{Fitness Corner} Sometimes life happens

I have been doing well to keep my routine going. This week, I have been focusing on training for a 5K. I haven't been training hard or anything, but just shifting gears from strength training to running more. I've been able to keep it up with 4-5 days a week of working out, which has been great and leaves me feeling good.

Well, it looks like things might have to change. My workout time at the gym is before work. Well I am going to have to alter my workout schedule since I was just asked to join a weekly research team meeting on Wednesday mornings. So this meeting is probably going to cut into my workout time. My workout time is timed just so that I can drop Baby Bear off at daycare, workout for 20-30 minutes (depends on how cooperative Baby Bear was that morning in getting out the door on time), shower and get ready, and then walk to my office (it is nice having a nice gym on campus). Having a meeting in the mornings means either cutting my workout time or not working out that morning.

I will see how I might be able to manage it. It is not the end of the world. Wednesdays I also do yoga, so I get two workouts in that day. So it might not be so bad. But it is a bit disappointing since I am not a fan of morning meetings. Work is work and I have to do it and be a team player

A Walk for MS

One of my oldest and dearest friends, John Juniper, was recently diagnose with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). MS is an unpredictable neurological disease that could prevent him from walking someday. He has chosen to start an Interferon therapy that should slow the disease progression, but to date there is no cure for MS.

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society is dedicated to moving us closer toward a world free of MS, but they can't do it without our help. I will be participating in Walk MS 2011 in Rancho Cucamonga on April 9, 2011. I am joining The J Crew for John and will walk with them to support this important cause.

Please help by making a donation to support my fundraising efforts. Money raised will support education, advocacy, research, and local programs that enhance the quality of life for people with MS and their families. Click here to visit my personal web page to make a secure, online donation. If you prefer, you can mail a check to the National MS Society, Walk MS, 2440 S. Sepulveda Blvd., Ste. 115, Los Angeles, CA 90064. Please be sure to put my name and our team name, The J Crew, in the memo portion of the check so it will be credited to my fundraising efforts.

Join me at the walk! Walk MS is our rallying point, a time and a place for our communities to come together to raise funds and celebrate hope for the future. The National Multiple Sclerosis Society is dedicated to moving us toward a world free of MS. They fund research into effective MS therapies and also help people with MS to live powerful, meaningful lives. I believe in the work they do.

Any amount, great or small, helps to make a difference in the lives of people with MS. We appreciate your support and look forward to keeping you updated as the event draws nearer.

{Health and Fitness} My workout schedule

One of the big goals is to increase the intensity and rigor of my workout and get back to my yoga regular practice. So far so good. I think I have found a schedule that works for me for now.

Monday - New Rules of Lifting for Women (NROL4W)
Tuesday - rest
Wednesday - NROL4W and yoga
Thursday - interval runs
Friday NROL4W
Saturday - jog with baby bear
Sunday - rest

I have been able to work it with Papa Bear to be able to take my yoga class again. So every Wednesday night, he takes over to get Baby Bear bathed and ready for bed so that I can go to my yoga class. I love being able to get back into it. I love yoga and it feels amazing and helps to have that time to myself. I am not exactly at the same level that I used to be, but I am working my way back. It just feels so great. You know a yoga class is great when you are sweating (and I am not talking about doing Bikram or hot yoga). Monica - thank you for a great class every week.

When I started the NROL4W, I was doing it 2 days a week. I have been able to add an extra day which is what they recommend and I am able to add a day of running by bringing Baby Bear with me in the jogging stroller.

The NROL4W is a nice program so far, I am in Stage 2 and I am sore and feeling stronger every day. I am increasing the weight slowly and I am feeling good. I think it is a great workout plan. I am moving along the program nicely. What I like most about it is that it is not this plan where you just do it for 30 days or something like that. I like the progressive nature of the program. Granted I am only in Stage 2.

So I am working well toward my goal for balance with health and fitness. It is so important for me and such a big part of who I am. The two weeks where I had to take a hiatus due to moving and Baby Bear's pneumonia were rough weeks. There were days in that period where I thought I was going to lose it. The loss of balance in my life really threw me; I was exhausted, stressed, unhappy, and just falling apart. Now that I am getting back on track with my health and fitness, it really makes a difference to provide me with some balance. It gives me a few moments to myself where I just get to focus on me and it makes a huge difference in my quality of life. It is good for me; not just for my body but also for my mind and soul.

