HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY PAL EMILY!

**Everyone send her birthday messages all day to let her know how great she is! She's my best friend and has always loved her birthday more than any other day of the year. I don't know anyone over 21 that actually likes having birthdays :) but she does so let's make it a special day for her!

MPA Gems has a new look!

Constance had burning legs during her cold run. I get that sometimes and then I scratch my legs because they itch. How is everyone else? Are you freaked out by the cold weather? Are you hitting the road, the treadmill, the couch? Do you need a kick in the pants?

Reminders:

• run/walk at Antrim on Saturday at 10:30 a.m. 5800 Olentangy River Rd Columbus, OH 43085
• Print your Tot for Trots form and bring check by Sunday. Give to Vickie or put in Kyle's folder at the gym. Link posted for the race (under link section)
• Flying Feather is in Dublin on Thanksgiving. If you have a spouse or a friend that will work the race, you can race for free! If not, please volunteer to help with that race. Premier Races is a great company and they do so much to support the Panthers. This is an account fund raiser. Amber and Bob will both be there. I will be in Dayton
• There are several great December races. Posted under link section
• Bob posted great suggestions for running in the cold. It's easy to dehydrate in cooler temperatures. Drink plenty of water before and after you exercise.

"Training accumulates. It's like money in the bank. If you build up your endurance in Jan or Feb., that will help you later in the year." Abdi Abdirahman (US Olympian)

Baby it's cold Outside!

Good conversation on the blog!

1. Elaine can get Under Armour gear at cost! If you see something ya like, contact Elaine. She's our resource!

2. Stu says that the rule of thumb is that if your cold symptoms are from the neck up, go ahead and run. If symptoms are below the neck, take the day off.

3. Meet at Antrim on Saturday at 10:30.

4. How is everyone doing in the cold? It's good that Bob brought his gear on Sunday - winter came quickly. Has anyone picked up any new stuff? I know you'll be tempted to just use the treadmill or just not run/walk at all. Stay on the wagon with us! Get your gear and get outside!

5. All Panther teams have practice tonight. Do we need to go for a run/walk during practice? How about if we meet in the lobby at 6:55 and then go for a walk/run at the gym at 7:00? Any takers?

Cheers to you
E

MPA Gems! Week wrap up

I love the name "MPA Gems". It's consistent with the "g" concept that we use for Glitter, Glitz and Glamour. And it's a hoot that Sue calls us the Grownups.

1. Don't forget to print your form www.columbusrunning.com/t3.htm and give it (and check) to Vickie by next Sunday. She'll turn in our forms for us.

2. Thanks to Bob/Stu for offering their info on all weather running gear.

3. Saturday Run at Antrim - On Saturday, November 1, I will be taking Buzzalou to Antrim. The lake is 1.2 miles around. I will be at the dock at 10:30 a.m. and will be happy for anyone to join me. Maybe I'll grab a nice brunch afterwards (there is a yummy FirstWatch nearby at the Worthington Mall). Bring your kiddies if you think they might enjoy the run/walk. Because it's a 1.2 mile loop, it's easy to keep track of them. Buzzins has been running there since she was 8.

4. Elaine/Katie - how have you done with your training since you two were traveling this week? Hanging in there?

5. Welcome Sally and Chrissy! We were happy to have you with us! Debra, so glad that you're back in the groove. Julie you looked great! Sue, I loved catching up on Liz. Amber, there's no doubt that you're an athlete. Vickie, those legs are gorgeous (ahh....you could have been a Rockette). Jenny/Marsha, thanks for joining the club (loved having you). Constance, we've missed you. Abs, we wish you could join us on Sundays (maybe on Saturday at Antrim?).

Yea for Prowlers!

Woo woo, so the first competition was super fun. The kids are safe and it was a great day.

• We'll plan to see the Prowlers at the gym at 5:00 tom. We'll meet upstairs to stretch and chat. I'll bring some cold weather gear so y'all can check it out. Bob might come tom too (if so, please bring some gear so we can show the Prowlers some clothing options).
• Vickie is collecting forms for our Trot for Tots run. Might as well bring it tom so you can't talk yourself out of doing the event!
• Please let me know if you would like to run at Antrim next Saturday, November 1. I’m available between 10:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. What time is good for you? The lake at Antrim is 1.2 miles. Amber is available during that time. We'll set the meeting time based on the group consensus.
• Kenn and Buzzy want to join the running club...maybe they (and any other Panthers) can join us on Saturdays but we're reserve Sundays for Parents only (hey, you need time without the Panthers!)

