Ab Workout

I bought a Yamaha VStar 650. They don't make them anymore so I feel like I have a classic sitting in my driveway. Learning to ride wasn't difficult, since my heart has been with motorcycles since I first learned to kickstart an old 1970's Honda back in the early '80s. Riding on the freeway was new, though, and will continue to take some getting used to. My theory is that since I have to hold on with all the mighty strength in my small arms and tense my abdomen to keep from being pushed around by the prevailing winds, that really, riding my VStar on the freeway is an excellent ab workout. Not sure my running coach would agree, but I think it beats doing crunches any day!

A New Route

I was supposed to run with the Harey Tortuga group this morning, but had to miss it in order to complete my motorcycle safety class. (Yes, I recently purchased a Yamaha VStar 650!) At any rate, because my class started at 6:45 AM and lasted until nearly 4:00 PM, I was unable to meet with my running group. Goodness knows I wasn't about to run in the heat of the afternoon, so I set my goal Thursday night to get up and run 8.5 miles Friday morning before heading off to work. The problem? I didn't know an 8-mile route from my house.

My lovely husband jumped in his card and sleuthed his way around our winding neighborhood, until he had come up with a plan. At nearly 11:30 Thursday night, I wasn't looking forward to the 4:30 AM wake-up call.

If you've read my early running blogs, you will find that running is mostly mental. I struggle with my "running confidence" and Friday morning was no different. Thirty minutes prior to my alarm, I was awake and grumbling. However, I have found that once I put money on a race, I am more apt to train, so off I went, head lamp on lighting the way. At mile three I was feeling good. At mile six I could feel the finish line and by mile 8.5 I was hot, sweaty and happy. The route took me through rolling Citrus Heights, into Fair Oaks and down to the American River Bike Trail and back. I wouldn't want to run it on a busy afternoon (there would be too many cars on part of the route), but it was lovely in the early morning. Seeing the sun come up while on a run is amazing. It's like the world started its day just for me.

Turtles and Rabbits

Which are you? Does it matter? Not if you run with Harey Tortuga. This group of amazing people receive weekly coaching from the infamous Rich Hanna and Tony Milevsky. We are all ages, all sizes, and run/walk at all levels. We are the slow, but mighty. The fast, but modest. We sweat (for sure!), and chat, and laugh a little, too. This running group has a plan for everyone and everyone fits into the plan.

I'm so grateful to have such nice people to keep me accountable to my exercise routine. I jogged 7.35 miles on Saturday and simply couldn't believe it. If you haven't set a gameplan for your exercise routine, yet, consider joining Harey Tortuga. I promise you'll be welcome, and every time we meet, you'll likely feel like a champion.

Skydive Sacramento

Sometimes it's not all about the running. Sometimes, it's simply about the living. Recently a dear friend died quite quickly from cancer. One the last things she said to me was, "Well, I've done everything on my bucket list. I just wish I would have made a longer list." This profoundly changed my life.

Yesterday I crossed off one more item on my list: skydiving. It was two hours of torture while we waited and watched others land and then 20minutes of butterflies while we loaded our gear, hopped on the bus, boarded the plane and rose more than 10,000 feet in the air. I've been asked at least a dozen times, "What was it like?" The sensation is completely indescribable.

It's like the Earth is standing still and it looks bigger than it ever has before. It's the most sincere sense of peace I may have ever experienced. And, in many ways, I imagine it's what it would feel like if God Himself held you in the palm of His hand and let you see the world from His perspective.

My advice: do it. At least once. And if skydiving isn't for you, do something else on your list. Life is shorter than we'd like to pretend and truly experiencing it is one of the greatest gifts we have.
FYI: I bought my skydiving coupon on Living Social. Thanks Skydive Sacramento for a great ride!

Emerging

So, what is it now? What's the drama? The heartache? The pressure? What am I "emerging" from? Nothing. I am emerging into something fierce. I am blossoming, growing, expanding the boundaries of how I identify myself and there is something magical about it. Exciting. Electric!

