Gone Fishin'

Dear Adventurous Women,

Thanks so much for reading Adventurous Women Blog. Since starting this project, I've had the good fortune to "meet" many of you and have made a lot of wonderful new cyber-friends. I've also thoroughly enjoyed seeking out interesting, new or weird activities to share on this space. The possibilities, of course, are endless but recently other parts of my life have filled all my free time and I'm afraid blogging is going to have to take a back seat...for awhile.

Adventurous Women Blog will remain on the Web so I hope you'll continue to use the resources on the right side of the page. There are lots of links and ideas for Adventure Clubs and individuals alike and I'll try to make sure they stay current. Thanks again for clicking in!

Happy trails!
Michaelle



Life is either a great adventure or nothing--Helen Keller

Roz Savage Completes Stage Two of Her Solo Trip Across the Pacific

One of the first posts I ever wrote for AWB was about Roz Savage's effort to row across the Pacific -- solo. I felt a bond with Roz and watched with great interest as she spent day after day on the open ocean. She gave it an excellent effort but that particular trip didn't end the way she had hoped.

Not one to give up, Roz took a break to regroup and set off again. Yesterday, after months of rowing, she completed stage two of her three-part trans-Pacific journey. So far, Roz has rowed from California to Hawaii and from Hawaii to Tarawa. The final leg will take her to Australia.

For more on Roz's landing in Tarawa, read this post on Treehugger.

To read Roz's blog, click here.

To track Roz's every move as she continues her journey, click here.




Photo courtesy of Roz Savage

Pickleball: Start Something New in Your Neighborhood

I've dropped my oldest at college, high school is back in session, the easy days of summer are over and I'm feeling a little lost, a little out of sync. The cure for that, of course, is to do something completely new. So here's something I stumbled across awhile ago and have been saving for a day just like this.

PICKLEBALL

According the the Pickleball Web site, this sport was invented by U.S. Congressman Joel Pritchard, William Bell, and Barney McCallum as an activity for all ages. It's sort of a mini version of tennis (or a cross between tennis and ping pong) and can be played in the street, parking lot, driveway or any other hard surface. Yes, it has actual rules and, of course, you can buy official gear. The name, Pickleball, comes from a dog (Pickles) who used to steal stray balls and hide during games. I was hoping someone started playing with actual pickles but no such luck.

The game is pretty straight forward and given that it takes up so little space, it seems like something that could become a new neighborhood/adventure club/school/office tradition. Since it's unlikely that anyone you know has played this before, you could become an instant expert. For the investment of $120, you could own 4 Pickleball paddles, a net, 56 balls and the game rules. Sounds like fun to me.

Click here to visit Pickleball.com

Click here to visit the USA Pickleball Association

Image courtesy of Pickleball.com

Oprah.com on Finding Your Passion

According to Oprah.com's Cheryl Richardson, there are five steps to finding your passion. All five are worth reading but my favorite step is this one: Take a Risk.

Step Five: Take a Risk.Stop thinking about your passions and start doing something. Take a risk, and step out to try something new. By challenging your fear with action, you'll not only raise your self-esteem, you'll expand your comfort zone. If you're not sure of what to do, ask a trusted friend or partner for ideas. Remember that good luck happens when you're in action. And, if you try something new (even if you're not sure of the outcome), you may discover a passionate interest by accident!

To read Cheryl's complete guide to finding your passion, click here.

Learning to Run in 13 Weeks: Week 13

Congratulations to all of you who have made it the full 13 weeks! Honestly, my group has dwindled. Some found it too challenging, some thought the program was not challenging enough. Many of the kids used our training sessions to stay in shape over the summer but left us once the fall sports resumed. Personally, I loved my 13 weeks. I used to run with a group until an achilles injury sidelined me about a year ago. This program not only got me back on the road, it rekindled an enjoyment of the sport that I thought I had lost.

What's next? Well, it's time to go find a couple of local races and sign up. I can't think of a better way to celebrate this summer's accomplishment than with a few hundred other runners.

As mentioned in earlier posts, we've been following the gradual running program outlined in the The Beginning Runners Handbook: The Proven 13-Week Walk-Run Program *. Here's the schedule for this final week.


Week 13

Day 1: 8-minute warm-up, run 40 minutes. 5-minute cool-down

Day 2: 8-minute warm-up, run 10 minutes, walk 1 minute. Do this 3 times. 5-minute cool-down

Day 3: Congratulations, you've done it!


*A few words about The Beginning Runner's Handbook. The 13-week program doesn't appear until page 151 because the authors (Ian MacNeill and the Sport Medicine Council of British Columbia) thought it was important to start with topics like moderation, choosing good shoes, training mind & body, pregnancy, cross-training, technique, diet, injuries and stretching. It is probably wise to do some reading of your own before you launch into this new exercise program. Please make sure you're healthy and ready for action and then join us!

This Weekend: Satellite in Your Night Sky

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration, NASA, has more than just the Space Shuttle orbiting the Earth. There are satellites out there too. You can have a personal relationship with space this weekend if you take the time to watch for a satellite passing overhead.

The Johnson Space Center provides information (including date, time and location in the sky) for spotting a satellite above your neighborhood. Click here to for detailed data for the US and its territories. Click here for international cities.

Thanks for the tip, Abbie!

Adventurous Site of the Week: Historic Food

Ivan Day is an expert on English food history. He has written extensively on the subject and is known for his re-creations of historic table settings for museums. Ivan also has a working kitchen in England filled with ancient tools for preparing authentic historic dishes in a style appropriate to the period. If you are an adventurous cook (or want to be), Ivan offers small classes where he teaches students the art of preparing delicious old-tyme fare.

Visiting his Web site, Historic Food, you'll find courses on Roasting and Broiling, Late Medieval English Cookery, Tudor and Early Stuart Cookery, Pie Making and Pastry, and oh, so many more. Unfortunately, his classes for the remainder of 2009 are full but if you're planning on being in England in 2010 keep an eye on Historic Food for next year's schedule. If England isn't on your agenda but you're in the mood for more immediate gratification, Ivan has three pages of recipes that will give you just the cooking adventure you've been looking for.

Click here to visit Historic Food

Click here to for Historic Food's recipe pages

To read more about Ivan Day, click here.

Learning to Run in 13 Weeks: Week 12

The Handbook talks about the importance of remaining relaxed while running. This isn't too tough in the beginning but I've noticed that as time wears on, and I'm low on energy, I start to tighten up. My shoulders hunch, my gaze drops to the ground, sometimes I notice that my hands are clenched into fists. To combat the problem, I've started taking a mental inventory of my body as I run. I start with my head, making sure my eyes and jaw are relaxed then I move down through my neck shoulders, elbows, etc. all the way to my feet. It may be my imagination but I think I have more energy if I make sure my body is tension free.

Here's a tip from The Beginning Runner's Handbook that author Ian MacNeill credits to Olympian Lynn Kanuka: Try pressing your thumb and one of your fingers together to remove stress in the shoulders and back. You have to try it to believe that it works.

As mentioned in earlier posts, we're following the gradual running program outlined in the The Beginning Runner's Handbook: The Proven 13-Week Walk-Run Program *. Here's the schedule for this week and next.


