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How a Determined Desiree Davila Won a Spot on the US Olympic Marathon Team

espnW — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 04:25:02 PDT

We are pumped to share one of our fave stories from espnW here on FitSugar! This week's is an inspiring story about marathoner Desiree Davila, who will be representing the US in the Olympics for her first time. The following is an excerpt; read the entire story here.

By Bonnie D. Ford

At last January's Olympic trials in Houston, Texas, four top women had distanced themselves from the field: Desiree Davila, fellow favorites Shalane Flanagan and Kara Goucher, and Amy Hastings. Davila increased her tempo. Hastings dropped back. Davila forged on with Flanagan and Goucher, her five-foot-two, 98-pound frame dwarfed by her taller rivals. Then, with two miles to go, Flanagan kicked into a higher gear, and Davila was faced with another decision: should she try to match the surge and bid for the win, taking the chance that her cramping calves would betray her, or maintain her pace and protect her spot on the team?

Davila weighed the situation and decided not to risk it. Flanagan soloed to the line, and Davila secured her Olympic spot by finishing second, 17 seconds back, in 2:25:55. It was a tough, savvy race, and the latest evidence that Davila's gradual climb to the top is peaking at an ideal juncture.

After a largely anonymous high school and college career in the arid heat of Southern California and Arizona, she migrated to Michigan to join the Hansons-Brooks Distance Project in 2005. The elite training environment in a harsher climate helped her transform herself into "a contender, not just someone who's on the line and might have a good day," as she put it.

The Lesson Learned From Second Place

Davila debuted at the marathon distance in Boston in 2007 and ran 2:44.56 in a raging northeaster. A year later on the same course, Davila thought she had progressed enough to make the Olympic team. At mile 21, running fourth, it looked as if she'd been right. But Davila, who hadn't hydrated and eaten enough before the race, ran out of gas and faded to 13th.

She was devastated. Fellow marathoner and friend Amy Hastings was there to comfort her, and so was sister Natalie Davila. "If I'm investing my money in someone right now, it's you," the older sister said. "You're going in the right direction - you're going up."

Read on for more of Desiree Davila's road to the Olympics after the break.

Link Time: Who's Better Dressed - East Coast or West Coast?

FabSugar — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 08:00:01 PDT

Who's better dressed: East Coast or West Coast? - Stylelist
Britney Spears shows us what a $20,000 sports bra looks like - HuffPost Style
We're obsessed with the dress Kimbra wore on SNL - Styleite
13 Spring-perfect woven accessories - Olivia Palermo
Four tried-and-true online sites that let you design your own handbag - The Fashion Spot
Louis Vuitton vs. Marc Jacobs: an exhibit that examines their careers - The Daily Beast
Watch these models eat ice cream bars in Alice + Olivia's Magnum ad - Lucky
Planning a trip? Here are five travel bag essentials - Bag Snob
Acne launched a white denim capsule collection today - Style.com
Is Karlie Kloss dating the St. Louis Rams quarterback? - Fashionista
Hillary Clinton busts a move - The Frisky
Everything you ever wanted to know about Angelina Jolie's engagement ring - The Cut

Battle of the Fashion Week Furs: Olivia vs. Angie

Hannah Weil — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 09:51:01 PST

When Olivia Palermo and Angie Harmon stepped out to take in the shows, it seems they were both thinking the same thing - a fur vest is a perfectly chic way to stay warm at Fashion Week. Of course, how they each chose to outfit their vests is totally different. While Angie keeps things more monochromatic, opting for a fuzzy, black version to top off her black and gray look, Olivia styles up a more boho ensemble. A long printed maxi, a white blouse, and leopard-print booties serve as the backdrop for her calico fur vest. Now, it's time to cast your vote - which Fashion Week fur is most Fab?

Find Out Which Stars are Due Next

Allie Merriam — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 14:41:00 PDT

3 Ways to Be a Better Brainstormer

LearnVest — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 00:15:12 PDT

Learn how to be a better contributor to your office brainstorming sessions with these tips from LearnVest.

When was the last time you brainstormed?

Was it over a group assignment in high school? Maybe over a particularly challenging DIY project? Or was it this week, at work?

Brainstorming is a tried-and-true way many managers encourage their employees to generate ideas.

The goal is to get people in a room with a whiteboard - and snacks, hopefully - and let the fantastic, creative ideas fly.

Here’s the twist: we may have been going about it all wrong. The New Yorker reports that research consistently proves that traditional brainstorming - the type you’ve likely been doing your whole life - is less productive than sending people off to think by themselves. (Although there is a type of brainstorming researchers recommend . . . We’ll get to that.)

This could be good news when you’re privately brainstorming ways to ace your employee review, but it could cause some problems in the office. Namely, you can’t just opt out the next time your boss herds you into the conference room. (Plus, you might miss the snacks.)

We talked to a brainstorming expert - yes, there is such a thing - to find out why this is, and how you can be a better brainstormer in three easy steps.

