MOVING TO A NEW SITE

I am moving my site to tumblr and making it more interactive with photos, quotes, videos, and so on of my journey to attempt to run 365 days in a row. It will be more interactive and fun!

follow me at http://run365daysnarow.tumblr.com/

Cheers!

WEEK 18 and WEEK 19

(Reno 5000, June 18th, 2011)

WEEK 18 and 19: 61 Days / 304 to go!

Hey there folks! Yep Yep I sound like a broken record but I literally have no idea how life is zooming by so fast. I literally feel like I have half the time that I used to have in a day and twice as much to accomplish. I am sure being out of town every weekend minus 1 since the beginning of April May have something to do with it :) I literally feel like I come home, unpack, do laundry, and re-pack. This weekend we will spend a mere 30 hours or so in Salida with my in-laws. I wish I could spend longer but our schedules are packed to the rim with friends and family visiting us this weekend. We are excited to throw a couple BBQ's to celebrate the long weekend as well. Salida is where Kyle grew up and it is one of my favorite places to run. I can't wait to go hit up all of my fave spots for 3 runs there. Yes all three weekend runs will be enjoyed in the SALIDA sun on Saturday and Sunday...YAY! We always visit our local fave spots too: Mama D's, Patio Pancake House, Common Grounds Coffee, and I have a new favorite Pizza Place too. It is a great place to in a way unwind and your phone barely works which is a plus too. Maybe I will just flat out turn it off. That would be a stretch though...

The past couple weeks have been fun filled and I even did two races. Placed 5th female in one and 6th female in another. I am learning how to really be a runner again and am being honest that patience is key as my body adapts to the new mileage and program and really learns to become strong and efficient. Day by day I am picking away at this goal to become an efficient and strong and steady machine for my race in September. I have a lot to learn about pacing and being in control and really learning to feel my efforts from the core and really get to know my running self inside and out. It is a great journey and I am enjoying it each and every day along with the great guys and gals at BX and the guide of Lee Troop that have kept me company along the journey.

This week for My Max Muscle Sports Nutrition tid bit I am keeping it short and sweet. Have you every sat there feeling starved while running in the morning? Have you ever wondered if you are eating enough or too much? have you ever struggled to get that last 5 pounds of fat off but just can't seem to do it? Have you ever wondered what your optimal weight should be to perform at your peak? Not only does Max Muscle have products for all types of athletes from those that seek long lean muscles and endurance to those that seek body building and those that seek just optimal health, but MM can also help you to reach your optimal goals with your body through personalized nutrition programs. I have been on my program for a few weeks now and the results are amazing and better yet, the knowledge about food and balancing nutrition through the day is giving me more energy and I am starting to see results in my waistline and in my athletic performance. So if anything, for starters, go in and check it out and have a consult to see what it is all about. This blog is not to be pushy or anything of the sort. This is literally me reaching out to others to show them a way that they can help learn more about nutrition and receive results they have been trying so hard to achieve as I am doing myself. Again, if you mention this post, you can receive some kudos: 15% off your next purchase and 20% off of orders that are $50 or more!

For my LIVESTRONG tidbit. I am introducing you to a mentor of mine named Les Mitton. He was a huge guide for me and especially with triathlon. He was so dear to our family and was such a fighter in so many ways. He brought so much love to us. I share my story of Les with you today as he was a huge reason why I became so involved in LIVESTRONG each and every day of my life moving forward. I think of him every day. This is my post that I wrote when I was training for the Chicago Marathon for Team LIVESTRONG and I ran 10 miles a day for 10 days to honor those that have fought, are fighting or have passed due to cancer.

It is also a realization that we all have lost someone to cancer or know of a few people fighting it right now. Please reach out to those folks and give them a call or think of them on this day.

Les was an extremely special family friend of ours that has known me with his wife Mandy since I was a wee one. Les was a huge support system for me and mentor with my racing in Triathlon and Duathlon. Mandy and Les were additionally a huge financial and emotional support for me during my World Championships in Duathlon in 2008 and beyond. Les was a true jewel and touches my heart still every day.

