Question of the Week: What do You Drink on Long Humid Runs?

April 13, 2009 By 6 Comments

So as I move into summer and humidity, my mortal enemy (humidity and heat, not necessarily summer!), I’m dreading the potential issues that come with hot weather running.

Last September we house hunted here. It was hot, yes, but not brutally so – but the humidity was out of control!

I’m not sure what happened – I was drinking before, during, and after my six miler. I felt something was wrong before I finished up the run, and though I was running with someone and could have continued on a few more miles (I was supposed to do ten), I knew when I got to six I was spent.

I went back to the condo and all of a sudden felt incredibly sick. I had to use the bathroom, but could barely remain upright. I ended up on my back on the sofa, chugging gatorade but still feeling sick and weak. We had houses to look at but my husband said maybe I should stay back. I was afraid, too, though; I felt so sick I wondered for a bit if I should go to the hospital.

During my run, I drank two bottles of water, one mixed with gatorade, and I continued to drink after. I ran 6 miles.

So, to say I’m scared of summertime running in south Georgia is not a lie! Though I was not used to the heat and humidity that day, it wasn’t as hot as it will get.

I’ve been training here now for about four months, so I’m slowly becoming acclimated to the difference in temperature from California. Still, the summer months scare me. I’m not sure if I should drink gatorade on lower runs – 4 milers – or stick with water. And should I go for all out gatorade on runs over 6, rather than mixing in water as I normally do?

What about you? What are your eating and drinking habits like when you run in the summer? Are you in a highly humid or very dry climate?

In other news . . . I changed my running schedule as promised. I ran a short 4 on Saturday, and on Easter morning I skipped my run and enjoyed the festivities with the family. This morning I did 9 miles. It was a good, strong 9 miler, too.

Hope you all had a nice Easter; I’ll be posting some photos of ours as soon as I get them uploaded on the computer.

Now, off to shower and get the oldest to school!

Happy Monday running, runners :0)

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Sometimes Even a Marathoner Needs a Training Reminder

April 4, 2009 By 2 Comments

I’ve had a tough week. I have been super tired and just haven’t felt up to the same level of running I”ve been doing. I’ve not skipped any runs, but I sure have skipped other things – fun things – and I’ve been getting about 8 hours of sleep every night – 10 one night!

I couldn’t figure out what was going on until my daughter pulled out the scale the other day and asked if she could weigh herself. When she was finished, I got on. I typically don’t weigh myself unless I’m in training, but I thought what the heck.

I’d lost three pounds.

Now for some this is no biggie – for me, a hugie. I’m always struggling to keep my weight up, particularly when I run. I don’t like to be rail thin, but that is what happens if I don’t eat enormous amounts of calories while running.

The fact that I had lost that much weight in just a few months startled me. So, I took a really hard look at my running routine yesterday and during my long run this morning (12 miles) to consider what could be happening.

This is what I realized:

  1. While I had cut back on mileage during Saturday’s long run, I had actually increased mileage during the week AND added on a new day – Sunday – so I could get used to running back to back.
  2. Since I was not running more than 10 on Saturdays I gave up both Gatorade and any type of nourishment during my longer runs (power bar, etc) that i used to eat if I was going over 8 miles.

It was like a lightbulb going off in my head – bing! – oh yea, Einstein, you are running a lot and not doing it the right way.

I always write about making sure you get enough fluids, using Gatorade for runs over 8 or so miles (esp. in the heat and humidity, of which we’ve had both), watchign calories so you are eating to run, and what do I do? I turn my back on all of this advice.

My last few long runs have been brutal, and I mean brutal, with me stopping a few times, feeling out of breath, and being dragged through the last mile or so at the end.

Today I had a gel pack at mile 7, I had gatorade and water mixed throughout the run, and I felt so, so, so much better – I was able to do 12, and felt I could do another mile or two if needed.

I also finished my last mile at a 7:49 pace! That astounded me. I have been interspersing speed with longer runs, and I will write about this tomorrow, but to be able to do this at the end of a 12 miler was great.

