Publix Georgia Marathon and Half Marathon 2012 – Race Recap

Race Finish!

I chose to participate in the Publix Georgia Half Marathon for one main reason.

It is close to my house.

My friend Amy and I were trying to decide between either this one or the Nashville half.  We chose this one primarily because we could drive there and would not have to stay overnight or make a whole weekend out of it.

Registration for this race was super easy using Active.com.  It walked you through the whole process and I even found a coupon code online to save a few dollars.  Registration was a breeze.

In order to pick up your race number, you had to attend the Georgia Marathon Health & Fitness Expo which was held in Downtown Atlanta at the World Congress Center.  This was a negative against the race.  Not the actual expo, which was awesome, but that they MADE you go and pick it up.  I do think there should be an option to pay a few extra dollars and have the number mailed to you.

We headed downtown to pick up the race number and attended the Runner’s Expo.  This was great due to the amount of people there to show you their goods.  There were lots of free samples and new products to check out.  My favorite booths were the GU Energy Gels because they were selling them at a discount, the Larabar company because they gave out mini samples to try, and the Chobani company because I got to try the new Apple Cinnamon flavor.

Now that the numbers are picked up, it is time for the race itself.

We arrived downtown bright and early around 6:15 for a 7:00 am race start.  Parking was a breeze and since we had been there the day before, we knew just where to go.  We once again parked in the Red Deck of the World Congress Center.  The good thing about parking here is the World Congress Center is open so runners can go inside and use the nice clean bathrooms vs the porta potties!

After using the restroom, we headed over to our Corral.  The atmosphere was awesome.  They had music playing loudly, lots of porta potties close to the start of the race, photographers there to take photos and it was all very organized.

Let's Get this Party Started!

We got in our corral and waited for the official start of the race.  They let the wheel chair racers go first and then the corrals went.  It only took us about 9 minutes of waiting until we were ready to go!

The course itself was VERY hilly!  The first few miles you don’t really notice the hills because of all the people but after it thins out, the hills really start to show themselves!  The views of downtown Atlanta were stunning.  It was nice to run through the city and see the sites.  Overall, the race course was very tough.  Looking back on it, I should have done more hills in my training.

The water stations were awesome.  They started at mile 2 and then there was a water station right before EVERY mile marker after that.  The water stations were good anchors letting us know we had almost made it another mile.  They had both Gatorade and water so there was a choice which was nice.

The cheering crowds were not phenomenal.  I know that the race offered incentives for cheering sections and those were good but we could have used more supporters throughout the race.  Even at the end, people weren’t really cheering that much.  However, I am used to the cheering for the Peachtree Road Race which is amazing.

The ending of the race was very well thought out and planned.  They knew what they were doing and moved you right along after finishing.  You got the medal, and a chocolate milk and headed toward the picture station.  They had professional pictures taken in front of the half-marathon sign and then you head over to Centennial Olympic Park where they gave out pre-rationed snacks from Publix and where runners and families can relax and chill.

Jen Crossing the Finish Line!

The t-shirts were great, technical shirts.  Another great thing about the shirts are if you got it home on Saturday and tried it on and found you needed an alternate size, you could bring it to the park on race day and they had a whole tent where you could exchange it for a new size.

Overall, the Publix Georgia Half Marathon was a huge success.  The race was very well organized, thought out, and planned.  The race itself is on the hilly side but it is a good challenge with beautiful views of downtown Atlanta.  If you live in the Atlanta area or close by, I would recommend this race!

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Fun Exercise: Hiking Five Miles

Since I finished the LiveFit workouts I haven’t been in the gym.

I haven’t wanted to be! I needed a break for a few days at least and I found the perfect activity to replace those hours spent in the gym: hiking! Lucky for me JuJu and Kepa also were into the idea.

Easter weekend we went to Totara Park together for the first time for a longer hike. We just ambled about for an hour or so that day and mostly let JuJu run around us in the off leash areas. It was so nice to be out walking and enjoying nature that we decided to go back the next day for an even longer walk.

