5 For Friday

1. I don't know about you, but with all the different sugar alternatives on the market now, I'm more confused than ever. Granted, I hardly ever use sweeteners, even in my coffee, but it's good to know what are the best options and what is best to stay away from. Here's a good article from Rodale that breaks it down.

2. Saturday is the last chance for New Yorker's to take advantage of Summer Streets this year, so get out there and say 'hi' if you see Woody and me running!

3. Have you wanted to run the ING NYC Marathon but haven't had time to run the 9 qualifying races or live in another city? Well, Team For Kids, the charity running group that supports the New York Road Runners Youth Running Programs (serving children across the country and in South Africa) still has spaces available for this year's marathon! Visit their site for more information if you're interested! I know several people who have joined TFK's and can not say enough great things about the group. It's not to late!

4. If you're in Brooklyn Sunday afternoon, head over to the Union Pool for the first annual Farm to Folk Fest. It is a benefit concert and artisinal food festival to support the Greenpoint-Williamsburg CSA's low income fund.

5. I often get asked how I can get up so early to workout. Woody and I wake up four days a week at 4:50am to go to the gym. While we've been doing this for a few years now, our alarm clock has slowly creeped to this over a period of years. Waking up so early is only hard now after an unusually late night or during a taxing week. We are typically in bed by 10:30pm, which still doesn't get us as many hours of sleep as we probably need, but it is what it is. Neither of us are able to workout at night - either work, other responsibilities or laziness would get in the way. Also, I tend to to have a lot of trouble getting to sleep after a night workout. It definitely takes time to wake up early to workout. I wasn't too keen about it at first, but I would remind myself of how great I'd feel afterwards and how it would keep my energy up throughout the day. This and a drive to get fit, helped me get accustomed to morning workouts, and now I hate starting the day without one! It really is a lifestyle choice, because we do need to go to bed a bit early each night, but it's the best way I find to fit workouts into my schedule and it starts my day off on a healthy path. I also feel a great sense of accomplishment when I've run 5 miles or finished a tough workout before a lot of people have even woken up! If you're looking to start morning workouts, my advice is to do it gradually. Set your alarm for 20 minutes earlier, then 40, then an hour (until the time you really want to get up) and start with shorter morning workouts. Also, before you hit snooze and turn over, stop and think about why you set your alarm for that time and remind yourself of your goal. I doubt early workouts are for everyone, but it's worth a try if you're having a hard time fitting them into your days. And watching the sun rise as I run doesn't hurt either!

Woody and I will spend most of our weekend packing up our apartment (not fun). What are your plans for the weekend? How are you going to make time for fitness?
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workout stats -
14.25miles bike
3x10 cable pull twist
3x10 side bends (each side)
100 crunches
wobble board ankle exercises
foam roller and stretching