Atlanta Activewear Style & Training Blog

Introducing...SPANX Active Collection

2011-10-21T10:01:00.000-04:00

The day has finally come where we don't have to worry about our troublesome tummies thanks to SPANX, the Atlanta based, undergarment company.

Long since her days on the first season of The Apprentice, Sara Blakely has listened to the cries of average women. She developed a product that every one of us owns and has now expanded that empire into the activewear industry. Meet, SPANX Active Collection..only the greatest thing since sliced bread. Now we can start eating carbs again!

Spanx has done a fantastic job with their new line of basics for women. Fitness shorts, 2 types of capris, a pant, and a removable wrap skirt. The compression fitness short and capri are made from the original Spanx material, the Power Pant and Capri are made from a heavier more familiar "yoga" fabric.

From Left to Right: Power Pant, Compression Short, Compression Capri, Power Capri and Wrap & Go Skirt!

The compression collection looks like traditional Spanx, with the high waist and tight feel. It can be worn as a great baselayer to hold everything together, or by itself.

The Power collection is something new all together, it's AMAZING! The collection has what I call a "tummy band" or what Sara Blakely calls the "bagel buster" that holds your middle in and allows the connected pant to lay flatter across that area.

The best part is, they don't look like Spanx, they look like activewear! Check out the collection at Atlanta Activewear, we are one of the first retailers to carry the line and it is flying off the shelves!

Atlanta Activewear Style & Training Blog by Donna Burke, Atlanta Activewear is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States License.
Based on a work at www.AtlantaActivewear.Blogspot.com.

Rock 'N' Roll Savannah: Best New Training Gear

2011-09-20T13:48:00.002-04:00

I got the official e-mail yesterday! Savannah Rock 'N' Roll Marathon & Half Marathon has been filled to capacity at 23,000 people! I know I have spoken to a lot of you and we are all headed to Savannah for November 5th!

We have started to get all out fall shipments in at Atlanta Activewear and I wanted to feature what I have been training in that I have LOVED!

Totally obsessed with the whole MPG Sport collection, but I will highlight my go to outfit.

Gamma Capri

The Gamma Capri is your essential running tight, but of course functions for everything else. Pocket on the bum, reflective taping that looks like ruffles! The material and the fit are amazing for running especially with the crazy warm to cool weather we are having in Atlanta.

Comet Tank: in stock in Cobalt, red will come later!

The Comet Tank is great. Not super tight, but not loose either. Best part? The tonal zebra print MPG has inserted. TO DIE FOR!

Aquila Longsleeve is this season's update to Ursa from previous seasons. Aquila has a cute square cutout and the reflective ruffle taping on the back and shoulders. It also has thumbholes! Lightweight enough for a warm-ish day with a breeze and to layer underneath a jacket in the fall. Tonal animal print contouring panels on the waist as well. So cute!

My final piece to complete the outfit is the matching jacket to the Gamma Capri, the Eclipse Jacket. Ruffle reflective taping for 360* reflectivity, tonal animal print contouring panels, thumbholes, zipper pockets, slightly longer for hip coverage...this jacket has everything you need! The jacket/legging combo looks really sleek, too.

Don't forget about your sweaty bands, too! Diva bands in every color...yes, I do own every color!

I think this will be my race day outfit. Talk about some motivation to get out and go running! I've started to set little goals for myself.

Run my whole long run: New top.

Run every training run in a week: New Pants.

Eat right and run: New Jacket!

It's been working so far, give it a try if you need motivation over the next 6 weeks!

Check out my new fitness fashion website: YogaInHeels.com and "Like" it on Facebook!

Atlanta Activewear Style & Training Blog by Donna Burke, Atlanta Activewear is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States License.
Based on a work at www.AtlantaActivewear.Blogspot.com.

What Fitness Means To Our In-House Blogger, Donna

2011-09-02T13:34:00.001-04:00

What Fitness Means to Me:

Yeah, there's no muscle there...but that's not what fitness is about for me.

Thanks to my mom, I found fitness at a young age and started dancing somewhere around 5. Although I liked dancing, back then I didn't LOVE dancing. I found myself at every one of my little brother's soccer games, but soccer for girls hadn't really caught on at that time, Mia Hamm was just getting started. At 12 I joined my first girls team, played one season, tried out for a competitive, travelling team and made it. What I learned after my last game, 6 years later at 18... I didn't make it on the "A" team because I was good. My long time coach put me on the team because he knew I would out work everyone. I didn't know that about myself when I started, but I sure knew it when I was finished. Turns out, I didn't make it on ANY teams because I had rock star skills...I made it because I refused to be beaten.

Fast forward another 6 years (God, I'm getting old fast) and that little girl with the big work ethic is still pounding away.

I see fitness as an extension of my personality.

I'm not the girl on the elliptical with makeup on, not sweating. I'm the girl on the treadmill, sweating like a man, music turned up and occasionally, (unknowingly) singing my way through mile 4. Yeah, I'm that girl and I'm proud of it. I'm there, pushing past limits no matter how tired I am or how bad my un-diagnosed, sports induced asthma is. Fitness showed me that I have no limits. Fitness made me, and continues to make me, who I am.

Something I stumbled upon during my fitness journey, a mantra of sorts:

"Never give up when you still have something left to give. Nothing's ever over until the moment you stop trying."

I hope people can still see what my soccer coaches once saw. I hope I always have fitness to keep me finding new limits to break and showing me that nothing is impossible.

xox
Donna

To Wet Your Yogitoes or Not To Wet Your Yogitoes?

2011-08-26T15:49:00.002-04:00

I have been hitting Atlanta Hot Yoga for Todd's West Coast Flow class once or twice a week. I'm really trying to get to yoga so I can train longer and harder for the Savannah Rock and Roll 13.1.

Let's preface this blog with a definition:

Yogitoes (yo-ghee-tows): The original towel that is moisture wicking, quick drying, with small silicone nubs on one side to prevent skidding on a surface. Come in two sizes, full size for yoga mats and hand size for gym towel. Many are brightly colored, popular with women, but basic colors can be found. All can be purchased at Atlanta Activewear. Most used in yoga or pilates classes.

Yogitoes are a god-send, they work. No doubt about it. If you don't have one, get one.

But as much as I can't live without my yogitoes, I always started class out a little slippier than when I finish and I couldn't figure out why. Then one day I saw a girl pour her water on the top and bottom of her yogitoes. My initial reaction, "What is that girl doing? Such a waste of her precious water!" As I finished my class that day and picked up my soaking wet yogitoes, I realized that my yogitoes works slightly better when it is damp. The crazy girl was a genius! Then I forgot about my discovery.

Until last Sunday in class.. I arrived, placed my yogitoes down, knocked over my open water and soaked the top of my yogitoes. I cursed myself for wasting 1/4 of my water, but then remembered the crazy girl from a few months ago and proceeded to pour some water on the back of my yogitoes as well. I will say I got the "What in the world are you doing?" look...

The verdict? It works! (For me at least) My hands and feet were more anchored on my mat during the entire class! I didn't slide out of my downdog and didn't feel like I was going to injure myself during warrior 2. The crazy girl really was a genius and I will be wetting my yogitoes from now on but not using my drinking water. (I don't wet the whole thing, just the portion where my hands and feet go)

You learn something new everyday! Try it out this Sunday at Todd's West Coast Flow class at Atlanta Hot Yoga! We get a group together and leave from Atlanta Activewear at 6pm every Sunday, class starts at 6:30! Join us for some jokes with Todd, a little Happy Baby and some margaritas at Noche VaHi after class!

xox

Donna

10 Workout Rules To Live By

2011-08-17T12:19:00.000-04:00

It's been a while since I last posted! I apologize. Life just seems to get crazier and fitting workouts into my schedule has taken over my blogging time, not that I couldn't blog in front of the TV at night, but I digress.

Over the past 3 weeks I have been trying to hit the gym or yoga at Atlanta Hot Yoga 3-4 times a week, plus my training schedule for the Savannah Half Marathon. Let's just say I've been a busy girl, but after hitting the gym and the studio after a long hiatus I've realized that there are some things that have changed. I've decided to put together the list of the 10 Cardinal Rules of Working Out. If I'm wrong, let me know.

10 Cardinal Rules of Working Out

1. A little sweat never hurt anybody, A LOT of sweat needs to be cleaned: I am a self proclaimed sweater...I don't glisten. We all sweat, it's nothing to be embarrassed about, but if you are a sweater, like myself, PLEASE bring a towel with you to lay on and wipe down any machines you may leave a sweaty back print on with the disinfectant, the towel doesn't remove the germs. It's not just gross, it's extremely unsanitary and can cause staph infections and ring worm outbreaks.

2. Running is like traffic. Slow on the right, fast on the left: As you all know from my GA Marathon blog series, I run like a tortoise, very slowly. I always keep to the right side of the sidewalk allowing a passing lane for those VaHi elite runners, or anyone running faster than a 11 minute mile. Please, other slow runners/walkers, do NOT run in the middle of the sidewalk, you're iPod is too loud for you to hear "Excuse Me" and I can't get past you without getting an elbow to the chest.

3. Yoga is for centering, not for chattering: I am by no means a yogi, I can barely touch my toes, but when I go to yoga I show respect to the practitioners and reverence to the yoga practice. It is not a place to talk about your date last night or turning 30 last weekend. If you must talk, talk quietly about something important, or take it to the waiting room.

4. "Don't estomp your last season Prada shoes at me, honey" (said in a Latin accent, line from Legally Blond): What I mean...Don't hover over me while I am using a machine just because you want to use it. Please notice the 200 other free machines you can use while you are waiting for me to finish my 3 sets of 10. Continue to stand there and I may just have to do a 4th set of 25. But seriously, I understand we all have routines, but if someone is on the machine or bench you would like to use, just move onto your next option and come back to it. Switching things up is better for your body anyway.

5. The mirrors are to check out your form, not yourself (or others): This goes for yoga studios, dance classes, gyms, Crossfit...everything. Please do not hog the mirror space to fix your hair, flex your biceps or just stare at me as I do lunges or down dog (I have eyes you know). The mirrors are strategically placed in places where people NEED to check their form. Poor form can cause someone to really hurt themselves.

6. If you are screaming, the weights are too heavy: Not only is this startling, it is also unnerving. I like the gym, I am a bit of a gym rat, so the grunting does not bother me. The screaming, on the other hand, does. If it is taking that much effort to move the weight, I can promise you that (1) you are not going to lift it correctly once you do move it and (2) you need to lower your weight and move up to the point where you can lift it with just a grunt.

7. Please use your organization skills: We all learned in kindergarten how to line things up neatly, so let's use these things in yoga, pilates and dance classes. Please do not set up your mat in a way that takes up enough room for 4 students, and if you have done this, don't shoot the stink eye when someone asks you to scoot over. I understand the need for personal space, but 1 foot on either side is sufficient.

8. This is not a marathon, please drink your water nicely and quietly: You can tell where people work out by the way they drink their water. Outdoor runners and cyclists use their water bottles as a water gun, spraying it into their mouths. GREAT for outdoor running/cycling, NOT great for yoga class. Please put the nozzle in your mouth. Also, if you are going to pour water on yourself at the gym or in yoga, please pour it lightly on your neck and wrists. Don't dump it over your head or onto your chest, this creates a dripping sound for the next 5 minutes and soaks your mat causing that awful wet carpet sound every time you move.

