Love your run. It will always love you back.
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More Morning Running Motivation Art
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1) Any races this weekend?
2) How did your run love you back?
Author Archives: Cait
My Issues With ‘Fitness’
I don’t visit many fitness sites. Not because I’m a runner snob or purist, but because I don’t like the ‘business’ side of ‘fitness’. Those who instantly ‘get’ what I’m talking about separates the ‘fitness’ minded from the FITNESS minded.
I’m not the running riddler, but the reason I don’t go to lots of fitness sites is because I really don’t like the hypocrisy of it all. I’m a straight-shooter, telling it like it is, kinda gal. ’12 Minutes to FLAT ABs’…’Workout in 8mins or less!’
EIGHT minutes? Seriously? I don’t even consider 8 minutes enough time for a proper warm-up. So I guess I should define what a workout is. I’m not talking about a ‘follow-up’ core routine, stretching, weight circuit. For a runner or anyone who is truly FITNESS minded some of those routines can certainly be on the quicker side, maybe all you need IS 8 minutes because you busted your butt doing 800’s and cardio earlier.
When I’m talking workout I mean EVERYTHING. Start to finish, if you do double sessions, those minutes count as rollover. Newsflash: the ‘fitness’ celebrities touting those ‘8 minutes is ALL you need!’ workouts, they for DARN sure don’t do THEIR workouts in only 8 minutes.
It’s the business that peeves me. If you’re going to tell people what to do, be upfront. Yes, I know the MAJORITY of Americans DO NOT want to hear they’ve got to bust a sweat doing cardio for at least 30 minutes and follow it up with some core and ab work. Waaaa…I’d rather be watching the Kardashian! Well, you could do both running on a treadmill…haha.
So the 12 and 8 minutes things sell, they are hot keywords, they attract the masses like flies to a bush post runner emergency dive. The same also applies to the warped food pictures and supposed meals ‘fitness’ websites promote. Have you seen the Instagram pictures of a scant sliver of chicken with a side of five sliced cucumbers? If that was my meal I’d wind up eating my foot. Actually on those, I just don’t understand, is that seriously all they eat? But who knows, who really cares (well, actually tons of people do…it comes back to the business thing I guess)…but the fact that it really makes me question brings me right back to my biggest issue…
I’m a straight-shooter, I like to be upfront. I expect and appreciate that from my readers and everyone else, so I like to do the same. If you want to run your best, if you want to race to PR’s…because da** THAT feels good, it takes work. Lots.of.work.
It will hurt. Workouts will make you wonder why in the flip you have this sick fascination with pushing yourself. Your brain will even try to lie to you and say you really don’t care, that if you just stopped you’d be okay with that. But those are LIES.
Running tests you more mentally than it will physically. Well, maybe a tie, lactic acid sure does hurt physically. But that’s the POINT. Anything worth it takes work. It isn’t done in 8 minutes or less. It isn’t ‘easy, painless, quick’ or any of the other keywords picked up by Google by the ‘fitness’ masses.
We’re runners, or if you totally get what I’m talking about, we’re FITNESS minded. We want to bust our own @$$es because the rewards good… eight minutes be da**ed!
1) What are the majority of websites and blogs that you visit?
2) What is your definition of a workout?
3) What’s your take on the Instagram foodie reverse porn? I think the follow-up snap should be them wolfing down the half gallon of ice cream at 12 midnight. 😉
That’ll Light a Fire Under Your Runner Butt
Yes we may run for our sanity, the betterment of our souls, to push ourselves…but when it comes right down to it there’s a little peace of mind knowing if a situation arises where we need to get the heck out of there FAST, we’re faster than one poor, unfortunate soul. 😉
Darwinism at its finest, Folks. 😉 #runtosurvive
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More CARTOONS HERE!!
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1) Let’s hear another situation that you’ve thought of where running fast would certainly help you dodge a bullet? Or any other hazard.
2) When’s been a situation in life that being a runner has helped?
Chasing a bus I was about to miss. Speeding down the terminal trying to make a flight, heart rate at about interval level. 😉
3) What’s making you laugh today?
