The Skinny on Running & Sleep

We all know I am really bad about getting up in the morning. I HAD to get up early today to go swim because I knew I wouldn't have time for all my workouts tonight. This required a million alarms, lights getting turned on and a fiance ripping the covers off the bed, telling me to get my butt up. But the good news is--I DID  IT, I got up at 5:45 and got my swim in before work. (Don't worry, I made sure to get my triple shot immediately after leaving gym). I know I know, there's so many of you out there that thrive off of morning workouts and getting up early. There is also something else that I know, I really should go to bed earlier. This would make the whole morning thing, a LOT easier.


Runner's world published an article yesterday entitled "Later Bedtime Linked To Weight Gain". It's a short and sweet article about how staying up later pretty much means you are going to snack more (truth) which will in turn lead to weight gain.

It's so simple and makes a ton of sense but yet we still stay up late and we still snack later than we should. I have no issue admitting I am guilty of this. My bedtime ranges anywhere from 9 P.M.-1 A.M. (usually between 10:30-11:30). Because I am not good about getting up in the morning, my workouts get pushed to late afternoon/evening when I also need to make dinner, do laundry and household things, as well as study. Example, last night I finished my bike trainer ride at 9 P.M., after stretching, a snack, a shower and getting ready for bed I was finally reading in bed by 10:15 and maybe was asleep by 11:30.

Right now I am reading a few different books, some of them are training related and emphasize morning workouts. I'm going to try to be better about this, but it will mean some schedule adjustments. First and foremost it means getting to bed earlier, which will force me to get up earlier to get my workouts in so I am not finishing them so late. The biggest thing about doing morning workouts, if you get it done early it will be less of an issue if something comes up and you can't get your workout in later....less missed workouts is a big deal!

Runner's World posted an article a few weeks ago "7 Ways Runners Can Get Better Sleep", again it is simple information but something to try and be better about. Here are the 7 things, you can read a little more about each in the article; and why each will help you.

Simple little things can make a big difference; making a pre-bed routine, not eating too close to bedtime, keeping the bedroom clutter free, massage, meditation, and even nookie ;)

A few ways sleep affects your running (Source)

1. The body repairs itself while you sleep: "General protein synthesis, cell growth and division, and tissue repair and growth take place during all four stages of sleep, but mainly during slow-wave delta sleep."

2. Loss of sleep can weaken your immune system. Don't want to get sick before a race after months of training, do you?

3. Sleep deprivation can make running harder

4. Sleep deprivation can lengthen the recovery process

5. Sleep can improve your thermoregulatory system: Adequate sleep can actually help you be more efficient in extreme temperatures. Lord knows we all wish we could handle running in this summer heat better!

So basically staying up late can contribute to weight gain, and poor performance....I think it's time to try this whole "morning" thing :) I HAVE been trying to be better about not snacking as late (Unless it's right after a workout), but that darn bag of smarties in my bedside table isn't going to eat itself. Once it's gone I'll try? Maybe?

Do you go to bed at same time every night?

For you early risers out there, what's some advice you have?

Have you noticed a correlation between your weight and sleep habits?

Any other chronic snack-eaters out there like me?

Lessons from the T.A.P.E.R.

Cleveland Marathon is less than 2 weeks away. 

Where the hell did this year go?

I feel like just yesterday I was like

"Hey what are we doing for New Years?"

Okay, anyways.

This is not my first marathon, 

therefore not my first taper experience. 

Each one was a little different,

& each one taught me something new.

Quick recap of my taper experience...

and then my little present to you...

a T.A.P.E.R Acronym :) ENJOY!

Marathon #1 Taper (March 2011)

3 weeks of very little running, 

and lots of eating.

I had no clue what I was doing for this, 

literally flying by the seat of my pants.

Mentally I was just tired and nervous.

Lesson: It was my first marathon, too many lessons to name.

Marathon #2 Taper (September 2011)

Raced a half 2 weeks prior, shouldn't have done that.

Then a solid 2 weeks of light exercise.

Carb-loading was decent I suppose,

but still really had NO clue what I was doing.

I went into this race very unprepared mentally,

crappy support system didn't help.

Lesson: Don't be around people who make you cry a lot during taper,

 and especially on race morning.

Marathon #3 Taper (November 2011)

Decent taper, cut back for about 1.5 weeks. 

Got sick in last week or so,

I remember taking Mucinex like it was my job.

Mentally I felt good though, 

taper/vacation/marathon was mentally what I need to 

escape the problems I was dealing with in my personal life.

Lesson: Do what YOU need to do. 

Taking care of yourself isn't selfish, it's NECESSARY.

Marathon #4 Taper (November 2012)

Tapered very well for this one. 

Worked out, but kept it clean and easy.

Kept myself busy enough not to freak out.

 I played it very smart the few weeks leading up to the race,

and it paid off big time.

Oh, and getting engaged a week prior to the marathon....

makes for a really happy, less stressful taper.

Highly recommend it. Tell your boyfriend.

Lesson: Distract yourself, and surround yourself with positive things.

 A happy taper can make a happy racer.

Marathon #5 Taper (right meow)

Plan is to continue working out/running like I have been.

No real taper this time,

this 26.2 isn't a goal race...& to be honest, 

I haven't been training hard enough this time around, 

to really need a full blown taper.

This week I'll go forward as planned, 

next week I'll cut back about halfway through.

My current taper problem: Checking the weather.

