If you're training for a spring race, or just trying to stay in shape, and you have any kind of "regular" schedule, as in you work first shift hours, you're probably wondering when on earth you can fit a run in without it being dark. Good question. Saturday? Sunday? True, but what about during the week?
Running in the dark is, in my opinion, a refreshing change of pace from a day time run. Whether you run in a well-lit area on the safety of sidewalks, or (like me) on pitch black country roads with no shoulder, a night run gives you a different perspective on a tired route. Don't be afraid to head out just because it's dark. Trust me, it's fun, just be mindful to take a few extra precautions.
No matter when you head out, safety should always be your top priority, or perhaps I say that because I feel like being alone miles from home AND being female makes me a little more susceptible to a shady character. Tell someone where you're going, how long you estimate you'll be gone, carry a phone with you, consider not wearing headphones or turning your music down so you can hear cars, and make yourself visible...especially at night.
My runs are almost exclusively on country roads, wide enough just to allow two cars to pass by slowing way down. They have no lighting, no shoulder, and houses are few and far between. I love the peace that this offers, but it can make a night run a little more of a challenge. My winter gear (tights and sleeves) is dark, my shoes are dark, my gloves are dark...I'm not doing drivers any favors. If you plan to run at night, invest in some reflective gear, such as a vest, sleeves, or reflective tape. I have to wear a head lamp due to lack of lighting. There is definitely a learning curve to running with a lamp! It makes you trust your footing a little more than normal, I think. You might also consider a tail light. I don't personally have one, but I always think it's an investment I need to make.
Also at night, I run with no music. I prefer to run without music during races, so this is a good training opportunity for race day. It is an added measure to hear cars coming. You can never be too careful running with cars anyway, even during the day. Most drivers don't expect you to be on the road, and therefore probably are not looking out for you.
I have a (somewhat irrational) fear of being attacked by a wild animal while out at night. I'm not sure why, but I also have considered carrying pepper spray, though I never have.
On a final note, if you happen to be the driver of a vehicle passing a runner, walker, or cyclist at night, turn down your high beams! You wouldn't bright an oncoming driver. Same thing applies for those of us on foot. I can't see to get off the road and out of your way if you've got your high beams in my eyes. I always wonder what people think when they see me out in the middle of the night dressed like a fool (because it's so cold!)....I figure it's out of surprise they forget to dim the lights.
Happy holidays, and happy night running!
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
It's Hard Work
A very wise person once told me that "if was easy, everyone would do it." Isn't that so true? And aren't the hardest things always the most worth it in the end? I'm particularly reminded of this piece of wisdom in the last 10 days as I've returned to running.
Getting back into shape is hard. It's even harder when the last real run I had was a killer sub-2 hour 14 mile run. (That's 8:25 per mile pace). I can understand why people are discouraged at trying to get into shape. The pain, the process. It's not the most fun. But it is entirely worth it. That I promise you.
My strategy has been to incorporate a little of the Jeff Galloway method into my training. I started out with running 3 minutes and walking 2, then repeating. Then I moved up to running 4 minutes and walking 1, repeat. Tonight I was able to run an entire mile, walk 2 minutes, for 3.6 miles. Go me! My pace is way slower, hovering around 10:00 per mile. But it's alright. It's progress. Once I can string together 4-5 straight miles of running, I'm diving back into a training program.
Anybody else out there just getting started?
Getting back into shape is hard. It's even harder when the last real run I had was a killer sub-2 hour 14 mile run. (That's 8:25 per mile pace). I can understand why people are discouraged at trying to get into shape. The pain, the process. It's not the most fun. But it is entirely worth it. That I promise you.
My strategy has been to incorporate a little of the Jeff Galloway method into my training. I started out with running 3 minutes and walking 2, then repeating. Then I moved up to running 4 minutes and walking 1, repeat. Tonight I was able to run an entire mile, walk 2 minutes, for 3.6 miles. Go me! My pace is way slower, hovering around 10:00 per mile. But it's alright. It's progress. Once I can string together 4-5 straight miles of running, I'm diving back into a training program.
Anybody else out there just getting started?
