Search Results for: warm up

Powdered Donuts, Pre Meet And Our Third Super Hero Runner

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Couple things to cover for today. First on the list is a question I have for anyone who is actually reading this: when you run in hot conditions do you get lots of that satly white stuff all over you afterwards? I get it, and I know it’s just the dried up salt from my sweat (and I’m convinced I’ve got overactive sweat glands…I’m a drippy mess) but I seem to be the only person I know besides my mom who comes out looking like a pretzel after running when it’s hot. No, it’s not suddenly 90 degrees here in Portland (though it is warming up and looks like it’ll be spiking in a few days) but the gym in my apartment complex was disgustingly hot today. Their measly single fan does NOT get the job done come summertime, so my tready run left me a powdered donut. Did another 3 miles warm-up, 5 miles hard, and a cool-down followed by some arm weights. The first 2-3 miles of the harder part felt pretty good, but not gonna lie that last mile I was certainly counting down the minutes left. 😉 Second on the agenda….big weekend on tap for track and field: The Prefontaine Classic! Can I get a whoot-whoot? Okay, it’s established I’m a dork so I don’t feel bad writing that. Also not gonna lie, I’m really mostly following the distance events that are going on Friday night, namely the women’s 5k and the men’s 10k. Both fields are stacked and there should be some fast times. For the women I’m a little partial and will be rooting for Kara and Eloise…so if you’re reading this you should be too! 🙂 So in honor of the upcoming races (and there will obviously be PLENTY of action on Saturday) Continue Reading →

Our Second Superhero and It’s Friday, Baby!

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Yay it’s Friday! AND the sun is shining. I must say it’s nice to wake up and see some rays of light poking out through those blinds. I’m also really stoked that with the warmer weather I can really stick it to PG and stop paying them out the wazoo on my utilities bill! Huurah! It’s my fault, there are some things that I just refuse to suffer through and one of those is being cold, so even though I of course don the long sleeves and pants in the house I refuse to be uncomfortably chilly. I think part of this goes back to when I was growing up and my dad was a bit of a temperature control freak. He barely let us use the AC during the summers and then was skimpy on the heater in the winters. I’ve already established how much I dislike being too hot or too cold so now that I’m ‘all growed up’ it’s one of my sticking points. Mooooving on. Okay, so isn’t is beautiful how you can feel pretty good one day and then like total @$$-monkeys the next? I’m referring to my run today, in case you’re scratching your head. Had a nice tempo yesterday but I was paying for it today. Gotta love that. Speaking of, we’ve gotten our second addition to the Running Super Group. Hmm, I have yet to come up with a really good name for this new breed of Superheros…so the name is going to be a bit up in the air for now. But here’s the story with the new guy: (Note: I’m going to keep it clean for our fair viewers…hehe…my dad doesn’t like me to cuss, I’m trying to be better) It was the final 200 of the final lap on Continue Reading →

Turning a Craptastic Run or Race Around: It’s possible, here’s one trick!

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Today’s run started out like crap. You know the feeling, your legs are wobbling around herky-jerky style and in your mind you feel like a fish out of water. You think, “Good gracious, it’s like these things have never run a step in their lives before!” Oh the ‘beautiful’ first mile of the not-as-young-as-they-used-to-be runner. It’s almost like you can hear the creaks and pops while the body is cracking off the rust, akin to the running Tin Man. 😉 But you warm us runners up and thanks to the TRUE beauty of muscle memory the fish fins transform back into your actual running legs. Then though, there are just those days. The legs warm up but they still feel like a load of junk, much heavier than they ought to feel. It happens, all part of the game, and on days like that you just put in the effort. Remember that ‘meh’ runs happen to even the best runners in the world, then look forward to the next run. HERE is where things get interesting and we can pull a little actual science into this running businesses. Because there ARE ways to turn a heinously ‘meh’, craptastic run around…now not always, yes, craptastic runs will always exist, but if that first mile is particularly heinous don’t lose all hope yet! Super Science Stuff…but not in sciencey lingo * Two Energy Systems: Distance runners work primarily off of their endurance, cardiovascular system, for the majority of their miles. Easy runs, warming up, cooling-down, even longer distance intervals and races. You get the gist, we’re not out there putting in 100 meter repeats and taxing that anaerobic system. * Gear Shift: Sometimes us distance runners get ‘stuck’ in a certain pace; get conditioned to that ‘easy’ run pace too much and Continue Reading →

