The Bay of Fundy International Marathon

It was 8:00 AM on Sunday, June 23, 2013, and I was standing at the starting line at West Quoddy Head Lighthouse. The 450 some-odd runners just listened to a lady sing O Canada, followed by another lady singing the National Anthem. Once the two lovely renditions of the songs were complete, the starter said a few words. The runners then crowded up to the starting line, or as close to it as 450 people can possibly get on a narrow state park entrance road. The starter said a few more words, blew his horn, and we were off. We were about to run six miles in America, ten miles on Campobello Island in Canada to Head Harbour Lighthouse, turn around, and run retrace the ten miles back to America, with the final quarter mile or so in downtown Lubec, Maine. Breaking three hours was goal number one. Goal number two was to at least break 3:05, which was the qualifying time for the Boston Marathon for my age group.

West Quoddy Head Lighthouse

Let's rewind to August 2012. I was doing a fitness assessment at the YMCA in Portland on a client of mine. Now mind you, this isn't an any average client. This client, Karen, is an avid triathlete and has also completed in many 5ks and half marathons, the Boston Marathon, the Maine Marathon, and so on. An impressive resume no doubt! However, she has also been battling rheumatoid arthritis (RA) since 2007. To say Karen is as tough as nails is a huge understatement. Her body may have slowed down since she was diagnosed with RA, but her mind has not. A few days prior to the assessment, she had sent me an email saying that she had something big up her sleeve.

So there we were, doing the fitness assessment, when she told me she wanted to do this international marathon that went from Lubec, Maine and into Campobello Island, Canada (by the way, she told me this only days after completing an Olympic distance triathlon). At first I thought she was kidding, but then realized who I was talking to. This wasn't a 5k that most people can show up to and either run it or walk it. This was a marathon she was putting on the table! People with arthritis should move and exercise in order to keep things as loose as possible, but no doctor would ever prescribe a marathon (although her doctor never discouraged her, which is awesome)! Not to mention she hadn't done anything like that since before she was diagnosed with RA. Wowzas.

My style as a trainer is to never discourage, no matter how far-fetched something may seem. Where there's a will, there's a way. Karen certainly has the will, so no doubt she would find a way. So we talked about it and decided that she was most likely going to do it. She signed up for it a few weeks later on September 24th, and started training for it shortly thereafter.

As she got into the training, she would talk about the marathon. Honestly, it sounded intriguing. You start in Maine, run to Canada, turn around, and run back? So my mind started going there: There aren't many races like that anywhere, let alone in our own back yard...And I love to race...And I've never been to that part of Maine, but always wanted to go...And I've never really properly trained for a marathon even when I did Boston (unofficially) in 2007...And if Karen is putting in all this effort then I should probably be there to support her....And if I'm going all the way up there I might as well run...Hmmmmmmm.

Next thing I know, I was signed up for the damn race. It was October 4th. Hell, I even got my girlfriend to sign up for the 10k that was happening in Lubec.

I proceeded to take the winter off from running, save for a few twenty-minute treadmill sessions in January and February and a couple of 5ks. But that was it. Come March, I put together a 15-week training program that had me starting on March 10th. There were a few snowstorms, a few really cold, windy days, and one 96-degree training day. Lubec experiences some volatile weather, and I'm pretty sure I trained in every type of weather that Lubec could possibly have had when race day arrived. One thing was for sure, the weather wasn't going to get me...

...All this was coming back to me as I kept telling myself to hold back during the first three miles of the race. Stick with the plan. First three miles at 7:10-7:20, next twenty at 6:50, and last three was going to be given whatever was left in the tank It was hard as hell to hold back in the first three miles as old dudes, some women, and several non-runner types went cruising by. But I had to stick to it as I knew, having driven the course two days before, that Campobello Island was going to have some nasty hills.

The first 6 miles went down with ease. They were flat and gentle and there were a lot of local folks out on their lawns and in their driveways cheering us on. We passed through Lubec to a crowd of cheering people, then crossed through Customs (we had to check our passports ahead of time) and into Canada. The miles continued to fall with such ease that I stepped up my 6:50 miles to 6:40 miles and felt great about it. The hills weren't here yet, and things were feeling good.

