Recovering From Family Fun!!

Tomoson

Most of the time I talk about training or races. How to train, tips and tricks, and even chat about good ways to recover from hard training days and race day.  But sometimes, you have such a great weekend...you have to recover from it!

We went camping this weekend! Friends came out and joined us for an evening as well! We played hard, got dirty, got bug bites, and enjoyed the outdoors! We had a blast!! 

So...how do you recover and prepare for the work week??

Well...these two veg out with some video games and a nap!

Unfortunately.....this mom requires a little bit more pampering ;-)

First....I start with a full body scrubbing!!

Adovia's  Sulfur Soap does a great job of lifting the dirt and bug spray residue right off the skin! It doesn't dry out the skin and leaves you feeling clean and refreshed.

My hair got super gross and dried out this weekend from all the bug spray too!

I used Instanaturals Argan Hair Oil Mask. I LOVE THIS STUFF!!

It smells so good and leaves your hair feeling silky! That is really saying a lot for my curly, crazy hair! You use it once a week as a deep conditioning treatment and it does wonders!

After a fully scrubbing and shaving, I like to put a good lotion on to "ice the cake" so to speak!

I got the opportunity to try Naturalico Firming Cellulite Cream.

I'm 35....nuff said.

Unfortunately, I wasn't a fan. I didn't like the texture or the scent.

But no fear...I also got sent  Body Merry Cellulite Defense Gel-Cream to try.

The texture is better...not great...but better. It's made with Retinol, seaweed, and caffeine.  This legitimately has a noticeable tightening effect on the skin effect! It has a lot of menthol in it as well which can be very intense...a little goes a long way....lesson learned. Body Merry is also sending me some eye cream to try! If it works as well as this cellulite cream, I will be a happy, more awake looking girl! 

After a full body scrubbing, washing, shaving and moisturizing....I feel much more like myself and ready to take on the week!

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

On The Road or In The Gym.....SAFETY FIRST!!

Tomoson

Too often we hear about cyclist getting hit by cars while out on the road. It's tragic. As a cyclist who enjoys hitting the highway for hill training, I am always looking for ways to make me more visible to cars. So when Phantom Fit sent me  reflective ankle bands to review...I was stoked!

They are nice and stretchy, adjustable for any size ankle, and don't itch. I barely notice I have them on, but they are bright and reflective so drivers notice me!

Another tool I like to keep in my bike bag....

Lifeguard Mini Portable Charger

I use my phone to map my pace and mileage. I am an endurance athlete so I often run my phone battery very low, if not completely dead, on my long days. I like to keep this mini charger in my bag in case of emergencies. It is also nice to have when traveling!!

If you recall my last post, you will remember I signed up for a weight lifting challenge at one of the gyms I work at. I normally keep my weights light with high reps and only lift to keep strong to avoid injury. I am not a heavy lifter. This challenge has definitely gotten me out of my comfort zone.

As my weights increase, I have noticed that my wrists, hands, and forearms tend to get very sore from holding those heavy weights. So, I have started carrying Phantom Fit wrist wraps and straps.

They help hold my wrists steady as well as aid me in holding the heavy bar for deadlifts. They are nice! I have big man hands so these fit me well! I know I will be using them much more over the next 4 weeks as I prepare for my 600lb Club Challenge.

What about you??

What do you like to use to keep yourself safe??

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Change of Seasons = Change of Routine

Tomoson

Greetings Friends!

It's official, my race season is over. I made 2014 a full year of new PRs and am super stoked with how the year went!

But now it is time to focus in on preparation for next year. I want 2015 to be another year of PRs. In 2015 I plan on settling my vendetta with the full marathon as well as tearing up another IRON course! Which means this "off" season will be full of tough workouts.

No Rest For The Wicked as I like to say!!

So how do I start my off season??

Getting back on my mat!

I am back to  regular yoga and Pilates practice! 

my cute new pink yoga mat from Youphoria Yoga

my new super awesome Hot Yoga towel from Youphoria Yoga!

Check out all the cute stuff from Youphoria Yoga by clicking HERE

I am back to teaching a weekly Mat Pilates Class for the fall and winter season. After teaching my first class, I realized just how much I missed (and need) focusing on my core! Also,  a new yoga studio opened about 3 minutes from my house that does a lot of HOT yoga classes. I know....hot yoga and my inexplicable sweating ability does not sound like a pretty combination. Well, it isn't but I am totally loving the hot yoga! I feel so de-stressed, relaxed, and limber when I leave those classes! I just love them!

