The Completely Biased Gift Guide for Runners

Every company is putting together a "gift guide" for the holiday season. So, for my blog about running, I put together a completely biased list of things I would love to receive.

Please Note: I do not have a relationship with any of these distributors nor do I receive any sort of payment for putting their merchandise on my personal running blog.

Let me be honest, I have an Etsy addiction. Therefore, my list contains many homemade items. Since my main goal this Christmas is to shop local or from small business owners, this list has been tailored to give back to the community or to support the small man.

Click picture above to browse the Etsy shop

As you may know, I have a medal addiction. So, for my first gift on my gift guide is a "Run Like a Girl" medal display. I'm sure your runner would love this as well!

Click picture above to browse the Etsy shop

If you're a hoarder, like myself. Chances are you have EVERY SINGLE race bib you ever wore. In my case, I have the date and my recorded time written on the back. Mine are currently sitting on my dresser, collecting dust. But, I cannot part with them. So, Etsy comes to the rescue with a Race Bib Display. This would look super cute next to your medal display.

Click picture above to browse non-slip headbands

Long hair don't care...unless I'm running. It took me forever to try and find the right headband to keep hair out of my face. Here are some headbands that I think are amazing. They have velvet-type material on the inside that sticks to your head no matter what. On the outside, your options are endless. You can literally choose from a mass amount of vendors on Etsy to find the perfect color combination. In my case, you can't go wrong with a little sparkle.

Click picture above to browse Runners Feat

If you have a Pandora-type bracelet, this is a gift worth getting. Runners Feat offers a variety of marathon specific beads for the Pandora bracelet. I have the Brooksie Way half-marathon bead and also a 13.1 bead. I really want the above bead. Which is the Detroit Free Press half-marathon bead. He also sells super cheap filler beads. Take a look at his site. It's worth browsing. Let's see how many times I can say bead...

Click picture above to browse local races

Running can get expensive with all the registration fees. I personally would love to have someone pay for my next race. Although my wishlist races aren't local, it would be great to receive registration for a local race. Not only would that person save me money but, they can enjoy cheering me on too!

There's nothing your runner will love more than receiving a gift card to the nearest running store. I'm not talking about Dunhams, Sports Authority or other big box stores. I'm talking about the small, independently owned and operated running specialty store. The closest one to me is Hanson's Running Shop. But, there are plenty out there to choose from. Your runner will love to shop for their own gear. Shop local! Support the small man this holiday season.

Last but not least, a massage appointment. What runner would pass this up? There's nothing I love more than visiting my local spa and getting a good deep tissue massage. Running is hard on the body so it's good to have all of that tension rubbed out. Sounds wonderful right about now!

Other ideas you could do for your runner would be to visit a local craft or art show. They might have ornaments or crafts specific to running. Check your local paper or Patch.com sites for craft shows near you.

If you have any other ideas or comments related to Gift Guide for Runners, feel free to comment!

Happy Running!

Danielle

Racing with Music. Faux Pas?

I can't wait for June 2012. Why you might ask? Because I am vacationing to Hawaii! So, naturally I checked up on races in the Hawaii area and the annual Kona Marathon is going to be taking the place the same week I'm there. So, naturally, I'm going to run it. 

While I was investigating the website, getting a feel for the race, I noticed that they have a strict rule about running with music:

"Our top priority is to ensure for a safe race for all participants. For your safety and other runners safety and in accordance with The Road Runners Club of America and USATF Rule 1.44.3(f) we prohibit the use of electronic devices using headphones on the course at all times. You are subject to disqualification if you wear headphones on the course"

This got me thinking...Is running with music a faux pas in the racing world?

Personally, I do not run with music. I used to but, before my first race, a 5k, my friend John told me to not run with music. He told me, "there's nothing like your first race. Why would you want to block it out?" Touche, John, touche. So, I ran my first race, the Corktown St. Patrick's Day 5k, without my iPod and it wasn't bad at all! I loved being outside, enjoying the sights of downtown Detroit, the drunk people on the sidelines cheering us runners on and of course, runners receiving/giving encouragement to runners. The best thing about the race was seeing/hearing all those things and creating a great first race memory.

But, what about other runners? Contributing in today's blog post is New York Marathoner, John F. Martin,Chicago Marathoner, Jackie Kosakowski and Detroit Free Press Marathoner, Patrick Beirne.

