Team Member Judy wants to know what's on your IPOD?

WHAT'S ON YOUR IPOD?

I don't know about everyone else, but for me, the I-Pod has made it possible for me to run again. Getting my former couch potato self off and running always meant dealing with that part of myself that whines loudly and unceasingly, like a kid on a cross country road trip. You know what I mean. "I can't breath." "My feet hurt." "Are we done yet?" "You mean we've only gone one tenth of a mile?" "We always run down this road, can't we do something different?" "If we don't stop right now, I'm going to have a heart attack. Really. I mean it."

Music on the MP3 player works as well as puzzles, snacks, books and auto lotto worked to occupy my sister and me back in the 1960s or, in my daughter's case, a portable DVD player and her Gameboy.

It's not like listening to the radio, since there are no commercials and you know that every song you'll hear is something you like. I've found that I need bright music with a good beat, nothing dark or heavy metal. The absolute best is Bruce Springsteen. When "Born To Run" comes around, I'm always re-energized, practically sprinting as I mouth "Tramps like us, baby, we were born to ruuuuuuuuuuuuun!" I also like hearing him do "Badlands" and a song called "American Land" which always reminds me of seeing him in concert last April. It's an uplifting Celtic tune with filddles and accordions and you just can't help but move your feet.

Other songs that get me going are "Copper Head Road" by Steve Earl, "Bad To The Bone" by George Thorogood, "Tusk" by Fleetwood Mac and "Beds Are Burning" by Midnight Oil. A good saxophone solo helps, too, like the riff in Gerry Rafferty's "Baker Street."

Of course, you do need to be careful running with headphones on, as you're not as likely to hear cars coming. I'm lucky enough to live in a subdivision where there's not much traffic and most of my route is in an uninhabited development. The only people using the roads there are other runners, cyclists and people walking their dogs. I just hope the housing market stays flat and no one moves back there for at least another year or two.

So, I'm curious. What's the song that gets you past the wall and keeps you going to the end?

Advice for getting started--Team Member Dinneen

As an on-again, off-again runner (and as a health & nutrition counselor) one thing people often ask me is how to get started running (or exercising, for that matter). Whether it’s a friend, colleague, or client I tell them all the same thing, “just start...with one foot in front of the other.”

What I mean is to just to get out there and do it! Nobody starts off running 5 miles right away. They all start off slow. It takes patience, practice, and most of all, a desire to get outside and have some fun.

For clients who currently don’t exercise, I tell them to just start walking. Even if it’s around the block a few times. Then slowly begin walking further and longer. Then you can start adding small bits of running in between. For example, walk 5 minutes, jog for 2 minutes, walk for 5, run for 2, etc. The thing is to start of small and slowly build up.

For beginners or the non-athlete, a good book to read is John Bingham’s “The Courage to Start.” John is a columnist for Runner’s World Magazine and was “once an overweight couch potato” (taken from his website - so his words, not mine!), who at 43 started running and hasn’t looked back. His books talk about his transformation from being a sedentary guy to a runner and athlete. His writing is funny, uplifting, and best of all, inspires you and tells you how to get started yourself. You’ll read about his struggles, frustrations, along with his triumphs and happy moments. Running, like many things in life, can be tough and not always easy, but the rewards make it all worthwhile.

Like John, I’m a regular person just trying to get some exercise, keep my weight down (I love to eat!), be healthy, but most of all, feel a sense of accomplishment and have fun.

That, my friends, is what running (and life) is all about. Having some fun.

So if you too have an on-again, off-again running relationship, I invite you to not only follow my running progress, but to join me on the road to becoming a real “runner.” We’ll have good days, bad days, days when we want to quit, days when we can’t imagine quitting, and days when we wonder why the heck we ever started running. As John Bingham says, “the miracle isn’t that I finished, the miracle is that I had the courage to start.” So just have the courage to start.

Guest Blogger Nicole gives back to Bay Area girls

Nicole has found a way to give back to young girls while incorporating her passion.

