What kind of athlete are you and your wife? Do you specialize in running, cycling or Tri?

Paul: I prefer triathlons. I was a swimmer in high school, so it’s been an easy transition to get back in the water. I’ve never been much of a runner, I’m getting better, but I’d still much rather walk!

Kim: I have been participating in running races since 2000. I completed my first Half Marathon in September 2001 and I was hooked! I love the distance, enough challenge without being too demanding on my personal life. I annually run the Steamboat Springs Half Marathon and it has been a goal for many years to complete two half marathons in one year. So last year I completed the Steamboat Half and the Denver Half. I was so inspired by this and so happy to have a fantastic running partner in my friend Rebecca that I have changed from a seasonal runner to someone who ran throughout the entire year (sun, rain, sleet and snow) and now think that I am ready to kick it up a notch and have aspirations to run a full marathon.

How do you workout your training to fit in to family life? My hubby is a competitive cyclist and we occasionally have issues with who gets to race.

Paul: Communication and scheduling is the key for us. We prioritize exercise into our schedule and commit to ourselves that no matter what is going on, we will work out at least 1 hour a day. With two small kids, a full time job and living 1800 miles away from your family, the deck is definitely not stacked in our favor. I started attending classes at the local recreation center (Boot Camp, Kick Boxing and Spinning) where they offer day care, which allows both Kim and I to work out together. With race specific training, it works out pretty well that Kim is a morning person and I feel more motivated to work out after work, so our schedules work together to allow us to meet our training objectives.

Kim: We’ve done a few races together, but not to many. We just did the Bolder Boulder (10k with 53k + runners), where we got a babysitter for the morning and had a blast! Normally it is difficult to complete races together with the boys so we simply pick our favorite races, make a cooperative race schedule over the winter and participate with our training partners. However, we are committed to supporting each other and we never miss a race the other is participating in! There is nothing like crossing the finish line and having Paul waiting there for me or even better having the boys run across the finish line with me! http://www.ck-photography.printroom.com/ViewGalleryPhoto.asp?evgroupid=9&userid=ckiffney

What wise tips could you offer a beginning runner, triathlete or cyclist?

Paul: If you’re just coming off the couch like I was a year ago, take it slow. I started with once a week and I’ve worked up to 6 days a week, sometimes twice a day. Also get a good pair of running shoes. When I was preparing for my first triathlon, I read Slow Fat Triathlete: Live your athletic dreams in the body you have now and it was really motivating and encouraging. You don’t have to wait until you have six pack abs or perfect conditions to compete in a 5k, 10k or sprint triathlon. Get out there and do it. You also don’t need a lot of fancy equipment. I did my first triathlon on my 10 year old mountain bike and it was a blast. Another fun idea for beginners is to keep a blog to track your training, challenges and race reports. We just started one recently and it’s been a lot of fun. (www.familyfanclub.blogspot.com).

Kim: Get a partner! Finding a friend that has the same goals and objectives is the greatest thing. It gives you a reason to get out of bed early in the morning or to the gym after a long hard day. It is too easy to skip out on a workout because there “isn’t time” but when you know someone is there waiting for you to show up it strengthens your commitment. Plus I swear that when Rebecca and I run together the more we talk the quicker our pace and the faster the miles pass!

How did family fan club get started?

Kim: Paul has been attending my many races over the last eight years as the wonderful dedicated husband that he is. He has been talking about completing a triathlon for several years and I was so proud of him for making the commitment to training and achieving one of his goals that I really wanted to make it a memorable day! So I had some shirts made for the boys showing how awesome they think their dad is! It was so cute, the boys were yelling and cheering for Dad as he ran through transition, rode by on his bike and finished his first triathlon like the champion we all knew he was! After the race so many people commented on how cute the shirts were and even asked where they could buy them that we knew we were on to something!

Paul: We opened an online store in November 2007 (www.familyfanclub.net) and our shirts are being sold in several local stores in the Boulder, CO area. We’re also participating at race expos along the Colorado Front Range in 2008. Our most popular designs are Triathlon Daddy, Run Mommy Run, Run Like a Girl and It’s Business Time (Triathlon and Running). We also offer customization if you’re supporting a friend or other family member.

What is your professional background?

Paul: I’m an IT professional by day, aspiring triathlete and graphic designer by night.

Kim: I’m currently a stay at home momprenuer. In addition to running Family Fan Club and the show at home (2 boys, Connor (5) and Griffin (3)), I also have a labor and birth apparel business called BINSI (www.birthinbinsi.com), which provides women with an alternative to standard issue hospital gowns.

JUST FOR YOU!!

One lucky winner will win a RUN MOMMY RUN tank top! Simply post a comment to be entered to win. Thanks. Winner must provide a US Mailing Address and reply to email within 24 hours. This contest will end on June 4th at 9pm (PST).

*****Number 68 is the winner************

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Readers, I am please to introduce RUN U MOTHER, to you! I’m sure you’ll be excited about these shirts as they have a very motivating story and a great product! Even if you’re not a mother yet, you know one, so please share this with them.