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
And I'm Back
Alright, three weeks and 2 days post delivery, and I'm ready to get back at it. If you're following along at home, I'll have a training schedule posted next week. For now, so as not to spur any major injury, I plan to hit the treadmill (I LOATHE the treadmill, by the way) for the first few days and will stick only to walking. Right or wrong, my reason for doing this is to get back into the rhythm of exercise and to build a little more strength in muscles that haven't been used consistently in a couple of months. I also need to try to figure out what time of day is going to work best for fitting workouts in.
The last time I came back after pregnancy, I started too much too quickly and ended up with a foot injury that put me back a few weeks. I'd like to avoid that again, if possible.
The combination of walking and strength training for a while should do the trick, then I plan to slowly add in running until I'm back to running 4-5 days/week. From there, I can build back up my mileage.
The schedule will mimic my training schedule for days to run, but for now I'll swap out runs with walks. If you'll be joining me, gear up! I've got my first workout planned for tomorrow morning around 5:00am.
I have to admit, I'm pretty excited to be back now that the weather has turned cold. Nothing beats an early morning run while there's frost on the ground. I've already dusted off my tights and gloves...
The last time I came back after pregnancy, I started too much too quickly and ended up with a foot injury that put me back a few weeks. I'd like to avoid that again, if possible.
The combination of walking and strength training for a while should do the trick, then I plan to slowly add in running until I'm back to running 4-5 days/week. From there, I can build back up my mileage.
The schedule will mimic my training schedule for days to run, but for now I'll swap out runs with walks. If you'll be joining me, gear up! I've got my first workout planned for tomorrow morning around 5:00am.
I have to admit, I'm pretty excited to be back now that the weather has turned cold. Nothing beats an early morning run while there's frost on the ground. I've already dusted off my tights and gloves...
Friday, October 26, 2012
Shoes!
Greetings, readers. Apologies for the hiatus, but I'm back! And, now that there's another baby on the ground, ready to give this body a few weeks of rest and get back to training. I'm itching to hit the pavement again as soon as possible, and this gorgeous weather isn't helping my patience any....
One thing I really love about running is it's portability. You can run anytime and anywhere. Running is a cheap sport to get into, aside from registration fees, and involves very little equipment. Right? What do you really need to get started? A pair of good shoes and a few staples of clothing. I'm here today to talk to you about my favorite part of running gear: shoes.
I've always been a Nike girl. Before my current pair of shoes, I deviated from Nike only once before and that was to buy a pair of Asics that I fell in love with, mostly based on the colors. I still love Nike, and I think that they have a great deal to offer as far as variety of shoes goes. Inspired by a nagging IT band issue, I moved from a more cushioned shoe to the Nike Free. That, plus loads of IT band stretches and strength exercises, and I have not had a twinge of IT band pain in over 2 years.
From there I "read" (listened to on tape) "Born to Run" and was further inspired (by some, but not all, of the book). And ultimately made a move to Brooks. I am now in shoe heaven, and will stay with these shoes as long as they make them without changing them much.
These are the Nikes that I have, and still love: Nike Free Run 2.0 (not the color of mine, but you can search around, they make a bunch of different colors)
And these are the Brooks: Brooks PureCadence
This is what I'll say about running shoes. Don't cheap out. Running is a lot of impact on your body, so making the investment in good shoes is going to help prevent injuries. If you're new the sport, consider going to a running specialty store to get fitted for shoes. You'll probably want to go up 1/2 to full size from your normal shoe size. This is important, especially if you love your toenails. It's not so critical if you plan to stick to shorter distances, but if you are training for half or full marathons, trust me on this one, buy bigger!
Barefoot running is all the craze. And, to each his own. But really that just seems insane to me. Wear something between your foot and the ground. Please! Finding the perfect shoe is a little bit of trial and error, and a lot knowing your running style and stride. This is where getting fitted can come into play.
And, finally, when your shoes are starting to wear out, buy new ones! I always try to overlap my new shoes with my old shoes. Please don't make your first run in new shoes your long run day. Happy shopping!
One thing I really love about running is it's portability. You can run anytime and anywhere. Running is a cheap sport to get into, aside from registration fees, and involves very little equipment. Right? What do you really need to get started? A pair of good shoes and a few staples of clothing. I'm here today to talk to you about my favorite part of running gear: shoes.
