Fitting Remarks: Mental Toughness for the Marathon Seminar at TC Running Company

Last Thursday night, I attended a seminar at TC Running Company about “Mental Toughness for Marathons.” It was presented by Kelsey Timm, who is a mental training consultant with the Center for Sport & Performance Psychology in Mankato, MN

I’ll do my best to quickly summarize what we talked about but I think you could benefit the most from attending yourself the next time they host it!  TC Running Company plans to bring the same group back in the future, maybe around Boston or Grandma’s Marathon time next spring. I recommend checking it out!

Let go of what you can't control...

First, we talked about issues that are within your circle of control and those that are outside of it. You have to learn to let go of all the things that are outside of your control and focus on the things you can actually control. You can focus on how you react to the things outside of your control but you can't spend precious energy stressing about them.

• Examples of things outside your control (in running): weather, spectators, course, stomach issues, cramps, logistics, injury, competition, traffic...

What you should spend your energy focusing on is controlling your APE!

      

   
                                                            A-    Attitude

                                                     P-    Preparation

                                                     E-    Effort   

Your "APE" consists of the three factors that you can control when racing- your attitude, your preparation, and your effort. You can control your attitude (positive mantras!), you can control your training (how well you've prepared) and you can control your race effort.

Tips for the starting line...

When you get to the start line, do not focus on the training you didn’t do.  Focus on the training you DID do. Think about the awesome runs that you had!

Train Your Brain..

• Use imagery- picture yourself succeeding.
• Run through your race plan in your head.
• Mentally prepare yourself to keep good form when the discomfort comes.

Overcoming Negative Thoughts:

• People must experience a 3:1 ratio of positive emotions to negative ones to flourish.
• Be aware of what’s going through your head.
• 70% of people's 60,000 thoughts a day are negative!
• Realize that you will have negative thoughts, but you will chose not to listen. 
• Replace the negative thought with a positive thought.
• Great athletes talk to themselves; they don’t listen to themselves (at least not the negative!)
• Focus on something motivating, something good, something positive.
• Work to reframe the negative into positive. "I can't do this"- change it to "I have trained for this. I am ready."

Mantras/Create Your Power Phrases

• Put your mantra somewhere you can see it. Write it on your arm! (This reminded me of the mental tips that Liz talked about in THIS INTERVIEW.)
• Come up with a mantra that works for you. "I am fit, happy, and in control." 

Discomfort is a part of running.

• Discomfort is part of pushing your body and doing your best in running. 
• Mentally strong runners learn to embrace the discomfort that comes with running
• Make discomfort your alley not your enemy.
• Don't avoid it; embrace it!

How will you use discomfort as information?

"This is how I know that I’m working hard."

How will you label your discomfort positively?

Name your discomfort and welcome it. Kelsey said a lot of her runners will name their discomfort after a "hot guy", and when the discomfort comes, you welcome your hot friend joining you on your run, 

"Oh, that's just Ryan Gosling joining me for a run. Hey Ryan!"

What positive emotions will you connect with discomfort?

"I’m pushing myself harder than most people can or will."

"This is just me getting closer to my goals." <-- love that one!

Welcome the discomfort, as you welcome the accomplishment.  

Discomfort is another challenge to overcome.

I apologize that this was sort of a hodgepodge of ideas that I kind of failed to make cohesive...but hopefully something will ring true for you.  Like I said, you'd be best off attending one of these seminars yourself and hearing it all first hand from the experts, rather than from my notes. 

Good luck runners! Think POSITIVE.

One other thing! You can now sign up to receive my weekly newsletter. Make sure you don't miss any posts by the Right Fits. Sign up is on the left-hand side of the home page. Thank you!

Weekly Recap: Oiselle Scantron Tank and a Reminder for the BIC Band Giveaway!

TCM runners are all enjoying their tapers, but I am still ramping up mileage training for the Outer Banks Marathon on November 9th. If you're new to the Right Fits, I am on a quest to run a marathon in every state, and North Carolina is up next!

 On Sundays, I try to recap my fitness and fitness fashion for the previous week. It keeps me honest and on track and I hope its useful to you in some way. 

So here's what's happening in fitness at the Right Fits:

Monday: 7.5 easy miles with Matilda (the dog)

Tuesday: 9 miles with 6 miles at goal marathon pace at the CBRC

Wednesday: 4 miles with Matilda, then a 60 minute barre class at The Barre with my friend Susie. She is still rocking the barre classes with two babies in her belly!

Thursday: 7 miles easy

Friday: complete rest

Saturday: 19 mile long run. Pretty uneventful, though I did take three Hammer Gels vs. the normal two I carry on long runs. It was an unseasonably warm Saturday, but TCM runners need not despair- the forecast looks much cooler for next weekend.  After some breakfast and recovering post-run, we packed up our bags and went camping. I'll share more about it on Tilda Tuesday, but it did involve a lot of hiking. 

Sunday: 4 miles easy with Matilda. It was pretty hot (mid-80's) by the time I ran. Tilda seemed pretty tired, so we actually walked a bit. I heeded my advice for running with your dog in the heat, and let her walk when she wanted and we took lots of water breaks. 

