Weekly Recap: Luminous Yoga and Another Successful Capitol Run!

Another week has passed us by and fall has definitely arrived in Minneapolis. I am not quite ready to pull out my fall jacket. I'm going to resist as long as I can! The cooler temps have made running a bit more pleasurable though.

Speaking of running, here is how last week turned out in Fitness:

Monday: 10 miles with 7 hill repeats in the middle. I did this workout with the Calhoun Beach Running Club the day after the City of Lakes Half Marathon. My legs were definitely still tired from the race the day before but I have recently read a lot of articles about the benefit of training on tired legs, so maybe this wasn't such a bad idea after all. I muscled through it, but took Tuesday off from running to recover.

Tuesday: No running. Took a 60-minute outdoor vinyasa class with Luminous Yoga at Lake Calhoun with my friend Vicki. It was lovely.

Wednesday: 5.5 miles with Matilda. It was windy, rainy, and surprisingly cold. I thought Tilda and I would do two lakes, but she didn't seem to be enjoying herself so I cut it short. In the evening, we had our last strength conditioning for runners class at the Calhoun Beach Club. Overall, I really enjoyed this class and I hope that it made me stronger! We'll see at the OBX marathon...

Thursday: 8.5 miles with my friend Meggan. She had mile repeats on her schedule, so we met in the morning to do the warmup together and then did our separate workouts. I had three 10-minute tempo intervals. I feel like I struggle to hit the same paces in the morning that I can easily hit after work, so I'm thinking I need to save the workouts for the evenings and only do easy runs in the early hours. What do you think? Is it easier for you to run hard in the morning or after work?

Friday: 45 minute "mini-barre" class at The Barre in Edina. This was a condensed version of their 60 minute class. I prefer the 60 minute class because you do a lot more arm work. The 45 minute class still does plenty of core/planks, quads and glute work, but I would rather get take the full 60 minutes of "lift, tone, burn!"

Saturday: 18 mile long run with the Calhoun Beach Running Club. Yesterday was the big "capitol run" for our club, where everyone runs from the club to the capitol along the Twin Cities Marathon course.

It is a great opportunity for people to get familiar with the TCM course, including the hills coming up from the river and the rolling hills on Summit Avenue. It was too early in my marathon training to do 22 miles, so we hopped in 4 miles into the route to join for the last 18 miles. It's a really fun morning run. I think we had 45-50 people participating! I have posted about this training run many times in the past (HERE, HERE, HERE).

For the past several summer capitol runs, I have had to run a modified route because my marathon is not the same day as the Twin Cities Marathon. The same was true this summer. I still enjoyed 18 miles of the route. I felt great.

We kept our average pace under 9's (I think around 8:50's).  I took two Hammer Gels and there were three organized support stops manned by volunteers from our club that had Powerade, water, and other snacks for us along the way.

Sunday:
Today, Dustin, Matilda, and I slept in and eventually went for an easy 5.5 mile run.

FYI, I found my response from Mr. Little Guy in the elf tree! I'll be posting about it Wednesday in my summer bucket list recap.

It was such a gorgeous day that we decided we needed to get more fresh air. Its weird- as a runner, I often don't "count" the time that I'm running as time outside...I always feel get a little FOMO (<- fear of missing out!) if I'm only outside when running and I want to do more and more on a beautiful day. I know that I'm getting plenty of fresh air when running, but for some reason, it doesn't always feel like it counts.

Anyways, after tooling around on our bikes for awhile, we made a pit stop at the Fulton brewery for a quick bite at the Tollfeson's Family Grill food truck.

Total: 5 days of running, 1 yoga class, 1 barre, 1 easy bike ride, and 1 strength day. I felt like this week was pretty well balanced!

Here's what is new in Fitness Fashion!
My running shoe of choice, the Brooks Ravennas just came out with a new ombre color scheme!

I LOVE it and ordered a pair right away. I won't need them right away, as I am already running in a new pair of Ravennas right now-

...but I do like to have another pair on hand so that I am always prepared. So I purchased this new pair in the awesome ombre hue and they will be next in line after my neon pair hits 500 miles...

Yes, I do diligently track the miles in my shoes. I figure it's the least I can do to prevent injury. In fact, after a longer run last week, my shins were hurting. I checked my mileage and realized my last pair had 570 miles on them. It was definitely time to recycle that pair and move on to my backup pair!

That's all from the Right Fits this week. I hope you had a great week- do anything fun in fitness or try anything new in fitness fashion?

