Running for Haiti

Guest Blogger! Jessica Ekstrom!

| cheriarmour

I like to utilize my blog in a number of ways.  1, Obviously, I’m trying to keep you guys interested so you’ll actually donate.  2, I love talking about myself.  (Just kidding!  Kinda…) 3, To show off my new nail polish! 4, To give you fellow runners, as well as aspiring runners a taste of my greatness (or to give you some important tidbits I’ve leaned along the way), 5, To uplift some folks in the community that I think are doing some great things.

Jessica Ekstrom is a cool girl that I met while I was working for NC State’s Department of Campus Recreation.  Still to this day, it’s one of my favorite jobs.  There’s nothing better than working with a bunch of like-minded, healthy individuals, which is what I like about my job now.  Anyhoo, Jess is a youngin who has totally got her head on straight, and she’s made waves all over the country with her sweet project.  Jess, everyone!

HOH

“Right before my 20th birthday in the summer of 2011, I participated in an internship at the Make-A-Wish Foundation that changed my life forever.

Everyday, I got to wake up and grant the wishes of children with life-threatening illnesses. I took day trips to visit the wish kids at their houses and bring them their favorite toys. We received hundreds of letters from wish children that said we changed their lives; little did they know, they were changing mine.

One day, I was pulling my hair back in a ponytail and thought about the hundreds of girls I encountered that lose their hair to cancer. I saw how much losing their hair had an impact on their self-esteem and confidence level.

I thought about the thousands of girls around the world losing their hair to chemotherapy. Being a young girl presents many struggles with self-esteem already and losing their hair as a result of a life-threatening illness is traumatic. Not only do they have to face the risk of losing their lives, they feel that they lose a part of their feminine identity. 
I found that the girls loved to wear headbands to still feel “girly” after hair loss instead of wigs.

Therefore I started Headbands of Hope! For every headband purchased, one is given to a girl with cancer and $1 is donated to the St. Baldrick’s Foundation to fund life-saving childhood cancer research.

Since we launched in April, I’ve had the opportunity to distribute headbands to girls in the hospitals across the nation. The best part of my job is opening the door to their room and seeing their faces light up when I bring dozens of colorful headbands to their beds to choose from.  Even though it’s fun and fulfilling to bring the girls headbands in the hospitals, I’m constantly reminded that there still isn’t a cure.

Childhood cancer takes the lives of more children in the U.S. than any other disease – in fact, more than many other childhood diseases combined.  Progress is also especially slow in curing adolescents and young adults, because federal funding for childhood cancers is a fraction compared to adult cancers.  Therefore, attention needs to be brought to childhood cancer.

Progress can’t be made without research. Research can’t be done without funding. And funding can’t be done without awareness. Headbands of Hope aims to start with awareness and end with a cure.

Ever since I was a little girl, purpose has been close to my heart. My drive and work ethic came from knowing my sweat was going to fulfill a need, someway somehow. Cheri and here project “Running for Haiti” does exactly that. Run for purpose. In Cheri’s case, she saw a need in Haiti and used her passion for running as a tool to help.

Whether you’re selling headbands or running around Raleigh, look around you for an opportunity to make the world a better place!”

If you’re looking to make a difference, and you’re stumped, the best way to come up with an idea is to look at what you love.  Do you love to sing?  Do you love to dance?  Do you love chicken?  Find a way to turn that passion into action! And non-profit organizations love volunteers.  If there’s a cause you’re particularly stoked about, jump on board with a 501c3 that could use your skill.  It could turn into a job for you later!

I am a huge dumb-dumb!

| cheriarmour

I’m partially telling you this cautionary tale so you don’ t make the same mistake when you’re donating to my campaign.  (I’m not far from my goal, I need a few hundred dollars, and my Haitian brethren will be rollin in the dough! Sorta.)

So I was beyond beyond thrilled that Yoga Kerri was able to, with the help of her Yoga for Runner class, raise $103 for us.  Like beyond blown away.  She totally went above and beyond what she needed to, and I’m so grateful.  So I finally went and collected the rest of the Yoga donations.  I went to deposit them today, and accidentally made a huge huge boo boo.

Here is where you’re supposed to donate:

You're supposed to click the giant green button thing from my campaign to donate to Haiti.
You’re supposed to click the giant green button thing from my campaign to donate to Haiti.

Here is where I accidentally donated.

I clicked down here without thinking, which sent the Yoga money to the general Mercy pot, instead of to our specific campaign.
I scrolled down here without thinking, which sent the Yoga money to the general Mercy pot, instead of to our specific campaign.

