Guest Post: Running Workouts for Moms

I started writing my blog as a way to let other people-especially new mothers-know that you can find health balancing both family and fitness! Some of my favorite memories of those "early days" of my journey to health and happiness were the miles on the road I logged with Lola in the the BOB Revolution jogging stroller. 

I was a little heavier back in the Spring of 2009...

Recently, I was contacted by Mathew Kyle from Altra asking to guest post on the blog and I was more than happy to host. Altra is one of the sponsors of my friend, James, aka The Iron Cowboy, who completed 30 Ironman distance races this past season, setting a world record. 
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Running Workouts For Moms

Finding time to work out when you are a mother can be difficult. However, with a little ingenuity even the busiest mom can integrate a running routine into her day. By allocating time to run, moms get a chance to clear their minds and calm themselves while toning their bodies. 

If you haven't run for a long time, you may want to ease yourself into a routine. Ideally, you should try to work out every other day or at least three times per week. You need to workout at least twice a week to get yourself into a routine. If you want to work out more often, you should rotate running with a low impact exercise like yoga or Pilates. 

When starting your new regimen, you should begin slowly with a 10 to 20 minute walk. Then, you should add 60 seconds of running to your routine. You can rotate the running with walking, and as you get more comfortable, you can increase the amount of time spent running until you are running for the entire workout. By the time you have been working out eight weeks, you should be able to easily complete 30 minute workouts two to three times per week. During those 30 minutes, you should be able to jog at least 3 miles, and by this time, you will notice that your bum will probably look tighter and more toned than when you started your routine. 

The above workout is perfect for anyone who is new to running, and it is ideal for moms who want to get back into shape after having a baby. However, finding time to do these workouts can be hard when you have children who need you to cook them dinner, drive them to soccer, read to them, and take care of their every need. It can be difficult, but with a little creativity, you can find ways to jog with kids. 

If you have a baby, you can jog with him/her easily using a jogging stroller. If you schedule your workouts during their naps, they can sleep in the stroller as you run. As they get older, they can bring a bike, trike, or skateboard along, and you can run with them. In a pinch, you can allow your children to play at the local park or playground, and you can run around the perimeter of that area. That allows you to workout while still being able to see them. Similarly, you can also do your workouts while they are at soccer practice or other activities. If you cannot manage to run with your kids in tow, you may want to consider a treadmill or other exercise equipment that will allow you to workout indoors while they play. 

It may be difficult to find time to run, but it is worth it. Your body will look better. You will be happier, calmer, and a better mom. 

Golden Harper is a previous all American runner who founded Altra Zero Drop Footwear, a company run by passionate individuals committed to helping running enthusiasts achieve their dreams through biomechanically proper footwear. You can check the company's updates and their latest in their blog

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Tomorrow I will be picking a winner for the Injinji socks--if you have not entered yet, you have until Midnight!!

The 1st winner is...

Well my trusty old Canon PowerShot is no longer
I got this camera as a baby shower gift from my mother in law & I was super excited since I did not have a digital camera. This camera has captured over 7,000 images in the last three years and has served us well. Moments of time frozen forever! From my pregnant belly

at 38 weeks-it would still be another 4 weeks until Lola made her debut

to the last downloaded pics of us playing Flickin' Chicken

It has been dropped countless times and kept working like a charm. Sadly, just a couple weeks ago it stopped loading pictures to my computer :( I tried getting a new USB cable but that did not fix the problem.
After a bit of research, I discovered that sometimes this just happens.
SO I broke down and ordered a new (fancier!) Canon and it should be here any day.
That being said, I do not have any new pictures to share nor do I have pictures of how the first winner of the LIKE IronCowboy was picked.

Of all the comments left on my blog and on my Facebook page, each name was written on a piece of paper and put into the "hat" (actually, it was a bag). Lola then picked-

Not Lola's hand and not that "hat" we used

wow. he is fabulous!! put me in that hat! -katie

Congrats Katie!!
Please contact me so I can get you your awesome prize!!
What did she win??
A cool water bottle from Life Fitness (it'll match her new bike too!!) and a bunch of LUNA and CLIFF bars!!

If you did not win this week, don't worry. You can still win!!

I have had a couple more amazing vendors come on board to donate prizes to get LIKES for IronCowboy's page.

