Short Berryman Race Report and So Long, For Now...

Filled with emotion after finishing the 2007 Kettle Moraine 100 Mile Run

Another amazing event put on by the SLUGs and co-race directors David and Victoria White! You really couldn't have scripted a better day, the weather was ideal and I got to see many of my good friends. Not my finest performance finishing the marathon in 4:44 but I had fun nonetheless. Got to run a bit with Jerry Frost, chat it up with Don Frichtl, Paul and Cindy Schoenlaub, Ben Holmes, Pat Perry, David and Victoria, Rick Mayo, David Stores and so many others; it really was great :-) For the full 2008 Berryman Marathon and 50 Mile Run Results click HERE. And now, let's move on to what is really on my mind.

I started this blog over a year and a half ago and had no idea what a big part of my life it would become.  It took on a personality of it's own as my "baby" and all of you became my cyber family sharing in my accomplishments and supporting me when I was down. I can't begin to even explain to all of you how much it has meant to me to know you were out there reading along and sharing in my life, laughing when I laughed and crying when I cried. The emails I've received, comments on the blog and all of you who have come up to me at races have touched my life in a profound way and I thank all of you for being interested in my story (or stories) and sharing the past 18 months with me. What a journey it has been!  As I sit here writing this I am filled with emotion and must admit a bit sad, but it is time. For those of you close to me this probably isn't a surprise while to others it may be totally out of left field. This is not Good-Bye but simply so long, for now. Know that I am here and you can always email me if you ever need anything or just want to say hello. The picture at the top of this post is me after finishing my first 100 mile race almost a year ago. It was perhaps the best moment of my life thus far and really the start of "the change" inside me.

Wishing you all the best,
Carey

Berryman Report Coming Soon!

Andrew Karandjeff, Victoria White and Lee Hess with the thumbs up

So my last race for a while is history and I must say I really enjoyed seeing all of my good friends and running a course which has so many special memories for me. I definitely didn't set any records as I finished in 4:44:22, I kept telling my legs to go faster but they just wouldn't listen :-) I hope to have a race report together by the middle of this week.

How amazing was the weather this weekend!?! Between the marathon yesterday and the Cardinals game today I definitely took advantage of it. Hope all of you were able to catch some rays too!

Until later,
Carey

3 Tips For More Energy

Fitness Together - St. Louis owner, Tim Chudy, posted these great tips on his blog today on how to have more energy and who couldn't use that? Enjoy!

"Everywhere you go people are looking for 'energy'. You’ve heard and seen all the ‘Hi Energy’ stuff out there. But where should you go for your energy fix? And is it really a fix at all? Or just a remedy that leads to an inevitable crash and burn?

In reality, the "energy" we're chasing is simply mental alertness. And it's no secret that coffee, energy drinks and cigarettes contain drugs that stimulate your brain, giving you the mental alertness we often mistakenly call 'energy'.

If you are searching for a better way of living, a life that doesn't depend on chemicals - literally, drugs! - to keep you awake and motivated, if you are tired of being tired, then being jacked up, and then being tired again, then set the coffee cup down, step away from the supersized Diet Cokes, and turn to a more natural solution. There are better, healthier ways to achieve higher levels of physical and mental energy.

Here are 3 ways to gain more energy, naturally:

1) Exercise

It doesn't matter what time you exercise, just be consistent with your efforts. Just pick a time that fits with your schedule and personality. If you have to do it first thing when you wake up, just do it. Don't even let yourself think about it. Just get started. A lot of people think too much about their plan. They want to have everything perfect before they begin working out.

Focus on intense strength training for 30-40 minutes followed by a brief cardio interval training session to boost your metabolism all day long. Exercise is like a drug. Like caffeine and nicotine, exercise causes the release of many 'good for you' chemicals into your blood stream, resulting in mental stimulation and an improved sense of overall well- being. Exercise just makes you feel awesome.

2) Eat smaller, more frequent meals

Skip the cycle of starving and overeating characterized by no breakfast, a high-carbohydrate lunch, and a huge dinner. Instead, eat a supportive breakfast and then continue to eat supportively every 3 hours for the rest of the day. Research shows that a high-fiber, high-protein breakfast helps control appetite and increases mental alertness all day, and improves your ability to process information.

Don't skip breakfast and rely on a coffee to get you through the day. Got no time? C'mon! You're an adult, you can get up 10 minutes earlier to have a protein shake, some almonds, and an apple. You're not in high school anymore. No excuses!

3) Eat only whole, natural foods, such as fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, raw nuts, Green Tea, water

Trying to survive on processed foods is a recipe for an energetic disaster. Stick to whole, natural foods during the day, snacking rather than eating huge meals and you'll never feel like dozing off again. If a food is from a bag or a box, it doesn't deserve a place in a supportive nutrition plan. Try to avoid all added sugars.

Bonus Tip:

Take 2-minute breaks during the day to perform some light stretching or deep breathing.

Sitting at a computer all day zap our 'energy'. From poor posture, to eye-strain from computer screens, your office, cubicle, and car seat definitely sucks the life out of you. Daily exercise breaks are essential to not only boost energy, but mobility. Each day, as your slump over your computer, your upper body becomes rounded forward and tense. You need to reverse that movement by incorporating some light shoulder and chest stretches. In addition, get outside into natural light whenever possible."

Yoga and Running / Berryman Marathon Saturday

Header from runnersworld.com

YOGA AND RUNNING
Those of you who have been reading the blog for a while know that I started doing Yoga about 8 months ago and how strongly I believe in it as a complement to running, you may remember that I included it as a blog entry subject back in September. Yesterday I was breezing through the June issue of Runners World and saw that they had an article on how Yoga makes you "stronger, sharper and less injury-prone." I couldn't agree with them more! They also featured a group called Runner's Yoga 90210, founded by Angie Stewart, "where marathoners, beginner runners and even members of the UCLA track team gather in Beverly Hill's Roxbury Park for a 20 to 30 minute run followed by 45 to 55 minutes of yoga in a nearby studio." I actually have a similar routine, each week on Tuesday and Thursday I run for 45 - 60 minutes before my morning Yoga class and feel incredible after I'm done. It's a great back-to-back combo that I highly recommend. For more about Yoga and Running visit the Yoga For Runners Section at runnersworld.com.

BERRYMAN MARATHON SATURDAY
This Saturday is the Berryman Marathon and 50 Mile Race down near Berryman, MO in the Mark Twain National Forest. This event holds a special place in my heart as it was where I ran my first ultramarathon back in 2006. 

Happy Mother's Day to all the Mom's out there! :-)
Hope all of you are well,
Carey

Big River Running Company Summer Speedwork Sessions

My good friends at Big River Running Company are putting on FREE Tuesday night speed sessions at the Vianney High School Track (I-44 & Lindbergh). They begin tonight and will continue throughout the summer until Tuesday, August 24th. Anyone who completes 10 or more sessions will not only be faster by the end but will also receive a free Big River Running Company shirt. Be at the track around 6:30 pm to meet, the sessions will start promptly at 7:00 pm. I'll definitely be there for most of the summer and hope to see some of you! To learn more click HERE.