The biggest mileage week capped off with the longest training run is DONE. That's right- its DONE. My knees, ankles, hips and lower back are sending me a silent thank-you this very moment as I type this. I don't know about all of you, but this body is ready for a good period of rest and rebuilding leading up to the big race. Speaking of that big race, we are exactly 21 days out of the Calgary full and half! SO exciting! I hope everyone out there is feeling positive about their training. If you aren't you should be, you are ALL fit and amazing and you should be looking forward to the marathon and the half.
Those of you who know me well know that I always do my long runs on Fridays after work. I picked Friday as I used to do my long runs on Sunday and found they consumed too much of my "me" time... and I do cherish my "me" time! I had to get enough sleep (very tough on the weekends when there is fun to be had), eat properly (tough too when you are having dinners and breakfasts out on occasion) and perhaps not indulge in those few extra glasses of wine or beers (which I almost never can do- Andrea's willpower=lame). The switch to Friday has been brilliant for me. I love getting the long run out of the way with time to enjoy the rest of my weekend. However, this particular weekend I was foiled by the damn Calgary weather.
I've tried telling myself that its not reasonable or rational to be angry at the weather, but on Friday I just was. It wasn't just raining a bit when I wanted to throw on the shoes and head out for my 3+ hour run...it was pouring. And hailing. And sleeting. And snowing at times. Really weather? It's May for the love of God and I am DONE with winter and have been for quite some time! I don't think I ask for a lot; I don't need it to be unbelievably sunny, gorgeous and hot to run, but it sure would have been nice to be able to get out there for my Friday afternoon physical counselling (also know as my long run) in some weather that was just a wee bit nicer. Anyhow- it didn't happen and I did my run this morning. It was quite lovely and sunny and worth the wait, I suppose. And best of all, its DONE. Those long ones really do take a toll on the bod and mine is ready to do the taper and have a break from all this pounding!
So- the purpose of this little post...you should all be giving yourselves a HUGE pat on the back right now. HUGE. A stiff arm slap, in fact. You have done the hardest physical part of the training and you should be very, very proud of yourselves. This training thing is tough! And each of you has muddled your way through it one way or another; its never perfect, but you committed to it and did it. You are 21 days out of completing your first half and that is just a massive achievement. So massive in fact that I'm afraid I might tear up on race day.
ANYHOW- now that you've congratulated yourself, just remember a couple of little tidbits- lots of stretching...a massage...maybe a yoga class or two...and the most important part of all...DON'T stop running...just yet. Although the bulk of your distance work is complete, to stop running totally right now would mean very, very bad things for your endurance and after all of your hard work, we simply cannot have that happening. Consider the following...
1. Take your TOTAL distance down by about 20% this week...yes, your long run should still be pretty long!
2. Keep doing your shorter runs and pushing the pace
3. If you are doing hills, stairs or speed work that should likely stop this week. If you are doing weights one more week is OK and then you are done with that too
4. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate...eat well...sleep lots... and STAY healthy!
Done and DONE!
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Monday, May 4, 2009
Almost Taper Time
Well people running the Calgary marathon and half, this is it...the highest mileage week before you get to taper! I have mentioned the taper in previous posts and, in a nutshell, it is backing off on your mileage in order to allow your muscles to recover and rest so they can perform to their peak potential on race day. That peak potential is something every single one of us longs to reach after the countless hours we have spent preparing the legs to carry the bod a very long distance on race day.
I came across this little gem of an article online on the Runner's World Website. If you have never visited the Runner's World website, I highly recommend that you do, it is a wealth of information about all things running. It has anything and everything you could possibly want to know about running at all levels and distances: training, nutrition, shoes and equipment and many other useful topics. Anyhow, the link I am providing here is an excellent resource regarding the taper, if you have time I'd say it deserves a quick read, particularly when it breaks down the last two weeks. You can definitley apply the concepts to the half marathon as well.
http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-238-244-255-5958-0,00.html
Sunny and warm today...just the kind of day I love for tackling hills and stairs! Enjoy the sunshine, enjoy the green that is starting to be evident in the trees and grass and as always, ENJOY the running!