Please sign up HERE for the next webinar with Minneapolis Running. We'll be talking Tips for Gear for First Time Marathoners. Would love to have you there!

Weekly Recap: Lots of Running and Some Cabin Hills!

Hi there! I'm just one day behind on my weekly recap, but that's because I was at the cabin for a long weekend with my husband's family. Internet service there is questionable at best (though I did a short post on Saturday HERE). It was a great weekend of family and fun, but now its back to reality.

Let me fill you in on what happened last week in Fitness, Fashion, and Fitness Fashion!

Here's what happened in fitness last week:
Monday: 7.75 mile run in the AM
Tuesday: 8 mile run in the AM with Kelly, with a few miles at a faster effort or "marathon pace"
Wednesday: 1 hour strength conditioning at Calhoun Beach Club
Here is the workout:

Thursday: 4 mile run easy with Matilda
Friday: 15 mile long run before heading to the cabin. I started at 6 am and ran a unique route with my friend Abby. It felt great, and I was so grateful to have a decent long run with great company.
Saturday: 6 miles with Dustin's family, lots of SUP (stand up paddleboarding) on the lake
Sunday: 6 miles with Dustin's brother, (just Collin and me- so fun!) more SUP on the lake
Monday: A little over 8.5 miles with hill repeats...at the cabin! Dustin and I ran 3 miles together as a warmup to a hill by the cabin that is about 1/4 mile long. We did 6 repeats for 2.5 miles of hard effort, following by 3 mile cool down back to the cabin (which still included lots of hills)

Like always, a long weekend at the cabin resulted a lot more running than normal, but that's just the way it goes. I prefer to start the day with a little exercise before all the cabin fun begins, and running is just the easiest thing to do there. Fortunately, I wasn't the only one who wanted to start the day with a run! In fact, I always had a good looking man to accompany me.

What is happening in fashion?
In fashion this past week, I received another Stitch Fix (Check out previous fixes HERE, HERE, and HERE)  Guess what? I didn't like any of it...that hasn't ever happened before. Usually, I keep at least one or two things, but this time none of it worked. I'll share pictures later this week, but I am going to have to provide better feedback to the stylist so I get better items next time.

What is happening in fitness fashion?
Brooks Ravennas! These are my shoe- I have blabbed on and on about them, especially HERE, but I didn't know that my sister Erin also runs in them. Great minds think alike!

I still owe you a race recap of the Urban Wildland Half Marathon, which I'll get to this week.

But for now, I'll leave you with a bunch of pictures from the family reunion at the cabin!

The whole crew!

Our little family.

The FUN STATION!

Keeping an eye on things..

Come sail away...

Our 45 pound lap dog...

We also spent some time recreating an old family photo from eleven years ago. I'm holding the original picture on the right...Pretty close, right? Fun stuff!

Fitting Remarks: How To Choose the Perfect Running Shoe

Hi runners!

I thought I'd share an article today from Fix.com about how to pick the right running shoes!

I've written in the past about my shoe of choice, the Brooks Ravennas, but just because these shoes are the Right Fit  for me, doesn't mean they are for you!

So, how do you know how to pick the Right Fit in running shoes?

Well, here are some tips from Amby Burfoot, 1968 Boston Marathon winner!


Source: Fix.com

Check out the article for more details, but here are the basic tips that they provide:

1. Shop at a speciality running store.
Locally, we have a lot of options- Mill City Running, Gear, TC Running Company, Marathon Sports, Running Room, Run n Fun. Any one of these stores will have experts to help you find the Right Fit. 

2. Try an online shoe-selection calculator.
I have never actually tried this, but the Fix.com article provides two options to try, Runner's World's Shoe Finder and Road Runner Sports Shoe Dog.

3. Let your feet be your guide.
By this, they mean shop in the late afternoon when your feet are the most swollen and never buy tight fitting shoes.

There are lot more details in THIS ARTICLE, and I hope you find it helpful!

A Friendly Reminder to Replace Your Running Shoes Frequently!
I'm pretty diligent about tracking my miles with each pair of shoes, and I try to replace them around 400 miles. But if you don't track your miles, there are other ways to tell if your shoes are "dead:"

-Try on a new pair of the model that you are currently wearing
-Compare these to your current shoes
-If the cushioning in your shoes fees dead in comparison, it probably is! Time for a new pair.

If you do track your shoe's life, the recommended mileage is anywhere between 350-550, though this can vary based on your running style, body weight, and the surface you on which you run.