This Will Make You More Creative

The New Yorker writes that a key principle of most brainstorming is the absence of negative criticism. That’s supposed to encourage people to speak up, since no one wants to volunteer ideas that get shot down. But research shows that it’s not brainstorming that’s ineffective so much as brainstorming without any criticism. This is because criticism encourages us to “engage more fully with the work of others and to reassess our viewpoints.”

Read on for more.

Victoria Beckham and Kate Beckinsale Party It Up With Eva Longoria

Allie Merriam — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 16:41:44 PST

Eva Longoria wore a revealing Cushnie et Ochs dress to host famous friends like Victoria Beckham and Kate Beckinsale last night in LA. The Desperate Housewives star gathered her famous pals to her Hollywood restaurant Beso, where Vanity Fair and Chrysler cohosted a bash benefiting the just-launched Eva Longoria Foundation. The mission of the Eva Longoria Foundation, the actress wrote yesterday, "is to help Latinas build better futures for themselves and their families through education and entrepreneurship."

Eva's small-screen costar Felicity Huffman arrived arm-in-arm with husband William H. Macy, while other couples like Mario Lopez and Courtney Mazza, as well as Roslyn Sanchez and Eric Winter, made the rounds. Venus and Serena Williams stuck together, too. Kate, who just received the Lacoste Spotlight honor at Tuesday's Costume Designers Guild Awards, wore a hot pink McQueen dress.

Victoria's home in California after a busy few weeks of fashionable travel. Victoria was decked out in a blue dress from her own Fall 2012 Victoria Beckham collection, which just hit the runway during New York Fashion Week. Posh also traveled to London to celebrate her two lines, including her lower-priced Victoria, Victoria Beckham, at Harvey Nichols. Victoria's back, but it seems David Beckham is off traveling with the LA Galaxy. David Beckham went out in Tucson with his teammates, enjoying a recent dinner of wine and steak at the city's Sullivan's Steakhouse.

Who Wore It Better: Angelina Jolie and Kate Middleton in Jenny Packham

Chi Diem Chau — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 07:30:58 PST

Angelina Jolie and Kate Middleton are both amazing, beautiful women, so today's poll is a toughie. Last night, Middleton, along with husband Prince William, hosted a dinner benefiting the National Memorial Arboretum wearing a silver one-shoulder gown by Jenny Packham. For accessories, she chose a beautiful diamond bracelet and silver metallic platform sandals. Angelina Jolie kept her adornments to a minimum and opted for the hot-red rendition at the premiere of Tree of Life earlier this year. Both women look gorgeous, but which look do you prefer?

Who Wore It Better: Jordana and January Face Off in Madewell's Dots

Hannah Weil — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 05:00:06 PDT

Our obsession for polka dots - and one adorable Madewell sweater - is only growing thanks to celebrity-styled renditions of the sweet print. We spotted Jordana Brewster outfitting Madewell's Spotdot Sweater ($75) with cool Fall staples, like her blue denim and wedged desert booties. Now January Jones is giving the same dotted knit her own spin with black skinnies and motorcycle boots for an edgier effect. We can't name a favorite - that's your job - but we will say both actresses give more reason to snap up the dotted sweater for ourselves. Now tell us which version do you prefer?

Blake Lively Gets Racy, Talks Sex With Elle

Allie Merriam — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 07:51:22 PST

Blake Lively strikes a few poses for the new March issue of Elle. The star of Gossip Girl wore some high fashion for a couple of pictures, including a Victoria Beckham dress on the cover, but in other images wasn't wearing much at all. The magazine also rounded up Blake Lively's best hairstyles. In the accompanying interview, Blake spoke about her dreams for a family - including having "trannies" if not daughters - and her friendship with Christian Louboutin. Blake also touched on the men in her life, revealing that she's never slept with anyone who wasn't an official boyfriend. Here are highlights from Blake Lively in Elle:

On her dating past: "I've had four boyfriends in my whole life. I've never been with anyone that's not a boyfriend. If I spend time with a man, it's because there's somebody that I know well who has been a friend for a while."
On her dreams for a family: "I hope to have a few girls one day. If not girls, they better be trannies. Because I have some amazing shoes and bags and stories that need to be appreciated."
On getting Louboutin shoe advice: "When I'm going to an event, I'll send Christian (Louboutin) a picture of my outfit and say, 'What shoes do you think I should wear with this?'"

Who Wore Salvatore Ferragamo's Houndstooth Wrap Dress Better?

Chi Diem Chau — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 15:22:58 PDT

Wrap dresses are one of the most flattering silhouettes, and the latest examples come from two ladies - wearing one dress. Kim Kardashian was just spotted wearing Salvatore Ferragamo's houndstooth printed dress paired with black pumps, a matching clutch, red lips, and a sleek pulled-back ponytail on the Today Show. Jessica Hart wore the same dress during Fashion Week, styled with a high bun and a little bling factor via a dazzling collar statement necklace. It's the battle of the babes - which one gets your vote?