Week 12

Day 1: 8-minute warm-up, run 50 minutes, 5-minute cool-down

Day 2: 8-minute warm-up, run 10 minutes, walk 1 minute. Do this 3 times. 5-minute cool-down

Day 3: 8-minute warm-up, run 15 minutes, walk 1 minute, run 15 minutes, walk 1 minute, run 10 minutes. 5-minute cool-down


Week 13

Day 1: 8-minute warm-up, run 40 minutes. 5-minute cool-down

Day 2: 8-minute warm-up, run 10 minutes, walk 1 minute. Do this 3 times. 5-minute cool-down

Day 3: Congratulations, you've done it!


*A few words about The Beginning Runner's Handbook. The 13-week program doesn't appear until page 151 because the authors (Ian MacNeill and the Sport Medicine Council of British Columbia) thought it was important to start with topics like moderation, choosing good shoes, training mind & body, pregnancy, cross-training, technique, diet, injuries and stretching. It is probably wise to do some reading of your own before you launch into this new exercise program. Please make sure you're healthy and ready for action and then join us!

10 Adventurous Trips

Catherine Mack has written an article about 10 trips for women who want a more adventurous vacation. Catherine's suggestions range from Coasteering (plummeting from great heights into a body of water) to weaving rugs in Morocco to doing the Cha-Cha in Cuba and cryo-therapy in Slovakia.

From the Irish Times, 10 trips "For Women with a Sense of Adventure."

Adventure Site of the Week: Under the Milky Way

There are adventures for the mind and body and there are adventures for the spirit. Rita at "Under the Milky Way" is training for all three as she prepares to walk a 500-mile long pilgrimage through Spain. I asked Rita to describe her upcoming trip and here's what she had to say:

I am an avid traveler, always looking for my next adventure. This time that adventure is a 500 mile Spiritual Pilgrimage, trekking across northern Spain, along an ancient footpath called the Camino de Santiago, through 3 mountain chains, some of the most beautifully preserved medieval villages, mostly unchanged in over 1,000 years, and some of the most scenic countryside in Europe, to the tomb of the Apostle Saint James. It is the 3rd most important Pilgrimage in the world, topped only by Rome and Jerusalem.

I will walk between 5 to 8 hours each day for more than a month, carrying the bare necessities on my back and staying in a network of places along the way, mostly in hostels, convents and monasteries.

The journey is an amazing experience in simplicity, leaving behind all the luxuries and conveniences of home, along with all the stress, burdens and politics. They say the road offers many lessons to all who walk it, the most profound being the journey of self discovery.

When asked why, at 62, I am taking on such an arduous journey, both physically and mentally challenging, even for someone much younger in years, I cannot give a clear-cut answer. I can only say that I am enjoying training by walking and hiking daily and I am looking forward to what the journey has to offer.

My Pilgrimage begins soon. I leave for Spain on September 6 to start my journey.

You can follow my progress by reading my blog which I will be updating while making my way across Spain.

To follow Rita's adventure, click here to visit, Under the Milky Way

Image courtesy of Rita at Under the Milky Way

Learning to Run in 13 Weeks: Week 11

My running companions have commented that they are really getting tired of seeing the same old things as we run the neighborhood. Not only does the scenery make the run less interesting but back when we were doing shorter intervals, we were used to stopping near the elementary school and then again near the "big tree" and the "blue house." Now when we pass the tree and the blue house our brains tell our bodies that it's time to stop and that is creating a physical conflict. So, the plan for this week is to seek out new paths. I'd like to find a nice wooded trail, other people know of urban running tracks that they think would be a fun change. I'm looking forward to doing something new.

As mentioned in earlier posts, we're following the gradual running program outlined in the The Beginning Runners Handbook: The Proven 13-Week Walk-Run Program *. Here's the schedule for this week and next.


Week 11

Day 1: 8-minute warm-up, run 40 minutes, walk1 minute, run 20 minutes. 5-minute cool-down

Day 2: 8-minute warm-up, run 10 minutes, walk 1 minute. Do this 4 times. 5-minute cool-down

Day 3: 8-minute warm-up, run 20 minutes, walk 1 minute, run 15 minutes, walk 1 minute, run 10 minutes. 5-minute cool-down

Week 12

Day 1: 8-minute warm-up, run 50 minutes, 5-minute cool-down

Day 2: 8-minute warm-up, run 10 minutes, walk 1 minute. Do this 3 times. 5-minute cool-down

Day 3: 8-minute warm-up, run 15 minutes, walk 1 minute, run 15 minutes, walk 1 minute, run 10 minutes. 5-minute cool-down

*A few words about The Beginning Runner's Handbook. The 13-week program doesn't appear until page 151 because the authors (Ian MacNeill and the Sport Medicine Council of British Columbia) thought it was important to start with topics like moderation, choosing good shoes, training mind & body, pregnancy, cross-training, technique, diet, injuries and stretching. It is probably wise to do some reading of your own before you launch into this new exercise program. Please make sure you're healthy and ready for action and then join us!

An Extraordinary Honor for an Extraordinary Woman: Nancy G. Brinker

I received this exciting news from Susan G. Komen for the Cure:

"On July 30, an extraordinary honor was given to our Founding Chair, Ambassador Nancy G. Brinker. She was selected to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor our country bestows, for her work in launching Susan G. Komen for the Cure® and building the organization into the leader of the global breast cancer movement."

If you aren't familiar with Susan G. Komen or her sister, Nancy, here's a bit of background: A number of years ago, Susan was diagnosed with breast cancer. Although her physical body was lost to the disease, her energy has lived on. Susan's battle against the illness, her efforts to make life better for other women and her strong spirit, inspired her sister, Nancy, to continue the fight to "end breast cancer forever." The result of Nancy's commitment to her sister and to women around the globe is the organization Susan G. Komen for the Cure. According to their website, the organization is

...The global leader of the breast cancer movement, having invested more than $1 billion since inception in 1982. As the world’s largest grassroots network of breast cancer survivors and activists, we’re working together to save lives, empower people, ensure quality care for all and energize science to find the cures. Thanks to events like the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure®, and generous contributions from our partners, sponsors and fellow supporters, we have become the largest source of nonprofit funds dedicated to the fight against breast cancer in the world.

Thank you, Nancy, for your tireless effort to improve the lives of many, many women whom you will never even meet.

Inner Tube Water Polo: Oh, Yes You Can!

My friend, Anne, was interviewed recently about her inner tube water polo team. She sent me a link to the TV broadcast and after watching the clip I was so inspired that I contacted my county's recreation office to press for an inner tube water polo league of our own.

What I like most about this goofy sport is that the inner tube is the great equalizer. As one of the the women in the clip states, even if you are an athlete, you aren't an athlete in an inner tube. The second best thing is that teams can compete outside during the summer and move to indoor pools the rest of the year.

Click here to see KECI-TV's story about a sport that may become near and dear to your heart.

Learning to Run in 13 Weeks: Week 10

After last week's longer running intervals, I noticed that my knees were unhappy for a couple of days. I know from past experience that achy knees are a good indication that it's time for new running shoes. I used to think that it was appropriate to keep sneakers until the bottoms wore out or they fell apart but I have discovered through trial and error that when it comes to running, frugality just doesn't pay. I still shop in the overstock and discontinued area of the my athletic shoe store but I try to replace my shoes every six months -- sometimes more often if my knees start giving me the signal.