We are both on Fitocracy (post on this coming soon) and decided to make our second hike long enough to complete a Fitocracy  quest. That meant we had to make sure we went 5 miles while carrying a pack, 25 lbs for Kepa and 10 lbs for me. We had our goal in mind so we set off in the park with little JuJu in tow!

The park is lovely. I went there before with Rachel and Lily but this is the first time I’ve gone all over the park and checked out the majority of the trails. Instead of sticking to the flat areas we went into the forest parts and climbed up and over the hills. The prettiest trail runs along a stream and also involves a lot of climbing vertically with plenty of stairs built into the trail. Parts of it felt like a decent challenge and my heart rate jumped itself up after climbing to the top (on average though it stayed around 140).

JuJu did great despite my worries that 5 miles was pretty far for her. She has almost endless amounts of energy so she only started to tire out toward the end. We did take a break midway for her to rest and for us to eat lunch, since picnics are the best!

Our hike ended with an easy stroll through the Botanic Gardens. Since we had to make sure we went the full five miles and the park and gardens are connected we decided an easy end looking at pretty flowers would be nice. Okay, I totally decided that part  but they went with it.

Here are the stats for the hike which we ended up breaking into two sections with a break for food/water/JuJu rest.

1:06:26 || 5.3 km || 12:28 min/km || 143 bpm || moderate hills || 10 lb(+458 pts)0:38:24 || 3.2 km || 12:06 min/km || 143 bpm || moderate hills || 10 lb(+237 pts)

After five miles I was tired but so happy. Some sun and time outside did great things to my mind and though I was tired I felt that lovely post exercise feeling of contentment. I definitely think we will be hiking more in the future since a couple of my fitness goals involve hiking (Rangitoto Island and Tongariro Crossing here in NZ). Plus it’s just really fun to exercise in nature.

As far as what I’ll be doing next I’m not 100% set on that. I definitely want to get back in the gym and lift but I might not be able to for a couple months. Things are a bit up in the air. We will see but no matter what I will keep active!

Related posts:

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How to Design Your Own Simple Workout: Easy Workout Ideas

I hear from people all the time that they don't have time to workout, much less design their own simple workout program.  We all know that achieving our goals really is a matter of prioritizing. 

If you aren't exercising regularly, you simply aren't putting fitness high enough on your list of priorities. It happens to all of us.  The best thing to do if you find your exercise commitment slipping is to recognize the problem (which you are obviously doing now,) and then renew your commitment by reminding yourself of why you wanted to get fit in the first place. 

Designing your own simple workout and exercise regimen is not complicated, really.  Let's say you're a beginner and your goal is to do cardio three times a week and strength training three times a week.

For cardio - you could pick three different activities, or choose the same activity but switch up the methodology.  For example, if you jog for your cardio, one day you could do a tempo jog for 30 minutes, one day you could do sprints, and one day you could do a slow, steady hour jog.

Strength training plans are just as easy to whip together, even when you have very little planning or prep time. 

1.  Select the muscles you want to target      
2.  Choose 1 to 3 exercises per muscle group (preferably compound moves)
3.  Perform them back to back in superset form
4.  Repeat in rounds (generally 2 to 4 rounds, or as long as time allows.)

So here's a quick example following the above method:

1.  Legs, shoulders, abs
2.  Legs - squats, lunges.
Shoulders - overhead press, upright rows.
Abs - lower crunches, bicycle crunches.
3.  Superset one: 20 squats, 15 overhead presses, 30 lower crunches.
Superset two:  10 lunges, 15 upright rows, 30 bicycle crunches.
4.  Repeat each superset 3 times.

I try keeping a set of exercise bands in the car or with me when I travel, so I'm never without resistance options for a simple workout off the cuff.  I also keep a jump rope with me for effective cardio where ever I go.  If I only have 10 minutes to get a little exercise in, the jump rope is a lifesaver.  A little prep goes a long way.

Of course, if you’re the type of person who prefers to have a coach doing the entire workout planning for you and helping you take it up a notch, I can help you with that, too. 

