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February 2009
Let’s go surfin’ now …
From my surfin’, camping, paddlin’, trekkin’, hikin’ and just downright cool pal Kimery Duda ….
This looks awesome, doesn’t it?
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Free yoga classes
It’s time to get your bendy selves out to the park for some free yoga.
The Austin Parks Foundation, Downtown Austin Alliance and Yoga Yoga have teamed up to bring provide free, outdoor yoga classes at noon every Wednesday in March.
The classes, led by registered yoga teachers from Yoga Yoga, are open to all ages and abilities. Wear comfy clothing and bring a yoga mat. They’ll take place at Republic Square Park, 422 Guadalupe St.
For more information, contact Yoga Yoga at www.yogayoga.com or (512) 380-9800.
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Long fingernails = fast swimming
Here’s an interesting technique for swimming faster: Grow out your fingernails.
The suggestion comes from Ande Rasmussen, a former high school classmate I had lunch with recently.
Rasmussen, who is smokin’ fast in the pool, grows his nails out for six or eight weeks before a big swim meet.
The theory is that longer nails provide more surface area to push water. In races where hundredths of a second separate the winner from the rest of the pack, he argues, it can be huge.
“They’re like miniature paddles,” he says. “I think it makes a difference.”
He didn’t come up with the idea himself, but decided to try it when a friend started talking about it. He points out that Inge de Bruijn had long nails at the 2000 Olympics. (That’s her in the photo.)
He should know, too. Rasmussen set the world record (27.20 seconds) in his age group for the 50-meter backstroke last December at the U.S. Masters Swimming Short Course National Championships. He also holds the U.S.M.S. American record in the 50-meter freestyle (24.18) and the 100-meter individual medley (1:00.32), and he swam on two relays that broke world records.
To read what he has to say about swimming with longer nails, click here.
So far, Rasmussen hasn’t resorted to fake nails.
“I guess I’m not that crazy and desperate yet,” he says.
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Post marathon depression, anyone?
Feeling sad and depressed, marathoners? No purpose in life?
“Remember, post-partum depression after a big race is normal,” says my friend Ron Perry, fitness director at the Northwest Family YMCA in Williamson County. “The big high can result in a really big low … The only cure is to start training for your next one.”
I’m not quite ready to register for my next marathon like some of my friends, but post-marathon depression is fairly common, especially for first-timers like me.
It’s like any big event. You plan for months, work hard and fret nearly non-stop — and then (much to the relief of your husband) it’s over. It’s a bit of a let-down. And what will you do at 5:45 a.m. Wednesdays now that your running group has disbanded?
Some of us are basking in the rest and recovery phase of our lives. According to one rule of thumb — the one to which I am listening — runners should take an easy day for every mile of the event they just raced. That’s 26 easy days! Yay!
What’s the definition of an easy day, you ask? A day off or a run that doesn’t wear you out. Toss in some walking. Don’t go all out.
Some folks go cold turkey after a marathon. They flat out quit running. They sit on the couch and watch TV. That’s not for me.
Other folks miss the endorphin rush that running gave them. They get twitchy without exercise. Or they get depressed.
I fall into that bunch. The answer, my friends, is finding a replacement physical activity.
I didn’t do much of anything for two days after the race. Then I (very gingerly) got back in the pool. Since training for the marathon, I’d cut back from four or five swims a week to just two or three. Time to get back at it!
I’ve also got time to ride my bike more often now. And water ski season is nearly upon us!
And yes, I’ll be running again soon.
Are you suffering post-marathon depression? What’s your plan?
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It’s My Park Day needs you!
You don’t have to go to the gym or run around a track to get a good workout. You can volunteer at a park!
The Austin Parks Foundation is looking for 1,600 people to plant trees, remove non-native plants, clean up trash and do other things to improve Austin’s parks system on It’s My Park Day, March 7.
I try to volunteer every year. I’ve put in shrubs and flowers at the Deep Eddy Bath House, hauled off brush at Pease Park and cleared the bike lane along Great Northern Boulevard in years past. You can choose from 40 projects.
Registration is open at www.austinparks.org.
All volunteers get a T-shirt, snacks and drinks, plus a big helping of gratitude.
Last year, more than 1,550 people worked at 43 park improvement projects, donating more than $60,000 of labor and materials in a single day to the city of Austin parks system.
Lead sponsor is Wheatsville Food Co-op. Other sponsors includeTBG Partners, Jackson Walker LLP, PBS&J, URS, MFI Foundation, Texas Gas Service, Enviromedia Social Marketing, Randall’s, GSD&M Idea City, RGM Advisors, Barnes Gromatzky Kosarek Architects, Grande Communications, Barton Hills Neighborhood Association, Technu Extreme, REI and Hill Country Outdoors.
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(Almost) last marathoner shares story
Lara Newcomer wasn’t the first across the finish line of the Austin Marathon last weekend. She wasn’t the 100th or the 1,000th or even the 4,000th.
She was one of the last people to officially cross the finish line, and she did it with the help of her husband, other people in the race and a whole lot of folks who saw her go by and reached out to offer encouragement. It took her 7 hours and 20 minutes.
Here is her story. Thanks for sharing, Lara. And congratulations!
“Last Sunday’s marathon wasn’t my first, but it was certainly my hardest. About a month ago I was diagnosed with plantar fasciitis, which makes walking very painful at times. I stopped training and started treatments to try to let things heal up a little, but was still struggling with it. Then a week before the marathon I came down with the flu. I spent Monday and Tuesday in bed coughing and wheezing, with my fever hovering between 100 and 103.
