Category: Marathon

What do you do when you crush your half marathon goal a month before the race?

10/23/2013

At some point, while training for the Pittsburgh Marathon, I fell in love with the half marathon distance. While the marathon was still the main focus of my training this past Spring, I was really looking forward to the Philadelphia Half Marathon in the Fall. I managed to hit my original half-marathon goal during my full marathon training, so I did what any runner would do - I lowered my goal. Since I'm relatively new to the racing scene, I had no idea what was a reasonable amount to lower my goal. At first, I lowered it 2 minutes. But over the summer, I decided I was going to "dream big" and lower it 5 minutes. I knew it wasn't something that was going to come easily (or even at all), but that number has been in the back of my head for a few months now.

What do you do when you crush your half marathon goal a month before the race?

This past weekend began with thoughts of a 13.1 mile run. Part of me wanted to go out and "race" the run to see if I could hit my goal, but the other part of me was scared that it just wasn't possible, and I would wind up walking the second half of the run after my legs gave out. After agonizing over this, I decided that training is for practice, and I was going to try to hit that goal. If I made it, great, if I didn't, I still have one month to go.

Lately I have been using the Nike+ app, so I know what my pace is, but I tend to run more for effort level than pace. I usually let myself go about 0.5 miles before really deciding what my pace is going to be for that run. Imagine my surprise when I look down at my Nike+ app and realize I'm 10-15 seconds faster than I need to be to hit my goal! If it was race day, I probably would have scaled back a little to be safe. But, it was a training run, so I decided to just stick with the pace. I figured eventually it was going to catch up with me, and I was going to have to slow down a little. But, mile after mile I was maintaining that pace. It wasn't until the last three or so miles that I started to slow down, but by that time I knew I had owned the run. I just had to keep pushing to the end.

My Nike+ app registered my 13.1 mile run at one minute and 45 seconds LESS than what I thought was a "reach" goal for my half marathon! I guess that answers the question of if I "can" run the distance at that speed (whether or not I can do it again is another story). So with less than four weeks left before race day, I'm left with two options.

Option 1: Keep doing what I'm doing

I can keep up with my current training - running three relatively short runs during the week (with at least one being speed work) and a long run on the weekend. I'll aim to finish at about the same time that I did during my training run this past weekend. I'll feel confident that I can do this, since I have already proved that I can, but I risk finishing the race feeling like I could have done better.

Option 2: Step it up, set a new goal

I can set a new goal. While very tempting, this option brings up so many questions for me: 1) What should the new goal be? 2) Should I adjust my training? and 3) At what point during the actual race do I decide whether or not I'm going to hit that goal?

Another option: Who cares? Stop obsessing!

This option comes after reviewing my post on pace. Maybe I should just let whatever happens happen? I've already come so far!

I'm have not decided yet which option I will take (suggestions welcome), but as I often say - when struggling between two options, it's usually because they are both good ones!

Have you ever reached a goal before the race?

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What's in a pace? Thoughts from an improving runner.

9/25/2013

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What's in a pace? Thoughts from an improving runner.

When I first caught the running bug, the invites for running dates started pouring in. All of a sudden, all of my running friends wanted to run with me! I was relatively new to running and was averaging about a 10 minute mile. My friends who were more experienced runners could run MUCH faster than me. How could we run together? I declined a lot of those invitations, mostly because I felt it was enough of a struggle to keep up with my pace when I was on my own. I didn't want to be pressured into running at a faster pace, and even more, I didn't want friends to feel like they had to slow down to run at my pace. It was really easy for me to articulate - it's not hard to tell people they run TOO FAST, in fact, in some ways, it might stroke their ego a bit. As a result, I did most of my training alone.

journeyofapassionaterunner.wordpress.com

timetokickbuts.com

After two cycles of marathon training and a summer of speed work, my pace has improved, and I am able to find a few friends who run at a pace similar enough to mine that we are able to run together. But now, I have friends who are relatively new to running asking me to run with them. Although I'm no Speedy Gonzales, I now find myself on the other side of the speed issue. When training (and even just for fun), I'll have an "easy" run every now an again. But how do you tell a friend that you had planned to run at race-pace today? Do you sacrifice your challenging run to run at a slower speed, but with a friend? After all, running is always better with friends, right?

