Fitness Junky

Go Jump a Rope

2011-07-01T09:41:00.000-07:00

The other day I was jumping rope with my kiddos and it took my breath away. Holy Cow! I think I hit my max heart rate within 1 min and every part of my body was tired in about 5 min. I have never really thought of using the jump rope for cross training but it's for sure on my list now. I don't know how my kids keep it up for so long. If only I could bottle up that kind of energy.

So what are the benefits of this little piece of equipment?

You can burn up to 1000 calories per hour. Crazy! That's more than any other sport I know of. I believe it though. My heart was pumping and I was out of breath fast! However, if anyone can actually jump a rope that long I would be SERIOUSLY impressed.

It targets just about every muscle in the body. The jumping will utilize your calves, hamstrings, quads, and glutes while turning the rope will utilize your chest, back, deltoids (shoulders), forearms, biceps and triceps in your upper body. No wonder it burns so many calories! Any exercise that recruits this many muscle groups is ideal because your toning your whole body and keeping it in balance. The chance for injury increases when there's an imbalance.

It's easy to learn. For a great tutorial visit RopeSport.

It's extremely portable and inexpensive. You can use a jump rope just about anywhere and it won't take up much room in your purse, brief case, gym bag, etc... Talk about a great workout on your lunch break. A good jump rope will cost you about $10-$15 at most sporting good stores.

Boxers have been doing this for years! They use the jump rope to enhance coordination, agility, quickness, footwork, and endurance. Go Rocky!

Jump Rope Routines

The most common routine is to alternate jumping for 30-60 seconds and resting for 30-60 seconds. This is continued for 15-20 minutes.

Add it to your circuit training. If your doing lunges, push-ups, sit-ups, then add a jump rope segment to the end before repeating your circuit.

If your like me and you have a hard time hitting the treadmill for longer than 3-5 miles, add 15 minutes of jump roping to continue the cardio push.

Here's a couple great links for different ways to jump a rope.

FreeWorkOutsGuide - This is a 10 minutes circuit that uses 5 different jump rope techniques. Each technique is performed for 2 minutes before moving to the next.

FitnessMagazine - This is also a 10 minute circuit but you get to change jump rope techniques each minute. Good for those of us with A.D.D. The list is on the right and you click on each minute segment for directions (kinda annoying but still a decent workout).

RossBoxing - Jump rope training advice from a boxer. The whole page is great advice but skip half way down to start getting into the routines.

Jump Rope Terminology

– Single bounce: The player bounces only once to each turn of the rope, with both feet together.

– Heel-toe: The player bounces once to each turn of the rope, alternating her right and left feet so that the heel and toe of opposite feet make contact with the ground at the same time.

– Single speed bounce: The player performs single bounces at a rapid pace.

– One foot single bounce: The player bounces once to each turn of the rope, using only one foot at a time, alternating between her right and left feet. She counts and jumps once with her right foot and once with her left foot, then she counts and jumps twice with her right foot and twice with her left foot. The player continues this method of counting up to ten with each foot.

– Spread: The player moves her feet forward and backward alternately: the right foot forward and the left foot back on the first turn of the rope, and the left foot forward and the right foot back on the second turn of the rope, and so on.

– Straddle: The player starts with her feet together on the one count or on the first turn. She spreads her feet apart sideways 15 to 20 centimeters on the two count or the second turn, and she places her feet together on the three count or on the third turn, and so on.

– Straddle X: The player uses a single bounce on the first turn. On the second turn she crosses the right leg over the left leg, then she uncrosses her legs. On the third turn she crosses the left leg over the right leg, and so on.

– Crossover: The player bounces with her feet together on the first turn and on the second turn she crosses her arms at the elbows on the downward swing of the rope, jumping through the loop of the rope formed in front of her body. The player uncrosses her arms on the next downward swing of the rope. The crisscrossings are done with a bounce in between the crisscrosses, if so desired, and with the right and left arms alternating as the top arm of the crisscrosses.

– Double jump: The player makes a single bounce with her feet together while making two turns of the rope. She bends at the waist and speeds up the rope with wrist rotation.

– Speed single: The player makes a single bounce with one turn of the rope done at a fast pace.

– Alternate jump: The player runs in place while hitting one fast bounce for every tirn of the rope. She lands on the balls of her feet and flexes her lower leg to form a ninety degree angle with the back of her thigh. She may run in place with her knees up or down. Running with the knees up develops the quadriceps and running with the knees down works the hamstring muscles.

– Jump through the rope: The player doubles the rope and holds it taut at arm’s length, with her arms shoulder width apart. The player jumps forward through the rope, jusing a kangaroo jump (bringing her knees to her chest). There should be no rests or pauses between jumps.

– Triple turn: The player bounces high once and tries to turn the rope three times before the second bounce. She should concentrate on developing a higher jump and more rapid wrist action.

– Jump square: The player jumps in a pattern that circumscribes a square.

– Front and back: The player bounces with her feet together, alternating jumping forward and backward. She should concentrate on swinging her hips forward and backward as well.

– Side to side: The player bounces with her feet together and jumps from side to side. Again, she should concentrate on swinging her hips.

– Two right, two left: The player bounces once to each turn of the rope, twice on her right foot, then twice on her laft foot. She continues this pattern and constantly tries to increase her speed.

– Hula hoop: The player bounces through the rope on her first turn with her feet together. When the bounceis completed, she brings her hands together and swings the rope on the right side of her body as she bounces again. She moves her hends apart at the top of the swing and again bounces through the rope with her feet together. When this bounce is completed, she brings her hands together and swings the rope on the left side of her body as she bounces again. She continues this pattern as she builds speed and agility.

I don't kow about you but I have been motivated to include jump roping in my cross training. Anything that can target my whole body and burn that kind of calories is great in my book.

Playlist

2011-06-29T14:30:00.000-07:00

You may agree that it's like striking GOLD when you find a song that matches your stride or one that keeps your mind off the pain. Maybe you've got a song you always play during the last stretch of a run/race to keep you going strong to the finish or some tunes that get you through the "wall". Either way I always enjoy seeing a list of great running songs so I can make updates to my playlist so I thought I'd share mine in hope to get some suggestions in return. (My favorite newest additons are in bold)

ADELE - Rolling In the Deep

THE BANGLES - Walk Like an Egyptian

THE BLACK EYED PEAS - I Gotta Feeling

BRUNO MARS - Grenade, Runaway Baby, Marry You, Just the Way You Are

DUFFY - Mercy

CASCADA - Everytime We Touch

D.H.T. - Listen to your Heart

FAT BOY SLIM - Gangster Tripping

FERGIE - Clumsy, London Bridge

FLO RIDA - Club Can't Handle Me

GAELIC STORM - Scalliwag, The Beggarman, What's the Rumpus?

GLEE CAST - River Deep, Mountain High

JESSE McCARTNEY - Leavin'

JOHN MAYER - Say

JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE - Sexyback

KANYE WESY - Stronger

KATY PERRY - Firework

KELLY CLARKSON - My Life Would Suck Without You, Whyyawannabringmedown, I Want You

THE KILLS - Sour Cherry

LADY GAGA - Bad Romance

MICHAEL FRANTI & SPEARHEAD - Say Hey (I Love You)

MUSE - Supermassive Black Hole

P!NK - Get the Party Started, So What

PITBULL - Hey Baby

PLAIN WHITE T's - Rhythm of Love

ROB THOMAS - This is How a Heart Breaks

RUSTED ROOT - Virtual Reality, Who Did You Tell it To, You Can't Always Get What You Want, Martyr, Rain

TRAIN - Hey Soul Sister, If It's Love

What are your favorite running songs?

Spreading the Word - Crossfit

2011-06-27T07:42:00.000-07:00

Ever wanted to give CrossFit a try? Now is the time!

I've got an amazing girlfriend, Shellece Gunnel, who is opening up her own CrossFit Training facility and I wanted to spread the word.

To celebrate her GRaNd OpEniNg she and her husband Josh have made this week completely FREE!!! It's located in Providence (Utah) and classes begin tomorrow and go throughout the week. Check out her website for additional details and have a great time! Tell her Fitness Junky sent ya! ;)

Ragnar Recap - Probably my Last

2011-06-24T22:32:00.000-07:00

7 days ago I spent my weekend running around in the Wasatch Mountains conquering my 4th Ragnar Relay. I was a bit apprehensive about my running performance because I joined the team at the last minute (about a week before kickoff) and I hadn't been doing any distance training after getting back into my running routine last month. I was assigned runner #11 which covered a total of 16 miles and had some severe uphill/downhill portions. This is what my legs looked like.

Leg #11 - 3.2 Miles UPHILL

I totally surprised myself and ran this whole thing. Good thing it was only 3.16 miles because I don't think I would've lasted much longer. I was able to crank it out in 31 minutes giving me a 9:47 pace and I was very satisfied. Getting anything under a 10 pace going uphill is good for me. Bad part was that there was so much traffic that I ended up running faster than the cars (which so did most runners) and had to wait 18 min at the top for my van. Time to re-think your cap margin Ragnar.

Leg #23 - 5.5 Miles - Flat (or at least it felt that way in comparison)

This was a great little jaunt around Rockport Lake by the light of the moon. I think I started this leg around 2 a.m. and actually felt pretty good. I got my highest kill count (25!) during these 5 miles and was very happy to throw down a sleeping bag and zonk out shortly thereafter. I finished the 5.57 miles in 45 minutes with an avg. pace of 8:07. Not bad. FYI - Kills are defined as anyone you pick off or pass during the race.

Leg #35 - 7.3 Miles Severe downhill (with a couple severe uphills thrown in. Gee...why not right? )

I actually really enjoy a good long downhill. It often thrashes my calves and quads but I love the speed that can result. This leg was no exception as it hurt more to slow down than to just let the lungs burn and go a little faster than ideal. For example, my second mile was done at a 6:47 split because it was so steep. Then right around 3.5 miles I came upon a giant incline that kicked my can. I can't remember EVER walking in a race but I only got about 1/2 way before I succumbed. I don't think I would've been able to finish as strong had I totally blown my legs trying to be tough. So I did a little speed walking and still managed to kill 2 more runners. So mile 4 was not quite so fast and ended up being a 9:47 split but at least I was able to enjoy the rest of my run and finish strong. My remainder miles were sub 8 with a finish time of 57 min. I was hoping my avg. pace would be sub 8 but it happened to be right on the 8 min mark. Ahhh...so close! Just a few more yards and I would've had it! It still makes me smile though since that was my longest run this year done on tired legs, no sleep, and random eating spurts.

Check out the scenery on my last leg. This is running down into Deer Valley and heading into Park City, UT. Gorgeous!

Getting a little support from a fellow teammate. Can you see the little black mark on my calve? They passed out Ragnar Tatt's that were more realistic then any I had seen. It took several days then some serious scrubbage with my fingernails to get it off.

Here I am coming in to my last exchange. My body was so done after this run. After 15+ years of running I've gotten pretty mentally tough but that doesn't always mean I'm physically at the same level. So then I go and run a race like I am in shape and push myself harder than my body can handle. Check out the close up on this pic...

How's that for a look of pain.

I couldn't walk normal for a couple days and my stairs were torture. During my sweet 5 year old's prayers she would ask to "Please bless Mommy's legs so I can sit on her lap again." Yeah, it was bad.

Finish Line -

Our last runner had some chaffed nipples so he was hooked up with some leopard print band aids. Comin' into the finish he just couldn't resist showin' those babies off.

Team Picture -

Kevin, Sheena (our pregnant driver and the reason I ended up running...luv ya lady!), Dustin, Me, Andy, Ashlee, Mindi, Lindsy, Malory, Gentry, Jenna, Brady W., and Brady.

I absolutely LOVE relays and have been in LOVE with with Ragnar but they just keep raising their price and I can no longer afford it. When I started 5 years ago it was only $70 and this year it was $90. Then I just found out they've raised it to $105 for next year. Some one's gettin' a little greedy! So I bid you farewell Raggie until you either lower your price or a sponsorship comes my way.

If your in my area and feeling the same way, here's some other options to look at that cost less and have a lower cap. Let me know if I've missed some so I can get the word out!

Lake to Lake Team Relay - St. George

Red Rock Relay - Moab

Cache-Teton Relay - Logan

Ogden Marathon - Run it as a 5 person relay

Hurt in the Dirt - Ogden

Dirty Dash - SLC

When to use Hot vs. Cold

2011-06-16T17:50:00.000-07:00

I'm getting old.

Last Sunday I was being the cool Mom and playing a mean game of soccer with my kiddo's (3-7 years I remind you) and after about 5 minutes I pulled my right quad muscle just slightly. What the...??? It felt like a charlie-horse at the top of my thigh and so I dropped out of the game and went limping in the house for an ice pack. Not such the cool Mom anymore.

So for the next couple of days I had an ice pack down my pants. This is what it looked like.
I left my head out of the picture since it was day two of no shower and it was ugly. It's pretty sad when I'm driving around with a slightly expired driver's license because I haven't taken the time to get ready this week and I don't want a homely looking photo on my card.

Can you tell which side is my rear? The pockets kinda give it away but if they were gone I'd be rockin' a double butt.

So when do you apply the cold pack versus a hot pad?

Here's your answer...

ACUTE INJURIES

An acute injury is one that has a sudden onset and pain is felt right away. Often it is caused by a twisting movement, direct blow to the area, or a fall. Ice should be applied a soon as possible to reduce swelling, inflammation, and pain. Since the cold reduces or slows blood flow to the injured site, ice should be applied as soon as possible to reduce swelling, inflammation, and pain.

After approximately 3 days it can be beneficial to alternate between hot and cold treatments. Typically this is done with 10 minutes of cold followed by 10 minutes of heat. The heat will increase the blood flow and aid in tissue repair and when used in conjunction with the cold it double the effect. Just make sure all bleeding has stopped before applying any type of hot pack.

Another benefit of the alternating treatments is to first use heat to loosen up a stiff area before stretching and strengthening a weak area. Then follow up with the cold to reduce any subsequent pain and even making the tissue less pliable. Sometimes a muscle/tendon that is too relaxed from heat can get even more injured.

CHRONIC INJURIES

Chronic injuries do not typically have a sudden onset. Rather they gradually appear and are often brought on by overuse. Also, if an acute injury is not treated appropriately or doesn't heal properly, it can become a chronic injury.

Heat is most often used with chronic injury to help promote blood flow to site and tissue repair. This will allow any tight areas to relax and respond better to stretching Apply heat for 15-20 minutes using a hot pad, hot water bottle, or warm damp towel (damp heat usually gets deeper into the tissue).

Again it can be beneficial to follow up any exercise with a cold pack to reduce any swelling or inflammation to the chronically injured area.

I've got the Wasatch Back Ragnar Relay this weekend so I've been rotating hot and cold like crazy for the past 2 days and trying to take things a little easy. I even got runners during my softball games this week. Not my ideal thing to do since running the bases is my favorite part but it's all in the name of racing!

New Toy + Baby Tortilla Wraps

2011-06-14T16:34:00.000-07:00

Isn't it amazing how fast electronics get outdated? I've had my Ipod Nano for about 4 years and I can no longer find accessories for it. My poor armband has been held together with duct tape for quite some time and it has a permanent odor that has caused my closet to radiate with "B.O.'dior".

It's long past due for a replacement but there is not an armband like this to be found. There's a "fit's most Ipod's" arm sleeve for $20 at Wallyworld but there's no access window for the control buttons and it looks huge. So I thought, why spend the money on something that probably won't work when I can spend $20 more and get this...

Bye-bye armbands! Hello clip-on.

Also, thought I'd share a new meal idea I got from a friend (Connie:).

Baby Tortilla Wraps

Why haven't I thought of these before? I've made plenty of wraps in my day but never thought to cut them like little sushi rolls. Inside the tortillas I added turkey, cheese, tomato, pickle, lettuce, and some low fat cream cheese* to hold it together. Walla! I can pop these right in (probably because I have a big mouth) and not have to mess around with my wrap that keeps falling apart (probably because I'm retarded).

*Suggestions on a healthier spread would be fabulous!

Calorie Calculator

2011-06-09T11:51:00.000-07:00

I often wonder if I wore my Garmin around for a full day, how many miles would I cover and how many calories would I burn? Of course that means I'd actually have to break open the heart rate monitor that I've never bothered to try so I could utilize my resting heart rate. I gotta be able to count my sitting at the computer and blogging calories right? Hmm, now I'm considering other activities and what they do to my heart rate...I'll leave things up to your imagination.

Too bad the battery would burn out before I the day was done but I think I'm still going to do it. I'll just have to break the day up into segments until I get a full day in.

So while I conduct this experiment, here's an interesting link to check out. It's a calorie calculator I found that is pretty all inclusive. It lists just about every activity you may be involved in. All you do is input your weight and duration and then you'll know how many calories you burned playing hacky sack, cleaning rain gutters, making your bed, and even standing in a line.

Good News - I burned 53.1 calories sitting here reading blogs for an hour. Nice! Oh, and I think for my new cross-training program I'm going to do a little foresting. ;)

Ever wore your Garmin around just to see how many calories you burned?

Do I smell?...I Hope So!

2011-06-07T12:38:00.001-07:00

Did you catch the ad on the back of this month's Runner's World?

Yeah, that's what I'm gonna tell myself (and everyone around me) next time I find out I'm the smelly one. If it means I have to stink to get a PR, I'll take it!

How Did You Celebrate?

2011-06-02T07:56:00.000-07:00

NaTioNal RunNinG DaY

June 1st marks an exciting day for us runners. It's a day that while many of us solo runners are out pounding mileage, we know there's a whole lotta people out there celebrating with us.

In honor of National Running Day I finally left my slacker habit behind. I've been meaning to do some hill repeats for a while but had a lot of "good" excuses to focus on getting my base mileage done instead. Well not any more! Yesterday on my 5 miler I snaked some blocks set on a hill so I would get both an uphill/downhill length and a flat length between them.

Why do hill repeats? Here's some benefits...

You'll Build Strength - Running on an incline is a form of resistance training and will strengthen all your running muscles (calves, quads, hamstrings, glutes, and hip flexors) more than training on flat ground.

You'll Decrease Chance of Injury - Since your strengthening your running muscles your less likely to get running-related injuries.

You'll Get Faster - The muscles you use to run up hills are the same ones used for sprinting, so the strength you build will improve your speed. Often as I've conquered a hill on my route, my pace gets faster for the remaining mileage.

