What to Wear for a Triathlon

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By Colleen Cannon

I recently was asked, “What do I wear for a triathlon?” That is a really good question. The truth is triathlon is great. You get the chance to eat three times as much and, if you want, you can have three different outfits. To save time, just wear one… but there are options.

1. Don’t wear anything that you have not worked out in. Don’t just go buy a tri suit and use it for the first time. I was racing for Nike one year and they came out with a nice new white tri suit. They made it all white to help with the heat of Florida. I was getting ready to do a half Ironman in Panama City, Fla. We were in our nice new tri suits and we went into the water to warm up. Well, when I got out I noticed everyone looking at me. The suit was completely see-through and the race was starting in one minute. I almost had a heart attack, but there was nothing I could do. I ended up winning the race because I had to run so fast! I was so embarrassed.
2. Never wear a swimsuit that does not fit your backside. Be sure to try it out first, get on your bike and see if the suit rides up. You don’t want to spend your precious energy pulling on your suit all day during your race.
3. You are not going fishing, so make sure your suit is high enough in the front. You do not want a sexy cleavage outfit for racing. You want something that goes up high enough in the front so you don’t create drag or catch fish
4. You don’t want your suit to be baggy. Shopping tips: Your suit shouldn’t be tight in the shoulders, too tight in the butt or too tight that it’s hard to breathe, but it should have enough support so you don’t bounce. When you swim, you want your suit to be tight and nothing dragging off. So don’t wear running shorts with your swimsuit during the swim portion.
5. Don’t race in your true bike shorts that have the big chamois. It will fill up like a wet diaper and weigh you down. Tracy Byrnes at Athleta suggests, “A tri-short with an abbreviated chamois is best on the bottom. It dries quickly out of the water, provides enough protection on the bike and allows for an easy stride on the run.”
6. Wear support if you need it. For women who need more support up top, you can always get a suit that has a built-in bra. You can also wear your jog bra underneath your tri suit or swim suit.
7. Pick the right top for you. Tracy Byrnes at Athleta suggests the following: “A support top with pockets is ideal. It should be fitted, lightweight, breathable, quick dry and still provide enough support for your cup size. Two great race and training tops are Athleta’s Energy Tank and PR Tank.”
8. Watch out for zippers on tops. Make sure they don’t dig in and scratch a hole in you.
9. A hat or visor is perfect on the run.
10. Make sure your fabric breathes. I used to wear a two-piece bathing suit because it was cooler and my tummy liked to be FREE!
11. Color coordinate. I like to have things match. So I always wore bright pink ‘cus it made me happy—a pink hair tie, pink shoelaces, pink sunglasses—anything to make you feel happy and bright during your race.

Have fun! On my next Ask Colleen I will go over what to bring to a triathlon, what goggles I like, and the truth about anti-fog.

6 Tips for Trail Running

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By Colleen Cannon

“Climb the mountains and get their good tidings.  Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees.  The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves.”  ~John Muir

Depending on where you live, you may have trails available for you all year. Or, if you’re like me and live in the mountains, the trails have opened up recently from their winter slumber. While I’ve spent hours and miles on the roads, trail running has always held a special place in my heart.

Some of what I love about trail running includes the freedom, the adventure, the scenery, the connection with nature and, of course, the feeling of flying around like one of nature’s inhabitants of the forest.

Trail running is a little different from road running, so here are some tips to help you make the sure you get the most out of your adventure on the trails

But before we jump in, something I do to my shoes each and every day is put blessing pads on them. So just set the intention that every step you take, the earth will get blessed and get a little massage. When I buy a new pair of running shoes, I just automatically put the blessing intentions on the bottom. You may think this is crazy, but I did this for years on my 5- to 10-mile loop every day. One day we had a forest fire and the fire did not cross over where I had run with my blessing pad shoes.

