‘Running’ Articles at , Page 37

London Done and Come Early: What us mortal runners can take away from the elites

Posted on April 23, 2012 by Cait — 8 Comments ↓

Yes we’re all excited for the London Olympics this summer but there’s plenty of action over there prior to that with today’s London Marathon. I know I can’t be the only person who feels like a total slacker, slow-poke reading and watching all these amazing races; odd how it’s a mixture of that and then of course jaw-dropping inspiration, right? 😉

In case you missed it there’s plenty of motivation to vicariously soak up (try not to feel too much like a slacker, slow poke…instead, channel these amazing athletes as examples to reach higher in your own goals.) on both the men’s and women’s side.

2:18:37. That’s what Mary Keitany blazed through the streets of London today in her quest to victory. That’s the third fastest women’s marathon ever recorded, and disregarding the whole hoopla on re-establishing World Records for women it does sit behind the fastest ever time of 2:15:25 that Paula Radcliffe ran at London in 2003. I had to throw that in there because Radcliffe’s run there is just beastly to just an insane level.

Keitany tackled the race in a phenomenal demonstration of the power of negative splits. While the pace ‘dawdled’ early, I’m speaking in relative terms for them because it was 5:30-ish, she then knocked down the pace and ended up throwing down 5:07, 5:02, and even a 4:59 split for mile 25. Let’s take this as a lesson for the mortal: negative split running works, don’t go out to fast due to over-excitment and end up crawling to the finish line.

However, there is something to be said for going out blazing saddles from the gun IF you know you are capable of hanging on to that heated pace as Wilson Kipsang and his 2:04:44 win is an example of just that. (Shout out to all Prefontaine fans here, we know our American harrier was known for running all out from the gun regardless too.) Kipsang literally creamed the field as second place was over 2 minutes behind.

Going out in 4:39 for the first mile, even a 4:30 14th mile, is a risky move even if you are in fantastic shape. The marathon is a tricky beast of a race, a lot can happen over those 26.2 miles and to an extent there are some variable you just have to leave up to chance and hope that things line up in your favor come that day. Even so, when pulled off, such feats are astounding and have to be admired.

Back to mere mortal running realm, there is always something we can take away from what these top runners achieve and accomplish.
* Have confidence. Both of these races are examples of running with confidence but in two different ways. On the women’s side it takes confidence to have patience. It’s been said that it is the runner without confidence who isn’t secure enough in their ability to stay controlled early in a race, as they doubt that they will be able to close strong. Mary Keitany had patience and the confidence in her fitness, and herself, that she could still beat out her competitors come the latter stages of the race. On the men’s side, Wilson Kipsang clearly had the confidence in himself to go out in those heated times. No doubt he’d been assured of this from previous workouts; he knew he could handle that on race day. Have confidence in yourself; it’s natural to be nervous on race day, but know you’ve put in the work and are ready.

* Run your own race. Don’t run someone else’s race or get too hung up on your competition and what they are doing. Races can always play out a myriad of ways so be prepared for that; go into each one with a few different race plans depending on how the actual race plays out and how you are feeling. Having a few different plans to choose from mapped out beforehand makes it infinitely easier to run YOUR race; making decisions on the fly in the thick of things can be stressful and lot harder in the moment.

* Reach and run. Everyone is motivated by different things; for some it’s the elite runners and for others it is their neighbor who never ran a step until they were 50 and now is avid about fitness. Whatever motivates you to keep at it is great; the London performances should still be able to inspire you to keep setting goals for yourself and are fine examples that CONSISTENCY and staying the course with training and the bumps along the way are worth it. Running will always come with up’s and down’s…be prepared to handle both; relish the up’s so you can recall them during the down’s. Set goals for yourself and reach for them; they don’t have to be PR’s or even times but perhaps just staying consistent. Whatever it is, your mind is often your biggest limiting factor and the thing holding you back.

That’s enough words out of me for a Sunday! I hope you are all having a wonderful weekend and getting your run or sweat on in any way…if you were throwing down some 4:59 miles too en route to a marathon then my hat is tipped to you. 🙂

1) Do you follow elite running? Do their races inspire and motivate you to achieve your own goals? If not, what does inspire you?

2) When you race, do you tend to go in with a few different race plans and goals?

3) What do you think an example of running with confidence is? How do you gain confidence in your running and yourself with running?

4) What is something you are reaching for? A goal with running or anything related to fitness?

Running, Racing, Tapering, Peaking and Avoiding the Burn-out Factor

Posted on April 22, 2012 by Cait — 8 Comments ↓

Bring on track season! All us track nerds and nerdettes are no doubt loving that those high energy, big draw events are kicking off, all culminating in the grand daddy of them all which we wait for every four years, the Summer Olympics. I’m partial here, but the Summer Games are so much better than the Winter ones, am I right? 😉

Still, even though Mt. Sac, Stanford, and Hayward Field are hosting some pretty big ticket track meets that always boast a quality field, awesome races, and packed stadiums, technically it is still really early in the season. We’ve yet to even hit May here and while it’s always nice to have a fast time under your belt the important thing is to be running your best at the END of the season for those championship races. (An exception can be if you need a qualifying time, which is always nice to get done earlier rather than later because it can be a huge stress reliever.)

