races « The Everyday Warrior

Mud Runner Monday: Kathy M.

by Betsy

1. Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I am Kathy Morgan, a 32 year single female. I have an undergrad in Physical Education and Adapted PE. Two masters degrees in Health Education and one in Wellness and Fitness. I teach Adapted Physical Education to students in k-12 grade. Basically, I teach students with mental, physical and emotional disabilities PE skills. It is a super hard job and it takes a lot out of me. That is why my fitness life is so important! It allows me to have the strength to life students out of chairs and mentally allows me to be strong for all of them.

I beat obesity 10 years ago! The scale was 195 when I joined Weight Watchers my first time. Thankfully, I have been able to shed 50 pounds and inspire others to do the same. I now eat a clean diet, workout 6 days a week and push myself every single day to be amazing! I take negative energy and throw it into workouts…leaving me with probably the most positive attitude out there!

I have ran 3 marathons, 19 half marathons, 4 Tough Mudders and a few triathlons. I am such an endurance junkie! I love racing because it allows me to be around positive people and pushes me physically, mentally and mostly emotionally. Every race is a new obstacle because my mind is NEVER the same.

I am currently getting ready to get my group fitness certificate! I will be able to inspire others by teaching classes and motivating them to keep going when they want to quit. I truly believe I was put on this earth to make people see that dreams can come true if you work hard for them. That is why I am a Beachbody coach, have my own blog and Facebook page. I want to reach out to anyone that will listen! I can’t stand when people don’t believe in themselves….so it is my goal to change that attitude and make them belive that the MISSION is POSSIBLE! You can follow my blog by clicking here and on Facebook here.

2. What Mud runs have you done?

1. Tough Mudders

2. Hell Run

3. What one was your favorite and why?

Of course, my favorite mud run is the Tough Mudder. The Tough Mudder is like NO other race out there. It is where strangers become family and obstacles become possible. There is NOTHING that I don’t love about this race…well minus the electric shock

Can’t get up a wall? There is always someone there to lend a hand or a shoulder. Beat down? Someone will carry you if that is what it takes. Every time I leave this race I am filled with hope that the world can be good. I am filled with the good in people and the love someone can give a stranger. I have met a ton of WONDERFUL friends from the Tough Mudder. One’s I know that if I was in serious trouble they would drop everything to help out. The course is AWESOME but the people are what keeps me going back!

4. What one was your least favorite and why?

I wasn’t too thrilled about the Hell Run… it didn’t really push me that much. It was kind of like a one man team event, NOTHING like the Tough Mudder. They had maybe 4 obstacles and not that much mud. Two thumbs down on this event

5. What is it about mud runs that appeals to you?

I would like to try the Spartan Race. Same as the Tough Mudder but a little different because it is a timed event. My goal is to push myself in the Tough Mudder to qualify for World’s Toughest Mudder!

6. How do you train for mud runs?

I do a lot of weird training when it comes to Mud Runs. I do a lot of heavy lifting, Insanity (to keep cardio up) and running. On my longer runs I will do small obstacles every half mile. Such as pop squats, push ups, jumping onto objects, use play ground equipment…basically I use whatever is around me as my obstacle! I have pulled tires, jumped in ice baths and have carried sand bags. I make it fun but challenging

7. Do you have a special diet?

I eat REALLY clean when it comes to training and I always have a Shakeology shake for lunch to keep my nutrition in check. I sometimes fail to eat veggies and the shake allows me to have the veggies I need for the day.

8. What is the craziest thing you have seen at a mud run?

I saw a guy with one leg make it up Everest! They made a human chain and he crawled up them. AWESOME and yes I cried!

9. What other mud runs do you have planned for this year?

I have Michigan, Pittsburgh and Kentucky Tough Mudders on the list. No other mud runs as of now! I am training for another marathon and the Dopey Challenge in Disney as well.

