"As I continue to dream big and achieve every goal that I have set forth for myself, I strive to reach to my maximum fitness potential through hard work, dedication, and delivering my best package at my first competition. I do all of this in order to stay humble as well as determined to overcome and defeat all of the obstacles that life presents." ~Danniela Neher :)

Coming back with a new Challenge.....
I've done Ironman's, all kinds of Tri distances, Marathons, Half Marathons, Obstacle Course races time for a BIGGER challenge for me.....

I'm looking at doing a few fitness modeling, fitness competitions "Yep", you read that right.....
The best part about this is I have never wore a two pc. in front of anyone "wait" yes I have in the back yard now my yard is fenced in.....lol...
I'm thinking this will be the biggest Challenge only because of the nutrition, eating more protein and not carbs is going to be extremely different.

I will not post photos however, I will give out my measurements and my body fat % when I get to where I would like to be then I'll post before and after photos....
As of March 3/17
C- 34
W- 30
H- 35
RL- 22.25
B- 11-1/2
BF% 18

Basic Simple today!

April 16, 2011 Fire House 5K Ona.
Sun, May 1 La Crosse Fitness Festival,
June 5th Wis Dells???? or June 6 Minneapolis Half Marathon,
July 10 Devils lake half marathon Baraboo.
Madison Mini Aug. 20th

The Full Marathons this year!
May 29th Madtown,
Fox Cities Sept. 18th,
Twin Cities Oct.2nd, Maybe??
IMT Des Moines Marathon Oct. 16

Here is the Full Marathons this year!
May 29th Madtown
Fox Cities Sept. 18th
Twin Cities Oct.2nd
IMT Des Moines Marathon Oct. 16

I have to share this again! ~There is a difference between 'interest' and 'commitment'. When you're "interested" in doing something, you do it only when it's convenient. When you're "committed" to something, you accept NO EXCUSES, only results. So, here's the tough question: Are you "interested" in a healthy lifestyle? Or are you "committed" to having a healthy lifestyle?

New Races!

This year has changed a ton here is some of the races I'll be doing!

Saturday, April 16, 2011 Fire House 5K

Sat, Apr. 30 Iowa Drake On the road half Marathon Des Moines, IA

Sun, May 1 La Crosse Fitness Festival La Crosse, WI

Sun, May 29 Madison Half Marathon Madison, WI

Sunday, June 6 Minneapolis Half Marathon

Saturday, July 10 Devils lake half marathon Baraboo, WI

Feeling great with my pregnancy!
Only put on 11 pounds kind of funny, but what do you do? :) Just so I can keep up with my running, biking and maybe some swimming, and I feel great that's all that matters to me. :)

Have a great week training!

Training for 11/20-12/5

Monday~ Cycling with 30 min. Plyos

Tuesday~ 5 miles

Wednesday~ Pilates with weights 6 miles

Thursday~ 4 miles

Friday~ Pilates with weights 3 miles

Saturday~ 9 miles

Sunday~ off Family time : )

Training for 11/22-11/28
Monday Cycling

Tuesday ~5 miles

Wednesday~Pilates with weights 3 miles

Thursday ~Happy Turkey Day~ 10K race

Friday ~ 5 Miles nice and easy with Pilates

Saturday ~ 8 mile run

Sunday off or Pilates

Start for the Lace up for Breast Cancer Feb. 13 Half
This week schedule is

Monday~ Cycling

Tuesday~ 5 Easy

Wednesday ~2 mile easy run with Pilates/weights

Thursday~ Pilates and 5 Temp run

Friday~ Pilates with weights and 5 Easy run

Saturday ~3 mile run Turkey Trot fun run with my friends and Family!

Sunday~ 8 long runs

So far I have put on 10 pounds prego weight! It's amazing there some people that don't gain and they don't workout and there's some people like myself that works out and still gains weight! I'm a lucky person :) LOL
But my running clothes still fit thank gosh they stretch!
"Stay positive, train right, eat right and you will feel a ton better" Give it a shot!!!

