august 2012 - ten fittest issue

AFM FITTEST Photos, Fun, and Feedback

KnEE PAIn bending exPectations

by MElAnIE P. MoorE

DESIrEE FIcKEr dares to struggle

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contents@AuSTInFIT

Local fitness notables opine about the AFM

FITTEST

One competitor gives his critique

of the event

Diane Vives reflects on the

competition

aFM Fittest winner profiles show what these athletes are made of

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A u g u s t ' 1 2 C o n t e n t s 9Cover and Contents Photos by Brian Fitzsimmons

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Austin Fit Magazine assumes no responsibility for the content of articles or advertisements, in that the views expressed therein may not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher or any magazine employee or contributor. This publication and all of its contents are copyrighted.

Austin Fit Magazine is the assumed name of its publisher, Louis M. Earle, who has no interest in the business of Denis Calabrese who operates an exercise program under the assumed name of Austin Fit, which trains individuals to improve their jogging or running skills to participate in marathons. The views, opinions and other representations published in Austin Fit Magazine are not those of Austin Fit or any of its directors, officers, employees or agents.

Please Recycle This Magazine

Publisher/Ceolouis M. earle

editor-in-Chief Melanie P. Moore

Managing editorleah fisher nyfeler

art direCtorWeston Carls

assistant art direCtorsarah schneider

vP, sales & Marketingalex earle

advertising ConsultantsCarrie Crowe, emily nash,

amity Ponsetti

Contributorskeith bell, Ph.d., Monica brant,

robert Clement, M.d., desiree ficker, brian fitzsimmons,

Carson hooks, Jody kelly, b. shiva Mayer, shannon Mitchel, M.d., dacia Perkins,

alexa sparkman, diane vives, anne l. Wilfong

editorial intern Madelyn Moon

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2201 n. lamar blvd., ste. 220austin, tX 78705P 512.407.8383 f 512.407.8393

Pro triathlete and runner Desiree Ficker takes a look at what makes an athlete fit [page 78]

Kids’ cycling, the Driveway, and team racing make a good training mix [page 82]

Fitness after baby, even for a professional runner, is hard work [page 86]

How we think—and talk—about our exercise is as important as what we do [page 80]

14 From the Publisher18 Moore Fit Musings

74 Fit Finds 92 Events Calendar

94 Rides & Races102 By the Numbers

EvEry IssuE

photo by Brian Fitzsimmons

Muscle MoveMent of the Month

Diane Vives reflects on what goes into the AFM FIttest[page 98]

Medical tent dr. Clement discusses procedures that appeal to some men [page 26]

dr. Mitchel debunks some popular notions regarding treating knee pain [page 28]

Recipe good fats make this appetizer both tasty and healthy [page 34]

KicK Mo’s Butt! Chad leath and beast training put Mo in fine form [page 96]

fit x faMily knowing when to put the kids in organized sports can be a tough call [page 24]

fit afteR 40 use these simple tests to help seniors determine their fitness [page 70]

healthrun to "break the silence" on ovarian cancer [page 32]

contents@AuSTInFIT

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how fit are you? Redux

Letter from the Publisher

By Lou EArLE, PubLishEr | photo By briAn Fitzsimmons

FTER Th E DuST settled at our first ever AFM FIT-TEST presented by

Nexersys event on June 9, 2012, at Camp Mabry, the general con-sensus from spectators, sponsors, competitors, and staff was that it was a great event. We heard lots of comments about how much fun it was and how different it was from other events. Many people said they were already looking forward to doing it again next year. And while the performances were absolutely inspiring, what was really excit-ing about being there was seeing

the camaraderie of the crowd as they cheered for their favorites through each test, pumped their arms with enthusiasm as they beat their own expectations, and laughed good naturedly when they stumbled or missed the mark. The passion and commitment in each performance and the positive attitudes of everyone involved are what I will always remember and these make me smile a lot. The bottom line is that what made this event a success was all of you and your celebration of fitness. Thanks so much!

This same month back in 2008, as part of our “10 Fittest” issue, I wrote about what fitness is. I still believe in what I said then and in its value and applicability regarding how we think about health and fitness today, so I thought it would be interesting to re-visit those thoughts this month.

From the Publisher | August 2008 Issue

It’s August in Austin, Texas, and that means that you are about to find out the answer to a question that many of you have been waiting for all year. That’s right—who are AFM’s 2008 picks for the ten fittest people in our fair city?

Now I know that ya’ll already jumped ahead and are awed by the best of the trim and fit that Austin can offer, so I’m not going to pontificate on their collective buffness. What I did want to explore is what fitness really means, especially the part that is not just “skin deep,” the stuff that our wonderful images can’t entirely convey.

I always like to start at the beginning, with questions such as “What does the word fitness’ really mean?” If you spend any time researching this word, you will learn that there are many aspects of fitness from “Darwinian fitness” to good old-fashioned “physi-

cal fitness.” After due consideration, my view is that in the broad-est sense, the word “fitness” projects this notion of “suitability.”

This idea makes a lot of sense to me, especially when one ap-plies that suitability to “living one’s life.” In other words, one’s level of fitness determines one’s ability to be effective in living. Of course, different goals require different kinds of fitness, such as when a pilot must qualify to be fit to fly or a teacher must be certified to be fit to teach.

Are you confused yet? While we can certainly define fitness criteria for specific outcomes, I believe that there is a foundational fitness upon which all other functional fitness depends. This plat-form has three legs: physical fitness, mental fitness, and emotional/spiritual fitness.

We tend to focus most of our attention on physical fitness but all three elements of fitness are crucial to being truly fit for living. Furthermore, it is very important that we keep each of these ele-ments in balance. How many times have we seen athletes perform below expectations or crack under pressure because they weren’t

“mentally tough”? What about the emotional stamina it takes to be a caregiver? It’s clearly hard to operate at your peak when any one of the wheels comes off.

This model of fitness also assumes a high degree of integra-tion. That is, that each element supports and catalyzes the others. I believe that, while people change and sustain behavior for many reasons, their motivations seem to arise from these three elements.

This is an important concept because it means that without considering all three components, it is unlikely that one can really optimize their suitability for living. Being emotionally motivated to look and feel better is likely to improve your mental state and ensure that you make a sincere effort to achieve that goal. Likewise, a strong mental motivation to accomplish some-thing will provide positive emotional support and drive physical action. And while being physically active and healthy may not guarantee emotional and mental stability, it will provide a lot of biological reinforcement.

Now back to the present….This entire August issue is about the results of June 9, 2012, so enjoy the magazine that you, the fitness community in Austin, built and celebrate in your participation and success. Read on.

Keep Austin Fit,

a

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Moore Fit Musings

on testing and serendipityBy mELAniE P. moorE, Editor-in-ChiEF | photo By briAn Fitzsimmons

wW hEN yOu ’R E IN Th E M A R kET for a new appliance, it helps to know what the Consumer Reports rating is…they’ve tested all the food processors, grills, and vacuum cleaners across categories so we, the consumers, can know what to expect. When your relationship survives a crisis, you (or your therapist) might say it has been tested. We are all aware of the standardized testing of students, from TAAS to TAKS to STAR and beyond! SAT and ACT tests are a measure of high school student aptitude which colleges use as a data point for pre-dicting future academic success. Software engineers test their products (or at least their quality assurance colleagues do). Compa-nies of all types conduct “pilot” and “beta” tests. And you don’t have to be Italian to do the “spaghetti test,” literally or figuratively, as we all throw things against the proverbial wall to “see what sticks.”

Some tests are imposed upon us by institutions or by circumstances. Some tests we seek out…or our Facebook friends send them to us. A test, by definition, is an

instrument used to measure or characterize or prove something.

Sometimes you study, train, or other-wise prepare for the test. This process is skill-building, not just in terms of the actual intellectual or physical skills gained and honed, but also in the coping skills of not letting nerves or other forms of self-sabo-tage hinder your performance.

The tests though, that alter the course of a life are those that ambush you…the tests of courage when an endeavor seems futile or doomed to failure, the tests of loving relationships when circumstances such as war or illness or other atrocities land in the middle of your quotidian existence, and the ultimate test of loss leaving you to find resilience wherever you can—hopefully within yourself.

Judy McElroy, Austin’s 2012 Fittest woman, made an interesting comment about the AFM FITTEST. In talking about how people new to a fit lifestyle might get started, she said, like other events, the AFM FITTEST provides a focus for training. I was captivated by her use of the word “fo-cus” instead of “goal.” It’s as though with a focus, you can attain more than the singular end that a “goal” brings to mind in the sense that you may be focused on an event you are training for, but you can wind up gaining many unintended benefits—a sort of seren-dipity of health and fitness.

According to the Oxford English Diction-ary, serendipity, “from Serendip, a former name for Sri Lanka…[is] a word coined by

Horace Walpole, who says (Let. To Mann, 28, Jan. 1754) that he had formed it upon the title of the fairy-tale The Three Princes of Serendip’, the heroes of which were always making discoveries, by accidents and sagac-ity, of things they were not in quest of.’”

Isn’t it surprising how often we wind up with an amazing bounty of experiences—and possessions—that we were never originally in quest of? Regardless of our stated goal, our forward movement toward a focal point puts us in motion and, given our ability to focus, keeps us in motion. By not giving into inertia, which, (with apologies to Newton and Galileo), can take the form of life, busy-ness, [insert your excuse for not working out here], we stay in motion, just like our Ten Fittest who have stuck with their disciplines for decades. And, like the fabled princes of Serendip, we continue to make discoveries, “by accidents and sagac-ity, of things [we] were not in quest of.”

How wonderful (full of wonder) the AFM FITTEST turned out to be. It proved to be an event, a contest, and an individual point of focus for many people to start or boost their training. In the process, we all learned new skills, met new people, and changed more than one aspect of our lives. Hooray for the “test” of Serendip!

’’


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hi,

i read your recent story about dealing with the austin heat. i think it was good, and there was mention of electrolytes and salt, but i thought it was a little lacking in the dangers of over-hydration. i once ended up in the emergency room after a hot day outside not because of dehydration but over-hydration. they had to put a

sodium iv in me to replace the salt i had lost. actually, people can die from this very thing…most common amongst runners and military personnel. What’s ironic is i was actually drinking a lot of a knockoff smart Water that day…which has electrolytes but is mysteriously missing the important salt. i always like to warn people because i could have died, and i thought i was doing the right thing that day. i had no idea until i was diagnosed in the emergency room! i think most people haven’t heard of such a thing. i just think it's a good idea to get the warning out there. the other thing is when i did get over-hydrated, i started feeling really, really sick, and the more i felt sick the more water i drank. since i had never heard of drinking too much water, i thought i was getting dehydrated. that's why i like to get the message out there.

Th A N kS,

Kristin

to all the dedicated staff at aFM:

despite the many difficulties involved in scoring this year’s fittest Challenge, i want to thank you and your many volunteers for putting on such an amazing and inspiring event. driving into Camp Mabry i was struck by the discipline, commitment and strength that u.s. military men and

women exhibit each day. this is the same type of dedication one needs to stay fit throughout life. some of us are blessed to see fitness and hard work as play. for others, it is more challenging. these types of events should promote the fun in staying fit and the rewards of leading a healthy lifestyle. they should encourage our children to want to be fit like their parents. i thank AFM for celebrating fitness, and the many fitness champions within the austin community.

being an exercise enthusiast is one of the best physical, mental, and financial decisions you can make in your life. Promoting fitness, as a professional or just by being a good example to your family and friends, is a great way to improve health in our community. Physical activity is an essential element to healthy living. Coupled with a healthy diet, physical activity can help combat chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes, obesity and some cancers. awareness is a start. but the benefits do not begin until you take action. Pick a fitness friend to keep you accountable, join a boot camp, or a gym, or a running group. reach out to the many sponsors of this challenge for support. and don’t forget to play and support the best playground any town can have, the town lake hike and bike trail.

i encourage AFM to continue to hold this event, and promote improved fitness among its participants. as i tell my kids, the red, white and blue ribbons (personal best) are the ribbons you want to accumulate. a good healthy life is not dependent on winning. Just be the best you can be with the gifts you have been given. and defend your health. no one else is going to do it.

Julie Neas2012 A FM F ITTE ST PA RTICIPA NT

correctionin the July 2012 issue, a photo of ballet austin dancer Paul bloodgood

was not properly credited. the photo, left, was taken by his wife and fellow dancer anne Marie bloodgood. We regret the omission.


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Fit Kids

d AV IS (4), OuR very inquisitive and intense first-born, recently posed a question to me: “Daddy, why don’t I have any trophies?”

Unlike many of his interrogatories, this one wasn’t completely out of left field. He and I were the first ones up, and we were watching the beginning of the day’s first Wimbledon “gentleman’s singles semifinal” tennis match. I was attempting to impart the nature of a semifinal and had tried to break it down for Davis by explaining that the winner of this match would go on to play the winner of the next match. And when those two winners played each other, they would be playing to win the whole champi-onship. And, of course, the trophy.

So, naturally, the logical conclusion to that explanation was Davis’ sudden realiza-tion that his proverbial and literal trophy case was as of yet empty. My answer to his query: “You haven’t yet played a sport.”

Just as it wasn’t completely random, the trophy question isn’t the only one of its kind. Lately there have been questions such as “When can I play baseball?” and requests like “I want to play soccer.” These new questions and requests are, in our view, quite positive for a few reasons.

First, and perhaps obviously, Julia and I are glad that Davis is interested in trying out a sport or three. Both Davis and his little

brother, Hudson, have taken to sports rather naturally. Baseball, football, basketball, soccer, golf, tennis, and swimming have each taken a turn as the sport of the moment. But each of these has been a family endeavor – baseball and soccer in the backyard, football and wrestling on the trampoline, basketball on the Little Tikes hoop in the kitchen, swim-ming at our neighbor’s pool, some semblance of golf on the driving range, tennis with a basket of balls and little sister Ella Marie watching from her line judge station in the jogger. The interest in and emphasis on be-ing a part of a team or competition with peers is a new and sad (he’s growing up so fast) but healthy development.

The second reason we have welcomed Davis’ newfound interest in organized sports is that it has helped to prove our working hypothesis on this particular par-enting experiment. Our attempt to answer the over-arching question of when to start your kids in organized sports has been to say, “We’ll know when they’re ready.” I guess that’s really just playing it by ear when you don’t have a better answer. But, at the same time, we thought we would know when the time came.