As mentioned in earlier posts, we're following the gradual running program outlined in the The Beginning Runners Handbook: The Proven 13-Week Walk-Run Program *. Here's the schedule for this week and next.


Week 10

Day 1: 8-minute warm-up, run 30 minutes, walk1 minute, run 30 minutes, 5-minute cool-down

Day 2: 8-minute warm-up, run 10 minutes, walk 1 minute. Do this 4 times. 5-minute cool-down

Day 3: 8-minute warm-up, run 20 minutes, walk 1 minute, run 15 minutes, walk 1 minute, run 10 minutes. 5-minute cool-down


Week 11

Day 1: 8-minute warm-up, run 40 minutes, walk1 minute, run 20 minutes. 5-minute cool-down

Day 2: 8-minute warm-up, run 10 minutes, walk 1 minute. Do this 4 times. 5-minute cool-down

Day 3: 8-minute warm-up, run 20 minutes, walk 1 minute, run 15 minutes, walk 1 minute, run 10 minutes. 5-minute cool-down


*A few words about The Beginning Runner's Handbook. The 13-week program doesn't appear until page 151 because the authors (Ian MacNeill and the Sport Medicine Council of British Columbia) thought it was important to start with topics like moderation, choosing good shoes, training mind & body, pregnancy, cross-training, technique, diet, injuries and stretching. It is probably wise to do some reading of your own before you launch into this new exercise program. Please make sure you're healthy and ready for action and then join us!

Lhasa: Adventures in Tibet

Lhasa is a place I dream about. I've read more books about Tibet than I can count. I've seen loads of films, visited exhibitions and put the Buddhist holy land on my travel "to do" list and yet a part of me hesitates. What worries me is the altitude -- I like my oxygen.

It takes me a good three days to acclimate when I fly from my house (altitude 330 feet) to my parents' house (altitude 8,000 feet). That's three days of gulping water, restless nights and bad dreams. Lhasa, at 12,000 feet above sea level, is half again as high.

Over at Travelbite, Kelly Gilblom has posted a story about her own Tibetan adventure and she doesn't sugar coat a thing. Kelly's trip from Shanghai to Lhasa was, long, dirty, nauseating and more than worth it.

Click here to read "Travel Blog: Seven Days in Tibet."



Image credit: ROAD IN THE MOUNTAINS
© Eprom | Dreamstime.com

Outrigger Canoes

A few days ago, I mentioned that some members of my Adventure Club and I attended a Dragon Boat & Outrigger Canoe clinic on the Anacostia River. Last week, I wrote about Dragon Boats so I thought I'd cover the Outrigger Canoes (OC) today.

The outrigger is a canoe that has a floating support on one or both sides that helps to keep the boat stable. The canoe that I tried had a single outrigger on the port (left) side, and six seats for the paddlers. Like a Dragon Boat, OC paddling is a full body workout. Unlike the Dragon Boat, only one person sits in a seat so a paddler will alternate paddling on the port or starboard side of the boat; 15 strokes to the left, switch, 15 to the right, switch. That helps because if you're in an OC, you're going to be paddling for a couple of hours.

If Dragon Boat races are sprints then Outrigger Canoe races are marathons; OC races can range upward of 20 miles in the open ocean. Sometimes, in very long races, team members trade off but if you're serious about Outriggers, you have to be prepared for the long haul.

You may be thinking that you're too old to handle an endurance sport like this but you'd be wrong. All of the women and men who lead our clinic were older than me and a several were retired. Looking at OC websites, it's easy to find competitions for people of all ages including 60+.

OC racing is the state sport of Hawaii and popular around the world. If you're interested in Outrigger Canoes as an alternative to an ordinary workout or for the fun of joining a team, check out these sites:

Australian Outrigger Canoe Racing Association

East Coast Outrigger Racing Association

Northern California Outrigger Canoe Association

OCPaddler

The Perseids are Coming! The Perseids are Coming!

If you've been reading along for a little while you know I'm a fan of meteor showers. They're free, they're entertaining and they let your imagination drift away into the heavens. That said, tonight and tomorrow night, planet Earth will be drifting through a big cosmic dust bunny left by Comet Swift-Tuttle. All those little bits of debris will be entering our atmosphere approximately where the constellation Perseus appears overhead. Don't worry if you don't know your star locations, the best plan of attack is to just lie in a lawn chair or on a blanket and look up. If you're in a region free from light pollution you may see dozens of meteors per hour. That means a lot of wishing!

If you'd like to learn a little more about the Perseid meteor shower, click here for an article from NASA.

Thanks for the reminder, Abbie!



Image credit: Dreamstimefree 2776047: Moon-Star

Learning to Run in 13 Weeks: Week 9

Well, today is going to be one of those gross Washington days: 100 degrees and tropical humidity. Just thinking about the run schedule for this evening is making me reach for a glass of water. I may just head off to the nice, cool gym and use their lovely treadmill to put in my time. Yeah, yeah, I'm a wimp.

As mentioned in earlier posts, we're following the gradual running program outlined in the The Beginning Runners Handbook: The Proven 13-Week Walk-Run Program *. Here's the schedule for this week and next.


Week 9

Day 1: 8-minute warm-up, run 10 minutes, walk1 minute, run 20 minutes, walk 1 minute, run 15 minutes, walk 1 minute, run 10 minutes. 5-minute cool-down

Day 2: 8-minute warm-up, run 10 minutes, walk 1 minute. Do this 4 times. 5-minute cool-down

Day 3: 8-minute warm-up, run 15 minutes, walk 1 minutes. Do this 3 times. 5-minute cool-down


Week 10

Day 1: 8-minute warm-up, run 30 minutes, walk1 minute, run 30 minutes, 5-minute cool-down

Day 2: 8-minute warm-up, run 10 minutes, walk 1 minute. Do this 4 times. 5-minute cool-down

Day 3: 8-minute warm-up, run 20 minutes, walk 1 minute, run 15 minutes, walk 1 minute, run 10 minutes. 5-minute cool-down


*A few words about The Beginning Runner's Handbook. The 13-week program doesn't appear until page 151 because the authors (Ian MacNeill and the Sport Medicine Council of British Columbia) thought it was important to start with topics like moderation, choosing good shoes, training mind & body, pregnancy, cross-training, technique, diet, injuries and stretching. It is probably wise to do some reading of your own before you launch into this new exercise program. Please make sure you're healthy and ready for action and then join us!

Fun New Site for Adventurous Women

Beth "Ava Aviatrix" Walz of Roseberg, Oregon, has launched a new site called, Adventure Woman. Ava's outpost let's you meet and nominate real Adventure Women, share stories, get tips, voice an opinion, plan an adventure and, well so much more that you'll really just have to visit and see for yourselves.

Check out Adventure Woman here.

Dragon Boats

A couple of years ago my adventure group was on a bike trip when we stumbled across the DC Dragon Boat Festival. The large canoe-like boats decorated with scales and dragon heads were crewed by teams of 20 paddlers, a drummer and someone to navigate. The festival drew teams from around the region, and a few international participants, to compete in races on the Potomac river.

