Red Bandana: Resolutely Speaking: Fighting for Fitness in 2011

Read this week's column: Don't Let Age Cause You To Scream


Week One of 2011 is over. You have made your resolutions. You are more focused on conquering your goals than Sisyphus is on pushing his boulder up the hill. Some of you have decided that it is time to turn away from the chocolate cake and start exercising. You mean it. This is the year.

Come on. Let's get real. That cake is delicious, and, if you are out shape, working out is no fun. Eventually, you will eat a lot, sit around, and end up next year hundreds of pounds heavier than you are today. Maybe thousands. You will feel bad, which will lead you back to that yummy cake, a few flicks on cable in the sunniest part of summer, and, viola! You return to be being a junk food, couch potato, TV clicker addicted living room bum that you were in 2010. You give up. Resolution schmesolution!

That's one approach.

Another approach is to get back on the horse and trust the process. The process for most of us is simply this: avoid the cake, and work out more than before. The more you apply this, the better the results will be.

Understand completely that there is too much of a good thing. You need the right amount of calories, nutrients and water. As I am not a dietitian, I will not venture into how much of each constitutes enough. Let's just say your body will fight back if you try to cheat it from what it needs.

Similarly, too much working out is bad. Besides injuries coming from your muscles not being ready for a fast increase in miles (add no more than 10% miles each week), but life balance can become whacked. All run and no life can make Jacqueline a dull girl. At one very fit time of my life, I ran over 100 miles a week, biked another 300 miles, and otherwise only thought about running. If I were a professional athlete, this might be an appropriate way of living life. I was just an average local runner with no social life.

Back to the resolution thing.

Are you resolved? Are you digging your heels into the ground, ready to fight for fitness? Do you really want what you say you want?

Think about last year. Did you have a resolution to get fit? If you did, and you aren't, then what needs to change? Did you find yourself constantly in the position of being tempted to snack? Conveniently lazy with friends? Forget to schedule in exercise?

1) Can't resist the cake? Then eat something before you go to your Aunt Gertrude's for dinner. You might still munch a happy slice of this blessed dessert, but you might have the strength to say no for the second slice. Better yet, have a glass of water.

2) Need accountability? Tell people you are trying to get fit. You might others who acknowledge the same goal. Say, "I am hoping to lose 10 pounds by May 1 through eating more intelligently and running three times a week." Just watch if they offer you that triple fudge decadent brownie supreme.

3) Skipped a week by accident? Have you ever finished the week and realized how you did not work out once? Plan ahead. If you are running three times a week, pick those three days, choose a time, and a distance. If you are running outside, choose which route as well.

Do these sound obvious? They are. If 2010 did not deliver that fit bikini beach bod as hoped, getting back to basic strategies is necessary.

Running Playlist Song of the Week
"Keep Pushing" REO Speedwagon
You won't get intelligent Simon and Garfunkel-type lyrics, or a beautiful melody ala Paul McCartney. You will get a rockin' song which gets straight to the point. Turn this one up. It is cold out there. You are going to need all the help you can get.

Keep pushin, keep pushin, keep pushin, keep pushin on
Keep pushin, keep pushin, you know you have got to be so strong
Keep pushin, keep pushin, well even if you think your strength is gone
Keep pushin on

———————
Freelance writer Anthony Trendl loves BBQs, folk music and porches. I look to running as I battle midlife and my mid-section. Contact me to send your favorite tips, songs, recipes. See http://anthonytrendl.com/
Author blog: http://anthonytrendl.blogspot.com/
Author’s running blog: http://runnersdilemma.blogspot.com/

The Red Bandana: Finding Fitness Through the Joy of Running

Red Bandana: Things A Runner Can Do While Sick

Read this week's column: Resolutely Speaking: Fighting for Fitness in 2011


I have the flu.

Since Christmas, I have been sleeping around 13-14 hours a day. I am well accustomed to the various shadows that appear on my ceiling. I can now distinguish which neighbor is leaving by the sound of their car. Also, I now have researched all 421 ways of shuffling a pillow to make it more comfortable.

I have not run. I have not walked. I did drink some Gatorade. My physician told me it was a good idea. Those of us with the flu sweat a lot, and drinks like Gatorade can help replenish necessary fluids and electrolytes.

What can you do if the flu hits you this season? Besides rereading through the amazing library of "Red Bandana" articles, there are some good, creative choices in movies and books.

MOVIES

"Spirit of the Marathon"
Filmmaker John Dunham follows six very different, average runners as they train for the Chicago Marathon. Filled with interviews, some documentary-style info about the marathon, and appearances by legendary runners such as Dick Beardsley, Paula Radcliffe, Bill Rodgers, Toshihiko Seko and Grete Waitz.

"Prefontaine" or "Without Limits"
Two biopics about legendary runner Steve "Pre" Prefontaine who died in a tragic car accident at the height of his career. He ran for Coach Bill Bowerman at University of Oregon, and in the 1972 Munich Olympics. Very inspiring.