This is the first 26.2 race I am going into, 

that has a serious chance of being stupidly hot.

Let the praying to mother nature begin.

Lesson:  Not sure yet. Let's hope the lesson isn't 

"maybe I should have actually trained this time"

And without further ado...

my take on the infamous TAPER...

T-Take time for yourself, mainly because no one is going to want to be around your cranky exercise deprived self. Alone time will help you relax & reflect.

A-Appear calm and collected like a duck on the water. 

Kicking like hell underneath to stay afloat. 

P-Pray. Even if you aren't religious.

What you really pray for: not tripping and falling, not letting that girl pass you at the finish, finishing with clean underpants, don't let them see me cry, a tank to follow me and push me through the wall, a nice person to pause my Garmin if I collapse, mother nature can visit this lady another day, Jupiter(Weather God) please keep the temps above 40 and below 70, is that too much to ask?

E-Eat Carbohydrates, lots of them. 

Don't let Emily Blunt make you feel guilty.

R- Reduce...Reduce...Reduce...

Reduce your mileage 

Reduce your exercise frequency

Reduce your intake of crap foods

(but DONT make too many drastic diet changes in last week, 

your body will be thrown out of whack and you will hate your life on race day.)

Reduce the bullshit in your life.

(I can't tell you how serious I am about this, this is more important than carb loading, seriously...get rid of the drama and the stress and toxic people. You need to go into the race with a clear mind, not worry about other people or anything but yourself)

What's your take on TAPER?

For those of you tapering for your first marathon, what are your thoughts fears?

For those who have done this before, what advice do you have/what have you learned?

Gear inventory

With Race season pretty much here now, it's time to make sure everything is in order.

Yesterday I took a Mental Inventory and today is all about the gear. 

Best way to start the season is make sure you have everything you need, 

and everything is in working safe condition.

(This is my gear, in no way shape or form am I saying you need all of this, or any of this.

Nor was I sponsored by any of the brands, I simply love the stuff that I use and I don't mind telling you that.)

Electronics
I.pod (charger at the ready, headphones in working order, playlists updated)
Garmin 405 (Charger at the ready, clear out data so there is plenty of room)
Heart Rate strap (Make sure battery is replaced, make sure it's cleaned off regularly)
[For cleaning heart rate straps, it's recommended to remove module from strap, hand wash with cold water(with small amount mild soap), lay flat to dry]

Recommended to wash HR strap every 7 uses, lord knows that thing gets sweaty!

SHOES (MY FAVORITE THINGS...)

Okay, it's no secret I love +Saucony and particularly the Kinvara's. I talk about them all the time, and I truly believe they are an amazing shoe. They work great for me, and I haven't tried anything else since I started wearing these a few years ago. 7 pairs later, and I am still in love.

Guess who came home with me yesterday(a week early!)! Kinvara 4!
My new kicks, this is pair #7 of the +Saucony Kinvara's
Yes, I made sure they made it home safe,
& then wore them around the house all night. (Don't judge me!)

This is 5 of the 7 pairs I have owned of Kinvara's.
Orange and purple in back are Kinvara 2
Pink & purple in middle are Kinvara 3
Purple in front are my new Kinvara 4.
[The dearly departed..aka pairs 1&2 were blue,
they were retired to general use, and have since been laid to rest(RIP)]

 Okay, okay you get the point. I love my Kinvara's and I have an addiction to them. (good thing is, they don't make a Kinvara anonymous...yet.) 

Back to shoes in my gear line right now...this is my current rotation of sneakers...

 From top to bottom...

Kinvara 4 (current miles...0..that changes tonight!)

My hope is to get these broken in soon 

so I can have them ready to run in Cleveland in a few weeks.

Kinvara 3 Purple (current miles ~200)

I love these, but for some reason had a hard time 

feeling as comfy in these as my other pairs.

Currently using these for majority of my runs

Kinvara 3 Pink/Silver (current miles ~430)

Although they have high miles, 

I am having a REALLY hard time letting these ones go.

These have been my favorite sneakers by far.

And it doesn't hurt that I BQ'd in these.

Currently only using these for short runs, 

or when it's crappy outside.

Also in my gear line that I would like to point out,
are my Nike Comfort sandals. These are a staple in my race bag.
They're squishy memory foam so your foot gets cushion.
One of the first things I do after a race, is but these on.
They offer more support than a flip-flip, and help sore feet!

Yes I have other shoes for working out, some cross trainers for the gym and such, but I figure I'd focus on my running stuff since it's going into race season. If you're curious about what other ones I have just ask!


Cycling

My biggest piece of gear for cycling....clearly...my bike!
You all know how excited I was when I got my bike on Easter weekend, I'm still excited.

I have a Silver Felt ZW100 which I purchased at Towpath Bike (If you're in Rochester area, I highly recommend going there, superb!) This is a good time of year to go get a tune-up and fitting to make sure your bike is properly functioning for you.

Another piece of gear shown here is my bike rack. You can't see it well but its a black hunk of metal with some foam pieces (not to scratch the car) that holds the bike in place. This comes in handy getting my bike to places! (Without pedaling!) I also have a few small bungee cords to help hold the wheels in place while driving.

Bell bike pack, and Gel seat cover, both important!
In my bike pack is spare tubes, cash, tire levers, multi-tool etc.

I love my Bontrager helmet! Ponytail spot in the back is the best!

