February 2014 - The Transformation Issue

At Home with Austinite and Drag Racer Alexis DeJoria Pg.48 AustinFitMagazine.com

Tips for Sprucing Up the Bedroom Kettlebell for Beginners

Lost

130 Pounds!

Won

Age Group!

Found Fitness!

Hockey in Texas? Yes! 3 Winning Reader Recipes February 2014

Transformation

Stories

How Austin and AFM Readers Have Made Big Changes

PG.56

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Contents

Cover Stories F e at u r e s

02|14

Starting on Pg.

56

Finding Fitness

in Change How Austin -- the city and its people -- has transformed for health

26

Winning Recipes

Try these three delicious dishes from AFM readers

72

88

Taking a look at fast-paced action on ice in Cedar Park

American Heart Association spokesperson Jennie Steward tells her story

Hockey’s Texas Stars Win Fans

Would You Recognize a Heart Attack?

48

76

98

Being a nationally ranked pro drag racer keeps a girl fit

Change up your bedding for a new look for Valentine's Day

How to work these weights into your exercise routine

At Home with Alexis DeJoria

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Ramping up the Romance

Incorporating the Kettlebell

Contents

02|14

D e pa r t m e n t s In Every Issue

48

Fuel

30 Ten Tips for Raising Healthy Eaters

How to parent a nutritionsmart kid

32 Healthy Training vs.

Exercise Addition

Has your workout regimen crossed the line?

34 Loving Spoonful

Some foods can add to your sex life

LIVE

36 Helping Kids Find Their Fitness

Families can learn to love an active lifestyle

40 Max Cardenas Beats the Odds

80 Lovin’ a SharpDressed Man

Nothing—not injury, weight, or brain surgery— can keep this guy down

An apparel guide for dudes on date night

42 Exchange Students Meet the Texas Trails

82 Activewear for Him and Her

Exploring a new culture through running

44 Moe Johnson’s Better Half Turns 30

Meet the man behind the long-running half marathon in San Marcos

46 Finding the Right Mountain Destination for You

Jayme Lamm reviews four options for Texans who crave the ski slopes

In Every Issue

14 From the Publisher 16 Letters to the Editor 20 Contributors

LOOK

22 WWW 24 Fit Focus 38 FAQ

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Give a Valentine of gear, not candy, to your special workout sweetheart

TRAIN

100 Training for Snow—Where There Isn’t Any

90 Your AFMDC Update

Running in the wind at the Rogue Distance Festival PLUS: Tips for success at the 2014 Austin Marathon

92 Early Bird Registrants for the 2014 AFM FITTEST

Meet six folks who are getting their game on now

FEEL

84 Exploring Custom Shoe Orthotics

94 2013 Ironman Lake Tahoe Recap

What you need to know about wearing inserts

Will this go down as the toughest Ironman ever?

86 Showing Some Skin

96 Transforming from Sinker to Swimmer

Fun facts about your body’s largest organ

Get ready for the ski slopes with these exercises

102 Combining Movements to Increase Intensity

Diane Vives provides Fit Set circuits for overall conditioning

106 Building Your Perfect Season

Coach Carrie introduces a new sprint triathlon training plan for May races

Courageously facing fears to succeed in the pool

54 The Pulse 110 Events Calendar 112 Rides & Races

114 Discover!

photo by Brian Fitzsimmons

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WE CHANGE LIVES

Letter From The PubLisher

T

Austin’s DNA Making a healthy change

he holidays are now a memory, and we are in month two of a promising new year, but I couldn’t help relating this month’s transformation theme to the many cards my family and I received over the season.

Thanks to the digital revolution, every note was adorned with collages of images of family and friends living their lives from every angle. What was most striking were the incredible changes that took place for many since our last holiday update. Infants had become toddlers running amok. Young adults had graduated from college, some were newlyweds, and others had started families. My “Baby Boomer” contemporaries had frequently relocated near their children, taken up new careers, and reinvented themselves in so many ways.

Change, while inevitable, comes to all. Whether bad or good, the pace of change is also in flux. When really dramatic, change becomes “transformation,” and that’s a realistic way to characterize what is going on these days in Austin.

One peek at the city skyline tells the story. If that doesn’t convince you, check out the traffic on I-35 or MoPac. Travel more than a few miles outside the city in any direction, and construction is everywhere. These physical changes are not the only—nor even the most significant—transformation upon us. Folks are flocking to Austin in droves, bringing new ideas, attitudes, cultural mores, and ways of doing things with them.

Three hundred plus days of sunshine and a favorable business climate in Texas add to the incentives to adopt our fair city as “home sweet home.” Austin has become a mecca for young people and technology.

The city’s diversity and charm—not

to mention its “weirdness”— attract new people and industries, such as the upcoming medical school at the University of Texas, which will further transform our urban “peoplescape” and all that comes with it.

Austin’s DNA is indeed changing rapidly, from a budding entertainment destination to a mega-diverse cosmopolitan center, where “casual cool” integrates entrepreneurship with corporate sophistication, and there is something for everyone. But even with all this drama, thankfully, Austin seems intent on maintaining its laidback, uniquely Texan approach to living—one of its greatest charms.

As one of America’s fittest cities, Austin continues to take its health seriously, expanding and improving parks and upgrading the Roy and Ann Butler Hike and Bike Trail around Lady Bird Lake with the new boardwalk. The city’s “built environment” is now a serious consideration toward supporting active living in its expansion plans. Among the nation’s most charitable cities, Austin continues to drive nonprofit contributions through its many races. The plethora of fitness companies, new product development, and health and fitness innovations that germinate here are widespread.

And with myriad gyms, fitness training groups, yoga studios, healthy food restaurants, and alternative health and fitness options, Austin leaves no stone unturned in its focus on healthy, active lifestyles.

Yes, Austin continues to transform, and, while these changes may seem challenging at times, the alternative is really not an option—and the result can be glorious, if we work together.

Keep Austin Fit,

Lou Earle, Publisher, CEO

Publisher/CEO Louis M. Earle COO Alex Earle eDITOR in Chief Leah Fisher Nyfeler Assistant Editors Natalie England, Courtenay Verret Art Director Weston Carls Assistant Art Director Sarah Schneider Director of Marketing & Communications Carrie Crowe Senior Advertising Consultants Richard Maloof, Suzanne Warmack Advertising Consultants Melissa Bradford, Betty Davis, Laura Templeton Writers Carrie Sapp Barrett, Steve Cuddy, Emily Laskowski, Chad Nelson, Elli Overton, Michelle Suggs, Chris Toriggino, Diane Vives, Anne Wilfong Operations Assistant Jackie Pica Interns Alexa Harris, Sara E. Sanchez (Editorial) General Inquiries info@austinfitmagazine.com Advertising Inquiries ads@austinfitmagazine.com Submissions ideas@austinfitmagazine.com fitfocus@austinfitmagazine.com Event Listings austinfitmagazine.com/events/ submit-an-event Subscriptions austinfitmagazine.com/subscribe 2201 N. Lamar Blvd., Ste. 220 Austin, TX 78705 p 512.407.8383 f 512.407.8393 Austin Fit Magazine assumes no responsibility for the content of articles or advertisements, in that the views expressed therein may not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher or any magazine employee or contributor.

This publication and all of its contents are copyrighted.

Austin Fit Magazine is the assumed name of its publisher, Louis M. Earle, who has no interest in the business of Denis Calabrese who operates an exercise program under the assumed name of Austin Fit, which trains individuals to improve their jogging or running skills to participate in marathons. The views, opinions and other representations published in Austin Fit Magazine are not those of Austin Fit or any of its directors, officers, employees or agents.

Please recycle this magazine

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Letters To the editor Dear Editor, As a loyal reader of Austin Fit Magazine, it is often my go-to for local fitness news and influences many of my nutritional decisions as well. Personally I strive to omit genetically modified foods (GMOs) from my diet, so I pay particular attention to companies providing organic options. So, even though I enjoyed Jasmin Carina [Castanon]’s "Austin’s Healthy Eats On the Go" article in the November 2013 issue, I was disheartened by misinformation provided in the write-up on Beetnik.

The article states “[Beetnik’s] chicken is … pasture raised and organic.”

However, as later identified in the article, Dewberry Hills Farm provides Beetnik’s chicken. Dewberry Hills Farm is not organic—certified or otherwise. Their birds are fed the conventionally grown and genetically modified grains I am trying to avoid.

Even though I realize avoiding poultry fed GM grain may not be important to all of AFM’s readers, it is important they be well informed. Additionally, there are laws surrounding uses of the word “organic” and certification to legally use the word when describing one’s product is lengthy and costly. It should be reserved for only those farmers who actually use organic practices.

I appreciate your time and look forward to seeing this corrected. – a concerned reader AFM investigated this by reaching out to both Dewberry Hills Farm and Beetnik for their responses.

At this time, our ration does include conventional grains as well as organic probiotics. Our birds benefit from the advantage of being antibiotic-free, pasture raised, and humanely hand-processed onsite. Beetnik does not currently use our chickens in their commercial line although David [Perkins] prefers them for personal consumption. His investment in our farm will allow us to introduce a certified organic line later this year. – Jane Levan, Dewberry Hills Farm The chicken supplier we currently use for our commercial meal line is MBA Poultry in Iowa, and it’s certified organic. – Bron Hager, Beetnik AFM checked in with MBA Poultry to verify this, and, though MBA Poultry is indeed certified organic (and one of the only premium chicken processors in the U.S. to humanely render chickens unconscious with gas before processing), they did not have verification of sales to Beetnik.

Organic labeling is a very complicated process, and guidelines can be found at usda.gov. While it’s possible for items to be completely organic yet uncertified, and items that are not completely organic can be certified as organic, that is aside from the point brought up in the letter. We appreciate our reader’s concern and are thankful for the request for clarification. The online version has been amended.

How Do You

#KeepAustinFit?

W

e want you to show us! Tag AFM in your social media post with @AustinFit or #KeepAustinFit and you could be featured in the magazine. This month, photos by @jessclarkie, @floress80, and @missmarcymarce made the list.

What we’re looking for:

Show us how you keep Austin fit by capturing your fitness moments—doing a handstand at a historical Austin landmark, SUPing around Lady Bird Lake, or working out with your children when you find time around the house.

However you keep fit, we look forward to seeing what you can do! The best photos will be included here in the Letters to the Editor page.

facebook.com/austinfitmagazine twitter.com/austinfit instagram.com/austinfit pinterest.com/austinfitmag youtube.com/austinfitmagazine

AFM wants to hear from you! Letters should be addressed to Letters to the Editor, AFM, 2201 N. Lamar Blvd., Suite 220, Austin, TX, 78705. Email address is leah@austinfitmagazine.com. All letters should include the writer’s name, address (email included), and daytime phone number. We are unable to acknowledge or return unpublished letters. Letters may be edited for length and clarity.

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photo by Brian Fitzsimmons

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Contributors

Thank you to AFM’s contributors who make this magazine a worthy source of health and fitness information in Austin.

Write for AFM Here’s how.

Susan Farago

Susan Farago has more than 20 years of coaching experience and is a certified coach in running, cycling, and nutrition. She is an avid athlete and the co-founder of Trailhead Running and the Women on the Trails training program and race series.

Farago is also a nationally published freelance writer. (page 42) SusanFarago.com Facebook: TrailheadRunning

Oliver Dean

Oliver Dean is the retail director for the Sail & Ski Center. Dean is a snow sports enthusiast and specialist, with 18 years of retail experience in specialty snow sports.

He is also PSIA-instructor certified, has a specialty in master ski boot fitting, and is a certified technician for Salomon, Atomic, and Marker. (page 100)

Katie Provost, M.S., R.D., L.D.

Henry Marshall

Jayme Lamm

An athlete since the age of 5, when she struggled to pop a wheelie while showing off for a boy, Lamm has always had a knack for adventure, sports, and fitness. After working in professional sports PR and marketing for five years, Lamm is now a freelance sports and travel writer based in Houston, Texas. Her work has appeared in ESPN, Bleacher Report, CNBC, CBS, and many other publications. She was selected as an Action Hero for Women’s Health Magazine the past two years. (page 46) TheBlondeSide.com

Henry Marshall is a native of Cleveland, Ohio and has lived in Austin since 2009. He added kettlebells to his workouts in 2007 but it wasn’t until 2009 that he started training as a sportsman. His passion and focus for health, fitness, and weightlifting has led to many community collaborations in the promotion of kettlebell sport.

Marshall is a Rank 1 lifter in both kettlebell sport disciplines, Biathlon (Jerk then Snatch) and Long-cycle (Clean and Jerk) who is devoted to earning higher rankings to represent the United States in the most prestigious international competitions. Marshall is the 2011 Amateur Longcycle World Champion (78kg Weight Class) and four-time World Kettlebell Club Gold Medalist (80kg Weight Class). He earned a bachelors of science degree in health promotions (exercise and fitness) from the University of Cincinnati. In addition, Marshall is the Texas representative of the American Kettlebell Alliance, a certified kettlebell coach (Russian Girevoy Sport Federation), and a certified personal trainer (NSCA). (page 98) gyminyourhand.com Facebook: Johnsgym

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Katie Provost is an Austinborn dietician who maintains a private practice with sCULPture Nutrition & Fitness. She worked at Cedar Springs Austin Treatment Center for Eating Disorders prior to joining the team at sCULPture and continues to share her passion for developing a healthy balance between food, exercise, and life in an outpatient setting. Katie works with adolescents, young adults, and adults to assist with eating disorders, disordered eating, non-diet weight management, and sports nutrition. (page 30) sculpturetexas.com

Meg Elkjer O’Connell

Meg Elkjer O’Connell is one of the founders of Austin Kula Yoga located in Central Austin.

O’Connell has a 20-year background in movement and dance; she turned to yoga to help recuperate from a back injury and discovered a new love. She became certified almost 12 years ago in Hatha Yoga through Living Yoga and is also certified in children's yoga and prenatal yoga. In addition, O’Connell has a deep interest in pregnancy and loves to share how yoga can help women through the transitions of pregnancy, birth, and motherhood. She has been honored as Best Prenatal Yoga Teacher by Austin Birth Awards and in 2013, she launched Prenatal Teacher Training Immersion with Michelle Thompson Ulerich.

O’Connell is a busy mom to Nelle, Sam, and Maeve and the lucky wife of Brian. (page 36) FillYourCupYoga.com

Letters should include the writer’s name, address (email included), and daytime phone number as well as a short description (250 word max) of the article premise.

Send to Story Ideas, AFM, 2201 N. Lamar Blvd., Suite 220, Austin, TX, 78705.

Email address is contributors@ austinfitmagazine. com . Response time

may vary greatly due to publishing dates.

Detailed submission guidelines will be provided by AFM as appropriate.

Submit FitFocus Photos Here’s how. Photos

must be original artwork submitted in 300 dpi.

Include credited photographer’s name, title of photo, and location in an email with the photo attachment. Email photos to fitfocus@

austinfitmagazine. com . Images

published in Austin Fit Magazine become the property of AFM.

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what’s White-hot on the web

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AustinFitMagazine.com Videos

@AustinFit Most Popular AFM Tweet: Jump on the bike and try this Spicewood Springs @MapMyRide route! http://ow.ly/rRFCi

/AustinFitMagazine

AFM FITTEST test designer Diane Vives shows you how to add intensity to your workouts with four new movements. Each movement has an option for “regress for success,” which allows you to build within your own strengths for maximum success.

Visit afmfittest.com to see videos

Most Popular Facebook Post:

on each of the ten tests in the 2014 AFM FITTEST. You can also find challenge videos from teams who are participating. Have you put together a team for the AFM FITTEST? Want to issue your video challenge by introducing your team? Send us the YouTube link to your completed video of no more than three minutes in length.

AFM Newsletter

Look to the weekly AFM newsletter for information about new blogs, upcoming online articles and past print favorites, special discounts, and the latest word on fitness.

Sign up at austinfitmagazine.com/subscribe

AFM Digital The most viewed website piece for January was nutritionist Jess Kolko’s review of two popular juice cleanse packages, Daily Greens and Skinny Limits. Readers again responded warmly to blogger Angie Houtz piece, “Shhh…I Have Cancer.” Editor in chief Leah Fisher Nyfeler’s recounting of her adventures at the Rogue Distance Festival and the “Pass Me!” Challenge rounded out the pack.

@AustinFit

Most Popular Instagram Photo:

/AustinFitMag

Upcoming articles There’s just one more race in the 2013–2014 Austin Fit Magazine Distance Challenge. Continue to follow coverage of the AFMDC by reading race reports (are you going to pass Nyfeler at the Austin Marathon and Half Marathon?), checking out the leaderboard, and reading TexasRunningPost.com’s monthly write-up of results and tips.

Watch austinfitmagazine.com for the latest postings on a variety of fitness and health topics from the AFM team. The Rosedale Ride is celebrating a special anniversary; there’s a recap of the inaugural AFM FitTalks (“Decide Your Distance/Script Your Success”), and more!

Web Exclusives

Popular Pinterest Boards:

GIVEAWAY It wouldn’t be Valentine’s Day without a little AFM loving. We’ll have a special giveaway that’s fit for gifting—whether for a sweetheart or for a little self pampering. Check out the AFM Facebook page on Feb. 12 to see what special something we have to share with a lucky reader.

Inspired by the kettlebell article (“Flow with the Go,” page 98) in our TRAIN section? Want to start training? AFM is giving away a PKB Sandbag, a portable kettlebell that can go where you go. Visit our Facebook page on Feb. 25 to see how you can take this piece of gear home.

Look for something special from the team at Alexis DeJoria Racing—it’s a giveaway that you won’t want to miss! Details can be found on AFM’s social media sources.

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Coming at the end of February, AFM will be launching a new website. You’ll find a new look, improved functions, expanded calendar, access to a wide variety of great content, and our continued focus on the very best of a healthy, fit lifestyle—all at a faster speed. Read this digital content at austinfitmagazine.com

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Fuel

Recipes from AFM Readers Three healthy options with great taste AFM’s readers enjoy healthy foods, and what better month to share the winning submissions from our reader recipe contest than February? The following recipes (pages 26 and 28) were creative, easy to make, and pleasing to the palate. Meet these cooks and fall in love with their nutritious dishes—we sure did!

Workout Goodies: Pumpkin Pie Protein Oatmeal by Susan Dikeman An Austinite and runner who works as a pre-K teacher in Cedar Park, Susan Dikeman knows all about the need for quick, portable, and sustaining food. As part of the Austin Food Blogger Alliance (foodette.com), Dikeman also knows how to put together a tasty recipe. She likes to prepare this goodie in a coffee cup for easy consumption.

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What You Need 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats (like Quaker Quick-1-Minute Oats) 1 cup milk 3/4 scoop vanilla protein powder 4 tablespoons pumpkin puree 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice 2 tablespoons brown sugar

How To Make It • Combine oats, milk, and protein powder in a microwavable bowl. Mix well: All the powder should be dissolved in the milk, as lumps of protein powder in oatmeal is not yummy.

• Stir in pumpkin puree and pie spice.

• Cook in microwave on high for a total of three minutes, stirring after every minute. When cooked, stir in brown sugar and enjoy!

photo by Brian Fitzsimmons

Funded by The Beef Checkoff

Fuel

Healthy Remakes: Snap Kitchen’s Vegetable “Lasagna” by Matt Reinhart Matt Reinhart, a chef at Snap Kitchen for two years, has a background “cooking all over.” This recipe is one of the perennial favorites at the Austin prepared-food-to-go outlet; the pasta is gone and, while it’s not vegan, there are no carbs in this healthier riff on a traditional winter favorite.

