Friday Fun at the Track!

We hit the track this morning with our client (and friend!), Jaema. It was kinda rainy and it was 7am. What happened? We kicked some butt! It was Jaema's first time running an interval set on the track. She's training for lululemon's SeaWheeze Half Marathon in August. We chose this track workout based on where she's at with her training.

Track workouts are a great way to increase your speed, learn proper pacing and build stamina. Today we did a pyramid set: 400, 800, 1200, 800, 400. We aimed for consistent splits. A pyramid track workout is a great way to test your ability to run on tired legs and figure out your pacing for different distances.

Remember, always warm up and cool down with at least a mile. Perform a few dynamic stretches before running your track workout and finish up with some static stretches and a few core exercises.

 

Fall Marathon Training Tips

 Training for a fall half-marathon or marathon? You'll have some long runs ahead of you and we want you to look forward to them (instead of dreading them!) Here are our top tips for getting through it with a smile and injury free.

1. Get up early and run. It's hot out and heat will affect your run and how you feel. Take advantage of empty streets (in NYC) and enjoy a long run. To know how heat affects your pace, see this nifty calculator from Runners Connect.

2. Water. Drink lots of it throughout your day. Bring water with you on your runs over 1 hour or know where water fountains are along your route. 

3. Find a buddy. Run with a friend or meet up with a group. Those long runs are well, long and having someone to talk to or to help push you through to the end is awesome. Jessica and I became such good friends because of running! 

4. Bring Money. Just in case! You might need extra water, a coconut water, food or a subway ride home. 

5. New Routes. Pick new routes and/or place to run. A change of scenery might be just what you need to put some pep back into your runs. Need some help with routes? Check out MapMyFitness for routes.

6. Ice. Buy ice packs (bags of frozen peas work great)! They will become your best friend during training. Your muscles swell and might be inflammed after long or strenous workouts. Ice helps reduce the swelling by constricting the blood vessels and the cold from an ice pack provides pain relief.  For those who want the real deal, we love our Nortech Labs Reusable Hot/Cold Pack (size 8'x10')

7. Train Smart. Marathon training is a challenging, long term, phsyically demanding commitment.  Enter into it wisely and listen to what your body tells you throughout your training.  Remember, you are training not just for the finish line, but also to arrive at the start injury free on race day.  Treat your body to an extra rest day or a sports massage every once and a while. If you are in NYC, schedule a massage with the best massage therapist in town, Jennifer Mayer. 

8. All runners are not created equal.  Follow your own training plan adjusted to your phsyical needs, abilities and schedule.  Just because the other people you in marathon training are running 40 miles a week or not doing any speedwork, doesn't mean that's right for you. Personalize your training and understand what workouts YOU should do and how much is appropriate for YOUR body.  If you would like to learn how to implement tempo runs, interval workouts, hill training properly contact us to schedule a private coaching session.  We are offering a Fall Marathon program. Start anytime. Click here to read more about the program. 

There are so many great races this fall: NYC Marathon, Chicago Marathon, the Marine Corp Marathon, and the Portland Marathon to name a few. Comment below and tell us which race you are running.

Running from Behind: Adjusting Expectations

When it's finally time to head to the start of a race, what happens if something goes wrong and you realize mid-race (or even at the beginning) that your original race goals are unattainable that day? Similar to the importance of setting race goals (whether for time or fun), it is equally important to know what it takes for you to feel a sense of accomplishment regardless of what happens on race day. One of our favorite west coast runners, Maren Elliott, shares her strategy after she was forced to adjust her own race expectations midstride last week while running the Bridge to Brews 10k in Portland, Oregon. 

RUNNING FROM BEHIND 
by Maren Elliott

Races don’t always go as planned . . . even when you’ve run hundreds of them.  

I am one of the runners at the front of the start – not on the start line, just far enough behind it that I can keep the leaders in sight.  I like to know where I am in a race, keeping count of how many women are in front of me knowing where I stand in relation to the competition.  This morning, my race did not go as planned.

Even before I showed up to the course things were off.  I missed the packet pick-up yesterday so I had to arrive earlier than I normally do the morning of a race so I could claim my number. 