A better Place
(A saying from the memorial of Les Mitton)

There's a place
I've never seen
beyond this world we know,
A place I've only heard of
but someday hope to go-
It's not any map,
there are no roads
to take me there,
But it's a place of perfect peace
where hearts are free from care.
And though I understand
some may be addened
when I leave,
One day, we all will meet again -
that's what I believe...
When it's time to travel there,
I think I'll wear a smile,
I'll say good-bye to those I love,
but only for a while,
Knowing there are others
who have traveled there alone,
Who cannot wait to greet me
and whisper "Welcome home."

WEEK 17

(Pre Race Run Bolder Boulder 10k right near the mile 6 mark of the course posing next to the Great Frank Shorter)

WEEK 17: 47 Days / 318 to go!

Hey there folks!

Another week wizzes by! Our team (Boulder Express Running Group) went to a running camp up in Twin Lakes this past weekend which was really fun! We went on three great runs and took a small trip to Aspen. On Sunday, a couple of us even got adventurous and ended our long with with an epic river crossing. I mean why not take it up a notch in a late runoff season and practically swim for your life across a river!

I am also excited that I am feeling a bit back to myself finally. I can't believe that it has been just two days over two months of my surgery. The healing process has been stellar with one minor setback which we finally nailed down and only had me feeling a bit crappy for 5 days. Now that we are working on a solution with that we are back at it full force ahead. I feel like I am finally making some strides with my running and we will get to see that come to fruition this weekend as my first benchmark in a 5k in Reno. I was hoping that Bolder Boulder 10k was going to be that but I had that mentioned set back with the whole physical process for those 5 days and Bolder Boulder was day 3 so I was a bit under the weather that day. Like they say, there is always another race so I am excited to see what may pan out at the RENO 5000 this weekend followed by a 5 mile race in Central park the next weekend. Wish me luck!

Some other fun news, Max Muscle Sports Nutrition of Boulder has a new website! Check it out here!! My newest fave there that they sell is ULTRAGEN. Ultragen is the most advanced recovery formulation ever developed. Ultragen’s breakthrough technology is designed to work synergistically to provide the right nutrients to the right place at the right time during the 30-minute ‘Window of Opportunity’ following exercise so you can recover faster than ever before. Each serving of Ultragen delivers the levels of nutrients that have been shown in clinical research to maximize recovery and give you an extra edge over the competition.

Rapid and Complete Endurance Recovery Formula
Refuels Exhausted Muscles and Restores Energy Levels Quickly
Delivers Endurance-Specific Nutrients for Superior Recovery and Maximum Performance

What I really like about it is that the flavor is simple and smooth and it doesn't taste really heavy. It just has in it what you need and nothing else. The flavors are cappuccino, Orange Cream, and Tropical Punch. My favorite is Orange Cream. I take this immediately after my long runs and I feel like a million bucks. Then within a couple hours I try to get in a good balanced meal.
This week I am adding in a special offer. If you go into Max Muscle Sports Nutrition of Boulder and mention this post, you can get 15% off of your purchase that day. And even better, if you mention this post you can get 20% off of your purchase of $50 or more. To make it easy, just print the post or show it on your smart phone :)

In the world of LIVESTRONG I am showing you a clip of an ad from LAVA magazine. This just reminds me again to really motivate you to join TEAM LIVESTRONG as a way to give back to cancer research and helping those cope through it. You can learn more information here. It was one of the best experiences of my life! Every little bit helps!

Cheers and until next week :)

Jax

WEEK 16

(Eddie Bauer Mud Run at Teva Mountain Games 2011)

WEEK 16: 40 Days / 325 left to go!

Hey there Folks. Finally getting up to date here with this post for Week 16. Fun news is that over the weekend we had a blast representing Native in every way possible amongst almost every event at the Teva Mountain Games. I had a decent half marathon that made me excited about growing on a path of fitness with my running with a 28:30 PR over last years time. The mud run I was outkicked at the end and lost my mud queen throne that I had for the past 2 years. Darn! The 10k Spring Runoff was more of a mountain adventure this year with snow packs, ice patches, mud pits and was just gnarly. The melting phase is way past due right now so I just chugged along and took it comfortable rather than an outright race.

