The Generations of Fitness Issue

AUSTIN FIT MAGAZINE

AUSTIN FIT MAGAZINE

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FEBRUARY 2012 + THE GENERATIONS OF FITNESS ISSUE

The Johnson Family LUCI BAINES JOHNSON BRIDGES GENERATIONS ON AND OFF THE TRAIL

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The Generations of Fitness Issue

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Fierce & Female: Pick-up basketball spans generations

Jason Simmons (literally) survives the Moonlight Margarita 5K

Monica Brant gets her mom’s butt kicked FEBRUARY 2012

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CONTENTS #FEB2012

Luci Baines Johnson photography by Brian Fitzsimmons

Commitments to Community service and fitness characterize each generation of the family [page 44]

Who says girls can't play basketball after college? [page 28] A local pick-up game stays competitive for all ages

Dying to Live [page 40] Jason Simmons—and the runner who helped save him—tell the dramatic story of one Moonlight Margarita run

CONTENTS

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CONTENTS #FEB2012

FitFinds

[page 22] These are the tests that try men's (and women's) souls

[page 56] Gear, apparel, gadgets, goodies

Soba Noodle Salad [page 58] No gluten in these noodles

[page 27] Dick Wilkowski's 30-year run

How's Your Heart Health? [page 35] Multiple initiatives in Austin can help you know your numbers

AFMDC Leaderboard [page 60] Current front runners lead both half and full marathon tracks

[page 39] Dr. Robert Clement untangles the facts of spider veins and varicosities

Swimming: A Family Affair [page 66] Swimming—and competing— with your kids

Love Your Heart [page 68] How to calculate your heart rate range for training

Running: Family Style [page 72] Incoporating the whole clan into your workout

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AUSTINFITMAGAZINE.COM FEBRUARY 2012

EDITORIAL INTERN Elizabeth Hitt GENERAL INQUIRIES info@austinfitmagazine.com ADVERTISING INQUIRIES ads@austinfitmagazine.com STORY IDEAS ideas@austinfitmagazine.com EVENT LISTINGS events@austinfitmagazine.com SUBSCRIPTIONS austinfitmagazine.com/subscribe 1905 N. Lamar Blvd., Ste. 105 Austin, TX 78705 P 512.407.8383 F 512.407.8393

Austin Fit Magazine assumes no responsibility for the content of articles or advertisements, in that the views expressed therein may not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher or any magazine employee or contributor. This publication and all of its contents are copyrighted.

EVERY ISSUE 14 From the Publisher 18 Moore Fit Musings

VP, SALES & MARKETING Alex Earle

CONTRIBUTORS Dr. Keith Bell, Monica Brant, Nelo Breda, Paul Carrozza, Dr. Robert Clement, Patrick Evoe, Brian Fitzsimmons, Alexa Sparkman, Diane Vives, Anne L. Wilfong

[page 64] Pro Triathlete Patrick Evoe recounts his latest Ironman race and the lessons he learned

[page 86] How and why we all need to do push-ups

ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR Sarah Schneider

DIRECTOR OF MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS Carrie Crowe

Best Days Aren't Always Perfect Days

MUSCLE MOVEMENT OF THE MONTH

ART DIRECTOR Weston Carls

[page 82] Mo and her mom pump up the jams

[page 52] Tricia Minnick tells her story of why you should say something

Power Up Your Push-Up

COPY EDITOR Carson Hooks

ADVERTISING CONSULTANTS Emily Nash, Amity Ponsetti

Obesity Intervention

photo by Brian Fitzsimmons

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Melanie P. Moore

KICK MO’S BUTT!

Pure Austin Fitness

Vain about Veins

PUBLISHER/CEO Louis M. Earle

ASSISTANT EDITOR Leah Fisher Nyfeler

AFM's Fitness Challenge

A Master Runner Leads the Pack

THE TEAM

76 Events Calendar 78 Rides & Races

90 By the Numbers

Austin Fit Magazine is the assumed name of its publisher, Louis M. Earle, who has no interest in the business of Denis Calabrese who operates an exercise program under the assumed name of Austin Fit, which trains individuals to improve their jogging or running skills to participate in marathons. The views, opinions and other representations published in Austin Fit Magazine are not those of Austin Fit or any of its directors, officers, employees or agents.

PLEASE RECYCLE THIS MAGAZINE

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Letter from the Publisher #AFMletter

Fit for all ages

by Lou Earle, Publisher | photography by Brian Fitzsimmons

A

mazing but true…Austin Fit Magazine is now 15 years old and by company standards, we are just a teenager. While we have come a very long way, we still have a lot to learn and a great deal more to achieve. Not so long ago, fitness was a niche market with only the elite athletes and hobbyists paying much attention to our tome. But as time has passed, while we have grown and adapted, our environment has also changed. We are now solidly in the mainstream of Austin living—where we want to be.

The reality is that health and fitness have become a real priority for many of us, Our whole society is beginning to learn that each of us is part of a critical health ecosystem. Our challenge is not only to navigate this environment to optimize our own personal health and fitness, but also to help change the system itself to support healthier lifestyles for everyone.

At AFM, our place in this ecosystem is clear. Our mission is to help everyone live healthier, more fit lives by providing entertaining, relevant, and valuable information to our readers. We are passionate about this goal and we want to help drive this change in our society in every way we can!

Our cover and feature this month reflect our continued commitment to broaden our reach to include all those who can benefit from living healthy lives. Luci Baines Johnson epitomizes a family who has made a huge difference in the very fabric of Austin’s lifestyle. Our beloved Roy and Ann Butler Hike and Bike Trail has become a mecca for everyone who appreciates natural beauty and being active. Not only does Luci continue to be a driving force in the Trail Foundation’s efforts to complete the trail, she also focuses her time, talent, and treasure on producing the annual LBJ 100 Bicycle Tour, a wonderful family event now in its fifth year that gets everyone out and peddling.

When Luci talks about health and fitness, she talks about family, and that is a message for us all. The gift of good health has no age, and a healthy lifestyle should be shared with every generation. So to kick off our focus on bringing health and fitness to the masses, we are honored to grace our cover with Luci, her daughter, Nicole, and granddaughter, Claudia--three generations of fitness from a family that continues to make a real difference in Austin’s health ecosystem.

It’s not easy to be something for everyone, but everyone has a right to be healthy and fit. At AFM, we are dedicated to bringing that lifestyle message to you, whether you are an elite athlete or a beginner, a senior or a tween, you’re all part of the generations that are changing our health ecosystem and building a better future for our community.

Keep Austin Fit,

#TwitFIT Question: What's your favorite #fitness moment with your parents?

@davidgarza1 9:29 p.m. via Echofon "When my dad got to see me finish Ironman Texas, he came back into my life about 5 years ago. Hadn't seen him since I was 10" @LisaEirene 3:36 p.m. via Web "We hike! We all hiked in Tucson last year and had a great time!" @kngold21 3:10 p.m. via iPhone "25 years with the best track and cross-country coach, my dad!! I can't give him credit for my soccer skills tho." @emhLuv 11:23 a.m. via Web "When my Dad was in the DaddyDaughter drill team dance with me in high school. May not be the 'fittest' memory, but certainly the sweetest." @Loripavesi 11:41 a.m. via txt "When I placed second at the Arnold Classic with my parents and brother watching! And water skiing off our dock in Ottawa, CA" @LNOneill 12:25 p.m. via Web "Running on and Queen Mary ship/ hotel, Newport Beach with Dad, sister back in the 80s" @Mz_Keenah 12:47 p.m. via iPhone "I put my mom and some of her co-workers through a bootcamp session. I am now an ACE certified for group fitness!"

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AUSTINFITMAGAZINE.COM FEBRUARY 2012

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Talking Bout My Generation

by Melanie P. Moore, Editor-in-Chief | photography by Brian Fitzsimmons

A

generation, by definition, is a) a body of living beings constituting a single step in the line of descent from an ancestor; b) a group of individuals born and living contemporaneously.

And, in terms of electronics for example, a generation is “a type or class of objects usually developed from an earlier type.” I know this because I have a “first-generation” Kindle which, next to my iPad2, looks almost as old as the typewriter I took to college in the early 1980s.

Putting this issue together, we glimpsed threads of different generations and the way fitness has been part of the life tapestry for some amazing individuals and families.

I was born a year too late to be a Baby Boomer. Yet the progression of fitness activities and awareness in the past few decades has made mainstream the diet and exercise enthusiasm that in 1978 was attributed only to an emerging and suspicious “class of workout fanatics,” according “An Intimidating New Class: The Physical Elite” in the May 29, 1978, issue of New York Magazine. The subtitle was “They Run. They Work Out. They Think They’re Better Than You.” In 1978 Mike Mentzer won the Mr. Universe title in Acapulco, Mexico, with the first and only perfect 300 score. Bodybuilders were their own tribe—experimenting with diet and workout intervals that seemed outlandish at the time. Today we find their methods either an earlier type (generation) of what we take for granted as sound practice or an extreme (wacky?) experiment as they tried to get the best results. Meanwhile, the New York Road Runners Club in 1978 had just tripled its membership over a two-year period to total 6,000. Today the NYRR Club serves 300,000 runners and boasts 60,000 members in 50 states. Meanwhile, over in Atlanta in 1976, Peachtree Road Race founding director Tim Singleton moved to Texas leaving Bill Nease in charge in Atlanta. Nease asked Olympian Jeff Galloway (who still owns the local Phidippides running store) to help.

In 1977, according to Galloway, the Peachtree “had the best quality racing field of any road race in the world: Olympic Champion Frank Shorter, multi-winner of [the] Boston and NYC marathons Bill Rodgers, and four-time Olympic Gold Medalist Lasse Viren.”

That same decade, in my rural south Georgia hamlet, we could still see the pre-juicer-salesman Jack LaLanne on television, enthusiastically encouraging all of us to do floor exercises in our homes, even incorporating a kitchen chair on occasion. There

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AUSTINFITMAGAZINE.COM FEBRUARY 2012

was a small shop which had converted to a “ladies workout spa” where wooden arched boxes with rollers designed to roll away fat from the "problem areas" sat across from a row of electronic vibrating belt machines (the Walton Belt Vibrator); its EVERETT COLLECTION vibrations allegedly jiggled the fat from the thighs, waist, and buttocks. In the ‘80s, Jane Fonda’s exercise videos—featuring leotards and leg warmers—helped us all “feel the burn.” These “aerobics” were of course another manifestation of Dr. Ken Cooper’s revolutionary work at the Cooper Clinic in Dallas.

In Hawaii in 1978, an argument arose among athletes about which of three disciplines required the greatest endurance. At that time, according to beginnertriathlete.com, Hawaii hosted the Waikiki Rough Water Swim (2.4 miles), the Oahu Bike Race (112 miles), and the Honolulu Marathon (26.2 miles). Originally events in themselves, they were rolled into one to become the ‘Hawaii Ironman Triathlon.’ A generation later, at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Triathlon made its Olympic debut—the Olympic distance of course. In Austin, you can’t sling a pair of goggles without hitting someone who has finished a triathlon of some distance and it’s likely you know more than one person who’s an Ironman finisher.

The current generation of fitness certainly has more science, but less spontaneity. Today fitness has to be intentional. There’s less meeting up serendipitously to play a set of tennis and more scheduling to join a boot camp or running group. We struggle to make all the workouts, to fit it all in. Some of the changes have to do with safety, some with the equally impressive evolution of exercise and nutrition science. With our many “conveniences” and electronically-engaging but sedentary pastimes, we have no choice but to be more vigilant of our intentions than ever. Thank goodness we are a generation of “workout fanatics.” Otherwise, our passively distracted existence is a slippery slope to a next generation of bulbous beings like those in Pixar’s “Wall-E” movie, wheeled through screen-lined lives on mobile recliners, trapped in bodies too heavy and weak to help ourselves should we slide out of our motorized carts.

I think I’ll go do some push-ups now.

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AFM'S FITTEST CHALLENGE L

ast month, Austin Fit Magazine (AFM) announced the June 2012 challenge to find Austin’s Fittest. Here is a sneak peek at the ten events used to determine the fittest man and woman in our fair city. (Registration information and other details are coming soon.)

C

AFM required the tests to be measurable and clear as well as challenging in terms of speed, endurance, strength, and power. With expert advice from international combine consultants, the tests were selected. Here is the list, in the order competitors must complete them (because the order is part of the challenge):

M

Y

Seated Medicine Ball Throw (upper body power)

CM

MY

Standing Broad Jump (lower body power)

CY

CMY

40 Yard Dash (speed)

K

Cone Drill Arrow Head Run, Left/Right (agility) Softball Throw (precision) Pull-ups (upper body strength) Burpees (total body strength capacity) Hand Grip (strength) Intervals (speed and conditioning) One-mile Run (endurance)

Go to www.austinfitmagazine.com for details about these tests. You’ll find demonstration videos and be able to read more on our FITblog. Also, check out Diane Vives’s “Muscle Movement of the Month” in each issue for help in your training. Pick up next month’s issue for information about how you can get ready to take the challenge! afm

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AUSTINFITMAGAZINE.COM FEBRUARY 2012

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A CHAT WITH DICK WILKOWSKI, MASTER RUNNER

by Leah Fisher Nyfeler

I

f you run regularly in Austin, there are all kinds of people you come to recognize on the trail or at a race, yet you’ve never met them. They may get a nickname or you may learn their identities from race results. Some become welcome faces while others turn into arch nemeses.

If you’ve been racing here over the last 30 years, you’ve seen Dick Wilkowski.

Wilkowski (68) moved from New York to Austin in 1976 to work at IBM. In 1982, Wilkowski was “a little bit sluggish and a little bit overweight” when a friend at the office ran the Capitol 10K, inspiring Wilkowski to start walking and running. That October, he ran his first race, the St. David’s 5K, on the Roy and Ann Butler Hike and Bike Trail. Wilkowski recalled his time without hesitation: 26.41. “I caught the racing bug,” he said. When RunTex offered free training with Mixon Henry, around 1996, Wilkowski began serious workouts.

