FitSugar

You Asked: Alternative Races

FitSugar — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 10:00:00 PDT

You're asking and I'm answering.

Hi Fit,
The Olympics inspired me to get out and race, but I am looking for something more fun than just running. I would like to do some kind of obstacle race or fitness challenge. I guess I am looking for the thrill of adventure with a fitness element. Can you help me find a race?
Thanks,
- East Coast Adventure Gal

Wow! Sounds like you are looking for something that is a cross between parkour and an open water swim. The craziest race I could find was the Nettle Warrior Tough Guy race in the UK with obstacles like burning bales of hay, electric fences, and icy streams. Nettle Warrior also has the Guy Gorilla race on Feb. 1, 2009, but sounds like you want some stateside options, so

The Five Best Races For Women

espnW — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 04:09:19 PST

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from espnW here on FitSugar!

By Dimity McDowell and Sarah Bowen Shea

Sage Steele, SportsCenter anchor, is preparing to run the Disney Princess Half Marathon at Walt Disney World on Feb. 26 and hoping to fall in love with running in the process. Follow Sage’s journey on espnW.com

Women's races offer a decidedly different vibe than their coed cousins': more camaraderie, a sole sister atmosphere that welcomes all runners and walkers, and lots more running skirts. Here are five of the top women's races and series in the country. Sign up then train like Sage.

Disney Tinker Bell and Princess half marathons
Sage picked a winner. Let your inner child run free through the Magic Kingdom at these festival race weekends. Tinker Bell is in Disneyland, while Princess is in Disney World, but both allow thousands of runners to mix and mingle with Disney characters on courses that wind through each park. Racers put almost as much effort into costumes - Snow White, Belle, or Minnie, anyone? - as training. Bonus: your kids will be especially psyched to cheer you on.

Sage Steele gets some training advice from Disney runMom Lori Lovell

Nike Women's Marathon
Yeah, it's tough to snag an entry, but if you can, this race is so worth it. (Psst: Go through Team in Training.) This 26.2-mile race, and its half-marathon companion, traverses San Francisco with sweeping vistas of the Golden Gate Bridge and Pacific Ocean to take your mind off the killer hills in the first 10 miles of the race. Tuxedo-clad firefighters bestow each finisher with a Tiffany & Co. pendant.

Run fast by fueling up smart

Three more great races after the break.

What to Expect When You're Expecting Set Visit: Elizabeth Banks on Her Fake Bump and Personal Baby Joy

Becky Kirsch — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:05:11 PST

Some of the biggest names in Hollywood will share the big screen in the upcoming comedy What to Expect When You're Expecting, which follows different mothers-to-be as they prepare for the arrivals of their bundles of joy. Cameron Diaz, Brooklyn Decker, Anna Kendrick, and Elizabeth Banks are among the famous ladies who strapped on fake baby bumps to portray different kinds of pregnant women, and Banks's character, Wendy, doesn't exactly have an easy time of it.

I visited the Atlanta set of the film last year, where Banks was shooting a climactic scene in which her character addresses all the woes of pregnancy - in an auditorium with a rather large audience. The hilarious meltdown, which you can see in the opening of the trailer for What to Expect When You're Expecting, includes harsh truths like "I'm calling it: pregnancy sucks." It was great fun to see Banks film the passionate speech again and again, especially since the funny lady mixed up her one-liners from one take to another. What was even more interesting was seeing all of the extras who played the audience members, since the group of women was a mix of actual pregnant women and women rocking fake baby bumps.

I chatted with Banks about her own experience filming the movie, and she revealed that she actually felt like she was in her own little movie, since she doesn't have much screen time with her costars. Banks was refreshingly honest about not having any parenting tips and also admitted that though welcoming her son, Felix, has brought her a great deal of joy, it hasn't changed her stance on how she feels about kids in general. Here's more of what Banks had to say about pregnancy and motherhood:

What inspired you to take this role?
Elizabeth Banks: I cried when I read the script. It has a really great ending: at the end of the movie, everybody has a baby! It really is just a very relatable story for everyone: anybody who is a parent, has considered being a parent, has a baby, whatever. It's just very universal, what happens in the film. We really explore so many great storylines and different paths to getting a child. I had a unique path to getting my son, so I understand how everybody's path to their child is different.

How does it feel to wear the bump?
EB: It's sweaty! [Laughs] I think it's probably a decent approximation; it weighs a good 10 lbs. The boobs weigh about 6 lbs. They are really unbelievable. It's fun. It definitely makes you sit and walk in a totally different way. As an actor, it's a great prop.

How did you change when you became a mom?
EB: I get drunk much faster and easier, and it's a big problem, so I can't go out very much. I find that I underestimated the amount of joy. I'm really learning about my capacity for joy through my son.

To see what Banks had to say about baby fever and her parenting tips, just keep reading.

