Women's Running

Rockin' the Big Easy

Hello Runners!

It’s Wednesday and I am busy packing for the Little Rock Marathon and 1/2 Marathon. But first thing’s first -- here’s what happened last weekend in The Big Easy… 

Thank you to all of the women (and men) who came by the Women’s Running magazine booth at the Inaugural Rock ‘n’ Roll Mardi Gras Marathon & 1/2 race expo. It was wonderful to meet you all in New Orleans and all we are thrilled as usual to hear the great feedback about the magazine.

As most of you know, I have the advantage of participating in the majority of the races I travel to for work – it’s one of the many bonuses of my job! I was excited to run another Rock ‘n’ Roll 1/2 marathon, especially in the city of New Orleans, which has such a wonderful and unique culture.

As usual, the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series did a phenomenal job with this inaugural event. Aside from choosing a fun destination with great food and friendly people, the race had a very scenic route complete with amazing floats from the Mardi Gras parade that kept us entertained along the way. The racecourse included many memorable landmarks such as the St. Louis Cathedral and cemetery – that was one of my favorite parts.

(Dorcas looking great between mile 7 and 8)

(Cheerleaders are scattered along he course to encourage the runners!)

If you are looking for a unique race in a beautiful city, I would highly suggest the Rock ‘n’ Roll Mardi Gras Marathon & ½ Marathon (just be aware of the uneven streets in New Orleans). Did you participate in the Rock ‘n’ Roll Mardi Gras race? If so, how was your experience?

So this weekend brings me to the Little Rock Marathon. Have you seen their finisher’s medals? They really took the saying, “Go big or go home” seriously! Little Rock has the largest finisher’s medal I have ever seen.  Be sure to stop by the Women’s Running magazine booth and say hello!

See you next week.

-- Dorcas White

 

Katie Runs 26.2!

One of Women’s Running’s own, Katie Wagner, ran her first marathon this weekend in Jacksonville, FL. Since I began working with Katie, she has run several half marathons. I remember after she finished her first half she said, “When can we do another one?” She was immediately hooked. Naturally, after running a number of half marathons, she challenged herself to participate in a full marathon. The next step was picking which marathon to do.

Choosing which marathon to participate in turned out to be an easy decision for Katie. Katie’s mother recently battled breast cancer and can now call herself a survivor. Thus, Katie registered for 26.2 with Donna – The National Marathon to Finish Breast Cancer. This was the perfect event for her as 26.2 with Donna’s mission is to “passionately produce world class events to raise funds for ground breaking breast cancer research and empower women living with breast cancer.” As you can imagine, Katie wanted to run in honor of her mother and make her proud.

I was lucky enough to travel to this event for Women’s Running and as part of my training for Boston, I met Katie at mile 16 to run her in to the finish line. Immediately, I was touched by all of the walkers who were survivors or were still in the fight of their lives.  When I had a chance to reflect on the event, I was also amazed at the support the city gave for this race. Even when we ran the miles on the beach, the condos were decorated for supporting the race and the cause. Congrats to all of you who did the run or walk Sunday, Feb. 21. We at Women’s Running are proud of Katie and all of you who took on the challenge and conquered the course to achieve your goal. 

Here are a few photos from the event:

(From left to right: Katie's Mom, Donna, Katie)

(Katie during her first marathon)

(Dorcas, left, and Katie, right, running in to the finish line)

(Katie, left, and her mom, right)

Is there an event that has touched your heart or remained in your mind? Was there a specific cause you were running for or goal you were aiming to achieve?

Benefits of Heart Rate Training

via www.youtube.com

Ever wonder what a heart rate monitor is or why people exercise with heart rate? Check out this video which answers those questions and shows how training with heart rate provides motivation to workout smarter, track your progress, get feedback and reach your personal fitness goals. Plus, this video demonstrates exactly what a training computer is and how it works.

Do you train with a heart rate monitor? If so, have you found that it helps you reach your long term running goals?

Dorcas Runs America

Hello Fellow Runners!

I am new to the Blog scene so please be patient with me! Some of you may know or recognize me from a Health & Fitness Expo you may have attended recently. I am the National Events Manager for Women’s Running magazine and find myself running from one race to another (literally)! Not only do I love promoting Women’s Running magazine, but I feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to meet women from all over the country who all have their own reason for running and a story to tell.

I am lucky that I get to share my story with you. In 2009 I ran 15 races – 2 marathons, 11 half marathons, a 10K and a 5K.  I am proud to say that I had one of my best running years ever.  I was 46 and got my PR at the Rock ‘n’ Roll San Diego Marathon & 1/2 Marathon and at the Rock ‘n’ Roll Seattle 1/2 Marathon, where I also qualified for my fourth Boston Marathon. I challenge those who say we slow down as we get older…

We are now into the month of February so I hope all of you that made New Year’s Resolutions to exercise are still going strong.  It is said that if you do something for four weeks straight you are more likely to continue doing it, so keep up the good work. More than anything, I just want women to get off the couch and move.  Make time for yourself because you are worth it.

I have my 2010 race calendar set – a year filled with travel and a mission to accomplish. I am going to keep you all posted on my experiences, so stay tuned as I continue to run races all over the country, or as my boss says as “Dorcas runs America”. Log on to the Women’s Running magazine blog, tell me what you think and keep me posted on your own running stories and adventures. After all, we all need to keep each other motivated. And don’t forget to please stop by and say hello to me at an expo near you! Happy Running!

Upcoming Events:

26.2 with Donna - Jacksonville, FL

Rock 'n' Roll Mardi Gras - New Orleans, LA

Little Rock Marathon - Little Rock, AK

Rock 'n' Roll Dallas - Dallas, TX

ING Georgia Marathon - Atlanta, GA

Happy New Year and Farewell!