Why do we judge ourselves on our pace anyway?

I got to thinking - why do we care so much about our pace anyway? I can't tell you how many times after telling people I ran a marathon, they ask me how long it took me. While I'm proud of my time and know I gave it my all, does it really matter? Does being a marathon finisher only matter if you finish it in a certain amount of time? The answer is no, right?

I recently read two blog entries from some fellow fitness enthusiasts. The first one (Comparing my Weaknesses to Your Strengths) addresses the art of comparison. Charlotte discusses how we are really good at putting ourselves down when comparing ourselves to other people, yet really bad at commending ourselves for our own strengths. The second one (I Run Slower Than a Dial Up Connection: Speed is Relative) addresses the fact that speed is really relative. Cori writes about how one runner's "fast" pace can be another runner's "slow" pace and vice versa. Both are great reads!

healthhorizons.com

When running races, you're really only competing against yourself

marathoncoachaz.com

One of the things I love about running is that you're really only competing against yourself. That's why we get so excited when we PR - that P stands for PERSONAL! We all have some sort of natural ability that we start out with when we decide to take up running. I remember running the mile as part of the Physical Fitness Test in elementary school. I STRUGGLED to run that mile, and although I can't remember my time, I'm sure it was over 10 minutes. I remember some of my classmates finishing in 6 and 7 minutes. I doubt any ten year olds are training for the Physical Fitness Test, so I'm going to say that the differences in speed are probably due to differences in natural ability, motivation and whatever sports each child is participating in outside of school. Regardless of these things, we all have some sort of "starting place" when it comes to our speed. In most cases, it's not limiting, but the path we each take to improve our speed is going to be different.

Is your pace the best judgement of how you did?

Let's say you go out for a race - a 10k. The weather is great, you got a good night's sleep and you're really READY for the race. You wind up finishing the race 3 minutes faster than your previous 10k? 3 minutes is A LOT for a 10k! That's VERY commendable. When you finish, someone asks you your pace. Is it the pace that matters? Or the fact that you just took 3 minutes off your PR? What if there was some sort of system like in bowling or golf where runners were ranked based on their average or improvement?

What does this all mean for us runners?

I think the take-home message here is that we're all just trying to reach a goal - whether that means running a longer distance, a faster pace or for some, just getting out there and running. For me, running is all about that sense of accomplishment, and an accomplishment for me might be different than an accomplishment for you. Whatever the goal is, I hope you don't get too bogged down by your pace. There are ways to improve your speed if you're interested. And when that friend asks you to go for a run? Go ahead - it's challenging to speed up and sometimes it's challenging to slow down too!

bestracesigns.wordpress.com

Do you find that you compare yourself to others? When's the last time you rewarded yourself for reaching a goal (whether on race day or not)?

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Friends of FitYaf - Mandy goes from a non-runner to a 2x half marathon finisher!

9/23/2013

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Mandy and I met through friends when we started grad school at the University of Pittsburgh in 2004. Over a common interest in the social scene and finding new trendy restaurants, we formed a friendship that is now long distance. Mandy was even kind enough to let me live with her when I was temporarily "homeless" in 2010 - although it can't be proven, it may have been her 5k training (on which I joined her for a few runs) that inspired me to start running for more than just exercise.

MANDY’S HALF MARATHON STORY:
When Jillian asked me to “guest blog” on her fitness website I had my reservations. I’ve never seen myself as much of an athlete and the idea that I might offer valuable fitness advice is still outside my comfort zone. That said, when she told me people might relate better to someone that was “just like them” the idea made sense to me and so here I am sharing my adventures in half marathon training. Hopefully someone out there can connect with my story and glean some useful advice as a result!

BACKGROUND:
Before the summer of 2010 I could probably count the number of times I had run more than a mile on a single hand. I tended to avoid running mostly because I wasn’t good at it. I had heard experienced runners say things like “run at a pace where you can hold a conversation” and lucky for me I did not take this advice too seriously or I may have never gotten started.

My first running goal was to finish a 5k, something that seemed difficult but achievable. There are many people out there who could pick up and run a 5k – I trained for something like 3 or 4 months. My training program was self-constructed and followed the general guidelines of running 3 times per week and trying to increase mileage before a break. When race day came, I finished the race without stopping (my goal) and achieved a time well below what I would have thought possible (credit to training in the summer heat and horrible hills of my neighborhood). While I still had something of a love/hate relationship with running I realized that I loved races!

