NYC Marathon

Fit Blogger We Love: Run For Your Life

Written on August 9, 2012 at 10:20 am , by Samantha Shelton

A runner since her teens, Emilia from Run For Your Life knows a thing or two about the sport – and all the ups and downs that come with it. After sitting on the sidelines for a few months due to an injury, she’s back in the game and more than ready to ramp up training for her third go-around at the ING NYC Marathon this fall. We can’t wait to cheer her to the finish line!

My favorite way to work out: Running, of course! I don’t have a gym membership, but I’ll occasionally do something different to mix things up (like racing to the top of the Empire State building last spring). After having to sit out most of the summer due to injury, though, I’m more grateful than ever to be able to run in the mornings again.

On my fit life list: Qualifying for and running the Boston Marathon. While I’m definitely proud of my current best times (I broke four hours in this year’s Houston Marathon), I’m the queen of positive splitting right now and have a long way to go to make this goal happen. Maybe by the time I’m 30?

My “I Did It” moment: Finishing my first marathon, the 2010 New York City Marathon, in 4:09 – more than 20 minutes faster than my goal time. It was my long-term goal all throughout college and I was really proud of the training I put into running it one year after graduation. My second NYCM running in 2011 did not go as well, so I’m looking forward to showing the Queensboro bridge who’s boss when I return on November 4!

My fave fit snack: Chobani zero percent strawberry Greek yogurt. I’m not much of a breakfast person, so I eat this with a side of frozen mango pieces as my “morning snack” almost every morning when I get to work.

My biggest indulgence: Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla ice cream. It’s a Texas thing. I rarely go a day without a dessert and this is most often it. I know my flavor choice sounds so, well, “vanilla,” but seriously, it’s the best.

Do you have a favorite fit blogger you want us to highlight? Leave a comment below or email blog@fitnessmagazine.com

Fit Blogger We Love: NYC Running Mama

Written on April 26, 2012 at 5:27 pm , by Samantha Shelton

With racing season in full swing, a little run-spiration may be right up your alley (it’s not just us, right?). If that’s the case, head over to NYC Running Mama and get to know Michele, a total running rockstar who loves breaking a serious sweat. She’s in the middle of her second pregnancy too, so all you fit mamas out there can see how she handles running through each trimester while still taking great care of her body and baby. Keep reading for a quick glimpse of what Michele can’t live without and who she loves seeing at the finish line, then pop over to her page for more run fun.

My “I Did It” moment: Finishing my first race/marathon in sub-4 (3:54.02). I crossed the finish line and realized I hadn’t viewed myself as a runner or given myself credit for how fast I could run.

My motivation comes from: My son. I want him to grow up with a healthy, active mom that he is proud of. I was lucky enough to have my husband and son waiting for me at the finish line of this year’s New York City marathon. Ideally, that is how I’ll get to finish all of my races.

On my fit life list: My bucket list is constantly changing – there are probably close to 20 races on it at the moment. Highlights include running the five major marathons (NYC and Boston are completed), participating in (and finishing!) an Ironman, finishing the Badwater Ultramarathon.

5 things I can’t live without:

1. My husband and son, my parents and my three sisters. I talk to my sisters every single day. They’re my support system, my best friends and my toughest critics.
2. A treadmill. During the winter months, I run when my 15-month-old son is napping.
3. My iPod. I love listening to music when I run.
4. Sparkly Soul headbands. My go-to headband for all of my runs.
5. Makeup. I very rarely leave home without a touch of mascara and eye liner (I even run and race with some on!)

My biggest indulgence: Wendy’s Frosty and French Fries. It’s a reward for me after a long or especially tough run!

Do you have a favorite fit blogger you want us to highlight? Leave it in the comments below or email us at blog@fitnessmagazine.com

Fit Blogger We Love: Meals for Miles

Written on December 15, 2011 at 3:21 pm , by Samantha Shelton

A former gymnast but true runner at heart, Kelly from Meals for Miles will do anything to fit in sunrise runs to kick-start her day. We caught up with the blonde beauty to find out her favorite place to sweat and what moment of triumph really stands out.