9. Slightly late is OK, mosey-ing in half way through is not: We have all had those moments where we are 5-10 minutes late for a group class, you run in panicked, grab the closest spin bike and get stuck in. TOTALLY FINE! But the chronically late, "save my bike", push-to-the-front-of-the-class-with-my-entire-gym-bag person deserves to be locked out, or have water bottles thrown at them. Conveniently, this person always arrives at least 25 minutes late, at the time where the workout is killing you and you don't need a distraction. What am I asking? If you are more than 15 minutes late, wait for the next class. If you are always late, get it together.

10. Keep Your Judgements To Yourself: It's hard enough to make it to the gym, but it's even harder when people look at you as if you don't belong there. The gym, yoga studio, crossfit box, pilates class, spin room, etc. should be no judgement zones. Next time you think about giving someone a mean look remember that you are there because you aren't perfect, decide to give them a high five or a thumbs up instead. Seriously, we all made it to our workout that day, that deserves some celebration!

So, there are my rules. Have any to add? Think I am crazy? Comment below or on the Facebook wall! Or shoot me a tweet at @YogaInHeels!

xox Donna

Atlanta Activewear hits the XGames

2011-08-04T11:01:00.000-04:00

If you thought we were JUST for yoga, boy were you wrong! Atlanta Activewear athlete, Joseph Burke, represented us in fine fashion at the Summer XGames XVII July 29-31 in the Rally Car and Rally Cross division.

Atlanta Activewear car before Joseph's interview on the LA Morning Show featured below.

17th Summer X Games take over LA Live in downtown | abc7.com

Joseph is a graduate of St. Pius X Catholic High School in Atlanta, where he captained the State Champion soccer team in 2009, and currently is a student at Auburn University studying Mechanical Engineering. He is a native of Atlanta and has been racing since he turned 17. Joseph became the youngest driver to win a rally at age 18 and in 2010, won Rookie of the Year, a title held by professional drivers Travis Pastrana and Ken Block.

Mishimoto autograph signing at the Bo Bridges' tent and sporting Under Armour from Atlanta Activewear.

I was lucky enough to be able to follow Joseph in Los Angeles during his Rookie XGames appearance and every time the car lined up, my heart was in my throat. Joseph is considered a privateer, running the races in a car less powerful than the factory cars sponsored by Ford, Subaru, Monster Energy and Red Bull, but he still managed to qualify 4th fastest during the Rally Car division on Saturday only .4 seconds behind the leader. Joseph pushed hard that day to finish 5th overall, being placed in his final race with Liam Doran, who would take the XGames Rally Car gold medal that day.

Practice laps on Saturday. This was my view from the Best Buy Racing lounge on top of Icon.

Sunday in the RallyCross division, Joseph would race like a true champion and give Travis Pastrana a run for his money jumping off the start line and into the lead, but mechanical issues allowed Travis to take the round. Joseph placed in the Top 10 during Sunday's race, another fine finish for the Atlanta Activewear athlete. He showed true heart, determination and love for his sport throughout the entire weekend and his fans worldwide showed support via Facebook and Twitter posts.

Here are some of my favorite Fan posts:

"Working at a concert in the rain here in Marlay Park Dublin and sneakily glued to twitter for xgames news-rooting for @JosephBurke" -@MartinBrady44 via Twitter

"@JosephBurke War Eagle from another AU racecar driver!" - @ZachWeaver66 via Twitter

"ESPN commentators said @JosephBurke drove the best he ever has today! They were definitely #teamjoseph :o)" - @Lil_Ms_Lovely via Twitter

"Give the flock of Fiestas a run for their money!! Good luck and have fun!!!" - Seth Sands via Facebook

"Looking forward to the car running as good as it looks!" - Mark Williams via Facebook

What a great weekend and fantastic result at his first showing at XGames. Keep an eye on him next season and Fan him on Facebook or Follow him on Twitter.

xox

Donna

Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Miami Swim Show

2011-07-25T16:54:00.000-04:00

If there's one thing that will inspire you to work out, it's the Miami Fashion Week Fashion Shows and of course the Miami pool scene.

While most people go to Miami for the crazy parties, we went to work and find the latest and greatest in swimwear for all of you!

Check out some of the photos from the Beach Bunny Fashion Show!

Victoria Secret Model Kate Upton was the belle of the ball. She looked unbelievable!

A full sequin bikini....I die.

Red, White and Blue is a huge trend for next year!

Lingerie inspired swimsuits are really taking charge for the spring. Ladies, get ready for underwire swim tops and lots of lace and animal print! Sexy, sexy, sexy!

Close up of Kate in the sequin bikini. It also comes in a monokini!

Some trends we are seeing for Spring Swim:

Lingerie: Every collection has lingerie inspired swimsuits. Not for everyone, but we are loving them.
Animal Prints: If you aren't a fan a leopard, we suggest you become one!
Smaller bottoms: Gone are the days of the mommy bottoms. Lunges and squats are our new best friends.
Monokinis and Bandinis: Monokinis (the non-mommy one piece) and Bandinis (Bandeau one pieces). All the rage. I am obsessed.
Shimmered fabrics: Fabrics that have a shimmered fiber. MPG has done this for 2 years, everyone is FINALLY catching on.
Removable cups: It used to be all or nothing, they are finally seeing the light.
Underwire: Tops with underwire to give the girls some shape.
Cup Size Specific Brands: YAY! You larger chested ladies will have so much fun next spring!
Brighter Brights: The colors are more saturated and brighter than ever
Adjustability: Everything is adjustable from tops to bottoms. Best idea EVER.

Here's a sneak peak of a new brand we are looking at, A.Che, live from the front row of their fashion show!

Leopard, leopard and more leopard.

The paparazzi!

Monokini!

Purple is huge for spring!

Couldn't give away every little detail, you still need to be surprised come spring! Just know that they are AMAZING!!

It was all work and a tiny bit of play for us in Miami, but work couldn't be more fun.

Did you guys check out the Video Blog I did last week for Fashion Friday? If not, you are seriously missing out on a BIG deal, literally. Check it out:

Awkward moment for YouTube to choose to pause me..oh well! Enjoy!

xox Donna

How to Beat The Heat: Peachtree Road Race Edition

2011-06-30T11:10:00.000-04:00

I walked the Peachtree with my mom, my aunt and my sister last year and BOY, was it HOT!

Emma and I in our Atlanta Activewear gear

Here are 10 Ways to Beat the Heat at the Peachtree:

Wear moisture wicking, quick drying clothes. Moisture wicking clothes are designed to allow your body to continuously produce sweat. Sweating is how our bodies cool down and if the fabrics are constantly "wicking" the moisture from our skin, it is allowing us to cool down at a faster rate.
Be hydrated before the race. It's not enough to drink water after you start to run, being sufficiently hydrated in the days before the race will allow your body to rely on it's water stores.
Do NOT wear pants or long sleeves. Last year, I was in one of the final corrals, it was already 85 degrees at 8:30am. I wore a tank and some fitness shorts and was still hot! Don't like shorts, wear capris. Don't like tanks, wear a t-shirt. Overheating is a HUGE problem at this race. I'd prefer not to see our clients with EMS. (Unless you are trying to get a date..)
Wear Sunscreen. Getting sunburned doesn't just stink, it also causes your skin to be a little hotter and keep a heat shield around you. Don't torture yourself, wear the highest factor sunscreen you can.
If you wear a hat, wear a BREATHABLE one. Heat escapes through our head fastest, and wearing a regular baseball cap is going to trap the heat. Try a mesh cap or a Brooks running cap to make sure that the heat is being released and not trapped inside.
Use all the water stations. You may not feel like you need water, but in 100 degree heat you absolutely do. I'd suggest alternating water and Powerade at every other station in order to replace the nutrients you are losing.
If you feel yourself overheating, slow down and walk. Grab some water and pour it on the insides of your wrists and the back of your neck. I always use the wrist trick when I start to get overheated, the blood/veins run very close to your skin here and it cools you down immediately. You will feel yourself begin to cool down.
Take advantage of the fire hoses and hydrants spraying. Although you may not want to ruin your hair, I can promise you you don't look too hot anyways. Get soaked and keep running, if you are wearing your Atlanta Activewear gear you'll dry off in 5 minutes. Also, take advantage of the Pastor with holy water just past West Wesley....get a blessing and a cool down. HAHA
Grab a popsicle from a stranger. People along the route have popsicles for the runners/walkers as a cool down treat. I know, I know, my mother always said never take candy from strangers, BUT make sure it is still closed or they cut the top in front of you. Also, watch for popsicles being thrown from balconies in Midtown, always a refreshing whack on the head.
After the race, GRAB AN ICE COLD BEER! Not even kidding, this isn't me giving myself an excuse for a beer. Research has shown that beer contains all the nutrients that we lose when we exercise and that it gets absorbed into your system faster. (Meet you at Moes & Joes?) I would say stop at one immediately after the race because more than that will get you very drunk, very quickly. So have a beer, take a shower, have some lunch and then go party!

I'll blog about some post race techniques I use later in the week, to be honest, the beer one is my favorite.

If you see me huffing and puffing at the race, feel free to pull over and say hey! I hope I can finish early enough to not get an XLarge t-shirt...

xox

Donna

From the Peachtree to a 4th Party!

2011-06-25T16:13:00.000-04:00

We've got so much for you to wear!

Everyone always wants to wear Red, White, and Blue to the Peachtree, but you always want to avoid looking like this...

Oh, Ke$ha. Two words: Train wreck.

Anyways, in order for you to celebrate to the fullest and always look your best, here are a few looks I pulled together for the race, the pool and the after-party.

Zobha Essential Jacket, RESE Perry Tank and Zobha Straight Leg Capri in Navy. This is actually MY go to outfit for running.

Zobha Skort with Grace V in Navy with Pinstripe (classic American) and White RESE Andrea Jacket. Run the race in this and then hit any party, you will be the talk of the town!

Great look for a pool party. Zobha Greta Tank and Tonic Platform pant. These pants are great as a swim cover up, too. I'm obsessed with them.

Zobha Lizzie Tank with RESE Amy Skort. Great for the race and anything afterwards.

So there are some ideas for the 4th of July! Hope you enjoyed them! Don't forget to check out my new fashion column on AtlantaYogaScene.com and follow me on my new twitter @YogaInHeels!

Music Monday: My Latest Downloads

2011-06-20T12:29:00.000-04:00

DJ Donna in the house!

and by DJ I mean 'Download Junkie"

Lately I have been struggling with my training, well to be honest, my training has been non-existent.

The Peachtree Road Race is in exactly 2 weeks and my lazy bum has yet to put on my running shoes! I decided to remedy this with my trusty motivation plan.

1. Buy new running shoes

2. Make an AWESOME playlist.

So, What albums have I downloaded recently?

Born this Way by Lady Gaga
Science & Faith by The Script
Who You Are by Jessie J
Hands All Over by Maroon 5
Brothers by The Black Keys
LOVE? by Jennifer Lopez
Hot Sauce Committee Part 2 by The Beastie Boys
Lovestrong. by Christina Perri
Two by Lenka
Femme Fatale by Britney Spears
21 by Adele

Singles I've Downloaded Recently:

Automatic by Aubrey O'Day
She Owns the Night by Far East Movement & Mohombi
Girls on the Dance Floor by Far East Movement
Need You Tonight by INXS
Just a Kiss by Lady Antebellum
Where Them Girls At (feat Nicki Minaj & Flo Rida)
Supar Bass by Nicki Minaj
Give Me Everything by Pitbull (feat Ne-Yo)
Dirty Dancer w/Usher by Enrique Inglesias
The Story of Us by Taylor Swift
You & Tequila by Kenny Chesney
Break My Bank by New Boyz
Better With The Lights Off by New Boyz
Everyday (Coolin') by Swizz Beats feat Eve
Papi by Jennifer Lopez
Stereo Love by Edward Maya

I spend entirely too much money on iTunes, as these songs and albums were all purchased in the last 30 days.

