TPG's Enthusiasm for Fitness Continues!

My Shadow self is AWESOME!!!

Well, this month's theme is "Don't Give Up!"

September got away from me, and I forgot about the 5K I had planned for the last Sunday of the month. When I searched for a replacement run I was luck to find one on September 32nd...also known as October 1st, :-) WHEW, I snuck it in at the last minute!

I ran a PR (personal record) at the Harley Davidson Scarecrow Run, with a race time of 36 minutes and 56 seconds. I was also 4th in my age group! I was particularly pleased with these results because on race day, minutes before the start, I realized that my I-Pod battery was dead and I would be running alone and without music. Despite these obstacles and several big hills, I finished the race strong!

 Two weeks later the real October 5K was an evening run, on October 13th. This was also my 10 year wedding anniversary, and I was happy to celebrate with fitness. It was a beautiful Fall day, and I had the pleasure of watching the sun set as I went West and the moon in the sky when I turned back East. The Great Pumpkin Run was held at Berkely Riverfront Park, and I knew it would be a mostly flat course, which is my personal favorite.

The obstacle with this race was my own thoughts and emotions. I was really annoyed and frustrated with the traffic and parking difficulties, and was in a bad mood by the time I got parked after taking 30 minutes to go a quarter mile. I wrestled with thoughts of turning around and just leaving, but at the same time being excited about my tenth 5K for 2016. Fitness enthusiasm won, and even though I was late I decided to stick it out and run my race.

I was not expecting to beat my time was two weeks ago, given the level of frustration I was starting with. My mind was focused on just finishing without stopping. I had my music ready and shifted my thoughts to visualizing crossing the finish line.

I felt so accomplished after this race, and could not wait for the results, because I felt pretty sure I ran my fastest time to date. When the results posted I was proud of myself for not giving in to frustration and I was reminded of the power of positive thinking. I hit another PR, with a race time of 36 minutes and 18 seconds! That's a far cry from my time way back in January when I completed the Groundhog Run at 48 minutes and 57 seconds...proof that great things happen when you honor your fitness goals by showing up consistently and following through. Every. Single. Time. #10down2togo

8 down, 4 to go! TPG's 5K Challenge

We are eight months into our year-long challenge of completing one 5K per month in 2016. It has been a wonderful adventure in dedication and self challenge. June brought the good doctors to the Donut Dash in North Kansas City, with a wonderfully urban flat course. 











July's 5K was Rock the Crossroads, and it was a ridiculously hot night run. But the t-shirt and medal were too cool for Dr. Meyers to pass up, so she strapped on the camel back and when Dr. Turner took a pass, she recruited her husband, Jerry, to fill in. He was a trooper in the heat, and it was exciting for him to complete his first 5K.

A friend suggested the 5K for August, Head for the Cure, located at Corporate Woods. This was by far the largest 5K TPG participated in so far this year. There were thousands of people in attendance, and the atmosphere was like a huge party.







We are planning to participate in the 13th Annual Smithville Dam 5K Run/Walk and the Great Pumpkin Run for our next two races. Think about joining us in September or October for fun and fitness!

Spring Runs Were A Success!

The chosen race for March was the Storybook 5K located at Theater in the Park, in Shawnee Mission, KS. It was a beautiful early Spring day, clear and sunny, with temperature in the mid 40s.

In keeping with the theme, several runners were dressed as their favorite characters from children’s books. The good doctors snapped a photo with the Cat in the Hat post-race.

Bright and early Sunday morning, we ran the Trolley Track Race, the fourth out of our 12 races. Not sure WHY runners like the wee hours of the morning, but we greeted the day with smiles. The day could not have been better, not a cloud in the sky and temperatures in the low 70’s. This was one of the most popular races with an estimated 8000 runners. WOW! Running through the beautiful Brookside neighborhood we were greeted by neighbors with words of encouragement, cow bells, and even a couple of Prince medley serenades, which really motivated us. Feeling like we are able to get into a running groove much faster now. Mind you by running we are still talking a slow, S.L.O.W. fast walk/jog.  But that groove seems to be key to making the run less work. We still  operate under the rule to "just finish" and allow walking breaks when needed. Having this respite rule makes the race less daunting.