This past weekend, five of us had a last-minute opportunity to participate in a Dragon Boat/Outrigger Canoe clinic sponsored by Washington Women Outdoors and the National Capital Area Women's Paddling Association (NCAWPA). I'll write about the Outriggers later and focus on the Dragon Boats today. I didn't manage to get any pictures of the festival or the clinic so click here to see NCAWPA's photo gallery.

History of Dragon Boats

According to the American Dragon Boat Association, the history of Dragon Boats begins with The legend of Chu Yuan:

Over 2000 years ago Chu Yuan, poet, warrior and loyal aide to the emperor, fell victim to plots and deception and found himself out of favor at court. When the old emperor died, Chu Yuan was unjustly banished and wandered the countryside composing poems he hoped would be heard and heeded by the new emperor. His inconsolable desolation grew until one day he threw himself into the Mi Lo River. His devoted followers, learning of his death, rushed to search for his body. Fearing the fish might devour the body; they beat their paddles on the water and banged drums and gongs to frighten the fish. Today, athletes from around the world meet to commemorate Yuan's sacrifice for honor and justice in the form of Dragon Boat Racing.

It's a full body workout

A Dragon Boat race is essentially a sprint. The courses tend to be shorter than those for Outrigger Canoe races and the key to the speed of the boat is for each member of the team to paddle in unison. The more perfect the synchronization the better. The goal: a team that acts like a strong well-oiled machine.

Before climbing into the boat, we practiced our paddling technique on dry land. The boat has 10 double seats to accommodate the 20 paddlers, so we stood in two lines to simulate the boat. Each person dedicated her paddling to only one side. Paddling itself isn't a test of arm strength. It's a full body workout.

I was on the left side of the boat so I started by grasping the top of my paddle with my right hand; the left was positioned just above the blade. To begin the stroke, I raised my right arm until my elbow was next to my right ear. The left arm was extended straight in front. To get the most out of a stroke, I was told to rotate my torso slightly toward the inside of the boat, extend the paddle forward, bend at the hip, put the blade into the water so that is was completely submerged, then counter rotate-- turning my torso toward the outside of the boat while sitting up, pulling the blade back and pushing off with my legs to get added power. Raise the blade and repeat. Yep, a full body workout.

We had a wonderful time at the clinic and agreed that our Adventure Club will be entering a team in the DC Dragon Boat Festival next May. Festival teams only have three practices before the big weekend so it's fun without being a huge time commitment. I enjoyed the clinic so much, I may sign on for a longer stint.

If Dragon Boats sound interesting to you, check out a festival in your area. There are organizations and events all around the globe. Here are some links to get you started:

American Dragon Boat Association

Boston

Denver

International Dragon Boat Federation, List of international affiliates

Los Angeles

NCAWPA

Nova Scotia

Philadelphia

Texas

Worldwide Dragon Boat Calendar






Photo credit: Abbie Mulvihill



updated 2/19/11

Learning to Run in 13 Weeks: Week 8

A couple of people in my group have been fighting those nasty side stitches; that pain that grabs you in the waist and makes you pray for the walk break. So, I turned to my trusty handbook and here's what it had to say about avoiding the stitch: alter your breathing pattern, exhale forcefully (grunt on exhalation), belly breath (breathe mainly with the diaphragm), increase your abdominal strength through exercises.

It makes sense to me that breathing is related to side stitches because I've noticed that they seem to strike the people who talk the least. For example, when other kids join us and Liz is chatting while running, she does well. When she's stuck with a bunch of boring adults and doesn't join the conversation, the side stitch attacks. So I'm going to add one more thing to the list of ways to avoid the stitch: talk! It seems to help regulate your breathing by forcing you to breath out adequately (which also keeps you from feeling like you can't catch your breath). I told Liz to start singing while she runs, she thought it was dumb until it started helping.

As mentioned in earlier posts, we're following the gradual running program outlined in the The Beginning Runners Handbook: The Proven 13-Week Walk-Run Program *. Here's the schedule for this week and next.


Week 8 (easy recovery week)

Day 1: 8-minute warm-up, run 10 minutes, walk1 minute. Do this 4 times. 5-minute cool-down

Day 2: 8-minute warm-up, run 3 minutes, walk 1 minute. Do this 8 times. 5-minute cool-down

Day 3: 8-minute warm-up, run 5 minutes, walk 1 minutes. Do this 7 times. 5-minute cool-down


Week 9

Day 1: 8-minute warm-up, run 10 minutes, walk1 minute, run 20 minutes, walk 1 minute, run 15 minutes, walk 1 minute, run 10 minutes. 5-minute cool-down

Day 2: 8-minute warm-up, run 10 minutes, walk 1 minute. Do this 4 times. 5-minute cool-down

Day 3: 8-minute warm-up, run 15 minutes, walk 1 minutes. Do this 3 times. 5-minute cool-down


*A few words about The Beginning Runner's Handbook. The 13-week program doesn't appear until page 151 because the authors (Ian MacNeill and the Sport Medicine Council of British Columbia) thought it was important to start with topics like moderation, choosing good shoes, training mind & body, pregnancy, cross-training, technique, diet, injuries and stretching. It is probably wise to do some reading of your own before you launch into this new exercise program. Please make sure you're healthy and ready for action and then join us!

Aviation Pioneers Are Recognized: WASPs get Congressional Gold Medal

The San Francisco Chronicle has a nice story this morning about Margaret Phelan Taylor who, as a too-short youth, stretched her way into history as a WASP -- a member of the Women Airforce Service Pilots.

Margaret and the other WASPs were aviation pioneers who dedicated themselves to the war effort in a time when the US needed pilots. Although a number of them lost their lives, the WASPs contribution wasn't appropriately appreciated: when the war ended, they were just sent home. Women weren't supposed to do that sort of thing in those days. Happily (though belatedly) the surviving WASPs are now receiving the Congressional Gold Medal--the highest and most distinguished award Congress can award to a civilian.

Even before President Obama made the Gold Medal official, Margaret's activities didn't go unnoticed. Her exploits during WWII inspired her niece, Sandra, to pursue her own flying career. Sandra credits her aunt's riveting stories for her current profession as a pilot and captain with United Airlines.

Naturally, I love Margaret's final quote in the SFC article, "... I have to say, I did this for the adventure and it was quite an adventure."

To read the full article, click here.

To read more about the Women Airforce Service Pilots, click here.

Learning to Run in 13 Weeks: Week 7

Well, it's week 7 and this is the week that I have been a little worried about. It's the week that we suddenly have to run for 10 minutes straight -- twice as long as any other week.

My little gang and I have just come in from our Sunday night run and, honestly, it went pretty well! We've been lucky that our summer weather -- including tonight -- has been unusually pleasant. Running in the cooler evening temperatures has helped as well. But the 10-minute run was still surprisingly do-able. I hope you have the same experience.

As mentioned in earlier posts, we're following the gradual running program outlined in the The Beginning Runners Handbook: The Proven 13-Week Walk-Run Program *. Here's the schedule for this week and next.


