Motivation is the word.

This week started off pretty nasty, weather wise. Sunday morning I woke up to the sound of the wind howling outside. I was really happy that I didn't have to leave the house until 5pm. I figured by then the weather would calm down, it wasn't even raining yet, just really really really windy. When 5 o'clock rolled around the skies decided to open up, first with hail and then with pouring rain. I live 2 minutes away from work. I usually leave 10 minutes before I have to be at the gym just in case the cross walk is busy and I have to wait 5 minutes before I just close my eyes and walk across the street hoping that the cars will slow down enough for me to get safely to the other side. Sunday 450 pm, I was prepared to go the distance in the pouring rain. I put on my coat, gloves, hat, sneakers... I opened the door to my building and proceeded to sprint the distance to the hotel. 452 I was in the lobby, drenched from head to toe, mostly to toe... I got to the gym, took off my shoes, hung my jacket and gloves in the sauna to dry off and went to work. By 6, the rain had calmed down a bit and I decided to make my way to my gym, to work out. The quickest, driest way there, was to run. I bundled up again made my way outside and started on my way down the block. As I was running I heard footsteps behind me getting closer and closer. As they got really close I turned around to see what was coming towards me and there was this guy running in full gear and a backpack. As he ran past me, he turns around, smiles and goes "what were we thinking?". And as he got farther and farther away I couldn't help laughing, he thought he wasn't the only crazy one out there, I knew better.

Where does the motivation come from? When I really don't want to go out and run I can find any type of excuse to go to the gym and not run outside. At least I run on the treadmill, you say, but it doesn't come close to the hills of this city. I can run on the treadmill for a long time, yesterday it was for 1hr 20 min, with only one bathroom break. The last time I ran outside was on Saturday morning with Danielle. The weather was beautiful (I put on sunscreen) and we even wore the same t-shirt (!), which was cool until we were walking and people were staring... We had a nice pace, didn't walk too much and even conquered hard hills. All in all, a great run to start a great day. This week, as the weather was totally going manic depressive on us, seeing people running outside in all weather causing me a pang of desire to join them, I came to the realization that I really do love running, outside, inside, mostly outside, just not alone. When I don't have anyone to share the pain with, I opt for the indoors, something there will distract me. So this week, I went to the gym instead, no matter that Thursday's weather was the nicest it has been since November. I think that once I have more time and the weather is back on its meds, I will go out on my own or with Danielle, (or anyone else who would like to join me, but that I can get along with...) and run.

Last night someone asked me how I find the time to train for the half marathon. I told him that I don't find the time, I do what I can and I am pretty confident that I will succeed, it just might take longer than if I had trained properly for it.

Mind over matter. No pain no gain. Running for a cause?

If you find my motivation, please send it back to me. New ideas are welcome too.

Until next time.

Peace.

For all those skeptics...

How Running Benefits Your Body:
It's All Good
More scientific proof that running keeps you healthy.
By Amy Rushlow
From the February 2011 issue of Runner's World


Scientists have discovered the fountain of youth—it's running. Studies continue to find that hitting the roads improves health and well-being. "The biggest benefits come from vigorous exercise like running," says JoAnn Manson, M.D., chief of preventive medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital. Here are the latest reasons to lace up.

LOOK AHEAD People who run more than 35 miles a week are 54 percent less likely to suffer age-related vision loss than those who cover 10 miles a week.

KEEP THE BEAT Runners who log a weekly run of 10 miles (or more) are 39 percent less likely to use high-blood-pressure meds and 34 percent less likely to need cholesterol meds compared with those who don't go farther than three miles.

FUNCTION WELL Men who burn at least 3,000 calories per week (equal to about five hours of running) are 83 percent less likely to have severe erectile dysfunction.

BUILD BONE Running strengthens bones better than other aerobic activities, say University of Missouri researchers who compared the bone density of runners and cyclists. Sixty-three percent of the cyclists had low density in their spine or hips; only 19 percent of runners did.

THINK FAST British workers were surveyed on a day they worked out and a day they didn't. People said they made fewer mistakes, concentrated better, and were more productive on the day they were active.