I also started off my Monday with meeting up with my Coach Lee Troop planning out the next 14 weeks to prepare for my big race on 9/11/11 at the Chicago Half Marathon. I am excited to work with him very closely on this goal and see what I can drum up after 9 months of training come race date with these next 14 weeks specifically focused on that day. It will be a great adventure and I am ready to take it on. I feel so lucky to have this opportunity and amazing training mates at Boulder Express and amazing sponsors to help us all achieve our goals!

So lets take a look at Fish Oil for this weeks Max Muscle Sports Nutrition of Boulder Tip of the week...

So what is it good for? Well, researchers are finding that fish oil supplements taken daily provide amazing benefits to a person's health and mental capacities. There are many more studies being completed yet it is overall showing you will have a longer and healthier life. The omega fatty acids found in fish oil supplements have been proven to help with painful ailments like arthritis, cystitis, psoriasis, and prostatis. There is additional evidence that Omega-3 Fatty Acids may help soothe those who suffer from IBS.

Both Omega 3 and Omega 6 are classed as essential fatty acids in that the body needs them in order to survive, but cannot produce them and has to source them from our diet. Both have different roles in the body. Omega 6 promotes inflammation and growth and helps the blood to clot whereas Omega 3 does the opposite. Omega 6 is in plentiful supply, however, Omega 3 is only found in any significant quantities in oily fish. As we continue to pollute our waters, our fish are now contaminated with deadly toxins that can accumulate in the body over time and lead to even more health problems. So, we have a tragic situation where we are contaminating the very thing that we need to restore health.

You can also get pure high quality fish oil by eating fresh fish, without the risk of ingesting harmful contaminants. It is now well documented that fish oil appears to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and cardiac arrest, reduce inflammation and pain associated with arthritis, possibly lower blood pressure, the level of bad cholesterol and triglycerides in the body, and can generally boost the immune system. It doesn’t stop there, it is demonstrating considerable success in the treatment of mood and mind related disorders such as Bipolar disease, schizophrenia, ADHD and depression. It can help slow down the ageing process and helps the brain to develop and function effectively. What is fish oil good for? In short, fish oil is good for keeping us in an optimal balance between omega 3 and omega 6 that is vital for good health.

From a LIVESTRONG tid bit I bring you LANCE ARMSTRONG's story and where LIVESTRONG came from. This is from the website:

At age 25, Lance Armstrong was one of the world's best cyclists. He proved it by winning the World Championships, the Tour Du Pont and multiple Tour de France stages. Lance Armstrong seemed invincible and his future was bright.

Then they told him he had cancer.

Next to the challenge he now faced, bike racing seemed insignificant. The diagnosis was testicular cancer, the most common cancer in men aged 15–35. If detected early, its cure rate is a promising 90 percent. Like most young, healthy men, Lance ignored the warning signs, and he never imagined the seriousness of his condition. Going untreated, the cancer had spread to Lance's abdomen, lungs and brain. His chances dimmed.

Then a combination of physical conditioning, a strong support system and competitive spirit took over. He declared himself not a cancer victim but a cancer survivor. He took an active role in educating himself about his disease and the treatment. Armed with knowledge and confidence in medicine, he underwent aggressive treatment and beat the disease.

During his treatment, before his recovery, before he even knew his own fate, he created the Lance Armstrong Foundation. This marked the beginning of Lance's life as an advocate for people living with cancer and a world representative for the cancer community.

Lance Armstrong's victories in the 1999–2005 Tours de France are awe-inspiring, but the battle against cancer has just begun—not just for him, but for all cancer survivors and people just like him who think cancer could not affect them. He plans to lead this fight, and he hopes that you join him. This is a life he owes to cancer. This is his choice to LIVESTRONG.

