Posts in the Motivation Category at , Page 19

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?

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?? 😉

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

It’s a Public Service Announcement

Posted on July 21, 2012 by Cait — 11 Comments ↓

For a richer, fuller life…RUN.

I happened upon this old school public service announcement:
reading psa Source
While I do love to read, I think I love running more. You should too. 😉
———–
Just sent out some more ‘Get Chicking’ shirts! Be sure to get yours. 🙂 The amazing Julia is currently running the Ragnar Relays in hers…LOVE IT!!
———-

1) For a richer, fuller life…[fill in the blank]

2) Were you much of a reader growing up? Were you much of a runner/sports person growing up?

3) Name one thing running brings to your life outside of anything physical.
Sanity. [well, it makes me at least more sane. :)]

The Running Detective: Figuring out what works for you can feel like solving a mystery

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

Sometimes running forces you into the role of Sherlock Holmes. You may feel like you’ve been plunked down into any number of these must-read, classic runner tales of sleuth…

Harrier Holmes and the Mismatched Taper

When Watson’s GI Distress Wrecked Havoc

The Quest for the Missing Pair of Legs

The Pace That Shouldn’t Have Felt That Hard

The Reverse Splits Crawl Through He##’s Gates

The Last Race…or So He Thought

Running and training is a fickle little beast, just when you think you’ve figured something out it sends you for a loop. There is always more to be learned and also getting to know how that knowledge applies to YOUR own body is another part of the journey.

In running you are forced to become more attuned to your body, learn the ways it sends you signals…then you must choose how to interpret them and decide how to listen. We all go the trial by fire learning method plenty of times, but over the years hopefully we wise up and don’t repeat the same mistakes over and over again. Because if you get stuck in that same Sherlock story it can get rather boring, redundant and maddening. 😉

The thing tough, is that there are coaches, sports physiologists, training partners, competitors and the blokes who write about running to accompany on your quest for the answers to all of those ‘mysteries.’ To help keep you on track to PR’s, epic races, the next workout, next run…and to make sure you have some laughs along the way too.

Sometimes those running detective novels may feel dark (The Colossal Injury of Blistering Hall) at points, but you get to some pretty awesome passages too. For our little running mysteries I’d also like to write in that most of them end as happily ever afters. Or at least they end as cliff-hangers so that you are FORCED to read onto the next one…to keep going…

And don’t ever forget some of our favorite Sherlock Runner Sleuth books:

The Man Holding the Stop-Watch (spoiler alert it’s reading a PR)

The Mysterious Kick That Came From Nowhere

A Run So Perfect You Can’t Fathom it’s Your Legs Doing the Running

For that last one, trust me, when you’re in the middle of that one you know it and there is no WAY you can put that book down. 😉

1) Do you have a Sherlock Runner Sleuth book to add?

2) What are some mysterious you’ve ‘solved’ for yourself? (ie: best pre-race day warm-up, best fueling, GI Issue remedies, etc.)

3) Is there a book you are in the middle of ‘solving’ right now?

4) Which was the last book you ‘finished’ and how did it end? Did you wind up discovering the answer or was it a cliff-hanger?

Genetics Will Only Get You So Far…From There the Running is Up to You

Posted on July 13, 2012 by Cait — 9 Comments ↓

daRUNism…survival of the fastest. 😉 The topic of running and genetics…talk about opening up a can of ~~sperm~~ worms.

FACT: Genetics will invariable play a role in how fast someone has the potential to become. It will effect which event they are predisposed to compete the best at.

FACT: You can’t change genetics.

FACT: Using the excuse of genetics alone for accounting that so-and-so is able to achieve an athletic feat is a cop-out.

The last one there is what gets under my skin when people make any kind of remark, “You’re lucky, I wish I were a runner.” It really gets me fired up when people blame ‘good genetics’ as a sort of cop-out for runners who set records, win races or beat them. Like because they ‘look like a runner’ and may make it look easy while they run that somehow diminishes their accomplishment. Yes, I’ve jested along with all others that I may harbor the ‘wish’ to be a bit more Kenyan or Ethiopian…but I know that genetics alone will only take a person so far.

FACT: Even the most genetically blessed super-human, say we created it in a lab, would not be a record holder if they didn’t have the will, drive and dedication to do the training.

