Running Protects Your Heart

Runners have a much lower chance of developing heart disease or suffering a heart attack or stroke. This is because running is a cardiovascular exercise that efficiently pumps the blood through the body and gives strength to the heart. It also burns a lot of calories and enhances the metabolism, which allows more consumed calories to be burned for energy. This contributes to the next reason to start running on this list, but it also protects the heart.

Running Is Excellent for Weight Management

If you need to lose weight, running is definitely going to be a challenge. It is also going to be the best thing you ever do for your weight loss efforts. You can start out with doing run/walk intervals and gradually increase the periods of time that you are able to run. Do not worry about speed. A light jog is more than enough when you are getting started. You will find that consistent runs increase your calorie burn on a daily basis and thus make it much easier to lose weight without depriving yourself with food.

Running Is a Challenge worth Taking

Who says challenges have to be a bad thing? Many people find that the most motivating reason to start running is the fact that it is a challenge. If there were no challenge they would get bored and quit too easily. When there is something to strive for and you really have to push yourself, it isn’t as easy to get bored. Are you mentally strong enough to rise up to the challenge? Just start running slowly and you may surprise yourself how strong you actually are!

Running Is Excellent for Your Social Life

You can join a local running club or connect with other runners online to compare times and training schedules. When you sign up for races, you can spend entire weekends in the company of other athletes who see the value in running.

Running Is an Excuse to Spend Time Alone

Maybe you don’t want to improve your social life through running. Maybe for you the best reason to start running is having an excuse to spend time alone. Perhaps you spent time all alone before having children and settling down with someone special, but now that alone time is only in your dreams. You can make your dreams come by telling your family you are going for a run a few day s a week.

Running Will Lift Your Mood

Running will lift your spirits and release the happy hormone that puts a smile on your face. It is an excellent way to burn off stress and tension in the body, and gives you time to think through problems and relief mental stress. Others will find you more pleasant to be around once you adjust to going on runs and start to enjoy it. You may even start to depend on that run to keep your spirits up.

Running for Charity Can Save Lives

One way to remain motivated in your running schedule is to sign up for a race. You can start with a one mile race and then progress to a 5K, 10K, and eventually a half marathon and marathon if you are really ambitious. When you sign up for these races, your entry fees will benefit a charity you believe in. In some cases, you may even be able to fundraise for additional funds to benefit that charity. You could literally help save lives just by getting healthy and feeling better through running.

Running Gives You a Goal

You have something to strive for when you start running. You will find yourself competing with yourself in terms of distance, speed and race finish times. You will set new goals and challenge yourself to meet them. This means you are more likely to stay motivated in the long term, since you always have a new goal to strive toward.

Running Makes Everyday Life Easier

Imagine being able to get down on the ground and stand back up without struggling. Imagine leaning over and standing up straight without aches and snaps in your joints. Imagine slipping into the clothes you find attractive without worrying your fat rolls show too much. Simply imagine feeling better and looking better in every way. How much easier would your daily life become?

This is the ultimate reason to start running. You start to feel better as your energy levels rise and your weight naturally balances itself. Then you notice changes in the mirror as you look better as well!

It’s Easier Than You Think

A lot of people think of triathlon as ironman, which is beyond the capability of most fit younger athletes, let alone seniors. But there are much shorter triathlons, and the beginner need only swim 1/4 mile, bike 10 miles and run 3.1 miles to compete in a “sprint” triathlon. Elite athletes complete this course in under an hour, and even the slowest break 2 hours. This is not a long time for an athlete to perform, and though it takes training, the load is not over-burdensome.

Getting Started

Most older people, even confirmed couch potatoes, have competed in their younger days. It may have been just sandlot soccer or an occasional mile run, but nearly everyone is capable of the conditioning necessary to finish a sprint triathlon. All it really takes is the desire to do it.

Running is the easiest way to start, and many come to triathlon through a running background. For those who have run a lot, the transition actually makes things easier on the body: swimming and cycling don’t tax the joints like running. Even those with no background in running at all can pick it up quite easily; it’s just a short step up from walking. And in the race, it is perfectly acceptable to walk some or even all of the run segment.

It is a rare person who has not ridden a bike. This is the easiest and probably the most enjoyable part of triathlon, with one caveat that comes later. Biking can be done in groups, and a lot of scenery can be covered. It may hardly seem like training at all.

