Pops (Ron, my dad, if you didn’t know) is going to be doing the 5k, but is having knee surgery this month, so its all still up in the air. Renee, mother of Michelle from season six, will also be doing the 5k.

There are tons of events going on this weekend for the marathon, half, and 5k, and spots still open to run/walk/jog/skip/whatever – so come out, and have some fun!

P.S. I’m trying to get Max to do something, so we’ll see if he shows up. He’s lost 115 pounds by the way…

Sign-up for the Biggest Loser Newsletter!

Post from: Diets in Review Blog

Biggest Losers Running Detroit Marathon

Here’s how I survived my ultra marathon:

• Carb-load - Carbs are gasoline for the body and you can’t attempt a 50K without putting gas in the tank. I had two cups of whole wheat pasta with marinara sauce and some salted steak fries the night before my run.

• Early riser breakfast – I woke at 4 a.m. for a 7 a.m. start and I noshed on a toasted plain bagel with almond butter, a banana, and water.

• Drink early and often – Always run with fluids. Water is OK if you are exercising in cool weather less than an hour, but after that I’d choose a sports beverage. I gulped on 3-4 ounces of the sports drink every 2 miles (20-22 minutes), even if I didn’t feel thirsty. The number one health risk in an ultra marathon is dehydration. You prevent it by drinking from start to finish of your races and training run.

• Eat on the run – I had my last meal at 6 a.m. and crossed the finish line at about 1:30 p.m. That’s a long time to go without any nutrition. This is one of the things that makes ultra distance trail running different than other races, you spend more time at your rest stops and you get bits of food that help you delay fatigue and stay energized. I usually go for what looks appetizing and I favor salty foods over sweet, mainly because my sports drink is so sweet that the salty foods are a happy change.

Not only that, but the longer you engage in outdoor activity and the more you sweat, the more salt you lose. It is common for a heavy sweater to lose 1,000-2,500 milligrams of sodium per hour, and up to 5,000 mg sodium in a hot environment. I had 1/2-1 cup of chicken soup or broth at miles 15, 19, 25, and 28 and I honestly think it boosted me the entire time. The salty broth made me want to keep drinking between stops. I also enjoyed a boiled potato dipped in rock salt at one point along the journey. Other items on my list included cola, pretzels, and frozen oranges. Between rest stops, I chewed on cola flavored Powerbar gummies with 50 milligrams of caffeine (which actually gives a bit of an athletic performance boost).

Non-runners might be reading this and thinking “How can this stuff be good for you? Isn’t it what you are supposed to avoid?” That’s a mistake you don’t want to make if you venture into distance running. It can be very challenging and rewarding, but people who ignore the basics of hydrating and fueling to delay fatigue are the ones who end up with cramping, heat illnesses or the dreaded DNF (did not finish).

I finished the race in 6 hours 29 minutes and placed sixth out of 30 in my age group, and while I was completely happy with those stats, I think I was most impressed with my attitude and energy at every mile. Eight years ago, I worked in information technology, weighed 165 pounds, and even though I was a former aerobics instructor and personal trainer, I was barely active and my nutrition was in the toilet. I never would have guessed that I would one day finish an ultra marathon – something less than 10% of runners (that’s people who already like to run) ever attempt. If I can do it, you can too. Start somewhere. Take one mile at a time. Believe in yourself, even if nobody else does.

Post from: Diets in Review Blog

How to Survive an Ultra Marathon

Whether your children are old enough to start joining you in your fitness routine or you even have children yet, now is the perfect time to start developing the habits in yourself that you want your children to adopt. Your child is unlikely to want to join you in activities that you do not enjoy. Your child, who sees you as a role model, is more likely to do the things you do. I rode in bike races as a child because that was what my father did.

I have a dear friend whose oldest son just finished second grade and has already completed more running events than I have. Connor has grown up watching his parents run for health and fitness, his father runs races, and his grandmother run marathons, ultramarathons, and triathalons!

His parents have not pushed him into running, and he runs in 5k races only at his own request. At the age of 7 he ran a 5k in 24 minutes! He was also recently awarded the Presidential Award for Physical Fitness. Way to go, Connor! He has discovered the joy in running because it was shown to him. His parents never insisted that he share their activities, yet he has developed a love for running simply by observing what the important adults in his life are doing. He is blessed to have had the opportunity to develop healthy habits so early.

Post from: Diets in Review Blog

7-Year-Old Runs 5Ks, Earns Presidential Award for Physical Fitness

In August I had surgery to repair a labreal tear in my hip joint from a 2006 injury. (Yes, I learned to run with that injury.) I told the surgeon and physical therapist that teaching dance is part of my income and I was going to run the mini again. Running had become an important escape for me. I probably started teaching dance before I should have and my recovery slowed. It was nearly Spring before I was allowed to start trying to run, and my training wasn’t very consistent.

Two weeks before the race I got ill, which terminated my training entirely. When I was still sick with a week to go, I told my best friend I would walk with her this year. A few days later, she had to have an appendectomy, so she’s been confined to the couch. It had been raining all week; everyone was hoping for clear skies on Saturday morning, but I had to admit that I should not walk 13.1 miles in the rain with an occasionally uncontrollable cough.

Two days before the Mini, I found another fab friend who blogs about Indy to take friend 1’s place and walk with me barring rain. As I was preparing for bed, I realized I had absolutely zero clean socks for the race, so I started laundry; I have no clue what time I got to bed, but it wasn’t early. Friend 2 was to pick me up because I had the bibs and timing devices, but she wasn’t responding by text or phone (she’d fallen back asleep), so despite everything, at ten minutes until corral call, I started walking to corral J (I live downtown and parking is ridiculous on race day). By the time I got to the starting line, I had probably already walked 5k.