I have been a runner since I was 13 (currently 27). I have always enjoyed running, and believe there is a real value to not only your physical health but also to your mental health. Being a runner, gave me the confidence I needed as a teenager to get through all of the challenges one can face not only as a teenager, but also as a young woman who desired to succeed under very challenging circumstances. As an adult, I look back and wonder how different my life would have been without track or cross country. Since this was such a great benefit to me, I got involved with an organization that teaches girls about the importance of staying active, being a part of a team and building that self confidence at an early age to carry through the rest of her life. I am currently involved with Girls on the Run of the Bay Area and have taken a role as the events chair.

Girls on the Run is an after-school running program for girls that teaches the importance of exercise while also teaching them about empowerment, self-respect, friendship, teamwork, and goal setting. Many of the girls deal with death, violence, and other uncertainties in their communities every day.

Have you figured out a way for your passion to benefit others?

Guest Blogger Deborah tells how she went from hate to love

Deborah's story is like so many of the one that we hear from the women we meet at the expos.

I used to hate running. I even talked about it on my radio show today about how in high school, I would try out for the track team just to force myself to like running. Of course, it didn’t work, and I'd just end up quitting because I hated it so much. I even found reasons NOT to run in gym class. I couldn't imagine anyone liking running. I was very into fitness (off and on) but aerobic weight training was really my thing.

It wasn't until about four years ago that I decided I was going to learn to run and LIKE it by golly. I found a training program online that promised to turn me into a 5K runner in only 12 wks. As I laughed, I said, "€œOh yeah, try me," (insert an evil witch laugh here). I vowed to finish the entire 12 week program no matter what, and guess what? I did. I run almost exclusively now and enjoy it greatly.

I also was blessed about that time with our first child after years of infertility tests and failed treatments. Being able to take her with me for a jog in a stroller was going to be much easier than holding her while trying to lift weights and do a grapevine. No matter what I did, I was determined to be a positive influence on her and show her that you can do anything you want . . . even RUNNING!

With all that said, I will say that if I had to classify, I'€™d say I'm more a jogger than a runner, but either way, it's not walking and not aerobics, and it works for me.

Deborah W.

Is your story similar? We want to hear about it.

Guest Blogger Tracy H. gives us her secret to stay focused and relieve stress

Tracy shares her secret for keeping her entrepreneurial spirit focused.

Dear {SheRuns}:

I must admit, I was going to wait to write you this comment until after I ran, but thought I better do it now!

I am someone who started running later in life. I started running five years ago (I'm 43 now). I was never a runner but decided to start so I could lose weight. I had always been a swimmer, who never liked the idea of actually sweating to get in shape. I started running up and down in my pool because that was easy (and familiar territory)! I ran until the snow flakes started flying in mid-October (in Syracuse, NY), and my husband told me he had to cover the pool! I moved inside my house to continue running in there. I didn't buy a treadmill right away, because I wasn't sure I'd stick with it long enough to warrant the expense. So instead I just jogged up and down in place for 20 minutes every day!

By Spring, I started running outside around the perimeter of my large, rural house (too embarrassed to run in "public" yet). After my sister, a cross country runner in high school, came and gave my running style a "thumbs up" I finally decided to run in public with all the other sane runners in town. That was six years ago. I have been addicted every since! I run every single day, usually 3 miles a day and mainly to get my entrepreneurial energy out of my system. I can't imagine living without it. Running helps me take out negative business energy and replace it with positive, constructive thoughts, solutions and energy.

Last year, I took my new love one step further. I ran in my first 5K race. I am the President of Women TIES (Women Together Inspiring Entrepreneurial Success), a company that promotes women entrepreneurship in New York State. One of my members organized a race to raise money for her foundation, Maureen's Hope Foundation. It was sponsored by Anheuser-Busch, Inc. in Baldwinsville, New York. I told my members I was "running for women entrepreneurs." At the end of the race, when they handed out the beautiful Michelob Ultra Beer Bottle first place trophies, my name was called. Surprisingly enough, I finished first place for my age group! I must admit it was one of the proudest moments of my entrepreneurial and personal career! My beautiful Michelob trophy sits proudly next to my very formal looking SBA Women in Business Champion Award! I'm proud to be recognized for promoting women entrepreneurship as well as winning first place in my first race!