Also made sure to check my other cycling gear: gloves, extra tubes, tools, chain breaker, water bottle holder, water bottle, hand pump attached to my frame, bike shorts (padding in the bum, best.invention.ever)

Swim Gear

I don't have a ton of swim gear...yet.

Wet suit is in the works. (let me know if you have one that you love that I should look into!)
Goggles ( I have like 3 pairs, different brands...looking into getting a pair of open water ones)
Swimsuit (I have 2 speedos, that are older but in good shape)
Caps (I have a few, even a blue floral one for when I am feeling bubbly, people give me looks with this one.)
Lap counter (This is my favorite piece of swim gear)



Other Gear

My favorite Sunglasses in action
for my HM PR in 2012

Headbands: because seriously, it matters! (especially when you are like me and growing your hair out! I really like Sweatybands and BAMR bands, I have a few of each and they stay in place and look cute!)
Handheld water bottle: I have a Nathan Quickdraw handheld, and Camelback Quickgrip. Both are great and do their job. (both also have handy little pockets on them.
RoadID: Great safety gear, worth every penny.
Headlight: I have a princeton tech one, only used it a few times.
Belts: I have a Nathan belt, spibelt, and a race bib belt.
Sunglasses: These are important! I have a few pairs I am capable of running comfortably in. 1 is a gas station pair but they work fine. My favorite are my Ironman brand sport glasses from Target.

Compression gear: when training, this is important to have. I have Zensah calf sleeves, Smartwool compression socks, and Vitalsox.
Safety Pins: yes this is gear, yes this is very important gear. Have spares, never trust a race to have enough.
Sunblock: Because, sunburn sucks.
Epsom Salts: I never have less than a pound of this at a time. (don't eat them though, or you'll go cray cray)
"Vitamin I" aka Ibuprofen: ALWAYS have this on hand. (Hence why I refer to it as a vitamin. haha, it's not really one, I do know that.)
Bulk Fuel: I buy my Clifshot blocks and honeystingers in bulk. saves you moolah, and you're never gonna run into race day issue of not having it.

Don't come between me & my foam.
[And dude my hair is finally getting longer!]

Good socks: I never used to believe in this. But then I tried some amazing Saucony & Mizuno socks, and I stopped getting toe blisters. Haven't looked back since.
Foam Roller aka My best friend: I'm not sure how I survived without this before I got mine a few years ago. It's a cheapo Gold's Gym one but it does the job. I spend QT with it every night, I should probably name it. Hmm... Suggestions?
Body Glide: As a woman with no gap between my thighs, let me tell you...this is a necessity.
Massage Therapist: I have one I go see regularly. She rocks. Helps prevent problems before they happen.
A Back Cracker:  this is my Fiances job, he does it very well. I should pay him more. (paid with reeces and kisses)
A smart person: someone who knows more than you do about your event, someone you feel comfortable asking stupid questions to. This is important for people like me, who are more than stupid when it comes to this triathlon stuff.
Hat/Visor: My saucony running hats are my favorite, I have blue and purple. I also have a black Nike visor that works well for running.
Arm Sleeves: great for racing when you don't know what the weather is going to do. Easy to pull off/pass off if it warms up! I have a few different colors/material ones, some warmer than others.

I won't even get into my "workout clothes" because...that would take...FOREVER. 

Let's just say... I could clothe all of the athletes in the Olympics...twice.

As I get ready for race season, it was good to go through my gear.

See what I have, what I need, and what I want.

Also good time to clean everything and organize it all.

[I use tall sets of plastic drawers so everything is in one place]

Last thing you want to do is be unprepared on race day.

I've totally forgotten things before, 

and kicked myself for it multiple times!

Questions:

What gear do you HAVE TO HAVE?

Have you ever forgotten something big for a race?

Do you have any rituals for when race season starts?

(Inventories, gear checks, meals etc?)

Feel the Beat

Let me say this, I have NEVER been a good role model when it comes to wearing my heart rate monitor. For the last, um 14 months (maybe longer) it has collected dust in my stack of Rubbermaid Drawers that holds all my running/training gear. I have the chest strap that matches my Garmin 405( they no longer make this model of the watch, because they have new fancier ones, but I LOVE this watch it has everything that I need). So I have the HRM gear but have never really used it much ( I used to use it often while spinning because everything was based on zones, but even I stopped bringing it to class because the strap is uncomfortable)

Apparently I am growing up, or just learning more and more about training, but I am going to start using the heart rate monitor again (not that I used it religiously before...). My goal this week is to use my HRM for all of my workouts (except swimming), and start to get an idea of where I am at with my statistics. [This is your cue to hold me accountable for this!!!] I even paid $2.99 for an app on my phone (Most Apps I have are free, so this is saying a lot! But I read about it on a few Tri-sites so I thought it would be worth a shot)

Why am I all of the sudden starting to use my HRM again?

There are a few reasons for this, but the most important being I am training for my first Half Ironman (70.3) and all of my triathlon training books ( I have a lot of them, I am a self-proclaimed nerd....I love reading about running and training) talk so much about heart rate training, zones and how tracking it is so important. Now I don't plan on placing, or even coming close to placing in July when I do that 70.3, but I would like to be as prepared as possible to get me from start to finish. What that means is, I am going to have to suck it up and start using the damn HRM ( mentally I just need to get over how uncomfortable the damn strap is!)

