5 Tips for Long Distance Runners

Last night after my Wear Blue: Run to Remember Volunteer meeting, I was going through my emails and received an article on long distance running from active.com.  I was intrigued and started reading the article and the first thought that came through my mind was, "I need to share this with my fellow runners on my blog."  The points that they mentioned were on target with what has been helping me be a successful long distance runner.

So, here is a summary of the article.  If you want to read the full article, you can click the link above.

1.  Patience 

Give yourself a long enough training runway to properly prepare. With more time, you can increase your running happiness meter and evolve into the best runner you can be. If your upcoming race is a new distance for you, give yourself time to succeed.  A little extra time allows for life's inconveniences (illness, travel, aches, pains) and will keep your long-distance running on track.  Practice patience and evolve into your best runner.

2.  Planning

Use a planner (digital or paper) and plug in your life schedule first. Include your travel, obligations you can't get out of, holidays, and other events that may be potential training obstacles (including your cycle, girls). Then begin to plug in your training around it. While doing so, consider your busiest days, your calmer days, and develop your training days with the flow of your life.

If Mondays suck the life out of you, schedule an easier paced run that day and balance the energy demands so you can recover efficiently and train harder on a lower stress day.  There is an optimal training recipe for everyone and all you truly need to do is create your plan with the flow of your life. When you do, you'll recover quicker, improve faster, and run stronger. 

3.  Cross Train

Cross-training runners have shown to have fewer aches, pains and injuries. They develop balanced strength and maintain a constant level of motivation through the season than runners who don't cross-train.

Cross training allows you to maintain a high volume of training, while lowering the impact on your body.

Modes that are similar to running such as cycling and elliptical (or the ElliptiGO) are great to mimic the running motion but don't have the impact forces on the body. This allows you to recover faster. More importantly, add an activity you enjoy as you'll look forward to it and it will translate to a more satisfying training lifestyle down the road. 

4.  Run Mindfully

Some days will be perfect: you wake up fresh and can't wait to run; your running clothes match (including your socks) and you feel like you can run forever. Other days, will feel like you wonder why you're even trying to run: your breath is labored during the walking warm-up; your iPod dies in the middle of your workout and every mile feels like 10. This is the life of a marathon runner.

The key is to maximize every workout to push on the days you feel like a super hero and ease up on the throttle on those challenging days. When you adjust in the field, you allow your body to run at the right effort on the day and recover more rapidly -- setting yourself up for a stronger run down the road. Run by your effort, by your breath and how you feel rather than a pace on your watch. Pace is the outcome; effort is the focus.  Your pace will vary based on sleep, recovery, fuel, stress, fatigue, and more. Your effort will be your north star and guide you through a high-quality workout and efficient recovery. 

5.  Take Note

As you create, modify, and tweak your training plan,  keep track of all the details along the way. It's a great way to stay motivated as you'll see your progress in time and an effective means to optimizing all the secondary training variables including number of hours of sleep each night, your diet and the changes you make along the way, what you eat or drink while running, stress level, travel, mileage on your shoes, flexibility, strength and more. Long-distance running is the staple ingredient for your training, and these variables flavor your recipe giving it structure, stability, and success. Whether you use a manual or digital log, keep tabs on the details—because with every mile, you're creating your marathoning style. 

These are great tips that I have been using during my marathon & ultra training.  I hope you find them useful and can implement them into your training.

Happy Runnings.
Andi

Hydration & Long Runs

So, it's been a few days since my 12 miler on Saturday.  After the run I felt sore and exhausted.  I knew that the soreness was probably because of being tense from the cold, wind, and rain.  What I couldn't figure out was why I was feeling so worn down and exhausted.  It took me a very long time to catch my breathe.  I drove home, took a shower, and still was feeling a bit out of breath.

Disclaimer:  I'm about to say something a bit nasty, but I'm sure most can relate.

After going to the bathroom and seeing the color of my urine, I realized why I was so exhausted.  I was not properly hydrated.*  Where did I go wrong?  I've been thinking about this since that day.  It's now Monday night and this run was on Saturday morning.  Obsessive much?  Yes, I am!