 

New York Marathoner, John F. Martin.
Photo Credit: John F. Martin Photography

"Never, ever. I'm a purist. I much prefer (and need) to listen to my body. I also don't like being isolated from the environment - music takes away too much. And during a race, there is no reason for it. All the sounds and sights of a big race shouldn't be missed. At both full marathons I've run, there was live music and/or crowds cheering the entire race. It's insulting to all of them to run with headphones, I think. Then there's the safety factor - if you can't hear a car, a bike or other runners, risk of injury (or worse) increases exponentially."

Chicago Marathoner, Jackie Kosakowski
Photo Credit: Race Day Photographer

"I will race more often than not with music. But, my headphones and iPod were broken most of 2011 so I didn't really train with music this year. In the past, I usually did.  It's hard for me to answer that. I used to prefer it but once my shit broke I got used to not running with it. Now i run to my Netflix. But, I mean yeah I guess I do like running with music. Or i dont know - im indifferent I think. Outside I don't care but inside I guess I do prefer to run with music."

Detroit Free Press Marathoner, Patrick Beirne

"I can't run without my iPod. For me it is my breathing. If I can hear my breathing, than psychologically it just makes me feel tired. The music covers up my breathing and I run so much more effectively. I know that races supposedly don't allow you to use music, but truthfully I think that is just for competitive runners. For recreational runners like myself, I really don't think anyone sees a problem with it. I have heard the argument about being aware of your surroundings and all but that's never really been a concern for me."

So there we have it folks, some say they need music, some are indifferent and some, like me, prefer to not run with music. Although, I do have to agree with Jackie. Running on a treadmill sucks and I do prefer some sort of entertainment. 

What do you prefer? Running with or without music?

Anyone running the Turkey Trot tomorrow? I will be running the 10k! =)

Happy Thanksgiving! 

Wicked Halloween Run 10k

6.2 miles?? EASY!

My goal for the race was to be under an hour. It was a relatively flat course. If I ran below a 10 minute pace, I could hit my goal time.

Some of the costumes were hilarious! Some person dressed up as a horse. How that person ran 6.2 miles in that thing is beyond me. I dressed as Harry Potter. My brother's girl friend bought me a Gryffindor shirt for my birthday as a joke and since it was a t-shirt, it was the perfect outfit to run in.

The weather was perfect running weather! I started off running 4 and 1's with a fellow BW3 at a 10.30 pace...This was way too slow for me and I didn't really feel like interval running so after the first mile of intervals we split ways and I ran the rest of the 5.2 miles. I knew I needed to increase my pace by a lot if I were to make my goal time. My Garmin told me I was running between an 8.30-9.20 pace. I never went above 9.20.

I never felt out of breath and I didn't stop for water at all, I didn't need it. It was a great run and I never once thought it was grueling. My knee did tighten up but overall it was fine.

Final Time: 59.58

PR'd by 2.42!

On my way home from the race, I realized my mentality about running has changed. 3.1 is a fun run, 6.2 is a short race, 13.1 is a long run and I'm itching to do 26.2. Who would have thought?


What are some great marathon you've ran?


Upcoming Races:
Sunday, Nov. 13: Bid Bird 10k (hoping for another PR)
Thursday, Nov. 25: Turkey Trot

Detroit Free Press Half Marathon

Two half marathons in ONE month....AM I CRAZY?! 


Yes. Yes, I am.


Pre-Race Day:


Well, let's just say it was homecoming weekend at CMU...Now let me tell you that there was a 5k before the homecoming game....one more update, it was freezing and drizzling. Mind you, I told myself it was going to be a training run because I was running the Freep the next day. Did I listen to myself? NO! I semi-raced it and ended up having really sore thighs. Awesome. 


At least I received a medal. Dumb. I am dumb.


Race Day:


I woke up with a stuffy nose and sore throat. Awesome. Not the best way to wake up on race day.


Mom and I left at the crack of dawn to beat the traffic. We parked in the Joe Louis and met up with Paul and Mary. It was only a short distance from the start line so we walked the difference. 


One word to explain the Detroit Free Press Marathon: Mass Chaos. Okay, that was two words but, that's what it was. There were people everywhere. Shoulder to shoulder. Being bumped into every two steps. Literally insane. 