In five years, how will I have redefined myself? That is the question. Who do I want to be? Maybe you can help me answer that.

For now, let's start with a few new things. First, I'm a vegetarian. It took me eight months to stop craving meat, but it finally happened. Difficulty ensues when eating out. Why do most vegetarian sandwiches have tomatoes and cucumber? Perhaps I will open my own deli and delight the tastebuds of my community with a few new foodie tricks of my own.

Second, I've moved into a new community: Citrus Heights. Though I was sad to leave Orangevale, Citrus Heights has already afforded me new opportunities. They have neighborhood associations that I can join (have joined!), a community garden (I also joined), a City Council, Mayor and even an Arts and Historical Society. Who knew? Perhaps City Council is my next path. Then Mayor?

Third, the Task Force is closing. Well, at least operationally (we are still waiting to see what Senate Rules has to say). This means I have an opportunity to redefine my career as well. Will I go back to teaching? (Not likely in California these days with so many teachers being laid off.) Will I continue in wellness? Will I go public, or stay in the non-profit sector? Perhaps I will just take a little nap and decide later.

Fourth, I am running again...slowly. I have new goals for myself that include volunteering to assist at more races. I want to run in more 5ks and sprinkle in a half-marathon or two. Maybe someday I will run another full - we'll see how my hips and knees decide to hold up. As I edge closer to my 40th birthday in October, I want to push my limits and start the new era of my life with some fire under me!

Fifth, I discovered that I have amazing friends in the Sac area who came to my aid during all of the move and work chaos. I also discovered that I can make new friends, too. What a blessing to meet so many intelligent women through Emerge CA. They are truly going places and I hope to be joining them.

For now that's quite enough. But keep watching. Something amazing is about to happen. I can feel it!

Our "backyard" is in the Wall Street Journal

Trails in the Northern California foothills (our backyard and fond running grounds!) made the Wall Street Journal this month. Check out this article on over-training for an endurance race.

The featured coach in the article, Julie Fingar, is also a coach for my current running group, Sacfit. She organized the Sierra Nevada Endurance Run (12km) I ran last weekend in Granite Bay.

Running trails bright and early Saturday morning, as the sun peeks over Folsom Lake, is a beautiful, fresh way to start a weekend. I'm so grateful it's my backyard!

The 17 mile long run on my schedule this weekend is looming over my head. Dread.

When I received an email from Active.com today with an article on "3 Tips to Keep Your Marathon Training Runs Fresh", I clicked eagerly and thought, Oh, just in time. Please help me keep my mind busy.

What I expected was some advice on how to entertain myself, like funny things to think about, talk about with fellow runner, or look at on the trail. For example, a mind game to play, top ten places I want to travel, or heck... birdwatching.

What I got instead was a complicated list of ways to run differently over the time period. Warm up, then run for a mile at this pace, then for this many minutes at another pace, back to a slow pace for however many miles, fast for another set of miles....... Are you kidding!? Not happening.

I am interested to see if I can come up with a better set of tips this weekend. I have 17 miles to think of some after all. So, I'll report back next week - that is, if I make it with out passing out and forgetting all of my thoughts! ;)

Butter or Bodyglide?

Tonight I sat down to watch Julie and Julia after dinner--which made me feel guilty since I ate leftovers instead of cooking a nice meal. I have seen the movie a few times before but when you relate to a film as I relate to Julie and Julia's love of food, it's always engaging and never tiresome.

When Julie rounded her 56th recipe, a thought struck me: I have a food blog, kind of! I blog! Or, I'm supposed to anyway. It took a movie about a cooking blog to remind me that I should blog about my own hobby, running. Ironic. And I'm guilty, again. Actually, one of Julie's funny comments sparked my memory. I think it went like this: "...and I'm sweating, which isn't a surprise because I've been spending all of my time cooking fattening foods instead of exercising." Which prompts me to remind you all of why I run.... so I can eat! But over the past four months I've been guilty of picking up butter over bodyglide. Not really a stick of butter, but guilty pleasure-foods like chocolate or baked goods made with butter. And my pants are tighter to prove it.