I've always been a Nike girl. Before my current pair of shoes, I deviated from Nike only once before and that was to buy a pair of Asics that I fell in love with, mostly based on the colors. I still love Nike, and I think that they have a great deal to offer as far as variety of shoes goes. Inspired by a nagging IT band issue, I moved from a more cushioned shoe to the Nike Free. That, plus loads of IT band stretches and strength exercises, and I have not had a twinge of IT band pain in over 2 years.
From there I "read" (listened to on tape) "Born to Run" and was further inspired (by some, but not all, of the book). And ultimately made a move to Brooks. I am now in shoe heaven, and will stay with these shoes as long as they make them without changing them much.
These are the Nikes that I have, and still love: Nike Free Run 2.0 (not the color of mine, but you can search around, they make a bunch of different colors)
And these are the Brooks: Brooks PureCadence
This is what I'll say about running shoes. Don't cheap out. Running is a lot of impact on your body, so making the investment in good shoes is going to help prevent injuries. If you're new the sport, consider going to a running specialty store to get fitted for shoes. You'll probably want to go up 1/2 to full size from your normal shoe size. This is important, especially if you love your toenails. It's not so critical if you plan to stick to shorter distances, but if you are training for half or full marathons, trust me on this one, buy bigger!
Barefoot running is all the craze. And, to each his own. But really that just seems insane to me. Wear something between your foot and the ground. Please! Finding the perfect shoe is a little bit of trial and error, and a lot knowing your running style and stride. This is where getting fitted can come into play.
And, finally, when your shoes are starting to wear out, buy new ones! I always try to overlap my new shoes with my old shoes. Please don't make your first run in new shoes your long run day. Happy shopping!
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
A Word About Running Moms
By far the two hardest physical things I have ever done are 1. finish a marathon, and 2. deliver a baby. Or, maybe more specifically, carry a baby to term. Quite honestly, I found the delivery part to not be that difficult in comparison to the 40 LONG weeks before the baby's arrival. Certainly everyone's experience is different though.
If you think about it, finishing an endurance race is much like a pregnancy. There comes a point in both where you feel like you really cannot make it, and wonder what on earth you got yourself into. For me, that point in a marathon is somewhere around mile 22. The end is so close, but there are 4 miles that have to be covered before you get relief. 4 miles. Nothing, but when you've put 22 behind you, your perspective surely changes. In this current pregnancy, I have reached my mile 22 at 38 weeks. Everything hurts, and there is a clear end in sight, but my mind is telling me that it's not sure I can make it.
I have told you before that anyone can run a marathon (or whatever your distance of choice is) because running is 90% mental. My head is not in the pregnancy game right now, much like it gets in my way at mile 22. The point I have reached is the point where my physical discomfort has become greater than my mental capacity to push it down, to reason that it's only temporary (seriously, whichever motivational genius coined: Pain is temporary, pride is forever---rock on!).
Giving birth to a child is by far and away easier than a marathon. I'm not going to sugar coat it, moms. In childbirth, you have zero choice. That baby is getting out one way or another, and your best bet is to accept that and go with it. You can choose to do it with more comfort (an epidural) or less (without drugs), but fact is, it's happening. In a marathon, your head can get in the way so much that you actually physically cannot finish.
Why am I sharing this? Well, one because I need to get my head on right and accept the fact that I have 14 more days (or less!) of discomfort, such a short amount of suffering for a beautifully great reward. Two, because we all have our struggles, and it's important to know that we aren't alone in that. I find such strength and motivation from my own athletic accomplishments that I am writing this in the hope that I will ignite something deep down that can get me through the next few weeks and through labor and delivery as easily as the first time around.
I am trying to recall those last few miles of my last races (so many months ago...) to draw inspiration. In life we need to make comparisons and find inner strength where we can. When things get hard, relate your situation to something else challenging that you've done and overcome.