The Complimented Runner: Why numbers will always trump words

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What’s the ultimate compliment for a runner? Good form. Stellar kick. Awesome smile atop that podium. A little old lady remarked to me as I set off on my run this morning, “You look cold.” “I’ll warm up fast,” I replied. “You look cute though!” she then yelled at my back. I thought to myself, “Okay, well, thanks, I guess?? But really, wouldn’t any runner rather hear: ‘You look fast’?” Admittedly I know I didn’t look fast today, so maybe she was just scraping the bottom of the barrel in regards to compliments and could only come up with ‘cute’. The thing is, sure, aesthetics are nice and all that jazz but there really is nothing better than the compliments that come from the watch, you know? Well HELLO there, Mr. PR! DAAANG, I like what you’re spitting out, keep more of those kind words numbers coming!! How about chugging through an endless set of intervals, each one faster than the next, sure the countdown to the last one started three prior, rounding the bend of that homestretch you’re swearing on your life that THIS is going to be the last one no matter what…and then you finish, look down and BAM yet another negative split!! Booyaah, that recovery jog, the lactic acid cripple shuffle, goes by way too fast but with that validation compliment from the watch you’re taking off with as much gusto that is humanly possible for yet another interval. Words are nice. Words are great. I’m a writer so I’ll even go so far as to say words are fan-freaking-tastic. But you want to know something? Numbers, namely the RIGHT kind of numbers, to a runner are way freaking better. There is no validation compliment like a PR. 1) What’s been one of the best compliments, Continue Reading →

Running Interview With Ahrlin Bauman: Speedster, Hilarity, Pacer, Big Mac Destroyer– This runner’s been taking names across the greater North-West

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Chance are that if you live anywhere in the greater Portland or Eugene area, you’re a runner, and you like to race you’ve probably lined up next to Ahrlin Bauman. Just as likely you’ve gotten your tush beaten by him, though in all fairness his fellow Bowerman Athletic Club (BAC) teammates give him a run for his money and have beaten you too. 🙂 I first had the pleasure of meeting Bauman back in 2004 when he’d do a girl a favor, slow down, and do some pacing duties for the Nike Oregon Project. Pacing can be a tricky duty, but Ahrlin is not only a human metronome when it comes to splits he’s even better company. He’d have us laughing on the warm-ups, even a bit on those early mid-interval recovery jogs (before we were too tired to laugh back, he’d still be quick with the quips!), and be just as gregarious on the cool-downs. Pacing duties aside, he’s one heck of a competitor, has remarkable range from the 1500 to the half-marathon (he just finished last weekend’s Eugene Half in 1:08:20, placing 4th), and hasn’t been sidelined with an injury in years. What’s more, is that he balances all of his training with a job working for the USPS; trust me that job entails crazy hours and all of them on your feet. Yet he still retains a social life and is married to another stand-out runner, Annie Kawasaki. He’s the got the legs and the personality and plenty of wisdom to share, so without further adieu…Ahrlin Bauman. Recent Races of Note: (Track) Linfield Icebreaker 10000 meters: 4th place 31:19.55 (Roads) Race for the Roses 10K: 1st place 32:16.80 (Roads) Corvallis½ Marathon: 4th place 68:32 (Track) Pacific Relays 3000 meters: 1st place 8:51.05 (Track) Mt.Hood Open 1500 meters: Continue Reading →

All About the Climb

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Runners are constantly climbing. It’s in our nature to always have a goal we’re working towards, always wanting to push ourselves to do better. Whether it be chasing new PR’s, challenging yourself to expand your race distance range, or even after we’re past our ‘PR-PR’ years, redefining the times and bests (weekly, yearly, masters, etc.) bests. Diversity. Fitting as it is now cross country season that we talk about diversifying your running and climbs. Cross country thrives on both. I’ve done posts on just how awesome hills are at improving your strength and power, which translates to speed. What I haven’t talked too much on are prolonged hill climbs. The long climb, yup. We’re talking taking your tempo runs to the trail, or inclined treadmill if you don’t have a stretch long enough outside. I’ve previously featured the man-beast that is Michael Wardian and he’s no stranger to treadmill running. While he’s one of the World’s best ultra and trail runners, a major chunk of his miles are done on the treadmill so he can fit his runs in around his family’s (namely his kids’!) schedules. Wardian loves a good, long climb. He makes sure to do hill work a few times a week and, “for me that means hours of running up vertical inclines, sometimes fast, sometimes just a long grind, but always pushing to get better.” Wardian is an ultra runner after all. Another big fan of prolonged uphill runs is Sage Canaday, a staple workout for him is an uphill tempo run. Canaday is another World leading ultra runner [check out my feature on him HERE], residing in Boulder, CO he has no shortage of trails to mountain goat up. Even if you’re not one of the best in the World, taking advantage of prolonged hill climbs Continue Reading →