10. Any advice for someone who is thinking about running their first mud run?

If you are wanting to do a Mud Run…I HIGHLY suggest you do one. I of course would say do the Tough Mudder because it is such a different race. Get a LARGE team together or better yet find a team on Facebook like I did for Ohio. That is how you make mudder friends. Train at least 20 weeks out from race if you plan on doing the Tough Mudder because of the length. Find a friend that has done this race and ask questions. From one Mudder to the next we LOVE helping people out! My best advice is… don’t be afraid! Take on the challenge because all things are possible when you believe!

Want to be a featured mud runner? Send an email to bamoats@gmail.com

Fitness Friends Fun Guest Blogger Mud Runner Monday mud runners Running

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Mud Runner Monday: Jesse D.

by Betsy

1. Tell us a little bit about yourself.

My name is Jesse Drelick. I am 31 years old. I live in Coatesville, PA, and I am originally from Philadelphia. I am an elementary physical education teacher and a high school varsity head basketball coach. I love both of my jobs, because it allows me to teach others how to be active, life a healthy lifestyle, and teach my students and players the necessary life skills needed to be a successful and healthy individual as they grow up.

I have a very busy schedule, but when I am not working, I am a full time Mud Runner, who is either training or running at an event, Spring through Fall. I was hooked after my first one and haven’t looked back. Since the first second across the finish line of my first OCR/Mud run, I focused myself into getting into the best shape I could, dropped 50 pounds, and try to do my very best each time out. Recently though, I have come to realize the positive impact the sport can have on others.

This past Tough Mudder in Ohio, I challenged myself and ran the course carrying a tire in honor of my sister Alicia. Alicia is a Special Ed teacher, who was brutally assaulted by a student and is currently in between many necessary surgeries to save her eye sight. I have dedicated this whole race season to her, because I want her to know that someone is out there doing something in her honor, as her long road to recovery begins.

Although I only made it close to Mile 6 of the TM course that day, before catching a nasty case of hypothermia and was taken off the course, I am proud of my efforts for my sister. And there will be more challenges along the way to honor Alicia.

Other than that, you can find me on Facebook. And I am a big advocate for “F*ck Cancer” and look to spread the word on the good that they are trying to do for others.

2. What Mud runs have you done?

My current focus is Tough Mudders and Spartan Races this season. I have done Tough Mudders, Spartan Race, Philly MS Mud Runs, Philly Down and Dirty Mud Runs, and Rock Solid Mud Runs and a number of road races (with distances ranging from 5k to a marathon).

3. What one was your favorite and why?

My favorite one, hands down, was this past TM in Ohio. I ran with a great purpose, for my sister, which makes running an event much more fulfilling than running for yourself. I challenged myself physically and mentally to run the course with the tire. I was encouraged and motivated by so many awesome Mudders, and I met some great people along the way. Being taken out of the race before Mile 6 because of hypothermia was the least of my concerns on that day. I ran with a higher purpose, gave it my all, and had a great experience!

4. What one was your least favorite and why?

Philly Down and Dirty 10k Mud Run. It was nothing about the race, it was all about myself. Injured my ankle at Mile 2 on an obstacle, got back into it but ran poorly and fought off painful side stitches, and major pain in my toes. It was a struggle just to finish. Then after I take my shoe off, I see that two of my toenails had fallen off during the run. I had better days

5. What is it about mud runs that appeals to you?

Everything! The running, the obstacles, the competition (whether against yourself or others), and just the physical and mental challenge of it all. More importantly, it’s about the touching stories you hear from others and the great people you meet along the way!

6. How do you train for mud runs?

My training has improved greatly since I first started. Last season, my training mindset was to lift and run, run, run. I performed well early on but, only to find myself fighting off injuries and mentally burnt out throughout the season. Now, I have incorporated a number of different training and recovery methods, and have seen vast improvements in all aspects of my performance. Being only 5’5 and (at race weight) 122 lbs, I have a lot of disadvantages when it comes to others, which is why my training is very important. A typical training week goes as follows.