Summary: I hit just about 50 miles of running this week, with 1 complete rest day, and 1 barre class. It was a "cut-back" week in terms of workout intensity, but the miles were still high (for me). This week will be harder workouts, with hills tomorrow and another speed workout on Thursday.

What's happening in fitness fashion this week?

Thursday night, I attended a "Mental Toughness for Marathoners" seminar at TC Running Company in Eden Prairie. I will share a recap of that seminar later this week, but let's talk first about fitness fashion! While I was at TC Running Company,  I did a little browsing, and ended up buying this  Oiselle Scantron Tank in fresh green (what looks like yellow to me)

 According to the Oiselle website,  

The Scantron Running Tank is simplicity in itself. In addition to the micro venting, designed right into this tech fabric, we’ve done away with bindings anywhere, completed with a simple merrow stitch, so that all you feel is a fantastic fit. Its length and shape prevents it from shimmying up. Perfect for layering – or lifting.

 <- It also comes in all these colors!

My opinion: Its definitely longer, which I love, and the material breathed really well on my 19 mile run in 80 degree temperatures. I was impressed... and no chafing, which is always a win! I think that's because of how they have done away with any bindings anywhere. It works!

Please note that I think that Oiselle clothes run a little more "true to size" than Athleta. At Athleta, I wear a small, but at Oiselle, I wear a medium. This is true for the Oiselle roga shorts as well.  

I loved the Scantron tank and am considering it in other colors- maybe one of them will be my OBX marathon outfit!

Have you purchased any Oiselle running apparel? What do you think?

Don't forget to enter to win two free minnie BIC bands- a winner will be drawn tomorrow!

Weekly Recap and the Warmest Pair of Running Pants EVER!

Hi all. I'm a little behind, so I'm recapping two weeks of Fitness, Fashion, and Fitness Fashion in one post. Thanks for stopping by!

First of all, are you keeping up with the 28 Days of Wall Sits? Today I did 100 seconds after my long run. My legs definitely were burning!

Runners: you might enjoy this article in Runner's World with "Rules to Run By." Check it out!

Okay, moving onto the usual weekly recap....

In Fitness Fashion, I bought a super warm pair of Craft running pants today. We made a run to the TC Running Company in Eden Prairie today to check out their winter sale. These pants were unfortunately not on sale ($125!). However, I needed a really warm pair. I asked the owner of the store what was the WARMEST pair of running pants, and he pointed me towards the Craft Performance Storm Tights

They're not the most flattering pair of pants. I'm not sure I can even list them as Fitness Fashion. They are definitely more of a "functional fit" because they are really, really warm. I actually put them on after we returned home from running errands, and I have been lounging in them all afternoon. They sure are toasty. I do not doubt that they will keep my buns warm on my next sub-zero run. Normally, I layer up multiple pairs of tights, but I think this one pair will be more than enough.

What's happening in Fashion: In fashion, I did a little shopping/wandering around at the Shops at the West End last weekend, and I was tempted by a lot of the awesome and affordable items at Primp. I love this local boutique, as they are always getting in new items, and nothing seems to cost more than $50. I ended up buying the below navy top with black leather accents on the shoulders. I paired it with with my faux leather leggings from H & M for a going away party for one of our run club friends.

And last but not least, here's what happening in fitness:

Week of January 27 through February 2:

Monday: 8 miles on the treadmill with 3 eight minute tempo intervals- this felt really hard, and I had to take a break in the middle of the 3^rd interval. Not my best workout.

Tuesday: 6 miles on the treadmill, Hot Power Fusion at Corepower Yoga

Wednesday: 4 easy miles with Matilda- outside!Yay! Then I had book club- the month’s book was “Me Before You” by JoJo Moyes. Have you read it? What did you think? It was a great book club as most everyone had read the book, and we had a lot of good discussion.

Thursday: 7 miles with Monica in a blizzard. In the evening I took a “Winter Wine Feast” cooking class at The Kitchen Window in Uptown. It was awesome! I learned a lot of new cooking methods, and a lot about wine.

Friday: 30/30 class at Pilates Pro Works (30 minutes of barre, 30 minutes on the reformer.) The instructor was Julie, and she was great!

Saturday: About 15 miles for my long run, then some snow-shoeing around Lake of the Isles in the afternoon. We were hoping to catch some of the City of Lakes Loppet’s Skijoring event, but apparently it was moved to Lake Calhoun, so we missed it. It's okay, as we still got in some sunny snowshoeing. 

Sunday: 60 minute barre class at The Barre

Total: 40 miles of running, 1 yoga class, 2 barre type classes. 

Week of February 3 through February 9:
Monday: 6 miles on the treadmill with 20 minutes at tempo pace. I had to really talk myself into sticking to the tempo pace (for me: 8 min/mile) for the full 20 minutes.

After the morning run, I had an appointment at Uptown Natural Care for Graston Technique® and Active Release Technique® (A.R.T.) with Dr. Ty Crabtree to work on my IT band. He did suggest that I come see him twice a week for a couple of weeks, but I decided to space out the appointments a bit more. My IT band is definitely still an issue, but I went to see him this week more as a preventative measure; I want to ensure it doesn't get worse. He gave me some really good stretches to do, as well as a few more exercises. Even though he is a great doctor, I hope I don't have to see him too often (if you know what I mean!)

