Posts in the Race Tips Category at , Page 3

A Case of Missing Legs: When ‘dead legs’ show up to your starting line, you still have to claim them as yours

Posted on June 24, 2012 by Cait — 8 Comments ↓

Have you ever shown up to a race…CRACK…and from the first step the pair of legs you were running on felt completely and utterly foreign? Dead legs…strap in you’re in for a long race.

The funny, or maybe more correctly maddening, thing about running is that you can’t always predict how you’re going to be feeling on any particular day. You can erect the most scientific training plan in the world, taper like a genius, but still, come the day of the race there is the margin of the unknown. You do all you can to swing the favor of the running gods and them blessing you with the legs you worked your butt off for, that you earned, that you deserve to race on…but there are no guarantees.

Dead legs happen in races, in workouts, in random runs too. The ‘easy’ days after a hard workout you can kind of expect that the legs won’t be feeling so fresh, you anticipate some rougher miles; these days aren’t so much a case of dead legs due to chance but rather hard work of days’ past. What makes this case of dead legs bearable, almost sickly rewarding, is that you know the hard work of yesterday will eventually pay off.

But dead legs on a race are frustrating and can be incredibly defeating if you let them screw with your psyche. If that happens any chance of salvaging at least a respectable performance gets whittled down to near nil and you could bring a horrendous trudge to the finish line upon yourself.

While it certainly SUCKS to come to a big race, fully tapered, expecting a PR and wind up with legs you wouldn’t want to claim as your own it is fully possible to race respectable off of tired legs. You may not PR or race at you fitness level, true, but at the same time there are athletes that have raced phenomenally off of tired legs. Some runners haven’t tapered at all and others just mentally pushed themselves regardless of feeling the dead legs. It may come down to a more ‘survival mode’ race…

Latch on to anyone and everyone. If you feel your dead legs from the gun you would probably be wise NOT to play pace-setter if you can avoid it. Tuck in behind a runner or find a nice pack to work off of; you’d be surprised how sparing the mental energy of worrying about pace early on can leave you feeling much ‘fresher’ some miles later.

Surge. If your dead legs are leaving you trudging mid-race, while it sounds totally counterintuitive, putting in a surge or picking up the pace for a short bit can sometimes bust you out of a funk. When you switch gears, as in change up the pace, you work different muscle fibers, and it can act as a little ‘reset’ button sometimes.

Counting sheep…errr, miles. Don’t focus on how much further you have to go, instead play mind games and break the race down into small, much more manageable distances. Say you’re only going to run one more mile…just make it to the next mile marker. If it’s on the track, even just promise to make it past one more lap, one more lap, etc.

Focus on controllables. The controllables are your form, your breathing, your stride…anything NOT related to how crummy you are feeling. This also includes zoning in on a spot on someone’s back who is running in front of you; look at that spot and refuse to let a gap open up between you and the spot.

Wait it out. Crazy, yes, but sometimes dead legs can ‘wear off’ over the course of a race or workout. Sometimes, especially if you didn’t do a real good warm-up, once you get into the race your legs can feel much better.

Bottom line, don’t chuck in the towel after the gun due to dead legs. Doing so, and doing so too often, is like giving your mind an excuse to give up…that is a bad habit you don’t want to get into, because once ingrained it’s SUPER hard to get out of. 😉
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Olympic Trials: Okay, can we give a HUGE shout out to one Ashton Eaton!! The man is a beast and just set a World Record in the Decathlon…crazier still is that he may be ‘getting used’ to setting World Records by now. 😉 Scratch that because I’m certain in the case of World Records they just get sweeter and sweeter every time.
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1) Dead legs, when was the last time you felt your missing legs deserved a slot on a milk carton?? How did you manage?

2) Are there times when your dead legs seem to go away? Can you share your theories on how to bust out of some legs putting up a riot or seeming to rebel?

3) Opening up the comments to Trials talk here…
Since I can barely manage the coordination of doing one sport where you just run in circles, I have utmost respect to athletes who become the ‘jack of all trades’ for track and field. 😉

Racing Nerves: Thrilling, Addictive, Anxiety-provoking, and Potentially One of Your Greatest Assets

Posted on June 19, 2012 by Cait — 22 Comments ↓

“Do my legs normally feel this tired before my race?” I think this is a question that has run through every runner’s head during their warm-up at some point or another. In fact, I know some runners actually take it as a good sign that their legs feel like lead…the worse they feel before the gun goes off the better they feel once they’re off.

Nerves. You can’t avoid them in or sport; or rather, if you CARE about how you run and race you can’t avoid them. All that nervous energy, the excitement, the buzz, the flood of endorphins not only ensure you care but they are the the emotions that those who race thrive on…are probably addicted to. I’ve commonly written that there is a difference between running and racing; the runners who crave those races, NEED that buzz, know exactly what I’m talking about.

I recently wrote an article featured at Competitor online: Putting Your Nerves to Good Use. Check it out there, as it has tips to channel your nerves into a positive way to elevate your performance; but, as I am one who generally isn’t ever short on words, I have a bit more to add on.

“Nerves…many seem to to think these are ‘bad’ to have. Instead, they are NECESSARY,” Jim Bauman Ph.D, Sports Psychology, I have quoted in that article. He has it dead on and went on to add, “Bottom line, this energy IS the drug of sport. Those minutes and moments before a competition are difficult to replicate in other areas of life events. As much as athletes frame this as an aversive event, it is exactly what they miss most when they leave sport.”