I came across this little gem of an article online on the Runner's World Website. If you have never visited the Runner's World website, I highly recommend that you do, it is a wealth of information about all things running. It has anything and everything you could possibly want to know about running at all levels and distances: training, nutrition, shoes and equipment and many other useful topics. Anyhow, the link I am providing here is an excellent resource regarding the taper, if you have time I'd say it deserves a quick read, particularly when it breaks down the last two weeks. You can definitley apply the concepts to the half marathon as well.
http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-238-244-255-5958-0,00.html
Sunny and warm today...just the kind of day I love for tackling hills and stairs! Enjoy the sunshine, enjoy the green that is starting to be evident in the trees and grass and as always, ENJOY the running!
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Here We Go!
One month people...ONE MONTH!
And by this I mean 1 month to the Calgary marathon which is taking place on the 31st of May.
SO excited to get out there and run a marathon again. Even MORE excited for the 5 lovely ladies who will be completing the half! Almost there...hang in, the next 10 days are big mileage and then the hard stuff is done and on to the taper!
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!
And by this I mean 1 month to the Calgary marathon which is taking place on the 31st of May.
SO excited to get out there and run a marathon again. Even MORE excited for the 5 lovely ladies who will be completing the half! Almost there...hang in, the next 10 days are big mileage and then the hard stuff is done and on to the taper!
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Love your Run
2 small things of note this lovely and snowy Sunday evening (notice how my posts have most recently always been about two things)...
One. I downloaded and listened to a good portion of the the Darra Torres book Age is Just a Number on my long run on Friday. Wow. The women won Olympic medals in swimming in Beijing at the ripe old age of 41. Wow. More than this the book is about not letting your age stand in the way of your dreams. I cried three times on my run while listening to this. It is an amazing story about a simply amazing woman. I highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone even if swimming isn't really your thing.
Two. On my medium long run this morning, I came across a lovely little sidewalk chalked message which read "Heart your run". And I decided to do just that. And it was amazing. I was outside, it was kind of sunny (OK- truth- it wasn't snowing...yet) and I just loved my run. I think we all need to do this a little more often. Forget the time and the pace and the event looming in the not so far away distance and love the fact that you are out there period.
Love.Your.Run.
One. I downloaded and listened to a good portion of the the Darra Torres book Age is Just a Number on my long run on Friday. Wow. The women won Olympic medals in swimming in Beijing at the ripe old age of 41. Wow. More than this the book is about not letting your age stand in the way of your dreams. I cried three times on my run while listening to this. It is an amazing story about a simply amazing woman. I highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone even if swimming isn't really your thing.
Two. On my medium long run this morning, I came across a lovely little sidewalk chalked message which read "Heart your run". And I decided to do just that. And it was amazing. I was outside, it was kind of sunny (OK- truth- it wasn't snowing...yet) and I just loved my run. I think we all need to do this a little more often. Forget the time and the pace and the event looming in the not so far away distance and love the fact that you are out there period.
Love.Your.Run.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Love It
2 posts in 2 days...unheard of, I KNOW. But two things happened today that I really, really needed to get out there in the universe.
First, a great big congratulations to Michael and Jamie Allison for running the Boston marathon today. I met Michael and Jamie in Boston last year when Michael was running and Jamie was his support crew. Well, this year I am happy to report that they BOTH ran and finished. Nice work you two! I'm not going to lie, a little part of me today wished I was in Boston tackling those hills. Next year, my friends, and perhaps there will be two Rices in Boston! LOVE IT!
Second, there is a little running store in the Marda Loop called Strides. Its a great little store situated across from OJ's in the purple house. ANYHOW, I love the sign they have outside of their store which states..."FIT IS THE NEW SKINNY". Put THAT in your pipes, people! LOVE THAT SAYING! I really thought about it as I was tackling hills and stairs today, and I think the world would be a healthier, happier place if we could all just embrace this one little saying. I know I'm going to and I hope you all do too, especially since you should all be feeling fit and fabulous with all of this great training you're doing! LOVE IT!
And now I must clean my house. LOVE IT!
First, a great big congratulations to Michael and Jamie Allison for running the Boston marathon today. I met Michael and Jamie in Boston last year when Michael was running and Jamie was his support crew. Well, this year I am happy to report that they BOTH ran and finished. Nice work you two! I'm not going to lie, a little part of me today wished I was in Boston tackling those hills. Next year, my friends, and perhaps there will be two Rices in Boston! LOVE IT!