A start on my 2011 Races!

2011 Race/Fun Schedule

Saturday, January 1, 2011 Polar Dash

http://www.teamortho.us/20101102288/polar-dash-2011.html

Sunday, February 13, Lace up against Breast Cancer

http://www.luabc.org/

Saturday, March 19, 2011 Get Lucky! 7K & Triple 7 (21K-Half Marathon)

http://www.teamortho.us/Get-Lucky-7K/

Saturday, April 16, 2011 Reedsburg WI Vet Fest

http://www.reedsburgvetfest.com/

Sat, Apr. 30 Iowa Drake On the road half Marathon Des Moines, IA

Sun, May 1 La Crosse Fitness Festival La Crosse, WI

Sun, May 29 Madison Half Marathon Madison, WI

Sunday, June 6 Minneapolis Half Marathon

Saturday, July 10 Devils lake half marathon Baraboo, WI

Training today Pilates with a 5 mile Dreadmill run!

Pregnancy is so fun!

Wow all week I have been sick feeling nauseous, put still doing 3 to 5 mile runs and Pilates.

Today got on the scale after a 6 mile run and weighted 135 how could that be man oh man were 81/2 weeks and I put on 5 pounds.

My next race will be tomorrow Half Marathon Rails to Trails it's going to be fun!

If you need a cookie recipe to feed a crowd of hungry athletes here it is!

If you need a cookie recipe to feed a crowd of hungry athletes here it is!

A HUGE WARNING!
Once you start you will not put them down! I thank my friend Maria from IOWA for getting me addicted to these! "Maybe in a nice positive way"

Here's a easy (well, the stirring is a little arduous) recipe that makes 10 dozen great cookies. A curiosity of the recipe is that it requires no flour at all and an oddly small amount of syrup, given the large quantities of other ingredients.

Monster Cookies
6 Eggs
2 Cups Brown Sugar
2 Cups White Sugar
1 Tbsp. Syrup
4 tsp. Baking Soda
1/2 lb. Butter, softened
1 1/2 lbs. Peanut Butter
9 Cups Oatmeal
1/2 lb. Chocolate Chips
1/2 lb. Peanut M&Ms
Mix ingredients in a large bowl in the order listed. Bake 12 minutes in a 350 degree oven. (Use two cookie sheets, starting with one sheet for 6 minutes, then rotating the sheets from lower to upper rack.) Let cool on sheet for 1 minute then transfer to cookie racks. Makes about 8 to 10 dozen, depending on size and depending if you eat all the dough like I would.

My training has backed off this week. Doing that last marathon in Madison killed my IT bands so taken it easy!
However, back at it this weekend we have a half marathon Rails to Trails. Then I will take it easy for a bit I have to let my body adjust to the pregnancy. My running will still be about 20-25 miles a week.

My new goal! 40/40

40 marathons by age 40. I'm 37 I have 7 under my legs.

I started this because I needed a goal and every year I do an Ironman or something crazy like that. Ironmans come and go just like everything else, then I'm looking for a new goal; as soon as I finish the event so, these next few years I'm going to be looking at "what Marathon or Marathons will I be doing" this year?.

Plus having two boys at home and looking at having another baby, I don't have the time or the money to do over priced sport any more! (Meaning it' s really gotten out of control with the entry fee, when I started doing IM they were $425.00 now $625.00 mmmmmmm). Also I can run with my kids and spend time with them too.

My next Half Marathon will be this weekend 10/24/10. My next Full Marathon will be 10/30/10 and 11/07/10 back to back weekends lets see how the body reacts to that!

Off to run 8 miles on the Dreadmill, Pilates with weights
I will keep you posted on my workouts starting today and how I feel!

Remember you are the only one who can make a change in your life start today!