Week 7

Day 1: 8-minute warm-up, run 10 minutes, walk1 minute. Do this 5 times. 5-minute cool-down

Day 2: 8-minute warm-up, run 3 minutes, walk 1 minute. Do this 10 times. 5-minute cool-down

Day 3: 8-minute warm-up, run 5 minutes, walk 1 minutes. Do this 8 times. 5-minute cool-down



Week 8 (easy recovery week)

Day 1: 8-minute warm-up, run 10 minutes, walk1 minute. Do this 4 times. 5-minute cool-down

Day 2: 8-minute warm-up, run 3 minutes, walk 1 minute. Do this 8 times. 5-minute cool-down

Day 3: 8-minute warm-up, run 5 minutes, walk 1 minutes. Do this 7 times. 5-minute cool-down


*A few words about The Beginning Runner's Handbook. The 13-week program doesn't appear until page 151 because the authors (Ian MacNeill and the Sport Medicine Council of British Columbia) thought it was important to start with topics like moderation, choosing good shoes, training mind & body, pregnancy, cross-training, technique, diet, injuries and stretching. It is probably wise to do some reading of your own before you launch into this new exercise program. Please make sure you're healthy and ready for action and then join us!

Cross-Country Adventure: women re-enact historic road trip

Finishing off this road trip-themed week, here's an interesting bit about women who have re-enacted Alice Ramsey's historic cross-country road trip of 100 years ago. Alice, a bold 22-year-old, was the first woman to drive coast-to-coast in a day when driving was a physical activity. Alice had some friends along for the big ride and the women recreating her feat are no different.

Emily Anderson and Christie Catania spent a chunk of their summer in a rebuilt 1909 Maxwell DA, speeding across the country at a crazy 35 miles per hour. The two followed in Alice's wheel ruts and made a documentary about their experience.

To read an article about their efforts, click here.

To visit Emily and Christie's site, click here.

To read more about their film, click here.

The Sky Ledge: A Glass Balcony -- 103 Stories High

I touched on this in my list of things to do in Chicago but, honestly, it deserves a little more attention. The Sears (OK the WILLIS) Tower has just installed new balconies with glass floors that they are calling "Sky Ledges." The big selling point here is that the Sky Ledges are 103 stories up. Click here to read a story from the Associated Press and to see some impressive pictures. Click here to visit the home of the Sky Ledge. The top picture on the Sky Ledge page gives me vertigo and I'm sitting in a chair 800 miles away.

My Favorite Road Trip: DC to Yellowstone

A couple of weeks ago someone asked me to describe my favorite road trip. I had to think a bit because I LOVE road trips and every couple of years I mark out a section of the country, load "Stella," my car, with maps and books on tape and family members and hit the interstate. We've covered a lot of territory over the years but here's one of my all time favorites.

Starting Point: Washington, DC
Ending Point: Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

First stop: Chicago, Illinois
I grew up in this town and, though I may be biased, it tops my list of best cities in the US. I think it's the combination of architectural interest, gorgeous lake, abundant cultural happenings and very friendly residents. These are a few of my family's favorite spots:
Sears Tower (yeah, yeah, they changed the name but I'm still calling it Sears. Check out the Sky Deck 103 stories high, and the brand new glass-bottom Sky Ledge),
Millennium Park (beautiful fountains, the Cloud Gate--aka "bean" sculpture, outdoor concerts), Buckingham Fountain (regular water displays & nightly light shows),
Magnificent Mile (walk this vibrant stretch of Michigan Avenue),
Tribune Tower (the base of this building features stones from around the world: the Great Pyramid, the Great Wall of China, the Parthenon...),
State Street (Chicago's traditional retail shopping district), Water Tower Place (upscale high-rise shopping with fun fountains on Michigan Ave),
Navy Pier ( great city view from huge Ferris wheel, events & food),
Museum of Science and Industry (all kinds of cool stuff!),
Wrigley Field (once a Cub's fan, always a Cub's fan),
Garrett's Popcorn (when I was a kid they only had one location and my friend, Pam, and I spent a lot of time in the line outside that store).

Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin
Imagine combining a town, an amusement park and a carnival and you have the Dells. Lots of fun, water and fudge. A great stop on your way to...

the Spam Museum, Austin, Minnesota
You don't have to be a fan of potted meat products to enjoy this kitchy place. Interactive exhibits, goofy games, a solid sense of humor and the occasional sample mean that you'll spend more time in this museum than you thought possible.

Corn Palace, Mitchell, South Dakota
More than a century ago, someone in Mitchell thought creating a mural from the local harvest would be a good idea. It was such a hit that the citizens have kept the tradition ever since -- designing and assembling brand new images each year. The artists use 13 different shades of corn give the enormous work of art it's distinctive appearance. I can tell you that the Corn Palace is worth a look.

The Bad Lands, near Wall, South Dakota
If you have never been to the Bad Lands then you will have a hard time imagining this exotic landscape. Shaped by erosion, the region is a great sweep of hills and valleys, subtle hues and bursts of color. It is seemingly barren but surprisingly full of life (we had an interesting encounter with a rattle snake). Since there's no way I can describe the Bad lands, I'll send you to blogger Seabrooke Leckie who has some nice images in her post about the region. Click here to see her pictures.

Wall Drug, Wall, South Dakota
One of the craziest tourist traps you'll ever see, Wall Drug with its famous ice water and ice cream is perfectly positioned just off the road through the Bad Lands. There's no way you can miss it because you'll have seen at least one of their hundreds of signs before you come within 50 miles of the place. I saw a Wall Drug sign in Amsterdam the last time I was in that city.

Custer State Park in South Dakota's Black Hills
I love this park! Herds of buffalo and plenty of other wild life are just part of the attraction. The cabins are comfortable and quaint and give you access to hiking, biking, and fishing. There are a number of caves in the area if you're a spelunker and of course it's right next to...

Mt. Rushmore, Black Hills, South Dakota
Amazingly, it looks just like every picture you've ever seen.

Devil's Tower, Devils Tower, Wyoming
Be sure to watch Close Encounters of the Third Kind before you visit. President Teddy Roosevelt made Devils Tower the first national monument in 1906.

Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
You could spend the entire summer in Yellowstone and only see a tiny bit of this stunning wilderness area. There are so many geothermal phenomena in this one park that it's hard to know where to start. Old Faithful is popular but I enjoyed the little mud pots and hot springs even more. Of course there's also the wild life; Yellowstone is know for it's wolves, bears, moose and bison. The waterfalls and lakes worth the hike/drive. Yellowstone is one of those places that you MUST visit at least once in your lifetime.



Image credit: PATAGONIAN ROAD
© Cosmopol | Dreamstime.com

Learning to Run in 13 Weeks: Week 6

Cooling down after your run is an important part of your training schedule. According to The Beginning Runners Handbook: The Proven 13-Week Walk-Run Program * the post-run cool down and stretch is a good way to keep your muscles from tightening and it's the time when you can really work on your flexibility. Your muscles are warm and you'll be able to hold a stretch safely for 30 seconds to 3 minutes. You may find it easiest to stretch an area for 15 to 30 seconds, repeating the stretch 2 to 3 times. Save that 3 minute stretch for problem areas. Always keep in mind that you aren't competing with your running partners. You're only improving yourself. If you can't touch your toes or do the splits, work toward those goals consistently but slowly.

