“I have been running strong since I started working with Maureen two
years ago. I do her “pilates for runners” class once a week and work
with her on the reformer once a week. My balance has improved
tremendously. The exercises for hips and glutes have kept my form
solid mile after mile. In my last two marathons, I did not notice any
single muscle breakdowns like I have in the past.”

I had never tried Pilates before but  was very excited to try something new that could be beneficial to me and the runners I coach.

This past Thursday I had the opportunity to go to Flow Pilates Studio in Lincoln Park and take Maureen’s class. The class provides a full body challenge geared to endurance athletes with particular attention to muscles needed for good form, and efficiency for long runs. Maureen, being a runner herself, understands that being sidelined with an injury so she combines the principles of mat Pilates with exercises to increase range of motion and prevent injury.

Benefits you’ll discover from Pilates for Runners:

• Strong core (abs & back)
• Muscular balance
• Strength and flexibility
• Body awareness and mind-body connection
• Improved posture

I really enjoyed Maureen’s class. She has enthusiasm and passion for both Pilates and Running that is contagious. I never felt self-conscious about being a newbie and the hour class flew by. It is clear that Maureen has put the time and research in her work to create the best combination of movements to increase strength and fight imbalances in runners.

I highly recommend Maureen’s Pilates for Runners class to anyone that is interested in Pilates, staying injury free, looking for a new workout routine, or wants to find a fast-paced, fun workout.

If you’re interested in learning more about Maureen, you can check out her website, Ryan Wellness Coaching and try out her class at Flow on Thursdays at 6AM.

Have you ever taken a Pilates class? What did you think? 

Moving to the suburbs.

Getting married.

Quitting my job.

Going back to school.

Starting a new career.

A lot of big changes going on over here. Am I scared? Yes. Am I excited? Heck yeah!

I have big dreams and I’m going to make sure I turn my dreams into reality. Putting myself out there in new situations is scary, but doing nothing and not following my heart is even scarier.

For a long time I had ideas that never turned into anything. I’m now taking action steps every week to make sure I’m headed in the right direction. Sometimes it might be the wrong direction, but I’m learning and trying.

I’m scared of failure but I’m not going to let that hold me back.

Any big changes in your life? What fears are you facing? 

Aislinn, our photographer did an amazing job and really captured the genuine emotion from the day.

The kabocha squash, often called Japanese pumpkin is sweeter than acorn and butternut squash. The inside is orange like a pumpkin and very creamy, similar to a sweet potato. You can actually eat the kabocha’s hard, green skin and it has exceptional flavor that’s naturally sweet. I was hesitant to eat the skin, but I found it to be my favorite part.

Kabocha squashes are available all year round, but can be hard to find in your local grocery store. The best flavored ones are harvested in the late summer and early fall so they might be popping up in local stores right now.

IIN said the squash was packed with nutrients so when I did a little more research I found that kabocha squashes have an abundance of beta carotene which is the precursor to vitamin A, along with vitamin C, iron and potassium. Also present are folic acid, calcium and trace B vitamins. It’s delicious and super healthy!

My favorite way to cook kabocha squash is to roast it.

Roasted Kabocha Squash

• 1 Kabocha Squash
• Non-stick cooking spray + foil
• Kosher Salt + pepper

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and spray it with non-stick cooking spray. Then wash and cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Cut the squash in wedges and lay them on the cookie sheet. I roasted mine for 15 minutes on each side and it came out perfectly sweet and tender.

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The winner of the Hyundai Hope On Wheels giveaway is…..Lucy!

Congrats, Lucy! Please email me at sburg1985@gmail.com to claim.

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Have you had kabocha squash before? Have you tried any new foods lately? 

Hyundai Hope On Wheels will host the Hyundai Hope On Wheels 5k, in conjunction with the Chicago Half Marathon. The 5k actually uses the same start line and finish line as the Chicago Half. The course will take you through beautiful Jackson Park and participants will receive many of the same perks as the half marathon participants. Click here to register online.

50% of every 5k race entry will support pediatric cancer research at Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago.

Not only can you race for a great cause but you can also win their great giveaway! Hyundai Hope On Wheels is offering a lucky reader a gift bag including a Hyundai Hope On Wheels backpack, running shirt and watch bottle.

To Enter the Giveaway: Comment below telling me your favorite 5k race.

The giveaway will run through Tuesday, September, 3rd at midnight CST. 

Since it’s a holiday weekend I thought I would write a fun post about the things I’m loving lately.

Bachelorette Weekend in Lake Geneva

My bridesmaids are the best! Last weekend I had my bachelorette weekend in Lake Geneva. Everything about the weekend was perfect. We had a great mix of girls, a few who haven’t seen each other in years, but instantly felt like nothing had changed and we were back in high school again. Saturday started at the pool, we were then pampered at the nail salon, ate downtown Lake Geneva and danced the night away. We were all careful not to drink too much because we had a full day of boating on Sunday. It was nice to get some R&R in before all the wedding craziness begins.

Bridesmaid Gifts

I ordered these totes for my bridesmaids months ago with the plan to give them to the girls at the rehearsal dinner. I realized I had bought too many gifts so I decided to spread them out and turn the totes into Bachelorette survival weekend bags.

New Favorite Yogurt

I was lucky enough to receive a box of samples from Chobani. I usually eat Dannon’s plain yogurt so this was a nice change. Chobani Greek Yogurt is richer, higher in protein, all-natural and made with hormone-free milk. I am a big fan of the Orange & Vanilla Blend. It’s got just the right balance of sweetness and creaminess and I love that it has 13g of protein!