If you missed the article I wrote featured in the May issue of Running Times, you can read it online now: “Blazing Start, Mid-Season Blahs.” No one wants to be the runner who lights up the track in the first meet of the season but never even makes it to the starting line of the championship races come June and July.

Timing your fitness, what many call peaking, is a tricky beast and there are a myriad of factors to be considered. Part of it is timing your training schedule, another is making sure you’re running your workouts at the appropriate level, adjusting volume levels, and what kind of workouts you’re doing are just naming a few.

You don't want to feel like you're dying AND still watching your times take a nose-dive.

Watching your workouts take a nose-dive as the season progresses, feeling overly fatigued and dreading each run because the miles take infinitely more effort and still are slower than you’d like is mentally crushing. This can happen even if you’re not racing in a structured season, the burn-out factor can happen to the best of us…the big question is whether you are able to turn it around and start feeling like there is some life in those legs!

The article covers some key elements to reversing the burn-out feeling, but I’ll just give you a few other thoughts here too:
* Know your body and the situation: Everyone handles training differently and a part of racing and running your best is being attuned to your body and how it adapts to different workouts, work loads, stressors, etc. There’s the ‘lag effect’ that often happens whenever you add something new to the training routine, change coaches/programs, increase volume, increase intensity, etc. The adjustment period can mean that you might actually have to take a few steps back before you adapt and then start to improve again. If you know this is going on, you can trace this to feeling burned out; the difference is here, it’s usually a case of needing to stay the course, stay patient, and wait until you crest the hill.

* Too much too fast and too soon: Getting overzealous and overly excited (it can happen!) for an upcoming season can lead people to spike their miles and hammer their workouts way too early in the season. Remember the 10% mileage increase rule (only go up that amount in mileage each week) as well as the fact that reining it in at times can be the harder, but smarter choice to ensure you last the full season.

* The glass analogy: Think of your entire season as a glass of water; the water is a combination of both physical and mental energy, both of which you need to perform at your best come the big time, late season races. You want to really only be sipping that water in the pre-season and early season races because the goal is to save the majority of that water for the championship races. For those races you’ll want enough water left over to not just take little sips, but some gulps so you can really take your game up to the next level. If the glass is already empty come that time you’re not going to be able to do that.

* Mental approach to racing and running: Over-racing can lead to mental energy being zapped too much too early; it takes a lot to talk yourself up and kick it up for a race compared to a workout. Take each race and think of how it plays into the big picture; if it’s a little meet you shouldn’t approach it the same as the national finals. Set a goal for each race depending on how it fits into your grand plan; if it’s not a major race, part of that goal is to take a more relaxed approach to it so you don’t drink too much of that water.

Time and pace your season right so you race your best when it counts the most.

That dead feeling in your legs is NO fun; honestly we’ve all starting digging ourselves into the hole of feeling burned out (physically and or mentally) at one point or another, but it IS possible to avoid digging all the way to the Earth’s core. Put down the shovel and looking up to the sun. 🙂
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In case you missed my BIG NEWS about the very first Arty Runnerchick running shirts…feel free to catch up on the announcement. 🙂
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1) Have you ever dug yourself into the hole I’m talking about? Were you able to turn it around? This applies to people who don’t necessarily race track, over-training can happen to everyone.

2) How do you distinguish the burned out feeling versus just being tired for a few runs, workouts, or days?

3) How do you save the water in your glass so that it lasts for the whole season and there is enough to drink more of it for the big, key races?

4) When’s your next race, did you race this weekend?

A Big Arty Runnerchick Announcement: The Start of the Get Chicking Movement

Posted on April 21, 2012 by Cait — 42 Comments ↓

So I’ve got some exciting news…at least it is for me.I’d like to reveal to you the very first Arty Runnerchick designed (aka Cait Chock) running shirt *imagined overly dramatic drapes being pulled*:

Support the Get Chicking Movement

This is a project I’ve been brainstorming and working on for quite some time, I’ve always dreamed of being able to sport my own little running shirt but wasn’t really sure how to go out about that or had the full security of believing anyone other than myself would, in fact, be interested in wearing a similar version. Cut to me with a box full of shirts in various sizes, I’d then be donning the same style shirt for years and then living out of the cardboard box. 😉 Anyways, if that’s the route that ends up happening so be it.

But this shirt comes with a mentality, it’s the Get Chicking attitude.Runnerchicks, we’ve all been in the position of having to deal with the man who can’t handle being chicked. It’s the faceless dude on the opposite side of the road when we’re on our easy days, he starts picking up the pace in an effort to not get passed, we end up getting sucked into this little rivalry and wind up defeating the purpose of our ‘easy runs’…though the satisfaction of dusting his @$$ is a reward that may be worth it.