 *Dehydration causes fatigue because if your body doesn't have enough fluid, it draws fluid from your bloodstream, making your blood thicker.  When your blood is thicker, it puts more strain on your heart resulting in fatigue.

I know I hydrated properly the evening before...and the morning of.  So, I must have failed properly hydrating myself DURING my run.  I have to admit that I usually drink more water than I did this past week.  Our friends from Patriot's Landing in DuPont are always out there (rain or shine) on the 3 mile route handing us bottled water.  They truly are awesome and put a smile on my face every week.  I usually take a bottle and sip on it during the course of the run.  I haven't yet mastered the art of running and drinking at the same time, so I usually have to stop to drink.  Lately, I've taken a bottle and have practiced drinking on the run.  I'm slowly mastering the skill.  (Sounds silly, I know).  Back to the point.  This week, I didn't take a bottle with me because I didn't feel like carrying it.  It was cold, windy, and raining.  No thank you, I couldn't be bothered with carrying that bottle for miles.  BIG MISTAKE!

I did have a small cup of water at the other water stops and had a cliff bar as well.  So, I'm sure my issue was not having enough carbs.  Side note: I finally have learned how to eat and run at the same time...I know! Silly. But on long runs, it's essential.  For those training for the ultra marathon (the 12 miler), I stashed some water and gatorade along our route.  Unfortunately, when we arrived at that point, my cooler was gone.  Someone took it.  Not sure if someone wanted the cooler, the contents, or took it by accident to store for Wear Blue.  At first I don't think any of us minded much, but when we headed back to the park, that water was really missed.  In reality we went almost 1 hour without hydrating while running.  NO GOOD.

I don't think I felt it much during the run because it was extremely cold, windy, and raining.  I just wanted it to be over.  You don't really feel yourself sweating and I guess the rain prevents you from feeling dry (even dry mouth).  However, it was a great learning experience.  No matter what the weather, how much you sweat, or how you feel at the moment, you must hydrate. 

This is why long runs when training for endurance events are so important.  You learn what works and what doesn't work.  What you should and shouldn't do/wear.  What you feel comfortable with or in and what you don't. 

So, I leave you with 2 important things you should know as a runner.

1. Importance of Hydration
2. Importance of Long runs

If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, please leave me a note below.

Happy running.

It's raining, it's pouring, and this girl is running

Yesterday I was exhausted and didn't run my scheduled 6 miles.  I rested and drank lots of water in preparation for my run today.  I woke up early to make sure I had enough time to fuel up for the run.  In addition to my usual, I made a homemade juice with 1 beet, 5 small carrots, 1/2 large cucumber, and 2 small apples.

I knew it was going to be raining this morning, but I was not expecting what we actually had to run in.  It wasn't only raining.  It was very cold and windy.  I felt my thighs stinging from the very beginning, but the great company made the run tolerable.

We did run through a trail I had never run through before and it was beautiful.  I couldn't resist and stopped to take a picture.

 The trail led us to the water and I was able to get 2 pictures before heading back.

I didn't notice that on the way to the water we were going downhill, so obviously when we headed back to the main road we went up hill.  We made it though and once out of the trail we had roughly another 4.5 miles left.

We finished 12.25 miles in 2 hours and 9 minutes.  I had taken clothes to change into so I didn't have to drive home wet, but I just wanted to get in the shower.  I quickly got in my car and headed home.  As soon as I arrived home, I grabbed all my stuff and ran upstairs to get in the shower.  My clothes were soaked and a warm/hot shower was great.  At first my thighs were purple but as they warmed up they started lightening in color, resulting in a pink color.  Wind burn!  I couldn't find my thermal tights in the morning and just wore my capri tights.  Rest assured... next time, I will make sure I have my long tights.

My body was exhausted.  I could feel soreness everywhere, even my rib area.  I must have been so tense from the cold during that 2 hour run.  I made lunch:  a well deserved t-bone steak with rice, beans, and tomatoes, and have been resting since.  

Running in these conditions is tough, but after you just feel so accomplished and invincible.

I will most likely head out tomorrow for a run since I missed my run yesterday, so my week isn't yet over.

