I have a really hard time asking anyone for anything. I’ve always been a self-sufficient, fend-for-myself kind of person, which is why fundraising for Team in Training has always been a challenge. Don’t get me wrong: you’ve all been very generous about supporting me and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s mission. But first I have…
Category Archives: Fitness
Change: I’m Really, REALLY Impressed with Skechers GOrun
A while back, I was contacted by someone at Skechers. They had seen my quest to find the right running shoes and asked if I would be interested in reviewing a pair of their new GOrun minimalist shoes. I have to admit, my first thought was, “Skechers? Really?” No offense to the brand, but I think…
Betty Says: Just Talk
Over the past few months, I found myself repeatedly crossing paths with a woman who looked like a serious runner. She had the gear, the KT tape… she was definitely a “real” runner. Naturally, I thought that she was completely out of my league. And then, one day, as I slogged away on the elliptical…
Betty Says: The Five Stages of (Running) Grief
We spent the weekend in Southern California, which meant a 7-hour drive south on Thursday afternoon (solo, with a 5-year-old), a side trip to San Diego on Sunday (1.5 hours down, 2 hours back), and a return trip on Monday (8 hours). I was desperate for a Tuesday trail run to get me up and…
Training: So I Went For a Hike
After several weeks of missing class due to my viral malise,* my Zumba buddy graciously invited me to accompany her and another mom on a Monday morning hike. It’s a reasonable trail with moderate elevation gain on the top of a breezy but not too windy hill. It quickly became obvious that we hadn’t really…
Betty Says: When the Plan Falls Apart
Sometimes, the best-laid plans fall apart. Dear Betty, I’ve carefully plotted out a training calendar that will get me ready for my upcoming 10k. I meticulously wrote each day’s workout on my calendar. And now, 16 days into the plan, I’ve only followed the calendar twice (unless you count my rest days; I’ve done both…
Betty Says: Read This
Over the past year, I’ve been doing a lot of reading about running, fitness and nutrition. I thought I’d share some of my favorites with you. FYI, the hyperlinked titles will take you to Amazon.com, while the cover images will send you to Powells.com. Run Like a Mother Sure, Sarah Bowen Shea and Dimity McDowell…
Change: Building Strength
I had a chat with a friend that went something like this: Her: That post about the gait analysis was hilarious. I could just imagine you trying to hide under your chair as they showed the video. I couldn’t stop laughing. Me: Uh, thanks? Her: No, really. I like that you really talked about how…
Change: Moving in Slow Motion
Last Wednesday night, I went to the UCSF RunSafe clinic. You might remember that I did the other part of the clinic, the VO2 max and lactate threshold training, back in December. I wanted to complete the program and learn how to run without injury. At the clinic, there are four runners and four analysis…
Change: Taking Training to a New Level
Last year, I wrote about the first of my two-part visit to the Human Performance Center at UCSF and drooling on their treadmill. Combined with the new Garmin Forerunner 405 with heart rate monitor that I scored on deep discount at Amazon, it’s given me an entirely new perspective on my training. It turns out…