Wednesday Wisdom from one of our own Revolutionaries

I was reading through Kristen's latest update (check it out here if you missed it!) and loved so much of what I was reading.  She is a true inspiration! There were a few particular quotes that really struck me and so I thought we could highlight them here today. Just a few things to think about...

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I may not be the fittest or fastest person out there, but I have given this all that I have and made a conscious choice to make this happen versus sitting around and waiting unitl I felt like it was the right or perfect time.  -Kristen W


That is soooo true!  The conditions may never be perfect for tackling a new challenge but don't let fear guide you to make excuses why you can't do it.  You can do it!! 


This is another one that Kristen liked and I have to say I love it too.  
 "The more I run, the more I love my body.  Not because it is perfect, far from it, but because with every mile it is proving to me that I am capable of more than I ever thought possible."   - source unknown

Up until 5 years ago, I never dreamed that I could run a marathon, climb across Katahdin's Knife's Edge, participate in one of those adventure races... I was the kid who was picked last for teams in gym class, who excelled in the classroom but not in athletics.  But, here I am now with at least 2 of those 3 things under my belt. (#3 will hopefully be happening next month - more on that later but wish me luck! )  I am amazed at what my body can do if I just give it a shot!  

Now, how about you? What are your triumphs and next goals?

Revolutionary Update: Kristen

Remember Kristen? Well, after many weeks of training, she is gearing up for her full marathon debut this Sunday!  We checked in with her and this is what she had to say:

The big day is almost here!  Next Sunday (June 3rd) I will set out to run my first full marathon.  After nearly six months of training and fundraising, I cannot wait to put on my shoes and get out on that course!  While I have certainly had moments of self-doubt, I have to say that today I truly feel ready. Two weeks ago, I completed my longest training run of 20 miles and felt great!  This was a huge boost to my confidence.  Of course, it helped that I had a few different groups of friends join me for the duration of the run, but this is also something that I have gained as a result of my training.  I have met people at races and later run with them upon learning that we have a shared interest and don't live far from one another.  Still being somewhat new to Maine and at times feeling very isolated in Castine, these connections have been such a gift.  I have appreciated having others with whom I can share this journey and experience.  I am also really glad that I chose to do this with Team In Training as a benefit for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society as I know that I have done and will continue to make a huge difference in the lives of others.

Since signing up for the marathon back in December, I have run more than 500 miles and raised almost $4,000 for cancer research.  I am equally proud of these two things since each has helped me to publicize and help raise awareness for Team In Training.  In my small town, everyone seems to know what I am doing.  Many of them have donated to my marathon mission, while others have supported and encouraged me each time I have passed them on the trails and roads.  Although I am very self-motived, I know that I could not have come this far on my own.  I am grateful for my personal "team" and hope that I have also helped to inspire and motivate others through this process. 

I may not be the fittest or fastest person out there, but I have given this all that I have and made a conscious choice to make this happen versus sitting around and waiting unitl I felt like it was the right or perfect time.  In my 500+ miles (which have included a lot of personal reflection!), I have been reminded that there is no right or perfect time.  I still have some weight to lose and wish that I didn't have to be carrying any extra with me for 26.2 miles, but I am so far ahead of where I was six months ago and know now that I am more than a size or a number.  I found a quote the other day on facebook that pretty much sums up how I've been feeling of late.  It read:  "The more I run, the more I love my body.  Not because it is perfect, far from it, but because with every mile it is proving to me that I am capable of more than I ever thought possible."  Here's to many more miles and possibilities!

Kristen, there is no doubt in my mind that you are going to kill it at the marathon!  We can't wait to hear about your experience!

Inspired by Kristen? Have your own story of transformation to share? We want to hear from you! Contact us at info@mainelyrunning.com. We'll follow you and support you as one of our fitness revolutionaries. There's no better way to keep yourself accountable!  

Revolutionary Updates: Brooke and Mary

Remember Brooke?  She is just a few days away from her first full marathon and is certain to rock it! We checked in with her a few weeks ago and are happy to learn that things are going pretty well for her.  She's definitely been figuring out what works for her with the longer distances.  For example, she mentioned that she switched up the way she approaches the long runs by running for a set duration of time rather than mileage and has found that it is mentally much easier to get through.  She also reports:

  I bought new shoes that are NOT good for my long runs, but I haven't had anymore issues with the camelbak since first getting used to it. I just had a breakthrough mentally this past week (of course, now that I only have 3 weeks of training left!) that my body needs 2 days of recovery after long runs and I should never run 2 consecutive days in a row...I was feeling pretty awful on a lot of my runs and getting worried/scared/frustrated/pissed off about it, then after having to switch up my schedule last week saw how wonderful I felt after more rest and had my 'aha' moment.

