Won't Read This...

Good Morning! Today I am going to write about training, specifically in running. For many of you I realize that you may be saying… “Won’t read this, Ha! I’m never going to run”… Yep, I said that too and I heard on good authority that one other well-known boot camp member said that same thing at one point in time and now she’s beating her own time with every race she runs! Once I started running I realized that it is hard, but man I feel good when I’m finished. And running the Rat Race, oh my goodness, such a blast not only running but the company. So for when you make the decision that you are going to give running a try and eventually incorporate it into your weekly BootCamp, FitRanX or Tactix routine, here are a few problems that may hinder your success with running. My favorite shoe is ASICS, so naturally I turn to them for advice and without fail, ASICS delivers. Here is what I read… Problem 1: Too Much, Too Often--If you find yourself out of breath, or completely drained, after every run, you could be pushing yourself too hard. For me, it was knee pain, I couldn't walk and of course I couldn't run until it felt better. When I could run, it wasn’t for very long before my knee started acting up again. Yes, it is possible to over train, and it happens when your body gets pushed beyond its capability to recover. If you run too fast, you can push your body too hard, going beyond the body's capacity to deliver oxygen to your muscles. And in my case, I was putting in too many miles. Over-training can cause injury, sleep disturbance, and even depression. ASICS Solution: Take a Step-by-step Approach. The first step is to manage your pace. Identify a comfortable speed and factor it into your training plan. You can calculate your pace with a simple stopwatch, or training apps like MY ASICS. I'm not crediting the competition, but Nike app works too and I know many of you already have it on your phone. There is also another app I was told about, Couch Potato to 5K. The second step is to manage your distance. If you're looking to run long distances, you need to build up gradually over time. Taking too large of a jump in distance will only lead to injury, and set you back in your training goals. Building a training plan is a great way to help you gradually increase your distance over time and reach your training milestones. Problem 2: The Right Fuel--Diet is essential not only in providing the energy you need when you're running, but also in helping you recover and build muscle. Complex carbohydrates help your body produce glycogen which delivers energy to your muscles while proteins are essential to help repair and build muscles, as well as produce hormones. Then there are fats, vitamins and minerals to factor in. ASICS Solution: Balance Your Diet--Think carefully about what you're eating. In addition to plenty of vitamins and minerals, your training diet should be made up of: •60–65% carbohydrates •10–20% protein •10% saturated fats •10–15% unsaturated fats Problem 3: Not Resting Between Runs--If you are going to continue to run at your best, you need to give your body the opportunity to recover between training runs. ASICS Solution: Take It Easy--It might sound counter-intuitive, but rest is one of the most crucial parts of any successful training plan. Getting adequate rest between training runs gives your body time to repair itself and recover in order to build up your strength over time. Problem 4: Not Enough Sleep--Tiredness is another factor that can affect your performance. Sleep enables phases of the recovery process that there are simply no substitutes for. If you are not sleeping, your body cannot recover and your training will begin to suffer. ASICS Solution: Wind Down Before Bed--Make sure you set aside time to relax before you go to bed. Reading, listening to music, or taking a hot bath are all great ways to wind down and calm your mind before bed. There it is, the most common problems, I assume they are common as I've experienced all 4. Don't do what I did and just jump into running 7 miles and not expect your body to protest. Ha-ha! Running is rewarding and, done properly, along with the reward comes fun! Enjoy! Melissa

This is the scene we are surrounded by. The flood came fast and furious and hard to believe we were the 1 in 1000 yrs., that got hit with this kind of devastation. No one could have predicted it. The positive out of all of this is that the human race comes together and helps their own. There is no thought of can or should I, no, everyone just jumps into action. The clean up will be long and vigourous at best, however, roads will be rebuilt, homes restored and the only sadness is the lives lost. That is the hardest part of all of this. Oh I know that losing all your possessions is hard too, but all of that is replaceable, a loved one just isn't. So I pray for all those who have lost a loved one during this time. There are still people missing today, yet the rescue teams are out in full force to reach all those people and hopefully the number will be 0 missing. This is a short blog but wanted to just let all who see this that all of the folks affected in this Flood of 2013 will be stronger than ever as each person will be surrounded by those who continue to pray, to reach out and to be a stronghold for them. Colorado Strong!

Regular Fitness Analysis? Who needs ‘em? You Do!

When was the last time you evaluated the progression of your fitness journey? When was the last time you met with a personal trainer to have a thorough Fitness Analysis (FA) that went beyond a measurement of your body fat and weight? I’m going to guess that for many of you, a good amount of time has passed since the analysis that was performed at baseline of your fitness journey either on your own or with a professional. Never mind the reasons why so much time has passed, instead, let’s focus on why a regular FA is so important. Whether you realize it or even believe it, an FA done on a regular basis reviews your progression which is of the up-most importance to your on-going success. That being said, let’s get to the benefits! Analysing your progression will be motivating! You will be able to see a consistent record of your fitness progression overtime. Analysing your progression allows yourself or a personal trainer to make recommendations about what you should do next, strength and fitness wise and also with nutrition. With fitness journeys comes plateaus and with a regular FA you will be able to put your journey in overdrive and continue to see results. Analysing the progression of the measurements of Body Fat and Weight are crucial in determining that you are losing weight the right way so you will be able to prevent muscle wasting. Sure the number on your scale at home may be decreasing, but what your scale won't tell you is if your body fat is increasing. This ratio of body fat to weight provides insight to addressing your nutrition and strength work needs. Without this insight, you may struggle with your weight throughout your fitness journey. And finally, you will be able to monitor your blood pressure and heart rate recovery time. So, with all those perks of a regular FA, take advantage! If you are monitoring your progression on your own, be sure to do a little research on the different fitness assessments out there, some take into account strength progression as well as flexibility progression. Also, research the tools offered to give you an accurate body fat to weight ratio. Have an awesome day and I’ll talk to you soon. Melissa