Staying hydrated can be a big issue at the Peachtree Road Race, especially since the race is in the middle of the summer on a hot, humid day. Its important to hydrate 30 minutes prior to the Peachtree Road Race, along with other critical hydrating methods-Here are a few tips on how to make sure you stay hydrated for the nation’s largest 10k- See you there!

The Atlanta Track Club recently interviewed me as the USATF Association Home Town Hero! Many thanks to the Atlanta Track Club and Ian Dube, I’m very honored to have been featured!!

I get a lot of questions about the altitude tent and altitude training in general- I mostly hear “what’s an altitude tent?!” Altitude training in an oxygen-deprived tent is common among elite athletes.

So here’s an inside peek at what an altitude tent looks like. I do, fortunately, get to sleep on my mattress still!

Jane Fonda hosted her first ever World Fitness Day at the Georgia Dome on Saturday, May 1. Its encouraging to see so many people looking to Get Out and Get Active! I hope this event grows even larger next year.

We spent the first part of the event demonstrating Balance Walking along with the Chung Shi Rocker bottom shoes-then it was down to the field for a fun workout with Jane Fonda, Denise Austin, Billy Blanks and Richard Simmons! Here’s a short video of the workout routine, and even a little bit of me attempting to keep up with Richard Simmons

One of the biggest struggles I have with being a mother is the fact that I have very little time, and I don’t like to spend it arguing with my kids. But there are two things I give in to-

1.   Their rooms. They are atrocious and I get sick of yelling at them to clean it. I get to the point where I become passive on it and let it go, which is the wrong direction to go in.
2.    Their stuff. They always ask for stuff, especially my oldest. You get in this cycle of not even knowing what they have and what they need, not to mention there’s no time to sort through their closets –that’s a three hour project. You eventually end up buying things and it tends not to be the things they need, but the things they want. That’s the struggle and probably why my kids feel like they never have anything they need.

I just spoke with the new president of USATF (USA Track & Field) Georgia, Ian Dube. He is starting an athlete of the month program and asked me to be his first athlete, so he is coming to the house on Thursday night to do photography and interviews. He has also offered to have USA Track and Field do an assessment for me, so I’ll let you know when those pictures come out, hopefully everything goes well!

Today was a tough workout consisting of 16 miles with a few sprints in between. My feet and legs were fatigued and tight afterwards, so I’m wearing the Chung Shi’s for the rest of the day to help elongate my calves and Achilles and make everything feel better. When I wear them in the car (where I feel like I spend most of my time), I like to rock back and forth from heel to toe.

I have a group of friends coming over Thursday to do some ‘water running’ in the pool- it’s a great form of cross-training especially if you’re recovering from injuries. Our pool has a heater, but unfortunately it’s broken so it may feel more like an ice bath than a pool. Its always fun to workout together with friends, time goes by so quickly and you build such a great friendship.

Motivational Tip: When it’s tough to stay motivated, try setting up a time to workout with your friends. If you make a plan to meet people, you may find that you are more likely to stay committed to your exercise routine!

With over 55,000 runners in the Peachtree Road Race, its important to set a realistic strategy for this hilly 10k. Learn how to customize a personal strategy to help you navigate the race!

I switched out my shoes today, I wasn’t quite at the 400 mile count, but I have put some hard miles on them. My feet already feel totally different and I’m looking forward to the support of the Brooks!

Tip: Remember to keep track of the mileage you put on your athletic shoes- they should last around 400 miles or about 6 months. For an easier way to keep track, write on the side of your shoe (in permanent marker) the date you purchased them.