Last February I came on board as a regular blogger for Women’s Running Magazine. Now, as I have recently moved to Colorado, begun a new job and have a variety of fresh responsibilities vying for my time, I’ve made the decision to end my stint with the blog.

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my months as a member of the Women’s Running team, and in particular, the opportunity to communicate with you, the readers. Your comments have been insightful and inspirational, and it’s been a pleasure to share my own experiences – of running and beyond – with each of you.

I wish you all the best in your running endeavors, in your overall health and well-being, and in all aspects of your lives in 2010 and for many wonderful years ahead. Thank you for reading!

- Holly Bennett

Resolutions, Version 2010

My health and fitness resolutions for 2010 are fairly straightforward. Since I struggled through the majority of 2009 with a variety of injuries, they mostly relate to getting back on track with quality training and racing. Here’s a smattering of what I’ll attempt to do:

• Join a gym in Boulder (where I recently moved), and reinstitute the habit of regular weight training
• Get some instruction on how to improve my weight training program so that I lift correctly and effectively
• Get back in the pool and build toward swimming with a Masters program again
• Build both speed and endurance into my running program, with the goal of a sub-3:30 PR at the Country Music Nashville Marathon
• Race a few shorter distance triathlons to get myself back in the racing groove and remember how much I love the thrill of competition
• Tackle the entire Boulder Triathlon Series, to get a taste of high-altitude competition in my new community
• Take advantage of the larger, more comfortable kitchen in my new residence and cook healthy meals on a regular basis
• Take frequent, long, relaxing soaks in the tub
  

How about you – what are some of your goals and aspirations for the New Year?

- Holly Bennett

A Running Start to the New Year

There are many different ways to ring in the New Year, most of them involving late night parties and copious amounts of alcohol. But if a healthy kick start is more up your alley, why not try a 5k or 10k running race on the morning of January 1^st?

For many years, my then-husband and I would snuggle into bed by 10pm on New Year’s Eve in order to be up bright and early for the Rio Grill's Resolution Run in Carmel, California. The run is a 6.8-miler held annually through the beachside neighborhoods and scenic shoreline of California’s central coast. Starting the year with a run always seemed to be a positive portent for our health and fitness in the months to come, and we loved sharing the event with hundreds of other active friends. So whether you celebrate at midnight or prefer an early-to-bed evening, follow your New Year’s Eve with an inspired resolution run and start your year right, right from the start.

- Holly Bennett

Just Get Outside

Less than a week ago, I moved from the San Francisco bay area to Boulder, Colorado. I also purchased a new transmission for my car (the old one broke upon arrival in Colorado). Next I comforted my moving truck driver as he was rattled after hitting a patch of black ice and crashing his 18-wheeler into a guard rail. Fortunately, both the driver and the shipment were fine – the truck, however, was badly damaged. My shipment was further delayed after a police K-9 patrol investigating the accident suspected that the truck might be transporting narcotics across state lines (a claim which, thankfully, proved to be false after the drug-sniffing dogs inspected every single item aboard). To top things off, the ignition cylinder in the car lent to me by local friends (while mine is in the shop) jammed, rendering the car useless. Yes, it’s been a stressful few days!

While on this rollercoaster of stress, it would be far too easy to let my fitness completely slide. After all, I have quite a few catastrophes to tend to, plus I’ve moved to a new (and fairly cold) area and have yet to join the local gym. But here’s the thing – even though I haven’t been getting the volume or quality of exercise that I normally enjoy, I’ve made a point, whenever possible, to just get outside. I’ve gone on runs as short as 20 minutes, simply because no matter how badly I’ve wanted to crawl under the covers and make the challenges disappear, I’ve known that a little bit of fresh air and exercise would make a world of difference. Indeed they have, and I’m one hundred percent certain that the smile on my face today is attributable to this morning’s brief jog.

So no matter what type of obstacles you’re dealing with in your own life – no matter how overwhelmed or frustrated you feel – remember that you hold within yourself an invaluable tool for dealing with stress. You have the ability to lace up your running shoes, step out the door and stride your way into a better feeling place. When times get tough, get yourself outside.

- Holly Bennett

Holiday Gift Idea: Training Journal

A last minute gift good for any runner on your list is a training journal. Granted, there are numerous digital options for tracking one’s fitness plans and progress, but I’m talking about an honest-to-goodness old-fashioned pen-to-paper style journal. My generation grew up writing “Dear Diary” entries on a daily basis, and for many of us, the comfort and satisfaction of an old-school style journal can’t be beat.

A training journal can be as simple as a bound book of blank pages which an athlete customizes herself, such as this damask-covered version from Borders or this pink flower embossed option from Amazon. Or, go for an athlete-tailored version (such as this one from runalogs.com) that encourages more specific entries with sections for daily training, weekly schedules, favorite routes, cross-training and even motivational quotes.

Either way, a journal is a heartfelt gift that lets your runner pal know that you support and encourage her every step.

- Holly Bennett

Holiday Gift Idea: Boot Camp

So many of us struggle at this time of year to maintain our fitness goals, much less launch into new athletic endeavors. But sometimes all it takes is a little encouragement and camaraderie to get our bodies moving in the right direction. If there’s a woman on your holiday list in need of a motivational push, sign her up for a women’s boot camp fitness program and she’ll surely be appreciative.

Boot camp programs combine strengthening, toning and cardiovascular fitness exercises in an encouraging group environment, designed to help participants gain fitness, lose weight and have fun. A few organizations that I’m familiar with are AlaVie Fitness in the San Francisco Bay Area and Mile High Boot Camp in the Denver area. There’s sure to be a women’s boot camp in your area, and many offer gift certificates to make your holiday shopping a breeze.

- Holly Bennett