Cheers!

WEEK 15

(LIVESTRONG, tattoo to show my continued daily support. Inked in on what would have been Gene's (my step father) Birthday in 2010 shortly after the year anniversary of passing from a 4-year battle with cancer.)

WEEK 15: 33 Days / 332 left to go!

Hey there folks. A little behind in posts here as I evaluated a couple of things. So this one post for the week before last will be a bit different and one just laying down the new position of my blog. I will post twice this week due to the one missing last week.

This blog began as a mission to run 365 days in a row. Life will and has set backs and such, which I have already had with surgery, and in the end the primary reason for writing this blog is to weekly show my passion for LIVESTRONG as well as to pass along tips about nutrition as I gain the advice and tips from my partnership with Max Muscle Sports Nutrition of Boulder with an overlying goal to some day check off my bucket list that I ran 365 days in a row.

These two bigger passions come from my core and are something I want to give back to the community through my experiences. I reached to LIVESTRONG as a way to give back and have been extremely passionate about the organization since it's inception. I additionally suffered from a serious nutritional battle from 1996-2007 and hope to be able to give back so others do not go down the same route.

When it comes to LIVESTRONG, I have been touched by cancer so much in various ways that it is my passion to help give back to this organization as a means to make a difference and help those suffering through it in one way or another every day. After Gene's passing in January of 2009, I wanted to make more of an effort. In February of 2010, I had LIVESTRONG tattooed on my wrist to show my ongoing support and passion for giving back in any way I could to those dealing with cancer in one facet or another. My best friend Chris and I have been passionate about this organization together and each year he puts on an additional wrist band and we share our pride as buddy's trying to make a difference. So I will continue each week to show something about the organization or fighting cancer and will always have a donation page available on this blog if anyone wants to contribute.

Additionally, I believe that nutrition is extremely important in athletics and learned the hard way to find my way out of it. Here is my rock bottom with it all in 2005: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10254823/ns/health-fitness/t/female-athletes-often-miss-nutritional-needs/. I am the type that I wanted to come back up from it all and make a difference and help others out to not make the same mistakes I did. It took a long time but I am so very grateful to not suffer from this anymore and hope to open a door for others that suffer to walk through and do the same. So this year is the first year that I have decided to take a step forward beyond this article that I helped with in 2005 that went world wide and really help people with tools with food. I am not an expert and am more passing on what I learn from my experience and support from Max Muscle Sports Nutrition of Boulder and what I learn along the way. I am simply a runner that wants to run as fast as I am capable of with healthy fuel to do so. I want to help folks to see food as fuel and imagine yourself as a car that needs gas. You want to put the best gas you can in it so it runs as efficiently as it can. So each week, I will share a tid of knowledge I pick up along the way that I have found to be a key piece of info.

So in the end underneath it all it will be nice to someday accomplish running 365 days a year and I vow to post every week on nutrition and LIVESTRONG until I do so. Who knows how long this will take but at the beginning of each post it will show how many days in I am and how many weeks it will take to someday accomplish it. In the end health comes first and I have some really serious running goals on deck so if a day off is needed, the daily clock just starts over and the blog goes on.

Cheers to fighting for a cause, being healthy to our bodies by the fuel we put in it and the pure LOVE of running.

With heart,
Jax

WEEK 14 of 52

(Lynchburg - getting dusted by a retired sprinter - Keena Wood)

WEEK 14: 58.6 Miles
5-16-11 / 53:12.22
5-17-11 / 1:13.26
5-18-11 / 1:10.12
5-19-11 / 45:03.55
5-20-11 / 1:00.02
5-21-11 / 1:05.00
5-22-11 / 1:40.00

Just like that another week whizzes by! It was a great week of running on really neat routes in Lynchburg, VA (unfortunately hilly and all in the rain). Upon arriving home, it was fun to run with my team over the weekend. Our team just rocks and all I can say is get ready for Bolder Boulder because we are going to make a splash!