Again, spot on. I think when athletes regard this nervousness and energy with a sense of hesitation and anxiety, it isn’t so much the actual event they precede, but rather a competitor dreads the window of time leading up to before the gun being fired…having the actual nerves around, bringing that flurry of thoughts into their mind. They ‘dread’ it the same way they ‘dread’ the anticipation of a hard workout because they know it will hurt. The pain of exertion is a given, a constant, but a part of running, and racing, is coping with this given. Coping often means a degree of denial before the hurt and pain actually starts…we have to lie to ourselves, say it won’t be ‘that bad,’ otherwise we may talk ourselves out of actually starting.

Racing takes that ‘dread’ and anxiety of starting to a whole other level because a lot more is at stake; the times, the places, our performance means a lot more to us than just another hard workout. We CARE more about the outcome of the event.

Usually with nerves they start to climb days (for some, even weeks) before the race…running takes a lot of training if you want to race well, so us runners have a LONG time to focus on a particular event and seasons last multiple months. So the climb starts, but the rate of that climb escalates the closer you get to the race; the anticipation gets to a point where we nearly think we will explode RIGHT before the gun goes off. Then, just before you think you can’t last a second longer…CRACK…and the nerves seem to disappear. Nerves dissipate and are replaced by ‘performance’ mode, where you focus on the actual doing.

Or at least the nerves should be pushed from your mind. But, nerves are a tricky bugger and hard to handle; that’s why they are a common source of anxiety for runners…because runners know that if NOT properly managed their nerves can be their undoing. Nerves can be a runner’s undoing or they can be one of their greatest assets…channeling those nerves positively, in a way to step up your ‘game’ after the gun goes off is a powerful tool in running and racing.

The funny thing with doing this, is that the ‘gamers’ of our sport often find it difficult to put into words the ‘hows’ of what they do. It sort of comes naturally to them without their being so cognitively aware, they don’t really know what they are doing differently, they just DO. A sports psychologist makes it their job to investigate the ‘hows’ and explain it to others. “We work on embracing this energy,” explains Bauman on his approach in working with his elite athletes, “Whenever we put ourselves on the line with performance being a key to why and what we are doing, the brain kicks in…the fear response is alive and well…we are going to run or fight.”

Nerves put athletes in a tricky spot, we have to battle nature, instincts and make sure that we don’t cross the line from the ‘fight or flight’ response and into the ‘panic’ response. “A characteristic of panic is ‘freezing’,” states Bauman.

So these nerves; there is good reason to regard them with a mix of dread and adoration. They can freeze you up, they can tie your stomach in knots, they can make you feel like you’re going to explode if the race doesn’t start NOW. Though, they also give you that buzz, make you feel alive, they make you want to jump out of your skin in a good way…and they are addictive…they are a thrill.

Racing is a thrill…CRACK.

1) Can you put into words what your nerves feel like before a race or hard workout?

2) How do you manage your nerves? Do you have a pre-race ritual that helps keep them in check?

3) If you consider yourself a ‘gamer’ can you try and explain the ‘how’ of doing that?

Run Like No One is Watching: Understand your pressure and use those race day nerves to your benefit

Posted on May 29, 2012 by Cait — 18 Comments ↓

I love 80’s music, certain songs come on and instantly I feel compelled to yell horribly off key and bust into what I’d try to call moves. I’m the dork in the car who sings along to the music, jiggling in her seat, and fooling herself into believing the windows are as tinted as a rock-star’s limo. Surely it’s fun and easy to dance like no one is watching, but do you run like no one is watching?

You make running look good, and running makes you look good too! 😉

Running is one of those incredibly unique sports that is for the most part solely up to you. You’re in control, the opportunity to succeed and improve is in your hands, the workouts are yours to do or skip, when you step to the line in the end it’s a race between you and yourself. There can be the team aspect of course, running is also one tight community; your teammates and coaches are there for support and guidance but again it comes down to you and those legs. Are you tough enough to run like no one is watching? Are you brave enough to dream like no one is watching?

Pressure. Stress. Nerves. These are all completely normal for races, hard workouts, stepping into a new training group, and plenty of other situations. You want to do well, you have goals you’d like to achieve…you don’t want to make a fool of yourself. You won’t want to look like you don’t belong. You don’t want to publicly fail. You don’t want to fall short of your goals in front of everyone else. That last one is the blaring reason so many can be afraid of setting, or stating, their goals in the first place.

Pressure, stress, and nerves are a few of the biggest hurdles in life and in running. Taken to the extreme they are what cause athletes to have to down bottles of Pepto at the starting line and they are the things that cause runners to just ‘choke.’ BUT they are also a good thing, they indicate you care enough to want to do well and that NOT accomplishing what you set out to do matters to you. In order to use this pressure, stress, and nerves to your benefit you have to ask yourself: Where are they coming from?

* Internal: These stressors are coming from you; you are the driving source behind these feelings. You are the one who feels compelled to put yourself out there, do the work, hit certain times, places, and goals.

* External: Outside sources of stress fall into this category; these are your coaches, parents, friends, teammates, random people in the stands, anonymous commenters on some message board.