I left my Mom at the bleachers and Paul, Mary and I headed to our pace times. Since Paul and Mary ran the Chicago Marathon the weekend before, we decided to take the intervals to 3 and 1's. (Do you still think I'm crazy?) 


The start line was amazing. I have never seen anything so extravagant and inspiring. The start line designers should give themselves a pat on the back! 


I hate bridges. I get nervous and start sweating just thinking about crossing one. Good thing I had to run across the Ambassador Bridge and it was the first thing I had to do. yay.


To tell you the truth it wasn't that bad. I thought it was going to be way worse than it actually was. But, I did notice that I started gravitating to the edge and that made me a little nervous. Kinda like when you're watching a train and your body moves forward. It was that sort of feeling. 


Once we were in Canada, we had a DJ welcoming us and reminding us of the terrible MSU/UM outcome. (Boo State!) But, it was actually really cool to see the Detroit sky line from Canada. We are always so accustomed to seeing Windsor so it was cool to see it from the other side. 


We were in Canada for a good 3 miles (I think). It started drizzling as we were making our way towards the tunnel. This tunnel was SO much worse than the bridge. Imagine 20 thousand runners going through the same tunnel. It was hot and it was sweaty and I could barely breathe. Worst mile of my life. One of the most memorable moments during this race is when all the runners came out of the tunnel and you could hear everyone take a big gasp of breath. A breath of fresh air. (get it?)


My legs started to really tighten up while we were in Corktown and I think we only had 4-5 miles left. So, I wasn't that worried. At the beginning of the race, I wanted to PR. By mile 11, I wanted finish. I stopped at every water stop because I had the sick throat thing and I really slowed down my pace because of my legs.


With 3 miles left, Paul and Mary told me that we can finish it. So we just ran it in. I saw Kelly and Steve (family friends) on the sideline and my Mom was waiting for me at the finish line.


Overall, it was a great race. I overcame my fears of bridges...kinda and found a new hate for tunnels. Will I run the race again? Yes. Will I still hate the tunnel? Yes. 

Final Time: 2.21"12 

PR'd by 3 minutes!

Upcoming Races:

November 13, Big Bird 10k

November 24, Turkey Trot 10k

Brooksie Way Half Marathon

So more than a month later, I will tell you about my experience with the Brooksie Way.

As I may have mentioned in previous posts, my goal race was to run the Brooksie Way Half-Marathon. I felt as if I needed something to strive for since I am out of college. Plus, it didn't hurt that the race was on the day of birthday! Some people get drunk for their birthday, I run a half-marathon. Ha!

The week before the race, we did a training run on the Brooksie Way course. I was a little nervous especially because I didn't have a lot of time to do training runs on my own. Weekdays were filled by work and cheerleading practice. By the time I got home, I was beat. So, when I did train it was a quick 3 miles. 

The training run definitely put the race into perspective and I'm glad we did it. I knew where the hard parts were and when I needed to slow/increase my pace. For example, the course is flat for a good mile and then right after that flat mile, there's a huge incline. I think that was at mile 7. Not fun.

Needless to say, I'm glad we did the training run.

Race day!

To make it a non-stress morning, I listened to other marathoners advice and prepared all my stuff the night before. I filled up my water bottle, packed sweats for after the race and put all my racing gear together. I tried to go to sleep early but, I was so nervous/excited!

My Mom and I left the house at 5 a.m. to get to Oakland University by 6 a.m. We got there super early so my Mom and I just relaxed in the car for another hour. The race was supposed to start at 8 a.m. but there were a ton of delays because of construction. I think the race ended up starting at 8:30. Anyway, we got there at 6 a.m. to meet up with my Brooksie Way training group. I'm glad we got there as early as we did because we missed the atrocious parking lot traffic. 

Once I met up with my group, we headed over to the tent where the other BW training groups were meeting. This is where I started to get a little nervous. There were a ton of people and the energy was unreal! Everyone was so amped it made me that much more nervous/excited. 

As we lined up in our pace groups we discussed the plan of action for the race. We decided to run 4 and 1's at a 9-10 minute pace. Perfect. The first half was a lot of fun and my body warmed up after the first mile. It was freezing that morning and I was really nervous I was going to be cold the entire time. (I was wearing a short sleeve tech shirt and running capris). 