Ran fo the Red!

I completed my 10K yesterday. My legs are a little sore today. I ran the 10K in 1:12 and I feel really good about that time. My goal was to do it in under 1:20 and I was hoping for 1:15, so I made it well within my goal. It is the first 10K I have done since Baby Bear was born and the last one I did was 4 days after finding out I was pregnant and I did that in 1:11. So I didn't do too bad.

It was a great run through the Claremont Colleges. Fortunately, I know the terrain well. No crazy hills, just a nice scenic run through the colleges. It was the first annual Run for the Red and for the first time putting on the event, it was organized very nicely and had a nice turn out. I think I will do this one again. It is close to home and it is at work. I run this area every week, so no real surprises. Just a fun run.

A few friends ran as well and did really well. For my friend, Aileen, it was her first 10K and she did a wonderful job. We had been training on the weekends and she does better and better every week as we add distance. I am very proud of her! What an accomplishment.

Despite being a little sore (I didn't really stretch after the run, which was a mistake), I feel great. It was nice to have Baby Bear and Papa Bear at the finish line cheering me on. I am ready for the next one!

Run for the Red 10K

I signed up to run the Red Cross Run for the Red 10K. I've been running 3 days a week and working my way up to running a 10K. I decided that a 10K would be more challenging and motivating for me versus the 5K. I haven't ran a 10K since the relay triathlon that I did just a few days after I found out I was pregnant.

I don't have a particular goal except to finish the 10K. I would like to maintain an 11-12 minute mile and try to finish in about 1:15 or so. That is not a speedy goal, but I have never been a very fast runner and that has seemed to me my average speed right now, so if I can keep that up through the 6 or so miles I would be pleased.

I have been running with two different friends during the week. That has really helped to keep me accountable to getting out and running at least 2 days a week. Having someone to run with also helps pass the time. I try to get a another run in one more day a week on my own to get 3 days in a week. So far, so good. I have a little less than 2 months until the 10K so I have plenty of time to train. I am excited that I am getting back in the groove and help me to lose the last 5 lbs that seems to be holding on. Although it may hold on until I finally wean Baby Bear for breastfeeding, but a girl can hope.

The Desert Dash 5K

This weekend we went to the river. A few friends and I ran the Desert Dash 5K while we were out there. It is a 5k that ends at the Desert Bar. What 5K ends up at a bar? Well, Papa Bear and Baby Bear were at the finish line to support me. This is a 5K that Papa Bear enjoys to cheer me on ! Especially, since he gets to wait for me at a bar, LOL.

It was the first 5K I have ran since having Baby Bear. I have been getting back into running, so I was excited to run this 5K. It was a pretty tough course; the terrain was rough (being that we were running a dirt road in the desert) and the majority of the course was uphill. I did pretty well for the first 2 miles, but that last uphill mile was killer and I ended up walking the majority of the last mile. I don't know what my time was because I forgot to check. But I was just proud of myself for finishing and making an attempt to run as much as I did (especially with it being a lot of uphill running). It felt good to get a 5K under my belt. I still have a ways to go to get myself back into shape. Although I do not know what my time was, my time was pretty slow. Plus, the fact that I started to poop out during the last mile tells me that I need to work on my stamina more.

Run time

My run time has once again improved! My mile time today was 11:40. Not the fastest time in the world, but then again I was never the fastest runner. This is pretty close to where I used to be. I am very proud of myself. Now that I have improved time and ability to actually run a whole mile, I need to work on distance to get myself 5K ready.

It feels good to be moving again. Now if only I can sleep more again, but that is a whole other story.

Run time improvement

After being sick and the rain, I wasn't able to get a run in earlier this week. I finally got one in today after dropping Baby Bear off at daycare. I went to the gym and ran on the treadmill and my mile time has drastically improved since last week! My mile time was 12:22, that is more than a minute off my time from last week.