During that period Wilkowski raced 20 or more events a year; now, he’s cut back to some 15 races annually. His favorite distances are the 10K (6.2 miles) and 10-miler because they “give you a chance to gather your thoughts and collect yourself.” While he sometimes runs 5Ks (3.1 miles), he prefers the longer distances because “a 5K is a lot of work; you gotta go all the way.” Wilkowski has completed four marathons (26.2 miles): two Austin Motorola marathons, one LaSalle Bank Chicago marathon (1997, for a Boston qualifying time), and the Boston Marathon in 1999. “That’s it,” he said. “Now, a half marathon [13.1 miles] is a big deal.”

Wilkowski won his age group in last year’s inaugural half marathon track of the Austin Fit Magazine Distance Challenge (AFMDC).

This year, Wilkowski and Austin-area athlete Walt Tashnick battled it out over the first two

races, separated only by seconds. At the 2011 ARC Decker Challenge, “[Tashnick] eclipsed me,” said Wilkowski. Tashnick is a new competitor; Wilkowski has had a fairly constant set of age group rivals over the last 30 years, primarily Jon Wisser and Greg Evans.

After Decker, Wilkowski had a cumulative time of 4:10:44 to Tashnick’s 4:03:52, putting Tashnick ahead. However, Wilkowski is in the half marathon track and Tashnick in the full marathon track, which means Wilkowski is again first place in his age group.

Wilkowski trained with Gilbert’s Gazelles but since 2008, he has run solo. He retired from IBM in 2007, returning to work the next month as a contractor. “Maybe when I retire for real, “ Wilkowski laughed, “I’ll get back to Gazelles and maybe do some yoga and stretching and Pilates.”

Wilkowski has had few injuries (two bouts of plantar fasciitis and two hamstring issues, none of which lasted longer than six weeks), and he wonders what role his training schedule might play in that statistic. He only runs three days a week—four days a week during marathon training…maybe. “I don’t know how to explain…what I’ve been able to achieve with the race results and what not,” he said. Wilkowski’s still running 22-minute 5Ks, though that is slower than his personal best, set 10 years ago when he had what he calls a “second peak.” That year, at age 57, Wilkowski ran an 18.57 5K and a 1:28 half marathon (at 3M—a 6.45-mile pace), which he attributes to the marathon training he did the year before. Since then, [Wilkowski] has seen slower times.

“It’s interesting,” he mused. “I expected times to drop incrementally, you know, little by little each year, but it’s like I went off a cliff about three years ago. I was 65, still pretty competitive, and I thought I was

running fast times. Then I got injured, I can’t blame that anymore, but after that, my time just went off the cliff. Before that, I used to run 19-minute 5Ks all the time.

Now, if I break 22, I’m happy.” While many runners would be ecstatic to see a 22-minute 5K at any age, Wilkowski has known faster times: “I’m getting slower and slower faster and faster.” He has promised himself “when I do 26.41 [his first 5K time] again, that’s when I call it quits and hang up the spikes.”

Now, Wilkowski sticks almost exclusively to the softer surface of the Roy and Ann Butler Hike and Bike Trail, running about 20 miles a week by mixing the loops and varying the directions. He mostly runs by himself. His wife, Vickie, and son, Chris, are very supportive. Vickie, who retired in 2009 after 30 years at HEB in the human resources department, doesn’t run but she works out every day on the treadmill.

Wilkowski still loves racing and his goal for the AFMDC is simply to enjoy himself and stay healthy—his reasons for starting to run all those years ago.

Regarding longevity in the sport, he quoted the late Dr. George Sheehan: “Every runner is an experiment of one.” Wilkowski suggested “tempering” running: miles and years add up, taking their toll, he said, and he reflected on his three-day-a-week routine: has it helped him achieve 30 years of running success?

“It worked for me,” Wilkowski said, “Will it work for everyone? I don’t know.” In the meantime, Wilkowski looks forward to the final races in the AFMDC and swears, “I’ll give it one more shot after I retire….” afm

FITNESS DICK WILKOWSKI

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AUSTINFITMAGAZINE.COM FEBRUARY 2012

PLAY LIKE A

COMPETITIVE GIRL—AT EVERY AGE A LONGTIME PICK-UP BASKETBALL GAME KEEPS PLAYERS ON THE BALL

by Leah Fisher Nyfeler | photography by Brian Fitzsimmons

B

ecky Beaver, well known in Austin as a prominent and successful lawyer, is a friend and supporter of many philanthropic and cultural organizations in town, ranging from Ballet Austin to People’s Community Clinic to KUT Radio.

Readers have seen her in print (Oprah and Texas Monthly, to name a few), on social pages, and quoted regarding family law. But it’s Beaver’s role as a mentor and athlete that brought Austin Fit Magazine to her office situated above Congress Avenue with a breathtaking view of the capitol and an amazing collection of modern artwork.

Slim, poised, and perfectly coiffed, Beaver answered questions about her passion—an on-going, women-only, pick-up basketball game. The intensity and precision of her responses gave insight into the professional and athletic competitor within. Her warmth and humor reflected the vivacity with which Beaver embraces life, fitness, and being on the court.

Beaver grew up playing basketball in Anson, Texas; basketball was one of the popular things for girls to do in smalltown Texas. Of the two girls in the family, “My sister was a natural athlete, and she did many different sports and excelled,” Beaver said. “I had to work really, really hard at one sport to get so I could barely do it.” She laughed and added, “But I love to play [basketball].”

Fitness was a way of life in the house-

hold. “It was just one of those things that was never negotiable with my sister and me. Anybody worth their salt exercised and was outside and stayed physically active, physically healthy,” she recalled. Her father, a natural athlete, played basketball at Weatherford Junior College, junior varsity baseball at the University of Texas, and did 100 push-ups every day of his life. Her mother, age 90, still goes to the gym daily.

Beaver described playing split court basketball in high school, “You had three guards and forwards on one end, and three guards and forwards on the other,” she explained. “I played center for my little high school basketball team. Loved it.” She took basketball as a physical education credit while studying at Texas Tech and, when she came to law school in Austin at the University of Texas, she played on intramural teams, even going to the National Championship. But finding a game got tougher once she left school. Some of Beaver’s basketball-playing friends were still associated with UT, so they played on the outdoor courts by the banks of Waller Creek. That came to an end when “at some point, since we were obviously older than average, someone ascertained we were no longer students, and [UT] began to be a little bit stricter about our participation,” reminisced Beaver.

About 20 years ago, Beaver’s group was playing 3-on-3 half court at the YMCA.

They picked up more players and moved to an outdoor court in Travis Heights at the corner of Leland and Congress, playing early on Sunday mornings to beat the heat.

“One day a man in his car pulled up, and he was just watching us play,” Beaver said.

“We thought that was pretty weird because we were certainly not of a quality that would attract a lot of spectators.” That man was Charles Jackson, the assistant principal at Fulmore Junior High School, and he asked, “Would you women like to play indoors?”

A lasting partnership was born.

For more than 18 years, Beaver has opened the Fulmore gym on Wednesday and Sunday evenings for pick-up games.

Women show up, brought by a friend, an acquaintance, a relative. Beaver noted there was a consistent group of eight to ten players when they started. Now, the game has grown to a list of 120-125 participants, all ages, all demographics, from all walks of life. “[There was] a girl last night who started playing with us when she was 14,” Beaver said. “There’s another woman who played at UT who’s on my Senior Olympic team who plays regularly; she’s 62. I’ll find myself playing now with girls who are literally 40 years younger than I am.” All are united by one passion: basketball.

Like Beaver, most who show up played high school or college basketball. There’s an impressive level of skill, which Beaver attrib-

FITNESS PLAY LIKE A COMPETITIVE GIRL—AT EVERY AGE

29

DEFENSE!

"IT BONDS GOOD FRIENDSHIPS AND YOU GET TO KNOW PEOPLE YOU WOULD NEVER MEET BECAUSE YOUR PATHS WOULDN’T CROSS." uted to passion: “You get the people who are really interested in playing basketball.”

Recently, there was a player from Austin’s semi-pro team, Austin Elite, and there have been players from both the French and Mexican National teams in the past.

Despite the high level of experience, there are no prerequisites; any woman is welcome to play. There are players who never played on a school team. However, Beaver will encourage new players to watch a bit—“Figure out if you really want to be in this game.

Because you don’t want to play if nobody’s ever going to pass the ball to you. People who don’t know how to set plays are going to get hurt, and we don’t want [that].”

The partnership with Fulmore has been a good one. Beaver is the touchstone—she reserves the gym and is responsible for opening and closing it for games. She has a profound fondness for the school: “I’ve watched Fulmore grow and evolve through the years; [there are] really exciting things happening in the magnet program and with the student body now. It’s been a great place and very supportive of our team and our game.”

The games go on every week; the only breaks are the times Beaver can’t open the gym, which are rare. “All those boards, all the organizations I’m active with, know that if they need me for something, they can’t schedule for Wednesday night,” she explained.

There are no fees and no refs—players call their own fouls; it’s pure pick-up. “There’s a real commitment to make sure nobody gets hurt, so nobody goes out there intending to play rough,” Beaver stressed. That doesn’t mean the play isn’t fast and the competition fierce. Even she had a bit of a learning curve when it came to playing it safe.

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AUSTINFITMAGAZINE.COM FEBRUARY 2012

“At some point, I figured out that it was okay if the person who was the starting center at Texas State a couple of years ago made the lay-up,” she said wryly. “I didn’t need to take that charge.” She laughed: “So there’s a revelation. As competitive as I am, it was really hard to get out of the way, but I need to live through this [game].”

It’s evident in Beaver’s voice that one of her greater pleasures is the longevity of the game and the dedication of the regulars. “I love the fact that we’ve now got kids who are literally what the parents call ‘gym rats’,’’ she said. “They’re kids who were raised at the basketball gym who are now playing with us. Two of the women I met through basketball have had children and I’m their godmother. It’s a really special group. It bonds good friendships and you get to know people you would never meet because your paths wouldn’t cross.” She described players’ children as “the future generation” and pointed out that “the threeyear-olds now will be playing when I’m 70 and still driving this pick-up game. “ For a few of the women, the pick-up game isn’t enough. Beaver, her sister, and several other players are on a Senior Olympic team as well. The Senior Olympics are part of the National Senior Games Association (NSGA), a nonprofit arm of the United States Olympic Committee.

Beaver’s team has gone to Nationals four times over eight years. Senior Olympic basketball is played every other year, on odd numbered years. The team will be going to Nationals in Cleveland in 2013, playing in the 60-64 bracket.

“Texas has a very active women’s basketball Senior Olympics,” Beaver explained. “They fielded two teams in every age bracket but one, and they fielded one team at Nationals all the way up to the 80plus [age bracket] in women. It’s really fun to see everybody still playing.” Because the team is based in San Antonio, it’s hard to practice—but easier than the years based out of Dallas. Then, practice was virtually impossible, so the players made do.

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“We’d meet before the [pick-up] games and and I’m very supportive of the Lady 20 years who are back playing at a really get people to play a round of 3-on-3 with us Longhorns.” Her analysis and verve high caliber.” to get in the mindset.” And then they’d play show the same intensity she brings to the On a gray Sunday afternoon Beaver again, at the pick-up game, for fun. game as a player. was at the Fulmore gym. She pulled out Beaver plays a lot of basketball—her “I’m delighted to see Cokie Reed getting a broom, brushing down the floor while aerobic workout of choice. Her full court, back on her game after her foot surgery. another player warmed up, making shots. bi-weekly games last about two hours.

She’s fun to watch. She’s got great agility Players trickled in until the final few minBeaver also goes to the gym twice a week as a post player. I love to watch Ashley utes when a stream of women came through for weight and strength training. True to Gayle jump and block shots. I’m glad— the doors. On the hour, the group stood in her upbringing, her own family is physihaving been a center, it makes me really a circle assessing positions and assigning cally active. She has twin sons, one played happy when we’ve got good post play.” teams. Beaver opted to sit out to make three on the intramural balanced teams basketball team of five. The first GROUP FUN at Duke and game started—it is currently in was quiet and the law school at play was fast and Columbia where intense. Beaver he finds time for pointed out playthe occasional ers and gave brief pick-up game. bios. “Dee played Her other son is for Iowa. Marisa involved in wreshad a baby about tling, soccer, and a year ago. Did scuba diving. you get Colleen?

Her daughter is She’s a swimmer, also active in too. We’ve got a sports and enjoys couple of coaches cross-country out here; Kerrie’s skiing. Beaver’s at Reagan.” Playhusband is John ers on the sideline Duncan, retired called out comeconomics proments and talked fessor. quietly to one an“Did you read other about recent Front row, left to right: Marisa Krisananuwatara, Mirsa Douglass, Dina Hernandez, Janis Bennett, Nina Wilson, Colleen Holloway, Dee James, Stacey Orakpo, Tosha Deckard, the article in the holidays, getting Yvette Pearson Back row, left to right: Cleopatra Hopkins, Cynthia Jackson, Kerrie Carter, Statesman that back in shape, and Stephanie Freeman Wright, Stephanie Jones, Becky Beaver, Tamra Thompson.

Pam LeBlanc (mostly) about did about my husband?” Beaver asked. basketball. Another player showed up.

She commented that “[Players are] a lot LeBlanc’s article, “Exercise helps patients “Well, hello,” said Beaver. A new rotation stronger and a lot taller.” She went on to say cope with Alzheimer’s disease,” ran in the was quickly devised. Beaver got into play, that, while she’d been a center in high school, Austin American-Statesman on October scoring some points and holding her own she would now be a short point guard. “Cen2, 2011. “He was the marathon runner,” defensively despite a nagging shoulder ters now are 6'3", 6'4", 6'5". Stacy Stevens she explained. “Once he got Alzheimer’s, issue. Time passed, games went quickly has shown up to play [at the pick-up game] things were going pretty poorly with him. or took awhile, players tired, some left, a couple of times. She was the center at UT I got him a trainer and she now runs with family in tow. The rotation changed again. the last time they went to the Final Four and him on Town Lake twice a week, three to Kids wandered by. “Off the court! Off the she can hold the ball in her hand. You’ve got five miles, and they work out (strength and court!” warned one little girl to her younger Brittney Griner (who’s 6'8") at Baylor who weight training) two other days a week. It’s brother. As the play slowed, the mood can dunk.” made a dramatic difference in the progreslightened and there was more teasing. By Beaver’s enthusiasm and passion built sion of the disease and slowing down the 5:30 p.m., a game had ended. Beaver, on the as she returned to the discussion of the cognitive deterioration. The impact on John pick-up game. She repeatedly emphasized sideline, gestured, “Who’s up for another has been dramatic.” game? Dina and I need to get in.” And so that the game was open to all, no matBeaver enjoys watching basketball. they headed out onto the court for one more ter when players last touched a basket“I’ve been going to [the Lady Longhorn] Sunday game. afm ball. “It’s like riding a bicycle,” Beaver games since they had a male coach and said. “Once you’ve learned what to do, played at Gregory Gym,” she laughed it comes back. A lot of people do come READ MORE ABOUT THE PICK-UP GAME ONLINE AT and added, “I’ve been a season ticket back and play. There are people on my AUSTINFITMAGAZINE.COM holder since the Erwin Center opened, Senior Olympic team who didn’t play for

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Your Health

Protecting Heart Health For All Ages and Genders

T

he heartbreaking story and viral YouTube video of Westlake High School student Ben Breedlove’s death from a heart disorder has touched millions.