One Saturday morning this spring, I took the boys to the nearby Little League baseball fields where several games were in progress. Davis first wanted to know how

old the kids were, and I told him some of the players were barely older than him. He watched intently, asking periodic questions about what was going on and why. We later found a forgotten baseball under the metal bleachers. All Davis wanted to do the rest of the weekend was practice hitting that baseball. He had taken plenty of mental notes on our outing and was ready to mimic what he saw, perfectly content to do so within the friendly confines of our backyard with me pitching to him. Now, in the span of just a few months, it seems he’s ready to leave the backyard for the actual diamond.

The third main reason we have enthusi-astically welcomed Davis’ organized sport inquiries at this particular time… he hadn’t already played a season or two before his interest sparked. The last thing we wanted to do was involve our kids in organized sports too early in their little lives. From the selfish parent standpoint, this would have meant essentially a waste of time, money, and energy. But, more importantly, from a wanting-the-best-for-your-kids perspective, this would have meant us organizing and scheduling away a portion of that precious, fleeting childhood freedom.

Alas, now it’s time to get organized and start grooming our first future Wimbledon champion. afm

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Fit x FaMiLy

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Men and Plastic surgeryBy robErt CLEmEnt, m.D.

tHE MEdicaL tENt

cOSM ETIC SuRgERy FOR M EN is a rapidly expanding field, as operations that were once considered taboo are now more commonplace procedures. Today, men are having liposuctions, facial work, and abdominoplasties

(tummy tucks). As with women, liposuction is the most common cosmetic

surgery procedure for men. Areas that are most often addressed are the flanks (love handles) and abdomen. Significant improve-ments can be made in these areas, which are so difficult to reduce with exercise. Love handles occur as skin laxity increases and fat accumulates over the ligament attachment to the hips. When I attempted to reduce my own moderate love handles by exercise, it required a 12-pound weight loss that took me down to 178 pounds on my 6’1” frame. This felt too thin, so I gained the weight back with exercise and then had those fatty areas liposuctioned. Over the last ten years, I have maintained my weight between 175 pounds and 180 pounds and the love handles have not returned. While it is possible to regain weight after liposuction, the area does not gain disproportionately as it did before when the 100 percent of the fat cells were in place.

In my practice, the most common facial procedure among men involves the neck and can include liposuction alone, suture sus-pension, and neck lift; the exact type of procedure is determined by the amount of laxity and fat in the neck. As the population

ages, people retire later, and our culture continues to place an em-phasis on youth, appearance can affect “marketability,” and I feel this is a significant force behind male plastic surgery.

Just as with women, hormonal changes affect the male body. As we age, our estrogen levels go up and testosterone levels go down. This leads to changes in body fat disposition, especially in the breasts. Abnormal breast enlargement in men is called gynecomastia, which involves the disposition of fat as well as an increase in the normal breast tissue that all men have. Gyneco-mastia can be corrected very successfully with liposuction and surgery. The resection of the breast tissue in my opinion is para-mount, as I have found that liposuction alone cannot completely flatten and remove the breast tissue to contour the chest wall.

Recovery to full exercise from most of these procedures is about four weeks with the exception of abdominoplasty, which requires six weeks. In the first two weeks of recovery, activity is first limited and then slowly increased to full activity by four weeks. For liposuction, patients are back to work in about three to seven days according to their ability to tolerate soreness. With facial procedures, most return to work in 7 to 12 days depending upon the amount of bruising. Complications are infrequent and fall into the usual realm of problems such as bleeding or scarring or problems with the skin draping back to the contour. afm

For further information, please go to www.drrobertclement.com.


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By shAnnon mitChEL, m.D., Pt

i CR INgE W h EN I hear a person say, “I can’t run because I have bad knees.” It pains me to even type it. The problem with their problem is that the most common causes for pain under the kneecap can easily be fixed with plain and simple

rehabilitation. However, if left unattended, those small problems can lead to inactivity (whether due to pain or fear of pain), surgery, weight gain, and eventually, the dreaded joint replacement. With obesity in this country on a meteoric rise and inactivity being one of the main reasons for this rise, this topic should interest everyone.

Simply put, if you don’t have knee pain yourself, you certainly know someone who does.

For those suffering from pain under the kneecap, you are not alone. Studies show this sort of pain is the most common leg problem that affects physical activity. Without proper diagnosis and treatment, knee pain will eventually sideline as many as one in four people.

Proper diagnosis and treatment is key to pain-free knees. Those who eventually show up at my office have often been told they

Figure 1

i can’t run because i have Bad KneesPossible explanations and solutions for pain right under your kneecap


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have “bad knees” or arthritis or are “just getting old.” As a doctor who is also a runner, the most maddening reason I hear is when these sufferers of knee pain are dismissed with a “Well, it’s because you run” diagnosis. All of these (and many more less than helpful reasons) delay accurate diagnosis and treatment.

Anatomy of a KneeThe knee joint is really made up of two joints. The one most people assume is their only joint is between the upper leg and lower leg. This is the hinge joint portion. The second, lesser-known joint lies between the kneecap and the thighbone. Ironically, it is this joint that causes most pain under the kneecap (and, from what I have seen in my patients, most knee pain across the board). The troublemaker, also known as the patellofemoral joint, is complicated from a physics standpoint because forces are pulling the joint in all directions (see Figure 1).

The kneecap is shaped more like a cone that slides up and down a groove formed in the knuckle portion of the thighbone rather than a flat disc (see Figure 2). When the forces that come from the muscles of the leg are out of balance and, as a result, pull in anything other than the 100 percent correct fashion, the bones bang into each other. If there is misalignment and the more pointed portion of the kneecap is not in the groove of the thighbone, this can over time damage the cartilage and lead to the pain we all hear about.

Since we all have heard how someone has “no cartilage left” in his or her knee, I wanted to explain what cartilage really is. Cartilage is the rather hard tissue that covers the ends of most bones in your body. If you have ever eaten a drumstick, visualize the white stuff on the knuckle portion of the bones. That’s cartilage. Because the blood supply to cartilage is not as efficient as to the muscles and other tissues in the body, damage will not heal as quickly. When someone with knee pain does not correct the underlying mechanical problem, the resulting damage will snowball. As the problem is misalignment and not overuse, inactivity or rest is never the answer. Of course, as

femoral groove

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H e A lt H 29

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with everything medical, the overall problem is always more complicated than this simple diagnosis, but for the sake of understanding, this is the best way to look at the problem most people have.

What Can Be Done?The problem has been recognized; now, how is it fixed? A good medical doctor or physical therapist can, through a thorough history and physical, determine exactly what is causing discomfort in a particular case and prescribe the best course of rehab. As the exact cause and treatment is different in everyone, you cannot simply rely on the treatment your Uncle Frank used for his bum knee. Sometimes the pain can be due to weak hip muscles or weak leg muscles. More often, it is a combination of both. That is why it is extremely important to have guidance during rehabilitation so you can strengthen the muscles in the most efficient way possible with the least additional harm to the cartilage.

A good history and physical examination is the key. Generally, an MRI does not give additional information that is helpful. I realize many have been lead to believe it is the answer machine, but it is simply another piece of information that I rarely recommend unless rehab has failed or there has been some trauma to the knee. As for surgery, make this a last resort. Mark this in big red letters: Cartilage does not grow back. For every bit of cartilage you lose, the forces on the bones of your joint increase several times over, which can lead to early arthritis. An MRI may show frayed and damaged cartilage which, while not pretty to look at, is generally better than none at all in the long run.

Why Can’t a surgeon Just Pull My Kneecap Where it Belongs?If it were only that simple! As shown in Figure 1, the forces pulling the kneecap are generated mostly from various muscles and, as muscles stretch and get shorter, this simply does not work. Rehab is the key. One very large study in Europe looked at thousands of people with knee pain. In this study, the pain could be due to any reason at all. The results showed across all diagnoses that the stronger the leg muscles got, the less pain the person felt. Stronger muscles will lead to better joint mechanics and more activity which will in turn make the muscles even stronger, leading to less pain and a better lifestyle!

As with every medical problem, physicians should perform a thorough history and physical examination. This means they should actually touch patients’ knees. If your doctor does not, I suggest you find one who does! afm

Dr. Shannon Mitchel is a physician, physical therapist, and ultramarathon runner who practices occupational medicine at NOVA Medical Center in Austin. She also serves as medical director for various endurance events and maintains a small sports medicine private practice in South Austin.


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Health

stacey hull with her “team Carolyn” sign walks ahead of her husband, terry, in memory of her mother Carolyn mierl, who died of ovarian cancer in 1998. Following her mother’s death, hull started the austin chapter of the national ovarian Cancer Coalition.


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OVA R I A N CA NCER uSED to be a death sentence. And while the survival rate remains low for those diagnosed in the later stages, early detection of the disease has nearly a 90 percent survival rate according to Stacey Hull, founder of the Austin chapter of

the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition.“We want to educate people about the signs and symptoms of ovarian

cancer,” Hull said. “Early detection is the best chance.” She said that 19 percent of cases are diagnosed in Stage I or Stage II.

“If you have symptoms, be persistent and listen to your body,” she said. “A Pap smear doesn’t detect ovarian cancer.” Hull learned the hardest way possible. Her mother had been experiencing symptoms—which include abdominal bloating and other seemingly typical physical changes in the body of a woman between the ages of 35 and 74. Hull’s mother was diagnosed in 1996 with Stage IV ovarian cancer and died in 1998.

“After Mom died, I felt it wasn’t right that we didn’t know about ovarian cancer,” she said. Prior to her mother’s diagnosis, Hull had never even heard of ovarian cancer. “We found the NOCC and it was one of the few places with reliable information.

“We want to raise awareness and be a resource for people who have been diagnosed with ovarian cancer,” she said of the Austin chapter, pointing out that it is not a support group per se.

Part of raising awareness is getting the word out about ovarian cancer through the Run/Walk to Break the Silence 5K on Sunday, August 26. For information and to register, contact the chapter at [email protected], or go to the NOCC web site (www.ovarian.org) and click on the Austin 5K link. afm

H e A lt H 33

recipe

This recipe is brought to you by Whole Foods Market.

By Anne Wilfong, RD, lD & AlexA SpARkmAn, mA, RD, lD

photography By BRiAn fitzSimmonS

Goat Cheese and Pesto Bruschetta

serving size: 4 brusChettanuTrITIon

calories 207Fat 5.3 g

Protein 5.7 gcarbohydrate 32 g

Fiber 2.9 gsodium 170 mg

Makes aPProXiMately: 36 brusChetta (9 servings)

WhAT you nEED

1. Preheat broiler.

2. Place tomatoes and pepper halves on baking sheet and brush lightly with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil.

3. broil for 5-6 minutes or until skin begins to char on peppers.

4. remove the tomatoes and flip the pepper. Continue to broil the pepper for an additional 5 minutes.

5. When cool enough to handle, peel the pepper and chop the pepper and tomatoes.

6. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

7. Place sliced bread on baking sheet and brush with remaining olive oil.

8. toast for about 10 minutes or until lightly browned.

9. spread pesto and then goat cheese on the toasted bread slices.

10. top with roasted tomatoes and peppers.

hoW you MAKE IT

PrIcE PEr SErvInG: $1.30rESTAurAnT PrIcE: $3.99

Bruschetta is a great appetizer to hold your family or guests over until dinner. This goat cheese and pesto twist will make your bruschetta one to remember!

1 baguette, sliced into approximately 36 slices

1 orange bell pepper, sliced in half with seeds removed

5 oz. cherry tomatoes sliced in half

1/3 cup pesto, pre-made or purchased

1/4 cup spreadable goat cheese

2 tbsp. olive oil

Registered and licensed dietitians Alexa Sparkman and Anne Wilfong can provide reliable, objective nutrition information, separate facts from fads, and translate the latest scientific findings into easy-to-understand nutrition information. For more information about their nutrition counseling practice, contact Alexa or Anne at 512.257.0898 or SparkmanNutrition.com

DID you KnoW? Pesto is a great way to add flavor and heart-healthy fats. Olive oil and pine nuts are the fat sources in pesto. They provide healthy

monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, which may improve your cholesterol levels.


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by Melanie P. MooreMeet Austin’s

Jaclyn Keys, page 41

Tim Zeddies, page 44

Janice wirTanen, page 49

PaT Thomas, page 48

Judy mcelroy, page 43


2 0 1 2 a f M 1 0 f i t t e s t 37

photography by Brian FitzsimmonsTen Fittest

Judy mcelroy, page 43

dane Krager, page 42

KaThleen ParKer, page 47

greg cooK, page 40

cara masTrian, page 45

allen whiTley, page 46

A F m 1 0 F I t t e s t 37

T e s T s s c o r e s r a n k

dynamax standing Med ball toss 480 in. 2

fitness institute of texas standing broad Jump 118 in. 5

dane’s body shop 40-yard dash 00:04.52 3

body by frame agility Cone run 00:07.46 6

oatmega bar Precision throw 4 of 5 2

Pure austin Pull-ups 22 reps 13

Crossfit Central burpees 41 reps 4

Castle hill fitness hand grip 150 psi 21

Camp gladiator interval run 10 levels 1

runtex 1-Mile run 06:39 16

They signed up; they showed up; they measured up. nearly 300 participants

converged on the Camp Mabry parade ground on saturday, June 9, to test themselves against national norms in ten tests that spanned the spectrum of human physical fitness. the visual of the afM

fittest was described by the ten winners as “amazing,” “incredible,” “intimidating,” “bigger than i expected it to be.” they had high praise for their experience of the event and their fellow competitors: “there were some amazing athletes out there,” “the community is so welcoming,” “i learned so much,” and “it was an incredible

group of people…even the spectators were good looking!”

the event included the tests, done in categories organized by age group and gender. spectators, friends, and families milled around the parade ground; supporters could actually follow competitors around the testing area to watch and cheer. Competitors within

categories cheered each other’s efforts. husbands and wives competing at the same time (albeit in separate categories) would hang back or run ahead as time permitted to check on each other—for encouragement and for data. one woman in the 40-49 age group did 33 burpees. her fellow competitors were amazed. her reply? “My

O V E R A L L M A L E W i n n E RAFM FittEst2012

G r e G c o o k


T e s T s s c o r e s r a n k

dynamax standing Med ball toss 312 in. 1

fitness institute of texas standing broad Jump 94 in. 1

dane’s body shop 40-yard dash 00:05.16 2

body by frame agility Cone run 00:08.73 5

oatmega bar Precision throw 4 of 5 1

Pure austin Pull-ups 15 reps 4

Crossfit Central burpees 46 reps 1

Castle hill fitness hand grip 135 psi 1

Camp gladiator interval run 6 levels 3

runtex 1-Mile run 06:54 5

husband just told me he did 30 so i had to beat him,” she said, still catching her breath. in fact, the burpees were the only test where the male and female winners of “best in test” had the same score.

in addition to watching the competition, spectators and competitors could visit the fit village to try the nexersys

fitness machine and nosh on healthy (and tasty!) food from galaxy Café, snap kitchen, Muscle Maker grill, and wash it down with water from Whole foods Market, zico Coconut Water, and Michelob ultra. red bull sponsored the starting tent, where competitors could stretch in the shade and down a red bull energy drink before starting

the tests. Core Power furnished the athletes’ recovery zone at the end of the 1-mile run completion of the tests.

so who were the winners? Where did these folks come from and what is their fitness background? yes, there were a few professional trainers and one former nfl football player, but there was also a computer

programmer, a lawyer-turned-stay-at-home-mom, a psychologist, an environmental Ph.d, a salesman, a retired teacher and coach, and a management consultant.

