I don’t want to brag joke

LOL

First annual Race For Grief video clip

This is a video of pictures from the first annual Race For Grief (10k run & 2 mile walk) event that took place in West Bountiful in June 2011.  Join us for the next one on June 30, 2012.  Benefiting charities:  Caring Connections and Utah Share.  In loving memory of Samantha.  www.RaceForGrief10k.com

Friends inspire me

My true friends inspire me to be a better person and reach a little deeper. Thank you for your love and support! I heart you! We all need true friends.

Fall Group Triathlon Training Program

Autumn is the perfect time of year to train. The wonderful cool Fall weather and Autumn leaves are welcome after the heat of summer and it’s a great time to discover the joys of triathlon training. Triathlon training is a great overall body workout honing skills in swimming, cycling and running. Come join us!   The group is for all levels (beginners welcome) and will cover all aspects of the triathlon will be covered; including nutrition, transitions, racing strategies, swim technique, structured workouts, cycling, and running.  Contact Coach Lora to learn more.  

Note: You must be a Northern Utah Triathlete member to be eligible to participate. To learn more visit www.NorthernUtahTriathletes.com

GROUP TRAINING DAYS:

Coached Group Trainings will be held Tuesday evenings, Thursday mornings (5:30 – 6:30 a.m.), and Saturday mornings in the Bountiful area.

To reserve your spot contact:

Coach Lora Erickson

“Blonde Runner”

801-608-5516

lora@blonderunner.com

Make friends and have fun! Triathlon training is a blast.

Building Mental Toughness

Mental toughness, a characteristic of successful athletes; but how do you obtain it? Is it something that we are born with or develop? In my opinion the answer is a little bit of both. I think some people are naturally born with the ability to want to push themselves through pain and do well under pressure, while others seem to crumb when the pressure is on.

For me I was born with the desire to push myself but often have a difficult time performing under pressure especially when I was young. Over the last 26 years of competitive running I have found a few things that have really helped me develop the mental toughness required to perform under pressure. Don’t get me wrong, I certainly don’t always perform well, but I am certainly better than I used to be. Several things have contributed to this.

First, I find that my attitude can really determine the outcome of not only my race but my workout. The old adage “attitude determines altitude” rings true to me. I usually perform better in a workout and/or race when I go into it believing I can do well. It’s a self full-filling prophesy. I also try to be realistic with my expectation of myself which can still be a challenge for me at times. Having expectations that are too high can lead to constant disappointment and frustration. It is much better to expect the best you can do at that time, not what you have done in years past or 20 pounds lighter. As you meet your expectations you will build your confidence to achieve more later.

The second thing I do to help build mental toughness is to be adaptable. Life rarely goes as planned just like races. Over the years I have competed in hundreds of races and I always go into it with a plan. A plan of what pace I want to run, what time I want to hit my first mile in, when I will take my gels, how much water I will consume. Rarely (if ever) has the race happened exactly as I have planned. Sometimes it’s due to a route changes, weather, the race starts late or just not feeling good that day. Although I still have a plan “A” I try to be ready to adapt and take on anything that might come my way. As my Mom would say, “Roll with the punches.” This allows me not to be too side tracked when the triathlon transition set up in not exactly like it was on the map on the event site. I think it’s important to be adaptable.

Another thing I do that helps build mental toughness is training in all kinds of adverse weather conditions. I practice in the heat, on hills, in the rain (many races occur in a down pour anyway), cold, on trails, in snow, at high elevation and in wind. It’s these training sessions that build my confidence to know I can handle whatever is thrown at me, basically I try to mimic and practice any race situation I might face. It helps me to role play as if I were in a race and repeat encouraging comments to myself in my head like “You can do it!” or “You’ve got this girl.” With endurance sports you tend to need to be your own cheer leader out there on the roads alone. When I finish a tough workout especially one in which I might have doubted that I could really finish, and I do – I feel great and know there is NOTHING I can’t do. This helps me to build mental toughness.

