I was dubbed “Mountain Kait” at the tender age of 16 while on a high school trip to Ireland. A group of us, including my longtime friend (since preschool and still best buds today), were hiking to an Abbey at the foot of a lake. While everyone was walking down a double track dirt road, I chose a different route, high on the mountainside. People worriedly asked where I had gone, and my girl gracefully and without hesitation told them, “she’s Mountain Kait, and I am sure she is up there somewhere” and pointed to the mountains. The moniker stuck and has defined me all these years, especially as I have moved westward to a life of environmental advocacy and endurance racing, first in Colorado and now in Wyoming.

I have a strong affinity for the mountains. Perhaps it is the incredible metaphor that they provide for our lives. We always seem to be searching for that next mountain to climb whether it is in our home lives, careers, or elsewhere. That’s why I say “just when you think you can’t, you can.” But, mountains for me are not just a metaphor – they are my life; they are my essence.

Over time and with more life experiences the persona of Mountain Kait has evolved. When you visit my site you will discover:

• Training logs for endurance events including marathons, trail races, mountain biking, and backcountry skiing
• Gear and trail reviews for outdoor pursuits
• Intimate posts on personal health issues and how they affect my activity level
• Tips and advice for how to live an all-natural, organic lifestyle that embraces what it means to “go green”
• All-natural vegetarian nutrition ideas to fuel long runs, hikes, and biking adventures
• Pictures of my lifestyle in Wyoming
• Reader discussions about how to balance a lifestyle of proper exercise, nutrition, and relaxation
• Inspiration to go further and push the limits of what we thought possible in all parts of our lives

I invite you to come along and experience the adventures of Mountain Kait and to join in on the discussions.

You can also find Mountain Kait on Twitter, Pinterest, and Facebook.

Thanks for stopping by!

Kaitlyn

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Running is my adventure.

I began writing about my running when I found myself intimidated by my new living environment. I’m a midwest girl now residing in the northeast. The weather and especially the hills chased me inside to the treadmill.

One day, after seeing and passing runners in my car (again), I decided if they can do it, so can I. So I set a date to transition from my basement “dread-mill” to the great outdoors. I decided to document my journey as a form of motivation for myself. Publishing my experiences for others to read would hold me accountable and prevent me from giving up out of fear.

Thus began my Running Escapades and my attempt to become a New England runner. I experienced my first winter weather advisory, discovered that I like to run on trails, ran my first half marathon with the support of my husband, and dealt with a nagging injury.

My exploits over the past year have enabled me to log over 900 running miles, taken me to Rhode Island, Ohio, Massachusetts, and Florida, introduced me to new gear, and allowed me to have some really cool experiences. The belief that I can become a New England runner has gotten closer and I now find myself looking forward to the next challenge that the northeast might throw my way.

Running Escapades is about my love for running. It is a place for me to share my experiences and my passion. It’s where I get the chance to reflect on what’s working and what is not. It offers me the opportunity to hear about others’ escapades and learn from their experiences. It is a chronicle of the runner in me.

I hope you’ll take a moment to check out my blog and leave me a comment. I would love to hear from you. You can also follow me on Facebook and Twitter.

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Are you a runner? Cyclist? Swimmer? Are you looking for a new challenge? Injured, and have discovered that you actually enjoy your cross training swim or bike workouts? As someone who learned to love running late in life, I rediscovered the sport of triathlon in an effort to find new ways to challenge myself physically. I say “rediscovered” because I remember watching the Ironman triathlon broadcasts on TV growing up as a chubby kid who did no real activities!

Triathlon is a challenging sport that combines a swim, bike and run leg into one race. In the process of learning about and training for my first triathlon, I started Trying to Tri in order to chronicle my journey, what I experienced, and what I learned.

As someone who came to sport in my mid-30s after being obese for many years, trying anything new is a long process full of trying new things, figuring out what works, conquering fears and embracing change. Along the way, I’ve been fortunate to meet new people and achieve things I never thought I’d be able to do, such as complete my first marathon, and my very first triathlon!

When I started blogging at Trying to Tri, my intent was to blog about my triathlon adventures – and I still do that a lot. But over time, I started talking about all the other things that go into living a healthy life style – maintaining a healthy weight, getting proper nutrition for both weight loss and training, and finding work-life balance.

Some of my favourite posts have looked at vegetarianism, exercise addiction and eating disorders, and many, many recipes for healthy meal options!

Trying to Tri is a small community of people who are working to improve their health and fitness, through many different forms, including triathlon. I can’t begin to tell you the pride you will feel crossing the finish line of your first race. I still get a warm glow thinking about my first race, and it motivates me to train even harder for the next one! Plus, it sounds totally hard core – after all, you say you’re a triathlete, and people think Ironman. You don’t have to correct them. ;)

I’m trying to spread the triathlon love – it really is the most amazing, addictive sport! It might be worth looking in to, and you could make some new friends and have a lot of fun – all while being healthy and active!