The second half was tough. Tienkein Hill took a lot out of me. It was definitely a struggle after that hill but, it was moderately easy compared to it. My knee started hurting around mile 9. I never had knee issues during my training run so I have no idea what I ended up doing to it but, it was super tight the rest of the race and the day after. 

I decided to ditch the intervals and run the last 3 miles. I figured, it's a 5k. I can do this. I saw a couple of the BWs on the side cheering on other BWs. It was awesome! I love the fire at the end of the race. 

When I turned the corner to the finish line, it was a little emotional for me. I had a million thoughts going on in my head and it was such a great achievement for me to have fully finished a goal. My Mom cheered me on by the finish line and I sprinted it all the way in. 

Overall, it was a great experience. I love my BW3 group and if it wasn't for them I probably would have never achieved this goal. So thank you for being amazing!! 

You know what they say, you'll always remember your first. 

Final Time: 2.24

Is fueling while racing important?

In my running groups, we always talk about fueling for our long runs, especially, a half marathon, or a full marathon. As Paul says, "Don't wait for a race to test."

The Science:

Bear with me for a minute while I try to explain to you why we need to fuel for long runs.To keep the body healthy for long runs, we have to maintain normal levels of glycogen in the blood. Glycogen is the way your body stores carbohydrates for future use. It's important because glucose is brain and nervous system food and the brain requires to act normally. For example, have you ever felt woozy or have a headache because you didn't eat anything? It's probably because your blood sugar is low. Which means the liver ran out of glycogen due to not eating carbs. This directly affects exercise because one system is functioning normally the others won't as well i.e. muscular system.


Carbohydrates:

Stop thinking terrible thoughts about carbs. Carbohydrates are not the enemy! The sole purpose of carbohydrates is to provide energy to the body. This is especially important for distance runners as it is the source of quick energy. It is recommended that runners' diets consist of 50-70% carbohydrates.

There are two type of carbohydrate, simple and complex. 

Simple carbohydrates consist of one or two molecules. Therefore, they are rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream. But, that's not always a good thing. Although it's great for a quick spurt of energy, it also induces an insulin response. As a result, the blood sugar returns to the low level resulting in decreased energy and performance.

Complex carbohydrates, unlike simple sugars are made up of several glucose molecules linked together. The result, a slower process of absorption into the blood stream. Experts recommend that the majority of the calories obtained from carbohydrates be in the form of complex carbohydrates.

 Examples of high complex carbohydrates: ALL the good stuff. whole grain pasta, whole grain bread, brown rice, potatoes. 


Although carb baskets are a carb, they are usually a simple carbohydrate because they are made with white flour and have fewer nutrients, and tend to be less satisfying and more fattening.


But, it doesn't stop me from indulging in some of my favorites:

Olive Garden...mmmmm

Red Lobster Cheddar Biscuits...mmmmm

Texas Roadhouse Dinner Rolls with Cinnamon Butter...double  mmmmmm

Feul/Energy on Long Runs

Rule of thumb:

Jog for 30 minutes, H2O will suffice. 

Longer than 30 minutes, you gotta get yourself some carbs!

HOW TO REFUEL:

• Sports drinks: But make sure they have a 6-8% carbohydrate concentration.
• Ex. 15 grams of carbohydrate per 8-ounce serving equals 6.25% of carbohydrates
• Recommendations: Gatorade Endurance or PowerBar Endurance
• Gels/Sports Beans: Sugars in the gels provide fuel! 
• Select a gel that has 25-30 grams of carbohydrates and 50 mg of Sodium
• Chase with water NOT a sports drink
• One gel/packet of sports beans after 60 minutes of running and then every 45 minutes
• Recommendations: GU Chocolate, GU Milk Chocolate, Jelly Belly Sports Beans 
• DO NOT TRY THE FRUIT FLAVORS...I almost puked when I had the tropical punch Gu.

• Energy Bars: jam-packed with carbs to satisfy hunger
• Select bars with 40 grams or more of carbohydrate
• WARNING! Too much fat can delay digestion.
• Ideal: 200-250 cals with about 5 grams of fiber and 10 grams of protein

INGREDIENTS TO AVOID: 

• Partially hydrogenated oils
• High fructose corn syrup
• Artificial dyes

LOVE YOUR HONEY! 

