How I train: Q and A

Thanks for all your questions and comments on my "How I train" series. Here are some I didn't get to:

Vanesssa asked:
What was your typical weekly mileage training for your first marathon vs. now?
I mentioned that I used to run about 20 miles a week (first marathon) and now I run about 45 miles a week (need to increase!) but what I didn't mention was the standard deviation. I am much more consistent now - before I'd have weeks with just 6 miles total followed by weeks with 12 or 28. Now I might dip to 30 after a race or peak as high as 65 on a race week, but generally I'm in the 40 to 50 range.

Nelly said: Not sure if this is the case, but you look way more powerful now than you do in that picture above from your first marathon. Not sure if you feel the same way.
One thing I didn't talk about what weight training. I do try to do weights at the gym once a week for just that reason: increased power. I think speed work might help, too, although hill sprints would be better. All I need is a hill...

Ali Mc asked:
I really want to know how someone like me (a relatively new runner) could train for their first marathon differently. Everyone says train to just finish but I'd love to BQ on my first one ....do you think that's possible??

Oh gosh. I don't know, I guess it depends on your base. I really think a runner shouldn't attempt a marathon until he or she has been running for several years. Not that finishing a marathon is insanely difficult; just doing one too soon can be disappointing. A young runner may get injured and will probably have a worse finish time than if they had waited until they had a very good base. I think if you have been running at least 30 miles a week for at least 6 months, and you regularly run in the double digits, and you've completed several half-marathons, and your half marathon pace is BQ pace or better, you will probably BQ at your first marathon. But that is total conjecture. 

Kyria asked:

So, you said you never really did taper before, but do you follow a training "schedule" at all? Or just wing it? You seem kind of like a wing it kind of girl. Do you do speed work? Pace work? Hills?

Where do you find the time? Do you run in the dark?

While I use a training schedule as a guide, I mostly wing it. The training schedule just helps me plan when my long runs should be. I only do speed work on Monday nights with the Varsity Sports group, so if my training plan has additional speed work I just do a regular run. I almost never wear a watch, so I don't do any tempo runs or marathon pace runs or all that jazz. 

Now that I work a set schedule, I run in the mornings before work. I get up at 6:00, and try to be out the door by 6:30.That still gives me time to get a ten-miler in, shower, get ready for work, eat breakfast, and get to work before 9:00. Sometimes it is dark, but that's ok; I live in New Orleans so you know there is NO crime. 

Mickiruns asked:

Would you mind including a "I wish I knew ____ when I was training for my first marathon"? 

Don't wear different underwear on race day! Ow, chaffing! 

Sassy Molassy said:

I usually run 5-6 days per week and for me, reducing my mileage has actually been more effective. 45-50 miles per week are usually my max during marathon training. That being said, it could have been the combination of doing more comprehensive workouts (gym, yoga, lifeforce) that has improved my muscle imbalances so I'm not injured like I was before. 

Well said, I think cross-training for muscle strength is a great way to prevent injury while increasing all-around fitness. Too bad I suck at everything except running (I wish you could see me attempting soccer as a kid, it was tragic).

Christy asked:

My question is how do you stay injury free with the increase in miles?

Ah-hah! Great question! Mileage increase should be snail's pace slow. But once you are up there, you're golden. Stay where you can tolerate it. It's the changes that put you in danger, not the actual higher mileage. For me, after I ran a marathon in fall of 2010, I had built up to around 40 mpw and stayed there by simply adding on races incessantly. I have gradually increased that to 45 or so over the course of almost an entire year. The key is to maintain mileage so you don't have to build back up.

Kinza said:

I would love to hear details about your eating habits.

I eat fairly well. Besides three square meals, I snack a lot, mostly on mixed nuts, fruit,  or crackers and cheese. I don't have the most ideal diet, but I keep junk food to a minimum and I'm a healthy cook. Our most damaging meals come from eating out, which we do about once a week, but since my hubby and I both love food - and live in New Orleans - we aren't about to give that up! I don't drink soda or any sweet beverage at all, and I have raw fruit or veggies with every meal. I drink red wine several times a week and I'm a coffee addict, but I drink a lot of water, too. I could be more careful with my diet, but I'm fairly content with it.

Char said:

I don't get how you think you suck at distances over 16 miles and yet run a 3:09 marathon. Clearly you don't actually suck - is it that you don't like going so far.

Well, that's kind of you to say, but I actually do suck. I have just had to persuade myself that crappy long runs don't equate to crappy marathons, or I'd be perpetually worried about my performance. I routinely hit the wall, fall off pace, get sick, or quit early during long runs! 

In fact, in all my ten races, I've only had one good twenty. Read about it here. 


Thanks for reading all my training posts and for your comments! Of course, it turns out that the week that I put up posts all about running and training I ran fever and had a cold and missed running for three days - plus skipped a long run for my next race. Not an auspicious start to training. 

How I train: the mental part

The last part of How I Train is kind of a catch-all of things I didn't put elsewhere, but it concludes with one of the most important parts: the mental aspect! If I could credit one thing with taking me from a 4:15 to a 3:09 marathon, it's thinking I could do it.
But first some bits and pieces I forgot...

The mental aspect comes into play when one realizes one has run 27.2 miles instead of 26.2. Yes, I actually did that. 

