Fitting Remarks: Hey, Fat Girl.

I recently saw this on FB, and had to repost....

Hey, Fat Girl.

Yes, you. The one feigning to not see me when we cross paths on the running track. The one not even wearing sports gear, breathing heavy. You’re slow, you breathe hard and your efforts at moving forward make you cringe.

You cling shyly to the furthest corridor, sometimes making larger loops on the gravel ring by the track just so you’re not on it. You sweat so much that your hair is all wet. You rarely stay for more than 20 minutes at a time, and you look exhausted when you leave to go back home. You never talk to anyone. I’ve got something I’d like to say to you.

You are awesome. If you’d look me in the eye only for an instant, you would notice the reverence and respect I have for you. The adventure you have started is tremendous; it leads to a better health, to renewed confidence and to a brand new kind of freedom. The gifts you will receive from running will far exceed the gigantic effort it takes you to show up here, to face your fears and to bravely set yourself in motion, in front of others.

You have already begun your transformation. You no longer accept this physical state of numbness and passivity. You have taken a difficult decision, but one that holds so much promise. Every hard breath you take is actually a tad easier than the one before, and every step is ever so slightly lighter. Each push forward leaves the former person you were in your wake, creating room for an improved version, one that is stronger, healthier and forward-looking, one who knows that anything is possible.

You’re a hero to me. And, if you’d take off the blaring headphones and put your head up for more than a second or two, you would notice that the other runners you cross, the ones that probably make you feel so inadequate, stare in awe at your determination. They, of all people, know best where you are coming from. They heard the resolutions of so many others, who vowed to pick up running and improve their health, “starting next week”. Yet, it is YOU who runs alongside, who digs from deep inside to find the strength to come here, and to come back again.

You are a runner, and no one can take that away from you. You are relentlessly moving forward. You are stronger than even you think, and you are about to be amazed by what you can do. One day, very soon, maybe tomorrow, you’ll step outside and marvel at your capabilities. You will not believe your own body, you will realize that you can do this. And a new horizon will open up for you. You are a true inspiration.

I bow to you.

Failed Fit Frenzy

By Cool J

Remember on Tuesday, when I wrote about the State Fair, and all the failed fits that were consumed while we were there? But I justified it. I promised myself that the next day, I would hit the pavement hard to burn off all those extra calories!

Well...that was a fail.

First fail of this failed fit frenzy? I was planning to do my run Wednesday morning before work, but I overslept. (The fair takes a lot out of a girl!).

Second fail?  I got stuck at work until 8 pm.

Third fail? My boss ordered in Chipotle around 6:30.

I can't even remember the last time I had Chipotle!
I selected the chicken tacos, as it seemed like a “healthier” option. The tacos came three to an order- eeks! I ate one of the three, and then decided I was still going to run. I wasn’t going to call it a night. And if I was still going to run, three tacos was probably not a good idea.

I was NOT going to let this failed fit frenzy take over my evening.

So I put away the tacos in the fridge (maybe for lunch tomorrow?) .
I had already missed out on book club (and it was the 50 Shades discussion- sad!)  I forced myself to put on my running shoes, and head out the door for some easy miles to clear my head.

And you know what? it wasn't such a failed fit after all. In fact, with the sun already down, it was only 85 degrees, rather than a steamy 96. Even though it was dark, there were plenty of people out and about, and the run made me feel 150% better.

Failed Fit turned into a Fun Fit!

Throwing a Fit: Colored Suede Pumps

By LL
With a little downtime this past weekend (over eight hours in the car traveling from the Dells weekend Cool J discussed in previous posts), I was able to dive into the September issue of InStyle. I find this time of year to be exciting and filled with anticipation of fall assembles. As I have mentioned across this blog, fall is my favorite season - not just for the cooler temperatures, but also for the amazing fall fashion. The textures, layers and colors - oh my!

The primary pieces that I am throwing a fit over for fall 2012 are colored suede pumps. InStyle showed them in a variety of teals, rusty reds, mustards and purples. I cannot wait to add a pair to my closet soon. Here are a few of the great looking pairs that are available for a great price. It makes it hard not to jump onto this trend.