I ran the same 5k the next year and wanting to build on my momentum I also signed up for a 10k about a month and a half later. It was after two 10ks that I had a strange realization: that I may actually be able to complete a half marathon! What I would have never thought possible just a few years earlier now seemed the next difficult but achievable goal!

HALF MARATHON TRAINING:
THE PLAN
One piece of advice I’d offer to half marathon rookies is to select a training plan that is appropriate for you. Many people would have considered 3-4 months training overkill for a 5k but it was what I needed to feel adequately prepared. That is why after browsing through the Hal Higdons and Jeff Galloways of the world I decided to customize my own half marathon training plan. I included it below for reference but perhaps more importantly, here are a few of the things I thought about in putting it together:

• Overall Length: I decided that a relatively long training program (20 weeks) was right for me. Contributing factors 1) I was not planning on doing a ton of running before my training “officially” began, 2) the longest run I had ever done was not much more than a 10k, and 3) I wanted to increase mileage gradually as a preemptive approach toward avoiding injury.

• Number of Runs/Week: In my previous experience I’d had a lot of success running 3 times per week; however, looking at the experts' plans I decided this was probably not going to cut it. I stuck with 3 times per week for what I considered the “bonus” work (the first eight weeks since many plans started at twelve) and upped it to 4 times per week after that.

• Supplemental Exercise: I debated this one but ended up adding a cross-training exercise once per week (usually Zumba). It was all I could get myself to commit to as far as additional time (I’ve never been willing to sacrifice my social life or other hobbies in the interest of training), but I figured a little variety would be in the general direction of goodness.

• Max Distance: I’ve never been able to have confidence in my ability to run a certain distance until I’ve actually completed the goal so I added a 13.1 practice run 2 weeks before the event.

• Tapering: My research on tapering before a half was inconclusive – some plans included it and others did not. In the end I picked what I considered to be something of a happy medium.

I made my plan generic as far as what days I was working out and always ran for distance rather than time. When I got to the higher mileage I tried to take the day off after my long run, and in general I tried not to have four days of running back to back; however, allowing the maximum amount of flexibility was key for me in sticking with the plan.

Looking back, I think it’s probably a good sign that I wouldn’t change much about my approach. A more experienced runner could surely get away with less training and I’m not sure how crucial that extra Zumba workout really was but it wasn’t until my 12 mile run that I first had that feeling of “I think I’m going to make it”

THE TEAM
The other piece of advice I’d offer to half marathon rookies, or any runners for that matter, is to find a support system. I’ve been very lucky in that ever since that very first 5k I’ve had training support both at home (my husband) and from afar (my sister, her husband, my dad and various friends have all ran with me in various races). I’ve found this to be good not only for perseverance (you don’t want to be the first one to skip a workout) but also just for general enjoyment. In half marathon training my husband and I always did our long runs together and these actually became my favorite part of training.

I loved exploring new places around town and it was great to have someone to share in the excitement each time I passed a new distance goal. My dad was also training for the same half marathon a state away and so it became a fun source of conversation when I’d call him on the phone (“that 11 miler was KILLER!” or “have you tried gels?”). It also gave me a new inspiration for gift ideas (hydration belt, ipod holder, running mix, etc.).

Friends of FitYaf - Mandy goes from a non-runner to a 2x half marathon finisher!

Mandy's first 5k

Mandy's first half marathon (Pittsburgh)

Mandy's second half marathon (Cleveland)

IN CONCLUSION
In 2006 my friend Kathryn and I went on a road trip to support our friend Peter who was running in the Cincinnati marathon. I very clearly remember a conversation we had promising that if either of us ever ran a marathon the other would come to cheer them on no matter where the location. We made the agreement with ease thinking that this was such impossibility it would be the last time it was ever discussed. I bring this up only to emphasize that those of you who are not runners should not feel that a half marathon is an unachievable goal. I may never run a marathon and it took me three years to be ready for a half, but I did it and I sport a 13.1 magnet on my car with extreme pride! Start small, dream big and you’ll get there eventually!