I was able to pass quite a few of the heroes that went out thinking they were running the 10k. As they faded back, I came up onto Karen, who took the early start of 6:00 AM. We shared a few words of encouragement to each other as I passed by, and she told me there were six or seven in front of me. The 6:40 miles were still happening, but they weren't feeling great anymore, probably in part due to the hills that started becoming relentless. You'd go up, then immediately back down, then immediately up again. No time for recovery whatsoever.

By about Mile 14 things started getting pretty tender. My legs didn't have the same bounce in them and my breathing was becoming a little more labored. 6:40's turned into 6:50's. About a quarter mile after Mile 15 I saw Santa Claus. Or was I hallucinating already? A quick wipe of the brow and a squint of the eyes proved that I wasn't hallucinating yet, and that the jolly red elf himself was sitting on the side of the road.

"Three quarters of a mile to the turnaround!" he yelled.Old Saint Nick was providing cheer even in June. Turns out that Santa would play a pivotal role in Karen's race a little later on, so he certainly was in the right place at the right time.

So I hit Head Harbour Lighthouse, grabbed an extra Gu pack, turned around, and headed back in the opposite direction, 10 miles from the finish line. My legs were starting to cramp, but I just kept trying to push those negative thoughts out of my mind. As I approached the turnaround, I noted that I was in 7th place, with the next three guys spread out roughly a half mile ahead, and the 6th place guy a little more than a quarter mile ahead. I could catch at least one of these guys, I thought. All I had to do was remain focused.

Easier said than done. Those hills were absolutely relentless. What seemed tough on the way to the turnaround point seemed almost impossible to run on the way back. My legs started seizing up around Mile 18 and I could tell my form was starting to fall apart. What helped take my mind off the oncoming pain was that a lot of the runners behind me, who were still heading to the turnaround point, were sparing a breath by wishing me a good job and good luck. I saw a couple other of my friends on the way out (although I didn't see Karen, who was in a group of people) and they still looked upbeat and positive. I found myself thriving off of their positive energy.

As the miles and hills wore on, I laid eyes on the 6th place guy. He was barely moving. I mean barely freaking moving. I passed him feeling like I was running a 5k and he was a bystander, and felt bad and great about it all at the same time. About 4 more miles to go.

Qualifying for the 2014 Boston Marathon was really important to me. After I bandit ran the 2007 marathon, the two friends (who ran it with me) and I made a pact that we would never do another marathon again. All that went out the window when the bombs blew up at the finish line at the 2013 marathon. My friends and family have come to dozens of my races, cheering as spectators and taking in the event...needless to say it really hit home with me.

As I passed each mile marker, I would look at my watch and calculate in my head about what pace I would need to maintain in order to come in under 3:05. Given my intense leg pain, labored breathing, left hip pain, and overall fatigue, finishing sub-3:00 was virtually impossible at this point, but sub-3:05 was still in the cards.

But the last 4 miles were absolutely brutal. All of the runners had passed in the opposite direction, so there was no longer shouts of encouragement from them. Campobello is pretty desolate, so there was a whole lot of trees and not a whole lot of people for large stretches of road. This allowed for plenty of time for self-doubt and negative thoughts.

The road straightened out as I approached the sign for Mile 25. The 5th place guy was within sight, maybe 300 yards ahead. He suddenly jumped off the road, went to a telephone pole, and started stretching his calves. Could I get him? He looked back, saw me, then jumped back on the road towards the bridge that would take us back to the USA.

So we rounded through Customs, and back onto the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial Bridge. The guy was maybe 150 yards in front at this point. As we climbed back over the bridge and passed the sign for Mile 26, he stopped again, went over to a light post, and started stretching his calves again. Maybe I can get him and finish top 5! He stretched for a few seconds, jumped back on the road, and headed down the bridge and back into America. I was maybe 50 yards off him as we rounded the corner past customs, and took a right onto Water Street in Lubec. I could hear the crowd and the announcer but couldn't yet see them. Maybe 200 yards? I glanced at 5th place, who had stopped to stretch again, I think. Who knows, who cares. He stopped and I went by him. I glanced at my watch, then glanced up and saw my girlfriend, Tessa, standing on the right side of the road, screaming.