Injuries: At first (marathon #1), I was a big ball of injury - I was not in the shape to attempt a marathon and training hurt. This is why I'm not a proponent of the "You, too, can run a marathon" kind of plan. Sure, anyone can run a marathon. But first you need to build up a decent base, or the mileage increase will injure you!
My biggest injury was excruciating runner's knee that plagued me for months and lead to other, responsive injuries. I fixed that in 2 weeks by throwing out my motion control shoes and going neutral. Bam, just like that, no more pain. My only injury after that was a mild fracture sustained from a hard landing on a rough surface...playing chicken with a train. I know. Sorry. I do dumb stuff sometimes. It serves me right. It healed in a month and has been 100% pain free since then.
Edited in 2013: Since the time I wrote this, I developed a chronic condition (osteitis pubis) and then lost over 7 months to a stress fracture: what was initially diagnosed as a hamstring tear turned out to be a femoral stress fracture. I'm not sure how it happened to begin with, but running on it for 5 months certainly made it worse. I'll re-edit later if I find out more info on what could have prevented this injury!
Gear: I'm not really into fancy running stuff. I got a Garmin for Christmas a year ago, but I only wear it for speed workouts, long runs when I don't know my route distance, and races. I wear an ipod for long runs and races, too, but not for everyday running.
I buy my socks and jog bras from Walmart. They are cheap cotton. I buy shorts off Ebay or Nike clearance. I got tights at Target last year for $1.99. I have only purchased a running top ONCE, since I wear mostly race T's. I snap up clearance shoes and try to spend less than $39.99 per pair.
To me, the appeal of running is that anyone can do it with very, very little stuff. I don't want to lose that feeling of fun and freedom, so I keep things low tech.
Right now, I wear Saucony Kinvaras - men's, since I have wide feet - and I love them. I wear them for long runs, track, races, and every day. I also have a pair of Karhu Fulcrum Fast, which I rotate in about once a week. I love my Karhu's, too, but lately I've been having trouble with fit. I think I'm between sizes in a women's shoe - men's shoes just fit better.
The best thing I ever did for my running was to switch to a neutral shoe. I'm a believer in letting your body, not an external device, correct for any imbalance or anomaly. If you think about it, you've been alive and kicking with that darned pronation or funny gait for 20+ years and it never hurt you before. When you do natural activities like walking, lifting, or sitting, you didn't need special shoes to prevent a catastrophe. So why do you need them for running, which should also be a natural activity? I'm not saying go totally minimalist, which didn't work for me (I tried it, I felt too much impact); I'm just saying, let your body do its thing. If you aren't having problems, don't let some running shoe store sell you a stability shoe to "fix' something.

Fuel: Before I run I have half a cup of coffee - full cup for a race - but I generally do not eat. I eat lightly before a marathon but no other distance. While running, I eat gels or oatmeal or white rice. Yeah, I bring teeny bags of cooked and salted rice and oatmeal with me. It's cheaper than gels.
For long runs, I only fuel for 18 miles and over. I bring two servings of fuel (2 gels, 2 bags of rince, etc).
For races, I usually bring a gel or two for a half marathon, although I rarely will take more than one.
When I race a marathon, I need fuel. I drink Gatorade at about every other water stop, and I bring about 4 gels.
I take my gels in halves since it's easier to get enough liquid down with them that way. I try to stay on a schedule of miles 6, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, and 22 - half a Gu at each. Obviously I will adjust this based on location of water stations.
For the rest of the time, my normal diet is just ok. I drink lots of coffee and have red wine at least 5 times a week. Hey, it keeps my cholesterol in check! I am lucky that I generally like healthy foods, especially fruits, veggies, and legumes, but I eat plenty of treats, too. That's why I'm medium-weight instead of pro-runner skinny. I like eating and food makes me happy.


What I don't do: I do not ice, I do not wear compression, I do not race without drinking water, I do not drink chocolate milk, I do not have mantras, I do not run barefoot, I do not diet, I do not take supplements, I do not bandit,  I do not cross train, I do not stretch, I do not carb-load, I do not buy expensive accessories, I do not raise money for charity, I do not negative-split, I do not mid-foot strike, I do not do Yasso 800's, I do not run on treadmills, I do not run ultras, I do not use sunscreen. I do what I can, want, like, and afford...in other words, I keep running a hobby, not a lifestyle. Only you know just the mix of dos and don'ts that work for you! Some things I should do to improve but I'm not willing to sacrifice for them. Some things would be fun to do, but would cut into time and money I should spend on other things. You just have to pick and choose what works for you. 


When the going gets hairy: So here's the thing. I don't like quitting or copping out. I don't usually make excuses for myself. I'm not silly enough to not allow myself a pass if I'm sick or injured, but I don't like going easy on myself. I'm not a perfectionist, just pushy.
I'm not built to be a runner. I'm a stocky, muscular build that doesn't promise long smooth strides. I'm heavier than most runners running my same speed. I have terribly damaged feet from wearing too-small shoes growing up, and I heel strike. But I do not give up and I don't make excuses. I think that's helped me more than any natural ability or training plan.

What's helped YOU more than anything else?

Sam's debut

This brother is running his first real race tomorrow.

Sam, looking like a poet

He's run a few local races before , including a 4-miler in which he beat a local standout who runs cross country for LSU (I don't want to be mean and name this person, but basically our pep talks before races pretty much always include, "Get out there and beat so-and-so!"). But this weekend's half-marathon is his first larger race, and his first long-distance as well. (He ran the Crescent City Classic 10k a year and a half ago, but he had not begun running seriously at that point and ran it for fun.)
I think Sam will be really, really good. He's not tall, just average, but has long legs and is quite lean. He doesn't run as far as Abe does, but his speed has passed Abe's up. He's still a teen so he has time for improvement, too.
I think if he has a good race he can do this half-marathon in about 1:20. 
Gone are the days when I could outrun my little brothers!