BOOKS

"The Competitive Runner's Handbook: The Bestselling Guide to Running 5Ks through Marathons" (Bob Glover)
Glover gives hard-core, nuts and bolts info for all levels of fitness. Solid how-to, without the fluff of running psychobabble.

"Marathon: The Ultimate Training Guide" (Hal Higdon)
Lots of training tips and anecdotes from runners Higdon has trained, mostly in the Chicago area. Great for the first-time marathoner.

"The Quotable Runner: Great Moments of Wisdom, Inspiration, Wrongheadedness, and Humor" (Mark Will-Weber)
Quoted here are great runners and writers about running, from Shakespeare to high school mile record holder, Alan Webb. Distance star Rob de Castella on marathoning, "If you feel bad after 10 miles, you're in trouble. If you feel bad at 20 miles, you're normal. If you don't feel bad at 26 miles, you're abnormal." Finland's great Olympic marathoner, Lasse Viren enthusiastically revealed his secret to racing success, "Reindeer milk!" Whatever might be dubious about Viren's claim is difficult to argue. Viren won four gold medals. Oprah Winfrey is there more than once, including, "I'm never going to run another marathon."

"Galloway's Book on Running" (Jeff Galloway)
This has become a running classic, providing the basics about running, training, and racing for years. Galloway does not presume the runner is a casual "New Year's Resolution" jogger who will likely quit in a month. Instead, he looks to build a foundation of sensible workouts, leading to genuine fitness, endurance and speed.

"Once a Runner: A Novel" (John L. Parker)
Very popular among runners as one of the few novels with running as a focus. It looks at the ego of the self-consumed runner, what it means to be a competitive runner devoted to a single-minded pursuit of excellence.

"Loneliness of the Long-Distance Runner" (Alan Sillitoe)
Maybe you read this short-story in high school, about the same time as you read "Catcher in the Rye." A sharp, lean book -- it is a tale of rebellion, courage, and independence. When Colin Smith is tossed into a prison school for delinquent youths, he finds long distance running allows him a kind of emotional escape. It turns out he is very fast, and officials put him up against a prestigious public school. If he wins, there is PR for the prison and early release for Colin. That's not how it goes, but I'll let you find out what happens.

Running Playlist Song of the Week
"Let's Get This Party Started" Pink (2001)
New Year's is here. Parties, parties, parties. You will hear this wedding reception classic at least once this season. More importantly, think of it as a command to get back into gear for running. Restart your goals, and refocus on getting fit for spring. Get it on your iPod and get going.

"Get this party started on a Saturday night
Everybody's waiting for me to arrive
Sending out the message to all of my friends."

———————
Freelance writer Anthony Trendl loves BBQs, folk music and porches. I look to running as I battle midlife and my mid-section. See http://anthonytrendl.com/ or e-mail me at anthonytrendl@gmail.com

Author blog: http://anthonytrendl.blogspot.com/
Author’s running blog: http://runnersdilemma.blogspot.com/

The Red Bandana: Finding Fitness Through the Joy of Running

Red Bandana: Tubby Santa Claus Should Workout

Read the most recent Red Bandana "Things A Runner Can Do While Sick"

“Twas the night before Christmas…”

What about the day before the night before Christmas? Did Santa Claus carbo load? Carbo loading, as long distance runners know, is when marathoners eat extra carbohydrates, like pasta, so that they have enough energy reserves for later in the race. Claus must deliver gifts to the entire world. I can only assume he, in all his years of experience, knows how to prepare for this all-night, all-world gift-giving marathon.

Let’s be frank. Claus is no slimmy. The folks back at his North Pole ranch don’t call him Santa “Bowlful of Jelly” Claus for nothing. He couldn’t turn away from a plate of donuts if his life depended on it.

I am not an exercise physiologist, nor am I a dietician, but let’s examine the situation:

Fact: Claus stops at the home of every little boy and girl.

Fact: Roughly every third home presents a treat at the bottom of their chimney (my estimate).

Fact: At least half those treats are non-nutritional (again, my estimate). This includes eggnog, cookies, chocolate milk, and even a shot of brandy or two.

Besides the obvious, that Claus has no business drinking while flying a sleigh (with or without Rudolph’s help), he is likely consuming more calories than he is burning. This includes bounding up and down chimneys, reaching and digging into his pack for toys, and springing to his sleigh.

It is normal within a longer endurance event to see snack stations. Energy drinks, as well as water, are made available to athletes to help sustain their strength as well as replace necessary electrolytes. No one, however, is leaving Gatorade or Granola bars for Claus.

So What?
Many of us live like Santa Claus and wonder why we are tubby. We might (as I conveniently do) blame it on growing older, changes in metabolism, and other such excuses. While those might be true in one sense, the fact remains we pretend a good run will eradicate the negative impact of a big-time chow down. Fitness offers freedom, not foolishness.

Christmas is here, and soon following is New Year’s Eve. Like Thanksgiving Day, big meals, complete with pies, drinks, and sugary snacks are part of the celebration. Champagne is not calorie-free, you know.

