Charlie is a three year old spunky girl who loves to dance and loves her mommy! She is a joy to have in my studio each week. Judith is a trail runner who has completed several races including multiple ultramarathon trail runs (50K) with more planned in the near future. Read on to learn why she loves trail running, how she juggles it all and why she feels the cross-training we do together has been an important addition to her training program.
Charlie 3 years old
Why do you go “workout” with Ms. Alex?
I go to Ms. Alex to get strong (showing her big muscles)
Favorite exercise?
Swinging on the “2RX” (TRX)
Why does mommy go to Ms. Alex?
Mommy goes because she is supposed to work out and get strong
What would you tell your friends about working out at Ms. Alex’s studio?
I would like to tell them that I like the TRX and they should come there too!
Judith
Trail running is my absolute favorite activity that I do for myself and my sanity. I have four kids ranging in age from three to thirteen years and several animals…life is very busy! I didn’t start running until after college, but have run consistently ever since. I ran through my sixth month of pregnancy with my son Colton and ran my first half marathon during my first trimester with my oldest daughter Caroline.
I got into ultra-trail running because of a friend. We already had a group of ladies who would get together bright and early to run and she suggested we try an 18-mile trail run, then we advanced to a 33-mile run. It was great fun and a huge challenge! One of the best parts about the whole thing is the incredible group of ladies that I run and work out with. What started out as just some ladies to run with, has evolved into a group of women who understand, love, help and support each other through all of life’s ups and downs including some incredible challenges…on and off the trail. It’s also great knowing we have Alex waiting for us “runner girls” at 5 am a couple of days a week to help us get ready for whatever race we’ve gotten ourselves into next! It makes a huge difference to have a caring group of fellow moms who hold each other accountable. Our races have turned into wonderful girls’ weekends and fun but extremely challenging training cycles as well.
I started training with Alex about a year and a half ago, because while I was already running, racing, going to the gym and lifting weights, I wasn’t seeing the changes or progress that I wanted. I was also just getting bored. What began as me working out with Alex on my own quickly became small group personal training sessions with my runner girls. I have since added an additional third day of heavy strength training to increase my leg strength. The stronger my legs have become the better my running has become (except those bad runs that you just have). The best part about getting stronger legs is making it up those hills that used to be so much harder! The other benefit has been the changes I can see in my body. I went to yoga the other day and had to do a double take because of the new definition in my legs!
People ask me how I balance it all and where I get the motivation and energy to keep training and racing. In all honesty, it is definitely hard to find a balance. As a matter of fact, I must remind my family several times when it is training season. There are always complaints about how tired I am. Cash, my nine-year old, loves to hear about the races and how long or hard they were. I think it’s important for our kids to understand that parents need to do things that are just for themselves. My kids have known that exercise makes mom a happier, better person ever since they were very young. I believe this has also had an impact on their love of the outdoors and exercise. Both of my boys like their “Alex workouts” (they attend her boys and co-ed classes) and Charlie asks all week “When are we going to Ms. Alex?”.
As far as the motivation to train and run…it must come from within. If you analyze the training, the effort, and the time away from family it is absolutely difficult to keep it up! For me, the trails are a place to push my limits, take time for myself, spend time with my special circle of women, and spend time in prayer. I would encourage everyone to give trail running and racing a try, it is great for people of all levels of fitness. Just remember it is different, so have lots of patience with yourself as you start and remember to relax. It’s a much more laid back sport than most people think!
In addition, I think that no matter where someone is in terms of fitness they would benefit from working out with Alex. One of the things I love about her is her level of knowledge. She is constantly learning for herself and her clients. She has genuine concern and interest in my training and the running that I love. She asks questions to find out how my running program is going so she can tailor my cross training accordingly. She is continuously checking in to make sure we are getting adequate fuel and recovery during our training cycles as well.
Alex and I also met for nutrition counseling early on when my energy levels were running low. Our discussions and the program she shared were extremely helpful and eye opening. It’s nice to have ongoing suggestions and someone saying, “eat more of this and less of that” depending on where I am with strength training or preparing for a race.
Looking ahead, I am looking forward to the Grayson Highlands 50K race in May with my “runner girls”, the Broken Arrow Sky Race in Lake Tahoe in June with my husband (who also trains with Alex), and the San Francisco Marathon in July again with my “runner girls”. Besides my goal of trying to beat my time at Grayson Highlands (this is my second time at it), my most important goal is to finish all three races strong and healthy. I know Alex will be there to help me and remind me when to push and when to rest!
P.S. I think a 50 MILER is the next goal…shhh…I haven’t told my “runner girls” yet!