You'll Fight Boredom - If you're getting tired of your flat courses then changing it up a bit can renew motivation

There is technique that goes into a hill repeat as well. For some great advice visit this link.

How did you Celebrate National Running Day?

RagMag Picture Nominations

2011-05-31T08:30:00.000-07:00

The Wasatch Back is a relay race put on by Ragnar that I've run a few times and it has become HUGE!!! It starts in Logan, Utah and runs 188 miles to Park City. Last year while hanging out at the finish line I ran into the guy (Mike) who takes pictures for the "RagMag" which is the Ragnar Magazine handed out to all the runners as the relay guide. Mike recently put out a request for pictures for this year's magazine so I sent him a handful. What a cool momento that would be to have a picture in this year's Wasatch Back Ragnar Relay!

These are my nominations...

Our team name ~ "Victorious Secret" Thus the shirts. Thought I should explain why we are dressed in fake lingerie. Here we are by the Ragnar Tent. I'm second from the left.

Showing off our finisher bling...and some leg. Now I'm all the way to the left.

Approaching an exchange point. Look close and you see me getting my Ragnar slap bracelet ready.

and my personal favorite...

Taking some personal time on a "bumper dumper". I made sure to grimace for full effect. Hahaha!

I'm not sure if I'll hear anything back before I actually see the magazine on race day (June 17-18) but you'll be the first to know. I'm sure the suspense is just killin' ya. Okay...okay...atleast just fake it for my sake.

"No pain, no gain"?...

2011-05-27T14:25:00.000-07:00

...Then I'd better be gaining cause I've gone through the pain part.

I've been reminded these past few weeks at how sore a person can get when they start running again or are picking it up for the first time. You may have previously read how I took a little, okay a lot of time off of the running circuit (5 mo's) while we got this house built and so it really feels like I'm starting over. My back has been cranky, my abs are achin', my lungs are burning, and my thighs...oh my thighs - oucha! It can be discouraging. It's easy to see why someone would give up after a few tries. But alas I'm finally feeling strong. Just like when you hit the gym for the first time and lift weights, your gonna be sore the next day. It has taken about 3 weeks to strengthen my running muscles so that they are firing up again.

I've also had to remind myself to GO SLOW. I'm not even close to where I was at the end of last year. Even when my body wants to fall into a faster pace I hold myself back because I know I won't make it far. But if I'm a 1/2 mile away from home and I've got anything left in the tank I let it rip. So for a few blocks I feel like my old running self but not ANY sooner or I'll be my "new" self barfing in a ditch.

Moral of the story...

If you are giving this running thing a try, STICK WITH IT! It only gets better. Once your muscles get used to running and you build up some endurance then you'll feel much better. Personally I think this happens once you've conquered 4 miles. You just have to bear with it for a little while (and start SLOW) then you'll start to get the runner's high and maybe even find a new hobby that leaves you feeling great about yourself.

Also, it might help to make Ibuprofen (or another inflammation/pain reliever) your friend during the first few hard weeks...a couple hours AFTER you run. We've gotten pretty close. ;)

Ima Green Monster Too

2011-05-24T08:15:00.001-07:00

I gave the Green Monster a go the other day and now I'm hooked. I don't even throw anything fancy in the mix, I just chug it straight up. I have, however, learned to not put too much spinach in the blender or the drink turns out a too bitter for my buds. If you haven't tried one you really should give it a go. Even my 2 year old boy likes to have his own little cup of monster.

For lunch I paired a Monster with some sweet potato fries and it was delish. I just sliced the potatoes, brushed them with olive oil, then sprinkled them with a BBQ seasoning. Then I broiled them for 10-15 min. YUM!

If you have slid a monster down your pipe I wanna hear what things you mix in. I'm ready to give it a try but don't want to waste my time throwing things in the blender that are gross.

Ever seen this before?

2011-05-20T14:48:00.001-07:00

I've finally got my mojo (a.k.a. fat butt) moving again now that we've finished building and are moved into our new home...and it ain't pretty. My back is sore, my abs are cryin', and my thighs are screaming. Not to mention that I'm having to push myself just to keep a pace around 8:30. 5 months ago my 5k pace was 6:45 and my 10k pace 7:20. Wow, doesn't seem fair how fast I get out of shape vs. how long it takes to get in shape.

Maybe these will help...

My kiddo's/hubby got me these for Mother's Day. A new pair of ASICS Gel Nimbus 12. I like 'em. Plus, have you ever seen this before?

The laces are set on the inside to follow the shape of the foot. It's quite comfy. Anyone had a shoe with this placement of the laces? Personally I hope it catches on like the mesh. Here's to Happy Feet!

Frosty Eyelashes

2011-03-02T12:39:00.000-08:00

Runbattical is officially over! I'm not a fan of running in the dark and now that it's finally light in the early morning hours I've started running again. BLISS!!! Although with all the clothes I had on to fight off hypothermia it felt like I was running with a weighted vest but I managed to make it home without shuffling too slow. I didn't actually feel cold but my hubby had to laugh at my face when I walked through the door because I had frost on the tips of my eyelashes and a frozen booger mustache. (Which is why I had to settle for a kiss on the cheek before he headed off to work.) YUM.

Speaking of yum, these somehow made it into my grocery cart today. Then half the bag happen to make it into my mouth.

Good thing I'm running again. I have no self control.

.

Best Sentence

2011-02-24T12:39:00.000-08:00

Last post I had a sentence to be completed by you. Here are the answers...

I'd rather ________________ than give up running.

Adam said...
I'd rather.....stop drinking?
that is how serious I am.

Dash said...
Wow, Adam probably will win.
I'd rather pool run 3 1/2 hours a week than give up running. Wait, I already am doing that to not give up running...
LB said
i would rather give up facebook than stop running!
Connie said...
I would rather. Give. Up. (choke! gasp!) CHOCOLATE! And homemade white bread! (two of my favorite sins) But seriously, after a couple weeks, it wouldn't bug me anymore. But no running? BIG BUG. Way better feeling than chocolate...believe it or not. (did I really just say this???)
Katie said...
ahaha Adam wins!!
Actually I did just stop drinking (mostly) so that I could reach my running and fitness goals.

Mmm I'd rather. . . stop blogging
Sara said...
I'd rather sacrifice getting to my goal weight faster than give up running by not fueling properly!
Greg said...
I would rather spend all of my non-running hours being forced to listen to bad Celine Dion covers than give up running!

AND THE WINNERS ARE...

Most Dedicated - ADAM (for we all know how dedicated he is to his beer)

Most Social Sacrificing - LB

Most Self Deprivating - CONNIE

Most Likely to Succeed - KATIE

Most Disciplined - DASH

Most Fueling Efficient - Sara

Most Addicted - Greg

Thanks for all your comments!!! I had a great time and a few giggles reading them. I'm inspired by your dedication. ;)

Finish This Sentence...

2011-02-11T13:35:00.000-08:00

I'd rather ___________________ than give up running.

Examples...
pass a kidney stone
stick a needle in my eye
take a nap on a red ant hill

You get the idea. Let's hear yours! All comments will re-appear on the next post and the best answer will receive complete blog notoriety. Just what you really wanted right?

My Offspring do the Burpee

2011-02-07T09:38:00.000-08:00

My girls have been witnessing my attempt to bring home Burpee gold and they wanted in on the action. They look much better on video doing these than I. Less jiggling and more giggling. ;)

Try This Citrus Dressing

2011-02-03T10:38:00.003-08:00

This is a favorite new dressing of mine given to me by a sister-in-law. By making a few substitutions it becomes a reasonable dressing that doesn't load up the calories on your otherwise healthy salad.

Ingredients:
- 1/2 tsp. Grated Orange Peel
- 1/3 cup Orange Juice (use the no-sugar added brands and keep in the pulp to get the fiber benefits)
- 1/4 cup Vegetable Oil (Use canola, peanut, or olive oil to get the "healthier" fats)
- 2 Tbs. Red Wine Vinegar
- 2 Tbs. Sugar (substitute low cal/no cal sweetener like Agave Nectar)
- 1 Tbs. Dry Italian Dressing

On my salad:
- Romaine Lettuce
- Pomegranates
- Gorgonzola cheese (by using a stronger cheese I only add a couple pinches vs. a handful of a milder one)
- Chicken TVP(I'm a texture girl and I like a little crunch. This stuff offers more protein/iron but less calories than bacon bits, croutons, or other salad toppers. I order it from Shelf Reliance.)

FYI - I did 33 burpees on my first attempt at the 2 min challenge. That was two days ago. My chest still hurts from the push-ups. I had to take a 10 second breather halfway through but I'm wondering if I drop down and do girl push-ups for that 10 seconds if I could get a few more. Not today though...ouch!

Can you Burpee?

2011-01-31T12:59:00.001-08:00

Wahoo! I'm getting back into the game.

I did my first session with my new kettlebells and it was great. I can see why they are so efficient since you are working several muscle groups at the same time. My core was engaged during my whole routine and that will be a huge benefit to my running come spring.

I already have a few favorite exercises.

(Variation: do this with a 2 1/2 yr old boy laying on your stomach with his feet in your face. Mine thought it was a ride when I'd raise and lower my hips. Weeeee!)

Something else I'm pretty stoked about is going on over at RunnerManWannabe's place. He's hosting a Burpee contest (not to be confused with burper contest) to see how many you can do in 2 min. Go take a gander at the details if you'd like in. I did a few burpee's today to practice and lets just say I'm gonna need until the deadline (Feb. 13th) to get a good number. It's all just for a good time and to take on a fun challenge. Join us!

Hi, my name is Slacker

2011-01-28T10:10:00.004-08:00

Remember me?

Wow. I suck. I new the holidays would be nuts but I wasn't fully prepared for all the craziness that would follow them. Here are my lame excuses...

Excuse #1 - We are full blown in the middle of building our house and decided to do the electrical work ourselves. Lesson - save up a little more money so you can pay someone else to do it. Waaaaaaay too many late nights.

Excuse #2 - Getting bids for the house. I now know the names of all available siding, doors, tile, carpet, rock, cupboards, faucets, sinks, light fixtures, and paint colors. I have things scrolled on little sticky notes all over the place and half of them I don't understand. Haggling for the right price makes me cranky.

Excuse #3 - At the end of December I was asked to be the Primary President in my ward (I'm a steward over all the children in my local church). I LOVE this calling but the end/first of the year has a lot of busy work and to top it off we are moving church buildings this week so I've been prepping for that.

Thus my blog life (and all other forms of social life) have suffered. I've gotten into an exercise funk and I hate it. It's time to do something about it. Here are my new toys.

During the cold/dark/winter months I tend to do more strength training than running (since there's just so many miles I can pound out on a treadmill) and I decided it was time to splurge on some new equipment to finally get me going. Kettle balls are a killer tool to build up core strength as well has tone arms/legs. Here we go!

Do you use a kettle ball? What is your favorite kettle exercise routine? (I've got me a chart to go with them so I can learn the kettle ball lingo)

A Lean-Mean-Turkey Machine

2010-11-23T15:01:00.000-08:00

(Image from DailyMile)

While gaining weight during Thanksgiving could be considered a national pastime, here's a few tips to help curb the calories.

Don't go to Thanksgiving starving - I'm SO at fault for this. It's like I'm saving up for game time so when the dinner bell is rung I can be the greatest face stuffer in the land. EAT a wholesome breakfast/lunch like an egg with whole wheat toast or bowl of oatmeal to avoid over eating when the turkey is served.

Eat Slow - Another BAD habit of mine. When you eat fast you tend to eat more than you need. Take your time. Enjoy some conversation without a mouth full of food. You're fellow grub eaters will thank you...as well as your waistline.

Go white and skinless - It's an easy way to cut the calories. Stick with white meat with out any skin and you'll save your calorie intake for pie.

PUMPKIN - Speaking of pie, your best bet for lowest fat/calories is pumpkin. Just skip dousing it with whipped cream (if it's humanly possible).

Small portions on the high fat foods - these foods can include stuffing, mashed potatoes (when made with butter and cream)and gravy, green bean casserole, and candied yams. I'm not saying to deprive yourself of these tasty items (cause I plan on having one of each), just plop down a small portion instead.

Drink water - Before you start the meal drink a glass of water. Then drink another one after your FIRST plate. Hopefully it'll save you from going for a SECOND. Hey, leftovers are always better the NEXT day right?

Don't be TOO hard on yourself - If you've indulged during dinner, don't kick yourself for the rest of the day!!! This is a time to celebrate and have gratitude for family, friends, and FOOD! Maybe round up the family for a "friendly" game of flag football, go on a walk to promote re-buttoning the pants, or heave your full bellied self on the couch to watch some pro ball but make sure to hit your workout routine hard for the following week!

Would you like to participate in a official Turkey Trot but can't find one close? Dailymile is hosting a virtual 5k on Thanksgiving day. You can run, walk, or bike the 5k and a few lucky winners will be chosen for some prizes. Choose to donate $1, $5, or $10 and ALL proceeds go to St. Jude's, a VERY worthy cause.

HAVE A WONDERFUL TURKEY DAY!!!

(I'LL BE HOLDING A CONFESSION POST IN A FEW DAYS!)

I'm thankful for...
snowplows
earmuffs
4 wheel drive
forecasts

I Actually Ate Them!

2010-11-17T12:15:00.000-08:00

I've been a brussel hater for...well...ever. I can't remember the last time I ate one and wanted another bite. They're just a little too bitter for my buds! So when a whole bag arrive with my last Bountiful Basket (*see below for details) I wasn't very excited.

After a week of sitting in my fridge I decided to give the lonely brussels one more chance before declaring a permanent disdain for them. BUT something drastic had to be done during preparation because the ole' steaming just wasn't cutting it. I did a little sprout searching on the web and found a few ideas, then created my own using what I already had in my pantry.

My Ingredients...

About 5 medium brussel sprouts - halved

2 swigs olive oil

handful of pine nuts

handful of Parmesan cheese

salt

Add one swig of the olive oil to a fry pan and turn up to medium heat. Throw in the sprouts and pine nuts then add the other swig of oil. Stir to coat, sprinke with salt, and then let them cook until they start to caramelize. I like them to get nice and toasted on the flat side. After 8-10 minutes test one by taking a bite or piercing with a fork. When tender slide them onto a serving dish and dust with the Parmesan cheese. There ya go! I actually ENJOYED eating them. In fact, I enjoyed them so much I made another batch for my hubby later for dinner but with a different twist.

Here's what I did for him...

Same ingredients except I substituted sliced almonds for the pine nuts and I added bacon. Not quite as healthy but he ATE THEM! A little bacon and cheese usually gets him to eat anything. :)

If you have a great way to cook up your sprouts I wanna hear it!

*Explanation - Bountiful Baskets is a food co-op I use to order my fruits and veggies. For $15.00 I get a huge laundry basket full of healthy grub. It's great because it forces me to eat better since I'm a sucker for carb's. If you'd like to find out more info you can check out their website.

Have a Little Blog Fun

2010-11-15T09:02:00.000-08:00

During the holiday's I welcome any challenge or groupie that can help me get through the season without gaining 5-10 lbs. Here's a couple I have joined.

Amanda @ RuntotheFinish is holding her 3rd annual Holiday Bootie Buster Challenge.

The HBBC runs from Nov 20th - Jan 7th with the goal "to provide a little additional motivation to stay active and make good choices throughout the holiday season."

The Rules...

1 Point per mile (run/walk/snowshoe)
1 Point per 3 miles biked
1 Point per 20 minutes of weight lifting, Pilates, yoga, stretching or abs
1 Point per 15 minutes of another form of cardio (i.e. kick boxing, aerobics elliptical)
1 Per day where you reach a minimum of 7 servings of fruits and veggies

The Prizes...

Besides being able to get through these next few months without starting 2011 with jiggly thighs, Amanda has some GREAT prizes.

Two ways to win.

#1 - Overall points winner

#2 - Random winners drawn just for participating!

Check out her blog for details about signing up and tracking points. It's EASY and you don't have to be a fellow blogger or an exercise extremist to do it. It's just for FUN!

Are you a Runnerd?

Definition - a person who does not conform, often highly intelligent, but socially rejected because of their obsession with running. A runnerd will run in any condition and is either running, constantly thinking about running, or talking about running.

Candice @ IHaveRun has recently coined this term and has started a Runnerd groupie on Facebook where confessions of runaholics can be shared. Join the conversation!

BROOKS ARMBAND WINNER!

2010-11-12T10:09:00.000-08:00

It's finally time to announce the lucky winner of the reflective armbands. I used Random.com to pick the winner and comment #33 was chosen. CONGRATS to Sara from over at www.wordstorunby.blogspot.com. Email me your address (imafitnessjunky@ hotmail.com) and I'll get these babies sent to you. If I don't hear back within a week another winner will be chosen next Friday.

Thanks to all of you that took a gander at my blog and entered this contest. Hopefully we'll be able to get to know each other more from some cyber conversation. Here's to a GREAT (and safe) weekend!

Operation "Pop a Squat"

2010-11-09T20:11:00.000-08:00

The runbbatical's going great! I'm getting pretty good with my push-ups, pull-ups, and planks and my knee isn't screaming at me. Hmmm, until now.

A few days ago I just needed to run. A good run. A run that got my feet flying. A run that made me sweat, burned my lungs, worked my quads, and got my heart pumping. So when the hubby was home and I didn't have to "squeeze" in time for a run I flew out the door ready to take on my 6.6 mile course. FREEDOM!!!

Uh-oh.

1 mile into the course it dons on me. I forgot to visit the Toilet Inn and I AM NOT going to juggle this full bladder around and let it ruin my solitude. So I start picturing secluded places in town and in desperation I switch my original route and make a detour. My new route goes passed a ditch set back and secluded by trees. Perfect! After double-checking for bystanders then poppin' a squat I was ready to go. Hey you gotta do whatcha gotta do! The uninhibited pavement pounding is what I had craved and despite the route re-do I still got in my 6.61 miles at a 7:38 pace. So glad I didn't settle for less.

Ever had to do doing something out of desperation?

One more day to enter the Armband Giveaway.

I WANNA BE LIKE FLANAGAN

2010-11-08T10:49:00.000-08:00

Did you catch the ING New York Marathon? Holy Cow! Shalane Flanagan is my new idol. She has now join the ranks with Deena Kastor and Kara Goucher of women who inspire me. There has not been a second place finish of an American women for the last 20 years and this was her marathon DEBUT! She finished with a time of 2:28:40, just 20 seconds behind the winner Edna Kiplagat who finished in 2:28:20. Wow, I'm seriously impressed.