If you think about it, finishing an endurance race is much like a pregnancy. There comes a point in both where you feel like you really cannot make it, and wonder what on earth you got yourself into. For me, that point in a marathon is somewhere around mile 22. The end is so close, but there are 4 miles that have to be covered before you get relief. 4 miles. Nothing, but when you've put 22 behind you, your perspective surely changes. In this current pregnancy, I have reached my mile 22 at 38 weeks. Everything hurts, and there is a clear end in sight, but my mind is telling me that it's not sure I can make it.
I have told you before that anyone can run a marathon (or whatever your distance of choice is) because running is 90% mental. My head is not in the pregnancy game right now, much like it gets in my way at mile 22. The point I have reached is the point where my physical discomfort has become greater than my mental capacity to push it down, to reason that it's only temporary (seriously, whichever motivational genius coined: Pain is temporary, pride is forever---rock on!).
Giving birth to a child is by far and away easier than a marathon. I'm not going to sugar coat it, moms. In childbirth, you have zero choice. That baby is getting out one way or another, and your best bet is to accept that and go with it. You can choose to do it with more comfort (an epidural) or less (without drugs), but fact is, it's happening. In a marathon, your head can get in the way so much that you actually physically cannot finish.
Why am I sharing this? Well, one because I need to get my head on right and accept the fact that I have 14 more days (or less!) of discomfort, such a short amount of suffering for a beautifully great reward. Two, because we all have our struggles, and it's important to know that we aren't alone in that. I find such strength and motivation from my own athletic accomplishments that I am writing this in the hope that I will ignite something deep down that can get me through the next few weeks and through labor and delivery as easily as the first time around.
I am trying to recall those last few miles of my last races (so many months ago...) to draw inspiration. In life we need to make comparisons and find inner strength where we can. When things get hard, relate your situation to something else challenging that you've done and overcome.
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Find Your Motivation
Let me start by saying this. ANYONE can run. (I'll say it again.) Anyone can run. The beauty of running is that you don't have to be some super athlete to do it. Chances are, you aren't going to win whichever race you sign up for, so pressure's off.
Signing up for a race can be motivating by itself. But what will get you out the door each day for training? Now there's the key to your running success. What pushes you to put in the miles? What pushes you to want to do better, be better? And, on race day, what pushes you to cross that finish line, no matter what obstacles you encounter along the way?
I can't give you the answer to this, because it's really up to you. I don't think the desire to finish is really enough, personally. Or at least for me, it isn't. There are loads of reasons that I run....
Signing up for a race can be motivating by itself. But what will get you out the door each day for training? Now there's the key to your running success. What pushes you to put in the miles? What pushes you to want to do better, be better? And, on race day, what pushes you to cross that finish line, no matter what obstacles you encounter along the way?
I can't give you the answer to this, because it's really up to you. I don't think the desire to finish is really enough, personally. Or at least for me, it isn't. There are loads of reasons that I run....
- I like it.
- It gets me out of the house with time to think.
- It's an hour or more a day when absolutely no one needs me immediately (for the rest of you moms, you can relate).
- I always feel like I'm working towards something.
- I hope it inspires my daughter to want to be better.
I do a lot of thinking while running. I tell myself, when the miles get really hard, that I could have stayed in bed, but I didn't. And that says something about me. Whatever that something is motivates me to keep going. I like to run early in the morning, so I think about what all the people who aren't out doing what I'm doing, and that motivates me to keep going. I also think about people who can't do what I'm doing, but want to.
Living in Boston afforded me the opportunity to witness one of the most inspirational duos of all time. Marathon Monday is a big deal in Boston. It's a bizarre New England holiday (Patriot's Day), so a lot of people are off work, the city pretty much closes down for the marathon. My first apartment was directly on the marathon course, at mile 22. My second place was just a few blocks over at about mile 23. If you haven't heard of Team Hoyt, take a few minutes and watch this:
There are plenty of other videos about Team Hoyt out there, more on their story, etc.
The question is what will you do with your able body? How far will you push yourself? A father did this out of love for his child, out of want for his son to never miss an opportunity. If they can achieve this, then you really have no excuse. Look deep. Seek outside motivation, like Team Hoyt, if that helps you. Whatever it is, don't just assume you can't.
As Rick Hoyt would say, "CAN."