1.  Keep your center of gravity over your feet. Trail running is a dance with nature, with nature leading, so you’ve got to be ready for everything it tosses your way. Similar to a lot of athletic activities, a centered body position allows you to absorb the off camber rocks, tree roots and what else might be on the trail. Try to avoid stretching out your stride too much as this can nudge you off balance and cause badness to occur. Keeping your feet under you allows you to bounce off of one rock to another, side to side, and keeps you ready for that one rock that needs a little more umph to get over.

2.  Look down the trail, not your feet.  It has always amazed me how your brain can process all of the info down the trail and remembers what’s immediately in front of you without having to look directly at it.  Somehow your feet magically jump over whatever is in the trail while you look further down the trail to see what’s next.  If you look directly down at your feet and watch them hitting every rock or root, you end up concentrating too hard, miss what’s next and miss the beautiful flow of trail running.  Of course when you get to a technical bit you need to concentrate and look at the obstacles in front of you, but much less than you’d imagine.

3.  Slow down. Trail running is as good for your soul as it is for your body. Don’t try to run a target minutes per mile rate; the trail will decide this for you. If you try to run faster than the trail wants you to go, you can guess the likely result. When you get to a steeper hill, slowing down will also help you conserve your energy and keep your heart rate in check.  There are two schools of thought when the trail gets a bit too steep for you: Either break into a power walk, or take tiny strides, but keep your feet running, however slow. It’s all personal preference, but I’m in the later camp and find my heart rate and breathing go up when I stop running and start power walking. But perhaps the best part of slowing down is it will let you enjoy the beauty of your surroundings, move at nature’s pace and feed your soul.  As Lao Tzu so wisely said, “Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.”

4.  Be smart.  Running downhill can be amazingly fun, but it is also hard on your body, not to mention increasing the potential for falling. Use your judgment. It’s completely fine to walk the steep down hills and rocky parts. It’s easier on your body and ensures you will be back out to visit your trails again the next day. The trails only care that you come back to visit again and again.

5.  Leave your iPod at home.  Trail running is about being fully absorbed into nature.  And most of the music in nature is subtle.  A tiny stream, a bird’s sweet song, the leaves crunching under your feet, the breeze through the trees. We’re bombarded with manufactured noise all day long (yes, some of it can be beautiful as well), but the music of nature is a magical tiny symphony that’s just there… always has been and hopefully always will be.

6.  Appreciate the gift.  Nature is a gift, and being able to run in and with it is truly magical. Unlike running on the road, which we too often try to fit into our jam-packed days, and/or look at it as training, trail running is about spending time with friends (human and otherwise), doing something special for you and reconnecting with what makes us who we really are as unique beings. It makes no difference how far you go, how fast or even if you come home late and muddy; just that you spend time with your friends, the trails. As Kahlil Gibran said, “Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair.”

 

Running Mindfully

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Running is the practice of falling and catching yourself gracefully with every step. It is the center point where mind, body and spirit are united.  In order to develop your full potential as a runner and enrich the quality of your life, it is ideal to develop your mental skills.  As your inner awareness becomes more focused and disciplined, physical barriers can be broken through to take you to new levels of performance and joy for both running and life.

Below are some ways to begin to incorporate mindfulness into your running.

Attention to Breathing. Attention to breathing is the path to deeper awareness and clearer thinking. Mindfulness meditation pays close attention to breathing, using it as the first step to a more awake and aware mind.  In running, proper breathing is of utmost importance. Correct breathing keeps your pace smooth and steady and links your mind with your body to help direct the flow of energy.

Breathing Meditation. This meditation is a good place to start developing mindful awareness. Begin by sitting quietly in a relaxed and dignified manner.  Close your eyes or adjust your gaze downward.  Turn your attention to your breathing.  As you inhale, notice how your ribcage and belly expands slightly as you bring air in and down deep into your lungs.  Notice as the air pushes out again.  Keep your awareness on each new breath, in and then out as you allow the process to happen naturally. If you have any thoughts distracting you, gently bring your attention back to your breathing.  Let yourself experience each breath as a new moment.  Continue staying with your moment-by-moment breathing. Now turn your attention to the sound of each breath, in and out.  Keep your attention focused on the sound for several minutes. If your mind wanders, bring it back to the sound of your breathing. With practice, your ability to stay focused will improve.