“Run U Mothers is a company formed by 2 moms with a passion for exercise. TJ Magill is a personal trainer and group exercise instructor who runs a boot camp for moms. Christy Campbell has been an avid exerciser for over 20 years and let’s TJ holler at her to move faster at their 6am boot camp. Their friend Nancy (a mother of 4) ran the 2006 Marine Corp Marathon and Christy went to cheer her on. Wanting to deliver a more motivating message then “Go Nancy” - “Run U Mother” seemed to do the job. Later that year, TJ’s boot camp moms ran their first 5K. We were a group of 20 moms cheering for each at the finish line and proudly wearing our Run U Mother shirts. Our goal is the have other “u mother” lines as well as provide a web site with exercise plans, links to other mother groups, and blogs to communicate with all those exercising mamas. We want to build a community of moms who love to run, walk, bike, do yoga - whatever - to share their experiences and ideas.”

Running Wisdom offered by TJ Magill

“The biggest problem I see with clients who want to get fit is that they start off too hard, hurt themselves and get so discouraged they end up quitting! Whether it’s running or weight training, you have start at an appropriate level and build up from there. You’ll be suprised at how fast your body will adapt to your routine.

For all those new runners (especially the new moms) - here are a few tips:

Get a good pair of sneakers

Get a good running bra

Start off on a walk/run program.

Walk for 2 min, jog for 30 seconds. As you get get stronger, walk for less time and run for more time. You will be amazed how fast you will be able to sustain

a 5 minute run/2 min walk. This will help you get into the groove without getting discouraged.

Another problem for us Moms is finding the time. Well, no one is going to give you a 25th hour in your day. FInding some time to take care of yourself should not be put off. This may mean getting up a little earlier, training your toddler to sit in a stroller a little longer than they want to or finding some energy after they kids go to bed - but there is some time you can find. I have 17 Moms in my boot camp at 6am. They swear that is the magic hour (and they all show up 3 days a week). Quite a few moms have walking or running groups (think playdate in a stroller). Check out seemommyrun.com or Strollerstrides to see if that would work for you.”

Run U Mother is proud to be apart of the following upcoming events:

2008 Celebrate Mama!

Vienna, VA

Saturday, May 3rd 2008

11am - 3pm

www.celebrate mama.org

Zooma Women’s Running Series - a series of races just for women!

Annapolis, Maryland

Sunday, June 1, 2008

races.zoomarun.com

SeeMommyRun Race - an organization that hooks up moms in local neighborhoods for walking/running clubs.

June 7

Manassas, VA

seemommyrun.com

JUST FOR YOU!!

RUN U MOTHER has offered two tank tops to TWO of you lucky readers. Simply post a comment and the winners will be chosen at random on May 5th at 9pm. Winner must reply to email within 24 hours and provide a US Mailing Address.

DOUBLE YOUR CHANCES!! WORKOUT MOMMY is giving away a tank top, too. Click over there and check it out.

*****Winners #33 and #89!

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THE ORIGINAL DUDE GIRL

“I always thought it was fun to drag

down the road and twist and turn

and end up somewhere different.”

- Dorothy McElhinney

I love to meet people who are passionate!  You all know my passions are fitness and writing, and the women and men I feature here (www.fitnessformommies.net) are people who are passionate about fitness and their product or service.  Which leads me to…..Drum roll, please….. Kim McElhinney, founder of Dude Girl.  Kim has an incredibly interesting story and you can read it here, however the parts I’d like to highlight are that she comes from a long line of smart, athletic women.  She has also explored all of her athletic avenues first in the form of a weekend enthusiast, then in the form of an adventure travel company- called Dude Girl Trips and now as the owner of her own apparel company, Dude Girl.    Her trips for 2008 include a  3 day trail running trip to Yosemite (I’d do this in a heartbeat).  She also organizes Mountain Bike Trips to Bulgaria and France.   Dude Girl Adventure Company started in 2003 and in 2006 she opened her “doors” with an online Dude Girl boutique.    Dude Girl products are featured in this months’ Terry Catalog, REI and over 100 retailers across the U.S. as well as in New Zealand, Canada and the UK! For a complete list of retailers click here.

Kim has devoted a whole page on her website to the environment and has described her reasons for choosing organic material here; 

“We have chosen Sustainable fibers and 100% organic cotton or a blend of both

in almost all yoga products and in our tees whenever we can — we’d like to

do everything organic for reasons of acting consciously and carefully on

this planet, but as you are know there are challenges to a small company

being green. We’re doing all that we can at this time and are headed in the

direction of using all sustainable / organic in all our natural fiber

products eventually.”

Kim’s favorite products are the Dude Girl Athletic Tee, Spur Pants in Masai Red, and the Giddy Up Cycling Jersey and Shorts in Red.