Second, there is a little running store in the Marda Loop called Strides. Its a great little store situated across from OJ's in the purple house. ANYHOW, I love the sign they have outside of their store which states..."FIT IS THE NEW SKINNY". Put THAT in your pipes, people! LOVE THAT SAYING! I really thought about it as I was tackling hills and stairs today, and I think the world would be a healthier, happier place if we could all just embrace this one little saying. I know I'm going to and I hope you all do too, especially since you should all be feeling fit and fabulous with all of this great training you're doing! LOVE IT!
And now I must clean my house. LOVE IT!
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Le Plateau
No. Not Le Chateau (that store that sells clothes that look like they may catch on fire very easily as one Chaney likes to say), but le PLATEAU...
I've had a couple of emails this week from people that all sound suspiciously similar...
"My running was going great but now it sucks! I feel slow and sluggish like I'm running under water"...OR
"I hate running. I loved running until this week, but this week it sucks and now I hate it."
Well, my fine running shoed friends, you have reached what in training terms is dubbed "the plateau". Rest assured, EVERYONE hits these from time to time and there is not a part of me that doesn't think that you won't get through this. Your best friends and allies in getting through the plateau are good old fashioned rest and mental toughness. Make good, good friends with these two. You're going to need them from time to time in marathon or half training. We are all fickle in this respect...we befriend rest and toughness when we want to and then forget about them for the majority of the time. And suddenly we realize that we really do in fact need them and want them in our lives.
The first thing you need to do is to identify why in fact you have hit a plateau. I like to divide this up into 2 categories (and yes it is possible to fit into both at once): the PHYSICAL plateau and the MENTAL plateau.
If your plateau is mental you are probably experiencing the following: abject dread at the thought of having to go running no matter how beautiful and sunny it may be, quitting partway through your runs, or skipping runs for things that suddenly become VERY important like dusting your home. Associated with these negative Nancy type thoughts is that great feeling of guilt that keeps you up at night because the race is approaching and your training just isn't there. RELAX people! There are several things you can try in order to get through this...
1. Take some days off. That's right- ALLOW yourself and your mind the rest it deserves. Tell yourself that you are taking 3, 4 or even 5 days off of running. And then don't think about it or worry about it. Give your mind and body a chance to recover and then try and come back to running. Running will not be mad at you if you leave it for this short period of time, unlike your significant other.
2. Reward yourself for running. Plan your weekly runs and give yourself a treat at the end if you stick to it...a new lulu shirt or jeans, ice cream, whatever floats your boat, really.
3. Try and find someone to run with if you are the type that likes company on your runs. A good conversation can make a run that is feeling very, very long and arduous go by very quickly. If your running friends aren't into distance, see if you can convince one of them to meet up with you for a small portion of the run.
4. Download a book to your ipod...see sidebar for a couple of entertaining suggestions for books. It kind of takes your mind off what you're doing to your bod!
5. Realize that you are ALMOST THERE. You have done almost all of the hard work. Great job. Congratulate yourself. Training for a half or full is incredibly tough...acknowledge this and be proud of the fact that you are undertaking something not a lot of people have the guts to do.
If your plateau is physical, you are probably experiencing general fatigue (even if you are getting enough sleep), muscle stiffness and sore joints (especially knees, ankles and hips) and when you go running it doesn't feel any good at all. In fact, you feel slow, sluggish and awful no matter how hard you try. Here are a few things to try to get through this...
1. Rest, rest, rest. Before my personal training course, I underestimated the healing power of rest. OK- forget underestimated, I just ignored it totally. Your body is an incredible machine doing very, very extreme things for you in this training. You need to give it the time it needs and deserves to repair and recover from the pounding it is taking. Try taking a few days off and get some rest.
2. Get a massage. I just had one this week. So very lovely. It reminded me how tight my muscles are and how much my muscles appreciate this! In this last little bit of training I would try and go at least every couple of weeks.
3. S-T-R-E-T-C-H...it just feels so good. And it is so important to keep you running. I know it's hard to fit it in after a long run as we are all busy people, but make stretching a priority. Even if it means cutting your run short by 5 minutes to do the stretching it will be worth it in the end. I highly recommend hot yoga as I have mentioned several times before.
4. If you are experiencing PAIN that is beyond normal stiffness and soreness, PLEASE get this looked after right away. Let's be honest. We are not trying to win the race...we are not training for the Olympics...we have simply committed to the distance for our own goals and personal satisfaction. It is NOT, I repeat, NOT worth sustaining a serious injury over this! If you think you have an injury, see your doctor, go to physio, or whatever you need to do to heal yourself!
