This Mother Can Run 1110

8/8/2019 This Mother Can Run 1110

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contentsSo You Want to Run a Marathon?

Food Will Not Be Ruling This House

This Cougar Can Run

Just Me and My Feet

Sports Nutrition

Embrace the PigeonMarcia Kadens

Estela Schnelle

Angie Bishop

Joan van Ark

Kelly Collins

Amanda Loudin

Founders and publishers: Nanette and Mike SimmonsExecutive editor: Nanette Simmons

Advertising: [email protected] Designer: Lori Schroeder (www.lswebsitedesigns.com)Graphic Designer: Olga Filippova (www.olga-lippova.com)

This Mother Can Run


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day for your long runs. Lots of kids soccergames to work around? Hitting the pave-ment at 6 a.m. may be what it takes.

If you are going to run long on a Saturdayor Sunday, youll probably need to look atyour evening social obligations. You dontwant to live like a monk during marathontraining, but you may need to scale back onsome of your outings. A late night before a

20-miler doesnt usually produce the bestresults.Also consider thisdoing a 20-miler takesplenty of energy. On those days, nding

time to take a quick nap may become apriority. Try to schedule it in between otheractivities.

Weekdays will probably require some jug-gling too. If you still have kids at home, thenearly morning or evening runs are prob-ably a reality. A traveling spouse? Anotherchallenge, but one you can work around.At-home treadmills or gyms that offer child-

care are often the solution here.

Getting to the starting line willtake more than just training.

Marathon madness has gripped the runningcommunity and females are making up anincreasing percentage of those toeing theline. You may be thinking about joining thisexpanding group, and if so, congratulations.A rst marathon is an empowering and excit-ing experience.Youre probably already looking at the vari-ous training plans and methods for running

your rst 26.2. While the training plan youchoose is certainly important, if youre amom, another type of plan needs to comeinto play as well: A time management plan.Most marathon training plans will require thatyou work up to running between 40 and 50miles per week. Thats both time consumingand energy consuming. If you want to makeit to the start line energizedand still havethe time you need to meet your daily respon-

sibilitiesyouve got to work at tting it all in.

So You Want to Run a Marathon?

Youve got to work at

tting it all in.

Get out the calendar

The rst thing you need to do is get out yourcalendar and write in all of your plannedruns leading up to the marathon. Most planshave you going long on the weekends.Compare these long runs to your familys

schedule: Do you regularly attend church onSundays? Then maybe Saturday is the best


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Work it out with the spouse

And speaking of your spouse, while he may be all for your running a marathon,keep in mind that hell be making sacrices to make it happen. If he likes towork out also, you may need to develop a schedule alternating early morning orevening sessions. Make sure he gets his fair share of workout timethat will goa long way towards making your important running time a reality.

Also keep in mind that your husband may need to shoulder a little extra kidtime to help you achieve your goal. Most dont mind this at all, but show your ap-preciation for his efforts. Let him get in that extra day golf or game of basketballwith friends.

Post-marathon

When your big day has nally come and gone, take some down time to celebrate,rest, and reect on what worked or didnt work for you timing wise. Chances are

youll be able to identify some points throughout your past training schedule thatcould use some improvement time management wise. Write these down andkeep them handy for the next marathon training cycle as they might help easethe way for you.

More than anything, dont stressabout tting it all in. Youre doingthis because you enjoy itdont lettting it all in become a source ofstress to you. A little planning can

go a long way to making marathontraining as much fun as the raceday itself. Good luck!

Amanda Loudin has been running and com-

peting in triathlons for the past 13 years. She

is also a certied running coach, freelance

writer and mom to two. She writes aboutbalancing it all on her blog, www.mis-

szippy1.blogspot.com, and offers running

advice on her

coaching site,

www.misszip-

pycoaches.

b l o g s p o t .

com.

Dont let tting it all in become a

source of stress to you.

www.marykay.com/cfelstow

A D V E R T I S E M E N T


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Food Will Not Be Ruling This HouseWeve been on a downhill slip nslide this summer into the deep

dark hole of sweets, treats andfast food. And folks, it aint good.

A couple of weeks ago, I realized that our ro-tating lunch schedule pretty much consistsof frozen pizza, mac & cheese and grilledcheese, and its nearly always followed bymy 4 year old requesting dessert of somekind. And if thats not bad enough, stick us ina car anytime within about 1/2 an hour of a

meal and were probably not passing by themultitude of fast food joints to go home for asalad. I mean, really, when you pull into thedrive through at Taco Bell and you hear yournot quite 2 year old in the back going yum-mmmmmmm, its kind of funny. But whenshe does it at pretty much every single fastfood restaurant? Yeahthen youve got aserious problem on your hands (not that Imtalking about my 2 year old or anything).

And its not just the kids and nding some-thing that they actually WILL eat, its usgrownups too. Im so busy taking care ofeverybody elses needs that by the time I

get around to eating, Im STARVING. Then I will pretty much just grab whatevers there(which is usually full of sugar or comes out of a bag and/or box), and that generally doesnot end well. And my poor husband! Lets just say hes simply defenseless against all the

goodies I keep on hand to try and bribe my children to eat.

