Category Archives: comics

A Running Contrast: Pre and Post Workout

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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?!?!”

pre post workout runners

#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

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Please, Runners, honor my spirit well. 😉

bury me in chocolate and running shoes
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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?

A Running First: The run/swim wade

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I’ve run in some pretty crappy conditions, but today marked a first for this runnerchick. I literally had to run/swim, like stop the watch and doggie paddle kinda stuff! California goes from the golden winter to flash-flooding my bike trail today…it was craaaazy!

Actually the episode was actually quite comical. I almost tripped and went full-submersion style. [side-note: I have a phobia of leeches, visions of them stuck to my legs and torso riddled my mind the whole run] So a toast to you, Winter, you pulled a fast one on me today. You done good, but I still won out. I’m pretty sure that was hail there between those bullet rain-drops and I came out looking like a wet, sewer rat but I got that run done.
running through the rain cartoon
And hey, I’d still take a bucket of rain over some of those well-below zero temperature readings from other states. You runners over there, good gracious, seeing icicles in your beards, eyelashes, and hair!! But I did have to make a cartoon for my run today because, quite honestly, I’m not doing one BIT of over-exaggeration for comedic effect.

Sometimes reality, in it’s own sickly sense, is way more hilarious.

Go on, run on…run/swim on?? 😉
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HUGE NEWS!! If you follow me on Instagram you probably saw the Spoiler Alert! My latest running shirt design has dropped! The Peacock Runner…check out my Mommy-O model, the first runnerchick to don this one.

peacock runner shirt
Full details on this one to come and it will be available to buy at my store soon…but my excitement bubbled over and I had to give you the sneak peek. 😉
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1) What’s the deepest water you’ve had to cut through during a run?
Today was well above my waist.
2) Worst conditions you’ve ever run in?
3) Are you pretty good at keeping a secret if you’re excited?
Ummm…no.

Run, Be YOU, Be Crazy

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Runners are crazy. I’m crazy. But you know what…

alice in wonderland crazy

Be YOU.

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BIG NEWS is coming tomorrow!! You excited, yet? You should be. In fact be CrAzY excited! 😉 It has to do with THIS!!

I HATE to have to do this but I need to add another disclaimer. I’ve gotten lots of questions from people asking to save or download my artwork and cartoons. I ask that you PLEASE do not, I sell prints of all my artwork. Art and writing is how I put food on my table. Be kind, respect the amount of time, creativity, and work that goes into the work that I share with you. Contact me: cait@caitchock.com to order a print or purchase rights to download and share. Thank you.
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1) What’s some exciting news you have to share?
2) What are you looking forward to this weekend?

Where the Magic REALLY Happens

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Bippidity Boppity…moooove over, Magic Wand, these running shoes are far more magical. 🙂

running princess cartoon
And we don’t need no glass slippers either! Talk about a major injury hazard…who comes up with this stuff?!?! 😉

Personally I like my running fairy tales a bit better with some sweat, endorphins, miles, and runnerchicks and runnerdudes. Speaking of Princesses, no one’s been able to peel me out of my favorite new running shirt yet. 😉
running princess shirt

1) What running shoes are you in love with right now?
2) Do you have pretty pick feet?
3) Where was the last awesome place your magic running feet took you?

Runner’s Strip: Petition for Runners’ Rights

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There are just some things I think us runners are entitled to. Runner elitism at its finest perhaps? Regardless, I stick by our demands.
runner rights cartoon
Runners, take a STAND. Circulate this petition and get as many signatures we you can. Untied we CAN make a difference.

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More Runner’s Strip Cartoons!

I also did a guest post at The Cookie ChRUNicles…go check it out! 🙂
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1) What’s another demand you’d like to add to the list?
2) Give me the det’s on YOUR priority treadmill or particular exercise equipment at the gym? The one you’re always scoping out and want to kick anyone off of if they DARE use it. 😉

Farting is NOT a Crime: Runners Freeing Ourselves of ‘Strict’ Social Etiquette Standards

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Running can put you in some awkward situations. At a certain point all runners realize that control over our bodily functions can only go so far. Whomever happens to cross our paths at just the wrong time…well, that’s on them. Maybe a hazard of living within a 10 mile (maybe 20+ mile) radius of a runner. 😉

running cartoon cropdusting

The thing is, be a runner long enough and we tend to have a warped perspective on just what IS socially awkward…and how awkward it rates…the lines get blurred. Farts, spitting, talk of all that, it become just commonplace. Business as usual. Ducking into a bush to avoid an ‘in your shorts’ disaster…there’s not shame in it.

