In my early days of running, my boyfriend handed me a beeper (and no, he wasn’t a drug dealer) and said, “Go as far as you can for as long as you can without walking.”

I listened to my body.

I ran when I wanted to run, and I took rest days when I didn’t.

I had no ‘I didn’t run today’ guilt, no ‘I did 35 miles this week’ obsessive thoughts.

I ran, simply, because I felt like running.

Something happened when I entered my thirties, a time in my life I felt I had to do things and go places and get something done to prove what I could do.

For the record, there’s not one damn thing I did in my thirties that HAD to get done or that COULDN’T wait until my forties, minus:

• pushing two babies from my womb so I could actually touch my toes again, and
• that one time I got a bit crazy in Vegas after drinking too much red wine out of a plastic cup and . . . but I digress

Running became something I had to do, not something I did because I wanted to do it.

I had to get in the miles.

I had to enter the races.

I had to Follow the Plan.

I tracked every single step I ran, noting mileage and pace.

I obsessed over the numbers, adding them up in my head throughout the day.

I played math games (and I hate math!): “If I run another five miles this week I’ll hit thirty!”

And if I didn’t, I kicked myself for it.

Of course, all of that led to injury, burnout, and frustration. I’d go too hard, too often, too much, too fast,  and my joints and muscles would twitch and ache in protest before finally giving out.

I didn’t care. I was a runner. And that, I thought, is what runners did.

After blowing by my fortieth birthday like a sports car driver racing Daytona, I realized something: Runners run, but to do so they have to learn to listen to the body.

A funny, albeit shitty, thing happened after I hit 40: My body got a little less forgiving, and when the muscles said they had enough, they meant it. Push through and I’d wind up with ITB issues, tendonitis, or a nasty virus that seemed to pass over everyone else but invade my stomach with malice.

My way of thinking changed, too. I realized that a day off would mean better performance the day I did run, and that, in the grand scheme of things, what did it matter if I missed a five miler when my body and mind were telling me to take a break?

Eventually, I went from Following the Plan to Listening to my Body. So far, my injuries have been less, and I haven’t hit burnout the way I once did.

I don’t know that I have the same drive, which worries me. But I can say my performance and pace have improved with time, just like a good wine.

What makes you go: The Plan or Your Body?

An inaugural marathon, this one works so well for me. First, it’s not too far from my house. And my cousin, mom, and friend are coming. And we get to stay an extra night to hang out in a really fun town because the race is on a Saturday.

Yay! I eagerly signed CLICK and thought “Let’s do it!”

Until I had to start doing it.

For some reason, I’m struggling with the training for this one.

It’s not the getting out there and running. I’m fine with that.

It’s not even the distances. Once I get into the run, the idea of adding on another few miles is not a problem.

It’s something inside my head telling me I’m not sure I want to spend so much time training.

You know, there are other things I think I want to be doing. Like drinking coffee, or playing with my kids.

Once I’m in for an hour and a half or so I start to think I’ve had enough.

And then I quit.

For some reason, my mojo is gone-jo, and I can’t find it.

Sometimes I think it’s because I have nothing I’m running for, nothing pushing me, encouraging me, making me go.

During my first marathon, my mom had a stroke, my aunt died, and one of my closest friends died as well. I ran because I was in pain, and I shed a lot of tears during those training mornings. I had to run. I was heartbroken.

My second marathon was a bit tougher, but I ran it with the idea in mind that I wanted to prove I could do it again.

Maybe now I’m not sure what it is I’m running for. Maybe I need incentive. Or maybe I’m just being a big baby.

Maybe I’m not able to fight ‘it’, whatever that ‘it’ wall is in my mind.

At this point I’m not sure yet if I’m going to do the full or half. I keep thinking full, but each long run I bail out after 10 or 12 miles. And that’s not even halfway.

I’m trying. I really am.

I’m just not there yet.

And I don’t have a lot of time.

What gets you motivated to run for over three hours? And where do you pull that motivation from if you can’t find it?

This happy place involved miles and miles of walking and standing in lines.

My workout schedule?

I threw it in the trash that week, missing three scheduled workouts while away.

A friend recently went on a family vacation. Her workout schedule? She didn’t miss a day of biking, swimming, and cycling. Every single morning while on vacation she got up – once she even scouted out the local Y so she could follow her swim plan.

We are both training for our first tri. Mine is a week earlier than hers.

I missed three workouts that week.

She missed none.