With running, mentality and work ethic are something that can’t be genetically programmed or forced onto a person. They are also what, I believe, will take you the furthest. If I could draw it to a metaphor of walking that Yellow Brick Road…

Genetics may take you TO the Yellow Brick Road by some freak, chance-happen twister and at least kill one of the witches to make your journey easier. But after that you’re on your own to chase those monkeys, make it through the poppies and get to your OZ.

Follow that Yellow Brick Road…

Running isn’t easy and while yes, you can’t really change your muscle fiber ratio (I’ll never be able to sprint to save my life) you can always make the best with what you’ve got. Further, with hard work you will be able to pass up those ‘lucky twister’ genetically blessed runners who slack a bit.

Don’t let genetics to be your ~~excuse~~ crutch to not believe you can do better. Finally, do not ever, for one second, believe that the runners you see on TV, the ones heading off to the Olympics got there from a ‘lucky twister’ alone…if you saw how hard they work you’d learn that they are willing their way through those blasted poppies and bringing it when some crazy, flying monkeys try to get in their way.

1) Genetically, do you feel you are a little lucky with the gene pool in at least being predisposed to running? Which event do you feel you are best suited for?

2) I see genetics as sort of taking you to that ‘glass ceiling’…yes people can skate by off of talent alone but it does catch up to them. When do you think most people hit the ‘I can’t skate by any longer’ ceiling and have to decide to either ante up or settle?
I’d say mostly after graduating high school and working their way through college.

3) Have you ever used genetics as an excuse or crutch? OR if are really ‘lucky’ genetically and happened to skate by for awhile, what changed in you to make you be more accountable to your training?

Endorphins 2.0: The special running high that only awesome workouts, epic races and PR’s can bring

Posted on July 5, 2012 by Cait — 12 Comments ↓

Boom. Crackle. Snap. No, for once that’s not the sound of me walking into a room…I do predict I’ll be one of those old people racing around on a Rascal for all other hours of the day I’m NOT running. 😉 Juuuust kidding…Happy Fourth of July to all those who are also residing in the good old USA.

Kicking your own butt can feel oh so good…when you come out the ‘winner.’ 🙂

I’m thankful to be an American and not just because I get a chance to unleash my inner pyro for the day. Rockets are fun, yes, but do you want to know another way to feel like you’re high enough to touch the moon? No, the perfectly legal way but you’re still getting a fix in a way.

Rocking a hard workout, kicking butt in a race or a brand spanking new PR. I’ve long professed my love for endorphins but I SWEAR the ones that come from a particularly hard workout, race or effort are like endorphins 2.0. It’s a super high…and I feel THOSE kinds of pimped-out endorphins are what keep us slogging through the ‘blah’ miles, crappy runs and the workouts that kick our butts in the worse possible way. We’re chasing the right endorphins.

Now I’m not an elitist, trust me, I know for a fact I am no better than others, but can I tell you a little secret? On days when my running goes particularly well, the times I’ve gotten a PR (even a PR in a workout) for the rest of the day I sort of feel like I can walk a little taller. Heck I even feel happier and smile bigger, if that is humanly possible for me. When I’m just out and about in ‘normal people’ world (not around fellow runners) in the back of my mind, when I’m going through the check-out at the grocery store I’m thinking, “My legs feel wobbly and like jelly, I wonder if she’s ever felt that post-workout early-onset soreness that only comes from a tough run?” It’s not that I think I’m any better than anyone else in that line (for all I know there could be a World Record holder behind me!) It’s just that I feel like a ‘specialer’ version of myself that day. Thanks to those pimped-out endorphins 2.0 I suppose.

Don’t worry, my ego quickly gets snapped back, as do the rest of ours if you know what I’m talking about and can relate, the next day when we realize that with running there is always another day that begs to question, “You going running?” Running is an ongoing cycle, the PR you just hit, the workout you just rocked…well guess what, you’re going to be facing the same thing again soon and you’re going to want to one-up the previous. So yes, be proud, feel entitled to walk a bit taller for that day, ALWAYS celebrate your PR’s and awesome efforts because failing to do so will leave you feeling like you jyped yourself later. BUT, remember that there is always another day, another goal to be chased…even if that isn’t another PR, truth be told there will be a day when you inevitably won’t be shooting for your best overall PR and will have to shift perspective.

