Running Resources in the LV

Hope you had a chance to get a run (or two) in this weekend.  Hubby, baby, and I took the jogging stroller out for a spin yesterday and tackled one of our neighborhood hills.  What fun!

I also had a bit of down-time so I curled up with my latest issue of Runner's World magazine.  This is a great resource for runners that contains info about all things running, including training plans and tips, advice on how to keep injury-free, reviews on the best running gear out there, and more.  Why would I entitle this post "Running Resources in the LV" you ask?  Runner's World is a product of Rodale, Inc., which is based  right here in Emmaus.  Their motto:  "We inspire and enable people to improve their lives and the world around them."  Good stuff.            

P.S.  Check out their website for tons of info on healthy living @  www.rodale.com .

Mom Run ... 7.22.2012

Hey moms!  Our next Mom Run is Sunday, July 22, 2012, 10 a.m., Trexler Park.  Meet just inside the main entrance (Springhouse Road).  Hope you can make it!

Until then, I wish you happy running.  And for your down time (because you have so much of it!), here are a handful of blogs that I'm following.  They're all authored by moms or moms-to-be so they're extra special!

Lehigh Valley Transplant - This local blog is full of great info on all things in the Lehigh Valley - restaurants, fests (there are many), music scene, interesting LV groups, and interesting LV people are just some of the topics covered.  As you might suspect from the title, it's geared toward "transplants" who have moved here from other places, but it's really an all-around great resource for anyone who is looking to know more about what's going on in the LV.

P.S.  I'm forever grateful to Lehigh Valley Transplant author/mom-to-be Megan who just did a post on LV Mom Run.  Thanks Megan!

A Country Farmhouse - Oh, to live in a country farmhouse!  Blog author Trina, who is also mom to boy/girl toddler twins, has captured the essence of simple country living and put it in her blog for all of us to share.  Her story about her journey to becoming a mom is also very touching and a must-read. 

Pure Style Home - Blog author Lauren Liess is mom to three little boys, one of whom just made his entrance into the world only a few weeks ago - congratulations!  She's an amazing interior designer who owns her own business and blogs about everything from design projects to recipes to her lovely family.

Kayce Hughes - Another super-mom/business owner/blogger that I follow, Kayce Hughes is mom to seven and owns and designs her own clothing line.  Classic and totally charming, Kayce often shares her favorite things with her readers.  I just love her vintage style!   

  

A Fresh Perspective ...

... Sometimes we need to consider things from another perspective.  That's why I've asked my sis-in-law-extraordinaire Jaime to add her two cents to this blog.  Jaime is a certified holistic health coach who is full of great advice about healthy living.  Here's what she has to say to busy moms about running:

The Case for Running:

We all know that exercise is good for us; it boosts our endorphins, improves our circulation, increases immune function, helps us maintain healthy blood sugar levels, keeps us in shape, reduces our risk for disease, and even prolongs our life. But sometimes when life gets hectic, like when we have kids, it drops on our list of priorities. 

Here's the thing- exercise is more than just the sum of its health benefits.  Exercise is a 'Primary Food.' Primary foods are those things that nourish us in life but don't come on a plate, like relationships, career, and exercise. The idea is that when your primary foods are in balance, it makes what you eat secondary. In other words, there is way more to exercise than just exercise! It literally feeds you and nourishes you, just like food does.  Exercise is food for our soul; it's a nutrient as important as Vitamin C.  It may offer you some time to breathe deeply, to process stress, to have some alone time or to be social, depending on what type of exercise you choose. For many parents, it offers a form of 'me-time;' something you are doing for just yourself. When you're in a care-giving role, sometimes it's easy to forget to take care of you too. 

What's particularly great about something like a runner's club, is that you are also getting the primary foods of community, relationships, joy, and fresh air. Plus there's built-in motivation, support and  accountability to boot. To help motivate you to put exercise back up on your list of priorities, consider the important ways that it feeds you, then add it back onto your weekly menu!

--

Jaime Saginor

Certified Holistic Health Coach

Thanks for your insights Jaime - food for thought for sure!  Moms, if you're curious about what else Jaime has to say, check out Jaime's website and sign up for her monthly e-newsletter for more tips and motivation for living a healthy life!