pointless game at 9pm on a Sunday’s got old she needed to fill the void with something competitive. So she took up running. That’s the great thing about running, you can be as competitive as you want in relation to what you are looking to achieve. It could be running to stay in shape or to see what you are capable in comparison to your peers. For Gertrude, the goal of her training is to run a strong marathon. Not a world record, but a time she can be proud of and more importantly stay injury free in doing so. A  Boston Marathon qualification time on the clock at the finish line would be a huge bonus but it is not the ultimate goal.

The hardest part about doing a marathon for Gertrude is going to be the training. It’s getting up early, running on the treadmill after a long day at work and getting a long run in on the weekends when everyone else is out to brunch. So, for the next 4 months we will be checking in with Gertrude as she trains her way to the starting line. Again, please feel free to pass along any questions you may have about Gertrude’s training or your own training.

Get moving, keep moving,

Ian

How to be a road warrior

Are you worried about getting out of your routine when traveling? For me the holidays are the hardest, not only because of the copious amounts of sweets, but all of the friends/family obligations that require me to hop from one house to the next and thus making my workout time minimal at best. Obviously family time is a must, but so is keeping my fitness in check.

Previously I would just give in and let it all hang out. It wasn’t until I got on a scale after a holiday trip and I noticed that I had put on 8lbs in 5 days that I decided enough was enough. Usually I don’t harp at the number on the scale, but when you can see a dozen sugar cookies in your chin and your sweat pants are tight, you have reached rock bottom.

So, here is a solution. The following steps when followed closely will help keep your fitness on point.

Step 1.
Go to the grocery store and fill up the car for your trip. This way, you don’t need to eat fast/gas station food on the road and when you get to grandma’s house and the food choices include things like, pimento cheese, liver worst cured meats, you can stick to your normal food intake methods. When traveling by plane, pack a carry on of easy to snacks like trail mix, apples and pre made almond butter sandwiches.

Step 2.
To complete my road warrior status I get on the Google machine and scope out area gyms, exercise trails and running routes. Even if I only get a few spare minutes, I can still get a workout in and keep the workout routine intact. If you are time crunched for time a quick run is your best bet.

Step 3.
Enjoy yourself and the time you have with friends and families! Don’t overdo it and go missing on a 10 mile run Christmas morning, instead get in 3 when everyone is watching A Christmas Story for the 10th time. Also, don’t be afraid to have a couple of extra sweets, it won’t kill you; otherwise you will run the risk of offending your Aunt for refusing her famous chocolate chip cookies.

There you have it, a fool proof plan to keep fit during the holidays, good luck and let me know how you do or if you have any methods to share.

Get moving, keep moving,

Ian

YUM!

Here is a great recipe from Triathlete Magazine. To make this a healthy treat cut out a whole cup of sugar and use apple sauce instead of the 1 1/2 cups of oil. The sweetness of the chocolate will more than make up for using less sugar. Now you have a tasty treat while keeping your healthy eating regimen strong. The holidays are tough on our diets so making little changes to some of your favorite recipes will keep you at your fighting weight throughout the holiday season.

Get Moving, Keep Moving,

Ian

Pro Recipe: Andy Potts’ Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Updated: Nov 18th 2011 12:06 PM UTC by Triathlete.com

Andy Potts and his wife, Lisa, gave us this recipe combining two dessert favorites: chocolate and pumpkin for a past issue of Triathlete. It was one of the most popular recipes we’ve published, so we’re bringing it back for 2011. These muffins can be a warm desert or a decadent, calorie-rich breakfast treat on the go.
Ingredients:
4 eggs
1 ½ cups vegetable oil
1 ½ cups sugar
14 ounces pumpkin pie filling
3 cups flour
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt (optional)
2 cups chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix together the eggs, vegetable oil, sugar and pumpkin pie filling. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, baking soda and baking powder. Add the flour mixture to wet ingredients. Add chocolate chips. Spray muffin tin with cooking spray. Spoon the batter into the muffin tin and bake for 15 minutes.

Filling the void

How many people are still looking for a way to stay active? One of the most difficult things about living a healthy lifestyle is consistency and finding ways to stay fit with fun activities and goals that will keep us motivated. I myself am no different.

Three years ago I was sitting in a cubicle in Boston going through the motions with my career with little drive or reason to stay fit. I had played competitive rugby for a while but there was a point where the game had taken its toll on my body and I lost motivation. Thus, a void was created. I didn't have a reason to go to the gym or stay fit because there wasn't any accountability for my fitness. I didn't have to worry about letting teammates down on the field anymore. In turn, I put on a few pounds, I had lost my drive for maintaining my fitness.

What I still had was a competitive nature that needed some direction. So I decided to try and get back in shape the oldsschool way, running. The draw was that it was so simple. I could compete with myself everyday. Maybe run the loop around my neighborhood a little faster than the day before, or maybe run a little further than the day before. Needless to say, I was hooked, I filled my fitness void. I was hooked so much in fact that I quit my job, became a personal trainer and started working on a Masters in Exercise Science.

Now, I help others fill their fitness void everyday, it is extremely rewarding. I am biased when I say running is the best way to stay fit, but it is what works for me. That's the key, find out what works for you. Maybe its indoor cycling and group exercise classes or outdoor boot camps with some friends. Keep searching and you will find it. Before you know it, you will have a little routine going and boom, void filled.

Get moving, keep moving,

Ian