Review: Mizuno Women's Meridian Split Skirt and Mizuno Women's Jinx Sport Tank

I've been a huge fan of Mizuno running shoes for a long time now. They helped to keep me injury free during this last racing season and I truly believe it has a lot to do with investing in some great shoes. Jay picked me up some new running clothes recently and I couldn't wait to review them on the blog. 

The first is the Mizuno Women's Meridian Split Skirt. I've never owned a running skirt before and couldn't wait to try this out when I saw it. I went for a 30 minute run and was so impressed with this skirt. The skirt never rode up at all and the shorts underneath were so comfortable. It's the perfect length -- not too long but not too short either. I loved that there were several pockets that I could put keys or whatever I needed. I ran on a 85 degree day and this skirt didn't get weighed down with sweat at all. I couldn't believe how cute and comfortable it was! 

The Mizuno Women's Jinx Sport Tank was also amazing. I usually have to wear another sports bra with built-in bra tanks like these but I didn't have to at all with this tank. It has an adjustable support bra for more support and no extra sports bra was needed. Less laundry = one happy runner. As I mentioned it was HOT during my run and this tank kept the moisture away and I never felt sweaty on my run. The tank also had pockets in case I needed to store anything.

I was a huge fan and felt cute yet was extremely comfortable on my run. I highly recommend both products and the Mizuno brand in general. This was not a sponsored post, I just really love their products and am a big fan! 

Would you ever try a running skirt? What do you think of this look? 

Fitness: Why Rest and Recovery Days are so Important

Even if you're not training for a race it's easy to get obsessed with working out. When you start to see results you want to keep going and it's easy to overdo it. Working out too much does more harm than good for your body. It sounds crazy since exercise is so good for you, but if you workout too much you don't give your body a chance to adjust and repair. Every time we workout our body breaks down our muscles so they get stronger the next time. If you don't incorporate rest days your body can't repair these muscles and instead they become fatigued and overworked, eventually leading to burnout. 

You want to start an exercise program you can maintain for the long term. The moment you stop or lower your activity level, the pounds will start to creep on. Working out 5-7 days a week? That might not be realistic over the long term. Everyone is different but most people do best with 3-5 days a week of activity with active recovery and rest days in between. 

I've found that 4-5 days a week of moderate to intense workouts work best for me and my schedule. I try to do 3-4 days with some form of cardio and 2-3 days of weight training. This combination might not work best for you so play around with numbers and see how your body responds. I need at least two rest days a week to get the most out of my workouts and can't do too much cardio or I'm always hungry and my energy is drained. 

On my rest days I make sure to still move and stretch since I sit at a desk all day for my day job. I'll walk for 30 minutes on the treadmill during lunch or make sure to do some yoga poses when I get home after work. I really try to listen to my body. Somedays I really need to just do nothing and be lazy and that's okay too. You have to treat your body right or overtime you'll completely burn out and have to start from scratch. 

So, as much as you might want to keep going, make sure to take some time off and let your body rest. You'll be doing yourself a ton of good and it will keep you strong in the long term.

How many rest and active recovery days do you schedule each week? What types of workouts do you schedule in your routine? 

Fitness: Training Run - Progressive 5K Treadmill Workout

Spring is right around the corner and so is my favorite season of all: race season. I've been training for a hilly 10 mile race next month and to keep my body guessing and to prevent injuries I've been mixing up my runs and workouts each week. I have scheduled three runs a week with cross training and weight workouts mixed in. This really helps with recovery time and it makes it so I don't over train. My runs consist of one shorter speed interval run, one shorter hill focused run and one long run (on Saturday or Sunday) that increases by a mile each week. 

So far I have been feeling great and will hopefully stay injury free come race day. I make sure to stretch properly before and after every run and always foam roll my muscles to keep the recovery time low. Last week I did this progressive 5k run on my speed interval day and I loved it. Usually I dread running on the treadmill but this kept me guessing and entertained for the 30 minutes it took to complete.

Make sure to start with at least a 5 minute warm up at level 4.5 (a brisk walk or light jog) to get started. The next 2 minutes increase to level 7 followed by a 30 second recovery at level 5. Then 1 minute at a level 8 followed by a 30 second recovery at level 5. Finish it off with 30 seconds of Level 9 (or whatever level to achieve a full out sprint) followed by a 30 second recovery. Get ready to repeat this process all over again 3 more times followed by a 5 minute cool down.

The 30 second recovery time between each interval doesn't seem like a lot of time, but you'd be surprised on what a difference it makes.

If you try this out you'll have to let us know what you thought! Do you have any speed treadmill workouts you love? Leave them in the comments!