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The Long Road is a journey in words.  It refers to the entirely delayed gratification of learning to be a healthier person and the challenging long term commitment that life long weight loss entails.

Simply put, that road is a very long one – and like each of us the correct one for each person is 100% unique.  My blog is the story of my road, my path, and the things I’ve learned along the way.

I’m 37 years old and weigh a little less than 300 lbs.  According to the American Medical Association, I need to cut that number in half.  According to me I just want to be healthy, able to do whatever physical activity I feel like doing and happy with the way I look.  A long time ago I had to turn my back on what my society expects me to be, but I can never walk away from what I want for myself.

My journey contains close encounters with a fashion industry that continually mystifies me, fighting the good fight against fat fees, and details of a hate / hate relationship with my clothes and the challenge of trying to just dress nicely in a world that seems hell bent on giving me nothing to wear but a polyester muumuu.

Sometimes I’m Don Quixote tilting at windmills and writing pointless and irritable letters to major clothing corporations trying to get them to better represent, if not me, then at least most of the women in theUnited States in their advertizing campaigns.

I spend time wondering how and why we all get so beat down over time, and taking on size discrimination both big and small.  I’m not above standing up for the slim, frequently they take even worse hits than fat folk because people have no compunction whatsoever pointing out that someone is “too skinny” right to their face.

Although I adore movies, I’m frequently frustrated by the treatment of fat people and women in the cinema.

Like many sensualist, food addicted folk I adore the enjoyment of eating and search for recipes and meals that can sate my perpetual need for new and exciting flavors.  Eating plasticized, unsatisfying foods just because they are supposedly diet friendly is a complete waste of appetite and I’m also a pretty avid anti-fast-foodie.  I also garden, with an extremely limited degree of success.

I exercise, and due to a complete lack ability to moderate I hurt myself a lot.  These days I cannot stress enough the importance of learning to pace oneself.

The most important thing I’ve learned over time and trial is that the multi billion dollar diet industry, at least in my case, is an abject failure.  After twenty years of repeated attempts and dropouts it has turned what might have been a minor weight issue at age fourteen into a major impending health problem now.  I have turned my back on it, and through much trial and much error I’m attempting to find a way in which I can be good to myself, get to where I need and want to be, and simply live.  That’s the road.

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Living a healthy life can be intimidating.  There are so many voices telling us how to eat better, look better, and feel better.  And we listen to all of them, only to abandon another diet of eating only mint leaves and grape chapstick or get electrocuted by the latest fat blasting gadget that was supposed to be safe for the pool.    So where do we begin?  Who do we listen to?

After many years of listening to all of the difference voices, I think I have it figured out.  Instead of trying to be healthy, we need to live healthy.  And the only way to do that is together. To hold each other accountable, pick each other up when we just don’t think we can go another step, and laugh (loudly) at one another when we do something stupid.  Which will undoubtedly happen along your journey.  Just warning you.

Thus, Fiterature was born. Fiterature is a place where I share my attempt at living a healthy life that’s fun, rewarding, and most importantly – attainable.  Yes, I make mistakes.  Yes, I eat ice cream.  And yes, I’ve peed my pants while running.  Don’t get all excited – the other 90% of the time I’m drowning in a pool of my own sweat, drinking spinach, or doing lunges, squats and other shenanigans with legwarmers.   Sorry, but notice I didn’t say it would be easy.  I can’t promise you that.  Because the things that you truly want are worth working for.  What I can promise is that Fiterature will never take itself too seriously, and I hope you don’t either.  I mean, I’m in a leotard for goodness sake – how serious can this get?

But enough about me.  Head over to Fiterature, read a bit, then tell me about you.  Share links with Fiterature on Facebook or Twitter. What do you want to know that no one is talking about (like swimples)?   What isn’t working for you or has you confused (like how to say Quinoa)?  Let me hear it because I’m sure I’ve either eaten it, worn it, or tripped over it.  And I bet I know a better way.  Or if not, I know someone who does.

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You may be forgiven for thinking that my site is actually a travel blog if you’ve stopped by in the last month or so.  The first two weeks of April, I took my dream spring break to several National Parks in the Southwest, and then spent about a week and a half recapping my extraordinary experience.  Fitness musings were few and far between.

Part of this was simply because it was such an incredible trip- exceeding my already high expectations- and I wanted to share this with others.  Also, my husband took stunning photos that deserved a public platform!