Before I race I will often visualize the event in my mind. I can hear the crowd cheering just over my breathing and the hum of my tires on the road…in my mind…I review the route and recall hard workouts that have lead me up to the race and rally my own support to believe in myself and that I can do well. I remind myself to stay focused and be ready and adaptable to changes and roll with the punches as they may come. This helps me have a healthy attitude so I can reach the altitude I am hoping for.

Happy Racing,

Coach Lora

“Blonde Runner”

Coach Lora Erickson aka “Blonde Runner” is a competitive runner and triathlete with over 25 years of experience. She is a USATF certified running coach and specializes in weight loss, corrective exercise and nutrition instruction with Blonde Runner Health, LLC. in Bountiful, Utah where she currently resides with her husband and four children. To learn more about her teams and programs visit www.blonderunner.com

Self sabotage…why do we do it?

Everyone has moments of “weakness” but some of us out right sabotage ourselves and rebel against our goals. We eat cake even when we really don’t want it and are trying to lose weight. Maybe we eat it because it is there, or maybe we are not sure how to face change. Or maybe we eat it to control our failure.  I see this self destructive behavior often, especially when people get close to reaching their goals. I believe it boils down to several main things:  being uncomfortable with change, need for control and fear of failure.

When we are out of our comfort zone, we are not sure what to expect or if we can handle the problems that might bring. Think about it, if you have been overweight and a self proclaimed unattractive person for a long time and then you become thin and feel more attractive. What is going to happen to other peoples’ behavior? If you aren’t in a relationship, you might start dating (which can be scary). Or you may be expected to eat perfectly and exercise now by others which opens you up to the possibility of failing.  Fear of failure can often be paralyzing. Or you may have to admit that you were once fat, if you are now thin and people are noticing. Whatever the reason, change is hard.

We all like to stay in our comfort zone because we know what to expect from ourselves and from others. To those that self-sabotage and wonder why…think about what you could be afraid of and face it head on. What if people start giving you some attention or make comments about your appearance you are not used to (is it so bad)? You will never know if you can handle the new challenges that being thin poses (and yes, there are always challenges). Embrace change and the unknown that might be behind it. You might just find that you love it…maybe the grass is greener? You will never know until you make the lifestyle changes and stop the self sabotage.

Today is a new day to recommit to your goals. Think about how you have worked hard to reach your goals and how you deserve to reach them. Don’t be the obstacle in your own way, don’t allow yourself to be. Be the best you can be. Live healthy every day.

To learn more about how you can handle self sabotage attend the Coping with Emotional Eating Class offered in the Davis County Area on Tuesday November 16, 2010 from 7:30 – 8:30 p.m. Class Fee: $15. To register call Lora at 801-608-5516 or email lora@blonderunner.com.

Click here for a list of current community classes

Save Your Skin 10K & 2 mile awareness walk

Join us for the annual Save Your Skin 10K (6.2 miles) and 2 mile awareness walk will be held in the Davis County, Utah on Saturday September 25, 2010 starting at the West Bountiful Park off Pages Lane (1600 North) just west of I-15.

To learn more visit

www.saveyourskin10K.com

Exercise Nutrition Class

Exercise Nutrition Class

Tues. October 5, 2010

7:30 – 9 p.m.

Centerville City Hall, 250 N. Main St.

Davis County, Utah

Do you want to get rid of fat tissue and lean up for top fitness and sports performance? You won’t want to miss this class. Learn the best foods and supplements that can help you achieve your fitness goals and maximize endurance performance. Outlast your competition and perform better and stronger. Sports nutrition specific to long distance running and triathlon will be covered extensively in this class. The class is to be held on Tuesday October 5 from 7:30 – 9 p.m. at Centerville City Hall. www.xpressrec.com
This is lecture style one-time 90 minutes class. The class fee is $15 per person. Pre-registration is required, limited spots. On-line registration will be available the second week of September – visit the city website for links. In person registration is also available at Centerville City Hall. Please indicate your interest on this page. All community members welcome to attend.

