UPMC Health Plan Pittsburgh Half Marathon

The good news? I was the first EVANS to finish! The great news? My time is actually recorded! If you recall my story on the Pittsburgh Marathon in 2010, I may have accidentally put the directions on my shoe rather than my timing chip-rookie mistake. This time around, Pittsburgh Marathon got its act together (joking) and decided to put the timing chip on my bib!

This was, hands down, my BEST race ever. Not only did I PR my time at 1:45, but Adam, my mom, and my dad were there for support. They woke up at 5:30am just to get me down to my corral by 6:45am. I saw them once along the course but just knowing they were there was more than I could have asked for!

Adam and I after I finished!

Rewind a bit; the weekend started with Adam and I arriving in Pitt on Friday night. Wine, burgers, and of course, dessert was all consumed. Saturday started early with my mother and I taking a 75 minute yoga class at the Wexford Athletic Club. It was a beginners class and stretched out everything that I needed to be stretched out; it was like the instructor knew I was coming! Afterwards, we all headed into Pittsburgh to give Adam a tour of the city.

Primanti Bros., Strip District, the Incline, Shady Side (had to visit my friends at lululemon!) and the Convention Center to pick up my race packet.

The expo had a huge white board where we could write on for Boston..amazing experience.

The half marathon course took us along the North Shore of Pittsburgh, crossing over the 3 rivers into the South Side, and back downtown to the finish line. Maybe I’m biased, but this is my fave race! The course isn’t too hilly (slight inclines) and you cross over various bridges along the route. There isn’t a huge stretch of straight-aways so it’s easy to keep focus; previous half marathons I’ve run will have 2-3 miles of straight-aways which I find to be extremely boring. The weather was perfect; at 7am it was ~55degrees with the sun shining. By 9am, it may have reached ~60degrees but the sun continued to glisten down on us, keeping the runners warm without overheating (if that makes sense?).

I was able to keep my pace at 8:05 all 13.1 miles!

I was on fire! I have no idea what was going on but I felt so strong throughout the 13.1 miles. Gotta keep this up for the Detroit Marathon!

NIRSA 2013 Las Vegas

What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas!

Not really when you’re a part of NIRSA, an organization that prides itself on networking, connection making, and taking what you’ve learned at national conferences back to your institution in some way, shape, or form.

This past week, myself and 8 other OU campus recreation professionals traveled to Las Vegas, NV for the 2013 NIRSA National Conference! The conference didn’t start until Monday afternoon, so we had all day Sunday to tour the city.

Chef Gordon Ramsey’s shrine

The Belagio

Paris

Heaven! Or it would have been if their sales tax wasn’t 8.1%

Vegas really is larger than life; so beautifully designed and spaced out. I truly took in all the scenery when I went running on Monday morning; (little did I know that I’d have to fork over $10/day to use one of the hotels dinky gyms) jogging the streets is the best and cheapest way to sight see! And me and a handful of other runners may have been the only one’s out to take in the scenery at 7:00am..partay animals.

The conference began with the opening session; a renowned MSNBC television host, political science professor, author, academic, and keynote speaker, Melissa Harris-Perry tied in the theme of the conference, Inspiring Communities of Wellbeing, and set the stage for the rest of the week. Afterwards, it was the Katie show!

I had the opportunity (again!) to teach a variation to the Total Body High Intensity Intervals class I led in Tampa, only this time it was Round 2 duh-duh-duh. The deets:

• EMOM= 7 burpees, 5 push-ups
• alternating lunges, speed skaters, dive bomber push-ups, plank (3X)
• plie squats, mountain climbers, side planks, ins & outs (3X)
• plank jacks, triceps dips, shoulder presses, knee tucks

Nervous/anxious at first, considering the “gym” the class was held in was a ballroom with chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, on carpet flooring, with tables and chairs behind us filled with spectators to watch, not participate..Luckily, I had ~50 people come and sweat with me! It turned out awesome and I was super pumped afterwards! It was a great way to start the conference off on the a healthyright foot :). Thanks to everyone who came!