Even with missing a running session earlier this week, I was still able to improve. Yay!! I have been getting two short runs in a week, although I have been hoping to get three in. I missed out on a run on Monday since I was sick. Usually, I would workout even when I have cold, but since it was raining outside and I had Baby Bear with me, I didn't want to take her out in the jogging stroller in the rain. I am hoping the weather will be dry on Friday so I can get a run in again. I have been running about a mile and half each time I am out, I hope to get some 2 mile runs in. As my time improves, I should be able to. My time is limited so as I get better I should be able to run farther. I am very happy with my progress.

Back in the swing of things

Lately, I have been pretty sleep deprived and have been choosing sleep over exercise. Considering the little sleep I have been getting in the last week, it is all for the best. This morning, I felt decent enough to get to the gym and run on the treadmill before work. I still running pretty slow, but am working on it. My mile run time was 13:55, at least is was under 14 minutes, but still pretty slow. I am thinking about doing a 5K in March and so that will be a great motivator to get me back in shape. If I can get more sleep, I am sure I can bet back in the swing of things and back to a regular schedule of working out. I really want to get back to it, since that is my alone time and I miss that time to myself.

Autism Walk

We walked on Saturday and I raised just under $300 for Autism Speaks. Our team raised $1600. Not bad! Thank you to everyone who supported Baby Bear and I in our walk. For some pictures, check out Baby Bear's blog.

It is not the most organized walk, but it is for a good cause and it is pretty cool to get to walk on the field of Angels Stadium.

Walk for Autsim - reaching our Goal!

Saturday is the Walk for Autism and Baby Bear and I have already surpassed our fundraising goal!! Thank you to all who have donated!

If you would still like to donate, it is not too late to help out. Click here to go to my personal web page and help me and Baby Bear in our efforts to support Autism Speaks.

Walk Now for Autism

Last year I participated in the Walk for Autism and I have signed up to do it once again. This will be Baby Bear's first charity walk (well, she participated last year in the womb). It is never too early to start to give and do something for a good cause.

I have written about why this cause is near and dear to my heart before, you can read about it in my other blog, Sher's Corner.

Click here to go to my personal web page and help me and Baby Bear in our efforts to support Autism Speaks.

I walked

Sunday, I walked for Autism. With the fires that took over Southern California, we were a little concerned that about the walk and the air quality. We received an email on Saturday that the walk would go on as scheduled. Mr. Bear and I drove down to Anaheim stadium early Sunday morning. As we were driving down the 57 fwy, we passed the Brea area and the smoke through that area was extremely thick. The sun could not be seen through the smoke at all. It was pretty eerie. But as we drove several miles past that area, the skies were clear blue and absolutely beautiful. There was no trace of smoke or ash. It was amazing the stark contrast a few miles made.

When we arrived, we found the rest of our team at Anaheim Stadium. Mr. Bear did not walk, he came to lend moral support and hang out with a few of the guys who came to lend moral support as well. Their definition of moral support was tailgating in the parking lot. But none the less they were very supportive.

The walk itself went well. We walked around the stadium and then into the stadium on around the field. It was pretty cool to walk on the actual field. My friend's brother who has autism especially loved being able to walk on the field of Angels stadium. He is a huge Angels fan and he said it was a dream come true. The excitement and smile on his face made it all worth it.

The walk was a bit disorganized, no one knew how many lap around the stadium we supposed to walk. We asked volunteers and no one seemed to know. We walked 3 laps because that seemed to be about 5k/3 miles. No matter what we had a good time and our team did a nice job of raising some money. I believe we met our team goal of $1,000.

The bad thing was that it took us 2 hours to get home because they had closed a part of the fwy due to the fire. But it was worth it for a great cause.

Thank you to everyone who supported me!! I deeply appreciate your support.

Autism

Last week I blogged about Walk Now for Autism. But with all the excitement of the elections, I am afraid that the important of the walk on Sunday was buried on my blog. I am walking on Sunday and it is for a very special reason.

When I was in college, I worked as a therapist for children with autism. I had the pleasure to work with several different children who were all special and wonderful in their own way. I enjoyed my work and any little progress that they made was an enormous success. I was the primary therapist for one special boy in particular, Paul Adam. It has been over 10 years since I have seen Paul Adam but my experiences with Paul Adam will always be a part of who I am.