What You Need 1 teaspoon sea salt ¾ pound roasted red bell pepper, peeled and diced 3 pounds eggplant, peeled and sliced ½-inch thick 2 ½ pounds summer squash, sliced ¼-inch thick 3 pounds zucchini, sliced ¼-inch thick 6 ounces sautéed mushrooms

¼ cup of basil for garnish 2 cups marinara 4 ¼ cups low-fat herbed ricotta cheese 1 ½ teaspoon vegetable cooking spray 3 ounces Parmesan cheese How To Make It • Layer one half of vegetables, marinara, and herbed cheese in a 9 x 12 inch baking pan.

• Repeat the layers and sprinkle the top with Parmesan cheese.

• Bake at 350 degrees, covered 45 minutes, and then uncovered at 300 degrees for an additional 30 minutes.

Desserts Without Guilt: Chocolate Chia Pudding by Linda Wagner Linda Wagner is a nutrition coach who owns her own business (Linda Wagner Nutrition); in addition to seeing clients, she also writes a blog. A springboard diver in college who trained at the University of Texas, Wagner has lived in Austin about ten years now. She created this recipe, which is low in calories, with the idea that it can be used as both a dessert and a breakfast.

What You Need 16 ounces coconut milk (alternately, use almond milk but Wagner prefers the creamy, mousse-like consistency that the coconut milk provides) 2 tablespoons cacao powder

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1 dropper cocoa bean extract 2 droppers liquid vanilla stevia ¼ cup organic chia seeds How To Make It • Using a blender, mix the first four ingredients. Taste and make adjustments as needed. Put the blended chocolate mixture in a glass bowl.

• Add the chia seeds to the mixture in the glass bowl and stir with a spoon.

• Let sit for two hours or as long as overnight in the refrigerator to thicken.

• Garnish with fresh berries and enjoy!

photography by Justene Engels

Fuel

Good

Bad

1

Ten Tips for Raising NutritionSmart Kids

U

Parents play a big role in healthy eating

By Katie Provost, M.S., R.D., L.D.

nfortunately, there is an apparent disconnect with American youth and proper nutrition.

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), more than one-third of children and adolescents were overweight or obese in 2010.

On the other end of the spectrum, the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders reports that more than half of teenage girls and nearly onethird of teenage boys use unhealthy weight control behaviors such as skipping meals, fasting, smoking cigarettes, vomiting, and taking laxatives.

Parents play a vital role in guiding kids to make healthy food choices and develop healthy relationships with food, exercise, and their bodies. Here are ten simple tips for raising a nutrition-smart kid.

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Don’t label foods as “good” or “bad.”

It is important to avoid giving foods the common labels of “good” and “bad.”

While there are foods that provide more beneficial nutrition (i.e. whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and lean protein) and should make up the majority of a healthy diet, identifying a food as “bad” may create a sense of shame or guilt when it is eaten. Instead of speaking negatively about food, parents should focus more on the benefits of the nutrient-dense foods and associate them with things kids care about, such as doing well in school or performing well in their sport. Instead of labeling food, talk about how lean protein and whole grains provide strength and energy for sports, how eating a balanced breakfast every morning will help with staying focused in class, or how the antioxidants derived from eating fruits and vegetables help prevent sickness and encourage participation in fun activities.

2

Keep nutrientdense foods readily available.

Children learn to eat whatever is made available to them. To encourage healthy snacking, have fruits and vegetables in a bowl on the counter, not stored in the back of the refrigerator. Keep pre-portioned trail mix that’s ready to grab, or string cheese in the fridge.

Remember that kids also learn from example, so your own eating and snacking behaviors will trickle down to them.

3

Avoid placing restrictions on food.

Children who have food restrictions may develop an eating disorder later in life. If these restrictions lead to feelings of deprivation, children may develop behaviors such as hiding food, hoarding food, and binge eating when those restricted foods are made available (e.g., at birthday parties or a friend’s house). Instead of banning certain foods, positively encourage healthier food choices, such as lean

meats, fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy, and whole grains. Also, avoid shaming if, on occasion, your child makes a less nutrient-dense choice.

4

Incorporate a daily “fun” food.

It’s important to encourage balance and eating in moderation; children are less likely to feel deprived and will learn that they can fit less nutrient-dense foods into a healthy diet within moderation. Allow family members one daily “fun” food of their choice. This may include a small dessert after dinner, a bag of chips with lunch, or a small soda at a restaurant.

Avoid using 5 food as a reward or punishment.

Using food as a reward may condition children to turn to food when anything positive happens. This may lead to struggles with weight later in life and can place an unnecessary power on food that promotes emotional eating. Plan rewards that are not tied to food, such as taking your kids on a fun family outing.

6

Give children some control.

People are naturally intuitive eaters, so forcing children to “clean their plates” isn’t “nutrition-smart.” Prepare meals with a variety of options, and encourage youngsters to take at least one bite of everything before deciding whether they prefer it or

not. Have healthy snacks available between meals for children who voice that they are hungry.

Encourage healthy movement, but don’t mandate it.

7

Chores are not most kids’ first choice for a fun pastime, so avoid making physical activity feel like work. Find out what activities your children find fun. Sign them up for leagues with their friends or sports camps over the summer. Any time the whole family can do something active together is always a plus.

8

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Recognize the importance of the family meal.

Research shows that children who eat dinners with their parents at the table have better overall nutrition, growth, and development, and are less likely to get in serious trouble as teenagers. Dining as a family is also a great opportunity for parents to model healthy eating behaviors and choices in food. Start by dedicating one night a week and work your way up to three or four nights of family dinners per week.

9

own bodies, they may begin to think critically about theirs as well. Every child grows at a different rate. Consult with a pediatrician if you have any concerns about your children’s weight before intervening, as restricting their intake in any way may significantly compromise growth and development.

Avoid negative body-talk.

It’s important to be aware of how we talk about bodies (our own and our children’s), as kids need a healthy relationship not only with food and exercise, but also with their selfimage. If children constantly hear and observe Mom and Dad speaking negatively about their

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Get your kids involved with food.

A great way to promote a healthy relationship with food is to encourage involvement with food at a young age. Have them give input when planning meals for the week; bring them shopping so they learn how to navigate the grocery store.

Exposure to the kitchen and teaching basic cooking skills can go a long way, especially when they are ready to leave the nest. afm

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Fuel

Does Your Workout Routine Cross the Line?

The division between intense training and exercise addiction can be blurry

E

By Anne Wilfong, R.D., L.D.

xercise is both valuable to and valued by society, so how could it also become unhealthy? Exercise addiction refers to exercise that has grown to be unbalanced and compulsive, and it’s found among men and women and recreational and professional athletes across all sports.

Picture in your mind an athlete who is addicted to exercise. Who comes to mind? Do you imagine your friend who is training for a marathon by running six days a week or that co-worker who is preparing for a triathlon with two-a-day workouts? Or are you thinking about that person who walks four miles a day, every day, and feels terribly anxious if anything intrudes upon those plans?

Even moderate exercise can cross the line and become compulsive. The distinction between moderate and flexible exercise routines and those that are rigid and intense can be difficult to identify. Ask yourself, are you fitting exercise into your life or is your life revolving around exercise? If that

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question struck a nerve, look at some of the signs published by the National Eating Disorder Association (NEDA) that indicate an exercise addiction.

Do you • have a constant preoccupation with exercise routines or intrusive thoughts about exercise that interfere with your ability to concentrate or focus?

• find time—at any cost—to exercise, like cutting school or taking time off from work?

• turn down social activities so as not to miss your scheduled workout?

• feel overly anxious, guilty, or angry if you’re unable to exercise?

• have trouble tolerating changes or interruptions to your exercise routine?

• exercise alone to avoid having your routine disturbed?

• exercise primarily out of a desire to control your weight, shape, and/or body composition?

RONALD CHENG

• make food choices based solely on exercise (you exercise to punish for eating “bad” foods, to purge calories), or you overly restrict what you eat if you can’t exercise?

• lie about exercise, or you always exercise alone?

• avoid rest days or time off from exercise—even if injured or ill?

cessive exercise beyond a sensible fitness or training program (more than once a day or for long bouts of time; beyond what your coach advises)?

• judge yourself on a daily basis based on how much exercise you’ve performed or how hard you worked out?

• find no fun or pleasure in exercise; you’re never satisfied with your physical achievements?

You don’t have to show all the signs listed above to have an unhealthy relationship with exercise. If you read the descriptions, you will recognize someone struggling with an exercise addiction builds their life around exercise, generally has obsessive thoughts about exercise, and may feel very anxious about any disruptions to their routine. The mental effects of exercise compulsion can cause stress between loved ones or disrupt work and school obligations. You may feel you have been “bad” or the day was “terrible” because you didn’t complete your exercise routine.

The physical effects can be equally

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FINE ASIAN CUISINE

• engage in non-purposeful or ex-

as damaging. Increased exercise intensity or pushing through injury can lead to stress fractures, decreased immunity, anemia, electrolyte imbalances, reduced bone density, menstrual dysfunction, fatigue, and decreased athletic performance.

Compulsive exercise is often very good friends with disordered eating, and sometimes female athletes develop what is known as the Female Athlete Triad, which “consists of three components, each on a continuum: low energy availability, menstrual dysfunction, and low bone mineral density.” Low energy availability simply means you aren’t consuming enough calories and are exercising too much. Nancy Clark, M.S., R.D. said “most athletic woman need a minimum of 13.5 calories per pound of lean body mass (weight without body fat)” in order to menstruate.

Don’t feel ashamed if you find yourself associating with some of the signs listed in this article; the line between moderate, healthy, and balanced exercise is blurry. The signs and symptoms can run along a continuum. If you feel you are developing some unhealthy exercise habits, take a look at what is driving you to keep the routine going. What are some ways you can build in more balance? How do you react to the notion of taking two days off a week, resting if you are injured, and allowing disruptions in your routine such as spontaneous social events or work obligations?

A licensed therapist and registered dietitian can help you sort out what are healthy athletic goals and establish a plan to meet your nutrition needs while also helping you develop other relaxation techniques to reach the overall goal of a healthy, well-balanced lifestyle. afm

Fuel

Ten Foods to Help with Romance

What your diet can do to put you in the mood for love By Leah Fisher Nyfeler

T

here’s an old saying that “food is love,” and this adage is often reinforced by bringing casseroles for the bereaved or ill, celebrating holiday meal traditions, and providing special dishes as reward and motivation. But what about the relationship between food and sex? Movies have produced a number of steamy scenes between eaters and their nutrition—there’s Meg Ryan’s deli scene in When Harry Met Sally, the big bear sandwich at the end of Bridesmaids, and who can forget the fun with food in 9 ½ Weeks? Legend even holds many foods to be aphrodisiacs. Here’s a list of a few foods that have some science behind their sexy claims.

Pine Nuts, Chickpeas

Zinc has been linked to a healthy sex drive, and pine nuts have a high level. Mix them with basil, long considered an aphrodisiac and linked to improved circulation, and you get pesto. Not only are chickpeas high in zinc, but they are full of other goodness; priests were banned from eating them in medieval times.

Chili Peppers

The chemicals in these little hotties mimic the symptoms of arousal: sweat production, swollen lips, and an increase in heart rate.

Oysters

Another food high in zinc, oysters have been found to contain two unusual amino acids (D-aspartic acid and N-methyl-D-aspartate) that trigger the production of sex hormones.

Asparagus

This vegetable is just full of folic acid, which is said to boost histamine production necessary for men and women to achieve orgasm.

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Avocados, Bananas, Figs

Some foods just look sexy, though two of these show results that could benefit in the bedroom. The Aztecs called avocados “ahuacuatl” (“testical tree”) because of the way the fruit grew in pairs; they are high in folate, which can help with male sperm production. The banana is high in potassium and B vitamins, necessary for sex-hormone production.

Figs just look sexy; for centuries, they have represented fertility and female genitalia in myths and legends.

Pomegranates, Goji Berries

Antioxidants play a role in overall better health, and they are also helpful when it comes to erectile dysfunction. These fruits are especially high in antioxidants.

Is Spanish Fly an Aphrodisiac?

“Spanish fly” has long been rumored to be an aphrodisiac. The substance is a concoction made by crushing dead, dried blister beetles in order to access a substance called cantharidin, which is secreted from the beetles’ leg joints when frightened. It’s actually highly toxic and has a horribly irritating effect on the male urinary tract, which causes itching and swelling of the genitalia that, in older times, was confused with arousal. It’s actually quite harmful to men’s health and has no effect whatsoever on women.

The Flip Side: Saltpeter

Saltpeter is potassium nitrate that, according to popular belief, acts to repress the male libido when ingested. Supposedly, it is added to food to suppress sexual urges, and rumors abound that saltpeter can be found served in meals in prison cafeterias and military mess halls. Nope: While potassium nitrate has been used medically over the years for a number of different purposes, it’s ineffective as an anaphrodisiac and can even be toxic in high doses. afm

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Family

Growing, Changing, and Learning to be Healthy

Encouraging an active lifestyle in your children

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By Meg Elkjer O’Connell

e have all heard the words “one door has to close for a new one to open,” and this sentiment is what a new year can symbolize. A new year brings hope for better days, new beginnings, and more wisdom than the year before.

As a mom of three kids ranging from age 3 to 11, I always have at least one child who is experiencing a new, exciting life stage. Each one is changing before my eyes; as they grow and mature, their needs, as well as mine, remain the same.

We all need good, nutritious food and exercise, and we all need our community to help support us as we grow and evolve.

I owned a yoga studio for seven years, and that allowed me to take care of families and teachers. When I sold the studio, I found myself protecting this special community as it attempted to adapt and transform with me. Now, that group doesn’t need me in this same role; with the inevitable movement of time, things have changed, and the individuals have experienced the process of moving on, adapting, celebrating, and grieving.

Now, it’s my turn to do the same, and my transformation is happening at home.

I have the opportunity to think about myself and my family—my favorite people— freely, without feeling as though I am disappointing others. My hope is that, as I move into this new life stage, other people will find me more available and present in my relationships.

While I take the time to focus more on my home life, I have also become increasingly aware of how each of my children’s needs differ and how I need to best support them as they develop.

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My 11-year-old daughter is a dancer currently in the process of applying to a fine arts school for the upcoming fall.

She recently stated that she feels that dancing makes her a better student because it inspires her and creates good feelings about herself. Fortunately, my daughter has figured out at a young age that taking care of her body helps her in more than just one area of her life.

I often hear other mothers speak about how great their kids ate before the toddler years, and my 3-year-old eats everything from broccoli to sushi.

She loves food, and she especially loves good, nourishing food. I am happy that her fondness for nutritious food continues to expand, and, to assist, I make sure that the food presentation and preparation changes too. Raw broccoli, roasted broccoli, broccoli and cauliflower together—you name it, I’ve done it, and she’s eaten it. Variation is part of our dinner plate, and my little one is healthier for each new recipe.

I think the meal is more appetizing if the food served is colorful and varying in texture; it makes the whole eating experience more enjoyable.

At the same time, I have a son, age 8, who confessed that he recently experienced a side cramp for the first time.

Oh, we have some work to do with being active, but what’s great is that my son has finally found a new motivation: He wants to play with his classmates.

Motion might not be fueling an internal fire yet, but he is figuring out what he needs to do to be picked for a team on the playground. He wants the same opportunity as the rest of the kids. It hasn’t been easy for him so far, but he now understands how to push his body

in a healthy way and how this physical exertion can make him feel better. Additionally, he is getting the chance to play with, and be a part of, a group of friends.

My role here is to encourage him, to help build him up, so that he continues to feel motivated to push himself and not focus on being behind or on the failures everyone experiences.

Each of my children is so different and unique, but they all still need guidance and an example of someone who is healthy and strong. Yoga is as much a part of my family’s life as it is my own. My husband and I actually met in a yoga class, so there is no avoiding its practice and enjoyment around here. Yoga has taught my daughter that taking deep breaths helps her when she is upset, and it has taught my son that going upside down almost always makes him feel better, even when he’s fighting off a cold.

My children depend on these tools because they have seen me use them for years. They’ve seen, and have grown accustomed to, among many things, my green breakfast drinks, my passion for exercise, and a table set with homecooked meals. And, although they are inspired and motivated in a variety of ways, my children are learning to find those things that makes them feel good.

They’re experiencing how this internal drive toward fitness can help set them up for bigger successes in school and in life. Ultimately, they’ve learned from our healthy family practices that, when we take care of ourselves physically and emotionally, we are more prepared for the inevitable shifts and events in life… when one door closes and another one opens. afm

Photos provided by Meg Elkjer O'Connell

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F A Q Guidance for working out your healthy conundrums

Questions submitted by readers, answered by AFM staff 38 | au stinfI tmagazi ne.com | 0 2. 20 1 4

Q I try to make fitness a daily part of my routine, but work keeps me pretty busy. Often, I end up squeezing in a run during my lunch hour. The workout is just fine, but the problem is that my building doesn’t have any showers. The best I can do is towel off and wipe down in the restroom. Do you have any other suggestions? Is it OK to return to my office “sweaty?”

A: A big “woohoo!” to you for getting up and moving during the workday. So much of the right response here depends upon what it is you do. Here in the AFM office, we can get away with a behind-the-closedoffice-door wipe down, a quick change of T-shirt, and a hint of “I just worked out” eau de cologne; our visitors expect a hint of healthy workout here. But if you’re meeting clients in, say, the banking industry, you may need a bit more preparation. Pack a wet washcloth in a cooler or bring commercial products, such as Rocket Shower.

Bring a towel to dry off, toiletries (deodorant, makeup, etc.), and fresh clothes. Yes, you’re essentially taking a portable shower in your office restroom but a few minutes of advance prep means you can keep your daily workout without anyone the wiser.

Q I work out at local gym a few times a week in the morning. This means I pack my clothes for the office, and shower and change in the locker room.

My sweaty, damp workout clothes stay wadded up in my gym bag all day, and usually I leave it in my car. But I have these visions of mold slowly growing and infesting my clothes. Is it really

sanitary to leave my clothes festering in the car all day? If not, what are some other options?

A: Do you know two know each other? This question is the second part to Reader No. 1’s query: what to do with the sweaty stuff that comes off. If you have a private office, invest in a coat tree that will allow you to put those sweaty clothes on hangers so they can air out.

This is NOT an option if you are in close quarters, because no one wants to smell your sweaty workout gear all day (no matter how many fragrant candles you burn).

If your car is big enough, purchase a flat drying rack—you can find them online, and some are stackable—and take those wet clothes out to the car. Spread them out so they dry evenly. Be sure to remove them at the end of the day and Febreeze your car’s interior often.

Q I’ve just started walking and no one in my family is taking me seriously. Can I change their minds?

A: Perhaps the bigger question is, “Does it matter that my family isn’t taking my walking seriously?” Keep up your exercise; quietly assert yourself by continuing to be active. Sometimes it’s hard for those who haven’t made a commitment to change to accept it in their loved ones. By being consistent, you’ll show them that you take it seriously. They’ll come around—and if they don’t, you’ll just have to accept that they may not be along on this journey with you.

That doesn’t make it any less important; you may need to look for the support you want in a friend, neighbor, or walking group. afm

Do you have a workout question that needs addressing? Submit your healthy conundrums to FAQ@austinfitmagazine.com (please include your name, email address, and phone number with your question).

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Fit Over 40

Forging Fitness from Adversity Max Cardenas overcomes

the odds for health By Chad Nelson

40 photo by Abbie Pell of His Art by Abbie

Fighter: [fahy-ter] a person with the will, courage, determination, ability, or disposition to fight, struggle, resist, etc.