Remember, procrastination kills and makes us fat and lazy. Your chosen exercise methods aren’t that important -  Just get moving!

Here are a bunch of workouts to try. Remember to suit them to your specific needs. Some of them use bands (I love the convenience of these), some use free weights, some are body weight routines, and some are traditional gym workouts. I'm always hunting new ways to spice it up, so there are pointers and tips for each workout. Have fun!

Best Workout Ever

How to Design Your Own Simple Workout

3 Day Total Body Workout

Bootcamp Style

4 Day Split

5 Day Split

Total Body Band Workout

No Gym Req. Exercises

Killer Upper Body Workout

Best Glute Workout

 

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Half Size Me Podcast

My before and after picture!

Happy Monday everyone from sunny Florida!  I had a fabulous day yesterday relaxing in the sun and catching up with my BFF Kristen.  We have yet to run out of things to talk about so we are good for at least a few more days!

We did get a nice long walk in yesterday morning and I hope to again today.  It is always nice to have someone to talk to while working out.  It makes the time go by much faster.

While I am taking time away from the normal routine of day to day, I want you to head on over to Half Size Me.  Heather, the owner, asked me if I would do a podcast for her blog to tell others all about my weight loss and of course, I said , “YES!”  Anytime I can reach out to new peeps and let them know my story, I am there!

We had a great conversation that lasted about 30 minutes but it was so great to tell my story to new people who don’t know.  I hope you will head over to her site and check it out!

If you have a chance to listen to it, leave me a comment and tell me what you liked about it!

That Doesn’t Even Look Like You

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Are You Fiber Full? – Weekly Weigh In

Are you Eating Enough High Fiber Foods?

My Monday night weigh in at Weight Watchers was not very eventful. I told you all about my 2 pound gain last week, however I didn’t weigh in. I knew unless I had lost the two pounds I gained last week, I knew it wasn’t going to happen.

I weighed at home Monday morning and was down 0.4 so I still knew I was going to be up when I weighed in. Sure enough, a gain of 1.8. Surprisingly, I wasn’t too upset about it.

I guess having spent a weekend in Philly, I was OK with not “technically” gaining.

This week’s meeting topic was all about fiber. Yep…we talked about poop and the digestive system. It wasn’t totally about poop but there was quite a bit of poop talk going on.

It was a very interesting topic. Did you know that women are supposed to have 25 grams of fiber in a day and men are supposed to have 38? That is a heck of a lot of fiber.

IF you eat your 4 servings of fruit and veggies with an additional two servings, you have met the requirement. If you are like me, you don’t get your 4 servings so that is not happening.

I also learned that corn has a higher fiber serving than brown rice. That was surprising to me! One food rich in fiber is black beans. Try and add black beans to more recipes to get more fiber in your diet.

I need to make a conscious effort to try and eat more fiber. I can’t just eat three fiber one bars or brownies and call it a day. I mean, I could but holy cow…the gas would be astronomical. Poor hubby if that happens!

This week, let’s make an effort to try and eat more fiber rich foods.

Do you get enough fiber in your diet or are you lacking in that area like me?

Photo Credit:  Pinterest

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Country Top Ten: Workout Songs. Swang to Twang.

A Country Top Ten list is probably one of the least sought after genres. But, everyone should give it a try. Although a lot of country lyrics leave much to be desired, the songs still have a lot to offer:

•They are upbeat.

•They stay with the same beat throughout, which can be helping when counting reps or doing cardio.

•Many country songs are actually just stories put to music. Even though they're tacky, you end up listening to to see how it ends. This can be an advantage because it can make time go by faster if your workout feels like it's dragging on.

And, Jeff Foxworthy, one of America's favorite comedians said, "I like country music because it's about the things in live that really matter...Its about love, family, friends, with a few beers, a cheap woman, and a two-timing man thrown in for spice." Jeff Foxworthy's CMT speech makes some interesting points.

