CitySTRONG Hits Chicago October 2

I'll just leave this photo here and start with that.

But now you might be wondering why there are so many people tricep-dipping in the heart of a city (in this case, Nashville). They're breaking a sweat at CitySTRONG, a fitness tour hosted by celebrity trainers Shawn Booth and Erin Oprea. 

After a stop in Nashville in September, CitySTRONG comes to Chicago on Sunday, October 2. And instead of finding this workout at one of your more typical outdoor venues--Grant Park, Navy Pier, we're looking at you--you'll find CitySTRONG attendees working out on the rooftop at the 31st Street Harbor. 

Many fitness fans might be drawn to the celeb power--after all, Shawn was Kaitlyn Bristowe's suitor on The Bachelorette (and in real life he's a personal trainer) and Erin trains Carrie Underwood, among others. But there's more just star gazing Sunday morning. Think killer views of Lake Michigan, killer tunes spun by none other than Bachelorette Kaitlyn, and one killer workout from Shawn and Erin. I'm envisioning squats, lunges and pushups among the mix of bodyweight moves, although I really have no clue what I'm in for come Sunday morning.

So the Chicago stop of CitySTRONG is already sold out (I know I'm not surprised based on the weather forecasting the first break in rain in days, the unique venue, the not-too-early 9:30 a.m. start, and the opportunity to sweat with Erin, Shawn and Kaitlyn), but read more about it here or on CitySTRONG's website. And if you need an excuse to head to San Diego when you really start missing summer, that might be CitySTRONG's next city--but the November stop has yet to be announced.

Photos courtesy of CitySTRONG and Zach Harrison Photography.

Take Me Out to the Ball Game--and Score an Entry to Strike Out ALS 5K

Just me and my media team buds after last year's race.

Baseball and beer? They go together: You’re most likely going to sip—or slam—a brew when you’re at the ballpark. Baseball and brats? Maybe it’s a brat or maybe it’s a hot dog, but it’s the meat in a bun that you’re ordering at the concession stand before the 7th inning stretch. But baseball and running? Sure, there’s plenty of running on the field between rounding the bases and sprinting for fly balls. But if you really want a connection between the two sports, or just run a 5K anywhere besides the lakefront or Lincoln Park, you’ll find it at the Strike Out ALS 5K, which does a riff on Take Me Out to the Ballgame that any runner can appreciate.

The Strike Out ALS 5K trades the typical Chicago 5K backdrop—the lakefront, the park, the city streets—for one of the ballpark variety with a course that starts outside U.S. Cellular Field, home of the White Sox, and finishes inside with a loop around the warning track (or at least that's how the course flowed in 2012 and 2013, but more to come on that.) And as its name would imply, it’s a race that sticks with the baseball theme from its location to its beneficiary. The 5K serves as a fundraiser for the Les Turner ALS Foundation, which is “Chicago’s leader in research, patient care, and education about ALS,” according to its website. ALS, short for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, is also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, and Gehrig was one of the most iconic and respected players in baseball who unfortunately had to quit the game far too soon.

Lindsey Vonn supports Wings for Life World Run May 4

Wings for Life World Run logo,
PRNewsFoto/Wings for Life World Run

She didn't race most of the World Cup ski season. She missed the 2014 Sochi Olympics. Lindsey Vonn may have been absent from the skiing action we followed this winter as she underwent knee surgery, again, and rehab, but she's not letting a bum knee keep her from participating in the Wings for Life World Run on May 4. In March, Vonn vowed her support of the first-time event even though she won't be able to run it because of her knee.

"I'm inspired by the Wings for Life World Run and what they are trying to accomplish, which is finding a cure for spinal cord injuries," said Vonn, a Wings for Life Ambassador. "This is an opportunity for everyone to be part of a global race - and run for those who can't."

The Wings for Life World Run is a running race that was organized to raise awareness and funds for spinal cord injury research. All of the registration fees ($50 at the Denver event) go directly to the Wings for Life Foundation to fund research to find a cure for spinal cord injuries.

6 Chicago Races Whose Fees Go Up at Midnight

Finish on the 50-yard line at the Soldier Field 10
on Saturday, May 24. 