Friends of FitYaf - Mandy's half marathon training plan

Have you ever run a 5k? A half-marathon? What training plan did you follow?

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FitYaf's Fitness Friday treadmill workout: How far can you run in 30 minutes?

9/20/2013

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After the Pittsburgh marathon and a well deserved week or so off from running, I was ready to get back in the game, yet I was lost without a training schedule. I didn't want to start yet another training program, but I wanted to be able to keep running and progress with my speed. While I value speed workouts, I don't like to do more than one/week, so I invented a little game for myself called HOW FAR CAN YOU RUN IN 30 MINUTES? My weekday morning runs are typically on a treadmill, where it's very easy to control my speed. Below is a breakdown of my workout, which I do 2-3 times/week. I go up in total distance 0.01 miles almost every time I do the workout. That might not sound like a lot, but that's about 0.1 miles/month and a whole quarter of a mile in less than three months!

Notes about this workout:

It's suggested that you start at a comfortable speed. This doesn't mean it can't be challenging, just something you know you can do. If you'd like, try out your comfortable 30-minute run a few times before getting started.
The breakdown for the workout is a semi-aggressive way to approach this. If you need to, break each mile down in 0.2 miles (or even 0.1 miles), that is okay! You'll still progress and get faster! You may also want to start out with the breakdown below, but as you get faster, make smaller changes.
Feel free to repeat any of these before moving on to the next.
Warm-up with about 5 minutes of walking or light jogging before starting the workout.
Don't forget to stretch when you're done! Check out active.com for some great post-run stretches.

FitYaf's Fitness Friday treadmill workout: How far can you run in 30 minutes?

In 4 months, I went from 3.30 miles to 3.60 miles. Even better, I'm noticing progress in my longer run speeds too! Post below with YOUR progress!

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Trust in your training, but more importantly, trust in yourself

9/17/2013

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I forgot to bring my iPod on my run over the weekend, so it was just me and my thoughts for ten miles. I'm currently training for the Philadelphia Half Marathon, and I was thinking back to this time last year, when I completed my first 13 mile run EVER. Not only have I come a long way in the running world in terms of "stats" over the last year (completing two marathons as well as a handful of other running milestones), but I also feel like I've made leaps and bounds as far as how I feel about myself as a runner.

Trust in your training, but more importantly, trust in yourself

Let's back up to last November. I had trained all summer for my very first marathon - the Philadelphia Marathon. I wasn't an experienced runner or racer, having only started running more than 3 miles about a year prior, with only 3 races under my belt. In the weeks leading up to the race, my friends and family kept asking me - do you feel ready? My answers were varied, but in reality, I just wasn't sure. I was advised to "trust in my training", and I did just that. I didn't miss a training run, I learned how to properly fuel and hydrate, so I was going to have an awesome run, right?

While I don't know exactly what went wrong when race day came, I did learn that trusting in your training was not enough. During the marathon, I had a few things happen between miles 15 and 18 that I never had happen before and consequently, wasn't prepared. First, I had to pee! In all of my training runs, that had never happened, so somewhere between miles 15 and 16, I stopped to take care of that. There were a few seconds in that port-o-potty where I literally had to talk myself into getting back out there and running 11 more miles. I was never really good at stopping and starting during my long runs, so I started to get nervous. Somewhere around mile 18, I started to feel a pain in my Achilles. I had been very lucky during all of my training and never really experienced any injuries. I had no idea how to handle it, and with each step I was afraid that it would be the one where something snapped. This all came after I was supposed to meet up with my husband around mile 14 to switch out water bottles (and of course see some familiar faces), yet he wasn't there.

Somewhere between mile 18 and 19, I just started to walk. Of course, I promised myself it would just be to assess the pain, and as soon as I felt it was okay to run, I would start again. Which I did. For about half a mile. From that point on, I was half running and half walking to the finish line. At one point I was running along with a pacer group, and although my original goal time was no longer a possibility (yes, I know, first time marathoners aren't supposed to set goal times), I set a new one right there. I just had to keep up with this group for about 4 more miles. That didn't last long, and I soon fell behind the group.

