‘Running’ Articles at , Page 29

Learning From the Elites: Mortal runners improving off of sound advice

Posted on August 6, 2012 by Cait — 20 Comments ↓

My excitement level for the Women’s Olympic Marathon could be termed as ‘unbridled enthusiasm.’ It outpaced any any event; sorry, guys…but trust me there is enough spill-over excitement for other distance events, but it’s just a wee shy of the marathon.

It’s been building since the Trials and I’m a proud member of Team Goucherette and Team Flanagan. So there was no question I’d be up at the 3am (my time) for gun time. The marathon is a beast of an event where you can only plan for so much and from there, run as planned but be ready to roll with any surprises as well.

Both Goucher and Flanagan did us Americans proud; I know they both hoped to have placed higher, it’s that kind of attitude that makes them great because they are focused on getting better and know they are capable of more. However, if you saw them out there they poured it on all the way through the line and have the maturity to realize that all you can ask for is your best from your body on any given day. If you leave it all out there, you have to be proud of that regardless of the outcome.

There were no shortage of articles and interviews with the harriers leading up to the race, asking them on their training, tactics, preparation and everything else. Everyone trying to pick their brains for some kind of ‘secret’, find out what makes them tick in the effort that some of this could be applied to the mere mortals. Two solid reads are from Competitor on Shalane Flanagan and Kara Goucher.

Some quick highlights and points I feel worth repeating and emphasizing:

* Practice to race: Race day is what matters and tailoring your workouts to best simulate whatever conditions you’ll be facing on THAT day is key. You have tons of workouts and runs to test out how your body responds to different variables so be thorough. This includes finding which foods work best and setting a nutrition plan, the shoes you’ll be racing in, the perfect warm-up routine, and which style of racer you are. Do you want an even pace, start out slow and kick, surge in the middle, etc? I’ve got an article on planning your fuel HERE.

* Fartleks for everyone: Flanagan’s article specifies the kind of fartleks she did leading up and the reason why so many people are fans of fartleks is because they can be done anywhere and the combinations you can come up with are limitless. They are also perfect for those who might be getting too stressed or burned out on track workouts; focus on just running HARD rather than obsessing over splits. I wrote some more fartlek ideas HERE.

* In the end it’s in the legs: Gadgets and ‘extras’ are awesome; in today’s times we are flooded with different training tools. Take advantage of what this era brings to the table (trust me, especially when it comes to injuries and coming back from them, we’re running in a lucky time!) but in the end remember that what it comes down to is EFFORT. That and consistent training.

* It’s all mental: Visualization is a common thread in helping to callous the mind for the kind of pain running and race day brings. This is work that you can do off the track and while giving your legs a break, but it will pay off dividends come race day. Be a gamer. I did a whole piece how how to utilize visualization HERE.

So both of these champs (and the rest of the awesome runners…have to say, a 24 year old Gold medalist, that looks pretty nice on the resume. 😉 hehe) will be back to work here shortly. Running never ends…

1) Did you watch or follow the marathon as it went off live, did you record it and watch it later, or did you pull up results?

2) Do you tend to read a lot of running articles, blogs, websites, etc? Which are your favorite?

3) What’s something you read recently that you really liked and plan on implementing or adapting to fit your own running?

Press Play: Run to Start

Posted on August 5, 2012 by Cait — 5 Comments ↓

Just press play and start running. No cords, no outlets or chargers necessary. Simple instructions for operating the best pieces of entertainment at your disposal.

Yes, running is entertainment. It will take you to places far more extraordinary than something you can view on a screen. It will teach you lessons you can’t learn in a classroom. It will show you things about yourself that you can’t buy from a talk-doc or from taking in a Facebook poll or similar App.

And of course for the runnerdudes. 😉

Running is a test. You give it to yourself, you end up scoring yourself too. The clock and the distances are helpful in grading, but in the end only you are able to accurately interpret the black and white numbers. While running resides in a realm riddled with black and whites…you can’t argue with times and numbers…there is more reading between the lines to be done than in the greatest of libraries.

Grading is tricky business, sure, but it’s fun too. Even when you fail you end up learning. The odd thing though is even when you FINALLY get an A for the day…tomorrow, the whole thing starts over and you must press play again. Repeat.

A constant loop. It never ends.