I hate (big bold hate here) paying full price for race registrations. And when you participate in a lot of runs and triathlons like I do, especially those half- and full-Ironmans, your wallet takes a huge hit.

I'm still in the process of finishing my 2013 taxes, and itemizing everything that can't be written off, but I don't want to even think about how much money I spent on races in the last year. Or how much I could have saved if I didn't wait until the last-minute to sign-up for some races because I didn't know if my body would hold up to be able to cross the finish line.

Surely, I'm not alone here. Who doesn't wait until the weather gets warmer or the first race of the season has been completed before plotting out the rest of your running and racing season? OK, so I have a friend who might sign up for everything and then bail on all those races that sounded pretty exciting in January but lost their luster come June and July. For the rest of us, we weren't ready to pull the trigger in the middle of winter, but we're ready to add some races to the calendar now before we're paying full price (or watching the race fill).

Tomorrow might be April Fool's Day, but it's no joke that some race registrations will rise with the start of a new month. No fooling here: The clock's counting down to save on these six Chicago races.

Why You'll Want to Run With Nike Tonight

Run with Nike and meet Matt Forte, #22
for the Chicago Bears, March 13. Credit

Two Chicago Bears who are invested in the Chicago running community? And the opportunity to meet them in the same week? I'm more of a fair-weather Bears fan (I've never been to Soldier Field for a football game but I've been there countless times for running events), but even I know this is too good to be true. It's just too bad the weather can't seem to cooperate and throw us a bone with warmer temperatures and less of a wintry mix on the ground. Or as Charles Tillman said on Saturday at his inaugural Peanut Tillman 5K, "It's Bears weather!"

One look outside your window--or one step outside--and you know that spring is far from springing. It's snowy, it's cloudy, it's cold. Daylight savings may have ended over the weekend, but the weather is frightful more than it is delightful.

We're still running in our winter layers and Yaktrax--or abandoning the outdoors for the treadmill. But whether our running bodies like it or not, the Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle, the Chicago race that kicks off the unofficial start to the city's running season, is a little more than two weeks away on Sunday, March 30. Hard to believe the running season will be starting soon when winter seems so never-ending.

Who doesn't need a little shove out the door when running conditions are far from ideal? Nike Running Bucktown has some of that running motivation...especially tonight. The store's Run Club, which meets every Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at 1640 N. Damen, will host Matt Forte, a running back for the Chicago Bears, and Carey Pinkowski, executive race director for the Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle and Bank of America Chicago Marathon. After runners return to the store, Forte will host a short Q&A and share an overview of his foundation and the charity team that he's recruiting for the upcoming Shamrock Shuffle.

Fit-Pic: Snowshoe Sunday

Bluebird skies, spring-like temperatures, 12 inches of fresh powder. Sounds like a great day for skiing, right? But snowshoeing? Isn't that more for the days when you're not itching to make fresh tracks, tear up the powder, or ski until your legs practically fall off?

Not today. Today was all about swapping the skis for the snowshoes. And racing--or at least crossing a finish line and having a time tacked onto the 5K you just logged.

At Beaver Creek Resort, Sunday, March 2, was the day of the final race of the 2014 Beaver Creek Snowshoe Series. I had already missed the first race of the series and skipped the second to ski, so the snowshoes were going to have to make an appearance whether I wished I was skiing or not. So snow or no snow, I'd be parting with my skis to strap on my snowshoes to tackle the cut trails and singletrack at McCoy Park, the resort's nordic center that sits 10,000-plus feet above sea level at the top of the Strawberry Park lift.

And I wasn't alone. Just look at these snowshoers snaking their way across the trail before getting to the singletrack. All people I wanted to catch up to as I got stalled at the start with a snowshoe that wouldn't stay on my foot. But more on that (and more pictures) after I've recovered from the weekend's active adventures. The Talons Challenge and Snowshoe Series take a lot out of this girl!

A New 5K in Town: Charles "Peanut" Tillman 5K

We cheer for him on NFL Sundays, now Peanut
Tillman cheers for runners at his inaugural 5K.
Credit

It's kind of hard to get excited about running when it's freezing outside. You don't want to bundle up. You don't want to slip on the ice. You don't want to get all the way to the path only to wish you had your snowshoes instead of your running shoes. You don't want to race in the bitter cold that accompanies a morning start. And even the treadmill is getting boring--really boring. OK, so maybe that's just me and how I deal with this craziness nicknamed Chiberia.

