Articles in October, 2012, Page 2

Running Flash Factoids Part III: School up quick then dash out for you run

Posted on October 12, 2012 by Cait — 16 Comments ↓

Because all of my runner readers are fleet of foot I’m going to make today’s post another installment of Runner Flash Factoids. You can catch the lasts one HERE and HERE.

* Guard Your Ankles: So on today’s run I was not only hit in the head with a falling hazelnut but I also rolled my ankle on one. Blast those stupid nuts getting me on all fronts; the thing is, this is the second time in three days I rolled my foot on a stupid nut and they were bad enough that my foot got sore. BUT you know what I attribute to not having to take any time off running because of those blasted nuts? 1) I iced my ankle when I got home 2) I’ve been doing those little ankle balance exercises I wrote about. Don’t let a stupid nut, or any other kind of ankle rolling related instigator, keep you from getting your run on.

* Pedestal Plank Police: This is a bit of a rant on my part. I got sucked into Twitter against my will and now I have some Plank Police on my butt tweeting me about how often I do planks. The thing is I am hardly a slacker on core work, I bleed suggesting core work for runners, but you know what I also know? Diversity. Doing the same thing every single day also doesn’t let the muscles recover enough to heal back up stronger. I do my pedestal core routine every other day, not every day…the off days I do weight work and other strength moves. Diversify and don’t work the same muscles every single day. Sorry, plank police, now get off my @$$.

* Tapering Sucks: The season has come to the point where races matter more, you have your eyes set on the championship races and for some they are approaching the races they’ve been keying on for MONTHS. To maximize performance you can’t go into a race overly tired so, yes, enter the taper. It’s more of a mental beast than anything…but it’s a necessary bitter pill to swallow. When I’m dealing with ‘runner guilt’ during a taper I remember that the reason I trained was FOR this race…and they don’t give PR’s and medals out for training.

* Protein Lover: I’ve talked about how it took me longer than it should to realize just how important protein is for distance runners. I’m a carbo-lover so I had those bases more than covered. But protein is KEY for muscle repair and growth so seek out those protein-rich sources: lean meats like chicken and turkey, seafood (shrimp, tuna, and salmon are my favorites), low-fat cottage cheese and…drum roll EGGS! Eggs rock, they’ve had a bad rep before but new research is proving that the specific micronutrients in egg yolks make the protein a more viable source, it is utilized better than other kinds. Don’t pass on the yolks…or the bad egg jokes or the yolk will be on you.

Friday is HERE! Take note of these flash factoids and if you’re keying up for a race know that the mental torture that is the miles deprived runner during a taper is WORTH it…you want to run your best on race day and a PR is worth a little insanity. 😉

1) Do you have a flash fact you’d like to share?

2) How often do you do planks or any kind of core work?

3) What’s your favorite source of protein?

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A Runner Doth Compare: Keeping the comparison game in check

Posted on October 11, 2012 by Cait — 12 Comments ↓

When to cmopeare and when to not.
Running is quite the unique sport. Obviously it’s the BEST sport, but it’s different than most because it is highly personal. The end result rests solely on your shoulders…err, legs.

So while there are a pillars of support you can look to, the wisdom from others to learn from and guide you along, it’s ultimately going to come down to you taking the initiative and being motivated from within.

Ironically though, it’s generally outside elements that we can get hung up on as we gauge our running success. Are we faster than so-and-so, they ran this many miles and how many did I run, I see she was doing her repeats at this pace…and often times we make ourselves out to be the ‘loser’ regardless of the competition.

It’s very easy to get hung up on the negatives or what whe CAN’T do, our shortcomings. Generally we’re going to compare ourselves to the person we DIDN’T beat and decide we stink, rather than look to the person we did beat and feel like we’re making progress.

Running is personal, but human nature sucks us into comparing ourselves to the ones around us, and usually doing so in a way that it makes us only feel worse about ourselves.