• Sure, love your significant other but, love the natural honey too! It's a great fast-acting carb! 

I hope you learned same fabulous information about fueling. 

Do you have a go-to fuel flavor?

Wishlist Races

I'm not sure if I have ever shared this but, I have an addiction to medals. I love the hardware I get after a race. 

That being said, here are a few of my "wishlist" races based strictly on their medals:

ALL the Run Disney races have the best medals (if you're a Disney fanatic like me.)

2012 Walt Disney World Half Marathon, Jan. 5, Orlando, FL.

Disney's Princess Half Marathon Weekend, Feb. 24, Orlando, FL.

Tinkerbell Half-Marathon, Jan. 27, Anaheim, CA

I was actually going to sign up for the Tinkerbell Half-Marathon but, it was sold out. Next year for sure! 

Surf City Medal, Feb. 5, 2011. Huntington Beach, CA

Love this Surf City medal. The race is known for its medals. Definitely on my wish list.

Although medals are fun and cool. I especially like them because of the memories that are associated with them. It's a symbol of accomplishment! 

If you have any other medal recommendations pass them along. Would love to hear which medals you think are the best!

BIG update: Races

Race updates! 

July 24, 2011: Run for the Remedy 5k. 

One of the reasons I like running is because most of the time, races benefit some sort of organization. Run for the Remedy benefited the Children's Leukemia Foundation. I always like to push myself harder in these races because I know that how much I'm "hurting" or "suffering" it's nothing compared to what they're going through.

Race time: 27.20, PR'd by 3 minutes! 

August 6, 2011: Advokate 10k

This race was also for a cause. "AdvoKate is a volunteer organization supporting pediatric brain tumor prevention and reseach, as well as other childhood-related causes. It was established to honor the memory of 6-year-old Kate Hrischuk of Rochester, MI, who lost her courageous battle with an intrinsic brain stem glioma in early 2007. advoKate was founded by Kate's parents whom have taken on the mission to raise awareness about the issue of limited available research on the disease that took their daugher's life. With the help of event participants and sponsors, advoKate has, so far, raised nearly $50k for the cause. For more information about Kate and her story, visit www.caringbridge.org/visit/katehrischuk" Taken from www.advokaterun.org.

The race itself was hilly, I ran way too fast in the beginning almost an 8:30 pace and I was running 4 and 40's. It was probably the worst first half I've ever raced. 

Race Time: 1.02, PR'd by 5 minutes!!! 

Next up on the race agenda:

September 11, Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Run - Detroit 5k

October 2, Brooksie Way 1/2 marathon

October 16, Detroit Free Press 1/2 marathon

October 30, Wicked Halloween Run 10k

November 24, Turkey Trot 10k

Will I be seeing you at any of these races?

I've been a slacker

Sorry I haven't updated my blog in awhile, I haven't found time to do so. Let me give you a quick update about what I've been up to...

Sunday, July 10: Muddy Buddy Ride and Run Series at Stoney Creek!

This was definitely a fun yet challenging race. There were obstacles, hills and of course the mud pit. I think the most challenging part of the race was biking up this huge hill. Mostly everyone, including myself, ended up walking our bikes up the hill. It was so big! Finished in 1.15. Not bad!

Catherine and I before the mud pit. We were "Team X" a.k.a. "Team Suck It"

After the mud pit! 

During the mud pit! 

Saturday, July 16: Shores-Pointe Triathlon in St. Clair Shores and Grosse Pointe 

This was the inaugural event of the Shores-Pointe Triathlon. They offered a couple of different races triathlon, which included kyaking, biking and running, duathlon, which was running, biking and running, and a 5k. i participated in the duathlon. 

I ran my first 5k in 31.24, biked 13 miles in an 1.01, ran my second 5k in 34.35 with a final time of 2.09. I took some Gu beans at about 1.15, I figured that I better take them or I would be exhausted. It was the first time I ran a race with a fuel belt. Not bad. I ended up winning my age group. Only by default, I was the youngest person to participate in the duathlon. 

The most challenging part of this race was the transitions and biking. I took one full minute transitioning from running to biking. I had to get my bike off the rack and put my helmet on. Plus, you had to walk out not ride out of the bike area. Transitioning from biking to running was weird. My legs felt like jello and I felt like I wasn't even running. I didn't like it. I ended up doing 2 and 1's to get my legs back to normal. 