Breathing with Your Run. With the skills you have developed, you can then bring this new awareness to your running.  Before you start your run, begin by meditating on your breathing for a few minutes. When you feel attuned to your breathing, begin moving. Continue to focus on your breathing as you run.  If your mind wanders, gently bring it back.  Keep your attention on breathing as you run at a relaxed, comfortable pace.  Let yourself feel a connection between running and breathing so that to breathe and to run become one.

Mindful Running. Clear your mind of all distracting thoughts and bring yourself fully into this present moment. Scan through your body with awareness and notice what you are experiencing in your muscles, your breathing, your body temperature, your heart rate, etc.  When you feel calm but alert, begin running.  Start with awareness of breath and then extend your awareness to your body in general.  Pay close attention to the feeling of your feet as they meet the ground.  Notice how your legs and arms move in rhythm.  Enlist all of your senses as you pay close attention to where you are and what you are doing.  Notice the smells that surround you, the views that are a part of your experience, the taste of sweat as you warm up.  In mindful running, you may notice a need to make minor adjustments such as relaxing tension in your shoulders or lengthening your stride.  Make these adjustments and notice the differences. Continue to run mindfully and enjoy the experience.  Do not attach yourself to any particular thought, effort or outcome.  Run for the pure joy of running.  If you get caught up in thinking something specific or if you make a deliberate effort, you slow yourself down. The state of ready attention is effortless. 
Be mindful and enjoy the experience!

Thanks to Mothers

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Women's Quest alum and mother Enee Ableman and her daughter Haily... who is off to college!

God could not be everywhere and therefore he made mothers. ~Jewish Proverb

It is time to give thanks and praises to all Moms everywhere. The gift of life is so precious, and it all started with Mom.

On this day of annual celebration of Moms, we at Women’s Quest were curious as to how “Mother’s Day” came about, and how come we don’t celebrate “the hardest job in the world” every day?

Many historians claim the origin of Mother’s Day lies in the festivals celebrating mother goddesses in ancient times. The ancient Greeks celebrated Rhea, the ancient Romans celebrated Cybele and the ancient Celts celebrated Brigid.

Another celebration of mothers began in the 17th century in Britain known as Mothering Sunday (March 21), while the first Mother’s Day in the United States, actually Mothers’ Work Day, was “celebrated” in 1858 in West Virginia. The “holiday” was initially a workday for women to improve the sanitation of the region.

Not surprisingly, this holiday did not take hold as strongly as expected. In 1872, Julia Ward Howe (famous as the author of the Battle Hymn of the Republic) promoted a Mother’s Day for Peace. Anna Jarvis, the daughter of the originator of the Mothers’ Work Day, became the champion of Mother’s Day and was instrumental in creating the celebration we share today.

So join the 96% of other Americans who celebrate Mother’s Day with a call, a visit, some flowers, and especially your thanks and honoring for the person who brought you into this world.

Spring Yoga Detox Series

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by Gretchen Spiro

It’s spring! In honor of the season, I’ve outlined 5 poses that you can incorporate into your routine (whether it’s a full yoga routine, or just a few yoga postures you do as a cool down after a walk, run or bike ride.) Backbends are a fabulous antidote for sluggish winter energy, and help the heart and chest lift out of “slouchiness” [as a yoga teacher, I sometimes have to invent new words.] Backbends stimulate the kidneys to detoxify, as they are gently squeezed as the spine extends. Twists are good for all the organs, as they alternately “squeeze and soak” the liver, digestive organs, etc. Two of the postures are considered “restorative” poses—they offer a gentle amount of stretch–very healing as you calmly remain in them for 3-5 minutes. While springtime is a great time to work with a more vigorous longer yoga practice, sometimes our bodies need help adjusting to the season, especially if you suffer from seasonal allergies or a springtime cold…with a few simple yoga postures supporting the body to move with vibrancy through the seasonal changes.

