Dylan Hefner, 8th Grader at Shawnee, finished his 8th grade regular season undefeated.  Not only did Dylan finish with a perfect record, but the only points he allowed all season was escapes and he did not allow a take down all season.  Dylan pinned an undefeated wrestler in the first period during the WBL Finals to take home first place this past weekend.  His overall Junior High record is 85-7.  He is a 3-time State Placer and Finalist and a National Placer in the 6th grade.  Dylan's goal for this year is win Junior High State Championship. And you don't forget, he is Danger Zone Trained!

Great job Dylan.  Keep training hard and all of your goals will become reality.  

Put some gas in your tank before starting your workout. Carbohydrate is the preferred fuel for exercise, so 30 to 60 minutes before exercise eat something that is easily digested and carbohydrate-rich. Great pre-workout snacks are:

• Low-fat fruit yogurt 
• A banana 
• A slice of 100 percent whole grain toast with fruit preserves 
• A small bowl of oatmeal with sliced strawberries or apples

Before workouts lasting 90 minutes or more, a more substantial pre-workout meal is appropriate to help your stomach feel satisfied throughout the exercise session. A balanced meal before a workout could be:

• Low-fat fruit yogurt with a sprinkle of granola and sliced pecans 
• Sliced banana and natural peanut butter spread on 100 percent whole grain crackers 
• Scrambled eggs with veggies and a slice of 100 percent whole grain toast with fruit preserves 
• A bowl of oatmeal with sliced fruit and a side of cottage cheese or chicken sausage

Adding wall sits to the end of every run will strengthen your quads, hamstrings and glutes, improving your speed and endurance. Lean against a wall with your feet shoulder-width apart, then squat until your knees are bent at 45 degrees. Hold for 30 to 60 seconds; work up to doing 10 sets. Add a challenge by including heel raises: Lift your left heel, then the right, then lift both together twice.

Buck improves his amateur MMA record to 2-0 with a 36 second TKO verse Geoff Birchfield Friday, December 16, 2011.

Holidays are certainly joyous, but family gatherings, holiday parties, and office functions can bump running right off your to-do list. Fortunately, you don't need to run for hours to maintain your fitness during this busy time of year. The following 20-minute (or less) workouts cover all the bases of strength, speed, and endurance well enough so you can start the New Year strong.

BUILD STRENGTH Find a nearby hill. After a five-minute jog, run up the incline. At the top, walk for 30 to 60 seconds, then run back down. Walk for one to two minutes. Repeat the sequence two to three times. Do the workout once a week, adding an additional one to two repeats.

BUILD SPEED Go to a local track or jogging trail with distance markers. Jog for five minutes. Run at an easy pace for half a lap (or one-eighth of a mile). Note how long it took to run the half-lap. Walk the remainder of the lap. Continue walking for two minutes. Repeat the sequence two to four times, each time aiming to complete the run portion of the lap one to two seconds faster. Do this once a week, adding segments as you feel comfortable.

BUILD ENDURANCE Stringing together several 20-minute runs across a single day can boost your stamina. Identify a weekend day that's destined for a lot of "hurry up and wait." Run for 20 minutes at a pace that's three minutes per mile slower than your regular pace. Return home, spend the next 30 to 90 minutes doing work around the house, then head out for another run. Every seven to 14 days, do up to three of these segments.

BUILD WHOLE-BODY FITNESS Make up a home-gym circuit: Walk (or run) the stairs for one minute, do push-ups for 15 seconds, walk for one minute, do crunches for 30 seconds, walk for one minute, lift hand weights for 30 seconds, then walk for one minute. Repeat as time allows.