My parents tried to talk me out of doing the marathon. But, I’ve been doing the Distance Challenge, a series of six races that started in October and totals almost 100 miles. The Austin Marathon was the last race in the challenge and if I didn’t do it, I wouldn’t get any credit for the Distance Challenge at all. So, I decided to give the marathon my best shot.
I knew when I got up Sunday morning that I wasn’t 100%, but I thought I had enough in me to do the marathon. I met up with my training partner, Shae, and two of her friends at the starting line. It all started pretty well —- I thought it was a good omen that there was a guy playing the cowbell on the Congress Avenue Bridge. It only took about three miles before I realized that my body was not going to let me keep up with the pace Shae and her friends were setting. Shae realized this and sent her friends on ahead. We slowed down a little, but I could tell that the pace was still just too fast for my poor recovering body.
By mile 8, I had decided to send Shae on ahead. I really thought I was done. I had texted Adam, my husband, that my body just couldn’t keep the pace and that I was going to quit. Shae said she’d stay with me until mile 10 because that’s where our husbands were. At mile 10, she went on ahead, but I decided that I had nothing to lose. So, I told Adam that I was just going to keep walking until I couldn’t walk anymore.
A lovely woman named Marissa had overheard me talking to Shae and to Adam and she was walking about my pace (very slow) and decided to walk with me — we decided that we would help and encourage each other. I don’t know her last name or where she’s from, but she walked with me from mile 10 until mile 23 and was a great encouragement.
By mile 13 my feet were killing me. Each step was painful and my knees were beginning to hurt because of the way I was compensating for the pain in my feet. A woman I don’t even know looked at me and told me she could tell by my face that I was dehydrated. And then my dear friend Edgar rode up on his bike. He just happened to be riding first aid and gave me a bottle of water with electrolytes and some of his wife’s “magic” pierogies. Thank God for Edgar and the water and pierogies! It was like someone flipped a switch and I suddenly had more energy and I was pretty confident that I was going to make it.
By mile 17 I wasn’t so confident anymore….the police car and official race vehicles had been right behind us since mile 15…..I knew I was the very end of the line. Everything below my hips was hurting and I really thought that something was going to seize up and I just wouldn’t be able to walk anymore. But, Edgar showed up again at mile 17 with more water and pierogies and my switch flipped again and I kept on walking.
At mile 20, I thought— heck, 6 more miles?! That’s just a 10K — I can do that in my sleep! My pace picked up a little and I really felt confident. Marissa was starting to slow down and I did all I could to encourage her.
Mile 23 nearly did me in. At that point a motorcycle policeman rode up next to us and told us that we needed to pick up the pace and catch up with the ladies in front of us or we’d have to move out of the street and on to the sidewalk and would probably not get credit for the race. Well, I nearly quit right then —- I knew my body didn’t have enough left to catch up to those women. Marissa tried to encourage me, and she found some sort of inner reserve and powered right past those women in front of us. I picked up my pace, but I couldn’t breathe and my body felt so weak. I just wanted to sit down on the curb and give up.
Adam had met me at several different spots on the course to encourage me and see how I was doing and if I needed anything. He showed up again just past mile 23. I was ready to quit, but he hopped out of the truck and started walking with me. He just wouldn’t let me stop.
Then Edgar showed up on his bike again. And there we went —- Edgar on my left, and Adam on my right (in his blue jeans and work boots). Every time I wanted to quit (which was pretty often), they talked me out of it. Edgar coached me through the hills and helped me catch a breath when I was having trouble. Every time Adam saw spectators he shouted, “You know what we have here? A marathon finisher!!! We’ve got a finisher here!!” or “You know what I see? I see a woman who looked inside for some quit but couldn’t find any!!”
There was a police woman at 23rd and Guadalupe who reminded me that pain is just weakness leaving the body. And another police woman at 20th and Guadalupe who shooed pedestrians out of the crosswalk so I didn’t have to break my stride (slow as it was). The motorcycle officers on MLK began cheering with Adam as I made my way down the hill. And then I had less than a mile to go. My body wanted to quit so badly, but I was so close.
When there were 200 meters left, a race official with a walkie talkie approached me — I was sure he was going to tell me that I was too late, they’d already closed the race. But, he held out his hand and said, “Lara, I’m the race organizer and it’s my honor to escort you across the finish line.” I burst into tears — and Adam did, too.
I turned the corner on to Congress Avenue and Adam shouted again, “Do you know what I see? I see a woman who looked inside for some quit and couldn’t find any!” And the DPS trooper standing there looked at me and said, “That’s the kind of determination we need. You should be on the force!” Adam clapped his hands, looked at me and said, “I am more proud of you than I have been in the 18 years I’ve known you. I’ve seen you do some remarkable things, but I have never seen anyone with such determination, will power and grit. You made a conscious decision all day long to keep at this and you never gave up.”
I cried, he cried … and stepped away from me, for the first time since mile 23 … so that I could have the finish line to myself. I felt like a celebrity — there were photographers and race officials and people cheering. Once I crossed the finish line, the race organizer put the medal around my neck and we had a photo op (guess there are some advantages to being last) and the workers started tearing down the finish line.