Next time, I'm for sure going to train for the transitions and biking in general.

Running to the biking transition area. Thanks for the pictures, Mom!!

On my way to the bike drop. Thank God!

Me with the race coordinators! What a great experience!

I can't believe I did two out-of-the-box races in two weeks! I'm so proud of myself. The next race I'm doing is Run For a Remedy on Sunday, July 24 in Auburn Hills. Goal time: sub 30! I ran it in 27 before, I would like to do that again. I'm ready! 

I'll keep you posted.

Thanks for reading! 

Happy running!

Full Day of Fitness

Two-a-days? Pshh...who does that anymore? How about three-a-days. Okay, so it wasn't on purpose. Well, two of the three workouts were the other one was totally spontaneous. 

Yesterday, I started instructing Women & Weights. It's simply a weight lifting class for women. But, some men do join the class. I like to make it fun but also challenging for the participants. I had a couple women complain that the class was going to fast and that they're not as young as I am so I need to slow it down. 

Of course I have to adapt to my class, so we did "12 days of summer" similar to the song "12 days of Christmas". We started out with one lap (walking or running) around the gym then did two push-ups and then did the one lap, two push-ups and the third exercise. We did this all the way to twelve. I believe the class enjoyed it and had a great workout. 

After W&W, I met up with one of the Fraser Varsity cheerleaders. She's interested in becoming a college cheereleader so, I became her "mentor". It's moments like this that make me happy I'm a coach.

Then, I went to Yin yoga. Roxanne (one of my running partners) is an instructor at Practice Yoga in Grosse Pointe. Since I had nothing to do and we were going to run after her yoga class, I thought why not go to her class? It was awesome! Yin yoga is different from other practices of yoga because it's more stretching than it is changing positions continually. As a runner, this class was awesome! I have really tight hip flexor muscles so it was great to finally do something that actually stretched it out. Being an athlete all my muscles are really short, they don't need to be long. I felt so refreshed after this class. I recommend this class to all athletes!

Finally, after Yin, Roxanne and I ran 4 miles in 42.30. My Garmin was messing up throughout the run so that was really irritating. It was gross, hot and humid out. Not ideal running conditions but, I pushed through it. I may have told Roxanne to "suck it" a few times. But, hey, I got through it and I felt good afterwards. 

This morning I did hot yoga and tonight I have running club! It's going to be a great 6 mile run. I'm going to be lovin' the hills tonight...

Happy running! 

Danielle

Conflicting Schedules

Last week, my schedule was jam packed. It was seriously insane. I was able to get a couple runs in but not as many as I hoped. Needless to say, I fell behind on my homework. But as always, runners come together in the end. 

I ran about 2 miles with Catherine, 3 miles with Roxanne (in a PR of 30 minutes!) and then ran another 3 miles with the GP Runners (another PR of 27.57!). That's two PR's in one week! Insane.

Photo courtesy of John Martin

John Martin, friend and member of GP Runners, decided to invent "Fourth of July Fishfly 5k". We treated this run as a race and their goal for me was to be my PR of 31.15. I need to check what my average pace was but, I know I was running in the 9's and I never run in the 9's. It was definitely a struggle for me to stay at that pace but, I knew I had to push myself. It wasn't comfortable but, I wanted to push my boundaries. So, I did. 

I ended up finishing in about 27.57 which is phenomenal for me! Even though time doesn't matter, I still enjoy seeing the numbers go down.

There are some things I still need to sort out for my long runs. Such as, shorts vs. running capris, Gu, water belts, socks, etc. 

If you have any recommendations on what works best for you, please share! 

Also, I think I'm going to start a cross training program. Maybe do some Insanity or Turbo Fire DVD's. I want to be a strong runner and I know these programs work well for a lot of people.

Thanks for reading! 

Happy running! :)

Solstice Run

Well, my first 10k wasn't so bad! I planned on using this run as a training run so I ran 4:1 around 11:30. That was way to slow for me on race day so, I ended up doing 4:1's sometimes 4:30s around 9:30. I ended up finishing in 1.07 and 21st in my age group. I consider this an accomplishment and I'm very proud of myself.

Later that day, I attended a baby shower and I told my family about how I ran it in intervals. Someone mentioned that run/walking is cheating and it's not really running a whole race. So, I am doing a little research on that and would love your opinion. Is run/walking a race cheating? If so, why? If not, please explain.