All rights Cait Chock

It’s the dude in a race who doesn’t really think anything of it as he’s tiring and hears the smooth footsteps and controlled breath of a runner ready to pass him. He’s accepted his fate as the passee, that is until he realizes it’s a chick. He then swerves around like a mad man clinging to the hope that if he makes it nearly impossible for you to get around him he may avoid getting chicked.

It’s even sometimes a fellow teammate who just can’t handle getting chicked in a workout…these are the saddest cases because these guys just give the AWESOME runnerdude teammates who enjoy the company of the fast runnerchicks a bad name.

Not all runnerdudes are unable to be man enough to handle being chicked and I of course want to establish that…I personally have had the pleasure of usually being surrounded by guys who I know pushed me to run my best. They let me tag along as an equal and I’ve always been thankful of that.

The Get Chicked mentality isn’t about hating on runnerdudes at all (and I’ve got more plans in the works down the line for you runnerdudes, just be patient as I’m still working out the fundage…lol.) it is instead about empowering us runnerchicks. We are fast, we are out there, and we will chick you. 🙂

All rights Cait Chock

That said, I owe more than a bit of creative inspiration to one Britt over at Chicago Runner because I really must have been living in a box for all of these years and hadn’t heard the actual term ‘chicked’ or ‘chicking’ until I read one of her posts! I know, I’m a dork…but I fell in love with the term and knew I had to use it. So THANK YOU, Britt.

And thus the Get Chicking revolution shall begin. 😉 If you would in fact like to don one of these running tees here are the logistics:

* I’m now in the pre-ordering phase so you can be one of the first lucky few to have a shirt that’s in your correct size secured.
Here's the basic, black core shirt.
* The shirt itself is an Asics Core Short Sleeve Running tee in black. It’s light and breathable, trust me I’m the sweatiest runnerchick around and would not stand for anything else.

* Sizes will run from XS to XL.

* The shirt is $25 plus shipping costs.

To get one send me an email: captaincait@hotmail.com with your desired size and address.

Keep on Chicking friends! 😉

1) Do you have a fun chicking story?

2) Favorite shirt to run in?

3) Do you tend to train/run alone, with a partner, or a group? Are they of the same gender, opposite, or a mix?

4) For guys: are you man enough to accept being chicked and enjoy the company of running with females?

To Tote or Not to Tote: Running with a water bottle…Clean Bottle Review and Giveaway

Posted on April 19, 2012 by Cait — 16 Comments ↓

Seems like the hot topic of as late is hydration. You can revisit my post earlier in the week about hydration tips for runners and wouldn’t you know that when I popped on over to the Running Times website there was an article just posted about the very same thing. Great minds think alike, maybe? I’ll kid myself into believing that even if it’s not true…hehe.

That's Running Times and me running with the same great idea...it's a stretch but roll with that. 🙂

Their article got really scientific about the whole ‘weigh yourself pre and post-run’ and then take the percentage of sweat lost from your entire body weight and apply that to the amount lost…etc. I sometimes feel that getting too wrapped up in these calculations and conversions may be a little much; certainly more knowledge can be better but at what point is it just over complicating things? In the end the article sums up that even outside of the fanciest tests, scientific equations, lab results and simulations everyone is different and should get to know their body and how they react to certain stressors. Isn’t that pretty much across the board in anything, hydration and training alike?

Athletes, the longer they are at it, become incredibly attuned to subtle nuances that the ‘average person’ probably wouldn’t think twice of. The thing is, when you’re constantly asking your body to perform at it’s best, you can sense those small degrees of deviations from the norm. Feeling 10% off of your best may not mean much if the most physical thing you do all day is stroll around the block, but in the quest for a PR 10% in a HUGE difference. Just some food and drink for thought.

Back to running and hydration, I’m not someone who carries a water bottle with me. I never have and unless I embark on marathon distance-plus training I don’t really plan on doing so. I’m a less is more type of runner and get annoyed if my watch is too big and bulky. Everyone is different and I know my body, I can make it through my runs without needing water or gels…that’s just me.

Taking hydration to an extreme.

But there are lots of runners who DO prefer to carry water and gels; there are the fanny-packs, the belts, and other similar contraptions. With today’s tech age I’m seeing runners taking their phones along like they are just as vital as the actual running shoes. Again, I’m a less is more person, but whatever floats your boat. It does make for some more interesting blog trolling as I can see the pictures other people post of them getting all sweaty with it. 🙂

I was contacted by a new company, Clean Bottle, who have come out with ‘The Runner’ and wanted me to share my thoughts on it. Even though I’m not a bottle-toter myself I’ll give my opinion on it to help runners who do carry hydration and other items on their runners.