"You gotta go! You gotta go!" she yelled as she started running next to me. I glanced at my watch again and saw the time as 3:04 and something seconds. Time was running out. I poured what little fumes I had into my kick and just went. It hurt so bad but didn't hurt at the same time. The red digits on the clock said 3:04 40-something, and there were maybe 50 yards to go.

I crossed the finish line in 3:04:51, 9 seconds on the good side of a Boston qualifying time.

Checking the watch one last time before the final "sprint"

I felt terrible, maybe the worse I've ever felt. Certainly the worst I've ever felt after a run. I went to a nearby picnic table and sat with a thud. Tessa, my girlfriend, came running over yelling something about that I did it. She also said she finished her 10k in under an hour, which was her goal for herself. Delirious, I mustered a smile and muttered some words of how awesome she did. 3:04:51 still hadn't sunk in.

The medic came over to check on me. After convincing him I was okay, Tessa grabbed me a bunch of Gatorade that I wouldn't have traded for gold. Feeling a little better, we walked from the finish area to meet up with my parents, who had made a 4-plus hour trip to watch me torture myself. We walked to the library to warm up (the weather started at a warm 70 degrees, then dipped to the 50's with a cold rain and fog).

After a little rest and warmth, I limped back out to the finish line to see Karen and other friends finish what we had talked about and planned for so long. They finished, and before we knew it the inaugural International Bay of Fundy Marathon was over. Although the race had concluded and our adventure was about over, the memories were made that will last a lifetime.

Even though an event like this tends to push one to his or her physical and mental limits, it usually doesn't take long to draw upon the strength gained, lessons learned, and barriers broken to before you start thinking and talking about what to do next.

A few days of rest later and we were doing just that...

Hydrate, and then hydrate again

Well folks, the warm weather appears to finally be upon us up here in Maine. With warm weather comes more outdoor activity and exercise, which inevitably results in more sweating. With more sweating comes a bigger need to replenish what you lose: water and electrolytes.

Upon being outside in the heat, working in the garden, walking or running or doing whatever it is you do, you might first start to experience thirst. Don't ignore this! If you start to get thirsty, chances are you are already somewhat dehydrated. Ignoring thirst may lead to dizziness and problems with cognitive brain function. Your urine will be darker in color and you will feel like you don't need to urinate all that often. Dehydration could ultimately lead to an increased risk of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Heat exhaustion symptoms include dark urine, exhaustion, increased pulse, cramps, dizziness, profuse sweating, and even fainting.

Pop quiz: Say you're with one of your friends who has ignored his or her need to hydrate themselves and they start suffering from heat exhaustion. What do you do? First, remove your pal from the heat source, preferably putting them in the shade or, better yet, an air-conditioned room. Apply a cool sponge or cloth to your bud's body. If your friend is alert, try giving them a cool, nonalcoholic beverage.

If the symptoms get worse or they don't get better within a half-hour or so, your friend may be starting to suffer from heat stroke. This is extremely dangerous! Symptoms of heat stroke include rapid, shallow breathing, no sweat even though they have hot, dry (or possibly even moist), and/or red skin, disorientation, nausea and/or vomiting, and even seizures.

The absolute first thing you want to do is to call 911. Get your buddy into the shade or an air-conditioned room and remove unnecessary clothing so you can help cool him or her down. If he or she is conscious, try to get them to sip four ounces of water every fifteen minutes or so.

There are a lot of ways to prevent heat-related illnesses, including staying indoors when there is a high heat index, wearing light, loose-fitting clothing, and by drinking plenty of water!

According the the National Academy of Sports Medicine, people should drink a minimum of approximately 96 ounces (3 quarts) of water per day. This is an average approximation, people. In hotter weather, drink more than this. Athletes should be drinking 20-40 ounces of water for every hour they are exercising, and only water should be consumed when exercising for less than an hour (for more than an hour, electrolyte-replacing sports drinks will do the trick).

So summer is just about upon us, friends. As soon as you get done reading this, do me a favor: Go get a big glass of water and drink it. All of it... because you need it, trust me!

Sign up for a race and get fit! Now! Go do it!

Hopefully you read my last post about my friend Josie who is doing the Trek Across Maine this coming June. If you haven't, go ahead and take a look by clicking on the link above before reading the rest of this post...

...Ok, welcome back. Now get ready to be lectured for a bit.