Week 3 - let's chat a bit!

You've all been working so hard. It's so impressive to read your running stories. You must feel so proud of yourself.

Let's discuss these things:
1. Have you been recording your workouts? We discussed some electronic resources. Are you using an electronic resource or a notebook or are you forgetting to do it?

2. Are you surprised by what you've accomplished in such a short period of time?

3. Because we will receive a discount by signing up as a group, we should plan to mail all of our registration forms together (for the Trot for Tots). Does anyone want to volunteer to collect those and mail them? If so, we can put our registration forms and checks in your child's folder at the gym.

4. Has your family commented on what you're doing?

5. Bob and Stu both get in the "zone" when they run. They can think about work, their hobbies, politics...whatever. Stu says it's easy to run 10 miles for him because he just "thinks" and that keeps him interested. I'm not able to "think" until I'm in shape. Right now, all I can think about is that I'm running. How about y'all?

Marathon Wrap up - looking forward

Marathon: Congrats to Bob and Stuart for crushing the Columbus Marathon!

Thank you to all the volunteers - it's a wonderful thing that you did for the community and for the racers.

Looking forward: Hey, now that we're inspired (after volunteering at the marathon), let's sign up for an event! Per Bob's suggestion...let's take a look at this race on Nov. 9!

• Race Name: Trot for Tots
• Cause: raises money for Hospice @ Nationwide CHildren's Hospital.
• Distance: It's a 3K and a 10K. (The 3K is just under 2 miles).
• Location: Coffman HS
• Time: Starts at 1 PM
• Cost: Pre-registration before 11/3 is $20 and if you group 3 people together it's only $15.
• Website: www.columbusrunning.com/t3.htm.

Keep training: We're all tired. I am zonked but I'll plan to meet y'all at 5:00 at the gym. Even if you're too tuckered to participate, come on over and say hi to the group. You can walk if you don't want to run today. If you don't want to move at all, just hang out at the tree and clap for the gang. You've been a great support for each other.

Week 2 - the other stuff

We're all different aren't we?

• Heather and Abigail are motivated by competition,
• Katie feels good when her girlfriends compliment her,
• Vickie, Elaine and Amber have personal fitness goals,
• Debra is running for her daughter,
• Constance spends her career helping others (she's running/walking to do something nice for herself),
• Stu and Bob really enjoy running,
• Marsha came out because Amber ambushed her! But we'll convert her!
• Sue likes to be with the group and support Panther efforts.
• We're still working on getting Jules and Jenny to hit the road with us.

We're all out there for different reasons. So tell me about the other stuff.

How do you motivate yourself to do other workouts. Do you go to a gym with a friend? Do you do an exercise tape? Are you sticking with just the running right now? Is anyone doing any weight training? How about your nutrition? Are you having a hard time stepping away from the Halloween candy?

It's a pursuit...being healthy. I fall off the wagon frequently. The group is giving me the kick in the pants that I needed. Sometimes, it feels good to be heard. Tell us how you're doing.

Week 2 - don't overtrain

A few gals are talking about sore shins...the dreaded shin splint. Overtraining is a big culprit for this overuse injury. Some folks tend to get them because of an inbalance between the calf and the shin. Some get shin splints because of the position of their feet striking the ground. Some get them because of their shoes. And some get shin splints because they did too much too soon.

If you're feeling the shin pain, I sugget the following:

• Apply ice each day for the next few days.


• Do your toe flexes; 2 sets of 50 each day.


• Calf raises; 2 sets of 50 each day


• Check your shoes. If you haven't been fitted for proper shoes, you should try FrontRunner or Fleet Feet. They will watch you walk and they will determine what shoe is best for your feeet. You need to replace your shoes about every 300 miles. Yes, walking around at the mall or baseball games does break down your shoes. Pay attention to the mileage on those shoes!


• Stretch your shins and calves before and after you run.


• Make sure that you're not overtraining.
  

It's important that y'all don't increase more than 10% of your running mileage each week. I mentioned that I can suck it up and run 5 miles if my ego is on the line. But my stabalizer muscles aren't trained for it. So although I can do the distance, I'll feel really sore for about a week after. It's crazy to jump in too quickly. Might as well ease into it so I can avoid the discomfort later.

If you ease into it, you shouldn't experience much residual pain. You'll have normal soreness during the run but you shouldn't have bone/joint pain. If you do, that's a red flag. Stick with the plan. Don't do more than what is on the plan. If you want to do additional training, do aerobics, swimming, weight training or biking. Your smaller muscle groups aren't ready for you to pound the pavement each day. You need to build up to that.