Some athletes arrive at triathlon through a swimming background, and they have a leg up on those who don’t, for swimming is the most challenging part of the race to learn from scratch. Fortunately, most people have had some introduction to swimming, and with a little training, this part of the race becomes easy, as it is very short.

Breaking it Down: the Run

We all run the same: putting one foot in front of the other. Seniors who have never done any running should ease into it, first walking, then alternately running and walking, and finally jogging at a slow pace, increasing gradually. 3.1 miles is not a very long distance, and even the slow-footed should traverse the distance in less than 40 minutes.

Breaking it Down: the Bike

Anyone who rode a bike when he was a kid can ride at 60 or 70. But here’s that caveat: all bikes are not created equal. Some serious triathletes will spend thousands of dollars on a faster bike. For the beginner, though, any bike will do. After a while it will be apparent what type of bike each individual wants. It is a good idea to have the bike fitted professionally. Biking for an hour and a half, or even for the 45 minutes or so it might take for the race, can be uncomfortable on an ill-fitting bike.

Breaking it Down: the Swim

The swim is the one part of the race that will improve a lot with professional instruction. However, the quarter mile is so short that even those doing the back stroke and dog paddle can usually complete it in less than 15 minutes. The most important thing about the swim is to finish it without being exhausted. “Go easy on the swim and push on the bike and run” are common sentiments among triathletes..

Breaking it Down: Transition

There are transitions between the swim and bike, and between the bike and run, and these often make the difference between a medal and no prize. Elite athletes rush through transitions, but others need time to rest a little—with the emphasis on little.

Breaking it Down: Fue

When I started training for my first marathon, I was spending one or two hours away from my family every evening, around dinner time. When I started training for my first ultra-marathon, my mileage increased while my family time decreased. It wasn’t long before the guilt crept in… I began to imagine everything I was missing out on at home, and doubting the sustainability of this ‘running thing’. I was horribly lonely while running, and anxiously awaiting my next run when I was with the family. What do you do when your stress-reliever becomes a source of stress?

Live in the present, because it’s the only existence we are certain of

The past is unwavering, and the future is uncertain. Allowing the mind to rest in an insecure foundation, will most certainly lead to an insecure mind. When I began to allow my mind to live in the present without worry of the past and consequence of the future, I started to truly enjoy life.

Throughout my life, I am presented with situations that I cannot control. I can only control the way I react to them.

Clarity is best achieved through meditation. The simplest and most effective way to meditate is by focusing on the control of any autonomic function; the easiest being our breathing. Allow your mind to rest while taking total control of every inhale and exhale. Our entire lives, we have allowed our minds to worry about things we cannot change, subsequently it will take a while to reverse the habit. Practice meditating and you will eventually learn to release negative thoughts with ease. Practice this skill while running by releasing the feelings of guilt, and permitting your thoughts to rest in their natural state of acceptance.

We can learn a thing or two from dogs. My dog doesn’t allow rational thought to interfere with his pursuit of happiness. Why are dog’s so unwaveringly optimistic even when they are faced with the greatest of hardships? It’s because they live entirely in the moment.

Seize the moment when it arrives

There are many times that I don’t go out for a run until everyone else is asleep. I always stay up later than the rest of my family anyway, so instead of drinking beer and watching TV, I decided to use this time for my runs. Running at night brings about a sense of calm that is unmatched, and I don’t have to miss any family time. Recognize the opportunity to run, even if it’s only for 15 minutes.

Make every run and workout count. If you feel good after your run, then you probably didn’t accomplish much. If you’re dealing with a limited amount of time, then think about doing intervals or hill repeats. If you have the entire afternoon to yourself, then use this precious alone-time for a long run. Regardless of how busy you are, if something is important then you will find time for it.

It wasn’t until after I had my son that I started running.  The baby weight wasn’t coming off with other forms of cardio that I was doing, so one evening I decided to give running a try in hopes that it would speed up weight loss.  It was a walk/jog actually, but I came home feeling something I hadn’t ever felt after my previous experiences.  I felt energized.  I went out again the next evening, and the next, and the next.  Very quickly, running was a habit for me.  I soon forgot why I started in the first place, to lose the baby weight; because I was feeling so good just have the running as part of my life.  The reason didn’t matter anymore.