O V E R A L L F E M A L E W i n n E R

J u d y M c e l r o y

A F m 1 0 F I t t e s t 39


Greg Cook

Greg Cook, 24, is relatively new to austin, though he grew up in houston. an

economics major who ran track at rhodes College in Memphis, tennessee, Cook grew up play-ing “almost everything.”

“basketball, soccer, base-ball, and then i started running track and playing soccer in high school,” he said. his events as a college track star were the javelin, triple jump, and the 400. he holds the school record in the 400.

a trainer at Pure austin, Cook said he signed up for the afM fittest because he was look-ing for something to train for and it sounded like fun.

“i was working out anyway, and i work at a gym, so it’s easy,” he said. “i was training myself already—a lot of speed and explosiveness, strength stuff. i started training for [the afM fittest] probably two

months before the competi-tion and six weeks out we had, through the gym, training every saturday five weeks in a row leading up to the competition.”

of the competition event itself—and he was in the most crowded category, as more than 50 competitors were vying for glory in the 20-29 age group—Cook said it was pretty much what he expected.

“doing all the events in a row was a little more tiring than i thought,” he said. “you look at it, the 40-yard dash and the broad jump and the intervals and the agility, and you don’t think it’s going to be all that tiring but then being out in the heat doing all those back to back, then you get to the pull-ups and burpees and it starts to get hard. you’re already a little bit tired.”

his advice for those who might have been intimidated to sign up this first year? “it’s designed so that you can

complete it and get a good benchmark of where you are and you have stuff to build on,” Cook explained. “stuff that you can train for without having hours a day to dedicate…it’s not like you’re training for an iron-man where you need to have a couple hours a day to get out there and run. if you’re working on jumping higher, doing pull-ups, running faster, you don’t need to spend 20 hours a week. it’s more accessible in that way. you can go after work or before work; you don’t have to get up at 3 a.m. in the morning to get a 3-hour run in before work.”

Cook’s fitness philosophy is “train fast, get fast; train slow, get slow. Which means that if you’re trying to run faster for short distances, running ten miles is going to hurt that; it’s going to make you slower. if you want to be fast,” he rea-soned, “then everything you do should be fast and explosive

and doing slow twitch train-ing will slow you down. that’s for myself.” as far as training advice for other people, Cook said, “enjoy what you’re doing. if you don’t like running, don’t run. find something that is fun for you; you’ll work harder, you’ll do it more.”

What motivates him? “i love exercising. i really enjoy it. it’s good to have goals.”

his next goal is to improve his jumping for basketball, and to try to gain a few pounds. in terms of diet, Cook said he does try to eat a high-protein diet.

“exercising a lot and being sort of young, i have to eat a lot of food,” he said. “it’s hard to afford a lot of nicer variations of that, but i try not to eat too fatty or greasy; i eat vegetables.” he generally eats every three hours with high protein and works out six days a week.

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2012

A F m 1 0 F I t t e s t 41

Jaclyn Keys

Jaclyn keys, 28, moved to austin from atlanta, via st. louis. a native of

duluth, georgia, she was on the first women’s varsity swim team at georgia tech. a manage-ment consultant, she travels a lot for work but when she’s in austin, she is a volunteer Crossfit coach at Camp Mabry; Crossfit has a nonprofit military affiliate that provides free ser-vice for the soldiers on base.

for many college athletes, transitioning to a demanding ca-reer can take a toll on a fitness regimen honed in the nCaa. keys said she’s done pretty well maintaining her fitness in the years since graduation. “i’ve pretty consistently kept some sort of sport since i graduated. it’s pretty easy to transition to running and triathlons and road biking. i got into road biking right after college, so i did that up until last year when i found Crossfit.” in the last year she says she’s really embraced the Crossfit fitness philosophy.

“it’s not just endurance like marathon running and triathlons, and it’s not just strength like olympic lifting and powerlifting. it’s every-thing. it’s strength, it’s agility, it’s balance, it’s endurance. it’s ‘fit’ along the entire spectrum, not just specializing in one particular area.”

of being one of austin’s 10 fittest, keys said, “i was shocked; i didn’t think i had a chance. i was just out there to have fun.” the broad jump was her favorite test but the precision throw was her least favorite. “i have zero background in softball and any ball sports,” she said. “i ended up doing pretty well but i thought it was going to be a lot more embarrassing.”

she said the afM fittest event was fun and accessible to anyone.

“i feel like anybody can do it. i think that was what was most attractive about it. they’re not overly complicated move-ments. you’re throwing a med ball; you’re jumping with the broad jump. these are func-tional movements that you do

already in your day-to-day life. anyone can do any of those activities. a pull-up obviously can be kind of intimidating, but that was one event out of ten. i would encourage anybody to come out and just give it a try and then you know where you

stand and you work on it and you try again next year and see how you improve.” her own next fitness goal is to qualify for Crossfit regionals.

F E M A L E 2 0 - 2 9 W i n n E R


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Dane Krager

Dane krager, 33, is a veri-table renaissance man; a former nfl linebacker

turned businessman (he owns dane’s body shop), krager reads at least one new book a month and includes “cross-training and longevity exercises” in his workouts. although he describes his former football persona as “a big, mean dude,” his countenance is peaceful and contemplative and, having left competition largely in his past, he refers to his workouts as a “daily practice.”

“you know this thing that we did with the competition was awesome,” krager said, sitting in another gym’s lobby in a posture that could only be described as a sort of expectant repose. “i’ll train for stuff like that but i basically train for life now. i don’t compete anymore; i got it all out of my system, which is good because i think a more passive life is what i’ve been searching for from the beginning, when i started playing. finding this realm of fitness, which is a mixture of cross-training, yoga, Pilates, and extreme fitness is a mixture that creates longevity and i’m in love with it.

“When i was playing ball for so long, i was tearing my body down and i was working out hard. it was about tearing yourself down. the body repairs itself, but eventually, if you continue in that same direction, you’ll hurt yourself.” krager, and

his coaches at dane’s body shop, do what they call “fusion training,” which is cross-training, strength, and longevity training.

“that’s what makes a dif-ference,” he said, “it’s not just one realm.” and, he says, it’s injury-free.

fitting in training as a busi-ness owner is difficult, krager said, but he works at it and encourages his busy clients to make time for themselves. What motivates him is set-ting a good example. “if you are going to be asking people to accomplish a certain goal, then i believe you have to lead by example,” he explained. “that’s what inspires me.”

diet is “a huge part” of fit-ness for krager. “you need to eat clean. you’re going to catch me eating a burger out at hopdoddy’s or having a slice of pizza sometimes; that’s just the way it works. i’m living life.

i love eating. i make up for it, of course. you have to have a healthy balance. i cook at home a lot. as long as i con-tinue to do that, it’s okay if ev-ery once and a while i splurge. We all do that. We all need to. if you eat fresh berries and veg-etables and lean meats, your health is going to improve. if you don’t do that, you’re going to gain unnecessary fat. We live in texas; we don’t have to carry fat for warmth.”

sadie, his 11-year-old dog, makes him smile; she was present for the interview and photo shoot. “she’s my kid, my baby,” krager said. “she’s been with me since college, through breakups, through getting let go of teams. she’s always there right by my side.”

krager acknowledged that anyone could come out to an event like the afM fittest and experience fitness. but to be

seriously competitive requires years of work.

“you have to make a life of it,” krager said. “you can’t just say, ‘i’m going to roll off the couch and go out there and do it,’ unless you just want to experience it. now you can make it an amazing experience, like in triathlons, just to finish is an accomplishment.

“you’re never too old [to start],” krager said. “My dad, he’s sixty years old this year and started working out with me about six months ago. he came out and watched me. before the event, he was like, ‘i could never do anything like that. i can’t do that; i’m too old.’ Well there’s a 60 and up category. My dad’s going to compete next year. he’s really excited about it.”

krager’s next fitness goal is in line with his more balanced approach to life—he’s going to the beach.

AFM FittEst2012

F E M A L E 3 0 - 3 9 W i n n E R , O V E R A L L F E M A L E W i n n E R

Judy McElroy

Judy Mcelroy, 35, moved to austin about a year ago from Coeur d’alene,

idaho, home of one of the most beautiful ironman events. a computer programmer and, yes, a triathlete, she had just completed the ironman texas a few weeks before the afM fittest. she also tore her calf muscle on the bike leg of that race and completed the run by effectively swinging her leg and running on her heel. she’s one tough competitor. yes, she’s signed up for ironman Cozumel in november and ironman Cabo san lucas next spring. but after winning the afM fittest, Mcelroy’s next goal is to defend her overall world records in the raw bench press and raw dead lift. that is, Mcelroy, in the 148-pound class (though she weighs more like 140) set the world record at 510 pounds for the raw dead lift and 285 for the raw bench press. “raw” means the lift is done without specialized clothing that “equipped” lifters use to increase the amount of weight they can lift.

“the only woman who has a record lifting more [than Judy] is in the 198-pound class,” her husband said. he’s also an

ironman athlete. in fact, that’s how they met.

“My brother was from texas and said ‘i met this guy that does all that crazy stuff that you do, all the biking and the run-ning. i’m going to introduce you guys because he’s going to be up your way at Christmas time,’” Mcelroy recalled. her husband was from Washington and was visiting family; he called Mcel-roy and she invited him for a 13-mile run on december 26.

“he showed up. at the door. With all the winter compression running gear on,” Mcelroy said, telling the story with the same incredulity she felt at the time. “so he wasn’t just talking the talk. When you live in Coeur d’alene, you have to run in the snow because it snows a lot in the wintertime. so we do run in the snow; ski mask and boots, chains on your shoes. and he

was totally down for it. “i think, looking back, if you

ever had to plan a first date, making him go on a long run in very, very cold weather is the best way to find out everything you need to know. because instead of telling me all the good things that have happened, i got to hear the full story,” she said. “so getting somebody really cold and really tired is the best way to learn about him.” and, Mcelroy added, “it was nice to find someone who had the same passion for exercise that i did.”

they had their first child just ten months ago. Mcelroy worked out and ran throughout her pregnancy, up to 39 and a half weeks.

“i didn’t want to. i’d get up in the morning and i’d be nau-seous and tired. you get that achiness from that big belly. i told myself, ‘every morning

i’m going to get up early and i’m going to go down to town lake,’ and i would go down to the rock and i would just run that four mile loop. toward the end, i would not be feeling good when i woke up, so stiff and sore. i just said, ‘it doesn’t mat-ter; i’m just going to go down there and if i have to walk it, i’ll just walk it. so it was that whole mentality to show up and give it a chance. i’d walk, and then i’d start to jog, and the first few hundred meters was so painful because of that weight of the big belly, and then i felt great. it would always be such a sur-prise to me; this is awesome. i was able to do it another day,” Mcelroy explained. “then, all of a sudden, here i was at 39.5 weeks and it was just another day, another day. i was really grateful that i was able to keep doing it. same thing in the gym; i was lifting, i was squatting, i was dead lifting, and talk about getting some really dirty looks, when you’re dead lifting and squatting with some really big plates when you’ve got a big pregnant belly. but keeping my fitness up made me feel healthy and made me feel good. it was important for me. if i was going to bring another life into the world, i wanted to be able to not give up everything that was important to me because i want to pass that healthy habit on to my child.”

A F m 1 0 F I t t e s t 43


M A L E 4 0 - 4 9 W i n n E R

Tim Zeddies

Aformer collegiate football player from California who then went to the

university of texas to earn his Ph.d. in Psychology, tim zed-dies, 42, found it very easy to stay fit in his 20s and early 30s. but, as his life got busier with marriage, family, and career, his “fitness level progressively began to suffer” until zeddies herniated a disk about seven years ago. “i had the good fortune of having a friend who’s in the physical therapy business who practiced a little bit of tough love on me, and i ended up losing about 50 pounds over the next six months and from that point, i really dove into fitness. i would say about the last two years i did P90X and then a lot of other home programs like P90X2 insanity asylum.” zeddies is up by 4:30 a.m. working out in his home gym, which he created by converting his garage.

“it’s not ventilated with air conditioning yet, which makes it a little dicey in the summer. but it’s real convenient,” said

zeddies. “sometimes i’ll go to the y if i need some specialized equipment that i can’t really ac-commodate in my gym.