I know that you have doubts - but you'll become addicted to the road. Our bodies are engineered to run. Some folks can run at Mach speeds, some can run marathons, some run slow, some can't go far. But almost all human beings on the planet have the ability to run. It's part of our design. Your body will adapt. A thousand years ago we were both hunters and the hunted. We ran to catch our prey and we ran from the predators that tried to eat us.

You will adapt. It's all part of evolution. Fittest survive baby. Hang tight. Great job yesterday!

Reminder for the 8 Week plan:

Week 1 – EZ run at gym, 1 mile run, 1.25 mile run
Week 2 – EX run at gym, 1 mile run, 1.25 mile run
Week 3 - EX run at gym, 1.25 mile run, 1.5 mile run
Week 4 – EX run at gym, 1.25 mile run, 1.75 mile run
Week 5 - EX run at gym, 1.25 mile run, 2 mile run
Week 6 - EX run at gym, 1.25 mile run, 2.25 mile run
Week 7 - EX run at gym, 1.25 mile run, 2.5 mile run
Week 8 - EX run at gym, 1 mile run, 5k race!

Does my butt look big in these jeans?

Honey, we're not 21 anymore and yes, your butt looks big. So what? You have accomplished so much with your career, family and volunteer work. You are super woman. That's what you wanted right?

Sure it's what you wanted. But you also wanted to stay young and beautiful didn't you? Don't lose hope - if Miss Piggy (a pig for God's sake) can maintain her sexy savvy, then so can you. You have the power to change your exterior (if that is what bothers you most). We already know that you're accomplished on the inside.

There are no secret weightloss plans - just eat healthy and exercise. That's easy to remember. The hard part is keeping yourself inspired and motivated enough to do it. The key to getting your booty back in those jeans is finding your motivation and using it as a tool to help you succeed.

• Achievement Motivation: If you're an achievement kind of person, then you need to satisfy your desire to succeed. Set a goal - maybe you want to be able to run a 5k by Christmas or maybe you want to wear your jeans by January.


• Affiliation Motivation: Will friends and family shower you with compliments if you get back into your skinny jeans? Do you feel good when other people validate you? Hey, they are your support crew. Tell them to send you weekly emails to encourage you to stay on your exercise plan.


• Competence: Are you driven by being excellent at a task? Do you take your job very seriously? Do you like to be perfect? Use that type A personality to your advantage. Tell yourself, "I will close this deal. I will not fail." Treat your diet and exercise plan like a task - something that you must conquer.


• Power: Do you have the ability to change the people around you? If you stick to your exercise plan will that motivate your children to be more active? Will your spouse join you? Will you inspire your friends and family to succeed? Okay Mrs. Beaver, rally the troops and get back on your diet then!


• Incentive: Do you like to receive awards for your accomplishments? Will you win a contest at work if you lose the most weight? Do you want those Prada shoes or to take a little rendevous to New York? Make a deal with yourself. If you stick to your healthy eating plan for 3 months, then you get the shoes or the trip. Or both!


• Fear: What are the consequences if you don't succeed? Do you work hard because you like to work or do you work hard because you're worried about what will happen if you don't? Go put on a bikini (that will put the fear of God in you). Or go read over a few websites pertaining about the consequences associated with unheathly eating and lack of exercise.

We like you just the way that you are - but if you don't like you, then it's time for change. So, put down the Snickers and put on your running shoes. We'll be out there running with you (and checking out your butt).

Tell us what motivates you and we'll help keep you on track.

Week 2 - Day 1

You all have kept me motivated. I've been reading all sorts of literature on what motivates people. All of you ladies have grown to know me well over the years (Bob too). I am motivated by being part of a group. Because you all are counting on me to be part of the running group, that kept me on track this week. Being part of your group is helping me maintain my own health. Can't be that!

I think Sue Miller might join us at the gym today! I'm looking forward to seeing all of you. 5:00...be there!

Hugs,
E

Week 1 - day 5

So the weekend is generally when I fart around. I've already made plans with Stu so that I'll go for a run after work tomorrow. If I don't make plans, I won't do it. I'll eat ice cream instead. This way, I'll still eat the ice cream but I will have completed my run first!

Sometimes, it's best to make plans ahead of time so that you'll follow through with your weekend training. How do you keep yourself on track over the weekend?

Speaking of Weekend stuff:

• Buzzy is running the last cross country meet on Saturday a.m. at the Westerville Rec Center. It's on Cleveland Ave just south of Polaris. Not certain of time. Abs, it's about 5 minutes from your place.


