5 Healthy Habits I Learned Watching Jack LaLanne

I grew up watching Public Broadcasting out of New Orleans (WYES).   Along with Sesame Street and The Big Blue Marble, I would watch Jack LaLanne!  It was my first fitness "video" and would not be my last!  Such great memories!

As I reflect on where I am today in my fitness journey and where I need to be,  I decided that sometimes getting back to basics is the best reboot for anyone, and I'm reminded of 5 Healthy Habits that I learned from watching his show.

1.  Exercise Every Day:  Jack LaLanne exercised every day.  He started with stretching, then weights, and then cardio.  He mixed up his routine every 30 days to avoid muscle memory, and he enjoyed jumping rope, swimming and running.

Don't Forget These Things for PHM

Whether you are already packed or just getting started, I have three last minute things to check for:

1.  Waivers:  Make sure you have your waivers printed out!  And if you are flying, be sure and put them in your check-in bag.  There are printers available at Packet Pick Up, but it's much less stressful if you already have all of that together!

2.  Gum:  Disney doesn't sell gum on site at all.  If you run with gum, you better pack it.  Also, I wouldn't depend on your favorite hard candy or candy bar to be there for you.  It's best to bring it with you.

3.  Throw Away CoverUps:  It will be chilly at 4 am and waiting in the corral will just make it seem colder.  Bring an old long sleeve race shirt or work shirt and throw it to the side after you get warmed up.  Don't worry, runDisney will pick up all the discarded clothes and donate!

And lastly!  Pack your Enthusiasm!  It's going to be an Awesome Weekend!

Check out all my tips for being Race Ready!

And

Good Luck!
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kesselrunner77@gmail.com

The Princess and the Porta Potties

Updated 2017

You have your TuTu on, your Tiara, and your nice pretty Princess Gloves!  The last thing you want to do is to have something happen in a Porta Pottie:  there isn't a lot of room in there and it's gross!

My solution is to wait for a "real" bathroom in the Magic Kingdom or Epcot!  As the saying goes, "know before you go".  So after studying the WDW maps,  here is my guide to Bathrooms along the way!

Half Marathon

The Magic Kingdom

It will be a little over 5 miles from the Start of the race to the Magic Kingdom.  These five miles are going to be tough if you need to go to the bathroom.  There are porta potties along World Drive, in case of an emergency.  But your goal is the Magic Kingdom!

Princess Half Marathon Important Links

Updated February 2017

The Princess Half Marathon is one of the Most Popular runDisney races!  It will be an experience
you will always remember!

It is an awesome race, but one that is packed with information, too.  The Expo is expansive, the race crowds large, and it sometimes just runs all together.

To help make things easier for myself and fellow runners, I've put together a list of important information that you will need to know!

Dates: February 23-26, 2017

Location: Walt Disney World Resort in Florida

Registration:
2018 Registration Opens: May 2, 2017

Host Resorts: All Walt Disney World Resort hotels

Transportation:  Event Transportation will be available from all Host Resorts:  this transportation includes to and from the Health and Fitness Expo and all Races/ChEar Squads.  Your Resort will display an updated Transportation Schedule in the Lobby.

*Race Information:

Runners Bibs and Waivers:  Print Out Your Waiver Here for All Races: Kids, HM, GSC

Find Your Corral for Half Marathon

Find Your Corral for Glass Slipper Challenge

Packet Pick Up:  This is in a separate building and is located in the ESPN Wild World of Sports Field House  Tips for Packet Pick Up

Course Maps and Description:  Princess Half Marathon

Kids Races:  Located in the Imagine Parking Lot of Epcot  Find Out What's In Store at the Kids Races

Getting Ready for the Race:  Packing, Check-in Bag, The Night Before, Weather Planning

*Family Information:

ChEar Squad:  Adult Waiver    Child Waiver 
  ChEar Squad Weekend Info Including Transportation

Runner Tracking:  Track Your Family on the Race Course

Last Minute Advice:  

Relax and Enjoy your Weekend! and relive our  2014 Princess Half Marathon Trip With Us!

Need more information?  Contact me at kesselrunner77@gmail.com with any questions!

Bringing Yoga Back - A 12 Day Challenge

At first I thought they said "Bringing Yoda Back", but Bringing Yoga Back is just as good!

I've taken yoga classes in the past and found that yoga was much harder than I thought, and just didn't stick with it.  But, now, I'm ready to take the leap and try it again: this time with more enthusiasm and commitment knowing that it will help my running goals, too!  So, I joined the #bringingyogaback challenge with Prana and my fellow FitApproach Sweat Pink Ambassadors!

Me, being me, I did some research on Yoga to get me Kick Started.  And I know that many of you are like me and are uncomfortable with yoga because it's outside of our fitness routine, and it can seem daunting.  But, the benefits outweighed my reservations, and here is what I learned:

Mardi Gras Challenge: Step Krewe

February 2015

Mardi Gras is full of traditions!  From the Colors of purple/green/gold, to King Cakes, to Parades, to Beads!  And this year I'm starting a new tradition by inviting you to a Step Challenge!

The winner of this Challenge will receive a Delicious Traditional King Cake from a locally owned bakery and will be crowned King or Queen of the Step Krewe!