As mentioned in earlier posts, we're following the gradual running program outlined in the The Beginning Runners Handbook: The Proven 13-Week Walk-Run Program *. Here's the schedule for this week and next.

Week 6

Day 1: 8-minute warm-up, run 5 minutes, walk1 minute. Do this 8 times. 5-minute cool-down

Day 1: 8-minute warm-up, run 2 minutes, walk 1 minute. Do this 12 times. 5-minute cool-down

Day 1: 8-minute warm-up, run 3 minutes, walk 1 minutes. Do this 10 times. 5-minute cool-down


Week 7

Day 1: 8-minute warm-up, run 10 minutes, walk1 minute. Do this 5 times. 5-minute cool-down

Day 1: 8-minute warm-up, run 3 minutes, walk 1 minute. Do this 10 times. 5-minute cool-down

Day 1: 8-minute warm-up, run 5 minutes, walk 1 minutes. Do this 8 times. 5-minute cool-down


*A few words about The Beginning Runner's Handbook. The 13-week program doesn't appear until page 151 because the authors (Ian MacNeill and the Sport Medicine Council of British Columbia) thought it was important to start with topics like moderation, choosing good shoes, training mind & body, pregnancy, cross-training, technique, diet, injuries and stretching. It is probably wise to do some reading of your own before you launch into this new exercise program. Please make sure you're healthy and ready for action and then join us!

Learning to Run in 13 Weeks: Week 5

Part of the weekly training schedule is 5 minutes of stretching. I should probably change the wording to say "warm up" and "cool down." I imagine that a lot of you are like me when it comes to the pre-exercise prep period. My group was doing the classic hamstring stretch, some twists and a few lunges (the same-old-same-old) and then heading out. It was interesting to learn that this is not really what the creators of the 13-week program had in mind.

Their feeling is that you're more likely to injure a cold muscle by stretching too much than by running without stretching at all. What they had in mind is a period of truly warming the muscles progressively. Start by walking or jogging slowly for 5 - 10 minutes then follow with light stretching for 3-5 minutes. The stretches should be held for about 10 seconds but repeated 2 to 3 times (making sure to include all the most important muscle groups: calves, hamstrings, quads, hips, back & shoulders). So, from here on out, you'll notice that the weekly schedule shows an 8-minute warm up instead of a 5-minute stretch.

As mentioned in earlier posts, we're following the gradual running program outlined in the The Beginning Runners Handbook: The Proven 13-Week Walk-Run Program *. Here's the schedule for this week and next.


Week 5

Day 1: 8-minute warm-up, run 3 minutes, walk 1 minutes. Do this 10 times. 5-minute cool-down

Day 1: 8-minute warm-up, run 2 minutes, walk 1 minute. Do this 10 times. 5-minute cool-down

Day 1: 8-minute warm-up, run 3 minutes, walk 1 minute. Do this 9 times. 5-minute cool-down


Week 6

Day 1: 8-minute warm-up, run 5 minutes, walk1 minute. Do this 8 times. 5-minute cool-down

Day 1: 8-minute warm-up, run 2 minutes, walk 1 minute. Do this 12 times. 5-minute cool-down

Day 1: 8-minute warm-up, run 3 minutes, walk 1 minutes. Do this 10 times. 5-minute cool-down


*A few words about The Beginning Runner's Handbook. The 13-week program doesn't appear until page 151 because the authors (Ian MacNeill and the Sport Medicine Council of British Columbia) thought it was important to start with topics like moderation, choosing good shoes, training mind & body, pregnancy, cross-training, technique, diet, injuries and stretching. It is probably wise to do some reading of your own before you launch into this new exercise program. Please make sure you're healthy and ready for action and then join us!

Be a FLAMINGO

In Washington State, there is a group of women who are the caretakers of a lot of pink plastic birds. The flock "mysteriously" migrates from one front yard to another when a homeowner makes a donation to the American Cancer Society. The women, who call themselves the FLAMINGOS: Fun-Loving Adventurous Mothers In Nature's Garden Overcoming Stress, have raised, more than $100,000 so far.

Click here to read more about the Flamingos. Maybe you'll find inspiration for your own Adventure Club.

Obama's Summer Challenge

President Obama wants YOU to get involved! He has formally challenged all of us to spend the summer, June 22 to September 11, helping others and strengthening our country.

United We Serve, the official site for the summer volunteer challenge, promises to make it easy for you to lend a hand in the areas of education, health, energy & the environment, and community renewal. United We Serve will help you register your service project as well.

To get started, click here and visit United We Serve. Enter key words about the type of activity you are interested in or just type in your zip code. After entering my zip code, I had more options than I thought possible. Happily, I was able to narrow the selection by indicating "when" I want to work.

Are you ready for a challenge?

Building a Better You

Building on a fitness and training theme, I thought some of you would be interested in knowing just where you stand -- so to speak. Here are two health challenges that will help you identify your strengths and weaknesses. Once you know what you need to work on, both provide you with the exercises and inspiration to move ahead

The President's Challenge: (Less adventurous) Reminiscent of junior high school, the President's Challenge tests aerobic ability, strength & endurance, flexibility, and body composition. You can enter all your test data online and receive instant fitness scores along with tips for improving

Outside Magazine's Fitness Challenge: (More adventurous) The magazine helps you determine your levels of core stability, long-range power, strength, rest & nutrition. Take their tests then follow their exercise suggestions to become the woman you always knew you could be. Your challenge begins on page 52 of the July issue.

Learning to Run in 13 Weeks: Week 4

The theme for this week is "rest." The past couple of posts mentioned two of author Ian MacNeill's three rules for training (consistency and moderation). Looking at the training schedule for this week, it's pretty obvious that the author thinks rest is important -- this is our easiest week so far!

According to MacNeill, rest is key because it gives your body time to adapt to the changes you are creating through your physical efforts. These recovery periods are as important as other aspects of your training and should be part of your schedule. (Personally, I think this concept should be applied to life in general -- not just athletic training.) Rest means a stronger, more efficient, you.

As mentioned in earlier posts, we're following the gradual running program outlined in the The Beginning Runners Handbook: The Proven 13-Week Walk-Run Program *. Here's the schedule for this week and next.

Week 4 (Easy Recovery Week)

Day 1: 5-minute stretch, run 3 minutes, walk 2 minutes. Do this 8 times. 5-minute stretch

Day 1: 5-minute stretch, run 2 minutes, walk 2 minutes. Do this 7 times. 5-minute stretch

Day 1: 5-minute stretch, run 2 minutes, walk 3 minutes. Do this 7 times. 5-minute stretch


Week 5

Day 1: 5-minute stretch, run 3 minutes, walk 1 minutes. Do this 10 times. 5-minute stretch

Day 1: 5-minute stretch, run 2 minutes, walk 1 minute. Do this 10 times. 5-minute stretch

Day 1: 5-minute stretch, run 3 minutes, walk 1 minute. Do this 9 times. 5-minute stretch



*A few words about The Beginning Runner's Handbook. The 13-week program doesn't appear until page 151 because the authors (Ian MacNeill and the Sport Medicine Council of British Columbia) thought it was important to start with topics like moderation, choosing good shoes, training mind & body, pregnancy, cross-training, technique, diet, injuries and stretching. It is probably wise to do some reading of your own before you launch into this new exercise program. Please make sure you're healthy and ready for action and then join us!

