C Moms Run

We had a very fun time with Olympian Carrie Tollefson filming an episode for her website, www.CTolleRun.com

Check this out, and share with your friends!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luzfU1DpYXg

Where your Treasure is

"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." This well-known verse from the Bible (Matthew 6:21) challenges us to be wise about how we direct the resources given to us: our time, and our money.

I believe this concept has significant bearing on how we prioritize our resources as moms, and deserves great consideration when it comes to our fitness plans.

Good intentions simply do not put forth the commitment level that a financial investment has the potential to. This is one of the primary reasons that women who hire personal trainers are found to be profoundly more successful in their efforts than those who work out solo. But let's face it, personal training just isn't in everyone's budget! Group exercise programs can produce a similar level of accountability and success.

The investment you make can be a good predictor of your adherence to the program. As a fitness instructor I have experienced this firsthand; I have taught free classes before on Saturday mornings. And guess what - no one came!

When it comes right down to it, and you wake up on a Saturday morning just not in the mood to roll out of bed any earlier than you need to, it is often the fact that you already paid for the class that will get you there.

Not only is money a motivator, but it is often an indication of how we are prioritizing our resources. Yet resources can be hard to come by these days! Moms On The Run wants to help each and every mom move beyond good intentions and provides the structure and accountability to do so with affordable group pricing. MOTR also provides an opportunity for Fitness, Fun & Friendship, so being active becomes something moms get benefits from beyond the workout!

That said, we never want finances to be a preventative factor for our program. We encourage those who need financial aid to contact us regarding our scholarship program. We also accept donations to our scholarship fund from business sponsors as a way we can all work together to encourage healthy moms.

Invest in YOU, for the benefit of THEM

I was looking at signing up my daughter for dance classes this summer and noticed the adult classes cost only HALF as much as the classes for kids. This isn't a typo. It's a business owner's acknowledgement that moms just aren't willing to spend those prices on themselves.

As moms, we often really struggle with being willing to invest anything in to our own fitness regime. We pay crazy amounts of money and devote large quantities of time toward our kids' sports, leaving nothing left for ourselves. Our "unselfish" intentions aren't turning out so well though.

Are our kids learning to prioritize fitness? Are we getting the exercise we need to stay healthy and manage our stress well? Do we have our "own cups full" enough to spill out positive things to those we love most? I know I personally am much better-liked by my family after I've gotten my workout in!

Moms love to say they put their families first… but forget that they are part of the family! Feel better. Do better. Your kids are watching you and the example you are setting for a lifestyle of health and fitness.

Building the Confidence you Need for Success

This is post 3 of a three-part series by guest writer Anne Kelly, President of Junonia ~ Activewear for Plus Size Women

There are two parts to building up self-confidence: setting goals and achieving them, and protecting yourself from anyone who might want to take away from it.

Setting Goals
Self confidence doesn’t come in pill form. It comes from actually doing things. Taking the first steps can be scary, and sometimes the phrase “Fake it ‘til you make it” can help. Put yourself out there, and you’ll soon see your self-confidence increasing. Start with small things, and work your way up to your dreams. Do you want to build your self-confidence even faster? Help someone else increase theirs! It’s a win-win.

Protecting Your Self-confidence
Self-confidence is a very important part of being an effective human. It is not selfish or arrogant. Self-confident people rarely whine. It is really nice to be around self-confident people. Self-confident people get things done.
However, I have to admit there are some jealous and bullying types who take as their mission in life tearing down the self confidence of others. So protect yourself from these controlling types. Be aware they exist, and that they do this to everyone—NOT JUST YOU. Get away from them. They may be the first to sabotage your efforts in your weight loss program.

If you must interact with these unfortunates, set your rules: “I do not tolerate abusive language.” “My workout time is sacred, I must leave at 5.” Do not engage in useless arguments. Find other self-confident people to support you in positive ways. Don’t let the bully make you cringe; stand up tall, look them in the eye and state your position. Well-done!

Be The Tortoise: Slow and Steady Wins!

This is post 2 in a 3 part series by Anne Kelly, President of Junonia ~ Activewear for Plus Size Women.