Right. I'm going running bright and early tomorrow morning. 10 miles. That should work off the slice of cake I had last night at a dinner party... or will it buy me the extra calories I'll have for Ella's five-course Farmers Dinner Sunday night? Maybe first I should focus on burning off what I gained.

Movie moment: Julie just blogged about having to cook an aspic. Ick. Jello-meat mold? Quite frankly, it looks like my worst nightmare and I'm pretty sure Leah would hate it too. All around bad food, not supported by the Wellness Task Force (unofficially).

So what's up with my blatant lack of blogging anyway? Following the Shamrock'n Half Marathon, I failed to set another plan and when I stopped training, I stopped running eventually. I wish I could say I dropped off to pick up another brilliant, worthy activity like... cooking or learning to cook like Julia Child. But I can't say that. I got lazy. However, today I'm looking forward to 10 miles tomorrow. I joined another running group, this time with SacFit and I'm back on track! They started out the first week with a 7 mile long run so I had to woman-up, like Julia Child dove in to her French cooking class for "professionnels", a little out of her element but with determination!

Movie moment: Yet another a-ha moment! Irma Rombauer (or the woman playing her) is on screen as the author of the Joy of Cooking. I've seen the cookbook on my mother's kitchen shelf, though it's NOT the sole reason my mother is such a great cook. Wait a second, I was at Rombauer Vineyards in Napa on Monday and noticed a shelf of the Joy of Cooking cookbooks. Get out! Two and two together: the Rombauer Chardonnay that I love is the same as (or at least related to) the Rombauer chef who Julia Child loved? Confirmed... and stashed in memory for trivia.

More movie scenes, quotes and hopes to which I relate:

• The political undertones. I won't specify which, this being a work-related blog and me working for a non-partisan organization.
• Pearls and feel-better martinis in the afternoon.
• Brie. "Is that not the most wonderful cheese you've ever tried?" - Meryl Streep as J.C.
• The scene where she almost gives something up because it got difficult and tiring and interfered with other aspects of her life.
• Inability to resist exclaiming, "Yum!" during a really wonderful bite.

I guess I'm still not writing much about running.. but it is not as much fun as cooking or eating gourmet food. However, I do have thoughts on running. And they would be:

• Early morning is the only sane time of day to run in Sacramento in the summer.
• A really good run can be as invigorating to my brain as Julia's boeuf bourgignon is to supposedly everyone's taste buds. It's an "ahhh" instead of a "mmm."
  
• California International Marathon. California International Marathon. Wish I had a close friend or running partner to run it with me. Can I run a marathon on my own? Do I even want to? I told myself this was the year to complete a full marathon and I've told people that I am doing it so I have to stick with it, with or with out a partner.
• Bodyglide helps prevent chafing, at least until I stop eating butter (and I mean all fattening foods) and my thighs shrink back again, if that happens.
  

And tonight's food theme continues... An email from Active.com just popped up with an article on "4 Summer Salads to Fuel Your Runs." Wonderful! I am a salad fiend usually, despite whatever ideas you now have from my butter talk. Salads are especially delicious when it is hot out--the cool, crisp bite is so refreshing and healthy. I caught some slack from a friend recently about how I would miss essential nutrients if I ate a plant-based diet while training. The tips in this article, like adding salmon, solve the issue.

Julie has been through an array of emotions tonight, trying to reach her goal and cook her way through Julia Child's cookbook. She did it! Feel-good movies do wonders for the soul! A really great run or a really great meal can do the same.

BON Appetit everybody! (... and watch the butter.)