Top 10 Rules of Weight Loss for Runners

Unwanted weight gain can happen to even the most health-savvy women. A perfect storm of stress, eating on the go, pregnancy and age-related metabolic slowdown can gradually pile on extra pounds.

After years of self-described "insane workaholic behavior," Columbia University associate professor Jenny Davidson experienced a gradual but significant weight gain. "The next thing I knew, I was 50 pounds overweight," says Davidson. To lose weight, she skipped the fad diets and instead focused on exercise and a healthy eating plan. Her reward: She lost 80 pounds and is now an avid runner and triathlete.

Want to do something similar? You can with these 10 simple strategies.

Rule 1: Know Your Caloric Needs

To stay healthy and run well while losing weight, you must determine how many calories you need. On average, a 150-pound, 5-foot-7-inch moderately active woman in her early 30s should consume about 2,100 calories per day. To lose weight, you must reduce your total caloric intake, whether by eating less or burning calories through exercise.

Research shows you're more likely to keep the fat off if you lose it gradually, says Monique Ryan, author of Sports Nutrition for Endurance Athletes. It's best to cut no more than 200 to 300 calories per day. According to sports nutritionist Suzanne Girard Eberle, if you maintain a diet too low in calories, you may be at risk for developing the female athlete triad, which causes menstrual irregularity and poor bone health, among other problems.

Rule 2: Set a Realistic Goal

Many women fall into the trap of setting a stereotypical goal weight, regardless of their body type. The truth is, every body is different, and your ideal weight for optimal health, energy and performance may not be what society says it should be (read: skinny). Consult your physician to set a healthy goal before starting a weight loss plan. It may also be helpful to have a professional measure your body composition, or muscle-to-fat ratio, which can be a better indicator of what you need to lose.

Rule 3: Stay Fueled

Even while losing weight, you need to replenish your energy stores--and to do it right. Active women need to maintain a balanced diet of 50 to 60 percent carbohydrates, 20 to 30 percent protein and 20 to 30 percent healthy fats. Don't rely on diet- or fat-free processed foods, which are often low in nutrients and high in chemicals.

Eat a breakfast of high protein, healthy-fat foods like eggs, oatmeal and low-fat yogurt. Snack on nuts, fruits or vegetables to avoid depriving yourself.

Keep in mind: While protein bars and sports drinks are great during and after long training runs, you don't need the extra calories for runs less than 60 minutes long.

Rule 4: Hit the Weight Room

Although resistance training alone doesn't burn a lot of calories, Virginia Tech obesity and exercise researcher Janet Rankin, Ph.D., says it does offer benefits to those trying to lose weight, from increasing bone density to reducing injuries. Research also indicates that developing more muscle mass increases your resting metabolism.

Rule 5: Go Long

However many miles your longest run is now, extend it once a week. According to the National Runners Health Study, which includes more than 120,000 runners, women who ran the greatest amount of weekly mileage were the leanest.

"There's no question, the more miles you run, the more calories you burn," says Mindy Solkin, a running coach and founder of The Running center in New York City. You burn roughly 100 calories per mile when running (depending on your weight), so if you go for a five-mile run, you'll burn 500 calories.

Rule 6: Team Up

A running coach and a personal trainer helped Davidson meet her goals. For other women, a support team may include a nutritionist or running partner. Check out peertrainer.com for an online weight-loss and exercise-support group.

Nan Howard's 53-pound weight loss journey began in 2007 at a weight loss support group meeting where other members encouraged her to walk for exercise. The North Carolina working mom slowly turned her walk into a run, and she began participating in local 5ks. Now she's encouraging other women in the group to start running.

Rule 7: Increase Intensity

A study conducted in 2006 at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada, found that interval training--bursts of speed within an aerobic workout--burns fat and improves fitness more quickly than constant, moderately intense exercise. Researcher Jason Talanian recommends mixing interval training into your routine once or twice a week.

