Motivation
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April 1, 2013
I Spelled My Name Wrong…
Alternatively titled, “I Signed Up for My First Marathon!”
Yep, that’s me, “Bonie” Lang, and I’m running the Banff Marathon on June 23rd!
I planned to have a video workout for you guys today but I realized AFTER starting to edit it that my footage wasn’t the greatest: my head was often cut off and my pants were all sorts of wrong. 
So, check back later this week for a jump rope + dumbbell workout to try!
In the meantime, here’s how the whole marathon ordeal began…
It all started after I recently admitted in my half marathon recap that I may have caught the racing bug…but only may have. Key words there. I’m just not really one to follow a plan and run when I like rather than on a set schedule. That’s why I always thought racing just wasn’t for me. Plus, I get so much enjoyment out of my own solo, unplanned runs. But then a conversation over on my FB page happened:
The seed was planted and I started thinking how neat it would be to run in the mountains but not yet on a trail (I’m just not conditioned to run a trail marathon at this point) and to get in on the first year they are bringing back this race! Plus, it’s on my fitness bucket list and June is not a busy month for Mikey and I. I casually mentioned it to my mom and she offered to pay for the race registration for my birthday. I was out of excuses. …let’s do this thing!
I’m excited to look at a plan that will include maybe only 3-4 days of running and keep my strength training central as well. Once I have something decided on, I’ll keep you updated and share it if anyone’s interested. I’m using this as an experiment to see how my body does with longer distances, how it affects my eating, how it changes my body. Plus, it’s an experience I’ve always wanted to have and a distance I’ve always wanted to accomplish!
…now if I can only learn to spell my name right. ;) Oh! And although this is indeed April 1st, I can assure you this is not an April Fool’s joke – I’m committed, baby!
Have you ever run a marathon? Would you ever consider running one? I always thought Big Sur would be my first marathon (on the coast near my hometown in CA, gorgeous, sweeping views, fog and waves crashing and very hilly – pretty much the opposite of this mountainous, downhill-in-elevation run, which actually sounds great for a first full!).
I’m off to train for the day and start this month off on the right foot – helping people get fit in the gym for life! Have a great day guys. Live well & be well,
Bonnie
March 25, 2013
Run for L’Arche Half Marathon: Recap
If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you’ll know that I’m not really a racer. One of the ways I’d physically define myself is by being a runner, but someone who runs and trains and races? Not so much.
I’ve written about this before, but I seem to be wired as someone who loves to MOVE – be it in the gym, on the road, in the mountains or on the river. And while I train consistently throughout each week, I don’t train for any one event. However, I committed to racing the Run for L’Arche Half Marathon and before I knew it, training time was gone and race time (post-Vegas, too!) was upon me!
(From the pool to the plane, Zensah compression sleeves on under my pants!)
After a late night, I was happy with a 10 am race start and was able to sleep in a bit. I started with a breakfast that I’ve always had pre-long run (race or not): peanut butter with cinnamon and banana on toast with a small cup of black coffee. Perfect.
Soon enough Mikey was awake and we headed down to the gym where we met Lauren, Tricia and Lesley to warm up and get pumped for the run.
We moved a bit on the ellipticals, rolled it out, stretched a bit and started getting those fun pre-race nerves I’d forgotten all about!
We gathered up and the guys (Mikey and Tricia’s boyfriend) dropped us off at the start where we stayed warm and snapped some pre-run pics!
Not sure what the below face is – maybe my pump-it-up face? Or maybe my embrace-the-cold face?
Because compared to Vegas, it WAS chilly! But it was beautiful, sunny, clear and crisp. There was some large sheets of ice across the pathway but overall it ended up being great conditions for running. I wore my lululemon running tights, lulu turbo run shorts over top, Zensah compression sleeves underneath it all (review of this brand-new, limited-edition coming soon!), Zensah arm sleeves, Nike tank top and Zensah seamless power jacket over top. I also ran with my Zensah smart touch running gloves and once or twice took them off because I got too hot! Can’t complain much there.