My favorite way to work out: Running on the bridle path in Central Park, hands down! It’s even better when I’m with my favorite running buddies. Chatting away the miles on a beautiful morning is the best way to start the day.

My fave fit snack: I make homemade granola bars that blow store-bought ones out of the water. I usually include peanuts, almonds, dried cranberries, dried cherries, raisins,  sunflower seeds and peanut butter. I think they single-handedly fueled my marathon training this past summer!

Most embarrassing song I’ll admit I work out to: “Jump (for My Love)” by the Pointer Sisters. It pumps me up and makes me want to dance like Hugh Grant in Love, Actually!

My fitness mantra: “No guts, no glory. End of story.”

My “I Did It” moment: Running and finishing the 2010 ING New York City Marathon. It was my first marathon (but not my last!) and had been years in the making after injuries and illness prevented me from running the race in 2008 and 2009. My mom and twin sister were in town to cheer me on, and it’s still one of the best days of my life!

Do you have a favorite fit blogger you want us to highlight? Leave a comment below or email blog@fitnessmagazine.com

“What Was I Thinking?!” Tales From my First Marathon… (Plus a Giveaway!)

Written on November 9, 2011 at 4:12 pm , by Jenna Autuori

Sunday’s ING New York City Marathon—was it a one-and-done thing or will I do this crazy 26.2 mile race again? Crossing that finish line I told whoever would listen, “Never again! I’m sticking with triathlons!” but, now a few days later, as my sore legs are starting to feel normal again, I find myself thinking, well maybe I’ll do it just one more time. As my editor in chief told me, “If only one percent of the population have done just one marathon, imagine doing two? That means you’re a fraction of the population—how inspiring!” Before the race, I laughed at this thought (being just one person of that one percent is pretty damn good!), but now I’m thinking, is a marathoner a marathoner after doing just one, or do you need to rack up more to give yourself this esteemed title?

This entire marathon experience has been an incredible journey from the start. Since day one four months ago pounding the pavement trying to get mileage up, to the moment I stepped over that finish line, has been a roller coaster of emotions and a lifetime of memories that I’ll always cherish. Having watched my first NYC Marathon just a year ago, I never thought I’d be one of those 47,000-plus runners out there. Only a few years ago, I had never run more than six miles, and my first half-marathon was a spontaneous thing. But marathons were for everybody else, not me, so I always told myself. Maybe NYC is a place that makes you want do extraordinary things, but watching people put their bodies through this mental and physical challenge made me want to feel what they were experiencing. And as I watched the runners in 2010 finish their feat, I knew that 2011 was my year to tackle this goal.

I had a year to mentally prepare and tell myself that I was doing this and I had four months of intense running—not to mention incredible time management to fit in all the training—to get through everything I needed to do to be prepared. I was fortunate enough to run on the Asics team with my friends in the fitness magazine industry (yes, although some of us work for competing magazines, we’re still friends!) and have Andrew Kastor (husband of Olympic marathoner, Deena Kastor) as my coach.

As the days to the marathon quickly approached, I was more than ready to finally do this. As Coach Kastor said, “You’re halfway there.” The day of the marathon would be the rest of the journey. And luckily, Sunday was an unbelievably beautiful day here in New York City and we had perfect 60-degree weather. All 47,000-plus runners left their homes before the sun was even up and we huddled together on Staten Island as we geared up for the start of the race. Although starting the race more than four hours after I’d woken up isn’t ideal, it was definitely nice to have some bonding time with the people I’d be running alongside with.

The race is only beginning! Keep reading to hear about Jenna’s seven favorite things about the marathon. Bonus: One reader will win a prize in honor of her big race!