Here's how you can earn entries:

• Like IronCowboy on Facebook-leave me a comment on my blog OR let me know on Facebook.
• Share the link to get likes for IronCowboy on Facebook. Tag me in the post or leave me a comment so I can keep track of SHARES. Each time you SHARE you earn an entry. There is NO LIMIT to how many entries you get, just let me know.
• Spread the word on your blog, on Twitter, via email, write it on the bathroom wall...
• All entries roll over week to week. How long will this GIVEAWAY last?? Until we reach the goals of 15,000 likes on the page OR I run out of prizes.

What is the prize for NEXT WEEK??

I'll give you a hint--it's from Triathlon Rocks.
If you read my blog then you probably have a pretty good guess as to what this prize will be!

~Why~ (and a giveaway!!)

The other night hubby and I had a discussion about triathlon and he asked me a simple question:
"why?"
I asked  him what he meant by "why". His response was WHY do you want to continue doing triathlon and training. You already did the half-iron distance so why do more?

I have been pondering this question for several days.
Why Tri?

Why do I do what I do?
Well, first and foremost--IT's FUN.
and
It's a challenge.
Every challenge I conquer makes me realize that I am strong.
I am capable.
I am determined.



Fitness for me is not about a size on a label or the number on the scale.
The triumph is in the goal setting, the planning, the achieving.
Don't forget that just 3 short years ago I could not run even a mile and that I was lugging an additional 100+lbs around with me. (Not including Lola! ha)
Being able to complete my first triathlon was FUN.
Learning to go faster was amazing.
Doing my first half-iron distance with a smile was awesome.
I want to keep going. Keep pushing myself. Keep improving.

It is those personal goals that motivate me.

It's not about the medals or the podium (well it is but it isn't) but it's about being a better YOU. Working hard for something and getting it.
Getting it may be finishing. Getting it may be winning.
Whatever it is, it drives you.
You gotta find your IT.

My other motivation??
This princess-doesn't she deserve to have a fit mommy? a mom who shows her by example that you can do anything you set your mind to? that life is about sometimes stepping out of your comfort zone yet finding peace there?

Why spend the time training?
Well,--I like it. (baby I like it!!)
I like how I feel when I tackle a tough workout.
or being out on the road for hours cycling or running.
I enjoy being totally spent and exhausted after a killer session.
I like how I feel physically and mentally.
Why do I get up at 3 or 4 in the morning to train (or blog about training? lol)
Because I strive to be better.


I have said it before (and I'll say it again)-
Triathlon has brought so much more to my life than sport or hobby.

Everyone has a story as to WHY-
Why they do it-Everyone has "their thing"
What is your WHY?

How this for a WHY!!
Did you read my post about James??
Go read it and then go like his FB page and come back leaving a comment.

Every LIKE he gets I'll put your name in "the hat" for a super duper
prize. I have all kinds of goodies-things you don't want to miss out on
like
Stuff from Triathlon Rocks, GU, Sweet Home Farm Granola, etc.
Lots and lots more!!
Spread the word!!

140.6 x 30 = ???

Just imagine for a moment-
30 Ironman races.
Yes, 30.
Not in a lifetime-
In one year!
140.6 miles x 30 is 4,218 Iron Miles.
That's a lot of miles.

Who would do that??

Let me introduce you to James-
James Lawrence aka Iron Cowboy


I "met" James last year on Dailymile.com while he was completing 22 half iron distance triathlons in a single season to raise money for In Our Own Quiet Way, setting a Guiness World Record in the process.


The most Ironman 70.3 races completed in one year was 22 by James Lawrence (USA) of Lindon, Utah, USA, between 27 March and 13 November 2010. Lawrence concluded his record by participating in the Ironman 70.3 World Championships. An Ironman 70.3 is classified as a "half-Ironman." Participants must complete a 1.93 km (1.2 mi) swim, 90.12 km (56 mi) cycle, and 21.08 km (13.1 mi) run.

That's a lot of BLING!

Pretty impressive stuff to complete 22 HIM's in a lifetime, never mind a single triathlon season.
How do you top that?

James is out to set another world record, only this time he's going bigger and badder!!
Bigger and badder as in 30 Ironman races in one year.


I was lucky enough to catch up with the very busy James-husband and father of five- to chat about his plans for 2012.