But yesterday my eyes perked up at Universal Sole's announcement of the Charles Tillman 5K coming to Chicago on Saturday, March 8. A new running race and one that's not happening in the always jam-packed summer? It's love at first read. Here's why I'm psyched.

1. I love new running races--a chance to try something new--as much as I love powder days. Maybe even a little more. While I haven't taken action yet, I'm super tempted to skip a ski weekend for this run.
2. The race is on Saturday, March 8, at Lakeshore East (update: with a growing field of participants, the race will now start and end at Soldier Field). It has to warm up--even just a little--by then. Right? Let's hope so.
3. Universal Sole is partnering with the Charles Tillman Cornerstone Foundation to put on this race. If you've been to one of their Burgers and Beer fun runs or trail races, you know you're guaranteed to have a good time--and not go home hungry!
4. Speaking of Charles "Peanut" Tillman, who's up for the NFL's Walter Payton Man of the Year honors, he sounds like a class act. I say sounds because I've missed literally every other opportunity to run with him. He also landed the top spot on Huffington Post's 'nice' list to close out 2013.
5. All of the proceeds from the race will go toward the Cornerstone Foundation, which helps hospitalized children including his own daughter when she was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy. Talk about running for a worthy cause. 
6. Runners might see more than just Peanut Tillman. It sounds like the entire Tillman family will be in tow as well as some other Chicago Bears players.
7. For me, this race could be my chance to shoot for a faster 5K time, something I attempted to do at last year's Ravenswood 5K--and did for the first mile--until I tweaked something and practically dragged half my body across the finish line (we don't like to relive that race much). This winter I've been running at altitude (a good old 6,000 to 7,000 feet up depending on which path or treadmill I'm tackling for the day) so it'll be nice to run where it's flat and my lungs aren't fighting for air most of the time. 

Go to runningguru.com to get registered and start counting down the days to warmer weather. After all, the temperatures can't get much worse than what we've already suffered through...especially come March.

Photo grabbed from Jeffrey Beall at flickr. 

A Bar Method Class Just for Moms

Mommy gets a workout and sleeping tips for the kids. Credit

Seeing as how I'm not a mom, I can only assume that three things happen when you become one. 1.) You sacrifice sleep especially when baby won't sleep through the night. 2.) Finding time to exercise isn't as easy as it was before your baby's arrival (same with getting that pre-baby body back). 3.) You're ever so slowly losing some of your sanity. Am I close?

It's Nos. 1 and 2 that The Bar Method wants to address at a special class for moms on Wednesday, November 20. Trust me, you'll want to get a babysitter for this--or tell Dad he's got kid duty for the evening.

The Lakeview location in Chicago is calling moms, especially those with infants and toddlers, to work out at the barre then stay for a seminar on toddler sleep led by Rebecca Kempton, MD, who specializes in pediatric sleep consulting. Class starts at 6:45 p.m. and last an hour, then the 45-minute seminar will follow, and you'll be back home to check in on the kiddos as they drift off to sleep. At the seminar, Kempton will address nap requirements and transitions, how to handle night wakings, how to curb bedtime antics, and how to deal with super early wake times. Or bring your own sleep questions and scenarios for some guidance. You get a workout for the evening--and hang out with like-minded mommies--and you'll hopefully get a better night's sleep in the future. Win win!

To save yourself a spot at class, call the Lakeview studio at 773-935-2150.

Photo grabbed from Kekka via flickr.

Five Ways to Recover from the 2013 Chicago Marathon

You're chafed. You have blisters in places you didn't think could get them when you run. You're voraciously eating everything in sight. You need an extra five minutes to stand up and hobble to the door and you dread the stairs. Congratulations, you just ran a marathon!

Just like that, the 2013 Bank of America Chicago Marathon has come and gone. The crisp bib you received less than 72 hours ago is a crumpled mess. The last finisher crossed the finish line while you were sleeping. And you can't use the I'm-training-for-a-marathon excuse when you have to bow out of Friday night social events. But before you completely put 2013's marathon to bed and get back to the daily grind, you hopefully took today off to recuperate. Here are our marathon recovery picks.