You teetotalers might not be hung-over on January 1, but you too might be fatter. Remember that even one eight ounce cup of non-alcoholic eggnog will add 258 calories. And, come on, are you really going to have just one of these tasty little drinks?

The real star of Christmas, Jesus Christ, was surrounded by fit people. For example, the shepherds ran in from their fields to Bethlehem to see him, something they could not have done if they were couch potatoes. Similarly, the Magi walked long and far to find Mary, Joseph and Jesus. They brought gold, frankincense and myrrh, not burgers, beer and brats. Their lifestyle was one of good eating and exercise, even if they were not thinking “Chicago Marathon.”

Honesty Tip
A handy website to keep you honest about your diet is the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference. It is simple to use. Just enter up to five keywords which best describe the food item. If you like, select a specific food group to sort things further. You will see more info about each food than on retail food packaging.

http://nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search

Good Eating

Speaking of blowing a few calories, check out Butler’s BBQ in Wheaton in the strip mall at Geneva and Main Street. I enjoyed delicious ribs and fried chicken. A thinner, more Southern-style sauce than, say, Sweet Baby Ray’s, but still flavorful. Quick service, friendly people and a relaxed atmosphere makes this a worthy place for a lunch or take-out dinner anytime. Their slogan is “It’s the wood that makes it good.” Taste and believe.

Butler’s BBQ

322 East Geneva Road

Wheaton, IL 60187

630.665.6227

http://butlersbbqandgrill.com/

Running Playlist Song of the Week

Go Tell It on the Mountain by VeggieTales from “A Very Veggie Christmas” (1996)
Imagine vegetables singing this traditional American song in an overdone country twang. Larry the Cucumber and Bob the Tomato talk about their favorite song, and sing it with enough energy to get you through an end-of-run walk. It hasn’t the oomph to qualify as a true running song, but it is lots of fun and easy to walk to this Christmas season.

“Go tell it on the mountain,
Over the hills and everywhere;
Go tell it on the mountain,
That Jesus Christ is born.”

Merry Christmas!

———————

Freelance writer Anthony Trendl loves BBQs, folk music and porches. I look to running as I battle midlife and my mid-section. Click my name above for more articles, fun and tips. See http://anthonytrendl.com/  or e-mail me at anthonytrendl @ gmail.com

Author blog: http://anthonytrendl.blogspot.com/

Author’s running blog: http://runnersdilemma.blogspot.com/

The Red Bandana: Finding Fitness Through the Joy of Running

Red Bandana: Indulge Your Miles at the Brickhouse Bakery and Cafe

Read my current article:
Tubby Santa Claus Should Workout

Let's say you have been good boys and girls regarding working out. Santa will be pleased. He's keeping a list on all of that, you know. Ever-diligent, the old boy is checking it twice. You know how it goes.

The end of the year is here. If you weigh 140 lbs, and have run, say, 20 miles a week, the tally for 2010 will be somewhere in the 100,000 range for calories. More, to be exact. It is closer to 110,000, but who's counting? Besides me, that is?

It is time to snack. You aren't working out so you can eat granola for every meal, are you? No way! Give me sugar, fat, and other unmentionables. I want cake.

Good cake can be found, tucked away in Pickwick Place. Area residents will know it as the strip mall with Binny's and Trader Joes on Roosevelt Rd. in Glen Ellyn.

What's there? Cupcakes. Mini, medium and jumbo ($0.50 to $2.95). What kind? Red Velvet. What's that? Imagine chocolate cake, only better. Just as the nation is going nuts for cupcakes, so are the western suburbs. You see the picture. It really looks like that.

Besides cupcakes, other pastries and goodies can be found, including Chocolatey Buttery Gooey Cake, Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cake, and the every-so-indulgent Turtle Brownie. Their bragging rights, though, might come from their own creation, the Brick and Mortar. Although gluten-free, this flourless cake has three kinds of chocolate, with Grand Marnier, and is finished with ice cream and raspberry sauce.

The cafe is in full-gear with a complete menu: a vegetarian sandwiches, salads, soups and more. However, they had me at cake.

"Could you wait until after 2:00 p.m., after the lunch rush?" Peggy asked when I wanted to visit. I came by at 2:15, and sat for a few minutes with her husband Mike. The place was still packed. Peggy was busy meeting customers, taking orders. Mike himself needed to hug a few people as they left.

"Guests are like family," Mike said, admitting it sounded hokey, but clearly, at the Brickhouse, this is true. He greeted everyone who came in, and almost all of them by name.

The cafe a mix of French bistro, neighborhood bakery and local coffee klatch. Everything about the place was genuine, from the warm smiles to the cream used in recipes.

While I waited at the counter, a woman came in to pick an apple pie she ordered. "Not over-sweet and syrupy like other apple pies," she asserted. With Granny Smith apples inside, and a brown sugar and cinnamon crumb topping, I am not surprised that the customer skipped the grocery stores. Other classic pies fill out their repertoire, which more than adequately provides area families holiday pies they used to buy at Bakers Square.