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
And One More Thing
In my last post, I alluded to my preference to run in the cooler months than during the summer. Truth be told, I love a good winter run. Nothing like pulling on tights, long sleeves, gloves, and a hat, cold shoes, and stepping out into the quiet of a winter morning. Besides, people who only suspected you might be crazy before this now know it to be truth.
I have two funny stories about winter training.
First, we had a fairly big snow the night before, that resulted in our road needing to be plowed. It had been cleared once and I headed out even though there was some residual snow on the ground. On my run, the plow came by again. With nowhere else to go, I had to step off the road and into the pile of snow created by the first pass of the plow. As the guy came slowly down the road, clearly wondering what on earth I was doing out there in the first place, I could feel the pile giving way beneath my feet. About the time he was even with me, I sank hip-deep into the snow back with both feet. I was cracking up. The driver stopped to ask if I was alright, which was nice, but having a three minute conversation while I was buried in snow in skimpy running tights was not the way to keep cold muscles from getting stiff.
Second, while training for my first Flying Pig, circumstances called for me to be working two jobs. I was fitting in training runs at all kinds of odd hours, and on this particular day, I headed out at about 9:00 at night, and in complete darkness. It was a short run that day, only about 3 miles, I think. Again, we had received some snow that had melted and then refroze on the roads. I headed to the safety of my parents' driveway down the road (they live back a long, long paved drive) in order to be off an icy road in the middle of the night. Since it was a short run, I didn't take my phone. About a mile and half into the run, and after having safely navigated a particular treacherous place in the drive once, I came to it a second time. I stopped paying attention just long enough for my feet to fly straight up in the air in front of me and just like that I was laying in the middle of the icy driveway, in the complete dark, on my back. I didn't hit my head, luckily, but I temporarily lost my headlamp. I had actually landed on my hip (now I can't even remember which one) and shoulder, and got the wind knocked out of me. I was about a mile from home, with no phone (big mistake, and the second time I actually made it....more on that one later). I stayed on the ground trying to assess what I had broken for a few minutes, got up and found my lamp, then limped my way through the last mile home. Funny in hindsight, and the first of two pretty nasty falls I have taken while running, and a valuable lesson in choosing your training routes and safety equipment wisely.
Nevertheless, I'll take snow and ice over heat and humidity any day.
On to another goal. It sort of goes hand in hand with running. At the peak of my training, I am hungry pretty much all the time, and since long runs require so much energy, I don't limit what I eat, but I do try to make mostly healthy choices. That said, I am a junk food junkie. If it is candy or ice cream, or soda, I love it. I especially love soda when I don't feel good. And since I've felt pretty rotten for, oh about 35 weeks, I've consumed more soda than I normally would. It's time to kick the habit. It's really not good for me, and it causes me to forgo healthier options. The point is, I've been soda-free for 5 days. I can't say that I feel better, but I don't feel worse, so that's a good thing. I could really go for a cherry coke right about now, though...
I have two funny stories about winter training.
First, we had a fairly big snow the night before, that resulted in our road needing to be plowed. It had been cleared once and I headed out even though there was some residual snow on the ground. On my run, the plow came by again. With nowhere else to go, I had to step off the road and into the pile of snow created by the first pass of the plow. As the guy came slowly down the road, clearly wondering what on earth I was doing out there in the first place, I could feel the pile giving way beneath my feet. About the time he was even with me, I sank hip-deep into the snow back with both feet. I was cracking up. The driver stopped to ask if I was alright, which was nice, but having a three minute conversation while I was buried in snow in skimpy running tights was not the way to keep cold muscles from getting stiff.
