LiveFit Trainer: Week 4

It's official! I survived Phase 1 of the LiveFit Trainer! So far I have been extremely impressed with the results. It's not easy trying to eat clean and fit in 5 workouts a week but I've been doing it. I've even gone in blizzards and the polar vortex mess or whatever they're calling it this week.

I wasn't the only crazy at the gym!

 

The results for 4 weeks of training have been outstanding. I never expected to see progress this fast and it's not just noticeable to me. Paul is seeing the changes and I just keep lifting more every time I go to the gym. It's almost unbelievable!

 

I've gone up 50 pounds on leg press alone

 

And physically, the changes are visible and show in my measurements too. So here's where I'm at as of the end of Phase 1!

 

Body Part          Start          Phase 1

Neck                 13.5            13.75

Chest                 33               33

Waist                 28               28

Hips                   38               37.5

Biceps               11               10.5

Thigh                 20               22

Calf                   13.5            14.25

Weight             137             134.5

 

 

And that's all for now! As I move into week 5 I will be adding back more cardio with my weight training. Things are about to get more intense as I move into phase two and I'm really looking forward to seeing what happens as I continue to get stronger!

 

 

 

Why I INB

In the five years since I've started running I have learned a valuable lesson. It's fine to be a bargain shopper... but not when it comes to your athletic gear.

When I first started the Couch to 5k program I wore some craptastic shorts from the bargain basement and a cotton t-shirt. I would slap on the same socks I would wear for every other activity and the same shoes I wore to mow the lawn or walk the mall. I've never been a fashionista and that applied to my workout wear as well.

Then I graduated to half marathon training and, with the longer distances, came more discomfort. Chafing, blisters, sweat that just wouldn't dry, even nagging injuries. You name it, I had it. I realized that I had to invest in my gear so I could live this new, healthy lifestyle. I started with a real shoe fitting at the local running store and then I started paying attention to what other runners were wearing or talking about.

I'm not sure how I found INKnBURN to begin with but I'd guess it was a post on a running forum. I went to their site and found so many styles and colors that I really wanted to try. I decided to start with a Run or Die shirt and fell in love from there.

There are three very important factors in athletic wear: fit, function, and flattery. INB has all of this! Every article of clothing is designed to fit your body. Not hug it, not squeeze it, not hide it, just lay over it like a second skin. The function of the INB line is unbeatable. Want to run a 100 miler and never change your clothes? Do it in INKnBURN! Want to feel dry in humid weather? Do it in INKnBURN! And, as for flattering, the colors and styles speak for themselves. Who doesn't love to wear fun clothes?

Everything I do... I do in INKnBURN

 

I'm not even close to kidding when I say that you need to go to INKnBURN's website, register an account, and then use the code 'saratoldme' at checkout. It's not because I'm an ambassador. It's not because I was paid to say that (I wasn't!). It's seriously the best and coolest athletic gear ever made.You won't regret it!

 

 

I wouldn't own this much INKnBURN if it wasn't true!

Fresh Ink!

Did you see the news? INKnBURN's Monday Montage was made up of their newest ambassadors this week. Guess who made it in!

 

Yep, that's me! I am so super duper excited to finally be an OFFICIAL ambassador of INKnBURN! I've worn nothing but INB gear for the last few years and I talk them up here and everywhere I go. But to have the opportunity to really be a part of such an amazing company is like a dream come true! With INKnBURN and Altra I am really going places with my running this year! The gear can definitely make the runner!

Big News!

I'm now an Altra Zero Drop ambassador!

 

My Altras in the snow....

 

On the trail....

 

And off the beaten path....

 

Man I love these shoes and I love the Altra Zero Drop crew! They have been awesome and supportive and helpful at every turn. Now it's my turn to share the love and I can't wait to put up my best race season yet while representing the brands I believe in!

Counting Blessings

This week is going so much better than the last couple. I'm finally feeling the extra energy from training instead of feeling tired all the time. I've been catching up on housework and homework. I've even been playing more with the kids. And after the news about the shootings in Connecticut today I'm really glad that I have. I'm not going to rehash it any further than saying my heart breaks for the families and friends and everyone affected.

Ash squishing me on the couch a few days ago.

 

I've been thinking about how lucky I am this week and how happy I am that I have a perfectly average life. I have a husband and kids and dogs and mountains of laundry and homework and dishes. I also have the ability to run and lift heavy weights and give back to the community. I signed up to volunteer for a 5k race in a few weeks. The race is being put together by Team Odyssey and benefits the Children's Neuroblastoma Cancer Foundation. Being able to give my time to help such a good cause feels very good and I hope it will make a small difference to a family affected by this disease.

 

Blessed to be able to move

 

As I finish up finals this week I can hardly believe that I only have 12 classes left! I can't believe I'm going to have a 'real' degree before I'm 30. I also can't believe I'm going to be 28 in less than 2 weeks! There is just so much going on that makes my life amazing.

 

 My living room transformed into a train station yesterday.