Heed my advice, which I shall, too, heed: if you are going over 6 miles, drink a mix of gatorade and water (esp. if it is hot outside!)

If you are going over 8 or so mile, also use a gel pack for added energy – or munch on a powerbar or goldfish or something along the way.

Watch the number of miles you are running per week and eat accordingly.

If you are falling out of training – the marathon is over, for instance – don’t forget that you are still running high miles (if you are ) and eat and run and plan accordingly. Don’t give all of that up because the day of the big race is over!

Today’s 12 miler was a great one. I’m hoping I am ‘back.’ It was tough feeling so sluggish this week.

Happy Running this weekend!

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Breaking the Mental Block

March 30, 2009 By 6 Comments

Let’s face it: At one time or another we all experience mental blocks. Even Dean K, runner extraordinaire, admits that this can happen. He says it typically does not at the beginning of training for a run, or at the end, but in the middle, when all has become routine and the end isn’t close in sight.

I am going through a good spurt right now. My running is going well and I’m getting ready to add in swimming and biking for a triathlon training, and I’m looking forward to that. I’m increasing mileage but have not yet hit a wall. I will. I’ll get to a point where I’m a little worn out and I’ll have to decide a way around that.

I think for now my strategy has been interspersing the long runs with short speed runs. I have written about htis a lot lately because 1) the speed work is helping and 2) the speed work is changing things up enough to keep me interested in running, and to keep me from burning out.

So here’s the question of the week: When you hit that wall, and we all do, I believe, what do you do to get over it? Do you take a day off, shorten the run, go longer, take a different path?

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Question of the Week: Fast or Long?

March 16, 2009 By 6 Comments

Seems to be two trains of thought when it comes to running: being fast or going the distance.

Many runners can’t do both. Unless you are an Olympic marathoner like Paula Radcliffe, chances are you are either running long distances at a regular pace or short distances pretty quickly.

I like to say, “I can’t run far but I sure go slowly!”

All kidding aside, my strength seems to be my ability to run distances, but I have been working on the ability to go quickly and the efforts have paid off. I’ve been able to shave at least a minute and a half off of my time since starting after the birth of my second daughter. Race day I’m going about two minutes faster per mile. I’m happy with those results, but I don’t think I could keep up an 8:20 pace for 26.2 miles. My body would drop at about mile 8.

I think we all have our preferences, too. While I have always loved the distance, I’m getting more infatuated with the speed. Still, I can’t go fast for a long time, so I have to say my preference is still a longer run. But in longer, I’m finding that 10-13 miles is best for me; not 20. I enjoy marathons, love training, and will do more of them, but it is hard work for me to go that far. Right now it is a matter of lack of training time – going out for an hour and a half run is much easier than going out for a three hour run.

So my question of the week for you is: Are you a distance runner or a speedster?

This week I’ll talk a little about developing your body for speed and/or distance, depending on where you are now and where you want to be. Oftentimes those running shorter distances want to go longer and those going longer want to go longer faster.

My run today will consist of going with my daughter in the stroller since husband has an odd work schedule this week. I’ll head out as soon as we drop my other daughter off at school. I’m only planning to do four, since the stroller is heavy and not very comfortable. My running will be back on track after today, so I don’t mind doing a shorter one on a day that should be a bit longer.

Filed Under: March 2009, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , , ,

Happy Saturday, A Change in Plans Can Be Hard for a Runner!

March 8, 2009 By 2 Comments

Let’s face it: Runners are oftentimes rigid in schedule when it comes to getting that run in.

We say, ” I have to get up and do this at 5 AM, no matter what.”  We get no sleep, it rains, it snows, it ices, we are in pain, and yet we run.

This happens to me, and oftentimes I am up before 5, like 4:50, and then I can’t rest afterwards because I’m fearful I’ll fall back to sleep and miss my run.