I’m also very excited that Dude Girl will be at the Sea Otter Classic this year!  Dates are April 17-20.  My family has attended Sea Otter annually for the last 9 years and we LOVE IT!!

Contest/Giveaway:

Dude Girl is giving away one Dude Girl Athletic T-shirt to one of you!  Simply click over to the website (take a look around) and come back here to post a comment!  Winner will be chosen at Random on April 13th at 9 PM (PST).  Retail Value is $34.  Winner must respond to email within 24 hours and provide a U.S. Mailing Address.

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Introducing Jordan Veatch-Goffi, founder and designer of Doce Vida Fitness!!

She is a woman after my own heart..runner, cyclist, Pilates, yoga, tennis, fitness enthusiast- Jordan Veatch-Goffi! Part Brazilian and Part American, ex-corporate employee for Gap Inc. has founded an amazing brand of workout apparel, Doce Vida Fitness Inc.. As the designer and founder of Doce Vida Fitness, she has YOUR body in mind. Her designs are meant to flatter women with REAL bodies- NOT MANNEQUINS. “Brazil is a country known for its self assured, vibrant and sexy women and I wanted to bring this culture to women of the U.S. and beyond.” These clothes are a unique blend of stretch, 12% to be exact- which is more than most athletic apparel companies, moisture wicking, so sexy and stylish.

I have been corresponding with Jordan and here’s what I’ve learned so far..

“We are our own brand. Doce Vida launched within the fitness trade show circuit targeting the end consumer: Trainers, their clubs and their clients. We launched our online boutique and are currently expanding our wholesale accounts internationally. Having professional experience in the fashion industry, I have seen companies lose their customer base by changing their styles and image too frequently…Customers want stability. They want to know they can return to find their favorite style. This is the reason that Doce Vida always offers the same styles- never taking away, and only adding new styles.”

Doce Vida has gotten some amazing press lately. Some of you may have caught the article in Yoga Journal or the Oprah Magazine “Do What You Love” article (September 2007). These clothes have also been featured in Cooking Light, Prevention Magazine, PilatesStyle, Health, as well as several articles of Yoga Journal (September 2007, February 2008, March 2008). I particularly liked the Oprah article because it talks about how Jordan had an amazingly successful career working for Gap Inc. and left it because she had a vision- to create beautiful workout apparel for women (Men and Maternity, coming soon!).

What is your first priority when purchasing workout apparel for yourself? Is it style or fit? As I’ve gotten older and more opinionated on this subject, I’ve found that FIT is primary then style. It’s rare to find both qualities to be PERFECT and I believe that Doce Vida offers the most sharp, sexy, appealing workout clothes for women. I truly feel that when you look good, you feel good and you’ll want to go to the gym in these clothes.

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Andrea Vincent is one motivated mom! She is an author, mother, marathon runner, artist, teacher, and the pioneer of See Mommy Run. This is a nationwide FREE running group for moms to connect with other moms in their neighborhoods to run or walk together. The website offers tips, articles, a training log for each runner, opportunities to network with other moms in their home town as well as nationwide. Thanks to Metropolitan Mama, I joined See Mommy Run last November and am running for one of the 2008 Race Teams (we are the Redlands Runners). My teammates and I are pretty excited because we got cool “SWAG” from the sponsors- so far we’ve gotten a really nice race jersey and LOTS of chips (healthy) from Corazonas.

I’ve had the opportunity to correspond with Andrea about her program and this is what I learned.

What inspired you to start See Mommy Run?

My passion is to help people get and stay fit without breaking the bank. Gyms and other workout programs are expensive. So my goal is to keep it free and help people connect. My ultimate goal is to create incredible role models to fight childhood obesity and keep kids out of trouble. I also have a passion for working with the elderly, which is where I saw a lot of people who never stayed fit have major physical problems. Seeing people in nursing homes who were mentally sharp and could have prevented giving up their independence way to early motivated me to do something about it much earlier in people’s lives!
I would love to someday get seeMOMMYrun connected with a major company in order to help women in more rural areas or without internet access. Having financial support would do wonders.

You are now a certified running coach, right? What is the training involved in getting certified?

Yes, I am an EZ8 Women’s Running Coach.
Certification involves studying a workbook, a DVD with techniques and drills, audio Q&A - then taking a certification test. This certification is unique because it also includes some business planning information. Certification is called “seeMOMMYrun EZ8 Running & Business Certification.” Women can get certified to become coaches, then start their own running camps locally. They will be able to list their camps on seeMOMMYrun.

She just ran her second marathon in 3:35!! All with the help of Coach Al Lyman (contest here)!

Her other accomplishments include:

Bite-Size Pieces of My Past: Writing your life story in digestible chunks

A children’s book called “Walk this Way”.

Click on over to See Mommy Run and check it out. You can find a group in your town or start your own. Post a comment on the message boards to help you find other moms in your town who are interested in running or walking. It’s that easy and it’s ALL FREE! Andrea can even help write a training program for you since she is now a certified running coach.

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