Even better this marathon served as the USA Marathon Championship so her amazing debut earned her the title of 2010 National Champion. How's that for being a 26.2 rookie!

Of course this isn't her first time out of the blocks. Here's a brief bio of this leading lady.

Height - 5'5''
Weight 113
Age - 29
PRs: 1,500m - 4:05.86 (2007); 3,000m - 8:33.25AR (2007); 5,000m - 14:44.80AR (2007); 10,000m 30:22.22AR (2008)
Career Highlights: 2008 Olympic Games 10,000m bronze medalist; 2008 Olympic Trials 10,000m champion and 3rd in 5,000m; 2007 Visa Indoor champion; 2007 USA Indoor 3,000m champion; Two-time USA Outdoor 5,000m champion ('05, '07); Two-time USA XC 4km champion ('04, '05); Two-time NCAA XC champion ('02, '03); 2003 NCAA Indoor 3,000m champion; 15-time NCAA All-American

I'm anxiously awaiting the day when Deena, Kara, and Shalane go head to head. Won't that be a race to watch! It's hard to decide who to cheer for but I'd probably have to go for Kara. After all she was the first professional runner that I have idolized and now that she's delivered her first baby I want her to kick some Mama butt! However, I would do a celebration jig if any American came in the top three.

Who would you cheer for?
Or
Who inspires you to run?

Don't forget to enter my contest here for your chances to win some Brooks NightLife Armbands. Giveaway ends Thursday, Nov 11th.

I'm thankful for...
Ponytails
Indoor plumbing
Hot chocolate
Microwaves

Reference
http://www.usatf.org/athletes/bios/Flanagan_Shalane.asp

Got Hope?

2010-11-05T08:53:00.000-07:00

Ever had a day like this?

6:30 a.m. - Had HOPE that I could get in a run before the munchkins woke up but for some reason the alarm doesn't go off and when I do wake up at 7:30, I'm disappointed. But there's no time to go for a run now cuz I gotta get all the kiddo's ready for school. I start to form a new plan to squeeze in a run after the kids are off. Okay, I feel better. HOPE restored.

9:00 a.m. - Drop child #1 off to school. Decide to forgo a shower because I'm going to get in my run!

9:30 a.m. - Drop child #2 off to preschool then pick up my cute nephew that I'm watching which decreases my chances for a run but so far I'm still HOPEFUL.

10:30 a.m. - Temperatures are still pretty cold to have child #3 and nephew (2 and 3 years) play outside while I run on the treadmill in the garage with the door up, so I opt to shoot for lunchtime. They can have a picnic outside while I run right? That would be fun!

11:30 a.m. - Pick up 4 yr. old from preschool and rush home to start lunch so I can hit the treadmill while they eat.

12:00 p.m. - Kiddos are insisting on staying inside for some reason and to avoid 3 toddler meltdowns I obliged. My new HOPE is that I can run during nap time.

2:00 p.m. - Nephew has gone home and it's nap time. Hooray! Once the babe is asleep I'm home free. But I have to wait until he's asleep because if he hears the treadmill he won't fall asleep.

3:30 p.m. - Child #3 has refused to go to sleep. This of course never happens but only on this day that I've been waiting for my running fix. I should have just hopped on the tread but kept thinking he would fall asleep any minute. After 1 1/2 hours of letting him play/cry in his crib I just get him out and we head to pick up Child #1 from school.

4:00 p.m - 5:00 p.m. - I teach piano. I'm not as anxious as I could be because I have HOPE that while dinner is cooking I can pound out a quick 4 miles. So I sit satisfied to teach...but a little smelly since I skipped out on previous shower time.

5:30 p.m. - Dinner is started. I'm getting excited. It's almost time! But then the phone starts to ring and everyone I know starts to call me. It's okay, I'm okay, cuz I'll just run while the family eats. This should work, at least I HOPE it works.

6:30 p.m. - Dinner time. I've missed my hubby. Once they're all sitting around the table I can't resist but join my family. Plus I realize I'm STARVING so I sit down to eat and almost give up on today.

7:30 p.m. - But wait...maybe there's still HOPE. We actually got done eating pretty quick. If we hurry through homework and baths I might still make it.

8:30 p.m. - BLISS! Finally! I'm running...and running hard. I'm just happy to get my "ME" time in even if it's only for 30 minutes. I feel great and have HOPE I can fit in another run in the next couple of days.

9:00 p.m. - Put the little people to bed and take a hot shower. Ahhh, I'm at peace.

I'm thankful for...

treadmills
deodorant
baby powder (to soak up greasy hair)
bedtime

A MoNth Of ThanKsGiviNg

2010-11-04T11:07:00.000-07:00

Running gives me a time of reflection. I need this time to let my thoughts wonder where I want them to, not on who needs a PBJ or a diaper change. Most of my thoughts are about life in general like "How can I be a better Mom/wife/friend?", or "What needs to get accomplished today?". But recently I've been reflecting upon the blessings in my life. Very fitting for this time of year and since I have a friend over at Natural Bliss who has decided to make this her month of gratitude I thought I'd join her and list things I'm grateful for at the end of my posts during November. Hopefully I'll come out the month with a deeper appreciation for what I do have and a whole positive outlook on life. Heaven knows I'm gonna need it to get through Christmas. ;)

I am thankful for...
House shoes
Milk
Warm water
Washer/Dryer

REFLECTIVE ARMBAND GIVEAWAY!!!

2010-11-01T09:46:00.000-07:00

The days are getting shorter now and for many of us brave soles that means running in the dark. It also means wearing gear that will make us seen by motorists, who BTW are totally amazed by our dedication...or stupidity? Either way we are getting our fix and can start or end our days with satisfaction.

One way to increase your visibility is by wearing reflective arm bands and since I care for your welfare I'm giving away a pair of Brooks Night Life Bands. These babies are great because...

They are super reflective with 3M Scotchlight retro reflective film

You can wear them on your wrist, arms, or legs.

The hook and loop closure makes them easily adjustable.

They will fit over any thing you are wearing, (i.e. long sleeve, jacket, coat, snowbibs if you live in the Rockies, etc...)

Required Entry - leave a comment

Become a junky yourself by following my blog. Just click the button on the sidebar to do so or let me know if you already are.

Extra Entries - leave a comment for each one

Spread the link love on your blog telling about my contest.

Click here to become a follower of @imafitnessjunky on Twitter.

Tweet Tweet- @imafitnessjunky is giving away Brooks Night Life Armbands. Check out http://www.imafitnessjunky.blogspot.com/ for details.

Give a shout out to your friends on Facebook about the giveaway.

Repeat "I will wear safety gear" three times while hopping on one leg and rubbing both your stomach and your head.

Give away will close on Thursday, Nov. 11th with the results posted Friday. Good Luck!

SPAZ!

2010-10-29T12:50:00.000-07:00

That's what I was Wednesday at a first attempt at my circuit training. I hadn't really thought much about what I wanted to do on the circuit but I found 30 minutes in the middle of the day and just got to work before I lost them. It was such a random workout but I was breathing heavy and my legs were tired so I musta done something good. Each time I jumped on the treadmill I thought of what I was going to do next while I ran. Here's what my VERY RANDOM circuit looked like with no rest between stations.

1 mile warm-up @ 8:30 pace

20 jumping squats
20 bicept curls
20 tricept curls
20 straight arm raises
*Do rotation three times*

1/2 mile @ 7:30 pace

1 min. plank
30 ski jumps
20 shoulder press
*Do rotation three times*

1/2 mile @ 7:30 pace

It was a little too spastic for me and since then I've sat down and brainstormed of all applicable exercises I know of and scribbled them down on some paper. Then I googled "plyometrics" and "crossfit" for more ideas. Now I can create a plan and make the most of the next 30 minutes!

A FEW FRIDAY FAV's

Need a chuckle? Amanda @ RuntotheFinish shares some really helpful advice on "How to Guaratee an Injury." Good for a laugh and if you're not satisfied by her post then check out all the comments.

A snack that's at the top of my list right now. CORN NUTS! You'de think it would be candy corn or something with pumpkin in it but corn nuts are what I want. At least their basically sugar free so I can justify eating a whole bag right?

But if you ARE cravin' some pumpkin then check out a cookie recipe by Laura @ MyReasontoRun . It's so simple even I got it right and my family devoured them!

Jog Tunes is a site I'm diggin' at the moment. I especially like that you can search for songs by bpm.

WATCH OUT FOR THOSE TRICK or TREATER'S. I HEAR THEY BITE!

Takin' a Runbbatical

2010-10-27T06:47:00.001-07:00

Lately I've been feeling down and out because I haven't been getting my mileage and when this running Ma doesn't get her miles logged there's a little more anxiety and contention in the home. I need my fix! There's a few main excuses...er..I mean...reason's for the lack of running.

1 - It's dark and FREEZING during my usual running hours...and I'm a sissy.
2 - My treadmill is in my garage since I'm living in a small "special" rental house until our new one is finished being built and in order to get to my garage I have to go through my sleeping kids room.
3 - I have a hard time doing anything over 5 miles on the tread, and even that's a stretch.
4 - My left knee hasn't liked me lately. Self diagnosed "Jumper's knee."

So when I saw Marcia's post about her Runbbatical Challenge I quickly jumped on her train! Don't get me wrong, I LUV pounding out the miles but it's not happening lately and it just makes me cranky. As a part of the Runbbatical I've changed my normal training into one that doesn't have as much running. Instead I'm going to pull out the circuit training and have a rotation that includes some plyometrics, weights, and speed work on the treadmill. I was inspired to do the circuit training after attending a CrossFit session with a friend last Saturday and I'm only finally able to walk without a limp today. I think I did more squats that day than I have in the past year. It kicked my can!

I'm looking forward to this new routine. Now that I'm not training for anything big (just a couple 5k/10k's) it'll be nice to take a break so I don't get burned out from hitting the pavement and I'll be more excited for the next running season come spring. I've got to be creative and see what kind of stations I can create in my garage for my circuit and I'm excited to see what I can do with it. I'll let you know what I come up with!

P.S. If you're feelin' the same way as Marcia and I then join her challenge by visiting her blog at Running Off At the Mouth. May we be guilt free together heaven forbid another day goes by without a run!

Yogurt Cube Smoothie

2010-10-22T11:50:00.004-07:00

Here's just something I came up with a couple days ago. It might not be original and I may be way behind the band wagon (not the first time) but it tasted good going down so I thought I'd share.

First I grabbed some low fat vanilla yogurt. I used Western Family (because I'm cheap) and it worked out great but go with whatever you like. Then I filled up a couple ice cube trays with the yogurt and let it freeze over night.

Tada! A bowl full of frozen goodness. I just slipped these into a freezer bag and stuck them into my freezer to wait until I felt like cranking up my smoothie machine. a.k.a. My kids aren't paying attention so I can be selfish and drink it all up myself. Hey, they get plenty of snacks...it's the Mama's turn!

So today I grabbed 5 cubes, added 1 cup skim milk and about 1/3 cup blueberries, then cranked away. I did throw in a few ice cubes to keep it slushy. Out came this delicious concoction. Blueberry bliss! My husband would've added some sugar but I thought it was pretty good. If you like it a little sweeter then add whatever sweetener you use.

If you stick with a no-fat yogurt, skim milk, and some frozen fruit, you've got a pretty healthy smoothie to slide down the pipes. ENJOY!

(I've yet to experiment with other flavored yogurt so if you have, let me know what you did!)

Playlist Overhaul

2010-10-19T15:20:00.000-07:00

I overhauled my running playlist yesterday and I'm excited to hit the tread today and try out my new songs. Ideally the tunes I run too have a bpm (beats per minute) of 170+ and it's like striking GOLD when I find one that's right on pace. I'm hoping to get lucky with this list. I'll tell you how it goes in a couple days.

Florida - Club Can't Handle Me
Florence + the Machine - Dog Days are Over
Pitbull - Hey Baby
Train - If It's Love
Bruno Mars - Just the Way You Are
The Kills - No Wow
Plain White T's - Rhythm of Love
Glee Cast - River Deep, Mountain High
Sugarland - Stuck Like Glue
The Bangles - Walk Like an Egyptain

Spreading the Subway Love

2010-10-16T09:25:00.000-07:00

Subway is giving away gift cards in honor of their "mascot" Jared training and competing in the 2010 New York City Marathon. Just click on the pic above to be directed to their link if you want it. I did. Hopefully I'll get a few free lunches thrown my way.

Running Diva Mom's Virtual Race

2010-10-14T07:07:00.000-07:00

I've never seen so many virtual races going on at one time as I have over 10/10/10. It was great! I've come across many who have signed up for multiple races so here's a big KUDOS to you! I know I've said it before but I think virtual races are SO nice for when you need a little dose of motivation. It was just what I needed to get my head back in the game after some time off. With that said, here's my second race report of the week to document my time for Running Diva Mom's virtual 10k.

There are a few categories for prizes including one for most creative bib. I do much of my running in the dark now since it's easier to get my miles done in the morning before hubby leaves for work so I thought this was pretty fitting.

Plus it goes well with the Halloween holiday too! I think some one should create a night race around Halloween where we all run around with glow sticks and glow in the dark race bibs. Hmmm, ideas are forming for next year! Not only a cool bib but it is practical too as it adds to my visibility in the dark. ;) Although I couldn't figure out a great way to attach it and the scotch tape I had all over my shirt wasn't my favorite.

As for the run. It was another mental race for me as I am still struggling to get my mojo back. This time both my lungs and my legs were burnin' but I was determined to beat my previous virtual 10k time so I pushed through. There were a few moments I felt like I just wanted to slow down to a snails pace for a couple blocks but some times having a hard head pays off and I resisted the temptation.

I ended up covering the 6.2 miles in 44:59. Wahoo! I wish I could say I loved this run as much as I loved my time but it was a painful one. After I ran to get the 6.2 miles I had to walk back to my house about 2 blocks. It really was all I could do to finish. I'm looking forward to my next couple of runs as I'm going to lose Mr. G and run purely for the pleasure and put all training aside. I already know I'm a little behind where I was before my 3 week lay-off and I don't really feel like having Mr. G confirm it so I'm going to allow myself some time to get back with it. When I have Mr. G on my arm I have a hard time resisting looking and comparing my pace and then I end up pushing myself harder than I should and not liking the run. So it's just me and the tunes for the next couple of weeks.

Thanks for putting this race together you Running DIVA!

Jog 4 Joubert Fun Run

2010-10-11T14:22:00.000-07:00

I survived! After 3 weeks of non-running due to a bumb knee, a chest cold, some sort of stomach crampiness, and MOVING (which could easily be confused as a week long visit from the devil himself), I finally got out the door to participate in the Jog 4 Joubert Virtual Fun Run. I chose to do the 10k distance in honor of 10/10/10 and it just about did me in! My lungs actually felt better than I anticipated but my leg muscles were so wimpy! It's sad how fast you can lose whatever progress that has taken MONTHS to gain. Now I'm even more determined to fit in some strength training when I'm not able to get out the door and pound some pavement . At least some lunges, squats, wall sits, and a few core exercises.

On with the race report.

Here I am sportin' the bib Laura created us to wear. I get a kick out of running around the neighborhood and having people wonder where the rest of the runners are. What's a race without a bib though?

And the results...

I ended up covering the 6.2 miles in 45:07 minutes. I started WAY too fast and really had to push it just to keep under a 7:30 pace at the end but overall it wasn't as bad as I thought (other than the pukey feeling once I stopped). I wasn't about to go farther than I had too either so I ended up running up and down our street just to get the 6.2 miles since I was a little short of the distance when I reached home the first time. I've really got to get back into my training groove. We are beginning a HUGE new phase in our lives...building a house! I have a feeling that my thoughts will be preoccupied but hopefully I can keep the stress levels at bay. I really did a number on myself during the move and ended up feeling like crap from not eating or sleeping. I had a bunch of people ask me if I was doing okay so I must have looked like crap too. All is well now though so I've just got to get my head in the game again. I won a $15 Itunes giftcard from BusyRunningMama (great BIG thanks!) so maybe a little playlist update will do me some good!

Took my Wet Test

2010-09-17T11:51:00.000-07:00

Ever taken a wet test? No this doesn't involve a pregnancy test. It involves your feet and some water. I'm going on a running gear shopping extravaganza this weekend in Park City and I don't really NEED knew shoes but just in case I decide to splurge I took my wet test. I do this before I get a new pair of running shoes just to keep tabs on my arch and make sure I get the best shoe for me.

There's a technical way of doing this test where you pour some water into a shallow pan, get your feet wet, then step on some brown paper or cardboard so you can check out your arch and possibly trace an outline to take to a running store specialist.

What I did...
I dumped a cup of water on my sidewalk, stepped in the puddle, then stepped back onto dry sidewalk. Then I snapped a picture so I could analyze the real thing all I want.

My arch is one of three possibilities...

FLAT ARCH

If you can see close to your whole foot than you have a flat arch and overpronate when you step. You need shoes that offer stability (for mild to moderate pronators) or motion control shoes (for sever pronators).

NORMAL ARCH

If you only see half your arch than you can opt for a stability shoe that provides a little arch support or if your a feather weight than a neutral shoe may be best for you. Normal arch runners usually can wear either one and be fine.

HIGH ARCH

If you can't see any of your arch than you want to go for a neutral shoe that won't provide much arch support since your arch isn't collapsing very much.

So what do you think?

Looks pretty normal to me. Even though I'm not a very big runner (5'3'', 115 lbs) I opt for stability in my shoes so I can have a little arch support. Otherwise the inside of my left knee starts to ache a little.

Friday Fav's are gonna have to move to Monday this week cause I've gotta get packing. Have a GREAT weekend and good luck in your races!

Running at Night

2010-09-15T13:13:00.002-07:00

Fall is in the air. In order for me to get in a long run I've got to be up before dawn and yesterday it was dark enough that I'm sure it was a health hazard to be out on the road. I'd like to keep training as long as I can before the snow starts to fall so it's time to invest in some night running gear. Good thing I've got a shopping trip planned this weekend!

With that said, I don't have enough of the green stuff to buy everything so I want to hear what you recommend. What do you wear and what is the "must have" item(s)?

Reflective vest (I've hated the one's I've worn in the past because they flop around so if you have one that fits tight I wanna hear about it.)
Head lamp (One strap/two straps)
Butt light (otherwise known as tail light)
Arm/leg reflector bands
Reflective Tape
Reflective Head Band

HOPING FOR HORSE POO

2010-09-14T07:00:00.000-07:00

Have you ever been running down a rural road in the wee morning hours and seen something dark lurking a far off? That was the case for me this morning. As I got closer and closer to this dark form it started looking just like a skunk. I've had a few encounters and a couple close calls so I started weighing my options.