What mattered is that I got out there.

A few years after my son was born, I went back to college as a non-traditional student.  I worked part-time at the tutor center with some classmates.  We were talking about running much of the time we worked and one day, they told me that they were in cross-country.  They said they told the coach about me and that the coach wanted to talk to me to invite me to join the team.  ME?  Join the college cross-country team?  ME?  I’m SLOW!  As it turned out, they didn’t care how slow I was.  All they cared about was having me join the team.  I did join and competed against college student ten years my juniors.  I did not always come in last, but in the races that I did come in last, I didn’t care.  I lettered, I earned an Academic All-American Award, and was voted by my teammates as the Most Improved Player.  All of which I’m extremely proud of.

After I graduated, I began running other races, not just 5Ks, even though I did a number of those.  I did some 4 and 7-milers.  It was time to try the half marathon at the huge push of my best friend.  We didn’t live near each other, but we were going to meet up and it would be my first half.  She had run several half marathons and one full marathon.  We trained together via email and phone.  I was following one of Hal Hidgon’s training plans and was SURE he didn’t know what he was talking about when he said that I wouldn’t have to run the full 13.1 before the race.  How is that possible? So I took it upon myself to increase my own mileage so that I would be ready.  Well, it got me ready for nothing.  Of course, I developed an over-use injury and had to pull out of the half.  I was devastated.  I was afraid to tell my best friend.  When I called her to tell her, she had her own news.  She couldn’t run the half either.  She was pregnant!  We got together on that weekend anyway.

it’s just about the road under my feet,  the smell of fresh air, the feeling that nothing is holding me back

Once I healed my over-use injury, I took a break from running.  I needed it mentally. I eventually got back into it, and decided it was time to try a half.  I trained by myself and this past year, I ended up completing two half marathons and my first full marathon.  I did it all by myself.  I got up at 4am to run my weekly runs.  I got up at 2:30am to run my long weekend runs.  Why?  It was the middle of winter and I had to do my runs on a treadmill.  Yes…..a treadmill for 16, 18, 20 miles.  Luckily for me, Prince William and Kate got married the weekend of my 20 miler.  Watching the Royal Wedding sure helped the boredom!

The marathon was amazing, scary, excruciating, wonderful, fun, horrible all wrapped into one race.  I don’t know how many times I said out loud, and you don’t care if you are talking out loud to yourself during a marathon, “Why did I DO this to myself?” and “I love this!”   It’s really an experience that deserves its own space on the pages.

My reasons for being addicted to running have changed from that 24-year-old who wanted to shed the stubborn post-baby weight.  I’m 39 now.  I run for different reasons now.  It makes me feel good.  It helps me shed my baggage that I accumulate.  It helps me rid my body of negative people and feelings.  It brings me back to my priorities in life.  It’s not about anything fancy… it’s just about the road under my feet,  the smell of fresh air, the feeling that nothing is holding me back.  Everything negative is rolling off my back and I run and my mood, my heart lightens.

I don’t care about being the fastest runner in the race.  I don’t care about being the cutest dressed runner in the race.  What I care about is that I’m out there.

1. Allow yourself to walk as needed.

Many beginning runners start with run/walk intervals, and you may have as well. Now that you want to increase your distance, you will probably fall back on that training method. In order to push your body to become comfortable with longer distances, you should complete interval sessions where you run for a given period of time and then walk for a given period of time. As you progress, the running intervals will become longer until you are able to run the longer distance without the walking.

You may feel like you aren’t “really” running when you include some periods of walking, but you have to shake that mindset. This is an effective way to increase endurance so eventually you can “really” run the longer distance.

2. Allow stretching periods as needed.

Another mindset you will have to shake is the one that says you should be able to complete your training runs without stopping for any reason. That includes stopping to stretch tight muscles. This is a detriment to your running potential, because muscles do need to be stretched and relieved from time to time when they are being challenged and pushed to further distances. If you feel you need to stop and stretch, do it without guilt. This could actually prevent an injury that would completely sideline you for a period of time.