Running Playlist, Work In Progress, but so far:

Automatic by Aubrey O'Day
Bass Down Low feat The Cataracs
She Owns The Night by far East movement
Girls on the Dance Floor by Far East Movement
Need You Tonight by INXS
Just a Kiss by Lady Antebellum (has a good underbeat)
I'm Not The One by 3OH!3
Walk Away feat B.O.B by The Script
Rainbow by Jessie J
Abracadabra by Jessie J
Where Them Girls At feat Nicki Minaj
Supar Bass by Nicki Minaj
Just A Feeling by Maroon 5
Give Me Everything by Pitbull
Dirty Dancer with Usher
The Edge of Glory by Lady Gaga
Gasoline by Britney Spears

There you have it, my dance mixed, country, techno pop running mix. As long as it has a good beat, I'm downloading it.

Any songs, albums or artists I'm missing? Let me know, I'm a music hoarder.

xox

Donna

It's Not JUST Activewear...

2011-06-16T11:37:00.000-04:00

It's EVERYDAY wear.

Danielle and I get asked the same question all the time, "WHERE did you get that?". The funny part, it's always the same answer, "Atlanta Activewear".

I will admit that sometimes we can be glamazons, we love a good 6 inch designer heel and some fake lashes. But since the opening of Atlanta Activewear 2 years ago, we have stowed away our sequin mini dresses and rhinestoned heels and have become known as "The Queens of Spandex". (You think I'm joking, just ask the Noche Virginia Highland staff).

What am I getting at?

Your Atlanta Activewear gear is not just for working out. It's for brunch, lunch, dinner, shopping, date night and the gym. It's for life in general.

I swear on my life, I wear AT LEAST one piece of Atlanta Activewear everyday. I even wear it to my 9-5 office job and out with my friends. Currently sporting my Zobha full length leggings and a dress with some flats and sitting in my office.

Don't believe me?

I raided my Facebook for pictures of me in Atlanta Activewear gear all over Atlanta.

Most recent to some oldies.

Myself and Alec, my best friend, at the Az Izz show at Peachtree Tavern last night. If you haven't seen Az Izz, they are a local band, and they are pretty awesome.

Wearing: Heather Reversible Oversized Parachute Top with Karen Millen jeans and Cynthia Vincent flats. This top is great. It's assymetrical, shorter on one side than the other. I wore the high neck side forward last night and kept the zipper in the back, but it's super cute to wear the zipper in the front to get a sexier look!

Alec is wearing her Zobha straight leg leggings with her cute little tunic!

Andreea, Myself and Emma at Draft on Taft, a beer fest that supports Bert's Big Adventure.

Wearing: RESE Erin Tank. What you can't see? I'm wearing Ralph Lauren seersucker shorts with 6" tan wedges, I also threw on my Jigsaw tan leather jacket later than evening when it got cold-ish. My outfit was fantastic and comfortable.

McQueen Exhibit in NYC at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Wearing: Bordeaux Seamless S Tank from Atlanta Activewear with a circle scarf by HighStreet (AA Fall 2010). Paired with a Silk Chiffon cropped jacket by Karen Millen, Karen Millen Jean/Jeggings in Black, a Karen Millen white studded clutch and Nike fashion sneakers. Channeling my inner NYC with all the black.

Joseph, myself and Danielle at Noche Virginia Highland

Wearing: Satin Stripe Baseball Tee by Heather and Express denim with my white Karen Millen Clutch.

Danielle is in her MPG Sonic Quarter Zip.

Disney Princess Half Marathon Expo

Wearing: Blue American Apparel Tank Dress, ROGIANI leggings and Anthropologie Over The Knee Boots.

Behind me, my mother is wearing the Zobha Grace V Dress and ROGIANI Full Length Leggings with Christian Louboutin flats.

Spring Break Destin, FL 2010

Behind the GIANT margarita...the Green Dragon tie dye maxi dress from Spring 2010 at Atlanta Activewear worn with my Jigsaw leather jacket.

Disney 2010, before the Disney Princess 13.1 2010

Erin, myself and Sarah. ALL sporting some Atlanta Activewear.

Erin wore the Zobha full length leggings. I was wearing MPG Sonic quarter zip and MPG Hitch Skegging and my Anthropologie riding boots. Sarah was wearing the MPG Nova pant in black.

I don't take many pictures, but I am going to start taking photos of everyone I see in Atlanta Activewear gear. I think that would make for a fun blog! There is officially Atlanta Activewear paparazzi in VaHi!

So there you have it, take your Atlanta Activewear gear out of your workout drawer and hang it up in your closet, I bet it goes with everything in there. Can't figure it out? Call us! We would love to help you out!

Coast to Coast tonight at West Coast Workout Buckhead! The Atlanta Activewear entourage will be there!

Starts at 6pm, join us and wear all your fave Atlanta Activewear gear!

xox

Donna

Happy Thors' Day: How To Get Abs Like THOR!

2011-06-09T16:12:00.000-04:00

If you haven't seen Thor, I would suggest it purely for the man candy/motivation to workout.

Hubbadah. Hubbadah. Hubbadah. Woah.

I digress, BUT it is officially summer, the season of barely there clothing. We spent winter packing on our winter weight, spring getting it off and now it's time to chisel in those abs-of-steel. Here are 10 ab exercises that I have found to be the best way to get a flat stomach!

Top Ten Ab Workouts:

Click on Purple Titles for Video Demonstrations

The Plank: Work up to holding for 45 seconds - 1 minute (Targets back, abs and obliques)
The Bicycle: Work up to 50 on each side (Targets obliques)
Scissor Kicks: 30 total(Targets Lower abs)
Ab Ball Sit-Ups: Shoot for 100(Targets superficial ab muscles)
V Sit: 25, rest, 25(Targets all ab muscles)
Medicine Ball Twist: 40 total (20 touches on each side) (Targets obliques)
Partner Throw Downs/Leg Drops: 25, rest, 25(Targets interior ab muscles)
Ab Ball Plank with Mountain Climbers: 1 minute (Core blaster)
1-2-3 Sit-Ups (3 up, 1 down): 20 total (Targets superficial ab muscles)
Jack Knife Sit-Ups: 25 total (Targets all of core)

Soon we will all have abs like Jillian Michaels:

Goal for the summer, be able to multi-task and get a tan while I run. I am officially training for the Savannah Rock & Roll Half Marathon (yay?). Look for me and my six pack running around Virginia Highland in just shorts and a sports bra. That's the goal, anyways...

Want to run a Rock & Roll Race?
Check out these promocodes for a discount:
11RNRMG $10 off
ANCIENTCITY $10 off (what in the world?)

Come say hi this weekend at the store!

xox

Donna

In the Kitchen with Chef Donna

2011-06-07T17:10:00.000-04:00

Turns out I am quite the Julia Child and I can cook up a storm if I feel like it. For Easter, I made turkey breasts stuffed with stuffing, along with mashed potatoes, baked okra, carrots, asparagus, gravy and a strawberry rhubarb crumble. This past weekend, a deconstructed lasagna.

With that said, I have decided to add some healthy recipes to the blog because, although we love to eat Noche, the girls at Atlanta Activewear like to eat a home cooked meal. It's hard to constantly cook at home when you work the amount of hours we do and then hit the gym at 7:15 or later, so to be honest, most of the time I take a leaf out of Sandra Lee's book and go "semi-homemade".

Her show kills me, but I love that she always adds a cocktail.

Once, she took a perfectly good Publix apple pie, dumped it into a bowl, mashed it up and called it apple crumble. I almost died.

Here's the secret to healthy

semi-homemade cooking:

IF YOU WANT IT TO ACTUALLY BE HEALTHY,

READ THE LABEL BEFORE YOU BUY IT!

So, what do you look for on the label:

Start with the nutritional chart, check the sodium and sugar levels. They should both be close to nothing. Next, check the list of ingredients. Stay away from words you saw in your high school chemistry book, such as fructose, sucrose, monoglyceride, aluminosilicate, etc. Of course most products will have some sort of preservative in them because they have to be stored, but the closer they are to the end of the list, the better. You want things from the garden listed first: Organic tomatoes, organic onions, sea salt, parsley, garlic, EVOO, oregano, black pepper, etc.

Side note/pet peeve: JUST BECAUSE THE SUGAR SAYS ZERO DOESN'T MEAN THERE ISN'T SUGAR OR SUGAR SUBSTITUTES IN IT! This is something I never understand. People complain about sugar, but at least your body is capable of breaking sugar down. Our bodies are not made to break down Aspertame or Sucralose, in my (humble) opinion, these ingredients are worse for us than sugar because our body stores them and can not break them down. The most natural of sugar substitutes is Stevia, a plant extract, if it is between stevia and something else, choose stevia. Sorry, end of rant.

As of January 2011, the American Heart Association LOWERED the recommended daily intake of sodium to 1500mg for an average person. The recommended daily sugar intake for women is 20g (5 teaspoons) and 36 grams (9 teaspoons) for men. A SINGLE can of coke has 39g of sugar. Today alone I, personally, have QUADRUPLED my daily sugar intake by drinking 2 cans of coke. Oh. My. God.

Just thinking about sucking on all those sugar cubes is putting me in a sugar coma. Wow.

As many of you who encountered me last summer know, I participated in a challenge at BTB Fitness called the Paleo Challenge where we "ate clean" for 45 days. This challenge opened my eyes to the fact that not everything is created equal, which I knew, I just ignored it. Spending an extra 5 minutes in a section can help you determine which "semi-homemade" option is best.

Here is a recipe for my personal Semi-Homemade Putaneska sauce:

And don't judge on my measuring terms, just act like Emeril and judge with your eyes. Also, I cook everything in a wok, it cooks everything really easily and is great for sauces because it's so deep.

Heat your pan.

Add a 2 second pour of EVOO.

Add 1tsp of garlic, minced.

Add 1 medium onion, roughly chopped.

Pinch of salt and pepper.

2 pinches of red chili flakes

Add 1 lb lean ground beef or mild Italian sausage. Cook through but not browned.

Add a few shakes of Italian seasoning, or fresh herbs (basil, bay leaf, oregano)

Add red, green and yellow bell peppers. 1/2 of each, cut into small pieces.

Let these simmer until onions are transparent, peppers have softened and meat is cooked.

Add pitted, chopped black olives.

Add one jar of HEALTHY marinara sauce (check labels!)

This should take about 15-20 minutes overall. Cook pasta or add extra veggies for a more hearty meal. I add broccoli and artichoke hearts if I don't feel like pasta. It's really good, I promise.

Hope you like the new addition of recipes to the blog, next week Italian Sausage and Spinach Meatloaf. (Don't tell Tom, but it's better than the one on Murphy's menu which inspired me to make it!)

xox

Donna

NATIONAL RUNNING DAY!

2011-06-01T12:59:00.000-04:00

HAPPY NATIONAL RUNNER'S DAY!

I may not love to run, but running is a great sport. I have so much respect for anyone who is a good runner, actually, for anyone who runs on a regular basis.

What is National Running Day?