I want to thank the police officers who spent all day sitting at intersections to keep my slow butt safe. And a special thank you to those who were so encouraging to me. I also want to thank the families who stayed out in their front yards for hours to cheer on even the slowest marathoners (especially those at Rutgers Avenue and those on Avenue H). Fellow marathoners Marissa and Walt were incredible inspirations to me — I wish I knew how to contact them and thank them. And I just can’t thank Edgar and Adam enough — without them, I’m fairly certain that I’d have just sat down on the curb at 24th and Guadalupe and given up.
It took me 7 hours and 20 minutes to complete the marathon. I was the last “official” finisher. But, I did it — I conquered my weakness and my doubt and I accomplished my goal. It was an epic journey — and one I’m glad is over — but I will never forget the feeling of confidence from finishing what I set out to do.”
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Fitness freebies
Ready for some free fitness stuff?
Listen carefully — you must do two things. First, post your name on this blog. Second, email your name and snail mail address to pleblanc@statesman.com.
This week, I’ve got a speed rope, a Krav Maga book, a Biggest Loser 30-Day Jump Start book, and some Fit City running singlets (no size small). Let me know what you want.
Good luck!
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Run the Daisy 5K
Austin’s oldest footrace, the Daisy 5K and Kids K, is set for Saturday, Feb. 28.
The event raises money for Marathon Kids, a non-profit program in which school children run an incremental marathon over a six-month period.
The Daisy 5K, sponsored by the Austin Runners Club, promotes fitness and brings a bit of friendly competition and family togetherness to the Austin racing scene.
Runners take off at 8 a.m. from Rogue Equipment, 500 San Marcos St., and follow a loop course that is considered flat and fast. The race features a traditional womens-only start before the general race begins.
Registration is $32 through Feb. 25. After that, the cost increases to $37.
Registration includes a T-shirt, refreshments, a chance to win prizes, and a daisy for female finishers. Prizes will be awarded to the top three winners in each category. Online registration is available at www.austinrunners.org.
For more information, email Melissa Keller at daisy@austinrunners.org.
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Schlotzsky’s Bun Run T-shirt contest
A thumbs-up smilin’ bun, victorious buns or a Texas-sized bun?
Schlotzsky’s needs your help picking the design for the T-shirt of this year’s Schlotzsky’s Bun Run 5K.
You can vote on the five finalists at www.bunrun.com. Participants will automatically be entered in a random drawing to win one of 10 free Bun Run race entries, valued at $28 each. Voting ends Feb. 28.
The winning artist will receive $1,000 and recognition at the race on May 3. Thousands of race participants and volunteers will wear the selected masterpiece.
The Schlotzsky’s Bun Run draws about 5,000 runners and raises an average of $50,000 for Austin Sunshine Camps, a camp for at-risk and disadvantaged youths that teaches leadership, team-building and trust.
Here are the finalists:
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Probation for killing a cyclist?
It’s pretty pathetic when the widow of a bicyclist killed by a reckless driver considers two years of probation a “small victory.”
Word is out that a Hays County jury found Bradley Danz guilty of reckless driving when he struck cyclist Adam Raymond, 36, head on while rounding a curve on Mounta Gainor Road in 2007.
“It’s not what we originally hoped for but it’s a small victory in light of everything that happened and I was glad to see that the jury was unanimous in its vote that he did do something wrong,” said Libby Raibstein, Raymond’s wife.
Alvaro Bastidas, founder of Please Be Kind To Cyclists, a grass roots campaign to keep the streets safe for area bicyclists, called with the news yesterday. He was happy to see a driver finally convicted for striking a bicyclist.
Raibstein and Bastidas are right in one way. We’ve seen over and over examples of how motorists aren’t held responsible when they injure or kill bicyclists.
But really, this victory is on paper only.
Because if Fred Weber, first assistant district attorney for Hays County, is right, Danz will receive two years of probation for his crime. He is due to be sentenced next month on the misdemeanor charge.
That’s it?
Danz drives recklessly, kills a bicyclist, shatters his wife’s life and gets a couple of years probation? How can that happen?
A Department of Public Safety report stated that Danz’s pickup truck swerved into the middle of the road as he rounded the curve about 6:30 a.m.
The misdemeanor charge came after a Hays County grand jury failed to indict Danz on felony charges of criminally negligent homicide.
What will it take to make motorists responsible for what they do?
Learn more about Please Be Kind to Cyclists at www.bekindtocyclists.com.
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Check out the new Bicycle Master Plan
Big news, Austin bike commuters. We’re wheeling toward a new Bicycle Master Plan.
The City of Austin Bicycle Program began compiling an updated plan after a series of meetings about a year ago. Now they want to know what you think about it.
The plan aims to get more people on bikes and keep them safe while they’re cycling. It calls for new bike lanes, more signed routes, more off-street paths and more biking amenities.
You can check it out online at http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/bicycle/update2008.htm or see a copy at any Austin area library beginning Saturday.
Then, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 4, you can comment on it at an open house in the third floor training room of One Texas Center, 505 Barton Springs Road.
Final adoption could take place sometime in late spring 2009.
Neighborhood association members can attend a presentation on the Bicycle Plan Update at the monthly meeting of the Austin Neighborhoods Council on Feb. 25. For more information go to www.ancweb.org.
For more information contact Nadia Barrera, Bicycle/Pedestrian Project Coordinator for the city of Austin at nadia.barrera@ci.austin.tx.us or (512) 974-7142 or visit the City’s Bicycle Program website at: http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/bicycle/default.htm
Take a look and let me know what you think about it. What’s missing? What do you like about it?
