9 down, 9 to go...

This will be a quick recap of the total week, then I will post about our event on Saturday.

This week was our half Ironman at Pacific Crest. While we were tapering for this event, we knew it was also just another training day on the road to Ironman. So, we pushed things a bit during the week. The weather kept us from getting in a super long ride on Sunday, but that's okay....

Here's how the week went...

Sunday: 9 mile run. Planned an 85 mile bike ride, but it was raining, so we relaxed instead.
Monday: Spin for 60 minutes
Tuesday: 30 mile bike ride, 40 minute run
Wednesday: 45 minute swim
Thursday: rest
Friday: rest
Saturday: Pacific Crest Half Ironman - 50 minute swim, 3 hour and 45 minute bike ride, 2 hour and 45 minute run

Total for the week:
Swim: 1 hour and 35 minutes
Bike: 7 hours and 15 minutes
Run: 5 hours
Weights: rest week
Total: 13 hours and 50 minutes

8 down, 10 to go...

This week was back to a higher volume. We really did a lot of swimming this week - all open water. As I mentioned in previous posts, I get so anxious! These swims were good and I feel ready for our Half Ironman next weekend.

It is strange that the upcoming Half Ironman is our first triathlon of the season and part of training for Ironman Cananda. Last year, it was our big event for the year and we trained all summer long for it.

I have been looking back on my posts and my notes from last year's training and I noticed a common theme - I was ALWAYS tired. Exhausted. I think that had more to do with my mental state than anything else. I was working at the paper at the time and I was getting up at 4 am to get my training done. Then I would come home and do a second workout. Just thinking about that makes me tired. I remember days when I would lay my head on my desk at work because I couldn't hold it up any longer.

This year, we started with a much higher base of fitness and we have really pushed our training to the next level. So while I do feel tired, I don't feel completely exhausted every single minute of every single day. Progress...right?

Here's how the week went...

Sunday: 1.3 mile (45 minute) swim, 52 mile bike (3 hours 40 minutes), 6.5 (one hour and 10 minutes) mile run.
Monday: Spin for 60 minutes!
Tuesday: 45 min upper body weights, 40 minute run
Wednesday: 60 min spin classes, 30 minute swim
Thursday: 45 minutes upper body weights, 40 minute run
Friday: 40 minute swim
Saturday: 45 minute swim

Total for the week:
Swim: 2 hours and 40 minutes
Bike: 5 hours and 40 minutes
Run: 2 hour and 30 minutes
Weights: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Total: 11 hours and 20 minutes

7 down, 11 to go

The week after the marathon, time for a little recovery! Last week was crazy, with over 16 hours of training, this week was really light, around 6 hours. Next week we will ramp things back up.

This week we completed our first open water swims of the season. We've been putting time in the pool over the past months, but we haven't been outdoors until now. The first swim of the season always has the ability to scare the crap out of me. I can swim non-stop for over an hour in the pool, but I get in the pond for the first time and I feel like I don't know how to swim at all. I panic. I feel anxious for the entire swim and never really fall into a groove. Then I worry about the events we have coming up and wonder how in the hell I am going to survive. That sets off a whole new panic...I'm in over my head, can I get out of it? its too soon, I haven't put in enough work. I think those things while I am in the water, then for the next two days until I get back into the water.

We swam on Tuesday - two laps around the pond. It was tough. I couldn't relax. The good thing is that last year, the first swim of the season was only one lap and I barely made it. I am much further along now. Which is good news because we have a Half Ironman Triathlon two weeks from tomorrow (gulp).

We swam again on Thursday and I'll be honest....I didn't want to. I was scared. I spent the entire day hoping that the rain wouldn't stop and we wouldn't have to go. It did stop and we did go. It was a GREAT swim. We did the same two laps and I fell into a comfortable rhythm after just a few strokes. That sure helped my confidence!

We'll swim four times next week and then at least once the following week. So I will get at least 5 more open water swims before our event. That will be enough to get the kinks worked out and be comfortable. I know I can do this. I did it last year and this year I am in much better condition and have spent much more time preparing.

Time to get excited and stop being scared.

Here's how the week went...

Sunday: rest, day after marathon - 90 minutes massage...ahhhhh.
Monday: Spin for 60 minutes - man my legs were sore!
Tuesday: 60 min upper body weights, 35 minute swim
Wednesday: 60 min spin classes - legs were feeling better
Thursday: 60 minutes upper body weights, 30 minute swim (same course, just faster!)
Friday: 10k run - ran and marked the course for the ARC in Motion event that I am race directing on Saturday
Saturday: rest

Total for the week:
Swim: 1 hour and 5 minutes
Bike: 2 hours
Run: 1 hour and 10 minutes
Weights: 2 hour
Total: 6 hours and 15 minutes

6 down, 12 to go

This has been a long week. We had two big workouts in the last 7 days. The longest bike ride ever and a marathon. The time we put in was over just 4 days, with three days of rest....

Here is how the week went.
Sunday: 1.75 hour run (10 miles), 68 miles bike ride (took 5.75 hours, lots of hills and some breaks), 10 minute transition run
Monday: rest
Tuesday: 40 min run, 60 min upper body weights
Wednesday: 1 hour and 10 minute swim and 60 min spin classes
Thursday: rest
Friday: Rest
Saturday: 26.2 mile run - 5 hours and 5 minutes

Total for the week:
Swim: 1 hour and 10 minutes
Bike: 6.75 hours
Run: 7 hours and 40 minutes
Weights: 1 hour
Total: 16 hours and 35 minutes

Here's the crazy thing...it was fun...all of it!