STAY SHARP A study in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society reported that women who were active as teenagers were less likely to develop dementia later in life.

SLEEP TIGHT Insomniacs fell asleep in 17 minutes on days they ran, compared to 38 minutes on days they didn't. They also slept for an extra hour on days they exercised.

SNEEZE LESS People who exercise for an hour a day are 18 percent less likely to suffer upper-respiratory-tract infections than those who are inactive, according to a study from Sweden. Moderate activity boosts immunity.

BREATHE EASY Researchers had asthmatics do two cardio workouts and one strength session a week. After three months, they reported less wheezing and shortness of breath.

LIVE LONGER A review of 22 studies found that people who work out 2.5 hours a week are 19 percent less likely to die prematurely than those who don't exercise. A separate study found that active people have a 50 percent lower risk of premature death.

COLLEGE STUDENTS WHO EXERCISE AT LEAST 20 MINUTES 7 DAYS A WEEK HAVE HIGHER GPA'S THAN THOSE WHO ARE SEDENTARY.

Only in America...

Do you eat to live or live to eat?

I would like to think that I eat to live. I try to keep a healthy diet and make sure that the food I put into my body won't hurt me in the long run. There are those days, however, that all I want is a nice donut, preferably a Boston Creme with chocolate icing and colored sprinkles from Dunkin Donuts on Raritan Ave which I know are utterally unrealistic, but a girl can dream. The other day I had such a craving, sitting starving in class listening to a boring lecture on blood sugar levels. Obviously, I did not indulge in said craving, since that would be against all that I stand for and I am not in Edison anymore, Toto... Instead I went on dreaming. Luckily, earlier that week I went to pick up the latest Runner's World magazine that my parents sent with a friend, (thank g-d for Jew winter vacation), and as I was nearing the end of the 1st magazine I came across a very "interesting" race. It will be taking place tomorrow, February 5th, for the 7th time. It is called: The Krispy Kreme Challange or K2C for short. The challenge is running 2 miles to the Krispy Kreme Store, eating a dozen donuts, showing that your box is empty and running 2 miles back to the start, all in under an hour. The story behind this race is one you would only find in a frat house.

"A Tradition Begins...

The Krispy Kreme Challenge started in December 2004 as a dare between a few NC State undergraduate students. Sophomore Ben Gaddy took home bragging rights that afternoon, running the race in 34 minutes and 27 seconds. After receiving positive coverage from campus news papers and being placed as #85 on the "102 More Things You Gotta Do Before You Graduate" by Sports Illustrated. On Campus, organizers decided to publicize the Krispy Kreme Challenge and turn it into something that would not only be an event to bring together people from all over the country, but also to benefit an important cause along the way. It was no surprise, when organizers selected The NC Children's Hospital as the most deserving beneficiary of this ultimate collegiate challenge."

As the author of the article wrote, in order to successfully finish the race its better not to eat lunch or dinner the day before. He also reported that a lot of the participants weren't capable of keeping all 12 donuts down before running the full 2 miles back. He stuck it out and finished in under an hour. As much as I like donuts, I would never participate in such a race. I would most definitely throw up after the 5th donut.

On another note, I will be participating in the Jerusalem Half Marathon at the end of March, if nothing drastic happens from now until then. I do have some long runs that I must get in and I hope to be able to do that towards the end of February when I have a week break from school. It has been raining (yay for the water levels, boo for the bottom of my pants) so I have been running at the gym and on the occassional sunny-ish morning. It is time to get my butt in gear tho. I do believe that no matter what happens, Danielle and I will finish the race together and it will prove a test of character, mind over matter, when your body is not prepared for the challenge.

No pain, no gain.

:)

Until next time.

Peace.

