Team Voice Events Page

WDW Marathon Waiver Link

2011-12-18T14:56:00.000-06:00

Race day waivers are now available for printing at Run Disney.

2012 WDW Marathon Waiver Link (Click Here)

I can't seem to find the "track your runner link" if anyone knows were to find that let me know and I will add it here.

Spectator Resources does have a nice tool for following a runner around on property. It also acts as a nice pace tracker for yourself. For that tool (Click Here)

Made your list? Checked it twice?

2011-12-02T10:19:00.002-06:00

Greetings fellow Disney runners! Well the time is fast approaching and as the jolly one himself prepares to turn his attention from this year’s naughty and nice list to his Disney packing list, (Yes I have it on good authority that Santa comes down every year to check in with the elves running Winter Summerland)

I must ask, have you started your marathon weekend packing list?

Huh?

Well?

C’mon go ahead and admit it, you’ve had your Mickey carryon packed since July. Am I right? Yeah I knew it.

But seriously here’s a list of things to be sure and include or to get organized pre-trip. If I miss something please be sure to leave a comment.

Before you pack:

A brief word about getting the most “Disney” out of the whirlwind that is marathon weekend.

Park hours are available on line. Be sure to look up each park and to also note any special extra magic hours. With the expo and various planned meets getting in some worthwhile escapism comes at a premium. If you are planning on visiting the parks over the weekend consider making a list of not to miss attractions. Many of us have not yet seen the updated queue at the Haunted Mansion. That one is certainly on my list.

A word about Disney buses. If you are foregoing the use of a car and will be using Disney transportation for the first time know this, Disney buses do not travel between resorts. To get from one resort to another you will have to bus to a Disney park or to Downtown Disney and then take another bus to reach another resort. This may affect those of you planning to attend our late lunch at Whispering Canyon Saturday afternoon. If using the buses, be sure to allow enough time to get around.

Confirm your flight schedule. If using Magical Express confirm any changes with Disney.

Visit the RunDisney Website and print out your race day waiver(s)

If you provided proof of time to RunDisney earlier in the year it’s not a bad idea to also print off a copy of that confirmation should you need it at packet pickup.

Check the 10 day forecast for Orlando. (purchase winter running gear if needed, but please let’s just collectively agree now to fasting and prayer before hand so that this is not necessary.)

Aside from your everyday clothing and personal care products…

Running shirt(s), short(s), and shoe(s) for each event.

Disposable clothing to stay warm during cool pre-race hours. These should be items that can easily be shed just before the race or during if you can do so without causing a problem to other nearby runners. Be certain that if you take off a layer of clothing on the course that it gets tossed completely onto the shoulder of the road. Keep a look out on the road ahead of you because some people will just drop clothes right on the road. Check your local Dollar Store or Walmart for inexpensive choices.

Another option for staying warm is using a 30 gallon garbage bag in which you can cut a hole out of for your head. This actually works very well in containing body heat. Something like this should be shed before entering the corrals. I say this because once shed, the bags tend to blow around the course.

Body Glide (don't run without it!!!)

Hat

Sunglasses

Charging cords for any electronics you plan to use either on or off the course. (IE: Ipod, Cell Phone, GPS)

K-tape or any other wrap material you might use.

Clif Shot Bloks, Sharkies, GU, Sports Beans. (don't experiment with flavors. bring what you know you like. Does anyone who ran W&D back in 2010 remember the Strawberry Bloks that were handed out at mile nine only to be spit out by runners over the next quarter mile? not pretty.)

Splenda: Hard to believe but during my last trip Splenda was nowhere to be found. Word across the Disney community is that it has been on back order since Richard cleaned out the stock at Whispering Canyon.

Ibuprofen.

Cash for a post marathon margarita celebration at La Cava del Tequila. (ok you may want to shower first, I’ll save you a spot)

Have I missed anything? Please leave a comment.

Update 12/4/11

Don't forget any costume or accessories that go with said costume.

Runners belt to carry an ID, post run cash, or your own GU or Bloks that were mentioned above.

Entertainment for during your flight or drive. May I suggest picking up a copy of "101 Things Your Grandpa Didn't Teach You About Oranges" by Mississipi Matt

100-year-old runner hopes to set record in Toronto

2011-10-14T09:29:00.001-05:00

Fauja Singh hopes to become the first 100-year-old to finish a marathon. Lucy Lopez reports.The turbaned tornado0:00
Beginning of Story Content

Like many of the runners in Sunday’s Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon, 100-year-old Fauja Singh has his sights set on breaking a record.

But unlike the 5,000 other entrants in Sunday’s big run, Singh won’t be running with a finish time in mind. Instead, the man whose authorized biography is entitled The Turbaned Tornado, is out to become the first person on the planet to finish a full-distance marathon past the age of 100. If he manages to accomplish the feat, Singh will set a Guinness World Record.

Sunday’s run will be Singh’s eighth marathon. In 2003, in the same Toronto marathon, he set a record in the 90-plus category, finishing the 42.1 kilometres in five hours, 40 minutes and one second.

His coach and interpreter admits the run will be a challenge: He hasn’t completed the full marathon distance since he was 92, a full eight years ago.
Weighing only 115 pounds, marathon runner Fauja Singh sticks to a light diet, according to his coach.Weighing only 115 pounds, marathon runner Fauja Singh sticks to a light diet, according to his coach. CBC

"He's really happy, and looking forward to it,” said his coach and translator Harmander Singh, whose "student" only speaks Punjabi.

"In the past he used to look forward to the challenge because he had to set times and everything. Now he hasn't been running a marathon distance for a number of years, so there is a concern. But he's determined to finish with the blessing of God. He's going to rely on God to help him out."

Fauja Singh, a British citizen, was born on a farm in India in April 1911. He stands five foot eight inches tall and weighs about 115 pounds.

Part of his secret, according to his coach, is that he eats a light diet of mainly tea, toast and curry.

Harmander Singh said Fauja turned to running after losing his wife and child to “tragic circumstances” about 20 years ago. His coach said Fauja Singh didn’t want to discuss those tragic circumstances. Part of his outlook is maintaining a constant focus on the positive.

“Running has given him a new focus in life,” said Harmander.

On Thursday, during a series of runs in Scarborough, Fuja Singh broke world records for runners older than 100 in eight different distances ranging from 100 metres to 5,000 metres.

"He just enjoyed the run. The records are a bonus," said Harmander Singh.

Alan Brookes, race director for Sunday's marathon, said Fauja Singh is an inspiration to all athletes, young and old.
'Remarkable physical talent'

"He’s a remarkable human being,” said Brookes. “He's having a great impact around the world on our sport but also much broader than that ... to show what you can do with dedication, determination and a good dose of courage."

Through his running, Fauja Singh aims to raise money for local charities including, the Gur Gobind Singh Children's Foundation, which has a mandate to help children meet basic needs.

His coach said it’s no accident Singh has chosen to make his latest mark in the Toronto marathon.

“He loves the people here," said Harmander Singh. “This is a special place to him."

Wanted: Marathon runners to save Disney Princesses from diabolical plot.

2011-09-05T16:19:00.002-05:00

The following is intended to offer motivation to anyone planning to participate during Walt Disney’s Marathon Weekend.

On the morning following the Disneyland Half Marathon, Walt Disney World cast members arriving at Cinderella’s Royal table found the doors to the popular dining hall had been bolted from the inside. However, Guest services did manage to gain access to the hall about an hour later only to discover a meeting of the Disney villains led by Maleficent.

Not one to be deterred by the presence of mere mortals, Maleficent continued to spell out her diabolical plan to turn our beloved Disney Princesses into the semblances of their evil counterparts.

Maleficent threatened that the Princesses would be kidnapped prior to Disney Marathon weekend in January and that before mid-day of that Sunday’s event the transformation would be completed high atop Spaceship Earth. Thus destroying the dreams of would be princesses around the world.

To ensure that no one interferes with her diabolical plan, Maleficent has assigned a number of Disney villains to guard the miles of road leading into Epcot.

Guard Mile 01: Pete

Guard Mile 02: Big Bad Wolf

Guard Mile 03: Doctor Facilier

Guard Mile 04: Captain Hook

Guard Mile 05: Horace and Jasper

Guard Mile 06: Stromboli

Guard Mile 07: Shere Khan

Guard Mile 08: Professor Ratigan

Guard Mile 09: Sheriff of Nottingham

Guard Mile 10: Gaston

Guard Mile 11: Queen of Hearts

Guard Mile 12: Mad Madam Mim

Guard Mile 13: Jafar

Guards Mile 14: Madame Medusa's pet crocodiles. Brutus and Nero

Guards Mile 15: Shenzi, Banzai and Ed

Guard Mile 16: Scar

Guard Mile 17: Hopper

Guard Mile 18: Sid Phillips

Guard Mile 19: Syndrome

Guard Mile 20: Randall Boggs

Guard Mile 21: Zurg

Guard Mile 22: Ursula

Guards Mile 23: Pain and Panic

Guard Mile 24: Hades

Guard Mile 25: Evil Queen

Guard Mile 26: Maleficent

After handing out assignments to her gathered minions, Maleficent along with all the other villains vanished into a puff of green smoke.

As the smoke began to clear bright lights of pink, blue, and green descended from the rafters and Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather stepped from the clearing smoke.

Merryweather reassured the Cast Members and the hungry, yet patient guests behind them that not one but four heroes shall arise to foil Maleficent’s plan. And those heros are:

Donald, Goofy, Mickey and let us not forget the "d'Artagnan" of this fearless group...

Dopey!!!

Your mission (as I'm sure you have already guessed) is to fulfill your role as the Disney Character whose race you have selected for this upcoming January. With each completed mile you will have defeated one of Maleficents minions as you charge forth toward the next.

Defeating these villains is not an easy task and will require many weeks of preparation. (good thing that a super villain such as Malficent has granted us 17 weeks notice before unleashing her plan)

In the weeks ahead visualize the villains you will face at each mile. Train hard, the Princesses are counting on you!!!

Strategies for Training and Competing in the Heat and Humidity

2011-09-02T14:18:00.001-05:00

Strategies for Training and Competing in the Heat and Humidity
By: Christopher D. Jensen, PhD, MPH, RD
Nutrition & Epidemiology Researcher
Training and competing are usually plenty tough. But add sweltering heat or the drenching humidity of summer to the equation, and the degree of difficulty rises to a whole new level. Heat and humidity are probably the most common performance-impairing environmental challenges you'll encounter as a high school athlete. So it definitely pays to know how to safely and effectively train — and compete — in the heat.

Working your muscles makes you faster, stronger — and hotter
You'd like to think that all the energy your muscles are churning out during exercise is going towards making you faster or stronger. In truth, about 75% of that muscle energy is turned into heat. If that heat were to remain in your body, your core temperature would quickly rise, and your performance would rapidly plummet. You'd also be at risk for heat-related illnesses, such as heat stroke, caused by hyperthermia.

Fortunately, your body has powerful physiological mechanisms for eliminating muscle-generated heat. In addition, there are important strategies you can employ to maximize your athletic performance and reduce the dangers of exercising in the heat and humidity.

Temperature regulation in action
The physiological term for managing your core body temperature is thermoregulation, and there are two important mechanisms for keeping your cool:

As your muscles crank out the heat, blood flowing through muscle tissue absorbs the heat and carries it away and toward the skin. Triggered by an uptick in core body temperature, your brain sends a signal to the blood vessels in your skin to dilate or expand. This allows the skin to hold a larger volume of warmed blood. If the ambient air is cooler than the temperature of your skin, a heat exchange occurs, and heat from the blood circulating in the skin is released to the cooler surroundings. You cool off in the process.

Heat loss is further accelerated by sweating. As you exercise, your core temperature rises and your sweat glands receive a signal from the brain to begin secreting sweat onto your skin. If the ambient air is sufficiently dry, sweat evaporates from your skin and a cooling effect takes place.

Double whammy: heat and humidity
When the air temperature exceeds 96.8°F (36°C), instead of heat flowing from your skin to the outside environment, heat exchange is reversed, and your body begins to absorb heat from the environment. So when it's scorching outside, one of your two key thermoregulatory mechanisms has essentially been knocked out of commission.

When this occurs, sweating becomes the primary means for eliminating the heat generated by muscle contraction. When you're training or competing hard outdoors in the heat, a sweat rate of 34–85 fl oz per hour (1.0–2.5 liters per hour) is typical. In sweltering conditions, sweat rates of greater than 85 fl oz per hour (2.5 liters per hour) can occur.

What about when you face both heat and humidity? This formidable duo poses a serious challenge to thermoregulation during exercise because when you add humidity to the mix, the air is heavy with moisture. If the air were dry, sweat would evaporate readily from the skin, and a cooling effect would result. But when the surrounding air is saturated with moisture, sweat doesn't effectively evaporate from your skin during exercise. Instead, it builds up and then drips off your body. As a result, you lose the cooling effect of sweat evaporation.

Thus, the combination of high heat and humidity puts a serious damper on your ability to thermoregulate. In these extreme conditions, you risk having the heat load build up to a critical level at which your body can't function optimally. At that point, you experience very strong signals from your body, asking you to stop exercising in order to lower your core temperature. However, some athletes have been known to labor on and fight through these strong biological cues, only to end up suffering serious heat illnesses from the very high core body temperatures that result.

Dehydration: another insult
Dehydration is another critical factor that influences your ability to cool yourself during exercise. When it's hot out, sweating is the primary means for eliminating heat generated by contracting muscles, and sweat rates of 34–85 fl oz per hour (1.0–2.5 liters per hour) or more are common. However, for this cooling mechanism to function optimally, the fluids you're losing as sweat need to be replaced. The problem is that during exercise, you typically don't feel a sensation of thirst until after you've lost 1–2% of your body weight as fluid. That equates to 1.5–3.0 lbs. of fluid for a 150-lb athlete (0.68–1.36 kg for a 68-kg athlete). With that amount of fluid loss, you're already in the throes of dehydration; your body's ability to cool itself is undermined because dehydration results in decreased blood flow to the skin and a lower sweat rate. Thus, both mechanisms for thermoregulation are compromised when you're running low on fluids.

Navigate heat and humidity: acclimate first
Fortunately, there are strategies you can employ to help you stay cool when training or competing in hot, humid weather. Acclimating to the heat is an important one.

You can acclimate to the heat by regular exposure to hot environments. A key adaptation that occurs with heat acclimation is an increase in the volume of fluid that circulates in your body. With more fluid available, the heart pumps more fluid with each beat, and this leads to a lower heart rate during exercise. In addition, less sodium is excreted in sweat and urine. The extra sodium retained in your body is useful in maintaining an appropriate sodium concentration in the blood when the fluid volume expands. Interestingly, a low-sodium diet seems to impair the body's ability to expand fluid volume. So if you're trying to acclimate to the heat, make sure you're consuming adequate sodium. Two other critical adaptations include the onset of sweating at a lower core temperature and a higher sweat rate.

The increase in fluid volume and lower heart rate occur within about 3–6 days of daily heat exposure. The decrease in sweat and urine sodium takes about 5–10 days, and the increase in sweat rate and the lower temperature threshold for the onset of sweating and dilation of blood vessels in the skin occur in 1–2 weeks.

Training sessions of about 100 minutes in hot conditions are most effective for inducing heat acclimation, and there is no advantage to spending additional time in the heat. Also, exercising in the heat every third day for 30 days is the acclimatization equivalent of exercising every day for 10 days.

Keep in mind that heat acclimation is not permanent. Effects gradually disappear if they are not maintained by repeated exposure to heat. Adaptations start to disappear in about a week and are mostly gone within 30 days. Also, adaptations to dry heat seem to endure longer than adaptations to the combination of heat and humidity. Finally, the better trained you are endurance-wise, the faster acclimation occurs and the longer the effects are sustained. So if you have a big competition coming up in extreme weather conditions, plan your training accordingly.

Other Important Heat/Humidity Strategies

Timing of competitions and workouts
If there is a lower-temperature or lower-humidity time of day to train or compete, take advantage of it. If a competition is scheduled for smack-dab in the heat of the day, talk to event organizers or coaches and see if the time can be changed to early morning or evening when conditions are more bearable. Encourage your fellow athletes to support you.

Clothing
Clothing worn while exercising becomes a layer of insulation that interferes with heat transfer from your skin to the environment. It can also hinder the evaporation of sweat, which is the most important route for eliminating heat when it's really hot outside. So as a practical matter, minimize the amount of clothing you wear in hot weather conditions, and make sure it poses the least amount of interference to evaporation.

Fluids
You might guess that adapting to the heat would decrease your need for fluids, but in reality, the opposite is true. Because you sweat sooner and at a faster rate when you're acclimated to the heat, your fluid needs are higher. Researchers have found that after dehydration takes hold, core body temperatures are the same, whether or not you've acclimated to the heat beforehand. So all those hard-earned advantages of heat acclimation are wiped out if you become dehydrated.

To stay hydrated during exercise, consume fluids at a rate that closely matches sweat rate. This typically requires in the range of 13–26 fl oz (400–800 ml) for every hour of exercise, preferably taken in smaller amounts every 15 minutes or so. However, fluid needs can vary considerably, so determining your sweat rate is the best approach. It's really quite simple, and it's important to calculate your sweat rate for the various environmental conditions you will encounter, including hot and humid conditions. To calculate your sweat rate and to obtain a personalized plan to meet your unique hydration needs, click on the Sweat Rate Calculator at PowerBar.com.

Opt for a sports drink
A sports drink such as Ironman PERFORM™ sports drink offers critical advantages over plain water when it comes to keeping hydrated in the heat and humidity, because a well-designed sports drink contains sodium, carbohydrates, and flavor. Research shows that athletes voluntarily consume more fluids when their beverages are flavored. Sodium and carbohydrates are important because both are actively transported into cells after ingestion, which helps speed fluid absorption. The sodium in a sports drink also encourages you to keep drinking fluids when you're exercising, which is vital to staying hydrated, and it helps you retain the fluid that you've consumed. Pure water, on the other hand, tends to turn off your sensation of thirst, even before your fluid needs have been met. And instead of helping you retain consumed fluids, plain water tends to promote fluid elimination, even when you’re still dehydrated.

Beating the heat
In summary, if heat and humidity are in your training or competition forecast, plan to acclimate to the conditions. Do that by training in a hot environment for about 100 minutes daily for 10 days. Full adaptation usually takes place within about a week or two. Wear minimal clothing in the heat and make sure the clothes you do wear don't interfere with the evaporation of sweat. Avoid dehydration by consuming fluids at a rate that closely matches your sweat rate. And finally, stay hydrated with a well-designed, good-tasting sports drink that features sodium and carbohydrates. Following these strategies gives you the best shot at beating the heat.

References:
Wendt D, van Loon LJC, van Marken Lichtenbelt WD. Thermoregulation for Maintaining Health and Performance. Sports Med 2007; 37: 669–682.

American College of Sports Medicine, Sawka MN, Burke LM, Eichner ER, Maughan RJ, Montain SJ, Stachenfeld NS. American College of Sports Medicine Position Stand. Exercise and Fluid Replacement. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2007; 39: 377–390.

Febbraio M, Martin D. Nutritional Issues for Special Environments: Training and Competing at Altitude and in Hot Climates. In: Burke L, Deakin V. Clinical Sports Nutrition. 3rd ed. McGraw-Hill, 2006; 765–784.

Run Disney, Our Races Have Character

2011-08-02T06:24:00.001-05:00

Walt Disney World Race Updates /DL too

2011-08-01T12:02:00.003-05:00

WDW Marathon weekend Jan. 5-8,2012

WALT DISNEY WORLD® Marathon - 59% Full
WALT DISNEY WORLD® Marathon Relay
WALT DISNEY WORLD® Half Marathon - 55% Full
Goofy's Race and a Half Challenge - 82% Full
Disney Family Fun Run 5K
Disney Kids' Races
Pasta in the Park Party
Disney's Health & Fitness Expo

Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend Sept. 2-4,2011

Disneyland® Half Marathon - SOLD OUT
Disneyland® Family Fun Run 5K - SOLD OUT (Stroller Division - Sold Out)
Disneyland® Kids' Races - SOLD OUT
Disneyland® Health & Fitness Expo
Pasta in the Park Party
Wine and Dine Half Marathon Weekend Sept. 30- Oct.1 ,2011

Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon – Sold Out
Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Relay – Sold Out
Disney Halloween 5K - 52% Full
Disney Kids' Races - 92% Full
Disney's Health & Fitness Expo
Finish Line Party

Princess Half Marathon Weekend Feb.24-26, 2012

Disney’s Princess Half Marathon
Disney Royal Family 5K
Disney Royal Family Kids’ Races
Disney’s Fit for a Princess Expo

Tinker Bell Half Marathon Weekend Jan. 27-29,2012

Tinker Bell Half Marathon - 73% Full
Never Land Family Fun Run 5K
Disney Kids' Races
Tinker Bell Half Marathon Weekend Expo

They haven't posted the new dates for Rhoto Ironman 70.3 which is a qualifier for Ford Ironman championship Clearwater , or Ironkids.

Shake It Off and Step Up

2011-07-30T16:59:00.001-05:00

Shake It Off and Step Up
July 30, 2011 by Joni I got this off of Facebook posted by the Rock

If you feel sometimes that the adversities of life are getting the best of you, this short story will change all of that.

Shake It Off and Step Up If you choose to think negatively by panicking – becoming bitter or letting your self pity swallow you whole, well chances are, the decisions you make in life and business become that much more difficult for a successful outcome.

Now on the other hand, if you choose to “Shake It Off and Step Up” your results will be very different…

One thing I know for certain is that all entrepreneurs face many challenges on a daily basis. Doesn’t matter if you’re just starting too get your feet wet or you’ve been around the block many times.

Sadly, many entrepreneurs call it quits after an uncomfortable challenge strikes. Lots of excuses are made – the blame game starts or they just don’t think life’s fair for them…

Now what if they would of decided to “Shake It Off and Step Up” instead???

If you find yourself in a similar situation…don’t quit. Reflect back to this parable and move it forward.

Read this short old farmer’s parable that will give you a little – innocent insight on how to change your circumstances when life’s adversities rear their ugly head…

Shake It Off And Step Up

A parable is told of a farmer who owned an old mule. The mule fell into the farmer’s well. The farmer heard the mule ‘braying’ – or – whatever mules do when they fall into wells. After carefully assessing the situation, the farmer sympathized with the mule, but decided that neither the mule nor the well was worth the trouble of saving. Instead, he called his neighbors together and told them what had happened…and enlisted them to help haul dirt to bury the old mule in the well and put him out of his misery.

Initially, the old mule was hysterical! But as the farmer and his neighbors continued shoveling and the dirt hit his back…a thought struck him. It suddenly dawned on him that every time a shovel load of dirt landed on his back…HE SHOULD SHAKE IT OFF AND STEP UP! This he did, blow after blow.