What does this say about our attitudes about training? At first I was prone to say she’s more dedicated than I, but when I thought about that more in depth today during my nine miler (yes, we are back home now), I realized it might not have to do with our training at all.

My idea of vacation means sleeping as much as possible. I got at least 9 hours every single night, and before you go too green with envy, that’s what happens when you have young kids and you stay in hotel rooms!

My idea of vacation means eating things I normally don’t and not feeling guilty about it. I ate funnel cake and ice cream and sweets I won’t name here, and I didn’t care about one stinking calorie.

My idea of vacation means spending time with family. It means going to bed when they do, rather than heading out for a run, and waking when they wake, particularly on days that we have plans.

And my idea of vacation means logging miles on my shoes not from training but from sightseeing and hiking and doing things with my family.

It’s not that I’m opposed to a good workout while on vacation. I ran the last day, the day we left, because I got up early before the rest of the crew and was able to fit it in. I was lax about it, though, deciding I would figure it out when I rose in the morning and not feel obligated to get up, even though I’d already missed three days.

Do I think her way is better than mine or vice versa? Not at all. I’ve learned over the years that we all train differently. We have a variety of similar goals – ours happens to be our first sprint tri – but we go about it with different approaches. What works for her, including spending every morning of her vacation waking early to work out hard before doing things with the family, would not work out for me. That doesn’t make her way better than mine, or my way better than hers – it simply makes us different.

I am happy I took the days off. I came back strong. I believe my training may have improved with those few days off. I felt refreshed and happy the first time I pulled on my running shoes, like I was snuggling up with an old friend who’d I had sorely missed while away.

I really felt as though I were coming home.

What type of vacationer are you?

Do you head out with the intention of keeping up your regular workout schedule, seeking out local Ys and bike or jog trails before leaving?

Or do you pack your stuff with the intention of fitting it in only if you can?

And in an update . . . two weeks until my first sprint tri! I have done my several bricks, though I still need to practice transitioning. I have figured out what I need to pack, and I’ve gone over the race time and again in my head. I am as ready as I will ever be.

Happy Running (& biking & swimming!)

Prior to kids, I ran when I wanted: in the early morning dawn, before anyone else had woken; in the late evening, as the sun dipped behind the Atlantic; or midday when the mood struck, after a nap and before a nice fat glass of wine.

Now, it’s a little tougher. For not taking up much space and for weighing in less than 100 pounds total, those two little girls sure can do some serious damage to my training schedule.

This week, it’s a virus.

Started with a little puking and a slight fever, and ended last night when the fever broke.

Three days, inside.

Two days of missed running.

I did substitute swimming, and when all is said and done I will have only missed one run this week. So I’ll do two longer ones Friday and Saturday and be short only four miles or so, which will probably be good for my legs – a forced rest, if you will – though I certainly do miss going out and hitting the pavement when I’m supposed to.

It’s like crack, running. And I’m its biggest addict.

So what’s a mother to do when her schedule gets interrupted? Here, some things I have found in my seven years of combining the best job in the world, mothering, with the best sport in the world, running.

1. Cross train. If you can’t get out there and run because you’re bedded down with a sick child, you may be able to do some other type of cardio by cross training. For me, we have a pool and, if the weather is right (as it is now), I can jump in for some laps while my sick one watches a movie. I’m not far away and she’s able to get me when she needs me. Others might plan to do some type of cardio video, such as kickboxing, during this time. Still others may have help around (husband, family, friends) who can drop in and watch the kids for half an hour while you bike, swim, or, gasp, go for a run.
2. Strength train. I love strength training because I have everything I need right at home: weights, bands, balls, and my own body. I do strength three days each week as it is, and this week I have done more than normal since I can’t run. You can do push ups, biceps, triceps, planks (front, left, ride), and all kinds of leg exercises in the comfort of your own home. I’ve spent years subscribing to magazines like Runner’s World, Fitness, and Shape, and from them I’ve clipped the best exercises I found to add into my routine. When I need to mix things up, I pull out my very large, overstuffed binder, pick a few new exercises, and get to work.
3. Relax. It’s hard to get the schedule messed up – I know, as I’ve trained for and run two marathons since giving birth the first time. It’s possible to miss a few days and still keep the mojo flowing, though, and I am a testament to that fact. I’ve found if I miss a few days I can increase my distance when I do get back out and only lose out on a few miles, as will happen this week. Also, the days of rest are good for us, remember? Even when they are forced and, sigh, unwanted. Try not to stress about losing a day or two on the pavement and rather spend this time contemplating how much you love running and why you continue to do so, even though it can often be difficult to lace up and get out when you have young children at home.