5 down, 13 to go...

Its hard to even remember the beginning of this week! My cold started come back early in the week, but now its gone. I am not really sure when that happened, but I am glad its gone. I have been feeling a little tight in my right IT band, I need to have that worked out early next week. We have a marathon next Saturday, June 5th.

I wasn't feeling completely recovered from the marathon we did last week, so this week I was still kind of in recovery mode. The pouring rain on Sunday helped us decide to take the afternoon off from cycling. That was a much needed break but it made me feel like I was behind all week long. I tried to make up for it as much as I could by adding in two extra spin classes this week.

Here is how the week went.

Sunday: 1.5 hour run (9 miles)

Monday: 60 min spin

Tuesday: 40 min run, 20 min abs

Wednesday: 2 - 60 min spin classes and a 45 min swim

Thursday: 40 minute run and 60 min upper body workout

Friday: Rest. AHHHH

Saturday: 45 min swim and 60 minute spin class.

Total for the week:

Swim: 1.5 hours

Bike: 4 hours

Run: 2 hours and 50 minutes

Weights: 1 hour and 20 min

Total: 9 hours and 40 minutes

I think that math is right?!

Next week is marathon week, so we'll hit it hard on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and maybe Wednesday. Then we will take it easy at the end of the week because 26.2 is waiting for us on Saturday....

Interview with HazelDellLive.com on Parade Run Day!

Full Blown Extreme....

I have been using the same preworkout drink for about two years now. Before we opened our Max Muscle stores, I had very little supplement knowledge. I used protein and a few different vitamins and minerals, but I stayed away from all the other stuff. I didn't know anything about any of it, so I didn't use it.

We were at our Max Muscle Franchisee training a few months before our first store opened and we were going over product knowledge. I had read the data sheets on the Full Blown Extreme, but didn't believe it was a product that was safe or effective for me. I was just a runner and recreational strength trainer. Why would I need a nitric oxide preworkout product? During the training, it was mentioned that this would be a great product for anyone to use. So I started using it.

WOW. What a difference I noticed, right from the start. I have been using a mixture of the Full Blown Extreme, High 5 protein and Carbo Max or ACM before every workout, no matter what time, since then. I have used this mixture on the bike during triathlons and I seriously love the way it feels and the way I perform when I use it.

I rarely do NOT use it. This morning was one of the those times. I wasn't sure of my schedule and when I got up at 6 am, I went ahead and had my morning smoothie. At 7:30, I decided I was going to lift for an hour and then run for 40 minutes. My tummy was still a bit full from my smoothie and I knew I didn't want to put anything else in there. About half way through my run, I thought to myself "man, I am really dragging, what is THIS all about". Then it hit me....No Full Blown Extreme today.

We have been sampling out my preworkout drink at our marathon training group on Sundays. I have had several people say that they really notice a difference. Its been so long since I haven't used it that I guess I forgot how that felt. Today was a good reminder.

This is one of the most rewarding things about our business...Knowing that we sell products that work. Quality products that make a difference in people's lives. That made a tough workout a little easier to bear! I will be sure to plan better in the future, so I don't have this happen to me again!!!

Go Max Muscle....Yay Max Muscle!!

4 weeks down, 14 to go

This has been a roller coaster of a week. It is being classified as a recovery week, but it started with a marathon! Sunday was the Capitol City Marathon and it was GREAT! Trevor and I really felt strong. We got home Sunday night and one of our cats was sick. We spent most of the week dealing with that. Those of you who have pets will understand how emotionally draining this can be. We did our best to make it through the week. I came down with a touch of a cold too, must have been the stress. I threw some Wellness Booster and Vitamin A at it and seemed to hold it at bay for most of the week.

Here is how the week went.
Sunday: (5 hour run) 26.2 mile run - Capitol City Marathon
Monday: Rest
Tuesday: Rest
Wednesday: 60 minute spin class
Thursday: 40 minute run

Friday: Rest. I was going to lift but felt a rest day would be more beneficial.

Saturday: 60 minute spin class. I was going to swim, but didn't have it in me, so I chose not to.

Total for the week:
Swim: 0 hours
Bike: 2 hours
Run: 5 hours and 40 minutes
Weights: 0 hour
Total: 7 hours and 40 minutes

We have been doing a little bit of emotional eating due to our stress level - not going to lie about that! Next week, the workouts will really ramp up again. We have another marathon in two weeks, so we have about a week and a half to hit it hard before we taper a bit for that.

Next week we will hit the open water and that is where the real training begins...can't wait...that means summer is just about here!!

Capitol City Marathon recap

Let me just say that the idea of running a marathon 5 weeks after my last, 3 weeks before my next, was scary to me. Not a little scary, but ALOT scary! I had a great run in the Portland Marathon back in October. Whidbey Island, on April 11th, was not so great. I was emotionally, mentally and physically exhausted that day and I really just felt like crap. I didn't want a repeat of THAT!!

We did a few things differently leading up to this event. We took Thursday, Friday and Saturday as rest days. Earlier in the week, my body was really feeling tired...my legs felt heavy. I thought a few days of rest would allow me to recover enough to run 26.2 miles!I ate healthy all week leading up to the marathon. The day before Whidbey, I had a big ice cream cone and while it tasted AWESOME, my stomach didn't recover in time to get me through a marathon. I ended up feeling sluggish. I didn't have that problem this time - no pre-run ice cream cones!!