Clothing was also an issue.  Tank top, short sleeves… I couldn’t choose so I compromised with myself and decided on a long-sleeve over a tank top, which I expected to check at the start.  In the midst of locating the bag check and then realizing that I didn’t bring a bag to put my clothing in, I heard the announcement for the first wave of runners to start. 

I looked over my shoulder toward the starting line and saw the first group of runners, my group of runners, sprinting away from me.  So I chased after them.  Dodging left and right to avoid the people waiting for their start, I crossed the start line alone scrambling to tie the unnecessary long-sleeve shirt around my waist.  Things were not looking good.

At the first mile mark I realized that I didn’t start my watch so I had no idea what pace I was running.  Mild panic set in. Was I going too fast?  Too slow?  Where was I in the pack?  Should I be further up? I might hit the wall. 

It wasn’t until I hit the second mile marker that I started to find my rhythm.  We were on the downhill slope of a hard climb and I had a spectacular view of Portland.   I realized that I felt fantastic.  Without a clue of how fast I was running or what my current place was, my body had gone into its zone and I was racing.   

The final four miles were challenging and I ran hard crossing the finish line with every last ounce of energy.  Even now sitting on the couch with ice on my quads I don’t know what my final time was or how I ranked against the other women.  But I know that I gave it everything.  

Half-Marathon Recovery

Here are our top tips for optimal recovery the week after a Half-Marathon:

1) Take at least 2 days off from running and any strenous activity

2) Ice and then ice those muscles and joints some more (continue icing for as long as you feel sore)

3) Take a yoga or pilates class or go for a bike ride a few days after

4) Listen to your body - your recovery time will be different from others. Start running again when you feel ready! Make your first run back an easy, short run.

5) Get a massage! A massage will help repair and heal your muslces so you can get back out there.

6) Reward yourself and smile! You did it!

Mark Your Calendar - the Brooklyn Half Marathon

New York Road Runners has announced the date of the Brooklyn Half Marathon - May 19. We love this marathon and look forward to it each year. First, the half marathon is a great distance because it tests your limits, your endurance and mental capacity yet is a manageable distance to train for on top of life, work, kids, etc. Second, it's a half marathon in our backyard that takes you on a mini tour of the borough. And finally, what's not to love about a half marathon that finishes in Coney Island? You can grab a Nathan's hot dog, people watch and get your post race ice bath in one place.

Watch the NYRR website for announcements on when race registration opens.  It sold out in a few days last year!

Whether you race or run for fun, it's important to respect the distance. Be smart about your training. The Brooklyn Half is in 14 weeks. We recommend a 10-12 week training plan. Not sure you want to run this one? Check out these online race finder sites for another half marathon that works for you or ask us for recommendations!

Running In the USA
Active.com
Half Marathons

Tasty Treats for Long Runs

Figuring out what to eat and when is a vital part of running and racing well. Over the next few weeks, we will write about what we like to eat before, during and after long runs and high intensity workouts.

On our group run with lululemon athletica SoHo last night, several of the runners (who are all training for their first half marathon) asked us for advice on when and what to eat during their long runs.

Both of us agree that our favorite "food" for long runs is Clif Shot Bloks. They are energy chews, kind of like gummy bears, that are easy-to-chew sources of carbohydrates and electrolytes. Carbs are you body's fuel which you need to replenish about every hour during long runs.

While each person needs to experiment and figure out what works for them, our rule of thumb is: eat 100 calories every 45-60 minutes. If you like Shot Bloks, that means 3 bloks every 5 miles. Shot bloks come in a long packet with 2 servings  a packet. Our favorite is the Cran-Razz. Try 'em out and let us know what you think!  Or, what’s your favorite way to refuel on a long run?

Marathon Recovery

By Maren Elliott

We've asked Maren Elliott to follow-up her inspiration post last week, The Final Miles, with a little insight into the recovery during the weeks after those final miles.  

The morning after finishing a marathon I wake up depressed – without fail.  It always seems so silly; I’ve accomplished something great so I should be elated.  Not to mention I’m free of long training runs, foam-rolling sessions, and painful massages.  But somehow the extra time and less regulated schedule doesn’t bring the relief I always anticipate.  I’m antsy, feel out of shape, and generally pretty grumpy.  The emotional recovery from a marathon is typically the hardest for me, but there is also the physical recovery.