Cardiac events can happen at any age and heart disease is an indiscriminate attacker. But there are ways to manage heart health—even for students.

Much of what the Heart Hospital of Austin does is preventative.

For adolescents, there are free heart screenings for student athletes between the ages of 14-18. The screenings include an electrocardiogram (EKG) and echocardiogram (an ultrasound of the heart) which can expose hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). This is a genetic condition that causes the heart muscle to thicken. According to Dr. Stanley Wang, clinical cardiologist and director of the Sleep Disorders Center at Heart Hospital of Austin, “HCM is the leading cause of sudden cardiac death in young athletes and affects one in 500 student athletes every year. [HCM] does not usually have warning signs and can be life-threatening if it is not diagnosed.” The Heart Hospital will conduct two free screenings in 2012 for student athletes: Saturday, February 18, from 8 a.m. to noon, and Saturday, August 4, from 8 a.m. to noon.

Part of the St. David’s Medical Center, the Heart Hospital is a leading cardiac program with a 24-7 emergency department.

“There is a wide range of patient types at Heart Hospital of Austin,”

said Dr. Wang. “We “HCM is the leading cause treat patients of all of sudden cardiac death in types with conditions young athletes and affects ranging from bumps one in 500 student athletes and bruises to heart atevery year.” tacks.” He pointed out that “heart disease and heart rhythm disorders do not discriminate based on age or certain demographics—they can impact most any person.”

Another diagnostic tool aimed at prevention is the HeartSaver CT scan. This test can show whether there is calcified plaque present in heart arteries. With this knowledge, people can “detect heart disease in its earliest and most treatable stages—long before you experience any symptoms,” explained Dr. Wang. The screening, which takes only moments, is available Monday through Saturday by appointment.

The Executive Wellness program is another proactive step. Aimed at executives or VIPs, it combines an entire week’s worth of medical exams into one day. Dr. Wang elaborated, “The day begins with a doctor’s consultation to discuss the participant’s medical history, TURN TO PAGE 36 TO READ MORE ABOUT "YOUR HEALTH"

W

hile breast cancer has its own color, month, and dedicated events, it is cardiovascular disease that kills almost one woman every minute each year.

One in three women is living with with some form of heart disease, and it kills more women than men.

Seton Hospital is participating in a pilot program sponsored by Abbott Labs that’s using a new approach for collecting data on cardiovascular risk factors—surveying women through community obstetricians and gynecologists.

“We are reaching out to gynecologists and obstetricians to TURN TO PAGE 36 TO READ MORE ABOUT "YOUR HEALTH"

YOUR HEALTH AUSTIN FIT MAGAZINE

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followed by a physical exam and a series of screenings to gather detailed information about his or her state of health. The Executive Wellness evaluation extends beyond the typical physical exam and includes screenings such as an exercise stress test, carotid and abdominal ultrasound, pulmonary function test and cardiac CT scan.”

Some factors in heart health are out of a patient’s control: age, menopause, family history, and race (African Americans, Mexican Americans, American Indians, HawaiDr. Wang encourages ians, and Asian Americans are at a higher preventitive heart screening risk). But Dr. Wang pointed out that there are many other factors leading to poor heart health that are within a patient’s control including being overweight, poor nutrition, low physical activity, smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes, high LDL, or “bad,” cholesterol, low HDL, or “good,” cholesterol, stress, poor dental hygiene, and untreated sleep disorders.

Overall fitness is critical in preventing heart disease. “You should aim for at least 30 minutes to one hour of moderate exercise per day, including walking, cycling, jogging and swimming,” Dr. Wang said. “There is growing evidence that even small tweaks to your routine can improve your cardiac health. A 2011 study revealed brisk walking (a few times a week) improved blood flow by as much as 15 percent.

“Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States,” said Dr. Wang, and the rise of obesity in American has certainly been a contributing factor. Research studies involving new medications, medical devices, and leading-edge therapies (including adult stem cell therapies) occur at Heart Hospital of Austin. Recognition of the role sleep disorders play in the development of heart disease has prompted the development of Heart Hospital of Austin’s Sleep Disorders Center.” afm For a detailed look at Dr. Wang’s list of modifiable heart health factors, visit the Austin Fit Magazine FITBlog at www.austinfitmagazine.com

make screening for heart disease a part of women’s regular exams,” explained Dr. Caitlin Giesler, Seton Heart Institute cardiologist.

Cardiologists at Seton provide participating doctors with a survey; the patients fill out the survey, and results will be used to initiate further research about heart disease in women.

Women who are identified as being “at risk” will then be referred to a physician who specializes in heart care.

“Heart disease is still widely underdiagnosed and undertreated in women. With the right information, we can equip patients to take action to help reverse heart disease and reduce women’s risk of having a heart attack or other cardiovascular conditions later in life,” said Dr. Giesler. afm Dr. Giesler stressed that all women should “know their numbers.” For information about these numbers and other heart-healthy information, visit Dr. Giesler’s blog at www.setonheart.com/women

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Health #health

Vain about Veins

by Dr. Robert Clement

You work out; you challenge your body to be the best it can be.

You watch your weight and monitor your nutrition. You run miles and do lunges. You may have the fittest legs around but you may not be happy with the way they look. Unsightly veins, such as spider veins (small, red lines in clusters) or varicose veins (knotted, ropy, larger veins), may make even the fittest athlete feel uncomfortable about his or her appearance. Treating these veins may be purely cosmetic or it might be a matter of correcting a painful condition.

Twenty-five percent of women and 18 percent of men suffer from varicose veins. While some cases are congenital, many cases are acquired; pregnancy, obesity, past trauma, and prolonged periods of standing (such as for work) can all contribute. While varicose veins can occur anywhere, they are most likely to develop in the legs due to gravity. As we age, we are more likely to see vein problems though very young people can develop varicose veins.

Recovery time for most treatment requires a relatively short period away from strenuous workouts. Often, patients must wear compression stockings during recovery. For these reasons, many athletes choose to schedule procedures during a cooler month or prior to triathlon season. In this article, Dr. Clement provides the medicals facts behind a variety of treatments.

T

he venous system, especially of the legs, is a very complex and variable system. Arteries carry blood with oxygen while veins return oxygen-depleted blood to the heart. Valves in the veins make sure that the blood travels back to the heart. When the vascular valves in veins become incompetent, pressure shifts to the superficial veins under the skin and, with time, these veins become dilated. Doctors identify these dilated veins by size: varicosities, (four to five millimeters in diameter), reticular veins (one to two millimeters in diameter), and telangiectasia (one millimeter in diameter). Patients with dilated veins may describe symptoms that include feelings of heaviness, pain, itching, and swelling.

Sclerosing therapy is the treatment of choice for smaller vessels (from one to as large as three millimeters in diameter). The solutions most frequently used in sclerosing therapy are sodium tetradecyl sulfate (STS) and polidocanol, each with a saline dextrose solution.

The number of veins and amount of area that can be covered is limited by the amount of solution that can be safely used, which is usually a maximum dose of ten cubic centimeters of the sclerosing solution.

Larger veins (three to five millimeters) are best treated with endovenous laser or radiofrequency ablation. This treatment involves inserting an optical fiber into the vein; laser light within the infrared spectrum is shown, which causes the vein to contract, and the laser is slowly withdrawn. For the largest varicosities of five millimeters or more that are present and visible within a short segment of skin, resection (surgical removal) and ligation of the veins remains the best treatment.

Sclerosing therapy requires two to four treatments to obliterate the veins. These treatments are placed at six- to eight-week intervals, and it may take up to three or four months for the final result to be visible.

Post-treatment therapy includes wearing compression stockings for one to three weeks and avoiding intense exercise for two to three weeks (this varies with the size of vein treated).

Almost all treatments can be done in office. In general, the first week of recovery is limited to walking. In the second week, patients should wear support stockings and can resume running anywhere from seven to ten days after their procedure. Even in the worst-case scenario of resection and ligation, recovery takes approximately four weeks.

The potential complications are pigmentation matting, which is an expansion of the area injected, skin necrosis (death of skin cells), and pigmentation (coloring of the skin). The success rate for sclerosing therapy is over 90 percent (while the polidocanol solution has a slightly higher success rate, it is not statistically significant).

Dr. Clement pointed out that surgeons are “the worst” for developing varicose veins due to the many hours spent standing still while operating. He highly recommended wearing compression stockings as a preventative measure. “I’ve been wearing them for years,” he said, “and I don’t have a single varicose vein.” For all those long-distance runners out there, this information may provide a brand new motivation towards wearing compression socks. Typically, runners wear compression socks in hopes that they make calf muscles more efficient and thus reduce fatigue, but they just may be a valuable aid in keeping your veins strong and beautiful over the years. afm

HEALTH VAIN ABOUT VEINS

39

T

he year is 2007. It is a cold January day, and I am unloading groceries from my car. My apartment is on the second floor, and after one trip upstairs, I am gasping for air. It is the day before my 37th birthday—it seems ludicrous to me that someone my age should be winded and exhausted by such a simple, everyday task.

How had I gotten here? I had spent most of my lifetime as a physically inactive person. I had been at least 30 pounds overweight for the better part of two decades, with occasional bouts of yo-yo dieting. I hit my heaviest weight in 2000 and then again in 2003 when I weighed 337 pounds.

I had a big life event in 2003—someone mistook me at a party for a fat, bald guy who was having his 50th birthday and I thought, “Holy crap! I’m 33 years old and if people think I look like this 50-year-old guy, I’m in trouble.” I successfully lost a lot of weight, but I didn’t exactly do it in a manner I’d recommend now. I drastically changed my eating habits—I basically ate nothing but salad—and I gave up the one liter of soda I’d been drinking every day. For the better part of three

by Jason Simmons

From Jason Simmons' point of view From Lori Bush's point of view

BEFORE

years, I kept most of the pounds off (my weight sometimes fluctuated by 10 pounds, but it stayed in that window). In this respect, I was healthier than I was at my heaviest because I weighed less…but I most certainly was not fit.

I still smoked.

While I counted calories, I was not considering nutrition as part of my diet. There was

DYING

by Leah Fisher Nyfeler

L

ori Bush, an Austinite, runner, and pediatric nurse, had completed the 2007 Moonlight Margarita Run and was waiting for a friend to finish. It was dusk; unable to see well in the twilight, Bush walked past the finish line, squinting at runners and cooling down from the hot run. About 200 yards from the finish, a runner on the other side of the street caught her eye as he fell.

At first, she thought he’d tripped because he went down facefirst, “a straight-out fall,” Bush said.

“Time passes slowly in an emergency,” Bush recounted. “I was waiting for him to get up, for people to notice he wasn’t moving. It dawned on me that nobody else was going to do anything.” At that point, Bush ran to the man’s side; he was on his face and on an uneven surface. She rolled the big man over and lay him flat, no easy feat for a petite woman of five feet and less than 100 pounds. She thought to herself, “[All] you’ve got [is] me, and it’s not your lucky day.” The man gasped, and Bush quickly ascertained there was no pulse.

A trained nurse, she began cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Bush was concerned that, because of her size, she was not strong enough to effectively administer CPR to such a large person. At that time, CPR required both chest com-

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AUSTINFITMAGAZINE.COM FEBRUARY 2012

pressions and mouth-to-mouth breathing. She struggled over the decision to solely concentrate on giving effective chest compressions, afraid that her lack of strength was going to cost the runner his life.

Bush had some bystanders take a pack the man was wearing, hoping to identify him. Amy and Matt Bush (no relation to Lori Bush) were those people.

“We were just about to leave the event, less than a minute from walking back to the car, when a man collapsed across the street from where we were standing,” wrote Amy Bush in her online journal. “When he didn't get back up or even move, we all started yelling for medical help. … As I watched people checking for vitals, I realized it was Jason.”

Lori Bush continued CPR, but she was tiring. Another man asked to help, identifing himself as a physician. Bush never saw his face and never knew his name: “Knees just came right beside me, like the answer to a prayer,” she recalled, “and he started breathing [while I did chest compressions].” Then, they switched positions. They worked together; the total time elapsed since Bush had rushed to the runner’s side was 20 minutes. She was exhausted from the strenuous compressions, her knees scraped and bloody from kneeling on the

absolutely no form of exercise in my life. After I made that disastrous trip up the stairs, I decided I was going to get healthy and take better care of myself.

For my 37th birthday, the cigarettes went into the garbage; I quit cold turkey after 20 years of smoking. I bought myself a pair of running shoes as a birthday present and started walking and jogging, making little loops in my apartment parking lot. After a couple of weeks, I was able to do two miles and I moved out onto the street. Four months later, I was doing my first 10K. This was where I belonged!

Exercise increased my awareness about what was going on with, and in, my body. It made focusing on better nutrition a lot easier. I realized that food was helping to fuel and repair my body. This changed my relationship with food and enabled me to make healthier choices. I found there is a distinct difference in eating for pleasure and eating with purpose.

I was getting into the best shape of my life.

Imagine my surprise when I woke up in a hospital bed three months later with people hovering over me. How did I get here? Why were these people asking me such stupid ques-

tions (“Who is the president?”)? After answering questions— and asking a few of my own—found out that I had been in an induced coma for four days. Why? I’d had a heart attack and died. And was dead for 47 minutes.