But you know what never has to end? Those souped up, pimped-out endorphins 2.0 that can leave you feeling like you’re shooting on a rocket for the rest of the day. People sometimes don’t understand why a runner who doesn’t really even race would bother doing a hard workout or test themselves. Yea, those hard workouts are hardly always fun…so the obvious question is, “Why put yourself through that?” To be honest that question is probably something going through that non-racing runner’s mind plenty of times themselves. The answer is…the quest for those endorphins 2.0.

So light those sparklers, runnerchicks and runnerdudes, those racing towards PR’s or even if you’re not. Have fun oohing and aahing over the fireworks but remember that some even better trips to the stars are waiting for you, riding those pimped-out endorphins 2.0…get chasing them.

1) Do you relate to feeling especially enorphinized high after awesome workouts you nailed, races you hit your goals or surpassed them or hard-fought PR’s?

2) Do you also feel like a bit of a shinier version of yourself on those days you have those runs? I swear it’s not egotism running rampant on all us runner feeling like we’re better than anyone else. 😉

3) Where are you with your running, are you currently racing, shooting for a PR, just running for the joy of it, running and maybe not racing but still get that curiosity bug to test yourself with some hard workouts and see what you can do?

When Brevity is in Charge: A Running Spinal Tap, Dessert Intervals, and Picking Your Pockets

Posted on July 2, 2012 by Cait — 8 Comments ↓

I’m not one usually short on words; if you think I’m addicted to miles then the rate of which I pound through the English language is probably right on track with what I’ve said of myself many time, “I talk like a chipmunk on crack.” Now, vocal octaves aside brevity is not exactly my strong point.

Okay, not a chipmunk but another furry woodland creature…maybe he ate the chipmunk who wasn’t a runner too??

I trace it back to how my brain operates; way too fast and with a flurry of a billion different things flying around at once. I try to catch them all, and am afraid I usually lose track of most of them. So I feel a bit of pressure to get all these thoughts into words and out of me as fast as possible.

Though, over-explaining things has many a pit falls…mainly you lose your audience. Before I go and prove that point right now, I’m going to say that sometimes all you need is LESS. Being concise can sometimes prove your point the best and actually STICK with you the longest.

“It was kind of like that movie Spinal Tap. I cranked it to 11,” was quoted from Andrew Wheating today in reference to the last 100 meters of his 1500 meter race. He just made his second Olympic Team; and the quote is courtesy of Mario Fraioli, senior producer at Competitor.com and he fired that one out of Twitter on location in Eugene.

I love that quote, hilarity and relatability all rolled into one; Wheating is good with those. While the vast majority of us will never be digging for that extra gear in quest of an Olympic berth, I’m pretty dang sure we all can look fondly of times when the lactic acid, booty-lock onslaught is of epic proportions and we are grappling for one more gear. What is rarer, but the times you will never forget, is when we can surprise ourselves and our bodies seem to offer up that gear…we make it to the line and are still a bit in shock that we did, in fact, pull it off. Makes you sort of in awe of what the body can do when forced; well with proper training and a whole load of working your butt of of course too! You see, all of that, and much more, comes out of me when Mr. Wheating was able to say it all in far fewer words. Brevity.

Hey, pancakes with chocolate chips could totally be dessert!! Or breakfast…or dinner too for that matter. 🙂

“Ahhh, it’s like dessert!” this is something Julius Achon would often say when our coach would have us do ‘surprise intervals.’ You think you’re done with the workout but, no, it’s dessert time and you have one more. I actually love the surprise interval (yea, glutton for punishment maybe) because it tests your mind more than your body. Julius is chock-full of quips, he should write a book in fact, but forever and always anytime an extra interval is offered up I could smile, for a second at least, and think of dessert…then of course it was a grimace of pain. 😉 [I linked Julius to his Love Mercy Foundation, his charity benefitting orphans in Uganda…please check it out!]

“Picture a string attached to your head and it’s pulling you up,” in reference to form from one genius of a coach. I, along with many, suffer from Hunchback syndrome when I get tired in workouts and races. Form can be tricky to work on, but it’s important too…but this string metaphor really did help me. Maybe it was the visual thing, I pictured myself a sort of puppet, “dance, puppet, dance,”…sorry, I’m a dork, bear with me here…strange maybe but it helped me. Try it out.