“With my age, in addition to trying to improve my overall fitness level, i’m really focusing on trunk stability and cleaning up my kinetic chains. because the older i get, i want my body to move fluidly in a way that decreases the risk of silly injuries, like herniation.” his number one fitness goal is to stay healthy.

zeddies is a consulting psychologist with the university of texas football program and in his private practice helps athletes of all types and ages with a variety of topics. he himself doesn’t struggle with motivation. rather, his chal-lenge is overtraining. like all of his fellow fittest winners, he loves to work out. he’s recently added yoga into his routine as a recovery exercise.

zeddies has the most ex-treme diet of any of the 2012 ten fittest winners. “My friends think i’m a little bit obsessed about it but i think diet is more important to fitness, in some respects, than working out. i don’t eat any breads; i don’t eat any sugary desserts of any

kind. i don’t eat red meat. of course i don’t eat any fast food, no colas, no caffeinated bever-ages. i limit alcohol. and i eat small portions throughout the day, focusing on nuts, greek yogurt, and fruits.”

AFM FittEst2012

A F m 1 0 F I t t e s t 45

F e M a l e 4 0 - 4 9 W i n n e r

Cara Mastrian

A California native, Cara Mastrian, 40, has been an athlete all her life.

Playing soccer, then track and field, she was also a sprinter in high school and college. she currently runs and plays soccer in austin.

“there’s a lot of great soc-cer in austin,” she said. “as an adult, you can play all over town; you can play indoor, outdoor, you can play vari-ous types: six on six, three on three, seven on seven, 11 on 11; the options are awesome.”

With three kids under the age of eight and a husband who travels a lot, Mastrian said that figuring out a workout every day is a strategy. “if [my husband’s]

out of town, i can’t just get up and go on a run, so when he’s home, i make myself go, no matter what. if i have the op-portunity to get a workout or a run in, i take it. sometimes it’s a bummer, if i have a headache or am feeling super tired because the baby kept me up all night, it doesn’t matter. if he says, ‘you have an hour until i have to go to work,’ i seize the opportu-nity. When he’s out of town, i schlep them all to the gym and check them into the kids’ care. if i have just the baby at home, i put her in the jogger. if i have to, i’ll do 20 minutes on the driveway while they’re playing, or 20 minutes on the living room floor while they’re watching tv, whatever i can fit in my life.”

diet is a similar challenge. Mastrian said she watches

carefully but doesn’t do anything extreme. “i probably eat the 80/20 thing, 80 percent clean. it’s hard with kids because a lot of times, you’re out all day, in the sun, at the pool. you’re starving; you went on a run that morning; you’re like, ‘Just pass me a diet Coke and those sun Chips; pass the teddy grahams, i’m starving!’ or you’re at an event with them and there’s just a snack bar with hot dogs and nachos. it’s way harder than i ever thought it would be to eat healthy and have kids. you can feed them healthy at night, but when you’re out a lot at their events, it’s not very healthy. i aim for about 80/20. My husband is a fantastic cook. that helps a lot. he cooks really healthy great food, so i eat well. We like to eat. for us, every-

thing in moderation is our rule; it’s sustainable.”

for the afM fittest, Mas-trian did some of the workouts at Pure austin leading up to the test but she doesn’t have a coach or trainer. “i invent my own little workouts,” she explained. she said the number of fitness professionals at the event “was intimidating a little bit. i’m just trying to get my workouts in between shuttling the kids to school and push-ing the baby in the stroller.” overall, Mastrian thought it was an accessible testing event for anyone. “i think the competi-tion was so well-designed, for anybody, and it’s a challenge for everybody. there were some amazing athletes out there that were struggling. it was tough.”


M A L E 5 0 - 5 9 W i n n E R

Allen Whitley

With a Ph.d.in environ-mental engineering and an Mba, allen

Whitley, 51, is well suited to his role as the senior director of en-vironmental business services at goodwill industries of Central texas. he and his wife, kathi, have been married 27 years and they have two children. his motivation for staying fit? “Making sure i can keep up with my wife.”

a high school soccer player, Whitley power lifted in college. he played “old man” soccer in austin, the over-40 league, but stopped because it took so long to recover each week. his fit-ness philosophy is the same as his fellow winners: stay healthy.

“at my age, my number one priority is trying not to get injured,” Whitley said. “training is very different as you move through the ages. you can’t work out 110 percent like you did when you were 25. you have to keep your intensity between 80-90 percent, then try and get to 100 percent on event day. some exceptions like swimming and biking are not as hard on the body.”

Whitley’s diet is an impor-tant part of his fitness program and, while he’s not a strict vegetarian, he eats “pretty healthy,” citing a balanced diet and the recent addition of ultimate Meal, a vegan protein, after workouts.

he works out at gym one and his trainer for the event was Cindy salazar. like others who have shared feedback about the ads for the event, Whitley said

they were a bit intimidating. but he attended some of the fit-test training at Pure austin “to size up who was participating. ninety-five percent were not in my age group.” he read about the event in the magazine and registered because it sounded like fun and he needed a goal.

“i wasn’t sure what to ex-pect,” Whitley said. “it was run better and more efficiently than i expected.”

his next fitness goal is to recover from the tendinopathy in both his achilles so that he can run 3-5 miles without pain. he really enjoys sprint triathlons.

AFM FittEst2012

A F m 1 0 F I t t e s t 47

F E M A L E 5 0 - 5 9 W i n n E R

Kathleen Parker

Anative of san antonio, kathleen Parker, 51, has always been active,

from track to water activities, to a family chin-up competition among her five siblings with prizes awarded by her father. “he was a very big fitness enthusiast and i think we all got the bug,” she said.

Parker signed up for the

afM fittest at the sugges-tion of a friend…a friend who didn’t actually sign up! but Parker went ahead, thinking, “why not?” despite the fact that she teaches cross-training four days a week and then on Wednesdays teaches water skiing, wakeboarding, and wake surfing on lake austin, she said when she drove up to the afM fittest event she almost threw up. “i didn’t know it was going to be so big,” she said. “i got that butterfly feeling in

my tummy, like at the start of a track meet and i thought, ‘do i stay? do i go home?’ it just took that little 30 seconds of courage to do it. i stayed.

“the competition was fierce, which was inspiring. i loved seeing the 50- and 60-year-old-women in my heat. and the 20-year-olds. i loved watching everybody. it was a very inspir-ing day.”

Parker’s philosophy and mo-tivation for fitness are simple: just stay healthy. “once you lose your health, your qual-ity of life is diminished,” she explained. “it doesn’t matter how much money you have or how many cars you have if you lose your health. i’ve had a couple of friends who have lost their health or not stayed in good health and their quality of life is much less than it was. if you have your health, you

have everything. i truly believe that. i think that if you are well and you’re strong, you can have a wonderful and fulfill-ing life. that’s what’s driven me the whole time, especially in my 40s and 50s, is having a great quality of life and being able to do things, like be on the water, water ski. i have so many friends that are afraid to start up again and it just is something you have to stick with.

“i have been blessed by god with a good, healthy body. i’ve stayed injury free my whole life. i had a broken wrist from snowboarding and that’s my only bad setback and it was a six-month setback.”

Parker skis three or four days a week and encourages others to challenge themselves. “i think that you just have to get that little bit of courage and push yourself, be inspired by others who are doing it. once you step over that edge, you feel so good; you feel like you’ve lived.”

M A L E 6 0 + W i n n E RAFM FittEst2012

Pat thomas

Pat thomas, 60, is unique among the 2012 ten fittest, and not just

because he works out despite his struggles with asthma, which developed when he was 29 and living in silicon valley during an ozone alert. the Montana native is the only one who didn’t play sports in high school or college.

“My first job was as a fresh-man in high school, so i didn’t have a chance to play sports,” he said. “i never did anything in my whole life until i was about 48.” thomas started working out when his son, a football player, wanted to lift weights. they learned and lifted together. his son went on to be a tight end, playing college football. thomas kept working out, lifting weights.

“i had no base so it was pain-ful,” thomas said. “it was so hard for the first two years but once you get the base, then all of a sudden you can improve. i just fought my way through the first couple of years and slowly but surely got a little bit of muscle mass and ever since, it’s been a part of my lifestyle. With asthma, i can’t do other things but i can do that.”

one of those “other things” is running…which he did to win his age group in the fittest. thomas started working out with a trainer about a year ago. “i typically hadn’t done anything aerobic because of my lungs. but my trainer, shane Wright, has got me doing super sets. he didn’t care that i had asthma. he didn’t care that i was 60. he just said, ‘get going.’” When Wright told thomas about the fittest, his first reaction was that the mile would kill him but everything else looked fun. he trained and, with his son, at a track learned how to get ready for a 40-yard dash.

“i ran for the first time ever,” thomas said, “i loved it. i was really happy that we were first! My son was in the 20-29 group and it was hot even by then.

[Austin Fit Magazine] developed something completely different; there’s plenty of 5ks and 10ks and triathlons.”

thomas reflected a bit and speculated on the future of the afM fittest: “When i saw as many people as i did, i was thinking of the first aCl fest; i was one of the people when it was small and we knew who all the bands were and it just got bigger and bigger. i think you’re going to have same issue. i think it’s going to grow. What’s neat is you have ten events, which is perfect. i was exhausted after ten and i could tell everybody else was too. it was a good combination of different things.

“there were all kinds of peo-ple there; it was a diverse group and everybody was having a good time. People were com-peting against each other, but you’re really competing against a clock or a number, so it was fun for everybody in our group and different family members in different age groups. When your heat is done, the 20-29 group and the open invitation group are fun to watch. it’s just amazing how good some of those guys were, and ladies, of course. it was amazing.”

thomas said he stays mo-tivated over time and through adversity like injuries or sore-ness because it’s too hard to get back after letting fitness slip.

“it’s not hard to be disci-plined,” he said. “there have been times when i took two weeks off, and it’s so incredibly painful to start over again, that i said ‘screw it. don’t let it drop because it’s just too hard to start back.’ i had pneumonia for a week and i couldn’t do any-thing for three weeks and the first few sessions back was like, ‘good lord, i’ve been doing this for 12 years, it’s like i just lost 5 years there’.”

his next fitness goal is to do the afM fittest again. “the big difference is i’m run-ning; i’ll continue to run. My goal is to get up to two miles without stopping.”


F E M A L E 6 0 + W i n n E R

Janice Wirtanen

Janice Wirtanen, 62, works out at a gym near her home and at a boot

camp at the Jewish Commu-nity Center (JCC) in northwest austin, but her real passion is basketball. she is one of the women of all ages who play in

becky beaver’s pick-up bas-ketball games at the fulmore Middle school gym. she’s been to nationals in the senior olympics, but for now, is having trouble finding enough people to be able to field a team in her own age group.

“We can’t find three more women in our age group,” she said. “this is the first summer we haven’t gone to nationals.”

(hint to readers: if you play basketball and are 60 or over, there’s a whole lot of fun look-ing for you!)

Wirtanen retired from ander-son high school, the last school where she coached freshman and varsity girls basketball and assisted with track. over the years, she taught texas history, government, economics, physi-cal education, and freshman english. she signed up for the afM fittest after receiving an email from her fitness instructor, d. J. olsson.

“Physically, i like challenges, even at my age,” she said. “and i thought, well, d.J. evidently thinks i can do this.” not only could she do it, Wirtanen’s scores were better than some of the participants in the 50-59 age group. “i love to work out—the way it makes me feel, the fact that it gives me energy; i eat well when i’m working out.

“that’s how i’ve always been, except when i was teaching and coaching with our two little girls. i didn’t take time for myself.” Wirtanen got back into a fitness routine but many people don’t. she encourages women of all ages to stay fit. “it’s never too late to change your lifestyle to include fitness. Women need to know that they need to be selfish and do something for themselves; it makes them a better mother and a better part-ner.” she said she was shocked when she learned that more women die from heart disease than breast cancer.

is diet important to Wir-tanen? “Well, i love hershey’s chocolate,” she confessed. “but i don’t eat donuts, chips, french fries—i stay away from that stuff. i eat a lot of grilled chicken; i eat pretty well.”

to others who might con-sider participating, Wirtanen says, “growing old is not for sissies,” and “you never know how you’re going to do unless you participate.” she believes competition will be tougher next year. “People i’ve talked to wish they had done it and want to do it next year.”

does she have a next fitness goal (other than getting that basketball team to nationals)? “to be healthy enough to par-ticipate next year,” she offered. “i feel blessed to be able to maintain this workout sched-ule.” Wiraten did note, though, that she turns 63 this month and she will have to compete against 60-year-olds next year!

A F m 1 0 F I t t e s t 49


t E A M C O M P E t i t i O n W i n n E RAFM FittEst2012

A F m 1 0 F I t t e s t 51

Dane’s Body Shop Takes the AFM FittEst Team Competition

Dane's body shop won the team com-petition with skill

and strategy. five teams, each made up of ten peo-ple (at least four of which were women) vied for the title. in the end, dane's body shop acknowledged that they had carefully and intentionally prepared for the tests.

