The Editor's Corner

Share Your Summer Workout Playlist!

What songs are you listening to while working out?

Every great workout must have a great soundtrack. Sometimes, a good song will be that little push that you need to take your session to the next level or simply keep you going! I know we have a lot of runners in the neighborhood, along with a lot of people who go to Planet Fitness in Edgewood, New Life Lady Fitness in Swissvale, Keystone Health Club or other surrounding gyms. So tell us in the comments—what's your jam?  Here are my current favorites for the gym—(and some of them tend to be for adult ears only just FYI!) The point clearly is not to show your wide range of amazing taste in music—it's all about fun and keeping the pace fast! 1. 99 Problems—Jay-Z 2. Shots—LMFAO 3. The Young Crazed Peeling—The Distillers 4. Personal Jesus—…

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Stephanie Rex

1:31 pm on Monday, June 25, 2012

Thanks Susan! ZOU BISOU BISOU! GENIUS! (I   more ›

Keystone X Training Gives Working Out New Meaning

Take your routine to the next level at Keystone Health Club.

Keystone X training sessions can best be described as a journey. Led by Diane Scanlan and Chuck Schaffold, certified CrossFit trainers at Keystone Health Club in Turtle Creek, the one-hour sessions will test your mental and physical strength, pushing you to complete reps that you might not think you are capable of in the beginning. My friend Lisa Nakamura of Forest Hills, who also is a participant, may have said it best. “I really have seen huge strength gains since I started doing it, and it's definitely helped with my martial arts,” she said. “I have to laugh because usually right in the middle of the workout, I'm like 'WHAT am I doing? Really?!' But then it's such a great feeling when you finish, knowing how hard you pushed yourself!” …

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Run Around the Square Registration Now Open

Don't miss this yearly neighborhood event!

Registration is open for the 30th Anniversary Run Around the Square, which will be held Sat., Aug. 25.   The 1.5 Mile Fun Run/Walk will start at 8:15 a.m. and the 5K Run at 9 a.m.    You can register by visiting runaroundthesquare.com or going directly to the registration website at http://www.active.com/running/pittsburgh-pa/run-around-the-square-2012.   Please note the following:

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The Editor's Corner

Early Bird Workouts a Stress Buster Before the Day Begins

Never thought you could work out at 6 a.m.? You might surprise yourself!

I never thought I’d be the type to wake up at 5:30 a.m., lace up my shoes and get my work out on. But I actually have finally become that person. And, surprisingly, I couldn’t be happier! Before I started my early morning work out routines, I thought it’d be a pain to get out of bed. Yes, it’s hard to roll out of bed when the alarm goes off so early, but as soon as my feet hit the floor, I’m ready to go. One local option for an early bird work out occurs every Monday and Wednesday at 6 a.m. at the Wilkins School Community Center in Regent Square. Led by Ebony Pearson, this core group of diverse women ranging in age from 20s to 50s complete a range of exercises. Stations that include weights, squats, jump rope and other options are timed by…

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Square Runners: Heather's Story

One member of the local club shares her love of running.

By Heather Adams Let me be honest: I’ve never liked running. I’ve never been a strong runner and have always cursed my short legs for making me work twice as hard at it. I’ve always been an active person, though. I ran my first 5k in the sixth grade, constantly ran for high school sports, and would put 50 to 60 miserable miles on my feet every week for crew in college. While training during my second season as a Division I NCAA athlete, I sustained a few minor injuries that, when combined, marked the end of my collegiate career as a rower. It was so bad that on most mornings when I got out of bed my legs would just collapse under me. If I couldn't train, I couldn’t be on the team, and that hurt. I’d lost my identity as an athlete. I got …

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Square Runners: My Clean Date

What it is like to be a running woman.

New Year’s resolutions often involve weight loss and exercise. Square Run Club member Sara Erbeldinger resolved to lose weight a couple of years ago. Though it was not a New Year’s resolution, her story is offered as inspiration for those who might have similar goals as Sara had when she decided to take control of her life.  By Sara Erbeldinger November 7, 2009, is my "Clean Date.” That was the day I went to the doctor and decided to change my life.   Granted, for two months before this date, I had been working out at the gym every day, but still had not lost one pound. It was at that doctor’s appointment that it clicked for me—I had hit my "Rock Bottom." I knew what I had to do, and it was no longer seemed like an overwhelming process to …

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Zumba for Kids at Keystone Health Club Offered

Looking for a new way to offer fitness and fun for kids? We have an idea for you!

The Zumba craze has swept the nation, and now, thanks to Keystone Health Club, local kids can get in on the action. Located at 655 Braddock Avenue in East Pittsburgh, the club is offering a Zumba class just for kids, Saturdays at 9 a.m. from Jan. 7 to Feb. 25. Before signing up, kids are invited to test out their Zumba skills at a free sample class on Saturday, Dec. 31 at 9 a.m. Recommended for kids ages four to 12, Zumbatomic classes are high-energy fitness classes that include specially choreographed, kid-friendly routines to popular music including hip-hop, reggaeton, and cumbia. “Zumbatomic is a great way for kids to burn energy and be fit while having a great time,” said Doug Ripper, owner of Keystone Health Club. “And since we’ve …

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Square Runners: Honoring The Founder

The club recently held a party for William Reed Wingo, who started Square Runners.

By Edward May It was a dark and stormy night...No really, it was.  Thursday night was mild, but windy and unpredictably rainy. With only a week until Winter Solstice, 7 p.m. was dark as well. Nonetheless, it was Thursday and that meant just one thing—running with the Square Runners. Since early  October, my wife Brenda, and I have jogged to the Square Cafe each Thursday evening to join in a weekly group run. The group is eclectic, much like the driving force behind the Square Runners, William Reed Wingo. At about 6’ with short reddish hair and an intense gaze, William has anchored the running group at the Square Cafe, where he works. This Thursday night was special because this was William’s last Thursday night run. So, a small but core …

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The Editor's Corner

Spinning Your Way Into Fitness

Looking for a fun workout that you actually enjoy? I might have your answer.

I have always been jealous of the hardcore runners. I see the way it has transformed some people’s lives and I have always wanted to be one of those people. But it’s just not me. I recently ran the Run Around the Square 5K and battled the hills of Frick Park. Finishing that race was one of the most exciting moments because I never thought that I could do it. And I did. But, I just can’t seem to get addicted to running for more than a week or two. My knees start killing me, I am aching all over and it just doesn’t feel right. But recently, I discovered my own workout passion—spinning. I had taken a few classes in the past, but now I am fully addicted to this awesome mega calorie-burning workout. I think of spinning as stationary, imaginary …

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Square Runners: The Gutbuster

Local runners mastered this race on Thanksgiving.

By John Pilecki Despite a late start caused by a problem with the online registration process and a large race day signup, the Harry C. Holland Gutbuster Run in Frick Park on Thanksgiving morning provided Square Running Club founder William Reed Wingo with “one of the best beginnings of a holiday I have ever had.” “I know that registering 340 people just before a race was a tremendous task, and the Gutbuster team pulled that much off successfully,” Wingo said. Since 1976, the Gutbuster has been a Thanksgiving tradition, making it the oldest continuously run Pittsburgh footrace. Sponsored by The Greater Pittsburgh Road Runners Club, the race features eight-mile, four-mile, and two-mile cross-country courses over the hilly Frick Park trails…

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