How to be pretty...

Step one: you already are in so many ways. 

I really like this quote I found this evening. I've been working with a great group of ladies on Tuesday evenings in a class teaching them all things fitness. It's been a goal to not only empower them to have the confidence to apply their new knowledge to improve their health but also to encourage them and support them in gaining confidence in themselves. They are brilliant women and I hope they realize how much they have to offer the world professionally and personally. I can't say enough how much I've enjoyed working with this group over the past four months! 

Step Two:

Help those around you. Build community over competition. Build each other UP because we all know there's more than enough going on in the world to tear us down. How much stronger are we standing together, learning together, praying together, working together? Think about your co workers, your classmates, your running buddy--what can be accomplished through networking and connecting, building relationships instead of competition. Though as a collegiate athlete I am very competitive and I do know the positive role that competition can play, I also see some destructive veins in work place competition and in the fitness world. At the end of the day we all want to be healthier, better versions of ourselves. 

The rest of my day:

 I taught my Kettlebell class early this morning, then trained five clients before grabbing a quick lunch and heading to my continuing education Kettlebell training.  Three hours (3!) later we emerged refreshed with some new ideas and a little more tired than when we went in. =)

I headed to the grocery store and then to teach my last class of the day. The husband wasn't feeling well today so when I got home I had a very energetic Labrador Retriever ready to go for a walk. We strolled/pranced down to the lake and enjoyed the great weather before heading back to home. 

Exercise IS Medicine!

Received great news in the mail this evening! I now have the Exercise is Medicine Credential through American College of Sports Medicine. 

"The Exercise is Medicine^® Credential

In 2007, ACSM's Exercise is Medicine^® (EIM) campaign was initiated to promote exercise as a health strategy for the general public and to promote a collaboration between health care providers and exercise professionals. The EIM initiative now includes a credential program that will provide exercise professionals with the opportunity to work closely with the medical community and provide numerous additional benefits to the certified professional."

(acsm.com)

This is a wonderful collaboration to finally have between the medical and fitness industries. The EIM (http://www.exerciseismedicine.org) campaign stared many years ago and had already made great strides in promoting healthier lifestyles. I'm so glad to be even more of a part of it now! 

The rest of my day: 

Taught Athletic Conditioning, Kettlebells, and Core, then took to my favorite path to squeeze in some miles before my next two classes and clients. 

Its such a gorgeous trail and I'm always amazed by its beauty no matter the season! 

One of my favorite parts of running this trail as I get to have time in nature. Its a great time to think and clear my head and to pray for things that are on my mind. Today I lifted up one of my coworkers who  had her last final exam for college today, for one of my clients who had to put down her beloved cat last week, and a college roommate's daughter who is battling the effects of a seizure disorder.

I try not to take it for granted how blessed I am with the ability to run and have this time with God. Today, of course, was the Boston Marathon and if you haven't see the clip of Rebekah Gregory crossing the finish line you can find it below. She lost her leg from injuries sustained in the bombing there two years ago. Incredibly inspiring! 

http://www.myfoxboston.com/story/28850088/bombing-survivor-rebekah-gregory-completes-2015-boston-marathon

Why working through legitimate pain is great advice...

This past week while training one of my long time clients, I heard about a comment one of my coworkers made to her. About a week and a half ago, my client had re-injured a pulled muscle. We did some alternative workouts so as not to aggravate her injury. She came in another day for a workout on her own during which she tried to do a core exercise but discovered that it hurt her injury.  She verbalized an "ouch!" that caught the attention of a trainer at the gym who was nearby.  The trainer told her not to worry about the pain and to just work through it. Um.  WHAT? I was livid when she recounted the conversation to me. It drives me absolutely crazy when I hear people talk about continuing through pain.

Working through legitimate pain doesn't make you a badass.  It makes you stupid. If you are trainer who recommends that--it makes you dangerous.

It is never, not ever, ever, ever, a good idea to recommend that a client continues through real, legitimate pain. We aren't talking about a client who is just a little uncomfortable and looking for a way out. In my years of experience with my (awesome) clients, I have never had that client (the looking for a way out type).  My clients and I have a great rapport that if something is bothering them  pain-wise they tell me.  They know to tell me when they haven't eaten that day because all of their meetings ran long, or when they haven't slept well because their kiddo was sick all night long. I take all of that into consideration and adapt my plan as necessary.  Please don't expect anything less than that from your trainer. If your trainer sees you in pain or throwing up or about to pass out and celebrates....FIRE them on the spot. (It goes without saying that your trainer needs to have a legitimate certification and preferably education in this field).

So are any of you flashing back to my Nike Women's Half Marathon experience of 2013 when I ran the last 9 miles of the race with a torn MCL. Im not sure at what point I technically tore my MCL, but if I hadn't continued on, there is the chance that I wouldn't have torn it, or minimized the tear at least. The extenuating circumstance at that race is that there weren't many other options than continuing. I knew I wanted to meet my husband at mile 8, and since the Boston Marathon bombing was just a week before that race, I was worried that he would be worried something would have happened to me if I didnt show up.  I also don't remember seeing any medical tents until Mile 10. My plan was to make it to my husband and talk with him about continuing or not. Unfortunately because of construction on the metro, he couldn't get to Mile 8 so he was waiting for me at the finish. I hobbled, walked, jogged, ran backwards (yes, I literally did this), skipped, did anything to get to the finish line. I found him immediately and praised God that he was able to take such good care of me in such pain. Even with those circumstances, it was still a bad idea. I had no idea that I injured my knee that badly and the same is true for anyone. Pain is a signal that there is something wrong. Listen to it.

So on that note, it is so regrettable that I made the decision to not run my half marathon this Sunday.  I mildly re-injured my knee a few weeks ago that has prevented me from training as well as I want.  I am particularly worried about my knee inflammation and injuring it further.  I am so bummed but I know that in making this decision (that was supported by my physician) I can leave options open for doing a half in a couple of months as opposed to risking much more injury.  A weekend of disappointment is much better than months and months of rehab and missing out on activities (and income!!).

Hopefully with a little more rest I can find another half to do later this spring/early summer.

Low maintenance playground workout

I had a short break in between classes today so I did a quick run to a local park. Initially I was just a going to go for a walk since I forgot my garmin gps, heart rate monitor, my Road ID, and earphones but once I got outside I decided to have an "unplugged" run. Of course I still had my phone for safety purposes though.  It was so nice to have a low maintenance workout!!

Here are a few exercises I did using a park bench. 

Step ups (forgot to take the picture at the park)

Lunges (back leg on bench)

Push ups

Variation: lift one leg slightly for a set of 10-12, rest them do another set with the other leg lifted. Keep the core tight and belly button pulled in. 

Tricep dips

Planks (or use this position for the push-ups to make them harder) 

Variation: lift one leg slightly without shifting position. Alternate the leg lift. 

Then I ran back to the gym to teach a core class before the rest of my busy day.