Most of the sessions I went to focused on fitness, student/professional leadership, student development, health and wellness, assessment, learning outcomes, and implementing programs. I learned something in each session that I can take back to Oakland and implement it in a way that works for us. I also had the opportunity to participate in Take a Student to Lunch, where I met a professional from a different university wanting pick my brain about how I started this blog.

The conference came to an ending at the Honors Award Banquet, where I finally got to see and be with my Oakland family!

All-in-all, the conference was a success! I can’t wait to put what I learned at NIRSA into reality at Oakland U! I’m already excited for the 2014 NIRSA National Conference in Nashville, TN next year!

Get Some Fitness, Beverly Hills, MI

I’m not sure how I’m typing this post; my arms, shoulders, back-even my KNUCKLES-are still shaking from Friday morning! See.. they would still be trembling if I wrote this post the day of 😉

Jenny, me, Allie, and Liz!

Jenny, Allie, Liz, and I ventured to Get Some Fitness in Beverly Hills Michigan for a 9:30am workout named The Grind. What’s The Grind you ask?

Basically, it was an hour-long session of kicking-the-shi*t-out-of-a-punching-bag workout that mixed jabs, hooks, jumping squats and lunges, and crunches without rest. Oh..how could I forget to mention a few burpees were thrown into the mix! Seriously, from the minute 9:32am came, I was already feeling the burn in my quads from the warm-up of alternating lunges..and usually I’m the one saying “more, more!” cause it takes me a while to really feel the burn. One of the warm-up exercises I really enjoyed was a deep squat with an accentuated “hip thrust” (if you will), which allowed our hip flexors to really open up and ready themselves for lots more squats and lunges!

Right after the warm-up, it was go-time. Literally 50 minutes of punches. Jon, the instructor, called out various combos to upbeat and high-tempo music that not only motivated us, but kept us on pace. Every once in a while, he’d tell us to do this many burpees, lunges, push-ups, and squats to give our shoulders and back a rest, but then we’d go right back to the punching bag.

I loved the workout! Tough-extremely tough, but doable. Jon kept encouraging us to do our best and always reminded us to stay on our toes (opposite of what I always tell my clients and participants!). Another thing I appreciated about the class and Jon was that not once did the words “burning calories”, “melting fat”, and/or “work off what you ate” was said. When I take classes at private gyms, that’s all I hear. Why can’t we have 1 hour of our day not be focused on the negatives?!

I highly recommend visiting Get Some Fitness in Beverly Hills, MI for a kick-butt workout! It’s not one to disappoint :).

Fitness at Home Series-1

I’m instructing a series at the Rec Center called Fitness at Home, where I’ll be talking, demonstrating, and explaining workouts that can be done right in the comforts of one’s own home! With everyone’s crazy-busy lives, it’s still super important to fit in physical activity. If you have an open space, 2 soup cans or water bottles, and a sturdy chair-you have a gym!

Benefits of exercising at home and tips to make it a little easier:

1. It’s right there. No need to find a parking spot, get a locker, and wait for a piece of equipment.
2. Rise and shine sweat! First thing in the morning, set your alarm clock for 30-45 minutes earlier and exercise. Not only does this clear your schedule for the rest of the day, but also, research has shown that exercising first thing jump-starts your metabolism, so you’re constantly burning calories throughout the day.
3. Add variety to your workouts. There’s been a huge shift from in-the-gym workouts to any physical activity counts; walking, running, Tai Chi, tennis, ice skating, gardening, moving-all are forms of activity that can act as exercise.
4. Set your clothes out the night before. There goes the excuse “it takes too long to get ready”-problem solved!
5. Enlist the help from a friend, furry or not. Having someone or something holding you accountable is an excuse-proof way to exercise. You don’t want to let down a friend or partner and you surely don’t want to let down Rover or you’ll have quite a bit of a mess to clean up.
6. Tune in. Workouts on demand offer tons of options with little to no equipment and at a very low-cost.
7. Youtube. Type in workouts and thousands are available to you! Ranging from 3 minutes to a half an hour.
8. Log your efforts. This not only keeps track of what you’re doing, exercise-wise, but also will help if you get stuck in a rut.
9. Track your progress/regress! How are you clothes fitting? Is walking up the stairs becoming easier? Are you able to do jumping jacks and squats longer? And vice-versa.

