Articles in August, 2012, Page 3

Press Play: Run to Start

Posted on August 5, 2012 by Cait — 5 Comments ↓

Just press play and start running. No cords, no outlets or chargers necessary. Simple instructions for operating the best pieces of entertainment at your disposal.

Yes, running is entertainment. It will take you to places far more extraordinary than something you can view on a screen. It will teach you lessons you can’t learn in a classroom. It will show you things about yourself that you can’t buy from a talk-doc or from taking in a Facebook poll or similar App.

And of course for the runnerdudes. 😉

Running is a test. You give it to yourself, you end up scoring yourself too. The clock and the distances are helpful in grading, but in the end only you are able to accurately interpret the black and white numbers. While running resides in a realm riddled with black and whites…you can’t argue with times and numbers…there is more reading between the lines to be done than in the greatest of libraries.

Grading is tricky business, sure, but it’s fun too. Even when you fail you end up learning. The odd thing though is even when you FINALLY get an A for the day…tomorrow, the whole thing starts over and you must press play again. Repeat.

A constant loop. It never ends.

Press play.

Run.

There is no STOP button.

1) What’s the first moment that comes to mind when you think of your running as being entertaining or you felt like you were ‘playing’?

2) What’s the most recent grade you’d give yourself for your run? It starts over constantly, so if you didn’t score as high as you liked, why and what are you going to do to nudge the grade up higher the next time?

3) When’s the last time you totally ‘Aced’ your running for the day, a race, a workout?

Put Your Runner Shades On: It’s GO Time London

Posted on August 3, 2012 by Cait — 14 Comments ↓

Or if I’m going to really take this wanna-be pun all the way…put your runna’ shades on. 🙂

The running events are about to take over the London Olympics and that means this runnerchick is more than a bit excited. Slip into those cheering pants and get supporting those Team USA harriers!

This first day of action will see the first rounds of the men’s steeplechase and men’s 1500 meters as well as the final of the women’s 10,000 meter race. Of course there will be other events going on but I’m distanced biased and not sad about it. Check out all the results and full schedule HERE.

Back to runner shades, I know some people who don the shades sort of the same way they put on their spikes or racing shoes. Meaning it’s GO time. I have to admit that when you see a person running with shades it catches your eye; I’ve even heard some runners say they are intimidated by the mere sight of a shaded runner. Now I won’t go that far, it’s not like the mere act of putting on sunglasses will make you faster…that’s all in the legs.

Yet we all have those little things that cause that internal switch in us. The one that goes along with the electric buzz of race day, the one where we know it’s time to kick it up another level and get ready to put it all on the line. Akin to spiking up, peeling off the sweats and baring that uniform…if sunglasses are the final piece of your race day GO time visage…then by all means…

…put your runner shades on.

1) Who are you going to be rooting for the most come the running events? Which events are you most looking forward to?

2) Do you run in sunglasses? Now, do you run in them a lot in both training and racing, or do you reserve them mostly only for racing?

3) Thoughts on runners with sunglasses, I know some people have something against seeing a runner in shades…anyone in that boat? Anyone who instantly assumes that when they see a runner in sunglasses that runner has to be fast?

Piecing Together the ‘Perfect’ Runner

Posted on August 1, 2012 by Cait — 12 Comments ↓

If we could construct the ‘perfect’ runner from all of different events in the London Olympics, I think we’d have to start with the flexibility of a gymnast. While you probably won’t need to bust out the splits on the track having that kind of range of motion would be an asset. Plus you’d certainly be less prone to injury.

Flexibility certainly helps double time for those steeplechasers! 🙂

Thanks to those skimpy Speedos I’ve seen the core on those swimmers and divers. Nowhere to hide in those uniforms. Having a rock solid core is key for a runner; it’s a huge oversight to think that all runners need to strengthen are their legs.

The quick responses of a ping-ponger (is that a word?). Hear me out, in the midst of a race a runner needs to be able to respond to any moves their competitors may make. Sometimes even an instant of hesitation can make or break the outcome of the race.

Remembering the drafting techniques of the cyclists certainly would help. Even in a slight breeze doing the work of pace-setting takes a physical and mental toll…far easier to just sit, zone out and get pulled along.

Explosive power like the jumps you see in volleyball and basketball. Having the ability to fire off those fast twitch muscle fibers translates into raw speed. Come the end of a race, a runner who’s got that is able to dig for that extra gear and kick for home.

Boxers tend to have a wicked game face too.

How about the game face of those lacrosse athletes. If I had someone running after me with a stick I certainly wouldn’t be able to hold it together like them. That takes confidence and a runner needs confidence in themselves, their training and their abilities when they step to the line.

But then, wait a minute. I believe they already have started piecing together the ‘perfect’ distance runner…I believe they call them Kenyans. 😉

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1) What trait would you add to the ‘perfect’ runner from one of the other Olympic sports?

2) Which of these traits do you have and has thus improved your running? Did you do another sport before running and thanks to that been able to get a, ahem, leg up?

3) Which trait are you lacking, or consider a weakness? Are you doing anything to improve on it?