Pursuing Fitness in 2016

The good doctors have continued their relentless pursuit toward better health and wellness this month. Together they have been attending Bootcamp through their Groupon of-the-month at Freight House Fitness, in addition to the monthly 5K they committed to.

Freight House Fitness bootcamp has allowed us to expand our fitness efforts into strength training. As we age our bone density can be compromised though the natural aging process, and strength training is an excellent way to combat some of these effects of aging.



Pre-race festivities

This month our 5K focus was to have fun in the spirit of New Orleans by tackling the Mardi Gras KC 5 K Run. The weather was beautiful for a winter run, with sunny skies, low wind, and temperatures between 35 and 40 degrees. 

In the two weeks since the Groundhog Run we were able to increase our speed and endurance, and we shaved off 5 minutes, 18 seconds from our race time. It felt so great to have a tangible outcome that validated our hard work.




At the finish line

We have our year planned out for one 5K a month, and we are excited to track our progress and growth over the next 10 months and share it with you! If you are thinking about setting your own fitness goals for 2016, here is a link to local runs

There are so many fun ways to enjoy fitness and challenge yourself. We have learned that the collateral benefits to this journey are strengthening friendships and building community. So what are you waiting for...Grab your bestie and sign up!

2016 A Better You: Jan Fitness Enthusiast Results

Lisa and I made a commitment to a "Better Us in 2016". Like lots of people we fell off our fitness routine and packed on a few unwanted lbs. I wasn't sure IF I would stay on top of this, but so far so good. Being adventuresome we challenged ourselves to stay active, trying new fitness options to motivate us.  I thought it might be nice to document our journey and keep us motivated.


First thing we decided, lets find some cheap physical activity that we can do together. The key... just start moving. The year started off with a GroupOn to Title Boxing. Two weeks for a mere $19. A bargain and we made it to 12 days out of the 14. Yay! If you haven't tried this form of physical activity, I highly recommend it. Its face paced, intense, and it fits the 'different' category. Imagine 20 or so folks whopping on gym bags... boxing and kicking. Oh, and the abs. I hurt just thinking about the ab workouts, but in a good way. The trainers were very personable, despite the music not being my cup of tea. Im old school. Give me some house music or disco. Hahaha. The hardest part, getting up early! I didn't realize just how challenging it was going to be to disrupt my routine. But I give this activity an "A". I definitely would try it again.


We Did It! Our 1st 5K
The Ground Hog Run
Jan 206

Next, we had the crazy idea of running one 5K every month. We told ourselves just show up and walk and by the end of 12 months we should be able to run a 5K... right?!?! Well, surprise, surprise last weekend we did the Ground Hog Run in the caves and we ran the whole thing. Mind you, it was more a slow... VERY slow jog, but we didn't stop to walk once. That darn two weeks of kickboxing got us primed.

 I gotta admit the best part is doing the run with people you know. Lisa and I got to visit and we motivated one another along the way. But having someone else to chat with made the time fly by. Bonus, they offered snacks before hand and we got a mini massage afterwards. Score! Also, we met some really nice people... People of all sizes. We opted for the slow, SLOW, wave and were in the last group of 5Kers, so there were plenty of kids, walkers, families and folks doing the turtle pace... just like us. Another "A" activity.

A little computer recon after the race and BOOM, we have a year-long itinerary of 5Ks. Ill share our calendar goals with you in case you wan to join us. There are so many options out there and they actually look fun. Check out this calendar of local races. 

We are going again in two weeks and trying out the Mardi Gras Run in the Power & Light. Check out the video. This is going to be HOOOT! Check out the video for this run; that toe tappin tune has gotta get you motivated to MOVE! C'mon down and get your run on with Lisa and I. Hope to see you there! And remember... "A little party never killed nobody. Right here, right now is all we got!" Come out; Get your beads and get movin!

 Will you start your journey to make 2016 a Better You? We hope our energy, enthusiasm and trial-n-error gets you thinking... if they can do it so can I. C'mon find a buddy, find an activity and get moving! Let us know how you're doing and share the fitness enthusiasm! Good Luck! Happy 2016!