Posts

…Dehydration: Endurance Athletes kryptonite…

As an avid endurance runner, one of the  first AND last things that are on my mind when I am getting ready for a race is nutrition.  How will I nourish my body to ensure it has the nutrients it needs before/during/after my race AND how can I prepare my body to obtain/maintain hydration.

What is dehydration? 

Dehydration occurs when you use or lose more fluid than you take in, and your body doesn’t have enough water and other fluids to carry out its normal functions. If you don’t replace lost fluids, you will get dehydrated.

Dehydration also can occur in any age group if you don’t drink enough water during hot weather — especially if you are exercising vigorously.

You can usually reverse mild to moderate dehydration by drinking more fluids, but severe dehydration needs immediate medical treatment.

SOURCE: Mayo Clinic 

How to tell if you are dehydrated:

In Adults

  • Extreme thirst
  • Less frequent urination
  • Dark-colored urine
  • Fatigue
  • Dizziness
  • Confusion

Infant or young child

  • Dry mouth and tongue
  • No tears when crying
  • No wet diapers for three hours
  • Sunken eyes, cheeks
  • Sunken soft spot on top of skull
  • Listlessness or irritability

SOURCE: Mayo Clinic 

If dehydration is not taken care of, the side affects can cause some severe body issues.

There are several things that can be done to help someone stay hydrated for normal day-to- day activities OR for those that are getting ready for athletic activities.

  • Drink water before, during, and after any physical activity that you do
  • Avoid or limit alcoholic beverages (studies have shown that consuming alcoholic beverages actually dehydrates your body MORE than it hydrates your body).
  • If you are on a high protein diet, make sure that you are drinking additional water to help aid your body with digestion and processing the food that you consume.
  • You can use electrolyte tablets, salts, or drinks to help maintain your hydration during vigorous events

I was lucky enough to get to try SaltStick chewable tablets.

When I get the chance to try a product like this, I like to put it to the test. I used and tested this product while I completed several different races:

  • 5k (3.1 Miles)
  • 10k (6.2 Miles)
  • Half Marathon (13.1 Miles)
  • 25 K Ruck March (15.5 mile Hike with my weighted ruck sack on)

Typically I get slight dehydration issues when I complete a half marathon or during my 15 mile ruck. Typically around mile 10 is when I start to notice some slight issues and I take measures to hydrate more (in addition to already drinking water).  I also did these events in weather that was not above 60 degrees. So, the heat was not a major factor for me.

I consumed two tabs before the start of each of the above events which I found to be helpful (from my own personal expedience).  I took two more tabs around mile 8 and also at mile 10 to hopefully prepare myself for my usual dehydration symptoms. To be completely honest… I did notice a positive difference in my overall hydration AND my pace was slightly faster than normal.

Believe me… I was somewhat skeptical of this product being able to aid in my hydration AND increased pace for my longer races.  But, then I stumbled upon an article and research about SaltStick (CLICK HERE TO READ IT)  

Now, to be honest I have been training and pushing myself to become a more efficient runner leading up to these races.  BUT, I was not expecting my pace and speed to increase as much as it did (I ran my half marathon 12 minutes faster than normal AND I completed the 25 K Ruck March 15 minutes faster than normal).

Overall Comments: 

I was excited but also skeptical to try this product. But, from the times that I tired the product I did not find anything negative to say.  The chew-able tabs had a taste similar to the sweet tart candy tablets.  They were not overly bitter and they did not cause me to have dry mouth.  I also had some tablets on a empty stomach and the tablets did not seem to cause me any issues. The product is sweetened with stevia and is said to be non-GMO, gluten-free, vegetarian, fat-free.

Quality for Price: 

These capsules and chew tabs can be purchased online and in stores.  Be expected to pay around $22 for a bottle of 100 capsules. The 60 count chew-able tabs are about $15. You can also get individual packs to make them easy to pack/carry during events. In my opinion this is a great price for this quality of product.

Ranking Scale: (on a scale from 1-5)

Price: 4.0

Overall Quality: 4.5

Quality for Price: 4.5

Overall Ranking: 4.33

Closing Remarks: 

I would say that I would recommend this product. I enjoyed it and I did notice a slight difference while using this product. I would for sure suggest trying it out on your own to see if it indeed is something that you can regularly incorporate while you endure athletic activities. For more information about SaltStick please CLICK HERE and you will have access to their website and the other products that they offer.

 

**NOTE: Please make sure to note my product review disclaimer that can be found HERE***

…Fitness: my lift, my love, my addiction…

SanFran_HCL

Hi…My name is Stephanie. And I have an addiction. 

