Guest Post: Yolanda Leduc

ZOOMA Blog Guest Post#1: Occassionally, we meet a ZOOMA runner who is truly inspirational, and we ask her to share her story with you. Here is the first of our guest posts.

At some time in our lives, we all get asked that big question. What do you want to do with your life? My answer is always to love people with all my heart and help anyway I can. So, I spend my life doing just that. In the process, I forgot to love and celebrate myself.

I have always been a large frame,"big bone" they say. I used that excuse for as long as I could. I never wanted to own up to the fact that I was mistreating myself and my health. I continued to neglect myself, and year after year, child after child, the pounds packed on. I then spent many years trying to get the pounds off, fast!! As we all know, fast is not the answer.

I fast forward my life to January of 2006, 32 years old. I joined a small local gym, determined to break the "fast" cycle and create a lasting one. To my surprise, I weighed in at 292 pounds. I was devastated!! It was as if I had been blind and hadn't seen myself getting larger and larger. I said a prayer and asked for help then begged for strength. I then went to work, on me. I was successful at losing about 20 pounds.

A few months down the road, my body sent me a warning. Even with the success of losing some weight, my body had enough!! My blood pressure shot up to numbers I'm not proud of. There I was at 32 in the back of the ambulance with not one but two nitro tablets given to me and heart patches on my chest. I was lying there with the thought of, am I having a heart attack or a stroke? The thought of my husband and kids and my hopes and dreams possibly being gone, just like that, was enough.

Thankfully, it was a warning, not a heart attack or a stroke. I knew that I had to get more serious about my health. That was my motivation. It starts with "the will to live." I was determined to get it together.

Funny, I use to always see myself running for miles, even though my body couldn't keep up. I was not going to let anyone take this vision from me. I held on to it and started to run the best way I knew how. It took me weeks to get to the end of my block. I never entertained the idea of not making it. I put in my head a picture of myself running. I then told myself, I will do it one pound at a time.

My husband and kids didn't know it yet but life in our house was about to change. You see, we women set the stage in our homes. We have the gift of setting the mood. We are the pillars of our homes. I wanted not just myself to be healthy but all of us. You can never be too healthy!! I started changing the way we ate and the types of foods that we ate and added more activity than before. I began to put myself through my own boot camp. I applied many types of excercises and I ran and ran.

I am now able to walk 7 miles and run a litttle over 3 miles. I am now 34 years old and 84 pounds lighter and still going. I have 53 pounds more to go but to me it feels like 10.

One of my dreams is to run in some type of marathon. I began searching for one on the computer and found ZOOMA. Now, here I am starting with the 5K. Although I haven't run the race yet, the thought of entering another run after this one is amazing!! I owe it to myself, we all do.

In this whole process, I have not only gained a new lifestyle along with the added bonus of a transforming body, but I have learned to love and celebrate me. Do I still love people? More and more each day, me included. I have the will to live!! The question is, do you?

Thank you,
Yolanda Leduc

Strength Training Challenge

In the first six months of this year, I was totally side-lined by a random injury - mostly due to my lack of strength in critical running muscle groups. Until last January, I had never had an injury that had kept me from running for more than a week or two. My mood changed, my weight fluctuated... I was totally lost!

Thankfully, now I am back on track. (Just did a half marathon last weekend!) But not without learning an important lesson. Those 20 minutes you can spend strength training every few days are not wasted, and can actually be more important than running...

We're expecting a lot from our bodies, and we need to give our muscles and joints the tools they need to be able to perform.

Despite my best intentions, with busy schedules, etc., I've been having a hard time committing to a strength training program. In the weekly training program that goes out today (Sept 26) at noon EST, I challenged ZOOMA Atlanta runners to commit to a 4-week strength routine. The rules:
1. Do each of the exercises demonstrated on this video at least once a week for four weeks.
http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/bettertv/members/?lid=823483079
(Ignore the part about it being a "miracle workout." You and I know there are no "miracles" when it comes to getting in shape!)
2. Comment on this entry to show your commitment to the program.
3. I'll be honest about my progress - check back on the blog to see how I am others are doing.

I think we will all see real results in four weeks... it doesn't take much. Prepare yourself for the challenge of ZOOMA Atlanta (or whatever your next adventure) with strength!

Good luck!
Brae

The Freedom of Being Healthy

Dear ZOOMA Runners and Run/Walkers,

A couple nights a week I coach a group of women who are just getting into (or getting back into) running. Last night, as I worked with my run walk group, I realized something--for the woman who feels so miserable in her skin because she has let herself go, the courage it must take to get off her butt and exercise is incredible. As I hugged each new member of my group, I told them how amazing they were to be out there sweating with me.

We had women in their 20's to women in their 60's learning how to run. To be honest, half of them seemed very uncomfortable being there last night. As a professional coach and trainer, I do understand how they must feel. I know some wouldn't think I have ever felt this way because I have always been active and I am an avid runner. . . but the same type of intimidation has been a barrier for me only in a different way.