“Shake it off and step up…shake it off and step up…shake it off and step up!” he repeated to encourage himself. No matter how painful the blows, or distressing the situation seemed the old mule fought “panic” and just kept right on SHAKING IT OFF AND STEPPING UP!

You’re right! It wasn’t long before the old mule, battered and exhausted, STEPPED TRIUMPHANTLY OVER THE WALL OF THAT WELL! What seemed like it would bury him, actually blessed him…all because of the manner in which he handled his adversity.

THAT’S LIFE! If we face our problems and respond to them positively, and refuse to give in to panic, bitterness, or self-pity…THE ADVERSITIES THAT COME ALONG TO BURY US USUALLY HAVE WITHIN THEM THE POTENTIAL TO BENEFIT AND BLESS US! Remember that FORGIVENESS–FAITH–PRAYER– PRAISE and HOPE…all are excellent ways to “SHAKE IT OFF AND STEP UP” out of the wells in which we find ourselves!

- Author Unknown

Disney News And Updates

2011-07-29T11:19:00.001-05:00

Submit "A Splash of Disney Memories" and You Could Be Featured!

During August, we're making a splash with water-related Disney memories!http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

From water parks like Disney's Blizzard Beach to the nighttime spectacular World of Color to fun times at our Resort pools, water makes everything more fun and brings out the kid in all of us.

Share "A Splash of Disney Memories" at Disney Parks' Let the Memories Begin and you may be featured. Remember to check back every day during September to see if your memory was selected as the Memory of the Day!

Submit your memory today!

Chiquita and Disney Announce Multi-year Alliance

Chiquita Brands International and Walt Disney World Resort announced an agreement this week that will bring premium, healthy Chiquita and Fresh Express products to a number of retail points at Walt Disney World and Disney Cruise Line. This new strategic alliance represents the commitment of both companies to provide consumers with healthy food options. “We are pleased to work with Disney to offer healthy, nutritious Chiquita and Fresh Express products to the millions of Guests who visit Walt Disney World Resort and Disney Cruise Line,” said Fernando Aguirre, Chiquita chairman and chief executive officer. “This alliance joins two companies with the shared commitment of providing quality experiences to consumers.”

Construction Crews at Disney's Art of Animation Resort Celebrate "Topping Out"
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LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla., July 21, 2011 – The hundreds of people who are building Disney’s Art of Animation Resort from the ground up gathered to mark the project’s “topping out.”

The “topping out” is a special moment that typically occurs in the construction and engineering industry when the highest piece of structure, either steel or concrete, is placed on the building’s frame. The tradition dates back to the Vikings, who would place an evergreen tree on the top of a building to celebrate and bring good luck.

At the construction site for Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, a crane helped lift the traditional evergreen to the roof of a building that will soon be part of the Lion King wing of the resort hotel.

“The hundreds of people we have working on Disney’s Art of Animation Resort are doing an amazing job helping us build a resort hotel that will really delight our guests,” said Gary Hoffmann, senior project manager for Walt Disney Imagineering. “The traditional topping out is an important milestone on a project that continues to run on schedule for an opening just ten months from now.”

In size and scope the construction of Disney’s Art of Animation Resort is a major project at Walt Disney World Resort, creating upwards of 800 construction jobs. Once open in 2012, Disney’s Art of Animation Resort will also create 750 permanent resort hotel jobs.

Walt Disney World Resort features 25 uniquely themed, Disney owned-and-operated resort hotels with more than 26,000 guest rooms – something for every taste and budget. Disney’s Art of Animation Resort will likewise be unique, with themed building exteriors and room interiors that bring to life The Lion King, Cars, Finding Nemo and The Little Mermaid.

Finding Nemo, Cars and The Lion King buildings will be entirely family suites, with 1,120 suites between them. The Little Mermaid buildings will feature 864 rooms in the “value” room category.

The construction of family suites at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort is an innovative approach to a changing marketplace. Today more and more multi-generational families are traveling together for various celebrations, including family reunions. These families not only want to play together, they want to stay together, which has created tremendous demand for family suites.

The first wing of Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, Finding Nemo, is scheduled to open in May 2012.

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Just a Hello...

2011-07-23T17:53:00.003-05:00

Hi everyone it's Rae. I wanted to let everyone know that we had raised another $50.00 from our Mid Summer 5k. Thank you everyone who donated.

Tomorrow one of our Members is headed out to do their first triathlon. Please go over and visit and send Pixie Dust!! Blog'n Right Along

Have a great weekend!!!
Rae

Sports Nutrition Tips for Marathon Training

2011-07-19T08:38:00.000-05:00

Sports Nutrition Tips for Marathon Training
By: Christopher D. Jensen, PhD, MPH, RD
Nutrition & Epidemiology Researcher
You are training to compete in a marathon. Regular workouts will get you in shape for the challenge ahead. This article provides cutting-edge sports nutrition tips that will help you maximize the benefits of your workouts and be at your very best on the day of the race.

Practice makes perfect
The sports nutrition tips that follow are based on the latest information from authorities such as the American College of Sports Medicine. But your job during training is to use these recommendations as a starting point and to refine them to determine what works best for you. That means regularly tuning into how your body feels and keeping notes in a training log. Use the information that you gather in order to make adjustments on how you hydrate, fuel, and recover during training, so that weeks from now, on the day of your event, everything you do is dialed in and well practiced. No surprises on the big day. Instead, you want a proven sports nutrition regimen that is tailored specifically for you.

Start each workout fully hydrated
Dehydration will make your workouts demonstrably harder and put your health at risk, so don’t carry fluid deficits from one workout to the next. You can make up for any previously incurred fluid deficits by consuming 14–20 fl oz (400–600 mL) of water or sports drink about 2–4 hours before your workout. If you are well hydrated, this should lead to urine production that is light in color (like the color of lemonade). If it doesn’t, or if the urine that is produced is dark in color (like the color of apple juice), drink another 8 fl oz about 2 hours before you start pounding the pavement. Keep hydrating as needed prior to your training session, especially when conditions are hot or humid.

Start your training sessions with a full gas tank
The harder and more intense your training sessions, the more you rely on carbohydrate reserves (glucose in your bloodstream and glycogen in your muscles and liver) as muscle fuel. But these reserves are in short supply and can be significantly depleted during long and intense workouts. If you don’t replenish these carb reserves on a daily basis, deficits grow from one workout to the next, and you’ll end up running out of carbohydrate muscle fuel. When this happens, you become fatigued and you’re forced to curtail your training.

To prevent this early onset of muscle fatigue, top off your muscle glycogen fuel stores before working out. You can do this by consuming a meal 2–4 hours before exercise. The goal is to start exercise fully fueled but also feeling comfortable. Choose familiar high-carbohydrate foods and beverages and avoid slow-to-digest fatty and high-fiber foods prior to running. Carbohydrate-rich foods include pasta, rice, bread, cereal, vegetables, fruit, and sweetened dairy products such as flavored yogurts and milks. And if you get hungry again as the workout approaches, or if your training session is early in the morning and time is running short, have an easy-to-digest, high-carbohydrate snack. Good snack examples include a fruit smoothie, a meal replacement drink, a PowerBar® Performance Energy bar, a PowerBar® Fruit Smoothie Energy bar, PowerBar® Energy Bites, a PowerBar® Gel, or PowerBar® Gel Blasts™ energy chews.

The best time for a snack is generally about an hour before exercise. If you don’t have much of an appetite or you tend to experience gastrointestinal distress when training, try liquid carb sources, such as a fruit smoothie or a meal replacement drink, in place of solid foods.

Finding the right pre-exercise meal and snacks — and the timing for each that works best for you — may take some experimenting. So try different approaches during training to identify which ones leave you feeling your best.

Now is not the time to skip meals
A word to the wise if you are carrying a few more pounds than you’d like: Skipping meals before a workout won't necessarily help you burn significantly more fat. In fact, it may cause you to burn fewer total calories because you get tired sooner and may not be able to train at your usual intensity. Keep in mind that after a night of sleeping, you’ve been fasting for hours. You need breakfast, or at least a high-carb snack to help fuel the exercise you plan to do. Skipping breakfast can make it harder to maintain your blood sugar level and can deplete your limited stores of carb muscle fuel (glycogen) even faster. This can hamper your ability to get in a full workout and may reduce the effectiveness of your training. So don’t be in such a rush to lose that extra weight that you compromise your ability to train. As you continue to train, the pounds will gradually drop off.

Match your hydration and fueling plan to the workout challenge
For training runs up to the half-marathon distance, your existing fuel stores should tide you over, and your focus can be on staying hydrated. Try to consume fluids at a rate that keeps pace with your sweat rate. This generally requires 13–26 fl oz (400–800 mL) every hour of exercise, preferably in smaller amounts taken every 15 minutes or so. However, your fluid needs can vary based on factors such as the intensity of your workouts and weather conditions. Therefore, calculate your sweat rate for the various conditions in which you train, using the PowerBar® Sweat Rate Calculator at PowerBar.com.

Over-hydration is the flip side of dehydration. Both can impair your ability to exercise and can have serious health consequences. To monitor how effectively you are hydrating when training, weigh yourself before and after workouts. If you find that you tend to gain weight when training, it’s a sign that you’re consuming too much fluid during exercise, so cut back a bit on your fluid intake during exercise. Conversely, if you find that you pretty consistently lose more than 2% of your pre-exercise body weight — about 3 lbs (1.4 kg) for someone weighing 150 lbs (68 kg) — that’s a sign to take in a bit more fluid when training.

Water is usually fine for workouts of less than an hour in cooler weather. For longer training sessions and anytime you’re exercising in the heat and humidity, a sports drink that provides carbohydrates, fluids, and sodium, such as PowerBar® Endurance sports drink, is a much better option than plain water. The advantages are many. A sports drink provides carbohydrates to help sustain your blood glucose level during exercise. And athletes typically consume more fluids when their hydration beverage is flavored, as is the case with a sports drink. Also, the sodium and carbs in a sports drink cause the fluid in the beverage to be absorbed more quickly. And the sodium also helps maintain your drive to continue drinking fluids during exercise, which is crucial to meeting your fluid needs. Finally, the sodium also helps you retain the fluid that you’ve consumed.

Another option for rehydrating and refueling, especially during longer training runs, is to consume an energy gel and chase it with water. Make sure to select an energy gel that provides sodium along with carbohydrates, such as PowerBar Gel. These gels are designed to be consumed every 20–45 minutes during exercise, and they provide the carbohydrates and sodium of a sports drink. Energy bars, bites, and chews, such as the Performance Energy bar, PowerBar Fruit Smoothie Energy bar, Energy Bites, and Gel Blasts Energy chews can also be used to increase the hourly intake of carbs during longer training sessions.

Promote rapid recovery
Recovery after exercise will begin in earnest as soon as you provide the nutritional components, including carbs, protein, fluids, and the key electrolyte sodium.

To speed recovery, consume some easy-to-digest carbs as soon as possible after exercise (within about 30 minutes). This will jump-start rebuilding your depleted glycogen stores. Eating high-carb meals and snacks over the next 24 hours will generally fully replenish your fuel stores.

In addition to carbs, taking in protein after a workout provides the amino acid building blocks needed for repairing muscle fibers that get damaged during exercise and to promote the development of new muscle tissue. Although protein requirements vary between individuals, in general look to consume a minimum of 15–25 grams of protein within an hour after exercise to maximize the muscle rebuilding and repair process.

Weigh yourself before and after exercise to gauge the extent of your fluid loss. Replace this fluid by gradually drinking 16–24 fl oz (475–700 mL) of a recovery beverage, sports drink, or water for every 1 lb (0.45 kg) of weight lost. Consume sodium sources such as crackers and pretzels along with your fluids, as rehydration will be more effective when sodium is included. Remember, if your loss of fluids consistently exceeds 2% of your body weight, try to increase your fluid intake a bit during exercise. If you find that you tend to gain weight during exercise, cut back a bit on fluid intake.

PowerBar® Recovery beverage is a fast and convenient option for jump-starting the recovery process. Just pour the Recovery beverage powder into your sports bottle, add water, and shake. In seconds you’ll have the carbs, protein, sodium, and fluids to start reloading, repairing, and rehydrating. Go to PowerBar.com to learn more about other recovery product options.

Know the buzz on caffeine
Coffee is a beverage of choice worldwide, but will that caffeine kick be a help or hindrance to you as a budding endurance athlete? So far, the scientific consensus seems to be lining up on the side of helpful. Caffeine may help you work out at a higher intensity without actually feeling like you’re working harder. Also, concerns about caffeine’s causing dehydration haven’t panned out. So if you want to see what impact caffeine has on your ability to perform athletically, use it during training first. Stick to a moderate intake of 0.45–1.36 mg caffeine per lb body weight (1–3 mg per kg). For a 150-lb (68-kg) athlete, that equates to a dose of approximately 70–210 mg of caffeine per event or workout, taken in the hour before exercise or in a single or divided dose during exercise. Too much caffeine may detract from your athletic performance by leaving you feeling uncomfortable, jittery, and anxious. Also keep in mind that the caffeine level that’s beneficial for your training partner may be too much for you, or vice versa. Individuals vary in their ability to metabolize caffeine. If the caffeine dose you’ve been trying leaves you feeling too buzzed, cut back or skip it altogether. For more information about caffeine in foods and beverages, see the article “Using Caffeine to Improve Athletic Performance” at PowerBar.com

Consider carbohydrate loading
All else being equal, the more carbohydrate muscle fuel (glycogen) you start with, the better you will be able to perform in a marathon. Carbo-loading is the term used for maximizing your stores of glycogen muscle fuel before a big endurance event or a particularly difficult stretch of training. If you’re planning on walking the marathon at a comfortable pace, carbohydrate loading is unnecessary. But if you plan to go all out over the 26.2 miles, you might want to consider it.

Typically, athletes interested in carbohydrate loading gradually taper their training a week to a few days before the event. In the 2–3 days before the marathon, plan to increase your carbohydrate intake. For optimal glycogen reloading over this period of time, you need to consume about 8–12 grams of carbohydrates daily for every 2.2 lbs of body weight. For someone weighing 150 lbs (68 kg), that equates to 545–818 grams of carbs each day. Men can usually achieve the higher carb range simply by substituting carbohydrate-rich foods for other foods that tend to be higher in fat. For women, it’s not so simple because they generally consume fewer calories than their male counterparts. Effective carbo-loading for women may require adding foods to the diet for those few days. In fact, they may need to increase their total caloric intake by 30–35% in the 2–3 days before the event in order to boost their muscle glycogen stores. The bottom line is that the plate of pasta the night before your marathon should be the finishing touch on your carbo-load, not the entire plan. Late in your training, you may want to experiment with carbohydrate loading prior to one of your long distance runs.

Plan ahead for race day
As the big day approaches, start finalizing your race-day plan. Think through your sports nutrition and hydration strategy for before, during, and after the marathon. Utilize your long training runs as an opportunity to put your race-day plan into practice. That means doing during training exactly what you hope to do on race day. Assess how you feel at each stage of a long training run as if it were the actual marathon. Fine-tune your approach by making adjustments one step at a time, and then testing those tweaks during training. Allow yourself adequate time to dial-in a regimen that works for you.

When the marathon is a week away, make final preparations for the big day. Remember to stick to the routine you’ve worked so hard to fine-tune — nothing new. Find out the marathon start time, and review your pre-race meal or snack and hydration strategy. Also make sure that it works relative to your transportation arrangements. Confirm the number of aid stations on course, and plan your consumption of sports drinks and/or energy gels with plain water accordingly. If you are using gels, set aside the number you will need, and devise a plan for carrying them comfortably or resupplying on course.

Good luck with your training and on race day!

References:
American College of Sports Medicine; American Dietetic Association; Dietitians of Canada. Joint Position Statement: Nutrition and Athletic Performance. American College of Sports Medicine, American Dietetic Association, and Dietitians of Canada. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2009; 41: 709–731.

American College of Sports Medicine, Sawka MN, Burke LM, Eichner ER, Maughan RJ, Montain SJ, Stachenfeld NS. American College of Sports Medicine Position Stand. Exercise and Fluid Replacement. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2007; 39: 377–390.

Burke L. Preparation for Competition. In: Burke L, Dean V, eds. Clinical Sports Nutrition. McGraw-Hill Companies, Australia, 2006; 355–384.

Burke L. Fluid and CHO Intake During Exercise. In: Burke L, Dean V, eds. Clinical Sports Nutrition. McGraw-Hill Companies, Australia, 2006; 385–414.

Burke L. Nutrition for Recovery After Training and Competition. In: Burke L, Dean V, eds. Clinical Sports Nutrition. McGraw-Hill Companies, Australia, 2006; 415–453.

Ironman Mental Strength: the Fifth Discipline

2011-07-17T16:38:00.000-05:00

Ironman Mental Strength: the Fifth Discipline
By: Alex M. McDonald, MD
Medical Doctor and Professional Triathlete

Making the commitment to train for and race a triathlon is commendable, regardless of whether it is the local sprint or an Ironman. Many of the driving factors (commitment, mental strength, desire, time management, goal setting, etc.) that motivate you to sign up, train, and get to the starting line of the race are valuable tools not only for triathlon, but also for life in general. However, many people who see these qualities as important underestimate their importance on race day, particularly the mental strength required to complete an Ironman triathlon.

Many people say that an Ironman is really four events: swimming, biking, running and nutrition. Well, I would argue that there is a critical fifth discipline — mental strength. Some feel that an Ironman triathlon is a test of strength, speed, and endurance like no other on Earth; these skills are certainly put to the test on race day. However, it is possible that an athlete’s mental fortitude or strength is tested to an even greater extent. Some people get to the starting line in peak physical condition, while others may not have trained as much as they would have liked or needed to. The difference between finishing an Ironman or not, whether you set a PR or not, is often all in your head — literally.

Having the mental fortitude and strength to make it through one of the world’s greatest endurance events is not simply a matter of chance. Some athletes are naturally better at these mental skills, while others are not as well versed. Mental strength and conditioning are indeed skills, and while some individuals are naturally more gifted at utilizing them, you can train your mind, much like the rest of your body. Everyone can benefit from working on and exercising their mental skills, regardless of whether you are an Ironman World Champion or training for your first Ironman.

The mind-body connection is fascinating, and it has been the subject of numerous research projects over the years. For example, there has been a lot of research examining the effect of laughter and joy on sick patients and how the resultant endorphins and neurotransmitters released by the brain can alter the course of disease. There has been specific research into how world-class athletes ready their minds and their bodies for competition — how mind and body must be in sync for an athlete to be best prepared for peak performance. Yet, despite all this research, very little is truly understood about the mind-body — or psychosomatic — connection. All we do know is that the mind can have a powerful influence over the body: As the mind goes, so goes the body.

The following are some mental exercises that will help get you through training — as well as race day.

Self-talk:
Most athletes are very good at self-talk; the problem is that most athletes are very good at the destructive, negative self-talk and not the beneficial, positive self-talk. Every athlete has been in the middle of training or competition and had thoughts that begin with “I can’t” or “I’m not.” These negative thoughts are often self-defeating, and the body tends to fulfill whatever the mind may be feeling or thinking. As a result, the body feels worse, causing more negative self-talk, and a downward spiral can quickly ensue.

Getting rid of these negative thoughts can be very difficult. The key is to become aware of when you are having a negative thought, and then replacing it. Often, replacing these thoughts with “I can” or “I will” or “I am” will make the body feel better, and positive thoughts, energy, and motivation will follow. Doing this will become easier with practice.

Some athletes find it challenging to do away with negative self-talk and almost impossible to replace it with positive self-talk. If this is the case, simply focusing on something else can help. Some athletes like to count arm, pedal, or foot rates while racing; others like to look at the scenery. Find your own focal point.

Regardless of what strategy you use to combat negative self-talk, the most important aspect is to recognize it and simply be aware of its presence. Many athletes are surprised when they begin to keep track of the number of negative thoughts they have while training and racing. Recognition is the first step to changing your behavior.

Checking in:
Whether you finish an Ironman in 8 or 17 hours, it is a long time for anyone to be in motion. Over extended time periods, your body becomes fatigued. Your form may suffer or you may expend energy inefficiently. For example, after several hours of riding, you may be tensing your shoulders and wasting energy. Or after several miles of running, as you fatigue, your form may deteriorate and become less efficient. Also, small or chronic injuries or a strain may become irritated over the course of a long day.

Take care of things before they become problems — nip them in the bud. Again, awareness is often all that is required. Performing a self-check or physical assessment every once in awhile can help you become aware of these potential problems. Just take a moment to try to sense any unnecessary tension in the shoulders or faltering form while you still have the energy to correct it. Or briefly stretch and relax a muscle to avoid having to stop later in the race.

A self-check can be mental and/or physical. I recommend performing one at least once an hour over the course of an Ironman to keep you moving efficiently and effectively towards the finish line.

This too shall pass:
At some point, perhaps several points, over the course of an Ironman, you are going to feel bad — very bad. It is not a matter of if but of when this will happen. It is important to know that it will happen, and to have a plan to handle it when it does. The key is to keep moving forward, even if this means walking, spinning the pedals, or swimming breast stroke. Be aware that this sense of misery will pass and that you will feel better. Often, the physical and mental anguish will subside within 5–10 minutes, and you will be able to resume your effort and pace and to continue towards your goal.

Stand down:
Although it’s less of a mental strategy, standing down can help you avoid mental struggles and mind-body conflicts later in the race. If pain or a mental low point does not seem to pass after a few minutes, an old or chronic injury starts to act up, or cramps begin to take hold, it is all right to stop — momentarily. One of the benefits of having all day to complete a race is that taking a minute or two early in the day will not make much of a difference in your overall finishing time. In fact, taking a minute to stop and take care of yourself may allow you to finish faster and more comfortably than if you had not taken that moment to nip the problem in the bud.

Manage the pain:
Pain is part of the Ironman experience, and no matter how long an athlete takes to complete the race, suffering will happen. Working through and conquering the pain is part of what makes Ironman finishing-line emotions so special. So don't ignore or fear the pain; embrace it and manage it as part of the Ironman journey, knowing that ultimately it will make you stronger and your sacrifices and victories all that much sweeter. Your mental approach to pain can be the difference between a finish, a PR, and a DNF. Have a plan of what to do or think when the pain seems to be too much, and practice this in training and on race day.

Misery loves company:
Talk to people when you are out there racing. Although you may be competing in an individual event, you are far from alone. I like to think of racing as hard training with 2,000 new friends. Some people have made race-day connections and friendships that last a lifetime. This can also be a welcome distraction from any negative self-talk or pain that you are experiencing.