Here is how the Challenge Will Work:

- When: You will have from Saturday, February 7th 12am through Midnight Lundi Gras to complete the challenge.

- Prize:  A Crown and Traditional King Cake!  I will hand delivery it to you or the Bakery will ship!
- Who Can Enter:  Anyone with a pedometer, Step App, Fitness Tracker can enter.
- How to Enter:

2015 Princess Half Marathon Route Fit for a Princess

February 2017:

It's time to look at the race course and see what we have the Princess Half Marathon has waiting for us!

Even though I won't be running this year, I have lots of friends who are!  And the Geek in me still studies the course and everything in between.  I like to divide it into 4 parts:  Journey to the Magic Kingdom; Dreaming of the Castle ; Trek to Epcot; and Last Miles to Smiles!

So let's get started!

Journey to the Magic Kingdom!

You will be starting in the Epcot parking lot.  The buses will drop you off in the staging area where you can leave your check-in bag and head over to the porta potties.  From there, you will be guided into your corrals.   Disney starts the race on time, and each corral will start with fanfare and fireworks!   And your off!

The Frozen 5K and Enchanted 10K Course Maps!

February 2015

The Enchanted 10K and the Frozen 5K will be running through Epcot!  How Exciting!  These 2 races will generate lots of enthusiasm and create surprising moments while running through the World Showcase!  As always, I do a detailed look at the maps, so here you go!

New for 2015: Both Races Start in the Explore Parking Lot of Epcot and end in the Imagine Parking Lot.  An added leg of the race will run you by the Turtle Talk and The Seas Attractions.

The Enchanted 10K

Support the Empire State Building Run-Up!

This Wednesday, February 4th, marks the 38th Annual Empire State Building Run-Up (ESBRU)!
The ESBRU is one of the world's oldest and most famous tower races which presents the challenge of running up 86 flights - 1576 stairs to the Observatory! There will be elite and novice runners from across the globe and Facebook at this amazing race - including my friend Dana Facchiana!

Dana is a fierce competitor in our Virtual Coast 2 Coast challenge, and I was excited to hear about her doing this challenge!   She submitted an essay for entry into the race and was selected from over 1200 other competitors for one of the few spots available.  I can not imagine the effort that it will require to complete this climb, but I know we all wish we could be there to cheer her on! So, to show our support and encourage her along the way, I challenge all of you to a Virtual Empire State Run To The Top on Wednesday!

Your Challenge is find your StairMaster, your stair well at work, or seek out an office building or library, and climb 1576 stairs!

And your mission is to post a picture of yourself doing the challenge and how many stairs you were able to complete during the day!  Many fitness trackers will count your stairs, or count on your own; logging your stairs should be easy.

This is a great way to not only build motivation for your hump day blues but also to show your support of Dana!

Who's in?
kesselrunner77@gmail.com

Tips to Surviving Fast Food on your Road Trip

We are all guilty of veering off course while on vacation:  we go for the forbidden milkshake or the mindset that vacation calories don't count! 

However a bad diet, even on vacation, can easily undo your last great workout or all the hard work over the last few months!

To make matters worse for me, I hate looking at menus so I just order what I know is easy: so, I am having to train myself to think and not order thoughtlessly.  In order to stick to my SMART goals, I need to reduce total fat intake hitting the road this summer and here is how I am going to approach it:

1.  Research.  Look up nutrition facts on your smartphone before you step inside: you might be surprised at how your calories will add up.

2.  Skip the fries and chips.  Although potatoes are high in potassium, they become unhealthy and loaded with fat when fried.  I will opt instead for apple slices.  Even though apples are listed on the kids menu,  they will still sell them a la carte, with some restaurants substituting in the combo meal.  Subway, McDonald's, and Panera will all give you apples as an option.

3.  Choose Grilled Chicken.  I love cheese burgers with chili and onions.  However, I will put that craving aside and choose grilled chicken.  Grilled chicken salads are my favorite, and I also like chicken wraps to avoid the highly processed flour in buns.

4.  Hold the Mayo and Ketchup.  The regular varieties of Mayonnaise and Ketchup served on your fast food bun are going to contain a lot of sugar, so go for the Mustard.  It may take you a while to get used to, but common yellow mustard is low in sugar and a solid choice for any sandwich.

5. Choose Water.  There is a lot of controversy over diet sodas and we know the sugar-filled varieties are not good for us:  ask for water or unsweetened tea.

6.  Don't Get Pulled In.  Take time to explore past the exits and the fast foods neon signs.  Use your smartphone and find a Deli or Grocery where you can get a better meal!

How do you manage dining on your Road Trip?  I'd love to add your tips to my list!  kesselrunner77@gmail.com

Training Plans

The human body is built for survival and is quite resilient to most of the stresses we can throw at it; however, you just can't expect to run 13 miles overnight!  You must train, and training correctly requires a plan.  Planning gives you goals that provide steps to success.   A solid plan includes running, cross training, and interval training.  

Current and past training plans for download!

2016 runDisney Training Plans

2015 runDisney Training Plans

If you are looking for a run/walk plan, the Jeff Galloway Training Plans are proven for success!

If you have any questions on how I train, please let me know!

kesselrunner77@gmail.com