So before this family is too far gone, I decided to take control. Im the grocery shopper/meal preparer around this house; though I will gladly acquiesce both of these titles tosomeone else (anyone elsetakers?). So if there are going to be healthy eating habitsaround these parts, its going to start with me. Period.

Ironically, for the little extra encouragement I needed to get started, I had planned on pur-chasing some new cookware. (Hey, you do what you gotta do right? Who wants to makehealthy tasting dishes in ratty old pots and pans anyway?) I was thinking of somethingperhaps along the lines of Le Creuset. And wouldnt you know it? It was right about then

that Jamie from CSN Stores contacted me to see if Id do a review for them. I could pickanything I wanted to review. There are over 200 stores on this virtual mall carrying allsorts of different products, everything from toys to ceiling fans, includingCOOKWARE!!I was chomping at the bit.

Im so busy taking care of everybody elses

needs that by the time I get around to eating,Im STARVING.


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But drastic times called for drastic meas-ures, and I could not wait for new cookware.So, I got started. I planned out our meals; Icleaned out the fridge and pantry, pitchingevery single garbage food item I could nd(including the fossilized pickles), and I re-stocked it with healthier goods. I moved thesnacks up to a higher shelf so little handscant get at them unaided but kept the fruit &veggies easily accessible. And I went pureecrazy with the hopes that Id be able to slip afew fruits and veggies into the dishes I pre-pare for my kiddos (and husband) unnoticeda la Jessica Seinfeld and her DeceptivelyDelicious cookbook.

Its been about two weeks now, and exceptfor a late night tango with a can of mild ched-dar cheese dip my husband bought for meafter a particularly rough day (it was a weakmoment), and an end of summer eld day/party at my moms full of eats that arentquite on our menu anymore, Im happy tosay weve been doing pretty well. Ive dis-covered my 4 year old LOVES celery, and

my anti-veggie 2 year old will happily devour

them if they are disguised as something else, like say cheese sticks for example. (It hadcauliower in it if you must know, but dont tell).

Now the trick I believe will be sticking with it, and the key to that might just be in the mealplanning. If I just take 15-20 minutes to plan out our meals for the week and write up mygrocery list accordingly, Im good. The danger sets in when I grocery shop on a whim

with no plan. I might as well go in hungry too because Im probably stocking my cart withthings that may look tasty, but I probably dont actually need and would be woefully disap-pointed if I ate (at least after I ate it anyway).

Old habits die hard, and this isnt the rst time Ive hit the reset button. So how do youstay on track and keep your familys diet in check? And what sort of things do you keep onhand so that when the Im huuuuuuuuuu-ungryyyyyyyy whine creeps in - in the mid-dle of your making dinner, youre prepared?Honestly, this may be far harder than the

marathon for me. Seriously.

Kelly Collins is a runner, writer, blogger,

wife and stay at home mamma to two beau-

tiful and wildly entertaining little girls ages

2 and 4. She is currently training for her

4th marathon and

studying to become

a certied running

coach. To read her

latest adventure visit

Secrets of A Running Mom(www.runfastmommy.com).

If I just take 15-20 minutes to plan out our meals

for the week and write up my grocery list

accordingly, Im good.


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I always loved running...

it was something you could doby yourself,and under your own power.

You could go in any direction,fast or slow as you wanted,

ghting the wind if you felt likeit, seeking out new

sights just on the strength ofyour feetand the courage of

your lungs.Jesse Owens



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This Cougar Can RunJoan van Ark has been Tony nominated on Broadway, won three SoapOpera Digest Awards, received the Humanitas Awards nominationfor directing and creating a world premiere Tennessee Williams char-acter at the Kennedy Center in Five by Tenn, and she says her beautifuldaughter, Vanessa, is her greatest accomplishment. Joan has been anavid runner for over four decades now. She ran throughout her careeras an actress on hit TV shows Dallas and Knots Landing among oth-ers. One would think after all this time that her enthusiasm for runningwould wane, but as you will see, her drive is amazing!This mother can run!

Q: Everyone knows you as an actress, butnot everyone knows you are a runner. Whendid you start running and why?

A: I went over to London and did a play whenI was about 19 years old. It was Barefoot inthe Park. My husband-to-be was stationedin Germany. Were high school sweethearts.He talked me into going through Paris and

then to Germany. He proposed in Paris, andwe got married in Germany on the air forcebase, Spangdahlem Air Force Base. Hewas in armed forces radio and television. Hehas always been a newscaster. Ive alwaysbeen an actress. On the air force base I gotso wacky because I basically worked all mylife since I was 14 years old, where I startedin local theatre in Boulder, Colorado. At anyrate, there I was on the air force base at 19.

I taught the guys a class on acting at night.During the day I would run the football elds.So I think what it was with me, is what it al-ways is: there was an extra energy within methat I needed to burn off. I have never takentranquilizers or anything like that. Runningis so many things to me. It is somewhatof a tranquilizer, and it helped me burn offenergy by running around the football eld.