For my Max Muscle Sports Nutrition of Boulder tid bit of the week I introduce to you Vitamin C!

Vitamin C is one of the safest and most effective nutrients. It may include protection against the immune system deficiencies, cardiovascular disease, prenatal health problems, eye disease, and even skim wrinkling.

Higher blood levels of vitamin C may be the ideal nutrition marker for overall health.

How much is enough? Most studies examined used 500 daily milligrams of vit C to achieve health results. Most suggest to take 500mg a day plus 5 servings of fruits and veggies. There is no real downside to taking this much. The safer upper limit is actually 2,000. Athletes especially need to make sure to take Vitamin C for a strong immune system as we voluntarily put it under so much stress.

So grab a chewable tablet, OJ or some fruit or veggies and get started!

For my LIVESTRONG tidbit this week, I am providing this direct link to one-on-one support that LIVESTRONG provides. Click here If you are involved in one way or another with cancer or know someone that is, this is a free first step to talk to someone about your situation. They provide free support that is confidential to anyone that is affected by cancer. Pretty sweet eh!

To donate to my personal page please click here.

Cheers!

WEEK 13 of 52

(10k scramble, Richmond, VA)

WEEK 13: 51.51 Miles
5-9-11 / 53:00.00
5-10-11 / 59:54.04
5-11-11 / 1:10.00
5-12-11 / 58:88.83
5-13-11 / 55:55.00
5-14-11 / 25:35.88
5-15-11 / 1:28.53

Hey there folks!

It has been an uber uber busy few days in Jax Land. We had a huge event in Richmond, VA for Native so it kept us extremely busy. I participated in the 5k mud run and 10k scramble. Both were ridiculously difficult and in one I ran the last mile without a shoe. Following the event, we went to Lynchburg to spend some more quality time with Kyle's best friend Keena and her family. It was a blast filled with rainy and hilly, yet beautiful, runs.

This week for my Max Muscle Sports Nutrition of Boulder tip I introduce the benefits of Iron.

The health benefits of iron mainly include carrying life-giving oxygen to human blood cells. About two-thirds of the bodily iron is found in hemoglobin. Other health benefits of iron are iron deficiency anemia, anemia of chronic disease, cough, anemia in pregnancy, predialysis anemia and many more

The health benefits of iron correspond to proper growth of human body and maintaining robust health. It is an essential protein component for metabolism. Body needs iron to produce red blood cells. The human body is capable of preserving 15 % of iron for future use, especially in the case of inadequate diet intake.

· Deficiency Symptoms: Iron deficiency may often cause severe fatigue, body weakness & related health ailments. People with lack of iron cannot perform normal functions to their best abilities. Women and children need more iron than the male counterparts. A person with low iron level is likely to be anemic. Severe iron deficiency may cause progressive skin ailments that may cause brittleness of nails and extra smoothness in tongue area.

· Important Sources: Iron is found in both vegetarian and non-vegetarian foods i.e. heme or non-heme iron. Legumes, lentils, soy beans, whole grains, green leafy vegetables, cereals, bread, spinach, turnip, sprouts, broccoli and dry fruits also have good iron content. You can also get iron tablets and supplements. Anemic people are often advised by doctors to take supplementary iron tablets or tonic. Food items containing good level of vitamin C may also aid in absorption of iron by the body. For example, eating a burger with tomato slices in it could boost the absorption of non-heme type iron contents from the burger bread. Citrus fruits and juices like orange juice may also help in iron absorption.

· Benefits: Iron, when consumed in balanced amount in the human diet, is efficient in providing a number of benefits as given below:

· Hemoglobin formation: Formation of hemoglobin happens to be the chief function of this mineral. Not only that, being a part of hemoglobin, it gives the dark red shade to the blood and also aids in transporting oxygen to the body cells.

· Muscle function: Iron is a vital element for muscle health. It is present in the muscle tissues and helps in supply of oxygen required for contraction of muscles.

· Brain function: Development of brain is also one of the many benefits of iron. Since oxygen supply to blood is aided by iron and brain uses approximately 20% of the blood oxygen, iron is directly related to brain health and its functions.