“We all came together and made the proper assump-tions about who would do the best in what area,” said dane krager. “and we didn’t get first in every [test]. We got second and third some-times; there were better people out there than all of us, but we continued to stay at that level. We continued to push hard at our events and so we stayed at the up-per tier. that’s how we came across as the winning team. strategy. in that kind of environment, you don’t have to be the absolute best at everything, you can be really good at everything.”

n a M e T e s T s c o r e

richard renteria dynamax standing Med ball toss 363 in.

veronica Monje fitness institute of texas standing broad Jump 94 in.

trevor hussey dane’s body shop 40-yard dash 00:04.62

alissa sirriani body by frame agility Cone run 00:08.27

leann rominger oatmega bar Precision throw 3 of 5

Matthew harold Pure austin Pull-ups 21 reps

Chris stoos Crossfit Central burpees 44 reps

tony lere Castle hill fitness hand grip 140 psi

shelley lorenzen Camp gladiator interval run 6 levels

Michael Wedel runtex 1-Mile run 05:23

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i n v i T a T i o n a l e v e n T r e c a pAFM FittEst2012

i did the course twice [as part of the] age group and the invitational divisions. it was harder than i expected it would be, but insanely awesome!! AFM put on a fantastic event for the inaugural afM fittest competition in June! being a part of the fitness movement in austin is not only a passion of mine but one that inspires me to keep doing what i do and help motivate others to make a commitment to their personal health and fitness. the afM fittest competition brought an amazing group of people together who share the same love of fitness as i do. the spirit and energy of the day was contagious! there was a sense of camaraderie between the invitational competitors and throughout the day from everyone involved. We cheered and pushed each other through each challenging event and had a blast. the competition was exhilarating, inspiring, and something that i plan to do year after year.” — Lindsey Morris Ginko

A F m 1 0 F I t t e s t 53

i had a blast getting to meet all the other fitness oriented folks out there. i was impressed to see how fit everyone was regarding of their fitness background... the event was a lot of fun, very competitive and super humbling!” — Maurice culley

thanks for the great event! our kids and friends enjoyed watching how competitive we still are :)” — yvonne, Winthrop, and aiken Graham

afM fittest was an exhilarating experience, and i had a wonderful time meeting so many other types of athletes from the austin area.” — Paul Michael Bloodgood

the event inspired me to strive for a new level of fitness.” — Gordon alexander

it was in-spiring to see so many fit austinites all in one place having such incred-ible fun, par-ticipating in events you don't get the chance to compete in often. Can't wait for next year!” — Jen Ohlson

the afM fittest was a great measure of athletic ability and participat-ing was so much fun that it reminded me of field day back in elementary school.” — dan carroll

as a dancer with ballet austin, it was very special to participate in the afM fittest event and be embraced and respected as elite members of austin's fitness community. given that dancers train in such a specific way, i knew many of the tests would be foreign territory, and i honestly had no expectations. i surprised myself with a pretty high score on the grip test, which i thought was pretty funny! everyone knows dancers have strong feet, but apparently we have strong hands too!” — ashley Gilfix


e v e n T r e c a pAFM FittEst2012

// Photos by brian fitzsiMMons

A F m 1 0 F I t t e s t 55

2012 AFM FITTEST Age Division Champion

2012 AFM FITTEST Age Division Champion

2012 Austin’s Fittest Doctor2012 Austin’s Fittest Doctor

Tim Zeddies, Ph.D.4409 Medical Parkway | Austin, Texas 78756

512-495-9556www.centralaustinpsychology.com

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AFM FittEst2012


e v e n T r e c a p // Photos by staCy berg

A F m 1 0 F I t t e s t 57

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AFM FittEst2012

dynamax Standing Med Ball toSSJudy Mcelroy (35) threw the med ball 26 feet. brandon drenon (24) threw the med ball over 41 feet.

FiTness insTiTuTe oF Texas Standing Broad JuMpfaith fleischman (30), Jaclyn keys (28), and Judy Mcelroy (35) all jumped 94 inches. david braswell (29) and brandon drenon (24) both jumped 133 inches.

dane's Body shoP 40-Yard daSh kristy harris (37) ran the 40-yard dash in 5.09 seconds. terrence sims (31) ran the 40-yard dash in 4.40 seconds.

Body By Frame agilitY Cone run breanna Campbell (24) finished the agility Cone run in 7.81 seconds. yancy Culp (40) finished the agility Cone run in 6.85 seconds.

oaTmega Bar preCiSion throw robin Pettinger (30), alissa Magrum (37), desiree fournier (32), and Judy Mcelroy (35) got 4 out 5 throws. david Courtright (47), dane krager (33), deric Williams (42), Conrad McCue (22), and trervor ross (33) made 5 out of 5 throws.

Pure ausTin pull-upS sarah stewert (34), Jessica estrada (29), and Jessica tranchina (35) completed 21 military-style Pull-ups. bradley swail (26) completed 36 military-style Pull-ups.

crossFiT cenTral BurpeeS Judy Mcelroy (35) completed 46 burpees in 1 minute. david braswell (29) completed 46 burpees in 1 minute.

casTle hill FiTness hand grip vanessa fahey (27) and Judy Mcelroy (35) squeezed 135 pounds on the hand grip test. Jeremy kampen (33), david braswell (29), steven Ward (42), and trevor ross (33) each received 200 pounds, the maximum score measured, on the hand grip test.

camP gladiaTor interval run Jackie brambalow (28) got to level 8 on the interval run. greg Cook (24) completed all 10 levels on the interval run.

runTex 1-Mile run Jessica tranchina (35) ran one mile in 6:11. scott rantall (31) ran the mile in 5:04.

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A F m 1 0 F I t t e s t 59

s a v e T h e d a T e !

T h a n k y o u T o o u r s p o n s o r s !

r e G i s T r a T i o n o p e n s J a n u a r y 1 , 2 0 1 3W W W. a F M F i T T e s T. c o M

nexersysCore PowerMichelob ultradynamaxCamp gladiatorCrossfit Centralruntexbody by frameoatmega barCastle hill fitnessfitness institute of texasrevelation fitnessbswarmssquare rüt kava bar

galaxy CaféMuscle Maker grillMel's MealszicoMy fit foodshowdy hondaculturemapdane's body shopWhole foods Market Massage harmony Chris spears Massage Medicine in MotionPure austin fitness

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A Participant’s

A todd Werner and the JdrF cycling team

When Austin Fit Magazine announced the competition earlier this year, I was in without a second’s hesitation. Sure, the events were tailored more towards people doing boot camps than anything else, but I always love a challenge. As a long distance runner, I don’t have much need for the ability to do a high volume of pull-ups, burpees,

or to demonstrate a super-strong handgrip. Maybe these define a certain aspect of fitness, but for my training purposes they become counterintuitive. The athlete I was seven years ago would have been a much better competitor for these ten events.

My background of fitness is quite diverse. In high school, I played football and golf,

ran cross-country and track, and even tried my hand at power lifting. I excelled at sprinting, which requires short, explosive power and speed all geared towards the 200 and 400-meter events on the track. I wasn’t ever great, but I was decent enough to run in the Texas State track meet my senior year and spend a couple of seasons on the University of Missouri squad. At that point in my life, fitness was all about how much weight I could lift in the gym and how fast I could run around the track. We used to complain to our coach if the warm up was more than half a mile.

Fast forward four years and three torn hamstrings. My desire to stay fit took a different path and led to training for 5Ks and, eventually, a marathon. Time at the gym was reduced to maybe once a week and

AFM FITTEST

ask ten people around austin to describe their view of fitness and you’re going to get ten different answers. this is one of the great things about our ever-growing town because there are so many diverse ways to become “fit.” boot camps, crossFit, martial arts, swimming, cycling, running, rowing—my apologies if i left your group out, but you get my point.

of theRe iew

B y M I C h A E L M A D I S O N

A F m F i t t E s t R e V I e w 61

michael madison nearly completed ten intervals in the ninth test following pull-ups and burpees.


I placed a premium on core strength as well as the ability to log extensive mileage. Now I work for one of the largest running groups in Texas, coaching a variety of individuals from beginning to advanced marathoners. Since college, I’ve dropped over 20 pounds of muscle and logged a 26.2-mile personal best of 2:47.

A hectic work schedule and month of marathon recovery prevented me from putting much training time in for the AFM FITTEST. I was confident of my ability to possibly steal a few events and to be pretty mediocre at others. Being the overall winner never crossed my mind.

As much as I expected the day to be full of serious competitors, it took on a completely different tone when I walked up to the start and was surrounded by 20- to 29-year-old men wearing spandex shorts and sporting muscles built for weightlifting magazines. To top it off, there was one guy who had an electro-shock machine used for muscle rehab to fire up his hamstrings! Flashes of Ivan Drago from Rocky IV ran through my head and I wondered if maybe I had missed some kind of pre-event memo.

The first few events went about as expected. I was weak on the medicine ball throw, mediocre on the broad jump, and near the top in the 40-yard dash. It had been ten years since I’d run a 40 and I was fearful of tearing my hamstring again. My time (4.66 seconds) was about one tenth off my best in high school, so I don’t think it was quite accurate.

We moved on to a shuttle run (the agility cone test), which was designed to test both speed and agility. The grass had been torn up by the time our group arrived, meaning sharp, 90-degree turns were that much more challenging. If you didn’t have cleats for this event, you were at a severe disadvantage. The four men in my heat recorded four of the top 15 times (mine included, which was good enough for thirteenth place). At this point, I was near the top in my age group but that was soon to change—leave it to the “precision throw” to foil my day.

I place the event in quotations because I witnessed grown men tossing softballs underhanded to a target ten feet away. Maybe the rules permitted this, but they should be amended. Where is the skill involved? How does this test fitness? I let these questions get to me, losing focus on my throws and making just one of five attempts, and my overall score took a huge hit.

We moved on to burpees and pull-ups, where the rules were so loosely defined that people were doing different variations depending on the judge. One competitor “achieved” 30-plus pull-ups although he didn’t reach full extension once. Another competitor recorded 40-plus “downward dogs” although the scorer counted them as burpees. It’s hard to figure out what exactly was being tested if the movement did not require going all the way down and coming back up to full extension.

My scores on both—14 pull-ups (goal was to get 10!) and 32 burpees—were middle of the pack in overall scoring. These events, however, had taken a toll

i was confident of my ability to possibly steal a few events and to be pretty mediocre at others.


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on my marathon-trained body; my arms were shaking and my shoulders felt like 200 pounds of dead weight.

The hand grip station gave a brief reprieve from the stifling mid-day heat. All we had to do was squeeze as hard as we could and the mini-machine would measure how many pounds we pulled. While it was the easiest of the ten and required the least amount of effort, the energy from the Castle Hill Fitness employees was greatly appreciated. And for those who need to squeeze an object with as much force as possible, make sure you breathe out instead of holding your breath during the effort. I’m surprised nobody burst a blood vessel from squeezing so hard while simultaneously not breathing.

The final two events were what I had looked forward to from the outset. The interval run, testing short bursts of speed as well as stamina, was up first. This is what I consider a true test of fitness, not just because it’s tailored toward my running background but because you need leg strength, endurance, agility, and the mental fortitude to conserve energy in the first few sets. The first interval started at 16 yards and each increased incrementally by two yards, up to 34. We had ten seconds to run to the first cone and back, followed by a ten second rest. Once the ten seconds was up, the judge blew the whistle and you ran to the next stage. After six sets, there were just a few of us left. Sets seven and eight weeded out a couple more and by the finish of number nine, I was the only one who remained. My wife, who was kind and generous enough to come along for the day, said she was so nervous she couldn’t even watch!

The crowd gathered around was energizing and I had full confidence my legs would get me down and back in time. A big part of achieving fitness

author michael madison, a long-distance runner, looked forward to the final two events of the aFm FittEst.


goals is mind over matter. I told myself I was going to do it and coming short wasn’t an option.

When the judge blew the whistle, all I could focus on was the little orange cone at the edge of the fence. I got there in plenty of time, made a clean turn, and had the finish line in site. It was right about then, however, that my legs crumbled under me like a wounded deer exhausted from the chase. The heat had finally taken its toll and my body had revolted. I gathered myself, giving everything I could to get across the line, but the referee held up his hands to signal that I was a mere half yard short.

Once we got to the mile, I was concerned about being able to break six minutes. For most, that might not sound like a bad thing but I typically run 5Ks at an average 5:20 mile pace. During marathon training, I can knock out six to eight repeats in the 5:30 range. At this point in the day, though, I just wanted to have a respectable finish and not walk. After crossing the line in 5:32, I felt like asking for a do-over; sure, it got me the sixth best time overall but my never-content personality desired a mulligan.

When we received the overall results, I was surprised to see that I finished thirty-first out of 120 total. My pitiful precision throw did me in, as just two more tosses would have bumped me up 13 places while three more would have placed me in the top 15.

My rub with the competition lies within the overall structure. As difficult as it might be to truly define fitness, an incredibly large segment of the Austin population couldn’t help but feel left out. The running and triathlon communities have arguably the greatest presence in this town yet the token offering was a one-mile run only after eight events geared to those who work out with kettleballs and an event for people who frequent the ball toss at carnivals.

Based on the tests given, the fittest man out there was David Braswell, a former collegiate athlete and Marine Special Forces member. Unfortunately for this highly trained athlete, softball-tossing skills were put at a premium. Without that test Braswell would have won the competition by an insurmountable margin as he exemplified better than anyone else on this day in June a skill set of speed, agility, explosive power, stamina, and strength. While he may not be on the cover of this magazine, he’s your FITTEST.

I mean to take nothing away from the job done by the sponsors and team at Austin Fit Magazine. They pulled off an incredibly successful first-year event. I’ve had my hand in directing a number of road races around town and I know the difficulty that goes in to producing fitness events. My hope is a reconsideration of defining AFM’s FITTEST to incorporate the myriad of diverse fitness opportunities that readers participate in throughout the year. A 10K or marathon runner would fail miserably at a CrossFit competition while, similarly, boot camp participants won’t excel to the same level at road races. Our town boasts a bevy of Olympic runners, swimmers, triathletes, and one cyclist who happens to hold seven yellow jerseys. Let’s pick their brains and find out what fitness skills they’d recommend. In any case, I’ll see you in 2013 at Camp Mabry! afm


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how do you define fitness for people over 60?SEN IOR FITN E S S M E A NS different things to different people. While

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ing the activities they enjoy, whether it’s solving crossword puzzles or racing marathons. Fortunately, gerontology researchers have developed standardized tests for measuring seniors’ fitness levels. Two tests that you can administer at home will measure aerobic endurance and agility.

Roberta E. Rikli and C. Jessie Jones in Senior Fitness Test Manual (Chica-go: Human Kinetics, 2001) compiled statistics on thousands of people between 60 and 94 to develop norms for several tests. This way, Mom and Dad can see how they stack up against people their own age. The test requires about 15 minutes of time, an administrator (you), Mom and Dad’s cooperation, an agreement to stop the tests if things get too hard, and the following equipment:

Test of Aerobic EnduranceFor the two-minute knees-up step test, measure Dad’s right thigh from the front of his hip bone to the middle of his kneecap. Find the midpoint of this measurement and put a small piece of tape there on the front of his pants. Ask him to face the wall, and place another piece of tape on the wall at the same height as the tape on his pants.