• Kenn is performing in a musical at Coffman at 7:00 on Saturday. Buzz and I will be there if anyone wants to join.


• I think LBug and Kali are working the OSU game that evening.


• Any other kid updates?

Anyone planning to do a Halloween race? http://ultrafit-usa.com/FrightNite.html Dublin has trick or treat on Thursday so y'all could do this Halloween 5k (run/walk if you're not ready to run it straight). Columbus has trick or treat on the 31st from 6-8:00 so I'll be at home that night.

Thanks for the link for the calendar. I'm going to check it out!

Don't forget about Sunday - rain or shine. 5:00. Midwest. Roar!

Week 1 - Day 4 "Write it down!"

I'm always pushing the kids at the gym to record their habits - they hate doing it. You might think, "I will never forget this awful run." But you will. It's important that you record your mileage/times along with information about how you feel during your run. You will look back and read over your log books and you'll be so proud of your accomplishment. You'll also learn about your body and spirit. You might find out that you get a tummy ache if you eat bananas before a run. You might find out that you are more comfortable in Nike rather than New Balance. You might discover that you mananage stress better if you run in the a.m. rather than the evening. Write it down - it's more than a training log; think of it as a diary.

Good for you for taking action! Debra and Vickie have already hit the road again! Hey that's wonderful news! How about the rest of y'all? Bob, how are you feeling coming into the marathon? Elaine, any plans for a 5k soon? Jules, are you joining us on Sunday or the week after? Constance, should we try somne yoga next time? Abigail, are you and Adam planning for a Thanksgiving race? Amber, have you been kidnapped?

Keep at it!

Post your updates under this posting (Day 4)

Week 1 - Day 2

Hi there! How are you doing on day 2? Did you eat 3 Snicker bars because you ran yesterday? I ate a funnel cake. Ugh, I had a horrible tummy ache. Boo hisss...back on the training plan darn it.

If you're like me, you might want to know how far/long you need to run in order to burn off that yummy treat that you gobbled down and regretted later. Check out this calorie calculator. http://www.healthstatus.com/calculate/cbc

Geesh, I realized a few years ago that I had to run about 3 miles to burn off every Krispy Kreme that I ate on vacation. Needless to say, I cut back on my pastries that year.

So keep at it Prowlin' Parents. One day at a time. It's a very special gift that you're doing for yourself and for your daughter. Isn't that we're always trying to do? Trying to do as much as we can for our children.

Buzzy be off to college in a few years and I won't have the opportunity to share the day with her. I try to find common interests with her so I can be part of her life. My Buzzy loves to run - so even if I'm not in the mood, if Buzzy wants to run, I'll find my shoes. I'll take as much time as I can get.

Maybe you can go for a nice walk/jog with your daughter. It's a great way to nose into their business. They have nothing to do other than look at trees, sidewalks and sky. Or they can talk to you. After about 10 minutes, Buzzy starts telling me everything.

Test it out. It works. Lace up the shoes and hit the pavement. We have two more runs to do before Sunday. Keep us posted so we know how everyone is doing or if you need inspiration!

"There are clubs you can't belong to, neighborhoods you can't live in, schools you can't get into, but the roads are always open." ~ Nike

First Day of Training!

Today was a great day for many reasons. The Panthers are really starting to shine and the Panther Parents are on the prowl.

A great group of women met at the gym today for their first Prowlin' Panther Parent run. They did a 30 minute run/walk combination. They were brilliant and I had a great time.

It's a journey isn't it? We're always trying to find ways to learn about ourselves and to be better than we were yesterday. Exercising helps our bodies thrive and our minds stay sharp. This is such a wonderful way for you to support your child. By coming to the gym to exercise, you're showing them that you endorse their athletic career and want to join them in their pursuit. I feel so happy to be invited to be part of their lives and also part of your own health/athletic goals.

Remember that you really can be ready for a 5k in 8 weeks. In addition to your 30 minute EZ run/walk today, you'll want to do a 1 mile run and a 1.25 mile run. See you next Sunday at 5:00! Same time, same place.

Thanksgiving Races in Columbus:

http://www.fatrabbitracing.com/Events/PilgrimsProgress/Default.aspx

http://theflyingfeather.com/

http://www.columbusturkeytrot.com/turkeytrot/index.htm

http://www.runwildracing.com/RaceInfo.asp?nRaceID=192

Feel free to leave posts on this blog. Folks can discuss training plans and tips.