Fitting Remarks: Race Ready: Time for Some Self-Talk!

My sister is here, yay!

Our packets for the race have been picked up. We're ready for the Urban Wildland Half Marathon tomorrow!

I took the day off of work and started my day early with a quick barre class at The Barre. Then it was lots of errands, such as the grocery store to stock up on bananas and gatorade, and then off to packet picket!

Packet picket was held at the Richfield Ice Arena. Since I was there early in the morning, it was pretty dead. I was able to pick up packets for Dustin, my sister, and a few friends in less than five minutes.

After packet pickup, I took Matilda to the airport dog park for an hour or so to wear her out (one of her top places in her Guide to Minneapolis!)  Vizsla lovers, here is your daily dose of dog pictures!

Tilda got her exercise in, and then it was time to head to the airport to pick up Erin!

After I picked her up at the airport, we were both a little hungry for lunch. We grabbed Matilda and her leash, and then walked over to Turtle Bread Company for a quick snack. How quickly a few hours passed as we caught up on life...Before we knew it, Dustin was back from his work day.

We still had some time to kill before dinner, so we decided to check out the Sculpture Garden for some requisite Minneapolis pictures.

and another one...

For dinner, we enjoyed our carbs at Punch Pizza - best place to eat before a race! Now we're just relaxing before hitting the hay.... 

I put up a few motivational signs in the guest bedroom for Erin to keep her pumped up for tomorrow.

She was also greeted with a little basket to pump her up for the race. 

She said she's feeling a little nervous, but I have confidence in her. Her training for the Milwaukee marathon has been going really well. She's been doing speed training and hill work with her running club, as well as barre and yoga for her cross training. I think she's got this half marathon goal in the bag!

Such a large part of race preparation in the mental preparation. I shared a lot of mantras in THIS POST <-- (reading this tonight to pump us up!)  Our bodies are physically capable of so much more than we know, but we often fail to achieve our goals because we get scared. We doubt ourselves and let our minds defeat us. 

I definitely let my mind destroy me at the Flying Pig marathon this year. On the other hand, I had a really good experience at the Ron Dawes 25k earlier in the spring by really working to keep my negative thoughts at bay. At that race, I really focused on not getting down on myself. If a negative thought came into my head, I pushed it out and just kept telling myself "you're so strong, you're so strong." Seems silly, but honestly it worked for me to focus on positive thoughts. 

Of course, you need to have done the physical training too, but its just as important to prepare your mind with positive self-talk.

It's all about confidence. You need to TRUST YOUR TRAINING. 

So, to my sister Erin- YOU GOT THIS!

Fitting Remarks: 14 Motivational Tips to Keep You Running Through the Winter of 2014

I have had some trouble lately getting out of bed to go running in the morning. I know some of the reasons- it's cold, it's dark....or, if I am running on the treadmill, I just can't get excited about the monotony that awaits me. It’s not easy to stay motivated this time of year, I know. Getting out of your cozy warm bed in the morning is a challenge!

But it can be done! I have put together the following list of things to help you (and help myself) stay motivated throughout the winter.

1. New Workout Gear:

What can I say, I'm a sucker for new workout gear, but it gets me motivated to get out there and wear it! Check out my winter running essentials list, and invest in some fun new cold weather gear, and you will be inspired to test it all out on a run. Treat yourself to that new pair of Athleta tights you've been eyeing, but save them for a day that you really are having trouble getting motivated.

2. New Pair of Running Shoes:

This tip follows along with tip #1. I know when I received my new pair of Ravenna 5's, I was excited to test them out. Buy a pair now, and keep them in the box until you need that extra motivation to get out the door. It works!

3. Run a new route:

Tuesday night, my friend Meggan joined me for a hilly 9 mile route. We started off with a usual lap of Lake Calhoun, but then we just ran around my neighborhood, picking roads that look hilly and doing a repeat or two on each one. The change of routine actually made the miles fly by, and before we knew it, we were at 9 miles!  I didn't realize I was in such a rut with running the lakes until I changed it up, and it made a world of a difference. So, tip #3, blaze a new path. I understand the appeal of running from your front door, but it can get a bit routine and boring. Get in your car and drive to a new trail. Your new-found motivation will make it worthwhile.

4. Leave the Garmin at home:

I shared a whole list of ways that your Garmin can actually be detrimental to your training (read it HERE) There really is something to be said for just RUNNING, with no knowledge of pace or even distance. Just go for a run for the joy of running. I usually do this when I bring Matilda along, and I let her set the pace, sniffing around as frequently as she'd like.

5. Sign up for a spring race:

There's nothing more motivating than having a race on the horizon to get you out the door. I have the Flying Pig marathon in May, and it is definitely the reason why I tough out the cold on Saturday mornings. Locally, there are a TON of fun spring races you can register for: Goldy's 10 Mile, the Get Lucky 7k or Half Marathon, the 100% Irish for a Day 10 mile, the Get in Gear 10k & half marathon, the Lake Minnetonka half marathon....the list goes on and on!