We got done with our Parade Run on Saturday, went home and got our stuff toghether. Then we jumped in the car and made the 90 minute drive to Olympia. Our crazy friend Doug, who does all these things with us and is also training for Ironman Canada, picked up our packets. We met him at the hotel and were shocked to see what the event tshirt was. It was actually this awesome jacket!!




I was disappointed when I tried mine on and it was too small. The site where I registered said that the shirts were unisex, so I ordered a small. The jackets were gender specific, so I needed a medium. We went back down to the expo and they let me exchange it for one that fit. YIPEE!!! This is the best marathon yet! And we haven't even started!


We then went and had dinner at Outback Steakhouse. My traditional pre-race dinner is a steak, sweet potato, salad and bread. Yum! We headed back to the hotel and were asleep by 8. Love that!!

We got up around 5 on Sunday morning, had a smoothie, got our stuff together and headed to the start line. All three of us were wearing our Max Muscle Vancouver Half Marathon shirts (we are dorks like that). As we were walking to the start line, a girl came up behind us and said she had done that half marathon too! She was like "oh, look, a team" and then she realized it was just three dorks wearing the same shirt! That was kind of cool to see her there!

There were a few hundred people running the marathon and it really wasn't very crowded. The weather was shaping up to be nice - temps in the 50s at start time, a little overcast. I wasn't nervous, until we went to line up at the start. Then I was really nervous!!!Start time came and off we went!

My plan for the day was "slow and steady". At Whidbey, I went out too fast. Today, I was going to go slow and I wanted to run the entire way. I would walk through water stations, but that was it. At Whidbey, I walked most of miles 20 through 26. Not fun.

The route was really beautiful. Rolling hills, rural roads. I tried to stay in the middle of the road to avoid any strain by running on the sloped shoulder. I kept my slow, easy pace. Heart rate under 155, right around 11 minute miles. I was running by a couple and at one point the man said to his wife "I don't know if you have noticed, but this girl next to us has the most consistent pace". I took that as a compliment!!

I was really feeling good. I saw sheeps and cows and horses. Love that! The sun had come out and it was hot. There was quite a bit of shade on the route and I really liked that. The hills actually felt good, mixed things up a bit.

Around mile 17, it was getting tough, as it usually does. I came upon a woman who was shuffling along. As I passed her I said "good job, just keep moving". She said to me "this is my 285 marathon. 6 months ago I had a masectomy because of breast cancer. This is my first race back and they let me start an hour early". I stopped running, turned around and hugged her. I told her she was a rock star and she said "I am just happy to be alive". I wished her a long life and she wished me the same. I ran a little faster the next two miles and when things got tough after that, I thought of her and just kept going.This is the thing I love most about the marathon...everyone has a story. Some are more dramatic, but everyone has a story.

Mile 21 was pretty much all downhill. I knew there was a big uphill coming. I didn't realize it would be 2 miles long. Whew...22, 23, still going up!!?? Finally, things leveled off and eventually started going downhill. Mile 24 and 25 were on the shoulder and the road was really sloped. I HATE that. At one point I got up on the sidewalk, that didn't help, so I got back out in the road and figured I could manage a bit further.I looked at my watch and figured I would finish around 5 hours and 5 minutes. My best time is 5 hours and 14 minutes. I just kept moving.

Finally, I saw the mile 26 marker and I could have cried. It was a downhill finish. I could see the finish line and I saw Trevor and Doug there waiting for me. I sped up and let momenteum carry me across the finish line. I was so elated. 5 hours and 7 minutes!! Wahoo!! And I felt GOOD.

I live for the .2 miles at the end of the marathon. I've said it before - you cannot get that feeling any other way then by battling through the 26 miles that come before. That is why I do this repeatedly. That is why. It felt good to remember that.

I got some water, signed up for a massage, headed to Starbucks for a coffee and recapped the race with Trevor and Doug. Trevor finished in 4 hours, his goal and a new Personal Record for him. Doug has been battling some injuries and did a great job making it through the day. I

It was important for us all to remember that this was just a training run. We are working towards a much bigger goal on August 29th. Its crazy to think this marathon, which is the culmination of trianing for most people, was just a training run for us on the road to Ironman. Honestly, that felt the best of all....

And so the road continues....next up - Newport Marathon - June 5th. Can't wait.

Max Muscle Parade Run Recap

The first ever Max Muscle Vancouver Parade Run/Walk went off without a hitch on Saturday May 15th!

We weren't really sure how many people were going to show up that morning. I had ordered 75 finishers medals and 75 shirts. I figured if we had more than that, we could just order more and mail them to those who were shorted. Luckily, that wasn't much of an issue. We had 74 participants. Doesn't get better than that...does it?!!

We had a great group of people out to run and walk. Some of these folks had done many runs and races before, some had never walked or run 2.5 miles in their lives and this was their first race. We were happy to have every single one of them out on the course with us!

Everyone showed up with plenty of time to get to the start line. We even got to take a group photo!

10 am came and off they went! Lead by two awesome sheriff's deputies in their car and Trevor on his bike, they made their way along the route of the Hazel Dell Parade of Bands. The streets were lined with people and many asked us what was going on! This was the first year, so it was a bit of a surprise to see runners and walkers ahead of the parade. We are hoping this will lead to many more participants next year!


The winner, Madeleine Sellers, 51, of Washougal, crossed the finish line in 16 minutes and 32 seconds. That is a 6 minute and 36 second mile pace. WOW...that's FAST!!!

We had a group of triathletes in training participate. Sherri McMillan from Northwest Personal Training has a training group for her "Girlfriends and DudesTriathlon" on July 25th. They went for a bike ride before the run and then RAN the run!! Great job you guys!