I could run into the field and WAY around the skunk and hope it didn't have any family members hiding in the hay....or I could turn around and make this a out-and-back route instead of a loop...or I could just hope and pray for horse poo and keep running straight on.

I decided to go with option number three since the shape hadn't moved at all during my planning. I started repeating a new running mantra of mine "Please be poo, please be poo, please be poo, etc..." Now I was getting close enough that I was either going to have to quickly dart around the line of fire or hurdle over it. "PLEASE BE POO, PLEASE BE POO,..." Then just before I came upon it I finally could see enough to discover that it was a tumble weed smashed in the road.

WHEW! Wow, all that build up adrenaline for nothing. But ya know what, my pace for the last 3 miles was hoppin'!!! Check out my splits...

Mile 1 - 8:21
Mile 2 - 7:52
Mile 3 - 8:21
Mile 4 - 7:42
Mile 5 - 7:20 (Scene of panic)
Mile 6 - 6:56
Mile 7 - 6:42

I originally set out this morning to do my Kenyan #3 drill (see last post on hill drills) but ended up tacking on a tempo run for the last few miles thanks to the mystery lump in the road.

Have a wonderful day!

STRIDE...SHMIDE - What's it to ya?

2010-09-10T13:26:00.000-07:00

In last weeks effort to count my strides and see if I could do some tweakage (it is too a word) and increase my pace I went about it all wrong. I'm kind of embarrassed because this is the stuff I should know but it's been a while since I was in school. Which is exactly why I keep up on this blog...to hold onto some of that professional brain in the midst of Mommyland.

Here's a quick review from a couple posts back about stride rate.

"One of the most noticeable differences between recreational runners and world class competitive runners is cadence. Top level runners use a cadence of around 90 to 100 full strides per minute, compared to a rather sluggish 75 to 85 strides per minute for recreational runners. A higher stride rate encourages a shorter more efficient stride. Low stride rates are usually associated with over striding and spending too much time on the ground. Try to maintain a stride rate of at least 90 strides per minute at all running velocities. You’ll run easier and more efficiently." --Rick Morris

...and here's the information I should have remembered before I wasted my time counting strides the wrong way.

Stride length is the distance between successive points of initial contact of the same foot. Right and left stride lengths are normally equal.

Step length is the distance between the point of initial contact of one foot and the point of initial contact of the opposite foot. In normal gait, right and left step lengths are similar.

Cadence is calculated in step or strides per minute. (1)

My mistake - I counted step length instead of stride length. I took 180 steps per minute so divide that by 2 and I've got 90 full strides per minute. Okay, so I'm feeling much better about that number. It shows that I'm already at a "top level runner" cadence but I'm sure not running at top level speed so what else can I do to my stride? Here's what I'll be working on.

1 - Make sure I'm not over-striding. When your heel is striking the ground first this actually causes a breaking affect and slows down your pace. It's optimal to have a flat-footed landing right behind the balls of your feet. It's better to have short quick strides with a flat footed landing than long slow strides landing with a heel strike. Hey, I've still got 10 strides I could add per minute to still be "efficient" right?

2 - Get a more explosive foot strike. If I've already got the cadence down then I need to make each step more effective by having a greater push-off. Time to pull out the plyometrics (jumping drills).

3 - Try to get a higher knee lift. Hills, hills, hills. A driving knee will also help my steps to travel farther. This doesn't mean a longer stride. I'm talking about more velocity per step or covering more ground while in the air.

Here's a great article that has some great hill-drill ideas. It works for the Kenyans so why not me? I'm doing number #3 on Monday.

This quote by Phil English is something I'm going to remember while making all these improvements.

"When it comes to stride improvement, it's important to realize that no two runners are exactly alike. "I believe there is a perfect stride for every runner," said English, "but not all runners should have the same perfect stride."

I'm not going to do anything that doesn't feel natural to my body because it's my opinion that not 1 thing works for everyone. But I'll give anything a shot.

Friday Fav's

My Mom loves me. She surprised my with some new Nike running gloves. Yes even 30 year olds get to be spoiled by their Mom every once in a while.

Now I don't have to wear my daughter's fuzzy bright blue gloves from the dollar store. Not that they didn't keep my hands warm...in fact...they were outright sweaty. Yuck. This morning was the first time I wished it was chilly enough so I could test ride the new gloves, but it wasn't. I'll have my review when the time comes. Pretty snazzy though. There's even a pocket in each palm for a key (or lube, chap stick, runner I.D.). The rest of my clothes (minus the shoes) might be from Walmart, thrift store, or a pick from 1 of many race shirts. But my gloves...yeah they rock!

Hmm, not my best picture. It's pretty comparable to the smile I've usually given the camera right after giving birth to each of my kids. Just not normally accompanied with the "rock on" sign but I may have to with the next one just because of this post.

Oh and how will I know when it's cold enough to dawn the gloves? Because I bought myself this really fancy thermometer from said Wally World for a whole buckaroo. Works like a charm. Today I figured out that 50 degrees means a long sleeve shirt and capri length shorts.

See ya on the road...err I mean HILLS!

References

(1) - http://moon.ouhsc.edu/dthompso/gait/knmatics/stride.htm

RAN MY GUTS OUT

2010-09-07T09:25:00.000-07:00

In Yesterday's 5k I ran faster than I ever have before. Usually I only get to measure my 5k PR's in seconds vs. minutes because there's just not a lot of time to work with. You've got to be fast right out of the blocks since it's hard to make up for lost time when you're only covering 3.1 miles. Well yesterday I got to measure my PR by minutes. I beat my old PR by 1 minute and 9 seconds!!! I was able to cover the 5k in 20:50 minutes (6:43 pace) and FINALLY conquered my goal of getting sub 21. I couldn't be more excited!!! Except...

My hubby BEAT ME!!! Can you believe that he went from being a non-runner and in 6 weeks has been able to get to a 6:20 pace!!! He ran the race in 19:38 and even had to stop and tie his shoe!!! Obviously I picked the wrong person to challenge. With a virgin race time like that He really should stick with running. Looks like Mr. Maytag or the crew from Energy Star will not be making a delivery to my home in the near future. I think I can still get my hands on the furniture since we just plain don't have any to go in our new home but I may have to offer up some back rubs.

So even though I got pummeled by Mr. Speedy, all this motivation to train hard earned me a killer PR plus I still came in second place over the women and won me some new ear buds and $30 to Al's Sporting Goods. Not too bad. Oh, and don't forget the most important thing. I came away from the raffle with some of this stuff...

Don't ya love that the "B" forms the cyclists backside. Nice. So one day when I decide to take up biking, my rear is prepared.)

I'm not giving up on the washer and dryer though. Ideas for a "triple or nothing" are starting to form. Suggestions? I'm also looking for some new goals to push me through the fall training. What are you aiming for?

I'm in TrOubLe!!! + Fri Fav's

2010-09-03T15:54:00.003-07:00

I think I may have stuck my foot in my mouth. The big race is this Monday and after only a month to train my hubby is one quick little turd. He probably has only ran about 8 times and only 3.1 miles each time (apparently not wanted to run farther than needed) but is running at a 6:30 pace!!! CRAP! I've never ran that fast! Although on this morning's 4 mile run my last mile was at a 6:29 pace so maybe there's a glimmer of hope? Oh boy. I'm thinking of throwing this offer on the table.

If I come in first among the women I get to keep the furniture.

If he wins then I challenge him to a triple or nothing 10k. I'm pretty confident I've got him there because he's never really ran anthing over 4 miles. Hmmm.....

Should I just suck it up because I agreed to race...even though it was on his terms. ;)

Oh well. If anything I'll have a good time trying to win and I'm sure to get a PR out of this one. Also I may have gained a partner in crime. If he's this good with such little training he really should stick with it! Now I can have some company on my Saturday morning races. We'll just have to find a babysitter willing to work in the wee hours of the morning.

Here's some favorite's I came across this week...be prepared to laugh.

Running Diva Mom - I know I said I wouldn't mention anything about a virtual race until Oct. but I at least want you to get in on this one if you'de like. -k, I'm done.

The Boring Runner - Favorite new blog that I've added to my roll. "Boring"...WHATEVER! This guy really is a crack up.

Frayed Laces - "The $150 Pit Stop Mistake." Probably one of the funniest posts I've ever read. The fact that she had to seek medical treatment made it all the more hilarious. I know that sounds mean but you'll just have to read it.

Run To The Finish - Lessons on runner's ettiquette. Gave me a chuckle as well. Check out the comments for some more reasons to smile.

P.S. I did count my cadence this morning to see if I could make some last ditch effort tweaks to my stride and get a faster pace but I'm WAY above the standard mentioned for elite runners. I'm taking about 180 steps per minute vs. the 90 steps my previous post said was optimal. Hmm, more on those thoughts Monday.

Have a wonderful Labor Day weekend!!!

GREAT ADVICE! + FEELIN' THE LOVE

2010-09-01T09:49:00.000-07:00

I'm always open for some great advice or helpful criticism on how to improve my pace and I came across this sweet little paragraph by Rick Morris on http://www.runningplanet.com. No need to paraphrase because it's good stuff and not too much to take in.

High Cadence

You better believe I'll be counting my steps on my next run! If all I have to do to add a little more speed is take a few more steps per minute than that sounds great to me! Tomorrow's a rest day but I'll let you know Friday how it works out. I'm actually kinda hopin' I fall short on the candence per minute so I can tweak things a little and improve my 5k pace just in time for a race on Labor Day.

Feelin' the Love

As you may know I recently participated in the "Mama Goes Master" race and I'm pleased to announce that I WON the 8.25 mile portion. Hooray! I'm looking forward to the little prize package arriving in the mail soon. Thanks again for takin' on the RD position MCMmama! Click here if you're interested in the race results.

Also, Andrew at RunningManWannaBe sent me an email yesterday with questions about stretching technique and he appreciated the advice so much that he gave me a little shout out on his blog. It's nice to use my professional brain every once in a while since I'm usually preoccupied in Mommyland. I would love to help anyone with their training and I welcome any questions you may have. Thanks for the link love Andrew!

So Much for Sub 21

2010-08-30T16:35:00.000-07:00

Saturday I ran in a small town race with a small amount of people but had a blast. My hubby is from this small town so I knew a bunch and got to run with friends AND family as my Sis-in-Law joined in the fun. Ya know, sometimes a race is just about the commodore between runners and it doesn't matter what time you get.

Oh who am I kidding...I wanted to see something under 21 minutes SO BAD! I was on perfect target pace for my first mile at 6:40 min. and then Mr. G went blank. WHAT?!?!? I just charged the sucker a couple days before and had only used it once on a short run but I'm thinking I must have left it ON. Grrrr. Lesson - charge Mr. G the night before a race no matter what.

So screen is blank but at least I had a young buck next too me that was running my same pace so I figured if I stuck by him we could make this happen. All was well until mile 3. Mile 3 has a little steep hill that lasts for about 1/4 mile at the beginning and I remembered it from previous year so I attacked it. However, I forgot that from the top of this steep hill it remains a slight uphill grade to the finish line. Ahhhh!!! Maybe should have saved a little "umph" for the blacktop that remained. Well young buck slowly pulled away and I was left counting my steps. (Something I resort to sometimes when I'm starting to hit a rough spot). Not sure what my last mile split was but obviously not fast enough to keep my time under 21. I actually didn't even get under 22 min. My time was 22:19 which is a GREAT time that I am proud of and I did come in second overall (like I said...small race). I'm just ready to kill that 5k come Labor Day.

Watch out hubby...I'm hungry.

4 Your Playlist - Friday Fav's

2010-08-27T16:15:00.000-07:00

I've got a few favorites to share with you today.

FAV NEW SONGS I ADDED TO MY PLAYLIST

The Kills ~ Sour Cherry (My favorite new addition)
The Kills ~ No Wow
Bruno Mars ~ Just the Way You Are
Enter the Hagis ~ One Last Drink
Radiohead ~ 15 Step
Matchbox 20 ~ How Far We've Come

A FEW FAV POSTS (AMONG MANY)

Secrets of a Running Mom - Refer here for 10 ways to run like your a 4 year old. I need to be more like this.

One Run At a Time - Check out #2 on her "Three Things Thursday". It's my knew best friend...and mine's made out of marble. Oooh la la!

Early Morning Run - Great new recipe for using the beloved sweet potato.

Joe the Runner - For those of you who adore your treadmill. You may enjoy this post.

CURRENT FAV FUEL BEFORE A SHORT RACE

Microwave Smores - I might even sign up for a race just to justify eating 1 or two. So good! I'll try to refrain from licking the screen.

Have a wonderful weekend! I'll be celebrating mine 5k style. Going for sub 7 pace. If the course is the same as in previous years there's a little nasty hill at the end so we'll see. Race report Monday...I'll let you know how that smore worked for me!

MCMmama's Virtual Race Reports

2010-08-25T08:15:00.001-07:00

Are ya sick of hearing about these virtual races yet? Sorry! I just wanted to throw down my race reports to prove my participation so bare with me one more time and I promise NOT to mention anything about a virtual race until Oct. when I start working on the Jog 4 Joubert 10k.

I chose to participate in 2 difference distances (4 miles and 8.25 miles) in the Momma Goes Master's Virtual race this past week and really enjoyed my first voyage into the cyber race world.

Last Friday I attempted to conquer the 4 mile race only to DNF due to Mr. G complications. See previous post. Of course I finished the run but wasn't able to record my accurate stats so I just chalked it up as a good tempo.

8.25 miles
Saturday I tried again only my target was the 8.25 mile race and was pleasantly surprised at the pace I was able to keep. Lately I've been focusing on my short races and doing a lot of speedwork and tempo runs to get my 5k/10k pace down so to be able to keep up a decent pace for 8+ made me happy. Another HUGE motivation on my run was that Mr. G beeped "Low Battery" at me around mile 4 and I was not going to repeat this race so the anxiety pushed me a little harder. I know, DUMB of me to not check on battery juice the night before but it all worked out. Whew!

Getting ready to hit the road running. I saved you from having to witness the post-race glow.I finished in 1:03:36 which was a 7:43 pace. Wahoo!

4 miles

This morning was my second attempt at the 4 mile race. After charging Mr. G last night and popping a couple Gobstoppers this morning I was ready to go. (Yeah that's my kinda fuel. A little hard candy seems to do the trick. Not very technical here.)

I would've LOVED to go sub 7 min pace but the first mile is slightly uphill and if I push it TOO hard I suck it up the rest of the way. I did try to warm up first but I think I took it too slow because it didn't seem to make much of a difference. Next time I'm going to take 1/2 mile warm up running at normal pace, have a 1 minute breather, and then pound the pavement. Why didn't I pick a flat route? Because most of the time after I've worked a little harder to get up a hill I run the subsequent miles faster.

I was able to kick out the 4 miles in 28:16 min. with a 7:04 pace. Mile splits...

Mile 1 - 7:43

Mile 2 - 6:48

Mile 3 - 6:50

Mile 4 - 6:54

See what I mean about the first mile! I would LOVE any advice on what I can do in my training to get this down. Obviously on a long distance it doesn't matter as much because you have time to get into your groove. In these short distances you have to be ready to go right off the bat.

Maybe a more effective warm-up. I dunno...help!

A little after race glow. You couldn't get away with it twice. ;)

HApYp BirThDay MCMMama!!!

I WISH I COULD BE THERE!

2010-08-23T08:16:00.000-07:00

The fall racing season is upon us and many of you haved signed up to run in some kind of race so in the spirit of wishing I could be there to cheer you on I made you some posters...

Best wishes towards surpassing your goal, finishing your distance, or crushing your PR. I wish I could be there in person to yell some encouragement and I look forward to reading your race reports. Good luck!!!

Going Virtual (Fri Fav)

2010-08-20T14:23:00.000-07:00

This past week my favorite thing has been to sign up and participate in virtual races.

Ten reasons to participate in a virtual race.

1- You have a lull in your race season.
2 - You don't like race day pressure.
3 - You prefer to run on your own time.
4 - You have a favorite course.
5 - Running for a good cause makes you happy.
6 - You aren't ready to commit to a race in reality.
7 - It's fun to be in the "running" for free stuff.
8 - You don't like to pay race fees (many virtual race are FREE).
9 - You like the commodore of bloggy world.
10 - You're in a rut and need some motivation...NOW.

I mentioned in my last post that I was in on MCMMamma's virtual race this weekend and so far so good. I almost had my 4 miler completed today but I stopped Mr. G for 2 passing vehicles when I had to cross a road and it didn't get started up again for a 1/2 mile. Ahhh! Should've just relied on the automatic pause but I was reluctant and paid the price. I think the automatic pause actually kicked on too which is what got things mixed up when I thought I had started the timer again. After I finished I ended up with an average pace of 7:06...OUCH! I can at least record it as a good tempo run but to have all that effort go uncounted was rough. I'm going to complete the 8.25 mile race tomorrow and then go for the 4 miler again Tuesday. Note to self...Automatic pause is my friend.

Here's another virtual race I wanted to give a shout-out to.

Meet Laura from http://www.myreasontorun.blogspot.com/.

She has a child with Joubert Syndrome and is trying to spread awareness. One way is by hosting an upcoming virtual race "running" from Oct.3 - Oct 10. Click on the button below for complete info then click on the above link to enter.

Oh, and if you heard it here first, would you mind letting her know I sent you. Thanks and enjoy the race!

P.S. In the future, when I come across additional virtual races I'll pass on the word so you can get in on it. Or if you do a little blog stalking yourself in the running community you may find some too so be sure to let me know!

Keepin' It Interesting + Virtual Race

2010-08-18T07:54:00.000-07:00

Yesterday's run was GREAT! Let me tell you what I did.

Photo by Nils Steindorf-Sabath

I've had step up my speed game lately as my hubby has been rockin' his training for our upcoming big race. (If you've read my previous posts you may know about our "friendly" competition. For details you can click here.) Not that he's been out running a ton but for the few miles he has run he's gotten faster! I've been a nice competitor and have loaned out Mr. G so he can have an idea what's going on out there while he's pounding the road...and so I can keep tabs on his progress. His last run was a 6:52 pace! What!?!?! Time for me to switch gears into panic mode and pound some pavement!

Here's what yesterday's morning run looked like. It burned SO good!