After he practices marching in place, ask Dad to face the wall. It’s okay for

• A stop watch

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• Eight feet two inches of tape, such as electrical or painter’s tape

• Something to use as a traffic cone, such as a can of beans

• A wood or tile floor

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Fit after 40

Women's aerobic endurance chart

Age Number/Rank (Most Fit)

Number/Rank (Above Average)

Number/Rank (Below Average)

Number/Rank (Least Fit)

60-64 115-135 = 1Q 101-114 = 2Q 87-100 = 3Q 67-86 = 4Q

75-79 109-135 = 1Q 91-108 = 2Q 73-90 = 3Q 47-72 = 4Q

90-94 86-112 = 1Q 69-85 = 2Q 52-68 = 3Q 26-51 = 4Q





60-64 107-130 = 1Q 91-106 = 2Q 75-90 = 3Q 52-74 = 4Q

75-79 100-123 = 1Q 84-99 = 2Q 68-83 = 3Q 45-67 = 4Q

90-94 72-92 = 1Q 58-71 = 2Q 44-57 = 3Q 24-43 = 4Q

Men's aerobic endurance chart

him to put his hands on the wall for balance. Ask him to alternate lifting his left knee and then his right knee to the height of the tape. Tell him that you’d like him to do this for two minutes. Tell him that it’s a timed test but that he can stop the test at any point. Squat down so you can see that both knees reach the level of the tape on the wall. Say “Go!” and count 1, 2, 3, and so on each time his right knee reaches the level of the wall tape. The number you reach in two minutes is his raw score.

In the left column of the chart below, find the age closest to his and read across the chart until you find the corresponding range of numbers. If his age isn’t listed, you can extrapolate his approximate score. The “1Q” through “4Q” designations refer to the quartile in which he ranks. For example, if he is a 78-year-old man and you counted 109, he ranks high in the second quartile, which is above average but not in the top category.

Test of Agility For the eight-foot up-and-go test, you’ll need the straight chair, the stop-watch, the can of beans, eight feet of tape, and the tile or wood floor.

Place the chair with its back to a bare wall or a heavy piece of furniture such as a sturdy sofa. From a point between the front legs of the chair, lay eight feet of tape on the floor straight out in front. Place the cone or can of beans at the end of the tape away from the chair. Ask Mom to sit in the chair with her feet flat on the floor and her hands resting on her knees. Ask her to practice getting up and walking around the can of beans before sitting down again.

When you’re both ready, say, “Go!” and start the stopwatch. She should stand up and walk as quickly as possible without running to just beyond the


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Women's agility chart

Men's agility chart





60-64 < 3.8 sec. = 1Q 3.8 to 4.6 sec. = 2Q 4.7 to 5.5 sec. = 3Q >5.6 sec. = 4Q

75-79 <4.6 sec. = 1Q 4.6 to 5.9 sec. = 2Q 6.0 to 7.2 sec. = 3Q >7.2 sec. = 4Q






60-64 < 4.4 sec. = 1Q 4.4 to 5.0 sec. = 2Q 5.1 to 5.9 sec. = 3Q >6.0 sec. = 4Q

75-79 <5.2 sec. = 1Q 5.3 to 6.0 sec. = 2Q 6.1 to 7.1 sec. = 3Q >7.1sec. = 4Q


beans, make the turn, and walk quickly back. When she sits down, note the number of seconds the test took. It’s okay to do the test twice and count the better of the scores.

Breaking the News about FitnessIf your elders scored well, congratulate them and encourage them to keep on exercising. If they didn’t, it may be time to take them to the gym or hire a personal trainer to work with them at home. Just for fun, do the tests yourself to see where you should be at age 60 and beyond. If you don’t score well, get yourself to the gym. Why feel old before you have to? afm

For more information, see the fitness tests for upper body strength and lower body strength at www.strengthmobile.com .

J. Jody Kelly, owner of Strengthmobile, is an ACE-certified personal trainer who conducts sessions in the homes of the elderly or disabled. She races triathlons, lifts weights, and takes Pilates mat classes.KKKK

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Believe it or not, dogs (and horses) need sunscreen, too. fair-skinned and hairless dogs may seem obvious candidates for sun protection, but if you’ve

shaved your dog down for the summer, that tender, exposed skin needs help. and some breeds, such as boxers, Weimaramers, and poodles (to mention a few) are prone to skin tumors. human sunscreen is not suitable for pets and this vet-created product is the only fda-approved sunscreen for dogs. you apply the sunscreen to your pet’s muzzle, around the eyes, chest, “arm pits,” and groin area where the fur is thin.

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Women’s ice tee

WhErE to FinD it: theicetee.com

anybody who’s ever done a long run in the texas heat knows the benefit of sticking

some ice under the hat or in a running bra. native texans and ut grads emily thawley and Megan Matza wanted something better, so they invented ice tee, a line of cooling shirts which have ice packs built into the collar, spine, and armpits (men’s shirt only). the new women’s ice tee is comfortably constructed, though the weight at the neck takes a little getting used to while the strip on the spine is barely noticeable. the ice packs are easily removed and refrozen, and the shirt washes just like other workout clothes. even when the packs feel fairly warm to the fingers, they still give a cool jolt to the neck and spine.

WhAt mAkEs it CooL: this is a wonderful post-run bit of recovery equipment. Place the shirt in a cooler (or the optional carrying case) with a ziploc bag of wet, scented washcloths packed in ice. after a long run, strip off the sweaty stuff, wipe down with the cold washcloths, and then slip on the ice tee. the only thing more refreshing would be a dip in barton springs.

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By DEsirEE FiCkEr

What Makes You Fittest?

FiTx3

Wh AT M A kE S yOu FITTE ST?

For me, it's running a mar-athon at 7,200 feet with no real starting line, using my

weakest muscles in a workout, and picking up something I never thought I could.

On June 9, Austin Fit Magazine held its first annual AFM FITTEST competition. I heard nothing but wonderful things about the event and love the idea of AFM naming Austin's "fittest" person. I wanted to com-pete but was in Taos, New Mexico, where I have spent the last month training for my upcoming marathons and half Ironman-distance races.

Rather than come back to Austin for the FITTEST, I decided to stay in Taos and run the Taos marathon instead. The race began at 5 a.m. at 7,200 feet in the pitch dark with no fewer than 28 starters (and no more than that, either). The race began, tracing large,

open fields on the planes of Taos. Six or so horses actually ran alongside and gal-loped happily beside us, more than likely wondering what in the world we were doing there at such an early hour and what exactly were we chasing.

What are we chasing when we compete? Is it the elation and relief of the finish line, the guiltless pleasure of the food we eat afterwards, or the fact that a Sunday competition makes our entire week better? For me, it is a combination of all three and then some. I love feeling fit. I love push-ing my body to its limits and then asking for more, and I love being able to share these moments alongside 28, or thousands, of the closest friends I have never met. The effects of a hard competition can offer a sense of accomplishment lasting much longer than sore calves or biceps. After a hard race, I can actually feel myself getting

fitter, both mentally and physically. I am more cheerful and “smilier” and I sit a little taller. My mind is clearer (once I get my first meal in, that is) and during some of my races, I have had my clearest, most true-to-the-soul thoughts, as if the raw


pain had stripped me down to the core of my own reality. At the end of the Taos marathon, I felt like I had run 36 miles and was thrilled to finish underneath a four-by-four-foot plastic “FINISH” sign with nine spectators surrounding it.

I have been a long time runner in Gilbert's Gazelles training group. The workouts are a blast and are constantly changing. They offer a variety of hills, interval training, weekend long running, and circuit training. The circuits are often the most challenging for me because they make me work outside of my “fit” comfort zone...they also leave me the most sore. I appreciate these workouts because, although I can run, bike, and swim for long periods of time, I am not always the strongest in my up-per body and core. I marvel at guys and girls who can knock out rapid-fire pull-ups and sit-ups (maybe I stayed in Taos for yet another reason).

My fiancé Matt has been a long time devotee of Atomic Athlete, which is led by a group of thrill seeking, highly trained coaches whose motto is “stronger, faster, harder to kill.” I have always been a bit intimidated by these guys, as I would often see them while doing my Wilke hill repeats with the Gazelles, breathing like a dog, responsible only for my body weight. Meanwhile, these guys started their group intervals with tire drag-ging up this monstrous hill! The leader of Atomic, Jake, joked that I should join them, that I would have fun with those tires. One look at my noodle arms assured me I would not. However, I have since taken Matt's lead and participated in quite a few workouts, carrying things like kettlebells, sandbags, and even Olympic barbells and have actually loved it. Take that noodle arms! Now...am I getting “fitter” by working out with these guys? Absolutely. However, I probably FEEL stronger than I have actually be-come. After carrying these things around, I have much more confidence in picking up objects such as heavy duffel bags and groceries. After all, I have become “harder to kill!”

So, in reflection, becoming your FITTEST can be done in many ways. Enter a race, even if it only has 28 starters and no real starting line; pick up something you never thought you could, and then do it again and again. Embrace doing the things in life that challenge you the most and keep you struggling the longest because, in the end, you will not only be your FITTEST self, you might be smilier (and sit a little taller), too. afm

Desiree Fickerdesiree ficker began running at an early age with the encouragement of her parents, avid track and field fans. by age 9, ficker was competing in cross country/track and field at the Junior olympic level. her running career continued throughout high school and college, where she ran on scholarship for the university of alabama. after completing her degree in 1998, ficker was inspired by watching the triathlon ironman World Cham-pionships in kona, hawaii, and began competing as an amateur while teaching and coaching in Maryland. in 2001, ficker began her profes-sional triathlete career, moving to the Colorado olympic training Center for training. she moved to austin eight years ago, where she continued her racing career as both a professional triathlete and runner. in addition, ficker has also founded the Ma ficker foundation, which raises money for colon cancer research, in honor of her mother.

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F i t x 3 t R I 79

By kEith bELL, Ph.D. | photography By briAn Fitzsimmons

th E DIFFER ENCE BETW EEN work and play is how you view it. How you view it is largely determined by the manner in which you talk

about it, especially to yourself. I raise this issue because my editor

usurped my words in my last appearance in AFM. Well, okay, she had the right, but it made me cringe. Precision of words cranks the amps on the delivery of the music. Be careful what you say. Your brain gets cued to act accordingly.

Back to the May issue. As I recall, I wrote “swimming practices,” but what got published was “swimming workouts.”

I like to play swimming. I train. I

rehearse. I practice. But mostly, I play swimming. I never work out. It sounds too much like work.

It drives me nuts that people term preparing for athletic competition, or even exercising one's being, as playing baseball, playing golf, playing tennis. They talk about playing lacrosse, playing basketball. They go to football practice, basketball practice, soccer practice. But when going to swim practice, they call it “workout.” As mentioned above, I don't work out. It sounds too much like work. I play swimming.

I guess if you want to, you can make swim training laborious or boring or both.

But why in the world would you ever choose to make swimming a drag? It's not produc-tive. And, it's not fun.

I don't know many ultimate truths. But one of the few ultimate truths I know is this: “the responsibility is mine.” It can be no other way. I'm responsible for my actions, for my responses, for my choices, and for my views.

Swimming is one of the nicest parts of my day. When I train, I get to race (others or the clock). I have a constant opportunity to meet challenges that are as tough as I want to make them. (“The tougher, the bet-ter.” It's more fun that way). I feel support from, and the gentle caress of, the water. I

the difference between Work and Play

Swim


Keith Bell, Ph.D.a former university of texas head swimming Coach and united states Masters Coach of the year, dr. bell currently coaches teamtexas Masters, is the President of the american swimming association, llC, and is a sports Performance Consultant. as an author, he has written ten books and more than 70 articles. as a swimmer, dr. bell is a four-time Collegiate all american, has 36 World and 99 Masters national records, and over the years has won gold medals in two World and in 67 Masters national Championships.

I play swimming. I never work out.

use goals to make everything I do into a game. And, I choose to label all of it as fun. I love to play in the water. And, what I play in the water is swimming.

Of course, should you choose to make swimming boring, you are free to do so. Should you decide to focus on the black line on the bottom of the pool and decide that doing so is boring, fine. I don't see how that works for you or why you would want to do that. But okay. It's your choice.

If you want, you can seemingly choose to abdicate the responsibility for making your swimming fun and exciting, but remember: it's your choice. It's up to you. The responsibility for how much you enjoy swimming is yours. You can do nothing to make your swimming enjoyable. You can find a coach that helps to make it fun and interesting. You can accept what-ever you get. You can buy the garbage that others sell. Or, you can recog-nize the responsibility is yours and make swimming fun. You can choose to play swimming.

I love to swim. I choose to make swimming one of the nicest parts of the day. And, I take care to protect that choice by making it fun, in part, by the labels I use, how I think about it, and how I talk about it. After all, the responsibility is mine.

I play swimming. I never work out. What do you do when you swim? How's it working for you? afm

F i t x 3 s w I M 81

By b. shivA mAyEr | photography By briAn Fitzsimmons

it’s as easy as riding a bike

iT ’S A Ch ILDhOOD R ITE of passage to learn to ride a bike. Even before the training wheels are removed, parents under-stand the joy, freedom, and positive health benefits of their children being able to explore local trails, commute to school,

or simply ride around with friends.Many parents, however, might be unsure of how to help children

who are interested in racing their shiny new road bikes, or who’ve shown a particular aptitude for beating their friends down the local mountain bike trails. Fortunately, Austin has a growing number of resources devoted to helping children explore their athletic poten-tial through cycling.

In the sport of cycling, anyone between 10 and 18 years of age—a “junior,” in cycling parlance—can compete in events sanctioned by the governing body for the sport, USA Cycling. This includes

all types of bicycle racing, including road and mountain biking, as well as other disciplines such as track cycling and cyclocross. (An exception to this is the cycling portion of a triathlon, however, which is overseen by USA Triathlon, whose rules allow competi-tors as young as 6 years old.)

At most bike races, junior cyclists have separate age-based com-petitions, allowing them to compete against their peers. Juniors are also eligible to compete in the skill-level based “category” races with similarly experienced cyclists of any age. All racers start in the lowest category, and upgrades are given to those who have demonstrated their proficiency by performing well against others in the same category.

As with any sport, racing bikes requires certain equipment and skills. In addition to a bike, young racers need an approved helmet

young cyclists from a variety of teams, along with mentors from 787 racing, line up for the junior race at the driveway Bike race series in austin.

Bike


and the correct clothing. Depending on their age and skill level, cycling-specific shoes and pedals may be desirable as well. Lastly, any juniors wishing to compete need a USA Cycling license, and—of course—signed permission from their parents.