Have a reason:
Chances are if you have signed up, trained, and made it to the starting line of an Ironman triathlon, you have not just a goal but a reason for your endeavor. Ultimately, the last several miles of an Ironman event are no longer about your fitness; they are about your mental strength, your desire, and your goals. And about that all-important reason. When the going gets tough, everyone needs a reason — not just a goal — to focus on and keep us driving forward. If deep down in the very fabric of your being, you are not 100% committed or do not have a reason to finish these last several miles, it may not happen. Some make the commitment for a charitable cause, a friend or family member, or some other deeply personal reason. What motivates a person is highly individual; I encourage you to find your incentive. The key is to find this reason before the race starts, not at mile 18 on the marathon course. Spend some time in the week leading up to the race thinking about and focusing on this reason, bury it deep, and then bring it out when the race becomes difficult.

Have fun:
Enjoy the process! Be proud of all your hard work on race day. This day is what you have been working toward — and for what you have sacrificed so much for. The psychosomatic connection is very important, but you can also trick your mind into feeling better through physical actions. For example, studies have shown that the physical act of smiling, even without the mental state of happiness, can result in positive thoughts, emotions, and energy. So, remember to smile because even if you don’t think you‘re having much fun, you will be surprised at how much better it can make you feel.

As mentioned before, during an Ironman you are going to feel bad — very bad. Your mind will start to wander, your legs will feel flat, and your body will beg you to stop. But the way that you mentally handle these challenges can make a huge difference in your Ironman experience and in your result. The fifth discipline of Ironman racing — mental strength — is what will get you through these tough times and help you have a breakthrough performance. Regardless of what motivates you, practice these mental strategies in training and racing, and the joy of crossing the finish line will be unlike any other in your life. And that memory will stay with you forever.

Hungry Girl Upside Down Pineapple Cake

2011-07-15T09:33:00.000-05:00

PER SERVING (1/8th of cake, 1 slice): 190 calories, 3.5g fat, 298mg sodium, 39g carbs, 0.5g fiber, 26.5g sugars, 1.5g protein
A slice of the original recipe has 380 calories and 16g fat! I cut the calories in half by using no-sugar-added applesauce & pineapple rings packed in juice instead of syrup!

Topping
1 tbsp. light whipped butter or light buttery spread
1/4 cup brown sugar (not packed)
7 pineapple rings packed in juice, drained
7 maraschino cherries
Cake
Half of an 18.25-oz. box (about 1 1/2 cups) moist-style yellow cake mix
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 cup club soda
1/4 cup no-sugar-added applesauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a round cake pan with nonstick spray and set aside.
Place butter in a small microwave-safe bowl and microwave for about 15 seconds, just until melted. Add brown sugar and mix well. Spread mixture evenly along the bottom of the cake pan. Set aside.
Blot pineapple rings and cherries with paper towels to remove any excess moisture. Lay pineapple rings in an even layer in the cake pan, and place one cherry in the center of each pineapple ring. Set aside.
To make the batter, combine cake mix with baking powder in a large bowl. Mix well. Add club soda and applesauce, and stir until smooth.
Evenly pour batter into the cake pan over the fruit layer. Bake in the oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 30 - 35 minutes.
Allow cake to cool completely. Firmly and securely place a plate over the pan, and carefully flip so the plate is on the bottom. Gently lift pan to release the cake.
Cut into 8 slices and dig in!

MAKES 8 SERVINGS

Mid Summer Virtual 5K

2011-07-12T22:37:00.002-05:00

In light of it's been a while since a virtual event has been set. Let's do one this Sunday. 5k Keep it simple. Just a 5k ,nothing else if you are doing a long miler on Sunday just give the time for your 5k.

That way we all are doing one together and stuff. Keep it simple and fun!!

Hitting the road? Keep your nosh healthy and light with our tips.

2011-06-10T09:45:00.001-05:00

Summer means road trips to the cottage, the lake, and other vacation destinations. Don't let road-trip weight-loss anxiety get in the way of your summer fun. Instead, read our tips for the best road trip snacks suited for any kind of travel.

Whether you're traveling alone, with your significant other, or the kids, these snack ideas are designed for easy access, and most importantly, to steer you away from fast food stops along the way.

We suggest you bring along a small cooler to keep your healthy snacks fresher for longer.

If you're driving alone
Driving alone can be a cathartic experience, especially with the windows down, the wind blowing through your hair, and your favorite music blaring. To make the trip even better, come prepared with these easily accessible snacks that don't require help from someone in the passenger seat.

Grape tomatoes: Actually a fruit, these miniature tomatoes, when ripe, make a delicious snack. This is a no-mess, grab-and-go snack, and one you can reach your hand in the bag for over and over.

Quaker® Quakes: These delicious snacks come in a variety of flavours and can satisfy even the most stubborn sweet or salty craving.

Summer berries are in abundance: Throw together blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, or any mix of berries in a plastic container. This snack can get messy, so unless you've got a bunch of napkins tucked away in your glove compartment, leave this one for the rest stop.

If you're with that special someone
Sometimes it can be hard when you're traveling with your significant other, and they are looking forward to all the high PointsPlus™ values foods they are going to indulge in on the road. Fear not! As your loved one dives into a bag of fries, you are armed with a bag of popcorn sprinkled with Parmesan cheese or chili pepper flakes. And when you inevitably end up at the drive-thru window, you can either sink your teeth into a delicious sandwich you made or make a smart choice from the menu. Whatever you do, remember to spin the situation positively, and when it's time for you to eat your healthy snacks, the extra pair of hands will help you open your yogurt or pull the plastic wrapper off your string cheese. Here are some ideas.

Popcorn sprinkled with low-fat Parmesan cheese or hot chili peppers.

Open the lid of your yogurt and toss in some crushed cereal or granola for a little extra crunch. This will give you a solid dose of calcium, and although a little more challenging to eat in the car, you can make it work by placing the yogurt in your cup holder.

Cheese and crackers: Decorate some whole wheat crackers with your favorite low-fat cheese, and portion them out in plastic bags for easy access. You can use string cheese and snack on it by itself too!

If you're with the family
You can prepare these snacks in bulk to pass around the car and share with the whole family. These foods are sure to keep the kids happy so they don't start asking to visit the nearest fast food drive-thru window.

Core an apple and cut it into pieces. Throw it in a plastic container. Bring along a jar of peanut butter, and a plastic knife. If you're not driving, spread peanut butter onto the apple pieces and enjoy! This is one for the whole family.

Mini pita snackwiches. Hummus is full of protein and can help keep your hunger at bay until you reach your destination. Put some between mini pitas. These mini hummus sandwiches make the perfect portable snack that the kids will love too!

If you're with someone you don't know well
If you're grabbing a ride with a friend of a friend, or giving someone you don't know very well a lift to your destination, you might consider bringing along snacks that won't create crumbs (if it's the other person's car) and that you can easily share with them as a nice gesture (don't forget to pack a little extra). If you're worried the other person is going to stop at fast food restaurants along the way, you can pack yourself some portable main meals too. Also, packing foods with more neutral ingredients will minimize the possibility of strong smells filling up the car.

Try our Hot Pepper Pretzels – a perfect snack to tote along with you wherever you go! You can bring several plastic baggies, each containing one portion size.

Meringue cookies: These light cookies made from egg whites and sugar make a delicious low PointsPlus value sweet craving satisfier. You can get the store bought ones, or follow any recipe. Try our Chocolate Meringue Cookies recipe.

Happy snacking, and bon voyage!
from WW.

Hydration & Sodium

2011-06-02T07:38:00.000-05:00

Hi gang, yes I'm still around. Had a couple of months where motivation was hard to find but that seems to be coming back. I've managaged to get in a walk or jog everyday since this past Sunday. I plan to post more on that over on Snowy Tundra later (yes I'm leaving the vault) as time allows. For now I wanted to share two articles I came across on the NPR website. Watching sodium levels or rather not depleting them was a topic that Justin and I discussed many months ago. During long runs I have a tendancy to get cramps in my calves, usually after mile eight. This past January I took in more Gatoraid out on the course beginning at mile six. I also had a couple of shot block 30 and 60 minutes in. This seemed to work well for me and I didn't feel a cramp coming on until mile twelve. Of course we are all different and you will need to learn what works best for you. Just remember to experiment prior to an event and not during one.

Cheers,
Jeff

Athletes Run Risk of Over Hydrating

by Allison Aubrey August 10, 2006

There is such a thing as too much water; excessive intake can dilute levels of sodium in the blood. University of Connecticut researcher Douglas Casa says people get into trouble when they try to follow set requirements for hydration.

If you're training for a marathon or an Ironman, a hydration plan is important. Of course, there's the risk of dehydration. But athletes now know they can also get into trouble by drinking too much. Excessive water intake can dilute levels of sodium in the blood. The death of a 28-year-old woman following the Boston Marathon caught the attention of many runners and led to new research.
Experts advise long distance runners to replace the liquids they sweat out.
"Our goal is to try to keep someone from not getting dehydrated by more than 2 percent of their body weight," says Douglas Casa, a researcher at the University of Connecticut's Human Performance Laboratory.
One technique for calculating how much fluid you need is to get an accurate scale. Runners can weigh themselves before and after a run to determine how much water weight they've lost. If their weight drops by more than 2 percent, they have not consumed enough fluid.
Hyponatremia occurs when runners drink so much liquid that concentrations of sodium in the blood drop off. A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine last year tracked 488 runners who completed the Boston Marathon and found 13 percent of them had dangerously low blood salt levels.
The first symptoms that runners may notice is minor swelling in the hands. "They can't get their rings off, then they might get nausea and dizziness. They may not remember where they are" says Dr. Lewis Maharam, who directs the International Marathon Medical Directors Association.
Most runners get enough salt to restore normal levels by eating just one meal after a run, and most never need medical attention. But with a spate of reported cases of hyponatremia, Maharam's group has a new guideline for hydrating.
The recommendation is contrary to the old advice that runners should drink as much as they can stomach to prevent dehydration.
"The new research has shown that the body is a remarkable machine that actually tells you via thirst when you need fluid," says Maharam.
Performance-oriented runners may prefer the more exacting scale-weighing technique. Casa recommends that runners use that method until they start to get a good estimate of how much water they sweat out during a typical training run.

Everyday Hydration Tips

by Roseanne Pereira

Dr. Douglas Casa, Director of Athletic Training Education in the University of Connecticut's Neag School of Education says people get into trouble when they try to follow set requirements for hydration. A magazine article that endorses eight glasses of water a day may not be right for you. Quench your thirst for information with Dr. Casa's tips on how to regulate your daily drinking.
Peek at Your Pee: Monitor its color. If it's light, like lemonade, you're doing pretty good. If it's darker, like apple juice, start gulping down liquids.
Step on the Scale: And do it both before and after exercising, to get a better sense of your individualized hydration needs. If you weigh more after a workout, chances are you drank too much while exercising. If you weigh much less, you may need to drink more. Experts recommend losing no more than 2 percent of your body weight during activity. Weighing the same before and after exercise, or slightly less, suggests you are an efficient hydrator.
Consider Sports Drinks: Because they replace some of the salts you lose when sweating, they're ideal for activities that last longer than an hour (for instance, hiking or biking treks) or even during very intense activities. Or if you're the kind of fanatic who's jogging in 110-degree heat.
Remember Chug Capacity: Recent studies show that coffee doesn't dehydrate, but Casa still doesn't recommend it for a workout; it's not the kind of fluid you can chug when you need to replace a lot of fluid in a short period of time.
(But Not for Beer!:) Alcohol does not leave you in the best possible state to recognize your fluid needs, prepare for the next bout of activity, or maximize fluid retention. Only use if stranded on an island with a case of beer, not for the purpose of fluid replacement.
Shun Sugar: Sodas, fruit juices and even beer have a higher level of sugar (which means more calories per serving) than most sports drinks or water. These drinks can rehydrate your body because they contain water, but their sugars give the stomach and intestines more to deal with; as a result, the fluids aren't absorbed into the body as quickly. It's fine to drink these beverages with meals and during leisure activities, but they won't keep you optimally hydrated during exercise.

5 Reasons You’re Always Starving

2011-05-31T08:11:00.001-05:00

Article By: Karen Ansel, M.S., R.D.

Spices

A foolproof plan to keep hunger from gnawing away at your weight-loss goals.

You’re driving along on your way to work, to the gym, or to pick up the kids and—bam—it hits you—that overwhelming gnawing hunger. The next thing you know, you’re pulling into a drive through and ordering up a storm.

Tips

Eat on Time. Scientists say that failing to eat regularly scheduled meals can boost the body’s output of insulin, which can, in turn, increase appetite and slow calorie burn.
Plan Ahead. Don’t wait until you’re starving to think about food: Tuck portable snacks like granola bars or string cheese in your purse so you’ll be ready when hunger strikes.

Isn’t it fascinating (and frustrating) how the “I have to eat now!” feeling can hit even if you’ve been making good nutrition a top priority? Experts are discovering that when you eat, what your food tastes like, and even how much you drink can have a major impact on how often hunger pangs strike.

We asked leading nutritionists to share with us the five most common reasons you’re frequently famished, as well as their top tips for maximizing satisfaction and keeping hunger at bay.

1. You eat the right foods at the wrong times.
Eating at different times every day can make it difficult for you to tune in to your body’s hunger signals, says Cindy Moore, MS, RD, director of Nutrition Therapy at the Cleveland Clinic. Haphazard eating can hurt your metabolism as well. When British researchers asked women to eat meals at either the same time or at different times each day, those who followed a predictable pattern ate less and burned more calories than those who ate at a different time every day.

The Fix: Plan ahead.
Reviewing your Tracker helps you zero in on when you’re most likely to fall prey to eating at erratic times. (If you haven’t been tracking your food consistently, try doing so for a few days.) Then, says Moore, create a schedule that focuses on eating within 2 hours of waking up and every 3 to 5 hours after that for the rest of the day. If you tend to lose track of time, set your watch or digital organizer to beep when you should eat.

2. You eat breakfast, just not the right kind.
Although any breakfast is better than none, the foods you choose can have a major impact on how satisfied you feel for the rest of the day. Take that convenient cereal bar: It might appear to be a healthy choice when you don’t have time for a sit-down meal, but its mega-dose of simple sugars may have you rummaging through the fridge well before lunch.

The Fix: Build a better mix of nutrients.
The key to making your breakfast hold your appetite at bay until lunch is building a morning meal that contains both protein and carbs. “It’s important to combine some protein along with some complex carbohydrates to provide sustained energy throughout the morning,” says Bonnie Taub-Dix, MA, RD, a Long Island–based dietitian in private practice. Opt for no-fuss choices like a slice of cheese on whole-wheat bread, egg whites on toast, whole-grain cereal with low-fat milk, even half a turkey sandwich .

3. Your diet is flawless but flavorless.
If grilled chicken and steamed veggies are staples on your dinner plate, you could be headed for trouble. “If you don't switch up your menu, you’re going to get bored and eventually have difficulty sticking with your weight-loss plan,” says Lona Sandon, MEd, RD, assistant professor of clinical nutrition at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.

The Fix: Spice it up.
Getting creative in the kitchen will give your stand-by recipes new life—and keep you more satisfied in the long run. “Experiment with fresh, flavorful herbs, like basil, gingerroot, oregano, and mint,” suggests Moore. Also, adding acidity (a dash of lemon juice or balsamic vinegar) and sweetness (a teaspoon of honey or brown sugar) can make your staple dishes more complex in taste—and more satisfying. Texture is also key: Aim for combinations of creamy, crunchy, and chewy. Try tossing chopped nuts on your greens or mixing granola into your yogurt.

4. You stockpile your calories.
Do you often eat so sparingly during the day that by the time dinner rolls around you’re famished? That strategy can backfire, leading to uncontrollable overeating in the evening. “When you skip meals it’s harder to think straight, so you’re less concerned with the implications of what you eat,” says Taub-Dix.

The Fix: Frontload those calories.
Eating earlier in the day is a must to head off disaster later on. Limit the size of your evening meal so that you wake up eager for breakfast. Even if you’re not hungry, be sure to eat something—even a small bite. “Treat yourself the way you’d treat your kids—you wouldn’t let them skip meals,” says Taub-Dix.

5. You drink your meals.
With the ever-increasing popularity of lattes for breakfast and smoothies for lunch, many of us are drinking our calories away. But drinking too many caloric beverages can ultimately leave you feeling unsatisfied. When researchers at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, gave study participants 450 extra calories daily in the form of either fluid or solid food, those who ate the extra solids ate less later in the day whereas those who drank the extra fluids did not. The reasoning: Chewing causes the release of hormones that signal fullness, and solid food is digested more slowly than liquids.

The Fix: Rethink convenience.
Slurping down a meal might seem fast and easy, but in the time it takes to drive to the coffee shop, stand on line, and pay for that latte, you could have had something just as quick—and far more satisfying. “Try a slice of toast with peanut butter or a cup of yogurt with some fruit,” says Lona Sandon. If it’s the comfort of a hot drink you crave, go ahead and have that latte—just order it with fat-free milk. And instead of sipping it solo, enjoy it with a few whole-grain crackers or a banana. In other words, focus on food combinations that will get you through to your next meal—no starving required.

This article first appeared in the March/April 2006 issue of Weight Watchers Magazine.

Disney Helps "Give Kids The World" Celebrate

2011-05-29T19:58:00.000-05:00

Disney Helps "Give Kids The World" Celebrate

Earlier this month, Disney executives were on hand to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Give Kids the World (GKTW), a local nonprofit that provides cost-free vacations to children with life-threatening illnesses. A highlight of the festivities: the unveiling of a new Disney-supported Star Tower and Gallery of Hope, which will shine a spotlight on the organization’s special guests. “I’m proud that Walt Disney World was one of the first supporters of Give Kids the World,” said Walt Disney Parks & Resorts President of Worldwide Operations and GKTW Advisory Board Member Al Weiss. “There’s no doubt that the memories created at the Give Kids The World Village are treasured by the families who visit but they are also cherished by the thousands of Disney VoluntEARS whose lives have been changed by their own visits with the remarkable children they meet.” Learn more.

Jeff Galloway's News Letter

2011-05-27T09:43:00.000-05:00

Jeff Galloway

Use the brands that Jeff Galloway recommends!

Receive $10 OFF any Accelerade, Hydro, or Endurox R⁴ Canister.

Order today at www.pacifichealthlabs.com
Use code GALLOWAY10
Expires: 6/15/11.

"Must read for every endurance athlete"
Dave Scott
6-Time World Champion

FREE DOWNLOAD

PERFORMANCE NUTRITION HANDBOOK

Authored by leading athletes, coaches and researchers the free Handbook uses the latest science to show you how to create your own nutrition action plan.

HOW CRASH DIETING MAKES YOU LESS FIT

Like everyone else, endurance athletes worry about their weight. And, like everyone else, endurance athletes diet periodically. We know that a pound contains about 3,500 calories, so if we eat 1,000 calories less each day, more than two pounds will magically disappear each week. And, since we are generally impatient, we push the daily caloric deficit to help us get to our goal weight faster. For athletes, however, the consequences of reducing caloric intake by 750-1,000 calories per day can be significant.

An often-ignored observation was made almost 30 years ago by researchers at Rockefeller University. They looked at the effect of calorie deficit on weight loss. As might be expected, the highest caloric deficit produced the greatest weight loss. What wasn't expected, however, was where the weight loss was coming from.

Everyone who goes on a diet is expecting to lose body fat. The researchers found that people who practiced moderate caloric restriction tended to lose the weight as fat. Ninety-one percent of the loss was fat and 9% was lean body mass, or muscle. When the subjects engaged in a diet involving severe calorie restriction, fat represented 48% of the loss and muscle represented 42%. Expressed another way, the greater the daily calorie restriction, the greater the loss of muscle mass.

This research also explains why the longer one is on a severe calorie restriction diet, the harder it is to keep losing weight. As the body loses more muscle mass there is a dramatic effect on overall energy metabolism, since a resting muscle cell burns almost eight times more energy per day than a fat cell. As you lose muscle mass, you have to eat even less to keep the weight loss going.

The final consequence of a crash diet begins the moment you stop the diet. Your body, having just gone through a period of food deprivation, goes into a hyper-storage mode when you resume normal eating. As we all know, hyper-storage is simply a nutritionist's way of saying fat accumulation. In anticipation that there might be another food deprivation cycle in the future, your body stores a higher percentage of food calories as fat.

Ironically, moderate to severe calorie restriction, which results in counter-adaptations by your body, is unnecessary. In fact, a recent study shows that a group who had a 200-calorie-a-day deficit had the same weight loss at six months as a group who had a 750-calorie-a-day deficit. More importantly, diets that have small daily caloric deficits (200-300 calories) don't activate the countermeasure that ultimately will make you less fit.

FREE RADICALS AND MUSCLE FATIGUE

You probably know that the muscles produce lots of free radicals during exercise. You may also know that free radicals produced during and after exercise damage muscle cells and contribute to post-exercise soreness. What you might not know is that free radicals also contribute to muscle fatigue during exercise. That’s right: free radicals can make you bonk. How they do it is not fully understood yet, but recent science makes it clear they do.

Free radicals are not all bad, though. The same compounds that make you bonk during exercise also stimulate physiological adaptations to exercise that make you fitter. Because of this, you don’t necessarily want to load up on a bunch of antioxidant supplements to squash the production of free radicals in your workouts. In other words, you don’t want to overdo your consumption of supplemental antioxidants to the point where they become a crutch that prevents your muscles from fully responding to your training.

Until we know more, your best bet is to focus on maintaining a healthy diet that helps strengthen your body’s own natural antioxidant defenses. For example, glutamine is a natural amino acid that increases the concentration of glutathione, the body’s “master antioxidant”, in muscle cells. Good sources of glutamine include meats, fish, eggs, dairy products, beans, beets, spinach and some recovery products.

SHOULD YOU EAT LIKE A CAVEMAN?

One of the latest trends in endurance sports nutrition is the Paleo Diet. It was developed by Loren Cordain, Ph.D., whose book, The Paleo Diet, was published in 2002. It became popular with endurance athletes after a sequel, The Paleo Diet for Athletes, was published three years later.

So what is the Paleo Diet? The authors believe that we humans are healthiest and function best when we eat exclusively those foods that our ancient ancestors ate during the Paleolithic Age, which covers the entire span of our evolution from roughly 2.5 million years ago to about 12,000 years ago. The rationale behind this way of eating is that our species evolved in adaptation to the foods we ate. Thus, our genes are specifically designed to use these nutrition sources. Any food types that entered our diet after the main work of our evolution was done—including grains and dairy products, which the Paleo Diet forbids—cannot be used as efficiently and effectively by our bodies.

There is plenty of anecdotal evidence in support of the Paleo Diet. Athletes who switch to it report fat loss and increased energy levels. However, there is no scientific evidence that the Paleo Diet is healthier or better for endurance performance than less restrictive healthy diets, such as vegetarian, Mediterranean, and DASH. Remember, the best diet is not just wholesome but also sustainable.