Monday through Friday: in the mornings- Strength Training, which consists of body weight Tabata and High Intensity Interval Training, TRX training, or a bunch of backyard training with tires, training bags, ropes, sledgehammer etc… At lunch- Speed workout or lower body plyometrics workouts. Mid afternoon/night- cross train, which consists of swimming, cycling, rock climbing, and heavy bag workouts. Saturday- Long run with some speed intervals. Sunday (depending on how the legs feel)- hill workout, a ruck on some trails, or a long swim. For Recovery throughout the week- stretching, foam rolling and yoga. I have learned to listen to my body and mind. If I feel like my body is not ready or the mindset is lacking, I’ve learned to scale it back or shut it down. But most importantly, I have fun with my training, with the different stuff I do and the people I do it with. If you’re not having fun challenging yourself, then staying motivated and looking forward to the next type of workout isn’t going to be easy as you get ready for the next one.

7. Do you have a special diet?

Once I focused on the diet, things fell into place and came naturally. No more takeout, pizza and beer. Like I said, I dropped 50 pounds and training and performance has never been more effective. I have done much research and I have stolen bits and pieces of different types of diets that work for me, personally, in order for me to perform my best. My diet routine may not be ideal for others but it works for me. My daily diet consists of slight grazing on Fruits, veggies, a small amount of protein throughout the day and a good amount of water. And at night, eat a big meal consisting of high lean protein (chicken/fish/turkey) low carb, and a good amount of veggies. I stay away from sugar and red meat. Side note, I like to have a small bag of Reese’s Pieces the night before a race.

8. What is the craziest thing you have seen at a mud run?

I don’t want to say crazy, but I want to talk about my best moments at a mud run… I have two. One of my best moments is getting ready for a run at the starting line at a Tough Mudder and then seeing my friend Sean Corvelle grab the microphone to say his starting line speech. The second I see him grab that mic, I know that he is going to fill my heart with inspiration and have me ready to run through a wall before we go off. Secondly, anytime I see or experience it first hand, the camaraderie and encouragement of people helping others during a run, I grow a bit prouder that I am a part of this. I have been inspired by so many others since I’ve been involved in this!

9. What other mud runs do you have planned for this year?

My plan is to do all of the Tough Mudders and Spartan races, April through October, that are within an 8 hour driving distance to where I live. I just hope the body keeps up with the mind. I only wish I had the money to really travel around the country and the time during the winter sport season to continue through the winter.

10. Any advice for someone who is thinking about running their first mud run?

First, the best advice I got from a friend the day before a marathon: “talk to people along the way”… Each person in that race or challenge is going through exactly what you are, and each person has a story and purpose for doing it. Hear theirs and share yours. Secondly, run with a purpose bigger than yourself. Find a purpose to run for, whether personal or a particular cause. It will make the experience all that more fulfilling.

Want to be part of Mud Runner Monday? Just send an email to bamoats@gmail.com

Fitness Friends Health Mud Runner Monday

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Tough Mudder Ohio Goals

by Betsy

It’s hard to believe but tomorrow is the Ohio Tough Mudder! Woohoo!

Ohio was where I did my first and only Tough Mudder so it seems fitting that I am returning to Ohio for my first of two Tough Mudders for 2013.

Who else is returning for the Ohio Tough Mudder? This guy!

Justin was my teammate last year and he made quite a name for himself in the Tough Mudder circuit! I’m super pumped to get to run with him again!

Here is just a glimpse of what Justin and I and the other Mudders will be up against!

You can also click here to check out a course map.

And now without further ado here are my goals for tomorrow’s Tough Mudder!

- Finish! No time goal for this one, I just want to cross that finish line and stake my claim on another orange headband!

- Run a smart and injury free race. Tough Mudders are fun events but they are still extreme obstacle races and should be treated as such.

- Have fun and get muddy! That’s what it is all about after all right?!

Anyone else racing this weekend?

