Stop and Shred on Chicago's North Shore

Oh you North Shore ladies (and guys, too!) are so lucky! You have yards, awesome architecture, bike paths that aren't so packed with people you could easily hit someone, and massively sized gyms (OK, downtown Chicago's not too bad on that one but you won't find a Life Time). And starting today when the doors open at 300 South Happ Road in Northfield, just off I-94, you'll even have an awesome spot to exercise that's become a favorite among the downtown dwellers.

Opening today, June 28, is a third outpost--and first outside the city limits--of Shred415, a kick-butt workout if I've ever seen one. You hit the awesome Woodway treadmills (I'll save that for another discussion) to run for 15 minutes--or walk or jog if you can't move your legs faster or have an injury. You hit the floor for strength and core training for the next 15. You run again, pushing pace and incline, for another 15. You hit the floor again for the final 15 minutes of class, hoping that your boy doesn't give out in the process. There's a reason I named it one of the toughest workouts in Chicago--for guys. I live right around the corner from Shred's Old Town location, yet I think part of the reason I don't visit more often, in addition to traveling and being injury prone lately, is that I'm tired, torched and twitching--well, my muscles are. But wait, those are my usual signs of a good workout, so my justifications for not going are null and void.

When you think about Shred415 is a dream workout even if you don't consider yourself a hardcore athlete. It's there when it's raining or cold or so hot that you can't bear the thought of running outside. It's there when you only have an hour of "me" time and need a workout that'll shed pounds...and fast. It's there when you don't want to head all the way into Chicago--the city is so far away, this coming from a girl who lived in Evanston for five years--for a fitness fix. Now hopefully you'll get hooked before the classes get so crowded you're wait-listed.

Have you tried a Shred415 workout? What'd you think?

Coming to Grips with Winter Running

In or out? Treadmill or track? Shorts and a T-shirt, or your best assortment of winter layers? If you're going to run in the winter, where do you opt to get 'er done?

This winter might be the exception to the rule--I know I'm breaking my running habit left and right, shocking myself every time in the process. I don't run in winter. I don't race in winter. I'm lucky if I even look at my running shoes in winter. If those three assertions aren't enough to spell out my disdain for winter running under normal circumstances, that is, when the wind is whipping off the lake and the temperatures feel even colder than they actually are and we're buried under snow (that's my definition of winter Chicago normal), then I'll say it again: I'm not a winter runner.

The Chicago Triathlon Is Over...Now What?

Whether you braved the chillier-than-normal temps at this year's Chicago Triathlon last weekend or you already know you're ready to put your triathlon races on hiatus until next season (maybe switching over to marathon training, fall road races, fall century rides or cyclocross), you can still get your triathlon fix in the off season. Check out these ways to squeeze in some off-season training...or start the ball rolling for a stellar season in 2010.

• Equinox Fitness' Equi-Tri Cycle--OK this may have been designed to prepare you for the Chicago Triathlon but just because the race is over doesn't mean you have to quit attending class. Taught in Chicago by Michael Wollpert, an Equinox instructor and personal trainer who has raced the Tour de France and spent part of August racing through South Dakota with the Primal Quest Eco-Challenge, you'll feel the leg burn whether you attend the lunchtime class in the Loop or the hour-long challenge the Lincoln Park or 900 N. Michigan locations. Plus, you'll have a chance to work on your cadence without having to dodge runners and walkers out on the Lakefront.
• Equi-Tri Tread--The counterpart to Equi-Tri Cycle, the running component takes you to the treadmill usually immediately after getting off the bike to give you an indoor brick workout. Most of the hard-core triathletes bring heart-rate monitors to track their progress, but even if you don't have one you'll still benefit from this interval workout. Not to mention the instructor can watch you closely in this set-up to make the workout easier or more difficult depending on how you look.
  