Do you have siblings or kids in sports? Are you their rabid fans? Do you urge them to beat other specific kids? Haha. Good thing I  don't have children; I'd be the soccer mom everyone hates.

Long run in the rain

Last Saturday I cranked out 18 miles in the middle of a tropical storm. I have to say, it was less than ideal conditions. It was early in the storm still, so temps hadn't dropped much yet, and the rain was ferocious and hard. Winds whipped around me and kept flipping my hat brim up (I wore a ball cap to shield myself from the rain a little). It was impossible to avoid all the puddles and the downed branches turned the park into an obstacle course. I left my Garmin home since a) it couldn't find a satellite in the downpour and b) I didn't want it to be damaged - I know it is water resistant, but this was some serious rain.

Hopefully the Garmin is more water-resistant than the dye used in my shoes, but I wasn't taking chances.

I struggled against the wind for about 11 miles, stopping every 2 or 3 miles to wring my socks out. I decided to cut the run short when I saw how blistered my feet were getting, but when I reached the house David was just leaving for his run. My pace was already pathetic so I decided to run his 5 miles with him. I grabbed some pretzels to eat on the run, and headed back out. It was strange throwing a slow 5 into the middle of the run - David runs between 1 and 3 minutes slower per mile than me, and in this rain he was struggling to keep his pace under 10 minute miles - in fact, it felt harder than if I'd picked it up and run 5 fast miles. I don't know why that is, but it seemed fatiguing. I definitely enjoyed the company, though, since only 4 or 5 hard core types were out in the wet. The park was downright lonely!
I left David to run home by himself and finished the 18 with another loop around Audubon park. I must say I was glad the run was over. It was a challenge!

Some thoughts on this run: Any little change (rain, wind) seems so tough to me. How could I ever handle hills?! What challenges you on your runs?
Lots of people love running in the rain but I could take it or leave it. Are you a rain runner?
For some reason I have not really needed much fuel on my long runs this year. Last year I would have had a Gu, some oatmeal and probably a few chomps during 18 miles. Saturday I had 6 mini pretzels and I was fine - and I did not eat before I ran, and I left the house late (slept in and didn't start until 8:30). How much do you eat during a long run?

My next race...

I just signed up for the Clarence DeMar marathon.

The race is in lovely Keene, NH.

It's September 25th.
So, I kind of have to do a sort of accelerated training. Heehee!
I picked this race because I have a good chance of seeing some pretty fall leaves and let me tell you, that's something this transplanted Yankee misses.
Oh for a cup of cider and a cold fall day! Even such a day which requires 26 miles of running.
So, my plan is to do my long runs on the next few weekends:
16 miles   < Did that this Saturday
18 miles
20 miles
12 miles
marathon

The rest of the week I'll keep the same. Right now I'm on a semi-schedule that looks like this:
Monday: Easy 3 - 8  miles
Tuesday: Ten miles at 7:30 to 8:00 pace
Wednesday: Gym - full body weights
Thursday: "Speedwork" for 3-5 miles (I am attempting to do real speedwork but I usually degenerate to pathetic fartleks)
Friday: Easy 3 - 8 miles
Saturday: Long run (used to be 8-14 miles but I'll be ramping that up)
Sunday: My choice of cross train, short fartlek run, or rest day

Has anyone else done a short-notice marathon?
Tips?
Advice?
I think I'll be ok since I have a base of 30 - 40 miles a week already, and this is my "throw away" race to kick the season off. I need one race to gauge my fitness and guide me in my goals for other races later in the year.

Nike Tempo Vs. Target C-9

Today I am going to compare Nike tempo running shorts to Target's C-9 version of them. You are welcome for taking 7,000 mirror photos in an attempt to demonstrate fit.
First off, a price comparison. Tempos are usually $28 -$32 but often go on sale for less. I paid $14.99 for the Target shorts, which I still think is a lot.
Next, fit.

Target C-9 running shorts

Nike tempos (at this point I found my flash)

 Here's the deal with this: Tempos have a unique tapered leg design. I think this is to prevent upper-thigh-flashing incidents, but honestly it's kind of weird. Note the bizarre ballooning going on here in the tempos...

The front and back seem to be cut exactly the same. Weird.

...Whereas the C-9's have a more traditional straight leg. It seems that the Nike's have too much fabric and it bunches and billows, and the C-9's have a flatter fit.
It would make sense to solve the problem by going down a size in the tempos, but it doesn't work that way. These are smalls, and the lining and waistband fit me. There is just extra outer fabric. If I got XS shorts the waistband would cut me in half.

Crappy useless pocket

Decent pocket

Speaking of waistbands, let's discuss quality of design. Waistband features here...the Nike's have elastic in the waist and a kind of faux drawstring. The C-9's however, have a functional front drawstring. I personally prefer elastic over drawstring for the way it feels and the movement it allows. Another little quality concern is the key pocket design. The C-9's have this rinky-dink little front pocket that can barely hold a key, instead of the lining pocket the tempos have. And while I'm on the subject of quality, notice anything about the side strip on the Target shorts? Yeah, that gray used to be white. The color bled when I washed these.