My next biggest step was when I did a playcalled School for Wives Moliere, whichwent to Broadway. One of the guys in thecast was a marathon runner. I started work-ing out with him before rehearsals. Somedays he would tell me, You know we did 17miles today. We would go distance, saybefore the rehearsal even. I cant imaginedoing that now. I think about that now, and Iwould never do that now if I had a rehearsal

or work commitment ahead of me. I donthave that much energy any more. I haveto be very careful with my energy output.

Q: How have you stayed in such greatshape?

A: For my whole life, to me, physical t-ness is mental tness. Yes, I want to stayin great shape and always have. But likeanybody else, I work very hard at it. I eatclean. That means eating vegetables withlemon juice, no processed salad dressingon them, lemon juice and some olive oil,squash, spinach. Spinach is importantwhen Im working because I want everybrain cell working. I have lemon juice with

Splenda, and thats not so clean because


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I know Splenda is not so great. Its a kindof lemonade that I do. No salt. I use a saltsubstitute. Thats another chemical so thatsnot great. But eating clean just means eat-ing unprocessed fruits and vegetables, nodairy, unless I have a cheat day, and that,

by the way, Im all for once every week ortwo weeks. A cheat day is when you say,Screw it! Im eating whatever I feel like hav-ing. If Im working I have ve little meals.I sort of graze all day on unsalted peanutbutter, bananas and honey. Thats in my setbag to keep my blood sugar right where Iwant it. The bananas provide potassium,and the honey provides a glucose boost toyour brain. I keep it close when Im on set

because sometimes Ill have a 14-18 hourday, and I have to stay level. Ive always

been physical. I do value keeping a shape and not becoming that most dreaded Englishword-- matronly. You can forget about that! Im not going there! Cougar yes, matron no.Those are the parts Ive been playing lately cougar or desperate housewife. Im happyfor that. I do work out, and I do monitor it, but then I have my cheat days too becauseeverybody needs to do that or you cant stay on your diet.

Q: How often do you run? How far do you run? What makes running enjoyable for you?

A: My mantra is work or work out. I try to do it every day. If I have to be Super JoanVan Ark, getting into full drag, hair and make up, then I give myself a day off. But prettymuch, I run every day. I do 10-15 miles per run. I have done 17 mile days if Im feelingstrong and I want to. Now some people think thats just sick, but Will Ferrell runs 15 milesa day when hes not on the set. Its not horric for someone whos high energy and an Atype personality. Ive been really blessed to not have any injuries all this time. As far aswhat makes running enjoyable, I think where I am makes the difference. For example,

last week we were in Colorado for a family wedding, and I ran almost to Timberline. Itwas a 10 mile loop. It was the hardest, most difcult one Ive done in a VERY long time.There were spots of rock that I couldbarely walk up! I didnt want to slip.It was a 10 mile intense mountaintrail run. Well, I would not say run.I would say jog. I did a movie inTokyo, Japan, and I ran around theEmperors Palace. Ive run in London. Ive run everywhere. Where I am is what makes itenjoyable. The other thing is if Im facing a choice, a decision, problems, stress, just plain

stuff, I feel like running works it out. I get a focus, a vision, an instinct of how to solve thatproblem. It always happens on the run. So thats another thing that makes it enjoyable.I dont see a shrink. I dont take tranquilizers. I take B-12 and extra potassium. Thatsall I take. Thats it. I dont want to take anything else. Im not saying its wrong if othersdo, but its just not my thing. I think my running has kept me pretty clean my whole adultlife.

Q: How many marathons have you run?

A: I think its 13. It was 12, but I just did the L.A. Marathon. So now its 13, includingBoston. You have to qualify for Boston, and I qualied with a 3:26. I think thats prettygood. I could never do that now. Im embarrassed to tell you my L.A. time. It was a

I do 10-15 miles per run.Joan on set for Nip Tuck


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few minutes under 5 hours, but it was just20 minutes after Shia Labeouf. He came inat 4:35. I came in just under 5. If Im 20minutes after Shia Labeouf, Im not so badafter all.

Q: What was your rst marathonlike and when was it? How didyou do?

A: The rst one I dont knowthe year, but it was the MissionBay Marathon, in Mission Bay,CA. I over trained because itwas a January or February run.It was rainy season in LA, and

I got the u. I told Dr. Blake,my general MD, who knew meand knew my personality, thatI had to do this. I had trained,and yes, I had the u, but I wasgoing to do this no matter what.He said, Joan, I know you. Iknow nothing is going to stopyou. So he prescribed a prettystrong antibiotic for me to take afew days before, and I even tookit on the run with water. I did themarathon in 4 something, maybe4:34. It wasnt great, but it was my rst one.I was determined to nish. Once I start amarathon, I never stop. So in other words,in the movie with Joanne Woodward (SeeHow She Runs) she stopped in the middleof a marathon, had dinner, and she cameacross the nish line at midnight. No, no,

no! Thats not an option. Once you start, youve got to keep going.