I am addicted to the stale musk of sweat when you walk into a gym…

I am addicted to the sound of weight plates clanging together…

I am addicted to hearing the light humming sounds of treadmills and other fitness equipment…

I am addicted to feeling sore when I wake up in the morning…

I am addicted to the feeling you get when you physically push yourself so hard during a workout that you can’t quite figure out if you are going to pass out or puke (sometimes as the same time…LoL)…

I am addicted to crushing personal records that I know that I was unable to do previously…

I am addicted to pushing myself mentally and physically…

I am addicted to helping those around me see their potential both physically and mentally…

I am addicted for helping to educate, motivate, and inspire someone to get up and make changes in their life so they can help improve the overall quality of their life…

But most importantly…addicted2fitness_2

I get that not everyone will truly understand my desire or need to push myself constantly.  Do I know I can do it…yes.  But, I have not found anything that I can not do and that is what drives me even further.

This fitness craze for me started in 2012.  Don’t get me wrong, I have always been an athlete and I have always been active.  Growing up, I played a lot of different sports and remained active even throughout college. It wasn’t until AFTER college that I had the time, resources, and money to dive into doing more athletic activities.  I started by first doing a Zombie Run with one of my best friends.  The trail run mixed in with mud bath instantly had me hooked. I was not a huge fan of being chased by blood dripping mummies, but I enjoyed the “capture the flag” concept that the race offered.  A few months later I signed up for my first Tough Mudder. WHILE I was training for my first Tough Mudder I was also training for my first NPC bikini competition. After that, I did a few more NPC competitions but really started to take a dive into endurance races. For the year of 2016 I wanted to put my focus on endurance races and GORUCK events instead of NPC competitions. And that was one of the best things I could have done.

I spend 2016 traveling, exploring, and living. Most importantly, I spent 2016 doing what I love most…growing my business and pushing myself physically.

me&bri_1

Why do I do these races? 

These races are not just about the medal or patch that you get when you complete the race.  The race is about the experience and the people. No two races will be alike.  You will get to battle some of your own internal demons.

You will question if the training you have been doing was enough.  You will question if your strength and overall abilities is enough.  You will question if what you are doing is something that you should actually be doing.  You will question if you are helping or being a burden to those that are around you. You will have a million other questions rummaging through your brain, but most importunately you will battle and defeat these questions of self doubt.You will conquer those very things that are trying to hold you back. To your surprise,  you will also help to push and motivate someone else around you to also push through those same questions and self limiting thoughts/feelings.

10532130_10152952673618238_4810043023513726888_o

I do these races BECAUSE I CAN. So many people take advantage of the fact that we have bodies that are capable of moving, climbing, pushing, pulling, running, etc. So many people 2nd guess themselves and do not show up to do events that they sign up for. So many people fail to even understand their worth and physical capabilities. If I am able to help just ONE person push past those barriers, that helps for me to validate my efforts.  It helps to prove to me that all of the work that I put into my training while people are sleeping, while people are out partying and having fun, while people are inside and I am outside getting tortured by the weather of mother nature is worth the milestone of conquering a feat that was once unconquerable.

Yes, there an be far worse things for me to be addicted to. But, to be addicted to fitness….is that even really an addiction? What could you classify it as? I would like to say that it is apart of me.  It is apart of my lifestyle. I am NOT sorry that I am not the type of person to sit at home EVERY weekend (don’t get me wrong a weekend at home is nice…but that is only blissful for a short period of time). If I have the time, resrouces, and money YES I will fill my scheudle with events. Why not explore and travel if I have the ability to do so? If I had the choice to go party at a premiere club or go roll around in the mud, with my ruck, next to 20-100 team mates, in the rain….guess what I would pick? #mudbath #justanotherdayatthespa

20150819015708

From the outside looking in, I guess I can not expect or assume anyone to understand or be able to relate to my feeling of passion about what I do.

If I could just take your hand and walk you through my foot steps, then maybe…JUST MAYBE…you would be able to grasp why I do what I do.  I don’t want to put you in my shoes because my shoes are shoes that can not be filled. My ambition and drive is something that can not be replicated but only observed. My dedication to not just to myself, but to my clients and fellow fitness addicts.  This dedication is something that is strong and it will take dynamite to even weaken it.  It is a bond between conquerors and fellow competitors that can not be broken.  No matter how muddy a trail is, no matter how crappy the weather may be, no matter how much it hurts, we are one.