Need a little help?

A Kitchen Maid workout:

The who, what, where, when, and why’s of creating an at home workout:

1. How are you feeling today?
2. What do you want to work on? Create a small goal that can be accomplished in ~45 minutes.
3. What equipment is available to you?
4. How much time do you have?

Your turn!

Fitness at Home Series-Equipment

If you’re following along the Fitness at Home series, here’s a list of inexpensive exercise equipment that is completely optional and will only add magnitude to your workouts.

• Bench (not pictured). Jane Fonda style, very inexpensive and stackable. Price ranges from $45-$150.
• Stability ball (clear). It doubles as a chair! This can be used in place of the bench; it requires more stability and core support. If you’re choosing between the two, I’d pick the stability ball.
• Resistance bands/tubing. Another inexpensive way to get a strength workout in; tubing ranges from light to heavy and comes in circular tubes (as shown) and bands.
• Mat (pink). These are just great for anything and everything! They vary in thickness, colors, and technology; some have antimicrobial additives! (#themat)
• Dumbbells (the pyramid). These are a little pricey, mainly because you buy by the weight, but if you have a little extra “fit cash”, invest in some. Craigslist, gyms going out of business, and friendly neighbors are great resources to utilize!

New Year, New Rear with Active Vixens

TGIF TGIF TGIF..cue in the saxophone and Katy Perry.

Today is a GREAT day, not only because it’s Friday, but also because I received amazing news last night! Thanks to Meagan, the founder of and mastermind behind Active Vixen, a community created for athletic women to share workouts, stories, and outfits with one another, has chosen to feature me on her blog! I’m deeply honored to be a part of something that, I too, believe in; sweating in our respective communities and reaching greatness.

 Home » Featured Vixens

Meet Katie! Hobbies: Exercising, cooking/baking, shopping, crosswords, traveling/exploring, blogging

Name: Katie Age: 22 From: Rochester, MI3 Words that Describe You: Passionate, Innovative, Determined We love passion!How do you stay active? Running, teaching and taking group fitness, personal training clients, yoga, CrossFit: anything to support my community! Darn, girl – you do it all!What do you do for you? Eat well, rest, spend time with family and friend who support me, shop, cook and love lifeKatie, we are so impressed.  You do so much for a 22 year old.  Keep up the great work and continue to share you passion with others! – AV

Sharing my passion for fitness and meeting others with like-minded passions is so powerful; reaching out and connecting with individuals who strive for greatness everyday is a blessing to me! Thank you Active Vixen!

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In honor of both the New Year and my amaze news..I’ve got a doozy of a workout for you! It’s a treadmill walking and running workout with steep inclines, surely steep enough to get those rears in gear ;). Thank you Courtney for being an inspiration to this workout!

Time	MPH	Incline
0-5:00	4	1%
5:00-10:00	7	2%
10:00-12:00	4.5	2%
12:00-14:00	4.2	8%
14:00-16:00	4	10%
16:00-18:00	4.2	8%
18:00-20:00	4.5	2%
20:00-22:00	4.2	8%
22:00-24:00	4	10%
24:00-26:00	4.2	8%
26:00-28:00	4.5	2%
28:00-33:00	7-8.0	2%
33:00-40:00	4	1%

As always, both the speed and the inclines are there as a reference; everyone is at a different stage in their fitness levels, it’s YOUR workout, workout for your level!

Have a great weekend!

Updog Yoga, Rochester

This is my first Sunday-scratch that-first WEEKEND day off of ANY work! I’ve either been:

• away at a conference
• working at lululemon, or
• doing Oakland-things

I love being busy and am happy I’m involving myself in so many things but it’s nice to have a “me” day #greedy

So what does a girl do on her “me” day?

YOGA.

One of the MANY perks about being an educator at lululemon is getting out into the community and taking all different forms of fitness classes; yoga, CrossFit-you name it, I’m eventually going to take it! Even living in a smaller-ish city (Rochester), there are actually a lot of studios to practice yoga, either in the heart of the city or surrounding communities. All it takes is a little look-seeing while you’re driving through from place to place (pref not done at the same time). That’s how I found Updog Yoga!