My heart attack happened just as I was about to finish the Moonlight Margarita Run on August 2, 2007. I do not remember it at all—Versed has a way of doing that to you (Versed is the drug they induced the coma with, but it wipes days from your memory). An old piece of plaque in my arteries had broken loose, forming a blockage in my heart. My veins were cleaning themselves out, and unfortunately they got a little overzealous. This was merely a freak occurrence, something that nobody could have seen coming. I had looked and felt better than I had in years. I’d even had a doctor’s checkup a couple of months earlier.

I was very fortunate to be where I was when my heart attack happened. I’ve been told that a nurse who had just finished the race turned around and saw me go down. She ran over and immediately started to perform CPR on me. She and another fellow worked for 27 minutes until the medics could

TO LIVE

Jason Simmons and Lori Bush

ground. “That 20 minutes was an eternity,” she said. The lengthy response time was due to the crowded race course and limited visibility in the dark. When EMS arrived, Bush thought, “I’ve got to get out of here; I obviously failed to save this man’s life.” She found her friend and left.

Amy and Matt Bush stayed with their friend. “…[The Emergency Medical Technicians] had to revive him,” Amy Bush wrote. “…CPR, shock paddles, the whole scary affair, and it took them a while. You never want to hear people saying things like ‘he's not breathing’ or ‘I can't get a pulse.’ It was terrifying.

But we kept our heads together and managed to use our extensive network of friends and relatives to get his mom's number.

Once they got his heart going and stabilized him enough to move, we rushed to the ER to meet his family there.”

Four months later, Lori Bush still had no knowledge of what happened to Simmons. “I couldn’t let it go,” she said.

“Everyone was saying he’d died, was revived in the ambulance, but lost again. I had to know.” She tried her medical connections, but it wasn’t until she was contacted by the American Heart Association (AHA) that she learned he had survived. She was invited to a yearly AHA dinner that reunites survivors of heart incidents with the volunteers who HEALTH DYING TO LIVE

41

AFTER

reach me. It took the medics another 20 minutes before they got a heartbeat. At that point, the medics rushed me to the hospital where doctors induced a coma and put me into a state of controlled hypothermia. This ‘ice’ treatment is a relatively new approach, and the main concern was what damage might have been done to my brain while I was without a heartbeat for 47 minutes. But I surprised everyone and came back 100 percent.

This near miss and my miraculous recovery gave me even more resolve to stay on a healthy path. You know the first question I asked the doctor? I asked him if I would be able to run again. I was glad to hear that I could – but I would have to wait a little while. The second day after I awoke from the coma, I was put into surgery for stints. That procedure went very well, and I was home soon afterward and back to work in my hair salon within two weeks. I was running (better than ever) after eight weeks.

The doctor told me that, had I not been in such good shape (and had such skilled CPR), they would never have been able to save me – nor would I have made such a good recovery. I’ve continued to seek better fitness and to run. I came to find that healthiness, much like happiness, is a choice. I’ve chosen to be healthy and happy, and I have never regretted it. afm

From Jason Simmons' point of view From Lori Bush's point of view

assisted them. When she picked up her nametag at the event, she learned Simmons’ name for the first time. “I knew I’d recognize him,” she recalled, but she didn’t see him there.

His nametag remained unclaimed. She went to the volunteers: “I’m not sure Jason survived.”

From a glimpse of a card in Simmons’ pack or printing on a shirt, Bush knew that he’d been a member of the Austin Runners Club (ARC). She sent an email to the club: “I’m looking for Jason Simmons; can you just let me know he’s alive?”

ARC assured Bush he was alive. More, they contacted Simmons. He immediately wrote to Bush, updating her on what had occurred after she left him. The two met for dinner with Simmons’ mother and grandmother. Simmons and his family were curious about the missing details. Bush completed the story for them. She revealed her emotions as she’d left the race: “I thought you were dead, and I was feeling a lot of guilt.

How’d you get stuck with me? I wish I was bigger; I wish I was stronger.” She’ll never forget Simmons reply: “Obviously, your compressions were effective because it protected my brain.” Simmons had emerged from his coma with full brain health. He told her that it had been a last-minute decision to

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AUSTINFITMAGAZINE.COM FEBRUARY 2012

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"I thought you were dead and I was feeling a lot of guilt. How’d you get stuck with me? I wish I was bigger; I wish I was stronger." do the race. Originally, Simmons had planned a solitary training run on Cat Mountain. Bush believes fate put her there that night, watching for him at the finish.

Bush is still running, though she’s had three knee surgeries.

She focuses on the half marathon now (her marathon days— she’s completed five—are behind her). Currently she works for a biotech company in Austin. Letters she received from Simmons are in her “forever” file, and she spoke of their ordeal as though it happened yesterday. Bush said that there was a life lesson for her that evening, which she referred to as “a moment of ordinary people.” The lesson? “Don’t be a ‘Watcher,’ be a ‘Do-er.’” afm

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GENERATIONS OF JOHNSONS WALK THE TALK OF FITNESS

Lady Bird’s legacies include Luci, Nicole, and Claudia By

E

CECILY SAILER +

P hotography by

BRIAN FITZSIMMONS

ach year thousands of runners, walkers, and bikers make their orbits around Lady Bird Lake—burning off indulgent calories, training for marathons, or trucking a younger generation around the trail for some fresh air and blue sky. This is merely routine for Austin’s active crowd, but their daily devotionals also serve as a fitting tribute to the former First Lady who spent much of her life beautifying Central Texas and promoting happy, healthy living.

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AUSTINFITMAGAZINE.COM FEBRUARY 2012

Luci

Claudia Nicole

Of course, Austin’s iconic watermark is just one of Lady Bird’s legacies in Central Texas. Three others—Lady Bird’s daughter, Luci Baines Johnson, her granddaughter, Nicole Covert, and her great-granddaughter, Claudia Covert—also share their matriarch’s passion for the outdoors and her commitment to health (as well as her poise, good humor, and good looks). They say Lady Bird set a strong example within the family, and Luci says exercise allowed her mother to maintain strength in more ways than one.

“I think she found exercise a very steadying force,” Luci says. “It provided her comfort and a platform from which she could maintain stability in a very demanding world. Lyndon Johnson was a force of nature, so I think Mother found swimming and walking a real source of sustenance.”

During her years as First Lady, Luci says her mother relied on vitamins and massage, along with exercise, to maintain her physical health. She spent time walking when she could, but later began the at-home exercise routines popular in the 1960s, mostly because this allowed her to stay nearby when business called.

Like many people, Lady Bird incorporated fitness into her life as she could, despite her endless commitments. But, given her druthers, Luci says, Lady Bird would have chosen swimming any day.

“Everybody wanted a part of her, but in the water she was able to really have that alone time. On the exercise mat at home, someone could still come and get her. And they did. But when she swam, there was a sense of peace in that. She continued swimming even after she lost her balance completely. She swam 37 laps until she was 82.”

Luci shares her mother’s passion for the water, she says, and her sense of athleticism—or lack thereof.

“Mother was not an athlete in any way, shape, or form,

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AUSTINFITMAGAZINE.COM FEBRUARY 2012

but she recognized the significance of exercise and passed that on to me,” Luci says. “I was not an athlete in any way or form. In fact, I was always the last person chosen for any team. I painfully remember my classmates bickering, ‘Why do we have to have Luci on our team? We had her on our team last time.’ I didn’t much blame them. But my ego athletically was pretty significantly diminished.”

As Jazzercise, dance, and aerobics took root in the 1970s, Luci found individual exercise offered freedom from the competition inherent in other sports. “It was very relevant to me,” she says.

In addition to her own personal fitness regimen, public and community health became a part of Luci’s life and career very early. For nearly 20 years, she performed visual screenings for Head Start, the national nonprofit that advocates for early childhood development and education. Luci attended nursing school and spent 20 years addressing issues in the field as chair of the University of Texas School of Nursing’s advisory board. She also volunteered her time and energy to national and local health institutions like the National Heart Association, Boston University’s School of Medicine, Seton Hospital, the Seton Fund, and Dell Children’s Foundation.

“My father believed that in our great country, decent health care ought to be a right, not a privilege, for all our people. I share his dream and am willing to work for it as long as I draw breath,” Luci says. And it’s quite a legacy to carry. During his presidency, Lyndon Baines Johnson advanced the nation’s public health programs by authorizing the legislation creating Medicare and Medicaid, which provided federal health benefits for the poor and elderly. He also issued executive orders, in the wake of the Civil Rights legislation, which led to

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Title IX of the Education Amendments in 1972 offering equal protection for women in hiring decisions at public universities but Title IX is best known today for expanding opportunities for women’s athletics programs at the nation’s public colleges and universities.

Today Luci carries that torch here in Central Texas, dedicating time to protecting and improving Austin’s preeminent “public gym,” the Roy and Ann Butler Hike and Bike Trail, which encircles the beloved lake now named for her mother, Lady Bird. She is also an avid cyclist in her own right. Inspired by her husband Ian Turpin’s love of cycling, the couple typically rides twenty or thirty miles together on the weekends.

“When we married, he was dumbfounded I didn’t really know how to ride a bike. I may be the only person you know who didn’t really learn until they were over 50, but it is my greatest joy now. I’ve had accidents on many continents, but I gladly keep getting back on the bike.”

In fact, Luci’s greatest personal achievement in the realm of fitness, she says, was completing a cycling vacation just six weeks after receiving treatment for Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), a disorder in which the body’s immune system attacks part of the peripheral nervous system. The effects of GBS begin with tingling and numbness in the arms and legs and ultimately lead to paralysis, something Luci experienced in April of 2010.

She credits her devoted medical team and her own

commitment to exercise for her recovery. “Prior to contracting GBS, I was exercising six days a week, and I believe with all that is in me that it was invaluable to my swift and complete recovery. That’s why my New Year’s resolution is to go back to a six-days-a-week exercise routine if I can make it happen.” Making it easier, Luci and her husband installed a gym in their home last year, which they share with their staff at LBJ Asset Management Partners. Here again, Luci’s personal commitment to health comes with an invitation to others to make time for exercise. As she says, exercise is about more than just good health—it helps her maintain a better outlook on life. “I’m happier, and I’m a better wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and friend.”

For Luci’s daughter, Nicole, fitness is also a family and community affair. She played competitive sports at a young age and helped take her high school volleyball team to state. Her husband, Brent Covert, also an Austinite, is equally athletic, and their children— Johnson, 15, and Claudia, 13—have been involved in organized sports since they could tumble, swing a bat, or kick a ball. All the while, Brent and Nicole have been right there beside them, not just cheering but coaching.

“We felt it was important for them to see us take an interest in their activities. It was something we could all do as a family,” Nicole says. She recalls coaching Claudia’s friends on basketball and volleyball teams, LIFESTYLE THE JOHNSON FAMILY

47

not to mold them into athletes, but to lend them a sense of belonging.

“A lot of the time, kids are intimidated to participate because they’re not good at it, especially the girls,” Nicole says. “But if they know the coach, they might be more willing to join in. Some might never play again, but at least they were on a team. There’s something so valuable in that. With an individual sport, you don’t have to work with anybody else or get along with anybody.”

For Claudia, her mother’s training paid off in more ways than one. Nicole’s expertise not only guided Claudia in basketball and volleyball but also solidified Claudia’s network of friends.

“My mom’s very athletic,” Claudia says. “She had experience in high school and in middle school, so if she knew we were struggling with a serve or a lay-up, she had the experience to help us, and she was welcoming to all my friends.”

With Claudia and Johnson now playing multiple sports, their days are filled with practices, games, and homework. But Nicole says this doesn’t come at the expense of family time. “We do find time to sit down and eat dinner as a family at least three to four times a week,” she says. “I think we all take for granted the time we have together, but I must say dinner at the Covert house is treasured by our family. No phone calls, no cell phones at the dinner table, no TV. Just family time.”

For the Johnson clan, the commitment to family and the commitment to good health seem one and the same, as though both are hard-wired in their lineage.

But Luci notes this wasn’t always the case. At a young age, she watched her own parents struggle to reform their eating habits and daily routines.

“My father had his first heart attack when I was eight years old,” Luci recalls. “He quit smoking and removed fatty foods and desserts from his diet. He made sure ours was a shared sacrifice—a sacrifice a plump, little Luci was not so interested in,” she said.

“He started swimming and walking and watched his caloric intake religiously.”

By then Luci’s mother had already made calorie counting routine. But Lady Bird never completely renounced her love of fried foods, though her will remained strong, Luci says. “Fried was a part of her deep East Texas culinary tradition. She yearned for it when the menu provided it and spent a lifetime having to deny herself.”

Hard-won as it may have been, this conversion toward healthier living took hold in the family,

MEALS ARE FAMILY TIME

"Dinner is treasured by our family. No phone calls, no cell phones at the dinner table, no TV. Just family time."

—Nicole Covert engendering in Luci and Nicole, and later Claudia, an appetite for activity, though Luci is reluctant to take credit for passing on to her children the lessons her parents learned the hard way. Always quick to celebrate those around her, Luci claims her own four children enlightened her about healthy living. Not the other way around.

“My office calls me the food and exercise police, but my children are the ones teaching me.”

While Luci’s four children do wield impressive resumés in the realm of diet and exercise—collectively they are nutritionists, marathoners, tennis players, and amateur boxers—they credit their mother with their achievements, even if she won’t credit herself.

As Nicole will testify, “My parents encouraged me and my siblings, from the time we could walk, to be active. My father was the athlete of the two, but my mother CONTINUED ON PAGE 50

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was always our biggest fan. By the time we were two years old, we were swimming, on the ski slopes, playing sports, running outside, going out on Lake LBJ, riding bikes and horses, exploring the ranch.”

Nicole also applauds Luci for keeping her grandchildren active, for demonstrating the joys of getting out, running around, and exploring the world rather than hunkering down for hours of air conditioning and video games.

“Before my grandmother passed away, we would spend most weekends out at the LBJ Ranch,” Nicole says. “My mother and step-father would wake up early and take the grandchildren who wanted to go for bike rides, and they would ride for miles.”

The more stories Luci and Nicole and Claudia tell, the more it seems fitness, to them, is about reinforcing family and strengthening the community that matters most. Half the reward of a workout comes from feeling stronger and relieving stress, but the other half comes from doing it together and making it fun. And, as is family tradition, this attitude goes beyond the family into the larger community.