· Restless leg syndrome: Iron deficiency is one of the causes of the restless leg syndrome. Most research on this syndrome has concentrated on iron. Lower level of iron in the blood is a major cause and hence proper intake of iron supplements in required levels as per doctor’s consultation can cure this problem.

· Regulation of body temperature: Iron is a facilitator for regulating body temperature. An interesting fact is that it has the ability to regulate as per the absorption capacity of the body.

· Oxygen carrier: One of the most important health benefits of iron is that it acts as a carrier of oxygen and thus participates in transferring oxygen from one body cell to other. This is an important function of iron, as oxygen is required by each and every body part to perform routine functions.

· Neurotransmitters synthesis: Iron actively takes part in the synthesis of a number of essential neurotransmitters like dopamine, norepinephrine, along with serotonin. These chemicals play major role in different activities involving neurons and human brain.

· Iron deficiency anemia: Iron is helpful in the treatment of severe disorder called iron deficiency anemia, which results due to lack of adequate amount of iron in human body.

· Chronic diseases: The mineral called iron helps in the treatment of chronic disorders like renal failure anemia.

· Anemia in women: Iron may also exhibit its health benefits in curing anemia resulting in women during pregnancy or menstruation.

· Predialysis anemia: It is recommended by health experts that iron qualifies to treat another form of anemia called predialysis anemia. However, one must consult a medical expert to get treatment for this problem.

· Fatigue: Health benefits of iron also include eradication of different causes of fatigue, which may occur in men as well as women. Iron deficiency is a natural cause of fatigue since it is an important component of hemoglobin. So, the inclusion of iron in your diet keeps you fit and healthy.

· Immune system: Iron also plays a key role in providing strength to the immune system of human body. Thus, the body is made proficient enough to fight against a number of diseases and infections.

· Energy metabolism: Iron is an important spectator of energy metabolism in human body by which, the energy is extracted from the food consumed and distributed to different body parts.

· Enzyme systems: Iron happens to be the most important constituent of different enzyme systems and other important constituents like myoglobin, the cytochromes and catalase.

· Insomnia: Iron is also useful in treating insomnia in human body and also improves the sleeping benefits in the life of an individual.

· Concentration: Iron, when consumed in sufficient amount in the diet, builds concentration amongst the students and professional people to carry out their work efficiently.

Pretty important stuff eh! Even more important when you exercise! Go get some iron at Max Muscle Sports Nutrition of Boulder today!

For my LIVESTRONG tid bit of the week, I bring you the story of the LIVESTRONG yellow wristband:

The bracelet is part of the "Wear Yellow Live Strong" educational program. The program is intended to raise money for cancer research, raise cancer awareness, and encourage people to live life to the fullest. The bracelet sells individually, as well as in packs of 10, 100, and 1,200 as part of an effort to raise $25.1 million for the Lance Armstrong Foundation in cooperation with Nike who manufactures the bracelets in Austin, Texas the home of Lance Armstrong and other world wide manufacturing plants and sells the bracelets through their Nike outlets worldwide. This target was achieved within 6 months, and there have now been 70 million LIVESTRONG bracelets sold to date. Individual bands sell for US$1 each.

Yellow was chosen for its importance in professional cycling, as it is the color of the yellow jersey worn by the leader of the Tour de France, which Armstrong won seven consecutive times. Other charities were inspired by the success of the LIVESTRONG band, and many charities have developed their own bracelets for raising money and awareness.

The band became a popular fashion item in the United States by the end of the summer of 2004, especially among those following Armstrong's Tour de France effort. They soon gained popularity worldwide. It first appeared on a majority of the contenders at the 2004 Tour de France. Personalities such as 2004 Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry, news anchor Katie Couric, actor Matt Damon, and several athletes at the Athens Olympic Games[1] wore the band. Appearances on and endorsements by popular TV shows such as Oprah, also raised its profile enormously.

To donate to my personal page click here.

Cheers!