No matter how disappointed I was during those last 8 miles, crossing the finish lines was still an amazing experience. I was able to ride that "high" through the rest of the day while celebrating with my friends and family. But when I got home that night, I was replaying those moments over and over in my head. I just couldn't figure out how an injury-free and seemingly perfect training went wrong. Over the next few weeks, I asked around and talked to runners who were more experienced, but in the end, I decided that as a runner, you'll have good days and bad days and my marathon was just a bad day.

Philly Marathon 2012

Feeling like I had some unfinished business, I signed up for the Pittsburgh Marathon the following May. I followed the same training plan (a mixture of Hal Higdon's Novice 1 & 2) and added speed training once/week. Although training in the winter months offered new challenges, once again, I had a great training. I lined up at the start line, this time with a little more confidence and experience, but in reality, I didn't feel any more "ready". I knew one thing - I wasn't going to stop! The Pittsburgh Marathon ended in success - I saw my friends at the exact places we planned, and the only time I stopped was in the last few miles to walk through an aid station and get something cold to drink (by this point in the day, it was starting to get warm and I was getting a little overheated). Confident I was going to finish without the struggle I experienced during my first marathon, I was able to start running again without even thinking about stopping. I even noticed that it actually hurt more to walk than it did to run.

Pittsburgh Marathon 2013

I finished my second marathon 10 minutes faster than my first. Mentally, I was in a much different place than I was back in November, and it felt amazing! Over the next few weeks, my friends and family asked me, "Which marathon are you running next?" The answer? I'm not sure. While I had definitely caught the running bug, I needed a break from all of that training. I had other goals to focus on (like being able to do a pull-up), and I knew that I just needed a break. One thing I learned during all that marathon training was that I REALLY LOVE the half marathon distance. It was a distance that was challenging, but didn't require as much prep or leave my body feeling broken when I was done. I decided to focus on some speed training, and I signed up for the Philadelphia Half Marathon, which is coming up THIS November. The best part about training for this is I'm not really following a training schedule. I still run about 4 times/week, but if I don't, I'm okay with it. I've been trying to focus on speed because I want to do more than finish this run - I want to race it, which brings me to the thoughts I had during my iPod-less run.

When I say I'm going to "race" this half marathon, I don't mean I'm going to try to win. Let's be honest, I'll be just beyond the halfway point when the winner crosses the finish line, but running is a sport you race against yourself, always trying to improve. I want to cross the finish line knowing I pushed myself as hard as I could. I want to set a goal and reach it not because it happened, but because I MADE it happen. I want to know that when I start to get tired, I'm going to push myself even more.

Without the pressure of a training schedule or a weekly mileage goal, I am able to dictate my training on as "as-needed" basis. I can go out and run a 5k because I just don't feel like going for a long run, without worrying about it ruining my training. I can decide to run a fast 10 miles because I haven't had a "great" run in a while. I have confidence as a runner, which I didn't have at this point last year.

I know that I can run 13.1 miles, which eliminates so much of the anxiety that goes along with a first time marathon training plan. Physically, my body can do what I want it to do - I've done it many times before. I've even done it pretty close to the goal pace I set for myself. So when I line up at the starting line in November and someone asks me if I'm ready, the answer will be, "ABSOLUTELY". Am I going to trust in my training? Sure. But more importantly, I'm going to trust in myself. I'll trust that I'm going to run at my own pace no matter how quickly or slowly the people around me are running. I'll trust that I won't start to slow down when I feel tired. I'll trust that I'm going to take in the atmosphere of the event and enjoy myself, because that's what this is all about.

Have you ever had a disappointing race? Do you feel like a different runner now than a year ago?

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What's your workout mantra?