Runners united, at least WE can laugh at ourselves…the rest of the ‘normal’ world and their standards of social etiquette be da**ed! 😉

1) What’s another hazard of living within a 20 mile radius of a runner?
2) What’s been a scenario where you did get embarrassed or at least felt bad for some ‘normal person’ bystander you happened on while running?
3) Who’s racing this weekend? What are all you other runners doing??
Running…a’duh! 😉

When Life Gives a Runner Some Critical Decisions

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You see, us runners have a REALLY scientific and sensible way of making the important decisions in life. 😉

running cartoon

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More running cartoons HERE!
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1) Do you decide your workouts in advance? How far in advance? Are you following a training program at the moment or have a coach?
2) Do you pick out your clothes the day before?
I always lay out my running clothes the night before…I like every extra second of sleep. 😉
3) Do you tend to plan your dinner and meals in advance or just wait to see what you feel like?

Runner’s Strip: Jeans shopping

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For every runner athlete who’s gone shopping for jeans and wound up wanting to punch someone in the face.

jeans shopping for runners
I can’t take sole credit for this one. The AWESOME quip that gave me the inspiration for this cartoon came from Sally Bergesen, founder of Oiselle, a kickbutt running apparel company. Yesterday a few of us were tweeting on the frustrations of trying to find jeans that FIT when you’re an athlete, muscle-clad, kickbutt female. Usually you wind up with some problems:

* The jeans WOULD fit in the waist but you can’t get them above your quads. Literally.can’t.raise.them.
* Go up to a size that doesn’t cause your quads to hulk-out but the waist is super saggy. We have six packs, not kegs.
* There’s also an issue with the cut of the butt. I’m not sure if it’s just me, but for whatever reason any size that fits my legs causes this funky pooch in the back; I think it’s because the waist/butt/quad ratio is off and you wind up with extra denim at the waist, so when you sit it’s like a sideways tepee.

I’ve not worn jeans for years…now, to be totally fair I work from home and literally live in running clothes. Like, live in them. #SweatsandtheCity

AAAAND, I will also argue that running clothes can be quite fashionable, I mean just take a gander at my awesome shirts:
hot running shirts
and we ALL love Oiselle who are keeping us clothed from our rundies out to our hoodies.

oiselle

Photo Credit: Oiselle


But that’s not the point. Runnerchicks DESERVER to be able to go to the store and find a pair of jeans that fit without winding up a mess of frustration and wanting to punch someone in the face.

Wise up, World. We are runners, we are women, we are STRONG…we have muscles. And we look d**n good with them.

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More cartoons HERE!!
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1) What’s been an issue you’ve had with finding a pair of jeans, or any article of clothing that clearly didn’t account for your runner bod?
2) What is your ‘normal people’ fashion like?
3) What’s another vent you’d just like to get off your chest so you don’t punch someone in the face?? 😉

Running: Brought to you by dreams of pancakes and carbs

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That long run brought to you by dreams of PaNcAkeS!!! Or insert your favorite post-run food there. Actually, you can swap out the long run for a race. Scratch that you can preeeetty much just swap that out for any run. Any distance…any food. #runners #workforit #reward #bait ??
run for pancakes
While us runners certainly can eat more than a football team, amongst those pancakes, Pop-Tarts, burgers, fries, milk shakes, etc…we DO know that in order to run our best we need to fuel our best.

The beautiful thing though, is that eating to PERFORM doesn’t mean you can’t have your cake and eat your apples too. It’s all about balance. There are some KEY elements that all runners in training should be mindful of:

* Protein: getting enough and timing that intake
* 30 Minute Recovery: eating protein and carbs within 30 minutes of finishing a run
* Healthy Picks: insert your fruits, veggies, whole grains, quality carbs here
* Vitamins and other nutrients: IRON is sooo important for runners and ensuring they get enough!
* Hydration: it’s crucial runners ensure they drink enough fluids and more than just water, replacing those electrolytes too

But it’s ALL about balance, and even professional distance runners are allowed their cookies and burgers too. Hey, when you’re burning all dem calories you earn those treats!

This post comes in step with my latest article over on Running Times: “The Power of Protein Timing”

Good luck to all those racing, and to everyone else go out there and get your run on…enjoy every sweaty mile!! 🙂

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More posts all about how to eat to fuel your running and preform your best HERE!
Highlighting living in the real world and eating post: “How runners can stuff their faces at restaurants but still perform at their best”
More Cartoons and laughs HERE!
Tomorrow are the USA Cross Champs and here is one more recent article highlighting HTS Elite runners there tomorrow: RunBlogRun – Taking Boulder Back: HTS Elite looks to make this the distance runner’s power city once again
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1) What’s your ‘drool dream’ food while running?
2) How do you keep track of your protein intake and ensuring you get enough?
3) How do you track your fruits and veggies and make sure you’re getting enough?