Michigan Runner Girl invites women from across the state who have a passion for living healthy (and spending time with other fabulously fun women) to spend the weekend of May 4-7, 2017 in beautiful Traverse City. This is the second annual, all-inclusive Michigan Runner Girl Weekend taking place at the Grand Traverse Resort & Spa. On today's show: Heather welcomes Pam Carrigan and Ali Lopez to talk about this year's event. Pam is the event coordinator extraordinaire for MRG (she served as captain for Team MRG at last year's Ragnar Michigan) and Ali is, as listeners likely know, the talented chef who contributes delicious recipes to the blog. Ali prepared some awesome food at last year's MRG Weekend, and she's returning for the second annual retreat this spring.
Heather, Pam and Ali give a quick recap of last year's event and then dive into what's taking place this time around. Participants are sure to make new + amazing friends while running (trail and road options, all guided, are involved). Delicious and healthy food — an ways to re-create these easy, yummy dishes back home -- are also in the weekend line-up. Yoga and Pilates sessions, as well as spa treatments, are part of this long weekend. New this year: an afternoon of running and wine tasting planned, on the stunning Old Mission Peninsula. The ladies are also excited about a "pajama party" Friday night, and a delicious dinner-with-views at Aerie Restaurant & Lounge on Saturday night.
Registration is underway for this Thursday-Sunday retreat featuring running, rest, relaxation and rejuvenation. That's right, this year MRG added an extra day to include even more time for connection and re-centering and, of course, running.
More details and registration information: http://michiganrunnergirl.com/michigan-runner-girl-weekend-join-us-in-traverse-city-this-spring/
For this first Michigan Runner Girl episode of 2017, Heather welcomes wellness chef Ali Lopez and dietician nutritionist Miranda Monroe back to the show to talk about a favorite topic of runners: food. Many of us may be looking to improve upon our eating in the coming year, so we can fuel well and feel great. Heather shares how she's been spending more time in the kitchen lately, trying out new recipes specifically geared toward an active lifestyle, and Ali and Miranda -- both training for the Boston Marathon this April -- talk simple, small-step ways we all can improve upon our eating habits and enhance the experience of cooking and preparing meals that in turn help us stay strong and healthy for running. Learn the importance of "starting where you are" and planning ahead (the trio talk quite a bit about the power of a well-stocked pantry, as well as practical ways to make the most of your grocery shopping trips.) The trio also touch on how to become a mindful eater -- and how it makes a big difference in our overall health and well-being. Whether you're feeling on track with your food intake, or wish you could give it a boost, there's lots to digest (pun intended) and take away in this latest episode.
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At age 47, Rose Coleman took up running and decided to go big: train for a marathon. Since that day about six years ago, this mother and grandmother has racked up an impressive number of races -- 8 marathons, 70 half marathons, countless 10Ks and 5Ks -- and has also delved into the world of obstacle races (Tough Mudder, warrior runs and Spartan races) as well as relay races; for the past three years, she has served as captain of a team of women running The Fred, a 200-mile relay race here in Michigan. Rose joins Heather in the studio to talk about her athletic journey that began after moving to northern Michigan from Florida as a single mom. Rose, who is also a mountain biker, has big plans for the future, too: Ironman Louisville, Kentucky in October 2017. (She's been swimming in the pool a lot lately and is killing it!) No matter where you're at in your own running journey, hearing this 53-year-old talk about how running alleviated stress in her life and her favorite kinds of adventures (and what she's learned along the way) is sure to inspire. It's also a reminder that no matter how old we are, it's always a good time to give running a try!
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Thousands of women across Michigan, the midwest and beyond have taken to wearing a bright-colored flower in their hair while racing -- a symbol of what running has come to mean to them. Each flower -- 13 varying colors -- represent "different reasons, stories and purposes behind why we run." This community and movement, which began four years ago in Marquette, Michigan, is known as Fellow Flowers. Longtime friends Tori Sager and Mel Charbonneau are the co-founders of Fellow Flowers and join Heather on the show to talk about their running journeys and how their passion for women and running led them to become business partners and creators of a community that has touched more than 25,000 women across the country. Mel and Tori are both former collegiate athletes who came to running later in life. They ran their first half marathon together in Green Bay, Wis. "We always say, I think the universe knew something we didn't that day," Tori says of that race experience with Mel. A seed was planted when they crossed that finish line, they say, and years later, to celebrate her birthday, Tori and 13 of her friends (including Mel) "ran with flowers in our hair -- it was the 'infamous flower race.' There were amazing stories that came out of that day ... the flower was a symbol of connection and of our 12-week journey and what that meant to us." Mel, Tori and Heather talk about the reasons women run and how our individual "why I run" stories ultimately connect us to one another. Mel and Tori also share what it's like to operate a business together while living in two different cities -- Tori lives with her family in Marquette while Mel and her family reside in Madison, Wis. -- the growth Fellow Flowers has experienced since its inception, and the exciting plans for future adventures within their community.Link: fellowflowers.com