5. Make sure you are getting enough to eat...and enough of the right things to eat (PLEASE don't limit carbs- your body needs them for this kind of training), and are getting enough sleep at night.
ANYHOW- rambling, rambling, I need to sign off here and complete the various cleaning projects I've started and abandoned. Just one final note...you are all doing awesome in your training, wherever you are...the hardest part is almost over and we will be at the taper before you know it! Hang in there- what you are experiencing is common and you WILL get over this plateau..
I've had a couple of emails this week from people that all sound suspiciously similar...
"My running was going great but now it sucks! I feel slow and sluggish like I'm running under water"...OR
"I hate running. I loved running until this week, but this week it sucks and now I hate it."
Well, my fine running shoed friends, you have reached what in training terms is dubbed "the plateau". Rest assured, EVERYONE hits these from time to time and there is not a part of me that doesn't think that you won't get through this. Your best friends and allies in getting through the plateau are good old fashioned rest and mental toughness. Make good, good friends with these two. You're going to need them from time to time in marathon or half training. We are all fickle in this respect...we befriend rest and toughness when we want to and then forget about them for the majority of the time. And suddenly we realize that we really do in fact need them and want them in our lives.
The first thing you need to do is to identify why in fact you have hit a plateau. I like to divide this up into 2 categories (and yes it is possible to fit into both at once): the PHYSICAL plateau and the MENTAL plateau.
If your plateau is mental you are probably experiencing the following: abject dread at the thought of having to go running no matter how beautiful and sunny it may be, quitting partway through your runs, or skipping runs for things that suddenly become VERY important like dusting your home. Associated with these negative Nancy type thoughts is that great feeling of guilt that keeps you up at night because the race is approaching and your training just isn't there. RELAX people! There are several things you can try in order to get through this...
1. Take some days off. That's right- ALLOW yourself and your mind the rest it deserves. Tell yourself that you are taking 3, 4 or even 5 days off of running. And then don't think about it or worry about it. Give your mind and body a chance to recover and then try and come back to running. Running will not be mad at you if you leave it for this short period of time, unlike your significant other.
2. Reward yourself for running. Plan your weekly runs and give yourself a treat at the end if you stick to it...a new lulu shirt or jeans, ice cream, whatever floats your boat, really.
3. Try and find someone to run with if you are the type that likes company on your runs. A good conversation can make a run that is feeling very, very long and arduous go by very quickly. If your running friends aren't into distance, see if you can convince one of them to meet up with you for a small portion of the run.
4. Download a book to your ipod...see sidebar for a couple of entertaining suggestions for books. It kind of takes your mind off what you're doing to your bod!
5. Realize that you are ALMOST THERE. You have done almost all of the hard work. Great job. Congratulate yourself. Training for a half or full is incredibly tough...acknowledge this and be proud of the fact that you are undertaking something not a lot of people have the guts to do.
If your plateau is physical, you are probably experiencing general fatigue (even if you are getting enough sleep), muscle stiffness and sore joints (especially knees, ankles and hips) and when you go running it doesn't feel any good at all. In fact, you feel slow, sluggish and awful no matter how hard you try. Here are a few things to try to get through this...
1. Rest, rest, rest. Before my personal training course, I underestimated the healing power of rest. OK- forget underestimated, I just ignored it totally. Your body is an incredible machine doing very, very extreme things for you in this training. You need to give it the time it needs and deserves to repair and recover from the pounding it is taking. Try taking a few days off and get some rest.
2. Get a massage. I just had one this week. So very lovely. It reminded me how tight my muscles are and how much my muscles appreciate this! In this last little bit of training I would try and go at least every couple of weeks.
3. S-T-R-E-T-C-H...it just feels so good. And it is so important to keep you running. I know it's hard to fit it in after a long run as we are all busy people, but make stretching a priority. Even if it means cutting your run short by 5 minutes to do the stretching it will be worth it in the end. I highly recommend hot yoga as I have mentioned several times before.
4. If you are experiencing PAIN that is beyond normal stiffness and soreness, PLEASE get this looked after right away. Let's be honest. We are not trying to win the race...we are not training for the Olympics...we have simply committed to the distance for our own goals and personal satisfaction. It is NOT, I repeat, NOT worth sustaining a serious injury over this! If you think you have an injury, see your doctor, go to physio, or whatever you need to do to heal yourself!