1 mile warm-up @ 8:10 pace

1 mile fartleks with the telephone poles

(ON @ 5:33 pace/OFF @ 8:15 pace)

1/2 mile recover @ 7:45 pace

1 1/2 mile tempo @ 6:45 pace

3 min. active rest

5 x 1/2 block strides

Today is my rest day. Ahhhhhh...

Tomorrow I've got plans for a 4 mile tempo. Going for at least sub 30 min.

Friday is my long day and for 5k training I figure 6 miles is good. But this Friday I'm using it for a virtual race I've signed up for and hitting 8.25 miles. I'm competing in two distances. The first is the 8.25 miles and the next week I'm going to pound out a 4 miler. If you'd like to get in on the race click on the race bib below and leave MCM Mama a comment telling her what distance you would like to do. For info about the race her original post is here. Just be sure to leave your comment on a new post of hers so she catches your name. Good luck!

Occasionally I feel like I'm not so HARD CORE this year when I'm running these short distances and not going for a marathon but I'm having A LOT of fun with the training. Instead of focusing on my base mileage I get to throw in different speed sessions with something new each time and it keeps things fresh. After the Ragnar Relay in June and peaking for a 15k I did over the 4th of July I lost a little motivation but changing up my training has done the trick and my desire and drive is renewed! If your feeling some post-race blues...mix it up a bit. Speedwork can be a lot of fun!

I Promise...it will help!

2010-08-09T07:02:00.000-07:00

In almost every running magazine I read there's always a question about the effectiveness of stretching and let me tell you...I PROMISE it makes a difference. I've been able to increase my stride length with my running which has boosted my pace. It's how and what you stretch that has a positive/negative result.

#1 Rule - NEVER stretch a cold muscle. You're more likely to tear the muscle and do more damage than good. To warm up a muscle go for a slow jog, take a warm bath, or apply a heating pad (moist heat is best but just be cautious so you don't burn yourself). I don't ever stretch before my run. I take the first mile as a warm up so I can literally can warm-up the muscles and then I go for my run whatever my goal may be for the day. Then AFTER my run is when I hit the stretching.

#2 Rule - Don't bounce! This actually can cause the muscle to tense up and also can lead to a tear. Just hold the stretch for 30-40 seconds and as the muscle relaxes you can slowly stretch further.

Important muscles to stretch for running/walking. Click on the muscle for a link on how to stretch.

Hamstrings
Calves
Hip Flexors
Quads
Groin
Piriformis

Even if your not a runner these stretches make a huge difference especially later in life. As I worked in physical therapy I spent A LOT of my time with the older generation (75+ years) many of whom I was helping to walk again after an injury or just plain regression in health. The main culprit that kept them from walking...tight (or shortened) muscles. For example, when the calve muscles are shortened it pulls the heel chord tight making it hard to get the foot flat on the floor. This results in unstable walking and leads to a higher risk of a fall which is ofter why the elderly stop trying to walk. It's a fear of falling that makes them lose a lot of independence.

By keeping these muscles lengthened through proper stretching not only will help increase your stride length, prevent a muscle injury, or help with muscle soreness, it also will help you later in life as the muscles tend to tighten as we get older. So just extend your fitness routine by a few minutes and squeeze in a couple stretches. Your muscles will thank you.

See you on the road!

Trick of the Trade - Fav's

2010-08-06T08:15:00.000-07:00

Here's an idea to squeeze a little more exercise into your busy, hectic, crazy day.

1st - Think of a place/room you enter several times through-out the day.

2nd - Think of an exercise you can repeat at least 10 times. i.e. push-ups, sit-ups, calve raises, lunges, jumping jacks, wall sit...

3rd - Every time you enter that room you have to do your exercise of choice.

For me, every time I enter my master bedroom I have to do 10 squat jumps. I've already done 20 this morning in 1 hour so I should get in some good plyometrics today.

Friday Fav's

DC Rainmaker...He's got my favorite give-a-way going on right now. A GARMIN 310XT!!! I shouldn't tell you because I really want to win but my chances are already slim and why not spread the love right? Good luck to you! (but not too much ;)

Tall Mom on the Run...Tall Mom makes it in again because of her "Rut" post. I have many friends who are at this point and these are good words to read.

Racing with Babes...Her post serves as a reminder to "Not Sweat the Small Stuff"

A Bold Pace...My new FAVORITE website. Maybe it's because I stumbled upon it as their newest post was an interview with my running icon Kara Goucher. Maybe it's because they have a great feature under their "Popular Posts" sidebar where they have created marathon playlists for different paces. I haven't been on the marathon bandwagon this year but I'm going to take the faster BPM songs and add them to my 10k playlist. Or maybe it's because I'm inspired by these 40+ year women who are rockin' the runner world. Either way, it's a great site. Check it out.

Have a great weekend! I'm going to spend mine at the ball field once again at a SB tourney but I've got plans to hit the road running come Monday. Until then!

A RUN WITH NOTHIN' ON

2010-08-04T07:07:00.000-07:00

Clarification...no electronics! Geez, what where you thinking? Although I think running in the nude would be quite liberating it would NOT go over well in my neck of the woods. I do have a great body for it though as I don't really require any support of my upper torso. Enough said...ON the with the post!

Two weeks ago I came down with a sore throat which turned into a phlegm filled cough. Yuck, I know. So my breathing became more labored anyways let alone when I was trying to run. As a result I cut down on mileage and slowed my pace.

Last week my hubby was gone to scout camp Monday - Saturday and thus I took the week off of running since finding a babysitter at 6:30 a.m. wasn't going to happen. Plus I was at the ball field 5 of 7 nights playing a mean right center (okay, trying) so I didn't get the running going during the evening hours either.

This past Monday was finally my day to get back to work. I knew I'd be slower and I didn't want to torture myself by gazing at Mr. G every minute to confirm the turtle pace so I decided to leave him at home. It's like when I go on vacation. I KNOW I'll gain wait (sure sign of a good time) so why come home and weigh myself? I always give myself 2 weeks to work of the pounds before a weigh-in. So my left wrist was Garmin free so I wouldn't be so focused on my speed.

Also, since I was on this gadget strike and feeling liberated I decided to leave my music on the shelf too. It was just a short 4 miler and it was actually nice to hear the sounds of morning. Usually when I pass anyone I wave and say hi and fake like I hear what they say back to me. Without the music there was no faking goin' on I was able to hear the salutation and that was nice too.

Overall it was a joy to just get out and enjoy the pleasures of running and not worry about training. Don't get me wrong. I like to push myself and run hard and I do enjoy Mr. G and my tunes on a long run or speed work, but I quite like the solitude on a short easy run and look forward to the next one. It's going down on my schedule to do at least twice a month.

See ya on the road!

Funny Running Quotes - Friday Fav's

2010-07-30T09:22:00.000-07:00

These put a smile on my face. Hopefully it does the same to yours.

“It hurts up to a point and then it doesn't get any worse.”
Ann Trason

“You have to forget your last marathon before you try another. Your mind can't know what's coming.”
Frank Shorter

“We can't all be heroes because someone has to sit on the curb and clap as they go by.”
Will Rogers

“While running, it is rude to count the people you pass out loud.”
Anonymous

"I don't think jogging is healthy, especially morning jogging. If morning joggers knew how tempting they looked to morning motorists, they would stay home and do sit-ups."
- Rita Rudner

"I love running cross country....On a track, I feel like a hamster."
- Robin Williams

"I run so my goals in life will continue to get bigger instead of my belly."
- Bill Kirby

"The only reason I would take up jogging is so that I could hear heavy breathing again."
- Erma Bombeck

"Running is a mental sport...and we're all insane!"
- Author unknown

Here's my Fav posts that I stalked this week.

Tall Mom on the Run - A great reminder NOT too let our weaknesses get to us.

Always a Reason to Run - Need to update your playlist? Click the link!

MCM Mama - Stay true to your own self. How? Read her post!

I also gotta give a shout out to my FAV knew followers. Thanks for joining the Fitness Junky club! And I can't forget those that have already been following as well. You guys are awesome!

Thanks for all the comments too. It's nice too know people actually read this stuff and care enough to have a little discussion. It's always great to know that your not the only one that's "insane".

--See ya on the road!

Quotes found at...
www.poemofquotes.com
www.running.about.com

Cartoon from
www.runningromans.com

THE 10 TYPES OF RUNNERS

2010-07-28T06:00:00.000-07:00

The Speed Freak - Buzzed Hair. Supershort shorts. Racing flats. Twitch in one eye.

Dangerous - Only if you get in his way.

The Weekend Warrior - Warrior tube socks. Midsection paunch. Grin. Headphones.

Dangerous - Only if you make fun of his socks.

The Penguin - Plodding determination. Fanny pack.

Dangerous - Only if you make fun of John Bingham

The Charity Runner - Selflessness. Tears. Matching outfits.

Dangerous - No...unless you are anti-"awareness."

The Ultra Guy - Lean and tan to the nth degree. Quiet. Hard as nails.

Dangerous - Only at an all-you-can-eat brunch buffet.

The Kicker - No distiguishing characteristics whatsoever...until he or she unleashes a stiff, tight-lipped, arm-pumping sprint in the final 100 meters of the race.

Dangerous - OH help you if you get in the way of those pumping arms.

The Old-Timer - Faded cotton T-shirt from the 1981 Peachtree 10k. Scar on neck from melanoma. Twinkle in eye. Conspicuous lack of gadgets. Advanced age.

Dangerous - Heck, no. These guys are great.

The Triathlete - Ironman tattoo. SKin-tight unitard, possibly emblazoned with sponsers' names. Comparatively large upper body. Vague smell of chlorine.

Dangerous - Only if you call him a unitard.

The Wacky Guy - "Antennas" headband, oversize novelty sunglasses, cowboy hat, kilt, superhero costume, etc. A grim determination to "have fun with it."

Dangerous - Probably not, although this guy might someday snap.

Joe Average - Nothing particular

Dangerous - Almost certainly.

Taken from my favorite running book; The Runner's Rule Book by Mark Remy

HarVestiNg the PeAs

2010-07-27T09:00:00.000-07:00

I've spent MANY hours in the garden this summer and we are finally reaping the rewards. I'm the first to admit I don't have the greatest eating habits and my vegetable consumption probably suffers the most. At least when it's time to harvest the garden I have easy access to some good vegetarian grub so tonight I enjoyed my peas stir fried with some roasted almonds.

Here's what it looked like.

Throw in a handful of almonds with a swirl of extra virgin olive oil.

Add a few handfuls of peas (pods edible with this variety). I like mine a little crunchy but if you like yours softer, steam them first.

Stir fry until the almonds are slightly brown and the peas are warm. For even more flavor, add a pinch of salt. Walla!

To make a meal out of this I've often tossed it with some brown rice. Not too bad for someone who eats too many carbs and not enough greens. Now I'm on the hunt for a way to eat my beets without loading on the butter and salt. Throw some ideas my way if ya got 'em!

5 Hour Energy - BUST?

2010-07-26T08:37:00.000-07:00

I've never been one to down an energy drink for a pick-me up but there's so much RAVE going on about this little bottle that I wanted to dig in and see if the fuss is worthy of my attention.

What 5 hour energy boasts...

Only 4 calories
Packed with vitamins and nutrients
"Clean" energy (whatever that means) without a crash
ZERO sugar
ZERO herbal stimulants

First off, I'm skeptical because the advertisement is big on saying that this little shot of energy only packs 4 calories. Hmmm, but aren't calories what our body needs to burn energy? Also... HOLY VITAMIN B12 OVERLOAD!!! Is it healthy to drink %8333 of your % daily value in one shot? What if you're eating healthy and taking a multi-vitamin already? You could be getting over %10000 of your daily need of the B12 vitamin and I'm not sure where toxicity sets in but WOW. Finally, the drink provides the same amount of caffeine as 12 oz. of premium coffee so could the energy just come from a caffeine buzz?

I'm a big advocate eating healthy, exercising more, and hydrating adequately. I don't like to rely on other supplements for what I'm lacking in my diet. I do take a multi-vitamin because lets face it, after having 3 kids my body has taken a few hits but that's about it. If I'm feeling tired one day then instead of reaching for an energy drink I eat more protein, make sure I'm up on my fluids, and try to get to bed a little earlier.

Here's some articles from fellow skeptics...

~ 5 Hour Energy: Too Good to Be True?

~ The Real 5 Hour Energy - very informative

~ 5 Hour Energy Side Effects

and some words from 5 Hour supporters...

~ 5 Hour Energy Drinks for that Needed Boost of Energy

~ 5 Hour Energy Packs a Punch

~ 5 Hour Energy Articles

What are your thoughts?

Do you chase down a PR with the help of a 5 hour energy? Is this cheating? Does 5 hour work for you? Are you hesitant to use anything for an energy buzz? Is 5 Hour Energy just masking the symptoms of fatigue?

Strides + Friday Fav's

2010-07-23T08:06:00.000-07:00

I'm trying to kick my speed training up a notch to capture GOLD (see previous post) so I finished my workout this morning with 5 x 100 yard strides and it felt SO good. After a 4 mile tempo run, I walked for a couple minutes then got started.

How to do a stride
Strides are short, fast interval runs between 50 and 200 meters. They should be run at a "comfortable sprint" pace, which means that you're basically running as fast as you can without losing your proper running form. Doing strides can help improve your speed, flexibility, coordination, and running efficiency.

Recovery
Recover in between each interval and make sure you're not out of breath when you start your next interval. If you find yourself losing your form towards the end of the interval, try slowing down, taking a longer rest, or running a shorter distance. (1)

Try them and let me know how it goes!

Friday Fav's

Frayed Laces - Want to know what type of celebrity runner you are? Take this quiz to find out.

52 Weeks to 4:15 - Sharon once again makes me smile with her memoir to batwings.

Truly.Into.Fitness - Not only is Jess' site a great resource for healthy eating, check out her bog roll. It's my go to place to scan for a healthy recipe.

Have a GREAT weekend!

Reference
1 - http://running.about.com/od/runnersglossary/f/strides.htm

HE THINKS HE CAN WIN?

2010-07-20T14:16:00.000-07:00

Last year around this time I had just finished a 15k and was feeling really good about myself when my husband exclaimed..."I could beat ya". Oooohh, GAME ON! Don't get me wrong, my hubby is naturally athletic and pretty fast but he doesn't run unless he's chasing a ball or sprinting around the bases. But he was feeling pretty confident and I thought it would be fun to deliver him a woopin' and prove that I really had been training hard. So we set a date to race in our city's 10k with these babies on the line.

If I won, I got to finally purchase a new living room set. If he won, I had to put more money into our savings each month (he's an accountant...enough said.) Well Mr. Speedy started out his training a little too strong and ended up with a bum knee and a forfeit. I didn't give him too much grief because he was limping around and I didn't think it was worth him ruining his knee but I still count it as a forfeit and will be furnishing my new home nicely by the end of the year.

Well a couple days ago he declared a rematch...double or nothin'! The difference is that he wants to stick with a 5k instead. Of course I HAD to give him a hard time. ONLY A 5K? But I think it would be fun and I don't want him hobblin' around again so we're ON! The date is set for September 6th. Now these twins are on the line.

That's right! Every Mom's DREAM!!!

If I win I get the new living room set AND the washer/dryer combo. These puppies have been on my wish list ever since baby #3 was born...only in red.

So now I've got to kick up my speed work and focus a little harder my 5k training than I intended to do this summer but I've got my work cut out for me. First time running this morning and hubby's already got a 7:10 pace. WHAT?!? Good thing mine was 7:01! HAHAHAHA!

This could get ugly. :)

A FEW RULES TO RUN BY

2010-07-15T10:06:00.002-07:00

Sometimes I re-read my Runner's World magazines and come across articles that make me smile even the second/third time through. Just thought I'd share.

Running Rules of Thumb...

Adapted from Mark Remy's "The Runner's Rule Book"

1. If you see a porta potty with no line, use it. Even if you don't need to.

2. If you have to ask yourself, Does this driver see me? The answer is no.

3. If you have to ask yourself, Are these shorts too short? The answer is yes.

4. 1 glazed doughnut = 2 miles

5. You rarely regret the runs you do; you almost always regret the runs you skip.

6. Not everyone who looks fast really is, and not everyone who looks slow really is.

7. Nobody has ever watched Chariots of Fire from beginning to end. Not even the people who made it.

8. You can never have too many safety pins on your gym bag.

9. Running any given route in the rain makes you feel 50 percent more hard-core than covering the same route on a sunny day.

10. If you care even a little about being called a jogger versus a runner, you're a runner.

FYI - National Doughnut Day was on June 4th. Dang, I missed it. But it's on my calendar for next year!

Butt-Scoot

2010-07-12T14:41:00.000-07:00

I've got hamstrings on my mind lately since I've had to give mine more attention after my last 15k race. Here's a new hammy drill for ya. What you need...

1 - A slippery surface...i.e. gym floor

2 - A hand towel

Sit on the hand towel and use your feet to pull you forward across the gym. Get a group of you going if you want a little competition. You never know, you might even get a good ab workout from all the laughing.

Friday Fav's

2010-07-09T07:16:00.000-07:00

I'm starting something new. There are SO many great posts that I read each week that I wanted to bring attention to the ones that stick out in my mind and share them with you. So from now on I'm going to be including my "Friday Fav's" each week to highlight my favorite posts.

Some are old, some are new. This week these are the posts that caught my eye.

Mile Posts - Body Fat Dorothy has a great discussion on essential body fat and why we NEED to have it. An excerpt from her post.

"I've contemplated a thought about weight and speed over the years - every time it comes to mind I feel the same way. If you told me today that for the rest of my life I had to be 10lbs more than my *ideal weight* but this meant that I would go under 3:15 in the marathon - which would I choose? Weigh more and run faster or weigh less and never get any faster than 3:21? I would choose to weigh more and run faster. I have realized[though even I need reminding at times] that my self worth and my times on the clock are not related to how low the number is on the scale."

RunnerDude's Blog - Supplement the Natural Way...Eat! While the whole post is very informative I really appreciate the last half where RunnerDude has provided a vitamin list with details of it's role for runners and what foods provide them.

Diary of a Hungry Mom - Spicy Popcorn Recipe A perfect, no-guilt snack. Yum!

Lazy Bones Running - What top three things do you do to pass the time while running? Christina poses this question and it was fun to see the answers and get more ideas for when I'm having a harder day logging the mileage.

The Running Fat Guy - Garmin Woes - A little Garmin technical support can go a long way. Easy advice for when the screen goes blank. Now I don't have to crack open my Garmin guidebook.

