1. Gain Greater Fitness & Health: Training for a marathon increases your overall fitness and health. Your cardiovascular health increases along with your chance of living a longer life.  Though I've been in sports my whole life, I've never felt more in shape than from training for a marathon.

2. Challenge Yourself: You don't know what you are capable of until you try. If you have plateaued or become bored with your fitness, then running a marathon could be the new, great challenge for you physically, mentally, and emotionally.  Running a marathon will increase your capacity for physical endeavors, but it will increase your capacity for life in general.

3. To Have an Excuse to Travel: Running is a great way to explore a new city or place in nature. There are interesting, exciting, and beautiful marathons all over the world to choose from like: Berlin, Paris, London, The Great Wall of China, Napa Valley, Big Sur, & The Big-Five Marathon in South Africa.

4. To Relieve Stress: Exercise in general relieves stress. Think about how much stress you will relieve running 4-5x a week for 30minutes-3hours at a time. Whenever I feel stressed and go on a run, I feel much happier and relieved afterwards.  Running helps me clear my head and puts me in a better mood.

5. Runner's High: Running can give you a high because endorphins are released. With this high, you can get into a smooth rhythm where all of your problems melt away and you feel more free than ever.

6. Strong Legs: No doubt, training for a marathon will give you stronger legs than you had before, and you will feel the difference using your stronger legs in other physical activities. Who doesn't want strong legs?

7. Mental Freedom: "Running can be your time to zone out and give your racing thoughts a rest. Or it can be a time where you are free to reflect on your feelings and gain perspective on your life. When you are out running, there are no distractions or demands being put on you by others. Your mind can wander freely without consequence. Just be sure to watch where you're going!"

8. Time to Listen to Music: Running with music can help you get into more of a rhythm, and make your experience more exciting. Plus, it creates time for you to enjoy that new album that you just bought or that new song that you've been obsessing over.

9. Gain Greater Confidence: Running a marathon is a huge accomplishment. It takes commitment, dedication, strength, and mental stamina. Completion of four-six months of training and 26.2 miles on race day will feel amazing. You will feel like you can accomplish other challenges in your life.

10. Spend More Time Outdoors: "Spending time outdoors and having exposure to sunlight is proven to stave off depression." Plus, you will get your dose of vitamin D. Being out in nature can feel more grounding, centered, relaxing, and alive. And you get a chance to notice your environment more appreciating the trees, flowers, wildlife, people, and/or houses.

11. To Make More Time for Yourself: Training for a marathon requires a lot of time. If you're running 30-40 miles a week, then that's an extra 4-7 hours for YOURSELF each week. It's important especially for you busy folk, to dedicate time just for YOU, and to take care of yourself and your body.

12. To Get More In Tune and Aware of Your Body: When you train for a marathon, you naturally become more aware of how your body feels and reacts in different situations. You will become more aware of your breathing, your heart rate, how your legs and feet feel, your posture, and your stride. You can also become more aware of your thoughts and feelings.

13. To Run With Others: Maybe your friend(s), family, or partner(s) love or want to run a marathon, and you want to run with them. Running is a fun way to be social. Running with someone helps, especially on those long runs when you're supposed to be running at a slower pace anyway. For me, having a regular running buddy has gotten me out the door on days that I wouldn't normally had enough motivation to run.

For a while, I’ve been saying that my motto is, “Don’t Think, Just Do!” when it comes to exercise.  But, lately, I’ve realized that it is important to think.  It’s important to think positive thoughts.  Thinking positive thoughts can have a more powerful impact on your experiences.

I’ve had many runs that I dreaded because they were intimidating and I didn’t think that I could do them.  With this dread, I felt anxious and would have thoughts such as, “This is going to suck. It is going to be painful.” And it would every time I thought and felt that way.

There was one course, in particular, that I dreaded, which my running partner and I would run fairly regularly. The first time we ran it, I felt like hell. From that experience, I associated that course with fear, fear that I couldn’t do it without it feeling hard and painful.  The next time I ran it, I thought it was going to hurt, and it did. Surprise. Surprise. This course was officially intimidating to my mind, and I started to avoid it like the plague.  Every time my running partner would suggest we run it, I would suggest a different option. My thoughts were, “I don’t know what it is but I always have a bad run on that course”.