It goes with training and workouts, but it also goes with how we look compared to our competition or what our diets are compared to theirs. Sometimes runners get easily distracted on the ‘details’ of a particular runner instead of what it really should come down to: results. Funneling that down even more, your PERSONAL results.

Running is personal, what works for one person may not work for you. They may be able to handle running more miles than you, maybe he can indulge in more Ben & Jerry’s than you, perhaps she will always be able to run her intervals just a bit faster. Sometimes that reality STINKS, but it’s a reality.

She’s thinking something…it better not be the can’t word! 😉

It’s also a reality that somewhere there is a runner comparing themselves to you and being envious. The running shoe laces up both ways.

I would be wrong to recommend we discard comparisons completely, that is counterproductive to our sport and our own personal growth within the sport. You WANT to look to the runner faster than you and use them to spur in you the motivation and drive to get out there and chase them. You just want to be sure you’re looking to them in the right mindset: one that will help you rather than harm.

No other runner or person can dictate how you’re going to feel. It’s up to you to make the CHOICE. Choosing to recognize you’re not the fastest person is acknowledging a fact, but then CHOOSE to use that as incentive to improve in ways you can. Don’t make the conscious choice to take the defeatist mentality and berate yourself. That applies with training and workouts and all other areas runners are apt to get drawn into playing the comparison game.

Running is the best sport, though, as runners we tend to be Type A and hypercritical of ourselves. It compels us to train on days most others would blow off a run but it can also be our own greatest obstacle.

How you choose to look at your competition is up to you, make sure it is in a way that lights that inner fire to run headlong into your highest potential.

1) Who do you tend to compare yourself to the most?

2) In what area do you tend to do the most comparing?

3) Which trait in others are you usually most envious of?

4) Which trait do you possess that you feel others are the most envious of?

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We Don’t Run From Something, We Run Straight TOWARDS Something

Posted on October 8, 2012 by Cait — 23 Comments ↓

My roommate thinks I’m crazy as I head out each morning for my run. Sometimes he’s sitting on the porch listening to music and the other day I joked, “You know you want to come with me!”

“No way. If I’m ever running it’s because I’m running from something. So what are you running from?”

“Hmmm, running from something. Well, why don’t you think on what I’m running from while I’m gone, see if you can figure it out,” was my reply in my little sarcasticy-joking manner.

“Why is it for me to come up with?” him.

“Okay, I’ll be gone and when I come back I’ll make sure it’s because I’m running from something worthwhile…I’ll make sure I’m stealing something really good,” and then I was off.

I’ve gotten the ‘running from something’ remark a few different ways
* Joking: “I’m only running if I’m being chased.”
* Fishing for a deeper meaning/Dr. Phil style: “You must be running from something, what is really going on here? Shall we explore?”

For the second one I’d like to flip it around to this: I’m not running from something I’m running TOWARDS something.

Sometimes I run towards sanity. True fact, I’m far more imbalanced without my miles.

I’ve run straight into torture. Wait, I mean intervals and races. 😉

Other times I run headlong into release. Frustration, stress, feeling lost, feeling overwhelmed, feeling enraged…you get the picture. Running into these feelings makes them more manageable.

I like to run towards my goals. Black and white benchmarks, progress checkers…with running it’s usually pretty easy to see if you’re headed in the right direction. There are lots of road signs to keep from getting too lost.

I’m always running into food. Do we need a better incentive to run? Really, do we? 😉

Ultimately I’m always running forward because that’s the only place we can go. I used to think that there is no real point in looking in the rearview mirror. However the other day I reassessed that when I wrote, “Sometimes we need to stop looking forward for a moment to take a look back and see how far we’ve come.”

So I amend my previous ‘rule’ of not looking over your shoulder. (Never in a race though, that shows a sign that you’re hurting and you don’t want your competitors to know that!) In our ever constant mad dash running forward, there are moments when you can look behind. Relish the times you DO accomplish a goal. Savor the bittersweetness of persevering though the really hard times, the times that you thought would break you but didn’t…be proud that you’re still here and kicking.