“Pick your pockets,” again, this is in reference to form. This one aimed at how your arms should be swinging; you want your hands to swing back to about where they’d just be grazing your bum, hence the pocket-picking. Arms swinging way-ward or across your chest is a huge amount of wasted energy; you want them only moving straight forward and back.

Sure, there are times when an onslaught of chipmunk on crack wordage may be needed, though I’ve found when actually running it can be a lot easier to go short and to the point. Easier to remember, and because sometimes it seems that due to all the oxygen being sent to the muscles, the brain gets a bit of the shaft and you can be ditzy due to running. True syndrome…look it up.

1) What’s a short, or to the point, line, mantra, quote or phrase that relates to running that has helped you?

2) Do you use mantras at all, if so which ones work for you?

3) Trials Talk…bring it up people!
I admit, I get myself into trouble because I’m ‘rooting’ for more people than can actually make it into the top three for a race. So it’s like the mixed bag; on one hand your excited for those who made it and feel bad for those who didn’t…but isn’t that always the case with everything?? Have to say though I’m glad there will be a run-off to decide the whole 100 meter tie thing…I mean a coin-toss would have been pretty weak…just my opinion though!

Running to Race, Racing to Win: Three Important Things to Keep in Mind

Posted on June 29, 2012 by Cait — 8 Comments ↓

Can we just say the Olympic Track Trials action came back with a BANG and it only further backs my theory that the rest days are just as much for the fans who get insanely excited and need a break from the action to rest their adrenal glands and cheering voices.

So much to say, and I think the best thing to do is cut to the chase and throw out a few lessons to be learned from today…

* Never forget the importance of a kick. There are two kinds of runners: the ones passing people at the end of a race and the ones getting passed. Sad but true fact, we can’t all win…and while the tricky thing with a kick, and speed, is that to a degree you are genetically predisposed to be a kicker or not. BUT, it doesn’t mean that even us without all those fast-twitch muscle fibers can’t IMPROVE our kicking abilities. It just means that if you’ve got a weakness you need to work on it rather than avoid it and use the excuse, “Well, I just don’t have a kick, oh well.” Work on your base speed (200’s and 400’s) and also work on it when you’re already with tired legs, simulating how you’ll be feeling after the majority of a race already run. To do that, do a workout that is more endurance based (a tempo run or longer repeats) then double back, finishing with some fast 200’s or 150’s.

* Run through the line. Without even bringing up the whole 100 meter tie-snaffu, if you caught the end of the women’s 5k you’ll see my point. How would you feel getting out-leaned for a shot to London…probably not so hot. The thing is it’s one thing to miss out because you got out-kicked and at least were a few seconds behind…but getting out-leaned stings more. Now I’m sure if you sense a runner coming you’ll be high-tailing it and, yes, tired, but never forget that even if you don’t hear someone coming, better safe than sorry. Pretend your shadow is chasing you if you have to and fire all those pistons until you are ACROSS the line.

* Remember the highs and lows. Running has so many ups and downs, and I’ll venture to guess every single athlete at the Trials has hit a point, probably loads more, of times when people around them were scratching their heads and thinking, “Uhh, so you’re going to give up this running thing now, right?” Be it surgeries, horrible strings of races, entire years of set-backs…if you now gathered up the people GOING to London you’d see they all have those lows. They didn’t quit. Now, I’ll argue on the other side and say that yes, there are plenty of runners NOT going to London with those very same lows (those not even at the Trials)…so you want to argue with me. I’ll tell you what all of the people DO have in common, they run because in the end they love running. Their goals and dreams up the ante, yes, and it’s crushing to fall short. BUT, the reason you try is because YOU want to see if you are capable, and to do that you can only know if you try. And if you run because you love it yourself, even if you fall short of your goals you can still ‘fall back’ on that passion…once the sting wears off you’ll still have running for YOU.

The Olympic Trials are awesome peeps…just be careful you don’t cheer yourself to a coronary. 😉

1) What’s a lesson you can take away from the Trials action so far and apply it to your own running?

2) What has been one of your low points, how did you manage it, and how did you keep moving forward?

3) What’s been a high that makes all those lows worth it?

4) All other Trials related fodder…gimmie it!