AWB Featured on "Blogging Women"

I'm happy to say that Blogging Women is featuring Adventurous Women Blog today. Blogging Women is great directory of blogs written by women. Organized by category, the site aims to be your comprehensive online resource. Check out Blogging Women if you are looking for a particular blog or type of blog. If you're a blogger yourself, you can submit your site for review.

Thanks, Fay for adding AWB to your terrific blog!

Fireworks!

No Fourth of July is complete without fireworks. Being lazy, I thought I'd re-post this AWB classic piece for your reading pleasure:




Fireworksguide.com will show you where to find the biggest, baddest fireworks displays on the planet. There are lots of shows happening throughout the year so keep your picnic basket at the ready.

Want to enjoy pyrotechnics without actually moving from your current spot? Click to watch London's AMAZING New Year's Eve show, Taipei's tower, Syndey's Harbor celebration, Swiss National Day, or a past Disney 4th of July display.



Photo credit: FIREWORKS
© Raynald Bélanger | Dreamstime.com

July 4 Fun: Water Balloons

Next to the Pie Eating Contest, the second most popular activity at our neighborhood Fourth of July party is the water balloon toss. I'm sure you've all filled water balloons and you've all thrown them at your friends in years past but if you've never done a water balloon contest for 100, here are a few tips.

First, fill all your balloons the night before. We fill more than 400 balloons and it takes a looooong time.

Second, float your balloons in a tub of water. You can't pile a bunch of water balloons into a big container because the bottom balloons will burst. However, if you add enough water to your containers so that the balloons float, you can store quite a few without any breakage.

Third, create a BIG finale! Our contest involves your standard 4" water balloon but for the very last round, a brave few get 9" balloons. I don't make a lot of these because they're hard to store.

The competition. Each contestant needs a teammate. Teams start facing each other about an arm-length apart. When you yell, "Go!" player A tosses her water balloon to player B and then takes a step back. Player B tosses the balloon back to Player A. Player B then takes one step back. This continues until the balloon breaks. The team that keeps their balloon in play the longest, wins.

Water balloons are a guilty pleasure for most adults. They act like they're beyond this kind of thing but secretly they're dying to do it. If you have a little kid ask an adult to please be his/her partner in the contest, the adult is sure to say, "yes."

July 4 Fun: Pie Eating Contest

Every year my family celebrates America's Independence Day with a big neighborhood party and one of the highlights of the afternoon is the pie eating contest. The standard "county fair" version of this competition would involve a bunch of big eaters each with his or her own double-crust fruit pie that they would try to consume as quickly as possible without using their hands.

We've developed our own take on this American classic for a couple of reasons. First, if you have read this blog for a while, you know that I can't bake a pie. Second, I didn't want anyone choking on a piece of crust and ruining all the fun. Third, I wanted a contest for all ages.

So, here's a fool-proof recipe for some easy Fourth of July fun:

Get Ready...

Prepare an enormous vat of chocolate pudding (I mix up a bunch of boxes of Jell-o instant pudding in my biggest spaghetti pot).

Buy many tubs of Cool Whip (I use Cool Whip Lite). Make sure to thaw them before the big event.

Purchase some disposable paper bowls and a lot of paper towel.

Get set...

Pick a spot for your contest. I suggest a grassy area or any place that you can hose off after the event.

Set up a table that can take abuse and have several rolls of paper towel nearby.

Make your pies. Add 1 cup of pudding to a disposable bowl. Top with 1/4 cup of Cool Whip. Make sure that every pie is identical so the contest is fair. I make about 10 pies at a time and have a "staff" making more as we need them (we go through a lot of pies).

Go!

Call "Round 1!" We start with 10 year olds. They're brave enough to go first and will inspire the younger kids. We save the adults for the grand finale.

Place a pie in front of each contestant. Have long-haired pie eaters tie their hair back. Make everyone put their hands behind their backs and explain that the first one to completely eat their pie -- without using hands -- is the winner.

Yell, "Ready! Set! Go!"

Stand back

Finally, announce the winner, hand out paper towel (they'll need it) and call "Round 2!"




Photo credit: Mike Scanlon

Learning to Run in 13 Weeks: Week 3

If you're following along with us, you too are entering week 3 of the 13-week running program. My group agrees that the program has been pretty reasonable so far and they are even looking for new and more interesting running areas. Two members have discovered a beautiful trail not far from our neighborhood that should make the longer runs more entertaining.

Last week, I mentioned that this program emphasizes consistency; meaning that you want to get into a regular training schedule. In this case, it means three days per week with at least one day of rest in between training days. Another important training rule is moderation. You need to give your body time to rest and adapt to the new stress you are inflicting on bones and tissues.

To my mind, the best part about moderation is that it allows you to feel good about what you are doing. If you hit the street thinking that you need to be "serious" and run several miles right off the bat, the odds are good that you won't enjoy your experience and it'll be that much harder to run the next time. If you start small, you'll find that you enjoy your effort and can feel good about your slow but steady progress as the weeks go by.

As mentioned in earlier posts, we're following the gradual program outlined in the The Beginning Runners Handbook: The Proven 13-Week Walk-Run Program *. Here's the schedule for this week and next.

Week 3

Day 1: 5-minute stretch, run 3 minutes, walk 2 minutes. Do this 10 times. 5-minute stretch

Day 2: 5-minute stretch, run 2 minutes, walk 2 minutes. Do this 9 times. 5-minute stretch

Day 3: 5-minute stretch, run 3 minutes, walk 2 minutes. Do this 9times. 5-minute stretch


Week 4 (Easy Recovery Week)

Day 1: 5-minute stretch, run 3 minutes, walk 2 minutes. Do this 8 times. 5-minute stretch

Day 1: 5-minute stretch, run 2 minutes, walk 2 minutes. Do this 7 times. 5-minute stretch

Day 1: 5-minute stretch, run 2 minutes, walk 3 minutes. Do this 7 times. 5-minute stretch


*A few words about The Beginning Runner's Handbook. The 13-week program doesn't appear until page 151 because the authors (Ian MacNeill and the Sport Medicine Council of British Columbia) thought it was important to start with topics like moderation, choosing good shoes, training mind & body, pregnancy, cross-training, technique, diet, injuries and stretching. It is probably wise to do some reading of your own before you launch into this new exercise program. Please make sure you're healthy and ready for action and then join us!

Zip line in India: Too Fun!

If Sky Hike sounded interesting but Georgia isn't part of your summer travel plans, check out a very cool zip line in India called Flying Fox. You can put this on your fall calendar because it's re-opening in October. Click here for pix and video.

You can read more about Flying Fox on Wend Magazine's blog, click here.

Road Trip: Sky Hike in Georgia

According to their Web site, Sky Hike is the nation's largest adventure course. Within the confines of your safety harness, you'll be able to test your skill on a tight rope, leap through the air from one structure to another, climb vertical rope nets and cross suspended bridges. Sky Hike allows for the mildly adventurous by offering challenges at 12 feet above the ground but if you're into heights, the four-story-high Super Challenge Trail will be more to your liking. This seems like quite a bargain at only $14.