Right off of University Dr., it’s tucked behind the old library building on the second floor (if you blink, you’ll probably pass it!). When you walk in, you’re greeted with a lovely breakfast spread, fully stocked with fresh fruits, dip, and coffee. FREE COFFEE.

After I signed in, the woman at the desk informed me that the first week was FREE! Yoga classes-mind/body classes in general-are very pricey; I’ll definitely be taking advantage of 7 classes at no cost!

The class was a 90-minute Vinyasa yoga practice taught by Natalie (who knows some of the yogi’s who teach at Oakland!). We started with a series that was pretty challenging; doing one-legged push-ups in a warm-up is a sign that this class has one) regulars, two) an advanced instructor, and three) they both mean business. We did a total of 3 sequences, all about the same level of difficulty in their respective ways. The pose of today’s class was half-moon (photo to come) and it was featured in every sequence.

One thing that really stuck out to me was, once the instructor took us through the sequence on both sides, she turned up the music and let us go. I appreciated it because it let me and the other yogi’s flow at our own place and practice the poses that we wanted to master (I’m working on kicking up to a head stand while another was perfecting her full-moon pose). But it got me thinking, what if you had a terrible memory? Would you say something to the instructor or just act like you know what you’re doing by following someone else? This isn’t the first practice I’ve been to that it was set-up like this, so it must be common..just got those wheels turning upstairs :).

One more thing that really stuck out to me was while we were going through our flow, the instructor came around and massaged lotion onto our necks. I wasn’t expecting it but I actually liked it after-the-fact! I can’t put a name to the smell but it had the effects of “Vicks” and opened up all the passages in my chest, neck, and face-so rejuvenating!

The rest of the day was spent doing tons of homework, laundry, making brownies, watching the Steelers vs. Giants game, and waiting for a certain someone to get off work..

so he can help with these

Oops I Bought Too Much

How was everyone’s Halloween?!

Unfortunately, mine was spent inside a classroom..but I did get to see some Trick or Treaters’ walking through neighborhoods! Too bad it was so cold, they were all bundled up and I could barely make out their costumes. Oh well..

So, you went out and bought tons of candy (you know, because this is the year where you’re going to have hundreds of trick or treaters’ coming to your home-right?) in fear that you’ll run out in the first hour. We’ve all been there! But now to your surprise you’re left with bags upon bags of candy, staring at you. Tempting you. Inviting you to grab just one piece..one piece..

Riiiiiight. Of course we’re ALL going to dig right in and eat our hearts out! We paid for it-we’re going to get our money’s worth! It’s human nature; if it’s in sight, we want it. NOW.

Having a piece occasionally is totes fine, but let’s save ourselves from a tummy ache and a trip to the dentist and see what else we can do with all of that leftover Halloween candy:

Idea 1: take it to the office. I think this picture says it allIdea 2: freeze it! Just like we freeze leftover lasagna, bread, and even bananas-stashing candy in the freezer prolongs its shelf-life, flavor, and is good in a pinch when a craving hits. Plus-have you ever had a frozen Reese’s? Life-changing.

Idea 3: donate it. Halloween Candy Buyback is a company that sends money to troops that are deployed overseas. “As responsible dentists, community members, and US citizens, Halloween Candy Buyback dentists have found a way to keep the fun, while helping kids and our  troops deployed overseas.” source

Idea 4: bake with it. Reese’s, snickers, Hershey’s kisses, Twix are amazing in brownies and cakes! Skittles, M & M’s, and Nerds are all colorful additions to cookies.

Idea 5:

ROCKtober Review & Workout

Happy Wednesday! Did you try any of the pumpkin-full recipes yet?

It’s about halfway through the fall semester-where does time go..seriously!!? I can always tell when it’s midterms week; the gym is empty. Once that week is over though..mark your spot cause it’s packed!