But there was an essential physical aspect to my vacation that I also feel is critical to my fitness story.  I felt like I experienced a fitness reawakening of sorts while on my trip.  Almost everyday, my husband and I spent much of our time outdoors, hiking a huge variety of terrain that required our bodies to constantly adapt to ever-changing conditions.  Most days we hiked between 4-8 miles, often up and down steep canyons- at the Grand Canyon, we descended 1,500 feet in just 1.5 miles!  In several places we were in dry desert conditions with simultaneously rocky and sandy trails that tested our endurance.

I marveled at the fact that I was able to do all this with relative ease.  This is not to say any of these hikes were easy.  But my body never felt totally destroyed at the end either.  In fact, aside from some tired feet occasionally, I never experienced any muscle fatigue or pain.

I couldn’t help but compare to two years ago when we did a similar trip along the West Coast.  I wasn’t in the habit of working out that regularly then, so while I was able to still do the hikes I had to stop for rest somewhat frequently, and my muscles were definitely feeling it the first few days.  Not this time- my regular strength training sessions, spinning classes and half marathon training really made a world of difference.

My new physical capabilities has instilled a new motivation to continue exercising regularly.  I know my husband and I plan to see as many National Parks as we can in the future, and I want to be able to really experience them- to take on the toughest hiking trail they have, and savor the rewards they offer.  Many fellow guests at the parks we visited weren’t physically able to experience the park as we did and couldn’t venture much beyond the parking lots or paved look out points.  I want to always be able to move beyond these surface experiences and truly devour what the Parks have to offer.

I will only be able to do that if I continue to maintain my fitness levels.

That is why my spring break featured so prominently in my blogging recently.  It’s now not only an beautiful memory that my husband and I will always share, but it’s a critical component to my fitness journey.  It will always play a key role in motivating me to keep moving, to keep challenging my body, and to appreciate the gifts, small and large, that leading a healthy lifestyle provides.

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A fiery passion for fitness changed my life, and I want to share that with everyone!!!  Oh … and I am a photographer!

So, Fit-ographer was born!

After reluctantly starting my weight loss journey to rid myself of the 60 extra pounds I’d earned with children and an increasingly lazy attitude toward myself, I surprised myself by falling in love with fitness!  I’ve come to love eating healthy and, more recently, to love lifting heavy things – it’s somewhat of an obsession, and sharing what I’ve learned with others is a close 2nd.

The simplest way to share seemed to be a blog.  So I began with one post about how my journey started and a few things I learned that worked for me – largely in response to people asking me “wow – how did you do THAT?”.  I like to keep up to date on what I am doing just to keep my story going, but I also share recipes, workouts, things that inspire me, and some thoughts on the mental process of making such a big life change – things I feel have helped me be successful in losing weight and getting fit.

The purpose of the blog is to show people that someone “ in real life” – with kids and work and household and date nite – is doing what they want to do (what, in the back of their minds, they might be afraid to do or wonder if they even CAN).

I hope what I share gives readers, not just motivation or inspiration, but concrete knowledge and tools to help them along their own journey.

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You could say that I was destined to be a runner. My parents were avid athletes and runners, often racing multiple events in one season, and even running their first marathon the year before I was born. When I was very young, my mom would strap me on her bike and take me for 6+ mile rides and as I grew older and received my own bike, I would ride along with my dad on his weeknight runs, keeping him company with my mindless chatter. While, both of my parents remained (and remain) active throughout my young adulthood, somehow during middle school I was lost in the shuffle.

I have been active throughout my life, however during middle school and high school my unhealthy eating habits not only added to my waistline but also made me feel pretty gross. I knew that I needed to make some changes and with the support of my family, I cleaned up my diet, lost the extra pounds, and started looking for exercise that I could continue after high school graduation.

My passion for running started shortly thereafter. I began running 2 miles at a time a couple of times a week and before I knew it I was craving more and more. I fell in love with the runners high, being outdoors, and pounding the pavement. For the first time in my life, I looked forward to working out instead of dreading it. I also started to feel more sure of myself, running had given me a new confidence that I had never experienced before! I started speaking out more in class, introducing myself to new people, and as a result had a very successful undergraduate career. I like to think that running changed my life in that respect.

About two years after I started running, I began racing and I have not looked back. I have completed 5k’s, 10k’s, 15k’s, half-marathons, and full-marathons and even qualified for the Boston Marathon last April!

So I guess you could say that I was a late bloomer, BUT once the running seed was planted, it just continued to grow and grow. My athletic interests have also recently expanded, and I am scheduled to race my first triathlon this coming June. I am so excited to see where my new pursuits take me.

Running the Windy City is a place where I document my life. This includes training, recipes, my cat’s crazy antics, and the restaurants I visit in Chicago my current home. I hope to prove to you that it is possible to live a healthy life while balancing work, school, family, and other responsibilities. I also hope to foster the feelings of community and support, two things that the blogging community has taught me to really appreciate.

