‘Art’ Articles at , Page 6

A Running First: The run/swim wade

Posted on February 28, 2014 by Cait — 4 Comments ↓

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.

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

Posted on February 27, 2014 by Cait — 4 Comments ↓

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

Posted on February 25, 2014 by Cait — 8 Comments ↓

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. 😉

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?

Monday Morning Running Motivation

Posted on February 23, 2014 by Cait — 4 Comments ↓

Live to dream. Live to run.
live to dream motivation
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More Morning Running Motivation Art

An Injured Runner’s Psyche: The Sybil Effect

Posted on February 19, 2014 by Cait — 6 Comments ↓

I’m a runner, I’m injured, I’m not held accountable for my actions.
injured runner art
I’m pretty sure this would hold up in court. A runner deprived of their endorphins isn’t quite themselves. Be warned, handle their delicate psyche with care…

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Staying POSITIVE through an injury is the only way to get through it…my post HERE is all about that.

#epicfailWIN: Why failures rock

Posted on February 16, 2014 by Cait — 9 Comments ↓

Runners can never, ever fear ‘failure’. In fact, failures are NOT a bad thing. To fail means that you set a high enough goal. You stepped outside your comfort zone, you DREAMED you could achieve something great.

Failures are often the most powerful learning tools. Bad race, horrendous workout…you have to not only experience them you have to FORCE yourself to get through them. Soak up the experience, actually feel how much that suckiness that was.

Take those sucky feelings and channel them into:
motivation
determination
confidence.

#epicfailWIN picture

Confidence, you say? Yes, confidence.

A runner who pushes through when things really suck should be brimming with confidence. It’s way too easy to run an amazing workout when your legs feel like gold. To have a phenomenal race when it happens to be one of those ‘magic days’. Magic days are the exception, legs that feel like they’re running on clouds are the rarity.

To grit out a workout and keep your mind IN THE RACE when things are tough, that is mental toughness. The same goes for obstacles and challenges you didn’t expect, sudden curve balls that really test you. Get through them, keep moving forward. Those experiences, those trials, the hard times, even when you put in your best effort and the clock is brutally honest…THOSE are necessary to build a strong runner.

You survive knowing you still put in your best and never mentally gave up when things get tough, and that should give you the most confidence in the world. Those should make you think, “Look, I got through it and stayed tough when I felt like crap. Just imagine how well I’m going to run when my body and my legs feel GREAT.”

Redefine failure in your mind. After a bad workout or race, yes, you are allowed to be miffed, to be peeved. But channel all of that into a productive mindset. Rather than think as a defeatist, use the burning embers of anger as fuel for motivation and determination. Then look for any lessons you can learn from the race. (Did you go out too fast…again?? Wise up! haha)

Then COME BACK. The only time a failure SHOULD make you embarassed is if it’s the end of your road. You give up and stop your story right there.

I want you to now share with me YOUR epic fails turned epic wins. Share your stories about an obstacle you faced, overcame, and came out a stronger runner and person because of it. Tell me also about your epic fail of a race, and either tell me how you came back later to make it a ‘redemption race’ epic win…OR…if you just had this epic fail tell me how you’re going to use that in a way to reach an epic win.

You can blog about, post a picture, make some artage (you know how much I’d really love that!) and then tweet me @caitlinchock with the hashtag #epicfailWIN and a link to your epic fail win moment/story/picture/etc.

So, Runner Friends, embrace your failures because they make you stronger.

1) You know what to do, get to gather your epic fail win moment…I can’t wait to hear all about them! #epicfailWIN

Sunday Morning Running Motivation

Posted on February 15, 2014 by Cait — 6 Comments ↓

Go. Run. Be strong.

running motivation art

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More Sunday Morning Running Motivation and traditional MOTIVATION posts.
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1) What’s motivating YOU this morning?
2) Anyone race this weekend?
3) What is a mental mantra you like to think of to keep you running strong?

Running: Brought to you by dreams of pancakes and carbs

Posted on February 14, 2014 by Cait — 10 Comments ↓

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?

A Special Running Valentine

Posted on February 13, 2014 by Cait — 4 Comments ↓

Whether single or alone, you can always find love.
runner finds love
Okay, Happy Valentine’s Day…whether you find this a jank holiday or not probably has more to do with your relationship status than anything else. But we can all agree that the love between a runner and their legs is something sacred. To be cherished and adored, to be respected and never taken for granted.

Love what your runner body can DO for you, that it’s far more powerful than merely something hot and pretty to look at.
runner feet hearts
Be grateful for the incredible way a body can adapt and repair itself…build it stronger.

Celebrate the rush of endorphins.

If love is making your heart race…look no further.

Be you loving your legs in pairs or rocking solo, grab a chocolate heart and bite it’s flipping head off…you ran, you deserve it!! 😉

[Hearts may not have a head, but you get the picture.]

1) Finish this sentence: I love my legs and today I will show them that love by…
Forcing them to run. They know they like it…bwahahaha.
2) How are you treating your legs right so they rebuild and repair?
Stretching, Baby!
3) Favorite chocolate treat?
Any and all. S’mores Pop-Tarts are always a choice I fully endorse!

The Game of Four: Runner lies and self-deception

Posted on February 12, 2014 by Cait — 9 Comments ↓

When my legs are REALLY tired they can only manage thinking of my run in 1/4 mile increments. So I play this game in my head where I count to 4. One…two…three…four. Yay, we’re done!! Well, no, the cycle just starts again.
runner lies
Don’t bag on the formula, it works; yesterday’s 9-miler was brought to you by the ‘count to four’ method. Oh us silly runners and our mind games. 😉

You want another peek into my crazy? Well the the little game gets better because I don’t look at my Garmin during my easy runs. I’ve told you guys, easy runs should be EASY…and not to get sucked into getting overly competitive on our easy days, or mad at yourself if the times are slow. I’m not quite brave enough to go fully naked (aka watchless) so my compromise is I let the Garmin beep my miles but I don’t look at the splits.

So then I make this whole 1/4 thing into an even MORE fun guessing game. I picture myself on a track and then think, “Hmmm, I definitely think it’s been a lap. One. Now we’re getting close to two laps I bet. Two…etc.” So I try to predict the 4th beep and see how close I can get.

Yes, this whole, entire game is purely a distraction. It’s crazy, mostly senseless…but aren’t all of us runners just that?? 😉

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My latest article “Master of the Treadmill Workout: HTS Elite Coach Brad Hudson shares his keys to making your indoor workouts count” up on RunBlogRun. If you HATE winter weather and are trapped on the treadmill, check out some AWESOME workouts from one Mr. Brad Hudson and you’ll see the results. 🙂
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1) What’s a funny game you play running?
2) If you try my cool new runner game, let me know what you think! 😉
3) What’s a treadmill workout you do?