So at this point, I immediately called donor services, which was 7pm EST.  “CRAP!” I said to myself.  Because who the heck is gonna be in the office?!  Well someone was over there at Mercy, and they immediately went to the task of fixing my error and re-coding my money for Haiti money, instead of for generic funds.  The young woman I spoke with on the phone was so professional, and she got right on top of fixing my dumb mistake.  (Thank you Mercy Amanda!)  Once again, Mercy Corps proves to be absolutely stellar to work with!  Between the care packages, the emails, the notes, and now the fix of my $100 mistake, I would love to work with these great folks again!

Fueling for a long run. Read me!

| cheriarmour

I’m not a big girl by any stretch of the imagination.  But because of how active I am between teaching and training, I eat constantly. I eat breakfast, I eat a snack.  I eat lunch, I eat two snacks….you get the deal.

So, when you’re running for literally hours on end, simply by virtue of the fact that you’re out there for hours, you’re gonna need to fuel.  Factor that in the fact that you’re burning a tremendous amount of calories, and sweating a ton, and you’re going to be dragging hardcore if you don’t figure out how to fuel.  Training for a half or a full?  Let me help you decide what you’re going to need to stay chugging for 13.1, 26.2, or maybe even ultra-marathon mileage!

My nutrition drawer. In addition to aluminum foil and ketchup packets (don't judge me, we all collect those), I've got Nuun, Clif Shot Blocks, gels, and some unidentified protein powder.
My nutrition drawer. In addition to aluminum foil and ketchup packets (don’t judge me, we all collect those), I’ve got Nuun, Clif Shot Blocks, gels, and some unidentified protein powder.

 

What is it/When do I need it? Pros Cons
Water (hydration) Hydration is going to be the biggest key to you not bonking.  I’m a camel, so I need a lot.  But generally the rule of thumb is if you’re going to be running (in normal temps) for over an hour, you need to build water stops into your run.  Drop water along your route before, run by a few coffee shops you know won’t mind giving you water, or wear a fuel belt, camel back, or a little handheld. All available at your local Fleet Feet! It’s water!  Don’t overdo it.  If you slam too much to quickly, it can cause you to cramp, so just swallow little mouthfuls at a time.  Also swishing and spitting is great for sticky runners mouth.
Nuun (Electrolyte enhanced drink tabs) Nuun is not a water replacement, but it helps to replace sodium and electrolytes you may have lost in a long run.  A few of the flavors contain a little bit of caffeine if you need the boost, too. This is a great alternative to a Gatorade, (which doesn’t suck either) because they’ve cut down on the sugar, while still maintaining the electrolyte replacement aspect.  If you’re watching your weight too, it’s low-cal! Generally, it tastes okay but dang I have come across some nasty flavors!  Pick one you like, and stick with it!  Even if you’re not running, sip on on one throughout the day.  (Also great for hot yoga).
Sport Beans Sport beans are energizing jelly beans are formulated to help you blast through any long run.  You take these guys about 30 minutes before activity, and continue as needed throughout activity.  Consume with water! They come in a convenient little pack, and they’re full of carbs, electrolytes, as well as energizing vitamins. They are really sweet, which is fine for some people, but they sort of made my teeth hurt.  Consume with a lot of water to cut the sugar.
Gu Gu is a thick energy gel that comes in a convenient little aluminum pouch thingie. I think I have a pack in my nutrition drawer. It comes in a host of different flavors, both caffeinated and uncaffeinated and it delivers carbs, electrolytes, and calories in a swift little 100-calorie punch.  The conventional thoughts on these is you pound on 15 minutes prior to a long run, and every 45 minutes after. Energy!  These little guys are super powerful, and the Roctane in particular really give you that extra boost that you may need to push through the last 6 miles, especially of a marathon.  Some people really find that they like the flavors of these things as well! Firstly, I’m not particularly partial to the taste of these.  They get the job done, but they’re difficult to choke down.  Also, **they are rough on your stomach** and I will leave it at that.  Experiment with these before race day, because you may find yourself making a few extra ladies-room breaks.
PowerBar Energy Gel Same exact idea as the Gu, but a little thinner of a consistency.  Same wisdom applies here, 15 before, and every 45 minutes after. Much better tasting, and the thinner consistency makes it a little easier to swallow (heh heh, no pun intended) with a good bit of water.  I find it a little easier on your tummy as well! If you’re really really sensitive, this may have a similar effect that Gu does on your stomach.  Once again, experimenting during training is super necessary to prevent any surprises.
Shot Blocks My personal favorite, these guys come in a gummy stick form partitioned out for consumption.  I usually don’t break into these until about 40 minutes in, and eat whenever my blood sugar starts to dip a little bit, before I bonk.  Again, it’s important to take this with a hearty helping of water. They come in a ton of flavors, and they’re caffeinated, so you’ll feel a little boost as soon as you eat it.  They’re not too sweet, and not too hard on your stomach. Some folks hate the idea of eating something while you run.  I have no issue with it, but it’s definitely valid!

This list is by no means exhaustive, but in my search, these popped up as the faves!This stuff can be purchased at your local running or outdoor-type store.  But may I suggest, if you have a Fleet Feet in your area, that you look them up and visit them!  If they don’t have something, they’ll know where you can get it, and staff there usually has tried everything at least once.

And last but not least, for folks who have dietary restrictions, your training is the time to experiment with things so that you’re not faced with a potentially dangerous or ugly surprise on race day.  I spoke with Mike Chappell, who’s a diabetic AND a local runner about this, and to fuel, he puts a lot of thought into what he eats the entire day, not just in the moments leading up to run time.  In addition, if you’re a vegetarian, read your labels…some of this stuff contains animal product from time to time.

Feel free to add your fuel of choice in the comments below!  Hope my handy chart helps!

Is working out for White people? (hint:nope)

| cheriarmour

What a lucky week!  We have not one, but two guest bloggers this week!  Let me start by introducing our topic.  ::sips Crystal Lite:: Ahem.

I’m training for a marathon (number 27 of the list of “Stuff White People Like”).  And I get mostly encouragement from my friends and family, but I get the occasional hate from folks, and a whole heck of a lot from other black women.  Saying I’m crazy, saying I work out too much, and that I’m too thin.  But for doing a seemingly good and healthy thing for myself, I’m getting a lot of discouragement.  So the past few weeks on the road, on the treadmill, and in the studio, I’m looking around, and I seem to be in the minority in these places.  And according to stats on obesity, it looks like I’m right, we (black women) are not doing a whole lot of working out.  So I asked Facebook, I asked Huffington Post, and I asked my pretty friend Theresa what the deal is.  Why are we (black women) in the minority at the gym and in races?  Why is the gym so white?  Why don’t black women work out?

Helmer Graduation

T: “I’m not sure how many times I’ve heard/read that black women don’t work out. Countless times I’m sure.  But I’ve never really understood it because for me personally, and all the black ladies I know, this isn’t necessarily a reality.

After reading an article from Huffington Post, (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/06/black-women-exercise-hair-bronner-brothers_n_1747535.html),  and seeing a few threads on reddit

(http://www.reddit.com/r/blackgirls/comments/140cp8/workouts_fitness_classeswhat_do_you_recommend/

http://www.reddit.com/r/blackgirls/comments/13hbjk/do_black_girls_work_out/

http://www.reddit.com/r/blackladies/comments/16ndkm/exercise_and_hair_where_do_you_fall_in_this/)

I wanted to say my piece:

This whole ‘black women don’t do exercise because of their hair’ is a tired narrative, y’all.  I mean I get it, our hair requires a different kind of maintenance and products than advertised in our society, therefore people think we have the short end of the stick in the appearance and hair department (we don’t, IMO).  I don’t want to go on a hair rant because I’m here to talk about my experience and observation as a black lady who exercises.  I started swimming in the 1st grade and did so competitively until 10th grade.  During this time (3rd grade-10thgrade) I was getting my hair chemically straightened and I would blow dry my hair and straighten it every time I swam.  It’s honestly a wonder I even had a hair on my head with all that chemical damage, but I digress.  After I quit swimming, I took up working out at the gym.  Nothing deterred me because I viewed physical fitness as part of my life and something that everyone in my family was always interested in.

After reading through those reddit posts, it seems that many women are interested in exercising whether it is running, classes, or sports.  The main thread throughout is like I said above, exercising isn’t viewed as a priority.  And until it is, I feel we’ll still be here spinning our wheels and waiting for some different result (that really won’t happen unless there’s some sort of grassroots effort).

My expert opinion? It’s really not all that serious.  People are making all these excuses for black women not exercising like hair and other appearance factors when I personally think it has everything to do with cultural indoctrination that exercising isn’t fun or it’s too hard AND that it would seem that some black women don’t have support systems encouraging health and fitness.  Without someone laying the foundation in the home, how is the idea supposed to diffuse amongst the general population?”

Theresa makes some excellent points.  As a woman who exercises, she doesn’t feel that the hair thing is a good excuse.  I’m honored to have perspective from another woman of color.

Here a few bullets from other ladies that we’ve gleaned from our research.

Black women don’t exercise because:

  • They think exercise is for white people.  Yoga, Pilates, and Zumba are perceived as being for skinny white girls. Not so, but that’s the perception.
  • Like we said before, the hair thing.  They don’t want to spend a ton of money on their hair on Saturday to sweat it out in my Zumba class on Monday. (I hope everyone recognizes that this particular line of reasoning means you’re choosing your hair over wellness)
  • Exercise isn’t viewed as being valuable.  Why go work out when you can go home and take a nap instead.
  • Exercise sucks/hurts (but you feel so good after)!
  • Black culture reveres a more curvy shape. Being thin is not necessarily considered a good thing.  And working out may cause you to lose your shape.  (You can still have a nice shape if you work out).
  • Exercise wasn’t a thing in a lot of our households! I grew up mainly in the suburbs.  But a lot of minorities and a lot of people with lower SES status live in areas without yards, sidewalks, YMCAs, and all the other good stuff that cultivates a good relationship with diet and exercise.

Long story longer, four out of five African-American women are overweight or obese. In 2010, black women were 70 percent more likely to be obese than their white counterparts, according to the US Department of Health.  That’s bad.  That’s really bad. Obesity influences rates of cancer, Type 2 Diabetes, high blood pressure, heart attack, high cholesterol, and hypertension.  All that to avoid sweating for an hour a day?  Not really worth it.

So here’s the deal.  Just…MOVE.  You don’t have to run a marathon to get the bennies and perks of working out.  Walk!  Dance!  If you like to shovel, shovel your way to fitness, I don’t know.  The point is, get moving so we’re not suffering all for the sake of a good perm.

I totally forget that people actually read this thang.

| cheriarmour

I mean, I’m writing it for people to read and follow and be interested in, but it’s still a little surprising when someone is all “Omg that post about the Pop-Tarts?! Genius!”.  Now I may have embellished those words a tad, but you understand what I’m saying.

So anyhoo, I got the coolest email ever a few days ago from a really cool girl who volunteers with Hope for Haiti (http://www.hopeforhaitifoundation.com/) who heard through the grapevine (I believe it was a Tweet that I may have posted from the Fleet Feet Raleigh account) about what I was doing.

Hope Tweet

Fast-forward to today, and me and Tara (the Hope for Haiti volunteer) are sitting and chatting it up about going to Haiti, about possible projects for the future and about where we could take this whole project.  Whoa.

I don’t marvel often enough about the power of social media, but DANG I am impressed!  The absolutely coolest part of the whole conversation (besides the obvious fact that we’re going to be saving the entire world here), is the fact that she said the bass player from Delta Rae was the one who directed her to my project.  How cool!  Anyways, that said, let’s make a concerted effort not to use any embarrassing language since evidently Channing Tatum could be reading this.

How do you track your distance/mileage as you’re running for Haiti, Cherisse?

| cheriarmour

At this point, you’re probably watching my distance ratchet up, and you’re all “Omg I’m gonna have to pay Cheri so much money for Haiti!” Yeah, sorry not sorry.  It’s for a good cause!  But are you wondering how I’m so accurately keeping tabs on my distance and mileage, to the tenth of the mile?  Yep, probably.

So when I first started running, I was tracking my distance and mileage with http://www.mapmyrun.com/my_home/  This is a decent tool, but unless you’re running all the tangents, it can totally skew your mileage.  It’s still an awesome, awesome tool, especially if you’re trying to map out a specific distance with no route in mind.  If you know, for example, you have a 14-miler coming up (hello, Sunday morning!), it’s good to figure out how you’re going to make 14 miles happen.

Here’s the real deal way I keep track of my mileage.

Garmin 610

Behold, ladies and gentlemen, the Garmin 610.  Garmin is the same company that does the GPS in your car, so they harnessed the power of the GPS, and stuck it in a more accessible form, a watch, for runners, swimmers, and triathletes to use.  Pretty smart, huh? I was given this watch as a gift for my 25th birthday.  I actually cried when I got it.  It would have been a little bit of a hardship for me to buy it for myself, and it was so thoughtful to get this as a gift.

Whether you’re just starting out, or running your 88th ultra marathon, you can benefit from a Garmin, whether it’s the FR10, the 210, or the 610 (my personal favs that we carry).  Up on the top, 610 in particular will display total distance, followed by total time, and then followed by pace, all pretty important tools when you’re training for any race, and the 10 and 210 will do the same, even though the displays are a little different.  They run between like $130 and $400, so you have to decide what you can make work for your budget.  But remember, it’s a pretty significant piece of machinery.  Even if you go with the super fancy one, it’s not something that you’re planning on replacing every other month – these babies will last a while.  So if you’re training for a 5k, 10k, or maybe even a full, and you’re tired of deciphering a mapping tool, or bringing your iPhone on every run, consider a pretty small investment on a very powerful piece of machinery.

I’m no fun today.

| cheriarmour

The weather sucked here in Raleigh, I woke up with a headache, and I was in something of a poopy mood today.  And when you’re in a poopy mood, it’s kind of hard to get motivated to do what you’re supposed to.

So I decided to play a little game with myself.  The game is called, “What are you Grateful For”?  And even if you’re grateful for some of the most stupid things in the world (like nail polish, Spotify, and the Real Housewives of [Blank]), you’ll feel a little more fortunate, a little more hopeful, and you’ll do what you’re supposed to (clean out your closet, go for a run, send emails, or whatever it is) without too much complaint.  So here goes!  On this crappy weather day, what am I grateful for?

1.  My job.  I’m almost coming up on one year with Fleet Feet Raleigh, and I have to toot our horn for a few reasons.  We’re the best running store in Raleigh because we’re committed to a good experience for the customer, we know what we’re talking about, and we’re all at different fitness levels, so we all bring something different to our customers.

I also work with some of the most fantastic people with the most colorful personalities in the world.  Truthfully, between the owners, the management, and the other specialists there, I don’t know what I would do without these people.  I’ve found new friends, new running partners, and new motivation to keep doing what I’m doing.  Enough gushing about them though, I would hate for them to think that I actually enjoy working with them 😉

2. Fat camp. Let me explain.  Maybe 6 or 7 years ago, I was watching MTV with my gorgeous native American friend, Morgan.  MTV was airing this documentary, called Fat Camp.  And thus, my fascination with camp, fitness, and wellness was born.  So I went on the wild hunt to find out what this camp was.  I found it, I applied a few times, and finally, in the summer of 2010, I was hired to work there.  And it ROCKS.  The camp is a little slice of heaven where I get to spend time each summer, and I’m so annoyed that I didn’t attend as a child.  It’s fine though.  I’m there now, and I get to go to Shabbat services on Fridays.  I miss it!

3. My family.  My mom reads this blog and she gets mad if I say unflattering things.  So I will say I am grateful for them and I will not mention how we sometimes watch Jerry Springer together for a nice laugh on the holidays.

4. The fact that my car is still running.  It is a ’99 Taurus, and from time to time, things are a tad touch and go.  But as long as I change the oil and vacuum it, it seems to treat me well.  So let’s send that car some good vibes.  Mama Cheri can’t afford a car payment right now, and my legs aren’t muscular enough for me to be pushing my car everywhere instead of driving it.

5.  The physical ability I have to be able to run and write this blog.  I recognize it takes some discipline to do what I’m doing.  But I am so darn grateful for the fact that I’m physically capable to put one foot in front of the other for 12,13, 15+ miles.  I’m not confined to my bed.  I’m not sick.  The worst affliction I have is a mean sweet tooth with a side of laziness.  I hope and I pray that this ability lasts forever.

6. Austin Samples. I don’t want to embarrass him, but he’s so so so wonderful and I don’t know what I’d do without him or my stepchild of a cat I inherited when he came into my life.  Meow!

7.     Last, but certainly not least, I am forever grateful for my wonderful friends. You know who you are.  I have friends from San Fran to South Africa.  Friends who are pregnant.  Friends who are married, and those who are single.  Friends who came into my life with the most special of  singing groups ever.  Friends who voted for Obama, and friends who aren’t fans.  Friends who are a little older, and those just a little younger.  Friends who take a crappy day, and turn it into a dancefest complete with high kicks and splits.

In short, I’m grateful for all you folks that bring a smile to my face or a laugh every so often.  You can turn the most gloomy of days into a total laugh fest!

So if you find yourself in a crappy mood ever, boil yourself a cup of mint tea, take a shower, and begin to make a list of the people and places you’re grateful for.  I guarantee, there’s no problem a little nail polish, physical activity, and a laugh with some good frands won’t cure.