M

ax Cardenas knows a little about adversity.

He knows a lot about fighting it.

Imagine being 19 years old, the recipient of a hardearned college football scholarship, and, midway through your freshman year, a seizure ends your dream before it really begins. Then, imagine that exploratory brain surgery reveals a parasite that is 95 percent fatal.

Football had motivated Cardenas to excel on the field and pay attention in the classroom. But for a year and half after his diagnosis, Cardenas fell so deep into depression that it caused him to miss a significant point—he was the other 5 percent. His eventual realization, that he was fortunate to be alive, would prove more important than Cardenas could know at the time.

“One of the first businesses of a sensible man is to know when he is beaten, and to leave off fighting at once.” – Samuel Butler Eighteen years had lapsed since the end of his athletic career and Cardenas’ body was beginning to reflect the layoff. He decided in January 2011 that he had been inactive long enough. As a husband to Amber, father of two young girls—Maddy and Sophia—and owner of a flourishing restaurant and namesake, The Maxican, his life was full.

Cardenas wanted to focus more on his body and began running to lose weight. It was working, too. His endurance and confidence increased, and after his employees invited him to play football one day, Cardenas stepped back onto the field. But his athletic reemergence ceased just as suddenly as it had years ago—a false step tore all but one ligament in his right knee and bones were fractured. The physician mentioned that amputation was a possibility if it could not be repaired properly.

Knee replacement was very possible because of the damage.

“The lowest point with my knee was thinking about how I might not ever be able to play soccer with my girls,” Cardenas said. “The thing that gave me focus and kept me going was family.”

Knee replacement surgery has a success rate of nearly 95 percent, but Cardenas chose the more difficult road of rehabilitation. He was determined to show that, in his late 30s, he was not ready for knee replacement, much less amputation. The physicians did what they could, but the rest was up to him.

After a chance meeting with Sonny Wilson of Mad Dawg Fitness in December 2011, Cardenas determined that he would be in the best shape of his life by the time he turned 40 in November 2013.

“Victory is always possible for the person who refuses to stop fighting.” – Napoleon Hill Cardenas is a physical miracle. Not only was he alive and standing on his own knee, but he was also walking and, soon enough, running. Friends and family marveled at his steel will and absence of self-pity. He worked out, ate better, and amazed people along the way. But Cardenas had bigger plans. He registered for the 2012 Spartan Race and finished in just more than three hours, calling it “one of the hardest things” he had ever done.

Perspective is a funny thing. Cardenas had lost nearly 45 pounds and six inches from his waistline. He left his fears of death and amputation behind him, but Cardenas can vividly recall that the winner of Spartan finished in 45 minutes. Emboldened, he pressed forward, and, in April 2013, entered the Bluebonnet 5K in Burnet and won his age group. Cardenas entered his second Spartan Race the next month and cut his time in half (though he fell short of his goal of an hour). His perspective was that as long as he wasn’t dead, he was going to keep living in pursuit of “better and stronger.”

“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.” - Plato

“The lowest point with my knee was thinking about how I might not ever be able to play soccer with my girls.”

Today, Cardenas is down by 75 pounds, and eight inches have burned from his waist. He and his good friend Jeff Beyer have started the Saturday Morning Breakfast Club, a running group that meets every week. He has also started MaxOutRace.com, a race planning and promotion site he co-manages with Wilson. He completed his first half marathon in October and, just as planned, celebrated his 40th birthday with family and friends this November in the best shape of his life.

His restaurant has its own healthy eating menu, and he and Amber are expecting another daughter in March.

While his attitude and fortitude have moved many, those who really know Cardenas will tell you his greatest quality is his kindness. He is always available for a friend, always a resource for those in need, and is content to be Amber’s husband and his girls’ daddy.

Cardenas is proud of his journey, but he takes greater pride in how he is seen by others.

“Max is a genuine good guy,” said friend Damon Beierle. “He is always there with great advice, supports everything I do, and pushes me to be my best inside and outside of the gym.”

Sounds like a legacy worth fighting for. afm

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LIVE

Runners, Students, and Texas Trails

Local exchange organization introduces foreign students to Hill Country running

N

By Susan Farago

ine high school foreign exchange students from five countries will have a unique opportunity to experience the Texas Hill Country. Later this month, they’ll be participating in a local trail race.

When Mollie Renardet, the Austin coordinator for CCI Greenheart Cultural Exchange Programs, an international organization that places and supervises exchange students, saw that the Creepy Crawlies and Critters 5K was to take place on Feb. 22, she contacted Trailhead Running about the possibility of her exchange students and their local sponsor families coming out to run or volunteer. Trailhead Running provided ten free entries for the girls and will have special on-course volunteer opportunities for the boys.

The YMCA Cypress Creek Ranch near Onion Creek, just north of Buda, will provide the trails and introduction to Texas’ natural beauty.

Linnéa Öst, an 18-year-old student originally from Sweden, has been in Austin for nearly four months and will add this event to her list of amazing local experiences. While she enjoys lifting weights and running, trail racing will definitely be something new for

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her. “I think this is going to be fun.

I've never been in a race before, but I like to run especially on trails, so I'm very excited,” Öst said.

Renardet let the boys know there would be plenty of ways for them to be involved with the women-only race, such as cheering on their female friends through volunteering and oncourse support. They didn’t require much enticing; “I'm sure the boys will want to come out, especially with all those girls around,” Renardet said.

Trail running in a different country provides a unique opportunity to see the local landscape in a very natural and untouched way. The exchange students are from Vietnam, Brazil, Germany, and Poland; CCI Greenheart currently has students from some 60 countries available for hosting, and the organization has placed more than 20,000 international students with American families since they began in 1985. Öst’s homeland of Sweden looks very different from the Texas Hill Country, but this is part of what makes her experience so exciting. Öst will also have company out on the course—her own host family. “They do like to run so they might join,” she said. “If not, I'm sure they'll be there anyway.”

From left to right: Vincent Stuck (Germany), Carol Serrano (Brazil), Jeremy Ekert (Germany), Sindy Weigel (Germany), and Linnea Ost (Sweden)

Renardet loves the family-friendly aspect of the event and is looking forward to making the trail run an annual part of the students’ exchange experience. She plans to continue this partnership with Trailhead Running and hopes the experience will inspire the high school students to continue trail running after they return to their home countries.

“It’s a great way to not only introduce the kids to trail running but also to invite their host families out to an event they can do with the kids,” Renardet said. afm

photos provided by Mollie Renardet

Hitting the Trails with the Girls

W

omen on the Trails is a three-race series designed to introduce women to trail racing in a shorter course format (most local trail races start at 25K). Keeping to the traditional trail race format, each event takes place on challenging and varied trails with a small number of participating runners. All races are within a 40-minute drive from downtown Austin and include three distinct venues: Austin, Lake Georgetown, and Buda.

Each course is well marked and set up so that spectators and family can cheer on runners from multiple and accessible locations. Runners and spectators alike are encouraged to hang out after the race and enjoy some post-event refreshment in a social atmosphere.

Tiffany Pritchett signed up for all three Women on the Trail races the first year because she wanted to try something new and heard the races were family friendly. Initially, she was unsure of what to expect, but she made the drive from San Antonio with her dad and 3-year-old daughter Tabitha. After the first race, she was hooked. “I enjoy these races because of the overall togetherness of everyone who races and volunteers,” Pritchett said. “Tabitha and my dad watch me start, there are always people along the courses cheering us on, and Tabitha has ‘finished with me’ in several of the races. The races are family friendly because of the atmosphere, and I have made many different friends from these events.”

The series is now an annual family tradition for Pritchett.

photo by Jake North

Tiffany and Tabitha Pritchett

photo by Jake North

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Fit Over 40

In the 1960s, Moe Johnson was a champion weightlifter and claimed the title of "Mr. North Dakota."

Moe Johnson is Racing for Keeps

S

Moe’s Better Half Marathon celebrates 30 years By Courtenay Verret an Marcos resident and retired Texas State University professor Moe Johnson knows a thing or two about putting on a good race. This March will mark the 30th anniversary of his namesake event, Moe’s Better Half Marathon—the oldest, continuous half marathon in Texas.

Long distance races were hard to come by in the 1980s.

Even harder was finding an event of any distance that was well organized. While joking about race mishaps he had encountered, Johnson recounted one in particular that stood out. “(The race director) took a box of shirts and threw them on the ground, saying, ‘Here are your shirts,’” Johnson recalled.

“When the runners finished, he handed them finish cards, but then they took them away. No one knew who won. Runners were saying, ‘I’ll never come back to San Marcos again.’”

Convinced there had to be a better way—and determined to have some fun at the same time—Johnson joined forces with a small group of runners to form the San Marcos Running Club. The group’s original intent was to organize its own races and social activities; however, they soon found themselves lending a hand to other organizations wanting to hold races of their own. “We bought a clock and the cones and finish chute, the timing system, the directional arrows,” Johnson said. “We do all the race organization; we measure the course for them…certify the race course if they need it.”

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Johnson was not always a runner. In fact, it would be fair to say that, back in the day, his figure was not the lean physique typically associated with a distance runner. He was a champion weightlifter, wrestler, and body builder—winning state competitions and claiming titles such as Mr. North Dakota and Mr. Northern Plains during the 1960s. At the age of 50, Johnson rounded off his lifting career with a national title at the United States Powerlifting Federation’s Masters National Powerlifting Championships. A nagging shoulder injury ultimately affected Johnson’s weightlifting ability, and he turned to running as an alternative form of exercise.

“The first race I ran was the Capitol 10K,” he said. “I thought I was going to die.”

But Johnson didn’t die; instead, he began to challenge himself with longer distances. By 1984, he was running marathons. Dissatisfied with the small number of long-distance races available, he and fellow runner Brian McCoy decided it was time for the San Marcos Running Club to put on one of their own. “We didn’t know what to call the race,” Johnson said. “Brian just said, ‘We’ll call it Moe’s Better Half—it’s a better half marathon.’”

Anticipating around 50 runners for its inaugural year, Johnson and McCoy ordered 100 shirts. Soon, they realized that 150 runners had registered. “I said to Brian, ‘We’re in trouble,’” Johnson remembered.

photos provided by Maurice JOhnson

After his weightlifting career, Johnson turned to running as an alternative form of exercise.

They ordered another 100 shirts to accommodate the growing number of race entries, and then ordered an additional 100. The next year, they stocked 300 shirts, just to be on the safe side—and, again, found themselves scrambling for more to accommodate the 350 registrants. Although the race originally took place in the fall, they moved it to the spring at the suggestion of Austin running pioneer Paul Carrozza, thus extending the long-distance season. Today, runners competing in the Boston Marathon in April often use Moe’s Better Half as a training run.

Pulling off a successful race is no easy feat. Johnson admitted that it’s usually some small mishap—misunderstood directions, an overlooked detail—that throws a wrench into even the best-laid plans. Over the years, he and his fellow race organizers in the San Marcos Running Club have learned from these mistakes and now use those experiences when planning races for other organizations. “That’s what the runner’s club tries to do, make sure these little details are taken care of so they don’t have them,” he said.

The number of half marathons in central Texas has steadily grown over the years. Johnson said that the increased competition has impacted the number of participants in Moe’s Better Half, but the race’s good reputation (as well as its reasonable $50 entry fee) continues to attract a loyal following. Sweetening the pot this year is an upgrade in entry swag—an embroidered runner’s jacket. Like every year, any profits from the race go to charitable organizations, such as the Kiwanis club, for scholarships.

At the age of 76, Johnson shows no signs of slowing down.

Although officially retired from teaching and consulting (for years he worked with national hockey leagues on abdominal injury prevention), he returned to Texas State last year as a lecturer in adaptive P.E. and kinesiology. He also writes a regular column called “Run With Moe” for the San Marcos Daily Record. The loss of cartilage in his knees means he has had to shift his exercise focus from running to walking and biking.

Johnson said it’s been a difficult transition, but he’s making the best of it. He noted that his duties as a race organizer help him feel connected to the running world—and to him, that is most important.

“That’s why I like to put on these races. It keeps me in touch with the runners,” Johnson said. “It’s amazing how many of them I know from when I ran; they keep coming back to our races…I get to meet all the runners again. Some of them recall past races when we ran together. That’s part of why I like to help out.” afm

photo by Robert Bermea

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LIVE

Escaping the Texas Winter Find the mountain that fits your getaway mood By Jayme Lamm Texas weather can be nothing if not temperamental, yet winter doesn’t always feel like winter—at least not when we want it to. Luckily, if you’re craving snow caps and ski slopes, there is no shortage of destinations just a hop, skip, and a flight away.

Here’s a look at a few mountains and lodges that will satisfy your winter craving no matter your vacation style.

The Party Scene Heavenly Mountain Resort in South Lake Tahoe

The Adventurous Traveler Mammoth Mountain

T

exas travelers can get to Mammoth Mountain via the Mammoth-Yosemite Airport with one stop and then hit the slopes in just 15 minutes. This is the mountain for adults who still play like kids, especially in the snow. It offers a glorious winter playground with 150 trails, 11 vertical terrain parks, and three half pipes. And, it’s long-lasting winter season typically extends through June.

Mammoth Mountain is the leading four-season mountain resort in California and the third-most visited ski resort in the United States with a variety of lodging options. One of the most popular is the all-access hotel, The Village Lodge, offering convenient access to the slopes and mere steps from dining, shopping, live music, and nightlife.

The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association named Mammoth Mountain an official training ground for U.S. Freeskiing and U.S. Snowboarding, where the top skiers and snowboarders around the country prepared for the 2014 Sochi Olympic Games.

Mammoth Mountain boasts itself as the adult playground, but it’s equally fit for kids, too, with adventure zones offering pint-sized terrain for those newer to winter sports. It’s perfect for their first introduction to snow and skis.

Mammothmountain.com

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T

his is a particularly perfect snowy visit if you’re torn between a trip to Las Vegas with your buddies and a ski trip, because it’s the perfect combination to meet all your partying and adrenaline needs.

Rest assured, this vacation is not for the faint of heart. With a sprawling mountain full of off-the-grid terrain and incredible views of Lake Tahoe, it’s for those who want to go big and forge their own path. Imagine 34 miles of wide-open trails, on either the California or Nevada side of the mountain, with 1,600-foot plunges into doubleblack-diamond canyons. And the beer follows.

The resort boasts a high-octane, non-stop nightlife for those who want to push their limits into the wee hours, just as if were in Vegas.

Heavenly is built for those who are up early enough for first chair yet still going strong after last call.

Skiheavenly.com

The Scene Aspen Snowmass

A

spen Snowmass provides four mountains—Snowmass, Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands, and Buttermilk—on one lift ticket. Colorado’s second largest ski area is full of in-bounds terrain options with a backcountry feel.

Direct flights to Aspen are accessible through Dallas and Houston airports. The slopes are visible from the descent into the Aspen airport, and then it’s just a breathtaking ten-minute drive into town.

If you’re into the scene and being seen, this is the place. It’s more than just skiing and snowboarding in Aspen; it’s culture, live music, and a little bit of everything rolled into a few square miles.

There are many lodging options, including The Limelight, voted No. 1 U.S. hotel by Expedia members. It offers free live music five nights a week with a communal vibe, fit for friendly Texan travelers. The Limelight also provides complimentary breakfast and ski/in-town/airport transportation for guests. The hotel also has a popular "ski free" deal that includes two lift tickets in the nightly room rate, as well as free programs for skiers and free snowshoe outings, which helps with budget.

AspenSnowmass.com

Everything for Everyone Vail Mountain

V

ail is much more than a mountain. Vail offers pedestrian-friendly, heated streets and boasts the country’s largest free transportation system, making it an easy destination to not only get to, but get around.

Getting to Vail is easy: a four-hour flight to the city, by way of one stop in Denver, and a 45-minute layover in between. Vail also offers a Fly-In, Ski-Free Program, where travelers flying into Vail/Eagle County Regional Airport can obtain a free lift ticket to ski/ride the same day (so book an early flight to take advantage).

Vail provides a welcoming atmosphere and world-class skiing. Travelers looking for a home away from home (with some additional luxurious amenities, of course) should be sure to check out The Sebastian–Vail, which comes standard with ski valet, gourmet meals, sophistication, and style.

Whether you love to spend your vacation on the mountain, shopping, bar hopping, hanging out with the kids, or relaxing in a spa, Vail has it all—and then some. afm Vail.com

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THE COOLEST WAY TO GET FIT IN AUSTIN!

Adult and Youth Hockey Leagues Instructional – Advanced NORTHCROSS MALL 2525 West Anderson Lane | 512.252.8500 WWW.CHAPARRALICE.COM

Alexis DeJoria Living life to the fullest in the fast lane

48 photo provided by Alexis Dejoria Racing

By Leah Fisher Nyfeler Photography by Brian Fitzsimmons Hair & Makeup by Lauren Lumsden & Lacey Fuentes, Rae Cosmetics

Y

ou’re beautiful, young, fit, and have a dad who’s one of America’s wealthiest businessmen. You could easily follow in his footsteps, continuing in the family business that has brought fame and some four billion in fortune. Or you could absorb the lessons learned at his knee about living life to its fullest, recognize your passions, and branch off from the family tree to write your own success story. The latter is the course of Austin-area resident Alexis DeJoria. She’s a nationally ranked Nitro Funny Car racer and the daughter of John Paul DeJoria—the co-founder of Paul Mitchell Systems and Patrón Spirits.

DeJoria grew up in California and, at one time, thought she might earn her living working for Paul Mitchell Systems, but when she was 16 years old, she attended her first race in the Mello Yello Drag Racing Series and was immediately hooked on Nitro Funny Cars. What are Nitro Funny Cars? In a nutshell, they’re drag racing vehicles with a forward-mounted engine (dragsters have the engine in the back) and a fiberglass or carbon fiber body that tilts up in the back. Using a high-performance fuel mix of 85–90 percent nitromethane (CH3N02, once used for rocket fuel) and 10–15 percent methanol, these cars represent readily available models (currently, the Ford Mustang, Fiat S.p.A.’s Dodge Charger, and the Toyota Camry).

Once she’d caught the bug, DeJoria knew that she wanted to race, and she was willing to work hard to get there.

She decided to study at the famed Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School in Gainesville, Fla. While training, DeJoria kept her famous name secret, and she raced her way up through the ranks. In 2005, she started in Super Gas, driving a Corvette Roadster and progressed to the Super Comp division in a rear-engine dragster before she began racing in the Top Alcohol Funny Car division. She then built her own team, Stealth Motorsports, one of the few National Hot Rod Association (NHRA)

teams owned by a woman, which she operated for three years.

There aren’t many women in drag car racing. “It’s been a ‘guys town’ for so long,” said DeJoria. Aside from her talent and willingness to work, DeJoria’s reaction to a frightening car crash at Englishtown in 2009 did much to give her the “real deal” credentials to propel her into the top division, Top Fuel Funny Car. Englishtown is DeJoria’s favorite place to race—she described the New Jersey location as “green and lush, really beautiful, and yet so close to [New York] City life”—but on that day, a horrified crowd watched as her parachutes snapped away, leaving her car to crash into the barriers off the track at some 200 mph. Clearly shaken, DeJoria walked away from the totaled car, thanks to safety measures put in place following racer Scott Kalitta’s 2008 death at that very track. In 2011, DeJoria became the second woman in history to win a national event in the Top Alcohol Funny Car division and formed a partnership with Kalitta Motorsports, owned by Scott Kalitta’s family and team of legendary racer Shirley Muldowney—the other woman to win a national event in NHRA’s Top Fuel division. Muldowney is often called “the First Lady of Drag Racing,” and she is the only person, male or female, to have won two and three Top Fuel titles (1977, 1980,

DeJoria and husband Jesse James are dog lovers. In addition to several other breeds, they each have a French bulldog (Pierre, shown here, is a proud father of a new litter).

and 1982). “[Muldowney] kicked ass,” said DeJoria, admiringly, as she listed off the women in drag racing. “Courtney [Force], Brittany Force, Erika Enders-Stevens—she’s in stock car racing and is a good friend…”

DeJoria sees drag racing as becoming more and more a sport that women are enjoying and participating in. “I think it’s a generational thing,” she suggested.