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James, last year you took on the challenge of completing 22 Half Iron distance triathlons in 30 weeks in conjunction with raising funds for In Our Own Quiet Way's "Give A Dam", which builds dams in Kenya to retain waterfall. Please tell me what inspired you to do this and how did this plan come together.


I came up with the idea on one of my long bike rides. I'd wanted to do something big for many years now but just couldn't think of the best way to have the largest impact. When the idea came to me to combine the work we were doing in Africa with my passion for triathlon, it was a match made in heaven. The plan looked perfect in my head until I started doing all the number crunching and Ironman racing just isn't cheap. The first step was to find a sponsor for all the races. Alex over at Muscle Works here in Utah saw my vision and offered to pay for all my race entry fees. From there things just seemed to fall into place like it was destiny. I had no idea how I was going to get from one location to the next but the means and the way always presented itself. I want to be very clear however that not one penny from donations was used to pay for triathlon expenses, every dollar was passed onto In Our Own Quiet way for the work that they do.

So you were already involved with Quiet Way before your HIM streak?
This vision of 22 HIM's also earned you a world record-how cool is that!?
What was THAT like?


Yes I was working as the public relations manager for In Our Own Quiet Way at the time. The world record was an absolute bonus... the main objective was to help as many people as I could. I have to admit though when the World Record certificate came it was pretty dang cool. In 2012 I am excited to travel to North Africa after my race in South Africa to see the regions we have affected thus far.


I know from following your adventures last season, not every trip was smooth sailing. Do you care to share some of the "more challenging" moments? How about the highlights? Which race was your favorite and why?

Timberman 70.3 finish (of course, I had to include this shot!)

There were many highs and many lows. I am a family man and father of 5. When I was gone I sure missed my family. Technology allowed me to keep in pretty good contact with them when I was gone but it just isn't the same as being home with them. They supported me 100% though... I could not have done it without them. I had little to no physical issues except for two....


In St Croix my body decided it didn't want to race or process nutrition... by mile 3 of the run I had thrown up everything in my body and struggled to a dehydrated finish. The other instance was in my current home town at the Provo Utah half. I had planned to enjoy the day and race with my wife Sunny which was suppose to be one of the highlights of the year. After waiting in T1 to start the bike I ended up flatting at around mile 5 of the 56 mile bike ride. I told my wife to go ahead and that I would just catch her. I underestimated just how strong of a biker she was and I turned myself inside out trying to make up the time it took for me to change the flat. It took me till just after the turn around to catch her but by then I had already done the damage... I believe this was 8 weeks in a row of racing and my body wasn't in the mood to push. I limped in on the ride with my wife and told her to go on without me, my hamstring wasn't going to allow me to continue.... my friend Jess talked some sense into me and convinced me to walk the run and finish. So we ended walking all 13.1 miles together and crossing that finish line. My wife still talks about the day she beat the 70.3 world record holder!


I had airlines destroy my bike, delayed flights, lost hotel reservations. broken down cars, nights slept in my car, nights spent under the stars and many more crazy things.


One of my highlights was racing in Michigan on Saturday and then flying out immediately after the race to my birth place of Calgary Canada for another race on Sunday of the same weekend. Knowing I didn't have time to spare I ended up posting a season best in Michigan of 4:39 followed by a 5:19 in Calgary the next day. I was pretty proud of both performances. I was awesome to have my family there in Calgary to support my efforts.

Austin 70.3 finish yielded a time of 5:01!!

You rode an amazing bike last year (I have total bike crush!) Tell us about your bike!

love my Ellsworth Coefficient and the crew at Ellsworth. They went out of their way to make sure my bike needs were met for this 2010 effort. When Delta destroyed my bike the guys at Ellsworth made sure to get me everything I needed to get back out there racing. Wheeltags is also a very cool company. They custom did the design on my disk wheel and without fail I got comments on it at every race!

Yet, there is a new "lady" coming into your life soon-care to share any info about her??

I had a doctor out of California offer to buy me the bike of my choice for my 2012 journey and in return.... when I break the world record I sign the bike and it goes on his wall!  It is being built right now so I don't have a full pick of it yet....

You have big things in the works for 2012--how are you going to top 22 HIM's?


