Fit Fanatic: #TBT- Fitness From a Young Age!

It is time for a little #TBT, i.e. Throwback Thursday!

Let me tell you, I have been a fitness fanatic for a very long time....

Did anyone else work out to the "Get in Shape Girl" cassette tape?

Well, I did!

 I would fill the hand weights with water, and do my bicep curls in my little leotard. I think there was lots of stretching, legs lifts, and jumping rope.

Teach 'em at a young age, right?

Anyone else remember the Get in Shape girl cassette tapes? Or any other favorite fitness fads from the 80s?

Fit Fanatic: New Year's Day Run in the Freezing Cold.

By Jess in Minneapolis

Happy New Year! We are going through a crazy cold spell here in Minneapolis. The high on New Year's Day was only 0 degrees, and when I woke up, it was -7 with a "feels like" temperature of -20.  I would normally just head to the treadmill, but a few brave souls had organized a New Year's Day run to start off 2014, and I didn't want to miss out on the....fun? Fun? Is that what we're calling it? Ha!

On New Year's Eve, there was plenty of texting back and forth with this group, and I was thinking (hoping?) that the run would be cancelled, but it wasn't. Nope! At 9 am, three girlfriends came over, all bundled up, and we ventured out into the arctic cold for a New Year's Day run. We managed 7.8 miles, and to be honest, it wasn't really that bad.

With the right gear- with the Right Fits- you can run safely and comfortably, even when the temperatures are below freezing.

This post is all about the gear! I'm going to share with you what each of us wore to run, providing links to similar products for you to purchase to complete your winter running essentials and run through the winter safely and comfortably.

Me (Jess):
Footwear: SmartWool, Yak-Trax & Brooks
The trails were mostly clear, but I still wore my YakTrax Run paired with my Brooks Ravennas.

I wore a regular pair of running socks under a pair of SmartWool knee high ski socks. I probably wear my YakTrax more than most people (I was the only one wearing them that day), but I think I'm a little nervous ever since I broke my ankle on the ice in 2008.

Bottoms: Two layers.
I wore two pair of tights- a pair of Craft running tights (similar) and then a pair of fleece lined Adidas running tights (similar). The Adidas pair are pretty warm, but they don't actually stay up on my butt very well. This wasn't really an issue though, since they were on top of another pair. Problem solved!

Top: Four layers.
On top, I started with a lululemon bitty bracer, then my Costco tank top, Athleta long sleeve twist top, Nike long sleeve half zip (similar), and then a Nike windbreaker jacket (can't find anything similar online). The jacket is puffy and bright, and a good top layer.

Head: 
I wore my Nike face mask, but this was a bad choice. The face mask works well for a few miles, but then it starts to get sweaty, and then the sweat freezes, and you are left with a hard wall of ice covering your face and chin. I think that a warm hat,  paired with a neck gaiter (like THIS) is a better choice, because you can rotate the neck gaiter around as it freezes. Sounds weird, but it works! I won't be wearing the face mask again. My chin was FROZEN by the end. Failed Fit.

Hands:
I wore my Craft XC split finger gloves. Best gloves ever.

They really kept my hands warm. In fact, I was tempted to take them off towards the end, as my hands were getting so sweaty! They are seriously the best running gloves.

So, that's a lot of layers, but other than my face issues, I felt pretty comfortable with what I was wearing in the cold.

Let's move on to what Lindsey wore!

Lindsey
Footwear: Brooks!
Lindsey is a Brooks girl as well, with the PureFlow 2 as her shoe of choice. She paired hers with SmartWool tall wool "ski" socks. Seriously, snowboarding or ski socks are perfect for cold weather running!

Bottoms: Two layers.
Lindsey also wore two layers on bottom. She went with a pair of Under Armour Fitted Coldgear thermal pants (similar) and Brooks Utopia Thermal Pants <--I have these too, and they're great!

