In my mid-forties strength workouts are one of the keys to fitness
I turned 46 last February. Wow…I am now closer to 50 than to 40 (but I’m ok with this – really)! As I look ahead, I realize that I have settled into a routine that is suitable for my stage in life. Running, barre classes, and an at-home strength routine (often including the Lifecycle) …these are the workouts I love. Of course for a mother of nine the other key to continuing fitness as I get older is strengthening my pelvic floor. [Read more…]
I met my friend Stacy this morning at 5 am at the pool where our kids have morning practice every Monday. It was dark and never got light until well after we returned from our hour and a half run. The temperature was a little warm for my taste (especially for this time of year), and there was a mist in the foggy air. It was beautiful, though. Just a few streetlights were on and the Christmas lights on the homes and in the yards we passed presented a soft early morning glow. And it was quiet. That is something I long for in these busy December days. 
As a cross country coach who practices with my team everyday during the school week, I have no choice except to bring my young children along on our runs. Consequently what people see on the trails where we do most of our running is about 10-15 middle and high school runners, me pushing a double baby jogger with #9 (Sam) inside, #8 (6 year-old C.C.) in and out of the jogger, and #7 (8 year-old John) running alongside. Needless to say, we turn a few heads. As is often the case with our busy life, by the time I get to practice, pull the jogger out of the van and take a real inventory of what has come along, I realize a few key things are missing…things like shoes, for instance. When I first started coaching, this would have been cause for more kids to be in my jogger than running alongside it. However, now what usually happens is that my young kids run without shoes…and most of the time still keep up with the rest of us. 
As I write this, I am feeling the after-effects of an early morning run with my friends Karrie and Susan…I feel calm, sharp, and ready for the day. Most of us know that exercise can help to calm us down, and during the Christmas holidays, calmness is a rare emotion for many of us. Certain forms of exercise (jogging, cross country skiing, swimming, hiking, bicycling) require a fairly consistent repetitive motion that can alter one’s state of consciousness. Described by some as “moving meditation”, the physiological effects of regular participation in these activities is very similar to what happens when one practices meditation. Breathing and movement act as a mantra and may in part be responsible for the feelings of calmness and tranquility claimed by some in response to exercise. Physical activity also revs up our endorphins, our brain’s feel-good neurotransmitters. Although this function is often referred to as a runner’s high, any workout that raises our heart rate and is over 30 minutes can boost the endorphins. These endorphins go a long way to bring us a little peace of mind, to calm us, and to improve our mood. They have even been known to lower symptoms associated with mild depression. 
A funny thing happened this morning on my run. I had met my friend, Susan at about 5:40 and we ran six and a half miles, mostly in the dark. When we parted ways, the sun was just coming up and I had about a half mile left before I got home. I love this time of morning when it isn’t still dark, but it’s not yet light, either…things appear shadow-like. 
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