Runner Tummies on a Roller-coaster and Clif Protein Recovery and Electrolyte Drinks Review
Us runners sure do a number on our poor tummies. All the pounding, up, down, fast, jiggling, jiving…if our stomaches and intestines could speak I can only imagine the expletives they’d be yelling at us!
Actually, those stomaches and intestines of runners DO speak…just with things much more powerful, dare I even say explosive, than words. Yes, runners and their guts are stuck in a state of ongoing negotiations.
“PLEASE behave for my long run, preeeettty please!!” the runner’s silent prayer before heading out the door.
Runners plan their foods accordingly, learn from trial and error, we do our best to set ourselves up to avoid a stomach related attack but sometimes it feels like we’re in some kind of peace-treaty contract negotiation House of Cards style.
Those runner guts are testy, moody, volatile. Sometimes there is just NO pleasing them despite what feels like us doing our best to abide by the ‘rules’.
I’ve done a few posts on handling GI issues HERE and HERE
Today let’s talk about those post-run, especially post-workout tummies and guts. After all that jiggling and jiving lots of runners complain of feeling nauseous, that food is the LEAST appealing thing in the world, and sometimes runners actually struggle to keep food down.
The issue is that runners ALSO know how incredibly important refueling your body and muscles is within the first 30 minutes of finishing your workouts. In order to maximize your recovery (upwards of 60% better) so you can come back stronger, it really is crucial to find something, anything that will get into your system and STAY there.
This is an occasion where liquids can be a runner’s best friend. If you struggle with keeping actual food down due to an upset stomach after your runs and hard workouts take it to the liquids. Recovery drinks and smoothies can get you those essential protein amino acids and carbs to repair those muscles.
Recently Clif sent me a care package, among the bars (which I already knew I liked and enjoy), they introduced me to their recovery and electrolyte drinks. I hadn’t tried either of those so was interested to test them out.
Clif Protein Recovery Drink
I sampled the Orange Mango and really liked it. I tried it mixed in with a smoothie (berries and other fruit) and I also tried it just mixed with water. It’s sweet but not overpoweringly so, and plenty tasty on it’s own just with the water.
Each pack has 170 calories and 10 grams of protein. If there was anything I would change or suggest it would be if there were more grams of protein. Ideally, post-run and post-workout you want at least 25 grams of protein. But other than that, I really liked this one…it also comes in Chocolate and while I didn’t try this flavor, really I’ve not met something chocolate I don’t enjoy.
Clif Electrolyte Hydration Drink
These little guys come in tiny sleeves and are really easy to carry around and stash in a bag. I tried the Cranberry Raz and it was a win in the taste department. The thing with hydration for runners is this is an ALL DAY thing, you need to continually be drinking water and fluids…not just right before or after your runs.
I’ve also explained a lot how crucial it is to drink not JUST water, but to find electrolyte replacement drinks to ensure your balances there are correct. Especially with the potassium and sodium. So this is why the market for electrolyte drinks has exploded the past few years. Taste-wise Clif nailed it. The only recommendations I have is that they offer a few with less calories…one pack is 80 calories because it also contains the simple sugars.
If you’re actually RUNNING (ie: part of your marathon training fueling strategy) you DO need that quickly digested glucose. But, if you’re not and you’re just needing the electrolytes the extra carbs and calories may not be what you need.
Thank you, Clif, for sending me these to test out and review!! All their products are available online and I’ve seen them in lots of stores too. 🙂
Soooo, while I STILL feel entitled to complain and be irked at my stomach any and every time it causes me trouble…on some level, when I imagine the bumping, jumping, jiving, and all that other stuff it has to put up with I can kinda sympathize with it for putting up with me as much as it does! 😉
Treat your stomaches with care, Runners!
1) If you’ve had a dialogue with your stomach how did it go? Do you say a little hope/prayer before long runs?? haha.
2) Something you’ve learned about running and nutrition lately?
3) Have you tried either the Clif Recovery or Electrolyte Drinks?