Q: Why did you choose to do races?

A: Races is a bad word because races sounds competitive to me. My life and thework I do is highly competitive. So I dont know that I would use the word races. I dothem, and I have done some 5Ks and 10Ks for my sister, who had ovarian cancer (but is

in remission). I dont like that word. So I do these runs for a sense of accomplishmentand purpose for a greater cause or a charity. In doingmarathons, its the sense of accomplishment becauseonly you can do it. There are no retakes. Its all you,doing your own performance. Theres a great feeling

of completion and competition with myself to do bettereach time. I also do these runs to get a PR. I like itfor my own character building. Its not about whos thebest 1, 2, and 3 but about making ME better.

Q: Do you get a lot of unwanted attention at races orare you able to blend in with the crowd? What is yourracing experience like?

A: I can pretty much blend in because I use my married name to enter the race. Butthere are guys who come up behind me in a race and tell me, I know who you are, but Imnot going to say anything. Or they say, Looking good! They say these things as theypass me and leave me in the dust! Sometimes from the side I have people say things.In LA one guy said, Hey Joan! Looking good! So I get some attention, but Im wearing

Theres a great feeling of

completion and competition

with myself to dobetter each time.


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dark glasses and a pony tail. I dont knowhow Joan Van Ark I look.

Q: How has your journey with runningchanged or evolved? When you rst started,did you love it or hate it? Is it easier now?Was it easier then?

A: It denitely has changed. At rst it wasan energy releaser especially when I wasntworking on the air force base in Germany.Then as I started to work it became a focusand homework space where I could workout a character. Its great clear-thinkingtime. When I was pregnant I ran throughmy pregnancy, and that was just to stay whoI am, I guess. My gynecologist said, No

problem, because I gained something veryridiculously low like 11-12 pounds. I did workall the way up until she was born. I playeda bride, while I was 5 months pregnant, on

a Folgers commercial. I didnt tell anybodybut the wardrobe girl that I was pregnant.So I stayed kind of small when I was preg-nant. More than ever now, it is a retreat.Without a doubt it is a retreat. I get very de-pressed when I dont work, and its a space Ican count on. When I grew up in Colorado,

I rode horse back. Running now gives mesolitude and a purpose many days when Idont have the kind of challenge that I wouldlike to have as an actress. So Ive alwaysloved it. It started out as physical and haswound up as mental. Its almost harder nowbecause I do it every day and Im slower,older and more tired! I can kick butt anddo an 8 minute mile, but I cant sustain it.My best mile was somewhere around a 6:11

mile or a little less. Now Im just pluggingalong. If I have to, I will kick it up. I think myplugging along keeps me in the zone. In theLA marathon, I was doing sub 9 minute milesup until 10 or 12 miles in. And then becauseI realized that I was running faster than mynormal pace, which is 10:00 to 12:00, (I al-ways do that because of the adrenaline) Ipulled back. I am not doing good miles at allright now. When I dont have to, I dont. Im

just out there to work out.

Q: What motivates you to run? Is it to stayin shape, to get clarity of mind, or somethingelse?

A: Its all of those and its also bones andbrains. I think it is good for your bones asyou age because I had a bone density test,and they told me I have the bones of a 35

year old. When you exercise, it helps yourbone density. I feel so much better having

done it. I need it to work out problemsphysically and mentally. Its all of theabove, but for me its kind of like brushingmy teeth. Its just part of my day.

Q: What do you think is more important tomaintain a great gure, exercise or nutri-tion? Why?

A: Well, that is tricky because exercisepulls you and your body together, and nu-trition is eating the right foods to sustainyour energy but not to be too caloric as toadd on pounds. Every person has to ndthe gas that makes their engine run best. Ithink exercise is absolutely key so that youcan eat and enjoy life and not be denying

yourself. Denying yourself doesnt leadanywhere except being unhappy about itand then binging. I think exercise is thekey but the truth is nding nutrition with afood or foods that ll you, satisfy you, andgive you the sustained energy to do thebest job you can do whatever job thatis. Whether its highly mental sitting at adesk, or stressful and mental which is mycase on setyou look at the Olympic ath-

letes like the swimmer, Michael Phelps. Ifyou look at the spread he eats, thats hisgas. He can do it, and hes totally t, andhe performs at the top of his game. Itsvery individual but it takes listening to yourbody, getting a certain amount of exercise(the more the better, whatever you can tol-erate), and listening to your body to gureout the right fuel.

Q: Having been a mother of small chil-dren and now grown children, which time

Running now gives me

solitude and a purpose

many days when Idont have the kind of

challenge that I would

like to haveas an actress.


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of your life did you nd it harder to balanceworking out and being healthy? Why?