* Both: Here is the tricky part, it’s easy to get these two interconnected and so woven together even you have a hard time differentiating where this stress and pressure is coming from. You could be placing extra pressure on yourself because you want to do well for your coach; even though they haven’t said a thing you’re assuming it’s there and then it manifests itself. Conversely maybe your coach really did point blank say things to you and place that pressure there. It’s up to you to figure that out.

Stop and think of your running, your personal goals; then find out WHERE any expectations of yourself are coming from. In the end the driving force needs to be from YOU. Running is too grueling a sport to last if you’re doing it for anyone other than yourself.

Even if there is stress and pressure coming in externally it is again up to YOU to manage it or block it out. Managing it means that most likely at some point you’ll have team goals or a healthy amount of expectations placed on you from a coach or someone who matters; that can be a good thing and propel you to push yourself so long as you channel it in the right manner.

Having a coach or teammate tell you that you can run faster than you think allows you to dream big enough that you aim higher. Having an anonymous commenter say that you suck and will burn out is something to ignore, don’t allow those words to trickle into your thoughts and add unnecessary stress for your next race.

It’s hard to battle nerves and anxieties…but running should be a passion and opportunity for you to watch your own hard work pay off. Ultimately, who really cares if someone in the stands does watch you crash and burn if you have a bad race? Running like no one is watching means that you had the courage to set a goal for yourself, work for it, and line up with the intention to go for it. In every race, run, or workout there is the possibility that you’ll achieve your goal for the day, but there is the chance you’ll fall short. There is always another race, workout, run…YOU can be upset if you missed that goal and use it for motivation to do better next time (learn from the experience) but YOU would be the one relishing if you achieved it.

Are you tough enough to run like no one is watching? Are you brave enough to dream like no one is watching?

1) How do you manage any pressure, stress or nerves associated with running, hard workouts or races?

2) How do you balance having just enough of these coming internally and channel them to propel you to do better and achieve certain goals?
I’ve always loved running myself and if anything always my own toughest critic; but was able to turn my ‘stress’ into excitement to run well and step it up when I got to the line. Tough to explain, but I guess I remained confident in myself and remembered previous workouts to indicate that I was capable of achieving such-and-such goal.

3) When it comes to external pressures; what are some instances where you’ve used that to improve your running and performance? What are some cases where it stood in your way?
I’ve had a couple awesome coaches who believed in me and when they told me I could do so-and-so I trusted them enough to then force myself into believing. 🙂

One of the Biggest Culprits of Lost Time in a Race or Workout? A wandering mind…here’s how to catch it.

Posted on May 28, 2012 by Cait — 21 Comments ↓

If I weren’t attached to my runner legs I’m pretty sure I’d lose them. I take the saying, “I’m the worst with directions” to an entirely new level…I make blondes look like GPS tracking whizzes I’m sure. Today I passed the right turn I should have taken, the one that is less thank 2 miles away from my home and that I’ve taken dozens of times and wound up a tad lost or turned around.

Step to the line a gamer and STAY that way during the actual race too. 😉

It got me thinking though, do you know what one of the biggest culprits for lost time in races or when running workouts is? The case of the lost mind. It happens to all of us no matter how awesome you are with directions and it happens on the track all the time even though I’ll guarantee all of those runners know to turn left and keep running straight ahead.

What does a case of lost head look and feel like?

* Wandering Mind: You’re in the middle of your workout or race, say miles 2-5 of a 10k…the adrenaline and excitement of the first mile has worn off, you’re not quite close enough to the finish to ‘taste it’ and you’re stuck in the middle. Here is where your mind can JUMP on the opportunity to shut down, meander away from you and get lost. Your thoughts drift to random things, maybe even blank nothingness, but wherever it is it certainly isn’t at the task at hand. If you’re noticing that someone is wearing your favorite shirt on the sidelines and ignoring the fact that your form has turned to the Hunchback of Notre Dame, you’ve lost your mind.

* This hurts, I want an ‘out’: Naturally we all think of this but we have to ‘tame’ our mind to forget this and distract it; usually we focus on what we can control (breathing, form, stride, etc.) or look at the person ahead of us to distract ourselves from the hurt. If you get stuck in the endless loop of: 1) Why am I doing this? 2) I’m not even half-way there yet, how will I ever make it? 3) Today’s just not my day, I’ll just give up, who cares? You’re focusing TOO much on the pain and trying to come up with an ‘out’ for yourself. Be honest here, are you looking for an excuse or do you actually have a legitimate reason to stop?

Catch it! The sooner you catch your brain and wrestle it back from La-la-la Land the less time you’ve lost from your race and your workout. But if you wait to long, by the time you check-back in you could have only 100 meters left in the race, and really who can’t run fast for the last 100 meters? By that point you could have needlessly lost a PR or the place you hoped to run.

What SHOULD you be thinking during a race or workout?

* How is my form? Do a form-check.
* How is my breathing? Breathe from your deep belly, not shallowly from your chests, and keep it controlled and smooth.
* Where am I going? Look straight ahead, if it’s on the roads look for the tangents to run, actively be seeking and looking to the horizon. It may sound ‘dumb’ but never loose sight of where you want to go. This go tri-fold if you’re climbing a hill…look high to the crest and lock your eyes on that point.
* Who is ahead of me? Key in on who is in front of you, work on ‘picking people off’ or not letting a gap open up between you and the competition.