1. Rules of the Bowed Wedge in Teal (Modcloth, $44.99)
2. Michael Kors York Platform Pump in Marron (Macy's, $125.00)
3. Franco Sarta Vandal in Nutmeg (6pm, $52.99)
4. Chinese Laundry Area in Bright Mustard (6pm, $55.99)
5. Steven Alenah in Orange (6pm, $86.99)

Fitting Remarks: The Runner's Rule Book

By Cool J

LL gave the D-man this perfect book for his birthday:

Though his birthday was in July, she gave him the book this past weekend in the Dells. It is a highly entertaining book for runners, and I plan to 'share' several of its chapters in future posts! But I definitely want to "source" this, so please, please, please go pick up your own copy! The author is Mark Remy, along with the editors of Runner's World. You can buy a copy here.

For now, I'll share Rule 2.20 from the book:

"Lookin' Good"...And 10 Other Lies Runners Tell Each Other

Lying is not something we endorse under normal circumstances. But racing is not normal. This is why it's perfectly acceptable- admirable, even- to tell a fellow runner that he is looking good at mile 19 of a marathon when, in fact, he looks like an insomniac zombie who's trying to sneeze but can't, and is confused because someone has apparently switched his normal running shoes with exact replicas made of concrete.

In cases like this by all means, lie.

The "go-to" lie in these situations in that old standby, "Lookin' good!" Variations include: "You look great!"..."Lookin' smooth!" and the hybrid "You're lookin' great!"

Then there's the cruelest lie of all "You're almost there!" (In a marathon, you may hear this one as early as mile 7.) These lies are all well and good. In fact, a race wouldn't be a race without them. But if you'd like to try something more original, try one of these:

• "You look so smooth, I suspect someone has sprayed your joints with PAMTM cooking spray!" (Yes, you must include the TM when you say this.)
• "I am tempted to alert a race official because I could swear that you just walked onto the course, rather than starting with those around you. That is how fresh you look!"
• "If I weren't so awed by the apparent ease with which you're navigating this course, I might be angry with you for nearly knocking me unconscious....with your very awesomeness!"
• "From just the right angle, I'm fairly certain I can detect an actually, visible aura of strength and fluidity surrounding you like a halo! Continue running so that others may bask in it."
• "Go in grace, you lithesome creature of God! Your very presence elevates this road race to levels sublime!"

And if you just cannot bring yourself to lie, there are always those truth-enutral chestnuts: "Keep it up" and "Wo-oo-ooo--o-o!"

Truth, fiction, or neutral, the key is to say something. Even a zombie appreciates a note of encouragement.


As an avid spectator, I know I often repeat the same cheers over and over...I will be a bit more creative with my support in the future!

Failed Fits at the Minnesota State Fair

By Cool J

The "Great Minnesota Get-Together" started last weekend. This two week event is quirky, kitschy, entertaining, and tasty. My husband loves it, and it wouldn't be a true summer for him without a day at the second biggest fair in the country!

We usually spend a day here after a long run on the weekend, but this year, we had to squeeze in our fair time on a weekday. The D-man and I took a 1/2 day of vacation from work to head to this special place (that's how much he loves the fair..and how much I love him, I guess!)

After last night's 10+ miler, my legs were pretty tired today. Yet we wanted to squeeze in a little cardio before the caloric extravaganza of the fair, so we took Matilda for a quick run around Calhoun from our house before heading to the fair. Even though it was only 4 miles, I could tell my legs hadn't recovered yet, and I was not feeling all that strong. Failed Fit #1 of the day!

Then it was off to the Minnesota State Fair!

Not unlike Wisconsin Dells, the Minnesota State Fair is full of failed fits....

For example..fair hair!  i.e. a fair do? 

Here's an up close look:

All you moms out there...how do you ever wash that out?

We saw lots of cutoff jean shorts, topless guys, bikini tops with shorts, inappropriate tees (one 60 year old man's shirt read, "I'm not a gynecologist, but I'll have a look"...)...Dusters calls the fair "the greatest show on earth" and sometimes it definitely seems that way.

But in addition to all the great people watching, we also consumed more than our share of calories.

We started with a tasty "walleye roll", which was supposed to be Minnesota's version of the lobster roll. 

Then we headed to the horticulture building, where the Minnesota Craft Brews were being sampled. For $8, you received four different 4 oz samples of local brews,  with the choice of 3 different themes:  light, hoppy, and Belgian. 