Lastly I want to touch on the moisture wicking properties. This is the big claim to fame for tempos, which are made with Nike dri-FIT technology. And I've got to say, it works pretty well. I get soaked with sweat during summer long runs, and my tempos definitely get sweaty, but when I wear my C-9 shorts saturated fabric slaps my legs (spraying sweat droplets) for the last half of the run. It is extremely uncomfortable to run in soaked fabric - it rides up your legs, sweat dribbles down the backs of your legs, fabric bunches wetly.

So the verdict? Although I like the cut of the C-9 shorts better than the tempos, I rely so much on the moisture wicking fabric that the tempos win on that strength alone. 

What's the most important thing to you when you buy workout clothes?

Thoughts from my morning run.

I'm probably the only runner in the world with a high-heels injury. Too many date nights.


We have a Quaker meeting house in New Orleans (We do. It meets in the Methodist church on Carrollton.)? I wonder if anyone I know is a Quaker?


A mimosa date! How cute (A couple passed, one carrying OJ and the other carrying champagne).


Um, lady, while you're chatting on your cell phone your dog is eating another dog's poo and your kid just threw his paci out of the stroller. Here's your paci kid, this isn't a game. I'm not picking it up next time!


One of these days I'm going to die up on this levee, run over by a texting biker.


Ouch. Those spandex bike suits aren't for everyone.


This is very interesting. A dog is chasing a rabbit down the side of the levee, which spooked a horse who skittered into a goat's path and now a guy in his underwear is trying to catch the goat. I thought I lived in the city.


Ha! Those are Christmas boxers!


Gah! Train! I hear a train! Must speed up! Must sprint! Must beat train!


Oh, that was a tug boat, not a train.


What the heck are they doing in the river? Ah, dredging the Mississippi. That's interesting, and a little messy (It's very messy. I got a thin dirt film just from running by).


Hi mayor Landrieu.


Five miles in and I can wring about a cup of sweat out of my clothes .


You know how we call the fruit and color both orange? I wonder if that translates to other languages? As in, are the Dutch words for color and the fruit the same, too?


If that kid leaves that Gatorade by that tree I'm stealing it.


Hi James Carville.


No giraffes out at the zoo today (My run takes me past Audubon Zoo). Maybe it's too hot. Or maybe they're off necking. Tee hee!


I'm not going to stop to cross Magazine Street. I have a crosswalk and I'm not afraid to use it!


Eh, maybe I am afraid to use it. Why is there an 18-wheeler on Magazine Street anyway?


I've said it before and I'll say it again. Your dogs do NOT want to be friends. They just want to fight or mate. Stop trying to introduce them mid-walk.

Oh gosh lady, please put your lovely hair in a ponytail, I'm hot just looking at it all sticking to your neck.

Will that mom notice if I snitch her kid's Cheerios out of the stroller as I pass? 


Hi guy from church who never recognizes me outside of the pew (and whose name I don't know).


Shoes are saturated. This should make my closet smell lovely later.

I wonder if the milk is too far gone to use in pancakes? 


Oh, heavens! A herd of bikers beat me to the water fountain! What shall I do! I think I will honestly die if I have to wait two more seconds for water!


Ah! Help! Now they're all taking turns filling their water bottles! Nooooooo!


I guess I'll wring out my clothes again while I wait. That should scare 'em. Must be at least another cup (I think it worked).


Why is it that "natural" fluorescent bulbs always look the least natural?


Hi Arnie Fielkow.


Didn't I just pass that lady three minutes ago? Or is it just that everyone wears the same race T-shirts?


Please, no traffic on St. Charles, if I have to stop to cross the street I won't want to run again.


Yay! Last block! Almost home! I might make it home before heat stroke sets in!


CRAP, where is the house key?! Oh yeah, in my key pocket, duh. 


Should I strip on the porch and wring my clothes out one more time? Nah, that's not nice to the neighbors....

Rivershack Run 2-mile

Well, I'm officially a bad blogger. This weekend I had my brother over from Pennsylvania (sleeping on my couch) and my the rest of my local family over for brunch, and I ran a fun race - and I have zero photos to show for it. I'm a wretch. I'm sorry.
But I snapped a belated picture of this:

The race I ran was the Rivershack 2-mile race, and these were the awards - trivets! Cute idea. Randomly, my brother (who was in town for a wedding) and a friend had had a lively debate all day about what exactly a trivet was (after discussing wedding gifts) and I was able to put their minds at ease by showing them mine. Yeah, I said it was random.
Anywho, Saturday morning I ran close to eleven miles at a pretty fast pace (for me, grain of salt here please) - 7:34s. Then that night we decided to run to the start of the race, since it was only 3.5 miles. So when I arrived at the race my legs weren't exactly fresh. Good thing it was just 2 miles!
It was raining for the race and actually it had rained all day. This cooled things down a little, but still didn't help my pace. I simply can't wrap my head around short distances. The race was fine, I kept a pretty even pace, I only slipped once (wet grass up the side of the levee!), my legs only felt mildly wobbly, and I finished 8th overall. But you know, I finished with too much left in the tank. For once I just want to run a short race and finish exhausted, spent, gasping for breath. I know these short distances are not my "thing" but I am annoyed that I under-perform in them!
I ended up with a 13:30 and a 2nd place age group finish, which earned me a trivet. I would show you a lovely race photo of me with the other female winners, everyone smiling in the camera but me (I don't know what I'm looking at, but it's over my right shoulder), except Facebook doesn't let you copy photos anymore. Losers.
After the race, there was pizza, red beans, beer, live music and fireworks! What! Pretty sweet for a 2-miler! Luckily for me, we ran into some friends at the after party and they offered us a ride back. I wouldn't have minded running back home but running with a trivet sounds pretty awkward.
Photos you may have liked to see:
- Group family photo
- Fireworks after the race
- Action race shot, courtesy of the hubby
- Picture of my glamorous brunch menu
Pictures you don't care about that I actually took:
- A trivet
Sorry guys.