Here's a discussion on active.com that debates the topic.

My personal opinion is that it is not cheating. By run/walking, I still finished ahead of a lot of people and even passed people that were passing me in the beginning. My body felt fine afterwards and I'm able to run today if I wanted to. I crossed the finish line and I ran my run intervals at my own pace. I had no expectations for this race. For the next race, maybe I'll adjust the intervals but, I'm pretty happy with how I ran. The only thing I have to do now is beat my time.

I would love to hear what you think! Until then, I'll be biking with Catherine at Stoney Creek. Muddy Buddy is in two weeks!

Happy running!

It was a really dry, flat run.

*Please note the sarcasm in the title of the post.*

Last night, I ran with my Brooksie Way training group. Actually, I switched groups. The first week I was in a slower group and it was driving me crazy, the second week I didn't go because I though it was going to storm so this week I joined Paul and Cathy's group. That being said, I loved my group this week. I was with two of my group members from the Couch to 5k program. We ran 4:1 at 11.30 pace.

If you know me, than you know that have anxiety about a few things. One of those things is storms. I hate storms. I don't think they're pretty, relaxing, etc.etc. So, it was a calm ride up to Oakland University when there were black clouds in front of me the whole entire time! ugh. 

Right when we were ready to start running it seriously down poured. We ran into Paul's manly truck (ha), there were approx 7 of us in his truck. I wish I had a picture. This did not help the anxiety. One of my group members said to me, "I looked on the radar and its only a small rain cell. No storms." I guess that eased my anxiety a little bit. Just a little.

The rain stopped after 5 minutes and we all safely climbed out of Paul's monstrosity of a truck to start our 5 mile run. It was a great run! We ran around OU's campus and Meadowbrook. It rained. A lot. I've never ran in the rain. Whenever I see rain clouds I skip the run. But, it was actually kind of refreshing. When we were at  3.5 miles the sun came out and there was a double rainbow. It was pretty intense. 

Overall, it was a great training run. I won the Pick MI Date contest so I'll be attending the Hour Best of Detroit party, that should be fun. Then tomorrow is the Solstice Run! Can't wait. 

It's a double rainbow! haha Love my BW3 group! :)

Happy running!

Fell off the wagon...literally

No, I didn't really fall off a wagon but, I was supposed to do my homework this weekend. As in, my running homework. Keyword, supposed to. Well, as you may have already guessed that didn't happen. I ran a mile on Saturday but that's about all I did. #fail.

 

A couple weeks ago, I won tickets to BRU Fest. The fest featured Bell's Brewery beer aka Oberon aka my all time fave beer. So, naturally when I attended the fest this past Saturday, I drank mass amounts of beer, well, as much as 10 tokens and a 5 oz mug could get me. Now, was this a smart decision when I know that I'm training for a race? No, probably not, but, it was one heck of a time.

Jackie, Catherine, Angela and myself at BRU Fest 2011 (Photo Credit: The Hungry Dudes)

Which brings me to my topic: How does alcohol affect the training process? Besides the hangover, nausea, dehydration, etc. etc. 

• Fat loss: Obviously if you're running/exercising you want to pay attention to calories going in and calories going out. If you have more calories going out, you will lose weight and have fat loss. 
• Try not to drink alcohol if you're on a strict diet/training plan. Alcohol prevents fat burning and has hundreds of extra calories. Not to mention after the bar binge eating at Sonic. But those cals don't count, right?
• Sleep deprivation: One of the largest studies to date on alcohol’s effects on sleep shows that drinking alcohol before bed may disrupt sleep and increase wakefulness in healthy adults -- affecting women more than men -- regardless of family history of alcoholism. (WebMD)
• Long runs on the weekend are hard to being with, why make them harder by not having any energy to run them. 
• Moderation: Don't alter your alcohol intake if it's not affecting your workout. 
• A few drinks won't kill you but larger amounts of alcohol that help you make poor decisions (like drunk texting) or make you feel miserable in the morning so you don't get the most out of your workouts, now that's a different subject.

If you're going to learn anything from this post, know that moderation is key, when to stop and definitely drink responsibly. 

Cheers! 

Danielle

Northville Solstice Run

Click the picture to sign up! 

