Search Results for: motivation

The Comparison Game: What will help you improve and what will drive you insane

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A friend of mine was asking his runner friends what their favorite training tracker or log was. Apps, watches, etc. were all thrown out there. Personally I don’t use any of the online training upload apps or sites, not that I have anything against them, I just have a love/hate relationship and here’s why. 1) What are you comparing? Now I’m OCD and I know that about myself. I abstained from buying a Garmin for so long because I can easily turn it into an ugly thing with knowing too many numbers. I know that about myself. But I also know the watch can be a great tool to use. So I bought it and learned how I can ‘safely and sanely’ use it. And yea, I flipping love it. But I don’t upload stats and pour over the elevation charts, I don’t wear a heart rate monitor I go off of effort, I don’t want to feel like a scientist about my runs. But that’s just ME. Of course hard workout splits I do care much more about, but I don’t look at the splits on my easy days. But some people LOVE all the stats…that’s cool beans, that’s why they make all those things! I just caution you to compare what matters and what can actually be destructive. * Fast Hard Workout Splits Matter. * Fast Easy Run Splits Work Against you. Make sure you’re able to recover on your easy days so you can NAIL those hard days. Those are what count. 2) Competition for the sake of competition? Lots of runners are Type-A, a bit OCD, and of course competitive. Now there are things to be competitive about: races, PR’s, etc…but then there are other things that are just dumb and destructive. If you’re trying to Continue Reading →

Runners Rocking Old School: Training tools guide you but they’re not Gods

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Sometimes a runner just needs to rock it old school style and get back to basics. Look beyond the Garmins, the heart-rate monitors, the target zones, the iPod/iPhone widgets, connect this, upload that, FitBit, BodyBug, BodPodWod, run-a-shoe-whiz…you get the picture. The tech world is awesome, it’s always providing us runners new ways to trick our run. But even the most pimped out of sports watches won’t do a thing if the legs aren’t there. Same goes for running shoes that seem straight out of NASA. All the new running gadgets are training tools. Tools, nothing more. A tool is there to provide feedback, help guide you along. Certainly tools can be powerful ways to improve your training but a tool is not a God. Your Garmin is not, wait for it, a God. Your running watch or shoes can’t distinguish perceived effort. It can’t make the adjustment for effort vs. time. Black and white numbers don’t tell you the full story, sometimes they lie. Running into the eye of a hurricane during 400 meter repeats, your watch can’t portray how HARD that XX:XX was. In the end: EFFORT trumps TIME. Work ethic will trump the newest, lightest shoe. A spike alone won’t race to a PR, I’m sorry. Take advantage of these amazing, mind-blowing training tools. Having a virtual training log or place to report your mileage and workouts to is great, it can act as motivation and incentive for people to go OUT and run. In that regard it’s wonderful to have a community of runners cheering you on and kindly kicking your butt out the door. [Napping in my Ezzere Peacock Runner Tee, you can BUY YOURS HERE! ] Garmins and watches can also turn into mental nightmares if you get TOO hung up on the numbers and Continue Reading →

The Ezzere Newsletter

Sign up for the Ezzere/Arty Runnerchick Newsletter and get: * The Scoop: Hear the LATEST Ezzere/Arty Runnerchick news, invites to upcoming events, and hot deals FIRST!! * Improve: Get tips and training advice to improve your own running…umm, I think we ALL love hitting new PR’s! * Motivation to get your bum out running: We ALL have those days when motivation starts to lull, open a newsletter and you’re guaranteed a reminder that your goals are WORTH lacing up for. Every newsletter includes some inspirational art, it can act as the perfect shot of motivation. * Laughs: Yea, let’s be honest, life is funny and runners are too. Where else can you make bush-dive jokes, complain about walkers in lane one, or share your latest chaffage horror story? Plus, it’s all FREE!! Don’t miss out…sign up TODAY! * indicates required Email Address *