You’ve decided to improve your fitness, you’ve signed up for the class.  CONGRATULATIONS.  But now you are feeling really anxious.  “What if I can’t keep up?”   The answer - it is okay to work up to fitness goals at a slow pace! Slow and steady wins the race. Here are some things to remember:

Step One:  EVERYONE has been just where you are.  Really?  All those fit and skinny women know what it’s like to be the slowest one in gym class?  Well, maybe not the slowest, but they all know what it is like to be de-conditioned, coming off an injury or illness, or starting a new activity.  You are not alone.  In my experience (as often the slowest person in a class) the rest of the class will be on your side, supportive and sympathetic.  (I always feel I am providing a special service by being the slowest person in the class.)

Step Two:  DO NOT HURT YOURSELF.  Be kind to your mind and body.  I’m heavier and my knees twinge occasionally.  So I never do the full jumping things—I always modify, and guess what, my knees are fine!  But I can do the full abdominal exercises, arms exercises, and I can still get my heart rate as high as I want without jumping. Does anyone else care?  Of course not. 

Step Three:  BE A TORTOISE not a hare.  Slow and steady will definitely win.  In fact, even high level athletes use the 10% rule: Increase your distance OR intensity NO MORE than 10% over the last workout.  Never do both at once.  So let’s say you are nicely doing 10 burpees.  Next time you should do 11, not more.  The time after that 12, etc.  within two weeks you’ll probably be doing about 20—and that’s a lot of burpees!  Or you are easily walking 2 blocks.  The next day you do 2 blocks and 2 houses.  The day after 2 blocks and 4 houses, etc.  Within two weeks you are doing a quarter mile, and it will feel easy.  Remember, there is no hurry.  Those tortoises are really smart.

Step Four:  CELEBRATE your success!  You deserve it.  This is the most important step, to congratulate yourself for making your life better.  It’s the nicest thing you can do for the world.

Saving Lives

Wow, Shannon from last year's Eden Prairie class says Moms On The Run saved her life, literally!

We can just not underestimate the importance of our cardiovascular health and our regular commitment to the activities that help us achieve it despite our busy schedules. Here's what Shannon shared with us today!

"I just wanted to thank Moms on the Run for an incredible program. I was a reluctant runner when I joined the program. Always last in the pack, but knew I needed to stick with it. Besides getting me in shape, it's just an absolute blast to be a part of it & meet other moms. Last fall, I had a heart attack. My cardiologist told me he thinks the only reason I survived is because of the cardiovascular health of my heart - 100% attributable to my running program. So thank you, Moms on the Run, for not only teaching me to love running, but also for saving my life - literally." Shannon Blackwell, 39, Chaska, MN

Getting Comfortable in a Workout Routine as a Plus-size Woman

This is the first post in a 3 part series by Anne Kelly, President of Junonia Activewear.

Are you are larger woman? I am, so I know what it feels like to the biggest person in a beginning running group, or a boot camp class. Here’s some advice to help make you comfortable and to make your experience really fun.

1. Bring someone about at your level, whatever their size may be. That way when you decide to run/walk, fast walk, or just walk as you get started, you will enjoy it, and not feel isolated.
2. You will get there! When you are carrying more mass, it will take you a little longer to build the muscle you need to carry you the distance, but you’ll be surprised how fast that will happen. Be patient so you don’t get injured. Follow the 10% rule: increase intensity OR distance by NO MORE than 10% each workout. Celebrate every small success. Don’t get overwhelmed by the big goal, step by step is how you will get there.
3. Understand heat. When you are larger, the fat you carry is nature’s insulation. So when you work out you will heat up faster than your skinny friends, especially at the beginning when your body is getting use to exercise. Pay attention! Do not get over-heated. Slow down. It is OK. Drink water. Wear a hat. Wear light wicking layers close to your skin so you can strip down as you heat up. Junonia has some great options!
4. Sweat is your friend. If you haven’t exercised in a long time, it may take a few weeks for your body to learn to sweat again. Until then be especially careful about over-heating!
5. Talk, laugh, get to know your exercise “neighbors,” invite them out to tea after. Don’t discriminate against them just because they are small! Embrace new friendships.

www.Junonia.com ~ specialists in plus size active and casual clothing.