So, how do you fit running into your life, and what do you do when your schedule hits a bump?

In other news . . .

My swimming has gotten very strong these past three months. I’m happy to say today I did my best time yet: 1700 yards in 40 minutes. I’d like to get up to one mile and possibly more.

I enjoy swimming a lot, and find that it works me out the same as running does but without any pressure on my leg muscles, joints, and bones. Great workout, less stress, so it is the perfect cross training companion. Plus I can see my core, arms, and shoulders paying off with the effort. If I had another day in the week, I’d add in another day of swimming! I’m going to see if I can accomplish this without that extra day, though, since I’m enjoying it so much.

Plus, in another few months there will be a swim across the river in Jacksonville (more on this soon). I’d like to participate if possible, but I have to be able to swim at least a mile and a half. I’m almost there, and I can see the victory flag in the distance, but I still have some work to do.

Looking back, now that I have a sick child on my hands, I realize I was probably fighting something. I woke with some stomach issues and felt tired.I had a low grade headache, but no fever. We have had a lot going on with summer and plans, so I figured I was fatigued from all of that. It was my running day, so I forged onward, got on the mill, and ran 7 of the 8 I had planned.

And it wasn’t awful.

And I felt good after.

Then I got home and saw a photo on Facebook from I Love to Run. It was a picture of a guy running, and it said something along these lines:

I’d never get anything done if I only worked on days when I felt good.

Running is the same. If you only trained or ran on the days when you felt 100%, how much would you really run? It goes back to what I always say: Running is 90% mental.

People don’t understand this. They complain, say, “I can’t breathe when I run!”  “My legs won’t carry me that far!”  “I think my knees would hurt after!” So they don’t go.

Hell, if I didn’t do everything in life that makes me want to complain we’d have no clean clothes, clean dishes, clean space on the floor, or food in the house.

In reality, what people are saying when they complain about running is this:  “I don’t want to do it.”

Because if they wanted to, they would lace up and go.

Running isn’t always easy.  But if I’d sat on the couch complaining about it yesterday I’d have missed a great opportunity to put in 7 miles. I’d have missed a nice run. I’d have missed the feeling I get when it is over and I’ve accomplished what I set out to do.

How do you know if you are being lazy or really not feeling up to a run? There are some clues, of course – and you have to know the difference so you aren’t running yourself into the ground. I’ve found the following:

1. Make sure you haven’t been over training. Sometimes our body gets tired because we are putting in too many miles for too many days, and not giving our body a chance to rest. Clues you are over training: you can’t remember your last rest day, your body hurts more than normal, you aren’t sleeping well, and you feel lethargic most of the time. Break days are good – don’t think you are being weak by taking one. Every runner should plan to take a day or two off of running each week to give the muscles time to rest and repair. Cross train if you don’t want to skip a cardio day. Swimming is a great, non-weight bearing activity that will mimic the cardio you get from running but allow your legs a break.
2. Make sure you aren’t sick. It’s okay to run through a cold, but if you are running a fever, take a day off. If you have been in the bathroom more than not, give your body a break. Dehydration can easily occur, especially in the summer heat, when you have a stomach virus AND are sweating a lot. So, if you really can’t get that fizzle going, that means your body needs a rest. Listen to it.
3. If you start and can’t go the distance, don’t. Sometimes we feel like we can’t do it, but we get out there and do it anyway. And many times, once we are going we feel great. But there are those days when it just doesn’t get any better, and if that is the case, stop early. Don’t push yourself if you feel weaker than normal or if you can’t find your groove. There is always tomorrow.

Unless you are sick or in pain from over training, my advice is this: get out and do it. You’ll know once you start whether you really need to just take the day off. And you will know if you are not wanting to run just because you don’t feel like doing it.

Once the endorphins hit, oftentimes the run turns out great. I am always amazed on those ‘bad’ days that once I get started and actually do it, I feel better after. And I end up having a great run. I believe this is because I see that even though I don’t always feel like getting out there, once I do, it makes me feel better. And if I hadn’t pushed myself to do it I would have never done it all.

I would have made excuses.

I would have stayed on the couch.

I confess: I’m not the fastest runner in the pack.