Top: Four layers.
Four layers for Lindsey as well.  She started with an Under Armour Heat Gear short sleeve (similar), and then a Champion base layer long sleeve (similar). Then she topped those with an Under Armour fitted cold gear thermal long sleeve (similar), and a super cozy Marmot polartec power shield shell jacket (similar) Marmot makes really great cold weather gear, and I think their stuff is worth the extra money.

Head:
Lindsey wore a 686 infidry balaclava with mouth vent, which she highly recommends! (similar here) She paired it with a Brooks headband, and said she felt pretty warm.

Hands:
She wore two pairs of gloves- Mizuno knit gloves and Nike storm-fit tech running gloves. (Find similar gloves HERE and HERE)

Lindsey said she felt pretty warm and was dressed well for the weather!

Next up...Kelly! Now Kelly used to say no running for her if the temperatures were in the single digits, but she was one of the primary organizers of the New Year's day run. I guess 2014 brings a new tougher, cold resistant Kelly!

Kelly
Footwear:
Kelly's shoe of choice is the Asics Nimbus. She paired hers with just ONE pair of regular fitsox (apparently she isn't on the SmartWool ski sock bandwagon yet!)

Bottoms: Two layers.
Kelly's base layer was a pair of well-loved (or, as she said "really old") spandex, with Nike running tights on top (similar).

Top: Three layers.
Only three layers for Kelly on top, but her top layer was quite warm. Her base layer was a Nike shell, topped with a warm long sleeve from Costco (I'm telling you, they have some decent fitness attire at Costco!) and then a black down jacket from Target that was super warm and cozy. (similar) I think I need to buy one of those. Only $34.99 and really cute, right? Go Target!

Head:
Kelly was smart and went with the neck gaiter and a wool hat.

All of Kelly's winter gear for today's run!

Hands:
She gets warm hands quickly, so she only wore a pair of Nike running gloves and was completely fine.

Kelly said overall, she was dressed well, and felt pretty warm. The only exception was that her hamstrings were a little chilly. She said should have used a warmer layer on bottom.

Next up...Monica! Monica is one tough cookie, and she is a really strong runner. I didn't get an individual picture of her on New Year's Day, but she's the second one from the left in the group photo above with the snow covered purple hat.

I feel bad that Monica didn't get own picture, so here's an adorable picture of her dog Darla!

Monica
Bottom: Two layers.

Monica wore two layers on the bottom, with a pair of Reed Street Spandex leggings topped with a pair of Athleta Polartech Power Stretch 2 Tight  (Awesome pants, only $79!)

Top: Four layers!

Monica started with a Nike dri-fit seemless tank top, and then put on an Athleta Longsleeve Wonder Wick It Tee Running Top  (She's a bit of an Athleta lover, if you can't tell!)  Next, she wore a North Face Women's Windwall 1 Jacket, and on top of that, a North Face Apex Bionic Soft Shell Jacket. This girl was READY!

Head:

On her head, Monica wore a Bula Beanie. To protect her face, she wore a Dakine Hood-lum bandana. Its not shown in the picture above, but this is kind of what it looks like:

They are pretty popular with snowboarders, but work well for running as well! Monica also donned a one-of-a kind polar fleece scarf (handmade by her mom- so awesome!)

Hands:
She kept her hands warm with some Saucony Ultimate Run Gloves.

Dustin joined us as well for the New Year's Day fun. He wasn't a big fan of being the only man on the run, so he cut his run a little short. He did recommend that we grow beards to keep our faces warm, but I'm not sure that's going to work for the ladies.

He wore his Brooks Cascadia trail shoes (he prefers those to YakTrax), a Patagonia base layer, Craft running tights (similar), a Craft running jacket (similar), his knit hat from the Mustache Run in 2012, and Craft gloves (similar to mine). Apparently this guy loves Craft brand running attire!

We didn't think it was a good idea to bring Matilda on the New Year's day run. Vizslas are superb runners, but they don't have a very thick coat, and aren't really winter dogs. Even when the temperature is in the teens, she still gets cold paws and ends up running on three legs. We took her to the neighborhood dog park later in the day instead to let her run free. That was a better idea for our little sweetheart.