There’s a fitness component to drag racing that today’s women embrace, and DeJoria takes advantage of the home gym that she and husband Jesse James (an auto enthusiast in his own right) have created in the sprawling ranch house on their 19-acre property just outside Austin. A row of large windows lets in the natural 49 light; a wall of mirrors keeps

DeJoria honest in her form as she moves among the weight machines. She does a one-hour circuit training session five days a week when she’s home, but she mixes it up—“I like to trick my body every couple of days.” Her trainer when she lived in California was Ray Kybartas, whom she described as “an amazing guy,” and she’s modeled her regimen after the work they did together (Kybartas is known for training several of Hollywood’s elite—though he doesn’t like to share their names, Madonna, Sean Penn, and Steven Seagal are on the list). She starts on a treadmill to warm up, moves to weights and cardio, and often adds in sets of step-ups. DeJoria laughed that, no matter how she trains, her arms always stay the same, but her legs “get beefy.” Like many, she battles a sweet tooth; like everybody who travels for work, she deals with the stress of being on the road. In racing season, DeJoria and team hit 24 cities over the course of nine months, staying about a week in each location. That can wear on a body.

It’s important that DeJoria stay in shape for racing; those Funny Cars have around 10,000 HP and can achieve 6G acceleration from a standing start. “You’re fighting the car all the way down the race track,” she explained. So, she works her forearms a lot. “They’re really tested when you 50

DeJoria loves to try something new, and she proudly rolled out a motocross bike from the family's well-stocked garage: "It's a Honda 250F, built by my friend Chad Geib out of La Vegas. He builds bikes for a few of my friends who are Pro Freestyle MotoX riders." DeJoria went on to describe herself as a "casual rider, but I've tried jumping recently and love it!"

drop cylinders,” DeJoria explained. Each limb has a function in the car, and DeJoria has a “practice tree” set up so that she can keep her reactions sharp in the off-season.

As DeJoria readies for her third season as a pro driver in the Funny Car division, she switches from easy going to determined when asked about goals for the year. “We’re going in the right direction,” she said. “My team has developed a good base line, and now we’re going to focus on winning. We’ve worked out a lot of bugs, and the new body from Toyota is fantastic. First year, we were top 13; this year [2013], top 12—next year, top 10. It’s going to happen.” In 2013, DeJoria and the Kalitta Motorsports

Watch a PSA from Alexis DeJoria about drinking and driving http://ow.ly/sxYdI

2014 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Schedule

54th annual NHRA Winternationals Feb. 6-9 // Pomona

30th annual NHRA Arizona Nationals Feb. 21-23 // Phoenix 45th annual Amalie Oil NHRA Gatornationals March 13-16 // Gainesville (PSM) 15th annual SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals March 28-30 // Las Vegas 5th annual NHRA Four-Wide Nationals April 11-13 // Charlotte (PSM) 27th annual O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Spring Nationals April 25-27 // Houston 34th annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals May 16-18 // Atlanta (PSM) 26th annual NHRA Kansas Nationals May 23-25 // Topeka 45th annual Toyota NHRA Summernationals May 29-June 1 // Englishtown (PSM)

51

14th annual Ford NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals June 13-15 // Bristol

For all her rockand-roll vibe, DeJoria is a bit of a country girl. The family, which includes DeJoria's daughter and James' three children, raises pixie pigs and collects eggs from their chickens. They're eco-conscious; the acreage is supplied with well water, and property utilizes a wind turbine to completely power James' workshop: "I'd love to get another to power the house and get off the grid."

Tequila Patrón Toyota Camry Funny Car team finished the season in 12th place with 991 points.

There’s a real sense of exuberance when DeJoria talks about racing. She loves the energy, the sound, the feel.

She credits her dad with helping to develop that love. “I always thought he was a badass driver,” she laughed. He’s a big fan; John Paul DeJoria can be seen in episode 8 of the 2013 video series on DeJoria’s website celebrating her performance in the semifinals at Las Vegas, where DeJoria raced and provided a—free—mammogram van available to her female fans. He sounded the proud dad when he said, “It’s pretty exciting to have a daughter who appeals to everyday drivers as well as superstar drivers…she walks a very fine line between being a mom, a super race car driver—very passionate—and helping change the world.”

That passionate outlook fuels DeJoria in all aspects of her life. When asked if she worried about the risks involved in sitting atop a giant transmission and hurtling down a track at more than 300 miles per hour, she shrugged and stated flatly, “You can get hurt just driving your regular car. I think it kind of evens out—you just never know [what’s in store].” She referenced her dad’s influence again when she discussed her philosophy that there are two types of people in the world. “You choose who you want to be,” she said. “You can live life like a clam and make it safely to death, or you can live like an eagle on top of a mountain.” DeJoria wants to live fully, something she wants to teach her children: “I want them to experience life and not be 52 fearful.” afm

2nd annual Auto-Plus NHRA New England Nationals June 19-22 // Epping (PSM) 17th annual O’Reilly Auto Parts Route 66 NHRA Nationals June 26-29 // Chicago (PSM) 8th annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals July 3-6 // Norwalk (PSM) 35th annual Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals July 18-20 // Denver (PSM) 27th annual NHRA Sonoma Nationals July 25-27 // Sonoma (PSM) 27th annual O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Northwest Nationals Aug. 1-3 // Seattle 33rd annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals Aug. 14-17 // Brainerd

Mobile Mammogram Read about DeJoria's free mammogram for fans at the 2013 Las Vegas NHRA Toyota Nationals at austinfitmagazine.com ("Would You Like a Mammogram With That Race?")

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From Love Story by Erich Segal “By the middle of the second period, we were beating Darmouth 0-0. That is, Davey Johnston and I were about to perforate their nets. The Green bastards sensed this and began to play rougher.

Maybe they could break a bone or two before we broke them open. The fans were already screaming for blood. And in hockey this literally means blood or, failing that, a goal. As a kind of noblesse oblige, I have never denied them either."

You think it’s cold here?

Record Low Temperature -96.1 degrees Farenheit

Fiction?

OR

Book Bit

super bowl Edition The first Super Bowl was called Super Game.

This year is number XLVIII.

Feb. 19, 2013, in Oymyakon, Siberia

The Super Bowl was at one time shown simultaneously on NBC and CBS. This year’s game in New Jersey is the first outdoor Super Bowl.

In 2013, 110.5 million Americans tuned in to watch the Super Bowl.

This year's Winter Olympics is being held in Sochi, Russia. Now, here's the question on everyone's mind: How is "Sochi" is pronounced?

Sock eye Soh chee Saw chee Saw key Answer: it is pronouced "Soh chee"

Playlist: <3 Heartless — Kanye West Achy Breaky Heart — Billy Ray Cyrus Heart Out — The 1975 Tearin' Up My Heart — 'N Sync My Heart Will Go On — Celine Dion

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Answers: True, true, true, false, true, true.

(We don't know either)

The most viral Super Bowl ad of all time was Volkswagen’s 2011 “The Force.”

Young Heart — Fast Years Heart Attack — Demi Lovato Beat Of Your Heart — Cory Morrow Heart Of Glass — Blondie When Did Your Heart Go Missing — Rooney

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America's

Fastest Growing City

The City of Austin:

A Healthy Transformation Taking a look at how Texans

(and the nation) keep Austin fit

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Photo by JerryHayesPhoto.com

Being active in Austin seems to come naturally. With about 300 days of sunshine and an average temperature of 68 degrees, Austin also boasts a generous Central Texas landscape that invites cyclists and stand-up paddle boarders, runners, and leisurely canoe paddlers to get out and get fit.

Austin residents like their vegetables, according to GrubHub Inc. In a ranking of the ten most vegetarian-friendly cities in the United States, Austin took the No. 6 spot, behind Seattle, San Jose, San Diego, Houston, and Dallas.

Austin is Ranked...

• one of the “top 10 cities for runners” (Forbes Magazine in 2012)

• No. 1 among America’s Fastest Growing Cities (Forbes April 2012)

• among the healthiest cities in America (BBC.com Travel May 2012)

• as the fourth healthiest city for women (Women’s Health, January 2012)

The American College of Sport Medicine ranks Austin the 11th Fittest City in America and No. 1 fittest city in Texas in their latest American Fitness Index (May 2013)

Previous rankings American Fitness Index (American College of Sports Medicine)

2012: No. 11 2011: No. 16 2010: No. 10 2009: No. 9 2008: No. 9

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Austin has hosted events for almost every sport you can think of, including the Ironman 70.3 Austin, USA Volleyball Boys National Championships, NCAA Women's Swimming and Diving National Championships, and the Davis Cup. And there’s more on the horizon…

X Games ESPN, the leading action sports content provider and creator of the X Games, has chosen Austin as the next North American location for the X Games. The Texas capital will host an X Games summer event for four years beginning in June 2014 at the new 1,500-acre Circuit of The Americas sports and entertainment complex in southeast Austin.

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Circuit of The Americas/Formula 1

NCAA Men's Swimming & Diving Championships

Circuit of The Americas is a multi-purpose facility that hosts the most prestigious racing events in the world, including the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix. It is the first and only purposebuilt Grand Prix facility in the U.S.

The University of Texas and the Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center welcomes the 2014 NCAA Men's Swimming and Diving Championships for the eighth time overall and for the first time since 2003.

Austin Marathon and Half Marathon Feb. 16, 2014

The Austin Marathon and Half Marathon is one of the largest combined marathon and half marathons in the United States. It has hosted runners from all 50 states and more than 30 countries around the world. The race began as the Motorola Marathon in 1992 with 605 marathon runners and, in 2013, hosted more than 15,000 runners in the marathon and half marathon categories.

March 27-29, 2014

USA Cycling CycloCross National Championships January 2015

The Championships are open to all UA Cycling Masters (30+), Junior (18 and under), Elite, U23 (1922), and Collegiate D1 and D2. Over 1,800 athletes will compete in Austin's Zilker Park.

Photos by Weston Carls; Stephan Peres

Everybody likes options, and growth has assured Austin’s fit-focused community plenty of those.

From outdoor boot camps to yoga studios, indoor cycle camps to garage boxing gyms, there are plenty of settings and personalties to please a diverse exercise appetite.

Here’s a look at the number of “Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers” and population figures, and how Austin compares to more population-dense neighbors Dallas and Houston.

Austin Dallas Houston X # of Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers

5,000,000

4,000,000

411

426 412

230

3,000,000

495 489

523

2,000,000

227

1,000,000

174

190 160 98

500,000

(Population)

1998

2005

2010 (Year)

2012

59

The erhaps Boardwalk Trail at Lady Bird Lake there is no place more recognized

P

and associated with Austin’s fitness fabric than the Ann and Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail at Lady Bird Lake. A crushed granite trail of 10 miles that meanders along the water’s edge, this pathway represents the very essence of the city’s fit culture—an eclectic collection of people, enjoying outdoor recreation in scenic setting.

Austin’s reputation as a resource for the healthy and health-minded has, in essence, grown with the trail. In the 1960s and 70s, the very river banks that today host sun-soaked sweat sessions were

A LOOK FORWARD "

A

ustin is lucky to have a core group of a few thousand citizen-athletes who, for the past few decades, have demonstrated on a daily basis what a fit lifestyle looks like.

Sadly, Austin has a history of schizophrenia when it comes to dealing with inevitable growth. People want Austin to be the most attractive city possible that won't attract anybody.

60

barren, if not polluted and covered with weeds.

“It was a very different place,” said Susan Rankin, president of The Trail Foundation. “There weren’t that many dogs or that many people using the trail.

There was nobody.”

The trail was part of the vision of Lady Bird Johnson and other community leaders who led the efforts to beautify the shores of the central city lake. That same sense of community and responsibility endures today, and the Boardwalk Trail is representative of those efforts. Projected to be complete in June, the boardwalk will connect the current end of the trail by the Austin AmericanStatesman building to Lakeshore Park.

That’s not how it works. Envision Central Texas was the only honest exercise (in planning for this growth), as it acknowledged that we're going to double in population over the next 25 years.

The good news is the growth is disproportionately made up of young people, particularly 25–34 year olds.

They want to live in the urban core, and they don't want to have to rely on a car to enjoy living in Austin.

If we were smart and planned for it, in 2024 we will be dramatically more dense. That is, a lot more people living a lot closer to where they work, shop,

play, worship, go to school, workout, etc.

Tens of thousands of trips per day that used to be done by car would then be done on foot, bike, or masstransit. And our urban green spaces will be even more precious to us—and, therefore, cared for better. That will equate to more facilities and opportunities for people to be outdoors staying fit."

— former mayor Will Wynn Wynn served as Austin mayor from 2003-09 and is a local leader in shifting the community toward the national green-building movement.

Photos by Tom Athey, The Trail Foundation

“I love to stretch myself to see what I can do, and the AFM FITTEST is challenging, aweinspiring fun, even at the ripe age of 49!”

Terri Givens

AFM FITTEST Competitor

Register before February 18th to receive early Bird Pricing!

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Found Fitness!

Nick Reed (page 66)

Eve Richter (page 64)

Lost

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Erin Truslow (page 68)

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62

A Little or A Lot of Change Can Do You Good Austinites who made transformations in their fitness Photography by Brian Fitzsimmons Hair & Makeup by Lauren Lumsden & Lacey Fuentes, Rae Cosmetics

Who doesn't love a transformation story? Isn't America built on the concept that anyone, at anytime, can make changes that will result in success and a better life? Each of these people took a brave, hard look at where they were and opted for something different; AFM has put a spotlight on the power of transformation through their personal stories. Whether a weight-loss success, a journey to find a community, or that step-up in effort required for competitive success, each story includes a healthy lifestyle and an inspiring voice.

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Discovering the Athlete Within One womanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s changes uncover a passion for Fitness

By Eve Richter

I

n January of 2013, I weighed 368 pounds. I didn’t feel like I ate that much; I ate mostly healthy foods, walked dogs as part of my living, and led a reasonably active life. Or so I felt.

I didn’t understand how I’d gotten so fat, or why I stayed so fat. I was in some ways even defiant about it—big and beautiful, fat but fit—but really, I was kidding myself. I did eat reasonably healthy, but clearly I was still out of balance.

Around that time, I was undergoing a lot of stress at my job and was in the process of leaving it. I found myself unable to eat or sleep, and was placed under a doctor’s care on anti-anxiety medication. I lost around 15 pounds; my stomach shrank. Ultimately, I was able to eat again (although, sadly sleep remains a challenge). I decided to use my reduced appetite as a jumpingoff point, and began something I call “intuitive eating.” I made a conscious deal with my body to eat only when I was hungry, stop when I was full, eat whatever I truly craved, but surround myself with healthy choices. I began to steadily lose weight.

In April, I heard that Brenda Porta was reopening Pink Gloves Boxing. I was very excited, since I had gone to Pink Gloves Boxing previously, and it was the only exercise program I’d ever stuck with for any length of time.

I had been devastated when they closed. I immediately joined up and made it a priority in my life to make every single class offered.

At first, I think I told myself I enjoyed it more than I actually did. I really was not in very good shape. I was still terribly overweight, and the exercise was difficult. But I stuck with it. And I did like it more than other forms of exercise, for sure. The variety of the movements—the punching, the dance-like moves, the circuit style of the class—all inspired me to keep going, learning, and improving my health.

I loved the camaraderie of the other women and the trainers. It felt like a family. Heck, it is a family. I stuck with it, starting with just two days a week.

In the summer, Pink Gloves offered an intensive program: four mornings a week and 1.5-hour classes instead of the usual one hour. I decided to make it to as many of those as I could.

I was working out four days a week for longer sessions, and I was getting

stronger, seeing transformations in my body, my stamina, and my muscles.

I was genuinely enjoying physical activity for the first time in my life.

I became accustomed to the nearly daily routine of working out, and, when the summer intensive program ended, I found myself a little lost. Two days a week was no longer sufficient for me.

I was losing 10–12 pounds a month, building muscle, watching my body change, and feeling a complete shift in my attitude toward exercise—I craved it, needed it. I joined Gold’s Gym and began working with a trainer as well as taking classes. I will admit that I went a little overboard for a while, sometimes working out two or three times a day.

My trainers worried I was not eating enough to sustain my activity level.

This is where things got a little weird.

I had lost nearly 100 pounds; I was transformed. And suddenly, my trainers

"I feel that now I have power and control over what goes into my body as well as the way that I use it." were telling me I needed to work out less, eat more, and eat more fat. I was confused and defiant. I began using My Fitness Pal to track my eating, primarily to prove them wrong. That’s when I realized that I was consuming no more than 1,200 calories a day while sometimes burning that many calories exercising.

I had to make another major shift in my lifestyle. Eating had to become more intentional. I began making healthy smoothies in the morning to pack in some nutrients and calories— and fat. I cut back my exercise to a more reasonable six or seven times per week. Sometimes, I still work out twice a day, but if I do, I eat more. I feel that now I have power and control over what goes into my body as well as the way that I use it.

I have now lost 130 pounds. While

Before I still have a long way to go, I have made changes I can live with for the rest of my life. I do not diet. I do not deny myself anything. If I truly want to have a burger and fries, I do so.

But I rarely seem to want those kinds of foods anymore. As I’ve shifted to eating almost exclusively whole, natural foods and making sure to balance my nutrition, I tend to crave those things that are better for my body. But, because there is no denial, there is never any cheating. That is a lifestyle change I can live with forever.

My biggest challenge is ensuring that I eat enough every day to support the activity level I enjoy.

As for the exercise—I can no longer imagine my life without it. My “rest” days are torture. It’s a challenge to keep myself from doing too much.

I generally train two or three days a week, box with Pink Gloves two or three days a week, attend a Pink Gloves boot camp once a week, and do exercises from my trainer once or twice a week. My trainer at Gold’s knows how much I love to box and is training me as though I might become a real boxer someday. We are establishing fitness goals, such as being able to run some distance, and do “real” push-ups.

And (ugh) burpees—I wonder if I ever won’t hate burpees?

As I write this, I am still in my workout clothes from an interval circuit I did at the gym not two hours ago, and I am seriously contemplating going to a boxing class in an hour and a half. Using my body, becoming strong, feeling and seeing my muscles grow, watching my body tone up—the exhilaration is indescribable. Every day I look at and touch my changing body, giving it appreciation for supporting and serving me all of these years. I recognize and acknowledge its beauty and power. I know it is beautiful. I am beautiful. afm

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FindingGainingCommunity in the gym a new Lifestyle through workout

By Nick Reed

"when the heart rate is through the roof... I had no idea my body could sustain work like that. I know that some people hate that feeling, but for other people, people like me, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a rush."

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I

say that I was fortunate, that I got a little lucky. I just wanted to meet people, and CrossFit was a way to meet people.

Born and raised in northwest Austin, I went to Westwood High School and the University of Texas before I left and went to law school in Miami for a few years. I moved from Miami to Orlando for a job with an aviation law firm. It was a whole new city, whole new group of people, and I had also just gone through a break-up. I wonder what percentage of people start working out after a break-up? It’s got to be huge.