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CEO Julie Smolyansky: Running the NYC Marathon for Maternal Health

Written on November 4, 2011 at 1:06 pm , by Marianne Magno

Running a company is hard work. Add marathon training and raising two kids and you’ve got a challenge. But this Sunday, Lifeway Foods CEO Julie Smolyansky will run the ING New York City Marathon (her first time racing on the streets of New York!) along with Christy Turlington Burns for Every Mother Counts, a nonprofit that aims to raise awareness for and improve maternal health worldwide.

We talked to her about marathon training and why maternal health is such an important issue.

How long have you been a runner?

I hated running until I moved to NYC for work for a month in April 2001. I had no time to do fitness classes at the gym, so I started running in Central Park. Then I started to love it. I ran my first marathon in October of that year.

How do you fit in marathon training and workouts on your busy schedule?

After having my two daughters, who are now ages 3 and 1, it was important for me to get back in shape. I felt like not working out was hurting my emotional health and physical health. Now I bring the kids in a jogging stroller. It’s fun for them and I get to be an advocate for their health.

At first it was hard to find time to work out. It’s usually the first thing that falls off because you think it’s not a necessity. Now I schedule it in my calendar. Just whenever there’s a break in my schedule—an hour to two hours a day, but even 30 minutes can mean a 3-mile run.

For more on Smolyansky, her work with Every Mother Counts and her goals for the marathon, Read more

Talking Marathons, Movies and Moms with Model Christy Turlington Burns

Written on November 3, 2011 at 11:53 am , by Karla Walsh

The streets of New York City will become a runway for Christy Turlington Burns this Sunday, as she’s preparing to slip on her shoes (sneakers, not stilettos) to tackle a marathon. Turlington Burns and several of her friends and colleagues will be teaming up during the race to raise money to support Every Mother Counts, the group she founded to bring attention to maternal health-related causes. Between her training sessions, she found time to create a short film, Every Mother Counts: Obsetric Fistula, which she recently premiered, about a dangerous complication that can occur to moms after childbirth.

After her film debuted at LUNAFEST film festival, Turlington Burns filled us in about her race training, the cause that’s close to her heart and how we can help.

You’re running the ING New York City Marathon to support maternal health. How did you train for the event?

When the opportunity to run in the New York City Marathon came up, I was a three to five-mile jogger. I started increasing my mileage in early August and have done so steadily through my first 21 mile run a few weeks ago.

Do you have a goal in mind for the race?

To finish! Well, I fully expect to finish, but hope to feel good on the other side too. I am hoping to come in under 4:30. I feel strong and ready. What a perfect way to highlight one of the biggest barriers for women accessing health care in a timely manner, which is distance and the lack of transport when emergencies do arise.

What other fit activities do you enjoy?

I’ve been practicing yoga for more than 20 years and it remains my favorite “exercise” even through it is so much more. In recent years, I have tried a few other fitness trends such as Physique 57 and Tracy Anderson.

Turlington Burns recently premiered an important short film at LUNAFEST in New York City. Keep reading to learn more about it and why the topic is so important to her.

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Softball Pro Jennie Finch Laces Up for the NYC Marathon

Written on October 28, 2011 at 2:30 pm , by Colleen Moody

It’s crunch time! Or should we say, taper time? The 2011 ING NYC Marathon is a week away and already the city is bubbling with excitement and preparations. Among the list of notable celebs running this year are U.S. Olympian Apolo Ohno, model Christy Turlington, and on behalf of Timex, U.S. Olympian softball player Jennie Finch. Starting last, for every runner Finch passes Timex will donate $1 to the NYRR Youth Program. Below, we got the chance to chat with Finch on her unusual marathon training, and some tips she’s picked up along the way.

Belated congrats on your second child this past June! What was it like getting in shape for the marathon right after pregnancy?