I wish you a great weekend.  I'll talk to y'all next week.

xoxo

Andi

Valentine & Rainbows

Today I was scheduled for 4 miles with speed training and was planning on doing that at the gym on a treadmill.  I'm so glad I changed those plans.  I wound up doing a mix of speed and hill work on my 4 mile route on Martin Way.  (That's the road with my favorite 3/4 mile hill)

Running in Washington is awesome because most of the time something I see memorizes me, even if it's just a few seconds on a one hour run.  Those few moments totally make my run worth it.

Today, as I started heading down Martin Way, I saw a rainbow.  God didn't forget Valentine's Day and gave me the gift of a rainbow to remind me of His love and promises in my life.

As I said, those moments are so awesome because it totally makes my run worth it.  It was my fastest run up that hill to date.  It was a tough one, but I did it...and I did faster than I ever had.

The pictures I take here never truly depict what the naked eye sees, but just so you can get an idea of what I saw today, here's a picture.

I wish you a Happy Valentine's Day and a year filled with love.

xoxo
Andi

What to eat?

Here I was, working away and next thing I know, it's 12:30pm.  With a workout and run coming up in a couple of hours, "I must eat now or else it'll be too close to my workout," I thought.

Note: Eating to close to a workout, unless it's a very light snack, is never a good thing...all sorts of things can go wrong.

I opened the fridge and tried to figure out what quick lunch I could make that was loaded with protein, nutrients, but moderate in carbs and low in fat.  I thought about a tuna sandwich, but I wasn't in the mood for that.  All of my chicken was frozen, so that was not an option.  I looked at the carton of eggs and it stared back at me...I would make an omelet.

I pulled out the eggs and the cheddar cheese.  Then took a look into my vegetable drawer.  I wanted color, so

Green = Broccoli

Yellow = Bell Pepper

Red = Bell Pepper

Orange = Tomato

White = Onion

I started by heating up the skillet while I chopped the veggies.  Once the skillet was hot, I added the vegetables.

Once the vegetables were almost cooked as I like them, I added the egg to the other side of the skillet.  

Note:  If you don't have a double burner skillet, you can just use two different skillets.

 Once the bottom side was cooked, I flipped the egg and added cheddar cheese.

Next came time to top the egg with the veggies.  Place the veggies only one half of the egg.

Fold the egg in half.  Let the egg heat up for 1 minute and then flip.

...and my omelet was done.  Quick and easy.

The picture above doesn't really show the veggie goodness inside, so here's a picture to show you the filling inside this delicious omlet.

DELISH!!!

P.S.  The reason I was looking for something low in carbs is because I had juiced an apple, orange, nectarine, and cucumber.  Obviously, I had the sugar from the juices to help fuel my workout.  The veggies also have complex carbs to help as well.  Carbs are not evil, as long as you have the right ones (complex carbs) and as far as refined or simple sugars go, everything in moderation.  If you are an active person (or not), you should NEVER cut out all the carbs from your diet.  You will run your body down and into exhaustion.

Today is my strength day + 3 miles, so I plan on doing my strength workout at home and then trying a new running route I found on mapmyrun.com. 
Tip for runners:  If you find you are getting bored with your runs, on your next run go on a run with out a route in mind (run aimlessly) or look up common running routes online.  I use mapmyrun.commapmyrun.com.

Hope everyone has a great week.  Thanks for stopping by.

Andi

First Long Run: Food & Friends

This morning I woke up a bit congested with a heavy dose of post nasal drip, but I woke up early enough to help get it out of my system.  I ate my usual bagel with coffee...it's a ritual I have before a long run.  I also decided to try a pre-run juice.  After a recommendation of a juice made with carrots, a beet, and an apple, I did some research and learned that carrots are great for workouts.  Not exactly sure why, but rest assured I will research further.  Anywho, I didn't have any beets, so I subbed it with an orange.  It was delicious.

 
I headed off to the run and it was freezing, but running with a purpose and being surrounded by amazing people makes it all worth it.  To show everyone what we are all about, I took a video of our Circle of Remembrance for anyone interested.

Note:  I made the video with my phone so the volume is off.  I also apologize for my voice when I speak...obviously is much louder and may cause you to jump.