 

I love being a small part of wonderful brands and companies. FitFluential, INKnBURN, and Aquaphor have all touched my life and my training. And now I've applied to be an Altra Zero Drop ambassador! I'll find out in only a few weeks if I've been accepted. (Feel free to tell them how awesome I am!) Either way I'm still in love with their shoes. I've been running in my Superiors more and more and I'm hoping they'll be the shoe that gets me through my first one hundred at Burning River.

 

Altras in Action

 

I'm loving every minute of my trail runs. I feel stronger, faster, happier... I'm blessed to have a trail just out my back door to run on. For the kids, the dogs, my own mental health I appreciate having that crushed limestone right outside.

 

Happy trails....

 

Everything in life is really about perspective. And I've realized that everything hard about life is what makes it worth it. When my muscles ache, my lungs burn, my feet blister, my mind gets foggy with fatigue and trying to force knowledge into it, my hands dry out from dish washing, etc. I need to remember that life is worth living and celebrating every day. And I will choose to celebrate by moving, breathing, enjoying and even indulging a little sometimes.... like those cookies at the race meeting! ;)

 

 

 

 

Chasing the Turkey

I can now say that I have chased a man dressed in a full turkey costume for 3.1 miles. The first ever Turkey Chase 5k took place in Cranberry Township this morning and Shane and I were there. Shane expressed hopes that it would be small first year event. I, of course, laughed in his face. Every runner likes to create a calorie deficit before they fall into a three day tryptophan coma.

When we arrived at Graham Park 45 minutes early the parking was already getting tight. I pulled the Jeep onto some grass and we went to get our bibs and chips. I'm not sure what the point of chip timing was since there were 593 people and no starting mats. Being only a couple weeks post-marathon I decided there was no point in racing and this would be an easy run. No watch, no hard effort, and hopefully no pain.

Love the shirt

I lined up 6 or 7 people deep and when the gun went off I gritted my teeth as people blasted past me. I hadn't realized there were SO many people there! And I felt my pace start to pick up. I pulled back even more and tried to not be angry that runners were leaving me in their dust. I saw my Team Aquaphor teammate, Jordan, go by and felt another surge of envy. I wanted to race!

And then we hit a small but steep incline and I didn't want to run anymore. Someone said the distance was 0.63 miles and I suddenly just wanted to be done. I pulled my attention from my lack of speed and focused on my form. Stand tall, small arm movements, smooth stride, high cadence. I tried to estimate my pace based on effort. I knew that I was probably going faster than it felt since I was running with such a large group. I guessed I was in the 9:30 per mile range.

At one point we passed the finish line and the clock read 12:4x. I figured I must be around the halfway point, probably a little less based on the time and my estimated pace. As I headed out to the turnaround I counted from the leaders back. I expected to see Shane and as more people went by I started to worry. When I finally saw him I had counted 60 people ahead of him. I still didn't realize just how large this race was.

I rounded the turn and headed back to the finish. People were kicking and struggling to the finish. Rasping breath and coughs and staggering forms were all around me. My breathing was still easy and I felt the urge to find another gear for the finish but I held back. As I passed Shane he yelled out, "27". I figured he meant the clock was already past 27 minutes so I didn't kick. I crossed the mat at 27:0x. I should have FREAKING kicked! Doh!

I'm still pretty amazed that I ran a 27:04 easy race though. That's a big improvement and I feel a great 2013 season coming! The really cool part was finally meeting my Team Aquaphor teammate in person though. I've been following the exploits of these 200 people for most of the year and I feel like I know them.

Jordan and I

 

Of course, after that it was turkey time! Ash couldn't wait to dig into her 'big chicken' and I love pumpkin pie! Happy Thanksgiving y'all!

 

 

 

How was your day? Did you do a Turkey Trot/Gobble Wobble/Gut Buster?

Never Pass Up an Opportunity

FitFluential is looking for new ambassadors and I'm really hoping to be one of them! This year has been amazing for me. The above photocollage was extremely hard for me to put together. I have completed 29 races thus far in 2011. I've done 2 marathons and even more ultras. I've set PR's at every distance and I even became a Marathon Maniac!

For the first time in my running life I've had people telling me that they look up to me or that they are impressed by me. I've always been the slow, back-of-the-packer but not this year. I'm firmly middle pack now! :) Being an average runner is perfectly fine with me for now. What isn't fine with me is missing out on connecting with people that I could help and that could support me as well.

I've had the honor of being selected as a member of Team reGen and it's connected me to runners in several different locations and of all different abilities. This year also led to me deciding to take my life in a new direction. I dropped out of business school and enrolled in a Sports Management program. I'm excited to dedicate the rest of my life to helping athletes and learning more about my body and my abilities in the process.

Throughout everything I've dreamt of making this blog something bigger than just a review of races I've done and products I've tried. I want it to go deeper and help people in ways I can't even imagine right now. I truly believe FitFluential can help me do that. I hope they'll see my potential and select me to be one of their ambassadors.

Anyway, I guess if I've helped you in some way or if my blog has inspired you, could you please send me some good vibes? And maybe even comment on FitFluentials FaceBook page or tweet them and let them know I'm worth a shot! Thanks so much!