3. Allow yourself to slow down the pace.

Training for distance is very different from training for speed. If your goal right now is to run longer distances, then you should not be concerned with speed. Give yourself permission to drop the pace so you are more likely to make it the longer distance. You can work on speed once you become more proficient at running longer distances. You cannot effectively train for both at the same time, so get the distance down before you start stressing over speed.

4. Feed off of others, especially experienced runners.

If you have a runner’s group in your area or can join forces with a runner or two in your social circle, you can find support for your journey to run longer distances. Running with others will provide the motivation and encouragement you need to keep going, even when your muscles are challenged to the max, you are breathing hard, and it is difficult to carry on a conversation. Pushing past your comfort zone is much easier when you are doing it in the company of others.

It is beneficial to run with those who have greater experience, as they can push you to keep going. They can also give you on-the-spot tips for getting through a longer run with as much comfort as possible. Yet, running with others aiming to increase their distance as well can be beneficial as well.

5. Get your nutrition on track.

If you are going to push your body out of its comfort zone and make it go the extra mile, you have to fuel it with all of the vitamins, mineral and nutrients that it needs to sustain that extra mile. Focus on fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein sources. Cut out the junk food, which will only rob your body of the energy needed to get through long runs.

Hydration falls into this tip as well. This is not just something you should be doing during your longer runs. You should be hydrating your body between training runs as well. Your body should be well hydrated when you go into a run, and then that hydration should be maintained throughout and after the run. As you increase to longer and longer distances, you will need to start replacing electrolytes as well as water.

Enduring longer distances takes consistent training. Work out a training schedule that fits well with your daily schedule, and stick to those running sessions. Make it your personal time to work on yourself. No matter what other obligations you have in life, this should be something you make room for and take pride in.

1. Develop an effective marathon training schedule and stick to it religiously. You cannot improve time if you aren’t running consistently.

This is the most basic tip you will ever receive on improving running time, but it is the most important tip. If you are not running consistently and following an effective training schedule, there is no way you will ever improve. You can find training schedules online, and then modify them to fit your life and your goals.

2. Know what time you could realistically complete a marathon in right now.

There are different types of finish times for marathon runners. You have the dream time you would like to one day finish a marathon in. Then there is the realistic time that you could probably achieve right now. Finally, there is a realistic improved time that you could set as a goal and strive to reach for an upcoming marathon. If you continue on, your dream time will one day become a realistic improved time, and eventually it could become a real time that you see on the clock as you cross the finish line.

For now, focus on the time in which you could realistically finish a marathon today, or after a bit of training. This is your starting point. You cannot set a realistic improved time to shoot for if you do not know what you could do right now. If you have recently completed a marathon, your finishing time could be your starting point time.

3. Count how many miles you currently run each week or would likely run during training, and add five to ten percent.

Start increasing the number of miles that you run each week. The more you run, the more chances you will have to add in exercises that improve on your time (see tip number four below). Do not add more than ten percent of the miles you are currently running, or the miles you currently have in your training schedule. When the added amount becomes comfortable and efficient, you can add more miles if you have time before your race.

It is never too early to start training if your goal is to improve time in the next race.

4. Enhance your training schedule with exercises proven to increase speed.

You probably used a variety of exercises to improve your cardiovascular endurance and build up your muscle strength so you could sustain the distance of a marathon. Now that you have completed a marathon or two, you can replace those exercises with new exercises designed to improve speed. You are at a point where you do not need to run/walk or cut other corners, so you can now start using mile repeats and tempo runs.

A mile repeat is where you run a certain number of miles about 15 seconds faster than your realistic current marathon time, with a mile of slower running in between. You can work your way up to five or more faster miles for each training session. Tempo runs are similar to interval training, but you run some miles at a slow pace, some around your realistic marathon pace, and then finish with faster paced miles.

5. Increase your pace during long runs.

If you want to improve your current marathon time, make that the focus of every training session. That includes your long runs. Many runners take a more leisurely pace to make it through those longer runs, but if your goal is to finish the marathon faster, you shouldn’t do that. Pick up the pace and use those longer runs to practice getting through your next marathon at a faster pace.

You won’t improve your marathon time overnight, but with persistence and dedicated training it will happen!

Yes, but it’s not the only thing. If you just go to sleep, it’s almost guaranteed that you wake up the next morning feeling tight and stiff. You’ll also likely have “hot spots” – areas that are particularly sore because of your running stride inefficiencies or weak areas.