Get Yer Tri Gear to Lake Geneva for TriRock

TriRock heads to Lake Geneva Sept. 14

Just because the Life Time Tri Chicago is over doesn’t mean Chicago’s tri season is done until next year. While Ironman Wisconsin draws tons of Chicago area triathletes this weekend, there’s still another race on tap for next weekend. And it’s in one of the most beautiful resort areas just a stone’s throw from Chicago.

That resort town is Lake Geneva. That race is TriRock, a newer race to the area that in a way replaces the Lake Geneva triathlon series that used to happen the same weekend as Ironman Wisconsin (Ironman spectators were known to race in Lake Geneva and then drive to Madison to cheer). The race’s date is Saturday, September 14, and Sunday happens to be the final day of online registration before packet pickup on Thursday.

Whether your triathlon season got a late start or you’re ready to take a dip in the sport after watching #ChiTri or #IMWI, Lake Geneva is the place to be. The swim won’t be as thrashing as Chicago (sorry Chicago, but your swim is chaotic), and it takes place in the calmer, quieter lake area of Williams Bay. The bike promises some hills you can’t get downtown—yes, Lake Geneva is hilly but not as crazy as say Madison. The run offers beautiful scenery to help the miles fly by (I've run far more than planned on more than one occasion in Lake Geneva). And like any CGI race, who bring the Rock 'n' Roll races to cities across the country, there's one festive finish line. But better yet: You're getting another triathlon under your belt before calling it quits for the year.  OK, so maybe that's my justification for keeping my triathlon season going until it's nearly fall...without having to leave the Midwest.

The final chance to register online for TriRock Lake Geneva is Sunday, September 8. If you use the code LGTOWEL, you'll receive a free triathlete tri towel with your registration. Or register at one of the packet pick-ups before race day: Fleet Feet Sports Old Town on Sept. 12 from 10am - 8pm, or in Williams Bay on Sept. 13 from 2pm - 8pm. But don't wait until race morning to decide because there is no race day registration.

For more details about the triathlon or to register, check out 
http://trirock.competitor.com/lake-geneva/register/.

Photo courtesy of the Competitor Group and TriRock Lake Geneva.

What To Do This Weekend: Races, Sailing and Volleyball

Match Cup racing after a workout? Yes, please!

Whether you’re still recovering from Lollapalooza last weekend or you’re gearing up for the Air and Water Show next weekend, you still have to face this weekend, the one that’s in between those summer highlights. And if you’re like me, you're probably trying to have as active a weekend as possible this weekend since you know you'll have to flee town to run and bike when the Lakefront Path virtually shuts down to those of us who like to play on it. It's not about how to survive those outdoor entertainments—it's figuring out where you can race and train when you can't hit those regular spots, or fight pedestrian traffic to get there.

Lucky for us, this weekend holds plenty of activities to keep us from sleeping through it or feeling like we’re missing out on summer's finest activities. And that's just Chicago, where my one-track mind is focused at the moment. Here are some ideas to get you thinking about sports this weekend:

Meet Dean Karnazes, the Ultramarathon Man

Karnazes, right, ran the 2009 Chicago Marathon twice!

 In the running community, Dean Karnazes, the self-titled ultra-marathon man who’s run countless miles and long-distance races, is a popular guy. So popular among Chicagoans that when they hear he’s coming to the Windy City, they flock to meet him. Karnazes currently is touring the country and spreading the word about The North Face Endurance Challenge Series, which hosts trail races of varying distances including one in Wisconsin in September.

Last night, Running Away Multisport hosted Karnazes at their Chicago store at 2219 N. Clybourn. It was a packed house with Karnazes running three to five miles with the group and then answering questions about running, ultramarathons and more.

Win a Run Rock 'n' Roll Chicago VIP Package

You could run under this rocker at Sunday's race.

Who's racing this weekend? There's the Ironman 70.3 in Racine, the half Ironman distance and sprint distance triathlons in Door County, Wis., the Muddy Buddy, the Rock 'n' Roll Chicago Half Marathon. If you're signed up for one of these, you couldn't have asked for better summer racing weather with a forecast showing cooler temperatures and sunny days. But you also probably registered, suspecting you might have a hot day to contend with. Lucky you for taking that risk.

