Category Archives: Team Luna Chix

January Goal Check-in and Couch-to-5-Miler Running Program

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January’s almost over, folks — how are we doing on all those New Year’s promises?

While I’m not one for resolutions myself, per se, I do have those five goals toward which I’ll be working this year. And I’ll be holding myself accountable via the blog, of course, so here’s a little update one month in:

1. Exercising (some self control):  I’m still managing some residual aches and pains — namely that nagging case of plantar fasciitis, occasional lower back pain and a tendon twinge in my wrist that just popped up — so I’m trying to restrain myself from doing too much too soon and am focusing on lots of cross-training and rehab while slowly ramping up my running, mostly on the trails.

2. Heart rate training: While I don’t monitor this for every workout yet, I have been using my Wahoo Fitness TICKR for spin classes and shorter road runs to ensure I’m staying well within my range. But if I want to see progress, I know I’ll have to start doing this more regularly with every sweat session.

3. Swimming: While I’m working on figuring out next steps, I’ve made it a goal to hit the pool once a week for a workout. So far…well, I’ve got to get after this one!

4. Racing schedule: It’s coming along, as you can see here.

5. Team LUNA Chix Portland Run: We’re official! Check out our website here, and don’t forget to mark your calendar for April 6, which marks our first workout of the season — runners of all ages/levels/abilities are welcome: Join us!

 In the meantime, though, a few of my teammates asked about pre-season prep, which got me thinking…why not create a quick-‘n-dirty Couch-to-5-Miler running program?

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Disclaimer: I’m not a certified running coach, and you should consult your health care provider before starting any program and adapt it accordingly. I have been running and training myself (for better or for worse!) for a while, though, so if I was starting from scratch after some time off, this is the approach I’d take.

Here are some helpful hints if you’re going to take this program on:

  • Cross training includes any non-running cardio activity, such as elliptical, bike, walking, dance, etc.
  • Strength training is optional, but recommended, and includes things like free weights, a kettlebell class or barre
  • Stretching includes foam rolling, yoga or simply your favorite series of feel-good stretches
  • Run pace should be *comfortable* — that is, don’t worry about pushing it right out of the gate; build a base first
  • Feel free to swap days around depending on your schedule, but try to avoid two consecutive run days

If you give it a shot, I’d love your feedback. Happy running, friends! 

My 5 Goals for 2015

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Aside from freezing my butt off (#packingfail) while running around Michigan over the holidays, I had some time to think about goals for 2015.

2014 was pretty epic. It would be hard to top, and to try would likely be setting myself up for trouble. So, in light of my evaluation of last season and my “train smarter, not harder” mantra for 2015, I’m on a mission to build a solid foundation for a further (50M?), faster (sub-4 marathon?) 2016.

My 2015 goals are as follows:

1. Seek Balance. One of my goals for 2014 was to race roughly once per month, and while I enjoy motivating and challenging myself this way, I want 2015’s racing schedule (still TBD) to be based on quality, not quantity.

2. Train Smarter. I sound like a broken record with this one, but I want to take 2014’s lessons and apply them in 2015 — namely, building an aerobic base using heart rate, continuing strength training and pre-hab to activate glutes, along with regular cross-training for flexibility and functional fitness.

3. Face Fears. 2014 was the year of #bikelove — I went from never having clipped in to competing in an Olympic triathlon to completing a 50-mile solo ride and loving.it. — so I want to make the same strides as far as swimming goes. Gulp.

4. Push Myself. Nothing’s set in stone yet, but I’m tossing around a few ideas for challenges to keep me stoked and give me something for which to strive in the New Year, including a duathlon, another 50K and a century ride.

5. Give Back. It’s easy to get lost in your own little training world each season, so in 2015 I’m leading the Team LUNA Chix Portland Run crew in order to help inspire and encourage women to get outside and play, all while raising money and awareness for the Breast Cancer Fund.

Have you set your goals yet for 2015? What are they?

Race Report: Portland Jingle Bell Run/Walk for Arthritis

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‘Tis the season for a themed holiday run! Throw some friends, costumes and a charitable organization into the mix, and you’ve got yourself a pretty great way to spend a Sunday morning.

We rounded up a fun crew for the event, too, including Kristin and Carolyn, two of my LUNA Chix PDX Run Team teammates. This was Carolyn’s first-ever race, so I planned on pacing her to a strong finish so she could set the bar for our upcoming 2015 season.

But first, Ben and Kevin demonstrated proper pre-race stretching technique, much to the horror of surrounding parents will small children 😉

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The course was a quick out and back near the waterfront toward the Pearl District. It’s been a while since I’ve done a 5K, plus I’m still in the process of easing back into running after my marathon injuries, so the shorter distance was a welcome one.