293_2b19ee260d5438f3e7ff148406db0ffe_Sprint Fire Jump

Each day competitors of all facets and sports wake up and train as if there is no tomorrow. Olympic athletes get a pass for their dedication because ” they are training for the Olympics”.  But common people get questioned and bantered because they want to regularly attend athletic events? Because their dedication to health/fitness is not within the realms of what “some people” feel is normal? All because we are not training to go to an Olympic event? In your eyes there may not be a master event or title we are trying to win.  In our eyes…we are doing what makes us happy. We are doing what gives us a purpose and a meaning.  We are doing what gives us life.

workout_track_1

… What to do w/ what it do: Event Attire/Product Review of GORUCK Shirt & Pants…

Another frequent question that I get from people who decide to do a endurance event is “What do you usually wear to these events?”… “What kind of shoes do you wear?”…

The truth is that what works for me may not work for someone else. BUT, I have no problem telling people what I use and what works for me.

goruck_whattowear_1

In the video that is posted at the top of this post I go over in detail each of the items that I typically wear during events AND I also go over how the GORUCK pants and shirt fit on my body (and issues that I had while wearing them).

I typically do events that are in warmer weather.  2016 was the first year that I really did events in weather that was cold, rainy, and far from perfect.  That did cause me to have to troubleshoot my wardrobe choices and add some things to my list.

But in a nutshell:

Base Layer (layer closest to my body):

  • Compression shorts: to help assist with preventing with chaffing and other skin rubbing together.  This is the most important layer (other than foot attire).  NOTHING is worse than getting chaffing early in the event and having to deal with that the rest of the event.
  • Bra: I did have to troubleshoot this a bit and find a bra that would be comfortable for long periods of time (and while doing exercise). My top choice… Wal-Mart/Target high impact sports bra. Cheap (just in case they do get ruined during the event) and comfortable for me to wear with my ruck AND during the whole event with minimal discomfort issues.

Outer Layer (outermost layer):

  • IF I AM DOING A COLD WEATHER EVENT: quick dry/water wicking long sleeve shirt (to help keep me warm but will also not hinder me if I sweat/get wet)
  • IF I WEAR A TANK TOP it is typically UNDER a t-shirt (so I can take off the t-shirt when I want and put it back on if I am getting rubbing on my shoulders/back).
  • T-shirt
  •  Fitness Compression Workout pants: I got mine from JCPENNEY but you can use any brand that is comfortable.  OR
  • GORUCK Challenge Pants: I am 5’10 and I got size Waist – 36 Length – 34
  • Wind barrier jacket

goruck_whattowear_2

Footwear: 

  • Socks (I also usually pack a pair in my dry bag)
  • Shoes (or boots for those who use boots)

MISC Items:

  • Hat/beanie
  • Face protection (for cold events)
  • Gloves
  • Knee sleeves (or knee pads)

goruck_pant_3

 

The GORUCK Pants were a great asset to my event wardrobe.  I honestly was not sure what to think of the pants before I got them.  I have a huge issues with getting pants that will actually fit and BE COMFORTABLE.  I was very shocked at how well they did fit/feel throughout the entire event. The material allowed me to move as needed but also protected my legs when we had to do activities on the ground.  They dried quickly, were very comfortable, and most importantly they fit (like I said is usually a hard thing to find when it comes to pants).  Another plus… they made pants that were also long enough for me…

goruck_whattowear_3

My fellow long-legged endurance junkies may be able to appreciate this aspect.  Nothing is more annoying then getting pants and having then not be long enough.  These pants hit me exactly where I wanted and were an over all great fit. The two events I did with these pants on… one was a colder event and the other was a warmer event.  Both events weather conditions yielded no additional issues for me while I was wearing these.  Cold (about 35-45 degrees) and warm (60-70 degrees) weather did not cause me to feel colder/warmer than I would have normally felt while wearing any other pants that I would wear to a event.  Overall I would recommend these pants to anyone looking for good durable pants. I do plan on getting another pair when they are available.

Pants DOWNFALL: 

These pants would NOT stay zipped up. I am not sure why.  They would zip up, but throughout the event the zipper would creep back down. I was not too worried about it because (1) I had on compression pants under them, (2) my t-shirt was long enough to cover it.  But, this could be more uncomfortable if I was wearing a tank top or another shirt that was not long enough to cover it. I made my own latch with a hair tie and it did just fine after I was able to attach the hair tie to the zipper/pants fastening button.

goruck_pant_2

The GORUCK Shirt was something that I enjoyed having.  The material is thin but also provides protection when you need it (I like having my arms/legs covered during events because of the brush/grass you may go through since I am allergic to those things).  These shirts also dried fairly quickly.  They did not keep the wind out very well (I felt a slight breeze but nothing that would be moderately uncomfortable) but that is why I usually always have a under shirt and wind jacket on. LADIES: I got a medium in this shirt and it was fairly LARGE. I typically wear a small/medium t-shirt so if you do the same I would suggest a small for sure. As with the pants, the material was very durable and cleaned very easily after the event. I wore both the shirt/pants throughout portions of a HTL (GORUCK Heavy, Tough, and Light) so it was put to the test throughout event.

