Swim, Bike, Run... Swim, Bike, Run

Well I decided to get back into triathlons this year. I have taken two summers off from the tri world, but felt like it was time to live by three words: swim, bike, run.

The big motivator is that it's the inaugural event of the Denver Triathlon! I'm pretty excited to be a part of that. I hear that the race director is the same person that puts on the LA Triathlon. I competed in the Chicago tri a few years ago and if it's anything close to that type of event it should be amazing!

My friend Jen is going to compete in the triathlons too, so I'm so thankful to have a training buddy to keep each other motivated!

So now I'm trying to be disciplined with my training and food choices... healthy healthy healthy (not worry, I count dark chocolate as healthy :)). 

Off for a a training bike ride! Let me know if you are training for any events this summer!

Workout DVDs

I have become quite the fan of fitness DVDs in the past year or so. I have found them to be the perfect motivation for those days that are too cold to go outside or you're just not feeling like leaving the house to head to the gym or yoga studio. They are a great way to get diversified, quick workouts in from cardio to yoga to sculpt or dance.

I have tried to gather a variety of DVDs and figured as I work out to them this year I'll try to give you a quick review on my thoughts in case you are looking to add to your workout routine.

The first set that I bought was the Elle Magazine Make Better fitness DVDs. This set includes three different DVDs with two 25 minute workouts each. The three DVDs include cardio, sculpt and yoga. So total you have six different workout routines that you can mix and match as you please. I love doing 25 minutes of a cardio workout paired with 25 minutes of sculpt.

The series includes three different fitness trainers along with model Brooklyn Decker to go through each of the workouts. The only equipment you will need are hand weights and a yoga mat for the yoga DVD.

Today I did the full cardio DVD (50 minutes) and got a great workout on a snowy afternoon where I wasn't super motivated. The great thing about this cardio workout is that they make sure to move your heart rate up and down helping burn calories and tighten up.

If you want more info on these the website is: http://www.ellemakebetter.com. I would definitely recommend them as a great, versatile (and affordable) set of workouts that give you a worthwhile workout at home.

First Half Marathon Complete!

This past weekend was the half marathon that I had been training for the last few months. I ran the race with a few of my good friends from college and we had the best time. The half that we ran was the Snow Canyon Half in St. George, UT. I had never been to that part of Utah before, but was so excited to see what a gorgeous course it was.

A few things that I learned through training for the half:

- 12 weeks was probably too long of a training plan for me. I felt burned out about 2 weeks before the race and backed off from long training runs which actually seemed to work out okay in the end.
- Being able to race at a lower altitude was a huge benefit. You forget how much more difficult it is to breathe in Colorado when you train here full time!
- Fall is a great time of the year to get a race in... the crisp air in the AM is perfect for training and race day.
- I have a tradition of booking a massage for myself after big athletic events as a reward. I booked one as soon as I got back to Colorado this week and felt so pampered!

Lastly, I am so glad that I got to run with amazing friends. It was a great reason to schedule a trip and all keep each other motivated throughout the training process. We stayed together for the entire race just running and chatting our way through each mile, it was a blast. I can't wait until the next event!

Yoga Sculpt

Yoga has became an important part of my health and fitness routine. I love mixing it in with the higher impact, strenuous cardio workouts like running, biking and hiking. It's a nice way to give my joints a breather and turn the focus towards strength and flexibility.

I have enjoyed trying several different types of yoga, but my favorite go-to class is yoga sculpt. If you haven't tried it, sculpt is a high-intensity class that combines yoga, weights and cardio (along with pop-type music to get you going... think Lady Gaga, Rihanna, etc). You will find yourself doing many of the normal yoga postures but with dumbbells in hand. The other part I love is that most of the moves combine upper and lower body workouts. For instance you will be doing squats and bicep curls at the same time.

The class is definitely a bootcamp type workout which I think the athlete in me really enjoys. It's nice having a "coach" pushing you to keep going while having your fellow yogis going through it with you as well.

I take my sculpt and other yoga classes at CorePower Yoga and have had a great experience at many of their studios around town.

Tell me about your yoga practice!

8 Mile Training Run with my Running Buddy

About three weeks to go until my first half marathon! I'm a little nervous and have been trying to make sure I get enough training in, especially with a long run each weekend. I have been loosely following Hal Higdon's training plan, but mix in my own workouts of yoga, cardio, weights, etc to even out all of the running.

Today I ran 8 miles and it was good, but tough! I'm so glad that I have a great training buddy (my brother's dog Winston). A 2 year old high energy lab is just what I need to keep myself going. It does make it so much more fun to have a happy training partner that is loving every mile.

Next weekend will be 9 miles... I'll keep you posted!

Half Marathon Training with Podcasts

My first half marathon is about a month away! I'll be running the half with 3 of my friends from college in St. George, Utah. I had to get a 7 mile training run in today and ended up going to a greenbelt trail nearby. I wasn't feeling super motivated, but once I got on the trail and saw the beautiful setting with all of the trees changing colors I felt much better!

This was the first time I had tried listening to podcasts instead of music on a long run. A friend that just completed a half recommended this to me to help get through the training. I think it definitely helped and will keep it up!

What tips do you have when you're in training and just aren't feeling motivated for a long run?

The start of the run: