The Health Advocate | Amway

Amway’s Nutrilite spokesperson Kara Goucher is a top U.S. marathoner, Olympic qualifier and World Championship bronze medalist. She has faced many of the challenges common to female runners – and runners in general – at all levels, including battling back from injury, feeling the frustration of performance plateaus and juggling life as a new mom with a busy training schedule.

In this two-part series, Goucher will share her secrets to becoming a better, happier, healthier and more fulfilled runner! (These tips and more can also be found in her book, “Kara Goucher’s Running for Women: From First Steps to Marathons.”)

Don’t Be Scared: You are just as capable as anyone else.
Go Public With Your Goal: You may want to keep your marathon aspirations on the down-low, but sharing your commitment with others will help you keep it.
Train the Simple Way: Two short runs (5 miles or so each) during the week and a long run on the weekend. Extend the long run one mile each week until 10 miles, then 2 miles a week until 20.
Train Day to Day: Don’t look ahead to the end goal, just work on reaching each week’s distance.
Take in Fluids: You need fluid and energy replacement to keep your blood sugar up and your stored carbs (glycogen) going to your hardworking muscles when you run long runs. I’m a big fan of NUTRILITE® ROC2O Sports Drink Mix, which rehydrates you, has carbs and replenishes electrolytes (sodium and potassium) lost during long runs.
Pick the Right Marathon for You: There are hundreds around the country to choose from. Big, small, hot, cold, hilly, flat – choose the one that suits you and your training best.
Do it for the Right Reasons: Because you really want to. Not because your friends are running a marathon or you think you won’t be considered a “real runner” unless you run 26.2 miles.
Set a Realistic Goal: For your first marathon, just focus on finishing, having a positive experience, and learning things that will enable you to run your best marathon in the future.
Have a Plan B: What if the marathon you’ve trained for falls on a day with weather way hotter than anticipated, or torrential rain? Good to have a back-up marathon that you can run instead.
Allow Enough Time to Train, But Not Too Much: Twelve to 16 weeks is typically enough time to gradually increase your endurance, anything longer can lead to injury or just plain burn out.
Eat foods you normally eat on the evenings leading up to your race.  Now is not the time to try out new dishes or new restaurants.
Eat a carbohydrate-rich breakfast that’s easy to digest like cereal with toast and juice; pancakes or a bagel with eggs.
Bring plenty of fluids and snacks with you to the start, as some races require you to be there hours before the gun goes off.

Stay tuned for more training tips in part two of Kara Goucher’s 26.2 Ways to Get Ready to Marathon!

Jenn Stuczynski, Team Nutrilite's own American Record holding, Silver Medal winning pole vaulter has been honored as American Female Athlete of the Year by Track & Field News in its February edition, which is on newsstands now.

From Jeff Diveronica of the Democrat & Chronicle:
Stuczynski, who took up the sport only four years ago, was runner-up in Beijing to reigning Olympic champion and world-record holder Yelena Isinbayeva. But Stuczynski broke her own U.S. record twice last year and four times in 14-month span dating to May 2007. She also has won five consecutive U.S. championships indoors and outdoor.

"That gave her distinction," said her coach, Spencerport native Rick Suhr. "We were very surprised, not that Jenn wasn't deserving, but (the honor) usually goes to the biggest name and a lot of times a sprinter."

Six other Americans won Olympic gold in track and field events, Suhr said, so that figured in their surprise over Stuczynski's award. No American male pole vaulter has earned the honor from the magazine, considered the top publication for track and field, in the 49 years of the award, Suhr said, and the only other female winner was Stacy Dragila in 2001.

"She's done in four years what some people won't do in a lifetime," Suhr said.

Congratulations, Jenn, on your fantastic 2008 season and all of your accomplishments both on and off the track.

This morning I got my copy of Track & Field News (Feb. 08 issue) in the mail, and was excited to find Nutrilite-sponsored athlete Jenn Stuczynski on the cover!

There's a great, full-page article on how Jenn is the only American athlete who is really competitive with the other leading women's pole vaulters in the world. It's on pg. 11.

You can buy this specific issue from Track & Field News, featuring Jenn, by going to:

http://www.trackandfieldnews.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=70_76_95&products_id=409