Press play.

Run.

There is no STOP button.

1) What’s the first moment that comes to mind when you think of your running as being entertaining or you felt like you were ‘playing’?

2) What’s the most recent grade you’d give yourself for your run? It starts over constantly, so if you didn’t score as high as you liked, why and what are you going to do to nudge the grade up higher the next time?

3) When’s the last time you totally ‘Aced’ your running for the day, a race, a workout?

Put Your Runner Shades On: It’s GO Time London

Posted on August 3, 2012 by Cait — 14 Comments ↓

Or if I’m going to really take this wanna-be pun all the way…put your runna’ shades on. 🙂

The running events are about to take over the London Olympics and that means this runnerchick is more than a bit excited. Slip into those cheering pants and get supporting those Team USA harriers!

This first day of action will see the first rounds of the men’s steeplechase and men’s 1500 meters as well as the final of the women’s 10,000 meter race. Of course there will be other events going on but I’m distanced biased and not sad about it. Check out all the results and full schedule HERE.

Back to runner shades, I know some people who don the shades sort of the same way they put on their spikes or racing shoes. Meaning it’s GO time. I have to admit that when you see a person running with shades it catches your eye; I’ve even heard some runners say they are intimidated by the mere sight of a shaded runner. Now I won’t go that far, it’s not like the mere act of putting on sunglasses will make you faster…that’s all in the legs.

Yet we all have those little things that cause that internal switch in us. The one that goes along with the electric buzz of race day, the one where we know it’s time to kick it up another level and get ready to put it all on the line. Akin to spiking up, peeling off the sweats and baring that uniform…if sunglasses are the final piece of your race day GO time visage…then by all means…

…put your runner shades on.

1) Who are you going to be rooting for the most come the running events? Which events are you most looking forward to?

2) Do you run in sunglasses? Now, do you run in them a lot in both training and racing, or do you reserve them mostly only for racing?

3) Thoughts on runners with sunglasses, I know some people have something against seeing a runner in shades…anyone in that boat? Anyone who instantly assumes that when they see a runner in sunglasses that runner has to be fast?

Piecing Together the ‘Perfect’ Runner

Posted on August 1, 2012 by Cait — 12 Comments ↓

If we could construct the ‘perfect’ runner from all of different events in the London Olympics, I think we’d have to start with the flexibility of a gymnast. While you probably won’t need to bust out the splits on the track having that kind of range of motion would be an asset. Plus you’d certainly be less prone to injury.

Flexibility certainly helps double time for those steeplechasers! 🙂

Thanks to those skimpy Speedos I’ve seen the core on those swimmers and divers. Nowhere to hide in those uniforms. Having a rock solid core is key for a runner; it’s a huge oversight to think that all runners need to strengthen are their legs.

The quick responses of a ping-ponger (is that a word?). Hear me out, in the midst of a race a runner needs to be able to respond to any moves their competitors may make. Sometimes even an instant of hesitation can make or break the outcome of the race.

Remembering the drafting techniques of the cyclists certainly would help. Even in a slight breeze doing the work of pace-setting takes a physical and mental toll…far easier to just sit, zone out and get pulled along.

Explosive power like the jumps you see in volleyball and basketball. Having the ability to fire off those fast twitch muscle fibers translates into raw speed. Come the end of a race, a runner who’s got that is able to dig for that extra gear and kick for home.

Boxers tend to have a wicked game face too.

How about the game face of those lacrosse athletes. If I had someone running after me with a stick I certainly wouldn’t be able to hold it together like them. That takes confidence and a runner needs confidence in themselves, their training and their abilities when they step to the line.

But then, wait a minute. I believe they already have started piecing together the ‘perfect’ distance runner…I believe they call them Kenyans. 😉

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1) What trait would you add to the ‘perfect’ runner from one of the other Olympic sports?

2) Which of these traits do you have and has thus improved your running? Did you do another sport before running and thanks to that been able to get a, ahem, leg up?

3) Which trait are you lacking, or consider a weakness? Are you doing anything to improve on it?

The Crack of the Gun is the Same in Every Language

Posted on July 31, 2012 by Cait — 6 Comments ↓

The crack of the gun is the same in every language.