But definitely remember to replace your shoes in a timely fashion! Running in old or worn out shoes can lead to an increase in injury. 

What should you do with your old pairs? Recycle them!
Runner's World offers this full list of places to recycle your shoes: 

http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-240-319--10041-0,00.html

Fits Do Race Reviews: The Gordon Good Neighbor Days 5k

In yesterday’s recap, I briefly mentioned the Gordon Good Neighbor Days 5k, but I need to give you a FULL recap of this small-town race with big-time heart!

Gordon, Wisconsin is a town in Northern Wisconsin with a population of less than 800 people, but they take their 4^th of July celebrations very seriously. There are mud volleyball tournaments, a festival, duck races, “world-class fireworks”...(here's a picture of us at the fireworks this year)

...and of course, my personal favorite, the Gordon Good Neighbor Days 5k!

Dustin and I had participated in the 5k a few times in the past (pre-blog)  When we decided to invite our friends Abby, Andrew, and Kelly up for the 4^th of July, we were quick to encourage everyone to sign up for the race as part of the weekend activities!

The race actually had online registration this year, which was a big step up from the mail-in registration the last time we participated. It was also chip-timed, which was pretty huge for such a small race! In fact, we could look up our official times immediately following the race on a handful of computers at the finish area. #fancy!

The race started at 8:30 am, so we arrived around 8 am to pick up our bibs and do a short warm-up run (about 1 mile).

The start line was kind of humorous, as no one wanted to “toe the line.” It was a shy crowd, and the five of us ended up pretty close to the front by default, since no one else wanted to move in.

Right at 8:30, the woman organizing the event held up a blow horn and then we were off!

The course was only paved for about 1 kilometer, and then it was all very loose sand and rocks/gravel mix. We probably should have worn our trail shoes to this one!

Speaking of trail shoes, I purchased my first pair.  I bought the Brooks Cascadia, which are the trail version of the Brooks Ravennas (my regular running shoe). I will be wearing them for the first time this Thursday at the Surly Furious Five Miler. I will let you know how they work!

Anyways, back to the race. So the course was quite challenging in terms of terrain, and it was also a little short of the 5k (I think most of our Garmins were just under 3 miles instead of 3.1 miles)  Therefore, Dustin doesn’t really count his 18:31 as his new 5k PR, and I know that I wasn’t actually running 7:35’s either (my official time: 23:03. Trust me, I was not running that fast on the sand!)

But despite the shorter distance, we were all very impressed by this race. There were plenty of people at the finish area cheering on all of the runners, and it looked like quite a few families did this run as part of their family 4^th of July celebrations. Considering the size of the town (less than 800 people), it was remarkable that nearly 200 people participated in this race.

I think what the race may have lacked in accurate distance or that sort of thing, they definitely made up in spirit!  The volunteers were all really great. They even had two water stops on the course, which aren't always available for a short race.

Here’s my summary of the pros/cons of the 5k:

Pros:

-Plenty of parking onsite

-Easy packet pickup

-Online registration

-Chip timed

-Two water stops

-Nice t-shirts (who cares if they were cotton?). 

-The goody bag also had some Jack Link’s Jerky and a few unique items.

-Plenty of water at the finish

-Possibility of winning an age group award- Dustin placed first in his age group (30-39) and he received a pretty impressive trophy! That trophy is proudly on display at the cabin now.

Cons:

-Not a true 5k

-“Trail course” made the run a bit more challenging. One of the runners in our group is still recovering from ankle surgery, so the uneven terrain was definitely a little worrisome for him, but he seemed to still have a good time; he just took it a little easier than normal to ensure he didn’t hurt himself.

I think we all had a great time running in this race, and I really wish the event all the best in the future! I hope they continue to grow and improve. It was so wonderful to see such enthusiasm for running in an area that probably doesn’t have a lot of opportunities like this.

I rate this run a 10/10. Two thumbs up for the Gordon Good Neighbor Days 5k. If we are back at the cabin next 4^th of July, we will definitely be running this race again!

Weekly Recap: Easter and More...

Happy Easter! Did you do anything fun to celebrate? Search for eggs, or give/receive a basket?

Neither Dustin's nor my family is nearby, so we were on our own for the holiday. I did make Smitten Kitchen’s Baked Eggs with Spinach and Mushrooms…yum! We paired it with a big fruit salad mixed with peach pie filling…so good!

source

In fitness this past week, my mileage decreased by about 25% from last week, which is standard for the first week of the taper. I did squeeze in a few Pilates classes, but I focused on rest and running.