These top ten country songs are a mix of female and male artists. It's mostly new stuff, with a little Yoakam thrown in. Hope you enjoy this twangy country playlist.

1. Joey by Sugarland. Don't really know what she's sorry about, but she's got a really strong voice.

2. Goodbye Earl by The Dixie Chicks. Funny video. Great song. (Another one of those good story-type songs.

3. You Belong With Me by Taylor Swift. At my daughters' insistence, this song is on this list.

4. I'm Gonna Miss Her by Brad Paisley. Funny story in a weird, glad-I'm-not-his-wife way. It should end up being a classic country top ten song.

5. All I Want to Do by Sugarland. Sing songy and fun. But, it'll stick in your head for hours - be forewarned.

6. American Ride by Toby Keith. Can't really understand the meaning behind this song. Not sure if he's pro-American, or mocking them. But, I've heard, some folks like working out to it.

7. Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy) by Big and Rich. Big and Rich kind of gross me out a little, but the song is strange enough to hold your interest.

8. What Was I Thinking by Dierks Bentley. Good story. It's a pretty funny one. Guess, all people push their luck at one time or another.

9. I Like It, I Love It by Tim McGraw. An older song, this was probably the last of the really 'country sounding' counry music that made produced, at least by McGraw.

10. Guitars, Cadillacs by Dwight Yoakam. He's sure not a lively entertainer, but his voice is strong and very distinguishable.

I hope this country top ten playlist fuels your next workout. Keep striving. Keep working hard toward your goals. Do your best to enjoy the process. And never, never, never give up.

 

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Go. Start. NOW.

Hanlie left this comment on my post about swimming yesterday:

I am very keen to start swimming. For years I’ve been trotting out every excuse in the book not to do it – my technique sucks, I’m not fit enough, I can’t breathe, the pool is too busy at the times I’m free, etc. But since I can no longer really walk, swimming is the only alternative. I got some books on swimming from the library, watched a lot of coaching clips on Youtube and I am ready! Now I must just find a good time slot in the evening.

My reply to her:

I have all those excuses too but I still go. Seriously my technique is shit. Ask Kepa. I swim super slow too – he can smoke me in 25 meters. My only benefit is I’m buoyant and can go long distances (thanks to practice because starting I could only do one length). There will always be excuses even when you improve. You just have to start. Go swim Hanlie!

One thing I know: there will always be excuses.

Sometimes they will be reasonable, sometimes they won’t. Sometimes they will be worth allowing, sometimes they won’t. Most of the time they won’t. It’s easy to want to be perfect before starting something but that rarely happens.

You have to start at the bottom and you can’t let starting at the bottom be an excuse. You have to just go out there and try it and suck at it so you can move on and get better. The beginning is rarely pretty but it is necessary to get to where you want to go.

I recognize this in myself a lot.

I wanted to do a triathlon so I went to the pool to start swimming. I sucked and could only go one length of the pool before tiring out. But I stuck with it.I wanted to snowboard so I went to a mountain and tried it out. I fell so hard so many times I cried myself to sleep the first night and ached the next day. But I stuck with it.

My beginnings are rarely pretty. I’m not naturally talented at many athletic endeavors. I could use that as an excuse. Or my weight could be an excuse. Or any number of things could be an excuse to avoid that first painful and/or embarrassing attempt. But excuses don’t make you better. They don’t let you improve so you can swim for 30 minutes or snowboard for hours or do anything else you really want to do. Giving into excuses and fear gets you nowhere!

You can’t get anywhere if you don’t start.

You can’t get better if you don’t try.

So Hanlie, go swim. Let me know how it goes. And the rest of you? Go try something you’ve been putting off and making excuses for that you think you might enjoy. (I think potential enjoyment is key… some things you might try and realize you hate and they aren’t worth doing which is okay too.) You might not be great at first but I’m 100% sure you’ll get better if you avoid the excuses and stick with it.

There is no better time than now to start. :)

Related posts:

Just keep swimming, Just keep swimmingHealthy Ways To Start The Year Off RightA Good Start Smoothie

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