Zoning out and letting your mind wander are two different things. Zoning out is when you’re focused on one of the ‘good distractions’ just mentioned, you’re still present in the moment and ‘working’ the race.

Getting lost in life is annoying and a wast of time…getting lost during a race or workout is also a waste of time but you’re also jyping yourself. You’re there, the course is marked, don’t visit La-la-la Land. 😉

1) A wandering mind on an easy run isn’t necessarily a bad thing, here is where randomness helps break up the repetition and can work as a great way to stay consistent and GET the run in. Does your mind tend to wander a lot on easy runs?

2) How do you keep yourself from checking-out during a race or hard workout? Do you have a trick to catch yourself and pull your mind back to present?
I usually do a form check.

3) To battle the ‘cop-out’ and actively look for an excuse to toss in the towel for the day, how do you handle that?
I assess if I actually have an injury that would warrant a stop; if not then I remind myself how I’d feel in a few hours if I quit…probably not too happy with myself.

4) Anyone racing tomorrow? I know it’s been a big weekend for races, some have happened other are tomorrow! Good luck to those yet to race and if you already have, brag on yourself. 😉

No-Man’s Land – 5 Tips to Surviving the Runner’s Island of Desolation

Posted on May 25, 2012 by Cait — 16 Comments ↓

Runners in lane one! I really wish there could just be a little track gnome with a megaphone who could shout this to clear out lane one from walkers and joggers so that any runners attempting to do speed-work wouldn’t have to try to dodge them, weaving in and out looking like some fellows who belong in the drunk tank. 😉

Sharing the pacing duties takes off a big mental burden.

Alas, alas, not everyone is as schooled at track etiquette as us, right? Today I’m riding a nice endorphin high thanks to getting out to the track myself. The track was loaded with people, which is how all tracks should be, running IS the best past-time after all. My friends head a local track group and it looked like there was a soccer camp going on in the middle of the field and the kiddies then bopped on over to the lanes as well.

I was just doing my own thing today and it did make me ache for a workout budding to help share pacing duties, not going to lie. I think that ache turned into more of a burning desire come those last ones! As any runner can attest having someone or a team for hard workouts make them infinitely *easier*. Well, that is unless you happen to be the one doing all the work.

Having the liberty of sitting behind your training partner, letting them worry about the splits and just keying in on their back takes off a big mental burden and for the most part you all end up clicking off times that are faster than if you were going solo but the effort felt the same, if not less. This goes triple time if there is some wind, tuck in and draft, baby, draft! 😉

Same thing applies in races, the best spot to be is right behind someone so you can ‘use’ them, save your mental energy and then when you feel strong enough blow on by them and then ‘use’ someone else. But you know the worst spot to be in a race, or workout for that matter? Trapped in No-Man’s Land, that empty space between groups or people is like the chasm that opens up on the track and swallows runners up whole. If you’re lucky the black hole island spits you back out, but sometimes you’re stuck there until the finish line.

Feeling tired and alone? Don't give up yet! 🙂

Sometimes you can’t avoid falling into No-Man’s Land, sometimes it’s a small field and no one is around your pace. But even so, there are a few ways to improve your chances of surviving No-Man’s Land, even getting out of it, but it takes some work and a portion of that is mental.

* Admit you have a problem. The first step is always being honest with yourself, right? 😉 That said, the moment you realize that you’ve fallen off the group ahead of you, looking back you don’t see anyone approaching, try to catch the No-Man’s Land trap as soon as possible. If you sense this early enough do all you can to cling on to that group ahead of you and hold on for dear life.

* Don’t beat yourself up. It aint gonna happen? So you’ve been dropped by the group despite your best efforts, that’s okay you can still key off of them. Do your best to keep the gap minimized, but DON’T start the negative self-talk or beating yourself up…if you throw the pity party too early chances are you’ll give up, slow down more, and then the race is basically over. Shake out your arms, relax, do a form check and just keep your eyes locked straight ahead, search for a body up ahead and don’t let the body leave your sight.

* Surge. This may sound crazy because chances are you feel tired, but doing a quick surge and gear-shift can work as a little ‘reset’ button. Going into a different speed will tap into your faster twitch muscles, thus using a different muscle group that isn’t as tired; when you settle back into your pace it may feel easier and you’ll feel a bit recharged.

* Use the catching pack. Sometimes the group from behind catches up to you: USE THEM. Stay positive and use their presence as a positive (not a negative by telling yourself how slow you’re going that they caught you) by letting them do the work. Let any ego go, tuck in, and allow them to do the work and pull you along. If you do this you may come to the point where you feel better and are able to blast past this group.

* Mindset. Worst case is you are left along in your No-Man’s Land island for the rest of the race or workout, it happens. Here is where your mindset and outlook is key. Assess the situation; if you know your legs just haven’t shown up for the day then remind yourself that goal times/paces could be out the window and if this is the case stop looking at the splits and times because they will only stress you out more and depress you. Instead, turn the race into a chance to work on other things: stay relaxed, keep your breathing controlled, focus on your form, and try to get the most out of the given day. If it’s not the legs and you physically feel good then again, focus on the tangibles: form, breathing, stride, running smooth. Use mental tactics, like mantras, to keep going and remind yourself that regardless of if you are alone or not, running is usually a race against yourself and the clock. Stay positive.