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Let’s run Kelso out of town!
Did you read John Kelso’s column today? Click here.
Poor Kelso. I don’t blame him for being ticked off. I’d be ticked off too, if I was stuck in my Lexus driving up and down MoPac while thousands of people were out improving their cardiovascular fitness.
Clearly, he should have parked his car, gotten out and joined the fun. He could have gotten a little exercise on the way to his speaking engagement. He’d also be a lot less crotchety.
Heck, I’d round up a pair of Texas flag shorts for Kelso if he’d run farther than here to the nearest chicken-fried steak joint.
Kelso, do you hear me? Flag shorts. For you!
Heck, he’s probably scared to run. A couple of years ago, when Lamar Boulevard was torn up during construction, Kelso and I raced from Auditorium Shores to 24th Street. He was in a fancy convertible car; I was on my bike. I had to wait so long for him to show up I was stretched out on a stone wall napping when he finally arrived, grouchy because of the traffic. I was experiencing a post-cycling high. If more folks ran and walked and biked everywhere, we’d all be a lot more cheerful.
Kelso thinks we should have a law prohibiting more than eight runners from assembling in one spot. I think we should have a law prohibiting people from getting so out of shape and stressed out that they wind up in hospitals.
He’s not the only one a little hot under the collar about this. I came back from lunch today and listened to an anonymous message on my voice mail. (Why is it that people who leave nasty messages don’t leave their names or numbers?)
“I just got off phone with John Kelso,” Mr. Grumpy Pants raged into my phone. “He’s not too happy about you runners, either, and we’re both just overjoyed that you’re going through (expletive deleted) after the race, haha …”
He added that now might be the time to come get us — “when you can’t run away.”
“Y’all need to quit taking up the (expletive deleted) streets, you need to run someplace else. We’re going to possibly even file a lawsuit against the city for constantly blocking this city up.”
“You’ve got the whole state of Texas to run in — why don’t you go look at it? There’s no (expletive deleted) excuse for this, this is just not funny any more.”
Well, let’s see.
I’m all for events that promote fitness. Too many of us are overweight and lead sedentary lifestyles. We need to move, and large group events that encourage people to do that are one way to improve the health of our community.
Runners thrive on running through urban areas, with thousands of people out cheering them on. I’m not sure running through cow pastures would have the same appeal.
Another point? Marathon organizers say that 82 percent of the runners who participated in this year’s event come from outside the 512 area code. That’s 10,700 out-of-towners, with a direct dollar spending of $15 million and a net economic impact on the city of $12 million, says race director John Conley. A good thing, especially in this down economy!
Early reports show that the Austin Marathon generated nearly $200,000 for charity, too, led by $130,000 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society “Team in Training.”
One more thing: Anytime an event requires street closures, organizers must get city permits and notify businesses that will be affected. That’s getting more and more difficult. Organizers of the upcoming Zooma Half Marathon decided to stage their race in Bastrop to avoid jumping through the hoops required to stage their race here. That saves Austin a traffic jam, true, but it also directs hotel and restaurant dollars to our east.
That’s not to say I don’t sympathize with Kelso and Mr. Grumpy Pant’s frustrations. (Hey, it’s why I ride my bike to work once a week. No traffic jams!) I just hope there is a way we can minimize traffic impact and still have foot races.
Please, some input?
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After the marathon…
(Here I am at about Mile 17.)
So, how’s everyone feeling out there today? I bet you can relate to this video:
It’s the day after the Austin Marathon and I, for one, can barely walk. I slept like a hibernating bear last night, and this morning I’m hobbling like Quasimodo. My quads are so sore! Two of my toes look hideous (funny, I didn’t even notice they hurt yesterday while I was running) and my whole body just feels pooped.
Oddly, though, I feel better today than I did after the RunTex 20-miler. What’s up with that?
I brought my finisher’s medal with me to work so I can look at it constantly. Yes, I’m proud.
I’m enjoying the day of rest and refueling. I can’t seem to get enough food in my belly, but I’m giving it my darndest.
And my running buddy Tony Plohetski had the audacity to say this to me: “I have something to tell you.” Pause. “We’re doing another marathon.”
I turned and walked away. I can’t even think about that right now.
How do you feel?
(My running buddies: Marcy Stellfox, Pam LeBlanc, coach Cindy Henges, Camille Compton, Tony Plohetski, Amanda Johnson)
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I made it!
Just a quick note to let you know I finished my first marathon.
Thanks for the physical therapy Ryan, thanks for the steady coaching Cindy, thanks for the pacing Claudia, thanks to the band and brace that held my knee together, thanks to all my running buddies, especially Marcy. And thanks to Gretchen H for pulling me along those last 2 miles.
Can’t believe it. Yay!!!
And now, a nap.
Congrats to everyone else who set out this morning to run a half or a full marathon. Way to stay fit!
And there are still freebies available. To win, post your name on this blog and email me your snail mail address. I’ll get them out Monday or Tuesday.
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Free fitness stuff!
It’s freebie time again!
I’ve got a couple of fitness books and DVDs to give away to readers. Among them are “Knockout Fitness,” a book filled with boxing workouts, and “The Biggest Loser 30-Day Jump Start,” with exercises and recipes to get you started down the path to fitness. The DVD selection includes “Dance Your Body Slim” and “Dance Off Bell Fat!” Or if you’d rather, I have some Fit City running singlets (No smalls left, sorry!) and a few other odds and ends.