I had never really been a fan of just going to the gym and lifting weights. So, I was a little skeptical of CrossFit—but the community of people, more than the workouts initially, kept me coming back. Then, at some point, there’s this transition, when your body starts telling you it needs more of these endorphins.

Up to that point, I had played soccer for fun, and, as a sophomore in high school, I was "peer pressured" into running the marathon, but I had never done anything terribly athletic. I was fortunate that I could eat pretty much all the crap food I wanted to and still weigh 150 pounds.

It didn’t shock me when I started lifting bigger weights. But what always surprises me, and it’s still the envelope I really like to push, is during a metcon (metabolic conditioning) workout, when the heart rate is through the roof—you’re just panting, but you find an ability to keep going. I had no idea my body could sustain work like that.

I know that some people hate that feeling, but for other people, people like me, it’s a rush. I like pushing that.

It’s a natural high, and that’s something I didn’t know my body would embrace.

Accidental Design

L

aw school was a default choice for me. I got my pilot’s license in high school and really wanted to be a commercial pilot. I ended up in law school—and in law school, everybody tries exceedingly hard. It’s part of the culture, and it’s consuming.

All anybody did was study, so I thought I better start studying hard also. It was more peer pressure. But I ended up doing well in law school, and it was the first time I had ever thought, “Man, if I had just tried that hard at something else.” But I guess everybody

probably thinks that at some point.

Law school was cheap food, lots of nights out, and no working out. When I started working out after I moved to Orlando, I said I’d do the workouts, but the Paleo diet was for the birds. It just seemed crazy. But, as I got more into the workouts, I did clean up my eating a lot. I drank a lot less. I can’t tell you the last time I had a soft drink, and those were prevalent in law school. I had never eaten excessively—I was never one to sit around and just crush a bag of Oreos—but I became super conscious of eating chicken or fish and as many green things as possible.

I didn’t feel the results as much as I saw them. I leaned out quickly.

Ultimately, the pull of Austin was too great to deny, and I wanted to move back close to my family and friends.

I had been working in Orlando for a little more than a year. The Texas Bar will admit you if you’ve worked in another state for five years, but I knew I couldn’t go another three and a half years where I was. I’m 28 and single, and that would just be wasting time.

So last year, right before the holidays, I packed up and moved home.

I just quit my job. It was terrifying. I had trust in my family and friends that I would land on my feet. I don’t doubt my abilities, but I knew the market was pretty intense for attorneys to find a job in a firm.

I moved back Dec. 15, 2012. It was the holidays, so I was doing all that family stuff and didn’t exercise for a couple weeks. I had heard about David de Leon and his gym, Of The Lion Fitness, through recommendations. I checked it out among a few other places, but that’s where I knew I wanted to train.

I describe it as CrossFit-like, but there are no CrossFit workouts in David’s gym. David is obviously able. You get the feeling that, if he performed the workout with us, there is nobody in any class that could beat him. He would be the top of every class. What’s also appealing is how he’s always trying to learn something new. His programming has certainly evolved in the year that I’ve been there.

I had a very linear plan. I wanted to take the bar exam once, so I didn’t work while studying for the exam. When I studied for the bar exam, I took it to a whole other level. I worked out and ate very clean because I had the luxury of needing distractions, like cooking. When

Before I took the bar after those two months of intense working out and clean eating, I was in the best shape of my life. And probably not coincidentally, I passed the test the first time.

After I took the bar exam, I got a job at the Capitol as an aide for a representative out of Dallas. It was policy work, and I loved it. I had such a good time that it probably paralyzed me a little bit going forward. I would like to give policy work a shot and see if it’s viable for the long-term. But, the legislature doesn’t meet every day, and I can’t go interview for a job and say I’m only available until the next session.

In the meantime, I've started my own firm. I don’t market myself. It’s really word of mouth. I gave away a lot of work at first, but that led to my first clients.

Active Plan

A

t this point, I can’t imagine not working out regularly. I know I’ll lead an active life forever.

Physically, I have put on weight — good weight. I was 150 pounds in high school, college, and law school. I went to the doctor in November and weighed 170…and I was still wearing the same pants I’d worn in high school.

Working in the Capitol during the last session was grueling, full of long days and working essentially every day. You’re surrounded by excessive catered food, and I can’t say no to chips and queso. Plus, there’s no time to work out. I was so ready for the session to end so I could ramp everything up and get focused in the gym again. It was a relief. I knew that I missed it. afm

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Erin Truslow Takes it to Eleven Subtle changes add up to big results

By Erin Truslow

A

friend recently asked me, “What are you doing different?

What did you change?” with respect to the way I look and my recent triathlon success. “Nothing, just training hard,” I replied. Then I began to remember what has changed for me and realized that I did change something. I changed everything.

About 18 months ago, right before a two-race weekend, my boyfriend of three years told me he was calling it quits. I felt devastated. Yet I managed to pick myself up and pull out double age group wins, feeling as I crossed the finish line that I’d sure showed him.

My determination to succeed became focused upon the idea that now I had something to prove to him, as he was also my coach. I now realize I was not racing for myself—I was racing to make him proud of me and to get that next “Great job!” text that made me feel valued.

In the middle of that summer, I moved from a small apartment to a house with a garage, yard, and a small swimming pool. Not exactly the change my friend was asking about, but it did have a significant affect on my time and responsibilities. I moved into a great neighborhood that has two lap pools, and one is heated, allowing me to swim in the winter. And I can make the most of the quiet neighborhood streets in the morning for my run training.

As the year wore on, I noticed that my back had begun to hurt after every long run and race. This led me to increase my amount of core focus, and I added in some basic body weight work: lunges, squats, push-ups, and pull-ups. I slowly became more determined, and the result of that simple body weight work was new strength and a pain-free back.

At the end of winter, I was introduced to an online cycling training tool called PainCave. I found the 30- and 60-minute training videos to be really tough workouts. In fact, I’ve mimicked them in the cycling classes I teach, and my students and I have become much stronger cyclists as a result.

I realized that having my exboyfriend as my coach might not be in my best interest. Once on my own, I was initially lost, trying to coach myself with plans written for

the previous year. My first triathlon of the season did not go as I had planned or hoped. I decided I needed only to impress myself and to explore a new coach. After a few months of contemplation, I approached Jamie Cleveland. While some might have a problem coaching another coach, Jamie didn’t, and we began working together.

Jamie’s coaching has lead to a multiminute PR at every race.

I also met a woman who calls herself “The Betty Rocker,” and she introduced me to her fuel system, which involves “eating clean.” I hesitated to change my nutritional habits because of my

Truslow with her son

"I decided I needed only to impress myself and to explore a new coach."

specific needs as a triathlete; I also thought I was already eating a healthy diet. Even so, after a few weeks of looking into the program, I decided to give it a try.

Two weeks into the Betty Rocker Fuel System, I was feeling great and had melted off a few pounds and 3 percent of my body fat. Was this change due to my new eating habits alone or the increased training and level of fitness my triathlon coach had developed? In hindsight, I chalk my success up to both changes because I have kept off the weight, and my body fat has stayed low.

As time went on, I felt that a change in my occupation would help me make even more dynamic transformations.

Although I was teaching classes, had a few personal training clients, and loved coaching, I also worked a 40-hour management. With my family’s support, I quit the desk job and jumped into coaching and personal training full time.

This final change in my life has inspired me every day. It’s given me control over my schedule so I can make more time for training. The reduced stress has made me feel peaceful and more in tune with and present for my clients. I am so very fortunate to be able to do what I love every day.

Ultimately, the question that my friend asked me recently—“What are you doing different? What did you change?”—is the tip of a much bigger iceberg. Yes, I’ve made many changes recently: a relationship change, an address change, new core work, harder cycling classes, an inspiring coach, new eating regime, shifting jobs. That’s a lot of change.

I remember telling Jamie at our first meeting, “The only thing I am consistent at is being inconsistent.” I believe my new body and my improved performance are due to the one thing I never had before, the biggest change I took on: consistency.

Although the last 18 months looked like change and upheaval on the outside, I consistently woke up and challenged myself to be better, stronger, fitter, and happier than the day before.

Change is inevitable; consistency is a choice. Consistent change is challenging, but with the right attitude, you can do amazing things. afm

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Skating

South and Finding Fans Hockeyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Texas Stars are winning support in Central Texas

72 Photography by Michael Connell

L

By Natalie England

ower the shoulder, lunge the body forward, and boom. Bodies collide and crackle.

The observant crowd erupts in applause that borders on celebration.

In the South, this is a scene that plays on repeat at football fields every weekend in the fall. It’s also why Central Texans seem to be gravitating to another sport that focuses on physicality and boasts athleticism.

Granted, a hockey rink resembles nothing of the gridiron, but watch closely enough and the principles are the same.

Brute force and quick-cutting agility are equal parts necessary to survive on the ice. In the span of seconds, hockey players can be stiff-arming an opponent into the glass then cutting away in a full-out, breakaway sprint, chasing the slippery puck toward the goal.

Hockey is stamina and strength, mind over matter.

“Hockey translates and is understood by sports fans and specifically football fans,” said Rick McLauglin, president of the Texas Stars Hockey Club, which competes in Cedar Park, Texas. “Fans like hockey because it’s fast-paced, hard-hitting—they like the action.”

The Texas Stars are the minor league

affiliate of the Dallas Stars, which relocated to Texas from Minnesota in 1993.

McLaughlin was with the Stars’ front office during that transition south, and he said the team was able to penetrate a new market and educate a growing fan base, in part, through youth hockey. The Stars adhere their name and lend resources to local programs that facilitate hands-on coaching and instruction, and by growing hockey development among juniors, they’re also planting little seeds among families that might become season ticket holders.

It was a strategy that worked in Dallas—of course, the Stars’ 1999 Stanley Cup championship helped—and is being duplicated in Central Texas.

The Texas Stars have instituted the Texas Junior Stars in partnership with the folks at Chaparral Ice. “We want the kids to learn the game and have fun,” McLaughlin said.

It’s an integral period of instruction and education. For a sport that features such focused precision and all-out

aggression, every detail matters. Even today, as the Texas Stars are charging to another American Hockey League playoff run, habits and rituals that were instituted during youth play define these professionals as they prepare for a grueling 60 minutes on the ice.

For a home game at the Cedar Park Center, the team is required to arrive two hours before face-off, but it’s not unusual to see these gentlemen strolling in almost three hours early. They’ll sip a cup of coffee in the team lounge, fiddle with their hockey sticks, and generally ease into the rhythm of the game. But don’t be fooled by the simplicity of their strides or the relaxation of their banter. Everything is timed to the minute, from when they step into their first warm-up lunge to when they pull on their pads.

“It’s the way they start them out as kids. Even when they’re little, young kids, they develop these routines, and they just stick with them,” said Texas Stars athletic trainer Jason Wallace.

While it’s hard to see under

"Fans like hockey because it’s fast-paced, hard-hitting— they like the action."

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their baggy sweaters and bulky padding, hockey players are hard-wired athletes, chiseled physiques of fast-twitch, flexible muscle fibers. Teams generally consist of four lines, which substitute in and out about every minute. In a game that consists of three, 20-minute periods, they play bursts that are nothing short of all-out sprints, with a few jaw-rattling body checks thrown in for good measure.

“If you still have gas after a minute, you haven’t been working very hard,” said Francis Wathier, a ninth-year professional and one of the Stars’ assistant captains.

The philosophy of Stars’ coach Willie Desjardins is tempo, tempo, and more tempo. It’s a fast-paced style that’s designed to wear down opponents. And, since the NHL lockout in 2004–05, it’s a philosophy that’s being adopted by most teams. “The biggest part of the game is your confidence level. If

74

you’re going to do something and you’re not sure, you can’t go 100 percent,” Dejardins said. “But if you’re confident, you can execute at the highest level.”

For hockey athletes, their offseason is just as important as their season. After a season ends, they’ll go through a short rest and recovery period then launch into their offseason conditioning, which consists of foundational phases like strength, flexibility and power.

Wathier, for instance, lives on a farm in his native Canada, so in addition to his plyometrics and Olympic lifting, he’s also working the tractor, feeding horses, and heaving hay. Mike Hedden, a left wing out of Ontario, works at a buddy’s training facility and utilizes a skating treadmill to maintain his cardio fitness.

“It’s made of synthetic plastic, and you’re strapped into a harness,” Hedden explained. “You can drift back and do sprints up. I do that all summer. Other-

wise, I like CrossFit-style circuit training that is quick, 30-second bursts and 20 seconds of rest before the next exercise.

“Training has just been imbedded in me over the years…After games, you’re absolutely exhausted. You can’t even move after the game.”

It’s this level of effort—this dedication to their team and practice—that is allowing hockey to win over fans in Central Texas. Though still most popular in Canada, the northern United States, and Europe, hockey is migrating south.

The Texas Stars average more than 5,000 fans for their games at the Cedar Park Center.

“We have a lot of legs,” Wathier said.

“If you’re able to play with a high skill level, even when you’re tired, you’re going to beat a lot of teams.” afm

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Look

Fit Finds

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Make your bedroom a place for romance

t’s time to strip off those old sheets and refresh your bedding. But what to replace them with? Kelli Brinkkoeter at Feather Your Nest (3500 Jefferson Street) created two luxurious looks, one that’s more reserved and another that pumps up the romance. Use her suggestions to see what kind of inviting get-away you can create in your own bedroom.

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Amp Up the Luxe Sferra Bari Coverlet, Queen, Ivory: $410 Bella Notte Loulah Throw Blanket, Perfect Peach: $609 Bella Notte Valentina Personal Comforter, Perfect Peach: $836 Bella Notte Valentina Body Pillow, Perfect Peach: $449 Bella Notte Adele Deluxe Sham, Champagne: $172 each Monogram Slubby Linen Pillow: $195 Abstract Bed, Queen: $3,995

photography by Brian Fitzimmons

77

Look

Create Quiet Sophistication John Robshaw Textiles, Silk Coverlet, Queen, Storm: $450 John Robshaw Textiles, Alpaca Throw: $450 Kiska Standard Sham: $105 each Bella Notte Homespun Deluxe Sham, Flax: $234 each Matouk Jasper Coverlet, Queen, White: $248 Oly Bed, Queen: $5,285

Pull Together Your Own Look

B

ella Notte, one of Feather Your Nest’s bestselling bedding lines, features American-made products made from low-impact fabrics and non-toxic dyes. In addition, all of Bella Notte's fabrics are prewashed and pre-shrunk, creating easy-care luxury bedding. More than 25 fabric options are available in 18 different colors, which allows for a truly custom bed.

A great way to create a romantic bed (or any bed, for that matter) is to layer, layer, layer. A variety of textures and fabrics will add interest to any bed.

Provide interest with unique patterns. John Robshaw Textiles are influenced by the designer’s travels in Asia and the materials he’s encountered (batiks in Indonesia, ikats from Thailand, and dyeing and printing techniques in India).

Color sets the tone in the bedroom. Peach is a great or romance because it’s soft, yet sophisticated.

Grey and white is a wonderful combination; over the past few years, grey has become the new neutral and, when mixed with white, looks fresh and modern.

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Look

Dressing Dudes for Valentine’s Day

How to look your best on the most romantic date night of the year

By Michelle Lanh Suggs

V

alentine’s Day might not be anything more than date night on steroids, and one of the last things fellows may be concerned with is assembling a romantic outfit. Between setting up a reservation and making sure to grab the freshest flowers, the tendency might be to just throw on go-to evening wear.

This year, put your Valentine’s Day ensemble somewhere at the top of the list, because—let’s face it—we all love a sharp-dressed man. Spicing up your outfit may spice up other things on date night. Here are a few interesting tips to consider for adding a little spirit to your ensemble.

Make Your Denim Dark

Dark denim is key for an outfit that can play either casual or dressy. A simple pair of jeans can say, “I care (but not too much),” while the darkness of the wash can almost appear to be a dress pant. If they’re skinny, roll them up once to reveal any fashion statement on the ankles.

Don’t Knock the Sock

The sock game is rising in the fashion world and, with multiple colors and patterns, options can seem never ending. What people don’t realize is that those socks can be seen, so why not dress them up? If you’re not sure of where to add color in your attire, try to display a V-Day inspired pattern on your feet.

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Photography by Tea Eiland Styling by Paige Greenfield

n! e tio hit ca W o n L w Be Ne o @ C So

Texture Feels Good

If you plan on wearing a suit or dinner jacket, texture is the way to go. Tweed, cotton, wool, and velvet are all fun ways to incorporate a different look to your ensemble. This is also a great opportunity to play with color.

Wearing a light blue Oxford button-up shirt? Try pairing it with a brown tweed jacket for a color and texture complement.

That play on texture also gives your date a chance to feel what you’re wearing.

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A sweater is ideal for any casual look. A simple V-neck knit can be worn solo (with or without a dinner jacket) or with a button-up shirt and tie. Chunky knit sweaters are also popular and come in a variety of patterns. Try a pullover or, if you want to show off your top, go for a cardigan. Any of these options can be paired with a jean or dress pant.

Tie It Up

A necktie is a perfect finish for any outfit, no matter the occasion. Feeling fun and adventurous? Go for a unique bowtie flourished in red hearts. Slim, fit guys should go with a skinny tie, perhaps in a bold color. If you’re suiting it up with a lot of layers, use a traditional necktie, in your choice of color and pattern.

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Styled by Ashley Hargrove of DTK Austin

Love is a Contact Sport Dial up the romance with

these gifts for him and her

Couples that train together stay together.

So, this Valentine’s Day, why not surprise with something that appeals to your sweetie’s active appetite?

Adidas - Backpack - $130 Perfect for a spontaneous spring picnic on the trail.

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Nike - Men’s water repellant running jacket - $200 Stay prepared; you never know when the Texas weather will change.

Level - Terrain apparel- flipBelt- $25 Hit the road, and your keys, phone, and wallet can come too!

Under Armor - Speedform shoes - $110 Step out and stand out in spring’s brightest colors.

Nike - Running leggings - $58 Stay stylish with these sturdy leggings, no matter the season.

Polar - Loop - $110 Set goals together and then track progress on this wireless wristband.

Nathan - Fire and ice water bottle - $35 Enjoy a day of adventure without your water warming—or cooling—in the elements.

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Feel

Are Custom Orthotics Right For You? What you should consider when exploring options in shoe inserts

By Steve Cuddy, M.P.T, P.R.C.

Figure 2

I

n the world of orthopedic rehabilitation, a debate rages regarding custom foot orthotics. The debate (though slightly less intense than the one about minimalist shoes) is about what orthotics actually do to help patients that other traditional treatment modalities cannot accomplish. Are they being used to take the load off of or support a painful structure? Are they directly or indirectly changing the mechanics of the foot or other lower limb joints?

Or are they generally making positive, holistic postural or gait changes?

You will likely get a dozen different

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answers from a dozen different practitioners regarding what an orthotic really does and how an orthotic should be made. Consequently, there are many different styles of orthotics constructed from a wide variety of materials (foam, plastic, leather, and rubber) with different textures and densities. Orthotics are also cut to different lengths (from heel to toes, heel to just behind the toes, or heel to behind the ball of the foot), contoured to shape around the sides of the foot and the heel or made almost flat, and constructed to be very rigid, very flexible, or anything in between. What needs to

be understood is that all of these factors matter, and they matter a lot.

And, by the way, there’s even a silly debate over what we should call them: orthotics, orthoses, an orthosis, arch supports, or custom foot beds. For this article, I’m using the terms custom foot orthotics or orthotics, and I’m going to give my opinion, which has evolved over the years and is obviously biased. But it is based on much experience seeing what works and what doesn’t.