National Running Day, held annually on the first Wednesday in June, is a day when runners everywhere declare their passion for running. Wherever we are and whomever we’re with, we run—fast or slow, alone or with others, all over town or just around the block. It is a coast-to-coast celebration of a sport and activity that’s simple, inexpensive, and fun. It’s the perfect way for longtime runners to reaffirm their love of running and for beginners to kick off a lifetime and life-changing commitment (From RunningDay.org)

Who Participates in this running Holiday?

Every man, woman and child who runs! It's a way for the running community to gather and share their passion.

The perks of the day:

Discounts on US Sports Races!

Like Miami, Georgia, Jersey, Sarasota, LA, Dallas, etc.

Use Promocode SAVEUSRS for $10 off your entry TODAY ONLY

20% off all Brooks Running Apparel at Atlanta Activewear today!

Rock & Roll Series Races are giving HUGE discounts!

SAVE $26 on any Marathon*
SAVE $13 on any Half Marathon*
SAVE $10 on any 10K
SAVE $5 on any 5K

BONUS OFFERS

Everyone who registers for any Rock ‘n’ Roll event on June 1 will also receive the following:

5 FREE music downloads**

Free shipping on all merchandise purchased on the web store

What an awesome deal! If you are thinking about running any races this year or next, SIGN UP TODAY! These races get pricey. Save yourself some cash!

To all runners out there, keep up the miles! Log them on the Competitor.com Mileage Reel, they are trying to reach 500,000 miles today!

To all fair-weathered runners, like me, get up and go for a run today. There's no better excuse than National Runner's Day, and hey, why not give a high-five to a few people you pass along the way!

Yeah, that's me...I wish.

xox

Donna

Atlanta Activewear Style & Training Blog by Donna Burke, Atlanta Activewear is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States License.

Based on a work at www.AtlantaActivewear.Blogspot.com.

Product Review: Sweaty Bands

2011-05-27T16:29:00.000-04:00

The bangs are back, baby!

Before and After

So are awkward hair days and awkward workout hair.

Dilemma:
How to look cute, pull my bangs back and get all the "under-bangs" bangs that stick up

We've been selling Sweaty Bands for a while now at Atlanta Activewear, and while I have worn them as fashion headbands, I had yet to workout in them because I had nothing to pull back.

Let's start my story from the beginning:
Saturday: Hair Cut at Joseph & Friends, re-introducing Donna with bangs
Monday: Workout at Valeo Club, Valeo1000
Problem: forgot I had bangs, forgot bobby pins, headbands, etc. Looked like Alfalfa. Foolish me.

Tuesday: Soccer game
Problem: Used bobby pins...couldn't get the "under-bangs" bangs, the little guys.

Wednesday: Valeo Club, Valeo1000
SOLUTION: Medium sized Sweaty Band. Praise Jesus!

Thursday: Valeo Club, Valeo1000 (Obsessed much? yeah!)
Solution: Wore a Diva Band by Sweaty Bands. Lavendar, glittery goodness.
I love me some sparkle!

So here is a typical Sweaty Band conversation at Atlanta Activewear:

Customer: "These are cute, what are they?"
Me: "Sweaty Bands...headbands. They are awesome."
Customer: "Oh really? I really want to wear head bands but they never stay on my head. I think I have a weird shaped head or something..."
Me: "Oh, well these are the only ones that actually stay on."
Customer: "SERIOUSLY?!?"
Me: "Yeah...I totally joined the Sweaty Band cult. I swear to you, they work."
Customer: "Are you serious?"
Me: "Yeah, they really work."
Customer: "OK! I'll take 5! They are just so cute, look at the glitter ones!"
Me: "I bet your headphones fall out, too...You should try Yurbuds."

2 days later...
Customer: So, I bought some Sweaty Bands here this weekend...and I need to get another one for me, and a couple for my friends.
Me: Told you you would join the Sweaty Band cult....
Customer: HAHA! I KNOW! You were right about those Yurbuds, too...
Me: I know. The most amazing inventions of my life.
End Scene.

Problem Solving at its finest at Atlanta Activewear. Ladies...ask about DIMRS, too.

Why Sweaty Bands Work:

Different thicknesses for different hair styles. The thinner ones work best for people with fly aways and bangs. The thicker ones are great for girls with bobs.
The velvet underneath catches but doesn't pull. (We all had our favorite velvet scrunchie back in the day...UPDATE!)
The circumference of the band is perfect
The elastic has just the right tension

What I don't like about Sweaty Bands:

I need more colors of Diva Bands...a girl has ALWAYS got to sparkle. Maybe add some bedazzled ones to the collection?
I hate getting them on, maybe there could be a way to undo it, put it on and then snap it closed? I feel like I always am scraping my face, but that is every headband.
That's it really....they really don't fall off.

I hope this helps everyone who has had the awkward workout bangs...or awkward workout hair in general. Invest in a Sweaty Band...you won't find a better one out there.

Happy Memorial Day weekend everyone! Stop by Atlanta Activewear and say hello!

xox

Donna

Valeo 1000! Dance Fitness!

2011-05-24T14:10:00.000-04:00

So you think you can dance?
Yeah, me too, but as I watched my awkwardness in the mirror the other day I realized...maybe I can't!

I might have had an Elaine moment...

Enter, Valeo Club in Buckhead.

Best workout I've had in years! Most fun workout I've had in my life.
Exactly what I have been looking for.

Valeo Club opened in November 2010 and I am sad I didn't find it sooner. Thank God for the Groupon last week or else I may never have realized what I was missing.

Founder and Owner, Asiya Khasnutdinova, knows her stuff and is willing to kick your butt into shape. She competed professionally for 15 years in Russia becoming a champion and landed in the top 50 girls on the hit TV Show, "So You Think You Can Dance?".

Her story is similar to that of Danielle at Atlanta Activewear: she left her job in corporate America to follow her passion and her dream. She opened Valeo Club to inspire Atlanta to get in shape while learning to dance.

What I LOVE about Valeo Club:

Asiya is amazing. So nice, so welcoming, so excited!
I burn 1000 calories in 1 hour! 6-pack summer here I come!
There is no judgement. If you can't do it, just laugh and move on!
It's a total girly girl workout, jingling hip scarves and hula hoops!
Great class times in the evenings.
Ab work, butt work, leg work, arm work, she hits everything!
Complimentary water and towels every class
Her playlists rock! (This is the make it or break it thing for me at all gyms)

Asiya has thought of everything. She uses resistance bands, weighted hula hoops, ab balls, hip scarves, salsa, latin, samba, hip hop, belly dancing, weights and more!

Check out the Schedule, Prices and About Asiya and her family!

Follow Valeo on Facebook

Or Twitter @ValeoClub

Want to join me? E-mail me @ Donna.Burke@AtlantaActivewear.com
Or Follow me on Twitter @DonnaMBurke
Your first class is always complimentary! YAY!

Booking my membership today, hoping to make it 3-4 times a week.

xox

Donna

Why We Love: Atlanta Yoga Scene

2011-05-18T17:06:00.000-04:00

Other than the fact that Leah, the owner and founder, is phenomenal?

Atlanta Yoga Scene is a blog, a master schedule, a place for events, and a directory. It is ALL THINGS YOGA!

Started in December 2010, Atlanta Yoga Scene has quickly become THE place for yogis in Atlanta to find everything they need. From new studio openings to old school vs new school yoga, Leah has all aspects of yoga in the ATL covered.

Did you know there are 17 yoga events going on in the Atlanta Area during the last 3 weeks in May?

I didn't, but Atlanta Yoga Scene did!

There are also 94 CLASSES! to be taken after 4:30pm on a Wednesday in Atlanta.

Can't think of any excuses not to go to yoga now...

I wouldn't call myself a yogi, but I would call myself a casual yoga goer who desperately wants to be able to do a full wheel or a headstand. Sadly, my practice is not there, but after seeing there are so many classes tonight, I will be hitting the 7:30pm Hot class with Jason at Atlanta Hot Yoga. (I need all the extra help I can get and the heat helps a lot!) Why there? It's 4 miles from my house, 7:30 is a great time and Jason's class is awesome. Convenience pointed out to me by Atlanta Yoga Scene. Thank you, Leah.

This website is for everyone, students and teachers alike. It is a way for students to find out what teachers are teaching in Atlanta, and for teachers to find out what students in Atlanta truly want out of their yoga practice.

Hey Leah, do you know what I want? A full class of Savasana...can we get a movement started for this? a studio willing to have an hour of Savasana? 6:30-7:30, a wind down after work? Preferably in a hot room? C'mon, you know you want it, too.

So here's how to follow Leah & Atlanta Yoga Scene:

@ATLYogaScene on Twitter

Atlanta Yoga Scene on Facebook

www.ATLYogaScene.com

Also, sign up for her e-mail blasts! Special Yoga deals and always a yoga joke!

And if you don't follow us already (shame on you),

Here's how to follow Atlanta Activewear:

@ATLActivewear on Twitter

Atlanta Activewear on Facebook

Atlanta Activewear on Foursquare

www.AtlantaActivewear.com

Obviously, on this blog!

You can also follow ME on Twitter:

@DonnaMBurke

I don't tweet much, but when I do, it's awesome.

Also, check out another work out blog written by my good friend, Kevin Binder and his brother:

The New You

Fitness from 2 guys' points of view. Pretty interesting stuff, really great info, really great workouts.

See you at tomorrow's book signing with Tammy Stokes at 6pm!

xox

Donna

Book Signing with Tammy Stokes! 5/19/2011 6-9pm

2011-05-14T20:23:00.001-04:00

Live Your Healthiest Life!

By Tammy Stokes

Took Tammy's Cardio Yoga class this morning and boy are my buns a burnin'! If Tammy had a DVD, it would be the next Billy Blanks/Taebo phenomenon. Class was amazing, Tammy should have a DVD. By the way, she trains local celebs like NeNe Leakes (Real Housewives of ATL and Celebrity Apprentice). She has also been endorsed by Carson Kressley (Queer Eye for the Straight Guy), Miss USA and Everyday with Rachel Ray! Major!

Central to Tammy's success is her outlook on life and living YOUR healthiest life. She doesn't put her clients on crazy South Beach diets or 7 day cleanses. Tammy preaches an easy, healthy, organic life AND lives this life as well. Her book, Live Your Healthiest Life, spells it out for you. From how much water you should be drinking a day, to easy, QUICK recipes and two of her signature workouts.

I don't think anyone is as busy as Tammy. Two-time author, owner of West Coast Workout which has just opened a new location in Buckhead and is looking to open in LA, Miami and NYC. Not only does she teach some classes, but she also does conferences, corporate workouts and is a mother of two! If she can fit this stuff into her life, I think we all can!

So, how do we get started on this healthy lifestyle?

THIS THURSDAY, May 19th! 6pm-9pm!

Tammy Stokes will be at Atlanta Activewear for a book signing and helping us all learn to live a healthy life and get our Hollywood bodies for swimsuit season!

We will be selling books at a discounted price of $20! (Reg 27.99) Tammy will be there, in all her fabulousness! Join us for Skinny Girl Margaritas! (They are healthy, right?!?)

If you haven't met Tammy, then meet her, she is amazing. If you have, you know you should be at this event. See you guys on Thursday and stop in this week to pre-order your copy of Life Your Healthiest Life!

I totally snagged our display copy and read it...currently salivating over these recipes. Hello, Mexican Turkey Burger, I think I will have you for dinner! Or wait, stuffed red peppers with ground turkey? Oh no! Decision!