To win, you’ve got to do TWO things — post your name on this blog, then send an email that includes your snail mail address to pleblanc@statesman.com.
Good luck!
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Last minute marathon news
Not much time left until marathon day, is there? I can’t believe it. But there’s lots left to do …
First, an update. I have no idea what’s going to happen come race day. My IT band didn’t really respond (yet) to the cortisone shot on Friday. I’ve done a couple of easy runs this week. On Wednesday, the IT band flared up after just 3 miles, on a downhill stretch. That didn’t bode well at all. But I wasn’t wearing the special strap under my left knee that’s supposed to keep things comfortably aligned.
I wore it this morning at physical therapy and ran 4 miles on the treadmill, no problem.
So what does that mean? Heck if I know.
I’m planning to show up at the start line, run very slowly and see what happens. Maybe it’ll be my day. Maybe it won’t. If not, I’m going to walk as much of the course as I can, enjoying the bands, the weather and the people.
I’m picking up my registration packet Friday afternoon. The Austin Marathon and Half Marathon Health and Fitness Expo is scheduled for 3 - 7 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Saturday at the Palmer Events Center, 900 Barton Springs Road. You can catch seminars about marathon strategy, fitness and health while you’re there. I’m going Friday to avoid the crowds (and the nervous energy) of Saturday.
If you haven’t registered for the race yet, you can still sign up for the marathon at the expo. The half marathon is full.
Saturday, the Alamo Drafthouse Downtown at 320 E. Sixth St. will present the documentary “Spirit of the Marathon.” An optional pasta dinner is also available. Showtime is 4:30 p.m. Talk about a great way to relax the day before the race!
My Saturday plans involve a lot of lounging around. I’m staying off my feet as much as possible.
Then, gulp, comes race day. I’m spending the night with my running buddy, so we can freak out together. The start gun will go off at 7 a.m. Sunday and we’ll surge out from Congress Avenue. Taiko drummers, jugglers, mariachis, mimes, unicyclists and others will line the street to entertain runners before they start.
Even if my dream of running the marathon falls apart after just a few miles, I’m still going to have fun out there. Race organizers have arranged for 40 (!) on-course bands. That’s more musical acts than water stops. The band Skyrocket, featuring Trish Murphy, will headline the main stage at Sixth Street and Congress Avenue, starting at 11 a.m.
For more information, go to www.youraustinmarathon.com.
And good luck to everyone!
Update: Just back from the expo. It’s pretty crowded, and I had to wait in a looooong line to get my packet. But it moved quickly. Lots of people hanging around, from Race Director John Conley to Christine Yarosh and Rick Slawsky of Medals4Mettle. Plus tons of running buddies and reps from every running store in town. It’s exciting!
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Engine 2 Diet graduation
I graduated!
My 28-day test of the Engine 2 Diet Challenge wrapped up Sunday, and on Wednesday we received diplomas. To celebrate, we feasted on spring rolls and pasta with mushroom sauce. No meat, dairy or oil in sight.
In all, about a dozen of us went through the program, shunning fats and ramping up our consumption of vegetables, legumes, whole grains and fruits. We wanted to know if we could lower our cholesterol naturally, through diet.
Rip Esselstyn, an Austin firefighter and former professional triathlete, guided us through the experiment. His book, “The Engine 2 Diet,” goes on sale Feb. 25.
So, how did it go?
Fantastic. During the month-long experiment, my total cholesterol dropped 40 points, to 168. My LDL, or lethal cholesterol, sank to 71. (My HDL, or healthy cholesterol, actually dropped more than 20 points. But that’s OK, it’s still super high, at 75.)
I feel strong and healthy. I’ve got plenty of energy.
Some of the other study participants said they had more mental clarity while eating this way. I wish I could say the same, but my mind is as muddled as ever.
On the upside, I am as regular, as Esselstyn would say, as a German commuter train. A high-fiber diet will do amazing things to your digestive system.
It wasn’t easy to eat this way all the time.
Oddly, losing meat and dairy wasn’t all that hard. It was cutting oil out that was challenging.
I craved popcorn cooked in a pot with a little oil. I got tired of having to search for bread or beans or crackers that didn’t have any oil in them. Practically everything, folks, has oil in it, unless you make it yourself. And it’s hard, hard, hard to go to restaurants and find something that’s legal.
I may not stick to this plan 100 percent, but I will take a lot away from it.
No more sauteeing in oil, for one thing. I’ll saute in a little veggie broth instead.
And I now know how to make my own hummus, by tossing chick peas, a little low-sodium soy sauce and lemon juice into the food processor. I’ll put that in sandwiches instead of (gasp!) pimento cheese.
Leafy greens are my friend! I love leafy greens! All of them! Mustard greens! Swiss chard! Spinach! Yay!
As much as I thought I would die without cheese, I didn’t. I can definitely cut back on my queso consumption.
I can make a mean sweet potato/spinach lasagna. And awesome vegeterian curry.
I didn’t eat much meat before, so that’s not much of an issue.
Another thing this has taught me? People are too quick to accept the fact that they have high cholesterol because, as they say, “it’s in their genes.” They’re too quick to try to solve the problem with a pill, too.
But why take statins if you can lower your cholesterol by eating better?
Americans eat way too much processed food. We slather everything with butter. Our food is swimming in cream sauce. Everything takes a swim in the deep fryer.
Eat that way at your own peril.
To participate in an Engine 2 Diet group with Rip himself, send inquiries to info@theengine2diet.com.