I've said it before and I'll say it a million more times: The health of Americans is in a large (pun intended) amount of trouble. More than one-third of adults (37.5%) are obese and one in six children (16.7%). OBESE! Do you know what this means? Obesity is worse than being overweight, although being overweight is nothing to smile about. Obesity means that you have TOO MUCH BODY FAT that can have adverse affects on your health. I'm bolding the following because it's incredibly important that you know this:

Being obese means that you are more susceptible to heart disease, sleep apnea, type 2 diabetes, osteoarthritis, stroke, certain types of cancer, high blood pressure, increased bad cholesterol (LDL) and decreased good cholesterol (HDL), infertility, fatty liver disease, asthma, gout, lower back pain, the list could go on. Don't know what some of those conditions are? Look them up.  And to think that 37.5% of Americans are more susceptible to these diseases and conditions and ultimately cost this country $147 BILLION in 2008 (2102 statistics aren't out)... WOW. I wonder if that money could help with our country's current economic state? Not to mention the medical cost of an obese person is about $1,429 dollars more per year than those of an average-weight person. 

Don't take a breath of relief if you're overweight! Being overweight makes you susceptible to all of the conditions of obesity, but to a slightly lesser extent. Still not good. But you know what? There is help, and there is plenty of it!

Of course there are gyms. At $10 a month you can't beat the price of a Planet Fitness. YMCA's are usually a little more pricey, but you usually get a swimming pool and group classes in the cost of membership. There are countless other gyms out there ranging from less expensive to more expensive. Really, there is no excuse to not be able to find a gym that works for your lifestyle and your budget.

Then there are trainers, such as myself. If you're obese, you could take that $1,429 you are spending per year on additional medical costs and pay a trainer to whoop you into shape. The price of a trainer ranges, but say you found one for $60 per session. That $1,429 will buy you about 24 training sessions, which is just about one every other week throughout the course of a year. A trainer could set you up on a plan, week-to-week, and all you'd have to do is follow the plan and meet with him or her once every other week. Doesn't that sound better than buying pills or getting surgery or whatever?

You know what's a hell of a lot cheaper than gym memberships and trainers, though? Signing up for a race. Throw down 20 bucks on a local 5k (find one near you here) and 100 bucks for a pair of running shoes and you have $120 invested in getting fit. Running isn't really your thing? That's okay, spend $35 for a bike race like the one at the Yarmouth Clam Festival here in Maine. Or maybe you want to take on a bigger challenge, like my friend Josie, and do a long-distance bike trek for a great cause. Neither biking nor running is your thing? That's okay, maybe the Peaks to Portland, a 2.4 mile ocean swim here in Portland is more your thing. Or maybe you want to pull out all the stops and do ALL THREE! Triathlons are becoming more and more common, and there are a variety of distances to choose from. You can find one near you at www.trifind.com.

Maybe you've done a few 5ks or 10ks and a triathlon or two, or more. Maybe you're ready for something else? How about an obstacle race? Those are really growing in popularity too and will test your ultimate fitness and mental fortitude, and will improve your fitness level tremendously if you train properly. The Spartan Race, Tough Mudder, or even a local event like Maine's own Raid Series could have you training like a champion.

Even though America is facing an alarming obesity rate and spending billions of dollars on obesity, there are many solutions. That doesn't necessarily mean it will be easy, but it doesn't mean that we, or you, are hopeless either. It's spring time, people. So stop reading this, get off your ass, go buy a pair of running shoes, and sign up for a local race this summer. You won't be sorry!

Guest Post: The Trek Across Maine is more than just a bike ride across Maine...

Struggling with your fitness? Need a goal to get your butt moving? How about a bike ride (not a race, a ride) across your home state to get you up and moving? That's right, A BIKE RIDE ACROSS YOUR STATE. What about a ride across your home state that gets you fit AND raises money for a great cause such as the American Lung Association?  That's exactly what my friend Josie is doing this coming June. Read her guest blog post to see how she is preparing for the Trek Across Maine and how it has improved, and is continuing to improve, her fitness as June draws near...

Let me start out by saying that I have known Nate for well over half of my life. I never would have thought that the scrawny kid that I met at age 12 would end up being such a dear friend of mine. I am quite lucky to have such an amazing person in my life and it has been really cool to see him direct his passion towards fitness for nearly the past decade. When Nate suggested that I write a guest blog, I was a little nervous about the idea but also somewhat honored that he thought my experience might be worth reading about. So here we go with the caveat that I have never blogged before in my life.