Time Management

I have a pretty full time job, I go to school, I workout and I like to sleep. Most of the time I feel that there aren't enough hours in the day to do everything successfully. If I were to add on top of that, kids and keeping house, I do not think I would be able to survive. So, my question is, how do they do it? The full time job workers, mothers of 4 and marathon women. When do they have time to train? How do they prioritise? When do they sleep?? Where do they get all that energy from? One of the reasons I decided not to run the Jerusalem Marathon is that I just didn't have enough time to train for it and right now my schooling is more important, after making a living and sleep, of course. I know that if I add to that 80km weeks I would not be able to function, as it is, it seems to be a struggle.

So, I turned to my running bible for help. A few months ago Runner's World published an article on time management. When to eat, when to sleep, when to weight train, when to get a massage... All the things I have been trying to do and not being so successful with. I will share with you the parts of the article that spoke to me the most, the rest you can check out on their website.

I have signed up for the Berlin Marathon in September, leaving me with the familiarity of training in the heat of the Summer. I hope that since Winter started so late here it will push off the inevitable unbearable heat we will have when I need to train. Its nice to be able to run races in the Country I live in but is sooo much more fun to run races abroad and see the World.
(The marathon is also 3 days before Rosh Hashana which will totally justify 3 days of eating without moving.)




Perfect Timing For Your Best :

Fuel Your Run
Eat too soon before you head out, and you could be plagued with GI issues. But if your last bite was hours ago, you could run out of steam. The goal is to time your meals so you're able to maintain a steady blood-sugar level throughout your workout. Bob Seebohar, R.D., a sports dietitian who works with both recreational and elite athletes, recommends eating a combination of carbohydrates and protein about one to four hours before a run (morning runners can skip a prerun snack if the workout is less than 60 minutes). Why the big range? Because how your body processes food is as individual as your fingerprint. One runner can hit the road just 15 minutes after eating toast and peanut butter; another needs two hours to fully digest and avoid stomach issues.

Stretch Out
Want to stir debate in running circles? Bring up stretching. Before? After? When injured? All are good times to stretch, as long as you're using the right technique. "Before a run, dynamic stretching helps elongate muscles so you run with optimal range of motion," says Chris Chorak, a San Francisco-based physical therapist and Ironman competitor. Postrun, static stretching (holding for 30 seconds) helps release tightness. Static stretching postrun may benefit chronic, achy pain because tight muscles are sometimes the culprits. Serious pain, however, changes the rules. "Sharp pain is a sign of an acute injury and shouldn't be stretched," Chorak says. "Grab an ice pack instead."

Hit the Road
Studies suggest that athletes perform best in the late afternoon—when most of us are still at work or on car-pool duty. Fortunately, research also shows that we can train our bodies to run well at any time of day simply by exercising regularly at that time. "When you consistently time your exercise, you train the cardiovascular system to deliver more oxygen to the working muscles at that time," says David W. Hill, Ph.D., professor of kinesiology at the University of North Texas who has studied how time of day influences athletic performance. But physiology is only one factor to consider. "If you live in Florida, heat, humidity, and pollution peak in the afternoon, so that's not a good time to run," he says. Hill also says that practicality, whether related to the weather, family, or work, should trump physiology.If you are prone to sleeplessness, avoid running three to four hours before bedtime, says Charles Samuels, M.D., medical director at the Centre for Sleep and Human Performance in Calgary. "For people with insomnia, exercising too close to bedtime can interfere with sleep."

Refuel
After hard or long runs (two hours or more), eat carbs and protein within 30 minutes to restock energy stores and rebuild muscle. "After a short run, eating within an hour is fine," Seebohar says.

Get Strong
Two strength-training sessions per week can improve your running. "A strong body improves your biomechanics, which enables you to train harder and more effectively without increased injury risk," Dixon says. But strength training, especially if you're pushing weights, can be a hard workout, so separate those workouts from hard runs by at least a day. Less intense core and stability exercises (planks, bridges) are fine the day before hard running workouts and before or after an easy run. Dixon says it's best to avoid all strength training right after a hard workout so you don't interfere with recovery. And to go into your race-preparation as strong as possible, add a third strength day to your routine in the six to eight weeks before you start training for a race.

