13 Races in 2013- Recap + Plans for 14 in 2014!

I've achieved a whole lot in 2013, if I do say so myself :) I finished the 13 in 2013 challenge, which means I completed:

• Five 5Ks
• One 5 miler
• Two 10Ks
• One 15K
• Two Half Marathonsas 
• One 18 mile Bike race
• One unofficial Thanksgiving Day family run

For a total of 13 Fitness Events in 2013!! Hot Damn!! Here are some picture highlights:

Commitment Day 

Superbowl 5k

Corktown 5k

Falcon 5 Miler

Dexter-Ann Arbor 10k

Labor Day 30k bike ride

Heroes on Hines- 1st Half Marathon!

Detroit Free Press- 2nd Half Marathon!

In 2014, I have a few overall goals I'd like to knock off the check list:

• a Trail Run
• a Mini Tri
• my first Marathon

and I've set my sights on completing 14 races in 2014! Now that I've done a year of racing, there are a few races I know I'd like to repeat, some I could live without doing ever again, and a few new exciting ones I didn't get to this year. They're listed in chronological order: 

Draft 2014 Race schedule (repeat races are underlined with notes)

1. 1/1/2014 Commitment Day, Farmington Hills - 5k Run (w/ Mike!)
• A REALLY fun/COLD way to start the year off right!
2. 2/2/14 SuperBowl 5k, Novi - 5k Run
• This is on Superbowl day- a great way to manage calories for an otherwise wreck of a day!
3. 3/2/14 Fight for Air Climb, Detroit - 70 flights of stairs!
4. 3/16/14 Kona St. Patrick’s Day, Plymouth - 10k Run  (w/ Mike!)
5. 3/22/14 No Frills All Thrills, Brighton - 8k Trail Run
6. 4/12/14 Martian race series, Ann Arbor  - Half Marathon
7. 4/11/14 Falcon 5 Miler, Bowling Green OH - 5 Miler
• It was about 35 degrees this year. A nice outdoor Spring race to prep for a longer Fall race
8. 5/4/14 Kalamazoo Marathon, Kzoo - Half or Full Marathon (w/ Mike!)
9. 6/1/14 Dexter-Ann Arbor Race, Ann Arbor - Half Marathon
• I did the 10k this year and enjoyed running a local race. Looking to do the Half this year.
10. 7/4/14 Volkslaufe, Frankenmuth - 20k Run
11. 8/13/14 Triceratops Tri, Brighton - .5 Swim, 12.4 Bike, 3.1 Run
12. 9/6/14 Hippe Half @ Run Woodstock, Pinckney - Half Marathon
13. 9/30/14 Labor Day 30k, Milford - 30k Run
• Did this 18 mi bike race w/ my fam this year- will run it as mileage build up for a  marathon.
14. 10/5/13 Sleeping Bear Marathon, Empire - Marathon

Overall, I'm trying to scale up my race distances month by month. I'm not sure if I want to try for a Spring Marathon, or one in the Fall? I did several Halfs this fall, so it shouldn't be out of the question to complete a Full in the Spring, right? I have taken somewhat of a running hiatus, but I'm beginning again this week and it seems that I'd have 20-21 weeks to train and build up my mileage.

The second big question is "Which Marathon should I choose?" I'd like to do a Michigan marathon for my first one, since it's my home. Right now I'm thinking about the Kalamazoo Marathon or the Sleeping Bear Marathon. Kzoo is in early May, and Sleeping Bear is in October. We're headed to for the Kzoo set of races either way- I think I've convinced/encouraged my hubs to do his first Half Marathon this year, and we've chosen to make a trip out of the Kzoo Marathon/Borgess Health Half Marathon. SO I could either train like a boss for May 4th, or I could make that a Half, and do several more halfs in prep for the Sleeping Bear Marathon in October.

Any thoughts from you runners out there? 

What races are missing that I shouldn't leave out? 

Is a Fall Marathon "easier" to train for than a Spring one?

Race Day! Falcon 5 Miler

Today I am headed out for my 4th 13 in 2013 race this year- the Falcon Five Miler at Bowling Green State University! I'm excited and a little bit anxious for it, but looking forward nonetheless. I've run more than 9 miles at a time- I can do a 5 miler! These two things have been bouncing around in my head for the last several days, pre-race. I think "Ain't No Tired!" ala Tony Horton is my new race mantra to keep me pushing through.

I'll be checking in post-race to with a re-cap so stay tuned! :) Happy Friday!