The Runner Run-Down: Clean Bottle’s ‘The Runner’ is pretty neat in that it’s been able to combine a couple of different things in a smaller package. It’s a handheld water bottle with a mesh strap to hold onto; attached is a clear, pouch where you can slip in your phone or iPod in through a side zipper. There’s also a little cinch strap on the side that can hold some gels or other fuel. So it’s able hold quite a number of items that a fanny-pack would but it’s a lot less bulky.

Source
The Pro’s: Like I said it can hold a lot of things and it secures them safely. There are loops where you could fasten your keys into as well, even a pocket behind the phone/iPod holder to stuff some money or identification. The strap to hold onto while running is tight enough that it’s not slipping around, and as for a water bottle that’s pretty much self-explanatory. It gets the job done. I don’t usually run with a bottle but I do carry one around other places and I’d take this guy along with me just in everyday life.

The Con’s: Personally I just hate holding onto things when I’m running and a filled water bottle could be a pound or two, but I know you drink it down and it gets lighter. It’s also a little tough to manage your watch or Garmin if you’re taking splits or something; hitting a button while still clutching a tote can be a little tricky. Other than that though, I can’t really say anything bad about it. If I did take hydration on my runs I’d think this would be preferable to a fanny-pack just because I really can’t stand those.

The Company: Clean Bottle actually really impressed me on the whole and not just because of their products; I like the start-up stories and this is one of them. As to their Clean moniker there is a strong tie to being eco-friendly, for which all of their items are, and 10% of their sales go to an environmental related charity you can choose from. They are currently on the Kickstarter website and if you’d like to help support their burgeoning business check it out and support.

Clean Bottle also gave me one of ‘The Runner’ bottles to give away to a reader, so if you’d like to score one leave a separate comment for each of the following:

1) Follow Clean Bottle on Facebook or Twitter.
2) Follow me on Facebook or Twitter.
3) Tweet, blog about, or Facebook about the giveaway
4) Visit Clean Bottle’s Kickstarter fund and if you sponsor them leave two comments and get a double entry there.
5) Tell me, do you carry water, gels, your phone, etc on your runs?

Deadline will be next Tuesday! 🙂

Until later, keep on sweating and swigging…water, that is. 😉

The Running Tax: What would Uncle SaMiles as you as payment of your annual running?

Posted on April 19, 2012 by Cait — 6 Comments ↓

So for all of us in the US of A, April brings taxes and it got me wondering what if there were a similar sort of taxing system that was applied to our running and working out. Would you have to rack up a yearly total of our miles? A tally of the minutes, hours, eternities spent sweating…then pay back some kind of dividend?

I'm sooo happy to pay taxes!! Umm...not. (Art: Cait Chock)

* Total yearly miles: Calculate just how many of those 1,609 meter’ers you busted out and you will be asked to pay back 15% on top of a set base rate of 100 miles.

* Races: Races act as deductions; the total number of races you ran for the year when multiplied by 10 will be the percentage deducted. For every new PR you set that will act as a 20% deduction off of total owed.

* Are you married: For people who are married (this runnerchick will INCLUDE everyone here, same sex couples are counted.) you will be even a credit if some of those miles were in fact run together. The total number of shared miles will be deducted from what you owe.

* Any kids: If you’ve got kids and they are active in a sport, for every sport your child or children are in will also be accredited as a deduction in the value of a percent. Example- a child who participates in three sports will be a 3% deduction.

* Community service and donations: Got dead running shoes? If you’ve donated them to a worthy charity or cause, done a re-use a shoe recycling program, or even bought shoes for a running program you will be offered a deduction.

* Cross-training and other workouts: We all get injured and for those times cross-training is in order you will instead calculate time spent sweating. We will then correlate 10 minute increments to be tallied as a mile. For core, yoga, pilates, gym, weights, plyometrics, etc. you will count one mile as 20 minutes.

Time to pay up. Once your head is about as dizzy as your legs would be after 100 miles run around a track you will be expected to pay back your total due. This total is owed to help support the running community and can be given back in a number of ways.
* Seek out the people who yell at runners from their cars and force them to swallow 200 Gu’s in a single sitting. Each person is counted as 15 payments.

* Giving one stick of Body Glide to a chaffing runner will count as 1 payment.

* Find anyone running in a pair of Converse shoes, jeans, or similarly ridiculous attire and point them in the direction of their nearest running shoe store…this is akin to acting as an EMT worker getting a patient to the hospital. Each person is 10 repayments.

* Praises to a struggling runner during a run or race is counted as 1 payment of service. We all have crappy runs and the motivational support of even a stranger at times can keep us going until the next step…the next mile…the finish.

We've all been there...

* Payments can be bought; every Dollar spent towards foodage on post-run, post-race, post-sweaty refuel of another runner counts as one repayment. That amount is doubled for any money spent on fuel or drinks reserved for aid stations at races.

