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Tag Archives: sport

Happy Global Running Day

June 6, 2018 By in Running, Running Reads Tags: , , , , 1 Comment
Happy Global Running Day

Today is Global Running Day.

Get out there and celebrate.

Whether it’s going for a run, hanging out with running friends, or thinking of running, do something to celebrate the sport.
me running rabbit

The beauty of running is it doesn’t matter your pace, speed or ability.  If you treat yourself well, running will be there for you.

Are you running today?  

If not, that is fine too!  Typically in May and June, I find myself burned out or injured, so this is one of the few Global Running Days I feel excited to run!

 

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Adrenaline Run 5k (18:29)

March 20, 2018 By in Running, Running Reads, Training Tags: , , , , , 4 Comments
Adrenaline Run 5k (18:29)

Last weekend I ran two races. Initially, I didn’t plan to do both. However, it just worked out. I needed to stay in New Jersey until Saturday, and at that point, I was in town for my local running stores biggest 5k of the year: The Adrenaline Run 5k. Before my plans changed to stay in New Jersey, I had already signed up for the Shamrock Half.

My new goal was to run as hard as possible at the Adrenaline and then just pick up the pieces at the Shamrock. I know I’m in good shape, but in short, Adrenaline didn’t show that. I had reasons I needed to stay in NJ, and I underestimated how busy I would be the week before.

I arrived to the Adrenaline Run and didn’t feel as good as I would have hoped. I felt very meh. I warmed up with my friend Shae, arrived to the start, and by the time I knew it, we were off. During the first mile, I was caught in a pack of people and got a slow start. Not only that, but I just felt stale. My legs felt heavy, and my speed wasn’t there.

I hit the first mile in 6:00 and immediately felt defeated. I couldn’t get in a rhythm and I felt like nothing felt easy.

I know I’m in PR shape and possibly in sub 18 shape, but it wasn’t my day. After I realized that, I just moved past my mentality and just wanted to run a strong race.

During the second mile, I was running with a pack of women, many of whom I knew personally and are friends. We went around a few turns and down a small hill. I nearly slipped, and I panicked I had pulled something. Due to my form, running downhill in a race is one of the most likely places I’ll get injured.

I rounded the turn and saw my coworkers at the water stop, and I gave a quick wave and mile. To be honest, seeing all three put me in a better mood (thanks, Shawn, Ralph, and Jeff) and I knew I was halfway. I climbed a hill and hit the second mile in 6:10.me running haddonfield adrenaline 5k

I went from feeling happy back down into a slump. Apparently, I rode a lot of emotions during that race. The last mile felt like I finally woke up and just powered to the finish line. I was still with the pack, and we all powered through. We ran the last mile in 5:47 and I crossed in 18:32 with a chip time of 18:29.

Thank you for the photo Norm

me running adrenaline 5k haddonfield nj

While I’m not exactly satisfied with the race, I do know I didn’t feel good and it wasn’t my day, I had a great time seeing so many of local NJ friends and runners. I was 10th women overall and I believe 106th overall. It is my fastest 5k in the calendar year, despite not the fitness I know I’m in.

Questions for you:

Do you use positive self-talk to get you through races?

Not Every Run is Fun

March 15, 2018 By in Running, Running Reads Tags: , , , , , 2 Comments
Not Every Run is Fun

When I first began my journey running, it felt hard.  Today, running still feels hard.

The meaning has changed and what was once difficult is now longer not, however, every training cycle presents itself with new challenges.

Not Every Run is Fun

Every new runner has asked:

Does running ever any easier?  

Do veteran runners always feel good running?

Do elites feel like they are cake walking every mile?

No, no, and also no

I love running, and for the most part, I’ve had a lot of great runs.  I have a running blog and work at a running store.  However, like anyone I’ve also had some terrible runs.  It’s not all the Instagram highlight and picture-perfect reel.  No one lives are!

There have been plenty of times I’ve woken up and thought, “nope, I’m not running today” and gone back to sleep.  This has been enhanced by the recent time change and daylight saving time.

If you have been running for any amount of time, you’ve probably had a time when running felt stale.

It’s boring; there isn’t anything to look forward too, and you’ve lost all of your motivation.  You’ve had several runs you’ve struggled getting through, and it just seems like…ugh why bother.  This happened to me, around this time last year.  I didn’t go through my big burnout until last April. However, I began to feel stale around March.  I firmly believe if I had taken a couple of weeks off last March, I probably wouldn’t have taken four months off in April.

Could have, would have, should have, but I have no regrets.

The truth is, running never really gets much easier.  Every runner new or old struggled with getting out of the door at some point.

Here are a few ideas that can change your mindset and motivation:

Often times, change is the key to breaking out of a rut. 

Find a Running Partner:

Run by anyone you see, but just don’t approach someone because that could get awkward.  But seriously, change up who you are running with. Thinking out loud, it makes the run feel entirely different!  Even running on the same route with someone new makes the run fly by.  Even listening to a new podcast makes it feel like you’re running with someone.

Run different mileage:

Ideas include:

  • Decrease your distance
  • Run two short runs versus one longer run.
  • If you were training for a longer race, train for a shorter run.
  • Add cross training or find a new class

Change where you run
A change of scenery can be a good thing.  Personally, racing in a different location each week keeps me from getting bored. Try running on the trails, different neighborhoods, or even the treadmill.  Sometimes catching up on trashy TV and running on the treadmill is what I want to do.  I wrote a post about not hating the treadmill!  With a rest day, race, running with someone, and workout, I normally only run the same route 1-2X per week.  It keeps things interesting.