Plane Peanuts

No, not plain peanuts. Plane. As in I’m flying through the air and the only thing I’ve had to eat in 4.5 hours is a small bag of Southwest peanuts. Just one bag. That’s all I was offered. Yesterday on my way out, I was offered two bags of pretzels. Is this peanut discrimination? Maybe I didn’t flash a big enough smile to my flight attendant. Dang….

Ah cripes. I just read the label and my plane peanuts are made with canola oil.

While at a conference in Los Angeles this week I met a woman who spoke to me about canola oil. Sounds like it’s the new gluten that could affect oodles of people. So the question arises, what is canola? Second question, I don’t believe there is a canola plant…is there? I’ve never visited a canola farm. I don’t think I can crush canola nuts into fresh “canola butter” at Whole Foods, like I can with peanuts, almonds and even cashews. So what is this oil? Is it saturated? Unsaturated? I know it’s not hydrogenated because you can purchase it in liquid form (hydrogenated oils are solid at room temperature). If anyone has an answer to this perplexing question, I’d love to hear from you. Is this another item I need to try and steer clear of like phthalates, high fructose corn syrup, trans fats, and red dye #40?

Well, I’ve lost my train of thought, so I guess today will be about peanuts and the canola oil they are sometimes roasted with. (Actually, here is another query. Why aren’t peanuts roasted with peanut oil? And, these must not be “roasted” because that’s an oven thing, not a tossing in oil thing, right? Do peanuts really need more oil?)

Strike a Stranger…Read on, this is not what you might expect

How did I miss this? International pillow fight day? Really? Who knew? Apparently April 3, 2010 was the day to play. Cities around the globe had meeting centers where people could, of all things, strike a pillow at a stranger. There are some rules.

1. Bring a soft pillow. (No impaling strangers with those brick-like pillows you find in some of the cheaper hotels.) Pillows with loose feathers are encouraged. (Who cleans up this mess, by the way?)
2. Be inconspicuous. That’s right. You’re supposed to somehow hit this old softy until the ringmaster blows a whistle to announce the pillow circus. Perhaps this is supposed to be the equivalent one of those new “flash mobs.” (I’m sure nobody noticed the pregnant-looking men and women meandering about.)
3. This next one is not a rule, but it’s encouraged. Somehow it conflicts with the “be inconspicuous” rule. Wear a costume. That’s right. If you feel so inclined, don a hokey costume. What does a “pillow-fighter” wear these days? Perhaps a goose costume to pay homage those who gave their plumes in the line of duty?

Well, whatever the case, I say Mark Your Calendar for the 2011 Pillow Fight! To find out if your city has a gathering location, visit…what else?...pillowfightday.com

Shamrock'd and Shamrock'n

7/9/10: Wow, I logged on today to write a blog entry for the first time in many months and saw the draft below. Why I forgot to complete and publish it, I don't know but here it is in all its practicality and lacking wit or charm. Wit/charm promised in my next entry. Enjoy.

Luck o' the Irish. I ran my third half marathon, the Shamrock'n in Sacramento, CA, on March 14th in personal record time. I set a goal to run 13.1 miles in under two hours and wound up "PR" ("Personal Record", serious running term, new to me) of 1:53:43.

Or was it not luck but, rather, my training efforts paying off? My two previous times were 2:12 and 2:16 so I knew going in to this that I'd have to work hard to shave 15 minutes off my time. Once again, I joined a group training program. This time with Fleet Feet Sacramento. We met every Tuesday night for speed workouts and Saturday morning for long runs. I took training more seriously this time than the previous two because I was financially invested in the training (since I paid a fee) and I had set a goal time months in advance.

This time around I also ate more. I didn't overeat. Well, actually, I gained a couple of pounds so I probably consumed more calories than I burned (which is certainly not necessary!) but my point is that I had more energy. Food really helps move the body along. Even on race day, I made sure I woke up early to eat a cup of oatmeal with almond butter and banana - and to drink my does of coffee, of course. I heard my coaches rave about the benefits of coffee/caffeine to runners -- increase blood flow, etc. I definitely noticed the perk! Are you looking for tips on fuel? Active.com just posted a great article on the best natural foods for runners.