When I registered for the race (which I waited until about 2 weeks ago to do...I was worried I was going to get  injured so held off), they sent an email about crowdrise and raising money for their charities, so I am using fundraising for our town's library as motivation to get me through these last weeks...If I'm gonna run anyways, I might as well help out somehow too!

I have a 5k I'm running the week before the marathon and I'm excited to see how my time is for that since I know the distance running has helped my speed on short runs....never in my life did I think that I would consider 5k a SHORT run!
So as a short answer, I guess I'm doing ok!

Brooke - we are all so impressed by your motivation and determination! You've done the training and now the hard part is behind you.  Go out, go for it and enjoy the experience of your first full marathon! We can't wait to hear how it goes!  

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And remember Mary?  Since we last heard from her, she's had a whole lot going on!  She finished her first full marathon at the Smuttynose Marathon on a very soggy day last October.  Finishing a full marathon is awesome but I have to give extra kudos to her for that since that was the wettest race day I've ever experienced!! (That was the same day as the Maine Marathon & Half for those of you who were there)  Mary has continued organizing the very successful Girls on the Go program and Teachers On The Run 5k series in Hartland and is still out there running races, including last weekend's 15k at Sugarloaf.  If you were there you may have seen some hot pink glittery signs along the race course....well, those were for Mary too, placed there by her significant other, Michael, to propose to her.  If you haven't already, you can read the story here at the BDN.  A huge Mainely Running congrats to Mary and Michael!!

Image via BDN

Inspired by Brooke and Mary? Have your own story of transformation to share? We want to hear from you! Contact us at info@mainelyrunning.com. We'll follow you and support you as one of our fitness revolutionaries. There's no better way to keep yourself accountable!  Plus, stay tuned because we have another fantastic update from Kristen coming tomorrow!!

A Spectator's Point of View

Spectator?  WHAT!!!???   

I'm not going to lie to you, these were the first thoughts running through my mind when I realized I couldn't run the Sugarloaf Marathon due to my hip injury.  I struggled with the idea.  Not run?  Couldn't I just (for lack of a better term) suck it up and push through?  Probably.  Instead I decided to play it smart (shocking, I know), follow the doctor and physical therapist's orders, and sit this one out. 

So what was my second thought???  To cheer on my running mates, of course!  Amy, Kristy and Emilie were running the marathon (with Pam, Andrea, Morgan and several others running the 15K) so Christine (who was also not running) and I decided to do course support.  We gathered our cowbells and poster board and set out to be the best spectators ever.  Having run these long distanes ourselves, we knew that the louder and funnier we could be, the happier we would make our friends...and everyone else running that day. 

We held our signs high, blared music from the car, and shook our cowbells till we had ringing in our ears.  Here's a glimpse into our somewhat warped sense of humor.  Luckily the posters elicited quite a few laughs, which is what you need when your running 26.2 miles in 70 - 80 degree weather...

In addition, Christine and I decided to modify our shirts just a bit, to reflect our road crew duties...

I have to say I had a blast being a spectator.  I refilled camelbak's, handed out pretzels and bananas if desired, and hopefully provided a few words of encouragement to get them through the race.  I think I may just have to do it again sometime!

Pre-marathon bliss with Amy, Emilie and Kristy

Did I mention that Christne ended up running the last 13 miles with Kristy?
Talk about audience participation! What you can't see very well is that Christine's shirt has gone from "you kick asphalt" to "she kicks asphalt".  Yes, we take our course support duties seriously!

Amy slowing it down so I can take a snapshot!

Wednesday Wisdom

You don't love running when you first start because it hurts. Your legs hurt, your lungs hurt. But once you make the decision and start to move forward, you become a different person. It's not about having to hit your goal weight to start feeling good again. 
~ Ben Davis, Founder of Ben Does Life.

And with this in mind we remind you that members of the Bangor Y may register now for the Summer Series of our Mainely Running class! We will continue to meet on Friday mornings at 9 am at Fairmount Park in Bangor for our group runs. 

Head on over to the Bangor Y's website now to register! If you're not a member of the Y (and you certainly should be!) you may register beginning on May 28th.

And just in case you missed what we are all about...

We are three back of the packers motivating you to get moving! Visit 'About Us' for more info and please let us know if you have any questions by commenting below or emailing us at info@mainelyrunning.com.


Ben Davis, Found

Marathons and Mainely Running

Yesterday was the day and was it ever a hot one! Kristy ran her 1st marathon on a day when the high reached 83 degrees in Western Maine. For us, that's stifling especially considering the fact that on Kristy's long runs it was probably never much warmer than 60 degrees and it was usually raining or snowing.

Neither here nor there Kristy did it! And so did our very own, Amy, and our friend, Emilie.