We had a few people run the 10 mile route and it was great.  I love running with other people.  The company and conversations are great and really help pass the time when you are running for so long.  My garmin stats were: 10.27 miles in 1:43 minutes.


I came home to my awesome husband and two beautiful girls, took a shower, stretched some more, and made my favorite protein recovery drink.  The color kind of looks gross because of the spinach, but you really can't taste the spinach.  The girls had some as well...that's how good it is.

Blueberries, 1 banana, 1 spoon of peanut butter, a handful of spinach, chocolate protein power, and fat free milk.

I'm off to make some quesadilla's and have a lazy weekend with my family.  It was a great week training wise, but the rest is well appreciated.  Below are a few pictures I took at our run this morning.


Thank you for your interest in my training and I hope I can motivate you to get active.  If you every have any questions, feel free to leave a comment.


Have a great weekend!!!

 Announcements

 A great group for families

 The 10 mile crew

 Passing by the flags at Patriot's Landing

 Our friends from Patriot's Landing

Food is Fuel

The last couple of days, I've been feeling like I'm fighting a cold.  Luckily, I've been able to keep it away, but I've been doing all I can to make sure a cold and/or flu is not in my future.  I just started training for my ultra marathon and it would be quite demotivating and frustrating if I had to alter my schedule already due to a silly cold.

This week I have been focusing on my diet.  Making sure I'm eating healthy and nutritious foods.  The last day of 2011 I weighed myself and realized I hit my weight loss goal. Actually, I was 1 pound under.  That helped me start the year with a new mind set.  After 3 years, I would no longer focus on weight loss.  I will focus on my fitness, running, and maintaining a healthy diet.  Unfortunately, I lost focus of my healthy diet and using my increase in activity as an excuse.  However, I knew the truth...I wasn't doing all I could do to be a better runner.

My goal isn't to just finish an ultra, but to finish it with grace and in tact.  My miles will start to increase significantly and I want to make sure I'm fueling my body appropriately.  When I say a healthy diet, I'm not talking about diet products.  I'm talking about eating more fruits & vegetables and decreasing my intake of refined sugars and unhealthy fats.  A healthy diet to me equals eating foods that are nutritious and provide me with the vitamins and minerals by body needs to function optimally.  I splurge and encourage the occasional splurge because I feel that it helps people adhere to a life long change to a healthy diet.

Today, for lunch I made myself a turkey burger with a sandwich thin loaded with spinach and tomatoes.  I didn't want to have any sugary drinks, but wasn't in the mood for water either, so I decided to juice some fruits I had.  My friend, Filipe at seasonyourfood.blogspot.com is on day 5 of a 10 day juice fast.  Following his journey has really inspired me to start juicing again.  Juicing is a great way to include veggies and fruits in our diets.  I use to juice once to twice a day, but after moving to Washington I stopped.  Not sure why, but he inspired me to start again.

 Jennie-o turkey burger with cheese, onions, spinach, & tomatoes, along with a fresh fruit juice including strawberries, grapes, & a mango.

After my 6 mile run today I stopped and replenished my stock of veggies and fruits to start juicing.  Tomorrow I have a 10 mile run planned with Wear Blue:Run to Remember and I plan on juicing before my run.  There is a pre-run juice that Filipe recommended, but I don't have any beets, so I will replace it with an orange.  I don't think it will bring any sort of miracle to my run, but I know I'll have those extra nutrients in my body as fuel.

Nutrition doesn't make a runner, but it does help make you a better runner.  When going through those periods of race training, it helps your body stay strong as you increase your mileage.  I love food (healthy food and unhealthy foods) as much as the next person, but if more often than not we see food as fuel, we will make better choices.  Save the splurges for special events and outings.  You won't feel so bad if you eat healthy 85% of the time and trust me, you will feel so much better.

If you have any doubts or questions about nutrition and fitness, feel free to leave me a comment below.

Happy runnings...

Preparation is the Key

By the time I finished my run on Saturday with Wear Blue: Run to Remember, I felt so accomplished.  Not because I completed 6 miles.  I knew I could do that.  It was because I felt magnificent during and after my run.  I knew that this wasn't a fluke.  Not only had I crossed off all of my workouts during the week (remember, I love check lists), but I returned to my healthy eating habits.  Two disciplines that make you a better, stronger, and faster runner.