You know you live in New Orleans when...

...you come home from your run carrying all of this:

Reverse carb loading?

The owner of a bar down the street stopped me a few blocks from my house and asked me if I wanted some French bread. "My poboy guy delivered too much," he explained, so I walked the rest of the way home holding two loaves at arm's length to avoid sweat contamination.
You have to love New Orleans sometimes.

Running into trouble

Back from a blessed long weekend...Hope everyone had a happy fourth!
No I did not run the midnight marathon, even though I wanted to. I decided it was a bad idea. I'm out of shape, slightly injured, and now...I have a cold, too. Maybe next year! 
Abe didn't do it either. I forgot to mention that after his last very rough marathon, I noticed he was walking around in sandals - odd for him. I yanked his jeans leg up and his ankle was enormous and purple. I made him go to his trainer and turns out he sprained it during the race; it's been taped since and he's just easing back into running, too. 
***
It's been over 2 months since I hurt my leg, and I took the time off from running like I should have. For the past two weeks, I've been easing back into things. I've got to admit, it hasn't been a walk in the park. While I was out, it got hot and humid. And apparently I got out of shape.
I've mostly been running three or four miles, getting up to six two or three times and up to ten once. That ten miler was my first double digit run in about 2.5 months, and although ten miles didn't used to feel like anything, that one was tough. It was hot out and I got winded early. I kept my pace under 8 min/miles, but it was work to do so. This run was a real test for me. I know in the past I'd do 10 easily, with my "slow" pace around 8 min/mile, and feel fine. This run didn't feel fine. I wasn't exhausted, but I felt a little tired. It didn't help that I had a cold and sore throat, too.The way I felt indicated that I have a lot of work to do to get back in shape.
I guess the best thing to do is come up with a training plan. But before I do that, I have to check back in with my doctor. I had a scheduled call-back to discuss how I felt (I asked for a phone consult instead of an appointment, since they're hard for me to make), but he never came to the phone and I ended up hanging up after about ten minutes. So once I get in touch with him, and get over this darned cold (I'm always sick at the most inopportune times!) it will be time to move forward. I'm thinking build up some distance first, then check my speed and add in speed work. Hahahaha. I know full well I'll NEVER do the speed work I prescribe myself. I am terrible at this.
Another good idea is to go ahead and register for a race to "force" myself to train, but I think that's a bad idea since I'm injured. I do have two half-marathons on the books for October, but nothing sooner.
So, that's that.Any words of encouragement to get my butt out there would be appreciated!

Greek Fest 5k...a return to running

I ran the Greek Fest 5k last Friday - my first run back after hurting my leg. It's a night race, warm and humid, and lots of stars show up since there's a cash prize. People OBSESS about the cash prizes.
I decided to take it easy and stop if my leg hurt. Of course, I started out way too fast. I hadn't run in almost two weeks, plus I wanted to assess the leg, so I should have backed off: but everyone started so fast I did, too. The pace was far too quick for me (mile one: 6:28) and I paid for it: my second mile was 6:58 and in the third mile pains started shooting up my leg. I walked it off but you know...races are high pressure...I started running again since I figured "damage done"  and finished in 21:54. BAD.
Worse, my leg hasn't improved since. I thought I was ok to do a few runs but now it's swollen. What's up with that?!

The Greek Orthodox Church and canoeing on Bayou St. John

Greek Fest, of course, was fun - the race fee ($15) includes entry to Greek fest and two beers in addition to your T-shirt and swag, so you really almost break even. Entry plus two beers would cost you $11 without the race. It's a deal! We ate lamb sausage pita by the bayou and relaxed. So fun!
I guess it's back to the elliptical for me, though. Can someone please recommend another form of cardio? I'm losing my mind.

NAIA Nationals

My little brother Abe is in Indiana this week for NAIA nationals. 

He's competing in the marathon.

He's the #2 seed in the nation in this event. 

I still have trouble wrapping my head around this. Abe? Little Abe, my charge for many years (we divided the kids up to make babysitting easier when we were growing up; Abe was "my" little boy)? Abe, the overweight teen? Abe, the freshman, who was never coached until this fall yet holds five school records?
That kid really amazes me!
Since the marathon favors older runners, not only is Abe the youngest runner, the entire field is pretty small. There just aren't that many college students running marathons competitively. Hopefully he'll place and be all-American! I wish I could have taken off work to be there.

Who wears short shorts?

He's racing Saturday, so I will keep you posted!