Jen and I, along with Pam who ran a very strong 15K today, provided what I would call stellar road support (if I may say so myself). Lots of driving, cow belling, sign waving, water refilling, banana peeling, pretzel handing and emotional supporting makes me one weary girl. No complaints here though. I didn't run all 26.2 miles.



That said, if you think you might want to go the distance with us (any distance not necessarily 26.2) and if you are a member of the Bangor Y register for the summer session of our Mainely Running class . Read more about the class here and then call the Y at 941-2808 or visit the Bangor Y's website to register today!

We hope to run with you soon!

Happy Sugarloaf Marathon/15K Day!

Marathons are fun. You have all those people out there acting like you're a big deal, it's kind of awesome to soak that in for your one day.  ~ Desiree Davila's thoughts about running the 2012 Olympic Marathon Trials

Today is the day! We know Amy and Kristy are going to rock the Sugarloaf Marathon this morning. They've trained hard and today is a celebration of their efforts. Send positive thoughts their way today and don't forget about all of those runners doing the 15K. Have fun and run hard! We're with you every step of the way!

And just in case you've never seen this you have to watch it. It's hilarious because it is so, so true! If you're running today you'll identify. If you're not you'll definitely empathize. Enjoy. Run hard and most importantly, HAVE FUN!

Sugarloaf Marathon Here We Come!

Athleta

And we'll be wearing matching shirts in true Mainely Running style. Only caveat is that as fate would have it 2 of us will be Mainely Spectating/Supporting/Road Crewing instead of Mainely Running. Jen and I will have to wait to tackle 26.2 another time.

Amy, Kristy (future marathoner) and Jen

For now though we couldn't be more excited for Amy and Kristy who trained diligently all winter for Sugarloaf and are about to reap the benefits of their labor. Sugarloaf will be Kristy's 1st marathon and Amy's 4th. Both look stronger then ever and Jen and I can't wait to cheer them across the finish line.

If you see us out there give us a holler. And if you're there to cheer your loved ones on, please cheer for every runner who passes you. Every smile and wave counts!

Wednesday Wisdom

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A Revolutionary Update: Anne-Marie

Remember Anne-Marie who was getting back into things after baby #3 last year?  She's kept at it and is well on her way!  She just finished the Healthy High 5k and has signed up for the MDI 10k as well!  Here is a brief excerpt from her blog updating us on her progress:

I was a lazy lady all winter, as far as running goes. I am just not motivated to run in the ice and slush and zero degree temps. I admire those who do, like my amazing friend Emilie whose blog (and real life presence!) always motivates me to run (when there is no snow). Last spring I had a terrible time getting back into the swing of running– running with Sam in the jogger was harder than I anticipated. I ended up getting it together and running a 10K (albeit slowly) with my other highly motivating friends, who sweet-talked me into a half marathon back in January…. when the race was 9 months away. When I could just picture myself running 13 miles and enjoying at least some of them. Well. It’s still kind of far away, but seeming more real to me at the moment. Real like “what the hell was I thinking… that is a long way.” So basically, I’m feeling motivated to run more, so that the thought of September will no longer fill me with panic.
My basic plan is to follow this Hal Higdon training schedule, loosely, when the half gets a bit closer. Til then…. for the rest of March, I plan to get outside and run intervals without fretting about it. I’m not looking at time or distance (and I never worry about speed!), just that I’m getting out. Then I’ll start upping my distance, aiming for a 5K which is about a month away. From there, I’ll add a “long run” on weekends, and set my next goal for a 10K in June. Then I’ll follow the HH plan above, increasing the length of the long run on weekends and making my weekday runs closer to 5 miles than 3.
That sounds pretty awesome, doesn’t it? Well, hopefully it will work out something like that. In my fantasy world, Sam will also improve his sleep so I can start getting up early to run– I could do this now, in theory, but I find I am so dead tired in the mornings that I just can’t face the idea of an early run (and I was a 530 exercise person for a long time, before Mr. No Sleep came into my life.) In the meantime, he does like the jogging stroller. The ladies over at Mainely Runninghelped me out last year when I was struggling, and their advice made me realize a few things about running with a jogger (especially an old jogger, which weighs many pounds and came to us via our favorite consignment store). Now I alternate arms, and when it’s safe, use the leash thing-y to give my arms a break. I realized my posture was not good (I was hunched over the stroller)– being mindful of that made things easier. Sam is, of course, heavier than he was last spring, so this is even more important. It’s extra work to push that stroller– and yes, running is much easier without it (plus? no screaming, ever. Although, I haven’t yet started those long runs…)

Anne-Marie is planning on the Bar Harbor Half-Marathon in September and is sure to rock it!  Anne-Marie, you are going to be amazed at what an amazing workout it is to push the jogger around.  On race day without it, you are going to fly! :) 

What are your short term and long term fitness goals and how do you plan to meet them? Get in touch and let us know - we'd love to help you get there!