When I began running some 14 years ago, I was lucky to remain at a steady 10:30 pace. I was fine with that. My goal: to exercise. My form of exercise: jogging around the block.

Back then, I didn’t care about speed; I didn’t even own a Garmin until AFTER I ran my first marathon four years ago. (Sad to admit, I didn’t even know what a Garmin was!)

I simply wanted to run. To sweat. To leave my stresses on the pavement.

At that time in my life, I went by time only. Wore a regular watch. Said, “I’m gonna run for thirty minutes today,” and I did, without clocking mileage.

Over the past decade plus, that has changed.

Not only do I want to know what mileage I am running now, but I never run without knowing how far I’m gone. I don’t like to end on weird mileage, like 6.02, so I will run the extra .08 to round it off to an even 10.  The routes around my house have been mapped, so I know how far it is to go each of the three loops I run. And if I am running in unfamiliar territory, I wear my Garmin to track my distance.

Pace, though? Well, that’s another story.

I really have never cared too much about how fast I’m going, even after all these years. I have improved. I no longer run only in the 10s and can actually carry on in the 8s for a few miles when I’m feeling it. These days, I generally find myself hovering around 9:20-9:30.

Yet six months ago I decided to set a new goal: to get my regular running pace down to about the 9:15s.  I want to go faster for longer, everyday.

I’m not doing speed training to set any big PR records at a particular race; I’m not doing it because I feel like a running failure if I don’t go fast. I’m doing it because I want that new challenge.

You see, I already know, if I set my mind to it and I WANT it, that I can run 26.2 miles. Or 13.1. Or a 5K. I may not blaze those trails, but I sure will cross the finish line at the end.

Now, how fast I go when I do the runs is another story. I now want to know what I – and my body – can accomplish with speed if I set my mind to it. I want to know what it feels like to run faster on a regular basis.

Which brings me to interval training.

I decided to do add interval and tempo runs to my schedule a while ago. I didn’t have a formal plan, though I read several articles in Runner’s World, both in print and online. This one talked a bit about interval training: how to set it up, what to make your goal.

I knew my goal: a 9:15 or so pace on a normal run. So, I want to run about 9:15 without feeling I’m pushing it too hard, but I want that to be a good run all the same.

I mapped out my new schedule. I now:

• run four days a week
• cross train one day per week (swim 1200-1500)
• strength train three days a week
• core exercises six days a week
• and take one glorious full day of rest

I add in yoga when I can, and I use the foam roller twice a day, thanks to stubbornly tight hamstrings.

My running schedule of four days consists of:

• an interval day (Thursday, 5-6 miles);
• a long day (Saturday, 8 miles and up);
• a mid-long day (Monday, 7-8 miles);
• and one faster six mile day (Tuesday)

My Interval Training Plan

Remember my overall goal: a normal 9:15 pace (I was at about 9:40 when I began).

Now, if I had some race goals they would be:

• 10K at 50 minutes or under in July
• 1/2 marathon at 2:00 or under in October
• full marathon, finishing with all body parts in tact but no particular race pace in mind, in November

How Far Should Intervals Be?

I read a lot about how far the intervals should be and for how long you should recover. Many plans suggest determining that based on your race length. Those running a marathon, which I hope to do November 5th, are supposed to train intervals for half to one mile increments and then a half mile recovery; shorter races require shorter intervals, so those doing a 5K or half marathon might run 200s or 400s, or quarter to half mile increments.

I started off doing the half mile but knew immediately it was a mistake. A half mile for me at a high pace was too long. I got all out for me when I do the speed portion of the interval training, hovering between 7:50 and 8:15 at this point, and I had a difficult time running it for that long. So I pushed back to quarter mile increments with quarter mile recovery.

I also do the same amount of recovery as I do the fast pace.

Has it helped?

Absolutely. Today I ran a 5 miler. I decided to drop the interval training for today – it is Thursday, and that was what I was supposed to do, but, as I said, if I always feel I have to run a specific way I will grow bored and aggravated – so I decided to get out there and run for speed.

I didn’t go 100%. I would say in the beginning I ran at about 95% and in the end about 90%. The heat and humidity got to me that last mile, but when all was said and done I ran a 9:08 pace. My fastest mile – 8:48. Not so bad for a girl who started off in the 10s years ago! And, not so bad for someone who wants to run around a 9:15.

Here’s what I have learned about speed training along the way.