Summer Race Schedule and GOALS

To snap out of my running funk, I took (some of) your advice and decided to check out some upcoming races. I planned to jump-start everything with a 5k this very morning, held literally outside the door of my in-law's home in Bay St. Louis. WE could combine a race with a beach vacation! We drove an hour and a half through traffic to get there last night, and my hubby realized he forgot my travel bag. I had no clothes, no bathing suit, no running shoes, nothing. So we turned around and drove all the way home, and I yelled at the hubby for most of the ride.* So that was our Friday night.
 This morning I looked over upcoming races, and I pretty much have to settle for 5ks or 1 miles. So here's what's coming up:
Bubba Gump Shrimp 5k, May 1st.
Greek Fest 5k, May 27. A Friday night race that includes entry to the Greek Fest. Last year I had a stomach bug and threw up during the race. Then I ate Greek food all night and threw up again the next day. Ah, memories.
Free for all!!!! The New Orleans Track Club has a series of free 2-mile races throughout the summer. They're at 7 pm on week nights: perfect for my work schedule.
The next "long" race is an as-yet-unscheduled 10 miler in September. It should ease the way into a season of half-marathons and marathons.
So...
My goals for this year (!!! If I put it on the interweb it must come true !!!)...
Summer:
1. Run a 5k under 21 minutes. This is actually kind of conservative but I am so bad at 5k's I want to give myself a chance; plus the summer heat and humidity really kills my speed. So for me, this will be very difficult.
2. Run one of the free 2 milers in 13:15. Same reasoning as above.
3. Get huge muscles. The gym is air conditioned at least, and my gym is really close to my new job.
4. Lose extra fat. I'm not overweight, but if I want to stack up PR's I need to be really lean. This will be a challenge for me since I'm already very close to goal weight and I have a sluggish metabolism (I only have a tiny part of my thyroid). I haven't formulated a plan for this yet but I think it might involve making David eat the huge bag of chocolates stashed under my desk.
Fall:
I don't have a race schedule yet, but here are a few loose goals:
1. Run a half-marathon in 1: 36 or under. Now this is getting brave. The handy-dandy Mcmillan calculator tells me I'm out of my mind.
2. Qualify for the NYC marathon at either a marathon or half marathon. This is getting REALLY lofty. My marathon PR is 3:27  under ideal conditions (flat course, great weather, normal stomach). I'd have to run a 3:23. But I think I have a 3:23 in me. I could also qualify with a 1:37 half, so I could combine this goal with the first goal. I actually think the marathon would be easier for me - the longer the race, the better I tend to do.
So there you have it. Big goals that need big plans. When I get my plans together, I'll share those, too.
Have an awesome weekend!
*Everything is ok now. I apologized for yelling and David bought almond croissants from the patisserie down the street so we're even.

What just happened here?!

I went out for a run. Then I didn't feel like it and turned around and came home. Uh, what?! I've never done that! I LIKE to run!
That's actually why I came home instead of sticking it out. I don't want running to just be a routine or something I do so I don't get as big as a house (I'm about at "condo" right now).I want to keep it enjoyable. So I came home.
I don't know why I felt like this today. Maybe I'm just tired - I have been opening the store AND closing it during training (going home for the middle of the day) so I get the hang of procedures, and it's cutting into my sleep. I'm also stressed about my new store opening. We don't have a mailbox yet so our permits are floating off in space apparently; the supply order arrived without any of the items I really needed; the DEA is dragging their feet on our 222 forms so I can't order any narcotics.
Plus honestly running has been weird. I don't have a goal or any upcoming races and the humidity is slowing me down, and my shoes are all wearing out at once. I dabbled in barefoot running and I liked it, but I'm slower. So I'm conflicted. I guess I just need to pick some kind of plan and stick with it.
Ideas? Do you ever get, well, sick of running? How did you pull out of the slump?

Shoe Evolution: Adapting to a Minimalist Shoe

Just a little over a year ago, I was hobbling around nearly lame from excruciating knee pain. Simple runner's knee had progressed to a major injury, and I ran my first marathon so injured that my patella strap popped off mid-race because my knee had swollen so much. Less than six months later I was running pain-free and getting faster with every race. How did I heal?
Simple.
I wore less shoe.
Take a look at my shoe progression.

Brooks Ariels, Saucony Triumph, New Balance, Karhu Fast, Saucony flats

1. I started out with Brooks Ariels, a massive shoe with heavy, solid arches that absolutely prevents any kind of pronation. The shoe weighs an incredible 12.3 ounces, and is about as flexible as a cinder block.Worst of all, I wore these with stiff orthotics! The result? Heavy, unnatural gait and severe knee injury that led me to the doctor.
2. Next came Nike Craptastics, a pair of shoes so cheap and poorly made that I got blood blisters from deteriorating insoles. I bought these from the same running store, as my doctor (typically) recommended new shoes for a knee injury. They felt all right on - wide toe box, good fit - but all wrong when I ran. They were also a stability shoe and my joints felt jarred with every step. My runner's knee was compounded by a gigantic black and blue bursa injury.

This is the only picture I could find of my Nikes (L) because they are no more.

3. The light! All at once I bought three pairs of shoes in my quest to replace my dying Nikes. About this time I started researching running gaits and knee injury, and I concluded two things: first, that pronation actually protects your knees, and second, that I do not overpronate. My shoes wear on the inside because I push off with my big toe joint. We call this, um, bunions. I settled on the Saucony Triumph, a men's shoe, because they seemed likely to stand up to many long runs. They are tough, but best of all they were a flexible neutral shoe. These were my first neutral shoes and in days my knee pain had subsided.
4. I moved on to a pair of now -discontinued New Balance shoes that are very lightweight, flexible shoes. I loved the lightness of this shoe and ran four marathons in it - however, I did not rely on it much in training because as you can see it has a very high heel. This cushy stacked heal makes me heel-strike, especially when I speed up, so I felt a little uncomfortable. I could tell that it was making me change my gait.
5. My beloved Karhu Fast Fulcrum shoes had been waiting in the wings all the while. I had been "saving" these shoes for shorter races because they have basically no outsole. But I love the nearly zero-drop heel and the superb flexibility. The "fulcrum" encourages mid-foot strike, which I like because I already mid-foot strike. I began a secret plan to train for and run the Mardi Gras marathon in these shoes, part of my move to more minimal shoes. I almost ditched the plan after I had a bruised toe following The Wall 30k, but I stuck with the plan and PR's at the marathon in the Karhus.
6. Because I have an addiction, I recently bought the Saucony Kilkenny flats. I like that they are basically no shoe at all, but the wells where the spikes would screw in decrease overall flexibility.