Training for an Obstacle Race

Well, I’ve gone and signed up for my first ever obstacle race. No turning back now. This June I’ll be participating in the Warrior Dash, a 3.10 mile course that’s going to force me to run, jump, climb, crawl through the mud and more. Sound fun? Check it out here.

{via}

Though I feel like I’m in good shape, I am definitely not a runner. Over the next few months I’m going to be training like crazy to make sure that I can complete the race and, of course, that I don’t hurt myself while trying to run this thing.

While I haven’t come up with a set training plan, there are a few things I know I’ll need to incorporate in my gym routine over the next few months:

• Running: Of course. This will be my biggest challenge with the race. My goal is to run at least three times per week on a treadmill at a jogging pace until I’m able to complete 3.10 miles, and perhaps even a bit more. Once I’m able to cover that distance, I’m planning to work on increasing my speed. As soon as the weather gets nicer, I’m going to move my training outside so I can get used to the terrain.
• Strength Training: I’ve been hitting the gym regularly and lifting weights. I’m planning to continue with my weight lifting routine with the goal of increasing the amount of weight I lift and incorporating some new moves.
• Full Body Exercises: I don’t do them now, but I’m going to incorporate exercises like burpees, mountain climbers and medicine ball slams. These exercises not only provide cardio benefits, but they work multiple muscle groups. I haven’t decided exactly which full body exercises I’m going to do or how often I’ll do them, but I’m planning to incorporate those types of activities just after running in order to help simulate running to and completing an obstacle. 
• Stretching: No matter what I do at the gym, I try to spend a few minutes stretching. And, though I sometimes skip, I try to do some stretching exercises before I go to bed each night. I want to make it a goal to continue this. I think maintaining flexibility in my body will only help me during the race since I know I’ll have to crawl, climb and do other moves I don’t regularly do. 

With this race, I see it as more of a challenge to complete rather than something I need to win. Though, I’m sure my competitive nature will help fuel me the day of the event. Not only that, I see this as a way for me to stay motivated, get to the gym more and train my heart out over the next few months. No matter how I do in the race, I’ll be putting in a lot of effort over the next four and a half months to get myself in better shape. I'll post more updates about my training over the next few months!

Another fantastic thing about this race is that the organization partners with St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital. Participants have the opportunity to sign up to be a fundraiser, which I’ve done. I’m hoping to raise at least $300 for St. Jude’s. If you feel inclined, please check out my fundraising site and donate if you are able! And please pass the word along if you can. Thanks in advance!

Have you participated in any obstacle races? Tell us how you did in the comments!

Health & Fitness: What is HIIT Anyways?

I'm sure you've seen the word HIIT before and wondered what the heck it is. I reference it a lot in my Weekly Workout Log on my personal blog but haven’t taken the time to explain it. Answer: High-Intensity Interval Training. AKA a quick, super effective workout that will get your heart pumping. It’s the most effective workout you can do to help burn fat – fast!

You want to make sure to do any interval training on non-consecutive days. Your heart is also a muscle and needs rest too. Please always check with a doctor before adding a new fitness routine and if it doesn't feel right -- DON'T DO IT!

Here’s my go-to treadmill HIIT workout that I do almost every week. You can play around with speeds and intervals to keep your body guessing and to keep from getting bored.

It's that quick and easy! The first and last 5 minutes are dedicated to a good warm up and cool down so please make sure to take the time to do these. It will make a huge difference in your recovery and prevent injury. 

If you try this workout let us know -- we'd love your feedback! Have any HIIT workouts you'd like to share?

Running: For Beginners

Remember when Amanda gave her best advice on training for a race? If you missed that post, you can check it out here.

What if you’re totally new to running, or you consider yourself a beginner (like me) and not quite ready to train for a race? Recently I’ve been trying to push myself to run more in order to get myself in better shape to play volleyball this fall. I’m definitely not a running pro and I’ve never done any running competitions or races (aside from a short-lived stint with track in junior high), so I want to pass along some tips to help get you started if you’re interested in starting a running regimen.