Finally, I realized that my negative thoughts and feelings were influencing my experience. One day, I decided that I was going to have a good run on that course.  I was going to feel strong. And guess what? I did! It changed my entire outlook on running that course.  Since then, I haven’t shied away from it, but have embraced it instead. I know that I am strong enough to feel good on that run unless I tell myself otherwise.

Thoughts influence your feelings, which influence your experience.  Yes, you’re going to hit the wall sometimes. It happens to all of us. That is just reality.  But, the more positive thoughts and feelings you have, the more positive runs/workouts (or anything for that matter) you will experience.

“We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make our world” -Buddha

• 4 days and nights at a private estate in Woodacre, CA
• 3 delicious meals every day
• Daily group trail runs
• Group fitness classes (Bootcamps, Strength Training, Yoga, Stretching)
• Day trip to beach
• Lounge in the sun, stroll through the oaks, nap, or meditate in nature
• Soak in the hot tub overlooking the valley
• Sweat it out more in the indoor sauna
• Watch amazing sunsets
• On location massage available

We are offering an Early Registration Special: $490 for the entire vacation (this includes logding, meals, classes) if you sign up by May 15th. Please go to our website for more information and registration. Or call Cameron (719) 684-3545.

Pumpkins should replace medicine balls. My zombies (bootcampers) loved them so much that they want to keep using them. So, I’m thinking about keeping them around and incorporating them into more Bootcamp workouts for the rest of fall.

Some of my zombies dressed up!

We raise our pumpkins!

You can see more of how I turned my bootcampers into zombies at Halloween Bootcamp in the video below:

And here is Enjoy Fitness’ Halloween Playlist:

Your sweet Six Six Six-HIM

Halloween-AFI

Monster-The Automatic

Hell’s Coming With Me-Iris

#1 Crush-Garbage

Dope Hat-Marilyn Manson

Vampire Heart-HIM

Vampire Love-Ash

Thriller-Michael Jackson

Knights of Cydonia-Muse

Red Hot Moon-Rancid

Silent Shout-The Knife

Let me know how the exercise goes for you!

Benefits of Bodyweight Training:

• You can do it anywhere at anytime
• It’s priceless
• No equipment is necessary
• You get a full body workout
• You are working your core the whole time
• It’s a fun & challenging workout
• You feel strong
• You feel capable

Challenge yourself with this bodyweight workout that I made in this video:

An article was written in the New York times covering what the single best exercise is if you could only do one.  The top two were burpees and stairs. Both are bodyweight training exercises that are very efficient and effective at burning calories, building strength, working your core, improving your cardiovascular system, and having you break a sweat!

Here are some of the best body weight exercises:

Burpees

Do you remember my burpee video? In November of 2010, I completed 1500 Burpees over the course of the month.  It was an awesome time! Though I don’t feel as drawn to burpees as I used to because of this, I still believe it is a valuable exercise. You get your upper body strength by doing the pushup. You get your lower body strength from the jumping. You get your cardio because of the jumping (jumping down and jumping back up). You get your core because of the cardio & strength combined! It’s a win win win exercise.  If you have never done burpees before, then I recommend you start by doing 10 and working your way up to 15-20.  If you are a burpee master, then challenge yourself to as many burpees as you can do in 5 minutes.

Stair or Hill Sprints

You are using every muscle in your body when sprinting up a hill or stairs. What an awesome strength, heart pumping, and sweat gushing workout! I recommend warming up first with a short jog on a flat surface for 5-15 minutes before diving into an intense exercise.  See how many sprints you can do (5-20), then finish your workout with some bodyweight strength exercises below.

Pushups

Pushups are my favorite! I feel strong when I do them.  They are one of the best, if not the best, exercises that you can do for your upper body.  You are working your chest, back, arms, and core! For beginners, you can do them on your knees, or do them against a picnic table. For pushup masters, try different pushup variations (see my current videos and stay tuned for more).

Squats

I just love my squats, what can I say. They are great for your glutes, legs, and core.  Many folks tell me that when they do them, they feel it in their quads. But, when done properly with focus, you will feel your glutes (butt) and abs working! I always feel squats in my glutes because I am focusing on sitting my butt back as far down as I can go while keeping my knees parallel to each other, then squeezing them at the top when I come back up. I like to go really slow to burn it out. The great thing about squats is that you can be effective by either going really slow or really fast.  If you are going really slow, then you don’t need to do as many reps. If you are going really fast, then you go for time-doing as many as you can in a certain amount of time. Example: Slow Squats: 10 squats of 3 counts down & up (Focusing on squatting down in a 3 count, and hold down there for 3 counts, then squat up in a 3 count. Repeat 10 times.  Fast Squats: As many as you can do in 30-60 seconds.