I know there are MANY more wonderful posts that I have not discovered but I'm always on the lookout. If you come across one that blows your mind please share!

Ragnar Raley Re-cap

2010-06-28T08:00:00.000-07:00

Summer hit us hard the past couple of weeks and we've been AWOL making memories with our friends and family but I finally have a moment to reach back into my cyber world and re-cap my favorite relay race I participated in a few weeks ago.

The Wasatch Back Ragnar Relay covers 188 miles and is one of 12 relays Ragnar has in the U.S. It was actually the first one they created and it has become a VERY popular race here in these parts. This year marks my third and it was better than ever! The company in your van makes all the difference and we were a wild and crazy bunch so it was a blast!

This relay has you create a team of 12 people split into 2 vans of 6. Then you leap frog your way to the finish with each participant doing 3 legs. The legs are categorized into "Easy, Moderate, Hard, and Very Hard" according to distance and grade (elevation loss or gain). My three legs looked like this...

Leg #1 - Exchange 1 - 7.9 miles (Very Hard)

Leg #2 - Exchange 13 - 8.5 (Very Hard)

Leg #3 - Exchange 25 - 4.8 (Easy)

"Victorious Secret" team picture...BEFORE

Rachelle, Robin, Gentry, Lindsy, Sheena, Me

Comin' down the home stretch to my first exchange.

Distance ~ 7.8 miles

Time ~ 59:24:65 min.

Average pace - 7:36 min/mi

My cute little family cheered for me along the course. They were so adorable yelling for their Mama. I even had to stop and give them each a smooch! Here's a quick family pic at the end of my first run before we hopped in the van to support our next runner. Love them!

Team Picture after we all had finished our first legs and were taking in a little R&R.

Chowin' down on some free salsa from Rubio's

Left - Me, Sheena, Robin

Right - Rachelle, Gentry, Lindsy

For the night runs we were required to wear a reflective vest, a buttlight, and either wear a headlamp or carry a flashlight. A whole lotta gear but there's been some pretty bad accidents and a couple fatalities so it was understandable.

Showing off the gear.

Here I am coming down the decent from Snow Basin to meet up with my second exchange. Distance - 8.45 miles

Time - 1:04:46

Avg. pace - 7:40 min/mi

The first mile was a pretty steep uphill and killed my average pace but I ended really strong and was able to bring it back down. My last mile was 6:23 min. I'm a sucker for a long downhill.

Waiting to start my last leg. Wahoo!

Even though this was categorized as my "easy" leg it was by far the hardest. Just a flat blacktop on tired legs and no sleep. I had a hard time keeping up my pace and was about 15 sec. over per mile than I was projected. Oh well, ya do what you can.

Distance ~ 4.87 miles

Time ~ 37:46:42

Avg. pace ~ 7:45 min/mi

Van Decor - All the vehicles get decked out for the occasion. This van had a "bumper dumper" and I couldn't resist.

Finish Line

We got a lot of comments on our shirts. People thought they were custom made but I actually just found them at Walmart and had a Logo company put our team name on the back.

"Victorious Secret"

Ragnar 2010

Lindsy, Me, Robin, Sheena, Gentry, Rachelle

Team pic...AFTER

Here's a complete team picture of our combined vans.

If you've never participated in a relay or been apart of a triathlon team I HIGHLY recommend it. It's a change from the ordinary and you can have such great commodore among your team. I've got friends for life and many wonderful memories!

Zapped my Quads/NSAID's

2010-06-07T08:07:00.000-07:00

I had a cousin in town a few days ago and we broke out a map and set our course for a long run through the mountains. It would have been about 9.5 miles...had we turned at the right place. We did the first 4 miles at a pretty good clip so before we knew it we were at the bottom of trail and had missed our designated short cut. Not a big deal but now we had a little more black top to cover. I felt really good and ended the run really strong. After re-mapping our route I found we had done 11.35 miles at a 8:20 pace and about 2/3 of the run was downhill. Longest run of the season for me. Hooray! I think I could have gone a few more miles too.

It's a good thing I didn't though.

The next morning I went to hop out of bed and about collapsed on the floor. Hmmm. I thought my quads were firing just fine but apparently they weren't quite ready for all the decent. So now for the past couple days I've been cross training, icing, and medicating myself.

Motrin is my friend!

With that said I'm reminded of the precautions for runners who use any type of NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug) to help with pain and inflammation. I know it's pretty common for runners to pop a few Ibuprofen before a run and there are some pretty major side effects from doing this so I thought I'd throw a little review up here for ya.

The most common NSAID's include Ibuprofen, Aspirin, and Motrin.

Acetaminophen, another pain reliever is not and NSAID so choose Tylenol as your medication of choice.

What they can do for you - Reduce muscle discomfort, inflammation, and swelling.

Why you should never take one before, during, or right after a run - NSAID's can cause nausea, stomach cramping, and diarrhea. And because running itself can create stomach discomfort, the meds make you extra prone to these problems.

Taking too many NSAIDS can stress the kidneys (NSAID drugs are processed out of the system by your kidneys) and impair their ability to function, which can contribute to dehydration or over hydration, especially if you don't ingest both water and salt during long runs. Your kidneys are already working overtime during a long run or race and when you are dehydrated they are under even more stress. Adding these drugs to the load on your kidneys can cause kidney damage.

Have you ever witnessed a runner collapsing when they seemed otherwise healthy? Here's an example of what could happen.

Taking NSAIDs pre- or midrace can be risky. Don Davis, of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, found this out after he won the 1994 Seagate 100-K Ultramarathon in Toledo, Ohio. Though he finished strong, Davis, then 49, was diagnosed with acute kidney failure four days later. He was hospitalized for 11 days and lapsed into congestive heart failure before his kidney function was stabilized.

During the race, Davis battled an injured calf muscle by popping ibuprofen every time it cramped. In nine and a half hours, Davis took 2,400 milligrams (the 24-hour prescription maximum). His injured calf was leaking myoglobin, a protein the kidneys must process out of the bloodstream. His doctors said the ibuprofen was inhibiting the kidneys from doing their job and a toxic backup resulted.

To reiterate, you should not be popping Ibuprofen or other NSAID drugs while running. Here are a couple of things to do instead:

Choose Tylenol for pain control
See a doctor to treat the underlying injury, rather than running through pain.
Ice the painful area before and after running. Ice for 10-15 minutes at a time, but not longer.
Talk to your doctor about a topical pain reliever that will not impact the stomach or kidneys

So I'm popping my Motrin and taking it easy today with a little ice and massage to the thighs. But when I set out again for a run tomorrow I'm going to curb the NSAID until at least 4 hours after I'm done.

See ya on the road!

P.S. - I crushed my 5k PR last Memorial Day. I finished in 21:39. Hooray! I was thinking once I reached my goal of sub 22 I would focus on my 10k but now I'm tempted to go for sub 21. Hmmm...

Full articles and references
http://coachjoeenglish.wordpress.com/2007/06/05/training-can-i-take-ibuprofen-while-im-running/
http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-241-286--7770-2-1-2,00.html

Running Induced Back Pain

2010-05-26T08:05:00.000-07:00

For the past couple of months I've been dealing with dull back pain after my runs. It hasn't gotten worse, but it hasn't gotten better either...until just a few days ago. In case any of you are experiencing the same thing, I thought I'd share my experience with you and hopefully it will help alleviate your pain.

At first I wasn't sure what was the cause until I noticed that I didn't have any pain on my "off" days. So the dull pain was directly related to my running. From a physical therapy point of view, my immediate thoughts were that my core muscles must be weak or tight so I needed to do some stretching and strengthening. Maybe...although all through the winter months I did a lot of core work after my treadmill runs. Hmmm, so what have I done differently lately that would cause this? Two things came to mind.

1 - I started my training outside a couple months ago and have been incorporating a lot of hills. The biomechanics of running up hills and at unusual angles leads to postural changes which demands greater stress on your back muscles. Obviously I'm experiencing some muscular strain and I think this is the culprit. Living at the base of a mountain range makes running hills unavoidable (plus I like them) but now when I'm attacking one I focus on my posture and then make sure to stretch AFTER my run when my muscles are warm. Plus, I could have been better at introducing the hills more progressively. I'll keep that in mind next spring. Here's some great things to remember when running hills.

You will run slower going uphill, so slow the pace down as best as possible, don't push your pace or even try to attack the hill by going real fast.
Shorten your stride, which by not pumping your arms as hard, actually will happen subconsciously... its weird how that works, but it does.
Keep good form, especially by keeping your back straight. posture, posture, posture.
When going downhill, lean forward and keep the short strides. If you lean back and try to break yourself, you'll kill your quads. (1)

2 - I'm horrible at staying adequately hydrated. I've always been bad at this. I was thinking back to my high school years the other day and I can't even remember having water breaks during soccer or track practice. Well, 12 years later the bad habit still exists. So I have to make a conscience effort to keep a water bottle by my side. Better yet, I also keep a cup by all my sinks at home so when I'm in that room I fill it up and take a swig. This has helped immensely! Dehydration is a common denominator in muscle soreness, spasms, and cramps and is so easily avoidable! How much water do you specifically need in a day? Visit this website to plug in your weight, exercise time, and environmental conditions to see your daily water requirement.

Changing a few of my bad habits and adding a few good ones has alleviated my back pain and now I can more fully enjoy my runs knowing that I won't be achin' for the rest of the day.

References
(1) http://www.getyourserenity.com/blog/index.php/2009/09/20/finally-started-running-hills-today

Types of Runs

2010-05-19T16:35:00.000-07:00

I stumbled upon this reference that includes all different kind of training runs.

I found it helpful and thought I would share.

All of these types of runs are done to accomplish different goals and objectives.

The easy run or recovery run is simply a run at an easy pace done for recovery purposes or just simply enjoyment. Most of a beginner’s runs should be easy runs. These runs improve a runner’s aerobic conditioning. The intensity of these runs should permit conversing using complete sentences (60-75% of your maximum heart rate).

Jogs usually refer to slow running done to recover between intervals. Runners and (especially) non-runners will sometimes use the term "jog" for a slow run for exercise. Runners tend to prefer to refer to what they do as running; but usually know that if a non-runner refers to you as a jogger, they probably don't mean any harm.

Long Runs are typically 25-30% of your weekly mileage or so and are usually done once a week. These are usually done at a comfortable, fairly easy pace. We often refer to them here as LSD -- long, slow distance or long steady distance. An appropriate long run distance is determined by your goals. A long run might be anywhere from 5 miles to 25 or more (for an ultra marathoner).

"_______ pace runs" refer to running your predicted or expected race pace. So if a workout were to call for doing miles at "marathon pace," that means running at your predicted marathon pace per mile. That could be anything from 5:00/mile for someone fast to 12:00 minutes a mile for someone slower. A 5K race plan may call for doing intervals (explained below) at your 1 mile race pace. A good way to figure out your expected paces is to use an online calculator. The McMillian Calculator is excellent.

A tempo run is a run at around your 10-15K race pace (or about 80-85% of your maximum heart rate or so). Traditionally tempo runs were 20 minutes or so in length, but they vary. It's often described as being "comfortably hard" -- it's a challenging, but manageable pace. You want to finish a tempo feeling challenged, but not exhausted. Most tempo runs consist of ten to fifteen minutes of easy running, then the tempo part, then ten to fifteen minutes to cool down. Tempo runs build speed and teach your body to run at a certain pace.

Related to tempo runs are cruise intervals. Like tempo runs, these runs are designed to help you learn to deal with the accumulation of blood lactate; they are sometimes called lactate threshold (see Physiological Terms) runs. Cruise intervals are usually 3 to 15 minutes in length, with 1 minute or so of recovery for each five minutes of run time.

A fartlek is a fun word that you can say and make non-runners snicker. It simply is an informal way of doing speed work. It's a Swedish word meaning "speed play." In a fartlek, you would run hard to say the next telephone pole, then slow down, then run hard again to the next object. It's just basically bursts of speed in the middle of a workout. It can be easy or hard. There's no set distance or speed, it's very loose and informal. Fartleks are good for a beginning runner who wants to dabble in speedwork.

Intervals (sometimes called "repeats") usually refer to track work, though you can do them elsewhere. Usually intervals consist of a set distance (say 400 meters, 800 meters, a mile) that you run at a set, usually fast pace. Between the intervals, you would recover by either jogging slowly or walking. People often do them on the track because the track is obviously measured. An example of an interval workout might be 4x800. This means you are going to run four sets of 800 meters (or about a half mile) at a certain pace. Between those faster runs, you will walk or jog to recover. Often an interval workout will give you the pace you're supposed to run and the time you should take to rest. Usually rest time is roughly equivalent to how much time it takes you to run the distance. So in our 4x800 example, if you were doing the 800s in 4:00 minutes (8:00 mpm pace), you would take about 4:00 rest. Intervals build speed and improve aerobic capacity (See Physiological terms).

Just a brief word about the track .... If you visit the track to do a workout, know that most tracks are 400 meters in length. (There are some quarter mile tracks, but most are 400 meters.) A mile is roughly equivalent to 4 laps around the track. A mile is actually a little longer than 1600 meters. If you want to do a true timed mile, find the common finish line. (It's usually located at or near the end of the straightaway in front of the home stands. Usually has numbers painted there.) Go back 9 meters and there should be a line. That’s where the mile would end.

Repetitions are a form of repeats that are faster and shorter than intervals with full recovery between them (usually 4-6 times as long as the repetition). These are used for improvement of anaerobic capacity, running form and running economy.

A ladder is an interval workout of increasing interval lengths, such as 200-400-600-800 meters.

A cutdown is the opposite of a ladder or an interval workout of decreasing interval lengths, such as 800-600-400-200 meters.

A pyramid is a combination of a ladder and a cutdown, such as 200-400-600-800-600-400-200 meters.

You will also hear about hill repeats -- these typically are runs up a hill at a fast pace to build strength. I personally hate hill repeats, so I prefer to run hilly courses instead.

Strides are short, controlled bursts of running of 50 to 150 meters designed to improve efficiency, work on form, etc. Often done at the end of a run.

Warm Up is a period of slower running prior to faster running. Cool down, sometimes called warm down, is slower running at the end of faster running.

Reference ~ http://www.hillrunner.com/jim2/id205.html

Race Recaps

2010-05-12T09:30:00.001-07:00

Race Against Child Abuse 10k

I mentioned this race in my previous post but I have a few pictures to share. This wasn't a very big race and probably 1/2 of the runners did the 5k. While I was running I ended up bridging a big gap between the top two male finishers and the rest of the field so it was different trying to run my fastest without having someone in front of me I was trying to catch or someone right behind me to hold off. I still ran a pretty good time of 46.57 which barely met my goal of sub 47 min. I originally thought this might be a PR but then I saw a old tweet on Twitter about a 10k I ran last year in 45.34 minutes. Oh well. It IS just the beginning of the season (that's what I keep telling myself). I'm gonna crush that time by the end right? At least it's good motivation to train harder. And good motivation to keep track of my race times. Thank you Dailymile. On with the pics!

Starting line. I'm number 87.

Trying to finish strong. Do my arms really look like that when I run?

High fives from two of my kiddos. (The other one was playing a soccer game on a field right next to us. Pretty convenient.)

Some post-race lovin'.

Conquer the Canyon 5k - PR!

This was the test to see if my goal of sub 22 was reasonable after running a baseline of 23.59 the first part of April. Unlike the 10k, this race was MUCH bigger. There was 199 women participating in the 5k alone. The field started out really fast and I was a little worried but still tried to keep up without overdoing it. At the turn around for the 5k I was surprised to find myself in 2nd place! The few women in front of me had kept going for the 10k. YEAH! I knew there was one gal in front of me but she was WAY in front so I did the best I could to pick off the two guys up ahead. I ended up finishing in 22.07 (7.08 pace) which was a PR for me. The little gal that beat me was only 13 years old and finished around 20.15 min. WOW! Impressive huh. I searched her out and told her that she needed to stick with running because she had a gift. I've got another 5k planned on Memorial Day so wish me luck! I'm determined to get this goal conquered. Then I can focus on breaking that 10k PR!

To Garmin...Or NOT to Garmin

2010-05-06T16:07:00.000-07:00

That is the question!

This is the great debate that has been going on inside me for the past couple of months. Last Christmas I got some cash to put towards a Garmin and I've been setting a little money aside each month ever since. Well by next month I'll have the cash, I'm just not sure I have the desire anymore.

My current tool is my Ipod Nano. It has my tunes, a timer, a lap button (helpful at the track or if I know the mile-posts..which I don't usually), and keeps track of my workouts. It has served me well. It is kinda a pain to have to hit the lap button everytime I complete a lap but maybe I'm just kinda lazy. ;)

After setting my goals at the first of this year I was sure that the Garmin 305 would be key in helping me attain them. It would spit out my mileage, pace, and heart rate if so desired. However, since discovering DailyMile I have mapped my runs and it spits out this information for me (except for the HR but I'm not totally interested in that anyways). I have been running for so long now...about 15 years...that I'm pretty good at reading my body and judging how fast I can push myself. Is checking my pace going to help or hinder me?

During my 10k last Saturday I felt great! I was running with energy, I was happy with my performance, and in the lead of the ladies! I ended up finishing the race at 46.57 and pretty satisfied for the first race of the year. As I was running I asked myself if I wish I new my pace and surprisingly the answer was NO. I wanted to just act on how good I was doing at that moment and ride it to the end. I didn't want to focus on how much faster I should be going or worrying if I was off my goal pace. Should I just listen to how my body wants to run?

Advantages

One ~ I can totally see the potential the Garmin provides in training for longer distances. I think it more critical to have a pace in mind in a 1/2 or marathon so that you can make it to the finish line or get a BQ.

Two ~ I think it could be beneficial to use in training, i.e. training against my virtual partner, setting a pace for interval training, etc...

Maybe I just don't know all the things I could do with the Garmin and so that's the main reason for this post. I want some opinions. Do you love/dislike your Garmin? What is your favorite thing about it? Do you think it would do me some good to have it in the 5/10k's? HELP!!!

Race Rituals

2010-04-27T14:23:00.000-07:00

The race - Race against Child Abuse

The distance - 10K

The date - THIS SATURDAY

I'm SO antsy! As my first race of the season approaches I am getting so anxious! The good kind. The excited kind. The "I can barely contain myself!" kind. How do I quench the butterflies? Here's my plan of attack.

1 - First and foremost...Be Prepared!