See a Therapist
A weekly massage will help relieve muscular tightness. "Regular massage addresses issues immediately, rather than having them develop over time," says Joanna Burdo, massage therapist in San Francisco. The ideal time to schedule one is 24 to 36 hours after a hard workout. If you have a race coming up, schedule a massage at least four days prior to your event. "A sports massage releases biological waste, which is a good thing, but it can leave the legs feeling heavy," says Andrew Kastor, a massage practitioner in Mammoth Lakes, California. A light massage postrace can feel good, but to really boost recovery, Kastor says to opt for an ice bath instead. Once race-induced muscle soreness has subsided (two to six days), a deep-tissue massage can help release tension.

Practice Yoga
The best time to do yoga depends on why you do it—as a form of strength training or as a daily stretch. If you do strength-based styles, once or twice a week is best. But doing a few poses after your daily run can improve flexibility. Tailor your yoga practice to your training cycle. "The off-season and base training are the best times to do powerful styles like Ashtanga," says Sage Rountree, a yoga teacher in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. During peak training, dial it down. "A too-vigorous practice during key training weeks can sap you of energy," she says. Reduce yoga to once a week, or do only gentle poses

Jet Set (The most important - in my opinion)
When is the best time to fly to a race? Your circadian rhythm—the body's internal 24-hour clock that regulates temperature, metabolism, and hormone levels—affects performance. To be at your best, experts suggest allowing a day per time zone for the body to regulate itself. Better yet, taper well. "Unless you're traveling across five time zones or more, the bigger performance issue is being well hydrated and well rested before getting on a plane," says Dr. Samuels, who is currently researching the effects of jet lag and travel fatigue on elite athletes. In the week leading up to your flight, the best thing you can do is drink plenty of water and get eight hours of sleep a night, he says.





In other news, Danielle and I went for a run Sunday and it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I have been running here and there and really enjoying myself. I guess that means that the funk is over and it was smart of me to take a little break. I ran sprints yesterday, much faster than I remember running them a couple of months ago. Sometimes your body screams to you to slow down and rest. Most people are hard of hearing in this aspect but it really pays off to listen. Kind of like not hearing what your parents have been telling you your whole life until one day, you realise, that they have been right all along.

Until next time.

Peace.

New Year, New Decade, New Resolutions.

We are at the end of the first decade of the new millenium. What have you accomplished in the last 10 years? I am happy to say that I have accomplished alot, at least I think so. First, I survived and graduated high school, that was pretty easy. I moved to Israel, also pretty easy, when you just jump with your eyes closed and only open them years later :). I have travelled the world, not all of it, but there's still time. I have been to Hong Kong, New Zealand, Australia, Thailand, France, Budapest, Prague and Italy. I have gone to school for higher education and have built a nice niche for myself and my profession here in Jerusalem. I'm a personal trainer, masseuse, hydrotherapist and am studying Chinese medicine. I have participated in many charity events, be it through running, biking or just raising awareness. In 2010, I dedicated my running to myself. I chose a goal and worked towards it in a way to better myself and not for the benefit of anyone else. It may seem selfish, but for me it was the right thing to do. I enjoyed every moment of my training in 2010. No matter how tired I was, how hot it was outside, how many annoying questions I was asked, in the end it was all worth it. To actually say that I have run a marathon is a great accomplishment and I am proud of it. I'm actually sorry that I didn't start this blog 10 years ago, I would have loved to know what my New Year's resolution was for 2000 and onwards. I doubt I would have thought that I would accomlish all I have these last 10 years. Hell, who am I kidding, I was the laziest person I knew back then, I had been to Israel once in my life and was iffy about the whole Aliyah aspect AND I wanted to be an architect and live in California.

The definition of resolution that I find the most fitting for me right now is: "The fineness of detail that can be distinguished in an image". I wish that we would be able to have the clearest of resolution on the image of the next 10 years of our lives. It would certainly make life easier but it would also take the adventure and fun out of what we will experience. Uncertainty is what makes us continue on the journey called life. My resolution for the years to come is a simple one. To always remember that there is a reason for everything, not to get caught up in the small annoying details and to focus on the positive.

Oh, and to run another marathon or 3, of course.