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About 10 minutes after we arrived, they released the first wave of runners and we were off! The boys led the way, and we ran to the sound of jingle bells attached to everyone’s shoes.

Carolyn and I had discussed using coach Jenny Hadfield’s yellow-orange-red plan in which we’d tackle the race a mile at a time and run by effort rather than a strict pace per mile. After all, any time would be a PR since it was her first race, and I wanted this initial experience to be a pleasant one.

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We stuck to the plan, and the first mile was smooth sailing. During mile two, we settled into a good pace, and Carolyn dug deep to push through the third and final mile to the finish. I was so proud! Not only did she run the entire race, but she also met her goal of finishing in under 30 minutes.

After the run, we dug into the post-race spread. Unfortunately, though, we were a little late to the doughnut table. As you can see, runners take their carbs very seriously!

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Injury-wise, I felt pretty good on the run. Cross-training for the past five weeks has been helpful for maintaining overall fitness, but I’m definitely waaaay out of running shape.

My left hamstring is also still giving me some trouble — literally, it’s a “pain in the butt” — and I’m thinking it’s something having to do with the attachments or tendon. So my plan is to slow my roll on my return to running and keep cross-training in the meantime.

As difficult as it is to restrain myself from 2015 race-planning, I want to make sure I start the year as healthy as possible. Forget visions of sugarplums; the only things dancing in my head for the next few weeks will be massages, foam rollers and lacrosse balls…happy holidays, friends!

Dressing Up in the Hottest Activewear From Down Under

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As you can imagine, working for a fitness start-up certainly has its perks. Sure, taking meetings over yoga mats and counting spandex as “business” attire is great, but what really gets our blood pumping is partnering with some pretty spectacular brands — and getting to give people a heads up about stuff we absolutely love.

Case in point: Lorna Jane, which I was introduced to while living in San Francisco. At first, I questioned whether Australia’s leading women’s sports label could compete with the likes of Lululemon and Athleta, even in a city that’s synonymous with yoga pants.

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But we really identified with the brand’s positive message and Move Nourish Believe philosophy — not to mention their clothing is the kind that’ll get you stopped in the street by people who want to know where they can get it. Needless to say, it wasn’t much of a shocker that that brand took SF by storm; if it was cute, colorful and functional, you could bet it came from Lorna Jane.

So when I heard they were bringing a store to the Portland area and that they were giving our team at Fit Approach (SweatGuru’s sister company) an opportunity to go in for a personal styling session to try on the new fall line, I wasn’t sure I’d be able to contain myself. But the grand opening day finally came, and at last week’s party I met with a stylist who asked me about my typical activities and clothing preferences before pulling several looks to try.

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First up was this green tank with a black sports brand and leggings. Normally I don’t like workout wear that’s super fussy or has a lot of details, but the strappy back totally converted me (see bottom left in the first picture above); it was as interesting to look at as it was comfortable. Sold!

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Next up was a robin-egg blue sports bra with animal print capris and a bright pink hoodie. I had seen these pants online and was dying to try ’em on in person to see if they lived up to the hype. From the funky snakeskin-type print to the abstract lines, yep — another winner.

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Third was a cute cut-out sports bra and track jacket with some not-so-basic black capris. And, clearly, I have no clue what to do in front of the camera.

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After that, the stylist wanted to switch things up a bit with a pair of harem pants and a hooded vest. The mix of colors and prints was really fun, and I was pleasantly surprised with the pants; I’m not typically a harem pant kinda gal, but these had built-in bike shorts for support, which was brilliant!

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Finally, though, came my favorite outfit of the evening — a neon yellow sports bra and cobalt top with abstract printed tights. As far as I’m concerned, you can never go wrong with a special sports bra, a vivid top and crazy pants.

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In the end, I went with the last outfit and ended up buying some pieces from others — the green top, black sports bra and animal print capris — which I’ll probably piece together as a separate outfit. But, as you can see, it’s easy to get carried away in there!

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Another highlight of the evening was getting to hang out with half of the Team LUNA Chix PDX Run Team (from left: Carolyn, Megan, Tiffany, Kristin, me), who came out to support our teammate Tiffany, who works at Lorna Jane. We may run together, but from the looks of this picture we consider shopping a sport, as well 🙂

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A big thank you to the team at Lorna Jane for setting this up. While I did receive some clothes, all opinions are my own.  I would never promote a brand that I didn’t love. 

Introducing the 2015 LUNA Chix PDX Run Team!