We are runners, though I don’t think we are running FROM anything. We are always running FORWARD into something better, with slight pauses along the way to let the moments that make us stronger sink in so that we’re assured we are brave enough to keep running headlong into what awaits.

1) What’s your answer to people who say, “What are you running from?”

2) What’s been one of the funnier twists on what a person says about why they don’t run? (ie: I only run if I’m being chased by rabid dogs.)

3) What has been a moment that you feel is important to look back over your shoulder on and remember that you’ve been there or done that?
Faced never being able to run again and proved that I WOULD get back. 🙂

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The Conundrum of a Runner’s Path Impeded: When your way is blocked you have a decision to make

Posted on October 6, 2012 by Cait — 16 Comments ↓

You’re running along, fully in your zone, you look forward and BAM…impending pedestrian traffic jam. We’ve got a case of people walking four wide, no way to easily pass by, you’re faced with the blocked runner’s pivotal decision: What to do?

I do my best to always be a polite runner, I give people the benefit of the doubt for the most part, maybe they are unaware just HOW much sidewalk they are taking up. Perhaps they feel the need to monopolize the entire bike path.

I’m a fan of the subtle cough, pretend like you’d just be clearing your throat anyways and they just happen to be in earshot. I like the subtle hints.

If I’m in the middle of a hard workout or on the track I’ve got no qualms shouting, “Left” or “Track”. I’m annoyed but mostly for loss of breath…lol.

Though we ALL have those days, sometimes it’s toward the end of a run and unfortunately for the people who act as the straw to break the runners’ patience you have HAD it with people in your way. Enter the agitated runner who’s had their nerves worn thin thanks to a series of blockades through the course of their run.

We can find solace and acceptance here, among runner friends, to confess away our agitated runner sins, purge ourselves of guilt and repent. “I’m really not a mean person, it’s just that last mile, the pack of walkers on the full horizontal, I’d had to swerve just TOO many times before them.”

It’s okay my children, I’ve been there, I know the tough spot you’re forced into thanks to oblivious pedestrians.

You are forgiven.

1) How are you when you see a big blockade approaching when you’re running? Do you tend to be cordial?

2) When you SNAP is it usually relative to the kind of day you’ve had overall or what’s already happened in the run?

3) What’s the best story of a runner SNAPPING and unleashing on unsuspecting, blocking pedestrians you’re seen, heard, or *gasp* been a part of? We’ll call it a runner going over the edge. 😉

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The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Three Runners

Posted on October 5, 2012 by Cait — 12 Comments ↓

When I’m not running I tend to feel I’ve earned to right to be lazy if I wish and that includes trolling through Netflix. I recently happened upon the gem that is ‘The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret’; the gist is this guy continues to make his situation infinitely worse by poor judgement calls. Sometimes it’s just dumb bad luck, but his lies heaped on top of it doesn’t make matters any better. I thought to equate this same premise to running…I mean we’ve all done some not smart runner moves, shall we see them snowball?

It’s really easy to get sucked into competitive overdrive online; DailyMile here, Nike Plus Updates there, Twitter and Facebook bragging sandwiched in between. Talia Margaret is only trying to keep pace with the online running community when she started padding those miles. She rationalized it by saying she got confused between the km to miles conversion.

Eventually she met up with a fellow runner friend who invited her for a 10 mile run. DailyMile says Talia’s been running those easily, but thanks to conversions it’s closer to 6.41 max. Talia can’t back out now though…strap on those running shoes and put on the big girl pants.

10 miles never felt longer, lesson learned, Girl.

Timmy Martin’s always been honest with him miles but he’s about to do his first workout with a new group of runners. They’re all faster than him so he’s a little nervous about this 6 mile tempo run. Pride is on the line though, so even though the first mile was darn near close to his 5k race pace he tucks in. He even tries to quiet his huffing and gasping as mile two ticks off; despite his best efforts his form is crumbling by mile 2.5 and he’s cursing in his head for slacking on all the core work his coach told him to do about a million times.