The feeling of a damp uniform against your skin as you peel off your sweats is the same sensation regardless of the colors you’re wearing. The beads of sweat trickling down the small of your back, upon greeted with the air, a welcomed chill.

The ceremony of switching from your trainers and into your spikes is synonymous with all runners.

The white arch of the waterfall start is the same line burned into the retinas of every racer.

So is the even brighter, completely straight line marking the finish.

The peal of the bell is heard the same despite whatever tongue a runner is accustomed. It is the penultimate lap, utterly clear amongst a haze of lactic acid and inner wills. It can awaken something fierce, something a racer didn’t know was there, a desire dulled in previous laps by the exhaustion.

The bell can awaken a sleeping beast.

The backstretch offers it a chance to stretch its legs coming off of a slight hibernation.

The last bend extends hope…there is still track left…keep moving…there is still time to make up time, distance on your competitors…

The homestretch is but a mere 100 meters in distance. Yet to every runner it will invariably feel infinitely longer.

Legs like bricks it can feel like 100 miles to those being passed, coming up short on a day, defeat is blind to the difference between minutes and hundredths of a second.

Those same 100 meters may stretch to 100 miles to the racer running on legs firing like pistons. Though still riddled with the burning of lactic acid, that is can be over-powered by the taste of the line. There is a taste…a hunger…

in those last 100 meters stretched to eternity there is desire, hope and finally ecstasy.

The gun, the same in every language, starts it all.

1) What is something that is the same regardless of where a runner is from, what language they speak, or anything else?

2) Do you tend to be a kicker or an early pace-setter? Which style of racing usually works out to your favor?

3) Olympic countdown, baby, which events are you getting particularly excited for?

Running Invades Facebook: You Just Crushed a 5.6 mi Run

Posted on July 30, 2012 by Cait — 12 Comments ↓

“Randy just crushed a 5.6 mi run using Nike Plus.” If social media is taking over the world, then those workout updates are the Starbucks of this new world. Every time I pull up Facebook or Twitter I feel lazy for not running or sweating at that moment, regardless of how many miles I ran earlier in the day. Am I alone in feeling like this?

I’m kidding, I think it’s cool to see/read what my friends are up to running wise and I’m guilty as the next for ‘cheering them on’ on their runs. Plus, let’s face it I’m a big Nike fan anyways…so, yea. However, I DO think it’s high time they expand on the steadfast ‘crushed this run’, ‘just started a run’, etc. dialogue boxes and tired old icons. I’ve got a few suggestions…

Click to Enlarge…but no stealing please…starving artists and all, contact me if you’d like a print/copy! 🙂 Thanks!

So here’s to your training logs going viral…like me on Facebook or Twitter and I’ll certainly cheer you on when you’re crushing that next run of your’s. 😉
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If you like comics you can see more of the Runner’s Strip series HERE!
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1) Do you have Nike Plus or any similar type of workout app that connects to your FB, Twitter, etc. account?
Actually, in a nice twist of irony I don’t…and I’m even so old school I actually pen and paper my training log!

2) Do you like reading your friends’ updates when they’re on a run or after they completed one?

3) If you had a new dialogue blurb and matching icon for your last run, what would it be?

The Olympic Torch: Lighting the fire under runners’ butts world-wide to get after their own goals

Posted on July 28, 2012 by Cait — 19 Comments ↓

The 2012 Olympics have officially begun. The upcoming days will be filled with stories of inspiration, triumph, heart-breaking loss, sheer madness, when a hundredth of a tick on the stopwatch is all that matters. Then of course everything else in between.

No doubt, for anyone tuning into the Olympics it’s incredibly easy to get swept away in that sheer madness. It’s astounding how every four years you’ll see people who have barely ever busted a sweat in their lives tuning-in, enraptured in the competition like they’re hyping themselves up for a 20-miler the next day. 😉

As athletes though we really get into it. It’s sort of like when they light that torch they also light a fire under our butts to get after it on our own runs. It’s like an insta-boost of motivation and enthusiasm to the heart, no? You watch those runners lining up, the crack of the gun, and your quads starting itching to hit the track for your workout the next day.

Pause for a minute. Take the Tivo, DVR, or whatever and hit pause. Stare at the screen, whatever it is that REALLY gets you hyped, your own booster shot of adrenaline to the heart, and bookmark it in your brain. Because you know what, the Olympics will inevitably end, and the burning desire to burn up the track will start to wane just a bit…you’ll slip back into training and you’ll hit those moments where you’re feeling blah.