It’s particularly difficult as a mother of two young children to get those runs in when the time has passed. I can juggle running with one of the girls in the stroller if it is a short run; two girls, though, doesn’t work, and I only have 9-1 Monday through Friday to fit in that one run that I’ve missed with the one girl – along with the thousands of other things I have to get done.

I’ve been working on being more flexible with my workouts , though.

Take last night. Husband said, ” Let’s have a glass of wine.”

I winced. It is Friday night, I wanted to remind him; I don’t drink wine on Friday because Saturday is my long run day.

“I know, I know, you can’t, you have to run tomorrow, ” said H with a downcast look.

So I sucked it up and said, “Okay, pour me a glass.”

Three glasses later we headed for bed, happy, giddy, and glad that we had spent some fun time together during an unscheduled time.

And guess what? I didn’t get in my ten miles this AM but I got in my Sunday’s 5 miles, and I did it faster than I have been doing it!

I think the freedom of tossing my schedule in the trash can and doing something unconventional really pushed me forward to a faster pace. It was awesome!

Now for tomorrow: I Should do that 10 miles, right? But I’m not sure I’m going to. I honestly am not missing those long runs right now and since I am not in training I may skip a week or two of anything over 8 or so miles. My time is getting much faster now that I am training for speed rather than distance, and I may just work on speed until the race season is over (a few more 5Ks, and one 10K) and then start training for distance again later in the summer to prepare for my Nov/Dec race.

And how do you feel when something gets in the way of your scheduled running plan? Are you:

  • Easy to please, as long as you get it in?
  • As rigid as a board, frustrated that something got in the way?
  • Somewhere in the middle, depending upon the day and your stress level?

Don’t forget about our giveaway! Check the post, leave a comment, and you’ll be entered to win a core exercise book.

Filed Under: March 2009, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Work That Core! ***Giveaway!***

March 4, 2009 By 8 Comments

I recently had a chance to interview Kathleen Pagnini, certified personal trainer and author of the new DVD, “Pilates and Chocolate.”  (Who doesn’t love that title!)

As you may or may not know, a strong core is important for many reasons. Not only will it help you look hot in a bikini this summer, if that indeed is your goal (sorry guys, I’ll put in speedo here as well in case you are reading and want to look hot at the beach – though I’m not prone to speedos!), but a strong core:

  • Helps prevent injuries
  • Improves balance
  • Assists in day to day balance and life activities
  • Keeps the back area strong
  • Protects our spine

Oftentimes people belive that 200 daily crunches will do the trick, but as Kathleen points out, “It is really understanding where the core muscles are and how to fire the appropriately and efficiently to move about in day to day life with efficiency.”

You see, the core is not just our larger abdominal muscles, but it is the entire area between your neck and your pelvis, including small muscles you probably don’t know that you have! These muscles need to be targeted not just by crunches, but by a variety of exercises.

Our bodies are comprised of two groups of muscles, says Pagnini: The locals and the globals. In Pilates and on exercises that focus on the core you are working your smaller muscles, or the locals. You don’t feel these muscles as you do the larger muscles, or the globals, such as your biceps or your abs. Yet in order to strengthen the core they need to be worked correctly to prevent injury.

Even more importantly, Pilates and core work concentrates on keeping the spine stabilized so that when you complete an exercise, such as a leg lift, you are doing so in a manner that will not change your pelvis and spine position and create an imbalance in muscle development.

So what can you do to strengthen the core?

This slideshow from Mayo shows some great core moves. Practice them three or four days a week after your running routine – or anytime during the day – to help strengthen your core.

And leave a comment to enter our giveaway! That’s right, mamamarathoner is feeling quite, well, generous, and is going to give one lucky reader the chance to win “Core Training,” by Sara Rose, which shows a plethora of great exercises you can do to strengthen your core and back muscles.

Cover of the book core training

Cover of the book core training

All you have to do is a leave a comment to today’s post. Tell me one (or all!) of the following:

  • How often you exercise the core
  • If you want to do more, why aren’t you?
  • If you are exercising are you seeing results?
  • And finally, what is your favorite core move? You can leave a link here if you want, or just describe it for us.