Neuromuscular Training For Runners: Quick feet box taps

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Everyone wants to run faster, right? Part of getting faster is of course doing the shorter repeats; one must build that explosive power of course. BUT, there’s another part to getting faster and it’s training your BRAIN and nervous system to respond at a quicker rate. A runner can’t utilize that explosive power to run faster without the nerve and synapse networks first being created to ‘tell’ your foot to move faster off the ground. Isn’t science and the brain cool? The neuromuscular part of training isn’t something every runner is aware of, but if you’re not addressing it you can run all the 200’s in the world and not really be tapping into your full potential. I’ve written a few articles about the neuromuscular training and how it relates to runners: * The Multi-Level Approach to Getting Faster * Work on Getting Faster in Tri-Fecta Form One of the exercises I mention are ‘Quick Feet Box Taps’. I got an email from someone who wasn’t quite sure if they were doing them right so I decided to make a little video. You can also find it on my Instagram page. Start with a set of 15-30 seconds and see how many taps you can get. REMEMBER it’s QUALITY over quantity. If you’re getting slopping you’re going to start reinforcing bad habits and that will defeat the purpose. Work up to two sets and do the 3 times a week…preferably as part of your dynamic warm-up routine before workouts or immediately following the workout. It can be fun to watch yourself improve with more taps every week…you know us runners and that competitive spirit. 😉 But again, quality over quantity…so if you have to start slow that’s what you need to do! What, you love my shirt too?! Well, thanks…it’s Continue Reading →

Taper Troubles: Peaking right to run your best race

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For runners, finding that perfect taper and method to peak right sure can be difficult! Which sounds kinda crazy because taking the taper at face value, one could think, “Well, I just need to cut back. I’ve done all the work, so let’s just coast on until race day and wind up with fresh as daisy legs!” WRONG. Any runner can tell you tapering is a bit of a beast. Sometimes your legs do feel an extra bounce, other times they start feeling like dead weights and you start to freak out, “What the heck, why am I trucking bricks?!” Some runners even build a little superstition around it, “The worse my legs feel on the warm-up the better they feel in the race.’ Not going to lie, I’ve experienced that one and can back the logic. So let’s talk taper. We’ll even start from the most basic of basics up. What is a taper? Training is done in phases, working backwards from the date of your big race. The closer you draw to your race, the more the goal of workouts shift from ‘building fitness’ to ‘sharpening’ and ‘honing’. A week before your race you’re not going to be able to increase fitness anymore, that work’s been done, so it’s a matter of maintaining fitness and then reducing the volume so your legs feel fresh come race day. [Tapering can be done anywhere from 1-3 weeks before your race, depending on distance and all that good stuff.] Logistics: Runners who are tapering will cut their overall miles back, the volume of workouts decrease, and you’ll see workouts like 200’s, 400’s, or for marathoners, maybe a few longer repeats (ie: miles) at race pace. Just getting the wheels turning. Common Mistakes: 1) Not decreasing enough: If you’ve been training at Continue Reading →

Lessons From the Track: Running your best takes more than left turns

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Now my younger brother’s first love is rugby, second is football, but for the three weeks between seasons he decided to do track! Wahoo…I was stoked!! I’m also in awe of the fact that he doesn’t do any speed-work and then just blitzes those 400’s and 200’s like they’re nothing. The mystery is solved as to where all of the fast twitch muscle fiber genes in the family went. Clearly all were saved and concentrated into the youngest Chock sibling. Oh and I guess he stole my coordination genes too. 😉 Granted he’s got the competitiveness of a Chock, so he’ll gut out a race and pay the price after to hit those marks. But the truth is that last 100 of a 400 isn’t fun for anybody, no matter if you’ve trained or not…BLECH…talk about booty lock. Checking out those high school meets has been fun, observing just as much so, and here are a few tips I’d pass on if teenagers actually cared to listen to us old folks: * Warm-up and Recovery: set yourself up to run your best, not warming up before a race is setting yourself up for both injury and running below your maximum potential. Cold muscles no likey sprinting. The same for after your race, do all you can to recover so you can come back stronger. That includes a cool-down and refueling within 30 minutes of finishing. * Drafting and Tangents: it was windy at the track meet and those are days where you really want to draft. Leading expends more mental energy and on windy days it expends a heck of a lot more physical energy to lead. If you can, tuck in behind somebody until you’re really to surge past them. When you DO make your move, try to make Continue Reading →

My Issues With ‘Fitness’

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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 Continue Reading →