1. Go slowly. Just as with adding distance, it’s important to give your body time to adapt to the higher speeds. You’ll be sore. You will have issues if you don’t combine speed training with slower days. A good piece of advice: don’t place speed training next to another run, especially not a longer run. Isolate it so your body has time to recover. Place it next to your cross training day, or a rest day. I speed train after a day of swimming and before a day of weights only. That gives my body a day before and after to rest.
2. Run fartleks. I just like to say this word. But seriously, I believe interval training has helped me adapt to the constant demand of oxygen and to regulate breathing over a longer distance, but fartleks have allowed me to see that I can go fast and then slower and build on that. I can increase and decrease during a race and recover without slowing or stopping to walk altogether. I find when I do fartlek training, I actually run faster overall. My body gets used to the higher demands, and so my running base pace is higher than it normally is. I run these on Tuesdays, but I don’t go crazy. Again, speed training can be hard on the body. Most injuries come from either overuse or speed, so if you feel any twinges in the hammies or any pain in the feet, slow down.
3. Take rest days. I will keep posting this over and over. I see so many people who think banging the body to hell is a good thing. It isn’t. It’s stupid. It’s an injury waiting to happen. And honestly, if you work it hard all the itme, what are you trying to gain? Because not resting will have the opposite effect. Your body can only do so much. Learn your threshold. If you are incorporating interval training into your schedule, one day a week is enough to train and see results. Don’t run like hell on every single run. Things will start to hurt. Will break. Will keep you sidelined. And that is definitely not what you want.
4. Take care of that body. Not only should you incorporate rest days, but if you are serious about training you should invest in a foam roller and regular maintenance massages. A good sports masseuse can work out the kinks that appear to multiply when you increase distance or speed. I’ve been getting massages lately and the difference is amazing. My ITB can be hurting one day and after a trip to Doris and her magic hands, the pain is gone. If you are going to put stresses on your body, you also have to give it some love. Rest well, eat well, add in recovery days, and massage out those muscles you strain so hard.
5. And as with every run listen to your body. Today I knew I didn’t want to interval train. I don’t know why, but I wanted to see what kind of ass I could kick. And I kicked it. Other days I’m supposed to speed train and I’m sluggish. So I’ve learned to let it go. To run the way my body wants. To listen to what my body says. You can always pick it up on another day, but you can never get it back if you push to hard and find yourself hurting at the finish line.

Happy running!

I find one common mistake with new runners – they sometimes become overzealous and run too much.

Don’t get me wrong, I love running. It’s addictive. I know, because I’ve fallen under it’s hypnotic trance many times. I start to run, I get too eager, I run too much, and then, boom, I’m sidelined like a third string football player.

Let me tell you, that sucks. Injuries are the worse because you want to run but you can’t. And then you try to run and you make it worse, and the recovery takes longer.

I have found a few key elements to avoid injuries, and the biggest I see is that of rest days.

Too often we skip these, thinking, “I’ll just run a short one today.” We end up running three, four days in a row, and our bodies pay us back by ripping muscles and harming  joints.

No good.

Last night I read through my current Running Times magazine and found an article about more recovery days and fewer harder running days for those in the master’s age group.

I can tell you I have seen a difference in my recovery since turning forty. It takes longer, and my hamstrings hurt more when I do run hard. The days I skip the foam roller are bad days indeed.

For me, four days of running, one day of swimming or biking, and two days off of cardio altogether works best. I take one day entirely off of exercise, to allow my whole body to rest. Otherwise I do a lot of core, arm, and ab work throughout the week, which I believe has also helped my running form.

I do:

1 long run (8 miles and up)

1 mid-long run (7 miles and up)

1 interval run (5 miles, 2 miles to warm up and cool down and then three miles working on top speeds)

1 fartlek run (5-6 miles, pushing it but not overdoing it)

Right now my interval days are running at 400m (or a quarter mile) at top speed, a quarter mile recovery. Sometimes I do 800ms (half mile intervals); but, I try to build up to this during the actual run.

After every run, I stretch some and use the foam roller. Every night before bed I use the foam roller again.

If you are just starting out, look at a four day run schedule with one day of cross training. If you find that works well, add in a fifth shorter run day. But do it slowly, following the 10% increase rule. Also, use drop back weeks, so if you run long on one Saturday, drop back a bit the following Saturday to give your muscles a chance to rest and recover. Then, up the distance the third week.