Our goal is to prevent that feeling of over-tightness. Being sore is normal if you’re running a lot or training hard, but you shouldn’t be too sore. Don’t blame the soreness on your running shoes or that cheeseburger this afternoon – it’s most likely your workouts!

So instead of going to bed tight, here are four ways to massage those tired muscles and help your body recover faster.

Roll your feet on a golf ball

Your feet take a lot of impact abuse when running – especially when you’re running fast. Each foot strike absorbs at least twice your body weight so it’s important to take care of your feet. Using a golf ball to roll your arch and plantar fascia can help alleviate soreness.

There’s no “best” way to roll your foot on a golf ball. Just sit on a chair or your couch and put your foot on top of the ball. Using a little bit of pressure, roll around your foot and search for areas that are especially tight. Spend more time on those areas and give yourself a good massage. It shouldn’t hurt, but it may be sensitive. That’s okay!

Use a foam roller

The foam roller is any distance runner’s best friend. Use it on any muscle that’s particularly sore to roll out any muscle adhesions, promote extra blood flow, and help loosen your muscles. Like with the golf ball, just get on top of the foam roller and feel around for areas that are tight.

Spend 20 seconds to a full minute on each area, lightly or moderately rolling over your quad, hamstring, calf, or glute. Different muscles get sore for different runners, so roll everything to find what fits for you. Just don’t spend 5 minutes or more on one muscle or you could make yourself even more sore.

Make an ice cup

This one is half massage, half icing, all recovery! Just get a paper cup and freeze it full of water. Once it’s frozen, unwrap the top third and use it to massage any muscle that’s sore. It’s an amazing tool to get deep into your muscles and reduce inflammation.

There are also plastic cups that are sold that can be used for this purpose. They unscrew halfway down so you can remove the top half. Both work – just make sure you put a towel down to catch the water that melts off.

Roll your quads, hamstrings, and hip flexors on a tennis ball

The tennis ball is one of the most under-appreciated massage tools that a runner has at their disposal. It’s like a foam roller with a little more intensity. It’s best used on your hamstrings, quadriceps, and hip flexors. Just get on top of it and gently use it to roll out the tight spots in your legs.

Since it’s more aggressive than using a foam roller, be careful not to be overzealous with the tennis ball. In this case, it’s better to under-massage than over-massage.

When used after your long runs, hard workouts, or even your easy runs to promote extra recovery, these strategies will help you reduce your overall soreness and recover faster.

With increased recovery and less “hot spots” in your muscles, you may even have fewer overuse injuries like plantar fasciitis and be able to train more consistently. And we all know that consistency is king!

Oftentimes we can’t prepare ourselves for the insurmountable amount of pain or overwhelming joy we are about to experience, but we can determine the attitude we will have through it all.  I’m choosing to be grateful despite my circumstances; the current being a state of injury and time away from running.

More than ever before, I am appreciating the small joys that come from running and the significant meaning it has in my life. It’s true that I’ve had a slight itch to run ever since I injured my leg a week ago. As I desired my morning run today, I had the revelation that my motive for running was greater than simply wanting to run. I yearned to experience and absorb the beauty of this gorgeous November day by immersing myself into the free reign of the trails and deep woods. I longed to hear the sound of my feet hitting the path along the lake, watching the sun reflect on the water and filling my lungs with the crisp near-winter air.  I yearned for that hour in utter silence, except for the sound of an animal shuffling through the weeds or the leaves blowing in the wind.

Running has become so much more to me than just exercise

I bet a lot of runners may have started with a specific reason in mind such as losing weight or conquering a “bucket list” goal such as the marathon. I’d also imagine that most would agree that over time it evolved into something more for them than just exercise. Personally, running has provided a newfound appreciation for the beauty of creation. Over the past several months, beginning most of my days with a run has developed into a consistent, set time of solitude that I’ve grown accustomed to and been able to look forward to. Starting the morning on this note refreshes my soul, clears my mind and sets the overall tone for the rest of the day. This past week as I’ve been trying to resist the urge to run, I’ve noticed something stirring in my soul and the absence of the inner peace that I usually feel.  I don’t think it’s just because I’m not getting my usual exercise, (in fact I still am by substituting alternative activities for running); I’ve pinpointed what I believe is the culprit: the lack of my time being most connected to our natural environment and having this set time of daily solitude.