Second, while training for my first Flying Pig, circumstances called for me to be working two jobs. I was fitting in training runs at all kinds of odd hours, and on this particular day, I headed out at about 9:00 at night, and in complete darkness. It was a short run that day, only about 3 miles, I think. Again, we had received some snow that had melted and then refroze on the roads. I headed to the safety of my parents' driveway down the road (they live back a long, long paved drive) in order to be off an icy road in the middle of the night. Since it was a short run, I didn't take my phone. About a mile and half into the run, and after having safely navigated a particular treacherous place in the drive once, I came to it a second time. I stopped paying attention just long enough for my feet to fly straight up in the air in front of me and just like that I was laying in the middle of the icy driveway, in the complete dark, on my back. I didn't hit my head, luckily, but I temporarily lost my headlamp. I had actually landed on my hip (now I can't even remember which one) and shoulder, and got the wind knocked out of me. I was about a mile from home, with no phone (big mistake, and the second time I actually made it....more on that one later). I stayed on the ground trying to assess what I had broken for a few minutes, got up and found my lamp, then limped my way through the last mile home. Funny in hindsight, and the first of two pretty nasty falls I have taken while running, and a valuable lesson in choosing your training routes and safety equipment wisely.
Nevertheless, I'll take snow and ice over heat and humidity any day.
On to another goal. It sort of goes hand in hand with running. At the peak of my training, I am hungry pretty much all the time, and since long runs require so much energy, I don't limit what I eat, but I do try to make mostly healthy choices. That said, I am a junk food junkie. If it is candy or ice cream, or soda, I love it. I especially love soda when I don't feel good. And since I've felt pretty rotten for, oh about 35 weeks, I've consumed more soda than I normally would. It's time to kick the habit. It's really not good for me, and it causes me to forgo healthier options. The point is, I've been soda-free for 5 days. I can't say that I feel better, but I don't feel worse, so that's a good thing. I could really go for a cherry coke right about now, though...
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
How to Pick a Race
Last week I posted a long wish list of races I'd like to do next year, and I promised to follow up with how I go about picking which races to run. The first, and most important, thing to consider is your current level of fitness. Secondly, you'll want to decide what your goal for completion is. So, for example, I had mentioned wanting to do another marathon next year. It takes a minimum of 18 weeks to train for a full marathon, and that's with a base level of fitness. Since I'm basically starting from scratch as far as running goes, I'll need lots more time to build back up to even running 5 miles at a stretch.
After taking into account the time you'll need to train, the next most important thing for me is the time of year. If I could think of a stronger word than loathe, detest, despise, flat out hate, I would use it to describe my general sentiment towards summer. Hot weather and I are just not meant to be one. So, naturally running in heat and humidity feels much more like a chore than a beloved past time. For me, picking a summer race is a major no-no unless the start times are generally pretty early and I know enough about the course to know what kind of support there is along the way, Further, for a fall marathon specifically, all my training will have to be done over the summer. As you might be putting together, that doesn't really fit with my race schedule for next year. No, not really.
I have thrown in a few shorter races over the summer, to keep my fitness up and to keep me motivated to keep training for a fall race. Secondly, I'm really banking on next summer being a little more mild than this one. A little gamble with mother nature, I suppose.
Finally, I like to consider things like travel distance. This is a biggie for me, especially with a small child. Also, most expos for picking up your race packet are the day before. Some races allow packet pick-up the day of the race, but that means you'll have to be there even earlier and you might have to wait in a long line before you run. I also like to read reviews about the organization of the race if I haven't done it before. The race website should offer you information such as a course map, elevation map, information on aid stations, etc. These are all important things to consider. The course is important if you are someone who relies on crowd support during your run, or if you want to tailor your training (i.e. running hills or flat stretches, trails, etc).
I like to try races every year. That's part of the fun. I do nearly all my training on the same 9 mile loop, which I'll explain more about in later posts, with only some variation to add hills and speed work. Running is a great way to see a new part of town or a new city. There are two races that I've done that I would not ever do again, and though I'm glad I did them, it did also help teach me about myself as a runner, what I look for in a race, and what I like to avoid...
Not recommended race #1: Air Force Marathon
I'm sad that I didn't like this race at all. I wanted to, I really, really did. It was a really organized race overall, with a lot of hype since it has a military theme. There were a lot of current servicemen participating, which was motivating, and throughout the day there were several flyovers by different planes. That said, the course is BORING!! It takes place almost exclusively on Wright Patterson Air Force Base. So there is almost no fan support, except for a fantastic town that is off base at about mile 10 (I spent most of the last 6 miles wondering why they didn't invert the course so that you could run through that town closer to the end of the race). Additionally, I am not exaggerating when I say that I had a mile walk from the parking area to the race start line. At least. It was so far. It was annoying before the race, and even more annoying after the race. I bet it took me 30 or more minutes to make that walk afterwards.