The skills necessary to race any bicycle successfully are learned through training and mentorship. In Austin, the 787 Racing team provides both as part of its core mission to support junior cyclists. As members of one of the top-ranked teams in the state, 787 racers are in a unique posi-tion to share their skills and tactics with the next generation of cyclists through weekly rides, monthly skills clinics, and support at the many road and mountain bike races across Texas.

Carson Lange, 17 years old, agrees: “I have the privilege to be mentored by [787 cyclist and founder] Robert Biard. He's shown me the value of team work as well as being supportive with my cycling.” Lange hopes the hard work will pay off—he wants to follow in the footsteps of another 787 junior, Trevor Brooks, who received a cycling scholarship to Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado.

The 787 Racing team also recognizes that developing athletes need solid equipment and professional support. As a nonprofit organization, 787 and its generous sponsors offer subsidized bike parts, helmets, clothing, and nutrition to all juniors. While it’s common for elite amateur cyclists to have coaches, 787 Racing has taken a step further and worked with Chann McRae Coaching to offer free coaching for all of the team’s juniors.

“Coaching is not just about improving performance,” notes professional cyclist, coach, and mother Jen McRae. “Coaching also reduces the chance of injury and ensures that cyclists don’t become burnt out through over-training or too much racing.”

Of course, all of the preparation and hard work needs a venue to showcase it. For road racers in Austin, the weekly Driveway Race Series

From left, 787 racing teammates robert Biard, robby ketterhagen, Carson lange, shiva mayer, henna mcrae, and Jen mcrae.

F i t x 3 B I K e 83

August 31, 2012

Bike

top: shiva mayer, robert Biard, Jen

mcrae and daughter henna all race at the

weekly driveway Bike race series.

middle: racers as young as 10 years of age compete in

the two free weekly junior races at the

driveway.

Bottom center: Former 787 junior and college freshman trevor Brooks, right, discusses tactics with teammate mayer, left, before the start of their race.

brings hundreds of cyclists of all skill levels together every Thursday night. Held on a closed course designed for auto racing, the Driveway is a popular place for introducing juniors to road cycling. The series offers two completely free weekly races for juniors: one for ages 10 to 14, and the other for ages 14 to 18.

For more advanced juniors, like 18-year-old Robby Ketterhagen, the skill-based races are the real challenge. “I’m racing against some fast people,” he explained. “Last week, we had a guy who raced the Tour of California in the field, and the week before, the New Zealand national champion. Where else can say you raced against people like that?”

For juniors who like to play in the dirt, there are numerous opportunities to race mountain bikes as well. The Texas High School Mountain Bike League offers a number of major races at venues across the state, such as Reveille Peak, Rocky Hill, Cameron Park, and Bluff Creek. Additionally, juniors looking to race alongside mountain bikers of any age can avail themselves of any of the skill categories at either of the weekly Dirt Rem-edy races held at Emma Long Metropolitan Park or the regular Dirt Derby races at the Austin/Del Valle Motocross Park.

Ketterhagen, who also races mountain bikes, agrees. “When I started racing mountain bikes,” he said, “I would only do the Dirt Derby. Now that I race for 787, I’ve done harder races, too, like the Leadville qualifier at Rocky Hill.”

Regardless of the type of racing, it’s fulfilling to see young athletes learn the joy of competition and develop healthy lifestyle habits that will serve them well throughout their lives. afm

B. Shiva Mayerb. shiva Mayer, 26, is a member of the board of directors of 787 racing.a native of british Columbia, Canada, he has lived in austin for nearly five years. an avid road and mountain bike racer, Mayer has competed extensively across both the united states and Canada. for more information about 787 racing or junior cycling in general, he can be contacted at [email protected].

the series offers two completely free weekly races for juniors.

F i t x 3 B I K e 85

Run


AV E yOu EV ER WON DER ED how celebrities get fit so quickly, whether they’re preparing for a physically intense role or just losing weight after pregnancy? I certainly have, especially after my daughter was born. And maybe if I had doctors, trainers, and nutritionists at my beck and call, I’d be able to become physically

fit in a matter of weeks as well. But that’s not reality. Reality is having a baby and being in the worst shape of your life. Your

legs constantly ache because they can’t support all the weight you gained. You strain your back countless times because your core muscles are now nonexistent. And you’re embarrassed to show yourself in public because you still look pregnant, even after having the baby. At least that was my reality after my daughter was born and, unfortunately for me, there was no celebrity shortcut to get my fitness back.

I was a professional runner before I got pregnant, but you never would have known that after my daughter arrived. I had to stop most exercise around my sixth month of pregnancy as a consequence of gaining more than the recommended amount of weight. I was so swollen you would have thought I was storing food in my cheeks. And I could barely put one foot in front of the other due to lack of sleep. I had a long, hard road ahead of me if I was ever going to run competitively again.

So how did I do it? How did I lose the weight, gain back my fitness, and start competing again? I was patient, I learned to listen to my body, and I worked my butt off.

After my daughter was born, I was so out of shape that I basically had to start from scratch. My first “workout” was walking 20 minutes. For someone who used to run 60 miles a week, my “easy days” at seven-minute mile pace, this was a very humbling experience. But the fact of the matter was my body was not able to handle any more than a short walk around the block. So in order to bridge the gap from walking 20 minutes to running 15 miles, I knew I was going to need a lot of patience.

HBy DACiA PErkins

how i went from horribly unfit to being in the best shape ever

starting from scratch

Lisa Carlile, CNM

Christina Sebestyen, MD

Kathy Harrison-Short, CNM

April Schiemenz, MD

Siobhan Kubesh, CNM

Tesa Miller, MD

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Next to North Austin Medical Center

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commit our collaborative ener-gies to forge a patient-provider partnership that embraces con-sistent, safe, and respectful care.

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will fit all women. Overall, our goal is to educate women about their bodies so that they are empowered to make

their own decisions about their health-care. We welcome you to our practice and hope that you feel embraced by

our unique approach.

F i t x 3 R u n 87

I was not fortunate enough to be able to run after a few short weeks of training. It took months of walking/jogging, months of slow base-phase runs, and months of setbacks before I got to where I am now. In total, it took almost two years. If I hadn’t had the patience and endurance to keep going even when the end was nowhere in sight, I would have set myself up for de-feat. So if you ever find yourself in a similar position, be patient and endure, even if it’s taking longer than you’d like. The end will come in time.

Sadly, having patience was the easy part. One of the hardest lessons I had to learn while working my way back into shape was listening to my body. There were many times when I tried to slip back into my former routine and many times when I forgot that new circumstances called for new habits and behaviors. Consequently, my training started to suffer.

I used to get away with eating Pop-Tarts for lunch, but that was before I needed sustained energy to not only continue training but to keep up with my child. It took me a while to realize that I could no longer stay up until 1 a.m. when my daughter was waking up at 6 a.m. It got to the point where exhaustion was standard and getting sick was part of my normal routine.

And the worst part was I didn’t realize what I was doing to my body until it was too late. I had the opportunity to make Being patient and

listening to my body were very important steps to getting back

into shape.

Run


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a comeback the year after my daughter was born but, ultimately, my lack of adaptation was my downfall and I had to cut my season short.

It wasn’t until I hung up my shoes after that first year that I realized I needed to start forming some new habits if I was ever going to be healthy enough to become fit again. When I was hungry, I needed to eat something healthy. When I was thirsty, I needed to drink water. And when I was tired, I needed to sleep, no matter if that meant putting something else on hold. My body was constantly letting me know what it needed to maintain itself; I just needed to start listening.

Being patient and listening to my body were very important steps to getting back into shape, but I would never have become fit again without good, old-fashioned hard work. There were plenty of times when I tried to slide by with the bare minimum. Give me a range and I would run the least amount or the slowest time acceptable. But those practices were getting me nowhere near where I wanted to be. And there finally came a point when I realized I needed to put my nose to the grindstone and start working hard if I was actually going to start seeing some results.

After having a baby, I was in the worst shape of my life, far worse than I could have ever imagined. And seeing how much more quickly celebrities (and regular people alike) were able to get in shape was very discouraging.

But I eventually came to terms with the fact that just because I wasn’t able to become fit within a matter of weeks didn’t mean I was never going to be fit again. With this realization, a patient attitude, the ability to listen to my body, and a lot of hard work, I was able to get into shape again. And I might be in my best shape ever. afm

Dacia Perkinsdacia Perkins is a four-time nCaa all-american and 2008 olympic trials semi-finalist. she won six state championships before graduating from lake travis high school in 2004 and starting her college career as a university of arkansas razorback. after graduating from arkansas in 2008, Perkins competed internationally before moving to austin with her husband. she is currently training for the olympic trials in June as a member of rogue athletic Club, an austin-based nonprofit with the goal to help aspiring olympians reach their highest potential. Perkins is married adam (also a former razorback track athlete) and the mother of a rambunctious little girl. Website: teamrogue.org ; running blog: teamrogue.wordpress.com/news/ ; Personal blog: daciaperkins.wordpress.com

F i t x 3 R u n 89

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MusIC

AuguST 8

Blues on the greenOn this particular Wednesday, there will be a special Austin City Limits Festival Preview Show hosted by Blues on the Green at Zilker Park. Musical phenomenon Quiet Company will perform as well as The East-ern Sea and Wild Child. This free concert will be one of the best shows of the summer, so be sure to pack up the family for this free night on the green. Wednesday, 7:30 p.m. Zilker Park • kgsr.com/bluesonthegreen/index.aspx

FuN

AuguST 4

6th Annual Ice Cream FestivalWhat could possibly be better than enjoying a hot day in Austin with a cold ice cream cone melting in your mouth? Nothing! Come out to the Ice Cream Festival and enjoy live music, ice cream making AND eating competitions, and earn your very own Popsicle stick sculpture award. There will be plenty of entertainment for the whole family including bounce houses, cold sprinklers, and a meet-and-greet with the Texas Stars Hockey Players. Admission is

OuTDOOrs

AuguST 4

Paddle by MoonlightEnjoy the cool and calm water this sum-mer by renting or bringing your kayak to the Buescher State Park Lake. Relax under the starlit Austin sky and spend an evening exploring the beautiful lake with friends or family. Saturday, 8:30 p.m. • Buescher State Park • tpwd.state.tx.us/calendar/paddle-by-moonlight

AuguST 19

Paddle for PuppiesIf you’re passionate about puppies, use this morning to enjoy a beautiful day practicing your watercraft of choice while helping Aus-tin Pets Alive! find homes for their doggies! Participants can use any Lady Bird Lake-approved watercraft, including stand up paddleboards, kayaks, canoes, water bikes, etc. A flotation device is required for every-body and, if you decide to bring your pup along, makes sure he or she enjoys the water safely as well. Boats will also be available to rent for the day. Sunday, 8:00 a.m. • Austin American Statesman (Congress Bridge)paddleforpuppies.com

Paddle for PuPPies // Photo by J. henry rose

Events around austin

AUSTIN’S ONLY PREMIER INDOOR SOCCER FACILITY

[email protected]

(512) 280-2244

soccer soccer soccer

6v6 and 3v3 leagues for all ages

Basketball leagues forming now

Soccer Cubs program for 18 months and up

Soccer Academy program for ages 5 - 8

Great for birthday parties

South Austin


“Best place to cure what ails you”

Saturday Natural TalksAlways free!

Check out our schedule of free Saturday talks on our website or pick

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Always empowering!

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200 West Mary (off S. Congress)

444.6251

M-F 10–6:30 • Sat. 10-5

$10; kids 8 and under are free with an adult.Saturday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. • Fiesta Gardens roadwayevents.com/roadstar/events.asp

AuguST 21

8th la Piazza italianaWho doesn’t love Italian food? The Austin Museum of Art is providing family and friends an opportunity to experience a little taste of Italy. There will be plenty of food as well as espresso, wine, live music, accor-dionists, face painting, and balloon twister. And who could forget the gelato? Bring the whole family to Laguna Gloria and enjoy this Italian feast. Sunday 4 p.m. • Laguna Gloria-W. 35 St • atasteofitaliyinaustin.com/festival.html

AuguST 26

Chronicle Hot Sauce FestivalSpicy food fanatics can unite at this sizzling festival taking place for the twenty-second time in Austin, Texas. The Hot Sauce Festival will provide food and fun for the most intense spicy salsa lovers from all over the country. Not only is this festival a great way to experience new salsas, but it’s also an opportunity to contribute to funding the Capital Area Food Bank of Texas. Sunday Fiesta Gardens austinchronicle.com/hotsauce

FITNEss

AuguST 3-5

Women’s Only Adventure Race ClinicAre you a woman new to the sport of adven-ture racing or are you an experienced par-ticipant looking to brush up on skills? This three-day clinic will provide instruction and practice in adventure racing core disciplines. Boats, life jackets, and paddles are provided, though you may bring your own. Bring a mountain bike, camping gear, appropriate clothing and plenty of water for this fun event. Friday-Sunday • Reveille Peak Ranch rprtexas.com/2012/01/august-3-5-womens-only-adventure-race-clinic/

AuguST 31

Zilker RelaysIf you’re looking for an opportunity to join or create a team for some spirited and com-petitive racing, the Zilker Relays is an Aus-tin tradition you won’t want to miss. There will be great food, music and sportsmanship for all ages. There are two events, a kid’s relay and an adult relay. Get your matching team jerseys or sweatbands and show Austin how tough your team is. Teams are encour-aged to carpool together. Friday, 6:00 p.m. Zilker Park • zilkerrelays.org

zilker relays // Photo by david Perrone, PiCture Playhouse

E v E n t s A R o u n D A u s t I n 93

TEXAS ROWING

North Shore of Town Lake on Hike & Bike Trail behind Austin High School

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summer specIal

Rides & Races around austin

insPire kids to tri youth triathlon // Photo by enduro Photo

AuGusT

AuguST 1

Sunstroke Summer Stampede Race #12Roy and Ann Butler Hike and Bike Trail, Austin, TX • summerstampede.com/index.asp

AuguST 5

Five55 Series Triathlon18216 Weiss Lane, Pflugerville, TX five55series.com/race-info-austin.php

Jack’s Generic TriathlonTexas Ski Ranch, New Braunfels, TX jacksgenerictri.com/default.asp

Capt’n Karl’s Night-Time Trail Running (60K/30K/10K)Colorado Bend State Park, Bend, TX tejastrails.com/CaptKarl.html