Savage Beauty: Alexander McQueen Exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

2011-05-11T14:53:00.000-04:00

No pictures were allowed in the exhibit. So I snagged some from NY Mag and other places.

"There is no way back for me now. I'm going to take you on journeys you've never dreamed were possible."

-Alexander McQueen

Exhibit Tour: Alexander McQueen at the Met by NYMag

The Costume Institute has put on probably this decade's greatest exhibit. Over 100 pieces from the Alexander McQueen collections. Each collection with it's own themed room. Quotes from the master himself placed perfectly in line with each of his works. The exhibit told a story, a darkly romantic story of the life of a true artistic genius. I don't think they could have captured him in a better light.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art has had an overwhelming response to the McQueen Exhibit with it's opening weekend being the most successful weekend of any exhibit that has been shown.

Kate Moss 3D Hologram featured at a fashion show and in the McQueen Exhibit

"To Die For" can't even express the way this exhibit makes you feel. Dresses made from glass microscope slides, painted red to represent blood. Other dresses made from oyster shells. Jackets with taxodermied alligator heads as shoulder embellishment. Some would say creepy, having seen it, I would say phenomenal.

It brings out a darkness in you. It shows the human side to a genius and a humor to his madness. It shows you how much death really was a part of his inspiration and how fascinated he was by it.

My favorite piece:

Feathers painted gold and hand sewn to the bodice of the dress. The bottom is a silk tulle with gold embroidery. If I ever get married, I am wearing this dress...

My Favorite Story behind a piece:

Amazing. A dance with painting robots produces a fantastic piece of wearable fashion. Who knew. 12 years ago, this piece is still amazing today.

I suggest taking a trip to NYC solely to see this exhibit. It is unbelievable. If you love fashion, culture, art, science, history or anything! This exhibit will inspire you in some way.

And to Mr. McQueen I say this, you stuck to your word. You have taken us to the point of no return. You have changed the world of fashion forever. And for that, we thank you.

xoxo

Donna

Atlanta Activewear Style & Training Blog by Donna Burke, Atlanta Activewear is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States License.

Based on a work at www.AtlantaActivewear.Blogspot.com.

Trendy in Tangerine!

2011-05-05T10:47:00.001-04:00

You wouldn't know it by the weather, but spring is officially here.

And as I packed for my New York trip last night, I realized something was missing from my spring wardrobe...

TANGERINE!

Gwenyth, Posh and Jennifer Hudson all rocking the trend.

It's only this spring's hottest color, and lucky for you, RESE and ROGIANI didn't miss the mark.

RESE Summer 2011 Collection

The best part about tangerine...it looks good on everyone! Palest of pale (me) to the darkest of dark, tangerine is one of the most flattering colors in the color wheel.

The Terry Capri by RESE is extremely flattering. This color blocking minimizes the hips and thighs by creating a contouring effect. The extra seaming on the legging also creates contouring for your bum, and who doesn't like a good looking bottom!

The Rebecca Tank by RESE is one of my favorite tanks. The built in shelf bra is extremely supportive, I can run in this tank without an extra sports bra and I am a 30D. Rebecca is also slightly longer, which gives more coverage and is a little looser through the tummy for some wiggle room.

ROGIANI SS2011 Collection

Elisabetta has created this collection with every girl in mind. Who doesn't love orange and pink together?!? She has updated her classic, best selling racer doll top to be a two-toned piece of fabulousness. Her new waistband, the wind band, is seen on the fitness shorts here. When I say AMAZING, I seriously mean it. NO ONE else is doing what Elisabetta does. Atlanta Activewear carries the wind band on her rolldown capris.

And to top it off, Check out Saks.com for these:

Jimmy Choo Wedges and Leggings. What could be better?

Well I am off to NYC in search for the latest tangerine tops, bottoms and everything in between. See you on Monday at our Atlanta Activewear Rocks Out event at Atlanta Rocks! 6-10pm off Collier Rd, Atlanta.

Also, don't forget about Complimentary Yoga with WEST COAST WORKOUT! this Saturday at 9am! This class is going to be amazing! Don't miss it!

xox

Donna

Run for a Cause!

2011-04-04T14:22:00.000-04:00

And Get a Cool T-Shirt!

MAGIC OF LIFE 5K in Virginia Highland

When: April 23rd, 2011

Where: John Howell Park, Virginia Ave

Time: 8am Packet Pick-Up

9am Race Start

What: 5K Fun Run/Walk

Cost: $27 for Adults

$11 for Under 18/Students

What is the Magic of Life Foundation?

What They Do

The Magic of Life Foundation (MOLF) celebrates cancer survivors, educates those touched by the cancer experience, and offers support through an inspiring volunteer program. Our services enhance cancer survivorship and quality of life from diagnosis, through treatment, and in the years following completion of cancer care.

Who They Are

We are passion and experience: Each member of the MOLF Board of Directors is a healthcare provider, actively involved in the healthcare arena, or a cancer survivor. We have witnessed the challenges that many patients face, we understand the magic that is cancer survivorship, and we're striving to make a difference.

The Magic of Life Foundation's efforts focus on three areas of the cancer experience:

Celebration: Overcoming cancer deserves recognition. Our goal is to hold at least two cancer survivorship events each year in Georgia, with a combined attendance of over 2,500 cancer survivors.
Education: We've already published two books on the cancer experience, with a goal to distribute 100,000 copies by 2012. We're also creating an interactive destination website for cancer patients and survivors.
Support: We call it Strength From Within. Through our vibrant, self-sustaining volunteer program, made up of cancer survivors and those whose lives have been touched by cancer, we're offering support services for cancer patients and the teams that treat them.

Learn more at http://www.molfi.org/.

Start your spring off right and get out in this gorgeous weather! Join the Atlanta Activewear run club every Monday and Wednesday at 7pm for a little training!

xox

Donna

Paparazzi! Watch Out!

2011-03-25T11:56:00.001-04:00

O.M.G! You guys did amazing!

Consider this the Atlanta Activewear tabloid from the Georgia Marathon.

First, our little Marathoner! AMY!

Girl, you don't even look tired.

At 6:00am you look this glam? Love it!

26.2 down, not even tired.

Sweet medal! Peach ribbon!

And for those of you who didn't see it on the Atlanta Activewear Facebook, Amy was featured in the GA Marathon photo contest!

Next up, Ronald and Lauren!

Is that Atlanta Activewear gear I see?

Brother & Sister team!

And he still looks good after 13.1 miles.

Karin, you are a lucky lady! :)

Susie, our little ray of sunshine!

Pre-Race! Nice Sweaty Band!

High Fiving one of her students who was cheering! SO Cute!

(A little blurry, but adorable!)

Erin, our Out-Of-Town Team Member

Wearing Perry by RESE and Stance by MPG

Erin also PR-ed at the race! 2:04:00!
(Personally, I think it was the outfit)

Check out her blog, Adventures in Marathon Training

More to come when you send me your pics! (Or I steal them from the official site, either way you will all be on this blog)

xox

Donna

Georgia Marathon: CHECK!

2011-03-21T22:41:00.003-04:00

Congratulations to EVERYONE! You guys did a fantastic job!

Blog topic today:

My experience at the 2011 Georgia Publix Half Marathon

How was your Georgia Marathon experience? Did you make your goal?

I did not make my goal of 2:15:00, my official time was 2:40:00. Not awesome, but hey, I FINISHED the Georgia Half Marathon and I didn't get picked up by the Sag Wag.

My Half Marathon outfit:

Question: Where are all the other runners? I swear there were other runners.
This is 2 blocks from the finish, I wasn't expecting to see anyone and I was booking it to the end.
Thanks to Charles at BTBFitness for the expert photography.

The Breakdown of the outfit:

ROGIANI 3/4 Florence Band Capri

Photo Compliments of ROGIANI

Why I chose these pants:

I LOVE running in leggings. No chafing, no rubbing. Perfect.

I love the rolldown waistband on this legging, makes it super adjustable.

And they are comfy, moisture wicking and flattering.

MPG Savvy Tank

Photo Compliments of MPG Sport

This fabric is so awesome. Really soft, and the top has cups. TMI warning: no nipple chaffage. YAY

It also has a zipper pocket in the pack big enough for an iPod, my iPhone is a bit heavy for the pocket, though.

Longer so it doesn't ride up.

Nuance by MPG

Photo Compliments of MPG Sport

This jacket was great. Awesome fit, with ribbed cuffs so it was comfy, too.

Flat seamed zippered pockets. So cute in the teal!

My outfit was great, no problems at all. So, what happened to my goal?

It was just one of those days. I woke up and knew it wasn't going to be good, but I put on my outfit, laced up my shoes and grabbed my number.

Ricardo, Erin and I arrived at Centennial at 5:15am and waited and stretched for about 30 minutes before heading to our corrals. When we got there we realized there were no corral police so instead of heading back to Corral L by myself, I stayed in Corral I with them, I was out of my depth with these runners, but I stayed to the right and kept my pace.

Photo Compliments of Google Images

Race day just wasn't my day and by mile 3, I hit a wall. I decided at that point I was going to lose the goal and just finish, so I took my time. At mile 6, my stress fracture in my foot started to act up, and by mile 9 my knee started to hurt from over compensating. But I kept going, slow and steady, and I finished. To my surprise, a coach from my gym was at the finish line...I'm sure his pictures of me are SUPER attractive as I booked it to the finish line because I wanted to be done. I truly was excited when I finished, and was over the moon when I heard how well everyone on the team did! GREAT JOB, GUYS!

Why I liked the GA Marathon:

I didn't have to travel and spend a ton of money on hotels
Bag check was really organized and easy
I had people cheering me on during the race that I knew, thanks to all our customers who saw me along the way and cheered for me!!
I got to see areas of Atlanta I didn't even know existed
Plenty of chances to go to the bathroom
Loved seeing the elite Marathoners at the finish (passing me of course)

What I thought could be improved:

More water stations
Better staffed water stations, some of them had no water!
More entertainment along the way, 3 bands over 13.1 miles doesn't cut it
Make the finish line less like cattle herding
More direction at the finish, I was confused and people were yelling at me to keep moving
Where was the biofreeze? the medic tents along the way?
Could the start be a little more exciting? I mean this is a life goal for some people, can we get more than a gun shot?
The Expo was boring, and the T-Shirts could be improved drastically

What were your thoughts?

Was there something missing?

What did I learn through this Half Marathon?

Competitive races aren't for me. I will stick to tutus and tiaras at fun races.

I am a casual, slow runner and will be sticking to soccer to get my competition.

I'm just not built to run, but it seems like the Atlanta Activewear team is!

Will I continue to run? Of course! And if I do the Ga Marathon next year, I will train my butt off.

Great Job, again! See you guys for the short 2 mile run & stretch on Wednesday!

xox
Donna

Your Body Isn't THAT Smart..

2011-03-17T15:46:00.001-04:00

But you can bet your bottom that your brain is.

For those of you who don't know me well, I studied Exercise Science and Biology in college and graduated with a B.S. in Biology last year. My two favorite classes were Neurobiology and Anatomy & Physiology, which brings me to this week's blog topic:

HOW TO GET PAST YOUR MARATHON WALL

Photo Compliments of Google Images and CartoonStock.com

We all have one. For me, it's mile 2 when my calves cramp, and some days there seems to be a wall at my front door, but on race day mile 8 is my breaking point.

You all have been running, Where's your wall?