We had quite a few families participate and it was so fun to see them out there being healthy and fit together. This was a great example to the entire community. We want people to get out there and live their lives...no more sitting on the sidelines and watching life pass them by.

At the finish line, there were medals for each finisher, Max Muscle Triple Whey Protein Shakes, water, Max Crunch protein bars and brownies (who doesn't love brownies?). We had excellent volunteers helping on the route. It was a fabulous time and we can't wait to do it again next year!!!

3 weeks down, 15 to go

Another week in the books! One week closer!

Here's how it went down:
Sunday: 10 mile run with Vancouver Fit, 60 mile bike ride (4 hours), followed by a 10 minute transition run off the bike. I wrote a blog post about this day. We were suffering from upset stomachs due to poor nutrition the days before.
Monday: 60 min spin class
Tuesday: 40 minute run
Wednesday: 60 minutes upper body weights/abs followed by 60 minute spin class
Thursday, Friday, Saturday: Rest days. We have a marathon coming up on Sunday and we wanted to be completely rested and ready. We built a little extra recovery into the program.


Total for the week:
Swim: 0 hours
Bike: 7 hours
Run: 2 hours and 40 minutes
Weights: 1 hour
Total: 10 hours and 40 minutes

By the end of the week I was really feeling fresh again. My legs had been totally burned out. Our last marathon on April 11th was really tough because we were just so tired. We expect this little rest will give us the boost we need to have a great race on Sunday! Stay tuned for a report...

Max Muscle Vancouver Parade Run/Walk

Tomorrow is the day! Time goes so fast, I feel like we were just talking about doing this event. It was back in the Fall that I approached the Hazel Dell/Salmon Creek Business Association (of which we are a member) about doing a fun run/walk before the parade. Now, it is here.

Alot goes into to putting on an event like this - especially, when it is inconjunction with another event like the 3rd largest parade in the state! There in insurance, permits, route measuring, race bibs, timing, logistics, course set up, volunteers, tshirt design and printing, finishers medals, finish line food and drinks, volunteers, traffic control, goodie bag items, packet pickup, communication with participants, picking a charity, setting a price. The list goes on and on. Things become even more challenging when the start and finish line are at different spots. The first year of any event is also challenging, because you don't know what to expect.

Most of the items needed for an event like this must be ordered weeks in advance. This is where the guessing game starts! You want to have enough tshirts, finishers medals and goodies, but you don't want to have any left over because that is wasted money that could go to the charity.

I waited until the last minute to order shirts and medals, just to get as accurate a count as I could get. This lead to some stress in the last few days. Tshirts showed up a little later than I would have hoped, but we have them in time for the majority of packet pickup.

The medals were custom made and delivered to my house yesterday, only I wasn't there so the mailman didn't leave them. I saw the note on the door that there was a package to be delivered. I immediately jumped in the car and tried to find the mailman so I could get that package, I could not wait until today to have it delivered. That left too much uncertainty! I wanted those medals in my hands. I drove around and drove around and after some help from another mail person realized that I was going to need to go to the main post office to pick them up. So I rushed over there and got them. Here is what they look like - pretty neat, I think!



The weather is going to be so nice tomorrow - in the mid 70s. We should have about 30,000 people at the parade. I really have no idea how many people are going to show up for our event. We have about 50 signed up right now, but anything could happen! We are prepared for whatever happens.

I am on the parade committee and it is a joke amoung us that the parade happens in spite of us. That is how the run/walk will be - its going to happen, in spite of us! All we can do is prepare the best we know how and be flexible on the day of the event so that it can be an enjoyable experience for everyone.

It has been a blast to work with the parade committee and the Sheriff's department on this event. We are so fortunate to be a part of such a great community. This parade is a big deal for little ol' Hazel Dell! We look forward to making this an annual part of the parade.

We should know better.....

Trevor and I eat pretty well, most of the time. We have our days when we let loose and really enjoy our food. Usually that happens on the weekend, after we have put in some long training hours. Sunday night is our night and it usually involves ice cream (soy cream, actually) and cake/cupcakes of some sort.

This past weekend, things got a bit out of hand. We should know better, we do know better. This is an example of how even the best laid plans, the best intentions, can fall apart.

Friday was a busy day and I didn't get to have my dinner as planned. A friend was in the store and commented about how Friday night used to be "Nacho Night". That got me thinking...Friday night used to be our night and we always had nachos. On the way home, at 8 pm, I called Trevor and said "I want nachos". I got what I wanted. We split the nachos from Taco Del Mar. Honestly, that isn't that much and it really should have been okay. Usually those nachos go right through me. I don't know what the difference was this time around, but they stuck in my like a cork.

Saturday I got up and my stomach didn't feel right. I ate my usual all day long and I still didn't feel very good. We were meeting Trevor's parents for dinner to celebrate Mother's Day. We were going to have pizza. I figured we were meeting at 5:45, I'd have a salad and one piece of pizza and we'd be home, on the couch by 7:30. Right.

Due to traffic, Trevor's parents were over an hour late. I was starving when we got there, which is never good. I ordered a salad and that didn't fill me up, so we ordered some garlic bread. Then we had pizza and then, to make matters worse, we had dessert. We got out of there around 8:30. Way too late to be eating that much of that kind of food. I felt gross.

We went to bed around 9:30 and got up at 5:30 for our 9 mile run. I knew it was going to be a tough day. We went and met with our running group and off we went. My stomach was killing me the entire time, I was so bloated and my stomach was really cramping up. Trevor ran past me and let me know that he was feeling the same.