• Masters swimming--Again, this is another one of those activities you probably wish you had practiced more before the race than after. But with the lake about to be technically closed to swimming until next Memorial Day, the fall swimming season is about to kick off indoors. Check your gym for its swimming schedule or consider swimming with Max Multisport or Vision Quest, to name a few, as the temperatures cool off. You'll find yourself able to stroke stronger through the crowds come next year.
• CrossFit--If you need a fitness boost but don't want to swim, bike or run, CrossFit could be the answer. Taking the best exercises from a variety of fitness disciplines, CrossFit pushes you to your max in a combination of moves that really work the core. The intensity is spot on too and you'll find your body morphing into toned form just by adding the workout of the day to your mix.
• Indoor cycling--Don't have a Spinning class you like or access to an Equinox Fitness? Find a place that offers indoor cycling on Computrainers and you're all set for winter workouts. You won't be trapped at home on your trainer, mindlessly pedaling away to whatever you can tolerate on TV and not tracking threshold, resistance or intensity. Around Chicago you can sign up for a Taste of VQ, a eight-week session that promises to improve your cycling, at Vision Quest Coaching; or check out the classes available at Element Multisport where you can sign up to ride up to four times per week in a six-week session; or consider one of the cycling options at Well Fit that can improve your endurance, strength and technique.

Now the only problem is staying motivated when the sun goes into hiding and you don't have to bare it all on the beach. But if it means faster times comes next season, the inspiration shouldn't be a problem. Photo grabbed from www.metaphoricalplaypus.com at flickr. Posted by Kate

Fit-tip: Listen to a podcast

While whining to a coworker about the copious amounts of time I've been spending on the treadie lately, I received this suggestion: Download some podcasts and listen to them when there's nothing decent to watch on TV. So that's what I did on Saturday morning and I'm happy to report, it hugely improved my enjoyment of my long run. First I listened to some interesting info regarding 2-week training cycles on the Dump Runners Club podcast, which I'd heard about on the Pigtails Flying blog earlier this Fall and never gotten around to listening to. It was the perfect running motivation for a super-dork like me. Then I spent over an hour listening to Jay and Jack disect the season premiere of Lost. So, listening to podcasts isn't as riveting as watching Top Chef or a great DVD, but it's distracting enough to make the treadmill a step up from miserable--so I'm sticking with 'em. I'm officially on the hunt for awesome podcasts to add to the rotation. Got any suggestions? Please click on "comments" and let us know. Posted by Liz

Photo grabbed from podcastlogo.lemotox.de.

Snooze clues

So today was my first long run of spring marathon training. Since January 4, I've been doing 10 milers--which are plenty long, don't get me wrong. But todat was a 15 miler and in my book, it's official, that's a long run. Because it was (shock of all shocks!) only 5 frigid, frosty degrees outside, I ran a mile to the gym, did 13 on the treadie, then ran the mile home. It went fine. I felt a little wobbly toward the end (never a good thing on a moving belt) and I forgot to bring a gel so that was annoying, but I survived. Yip! In honor of doing my first long run I also enjoyed my first post long run nap. Ahhhh. This is perhaps my very favorite part about training. To me, there is nothing as awesome as finishing a hot shower and falling into bed after a hard workout. It's a luxury we don't get on weekdays, but today I happily took advantage of nap time.

I only snoozed for 45 minutes because my dreams were wacky: I was still running on the treadmill...in high heels, dealing with work stuff and taking phone calls. I mean, what the heck? I guess I shouldn't be surprised. I've always dreamt about whatever activity I'm newly plugged into at that time in my life. In high school basketball seasons I would dream I was in a game--playing defense and trying to steal the ball for a fast-break--and I would wake up (often as a passenger in a car, where I've always been able to fall asleep in 5 seconds flat) when my hand swatted the door or seat so hard that it roused me. (Very embarrassing.) Last summer, when Kate and I were riding together a few mornings a week, I used to dream at night that I was still on my bike. And every single time I've done a marathon, I can pinpoint when it's getting close by the arrival of rather disturbing race dreams: they always involve some crazy scenario where I'm late to the start line, running too slow, going too fast, etc.

Now I'm treadmill running in my sleep. I guess I've been doing enough of it this brutally cold Chicago winter we're having that this was inevitable. Instead of calling me crazy, how about we say I'm practicing visualization. That's a good thing for athletes, right? Yeah, that's it, I'm doing visualization drills! Photo grabbed from Daehyun Park at flickr. Posted by Liz