In short, train, fuel and you'll improve or even PR!

7/9/10: The great feeling I had right after this race should have been motivating enough to continue to improve my technique, time, or whatever. As you'll learn in my coming entry, it was not enough and without reason.

Elated After My First 5k Today

I don't know how to express my excitement over the response to My First 5k, powered by Whole Foods race. This idea of a hosting a 5k race started two years ago - just a pipe dream then and not even really encouraged by the Task Force members because there was so much other work to do. However, the "teacher" in me won out. I love my job, but I miss the human contact; the direct services with people teaching and learning and thriving together.

Whitney and I met with Whole Foods in August and, remarkably, they agreed to sponsor the race and our Fit for the Holidays (FFH) program leading up to it. At that time, a few other FFH and/or race sponsors jumped on board including Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, HealthyDiningFinder.com, Capital Athletic Club, Beneficial Wellness and Dairy Council of California. Since August it's been rush, rush, rush trying to pull the pieces together. In October we held our kick-off event for FFH and for the past three months we've been working with some amazing folks to prepare them for this race. What a thrill--no, an honor--to watch the growth and excitement in these runners/walkers as we neared the race.

Have you ever worked with someone so confident that it made you feel like you didn't know what you were doing? Try working with Rich Hanna and Capital Road Race Management. Rich is the ultimate race KING in the Sacramento area and he knows what he's doing. I had a million questions for Rich, like, "Do you supply garbage cans?" or in a panic, "I can't picture the race set up. Can you help?" He would laugh a bit and reassure me that everything was going to be okay.

Two weeks before the start of the race we had to order shirts and medals. Because of the holidays, we needed to order early. Guessing at our response, we ordered 624 shirts in various sizes and 125 medals (total for both first timers and children.) At that time, we only had 200 people registered and Rich felt generous in ordering the number of items he did. So, I pushed ahead and filled 500 Whole Foods bags (which are the coolest bags!) with all kinds of goodies from Nordic Naturals, EnviroKidz, bottles from Extra Space Storage, The FruitGuys, Dairy Council, Wells Fargo, Fleet Feet and others. Despite Rich's confidence that we would have 500 registered runners, I thought that I would have to lug several hundred bags back to the office. So, when I spoke with Rich a few weeks before race day and he assured me the numbers would go up, I doubted him. In fact, he told me today that I made him doubt himself! How terrible is that??

You see, I feel a sense of responsibility not only to our runners/walkers, but to our sponsors and partners as well. I want them to feel like it was worthwhile for them to partner with us, that we bring an energy and support that will want them to remain as partners. It was important to me to have 500 runners to: 1) cover our costs and 2) make it beneficial to our partners/sponsors. My fears dwindled as the last two weeks progressed. Just over 500 people registered online by January 1, with an additional 100 paper registrations (give or take) already in Rich's hand. At packet pick up and registration on Saturday, January 2, we registered another 70-80 people and probably over 100 on race day. Wow. I know 99% of those participating don't know me, or the Wellness Task Force, or our work, but I took the support personally and I wanted to hug every person that came.

My youngest daughter, she's 4, raced in the Kids' Winter Fun Run along with 60 or 70 other children. What an incredible sight to have all of those beautiful kids running their little hearts out! Chasing the crazy guy (Rich!) with the huge #1 foam finger and being chased by two gigantic fruits & vegetables (thanks to our Network for a Healthy California for having folks in the banana and broccoli costumes). Hearing the parents cheer on their little ones and seeing the happy, smiling faces, is something I'll never forget. It comes second only to seeing the hundreds of runners with yellow bibs.