5. Make sure you are getting enough to eat...and enough of the right things to eat (PLEASE don't limit carbs- your body needs them for this kind of training), and are getting enough sleep at night.
ANYHOW- rambling, rambling, I need to sign off here and complete the various cleaning projects I've started and abandoned. Just one final note...you are all doing awesome in your training, wherever you are...the hardest part is almost over and we will be at the taper before you know it! Hang in there- what you are experiencing is common and you WILL get over this plateau..
Sunday, April 12, 2009
It's Really Official...
...I am licensed and ready to assist people in committing and recommitting to health and fitness! The fitness gods have smiled upon me and it's official...I am a Certified Personal Trainer! Anyone want a running program? A weight program? A weight and running program combined? A general program to improve your fitness and lose weight? Well look no further people...I AM YOUR WOMAN!
Truthfully, I learned a ton in my course and studies over the past couple of months. Much of what I learned regarding the cardiovascular energy systems and nutrition I have applied to my own training and low and behold, it seems to work! Science...amazing isn't it? Anyhow, I am excited to embark upon my career in the fitness industry. It has always been a passion of mine, and I can't think of a better job to have then something that you consider a passion! Feels less like work and more like play, no? Anyhow...anyone looking for a trainer? ANYONE?
Enough about PT and onto the very meat of this post...the running part! It sure does feel good to run in shorts and a t-shirt, doesn't it? I am loving the sunshine, warmer weather and ice free pathways and sidewalks. It just makes for nicer running. And when the running is nicer, I find myself looking even more forward to it. Hopefully the great Calgary weather (if you aren't reading from Calgary here's to hoping your weather has been great too) has been motivation for ya'll to get out there to pound the pavement and get those training miles in. The half and full are fast approaching after all! By now everyone has heard me say repeatedly, PLEASE don't miss your long runs. If you have any hope for a great run on race day then these long ones are very, very important. To go the distance you need the endurance! As for your shorter runs, if you haven't been already, I highly suggest pushing your pace a bit on these runs. I'm not saying that you need to head out for an hour long sprint- that would H-U-R-T, but do try and just go a touch faster on your shorter runs...if that doesn't work for you, consider trying a run where you run a third of your run for warm up, a third at a nice steady pace and a third pushing your pace. The shorter runs where you push the pace will help your body learn to better deal with the adverse reaction your body will have to running hard, such as the lactic acid build up in your muscles and the soreness in the legs!
And with that little morsel of juicy marathon training advice, I will sign off here...lets keep our fingers crossed for more great weather! Happy Easter and Happy Running everyone!
Truthfully, I learned a ton in my course and studies over the past couple of months. Much of what I learned regarding the cardiovascular energy systems and nutrition I have applied to my own training and low and behold, it seems to work! Science...amazing isn't it? Anyhow, I am excited to embark upon my career in the fitness industry. It has always been a passion of mine, and I can't think of a better job to have then something that you consider a passion! Feels less like work and more like play, no? Anyhow...anyone looking for a trainer? ANYONE?
Enough about PT and onto the very meat of this post...the running part! It sure does feel good to run in shorts and a t-shirt, doesn't it? I am loving the sunshine, warmer weather and ice free pathways and sidewalks. It just makes for nicer running. And when the running is nicer, I find myself looking even more forward to it. Hopefully the great Calgary weather (if you aren't reading from Calgary here's to hoping your weather has been great too) has been motivation for ya'll to get out there to pound the pavement and get those training miles in. The half and full are fast approaching after all! By now everyone has heard me say repeatedly, PLEASE don't miss your long runs. If you have any hope for a great run on race day then these long ones are very, very important. To go the distance you need the endurance! As for your shorter runs, if you haven't been already, I highly suggest pushing your pace a bit on these runs. I'm not saying that you need to head out for an hour long sprint- that would H-U-R-T, but do try and just go a touch faster on your shorter runs...if that doesn't work for you, consider trying a run where you run a third of your run for warm up, a third at a nice steady pace and a third pushing your pace. The shorter runs where you push the pace will help your body learn to better deal with the adverse reaction your body will have to running hard, such as the lactic acid build up in your muscles and the soreness in the legs!
And with that little morsel of juicy marathon training advice, I will sign off here...lets keep our fingers crossed for more great weather! Happy Easter and Happy Running everyone!
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