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A few weeks ago I wrote about launching the LUNA Chix Run Team in Portland for 2015, and I’m thrilled to announce our inaugural members for the upcoming season, which runs April through October.

We had a lot of interest, and it was tough to narrow it down to just 10 people — but the good news is that, since this is a non-competitive, community-oriented team, we look forward to opening up our workouts to everyone who is interested in attending.

So mark your calendars! Our regular workouts will take place on Mondays from 6:30-7:30 p.m. in a location that rotates each week (follow our team’s Facebook and Twitter pages for updates). Our first one is slated for Monday, April 6, and we hope to see you (and your friends — come one, come all) there.

And, without further do, here’s our official roster for the 2015 team:

  • Katie Phillips: Eye doc, mom of two kiddos, just rocked Hood to Coast and the Fueled by Fine Wine half marathon this summer
  • Kristin Minto: When not working alongside oral surgeons, you can find her at Burncycle, on the philanthropy circuit or with her cute pooch
  • Tiffany Henness: Also a proud dog mama, she’s a blogger, RRCA Certified Running Coach, CrossFit Level 1 Trainer & ultramarathoner
  • Kelsie Adams: May possibly have the most energy out of all of us as a mom to three, led her team in roadkills for this year’s Portland to Coast
  • Carolyn Domme: My partner in crime for studio-hopping in the city; avid mountain-biker, hiking adventurer and hot yoga connoisseur
  • Tasha Henderson: Embracer of life, food and a good farmer’s market, blogger who runs marathons, skis double black diamonds and climbs rocks
  • Sharlene Murphy: Family medicine doc and avid yogi who likes camping, hiking, snowshoeing, running and cycling
  • Nicole Licking: Neurology doc who cares for patients with movement disorders. Enjoys running, cooking, traveling and watching/playing soccer
  • Megan Fuetterer: Iron(wo)man triathlete, personal trainer, pediatric dietitian and kick-ass Revocycle instructor. Oh, and she also blogs
  • Jennifer Hellickson: Yours truly! I work for a fitness start-up & am a workout junkie/wannabe-triathlete who likes to run (far)

As you can see, it’s quite the crew! We’re looking forward to getting to know one another better, logging many miles together and making an impact on the Portland running community while doing some good work for the Breast Cancer Fund in the process.

Stay tuned for updates, follow us on Facebook and Twitter, and don’t forget to join us on Monday evenings for a workout when you’re in the Portland area! 

An exciting announcement for 2015!

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With the Detroit Marathon behind me, it’s time to take a short (and much-needed) break from running. But resting up my legs for the next few weeks doesn’t mean we can’t start planning ahead for next year’s adventures!

Case in point: If you remember, I was invited to the LUNA Chix Summit last spring by friend, LUNA Sponsored Athlete and Detroit Tough endurance coach Terra Castro. What started as a mission to profile the group, though, ended up being so much more; I didn’t just want to write about them, I wanted to get involved.

Fast-forward through this past year, where I had set my sights on accomplishing a few personal goals: First Olympic triathlon? Check. First ultramarathon? Check. 10k PR? Check. First overnight relay? Check. Sub-four marathon? Nope, but still on the list. Yeah, it’s been a busy race season.

But as I look toward 2015, instead of going faster and further (although there may be some of that), I want to change focus a bit and help others achieve their goals. Inspiring each other is a huge part of why I got into this “blogging thing,” and facilitating that feeling of pride in accomplishing something new, tacking a tough obstacle or achieving something someone never thought possible, is rewarding for everyone involved.

So when LUNA put out a call for team leader applications, it was a no-brainer. Not only would launching the LUNA Chix Portland Run Team allow me to get to know people in a new community even better, but we’d also have a chance to give back through the organization’s work with the Breast Cancer Fund (ok, and the yummy bars are a bonus).

What, exactly, is Team Luna Chix? The company has a few tiers of athletes — from professional to sponsored to local — and here’s a little background on this program at the local level:

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Our season runs from April to October 2015, and we’re actively recruiting for the 10-person team. If you know anyone who might be interested, please let me know; we’re not necessarily looking for the fastest or most accomplished runners, but you’ve gotta have heart — a desire to inspire, support and motivate others, as well as set an example in the community.

And stay tuned for updates, including the official roster, our weekly workouts (open to everyone and all levels; come join us), plus other activities, such as clinics and support at local events, as the season progresses. I hope you’ll join us as we encourage each other to stay active and inspire others to do the same!

Calling all female runners in the Portland area: I’m currently taking applications for our 2015 run team. We have just a few spots left, so if you love getting sweaty, making new friends and working for a good cause, give me a shout at info(at)kineticfix(dot)com for an application. Thanks!