Dusters chose the Belgian and I went with the hoppy.

The D-man loves his sweets, so next up, he tried out the fried cookie dough....

I don't even want to consider how many calories were in this one, but luckily it was too sweet for me.

We took a little break from the food frenzy to ride on our favorite fair ride, the Giant Slide!

After the slide, we caught the tail end of the parade.

Then we closed out the day with some "Blarney Beans" at O'Gara's Irish Pub, 

paired of course with another brew.

When all was said and done, we were at the fair for nearly 7 hours! It was a lot of walking, paired with a lot of eating. Tomorrow it's back to the pavement to burn off all those excess calories!

Several Failed Fits for the day, but it was worth it!

I think it's okay to splurge every once in awhile. That's why we run, right? For beer and cookie dough!

Fit Fanatic: Marathon Pace

By Cool J

We're six weeks out from the Steamtown Marathon, and our training is really ramping up.
We had a19 mile long run last weekend, and we have 20 on the schedule for this weekend.
Race day will be here soon!

After some nice, easy running in the Dells this weekend, it was workout time back at the Calhoun Beach Running Club! 85 degrees and sunny did not provide for ideal conditions for a workout, so Coach Paul reminded us to take it easy and slow it down if we weren't feeling that great.

The workout was 8-12 miles total (a wide range) with 6-8 miles of marathon pace in the middle.

Marathon pace? As a workout?
Well, here's my problem: marathon pace for me is slower than "run club pace."

i.e. whenever I run with the club during the week, we never go my marathon pace (i.e. 9 min/miles for a 4 hour marathon). To be honest, the CBRC is a very fast club, and my 4 hour marathon pace is one of the slowest....so most of the time, I'm just trying to keep up, rather than doing an easy weeknight run.

So...back to this marathon pace workout; since my true marathon pace is slower than my run club pace, Coach Paul suggested that I try to run closer to my half-marathon pace for this workout. He said I should keep the warmup and cool down slower than 9 minute miles, but try to push it in to around 8:30's for the "marathon pace" miles.

I ran with Whitney, Carlos, and these two crazy ladies-

Kelly (on the left) is very speedy- I believe her PR is close to 3:33, but she was taking it a little easier tonight. And Caroline can rock out a 3:47-or-so in 90-degree St. Louis heat (true story). The heat doesn't affect this woman! These girls are great runners, and they provided great company for 10+ miles on a warm Monday evening. We didn't go quite as quickly as Paul had suggested for the "workout" but I feel that I pushed it pretty hard on a warm night, and it was definitely a workout for me.

Post workout treat?

Jamba Juice!

It was perfectly refreshing after a tough night.

As for marathon pace as a workout, I think it works best for people like the D-man. He is usually running slower than his goal marathon pace on easy nights with the run club. Let's say his goal marathon pace is 7:37 min/mile, but on an easy night with the club, he runs around 8:15's. For him, pushing it to the 7:35's or so for 6-8 miles on a longer evening run makes for a pretty solid workout, but yet he should feel like he still has 18+ miles in the tank when he's done.

For me, a 10+ mile run on Monday will always be a challenge, and pushing it a little quicker than normal made it more of a "workout!"

Fitting Remarks: Appreciating Company

By: LL
While out for my four mile run this morning, I was surprised to be in the company of many groups of walkers. Normally at 5:15 a.m., the streets in and around my neighborhood are deserted and silent. I appreciate this quiet, peaceful time. However, this morning the sidewalks and edges of the streets were decorated with groups of 2-4 women out for morning walks together. Don't get me wrong, it was great to see them out exercising, but I did find myself a little annoyed to be forced to dodge these groups as their loud conversations disrupted the morning silence. It reminded me of the gym right after New Years and I had to check myself not to let it bother me and instead look on the bright side - I had some company on my run, even though I realized that I am the sole runner in a neighborhood full of walkers. Maybe I will be able to convince one of these groups to start running with me so I can have some real company while I run.

Featured Fit: Family Photos

By: Cool J

While in Wisconsin Dells this past weekend for my parents' 40th wedding anniversary, the 5 daughters decided to treat our parents to a family photo shoot. I don't think we have  had family photos taken of us since were quite young.  It's very rare that all 7 of us (5 daughters, 2 parents) and all the husbands/grandkids are together at one time, so it seemed like a perfect opportunity for a professional to capture this moment on camera.

