Summer on the Run: Blog 17 -- First rule to fuel: Stay Hydrated

Summer on the Run: Blog 17 -- First rule to fuel: Stay hydrated.    Jan 21, 2013 | By Summer Sanders

Continuing the Summer on the Run 12-week blog and video series, blog 17. Use hashtag #GoRun on Twitter to follow Summer and be part of the ongoing conversation.

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Fueling during training is something we all overlook at some point. It hurts when we do! It's important to put thought into it now, not later, so you can get it right on race day.

And one of the biggest parts of the fueling equation is hydrating properly. What you drink is one of the most important factors in how you feel after your workout and can help you on all of your long runs.

I've found the best way to stay hydrated is to have my own water bottle and carry it with me everywhere I go. My kids, Skye and Spider, each have their own water bottles, too. It's a good rule to let everyone choose a cool bottle, and then stick to only drinking out of your own. Aside from staying hydrated, you'll stay healthier. After fighting the flu last week, I learned how important it was to keep my germs to myself! If we were all sharing water bottles, I could have gotten everyone sick...

Read the rest of this blog HERE on ESPNW.

Summer on the Run: Blog 14 -- Involving Family, Friends makes workouts fun

Summer on the Run: Blog 14 -- Involving Family, Friends makes workouts fun. Jan 14, 2013 | By Summer Sanders

Continuing the Summer on the Run 12-week blog and video series, blog nine. Use hashtag #GoRun on Twitter to followSummer and be part of the ongoing conversation.

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Learning from our parents and providing a good example for our kids is such a beautiful thing. You can't get around that. I learned so much from my family while growing up without even knowing it. That's what made it so valuable -- it felt natural.

We become our kids' heroes. Whether we want to or not, the next generation looks up to us. I guess it's a lot like being a sports figure. The best way to teach others is by living a certain way and doing the best you can as often as possible. Being true to yourself gets you noticed, and it's something you can't fake.

Read the rest of my blog, and any other in the series on ESPNW. 

The 5-year-old birthday party

A deep breath and have a chuckle.

That was the first thing I did after pressing “send” on the evite page.  What I had just done was invite 10 of my son’s closest friends to his birthday party.  The deep breath was because the location of the party is our home and the chuckle was because I knew we were in for it. Did I mention our son is turning 5?!

If he is lucky, he will have eleven 5-year-olds acting just as 5-years-olds should… running around our house like wild and crazy kids.  For some reason, my husband and I chose this.  We knew it was a crazy, but in a strange way, we took it on as a cool challenge. I feel like I want to show the “birthday party business world” that I don’t need to spend a fortune to make my 5-year-old feel special on his big day.  Hopefully we still have a house when all is said and done.

Here is how we plan to pull off this feat…

1. Have plenty of adults. I plan on hiring a high school girl to help.
2.  Pray for decent weather! (It has been extremely cold in Park City lately, but we want to take the party outside for part of it. Fingers crossed.)
3. Have a schedule of events. Our plan: Arrival, outside obstacle course, inside craft, cake and ice cream, and last but not least…the wonderful chaos of opening presents.
4. Stick to the schedule…But have a back-up plan. (Which we are currently working on, and we’re totally open to suggestions)
5. Stay focused and remember “it is ONLY 2 HOURS” J

Spider age 4.

There’s one idem on this list I want to go in to further detail about: Opening of Presents. Some parents don’t open them at the party, but I have found that it is such joy for both the giver and the receiver that it cannot be overlooked.  My husband and I have experienced the incredible chaos, but have developed a fairly good protocol for present opening that I would like to share.  You have to set the BIRTHDAY KID up in a tall chair so that everyone can see them.  And, you have to kindly request that all kids remain seated.  Only the person giver can stand while their gift is being opened.

So, there you have it. This was quite cathartic, so thank you for being my sounding board.  For some reason, I don’t feel as worried as I did at the top of the page.  I mean, they are only 5-year-olds…

Happy (early) Birthday Spider. We love you!

Summer on the Run: VIDEO -- A Family Affair

Continuing the Summer on the Run 12-week blog and video series, first video is up! Use hashtag #GoRun on Twitter to followSummer and be part of the ongoing conversation.

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Adding video to my espnW Summer on the Run blog. Check it out!

A Family Affair: Summer Sanders talks about getting her kids involved as she continues her training for the Disney Princess Half Marathon.

Summer on the Run: Blog 9 -- Rest days Are Essential

Summer on the Run: Rest days Are Essential to Training

Jan 2, 2013 11:17 AM ET | By Summer Sanders

Continuing the Summer on the Run 12-week blog and video series, blog nine. Use hashtag #GoRun on Twitter to followSummer and be part of the ongoing conversation.

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I don't notice how tired I am until I hop into bed at night. It's my first chance to stop and think about myself. It's a great time to stretch and work through any aches and pains. It's also an opportunity to reflect upon my recent workouts, good and bad.

I ask myself (and you can do the same): "Did I get that hard speed workout done?" If you had to skip it, like I sometimes do, figure out when you can get it in this week.
I do my long runs on Wednesdays because it works best with my schedule. What's your best long run day? Make sure your training plan works for you and whatever you have coming up this week. It may be different from week to week, and that's OK.

Summer can't stop singing this week, whether it's Elton John's "Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters," or her kids' favorite Fun album, "Some Nights." Her favorite weekend tune to carry you through your upcoming tough workouts: Eminem's "Lose Yourself."

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