Hopefully these suggestions can help you slug through a race or workout if you’re solo or stuck in No-Man’s Land…even better I hope that some tips can actually help pry you out of that nasty solo island! 🙂

1) On your last race or workout were you alone for all, most, or some of it? How did you handle that?

2) Have you been stuck in No-Man’s Land recently, if so what did you do to still get the most from the race/workout, and were you able to get out of it?

3) What’s one of your biggest pet-peeves when it comes to people ignoring track etiquette?
Not to sound runner elitist, but I’m sorry, please stay out of lane one and don’t walk in a chain extending to lane three or four if you’re walking or jogging. 😛

London Done and Come Early: What us mortal runners can take away from the elites

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

Yes we’re all excited for the London Olympics this summer but there’s plenty of action over there prior to that with today’s London Marathon. I know I can’t be the only person who feels like a total slacker, slow-poke reading and watching all these amazing races; odd how it’s a mixture of that and then of course jaw-dropping inspiration, right? 😉

In case you missed it there’s plenty of motivation to vicariously soak up (try not to feel too much like a slacker, slow poke…instead, channel these amazing athletes as examples to reach higher in your own goals.) on both the men’s and women’s side.

2:18:37. That’s what Mary Keitany blazed through the streets of London today in her quest to victory. That’s the third fastest women’s marathon ever recorded, and disregarding the whole hoopla on re-establishing World Records for women it does sit behind the fastest ever time of 2:15:25 that Paula Radcliffe ran at London in 2003. I had to throw that in there because Radcliffe’s run there is just beastly to just an insane level.

Keitany tackled the race in a phenomenal demonstration of the power of negative splits. While the pace ‘dawdled’ early, I’m speaking in relative terms for them because it was 5:30-ish, she then knocked down the pace and ended up throwing down 5:07, 5:02, and even a 4:59 split for mile 25. Let’s take this as a lesson for the mortal: negative split running works, don’t go out to fast due to over-excitment and end up crawling to the finish line.

However, there is something to be said for going out blazing saddles from the gun IF you know you are capable of hanging on to that heated pace as Wilson Kipsang and his 2:04:44 win is an example of just that. (Shout out to all Prefontaine fans here, we know our American harrier was known for running all out from the gun regardless too.) Kipsang literally creamed the field as second place was over 2 minutes behind.

Going out in 4:39 for the first mile, even a 4:30 14th mile, is a risky move even if you are in fantastic shape. The marathon is a tricky beast of a race, a lot can happen over those 26.2 miles and to an extent there are some variable you just have to leave up to chance and hope that things line up in your favor come that day. Even so, when pulled off, such feats are astounding and have to be admired.

Back to mere mortal running realm, there is always something we can take away from what these top runners achieve and accomplish.
* Have confidence. Both of these races are examples of running with confidence but in two different ways. On the women’s side it takes confidence to have patience. It’s been said that it is the runner without confidence who isn’t secure enough in their ability to stay controlled early in a race, as they doubt that they will be able to close strong. Mary Keitany had patience and the confidence in her fitness, and herself, that she could still beat out her competitors come the latter stages of the race. On the men’s side, Wilson Kipsang clearly had the confidence in himself to go out in those heated times. No doubt he’d been assured of this from previous workouts; he knew he could handle that on race day. Have confidence in yourself; it’s natural to be nervous on race day, but know you’ve put in the work and are ready.

* Run your own race. Don’t run someone else’s race or get too hung up on your competition and what they are doing. Races can always play out a myriad of ways so be prepared for that; go into each one with a few different race plans depending on how the actual race plays out and how you are feeling. Having a few different plans to choose from mapped out beforehand makes it infinitely easier to run YOUR race; making decisions on the fly in the thick of things can be stressful and lot harder in the moment.

* Reach and run. Everyone is motivated by different things; for some it’s the elite runners and for others it is their neighbor who never ran a step until they were 50 and now is avid about fitness. Whatever motivates you to keep at it is great; the London performances should still be able to inspire you to keep setting goals for yourself and are fine examples that CONSISTENCY and staying the course with training and the bumps along the way are worth it. Running will always come with up’s and down’s…be prepared to handle both; relish the up’s so you can recall them during the down’s. Set goals for yourself and reach for them; they don’t have to be PR’s or even times but perhaps just staying consistent. Whatever it is, your mind is often your biggest limiting factor and the thing holding you back.

That’s enough words out of me for a Sunday! I hope you are all having a wonderful weekend and getting your run or sweat on in any way…if you were throwing down some 4:59 miles too en route to a marathon then my hat is tipped to you. 🙂

1) Do you follow elite running? Do their races inspire and motivate you to achieve your own goals? If not, what does inspire you?

2) When you race, do you tend to go in with a few different race plans and goals?

3) What do you think an example of running with confidence is? How do you gain confidence in your running and yourself with running?

4) What is something you are reaching for? A goal with running or anything related to fitness?

Runners are Hot: Staying hydrated and running when the temperatures rise

Posted on April 16, 2012 by Cait — 17 Comments ↓

You’re starting to sweat and you haven’t even started running yet.It’s hot. Summer is fast approaching and good old, Mr. Sun is making his appearance. It doesn’t feel like long ago you were suited up in full running tights, long-sleeves, and gloves and now you’re donning a sports bra, shorts, and still feel over-dressed.

The heat will zap your energy...

