yup, it's that time again!

We've all done it: with major excitement, we sign up for a half-marathon…and then two months before the race, we realize that we haven't started training yet. Eeep!

We are launching the TackleBox training program in May – this 10-week program is engineered to help achieve your peak performance at SeaWheeze 2013 (hello, personal best!) However, we want you to begin the TackleBox program with some fitness and cardio skills already under your belt. It is with this in mind that we have created the Get Sweaty Get Ready program.

Regardless of your current level of fitness, Get Sweaty Get Ready has plenty of options available to get you into your running groove. Along with running, we have incorporated plenty of yoga and strength work to augment your training. By the time the TackleBox training program program rolls out, you'll be ready to rock!

If you have any questions about training or anything else SeaWheeze-related, please email us at support@seawheeze.com or post on our Facebook page.

For any other training-related queries, please visit our FAQ page under the "Training" tab.

See you on the road!

Has anyone else schnitzeled and Seawheezed this week? How's your training going?

Blonde Beezies taking the court in I Just Wanna Run tanks & Run:Speed Shorts!

The two weekends of OTL are literally my favourite holiday weekends of the entire year, even though they are only official holidays if you play in the tournament and thus understand my passion and enjoyment of this glorious tournament. In fact, I was so excited that I scheduled in my 7 mile long run for Saturday morning and ran from my house to Fiesta Island to watch my husband's team play (since my team did not play until Sunday). My friend and teammate Tara joined me in the run, and though our husbands told us we were crazy, we enjoyed every step of the run. We were laughing, talking about how crazy we were, talking strategy for our games the next day, and nearly sprinted the last 2 miles once we saw Fiesta Island and the OTL crowds.

The running route I mapped to Fiesta Island on the Dailymile.com, thanks to a tip from one of our guests!

When we arrived we felt amazing and were ready to take on a full day of sitting in the sun, drinking only a couple cocktails and watching our boys ALMOST make it to the 2nd weekend of the tournament. This run really got me thinking that I should be enjoying my runs this much every time I hit the road. Even if it means bribing my inner 5 year old with a treat like an evening picnic in the park, or gelato. This evening in fact, my husband and I planned a 4 mile run through Balboa Park, which happens to be right next door to the San Diego Zoo. So we're packing a picnic and heading into the Zoo once we complete our run, and I'm going to check out lions! I haven't been excited to go the zoo since I was 5, but rewarding our run with a visit brings the 5 year old right out of me! Happy summertime fun running my friends! Namaste.

Come on ball get over the line, go go gooo!!

This week’s training mileage total: 18 miles!
Longest run: 7 miles with a pace of 10:45 (We were cookin' and so excited to get to Fiesta Island!)
Cross training: 3 Jillian Michaels workouts
Wore on my long run: Run: Swiftly Racerback and Run:Team Spirit Crops (perfect for the cool muggy morning along the coast)
Favourite song on my run playlist: “American Honey” – Lady Antebellum

6 weeks until race day! Here is my training schedule for the week:
Monday: 4 miles + a picnic at the Zoo
Tuesday: Barry’s Bootcamp + Hot Yoga
Wednesday: Jillian Michaels Workout + 4 miles
Thursday: Barry’s Bootcamp + Yoga
Friday: 8 miles!
Saturday: OTL
Sunday: OTL Championship Game (hopefully that is...)

P.S. Do any of you have any fun summer running activities I can sneak in my runs with? How do you get creative with enjoying summer and your training?

Can't help but appreciate yourself when staring into the eyes of a sunset...

The first thing I fixed was my pace. I consistently run at a 10 minute mile pace if not higher, and was wanting to cut down to 9 minute 45 second mile pace. Don't get me wrong, I believe in setting huge goals for yourself, however I was beginning to despise running because the pace I was setting was so uncomfortable for my body to handle. So instead of progressing run by run, it felt worse mentally and physically. I reset my goal of finishing 10 minute miles, which is reasonable and means I have to push myself every stride of my run to hit that mark.