Here is a link to an article about easing back into running after a lay off. I have decided to sit the Jerusalem Marathon out this year. I was training but it was not fun and running is supposed to be fun. I will run the 1/2 marathon and if it doesn't rain tomorrow, eh, even if its raining tomorrow, Danielle and I will be running to the forest in the morning (yay!). So, with a smile and a grimace we will run up hills and I will enjoy the journey only once its over, but at least I know that I will enjoy it.

To a new decade of running, enjoying life, new experiences and to health.

'Till next time, in 2011.

Peace.

Motivation?

There are days when its too cold in my room to get out of bed in the early hours of the morning, how am I expected to want to run on those mornings, or evenings for that matter? When I've been working all day and am just getting in the door after leaving 12 hrs earlier... There are days when I push off the run as much as I can and there are other days when I find a window of opportunity and run on it. I always feel better when I'm done with the run and sometimes even while I'm still running. I guess amnesia goes both ways, for forgetting the good and the bad of running. When I was done with the marathon I said, sure I can do another one! Now that I'm training for one again I ask myself, why?? I'm hoping that on one of my longer runs this week the answer will come to me. I haven't found one that I am satisfied with that really is my source of motivation.
So I ask you, those out there in cyberspace who actually read this: "Where do you get your motivation from?"

Till next time,

Peace.
Please check out my website: http://www.rachelshealthandfitness.com/

It's that time of year again...

Except here in Israel we don't really get winter. Until last week I was still wearing short sleeves and would never even consider going out for a run when there was still daylight. Then Chanukah came and along with it an insane fire up in the Carmel that killed 42 people and displaced hundreds. It took 4 days to control and finally extinguish the fire but not without the help of our neighbors and friends all over the world. That is when the rain came. After the fire was out. A lot of people ask why the rain couldn't have shown up a week earlier and then we wouldn't have had a fire at all. I say its god's way of teaching us a lesson, that we shouldn't take anything for granted and know that life isn't in our hands. There is a bigger picture that we aren't supposed to see but just have faith that it will all be alright. After the rain came the wind. In some places it was 120 km/h. I don't know how strong it was in Jerusalem but it was really hard to walk across the street without being afraid a tree would fall on you or a cow would come flying over the building and knock you over. I contemplated going out for a run, and instead opted for the treadmill option. I ran a nice tempo run but I should have been running a long run of 16km. Now I'm glad that it has started to be a bit cooler and that the rain is filling the Kinneret back up and watering the ground so that our country can look a lot nicer, but I don't appreciate it when the weather and other circumstances mess with my training schedule, especially in the 1st week.


I don't consider myself a control freak or someone who gets uptight about little things but I do believe that when it comes to a training schedule, especially for a marathon, every run is important especially if you have doubts about the outcome, like I do. Danielle might think that I had a nervous breakdown and she may be right about that but I'm not so sure... I just got annoyed and worried and nervous about maybe not being able to pull off this next run which is in a little less than 4 months. My speed workouts and tempo runs are going great. The long runs are what seems to be the hurdle I need to get over. You would think that after running a marathon any run that is shorter would be a piece of cake, but they aren't. I think I have to sleep more and I won't be as tired or lacking the motivation to go out in the cold and run for 2 hours. This week's long run wasn't so successful. I tried to run on the treadmill but I was sooooo bored and couldn't finish the 16km for many reasons that I won't get into but after running 6 I called it a night and did some weight training and abs. The next worning I woke up a 5am to run a 10km and watch the sunrise, before going to work and then school. It was nice a crisp morning and thankfully I have a great jacket and gloves to keep me warm, making the hour and the feat a lot easier. I still ran my needed weekly mileage so I should be happy about that, and I am, I'm just hoping that from here on out, I can keep to my Sunday, Wednesday, Friday schedule of long run, speed work and tempo runs. Of course Runner's World has a video about running long runs on the treadmill when the weather doesn't allow the sane to run outside. I thought that all marathoners were in-sane but I guess not.

I kind of wish it would snow, I like running in the snow.

Until next time,

Peace.