The Dish on the Donut Dash ... Plus: Recap on National Running Day and The Streak

Taking off for National Running Day.

 Hey there everyone! We hope you all had a great National Running Day -- we sure did at the I RUN event at Fossil Park. A great group of runners turned out for what ended up being a 4.4 mile race/fun run/walk. 

Pleased to report that your Sole Sisters did well on the day, with V taking 2nd in age group and M just steps behind, with a 31:35 and 31:40 respectively, finishing 15th and 16th overall. 

The course was through Fossil Park, then Sylvan Prairie Park, two trails that we were unfamiliar with before the race. We'll be back! Both areas were nicely maintained, wide enough to accommodate a crowd, well-marked, and even had a few rises to make it challenging and keep it from being pancake-flat. Speaking of food ... 

Here's the dish on the Donut Dash we have planned for National Donut Day!  If you didn't know, National Donut Day falls on the first Friday of June, and this holiday dates to 1938. What is now known as Donut Day started as a fund-raiser to benefit the Salvation Army in Chicago. The fund-raiser aimed to both aid those in need during the Great Depression and honor the memory of the "Doughnut Dollies," who were female volunteers of the Salvation Army who traveled to France in 1918 to support U.S. soldiers stationed there. These "Lassies" were sent to France after a Salvation Army mission trip concluded that soldiers were in need of several amenities, such as writing supplies, stamps, and baked goods. About 250 such Salvation Army volunteers went to France and patriotically served pastries to U.S. doughboys on the front lines.

We too wish to honor that service and also just celebrate the fact that doughnuts are so darn good! So, we are holding our own Donut Dash to mark the holiday.  Here's the skinny: 
We're going to run a 5k, and every half mile, we have to eat one glazed doughnut. M suggested perhaps we have milk at each half-mile mark as well to wash it down, but that idea was quickly vetoed by me, as I am somewhat-lactose sensitive (ever try to drink a glass of milk before a run? Oh, no thank you). One of the neat things about National Donut Day is that many doughnut establishments give out free doughnuts to celebrate! Here's a list of places where you can score some free fritters: FREE DOUGHNUTS!!

Glazed doughnuts seem like the best choice for us, especially over heavy Bavarian cream-filled longjohns or sugary raspberry-filled jelly doughnuts. Even though we're running during this 5k, we're still going to come out on the bad end calorically speaking. A single glazed doughnut runs about 200 calories. If we successfully consume one every half mile, that's six over the course of the 5K. That puts us at 1,200 calories in doughnuts. I think I just developed a twitch as I typed that number. Our height and weight differences put M and I at different calories burned during a 5K, but you could average it out to about 325 or so calories for the 3 miles. Oh, dear. This is turning into less like a 5K and more like a competitive eating event. Perhaps I can persuade Joey "Jaws" Chestnut or Sonya "Black Widow" Thomas to come and make this a relay event so I only have to consume one sugary treat (which, on any other day, is the max doughnuts I ever eat. And that's maybe once every three months or so).  Anyhow, we will definitely be testing our intestinal fortitude in every conceivable sense of the word. 

We're also happy to report that the streak does live on! Day 11 and still going strong. I managed to just squeak out a mile and call it a rest day. This was my first streak day done on the treadmill, and I still don't like running on the treadmill. But, Sole Child Nick was watching "Identity Thief" so I got to watch it with him in the living room, while running.  

And a Sole Sister shoutout to Allan Detrich, who continues to both streak AND knock down his mile time! In one week, he has whittled his mile time by an entire minute. Fan-freaking-tastic, Allan! Debbie in Delaware is still streaking AND cross training, Sara in Cincinnati is racking up her streaking time, and so is Jodi in Bowling Green. Who am I missing? Weigh in! 


M got her streak day in with runner friend Tyler -- she clocked 2 miles in 21:42, with the second mile a scorcher at 6:58. Nice, sis! 

Before we go, here are a few more fun shots from National Running Day! How did you celebrate? 

We'll let you know if we had the guts to stomach our inaugural Donut Day Dash! Stay tuned...

Guest Runner Post -- Coach B's Life-changing Moment

Sole Sister V plants one on the coach. 

Everybody has moments in their lives that shape their future, that define the person that they will become.
My moment came when I was 30 years old, sitting in an examination room, and watching my doctor read over some results a nurse had just handed her.
It’s never a good thing when your doctor looks at your test results and says, “Whoa.” My doctor actually said “Whoa.”
As in “Whoa, your cholesterol is 240.”
Cholesterol is natural. Everyone has it, and it’s necessary for cells to function properly in your body. The problems arise when there is too much of it in your bloodstream. And too much of it is a level above 200.
Basically, my doctor told me, I had the trifecta of bad cholesterol tests: my good cholesterol was low, my bad cholesterol was high, and my triglyceride levels, which should have been below 150, were well above 400.
What all this meant was that I was creating the perfect conditions for plaque to build up in my arteries and choke the blood supply, significantly raising my risk of a stroke or heart attack.
My mortality is not something that I handle well. My first thought was “Oh my gosh, I’m going to die.” My second thought was “Hell no, I’m not going to die.”
On that day, almost 15 years ago, Coach B was born. 