Today’s Run –

Today’s run started out rough.

It is cold here, and I’m kind of rady for some warmth. I also find I hav a tough time some Wednesdays, because i run three days in a row. For some reason that middle day, Wednesday, is the hardest. I can get through Tuesday’s long run and Thursday’s mid run but Wednesday, well, I’d rather sleep in!

I do sprint on Wednesdays and I enjoy that, so it is something to look forward to. I got into the 6s today.

When I started off I wasn’t ‘feeling it’, so I went backwards along my route to switch things up! It worked! I did the four miles, with half of the last mile spent sprinting.

Have a great day of running!

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Question of the Week: What is Your Running (or Workout) Quirk

March 2, 2009 By 2 Comments

Question of the Week: What is your running (or workout) quirk?

Come on, you know we all have them . . .

Mine is this: I can’t stop running unless my Garmin is on an even number, and that number for the most part has to be a mile to the :00 or a half mile to the :50.

Today was different, but it was raining like hell! Otherwise I would have made it to :50 (instead I stopped at a quarter of a mile, no more, no less!)

When running I cannot stop unless my Garmin tells me I have stopped on the mile or on the half mile, exact-a-mundo.

What is your running quirk on this cold and soggy Monday morning?

On another note . . .

I had an interesting ocurrence this weekend.

I saw a photo of some people I knew back in high school, haven’t seen since high school (9th grade) and then saw this weekend in the photo . . .

It was a real eye opener of the odd sort.

You see, I’m one of those that walks around and says, “Damn, I haven’t aged a bit!” I seem to think that time has stood still for me, though I have acquired things like children and marathon badges to prove otherwise.

This mindest, I tell you, makes me believe I really AM younger than my biological clock is telling me. Seriously! I think I believed it . . .

Until I saw the photos.

You see, those people in the photos had aged.

And it’s not like they looked bad, but they looked, well, older. (We have, after all, surpassed our 20th high school reunion and our facing our dreaded fortieth birthdays!)

20 years. Can you believe this? What happened to Duran Duran, Madonna and The Cars?

Were did albums go?

Why can’t you drink out of a watering hose????

Suddenly I GOT IT:  I realized I AM older, even if I don’t feel it.

Like I told my mom, ‘” It was a kick in the gut.”

Defeat came. Lovely husband listened to my revelation (Holy shit! I’m almost 40! How did this happen?!) Then today he said,  “You know, you look better today than you did when I married you.”

Ah, I love this guy.

Then something else happened . . .

I realized that age isn’t going to stop coming. It’s gonna come with a vengeance. My job is to karate chop that bitch in the butt and keep running.

Time has gone by.

And here we are.

And aren’t we good?!

Have a rocking week of great mileage! Pound that pavement like its Mother Time and put it behind you.

After all, you only get one shot at today!

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11 Miles Instead of 10 – What Running With Others Can Do!

February 28, 2009 By 2 Comments

Today I set out to do 10 miles at a 9:30 or so pace.

I did the first loop around our development, which is 3.5, and then a ways up the street saw the girls that I sometimes run with in the early morning hours. They had their dogs and were going to do 8 miles, so we decided to do the second loop together, for a total of 7.

After the second loop, the one lady, a marathon junkie, says, “Let’ s do just one more!” I was already going to do a third to make the run 10 (walking the last half mile) but off we went and a bit later we had 11 miles under our collective belts.

It was a lot of fun, I have to say. I’ve said before I’m not much of a run with people runner; I’m more a solo wanderer. But talking and laughing makes it go so much faster.

My time was a bit slower – one girl was recovering from the flu and we were averaging about 10:30, which was kind of slower than I had considered going since I want to actually improve my time for the next long race – but I felt like in all it was only 6 minutes slower total and the talking and laughing was well worth it.

Knee is a little tender tonight, I’m sure because I increased my mileage by 3 instead of the 2 I had wanted to do (actually the 1.5), but I think I’ll recover ok. I’ll make sure to do some foam rolling tonight.