So, What Happens When You Hit Your Wall?
-Legs ache
-Legs feel like lead
-Muscles Cramp
-Joints are screaming
-Heavy Breathing
-Your body say "WTF! NO MORE!" and stops

Did you notice all of these are physical?
They have NOTHING to do with the brain and your thoughts.

We've all had those moments where we just think to ourselves, "Just a little farther, I'll just run a little farther and this cramp will go away" and after we go a LITTLE farther, POOF!, the cramp goes away..

Why? Because our BRAIN CONTROLS EVERY ASPECT OF OUR BODY!
When we say go, it goes. When we say sit, it sits.

So, why not just tell it to go farther?

Here's my take on the scientific breakdown happening to you on the inside while running this 13.1 or 26.2...

You start and feel great! That Gatorade you had is doing just what it was designed to do! WOOOHOOO! Race Day! Get Excited!
You body is doing exactly what is easiest...burning the SUGAR in your Gatorade for fuel. In 32oz of Gatorade, there are 56 grams of sugar, and that will get you about 1/4 of the way there..

So you run out of sugar to burn, you get that little twinge in your calves. Awesome, beginnings of a cramp.
This time your body is thinking, "UGH, sugar's gone. Next up: that carb loaded dinner you had Friday night at Atlanta Activewear." Your body doesn't even have to use your oxygen to break down the carbs. More O2 for the lungs and the muscles, YES!
For those of you who don't know, simple carbohydrates (bread, pasta, etc) are broken down into sugar by the body. And again, your body works a little harder and you are headed to the half way point on your pasta dinner.

A little over half way, and HOLY MOSES. You feel like death, the excitement of the race has worn off, and you want to launch something at the guy with the sign that says, "Don't Stop! People are watching.", but you just can't muster the energy for anything but a death stare as you run by.

Your body is groaning too, it needs as much oxygen as possible to start burning your fat for fuel, awesome, just in time for swimsuit season, right!?! But wait, YOU NEED OXYGEN TO RUN! The battle begins....and you run into your nemesis, The Wall.

Photo Compliments of Google Images

Here is where things get tricky because all you want to do is stop but all you want to do is finish! So try these tricks to get past your physical wall and use your brain to trick your body:

Turn up the Pod and put on a song that makes you feel like a bad ass. Mine is "Beaumont" by 3OH!3. There are no words, just a killer beat and if I run to the beat I get lost in the song.
Run to the beat of your music, think about the steps, not the distance or the pains.
Start repeating your mantra in your head (or out loud) "Never Give Up", "The faster I run the faster it's over" (a personal fave of mine)
Check out the view. Look around you, there are SO many people who will never do what you are doing.
Remember why you started this journey. What was it? To finish a half/full marathon, to do it for a loved one who can't, to make a PR?
Remember how hard you have trained, your body is ready for this.
RELAX! The stress of being tired is making you more tired.
Pick a person near you that has been running with you the whole race and make it a goal to stick with them. Befriend someone new, EVERYONE is looking for a buddy at this point.
Have your family, friends and support group be at the mile AFTER your wall, it gives you something to run towards.
Just remember, you've already run 8, 10, 12, 20 miles...you KNOW you can run the last 5.1, 3.1, 2.1, or 6.2!

Seriously, if you can make your body THINK it isn't tired, it will continue to push forward. Your body is like a hamster...it just isn't that smart.

So on Sunday,USE YOUR BRAIN! If you think you can go farther, you will go farther.

See you tomorrow for the pre-race par-tay, t-shirts and lots of fun at 7:30pm. Remember, Family and friends can join Danielle for mimosas and breakfast at Atlanta Activewear on Sunday morning.

xox

Donna

What's on My Pod: Part 2 & My favorite iPod

2011-03-11T10:37:00.002-05:00

Photo Courtesy of Google Images and iLounge.com

What's on my Pod: Part 2

Rihanna "S&M"
New Boyz feat The Cataracs & Dev "Backseat"
Dev feat The Cataracs "Bass Down Low"
Lady Gaga "Born This Way" (Not her best, but love me some Gaga)
Britney Spears "Hold it Against Me"
Britney Spears "Til the World Ends"
Usher "More"
Pitbull "Hey Baby"
Avril Lavigne"What the Hell"

I also want to review the different types of iPods and talk about which one I think is best!

I love iPods, I have owned at least one of every type of iPod, if not one of every generation of every type of iPod, I even owned the VERY FIRST iPod. Maybe I have an iPod problem...maybe.

Nevertheless, here's my thoughts on the best ones to work out with.

iPod Classic:

Photo Courtesy of Apple.com

Pros:

Holds TONS of music, something ridiculous like 40K songs. LOVE this.

Cons:

It's big

It's heavy

All it does is play music and maybe a video, but the screen is so small you can't actually see the video.

Not Nike + compatible

No Voice Over

iPod Nano:

Photo Courtesy of Apple.com

Pros:

Clips On

Touch Screen

Nike+ Compatible

Built in Pedometer

Voice Over

Built in FM Radio

Genius
Video Capable

Cons:

Doesn't hold much media

Can't add other workout Apps

Too small for me, I lose it

Screen is too small for video

iPod Shuffle:

Photo Courtesy of Apple.com

Pros:

Clips On

Voice Over

Finally this generation has multiple playlist function, but good luck figuring out the click sequence for that.

Cons:

The update made it slightly easier to use rather than decoding Apple's click sequence. One click for next song, 2 clicks for last song, 3 clicks for idk...

It only holds about 100 songs

Too small again, can never find it.

Doesn't turn off when you pause it, you MUST turn it off. Mine is always dead bc of this.

(Can you tell, I HATE this version)

iPod Touch:

Photo Courtesy of Apple.com

Pros:

Purchase of Apps

E-Mail Capability

Nike+ Compatible

iTunes ready

Video Chat

Camera

Cons:

Not enough memory for everything it does

GPS doesn't work without constant WiFi

Need WiFi to function everything but the music and camera

Unable to purchase WiFi for it, like the iPad

Battery life is <3hrs with GPS or push notifications on

GPS and Push do not turn off when locked, drains battery again

iPhone: (Verizon iPhone 4)

Photo Courtesy of VerizonWireless.com

Pros:

Only the most amazing invention EVER

Quality Camera

Amazing Apps

GPS works

E-Mail

Internet Browser is amazing

Nike+ Compatible

NO DROPPED CALLS (like on AT&T)
Internet functions while on Phone

Cons:

A little big for running/working out BUT

The GPS capabilities plus iMapMyRun makes tracking workouts and linking your routes to your phone so easy!

A little Heavy for running/working out but is fine in an arm strap

E-Mails only "pushed" every 15 minutes, I need them when they arrive!

Facebook push notifications are slow

16GB only holds 3000 songs, which isn't enough. This memory is also used for your Apps, again, not enough. Go 32GB, I was being cheap the day I traded in my Blackberry. Well..as cheap as you can be about an iPhone..

If you are going to invest in a new phone and use your iPod religiously, get an iPhone. I can't wait for the day I am in such good shape that I can run and talk on the phone!

If you don't need a new phone, or love your Blackberry too much, the winner is:
THE NANO

Why?

It's compact, easy to use and functional. The clip on function makes it great for any work-out and it is Nike+ compatible and I love some Nike+ shoes.

If you watch videos or movies on your iPod, then get an iTouch, but be prepared to be sorely disappointed in its ability to do anything without WiFi.

Want to know how REAL people train for full marathons?

Follow my friend Erin's journey to the Savannah 26.2!

Check out Adventures in Marathon Training

This week's post: Diet Schmiet

xox

Donna

Race Day T-Shirts! The ONLY reason to run races!

2011-03-08T17:06:00.000-05:00

Don't deny it.

The reason most of us do "Fun Runs" or Half Marathons/Marathons is to get the t-shirt.

So here it is, the 2011 Atlanta Activewear Publix Georgia 26.2/13.1 T-Shirt

(Drum Roll, Please)

The back of the shirt will say:
March 20^th, 2011

"On that day, for no particular reason, I decided to go for a little run. So, I ran to the end of the road. And when I got there, I thought maybe I'd run to the end of Midtown. And when I got there, I thought maybe I'd just run across the great city of Atlanta. And that's what I did. I ran clear across Atlanta. For no particular reason, I just kept on going until I FINISHED the Publix Georgia Marathon."

**Adapted from Forrest Gump

Don't forget to RSVP for the Pre-Race Party!! La Tavola is SOO Good!

**Let me know if you are gluten intolerant so I can order accordingly :)

xox

Donna

Seriously!?! 2 Weeks!

2011-03-07T15:23:00.000-05:00

Has this cold snap put a damper on anyone else's training?

Makes me want to curl up in bed and hibernate, bears have the right idea.

Anyways...2 weeks, sat last week out due to a sore foot from the Disney half.
Must run every day and eat clean to have all sorts of good energy sources!

Training for this week:

5 Mile Route in VaHi

&lt;p&gt;&amp;lt;br /&amp;gt; &amp;lt;a href="http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/27656016"&amp;gt;ATLActivewear 5 mile Run&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;&amp;lt;br/&amp;gt;&amp;lt;br /&amp;gt; &amp;lt;a href="http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/?location=Atlanta, GA"&amp;gt;Find more Runs in Atlanta, GA&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;&amp;lt;br /&amp;gt; &lt;/p&gt;

I am going to do my best to update the blog as much as possible during the next 2 weeks.

I am in the process of moving and getting everything ready for the GA Marathon weekend, so life is hectic currently!

Keep up the good training! See you guys tonight @ 7pm for run group!

xox

Donna

Those Blasted VaHi Hills

2011-03-02T18:48:00.000-05:00

If you ever run in Virgnia-Highland, you know to stay on the Monroe side of N Highland. The Briarcliff side might kill you with all the hills.

With that said, the Georgia Marathon & Half Marathon is basically all hills, and those of you running the Marathon will have to battle that "Briarcliff side" of N Highland.

Tips for Running on Hills:

Maintain your pace, do not try to wear yourself out on the hill. If you are out of breath at the top of the hill, you have run too quickly up it.
Have good form: 90* elbows, swinging motion from the shoulder (not the elbow), straighten the back, and tilt hips slightly
Swing your arms quick and low, this will keep your stride quick and low. Do not bounce, this uses extra energy.

Did you know the motion of your legs is actually determined by the motion of your arms?
Fast arm motion = fast leg speed

As your reach the crest of the hill, lengthen your stride again.

I tried this last week while running up Courtenay St (the devil's road) in VaHi. It is a .75mi incline up to N Highland, it's a B*tch. Shortening my stride and keeping my feet low REALLY helped! I wasn't nearly as out of breath as normal and continued to run the next section on pace, rather than at a recovery speed.

Here are the elevation maps and the routes on MapMyRun. These are public routes, so you can find them and check out all the dirty details on the race route.
**Please note the Category 5 elevation these routes were given. Are they trying to kill me?!?

Elevations for the Half Marathon

Half Marathon Route

Elevations for the Marathon

Marathon Route

Go forth and conquer the Briarcliff side of N Highland this week! Let me know if these tips helped!

xox

Donna

Week 5 Training and Disney Princess 13.1

2011-03-01T14:42:00.000-05:00

Have the past 5 weeks flown by, or is it just me? Holy moses, the race is in19 days, I can officially see it on my calendar.

I ran the Disney Princess 13.1 this past weekend and apologize for not making it back in time for run club!! But if you want a good, fun, well organized race, Disney is the way to go. Here are a few pictures of me along the way!