Not recommended race #2: Indianpolis Monumental 1/2 Marathon
My goal during this race was to set a PR in the 1/2 marathon, which I did, but it was a real challenge. The course was tight, only one side of the road was open most of the way through downtown Indy, and it was jammed with tons of walkers and slower runners who refused to line up by their estimated per mile pace (this is a huge annoyance of mine, a problem I blame both on uninformed participants and poor race organizers--use start corrals, people!). Anyway, besides the race being too big for the course they had, it was a pretty course and it takes place at a nice time of year for running--late fall. It was in November last year. From what I heard, the marathon course was a lot better, because nearly all the runners cleared out after the half broke off to head for the finish. But, the damage is done. I'll not do this race again just because of the size of the field and the narrow course.
I find races by word of mouth, personal experience, websites like this one: Marathon Guide. Visiting your local running specialty store is also a great way to get connected to smaller races around. Also, there are no less than a zillion 5ks that take place for various causes throughout, mostly the summer. Some of those are really fun races to run, because they're such a smaller scale and usually are for something fun like church picnics, small charities, schools, local festivals, you name it.
Happy race hunting! If I can help you pick a race, let me know, I'd be happy to help if I can.
After taking into account the time you'll need to train, the next most important thing for me is the time of year. If I could think of a stronger word than loathe, detest, despise, flat out hate, I would use it to describe my general sentiment towards summer. Hot weather and I are just not meant to be one. So, naturally running in heat and humidity feels much more like a chore than a beloved past time. For me, picking a summer race is a major no-no unless the start times are generally pretty early and I know enough about the course to know what kind of support there is along the way, Further, for a fall marathon specifically, all my training will have to be done over the summer. As you might be putting together, that doesn't really fit with my race schedule for next year. No, not really.
I have thrown in a few shorter races over the summer, to keep my fitness up and to keep me motivated to keep training for a fall race. Secondly, I'm really banking on next summer being a little more mild than this one. A little gamble with mother nature, I suppose.
Finally, I like to consider things like travel distance. This is a biggie for me, especially with a small child. Also, most expos for picking up your race packet are the day before. Some races allow packet pick-up the day of the race, but that means you'll have to be there even earlier and you might have to wait in a long line before you run. I also like to read reviews about the organization of the race if I haven't done it before. The race website should offer you information such as a course map, elevation map, information on aid stations, etc. These are all important things to consider. The course is important if you are someone who relies on crowd support during your run, or if you want to tailor your training (i.e. running hills or flat stretches, trails, etc).
I like to try races every year. That's part of the fun. I do nearly all my training on the same 9 mile loop, which I'll explain more about in later posts, with only some variation to add hills and speed work. Running is a great way to see a new part of town or a new city. There are two races that I've done that I would not ever do again, and though I'm glad I did them, it did also help teach me about myself as a runner, what I look for in a race, and what I like to avoid...
Not recommended race #1: Air Force Marathon
I'm sad that I didn't like this race at all. I wanted to, I really, really did. It was a really organized race overall, with a lot of hype since it has a military theme. There were a lot of current servicemen participating, which was motivating, and throughout the day there were several flyovers by different planes. That said, the course is BORING!! It takes place almost exclusively on Wright Patterson Air Force Base. So there is almost no fan support, except for a fantastic town that is off base at about mile 10 (I spent most of the last 6 miles wondering why they didn't invert the course so that you could run through that town closer to the end of the race). Additionally, I am not exaggerating when I say that I had a mile walk from the parking area to the race start line. At least. It was so far. It was annoying before the race, and even more annoying after the race. I bet it took me 30 or more minutes to make that walk afterwards.
Not recommended race #2: Indianpolis Monumental 1/2 Marathon
My goal during this race was to set a PR in the 1/2 marathon, which I did, but it was a real challenge. The course was tight, only one side of the road was open most of the way through downtown Indy, and it was jammed with tons of walkers and slower runners who refused to line up by their estimated per mile pace (this is a huge annoyance of mine, a problem I blame both on uninformed participants and poor race organizers--use start corrals, people!). Anyway, besides the race being too big for the course they had, it was a pretty course and it takes place at a nice time of year for running--late fall. It was in November last year. From what I heard, the marathon course was a lot better, because nearly all the runners cleared out after the half broke off to head for the finish. But, the damage is done. I'll not do this race again just because of the size of the field and the narrow course.