Tuesday: 9 hilly miles with Meggan around my neighborhood. We started with a lap of Lake Calhoun, and then just ran up and down different streets that looked hilly. The miles flew by! As I mention in my 14 Tips to Stay Motivated in the Winter of 2014, changing up your route can really help give you that extra motivation.

Wednesday: Complete rest day. After the tempo and 9 miles of hilly roads, I needed a complete rest day. I also had plans to meet a college friend at Chimporazo, a Ecuadorian restaurant in NE Minneapolis. (Fun night, good food!)

Thursday: Kettlebell class at Balance Fitness

Friday: 7 miles on the treadmill, Pilates reformer class at Pilates Pro Works. I really like the reformer classes here, as I feel like they are actually kind of like a physical therapy session. We work all those gluteal and core muscles that Dr. Crabtree told me I need to strengthen, yet in a fun setting with good tunes.

Saturday: 16 miles on a very, very cold day. When I woke up this morning and saw the temperature, I was tempted to take my run indoors. It was about -4 degrees with a "feels like" temperature of -23 degrees. However, I listened to some of my own advice and bundled up for the long haul. My hydration bottles froze, and I wasn't able to break through the ice to drink my Nuun...but fortunately, our route today took us past a couple different community centers that are runner friendly (the Lynnhurst Community Center and the Nokomis Community Center). I was able to take my GU's there and drink some water. I was running with a couple of gals who were doing their 22 miler for the Phoenix Marathon in today's crazy cold temperatures! Very impressive- way to go ladies!

Sunday (tomorrow!):  Not sure yet- probably doing a barre class at The Barre

Total: about 40 miles, 1 complete rest day, 1 (or 2) barre/pilates classes, 1 yoga class, and 1 strength class (kettlebells)

How did your week turn out in fitness, fashion, or fitness fashion? Were you on the treadmill this week or outside? Find any new fashion items that Fit the Bill? Please let me know!

Fits Do Product Reviews: Travel Foam Roller, Nike Flyknit shoes, and Knuckle Lights!

By Cool J in Minneapolis

Today was definitely a running focused day. It started with a strong 12 mile run with the Calhoun Beach Running Club. The trails were a little slippery, but the temperature was a little more tolerable, and the company was great.

After a quick shower and a coffee run, we zipped over to a suburban dog park, the Bryant Lake Dog Park to give Matilda an opportunity to do her "running" off-leash! The Bryant Lake Dog Park is part of the Three Rivers Park District of dog parks, and Matilda had a great time there with some new friends.

The reason we went all the way to the suburbs is because we wanted to stop by the TC Running Company after the dog park stop.

 TC Running Company  is a great running store located in Eden Prairie. Even though there are other running stores closer to home, TC Running Company is still (in my opinion) one of the best in the Twin Cities area.  They carry a wide variety of shoes and a great selection of apparel. The employees are very knowledgeable and extremely helpful. They are all great runners, and they know their stuff!

While there, I picked up a few "necessities," such as a travel sized foam roller:

Only $15! I wanted to have one to bring to the cabin and other weekend getaways, as my normal sized foam roller is a bit cumbersome to bring along. I figure this tiny one could fit into my suitcase on flights as well.

And another reason I went to TC Running Company today? Because I got to pick up my FREE Nike Flyknit shoes!  Free, you say? Yes, free! I won them as part of a Facebook promotion for the Moustache Run.  *Remember the Moustache Run? If you missed it, read about it HERE

So, yes, I got a pair of Flynit shoes, courtesy of the Moustache Run. Bright, aren't they? They're definitely not a winter shoe, but I plan to test them out on the treadmill soon. They're supposed to form to your feet as you wear them.

According to Nike's website, "the innovative Nike Flyknit Racer Unisex Running Shoe gets its structure and support from Nike Flyknit technology. As a result, it's incredibly lightweight, with a precision that feels like a second skin.The one-piece knit upper seamlessly integrates areas of high support, breathability and stretch where you need them most—without overlays, which add weight. For an adaptive fit, lightweight dynamic Flywire wraps the foot and is adjustable through the laces."

So yes, it's a unisex shoe, which means I got a size 7. The retail price is $150 (though free to me, thank you Moustache Run!). The entire shoe front is made from one continuous thread.

 I'll give a full review after I try them out!

I couldn't walk away without throwing in a new Brooks running top and headband. 

Subtle, right? A girl can never have enough winter running tops.

And the FINAL running purchase of the day? 

Knuckle Lights!

TC Running Company actually didn't carry Knuckle Lights, but a helpful friend told me I could find them at Gear Running Store. Gear Running Store is much closer to home, and I also am a fan of this store, though it's definitely a bit smaller with less selection, But indeed, they did carry the knuckle lights! I'm excited to try them out on a morning run next week to see how they compare to my headlamp. Hopefully they won't lead to as much negative backlash as the headlamp did (in this post)!