Do you run solo or with someone? This is what i realized today:

Sometimes it is good to change it up. The benefits of having a running partner or group:

  1. It can keep you more accountable. I don’t have issues NOT running; I have issues running too much. I love it and want to do it daily but need rest days. However, running with them made me go further than i had planned, and i think when I increase mileage again the same will be true.
  2. It passes time. It really, really does. I can only think so much about what the day or my job has in store. At some point I have thought all my troubles and worries out and I am ready for something ELSE. Normally that is my music, but it was nice having someone to talk to today.
  3. It can make you push faster or further. Running with someone else does require some skill, particularly if that person is faster or goes farther than you. You might have to ask them to slow a little, or you might be the one pushing them to go faster or further. But if you use it to your advantage, it can work for you: Today I did it a little more slowly but I went a mile further.
  4. It can make you hold back. Yep, it can make you hold back when you need to, like before a big race, or before a big day. You might always want to push, push, push, but by running with someone slower it may make you slow down and take a good ‘rest’ run day, thereby reducing injuries.

So if you are running solo and considering finding a partner, even if for only a few runs a week, do it! I suggest finding someone who is pretty close to you pace-wise so most of your runs will be on target. I’d hate to be the slowpoke BUT if you want to go faster than someone else it can be tough holding back when they do.

And always remember that if you aren’t running the same pace that day you can break apart at some point and then meet again. I hear the running group around here follows this pattern, starting off together and then breaking apart to run solo before meeting up for a few beers after finishing the run.

Now, that’s not a bad plan at all!

Happy weekend running, warriors!

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Running – It’s What You Make It

February 26, 2009 By 4 Comments

Let’s face it, we all have off days, whether it is bad hair:

Unruly Children:

Or a broken coffee pot:

Yes, I said it.

When I went out for my cup of coffee after my 5 miler this AM I discovered coffee all over the counter and a chip in the pot.

Yikes!

First of all, do  you know how expensive it is to replace the glass? You may as well buy a whole new machine,which is, of course, what I now have to do.

Rather than panic and let this ruin my day (I do love my coffee and it IS a tragedy when I can’t have it right away!), I stuck a mug under the drip and ran two cups. It took about ten minutes to complete but hey, I had a nice steaming warm cup of coffee.

This is the thing: Life is what we make it, and so is running.

If you want to cry over spilled coffee, you’re going to expend mucho energy tantruming in the kitchen. So much so that eventually the family will wake up and find you crumpled on the floor pulling out your hair, crying about how unfair life is.

And as my grandma used to say, “Who in the hell told you life was going to be fair? ”

Same goes with running.

If you have a bad one, you can pout about the bad run or you can get back out there and have a good one the very next day.

Yesterday’s run was tough. Legs were lead, I was tired, and I didn’t enjoy it until I worked on sprinting at the end.

Today’s run: So much better. 5 miler, negative splits. It was  a nice, warmer morning, stars were out quite bright, and I saw about 6 deer, four of them babies!, when I rounded my first corner. They were standing in the road watching me.

When the run got a little tough I pulled out my headphones and listened to music.

My theory (for what it is worth!):

We only have so much time in the day. If we spend it being angry about the way things are going poorly, we won’t have time to enjoy the things that are going well.

Same with working out.

If you are having negative thoughts during a workout, focus on the positives.

Focus on the way your muscles feel as they are pushing your body forward (quite phenomenal, really, that the human body can run 26.2 plus miles and not collapse!)

Think about the way the neighbor’s dryer smells as it finishes that load of clothes.

Think about that steaming cup of coffee you’ll have in a bit (you hope!)

Think about the sunrise or sunset.

Think about how strong you are.You are STRONG. If you weren’t you wouldn’t be working out, period!

Focusing on the positive, as we know, changes our entire brain patterns. We can become happy if we think happy.

Same goes for the negative. And it is easy to get caught up into negativity if you allow yourself to do so. (Come on, everyone knows the complainer! This person grumbles about EVERYTHING, and never seems to be satisfied. Do you want that to be you?!)