Most importantly!

When all else fails and running is just not going well, take a break.  There is plenty more to life than running.  Even if you’re an elite runner, you still probably enjoy a few things outside of moving your feet.

A break never hurts and can help you come back stronger.  At the end of the day, it’s just running.

Question for you: How do you break out of a rut?

Blueberry Challenge XC 5k (20:01)

November 15, 2017 By in Running, Running Reads, Training Tags: , , , , , ,

On Sunday, I ran the Blueberry Hill Challenge 5k.  Even though I had raced on Saturday, I opted to run.  For whatever reason, I’ve never been able to run this particular race. This year when I had the opportunity I took it.  After racing the day before, I knew it wouldn’t be fast and opted to use it as a fun workout.  The race benefited local Veterans, and as someone with many military ties, I wanted to run for a great cause.

I got to the race around 8 am, warmed up the entire course, and made it back to the start at 8:55.  I was glad I warmed up on the course, so I knew what the “challenge was.”  The course was a mixture of trail and pavement, a lot of hills, plus climbing up stairs around mile 2.5.  I heard it was tough but understanding something is tough versus experiencing it, is two entirely different things.

At 9 am, we were off.  The first mile is net downhill.   It’s a narrow, winding trail, and I felt like I was back running a cross-country race.  There were several people around, including another woman.  We hit the first mile in 6:12 and while it was faster than I anticipated.  I knew what goes down must go up and so I wasn’t looking forward to the next two miles of climbing back.

During the second mile, we were running uphill, as well as through a section of woods that was covered with leaves.  The covering made it challenging to see roots and possible things that could cause you to fall, or create injury.  I told myself: Just take it easy…no need to roll or sprain an ankle.  I was running by myself with a few people in front, so I just focused on the ground.  I hit the second mile in 6:35.

The goal of the third mile was to continue to stay strong.  I knew there were stairs to climb and the course was also still going uphill.  At that point, I was running next to a young kid wearing spikes.  I usually win for “most noisy runner” but every time we would hit the pavement for a second, you would hear the spikes click.  We got to the staircase, and I just floored it.  I figured I would be tired anyway.  My strategy for hills is run fast up because of you’ll be exhausted either way.  After the hill, I found myself as the fourth person overall which I was happy with.

The staircase causes the mile to feel a lot longer than it is.  I felt as though I should almost be done, but we still had over half a mile.  I began pushing a little too early, and by the time I knew it, it was only mile 2.75 and I felt exhausted.  I just pushed towards the end and crossed in 20:01.

Like the day before, the goal was 20 minutes, and it all evened out.  On a difficult cross country course, I am happy with that.  In all, I had a great time and would do the race each year it works out.  It’s by no means a fast course, but it’s a lot of fun.

Questions for you:

Have you run up stairs before?  What are your techniques?

Do you like trails or pavement better? 

 

The Importance of Easing Back into Training

June 22, 2017 By in Running Tags: , , , , , 9 Comments
The Importance of Easing Back into Training

Whether you are coming back from an injury or just time off, getting back into shape isn’t always the most enjoyable thing.  I like running. However, the feeling of being out of shape and always tired isn’t pleasant.

This particular return, it’s also been incredibly hot.  Thinking out loud, when I left running a few short months ago, most of my runs were in pouring rain and the cold.  Now it’s hot and humid.  To be honest, during my break I also didn’t do a lot of cross-training, so I did also lose quite a bit of fitness.  My first 5k back, I ran at a pace slower than the half marathon I consider to be unsuccessful.  My second 5k I got lost, but I do think I made some sort of improvement.  When I left running, I could run 18:30-18:40 5ks like no big deal.  Currently, I believe I could push myself as hard as possible for a 20:00 5k (but it probably would need to be a flat, fast and ideal day).

But like anything in life, it’s important not to compare yourself to anyone, including yourself.  Some people can jump right into training and never lose fitness.  I’m definitely not one of those people.  

During my run, I didn’t run, I didn’t cross train much and gained a little bit of weight.  I also didn’t care about any of these things.  That just makes getting back into shape harder.

So What are Important Aspects to Remember?

Easy Runs are Important:

You don’t have to run fast at all.  Whether they are coming back from an injury, a rest period of anything else, too many people makes the mistake of running too fast.  It doesn’t matter if you are in shape or not, if you train fast all of the time, you will set yourself up for an injury.  In fact, running too fast all of the time is how I got my first tibia stress fracture.  Easy runs are what build you stronger.  It’s especially important for me, this time because I’m not coming back from anything broken and don’t have something especially suspectable to breaking by doing too much.

Don’t Compare Yourself:

As humans, there is always something to compare ourselves too.  Every article or blog I’ve ever read always says “don’t compare yourself”, but that is so much easier said than done.Whether it’s while running or not.  Don’t compare yourself to yourself either.

With fitness, you are always at a different point journey.  We are never in the exact same fitness level all of the time, and it’s important to recognize that.   Don’t train how you once trained.  You have to build up to the fitness you were once at.  Determine your paces and realistic goals from where you are right now, not 3 months ago.

Slow and Steady Wins the Base Race:

Many times, after I begin running again, I want to go as fast or run as much as possible all of the time.  That is unintelligent and going to result in an injury.  Ease into training and allow yourself to slowly build your base.  Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither is fitness.

No matter where you left, getting back into shape is challenging.  It’s not effortless or streamline.  Perhaps a better reminder for myself more than anything!

Other posts:

What to do Between Training Cycles

NonRunning Workout Ideas

Question for you: Have you ever taken time off of fitness entirely?

 

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