Mike and Peggy Wright opened the Brickhouse two and a half years ago after they both spent years in the restaurant industry. Mike, a young, but retired Sr. VP of Operations at Red Lobster helped Peggy open her dream cafe-bakery. Her own resume, packed with an MBA and experience as a GM at Olive Garden, is more than impressive.

They commute an hour each way from Oswego. A car brings them to Glen Ellyn, but passion for good food is what drives them.

Occasionally, they host events and provide a special menu. Recently, the Philanthropic Educational Organization had a party there. They cater as well. Soon, they hope to provide area restaurants and specialty grocers with their bakery items.

Let this place be your motivation this week. Run a good week's worth of miles, think about a tasty sandwich and soup, and the delicious dessert which will follow.

(Don't forget, be sure to leave Santa a few mini Red Velvets.)

Brickhouse Bakery and Cafe

654 Roosevelt Rd.

Glen Ellyn, IL 60137

630.469.7667

"Step in Time" Dick Van Dyke, from the Mary Poppins Soundtrack
Tune up the wayback machine for this one. In 1964, Dick Van Dyke as Bert the Chimney Sweep, sang this song in an awful faux-Cockney accent. As a longer song (8:43) with varied tempos, it is good for a third or fourth song on the playlist. In the film, he and other sweeps run and dance across the rooftops. I recommend sticking closer to the ground.

"Step in time, step in time
Come on, mateys, step in time

Step in time

Step in time, step in time

Step in time, step in time

Never need a reason,

Never need a rhyme

Step in time, you step in time!"

———————

Freelance writer Anthony Trendl loves BBQs, folk music and porches. I looks to running as I battles midlife and my mid-section. Find out more: http://anthonytrendl.com/  

Author blog: http://anthonytrendl.blogspot.com/

Author's running blog: http://runnersdilemma.blogspot.com/

The Red Bandana: Finding Fitness Through the Joy of RunningRunning Playlist Song of the Week

Red Bandana: The Joy of Winter

Read the latest column: Indulge Your Miles at the Brickhouse Bakery and Cafe

Early morning. 6:00 am. It might as well be midnight. Who can tell? It is all dark. So quiet. No one's here. Just me.

Like a ghost town in the middle of the suburbs. Everything is bluish-gray. Streetlights and moonlight -- and not a lot of either.

Cold. Man, is it ever cold. It's gotta be minus zero degrees out here. Can it be that? It is.

Did I just say that? Zero? What I am I thinking? I shouldn't be out here.

Yeah, yeah, I got gear on. I'm wearing a t-shirt, turtleneck, sweatshirt, a running jacket and a scarf, plus running tights under my long johns under my wind pants. That, and thick socks and gloves. Sure, sure. So I'm covered? I'm still cold. I breathe in and I'm cold. My face is cold. I should have worn that Spiderman face-hat-thing.

The snow hit again, covering the footprints from last time. Great. Here's winter. Officially here. I'm miserable. It is going to soak through my shoes and I'm not even off my driveway.

Oh well, I gotta do this. Four miles and I'm home. I'll do the neighborhood loop, around that big park on Briarcliffe, and I'll be done. I can't be back until I go.

I ache. I'm too old for this. Why didn't I stretch? I really should have used the treadmill this morning. None of this nonsense out here.

Down the block. I guess I can run on the street. No cars here, and besides, it is a side street. At least it is plowed. I'm glad I have on my reflective jacket and pants, just in case.

Rats. I knew I forgot something. My iPod. I needed it today. Especially today.

Around the corner. Huh? The snow crunches. Interesting. Sounds like toast being buttered.

There we go. Half mile done.

Those trees -- the way the snow is sticking to the branches. They are delicate, sprinkled on the way bakers decorate brownies. How didn't I see this before? Amazing. Yesterday, they were bare, shorn of leaves. Now, they are extravagant.

One mile behind me. I'm feeling better. Warming up. Still, my legs feel tight, but at least it doesn't feel as cold.

Is that a rabbit by those bushes? I see the tracks. I must have scared him; he was next to the tree I just passed. He looks like he can handle the cold. He doesn't have to cover himself in running gear when he wants to go out for a hop. Poor guy. The snow must be covering his breakfast.

Two miles gone, two to go. Time to wind back home. My stride is coming around. It is not as slippery as I expected. My glasses are steaming up. Good thing I didn't wear that Spiderman mask.

I think I can pick up my pace. What's that? Birds? I thought they all left in the winter? Robins? Sparrows? I have no idea, but that's a beautiful morning sound.

One mile to go. I've got this. I'll drop my pace another five or ten seconds for this last mile. Looks like I'm not the only one out here. Is that the guy who works at Caribou Coffee? "Hey, how are you doing?" There is another runner way down the next street.

There's my house. What do I have left? A quarter mile. Oh yeah, baby, I've got this. Let's kick 'er in. A little bit farther.

Ah! My driveway! A great day for a run!

Don't Let Winter Stop You

Snow and winter are here. There will be days you will want to return to your cozy warm bed. In the morning, though, can be found a treasured time. Dress warm, start with a slower pace and discover the morning.

