Thursday, February 14, 2013

For the love....

Happy Valentines Day! Instead of making this holiday just about the ones we love, I am going to make this day in honor of all the things we love too. After all, you should be telling and showing your love to the one you are with EVERY day and not just one day a year! In honor of Valentines, I am dedicating this post to couples near and far, for the love of each other, the love of the run, the love of everything :) From one runner to another, a toast to the things that make running so amazing!

For the love of BRANDS

Saucony
Those of you who know me know that I am addicted to Saucony, and I am not looking for a cure for this. Whether it's my Saucony clothes, gear, or sneakers, I'm always sporting the Brand in some way shape or form. I've been a runner a long time, and have been doing it more seriously for the last few years, I've been through a lot of shoes, a lot of brands...the moment I put on my first pair of Saucony Kinvara's I haven't looked back. They have been with me through some great races, including my most recent marathon which was a 16 minute PR and an official Boston Qualifying time by a long shot. The shoes didn't give me that time; my body, and mind did. But those shoes sure helped, they got me through training without blisters or injuries, they were there for the long runs and the short ones, they helped me get where I needed to be. Since switching to Saucony Kinvara's after my first marathon in 2011, I have had no major injuries, and for that matter not a lot of small ones either, no blisters from shoes, nothing that would ever make me want to change back to my pre-Kinvara days!
   My favorite water bottle & my kicks:)  (9/2012)               Pair #6 Kinvara's(1/2013)


     My 1st pair of Kinvara's, rain or shine they never let me down! HOOKED!!(7/2011)

Clearly you see my LOVE of Saucony Kinvara's, but I also have many other Saucony items that are wonderful, running hats, winter hats, gloves, I love my Saucony DryLete sport top(perfect for cold or inclement weather), my Axiom Long sleeve(great for layering), and my amazing Kinvara graphic shirts(show off the love!) and Hydralite tank (this tank is awesome for warmer temps!).

Now that you know a little more about my LOVE for Saucony, you should help me convince them to make me a pair of all white kinvara's so I can wear them when I walk down the aisle next year! Kinvara wedding sneakers for me please! For the true runner at heart, my Fiance and I met through running, and it only makes sense for me to have my other love (Saucony Kinvara) there on my wedding day too!


Garmin
For the love of numbers, get a Garmin! I am such a numbers driven person, I love the facts and the statistics and being able to quantify aspects of my runs and workouts. I started training for my first marathon without a fancy watch, half way through I realized that I wanted to know more about my training, more about my runs and how I was doing, Garmin was my answer. You don't NEED a high tech watch to be an amazing runner, I know so many people who refuse to wear a Garmin or other GPS watch, and it works for them; but for me, show me the numbers people! Using a Garmin has helped me learn to pace myself, learn to have stronger workouts, smarter workouts, and has helped me be a better runner. I love my Garmin, some may not need it, but for me it is an essential!
My Garmin 405 has proven to be incredibly useful for long runs especially, It's peace of mind finishing a run knowing I can go back and analyze how I did, seeing every mile, every hill, all the hard work put in to achieve goals. (Photo from 10/2012, my last 20+ training run for Marshall Marathon...Garmin & Kinvara shown in same photo, perfection!!)

For the Love of Food & Fuel
My top 10 loves....

  1. Goldfish....yes goldfish....Particularly the whole grain ones in the very large carton....They're a great carbohydrate source, easy on the stomach for before and after workouts/races, and best of all...YUMMY!
  2. Clif Shot Blocks Strawberry....I have tried all sorts of in-run fuel, from gels to jelly beans and everything in between. Clif Shot blocks have been the most consistently useful for me...convenient, easy, no stomach problems, great flavors, no overpowering feeling of shakes or fullness...
  3. Builders Bars....Great protein source, post-workout recovery fuel, can even be used as a meal on the go..quick and easy!
  4. Reeces! Chocolate and Peanut butter, there is nothing better. I run so I can eat these, well that is partially true...but when you need some quick tasty calories to give you some energy after a workout, its a great go to!
  5. Gatorade....The Gatorade brand now offers so many different types of fuel. Pre-workout fuel, fuel for during as well as recovery fuel. I have tried most of them and have had no issues. But my favorite is good old fashioned Gatorade, it offers fluid and electrolytes with great taste. It's convenient as you can get it just about anywhere, and they also make powdered packets to go in your water bottle, doesn't get much easier than that! 
  6. Spinach...The benefits of this amazing green leaf are huge, it helps aid digestion, prevent illness, decrease inflammation, full of antioxidants, lowers blood pressure, full of Vitamin A(which is great for your skin),and those are just SOME of the benefits! My only side note on this one is that this is an item that you should always buy organic!
  7. Chocolate Milk. The protein, the calcium, the carbohydrates, Vitamins A, C & D....not to mention the amazing taste....DRINK UP!
  8. Salmon, it can be cooked so many different ways, full of flavor and full of nutrients. I have found this to be a great fuel source the night before a race, healthy but wont weigh you down!
  9. Sweet Potatoes...yummy yams, great source of Vitamin A, C, potassium, iron, manganese and copper which are all going to fuel your performance and support healthy muscle function.
  10. Peanut Butter & Jelly...YES I said it, I am 25 years old and still eat PB&J regularly. I use Arnolds Flatbreads (whole grain with flax and fiber) for the bread, and locally made natural peanut butter and locally made jams/jellies. The benefits of this are wonderful...great for carb-loading, great a few hours before a run or shortly after, so much protein and nutrients and we all know it tastes great even as adults!



For the Love of each other: Couple designed workout ideas!
Here's a few ideas for workouts with your loved one, get fit together!


  1. Simple: go for a run together! My Fiance and I first 'date' was an easy afternoon run together, great way to talk, enjoy the outdoors, and get fit at the same time!
  2. Hit the gym at the same time, you don't have to be next to each other the whole time, but just being in the same place with the same goal is a great way to support each other without being "in your face", you still get your time to do what you want to do.
  3. Go for a walk or a hike together. This is a great way to enjoy the great outdoors, pack a backpack and go for a hike, bring some healthy snacks and make an afternoon out of it. Or even just go for a walk around the neighborhood after a long day at work, talk and vent and stretch your legs out, by the time you get back you'll feel much better!
  4. Try a class together. Go try something new, some kickboxing, or cycling, or cross-fit ...find something new to both of you and try it together! Date night!
  5. Play a sport together. Whether it be making a tee time, or hitting the courts, find something fun but active to do....play as a team or one-on-one....either way it gets the endorphin's flowing and your body moving!
  6. Couples Massage. YES this counts, massages are great for anyone, but especially for athletes. We put our bodies through a lot, give them some TLC! So why not relax together and enjoy some quality time while you muscles and body thank you at the same time!
  7. Teach each other something. Teaching your partner something can be a great experience, learning to appreciate the things each of you do. Maybe you teach your man how to do some yoga moves, and maybe he takes you to the batting cages, you'll appreciate the time together and learn some new moves in the process!
  8. Make a circuit workout together. Plan a workout at home or the gym, rotate exercises back and forth, you can make it so you do the same thing at the same time or alternate. It will help you be active, and push each other in positive ways.
  9. Your normal lovin' workouts with each other may burn more calories than you think, don't count that out either! Not that you need more excuses to get smooching!
Those are just SOME things you can do as a couple to stay fit together, come up with your own or modify these to work for you and your significant other. Be creative, and have FUN!!

Happy Valentines Day!!!









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