During the taper, the mileage will decrease dramatically, but the intensity should not. We still did some speed work during the taper, but just not for as long.

Monday: 8 miles with 3 miles at tempo pace. I mentioned this run in Monday’s post. It was a really good tempo workout for me- a bit of a confidence booster. It was tough, but I kept a challenging (for me) pace in the middle of the 8 miler.

Tuesday: Easy 7 mile run – my legs were sore from the previous day’s workout, so I took it nice and easy.

Wednesday: Pilates Pro class at Pilates Pro Works. I mentioned in this post that my 8 pack of classes at PPW was about to expire, so I have been going here quite a bit more than I normally would to use them up. Its a good class though, as my core was pretty sore afterwards (which is a great feeling) as well as my glutes and upper body. I am not sure if I will buy more classes at this studio or not- they are pricey, but I do really enjoy the Pilates classes and the location is super convenient to my office…However, I really want to consolidate my fitness classes, as clearly, I can’t keep track of the classes I have all over the city. I hate to see any of them go to waste! I love having a wide variety of options, but sometimes it gets to be too much to stay on top off. I think I will focus on The Barre studio this summer, with kettlebells and yoga as well, but not so many barre and Pilates studios at the same time.

*My friend Kelly told me that legally, studios can’t let your classes expire…if that’s true, then why do so many studios still have expiration dates on class packages? Any legal experts out there know the answer?

Thursday: 8 miles with 2 sets of 1600-800-800, with about 2 minutes easy jog in between. This workout felt harder, even though my paces weren’t any faster than the tempo pace on Monday! My legs probably were just tired. 

It seems like I have one really good workout in the beginning of the week, and then the second workout isn’t as strong….but maybe that's normal?

Friday: Pilates Pro class at Pilates Pro Works  I have usually been using Friday as a complete rest but I needed to squeeze in another class here, before its too close to the marathon.

Saturday: 15 mile long run. We’re tapering now.  This long run in the taper always gets me because it seems like it should feel really short since we did 22 last week! But 15 is still a long run. Next week will feel a lot shorter with only 10 miles on the schedule.

Sunday: easy 4 mile run with Matilda early in the morning, and a lovely hour long walk with Dustin and Matilda in the afternoon. We had such awesome Easter weather today in Minneapolis, so we really wanted to take advantage, so Matilda also benefits, with lots of exercise for her today!

What’s happening in Fitness Fashion?

Not exactly Fitness Fashion, but I purchased another pair of Brooks Ravennas, and I was happy to see that my favorite color scheme is still available! I feel like I might need to stock up on these, just in case they discontinue this color- it’s definitely my favorite so far. 

My previous pair had over 400 miles on them (I track this information closely!). They probably would still be okay for a few more weeks of running, but I didn't want to run Flying Pig on worn down shoes. So, I plan to wear the new pair for the Flying Pig Marathon in 14 days. Of course, I will run in them many times before the race…Even though I’ve been running in Brooks Ravennas for awhile now, I don’t want to make that rookie mistake of wearing new shoes on marathon day!

What’s happening in Fashion?

Remember that awesome necklace I purchased from Oia Jules on Etsy? 

It is definitely one of my favorites, but unfortunately, it broke on me! I was so sad.  So, I sent Oia Jules a message, and they offered to fix it for me, and pay for shipping! It only took about a week for me to get it back in tip-top shape. Yay!

What happened for YOU last week in Fitness, Fashion, and Fitness Fashion?? Try any new classes? Find any cute new fashion?

Please share!

Fit Fanatic: 10 Valentine's Day Gift Ideas for the Runner in Your Life

Valentine’s Day is this Friday!

I am pretty excited, as I actually have the day off of work. I will be attending a friend’s wedding (the same friend for whom we ran the Securian Half Marathon for her bachelorette party!)

I suppose Dustin got off easy this year for Valentine’s Day- he doesn’t have to plan anything, as we’ll be eating, drinking, and merry-making with all of our friends downtown, celebrating love in the best way possible.

Anyways, no matter what you’re doing to celebrate Valentine’s Day, you might still be looking for a few ideas to make your Valentine feel special this Friday. Flowers are always great, but let’s assume your Valentine is a runner (though flowers are great for runners too!). If your Valentine is a runner, here’s a list from the Right Fits of 10 Valentine’s Gift Ideas for Runners!