Wow. Again. The purpose of the is race is three-fold. First, to bring families and communities together. Second, to kick-off a great running year for all our veteran runners. And third, to encourage people to at least try their first distance walk/run. At 3.1 miles, it can seem awfully daunting to people to finish that distance. But so many did! Yellow bibs flew around the course, smiling, chatting, and cheering each other on. To be a part of someone's first race is the highlight of my year. Okay, so the year is only three days old, but it's going to be tough to beat that. We did that. Whitney and I and our Task Force partners, our supporters, family and colleagues...we did that! We were a part of life-changing moments for people today. I am forever proud of everyone who pledged to make a difference for themselves today. Congratulations to all of the FFH folks who finished the race today! Congratulations to my sister who completed her first 5k today! Congratulations to everyone and their children for helping make this an amazing event!

Oh, and just one more time. Thank you to our many sponsors and partners, to Rich and his team and to the Task Force volunteers: Whitney, Ronelle, Jen, Philip, Jessilyn, Connor, Seth, Jordan, Greg, Mikayla, Sara, Kristen, Richard, Noah, Bruce, Rebecca, Hallie, Paul, Tracy, Kelly, Mike, Amy, Brian, Karen, Ken, Kenneth, Stacey and my darling husband who forgives my late work hours and always helps at my events, Tom! I am forever grateful.

Cheers to a happy, healthy, prosperous New Year to each and every one of you!

Holiday Gift Ideas: Yummy Sports Foods

Gifts that money can't buy are often the nicest gifts: breakfast in bed, a special dessert, a nice dinner, a sweet treat. If you are looking for a simple, yet special, gift for your running buddy, teammate, or active friend, enjoy making one of these recipes for a sports food that will be sure to please any hungry athlete!

Read on at Active.com...

Run Healthy | Active.com

Run Healthy | Active.com

A Runner Who Can’t Run

This is not a happy, chipper note.

So what does a woman do who has been told, “Do not run.” What is left when your only personal solace is the few minutes or an hour that you get a couple of times a week, with shoes gently slapping the pavement or dirt, and eyes turned skyward with the rising or setting of the sun, has been taken away from you? What does a woman do when she is told to go to physical therapy but can’t find one who understands athletes and is geographically close enough and who takes her insurance? For more than six weeks now I’ve been waiting for a diagnosis and last night it came in: Some people aren’t meant to run, Leah. It was a cruddy thing to hear, but hoping to persevere, I called the only physical therapist near my office, who is also an athlete.

We talked, discussed, shared and then scheduled a time for me to come in, only to discover that he doesn’t take Blue Shield HMOs. Oh…I held back my tears and said, “Thanks anyway.” To which he replied, “Good luck.” And that’s that. Good luck. With all the insurance and resources, it’s left to “luck” to heal me – to make me whole enough to run again. Well, luck hasn’t always been on my side and since I am not omniscient enough to know God’s plan, I think I’m at a standstill. My doctor said to give it six months. But what do I do until then? What happens after six months with no PT and muscles that have atrophied? What happens if it’s not better? What then, I ask?

What other sport besides running accepts all shapes, sizes and abilities, is social and allows you to chat and get to know people while exercising? Cycling? Nope. Swimming? Nope. I’m a runner who can’t run. My despair and frustration runneth over.

Yoga for Runners: 3 Poses You Should Practice | Active.com

Yoga for Runners: 3 Poses You Should Practice | Active.com

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Writing from Sunny Down Under

No, I'm not in Australia. I'm...down...under. I've got the running blues. In part, I think, to the amount of time I have to work ...which leaves me with such a small amount to work-out. Thus, everything suffers. My knees, quads, hams and butt suffer. My abs, arms and stomach suffer. My mental anguish suffers the most. Still, the sun is shining inside this gloomy head. Why? Well, maybe it's the little, tinsy glass of champagne I'm having tonight celebrating my husband's homecoming from auto sales...but I'm certain it is also this internal sense of optimism I'm feeling.