So there you have it. Hopefully this post offered you some helpful ideas for the right gear to get you through the rest of what could be a very long and cold winter.

Happy Winter Running!

Fit Fanatic: Back to Running and Some Fall Apple Picking

By Jess in Minneapolis

**First of all, I forgot to congratulate my sister Cresta on the blog on her finish at the Milwaukee marathon last week, and today, my sister Erin at the Chicago marathon! Way to go sisters!

With the recent focus on posting about Berlin, I realized that a whole week has past since I returned, and I haven't filled you in on any news post-marathon #15!

Fitness: I took a week off from running (basically the week we were in Germany) and eased back into it with some easy 4-6 milers each day, mostly with Matilda and definitely with no Garmin. I have also been going to yoga every other day or so at Corepower Yoga, which feels great. (I seriously need to keep up with yoga more during marathon training!)

I did a post last year about how much time to take off from running post marathon. (You can read it HERE). One of the 25 Golden Rules of Running that I shared the other day from Runner's World was also about this topic, recommending that for every mile you raced, you should take a rest or at least an easy day. I'm not taking off from running for a whole month, but I definitely plan to take 26 easy days! I don't plan on incorporating any speed work until that time has passed, to ensure I'm ready to delve into training again afterwards. (see below for what's next on the racing calendar!)

However, I am adding more distance. Yesterday, Matilda and I bumped it up a bit and joined up with three friends for a nine mile run. Nine miles is definitely a longer run for Matilda, but she didn't seem to have a problem keeping up, and I felt pretty good too. It was a nice brisk fall morning, and the leaves seemed to have turned overnight. I love fall in Minnesota!

My name is Matilda, for those of you new to the blog!

After the run, shower, and lunch, I met up with some other friends to go for a walk around Lake Harriet.  I kept my Garmin on, and ended up with another 4.5 miles of walking!

This morning, I met up with three other friends for another seven miles on the weekend. Again, we were treated with a picture-perfect fall morning. So pretty!

not my picture, but you get the idea!

It was such a picture perfect fall morning that Dustin and I decided to spend the afternoon doing a very "fall" type activity- apple picking! 

My friend had suggested we check out Fall Harvest Orchard in Montrose, MN. This was not a stereotypical apple orchard. Rather, it was a working farm, with a ton of animals. I could definitely see how kids would LOVE this place, and adults too!

We held the baby goats, pet the baby chicks, fed the cows apples, admired the pigs, chickens, turkeys, ducks, etc. It was great!

We finally tore ourselves away from all the cute animals, and picked some apples. We both love Honey Crisp (who doesn't??) so we filled up a large basket of those.

While we were there, we also picked up a few pumpkins to carve later this week.

I definitely recommend this cute little orchard if you're in Minnesota! They had a little something for everyone, not to mention some good looking apples.

Fall Harvest Orchard:

website: http://www.fallharvestorchard.com

Well, enough on our fall outing. Back to running!

What's next for running? 

I'm pretty sure our next marathon has been selected- the Flying Pig marathon in Cincinnati, Ohio! I have heard good things about this race- great crowd support, great medals, great city to visit! Of course, there is a risk of hot weather, and all of the reviews I have read mention some killer hills. But it still sounds fun, and an early May marathon in a state we have not run a marathon in sounds perfect to me!

Other Blog Reviews of Flying Pig:

Meghann of Meals and Miles ran Flying Pig in 2012. Her review is HERE

The writer behind Dirty Old Sneakers posted his review of 2013 HERE

Jim of 50 After 40 posted his 2012 review HERE

With Flying Pig on the horizon, I'll fill in the rest of my time with a few shorter distance races, such as the Monster Dash half on 10/26 (just for fun!), a Drumstick Dash 5k on Thanksgiving morning, the Securian Winter Run in January, and perhaps the Get Lucky Half marathon again in March.

What's next for you? 

Heard anything about Flying Pig before?

Fit Fanatic: Back To Basics- the Long Run

By Jess in Minneapolis

Happy Sunday friends! Did you have a long run yesterday? I had a 17 mile run, and it was great! It's been awhile since I could say that...summer longs runs so far have been kind of tough for me this season, with the heat getting the best of me more often than not. But yesterday morning was unseasonably cool for July, and it made a world of a difference!