Reasons

So, I really love Pinterest (if you haven't checked it out, you should!).  So many neat ideas, wise sayings, beautiful images.  It really is so visually appealing, and also a fantastic way to waste time. Ok, so I'm not actually advocating that you waste time, but if you happen to have some extra time, check it out! ;)

I stumbled across this image the other day and thought that it definitely needed to be shared with all of you!  

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I definitely agree with these and would add a few others like:

• it sets a great example for your children,
• you can do it just about anywhere, and
• it's a workout you can do WITH your children (in a jogger when they're little or with them when they're older).

So, what about you? Do you have any other top reasons for running?

Wednesday Wisdom: Get Up and Go!

Courtesy of Runner's World...  Let's Get Up and Go!

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A Tasty Treat from NutritionFix.com

The wonderful folks over at NutritionFix.com sent us some Crunchy Peanut Butter Clif Bars to help us power up before, during and after our workouts.  They arrived just before we were scheduled to run our 20-miler in prep for the Sugarloaf Marathon so the timing couldn't have been better!  


Here's a little description of Clif Bars from the Nutrition Fix website:

There are a thousand different options when it comes to energy bars; some are purely proteins to build muscle, some are simply carbohydrates, and like everything, some are good and some, not so much. If you want to get the best out of yourself, and of your athletic or general performance, you have to put the best in, and when it comes to nutritious and effective energy bars, Clif Bars are in a class apart. Clif Bar’s Energy Bar (Crunchy Peanut Butter) has been developed to energetically support athletes and active people through low to medium intensity activities, giving them exactly what their body needs, and nothing to slow them down. Clif Bars have been scientifically engineered, and all their components perfectly proportioned to ensure that you get a steady supply of energy that avoids insulin spikes while fueling you for the long run, as opposed to lesser products, full of high-fructose syrup, that will fool your body into thinking its got energy, only to let it unceremoniously crash shortly afterwards.

We got a whole box and divvy-ed them up among the 4 of us who were running last Friday (Jen, Christine and I plus our friend Kristy).  Here are some of our thoughts about the Crunchy Peanut Butter Clif Bars:

• "Great for re-fueling.  Dense and filling but easy to digest. Definitely a whole lot tastier than other protein bars I've tried too!"
• "I actually really like them and so does my husband.  The texture and flavor work for me in terms of comparisons to other bars I've tried.  They aren't grainy and I like the taste.  They also make a great snack on the go."
• "I really like them both as a quick snack, and before, during and after a long run. I'm able to eat the mini bars during a run without feeling sick, and it gives me a definite boost of energy. I admit we are a Clif Bar family - even the kids eat them!"
• "I thought it tasted good. I ate part of the first one before we started running and then the rest of it at our break at 13 miles. So, I would say that it helped with the running since I finished 20 miles! And then, I ended up eating the second one after my run a recovery snack! I would definitely eat them again!"

All in all, I'd say we give them 2 thumbs up!  If you're looking for  something to help you fuel up for your run, a something to give you an energy boost during or after your run, or just a snack on the go,  Clif Bars are a great choice! 


Thanks so much to Nutrition Fix.com for the goodies!  Definitely check out  them out!   They've got a great selection of sports nutrition products, like Clif Bars, Luna Bars (yummo!), Clif shots and bloks (like GU and GU Chomps), Power Bars, Jelly Belly Sport Beans and a whole lot more. 

Variation on a Theme

It started out like a fairly normal Sunday morning for me:  get up with the kiddos, have breakfast, get dressed and get ready to head to a race.  The difference was that this was my first triathlon AND my first race as a volunteer rather than participant.  And, let me tell you, it was awesome!! 

Triathlons kind of intrigue me, but I will be the first to admit that they also intimidate me in a huge way.  Unlike most people, I feel ok about the swim and the run, but since my run-in with a car door while biking to school in Seattle, the bike portion has me a little nervous.  Maybe one day I will get there, but for now, I'm not quite ready to take the plunge and sign myself up for a tri.  I have to say, volunteering at the race might just be the next best thing!  You get to experience the excitement of the event and see how it all works but without having to be part of the race itself.  Volunteering is a great way to ease yourself into the idea of racing and also a great way to give back.  If there is a local race that you aren't planning to run, consider spending an hour or two volunteering on race day (or even before) and do your part! 

photos by Kathy Rice

It was so cool to see so many people out racing by and to see so many first time triatheletes crossing the finish line!  Sunday's Tri for the Y in Bangor raised over $7,000 to help provide Y programs and services to those who would otherwise be unable to afford them.  The race organizers did a fantastic job and the event had a great energy to it.   It was a lot of fun, and can't wait for my next volunteer opportunity! :)

Wednesday Wisdom