I find races by word of mouth, personal experience, websites like this one: Marathon Guide. Visiting your local running specialty store is also a great way to get connected to smaller races around. Also, there are no less than a zillion 5ks that take place for various causes throughout, mostly the summer. Some of those are really fun races to run, because they're such a smaller scale and usually are for something fun like church picnics, small charities, schools, local festivals, you name it.
Happy race hunting! If I can help you pick a race, let me know, I'd be happy to help if I can.
Thursday, August 30, 2012
2013 Race Schedule, 1st Edition
If you've followed me here from the other blog, then you might recall that I was not sure that the way I had the new page set up would really meet my expectations. After trying to add a new post last night, I discovered that was in fact true. What was going to happen was that all the posts were going to be in one big column, not sorted and difficult to follow if you ever wanted to refer back or read older posts. So, here I am, at a second blog. I'm hoping that they will still be able to link together somehow, so stay tuned for that.
I've gotten a few suggestions from you on what sorts of things you might be interested in my opinion on, in addition to basically just filling you in on the odd sorts of things that generally seem to happen to me on long runs (seriously, you can't make this stuff up....wiping out on a sheet of ice, falling into a snow bank, tripping over a tree trunk, the raccoon!, dogs...it's comedy, people). In all, I have a list so far of about 30 topics to cover, so hopefully that will give us a great start.
I wanted to start at the beginning for this first post. Running, in my mind, should always start with a goal, no matter how loose. From there, I recommend trying to define your goal a little more. Rather than say, for example, I want to get in shape. Specify what "in shape" means. Or, I want to run a race. Pick a race, set up a schedule, and get after it. Or if your goal is weight loss, then spell out what that means. But, try to be specific by the end of the process. It's much easier to measure progress, and you'll feel better about the small accomplishments you're making along the way, rather than feeling overwhelmed by, what can feel like, a lack of progress halfway through.
My goal, obviously, is to return to pre-pregnancy running condition and to continue on the path of improvement that I was on this winter. Specifically, my goal for 2013 is to run a Half Marathon in 1:48:00 or under and to finish another full marathon with a time of 4:15:00 or under. I like to use a pace chart, which you can find here, to set my time goals. If you'll notice you can find pace charts for "per mile" and "per kilometer" times.
I plan to resume my normal training schedule, which I'll post more about later. And, I have a full "wish list" of races to run next year. Here they are....
- Run the Bluegrass (now the Rock 'n Roll Half Marathon Lexington) 3/30/12 website
- Smoky Mountain Relay 4/19-4/20/13 website
- Flying Pig 3-way Challenge (5k & 10k on Saturday, followed by Half Marathon on Sunday) 5/5/13 website
- Rock n Sole Half Marathon 6/15/13 website
- Redlegs Run 10k TBD June 2013
- Rock 'n Roll Chicago Half Marathon TBD July 2013 website
- Big Ten 10k TBD July 2013 website
- Madison Mini Marathon TBD August 2013 website
- Miller Park Half Marathon TBD September 2013 website
- Hudepohl Brewery Run 14k TBD September 2013 website
- Bourbon Chase TBD September/October 2013 website
- Chicago Marathon TBD October 2013 website
- Indianapolis Marathon or Half Marathon TBD October 2013 website
- St. Louis Rock 'n Roll Half Marathon TBD October 2013 website
Now, clearly, all of these races aren't happening. Since so many of the dates aren't even set for 2013 yet, some of them might overlap or be too close together to make sense. It's a working list, expected to change, but a start anyway.
If anyone is interested a team for the Smoky Mountain Relay, leave me a message in comments below as I'm trying to piece together a 12-person team in order to register. Hopefully the links get you to the right places....
How, you might ask, did I come up with this list of races? Excellent question, and one I will address in more detail in my next post.
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