So, my name is Josie and I am a 30-year old woman who has been kind of on and off with fitness and exercise since I was about 15 years old. My weight as well as my motivation seems to go up and down. I tend to get really excited about a new form of fitness and go all out only to get bored and lose the oomph that I started with and eventually just stop altogether. As Nate can attest, I've tried much of what is out there. I've been on kicks of yoga, zumba, weight training, kickboxing, running, and have attempted P90X on two occasions, both times ending up as P30X and P45X (meaning I quit 30 days in and then 45 days in). Until recently, I’ve been a regular at one local gym or another. Nate even used me as a guinea pig for his first medicine ball class. He kicked my behind!

I've been talking for a while now about taking on some sort of challenge that I have to commit to and thus cannot lose motivation. I’ve thought about races or biathlons; however, I eventually settled on the Trek Across Maine. The Trek Across Maine is a three day 180-mile bicycle trek that starts in Newry, Maine and ends in Belfast, Maine (from west to east across the state!). In order to ride, each participant must raise at least $500 in donations to support the American Lung Association. This money goes toward efforts to make an impact in the lives of the over 35-million Americans who are living with lung disease by funding lifesaving research, education and advocacy efforts. Once learning more about this event and the American Lung Association, the decision became easy. 

For one, I love the outdoors and am constantly in search of new, positive people to spend my time with. The idea of spending three days enjoying the outdoors with a group of people who are rumored to be incredibly welcoming is very appealing to me. Second, the idea of supporting a cause dedicated to fighting lung disease and keeping our air clean really sealed the deal. Several years ago my grandmother passed away of lung cancer, which makes this event even more personal for me. I was never really able to get to know her but what I do remember of her is that she was an extremely kind and giving person. I also know that she had a big impact on her family and those close to her and hope that in some way I can honor her memory by participating in support of this cause. You can learn more about the American Lung Association at www.lung.org.

In preparation for this 180-mile ride, I started training at the end of December on an indoor setup and have been going strong ever since. Now, I am not an experienced bike rider and, up until I started training for this event, had probably not ridden a bike for more than 10 miles at a time. But this is a concrete goal that I cannot and will not allow myself to back out of.  Don't get me wrong, this does not mean that I haven't had a day or two...or three…where I have had no energy or interest in jumping on my bike but the fact that I am already registered and fully committed has done wonders for my motivation and keeping me going. I even broke my friend’s bike while visiting! That’s the kind of commitment I’m putting into this thing! Heck, I even got my mom to agree to join me on this challenge so I have no choice but to follow through. 

I guess the point that I am trying to make is that signing up for the Trek Across Maine has so far turned out to be one of the best fitness-related decisions that I have made. This focus has spread into other healthy decisions and behaviors, such as nutrition and positive choices for my mental health as well. Already at the start of March, I’m in better shape physically and mentally than I have been in a while. I would strongly encourage anyone who is struggling with motivation to challenge themselves to some form of organized event that would be difficult to back out of. 

I will keep Nate posted on my progress. If you’d like to learn more about the Trek Across Maine and see how you can help contribute to the American Lung Association and support my journey, please check out my personal Trek Across Maine page.
 

Thanks for reading!

-Josie

The Cybex Arc Trainer

Chances are your gym has a Cybex Arc Trainer. If it does, chances are you've never used it and aren't really sure what it is.

Well, here is all you really need to know about the Arc Trainer: IT'S AWESOME! A bunch of smart people from the University of Wisconsin - Lacrosse conducted a study to determine whether the Precor AMT, Precor EFX, or Cybex Arc Trainer burned more calories in relation to exercise intensity.

To cut to the nuts and bolts of the study, it was found that oxygen consumption and caloric expenditure was 9% higher on the Arc than the AMT and 16% higher on the Arc than the EFX. Now, the EFX doesn't have arms as it is a lower body exercise machine, so caloric expenditure is expected to be lower on it. One of the main differences between the AMT and the Arc, though, is that the Arc has a greater range of motion in its arms, allowing for greater activation of back muscles, which in turn would allow for greater oxygen consumption and caloric expenditure.