I’m not being a kill-joy here, just a realist. The point is the torch fire under your butt is riding epic proportions, it should be…those athletes out there should act as inspiration and awe to us all. They’re the ‘real deal’ out there.

But they’re human, and training is NOT easy and everyone has points where you’ve got to force it. Tough moments could be injuries, horrible races, workouts you’re really not looking forward to, and runs where pushing out the door is an effort. But when those athletes had those stretches they remembered that torch burning in their butt and got it done. Day in, day out. Consistently.

Your butt-torch can burn, lead you to your own goals, whatever they are…you just have to remember that on the days, or even weeks or months, that the fire starts to dim, think back to that Tivo/DVR moment and light your tush on fire. Stoke the flames and get ‘er done. 🙂

Enjoy the Olympics, yo.

1) What event are you most looking forward to in the Olympics?
Distance races…any and all. But of particular interest is the Women’s Marathon…go Kara and Shalane! 🙂

2) Which sports outside of running, or athletics, are you excited about seeing?

3) What is your Tivo/DVR butt-torch moment?? 😉

The Neighborhood Runner: A freak, a weirdo, an anomaly…the extra in everyone else’s movie

Posted on July 26, 2012 by Cait — 12 Comments ↓

To say I ran the scenic route of the neighborhood would be an understatement; warm-up, tempo and cool-down all run on a mile loop. Okay, it was a tad over one mile but by the end of it I think I could double as the neighborhood patrol for the night. I also almost hit the same darn trash can about six times…please people, can’t you place these things more conveniently for your kind runner friends?!

Tired, or just dizzy? 😉

Runners can tread that fine line of being unnoticed, we blend into the background, the extras in the movies of everyone else’s lives. Well, that is until some person’s idea of a compliment comes in the form of a hoot and holler out of their moving vehicle.

Question: To those guys yelling ‘Yea Baby!’ as they whiz by, what do they really hope to achieve? That if they yell it enough times eventually some runnerchick is going to suddenly start chasing their car in the hopes of landing a date?

Jokers and hollerers aside, to most people the neighborhood runners is usually thought of at ‘that person’ who runs by as they water their lawn.

The nut who is up running the streets as they nurse their coffee, rubbing out their eye crusties, and begrudgingly heading off to work.

The idiot who’s then back out for a double dose of insanity as they pull back into their garage cursing at their boss for making them work late.

A runner is the weirdo who leaves on Sunday morning off running when they grab the newspaper, then the same weirdo who is finally returning home, admittedly worse for wear, hours later as said neighbor is polishing off their BLT lunch.

Their neighborhood runner is that person who gets a touch of scorn from Betty the Housewife for wearing those shorts that are just way too short, don’t they know that? Are they trying to make some kind of statement, like, “Oooh, look at me and my legs!” [Editor’s note: No, actually we wear these shorts chaffage because if you’re ever run in long shorts you probably have scars. That said, yea, we do look pretty good in them though. ;)]

The freak doing some 10 odd laps around the block. This is just your kindly neighborhood runner…happy to be an extra in your movie, thank you very much. 🙂

1) Do you live in a more suburban neighborhood or city? Do you know many of your neighbors, are any of them runners, and are you thought of as ‘that runner’ around the block?

2) Do you like doing loops for your runs? Does it depend on the kind of run you’re doing?
I actually don’t mind doing loops for hard workouts…I’ve had to do 10mile tempo’s on the track and by now my brain’s pretty good at ‘numbing’ out monotony. That said, loops are harder to do for easy/recovery runs.

3) Would you rather do a tempo or longer run on the track or on the treadmill?

5 Running Flash-Factoids Part II: Spare your eye muscles and save your energy working your legs

Posted on July 23, 2012 by Cait — 13 Comments ↓

Runners should save their energy for putting those legs to good use, not straining eye ball muscles. 😉 If you liked last week’s 5 Flash-Factoids post then I hope you enjoy round two just as much!

* Remember Your Weaknesses: We all have our ‘weak’ spots, the injuries that seem to creep back time and time again. There are rehab and proactive TLC exercises/stretches you can do to keep those injuries at bay. Don’t get too cozy during periods where you’re injury free and slack on those things, stay current with your runner up-keep and care.