Paul Adam and I made a lot of progress in the year that we worked together. My primary role as his behavioral therapist was to assist him in gaining appropriate social skills. He had the most amazing smile and was a very sweet boy. He was smart and made a lot of successes in our time together. I had to leave him when I moved from the area to go to graduate school. I will always remember Paul Adam and the successes he made through our work together. I think of him every now and then. He must be 16 or 17 by now and the last I had heard from the family, he had mainstreamed into a 1st grade class (that was 10 years ago or so). I hope that he was successful in that and that he has continued to make many more success over the years.

Though I no longer work as a behavioral therapist, as a psychologist I realize the crucial importance of research. Research to understand therapeutic techniques that are most effective to help children and adults with autism. It is because of this that I will walk on Sunday (if you have been following my blog, I would run if it was a run). I walk for Paul Adam and the other kids that I worked with in college, I walk for my friend's son who has autism, I walk for my friend's adult brother with autism, and I walk because I believe everyone with autism needs my support.

Please join me in my fight for a cure for autism. A small amount of even $5 or $10 makes a huge difference in the lives of the more than 1 million Americans living with autism today. I hope you consider supporting this important cause.

I will WALK FOR AUTISM

I am participating in Walk Now for Autism to help find a cure for autism. Autism is the second most common developmental disorder in the United States affecting one in every 150 children born today. Despite some promising discoveries, the cause of autism is unknown and a cure does not exist. Research is crucial. Every 20 minutes another child is diagnosed with autism. Not only must we find ways to improve the quality of life for children and adults with autism, but we also must find a cure, and soon.

Walk Now for Autism is our chance to make a difference in the fight against autism by raising money for autism research and heightening public awareness. Please join me in my fight to help fund essential research. I will be walking on November 16 and would like you to support those affected by autism. You can donate to Walk Now for Autism and join my team online through my webpage. Donations can also be mailed to Autism Speaks using the donation form located on my page or send me a check made out to Autism Speaks. My team name is Riverdavesplace.com; please note this on your check and the donation form.

Please join me in my fight against autism. Even a small amount of $5, $10, or whatever you feel most comfortable with makes a difference in the lives of the more than 1 million Americans living with autism today.

I did it!

I completed my first relay triathlon today! The weather was perfect about 70 degrees and it was absolutely awesome. My team did wonderful and my friends all did amazing jobs. My running buddy, TK, did the entire triathlon herself, she did the express version. I was very proud of her! It feels so great to have accomplished something like this. I may not have done the entire triathlon myself but I ran the 10K in a personal record time. I ran it in 1:11, which is better than I thought I would ever do. I feel great about my time!! My best friend and swimmer swam 1.5K in about 34 minutes and my cyclist rode 40K in about 1:12. We did well individually and as a team.

My Team:



Getting ready:



Look at the swimmers go:



Passing the baton (timing chip), transition I:



Passing the baton (timing chip), Transition II:



And off I go:



Here I coming; the home stretch:



We did it!!

Taper down for a busy, busy bear

That is me lately, a very busy bear. I am very glad that today is Friday, I am so looking forward to a restful weekend.

On top of work, I am training for the relay triathlon. My running partner and I decided that with the triathlon about 2 weeks away that we are going to start to taper off on our training. I feel like I have been going and going and I am absolutely exhausted. We won't stop running, but taper off the miles and I will cross train to allow our bodies to recuperate and recover for the big day. Many training schedules include a taper period. It is a very important part of your training. Here is an article that talks more about the importance along with a little research to back it up. There are many resources that reinforce the need to taper before the big event. Although it may sound counter-intuitive it actually makes you stronger.

According to the research Runner's World cites:

"The primary aim of the taper should be to minimize accumulated fatigue, rather than to attain additional physiological adaptations or fitness gains."

So the next two weeks will be time to taper my training. And I think my body is definitely telling me this. My legs are sore and I am tired. I am not marathon training, but I am running more that I have ever in my life and I am so much more prepared for this that I have been for any other race I've participated in. I am ready and by tapering my training, I will be well rested and prepared for race day!! Wohoo!