I geek out a bit on this subject. As someone who has been using custom foot orthotics in my practice for more

Photography by Brian Fitzsimmons

TRI SE

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face area of the foot that an orthotic can affect, the more nerve endings can be utilized for a proprioceptive response. I believe an orthotic will have maximum benefit for my patients if it can contour to as much of the bottom of the foot that the shoe will accommodate (Figure 1).

Second, a custom foot orthotic should be designed so that the bones of the foot are aligned as close to neutral as possible when at mid-range of motion.

The big toe, foot, ankle, knee, hip, and pelvis also should be lined up properly.

This goal of neutrality, as with any joint, will also improve the effectiveness of the corresponding muscles and tendons. Of course, all joints move in and out of neutral, and an orthotic needs to be flexible enough to let this happen. But with the proper use of materials, an orthotic can provide the best of both worlds. Creativity in design and in the materials chosen is necessary when, upon evaluation, it is found that the patient’s foot is pathologically loose or rigid.

Lastly, there is one important point that seems simple but is often overlooked; an orthotic needs to fit into the shoe seamlessly. Custom orthotic design should be fairly precise, and it’s a shame when they don’t fit properly in the shoe.

Unfortunately, I see this far too often.

If you look at the bottom of the inside of the shoe, there is a distinctive shape, and that shape needs to match the bottom of the orthotic as closely as possible, or the orthotic position may be altered or slip around in the shoe (Figure 2). Changing the angulation of the orthotic inside the shoe will completely change how the orthotic design is influencing mechanics. afm

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than 20 years, I’ve gathered quite a bit of knowledge in a variety of ways. My patients bring in a lot of different orthotics; I often use orthotics with my patients; and I don’t go the custom orthotics route at all if I can assist in making positive changes in a more practical or cost-effective manner. However, there are many times when it’s perfectly clear that there are ongoing barriers to completely solving a patient’s problem, and sometimes the source can be found at the feet.

I’m a physical therapist, so I feel suited to looking at the whole patient and using orthotics to help make beneficial changes, not only for foot- or ankle-specific issues but also for making more general changes in posture and gait. For example, it may be clear to me through a series of tests that a patient is making compensatory changes in his or her hip position because, when upright or walking, his or her feet are consistently positioned in a way that makes it impossible to maintain an ideal pelvic and spine position. Thoughtful and careful design of custom orthotics can have beneficial effects on situations like this by supporting loose structures or stimulating muscles to work or relax at the appropriate time. Orthotics may also have a more widespread effect by causing subtle changes in muscle patterns throughout the body.

Orthotics affect the foot in essentially two main ways. First, there is a sensory response, or stimulation of nerve endings in the feet, that creates a motor response, which is a reaction of the foot and ankle musculature. In the bottom of the foot, there are more nerve endings per square inch than anywhere else in the human body. So the greater the sur-

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Figure 1

TEXAS

Feel

World’s Largest Organ The average person has about 20 square feet of skin. In fact, skin is the body’s largest organ. Made up of three layers—the epidermis, dermis, and hypodermis— skin is what keeps the body put together. It protects the insides from the outside, helps regulate body temperature, and gives that sensational sense of touch.

Approximately 15 percent of your weight is made up of your skin.

Did you know?

Sunscreen can no longer claim to be waterproof or sweat proof.

Skin

Stock Up On Sunscreen

The sun damages skin all year round, not just in the summer, and that leads to wrinkles, age spots, and even skin cancer. For healthy skin, sunscreen should be part of the routine 365 days out of the year. Choose SPF 30 or higher, broad spectrum (protects from both UVA and B rays), and water resistant (lasts 40–80 minutes before need to reapply).

New technology for severe burn treatment involves spraying cultured skin cells onto thin tissue, where they grow to create new skin.

50 percent

Thanks to its sunny climate and large population with a northern European heritage, Australia has the highest rates of skin cancer in the world.

About five minutes of sun exposure in New York at noon in the summer will provide maximum vitamin D production for a Caucasian person.

That’s not dust. Your body sheds approximately 50,000 dead skin cells every minute.

The typical adult’s skin would equal about 22 square feet if removed and stretched out.

Stay Baby Soft

Feel like your skin is leaving you high and dry? It’s probably the other way around. A simple adjustment in your routine can do wonders for alleviating and preventing dry skin when the humidity drops. Consider the following: • Apply moisturizer immediately after washing. This traps existing moisture in your skin—after a full shower or just washing your hands.

• Whether it’s from over-scrubbing or added chemicals, some skincare products are too harsh on the skin.

When showering, scrub gently and avoid using skincare products that contain alcohol, fragrance, retinoids, or alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA).

of the people who get a tattoo will later want it removed. Laser light, used in pulses, is a common treatment; the sensation has been described as feeling “like a grease splatter” or like “snapping a rubber band against the skin.” The color of the ink and depth of the tattoo will determine how many treatments are needed to remove it; the location has a lot to do with how painful the process is.

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FEEL

Surviving a Heart Attack and Transforming Health Q&A with Jennie Stewart

By Courtenay Verret

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ccording to the American Heart Association (AHA), an estimated 43 million women in the United States are affected by heart disease. Jennie Stewart is one such woman who, at the age of 41, was taken by surprise when she suffered a heart attack. Fortunately, thanks to the quick action of a friend who spotted the warning signs, Stewart received swift medical attention and survived. Stewart, now a spokesperson for the AHA, visited with Austin Fit Magazine about her charge to help others fight heart disease.

Tell us about your health scare.

As a 41-year-old woman, I never even worried about a heart attack. Breast cancer seemed more like the thing to get screened for. Heart attacks are for old men, right? Wrong. I had no warning signs. My cholesterol has always been perfect, and I actually have low blood pressure. I rarely drink, never have smoked or done drugs, and have always exercised regularly. My weight has fluc-

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tuated my whole life; it has always been the hardest thing for me to maintain.

Luckily, I was at home with my 10-yearold when the signs started. First, it was numbness in my right arm, followed by heartburn. I was in the kitchen cooking and seriously thought I had eaten something really bad. The heartburn went into a tight pain in my chest that kept getting worse. We were expecting company any minute, so I told my son to listen for the door. I made it into the bathroom and broke into a profuse sweat. And then the doorbell rang. I scrambled to find some dry clothes, talking to myself, saying, “It's OK; get it together.” I peeked my head out of my bedroom and my friend rushed in. I told her what was happening, but I was sure it was something I ate. After I vomited, she was convinced I was having a heart attack. Lucky for me she knew the signs.

I disagreed with her, saying no way—I am 41. Thank goodness she called 911.

Within minutes, fire and EMS were in my room. Fifty-two minutes later, I had two stents in my circumflex artery. I am beyond grateful that I was in the most capable and professional hands that day—from my friends, to the Westlake Fire Fighters, EMS, North Austin Medical, and the cardiologists. Fifty-two minutes is amazing and the reason I have no damage to my heart muscle.

hand. I won't be doing that again—I’m working on limiting caffeine.

What are some of the recommendations your doctors made to you after your heart attack?

They approached me. It was a no brainer when they asked me to help. Sometimes you look for a cause to support, and, in this case, the cause found me—and it means so much more. As chair of the Go Red for Women (GoRedForWomen. org) campaign, I am helping to plan our summit on Feb. 26. This will be an educational event with women sharing their stories and spreading the word about fighting heart disease. afm

My cardiologist, Dr. Erol Ozdil said that patients who have trouble after a heart attack usually are not keeping up with their medications. He suggested I maintain my exercise, eat healthy, take my medicine, and keep my check-up appointments. I once walked into an appointment in his office with a latte in my

How has your life changed since your heart attack?

Because there was really no reason this should have happened to me, I have a much stronger faith now. I do believe everything happens for a reason. Maybe I just needed to slow down and be more grateful for everything and everyone. It has made me prioritize things and let go of some of the negatives I was allowing in my life.

I was 41 when I had a heart attack.

I am a wife and busy mother of three. I also work for my family in the automobile business. I used to drink coffee every day, plus about two diet sodas. Since my heart attack, I am down to maybe one caffeinated drink a day. My activity level has always been good. I manage to exercise at least four days a week.

What can others learn from your experience?

My friend Wendy Wilbanks is my angel.

She knew the signs, and it saved my life. I want people to know the signs for themselves, and maybe they can be someone's angel. I would also say not to take anything for granted.

How did you get involved with the AHA?

o a t m e g a b a r. c o m

Train AFMDC

AFMDC January Recap

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Erik Stanley, Stefanie Slekis battle wind and cold to win Rogue 30K hen folks running the Rogue Distance Festival poked their heads outside early Sunday morning, they were shocked by the unexpected balmy 58 degrees and calm conditions. What cold front? But by the time the 1,100 runners reached the starting line, they knew all too well about the predicted cold front sweeping down from the north. Temperatures had plunged about 20 degrees in less than an hour, and the howling north wind forced the field to huddle up in a futile attempt to stay warm.

Assuming the lead right from the start was Erik Stanley, who is well on his way to winning the 2013–14 Austin Fit Magazine Distance Challenge. Stanley, the former University of Texas AllAmerican, won the IBM Uptown Classic 10K and the Decker Challenge Half Marathon and was third at the Run for the

By TexasRunningPost.com

Water 10-Miler to put him comfortably in front.

It took Stanley nearly six miles into the cold wind before he was able to warm up, maintaining the throttle between 5:30 and 5:40 per mile pace before cruising the next six miles between 5:10-5:15 for an easy victory in the Rogue 30K. University of North Texas cross country coach Stefanie Slekis bested the women’s division, clocking what she referred to as somewhat of a disappointing 2:02:18. “I was hoping for a faster time this morning,” said Slekis, a 25-year-old who was an All-BIG EAST performer at Syracuse University. “The cold wind in the first six miles really took a lot out of me, and it took me awhile to get going and settle into a 6:15 per mile rhythm.”

The 3M Half Marathon was next (Jan. 19), and will be followed by the final race in the series—the Austin Marathon and Half Marathon on Feb. 16.

Feb. 16, 2014

Next Up: Austin Marathon and Half Marathon

Nine Tips to Make the 2014 Austin Marathon Your Best Yet How do you deal with the wind?

1. Start slow, running the first five miles at least five to ten seconds slower than your goal pace.

2. Concentrate on your competition—which is you. Focus on yourself, not on anybody else.

3. Go in to the race with a plan, visualizing certain points on the course.

4. Get a good warm up, don’t just show up at the start line and expect to be ready.

in advance by having a few key things you can focus on to get your mind right.

8. Make sure to keep hydrating during the race, no matter the weather.

5. Dress for the occasion, wearing layers so that you can strip down if necessary.

7. Maintain an even effort—not pace—on the uphills and downhills. Don’t go too fast heading down Guadalupe, Duval, or San Jacinto. Don’t push too hard going up Congress, Shoal Creek, and Great Northern.

9. Take advantage of the baggage check, ensuring you have clothes and any other necessary items at the finish line. afm

6. When the going gets tough, keep going. Every marathon has a breaking point. Trust in your training to fight through it. Prepare

Keep checking austinfitmagazine.com for the latest 2013-2014 AFMDC leaderboards. We'll be updating as that information becomes available.

Runners who are interested in participating in the 2013-2014 AFMDC must register for the series at austinrunners.org/austindistancechallenge; registrations for the individual races are completed separately at each event’s website. Look to the Austin Runners Club for free training for both the half and full marathon distances.

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...we couldn’t agree more!

Thank you ausTin for supporTing your own since 2004!

Train AFM FITTEST

Signing up for the 2014 AFM FITTEST Taking a look at some early birds

AFM opened registration for the 2014 AFM FITTEST on January 1, and folks immediately signed up. Here’s a look at a few of the first Austinites who made a commitment to measuring their fitness at Camp Mabry on May 31–June 1 this year. Note the age distribution—are the over-50 folks biding their time? Don’t wait too long—the price of registration bumps up on February 18 ($50 for individual and $125 for teams).

Kelsi Winnett

Individual Competitive, age 21 Kelsi Winnett discovered the AFM FITTEST when her good friend Taylor Redding asked her to sign up with her. “I liked the idea of having something to work toward this spring and having a personal challenge,” she explained. Winnett has set a lofty goal; she wants to come in first in the burpee test and place in the top three to five in each test.

She’s preparing by continuing her training at Westlake CrossFit, where she works with trainer Jesse O’Brien.

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Joseph Hibner

Individual Competitive, age 22 Joseph Hibner, a personal trainer, took part in the 2013 AFM FITTEST after a client showed him information in the magazine just three weeks prior to the event. This year, he’s allowing ample preparation, with a firm focus on bettering his scores. “I want good competition, and I know in the competitive division there will be plenty [of it],” he said.

Hibner has set a goal of ranking in the top ten in most—if not all—of the events and he’s targeted “doing a series of compound power moves in my workouts, and improving my agility and endurance” as key components for success in his training.

photo by Brian Fitzsimmons

challenged physically and mentally as much as I did,” she explained.

“I cannot wait to see my fellow athletes and friends back at Camp Mabry!” Garcia moved to Austin just 15 months ago and learned of the event from reading AFM, and she’s building on the knowledge she gained from participating in the 2013 competition. Like others in this group of early birds, she’s highly performance motivated, which was her impetus for signing up in the competitive division. Her goals are “to improve in my overall performance as well as in each specific event. I'm setting my eyes on the GOLD and I hope to rank in the top three in my age division and top ten overall.” Garcia is already working on the specific fitness tests found on afmfittest.com.

Donna Chimera

Individual Competitive, age 48 This will be Donna Chimera’s first year for the AFM FITTEST. She learned about it when she started working out with John Barr, her personal trainer at Pure Austin. “I watched him train with Greg Cook and saw many of the clinics Greg held leading up to the competition,” she said. Their enthusiasm for the event was contagious, and Chimera went to the competition to cheer on her friends; the experience stuck with her. “I have been talking about it for months and decided to make the commitment on the first day of the year,” she said. “Instead of making resolutions, I chose to make a commitment.” Her goal? To complete all the events without injury. And she’s back working out at Pure Austin—and this time, she’s not just watching Cook's clinics, she's participating.

photo by Kristen Carey

Justin Fischer

Individual Competitive, age 35 Justin Fischer is no stranger to competition; he won the Fit Company “Fittest Executive” in May 2013 and tried out the 2013 AFM FITTEST in June (the two competitions are not related). He’s going to continue with his preparation schedule from last year—training with HIT Center Austin and Outright Performance, among others, and finding time for about four workouts a week. “Working for a fast growing company and having an active family can challenge my time,” Fischer said. But that’s not going to keep him from challenging his friends (“Watch out Tim Zeddies and David Braswell!”) or from working to achieve. While he has some definite performance goals—cracking the top ten overall and placing in the top five in his age group—“the best outcome/goal is the strength and fitness that I receive from the training that [the AFM FITTEST] inspires.”

Valerie Garcia

Individual Competitive, age 32 Valerie Garcia is looking forward to returning to the AMF FITTEST this year. She’s gotten her standings and baseline measurements, and resolved her training regimen; what she’s looking forward to now is the people.

“It was a pleasure meeting new people in the fitness community who enjoyed being

Robert Mazzetti

Individual Competitive, age 49 Robert Mazzetti, a runner and hiker, is returning to the AFM FITTEST; in 2013, he competed in order to “establish a personal baseline.” After what he called a “miserable performance” in the vertical jump, hand grip test, and pull-ups, he resolved to improve his stamina, power, and competitiveness. But it’s not all work for Mazzetti, who described the event as “a time machine back to a half day of recess in middle school—a means to test oneself against classmates and have a great time, age be damned.” In 2014, he’d like to have a great time, cheer on his fellow competitors, and be “100 percent committed to competing.” He asked, “How often does an event come by that measures so many aptitudes?” Mazzetti went on to say that the AFM FITTEST “may be Austin's quintessential athletic event, where one can progress or, at least, through preparation, hold back time.”

He’s working to hold back the clock, as Mazzetti is striving for a six-minute mile, a broad jump of nine feet, more than ten pull-ups, and hitting the eighth level in the interval run. And he’s been working to achieve those things since last spring. Mazzetti pointed out that “a good portion of doing well on the varied events of the AFM FITTEST is mental preparation. Lastly, I've got to prepare for that medicine ball throw. The good news for me is that I have seven events where I have much room for improvement.” afm

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Train

Snowy Summer Racing in the High Sierras

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Taking a look back at what may be the toughest Ironman race ever By Chris Toriggino

t’s Sept. 21, 2013, and the cold front that has been anticipated all week for Lake Tahoe has blown in right on time—just in time, that is, to boost the local weatherman’s confidence in his forecast. But for the 2,000 triathletes prepping for the next day’s Ironman, the timing couldn’t have been worse.

All week, the weather had been picture-perfect in the high Sierras. The sunny blue skies, with low temperatures and humidity, seemed to have been custom ordered for endurance racing.

But that was all about to change, and hopes for fast times at the inaugural Lake Tahoe Ironman were fading.

As athletes completed the obligatory pre-race bag drop at T1, just off to their left Lake Tahoe was being whipped into a frothy mess by the approaching cold front. Three-foot white caps were visible along the 21-mile length of the 1,000-foot-deep lake. A few intrepid athletes could be seen slowly donning wetsuits, perhaps thinking twice as to whether that pre-race swim was a good idea in the 56-degree, seasicknessinducing lake. It seemed impossible that the swim would even go off the next morning as the few who finally entered the water soon disappeared, swallowed up behind the lake’s waves.

A light rain started to fall as the competitors moved away from the beach to drop their T2 bag at Squaw Valley, ten miles away. The Olympic rings greeted the athletes as they headed into the village that hosted the 1960 Winter Olympics and had become the site of the Ironman Lake Tahoe finish line. Along with those colorful rings, a driving rain also greeted athletes as the cold front thundered closer.

A few of the athletes racing could have seen conditions like this before.

In the late 1980s, the World’s Toughest Triathlon was held on the south side of Lake Tahoe in mid-August, and, on more than one occasion during the race, snow fell on portions of the bike course. Hot tubs and warming tents

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had been set up to bring life to the 250 racers as they completed each frigid leg. That was August, in the “heat” of the summer. This was late September, and summertime in the mountains had faded fast.

As athletes performed their pre-race routines that night, the driving rain morphed into a full-blown snowstorm.

Only hours away, the race was still on schedule to take place despite the current dismal conditions; the weather prognosticators continued to predict clear conditions for race day.

Race morning brought crystal clear conditions, and the bank thermometer across from the beach flashed 27 degrees. Typical Ironman pre-race attire consists of shorts and flip-flops. On this day, the race venue appeared more like the base of a ski hill in mid winter.

Down jackets, thick winter mittens, and thermal hats were seen on every athlete.

T1 bags that had been left outside all night by race officials had become covered in ice, and many athletes were treated to wet cycling gear—not ideal attire for zipping through frigid mountain air on a 112-mile bike course.

As the slow procession of wetsuitclad athletes made its way to the ice-cold sand of the beach for the start, something even more unnerving lay ahead—fog. Though yesterday’s white caps had disappeared, frigid temperatures created a thick layer of fog over the relatively warm lake water (relatively warm water was still an icy 58 degrees). The fog resulted in significant navigation difficulties; swimmers moved at right angles to each other on account of being unable to see the guiding buoys. The water temperature was another obstacle, as dozens of swimmers had to be pulled from the water within minutes when their mammalian dive reflex took their breath away. Those who were able to continue were treated to crystal-clear water.