I make sure I've trained well enough that I know I can at least do the distance.
I eat a good dinner and stay hydrated through-out the day before the race.
I try to get at least 8 hours of sleep during the 2 nights before the race.
I find directions to get to the race and where the parking is.
I lay out my clothes, Ipod, and and a plan for what I'm going to have for breakfast the night before.

2 - Do everything early race morning.

Wake up early. Get ready early. Arrive to the race early.

I HATE to be rushed on race morning. I need to save that adrenaline for running! Ideally I get to a race at least 30-40 minutes early so I can warm-up, stretch, mentally visualize how I'm going to run and take care of number 3. No this does not involve a bodily function. It's the next step. ;)

3 - Take care of my pre-race rituals. I know, Silly right? But these are the things I have to make sure are done.

~ I have to make sure my laces are double-knotted and tied with equal pressure. I don't like if one shoe is fitting snugger than the other.

~ Visit the porta-pit about 15 minutes before start time. Even if I've gone 3 times during the morning, it's just something I have to do.

~ Then right before the gun I make sure my tunes are on, volume is perfect, and my finger is on the start button for the timer.

It may seems silly but having a set sequence of things you do before the race can actually CALM you. Check this out. Rather than trying to fight performance anxiety, elite athletes use pre-race rituals to help them manage it. They might listen to music on an iPod, pray, meditate, or go through a specific warm-up. Work on developing your own pre-race rituals and do them before every race, so they become familiar and relaxing. (1)

If you caught the speed skating at the 2010 Winter Olympics you might have seen Apolo Ohno yawning before his races and thought "Why doesn't he try to get more sleep?" Actually, this is one of his pre-race rituals.

Apolo Ohno - "Number one, it's a habit. Number two, it relaxes me," Ohno said. "I'm not tired at all. I have this visualization thing. I try to think I'm a lion when I'm on the ice. I notice lions yawn a lot." (2)

What are some of your pre-race rituals? Do you wear the same pair of socks to every race? Do you repeat a mantra? Do you make sure to apply the lucky chap stick and pant your toe nails bright red the night before? Come on, I wanna hear 'em!

References

(1)-http://running.about.com/od/mentalaspects/
tp/performanceanxiety.html

(2)-http://insidetv.aol.com/2010/03/05/apolo-ohno-
explains-pre-race-yawning-ritual-video/

Playlist Update

2010-04-23T14:18:00.000-07:00

My music needs to be upbeat and energetic when I run to keep my pace going strong.

Here's some more great tunes to add to your playlist. Click the link for a download.

Train - Hey Soul Sister
Gaelic Storm - What's the Rumpus?
Muse - Supermassive Black Hole

Hope you enjoy! Oh, and if you have any suggestions for my Ipod, do tell!

For previous playlist posts, look to the right and click the "playlist" link under "Hot Topics".

Sign Up for a Race!

2010-04-21T09:50:00.000-07:00

Need some motivation? Try signing up for a race!

This is by far the best thing I do for myself to keep me striving to go farther, do better, get faster, or just plain keep me going. Plus you get to meet some great people. The sense of community that runners have is amazing and encouraging. Pressure's off! Most races have different categories too (age, weight, distance, and sometimes pace) so your not up against the whole field. Ever heard of the "Clydesdale" runners? This is for you men with healthy appetites. Really, runners come in many shapes and forms. Don't be discouraged, give it a shot! You'll find that this community cheers for everyone.

Set some sort of goal whether it be to finish in the top three, not to finish last, or just to finish. After your first race you'll then have a time you can try and beat at your next race. Or, as you're running find someone a little farther ahead of you that you would like to catch up to or pass. Little accomplishments really can feel quite rewarding. If all else fails, finish strong. When you catch site of the finish line PICK UP THE PACE. Not too soon though. You'd rather be sprinting than crawling to the end right? Above all...HAVE FUN!!! After all you've probably got yourself a new T-shirt, some new friends, and hopefully a big prize from the raffle.

Here's a couple of upcoming races in my neighborhood. Click on the links for online registration.

May 1st - Race Against Child Abuse

Offers 10k, 5k, or 1 mile
Early registration by April 24th
Place - Wellsville, UT
Time - 9:30

May 8th - Smithfield Health Days

Locate left side tab "Programs"
Use drop down menu to find "10 Health Days Fun Run"
Choose your distance - 10k, 5k, or 1 mile
Place - Smithfield, UT
Early registration - May 3rd

What's going on in your neck of the woods? Here's some ways to find out.

Find your local parks and recreation office.
Search online for local races.
Logon to your City or County website.
Ask your sporting good store if they have any race schedules
Check out...
http://www.active.com/,
http://www.theschedule.com/, or
Runnersworld Race Finder

Good Luck! See ya on the road!

Good Luck in Boston!

2010-04-17T20:03:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to give a shout out to all those racers who will be running the Boston Marathon on Monday, April 19th. Good Luck!!!

So in the spirit of things I thought I'd post some trivia on the Boston Marathon. Enjoy!

~ The Boston Marathon course is 26 miles, 385 yards (42.195 kilometers)

~ About 25,000 runners compete in the Boston Marathon

~ Runners begin the Boston Marathon in two waves, beginning 30 minutes apart

~ The total prize money package for the Boston Marathon is $806,000

~ The winners of the Men and Women Open Division Winners each receive $150,000

~ Prize money was first awarded at the Boston Marathon in 1986

~ Since 1969 the Boston Marathon has always been run on Patriots' Day, the third Monday in April

~ About 500,000 spectators line the marathon route each year

~ Wheelchair athletes Ernst Van Dyk and Jean Driscoll hold the most Boston Marathon victories (8)

~ Johnny Kelley started a record 61 Boston Marathons, won twice and finished the race 58 times

~There were only 15 runners to start the first Boston Marathon in 1897

John J. McDermott won the first Boston Marathon in 1897 in a time of 2:55:10

~ Greg Meyer was the last American Man to win the Boston Marathon (1983)

~ Lisa Larsen-Weidenbach was the last American woman to win the Boston Marathon (1985)

~ 1966: Roberta Gibb became first woman to unofficially run the Boston Marathon

~ 1967: Katherine Switzer became first woman to receive official number, by using her initials to register

~ 1972: Women were first allowed to officially enter the Boston Marathon

~ In 2004 the Elite Women runners were given a separate, earlier start time from the main field

~ The largest field of runners was for the 100th Boston Marathon in 1996, when 36,748 runners started the marathon

~ Clarence DeMar was the oldest winner of the Boston Marathon at age 41 (1930)

~ 18 year-old Tim Ford was the youngest winner in Boston Marathon history (1906)

~ 173-pound Lawrence Brignolia is the heaviest runner ever to win the Boston Marathon

~ 1975: Boston became the first marathon to include a wheelchair division

~ 1936: Boston Globe reporter Jerry Nason nicknamed "Heartbreak Hill" in Newton

~ Twice in Boston Marathon history, just 1 second has separated the top two finishers. In 2009 Salina Kosgei edged out Dire Tune. In 1988 Ibrahim Hussein finished 1 second ahead of Juma Ikangaa.

~ Robert Cheruyiot, Clarence DeMar, Bill Rodgers & Cosmos Ndeti are the only champions to win the open division three consecutive years

~ In 1961 the racers faced 38-degree temperatures and snow squalls along the course

~ Water and Gatorade are provided every mile of the course. PowerGel is available at mile 17

~ 11,300 pounds of pasta and 2,825 quarts of tomato sauce are cooked for the official pre-race dinner

Facts from http://wbztv.com/bostonmarathon/2.572231.html

Top 10 Reasons NOT to Exercise

2010-04-16T14:59:00.000-07:00

10. They sell pants in size Bigger-than-you-think.

9. Who wants to live past age *fill-in-the-blank* anyway?

8. Hey, you still have a few Battlestar Galactica episodes to catch up on!

7. You don't want your husband/wife/
significant cat to miss seeing parts of you jiggle that were NOT Intended To Jiggle.

6. Two words: plastic surgery.

5. Since the majority of the population is putting on weight even as we speak, you already look thinner by comparison. I mean, you don't want to look gaunt, do you?

4. One word: liposuction

3. All right, so maybe airline seats are getting narrower, but wouldn't you rather travel some other way besides flying?

2. Gyms are full of annoying people.

and the number one reason not to exercise is...

1. Oh, sorry, my vending-machine pizza is ready. Gotta go chomp. I'll finish this later.

Brought to you buy

http://www.crankyfitness.com/2009/04/top-10-reasons-not-to-exercise.html

Biker Shorts - Not a Fashion Statement

2010-04-10T13:04:00.000-07:00

This is what I run in.

Clearly I'm not trying to achieve any fashion glory. My sole purpose is comfort. When I'm exercising (usually pounding out the milage) I don't want any slippage or rubbage going on. You know what I mean. No more grass fires or rashes in unwanted places. No more lubin' the legs with vaseline and a popsicle stick. Problem solved. Oh, and when I'm doing some inclined sit-ups at the gym, no more free shows.

I don't care what size you are, you should give it ago. Tight is Right!

5K BASELINE

2010-04-07T09:08:00.000-07:00

I did it! Yesterday, in the wee morning hours I headed to the gym (still too cold outside for my comfort) and climbed on the all too familiar treadmill with one purpose in mind. My 5k baseline. Right now I am trying to see just how fast I can get my 5k. I’ve done all the distances (except the ultras) and have chosen this goal for my motivation. Being a busy Mom of three young children, the training fits in nicely with needs of my kids. Plus it's just so dang fun! I'm a little competitive and the short distances (5k/10k) is where I've seen success so why not try to go for the gold, right?

Back to my baseline. In order to formulate my goal pace I had to have a place to start. So after a warm-up mile at a 9 min. pace...I went for it! As I was going I decided that I wanted to try to get below 24 min. (I'm probably more competitive with myself than anyone else). Well, after a couple miles I realized I was going to have to pick up the pace if I wanted to accomplish that so about every 1/4 mile I increased the speed a little bit. Still, by 2.75 miles I was going too slow to beat 24 minutes and so I started running as fast as I felt I could go to the end...7 min. pace...6:30 min. pace...6 min. pace...5:54 min pace...HOLD IT.....I made it! BARELY - 23.59 minutes. Whew, how's that for cutting it close? The computer spat out that my average pace was 7.44 min. Not too bad, I'm happy with it.

Now that I've got my baseline I can set a more realistic goal instead of just pulling one out of the air. And here it is - sub 22. By the end of this running season I want to be able to run a 5k under 22 minutes. Can I do it? I think so! I usually do better running outdoors and I have my first race in a couple weeks to test out my ambition. Wish me luck!

Fitness tip - To set a realistic goal, figure out your baseline. What can you already do? Then go from there. Best wishes toward your goals!

WARNING~Shin Splints

2010-04-05T09:54:00.000-07:00

With the warmer days coming (and then going, and then coming, and then...) I thought I'd throw in a post about a common injury that can happen to runners when they start hitting the pavement again after spending a season or two indoors on the treadmill...SHIN SPLINTS.

Cause
They can be caused by a number of things. Old shoes or wrong kind of shoes, running on hard surfaces when your not used to it, leaning too far forward over your feet while running which causes more strain on your toes, flat arch, running with your toes pointed outward, and sometimes one can get so overzealous that you may be doing too much-too fast.

Symptom
Pain along the medial tibia bone (inner shin bone). At first the pain may stop when activity ceases but after a while it may remain continously.

Treatment

R.I.C.E. - Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation

Rest - Take a few days off. Easy advice but SO hard to do.

Ice - During the early stage, apply ice to the area for 15- 20 minutes increments. Cryotherapy reduces inflammation and pain by slowing the blood flow. Try writing the ABC's with your foot while you ice to help strengthen and stretch the muscles surrounding the area. After this acute stage, alternate heat with the ice. Applying heat dilates the blood vessels and increases the flow of blood to the tissues to aid healing.

Compression - Applying compression to a wound prevents excessive swelling from occurring and should be applied for about 24-48 hours from the onset of injury (1). There are many kinds of compression wraps and sleeves. Here are a few inexpensive options that provide the needed support.

An ace bandage or tape may also be used just be sure to not wrap it too tight as you could be doing more damage than good. A test, check your toes after 5-10 minutes. If they are discolored or cold, loosen the bandage. For proper taping technique, check out this tutorial.

Elevation - Do just that. The injured limb should be elevated for as long as possible throughout the day for the first 48 hours (1).This slows blood flow to the injured area which again decreases swelling and pain.

Prevention
Prevention is key. Above all, know what kind of shoe you need. If your shoes are a couple years old or you've logged more than 500 miles walking or running (including just wearing them around town), getting some new ones will do you some good. Here's an earlier post that can help you determine what works best for your foot. Also, ease out of the gate. Don't go running full speed ahead at the distance you were running indoors. Introduce your muscles, tendons, and ligaments to the harder and sometimes uneven surfaces gradually.

See ya on the road!

References
1- http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/cold_therapy/cold_therapy.php

Map It For Me!

2010-03-31T11:27:00.000-07:00

This is my new favorite tool...

LIVESTRONG Loops

If you run, walk, bike, or hike, your going to love it too! Have you ever finished a bike or run and wondered exactly how far you've gone? Well these maps will tell you that and more! You can find out distance, elevation changes, mile markers, and terrain BEFORE YOU GO. Some even provide details for parking, water, bathrooms, and scenic views. Just plug in your starting address, map your course, and hit save. PRETTY SIMPLE!

Also, this is a great way to add routes to your repertoire by exploring existing maps. This is where I could use your help. The more routes created, the more options I have for my runs! So help me add to my "rave runs" by plotting your courses. Ready...Set...Go!

PowerSong

2010-03-22T12:10:00.000-07:00

The PowerSong is a universal concept. In simple terms, it’s your psych-up anthem. For running, it’s that track that gets you out the door, up a steep grade, or over the proverbial wall with a burst of aurally-inspired adrenaline. (1)

Here are my top 5 PowerSongs of the month.

Gaelic Storm - Scalliwag
Lady GaGa - Bad Romance
Michael Franti - Say Hey (I Love You)
Rusted Root - Virtual Reality
Kelly Clarkson - Whyyawannabringmedown

What kind of PowerSong gets you going?

(1) http://inside.nike.com/blogs/nikerunning_sportmusic-en_US/2010/01/22/anatomy-of-a-powersong

A Faster 5K

2010-03-12T08:21:00.000-08:00

So you've done your hard work. You've conquered the distance and now would like to go for a PR (personal record), or maybe medal in your own race category! You should have plenty of opportunity now that 5K season is upon us so here are some tips to increase your speed.

1 - Increase your mileage. I know what your thinking "What?!?! I'm finally able to do the 3.1 miles and you want me to do more?" By slightly increasing your weekly miles your aerobic system becomes stronger. A good rule of thumb is to increase by no more than 10% each week.

2 - Add a long run once a week. This is 33% longer than your typical run. So if you normally run 4 miles, try to run 5 1/2. To allow for recovery, rest the next day or shorten your mileage.

3 - Add speedwork once a week. This is my favorite! It changes up the pace and keeps my workouts from becoming too mundane. There are many forms of speedwork but here are a couple I like.

Tempo run - Warm up and then run for 20 minutes faster than your normal pace. This should feel challenging but maintainable for 20 minutes. Try to finish faster than you started.

Intervals - Alternate pace. Run hard for a minute then jog slow. This is fun to do at a track so you can measure the distance. After a brief warm-up run once around the track (400m) at a hard pace. Not an all out sprint, but close. Then jog slowly around the track to recover. Repeat 3 to 6 times trying to be consistent with your speed.

Hill repeats - Easy directions. Find a hill. Run up and down. Use your downhill for recovery.

After your workouts it's important to refuel properly to avoid extreme muscle fatigue. The magical ratio is 4:1. By consuming a 4 to 1 ratio of carbohydrates to protein within 15 to 20 minutes of running, the body recovers much faster.

Hope this helps with your running goals. Let me know if you want more speedwork ideas. See you on the road...or track! ;)

Cache Valley Race Schedule

2010-03-05T11:20:00.000-08:00

Won't you join me...

Click on image to enlarge

Starting a Running Program

2010-03-04T07:34:00.000-08:00

In the beginning, running doesn't need to take a lot of time. In the first few months, try to establish a schedule. You are more likely to succeed if you find just a few minutes several times a week that you can commit to running than if you devise an elaborate and completely undoable schedule that will fall apart in a matter of days.

It's important at first to go for time rather than distance. It can be discouraging when you can't reach the distance you set for yourself. Just plan to get out of the house for a certain amount of time. Forget how far you go. Forget how fast you go. Just get out the door and stay out. For many people, twenty minutes of activity is a good place to begin. That does not mean running for twenty minutes. It means staying on your feet moving forward for twenty minutes. If you can run, run. If you can walk, walk. Do whatever you can, but keep moving forward. If it gets too hard, slow down.

A program of alternating running and walking is a good way to begin. The first week that may mean running for 5 minutes then walking for 10 to recover. In time, it may mean running for 10 minutes and walking 5, or running 10 and walking 1. The truth is, it doesn't matter. What matters is that you are getting out the door and learning to use your body as a means of transportation.

If you are patient, if you are persistent, if you are consistent, an amazing transformation will begin to occur. Your wonderfully adaptive body will begin to cooperate. It will happen in your own time and at your own pace, to be sure, but the transformation will take place.

Not only are you becoming a runner, but you are becoming a runner in training. You will have goals. You will have good days and bad days. You will have days when you can't wait to run and days when you will have to force yourself out the door. In other words, you will be just like all the other runners. Every day you will be trying to do your best. (1)

Click HERE for a 12 week beginner's training program.

Reference
1- http://www.runtheplanet.com/trainingracing/
training/beginners/becomingrunner.asp

Recycle Your Runners

2010-02-23T09:18:00.001-08:00

If your like me you have...

your good pair of running shoes
your back up pair
an old pair for camping
an old pair for mowing the lawn
and another old pair, um, just in case

Have you ever considered recycling your old runners? Here are 3 organizations that want your old shoes.

Soles4Souls - Their tag line is "Changing the world, one pair at a time". This organization takes your tired, but "gently worn," sneakers and finds needy feet to fill your old shoes. They strongly suggest organizing shoe drives and mailing all the pairs to one of their three warehouse locations.

One World Running - They have been serving runners around the world since 1986. Through collection programs, they are able to provide shoes for runners to many countries including Cuba, Nepal, and Mali. Check here for drop-off locations.

The previous organizations want shoes that are only "gently used". This next one will take shoes that are well worn (which is what mine usually are when I finish with them).