As a collegiate athlete, it was very intimidating approaching the start line of a race with world class runners . . . but I did it. Once the gun went off, it was just me and the watch and the intimidation was gone. Don't let intimidation be your barrier to the freedom of being healthy!

One of the women really stood out to me last night . . . Before we even got started, she stated that she would only be able to run two 30-second intervals and that she would walk the rest. She was very intimidated and nervous, but I told her she could give me more than that and to test her body. With a little motivation from the rest of us, she ran 10 intervals of 30-60 seconds of running. Afterwards, she was smiling ear to ear and couldn't beleive she did it.

Going into your training plan with a really positive attitude or finding others to exercise with you for the encouragement will change EVERYTHING about your workout. YOU are the one that needs to make the time to exercise. YOU are the one that needs to stay consistent or get back on track. And . . . YOU, your family, your job, and your relationships will reap the benefits of your health!

Keep up the great work with ZOOMA. This hard work will pay off!

With love and inspiration,
Gracie

Exciting ZOOMA News for Today

Two pieces of Exciting ZOOMA News today:

FIRST: Registration for ZOOMA Austin is open! We are super excited about this race. The race is on Saturday, April 4, and is hosted by the Hyatt Lost Pines Resort and Spa. The course is rural and so peaceful and beautiful, and the post-race party is right on the banks of the Colorado River. April in Austin is fab-u-lous. Our official charity is LifeWorks, a local Austin non-profit that does amazing social services work with youth and families in need.

If you're looking for the ideal active girls' weekend trip... this is it! Here's why:

1. April weather most everywhere besides Texas is iffy...

2. The Hyatt Lost Pines is beautiful and luxurious, and we have a great rate for ZOOMA runners that you won't get any other way... (It's the peeerfect place for a pampering girls' weekend.)

3. The race is on Saturday morning, leaving the rest of the weekend for spa treatments, magaritas and guacamole :) (You won't get better Tex-Mex. I have never had a bad meal in Austin!)

Click here for details and to register: http://races.zoomarun.com/austin.html

SECOND: Andrea and I successfully finished the Philadelphia Distance Run on Sunday. Injury free. AND, we had a ton of fun! (If you can't make it to a ZOOMA half marathon, I highly recommend this race.) Check us out below...

Andrea on left, Brae on right. Still standing (and smiling) after crossing the finish line.

Congrats to Andrea for dominating her first half! Now its onto the next adventure... (ZOOMA Atlanta, here we come!)

"Playing" for Adults

My last three workouts have been a mixed bag. One 10-mile run cut short around mile 7 because I was dehydrated and felt like I might keel over at any moment (my fault, I know). One half hour run that felt like an hour and a half. I was reluctant to do go out again – my last two attempts had been totally miserable and decidedly not fun. Could I find that spark again? And finally… a decent short run yesterday. Thankfully, the weather was cool and crisp, night was approaching, and kids were practicing soccer, tennis, and cheerleading on the fields along my route. My mind was in the right place. It was fun.

Apparently, other women are feeling the same way. Today I finally got around to reading the annual report on the “State of the Sport” by Running USA (runningusa.org). It was interesting to see the chart showing female runners’ “primary motivators for running.” According to the survey, the top motivators are (in order of priority): staying healthy, staying in shape, relieving stress, meeting a personal challenge, controlling my weight, achieving my goal, improving my state of mind… and finally… having fun.

This got me thinking: Are we forgetting that running is fun? Running is fun! Not all of the time, but it is definitely mostly fun! Right? This could start to explain why so many people have trouble staying with an exercise program, and why 64% of adults in the U.S. are obese. They aren't having fun.

The ability to run or walk is a real gift – no matter how fast or how slow we are. The ability to lace up our shoes, get outside, people watch as we zoom by, participate in races with friends, sleep well, just think, be alone for awhile, and be healthy is a good thing. Breathe in the crisp fall air. After all, running is really just playing for adults. Invite a friend to “play” with you, and inspire each other to run...for fun.

Train SMART!

I follow FitMom on Twitter and yesterday she tweeted about a guest post by Coach Al Lyman. Since most of you in are in the middle of your training for ZOOMA Atlanta (me and Brae, end of our training for the Philly ING Half Marathon next weekend!!), I thought I would share with you his great advice about what to do if you get injured and the importance of paying attention to your body while training!

http://fitnessformommies.net/2008/09/12/marathon-training-running-coach-al-injuries-athletes/

If any of you are on Twitter, find me! Andreajm

Treadmill vs. Outside Training

Is there a difference between training on the treadmill vs training outside? I have been getting this question a lot lately.

There are many pros and cons and differences in training on the treadmill vs training outside.