Motivation Monday- What Keeps me Running

Today for Motivational Monday, I'm going to share a "Things I Love about Running" list. I'm definitely what you'd consider a new Runner- I've only been running frequently since November, but I'm already hooked!
Here's what keeps me running:

Race Day
Although I do really enjoy training most days, races are what keep me motivated on those dreaded long-run days! It's not so much the "beating other people" (since I'm still a slow-ass runner!) but it's the ability to run with others, as well as the desire to challenge myself and beat my own PR from my last race!

Even signing up for my next race is a motivation- knowing I have a specific event to train for helps me stick to my training schedule; there's a reason I'm working this hard!

Self-Discipline

I enjoy a good challenge, and I am very motivated by overcoming obstacles. Because of this, I really appreciate the self-discipline that running has helped me to develop within myself. Whether it's discipline in making and following a training schedule, discipline in eating healthy and "clean", or the discipline to take a Rest Day when I really just want to train through it, Running has helped me improve as a person.

Gear & Swag 

I'm not a huge shopper, but I DO really like to have clothes that fit me! With the frequent weight loss in the past 5 months, I've got to invest in a lot of new clothes. I do think of it as an investment; if I feel comfortable, supported, and put together, I'm more likely to be successful. That applies to work clothes and business, but also to running & workout gear. I also believe that while you CAN workout in anything, a few key, high-quality pieces, like fitted running shoes, a nice pair of workout gloves, and some cold-weather gear can make a world of difference in your performance. As for swag, who doesn't love a race tee or a finisher's medal or a tech beanie? A souvenir of my hard work is a reward for a job well done :)

Running Community
A great surprise about beginning to run was stumbling upon on supportive community of runners online! When I signed on for the 13 in 2013 challenge where I will be running a race every month (plus an extra one!), I met a lot of supportive folks on the facebook page & on twitter, who have been inspiring, helpful, and encouraging! From affirming that yes, it's possible to go from 5k to Half Marathon in less than a year's time, to sharing stories of their own fitness successes and challenges, it's been great to tap into a network of passionate people!

In an effort to keep myself accountable, here's my workout plan for the week!

Workouts for the week of 2/18-

• Monday: StrongLifts & Lowerbody weights (60 mins)
• Tuesday: Hill Reps Run 4 miles (40 mins)
• Wednesday: StrongLifts & Upperbody weights (60 minutes)
• Thursday: Spinning & Yoga Flow (50 + 75 mins)
• Friday: Easy Run 3.1 miles (30 mins)
• Saturday: StrongLifts & Upperbody weights (60 mins)
• Sunday: Long Run 7.5 miles (70 mins)

What's going to keep you going strong this week?

Find it and make it happen! :)

Motivation Monday

This has been my mantra for the last week since I saw it on greatist.com! 

I really think it's effective for me because it's simple, and direct.
Just breate, damnit! :)

Half-marathon training!!!

 

Push-ups are something I'm pretty good at, but I can always improve.

At my Fit Assessment in December, I did 42 "girly" push-ups in a row! 

Now to work up to 42 standard push-ups. Join me in this challenge!

My motivation for the next several weeks- my March 5k, the CorkTown Race! 

Some of my in-laws are doing this race, and it looks like a lot of fun, 

so I signed myself up. Plus, hubs is in, since there's beer at the end ;) 

Hoping for a PR of under 27 minutes!

Happy Monday, folks- Go out there and GET IT!

12 in '13 Fitness Challenge!

I'm excited to announce that I'll be hosting my first-ever Fitness Challenge coming up here in January!

As I've been thinking forward to the new year and how to keep myself motivated, one of the fun goals I came up with was to do one "competitive" fitness event each month for the year. 



Why fitness events?  
1) Training for a 5k or a cycling event can be SUPER motivating, even if your goal is simply to run a mile at a time or complete the event!

2) Because you're investing some money in registering for events, there's the bonus motivator of "oh, now I've spent money on this thing; I should probably give it a good effort"!

3) There's something really powerful about participating in a group fitness event. Whether it's competitive, like the Boston Marathon, or a "Fun Run" like The Color Run, getting out there with other men and women that are trying to better their lives and their health is pretty inspiring- it kinda makes me tear up a little thinking about it now!

Get Started!
This will be a fun, personal-challenge type of thing, and I've created a few ideas on how to start and plan out your 12 in '13, as I'm calling it. I've also designed a few different images, that you can download here if you'd like. Feel free to post them on your blog, share them on Facebook or Twitter, or event Pin them!

Each person that "registers" by tweeting using #12in13challenge and putting a Commit Button on their blog will be entered into a drawing to win Eating Clean for Dummies, and each month that you register for a new event and share it on Twitter using #12in13challenge, you'll be entered for another small prize drawing!

Here are some buttons below that you can share & post. Please link them back to here, so more people can join the challenge, motivate each other, and get fit in 2013! I'll be sharing the events I've registered for so far in the next post. You've got until 1/5/2013 to enter the contest by registering for your first event & sharing it with others!

