First and foremost – this post is for YOU followers!
When I started this blog, I didn’t honestly expect to find so much love, support, friendship and knowledge in an online community. My bog is what it is today in part because of YOU! So, as promised, a $100 Giveaway for 100 (plus!) followers!
As you may or may not know, strength training is crucial to the success of endurance athletes, including runners. At first, I was not sold on the idea myself – I was already busting my butt to run, how could I possibly add on more work?! – but now, I understand that hitting the gym to lift some weights a few days a week is one of the most beneficial things I can do as a runner. Yes, ladies, even we need to ‘pump the iron’ regularly!
The benefits of strength training for runners are astounding – in fact, I was fortunate enough to attend an MIT seminar on it just last night!
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| Me and the Lucky 13’s after the seminar! |
Strength training can improve body composition by helping you maintain or increase your lean body mass and can decrease your percentage of body fat, helping you look leaner and burn additional calories. Benefits of strength training for runners:
- You’ll Be Leaner: Muscle burns more calories than fat. Fat burns almost nothing at rest, whereas muscle uses oxygen so if you increase lean muscle mass, you’ll increase the body’s ability to use oxygen and burn more calories. Your body typically uses about 4.5 to seven calories per pound of muscle every day.
- You’ll Be More Efficient: Strength training can help you run faster, longer, and more efficiently. A study published last year in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research showed that runners who add three days of resistance training exercises to their weekly program increase their leg strength and enhance their endurance. Runners with better endurance can run longer—and burn more calories. You’ll also be able to recover faster from long runs because strength training makes your body more efficient at converting metabolic waste into energy.
- You’ll Be Less Injury-Prone: If you increase your strength, you’ll also increase your joint stability, reducing your risk of repetitive stress injuries. Incorporating moves such as squats, single-leg hops, and ab work into a workout can not only prevent lower-body injuries, but improve performance as well. Leg exercises are particularly important when it comes to reducing injury: These exercises strengthen muscles around the knees and hips two areas that often cause problems for runners.
I also know that there seem to be a thousand things stacked against us when we are looking for a strength training program.
- It’s too expensive to hire a personal trainer or join a gym.
- There aren’t enough hours in the day to train with an intensive running (and sometimes swimming and biking too!) schedule.
- The gym closes too early and doesn’t open early enough. It can be daunting to try to figure out your own strength training workout.
- We ladies don’t want to get ‘big’.
- It’s too intimidating to lift weights around others.
And the list goes on and on. For me, it boiled down to expense and time. It was too much and there was not enough!
As an expression of my gratitude to those of you that have joined me on this journey as followers, I would like to help you get started on a strength training program that works for you. It’s personalized, you can do it anywhere, and best of all (since I’m giving it away) – it’s FREE! So, what are you waiting for?! You’ve really got nothing to lose and a whole lot to gain. Here are the details:
My friend and trainer (not-to-mention the nicest person you will ever meet), Rebecca Black, has graciously agreed to partner with me to offer one lucky follower a chance to win ONE FREE MONTH (that’s a $100 value!) of Strong Body by Rebecca Cyber Training!
What You Get:
The Strong Body By Rebecca Monthly Cyber Training Program consists of the following:
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| Rebecca Black |
- Initial Food Guide and Grocery list
- Portion Sizes for each meal – this leaves flexibility for people to pick your own meals from the food in the guide instead of being tied to meals you won’t like
- Resources on Healthy Eating
- Monthly List of Rebecca’s Favorite things (newsletter)
- Assistance with picking meals at restaurants
- Initial Assessment Questionnaire – including weight, measurements, goals, and pictures
- Month of workouts
- Interval training and cardiovascular training ideas
- Specialty ab and butt workouts
- Functional workouts to do in parks, pools and even airports!
- Weekly check-in with Rebecca via email on Sundays – includes questionnaire, updated measurements, weight and pictures
- One 15-minute Skype session with Rebecca at the beginning or end of each month (your choice)
- Encouragement and Support via email, Facebook and Twitter
What You Do:
Mandatory (One Entry each – that’s 2 entries!):
- You must be a follower of this blog, of course! Let me know in a comment that you already are or become one (it’s not too late to get in on the fun)!
- Tell me in a comment why you wish to make Strong Body Cyber Training a part of your endurance, weight-loss or fitness program.
Extra Credit (That’s 10 additional entries!):
- Follow me (@wordstorunby) and Rebecca (@StrongBodybyR) on Twitter and tell me in a comment that you are. (2 entries)
- Tweet about this giveaway! Tell me in a comment that you did and include @wordstorunby and @StrongBodybyR in your tweet. (2 entries)
- Blog about it in a post or on your sidebar and tell me in a comment that you did. (2 entries)
- Sign up for the Strong Body Newsletter HERE and leave me a comment telling me that you did. (4 entries)
Please note, the contest runs from July 15th through July 22. I will announce a winner on Saturday, July 23 and get you linked with Rebecca right away to begin your free month of cyber training in August!