I realize that not everyone who reads the Right Fits is a seasoned long distance runner, so I thought it might be helpful if I share more details of my long run. This is what I do, and I am by no means an expert. What works for you might be completely different, but this blog is all about sharing LL and my experiences with fitness, fashion, and fitness fashion, so here is my typical long run experience.

Rest: I almost always take Friday off completely from working out. If I do anything, I might do a barre class or a yoga class, but I rarely run the day before the long run. The few times I have taken a Body Pump class or something with a lot of leg work,  I learned the hard way that my legs just can't take it, as I usually had a terrible long run the next day.

Eat: It seems as though Dustin and I are almost always training for a marathon, so our Fridays are historically quite low-key. We usually pick up a Punch Pizza and catch up on the TiVo (anyone else watching Orange is the New Black on Netflix?) I may have a glass of wine, but I am careful to drink plenty of water on Friday night. 

Prep: Our long runs start at 7 am on Saturdays in the summer. I look at the forecast, pick out my running outfit, and pack my bag for showering after the run on Friday night. A nice perk of being a member of the Calhoun Beach Running Club is that we can take advantage of their showers and towel service. On Friday night, I throw together some clothes for after the shower. But even when I plan ahead, I still forget things. Yesterday, I forgot my bra and underwear...awesome. Oh well- I still really love being able to shower right after the run, so we don't have to get into our car all sweaty. Then we also have the option to stop for brunch or errands on the way home.

Route: Part of Dustin's role with the run club is to help plan out the routes and support stops each Saturday.Therefore, I usually don't have to think much about where I'm running. However, I'm sure a lot of you do have to plan out your routes the night before. There are a lot of apps out there to help- Google Maps, Map My Run, Gmap Pedometer, etc. Try them out and see which one you like the best.

Fuel: Since yesterday was cooler, I didn't bring my fuel belt along for the run for extra hydration. Since all of the Minneapolis water fountains were on and we had a support stop around mile nine, I didn't think it was necessary to carry the extra hydration. Most days, however, I do wear my Nathan Fuel belt, like in this picture from our cabin long run last weekend.

So, no fuel belt yesterday, but for most summer long runs, I definitely do bring it. I'd rather have it and not use it, than really need it and wish I had brought it along. I did bring two GU's and I used them both. I used one at the support stop at mile 9 with Gatorade, and the second one around mile 13 with a water fountain. 

*Thanks Abby and Andrew for the awesome support stop yesterday! They had Gatorade, water, fruit, jolly ranchers, and more. It was perfect.

Recovery: Lately after a warm long run, Dustin and I have been treating ourselves with a refreshing smoothie from Jamba Juice. Now, I know these smoothies are high in sugar and calories, but after burning 1700+ calories on the run, I'm not too worried about it. Its something to look forward to on the run, and it just tastes so good afterwards! However, we have realized that as refreshing as they are, they aren't filling enough for us as a post-run meal, so we're going to start making a real lunch/brunch afterwards instead, now that our mileage is getting high.

I also try to foam roll after the long runs. If we're not going anywhere, I'll wear my compression socks for a little while as well. 

I haven't ever tried a true ice bath (other than swimming in a cold lake or Pacific ocean after Newport) but I know many people swear by them.

Throughout the rest of the Saturday after the long run, I try my best to drink plenty of water to ensure I'm fully hydrated again. Yesterday was rainy and gloomy, so it was a perfect excuse to relax. After a quick walk to the dog park with Matilda and then her yearly veterinarian appointment, we lounged around the house a bit. We were well-rested in time for a goodbye party for Coach Paul and his fiancee Laura at Moto-I in Uptown.

They are heading to Chicago today where Laura will be starting her MBA at Northwestern this fall. They both will be truly missed. The club just won't be the same without them. Paul will still be coaching remotely through the end of this training season, but after that, he is looking at options for his replacement. I don't think he'll ever really be replaced! 