Besides training for 70.3, my reasons for wanting to start HR training, is so that I can get more out of my runs in general. To be very honest, I don't know if triathlons could ever take place of straight running for me. I love running and everything it does for me and everything it has brought into my life. Triathlons are going to be a challenge for me and I love that, I am excited to be doing 70.3 this year and hopefully 140.6 next year but right now I don't have the love for it that I do for running. I know that could change once I do those big races, but for now, I am married to running and triathlons are just my hot pool boy. I know that using a HRM for running will help me improve and get closer to where I really want to be, learning to control my HR and stay in certain zones, learn to pace off of HR/effort more than just pace.

Yesterday was my first workout of the week, so naturally my first workout with the HRM on again (I'm surprised the battery in it still worked, apparently those things must be able to survive forever), and putting the HRM strap on was like putting on handcuffs. (you know the really tight bra feeling, like it limits your breathing, makes you feel trapped....yeah that feeling)

Okay, I promise I won't complain about the strap all of the time. Once I got into the run I didn't notice it as much, it's a little weird more than anything, luckily I didn't deal with any chaffing yesterday. I have heard some horror stories about HRM straps and chaffing. ( I may have gone through a stick of glide to make sure that didn't happen). I did a little over a 10 mile run (10.14 to be exact), with an average pace of 7:38. This felt pretty easy effort wise (besides the ridiculous wind I dealt with), but body wise, my legs and everything felt natural during this. According to my heart rate monitor, once synced up with the computer (Garmin Connect with ANT+), I found that my average HR during the run was 162 and my max HR was 181.  According to most of the zone calculators and charts, the average of 162 puts me in the endurance/aerobic zone, this makes me happy that a 7:38 pace can put me in that range when that pace used to jack my heart rate up so much more.

I have so much material I need to go through and mini "tests" I need to do to figure out my exact zones. First of all I need to get my resting heart rate, they say the best way to do this is take your pulse when you wake up in the morning and are still laying in bed. Apparently they don't know that when I get up I am not laying in bed, I am jumping to the sound of my alarm, this would show a max heart rate that should put me 6 feet under. ( I'm not a morning person). But I will find  a way to get this, for now I estimate my resting HR to be about 55 and my max to be about 200. With that fancy app I bought for my I.phone, I put those numbers in and created a new chart ( It comes with a few charts for you, alter the numbers to suit you), and this is what it looks like -------->

Once I figure out what my numbers should be for running zones and cycling zones I can create different charts which will make great reference while I dive into the world of HR training.

I have a longer workout planned for tonight, and plan on using my heart rate monitor (I'll try not to complain too much about the strap). I'll probably post about this quite a bit in the coming weeks as I continue to use my HRM and continue to read more into my books and literature about training zones and how to effectively use HR data to make you a better athlete.

Questions:

What about you, do you use a heart rate monitor?

Any Horror stories about Chaffing, or ideas on how to make the strap more comfortable?

For those of you who do use HRM, can you give me any advice or information as I start this new training adventure?

Beating the Madness & PLRB

So let me share a secret with you, Monday's crap-tastic madness almost got the best of me yesterday. There are a few reasons for this, including why it has to do with fitness/running, and life obviously. I managed to survive the madness and end the day on a good note, by doing some things that work for me, getting a little sweat time in, indulging in some crap food, and with support from my 'team'.

Reasons Yesterday ALMOST got the best of me

1. It was Monday, and as Monday's go, it's a dumb day.

1. If you want a reason to laugh at me, listen to this song...."C'est La Vie" By Shania Twain. It has my thoughts on Monday nailed down. My mom and I used to listen (and sing..duh) to this song a lot when she would drive me to school when I was in Jr.High/High school(crap..I'm aging myself)....but if you really want to laugh at me.... Listen to "River of Dreams" by Billy Joel (it has nothing to do with monday madness), Mom and I used to sing this one in the car when I was really little (I was 6 when it came out).
2. Okay now that you're done laughing at me, back to reasons yesterday was just not my day. Had to deal with stupid things at work, and by stupid I mean clients who don't do what I tell them to do, and then yell at me when things take longer. (If your financial planner, or anyone handling your accounts tells you to fill out paperwork and send it in ASAP, DO IT. Because your account won't magically do what needs to be done without it.)
3. Traffic was crappy as all hell. I live 3.9 miles from my office ( I know, crazy long right?), well it normally takes me 15 minutes or so to get to work ( love morning traffic). Yesterday it took me 32 minutes. If you're like me and looking at those numbers, you'd realize that I could have run 3.9 miles in less than 32 minutes. 
4. Post-Long-Run-Blues. Now some of you may have heard of this and some of you may not have. I noticed this a few years ago when I started doing longer runs training for my first marathon. The day after a long run, feeling very tired (expected), agitated, and just not myself by any means. At first I just thought it was fatigue, but after seeing it more and more and reading about other people dealing with it, I realized it was more than that. Long runs put your body and mind through a lot, and post-long-run-blues is actually more common than you would think. Some people get it the same day as their run, I notice I get it the following day. I struggled a lot with this for a while, until my doctor suggested choline supplements. I read more about it, in articles like this one : Choline Supplementation, which I found to be helpful in understanding it more. Taking Choline supplements really helped diminish my post-long run blues.  While training for Marathons 2-4 I didn't have any issues with PLRB so I didn't supplement, but now training for #5 , the blues are back and I'll be hitting GNC later today to stock up on Choline. During your long runs, you blood-choline levels go down, and low levels can lead to fatigue, and even mental issues such as depression and anxiety (Cue PLRB). Like I said, not everyone gets this, and those who do might see it happen the day of or the days following a long run. I have done a lot of research on PLRB (my term for it), choline supplements and other contributing factors, if you want to know more, comment or email me and I will gladly share.
5. General Exhaustion. As I have mentioned before I am a very busy person, 2 jobs, planning a wedding, training, everything. There are times this wears you down, especially when at least 2 days a week I work both jobs, which makes for a 14-16 hour work day(not including training time, and getting ready). Those 2 days are usually sandwiched around the weekend (Friday and Monday), and that makes for 4 long days in a row (Saturday's and Sundays I usually have a lot going on). Yesterday I was not in the mood for a long day, to be honest I don't think I could have done it without screaming, or crying or falling asleep at the wheel. Luckily I was able to get someone to cover my shift last night so I my 14-16 hour day was cut in half, actually more.
6. Friend Drama: I won't go into detail about this to spare everyone from being involved in drama. But you should know this was something weighing on my mind, and had me feeling less than fabulous.