Still want more? Check out these blogs for inspiration, motivation and thoughts from ladies that are currently working Rebecca’s program. Way to go, girls!
- Sarah @ Running on Words has lost 7.2 lbs in and inches in 2 weeks!
- Amy @ Finishing Strong has lost 4 lbs and inches in 1 week!
- Sara @ From Twins to Thin who has lost 4.8 lbs and inches in 2 weeks!
That’s it, folks! Good luck to each and everyone of YOU – I can’t wait to pick a winner!
Until the next mile marker,
Follow
What a cool giveaway! I would love to have this opportunity as part of my fitness program because I have currently lost 83 lbs. with 12 to go and, although I am happy with my weight-loss, I want to lose the rest of the weight, tone the remaining flab, and create some muscle definition. Thanks for the chance to win.
I am a follower through Google Reader.
I follow you on Twitter.
I tweeted about the giveaway.
Tweeting giveaway entry #2.
Wait, can I enter this? I’m finally getting the hang of the program and it’s almost over, so I want to win another month!
And I’m a follower (duh)
And I follow you both on Twitter.
Tweeted, which I would have done without bribery. BTW, if I’m not allowed to enter, you are so buying me an ice cream cone. Because I want ice cream. And I’m kind of too lazy to go get it.
Im a follower
I would LOVE to win this. I have been struggling with my weight for a long time. Ive been a little more successful with a Bootcamp I joined & weight watchers at work, but this would definitely push me even harder in the right direction.
Posting it to my blog side bar entry 1
blog sidebar entry 2
I signed up for the newsletter entry 1
newsletter entry 2
Newsletter entry 3
Newsletter entry 4
I follow
Almost recovered from an injury that packed on a few pounds. I could really use the extra help to get it back off!
Following you both on Twitter
I follow via GFC! Thanks for the great giveaway! i could so use a jumpstart. I have no idea where to begin alone.
Dana West
dana10879@yahoo.com
Linked on my blog
I would love to have a fitness program at all. I am having a hard time getting started and this could really help!
dana10879@yahoo.com
I follow you and Strong Body by R on Twitter
@SETexasMama
dana10879@yahoo.com
1
I follow you and Strong Body by R on Twitter
@SETexasMama
dana10879@yahoo.com
2
Tweeted
dana10879@yahoo.com
1
http://twitter.com/#!/SETexasMama/status/92044406709952512
Tweeted
dana10879@yahoo.com
2
http://twitter.com/#!/SETexasMama/status/92044406709952512
I subscribe to Strong Body via newsletter
dana10879@yahoo.com
1
I subscribe to Strong Body via newsletter
dana10879@yahoo.com
2
I subscribe to Strong Body via newsletter
dana10879@yahoo.com
3
I subscribe to Strong Body via newsletter
dana10879@yahoo.com
4
Sara this is an awesome giveaway. I think I cold not really take advantage of it right now, while we are on the boat… so I will not take an entry away from someone who could really use it to the max…. just wanted to say that I think it is lovely of you to be offering up this wonderful gift. Cheers!
I did all of the above steps, plus the extra credit! I would like to include cyber training because I mostly do yoga and running now and would like to add variety to my workout. I struggle with motivation and get depressed when I’m not working out, I suffered a loss at the beginning of May that took my head out of the game and now am having issues getting back in, even with yoga and running, and I think that maybe adding this variety may be what I need to spice things back up!
I’m a follower!
I would love to win this so I could have someone that knows what they are doing direct me in my fitness goals. It would be really nice to have someone to tell me the things I should be doing and how I can push myself and not just have to guess!
I’m posting this on my blog as well!
Just became a follower!
I need to do something to get over this hump – I’ve been stuck at the same weight for the last year and just can’t seem to lose anymore. This would totally help me!
Extra Credit — DONE! Following you both on Twitter. Tweeted the giveaway. And I’m already signed up for the newsletter =)
Just became a follower!
I subscribe to Strong Body via newsletter
dana10879@yahoo.com
3
I follow you and Strong Body by R on Twitter
@SETexasMama
dana10879@yahoo.com
1
I tweeted about the giveaway.
I did all of the above steps, plus the extra credit! I would like to include cyber training because I mostly do yoga and running now and would like to add variety to my workout. I struggle with motivation and get depressed when I’m not working out, I suffered a loss at the beginning of May that took my head out of the game and now am having issues getting back in, even with yoga and running, and I think that maybe adding this variety may be what I need to spice things back up!