6. Set a challenging, (yet hopefully achievable) goal for that spring race:

Having something to work towards will drive you through the miles. I seriously have thought about posting a big "3:45" on top of my alarm clock, to keep reminding me of my goal for Flying Pig. I'm never going to achieve a 3:45 marathon by sleeping in and skipping my runs….

7. Join a run club or find a running buddy:

There's nothing that keeps you accountable like a running buddy (or a group of running buddies in a club!) I know when I am meeting a friend for a morning run, I wouldn't just be letting myself down if I cancel. That friend is counting on me to show up.  Joining a running club can also keep you accountable, open up your social circle, make running fun, and make you faster! I dropped about 25 minutes off my marathon PR when I first joined the Calhoun Beach Running Club. Granted, I have been stuck there at 3:55'ish now for several marathons, but it definitely helped vs. when I was running alone.

8. Go to bed.

Or, better year, go to bed EARLY. It will be a whole lot easier to get up if you are well rested. And remember, for every mile you run each week, you should be adding a minute each night to your sleep. i.e. I am running about 40/miles a week, so I should be getting an extra 40 minutes of sleep each night!

9. Get a dog who likes to run:

Maybe get a Vizsla! They have so much energy and love to run. You'll always have a reason to get out the door. Who can say no to this face?

10. Think about swimsuit season

...It will be here before you know it. The work you put in now will pay off when you strip down to that new bikini. We just booked a Caribbean vacation for March, and I'm not going to lie- knowing that I will be trouncing around in my bikini in just over a month has helped get me out the door many times already!

11.Book a massage.

Make the massage a reward to yourself only IF you run 4 days this week (or something along those lines).

12.  Be grateful that you CAN run.

I just have to think back to my recent stress reaction, which kept me out of my Brooks for several weeks. I would have done anything to be able to run then, so I should take advantage of it now.  I GET to run! Yay! I'm running!

13. Create a blog!

Everyone's doing it, right? You don't even have to be a good writer, trust me :-)  Actually, putting it all out there on the intrawebs will keep you motivated. I (hopefully) have readers who are interested in how I perform, and putting my goals and training out there in a public forum keeps me accountable. And in turn, it keeps me motivated! I put it out there, and if I fail, you're all going to know!

14. Remember: you'll always feel better after a run than before it.  So true.

So there you go- my 14 Motivational Tips to Keep You Running in 2014. I hope one of these helps motivate you!

Do you have any other tips? What gets you out the door? Please share in the comments! 

Fitting Remarks: Travel Itineraries and Marathon Mantras!

By Cool J in Minneapolis

Tomorrow, we head out for our week-long tour of the grand ol' state of Oregon. 

Said tour will include a 26.2 mile foot tour of the coastal town of Newport!

Newport, Oregon!

I have re-adjusted my marathon goal slightly, as my training didn't go exactly as planned, and the previous goal now feels a little aggressive...though the weather appears to be in our favor!

If you know me, you might know that I am a planner. I love to pencil things into my planner, plan things in advance, and then finalize the agenda! 

I don't always put together a travel itinerary for every trip we take. Yet this time our friend Kelly is joining us, so I thought it was a perfect opportunity to compile all of the recommendations that we had received into a travel binder.

There's a page with information about each city along the way, 

a page with dining suggestions, 

and even a blank page for note-taking!

I included the "36 Hours in Portland" article from the New York Times. 

Their travel articles are the best!

But most importantly, at the end of the binder are a few pages of Marathon Mantras to inspire us!

I gathered together as many as I could find, but here's where I need your help....send me your personal running mantras! What keeps you going for the long haul? I'd love to add more pages to the binder.

Here's what I have so far:

"This is your race. This is your opportunity. Trust your training."

"Run the first 10 miles with your head.  Run the next 10 miles with your legs.  Run the last 10k with your heart."

"Don't listen. Don't look. Just run."

"Hills are my friend."

"Just stay calm."

"The strong get stronger."

"One mile at a time."

"Save it. Save it"... or "Savor it, savor it!"

"This is what you came for."

"Define yourself."

"You're tougher than the rest."

"Think strong, be strong, finish strong."

Today is my day.

I can do this.

"All I smell is my personal best." ~lululemon

I believe in myself. I believe in my run.

I don't stop when I'm tired. I stop when I'm done.

"The difference between winning and losing is not quitting." ~Walt Disney

Enjoy the mile I'm in.

I am strong. I am tough.

"Stepping outside my comfort zone is the price I pay to find out how good I can be. If I planned on backing off every time running got difficult, I would hang up my shoes and take up knitting." ~Desiree Davila

If it doesn't challenge you, it doesn't change you.

"There are no shortcuts to any place worth going." ~Beverly Sills

I kill hills. I kill hills. I kill hills.

I'm a runner. This is what I do.