Running my first marathon was a humbling experience I will cherish forever. I am overwhelmed with gratitude that my body and mind were capable of enduring an experience like this. It’s a miracle in itself that with my history of knee surgeries, I was able to complete both the intense training for the marathon and the marathon itself… injury-free. Besides, I could just as easily have been in a bad car accident that left me paralyzed or born with a disability similar to that of the many children I work with at the hospital. But I wasn’t and every day I need to bring myself back to the state of mind where I am genuinely appreciative and thankful for what I do have and what I can do.

All of the above being said, I am not by any means retiring from running. I’m still hopeful that I will be able to run another marathon and am scheduled to run Grandma’s Marathon in June 2012−in addition to various shorter races prior to that. I look forward to these opportunities, but in the meantime I am embracing the season that I am currently in.  Because I do intend to put my body through further wear and tear from training and running another marathon, the importance of the rest and healing process is even greater. As I’m being challenged to take time that I would usually spend running and devote it to rest, I am determined to use it to rest my spirit too. Instead of being frustrated that I’m not able to run like I have been over the past several months, I am viewing it as an opportunity to learn more about myself and grow deeper in my relationship with our Creator. As I continue to learn what I can from this season, I will continue to remind myself to reflect on the greater purpose behind each and every one of my runs.

My marathon was in June 2011, and in July, I decided that I would like to run another one.  Over the summer while taking a break from training, I asked myself and reread my journals to find out what I could do better the next time around, and what also worked.  I finally came to some conclusions. 

What I need to do better

Cross-Training

I pretty much did not cross train because I was lazy. I know…it seems odd to be saying that about myself when I trained for a full marathon.  How can a person be lazy?  My training plan called for cross training every Monday.  As it turned out, I used most of my Mondays for rest.  I am a teacher, I was coaching softball at the same time as I was training, so that meant after school we had either practice or games, my son was in his own baseball season, and my husband coached golf.   I had to do all my running in the early morning, which for me was getting up at 4am during the week and 2:30am on Saturday for the long runs.  By the time Monday morning rolled around, I was just plain tired.  My “real” rest day was every Friday, and most of the Mondays, I felt like I needed to sleep!  There were a few Mondays were I did fit in cross training, but I felt during the marathon that if I had stuck close to the cross training schedule, it would have definitely helped.

Stretching

I am a self-proclaimed TERRIBLE stretcher.  In my years of running, I have never taken the time needed for proper stretching.  I’m very lucky that I haven’t been injured because of my lack of stretching.  However, I could certainly tell that my hamstrings suffered.  They are extremely tight which leads to my glutes feeling very tight.  I have begun to work on that and I spend a much longer time now carefully stretching.  But again, I could feel that lack of stretching during the marathon.

Light Weight Lifting

I definitely needed to strength train, but I didn’t.  Again, by the time I logged in the miles on my training plan, I was plain tired.  I skipped weights and felt in the marathon that a stronger core and upper body would definitely help my posture especially nearing the end when I felt like I couldn’t possibly hold myself up or run another step.

What I Can’t Live Without Next Time

Ice Baths

I had a love/hate relationship with ice baths, but mostly I loved them.  I would stockpile ice all week for my bath after my Saturday long run.  This is what I did.  I kept on my running tights and I don’t know if I was supposed to or not, but I did.  I put on a hooded sweatshirt.  While the water was filling up the tub, I warmed up some green tea and drank a big glass of chocolate milk.  Once the water was at the right level in the tub, I got in.  Once I was in, I pulled up my hood and dumped in the ice.  This is the part I hated.  That horrible, painful, take-your-breath-away feeling when that ice hits the water.  I would gasp for air because of the cold.  I would try as hard as I could to stay as long as I could, knowing that the longer I stayed, the better off my legs would feel.  I would sip on my green tea to help keep me warm.  The part I loved?  How great my legs felt after the bath and how they felt the next day.  I will never go without using ice baths on my next marathon.