Running Playlist Song of the Week

The song this week is too big for any iPod. It is the sound of birds (robins or sparrows?), feet crunching through cold snow like buttering toast, and the breeze of a December morning so quiet that all you hear are your thoughts and the pulse of morning joy bringing runners from bleak apathy to exalted thankfulness.

———————
Writer Anthony Trendl loves BBQs, folk music and porches. I looks to running as I battles midlife and my mid-section. Find out more: http://anthonytrendl.com/ or e-mail me: anthonytrendl at gmail.com

The Red Bandana: Finding Fitness Through the Joy of Running

Red Bandana: A Run to Remember

Read the newest article, "The Joy of Winter."

Any of us who run regularly have favorite paths and routes.

It could be as simple as a course following neighborhood roads, with a long stretch leading back home passing an audience of porch sitters.

Do they cheer you on? Or, is it just a certain sense of accomplishment, knowing you delayed dinner an hour to log a few miles in?

Maybe your favorite finishes up a big hill, providing a kind of "man versus nature" battle as you surge to the apex.

One of my favorites is a five mile loop around Bullfrog Lake, in the Cook County Forest Preserve District, near Willow Springs, IL.

I start at the Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center (9800 Willow Springs Road, Willow Springs, IL 60480). The Little Red Schoolhouse used to be exactly as described, but presently is a nature center. The building itself houses an array of area animals - small birds, amphibians and reptiles, as well as a sharp staff keen on educating all who stop by. Adjacent is a pond surrounded by pear, apple and plum blossoms every spring, and filled with birds all year long.

The run begins with a well-maintained dirt path. Flat and solid, you will feel sure-footed and fast. In the first couple of miles, you will see families touring the area. Signs label key areas explaining whatever flora or fauna is nearby. A waist-high wooden fence separates runners from the small ponds.

By the time you are warmed up, you will be in the thick of the woods. Large, old trees, and hidden prairies show themselves to be the home of white-tailed deer and red fox, and the occasional coyote peeking out to say hello.

Two miles later, you will pop out into an open picnic area at Bullfrog Lake. Stocked with largemouth bass, bluegill and crappie, its most famous residents, the frogs, can be heard splashing as you close in on the pond.

A quick left, and 100 meters later, your trip takes you back into the forest. Essentially, the path winds the perimeter of the pond. Slowly, the trail becomes more and more rustic as it climbs, and, as you have run around three miles by this point, you are tired. Suddenly, the shadows of the woods give way to sunlight.

Overlooking eastward toward the lake, you see parents and children playing. The pleasant scent of chicken and burgers grilling has somehow found its way across the lake. Weekend fishermen try their luck at bringing home some dinner. But you are there to run, and welcome the long downhill.

Watch your step. Water has rushed down and eroded the land, creating rumpled, hard earth, more suitable now for mountain goats than 40-something guys and gals trying to lose a few pounds. Still, your inner Olympian finds his way out, and you dash down the hill and work your way around the lake. Give a nod to the fishermen, and toss the wayward Frisbee or 16-inch softball back to their owner.

Up another hill, and you are where you entered this area. Just two miles will return you to your car at the Little Red Schoolhouse. With around a mile to go, you will see again the waist-high wooden fences, and this is your cue to muster up some speed. Somehow, with the fence, the families walking, and a sense of completion looming, every step will feel faster.

Grab a towel and a bottle of water, and take a walk around to the slough behind the buildings, and sit on a bench. Watch the birds fly in and out, look for a deer stopping by for a quick drink, and know that for an hour or so, you were part of this beautiful nature.

Running Playlist Song of the Week
Peanuts Theme ("Linus And Lucy") by Vince Guaraldi
Christmas is coming, and so will "A Charlie Brown Christmas". Snoopy will dance with the rest of the gang as we are reminded that the true meaning of Christmas: the birth of Jesus Christ.

Peppy, with a 1960s funky jazz piano and snare drum, this works well as a mid-run song.

For more about nature centers in The Forest Preserve District of Cook County
http://fpdcc.com/tier3.php?content_id=27

——————-
Writer Anthony Trendl loves BBQs, folk music and porches. He looks to running as he battles midlife and his mid-section. Find out more: http://anthonytrendl.com

For more about my running adventures, see A Runner’s Dilemma (workout details, videos and more): http://runnersdilemma.blogspot.com

The Red Bandana: Finding Fitness Through the Joy of Running

Red Bandana: New Year's Day (A Month Early)

Another holiday? Didn't we just celebrate Thanksgiving? There are still leftovers in the fridge. And Christmas lights -- we are just getting them out of the basement. Why talk about New Year's Day now?

January 1, besides being a day off to nurse the previous day's late night of foolishness, is usually when people begin their New Year's Resolutions. We look at the previous year, and think, "The next year will be better!" Then, we make a list. Maybe it includes to stop smoking, write the great American novel, get a better job, or to run a marathon. All good. I love it.

Why not start your New Year's Resolutions a month early?

There is a fair to middlin' chance, as I warned last week, that some of us, nay -- most of us -- blew our diet at the Thanksgiving table. Family and friends brought treats, made a delicious turkey, and, when the cranberry sauce was passed our way, we lost it. It all went downhill from there. Three slices of French Silk Pie and two football games later, and we've gained 400 pounds. Hand me a napkin, please.