My mind will quit a thousand times before my body will. Feel the pain and do it anyway.

Never throw in the white towel. Instead, use it to wipe your sweat and keep going. 

"The only person who can tell you 'You can't' is you ... but you don't have to listen!" ~Dean Karnazes

"Pain is nothing. It doesn't exist. I cannot feel it." ~Maurice

"No one goes this far and leaves without a medal." ~@AdrienneRunsAZ

"I'm STRONGER than running. It WON'T beat me." ~Dorothy Beal - @MilePosts

I was strong enough to get this far. I am strong enough to keep going.

I've done this before. I can do it again.

"Every mile is a good mile." ~runningzen.com

I can dig deeper. I'm almost there.

"The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra." ~Jimmy Johnson

MAKE IT HAPPEN.

Please share your mantra in the comments!

Fitting Remarks: "An Elite State of Mind"

By Cool J in Minneapolis

I recommend this article from Runner's World if you're looking for some inspiration.

http://www.runnersworld.com/race-training/elite-state-mind?page=single

Great article for runners- a must-read! Even if you don't have time to read the whole article, take away these 4 points:

4 Keys to An Elite Attitude

1 - Don't treat training runs or race times as indications of your self-worth

2 - Value every runner's efforts, success and potential

3 - Don't beat yourself up in training or in evaluating your workouts and racing

4 - Recognize that your running ability is a result of many factors, not just how serious you are or how hard you push

SOURCE: http://www.runnersworld.com/race-training/elite-state-mind?page=1

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!

Featured Fit: The Summer Games

By: LL
Yes, I have been absent from the blog due to my house unpacking endeavors. But there is no way that I would miss the Olympic Games. Winter, Summer ... it doesn't matter. There is something so exciting and motivating about watching the best of the best compete. Heck, even archery is awesome ... and synchronized diving. I cannot get enough. My husband and I even had to come out of the Stone Age and get a DVR so that we could tape all the live action. Besides the Opening Ceremony, here is what I am so pumped to watch:

Women's Beach Volleyball (Misti May and Kerri Walsh in a nod to my high school passion ... if only I was 4-5 inches taller)

Marathon (well, this one was obvious)

Men's 100-meter (Jamaican show-down)

Men's 400 x 100

Michael Phelps vs. Ryan Lochte

Women's Gymnastics (if only I was 4-5 inches shorter ...)

I'm definitely planning on using the Olympic Games as motivation to get me through my long run in the predicted 104 degree temps this weekend.

Fitting Remarks: Fit for a Monday

By: LL
In light of Jess's recent post on motivational signs, I thought that this is fitting for a Monday, when it is a bit harder to get the motivation to exercise, and we tend to move a bit slower...

(Please note that this was borrowed from the above address).

Fitting Remarks: Motivational Signs

By Jessie

Part of the magic of the marathon is the support of the fans. Dustin and I travel for a lot for marathons, so we don't always have familiar faces in the crowd. But even strangers can give you that extra boost along the course. And I especially enjoy the fun signs!

While running, I am always on the look out for funny signs. Humor can take me much farther than Gu or Gatorade! I think these fans have the right idea:  

Here are some more that I have seen throughout my marathon miles....

Little girl with a sign that read, “Worst. Parade. Ever.”

“If the marathon were easy, it would be called ‘your mom’

“Runners have balls- others just play with them”

“Don’t Die”

“Amy, call a cab- it’s faster”

“Poop your pants if you need to”

“Beat Oprah”

“Phidippides almost died at this point in his race”

“You’re a better running mate than Palin”

“This marathon would be fun if it wasn’t for all the running”

Or how about these?

"You are NOT almost there"

"Don’t stop–we’re all watching you"

"Your feet hurt because you are kicking so much ass!"

"Run faster, my arms hurt from holding this sign"

"Run like you stole something"

"My mommy is faster than your mommy"

"Hurry Up, We’re Cold"

"You’ve Done Worse Things for Much Longer"

"I heard a rumor there are cupcakes at the finish"

"Stop reading this and keep running!"

"Fast Girls Have Good Times"

"Chuck Norris never ran a marathon"

"Pain is nothing compared to what it feels like to quit"

"Last is just the slowest winner"

"Humpty Dumpty had wall issues too"

"Keep going because one day you’re not going to be able to do this anymore"

"There is beer at the finish"

"26.2 because 26.3 would be crazy"

"That’s not sweat, it’s your fat cells crying"

"You're not slow, you just know how to enjoy a race course."

"Run like you want to."

"Come on, it doesn't hurt that bad."

"When you are done, it won't hurt at all."

"Think of all the alone time you are getting."

"Kids at the finish - enjoy your peace and quiet."

 

....and these are actually inspirational:

"You made it to the START, you will make it to the FINISH"

"Dear Stranger: You are my hero"

"You are no longer a runner, YOU are a marathoner"

And my favorite...

"Millions of people never even started today. 
 You are one in the million who did."