To make matters worse, we had a 60 mile bike ride planned for after our run. YIKES. The upset stomach continued for the first 30 miles. We stopped at a gas station and took a break. Standing up seemed to help. We stretched a bit and then hit the road again. By the end of the ride, I was feeling pretty good. We hopped off the bike and went for a 1o minute transition run. I was SO happy to be done and was finally starting to feel a bit hungry.

I looked at Trevor and told him "never again". We need to be much more conscious of what we put into our bodies, especially as the miles on the run and the bike get longer. Our bodies will simply not perform the way we need them to when we injest such low quality calories. We agreed that this was a lesson learned and that we will do better next time. We were proud of ourselves for pushing through, even though we felt like crap. It was a good exercise - the day of any event, you never know how your body is going to do. Chances are better that it will do well if you feed it appropriately. We know that. We KNOW that. This is the perfect example of how knowing and doing are two different things.

We have a marathon this Sunday and I really want to feel as good as possible at the start line. This week, I will be paying much more attention to what goes into my mouth. Right now I have a ton of food cooking to get us through the week - lean chicken and sweet potatoes, shrimp and whole wheat pasta, turkey wraps, healthy snacks. The trick is being prepared. That's half the battle.

Two weeks down, 16 to go...

This was one of the those "I don't want to do it" weeks. Every day, that is how I felt. Yet, every day, I got up and did it anyway. That is what training is about - doing it when you don't want to do it. Remembering WHY you are doing it. The WHY is 140.6 miles on August 29th. If I don't train now, I will be so so sorry then.

Here's how it went down:

Sunday: 9 mile run with Vancouver Fit, 45 mile bike ride (3 hours), followed by a 10 minute transition run off the bike - talk about "I don't want to do it". The last half hour on the bike I really had to talk myself into that short little 10 min run. I was glad I did.

Monday: 60 min spin class, 60 minute upper body weights/abs

Tuesday: 40 minute run

Wednesday: 60 minutes lower body weights/abs followed by 60 minute spin class

Thursday: 60 min upper body weights/abs followed by 40 min run

Friday: 65 minute swim (2500 meters).

Saturday will be a rest day - Thank the Lord!

Total for the week:

Swim: 65 min

Bike: 5 hours

Run: 3 hours

Weights: 3 hours

Total: 12 hours and 5 minutes

My diet was good this week. I don't think I drank enough water and felt a bit dehydrated all week long. I think adding in the creatine to my routine has dried me up a bit. I am going to be better this week at hydrating. The weather is heating up too, so I really need to be careful.

Our schedules were a bit mixed up this week, so I didn't have time to prepare our food for Thursday and Friday, like I usually do. Instead, I stopped at Whole Foods and picked up some pre-made proteins - turkey from the deli, blackened chicken salad and some halibut. I added that to the whole grain bread and rolls I had at home. Today, I got a breakfast burrito after my swim and had part for breakfast and the other part for lunch (in a few hours).

I have officially switched from my winter coffee drink (the 20 oz soy latte) to my summer drink (24 oz ICED americano with a touch of soy milk). That will save me some calories (like 150 of them). I really love the taste of my summer drink. Its kind of sad, but during my workouts, I lust after my coffee and can't wait to get cleaned up and have some!!!

I have been working hard on relaxing this week. I have a quote taped to my day planner that says "All you have to do is relax." That has helped me during my workouts and during the rest of my day. My runs this week have been great and my swim this morning was really good too - mostly because I was relaxed. This isn't something I HAVE to do, its something I have chosen to do - so why not relax and enjoy it!! I hope you can do the same....

Vancouver USA Marathon - June 19, 2011

Its coming....a Full Marathon...right here, in Vancouver, Washington. We, at Max Muscle, get to be a part of this and we are SO EXCITED!!!

Brian Davis of Energy Events asked me to be on the race committee. Max Muscle Vancouver will also be one of the sponsors and we will be very involved in many different aspects of the marathon - more details will come in the next few months, so stay tuned.

In the meantime, I attended my first marathon committee meeting. I was excited before this meeting, after the meeting, I was bursting at the seams. You could not put together a better group of people. We have Brian Davis (Energy Events - Race Director), Sean Rivers (owner of Foot Traffic), Tim Ahaus (Earth Advantage), Ryan Self (recent grad and marketing wiz), Kelly Johnson (Oregonlive.com - Run Oregon Blogger and expert on all things local & running), Evan Pilchik (Photographer), Jim West (local realtor, community supporter, pace leader for Get Fit Live Fit and all around good guy). Also on the committee are Dave Sobolik (owner Fit Right NW) and few others whom I haven't had the opportunity to meet yet.

The ideas and passion shared in that room were really energizing. Everyone is committed to making this new venture a success for the participants and the community. The thing I like most about this group is that most of them are self-employed, most have built their businesses on a reputation for excellence. The others excel in their field. My path has crossed with many of them at one time or another and to be all working together now on the same project is just amazing.

It excites me because I know the quality of the work these people do. I know that when they are involved with something - its good. I know that they are great people, with good intentions. They are hard workers who have the welfare of others in mind.

We are starting with a blank slate and have the opportunity to build something great that will endure for years to come. I am so honored to have been asked to be a part of this. Mostly because I love Vancouver. I love this town! I love the community and am happy to be a part of it. I look forward to showcasing Vancouver and letting people know that Vancouver is not just a suburb of Portland, and its not just a city in British Columbia. It is a lively, robust place right here with shopping, restaurants, services and running trails for everyone to enjoy.