Rule 8: Crunch All the Numbers

Harvard weight loss expert Dr. George Blackburn asserts in his new book, Break Through Your Set Point, that people who weigh themselves daily are significantly more successful at keeping off excess weight. But also measure and record your changing body mass index (18.5 to 24.9 is considered normal), body fat percentage (aim for 14 to 24 percent), cholesterol levels (less than 200 total is desirable), blood pressure (at or below 120/80), clothing size and training distances and times. If after making positive changes you're still having trouble losing weight, ask your primary care physician to crunch another number, your TSH level. Hypothyroidism can cause weight gain.

Rule 9: Keep a Food Diary

Solkin tells people to keep a daily log of what they eat. When you see how that soda or bag of chips adds to your total, it might be easier to eliminate. In a recent study funded by the National Institutes of Health, participants doubled their weight loss when they kept a food log. To track your habits, use myfooddiary.com.

Rule 10: Train for Something Bigger Than Weight Loss

There's no better motivation to maintain an exercise schedule and eat right than a race date. For Howard, the recent shift from seeing herself as "someone who runs" to being "a runner" has been a revelation.

"People say 'What are you doing? You look so great,' and I say, 'I run four to six days a week,' " she explains. "You say that enough, and you start feeling like a runner."

Very Good Information!

This article was written by Jeff Gaudette. Jeff is a running coach.

The most common question I get from both beginner and veteran marathoners alike is: “What should I eat during the week and the morning of the Marathon race?” It’s a great question and a very important part of success on race day. Since I covered how to practice your marathon nutrition strategy in training in one of my previous posts, this week I will cover an ideal nutrition plan starting 5 days out from the race so you can start planning your pre-race nutrition strategy now.

Marathon Rule #1: Never try anything new on Race Day

In addition to clothing, pacing, and training, this rule also applies to your nutrition strategy in the five days leading up to the race. You should not experiment with any new foods or venture too far from your normal diet. It’s easy to get nervous in the last few days of your taper and be persuaded by a new product a friend recommends or something you see at the race expo. However, if you haven’t tried it before, especially at marathon pace or during a long run, don’t be tempted.

It’s also important that you experiment with the types, quantity, and timing of the food you eat before you run. Some runners have very weak stomachs and need up to three hours to digest food before they can run comfortably. Other runners can eat within an hour of a hard run with no adverse side effects. It is important to figure out which type of runner you are during training and to take this information into account when you plan for the race morning.

Experiment with your pre-race meal before race day. Your last two long runs or difficult marathon paced workouts should be similar to race simulations. Try wearing the clothes you think you’ll wear on race day, the shoes, socks, and everything you can think of. Eat the same pre-race meal you’re planning for the night before the race and when you wake up in the morning, eat the same breakfast you plan on having. This will give you time to change things up before race day if you find it doesn’t work for you.

5 days from the race

Begin to increase your total carbohydrate intake by adding in more pastas and starches (low glycemic index foods) to your diet throughout the week. The old idea of depleting your carbohydrate stores the week before the race and binging on carbohydrates the last few days in an attempt to trick your body into overcompensating and storing more fuel is outdated. Ensuring that you consume a higher percentage of your total daily calories as carbohydrates is sufficient.

Remember, you’re not running as much as you have been, so eating too much more than you normally do will make you feel bloated and lethargic. At this point in the nutrition cycle, relax and don’t go overboard.

48 Hours before the race

Your last big meal should be two nights before the race. It will give your body ample time to digest anything you eat so you won’t feel bloated on the morning of the race. I’ve seen too many people gorge on pasta the night before the race only to reach the starting line the next day stuffed and lethargic. Have you ever tried to run the morning after Thanksgiving? If you have, you know the bloated feeling I’m talking about, and if you
haven’t, I don’t recommend scheduling a tough workout.

24 hours and before

Eat normal balanced meals like you would normally do on any training day. Make sure you drink plenty of liquids all day long, especially electrolyte fluids such as Gatorade or use electrolyte tabs such as Nuun. It helps if you carry a water bottle along with you throughout the day to remind yourself to drink.