Above: That’s my husband Chris, right, receiving his diploma from Rip Esselstyn.
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I need your marathon advice
Is everyone enjoying their taper?
I sure am. I’m taking everyone’s advice that there’s no training I can do at this point to improve my chances of completing this weekend’s marathon.
I’m also doing frequent weather dances, hoping that Sunday will dawn clear and cold. (So far, forecasts call for a low of 45 and high of 66.)
As Derick Williamson of Source Endurance wrote me the other day, “Remember, the best thing you can do now is rest … No races are won in the last week before the event, but a lot of races are lost. Be smart!”
And so I’ve been taking it easy, cruising through swim practices, gently riding my bike to work and generally kicking it down several notches. As for running, what’s that? Just a few extra short trots around the neighborhood are about all that’s on my agenda.
I’m still not sure what to expect on race day. I’ve battled a torn calf and IT band issues. I’ve missed tons of training because of the injuries. I’ve been in physical therapy since Nov. 11, but I haven’t been able to run more than 6 miles since the RunTex 20-miler more than a month ago. Last week, I had a cortisone injection in my left knee. (Yes, my doctor says it’s safe to run and I’m not in danger of making my IT band worse.)
Now it’s out of my hands.
I’m showing up at the start line on Sunday with nothing but a good attitude.
I want to cross the finish line. And not in a taxi cab. But I have to be OK with the possibility that may not happen.
Do you need a final boost of motivation before the race? Source Endurance is hosting a strategy session at 8 a.m. this Saturday.
Kelly Handel Williamson, the first Austin female finisher for the 2008 Marathon (eighth female overall!), along with her husband Derick Williamson, winner of the 2007 Austin Half Marathon, will lead an easy 30-minute recovery jog and a post-run chat on what to expect from the course.
The run will leave from the Source Endurance office at 3006 Bee Caves Road, Suite C-180. Bagels and coffee will be served after the run, which is free and open to runners of all levels.
For more information or to register (Derick needs to know how many bagels to buy!), email dwilliamson@source-e.net.
What are your last-minute tips to sooth my frazzled nerves?
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Drink, drink, drink!
If you’re running the marathon or half-marathon on Sunday, bottoms up!
Remember, you can’t just drink a bunch of water the morning of the race and expect to fare well. You’ve got to drink extra fluids in the days leading up to the run.
My friend Audrey Herold, a personal trainer at the Dell Jewish Community Center (she trains my dad), was reminded of the importance of hydration after the 3M Half Marathon a few weeks ago.
Herold has always excelled at running short distances; she often wins her age group in 5K or 10K races. But she hasn’t had much experience at long distance races. So she didn’t think much about pre-hydrating before the 13.1-mile race.
“I went to the starting line not having had that much fluid,” she says. The weather was cool, too, so she didn’t feel hot and thirsty.
She did carry a bottle of watered-down Gatorade with her, and sipped a little at aid stations along the way.
It wasn’t enough.
At the end of the race, she started feeling cold. After she got home, she began to feel light-headed. Her heart started racing. “I got into bed and started shaking,” she said.
All Herold’s symptoms were signs of dehydration. She knew she needed medical attention. A friend took her to a hospital, where she received 3 liters of IV fluid.
“It was pure carelessness, because I’m not used to these long distances,” she says. “My lesson was I’ve got to drink a couple of days before, the morning of, more during the race and after,” she said.
“You always imagine people collapsing at the finish line. But I got home, felt fine for a while, then boom. It caught up to me … I feel lucky that I learned a lesson and I’m OK. I will never do that again.”
I’m learning from her mistake. Someone, hand me a glass of water, stat!
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A word with Sally Edwards
I was confused by the arrival of a new women’s triathlon series in Austin this year. In fact, I wasn’t really sure which race was new and which had been around for years.
Based on some postings on this blog, readers are confused, too. After former Danskin spokeswoman Sally Edwards (shown above) herself posted a comment a week or so ago, I called her to try to sort through the muck. Edwards is now spokeswoman for the Trek Women’s Triathlon. And former Danskin race director Maggie Sullivan now directs the Trek race.
The Trek Women’s Triathlon is set for May 17 and the Danskin SheROX Triathlon is set for June 7. Registration is now open for both races. Both will be staged at Walter E. Long Park at Decker Lake.
The triathlons sound similar. How will they be different?
“I think the series are going to be different in the athletes’ experience. I can only speak about the Trek and don’t know what other womens’ series is going to be like. Trek is the race that’s been around for 19 or 20 years. The other one is the new triathlon. It has new people and I don’t know them and don’t know what they have planned. I’ll be at starting line (of the Trek triathlon) giving everyone a high five and giving a cheer. I know that experience and it’s a first-class quality race and not some backyard triathlon. The fanfare and hoopla will be at Trek now. If that’s the experience women want, that’s the race they should go to.”
But it sounds like you’re describing the Danskin.
“If you took the name Danskin and put the name Trek on it, that is what the athlete will experience. It’s for first timers, it’s supportive … everything is exactly the same — actually a little better.”
So what’s new?
Diversity. I said I would like to have a race that’s really inclusive of women with special needs. There’s a big engine division — it’s always been called the athena division. I would like to respect women in uniform and have them have their own wave and recognize them, too. There’s a way to recognize women and their contributions in special way.
I’m still confused. You say the Trek is the race that’s been around for 19 years, but we’ve never had a Trek Women’s Triathlon in Austin.