Lunges

I always feel sore from lunges! The great thing about lunges is that there are so many different variations to choose from: reverse, front, static, alternating, side, transverse, elevated, jump (plyometric). You choose.

Planks

Oh, I love my planks too! They are an awesome way to work your transverse abdominal muscles. There are many versions  that include: front plank with leg raises, side planks, rocking planks, up downs, low-level planks, etc (see my video above and other videos and posts on my blog)

Pullups/Chinups

You will need a bar for these. Some parks have an actual pullup bar to use. Sometimes, there is a bar at a playground to use too.  My dad used to use a tree branch.  Pullups are also one of the best upper body exercises that you can do. Great for your back and arms and core! Every time I do pullups, I am sore in my abs. Do as many as you can on the first set. Then, take at least a 1 minute rest before doing as many as you can for the second set. Try for 3-4 sets for as many reps as you can.

Sprints on Flat Surface

If there aren’t any hills around where you live or are visiting, then sprints on a flat surface like a grassy field, a track, or a road from one stop sign to the next is a great option.  Sprinting as fast as you can uses every muscle in your body, which has you burning more calories! Plus, because sprints are hard, they feel rewarding.  You feel more accomplished when you are done. Try for 5-10 sprints with rest in between.

For the first 16 miles, I felt relaxed and focused keeping the pace that I needed.  It didn’t feel easy exactly, but it didn’t feel hard either.  Everything was smooth. The weather was warm and sunny, but  I was determined to not let that affect me.  Even though I love the sun, running 26 miles in it is exhausting.  There was a headwind for about 6 miles or so, which actually felt good, and didn’t slow me down at all. We were still rocking it.

Then, mile 16 hit and I started to lose it a bit, but not too bad.  I kept thinking of Lindsey Vonn, who was the winner of the World Cup and 2010 Winter Olympics in downhill skiing. Michele and I watched her documentary the night before the race.  It was really inspiring to learn about her life and the goals that she had accomplished thus far.  So, I told myself that I was going to think of her when the marathon started to feel tough.  I thought of her quite a bit, which helped.  But, at mile 18, everything started to turn real south real fast. I tried to think of Lindsey Vonn, but my memory was fading, and could only think, Louis Vuitton.  Seriously.

There were only 8 more miles to go, but that sounded and felt like an eternity. My body didn’t feel right.  Michele tried to keep me focused telling me that I could still qualify, that I had it in me. But, pain flooded my body and it was only getting worse with each second. Legs were tight as knots,  my stomach was bubbling, and shooting pains were hitting my back.  These last 8 miles were the most miserable 8 miles that I had ever experienced.  I hated every second of it, and wanted to quit so bad.  But, quitting was not an option whether I wanted to or not.  It was walk or run to the finish. I did both.  It felt better to walk, but the running got me to the end faster, so I tried to minimize my walking to when there were aid stations.

Furthermore, mile 24 provided me with a popsicle, which I knew was exactly what I needed even though I hadn’t had a popsicle in over 10 years.  It tasted amazing.  Mile 25 provided me with the same thing, which I took advantage of because it was the only thing helping me mentally at the end.  And after I crossed the finish line, I had 3 more popsicles.  I was grateful that the race provided us with these sugary treats, which are perfect for an endurance event on a hot day.

Yep, this was a walking moment.

After what seemed like forever, I finished the race with a time of 3:55. It was 20-25 minutes slower than what I was planning.  Running marathons is all about how much pain one can endure.  Sometimes, it just doesn’t feel worth it.  While other times it does.  This one felt worse than my first marathon.  But, then again, it was my 3rd marathon (including an ultra) in 2 months. That was a lot for my body to try and achieve a PR or qualifying time.