Compare the heels on my Brooks Ariels and my new Saucony flats. Geez.

During this past year of shoe experimentation, I came to a few conclusions.
1. Our bodies are smart. We do not need to retrain our bodies to do something we are designed to do and have been doing all of our lives. If you over-pronate, it's probably to compensate for some gait or structural anomaly. A more flexible shoe lets your body work the way it has learned to.
2. If it makes you change the way you run, don't wear it. Honestly, I am not a fan of altering your running gait. I know many people are advocating Chi running and barefoot running, but if you have to make major changes to your stride to adopt a new style you are begging for injury. Running should feel natural to you. When I run, I don't want to think about how I am running. I don't have "perfect form" (according to whom?) but I also ran five marathons in six months injury-free. When I bought the Nikes, the short and  wide toe box seemed ideal for me. And indeed, the shoes fit my feet well. But they forced an uncomfortable, unnatural landing that hurt every step. I felt back and neck stiffness after a long run. The Karhus claim to adjust your gait (that's what the fulcrum does) but it works for me because that already IS my gait.
3. If it isn't broken, don't attempt to fix it. Sorry, guys, I had to correct that old and wise phrase! Don't jump on every running bandwagon. Are you in pain? Injured? Slow? No? Then keep the shoes you've got.
4. Go slow. If you make shoe changes, do it gradually by working a new pair in. I did this with all my shoe changes and I still rotate shoes. Right now I am wearing mainly my Karhus, but I wear my New Balance a few times a week because I'm cheap and I'd like to get my money's worth. Once a week I work in my flats. My Saucony's seem stiff and heavy to me now, so I have relegated them to gym only. 

Seriously?!

I was feeling a little perkier today and the weather is blissful. So I ran ten miles in 1:11, with the last seven miles all being under 7 min.

I like to run my fastest ten milers while trying to decide if my kidneys are actually failing or just nephrotic. 

P.S. I've never even run one mile under 7 minutes before as far as I know.

Nike tempo shorts clearance

Nike has tempo shorts for $15.97 right now!
You can get solid colors here and prints here.

I don't like pink so I bought the "mango" ones instead

And to save you even more...enter the promotional code 3PTSHOT for an extra 20% off all clearance. It brings the price down to $12.78. DO THIS TODAY AS THIS COUPON EXPIRES MARCH 7th!
As of now (this morning) you can still find all sizes if you aren't picky about colors.

Does long-distance running change your body?

Yes. And I'm not just talking black and blue nails.
Let me, at the risk of grossing all of you out, use myself as an example. Warning: the post below describes my inner thighs!
This past summer I trained for a marathon with a fairly typical 6-day a week plan (five days were running; one was cross training). My plan included three 20-milers prior to the race. Following that marathon, I ran three more marathons, two halves, and a 10-mile race - all in about 80 days. So let's talk about physical changes.
1. More fat. This is weird. Many first-time marathoners have commented to me that they gained weight. For my first marathon, I did not. Actually I got super skinny, but I was also deathly ill most of the time, so I don't know why I lost weight. But for my second marathon I felt pudgy all summer. I don't know how much my weight changed since I don't have a scale, but trust me, my thighs looked like two bottle of marshmallow fluff. Why? I'm thinking it was the repeated long runs. I got my body used to running really far, then going straight to work often with few calories after (I was often queasy post-run and had no time to eat at work). I think my metabolism adjusted to retain calories just in case I busted out another 20. My weight dropped significantly following the October marathon, and it stayed normal for the rest of the races. This could be because I only did one other long-run all fall.
2. Bad skin. I made you all look at my pimples. Ok, I have a confession to make: I purposefully irritated them prior to the picture to make them look worse. But it was still bad! Over the summer my extremely sweaty runs gave me acne; even this fall my face was bad enough for me to go to a dermatologist (it's better now). Long runs are the pits for pretty skin.
3. Funky muscles. I NEVER stretch. I know I should, but I am so lazy! The consequence of this is that I am muscle-bound. My hamstrings are especially enormous and tight. I actually cannot straighten my right leg completely while extended: the hamstring is too too tight. I think I should work on this.
4. Achy joints. NOT. Strangely, while my knees were my Achilles's heel last year (haha! I'm sorry, I just couldn't resist making a silly and confusing anatomical joke. I take it back), I've been basically pain-free this summer and fall. Post-race I might ache a tad, but it is gone in 24 hours.