Preparation is the key to every successful workout.  I have experienced this time and time again.  Sometimes, when I get lazy and don't prepare, I wind up frustrated with myself because I know that I have no one to blame but myself.  A consistent training plan and proper nutrition are the primary factors when preparing for a training session or a race.  For race day, much more goes into preparing, but for trainings it really is a routine that you have to create to ensure you have effective workouts.

Now that I am finalizing my ultra marathon training plan, I am getting my butt in gear.  I must be a well rounded athlete.  One who realizes that to become a stronger and faster runner, I must cross train.  One that recognizes that nutrition has a vital role in how my body handles my workouts.

Sometimes a 3 miler is the easiest thing in the world and other times...it's torture.  I'm sure fellow runners understand this.  My goal is to make my runs as easy as possible more often. 

Off to look for my next runner's high...

What's your motivation?

Motivation: reason, incentive, enthusiasm, or interest that causes a specific action or certain behavior

There are 2 kinds of motivation that drive people: intrinsic and extrinsic.

Intrinsic motivation is internal. It occurs when people are compelled to do something out of pleasure, importance, or desire. A few examples are:

• A person who exercises regularly because it makes their life better.  This person constantly reminds themselves of this before each workout.
• An individual that truly enjoys running and the thrill of the runner's high they sometimes experience.
• Someone who lifts weights, not to tone their body, but because they like the challenge of seeing improved strength with each session.

Extrinsic motivation is of course, external:  It occurs when external factors compel the person to do something.  A few examples are:

• A person who attends the gym or exercise classes because their friend is going too
• Someone who exercises to become more athletic for the football team or to complete a race they registered for
• A woman who exercises to lose weight and improve her figure
• Someone who begins a fitness routine to help lower their blood pressure.

Extrinsic motivation in fitness is probably the most common.  These are the things that usually drive individuals to start a fitness routine.  There is nothing wrong with this kind of motivation.  As I said, it is the most common driver.  The extrinsic motivators are usually the ones where you can define clear goals and assess those goals occasionally to make sure you are on track.  

Those who have followed a long term fitness routine, usually are motivated by internal factors, such as the ones stated above.  These are usually the individuals who see or read about and say "I wish I had their motivation."  It is very common that these same individuals began their fitness routines due to extrinsic motivators.  After succeeding and seeing improvement after improvement, it stirred something inside of them.

Intrinsic motivators usually lead to adherence to a fitness routing, but what if you just aren't there yet?  I know that's what you are asking.

I have been running for 3 years and there are people who always ask how I am so motivated.  I've heard comments such as "I wish I had your motivation" many times.  The truth is, I am not always motivated.  For someone to say they ALWAYS want to go exercise, workout, or run just isn't humanly possible.  Even the best of athletes has days where they don't feel like exercising. We do it anyway.

Q:  But how do we get to a point where "we do it anyway?" 
A:  There is no one answer to this question.  Everyone has their own way of self-motivating.  Essentially, we create extrinsic motivation ourselves. You must do the same.  What helps motivate you?  Goals, challenges, a friend, watching fitness infomercials?  Everyone will have different answers.

Check Lists:
I am very goal oriented.  I love check lists. For me, what works is planning out my fitness schedule, printing it, and hanging it up where I will see it every day.  If I miss a workout and can't cross it off the calendar, it really bugs me.  The more I can cross off that calendar the better I will feel.


Pictures:
Another way I motivate myself is by looking at pictures I took at different races I have run in.  Looking at the pictures brings back the memories and feelings I had when I finished the race.  The accomplishment I felt after each race is enough to get my butt off the couch and get working to get stronger and faster.

Running/Fitness Groups
Joining fitness groups with similar goals as you is also a great motivator.  Not only do you have the support of people who have the same goal as you, but many times you meet great people who wind up becoming awesome friends.  Having a support system and someone to talk to about your goals and the struggles that come with it is great, but having someone who understands because they are going through the journey with you is priceless.  Meetup.com is a great place to find groups in your area with similar interests.  You can enter in weight loss, spinning, hiking, biking, running...anything your heart desires.  The search will bring back all the groups in your area related to the search.  That's how I found my running group in NC.  If you need help finding something, just let me know and I can help.