Indicate your interest on the Facebook page: click here

(note:  Facebook RSVP doesn’t guarantee a spot, payment must be submitted and recieved by Sept. 30, 2010 to reserve a spot.  Limited spots)

get organized to be fit

My Mom always says that she doesn’t have any talents, but that is not true. Of all of my talents the one I appreciate most is my ability to organize. This is something that I inherited from my Mom. (thanks Mom!)

I do believe some people are naturally more organized than others, but I also believe that you can learn to be more organized. Organization is a perspective. It’s how we view and prioritize things. You have heard the old adage: If there is a will, there is a way. If you truly want to be healthy and start exercising, you can. If this were not true then busy and healthy people would not exist. If being healthy is a priority to you, you will find a way to do it. It’s like having a job – we rarely miss a day of work because we can’t. We need that paycheck. Well, our bodies need exercise; and now is the time to get organized to do just that. Start by giving last year’s resolutions a review, if you don’t have any, then let’s set some. Here’s how.

1. Brainstorm a list of possible health goals.
2. Narrow it down to several realistic goals – things that can be done within a 12 months period of time.
3. Make the goals very specific (for example instead of “lose weight” the goal would read “Lose 25 pounds by April 1, 2010”)
4. Break then down into bite size pieces (ie. Eat 7 servings of fruits/vegetables every day for 20 days to create a habit)
5. Start working on your goal now (you don’t have to wait for the New Year to begin, get a head start now).

Avoid putting on the average 10 pounds most Americans add to their waist line over the holidays by having a plan in place before things get too hectic.

If you would like more help or tips to get organized to improve your health, attend the evening Fitness & Diet Planning Class on Thursday November 18 from 7:30 – 9 p.m. in Bountiful, Utah. Class fee: $15. Call Lora at 801-299-1601 to reserve your spot. Limited spots.

click here to express your interest on the Facebook page

(note: if you would like me to contact you, message me at lora@blonderunner.com with your contact info)

What does it take to do your first tri?

By Lora Erickson, www.blonderunner.com

Triathlons can seem intimidating, after all you have to be able to do three sports (swimming, biking and running). But the fact is triathlons are very doable for even the “non-athlete.” When I started doing triathlons 6 years ago I didn’t know anyone that did triathlons, so I didn’t really have anyone to ask questions to. Having a running background helped a lot, but mostly I used common sense to train. I also went and watch a few before I did one of my own.

First I started swimming, and bought myself a road bike (most triathlons are road bike not mountain bike unless it’s an Xterra), and continued running. Then when I felt like I could do those decently, I choose a race. I picked a race that offered a pool swim so I didn’t have to rent a wetsuit and brave the open water. I found out the distances of each event and adjusted my training accordingly. How to train is the tricky thing about triathlons. You have to learn how to balance each sport without overtraining.

As a coach, I often start beginners doing 1-2 practices in each event during the week. For example swim 1500 – 2000 yards, bike 10-15 miles, run 3-6 miles (rotate working outs 6 days a week with one full rest day). This is a fairly simple format, but hopefully you get the general idea. If this seems too difficult then ease into it and give yourself a longer time to train. Also, you will want to vary your training adding intervals, endurance work, brick workouts and pace sessions. If you follow a good training program you can get ready for a triathlon in 3 – 6 months and do well. If you are in pretty good shape you could do it in less time. Winter is a great time to get in the water if you have an indoor pool in your area. Take advantage of a stationary bike or a spinning class, and lace up those shoes for an outdoor run. Just go for it – that’s what I did and I’m loving every minute of it. Triathlons are the best!

Lora is a certified running coach and experienced triathlete with over 24 years of experience. She is the owner of Blonde Runner Health LLC in Bountiful, Utah where she currently resides with her husband and four children. She also enjoys coaching an all women triathlon team. For questions or comments contact lora@blonderunner.com or for more information visit www.blonderunner.com

http://blonderunner.com/2008/01/taste-an-orange/

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