Where Running Workouts Truly Begin

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The true test of a workout is how you manage when it starts to hurt. Ultimately the real benefits come when you start pushing through the pain and running outside of your comfort zone. This holds true both physically and mentally. Physically the point of hard workouts are to demand more from your muscles. Make them give you more than they’d like to. You tear them down. Recovery allows you to build them back up stronger…but it starts with tearing them down. Mentally a runner has to be tough. Tough as sh*t. Have confidence in your toughness, wear it proudly. Workouts are mental tests, they teach you to handle the discomfort so come race day you know you’ve been there. You’ve pushed through that pain before, you know you can handle it again. The workout really starts when things start to hurt. How will you respond? ——- Read tips from the pro’s on MENTAL TOUGHNESS for runners. More MOTIVATION for runners. We may be hurting but we STILL LOOK GOOD doing it! 😉 My latest RunBlogRun Article: “Danny Mackey and Racing Like a Beast” ——- 1) Where do you get your confidence?

Ezzere’s Bringing the Party to YOU!!

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I had SUCH an amazing time celebrating the launch of my fitness fashion brand, Ezzere!! Thank you so much to all who came out and those who were partying with me in spirit!! In case you were partying from afar I wanted to share some highlights of the awesome event. My GORGEOUS and awesome models show how to own the #SweatsintheCity look. 😉 My most beautiful Baby Sis showing us all how to take the Peacock Runner Tee on a 180. 😉 Like I said there were PRIZES, and I LOVED seeing just how excited Melanie was when she won my Get Chicking Tee! The GRAND FINALE of the night… Look what the AMAZINGLY talented Laura @ TrashtoCouture did to the Run Your Fortune Tee!!! Seriously, I am speechless and in awe of her DIY fashion prowess. You HAVE to check out her site TrashtoCouture.com her SHOP filled with her one-of-a-kind pieces, and follow her on Twitter @Trashtocouture and Instagram @TrashtoCouture . I’m in freaking awe of her creativity and talent…not only is she the Queen of DIY Fashion she’s a mother to two boys, and an insanely fast runnerchick. She’s been beating the boys (and all the girls too for that matter!!) since she was in high school. Having her transform one of my shirts into a gorgeous hoodie is something incredibly special to me. THANK YOU, Laura, so much…and I hope vicariously I can absorb just a smidgen of your style and fashion sense!! The night truly was a BLAST…thank you to everyone who’s been so supportive! Those who were able to come out put their own artistic talents to work and created a motivational goal poster. WRITTEN goals are more powerful goals. I challenge you all to take a moment, DEFINE a goal you want to reach Continue Reading →

They Always Say Home Is Where the Heart Is

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Find your home. Find your love. #run ——– MY NEW NEWSLETTER! If you missed the first Arty Runnerchick Ezzere Newsletter, don’t cry…don’t worry…just sign up and you won’t miss out on one minute more of the action! 😉 * indicates required Email Address * Think of them like a weekly vitamin shot: packed with training tips, news and updates, art, motivation, and more to boost and fuel your running. 😉 Plus way tastier than those wheat grass shots. ——— 1) Where do you feel most at home? 2) Where are you finding love with your runs lately? 3) What vitamins or supplements do you take, if any? I hope everyone takes at least some iron supplements!

Believing, Running, and Lies

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A runner’s mind is filled with lies. We live in our own sort of warped reality. I’ve talked a lot about how lies are our little coping mechanism so we CAN stay dedicated and motivated to keep reaching our goals. That lies can be a good thing. The thing is though, not all of those lies are created equal and it’s important to know which lies you should be ‘believing’ and when you need to be truthful. Good Lies * Midway through a workout: “I’m only doing 1 more repeat, don’t worry brain!” * About to start a workout or at the starting line: “It won’t really hurt, I swear!” * In moments of motivation lulls to just START running: “Just run for 5 minutes, if you want to stop then you can. These are the lies that help us tune out the pain and call our brains out when they’re just being lazy. These are AWESOME lies and the ones you should be blasting from a megaphone because they’re coming from your inner rockstar runner. The runner who wants you to achiever your goals…believe everything they say, those lies will fuel your greatness. Bad Lies * Mid-workout brain chatter: “You can’t keep this pace up.” * Starting line: “Holy crap, I don’t belong next to so-and-so, they’re going to kick my butt!” * Mid-race: “They just surged, they must feel way stronger than me…I’m just going to let them go.” These are all the things that weak, insecure, tired, lazy, annoying, complaining brain likes to shout at you. These are remarks your rockstar runner persona needs to refute and call-out as lies. “I am stronger than I think. I belong at this starting line. A race isn’t over until the finish line and I know they hurting too, I Continue Reading →