I will start with the Pros:
1-You can run no matter what the weather is outside.
2-You can watch TV and catch up on your shows while training.
3-The pace is exactly what you register it to be.
4-You're never alone unless you want to be.
5-Water is right there when you need it and you don't have to hold onto it.
6-You can add a hill whenever you want.
7-You can run anytime of the day (very convenient for our busy women).

Now for the Cons:
1-You are not racing indoors, are you?
2-You will feel like you are flying on your interval days (adjust the treadmill to 0.5 grade)
3-You won't get used to outside environmental factors such as weather and changing terrain.
4-Can get boring on those long runs.
5-The lack of wind resistance and the assistance of the moving belt make treadmill running slightly easier than free range running. When running on the treadmill you are running in place. You are not moving through the air. When you run outside the air creates resistance. Studies have estimated that outside air resistance creates an increase in your workload of between 2% and 10%, depending upon your running speed.

So in conclusion, I recommend that you vary your workouts and try to run outside at least one day a week to get used to the environmental factors and ever changing terrain.

If you need to pick which day to run outside, try and fit in the weekend runs outside.

Please feel free to ask me any questions you may have concerning your training!

I believe in all of you and am SO proud you are taking action in being active and reaching your running goals!

Don’t forget to get your training gracie’s gear with pockets from Big Peach Running Co! They are now showcasing gracie’s gear and you have finally listen to your iPod hands free :)

Coach Gracie

Lost in Motivation

It's 4:50 am as I write this and I'm still suffering from jetlag from two weeks in Israel. Not only do I suffer from jetlag, but as a result of this trip, I've lost my motivation to workout. Surely I'm not alone in this feeling. With the end of the summer comes a change in routine which requires readjusting (I hate change and I'm sure I'm not alone). Some of you may feel like you've hit a workout pleateau, you're restless in the gym (no killer playlist can cure that), or you're just not inspired. During my two weeks away, I was constantly active - riding camels, swimming in the Dead Sea, and hiking in 100+ heat - as intense of a workout as I can imagine. BUT, now that I'm back, I've only been able to lace up my shoes once! This is not good at all since Brae and I are running the Philly ING Half Marathon in less than two weeks!

Okay, so what do we do when we lose our motivation? In my head, I'm setting goals to get back on track with the regimented routine I had before I went away. Next, I'm going to take those thoughts in my head and put them to paper. That way I can hold myself accountable. For the short term my goal is: "I have crossed the finish line in Philly with a smile on my face." Today I will start to put that goal into action. In addition, research new classes or running clubs in the area and check it out. With the start of fall, there are sure to be tons of new happenings in every area. Don't just think about doing it, write it on your calendar and go!

If all else fails, find a friend (dogs are okay) and find an hour and go enjoy their company outside!Let me know if you are struggling with motivation too. We can overcome it together!

Fall is a Great Time to be a Runner

I don’t have any children of my own, but my neighborhood is home to an elementary school and so I feel in sync with the school kids’ schedule. Just this week, the weather changed. The humidity has gone south for the winter, and a few leaves have decided to fall from their lofty summer homes. Yellow school buses are rumbling down my street early in the morning. Yesterday I flipped the calendar ahead a month to September. Reluctantly, I must face it… the change in seasons is upon us and fall is here.

While I do lament the end of warm nights and summer activities, unlike school children who dread the end of summer fun and the start of waking up early and homework, runners have many reasons to be excited when they feel the first nip in the air. Fall is a fantastic time to be a runner, for many reasons:

1. Fall races are better than summer races. Some of the best races around the country happen in the fall… One of my favorites is the New York City Marathon in early November. If you’ve never watched the NYC Marathon, you’ve missed one of the most spectacular running events in the world (in my opinion, at least!) The entire City rallies for this event, with orange and blue paraphernalia on seemingly every street corner. The excitement surrounding the NYC Marathon is completely contagious, and it would be hard to leave there not vowing to run it yourself next year. And, of course, don’t forget ZOOMA Atlanta on November 16 – the newest fall tradition in the southeast!

2. Running in the fall is more pleasant than running in the summer. It really doesn’t really matter where you live. Running when the air is crisp and clear in the fall beats the heat of the summer.

3. Turkey Trots and Gobble Jogs. Nearly every local running club puts on a Thanksgiving Day race. These races offer a great opportunity to bring the whole family out and be active before gorging on turkey and pie later in the day. Inspire your aunts and children and start a new family tradition this year!

4. New season = New gear. The change in seasons also just happens to be a great excuse to stock up on new cold weather running gear. Particularly in the colder months, it is essential to have proper gear. Having run at different times in my life in bulky sweats and sleek running tights, I can tell you that proper gear makes a huge difference to your ability to run comfortably in sub-optimal temps.

Fortunately for us, runners can easily graduate from the school age dread of the end of summer. Don't be sad... Fall is a great time to be a runner!