The study ultimately concluded that "exercising on the Arc Trainer provides the best overall workout compared to the AMT and the EFX, and would result in the greatest increase in aerobic capacity and reduction in body weight in the shortest period of time." Isn't that what every overweight or short-on-time person wants?

Still need more proof that this machine is great? Check out this video of Seattle Seahawks Pro Bowl fullback Michael Robinson:

I was first introduced to the Arc Trainer when I went to a three day seminar at the Cybex Research Institute in Massachusetts in June 2012, but had no real reason to use it at the time because, well, it was summer.

However, the Arc Trainer intrigued me. The scientists at Cybex talked about how college football players preparing for the NFL Combine would use the Arc Trainer to get ready. They also told a story of a guy who trained for the New York City Marathon on the Arc Trainer because he had an injured knee and couldn't train on roads or treadmills. Pretty cool stuff if you ask me!

My training routines in the summer and training routines in the winter are two entirely different programs. My body takes a beating in the summer from all the running and biking, so I tend to focus a little more on lower impact exercise in the winter. However, I have HUGE aspirations for the upcoming 2013 race season, so I can't ignore training my cardio system like I have during past off seasons. With this in mind, I've taken an opportunity to play around with some of the other pieces of cardio equipment at the Casco Bay YMCA in Freeport.

One of the things I've really started exploring is the Cybex Arc Trainer, and let me tell you, this thing is really is a badass piece of equipment! My knees and ankles feel like a million bucks after a 30-minute session. I can absolutely blast my quads, glutes, and hips if I want. Or I can focus a little more on upper body resistance and burn out my chest, back, and/or shoulders. I can make it a little more cardio, or I can make it a little more resistance. Either way, I can escape the boring hell that is the dreadmill and get a MUCH better workout while giving my joints a rest. There will be plenty of time to pound my joints during the upcoming race season, but for now I don't have to worry about that one bit. Once the weather warms I'll undoubtedly be back out pounding on the roads and trails, but until then I fully plan on using the Arc Trainer at least once a week.

One of my clients, the newest Miss Maine USA, recently told me, "I think the Arc Trainer is going to be my new best friend."

Check it out at your local gym. It might become your new best friend too.

Thirty-one 3.1 mile races in my 31st year of life? Bring it on!

People who are close to me know that I like a good challenge. Most of them also know that I can be totally foolish with different things I challenge myself with. Some of these challenges don't work out for me but might for a lot of folks. Some are just completely absurd. And some might inspire other people to do something similar or to at least think outside the box when dreaming of new ways to push their body to its limits.

Well, I've got a new one for you. Because I had such a blast pushing myself to run 30 miles on my 30th birthday last summer, I just can't resist trying to up the ante for number 31. But what can I do on my 31st? It's a long ways off, but maybe I should start prepping now, just in case? But what to do? Do I run 31 miles? Nah, been there done that (pretty much). How should I incorporate 31? Something with swimming? Nope, I hate swimming. Biking? Maybe. 31. Three, one. Hmmmmm.

BINGO!! DUH!!! What is the most popular race distance there is?? The distance I ran my fastest times in during the summer of '12 since high school?? The distance that started it all WAY BACK in high school. Why, it just so happens to be the 5K, or 3 point 1 miles. Three-one. Ohhhhh, we can have some fun with this!!

But what to do with it? Well, obviously I could run a 5K on my birthday, but that would be a pretty lame follow up to last year's 30 mile effort. No, we need to go bigger. How about 31 5K's ON my birthday? Is that possible?? What's that, only 96.1 miles? Unrealistic? Probably, but I'm putting that idea on the back burner for my 96th birthday....

Ok, how about this...31 5K races AFTER my birthday? Well, looking at the logistics of this thought, that will probably be unlikely. Race season starts to wind down in September and October, and by winter runners have a relatively hard time finding 5Ks here in Maine. I'd most likely be behind the 8-ball come spring of 2014. No, this needs to be a year long event, and what better time to start it than with the turn of the New Year?

So here is the challenge: I will run 31 5K races sometime between January 1st, 2013 and December 31st, 2013. Yeah, that's it. Does this seem easy to you? Well, let's take a brief, more in depth look at what this is going to take...

-For 31 5Ks to happen in 2013, I'll have to average more than 2.5 5K races per month. Ok, not bad so far...