Remember how hot and humid it was last year? Yeah, me and my heat-induced puffy fingers do. And I suffered through two too many runs in 90 degree temperatures (Really? At 6:30 p.m.?) earlier this week and don't dare go for a third today. So registering for races that occur during weeks that are historically hot, isn't exactly my MO. Unless I have a specific reason, like doing Racine last year to get a half Ironman under my belt before Ironman Wisconsin or running Rock 'n' Roll to meet Dr. Andy Baldwin (which turned into more of a chase), I'm going to wait on registering until the weather turns. If it doesn't, which is usually the case, I'm out. But if it does, I'm paying a pretty expensive registration fee. Darn you, weather.

My friends at Team Refuel were already kind enough to give me an entry to this Sunday's Rock 'n' Roll Chicago Half Marathon, so I can run on what's sounding like a perfect summer morning. And the good news for one lucky Fit-Ink reader is that you can run, too. We're giving away a VIP entry to this race on July 21 plus some other cool perks thanks to Team Refuel! Yes, it's last minute, but if you've been training for the Chicago Marathon or another long-distance race, you're already logging that mileage.

Fit-Pic: Vail Pass Half Marathon

And this was only the start of Saturday's festivities at the GoPro Mountain Games in Vail. Runners toed the line at the annual 1st Bank Vail Pass Half Marathon, a race that makes you earn every one of those miles underfoot. For starters, you're running slightly more than your typical 13.1 miles of a half marathon: it's designed to be 13.7 miles, according to the race description, and today's route is 13.5 miles, according to the race announcer.

You're already at 8,225 feet above sea level when you start running at Golden Peak, and you're climbing your way to a 10,600-foot finish at the top of Vail Pass. Lung burn, quad burn, all-out aches and pains. Yeah, you gain bragging rights--and the excuse to do nothing but lounge around the rest of the day--when you finish this run.

Fit-Pic: Skyline Plunge

Now that's how you see Chicago...taking the Respiratory Health Association's Skyline Plunge and rappelling down theWit hotel. It's nerve-wracking, it's exhilarating, and it's an experience you're surely not going to forget any time soon. And I did it along with 80 or so others this weekend. But come back tomorrow to hear more about the adventure...I'm still floating on cloud nine.

Rappelling for a Reason

Climb to the top of the Hancock? Check. Scale to the top of the Aon Center? Check. Run across the 50-yard line at Soldier Field or around the warning track at U.S. Cellular? Been there, done that. Rappel down the side of one of Chicago’s skyscrapers? That’s a new one—even for me (and I still have to get my rear over to Willis Tower, too).

But it’s an adventure that could be crossed off the bucket list next weekend. That is, if you’re one of the 80 or so participants daring to take the Skyline Plunge. Dubbed Illinois’ first urban rappel, this daring challenge happens May 5 at theWit Hotel and benefits the Respiratory Health Association. RHA hosts some other exciting events—well, if tired legs and heavy breathing count—like the Hustle Up the Hancock and the CowaLUNGa bike tour to raise funds and awareness about lung disease, but the Plunge might take adventure to another level.

Plunge participants rappel 27 stories down the hotel’s signature lightning bolt, 278 feet above State Street. Talk about a Cinco de Mayo to remember—don’t bragging rights, the adrenaline rush and the once-in-a-lifetime experience win over a few Coronas and some guacamole? I’d say sign me up even if I didn’t have relatives with lung disease and a grandma who fought through asthma. And hopefully those family members would pitch in for the fundraising, $150 entry fee plus a $1,000 pledge commitment, that should raise $85,000 for the Respiratory Health Association.

Ready to tackle this adventure? There are still a few spots left for the sixth Skyline Plunge (contact RHA immediately if you want one), or you can always wait for No. 7, held in the fall. For more details on the Skyline Plunge, check out skylineplunge.org. And if you need more convincing, just check out these pictures from last year--the smiles tell all!

Photo courtesy of the Respiratory Health Association.