9/4/2013

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A few days ago, after a half marathon training run with my husband, he said to me - that last mile, it was my head that pushed me, not my legs. It was a thought I was very familiar with and had after many training runs over the past year! In the running world, everyone talks about their "mantra". You can search #mantra on Twitter and Instagram and you'll find endless posts by runners sharing their own mantra, typically accompanied by a picture of a gorgeous trail or the tops of their sneakers! Stephen Walker, Ph.D., a sports psychologist in Boulder, CO says, "Repeating choice words whenever you need to focus helps direct your mind away from negative thoughts and toward a positive experience." Personally, I like to rely on music and scenery to keep me going during a run, but there are definitely times where I have to talk myself into keeping up with my pace and not slowing down or even worse - stopping to walk. So what is it that I say to myself that keeps me going? I ask myself two questions: 1) Are you in pain? & 2) Can you breathe? If the answers are 1) No, I'm not in pain, and 2) Yes, I can breathe, I then tell myself there is no reason to slow down or stop. Sometimes, I have to remind myself that the definition of "pain" changes when I'm out for a 20 mile run - "pain" is no longer just my legs hurting, but a type of pain that will change my gait or running form, which might be the sign of an injury or lead to an injury. There are times when my mantra will help me get through the next ten minutes of running, but there are other times when 30 seconds later, I'm asking myself those two questions again. The one thing that is certain is that it always keeps me going.

But "mantras" aren't just for running, are they? Surely they can help you in all fitness-related activities where you're trying to push your body beyond a point where it has been before! Do you have a workout mantra?

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The Sport of Marathon Spectating

8/7/2013

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Almost a year ago, I ran my first marathon - the Philadelphia Marathon. It was a an amazing day for me for so many reasons, but one of the biggest reasons was the friends and family that came to cheer me on. After all, without spectators, a marathon is just a run! Before the race, I analyzed the race route, checked road closures and did everything I could to help out the friends and family that wanted to watch - there was a ton of information available both from the Philadelphia Marathon website as well as other blogs and race recaps I found through Google searching. I even provided some friends with signs so that I knew what to look for - a big sign is a lot easier to spot in a crowd than one person. But even with all of the planning, I still missed seeing a group of friends at one particular spot. Since I've never spectated a marathon myself, I asked my friends to provide some tips and advice for those that want to see what this marathon thing is all about.

Good spectating takes a lot of map work before hand. You have to map out the course to figure out what roads are likely to be closed. This can be difficult, as side roads are often blocked a far distance from a main road (the police don't want you to drive five minutes down a road before you see it is closed, so they may block it several miles before the actual closed road). -Phil

Work out an estimated time to meet your runner. Ask your runner for an average pace that they're aiming for and allow for +/- 10 minutes at each spot. This allows for deviation from the estimated pace as well as time to get to the agreed meeting spot. -Josh

Don't make the finish one of your spectating spots. It takes a lot longer to get to than any other stop. Runners don't need encouragement in the last mile. They'd much prefer you to be at two stops earlier on than the one at the finish. -Phil

Make a sign! I didn’t realize how much of an impact it will have on the runners. I got tons of smiles as they ran by & I really felt it pushed them! -Kelly

***see below for some of my signs***

The Sport of Marathon Spectating - Sweat is Sezy

Kelly's sign!

The Sport of Marathon Spectating #redefinepossible

Anthony's sign

I generally try to find two to three places where I can see the runner. Turnarounds or places where runners cross their same path are great points. I also assume that it will take 10 minutes to park and walk to the course at every stop. Therefore, you have to space out the stops so that you can see the runner, walk back to the car, drive away to a road parallel to the course, drive on the parallel road, drive to the course, park, and walk. Because the runner is running in a straight line, I may have to drive three times further than the runner runs. With slow traffic and parking, it often means that I have to leave 45 minutes between stops (you need a lot of driving time at 25 mph to cover 2 to 3 times the distance of the runner plus the 10 minute park/ walk overhead). -Phil

When you get to your first spot, try to identify a unique runner every 5 minutes or so. That way on the later stops you can say to yourself "there goes the man in the dress, so in 5 minutes I should see the woman with the green hair, and it won't be long after that". -Phil

Bring a folding chair. There is lots of walking around and standing, so bring a chair that you can carry around if you want to sit. -Josh

Respect the course. It’s not fair to the runners if the spectators make the race crowded. Stay behind any barriers set up by race officials, and don't stand near any aid stations - the runners will be making a bee-line for those magical paper cups, and you don't want to get in their way. -Kelly

Get inspired! Marathon spectating proved to be both fun and motivating! It's great to be a part of the energy in an event of such magnitude. Seeing the physical/mental accomplishments of the runners is so inspiring - It makes me want to go out and achieve such a task! -Amee

Jerry, Amee & Maribeth

Ask your runner to sign up for chip-coordinated texts (if the race provides it). I LOVED how the marathon uses technology to help spectators follow their runners. Jillian’s (a.k.a. FitYaf) husband Anthony, was in charge of locating Jillian and we located her every time but once - timing is everything! -Kelly