My body is filled with anxious excitement. Wow! There are so many things going on at once. Fit for the Holidays, Fit Business Awards, FRR, Nike Women's, family, sleep (well, maybe not so much of that). Could life be any more stupendous and exhausting? Is there a cliff to jump off of? Add the tiredness, nausea and a painful knee and I should be looking like a cross between a looney chicken and a feverish muskrat. But I'm not. I may be down under with my training, but I'm flying high with the possibility off growth. Isn't that what it's all about? If I was a super fast, strong runner what would I have to gain? If I could do all that I wanted, what would I be left with? I'll tell you what I'd be left with, no dreams!

Well, today ladies and gentlemen, I'm a dreamer. I dream of coming in under 5 at CIM (ha!). I dream of running pain and nausea-free (mostly!). I dream of touching people through Fit for the Holidays and helping them make their dreams come true. Tonight, my friends, spend some time feeling good about what is possible and worrying less about what didn't work today. (Okay, this is where everyone breaks out in song, holds hands and cries.) I'm with ya!

**Be on the lookout for more information on Fit For the Holidays. We'd love our Blog followers and readers to join in. More info will be on the Wellness Task Force and FRR websites soon!

Running clubs offer training, motivation, friendship - Outbound - sacbee.com

Running clubs offer training, motivation, friendship - Outbound - sacbee.com

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Good reasons to run trails: Blood, Sweat and Beers

Trail running might just be my new found sport of choice. I haven't even been in to road running (not races anyway) that long and here I am switchin' it up already... but if you did it, you'd be hooked too!! It is interesting, an incredible workout and set in beautiful scenery. Last month I scarcely knew about it but when an email appeared reading "Blood, Sweat and Beers - It's Dirty Fun," my interest was piqued to say the least.

For the more adventurous, Blood, Sweat and Beers is an inaugural trail run designed to introduce people to running trails, set against the American River Canyon and two cold brews await each runner at the finish line. SOLD! This is how I came to run my first trail run alongside my boyfriend, Christopher. It opened both of our eyes to whole new side of running.

I know many people for whom pounding pavement is monotonous and boring. Christopher, for one, has heard me preach the health benefits of vigorous physical activity and he watched me get fit as I trained for Parkway yet he has no motivation to run roads with me. I can't really blame him; some days I downright hate running too. His hesitation isn't about not knowing how to run. It's not (entirely) that he's worried about his self-image. It's that he finds it boring. I think (because what would this blog be without my two cents?), it's also that running roads, even with headphones, doesn't provide enough distraction from the pain or fatigue. This is why when Chris and I have run together before, he's done after one mile! He could go on but finds no compelling reason to.

Sunday, he ran 5.7 miles, the longest run in his life!

Why did trails do the trick when roads didn't? Trail running is like a game that keeps you on your toes--dodge the tree, watch this rock, leap over that crevice. It's more engaging so it keeps your mind off bodily ailments and it's so much more fun! Of course, celebratory beers at the finish are great incentives too.

Personally, I found trail running to be a much different, better workout. My abs and hip flexers felt particularly sore after Sunday but I didn't notice as much soreness in my legs like I do after paved runs. However, my glutes were killing me -- check out the course profile below and note the climb at miles 3 and 5! I treated them as hill training for Nike Women's (San Francisco hills) and discovered that... I need to train more.

One last plus about trail running: It's known in the world of running to be a better total body workout while it's easier on the body. Dirt and gravel are both softer than pavement which is better for feet and joints.

There are so many reasons to try trail running! I highly recommend whether you prefer to exercise in solitude, can't stand running under normal circumstances, like the wilderness, are prone to injury, or thrive on challenges. If you don't want to take advice from just me, then take it from pros: Get Off the Road and Onto the Trail. Check out Active.com Running tips on running trails.

*This race, I remembered to smile and wave for the camera.

Pre- and Post-Workout Meals in 15 Minutes | Active.com

Pre- and Post-Workout Meals in 15 Minutes | Active.com

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