All Shapes and Sizes

At MOTR we love that women from all walks of life have found a home with us ~ a comfort zone, a great group of friends, a support system of encouragement on the lifelong journey of fitness.

We are moms, we are not moms. We are fast and slow, work inside the home and out. We are married and single, divorced and even widowed. And we run to leave it all behind on the pavement.

We are young (18), and not so young (73!)...and we come in all shapes and sizes!

We want to be an organization that offers a comfortable entry into this lifelong journey of fitness, especially for those who feel they have a long way to go. Don't ever think "I have to lose the weight first" to come and join us.

It can take an extra vote of self-confidence when you have weight to lose and you are contemplating starting a running program. In the next couple weeks we will be posting some entries on this topic from a guest blogger, Anne Kelly, President of an active wear company that specializes in plus-size athletic clothing. You won't want to miss her encouragement, so check back soon!

Running Strong in a Tough Economy

With the kickoff of spring registration, we wanted to take some time
today to clarify some details on the new MOTR program improvements and structural changes that you will see this year, as well as provide info on obtaining financial aid.

At Moms On The Run, we have been busier than usual in this off-season
getting ready for a fabulous 2012. We have taken your 2011 survey
feedback very seriously in deciding what things to keep the same and
where we need to make program improvements. We know there have been growing pains with the fast expansion in the past couple years, and we now have year-round customer service and administrative help to meet the needs of our valued customers. In addition, corporate MOTR will not be personally operating and managing new locations. Instead we are transitioning to franchise ownership over the next few years and will even begin to transfer ownership of some of our existing locations.

This will be a process, but by reducing administrative burden and
costs we will not need to raise program prices as much each year and
we will be able to have a higher level of service and personal
attention available to each of our valued customers.

We are excited about the changes coming in 2012, including extra
training for our coaches and instructors, a FREE 10k training program,
an additional optional run each week focused on distance, a new
“instructor meet and greet” before the class start date to minimize
the first class paperwork process, and more incentives to keep you
motivated.

We are able to offer a higher level of customer service and these
various program improvements while increasing the price only 5-10% of
our previous 2x/week pricing. There is one major change that is making
this possible, and that is that we will be moving to a single MOTR
membership price that includes up to three classes per week!

The class structure will be very similar to last year two of the days,
and a volunteer coach will facilitate a third workout which focuses on
adding distance for those who are looking for that. We encourage even
the women in the learn to run program, or those who aren’t interested
in distance, to still come that night and workout at their own
preferred level and distance.

This decision to transition to an unlimited class pricing structure
has been made primarily due to the following reasons:

~Our participants who are enrolled twice a week have a much higher
satisfaction level and have significantly better success in the
program. Every mom has her things that will come up such as weekends
away, kids’ sports activities and vacations, but we want a structure
in place that encourages all of our women to get to class as often as
they can.

~We are offering 3 runs per week next year, so that the majority of
our members will be able to make at least two of these workouts. We
certainly don’t expect anyone to regularly commit to 3 meetings with
us. We all know that a minimum of 2 workouts per week are essential
for success anyway (ideally 3), and we also know that it is a lot
easier to get these in with the motivation of meeting up with your
team!

We are enthusiastic about the new membership structure we are
introducing this spring. In each location, we will have an
“all-season” pass that includes not only the 3 workouts a week in your
own city, but members will also have the ability to make up a class at
any of our locations at any time! This includes weather cancellations,
holidays, and your personal schedule conflicts.

We know that there are women in our program that may only be able to
commit regularly to once a week, but we are confident they will find
their membership and the opportunities it affords to be an increased
value this year. For women that are only able to attend once a week,
they will find the price to still be very competitive with other
private fitness programs.

At the same time, we realize that any price increase is difficult in
this economy, and we want to stress that scholarships and financial
aid will continue to be available! Our aid application for 2012 is
available on our website, as well as various discounts that you may
qualify for. This information is all found on our more details and FAQ pages. We do not want finances to be a prohibiting factor for anyone who wishes to participate. Please contact us if you need assistance and we will be happy to work something out.

Thank you! Looking forward to a great spring!