About 6am, mile 3.5

Mile 6: At Cinderella's Castle

Mile 9: The Princes! (He/She pulled me onto his/her lap)

Finished! The whole gang!

OK! Now for the serious stuff, the GA Marathon training.

RP =Race Pace

+45 = 45 sec slower than RP

See you guys for Run Group tomorrow at 7pm!

Starting SUNDAY, MARCH 6th! YOU RECEIVE 20% off all Atlanta Activewear gear!

Discount is valid from March 6th-March 13th!

Get some race day gear and have 2 weeks to train in it!

xox

Donna

I Get By With A Little Help From My Friends

2011-02-24T13:48:00.001-05:00

If I had to choose one word to describe how I feel about running, it would be S-T-R-U-G-G-L-E. STRUGGLE!

I always need a little motivation and a little help from my friends. Running is a mental sport and when I start to get tired or cramp, my mind starts to freak out.

I get most of my motivation through my Running Playlist, but there are some days, like yesterday, when I need a swift kick up the you-know-what to get out the door.

So, what motivates me?

The Run Group: If I am there, I have to run. And when people want to run WITH me, I can't wuss out.
My Goal: 2:15:00, that seems unreachable right now, but I have 4 weeks left!
Swimsuit Season: It's around the corner...again. Lord, help me.
My Boyfriend: His 6-pack kills me, and so does his ability to get up and run 5 miles in 40 minutes... GRR.
My Skinny Jeans: I bought them a size too small...that's motivation enough.
My Running Journal: Yeah, I keep one. I write my mileage, time, how I felt, my route, my outfit. I also try to log my food for the day. It has a big correlation to my feeling when I run...

Lots of coke = lots of muscle cramps.

Grilled Chicken, fruit and Water = successful run!

That Feeling: The feeling you get when you finish your run, it beats the hell out of the guilty feeling you get when you don't run and are cuddled on the couch with a box of chocolates.

But NOTHING beats the feeling you get when you finish the race, and you've accomplished everything.

What Keeps YOU Motivated?

Can't figure it out? Then just try some new stuff.

Try the Run Group: It doesn't matter if you walk, run or come to socialize. Just get out there and get a mile in.
Don't feel like running? Put on your favorite gear, put on your shoes and listen to your workout playlist. GUARANTEED that you will get up and get out.
Work-Out Journal: Yeah, it's like a little diary, but when you go through and read it, you get that kick you need to stop slacking.
Sign up for Daily Mile: It's like Facebook for people who work out. Friend me and log your workouts!
Get a Work-Out Buddy: Someone to hold you accountable. Same time, same place every week. Someone who will call you out, but you can chat with on your runs.
Find a Mantra: I don't know if I believe in this one, but occasionally I remind myself of something that I live by, "Never give up when there is something left to give. Nothing is ever over until the moment you stop trying." And when I really am struggling, I turn to my music.
It's not "All-Or-Nothing": Every little bit helps, so just run half a mile when you feel like not going, you will feel better for getting up and getting out, and $20 says you end up running further.
Stop by Atlanta Activewear. We love to talk to you! If you are struggling, by all means come complain about running to us, misery loves company, and I can ALWAYS complain about running! :)

At the end of the day, we are all doing a GREAT job! Everyone that has hit up the run club has made my runs better and brightened my training! I even got a PR thanks to Amy!

I will be running the Disney Princess Half Marathon this weekend, so send me some motivation! I hope to be back in time for the run group on Monday, but Orlando is a long drive, so I will shoot everyone an e-mail!

Next blog post: How to Conquer those Awful VaHi Hills

(Currently putting my research to the test, it seems to be helping my training)

xox

Donna

Week 4: Training Routes

2011-02-21T14:23:00.000-05:00

oh, oh! We're Halfway there!

OH, OH! Livin' on a Prayer!

Pretty easy week for everyone. 4 Weeks Left to train!

See you all tonight for Run Club at 7pm!

&lt;p&gt;&amp;lt;br /&amp;gt; &amp;lt;a href="http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/28603900"&amp;gt;Atlanta Activewear 3.5 Miler&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;&amp;lt;br/&amp;gt;&amp;lt;br /&amp;gt; &amp;lt;a href="http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/?location=Atlanta, GA"&amp;gt;Find more Runs in Atlanta, GA&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;&amp;lt;br /&amp;gt; &lt;/p&gt;

Stretching: Is It Worth the Time?

2011-02-18T13:30:00.000-05:00

Remember the Sit and Reach?

If you have run with me in the past couple of weeks, you have may have heard me complain about my calves cramping. I don't stretch before I run, to be honest, I don't stretch ever.

I am the most inflexible person I know, I can't touch my toes, I can barely reach the middle of my shins, but I don't get injured very easily and I recover relatively quickly.

So here's my question,

Does Stretching Really Help?

There are two types of stretching:
Static stretching is used to stretch muscles while the body is at rest.
Dynamic Stretching is used to stretch muscles while moving.

We are all familiar with static stretching, where we stand and chat while touching our toes, or pulling our heel to our bum. Dynamic stretching isn't seen as much, but if you watch soccer teams or crossfitters, you see it a lot. Toy Soldiers, Inch Worms, High Knees and Butt Kicks are all forms of dynamic stretching.

So what exactly is stretching supposed to do?
As you exercise, muscle fibers become damaged, and when they recover, they have become stronger. These fibers are supposed to be long, lean fibers that stretch the length of your muscle, but as we exercise they begin to break, twist and get in the wrong alignment. Stretching is what takes these fibers and beings to pull them back into the long, lean fibers they are supposed to be.

Is it ESSENTIAL to Stretch?
According to recent research, NO! Stretching is no longer associated with injury prevention.
It seems obvious that the more flexible your muscles are, the less prone you are to tweaking them and causing an injury, but who am I to say such things.

Researchers have determined that if you are used to stretching then you should continue to stretch, as your muscles will tighten and be more apt to strain if you stop.

So if you are stretching, keep doing what you do. If not, seems like we aren't missing out.

Want to get in a good stretch? Try our COMPLIMENTARY yoga classes @ 9am every Saturday @ Atlanta Activewear.

Good luck on your runs this weekend! Come by the store and see us!

See you Monday night @ 7pm!

xox
Donna

What's on My Pod: Running Playlist Edition

2011-02-17T16:53:00.004-05:00

**Disclaimer: Many of these songs are vulgar, contain explicit language and are not for kids. Just letting you know...Don't Judge. Also, I am a huge fan of British pop and dance hits...again, Don't Judge.

Currently obsessed with:

3OH!3: Pop/Rap Group from Colorado

Best Known for: First Kiss feat Ke$ha

First downloaded on iTunes: 2008

Why I Love to Run to 3OH!3:
The beats are great, at least 128 bpm, which is a great 9 min mile pace.
The lyrics are funny, it takes my mind off my cramping calves and heavy breathing.
Current Songs on the Playlist:

Beaumont (Instrumental)
Deja Vu
I Can Do Anything
I Know How To Say
Love 2012
See You Go
Streets of Gold
Touchin' on My
We Are Young

Now that I have featured my current, favorite artist, here are some other picks for your Pod:

Florence & The Machine "Dog Days are Over"
Robyn "Cobrastyle"
Robyn "Crash & Burn Girl"
Robyn "Criminal Intent"
Paramore "Hallelujah"
Ke$ha "Crazy Beautiful Life"
Ke$ha "Blow"
Kylie Minogue "Get Outta My Way"
Kylie Minogue "Put Your Hands Up"
Nine Inch Nails "Capital G" (Awesome beat)
Rihanna "S&M"
Vega 4 "You & Me"
Basement Jaxx "Make Me Sweat"
Far East Movement "White Flag"
Far East Movement feat Keri Hilson "Don't Look Now"
Far East Movement feat Snoop Dogg "If I Was You (OMG)"
Far East Movement "2Gether"
Goldfrapp "Beautiful"
INXS "Need You Now"
Katy Perry "Circle the Drain"
Red Hot Chili Peppers "Higher Ground"
Jamiroquai "Canned Heat"
Ciara "Gimme Dat"
The Pretty Reckless "Goin Down"
Cee-Lo "Forget You"..or the Explicit version..
The Downtown Fiction "I Just Wanna Run"
Jack's Mannequin "Dark Blue"
Bloc Party "Helicopter"
Jessie J feat B.O.B. "Price Tag"
Jessie J "Do It Like a Dude"
Chris Brown "Yeah 3x" (Love the song...hate CB)
Diddy-Dirty Money "Coming Home"
David Guetta "Who's That Chick"
Kid Sister "Right Hand Hi"
Lady Sovereign "I Got You Dancing"
Ludacris "Get Back"
The Magic Numbers "Mornings Eleven"
Corey Smith "If I Could Do It Again"
Kanye West "Stronger"
Corey Smith "When the Sun Goes Down in Georgia" (Stretch Song)
Vega 4 "Life is Beautiful" (Stretch Song)

Yeah, it's a lot, but we are running 13.1 or 26.2, these should get you through it!

Want more? Check out this blog: 100 Best Songs to Run To I found a few new artists thanks to this post!

Any I'm missing? I'm sure there are. Shoot me your fave workout songs or post them below in the comments section, I'm always looking for more tunes!

xox
Donna

Week 3: Training Routes

2011-02-14T13:51:00.001-05:00

Hey Everybody!

How's it going? Did everyone get in their runs last week?

Blog Topics this week:

Week 3 Training Routes
What's On My Pod: Running Playlist Edition
Stretching: Why it's so important

My 5-miler was rough, chose to run on a mile long hill. Let's just say my hip flexers are screaming at me!

Half Marathoners Marathoners

Half Marathoners: Keep up the good work! 6 miles is almost half-way!

Marathoners:

Clarifications on my abbreviations:

Monday and Tuesday should be comfortable runs.

Wednesday, slow it down.

Friday: DO NOT TRAIN. You log 50 miles this week. Great job!

Saturday: Run this 20 miles 60 seconds/mile slower than your race pace.

Sunday: 10 miles at Race Pace

Atlanta Activewear 5K (3.1 mi Route)
&lt;p&gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br /&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/28262674"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Atlanta Activewear 5K&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br/&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br /&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/?location=Atlanta, GA"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Find more Runs in Atlanta, GA&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br /&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; &amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&lt;/p&gt;

Atlanta Activewear 5-miler
&lt;p&gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br /&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/27656016"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;ATLActivewear 5 mile Run&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br/&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br /&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/?location=Atlanta, GA"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Find more Runs in Atlanta, GA&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br /&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; &amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&lt;/p&gt;

Please let me know if you have signed up for the race already!

I am working on the T-Shirts this week, I NEED everyone's sizes. PLEASE send them to me, I don't know everyone and therefore can not choose your sizes!

LAST DAY TO SIGN UP USING THE PROMOCODES IS FRIDAY!! Get it done!

See you guys at 7pm tonight for the Valentines' Run! Bring your friends and your dogs!

xox

Donna

Running Shoes: A "Glass Slipper" of Sorts

2011-02-11T14:47:00.002-05:00

What do I mean by "Glass Slipper"?

Cinderella's glass slipper fit perfectly to her foot, just like your running shoes should. This is THE MOST important part of your training, wearing the wrong shoes can lead to injury, slower times and aches and pains that shouldn't be there.

What size shoe do you wear? What size running shoe should you wear? Hint: They aren't the same.