March Madness Comes to Fleet Feet

Credit: Kiwithing

Oh March Madness. There's the basketball variety, the annual NCAA tourney that gets even non-college-basketball followers like myself filling out brackets. And there's the running variety, the Cary, Ill., half marathon that I'll be running Sunday morning. But next week Chicago is going to see another Madness, a tasting variety that combines basketball and running. Except you don't have to run, be a runner or even like running to join the fun.

Fleet Feet Sports. You know them as running stores--there are outposts across the country, and Chicago has two, Old Town and Lincoln Square, soon-to-be three when South Loop opens. And if you're a Chicago runner, you also know them--and other stores like Running Away and Universal Sole--as pretty good party planners with their fun runs, shoe launches, fashion shows and more, all themed around running.

On March 21, the day the NCAA tournament affectionately known as March Madness begins, Fleet Feet Chicago is bringing those parties to anyone, not just runners--and not just guys--with their Taste the Madness event. There's no run to kick off the evening--that doesn't mean you can't organize a few friends and go out before the party starts at 7 p.m. But there will be plenty of basketball watching, food sampling and drink tasting. Fleet Feet teamed up with local vendors like Koval Distillery, Goose Island, Evolution Wine and Spirits, and Stu's Kitchen to offer almost anything the eyes could drink from bloody marys and cocktails to craft beer and whiskey. And you can sip them from the 5-ounce glass you'll receive for attending. If you're hungry, try the food pairings from Chef Ryan Hutmacher of The Centered Chef (his recipes make my mouth water!). If you're sore from sitting at a desk all day, grab a mini-massage from the Urban Wellness folks. And if you need some man-scaping, catch a neck shave from State Street Barber.

Running with the local theme, the ticket proceeds from this fun night out will benefit the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago. Tickets cost $20 and can be purchased online or at the door, if space allows. Whether your brackets fall apart or you score big, the night is for the kids. It sounds like fun, too. I'll drink to that.

Photo grabbed from Kiwithing at flickr.

How to Have a Fit 12/12/12

Everyone wanted to get married on 7/7/07. The Games of the XXIX Olympiad opened in Beijing on 8/8/08, a special day in the Chinese calendar. Digitally remastered versions of all the Beatles studio albums were released on 9/9/09; beyond that I couldn't think of anything significant about the date. We could run marathons and other races on 10/10/10, probably the coolest day to participate in an endurance event. A horror film bearing the name 11/11/11 was released on that auspicious date.

So what's 12/12/12 going to bring? As far as I can tell, it's shaping up to be a very fit-minded day.

Run Run Rudolph

Elves. Santa Claus and his sleigh. Reindeer. The only thing missing from Sunday's Rudolph Ramble was the Christmas tree. Or maybe I just missed it, which wouldn't surprise me. Do I really not remember anything but foam antlers, which I have stashed in a bin of Christmas decorations, and snow from the last time I ran the Rudolph Ramble?

Snow must have scared me from becoming a regular Rudolph Rambler--that whole December, snow, cold weather bit. Judging from Sunday, it certainly couldn't have been the race atmosphere, which was fun and festive. I learned after the fact that Santa, his reindeer and the elves were new this year, but a lot can change when you don't run a race in nine years.

Crowie's Coming to Town

Crowie and a fan at the July 2012 Runners High 'n Tri event

What do you do when you hear that an Ironman world champion will be in town? You drop everything, including the day's workouts, to attend.

That's what I did in July--and two years ago--when Runners High 'n Tri hosted Craig Alexander and Dave Scott (two Ironman champions in one room, can you blame me?) at what has seemingly become a summer ritual of sorts. Crowie races Racine, Crowie talks to triathletes in Arlington Heights.

But next Tuesday, no one needs to drop everything to drive out--or train it--to Arlington Heights to meet the three-time Ironman world champion (five-time if you include his wins at the 70.3 distance). Sure, it's nice to get out of the city every once in a while (and Runners High 'n Tri always puts on a great event), except for when said location involves driving on 90/94 at rush hour. And you decide to attend said event at the last minute, didn't do your workout for the day (that whole I'll get it done after work backfired), and technically should still be cranking in front of the computer. It's just that this time, on December 11, Craig Alexander is coming to the Core Power offices, which are located in Chicago's West Loop at 1001 W. Adams.