Running Tough Mudder Travel

9 Comments »

Chicago Day #2: Race and VZWVoices Meet Up

by Betsy

This post was made possible by the Verizon Health and Fitness Voices program. As a participant of the program I have been provided with a wireless device and six months of service in exchange for my honest opinions about the product. I was also invited to Chicago to kick off the program which included a hotel stay, travel expenses and an entry into the Shamrock Shuffle 8k. Click here for more info on the program.

I know I promised all of you that I would post this yesterday but in light of the events that happened at the Boston Marathon I thought the post that I actually published was more fitting. It probably goes without saying that my heart aches for all of those effected by what happened in Boston. I would also like to add that I am very proud to be part of the running community, a community that is full of love, support and determination.

Now on to Day #2 in Chicago. And in case you missed out on what we did on Day #1, click here to get caught up on our adventures.

A good chunk of day #2 was spent at the Shamrock Shuffle 8k. You can read my recap of my experience here. After the race we had breakfast at Wildberry Café. We had to wait a little bit since it is a popular restaurant and with it being close to the race area there were quite a few other people who had the same idea as us.

Yes, I ate breakfast in my full race gear.

And the food was well worth that wait. I had cranberry pecan pancakes with a side of bacon and Chris had cinnamon apple waffles. Both were AMAZING!

After breakfast I was in dire need of a shower and a change of clothes, so we headed back to the hotel. Once I was cleaned up and presentable again we headed to the Art Institute of Chicago. That was also included in our CityPASS!

We wandered around and looked at some awesome art. We also reenacted a scene from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.

There is a cute little story that goes along with why we did this. Chris came to Chicago many many years ago and saw the stained glass that was used in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and decided that he would one day return there with a girl and kiss her in front of it just like in the movie. And I got to be that girl.

Shortly after the art museum I had to say good-bye to Chris. He was hopping a flight back to Detroit while I stayed in Chicago for all the Verizon Wireless Voices activities. I was sad to see him go because we were having such a good time but I was excited to meet some new blogger friends and find out what device I would be trying out from Verizon!

The bloggers for the program that were able to make it to Chicago all met in the lobby of the Hard Rock Hotel and then we walked over to the Park Grill where we spent the next few hours eating, drinking and getting to know one another.

This was my first blogger meet up ever! I have met other bloggers on several different occasions but never a large group at once. I also didn’t really know any of them before the dinner although I had read a few of their blogs on occasion. Dinner at the restaurant was so good and the service was excellent! But the best part was enjoying the company of all of the fabulous health and fitness bloggers! They really are a great group of women and I am so flattered to be a part of the group!

Come back tomorrow to find out what happened on my third and final day in Chicago! Here is a hint, it involves some awesome new gadgets!

Fitness Food Friends Fun Running Travel VZWVoices

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Sending Love to Boston

by Betsy

source

Running

2 Comments »

Shamrock Shuffle 8k Recap

by Betsy

This post was made possible by the Verizon Health and Fitness Voices program. As a participant of the program I have been provided with a wireless device and six months of service in exchange for my honest opinions about the product. I was also invited to Chicago to kick off the program which included a hotel stay, travel expenses and an entry into the Shamrock Shuffle 8k. Click here for more info on the program.

This past Sunday I ran the Shamrock Shuffle 8k for the first time. In fact, it was my first ever race in Chicago or the state of Illinois so that made it even more exciting. It was also my second ever 8k!

Prior to signing up for the race I had never heard of it. So in case you are clueless about it like I was here are some fun facts about the race. It starts and finishes in Chicago’s famous Grant Park. It represents the official kick off of the racing and running season in Chicago AND it is the largest 8k in the WORLD! This years race had over 33,000 participants! Wowza!

On Saturday before the race, Chris and I headed over to Navy Pier to pick up my race packet. Generally I am not a fan of expos, but I LOVED this expo. I am not sure if we just got there at the right time of the day but it wasn’t overly crowded and there were a lot of fun booths with things that interested us both.

I love this race shirt!

Ooops how did that get in my race bag?

The night before the race I got flat Betsy ready so that I would have no thinking involved when I woke up Sunday morning.