Chocolate Milk

There is a lot of research out there on the benefits of chocolate milk and muscle repair after long runs.  Once I read that, I made it a staple in my diet after those long runs.  I cannot point to anything specific to back myself up on drinking chocolate milk.  I did not notice anything miraculous.  If there is any chance that chocolate milk is helping repair my muscles after a 16, 18, 20, 22 mile run, then I’ll drink it.   Plus, it sure tastes good after a long run… like a nice treat!

Chomps, Jolly Ranchers, and Gummy Bears

Odd combination, right?  I had two packs of Chomps.  I would eat one about 7 miles into a run.  The other pack I ate at about 15 miles.  I between the Chomps, I would alternate on the Jolly Ranchers and the Gummy Bears.  A friend of mine who had been in the Army gave me the tip on the Jolly Ranchers and Gummy Bears.  He said that in their training, they would have to run up to 20 miles carrying their heavy backpacks.  They sucked on Jolly Ranchers all the time on those runs because the sugar gave them a boost.  I would alternate those every two miles.  Again, I don’t have any solid evidence that it worked or didn’t work.  It was, however, a distraction for a while.

I hope that taking an honest look at myself will help me in my next marathon.  The only way for a person to improve, is to take away ego and make some changes.  I certainly plan to put in these changes when I begin training for marathon #2!

I was sitting at a local coffee shop the other day working on my computer, water bottle and smart phone on the table top. It was Monday, which is long run day in my world, and I had done a medium long run of 12 miles earlier that morning. Not too terribly strenuous. I paused in my thought process to cross my legs and that’s when it hit…the muscle cramp. Inner thigh muscle cramp to be exact, or maybe hip flexor…either way, I’m sure my face contorted into something resembling, “oh crap!” as my sharp intake of breath preceded a low moan until the cramp subsided. Did anyone notice?? I was actually afraid to look, so I didn’t. Such events are actually quite common and among the many situations where non-runners get total validation for their reasons behind not running and fellow runners point while doubling over with laughter.

Do I seem quirky? Do people watch me and notice the little idiosyncrasies of the endurance athlete?

I also tend to have trouble sitting for long periods of time. I’ve been known to stand in the back of the room during professional conferences to stretch my legs. I mean literally stretch, the hamstrings, quads, calves… I was on an airplane flying across the country last week and after several hours of sitting I was getting antsy. I looked at the seat in front of me and wondered if anyone would notice if I put myself in a pike position with my legs up in the air against the seatback in front of me. Normally, I would not care but it was a packed flight and I was wearing flip-flops. Runners don’t have the prettiest feet. I decided against it and suffered through the rest of the flight in solitude.

Recently, my nose started to run and my first instinct was to blow a snot rocket. If you don’t know what that is, check out urbandictionary.com, you will be truly enlightened. Then, I realized I was wearing nice clothing and driving in the car. Gross. I grabbed a tissue.

Yes, we runners are fanatical about all sorts of things, like our shoes. Do you know any runner who has less than four pair of running shoes? You better bet all four of those pairs are being used too. The trail shoes, the new shoes, the long distance shoes, the fast shoes… then there are all the retired shoes. This can account for up to 5 more pairs and take up any number of baskets, bins, shelves or floor space. We have the best of intentions to donate them. Really.

Being a runner, I do not laugh or sneer at the person wearing what appear to be knee socks in the middle of summer with shorts and a t-shirt. That’s compression baby and while not very attractive, it sure works! Then there is all the gear. Gear, meaning GPS and non-GPS watches, iPods, fuel belts, gel flasks, Headsweats visors, hydration backpacks, arm warmers, compression sleeves…I could go on and on. It all serves a purpose and it is all absolutely needed! Ok, maybe not all of it but it is sure fun to play with! Then you have the digital applications. Training software, sites to map and measure elevation, training logs, countless USB cords to plug in all the techie stuff so runs can be downloaded to a computer and analyzed to death. Yes, the runner is a master record keeper and analyst when it comes to every step of every training run, race and walk around the block with your 5-year-old on her bike (that counts as weekly mileage right?). Recently, I traveled for a few days and realized my carry-on was so full of cables, chargers and other stuff for my running pleasure that I barely had room for my purse. GPS can become an addiction. Split times, an obsession. When does this start to become unhealthy?

All of this and I haven’t even broached the subject of nutrition yet. I think that subject is best left for another day. Maybe tomorrow, when I’m not feeling so quirky.