Your main meals should still be in the form of low glycemic to medium glycemic index foods. Ideally, you won’t be too active on the day before the race, so you may feel full quickly. That is fine, you shouldn’t try to stuff yourself.

18 hours before the race

Start eating small meals every 2-3 hours, but after lunch, cut out red meat, fried foods, dairy products, fats, nuts, and roughage. You should only be consuming light, digestible foods like energy bars, bread, and small sandwiches. Keep drinking water and electrolyte beverages and avoid salty foods.

4 hours and less

You should be up early enough before the race to eat a small breakfast with plenty of time to start digestion before the gun goes off. If you need 3 hours to eat a small meal before running, then you need to get up at least three hours before the race to get in a light breakfast. You’ll want to drink mostly water (unless you know temperatures at the race are going to be warm), with some electrolyte fluid. Don’t try to get all your fluids down by chugging your water bottle. Drink small, regular sized amounts. Room temperature water is absorbed quicker than warm or cold water. I estimate that you’ll need 6 oz. every hour or 8 oz. every hour on hot days.

Lots of runners will take a GU or energy gel right before the gun goes off. I only recommend this if you have a weak stomach and you haven’t eaten in 3 hours. If you’re able to stomach more solid foods 60-90 minutes before the race, this is preferable. Basically, energy gels are mostly simple sugars and you’ll be consuming another 2 or 3 gels before the race is over. Even for the biggest sweet tooth this is a lot of sugar.

I hope this article was a practical and informative nutrition plan you can implement for race day. In the last article of the series, I will cover the nutrition plan during the actual race, so stay tuned!

Beginners Running Program
3 days a week on your off days cross train with the elliptical, biking, rowing and I would do some Pilates.

Week 1~2
Walk 4 min. ~ Jog 2 min. 5x

Week 3~4
Walk 3 min. ~ Jog 3 min. 5x

Week 5~6
walk 2 min. ~ Jog 4 min. 5x

Week 7~8
Two days this week do the
Walk 1 min. ~ Jog 5 min. 5x
Race day Run 30 min.
~Race weekend~

If you are struggling no worries we all do or did at some point~ just be positive and don't give up! If you have any questions please facebook or e-mail me. Have fun Endurance Divas/Endurance Dudes!

Very good reading!

6 Nutrition Tips to Avoid Stomach Pain

By Nancy Clark, MS RD CSSD
For Active.com

"I'm afraid to eat before I exercise ... I might get a side stitch."

"I always carry toilet paper with me when I go on a long run."

"How can I change my sports diet to so I don't need pit stops..???"

Little is more frustrating to a competitive athlete than to be well trained for an event and then get sidelined with a side stitch or diarrhea. Yes, the sports diet that's intended to enhance your performance can also bring you to a screeching halt! Sound familiar?

Transit troubles and gastrointestinal (GI) concerns are common among athletes, particularly those who run and jostle their intestines. An estimated 30 to 50 percent of distance runners experience exercise-related intestinal problems, with women experiencing more problems than do men.

If you are among the many active people who fear side stitches, loose stools, and GI distress, keep reading. The goal of this article is to offer some information and advice that can help you manage, if not reduce, your transit troubles.

Side Stitches

A side stitch--that stabbing pain in your gut that can bring you to a stand-still--is familiar to about 60 percent of athletes. Because getting attacked by a side stitch is unpredictable (that is, one day you might get one but the next day you don't), they are hard to research. The available data suggests they commonly occur in the same spot: on the upper right side of the abdomen where the liver is attached to the diaphragm by two ligaments.

While we aren't 100 percent certain what causes a side stitch, the prevailing theory is exercise creates stress on the ligaments that connect the liver to the diaphragm. Stitches can be provoked by a heavy dose of pre-exercise food/fluids, minimal training and inadequate pre-exercise warm-up.