I think people will find that Vancouver, Washington, USA is the Northwest's best kept secret. After June 19, 2011, this may not be the case anymore....

Stay tuned for more details, its going to be a wild ride...

See more details here:

http://www.vancouverusamarathon.com

The choices we make

Usually, Maggie wakes us up at 5:22 am. We get up and head downstairs. We have coffee, a smoothie and watch Headline News with Robin Meade. The last few weeks, we have had no break, it has been non-stop. Tuesday mornings we have our Max Muscle system wide conference call. I had planned to run before the call. That was the only time I really had available for a run today.

Yesterday we did a spin class in the morning and then I lifted in the evening. I left the gym feeling a little sick to my stomach. I was sure it was exhaustion. This morning, I woke up feeling sick to my stomach. Trevor said "are you ready to get up" and I said "no". I went right back to sleep and slept until about 7. All four cats were in bed with me giving me their healing vibes. It worked. When I woke up again, I really felt better.

I went downstairs and listened the conference call. Then I went for a run, jumped in the shower and headed out for the day. I very easily could have taken today off. I could have slept later or just not run at all. As I layed in bed with my four furry babies, I debated these options. Then I thought of August 29th. I thought of standing on the the beach in Penticton, waiting for the start of the Ironman. Staying in bed, not running, would get me no closer to that goal. So I stopped thinking about it and just got up. I didn't think about it again, I just did it.

We make choices each day. Many choices. These choices make up who we are and what we are able to accomplish. The really exciting thing is that we have control over the choices we make and that allows us to shape our lives, to determine our outcomes. That is true freedom. Just because you slept in before, doesn't mean you have to sleep in today. Just because you made poor food choices before, doesn't mean you have to again today.

Each morning is a fresh start. Breath that in and relish it. We are all so fortunate that nothing in our past has to determine what we can be in our future. Today, I made the choice. And I am happy with my choice. I hope it is the same for you.

One week down, 17 to go....

We will say today is the end of week 1 (of the final 18 weeks before Ironman Canada.

This week was very eventful. We made the decision to add another marathon into our training program. So, on May 16th, we will be running the Capital City Marathon in Olympia. We figured that we need some longer training runs. Mentally, it will help to have done multiple runs of 26.2 miles before Ironman.

Here's what the week entailed:

Sunday - 6 mile run/35 mile bike/1 mile run

Monday - upper body weights/abs

Tuesday - 70 minute cycling class

Wednesday - 45 min swim (2000 meters)/legs & abs/60 minute spin class

Thursday - 4.5 mile run

Friday - Upper body weights/abs

Saturday will be a rest day and then back at it on Sunday.

Totals:

Swim: 45 min

Bike: 4.5 hours

Run: 1 hr 45 min

Weights: 3 hours

Total: 10 hours

We have had a lot going on this week and I have been feeling tired and sore in the mornings, but once I get to the gym or out on the run, I feel good. I am excited for our training volume to increase. I remember last year, training for the half Ironman, I had a few weeks where I was just wiped out. I would lay my head on my desk at work during the day. After I got past those few weeks, I wasn't so exhausted. Can't wait to get to that place in our training again....the not so exhausted part!!!

This next week I will focus on positive thoughts, quality workouts, recovery and peace of mind. Its time to really kick up my mental game. I need to spend some time visualizing. Never underestimate the importance of your mind!

Rest and Recovery

Trevor and I completed the Whidbey Island Marathon on April 11th. We are registered for the Newport Marathon on June 5th and just signed up for the Capital City Marathon on May 16th. I started to get a little bit of a panicked feeling about "overtraining". In training for any event there is a fine line between enough training and too much training. We are walking that line.

I expressed my concern to our friend Doug. Doug is also training for Ironman Cananda and is doing all these marathons with us. He told me that he thought with the right rest and recovery, we would be fine. Well, I can tell you, rest and recovery have been few and far between for us! I took these words to heart and last night had a 90 minute sports massage.

You may be thinking, "massage....how relaxing". Well, it wasn't. The massages that happen during training are for function, not enjoyment. The idea is to work out any knots or trouble spots in the muscles, to lengthen them, stretch them and let them heal more quickly. I have a great therapist at Massage Envy in Vancouver. I use either Ryan or Jessica and they are good at what they do. I know that I will need to utilize them more over the next few months. We don't have much time for recovery, every day counts.

In the next four months we will do two full marathons, a half Ironman and the full Ironman. Any amount of rest and recovery I can get must be seized!! I have added some new supplements to my routine to help with this.

Here is what I take on a regular training basis:

Protein - in smoothies and as pre/post workout - to keep my muscles strong

Multivitamin - insurance for my body, can't get all these nutrients from food.

Essential Fats - Omega 3/6/9 to regulate hormones and immune function

Glutamine - cell and muscle recovery, immune function

Max ACM - carbohydrate fuel for workouts

Full Blown Extreme - pre workout - better, harder workout - energy

Max Nitro EXT - pre workout - delays onset of muscle fatigue, enhanced recovery

Max Extinguisher - enhanced endurance

Joint Relief - Joint support

Vitamin D - immune function, hormone support

I give credit to my diet and supplementation for getting me to this point in my fitness. Years ago, I would never have been able to train the way I do now, much less train the way I do now and handle all the other stressors in our lives. I don't get sick, I feel good most of the time, I sleep well. These things help.

Here is what I have added to my regular routine to help bridge the distance between where I am now and where I need to be in August for Ironman.

Nitro Pills - dialates blood vessels to allow more nutrients to be absorbed, this also helps recovery.

