My very first 25K: La Luisiana - Écija (Seville)

First off...HAPPY NEW YEAR! I hope it's starting off well for everyone and that you're still sticking to your resolutions (if you made them).

I'm still running and still vegan. In another post, coming soon, I want to talk about some new healthy lifestyle goals that the hubby and I are thinking about incorporating.

However, this post is about the 25K I ran this morning. It had to be the most BORING course but it was fun anyway since running is always fun for me!

I got to Écija and then had to take a coach bus 15 minutes to the next town (La Luisiana) where the race started. It was a race from La Luisiana to Écija, which are both in the province of Seville in Andalucía.

The race was officially called: RUTA CARLOS III CIUDAD DEL SOL

There were tons of people because the prizes were really good. Even the 10th woman to place got a monetary reward and a trophy!

I came in 14th and then 5th in my category, so I didn't get any prizes. But I did run it 8 minutes faster than I expected at 2 hours. So I'm happy with that.

My next race will probably be the Seville Marathon that I ran last year. It's during the second week in February.

Like I said, more posts to come (including my long missed monthly favorites). For now, enjoy a few race pics.

Check out my guest post!

This seems to be the weekend of guest posts! I hope I get more opportunities to do so. It is so much fun!

Please check out my guest post on Stephanie's blog at Love Life Project.

She is awesome and her blog has ALL KINDS of interesting things about living a healthy lifestyle. Not just exercising and eating right.

So check her out and be sure to comment on my post: "Helping Mom".

(I seriously *heart* Stephanie by the way)

Debate/Discussion: Cardio vs. strength training

Womens Health Magazine

When I first realized the importance of a healthy lifestyle combined with eating right and exercising:  

I was a cardio fiend! 

I'd go to the gym and spend hours on the elliptical trainer, the static bike, the treadmill, the stair stepper...anything cardio related really.

Not until I lost some weight did I venture into the weight room. In my mind:

cardio was for losing weight and strength training was for toning muscles. 

Once I had burned the fat hiding these areas I then started toning them. Sounds logical right?

Fast forward 8 years and I would say that the information out there isn't definitive one way or the other. Personally, I'm no longer one of those people who only goes to the gym for the cardio machines. I also have a real interest in strength training.

I use them both as part of my exercise routine and value them both. 

However, after a snacking binge, I think first about running to burn off some of those calories and not about pumping iron.

Is this from fact or fiction?

Last week, while browinsg twitter, I came across an interesting tweet from @WomensHealthMag. The article gave a breakdown (based on your needs) on whether cardio or strength training was "better".

• To burn fat and keep it off = strength training
• Combat stress = cardio
• Increase self-confidence = strength
• Reduce exercise related injuries = strength
• Live longer = cardio
• Increase your speed = it was a tie

Yesterday, I read another tweet posted by @katieRUNSthis. She wanted to know how much strength training we runners incorporate into our routines. As well as how much we think we should be doing. So, maybe we only do strength training twice a week but think the magical number is three times a week.

Honestly, I don't know how much I should be doing.

Is there a magical number? 

All I know is that I need both to be a stronger and more efficient runner. Even when I wasn't training I would do both cardio and strength everytime I hit the gym.  I felt I couldn't have one without the other. Yet, in the past I was convinced that cardio was the answer to my healthier lifestyle goals.

What do you think? Which is "better", cardio or strength training? Do you agree with Women's Health Magazine? As a runner, if you do incorporate strength training into your routine, why? If not, why not?