Good luck Paul and Laura in Chicago!

The party was a lot of fun- great job Rachel with planning it! Good times were had by all, and I think we sent them off with a bang.

Chris, me, and Kelly

Fit Fanatic: Follow up

By Cool J in Minneapolis

Just a quick follow up to let you know I ran yesterday and today relatively pain free. I see Dr. Jenna Boren again on Friday, and I hope that I am ready for the Get Lucky half on Saturday.

And in other news, I bought a new swimsuit for swimming laps. It's basically just a Reebok sports bra made of swim material, but a bit more flattering than that high school one piece!

I was surprised at how expensive one piece suits are- most of the ones I foun were around $90! Since I don't swim that often, I figured a more versatile two piece would be better, as I could use it on active vacations, etc. And it was only $40.

Fit Fanatic: Dome Delight!

By Cool J in Minneapolis

Another cold day in Minneapolis means another workout at the Dome!

I gave you all the gory details in this POST, but here are the basics and some useful links again:

http://runmdra.org/files/Dome_Handout_11-12.pdf

http://www.runmdra.org/index.php/programs/12-dome-running

Every Tuesday and Thursday through March 21    MDRA (Minnesota Distance Running Association) sponsored Dome running begins on Tuesday, November 20, 2012. Dome running is open every Tuesday and Thursday evening from 5:00 - 8:00 p.m., cost is $1. Every Tuesday/Thursday through March 21.  The MDRA turns the Metrodome into the place to be twice a week during the dark,cold and icy winter nights!  Running is from 5:00-8:00 p.m. each Tuesday and Thursday and it costs $1.  2 1/2 laps around the concourse equals a mile.  Enter gate D. You can park free in the upper Dome lot.  The weather wasn't quite as cold today as the last time I went to the Dome, but the winds were brutal. A dome workout seemed like a good choice! There was a mix of people training for Boston, Green Bay, Minneapolis, San Diego, Grandma's, and Newport so Coach Paul offered up a few different workout options. For Newport, we ran a 5 lap warmup. Then we did 3 laps at tempo interval pace, and then a 1 minute break. We did this circuit 3 times, and then a 4 lap cool down. {Jen and I running our tempo intervals} It was a challenging workout, but it felt good to work up a good sweat in shorts! Jen pointed out that it was motivating to be around all the speedy runners who were also doing workouts, and I definitely agreed. Yet I also like the Dome because it feels like it's your own workout. No one really knows what lap you're on, and people are going both directions. The inner runners are going one direction, and the outer runners are going the other. Who knows who's going how fast...it's all individual. {Yay for Dome running!} We must have been running too fast for my (cheap) new camera to catch us, ha! Actually, I picked up a cheap camera for blogging, as apparently I've been a little rough on our other camera....so stay tuned for many more blurry running pictures!

Fit Fanatic: Another cold day....

By Cool J in Minneapolis

You're probably tired of me talking about how cold it is in Minneapolis...

But seriously? That's cold. Besides, Minnesotans love to talk about the weather! With temps like that, it was to the treadmill for me (again). I did give the Nike Flyknits another go:

{eew, the locker room floor at my gym is nasty!}

My feet got tingly again towards the end of a 5 miler. It wasn't unbearable, but just strange. I'm continuing to rotate these in on occasion. I did a 5-4-3-2-1 workout again (~1.5 mile warmup, 5 minutes fast, 2.5 minutes slow, 4 minutes fast, 2 minutes slow, etc, with a cold down at the end.) 

Then it was off to the dog park in my failed fit sleeping bag jacket. 

Even in her performance fleece jacket, Matilda wasn't a fan of the cold weather. She kept running on three legs, lifting a back paw that must have been too cold. Needless to say, we didn't stay very long. Vizsla are great running dogs, but probably not the best winter dogs! Poor thing.

I have to share this picture from Saturday at the same dog park. It's not an "official" dog park, but a volunteer sets out plastic bags and garbage cans, and then empties them every week with his poop mobile! Minneapolis...you can be cruel with your weather, but I still love you and your quirkiness!