It’s been very intense! I didn’t know what it would be like to get in shape for a marathon in general; it’s a whole different ball game than softball. It took about 12 weeks to really get myself back into the shape I was before I was pregnant. I did stay fairly active throughout my pregnancy, but your body just goes through a lot of changes. Another hurdle has been making the time to train, especially with a newborn and not getting much sleep!

How have you been training for the 2011 ING NYC Marathon?

I’ve been using the Timex Ironman Run Trainer with GPS and it’s basically been my coach on my wrist. My running coach Susanne Davis is in California, so we’ve been doing everything virtually. She wrote out my running plan for me so all I have to do is complete my workout and upload it from my watch so she can see everything from my heart rate, pace, and distance. It’s great because it makes me accountable for my runs since I know she’ll be able to see what I’m doing. My husband suggested I just ride around in a golf cart to get the mileage in, but that sneaky trick clearly wouldn’t work with her!  Through my workouts we’ve also been able to create mini-goals. First it was just to finish the race, but now that my pace has been improving and my distance has been increasing I’m able to push it to the next level with her help.

What’s the best tip Davis has given you during your time training?

I finally got the chance to train in NYC the past weekend with Davis, and that was really great because she could check out my form to make any adjustments I needed. She’s talked a lot about my rhythm and keeping my strides constant with quick steps. This helps keep my pace up and is also a good distraction on long runs. Another great tip she’s given me is how to deal with hills. She’s always telling me to think about high knees when going uphill, and butt kicks going downhill.

Have you set a goal time to finish the race?

I didn’t until I ran with Davis a few weeks ago. She told me she’d like to see me finish in 4:10. It would be great to break 4:00, but we’ll have to see how everything plays out that day!

P.S. You could win a FREE VIP trip to next year’s ING New York City Marathon by guessing how many people Finch will pass this year after starting last. Click here to enter! Hint: Last year, former New York Giants player Amani Toomer finished in 4:13:45, passing 25,817 people. Think Jennie can beat him?

*Editor’s note: Jennie Finch did indeed beat Amani Toomer, finishing the marathon with an unofficial time of 4:05:26 and passing approximately 30,000 runners! Congrats, Jennie!

More from FITNESS: The 16-Week FITNESS Marathon Training Guide

 

 

 

Fit Blogger We Love: Losing Weight In the City

Written on October 27, 2011 at 4:34 pm , by Karla Walsh

Theodora of Losing Weight in the City will be hitting the road, alongside a few FITNESS staffers, for the ING New York City Marathon in just 10 days! After months of dedicated training, we can’t wait to watch as this social media star conquers yet another race with style. We asked Theodora about the music that keeps her moving and her favorite medal-worthy moment.

My favorite way to work out: Running. I’ve so far run seven half-marathons, one full marathon and am training for my second—NYC! I love the way I can totally zone out or sweat out my frustrations through a good run.

Most embarrassing song I’ll admit I work out to: I guess “Party in the U.S.A.” by Miley Cyrus should qualify as most embarrassing, huh?

My fave fit snack: I’m pretty addicted to sunflower butter on a whole-wheat English muffin with either bananas or strawberries. Or just bananas.

My biggest indulgence: I don’t have too bad a sweet tooth, so I always save my calories for beer. There’s nothing like a cold beer after a hard race.

My “I Did It” moment: After losing 50 pounds, I nearly cried when I crossed the finish line of the Chicago Marathon. It was 85 degrees and humid, and there were people passing out all over the place, but I pushed through and finished. I never dreamed I’d be able to complete a marathon!

Do you have a favorite fit blogger you want us to highlight? Leave a comment below or email blog@fitnessmagazine.com

Fit Blogger We Love: Skinny Runner

Written on October 20, 2011 at 4:36 pm , by Samantha Shelton

We can’t get enough of the celebrity gossip and sarcastic witticisms we find over at Skinny Runner on a daily basis, nor would we ever want to. This week’s favorite fit blogger is on a serious running mission: Completing the Savannah Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon and then the ING New York City Marathon…the next day! Running two marathons in two days takes a lot of hard work and dedication, so read on to see how this California girl pushes to the limit.