I am a very visual and social person so these are a few example of things that help motivate me when I need motivating.  Contrary to popular belief I am not always motivated and don't always feel like heading out for a run.  It's an internal battle we always have, but have the strength to win!

Find your way to stay motivated...no matter how silly someone may think it is.  The important thing is that it works and you get active.

xoxo,
Andi

Run with a Purpose - Wear Blue:Run to Remember

I am currently in the process of writing a blog all about motivation.  I will talk about what motivation is, the different types of motivation, and how I keep myself motivated.  Contrary to popular belief, no one is motivated to do things all the time.  I don't always want to go out for a run...but that doesn't mean I won't go for a run.

One of the things that is keeping me motivated right now is the reason why I run and the group of people I run with.  When we found out we were going to be stationed at Fort Lewis I was excited about the adventures it would bring.  One year ago I read an article in Runner's World magazine about Wear Blue: Run to Remember located near JBLM (Joint Base Lewis-McChord).  I searched for the group on the internet, but searching for Run to Remember brought me back many search results.  Luckily, I keep all my Runner's World magazines and went looking for the article.  I quickly found the article and their website.

I wasn't too fond of the move because I love the beach and warm weather, but knowing I would have an opportunity to run with WB:R2R (Wear Blue: Run to Remember) was very exciting for me.  Not only was I going to be able to participate in a running group, but I would be surrounded by people who were running for a cause...and a cause I am passionate about...to run for the Fallen, for the Fighting, and for the Families.

Wear Blue: Run to Remember Mission:  Create a living memorial for the service and sacrifice of the American military.

The the very first day I ran with this group, I felt a part of something.  I was embraced, accepted, and included.  To be honest, WB:R2R helped me get through my husband's first deployment.  Not just because of running, but because of the friendships I formed and the sense of community you feel in the group.

WB:R2R Goals are to act as a support network, create a living memorial, and bridge the gap between the military and the community.

It didn't take me long to see that they are meeting all of their goals.  Being a part of Wear Blue gives me such a sense of pride.  Not only because of the message we carry with us when we run, but because they are truly an all-inclusive group.  Everyone is accepted.  No matter who you are, you are welcome to join.  Whether you are related to the military, a friend of a service member, a gold star parent or wife, or just live in the area, you are welcome.  In reality, you don't even need to live in the JBLM area to be a part of Wear Blue and be a part of the community.

WB:R2R is branching out to other areas in the US, but if there is not a group in your area, that doesn't mean you can be a part of the group.  All you need to do to be a member is Wear Blue during your races.  It's that simple.  If you are interested in getting your very own Wear Blue: Run to Remember shirt, click here.

Every Saturday, before we push out for our runs, we make a Circle of Remembrance.  In that circle, we take a moment of silence for the fallen, call out the names of the service members who paid the ultimate sacrifice that weekend over the past 10 years in the Global War on Terror, and call out the names of the service members we all run for.

When my husband arrived to his unit, he met the father of SPC Thomas F Duncan III.  My husband was moved by the conversation and SPC Duncan became his Ranger in the Sky.  I run in his memory every Saturday and every race.  He made the ultimate sacrifice to ensure the safety of me and my fellow residents of the United States of America.  You can learn a little about Ranger Duncan here.

I ran the AMICA Seattle Half Marathon this past November with WB:R2R for Ranger Duncan and for all those who gave the ultimate sacrifice.  Running past the Mile of Remembrance was very emotional.  The video below demonstrates what I'm talking about.



If you would like to learn more about what WB:R2R is all about, click here.

To become a member, simply click here and fill out the form. (Remember, you don't have to be a part of the military or affiliated with them in any way.)

If you are not a runner or walker, but would still like to support WB:R2R, you can help by purchasing merchandise or making a donation.

I will be wearing blue during my first ultra marathon in July and am honored to serve as a living memorial for Ranger Duncan.  If you would like to know more, please visit wearblueruntoremember.org or comment below.

Thank you for taking the time to learn about WB:R2R and your support.
Andi