I signed up for my first 10k (6.2 miles)! Ah! SO excited. I can't believe I'm going to be running 6 miles! 

Paul and a couple of the other Brooksie training group leaders are also running so it will be nice to have a group to run my first "long" run with.

I'm not only excited for the race but also the swag, take a look:

Nutrition and Training

Wednesday's scheduled run: 20-30 minutes


I had a pretty long day yesterday and I got home by 8 p.m. I had a slice of pizza and a bread stick and then about 15 minutes later went running. Worst. Idea. Ever. I felt bloated and the pizza just sat on my stomach. I wanted to have a longer run, but was only able to run about 20 minutes. 


I started researching what you should and shouldn't eat before a long run. I got this information from Runners World.


For you early birds: I am NOT a morning person but, I pretend to be by doing hot yoga at 6:15 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The big question is to eat or not to eat? Sometimes, when yoga is super hot and really intense I feel nauseous and light headed. Not good when I have to be at work an hour later.


So, if you can, you should eat before you exercise in the morning. This is what Runners World has to say, "if you can, you should fuel up before your morning run. This performs two functions. First your muscles receive an energy supply to help you power through the run. Secondly, your entire body, especially your brain, receives the fuel and nutrients it needs for optimal functioning. It shouldn't be a surprise that studies support this and that eating before a run boosts endurance compared with fasting for 12 hours. People who eat before exercise rate the exercise as better and as less rigorous compared with those who fast."


If you can't and you're not a true early bird like myself, eating too close to your run may spoil it by causing cramps and nausea.


Here's what RW recommends: Choose high-carbohydrate foods that are low in fat and moderate in protein. Aim for about 400-800 calories, which will fuel your training without making you feel sluggish. Drink about half a pint of water two hours before your run to offset sweat loss.


Some examples: Toast, Fruit, Cereal, Bagel


Late sleepers: This is totally me! (except I don't run in the morning) I convince myself that it's not 7 a.m. This one time in college I actually had a dream that my class was cancelled. It was so real that I didn't go to my class. ha.


RW says, "Most runners fall into this category and don’t have time to eat and digest a full meal before they head out of the door.If you fall into this camp, experiment to see what you can stomach before you train."


Some suggestions: Half of a pint of carbohydrate drink, Energy gel washed down with water, half a bagel


If you don't like these suggestions, you can always have a large meal the night before.


The Lunchtime Crowd: If I has enough time in my day to be a lunchtime runner, I totally would. I don't even think I know anyone who runs in the afternoon. But, if you do, RW has some great tips for ya!


Let's assume you ate breakfast in the morning well, four hours later your breakfast is already digested and your going to be running on an empty stomach. Don't let hunger beat you! Take control of your hunger.


This is what RW has to say, "Rather than increasing the size of your breakfast (which may just leave you feeling sluggish), you should bring a light, pre-run snack to work."


Some suggestions: Eat 1-4 hours before you run, this allows the food to leave your stomach. Eat 100-400 calories.  Breakfast bar with less than 5 grams of fat. Slice of whole wheat toast with fruit spread.


Post Run Lunch: yogurt, fruit (always fruit), leftovers


Evening Excercise: Easiest because it's the most convenient, hardest cause there's lack of motivation. Thank God I have Catherine as my running partner. She definitely holds me accountable on days I've had a long day at the office and I really just don't want to run. 


Apparently, RW says there are two simple principles to follow:

1. Eat healthily during the day to avoid any intestinal upset that might thwart your training plans. Also eat often and enough that you’re adequately fuelled for your session to avoid the ‘I’m too hungry’ excuse.

2. Eat lightly after exercise to recover well without causing digestion to interfere with your sleep. 


Who would have thought? They also go on to say to not skip breakfast (woops), lunch is your focus meal eat lots of high quality protein (fish, tofu, lean beef), mid-afternoon snack, Drink lots of fluids (I love my Camelbak), Eat moderately at dinner. 


I also recommend you read Runner's World and Runner's magazine. They are the #1 source for running information. Thank to Liz Appelgate for writing such a great article. I learned a lot from it and I hope you as my readers have too.


I get to look forward to running with my Brooksie group today in Rochester. We plan to run 4 miles using the Jeff Galloway Training method. Should be a lot nicer on my body.


Happy Running! 


Danielle