Keeping Track of Mileage

Until I began keeping track of my mileage, I had a difficult time refraining from overdoing it. I would ‘try’ to remember what I had run the week before, but let’s face it, that’s not always easy to do. I had a Garmin, and that works in keeping track of running and biking; but I also swim, do core work, arm work, weights, etc.

I now use Daily Mile (www.dailymile.com) to keep track of my workouts. This is a social networking tool that brings together those who work out. You can track your mileage in swimming, biking, running, etc. It calculates pace and keeps a weekly log so you can go back and see what you’ve done for each week you’ve used the program. I love it, and highly suggest using something like this when trying to keep track of running. If you are an Excel person, you could create a spreadsheet, though I love the visuals on Daily Mile!

What do you do on recovery days to ensure your body gets the rest it needs?

First, always buy proper shoes. Don’t just throw anything on your feet and hope they work – they won’t. Go to a specialty store and pay $100 on a good pair.

Second, take rest days. So many people I know think training harder is key, but after time your body will give out if you don’t let it rest.

Thirdly, you’ll probably have to go to the bathroom at some point along the long run route, so choose the places in advance where you’d feel comfortable stopping. (Thanks, McDonalds on Magnolia Street in Huntington Beach, for those early morning pit stops!)

I’ve also learned this: If you believe you can achieve it, you can. Which is probably why I just, on National Running Day, signed up for the Savannah Rock and Roll Marathon on November 5!

Oh. My. Gosh. What have I just done?

I’ve run two marathons in my lifetime. The first went well; the second, not so much. I hurt my hamstring at mile 18 and walked the last five miles. I cried. A lot. I was in the happiest place on Earth, Disney, and felt crummy. All that training, for what?

Looking back, I know exactly what I had done wrong. Yes, I put in the training, the miles. But I didn’t take care of myself outside of that. I didn’t slow down when I needed. I didn’t get massages or foam roll my legs. I didn’t stretch after most runs, and I ran too much, too frequently, too hard, while not allowing my body to rest.

So this time around I’ll be doing things a bit differently, as I’ve taken steps in the past year of training to reduce my chances for injury and increase my running efficiency and speed at the same time.

These are:

1. Listen – and follow the directions set forth by – to my body. In the past I would run because that is what was on the schedule. Hard day but legs felt tight? Too bad, I pushed through it – and then paid for it the next day. Now I slow down. I listen. I know that on Tuesdays I have a speed workout, but Mondays are an average to longer run. If I feel too tired, I skip the speed workout and try to add in some fartleks and say that is that. You can’t push, push, push, and expect all to stay good.
2. Regular massages. Sounds like an indulgence, but if you are serious about running you should find a sports masseuse serious about massage. I try to get one at least once, if not twice, each month, following my longer/harder runs. Since I have reoccurring hamstring issues, which also affect my knee (tendonitis), I have her work on this area – and any others, like my IT band or sciatic – that may be bothering me. I always leave a bit achy but, by the next day, the pain is gone.
3. Foam roller. I discovered this beautiful tool after my bad Disney marathon experience, the one in which I wound up with tendonitis of my hamstring. Since, I have been through three of them. I use them daily, sometimes two times a day. I use it every time I run. I roll my hamstrings and calves, and I have found that if I have an ache after running – let’s say the outside of my foot hurts – I can roll out my calf and it feels better. Almost instantly, in fact. Go online, to Amazon, and pick a good foam roller, not the cheap kind found in sports stores. You need something hard that will get the kinks out. It hurts, yes, but it works at the same time.
4. Running more is not always key. Some people believe to achieve great running results you have to run five, six times a week. Not true. I have found for me four days is best. I can’t do five – I get hurt. I use the fifth day for swimming, a great cardio exercise that keeps my heart going at the rate I need it but that is less taxing on the legs, knees, and joints. I do a long run day, a mid long run day, an interval day, and a speed day. On my longer runs, I generally keep my pace slower, though once every two to three weeks I will choose a longer run day and push it so I can see what I can do. So far, so good.
5. I don’t back up two long runs. I no longer do a long run on Sat. and follow it by running on Sun. I take Sunday off. I have found my body can’t handle a long run followed by  any other kind of run – I hurt too much. So, I’ve learned how best to schedule my running days; and I have done this by listening to my body!

So, we will see how training goes for Savannah. My only real concern is the heat. I will be in training in the southern humidity and heat and I have not trained in this kind of weather for such a long race. I feel I have acclimated to this climate over the past two and a half years, so I believe my body can tolerate it – I will just be going slower than normal, which, I have learned to accept, is okay (and even important at times!)