On my fit life list: I’d like to do a few of the big international marathons, like London or Berlin. And win the lottery. And have a pony. But mostly I’d like to run some of the well-known races here and abroad.

I’m happiest when I’m: Winning big on Roulette in Vegas. And after a great long run. There’s something about starting the day off with a long run that makes the whole day better after that.

My biggest indulgence: A bottle of Prosecco, although depending on the day, it’s sometimes considered a necessity rather than an indulgence. Champagne’s a celebration drink and somehow I always find something to celebrate.

My fitness mantra: I came up with this very unique and unheard of saying: “Just Do It.” I think it’s going to be really big.

Actually, right before my first half-marathon in 2008, my little brother Matti texted me to “be strong,” so I repeat that the first 20 miles of a marathon. Then it changes to, “It’s gonna hurt, so suck it up!” for the last six. Nothing groundbreaking, but they seem to work. I haven’t died yet.

My “I Did It” moment: Last December I ran my twelfth marathon in 364 days. It was in Vegas, where I ran my first. I also set a PR, so it was kind of like coming full circle. I’m rarely completely satisfied and proud of my accomplishments, but on that day I was. And to cap off the magical race, I saw Brett Michaels in all his fake hair and Maybelline’d-up face. If life gets any better than that, I don’t think I could handle it.

Do you have a favorite fit blogger you want us to highlight? Leave a comment below or email blog@fitnessmagazine.com

Olympic Speed Skater Apolo Ohno Is Going For a Run!

Written on October 19, 2011 at 2:01 pm , by Jenna Autuori

This gold medal-winning Olympic speed skater, and a favorite among the Dancing With The Stars alum—not to mention the season four winner—is going for a run on November 6 around the boroughs of Manhattan in his first-ever marathon. I was lucky enough to score an invite to watch Apolo train at Chelsea Piers Sports Center in New York City, alongside buddy and 26-time Olympic winner, swimmer Michael Phelps, who was there to support his friend. (There was so much amazing talent in one place I wasn’t sure I could contain my excitement!)

“For 15 years I have trained to sprint for 10 seconds, rest, sprint for 10 seconds, rest,” Apolo told us. So I wondered why an 8-time Olympic gold medalist like Apolo, who is America’s most decorated winter Olympic athlete, would venture so far from the ice to the pavement? As a speed skater, endurance is certainly not Apolo’s cup of tea. But with the physique vastly different than a runner—big legs, tiny arms, comparing himself to that of “T-Rex”—Apolo is putting in the miles to support Subway’s campaign to promote health and fitness.

After meeting Jared Fogle—the man who rose to fame after America discovered he had dropped over 200 pounds by eating Subway sandwiches alone—Apolo claims he was inspired by Jared’s passion to lead a new lifestyle; and was put up to the challenge by Jared himself, who ran the 45,000 person marathon in 2010. “This is one of my favorite cities to visit, so to have the opportunity to run here, and have the city shut down once a year? That doesn’t happen, it’s amazing,” says Ohno seeming extremely giddy to be part of such a monumental event.

Did I ever think I’d witness a cross between athletic challenges, like speed skating and marathon running, in such a way? Not likely, but as as runner myself it was touching to see someone so inspirational take on a new challenge totally out of his comfort zone. Apolo’s Olympic training may not have prepared him for the 26.2 mileage, or all the mental work that goes into tackling that “wall,” however Apolo seemed like a man on a mission. Will I bump into Apolo on the race course in just less than three weeks? Who knows with the massive amount of runners I’ll be making my way through, but I’ll definitely be on the lookout for him like Where’s Waldo.

More from FITNESS:

• What It Takes to Be an Olympic Athlete: 3 Sports Stars Fess Up
• Eat Like an Olympian
• That’s the Spirit: How Lindsey Vonn Stays Fit and Focused