1. Carbs! Valentine’s Day is on a Friday, and most runners do their long runs Saturday morning. So take your Valentine out for some pasta Friday night. Treat him or her to some lovely carbo-loading  Locally, I am a fan of Broder’s Pasta Bar, or you could just have a casual evening at Punch Pizza (or buy a gift card for your runner to enjoy at a later date) For a fancier pasta meal, head to Bar La Grassa for really a scrumptious dinner.

2. Race Registration: Races are expensive, and the prices are only going up, (unless of course, you’re registering for the Ron Dawes 25k- that race is only $5- I signed up!) So if you know your Valentine is training for an upcoming race, but hasn’t registered, sign him/her up yourself! That's not a bad idea for me...Dustin hasn't registered for Flying Pig yet- maybe I should sign him up!

3. Running Gear: This is an easy one- just check out my winter running essentials list, and pick up one of those items that your runner doesn’t have yet…Knuckle lights, Craft gloves, Yak-Traks, so many ideas!

4. Run MSP T-shirts or Sweatshirts. I can’t say enough about these comfy sweatshirts and tees from Gear Running Store. They make the BEST gifts!

5. A running themed gift basket: I posted HERE and HERE about creating running/fitness themed gift baskets. They are a fun way to gift your Valentine’s a bunch of small gifts that equal one great gift basket!

6. Splurge on a new Garmin for your Valentine! My friend Kelly has the new Garmin 220, and it’s pretty awesome. If you’re a big spender this year, I bet your Valentine would appreciate this! (It will set you back about $250)

7. A Subscription to Kona Kase or Runner Box: These monthly subscriptions are a gift that keeps on giving! Both are memberships to receive a shoebox full of running goodies each month. They include a variety of running fuel and a few other fun items.

8. BIC Bands! Probably not the best gift for a male Valentine, but I bet most ladies would like these fun headbands that don’t slip- really!

9. Yoga- let’s be honest, most runners could use a little more yoga in their lives. Pick up a gift card to CorePower Yoga or Modo Yoga for your running Valentine, and give the gift that says, “I want you to be able to run injury free in 2014!"

10. The final gift idea for your running Valentine? A new pair of running shoes!  Its easy to figure out what kind they wear. Pick them up the same pair in the same size, and they’ll be very grateful for the functional fit!

Fits Do Product Reviews: Brooks Ravenna 5

In the middle of last year, I switched from the Brooks Adrenaline to the Brooks Ravenna. A physical therapist that I was seeing for my IT band issues told me that she really didn't think I need all of the stability of the Adrenaline. She recommended that I try out the Ravennas, rotating them in with my Adrenaline to see how they felt. The Ravennas are a step back in terms of stability from the Adrenaline.  I wrote about my love for the Adrenalines HERE and I had run in the Adrenalines for quite some time. Yet I was open to a small adjustment within the Brooks family, so I picked up a pair of Ravennas.

I honestly didn't notice that huge of a difference between the two, but the Ravenna's are lighter and "cushier," so I have stuck with the Ravennas now for at least five pairs.

My first few pairs were the Ravenna 4's. Now Brooks has just come out with the Ravenna 5's!

I ordered a pair from Road Runner Sports (as a VIP member, I purchased them for slightly less than the price on the Brooks website).

So far, I have only run a few treadmill miles with these shoes. I am planning to rotate them in with my older Brooks Ravenna 4's, using the older 4's for outdoor, yak-trax/snowy runs, and the 5's for "dry" treadmill miles (which I am sure I will have a lot more of before this winter is over...)

Here's a bit of information on the Ravennas in general from the Brooks website: The Ravennas are a moderate support trainer shoe that is meant for mild over-pronators with varying foot shapes (there is also a wide version available). They are supposed to combine cushioning and guidance. Some reviewers call it a "chameleon shoe" because it adapts to the runner, with a combination of support and cushioning.

The Ravenna 5's are now a little lighter (only 241 grams) which is pretty light for a stability shoe.
They have a "caterpillar" crash pad, which is supposed to help with the transition from heel to toe. The durable "abrasive-resistant" outer rubber is also supposed to help them last longer.

Overall, I think the Ravenna 5's are an improvement to a shoe that I already loved. I recommend this shoe to anyone looking for an affordable and comfortable shoe, who also happens to be a mild-overpronator. And I can't lie- the fun new colors of the Ravenna 5's are pretty sweet!

A Friendly Reminder to Replace Your Running Shoes Frequently!
I'm pretty diligent about tracking my miles with each pair of shoes, and I try to replace them around 400 miles. But if you don't track your miles, there are other ways to tell if your shoes are "dead:"

• Try on a new pair of the model that you are currently wearing
• Compare these to your current shoes
• If the cushioning in your shoes fees dead in comparison, it probably is! Time for a new pair.