2012.... I get scared every time I think about it. 30 full Ironman distance races through 15 countries. It time to man up and do this thing. 2011 has been a big prep year for me both physically and logistically. It has been a full time job getting everything ready and so far I'm not even close. The second half of 2011 will be very busy. I am still working on financial support and physical readiness. I am very excited to represent Quiet Way again on this adventure and hope to really be able to impact some lives.


30 Ironman races is a lot-both physically and financially. How are you going to accomplish this?


I have already secured help from generous sponsors and locals to cover the race entry fees, so that is a relief. I am working as hard as I can around the clock to get ready for the 30 events.  I am doing what I think is best for my preparation.  I am racing Ironman Cozumel later in November of this year in hopes of securing a spot in Kona for 2012.  I know I will be ready physically it is financially that I am most concerned about.


Best wishes in Cozumel! I hope you get that Kona slot.
Speaking of Kona, I'm gonna go there. Now that the WTC has this new "Do 12 IM's (or more) and get a Kona "slot" deal going, will this have any impact on you as a triathlete. Will you want to compete in Kona just based on the number of IM's you have done or would you rather get they by qualification?


WTC's do 12 races and get into Kona program is very interesting.... however the WTC is very tough to work with. They are SO big and get so many request that I don't think I am even on their radar. From my understanding they are going to start at the top of the list and allow entry for the people who have done the most races above the 12 first... then work their way down the list. Unfortunately my 12+ races will be coming in 2012 leading up to the race. It would be a dream to do the race in 2012 and include it in the world record.... I hope the stars line up in Cozumel 2011 and I won't have to leave Kona to a chance, but don't get me wrong... I'd take the spot.

Curious where James will be racing in 2012-

The races are all over the world and a mix of WTC, HITS and Rev3
Here is a link to his schedule.

James Family

Five beautiful children

I know the training demands just preparing for ONE Ironman are intense, tell me how you find balance with your training schedule and your family-Obviously, they support you in this! Tell me about them.


My family is awesome. My wife, Sunny makes sure I get my workouts in and ensures that I am eating right by cooking good meals. She is always asking me how things are going with the project and pushes me to keep going. Balance is tough but Sunny and my five kids are super excited about the project. Ideally we would like to sponsor wrap a big motor home and cross the country with it. This would allow them to be a much bigger part of my journey.



So what is a typical day like for you?


A typical day...My wife gets up early to get her workouts in. I get up and start getting the kids ready for school. Once the kids are all off and the youngest ones situated at home my days starts. I have gym clients starting at 9am and I get my swim in when I have a break. I make sure I schedule myself according to my workouts. If I have a long ride, run or brick then I will block off those parts of the day. If I am too busy at work unfortunately I have to get in that workout in the evening. I try not to cut into family time and will head out the door for a run after we have the kids in bed. I eat as much as I can during the day and then get up and do it all again. I typically have about 10 clients a day and do two workouts. Right now it is like have 4 part time jobs. Getting myself ready, training my clients, family time, and putting all the puzzle pieces together for 2012.



You are also a triathlon coach-tell me more about that.


Yes I am a personal trainer at a local gym here and I have tri clients on the side as a personal business. My goal after 2012 is to open my very own training facility here in Utah. I currently work with clients all over the country and am looking for a few more so that I can have an income through 2012. This is something that I can do from anywhere. I am well versed in all triathlon distances and am very confident I can get the beginner athlete and seasoned veteran to the finish line of any race exceeding their goals.


My training site is http://www.tridiaries.com/
Everyone has their own unique story, which is why I called it Tri Diaries. In a perfect world I would do a full blown documentary on the 2012 journey with me as the backbone of the series and highlighting an athlete at each of the 30 events. I think it is very interesting to hear all the reasons why people do Ironman. I want to tell those stories and really get into their minds, the mind of the school teacher, the stay at home mom and the aspiring pro. I know I'm nuts but why are you? Why do we do what we do?

Want to check out James' blog? You can find it here-


Do you want to help James on his amazing accomplishment?

You can do something as simple as LIKING his Facebook page. To secure additional sponsorship, he needs to reach 15,000 fans on his page! Go ahead-click the link and click the LIKE button and share with your friends. It is such an easy way to help.

You can also offer support by donating to his cause, Quiet Way. There is a link to it right on his blog

Do you have a question for James?
Please ask in the comments.

I will be following up with him again soon and would love to hear what YOU want to know about his epic adventure!