Running and Chasing Moonlight
I’ve been doing some runs at night. Just me and the moon. Don’t worry, Runners, the light will find you out there. It likes to follow magic.
Not to spoil the motivational moment but in the spirit of keeping it real I have to add there WERE some other things out there besides me and Mr. Moon: a crap-load of gnats and I’m pretending I didn’t inhale about 900, shadows that made me wonder if they were branches that I should dodge, and then some actual branches I didn’t quite dodge but managed to stay on my feet. Take THAT klutzy Cait Gene! 😉
Keep running towards your goals…gnats and branches be d**ned…don’t let them spoil the moments. 😉
1) Last time you ran in the dark?
2) Do you like running in the dark?
3) Do you also feel like you’re going faster in the dark regardless of whether you actually are or not? The Garmin tells no lies. 😉
Out With the Running Shorts…and Razors
It’s Spring now, Runners…so while we ALL love to put those running tights away, it does come with a drawback…
Yay for more daylight, boooo for that missing hour of sleep. I’m still going to be bitter about losing that hour…hopefully it wasn’t too rough for you guys. Now off to scrounge up those razors. 😉
1) Have you been able to bust out the running shorts yet?
I’m not going to lie, I actually never put them away. 🙂
2) What are you looking forward to this Spring and Summer?
Sunday Morning Running Motivation
Running presents a very simple goal…
Keep pushing through to that other side my Runner Friends. It makes us feel alive! 🙂
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Get motivated by some awesome elite runners and check out my latest article on RunBlogRun — A Community of Beasts: There’s roaring in Seattle
More Running Motivation Art Posts
More Motivation Posts
Posts with Racing Tips
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1) Did you race this weekend?
2) How did you stay mentally tough in your last race or workout?
3) The last time you weren’t so mentally tough, why, and what are you going to do to be tougher next time?
True Running Fitspo…
Honestly, Pinterest and Instagram, please get the message that TRUE running motivation and inspiration comes not from how are training makes us look but rather what it enables us to ACHIEVE.
That’s as far as I’ll let my little mini rant go. But I DO have say how I laugh at some of the ridiculous picture/quote pairs that pop up. Saw this gem the other day:
“If my fat isn’t going to my boobs then I want nothing to do with it.”
I mean, seriously?
Me, I’m far more inspired and motivated by runners getting out there, sweating it out, busting their @$$es for PR’s.
Chasing endorphins is far more fun than wishing I had more fat for my boobs. 😉
1) What’s one of the funnier Pinterest/Insta fitspo’s you’ve seen?
2) What’s one of the better, really motivating ones you’ve seen?
3) What did you do today that could be pinned and used as inspiration for others?
A Running Contrast: Pre and Post Workout
Nervous…trepidation…EXCITEMENT.
…pushing out doubts, finding your STRENGTH, finding your center.
Confidence. Remember you’ve DONE this before, draw on the memories of HARD workouts.
“You survived then, you’ll push through the pain today.”
Collect. Relax.
“Can we just START this thing already?!?!”
#nailedit
#endorphins
#confident
Funny the difference a mere workout makes.
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Nervous energy before workouts and races are NORMAL…they actually help boost your performance if you use them right. Posts on NERVES HERE
Posts on finding your CONFIDENCE
More MENTAL TOUGHNESS TIPS
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1) Give one adjective of how you felt before your last workout.
2) Give one adjective on how you felt after that same workout.
3) What is one of the last things you do or say to yourself before a hard workout or race?
A Runner’s Last Demands
Please, Runners, honor my spirit well. 😉
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In case you’ve missed my BIG NEWS, scroll down about 1/2 inch to yesterday’s post or check it out HERE. 😉 #ezzere #runlaughbe #artyrunnerchick
More CARTOONS!!
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1) Not to be morbid, but finish the sentence in a humorous way: “When I die I want to be buried…
2) What’s your favorite kind of chocolate?
Can’t really go wrong, but I love me those chocolate chips inside some pancakes. 🙂
3) What are your running plans today?