Somewhere out there, Richard Simmons is wagging his finger at us.

Will one day ruin all fitness? Of course not, but it can reset patterns of overeating and laziness. Did this happened to you? Getting back on the wagon should be swift lest you fall back into bad habits.

In early winter, it sometimes gets so dark and overcast here in Chicagoland that we cannot see a month ahead. It is not easy on these gloomy, chilly days to get off the couch and out for a run. Log out of Facebook, turn off the television, or put down the sweater you are knitting for your sweet Aunt Lulubelle.

Summer will be here soon enough, and we will wish we took hold of this opportunity to work off the pounds.

What should a running resolution look like?

1) Be realistic. If you haven't run in 30 years, a spring marathon not only going to be difficult, but a bad idea. A spring 5K is possible. Your body will be happier for it. You can build on this, work up to 10Ks, longer runs, and then, onward to the holy grail of running, the marathon. But all in due time, and not before.

2) Be specific. Sure, you can say to yourself, "I am getting into shape by running a lot." There are so many vagaries in that one sentence that, in essence, it means nothing. "I am going to lose three pounds a month by working up to, and maintaining walking and running 30 minutes a day five times a week." Those three pounds, in a year's time, equal 36 pounds. For most of us, that's more than enough.

3) Find accountability. Find a likeminded friend or family member to join you in this mission. This might be a running buddy you commit to meeting at the Wheaton College track mornings before work. It can also be someone you just talk about the journey to fitness over coffee.

4) Be forgiving. In other words, while it is important to remain steadfast, there will be occasions in which you skip a workout or eat an extra helping. That's OK, and part of living a joyful life. Stay on track by recognizing your goals are long-term. As you do the right things consistently, the right things will result, but this takes avoiding discouragement.

5) Have fun. Sing when you run. Smell the flowers (since it is winter, you will need to pretend with this one!). Look around the subtle, beautiful, amazing nature around you. Smile and wave at your neighbors. Think about how good you will feel after a shower. Remember the payoff comes with each new step, with each new day. In month, you will already be in motion, able to encourage others to join you.

Running Playlist Song of the Week

"Wild Thing" by The Troggs

Released in 1966, "Wild Thing" resonates with pulsing drums, strumming guitars and a guy singing who is passionate about his girl. It is a great song to finish out a hard tempo run.

"Wild thing, you make my heart sing.

You make everything

Groovy

I said wild thing..."

——————-

Writer Anthony Trendl loves BBQs, folk music and porches. He looks to running as he battles midlife and his mid-section. For more about his running adventures, see A Runner’s Dilemma (workout details, videos and more): http://runnersdilemma.blogspot.com

Running Products for Cyber Monday

1. Nike Dri-Fit 2 Pack Running Socks - Large
2. Nike Dri-Fit Filament Running Tights - Medium
3. Runner's World Complete Book of Women's Running: The Best Advice to Get Started, Stay Motivated, Lose Weight, Run Injury-Free, Be Safe, and Train for Any Distance (Runner's World Complete Books)
4. Evolution Running: Run Faster with Fewer Injuries
5. Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen
6. Garmin Forerunner 305 GPS Receiver With Heart Rate Monitor
7. Nike Dri-Fit UV Long Sleeve Running Top - Medium
8. ChiRunning: A Revolutionary Approach to Effortless, Injury-Free Running
9. Nike Dri Fit Sleeveless Running Vest - Medium
10. Nike Sphere Short Sleeve Running T-Shirt - Medium
11. Lore of Running, 4th Edition
12. Nathan Clip-On Deluxe L.E.D. Safety Strobe
13. Nike Elite Cushioned Running Socks - Medium
14. Search Amazon.com for running shoes

Road Runner Sports

Runners, I just connected with Road Runner Sports, offering their ads. Essentially, they are a massive store for running-related products. They describe themselves as the "World's Largest Running Store." If you are looking to get some winter running clothes, shoes, racing flats, women's products, they have it all. You won't get the service you will find at your local running store (here are ones near me in Chicagoland), but if you know what you need, this can help keep costs down.



Shop the Road Runner Sports Outlet Store - Save up to 75% on running shoes and apparel!

Red Bandana: Thanksgiving and the Common Runner: How to Survive Gorging Yourself

Thanksgiving is coming. Before you will be gluttonous amounts of food fit to feed 20 people. Since only 10 of you will be at the table, each of you must eat double portions. This is your duty. God did not give you two hands to only hold one turkey leg. There are two drumsticks. Grab another and get moving. That big bird isn't going to eat itself. Also, before you think this will be a breeze, remember what happened last year when you slacked: Your cousin's girlfriend showed you who was boss of the dinner table.

Be confident. You have trained for this. All that carbo-loading before long races? Uh huh. That's right. All toward today. That second plate of spaghetti? Exactly. It comes down to the big day. Here you are.