Upward Facing Dog Using Chair
Using a chair allows the spine in upward facing dog pose to lift vertically, which decompresses the lower back. Start with your hands pressing down onto the edge of a firm chair, with your arms vertical. Raise your upper chest forward and up through your arms, and walk your feet back away from the chair, with the balls of the feet on the floor. Your arms should be supporting your weight. Draw the tips of your ears skyward to extend your spine up and un-scrunch your shoulders. Your body will be in a wide bow shape (when seen from the side.)

When your arms tire, draw your hips back into a modified downward dog pose (sometimes called “Box Pose”): arms overhead with the hands facing down on the chair, hips back over vertical legs, spine parallel with a 90-degree bend at the hip joints. Move between the modified downward facing dog pose into upward dog on the chair several times.

Bridge Pose Using Chair
Lie on your back, with your feet on the edge of the chair. Your hips should be close to the chair. Raise your pelvis skywards, creating and arch with your back. Interlace your fingers. Be sure to draw your shoulders under—the tops of your shoulders (not the back of the shoulderblades) should be on the floor. Draw your tailbone towards the backs of your knees. Be comfortable, not pressing up so high with your back so that you feel any strain in breathing or over-gripping of your back muscles.

Then move into the second variation (in photo.) Bend your elbows, placing your pelvis in the heels of your hands with the fingers turned to the sides.  The lower arms thus create a “pillar” to support the pelvis, which should be level to the floor in this variation (tailbone still moving towards the backs of the knees).

When you come down, hug your knees into your chest to stretch your back, and then rest the lower legs on the seat of the chair for a few moments.

Chest Opener Using a Rolled Blanket
This is a wonderful restorative posture that releases tightness in the upper back and chest. It helps open the ribcage, which is good for breathing (and thus feeling energized!) Tightly roll one blanket into a long tube (like a tootsie roll). Place a folded blanket (a few inches lower than the roll) behind the roll, perpendicular (see photo.) Lie down, with the roll across the upper chest, beneath the shoulderblades, supporting your heart and upper chest to lift. The roll should be firm against the spine and back of ribcage. Your head should be lightly tilted backwards, but if you have neck discomfort, raise your head by folding the blanket higher. Stretch your arms above your head, to complete the lengthening of the torso. Your legs can be straight, or knees bent with feet flat on the floor, whichever is most relaxing. Remain in the gentle backbend with deep breathing, for at least 3 minutes.

Restorative Twist—Rotating Child’s Pose
This is a wonderful pose for releasing tight back muscles, as it releases the fascia (the connective tissue of the body), creating an action like gently twisting a washcloth.

Sit facing a bolster or 2-3 firm folded blankets (the height should be about 8”). Take both knees to the R, so that the blanket end is next to the left hip. Arrange the angle of the legs in a comfortable way. Place a hand on either side of the blankets, lengthening your torso along the line of the spine, rotating the spine gently away from the knees. Lay your torso down along the blanket, drawing it long and maintaining the gentle twist. Remain in the twist for 3 minutes, and then change to the other side.

Double Bent Knee Twist
Sit with your hips on the blankets, with both knees bent and the feet firmly on the floor. Keeping your spine tall, twist to the side, using your elbow for leverage, placing your other arm behind to help keep the back straight and the chest open. All twists should “originate” in the deep belly and organs—turn from the core of your body, not just from the shoulders or ribcage. Always move into a twist with an exhalation. All twists are excellent for detoxifying the body. Repeat each side 2 times, visualizing stagnant energy being wrung out, with the body infused with fresh “joie de vivre” with each inhalation.