Weekly Recap and How Not to Be Afraid of Running with Other Runners

By Cool J

This was a big running week for me, though for no apparent reason. It just worked out that I was able to meet up with friends multiple times, and ended up running every weekday.

Weekly Fitness Recap:

Monday: Veteran’s Day! Ran 5.75 snowy/cold miles with Abby. Then “strength training” at Vertical Endeavors (Read my review HERE)

Tuesday: Ran 5.9 early morning miles with Abby. Spent evening taking care of Ms. Matilda post teeth-cleaning

Wednesday: Ran 7.5 miles with Abby/Theresa/Kelly. Kettlebells+Circuit at Balance Fitness

Thursday: Ran 4 easy, slow miles with Ms. Matilda

Friday: Ran 5.5 morning miles with Kelly/Abby

Saturday: Ran 10 miles with the CBRC (YES, I do still run with this club! It’s just been nice to get my weekly runs done in the AM). I also had about an hour or so of walking around the dog park with Matilda and a bunch of her doggy friends.

Sunday: 60 minute yoga at Moksha Yoga Minneapolis. I haven’t been here to this studio in months, and it was nice to change things up from Corepower with a Moksha class.

With about 40 miles of running, 2 strength training "events", and 1 yoga session, I feel pretty good about my week. I guess that’s a good thing as we head into the holidays next week, where my mileage probably won’t be as high, and I am guessing I won’t be burning more calories than I consume!

How Not to Be Afraid of Running with Other Runners:

Before joining the Calhoun Beach Running Club, I trained for six marathons on my own: TCM 2005, San Diego 2006, Grand Rapids MI 2006,  Chicago 2007, TCM 2008, and Big Sur 2009.

I ran all my long runs alone. I did the vast majority of my weekly runs alone as well. Occasionally the D-man or another friend might join me for the shorter runs, but I was mostly alone....

...and I liked it that way!

I could run when I wanted, without having to coordinate with anyone. I could vary my pace based on how I felt that day, with no pressure to go faster or slower to keep up with others. And I did okay…I ran 4:20 marathons, and I was content with that. I didn’t need a running club.

....Or maybe I did?

In February of 2010, I joined the Calhoun Beach Running Club. And my marathon time went from 4:20 to 3:55 during my first training season with the club.

Yes, our club did speed training; yes, our club did hill training. And these were both things I never did on my own. But I do believe that a huge factor in my improvement was running with other people! It’s amazing how much more you push yourself, or how much faster you just end up running naturally when surrounded by a great group of people.

But still… I completely understand your fears of running with a club. Here’s some bits of advice:

Don’t fear speedy runners.

I’m not saying that if you’re a 10 minute miler that you should join a competitive running club made up of all 6 minute milers. But just because your friend’s marathon PR is faster than yours doesn’t mean you can’t run together. Lately, I’ve been running with Abby and Kelly, whose marathon PR’s are in the 3:30’s, but it’s okay! Yes, running with them pushes me a little harder than I would run on my own. But they’re not doing speedwork on our morning runs. We’re not going at their “race pace” for our 5-7 miles. Our paces are close enough at this point in base training that it’s okay. Most runners prefer having company, at least for part of the run, even if their partners aren't exactly the same pace.

Run with people you like.

Well, that’s an easy one! But so true….the miles fly by when you’re catching up with friends, and it really is an amazing way to stay close.

{Abby, me, and Kelly at the Muddy Buddy in 2011}

Most runners like water stops.

Don’t be afraid to be the one to ask to stop for a drink at a water fountain. Most runners appreciate the break!

Everyone has had a bathroom emergency.

Sometimes your friends are polite and they don’t mind waiting for you, though it’s not to be expected. You can always plan a way to meet back up later in the run. Don’t be embarrassed if you need to bolt for the bathroom. We’ve all been there. We all understand. It’s a runner thing.

Be honest.

If you want to speed up, tell your running buddy. If you need to slow down, tell your running buddy. Even if you choose to run with friends, running is still an individual sport. Just be honest, and explain that you need to either go faster or you need to back off. 