Perhaps the best example of this is the annual LBJ 100 Bicycle Tour. Launched in 2008, and sponsored by the Friends of LBJ National Historical Park, the Hill Country Bicycle Touring Club, the National Park Service, and the Western National Park Association, the LBJ 100 now gathers more than 1,000 cyclists together each spring for rides anywhere from 10 to 85 miles long, beginning and ending on the LBJ Ranch,

the very place where the Johnson tribe, over the decades, clocked hundreds of miles as part of their own informal cycling team.

Luci says the event is a way for the public to enjoy the land her family loved most, and she says her husband, Ian, helped inspire the event’s formation. Today, the couple draws their own inspiration from the event they helped to organize. Luci notes the Texas 4000 riders, a group of young cyclists from the University of Texas who, in preparation for a 4,000-mile journey from Austin to Anchorage to raise money for the fight against cancer, use the LBJ 100 as a training ride.

“I just love to hear their stories,” Luci says. “A lot of their stories are very poignant about why they make this sacrifice.”

The event is scheduled this year for March 24, and proceeds benefit the improvement and maintenance of the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park. At the end of the ride, all participating cyclists are invited to join a tour of the LBJ Ranch led by a true expert in Johnson family history—Luci, of course. And she is an exemplary storyteller.

In all, the ride, the tour, and the celebration surrounding both, embody perfectly the Johnson’s outlook on fitness.

As Luci says, “Our family memories are phenomenal, and so many of them are glued to some form of physical activity. I’d say, for us, fitness is a celebration of life—its potentials, its challenges, its fun, its majesty.” Or, as Nicole says, “It’s just fun. And we can do it as a family.” afm

THE 2012 LBJ 100 TAKES OFF ON MARCH 24

Luci, Will Rotzler, LBJ 100 founder and current Executive Director of the Tour de Gruene, and Yvonne Campos of the Hill Country Bicycle Touring Club of San Antonio, lead the riders in the National Anthem

Luci crossing the finish line

Luci with Gary Osborn his Emmis Communication teammates

PHOTOS BY CARYN CULLINAN OF CARYN-C PHOTOGRAPHY

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AUSTINFITMAGAZINE.COM FEBRUARY 2012

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OBESITY 52

AUSTINFITMAGAZINE.COM FEBRUARY 2012

It Shows You Care

by Tricia Minnick

(EDITOR’S NOTE: Blogger and marathon runner Tricia Minnick shares her personal story of transformation regularly in her blog. For Austin Fit Magazine this month, she shares her first-person narrative to illuminate the emotional turmoil we think we’re avoiding when we do not directly address obesity issues with those we care about.

Note that this is a personal narrative. If you or someone you know is experiencing physical, emotional, or mental obesity-related symptoms that may require professional attention, please see your physician for evaluation or referral to specialists.)

CAN’T THEY TELL? DON’T THEY SEE? ISN’T IT OBVIOUS?

A

t 278 pounds I was dying. Sure the weight was cutting my life expectancy, but really I was dying inside. Part of me was terrified my friends or family would mention my weight, but an even greater part of me was desperate for someone to say something about it.

Visiting Disney with my family should have been something to look forward to, but instead I dreaded it. For me, it wasn’t the “happiest place on Earth;” it was a minefield of possible humiliation. Would I fit into the rides? Would that lap bar snap in place over my stomach? Would people laugh at me having to turn sideways to fit through the turnstiles? Would this be the day my family finally said something about what I had let myself become?

On a crisp fall day, my family stood watching Minnie and Mickey sing and dance in the park’s opening ceremony. Despite the nip in the air, sweat trickled down my back as I frantically scanned the gates the crowds would be funneled through.

Soon it was time to go in, and I braced myself for what was to come. Luckily, my son was in a stroller, so I was spared the embarrassment of having to try to squeeze through the turnstiles and was instead ushered through a larger opening made to accommodate strollers. One worry was out of the way, but there was still a full day ahead, fraught with obstacles. I carefully orchestrated which rides we would go on, not based on the enjoyment factor but on the simple criteria that I could fit into the seat.

And then it happened. It was our turn to get on the ride. Too late, I realized those rockets were built for two, but I would have to ride in one alone. I tried to act like it wasn’t a big deal, plastering on a smile like I was actually enjoying myself, I was counting down the seconds until the ride would end. No one said a word about the fact that Tricia Minnick with her family at Disney World

"I TRIED TO ACT LIKE IT WASN’T A BIG DEAL, PLASTERING ON A SMILE LIKE I WAS ACTUALLY ENJOYING MYSELF."

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I took up as much space as two adults. We just headed to the next machine of torture.

DON’T THEY CARE?

I

knew I was dangerously overweight.

And probably, if someone had said, “Hey Tricia, you’ve put on a lot of weight,” I would’ve burst into tears. But when the tears dried, I might have looked beyond their statement. Reaching out to me, acknowledging the issue, would’ve showed they cared.

DO THEY NOT LOVE ME?

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have a very loving, supportive family.

They show their love in a million ways, but once I became an adult, they refrained from mentioning my size. Weight is a tricky beast. There isn’t a set number on the scale that magically determines if you’re healthy or not. Weight-loss stories and plans are strewn across every magazine cover and dominate the bookshelves, but directly addressing someone’s weight is considered taboo in our society. Even knowing this, there was a demon whispering in the back of my head that if they really loved me, they would reach out to me.

I don’t blame my friends or family for my poor choices, but once I had broken that cycle, I needed to know why they hadn’t said anything. When I was an overweight child, my family talked about my unhealthy habits, encouraging better portion sizes and more activity. When I started running through fad diets in my teen years, they tried to explain more sensible approaches.

But when I became an adult, and I escalated from being overweight to becoming morbidly obese, there was near silence. My friends and family tiptoed around the issue, never stating the obvious. I asked why, and the answer was heartbreakingly simple: “We loved you so much we didn’t want to hurt you.” They were afraid I’d become defensive and put up a wall, pushing away the ones who cared about me. They knew I was struggling with some emotional issues and worried that by confronting me about them, they would push me over that figurative edge. They cared about me so much that they kept quiet.

BUT CAN’T THEY SEE I’M HURTING?

T 54

he dirty little secret behind obesity is people aren’t feeding their bodies; AUSTINFITMAGAZINE.COM FEBRUARY 2012

they’re feeding their hurts. Odds are the obese person didn’t get that way solely because he or she enjoys cheeseburgers.

Sure, some people just love food, but there are others like me who use food to self-medicate until it almost becomes an addiction.

Can’t forget a difficult childhood? Turn your focus to food; turn your thoughts to your next meal. Feel like you don’t deserve to be loved by others? Stuff your face until you’re obese and so uncomfortable with yourself you have an excuse to hide inside, never giving others a chance to reject you.

If someone put a gun to my head right now and insisted on knowing where my deep-rooted issues come from, I doubt I’d survive. I don’t have all those answers. I know I grew up feeling worthless, somehow never measuring up to my own expectations. I was never pretty enough, thin enough, funny enough, smart enough, good enough. I can remember having these feelings as early as elementary school. I would daydream about the day when I would fit in, when I would finally measure up. That theme continued throughout adulthood; sometimes at unexpected moments those thoughts still echo in my head. Where those issues stem from is something I continue to deal with today. Even once we start healing our bodies, our minds may still need mending. Sometimes professional help is needed to finally be whole again.

DRUGS ARE ILLEGAL, BUT JUNK FOOD ISN’T.

C

omparing food to drugs may seem extreme, but in my life as an obese individual, junk food was my drug of choice. I exhibited all the signs of someone addicted to an illegal substance. I was constantly planning my next “fix.” I often felt unable to resist the lure of a fast food chain, and I would even eat in secret. Like any true junkie, I was constantly telling myself “I could quit tomorrow if I wanted to.”

A moment from my past floats forward: I’d dropped my husband off at work and had a sleeping infant in the backseat of my truck. I should have driven home to do some laundry or clean up the kitchen from breakfast, but instead I was sitting in a Taco Bell parking lot. I sat staring at that building, waiting for them to open, trying to find the willpower to start the truck and drive home.

I didn’t need food; we’d just had breakfast.

But I couldn’t resist. The employees turned the lights on, and I headed to that drive-

through window. As I ate my burrito, I could taste the salt of tears streaming down my face: I was no longer in control.

IF YOU CAN’T SAY SOMETHING NICE, DON’T SAY ANYTHING AT ALL?

T

elling someone they’re eating too much isn’t nice…or is it? Maybe that statement alone isn’t, but what if it was followed up by action? “Tricia, I’m concerned about your current lifestyle. Let’s take a healthy cooking class together.” The key in reaching out to our loved ones is not just to say the words but also to offer support through action.

Beyond offering to go on walks with your loved one or researching healthy alternatives to their favorite meal, offering emotional support is part of laying the foundation of help. After I’d lost 120 pounds and had a couple of years under my belt with my new healthy life style of moving more and eating less, I thought I had all the answers. After all, I spent my free time offering help and hope to an online community of readers struggling with obesity. Yet I didn’t take the time to offer that same support to a family member who reached out to me, saying, “I’ve gained a lot of weight.” Sad to say, I had already noticed this person’s struggle, but I had fallen into the idea that it’s too risky to discuss someone else’s unhealthy lifestyle. What if he gets upset with me? What if I hurt his feelings?

joke, and changed the subject. But I wanted to help, so it was time to think outside the box. I used social media to reach out. I wrote a blog post, without mentioning his name, knowing he would read it and hoping it would open a line of communication. I said: “I see you; I acknowledge there is a problem. I’m hurting because I know you’re hurting. I love you, and I’m here to help you in any way I can.”

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f my loved one were drinking his liver into oblivion, I wouldn’t hesitate to speak up. From now on, I plan to apply that same concept to those around me who are leading unhealthy lifestyles; their health is worth more than a few uncomfortable moments to me. I reached out to my family member with concern and support. I didn’t hurl accusations or make inflammatory statements. I didn’t shame him into accepting a healthier lifestyle. Talking to my loved one face-to-face didn’t work.

He brushed me off, made a

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To submit Fit Find ideas to the AFM Team, please email the following information to fitfinds@austinfitmagazine.com: Product Name, Brand, Where You Can Buy It, Cost, Category (Gear, Apparel, Gadgets, Goodies), Description, What Makes It Cool. Please also attach a high res (300 dpi) image.

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Recipe #recipe

Soba Noodle Salad with Edamame and Napa Cabbage

DID YOU KNOW? In general, soba noodles are a combination of buckwheat and wheat; however, some are 100% buckwheat, which is gluten free.

by Anne Wilfong, RD, LD & Alexa Sparkman, MA, RD, LD photography by Brian Fitzsimmons

WHAT YOU NEED

NUTRITION

SERVING SIZE: 1 CUP

2 cups Napa cabbage, thinly sliced

Calories 195 Protein 7 g

2 medium raw carrots

MAKES APPROXIMATELY4 CUPS

6-ounce package of soba noodles

Carbohydrates 17 g Fat 13 g

Sodium 557 mg Fiber 2 g

1/2 cup cooked, shelled edamame 3 tablespoons sesame oil 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar 2 tablespoons soy sauce 1 tablespoon sesame seeds 3 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions

HOW YOU MAKE IT 1. Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain and rinse well under cold water. Set aside.

2. While noodles are cooking, heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat.

Add sliced cabbage to skillet and cook until slightly wilted.

3. Using a vegetable peeler, peel carrots into paper-thin strips.

PRICE PER SERVING: $1.41 RESTAURANT PRICE: $5.99

4. Combine soba noodles, carrots, edamame, and Napa cabbage 5. Whisk sesame oil, vinegar, and soy sauce together.

6. Gently combine noodles with dressing and top with sesame seeds and green onions.

This recipe is brought to you by Whole Foods Market.

7. Serve immediately or chilled.

Registered and licensed dietitians Alexa Sparkman and Anne Wilfong, can provide reliable, objective nutrition information, separate facts from fads, and translate the latest scientific findings into easy-to-understand nutrition information. For more information about their nutrition counseling practice, contact Alexa or Anne at 512.257.0898 or SparkmanNutrition.com

58

AUSTINFITMAGAZINE.COM FEBRUARY 2012

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2011 Austin Fit Magazine Distance Challenge #AFMDC

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AFMDC Leaderboard H

ere’s who’s out in front prior to the 3M Half Marathon on January 29, 2012. The times given are cumulative times from the first three Austin Fit Magazine Distance Challenge races. As of December 31, 2011, the AFMDC leaders split into two groups: half (runners complete a total of three half marathons, ending with the half distance at the Austin

AFM DISTANCE CHALLENGE

AFM DISTANCE CHALLENGE

FULL TRACK LEADERS

HALF TRACK LEADERS

Name

Name

Total Race Time

Total Race Time

Overall Female

Lisa Buckley

3:28:37

Overall Female

Deb Hilton

3:36:32

Female Masters

Rose Martinez

3:35:02

Female Masters

Judy Taveira

3:51:37

Overall Male

Joseph McCellon

2:35:54

Overall Male

Tony Orozco

3:01:05

Male Masters

Jim Moore

3:10:00

Male Masters

Michael André Ford 3:11:04

WOMEN’S AGE GROUP LEADERS

60

Marathon) and full (runners complete the same two half marathons as those doing the half track but end with the 26.2-mile distance at the Austin Marathon). Note that these leaderboards do not reflect the 3M Half Marathon results, run on January 29, 2012. Look for an updated leaderboard in the March issue of Austin Fit Magazine.