Depending on the marathon I may be unable to walk or take stairs without grasping a hand-railing for fear that my legs will buckle and quit working.  Then there are those inexplicable marathons when I feel great the next day, like I could go for a run (and I usually desperately want to).  It can be hard to know exactly how to approach the recovery period especially when you feel out of sync physically and emotionally.

The general rule of thumb is to give yourself as many days to recover as miles you ran.  So for a marathon, you’d take 26 days for recovery.  There have been times when my legs needed twice that before I could even think about lacing up running shoes again.  And there have been times when I’m ready to run a week later.  In both cases the important thing to remember is to listen to your body and not force anything – it is different for everyone.

Taking walks and doing an easy bike ride in the first days after the marathon helps relieve the soreness a bit, and can provide some of the mental release I need in the absence of running.  Regardless of how long it takes, I constantly remind myself to “be nice to myself” during the awkward transition weeks after the marathon.  This sounds easy enough but can be hard when things feel off balance.  If you give yourself the time you need to recover and heal, the first run back will bring the endorphin rush you crave and all will feel right again.

Happy Friday, now get out of my way!

sometimes....you gotta just race!

Pain is temporary. Quitting lasts forever.

Lance Armstrong said that and it's a great motto. Yet, with the return of my once ancient knee injury, I find myself asking "am I quitting or being smart?"

Recognizing injury and pain, and taking the necessary time to recover is difficult because we come face to face with the "no pain, no gain" mentality nearly everyday. People want to push through challenges, push through the pain and for what? A medal, a time, a good sweat? All of those things are worth it as long as the pain is "good pain" and not "bad pain". I use quotes because my yoga teachers refer to good vs bad pain a lot in class.  Good pain is that dull pain or sometimes burning sensation you feel in your muscles when you push them too hard. This is the pain I feel while doing pushups or a lot of sit-ups. Bad pain is a nervy or sharp pain. When you feel bad pain - stop immediately!

That isn't quitting, that is being smart.  However, many of us do not take the necessary time to recover and rehab the bad pain. It might mean sitting out a marathon you've been training for or not participating in your flag football season. The long term effect of properly resting and recovering is worth missing out on 1 event or 1 season. That's not quitting, that's listening to your body and knowing that running is forever; not a temporary part of your life.

Congratulations to all NYC Marathoners

[slideshow]We are extremely proud of all of our friends, family and clients who trained hard and kicked asphalt in Sunday's NYC marathon. Cheering on 45,000 runners this year was just as emotional and wonderful as running it last year.

The Final Miles

By Maren Elliott

The NYC marathon is only few days away. Success on race day this weekend eventually comes down to those final miles, so we've asked Maren Elliott, a 3:00 marathoner, experienced long distance runner and one of our favorite running advisors, to discuss what it takes to make it to the finish.

Everyone always says that the marathon starts at mile 20. The official halfway point is 13.1 miles, but talk to any seasoned marathoner and they’re sure to share battle stories of fighting through the last 6.2 miles of their most recent race.

For me the real clincher are those final four miles. It is during those painful, long, and seemingly endless miles that my body breaks down and my mind starts telling me I don’t have to finish. I’ve completed 7 marathons and every single time the final four miles try to keep me from crossing the finish line. Regardless of whether I’m running a 3:00 marathon or close to 4:00, once I hit mile 22 all bets are off.

I’ve sat down on a curb in the Bronx to take off my shoe, convinced that my second toe was broken. I’ve stopped at an aid station desperate for ibuprofen (or “Vitamin I” as we like to call it). I’ve almost peed my pants while running down Michigan Ave in Chicago… well, maybe I actually did, just little. I have slowed to a pace that is not much faster than a walk and watched as everyone passed me by.

Though the physical experiences may be slightly different, every time it is essentially the same: I start telling myself that this race is stupid, I don’t have to finish, no one will care if I just give up.

But I never have. Somehow I keep going, one foot in front of the other over and over again. I am never sure what motivates me to continue at that point in the race when everything is telling you to stop. My friends and family would say that it is my competitive nature. I’d like to believe it is inspiration from the other thousands of runners. It is probably a combination of both and the simple truth that life is hard with unexpected hurdles, but you have to keep going.