Does running help you stay focused or relieve stress?

Guest Blogger Jennifer G.

Jennifer runs with her girlfriends to stay motivated and to reconnect....

My name is Jennifer G., I live in the Washington D.C. metro area and I have run (on and off) since high school. (Considering the fact that I am 36 now, I think it falls into the “whole life” category.) I didn’t actually start running in races until my early thirties though. I have developed an intense love with the sport since then. My favorite quote? “My sport is your sport’s punishment!”

Every Saturday I get together with a couple of girlfriends (and an occasional guy friend) to do my long run. We run a minimum of ten miles right now. We are currently in training for the Ragnar Relay in Washington D.C. (183 miles) and the Baltimore Half Marathon.

Do you run with friends or family? How do you stay motivated?

A survivor's story--guest blogger Katie D.P.

A survivor's story...

I've been running since my divorce in 1984. I ran intermittently until January 2004 when I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I ran most of the way thru chemo until my feet blistered and I couldn't run any more. I read an article about that time that said that running and regular exercise had as big an impact on reducing the chances of cancer recurrence as chemo --- so I started running again. Worked my way up to 3 miles a day and ran my first half-marathon last year. When my fellow survivors put together a calendar, the idea was to show something about yourself that was different post cancer so I posed in nothing but my running shoes.



Katie D. P.

Katie M. shares her love of running

Meet another runner who loves it--Katie M.

I {just}turn{ed} 27 and started running October of 2006. I have had asthma for as long as I can remember, and I never looked at myself as a runner…athletic, yes…runner, no! I used to make jokes that I only run when people are chasing me. I have a large bust and tried to use that as an excuse that it hurt my back to run. I was never seriously overweight, but was never skinny…a healthy size 12 since middle school. I tried to run in high school to get fit, but could not find the motivation to get me past the “I am going to die…really, my chest is closing and I have pain in my heart,” feeling. I played softball mostly (was a catcher) and worked through various knee injuries, like surgery, etc. that provided more excuses for me not to run.

I then started a program to learn how to eat better… I started to lose weight. I then ventured to the gym (knowing that you need both the right diet and exercise to get more fit) and thought maybe I will get on the treadmill and run until I can’t run any more. It helps that the gym had TVs in front of every treadmill! After 10 minutes, I was winded and sweaty…so I got off and lifted some weights…then the next time I was in the gym, I ran again…adding a little more time as a friend suggested. I started to lose more weight and became more fit…I could tell by the way my clothes fit, not the scale.

I started sleeping better at night and was generally more with it at work…I began to crave my runs. I finally understand what people mean by endorphins (I was convinced they were fabricated by the running industry.) I still (try to) run between 20-30 minutes five-times a week. I learned that I am not a distance runner and that I don’t have to be. It is hard to keep up the routine and I still go looking for my excuses when my boyfriend says, “why don’t you go for a run, it will make you feel better!” But, when I do remember the feeling and get back on the treadmill, I feel like I am back to normal…and I just keep telling myself that it is the old me that is chasing me, so keep running!

Katie M.

Do you love or hate running? We want to hear your story.

Upcoming Events

SheRuns is hitting the road over the next few weeks and we'd love to see you.

Hope in Motion 10K & 5K Run/Walk
Sunday, August 03, 2008, 08:00 AM
Lake Merritt
568 Bellevue Ave
Oakland, CA 94612

America's Finest City
August 15-16

Disneyland Half Marathon
August 29-30, 2008

Come see us if you are in the area or participating in one of these events.

The trials and tribulations of a 40 year-old woman's running experience!

Read Dinneen's post and be inspired by her enthusiasm!