MEN’S AGE GROUP LEADERS

WOMEN’S AGE GROUP LEADERS

MEN’S AGE GROUP LEADERS

Age Group

Name

Time

Age Group

Name

Time

Age Group

Name

Time

Age Group

Name

Time

15-19

Courtney Reich

3:35:17

10-14

Sutton Lindsley

6:02:17

20-24

Brittany Capps

4:11:42

20-24

Mike O'Keefe

3:46:38

20-24

Erica Stoltenberg

3:34:54

15-19

----

----

25-29

Erin Smith

4:18:48

25-29

Michael Galante

3:24:57

25-29

Michelle Mikolajek

4:00:53

20-24

Kyle Higdon

2:44:41

30-34

Ashley Butler

3:39:22

30-34

David Kinton

3:34:05

25-29

2:54:19

35-39

Kristin Wright

4:20:23

35-39

Tony Orozco

3:01:05

30-34

Laura Bowers

3:45:45

Daniel Thompson

30-34

Joseph McCellon

2:35:54

40-44

Judy Taveira

3:51:37

40-44

Deb Hilton

3:36:32

Michael André Ford

3:11:04

45-49

35-39

Scott Merritt

2:56:26

50-54

Michelle Reeb

4:46:38

45-49

Farshid Parandian

3:13:22

40-44

Jim Moore

3:10:00

55-59

4:11:03

50-54

Marvin Hope

3:11:11

Gordon Alexander

3:11:46

45-49

Barbara Fellman

50-54

John Potts

3:16:00

60-64

Mary Stoner

5:39:03

55-59

Dan Wood

3:22:27

55-59

Kenneth Russell

3:37:48

65-69

Judith Reader

5:26:08

60-64

6:28:18

60-64

Don Barlow

5:15:30

Margene Beckham

Frederick Taylor

4:29:56

70-74

65-69

Dick Wilkowski

4:10:44

65-69

Walt Tashnik

4:03:52

70-74

70-74

Michael London

4:19:15

----

----

75-79

Keith Mason

5:37:41

35-39

Lisa Buckley

3:28:37

40-44

Angelica Kelley

3:44:52

45-49

Rose Martinez

3:35:02

50-54

Cynthia Burton

4:18:09

55-59

Robin Hulsey

5:53:30

60-64

Reenie Smith

4:47:28

65-69

----

----

70-74

----

----

AUSTINFITMAGAZINE.COM FEBRUARY 2012

Running Your First Marathon: Getting Mental with 26.2

by Leah Fisher Nyfeler

O

n February 19, many in the Austin Fit Magazine Distance Challenge (AFMDC) will run their first marathon. They’ll have logged many miles in training, solo or with a group, and at least 42.4 miles of races (the total for everyone still in the AFMDC. The half-track competitors bring their total to 55.5 with 13.1 miles at the Austin Marathon and Half Marathon, while the full track adds 26.2 miles for a total of 68.6.

When this article hits the stands, there’s really nothing more that can be done physically to prepare for the race. Physically, about all one can do is get enough sleep, eat well, and refrain from any new or weird exercising in the final weeks. There are several equipment preparations (selecting that perfect, old, comfortable shirt to wear; making clothing choices for various weather scenarios; laying out gels and water bottles to carry; arranging race day logistics), but the old maxim “nothing new on marathon day” holds true. It’s not the time to try a new outfit or a new exercise routine. There is, however, one crucial area of training that is best practiced in the final days and may be something new: mental preparation.

Visualize race day. Visualizing, also known as guided imagery, is the process of imagining the events of race day with an emphasis on a positive outcome. Many, however, take this as only seeing the best possible scenario. The optimal practice is to pull up a picture of a realistic day with positive attributes. Sit in a quiet spot, relax, and think about the race, mile by mile (for accu-

racy, it helps to have driven the course, taking into account prior experiences to realistically render your imaginary performance).

See and feel the experience in your mind; no detail is too small. Run through your warmup and start; mentally practice taking water or gels. Imagine physical ups and downs at various mile points. Insert some “down” stretches, places in the race where a low point—physical and/or mental—is reached.

See yourself pushing through these rough patches and “live” your finish. American Olympic runner Jorge Torres talked about practicing visualization before his marathon debut at the 2009 New York City Marathon.

His coach had him conserve his emotional energy by waiting until three days before the race and then focusing more on creating the race atmosphere than specific details of the course. Torres finished seventh overall, with a time of 2:13:00.

Make a commitment to finish. This may seem oddly obvious but many firsttime marathoners get caught up in the time trap: “I will finish my first marathon in x time.” Finishing, however, is by no means guaranteed, no matter how much work has been invested or how well prior races have gone. Danny Spoonts, an outstanding local age group runner and past organizer of the Austin Marathon pacing team, shared the story of his first marathon and the subsequent regrets that came with a DNF (did not finish) in the results. His advice: just focus on a finish. There is often a point in a race where a runner must decide to tough it out or walk off and try another day. In the

case of a first marathon, making the mental commitment first to finish and only then consider a time reduces pressure, which often can keep a runner going in a less-thanperfect event.

Consult with running buddies. Even though running buddies have been through thick and thin together in practice runs, the actual marathon is different; friends need to be clear with one another on partnering expectations. Talk it out before race day.

If one person is having a great day, does s/ he have the other’s blessing to take off? Or have the runners agreed to stick together, no matter what? Some running buddies are perfectly fine with “to each his/her own” on race day. Whatever the strategy, make sure all parties understand and agree. It’s not the kind of discussion runners want to have at mile 18 or so on a rough day. Experienced marathoner, coach, and co-owner of Tri Zones Training Tracy Nelson ran the 2011 Marine Corps Marathon with her sister, who was running her first marathon. Beforehand, they had agreed to stay together.

Even so, there was a “bless and release” moment on the course where Nelson reaffirmed her promise to her sister to stay with her, no matter what, and let go of her faster finish. It wasn’t the best time Nelson could have run, but her sister was supported on her special day, which had been their plan.

Enjoy your first marathon. You only get one first marathon. That’s a fact. There’s only one time when everything will be new and scary and immensely thrilling in that particular way. No subsequent marathon will occupy the same space in a runner’s heart and memory. Make a mental commitment to savor what the day gives.

Whatever the outcome, the adventure will be one to treasure for the rest of your life.

If you don’t believe that, just ask a group of marathon runners, “Tell me about your first marathon….” afm

AFM DISTANCE CHALLENGE RACE UPDATES

61

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SWIM, BIKE, RUN

FiT

3

FiT 3 TRI

FiT 3 SWIM

BEST DAYS AREN'T ALWAYS PERFECT DAYS

SWIMMING: A FAMILY AFFAIR

BY PATRICK EVOE

BY DR. KEITH BELL

pg. 64

pg. 66

FiT 3 BIKE

FiT 3 RUN

LOVE YOU HEART!

BY NELO BREDA

pg. 68

RUNNING: FAMILY STYLE

BY PAUL CARROZZA

pg. 72

PHOTO BY BRIAN FITZSIMMONS

FIT(X3) NEW AND IMPROVED

63

FiT 3 TRI my right, and then a guy on my left grabbed my shoulder, dunked me, and swam right over my back. That combo threw me off just enough that I lost a body-length and thus the draft from the mass of swimmers. About three quarters of the way through, I developed foot cramps and bad side stitches, bad enough that I had to slow down to relax and let the cramps subside. I worried a bit that this might be an indication I was already dehydrated, a deathblow only 45 minutes into an eight-and-ahalf hour race.

I worked through the cramping and exited the water feeling okay. I saw my swim time on the clock and my parents, who usually stand just outside the bike exit. They told me I was the 25th male professional. With about 40 male pros starting the race, 25th wasn’t great, but knowing my historical struggles with swimming, it wasn’t terrible. Since my goal was to finish in the top five, I had a lot of work ahead of me.

BEST DAYS AREN’T ALWAYS PERFECT DAYS

BY PATRICK EVOE

I

finished my 2011 season with one of my best races at the Ford Ironman Cozumel on Thanksgiving weekend. I took second place, ending my year on a high note. The interesting part about this race was that it didn’t feel like a high note; I’d gone into Ironman Cozumel with certain expectations but the day didn’t flow that way.

MY POINT, THOUGH, ISN’T to talk about how hard the race was. I get annoyed when we tend to talk up races as having the “toughest conditions ever.” I once heard a professional triathlete say that, in the middle of a race, he caught himself writing his “loser’s speech”—a way of saying he was already composing the excuses he’d give after a poor performance. In fact, though, he turned that day around and finished on the podium in a world championship race.

While it’s easy to mentally shut down and

64

AUSTINFITMAGAZINE.COM FEBRUARY 2012

emotionally throw in the towel when you don’t feel great, it takes fortitude to dig deep and gut it out. And, as my experience shows, you never know how the day will play out.

THE SWIM I STARTED IN A GREAT POSITION,

determined to swim hard at the start in order to stay with one of the faster groups. About 400 meters in, I was exactly where I wanted to be when I literally took a 1-2 punch: I caught a good fist square to the face on

THE BIKE MY ORIGINAL PLAN WAS TO bike

conservatively and then try to rip out something special on the run. However, starting so far down in the rankings made me feel I didn’t have the luxury of riding steady or moderately strong.

I decided that playing my cards on the bike and suffering the consequences on the run was my best chance of pulling out a good race, so I went for it.

About 30 minutes into the 112-mile ride, I didn’t feel smooth or strong. As I biked through the windy stretches around the island, I put my head down and rode hard. After the first loop of the course, my legs felt so bad I thought I might not be able to even finish.

Rather than back off, I just kept grinding. To mentally break up the race, I set a smaller goal—to catch five guys per loop. If I could do that, I would come off the bike in a position to run myself into prize money.

I found myself slowly catching some of the guys. I saw my parents each lap and they yelled my position, confirming my count. However, I was thrown a curve ball at the start of my third lap;

From Downtown to the Lake, a bee stung me on the shoulder. I immediately had visions of 2008, when I dropped out of an Ironman—I was dehydrated, and walking when I started getting hives from an insect sting. This time, I had no adverse reaction other than the annoying, lingering pain of the sting, which I used to get mad and push harder.

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THE RUN WHEN I ROLLED INTO THE

second transition tent, Axel Zeebroek, a Belgian professional who had twice beaten me, was there. That I had caught him meant I was in a good position, and he exited about 50 yards ahead of me. My parents were standing a few minutes into the run course; I was right behind Axel when they yelled that he and I were in sixth and seventh place. I had moved up 18 positions on the bike, and now I would learn the price; I made a pass on Zeebroek and immediately felt as if I were running in molasses. This wasn’t a good thing at the first mile in a marathon. I decided I’d just run as long as possible, having learned from past races that I never know when my body might revive—just keep the calories, electrolytes, and fluids rolling.

I can honestly say that I never once felt good on the run. It was so bad I decided not to take any mile splits; I didn’t want the poor times to get into my head. There have been Ironman races where my legs have felt good for at least part of the run, but not so in Cozumel. I did the best I could to hold my pace, working through the normal problems—dehydration, nausea, and side stitches. I just kept digging, and the guys ahead of me kept coming back to me or imploding. After mile 21, I was in second place; as much as I wanted to slow down and walk, I knew if I backed down to let third place catch me, I’d think about it every single day until next season. When times get tough at the end of the race, I always tell myself “don’t wake up tomorrow and WISH you had done it today.”

I couldn’t be happier finishing in second place in a major Ironman race. I still managed a 2:59 marathon, and it was a joy to share the podium with my friend and fellow Jack & Adams’ Bicycles athlete Michael Lovato, the winner. And, I learned that, despite not feeling great or fast on race day, I could still pull out a good race. afm

PATRICK'S BIO Patrick Evoe, professional triathlete, has been a contributor toi Austin Fit Magazine since 2009. Evoe came off the couch and into the world of triathlon in 2003 after moving to Austin. By 2005, he'd taken fifth place in his age group at Kona. He decided to go pro in 2007 and has had a distinctive and supportive sponsor in Little Caesar's Pizza ever since. Currently, Evoe has 20 half-Ironman (70.3-mile triathlon event; 1.2mile swim, 56-mile bike, and 13.1-mile run ) and 11 Ironman (140.6-mile triathlon event; 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike, and 26.2-mile run) finishes, taking second place overall at both Ironman Louisville and Ironman Cozumel in 2011.

PHOTO BY BRIAN FITZSIMMONS

READ THE EXTENDED ARTICLE AT

AUSTINFITMAGAZINE.COM

FIT3 BEST DAYS AREN'T ALWAYS PERFECT DAYS

65

Boston, Chicago and NYC Marathon Finisher, Half Ironman, Tennis Enthusiast

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FiT 3 SWIM

SWIMMING: A FAMILY AFFAIR

BY DR. KEITH BELL // PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRIAN FITZSIMMONS

P

reparing for some postprandial jocundity, our family picked names out of a hat to determine teams for a game of Taboo. When my son, Bridger’s, name was picked, putting us on the same team, my daughter, Keena, screamed, “It’s not fair! Daddy and Bridger share a brain.” While Bridger and I don’t physically share a brain, we do share a passion: swimming.

66

AUSTINFITMAGAZINE.COM FEBRUARY 2012

IT’S NO SURPRISE THAT our children know something about swimming. How could they not? My wife, Sandy, and I knew of each other through swimming before we were ever introduced. We met at a Masters National Championship meet, and we’ve trained together, swum on many relays together, and even competed against each other. Sandy and I have coached each other, and we’ve coached together, which we continue to do with TeamTexas Masters.

Our kids accompanied us to swimming competitions, swim practices, and swimming functions. Our children were around when I consulted with swimming teams as a sports psychologist, sitting in on many of my talks and seminars. As youngsters, Cooper and Bridger, along with Sandy, played important roles, once assisting me with a rehearsal as I prepared Canadian swimmers for the Olympics.

I’ve swum almost every day of our children’s lives. Often, they were hanging out at the pool, playing in the water, or training while I swam. I still carry wonderful images of Cooper spinning around in a tube in the same lane as the other five of us circle-swam practices.

All of our children (Kirsten, Keena, Bridger, and Cooper) swam competitively, including on teams Sandy and I coached. Keena, Bridger, and Cooper taught swimming lessons and coached with Sandy’s Westover Orcas summer league team. And Kirsten, Cooper, and Bridger competed on relay teams with us.

As a tot, Bridger enjoyed the water, yet seemed frightened. When we took him into the pool at Deep Eddy, he clung to us for dear life until one day, when he was four years old, he yelled, “Watch this!” He pushed off the wall in a near perfect streamline and swam away.

During his teen years, Bridger and I often swam in the same meets, even swimming the same event (1500-meter or 1650-yard freestyle), sometimes in the same heat. As Bridger improved, he started sneaking up on me, but he seemed to be troubled about the possibility of beating me.

K Karen Knight D.D.S.

One day, I took him aside and explained that I wasn’t ever going to let him beat me. I was going to fight him tooth and nail in every race and I was going to do everything I could do to beat him. But when he beat me, and he would, I was going to love it.

Oh my, did we have races. Once we swam a 1500M race in adjacent lanes. He led the entire race, with me closing the gap the last few hundred. I caught him at the last turn.