Audits, cheats, and mile law dodgers: If your annual miles logged seems supsect or you have been lying about your PR’s you will be subject to an audit. Nobody likes a person who isn’t honest on their weekly miles or the person who tries to continually one-up anyone else…it isn’t always a competition in volume, PR’s can speak for themselves, and in the end you’re only running for yourself so who are you trying to impress? For people found guilty of lying, padding their totals, or any other kind of shifty behavior you will be publicly humiliated. We all work hard for those sweat filled minutes, the miles of exertion, of bliss, of agony, of dedication, of perseverance, and of gratification and cheaters just cheapen it for all of us.

Punishment is to wear a sign that you are in fact a mile lier and you will be expected to pay back the full amount due to the running community times two.

1) What would you like to add to our Running Tax System?

2) Do you keep track of your total miles, cross-training minutes, core, weights, etc.? Do you have a training log?

3) How would you give back to the running community?

4) What do you think should be done to people who lie about their workouts, times, or turn weekly totals into an overly competitive sport and just try to outdo you for the sake of outdoing you?

Back to Running After a Long Hiatus and Tackling GI Distress For Runners

Posted on April 17, 2012 by Cait — 21 Comments ↓

Here’s what you relearn every time you get back to running after a long hiatus:

When you hit that slap of back to running reality it's a combo of pain and ecstasy to be back. 🙂

* Cross-training is just that. Nothing is the same as running, mentally and physically, and while you’re a world better off doing that tedious cross-training, it’s still a cold slap of reality when you get back to the real deal. Hello, muscles, almost forgot about you until you were sore again.

* Thank you muscle memory. That slap of reality stinks but it’s kind of crazy how the hazing period isn’t that long…thankfully the longer you’ve been a runner the more your muscles remember how to slip back into runner mode. Push past those initial harder than they really should be runs and you start getting back to your self.

* Nothing clears you out like running. Forget Activia or colonics, sorry if I err on the side of TMI, but it’s true, running keeps you regular.

This segues into my topic for today…the guts, the intestines, and GI issues on the run. I know some of us runners are ‘blessed’ with more than our fair share of these troubles and I’m one of them. Sometimes it’s totally unpredictable and you just do a slight prayer to the running Gods before each hard workout, race, or long run that you won’t have a GI disaster.

The tricky thing with these types of things is that they are different for everyone and really tough to nail down a remedy for. Experts suggest:

* Eating bland foods that sit easy in the stomach. You could call these ‘low residue’ foods, they don’t have much bulk (read as fiber). Examples would be plain, white rice; Dathan Ritzenhein goes to this before his big races because he knows that is what works for him. Other athletes find that drinking their last meal of caloric intake keeps them safe; just make sure it’s a drink that is more than just electrolytes and actually has carbohydrates and sustenance.

* Don’t over-eat. I have a very temperamental stomach and to be quite frank like to run first thing in the morning before breakfast. If I were training and had a hard workout I’d get up earlier and have some oatmeal, but it would have to be a few hours before. Planning your meals helps, and you can revisit my article about ‘Timing Your Fuel’ in Running Times.

Real book, I made it, you want one? 🙂

* Eating on the run. If you’re training for a marathon or doing a really long workout things get even more complicated. During exercise the blood is being sent to your muscles doing the work and all the energy being spent is geared towards getting you to perform; this means that there isn’t the extra blood supply to then go to your stomach and start doing a ton of digesting. For this reason that’s why sometimes people can get into trouble eating just too much during their event; estimates are that you should consume roughly 200 calories per hour of exercise if you’re running more than one hour but everyone is different. Again, liquids are your friend.

* The night before. I know going into a morning run the possibilities that there will be a pit-stop in order are much higher if I’ve eaten a certain kind of food the night before and had a bit more than my fair share. I’ll call it the “Well, I know I’ll pay for it later but it’s worth it right now” effect. Today’s run was brought to the OD of Entenmann’s cheese filled coffee cake last night…but it was worth it. 😉

* Other remedies. I’ve talked to people who swear by this or that supplement, I’ve known people who have had their GI problems solved by acupuncture, there were periods where I’d have to pop an Imodium before every hard workout or long run and it seemed to help. If you’ve suffered with this issue enough you’re willing to try or do anything.

Even with all of this there is never a sure bet. Every GI sufferer sympathized with poor Paula Radcliffe during her marathon pit-stop and it proves that 1) don’t be ashamed to talk about these things because nearly every runner has experienced it 2) don’t make fun of people pulling the bush dive, Karma is a bi*** 3) we’ve been there and if nothing else, try to laugh at yourself, it’s the only way to keep on going.

Still, even after all of these slaps of back to running reality (seriously, the last pain free running this runnerchick got in was somewhere around Halloween!) it is SO worth it, gurgly guts, sore muscles, and all! 🙂

1) What’s the longest you’ve gone without running? Did you cross-traing during that time?

2) What’s one ‘slap of back to running reality’ you have?