Part 3 of Design your Perfect Fitness Routine- SMART Goal Setting

We've covered Components of a Successful Workout Plan and Figuring out your Starting Stats. Now it's time for some goal setting! We'll talk in Part 4 about the specific strategies to get to these goals, but I think it's good to go ahead and throw some numbers out to start with.

I find that if you're confused about where to start goal setting, a good place to look for inspiration is some of your fitness stats you've been gathering. In my goal setting process, I started with some of my most alarming measurements (Hello '31% Body Fat percentage' and 'Overweight' on the BMI scale!), and felt like I could do the most improving there.
What stats jump out for you?

Next, you'll be formulating goals around those points for change. This is the time to start looking up BMI calculators, Body Fat % charts, and other indicators if you haven't yet. These are merely starting points or guides- it's definitely a good idea to talk to your doctor, get their opinions and thoughts. But if you're WAY off of the chart, I figure that's a good place to start chipping away at a fitness goal, right?

I've shared some of my goals for the next 3-6 months as examples below. Your goals could look vastly different, depending on your motivation for working out. If your goal is weight loss, you might have more specific goals around that. If your goal is building strength, you might create more goals around specific strength indicators (sit-ups, pull ups, bench press, etc). Since my goals are a balance of strength building and changing my body composition aka less fat & more muscle, you'll see that I have different types of goals.

I've shared some of my broader workout goals for the year, but here are my specific SMART Goals for the next 6 months:

Specific: Hit and Maintain Goal Weight of 115 lbs
Measureable: Will weigh-in each Friday between lunch and dinner
Attainable: This is an average of 1 lb/week weight loss, which is healthy and do-able
Relevant: This would get me to a BMI of 22.5. For my height, 95 -128 lbs is a healthy range, so 115 is right in the middle of that!
Time-bound: by January 15th, 2013

Specific: Reduce Body Fat percentage from 31% to 25%
Measureable: Starting number from 9/7/12 - follow up test on 12/7/12
Attainable: Not sure how quickly this number will change- we'll see!
Relevant: A healthy Body Fat % for my age is between 22.1-25.3%, so 25% is totally do-able and healthy
Time-bound: Will schedule another test 6 months from original date (3/7/13)

Specific: Increase upper body strength
Measureable: Starting/ending weights- started w/ 8lbs dumbell curls, goal= 15 lbs, from 24 to 35 push-ups
Attainable: Not sure how quickly this number will change- we'll see!
Relevant: Push-ups and curls are two good measures of upper body strength
Time-bound: Will do the Grip Test again on 12/5/12 and 3/7/13 to track progress

In Part 4, we'll talk about how to set up your Fitness Routine to meet the goals you've set. In the mean time, start sketching out your goals.

As you're setting goals, remember:

A healthy weight loss goal will be broken down into a loss of .5-2 lbs per week. Less is fine, of course, and more is possible, but if you're loosing weight using drastic, unhealthy methods, it's less likely that you'll be able to maintain that weight loss.

You're just you! It doesn't matter if someone else that is your height and weight and age and gender can do bicep curls with 25 lbs dumbells. If you're starting out using 2 pounders, a) It's ok! and b) you're not going to change over night.

Slow and steady progress is the easiest to implement and maintain.

- Good luck! 

I'm a Greatist Ambassador!!

These past several years, as I have slowly worked my way to a healthy lifestyle, I've been seeking out helpful resources on the web. I'm definitely a learner; when getting into a topic of interest I like to read everything I can find on it, including books, articles, helpful links, etc. 

About 3 months ago, I stumbled upon a fun, easy, & informative website that I started regularly visiting, www.greatist.com. For me, Greatist was that one ideal online source for motivation, tips, and inspiration for all things fitness, health, and happiness.  I also appreciate that Greatist is about choosing better, even by just one more healthy choice per day or week! I think that helps to emphasize how each healthy choice is important and contributes to our overall health and well-being.

So you can imagine how excited and honored I was, after visiting Greatist almost every day, to find out that I’ve been chosen to be a Greatist Ambassador! My role as a Greatist Ambassador is essentially to inspire you to make those daily or weekly healthy choices- I see a lot of similiarities in my role as a Greatist Ambassador and the reasons why I started this blog- sharing ideas, building relationships with other fitness buffs, and ultimately helping to empower each other AND hold each other accountable. I'm thrilled to be joining the Greatist Family, and being part of a community of folks interested in realistic, everyday healthy lifestyle choices.

Be sure to follow me on Twitter@arikagrace where I’ll be sharing tips, healthy recipes, blog posts, and updating you on my progress with the hashtag #imagreatist.

Thanks for your support!