After getting someone to cover my shift, I decided I was going to take an even shorter day...Sue me. I got what I could done at the office and was gone. But by doing some things for me, I was able to beat some of the madness out of myself. 

Anti-Madness/Anti-PLRB Routine

1. Do something for someone else: I went to BuyBuyBaby and A.C.Moore to get things to make for my sisters baby shower this weekend. Being giving always makes you feel a little happier.
2. Indulge in something: Totally grabbed a diet Pepsi (I don't drink a lot of soda), Pretzel M&M's and sat in my car inhaling them (while I got my oil changed). 
3. Do something for yourself: When I got home, early afternoon... I took my shoes off, kicked my feet up, put in season 4 of Alias and watched 2 episodes, completley ignored my phone and laptop and just got lost in mindless TV while not moving a muscle.
4. Sweat it out: Besides Choline supplements one of the things that helps me with PLRB is to sweat a little even if it means working out on a rest day. Giving your body a little boost ("exercise gives you endorphins, endorphins make people happy, happy people just don't shoot their husbands".....hmm I may need to watch that movie later.) I didn't kill myself in a long workout, but I gave myself a little sweat time on the bike (30 minutes), 15 minutes of core fitness, and then ran a mile.  Even a little workout can boost your mood.
1. With this I will also say...sometimes the best way to beat the madness is to take a day off. Even if you have a workout planned, sometimes you're body is in madness mode because it needs rest. Yesterday was supposed to be rest day so I worked out a little to help me, sometimes making a workout day a rest day is what you need, learn to listen to your body...it doesn't enter madness mode for no reason, it's trying to tell you something so LISTEN.
5. Take a step back (from work): This is when I got someone to work for me at night, and took an early day at the office. Sometimes you need to back away. Madness mode doesn't make for a productive employee.
6. Be quiet ( give yourself time to think and process everything going on): shut off the phone and laptop for a bit, read a book, relax, don't worry about analyzing anything, just breathe and embrace some peaceful time. I went from 3pm-7pm(when J got home) without speaking a word, 1st of all I avoided human contact once I got home, and I gave myself alone time.
7. Get some rest: This could mean going to bed at 8 pm, which I was going to do...(but then Biggest Loser came on). Or getting some rest could mean simply relaxing, those chores and things that need to be done, they can wait. Kick your feet up and allow yourself to be lazy, you work hard, you earned a little down time.

Let me also say this, I have one kick ass Fiance....all I told him yesterday before I left work was that I wasn't in a great mood and that I wasn't going to be working the rest of the day. Here's how he handles this....

 ( We always say how we are a team, both being athletes, it's just how we are, nerds and I love it.)

He came home from work around 7 with dinner from Panera (including ever fattening mac& cheese...my favorite), chocolate (duh), Starbucks (enabling my addiction), and a giant hug....my mood was instantly better, mainly because seeing him does that, but because he knows the things that make me happy (especially the hug). Having an off day can be made so much better, just by having support and understanding from the main people in your life.

I spent the rest of the night laying in bed, eating fattening food, tearing up watching the Biggest Loser (Danni is my absolute favorite, Jackson and Jeff crack me up, Gina annoys the crap out of me...), and being grateful for the fact that I have a lot of good things in my life, and that tomorrow (today) is a new day. I ended the day feeling better than I started, that is when you know you beat the madness and didn't let it get the best of you.

So, Question: Have you ever felt Post-Long-Run-Blues? 

What puts you into Madness Mode (Monday anyone?) and how do you get out of it?

For the record, I posted last week about an off day, last weeks off day was lacking motivation, yesterday was monday-madness and PLRB, there is a difference. If you would like me to explain, let me know. I'm not a debbie downer all the time, I really am not, but we are all allowed to have off days, and times when we need help.

Aerobic miles

Today was a great day to work on base building miles, particularly because I was finally able to get off of the treadmill and back onto the roads! Rochester was a wonderful 41 degrees today with the sun shining down. I was antsy all morning at work trying to get things done so I could sneak out for an early afternoon run. Therefore the moment I had a free second, I was gone...I probably left tread marks on the floor running out to my car to get out of the office and home to run.

I went into this run with no time or speed goal (insert shocked face here....we all know I love to push myself). My goal for this run was to get 9 aerobic miles in, focus on form and just enjoy the weather we had for the day. I rushed home from work ( I was luckily able to get out early today), change and got my stuff ready (I put my Garmin and I.Pod on charge this morning just in case I had this chance), and headed outside.