Transition Area Conduct: Placement of Equipment

2011-05-24T09:34:00.001-05:00

This week’s rule is Article 7.2 Placement of Equipment.

The rule addresses how a participant sets up his bike and gear in transition. In races where an assigned spot is designated by race number, the gear and bicycle must be placed on the same side as the race number designation on the transition rack. The front or the rear wheel must be down on the same side as the number and the gear.

If transition spaces are not assigned, then wherever the participant racks, his gear must be located on the same side of the rack as the down wheel. The gear - shoes, run bib, etc, must be next to the wheel that is down and no gear should extend out into the alleyway between racks, nor should it interfere in any way with the adjacent participant’s area.

USAT officials are available in the mornings of the race to advise participants if their gear and bike are racked legally.

Here’s the rule:

7.2. Placement of Equipment.
All participants shall place equipment only in the properly designated and individually assigned bicycle corral and shall at all time keep their equipment confined to such properly designated areas. Any violation of this section shall result in a variable time penalty.

Want to learn more about a specific rule?
Let us know at communications@usatriathlon.org. Put "Rules suggestion" in the subject line. We can feature it in the upcoming weeks.

Click here for more information on USA Triathlon Rules.

Reciepe Of The Week

2011-05-23T17:09:00.002-05:00

Grilled Vegetable Antipasto

Makes 8 servings

PointsPlus™ values | 2 per serving

Ingredients

2 medium red bell peppers, cored, seeded and cut into 1-inch wedges
2 medium green bell peppers, cored, seeded and cut into 1-inch wedges
2 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
2 medium yellow crook-neck squash, cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
1 medium eggplant, stemmed, cut in half lengthwise and then cut into 1/2-inch-thick half-moons
2 Tbsp olive oil
Cooking spray for the grill grate
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp minced fresh oregano leaves
1 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Toss vegetables with remaining ingredients and set aside.
Off heat, coat grill with cooking spray. Prepare gas grill for direct, high-heat grilling or build a high-heat charcoal bed in the center of the coal grate on a charcoal grill.
Place the vegetables directly over the heat source on the prepared grate. Cover and grill until the vegetables begin to char in places and develop distinct grill lines, about 6 minutes.
Turn the vegetables with tongs and continue grilling until they again have distinct grill lines over the fire and have begun to soften, about 4 minutes.
Transfer all the vegetables back to the bowl with any remaining marinade. Toss gently and serve.
Serving size: 2 cups.

Star Tours Opening 5//20/11

2011-05-19T10:07:00.000-05:00

Launching May 20th at Disney's Hollywood Studios® and June 3rd at Disneyland® Resort!

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Stress Got Your Metabolism Down?

2011-05-19T09:18:00.000-05:00

Stress Got Your Metabolism Down?

I'm sure you've heard of the fight-or-flight response, and you probably know that it's the way your body reacts to danger or stress. But do you know what the fight-or-flight response is? You guessed it: It has to do with hormones.

When you're faced with a danger, your adrenal glands release three hormones: norepinephrine, epinephrine (also known as adrenaline), and cortisol. Norepinephrine and epinephrine cause several changes to help you survive the danger, including a pause in insulin release so you have lots of blood sugar available for energy, an increase in heart rate and blood pressure, and a suspension of your appetite. After the danger has passed, cortisol tells the body to stop producing norepinephrine and epinephrine and stimulates your appetite again.

This response evolved to help people deal with short-term survival situations, like an attack by a predator. The trouble is, it occurs in response to all stressors, including the deadlines pummeling you at work and the traffic that drives you crazy. When stress is always present, your body can't get rid of the excess cortisol built up in the blood. That cortisol just hangs around, causing lots of trouble: It turns young fat cells into mature fat cells that stick with you forever, and increases your cravings for high-fat, high-carb foods.

When you give in to those cravings, your body releases a cascade of rewarding brain chemicals that can set up an addictive relationship with food — you stress, you eat. If you don't consciously control the pattern, you can become physically and psychologically dependent on that release to manage stress. In fact, people who self-medicate with food tend have hair-trigger epinephrine reactions and chronic high levels of cortisol.

You can help yourself keep cortisol in check by limiting caffeine intake to 200 milligrams a day; avoiding simple carbs, processed foods, and refined grains; and getting plenty of high-quality protein. It's also crucial that you find stress-relief techniques that work for you. If you can tame your stress response and lower cortisol levels, you'll have a much easier time losing weight.

Reciepe Of The Week

2011-05-17T07:38:00.001-05:00

Healthy Recipes

Spring Greens With Dijon Vinaigrette Recipe

Nutritional Info (Per serving):

Calories: 41, Saturated Fat: 0g, Sodium: 43mg, Dietary Fiber: 1g, Total Fat: 4g, Carbs: 2g, Cholesterol: 0mg, Protein: 1g

Exchanges: Vegetable: 0.5, Fat: 0.5

Total Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

1/3 cup(s) oil, hazelnut
1/3 cup(s) vinegar, white wine
1 tablespoon mustard, dijon-style
1 teaspoon herbes de Provence, dried
1/4 teaspoon salt, sea
16 cup(s) lettuce, mixed greens
2 cup(s) basil, fresh
1 medium cucumber(s), halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
6 radish(es), (3/4 cup) thinly sliced

Preparation

1. In a screw-top jar, combine oil, vinegar, mustard, herbes de Provence, and salt. Cover; shake well. Set aside.

2. In a very large salad bowl, toss together greens, basil, cucumber, and radishes. Add dressing; toss to coat. Sprinkle with cracked black pepper. If desired, top with croutons.

Team Voice ???

2011-05-13T12:56:00.000-05:00

Team Voice Radio Episode 5

2011-02-17T07:03:00.000-06:00

“Gimme 5! 5k”

2011-02-01T21:14:00.002-06:00

“Gimme 5! 5k” That’s right, you heard me, I want a 5k and a 5 spot this coming Saturday (2/5) from all Team Voice (do we have a larger distribution?). I’d like to see everyone do their 5k and then donate $5 to our new cause. It’s just the bump we need to show we are serious about getting going as well as giving us our first virtual event of the year. Either way, “it is time!”. So get out there on Saturday, yes…Saturday..not Sunday…not Friday… I don’t care what time of day or what time you put in, lets ALL clock in. The coincidence is that there is a Make A Wish 5k event going on Saturday down in Rae’s neck of the woods (those woods with less snow…yeah, we’re expecting up to another 2 ft in the next two days…ugh) and I think it would be great to do something in parallel. I’m committing to a sub 25 minute 5k on the mill (too dangerous outside right now..) and will donate $10 if I can do it and $15 if I can’t……
BY: Chris

That's right! This is Team Voice's first virtual event for the year. And yes we are now raising money for Make A Wish. So Come join us in a 5k this weekend,and donate 5. Here is the link , Team Voice Donate.

We are also working on a web site. Please stay tune.

Team Voice Episode 4

2011-01-24T07:32:00.000-06:00

Good morning team. Episode 4 is available at the link below or in Itunes. Having trouble with the embedded player this morning and need to get out the door to work. For some reason I can't get the player formatted to Blogger. It wants to format as Facebook. Will trying working this out later.

Have a great week.

http://introguys.podomatic.com/entry/2011-01-23T22_43_48-08_00

News from "The World"

2011-01-20T09:33:00.004-06:00

Our lead story tonight, a dude plans to marry his cat?!?!?

This coming Tuesday our friends Lisa of "Those Darn Cats" and Trace from "The Disney Dudes" will exchange vows at The Grand Floridian's Wedding Chapel. Trace has asked us to share that a webcast option is available for those of us who wish to see the wedding but can't be there. The date and time is Tuesday January 25th 10AM Eastern. For their Honeymoon Lisa and Trace will be sailing on Disney's newest cruise ship. The Disney Dream. I will also mention that Lisa and Trace are registered at the Disney Honeymoon Registry and GiftRegistry360.com. If you would like to email them congratualtions and do not have their email addresses send me (Jeff) an email and I'll pass that along to you.

Please follow the instructions below to view this event. *Please note: This is NOT the feed from our wedding video cameras, this is the feed from our webcam only.) The viewer window is not resizable due to server limitations.

1. Go to www.stvsweddings.com
2. Click on the "Live Webcast" button.
3. If requested, type in the username and password, exactly as below, all lower case.

username: blu-ray
password: magic

4. You may have to click on the "live Webcast" button again to gain access to the webcast page.
5. You will now see the "Webcast Viewer" (This may take 15 seconds to load.)

We will begin transmitting approximately 10 minutes before the time of the event. If you arrive at this page earlier than 10 minutes, you will see a series of pictures fading on and off the screen. Wait until 10 minutes before the event time and refresh your screen. It may take 15 seconds for the "Viewer" to reload again, so be patient. When you see a wide shot of the ceremony location, you are viewing the webcast. Be sure to refresh your screen 10 minutes before the event time.

and now from across the news desk Chris has this to offer,

"Team Voicer Show's off Bling at Disney and

impresses Jennifer Anniston (check the server name...)"

Soooo, I'm not sure what to do here. If I publish this on my blog, nobody will read it and I think it deserves
much more notoriety than that! Attached is the receipt from Le Cellier from our dinner after the full marathon. Mr. Obnoxious wore 4 medals, and it didn't go unnoticed by the hostess. :-)

I really wanted to put Justin's head on P-diddy's body while he was holding out his hands showing off his rings or something...with the 4 medals draped around his neck....or as I called him that night....put his head on Flav-a-flav's body with the medals replacing the large watch.....

Two Dopes and a Goof. Justin, Amanda and Chris.

(Please note Justin's official Flava Flav Pace Clock)

Further captions are welcome.

King Of The Hill

2011-01-10T23:33:00.004-06:00

First I want to congratulate all the Team Voicers who did the Disney marathon this weekend. It was an exciting and exhilarating for me being a spectator. I think I did a half marathon running around trying to keep up with everyone!!

This year we are going to do a challenge for beginners and our elite walkers and runners.

King Of the Hill!

It is really easy.
1. You post here, let us know you are going to be apart of this challenge.
2. At the end of the month, post here your mileage for the month. {walking and running only}
3. If you have the most mileage for the month, you will be king of the hill.
4. Try to maintain it.
5. Whom ever holds the King of The Hill the most from Jan.2011 TO Jan.2012. Will be the winner of the grand prize.{One of our meets at Disney in Jan.2012 we will announce the winner.

Rae, what is the grand prize?? I will post it later. It is grand in it's Disney glory.

BTW..marathon weekend counts!

Whose gonna join me??

It's That Time Of The Year ....

2011-01-04T11:59:00.004-06:00

Happy New year Team Voice!!

It is that time of the new year for WDW marathon weekend. This is the best way to start any year off. I will not be in the races, but I will be there cheering!
Looks like it will be alot warmer this year. As long as the high pressure does not move out, it will be a nice warmer weekend! I will be twittering on Saturday, Follow me at runnerrae. I will be trying to do a live feed Saturday Morning Early with everyone. All the runners/walkers have to be in there corral by 5am!

Track my Runner Click here

EXPO
Thursday, January 6, 2011 from 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Friday, January 7, 2011 from 9:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, January 8, 2011 from 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
ESPN Wide World of Sports® Complex

GOOFY’S RACE AND A HALF CHALLENGE
You are required to attend Packet Pick-Up on either Thursday or Friday in
order to receive your race materials. If you have participated in Goofy’s
Race and a Half Challenge in previous years, please note the process
has changed. Wristbands are no longer required for Goofy participants.
Therefore, you will not receive wristbands at Packet Pick-Up this year.
Please ensure you have received the following:
• Two Race Bibs: Half Marathon (ORANGE) and Marathon (BLUE) –
please note, if you are Perfectly Goofy you will receive a WHITE
Marathon bib instead of a BLUE Marathon bib
• Two D-Tags: attached to the back of each bib is the ChronoTrack
D-Tag for the respective race
• Three Race Shirts and One Goody Bag
It is recommended that you attend one of the Goofy’s Race and Half
Challenge seminars during the Speaker Series at the HP Field House for
last minute tips and information. See Speaker Series Schedule for times.

GOOFY’S RACE AND A HALF CHALLENGE
If you have participated in Goofy’s Race and a Half Challenge in previous years, please note the process has changed. You do not need to check in at the Goofy Tent on Saturday after completing the Half Marathon. After crossing the finish line on Sunday and receiving your Marathon medal, please check in at the Goofy Tent. You will receive your Goofy medal after we verify that you completed the Half Marathon and Marathon in the allotted times.

PERFECT 18 AND PERFECTLY GOOFY PARTICIPANTS
If you are a “Perfect 18” or “Perfectly Goofy” participant, please pick up your commemorative lanyard at the Perfect Tent located immediately after the finish line.

PACING REQUIREMENTS
All athletes entering the Marathon, Half Marathon, and Goofy’s Race and a Half Challenge must be able to maintain a 16-minute per mile pace throughout each race. Anyone who is not able to maintain a 16-minute per mile pace may be picked up and transported to the Family Reunion area at Epcot®. You may be picked up at any point along the course for not maintaining a 16-minute per mile pace. It is suggested that athletes train for a 15-minute per mile pace or faster to allow time for breaks (restroom breaks, photo opportunities, etc.).

Saturday, January 8, 2011
Walt Disney World® Half Marathon presented by CIGNA
Start Location: Epcot® Center Drive
5:30 a.m. – Wheelchair Start
5:35 a.m. – Wave 1 Start
5:41 a.m. – Wave 2 Start
5:47 a.m. – Wave 3 Start
5:53 a.m. – Wave 4 Start
5:59 a.m. – Wave 5 Start
6:05 a.m. – Wave 6 Start
6:11 a.m. – Wave 7 Start
6:17 a.m. – Wave 8 Start

Sunday, January 9, 2011
Walt Disney World® Marathon presented by CIGNA
Start Location: Epcot® Center Drive
5:30 a.m. – Wheelchair Start
5:35 a.m. – Wave 1 Start
5:39 a.m. – Wave 2 Start
5:43 a.m. – Wave 3 Start
5:47 a.m. – Wave 4 Start
5:51 a.m. – Wave 5 Start
5:55 a.m. – Wave 6 Start
5:59 a.m. – Wave 7 Start
6:03 a.m. – Wave 8 Start

Marathon Monday Rules

Ok walkers and runners, Please remember one thing!! Have fun! If I see you, I may just end up walking with you!!
Keep your goal in mind do not worry about the people, Keep your goal in mind!! It is all about Finishing! It is just a walk in the Park!!

I will see you at the FINISH LINE!!
Rae

New Stamps For 2011

2010-12-31T11:27:00.000-06:00

This in from Chris...

Send a Hello

Since 1986, Pixar films have stretched the boundaries of our imagination with stories about unlikely heroes who explore the bonds of friendship and family. Now some of those heroes are the subjects of colorful new Send a Hello stamps that encourage people to connect with loved ones through the mail.

The Send a Hello stamps, which go on sale Aug. 19, are a natural outgrowth of the Art of Disney stamp series issued between 2004 and 2008. Originally intended as a series of three annual issuances depicting friendship, celebration, and romance, the Art of Disney stamps proved so popular that the Postal Service expanded the series to include issuances in 2007 and 2008 to celebrate imagination and magic.

Based on that success, the Postal Service was eager to work with the Walt Disney Company again, choosing to explore the Disney*Pixar films, which offer exciting, contemporary characters and strong themes involving family and friends.

This pane of 20 stamps includes five different designs featuring Pixar characters: Lightning McQueen and Mater from Cars (2006); Remy the rat and Linguini from Ratatouille (2007); Buzz Lightyear and two of the green, three-eyed aliens from Toy Story (1995); Carl Fredricksen and Dug from Up (2009); and the robot WALL*E from WALL*E (2008).

Since the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature was introduced in 2001, all seven Pixar films released since that time have been nominated and five of the seven have won, including Ratatouille, WALL*E and Up.

Team Voice Radio Episode Three

2010-12-29T01:12:00.000-06:00

Greetings Team Voice,

Episode three of the Team Radio is now available for download. Itunes is currently reviewing our show and hopefully it will be added to their search engine in the near future.

This time out Mike and I are joined on Skype by Chris and Justin for a round table discussion on Disney running events and training. Thanks to Amanda and Jonathan for returning answers to Chris’s question. The way the show when we read one answer from each of you and Mike and I plan to cover the other questions post Marathon weekend. Perhaps when we do we can also figure out a time that each of you could join us to discuss these yourselves.

You’ll notice that some of the audio quality is a little lacking. All the audio was pulled from my sound card due to some technical issues with Mike Audacity. Also I had forgotten to mention that recordings sound best if everyone involved is recording their own end. This way all the files can be sent to Mike or myself for a cleaner sounding edit. Sound issues aside, we had a fun discussion that we hope you’ll enjoy.

Looking forward to your feedback and to seeing many of you next week.

Jeff.

Oh and hey I figured out the embedding thing!

Team Voice Radio Episode 2

2010-12-12T12:05:00.001-06:00

Greetings everyone! I'm happy to announce that Mike has posted a new podcast episode. Be sure to update your itunes or simply click the link below to be directed to our production page over at introguys.podmatic.com
How the weather in your area? Tundra weather has finally arrived here in the midwest.

Episode 2

Team Voice Member Of The Month..

2010-12-05T22:26:00.005-06:00

HI All!! Here is our last Team Voice Member of the Month for 2010. I am having trouble posting the photo. So when I can It will be added. Enjoy reading I sure did!! Richard Tramm take it away!!

In the last few days of being 40 back in late 2006, I felt I was at a “now or never” point where I was running out of time to try to regain my health and maybe even to be able to pursue a long dormant dream of running a marathon (specifically the Marine Corps Marathon). My weight was around 254/255 lb, and had been in the 230 – 270 lb range for most of the years since I left the Marine Corps (15 years earlier). The tolls of raising a family, finishing college and pursuing a career were rewarding in their own ways, but somehow not paying attention to myself allowed me to balloon upward in weight and stay there. I tried to stay active in many ways—and even lost 66 lbs at one point (making it ever so briefly to 199.5 lbs!!); though only to put it back on in the year or two following. I wasn’t suffering any specific symptoms of ill health due to my weight, but I could tell that my doctor thought that was only a matter of time.

I first latched onto John Bingham’s book, Marathoning for Mortals, and began to plan. I set out on a plan that would lead me to run my first half marathon in a few months. I started by utilizing a walk-run plan where I walked 4 minutes to each minute run (i.e. 4w:1r as I logged in my notes), in a few weeks that became 3w:1r, then in a few more weeks that became 3w:2r, then in a few weeks 2w:2r, until that day where I set out on a successful 1w:3r run. This was where I really thought that I could do this! As all this was going on, I was slowly building my distances, and even ran a few local races. In the span of a few months I completed my first 5K (38:45), 10K (1:16:45) and half marathon 2:57:59. Half marathon race day came with several unique challenges. First there was a major wreck that shut down the highway heading to the race site when a gas tanker truck rolled over. You could see runners in all the cars, some of whom got out and ran the 2 or so miles to the race site. Eventually the traffic cleared and I got to the race site about 25 minutes late. Although they had shut off the timing mats, I (and a few others) asked people which way they went, and we headed out. The first water station was actually almost cleaned up by the time I got there, and I kept going. Several runners would pass me by as they also started late, but every once in a rare while I actually caught somebody. As the day went on I felt good and had a good run, but nothing compared to that feeling of crossing that finish line, officially 3:24:01 while 2:57:59 on my watch (the discrepancy due to the late start)! I was elated at having completed my goal, and I set my sites on the future as the summer period came along where I maintained my new training program.

After that first running year, I was undoubtedly healthier although I had made the classic mistake of thinking I could eat whatever I wanted and gained about 10 lbs. Weighing in at 263lb now, I reevaluated my program and made changes. To this day I can only lose weight if I exercise and eat perfectly, so I have settled for slower weight loss as my diet intermittently poses setbacks. However, as I now weigh in around 205 lbs. now I see myself as a success and a work in progress, as I still want to “live a little” from time to time.

In 2008, I began to look at triathlons and started to train for one. Unfortunately, a few weeks before it I was rear-ended in an auto wreck and was sidelined for a few months of recovery and physical therapy, but I was able to run my fall goal races later that year. It was at a 30K race later in the year that I happened upon another runner that I was near all day who wore the shirt from a triathlon that was a long-term goal race for me. We talked and got to know each other a bit over the last 6-8 miles or so of the race and today Heather is one of my best friends and is also a valuable advisor (and as I write this she is on the back half on the run portion of her first Ironman race in Cozumel!). In fact, running and triathlons opened the door to many friendships as I got to know people through many groups Woodlands Fit and The Woodlands Running Clubs are local groups through which I know many, the WISH Racing Team and Team Voice have each been valuable online contact points, and my newest membership is through my coached triathlon group OutRival Racing.

In 2009 I decided it was time to go for the lofty goals of pursuing triathlons and eventually the marathon. I registered early for the Goofy Challenge—knowing that I could pair my longtime love of Disney with my love of running and I would train for this by continuing my half iron tri training through the week leading up to the Disney races. In October 2009, I took on the Longhorn Half Ironman, after completing several shorter triathlon races earlier in the year, it was a long day with a number of issues, but in the end I persevered and finished in 7:58:38, just making the 8 hour cutoff. A few weeks later I ran the San Antonio Rock n Roll half race and completed a rough day in which I discovered that A) my body really was not recovered and B) that I could finish 26.2 miles as I was now a marathoner in a time of 6:11:36, even if I did walk most of the last 6-7 miles.

Finally January 2010 rolls around and I make it out to Disney. I get to meet some of my online friends and find out that they are real people. Most of all I have a complete blast doing the half and full marathons in conditions that I can only laugh about now. Extreme cold, sleet, wind, ice….all came on these days, but I still made the most of them. My favorite memory comes from getting the opportunity to ride Expedition Everest in the midst of the marathon—when will I ever be able to top that! It might cost me a new marathon PR as I finished in 6:17:45, though I have no complaints from this day.

2010 really became my personal triathlon year as I worked more on those races, completing 6 during the year. I took on my second half iron race in April and was determined to do well. It was a tough day, and I was disappointed in several ways. I did set a new PR of 7:52:07, and Heather (who had also raced today) reminded me that it was not a PR type of day, but I was left feeling more disappointed than satisfied. My problem, as I would only much later figure out, was that I was training to finish race, not to accomplish specific goals within the race. So, in a way, I was only doing what I had trained for. I sought professional help (coaching not therapy!) and I learned new training techniques as I improved. I saw my race time improve, but mostly I could just tell that I was getting better. A knee injury pushed me back from repeating the Longhorn Half Ironman and I instead did a local race, Iron Star that was a few weeks later. Iron Star is a local half iron distance race that has a popular following and I learned why. It is well organized and very well supported.