“The message is the sponsors all went to Trek, Sally Edwards went to Trek, Team Survivor went to the Trek series. When you look on other womens’ triathlon site you don’t see those things.”
Is there room for two women’s triathlons in Austin?
“I see the sport of triathlon in a very strong growth mode. I’d like to have as many different events as we possibly can and many different options for women.”
So why are you no longer attached to Danskin?
“I’m an entrepreneur, and when Maggie Sullivan said, ‘I’ve been doing the corporate world 18 years and I want to go out and own my own business,’ I could either support Danskin or my very close friend. It was really hard … but when you see every single person in the organization — Sally Edwards, the race director, the swim angels — going to the new series, you have to say ‘Where am I going to put my face?’ The veterans are committed to women in triathlon just like they’ve always been. What I care about is women are staying fit and they’re in the game and showing up at the starting line.”
Did you “jump ship” from Danskin?
“There’s a lot of confusion. I didn’t jump ship. It was a very, very difficult decision. It wasn’t easy. If I stayed (with Danskin) I’d be with a race group I didn’t know. I’m fiercely loyal, and I was with Danskin 19 years. I’m going to make this my 20th year … I’m going to do it with the people where my heart is.”
What will make the Trek race special?
“There is magic and the magic is the secret sauce of what we do. We care more about compassion and the final finisher and supporting women. Sometimes we call it kumbayah — sometimes it’s more of a love fest than a triathlon. It’s real stuff, it’s not phony. I cry and I’ve been doing it all these years. We celebrate every single woman whether they’re a skinny triathlete or a big athena triathlete. Where that experience will happen is at Trek.”
Any final thoughts, Sally?
“This is a big year for me. I’m going to be 62 and I started when I was 4 What I’m passionate about is getting America fit and this opportunity to help lead women off the couch and onto the starting line. It’s a long journey and it’s the joy of my life.”
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Is going to work ruining your health?
Is going to the office making you fat? Are long hours keeping you from exercising?
Two Austin fitness professionals are teaming up to present a workshop to stop that from happening.
Certified personal trainer Karen Shopoff Rooff and nutrition counselor Allison Reyna will present a workshop designed to teach participants how to incorporate healthy habits into their work day.
“Fabulously Fit and Deliciously Fed in the Workplace” will include practical advice about integrating fitness into everyday work routines. Participants will learn exercises that can be done at an office desk or in a cubicle. Also on the agenda? Strategies for healthy eating, even when working long hours.
The workshop costs $25 and will be held from 3-5 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 8 at Soma Vida, 1210 Rosewood Ave. To reserve a space, contact Allison@foodaslife.com or 542-3354.
Shopoff Rooff is owner of Balance Personal Fitness Training, and Reyna owns Food as Life.
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Marathon update
Whew! No meniscus tear!
I had a scare yesterday. At the end of my physical therapy appointment, I was going to get a cortisone injection. But instead of a cortisone injection, I got an MRI. The doctor thought I might have a meniscus tear.
Turns out I don’t. I got the injection today instead, and now that I’ve had an MRI, I know for sure there is nothing structurally wrong with my knee.
That’s a relief. I will at least make it to the start line of the Austin Marathon on Feb. 15.
In other marathon news, I just came back from a meeting with organizers of the race, now in its 18th year. So far, a total of 13,800 runners have signed up for the marathon or half marathon. The half has already reached capacity, but registration for the full marathon continues on-line through Sunday.
Organizers have tons of great entertainment lined up for the event, from bands to BMX bikers. They’re making the event as green as they can, pushing recycling and cutting down on waste. In all, 2,000 volunteers and 225 medical staffers will be on hand come race day.
And here’s some good news. I know it’s early, but we’ve got a weather forecast, folks: High of 63, low of 40, and sunny. Humidity, my biggest concern, is supposed to be low.
Let’s hope conditions don’t heat up any more. Organizers are making plans for a “hot weather” race just in case they do.
Other cool news? I didn’t see one, but finisher’s medals are supposed to be extra nice. The half-marathon medal, I hear, has a “stained glass” component.
I hope I earn my very first full marathon medal!
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Is it a meniscus tear?
Surprising and possibly ominous news from physical therapy land this morning…
I made my weekly trip to Sports Performance International to help ease what was presumed to be a sore IT band.
I ran for an hour on the treadmill, pain free. I was wearing a special band that wraps around my leg, just below the knee. My physical therapist thought it might prevent the pain I’ve been feeling when I run more than about 4.5 miles.
And it worked. We thought.
My dreams of actually finishing the Austin Marathon next weekend came briefly and ever so clearly into focus.
Then I headed back to see the doctors, who were considering giving me a cortisone shot. During the examination, my left knee made a weird and painful pop when Dr. Ted Spears moved it a certain way.
That won me a ticket for an MRI. Spears thinks I may have a meniscus tear.
I’m hoping he’s wrong. I should know later today or tomorrow morning.
Somebody really doesn’t want me to do this marathon, do they?
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Lose weight, earn shoe discounts
An Austin shoe store has come up with a clever way to bring in customers — for every pound they lose in 2009, they earn $1 in store credit.
To qualify for the “Walk it Off Austin” program, participants must sign up and weigh in at Total Relief Footwear, 13492 U.S. Highway 183 North, No. 250. They get $1 off their purchase for each pound they drop between now and Dec. 31. Those who reach a weight loss goal of 30 pounds or more qualify for more prizes.