1. Start very slowly. In fact, don’t start out running at all. Start with a walking program. Whether it’s on a treadmill or outdoors, try walking for 20 or 30 minutes a few times per week. Walking is great exercise too and it will help get you used to moving. If you go from never running to forcing yourself to go all out, you could injure yourself.
2. Once you’re comfortable walking for 20 to 30 minutes at a time several times per week, it’s time to jog. When you head out for your next walk, make it a point to jog for a few minutes of your total time. If you’re out for a 30 minute walk, walk for five minutes and jog for one. Alternate that way until you reach your goal time. It’s important to do what you’re comfortable with, and not to push yourself too hard at first (there’s plenty of time for that later). Each time you head out to walk, slowly increase the total amount of time that you spend jogging. Another approach is to start jogging right off the bat and see how far you get. When you get tired, continue walking. Next time out, make it a goal to jog a little farther than you did last time.
3. If you have a specific distance in mind that you’re working toward, try downloading an app to help you keep track of your progress. Right now I’m using MapMyRun. It uses your phone’s GPS to track your location and the distance you’ve gone. It also keeps your time and gives you good information about your pace. You can also try a C25K (couch to 5k) program. If you’re not good at figuring out the right combination of walking/jogging during those first few stages, a C25K program will lay it all out for you and get you to your goal in a matter of weeks. Once you are comfortable with jogging for an extended period of time, try picking up the pace.

A few final tips:

1. Warm-up before each walk/run and thoroughly stretch afterward.
2. If you can incorporate a weightlifting program into your exercise routine, I highly recommend it! I’ve noticed that the more leg exercises I do, the farther I’m able to run and the better I get at it.
3. If you’re sore, take the day off.

Last thing to keep in mind – it won’t be easy. Sure, there are some people who have never run before who could go outside and run three miles. If you’re like me and that’s not possible for you, it’s going to take some work. You will inevitably get frustrated at some point, but just keep going. Good luck!

Have you recently started a running program? Let us know in the comments!

Fitness: Training for a Race

I used to run track in middle school and high school but was never too serious about it. I could have trained a lot harder and would have been a much better runner ... but it came naturally to me and I didn't feel like putting in more effort.

Fast forward to now. I'm signing up for multiple races a year - for fun. Yes, it sounds like I went from one extreme to another and I guess you can say I did. What changed? Well after high school fitness was still a huge part of my life. I worked out about 4-5 days a week and did various forms of exercise and still ran about once or twice a week. Then, I met my fiancé and everything changed. Jay ran competitively in high school, college and still does. He signs up for several races in varying distances and even has completed a marathon and some triathlons. When we first started dating I was really impressed with the fact that he was so active and liked to do this kind of stuff. He encouraged me to sign up for a 5k and it went from there. I found my love for running again and have since competed in several 5ks, a 10k and almost a 10 mile (you can read the story about that race that wasn't on my personal blog - here)

I would ultimately like to run a half and full marathon someday and know that now Jay is in my life and is so supportive and encouraging I can definitely accomplish this.

I've suffered a foot injury while training for my 10k and 10 mile because I was wearing bad shoes, was increasing my mileage too quickly and was also doing jumps and high intensity/ high impact cardio. Not a good combination when training for a race. Luckily the future hubs happens to be a Physical Therapist and he got me back to running shape before I knew it. He also surprised me with some brand new Mizuno running shoes and that really helped me to recover.

When training START SLOW. Haven't run that distance before or it's been a really long time? You need to work your way up. Easy runs and short distances until your body adjusts and you're feeling good. I was running about 4 days a week while training and was doing 3 short days (about 3-4 miles each with some hills and intervals thrown in there) and one long day (increasing by about a mile a week until I reached my race distance). It was the best combination for me to build up slowly and it helped me get faster much quicker.

Stretching before and after your runs is almost just as important as what I stated above. YOU HAVE TO STRETCH. Chances are no matter what you'll be sore if you haven't run this much before, but stretching really helps decrease it. Foam rolling also helps (especially IT bands) and if you have access to one I suggest spending some quality time with it - especially after your longer runs.

Race day tips:

1. Eat something for breakfast a few hours before your race. You want to make sure it's fully digested before you start so you don't want to throw it up. I usually make oatmeal with a full banana and drink plenty of water about three hours before race time. 
2. Start out slow. You don't want to use all of your energy in the beginning and die at the end. Finishing strong (and even sprinting) to the finish line is how you want to end your race. If you're at about the halfway mark and feel like you've got a lot of gas in the tank - pick it up a bit. 
3. Relax your shoulders, look straight ahead and breathe! 
4. Try to find someone to run with. There are people that can set your pace for you and make it easier to get to the finish line.
5. Please, don't listen to music while racing. It's not safe (you can't hear other runners or race directors if emergency information is given out) and it could even hurt your performance. Trust me - you don't need it. 
6. Hydrate before the race (not just race day) it will make your run easier.
7. Have fun! Training for the race is the hardest part - relax and enjoy it! 

That's what I do to prepare for a race. It may not work for you but it's what I have found to work best for me. Also, having Jay there to cheer me on and help me power through my finish really has helped :) 

Do you have a race day routine that works for you? Have you signed up for any races this season?