I wear a Women's 8 in shoes. My running shoes should be a Women's 8.5 or 9, a HALF or FULL size LARGER!

Why? Because your feet swell when you run, and tight shoes can lead to blisters, black toenails and poor circulation leading to numbness and tingling.

Don't stop reading just yet...there's more.

Do you Pronate or Supinate?
Do you have low or high arches?

Are you flat footed? Pigeon-toed?

Buying running shoes will point out all of your flaws, here's what I learned about the way I walk/run:

I am knock-kneed (my knees cave in due to lack of support)
I over-pronate
My hips are narrow and uneven
My left leg is longer than my right, which causes my left foot to be pigeon-toed in order to pass through my gait and is why my hips are uneven.
I am flat footed.
My ankles cave in.

SERIOUSLY? As if we all don't have enough to worry about! Basically, I should chop my legs off.

So, what shoes am I supposed to wear for all those issues?

Brooks Ravenna

Where can you go get diagnosed for the right shoe in Atlanta?
Phidippides (Owned by Jeff Galloway, you probably got training tips from his books)
Big Peach Running Company
Fleet Feet Atlanta
Abbadabbas

Do not wait to buy new shoes! Buy them now and train in them. Hit up one of these local businesses, too.
Also, for those of you who wash your shoes when they get dirty, the washing machine breaks down the support systems, next time just scrub the outsides.

Have fun this weekend on your long runs! Remember Marathoners..run it fast and rest, or run it slow and run again!

xox
Donna

PROMOCODES ARE IN!

2011-02-08T11:14:00.001-05:00

Hey Everyone,

Here are the Georgia Marathon and Half Marathon Promocodes, feel free to pass them around to friends.

MARATHON: AA11MAR

HALF MARATHON: AA11HALF

Join Team "Atlanta Activewear"
when registering!

Go team Atlanta Activewear! Don't forget to e-mail me T-Shirt sizes, if you have already signed up for the race, and if March 18th is a good party date for you!

xox

Donna

Week 2 Training Routes

2011-02-07T10:06:00.003-05:00

Here we are, Week 2 of 8! Did last week fly by, or was it just me?

How are we doing? Any aches and pains? Bored yet? Hating Winter?

For me, I'm good. Ankles are sore, as usual. Not bored yet, pretty thrilled with my times, actually.

Hating winter? ABSO-FREAKING-LUTELY.

So, we have talked about pacing and we have talked about race day and training wear, are we starting to work out the kinks in our training? This week, try different training gear, find what works best for you.

Blog topics this week:

Training Routes: Week 2
Why The Right Shoes Are So Important

Half Marathoners Marathoners

2.5 Mile Loop
&lt;p&gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br /&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/27952558"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;ATLActivewear 2.5miler&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br/&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br /&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/?location=Atlanta, GA"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Find more Runs in Atlanta, GA&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br /&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&lt;/p&gt;
A little longer this week, again if you are logging more mileage than this normally then take a rest day and turn it into a run day.
Courtenay is a long climb, this will help get you ready for the first 8 miles of hills in the GA Half.

5 Mile Loop
&lt;p&gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br /&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/27656016"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;ATLActivewear 5 mile Run&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br/&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br /&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/?location=Atlanta, GA"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Find more Runs in Atlanta, GA&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br /&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&lt;/p&gt;
Three 5-milers in a row this week, make sure you switch up the route on Tuesday so as to not get bored and lose momentum.

Courtenay is a long climb, and the Briarcliff side of N Highland is pretty hilly. These hills will be great training for miles 1-8 of the GA Marathon.

Saturday, you guys are essentially running a half marathon. If you want a race experience, sign up for a Half this weekend. If not, run this as if it was a race, see what your Half time would be, it will help you reach your goals.
Local Race: SweetH20 Sweetheart Half Marathon
(It's OTP, $45 entry fee, Mableton, GA, Registration closes THURSDAY)

**If you take the 13-miler easy, run as scheduled on Sunday. If you treat this as a race or run a race, take Sunday as a rest day. The race pace will take a toll on your body. Recovery is key this late in the game.

Bring your dogs and your friends! See you tonight @ 7pm!

xox
Donna

How Do YOU Run?

2011-02-06T17:12:00.004-05:00

Do you run hot? Do you run cold?

Do you run a perfect 77 degrees?

Personally, I run cold. I can never build up enough heat to keep myself warm, but we have customers who can't stand to wear jackets or long-sleeves in the winter, a.k.a Hot Runners.

I take my terms and my info from one of my FAVORITE running specialty brands, and the #1 running specialty brand in the industry, Brooks Running.

How to choose gear to keep you comfortable on your runs is something that becomes tricky if you don't know how you run.

How did you feel during your runs this week? What did you wear and how did it affect you?

Here's my week, so far (long run this evening):

Monday: 2 miler, 35 degrees (freezing)
-Rogiani tight capris 3/4 length, rolldown
-Rese Eva Bra w/cups
-Zobha Grace Tank
-MPG Ursa Longsleeve
-Brooks Motion Jacket
-Brooks Thermal Headband
-Yurbuds
Time: 19:10, no idea on the splits.
Felt good, tired at the end. Had to strip off the jacket when I finished...I was really warm.

Wednesday: 2 miler, 32 degrees (hating winter)
-Rese Sarah Skegging with full length leggings
-Rese Eva Bra w/cups
-Zobha Harlow Tank
-Zobha Asymmetrical Fleece Zip Up
-Brooks Nightlife Vest
-Brooks Thermal Headband
-Yurbuds
Time: 19:00, 9:20, 9:40 splits, really tried to pace today. Thank you, iMapMyRun App! My little lady talks to me when I'm running.
Felt good, again I was winded. Not super warm this time, but had to unzip the Zip Up.

How I run: Cold
-I consider these run times GREAT for me. I was a little warm on Monday, but Wednesday was great. Needed that fleece to stay warm, but 4 layers posed a problem on Monday.

So...What should I wear?
-Legs are fine. Short or long leggings work best.
-Love the bra, tank, sweatshirt mix. Kept me warm enough to start a sweat, but the ability to unzip the 1/4 zip made this combo awesome. Bra, Tank, Longsleeve, & Jacket was too much.
-Love Brooks gear for all its pockets, had enough pockets for my Blackberry, iTouch & Mace. Also, had about 3 pockets to spare.

So think about your runs and your wardrobe, how do YOU run? Is it possible you aren't reaching your goals because your clothes are holding you back? Hopefully, this post will help you find what works best for you to wear on race day and help you to run your best race.

**Don't sign up for the race if you haven't yet! Promocodes coming THIS WEEK, waiting on the people at Georgia marathon!

See you guys tomorrow for the run group, 7pm @ Atlanta Activewear!
Routes will be posted later this evening.

xox
Donna

It's Not About Running...

2011-02-02T14:58:00.002-05:00

It's about pacing.

Have you set a goal time for this race, yet?

This will be my 3rd half marathon, but the first that I have actually trained for. I have a goal of 2:15:00.
What's yours?

What is a 2:15:00 half marathon pace? Good Question.
I asked and Google told me, with the help of MarathonGuide.com.

A 10:20 race day pace. (Holy Moses, that's pretty quick for me.)

MarathonGuide.com created a "Pace Band" for me, a band you can wear to determine your mile splits without having to do algebra while running.

All you need to make one: your distance (13.1 or 26.2) and your goal time, et voila, a Pace Band to wear on race day, or any long run, really.
Try it: Marathon Guide Pace Band

Although Pace Bands are good for goal tracking, is a paper band that practical during a race? Probably not.

PaceTats to the rescue! PaceTats come from the makers of Yankz! The Lace for the Race and are exactly what the name says, temproary tattoos with mile split times.

Here's mine:

13.1 Miles
(Not my arm, photo compliments of Google)
PACE 2:15
1 - 0:10:18
2 - 0:20:36
3 - 0:30:54
4 - 0:41:12
5 - 0:51:29
6 - 1:01:47
7 - 1:12:05
8 - 1:22:23
9 - 1:32:41
10 - 1:42:59
11 - 1:53:17
12 - 2:03:35
13 - 2:13:58
All PaceTats are for full marathons, 1st red block is 13.1 marker.

Create a realistic goal and a pace band to keep your goals in sight. You may not have that pace yet, but the race is 8 weeks away. This also gives you plenty of time to get a PaceTat from Atlanta Activewear (or a real one if you so desire).

Great run to everyone who came out in the nasty weather on Monday! See you guys at the training run tonight, 7pm @ Atlanta Activewear! See post below for routes.

xoxo
Donna

Training Week 1: January 30th

2011-01-30T14:11:00.001-05:00

Hey everyone!

Weather.com says Monday will be 60 degrees at 6pm and Wednesday will be 45 degrees as a high. Please dress accordingly.

Here's the training schedule for week one:

30 min XT: 30 minutes of Cross Training (swimming, weight lifting, walking, or a combo) Spin classes/Cycling are a form of XT but are not suggested as they put a lot of pressure on your knees.
EZ runs: Run at a pace slightly faster than if you were to run and talk.
LNG runs: These are your endurance runs to get your body used to running large distances. Listen to your body, run at a pace that is comfortable, walk when you need to.

**Runs listed on Monday and Wednesday will be run at the 7pm run group. Routes will be posted here and route lists will be given at the run club. Dogs are welcome!

Half Marathoners:

If you are currently logging more miles than this in a week, feel free to run on ONE (1) rest day.

2 Mile Course Map: Click Here

&lt;p&gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br /&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/27651026"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;ATLActivewear 2 mile Route&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br/&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br /&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/?location=Atlanta, GA"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Find more Runs in Atlanta, GA&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br /&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&lt;/p&gt;

Marathoners:

This is a high mileage week, you will log 44 miles in total. Please take the rest day to rest and DO NOT push yourself too hard on the easy runs. Recovery is key to a good race.
If you switch the long run to Sunday, run the 8 mi slightly slower than marathon pace. If you keep the 18 on Saturday, make the 8mi an easy run.
5 Mile Course Map: Click Here

See you guys tomorrow at 7pm for the run group!

Publix Georgia Half Marathon Team!

2011-01-29T20:42:00.005-05:00

Welcome to the Atlanta Activewear Publix Marathon and Half Marathon team!

8 Weeks until race day! Perfect time to start training!

Thank you for joining and becoming a part of the first Atlanta Activewear run team. We will meet on Monday and Wednesday evenings at 7:00pm for short runs (2-5miles) at your own pace starting January 31st. We will provide the route, always starting AND ending at Atlanta Activewear. Please wear reflective gear!

Marathon runners should be well into their training at this point, we will post a guide based on Higdon's training program starting 8 weeks prior to race day, but if you have a program going, do not change.

Half Marathoners, we will use an 8 week beginner/intermediate runner training program from Dartmouth, starting this week! This is a nice progression of mileage up to race week with long runs on the weekends.

Training runs will be posted on this blog along with helpful tips and suggestions.

So strap up your running shoes, get some new gear and get excited!

Here's a list of what you get to participate in as a team member:

$10 off Marathon Entry Fee or $5 off Half-Marathon Entry Fee (with promocode)
Custom Atlanta Activewear Race Day T-Shirt
20% off your next purchase from Atlanta Activewear until February 10th
Training Routes and Run Group hosted by Atlanta Activewear
Training tips and race day secrets from the Pros
Closer to Race Day: Pre-Race dinner party and a discount on race day gear!

Have a friend that wants to join? Tell them to E-Mail me!

Donna.Burke@AtlantaActivewear.com