Emily found a photographer who was willing to travel to the Wilderness resort where we were staying, and she did a great job "herding cats", so-to-speak during the session.

We have only seen a few of the pictures, but I think they will be great!

Some of the pictures can be found here:

http://peercanvas.smugmug.com/Family/Wedel-Family/24969162_xmxXtZ#!i=2045820373&k=pm6gfJh

While the photographer session continued (each family had separate photos as well as the group ones), we took a few pictures of our own...

At first, just a few posed ones...totally casual.

LL and her hubby

Outfit details:
Shorts: Banana Republic
Tank: H&M
Necklace: Bahari Necklace from Stella & Dot (borrowed from Cool J. Find it here)

The D-man and me!

Outfit details:

Shorts: Banana Republic- Trina Turk Collection

Tank: Forever 21 Essential Long Line Tank (find it here) 

Necklace: Lulu's Crystal Garden Mint Necklace (Find it here)

Em, J, and LL

But even though the pictures started off all well and good, we got bored quickly, and before you know it, we had resorted to the the jumping shots.

Even the men gave it a try....

The buildup!

The execution!

I look forward to seeing the rest of the professional photos, as the ones I took clearly were amateur hour. Yet I am very impressed to see how high the men could get in the above photo...even my dad had some hops!

Fits on the Road: Wisconsin Dells

By Cool J

Celebration!
My parents' 40th wedding anniversary is in a few days, and all 5 of the daughters wanted to plan something special to help them celebrate. A few years ago, we had met up at the Wilderness Resort in Wisconsin Dells for my dad's 60th birthday. We all had a great time then, so we decided to meet there again to be together to celebrate such a monumental anniversary!

If you're familiar with Wisconsin Dells, you probably don't picture this as a "fit" destination...For example, many of the watersides have to post a weight maximum as well the weight minimum.

person on right: fits right in at the Dells...

person on left: not so much...

However, with 4 out of 5 of the sisters training for either a 1/2 marathon (CJ and LL) or a full (Erin and J), we needed to put in some miles while visiting this stereotypically "unfit" location.

My long run was actually 19 miles, so I squeezed it in on my home turf before we hit the road on Thursday. I discovered that all 4 lakes (Harriet, Calhoun, Isles, and Cedar) down the Cedar Trail to the new Twins stadium, Target Field, and back was just about 19 miles! Though I would have enjoyed the company of my sisters for such a long run, Dusters and I both just wanted to get the long run done before the weekend began.

Back to the Dells: Just as we did the weekend before in Annandale, we mapped out a route ahead of time. I googled "running routes from the Wilderness Resort" and found a decent one that kept us off the busiest roads.

FYI- route is here:
http://www.walkjogrun.co.uk/routes/current_route.cfm?rid=81D9917F-BC8F-FA4B-0548D256372B1309

The route worked out well, as CJ, LL, and I joined Erin for 9.5 miles of her 16 mile long run.

Wait- what about the carbo-loading?

But first! We had to fuel up on Thursday night to prep for the Friday morning runs. MooseJaw is a Wisconsin Dells pizzeria that also is a microbrewery. (We runners also carbo-load with a beer or two)

After some pizza and beer, the runners hydrated with plenty of water, and then hit the hay early.

We were up and ready to run by 6:30 am on Friday.

Problem was...who would take our picture at 6:30 am?

Well, a big thanks to my husband for getting out of bed to snap a few pictures :)

After our photo session, we were ready to hit the ground running! And we had fans along the course!

The course was scenic, and we stopped for a few pictures by some charming barns...

There were definitely some serious hills on the course as well. 

But despite the hills and the pauses for photo shoots, we made good time and finished the first 9.5 mile loop in good spirits!

Erin did part of the same loop a second time, and I met her at the end of 16 miles in my car to drive her the rest of the way. 

She finished solo, but she finished strong!

We were able to squeeze in our "fits" even in an "unfit" location. 

I took Saturday as a rest day, and then Dusters and I ran an abbreviated version of the route this morning in the rain. He was impressed by the challenge of the hills as well!