Today’s agenda: On National Running Day I signed up for Savannah but today is my cross training day so I will do weights, core, planks, and half an hour of swimming laps in the pool.

Happy Running!

jacksonville marine corps half marathon

This past weekend my friend and I ran the Jacksonville Marine Corps half marathon, and I have to say that out of the ones I have done thus far (Surf City, Long Beach, 26.2 with Donna in Jacksonville) this was by far my favorite.

If you haven’t run in Jacksonville, you need to. Famous for the Gate River Run, a 9 miler that takes the runner over several painful bridges, Jacksonville is probably the prettiest place I’ve run, and I’ve run in some pretty awesome places. (Okay, Kaui is probably the prettiest, but still, who has time to fly to Hawaii and run?!)

The course started at the stadium (go Jags!) and passed a Maxwell coffee warehouse. If you haven’t smelled fresh coffee during a run, you should. Wow! I wanted to stop and grab a cup, which would have helped the two bridges I had to climb. (I didn’t know about these in advance because I never really study race maps). At bridge two I turned to the girl next to me and said, “Please tell me that’s it for bridges.” Luckily, she answered yes.

We then wound along neighborhoods such as Avondale (think Crafstman homes, gorgeous architecture, right near the water), passing Starbucks and cute, quaint homes nestled between small shops.Around mile 6 we turned and cruised around a park and then came back. The last mile or so we ran along the river, and my only complaint was the pavers — after 11 miles of flat concrete, it was tough for me to switch to pavers.

I thought I wouldn’t want to do the out and back but after years of running I realize it’s not what’s outside of me that counts when I run, but what is going on inside of me. I didn’t mind it a bit, and in fact got to see my friend, who was completing her second half marathon, as she made her way around the park.

I wanted a 2 hour PR this race, but had been battling a sickness the week before. At 6.2 I was hitting race pace and decided to drop back some, fearful of what might happen if I continued to push it for the next half. I finished up in 2:09. I was happy with it, and it is my new PR.

Overall, a great day for a race and a race I plan to run again next year. Marines were out to hand out water, hand out medals, and cheer us on. The race was small, which I love, though I guess it has grown over the years. The after party rocked. I finally got a massage (I’ve never stood in line for one before), and Firehouse came out to supply subs. Budweiser was there, and when my friend got finished we went over for a nice, icy cold beer.

I wish my kids could have been at the finish line, but if I do the Palm Beach half they will be there. Not a bad day for a run, and I’m excited that I’m getting closer to my 2 hour finish goal.

She runs.

But only with her bag.

(Sounds like the start of a really bad joke, doesn’t it?!)

When I’m talking bag, I mean bag. Not some simple contraption wrapped around her waist, but a mammoth hip pack that includes two bottles of liquid, pepper spray, keys, cell phone, food, ID, and a few other essentials.

If she doesn’t have something that’s supposed to be in her pack, she can’t run.

I know her issues. I used to be there. I was a pack runner, music runner, drink runner, bathroom runner, good luck shirt runner.

I was one of those girls who couldn’t step out the door unless I had everything in place.

The problem? When those things weren’t in place, I couldn’t run, just like my friend.

I’ve worked hard on giving up the things I thought I Had to Have for a run, and I’ve worked instead on just running.

For the longest time I couldn’t run without my pack. I gave up the pack, and now can’t run with anything tied around my waist, even during half marathon lengths and more.

I thought for a while I had to run with music. Then I realized it was nice to have some silence in the morning.

This summer I got into a “I have to have” a certain type of drink when I ran. What if I got overheated? What if I lost too much sodium?

Then I had a conversation with a doctor whom I was interviewing for an article I’m writing about IBS and running, and she said, “People have been running for centuries without,” sugary electrolyte replacements. That’s not to say you shouldn’t prepare for the heat, of course. Living in the south means running in thick humidity many months of the year, and I am a sweater – I need something to keep my body in balance when it comes to liquids and running and fluid replacement. But that doesn’t mean for every four miler I need to be sucking on a blue drink. So two weeks ago I gave up my sugary sweets unless I’m doing over 10.

I also got into the habit of stopping after every 2 miles for a drink this summer. I thought I needed to do this, because of the heat, but then I realized this was just another “I have to” that had become habit.

Do you have an “I have to” set into your workout routine, and if you do what is it?