If you do track your shoe's life, the recommended mileage is anywhere between 350-550, though this can vary based on your running style, body weight, and the surface you on which you run.

But definitely remember to replace your shoes in a timely fashion! Running in old or worn out shoes can lead to an increase in injury. 

What should you do with your old pairs? Recycle them!
Runner's World offers this full list of places to recycle your shoes: 

http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-240-319--10041-0,00.html

And if you are in the market for a new pair of shoes...be sure to enter to win the $50 gift card to Gear on yesterday's post (HERE). Just answer 5 easy questions for a chance to win!

Featured Fit: Ladies Night Out at the Running Room

By Cool J in Minneapolis

Last night, I attended Women's Running/Ladies' Night Out at the Uptown Running Room.

This was a free event held primarily to promote the Women's Half Marathon in Bloomington. Pre-registration for the event was required, as it was capped at 100 people. I actually heard about the event on Monica's blog (Run, Eat, Repeat) and I spread the word to some of my favorite running friends to join me.

We arrived at the event at 6 pm and were greeted with SWAG bags, a coffee/gelato bar, free chair massages, and a DJ spinning some tunes.

Signing in and picking up our SWAG bags

Salted caramel gelato and a cappuccino

DJ rocking the jams...

The event officially began with an introduction by a woman from the Women's Half Marathon in Bloomington.  This half marathon will be held Sunday, June 16. (I registered- how about you?)

Next up, was a representative from Brooks.  I'm a loyal Brooks fan. I love their apparel, and I have been wearing Brooks Adrenaline shoes for nearly eight years. Recently, my physical therapist at Accelerated Sports advised me that I don't actually need all the stability of the Brooks Adrenaline. She suggested that I try out the Brooks Ravenna. According to Brooks, the Ravenna "perfectly bridges the gap between neutral and support, hitting the sweet sport for a large number of runners."

Attendees at last night's event received 15% all merchandise, so I decided to take advantage of the discount and pick up a pair of Ravennas to rotate into my routine.

Love the bright colored Ravennas!

The representative from Brooks talked about picking the correct shoe for your foot shape. She asked for volunteers with high arches and flat feet to come up, so my friend Kelly modeled a high arch:

Next, a woman from Moving Comfort gave a very funny, yet very informative talk about sports bras. She reminded us all how to pick the correct sports bra, and how to care for your sports bra.

• Did you know your sports bra should never celebrate a birthday?
• Did you know that Moving Comfort was the first company to sell women's specific running shorts? Prior to Moving Comfort entering the market, female runners had to wear men's shorts!

Representative from Moving Comfort

After her talk about bras, she took a quick break to offer personal bra fittings. Unfortunately, the wait for a fitting was pretty long, so a few other employees started doing the measurements to help out.Though I appreciated the effort, I'm not sure if those fittings were very accurate- 31G? 38A? But with 100 attendees, I understand that there wouldn't be enough time for everyone to get measured. For a free event, I really couldn't complain!

The last speaker was a yoga instructor from Corepower Yoga. 

 She gave some information about Corepower's free week offer for new students, and talked about how important it is to cross train and mix in other workouts than just running. She explained how yoga is important for core strength, stretching, and equanimity- balancing out your body. The importance of equanimity definitely rang true for me. My IT band problems are partially caused by unequal strength in my body, so I definitely need to incorporate more yoga into my routine to obtain this equanimity.

My friend Meggan (of the Yoga Garage) was at the event too, and afterwards she mentioned some things she might have done differently for a yoga chat for runners. She said she would have brought a yoga mat, and focused more on trying to make yoga a little less intimidating for non-yogis and first-timers. There were a lot of people at the event who said they had never tried yoga before, and I agree that there could have been a little more demonstration at this portion of the night. Even so, it was still an enjoyable mix of presentations for the evening. Great job Running Room!

After the yoga chat, there were several drawings for some really great prizes- free entries to the Women's Half Marathon in Bloomington, an entire Running Room brand running outfit, and then an ENTIRE Brooks running outfit- top, pants, and shoes! Unforutunately, I didn't win anything, but I still went home with lots of great SWAG- Nuun samples, GU's, Women's Running Magazine, a free Blowout at Gusto, a stopwatch...

....and a cute pink women's running hat!

And did I mention the event was dog-friendly? Darla was a perfect guest at the Ladies' Night.