Warm up properly before dining. Properly line your stomach with an array of chips (nachos are fine, but only with a warm cheese dip), celery with peanut butter and those funny looking scone things with the toasted sugar on top. Ease into dinnertime.

Why? A bad case of the yummies, that's why. Do not eat on an empty stomach lest you pull a taste muscle. These things happen, and you can be sure emergency rooms will be packed Friday morning with people who were all set to eat breakfast but could not. Their taste buds get overloaded with flavor, and, not ready for all this pleasure, react with what doctors call, "Yummy Issues." The only known cure is leftovers at every meal for at least a week.

Once warmed up, be sure to toss on your running togs, lace up your shoes, and dash to the table with lightning speed. Oh, and wear a bib. You do not want gravy on your shirt. This is a challenging day, and you should be protected in this competitive environment. If your nephew decides that peas really can fly across the table with the help of a spoon, you might find protective glasses useful as well.

After the prayer of thanksgiving, you want to be first one out of the blocks after someone breathes, "Amen." Use your newly enriched cardiovascular system to wolf down mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce and green bean casserole. Eat up.

The flexibility you picked up from post-run stretching will help you wiggle through the candlesticks and wine bottles, and past your Great Uncle Louie before he snags the still-steaming fresh-baked rolls. Come on, the guy is 95. Surely now, you can beat him to the bread?

There are benefits to running regularly. One is that you have every right to eat that extra slice of French Silk Pie. Sure, it has a million calories, but you know you will burn it off. Does this mean it is time to abuse your body?

No way. This is where the men and women are separated from the boys and girls when it comes to fitness. On Thanksgiving Day, through New Year's, are parties and holidays of all sorts, every one of which involves opportunities to fall off the fitness wagon.

Though the food will be delicious, and the reason we are celebrating is important, let wisdom prevail if fitness is your goal. Stayed focused on your long-term goals and find yourself in great shape by Easter.

Start the morning by heading out for a run. Call an old friend and go for a long walk. Or, make a plan to hit the Illinois Prairie Path for a few miles on the Friday after. Whatever you do, don't over eat. Gluttony is not only one of the Seven Deadly Sins, but it is not good for your body either. The yummies just are not worth the extra pounds.

Enjoy yourself. Eat well. Be full, be thankful, and remember there are many of our neighbors struggling with making ends meet in this economy. Think about inviting a neighbor over to enjoy your bounty, and the next week as well.

Quick Tips for a Sensible Thanksgiving Meal
1) Stop at one plateful. Sounds crazy, but you can do it.
2) Watch the appetizers. These sneaky snacks can add a few hundred calories before you have even started dinner.
3) Eat slowly. Let your stomach catch on to the idea you are eating.

Running Playlist Song of the Week
"Yummy, Yummy, Yummy" by the Ohio Express. A group of studio musicians released this bubblegum favorite in 1968. What it lacks in depth it makes up in fun. Come on now, everybody sing!

Yummy, Yummy, Yummy.
I got love in my tummy,
And I feel like a-lovin you
Ooh love, I won't let you go.

——————-
Writer Anthony Trendl loves BBQs, folk music and porches. He looks to running as he battles midlife and his mid-section. Find out more: http://anthonytrendl.com/

For more about my running adventures, see A Runner’s Dilemma (workout details, videos and more): http://runnersdilemma.blogspot.com/

Red Bandana: Learning BBQ With Steven Raichlen

I love to run, and I love to BBQ. The tension between a high fat diet and a low fat body exists. I am not alone in my desire to eat well and be healthy.

Steve and I grill together almost every Sunday. He fires up a few grills, and he breaks out some incredible globally-discovered recipes. A few ingredients are expertly sliced and laid upon the grill, and magic begins. Smoke, whether from carefully prepared hickory chips or by using straight charcoal, flows around his meals, lifting herbs, spices and imagination into the air. Plucked almost from Eden are delicious meals that appeal to more than prehistoric grunting men, but foodies of all flavors.

There's one thing, though. I have not yet tasted one morsel from his grill. We have never met. You see, this Steve is grillmaster Steven Raichlen, the host of "Primal Grill" on Channel 20, WYCC at 2:30 pm. He looks fit, and obviously shares my love of BBQing, so I asked him a few questions via e-mail. He says he isn't a runner but is active as a cyclist. A simple calisthenic routine every other day completes his workout routine.]

Q: Any Fit-focused BBQ Tips?
A: Take a cue from the Asian culinary repertoire, he says. Meat isn't the star there as it is here. "For example, thin slices of grilled meat, chicken, or fish might be rolled into a lettuce leaf along with some vegetables (such as bean sprouts) and served with a light but flavorful dipping sauce."

Looking good can relate to eating good, which brings us back to looking good. Raichlen says, "A platter of grilled vegetables–peppers, eggplant, zucchini, onions, yellow squash, etc.–can be the most appealing dish on the table, especially if dusted with freshly-grated Parmesan and a shower of chopped fresh herbs. A side of couscous or orzo pasta, and you've got a meal."

Portobello mushrooms can replace hamburgers, Raichlen continued. "Marinate them in a good vinaigrette, then grill. Top with low-fat cheese, roasted red peppers, etc."