Race day brought a 40 degree morning and I brought a new training plan, a new nutrition plan and determination that this was the day I would not just finish--today I planned to put out my best effort by following a plan. However, the day did not quite go according to plan. The race starts with a 1.2 mile swim, I had not yet gotten below the 50 minute range on a half iron swim and today I planned to do just that. I exited the water in 39:55; stunned that I had gotten out that fast and thinking I may have inadvertently hit the lap button earlier in the swim (it was the correct swim time). I took my time in transition and set out on the bike. The first 1/3 of the bike was a good solid effort through the national forest areas northwest of the lake and I held a good speed. The bike second third of the bike was a bit slower but still within my plan. It was in the last third that I had some real issues…the steeper and taller hills, as well as the headwind slowed me down a good bit and I was losing most of the time I had gained on my PR goal. Several times I looked at my watch and considered pushing harder, but would remember that I had committed to a heart rate-based plan and then each time I would stay on plan. I finished with a bike time PR of around 3 minutes, but was thinking that was much slower than I had hoped for. However, it was during the run that the wisdom of my race plan came to shine through. Each of the previous half iron races had seen the run degrade into the type of “death-march” like walk with short spurts of running as I tried to finish. Today each of the first 2 miles rolled off at 12:02, and I kept running… I had planned a few walk breaks, mostly at aids stations and at heart rate spikes (which only came around 3 times). As the miles went by, I maintained pace (continuing running in the 12 something range with an occasional 1 minute walk). By the end I finished the 13.1 mile run in 2:48:49, nearly a half hour improvement in the run from my previous half iron race. As it turned out, it was a tough bike day for many, so staying on plan was a wise choice as my race time for the day was 7:07:43, which was a 45 minute PR!!

I’m currently just getting back into training with a new long term goal in mind. This will be the first year that I settle down and do fewer races as I focus on a narrow, single-minded goal. That goal is to take on the 140.6 mile course of the inaugural Ironman Texas race, which is actually in my neighborhood with the start line being about 2.5 miles form my house. I predict a long winter and a tough spring for me training-wise, but at 7:00 a.m.on May 21, 2011, I will be there ready to go with the support of my many friends keeping me going.

Announcing Team Voice Radio

2010-11-28T14:43:00.001-06:00

Greetings!

Team Voice now has a Podcast. Click the link in the right side column to download from Itunes.

Still working on getting an embedded player.

Please leave feed back.

Jeff

Peppermint Bark

2010-11-28T08:01:00.000-06:00

Peppermint Bark

By Alison Needham

Why pay outrageous prices for peppermint bark in the store when it is so easy to make this holiday treat at home? Packaged in a cute tin, it makes a wonderful gift as well. Kids love to help spread the melted chocolate and smash the candy canes for the topping.

Hands-On Time: 20 minutes
Ready In: 1 hour, plus cooling time
Yield: 2 pounds of candy

Ingredients
1 package of good-quality white chocolate chips
1 package of good-quality semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 teaspoons of peppermint extract
4 regular sized candy canes

Directions

Place candy canes in a freezer-strength ziplock bag and wrap with a dish towel. Using a heavy pan or a rolling pin, smash candy canes to little bits on a sturdy, non-dentable surface (like the driveway, patio or garage floor…my kids love this part). Or you can chop them up in your food processor. Set aside.
Place the semi-sweet chocolate chips in a large microwaveable bowl. Heat in the microwave for 1 minute at 50% power. Stir. Heat again for 1 minute at 50% power. Stir until smooth and completely melted and almost room temperature. Alternately, you can melt the chocolate over a double boiler and remove to cool bowl and stir until chocolate is barely warm. Add 1 teaspoon of peppermint extract and spread chocolate on a baking sheet lined with waxed paper to about a 13 x 17 inch rectangle. Place tray in the freezer to set chocolate.
Meanwhile, melt white chocolate in the microwave for 30 seconds at 50% power. Stir. Heat for another 30 seconds at 50% power. Stir until chocolate is melted and smooth and cooled to room temperature. Stir in 1 teaspoon of peppermint extract. Remove semi-sweet chocolate from the freezer. Spread white chocolate over the top of the semi-sweet chocolate, all the way to the edges. Sprinkle with chopped candy cane bits and press them in slightly to make sure they stick. Return the pan to the freezer for about 15-30 minutes, or until chocolate is set. Snap candy into large shards and package as desired.

Day Late

2010-11-26T08:11:00.001-06:00

11/21-12/5 Giveaway

2010-11-23T21:40:00.000-06:00

11/21-12/5 Giveaway

Her is the first give away for my Avon shop. This give away is Foot Works. I t will run from now till 12/6/10. All new customers will get a chance to win these products. Order must be over $15.00′s and I have your e-mail address and phone number.

This is the foot scrub. It is lightly coconut scented. It is a sand scrub. When we tried some ,it is very nice not oily, or to dry. E my Hunny like it. He said the scent is nice. He liked how the scrub worked on his feet.

This the the Foot Works lotion . It is coconut lightly scented. The lotion is not oily. Does not leave your feet feeling oily or greasy. And after a day of use E said he can tell the difference in the softness of his feet.

This is the Foot Works lightly scented cooling spray. Again it does not make the feet feel oily or greasy. It is refreshing. Again E also like this product.

This is ideal for walkers/runners,people who are on their feet all day, or just looking to do a home spa day for the feet.

These products will be gifted wrapped. Again thank you for choosing me.

If your are wanting to be apart of the raffle, but don’t want to be an Avon customer, you can go over to the Team Voice Event Page and donate $5.00 dollars, you will be entered in the giveaway. The donations will go to charity of Team Voice board members choice.Please note If you donate, make sure you list your Email address.

This is what you get when you win the give away!!!

gift basket set: $ 15.00, Foot Works scrub:% 5.00, Foot Works Cooling Spray:$ 5.00, All in One Foot file:$6.00, Foot Works Lotion $5.00. Retails @ $41.00

Good Luck to all!!

Magic Paint

2010-11-23T17:48:00.000-06:00

Disney Stocks Closed Today At...

2010-11-19T22:10:00.000-06:00

Nov 19 2010 4:00PM (Delayed 20 minutes)

LAST		CHANGE	VOLUME
37.01		-0.57	13,691,759
INTRADAY HIGH	INTRADAY LOW	PREVIOUS CLOSE	OPEN
37.33	36.75	37.58	37.10
52-WEEK HIGH	52-WEEK LOW	MARKET CAP ¹	SHARES OUTSTANDING ²
38.00	28.71	75,548,760,523	2,041,306,688

¹ Market cap is calculated by multiplying the last share price by the shares outstanding.
² Shares of common stock outstanding as of May 4, 2005.

Frequency:

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Replication or redistribution of EDGAR Online, Inc. content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of EDGAR Online, Inc. EDGAR Online, Inc. shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon.

Disney's Epic Mickey

2010-11-19T10:59:00.006-06:00

Disney Sports Enthusiast News

2010-11-19T07:35:00.000-06:00

Disney Sports Attractions is proud to offer our dedicated Sports Enthusiasts the chance to participate in a special event!

IT’S FUN !!

IT’S FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY !!

IT’S FREE !!

Lights! Camera! Action!

The cameras are ready to roll on the

“Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade”

television show at Magic Kingdom

and you are invited to be part of the magic on

Friday, December 3,

Saturday, December 4, 2010.

Space is limited so register now to watch your

favorite Disney characters and guest stars perform on

Main Street U.S.A. and on Cinderella’s Castle Stage

in the Magic Kingdom.

Click HERE to learn more

and register now!

Iron Deficiency and Anemia in Athletes

2010-11-18T19:13:00.000-06:00

Iron Deficiency and Anemia in Athletes

By: Christopher D. Jensen, PhD, MPH, RD
Nutrition & Epidemiology Researcher

Training for and competing in an Ironman Triathlon is an enormous physical challenge. Imagine if that challenge were made even more formidable by having to endure vexing symptoms such as lack of endurance, persistent fatigue, a higher heart rate during exercise, irritability, and a noticeable reduction in your motivation to train.

Faced with these symptoms, your first instinct might be to assign blame to overtraining or perhaps not enough carbohydrates to meet the muscle fueling demands of your workouts. So you make the necessary adjustments to your recovery and you eat more carbs. But those same debilitating symptoms persist.

What could be the culprit?
One possibility is low iron, resulting in iron deficiency anemia. This preventable condition can develop over time and rob you of your ability to work out and compete at your best. This article explains iron deficiency anemia, how it develops, who is most at risk and why — and, most importantly, simple steps you can take to prevent it.

Ironman athletes need iron
As a triathlete, you push your body virtually every single day. It’s your muscles that power you as you train in the water, on the bike, and on your feet. Your muscles depend on a constant supply of energy and oxygen. The mineral iron turns out to play a key role in both energy production and the delivery of oxygen throughout the body.

Cells, including muscle cells, require energy in order to function. Without this energy, your muscles would simply shut down. The energy powerhouses found in cells are called mitochondria, and iron is a critical player in allowing these energy-producing biological structures to produce the metabolic energy needed for the muscle contractions that enable you to exercise. Your hard-working muscles also require oxygen. Here again it is iron, this time in partnership with red blood cells in the bloodstream, that participates in getting much-needed oxygen to muscle tissues. Red blood cells get the credit for making these all-important oxygen deliveries, but it’s a protein bound to iron and found in red blood cells — called hemoglobin — that is responsible for binding to oxygen in your lungs and then releasing it to tissues, such as your muscles, that require it.

Iron Deficiency Anemia Deconstructed

Iron is an essential nutrient. That means your body can’t make it and you have to get it from your diet. But if you don’t consume enough iron to meet your needs, over time, iron deficiency anemia can develop. Anemia is a condition where the blood’s ability to transport oxygen is reduced. While there are many types of anemia, and just as many causes, a common type is iron deficiency anemia; when it occurs in athletes, it has debilitating effects on athletic performance.

Iron deficiency anemia doesn’t develop overnight. Instead, depletion of iron occurs in stages. It starts when an individual consumes too little iron to meet their daily needs. When this happens, the body is forced to rely on its reserves, and gradually stores of iron in the body become depleted. In the absence of adequate iron stores, red blood cells continue to form, but they are small in size and contain less-than-normal amounts of hemoglobin. Red blood cells have a lifespan of about 120 days. So gradually over time the new less-than-optimal red blood cells that are smaller than normal and low in hemoglobin replace more and more of the older, normal versions. Unfortunately, the ability of these newly formed cells to carry oxygen is impaired. As a result, during exercise your heart has to beat faster to try to keep up with the metabolic demand for oxygen. But it’s a losing battle. With suboptimal oxygen delivery, neither your brain nor your muscles can function at their best. The end result is lagging motivation to exercise, feelings of irritability, persistent fatigue, and overall poor endurance. Needless to say, Ironman Triathlons and iron deficiency anemia do not make for a good combination.

Problematic in athletes
Iron deficiency anemia is the most common nutrient deficiency condition in the world, so it’s not a problem that is exclusive to athletes. But its detrimental effects are quite apparent in athletes. According to an expert in the field, being an athlete definitely shines the spotlight on the condition if it is present. In fact, an individual who is not very physically active might not even be aware that they have anemia, whereas an individual who trains hard and tries to get the most out of their body on a daily basis will clearly notice a difference in physical performance as iron deficiency anemia takes hold.

Being a triathlete puts a stress on your iron stores in a number of ways. For example, when you train and compete, you sweat a tremendous amount in order to cool yourself. With each drop of that sweat, a tiny amount of iron is lost. Endurance athletes also have a reduced flow of blood to the digestive tract during extended exercise, and this can be accompanied by some gastrointestinal bleeding. Any time you lose blood, you lose the iron associated with hemoglobin in red blood cells. Many triathletes take aspirin or other pain-relieving or anti-inflammatory medications, and these too can cause blood to be lost via the gastrointestinal tract. Finally, the physical impact of running is believed to take a toll on iron stores. Experts call the phenomenon foot-strike hemolysis. The idea is that as your feet pound the pavement when running, the impact causes red blood cells to burst, and the iron inside these cells is then lost. These effects of exercise aren’t enough to cause iron deficiency anemia, but the depleting effects can compound the problem if your iron stores are already low to begin with.

Triathletes at highest risk
While exercise itself increases the daily need for iron a bit in virtually all endurance athletes, some athletes are more at risk for iron deficiency anemia than others. Those with either higher needs for iron, lower iron intakes, or a combination of both are at highest risk.

Women athletes of reproductive age are at the top of the high-risk list. Two things are working against you if you fall into this category. The first is that monthly menstrual blood loss, while completely normal, can be a big contributor to iron depletion. In fact, because of menstrual blood losses, women of childbearing age require about 18 mg of iron from the diet on a daily basis, while men require only about 8 mg of iron daily. That’s just half the story. Men not only have lower iron needs, they consume more calories or food on a daily basis, and so they usually easily meet their iron needs. Women, on the other hand, have a greater need for iron, but they typically have to meet their needs while consuming fewer calories than men. Thus, it’s all too common that women of childbearing age often come up short on iron and suffer a disproportionate share of iron deficiency anemia.

Endurance athletes tend to be at higher risk for iron depletion because the high-carb diet needed to meet the ongoing energy demands of the sport doesn’t provide iron with the best bioavailability. Plant-sourced foods such as grains, fruits, vegetables, and beans are chock-full of carbs and other important nutrients, but the iron from these sources is not as well absorbed as iron from meat, poultry, or fish.

Vegetarian athletes who rely only on plant-derived foods are at higher risk for iron deficiency for the same reason.

Finally, adolescent athletes undergoing growth spurts also make the high-risk list because they have a higher need for iron to support growth and development. If their daily iron needs go unmet, reserves dwindle and iron deficiency anemia can develop.

How to know if you’re low
Full-blown iron deficiency anemia and low iron stores are detected by blood tests. A low hemoglobin level generally indicates that you’ve reached the anemia stage. You can also be iron deficient with dwindling iron stores yet not have full-blown iron deficiency anemia. Often, physicians will not only test the blood for hemoglobin concentration, they will also test for the ferritin level in your bloodstream. Ferritin is a protein that binds to iron and circulates in the bloodstream. A low serum ferritin level suggests that your stores of iron are low and that you may be headed for iron deficiency anemia.

Prevention is the best medicine
The best way to ensure adequate iron stores and prevent iron deficiency anemia is to consume adequate iron. While you need a high-carb diet in order to keep up with the demands of triathlon workouts and competitions, getting enough iron every day requires a few tweaks to your dietary strategy. If you make those course corrections, iron deficiency anemia is preventable:

Strategy #1: Consume a diet naturally rich in iron
If possible, try to include some lean cuts of red meat, beans, lentils, dark-green leafy vegetables, eggs, and nuts in your diet. These are some of the higher-iron sources in the diet. Red meat is a particularly good source because the chemical form of the iron is easier to absorb. Plant-derived foods have a different chemical form of iron that is harder to absorb.

Strategy #2: When eating iron-containing foods, consume a vitamin C source
Vitamin C strongly enhances iron absorption, especially the iron from plant-derived sources. A little vitamin C goes a long way. When 25–50 mg of vitamin C is taken during a meal, iron absorption increases by two- to sixfold. Vitamin C-rich foods include citrus fruits, cantaloupe, and strawberries. Vegetable sources of vitamin C include broccoli, spinach, potatoes, tomatoes, and peppers.

Strategy #3: Take advantage of iron-fortified cereals
Iron-fortified foods such as cereals can be a good way to get iron along with the carbs you need to fuel your training. Many fortified cereals contain anywhere from 45% –100% of the daily value for iron per serving, or between 8.1 mg and 18 mg of iron. (The percentages for labeling are based on a daily value of 18 mg per day.) And don’t forget to pair that cereal with a glass of orange juice to improve iron absorption.

Strategy #4: Consider an iron-containing multivitamin/mineral supplement
If you are a woman of childbearing age, a vegetarian, or you’re in the midst of your growth spurt, you may need a little dietary iron insurance. If that’s the case, consider a one-a-day type of multivitamin/mineral that includes iron.

Stategy #5: Talk to your doctor
If you think you have iron deficiency or iron deficiency anemia, talk to your doctor about getting tested. Your doctor can also advise you on the need for and risks associated with iron supplementation.

A Word To The Wise About Iron Supplementation:

Competitive athletes are always trying to get an edge on their competition; thus, it’s not too surprising to find athletes taking iron supplements. Case in point, a study of elite road cyclists in France found that one-third of the athletes had elevated serum ferritin levels, meaning they had excessively high stores of iron. This indiscriminate use of iron supplements is not a good idea. While a little iron is clearly essential for good health, and eliminating iron deficiency anemia improves athletic performance, too much iron can cause gastrointestinal side effects. In addition, there is a subset of the population that has a hereditary disorder that is characterized by excessive iron absorption from food, which, if left untreated, can cause harm to the liver. The bottom line is to meet your daily need for iron, preferably with food sources, and avoid over-consuming iron.

References:
Clark SF. Iron Deficiency Anemia. Nutr Clin Prac 2008; 23: 128–141.

Zoller H, Vogel W. Iron Supplementation in Athletes — First Do No Harm. Nutrition 2004; 20: 615–619.

Training Tip Of The Week

2010-11-18T07:49:00.000-06:00

Learn Portion Sizes

2010-11-10T21:48:00.001-06:00

Learn Portion Sizes

By:Alex M. McDonald, MD

We have all probably heard the phrase, “portion distortion.” The average person has a very poor concept of what a single portion is and how big it looks on his plate. To monitor what and how much athletes put into their bodies, they must first start with an understanding of what a single serving of any foodstuff looks like on a plate. Many people read the nutritional information on the back of packaging but forget to examine how many servings are in the package. Additionally, many people are shocked to learn that a single serving of meat (about 3–5 oz) is about the size of a deck of cards. To develop an awareness of our nutritional intake, we must first learn to estimate how much food and how many servings we are actually consuming.

Training Tip of The Week.

2010-11-09T11:32:00.002-06:00

Eat This Now: Spaghetti Squash

2010-11-08T21:07:00.001-06:00

Eat This Now: Spaghetti Squash

In season early fall to winter. By Yishane Lee Image by Joe McKendry From the November 2010 issue of Runner's World

GOOD FOR YOU
One cup of spaghetti squash (whose edible interior breaks up into noodle-like strands when cooked) has just 42 calories with two grams of fiber. It's also a good source of vitamin B6 and C, as well as the minerals manganese, potassium, and iron

GET THE BEST
The oblong squash, which has a slightly sweet flavor, should feel heavy for its size and be free of bruises or soft spots. The color can range from pale ivory to yellow and orange. Store whole spaghetti squash at room temperature for up to a month.

KITCHEN SIMPLE
Pierce the surface of a whole spaghetti squash with a fork multiple times. Bake it at 400° F for one hour. Let it cool, then slice open and use a fork to comb out the stringy flesh. Bittman suggests squeezing in a strainer to drain excess water. Toss with a little browned butter, ground nutmeg, chopped sage, grated Parmesan cheese, and black pepper.

Supporting and Boosting Your Immune System

2010-11-05T21:15:00.000-05:00

Supporting and Boosting Your Immune System

By: Christopher D. Jensen, PhD, MPH, RD
Nutrition & Epidemiology Researcher

You’ve spent months training for the upcoming Ironman — you’re right on track to really make your mark in the race — but suddenly you’re waylaid by a cold or flu bug. For more than a few triathletes, a seemingly trivial head cold has completely undermined preparation for a big race, leaving the athlete to wonder, what if?

The fact is that rigorous endurance training and exhausting competitions can temporarily impair your immune system and leave you vulnerable to nagging colds that sap your strength and wreak havoc on your training and competition schedule.

Colds are common after endurance events
Endurance exercise and catching a cold often go hand-in-hand. Researchers following ultra-marathon runners competing in a race in South Africa found that about one-third of the 150 athletes they tracked ended up developing an upper respiratory tract infection within a few weeks of the race. Among athletes competing in the grueling 100-mile Western States Endurance Run, about one in four reported cold symptoms in the two weeks following the event. And in over 1,800 runners competing in a full marathon, almost 13% reported coming down with a cold within a week of the race.

What’s up with the spike in colds post-exercise? The theory is that the physical stress of a heavy bout of endurance exercise increases the circulating concentrations of stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. In the short term, these hormones help you meet the immediate physical demands of exercise. But the price paid is a temporary suppression of your immune system — often it’s just enough of a window of opportunity for a head or chest cold to take hold.

So how do you reap the benefits of your training and compete in your events, without short-circuiting your immune system? As it turns out, nutrition may help.

Nutrition Strategies for Supporting Your Immune System

An important strategy when you’re training for or competing in an Ironman triathlon is to ensure that your diet provides all that you need in the way of nutrients and dietary factors to support healthy immune function:

Adequate protein in the diet is important because critical components of the immune system, such as antibodies, are made up of protein. The protein you eat is digested into amino acids. These amino acid building blocks are then absorbed and repackaged into the types of protein your body needs, including those proteins that support immune function. Protein also provides the amino acid glutamine, which serves as a fuel source for important immune system cells. Having adequate glutamine available helps your immune system launch an appropriate counterattack against pathogens that might otherwise put you under the weather.
Essential vitamins and minerals are also important. These nutrients support the rapid replication of immune cells that is a critical step in warding off cold bugs and other infectious agents. Eating a wide variety of different foods, including plenty of fruits, vegetables, and grains can help ensure you get the nutrients you need. A case can also be made for a balanced once-a-day type multi-vitamin and -mineral supplement as an extra measure of insurance for consistently getting the essential vitamins and minerals you need to support your immune system.
Calories are critical, yet many Ironman triathletes spend so much time training that there’s often little time left over to purchase, prepare, and eat the food needed to be their best. Also, some athletes make the mistake of ramping up their training while cutting calories to try to get leaner. Unfortunately, that can be a shortcut to the infirmary. Researchers have found that for endurance athletes, even a few weeks of dieting to lose weight can impair the function of your immune system. To ensure that your immune system stays strong when you’re training hard or competing, definitely avoid dieting. Also, plan ahead and have snacks and meals at the ready so that inadvertent calorie shortfalls don’t occur during periods of heavy exercise.
Carbohydrate intake not only fuels your muscles, it also seems to play an important role in immune function. Studies show athletes eating low-carbohydrate diets who engage in prolonged strenuous exercise end up with sharp increases in circulating levels of the stress hormones. As stress hormone levels rise, the number and activity of key cells involved in immune function declines. Fortunately, consuming adequate carbs during exercise reduces the rise in stress hormones and seems to help offset their suppressive effect on immune function. Will more carbs translate to fewer colds? No one knows for sure, but it’s well documented that fueling with carbs during exercise delays the onset of fatigue and extends endurance, so the possibility of an added immune system boost makes carbs a no-brainer.
A little extra vitamin C may help too. In two different studies, runners taking 500–600 mg of vitamin C daily for a few weeks before and a few days after an ultra-marathon had lower rates of upper respiratory tract infections compared to those taking placebo pills without vitamin C. Unfortunately, other researchers weren’t able to replicate these findings, so definitive proof of benefit is lacking. Nonetheless, taking a daily 500 mg vitamin C supplement or boosting your vitamin C intake from fruits and fruit juices during heavy periods of training and for a few weeks before and after triathlon competitions may be a measure worth considering.
Finally, the live and active cultures found in yogurt and some other products may be a helpful addition to your diet. Some of these beneficial microflora, often referred to as probiotics, have been studied and shown to support a healthy immune system. And, at the very least yogurt is a good source of protein for muscle tissue repair and carbs for muscle refueling.