3) Do you have stomach or GI issues? What have you tried and what works for you?

4) Is there a certain ‘trigger food’ that you know will set off your stomach? Are there times when you throw caution to the wind and dig in anyways??
Pretty sure we all do it, I’ve got a friend who is nearly Lactose intolerant but orders up the biggest sized Blizzards if she’s sure an easy day is on tap for the next day.

Runners are Hot: Staying hydrated and running when the temperatures rise

Posted on April 16, 2012 by Cait — 17 Comments ↓

You’re starting to sweat and you haven’t even started running yet.It’s hot. Summer is fast approaching and good old, Mr. Sun is making his appearance. It doesn’t feel like long ago you were suited up in full running tights, long-sleeves, and gloves and now you’re donning a sports bra, shorts, and still feel over-dressed.

The heat will zap your energy...

Heat is a touch competitor, and if you’ve been following any of the Boston Marathon buzz it was getting rather toasty over there for those runners. When there had been talk of World Records being set weeks ago that tune started changing when weather conditions started to become a factor. A little ironic being that this was the 30 year anniversary of the epic race between running greats Alberto Salazar and Dick Beardsley, rightly coined the ‘Duel in the Sun’, where a combination of heat and an all out racing effort changed both runners forever.

The thing about racing in tough conditions is that EVERYONE is effected, so while you’re suffering so is everyone else. However, getting acclimated to such stressors will greatly improve your ability to perform in them. As excruciating as it may be to even think about, that’s why before the Beijing Olympics some top athletes went running at the hottest time of the day and donned full sweats or sauna suits. They also would weigh themselves before and after to see how much fluid they lost due to sweat and made sure to replace that; it’s 16 ounces (2 cups) of water and electrolyte containing drinks you need to drink for every pound of body weight lost.

Dehydration is dangerous and crippling performance wise, but it works against you not just on THAT day but it’s also a cumulative thing. You need to be consistently hydrating yourself every day; if you never drink enough and then pound a ton of water the day of your race it really isn’t going to be doing you any favors. (A side note, you could actually end up over-hydrating which can be just as dangerous if your electrolyte balances become too low.)

We’ve all heard that fun little pee-test scenario, you want your urine to be as clear as possible not bright yellow.

On those days you wish you were at the beach so you could jump in the water...

For every day training, when summer comes along I’ll admit to not being all too stoked to head out in 110 degree weather for my run. I get all salt crusty and come back looking like I’ve been out swimming, true story I’ve been asked that before. 😛

Best things I try to do during those hot summer days:

* Less is more. I long ago got over being afraid to don just a sports bra and shorts, it’s not worth suffering. I even envy the guys who can go on full-shirtless style…lol.

* Go early or go late. Don’t run during the hottest time of the day if you can avoid it. Unless you’re racing at that time and trying to get acclimated, be safe and do yourself a favor and catch the cooler temps if you can.

* Drink like a fish. Not of the alcoholic variety, duh, but make sure especially during these times you’re extra conscious of your fluid intake. That’s both water and electrolyte containing drinks. If you have to, weight yourself before and after a run to see how much you’re sweating out just in that run.

* Toting hydration.I don’t normally run with a water bottle but if you’re going out in extreme conditions or for long workouts think about that option. If you’re at the track grab some sips between intervals or if you’re on a run you can make planned stops where you know drinking fountains are.

Be prepared if you know race day is going to be toasty.

For races you know you’re going to be in hot conditions:

* Seek shade.Heat isn’t just energy zapping while you’re running but also if you’re just standing or sitting in the sun for hours on end. Try to stay in the shade, or inside, as long as you can prior to your race.

* Know your body and your distance. Everyone is able to handle heat less or better than the next person, know if heat is your krytonite and be smart. The longer you distance is the more you may want to hit up those drink stations. You may also need to reassess your racing plan or goal time.

* Double don’t go out to fast. Heat slows times and it will also exponentially kick you in the butt if you go out faster than you should in a race or any run for that matter. Go out conservative if you know it’s a scorcher.

* Training simulation. Getting back to becoming accustomed to racing conditions, you may be well off to take measures prior to your big race to get acclimated to those conditions. You don’t necessarily have to strap on a sauna suit, but do some of your runs and workouts at the same time as your race will be and at the same temps you’ll be racing at.

* Still warm-up. Don’t skip a warm-up just because it’s hot and you think you’re warm enough already…that’s not smart. Do your same routine, go a little slower if you have to, but still get your body primed and ready to run fast for your event.

We can’t control the conditions outside but we should take measures to best prepare ourselves to sweating it out in them. On that one, let’s raise a water-bottle in a toast to getting toasty. 🙂

1) Do you like running or working out in the heat or cold more?
I’m a weenie, I like running in ideal weather all the time. 😉

2) What do you run in on really hot days?

3) If you know it’s going to be really hot for you run or your race what do you do to prep for it?