Walking for exercise can be painful for people struggling with obesity. The extra weight stresses the joints of the feet, ankles, knees, hips and back.
“We see people every day that desperately want to start walking for health, but can’t because of pain,” store owner Cam White says in a press release that came across my desk. “It’s very gratifying when we can outfit our customers in footwear solutions that reduce skeletal impact and enable them to start walking again.”
Total Relief Footwear sells Z-CoiL Pain Relief Footwear, Aetrex, MBT, Finn Comfort, fitflop, Helle Comfort, Think!and El Naturalista brands. They also carry customizable slip-resistant shoes for restaurant workers and COFRA® customizable safety shoes for construction and manufacturing workers.
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Runner attacked in NW Austin
A 19-year-old man tried to kidnap and sexually assault a runner in Northwest Austin last week.
I know runners aren’t immune to crime, but it’s pretty shocking to hear that this happened in broad daylight. At the very least, it’s a good reminder that we need to take precautions when we’re out logging our daily miles.
Police arrested the man, 19-year-old Arnold Jenssen, who ran up to a woman on Spicewood Club Drive a little after noon last Wednesday and knocked her down, an arrest affidavit said. The woman fought back, and Jenssen fled in his SUV.
Police later arrested Jenssen on traffic warrants. During an interview, Jenssen told police that he intended to take the woman to another location where he would have sexually assaulted her, the affidavit said.
What can we do to stay safer while running?
- Run in a group. There’s safety in numbers.
- Pay attention. Don’t get so wrapped up with what’s on your iPod that you don’t constantly scan your surroundings.
- Run in populated areas.
- Let someone know where you’ve gone.
- Run during daylight when possible. (Obviously this didn’t help in this case, but you’re still generally safer when it’s light outside.)
As for Jenssen, he has been charged with attempted aggravated kidnapping, a second-degree felony, and attempted sexual assault, a third-degree felony. He is in the Travis County Jail with bail set at $100,000.
If you’ve got any more safety tips, please post them here. Also, I’m interested to hear about any situations you’ve had while on a run.
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Registration opens for Danskin SheROX Triathlon
More on the women’s triathlon wars heating up in Austin…
First, I’m trying to hook up a phone interview with former Danskin spokeswoman Sally Edwards sometime this week, so check back. Edwards is now working with the Trek Women’s Triathlon Series. If you have any specific questions for her, post them here and I’ll try to get some answers.
Danskin has announced that it is teaming with the SheROX Triathlon Series to present its triathlon series this year. The series will be called the Danskin SheROX Triathlon. The triathlon will consist of a half-mile swim, 12-mile bike and 3.1-mile run. The date of the Austin event is June 7 at Walter E. Long Park at Decker Lake.
Registration for the Danskin SheROX Austin opens today. Cost for individual entry is $85 until April 26 and $95 thereafter. Cost for relay team entry is $140 until April 26 and $165 thereafter. Go to www.danskinsheroxtri.com to register.
Training plans, course maps and cue sheets, hotel information and directions will be available soon.
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Will massage save my marathon?
I had a massage for lunch today.
After my knee locked up at mile 5 of a 10 mile run yesterday, I’m making a last ditch effort to cure myself before Austin Marathon day, which is now two weeks away.
I must say, I’m getting less optimistic as time ticks slowly on. Perhaps, though, there is still hope.
A brief recap: I started training for the marathon in September. I tore a calf muscle in November. That healed, and I built back up and ran the RunTex 20 miler ago. At mile 18, something happened to my left leg. Turns out it was my IT band, a common injury among first-time marathon runners. We’re not used to all that pounding. I finished the race, but as my friend Marcy would say, I ran like Quasimodo.
Since that day a month ago, I haven’t been able to run more than 4 miles at a time. I’ve seen a doctor, been to physical therapy and done about 20,000 hip strengthening exercises.
I’m beginning to understand why I am a swimmer, not a runner.
Still, I want to do the marathon!
I must be honest. Today’s massage, by Jessica Ortiz-Price at AustinDeep Massage, was far from relaxing. It’s not fun to have knots and tightness worked out of your legs. But my physical therapist recommended a good deep tissue massage, and I’m following orders.
I lay on a table, covered in a sheet, and whimpered slightly while Ortiz-Price prodded and poked and pressed on my injured leg. Whoooie did it feel good when she stopped and switched to the other leg!
Many experienced runners I know swear by a regular massage. I’ve only had three or four in my life.
Perhaps I wouldn’t be in this fix if I got a massage more often. How often do you get one?
The photo, by the way, shows Ortiz-Price giving running coach Gilbert Tuhabonya a deep tissue massage.
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More freebies!
This is it, folks. Your chance to win fabulous fitness freebies!
Please follow these instructions carefully. You must do TWO things to have a chance to win — first, post your name (or a nickname) on the comment section of this blog. That’s so I can see who posted first and give stuff away in that order. Second, send your name and snail mail address to me at pleblanc@statesman.com.
This time, I’ve got a stack of fitness DVDs to hand out. We’ve got everything from “Banish Fat Boost Metabolism” to “Tai Chi for Beginners.” Other titles? “Country Line Dance,” “Totally Fit Mel,” “Walking Strong” and “No More Trouble Zones.”
I’ve also got a nice water bottle, some Fit City running singlets, and a few odds and ends from the fitness grab bag.
Let me know what item you’d prefer. First folks to CORRECTLY follow directions get the prizes.
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