Another must....New running shoes!

You should switch out your running shoes at least every 500 miles. Essentially I go through 2 pair of shoes a year. 

I wear custom made orthopedic inserts in my running shoes.

Once I retire a pair of running shoes, they become my regular wear to work shoes, so I need new insoles in my shoes when I make the switch.

I got the opportunity to try Syono gel insoles.

They come one size fits all and have lines to cut them appropriately for your shoe size. Not a huge fan of having to cut them, I'm a wee bit high maintenance when it comes to my shoe issues, but they seem to fit okay. So far so good. I can't say that they are anything special but I do think they will last a lot longer than most of the others that I have seen on the market. They are a nice, not too thick, gel that seems to hold up well. 

During the off season I really try to hit the strength training much harder than normal. 

I've been using these Phantom Fit bands on both myself and my clients trying to get the hips and buns strong. These bands are great! They are strong, wide, and according to my client, Doug, they don't pull on leg hair. Important stuff for those hairy folks.

This off season, the weight training is being taken to a whole new level. I actually joined in on a weight training competition!

My goal is to lift a combined total of 600 pounds between dead lift, back squat, and bench press. EEK!

I started training about 2 weeks ago. I am still sore. I never lift weights like this! All my strength training has been focused on injury prevention for endurance events, so this is a real stretch for me!! We test out of our challenge October 25th with a full day of weights, judging, and beefcakes. I may be more excited to watch the guy's competition than actually competing in my own!

Stay tuned for more.....and Wish me luck!!

OH SNAP!! I can't forget....

We also have a giveaway winner for the Vizeri Shampoo and Conditioner Set...

Congrats Lynzee Sue!!  You are going to L-O-V-E this stuff!!

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Training For My Brain.

Tomoson

Most of the time I write about races, training, or health and beauty products that I have experimented with. I am going to change it up a little today....honestly....I'm avoiding doing my homework, don't tell!!

I have decided to go back to school, I started my course work to become a Holistic Healthcare Practitioner.  I plan on going all the way through and completing my PhD. My path to get there allows me to become a certified Holistic Nutritional Consultant, a Master Herbalist, and then a board certified Holistic Healthcare Practitioner. I will actually be finished with my Nutritional Consultant Certification in November when I head back out to DC to finish my clinical work! I'm very excited!

Not only am I excited about starting a new adventure, I am loving every second of being back in school. I will say that my love is totally subject related though. Reading, homework, quizzes...meh. But learning about ways to naturally heal and help people.....amazing! I just absolutely love it!

I've already used info to help rehab myself post race!

My son even likes some of my texts book! The Atlas of the Human Body might be one of the most beautiful books I have ever seen. It is so well illustrated and well organized...even my 7 year old appreciates it!

Off Balance, The American Way of Health is written by a PharmD who completely explains why drugs don't work and how our society has created a whole new business in "Sick Care" by creating loyal customers to RX companies and MDs. She has a very interesting view point and it is a well written, easy read. I would definitely recommend this book to someone interested in taking control of his/her own health. It is not bogged down in technical terms, shows both sides of the story, and does a nice job organizing the material!

I look forward to starting this new venture in my career! I also look forward to a mini DC vacation to visit some friends as well! I love it when I get to kill two birds with one stone!!

Alright...back to hitting the books. 

Wish me luck folks! 

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Rockstar Recovery: Take 2

Tomoson

If you recall my last post, I babbled on about how to recover from a bad race. It involves a hot jacuzzi, an elegant bath pillow, and a delicious bottle of wine. The jacuzzi and bath pillow are for physical recovery while the wine is for mental recovery....but those not the only tools in my tool box!

Race Ready Photo

As you can see in the photo, the HyVee Triathlon uses temporary tattoos for the markings. They stay on great and don't smear in the water, but they are a doozy to get off!

I used Instanatural Deep Cleansing Facial Oil to remove my super cool numbers! Worked like a charm! No scrubbing, no red arms, easy as pie!

But my arms aren't the only thing that needed a little TLC,  my skin and my hair needs a little post race TLC!

For my face, I turn to Adovia. I absolutely love their facial products! Their Natural Facial Moisturizer is another must have! It's light, feels great, and doesn't clog pores!