Rewind: Sundance Magic

BuzzSugar — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 03:05:00 PST

We had a blast in Park City this year! Feast your eyes on these beautiful cast portraits from Sundance Film Festival.
Be sure to check out our reviews for Celeste and Jesse Forever and Your Sister's Sister: two of our favorite films of the fest.
The full list of Oscar nominations was released on Tuesday! Read through our snap judgments on the picks, and watch which nominees that surprised us!
New stills were released of some upcoming films we can't wait to see. Click through photos from The Amazing Spider-Man, The Hunger Games, and The Dark Knight Rises to see all we have to look forward to in 2012.
Cameron Diaz, Elizabeth Banks, and more rock big bellies in new What to Expect When You're Expecting movie posters.
We took a trip down memory lane, remembering all of Katherine Heigl's leading men through the years.
Check out all of the TV guest stars who will be making appearances on the small screen soon.
The first leg of the journey kicks off February 19 - check out the 11 dynamic duos who will compete on The Amazing Race Season 20.
Cougar Town is almost back! Get psyched for the season three premiere on Valentine's Day with these Cougar Town pics.

Savvy Tip: Create a Yearly Bucket List

SavvySugar — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 03:25:30 PST

Bucket lists are a great way to set goals and daydream about grand plans, but it's easy to feel overwhelmed by everything you hope to see and accomplish in your lifetime. To make your bucket list more manageable, divide it into parts and give it a yearly spin: "12 Things to Do in 2012." Choose one item to tackle each month and be realistic with your picks, setting aside the loftier ideas for a separate "someday" list.

Committing to just one item a month is reasonable enough, and when one fresh experience leaves you reenergized, you'll feel inspired to continue with the rest of your list. Not sure where to start? Here are 10 fun and doable bucket list ideas:

Go to a museum in your city that you've never visited.
Volunteer for a cause that means something to you.
Visit a restaurant or attempt an intimidating recipe you'd usually avoid.
Go all out and host the dinner party or birthday bash you've always imagined.
Run a challenging race that requires regular training.
Save $100 a week for four weeks and put the money toward a dream vacation.
Do the thing you're always talking about but have been too scared to try.
Take a beauty or fashion risk.
Sign up for a class - fitness, language, etc. - that interests you.
Spend a month focusing on your space and decorate in a way that inspires you.

What's on your bucket list? Share your ideas in the comments below!

90210 "A Thousand Words": Most Scandalous Moments

Rose Curiel — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 22:58:40 PST

These days, it seems no political campaign is complete without a scandal, and on this week's 90210, Teddy unwillingly fills that role in his conservative uncle's race for Congress. There are plenty of other issues, of course, including Annie taking a shocking new turn with her relationship with Patrick.

Meanwhile, Dixon tries to sort out his life by dealing with his addiction and feelings for Adrianna head on, and Ivy and Raj, receive good news. Let's break it all down when you

A Look Back at the Radio City Rockettes

Tara Sharp — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 04:00:41 PST

The annual Radio City Rockettes 2011 Christmas Spectacular production kicks off Friday, continuing a holiday tradition that's been going on since 1933! While they're now known for their New York home, the high-kicking group was founded in 1925 in St. Louis as the "Missouri Rockets." Besides having to be long and lean (the height requirement is 5'6" to 5'10 1⁄2"), the dancers were discriminated by race until the '80s. The first Asian Rockette wasn't hired until 1985, and the first African-American Rockette wasn't hired until 1988. But being more diverse isn't the only change the group has had over the years, see how the leggy performers have evolved over the decades!

6 Websites and Apps For Painless Holiday Travels

Kelly Schwarze — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 05:42:40 PST

If preparing for holiday travel season makes your heart race just at the thought of busy terminals and crowded roadways, take comfort in bits of tech salvation by bookmarking these sites and apps to help prepare for the coming craziness while preserving your sanity.

TripIt - Once signed up for the free service, forward travel confirmation emails to TripIt, which will automatically create a master itinerary of an upcoming trip accessible through the web or a mobile device. The itineraries even include the tidbits we seem to forget like weather updates, local maps, and directions.
Google Flight Search - Book that plane ticket before prices rise any further! Google's flight search engine incorporates travel basics like price point, maximum number of connections, and preferred airline with an easy-to-use interface.
Hotel Tonight - If there are too many relatives in one house, scan the last-minute hotel deals in Hotel Tonight for a chic getaway at a discounted price. Every day three hotels in a city reveal their discounted rates starting at noon, and you then have until 2 a.m. to book the deal and take advantage of a peaceful room.

Check out three more apps your phone must include for this traveling season.

From the Finish Line: Behind the Scenes at the NYC Marathon

Michele Foley — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 09:48:22 PST

Sunny skies greeted more than 47,000 runners who hit the streets for this year's New York City Marathon. Arguably one of the most popular marathons in the world, the course takes runners through each of the city's five boroughs. As a guest of Nissan - Innovation for Endurance (the Nissan Leaf is the official pace car of the marathon), I was lucky enough to watch the race from the bleachers at the finish line. The crowd's energy was infectious, and the runners were beyond inspiring. Keep reading to see what my view was like from the 26th mile!

A Record-Breaking Finish at the New York City Marathon

Michele Foley — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 09:24:18 PST

In practically perfect weather, an estimated 47,000 runners took to the streets of New York City and all its boroughs for the ING New York City Marathon. The fast-paced races led to exciting finishes when Firehiwot Dado of Ethiopia took home the women's title and Geofrey Mutai of Kenya took home the men's.

From the get go, Mary Keitany ran what seemed a record-setting race. Keitany started out hard and strong, maintaining a one-minute lead over the rest of the pack for most of the race. Dado, however, surged ahead to cross the finish line in 2:23:15, four seconds ahead of Ethiopian Buzunesh Deba, and Keitany crossed the line third, with a time of 2:23:39.

Read more about the men's race after the break.