Timmy hits 3 miles, passes 5k with a new PR which is good except he’s only about half-way through that supposed tempo. He passes a dog on the side of the trail, “That leash on the dog would be a perfect clothesline trip,” he thinks to himself. Tempted to find any excuse to end this gruelfest he does the unthinkable: purposely trips over the dog’s leash and crumbles to the floor. He yells, acting the gallant runner, “Go on, guys, don’t sacrifice your workout for me! I’ll be okay, I’ll catch up with you later!”

He never does, but are you surprised?

When Tom Mendy’s dog got snared with another runner the leash jolted him so far that his own run got messed up. He crashed to the ground in a skid, got up and for the rest of his run his IT Band was screaming at him. Well, he was in a rush when he got home and didn’t think to ice that guy but rather rushed to get his burrito on. Good for the 30 minute post-run refuel window but major faux pas when it comes to runner TLC.

The next week the IT Band is getting worse, Tom’s been icing but it’s a little too late. He’s really worried about the race he has coming up in a week, he’s been training for it for so long, who would have thought a freak accident on an easy run could dash his hopes of a PR?

Did you lay our race clothes out the night before?? 😉

The race day comes, Tom’s IT Band is getting better so he’s toeing the line. He looks to his right and sees a familiar looking runner but he can’t quite place where he’s seen him before.

The runner standing next to Tom is sore like none other. He’s been training with a new group of runners, all faster than him. But he’s also learned the best way to improve is to train with those better than you…BUT within reason. He’s adjusted the workouts, put his pride to the side, and instead of doing 6 mile tempo runs with the group he does 3 miles with them and finishes with some 800 meter repeats. He’s been seeing improvement though in his times and looking forward to being able to run 4 miles with the group soon. The only bummer is that his shin is still a little sore from an incident he had with a dog’s leash.

About three tiers back from Tom is a lady standing next to her friend chatting. They are looking forward to the race at hand but also working out a plan to meet tomorrow for a long run of 8 miles. Because no one is lying about their miles anymore 8 miles will be just fine, it’s steady improvement from 6.41 miles and soon those long runs will be comfortable 10 milers.

We all make stupid, idiot running mistakes. But if you learn from them and move forward you AND your running will be much better off in the long run. Patience and maturity often win out in the long run. Here’s to hoping you only have to learn those lessons the hard way once…or maybe twice. 😉

1) What’s a lesson you learned the hard way? How many time did you have to relearn that lesson to REALLY be smarter going forward?

2) When would be an instance where a poor decision of yours snowballed on you?

3) Have you ever lied about your miles, time, PR’s any of that? Conversely have you ever caught someone in a lie?
I admit to having a huge thing about people who lie on those things, it bugs me like none other…lol. Sorry if that sounds harsh! I do forgive people though if they either honestly got confused or come clean. I’m a forgiving runnerchick. 🙂

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The Leg That Looked Like a Fish: When muscle weaknesses cause inefficiencies in your running

Posted on October 4, 2012 by Cait — 21 Comments ↓

When I run my right leg has this really weird tendency to kick-back behind me, it’s a sort of quasi-knock-knee flail that looks like a fish washed up on shore and is trying to flip back to sea. Sounds really pretty, doesn’t it?

Over the years I did a LOT of work on correcting my form, I mean a lot. Runs where I’d be thinking of dropping my left shoulder, keeping my torso tall, making sure my right arm isn’t swinging too low…I imagined myself like a puppet on a string. I ran with arm weights, I counted strides, did core work, weight work, saw ART and massage specialists, hurdle drills and plyo’s all in the quest to be more efficient when I ran. But you know what, NOTHING could explain this wonky fish out of water right leg.