It is those final miles, the ones that hurt the most and when we’re looking for any excuse to quit, that make the marathon so special. It isn’t always pretty and certainly doesn’t always go as planned, but I know that despite the challenges and pain, I can always finish.

Cheering

We love our clients and love watching them achieve their goals. We spent Saturday morning watching Jaema, Dan, Megan and Steph meet their goals head on and crush them!

All we needed - a bike, warm clothes and a coffee!

Running wild through the streets of Buenos Aires

This past Sunday, I (Meghan) ran the Buenos Aires marathon. It was my 10th marathon and I felt as if I needed to do something special for it.  We ran all through the city - from the famous Recolta cemetery to the streets of La Boca, through the new area of Puerto Madero and a lot of other neighborhoods and area that I had never seen in Buenos Aires. It was humid and overcast but a wonderful day! I ran with Romina, who is from Buenos Aires, and ran her first marathon. We celebrated with champagne, a parilla and un poco dulce de leche![gallery link="file" order="DESC"]

A Personal Account of Filling an Olympic Athlete’s Shoes - Destination Race Preparation 101

What happens when you wake up the morning of race day to discover not that you forgot your running shoes, but you flew all the way across the country with two right shoes?   You might laugh at how ridiculous and far-fetched this sounds – but it’s possible – and it happened to yours truly last weekend after flying across the country from NYC to Portland, OR to run in the Eugene Women’s Half Marathon the following day.  For proof, check out the race recap newspaper article featuring my story.

How does this happen?  When packing my shoes for the two-day trip, instead of grabbing a right and left shoe from the shoe basket filled with three pairs of the same running shoe, I looked at the tread on the bottom of each of the six shoes and packed the two with the least amount of wear and tear.   Not smart - I realize this now especially since the tread on all of my left shoes is significantly more worn down in the same spot than my right shoes.

Unfortunately, I packed the morning of my flight and mentally spaced on this important piece of information.  So, the night before the race, I laid out my gear including my timing chip, bib, running shoes and even my hair rubber bands failing to notice what was missing - my left shoe!   It wasn’t until I went to put my shoes on before walking out the door thirty minutes before the race started that I became aware of my ridiculous mistake.

How do you fix this problem? It was too early and there wasn’t enough time before the start to buy a new pair of shoes.  My cousin, who was running the race with me, had a bunch of extra pairs of running shoes in her car, but she wears a full size smaller than I do.   At this point, my only options were to run in two right shoes or cram my size 9.5 feet into size 8 running shoes.   Neither of these would get me through the race uninjured, or even to the finish line.  I was only running this race as part of my training for the NYC marathon in November.  On the other hand, how could I forgo running in the race when the entire point of my trip was the race???  So I put on a pair of muddy size 8’s and headed to the start.

By the time we arrived at the start, my feet were going numb and I was losing circulation in one of my big toes.  My cousin, still determined to find me a pair of shoes that fit well enough for me to make it through the race still standing, walked right over the announcers at the starting line who were busy getting the runners fired up with enthusiastic yelling over a loud speaker system and asked them to make a special announcement.  Moments later, over a thousand runners and spectators heard, “if anyone has an extra pair of size 9.5 running shoes to lend to a runner who just flew in from Brooklyn, please come see us at the starting line.”

At first, all I could hear was the sound of several runners sympathetic sighs for the runner from Brooklyn without shoes.  Then a woman holding a newborn walked over to me and said she wears a size ten and asked if that would work.  Without hesitation, I immediately accepted her offer and began to take off the size 8’s that were killing me.  As I was lacing up the size 10’s, another woman started telling me how I was borrowing the shoes of an Olympic runner (who also happened to be the race director), Nicole Teter.  This wasn’t intimidating or anything!

The race was starting in less than three minutes, so I thanked Nicole profusely and confirmed that she would be at the finish so I could return the shoes before moving into the crowd of runners waiting behind the starting line.  As they played the national anthem over the speaker systems, my cousin and I fumbled with the plastic zip tie that attached my timing chip to the shoes I had just borrowed (from an Olympic Athlete!).  Official race photos from the start show all the runners bouncing up and down waiting for the gun to off except for the two of us who were bent over dealing with my shoes.  The actual race turned out to be a beautiful course and my time was right on target for my goal pace that I’ve set for the NYC marathon and my feet felt great the entire race.