With balance, you really can have your cake and eat it too.

After my sunset solstice run, I sat down and planned my entire schedule out for the week and hit every run as a result. I even woke up at 7am on Sunday morning, the day of my 1 year wedding anniversary to squeeze in the 6 miles I had on the docket. Let me tell you, our wedding cake that had been frozen for a year tasted even better with those miles under my belt. My appreciation for myself is directly reflected by moving and working out, and the world seems to taste better when I run and sweat daily. (My husband also really appreciates my lack of crankiness and self angst, so I owed it to him to go run and then enjoy our day entirely together.)

My cat George decided he needed to stretch out his muscles from sleeping all day as well.

A few of you had commented last week to feel thankful just to be moving, and on all of my runs this week I truly was. I really cannot thank all of you enough for all of your encouraging words and understanding in the course of my training. I train by myself and it can feel lonely running 6 miles alone, however in reading all of your comments last week, I felt like I had a running partner in all of you and it honestly made a difference. Keep those comments, vegetarian protein recipes and running tips coming my way, it truly helps!

This week’s training mileage total: 16 miles!
Longest run: 6 miles with a pace of 9:58 (right on track, and so comfortable)
Cross training: 2 yoga classes and 2 Jillian Michaels workouts
Wore on my long run: Run:Swiftly Tech SS and Run:Empower Crops (both so comfortable and quickly wicked up my sweat)

7 weeks until race day! Here is my training schedule for the week:
Monday: 4 miles + hot yoga
Tuesday: 2 miles + Jillian Michaels workout
Wednesday: 4 miles + yoga sculpt
Thursday: hot yoga
Friday: Barry's Bootcamp
Saturday: 7 miles!
Sunday: yoga + rest

P.S. Anyone have any rocking tunes I could pump up my running playlist with? I am literally running out of options with good tunes!

By the end of the day I either feel wonderful, or terrible and still hungry because I've been pulling in the carbs by the handful to fuel my day. It always starts with my morning too. If I pack my breakfast with protein, I am set up for success. If I start my day off with a cappuccino, we're in trouble.

Whitney's Breakfast Delight

Thanks to some of your recipes, and ideas, I have been combining non-fat, nothing added, organic yogurt with organic strawberries, and a handful of walnuts for breakfast. I'm not a huge fan of plain yogurt as it's a bit sour, so I've been mixing in just a touch of manuka honey, which makes my joints feel wonderful all day. If you want a light, delicious meal, with a side of protein to start your day, try Whitney's Breakfast Delight (recipe at the bottom).

My training diary keeps me on track, and crossing off every day's workout makes the day complete!

Aside from my hunger, I have to admit, truly devoting myself to training this time around has made all the difference. Although running never, ever, feels easy to me, it feels better almost weekly. I never wake up on Sunday mornings jump out of bed and yell, "Yeah long run day, it's go time!!" Nope more like, alarm, snooze button, alarm, snooze button, alarm, growl, take the dog out, and psyche myself up for the run. I'm only up to 5 miles on the long days, not a mile more or less, and I'll happily get to 6 next week.

Adding a mile weekly is a managable pace for me. If I increased my mileage too quickly, I'd hate the training and give up. So if you're a beginning runner thinking of training for a race, take it from me, slow and steady baby. If you hate running, you'll hate it more by forcing miles into your day, so find the joy and hit the pavement!

This week’s training mileage total: 15 miles
Longest run: 5 miles with a pace of 9:30 (ahead of my pace!)
Cross training: 1 yoga class and 2 bootcamps
Wore on my long run: Run:Race Tech (throwback lululemon) and Wunder Under Crops

Whitney's Breakfast Delight:
1/2 cup of nonfat plain yogurt (no additives, no sugars, no syrups)
1/2 cup strawberries (organic, always try for organic berries, as they can tend to absorb more toxins from pesticides than other fruits)
Handful of walnuts
1/2 tsp of honey (I love manuka for it's healing properties, but any ol' honey will do, unless you like sour things)
*Throw it all in a bowl, mix it up and enjoy. Cup of green tea and you've got yourself a mean, lean, health machine of a breakfast.