******************WARNING!!!!***********************

All men stop reading at once! I am about to start talking about menstrual cycles!!!!!!!!!
5. Fewer periods. I'd love to be able to explain this one. Most people assume that extreme athletes and long distance runners stop having periods because their body fat is so low. I am here to tell you that this cannot be the case. At least for me it can't, because my body fat is most definitely nowhere near that point. Not even in my dreams. Ask my jeans about body fat!
Yet since training started in May, I had only three periods (one of which was during a marathon, oh joy) and two were extremely light. I am convinced that their is another reason behind this, perhaps one related to hormone production instead. Now I am not complaining about this. On the contrary, it's an incentive to keep running! Periods are suck-o!
6. Other cosmetic issues. I stuck this down here in the ladies-only section because guys probably don't care anyway. Let's face it: wind in your face gives you leathery skin. It gave me a few wrinkles, which I love. I really do. I think they add character! Constant jolting can make your boobs sag; I know I said this isn't about toenails but seriously, do you know a runner with pretty feet?; ladies get man-calves and men get froggy-legs; this might just be me but, he, most runners don't really have fab hair either. Who has time to style with all these extra showers? But in the end, it's so worth it. Because all of us runners have pretty INSIDES. Our hearts  are masterpieces and our vasculature is beautiful to behold. So if someone makes a crack about your runner's toes, they can just tell it to your HDL!
How has exercise or running changed YOUR body? Bonus points for photos of toenails!

Runing with others

Last night I attempted a group run at the Louisiana Running Company. They hold runs after the store closes each Monday and Wednesday. Since I work until 6 on both of those days, I had to change at work and quickly make my way to mid-city. I would have been on time except that unfortunately Google maps mislocated the store on the opposite side of Canal, so I had to rush back to the car and find the correct location. It took me several trips around the block to find it in the dark (and all the streets are one-ways!) and find parking. By the time I parked it was pretty late but I saw one runner standing outside the store. We decided the rest of the group was already running and took off on our own. I was hesitant to run with someone out of the blue like that - if it was a group, we could all settle into our own paces and spread out if need be. But I felt obligated to stick with this guy since it was just us. At first he started out much faster than I'd planned to run (I have another marathon this weekend), but I kept the pace up and after a mile or two he slowed significantly. Actually he added about a minute per mile (by my guess) which I found odd. We finished and the rest of the group was back drinking water so I met a few other runners before quickly heading home to make dinner. As I drove, I thought about running with a group or with others:
On the plus side, it's motivation, it adds interest, and it's simply a social thing to do.
On the negative side, it's tough if you can't get your paces right or if one of you is having a bad day and needs a walking break. Or what if you feel fantastic and want to speed up, but your group/partner doesn't?
I have little "group" experience, but I have run a few times with the hubby (DOES. NOT. WORK.), Shelly at Decayed Gentlewoman, and Jen at Pretend this is Real. Shelly and I had a really nice long run: long runs are perfect for running with others because you are all going a long, slow distance so pace is not so important. Also a good time to chat. I talk ... a lot!  Jen and I have run together a few times and I think are paces are exactly spot-on, probably helped by the fact that we're similar heights. Running with her helped me get a handle on pacing myself throughout a run. She kept telling me, "Slow down, you're a little fast, we have 8 miles to go, " etc. I credit her with my good race at Harrisburg because even feeling poorly I kept a very even pace (minus, ahem, the hills). I definitely picked her running brain a little! So I can say that my experiences have been positive in small groups, or with just one other running buddy.

If I make it back out to the running group, maybe I'll have a new perspective on actually running with a group instead of another lone straggler.

How about you? Do you have a running group? Do you like to run alone or with others? On a related note, if you run a race with someone, do you stick with them or do your own thing?

Marathon training commences

Mile 7ish of mardi gras marathon; the big grin is in response to the news that little brother Abe was 6th and running under 6 minute splits. He dropped down to 16th...still pretty grand for a first marathon!
I said I'd share marathon training plans for the upcoming Freedom's Run marathon, so here goes. But first a little blurb about morning running.
I HATE IT. I'm not awake, I haven't had my coffee, my joints are stiff, my sinuses have the nasal equivalent of sleep sands, and I'd rather be sleeping. Worst of all, I have strange blood sugar - I dump insulin in the mornings - so I'm usually weak and shaky in the morning. However, this morning I dragged hubby out of bed and we went for a run. I'm working until 7 pm tonight, so I didn't want to wait until after work. SO someone please say kudos because it took monumental effort to run caffeineless.
Our marathon training plans are a little laughable. They are 18 weeks long, which is LONG, but I worked in extra time so that if I was injured or we were traveling we wouldn't really miss much. Since hubby is only running a half he should be UBER PREPARED. For my first half my "training" was adding a long run two weeks in a row - 7 miles and 10 miles - and then doing the half on the third! So basically after 18 weeks I expect him to set a world record.
Hubby's half-marathon training has one day of weights a week, 1 short run, 1 long run, 1 rest day, 2 days of either running or aerobic cross training. He also has one "speed" day which isn't really speed work; it's either hills or fartlek or treadmill incline. I made his schedule myself so I could work in his normal running routes. I'm an awesome wife like that. His longest long run is 12 miles.
My marathon plan has one cross train day, 2 short runs (between 3 and 8 miles), 1 speedwork or training day, 1 short-but-at-race-pace day, and 1 long run. On the short run days I am also doing some strength training once a week. This is mostly focused on preventing knee injury.
So far hubby is loving this. Our cross train day number one was spent playing football on the beach (puh-lease, that can't be exercise, it sounds like something out of a cheesy movie) and his first week starts out at shorter runs than he's doing on a regular basis. That's all part of the plan to suck him in until he's running 8 miles like it's nothing!
If you have any training suggestions for me I would very much appreciate it. My first marathon training fell apart thanks to illness and injury, so I'm still feeling a little unprepared. Do you think one rest day is enough (but I also have one cross train day)? Are three long runs at or over 20 miles enough, or should I do four? How many miles total should I run - I think this plan is about 525 miles including the race but not counting any cross training (spread over 18 weeks)? Any suggestions would be much appreciated!