Turning for the homestretch at Churchill's Half Marathon.

Exercise isn’t the only solution for high cholesterol. Diet is equally important and, in some cases, statins need to be used to help the body lower bad cholesterol and raise good cholesterol. For years, I was on Lipitor, and I’m a believer in it. It did what it was advertised to do.
But, without a doubt, I know that running saved my life. The day after that doctor’s office visit, I stepped on a treadmill for the first time in years. I didn’t go far. I don’t remember exactly how far I could run, but I know it was probably only about a mile. It was the first mile of thousands and thousands that I have run since.

These are just some of the running shoes lurking in our closets.

I’ve run seven marathons and four half-marathons since stepping on that treadmill. Sometimes people ask me “Why.” I simply answer “Because I can.”
So many people tell me they can’t run because they are too overweight or their knees are too bad or they don’t have the time. Well, the simple truth is that yes, you can. You put one step in front of the other, and maybe tomorrow you go farther than today. You commit to changing your life. It doesn’t matter how fast you go or how far you go. The point is just that you go.
Each week I’m going to check in with some advice and training tips. Some days the topic might deal with getting started and living a healthier life, another day might tackle how to bring down your marathon PR.
I am a runner. Join me on my journey.

-- Coach B

The Dugger family runners.

“It is not the critic who counts, not the one who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who's actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes up short again and again, who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotion and spends himself in a worthy cause; who best knows at the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly; so that this place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.” - Teddy Roosevelt

We're Going Streaking: Day Two

Good day, readers!  Sister M reporting this morning. I am happy to announce that we successfully completed Day 2 of "The Streak"!  I can confidently say that I believe Sister V and I are going to dominate this challenge!! It might get tough a couple weeks in, but we are two of the toughest, goal-oriented chicks I know!! We hope that you have joined in on the streaking fun too! 

Here is Day #2:

M:  My run was inside.  Yuck.  I am an outdoor runner 100% and totally jealous that V's run was in fresh air!  Sometimes having kids (one being under 4), being in a time crunch and wanting to work out other body parts will lead you to the gym.  Thankfully I live less than a mile from the YMCA!

(I am not throwing up peace signs at you, readers! I am signaling that it's Day 2 of THE STREAK)

 I am not a fan of the treadmill (a.k.a. dreadmill) AT ALL.  It makes me feel like a hamster.  I brought my iPod though, the Entertainment Channel was on the gym TV and there was some serious people watching to be done, so I was okay for three miles.  No one said you had to streak outside! Anything counts!

(not the most amazing run I have had, but it felt good to sweat... back outside today though, girls and boys) 

I had roughly 50 minutes to complete my workout yesterday. After I ran for 25, I forged on and did some serious ab work and also got a little arm work in as well!  SEE... Even when pressed for time, you CAN get some sort of workout it! No excuses!  I felt great afterward!!  

  (post workout and my awful attempt at winking... i seriously need to work on this)

I must admit though, that my favorite part of Day 2 did not involve running.  It involved getting dolled up with Sister V and headed out for a couple drinks and catching up!  Love that pretty lady!!

  (we aren't always covered in sweat and donned in running clothes.  we actually clean up well!)

  V: Aww, right back atcha, Sister M! xoxo

Clockwise from top left: a horse (it's not a cow); me (outstanding in someone's field), country road (what hill work?), me (and my shadow), RWRunStreak.

 
V: I'm completely lucky because my Day 2 coincided with my stepdaughter's horseback riding lesson day. We drove south of Bowling Green to her horse barn (just a couple of wrong turns, but we made it) and while she tacked up, I took off. 

Even though the Dropkick Murphys were blasting in my earbuds, I seem to have also been
channeling John Denver on these country roads.

I got to run actual country miles! Six of them, to be more precise, and it was just beautiful out there in northwest Ohio. I even saw two foxes running along the road and into a field (it may have been the same fox twice; I didn't really get close enough to ask). 

This run was also special because it marked the day that the Run4Good community reached 10,000 miles for the month of May, triggering the $10,000 donation to the Kenton County School District's effort to fight childhood obesity. Great job Run4Good!

And yes, while I loooooved my Day 2 run, it was great to catch up on things with M on our girls' night out! You know you're a runner when you get together for a run and talk about everything BUT running, and when you get together for a night out, you talk about NOTHING BUT running. Good times. 

Good luck with your streaking, if you're into it!! 

SOLE SISTER SHOUTOUT to V's friend Debbie in Delaware, Ohio, for streaking alongside us! Way to be, Debbie. Good luck and enjoy your streak!

-- The Sole Sisters