I also used this Konjac Sponge...

to scrub all the grim right off my face. It is 100% plant based infused with active charcoal. No soap required. It gentle exfoliates, removes impurities, and makes your skin super soft!

My hair is usually a hot mess following a Tri. Between wear a swim cap, nasty lake water, and tearing off the cap to put on a helmet....my hair needs some post race love! I got the opportunity to try Vizeri Beauty Argan Oil Shampoo and Conditioner this month. It is amazing! Rich and creamy, it left my crazy ass curls feeling soft and healthy. Bonus...it smells fantastic!

Between the wine bathtub and these amazing beauty products, I felt like myself in no time!

I even managed to run a 5K the following weekend!!

My kiddo, Wes, won second place in the kids run.

I placed 4th in my age group and set a new distance PR!

And last but not least....our giveaway winner...

Drum Roll...

The Lucky winner of the awesome bath pillow...

CONGRATS MARY ANNE K!!!!

Would you like to win a FREE Vizeri Argan Oil Shampoo and Conditioner set??

Like Kendall Personal Fitness on Facebook and SHARE the blog!

Click Here

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Recover Like A Rockstar!

Tomoson

If you recall my last post, the HyVee Triathlon was not my race. I finished the race but had a very difficult day.

So how to your recover mentally and physically from a bad race??

You treat your self like a rockstar!

First, I got sent raw shea butter to review....I'm convinced raw butter is not a product for white women but lucky for me, I've got friends!!

My friends over at ECOSCENTS agreed to fix my butter problem. Ecoscents uses 100% all natural products to create their soy based candles and oil lamps. Needless to say the are experts at mixing raw material with scents.

So I met with Chad, one of the owners, and gave him my raw butter and some pure, organic Ylang Ylang oil.

He plopped my butter in the mixer and let it spin for over an hour...

mixed in my oil and sent home some creamy, whipped, smelly good butter!

I was very happy with the results!

Go check out Ecoscents! They are awesome, I love my jasmine candle!

Click HERE

So I headed home and prepared to treat myself like a rockstar!

Notice my bathtub pillow...if you don't have one you should get one! They are awesome!! Perfectly cradles your head and allows you to sink into the tub!

I grabbed my Bael Decor Bathtub Pillow, filled my jacuzzi tub to the brim, dumped in lavender Epsom salts, and of course.....a bottle of wine.

I soaked, I lounged, I drank, and I recovered.

That race is over and it is time to set new goals.

My next goal...

The 600lb Club

Stay Tuned!

Would you like to win this bath pillow?? LIKE Kendall Personal Fitness on Facebook and be automatically entered to win!! Click HERE

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free. I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Race Review: Hyvee Triathlon

Des Moines, Iowa.....

Home to the HyVee Triathlon and 5150 Championship....

One of the biggest Triathlon purses in the Country.

This is the second year I have done the HyVee Triathlon.  Last year we woke up to torrential storms...this year...the race got cut to a sprint distance due to flooding in the area. Not my favorite race but they have the best swag of any race I have ever done...and let's be honest...we do it for the bling!

As usual, we attended the pre-race meeting to review rules, route, and get any questions we have may have answered.

As you can see....we take this briefing very seriously.

Following the pre-race meeting we head to packet pick-up to get our awesome swag and sit in to listen to the Pro Panel

Always a good time with these girls!!

Even better....They let you squeeze up on the Pros!!

My Delicious Dude of The Day...Pro Triathlete Benjamin Collins.

Seriously...how cute is this kid!!

And Race Morning...

All tatted up and ready to race.

HyVee puts on a great race. Lots of swag, lots of support, spectator friendly course, and a fun course to race. My one and only complaint...the start. They do this wave start that takes FOR-EVER!! Transition area closed at 6:45am and by the time I got in the water it was after 9am. 

This was not my race my friends.

I got kicked in the ribs during the swim, which caused a panic attack, and in my head....a near drowning.

I did well on the bike (19.8 mph) but had my knee talk to me the whole time. Got off the bike to more knee pain, hot temps, and being mentally tapped. I broke out in goosebumps 3 different times during the run and had my feet torn up.

This was not my race. I was sore, tired, and mentally drained when it was all said and done.

How do you recover from a bad race.....

stay tuned....