Here are some pics of the signs I've made both for the Philly Marathon (November 2012) and the Pittsburgh Marathon (May 2013). As a runner, I LOVE a good sign. The "Beast Mode" and "Kim Kardashian" signs were fan favorites. On the Pittsburgh course, many people stopped to swipe the "on" button on the "Beast Mode" sign, and on the Philly course, a runner even stopped to take her picture with my husband holding the "Kim Kardashian" sign! [Just for the record - I watch the Kardashians and enjoy following their crazy lifestyle. Nothing against Kim or her marriage!]

I found this picture on Instagram the next day!

The Sport of Marathon Spectating - Beast Mode ON

The Sport of Marathon Spectating - Run if you can, walk if you must, but finish for Boston

The Sport of Marathon Spectating - You've trained longer than Kim Kardashian's marriage

The Sport of Marathon Spectating - Keep Calm and Marath ON

What advice would you give someone spectating a marathon for the first time? What's the best sign you've ever seen?

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Running in Philly is fabulous, Part II - Scenes from the Schuylkill River Trail

8/5/2013

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A few weeks, ago, I posted about running on Kelly Drive, along with some gorgeous pictures of the Schuylkill River. I don't get to run Kelly Drive often - I'm more frequently found a little further north on the Schuylkill on the Schuylkill River Trail. If my run is long enough, I wind up west of Norristown, towards Valley Forge, which also provides some gorgeous views, but most of the time I'm running through Conshohocken, which is mostly just trees and train tracks. Although not the prettiest of trails, I enjoy the familiarity and comfort of knowing every twist, turn and mile marker!

While the Schuylkill River Trail doesn't provide the best scenery, I've seen my fair share of oddities while pounding the pavement. There are always other runners, bikers, walkers (with and without dogs), but below is a list of some of the other things I've encountered.

Elliptigo

This traveling/moving ellipical machine is marketed for both injured runners and fitness enthusiasts. They look like fun, but they START at $1800!

Recumbent Bicycle

According to Wikipedia, riders will choose the recumbent bicycle because of ergonomic reasons - the rider's weight is evenly distributed over a larger area. They also sometimes have an aerodynamic advantage. But, I just can't help but giggle to myself every time I see one, which is at lest once per run!

recumbents.com

Horseback Riding

I don't know what the rules are for this particular trail, but I have more than once seen people riding horseback on the trail. I don't see it often, but there IS often "evidence" of the horses almost every time I'm out on the trail.

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Jogging Strollers

I'm not a parent, so I cannot fully understand the struggles that occur when you are a parent training for a marathon or even just want to get outside and exercise. But, I DO know that someone with a jogging stroller is determined to get out of the house. These strollers are common on the Schuylkill River Trail, but not as much on Kelly Drive. I consider it an extra-special treat when I see a double jogger fully equipped with TWINS!

One-legged Bike Rider

On one of my long training runs earlier this year, during a particularly grueling part of my run, I saw a man with one leg riding a bike. I was blown away by courage and determination it must have taken for this man to master this skill and ride along, just as fast as the other bikers. It inspired me to post the photo below on instagram.

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What is something unusual that you've seen on a trail run/bike/walk?

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Fitness variety: why it's important & how to vary your workouts

8/1/2013

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Last night I took a class at Body Cycle Studio on Chestnut Street in Philadelphia. The class was led by Jessica Sullivan @ 5:30pm. I'm generally hot & cold on spinning - I've taken some amazing classes, but I've taken some pretty boring ones too. It's definitely the type of class that is highly dependent on the instructor and the music! So, I decided to try a class out at Body Cycle - first ride free, so you can't go wrong, right? You have to sign up through their online system (something that's becoming increasingly popular with the rise of boutique fitness studios), which is a little annoying, but WAY better than showing up and not getting into the class. Plus, they have a mobile app, which makes it a little bit easier. Wednesdays are my non-teaching days, so after looking at the schedule, the 5:30pm class was best for me (the 6:30pm, class, taught by Shoshana was waitlist only).

Fitness variety: why it's important & how to vary your workouts

the Body Cycle studio - lots of bikes!

