Get your cross-training where you can

My husband and I have a treadmill in our house, and we absolutely love it. It's in the guest bedroom right now and since we only have guests maybe once every two years or so, we have visions of turning that room into a home gym complete with a weight machine and a stationary bike so that we can alternate the treadmill with other cross-training activities. But seeing as how we're not made of money, all that will have to wait for just a little while.

I've been using my Wii Fit sporadically for cross-training -- the yoga in particular was really helpful when I injured my knee a while back -- but it's kind of a pain to set it up and find the balance board and all of the little feet that keep it level (we do have a place for all of this stuff, but let's just say that with two teenagers in the house, there's no guarantee that it'll all be where it's supposed to be on any given day!) plus it seems to take forever to actually get to the exercises and there's a lot of downtime when switching from one to another.

So I decided to get a workout video, and the one I was hearing the most about was the Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred. It arrived in the mail the other day and holy cow, this thing is HARD! I had thought I was in pretty good shape, but I wasn't even able to keep up with Level One of this thing, and I was following the modified (for out-of-shape types) exercises! It's not that it's hard to follow at all -- the instructions are very clear and it's a high-quality video -- it's just that it is really a super-intense workout. The actual workout only lasts 20 minutes but you are constantly in motion and keeping your heart rate up for that entire time. My abs in particular were really sore for two days after my first workout!

I had my doubts as to whether I could truly cross-train while using an exercise video, but those doubts have evaporated. I am really looking forward to using this thing on the days I don't run. There are three levels to the workout but right now my short-term goal is just to get through Level One without needing a break!


I will post a full review of this product once I've worked my way up to Level Three, assuming that ever happens.

Book Review: No Need for Speed by John "The Penguin" Bingham

I'll admit it was the title that drew me to this book, because let's face it, I'm never going to be fast. Not by professional running standards, anyway. And I honestly have no desire to be. I've never been a very competitive person and all of my running challenges have to do with pushing myself to do something I've never done before, not measuring myself against someone else's best. I don't know that I'll ever feel the desire to run anything more than a 10K, race-wise, and I'm perfectly content to line up and remain at the back of the pack, just as long as I finish.

Fortunately, this book was just perfect for someone at my stage in the running game. Bingham talks a lot about the motivation to run and how runners are "born", but the emphasis is on just putting one foot in front of the other and doing it rather than turning yourself into some sort of speed/distance demon. The tone of the book is very encouraging throughout, and Bingham really makes you feel like you can do this! I also love his assertion that if you run, you are a runner. Even if you're more round than oblong, even if people leisurely walking their dogs are lapping you as you huff around the block, even if you finish consistently in last place at every race you run, the fact that you are running at all means you are a "real" runner. No need for speed!

The book is divided into four sections entitled "Inspiration", "Perspiration", "Dedication" and "Celebration" with a special bonus section of Bingham's most popular columns from Runner's World magazine. The "Inspiration" section, as you can probably imagine, deals with getting started. In this section Bingham deals not only with motivation and exorcising the demons that keep you from getting started, but also with practical information on how to outfit yourself to begin running -- buying the right shoes, etc. "Perspiration" talks about the nuts and bolts of running, from nutrition to injury prevention. "Dedication" deals with goal setting, staying motivated during training, and how to cross-train. And finally, "Celebration" is all about the joy of running, whether you're just huffing along on the treadmill a few times a week or racing your heart out in a marathon.

I really loved this book. I feel like I already had the motivation to get started and keep going where running was concerned, but it's hard not to get discouraged when I suffer setbacks (like my most recent bout with illness) and this book has been a great source of reminders that as long as I'm putting one foot in front of the other, I'm still in it. The practical tips are great, too, and they are presented in a very no-pressure sort of way. I highly recommend this book for anyone who's just getting started with running, even if you've only thought about it but haven't actually taken the plunge yet (maybe especially if you're at that stage). If you're feeling too slow, too fat, too achy, too old or in any way discouraged about running, this book will give you a real boost!

Book Review: Run Like a Mother by Dimity McDowell and Sarah Bowen Shea

I almost didn't buy this book. It showed up in my Amazon recommendations and when I read the description, with its talk of tips for running while pregnant and post-partum and finding time to run while mothering toddlers, I immediately thought it didn't really apply to me since my kids are older. But the reader reviews won me over, and I went ahead and bought it. I'm so glad I did!

The two authors of Run Like a Mother make it clear from the outset that while they have many similarities (most notably a love of running), they also have many differences. Bowen Shea is the more intense and competitive of the two, while McDowell takes a somewhat more casual approach to running. I imagine most readers will identify pretty strongly with one or the other, which gives the book an intimate, conversational feel. It really reads more like friendly advice than an instruction manual, which I really liked.

Chapters are short and typically include an essay by one of the two authors about the topic in question, a variety of sidebars that tend to take the form of bulleted lists or quotes from other running mothers, and an extra ".2" section (for the .2 mile that makes up the end of a 26.2-mile marathon) with fun stuff like playlist suggestions or pre-run beauty dos and don'ts.

Early chapter topics include everything from finding motivation to finding the right shoes. Middle and later chapters deal with different aspects of running (trail running, speedwork, hills, race training) as well as specific considerations for mothers (running while pregnant, postpartum, etc.). The book is chock-full of personal stories and experiences by the authors along with loads of practical information and resources, all presented in a very easy-to-read format.

Run Like a Mother is a great resource for women runners in all stages of life, whether mother-to-be, new mother, mother of teens, grandmother, or don't-plan-to-be-a-mother! More than that, it's a really fun read. You'll feel like you've just taken a run with a couple of friends who really "get it". The authors also have a blog where they keep the conversation going.

I highly recommend this book and expect to refer back to it often during my running (r)evolution.