* Make Your Mileage Work For You: Knowing how much running your body can handle is key to your longevity; if you’re a runner with a lower threshold when it comes to total weekly mileage, that’s okay, but just make those miles you do run count. ‘Save’ those miles for hard workouts and your long runs and substitute cross-training for the easy run days. The miles you do run, be stingy with them and make them faster.

* Treadmills Aren’t a Weakness: Some die-hard runners have the line of thought that treadmills are for weenies. But treadmills are a training tool and they have their time and place; sometimes it’s safer to go indoors and in some cases you can get a better workout in too.

* But Sometimes You Need the Elements: That said, races are run outside and at times you should condition yourself to brave the outdoors even when an indoor run would be more comfortable. This is especially true if the race you’re going to run will be really hot and humid, or cold and windy…you want to prepare your body for running in those kinds of conditions and still being able to perform. Keep in mind you may have to adjust times and run for effort.

* Wear the Right Gear: If you’re going out for a run in super hot and humid conditions and you’re rocking a cotton tee, be prepared to be chugging home with about 5 extra pounds of shirt sweat. Suit up in the right gear for the elements; when it’s cold layers are your friend not just to keep warm but for the safety of your muscles too. To avoid chaffing and shirt sweat poundage, running shirts and clothes made from technical materials are your friends…hey, speaking of tech tees there is an AWESOME one I’ve got that you should be outfitting yourself with. 😉

1) Have you learned your body’s mileage threshold? How do you make that mileage work for you?

2) What is your chronic ‘squeaky wheel’ or weak point in your body?
My darn hamstrings and left foot at the moment.

3) Favorite kind of running shorts?
Either the Tempo shorts or ones with a split.

Love Your Running Competition and Thrive in Their Presence

Posted on July 22, 2012 by Cait — 7 Comments ↓

When a runner steps to the line they are never alone. The racers next to you all have goals of their own; some of the goals may be the same as your own…you both will be fighting for that same finishing place. Some of those racers may be your own teammates, your friends, your training partners.

But in the end, when the gun goes off you all become one and the same: racers. All other titles momentarily erased.

Of course if you know some of those racers you may devise a race plan where you work together for some portion of the race, helping each of you through the early stages and setting you BOTH up for a better finish. There can be a team component to track, more-so in cross-country, but there inevitable comes a certain point in the race where anyone running next to you is nothing but your competition.

Embrace your competition because they are what will make you faster, and one of the strongest tools you have to utilize in the quest for your best. They will push you to your limits…or rather they will push you to the point where you will have to decide whether you are willing to go to those limits.

This opportunity isn’t solely in races, and with the London Olympics fast approaching, there are some really great articles highlighting Shalane Flanagan and Kara Goucher not just as two of the USA’s top chances for medaling in the Olympic Marathon, but also the fact that they are indeed training partners.

Both are excellent reads, and some things you can gather from both are:

* Train For Your Best: Both women have run nearly every workout together; similar to a race situation when you workout with someone who can push you, both of you end up the winners.

* Race Day Confidence: Of course when the gun goes off, both women rightfully acknowledge friendships and training partner labels are completely taken off the table. In the article featuring Goucher they touch on what it means to have Flanagan around her the longer the race drags on. On the one hand, because they have trained together both can get a bit of a confidence boost having the other around with the thinking, “Look, if Shalane/Kara is still here and handling this and we’ve trained together, I KNOW I belong here and can handle it.” The whole, “This hurts, but she’s doing it, so can I” line of thought.

* In The End You’re Running For One: On the flip side, there is the point where you need to drop your competition. There’s nothing more to be said on that one except that rather than ever fear them, be thankful for them…embrace your competition and allow yourself to thrive under their presence.

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Some people get more nervous knowing faster people are in the race, so here’s a look back on a post I did about race day nerves, how to manage them and actually use them to your advantage.
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1) How do you handle your competition, do you tend to get more nervous if you know faster people are in the same race?

2) For training, do you seek out people to run with who you know are at your same pace or a little faster?

3) Do you enjoy a race more if you know some of the other racers or if you have teammates?
I know I did…always fun to have company on the warm-up and cool-down too! 🙂

dont’ fear compeition