Unfortunately, I was injured this past running season and had to defer my Boston Marathon entry until next year. The decision not to run was tough and extremely emotional but after watching all of the runners cross the finish line on Marathon Monday, I am MORE determined than EVER to train my body and mind to PR next season. I hope you visit my blog, Running the Windy City and are as inspired as I am to get fit, be healthy, and have a little fun!

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Fitness is not about a look, it’s about a feeling. 

It’s about the high you feel after a great run. The strength you feel after completing a set of pushups. The excitement you feel when your jeans fit and the joy you feel when you receive a compliment from a friend.  Most importantly it’s about the motivation you find from within, and the sense of accomplishment you feel after conquering your goal.

Getting there is about making lifestyle changes.  After struggling with my weight for nearly 30 years I finally caught on. First I changed my exercise routine, then my eating habits and finally my outlook on life.  It wasn’t an easy battle.  It took a lot of patience, hard work and dedication.  I did it by making gradual changes that eventually turned in to healthy habits. It all proved to be worth it. Here I am 7 years later living a fit and healthy lifestyle and loving life. I say this not because of how I look, but because of how I feel.   I’ll never forget the compliments I received at my 10^th year high school reunion or crossing the finish line at my first 5k.  My experiences are what have motivated me to create this blog and share my philosophy on fitness; all with the hopes of motivating you.

Change is overwhelming.  As much as we would like it to, it doesn’t happen overnight. The good news is that you don’t have to change everything all at once.   If you take it one step at a time, as I did, you will find success.  So how do you get there?  Maybe this week you start by eating a healthy breakfast every morning, such as overnight oats or healthy muffins.  And next week you add interval training to your workout routine and so on. Before you know it each change becomes part of your everyday life.

You only have one body so why not take care of it? When was the last time you reaped the benefits of a good night’s sleep?  Or took measures to de-stress and de-clutter your life? Or read something inspirational?   Be Fit with Kristen is more than fit tips and healthy recipes, it’s about inspiring you to a life of overall health and wellness.  Being healthy isn’t just about exercise and eating well; it’s about having a positive self image and taking care of you.

I believe that leading a fit and healthy life will do wonders to clear your mind, sharpen your focus and strengthen your soul.  Won’t you come and join me?

You can follow Be Fit with Kristen on facebook, twitter or pinterest.

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13 Going on Crazy was conceived on the notion that I was looking for a challenge. And in the Battle of Marathon, Half Marathon that is I found it. I signed on for a deranged assignment. 13 Half Marathons 13 Months. 395 days. 13 races. 170.30 miles. One girl and a pair of Asics running shoes and a garmin 405 CX.

Most runners want to improve their running pace. I agree that this is a goal of mine as well, to improve my pace. I however have been struggling with this as my GI and health issues have greatly impacted my training this year. I have struggled with being ashamed and embarrassed of my GI issues for years and as a runner I now struggle with being ashamed of my pace.

I understand that yes, I am at least out there hitting the pavement. While all that might be true I greatly want to embrace and unleash my inner gazelle and be one of those “fast runners.” I am learning to accept my GI issues for what they are and with time I know that my stomach will settle itself down. I am taking all the proper courses of action toward the road of recovery, which will help my pace tremendously. I have changed my diet completely, I think that I am allowed to eat 12 items, I am not joking. I have been keeping a food journal for over three months and have been able to stick to my dietary plan.

Previously I have completed a half marathon in less than 2 hours and 40 minutes before and I know that one day I will be there again. I have 131 days until The Disneyland Half, which is the last race of my challenge, to focus on improving my pace. From now until The Disneyland Half every run that I complete is a victory and I need to accept myself for who I am and what I am capable of. In life you need to pull yourself up by the bootstraps or in my case my running shoe laces and keep on going and that is exactly what I am going to do. Look out Labor Day 2012 I am crossing that finish line in under 2 hours and 30 minutes!

13 Going on Crazy is a medium for acceptance, inspiration, growth, and self-discovery, I am dedicated to cultivating a healthier mind, body, and spirit relationship.

I invite you to explore the site and join me on this journey of self-discovery. Here are some of my personal favorite posts:

• Acceptance: Setting high goals in order to achieve the physical stamina that one would need in order to complete a half marathon opened doors to a discussion about personal challenges that interfered with that goal.  This gave me the opportunity to come out of the bathroom and share my challenges with having Crohn’s Disease.
• Goals: My theory on goal setting is get SMART…I established a Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and my goals are Time-Targeted.
• SPIRIT: If you could walk around with a neon sign above your head embracing and accepting your inner quirks what would it say?

I hope that you will check out 13 Going on Crazy and you too will set goals that others might view as crazy, but you will know deep in your soul that pushing the limits will help you find your inner peace and serenity.

Thanks for going down the rabbit hole with me and remember wherever you go there you are.

13 Going on Crazy can also be found on facebook, pinterest, and twitter.

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