4) Do you pee clear? 😉 Actually, are you really good about being hydrated?
I do and I am.

5) If you hit up the gym do you like to have a fan blasting on you?
A necessity, I wish I could hire one of those big ones they use for photo shoots sometimes. 🙂

The Boston Marathon, Treadmill Marathons, and Gasp I Ran…

Posted on April 14, 2012 by Cait — 6 Comments ↓

Is there some kind of race going on in Boston this weekend? Just kidding, as this ~~Sunday~~ Monday (wow, sorry for the total brainfart there!) will be of course the Boston Marathon. This race is rich in history and has a running legacy all it’s own.

In the minds of many marathon runners it’s an epitome of sorts as they chase the entry times just to get to the line. From the mid-packers excited just to BE there to the elites, Boston also often promises fast times, which became quite the controversy last year with the fastest ever marathon times run but then not being counted as ‘official’ World Records. Not that there hasn’t been controversy with Boston times in the past; because Boston’s course, while noted for some epic uphills, overall has an elevation drop. You can get some awesome Boston Coverage HERE and HERE.
Michael Wardian en route to attempting treadmill marathon World Record
Source
But today in Boston Michael Wardian is attempting the World Record for the treadmill marathon, that record time is set at 2:21:40. As of now the results are staying tight lipped, but I’m going to venture to guess he beat it…the man’s a beast in all the best ways.

Now, I don’t know if you’ve noticed but for the last, oh, four or five months there hasn’t been much personal running talk from this Arty Runnerchick. Actually you could have started to dub the site The Cranky, Injured, Runner-Envious Arty Runnerchick if you really started reading between the lines…haha. I jest, and I’ve done all I could to stay positive but it’s been a loooooong time since I was able to get in a run. The memory of pain-free running was a distant, far off memory circa 2011; though I’ve been through this song and dance in the past with injuries and the ONLY way to get through them is to take it a day at a time, stay the course, laugh when it really stinks, and get on the blasted cross-training machine.

Miracle beyond all miracles I was able to give a little love to my treadmill this morning, albeit for a short run and I’m hardly out of the woods yet with this left foot debacle, but I have to say I feel like a better person. I’ve still got to stay a close to the ~~ball and chain~~ elliptical too, but there is NOTHING like running.

So let’s end this with a smile…

Call Hallmark, it's getting cheesy in here...

And a few vows that should apply to us all:

* I will not take any mile for granted, I will be thankful for each sweaty, hard fought one and know that I’m lucky to be able to run them.

* I will be SMART. I won’t make all the mistakes of newbie, excited, eager, and mile greedy runners and rush things. I will also be proactive to prevent injuries any way I can and I’ll listen to my body.

* I’ll remember that injuries will always be a part of running and remember that when the next one hits I’ll get through it just like I have before.

* I’ll pay it forward to other runners in the wee ways I can. I’ll sympathize with the injured, remind them to stay the course, and celebrate their victories in steps back to full running health.

Happy Saturday and hope you made it a little (or a lot) sweaty! 🙂

1) Are you racing this weekend?

2) Do you have aspirations to run Boston or any other particular race that stands out in your mind as the epitome of it all?

3) Would you, could you, run a treadmill marathon? Are you a treadmill running fan?

4) What’s one vow you have to make in regarding staying healthy, running, or fitness in general that applies to you?

5) How did you get your sweat on today?

How Did I Get Roped Into This Whole Running Thing? – Why We Run and a Sweaty Announcement

Posted on April 13, 2012 by Cait — 12 Comments ↓

Why do you do it? I’m sitting here just finishing off a piece on my ‘Aha Fitness Moment’ and trying to pinpoint the moment I fell in love with running. I’ll share a bit more on why I’m writing this in a minute, but bear with me for a second.

I was really stuck on the ‘Aha Moment’ thing because I don’t really think of it like a single, angels singing in the background, moment of clarity that struck me like one of Zeus’s lightening bolts. (How many cliches could I work in there? Hehe) I’d say for me it was more of a transition…

…I HATE you running, what perverse PE teachers makes us just run around for no reason?

…So now I’m roped onto this running team because I have no coordination and got cut from all the sports teams my friends are on. Okay, well fine.

…If I’m going to be here then I’m going to at least try and be the best, that girl is faster than me, okay, well let’s just chase her and see how it goes.

…Obviously I didn’t train enough because I’m hunkered over this bush after crossing the finish line, so now maybe I’ll just actually run a little more and see if I can get in better shape. (small victory, I actually never tossed my cookies, only thought I was going too…hehe.)

…This running this is awesomely. I’m addicted.

End of story.