Both of us sprinted to the finish with all we had. I just touched him out, knowing it might have been my last time to beat him.

We still had a few more great races, including a couple in The Money Box Cap 2K; one in which I almost caught him from pretty far behind with about 100 to go, and another where I touched him out by one hundredth of a second. But most of the time these days, he crushes me.

Bridger has been working in Atlanta the last five years, teaching math at Westminster School, where he also coaches swimming.

But he still makes it back to Austin frequently. When he does, we head out to Deep Eddy, Barton Springs, or Lake Travis every day to train together. These days, I struggle to keep up with him, though I often manage to hold my own. Occasionally, I school him on a pull set. But no matter how it goes, we have so much fun. I’m in heaven swimming with him.

He almost always finds his way back to Austin to do my “Birthday Swim” with me (my age in 100s—63 of them in 2011—on a 1:30 time interval at Deep Eddy), to swim The Money Box Cap 2K, and to swim the Lake Travis Relay on a team with me.

Bridger and I talk frequently. We almost always exchange ideas about swimming.

He tells me about drills he has created. We share sets we gave to our teams. We talk about what we think promotes great swimming. And among other swimming-related topics, we exchange ideas about how to help individual swimmers we coach.

It’s amazing how much passion we share for swimming, for our own, for each other’s, and for the swimmers we coach. It’s incredible, though perhaps not really surprising, how similar are our ideas about swimming.

It’s almost as though we share a brain. afm

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AUSTINFITMAGAZINE.COM FEBRUARY 2012

Calculate your heart rate ranges Step 1: Determine your maximum heart rate (MHR)

220 — YOUR AGE = MHR “Push your body.

Find your beat.”

Step 2: Find your resting heart rate (RHR) Count # of beats per minute while quietly sitting

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Step 3: Calculate your heart rate reserve (HRR)

MHR — RHR = HRR 620 & Pecan Park - Lakeline Mall Mopac & 2222 - Northwest Recreation Center 12th & Lamar - Austin Recreation Center Mopac & 2244 - McBeth Recreation Center

Step 4: Identify lower and higher limits for workouts

HRR

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HRR

X .70

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the healthy results of regular exercise. Using a few variables, everyone might be able to design a regimen beneficial to his/her heart and vascular system. Regular aerobic exercise (ideally, forty minutes—within a target heart rate zone specified by age—four or five days per week) can prevent or postpone the onset of degenerative heart conditions. Lowered arterial blood pressure, reduced inflammation of the blood vessels' walls, increased blood perfusion of vital organs, and decreased resting heart rate that, along with lower arterial blood pressure, reduces heart load, are some of the physical benefits of regular aerobic exercise. As a bonus, exercising also improves emotional wellness!

To start, first calculate your target heart rate zone. Though there are different methods, the following formula is widely accepted: subtract your age from 220

(this number is based on statistics). The resulting number approximately represents the maximum heart rate (MHR).

The MHR is the upper limit during workouts; no benefit to cardiovascular conditioning is received beyond this limit during workouts. Next, measure your resting heart rate (RHR) and subtract it from the MHR. This provides the Heart Rate Reserve (HRR). Multiply the HRR by .60 and .70 to give the lower and higher limits of the heart rate target zone (60% and 70% of the HRR respectively).

Keeping your heart rate within these limits during each workout session rewards the cardiovascular system. As a cyclist and middle-aged man, I favor cycling and swimming for their less stressful effects on the joints of the lower limbs over the long-range (if the bicycle is well-fit). Coincidentally, the torso of a cyclist is usually kept almost parallel to the ground, much like the torso

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FiT 3 BIKE

of a swimmer, which in part helps the heart (and the calves) to pump the blood back to the heart from the legs.

Buy yourself a heart rate monitor. It is more precise and practical to check your pulse with a monitor than with fingers.

With a monitor, it is not necessary to stop to take a pulse. Usually, the pulse drops while the seconds are counted, even just fifteen seconds!

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Reward your heart and vascular system with a balanced and healthy diet, aware that your mind, too, needs to stay fit. Staying physically fit is simply one side of the coin. That additional hour on the bike, that extra mile running, or that morning yoga session would be done in vain if you don’t make the same level of commitment to keeping your mental and emotional health as well. Keeping your heart healthy, maintaining an active lifestyle, and taking the time to unwind mentally is as beneficial as keeping your bike’s drivetrain clean and tuned. After that, all you have to do is enjoy the smooth ride. afm

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AUSTINFITMAGAZINE.COM FEBRUARY 2012

Nelo Breda began racing bicycles in 1969 as an amateur/ beginner. Rising through the cycling ranks, Breda established himself as one of the top racing cyclists to come out of Brazil.

In 1973 and again in 1975 he represented Brazil, his native country, in the World Championships. Later, Breda was hired as coach for the Brazilian National Cycling Federation and took teams to many international races, including the 1979 Junior World Championships in Argentina, the 1980 Olympics in Moscow, the 1982 Giro d'Italia, the Pan American Games in 1983 and 1987, and the 1986 World Championships in Colorado Springs. Breda has received coaching degrees from the Comite International Olympique and the Federation International Amateur Cyclisme (F.I.A.C.), and is certified U.C.l. (Union Cycliste international)/ F.I.CA. National Coinmissaire.

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FiT 3 RUN

RUNNING: FAMILY STYLE

BY PAUL CARROZZA

A

ustin is the running mecca of the Southwest, if not the entire United States. Our local running culture touches all walks of life, from our children to our seniors. Many in our country, however, are battling a modern lifestyle of effortless transportation and air conditioning. Americans simply don't spend enough time moving and sweating, leaving us with high stress, excess weight, too many easy calories, and a busy lifestyle that fosters the perception of no time to exercise. The secret to overcoming this and becoming an active, healthy America is for you and your family to become endurance athletes—to become runners.

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BEFORE WE GET “INTO THE WEEDS” on the subject of running, I want to describe the spectrum of forward motion that comprises endurance athletics. Forward motion includes walking, jogging, running, and culminates with sprinting.

Each movement within the spectrum has its own biomechanical requirements as well as specific benefits.

Running has many elements that are appropriate for all ages and abilities, and how one approaches running is very important. Training should be strategic and progressive. Runners must first build strength in their muscles, tendons, and bones. Their cardiovascular systems must develop before they can extend distance. Because of this common need to build balance and base, it’s possible to include families in endurance training. Beginners can start together, working to build the necessary physical base for success. If you’re a seasoned athlete, you should be able to reach back in your run training to include your family on your lighter or cross training days and to even act as their coach.

While many of us running in Austin have a routine that involves stepping out of the car at Lady Bird Lake and running one of the three, four, five, seven, or ten-mile loops three to four days a week, there is so much more runners can be doing. Your body must maintain or build "spring" into your stride, and this type of training is easily done with your children, your spouse, and even your parents. To build spring into your stride, finish your distance runs with a few strides ranging from 50- to 100-yards.

Run at a moderate pace to start and pick up speed as you go. Avoid sprinting; simply open up, moving from a jogging stride to a running stride.

Here’s a weekly workout that can be

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FiT 3 RUN

done together, is very simple, and can use the track, a hill, a park, or a street. Start with an easy half-mile to one-mile warmup.

Follow with drills: side-to-sides, over-unders (also called “grapevines”), backwards running, skips, high knees, and fluid strides.

Repeat each drill, over 50 – 100 yards (one repetition includes down and back). End with a 1-2 mile cool down. Try to finish with a pull-up set or (if you can’t do a pull up) hang from a bar to lengthen and strengthen the core and back. This workout is beneficial to all endurance athletes, no matter the age or fitness level.

Running, a very efficient form of exercise, requires a lot of preparatory training and maintenance work. Most runners log too many miles in relation to the time they spend on quality workouts and cross training. Conditioning is one vital element of training that can easily be a shared experience, with no one left behind or overly stressed by an exercise that is too difficult. Cross training needs to be part of your strategy before you start running, while you are running, and when you are in an off season or in recovery after a major event. Unlike run training (which has to be very strategic to ensure that the right paces, intervals, and distances are achieved), cross training is more inclusive. These non-running activities are a great way for families to train together and for runners to benefit from the workouts. Drills, weights, CrossFit, Pilates, and yoga can be easily adjusted to each generation.

No matter your age, it is critical to consider yourself an athlete with a plan and surround yourself with the right team.

Children, parents, and grandparents all need to be engaged in goal-orientated training.

Some elements of athletic success include having a coach, being on a team, owning proper gear and training for a meaningful event. Diet and exercise alone can leave you living a life of frustration and scarcity, while being an athlete can bring you to a life of abundance, confidence, and success.

There is no age or stage of life that can't enjoy the thrill of victory. afm

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AUSTINFITMAGAZINE.COM FEBRUARY 2012

PAUL'S BIO Paul Carrozza is a former AllAmerican runner from Abilene Christian University. In 1988, he founded RunTex, which became the nation’s largest retail store solely devoted to running. Carrozza also founded RunTex U (a training division of RunTex) and RunTex Events (which produces over 120 events per year and raises over $5 million annually for local charities). He is also the co-founder and sponsor of RunTex Marathon Kids, a program that introduces elementary school children to the joy and benefits of running. Since 1997, Carrozza has been the Footwear Editor of Runner’s World Magazine, and he currently serves on many boards and committees, including the Texas Department of Aging, the Governor’s Fitness Council, the Mayor’s Fitness Council, and the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports.

PHOTO BY BRIAN FITZSIMMONS

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February 17 – 18

February 19

Austin Marathon Health and Fitness Expo The Austin Marathon Health and Fitness Expo is a great opportunity for those participating in the Austin Marathon or wishing to learn more about fitness to meet with local and national fitness companies.

The Expo will showcase nearly 100 vendors, with information and products that are helpful in improving any athlete’s training, nutrition, and overall wellbeing. Friday, 3 p.m. – 7 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. • Parmer Events Center • 900 Barton Springs Road • youraustinmarathon.com/expo

NUTRITION February 13 – 19

The Culinary Experience Learn the secrets of preparing and enjoying deliciously healthy food and take part of the Lake Austin Spa Resort experience home with you! Special guest chefs Joanne Weir and Garret Weber-Gale will hold workshops over February 13-19, 2012.

Monday – Sunday • Times vary • Austin Spa and Resort • 1705 South Quinlan Park Road • lakeaustin.com/health-fitness-events. php?year=2012&month=2

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AUSTINFITMAGAZINE.COM FEBRUARY 2012

Austin Marathon The LiveStrong Austin Marathon and Half Marathon are USATF certified courses that run through some of Austin's most scenic and historic areas, including Lady Bird Johnson Lake, the Allandale and Hyde Park neighborhoods, Congress Avenue, The University of Texas campus, and the State Capitol complex. Sunday, 7 a.m. – 2 p.m. • youraustinmarathon.com/home February 25

Marathon Kids Final Mile Marathon Kids is a free, sixteen-yearold school and community-based fitness program. Over six months, kids from kindergarten to 5th grade build endurance through running/walking, learn nutrition and schoolyard gardening. On February 25, kids run their final mile of the full 26.2.

Saturday, 11 a.m. • Mike Myers Track and Field Stadium • 707 Clyde Littlefield Drive • marathonkids.org/events/austin-finalmile-2012

AustinFitMagazine.com/events

RONNIE DUNN AND RADNEY FOSTER // PHOTO BY RODEO AUSTIN

LIFESTYLE

KEEP AUSTIN GREEN

February 4

February 25-26

Carnaval Brasilerio Carnaval Brasilerio in Austin is one of the biggest Brazilian carnival celebrations outside of Brazil. Join for a night of samba, costumes, and wild abandon, Brazilianstyle, in the heart of Texas. Saturday, 9 p.m. • Palmer Events Center • 900 Barton Springs Road • sambaparty.com February 11

Austin Rodeo Gala Get ready to “Boot, Scoot and Boogie” at this year's Diamond Celebration at the Rodeo Austin Gala. Enjoy cocktails and hors d’oeuvers, fine dining, and a silent auction featuring specialty, one-of-a-kind items. Of course, a rodeo has to include country music, and this year’s Gala presents Ronnie Dunn and Radney Foster. 6 p.m.

– 10 p.m. • Palmer Events Center • 900 Barton Springs Road • rodeoaustin.com/ events_detail.aspx?id=779

2012 Native Plant Spring Symposium The weather conditions throughout 2011 were hot and dry, and the drought is expected to continue through the summer of 2012. Come learn what measures can be taken to prepare for a water shortage and how to properly handle another hot, dry summer. Saturday, 8 a.m.; Sunday, 9 a.m.