Cold Prevention Checklist

To summarize, do the following to help avoid the sniffles during heavy training or tough Ironman Triathlon competitions:

Make sure not to compound the physical demands of heavy training or competing by scrimping on calories
Consume plenty of carbs when training and competing: they not only increase endurance, they may reduce the immune system suppression associated with strenuous endurance exercise
Ensure that your protein intake is adequate so that your body has the amino acid building blocks to make the proteins you need for healthy immune function and the amino acid glutamine to fuel key immune system cells that defend against attack
Eat from a wide variety of foods and consider a daily multi-vitamin and -mineral supplement to ensure that your diet always has an adequate supply of the nutrients needed to support immune function
Take in a little extra vitamin C during periods of heavy training and a week or two before and after competitions, as this may give your immune system an added boost
Put yogurt, yogurt drinks or other products with certain active cultures on your grocery list. These beneficial microbes may help support keeping your immune system healthy.

Topics: General, Recovery, Carbs, Research, Probiotics

When Your Under The Weather

2010-11-04T08:25:00.000-05:00

When You're Under the Weather

Working out when you're feeling sick can be a drag, but illness doesn't have to derail your routine. If your symptoms appear above your neck (runny nose, sneezing, sore throat), you can keep working out if you take your intensity down a few notches. If your symptoms appear below the neck (a deep chest cough, vomiting, diarrhea), or if you have a fever, it's best to lay off altogether until you feel better.

If you're well enough to exercise, the key is to keep some momentum going without overdoing it. However, sometimes when you're not feeling well, the last thing you want to do is exercise and eat well. If you do fall off the wagon, don't give up once you're feeling better. Here's what one of my rock stars posted recently on the Message Boards about feeling sick, falling off the wagon with her eating habits and exercise, but then how she's rebounding:

" I got really sick while I was in Santa Fe — terrible headaches and nausea, which I believe were caused by the high altitude. I could not exercise while I was there (could barely stand upright!) and decided to comfort myself with food (the whole, if I can't exercise then might as well be 'off' plan mentality!) Well, once I had the taste of food food, I couldn't stop — I had so much ice cream this week it was insane! (and delicious!) I basically ate anything I wanted for a week. You would think that it would be really satisfying, but it wasn't. I forgot how much energy, self-loathing, and guilt goes into eating that much — it is more work than exercising and eating right! Giving in to every craving, finding the right foods, eating, sneeking, feeling guilty, the lethargy, unhappiness, yuck — I can't believe I used to live like that.

BUT, I'm back!!! I'm sure the scale is up a few pounds, but I know what I have to do to shake it off. I went for my first run in a week yesterday and suffered through five miles in the heat, had a decent day of eating and am generally moving in the right direction. I am going back out of town on Monday for business and I need to be better prepared this time to not let the change in environment and routine throw me off track." —I.am.worth.it

Good job — this journey is all about getting healthier. Sometimes life will throw you a curveball, and you've just got to do your best, don't give up, and get back up to speed as soon as you can.

Happy Halloween ,Treat and Enjoy

2010-10-31T11:30:00.002-05:00

Need a cool and creepy treat to wrap up your Halloween party menu? Here's one that features a special famous guest mummified in sweet marshmallow strips.

You'll need:

Batch of baked cupcakes
Wax paper
Confectioner's sugar
Rolling pin
Marshmallows
Kitchen scissors
White frosting
Chocolate nonpareil candies
Chocolate-covered raisins

Instructions:

1. Working atop wax paper dusted with confectioners sugar, use a rolling pin to flatten a bunch of marshmallows.

2. Use kitchen scissors to cut the rolled marshmallows into thin strips. Set the strips aside for now.

3. Frost the cupcakes. Press a pair of nonpareil candies (white side down) into the frosting at the top of each cupcake to resemble Mickey ears. Then add a pair of chocolate-covered raisin eyes.

4. Randomly place marshmallow strips over each cupcake, leaving the eyes exposed, to resemble a mummy. Gently press the strips into the icing just enough to make them stick in place. When the cupcakes are sufficiently covered, use the kitchen scissors to trim the marshmallow around the perimeters, as needed.

Coupon...

2010-10-30T23:06:00.000-05:00

Training Tip Of The Week

2010-10-26T09:32:00.000-05:00

Don't Forget

2010-10-21T22:27:00.001-05:00

Hello Team Voice don't forget the Skype meet on the 23rd @ 2p.

Talk to you all then!

Training Tip Of The Week

2010-10-19T19:42:00.004-05:00

What Do You Think Of This??

2010-10-14T19:36:00.000-05:00

Walt Disney World® Marathon Weekend presented by CIGNA

Entries are still available for all the 2011 Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend events – Marathon, Half Marathon, 5K, Kids' Races, and Goofy's Race and a Half Challenge! Thousands have signed up already, and as we head into summer, races will begin to approach capacity limits. Don't wait any longer to secure your spot - register now!

* Marathon - 65% Full
* Half Marathon - 77% Full
* Goofy's Race and a Half Challenge - 70% Full
* Disney Family Fun Run 5K - 65% Full
* Mickey's Marathon Kids' Fest - 55% Full

ENTRY FEES
Walt Disney World® Marathon - $135
Walt Disney World® Half Marathon - $135
Goofy's Race and a Half Challenge - $310
Disney Family Fun Run 5K - $45
Mickey's Marathon Kids' Fest - $10
Mickey Mile - $25

CANCELLATION & TRANSFER POLICY
Registration fees are non-refundable. No exceptions will be made.

If you are currently registered for the 2011 Walt Disney World Half Marathon, Walt Disney World Marathon or Goofy's Race and a Half Challenge, you may transfer your registration to one of the other two races, subject to availability, on or before July 15, 2010. Transfer requests received after July 15, 2010 will be assessed a $25 processing fee. Transfers are not allowed for the Family Fun Run 5K, Mickey Mile or Mickey's Marathon Kids' Fest events. A 2011 Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend race entry cannot be transferred to a 2012 Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend race or any other Disney's Endurance Series event. Race entries cannot be transferred to another person.

To transfer your race registration between Marathon Weekend races, please complete the following steps:

1. REGISTER ONLINE at disneyworldmarathon.com for the race you want to transfer your entry to in 2011 (you will need to pay registration fees for the race that you will transfer your race entry to for 2011).

2. COMPLETE & SUBMIT this 2011 Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend Transfer Request Form to have your original race registration fees refunded upon completion of transfer.

Once your transfer request form is received, you will be issued a refund for the registration fees for the race you transferred from. The refund will only include the race registration fees and will not include any registration processing fees charged by Active.com. If you request a registration transfer to a race with registration fees less than your original race registration fees, the difference between the race registration fees will not be refunded.

Please allow two weeks from when you submit your transfer request for your refund to process and post to your account. If, after two weeks, your refund has not posted, please contact us.

Tag Your Buddy.

2010-10-12T14:08:00.000-05:00

Not sure if this happens to you guys but following past events I always seem to fall into a rut. It’s like my brain says “you got that one under your belt so go ahead kick back for awhile, you deserve it.”

It seems like once I achieve a goal my focus tends to drift away from the next challenge and folks I can’t let that happen and neither should you. January is coming on like the Roger E. Broggie; in fact if you look closely you might already see the steam coming down the tracks.

To the point of this post:

I want to encourage each of you to get out there and put in the miles and cardio work needed to cross the next finish line. This year a number of you are going Dopey for Goofy (or is it the other way round) and my boy howdy is my hat off to you. Consider your Wine and Dine experience and in the next couple months make any adjustments needed to finish strong. I have every confidence that you’ll reach your goals but everything you put in between now and then will greatly help your own confidence.

Be sure that your touching base with your Team Voice buddy and if you or your buddy have been slacking… then shame shame shame. Remember Deb’s favorite song. “We’re all in this together.”

Motivating your buddy only takes a few moments and you can keep it quite simple. Mike and I simply send a text to each other when we have done some miles stating what we did and tag it’s your turn. Generally we try to tag the other back within 24 hours with matching or plus mileage. Occasionally we share a few added words of encouragement but mostly we keep it simple. At least for us it works.

Last night (10/11) I got in 4.5 miles. Consider each of yourselves tagged.

Be Prepared, Kid

2010-10-11T22:56:00.000-05:00

Be Prepared, Kid

Now that you've decided to lose weight, make like a Boy Scout and think of yourself as being on a mission. The key to success is to have a game plan for every situation that might throw you off course. This stuff isn't brain surgery — it's common sense. If you take the time to think ahead, you can come up with ways to overcome every obstacle. Here are a couple of surefire strategies:

* Go through your kitchen and throw out all the junk food and processed garbage immediately. (You can't eat it if it's not there!) Don't buy these foods anymore — just eliminate them from your kitchen entirely. If your spouse or the kids start whining, you can tell them I said they're better off not eating that stuff either. Reacquaint yourself with your local supermarket. Shop in the healthy sections and stock up on as many organic fruits and veggies as you can afford — and steer clear of the aisles that contain your trigger foods.
* If food that's available in the workplace is your downfall, steer clear of it entirely. Take different routes to avoid the vending machines and the frighteningly fattening foods in the cafeteria. Bring healthy snacks and meals from home to stash in your desk. Do whatever you can to stay away from anything that might throw you off course and hamper your success.
Jillian M.

Wine and Dine Video

2010-10-08T09:27:00.003-05:00

Look what Justin found. See if you know any one in this!!!

Wine and Dine Half Marathon Verification

2010-09-21T10:18:00.004-05:00

I found the link for the Wine and Dine Half Marathon to verify your registration.

Here is the After Party map, with events and things that will be open. It looks like that the World showcase side will be open. And the finish line is at UK. Which they left off of the map. Letter E on the map.

Here is track my runner.

The after party is 65% full. If you want to go to the party it's another $35 for that ticket if you're not a runner/walker in the race. And you have to call 407-WDW-IRUN.

I do not remember where we all had made a meeting place for after the race. I think it would be awesome to have Team Voice at the finish line cheering on the rest of us coming in . It is a great feeling to see faces you know. =)

Team Voice Many Goals, One Voice!
Rae

Rae's Ramblings

2010-09-10T08:47:00.001-05:00

https://vr.shapeservices.com/play.php?hash=d5c371f6bee3f065df00cececff49ee7f4408aac1ec06cf6c

___
Recorded on iPhone and posted with VR+ Lite.
http://vr.shapeservices.com

From Lance Armstrong's Master Your Shift.

2010-09-09T22:39:00.000-05:00

It’s Time to Practice Your Race Day Plans

September 03, 2010

By Terrence Mahon

Today is September 3, 2010 and whether we want to admit it or not – summer is practically over. This means that autumn is fast approaching and with it comes all of the great fall road races.

Especially relevant are the half marathons and marathons that stand as the high point of so many of our running programs. Whether you have been training through the summer months for your upcoming 13.1 mile race or for the full 26.2 miler – now is the time to fine tune those race plans so that nothing is a surprise as your big event nears.

When it comes to getting it right on race day, there is nothing better than a good dress rehearsal. As we say in Mammoth… “Practice doesn’t make perfect, perfect practice makes perfect.” Time will be well spent if you use these next few weeks to find out what works and what doesn’t. Whether it is choosing what pair of shoes to race in, what your pre-race meal should be or what flavor of gel to take out on the course – nothing will beat some good old-fashioned field tests to give you the definitive answers you need that will lead to a solid peace of mind.

If you want to make your race weekend as stress-free as possible, then create a checklist of all the questions you have about the event as well as all the things you need to get done before you hit the road. Below is a sample list of things you should consider handling over the next few weeks. Some of them are pretty simple – such as getting your travel plans sorted out. Others may need a few test runs.

Normally it takes a trial test of 2 or 3 long runs to really nail down what combination of fluids and fuel (example: sports gels) work best for your stomach while maintaining the energy you need to avoid the bonk. It is best to start sooner than later so that when it gets to your taper phase you really can rest and recover instead of worrying about if you are going to get blisters from those new shoes. This list is in no way all-inclusive, but it provides a starting point by going over the major agenda items you will want to have answers to in order to feel like you have everything covered.

Race Prep Checklist:

Pre-Race Meal – What type of food will you eat the night before the race? Where? When?
Race Day Breakfast – What? When? How much?
Race Day Fluids & Fuel Plan – What types of drinks & gels? How much & how often?
Travel – Setting up lodging, travel and dinner plans for race weekend
Equipment Checklist – Shoes, Tops, Bottoms, Socks, Hat, Gloves, Sunglasses
Race pace goals – What is your goal pace? Have you done the necessary training to affirm that pace? If not, what is your current fitness goal pace?
Training Program – Fine tuning the last training cycle to suit your needs. More speed-work? More long runs? More miles? More recovery?
Visualizing Race Day – Pre-race nervousness & excitement, getting to the starting line, running out on the course.

If you can answer the above questions with good certainty, then you are well on your way to having a great race – congratulations as you have prepared well.

If you have answers for most of the questions, but still need to finalize a few plans – don’t worry, you still have plenty of time to get it sorted out. Use this time wisely and you too will be ready to have a stress free race weekend.

If you have not worked on any of those questions above, then I would like to suggest that you take a moment to think about them and begin to formulate a plan. You may not know all the answers, but working on them now will give you plenty of time to seek advice from those that have the answers to these questions.

Knowledge is king. The more you know what to expect on race day the more at ease you will be in the race. Feeling free of stress over those last few days before a race does wonders to your mental state. It will allow you to truly embrace the weekend, as the race is meant to be a celebration for all the work that you have done to get you there.

Dot those “I’s” and cross those “T’s” now. You will be glad you did when it comes time to put your legs up and rest up the day before the race. Nothing can put you in a greater mental state than knowing that you have prepared as well as possible. That feeling is a reward in itself. The race will be the icing on the cake. See you at the starting line!

From Lance Armstrong's Master Your Shift..

2010-09-07T20:05:00.000-05:00

Vitamin D & Your Health

September 07, 2010

By Ryan Kohler

I recently read an article about a potential link between Vitamin D status and seasonal flu (article link below). Part of this came to mind as I was sniffling and sneezing with allergies this weekend. Now that we are approaching the fall months, it’s a good time to start thinking about your Vitamin D intake since it has such an important role in the body and is affected largely by solar radiation – namely, the lack of radiation most of us get in the winter months.

With jobs keeping many of us indoors during the day, early sunsets, and colder temps on the way, we are at a higher risk for receiving less than adequate radiation to convert the precursor to Vitamin D in our skin to the active form for the body. (Note: be smart about sun exposure – just like anything else, moderation is key and this, too, can be overdone. If you are prone to burns, wear sunscreen)

In a nutshell, Vitamin D is responsible for bone health and immune function, so from a general health perspective, we should always try to get enough of this throughout the year. And if you are one of those people who succumb to the seasonal cold or flu, think about starting to get more sources of Vitamin D in your diet these days. Some of the best sources include:

Salmon, tuna, fortified milk, orange juice fortified w/ D, and cod liver oil are all great sources of Vitamin D. 2 cups of milk (fortified) will get you up to 60% of your daily intake, 3 ounces of salmon will nearly double the daily recommendation, and 1 cup of fortified OJ will give you about 25% of your daily intake.

As we get into the fall months, check up on your intake and look to add some of these foods to your diet, not only to promote healthy bones, but maybe you can help to offset that seasonal cold/flu as well.

Resources:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2870528/?tool=pubmed

Disneyland Half Marathon 2010

2010-09-03T11:22:00.003-05:00

Hello Team Voice !!!

Support your Team Members running the Disneyland half this weekend by track my runner.
Here is the final race instructions.
Here is the Half marathon map course.
Here is the 5k map course.

Good Luck to all and most of all Have fun!!!

New Month New Goals Team

2010-09-01T13:23:00.002-05:00

SO how is everyone doing?? Is everyone as excited as I am that we are only 4 weeks away from the race weekend? Holy Cats!!!

Anyone want to post a challenge?? How about a virtual race to remember 9/11?? Create a bib, and get a prize for it?? Distance?? Post a picture of self?? And we can put some new pictures in our slide show there to the left of the screen. Sound good??

Please do not forget to support our Team Members that will be headed out to Disneyland to do the DL Half this year.! I will post more with race info. and track my runner.

We have a Team Voice Member of the Month,but I can't post it for another couples days.

Skype meet this month, Sept 12th.. not to sure on the time. Someone hacked my team voice e mail,and I have to make a new one. I will get it out to everyone!

I wanted to speak of night running/walking/wog. Even though this will be a controlled environment, some parts of this course is gonna be a little dark. I recommend getting a head light.
Rae, a head light?? Yes. Home Depot has them, you can get 2 to wear on your head, plus 2 small flash lights for 14.95. Cheapest around I have found.

I am speaking from experience, I fell last year when I forgot to wear my light. Even with the street lights, it can still be tough to see. It was 2 weeks before the 2010 marathon weekend. I do most of my running at night.

I will be bringing, some gels, I have a case of mini cliff bars, and samples of That Butt Stuff. If they get here in time I will have KTape samples for everyone too. I have sponsors for us so I will need pictures to post, and show it getting out to everyone.

Maybe I will have some news on teaming up with Make a Wish or giving the Kids the world.

Any new goals ?? Need help setting goals?? Please let me know!! I can help.

Team Voice, Many Goals, One Voice

I will see you at the Finish Line!!
Rae

Virtual Run Weekend

2010-08-28T08:19:00.000-05:00

How's everyone doing out there?

5 Ways to Calm Hunger Pangs

2010-08-25T21:12:00.000-05:00

5 Ways to Calm Hunger Pangs

Do you start getting hunger pangs at 11:50 a.m. in anticipation of lunch? We've all been there. The cause is the hormone ghrelin; released when the stomach is empty, it sets off a chain reaction in the body to make you hungry. In general, you want to keep levels of ghrelin low during the day so you can keep hunger in check. Apart from an empty stomach, there are several factors that can raise ghrelin levels, including drinking alcohol, eating too few calories, and eating greasy, fatty foods. Here are some strategies that will help you manage these triggers and keep your ghrelin levels from rising:

Have a substantial breakfast. One study showed that people who ate a higher-calorie breakfast produced 33 percent less ghrelin throughout the day and felt satisfied for a longer period of time. Try a whole-wheat English muffin with organic peanut butter, a cup of strawberries, and some low-fat yogurt.

Choose complex carbs and get more fiber. Insulin and ghrelin go hand in hand. When insulin goes up after you eat, ghrelin goes down. If you eat the wrong kind of carbohydrates — refined carbs such as white bread and pasta — your blood sugar rises dramatically. In response, your body releases a surge of insulin to clear that sugar from the bloodstream. The insulin does its job very efficiently, and the resulting low blood sugar causes hunger sooner. These constant blood sugar ups and downs can wreak havoc on your metabolism, so it's best to eat complex carbs and fiber, which delay the release of sugar into the bloodstream so that insulin levels are kept stable and you feel full longer.

Eat on a schedule. Research has found that ghrelin levels rise and fall at your usual mealtimes, so eating on a schedule prevents spikes in ghrelin. If you're running errands and are away from the kitchen at one of your typical mealtimes, carry a small bag of almonds or other nuts with you — you can eat a little something to keep your stomach satisfied until you can get home and have a real meal.

Emphasize high-volume, low-calorie foods. Levels of ghrelin remain high until food stretches the walls of your stomach, making you feel full. High-volume, low-calorie foods, such as salads and soups, reduce ghrelin levels long before you've overeaten. All green veggies and any foods with a high water content count as high-volume, low-calorie foods.

Eat protein. Protein-rich foods can also suppress ghrelin levels — they help create a long-lasting feeling of fullness. Try adding whey protein to a low-calorie smoothie. (If you're sensitive to gluten, just be sure to check the ingredients list; some whey protein products contain gluten.) One study found that whey brought about a prolonged suppression of ghrelin.

Runner World Quote of The Day

2010-08-22T08:25:00.001-05:00

I run because I enjoy it—not always, but most of the time. I run because I've always run—not trained, but run.

Amby Burfoot, Runner's World Editor At Large and marathoner

You're Worth It!

2010-08-19T09:14:00.000-05:00

You're Worth It!

Change can be painful and often involves some struggling, but remember, it's so worth it. Every time you push yourself physically, you'll grow even stronger and more confident in your abilities. No, my workouts are not easy, but you might as well face it now: I'm never going to let them be easy. I'm always going to be pushing you to the next level, whatever it might be. And you know what? You're only going to be stronger, healthier, and happier for it. Check out what one of my teammates recently said about her journey when another member was worried about being stuck in a rut:

Keep with the program and try to stay on this site as it's more than a "diet" and "exercise" program. I gained so much knowledge reading everyone's post, it brings everything home to me. We KNOW what we should do and we have the tools...we cannot paint a masterpiece if we do not pick up that paint brush. Like the others have said, log your meals because once we get comfortable and confident in what we are doing, the weight seems to stay on or, even worse, add on! Stay true to yourself because we are worth it — we are worth the calorie counting, the "I do not want to go to the gym" workouts, the "I am going to skip dessert tonight," and we are worth being healthy and confident and loved and strong. So please keep moving and working towards your goals!
– WhatEverItTakesKaren

What Is Your Threshold??

2010-08-12T12:00:00.003-05:00

Today I want to talk about food. Nutrition. No matter how none of us here want to admit it, we are runners and walkers.
I have been reading how everyone including me are having a hard time with nutrition. I have been doing some research.

Does anyone really know how much protein someone should be taking in on a daily basis while training for a long distance, or high endurance race?? Here is what I have found.

Ideal Daily Protein Intake:
body weight Off season/or light training In season/or Long training
100-110 lbs 64-70g 77-85g
120-130 lbs 76-83g 93-100g
140-150 lbs 89-95g 108-116g
160-170 lbs 102-108g 124-131g
180-190 lbs 115-121g 139-147g
200-210 lbs 127-134g 155-162g
220-230 lbs 140-146g 170-178g
240-250 lbs 153-159g 185-193g

To find out how much you require,multiply youe weight in kilograms by 1.4 to 1.7, depending on your exercise duration and intensity.{ to convert from pounds to kilograms divide by 2.2}. This gives you the amount of protein in grams that you should consume on a daily basis.