I didn’t have much strategy for this race except to try it out and get there and move, especially post-IHRSA and after not logging many miles or doing much speed work. One of my main goals? To go out easy. This was not exactly accomplished. I, along with Tricia and Lesley for a bit, was running closer to 8 minute miles when I hoped to run 9′s and then speed up in the second half of the race. I ended up closer to 9′s as the race went on, but oh well – live and learn!
The race was small but well-organized, the gun went off on time and Mikey even got to chat with the mayor while we were running! Fun that he came out for the event.
As I watched a 1:50 time slide away from me (that was my ultimate goal; my main goal was anything under 2 hrs), I realized I could hit a 1:53 if I pushed it hard but as I rounded the finish I saw Lauren and a member from our gym waiting. They’d wanted to cross as a team but we never talked about it before the race and I was pumped to finish hard! I stopped dead still, standing in the middle of the path, looking at the finish and wanting to go all the way but worried about not being a team player! I told them the girls were a bit behind so we could walk back and cheer them on. Hence the reason that Lauren and Fred, who finished more than 20 minutes before me (SPEEDY!), are in the finish photos with me.
We ran it in, with Mikey snapping away, and finished around 1:54 before seeing Tricia fly in on her first half in 1:55! 21.1 km on her 21st birthday. 
Soon after it was Lesley, running in and finishing through tough stomach cramps on her first-ever half as well!
After the conference in Vegas, late night from the airport and full morning, I left with Mikey to head back home – we were out of all the essentials and needed to do some serious grocery shopping! So we grabbed a free banana, thanked the volunteers (all of whom, out on the course, I tried to say thank you too – much harder to cheer in the cold than to be moving in it!) and headed home. The rest of the team did too, which means we missed the pancake breakfast (had I even thought about it I would have popped over there! But we all just kind of dispersed) and our 2nd place award for being the fastest corporate team! So fun.
So…who knows…maybe the racing bug IS starting to catch on? I remember how I missed the pre-race jitters and the camaraderie of running. And while the distance felt great and I was at a conversational pace the whole time, it makes me wonder what I could do if I trained… So now it’s in the back of my head for sure. Thanks to those who organized the race (Vern, Dawn and Don!) for the wonderful end-of-March event! You can bet I’ll be there next year.
After a bath and nap at home, Mikey and I went to church and then hit up a cheap theater movie, all while downing Nuun to rehydrate and in my compression sleeves to recover! Gotta love it.
Do run for fun? Do you race? Have you done any races yet this season?
To those of you who race, happy running the season ahead! Catch you guys later! Live well & be well,
Bonnie
March 24, 2013
IHRSA 2013 Recap
Hey guys! Long time no see! If you guys read my last post or follow me here, here or here, you’ll know that I was in VEGAS, BABY! (By the way, is it possible to NOT say “baby” after you say “Vegas?”) I loved my experience here at the IHRSA Conference and embraced lots of information, experiences and new friendships! It was great to get to know my team from Fifth Avenue Club better and enjoyed the time in sessions and at the pool with them! Such a great group.
Here’s a little run-down of the trip to let you in on the action, fun and feel of Vegas (baby!):
Fly in, dinner (late) out and sleep!
…and woke up to a beautiful and unique view at the clean, gorgeous and accommodating Hotel at Mandalay Bay:
And then we were off and running (err – working out)! A few of us got up early for one of the many morning workouts offered. This one was a bootcamp/group-style workout with Todd Durkin, ”MA, CSCS…an internationally recognized performance-enhancement coach, personal trainer, massage therapist, author, and speaker who motivates, educates and inspires people worldwide. He is the founder and creator of Fitness Quest 10 & Todd Durkin Enterprises in San Diego, CA…Todd is the Head of the Under Armour Performance Training Council, where he helps drive new methodologies and training techniques to help Under Armour develop the highest quality programs and apparel for performance training” (source). Todd is a FIRECRACKER! So dynamic, so much energy and just like he is in his videos if any of you have seen him before. INTENSE! His co-leader was Pete Holman, Director of Business Development with the TRX and creator of the TRX Rip Trainer. It’s a very athletic piece of equipment that forces you to use AND prevent rotation because it’s a bar with a resistance band on only one side. I LOVED using it and also enjoyed the partner exercises and even the dynamic warm up drills with Todd.