 My +Saucony Hat was perfect for this sunny spring-like run, also added some more miles to the purple Kinvara's, I'm trying to work them into the rotation about once a week, get the most out of my other pair of Kinvara's before switching to these ones full time.

This run felt good, focused on keeping my arms relaxed and keeping a steady pace. My splits were just about even through the whole thing, I never really got into a good groove, but I think that's because I wanted to go faster (I fought the urge, because I know I need the aerobic miles).

I actually would have liked this to be a little slower for aerobic miles, but I'll take it. This was effortless for the most part, a few big gusts of wind and a few bobs and weaves around ice patches gave me a little more work but nothing I couldn't handle. (I most likely looked like an idiot the entire time I was going down Park avenue where most of the sidewalk was still covered in ice and where there wasn't ice, there were puddles the size of a crater left by a meteor. (I'm not afraid of puddles or water, but come on...no one likes cold wet feet.)

I really need to work on getting some more aerobic base miles in each week. While training for Marshall Marathon in the fall, one of the things that helped me the most was building up my base of aerobic miles, it is great for the mind and the body to back off a little bit. Aerobic miles do wonderful things for your level of fitness.  I have just never been really good at getting them in by myself, it's a lot easier when running with someone when you can slow down, relax and talk while you run. But of course I am trying to learn to do it on my own too. Here's a little hint though, I like to do things my way and I like to do things fast and efficient and patience is most definitely not my middle name. So we will see how much I actually try and slow myself down.

A little about Aerobic Exercise/ Aerobic running
Aerobic exercise is generally lower intensity activity that relies on the use of oxygen to meet the energy demands of the body (Aerobic Metabolism).  You're not going to spike your heart rate or win any races, the goal is to maintain steady pace and steady breathing to allow the body to maximize it's energy through oxygen. Basically your 'easy' runs should be aerobic, where your tempo runs, intervals, and progressive runs are going to be more anaerobic (screw keeping your heart rate down for these, it's going to get jacked up). Progressive runs are my favorite (mainly because it works well for me), I love finishing run stronger and faster than I started.

Benefits of Aerobic Running
There are so many benefits, but I will highlight a few for you......

1. Prevents Health Problems : Running in general does this. I mean seriously, if you're taking the time to get off the couch to go run, chances are you're going to start making other smarter decisions to go along with it.
2. Strengthens the Respiratory System: Makes your lungs more efficient. your body can deliver oxygen quicker to the rest of the body. Oxygen=good. (duh.)
3. Reduces Body Fat: Aerobic exercise burns calories, just like other activities do, the only difference is that aerobic activity burns FAT calories (erm, those are those little creatures that sew your clothes smaller at night to make you mad)
4. Strengthening the Heart: Makes the heart muscles stronger and can pump blood more efficiently. 
5. Improved Mental Health: Again, running in general does this, but sometimes backing it off and taking it easy and just focusing on time on your feet rather than the speed can be a stress relief. Not every run needs to be your fastest, the sooner you learn this, the less likely you will end up disappointed when you do have an off run.
6. Improves Oxygen Supply to Muscles: You're muscles need Oxygen, you need your muscles to run. Do I need to say more?
7. Increased Efficiency of Muscles Oxygen Usage: Continuing with number 6, muscles need oxygen but if they are more efficient with their usage of said oxygen, the less likely they are to be fatigued. And we all hate tired muscles.

Look, I am not an expert.....not by any means. But I do know what has worked for me in the past, take it easy and relax. Not every run will be your fastest, nor should it be. Your body needs to experience all types of running to develop into the best runner it can be. You need easy aerobic runs, you also need those intervals to boost your speed, and tempo runs to push your threshold, longer runs to help build endurance, and recovery runs to allow your body to heal. Don't be stupid, if you plan o running every run as fast as you can, call your doctor now and schedule an appointment for some injury, because you'll be needing it before too long.

One last addition to that.... I will be the first to admit I did not used to understand the concept that every run shouldn't be your fastest. I was horrible about it to be honest, and I used to wonder why I wasn't improving and why I was always fighting fatigued and injured muscles. Finally I started being smarter and asking more experienced people questions, I started reading about running and I started trying to train smarter and not harder. It wasn't easy at first, and there are still days I have to really fight the urge to go all out, but you have to remember the long term goals and not just focus on the here and now. It's a process, and it's also a puzzle, there are so many pieces to becoming a stronger runner, but every puzzle is different, you need to find the perfect way for your pieces to fit together. (okay, lame I know...but true!)

Bust through Boredom

Today's post is inspired by today's Dailymile #Dailymission 

#DailyMission :Do you have a secret for turning a boring long run into something at least a little more fun?

First off I have to say many of the things I am going to list are things I do during ANY run to keep myself occupied, not just on long runs. And secondly, you may laugh at some of these, or think that I am crazy but it works for me and you never know, it may work for you too....