Find supportive running buddies.

Use your running buddies to motivate you. Don’t be discouraged if you’re a bit slower. But also don’t get nasty if you’re faster. Instead, try to build off each others’ strengths and weaknesses so you can both become better runners and enjoy the process together.

Ease into it.

Don’t necessarily make your first run one with a big group. Try it out first with a buddy you’re comfortable with, then go from there.

Even if you consider my advice, and still don't want to run with other people- that's okay! Yes, it can be fun. Yes, it can make those miles go a little faster. But some people simply like doing their own thing, and in my opinion, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.

{running alone at the cabin}

Fit Fanatic: GET FASTER!

By Jessie

I read a lot of runner blogs.

In fact, here are a few of my favorites. 

**Congrats to Ali on the Run, who just went sub-4 for the first time in a big way!
Hers is probably one of my favorite blogs.

http://www.aliontherunblog.com/

http://www.hungryrunnergirl.com/

http://sarahoual.com/

So, I follow a lot of runner blogs. I hang out with a lot of runner friends. Runners are all  around me!

And they’re all faster than me....

I know I should be proud of my 3:55:17 PR. And many days I’m reminded to be grateful that I am able to run at all (especially when talking to my sister Erin, who is currently sidelined by a temperamental IT band)

But lately all I keep thinking is that I need to GET FASTER, GET FASTER, GET FASTER!

How can I move from a 3:55 marathon (a 9 min/mile pace) to a 3:45 marathon (an 8:30 pace)? How can I achieve my goal?

I’ve been asking these fast friends and bloggers for their advice and this is what they tell me:

1. You have to run faster to get faster. Well, duh! This sounds so obvious, right? But it’s true.  I have to try to keep up with a faster group at the run club. I have to keep running even when it’s no longer comfortable and easy.
2. Speed training. Yeah, yeah, I know. And I do this already. But clearly I need to push harder during this speed training.
3. Diet: more fruits and vegetables. More fiber. More variety. LESS CARBS all the time
4. No Alcohol: One of my CBRC friends did exactly what I’m trying to do – she cut 10 minutes off her PR and ran a 3:45 at the Twin Cities Marathon this year. And she says that giving up alcohol for the 3 month training period kept her focused, hydrated, and well rested for each workout. Though I may not give it up 100%, I do think I will plan to give it up Sunday- Friday, allowing myself a glass or two of wine on Saturdays. No more microbrews while vegging out in front of the TV during the week...No more wine with our pasta on Friday nights. Exceptions will be made of course!
5. Rest days: One of my speedy friends just ran a 3:31 at TCM this year, and she has reminded me of the importance of rest days. I need to ensure that I have 1-2 days of either complete rest or active recovery.
6. Crosstraining/Yoga: No new messages here! The challenge will be fitting in all the above (including rest days) AND crosstraining.

Those are the tips that I have been given. Do you have any others? Please share!

I think just having that quantitative goal in mind will also help me stay motivated (just like I wrote about HERE) but I will also try to  follow the above tips too.
Newport, here I come!

Anyone have any tips for my sister and her IT band issues? She has tried Active Release Technique, physical therapy, foam rolling, yoga, rest…She is considering a cortisone shot now. Yay or nay? Share your experiences in the comments!

Fit Fanatic: Weekly Recap & Tips to Stay Motivated

By Jessie

Week Fitness Recap:
Monday: 6.5 quick miles with my "morning run club"
Tuesday: 5.5 "quick-ish" miles post-work with Matilda- she didn't know what was up- she actually had to run just a little bit! Only a little bit of course.
Wednesday 6.2 miles with "morning run club"- didn't feel so great...but everyone has an off day.
Thursday: Kettlebells+Circuit at Balance Fitness
Friday: 4 easy miles with Matilda

Planning to...

Saturday: Hopefully run 10 miles with the Calhoun Beach Running Club!
Sunday: Yoga (and the Madonna concert!)