Heat is a touch competitor, and if you’ve been following any of the Boston Marathon buzz it was getting rather toasty over there for those runners. When there had been talk of World Records being set weeks ago that tune started changing when weather conditions started to become a factor. A little ironic being that this was the 30 year anniversary of the epic race between running greats Alberto Salazar and Dick Beardsley, rightly coined the ‘Duel in the Sun’, where a combination of heat and an all out racing effort changed both runners forever.

The thing about racing in tough conditions is that EVERYONE is effected, so while you’re suffering so is everyone else. However, getting acclimated to such stressors will greatly improve your ability to perform in them. As excruciating as it may be to even think about, that’s why before the Beijing Olympics some top athletes went running at the hottest time of the day and donned full sweats or sauna suits. They also would weigh themselves before and after to see how much fluid they lost due to sweat and made sure to replace that; it’s 16 ounces (2 cups) of water and electrolyte containing drinks you need to drink for every pound of body weight lost.

Dehydration is dangerous and crippling performance wise, but it works against you not just on THAT day but it’s also a cumulative thing. You need to be consistently hydrating yourself every day; if you never drink enough and then pound a ton of water the day of your race it really isn’t going to be doing you any favors. (A side note, you could actually end up over-hydrating which can be just as dangerous if your electrolyte balances become too low.)

We’ve all heard that fun little pee-test scenario, you want your urine to be as clear as possible not bright yellow.

On those days you wish you were at the beach so you could jump in the water...

For every day training, when summer comes along I’ll admit to not being all too stoked to head out in 110 degree weather for my run. I get all salt crusty and come back looking like I’ve been out swimming, true story I’ve been asked that before. 😛

Best things I try to do during those hot summer days:

* Less is more. I long ago got over being afraid to don just a sports bra and shorts, it’s not worth suffering. I even envy the guys who can go on full-shirtless style…lol.

* Go early or go late. Don’t run during the hottest time of the day if you can avoid it. Unless you’re racing at that time and trying to get acclimated, be safe and do yourself a favor and catch the cooler temps if you can.

* Drink like a fish. Not of the alcoholic variety, duh, but make sure especially during these times you’re extra conscious of your fluid intake. That’s both water and electrolyte containing drinks. If you have to, weight yourself before and after a run to see how much you’re sweating out just in that run.

* Toting hydration.I don’t normally run with a water bottle but if you’re going out in extreme conditions or for long workouts think about that option. If you’re at the track grab some sips between intervals or if you’re on a run you can make planned stops where you know drinking fountains are.

Be prepared if you know race day is going to be toasty.

For races you know you’re going to be in hot conditions:

* Seek shade.Heat isn’t just energy zapping while you’re running but also if you’re just standing or sitting in the sun for hours on end. Try to stay in the shade, or inside, as long as you can prior to your race.

* Know your body and your distance. Everyone is able to handle heat less or better than the next person, know if heat is your krytonite and be smart. The longer you distance is the more you may want to hit up those drink stations. You may also need to reassess your racing plan or goal time.

* Double don’t go out to fast. Heat slows times and it will also exponentially kick you in the butt if you go out faster than you should in a race or any run for that matter. Go out conservative if you know it’s a scorcher.

* Training simulation. Getting back to becoming accustomed to racing conditions, you may be well off to take measures prior to your big race to get acclimated to those conditions. You don’t necessarily have to strap on a sauna suit, but do some of your runs and workouts at the same time as your race will be and at the same temps you’ll be racing at.

* Still warm-up. Don’t skip a warm-up just because it’s hot and you think you’re warm enough already…that’s not smart. Do your same routine, go a little slower if you have to, but still get your body primed and ready to run fast for your event.

We can’t control the conditions outside but we should take measures to best prepare ourselves to sweating it out in them. On that one, let’s raise a water-bottle in a toast to getting toasty. 🙂

1) Do you like running or working out in the heat or cold more?
I’m a weenie, I like running in ideal weather all the time. 😉

2) What do you run in on really hot days?

3) If you know it’s going to be really hot for you run or your race what do you do to prep for it?

4) Do you pee clear? 😉 Actually, are you really good about being hydrated?
I do and I am.

5) If you hit up the gym do you like to have a fan blasting on you?
A necessity, I wish I could hire one of those big ones they use for photo shoots sometimes. 🙂

Your First BIG Race: I remember mine, Arcadia 2000…Do you remember yours?

Posted on April 6, 2012 by Cait — 3 Comments ↓

When I read that the Arcadia Meet was happening this weekend, I admit to smiling.Yes, I’m 26 and FAR removed from high school competition (the way I act though sometimes may beg to question if that’s where I do belong though…hehe.) but for a quick minute indulge me in a little nostalgia.

Run with me...back in time for a bit...

When I was a freshman running track, The Arcadia Invite was the first really big meet I had ever been too. To me it felt HUGE, epic even…but not just because it was the first meet that was going to be run late enough that the whole place was dark minus the track illuminated by those big floodlights. Arcadia’s got two meets, the day meet and the night, the night meet is the invitational where you have to have a qualifying time to get in. Because it was pretty selective only one other girl from my school came down, Liza Negriff a triple jumper and still a friend I have today! That year was to be especially interesting because current high school senior Alan Webb was going to make an attempt to break 4 minutes for the mile.