-I competed in a total of 11 races in 2012 (triathlons included) with a mere 7 of these being a 5K.

-Timing. 5Ks in Maine are most common on weekends, the occasional holiday, and during a weekly race series in Portland. The weekly series occurs on Wednesday evenings starting in late May and ending around the end of August and usually includes about 14 races. Due to my busy summer schedule, I was only able to compete in one of these in 2012. This could be a major benefit for the challenge or a major let down if my schedule becomes its usual busy self.

-Money. Races are not cheap. A 5K in Maine can run ya about 20-25 bucks per. Thirty-one of them could cost me upwards of $800. Surely I can find other things to blow 800 bucks on. The weekly series cost $20 for the entire season in 2012... definitely going to have take advantage of that. This still doesn't include the cost of the new pair of shoes I'll need.

-Injuries. One injury could derail everything. I've been extremely fortunate to have never had a serious injury during my 18 years of running (just knocked on some wood). Hopefully that trend continues.

-Other events. I'm running the Bay of Fundy Marathon at the end of June and will most likely try to reclaim my rightful crown (GRRRR!) at the The Great Adventure Challenge in August. There might be other triathlons, 10Ks, and half marathons tucked in there somewhere, too. Training for these events is different than training for a 5K (what, you didn't think I was just going to show up and run a 5K, did you? I'll be a racin', baby!).

There it is. There will probably be other unforeseen obstacles along the way, but that is my own personal challenge for 2013 and for my 31st birthday. I may get there or I may not. Either way, I will try like hell and have a ton of fun, a decent amount of pain, and a whole lot of stories to share along the way.

What are your goals for 2013?

Happy New Year!

In 2013, have a merry little fun with your workout

Here's my last post of the year. Hard to believe!

This past year was a pretty big year for me in terms of helping people get fitter, happier, and healthier. I worked with dozens of people one-on-one and in my classes, and I watched almost every single one of them (can't help the fact that there are always going to be slackers) work their tails off to become better at what they want to become better at. So I decided to have a little fun with my last couple of fitness classes of 2012.

Any trainer will tell you that you can only reinvent the wheel so many times when it comes to a specific class. I primarily teach a circuit-style class both at the YMCA of Southern Maine and Fitness Success, and have played around with different interval lengths, exercises, muscle groups, etc. all year long. With it being the Christmas holiday season and all, I decided to turn up the ole brain-power creative juices and create a Christmas themed workout for folks in my class.

Donning my Santa-style thinking cap, I developed a routine that was based on the 12 Days of Christmas song. Each exercise was Christmas related, and each one was 25 seconds long (because Christmas falls on December 25th, duh!). Granted 25 seconds is the shortest interval I've ever done for a class (with the exception of the occasional Tabata training), but people loved the fact that it tied in with Christmas and the rest of the routine.

Fitness Elf

Anyway, the routine went something like this: On the first day of Christmas, your Fitness Elf (me, of course) gave to you, "a medicine ball in a pear tree!" So the first set "station" or exercise would be Tree Pose from yoga while holding a medicine ball straight over head. Then: On the second day of Christmas, your Fitness Elf gave to you, "two legs lunging!" So the second set would be some form of lunges. This went on, around the room, for 12 exercises. My creative juices were GUSHING, but it was completely worth it as the folks in class seemed to love the fun break in normal routine. There was such good feedback, in fact, that I set up a similar routine for one of the hardest working and most dedicated one-on-one clients I have. Joy to the world!

So as we look forward to 2013 and put a good, bad, or indifferent 2012 in the rear view mirror, I challenge you this: Add a little flavor to your exercise. If you are a dedicated gym rat who has been crushing the iron for what seems like forever now, change it up. Get your bike out, put it in a low gear, and go for a ride on your next legs day. Try some yoga if you've never done it. Give your favorite gym's boot camp class a whirl (these sound scarier than they really are...there are ALWAYS modifications.) Go for a run outside instead of on the dreadmill. There are endless ways to exercise and get healthy, you just have to turn on your creative minds. If you are having trouble with finding new ways, ideas, or routines, make an appointment with a trainer at a gym and have him or her give you some advice.

Let's make 2013 the healthiest year you've ever had! Until then, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Enjoy your time with your families and I look forward to writing to you all in 2013!