{this pretty lady likes to run!}

This week was the kickoff to a winter "morning run club" that a small group of friends and I have started. We're hoping the regular routine will keep us on track over the winter. Every Monday and Wednesday, we'll meet at a special meeting spot, and go from there (probably 5-7 miles). We all love the Calhoun Beach Running Club, but sometimes weekday morning runs work a lot better than the 6 pm runs. Getting stuck at work won't be such a big deal if you already put in your miles in the AM.

After this weekend, when the clocks fall behind an hour, it will be even harder to stay motivated. We'll be running in the dark, dark, dark for several months (except on the weekends of course). It’s dark if you run in the morning, and it’s dark if you run at night, so why not get the runs done early, and have your evenings free?

LL posted about the challenges we face during this “dark” time of year- read about it HERE. And last year, we debated which was worse- running in extreme heat (Read about it HERE) or extreme cold (Read about it HERE). Though we determined that extreme heat was the worst, I'm still not looking forward to the cold, dark runs that are quickly approaching now that it's November.

So the question is...how do we stay motivated?

How to Stay Motivated in the Winter:
(sourced from "Runner's Connect"

1. Run with a friend!

This is the most effective method for me. Just knowing that a friend is waiting for me in the morning is usually enough motivation to get my sleepy self out of bed. Motivation doesn't happen on its own. Just like you schedule your runs, you also have to plan to get yourself motivated to run. Running with your friends is one of the top ways to stay in check. The social aspect of running is one of the key reasons people start, and stick, with it.  Not only do they help keep you accountable by “forcing” you to show up, but misery loves company. Grinding out mile repeats in the snow and below zero temperatures isn’t quite as bad when you have 3 or 4 or your running friends by your side to commiserate with.

2. Strategically place reminders of your goals when you know need the motivation.

Many runners are motivated by their goals. So step one: determine your next running goal!  I know what mine is- I want to run a 3:45 marathon.  Being reminded of my ambitious goal when the going gets tough will hopefully keep me motivated during even the most difficult training conditions. When the temperatures fall below zero and when I just don't want to run, I'm going to focus on that 3:45 goal, and get my big butt out there to run!

Runners Connect suggests physically putting reminders of your goal by the biggest "barriers" to your training:  

For many people, getting out of bed in the morning and getting excited about running in the cold leads to many missed runs. A good solution is to place an index card with your goal written in big, bright letters by the alarm clock. This way, when you go to hit the snooze button, you see your goal staring you in the face and you can ask yourself: “how much do you want it today”. If that doesn’t get you motivated to get out from under the covers, you need a new goal. If you run after work, you can put your goal on the dashboard of your car. This way, when you start to talk yourself out of driving to the gym or come up with an excuse when you walk in the door, you can remind yourself what you hope to accomplish.

3. Use small, local races to keep you focused
Runners Connect suggest signing up for some shorter races to stay motivated:

Perhaps the hardest part about training well in the winter is that your big goal races seem so far off. It can be easy to trick yourself into thinking that a few missed days now won’t have any effect in March. Unfortunately, January and February are the important building blocks of training if you want to race well in later in the spring. To keep your focus more in-tune and targeted, try signing up for some local races as workouts. Many areas have small 5k and 10ks during the winter that aren’t famous or that don’t have lots of participants (head to your local running store or check online for races in your area). Not only does the “threat” of competition keep you motivated, but it’s one less workout that week you have to run alone.

I wrote about all my upcoming runs HERE. I have lots of shorter distances on my calendar (In fact, I just added the Moustache 5k today!) I hope that the mix of distances will help to keep me challenged.

4.  Get the right equipment

When you have the right clothing and equipment, running in the winter can actually be quite enjoyable. 

Another trick that works well (especially for women) is to periodically buy new winter running gear. It doesn’t have to be expensive or a big item, but adding a new top or base layer can make getting out the door a little more fun if you like to be fashionable.

You don't have to tell me twice! I'm always interested in more running clothes, and they definitely help me stay motivated.

Well, that's it from me this week. Hopefully some of these tips will help you out as the cold weather approaches!

Do you have any additional tips that have help you stay motivated? 
Please share in the comments!