Rae where did you get your information from?? My Athlete Education series News letter from Hammer.

SO does any one know their lactic acid threshold?

Lactic acid build up is caused from the intensity of your exercise and the demand to keep going. Your muscles and blood cells will reach an point where they can no long keep up with the demand, and in turn the lactic acid begins to build up. This is where your recovery drink plays an important role. What you choose for a recovery drink, it needs to have protein in it. The protein helps the repair of the muscles faster, and in turn can filter the lactic acid. Reabsorb it.

Here is one way you can get your numbers.

RUN TEST

Warm up well for 10-15 minutes.
Then run a 30 minute time trial on flat course or track. (Time trial is ALL OUT EFFORT)
Punch HR monitor 'lap' button 10 minutes into Time Trial.

Average heart rate for last 20 minutes predicts Lactate threshold heart rate (LTHR).

Now do you know your threshold is??

Just sharing some knowledge.

See you at the finish line,
Rae

This From Mouse Savers...

2010-08-06T09:53:00.002-05:00

MouseSavers.com Hot Deals Announcement – August 3, 2010

Here's the latest MouseSavers.com Hot Deals announcement - a special notification of extra deals, in between the regular once-a-month MouseSavers Newsletters.

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Ticket Prices WILL Go Up on Thursday

Disney has confirmed that both Walt Disney World and Disneyland (California) ticket prices will go up on Thursday, August 5.

For Walt Disney World base tickets, prices will go up by $3-$22, depending on length. The Park Hopper Option is going up to $54 plus tax (currently $52). Water Park Fun & More Option is going up to $54 plus tax (currently $52). The No Expiration Option is jumping by a huge amount on some tickets - see new vs. old costs here: http://www.mousesavers.com/ticketpriceincrease.html

If you want to avoid the price increase, Walt Disney World Magic Your Way tickets won't expire until you start using them, so you can buy them years in advance if you wish. For great prices on Disney World tickets, check out Undercover Tourist: http://www.mousesavers.com/wdwtixdiscounts.html#online

For Disneyland, prices will go up $2-$10 on adult tickets, $6-$15 on kids’ tickets.

Regular Disneyland (California) tickets currently being sold are valid for first use by January 3, 2011. If you're traveling before that time, you can get discounted prices on your tickets from ARES Travel: http://www.mousesavers.com/dltickets.html#ares

If you will start using your Disneyland (California) tickets by September 30, 2010, there is a special offer ("2 Days FREE" – visit http://www.mousesavers.com/dltickets.html#2freeph for details). Tickets for that offer must be purchased by September 1. Based on past experience, the price of the special "2 Days FREE" tickets will probably NOT go up with the regular tickets, so you don't need to buy them early.

Annual Passes at both Walt Disney World and Disneyland will go up at the same time as other tickets, so if you're thinking of buying an Annual Pass voucher, consider doing it now. And if you're within your Annual Pass renewal period (30 days on either side of expiration), this is the time to renew.

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For those who normally subscribe to the HTML version of the newsletter: to save time, I send out the Hot Deals announcements only in the text format. Don’t worry, your next newsletter will look normal! :)

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Look for your regular MouseSavers Newsletter on August 15th!

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This Hot Deals newsletter is published by MouseSavers, Inc., 5045 Chipita Pines Drive, Cascade, CO 80809. © 2010 MouseSavers, Inc. Information in this newsletter may not be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission.

An audio message from Mike Fess

2010-08-03T06:22:00.003-05:00

Congrats to everyone who participated in this past weekends virtual run. Click here to be direct to an audio message from Mike Fess.

Virtual Run Weekend (updated 8/1 8:30pm)

2010-07-31T07:14:00.003-05:00

Virtual Run Weekend is here at last and our first report came in via email last night. SGT. Brian sent us word that he'd finished a 4.4 mile jog. Looking forward to hearing reports from everyone.

Participants and Goals

Amanda: Goal 5 Miles. Okay, I just got done. 7.96 miles total...Yep, did a bit more today that I was planning on.Here's the breakdown:.31mi warm up walk5mi @ 13:34 per mi.5mi cool down walk2.16mi walk @ 17:15 per mi(with the dogs)Feel pretty good overall...Wish the speed was a bit better, but it'll improve :)!Good luck to everyone else that still has miles to log!

Byron: Goal 5 Miles. Byron checked in this morning via email and reports Byron 5 miles in 1:26:36 Keep Moving Forward!!! Thanks for the report Byron it great to hear from you!

Bryan: Congrats to everyone for getting out there and shooting for those goals. I got up this morning and did the longest run that I've done in a while. I did about 9 miles in 1 hour 29 minutes. It's been really hard to do long distances in this extremely hot Florida weather lately. And it's not the heat and humidity that bother me so much but the sun beating down on me. The evening runs tend to go much better but I just don't have time to do long evening runs so I try to do my long runs first thing in the morning on the weekend. So there you have it... I hope everyone is doing well with their goals and I can't wait to see you all either in October or January in WDW.

Chris: Goal 10k+. Stroller Boy, checking in. I got out late morning but wasn't planning on doing my virtual run till tomorrow. However, the weather was just too perfect to pass up. 80 degrees, low humidity and a slight breeze, had to take full advantage. In the end, I got in a very hilly 9 mile run at a nice and easy pace for a 1:25:xx total. I tell ya, after running in the insane heat/humidity last week down in WDW, this was just too nice to pass up. I'll try to recap the vacation on the blog soon.Great work out there, looks like everyone is tossing any excuses to the side and getting the job done!

Eric: Goal bike 10k

Jeff W Goal 10k. Awoke Saturday at 6:15 to extream fog making it unsafe to run in my neighborhood. Have help coming at 8am to hang drywall in my basement. Will be evening before I can get out the door. I may run Sunday morning instead. Drying walling ended around 9:15pm. Rather than showering and heading out the door for a run I opted to be in bed early at 10. I set an early alarm and was out the door for a 6am wog the Sunday. Got in my 6 miles and averaged a 13.25 pace.

Jonathan: Goal 5k.From Jonathan. Due to time and location constraints, my virtual run will be tomorrow. :) I'll update y'all when I'm done. ;)We'll hold you to it buddy.

Okie dokie!!!Checking in with a 5k (3.1m) walk in 60:15. Wanted to be under an hour, but these dang hills (I start having to go up a biggun to get out of my condo) are killing my left shin.
But then again - how do you get to Carnegie hall? ;)

Justin: Goal 13.1 Miles. I got mine done! Due to a very busy schedule today, I had to get up at 4:30 in order to get my run finished. I hit the very foggy trail at 5am and ran the first hour in the pitch dark. It started getting light around 6am and remained foggy the entire run. All that, and I still made it into the office on time to start a wonderful Saturday morning at work. Wasn't that fog nuts? If i'd have awoke earlier I would have hit the in town trails.Hold me accountable between this evening anf tomorrow

Lisa: y'all are amazing!!!! trace and i are just about to head out the door... i'm wayyyy back to week 2, day 2 of C25K and trace is restarting day 1 today. enjoying the C25K/Bridge@10K apps by run helper! have a great weekend, y'all! from deep in the heart of texas,

Matt: Goal 10k. Hi guys,My run was not as eventful as the rest of you. My goal was a 10k and I wanted to push it even more my going 8 miles. Well, that didn't happen. I only got 4 miles before the heat got to me and I got sick. It was my fault... I slept in and had plans for last night, so I went out around 3:00 when the temp was 101 and humidity was insane! Yeah... Stupid me!
I am going to try to make things up this evening... LATE this evening. You've all done great!

Mike: F Goal 10k. Mike checking in. 6.2miles(my hill training loop) 1:00:35. And on 3.5hrs. of sleep. Keep moving forward!

Nat: Goal 10k.

Princess Fee: Goal 5 miles. Princess Fee checking in with 5k in 33minutes! Got 5 miles to do tomorrow and wasn't even supposed to run today but the encouraging emails got me out there!!!! Thank you team!

Rae: Goal 10k.

Richard: I think I forgot to say what I was doing so here it is....I did a 40 mile bike ride in 2.5 hours on Saturday and 7.2 mile run Sunday (including some warmup and cooldown walking) in 1:13:08.Good work everyone!

SGT. Brian:: Goal 6 Miles. From Brian: It is already Saturday in this wonderful land of Oz. I woke up this morning and with some friends I did my run. I was planning on 6 miles, but my buddies were only willing to do 2, and I had a time restraint. So I ended up with a 4.4 mile meander with a time of 36:17. Not my best time, but I am happy to have done it. I hope everyone enjoys their run.

Trace: Hi all you Team Voicers! I sure needed this email from Deb! I have not ran or watched what I have eaten the past year. I have gained 50 pounds and not happy! Today started, "back to being me run!". I completed week 1 day 1 Couch to 5k. Wish me luck! I have a Disney Wedding to get in shape for!

Theresa: Goal 5k.

WDWDeb: Goal 5k. All done with my 5K, and it was good to get out again. I haven't run in two weeks, so I'm starting over again. But STARTING is the most important thing we can do!
I did 3.1 miles in 54 minutes. Sounds crazy, but I was just happy it was under an hour!!
Congrats to all the finishers -- and get out there tomorrow if you haven't run yet -- you'll be glad you did!

Food 101

2010-07-27T11:34:00.002-05:00

From Runner's World :

BALANCING ACT

Whatever time of day you run, you have 60 minutes after your workout to properly refuel. Here's how to take it all in.

By Scott Douglas

From the August 2004 issue of Runner's World

If you're like a lot of runners, your postworkout routine goes something like this: Stretch, drink water, shower, and get on with your day. Food? That can wait until you're hungry, right?

Not if you want to feel your best on your next run. When you run, you burn mostly glycogen, a fuel stored in your muscles. Your mission right after a run, therefore, is to eat, even if you don't feel hungry. And fast. No matter what time of day you run, the enzymes that are responsible for making glycogen are most active immediately postworkout-leaving you a 60-minute window in which those highly stimulated enzymes are at maximum capacity to produce glycogen.

"After exercise, especially following intensive or prolonged bouts, the body is primed to reload muscle glycogen," says Suzanne Girard Eberle, M.S., R.D., author of Endurance Sports Nutrition. Wait more than an hour to refuel, and your body's ability to make glycogen out of what you consume drops by an astounding 66 percent. And the longer you wait, the more likely you are to feel sluggish.

"Everything runners do is about how well we recover," says Lisa Dorfman, M.S., R.D., a sports nutritionist and marathoner. "That's when the gains from training come."

In that crucial first hour, shoot to consume 300 to 400 calories-ideally containing three grams of carbs to every one gram of protein. Your body's already primed to make glycogen out of simple carbs, and a little protein helps repair muscle-tissue microdamage. Of course, what you'll feel like eating (or drinking, or not) after a 7 a.m. run will probably differ from what you'll want after a run in the noon heat or between work and dinner. Here's how to maximize the refueling window, whatever time of day you run.

Early Risers

Byrne Decker, a 2:22 marathoner and law partner in Maine, runs early in the morning near his office and then eats back at his desk. "Breakfast is usually yogurt, cereal, and fruit," he says. Many breakfast foods have the perfect postrun carb-protein mix. "Cereal with skim milk is a great recovery meal," Dorfman says. Choose a cereal with a few grams of protein. If you have time to cook, Dorfman recommends egg whites on toast. If you eat on the road to work, choose easily transported foods, like energy bars or a bagel with cheese.

The Lunch Shift

You've spent your lunch break running. Now you have to eat, but you're on the clock. Use the office refrigerator and microwave for tasty leftovers with the right nutritional balance (a small serving of pasta with red sauce, a turkey sandwich on whole-grain bread). Of course, if high noon means high temps, the heat might have zapped your appetite. "Drink your carbohydrates and protein," says Girard Eberle. "Flavored milk, fruit smoothie, meal-replacement beverage, or postworkout sports drink."

After Office Hours

If you can't sit down to your evening meal within an hour of your run, graze on raw veggies, crackers, bread, and a little cheese to tide you over healthily until your fully restorative dinner. You'll want more of a glycogen-reloading plan if you run from the office and still have a long commute in front of you. Joe LeMay, who lives in Danbury, Connecticut, trained for his 2:13 marathon PR with evening runs from his office. He always had portable snacks on hand (apples, bananas, bagels) for the 45-minute drive home and was especially careful to rehydrate en route. "This would be the perfect scenario for a sports drink," says Dorfman. "Then you have dinner."

Night Moves

Finding good recovery-window foods after late-night running will involve some experimentation. "Try a carbohydrate-rich drink," Girard Eberle suggests. "Or eat half of your dinner before and the other half after." Anne Woodman, a 20-mile-a-week nighttime runner in Morrisville, North Carolina, has learned that a half to one cup of cereal does the job of restocking her muscles without interfering with her sleep. "The key is to end up not starving at dinnertime or after the run," says Eberle. "This will easily lead to overeating."

A word from the Professor

2010-07-18T15:58:00.002-05:00

Oh hello there. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Professor Ludwig Von Drake. I have given Jeff the day off, because I wanted to chat with you about something you might find interesting. Have you ever thought about how weight loss can help reduce stress on your joints? What? You haven’t? Oh my my my my even the loss of a single pound can make a big difference. Especially when it come to your feet.

When you run your body weight determines the amount of force being transferred into your feet. Forces of 2 to 3 times you body weight will impact your joints with every footfall. So let’s split the difference, call it 2.5 pounds and have some fun with math shall we? Here are our friends Jeff, Jonathan, and Bryan.

Now this post is a reedit of a Tundra post which originally ran in May of 2008. So I’m just going to use Jeff for todays example. I’m leaving this picture in because hey its always great to see old friends.

Now back to the topic at hand. A few weeks ago Jeff stepped on the scale and discovered that since running Disney last year he had gained 17 pounds. The very thought was depressing at first, made even more so when he looked back on that 2008 post when he was down to 200lbs. Stepping on the scale a few weeks ago he was heavier than he had even been. As Jeff began jogging again he could not help but think about the difficult road ahead. But rather than wallow in despair he's been trying to focus his mind on reaching small goals and looking for every little victory. One of the victories he enjoys is monitoring his heel strike numbers. So here’s where Jeff started and where he was as of last Friday.

252lbs x 2.5 = 630lbs of heel strike force
246lbs x 2.5 = 615lbs

That 6 pound loss is made sweeter when you think about 15 less lbs of force jamming back up from your feet and into your shins and knees.

Jeff's weight last January…

235lbs x 2.5 = 587.5lbs

His weight in the past few years…

190lbs x 2.5 = 475lbs

Logically on the flip side Jeff gained 62 pounds and 155 pounds of heel strike force since his best weight. The good news is that Jeff is currently working on reclaiming his previous stats but remember, these numbers can add up or drop fast. Just think about how much easier runs will become if your willing to keep an eye on the scale and doing something about it.

So get out there and make good choices today.

Money And Calories

2010-07-18T08:43:00.000-05:00

From LOSING IT! With Jillian Michaels
Friday, July 16, 2010

An Easy Way to Save Money and Calories

Are you having trouble staying within your budget, both for dollars and for calories? Then ask yourself: How many times a week do you eat at restaurants and fast-food joints? If you're serious about losing weight, you need to keep dining out to a minimum.

The simple truth is, when you don't make a dish yourself, you really can't know what's in it or where the ingredients come from. You can ask all the right questions about whether the chef uses organics; you can speak up and ask to have your food grilled instead of fried; and so on. But unless you're in the kitchen with the chef, you can't know whether the quality of the ingredients is good or whether they're being prepared in healthy ways. Restaurants are businesses, and they are out to make money — many of them use the cheapest ingredients possible, like trans fats, high-fructose corn syrup, nonorganic meats and vegetables...the list goes on!

By cutting back on eating out, you'll save a fortune — money you can spend on healthy groceries! Plus, you can guarantee that everything you're putting into your mouth is fresh and healthful. And you can control your portion sizes.

Of course, you can't always make your own food or control your environment. I do still eat out, but for no more than five meals a week, and when I do, I order white fish or wild-caught salmon, healthy whole grains such as brown rice, and plenty of vegetables. Your options may not always be perfect, but it's still up to you to make smart choices.

Possible Sponsor

2010-07-16T22:46:00.002-05:00

Tomorrow we are going to my local Running store. They are having this Doctor listed here do a Q and A for free. We are going and ask questions. I am going to see if they let me record it on my Tweet mic and then I will post it. This is also about Ktape. Ktape you will be hearing about more in the Team Voice future. Follow the link here to learn more about Ktape.

This Saturday at
Runner's Depot - Ft. Lauderdale

Saturday, July 17, 2010

Stop by anytime between 12:00 - 4:00pm

DR. KEVIN M. CHRISTIE
2240 SW 71 Terrace
Davie FL 33317
Telephone: 954-856-1399

Learn the benefits and applications of KT Tape for treating and preventing common sports injuries. Kinesiology taping provides support to strained muscles and/or tendons to help aid in their recovery. Let Dr. Christie demonstrate this technique for you and show you how to apply it yourself.

Five Tips for Taming PMS

2010-07-11T22:05:00.000-05:00

This one is for the Ladies of Team Voice.

From LOSING IT! With Jillian Michaels
Tuesday, July 06, 2010

Five Tips for Taming PMS

Here's a statement I don't think too many women will disagree with: Premenstrual syndrome, or PMS, is a little slice of hell on earth. In the five to seven days before their period, up to 75 percent of women experience at least one unpleasant symptom in the constellation that PMS can cause — from the stereotypical cramps and moodiness to insomnia, fatigue, and nausea. One in 20 women experience premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), a serious and often disabling condition that can cause persistent depression, marked anger or irritability, and severe aches and pains.

The good news is that there are ways to tame PMS naturally. Try these five tips:

Exercise! You may not want to, but get in your workout anyway. The endorphin rush will help relieve cramps and raise your levels of serotonin, a mood-lifting neurotransmitter.

Get some R&R. Adequate sleep and less stress will put you in a better hormonal position to handle the physiological imbalance that PMS brings.

Cut out most alcohol, caffeine, and salt. Alcohol can exacerbate feelings of depression, so steer clear. Reducing caffeine may minimize breast tenderness and irritability, and cutting salt can reduce bloat.

Minimize simple sugars. Ideally, you're doing this all the time, but it's especially important before your period. Simple sugars may increase inflammation, making cramps feel worse. Eating regular meals and snacks with fiber and protein will help keep your blood sugar stable, which is a lot better for those raw nerves than blood-sugar swings.

Consider supplements. Calcium may reduce symptoms of PMS, so shoot for at least 1,200 mg a day. Magnesium is also helpful, as are B complex vitamins. To reduce the inflammation of cramps and breast tenderness, try a primrose-oil supplement; it's a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory that may work in ways similar to ibuprofen.

Exercise: Good for the Body, Good for the Mind

2010-07-09T22:45:00.000-05:00

From LOSING IT! With Jillian Michaels
Friday, July 09, 2010

Exercise: Good for the Body, Good for the Mind

It may come as a surprise to you that I don't love to exercise. Sometimes I actually hate it. But I do it anyway, because the rewards far outweigh whatever discomfort I feel during a workout. Regular exercise leads to better health, more energy, a lower risk of heart disease and diabetes, and a longer life. But it isn't just the physical benefits of exercise that push me — it's what it does for my mental health.

The mental-health benefits start right after you exercise. Have you ever noticed how good you feel when you complete a workout? That you feel relaxed, or even euphoric? That mood lift, often called "runner's high," comes courtesy of natural morphine-like chemicals called endorphins. Exercise floods the brain with endorphins, which help to relieve pain, enhance your mood, and relieve stress.

But the feel-good effects don't stop after the endorphin rush subsides. Over time, exercise provides a major boost to your confidence. As you start working out and getting stronger, your sense of strength in other aspects of your life will naturally flourish as well. To put it another way, if you can survive my workouts, you can do anything — and when you feel that sense of empowerment, nothing will be able to stand between you and the life you want to live.

For Those Who Do Triathlons

2010-07-08T11:30:00.004-05:00

Summer 2010 Digital Edition of
USA Triathlon Life now Available

Cover features NFL star and duathlete Dhani Jones

Dear USA Triathlon Annual Member,

The Summer 2010 issue of USA Triathlon Life is here! You can view the digital edition by clicking the link below.

Summer 2010 USA Triathlon Life

You'll need to enter the following information to access this exclusive USAT member benefit:

Username: usatriathlon
Password: usatlifesummer2010

If you are a current USA Triathlon member, you'll still receive your printed copy in your mailbox within the next couple weeks.

In our effort to be environmentally responsible, and at the urging of our membership, we'd like to offer you the opportunity to opt out of receiving the printed version. To opt out of the printed version and only receive the digital version, please follow these instructions and contact membership@usatriathlon.org if you have any problems:

1. Log in to your membership account at http://www.usatriathlon.org/login.html
2. Click the profile tab
3. Click edit profile
4. Click contact
5. Check the box marked "I do NOT want to receive a printed copy of USA Triathlon Life" in the Mailing List section.

Thanks for fueling the multisport lifestyle,

USA Triathlon Marketing & Communications
communications@usatriathlon.org

Audio Post

2010-07-08T01:45:00.002-05:00

Greeting everyone. I'm tying to work on posting audio announcements to the blog. I have run into issues with finding a site where I can host my audio files and simply post a streaming link here. So until I can figure that out, I am uploading audio to Chirbit and posting the link in the upper right hand column. Give it a listen and leave your comments. If you have ideas on how I can get the audio I produce to play here without leaving the page please email me with your ideas. The other site I tried for hosting was google groups and it did not work well at all.

So How Many Times Have We ALL Done This??

2010-07-06T09:41:00.004-05:00

So how many times have we all done this??

Ask Jillian Michaels

Okay to Skip Meals?

Q: I'm trying to learn to listen to my body and eat only when I am hungry, and sometimes I just don't really want anything to eat. Is it okay to skip meals or to eat fewer than the recommended calories?

You should NOT skip meals. There are so many adverse effects to skipping meals. Not only does it slow your metabolism but it can also lead to overeating, because when you do eat, you're overly hungry.

As for cutting your calories below your recommended allowance, remember this golden rule: Never allow your daily calorie allowance to fall below 1,200 if you are a woman and 1,500 if you are a man. Falling below these daily allowances can do real damage to your metabolism and result in excessive loss of lean muscle tissue. When you dramatically reduce your calories on a consistent basis, it can slow your metabolism or trigger a plateau. Consistent exercise — plus the occasional high-calorie day — will help ward off a plateau.