The rest of the weekend included some dancing at Marley's, a day at the Noah's Ark water park, some family photos courtesy of Peer Canvas, plenty of games, and plenty of good times!

Fits on the Road in Annandale, MN

By Cool J

This weekend was my good friend Abby's bachelorette party. Her wedding will be in September at the Weisman Art Museum  - stay tuned for some featured fits from that sure-to-be-styling affair!

But for now, we take our "fits" to a small cabin town in Minnesota, where 13 lovely ladies- almost all Calhoun Beach Run Clubbers- assembled to toast the bride-to-be.

With so many runners at the same place at the same time, it was a given that a long run would be included in the weekend itinerary.

A route was planned. 

A few of us did our long run Friday morning so we could provide a support stop for the others on Saturday. To ensure a suitable course for such a special occasion, we drove the route on Friday when we arrived, making note of any additional landmarks that would help prevent any wrong turns.

With the route established, Coach Kelly distributed maps and provided detailed instructions for the run, explaining the locations for the support stops and porta-potties.

Saturday morning, we sent the ladies out onto the country roads to put in their miles;
but first, a quick pic:

Kelly and I drove to mile 7.5, where we waited patiently with Gatorade, strawberries, bananas, and water.

And soybeans.

We also rocked out to perfectly suitable early morning musical entertainment, such as LL Cool J and N'Sync.

Before we knew it, those speedy runners appeared in the distance- tiny neon specks of hot pink and fluorescent yellow.

Here they come! Push it up the hill!

Nice work!

Here they are, enjoying their much needed support. 

The sun was bright and hot on those open country roads.

(I think I see a few CBRC Bic Bands!)

Kelly and I were enjoying ourselves so much hosting the support stop, that we decided to set up camp again around mile 11 for more good times. We surprised our runners with one additional support stop to help them finish strong!

Though the rest of the weekend may not have been quite as healthy, (boat rides, bars, and beers!), we did manage to squeeze in some gymnastics.

It was a wonderful girls' weekend away, full of special memories and valuable bonding. Thanks to all who attended and helped make this "Fits on the Road" a success!

Finalizing Fits: Black Tie Affair

By: LL
In an exciting turn of events, my husband and I will be attending a prestigious black tie fundraiser event at the beginning of September. Needless to say, we are very excited, but now I am tasked with finding a new cocktail dress ... and accessories, of course! Unfortunately, I haven't had a spare moment to do any actual shopping -- that will happen this weekend. But, I have had a few moments to begin brainstorming dresses and searching online. Here is what I have come up with so far:

1. Tahari Bonded Lace with Beaded Neckline Dress - $149
2. Adrianna Papell One Shoulder Chiffon Dress - $128
3. Adrianna Papell Illusion Bodice Pleated Dress - $158
4. Max and Cleo Brianna One Shoulder Jersey Dress - $118
5. Stuart Strapless Asymmetrical Colorblock Chiffon Dress - $114
6. Dorothy Perkins Raspberry Lace Dress - $55

I am leaning towards a muted color so that I can add accessories that pop. Since there will be dancing (under the stars to the music of Huey Lewis and the News), the Dorothy Perkins Dress might be too constraining. So many decision and too little time. But at least I am finding a lot of solid, affordable choices. I've set the goal of $250 total for dress, shoes and clutch. Might be underestimating, but I am up for the challenge ... in only 3 weeks! Yikes!!

Fit the Bill: Will I Still Be Forever 21 at 30?

By Cool J

I had a friend in college who was around to help me celebrate my 22nd birthday. She gave me a gift card to Forever 21, and inside the card she wrote, "Can you still shop here now that you're 22?"

Well, now I'm 30, and I'm still shopping there, so I guess the answer is yes!

Actually, I can't always handle the craziness of an actual Forever 21 store (the lines are INSANE, amiright?)

But I can handle a little online shopping, and Forever 21 definitely Fits the Bill!

This ensemble is almost entirely Forever 21.

Skirt: Gold Pleated Satin Maxi Skirt, $24.80 (Sold out) 

Tank: Essential Longline Tank $7.80 (Buy it here)

Necklace: Vintage

Looks like I'm about to dance a jig...

but you'd dance a jig too if your whole outfit costs less than $40.