A: I only have one child, Vanessa. With mydaughter when she was growing up, yes, itwas hard to balance it all. I mean, SuperMom takes its toll. When my daughter was

little, it was before they had these pushcarts. I run now, and I see dads and momswith these jogging strollers pushing their lit-tle ones. And Im always saying, Way togo! Im high-ving them as I pass because Ilove it. But with me, I put Vanessa in a back-pack with a popsicle! So I always ended upwith orange stains down the middle of myback! And she was happy as a clam with

the popsicle, and Mom was struggling alongfor both! Vanessa was in the backpack, andI would do 3-5 miles that way. Thats howI did it because I wasnt going to stop myworkouts. And I did work right after, verysoon after having her. I was offered Days of

Our Lives on NBC soon after Vanessa was born. I was convinced that once you have achild you cant remember lines anymore, you cant act. I had to prove to myself that all ofthat was still there. So I took the offer almost right away. It is very hard to be Super Mom,but I absolutely am a rm believer that no matter what your age and no matter what yourresponsibilities are, you need to nd a half hour to an hour to nd me time, even if youtake the little one with you which this generation is better at than in my generation. Takeyour little one or ones out on a run with

you. Get them into that oxygen situation.Make time to break a sweat and bringyour heart rate up. It is just so important.Q: Your sister Carol has battled ovariancancer. Tell us about how this diseasehas affected your family and what youhave done to help.

A: There was a Stiletto Walk for OvarianCancer last year in April. I was looking

for something to do with my sister to besure she knows my commitment. I alsowas involved with the Revlon Run/Walkfor Women with Cancers. I have donethese races in honor of my sister. She isin remission now and in December of thisyear, she will be at her 5 year mark. Itslike Carol said, When cancer comes intoyour life, it affects the whole family. AndGod bless Carol because she is taking

her husband in and out of Denver everytwo and a half weeks for his own radia-tion and chemotherapy treatment. I dontknow how she does it. She is a miracle.She is my hero. She is my inspiration.She gets it done. Shes everything Imnot, and I think shes just amazing.

Q: I know you do a lot of charity work.Are you working on projects now? Are you promoting anything?

I put Vanessa in abackpack with a

popsicle! So I always

ended up with orangestains down the middle

of my back!


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Before doing this article with Joan, I really didnt know the depth of her character. She is a very humbleperson considering all of her accomplishments. Joan is passionate about running and should be theposter child for lifelong running and how it can do your body good. Shes a phenomenal role model forevery one of us. She runs for pleasure yet she can kick it up and keep up with some of the speediest run-ners. One of the things that I learned about Joan during our phone conversations is that she is laugh outloud funny and knows how to nd the humor in life. And nally, I learned that although Joan is small instature, she has a big heart. Sometimes I think the media can cloud our vision about someones characteror sometimes the characters an actor portrays can be misinterpreted as who the actor is. Joan is warm,caring, friendly and down to earth. I feel honored to that I was able to interview her and learn from herexperience and wisdom. I hope you enjoyed this interview as much as I did completing it! Enjoy thislittle ashback video of Joanrunning on the beach: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17fdvv6J5Dg

--Nanette Simmons, This Mother Can Run

A: My family is in Colorado, specicallyBoulder. My nephew, Derek, was diag-nosed with juvenile diabetes. I got involvedwith the Barbara Davis Juvenile DiabetesCenter in Denver. I became part of theiradvisory board. They had a carousel ballin October. Its held every other year. The

list of attendees sounded like an Oscar nightbecause anybody who is anybody was atthis carousel ball. Jay Leno hosted it thisyear. Jennifer Lopez performed. Its a verybig evening. Over the years Ive gotten in-volved with that. I donate jewelry or hand-bags for their auctions. I am also part of theAnne Douglas Center for Women. Its for theLA Mission in downtown LA. Its a place forwomen who are on the street, on drugs, and

homeless. They take them in for six monthsto a year to rehabilitate them and then do atransition period where they place them in jobs in the local economy. It gets women

back on their feet. And Im also part of theFarm Animal Sanctuary, which is prevent-ing cruelty to farm animals, factory farmingand the really abusive awful ways. Therewas just an article about Costco with youngcalves, their veal. They were abusing thesecalves, putting them in 3 foot crates with the

wooden bar across their neck. It just makesme sick. Growing up in Colorado, being sur-rounded by farmland, Im especially awareand sensitive to this. Those are pretty muchmy three main charities. I am committedto these issues. I feel very strongly aboutthem.

Q: What are some things that youre busyworking on right now?

A: Mostly now Ive been doing voiceovers.Ive also been doing some goofy characterson My Name is Earl and Nip Tuck. I play

high maintenance cougars. Ironically,I did one show with Donna Mills on NipTuck, and on My Name is Earl, I was withMorgan Fairchild, and we played desper-ate housewives. It was hysterical, and Iloved it. Then I just did a voiceover for achildrens game called Fancy Nancy. Its

a DVD game. It was a southern, socialitevoiced character. Im hoping to do a play.I need that soul food.

Overall, I believe so strongly that everyoneat every age should eat clean, less pro-cessed, minimum dairy and stay physicalto detoxify and de-stress so you can keepconnected. Connected means mentallyand physically you are one. I say eat the

best foods that keep you happy. Dont de-prive yourself.