Where: Stone Mountain Park, Atlanta, Georgia

Closed-toe shoes required.

You can read more about Sky Hike here in an article from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Learning to Run in 13 Weeks: Week 2

Welcome to week 2 in our our summer running adventure! So far, so good. My group is in agreement that week 1 was easy and enjoyable. I hope you're having a similar experience. I've mentioned before that consistency is important so don't skip a week just because you're traveling. Five members of our group will be running in alternate locations for the next couple of sessions, two in Ireland, one in Italy and two in Delaware (the exotic Delaware will be yours truly and Liz).

As mentioned in earlier posts, we're following the gradual program outlined in the The Beginning Runners Handbook: The Proven 13-Week Walk-Run Program *. Here's the schedule for this week and next.


Week 2

Day 1: 5-minute stretch, Run 2 minute, walk 2 minutes. Do this 11 times. 5-minute stretch

Day 2: 5-minute stretch, Run 1 minute, walk 2 minutes. Do this 10 times. 5-minute stretch

Day 3: 5-minute stretch, Run 2 minute, walk 2 minutes. Do this 10 times. 5-minute stretch


Week 3

Day 1: 5-minute stretch, run 3 minutes, walk 2 minutes. Do this 10 times. 5-minute stretch

Day 2: 5-minute stretch, run 2 minutes, walk 2 minutes. Do this 9 times. 5-minute stretch

Day 3: 5-minute stretch, run 3 minutes, walk 2 minutes. Do this 9times. 5-minute stretch


*A few words about The Beginning Runner's Handbook. The 13-week program doesn't appear until page 151 because the authors (Ian MacNeill and the Sport Medicine Council of British Columbia) thought it was important to start with topics like moderation, choosing good shoes, training mind & body, pregnancy, cross-training, technique, diet, injuries and stretching. It is probably wise to do some reading of your own before you launch into this new exercise program. Please make sure you're healthy and ready for action and then join us!

World Refugee Day

Today is World Refugee Day. Designated by the UN General Assembly, the day is dedicated to raising awareness about the 42 million refugees around the planet and their struggles. This year's theme "Real People, Real Needs" should help focus attention on the women, men and children who have been uprooted by conflict and persecution. For more information about World Refugee Day, click here. To find out what your country is doing to mark this important day, click here. To link to the "Gimme Shelter" Facebook page, click here.




Image credit: WORLD MAP OR GLOBE BACKGROUND
© John Vernon | Dreamstime.com

Road Trip: Syncronized Fireflies in the Smokey Mountains

There is a very interesting post on Boing Boing about fireflies in the Smokey Mountains that flash in unison. Click here to read more about the bioluminescent bugs and to watch a video of their performance. I think this is worthy of a road trip, don't you?

Learning to Run in 13 Weeks: Week 1

Here's the plan. My Daughter, Liz, needs to get back in shape after a prolonged sports injury. After consulting with her doctor, we decided to use the The Beginning Runners Handbook: The Proven 13-Week Walk-Run Program to slowly increase her strength and endurance. As luck would have it, I have a crowd of women who like this idea and who want to spend their summer "learning to run."

I'm going to post our training schedule for weeks 1 and 2 so that you can follow along at your own pace. I'll update the schedule every Monday for the remainder of the program.

My group is going to meet on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday evenings. However, they all have a copy of the schedule so that if they can't run with the group, they can run on their own. Consistency is very important. Also, according to the book, you want at least one day between training sessions and you want to make sure to begin each session with a 5-minute warm up and conclude with a 5-minute cool down. The Handbook has a number of stretching exercises for these 5-minute periods.

With that in mind, here is the schedule:

Week 1

Day 1: 5-minute stretch, Run 1 minute, walk 2 minutes. Do this 12 times. 5-minute stretch

Day 2: 5-minute stretch, Run 1 minute, walk 2 minutes. Do this 9 times. 5-minute stretch

Day 3: 5-minute stretch, Run 1 minute, walk 2 minutes. Do this 11 times. 5-minute stretch

Week 2

Day 1: 5-minute stretch, Run 2 minute, walk 2 minutes. Do this 11 times. 5-minute stretch

Day 2: 5-minute stretch, Run 1 minute, walk 2 minutes. Do this 10 times. 5-minute stretch

Day 3: 5-minute stretch, Run 2 minute, walk 2 minutes. Do this 10 times. 5-minute stretch


A few words about The Beginning Runner's Handbook. The 13-week program doesn't appear until page 151 because the authors (Ian MacNeill and the Sport Medicine Council of British Columbia) thought it was important to start with topics like moderation, choosing good shoes, training mind & body, pregnancy, cross-training, technique, diet, injuries and stretching. It is probably wise to do some reading of your own before you launch into this new exercise program. Please make sure you're healthy and ready for action and then join us!

Getting Liz Back on Track...

Last fall, my daughter, Liz, suffered a sports injury that put her on enforced couch potato status. She's been bored, she's been very bored and she's itching to move. Happily, the last MRI showed that she's ready for action -- if she goes slowly.

My friend, Carol, found an interesting book called The Beginning Runners Handbook: The Proven 13-Week Walk-Run Program at our local library and thought it might be just the thing to get Liz back on her feet. The basic premise is that you build up strength and endurance by alternating running and walking -- extending the running and decreasing the walking segments as the weeks go by.

I've told a number of people that Liz and I are going to spend the summer "learning to run" and to my surprise I had a bunch of women say that they wanted to join us. After a while, it occurred to me that some of you might want to join us as well. So, once a week for the next 13 weeks, I'll tell you what we're doing and if you're in the mood for something new, I hope you'll come along. You know, this would be a great activity for an Adventure Club! Everything is more fun when you do it with friends.

A few words about The Beginning Runner's Handbook. The 13-week program doesn't appear until page 151 because the authors (Ian MacNeill and the Sport Medicine Council of British Columbia) thought it was important to start with topics like moderation, choosing good shoes, training mind & body, pregnancy, cross-training, technique, diet, injuries and stretching. It is probably wise to do some reading of your own before you launch into this new exercise program. Please make sure you're healthy and ready for action and then join us!


Photo credit: Abbie Mulvihill

100 Years Ago...Alice Ramsey and the first coast to coast road trip

100 years ago today, Alice Ramsey left New York in a specially outfitted, four-cylinder, 30 horsepower automobile and began a grand cross-country adventure. Drafted by the Maxwell-Briscoe automobile company to help promote their brand, Alice was a 22-year-old Vassar grad who knew her way around cars and who had the strength to handle rack-and-pinion steering for 3,800 miles. Her skill and spirit (and a little help from some friends) resulted in a successful journey that landed Ms. Ramsey in the record books as the first woman to make a coast-to-coast road trip. While a few men had already accomplished the feat, Alice also set the best time.

Margery Krevsky wrote a nice story about Alice and her three traveling companions for the Detroit News. To read the article, click here.



Image credit: SUMMER LANDSCAPE
© Alexey Arkhipov | Dreamstime.com