Feeling like something naughty, that's actually not naughty at all?

Ciara's Magic Cacao Protein Balls:
1 1/2 cup Walnuts
Dash of Salt (sea salt is best)
8 pitted Medjool Dates
1/3 cup Cacao or unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
2 tsp Water

Place walnuts and salt in a Food Processor and process until finely ground. Add the dates, cocoa powder, and vanilla and process until the mixture sticks together. Add water and process briefly. Scoop out, and form into mini balls and store in tupperware container for a quick protein treat throughout your day. Watch Ciara's video to see how easy these bad boys are!

Have a delectable week everyone!

P.S. Anyone follow any good healthy food blogs that could help my training (preferably vegetarian)?

My BHAG: I will finish the America's Finest City Half Marathon in 2 hours and 7 minutes without stopping on August 15, 2010.

My past two races I have been so elated with finishing, that I didn't mind taking mile 7 as a walk. I am a terrible runner, a fact all of my former softball coaches and teammates can attest. Not only am fairly slow by nature, but 6 years ago I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis and was told by multiple doctors to stay off my feet. Instead I was prescribed to take a million pills a day in order to function normally, gain weight, and enjoy a life of not moving. Needless to say, more than my joints were deteriorating.

Luckily, I began reading up on nutrition and found a way to control my RA with a healthy vegetarian diet, low on sugar and white flours. Although my hands and feet wake up every morning with a bit of aches from the remnants of RA, I have not had a flare up in over 4 years, and have kept moving at the discouragement of my doctor. (I definitely do not claim to be a doctor, but I do suggest looking into nutrition if ever you find yourself with a diagnosis.)

For me in the past few years of seriously taking on running, yoga, and my health, being able to move everyday feels like a blessing. The past 2 races I have ran in, I have been so proud to push past a little bit of discomfort and rested on the crutch of my slowness to take it easy and just finish. But if there has anything that my journey with RA has taught me it's that you have to keep moving to keep moving. Now that I know I can finish a half marathon, it's time I pushed my body to finish it full speed and without hesitation.

Every week I will be blogging my training journey with how far and where I ran, what I did for cross training, and what I wore. I hope you can run with me, and keep me moving towards my goal.

This week's training mileage total: 12 miles
Longest run: 4 miles with a pace of 9:40 (right on track)
Cross training: 3 yoga classes and 1 bootcamp class.
Wore on my long run: I Just Wanna Run Tech SL, Run:Roll Down Shorts and the Flight Running Bonnet (available in store and through the Guest Education Centre).

Run:Roll Down Short: It is important to note here that this is the FIRST pair of run shorts I have ever ran in! They are the most amazing shorts (in my opinion) that we have ever made. I love that they are cut similar to the Run:Speed Shorts, but are a touch longer and a bit looser. They are the perfect length that I feel covered, and are more on the baggy side, which I love. I know I don't have to worry if someone's running behind me!

I Just Wanna Run Tech SL: This is probably my favourite running tank. It is so lightweight you do not feel it as you are moving, and it quickly wicks your sweat so you don't even notice it. I love the way it drapes, and I love that it is a bit loose giving me room to breathe. On a hot, hot San Diego day this weekend, 4 miles felt like a breeze!

Here is my training schedule this week if anyone wants to join in on the fun!

12 weeks until race day:
Monday: Yoga
Tuesday: 3 miles
Wednesday: 2 miles + yoga
Thursday: 3 miles
Friday: Rest (or yoga)
Saturday: 30 minutes cross training
Sunday: 4 miles

See you next week!  P.S. Does anyone have any tips or vegetarian protein recipes I could benefit from?