I ended up adding a black jacket to the outfit and in hindsight I wish that I did not wear the jacket because I was a tad warm with it on during the race but before and after I was glad that I had it.

On Sunday I woke up, fueled with some oatmeal and water, got dressed and headed over to my corral area with Chris. Chris wasn’t allowed to go very far with me as spectators were not allowed in the participant area. We experienced this with the Nike Women’s Half Marathon so this was not a surprise for us. In fact, for large races, I think this is a smart idea as it helps keep things organized and controlled.

Speaking of the size of the race, big races always make me nervous. Any mistakes made by those in charge of the race can have a HUGE impact on how runners and spectators experience race day. I was supper impressed by this race. It was VERY organized and well thought out. The corrals were probably my favorite of any race. There were two start times for the race and each start time was broken down into corrals. In order to get into the first start time, you actually had to submit a time from a previous race and from that time you were assigned a corral. To be part of the second start of the race you had to submit what time you thought you would finish and then you would be assigned a corral. I submitted my time from my 8k in January which qualified me for the earlier start. Never at any time during this race did I feel like I was being held back because there were too many people or that the people in front of me were not in the right corral. This is a HUGE accomplishment for this size of race! Kudos to the race director!

Waiting in my corral!

Somehow the stars aligned and I accomplished all three of my race goals!!! I am super pumped especially about my time. I ran sub 9′s the entire race. I don’t normally run that fast but I felt super strong the entire time. Well, maybe not the ENTIRE time. At mile 4 I was starting to fade but at that point I just held on because I knew how awesome my time could be if I kept it up.

This is the fastest pace I have EVER ran!

I attribute my PR to the consistent training and healthy eating I have been doing and also to the great crowds along the course. Having people cheer you on always helps and there were not many parts of the course that didn’t have people. I never did see Chris during the race but knowing he would be waiting for me at the end, certainly gave me an extra push as well.

Overall I LOVED the race. I think it is a must do for every runner and I would love to be able to run it again!

Dating Fitness Running Travel VZWVoices

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How to Display Race Memorabilia

by Betsy

Today I have a very special guest post for you from my boyfriend Chris! As you probably already know I am not crafty AT ALL! Chris on the other hand is incredibly crafty so he more than makes up for my deficiency in that area. You may also know that Chris recently started running and even more recently ran his first 5k and got his first medal! I will let Chris explain to you how to get crafty with your race memorabilia!

As you may have read, I have recently completed my first 5k. From the get-go I told Betsy that my goal was to get a medal and frame it with a picture of the 2 of us to display on my wall. Yeah… my goal was all about the medal… for a 5k… that’s right go ahead and chuckle under your breath I dont mind. So anyways, as Betsy’s self-appointed “blog manager” I suggested that she feature this on one of her blog posts to share with everyone and here is the end result:

First: get a good idea of what you want to frame. Along with the medal, I wanted to frame the race bib, a photo, and a sticker we got in our packet. This gives you a good idea of what size frame you will need. I found this 12 x 12 shadowbox frame at Target for only $10 which was perfect for my needs.

Second: take the backing out of your frame and play around with the layout. As it turned out, cramming everything into the frame seemed a bit crowded and took away from the medal itself. In the end I decided I wanted more of the ribbon to show then I had originally thought so my layout was drastically different.

Third: leaving everything in place, take the items one at a time and add 2 sided tape to the backing and carefully stick them down. Make sure to get a good, strong tape and if you are adding anything heavy you may want to use silicone glue to hold it in place. I attempted to stick the actual medal down but it didn’t hold very well so I let it flop around freely inside because once its on the wall gravity will hold it in place. You really only get one shot when you stick something down so make sure to mark your spacing and place it carefully.

Finally: when assembling the frame make sure you dust everything off real well and clean the inside glass. In my case, the excess ribbon just hangs out the back of the frame so I stuck it to the back of the frame to keep it from getting in the way of the hanger.

And there you are! A memory you can keep forever! I hope this has inspired you to go out and preserve the memory of one of your “first” races.