Little side tangent here, little dorky high school Runnerchick was in awe of Alan and by chance we happened to be at the track the day before doing our shakeout runs at the same time and I felt all ‘special’ because I got to talk to him. Like one of those random people that somehow gets past the red rope and bumps into a celebrity…oh us runners and our running celebs. 😉 The even funnier part is that it turned out that Alan Webb and the rest of his relay team happened to be staying at the same hotel as us and was in fact only a few doors down…somewhere I have a picture of us all in the hotel…wow, and I think I still had braces. 😉

Back to Arcadia, this was my first big meet…okay, I said that. A few things stand out in my mind about the whole ordeal, like the reel skips and pauses in random spots. I tend to have a very photographic memory but also weird in that it’s random details I can recall exactly but maybe not the bigger things. The day passed and of course I was nervous…I hate any race that isn’t first thing in the morning because you wonder what in the heck you’re supposed to do with yourself all day! You just sit there and stew…and then you have to worry about planning out your food and what will sit okay in your stomach.

I’m pretty good at managing my nerves; I say that meaning I do get nervous as heck but I’m able to channel them to help me rather than lead to an implosion. Tip for race nerves: come up with your solid race plans (yes that’s plural because you may have to adjust mid-way through) days before, then stuff the race out of your mind two days leading up. Then only get into race game mode when you start your warm-up. As you go about your race day warm-up routine it helps calms your nerves; going through the same, exact motions brings a normalcy to the day and run and gives you something concrete to focus on.

So I get to the line, and for the first time I’m lined up next to girls I had only read about or seen on high school websites. These girls were legit, they were my high school idols, and there I was looking at them…but I didn’t wet my little bunhuggers, I toed the line for the 3200 meters and off we went.

I don’t remember much from the race, I tend to zone out during them, and because the field was so fast I didn’t have to worry about doing any thinking really…plan: latch onto some pack and try to hold on. Time was irrelevant, I didn’t even look at the clock once. I will admit, embarrassingly, that for some odd reason the whole darkness and spotlights sort of threw me for a loop and for a couple laps I wasn’t sure if I was at the 200m mark or the start/finish point! Hey, I WAS only a dumb frosh. 😉

Anyways, the whole way I did just what I set out to do, I latched onto some faster girls, not the fastest pack but another pack behind them, and dug down to stay with them. Crossing the line I was still in awe of the girls around me, but they felt closer in a way than they did prior to the start. I did after all earn my spot to race against them, even though they spanked me I was at least fast enough to line up with them, I guess I belonged on some level.

I had no clue what my time was until I saw my coach and mom jumping up and down yelling at me. I PR’ed by about 30 seconds I think…I was ecstatic.

Back to random clear and day details, we refueled that night at Claim Jumper (if you ever go there you MUST ask them for a slab, not a slice this thing is a full on slab, of their chocolate mother-lode cake.) and Liza, my mom, and I all had the loaded, stuffed baked potato. I joked that this potato literally had to be on steroids, if you’ve never been to Claim Jumper I think pretty much everything they serve is the ‘roided up sized version. 😉

So the Arcadia Invite certainly brings back some awesome and funny memories. Good luck to all those high schoolers racing, and if you’re in the position of lining up next to some of your high school idols…don’t wet yourself, instead remember that you earned the spot to line up next to them. You belong there…go out and race. And that goes for anyone, there will always be times when you feel like you’re in over your head, but chances are you did something to get there.

HERE are some race tips if you’re interested. HERE is a piece of visualization and how to use it to improve your performance. And HERE are some tips on battle pre-race nerves.

1) Do you remember one of your first races or one of the first big races you ran?

2) Do you get nervous before races or hard workouts?

3) What time do you prefer to race or run at?
Morning all the way!

4) Tip for a newbie racer?
Don’t go out too fast. 🙂

5) Do you have a running idol? Have you ever met them?

Approaching a Race: Depending on your goal going in how you run could be markedly different

Posted on March 29, 2012 by Cait — 2 Comments ↓

Who are you up against on race day, the clock or the runner next to you? Everyone goes into a race with a different goal, be it just to finish, to be a scoring member of their team, set a PR, or go for the win. The funny thing with racing is that, contrary to what some may think, it’s NOT always a test of who is the fasted on the given day. There is a strategy behind all this running in circles. (okay, or running on the roads or cross country courses…hehe.)

There’s a good read up on Running Times: “Chasing Vs. Racing” that highlights just this fact. Depending on what your GOAL is for the race the way you approach it is going to be very different.

* The clock. If you’re jut going out there and chasing a PR, you may not necessarily be concentrating on who else is in the field, you’re thinking more about yourself. Sure you can use the other harriers to your advantage and let them pull you along; there is no better way to zone out than to latch on and let others do the pacing work for you.

Zone out and daydream about the beach...don't think about the burning in your legs. 🙂

* The competition. Vying for the win could mean that time really doesn’t matter; prize money and titles on the line could mean you’re crawling at the beginning, each runner sizing the others up, playing a game of chicken, and waiting to see who makes a move. Here is the strategy we talked about. In the article Diego Estrada running for Northern Arizona said it nicely, “The stress and anxiety kick in during championship season, and you’re second-guessing yourself because you know it’s going to be tactical.”