Ezzere Launch Party Runner Night

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All you AWESOME runners better save the date and make your way to Cali cuz THIS is going down…the Ezzere Launch Party and Runner Night!! Do you have your excited face on? Good. Here are some more det’s: My AMAZING friends at US Cryotherapy are opening up their doors for this runner posse. Haven’t ever tried this subzero temperature recovery treatment? Now’s your chance to come in and try the local treatment. Read all about their benefits for injury prevention, faster recovery after workouts, and injury treatments HERE. Nuun Hydration is also taking part in helping sponsor the event too! They will be keeping all us runners hydrated up right as we party down with their NEW Nuun Active Hydration Drink. We already love their current drink line, this latest formula has those same essential electrolytes but now packed with extra B Vitamins and Caffeine. Still less than 12 calories and sans extra sugar though! GU Energy also knows how important it is to fuel runners right and they’re going to be brining their fine selves and those awesome packs of Pure Performance energy to the party! Not sure of the perfect place to put that hydrating drink or energy gel?? Well never fear, Hydrapak is coming to this Ezzere Launch Party Runner Night too and offering up some of their SoftFlasks to a few lucky runners in attendance! These SoftFlasks are well, soft (duh), and flexible meaning you can easily squeeze them on the run and get your energy gel or drink much better than the hard shell variety of flasks. PRIZES!! Yes, let’s be honest everyone loves some good prizes and SWAG, right? The first 50 people will be gifted AT THE DOOR with one of Nunn’s new Active Hydration Drink Vial. The raffle will include a KICK@$$ Continue Reading →

There’s Only One High I Chase

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Runner’s…I fully endorse living this high life. ——- Reminder! The #coreandcake party is happening next Friday…here are the det’s! More running MOTIVATION More running ART AND CARTOONS ——- 1) What’s getting you high this weekend? 2) Is the sun poking out for you yet? 3) Best way to reward a hard running workout or race? A hint…it’ll always be tagged #getinmybelly 😉

Ruling Your Fear: Running Like a Gamer, Fear be Da**ed

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Let’s talk fear. Okay, I’ll break the silence and let you in on a dirty little secret: EVERY runner has fear. Regardless of how fast they are, how much they’ve accomplished, the Gold medals sitting in those shiny cases…every, single, runner has fear. Fear isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it just means that you WANT something. You have goals, you want to hit them and you’re scared/nervous/anxious because if you fall up short…then what? Fear merely proves you have goals that MATTER to you. With running there is also the fear of the pain. BAM. I just touched on the TWO big taboos runners are never to speak of in the span of less than 150 words: fear and pain. Knowing that pain is going to be there, that you’re going to have to be mentally tough and push through that pain, that you’re NOT going to let that pain break you…that’s also where a large part of a runner’s fear comes from. And it also explains why, every runner, regardless of how good they are, be they professional or back of the packer will harbor some ‘fear’…every runner goes through pain. It’s part of our sport. Now the thing is, the big difference between elite runners who race like ballers and every other runner who races like a gamer and the runners who implode is: the gamers don’t let the FEAR rule them. Gamers rule the fear. They turn the fear around, use that energy more as nervous-excited rather than nervous-fearful/worried. See the difference? It’s all in the mind. Not letting fear rule you is difficult, even the most experience runners go through periods where they may struggle and need to get back on track. And to be honest, there’s always going to be a point in a race Continue Reading →