Guest Blogger Running

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March Recap & April Goals

by Betsy

It’s goal time!

Here is how I did on my goals for March!

1. Get adequate sleep – Let’s face it, no matter how much I focus on getting adequate sleep I am always going to be in need of more. That’s just a fact of life as a busy adult. But that aside, I think I did a good job overall of being more conscious about going to bed at a decent time. Yay!

2. Run Rock CF 5k – Done! Check out the recap here if you haven’t already read about it.

3. Go to the circus - Little B and I DID go to the circus. Stay tuned for a post later this week all about it!

source

Moving on to my goals for April. April is a little tricky because I will be doing a lot of travelling which is going to limit the amount of time I can commit to goals so I am going to go easy on myself.

1. Clean up my eating - I eat relatively healthy as I eat a lot of whole foods and I try to make food choices that are in line with my overall goals but I think I could pay more attention to the packaged food that I do eat. I am going to focus on reading labels and learning about the food so that I can make educated decisions about what I am allowing in my diet. This will be just a small change so I think it is very doable.

2. Run the Shamrock Shuffle – One of my trips this month is to Chicago for the Shamrock Shuffle 8k! This race kicks off the running and racing season in Chicago (but we all know must runners run year round) and it will be my first time running it. I have my green attire ready and I’m looking forward to it!

2. Complete the Ohio Tough Mudder - This will be one of two Tough Mudders that I have planned this year in order to cross off my running goal of completing two Tough Mudders in 2013! I am ready for some mud and obstacles! But not ready for the electrocution. Gah!

How did you do on your March goals? What goals do you have in place for April?

Happiness Project Monthly Goals

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Rock CF 5k Recap

by Betsy

Guess who has his first 5k race under his belt and a shiny finishers medal to prove it?

This guy aka Chris the bf!

On Sunday I paced Chris in his first race ever, the Rock Cf 5k! We woke up super early on Sunday morning so that we had ample time to drive to Grosse Ile, take the shuttle to the race area, pick up our race packets and get ready for the race. All of that went smooth and we even had a little extra time to sit around before the race started.

Enjoying the warmth inside before the start of the race.

Once we crossed the start line I let Chris lead the way. Since it was his first race I wanted him to set the tone and just have a good time with it. My goal was to keep us running 10-11 minute miles so he wouldn’t get burned out before the finish line. We did take a few very small walk breaks but overall we ran a majority of the course and at a faster pace than I expected! Chris even had enough energy left in him to sprint to the finish line! I am super proud of him for finishing his first race and I am very impressed with how much progress he has made in such a short time!

Chris’s official time was 31:01 which placed him 19th in his age group out of 33 and 197th overall out of 658 runners. My time was the same as his, giving me 14th place in my age group out of 47 and earning myself an overall placement of 198th. That is definitely something we can both be proud of but most especially for Chris as that is awesome placement for his first ever 5k!

We both got this awesome finishers medal.

Pretty isn’t it?

I’ll be adding it to my collection and Chris will use it to start his collection!

This was the first race that I have ever really paced anyone. I have done other races with other people but I didn’t necessarily finish those races at the same time as the people I ran with. Overall I think this was a really good experience for Chris and I. It was a different way for us to have fun and bond with each other. I do have to admit that there were a couple of occasions where I felt the urge to race the race but in the end getting to experience him finishing his first race was more rewarding than a number on the clock!

Dating Detroit Fitness Fun Running

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Wordless Wednesday #38

by Betsy

Fitness Running

9 Comments »

The Everyday Warrior

Turning the everyday into a day of badassery through fitness, fashion & fun.

Mud Runner Monday: Kathy M.

Mud Runner Monday: Jesse D.

Tough Mudder Ohio Goals

Chicago Day #2: Race and VZWVoices Meet Up

Sending Love to Boston

Shamrock Shuffle 8k Recap

How to Display Race Memorabilia

March Recap & April Goals

Rock CF 5k Recap

Wordless Wednesday #38

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