Obviously there were imbalances there, something needed to be strengthened so my leg didn’t have the tendency to collapse inward on itself. We nailed it down to having something to do with the vicinity of my hips, but you know what, I still run with a wonky stride.

Side point…in a hilarious twist of irony, after I got hit by the car and crawled my way back to running all that diligent form work pretty much got erased. See, we all have to start from square one again sometimes. 🙂

Back on topic, the flailing left leg; it wasn’t until I was reading another article in Running Times that was describing weak glutes and how if those muscles aren’t firing they could be causing inefficiencies, injuries and messed up form. Glutes? Never thought of that one! So I did a few of the little test exercises and you know what, the next day my stupid glutes were sore.

Flashdance anyone?

Logic then leads me to: my stupid glutes may be responsible for my leg flail. I’ve been doing the exercises to strengthen them so will keep you posted on progress there. However, the point is: we ALL have imbalances and weaknesses that make us inefficient runners.

* Inefficiency = compensation elsewhere = higher injury risk = lost time running
* Inefficiency = slower times = getting beat in races

Hmm, I don’t think any of us like those equations? I just had an article published up on Competitor: ‘The Four Biggest Problem Areas For Runners’ covering the hips, glutes, ankles and hamstrings as the top points of weaknesses for runners.

Chances are you’ve got one, or maybe more, to some degree. Don’t let those weaker muscles cause you problems and don’t let them hold you back from faster PR’s either.

There are lots of exercises for you to try explained the article but here are some quick links I’ve also covered on this site:

* Pedestal Core Routine and Video
* Flexibility Routine and Video (being tight is also going to lead to compensation issues)
* Stability Ball Exercises (there are some glute/hamstring exercises there)

When I run I’d rather not look like my leg is a fish trying to flop back into the sea. How about you?

1) Muscle imbalances and weaknesses, what do you consider your ‘weak’ spot and how have you tried to strengthen it? Or how are you planned to strengthen it?

2) When it comes to form, what is an area there you need to work on? (ie: arm swing, standing tall, stride rate, etc.)

3) If you could liken your running form or self to some kind of random animal or other thing, what would it be? If someone says they run like a beautiful gazelle and have nary an issue, I’m going to call BS on you…OR as you what kind of form work you did to look so perfect. 😉

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Team Cait Knows How to Get Their Run On! Miles Madness Winners and Prizes

Posted on October 3, 2012 by Cait — 22 Comments ↓

It’s offical my team ROCKED the September Miles Madness Competition and didn’t only get their run on they got their kick@$$ run on! I wasn’t ever worried, really, shall we revisit the smack-talk reel that got this all started?

The final results:

Team Cait: 2860.83
Team Ashley: 2617.16

Awesome Team Cait Runner	Miles Week 1: 9/1-9/7	Week 2: 9/8-9/14	Week 3: 9/15-9/21	Week 4: 9/22-9/30

Ali Mc @ Running with Spatulas	14	14	21	21.5
Antonia	15	14
Kate @ Run With Kate	16	14	20	41
Patty	6	5	7.41
Amy @ Proud Patriot	27.5	20	25	35
Vanessa @ Gourmet Runner	48	58	45
Mark @ Running, Writing and Chasing the Dragon	40	10	28	39
Kathy	11.23	11.25	16.5	24
Missy @ Southern Girl Running	18.25	27.69	15.02	26.33
Staples	89	96	102	110
Christina @ The Athletarian	19	13	30	10
Amy @ Raz-ma-taz	30.84		58.09	41.4
Brandi @ Faith, Fitness and Laughter	8	9.75	13	16.01
Chelsea @ Chelsea Wanders	30	32	34	58
Melissa	24	26	24	32
Dennis	47.5	33	58	66.75
Morgan @ Running [Dharma] Bums	39	62	58	59
Amy @ Thoroughly Nourished Life	28	30	34	30
Steph	16	17.6	21.36	16.81
Julia @ Pain, Pride and Perseverance	47	11	50	24
Sabrina @ Sweet Southern Sweat	8	13	8
Janelle	31.69	36.88	28.75
Janneza		6	8
Runner for Life		50	56	64
Annie	25	18	20.3	12
Amanda			16.2	21.55
Lauren @ Food, Running, Cats			8.6	10
Heather				29.07
Weekly Total:	639.01	628.17	806.23	787.42
Running Total:	639.01	1267.18	2073.41	2860.83