Nike Reuse a Shoe takes all brands of sneakers that are beyond "gently worn" and turns those old shoes into a recycled product known as Nike Grind. Once your recycled shoes are reformulated into Nike Grind, they are used to make tracks, indoor basketball courts, fields, and playgrounds. Just drop off your retired sneakers at any Nike store, or check here for locations. (1)

1- http://www.fitsugar.com/Three-Ways-Recycle-Old-Running-Shoes-2989309

Newbie

2010-02-19T09:16:00.000-08:00

I know I reference "Runner's World" all the time but I'm going to do it yet again.

If you are new to the running scene or trying to get motivated to start you should follow this guy, Marc Parent. He has a monthly article that chronicles his adventures as a new runner. It's HILARIOUS!...at least to me. Here is one I recently read that made me laugh at loud.

The Newbie Chronicles
GOING 'LONG'
A first attempt at a distance that once seemed impossible—three miles

Click here to view a list of all Marc's Chronicles.

Recipes for the "Game On" Diet

2010-02-17T10:14:00.000-08:00

I found these recipes while reading an old Runner's World magazine and thought they fit in perfectly with the "Game On" diet plan I'm sticking too for the next 4 weeks. Thought I'd share for those of you trying to do same or if you just want some simple, healthy meals. Click on the titles for a link to the recipes.

Stir-Fry Tofu and Shrimp

Spinach, Bacon, and Sweet Potato Salad
(Turkey bacon of course)

Cassoulet with Lots of Vegetables
(make sure to use appropriate lean meat, venison, or game meat)

There are more recipes that don't have enticing pictures with them but you can click HERE for the full article.

My Water Challenge

2010-02-15T13:12:00.000-08:00

I like a good challenge and I'm pretty used to competition. I regularly compete in 5K's, 10K's, 15K's, 1/2's, relay's..however I recently just signed myself up for a different kind of competition...a DIET competition. I don't think I've ever gone on a diet in my life because I've generally maintained a pretty active lifestyle. But one thing I've known for a while and have been wanting to change is my water consumption. I've always lacked in this area and although I think my body has adjusted and seems to still perform pretty well I wonder just how much better I could be. So thus my new diet begins. I won't bore you with all the details (if you want them, click here) but a huge part of it is the water intake. I'm supposed to drink at least 3 liters of water PER DAY! Holy crap! I don't think I drink that in a week! It seems like so much don't you think? Well I thought it was so I did a little research to see if this is even a healthy standard and here is what I found.

A good way to estimate how much water you should consume in a day is to follow this equation:

Take your body weight in pounds and divide that number in half. For example, if you weigh 160 pounds, you should drink at least 80 ounces of water per day. If you exercise you should drink another eight ounce glass of water for every 20 minutes you are active. (1)

According to this rule I should be drinking 60 oz. of water per day plus an additional 24 oz on the days I workout. That's 84oz! Here's a little more math for you.

32 fl oz. = 1 qt
1 qt is just shy of 1 L
So 84 oz divided by 32 oz = 2.625 qt

That means each day I should be drinking about 2 1/2 liters of water!

Why is water so vital?

Water is your body's principal chemical component, making up, on average, 60 percent of your body weight. Every system in your body depends on water. For example, water flushes toxins out of vital organs, carries nutrients to your cells and provides a moist environment for ear, nose and throat tissues. (2) Blood is mostly water, and your muscles, lungs, and brain all contain a lot of water. Your body needs water to regulate body temperature and to provide the means for nutrients to travel to all your organs. Water also transports oxygen to your cells, removes waste, and protects your joints and organs. (1)

Lack of water can lead to dehydration, a condition that occurs when you don't have enough water in your body to carry out normal functions. Even mild dehydration can drain your energy and make you tired.

Is is possible to drink too much water (fluid)? YES!!! Though uncommon, it is possible to drink too much water. When your kidneys are unable to excrete the excess water, the electrolyte (mineral) content of the blood is diluted, resulting in low sodium levels in the blood, a condition called hyponatremia. Endurance athletes, such as marathon runners, who drink large amounts of water are at higher risk of hyponatremia. In general, though, drinking too much water is rare in healthy adults who consume an average American diet. (2)

I've come to the conclusion that although 3 liters of water may be a bit more than I personally need, it's not as much of an overkill as I originally thought. So after these next 4 weeks of chugging H20 I should have glowing skin, a really efficient waste removal system, a great highway for my nutrients to travel, and 1 less excuse to be "too tired."

References

1- Jegtvig Shereen. "Drinking Water to Maintain Good Health." 2007, March; http://nutrition.about.com/od/hydrationwater/a/waterarticle.htm

2- Mayo Clinic Staff. "Nutrition and healthy Eating, Water: How much should you drink every day?" 2008, April; http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/water/NU00283

A New Way to Work Those Laces

2009-06-12T20:28:00.000-07:00

Blisters left on your feet after a walk/run most often occur when heat is generated by your skin rubbing against your shoe. Here is a quick and easy fix I use to keep my heel from sliding in my shoe. I've also noticed an overall better fit with all my running shoes when I've changed how I lace them up. I get better ankle support which in turn leads to less injury.

Here's how you can put that extra hole on the top of your running shoes to good use. Thread your shoelace back through the top hole on the same side of the shoe. Do not pull it tight.

Then do the same thing on the other side. Now you should have a loop on either side of your shoe. Thread each shoe lace through the opposite loop.

Then pull tight. For added support you can start this lower down on your shoe or lace them up like this the whole way. Happy running!

Currently My Fav Ab Excercise

2009-05-06T12:13:00.000-07:00

As a runner I focus a lot on keeping my core strong. This helps me keep my form proper while pounding out the miles, especially when I'm feeling tired or near the end of my run.

This is my favorite core exercise that I do after each run.

The Plank

Rise up onto your forearms while focusing on keeping your abdominals tight. Hold position for as long as you can without breaking form. Then rest and repeat.

This is the routine I follow:
Do 50 crunches then hold the plank pose for 50 seconds. Then do 40 crunches followed by the plank for 40 seconds. Continue down to 10 seconds.
IT HURTS SO GOOD!

Variations...

While in the plank position, raise your left leg then right then left...

Side plank

Turn to the side so you are raised onto one arm.
Again focus on tightening the abdominals. Hold as long as you can until

you break form, then repeat.

Lower onto one forearm and raise leg for 15-20 reps. Repeat on other side.

Images obtained from http://www.fitsugar.com/2385791

Healthy Meals Made Easy

2009-02-16T12:10:00.000-08:00

I've found the BEST resource for healthy recipes and wanted to share it with ya'll. I'm a big fan of Runner's World Magazine and an even bigger fan of their website. They've got so many resources to help you in your nutritional and fitness goals.

Their Recipe Finder is amazing!

There are THOUSANDS of recipe's and the best part is most of them are pretty simple. At the bottom of each recipe are the nutritional facts. Also, if you register to join the RW community then this tool will keep track of your favorite recipes and create a shopping list for you. The next one I'm going to try is the White Chicken Chili. YUM!

IPOD Tunes - Part 1

2008-10-16T16:07:00.000-07:00

I thought it would be fun to list some of my favorite tunes to listen to when I run/workout in hopes that I would get some lists back from you. I making 2 parts out of this so we can include a list of cool-down songs in the next post.

Here are 5 of my fav's -

1 - "This Is How a Heart Breaks" by Rob Thomas
2 - "Mercy" by Duffy
3 - "Leavin' " by Jesse McCartney
4 - "Say" by John Mayer
5 - "You Can't Always Get What You Want" by Rusted Root

"Love Lockdown" by Kanye West

This song is fun to do speed work with when running because it has short bursts of speed as well. So I go at my normal pace and then when the song speeds up I sprint until the song slows down again. Beware that the faster tempo lasts longer at the end so be ready for a strong finish!

How about you? What songs do you like to "get your groove on" with?

2008-09-18T10:22:00.000-07:00

Buns-Burner

Try this exercise to tone those buns!!!

Lie on your back
Bend your knees
Lift your buns off the ground (like you're pushing up into a bridge except your shoulders remain on the ground)
Hold for 30 sec. - 3 times
*increase time according to strength

Variations...
1 - Raise and lower those buns 30 times - 3 sets.
2- At the end of the 30 seconds, raise and lower those buns 10 times.
3- Keep one foot on the ground and raise other foot up.

2008-09-02T10:48:00.000-07:00

Treadmill Training

fig. - www.nordictrack.com

As this past Labor Day weekend turned a cold cheek it got me thinking that I may be starting my indoor running routine earlier than planned. I much prefer to run outside as I find running on a treadmill can get tedious and monotonous so these are a few tricks I've learned to curb the boredom.

Sprint Intervals - For 30 sec. - 1 min turn up the mph for a speed burst. Repeat several times through-out your run. Some treadmills have a pre-set program for running intervals or one touch speed change.

Incline Intervals - Increase the incline for a brief period of time.

Research has shown that varying the intensity of your treadmill exercise and your corresponding heart rate increases the body's metabolism more than running at the same pace for a long period of time. So in order to burn fat efficiently you should vary the speed of your treadmill belt accordingly.

Here's a workout example- increase or decrease intensity as needed.

Warm-up: 5 minutes @ 5 mph

Run: 15 minutes @ 7 mph

Speed intervals: 10 minutes - rotate 2 minutes @ 6 mph with 30 sec. @ 9 mph

Cool down: 5 minutes @ 3 mph at 7% incline.

Plyometrics

2008-08-06T09:51:00.000-07:00

If you've been trying to lose weight or increase your running speed and have hit a plateau, then give plyometrics a go!

Fig. - Runnersworld.com

Plyometrics is a type of explosive training that involves exercises that enable a muscle to reach maximum force in the shortest possible time.

Add these exercises to your running routine to help improve your leg muscle's power and explosiveness. Studies have shown that these jumping drills can lead to an improvement as great as 8%. That's 96 seconds off a 20 minute 5k!(1)

1. Bounding for Distance - Pretend there are tires on the ground a few feet apart; your goal is to land in the center as you spring forward with each stride. There should be a feeling of floating in the air between each bound. Go for about 30 yards.

2. High-Knee Carioca - Step sideways with your left leg, behind with your right, side-step with the left, then step in front with the right, raising your knee to your waist. Repeat for 30 yards, then switch sides.

3. Single-Leg Hop - Jump forward, aiming for distance, five or six times on one leg. Switch to the other leg. Variation: Do them for height.

4. Skipping - Explode off the ground, skipping as high as possible and minimizing time on the ground. Keep your thigh parallel with the ground. Skip for about 30 yards.

5. Double-Leg Hop - Jump six to eight times in a row, trying to get as much height as possible. Jumps should be consecutive, without rest between each one. Variation: Do them for distance instead of height. (1)

These are just some basic plyometric drills you can add to your routine to help peak performance. For some additional (and higher level) exercises visit...

http://www.sport-fitness-advisor.com/plyometricexercises.html

Have FUN!!!

1. Keystone, Ed; The Fast Lane - Training Advice for Peak Performers.http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-238---12559-0,00.html

Addressing Low Back Pain - Part II

2008-07-21T13:50:00.000-07:00

Exercises to strengthen your core muscles and help alleviate back pain.

The causes of back pain can be quite numerous and it's difficult to pin-point it to one. It's a general agreement between Therapy professionals that strengthening the core muscles is a good defense. These muscles include your abdominals, obliques, glutes, and the many muscles that surround your spine.

Also, if an individual is carrying excessive weight in the abdominal region it puts additional strain on the back muscles. It is extremely helpful to start an exercise regimen to decrease the added weight thus decreasing the unnecessary pressure on the back. Remember to consult your physician before starting an exercise program.

Here are some suggested exercises to start with in strengthening your core muscles.

Figures obtained from www.physsportsmed.com.

It's hard to verbally explain an exercise without pictures so I've located a great website that is very helpful at http://www.back.com/articles-exercises.html. It provides video's of many exercises you can do starting very simple and leading to more complex ones. Hope this helps!

Andy - I'm glad to hear that your back pain has been alleviated a bit! If you can stand it, you could also try sleeping with a small pillow under your knees. By lifting the knees you decrease the space between the small of your back and the bed so sometimes that helps. Good to hear from you!

Addressing Low Back Pain - Part I

2008-07-11T10:03:00.000-07:00

Low back pain can be either acute (temporary) or chronic (lasting for a long period of time) but can be treated with stretching and exercise.

Part I of this treatment involves stretches that can aid in relieving symptoms. Make sure not to deviate from the directions next to the pictures. Doing so can increase tension and pain in the back.

Figures obtained from www.physsportsmed.com.

Stay tuned for Part II. This will include exercises that can help strengthen the core muscles.

Aspartame - Is it Really that Bad?

2008-02-15T10:41:00.000-08:00

Diet or Regular?

I have been researching the effects of Aspartame for a couple weeks now and there is so much conflicting information that it's hard to come up with a definitive answer. So I thought I would provide some of the info that I found and let you form your own opinion on the discrepancy that aspartame is either harmful or helpful.

What is Aspartame?

Aspartame is a sugar substitute that is marketed under a number of trademark names, including Tropicana Slim, Equal, NutraSweet, and Canderel, and is an ingredient of approximately 6,000 consumer foods and beverages sold worldwide. It is commonly used in diet soft drinks, and is often provided as a table condiment. It is also used in some brands of chewable vitamin supplements and common in many sugar-free chewing gums. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aspartame)

Those that support the use of Aspartame report the following:

It was approved safe by the FDA in 1981
Sugar substitutes do not cause cavities
It helps you lose weight since one teaspoon of sugar contains 16 calories, whereas aspartame has less than 1 calorie per teaspoon
To help control blood sugar, sugar substitutes reduce the total carbohydrate in meals and snacks and therefore can be a help in managing blood sugar levels.
A study was performed where subjects were given doses of aspartame, some being 20 times the daily amount taken by the vast majority of the general population. The results were that these subjects showed no changes in mood, memory, behavior, electroencephalograms (which record the electrical signals of the brain) or physiology that could be tied to aspartame.

References - http://www.aboutaspartame.com/consumer/blog.asp

Those opposed to the use of apartame argue the following:

It has been shown that aspartame in the dose accepted as safe by the FDA (50 mg/kg/day) can produce phenylalanine levels in a large number of women and their babies during pregnancy-large enough to produce abnormal development of the baby's brain.
The manifestations of aspartame disease in young children include severe headache, convulsions, unexplained vision loss, rashes, asthma, gastrointestinal problems, obesity, marked weight loss, hypoglycemia, diabetes, addiction (probably largely due to the methyl alcohol), hyperthyroidism, and a host of neuropsychiatric features.
It causes weight gain as a result from the liver working overtime to break down the chemicals in aspartame. Thus there is less energy available for fat burning and metabolism.
It causes unstable blood sugar levels, which increases the appetite and causes cravings for sweets/sugar.

References - http://www.wnho.net/report on aspartame and children.htm

In my opinion...

I beleive that aspartame hasn't been around long enough for us to know the long term effects. However, I also think that "everything in moderation" is a good rule to stick too. If you have any advice or additional info on this subject, leave me your comments!

2008-01-25T14:46:00.001-08:00

Tips for Beginning Runners

Are you thinking about hitting the pavement ( or treadmill in this weather) and don't know where to begin? I've got a plan for you that may help to get you going or ease any frustrations.

Plan your runs on the basis time of rather than distance. Plan to get out of the house for a certain amount of time. Forget how far you go. Forget how fast you go. Just get out the door and stay out. For many people, thirty minutes of activity is a good place to begin. That does not mean running for thirty minutes. It means staying on your feet moving forward for thirty minutes. If you can run, run. If you can walk, walk. Do whatever you can, but keep moving forward. If it gets too hard, slow down.

A program of alternating running and walking is a good way to begin. The first week that may mean running for 5 minutes and walking for 5 minutes to recover. In time, it may mean running 10 minutes and walking 2, or running 15 and walking 1. You can work your way up to running the whole time and then you can start running for distance.

A great way of tracking your progress is by keeping a running log. I like to train for 5k's and 10k's so I keep track of my time, distance, running route, and how I felt on my run. You can use any notebook or if you'de like to track it online, Runner's World offers a free one that even graphs your progress. Click here to try it out.

Also, I found a Beginners Training Program at the "Run the Planet" website if you want any additional ideas. Good luck with your running aspirations!!!

How Well Do You Know Your Feet?

2008-01-22T09:41:00.001-08:00

Asics Gel-Nimbus 9
Runner's World

Crowned it the
World's Best Shoe 2007

I've become well acquainted with my feet after spending years running on them. I've come to know what they need in order to give me the most comfort and best performance. Let me help introduce you to your feet.

When buying a new pair of running shoes, here's some guidelines I've found that should help:

Step 1 - Find a good running shoe store. You can buy your shoe at the local mega-mart, but the sales professionals in a specialty store are better trained to help you pick the right shoe. To locate a store, ask friends who run, check running magazine reviews, or check the yellow pages.

(I've used both Al's Sporting Goods and Sport's Authority and have been happy).

Step 2 - Examine the soles of your old running shoes. Notice the spots where the shoes show wear from the road. This tells you where your foot falls every time it hits the ground.

Step 3 - Place your shoes side-by-side on a flat surface. If the shoes tilt in toward the middle(pronation), your new shoe probably needs more stability than your old shoe. If they tilt to the outside (underpronation or supination), you may have a high arch and your new shoes should have good shock absorption (cushion).

Step 4 - Look at the top of your shoe. If you can see an outline of your big or little toe, and you've noticed discomfort in those areas while running, you should try a larger or wider shoe.

Step 5 - Consider the amount of running you will be doing. This tells you whether you should buy an elite running shoe or a basic model. The more intense the running, the more money you'll want to spend on the shoes.

Step 6 - Go to the running shoe store. Tell them what you've found out about your old shoes, or bring a pair with you. The employees should be able to "read" your old shoes and guide your choice. If not, you probably should find a different store.

Step 7 - Try out the shoes. Take a jog around the store. Try on as many shoes as it takes. Make sure you like the feel and fit of the shoe.

Step 8 - Buy the best running shoes for your feet. When you find the right pair, don't let them get away. Take them home and start breaking them in! (Wear them around the house for a few days before you go running to avoid blisters)

Personally I need a shoe with a wide width and cushion since I tend to underpronate. Also, I've come to like a shoe with some mesh lining that allows for my feet to breath. The best thing you can do is take an old shoe with you to the shoe store and most of the time they can analyze it and tell you what would work best for you.