Today I call myself an obsessive compulsive runner…in many ways I’m not sane but I know running at least holds those threads together. 😉

You’ll eventually get to read the piece I put together because I was able to scrounge up a moment of clarity. You’ll be able to read it, I’ll let you know when, because of my new role as one of the Sweat Pink Ambassadors. I’m very excited to join an amazing group of women who share a passion for all sports, yes, even those that aren’t running related. 😉

As an ambassador I’ll continue to share what tips, advice, and sweat related tidbits I’ve got as well as do all I can to encourage all of my readers to follow and achieve their own fitness related endeavors. To set your own goals and get after them. I think a great thing about running, writing, art, blogging and all that we do it offers up a chance to interact with a new community; I feel fortunate to be invited to yet another community, and one that Sweats Pink. The Sweat Pink motto is one I can fully get behind, because as you know I’m a self-described sweaty, obsessive, compulsive runner. 🙂

1) Do you have an ‘Aha Fitness Moment’ yourself?

2) If not a moment, then what was your transition into finding your own fitness passion like?

3) If you are a runner, how did you get into the sport? Was it like me and because you literally stunk it up at everything else??

4) Are you going to sweat a bit of pink yourself?? Actually, you can head on over to FitApproach and check out a new place I’ll be contributing to. You can also follow them on Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest as well…ummm, because I know all of you already follow me on those…haha, jk. 🙂 Also, if you’re interested in rocking out some pink shoelaces let me know and I’ll see if I can make that happen.

5) What is going on for you this weekend and how are you getting your sweat on?

Do This, Not That the Running Edition Part I: Simple Tips But They Make a Big Difference

Posted on April 12, 2012 by Cait — 8 Comments ↓

Some guy is off making millions off of his ‘Do This/Not That’ style books, well I think I’ll take the premise and apply it to running and training.

* Instead of…crying every time you have to shell out the big bucks for a new pair of running shoes, DO THIS: buy your shoes two at a time then alternate between the two. Why? Doing this will prolong the life of both of the shoes and in the end save you the green stuff. Don’t know the ‘life span’ of your shoe, revisit my post on that HERE. Bonus, if your favorite pair of shoes happen to be on sale, stock up and buy even more than two.

* Instead of…wasting your time stretching before your run or workout, DO THIS: use the first couple of minutes, or mile, of your run as a warm-up and ease into the pace. Stretching cold muscles can actually cause you to rip or tear them and lead to an injury, some reports even claim that pre-warm-up stretching could limit your muscle strength and workout potential. Only stretch your muscles AFTER they have been working and have had a chance to warm-up. Often we’re pressed for time anyways, use what precious ‘extra’ time you have to stretch or do core after you get your run or cardio in.

* Instead of…watching the minutes slowly click by on the treadmill while you plod along at the same pace, DO THIS: vary your workout or run every couple of minutes, mile, or half mile. Do an interval workout or make it a hill repeat sessionfor your hard days and the time flies by. But even on the easy days, play with the pace and incline every so often, it doesn’t have to be by a huge degree but you don’t need to stay stuck in the same pace rut the whole run. This not only makes for a better workout but it helps beat treadmill dreadmill mental burn-out too.

Don't peek at every second or it will drag on foreverrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...

* Instead of…sabotaging your race or workout from the start with the kiss of death by going out too fast, DO THIS: aim for even splits or even better, negative splits. It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement, or be tempted to try and ‘give yourself a cushion’ by being under pace early, but it will bite you in the butt. The body, physiologically, runs more efficiently if you go the negative split route. Plus, you want to be the person out-kicking people at the end, not the one getting passed as you stagger to the line.

* Instead of…ruining your love of the sport with self-imposed pressure or a bum attitude, DO THIS: remember why you run. If you don’t like it then move on and find something you like better instead. It’s easy to get so focused on your goals that you suck the passion and joy out of it by just being too stressed and taking it too seriously. If you have to, chuck the watch and don’t worry about splits sometimes, don’t worry about the pace of your easy runs and just run to recover and for pleasure, and MOST importantly upon accomplishing a goal SAVOR it. Relish those moments of achievement before looking on to the next goal. Keep running forward, but always take a moment to reflect on each benchmark goal you hit along the way.

* Instead of…repeating the same mistakes over and over again, DO THIS: learn from them! So easy in theory, but sometimes it’s tempting to fall back into a bad habit. Every bad race or workout, try to learn from it and that makes it a success in the learning department. Every injury try to learn from it and be smarter going forward. To read how my awesome, pro runner friend, Allie Kieffer, plans to learn from her mistakes check out her amazing blog! Do it! 😉 PS- there is even a little Arty Runnerchick Art on this ‘gamer’ post…hehe.

1) Do you have an Instead off../DO THIS: tip you’d like to share?

2) Have you made one of the mistakes above (we all probably have!), how did that go, and how have you tried to act smarter going forward?

3) Did you not know that you were making one of the above mistakes?

4) How do you have fun with your running?
I try to remember that I’m lucky to be running at all…if I start to lose sight of that something usually gives me a little reminder. (ie: injury, I realize I’m taking it for granted and tell myself to give my attitude a check…hehe)