I am a Health and Nutrition Counselor (aka. Health & Wellness Coach) and what I do is empower women with the tools to find a healthful relationship with food and their bodies, so they can gain control of their weight with a 'non-diet' mentality. Women today are so confused by all of the nutrition and diet info out there that they no longer know how, what, when or even why to eat. I teach them how to Eat Without Guilt, while still eating healthy and nourishing their bodies AND their minds.

I'm a big proponent of exercise (for both myself and my clients) and over many, many years have dallied with running - but never been able to make it a habit. I belong to a gym, keep in shape, and run here & there - but have not stuck to a regular regimen of running (at the gym I lift weights, use the elliptical machines, take classes, use the treadmill, etc).

This past June I turned 40 (gulp!) and decided once and for all to start running regularly. (there's just something about turning 40 for a woman...time to FINALLY get those lifelong goals into play!) I knew that in order to do that (run REGULARLY) I needed a GOAL - I feel setting goals is important whether it be for weight loss, to improve one's fitness, health, or even personal aspirations. So I took the plunge and registered for the Walt Disney World Half-Marathon taking place next January, 2009.

I've always wanted to run a full-marathon. So registering for a half-marathon is a way to get there. I'm realistic and know that it takes one step at a time, and what better way to eventually running a FULL marathon than first running a half-marathon.

Why have I always wanted to run a marathon?

1) to get into better shape (one can always improve...)
2) use it as an excuse to travel running various events (I enjoy traveling, have visited many places, and even lived in France for 5 years)
3) as a proud accomplishment (if I can finish a marathon, I can do anything!)
4) it's always been a goal of mine
5) I was born and raised a Bostonian - the Boston Marathon is in our blood...the late Johnny Kelley is a HERO here (I know, he's a hero to ALL runners, not just Bostonians!)

Yeah, I've always wanted to run a marathon but never took any ACTION so I could actually DO IT. Well now that has changed!

I will LOVE to log my progress and my training (which is just beginning), tell interesting & funny stories of my love/hate relationship with running, and motivate others to get out there and run (for body AND mind). And who would be better suited to tell their story on their quest than a 40 year-old Health & Wellness Coach who helps & inspires women to eat better, gain more self-confidence, and have a better body image.

Yes, that would be ME.

I invite you to visit my website: www.EatWithoutGuilt.com to learn more about me (read the "About Me" section) and what I do.

Warmly,
Dinneen

Guest Blogger Judy N., -an inspiration

We told you we'd have some new "team mates" posting and here is our first of many more to come. Judy N. is an inspiration and we love her story!

Hi.

I'm a 52 year old woman who's recently gotten back into running after quite some time. I haven't done any serious running since I was 25 and as I got older and heavier I never intended to do it again. But this year, after losing 28 pounds, I decided that I wanted to run a triathlon. So I strapped on my trainers and ran up the road for exactly 10 minutes and 48 seconds before I felt like I was going to collapse right there. Not much of a start.

But I kept at it, and I got so I was looking forward to it. Being able to listen to my favorite songs on my MP3 player made it fun. Pretty soon I was running two miles and then three miles.

As it turned out, the triathlon fell by the wayside. I didn't have a chance to swim in open water and I am not that fast at cycling. The event held locally in Wilmington requires everyone to finish in two hours and 15 minutes, and that just wasn't going to happen.

So I did the next best thing. I entered the Wilmington NC Tri-Span Race (it does have "tri" in the title just like "tri"athlon).

I finished the 5K race with a time of 37:53. My goal was 1) to run the entire race without stopping to walk, which I did, and 2) not to come in last, which I also managed to pull off, finishing 72nd out of 92 females, and I placed second in the 50-54 age group Only 16 seconds separated me from the first place finisher, so if I'd pushed a little harder, I could have won my category.

I can't wait to run another race. I love the feeling when everyone starts out together and everyone cheers. And I'm at the point in life where they give me a prize for showing up.

Judy N.
Wilmington, NC

Thanks for sharing Judy. Do you have a story to share? We'd love to hear it!