New Favorite Bar

Have you guys heard of Picky Bars? Well, I eat a lot of bars and these are awesome! I saw people talking about them on twitter a couple of weeks ago and finally bought a few at Fleet Feet Sports grand opening on Monday.

Picky Bars is a company that was started by Lauren Fleshman who is two-time USA Champion for the 5k and five time NCAA Champion. Lauren, her husband and Stephanie Rothstien wanted to make something that was athletically balanced with a delicious taste that could help fuel their training.

Lauren’s Mega Nuts is my favorite flavor. I love how filling these bars are, but they don’t feel as dense as some of the other bars on the market. Oh yeah, and they taste amazing!

Quotes I’m loving

What are you loving lately? What is your favorite energy bar?

Dave Zimmer, the owner of Fleet Feet Sports Chicago said the south loop store has been in the works for over 10 years. The new store is located in the Roosevelt Collection on Roosevelt Road just west of State Street and less than half of a mile from the Lakefront Path.

It was really cool to see so many new faces. The new store will give everyone in the South Loop and South Side of Chicago an opportunity to get involved with the Chicago running community. The store will have the same weekly fun runs, seminars and special events that the Old Town and Lincoln Square stores offer.

The South Loop store will also feature Chicago Endurance Sports training programs. The programs are available to everyone from beginner with No Boundaries 5k & 10k training to Winter Warriors half marathon training + Triathlon training. I am very excited to be one of the coaches for the Winter Warriors half marathon training!

The South Loop store has a bunch of grand opening events going on this week. I’ll be back there tonight for the Chicago Endurance Sports Meet & Run.

Do you shop or run out of a local running store?

Indianapolis is a beautiful city! I’m here for work and the weather couldn’t be better to explore a new city. The first thing I do when I’m traveling is talk to the concierge at the hotel to find out if there are any local running trails. I was excited to find the Indianapolis Cultural Trail right outside my hotel.

This morning I had some time before a meeting so I decided to check it out. The trail is 7.5 miles and connects the five downtown cultural districts; Fountain Square, Indiana Avenue, Mass Ave, the Canal & White River State Park and the Wholesale District.

A nice feature of the trail is the two separate paths; one for bikers and one for runners/walkers. This is something Chicago has been looking into for the Lakefront Trail to prevent conflict between bikers and runners. I don’t think the two separate paths can be enforced, but I think most people would follow the rules because the paths are clearly marked.

The trail wasn’t too busy, but I could feel the energy from all the students coming back to Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis and moving into the dorms.

There’s a reason the Cultural Trail has caught the attention of urban planners around the country. The wide paths are lined with distinctive lighting and landscaping and beautiful large-scale art.

The trail passes within one block of every major arts, culture, heritage and sports venue in the city. While running I was making mental notes of the places I would like to go if we have extra time. The cultural trail wasn’t just a regular run, but an experience to explore Indy and see all that it has to offer. I’m looking forward to running it again tomorrow.

I only have two minor gripes. The Fountain Square didn’t have well-marked signs so I could see how pedestrians could get turned around and end up off the trail. Also, I don’t think I saw one water fountain. I’m definitely spoiled with all the water fountains along the Lakefront Trail in Chicago.

Have you been to Indianapolis? How do you find running routes when you travel?

Of course, the first thing I did after I heard from my doctor was sign up for a race. I will be running the Madison Half Marathon on November 10. I have 12 weeks to train for the race and I’m really excited to start doing speed workouts again. The plan is to run 4 times a week: 1 interval workout, 1 easy run, 1 tempo run and 1 long run a week.

I really enjoy intervals because they offer a lot of variety and flexibility and you can do them on a track, the road or the treadmill. I’m planning on mixing it up with longer intervals (anywhere from 800 meters to 1-2 miles) and shorter intervals (200, 400 or 600 meter repeats). The recovery time between each interval will be slow and allow my heart rate to return to normal.

My second favorite speed workout is the tempo run. Typically tempo runs are run at 30 to 45 seconds slower than your 5k pace. I aim to be around 80 to 90 percent of my maximum heart race. The purpose of the tempo run is to be able to sustain a hard pace for a long period of time without slowing down.

For my long runs I will be using two different types of long runs: the long, steady run and the fast finish long run. For the long, steady run I will run easy the entire run and speed will not be important. For the fast finish long run I will start at my normal run pace and then run my goal half marathon pace for the last 30 to 60 minutes of the run.

I don’t have a specific goal time in mind and I’m not going to put too much pressure on myself. I’m going to train smart and enjoy the journey.

Do you incorporate speed workouts into your training? What is your favorite speed workout? 

When I first arrived, the volunteer coordinator told us to set up the water and Gatorade bins for the runners. That didn’t take long so we were directed to the sandwich making station.

Fun Fact: Elvis Presley’s favorite food was peanut butter and banana sandwiches so that’s what we made to hand out to the runners. I thought it was hilarious and a fun twist on post-race food.

The evening wouldn’t be complete without peanut butter sandwiches, a complimentary beer from Good Island and the Elvis tribute performance under the lights following the run.

Autumn, Erica and I had a great time chatting and getting peanut butter all over ourselves. We really enjoyed the runners dressed up in polyester and Elvis costumes. There were all kinds of funny t-shirts, wigs, and runners wearing glasses with sideburns attached. Elvis was definitely alive and well in Lincoln Park last night!

I’m looking forward to volunteering at a few more races in the coming months. It’s nice to give back and support the running community.

Do you volunteer at races?