Transitions are considered triathlon’s fourth event. Minutes can be gained or lost here, and triathletes like to brag

about transition splits as much as swim, bike, or run times. Two- and threeminute transition times in an Ironman race are common: a quick change out of the wetsuit reveals cycling attire and competitors are off. Not on this day. Fifteen-minute transitions were considered lightning fast; 30-minute transitions were not uncommon. One competitor took 90 minutes. Was this due to cold extremities, a ridiculously crowded changing tent, or the layers of clothes each athlete had to put on?

Yes—and also to more than a little time to think about what lay ahead on the bike course.

Greeting the athletes as they stumbled through T1 on numb feet were their bikes. Often a highly anticipated sight, the ice-blanketed bikes held little appeal. How cold was it? Some athletes were seen riding bikes in wetsuits…in an Ironman. So much for late summer conditions in Lake Tahoe. But there was no time to fuss; riders were off to face two mountain passes that would prove to be the undoing of many competitors.

The bike course seemed straightforward enough on paper: two major climbs per loop, two loops. The big climb over Brockway summit had been open for riding in the days and weeks before the race. The other climb, through an exclusive neighborhood of Northstar, had been closed for any pre-race review until the day before the race; then, however, the area had been blanketed in snow. This littleknown and unfamiliar climb brought many cyclists to their knees, as twisting neighborhood roads, few spectators, and granny-gear climbing sapped energy. The top ten percent of Ironman athletes can usually achieve a five-

Photos Provided by Chris Toriggino

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hour bike split; on this day, exactly two competitors—the first- and secondplace overall pro athletes—made that time. The rest of the elite age groupers saw bike splits an hour longer than average; many mid-pack athletes were seen walking their bikes up the climbs, unheard of in Ironman competitions.

Marathons are always tough.

Marathons following an icy swim and a frigid 112-mile bike require a monumental effort. What appeared to be a flat course out of Squaw Valley and past the Olympic village was, in actuality, not.

Minor inclines stopped athletes in their tracks as the cumulative effect of the cold swim and leg-zapping bike course took its toll. Those lucky enough to finish before dusk were spared the quickly dropping temperatures.

Those that weren’t so lucky

continued to race against midrun cut-offs and temperatures in the 30s as well as the ultimate midnight finish time. One in five of those who jumped into Lake Tahoe earlier in the day would not finish. Despite sunny skies in the morning, the cold weather and difficult bike course resulted in the second highest DNF (did not finish) rate of any Ironman.

Pre-race rituals and yearlong training did nothing to help the 21 percent of race competitors who failed to successfully battle the elements and make the cutoff times. After years of chatter that Ironman courses have become too easy and the sport too soft, Mother Nature and the course designers put that argument to rest; Ironman Lake Tahoe will soon be considered the world’s toughest triathlon.

And this is where I stop lamenting on the goal race time I did not attain or on the Kona qualifying spot I did not achieve. Instead, here is where I focus on the fact that I was one of the competitors who completed this race, and I revel in the beauty that the mountains had to offer and the character that I developed along the way. It was an experience I will never forget, and I will be a stronger person and athlete because of this cold and challenging day in Lake Tahoe. afm

Use your smartphone to scan this QR code to see a highlights video from the 2013 Ironman Lake Tahoe.

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Yolanda (far right), with her daughter Jazmin and SwimVersity coach Elli Overton

Growing from Sinker to Swimmer

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Conquering childhood fears to become an athlete By Elli Overton

5-year-old girl sinks under the water in the deep end of the local pool. Looking up, watching the surface getting farther and farther away, she feels helpless and powerless to get herself back to the top. She thinks, “I am about to die.” Suddenly, another child playing in the pool grabs her and brings her to the surface for air.

This is Yolanda’s story. Her uncle had thrown her in the deep end one summer afternoon because he felt it was time for her to “learn to swim.”

It seemed for many years that this experience would define her life around water. Petrified, she would not swim until she was forced to during

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her years in the military and in college at West Point. Yolanda then swam reluctantly, barely making it through the class, sidestroking for a passing grade. Cut to 2014, and Yolanda has just competed in her first masters swim meet. She enjoys swimming now because she is “good at it.”

How did she go from petrified, certified “sinker” to “swimmer”? With a lot of hard work and dedication.

Yolanda said she enrolled her daughter in swim lessons when Jazmin was 2 “so she did not end up like me.” On another summer afternoon in 2011, Jazmin was 10 and swimming happily.

Yolanda watched from the side of the pool and wondered, “What would happen if my own child needed my

help in the water?” She felt that same powerlessness she had experienced as a 5-year-old. It was time for action. At last she was motivated. With a desire to become a strong swimmer, Yolanda began her journey from someone who was petrified of the water to a swimmer and triathlete.

Yolanda’s motivation to swim for her daughter’s safety helped her conquer some of the fear that held her back during her college years. Her new swim classes taught her to float on her back, giving her the confidence to know she would be OK in the water.

From there, she learned backstroke, then freestyle, and was ready for more.

Yolanda swam for six months under the patient tutelage of local masters

PhotoGraphy by fotohogg

swim coach Paige McCord. However, when the coaching staff changed, Yolanda found herself with no one to swim with; the new coach considered her “not good enough” to be on the team. Not to be deterred, Yolanda continued to swim on her own regularly. By this time, she had set a goal of completing a triathlon, and nothing was going to stop her. In June of 2012, Yolanda swam 200 yards in the pool during the Georgetown Super Sprint Triathlon Series.

With new goals of moving on to longer triathlon swim distances, Yolanda enrolled in the SwimVersity Level I Freestyle Clinic. The clinic was only an hour-and-ahalf, but she felt inspired by the improvement she made in that short time to begin training regularly. No matter that it takes them more than an hour to drive to Nitro Swimming, Yolanda and Jazmin have made the trek every week for more than a year. Jazmin’s swim progress has equaled her mom’s; she has moved through learning all the swim strokes to training with Nitro’s Technique and Fitness group.

A defining moment in Yolanda’s swimming career occurred in July 2013 when she swam 400 meters in Texas A&M’s 2-meter deep,

50-meter long swimming pool during the TRI Aggieland Triathlon.

While Yolanda had improved her technique, endurance, and confidence, swimming in deep water still occasionally gave her pause.

We talked about what she could do if she panicked in the middle of the pool. Her comfort with floating on her back came in handy as a “go to” if she felt she needed it. We practiced in the deep water at Nitro and, while she did have a brief moment of panic, she quickly recovered. When it came to the race she was ready—no panic, despite obstacles such as other swimmers stopping and struggling in front of her.

To transform from “sinker” to “swimmer,” Yolanda found a deeply motivating reason to face her fear and then jumped in with both feet.

Yolanda keeps herself motivated by continuing to set new goals, like the U.S. Master’s Swim Meet, and next, completing an open-water tri. She works consistently and tirelessly towards her goals, swimming twice a week between her coached sessions.

Yolanda has always been a runner and uses exercise to clear her mind, relax, and de-stress, and she wants to keep working on swimming until it feels just as natural as running. afm

The safest way to aid someone who is struggling in the water is to help him/ her to the side, no matter how strong a swimmer you are. Always call for help first.

If no lifeguard is available, lie on the side of the pool and offer a hand (if within reach), a shepherd's crook, or a life preserver. Always have these items at the ready around your backyard pool. Remember: There is no substitute for direction supervision.

The American Red Cross has a great resource, "Swimming and Water Safety," that you can download at redcross.org

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Train

Flow With The Go

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Learning the proper basics of kettlebell training By Henry V. Marshall he kettlebell is a simple and sinister form of weightlifting that involves strength, endurance, coordination, speed, flexibility, and skill. It’s a cyclic tool that develops power endurance. It’s not about doing one rep but as many reps as possible, while also showing proper lockout and fixation in the important moments of specific lifts.

With kettlebells invading every fitness gym in America in recent years, there have been many different opinions on how to lift them. The first goal is always proper form and conditioning; the last rep should look just like the first,

Body Position During Swing Top of pendulum. Legs are straight; posture is upright.

Hips move back; eyes and head stay in line with spine.

1. Forming Your Pendulum What It Is The Pendulum is the swing. It’s the first step of how you learn to harness the kettlebell’s power.

How To Do It You’re going to use your hips and knees in a

Top Dead Point.

Legs are straight.

Grip is relaxed from momentum upwards of pendulum and a slight lean backwards with torso.

Inhale.

with no sign of struggle. Whether you are lifting for general fitness or for Kettlebell Sport purposes, you have to always follow the principles of the tool. But, to keep it simple, kettlebell training is about momentum. Remember: The kettlebell is the tool and you are the user.

The kettlebell is literally a gym in your hand. You can train with them anywhere, on a sandy beach or in the barracks of a submarine. And, no matter the weight, you can always make a challenge with the pace. But before you get to snatching the 24kg kettlebell 200 times with a one-time hand switch, you must practice the basics. So let’s start.

Bottom of Pendulum. Hips move up.

Returning Up. Hips move down to acLegs are then; straightened vision stays celerate upwards to the top of the swing in line with spine.

rocking chair-type of motion, backward to forward. An easy way to build your basics is to keep your thumb forward during the swing.

Don’t tug the kettlebell; let your legs and hips move the momentum of the kettlebell smoothly. On the way down, relax and say “Ahhhh” to help you exhale.

Bottom Dead Point.

Legs are straight.

Hand is tight to bottom base of body and grip is tight.

Lean torso forward and have vision in line with spine.

Exhale.

2. Rotation What It Is Rotation adds to the kettlebell’s pendulum and can increase your momentum by 80 percent.

How To Do It When the kettlebell is on the way back, turn your hand inwards. As the swing returns forward, your hand should be palm down and, at the top of the pendulum, the handle is parallel to the floor.

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photos Provided by Henry V. Marshall

Rack Position. Resting and breathing before next rep.

Hand enters kettlebell window deeply skipping over center of palm and placing the handle weight across meat of thumb.

Handle is in the hook of the fingers with thumb over index finger.

3. Clean Up Your Kettlebell What It Is The Clean is a pulling motion that brings the kettlebell to your chest.

How To Do It Back to the basics of the thumb forward during your pendulum; it’s an easy way to get started. As the kettlebell travels up, do a slight pull back, then quickly insert your hand. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll notice a dead point where the kettlebell wants to stop; that’s the moment to insert your hand.

Fixate the kettlebell by having locked out alignment, no drift or rotation and let gravity push down.

Back Swing. Keep elbow tight to hip with hand tight to base. Hips move just like the swing. You can rotate thumb once you get the hang of it back or keep pointing forward.

Your preference. Exhale.

4. Rack It Up What It Is The Rack is the first spot you learn to rest the kettlebell. It’s important to build a comfortable rack position.

How To Do It The Clean is the vehicle to bring the kettlebell to the rack position. Here are the keys to the Rack. First, the handle needs to rest on the meaty part of your hand. Second, the ball of the kettlebell is cradled on the V of your arm. Your bicep should be tight against your ribs, and the elbow resting on your hip or as close as possible. Third, the legs are locked and hips forward. Stand strong.

Find a three day kettlebell workout online at www.austinfitmagazine.com

5. Push Press (with fixation) What It Is A Push Press is a way to get the kettlebell locked-out above your head.

You want to use half legs and half arm.

How To Do It To start the Push Press, it’s important to bend at your knees and not at your hips. Now, straighten your legs while simultaneously pressing the kettlebell up over your head. It’s important to show control of momentum, so the kettlebell can’t be wobbling; this is “fixation.” On the return down, relax and let the elbow come back to your hip. Straighten your legs and rest for a moment in the rack position before the start of your next rep.

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Train

Getting Fit for Powder

B

Workouts so you can hit the slopes with success By Oliver Dean

oth snow skiing and snowboarding require muscles that people don’t normally use. Each sport also puts a lot of strain on the quads and lower back, and that’s why, often times, even the fittest people find themselves much sorer than they expected after the first day on the mountain.

Good preparation will help avoid some of that soreness as well as reduce injuries that could occur from not being fully prepared. Here are some ideas on how to get your body in good skiing and snowboarding shape.

If the gym is your thing, then the

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obvious exercises are crunches, sit-ups, using the abdominal machines, and any other method of core strength you might prefer. Some of the more creative, not-so-obvious exercises include working out on Indo boards or half balance domes, like the Bosu ball. These exercises challenge your balance as well as work your core muscles. It’s almost impossible to use one without the other, so exercises that focus on both balance and core are ideal for winter sport preparation.

The key to a successful day on the slopes will usually come down to endurance and core strength, but quad durability can take your snow skiing

and snowboarding to the next level— especially when snowboarding. Quad strength is essential for snowboarding basics, like stopping. Working front and side box jumps as well leg presses into your fitness routine can be helpful in building quad strength.

Death Valleys are one workout that I learned way back in high school and that I still find challenging to this day. If you have access to a high school stadium, run the outside curves of the track and then use the stands to run stairs on the straightaways. This works your endurance and challenges your muscles to keep up.

Nobody likes thinking about getting hurt on the hill, but knee injuries are the

most common injuries that the ski patrol encounters. While developing balance is a great way to reduce injury, finding ways to strengthen the inside and outside of the knees can be beneficial. Any type of exercise that has you moving laterally can really work parts of the leg and knee that might otherwise get neglected. Resistance bands are another great way to strengthen the outside of the knees. This is another area where the Indo Board comes in handy; the effort to keep your balance on the board will work your core as well as the inside and the outside of the knee without any impact. If you aren’t experienced on this piece of equipment, have a spotter or hold onto something

photos by Leo Leung; Tom Woodward; Edson Hong; Amber karnes; A&A Photography; eziahp.Com

stable until you get comfortable. Practicing with your Indo Board in the grass or on carpet is also a good idea.

Improving strength and balance are key steps in preparing for a ski or snowboarding trip, but make sure you take the time to work on your stretching technique. Stretching before a day of snow skiing or snowboarding is huge. Once you are at the mountain, the two most important things to keep you in good shape are stretching and hydration.

Taking a little extra time to prepare for your trip is fully worth avoiding an injury while on vacation. The snow is good this year, so get planning. What are you waiting for? afm

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Train Muscle Movement

Fit Set Circuits— Momentum You Can Build

T

Increasing intensity by adding combination movements to your core routine By Diane Vives, M.S., C.S.C.S.

he first month of 2014 is behind us, and many of you have moved back on track and are recommitted to your fitness goals.

Last month’s Muscle Movement of the Month detailed the importance of building a baseline of good movement by focusing on a four-movement circuit that could be adjusted to meet your best progression point for success. That ability to adjust creates a better foundation, which can now be used to increase intensity and challenge your body with higher intensity movements and circuits.

This month, we will use the SMARTset strategy of Fit Set

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circuits to introduce ways to increase the intensity and begin increasing your body’s physical capacity for overall conditioning. The circuit consists of an exercise using each of the human movement categories: Level changes with the lower body Pushing with the upper body Rotational stability for the core Locomotion to really bump up the intensity of the overall circuit

Each of this month’s exercises is adds a combination of movements to the core movement in order to progress.

photography by Brian Fitzsimmons

Movement

Level Change: Overhead Lunge with Alternating Press

Purpose: Increase the intensity and movement demand by adding the overhead carry

• After setting the bottom position of the lunge, actively pull the dumbbells,

position that requires good shoulder mobility and static core stability. Then, bump up the

one at a time, down to the shoulder and then press immediately back up to the overhead position.

• When you have completed a press on each side, push back from the heel of the forward foot to return to standing position.

• Repeat this while alternating the lunging legs.

intensity with holding the isometric position in the bottom of the lunge while performing an alternating press before returning to the standing position.

• Start with feet hip-width apart and with the dumbbells in the overhead carry position. Arms are fully extended and shoulders “packed” downward.

• Lunge forward while maintaining core posture and the overhead position of the dumbbells. Arms should be aligned with ears.

Movement

Regress for Success Use shoulder carry position with light dumbbells on each side and perform the alternating press at the top of the standing position.

Rotary Stability: Stability Ball Single-Leg Knee Tuck

Purpose: Use a stability ball as rotary base of support to generally increase the stability challenge, adding a three-point stance with a single leg on the ball to add the rotational stability challenge to the movement. This is a lot of work for the entire body and you will really feel it in your core.

• With your lower legs on the ball, walk your hands out into a push-up position. Make sure to maintain a flat, neutral spine position throughout the movement.

• Lift one leg off of the ball. Perform a knee tuck with the leg that remains

Performed by John Barr

on the ball, pulling the knee in a straight line directly toward the chest and just under the hips.

• Maintain a level shoulder and hip position that is parallel with the floor.

• Using slow and controlled movements, return the ball to the start position by extending the hip and knee. Once you reach full extension, replace the leg on the ball, switching the legs for the next knee tuck.

Regress for Success Use a two-leg knee tuck until you feel confident in your control and ability to perform multiple repetitions.

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Train Muscle Movement

Movement

1

2

3

4

Push for Upper Body: Loaded Rotational Push-Up

Purpose: This push-up challenges the body by moving through multiple planes of motion from the prone position (sagittal), transition movement (transverse), and finishing in the T-position on the side of the body (frontal). This creates great movement and stability work for each shoulder. Further increase the challenge by using the dumbbell to load the movement with external resistance.

• Start in the push-up position, gripping a hexagon dumbbell (this allows a flat edge so the dumbbell does not roll or slip during movement) and placing feet shoulder-width apart to allow a full turn onto the sides of the feet.

• Perform a push-up over the dumbbells; begin your rotational movement as you push up from the floor.

• Rotate the body onto a single arm, turning the hips and following through

T

his conditioning will continue to increase your basic strength level and overall conditioning for the next fourweek cycle. Use this strategy or choose alternate movements to add variety to your Fit Set circuits for this next month— it’s a great way to increase your foundation of movement that prepares you for higher intensity strength, power, and speed in the upcoming months.

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to completely finish on the lateral edges of both shoes. While creating this “T” position on your side, pull the dumbbell from the floor. As you do so, maintain a path close the body across your chest to finish directly inline with both shoulders and arm fully extended.

• Maintaining control, return slowly to the push-up position, again following a pathway that keeps the dumbbell close to the body until it is replaced on the ground just under the shoulder.

Regress for Success Perform the rotational push-up with body weight. You may just focus on the T-position and rotation without performing the push-up.

Please keep this in mind: Don’t be afraid of “power” if your goal is losing weight. Power is the equivalent of doing more work in less time, so let’s safely set up your movement capacity for more powerful movement. This will work in your favor and is the secret to many an athlete’s success. afm

Locomotion: Jump Rope with Two-Foot Jump Movement

Purpose: This is a great plyometric exercise that involves total body coordination. This movement increases the intensity of the fourth movement in the circuit as well as the overall intensity of the entire circuit. Focus on low-impact jumps and strive for higher repetitions for conditioning.

â&#x20AC;˘ Start with feet hip-width apart and a rope length that allows you to easily complete full turns while in a standing position. Use a light grip to easily and gently rotate the wrists during rope turns. â&#x20AC;˘ Start with jumps just above the ground for lower impact and then work you way up to

more of a tuck jump, where the feet come higher off the ground. No matter what your effort, your landings should be quiet and controlled. â&#x20AC;˘ Another way to really challenge your conditioning level is to increase the number of rotations completed in one minute and increase the speed of movement.

Regress for Success Remove the challenge of the jump rope coordination and perform a low-impact vertical jump just 2-4 inches off the ground. Make sure the landings are quiet with a slight bend in the ankles, knees, and hips.

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Train Coach Carrie

Constructing Your Dream Season How to be your own general contractor

106

I

By Carrie Barrett

'm reading a book called You Are a BadAss: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life. I know, right? It had me at “badass!” We should all be reading this book!