T-minus 25 days

My triathlon is in 25 days!! I can't believe that it is less than a month away. I am so excited about it. My triathlon relay team is organized and ready to go, we have all been training and we are ready to do our part. I have been a running fool and I feel ready to do the 10K run portion of the relay. I am fortunate to live close to the actual race site so that I can training on the actual terrain and path that I will be racing on. I have been training there at least once a week with my running partner (she is doing the entire triathlon, I am so proud of her). I am not the fastest runner, but I can definitely finish (pending no injuries). This is all about having fun and I can't wait. I hope to beat my last 10K time. I am stronger and I have been running more, so I think it is possible.

Since I have also started cycling more, I have been looking into doing some duathlons next. There are a couple next year that I am looking into. My bike is currently in the shop, I am having road tires put on my mountain bike. I haven't really been riding my mountain bike on rough terrain, rather I have been riding it mainly on the roads during my commute. So I figured it would be best to get some road tires; the road tires should speed me up and cut my bike commute time. Plus, since I am looking into duathlons I want to get my bike ready. I am not ready to spend the money on a new road bike yet; I want to see if I can get by with my mountain bike for now. If I get more into it, I will then save up and invest in a road bike. I can't wait to get my bike back and try it out.

So, I am running and riding. Next is swimming lessons. I need to learn how to not drown, LOL. Then I can eventually attempt and entire triathlon on my own. It will happen, it is a goal I am working on. One step at a time. First running, then add the cycling, and then swimming will come. Who would have thought I would be athletic. I was never the athlete type. But I am working on it.

Photo Source: Microsoft.com

A good fitting shoe

Since I am now training for the run part of a triathlon, I figure it was time to get some new running shoes. I was noticing some knee pain when I run and was starting to get some shin splints. I had heard that one should get their running shoe fitted, so I decided to go to the local running store and get myself fitted for a running shoe.

When I got there, the salesperson asked me what I was training for and I told him that I was training for a triathlon. Then he put me on a treadmill and after watching me run for a minute he told me that I have severe overpronation. He explained that overpronation is actually quite common and that when I run my foot rolls inward, thus turning the lower leg inward. This can place stress on the back, the hip, and the knee. (That explains some of the pain I have been experiencing). He also took a look at my current running shoes and said that they were neutral running shoes that did not provide me the support I needed. I need a stability running shoe to provide my foot support for the overpronation. A stability running shoe provides extra support on the inside of the midsole (the thick hard foam part of the running shoe). The inside of the shoe will be compressed less under load and support the inside of the foot preventing it from rolling in or flattening.

He brought out 6 pairs of shoes and had me try them all on. They were all stability running shoes and I just had to pick the one that I felt most comfortable in. After trying on the shoes and running around the store testing them out, I choose the New Balance WR1223:



I also tried on several Brooks and Saucony shoes but in the end the New Balances won out since they were the most comfortable. This was the runner up:



I ran in them last week and they felt really good. I didn't have any knee pains and no shin splints! They were a little more expensive than I would have liked but in the long run they are worth it to be able to run pain free and to train.

I'm a 10K running fool!!

I ran my first ever 10K on Sunday! Wohoo! The Run through Redlands was a nice scenic route through tree lined neighborhoods in the city of Redlands, CA. The weather was cool but sunny, just perfect for a 10K run. We got there and went to check in and received our timing chips. I thought that was pretty cool, I hadn't been in a race with a timing chip. There were a lot of people, some running the 5K, some running the half marathon, and some running the 10K with us. It was really a well attended event!

My coworker, TK, and I ran the 10K in 1 hour and 18 minutes. Not bad for my first time. Not bad considering the course was about 40% uphill!! And not just slight uphill climbs, but some steep hills!! My legs and butt were dying after the run. It is a good thing we did an uphill run last week. We ran a majority of the time, although we did walk a hill or two. I think we kicked butt and did an great job. I feel really great about it. Unfortunately, I have no pictures since I didn't bring a camera or much of anything with me, so no photos. I do have a participant ribbon to prove I was there :-). What a great experience and a feeling of accomplishment. I am so glad I did it and I am ready for the next one!