We also got to try out Under Armour’s new heart rate monitor system, which acts like the others on the market but uses all your numbers (intensity level, heart rate levels, calories burned) to average out your willpower, a pretty interesting thing to “measure” to see how intense your workout was.
Pretty interesting! And of course I had to get a photo with Todd Durkin at the end (didn’t get one with Pete because I had to run off to the morning’s first session!).
Hoo-rah!
The sessions were full of information. Some were more engaging than others with some speakers on the dry side, and some were focused more on issues in the US (like the epidemic of obesity, for example, and some topics about the government and health care) but overall I got something out of every session. When I get a moment to go through my notes and summarize the most applicable points, I’ll be sure to share them with you!
In between sessions, whether it was an hour or a three hour break, us Canadians got into the sun as much as possible! The down time and sun soaking was definitely a bonus, not being the main reason we went to Vegas; I originally didn’t even think we’d have time for this! But it was a wonderful surprise for this Californian to get my Rainbow flip flops on my feet and head outside!
Ashley & I enjoying the sun!
The view behind me as I lounged.
We also hit up the outlets one evening while we were there and enjoyed eating dinners out as a team every night. Here’s a quick photo-look at some of the sights and scenes!
Picked up these two cute dresses (sorry for the blurry pic on the right), a cute jacket and two work shirts for Mikey at the outlets (score!).
House of Blues dinner, fro yo (when in Rome! …ie: WAY more frozen yogurt options in the States; the first one just opened this weekend in Calgary!) and healthy pre-packed snacks.
I also met some amazing people in Vegas at the Trade Show and outside of it. I chatted with pro surfer Laird Hamilton and was THRILLED to meet Kelly Olexa (founder and CEO of FitFluential), who is just as fun, outspoken, beautiful, engaging and just “Kelly” as she seems on her videos. She took a moment to chat with me and I really appreciated her time as she was crazy-busy between meetings and sessions (we both found ourselves in the same social media session – go figure). We also had a dinner with a group of FitFluential Ambassadors, and it was wonderful to finally connect with Lindsay (who is as cute and southern-speaking and easy to be with as you’d imagine from her blog!) and Lisa (ripped and loud and FUN!) among others.
All in all it was an amazing trip! It’s hard to recap an experience like this one between the social aspect of being with my team from Fifth Avenue Club to meeting new friends from FitFluential to learning lots and being exposed to the fitness industry as a whole for the first real time (as opposed to just focusing on my job as a personal trainer).
Have you ever been to a fitness conference before? What was your experience? How about any conference in Vegas? I’m sure we all have some of those “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas” kind of stories from conferences in that city!
I flew in Friday night, was reunited with Mikey who had a super full and busy week while I was away and then went to bed and ran a half marathon in the morning! …more on that later. If you got this far, thanks for reading and have a great start to your week!
Live well & be well,
Bonnie
March 17, 2013
Dancing, Running & Relaxing
St. Patrick’s Day…no green beer and a very relaxing day – just the way it should be in my book. I wanted to pop in before a trip and share a bit of my fun weekend with you guys! This will be photo-heavy…because it’s late and was a wonderful weekend worth sharing in photo form.
Friday: Girls’ Night!
I got together with a few girls from the gym and had a great start to my weekend/ There was wine, delicious punch and lots of healthy snacks: black bean chips, hummus, popcorn and a big bowl of fresh cut up fruit and fun conversation! My favorite part though? Dancing (and hoola-hooping) with the girls! I love that the night was healthy and not full of junk food and that we moved together – such a great night with lots of laughter. 
Saturday: Long Run Day!