• Lady Birdy Johnson Wildflower Center • 4801 La Crosse Ave • wildflower.org/ springsymposium

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February 19

PHOTO BY CHARLIE LLEWELLIN

AUSTIN MARATHON FEBRUARY

MARCH

February 4 Cupid’s Chase 5K

March 3 Crusader Course

Georgetown, TX • cupid.georgetown.org

soccer soccer South Austin

AUSTIN’S ONLY PREMIER INDOOR SOCCER FACILITY 6v6 and 3v3 leagues for all ages Basketball leagues forming now

The Color Run

Mueller Park, Austin, TX • thecolorrun.com

February 16-18 Chihuahuan Desert Dirt Fest

February 19 Austin Marathon and Half Marathon (5th and final race in the Austin Fit Magazine Distance Challenge Series)

Mother Egan’s Iris Pub Austin, TX • urbandare.com

Austin, TX • youraustinmarathon.com

Lago Vista, TX • cyclingatx.com Get Your Rear in Gear

Run for the Bluebonnets 5K/1K

March 5 The Muddy Outlaw 5K Dash and Chainring Challenge

February 25 Metro Dash

6614 Blue Bluff Rd., Austin, TX metrodashaustin.eventbrite.com Marathon Kids—Austin Final Mile 2012

Info@SoccerZoneSouthAustin.com

March 4-5 La Primavera

Austin, TX • getyourrearingear.com/events/ list/2012/austin-tx-2012

Frost yer Fanny Duathlon

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Austin, TX • austintheatre.org/site/ Calendar?view=Detail&id=27001

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Tiara 5K Run

2905 FM 685, Pflugerville, TX • tiara5k.com

Bastrop, TX • bb-pta.org/wp/?page_id=234

Soccer Academy program for ages 5 - 8

Pedal Thru The Pines

Bastrop, TX • pedalthrupines.org

Big Bend, TX desertsportstx.com/mountain-bike-event

Paramount Break-A-Leg 5K

Soccer Cubs program for 18 months and up

Rusty’s Walnut Creek • Cedar Creek, TX crusadercourse.com

3200 Jones Rd, Austin, TX • marathonkids.org/ events/austin-final-mile-2012

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AUSTINFITMAGAZINE.COM FEBRUARY 2012

Flat Creek Ranch Austin, TX • muddyoutlaw.com March 10 Race with Advocare

Round Rock, TX • racewithadvocare.com/races/ october-2011 March 10 Eco-Lonestar Adventure Race

Austin, TX • terrafirmaracing.com/view.asp?id=25

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March 18 Wagathon Walkathon

APRIL

April 28 Hell Run

Hill Country Galleria, Austin, TX wagathonwalkathon.com

April 10 Round Rock Express Ride

Big Longhorn Ranch, 2293 Highway 29 West, Cedar Creek, TX • hellrun.com

3400 Palm Valley Boulevard, Round Rock, TX rrexpressride.com

March 24 Bearathon Half Marathon & 5K

Waco, TX • baylor.edu/student_ foundation

April 14 Toobabalooze Toobing Mud Obstacle Race

LBJ 100 Bicycle Tour

LBJ Ranch, Stonewall, TX • lbj100bicycletour.org

1405 Gruene Road, New Branunfels, TX toobabalooza.com

Rosedale Ride 18

April 15 Austin 10/20

Austin, TX • rosedaleride.blogspot.com March 25 Statesman Capital 10K

Austin, TX • statesman.com/cap10k

Dash of the Titans – Austin 5K Mud Run and Obstacle Course

Rocky Hill Ranch - 578 Hwy 153, Smithville, TX • austinrunners.org/Events?eventId=400898&EventVie wMode=EventDetails April 29 Cedar Park Kids Triathlon and Family 1K

The Domain, Austin, TX • austin1020.com

Cedar Park, TX • cedarparkswimming.org/ TabGeneric.jsp?_tabid_=49261&team=stcps

April 22 Rogue Trail Series – The MAZE

Auditorium Shores, Austin, TX • bunrun.com

Schlotzsky’s Bun Run

Walnut Creek Park, Austin, TX roguetrailseries.com/da_registration.php

March 31 ZOOMA Texas Women’s Half Marathon

Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort and Spa Bastrop, TX • zoomarun.com/texas

April 28 Texas Round-Up 10K, 5K, and Family Mile

Bob Bullock Museum, Austin, TX • texasroundup.org

March 31 Jailbreak Adventure Run

Lake Walter E. Long Metropolitan Park, Austin, TX runthejailbreak.com

Leander Lion 5K Fun Run and 1K Cub Run

Leander, TX • eteamz.com/ leanderhighschoolathletictraining/news

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THE WORKOUT PURE AUSTIN FITNESS with Eli Oldham 4210 W. Braker Lane web: pureaustin.com Warm up: Alternating between Air Squats, Push Ups, Set Ups, and Get Ups for the length of a song (usually between 2-4 minutes)

Main Set: Alternates between simple and combination movements 2x16 Weighted Squats 2x20 Squats with a step out to the side 16 3-down-1-up Squats 4 7-down-1-up Squats 2x16 Squats (3x) 2x16 Wood choppers 24 Squat Curls 16 Squat Shoulder Press (Right Side) 16 Foward Lunge 20 Side Lunge 16 Back Lunge (Left Side) 16 Foward Lunge 20 Side Lunge 16 Back Lunge

16 Half Speed Bent Over Row 16 Single Legged Dead Lift/Row Combo (optional) 20 Bench Press 16 Narrow Grip Chest Press 16 Wide Grip Chest Press 24 (12 ea side) Traveling Push Ups 16 Lower Half Chest Press 32 Double Speed Upper Half Chest Press 16 Push Up w/Arm Extension 16 Birddog Row (repeat above) 24 Plank Row (optional Push Up/ Row) (2x) 16 Bench Dips 16 Heavy Curls 16 Overhead Tricep Press 12 Lower Half Curls/ 12 Upper Half Curls

(Alternating Sides) 32 Curtsy Lunge

24 Squat/Shoulder Press 24 Lunge/Curl 20 Wood Chopper 16 Curtsy Lunge/Overhead Tricep Press

(All Alternating) 32 Lunge Side Shoulder Raise 32 Lunge Tricep Extention 32 Lunge Core Cross Over

(3x) 30 sec - Plank/Lunge/ Upper Body Extension 30 sec - Body Weight Get Ups 30 sec - Modified Get Ups

16 Bent Over Rows 16 Romanian Dead Lift 16 Bent Over Row/ Deadlift Combo

Cool Down: Group

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Full Body Stretches

AUSTINFITMAGAZINE.COM FEBRUARY 2012

Pure Fitness – Pure Pump RAW Workout

by Monica Brant | photography by Brian Fitzsimmons

I

was super excited for many months about this particular workout. After meeting with Austin Fit Magazine in the fall of 2011 to discuss the upcoming issues, I understood February 2012 was going to be a “Generational” fitness edition. I immediately imagined my mom, Patti Renfro, training with me and getting her booty kicked too! My mom is ALWAYS a glutton for a good workout, so it was a done deal with her when I requested she attend.

I was also happy to head to Pure Austin Fitness to try one of their featured classes with Eli Oldham—Pure Pump Raw. I have been a huge fan of Pure Austin Fitness Centers since moving to Austin (2006) because of their great locations with lots of hospitality.

The night before the workout, Mom stayed with me (she lives in San Antonio) and we enjoyed a Friday night at home, watching a Christmas movie and relaxing.

Saturday morning, we were up and out the door, arriving right at the start of class (or so we thought). Eli, however, already had everyone going with a warm-up routine, so we squeezed into the very front spot—it was actually Eli’s spot—and started in.

Eli’s class was packed! Every nook and cranny was full, and all the weights and mats were spoken for. Somehow, we found a few extra sets outside of the room and did our best to follow along and not disturb everyone too much.

Eli has very motivating, high-energy music, and I don’t believe we stopped once except to change from dumbbells to bar to body weight. It was a fast pace, and he smoothly mixed every group of muscles; as

one set tired, he knew exactly when to move us to another.

To be honest, I don’t normally attend classes of this type, but this class was hard enough that I thoroughly enjoyed myself, (did I mention great music and Eli’s inspiring physique?)

Eli is a fabulous instructor and very motivating. The entire class worked hard and no one seemed to give up or even slack!

Remember, Mom and I ended up in the FRONT of the class, so we could view the entire room from the mirror—AND everyone could watch us struggling to keep up, too!

This is a perfect class for you guys looking for a full-body, intense workout. You can make it harder by lifting heavier weights or easier by lifting less. The pace is fast but not so fast that a beginner couldn’t keep up. Eli watches everyone; if someone seems lost, he is right there to help.. I know that, personally—Mom and I had a of couple spots where we needed him! afm Special thanks to Lululemon on 6th & Lamar for our perfect tops and to Hair Goddess (http://hairgoddess.net) for continual great hair design!

KICK MO’S BUTT

83

Muscle Movement of the Month #workout

WATCH THE WORKOUT VIDEO ONLINE!

Power Up Your Push-up

www.

AustinFitMagazine .com

by Diane Vives, MS, CSCS | photography by Brian Fitzsimmons

J

ust saying the word, I look around and see the disdain on women’s faces: “push-up.” In the fitness world, so many experience the dreaded push-up because it has been the test of upper body strength since the days in elementary school when we all were forced to take the President’s Physical Fitness Test.

And many of us failed. New clients and athletes often come to a training session and say, “I just can’t do push-ups.” To which the trainer responds by prescribing what? Push-ups. The fact is, upper body “pushing” movements allow you to gain strength, develop muscle tone for shape, and, when applied to total body movements, take your training to a whole new level of fitness.

That’s why professional trainers—whose job it is to get you the results you want—won’t let you off the hook and demand this

Upper Body Step-Ups This movement uses an elevated step (just 4-6 inches off the ground) and hand-to-hand weight transfers to increase shoulder stability as well as mobility for those battling forward-rounded shoulders. a. Start in a plank position with hips and core engaged, hands straddling just outside the step.

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AUSTINFITMAGAZINE.COM FEBRUARY 2012

long-standing, body-weight callisthenic. But there are more ways to train and put power into this movement than just doing push-ups. So let’s look at some great solutions.

To start, I suggest using the traditional push-up as a true benchmark of where you are with your “pushing” upper body strength: see how many you can do in one minute without stopping. Whether zero or 12, this number will be used to simply measure your personal progress over time. Then, use the following exercises to engage upper body strength, core strength, and shoulder joint stability. You will build strength in the pushing movement while adding the benefit of injury prevention through the variety of movements.

b. Step up, leading with the right hand, and then follow with the left to complete the level change. Then, step down with right hand and then the left. c. Complete 50% of the intended repetitions and then switch the lead hand, emphasizing the left side.

shot on location at Lifetime Fitness

Drop Push-ups One of the best ways to build strength is “time under tension” as well as the eccentric or lengthening of muscle during contraction. This is excellent for those who cannot complete a push-up yet. a. Start in a plank position, the top of the push-up position.

Make sure that the core is engaged, nice and stiff, making a straight line through the shoulder, hip, and to the ankle.

Clock Walks Just like our hips and lower body, the shoulder joint responds positively to ground contact and ground reaction forces to enhance important stability strength. a. Start in a plank position with the hands underneath the chest in a narrow or close stance. Then stack one foot on top of the other to create a great pivot point in order to move in a circle.

T

hese exercises will power up your push, and the progress will surprise you. The added variety will also help you bypass the dread of doing upper body pushing exercises to build strength. Remember—not only will you reach your strength

b. Slowly lower your body to the floor, keeping a straight line by engaging your core in the downward motion of the pushup. There should be a four-second count at least to reach the floor. c. Once you reach the floor and are at rest, bend the knees to shorten your body length, which assists in returning to the “up” position. Repeat the exercise.

b. Start the movement by stepping wide, just outside the shoulder, with the right hand. Maintain a level hip and shoulder position to avoid tipping or rotating the trunk. c. Then follow with the left hand to complete the step sequence. Repeat this pattern; you will make several steps, completing the circle as if you are the big hand of a clock.

Then repeat, leading with the left hand and going counterclock wise.

goals, but the stronger you are with your upper body, the more total body metabolic workouts you will be able to accomplish.

And you’re yet another step closer to your 2012 goals! afm

Diane Vives, MS, is an Advisory Member of the Under Armour Performance Training Council. An internationally recognized fitness expert, she has appeared in several publications such as Women’s Health, Shape, and Muscle & Fitness Hers.

MUSCLE MOVEMENT POWER UP YOUR PUSH-UP

87

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BY THE NUMBERS: WE ♥ FEBRUARY It’s February and love is in the air! We found these facts regarding Valentine's Day, the human heart, and America’s number one killer—heart disease.

Number of men who died from cardiovascular disease in 2007

420,000

Number of women in the United States who died of cardiovascular disease in 2008

41,000

Number of women in the United States who died of breast cancer in 2008

1903

Year that chest compressions were first used in human resuscitation

7

Number of beats per minute your maximum heart beat declines by decade

10

15

80

85

Number of minutes you should sit quietly before checking your resting heart rate

Number of beats per minute (and higher) associated with a greater risk of becoming obese or developing heart disease

8 million

Females alive today who have a history of heart attack, angina pectoris, or both

56

Percent of sudden deaths in athletes due to cardiovascular disease

190 million Valentine's Day cards are exchanged each year

14 billon

Total value in dollars of chocolate product shipments in 2007 by producers

48

32

Lance Armstrong’s resting heart rate

Percentage of US consumers who will give each other candy on Valentine's Day

1868

Year the first box of Valentine's Day chocolates was introduced

Percent of women who send flowers to themselves on Valentine's Day

Percentage of valentines purchased by women

100,000

Miles of blood vessels in the average adult

30

Minutes of moderateintensity physical activity recommended for adults per day

20-60

Minutes of moderateintensity physical activity, 3-5 days a week, needed to improve cardiovascular endurance

10

Weight of the average male heart in ounces

6

Average weight in ounces of the female heart

33

Number of years Jump Rope for Heart has been raising money for The American Heart Association

70

Amount in dollars the average couple spends on each other for Valentine's Day

2,000

3,000

Gallons of blood pumped through the heart’s chambers a day

Miles cycled in 2011 to raise awareness for heart disease in women

100,000

1 million

Number of heart beats in a day

20

Percentage of increased blood flow through the entire body from a good laugh

8 billion

Number of candy hearts manufactured in 2008

Women have joined Go Red for Women— the American Heart Association’s organization for women to learn about heart disease

2 million +

American students participated in Jump Rope for Heart and Hoops in 2010

SOURCES LISTED ON WWW.AUSTINFITMAGAZINE.COM

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AUSTINFITMAGAZINE.COM FEBRUARY 2012

PHOTOS BY DAN FARBER & SEAN CHOE

392,000

AUSTIN FIT MAGAZINE

AUSTIN FIT MAGAZINE

Reserve a table somewhere special this Valentine’s.

FEBRUARY 2012 + THE GENERATIONS OF FITNESS ISSUE

The Johnson Family LUCI BAINES JOHNSON BRIDGES GENERATIONS ON AND OFF THE TRAIL

The 2012 Forester comes with road-gripping Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive

BY CECILY SAILER

standard, 170-hp and 27 mpg hwy*. Love. It’s what makes Subaru, a Subaru.

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*EPA-estimated hwy fuel economy for 2012 Subaru Forester 2.5X models. Actual mileage may vary.

The Generations of Fitness Issue

For details visit wagathonwalkathon.com

EST. 1997 ISSUE #169

SunDAy, MARcH 18tH 2012 at Hill countRy GAlleRiA

EST. 1997 ISSUE #173

Help Austin Subaru support local area dog rescue groups! Register for Wagathon Walkthon, the 2nd annual 2.5 mile charity dog walk!

Fierce & Female: Pick-up basketball spans generations

Jason Simmons (literally) survives the Moonlight Margarita 5K

Monica Brant gets her mom’s butt kicked FEBRUARY 2012