AuguST 12

Inspire Kids to TRI Youth TriathlonElizabeth Milburn Park, Cedar Park, TX inspirekidstotri.com/

AuguST 18

Vern’s No Frills 5KBerry Springs Park & Preserve, Georgetown, TX noexcusesrunning.com/

AuguST 19

Austin Subaru’s Paddle for PuppiesAustin American-Statesman property, 305 S. Congress, Austin, TX • paddleforpuppies.com

Hotter Than…Du, Duathlon and 5K Fun Run/WalkBrushy Creek Sports Park, Cedar Park, TX afueratexas.com/Hotter_Than_....php

AuguST 21

Pure austin splash & DashQuarry Lake, 4210 W. Braker Lane, Austin, TXhighfiveevents.com/events/splash-n-dash/info.asp

AuguST 26

NOCC Balance 5K and Kids’ KThe Domain, Austin, TX • nocc.kintera.org/faf/home/default.asp?ievent=1014126

AuguST 30

Colin’s Hope Got2Swim Lake Austin (4 and 9-mile charity swim)Swim finish is at the boat ramp, just west of Abel’s on the Lake/Mozart’s/Hula Hutcolinshope.org

AuguST 31

Zilker RelaysZilker Park, Austin, TX • zilkerrelays.org

sEPTEMBEr

SEPTEMBER 1

Capt’n Karl’s Night-Time Trail Running (60K/30K/10K)Reveille Peak Ranch, 105 CR 114, Burnet, TX tejastrails.com/CaptKarl.html

Keep Austin Well 5K Run/WalkArbor Trails, 4301 W. William Cannon Drive, Austin, TX • totalwellnessaustin.com

SEPTEMBER 3

Land Rover TriRock Austin Triathlon Auditorium Shores, Austin, TX trirock.competitor.com/austin/

SEPTEMBER 5



SEPTEMBER 15

Vern’s No Frills 5KGeorgetown, TX • noexcusesrunning.com

Muddy Outlaw 5K DashTravis County Expo Center, 7311 Decker Lane, Austin, TX • muddyoutlaw.com/home.html

SEPTEMBER 18

Pure austin splash & DashQuarry Lake, 4210 W. Braker Lane, Austin, TX highfiveevents.com/events/splash-n-dash/info.asp

SEPTEMBER 23

RetailMenot austin Marathon Relay422 West Riverside Dr., Austin, TXaustinmarathonrelay.com

Reveille Peak 100 Mountain Bike RaceReveille Peak Ranch, 105 CR 114, Burnet, TX rprtexas.com/2012/01/September-23-reveille-peak-100-mtn-bike-race/

SEPTEMBER 28-30

Kerrville Triathlon Festival (Expo, Sprint Distance and Fun Run, and Half Ironman-Distance)Inn of the Hills, 1001 Junction Highway (SH 27), Kerrville, TX • kerrvilletri.com/default.asp

SEPTEMBER 29

Dare to Ascend Trail RunRussell Park, 2101 CR 262, Georgetown, TX ascendoutdoor.com/dare-to-ascend-trailrun.htm

SEPTEMBER 30

casa superhero RunMueller Lake Park and Hangar, 4550 Mueller Blvd., Austin, TX • casasuperherorun.com

OCTOBEr

OCTOBER 5


OCTOBER 6-7

IBM Uptown Classic 10K (#1 in the Austin Fit Magazine Distance Challenge)IBM Campus near the Domain, 11501 Burnet Road, Austin, TX • uptownclassic.com

Tough MudderCross Creek Ranch, 2924 Highway 21 East, Paige, TX • toughmudder.com/events/austin-2012/

OCTOBER 20

Spooktacular Seek and SprintAustin State Supported Living Center, 2203 W. 35th Street, Austin, TX • aussicfriends.org/

Vern’s No Frills 5KBerry Springs Park & Preserve, Georgetown, TX noexcusesrunning.com/

Frankenthon Monster MarathonBrushy Creek Park, Cedar Park, TXfrankenthon.com/index.asp

OCTOBER 21

Team LiveStrong Challenge Austin Bike RidePalmer Events Center, 800 W. Riverside Drive, Austin, TX • livestrong.org/Take-Action/Team-LIVESTRONG-Events/Ride/Team-LIVESTRONG-Challenge-Austin

OCTOBER 27

Cactus Rose 100 mile/50 mile/4 x 25 mile relayHill Country State Natural Area, Bandera, TX tejastrails.com

Dash for Dad 5K and 1-mile Fun RunCamp Mabry, 2200 W. 35th Street, Austin, TX dashfordad.com/races/Austin/

OCTOBER 28

ironman 70.3 austinWalter E. Long Park, Austin, TXironmanaustin.com

Run For the Water 10-mile Race (#2 in the Austin Fit Magazine Distance Challenge)South First Street Bridge near RunTex Riverside gazellefoundation.com/runforthewater2012/

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r i D E s & r A C E s A R o u n D A u s t I n 95

BEAST Performance LLC

with Chad Leath 100 E Whitestone Blvd. Suite 148 Cedar Park, TX 78613 www.beast-performance.com

kICk MO’S BuTT!

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Warm up :inchwormsSpider-manslunge ComplexStraight leg marchesSprinter SkipsSingle leg Cycles

Agility:hip hop directionals 6 x 5 yards Plyometrics:alternating bounds 2 x 30 yardssingle leg bounds 2 x 30 yards, each leg2-1 bounds1-2 bounds resisted sprints:band sprints 2 x 20 yardsband Crossovers 4 x 20 yardsband backpedals 2 x 20 yards Turkish Get-up Complex: 3 sets of 5 sit-ups/16 farmer’s lunge/10 kettlebell (kb) swings Core Work:Medicine ball Plank reach 2 x 10, each sideknee to elbow side Plank 2 x 10, each sideMedicine ball glute ham 2 x 10 Finisher:25 up/downs with 5 big waves on each up/down

Workout


i was prepping for the biggest race of my adult life, the 400 meter Master’s invitational Women’s event at the united states olympic trials, so i asked highly decorated athlete and educated trainer

chad leath to help me with some workouts to make sure i was ready. i knew chad would be able to help me with this goal as he has numerous credentials as a track athlete and a strong success record with a variety of athletes as a coach. since i was spending so much time working with chad, it seemed natural to do a kick Mo’s butt feature with him and his team at beast Performance llc as well.

By moniCA brAnt | photography By briAn Fitzsimmons

The KMB workout fell so close to the event that we decided to include some of the actual drills Chad has been using to better my sprinting technique. It’s amazing how many things go into sprinting technique! Speed is definitely a factor, and form can make or break a time and placement; I’m also learning how important the warm-up portion is and how hard it is to do correctly. If these can all be perfected, my speed and sprinting will definitely improve.

From the warm up to the finish, Chad worked diligently to make sure I used the best form possible and that I had enough recovery before moving on to the next exer-cise. As a person who learns well visually, I asked Chad to perform the exercise a few times so that I could see him model the form and power it took to execute the movement. Thankfully, Chad is not only a good instruc-tor but also a conditioned athlete as well.

That afternoon, the blazing sun brought the temperature close to 100 degrees. Even so, I went through all the exercises he had

lined up for me. The exercises were fun and there was so much variety, which is exactly what I like in a workout. I believe my favorite section was Plyometric, as I do love to jump. I felt great after the shoot, so good that Chad actually put me through a track workout following!

Since the KMB feature, Chad has programmed a routine for me that will encompass my training on the track and in the gym with weights. I have enjoyed these workouts tremendously and will be training with Chad for the Masters Outdoor Nation-als, which are coming up at the beginning of August in Chicago.

Seeing as Chad is my trainer, I’d obviously recommend him and his team at BEAST Performance LLC to all who are looking to bump up their fitness levels and get THEIR butts kicked, just as I did mine! afm

Special thanks to Hair Goddess (hairgoddess.net) for continual great hair design.

Mo Bests a Beast of a workout

k m b K I C K M o ' s B u t t 97

Muscle Movement of the Month

By DiAnE vivEs, ms, CsCs | photography By briAn Fitzsimmons

We Woke the Giants!

thOugh Th E DuST has settled, the adrenaline from the 2012 AFM FITTEST presented by Nexersys is still flowing. It was motivating to watch such a wide range of competitors come out; we saw fitness enthusiasts

awaken their inner athletes and saw sport-specific athletes challenge their limits. The competition tested different areas of fitness as well as different energy systems, just as it was designed to do. As a result, both our great Austin endurance community and the power and strength community, which is growing in number, were challenged. Each athlete found challenges in areas outside of his or her sport-specific training and exposed individual weaknesses for improvement. Energized spectators and the thrill of pushing oneself in both familiar and unfamiliar activities fostered an exciting spirit of competition.

The components of human performance involve a combination

of power, speed, coordination, strength, speed endurance, and endurance. Each athlete may dominate certain areas of human performance based on his or her specific sport and training regimen. Take, for example, competitive cyclists; the energy systems they have adapted most specifically to their sport or activity become more dominant and these will differ from, say, a competitive weight lifter. As many sports medicine and strength and conditioning professionals can attest, an athlete’s resilience as well as her long-term fitness lies in those areas outside the sport-specific movements she is zeroing in on, mastering, and repeating. Don’t get me wrong—you must have high repetition in order to master, become more proficient, and adapt the energy systems required to compete at a higher level in your particular sport. But even some of the best athletes become prone to injuries, lose resilience, and sometimes are unable to reach higher levels of performance in their sports in the


Diane Vives, mS, is an Advisory member of the Under Armour performance training Council. An internationally recognized fitness expert, she has appeared in several publications such as Women’s Health, Shape, and muscle & fitness Hers.

absence of balanced and multi-dimensional training practices. Having well-rounded athleticism can definitely prolong athletic careers and enable a lifetime of fitness.

For this reason, we included all aspects of performance in the AFM FITTEST, which mirrors the practice of many university athletic programs, military fitness tests, and current combine testing systems that originally became popular with American football. This type of testing is necessary in order to look at an athlete while performing specific sports skills as well as to assess the athlete’s ability to be injury-resistant and adapt to higher levels of sport-specific training. Therefore, we included a range of tests through the spectrum of human performance, making some intentional modifications so that the AFM FITTEST was accessible to all age groups and fitness levels.

Here’s how the individual tests cov-ered the human performance spectrum:

•power was demonstrated in the Medicine ball toss (upper body) and standing broad Jump (lower body);

•Speed was addressed in the 40-yard dash;

•Coordination and agility were encompassed in the agility Cone run and softball throw;

•Strength was determined in Pull-ups and the hand grip;

•Strength endurance was illustrated with burpees;

•Speed endurance was demonstrated in the interval run;

•endurance was shown in the 1-Mile run.

Several people hit me with the same big question: “Why can’t we do the mile first and get it out of the way?” Here’s the skinny: the order of events was chosen based on results seen by exercise researchers when testing the diverse human performance components in a single bout on the same day. What they’ve found is that it is important to arrange tests in an order that allows the energy systems to recover. A power movement (such as the Medicine

Ball Toss) is performed very quickly and recovery, which is based on the body’s energy needs, can be quick as well. Although there will be some cumulative carryover from test to test, taking into consideration recovery needs allows the best advantage possible for athletes performing all the events on the same day during testing.

It was so inspiring to see the competitors embrace the areas where they were not as strong and take charge of the tests where they naturally excelled. These athletes showed tremendous effort, strong will, sportsmanship, and community by supporting each other every step of the way, which truly expresses what I consider to be the spirit of Austin’s fitness community. And a huge “hats off” goes to the fitness professionals who came together as sponsors, judges, coaches, and athletes. As an Austin-based fitness professional

myself, the unified support across all fitness specialties and sport groups was incredible and inspiring to see.

We are already working on exciting ways to help competitors, trainers, and coaches with form, technique and more training programs that will translate to better overall performance next year for competing athletes. Without question, the AFM FITTEST is moving Austin’s fitness community closer to being a national leader in lifetime fitness! afm

athletes showed tremendous effort, strong will, sportsmanship, and community by supporting each other.

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By THE NuMBErs: COMPETITION AND THE OlyMPICsAFM concludes its coverage of the FittEst just as the world begins to watch the olympics, so it seemed

fitting to find some facts that take a look at the competitive spirit.

sourCEs listEd on www.austinFitmagazinE.Com

1900year that women were first allowed to participate in the olympic events

50World record for most pull-ups in one minute, held by both Jason Petzold and Matthew bogdanowicz (usa)

2.7Cost of hosting the the 2002 Winter olympics in salt lake City, utah, in billions of dollars

748estimated number of calories burned by Michael Phelps in one hour of swimming during the 2008 olympics

34age of Melanie Johnstone, the youngest runner to complete 100 marathons

8,000number of perforations in the olympic torch, one for each of the 8,000 torchbearers

300average distance in meters a torchbearer carries the olympic flame in 2012

110distance in miles per day that the olympic flame will travel from olympia, greece, to london

40number of chin-ups ever performed in one minute, accomplished by robert natoli in 2006 10,000amount of coordinated movements the eye muscles make in one hour while reading a book

22Percent of schools in the u.s. that don’t require kids to take any P.e.

8.8amount of tickets for olympic events, in millions

10,000number of athletes participating in the 2012 olympic games

1908first year that london hosted the olympics

85Percent of volunteer youth sports coaches whose children play on their teams

60Percentage of the u.s. population that does not exercise regularly

17hours needed for roger allsopp, 70, to become the oldest man to swim the english Channel

10,507record number of push-ups performed non-stop, by Minoru yoshida in 1980

73age of the oldest women, tamae Watanabe,to climb Mount everest

25Percent of total muscle mass lost by age 65 by adults who do not use resistance training in exercise

20difference in calories burned holding onto the rails of a treadmill versus letting go, in percentage

12.2length in feet of the highest standing long jump ever recorded, performed by norwegian arne tvervaag

8,300number of officials and coaches participating in the 2012 olympic games

3Number of continents that have never hosted the Olympic Games


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AFM FITTEST Photos, Fun, and Feedback

KnEE PAIn bending exPectations

by MElAnIE P. MoorE

DESIrEE FIcKEr dares to struggle

AFM Gives the

Full ReveAl

Meet this Year’s 10 Fittest

August 2012

august 2012 - ten fittest issue

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