Exercise is a GREAT stress reliever; taking your mind off of school work and putting some of that effort in your workout will leave you feeling rejuvenated, relaxed, and those endorphins will pump you up to ace that exam! It doesn’t even have to be a long, drawn-out workout; even a quick 20 minute circuit, strength training, cardio workout, or yoga/Pilates session will do the trick. It’s about finding “you” in the workout; you’ll put more effort into the workout and get more out of it. #sweatandforget

Speaking of a good stress reliever..

I completed Katie’s ROCKtober workout yesterday and got rid of lots of stress! I’m always up for using someone elses workout; it adds variety to my routine and takes the guess-work out of creating one for myself. I thought it was a well-designed workout and structured appropriately but was way too long for me, personally (it was ~75 minutes); I don’t think I’ve completed an hour+ workout since my high school days-who has the time anymore? Also, for as many push exercises as we did (chest press, shoulder press, triceps dips, push-ups), they’re weren’t an equal amount of pull exercises (biceps curl). I’m extremely OCD about balancing the front AND back out in every workout.

All-in-all though, awesome workout! It constantly kept me moving becauseIwantedtobedone and switched between strength training to cardio utilizing different equipment-thanks Katie!

My challenge for you Workout Wednesday-er’s..give this ENTIRE workout a try! You’ll complete each set, 3 times through, for the recommended repetitions.

• if you’re a beginner and new to workout Wednesday’s, I challenge you to complete the workout 1 time through each set. Use light weights and/or body weight where applicable.
• if you’re intermediate/advanced, no excuses! I know you can do this workout. It’s definitely more challenging, but if you’ve been active for the entire semester, you can handle this.

*don’t have a treadmill nearby? No worries-jump rope, high knees, mountain climbers, stairs, jumping jacks, speed skaters, and/or burpees will substitute!

10 Rounds X 10 Reps Challenge

It’s workout Wednesday!

I hope you all enjoyed the post last week about healthy eating on campus. There really are tons of better-for-you options, you just need to do your homework, plan, weigh options, and most importantly, not deprive your body of what it needs!

I completed this workout last week and was sore for at least 4 days. That’s when you really know you worked hard :).

In the Rec center, it sometimes can be more challenging to find a space to do plyometrics than the workout itself, especially if you come at prime time. With the exception of the stretching area (although it has no mirrors (for form purposes, not vanity!)), your next best option is outside in the common area. You can use the reflection from the group fitness room as a mirror and space isn’t an issue. Your options:

• by the staircase
• near the ping-pong tables (watch for flying balls)
• outside the activity center
• down the hallway near the courts and cycling studio

This workout combines plyometrics and toning exercises; you’ll complete 10 repetitions of each exercise for 10 rounds. Try to limit your rest periods! A Men’s Fitness article in the October 2012 issue says that research shows resting for only 30 seconds can increase the rate at which you burn calories by up to 50% compared to taking a full 3-minute rest period.

10 Rounds X 10 Reps

Burpees

Overhead Shoulder Press

Jump Lunges

Push-ups

*If you’re a beginner and not used to plyometrics, complete the burpee without the jump (step back into plank instead) and alternate lunges. Remember, proper form and safety all the time! As you get further into the workout, you’ll fatigue more every round; don’t sacrifice form for a good workout.

The 10X10 workout works wonders on its own, but if you’re looking for extra total body conditioning, here ya go!

• 20 squats
• 20 reverse crunches
• 20 triceps dips
• 20 alternating lunges
• 20 leg raises (laying down)
• 20 biceps curls
• 20 squat jumps
• 20 v-sits
• 20 lateral raises

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Looking for another way to track your diets and workouts? Stay tuned for SlimKicker; a website that tracks your exercise and movements (the more you move, the more points you’ll accumulate). First, you’ll upload a picture of something you want to be rewarded with later (an outfit, accessory, electronic, etc.). When you’ve reached your points, they’ll remind you to reward yourself! There’s a lot more perks to this tracker than just rewards but that’s always the most fun :).

They hope to release it between March and April of next year; it’ll be a compact version of FitBit and in motivating colors (red, black, blue). I was contacted about trying SlimKicker and writing a review on it- what better motivation to get in shape for Spring Break! Who knows..maybe a giveaway is in store… :-D.