1. Bring a friend along...DUH! One of the easiest ways to beat boredom in any run, especially long runs is to run WITH someone.... even if they only run part of the run with you, even if you don't talk at all....having someone there can really help! FYI having a friend there makes people watching and making fun of things you see, that much better! Laugh together! You could also pretend to be criminals running from the cops together, or spies chasing someone, just saying that you have an imagination and you should use it.
2. Make a kick ass playlist...music is a great motivator and the right tunes can keep you going even when things get boring or tough. Randomly scatter in some crazy upbeat songs, mix in some oldies (we all have them stashed away, you we know you know all of the words!), play songs you know you can get lost in, sing all the words and forget about the miles passing you by.
3. Sing & Dance to said 'kick ass playlist' : The amount of times I have gotten busted jamming to tunes while running is astronomically high. Every time I get caught I laugh too, because I am not embarrassed, I may not be the best dancer, but when I dance when I run I am pretty sure I look like I am having a seizure. That is my public duty, to make people laugh when they see it. Brighten someones day who see's me, they'll brag to their friends about it. My playlist making skills have gotten very good, and I love putting songs on there I know all the words to, usually I'll sing and beebopp in my head, but it eventually starts coming out of my mouth, or at least humming the tune. Name the following songs, they're awesome throwbacks to run to, because we all know you know the words and you'll forget all about the fact that your leg is cramping up.
1. "What you wanna ball with the kid Watch your step you might fall Trying to do what I did Mama-unh mama-unh mama come closer In the middle of the club with the rub-a-dub, unh No love for the haters, the haters See me on the fifty yard line with the Raiders Mad cause I got floor seats at the Lakers Met Ali he told me I'm the greatest I got the fever for the flavor of a crowd pleaser" 
2. Night Creatures Call And The Dead Start To Walk In Their Masquerade There's No Escapin' The Jaws Of The Alien This Time (They're Open Wide) This Is The End Of Your Life
3. Take me home tonight I don't want to let you go 'til you see the light Take me home tonight Listen, honey, just like Ronnie sang Be my little baby, oh, ho, oh
4. You're playing so cool Obeying every rule Deep way down in your heart You're burning yearning for Somebody to tell you That life ain't passing you by I'm trying to tell you It will if you don't even try You'll get by if you'd only Cut loose, footloose
4. Chase cars: yes, I am serious. I run in the city a lot more now than I ever used to. So I will see cars at stoplights, I'll make a goal to beat them to a few lights down. They have to stop at all the lights or get stuck behind other cars so sometimes you can actually beat them. Or there have been times I changed my route to follow a car (this is on main roads, not back roads or anything), make them think I am following them, then back off and turn around...messing with people can be quite fun. Don't do this unless you know the roads though, don't get yourself lost or put yourself in a bad situation.
5. People Watch: I LOVE LOVE LOVE people watching. If I could sit in the airport or at the mall and people watch for hours I would. Some of the things people wear, and some of the things I see people doing are just beyond me. Pay attention to your surroundings when you run. Notice the houses that still have Holiday Decorations out from a few months ago, I totally saw a house with Halloween decorations the other day!! Wacth the people on the streets, the crazy outfits you will see or the random people talking to themselves. When you are running on main roads, running or standing at a light take a moment to look at the people in the cars around you, I make a point to catch people rocking out in their cars, Jimi Hendrix wannabees with their air guitars, or the steering wheel drummers trying to be Ringo Star or Mick Fleetwood. 
6. Plan a fun route: the route for your run can make all of the difference, sometimes being in the middle of nowhere can be nice, but when you are going to be out there for a while, seeing people and having things to look at can help. I love running through some of the artsy or busier districts in the city, plenty to look at, people to watch, and also, more opportunities for water fill ups or potty breaks (necessary things on long runs). I also have learned to love looped runs. Break a long run into a few smaller loops, maybe do a few different loops, or just do one loop a few times. I found that breaking my 20's into a 10 mile loop twice was a great way to break things up, and the 2nd loop always felt so much shorter than the first!
7. Count things: Count the number of red cars you see, or the number of dog walkers you pass, count anything, helps pass the time. For the record, I count my steps when I am going up a steep hill, it takes your mind off of the struggle and helps you get to the top faster! It's like counting sheep to fall asleep, pick something to count to help you finish the run.
8. Play with your speed: Altering your pace every once in a while is great to help make things more interesting and it will actually help your muscles too. On your long runs you don't need to make it anything drastic like mile intervals or something of the sort, but switching gears every once in a while can be helpful. Even if it's every few miles, pick it up for a minute or so or a few street blocks, push it a little more and give your legs a chance to stretch out then settle back into your planned long run pace. Changing things up a bit can help keep your mind and your legs fresh.
9. Plan something in your head: Most people do their long runs on Saturday's or Sunday's because it's naturally when they have more time to be out on the roads for a few hours. I like doing mine on Sunday for a better reason, that gives me a few hours to plan my week out, map my schedule in my head, plan my to-do list, and get ready for the hectic week to come. Sometimes I lose myself in miles by even planning out what I will write for my run-recap when I get back.
10. Visualize your big race day: When I am finding it difficult to get in the groove, I flip through songs until I find a good upbeat power song that I love, and then I visualize myself crossing the finish line of the race I am training for. For example, in the fall I was training for the Marshall University Marathon that finishes on the goal line of the football stadium(They pass you a football with about 20 yards to go so you can cross finish line/goal line with the ball..TOUCHDOWN!!!). During my longer runs, I kept visualizing my touchdown dance when I finished. Would I do a 'Moss moon' or a 'Lambeau leap', or perhaps Stevie Johnson's notable TD dance mocking Plaxico Buris, One of OchoCinco's many celebrations, or I could stash a sharpie in my Kinvara and autograph something like T.O.....the possibilities were endless. But it proved to be a great way to distract me during runs, I was visualizing the finish line, and every emotion that goes along with it, very powerful way to motivate yourself. (for the record, when I did cross the finish line in November, I was so overwhelmed with my huge PR and BQ that I mentally blanked and forgot the dance I was going to do, and simply spiked the football and yelled "hell yeah", not the most creative, but damn it felt good! Unfortunately you can't see the spike or hear me yell, but watching this always makes me smile, I use it as motivation to keep getting better...)