Team Tweet

2010-07-04T18:38:00.002-05:00

Listen to my audio tweet. http://tmic.fm/rjjw8lrw2ra
It's a few days old but do you think?? Make small announcements, updates on RTD, and TEam Voice related stuff.

Input... thanks!

Team Voice Member Of the Month July 2010

2010-07-02T05:24:00.002-05:00

Team Voice!! Here is your Team Voice Member of the Month. Before you getting reading, I want to apologize that blogger will not let me upload the Team Voice member photo. I will try to edit it in later.

We have a mileage challenge for the Month of July. 150 miles this month. There is a catch.... I do not want you to count your cross training miles. Continue to count them for your Run to Disney mileage but for the challenge do not count them. I do have a prize for the person who can log the most mileage. I will announce what it is at a later date.

On to your Member of the Month.....

Hi Fellow Team Voice Members! I was honored to be asked to be the Team Voice Member of the Month for July 2010, so here’s a little bit (okay, maybe a lot) more about me.

I’m 36 years old, not married and a total Disney Fan. I was born and raised in Washington State, but I’ve lived in Arizona for the last 17 years (wow, how time flies) so I’ve almost spent equal amounts of time in each state. I have three dogs – Ralph a 17 year old Shih-Tzu/Terrier mix, Belle and Jasmine sisters that are lab mixes just over 4 years old and Howdy a 24 year old Quaker Parakeet. I love to read – I’ll read just about anything that catches my eye.

I’ve been going to Disneyland since I was six months old. One of my first rides was Pirates of the Caribbean and I was told that my heart was racing during those drops! My family used to visit Disneyland as often as we could and since money was always tight we drove from Washington State quite a few times during my childhood to save money. In 1991 I had my first opportunity to visit Walt Disney world with my brother and sister-in-law. We stayed off site in Kissimmee and it was a great trip – I fell in love with Epcot during this trip. My next trip to WDW wouldn’t happen again until 1998 – just a short five weeks after my brother passed away. My sister-in-law and I took her son, and our other nephew and niece and we stayed at the Wilderness Lodge. This wasn’t the easiest trip to be on as we were all still grieving, but it was good to be in a place where my brother was so happy. My parents had never been to WDW, so in 2000 I took my parents, my youngest nephew and my niece and we stayed at the Polynesian. It truly was a magical trip – to get to return the magic that my parents had always given me was an awesome feeling. I was lucky enough to get to take my parents on one more trip to WDW with my youngest nephew in 2002. Three weeks after we returned my Dad passed away. In 2003 I was sent to the UK for work and I took my Mom with me and we spent two days at Disneyland Paris – it was a whirlwind trip and we didn’t get to do everything we wanted to, but we still had some great memories. Three weeks later my Mom passed away. We were planning a trip to WDW in 2004 that trip I cancelled as I wasn’t sure the Disney parks were ever going to be the same for me again. In 2005 I decided that I just couldn’t stay away from the Disney parks – I have so many good memories of these trips that I couldn’t let the joy of the parks go. This is when I planned my first solo trip to WDW – it was rough at times. There were a lot of good memories that can overtake you at times and then there are the new experiences that you don’t have your loved ones to share with you, but at the end of the trip, I realized that I had a great time and that there is still fun to be had at Disney Parks, even by yourself!

I was planning my next trip to WDW for 2007. Sometime at the end of 2007 I decided that I really wanted to go to WDW and I didn’t want to be overweight for a change. See, I’ve struggled with weight my entire life. I had lost a lot of weight back when I was 21, but that only lasted a year or so before I gained it all back. I really wanted to lose weight, so January 2007 I started my next weight loss journey. I started off monitoring my food intake and slowly adding Pilates to my day. Then I started walking my two dogs (puppies at the time) – it was rough to start we barely went half a mile. I kept this up and before long we were walking a mile or two, the weight was finally starting to come off. By March, walking was becoming almost boring. I started adding short little running sections to our walks – the girls loved this and would want to keep running. You have to understand that I’ve never been a runner – I never took gym in school, I was on the track team (shot put and discus), but I never ran, not even the warm up laps. I was never athletic and I’ve never been coordinated, I was self conscious and failure was not something I took well. The fact that I was running even short little stretches was amazing to me. I bought a pedometer and before I knew it we were running a quarter of a mile, then half a mile, then a mile. I had no idea how fast I was running or how far I could really go, but the weight kept coming off and I was controlling my eating and I was feeling really good. I gained a new sense of self, a new confidence I’d never had before.

I took that trip to WDW in 2007 at my lowest weight and best shape I’d probably ever been in. I did a ton of new experiences and I discovered that “the world” is a different place when you’re not self conscious of your weight. It was a great trip and when I got home I knew I had to keep running – not because of my weight any more, but because I had discovered I loved it. I joined some friends at work to walk a couple of 5K cancer walks and I kept wondering if I would like running a 5K, if I could run a 5K…Finally, I signed up for and ran my very first 5K just a couple of weeks after I returned from that vacation and I was hooked! I didn’t run the full 5K, but I still finished in about 36 minutes and I felt so good to be a part of something like this. I met new people and was able to talk to them – I listened and learned and grew as a person because of this new experience.

I continued to do more and more 5K’s, and that’s when I came across Minnie’s Marathon Weekend and the 15K. I was scared to death to run 15K – that’s so far, I may not make it. I signed up anyway. I started training and I showed up for my first endurance event. I ran the entire race, I had a fabulous time and I wanted more. During this event they announced the first Princess Marathon and I signed up immediately – what have I done? When I got back home, I signed up for the Disneyland Half Marathon. I started to struggle again with my weight, but I kept running…I ran that Disneyland Half Marathon and suffered pretty much the whole way, but getting that medal was worth every painful step. Yeah, it’s official – I’m nuts, a gluten for punishment and totally addicted to these races. The Princess Half Marathon was a better experience physically and I loved the entire experience again.

I found podcasts and I had been listening to AATM since the first show. I enjoyed the banter, the subjects, the guests, etc…Jonathan’s story inspired me and I knew where he was coming from as I’d been there myself. I was so proud of him when he finished that first half marathon. I’m a pretty shy person and it’s not easy for me to reach out, but I sent an email to Bryan and asked to become an AllAboutTheMouseketeer and mentioned the new blog I created. Rae left me a comment on my blog and I knew then that I wanted to become a Team Voice Member. I had never been a part of something like this before – I’ve done this on my own this whole time. I knew I could use some encouragement and hopefully, I could provide some encouragement to others. I’m happy to say that I’ve gotten a lot more out of it than that!

It’s been a very interesting experience for me to be a Team Voice Member….I’ve followed everyone’s blogs and tried to get to know them through the internet. When the 2010 WDW Marathon Weekend came around I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I wanted to meet my internet buddies and would just have to see how it went. I couldn’t have had a better time. This was a solo trip unlike any other I’ve taken. It was so great to hang out with people that got Disney and were there to participate in the same race I was. Jeff W. helped get me through the coldest, toughest half marathon I had ever participated in. We followed Rae and Eric as they finished their first full marathon – encouraging other runner’s out there doing the same thing. It was an amazing experience and I can’t wait to meet up with my teammates again!

There’s no point in denying that I’ve gained all my weight back and I struggle with it every day. I don’t like the mirror right now and I mentally beat myself up for not doing a better job on the diet, but through all this, one thing hasn’t changed – I’m still running. I still love running. I hope that never changes because it’s great to be able to travel to my favorite places on earth and be a part of a big group of people with the same loves!

Now what are you waiting for – go out and get some mileage in…You don’t have to be an uber athlete to do this, take it one step at a time!

I’ve gone full nuts and signed up for the Dopey Challenge and you can follow my progress on my blog at wdwalone.blogspot.com.

Don't Blame Being Overweight on Your Age

2010-06-29T16:28:00.000-05:00

JILLIAN'S FREE NEWSLETTER: LOSING IT!

Don't Blame Being Overweight on Your Age

If you've been blaming your belly fat on the fact that you're growing older, now's the time to stop believing that weight gain is an inevitable part of aging! Yes, as we get older our hormone balance shifts in ways that encourage weight gain. For example, testosterone and DHEA levels decline in men, and women's insulin-regulating hormones become less effective. These changes can decrease muscle mass and energy while increasing belly fat and insulin resistance. But there's no reason we can't stay healthy and keep our hormones balanced as we age. Ongoing research suggests that age-related muscle decline is largely under our control. The more we eat clean, live clean, and work out, the better our hormone balance will be, and the healthier our metabolisms will remain.

I can't tell you how many people just let exercise slide as they get older; then they turn around and blame their lagging metabolism on their hormones. I'll be honest — I don't like to exercise. But the reality is, we have to do it. Your body needs exercise the way it needs oxygen and water. It's crucial to maintain muscle mass as you age: A pound of muscle burns three times more calories than a pound of fat does, and muscles scoop up blood sugar and enhance your body's insulin sensitivity.

As for optimizing your hormone balance, the best way to do it is naturally. Nature has provided us with the cure for a lagging metabolism — we just neglect it! We have amazing whole foods that not only help us balance our hormones but also fight cancer, diabetes, stroke, heart disease, and Alzheimer's. So what do we do? We spray them with pesticides and other chemicals, turning our natural medicine into poison. We have to reclaim these whole foods and fight back against the many ways our hormones are under assault every day. Don't wait until you're blowing out 50 or 60 candles on your birthday cake — fight for that healthier lifestyle now!

Tips on Setbacks

2010-06-25T23:04:00.000-05:00

From LOSING IT! With Jillian Michaels
Friday, June 25, 2010

Overcoming a Setback

It happens — you miss a few workouts and you feel like you've fallen off the weight-loss wagon. It's tempting to mentally slap yourself around, right? (Or head for the fridge.) Before you start, I want to remind you of something: Being hard on yourself is the Old You.

The New You knows how to deal with setbacks and get back on the wagon. And after all, there are no mistakes, just learning experiences. Weight loss is a process — it takes time. You will encounter small failures — everyone does — but every pound you gain can be lost.

And if you miss a workout, it's not the end of the world! Get to the gym the next day and continue to focus on your short-term goals. Just because you made bad choices today doesn't mean you can't start over tomorrow. New day? New beginning. And don't you forget it!

SPORTS ENTHUSIAST NEWSLETTER JUNE 2010 EDITION

2010-06-25T09:44:00.000-05:00

SPORTS ENTHUSIAST NEWSLETTER

JUNE 2010 EDITION

Shifts Still Available!

A limited number of volunteer shifts are still available for the AAU National Club Championships for Track and Field on 7/11, 7/15 and 7/16.

Goodbye from Michael Feathers

Dear Sports Enthusiasts,

One year has gone by so fast. I have enjoyed the opportunity to get to know so many of you on a personal level. My time here has been unforgettable, and will be something that I will greatly miss. I have accepted a position with Get Travel Sports & Events as their Southern California Operations Director. I will be based in Anaheim, California.

I would like to thank everyone for making my experience here so enjoyable. Without your enthusiasm and dedication to making a positive impact as a volunteer, my time at Disney would not have been as rewarding. Your efforts as a volunteer are vital to the success of our events, and to raising money and awareness for many nonprofit organizations like the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and Special Olympics Florida. If my travels happen to bring me back to the Orlando area, I look forward to joining everyone in the future as a Disney Sports Enthusiast Volunteer. I wish everyone good health and good luck in the future!

--Michael Feathers (Disney Sports Intern, Class of 2009 – 2010)

Sports Enthusiast Volunteers Event Highlights

Muddy Buddy

On Saturday, May 8th, over 100 Sports Enthusiasts were on hand to assist with the Muddy Buddy Challenge at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. The Muddy Buddy Challenge is a unique endurance race involving running, biking, obstacles, and a teammate. At each obstacle station teammates trade off between running and biking. When the competitors finish the race course, they weren’t done yet! In order to cross the finish line, both competitors had to make the crawl together through a massive mud pit.

Sports Enthusiast volunteer efforts for the race went to benefit the Challenged Athletes Foundation. The Challenged Athletes Foundation helps promote an active lifestyle to the physically challenged. They sponsor and support several events in an effort to provide every opportunity possible for those to live a healthy and active lifestyle. www.challengedathletes.org

Danskin Triathlon

On Sunday, May 9th, 1,200 female athletes took on the challenge of the 15.6 mile triathlon at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground. The race consisted of a .5 mile swim in Bay Lake, 12 mile bike, and a 3.1 mile run. Sports Enthusiasts were there to assist with all aspects of the race, and to help raise money and awareness for The Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Their organization’s goal is to try to find a cure for breast cancer, which is the second leading cause of death among women. The Breast Cancer Research Foundation is recognized as one of the top rated cancer research organizations, and 90 percent of donations go directly to breast cancer research and awareness programs. www.bcrfcure.org

2010 Special Olympics Summer Games

It was a busy two days at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex as we played host to the 2010 Special Olympics Summer Games on May 14th and 15th. Over 2,100 athletes from across the state of Florida came to compete in a variety of sporting events. Over 1,100 Sports Enthusiast Volunteers were on hand to assist with the event from assisting in sporting events, meal services, opening, and closing ceremonies. Without the tremendous support from volunteers at the Special Olympics Summer Games, this even wouldn’t be possible.

The Special Olympics Summer Games is unique in that all volunteer efforts for the event have a direct impact for the beneficiary. Special Olympics Florida provides services to over 15,000 athletes in the state of Florida. The 2010 Special Olympics Fall Classic will be hosted at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex November 6-7. For more opportunities to volunteer with Special Olympics Florida, please visit www.specialolympicsflorida.org.

2010 Rohto Ironman 70.3 Florida

On May 16th Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground hosted the 2010 Rohto Ironman 70.3 Florida Triathlon. The 70.3 mile race consisted of a 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike and a 13.1 mile run. Over 2,000 athletes took on the grueling challenge of completing the event. The winning time for men was 3:51:18 and for the women it was 4:14:22. The day before the 70.3 mile triathlon, the inaugural Ironkids race was held at Fort Wilderness for kids ages 6-15. The distances for the race varied depending upon the age group.

Sports Enthusiast Volunteers were on hand to assist with all aspects of the race. Ironman Foundation was the beneficiary for the event and donations made to the foundation go to benefit local charities. Along with the Ironman Foundation, there were several nonprofit groups volunteering at bike and run aid stations competing for prize money for their organization. The groups were competing for the best themed aid station and the cleanest aid station. The winners were:

1st: Southwest Orlando Jewish Congregation
2nd: Girl Scout Troop 1125
3rd: South Orlando Baptist Church
Cleanest: Vista Community Church

2010 Expedition Everest Challenge

What an adventure! On Saturday, June 12, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park was host to over 3,000 participants in the 2010 Expedition Everest™ Challenge. Just after sunset, teams of two took on the exotic terrain of Disney's Animal Kingdom® Theme Park in a fun, competitive 5K adventure run with obstacles, followed by a scavenger hunt. Sports Enthusiasts were out in force supporting the runners in a variety of areas. The Snow Leopard Trust and Disney’s Worldwide Conservation Fund will share over $3,000 in donations.

Sports Enthusiast Volunteer Opportunities

AAU Track and Field National Club Championships
- July 10-18, 2010
Trek Women's Triathlon Series
- September 4-5, 2010
Inaugural Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend
- October 1-2, 2010

Sports Enthusiast Event Spotlight

Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend

October 1-2, 2010

Get your forks and wine glasses ready as this October Disney will unveil a new half marathon and 5K race. The 2010 Inaugural Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon will take place on Saturday night on October 2, at 10 p.m. The 13.1 Mile Race will start at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex and will finish at Epcot®. The race is paired to go along with the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival. Volunteer shifts will be opening soon for this event. The race will also have a relay component to it. A brand new 5K will also be a part of the Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend. The Mickey’s Halloween 5K will take place on Saturday, October 2 2010 at 7 a.m. The race will be held at the Magic Kingdom® Park. The Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Expo and Kid's Races will be held at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex on October 1, 2010. If you are interested in participating in the Inaugural Half Marathon and 5K please visit: DisneyWineDineRun.com!

The beneficiary for the 2010 Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon will be the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Volunteer opportunities are now available and listed on our website.

Have you Heard?

Cast your vote today for the 2011 Mickey Mouse medal for the WALT DISNEY WORLD® Marathon Weekend! The most popular design will become the medal that is awarded to all finishers on January 9, 2011! The decision is in your hands. Help us select the most magical marathon medal in the “World”.

Get Inspired!

“Good actions give strength to ourselves and inspire good actions in others.”

-Plato

To get the latest news and exclusive content from Disney Sports, find us on Twitter @DisneySports and on the Disney Parks blog www.DisneyParks.com/Blog.

2010 Disneyland Half Marathon Medal Revealed

2010-06-24T20:44:00.001-05:00

Thanks to Amanda here is a great report on the Disneyland Half Marathon Medal.

It's a special year for the Disneyland Half Marathon - the fifth anniversary. That means there's a special medal this year too!

Here's a look

While I think the medal is cute, I'm not sure I'm completely in love with it. I really like the castle medal I have from 2008 - it's gold and huge and just looks special. I hope that the colored parts of this medal don't flake off like some of my other race medals.

The 5K course map is also available in PDF format here: 2010 Disneyland Fabulous 5K Course Map

You can get more information about the 2010 Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend here:2010 Disneyland Half Marathon Information

Everybody Can Walk Even Team Voice CAN

2010-06-22T14:19:00.003-05:00

Hello Team Voice. Today I am posting something real easy for EVERYONE to do. Please please before you try it, see you doctor and get them on board, tell them what you want to do why, and if it is ok.
I have posted about using this program over on Rae'e Place. So I am sharing it with you, yes you... try it, start at twice a week. Tuesday and Thursday. The up to three days a week. If you watch in the videos she is using a 16 minute mile pace. Which is the Disney race pace to stay ahead of the sweepers.

This will also help you get ready for all the walking you do in the parks too. You are going to want to quit, but don't keep pushing through, you can do it. If you try it let me know how you did.

And for those of Team Voice who are more advanced can do this everyday. In this workout you use muscles that help with running and biking.

And last of all... learn to laugh at yourself, I am in no way coordinated !!!!

Less Than 4 Months...

2010-06-21T20:03:00.002-05:00

It has been quite some time since anything has been posted on Team Voice about Team members or anything.
With that, I am going to commit to working on getting Team Voice back out there in the Disney community.
As of today Team Voice is on Twitter, @TheTeamVoice. I will post up dates,training tips, nutrition tips,and links to what ever I can help with to help the Disney community.

Let's start with this, October is 2 new races at Disney. Mickey's Halloween 5k and the Wine and Dine Half Marathon. The half marathon is at 60%!

Then in Jan.2011 WDW Marathon Weekend
The Half Marathon is 60%full, Goofy and Half Challenge is 50% full
The Marathon nothing posted as of yet.
Disney Family Fun Run 5k nothing posted as of yet.

I know alot of you out there are planning to do these races, and I would love to tell your story to all of our Disney community.

We can not forget the Disneyland Half Marathon is rolling around the corner. September 3-5.
The half marathon is full and so id the 5k.

To help keep everyone Moving Forward will go back to having virtual events and challenges.

So with that...

Team Voice Many Goals One Voice

Team Voice Team Member Alert

2010-02-26T08:07:00.003-06:00

Today all Team Voicers out there.. who can read this, please listen up!!!

Today a member is in need. Everyone needs to head over and give support.

Head on over and see The Voice . Jonathan and his family are in mourning. He lost his Father yesterday. Go send tons of Team Voice magic and support.

This is what we do, support each other in all times.

Thank you,
Rae

Team Voice Events Page

WDW Marathon Waiver Link

Made your list? Checked it twice?

100-year-old runner hopes to set record in Toronto

Wanted: Marathon runners to save Disney Princesses from diabolical plot.

Strategies for Training and Competing in the Heat and Humidity

Run Disney, Our Races Have Character

Walt Disney World Race Updates /DL too

Shake It Off and Step Up

Disney News And Updates

Just a Hello...

Sports Nutrition Tips for Marathon Training

Ironman Mental Strength: the Fifth Discipline

Hungry Girl Upside Down Pineapple Cake

Mid Summer Virtual 5K

Hitting the road? Keep your nosh healthy and light with our tips.

Hydration & Sodium

5 Reasons You’re Always Starving

Disney Helps "Give Kids The World" Celebrate

Jeff Galloway's News Letter

Transition Area Conduct: Placement of Equipment

Reciepe Of The Week

Grilled Vegetable Antipasto

Ingredients

Instructions

Star Tours Opening 5//20/11

Share Your Itinerary

If you’re flying Star Tours, there’s no telling where you might land. But you can always let your friends and family know your travel plans!TWO STEPS TO BUILD YOUR ITINERARY - CHOOSE FROM THE DROP DOWN MENU OR SCROLL THE IMAGES BELOW TO CLICK YOUR DESTINATION FIRST AND POINT OF ORIGIN SECOND.

Stress Got Your Metabolism Down?

Stress Got Your Metabolism Down?

Reciepe Of The Week

Spring Greens With Dijon Vinaigrette Recipe

Ingredients

Preparation

Team Voice ???

Team Voice Radio Episode 5

“Gimme 5! 5k”

Team Voice Episode 4

News from "The World"

King Of The Hill

It's That Time Of The Year ....

New Stamps For 2011

This in from Chris...

Send a Hello

Team Voice Radio Episode Three

Team Voice Radio Episode 2

Team Voice Member Of The Month..

Announcing Team Voice Radio

Peppermint Bark

Peppermint Bark

Day Late

11/21-12/5 Giveaway

11/21-12/5 Giveaway

Magic Paint

Disney Stocks Closed Today At...

Disney's Epic Mickey

Disney Sports Enthusiast News

Iron Deficiency and Anemia in Athletes

Iron Deficiency and Anemia in Athletes

Training Tip Of The Week

Learn Portion Sizes

Learn Portion Sizes

Training Tip of The Week.

Eat This Now: Spaghetti Squash

Eat This Now: Spaghetti Squash

Supporting and Boosting Your Immune System

Supporting and Boosting Your Immune System

When Your Under The Weather

When You're Under the Weather

Happy Halloween ,Treat and Enjoy

Coupon...

Training Tip Of The Week

Don't Forget

Training Tip Of The Week

What Do You Think Of This??

Tag Your Buddy.

Be Prepared, Kid

Wine and Dine Video

Wine and Dine Half Marathon Verification

Rae's Ramblings

If you’re flying Star Tours, there’s no telling where you might land. But you can always let your friends and family know your travel plans!

TWO STEPS TO BUILD YOUR ITINERARY - CHOOSE FROM THE DROP DOWN MENU OR SCROLL THE IMAGES BELOW TO CLICK YOUR DESTINATION FIRST AND POINT OF ORIGIN SECOND.