If you are thinking negatively during your workout (I hate this, my legs hurt, my head hurts, why am I doing this, I’ll never make another two miles, I could still be in bed), chances are you’ll :

  • stop doing what you are doing for the day
  • do it more poorly than if you were thinking positively
  • quit the entire workout routine you’ve worked so hard to build up
  • not gain the mental benefits that a great workout session can provide

Next time you are thinking negatively about your workout sessions, stop!

Focus on one positive aspect of your routine. (My ass is gonna look great in a bikini next summer!)

Focus on one part of your body that feels great right now. (Legs are feeling strong despite my mental attitude).

Focus on one thing outside of yourself. (The sunrise is gorgeous this morning).

Smile.

Continue on.

Happy running, everyone!

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Legs Like Lead? Stop Pressuring Yourself and Just Enjoy the Run

February 25, 2009 By 2 Comments

All too often I think we get into this rut where we feel we have to either blaze some trails or run for three hours straight. This is particularly true if we are prepping for a race: we either want to improve our speed or go further, and in either case we get lost in the rush of maddening, dizzying prep. We go out to run and we feel bad if they are slower or shorter than we wanted. We focus only on the end goal – that big race – and not all of the time that goes into it.

This is particularly true if we are in the middle of training. The beginning is exciting! It’s new! I’m going to run a 5K/half marathon/full marathon! Woo hoo, let’s go train!

The end of the training is exciting. Race day is coming up! I have to prepare! I can do this!

Middle of the road? Tough. Even Dean K agrees in his new book 50/50: Secrets I Learned Running 50 Marathons in 50 Days. You aren’t close enough to run the race but the idea is no longer new and exciting.

This happens during our regular runs, too. We push too hard, or we take it all too seriously, and we forget:

Running is fun.

Have you forgotten? Going for a quick run can be exhilirating! You can:

  • Listen to birds
  • Snoop on the neighbors
  • Sing along to great music
  • Enjoy the sunshine
  • Get some fresh air

You don’t have to push yourself; you can just be one with the run! (Now, what a motto that is!)

If you are waking in the morning dreading that jog, if your legs are like lead and your mind filled with running dread, stop!

Take a rest day (it’s really okay to sleep in every once in a while! it is! ) Don’t push yourself all of the time or you’ll burn out. If you need a day off, take it! And your next run will be even better, promise!)

If you aren’t completely burned out, then do the next best thing to taking a day off: Take a day without the watch. Don’t pace yourself, don’t mile yourself to death, just go. Go as far as you want. Stop and smell some flowers, talk to the neighbor, stop to watch the ocean. I used to do this when running in Cali on my long days – stop and watch the sun come up. Not too many people get to experience this beautiful sight, and most runs you don’t ‘have the time’. You do today!

Run somewhere new. Get in the car, get out of your neighborhood, and go somewhere nice/different/interesting/new. Some of my favorite runs are those when we are traveling. I’ve run to the Alamo (tried to run inside, but the guard stopped me – only walking in the Alamo, please!). On some days when I am bored I drive over to the beach and run. I’ve run in the mountains, along city streets, and down country roads. If your are bored with your routine, change it up!

Run your same path only backwards. Now, you can literally run backwards – there is a guy in my neighborhood who does, and he has passed me (enough said!). But you can just change the route scenery and go the other way. Face it: You probably always run the same route the same way. If you go the other way around you’ll be looking at things in a new light, and it might just take that boredom away.

What do you do to make your runs more enjoyable when you are feeling burned out?

Today’s Run:

Why did I post this? Legs were lead this morning. Should have tried to do 4.5 at a 8:30 pace but, alas, it was not in the cards! INstead I did 3.5 miles at around a 9:30 and then did some sprints. Momma needed a break! I’m glad I didn’t pressure myself.

Now, off to the gym with baby in tow. Supposed to have a fun class for tots. I’ll report back!

Have a great run today!

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