Step Back and Bounce Forward

While laying in bed last night I found myself thinking about how I was excited for workouts this week, ready to go log some miles and hit the gym a few times, meanwhile I had just ran 10 miles on the treadmill less than an hour prior to this. I was extremely happy to feel motivated for this week because last week I was pretty sure I left my motivation at the airport when we came home from vacation. All week I struggled to get my workouts in, with scheduling issues, lack of motivation, and lack of will power and energy, it just wasn't happening.

Last Week

Monday: Was SUPPOSED to come home from vacation. No workouts.

Tuesday: ACTUALLY came home from vacation in the evening. No workouts.

Wednesday: Back to work after a week away: CRAZY hectic day at the office. But I did get 6.5 miles in.

Thursday: Decent day at work, got 6.6 miles in, then went to the dentist....spent all of Valentines night in pain, looking like a chipmunk and being bundled up on the couch.

Friday: Woke up still looking like a chipmunk, in a lot of pain, and no desire to do any pounding or sudden movements. Worked all day, called in sick for my night job ( hard to smile and be nice to people at a restaurant when it hurts to move your face in any way shape or form)....Spent most of the night being lazy.

Saturday: Pain, exhaustion and migraine finally took over, spent most of the day setting up my new laptop and being a bum. 

Sunday: Promised my mama (yes I still call her mama!), I would help her go pick out some new clothes at the outlet mall and then go to lunch, was gone most of the day. Spent the evening packing my bag for the week and packing more of my apartment up for the move. Finally got on the treadmill at J's around 7:30 for a so-so 10 mile run.

There are so many chances I should have taken to run or go to the gym. But I made excuses and I allowed myself to be lazy and be irresponsible with my training. I'm not happy about it, but at the same time, it might have been just what I needed to get myself ready for some bigger better weeks to come. Which leads me into....

The Penultimate Step

The more I thought about it last night I began relating this to my High School and College Track & Field days when I was a Long Jump and a High Jumper. Now before you ask where the hell this is going, I promise it will tie in. I was a natural at jumping, it came easy and I improved quickly once I really got into it. But none of my improvements ever surpassed the ones that came after I learned the penultimate step. Penultimate is a word that means "next to last", in long jump and high jump this is particularly important. The penultimate step (next to last step) is key to getting the most out of the jump, you have a longer higher step then the last step is lower(height) and shorter(in length) making it so you don't have to force the jump, biomechanics allow you to get off the ground maximizing your velocity and distance. Basically what I am saying is, you have to shorten the last step, get a little lower or back off a little in order to maximize the physics for the big jump. Same holds true for training, sometimes you have to back off a little or have an off week (like I did last week) to help lead you into a bigger better week and get back on track for training. Last week was my step-back which allows me to be more rested and ready to go for it this week.

Although I am still not feeling 100% (I am still rocking a little bit of a chipmunk cheek from my dental work), I am happy to feel motivated again, happy to put my schedule together for the week which will force me to get back on track. I can sit here and dwell on my disappointment in myself for being lazy last week, or I can use the rest and recovery I got to give me more energy for this week.

Some Tips to Getting back on Track

1.  Don't beat yourself up: easier said than done, but dwelling on it isn't going to help. Use it as motivation to be better in the future.
2. Talk to someone about it: confide in a friend or someone you trust. Figure out how and why you got off track, see how far off track you really did get, and put together a way to change it and get back to where you want to be. Telling a friend about it will help you stay motivated and hold yourself accountable for your actions.
3. Look at the community: Pay attention to your Dailymile friends (or other sites you may be a part of), seeing people post workouts should give you motivation to have things to post as well. Look to message boards and blogs to have support about people going through the same things, stick together!
4. Get outside or to the gym: Nix the home workouts for a few days while trying to get back on track. Being surrounded by people who are doing what you're doing will help push you, and a little push can go a long way. 
5. Re-evaluate and Re-commit....I don't track my food all of the time, at least not like I track my workouts. But I have found that when trying to evaluate where I am at, tracking everything even for a week can be helpful. It will hold you accountable and help you be healthier going back into things. Keep a log of what you're taking in and what you are doing to burn it off, seeing it written down or in an app can really help. There are so many ways to log what you are doing, if you want suggestions just ask!
6. Set small goals: set a few smaller goals, such as "I will get to the gym 3 times this week" or set a mileage goal, or perhaps set a goal to log all of your intake and activity for a week. Setting small attainable goals can help you build the confidence to get back where you want to be. Write the goals down, or share them with a friend...and set a reward for each of the goals, working towards something is a great way to stay motivated!
7. Ask for help!  This is an important one. Whether it be asking for help at home with chores or to-dos so you have a little more time to dedicate to working out, or asking a friend to accompany you for a run or gym session to hold you accountable and be there for support. You don't have to tackle everything alone, training for a marathon or any race is a lot of work and requires time, sacrifice, responsibility and it requires support. Make sure you have someone to help you, someone to talk to and be there, it makes a world of a difference!

Those are just SOME of the many things that can help you get back on track, no one is perfect and we all need a little boost sometimes!

We all get off track sometimes, if you have any suggestions or things that have worked for you, speak up!