Throughout the pages, the author humorously and irreverently guides us through the steps to becoming awesome (I'm taking notes), often reminding us that we already are (whew!), but that sometimes we need a little kick in the pants and pep talk along the way (ya think?). Sometimes, we simply need to go back to the basics and remind ourselves how far we've come because we're probably further along than we ever thought possible, right? I thought so.

It's February, and you're now searching websites, forums, and calendars for events to tackle this 2014 race season. Before you rush to throw another medal on the hook, do yourself a favor. Take a look back and evaluate your previous season. Ask yourself these important questions: •

•

• •

•

•

What was your greatest accomplishment?

Disappointment?

What did you do that made you feel better than in previous years?

Did you feel prepared going into races?

Did you reach most of the goals you set for yourself this season?

If not, what happened?

Was there something missing from your training plans? What would you do differently?

Are you ready to move up, or should you hone your skills at your current level?

With hindsight and honesty, you can view the highs and lows in a more realistic perspective. Far too often, we put a tremendous amount of attention on the things that went wrong and spend too little time celebrating the days that went right. It's human nature, I suppose, but don't forget to give yourself the pat on the back that you

deserve for your successes. Yep, that's “coach-speak” for being grateful. It just so happens that gratitude is also one of the key elements of becoming a badass.

Hopefully, you're looking ahead with the passion and enthusiasm of a beginner. Training Peaks' content editor Gloria Liu refers to this time of year as the “dreaming season.” She wrote, “We’re all dreaming of the ways that this season is going to be bigger, better, and more successful than the last. Some of us will decide to go further—tackling a full Ironman for the first time, or conquering the legendary Leadville 100 trail race.

Some will want to go faster—to finally break five hours in the 70.3 distance, or to make it onto the podium in our local road race. Some will challenge themselves by jumping into a new sport altogether.

Whatever it is, we’ll throw ourselves wholeheartedly into our pursuit because we know that the journey to becoming better athletes makes us better people, too.” Amen, sister.

As you ponder “what might be” with the fervor of a 4-year-old at the Big Top Candy Shop, use this time wisely to go back to the basics and lay a solid foundation for your dream season.

Build a Concrete Foundation

A

s famed triathlon/cycling expert Joe Friel said, “This is the time of year when you should train to train, not train to race.” If your race season doesn't start until spring, this time of year is generally known as your prep and base periods. Before you start hammering up hills and pounding out intervals, take the next several weeks to simply build some aerobic base fitness and work on functional strength and flexibility. Prepare your body for the stresses to come. In other words, build the foundation of your house before you start decorating it. Enjoy the relief of lower intensity training, and do the things you wish you had time for when you're “in season.” Go mountain biking with some friends, take yoga, or work on your core with a barre or Pilates session. The purpose of this time is to

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Train Coach Carrie time to hire a decorator/coach to get you there. Ideally, you've built the foundation and the frame. You can even visualize what you want your dream race to look like…but you aren't sure how to realize it. This is where good coaching comes in to play. Work with someone who gets your style. If you need the motivation of a group to get up early, there are plenty of those in town. If you have strategic goals that rely on a solo, monastic approach to training, there are coaches for that as well. Good decorators/coaches know how to highlight your tastes and strengths. You have the intrinsic motivation, and they have just the right eye to make it shine. (Heck, I can pick out a couch with the best of them, but I have no idea how to make it look like the storefront window of Nest Modern, so I’ll leave choosing the right pillows and such to a decorator.)

Throw an Awesome House Warming Party

W give your head a “mental flush” and your body a head start on the muscles associated with your sport of choice.

Build your foundation on a slab of concrete, not sand.

Sharpen Your Tools

E

ver notice that, during pregame, basketball players always practice lay-ups and free throws, and football players always practice tackling and speed drills? They work on the fundamentals every day. Like a saw that needs sharpening after it goes dull due to overuse, we, too, grow dull in our basic skills and need sharpening on a regular basis. For triathletes and swimmers, this is the perfect time to hop in the pool (I know, brr!) and work on slow and deliberate drills sets. Again, you are creating muscle memory for your sport.

Seek out coaching or clinics to hone your skills. Many coaches will videotape you and provide valuable feedback to improve and sharpen your toolset.

In the same way, cycling and spin coaches will work on pedaling skills,

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such as one-legged drills and highcadence spinning. Both increase efficiency, hip flexor strength, and power distribution throughout the entire pedal stroke. Of course, giving due diligence to honing skills takes time and patience, but it pays dividends during race season when you are flying by the competition with more efficiency and less fatigue.

Last year, I worked with a triathlete who loved to grind heavy gears with a low cadence. Many of his scheduled workouts started to include the dreaded “100+” cadence practice. After a few weeks, he began to notice a huge difference. Last May, he raced Ironman Texas and shaved off more than 45 minutes on his previous bike time. He committed to working on sharpening the tools in his toolbox and built the perfect bike leg for an Ironman.

Hire a Decorator

I

f you're looking at the blueprints of your dream home—or your dream race confirmation entry—and thinking to yourself, “OK: Now what?” perhaps it's

hen the last nail has been hammered and the final painting has been hung, don't forget to raise a glass and toast the many months of sweat and labor. Every new home has a punch list, a list of things that need to be fixed or repaired along the way. Isn't the same true with our training season? Things will inevitably go wrong. Our bodies have a punch list all their own, with doctor's appointments, massages, and injuries that pop up along the way. No dream home is perfect (just ask Sandra Bullock about her Lake Austin nightmare), and no training season is perfect.

Still, though, if you've constructed a solid foundation, kept your tools sharp, and hired the perfect decorator, you'll be able to sit in the living room of your dream home with the newly acquired finisher's medal around your neck and celebrate your success knowing you constructed your dream season.

It's time to lay the foundation on your 2014 season with a four-week beginner base-building plan for the upcoming triathlon season. This 12-week plan will lead you right up to popular local triathlons in May, including the Rookie Tri and Life Time Tri: CapTex. Use these first four weeks to sharpen the tools in your own toolbox and lay the foundation for a great season! afm

Rookie Tri or Lifetime Tri: CapTex

Weeks 1-4 (2/3/14â&#x20AC;&#x201C;3/2/14)

First month is primarily aerobic endurance and base building. Adapting to a schedule!

Week 1 (02/03 02/09)

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Bike: Base: 30 minutes endurance, RPE 5-6 out of 10

Swim: 600 Run: 15-20 minutes easy

Bike: 30 minutes endurance, 5-6 out of 10

Swim: 800 Run: 20 minutes, RPE 5-6 out of 10

Rest

Bike: 45 minutes

Run: 25 minutes

Swim: 1,000 Run: 25 minutes, RPE 5-6 out of 10

Rest

Bike: 45 minutes

Run: 30 minutes

Swim: 1,200 Run: 20 minutes, RPE 5-6 out of 10

Rest

Bike: 60 minutes

Run: 40 minutes

Swim: 800 Run: 30 minutes, RPE 5-6 out of 10

Rest

Bike: 45 minutes

Run: 25 minutes

Core or Flexibility Work

Core or Flexibility Work

Week 2 (02/10 02/16)

Bike: Base: 30 minutes endurance, RPE 5-6 out of 10

Swim: 800 Run: 15-20 minutes easy

Core or Flexibility Work

Core or Flexibility Work

Week 3 (02/17 02/23)

Bike: Base: 30 minutes endurance, RPE 5-6 out of 10

Swim: 1,000 Run: 15-20 minutes easy

Bike: Base: 30 minutes endurance, RPE 5-6 out of 10 Core or Flexibility Work

Bike: 45 minutes endurance, 5-6 out of 10 Core or Flexibility Work

Core or Flexibility Work

Week 4 (02/24 03/02)

Bike: 40 minutes endurance, 5-6 out of 10

Swim: 600 Run: 25 minutes

Bike: 30 minutes endurance, 5-6 out of 10 Core or Flexibility Work

RPE = Rate of Perceived Exertion (1 is super easy â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 10 is incredibly difficult) Core or Flexibility Work = Can include activities like yoga, Pilates, stretching, and functional movement training

Get a head start on the competition and sharpen your skills to become a more efficient and confident swimmer this season with SwimVersity Pre-Season Plunge Swim Clinic. Register: Swimversity.eventbrite.com

Week 4 is a recovery week

Online

Download the entire Rookie Tri or Lifetime Tri: CapTex training program on Training Peaks here: http://ow.ly/sL8hN

photography by Tom Marek

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Renovations Service Maintenance

Events Featured Winter Olympics

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dream pool today!

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Sports and Outdoors February 1

Carnaval Brasileiro Carnaval is Austin's Brazilian-style Mardi Gras. Two bands will pump out five hours of non-stop traditional Brazilian Carnaval music at the Palmer Events Center. Don't forget your most imaginative costume. Admission is $38; $45 at the door. sambaparty.com february 2

Buddha Tooth Tai Chi New DVD Release The Secret Buddha Tooth Tai Chi Belt

Visit Fit4Zip.com or call 512-695-3746 to learn more.

Afternoon in the Garden: Faerie Gardens Plant the flowers that attract faeries and learn about special qualities of plants at Zilker Park.

This event is free with park admission. zilkergarden.org/faeries February 7

20 Colors/20 Hours 20 Colors / 20 Hours is a 20-hour indoor cycling fundraiser at Pure Ryde that invites

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beginner riders, competitive cyclists, fitness enthusiasts, cancer patients, survivors, and everyone else to hop on a stationary bike and raise funds to help Austin-area cancer patients and their support network.

The first-time event is hosted by Cancer Support Community Central Texas (CSCCT) and ColorCancer, two Austin nonprofit organizations that strive to support cancer patients, survivors and their families.

20colors20hours.com Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony Party Russian House invites everyone to celebrate the opening of the Winter Olympic Games 2014 in Sochi, Russia. The party features live music, a chance to win medals, and discounted drinks. Prepare to create brackets by country and follow the games to win gold, silver or bronze. facebook.com/events/781949361822067/

February 14

Fourth Annual Austin Roller Disco of Love Get out your polyester, grab some friends and special someones, and boogie all night in the name of love. This late-night Valentines Day event features musical entertainment from some of Austin's favorite musicians. Take the floor at Austin Roller Rink and do the Hustle to a variety of disco classics. facebook.com/events/640983382614784/ February 28

Trudy’s Bowl for Kids Make a positive, long-lasting impact on children in our community by supporting Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Texas. Whether you're a bowler, donor, or sponsor, you can ensure that more BBBS kids are paired with mentors—and that their lives are changed for the better, forever. bowlforkidsaustin.org

Arts

auctions, a wine pull, photobooth, and more. casatravis.org/events/casablanca

Lifestyle February 1-2

The Long Center Presents: Architects of Air’s Miracoco Everyone’s favorite kaleidoscope experience, Architects of Air, will return to the Long Center this spring with a brand new luminarium, Miracoco. thelongcenter.org/event/architects-air/ February 7

FronteraFest Best Of The Fest 2013 You can expect the unexpected when celebrating the 21st season of FronteraFest at Hyde Park Theatre with the “Best of the Fest.”

The FronteraFest is produced in collaboration with ScriptWorks, a group dedicated to supporting emerging playwrights and developing new dramatic works. hydeparktheatre.org/site/index.html February 15

Mortified ATX: Doomed Valentines Show Mortified stars everyday adults sharing their most embarrassing and real childhood letters, lyrics, journals, home movies, and artwork...in front of total strangers. Equal parts comedy, theater, and therapy. Hosted at Spider House Cafe & Ballroom; seating is limited. eventbrite.com/e/mortified-atxdoomed-valentines-show-tickets9385467185?aff=zvents February 22

CASAblanca Gala You’re invited to CASAblanca—one remarkable night to make a difference in the lives of children in our community who’ve experienced abuse or neglect. Join CASA at the Hyatt Regency Austin for an elegant evening of dining, casino games overlooking beautiful Lady Bird Lake, live and silent

February 14-15

Flatbed Contemporary Print Fair Flatbed Press is pleased to announce the first annual Flatbed Contemporary Print Fair to be held in Austin, Texas at The Flatbed Building Feb. 14 - 15. The Flatbed Contemporary Art Fair, working in conjunction with PrintAustin, will provide a venue for printmakers and print publishers to showcase work to the public and give printmaking demonstrations. flatbedpress.com/Exhibit_Detail. cfm?ShowsID=209 February 21

Realtor , CNE Luxury and Downtown Specialist

She’s on Top of Her Game!

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CharityBash Masquerade Ball “Live, Play, Work, Give” is the motto for Citizen Generation, and the Charity Bash Masquerade Ball is an opportunity to do all.

This philanthropic event at the Mansion (2312 San Gabriel) provides a fun and spectacular venue to indulge in some dress up while benefitting the community. citizengeneration.org

February 11

Denise Bodman ©

Gala of the Royal Horses For the first time ever, riding master Rene Gasser, creator and producer for Gala of the Royal Horses, will bring his world-renowned equestrian tour to North America, which will include a stop at the Frank Erwin Center.

The Royal Horses of Europe are some of the most celebrated in history, favored for centuries by royalty, equestrian riders, and bullfighters. This performance will celebrate the tradition, athleticism, and grace of these revered creatures. uterwincenter.com/events/2014/gala-of-theroyal-horses

Submit your event online at austinfitmagazine.com

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Some restrictions may apply.

Rides&Races Featured The Glo Run 5K

February February 1

Side by Side Run at the Ridge 5K Austin Ridge Bible Church, Austin sidebysidekids.org Rocky Raccoon 100 Mile Huntsville, TX • tejastrails.org

February 16

Ride for Refuge Austin Austin Yellow Bike Project rideforrefuge.org/location/austin

2014 Austin Marathon and Half Marathon Downtown, Austin • youraustinmarathon.com This is race #6 in the Austin Fit Magazine Distance Challenge

February 9

Give Love 5K Eilan, San Antonio carreraraces.com/givelove5K.asp

Paramount Break-A-Leg 5K Downtown, Austin • austintheatre.org

February 14

Creepy Crawlies and Critters 5K YMCA Camp Cypress, Buda trailheadrunning.com/trailseries.html

February 22

Run or Dye – Austin Travis County Expo Center, Austin runordye.com/locations/Austin-2014

No Ego Perfect Love 5K Run Veterans Memorial Park, Cedar Park kingsalute.com

February 8

February 15

Red Run 5K The Shops at La Cantera, San Antonio carreraraces.com/redrun.asp

Cupid’s Undie Run Rattle Inn, Austin cupidsundierun.com/city/austin/

The Glo Run 5K Star Soccer Complex, San Antonio theglorun.com/register.html

Street 2 Feet 5K First Presbyterian Church, San Antonio carreraraces.com

Mud Match Austin Rusty Walnut Creek Ranch, Cedar Creek mudmatch.com Hillbillies & Hippies Project Graduation 5K, Kids 1K Durham Park, Liberty Hill lhhsprojectgraduation.com/5k.html February 23

Rocky Raccoon 50 Mile Hunstville, TX • tejastrails.com

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Gritness 100 Burr Rugby Fields, Austin gritness.com/gritness100/

photo by Patrick Giblin

March March 1

Heart and Soul Epilepsy Walk/5K Rough Hollow Welcome Center, Lakeway efcst.org Negley Elementary 5K/3K/1K Negley Elementary School, Kyle negleypta.org Urban Dare Austin The Dogwood, Austin • urbandare.com Nueces 50mi/50K/25K/10K Camp Eagle, Rocksprings tejastrails.com/nueces.html Neon Sun Run 5K/8K Leon Creek Trails, San Antonio carreraraces.com March 2

Tough Cookie Women’s Duathlon Copperas Cove • toughcookiesfitness. snappages.com/tough-cookie-duathlon.htm

March 30

The Biggest Loser RunWalk Austin Cedar Park biggestloserrunwalk.com/Austin_TX-HalfMarathon-5K-2014 Head for the Cure 5K Camp Mabry, Austin • headforthecure.org Get Your Rear In Gear 5K Run/Walk Austin Endoscopy Center North, Austin getyourrearingear.com/events/list/2014/ Austin-tx-2014 Toros Splash-N-Dash for Kids Twin Creeks Country Club, Cedar Park, TX torostri.com

April April 5

Hells Hills 50mi/50K/25K/10K Rocky Hill Ranch, Smithville tejastrails.com/HellsHills.html April 6

Statesman Capitol 10K Downtown Austin • cap10K.com

H-E-B Alamo Run Fest Alamodome, San Antonio • alamorunfest.com

April 12

March 22

Fiesta Fun Run 5K Eilan, San Antonio • carreraraces.com

5K Wine and Beer Run The Shops at La Cantera, San Antonio culinariasa.org/wine-festival/main/events

Longhorn Run 10K, 2 Mile University of Texas campus • utlonghornrun.com

20th Anniversary Rosedale Ride Samsung, Austin • rosedaleride.info Run Like the Wind 5K Canine Center for Training and Behavior, Austin schrodifund.org/RunLikeTheWind.htm

Run For Dreams 5K Old Settlers Park, Lakeview Pavillion, Round Rock • runfordreams5k.org ZOOMA Texas Half Marathon/10K/5K Hyatts Regency Lost Pines Resort & Spa, Bastrop/Austin • zoomarun.com/texas

March 23

Austin Crop Hunger Walk Camp Mabry, Austin austincrophungerwalk.org Rock n Roll Dallas Half Marathon Fair Park, Dallas runrocknroll.competitor.com Alamo 13.1 Half Marathon Run and Relay The Alamo, San Antonio • alamo131.com

April 13

Austin 10/20 The Domain, Austin • run1020.com April 26

Run To The Sun Relay: An Overnight Relay For Batten Disease Austin (Enchanted Rock to Laguna Gloria), Austin • runtothesunrelay.com April 26-27

March 29

St. James Missions 5K/1K Run St. James Missionary Baptist Church, Austin stjamescmbc.org/5k-run

HITS Triathlon Series Marble Falls, TX • hitstriathlonseries.com Submit your ride or race online at austinfitmagazine.com

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DISCOVER!

Hitting Historic Hyde Park for a Run

MapMyFitness Ambassador Jake Morse

Tell us about it!

Give us a shout at @AustinFit and @MapMyFitness. We'd love to hear about your experience!

MapMyFitness ambassador Jake Morse isn’t just a cyclist; he’s a runner, too. Try out this short central route through historic Hyde Park; visit http://ow.ly/sooDN to get turn-by-turn instructions.

Hyde Park is one of Austin's oldest and most distinct neighborhoods; it’s even a designated Local Historic District.

This quick run route takes you past eccentric bungalows, buzzing cafes, and the beautiful oasis of the Hancock Golf Course. The best place to start your run is from Shipe Park (look for the beautiful mural). While it’s a little chilly for swimming now, the public pool is a Godsend at the end of a hot run in the summer.

Work your way east to Duval and then take a right on 41st Street. This will take you by Hancock Golf Course, the oldest golf course in Texas, which has an awesome dirt and crushed granite trail running around the perimeter. The approximately 1-mile trail is hilly and a bit rocky at points, so be sure to keep your knees and toes up to avoid tripping. If you really want a challenge, see how many laps you can run around Hancock in a set amount of time.

Though this route is only 3 miles in length, there are plenty of options to extend it. If you are feeling adventurous and need a soft running surface, you can explore the dirt alleyways that run north/south through Hyde Park.

Elevation Chart (feet)

Distance: 3.02 miles • Climb: 75.46 feet

mapmyfitness.com/routes/view/239059477

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photo by Brian Fitzsimmons