Glutamatrix - this is a multi-source glutamine with some carbohydrates in it to drive the glutamine into the muscles. This causes total saturation and again allows better recovery.

Creatine - This increases strength, stamina and recovery. I used this last year during training for the Half Ironman and loved the results. I felt strong and lean.

ZMA - zinc and magnesium to help with muscle recovery and hormone levels.

This may sound like a lot. But think about the investment in time and energy towards this goal. To me, it makes no sense to put in all that effort and not get the maximum results, not feel the BEST I can feel. The Ironman isn't just a one day event, it is at least six months in the making. It is 15 - 20 hours per week of training. Everything else we do needs to support that training. I need to spend as much time building up my body as I do tearing it down. These things will help.

I have used many different products over the last few years, some work for me, some don't. I have a very sensitive system and I need to be careful what I add to my routine. The things listed above are the ones that work for me. They may not work for everyone.

So between the training, the supplementation and the massage/recovery, I think I am right on track. Next big training benchmark is the marathon on May 16th. 26.2 miles....its just a training run....right?!

The road to Ironman

Trevor and I have been registered for Ironman Canada since August 29, 2009. We have 18 weeks of training left until August 29th, 2010 arrives. While the end of August seems far away, you know how fast time goes...it will be here before we know it. Please follow our journey along the road to Ironman. I will post weekly updates and share our training, nutrition, thoughts and feelings.

Our journey started about two years ago when we made the transition from runners to triathletes. We had always wanted to do triathlons, but we had one small obstacle...I couldn't swim. For several years, this had been our excuse. I finally decided to face my fear, took a swim lesson and Trevor came along for the ride!! And what a ride it has been! We completed our first sprint distance triathlon in August of 2008 (six weeks after my first and only swim lesson). Sprint distance is a 1/2 mile swim, 12 mile bike, 3.1 mile run. In 2009 we decided to tackle the Half Ironman distance. We completed the Lake Stevens 70.3 Half Ironman on August 16, 2010. Half Ironman distance is a 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, 13.1 mile run. It took me 7 hours, Trevor did it in six and a half.

Immediatley after Lake Stevens, we felt that a full Ironman was just too much. Two weeks later we had signed up for Ironman Canada. The truth is this...there is nothing like the feeling of completing something you never thought or imagined you could do. Once you do that - you want more of that feeling.

We ran the Portland Marathon in October. I finished. Trevor broke his foot at mile 6, that was his finish. For the first time, we trained through the winter for a spring marathon. On April 11th, we completed the Whidbey Island Marathon. We have been swimming and biking to maintain our fitness in those disciplines....now it is time to BUILD our fitness in those disciplines...

This is really where it all gets interesting. The next 18 weeks will take us far beyond any level of fitness we have ever attained. It will include another marathon, a half Ironman and then the full Ironman. There will be weeks where our training load is over 18 hours. We will need to fuel more efficiently than ever before, rest and recover better than ever before and become more mentally strong than ever before.

It is exciting to think of what these next months will bring. It is scary to think of what these next months will bring. Once you do the thing you thought impossible, what excuse do you have for everything else? We'll let you know when we get there. Come along with us. You might think we are crazy. Then again, you might find a little crazy in yourself. If you do - we can help you find an outlet!

Ironman distance is 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile - doesn't that sound FUN?!

Max Muscle Vancouver PARADE RUN/WALK - May 15th

Registration is now open for the Max Muscle Vancouver Parade Run/Walk! This event will be held on Saturday, May15th - start time is 10 am. The Hazel Dell Parade of Bands starts at 10:30 - the Parade Run/Walk will follow the same route as the parade. Last year, there were 30,000 spectators for this parade! That means there will be tens of thousands of people lining the parade route....the same route that you will be running or walking!! This is a 2.5 mile course

This event is sure to become a community favorite. The finisher's medallion will match the parade's theme each year. This year, the theme is "A Pirate's Treasure", the finisher's medallion will be a skull and crossbones with the event name and date around it. These will become collectors items!

Each participant will get a cotton tshirt, finisher's medallion, goodie bags and treats at the finish line.

After the run/walk, stick around and watch the parade. Did you know that the Hazel Dell Parade of Bands is the 3rd largest parade in the state of Washington? Little Ol' Hazel Dell!!

To register - come into either Max Muscle Sports Nutrition store in Vancouver or register at:
http://www.active.com/running/vancouver-wa/max-muscle-vancouver-parade-runwalk-2010
See you on the 15th!! Can't wait!

Max Muscle Vancouver Half Marathon Race Recap - Part 2

After all the race prep and planning, the event was surreal. It was very rewarding to watch it unfold as planned. We had one or two hiccups, but overall it was right on target.

After my volunteer meeting, we gathered the racers for a quick race briefing and a group stretch. Trevor got the race started at exactly 8:30. On time. Good start!! Off they went.

We had the Sheriff Reserve providing traffic control. Volunteers. Out there to make our participants safe. What a blessing.

Finally, after an hour and 10 minutes, I got the call that the first runner was about a mile out. We all ran to our places and awaiting his arrival at the finish line. Jonathan Sipling crossed the finish line in an amazing 1 hour 16 minutes. Holy cow. He was follwed closely by Brian Bernier. Brian had entered a contest on the RunOregon blog at oregonlive.com and won a free entry. Not a bad deal for him!!! I believe it was Brian who told me after he crossed the line that there was no officer at the main intersection leading back to our store. That caused a bit of panic. I did not have a volunteer stationed at that intersection because I expected the Sheriff to be there the entire time.