I hope that someone (especially the ladies) are able to find this information helpful/useful.

Questions? Comments? Concerns? Let me know!

***THANK YOU Nick Schrein for capturing these moments of me during the Oklahoma City, OK Memorial Event***

 

…What To Do w/ What It Do: Introduction…

This series is to help those who need suggestions or tips to help them get ready for fitness activities and endurance events. Questions, comments, concerns? Shoot me a email at: [email protected]

…GORUCK: HCLS Veteran’s Day Event…

12243587_10201100969324369_8335688051490688193_n

What is GORUCK?

To me… GORUCK is a family.  It is the reason I keep pushing to be better and stronger.  I do this not just for me but also for my team.  When you show up to an event your new family is your team.  Each person will get to a point where they will want to quit.  Their mind will realize that they could be comfortable at home, dry, sleeping, and not enduring the grueling miles of exercises that you are enduring while doing a GORUCK event.

I have been apart of the GORUCK family since late 2013.  I signed up not knowing what to expect.  The only thing that I was told was that I needed a backpack/rucksack that weighted at least 25lbs without water in it. So I trained with a backpack I found on ebay and bricks I had borrowed from a friend.

Two years later I have done countless events, traveled to dozens of cities, created a new family that I lean on for encouragement and support.

I was somewhat worried about this event because lets face it.  I HATE WATER and I HATE COLD! I knew that there would be two elements that I would have to face while in San Francisco.  To what extent I was unsure, but I wanted to mentally get prepared for the worse and I am glad that I did that.  I train hard….365 days a year…5-6 days a week.  People always ask me what I am training for, and I would honestly have to say I am training for life. There are so many different events that I would like to do.  So instead of focuses on just one event I focus on getting stronger and faster.  I focus on building myself up so I can tackle and obstacles that I encounter.  I want to be able to carry more weight for a longer period of time.  I want to be able to do PT without questioning if I had trained well enough for the workout I am pushing through.  I want to be a strong contributor to the team in a physical and mental way. The best way for me to do that is to be on my “A” game and to be prepared for whatever is thrown at me.

12278691_993159514076376_1586118532252995853_n

Smile when faced with being uncomfortable and uncertain as to what is to come. Something that I thought when I saw this picture that was taken.  The cold surf crashing against our bodies as we endure PT as the sun is just coming up. To my left and right I have my team mates, in front of me I have the world.  I have spent a lot of time “getting comfortable being uncomfortable” and in this moment it showed.

Finishing this event meant so much to me and I had an amazing team and amazing cadre that lead the event. GORUCK is my addiction and I could not find a better way to spend my weekends. 60+ miles, 40+ hours, and countless memories make a HCLS.  If you are looking for a good challenge I suggest a GORUCK event.  It will test both your physical and mental strength.  And, you will walk away a wiser, stronger, and more humble person.

One of my favorite quotes:

“Never above, never below you, always beside you” … Something I tell myself before my events start.  Team first, my needs are always 2nd. 

…2013: Year of Fitness…

2013-04-13 09.45.25

What are YOUR health and fitness goals for 2013?

This year, a few good friends of mine and I have decided to participate in AS MANY 5k obstacle races and mud runs as we can!

2013-04-13 10.12.02

We are not just joining every random race that we see.
We check out what the race is about and if they donate to a charity.

So far we have 13 races planned for this year and we have already completed 3.

This was a great idea for all of us to plan time to get to see each other.

We all are growing up and creating our lives in cities that are far away from each other.

We love the fact that we can plan things to do with each other.  It allows us something to look forward to.  AND it also keeps us training in the gym so that we are in shape and able to complete our races.  So far our last race of the year will be the hardest!

We will participate in the Tough Mudder which is the BIGGEST mud runs of all mud runs.

If you do not know what  Tough Mudder is go to YouTube and see some videos about it!

Setting these kind of activities for you and your friends (or even your family) are fantastic ideas.  You all can meet during the week to workout and train for these races.  And completing the race is your ultimate goal (and each race you can try to complete it at a better/faster time!)

So what fitness goals do you have set for this year?

If you do not have any you should consider setting at least one!

2013-04-13 10.05.22-1