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Just Me and My Feet

I have come to not need as much as I thought I did at one time in my life. One of the bigepiphanies occurred when I ditched my running shoes (which I did not just intuitively doeither). I thought that I needed shoes and that my husband was a loon for suggestingthat I didnt. I thought that gear is what would make me a better runner. Sometimes thatis true but only to an extent and only depending on your own expectations of yourself. Ifyou want to run just open the door and go. I changed how I saw running and I fell in lovewith that primal act that my body was made to do.

I like to drive. It is very relaxing. There is something about the simple movement throughtime and space. I nd it soothing and lovely. This is how I feel about running only evenmore so. I love to have my own two feet moving me forward, nding that sweet spot wherethe discomfort doesnt matter any more, and I feel as if I could run forever. Those momentsare what keep me coming back, like the times when the thoughts ow and move as they

please, when I feel connected to the earthand the air. Yeah, it sounds like a bunchof hippy shit but all the rest of you runnersknow what I mean, and if you dont, thenyou are maybe at a point where you mightwant to reevaluate why you run.

For some of those who are lost right nowand have misplaced your mojo, here is myadvice. Say frak it and just go out and run.No watch, no expectations, no Garmin. Ifits hard to even get out there, make a goalto just get out there - not to burn caloriesbut just to move your feet. You can turnaround and change your mind, but youmust get out there to at least give it a shot.Thats all. There will be more races downthe road. There will be more opportunitiesto show what youve got, but really whatelse is there besides you and the road?I like to think that your mojo will returnsomewhere around the time you stop look-ing for it. You know, like lost keys.

I have these expectations I put on myselfand they really are just something I decideon. I get wrapped up in them and thenthe competitive nature in me gets red up.Reading some Super Runners blog, I feellike a slacker. I can go all out for a while

"I love to have my own

two feet moving me

forward, nding thatsweet spot where the

discomfort doesn't

matter any more, and Ifeel as if I could

run forever."

I thought that gear is what would make me a better runner.


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and kick some major arse, but its hard tokeep it up. Thats when I want to just goback to my mellow ways. What alwayseventually occurs to me is that I like to run,and it doesnt matter if I quit blogging andcrept into my little bubble again. I wouldstill be pretty much the same. I wont quit

because it is good for me to get out in theworld even if it is mostly virtual. Its fun tothink about change.

I want to get better and stronger and faster,but all of that takes time and dedication.Sometimes other things get in the wayof that. I get to hang out with my familyand run, and I have loads of time to dofun things. Thats what matters most, not

some race I paid to run. I have to remindmyself of this as work is making marathontraining tricky. I work part time, and I ama contractor. Work is not guaranteed soI take what I can get, and I have to stayexible. If I have to work for a 3 day week-end, which looks to be the case for severalweekends in a row, then I have to do thatwhile I can. There will be more marathonsto come. Thanks to Jaymon, my husband,

for reminding me of this. I may be able toswing it with doing long runs during theweek instead of the weekends, but weshall see what unfolds.

I think I am contemplating the contradic-tions. I like high intensity and move to-wards that, but as I mature I want to moveaway from high intensity and the transitionis strange sometimes. Many people think

that, for instance, barefoot running is so


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hard core. On the contrary, its a mellow wayto run. You run lightly and gently and mostbarefoot runners I know have gravitated toa more, light and gentle attitude about therest of their lives as well. We dont like pain,hence the ditching of the shoes!

So mentioning shoes makes me think ofstuff and gear for runners. In my little familyof six, we dont really have a bunch of stuff

and we dont buy things very often. We getmany things second hand and dont spendmoney on cable TV and going to movies orgoing out to eat. We want time. Time to-gether and time to just be mellow. If I wantto do a bunch of activities then I have to payfor it. I then have to work at a job and spendmy valuable time paying for these activities.To some people this is important and it is funbut for us, its not worth the time right now.

This will change as Jaymon and I age, andour kids move on with their own lives. Butfor now with little ones, we try and live moreminimally by choice. I didnt use to be likethis by the way. Just like thinking I had tohave gear, I also thought I needed to spendmoney to be happy. These are lessons thatI have learned from my dear one and amthankful that I have always been drawn to

him for his differences from me. I have letthem change me and I am happier for it.

Because I blog, companies offer me freestuff to try. Its kind of strange to get a bunchof free stuff from companies to try out. Itsgreat for us since we live on a very mini-

mal budget, and I have very much enjoyedthe stuff I have been sent. Its a win-win forall really. I get free stuff, the company getssome exposure and you get a chance to tryit out for free too. Bottom line though, itsjust stuff. I like it, but I dont need it.I constantly have to remind myself to turndown my emotional volume, mellow out,and remember what matters the most tome. Life can be overwhelming. We had big

plans and all of them changed drasticallywhen we had a son with autism. We haveworked and spent thousands and thousandsof dollars on trying to help him. We movedto a different state and put many of our owndesires on hold for a while. It has made mea better person. It has made me evaluatewhat matters most. Most days I appreciatemy limitations as they breed creativity andappreciation for what I have. I am able to

do this in part because I run. It has been along, hard road to get where I am today, andthanks to my lovely family of boys I am ableto be safe and free to be who I am.