I woke up Saturday morning to lots of falling snow. It was cozy and warm inside and cold, windy and NOT inviting outside…but it was long run day! When my friend cancelled on our long run (for a good, legitimate non-weather-related reason), I realized that I’d have to motivate myself to get out there. And so, after a nice morning at home, a phone call home and some much-needed time in my slippers on the couch, I braved the elements.
Pre-Contemplation
Contemplation
Execution
Success!
11.5 miles under snowy skies. That 1/2 marathon might not be fast, but it will be fun next week and now I know I can conquer it regardless of how intense the weather is…bring it on! Loved my Zensah Smart Touch Running Gloves, Leg Sleeves & Seamless Power Jacket – very thankful for good gear from this great company (click for my YouTube reviews of those products)!
I also went to church in the evening and was absolutely blown away by the incredible service – by our incredible God! The message was powerful and so many people were baptized! There is nothing quite like the palpable joy of someone publicly declaring that they love and follow Jesus! I love it!
After the service I stopped by for a visit with my in-laws, mainly to say a one-day-early HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my father-in-law! Maurice is a man of faith, a devoted father, a caring husband and a father-in-law who makes me feel loved, accepted and like his own daughter. To a do-it-yourself, gadget-toting, Apple-loving and joyful man, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MAURICE!
Sunday: Girls’ Spa Day!
My friends arranged a girls’ day at the Banff Springs Hotel and I was happy to tag along! Although I didn’t get any treatments, I thoroughly enjoyed the day relaxing together with Edith and Karissa. I started off with a morning juice and some oatmeal before meeting them for an early drive out to the mountains (mason jar for hydration purposes in hand).
Once there, it was all about the waterfall pools, the cups of tea, the magazines…
…and the wine (that Edith bought for us!) and my packed egg, almonds and apple. Classy act, let me tell you!
What a day! I NEVER nap and I fell asleep twice on the lounge chairs – it was delicious. After a full day of doing nothing (in the best way possible!), we realized it was 7:45 pm and we hadn’t had anything to eat! No wonder we were starting to get hungry. Guess that egg didn’t go as far as I thought!
One delicious and green meal later, we were headed home. What a way to end the weekend!
Good movement, good rest, good food and good friends. I needed a weekend like this more than I realized and am thankful for the way God orchestrated it! Monday evening I fly to Vegas with a group from the gym for IHRSA – international fitness conference, here we come! SO excited to learn lots, bring back fresh inspiration and ideas, hang out with the group from work more and meet some other FitFluential Ambassadors!
Thanks for letting me share my adventures with you here…I’m grateful for this space to document life’s blessings AND the hardships – this weekend was just full of more of the former than the latter. Might as well soak up times like those and remember that God is good, all the time!
How was your weekend? I saw some people racing out there and some PR’s…any one else race, train, rest or eat good food this weekend? Let me know! Have a great start to your week and I’ll catch up with you guys in VEGAS!
Bonnie
March 11, 2013
Do Hard Things
Hey guys! Mikey and I are back from an impromptu overnight trip to the mountains. We had a blast just getting out of the city, although we both struggled with how it felt considerably less hardcore and intense than our last trip!
There weren’t many mountains to climb, not many great ski runs and with the extra daylight we now have, it felt wrong staying inside reading books by the fire of the hut instead of summitting something!
…but the purpose of this trip was relaxation and a break from the city. We got both, and had a great time once we relaxed our expectations! The wine might have helped relax us too.
As I prepare to jump back into the work week, I wanted to share about something I don’t do super often: the HARD things! It’s easy to get in a rut and keep your workouts at the same intensity or same duration or same movements day in and day out. So why not work on something that’s tough for you? Check out the video below to see what I mean:
What’s something that you need to work on? Balance? Agility? Power? Speed? Cardio? Strength? I’m choosing to dedicate one of my workout days to doing the things that are hard for me. Want to join in on the “fun?”
Let me know if you try something tough for you and have a great week, guys!
Bonnie
D5 Creation