I got to class about 15 minutes early and the employees there were SUPER friendly and SUPER nice. My cousin Sarah even got a free ride for bringing a friend for the first time, and Russ, the owner, helped us all get set up on a bike. I liked that the resistance on the bikes was digital and numbered, so there was no guessing about your effort level (you know, that ambiguous "half a turn increase"). Jess, the instructor came in right on time and we were off!

Now, I've maybe taken about 25 spinning classes in my life, so I am by no means an expert, but it was BY FAR the TOUGHEST spinning class I have ever taken. I'll be honest, for most of the class I was struggling to keep up with the resistance level and RPM that was suggested. And the jumps with the claps - definitely a point when I just wanted to stop. But you know what? I loved it! Even if I had to constantly use that voice in my head to yell at myself ("you've run TWO marathons, certainly you can get up to 115 RPM for just 20 more seconds").

Jackie, Sarah and I AFTER class - can you SEE our sweat?

I was probably only about half-way through the class before I ran out of dry spots on my towel to wipe my sweat - and I LOVE to sweat. The music was awesome too! My only complaint is that I like when the music and the suggested RPMs go together - it's so much easier for me to hit a certain RPM when I can just go along with the music. But, I know you can't do that AND do varying sprint intervals, so I guess you have to pick and choose. I was happy to report that with a little warming up before class officially started, I hit a little over 20 miles on the bike!

I'm now determined to go back to that class and really hit all of those RPMs! (I'm also super intrigued by the 6:30pm class - the people taking that class were stalking the bikes like vultures, anxious to get started on their ride!) But I can't get over how CHALLENGING the class was for me. I am constantly challenging myself with lifting weights with P90x and Les Mills Pump, seeing how fast I can run and trying not to take breaks in Insanity, Asylum and T25, and I'm always seeing improvements. It just goes to show how much your body can get "used" to a specific workout, even if you're constantly challenging yourself. I'm sure someone who does spinning 5 times/week would feel challenged by a workout that I am comfortable doing, if it's one that I do all the time. Many running coaches would advise you to cross train, not only to build muscle and prevent injury, but also to improve your fitness level. Whether you're a runner, training for a race or you just want to get in better shape, cross training and keeping variety in your workouts is SO important. Varying your workout routine not only prevents boredom (and perhaps the likeliness to skip a workout), but it also helps avoiding or delaying a plateau in workout performance and training results. It can also help you complete a challenging workout without just increasing your time/reps. At some point, you're going to run out of time!

ACE fitness reports on a study performed by exercise scientists at the University of Florida. This research showed that individuals who modified their workouts every two weeks over an eight-week period appeared to enjoy their workouts more and were more inclined to stick with their exercise programs when compared to individuals who followed the same workout regimens week after week. Varying your exercise routine can also help you stay physically challenged. Many of the body's physiological systems (e.g., the muscular system) adapt to an exercise program within approximately six to eight weeks. If you do not modify your exercise routine, you reach a plateau because your body has adapted to the repetitive training stimulus. So, how can you keep your workouts varied? If you're a runner, try incorporating some intervals into your run. You can also cross train with exercises such as spinning and swimming to provide your body with a new challenge. If you're resistance training, try changing the order in which you complete each exercises. When you fatigue the muscles in a new pattern, you're introducing a new stimulus to your body. Also, try incorporating kettlebells and stability balls into your typical dumbbell routine. Or, as in my case - just try something completely new! Even extremely fit people can be challenged when trying something new!

How can you add variety to your fitness routine? What is something you've been wanting to try?

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Running in Philly is fabulous!

7/25/2013

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I recently posted about all of the benefits of running on a treadmill, which was very timely given the heat wave we've been having in Philadelphia. Well, it seems the heat wave has left us, and last night I was finally able to get outside an run along Kelly Drive. Afternoon running on Kelly Drive is one of my favorite places to run. It's always busy (both the trail AND the water), the view is GORGEOUS and it brings back memories of my first marathon, since Kelly drive is on the Philadelphia marathon route. While I still feel strongly about the benefits of treadmill running, there is definitely a mental benefit of just getting outside and pounding the pavement!

Where's your favorite place to run outside? Would you rather run on city streets? In a park? On a trail?