So because I’m SO proud of my little runner posse, it’s now time to dole out the prizes! I mean, of COURSE the prizes of meeting your running goals, putting in the long runs so you can fat kid it up the rset of the day, and be that much closer to the allure that is a PR, those trump everything…but I still think you guys deserve a little more what’s-what.

PRIZES!!!

Well, because our milesmaniac Mr. Staples was clocking in pretty much 100+ miles per week every week, I don’t think anyone could argue I shouldn’t give him top pick of the first prize. So my dear running fiend, drop me an email with your choice…and I won’t judge if you do, in fact, go with the Handful bra. 😉

The rest of the prizes were radnomly generated from one of those nifty little gadgets and pulled off of the numbers on the roster. Below are the order in which the winners were picked and from there each runners gets their pick of prizes. A reminder on the prizes:
* 3 Road ID’s
* 1 Clean Waterbottle
* 2 Handful Bras
* 1 Oiselle 50/50 Tee
* 1 BIC Band goodie bag

And onto the rest of the winners:
1) Chelsea @ Chelsea Wanders
2) Janneza
3) Vanessa @ Gourmet Runner
4) Steph @ She Runs On
5) Amy @ Raz Ma Taz
6) Amy @ Thoroughly Nourished Life
7) Runner For Life

BOOM! All you awesome peeps email me and I’ll get you taken care of.

1) What was a highlight for you from the September Miles Madness Competition?

2) What is a goal that achieved during last month, and how are you going to build on that this month? If you didn’t hit your goal what can you do this month to hit it?

3) Did you have fun with this type of thing? Would you like to see something like this again? Are there any suggestions or ideas you’d like to share on going forward?

I Run For Bribes…Bribes and Blackmail too I Guess

Posted on October 1, 2012 by Cait — 16 Comments ↓

I tell my legs that if they run the miles I want I’ll like them better. Apparently they are suffering from such low self-esteem that they will put up with anything to be my friend.

I’ve promised these same legs that if they carry me through that last mile, don’t slow down, just make it to the finish line, then I’ll reward them with a break. I leave out the part about the cool-down.

My lungs sometimes are upset that I’m not sucking air in fast enough, in enough volume to keep pace with the muscles screaming for precious oxygen. So I’ve bartered with the lungs, agreed that they only have to put up with me for the duration of my long run and then for the rest of the day I’ll walk around mouth agape, like a fish. That certainly would be enough O2.

My body gets annoyed when I continue to ignore it when it whines, “I’m tired.” So I ante up this, “Okay, fine, put your miles in for the day and then I promise to be a sloth. Just give me my run.”

There are points where a run *gasp* feels a bit like a chore. I fall back on bribes…and blackmail. My carrot is the pint of Ben & Jerry’s, my blackmail is reminding myself I’ll only be stuck with my runner guilt if I were to skip the miles. On go the running shoes.

I’ve written down a time, nothing more complex than numbers. Black and white digits. But these are some of the most powerful bribes. No need to embellish the naked truths that lie within these numbers: the truth of work, pain, suffering in the sickly addictive way. I think these are my favorite bribes.

Bribes seem to work well for runners; you see, some things are much more enticing than money. The rewards so much more fulfilling than anything of actual monetary value.

1) What’s a bribe you’ve used to get what you want for your body in terms of running?

2) What is an example of a bribe that is more motivating to work towards than if you were offered cash money?

3) Is there a time when the bribe didn’t work, or you had to resort to blackmail instead??
Runner guilt…proven and effective blackmail!