If I was without anyone to talk to and starting in my earned corral, I wanted to run at least some of it. Since I was intending on running, I had not taken the time to really stretch out. My plan was to just do what I could and be satisfied, realizing that I basically had not trained at all. It did not take long for me to get into the race mindset and want to push myself. One of the first things I realized was that I was being passed more often this year than I was last year, but I reminded myself that last year I’d started at the back of the pack and this year I’d started in the middle. Last year, I used it as a challenge and let very few people pass me.

Trying to be kind to my body, I tried not to be as competitive this year. I was pleased with each mile completed and wanted more. I knew my physical therapist was not going to be pleased with me (although probably not surprised), but I wanted to push to my limit. As I approached the Indianapolis Motor Speedway right before mile 6, I determined that I would not walk on the track. As I left the track, a security guard informed us that we had 4.5 miles left and I started walking. I walked until half mile to go when a friend caught up to me. I matched her pace and challenged her to sprint the last .1 with me.

All things considered (recovery, illness, late night, weather), it was probably a little crazy for me to get out there. 13.1 miles is an accomplishment (I bow to all you full marathoners). The Mini is a fun, important event in Indianapolis. Every year registration is filled several months prior to the race. I did it. My legs ache, my hips are tight, I’m tired, and I have events scheduled ALL day. I would absolutely do it again and I plan to next year (with more training this time)!

*Although I am a therapist, licensed to diagnose, the term “insane” is only used in self-deprecating humor. It would not be good practice to self-diagnose nor do I think I would fit a diagnosis. I do however strongly advise against anyone following in my footsteps.

Post from: Diets in Review Blog

Inside the Insane Mind of an Indy Mini Participant

“I hope that America votes Mike up,” pleads his father. A similar situation occurred with husband and wife duo Heba and Ed in season six, and fans ignored their pleas to send Heba to the finale, instead voting for Ed. When asked if they fear the same situation, Ron responded “Mike’s won enough hearts that Heba didn’t.”

(Vote Now to make Ron or Mike a Biggest Loser Finalist!)

And won hearts he has. Mike’s popularity amongst women young and old, single and attached, seems to grow with each pound he sheds. He said he’s oblivious to the extra attention right now, as he’s focused on the finale, but maybe in a few months that tide will change! That’s likely as he heads back to the Michigan State University campus this fall. He said that’s when finding normalcy will finally settle in. Because of his experience on the Biggest Loser he’s returning as an athletic training major, a switch from human biology.

You’ll also find Mike running a half-marathon May 31 in Ann Arbor. He said if he runs another full marathon, he’ll do it right this time and train properly. Ron doesn’t see himself running anymore marathons, but is glad to say that he did it. They each completed a 26.2 mile course through varied California terrain in week 18. Due to separate injuries, they were both forced to walk, rather than run, the entire way. Mike’s final time was 8:58:02, which earned him $10,000 toward his choice charity, St. Jude’s. Ron cleared the finish line with a time of 13:15:48, with a lot of support from former contestants like Bernie, Michelle, Ali and even trainer Bob Harper, and gave his check to Active Faith. Toward the end he said all he could think was “just get me off this damn sand!”

Ron and Mike aren’t the only Morelli men expected to debut their new, fit bodies at the May 12 live finale. Son and younger brother Max earned his own recognition this season. He’s 17-years-old, too young to join the show, and weighs around 400 pounds. It’s been an emotional journey for Max to see the success enjoyed by his father and brother, and it’s given him the fire to win his own weight battle. Ron says Max has lost 20 pounds in just seven weeks, and reminds that is a healthy rate of weight loss for someone outside the ranch. Ron says they were hoping to “carve 100 pounds off of him by finale,” but both Bob and Jillian recommended weight loss of about two to three pounds per week.

Both Ron and Mike walked away from the Biggest Loser ranch having learned a similar lesson — If you just do the work, if you make a plan and stick to it, the weight will come off. They remind that “If you’re waiting for your Biggest Loser moment to happen, don’t wait.”

Post from: Diets in Review Blog

Interview with Biggest Loser’s Ron Morelli and Mike Morelli

One thing I’ve found over the years is that many of the folks I train with (and race against) are for the most part as devoted to their jobs (if not more) as they are to running or cycling or triathlon.

Unlike participation in say, golf or softball or basketball – no offense to club/league sports – the type of determination, discipline and emotional focus that comes with training day in, day out for extremely challenging endurance events (often by yourself) tends to bleed over into people’s 9-5’s.

Whether you’re training for a marathon, a century or the Ironman triathlon, one thing you quickly find out is that there’s no room for [nonsense] out there on the pavement. You either do the work or you’re screwed. Politics won’t get you to the finish line. It doesn’t matter who you know or how well you can work the system. When you’re out there, every weakness bubbles up to the surface and stares you in the eye.

Read the rest of this commentary at The Brand Builder Blog.

Post from: Diets in Review Blog

Runners Make Better Employees

These guys trained for months to make sure they were physically ready to endure these 26 mile races.

Bernie Salazar completed the Chicago Marathon on October 12. His time was 4 hours, 15 minutes. (See Bernie’s marathon interview).

Matt Johnson completed the Wichita Marathon on October 19. His time was 3 hours, 23 minutes.

We’re very proud of their accomplishments!

Post from: Diets in Review Blog

Fitness Experts at DietsInReview.com Run Marathons