I get out there and burn off the pain, laugh,cry, and zone out. I push my kids in astroller or run with my husband. I want totravel and run all over the country. Whereever I am, I can run. Every time I have set

Angie Bishop is a gluten and casein-freewife and mother to four brilliant boys, one

of whom has autism. She runs barefoot tostay sane and because it is so much fun.Through the struggle it makes her a betterperson. She ran her rst barefoot mile on June 19th 2009 and hasnt looked back!Barefoot or bust!!She has PRed in all of her race distancessince goingshoeless andher approach

to shoes isthe same asChris topherMcDougallswhen hesaid, Myapproach toshoes is the same as my approach to clothes.Apply as necessary. You can follow Angiesblog at: www.barefootangiebee.com.

Where ever I am,I can run.

out and put one foot in front of the other Ihave changed. Where I ran became a partof me.

At the end of the day I am a mother to fourof the coolest little boy spawn I know anda wife to my best friend. I run barefoot

because I love it. It started out so I couldcontinue to run to become and stay injuryfree, and now that I know how great it is,even if there were shoes that would nevercause injuries, I still would run barefoot.


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Sports NutritionExercise is part of a healthy lifestyle. Whether your goal is health maintenance or training for an en-durance event, fueling properly is key. Its also important to recognize the difference between the two.Eating to fuel a daily power walk is different than eating to fuel a long distance run or triathlon. Factorsto consider include the right balance of carbohydrates, protein, and fat, the right amount of vitamins andminerals, as well as the proper amount of uids. Here are some tips for endurance training readers.

Carbohydrates: Best fuel for working muscles Its important to include carbs at all meals. Carbohydrates for energy, fuel our muscles. Its important to make our carb choices count by focusing on whole grains and produce.

A serving of fruit or veggies is about the size of a baseball. A serving of whole grains is about the size of our st (1 cup). A 1-cup serving of grains averages about 175-200 calories.

Protein We need protein for muscle growth and for recovery (to repair muscle damage after exercise). Protein is needed to make red blood cells, which moves oxygen to muscles, and white blood cells, which help ght infection. Our body uses protein to make hormones and enzymes, which helps regulate our metabolism. Our maximum protein needs are only about 1 gram per pound of body weight. This can easily be met with real food. Three ounces of lean meat provides about 21 grams of protein. Three ounces is about the size of a deck of cards.

A good rule is to eat a portion of lean protein the size of the palm of your hand (at least 3 ounces) for lunch and dinner (breakfast ifpossible).

Fat: We need fat for energy. Fat helps our body utilize some vitamins. Fat helps move substances in and out of cells, and it helps keep your brain and nervous system healthy. Fat provides a satisfaction factor at each meal. Try to include a serving of healthy fats with your meal. A serving is a tablespoon (about the size of your thumb).

Healthy fats include: almonds, mixed nuts, peanuts, peanut butter, ground ax meal, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, avocados, canola oil,and olive oil.


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Vitamins & Minerals: Help unlock the energy stored in food so your body can use it as fuel. Our body needs calcium, magnesium, uoride, and vitamin D to keep bones strong. Include a serving of veggies (1 cup) at lunch and dinner preferably dark leafy greens. Include a serving of fruit (1/2 cup) at breakfast and lunch. Make sure your veggies are not fried or swimming in butter. Take a daily multivitamin. This is a great insurance plan to ensure our bodies are getting

the nutrients needed.

Fluids: Water is the most important nutrient. If your body weight drops just 1% from losing

uids, your performance will suffer. Be sure to replace the uids you lose through sweat when you are active. For high intensity or endurance workouts (90 minutes or longer) it is extremely impor-

tant to replace your uids. Weigh yourself prior to your workout. Hydrate during your workout as usual. Weigh yourself after your workout make note of the number of pounds lost post work-

out. Consume 3 cups (24 ounces) of water or sports drink for every pound of bodyweight that you lost while you were active.

Sports Drinks:Sports drinks such as Gatorade and Power-Ade are really only needed when you will beworking out for 90 minutes or more. For daily exercise up to 1-hour, water is the best choicefor hydration. My favorite way to rehydrate after a long run is with coconut water. Its light,

refreshing, and contains the key electrolytes, potassium (more than a banana), magne-sium, sodium, and calcium.

Always Eat BreakfastMake it a point to eat a good breakfastevery morning. This is extremely impor-tant for endurance athletes. The level ofglycogen in our liver is lower in the morn-ing. We need to refuel our body to replacethe energy it used while we slept.

Before an EnduranceWorkout

3-4 hours before a workout, practice, orcompetition, eat a carb loaded meal suchas rice, pasta, yogurt, fruit smoothie, fruit,breads, rolls, etc

Eat OftenIts extremely important to NEVER let

yourself go hungry. If youre training fora marathon or an Iron Man, your calorie

If your body weight drops just 1% from losing

uids, your performance will suffer.