Next thing I knew, I had about 4 runners coming in the wrong way - they were in front of Kohl's and then they were running down the wrong parking lot entrance. This was the only time of the day that I really did experience some anxiety. I had visions of 150 runners and walkers getting to that intersection and not having any traffic control. I had a vision of the whole thing becoming a free for all. In retrospect, I think there were maybe 5 participants involved in this incident! I immediately called our person in charge of the officers and he said he'd go check it out. I later found out that there was an officer blocking the road, a car ignored him and almost ran he and our runner down. The officer left the intersection to chase that car down and ticket them. Moments later, the intersection was again controled and all was well.

I did hear today that there were a few folks who took a wrong turn at the path and ran a few extra miles. I hope they ate more than one cupcake at the finish. They deserved it!

As every person crossed the finish line, I was able to see their race number and call their name. After meeting the majority of them at packet pickup, I felt like I knew them. It was very personal and rewarding for me to be able to share that with each finisher. I felt a connection to everyone and I really loved that.

The day had a really good energy. The sun came out. Everyone seemed happy. Then they had a cupcake and a minor sugar high ensued! Cupcakes were from Delicious Dishes catering. The owner, Regan Waugh, actually participated in our event. That was a treat for me. Before the event, I think everyone was wondering what my obsession with the cupcakes was. Then they tasted them and it all made sense. Love. the. cupcakes.

Trevor did a great job of running around and managing all the logistics of the event. He made sure that I had what I needed, that the store was running well, that our water stations were stocked. He also went out and drove the course to check on our later finishers. He escorted our final finshers in, with the help of the Sheriff.

When Angela and James Landon came around the parking lot a 4 hours, they got a hero's welcome. Trevor said that when the officer went out into the intersection with lights blaring and stopped the traffic for our two walkers, he got goose bumps. Because that is why we do this. Every single person out there is the reason we do this. And the reason we love it. And certainly the reason we will do it again.

I cannot say enough about our volunteers, our sponsors and our vendors. They worked so hard to make this event great. I hope they enjoyed themselves as much as we did. We are looking forward to many more events here in Vancouver. There just aren't enough. We plan to change that.

Thank you to everyone and let's do it again soon...

Max Muscle Vancouver Half Marathon Race Recap - Part 1

I believe is the power of the Universe and the law of attraction. This event confirmed my beliefs because it seems that everything lined up to make this event happen. This post is all about things leading up to the start of the event.

Trevor and I have participated in organized events for about 8 years now. We have owned our Max Muscle stores since August of 2008 (August of 2009 for our east side store) and we have been sponsors/vendors at many events. This was our first shot at being Race Directors and putting on our own event. We wanted to take all the good things we have seen and experienced at other events and incorporate them into ours.

We had talked about putting together a half marathon for a while. Finally, in December, we decided to go for and picked February because there really isn't any other half marathon around that time. We planned this event in less than three months.

We limited the event to 250 participants and held back a bit on the promotion at the beginning. We did this because I did not have the permits when we opened up registartion and I didn't know if that was an issue or not. I figured I could refund 250 people's entry fee and not have a total disaster on my hands. We had 155 people sign up for the event and I felt that was an awesome turn out for our first shot. I felt like it was managable and it was.

As a race particpant in the past, I had no idea what was actually involved in putting on an event like this. I wanted to do most of the planning myself so that I actually knew what was involved. That way I can assign duties to helpers as we grow and know what they need to do. Plus, I am a bit of a control freak, so I really wanted my hands on every part of the event.

It seemed like things fell into place at just the right times. For example, I kept thinking that I needed to talk to the Fire department and see if they would come over and provide some medical help. I kept putting it off. Then, one day, a woman walked into our east side store, she had gotten out of her car that said "Fire District 6". It was a fluke that I was even in the store that day. We started talking and it turns out that she was the public information officer for the Fire District and she said to me "do you want us to provide medical?" And that was all there was to it.

So we made it through all the preparations with few bumps. It was pretty smooth. My biggest issue was the route - getting it just right. You have no idea how hard it is to measure exactly 13.1 miles. I ran the route about 4 times. 12.92 miles, 13.5 miles, 12.95 miles. Ack! Finally, the week before the event, I got it right on. Trevor and I ran the route the day before the event with our friend Jim West and put down markers so we could cone it the morning of the event.

Trevor built the start/finish line the week before the event in our garage. That is a whole story in and of itself. All I can say is this - my husband is a very patient man and I don't know what I did to deserve him. I know he must wonder what he did to deserve me.














Packet pickup was a marathon for me - two days of new and familiar faces. It was great because I got to meet just about everyone and hear their stories. It helped me on race day.

It was non-stop for a few days around our house. Finally race morning came and we were blessed with great weather. We were up at 4 am and I was feeling very cranky. I was SO tired and wasn't sure how the day would go. We got to the store and I started marking the route. I had planned to tape directional signs to lamp posts. I tried to put up the first one and the post was wet with dew. Tape wouldn't stick. Plan B? Didn't have one for that. I decided we'd use cones provided by Nutter construction. That was just going to double the amount of time it took to mark the route.

I got done marking the route just at the time our volunteers were showing up to start day of registration and packet pick up. From there, it was like riding a wave. I am usually a stressed out, high strung person and I didn't feel any of that. Which was a treat for those around me, I am sure!!

Our vendors all showed up on time. We had no issues with products. There were enough goodie bags, only 4 people didn't get the shirt size they wanted and we are taking care of that. Every single one of my volunteers showed up. On time. With few questions. Amazing.














I had my meeting with the volunteers and then it was time for a race briefing and the start.