What are those tactics? Sure there’s waiting until the last lap and finding out who has the best kick, but there are also surging techniques, and in a Prefontaine type style there are the lone soldiers who refuse to sit behind a dawdling pace and press it from the gun. The question is then if they will pay the price at the end and be out-kicked by a runner who was more conservative or sat behind them and let them do all the pacing work. There is something to be said for having patience and being confident enough to not go out guns blazing from the start…we do know negative splits work well for the body.

Sure, you may not be up front and in the position for a win but there could be plenty of other stakes on the line; you’re on a team and want to be a scoring member this time, it’s your first attempt at a new distance and you’re not exactly certain how you’ll be feeling or how you should best approach the race. That’s why going into a race with a couple strategies is important; find out what each race means to you, what your own personal goal (or multi-goals) are, and then plan for what could happen based on the variables:

* The conditions
* The competitors and the moves they may make
* How your legs are feeling on that day

There are no sure things in running, racing, and life. Be prepared for what ‘could be’ and then be ready to roll with the punches.

1) What are some of the main reasons you race or goals you have going in? (ie: time, place, etc.)

2) How do you approach the race given your goal, do you come up with a strategy beforehand or do you just ‘run’?

3) Readjusting your goal or plan during a race can be difficult but necessary at times; was there a time you had to do that and how did you make the call?
Those days that you take off and the legs feel like lead, you know it’s not going to be pleasant; in those times it’s easiest to find a person and hold on…try not to lose contact and take your mind elsewhere…just don’t let a gap between you and them occur. You may not get the PR you set out for but you can still salvage the race.

4) What kinds of races do you prefer, the tactical ones or the ones where you are going after fast times?
I hate tactical races, but mostly because any time I race I’m the person with NO kick. 😉

5) Even if you just race to run and have fun it’s nice to have some goals too! If this is you, why are you excited to be there at the starting line and then finish?

The Pain Drain: Keeping Your Brain in Check When the Pain Sets In

Posted on March 19, 2012 by Cait — 14 Comments ↓

“Being a distance runner is about handling pain. If you can’t manage pain, you probably won’t end up as a distance runner.” I love this quote from Kara Goucher featured in an excellent read from Running Times, ‘Pain: Deal With it.’

Okay, you had me at the title on that last one. But it’s true, pain and distance running trot hand in hand; as runners we often lie to ourselves about that, it’s a bit of a coping mechanism I suppose. If we didn’t to a degree deny how much it will hurt those last few miles or at the end of that race we may be hard pressed to actually start!

Certainly there are varying degrees of pain; full on grueling the last lap of the 10k, digging deep on that last 800 meter repeat, and the discomfort of training day in and day out. Discomfort, even ‘easy’ runs aren’t a walk in the park, you still are working out there and getting your heart rate up, the lungs working, the legs pounding the pavement so to speak.

If we wanted to be loafers then we could coin the term, but we’re not, we are runners and being as such we learn to deal with the pain.The pain that in a twisted sort of way we run towards. The way we feel afterwards is worth it.

Punch pain in the face.

I did a long post on the art of visualization HERE and also how lying to yourself works wonders HERE. The Running Times article has tips from multiple top distance runners. Some general themes:

* Zoning out. Distraction from the pain is key, by zoning out you really try to limit thoughts. Pinpoint a spot on the back of the person in front of you, look dead ahead and don’t lose contact with that fixed point. Mantras can also help with this, pick a single phrase and repeat it until it’s in sync with your breathing or footsteps and repeat it like a robot…zooooone out.

* Control what you can. Think of your form; Kara Goucher, “I try to think about positive things — how great my form is, how my arms are swinging, my breathing, how loud people are cheering. My sports psychologist taught me there are a million things telling you you can’t keep going, but if you find the things that say you can, you’re golden.” Keep your torso tall, don’t hunch over, keep your arms swinging and your legs will follow.

* Callousing through training. Training and workouts are all race simulations, not just physically, but chances to callous the mind just as you do the body. Here are prime opportunities to test out different ‘mental tricks’ and find what works for you. The more often you push yourself and get cozy with the feeling of being uncomfortable the more you’ll ‘get used to it’ and know how to deal with it.

* Break it down. Take the run/workout/race and break it down into easier to digest segments; whether that be lap by lap, mile by mile, or five minutes at a time. Tell yourself you can easily go through one more mile…get there and then tell yourself the same thing again. 😉

* Confidence. This sounds a little odd, but take confidence in the workouts and hard work you’ve done in the past. Remembering that you’ve faced this pain and come out the victor plenty of times in the past should give you the confidence that you can handle it this time and achieve the times/goals you set.

And some people daydream of food as distraction...guilty! 🙂

Breaking down your own mental barriers is an ongoing process; it’s interesting how you’ll be met with challenging points in workouts, races, or runs that when you finish you think to yourself, “Okay, I definitely just pushed though to a whole new level.”

1) How do you deal with the pain of hard workouts, races, long runs, or runs where you certainly aren’t feeling it? What is your favorite distraction trick?
Zoning out or breaking it down is usually my go-to.

2) Easy runs and general training comes with a level of discomfort, if it were a cake walk everyone would be setting World Records and running a million miles a week! How do you gauge your training to make sure you keep the intended workout at the proper level of exertion? (ie: use a heart rate monitor, chuck the watch on easy runs, go off of feel, etc.)

3) Did anyone race this weekend? If so do tell, if not, what did you do?