Fish? Yes, of course, and convenient too. "Grill heart-healthy fish like salmon on planks–you don't have coat the fish with oil (as you do when it goes directly on the grill grate), and you don't have to turn it."

But I like sweets. Help! Raichlen suggests "grilled fruit–peaches, apples, pineapple, etc.–make terrific low-cal desserts. I dust mine with cinnamon-laced turbinado sugar; serve warm with low-fat ice cream."

Raichlen's beef sate looks far more complicated to make than it is. Give it a go and report back.

THE BEST BEEF SATE IN SINGAPORE

How: Direct grilling
Advance preparation: At least 3 hours for marinating the beef. As long as overnight. The longer, the better.
Serves: 6 as an appetizer; 4 as a light main course.

1-1/2 pounds rib-eye steaks, cut 1/2 inch thick

For the marinade:

3 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 tablespoons ground coriander
1 tablespoon ground turmeric
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1-1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons Asian fish sauce or soy sauce
3 tablespoons vegetable oil

Singapore Cucumber Relish (optional—recipes follows)

You'll also need: 8-inch bamboo skewers; grill shield or aluminum foil (a 12 by 18 inch sheet folded in thirds like a business letter with shiny side out)

Cut each steak, including the fat, into 1 inch strips (each 1/4 inch thick) and place in a nonreactive mixing bowl. Stir in the sugar, coriander, turmeric, cumin, pepper, fish sauce, and vegetable oil. Marinate the beef, covered, in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours and as long as overnight.

Thread the beef strips onto bamboo skewers leaving the bottom half of each skewer exposed as a handle and the top 1/4-inch of the skewer exposed as a point. The recipe can be prepared several hours ahead to this stage.

Set up your grill for direct grilling and preheat to high. Brush and oil the grill grate.

Arrange the sates on the grate, sliding the grill shield or folded foil under the exposed part of the skewers to keep them from burning. Grill until cooked to taste, about 30 seconds to 1 minute per side for medium rare, a little longer for medium. (In general, Southeast Asians eat their sates medium to medium-well.) Serve with Singapore Cucumber Relish, if desired.

SUB-RECIPE—SINGAPORE CUCUMBER RELISH

2 kirby (small) cucumbers or 1 medium cucumber, cut in half lengthwise and seeded
1 small shallot or green onion, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
1 small hot red chile (like a bird or cayenne pepper), seeded and minced
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper

Cut the cucumbers into 1/4-inch dice. Place the cucumbers, shallot, chile, vinegar, and sugar in a mixing bowl and gently toss to mix. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Running Playlist Song of the Week
"Rollin' and Tumblin' by Bob Dylan

Raichlen is a huge Bob Dylan fan, and listens as he grills, and gets to every concert he can. A Dylan fan myself, I know the folkish sound isn't always good for popping out musically-inspired miles. A few are perfect. This rewrite of the late Westmont, Illinois bluesman, Muddy Waters' song tosses down a drive and rhythm that is best saved for the middle miles of a long run. For 6:02, Dylan sings about how low he feels:

"Well, I did all I know just to keep you off my mind
Well, I paid and I paid and my sufferin' heart is always on the line."

——————
Writer Anthony Trendl loves BBQs, folk music and porches. He looks to running as he battles midlife and his mid-section. Find out more: http://anthonytrendl.com/

For more about my running adventures, see A Runner’s Dilemma (workout details, videos and more): http://runnersdilemma.blogspot.com/

The Red Bandana: Finding Fitness Through the Joy of Running

More About Steven Raichlen
http://barbecuebible.com/

Two Ways to Follow A Runner's Dilemma on Facebook

On Facebook? Join me there. See these posts there whenever you are logged in.

Network Blogs See posts in your Facebook feed, or view through the Network blogs app.
http://apps.facebook.com/blognetworks/blog/a_runners_dilemma

Training for my First Marathon
Join a group of beginning and experienced runners all sorting it out.
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=43877589243

Haile Gebrselassie Unretired?

Looks like The Greatest Distance Runner Ever might still be running. I hope so, but his injury sounded serious. Did he react too quickly? Could be. He's as fast as it gets, and crashed hard at mile 16 of the NYC Marathon. That would hurt, especially if you knew every other part of your body was screaming "2:03:59."

I want him to keep running, but a guy has gotta do what he has gotta do. He has earned the right to think about whatever he must to get his head on straight.

Haile Gebrselassie Twitter account announcement: http://twitter.com/HaileGebr/status/1946012633538561

See the posts around it.

Blister, Then Another Blister

I hate blisters. Who likes them? Right foot, inside, upper heel. Not one blister, but a big one, left unchecked for a week, produced another underneath.

Last night, I cut it open. I won't go gross on you, but I saw another revealed beneath.

Workouts were going well, and fitness was starting to find me, and now this. I have lost several good days of running. Maybe tomorrow.

Bigfoot has little to do with my blister, and my feet are not especially big. Cool picture, though, huh?

Spenco 2nd Skin Blister Kit