Wearing a tight belt can help reduce organ jostling and reduce the symptoms. You could also record your food and fluid intake to try to detect triggers (too much pre-exercise water? too large a meal?). With repeated dietary tweaks, you can hopefully discover a tolerable portion of pre-exercise fuel.

To treat a side stitch, many athletes bend forward, stretch the affected side, breathe deeply from the belly, push up on the affected area, tighten the abdominal muscles, and/or change from "shallow" to "deep" breathing. (Pretend you are blowing out candles while exhaling with pursed lips.)

Dreaded Diarrhea

Marathoner Bill Rodgers may have been right when he commented more marathons are won or lost at the porta-toilets than they are at the dinner table. Diarrhea is a major concern for many athletes, particularly those who run--and understandably so. Running jostles the intestines, reduces blood flow to the intestines as the body sends more blood to the exercising muscles, stimulates changes in intestinal hormones that hasten transit time, alters absorption rate, and contributes to dehydration-based diarrhea.

Add some stress, pre-event jitters, high intensity effort--and it's no wonder athletes (particularly novices whose bodies are yet unaccustomed to the stress of hard exercise) fret about "runners' trots."

Exercise--specifically more exercise than your body is accustomed to doing--speeds up GI transit time. (Strength- training also accelerated transit time from an average of 44 hours to 20 hours in healthy, untrained 60-year old men.)

As your body adjusts to the exercise, your intestines may resume standard bowel patterns. But not always, as witnessed by the number of experienced runners who carry toilet paper with them while running. (They also know the whereabouts of every public toilet on the route.) Athletes with pre-existing GI conditions, such as irritable bowel or lactose intolerance, commonly deal with runners' trots.

Solutions for Intestinal Rebellion

To help alleviate undesired pit stops, try exercising lightly before a harder workout to help empty your bowels. Also experiment with training at different times of the day. If you are a morning runner, drink a warm beverage (tea, coffee, water) to stimulate a bowel movement; then allow time to sit on the toilet to do your business prior to exercising. When exercising, visualize yourself having no intestinal problems. A positive mindset (as opposed to useless fretting) may control the problem.

The following nutrition tips might help you fuel wisely and reduce the symptoms:

1) Eat less high fiber cereal. Fiber increases fecal bulk and movement, thereby reducing transit time. High fiber = High risk of distress. Triathletes with a high fiber intake reported more GI complaints than those with a lower fiber intake.

2) Limit "sugar-free" gum, candies and foods that contain sorbitol, a type of sugar that can cause diarrhea.

3) Keep a food & diarrhea chart to pinpoint food triggers. For a week, eliminate any suspicious foods--excessive intakes of juice, coffee, fresh or dried fruits, beans, lentils, milk, high fiber breads and cereals, gels, commercial sports foods. Next, eat a big dose of the suspected food and observe changes in bowel movements. If you stop having diarrhea when you cut out bran cereal, but have a worrisome situation when you eat an extra-large portion, the answer becomes obvious: eat less bran cereal.

4) Learn your personal transit time by eating sesame seeds, corn or beets--foods that can be seen in feces. Because food moves through most people's intestines in 1 to 3 days, the trigger may be a food you ate a few days ago.

5) Stay well-hydrated. GI complaints are common in runners who have lost more than 4 percent of their body weight in sweat. (That's 6 lb. for a 150 lb. athlete.) Runners may think they got diarrhea because of the sports drink they consumed, but the diarrhea might have been related to dehydration.

6) When all else fails, you might want to consult with your doctor about timely use of anti-diarrhea medicine, such as Immodium. Perhaps that will be your saving grace.

The Bottom Line

You are not alone with your concerns. Yet, your body is unique and you need to experiment with different food and exercise patterns to find a solution that brings peacefulness to your exercise program.

Nancy Clark, MS, RD, CSSD (Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics) counsels both casual and competitive athletes in her private practice at Healthworks, the premier fitness center in Chestnut Hill MA (617-383-6100).