Although the race was amazing, the most memorable part by far was the finish.  Apparently, my story caught several peoples’ attention and when they announced Jessica Green from Brooklyn, NY as I crossed the finish several people I’ve never met before came right over to celebrate my finish and ask for a race recap.  I was then shooed over to the tent where my shoe donor, i.e. the race director and Olympic athlete, was sitting.  We exchanged laughs, talked about the course and the freight train delay less than a mile into the course (see linked article for more details).  Then the press came over to interview me about my shoe debacle for the race recap article in Eugene’s newspaper.  For a brief moment in time, I felt like I had stepped into the spotlight as a professional athlete – and I LOVED every second of it.

A very special thank you to Nicole, for your generosity and charitable giving (she told me to keep the shoes!) and my cousin for coming up with the idea to ask the announcers to make a request over the speakers for an extra pair of size 9.5 shoes and for all of those responsible for a great race experience.

Next time I travel out of town for a race, I guarantee you that I’ll be wearing my running shoes during the drive or flight there and when I line up at the start of future races I’ll be smiling about the time I successfully filled an Olympic athlete’s shoes for the Eugene Women’s Half Marathon!

By Jessica Green - Hot Bird Running Co-Owner & Coach

10k Training Plan for $50

Hot Bird Running is offering a special training program this fall for the Rock 'n Roll 10k in Prospect Park on 10/22/11.

Our 7 week training plan will get you ready to run the 10k and meet your goals!

7-week detailed training program includes:

• weekly running schedule and training log.


• customized interval/track workouts


• strength exercises for runners


• available for all levels


• communication/feedback via email with coaches


• initial fitness questionnaire to match your training plan with your goals

Starts: Sept 5th

Cost: $50

Contact hotbirdrunning@gmail.com for details and to start training with us today!

Fueling, Naturally

By Deacon Carpenter

A few weeks ago, I ran my first half marathon with my close friend, Meghan. It has been one of my goals for a couple of years, so I'd been training for a few months leading up to the race; working on my distance, getting my pace down, and eating foods, which helpg give me the fuel to complete the task.

As an Ayurvedic practitioner, I know a thing or two about food. Ayurveda is the medical practice to Yoga, which essentially focuses on food and herbal therapies to prevent disease and keep us healthy. In my practice, I work with athletes who want to maintain their bodies, give them an edge when they compete and provide them with higher-quality options over the options of high-performance foods engineered for their sport.

If you are an athlete, you’re already familiar with the high-performance and engineered foods on the market, unfortunately, I wasn’t. Meghan and I were running a pretty good pace – 8:30, and at mile 6, I decided to pop a Gu to see if it would enhance my performance, but by mile 8, my stomach was in knots.

If you are looking for a more natural approach to your training program, or are looking for a healthier Gu when you are competing, I have a few suggestions.

--Keep your metabolism going: eating moderate sized meals every three hours will help moderate your digestive fire running optimally. This will prevent you from becoming ‘Hangry’ (angry because you’re hungry) and will keep you from your blood sugar dropping through the floor.
--At race day, fuel up on foods which are easily digested, and will give you the fuel to get through the beginning and middle of your race. I recommend dry-roasted pumpkin and sunflower seeds mixed with dates and raisins. You can also add dry roasted almonds to the mix as well.
--When it comes to Gu’s, try to find the ones without caffeine – although this sounds like a great idea when you grab it, it’s not sustainable – your body needs calories and electrolytes to help you power through your race, and keep your muscles functioning properly.

For more information on Ayurveda or to understand what foods are best for your body type, visit www.dailyveda.com

Deacon founded Daily Veda after working in Global Advertising for 16 yrs. He practices yoga, runs and promotes healthy living through natural eating and Ayurvedic medicine. He's a wealth of knowledge and fun.

Finishing on a hill

By Kathryn Reynolds

So this time around I made a promise to myself that I was going to improve my half marathon time. Why I registered for another half was beyond me. I ran 2010’s NYC half (my first long distance race) and obviously felt accomplished at the end, but also vowed I would never race that distance again. And here I found myself, swept up by the camaraderie of my running friend’s influence to register for Providence’s Rock and Roll Half…in August no less.