Peanut Butter Banana Oats


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intake will be very high. I know when my husband is in peak training mode, hes takingin between 4000 & 5000 calories per day. Plan your meals and time them around yourworkouts for proper digestion.

For Morning ExercisersIf your workouts will be no longer than one hour, its not vital to eat something prior to our

workout unless you are STARVING from the night before. If you will be going for a longrun, cycling, or any other activity that will be 90 minutes or more, fueling prior to exerciseis key. Have an energy bar, granola bar, bagel, large banana, etc Consume at least12 ounces or more prior to your workout, and make sure you hydrated properly the daybefore.

Question of the day: How do you fuel your workouts? What pre-workout meal works best for you?

If I workout out super early, like 5 or 6am, I dont really eat anything because Im not hun-

gry. I do eat a good breakfast within an hour of nishing my workout. I dont do endurancetraining anymore, but if I decide to go for a longer run (8-10 miles for me) Ill make sure toeat some type of easily digested food like a Balance Bar a couple of hours before my run.

Estela Schnelle is a Registered Dietitian &

Nutri tionist.

She is a

mother and a

runner. You

can read her

daily blog

about nutri-

tion, mother-

hood, food,and tness at www.weeklybite.com.

If your workouts willbe no longer than one

hour, its not vital to eat

something prior to yourworkoutunless you

are STARVING from

the night before.

Here is my favorite refueling breakfast after a long run:Peanut Butter Banana Oats: old fashioned oats 1 cup 2% or skim milk tsp salt 1 banana 1 tablespoon all natural peanut butterIn a small pot, combine milk, salt, and oats.Bring to medium heat and continue to stir. Asoats began to cook, thinly slice the bananaand add slice by slice while stirring quickly.This will make oats very creamy. Once oatsare cooked, pour into bowl and spoon 1-ta-blespoon peanut butter on top of oatmeal.The peanut butter will melt throughout the

oats.Resources: American Dietetic Association, JonVredenburg MBA,RD, CSSD



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With many of us in the nitty-gritty, high mile-age weeks of our fall race training cycles, itis common to have a complaining body part

or two...or six.

For me those parts are my left hamstring andpiriformis, or as I like to call it, buttular re-gion. These particular afictions are not newto me; they rst ared up during some over-zealous speed work in last years Bostontraining cycle. You can look at the treatmentplan I followed that got me to Boston in onepiece (with a little...ok a lot of K Tape on my

blog. I aggravated them once again a fewweeks ago when I tripped on a root (or didI?) on that trail during my 20 miler.

When the piriformis muscle gets aggravatedand inamed it presses on the sciatic nerveand causes pain in the butt and maybe intothe lower back and down the leg as well.

Embrace the PigeonPiriformis syndrome is frequently caused by: Exercising on hard surfaces like concrete Exercising on uneven ground

Increasing intensity and/or duration tooquickly

Ill-tting or worn out shoes Sitting for long periods of time

Some of you have asked for tips on how I keepmy ornery hammy/piriformis content. Hereshow I deal.

Foam RollI do it before and after every run. It was hellishat rst, but now its easier.

Extended Warm-upEspecially if Im doing speedwork, instead of 10 minutes, Itake at least 15 and even 20 min-utes to be thoroughly warmed up.

Maintain Proper Form

and Foot TurnoverI make sure I dont over stride asmy hammy will surely complain.

Pigeon Pose is My FriendI swear these two stretches aremy secret weapons against ITand piriformis revolt. I do themboth after every workout and willsit in double pigeon for as long as

I can stand it.

www.middleschoolroadmap.com



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Pigeon PoseStart in plank then bring one leg in front of you, knee out and ease the other one back. Sit therelike this and breathe. Feel the stretch in your IT band, hip and the opposite hip exor.

To deepen the pose, bring your hands and body forward.

Double Pigeon PoseThis one really stretches the outer hips, especially thepiriformis. It hurts (me at least) but its awesome.

Put one bent leg out in front of you just like you did for pigeon. Then place the opposite ankleon top of the inner knee and let your knee drop out to the side. You can apply gentle pressurewith your hand.

Since foam rolling and doingthe pigeon poses religiously after running, knock wood, I have had noserious hamstring, IT, or piriformis issues. However, stretching is onlya part of the equation. Strong, balanced hips (gluteal muscles) are alsoimportant. I am in the process of putting together a comprehensive hipstrengthening plan. Its a work in progress!

Marcia Kadens is a Chicago-area writer, run-ner, and mother of two feisty girls. She cur-rently sportsa matchedset of blacktoenails andq u a l i f i e dto run herthird BostonM a r a t h o nnext spring.Visit her blogat www.tea-

marcia-runningmouth.blogspot.com.


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Its elevating and humbling at the same time.

Running along a beach at sunrise

with no other footprints in the sand,

you realize the vastness of creation,your own insignicant space in the plan,

how tiny you really are,

your own creatureliness

and how much you owe to the supreme body,

the God that brought

all this beauty and harmony into being.

-Sister Marion Irvine, Olympic Marathon Trials qualifer


This Mother Can Run 1110

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