Finally, I am not disappointed. Running races like these only make a person stronger.  I knew that I was taking a risk going into it. Either I would have it or I would not have it.  I feel happy having experienced the first 18 miles feeling fast and strong.  I know that I can qualify with more rest and proper training.  I feel proud that I finished while hating every moment of the last bit of the race, and that I completed my 4th marathon within 9 months of my first one.  It has been over a year of marathon training with a month long break back in November doing 1500 burpees!  Now, I shall rest, which means taking a break from marathon training for a while.

Next Event: Tough Mudder!

Note:  I do recommend the Foot Traffic Marathon.  The course provided beautiful scenery, and a mostly flat road.  Post-race treats included popsicles, oranges, water, and fresh strawberry shortcakes with strawberries that were grown on the island.  My complaints are that there weren’t enough volunteers at the aids stations handing out water & electrolytes. And there were definitely not enough porta potties along the course.  All in all, if you want to run a small, pretty marathon with sugary treats that is part of an awesome city (Portland), then you will like it.

My buddy, Steve, and I ran our first ultra-marathon last Sunday, May 22nd.  Call us crazy, like many others, but this was an awesome experience, definitely one of the coolest races I’ve run.  It is also the longest distance I have run though I did not run the whole thing.  It was nearly impossible to run up every steep uphill and steep downhill.  Most people, including us, walked the uphills and ran the downhills.  The course had an elevation gain of 7,800ft,, and a total descent of 7,440ft.  You can only imagine that we were very sore the next day.

This must have been right after mile 15 because we aren't running.

6am, right before I left my house to meet my friends to drive down to the start line, I started my period. I thought, well, this is going to be interesting. I popped a couple of advil. During the beginning of the race, I was feeling extra tired, and my pelvis was hurting.  I was really hoping that cramps would stay away.  And they did thanks to well, I don’t know what, probably popping advil three times during the race, and perhaps confusing my body with intense strenuous exercise! As the race progressed, I gained more energy, and my pelvis stopped hurting. It was the first race that I have ever run on my period, believe it or not. It just had to be during the longest race, which I think makes it even more hardcore

Moving on, we started the race at an uphill climb.  Steve and I tried to run what we could and still start off conservatively, which I’m not totally convinced that we did. But in any case, we kept trotting along happily. The weather was a little foggy to begin, and really windy and cold at the top of this one peak at about mile 4.5.  As we descended down, the weather became warm and sunny for the entire rest of the race.  The course continued with endless beauty while passing and being passed by other runners.

Furthermore, the race started to feel really tiring at around mile 15.  That is when my stomach started growling with hunger, and I knew that I was going to need to eat lunch to get through the day.  So, at the mile 15 aid station, I popped a few quarter size pb&j sandwiches, a few small boiled potatoes dipped in sea salt, a handful of pretzels, and drank a cup of sprite. I haven’t drank pop (yes, I’m from Colorado and we call it “pop” there) in 11 years! But, I was and still am super thankful that high fructose corn syrup exists for those of us endurance athletes. The sugar is beneficial for some things, I promise.

After we left the mile 15 aid station, we walked for a bit to digest. Plus, I believe it was uphill for 3-4 miles until the next aid station. This was a tough part of the race. But, at about mile 17, another runner joined us for some chatting. She was great company, and ended up sticking with us for the rest of the race. The three of us crossed the finish line together with smiles on our faces and tears in our eyes.  The majority of the last 10 miles was downhill, which really did a number on our quads and knees.  I loved it though; it was all part of the fun.  Running and walking fast on insanely tough courses makes me feel strong and capable.

We are getting some aid!

In addition, the volunteers were amazing.  There were 7 aid stations that provided us with water, electrolyte drinks, soda/pop, quarter size peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, oreos, m&ms, jelly beans, pretzels, boiled potatoes dipped in sea salt, chips, GU, electrolyte tablets, strawberries, advil, tampons, and ice.

Finally, the ultra world seems a bit lonely.  I noticed a lot of runners were doing this race alone. During some parts of the run, Steve and I were alone with no sight of anyone in front of us or behind us. We were out there for 8 hours.  The winner got 4 hours and 31 minutes. (The last person finished in 14 hours).  I cannot imagine being out there by myself for more than 4 hours.  I was impressed by those who were, and very grateful to be doing it with my dear friend.  Ultra running is something that I would like to get into more down the road. I’m going to need some buddies though. Who’s down?

Exercise and the Brain

It only takes 20-30 minutes of exercise 3 times a week. Anyone can do that! Get on it.