Since I have a direct line to Hot Bird’s running expertise, one of the co-founders is my sister, I asked her to put together an official training plan. I gave myself more time than I probably needed, partly because I’m a nurse on a rotating day-night schedule and knew I’d have an erratic training schedule.

The beginning was confidence boosting. I did the hill workouts, the intervals, the tempos, and ran an easy (and fast) 9 mile long run. Around this time, life started getting, well, life-y. I was working overnight shifts, the temperature in Boston was a humidity infused 90 to 100 degrees, and there were life stressors that I had no control over. So what was the first thing to go? Yup, my training.

My coach modified my training though.  She was privy to all the issues I was dealing with since she is my sister and all. Maybe most people wouldn’t feel compelled to tell their running coach as much as I told mine (ha) but she adjusted to my derailment with professionalism and realism. She didn’t condemn me for not being the all-star athlete I said I was going to be in the beginning, there was no scolding for not following her directions, no giving up on me. She boosted me up and told me what I needed focus on, picked out the important runs and scaled back on my mileage.

Race day came and I was nervous but I had my coach with me. In the beginning, I wanted to hold back, afraid that I might not even be able to complete the 13.1 mile distance. But she told me to just go and not think about it. She knew how fast we were running and kept me on my goal pace. We killed the first 10k. Around mile 10 things got hard. I kept telling myself, ‘it’s only a 5k left, you can do this.’ My coach stuck with me and kept a little ahead so I had something to focus on.  She was like the carrot, and I was the rabbit. This little rabbit, however, did want to rest and take a nap on the side of the course. If it hadn’t been a torrential downpour the day of the race, I might have. No, no, I’m kidding, but the point is, I was tired and understandably so. My coach kept me focused and not only did I finish but I beat my previous half marathon time...and killed it on the uphill finish!

Now I’m excited to keep going. I don’t know when my next half will be, but having a real live coach changed something for me. I think I gained the confidence to focus in on my goals. Previously, I had been too afraid of failure to really even try. But it's ok if you don’t meet your original goal - I didn’t run the projected time I had set out for myself three months ago - but I did run strong and ran faster than I had before. Little milestones and the help of a good coach seem to be the keys for pushing my running forward. Thanks Hot Bird!

Taking on the Ultra

One of our own has flown the coup and headed off to the Pacific Northwest to run the Ragnar Relay Northwest Passage.  But here's the catch - Meghan's team is taking on the 190 miles through Washington State with only five other teammates rather than eleven.  Yep, one van, five runners and a whole lotta miles!  Follow Meghan and the rest of her team (appropriately named, "Where's the Other 6 (pack)?") on twitter as they make their way from the Canadian border, along the coast and over Deception Pass and ending at Whidbey Island.  Must be nice to be out of the east coast humidity!!!

Pic 1:  Where's the other 6 (pack)? at the start of Ragnar Relay Northwest Passage - wonder if they'll look this good tomorrow morning at the finish line?!

Pic 2:  Representing our lulus while she's out there! We miss you, Meghan!

The joy of running

Yesterday reminded me why I am a coach and why I run. My friend, Deacon, completed his first half marathon today. We ran together and while usually my race experience is defined by my time, this experience was defined by pure joy.

We ran together the whole time. We didn't fuss over a few seconds lost for a bathroom break or waiting for traffic to cross a street. We ran, side-by-side, pushing each other and helping each other. I looked around, I took in the views, I experienced the atmosphere, instead of focusing on my Garmin, beating myself up over a split or getting annoyed at losing 20 seconds while waiting for traffic. I removed myself, my pride, my desire to run faster, and allowed myself to be part of another person's experience. Deacon went into the race with a great attitude; he wanted to have fun, enjoy it and accomplish a life long goal along the way. Thus, my goal, as his coach, was to help him achieve all of those goals. I pushed when he needed that extra push at mile 11, I reminded him to stop and actually drink the water at the stops, and I got to experience the pure joy and excitement when he crossed the finish line in 1:49.

Coaching Deacon in the Napa to Sonoma Half Marathon today was fun, exciting and just as thrilling as accomplishing my own PR marathon time last year. It reminded me why I'm a coach and why I love running.

The joy of running is personal and limitless in its definition. Find the joy in running and it'll change your perspective.

Meghan and Deacon showing their bling