Running Resolutions 2009

So here we are. Another New Year’s Eve and what are you going to do next year in your running career?

I made a promise to myself to become certified as a running coach and will in April 2009. I planned ahead for a couple of 10-milers but am now shaping my goals around a possible half-marathon in May and then the Army 10-miler or the Marine Corps Marathon (just to do the half). I also plan to get a running diagnostic done – I will plan for that early next month – my goal is to get my running form evaluated. I know where I am going and who to call so that will get done.

On improvements, I was stumped by a reader who wanted to know where to go to find shoes made the most socially-responsibly. Well, Runners World did a green issue in November and I learned that Nike’s recycle shoe program may be a scam and then I thought, well aside from the report I did in this blog on Asics shoes, I am at a loss – so I have decided that we all need to do to scour the ‘net for this stuff. I will make it a point to network as best I can with people I know.  One site to look at to see what recycled sneakers can become is: http://www.runtheplanet.com/shoes/selection/wornagain.asp

For those looking for more social responsibility also go to this blog:
oneworldrunning.blogspot.com.

For those of you out there who are expecting, expect to keep running if it’s not too uncomfortable. If you are fit, running can be a boon to your fitness before and after baby.  My running pregnant blogs posts have garnered the most interest and support.

So as we run off to 2009 remember that if you set some goals – any goals, it’s better than not setting them at all. I will hem and haw over three races that I am targeting in May. I will need to pick one eventually, but not today.  Tomorrow, is another year!

Keep running!

Supermoms, Keep Running

For the past few weeks, work has been hell, but who am I to complain? At least I still have a job.  Now after having worked several weeks of 12-hours I have not been running as much  but despit this I am actually stronger than ever.

The day before Thanksgiving I was diagnosed with Plantar Fasciatis, which I have written about before.  It was also discovered that I had a mild tear in my hamstring. What is with that hamstring!  Then again, that’s why this blog is called tight hams. I have one and it and I are constantly at war.

On Thanksgiving, I went for a run but did not do the Turkey Trot for SOME like I had talked about in my last post.   I was still trying to nurse my heel and hamstring and figured a race in the morning cold was something I was not up for. Besides, I was exhausted from the constant 12-hour days, rushing home to get the kids, cooking dinner, putting them to bed, and then starting over the next day. OVER AND OVER it’s been like that and while running is a stress reliever if I don’t get my run in sometime between 4 and 6 pm, it’s not going to happen.

 The Saturday after Thanksgiving I went back out to the trail near my home and proceeded to run a fartlek with interval times so fast I was wondering about myself.  My first “interval” which lasted about 2 miles was so quick that I actually slowed down to a walk because I was freaking myself out. Wow, I thought, this is great. I’ve been working my tail off and barely running twice a week and now I come out and blow myself away. This is cool.

That next Sunday the 30th I shivered through the Giants-Redskins game only to cheer my way to another victory and yelling “Come on ELI” amongst a sea of maroon and yellow Skins fans, incuding the people I went to the game with.  I was so proud I lasted the whole day outside in the rain.

This past week proved to be as difficult as the last few weeks-12-hour days, recovering from Strep, which I contracted just before the holidays, blowing my nose from a cold my son has given me all while trying to keep my clients happy.  I only ran Monday and Friday this week but yesterday I proved to myself that I am indeed, a running supermom.

I left work at 4:15 saying screw it as a I left and proceeded to go to my local Bally Total Fitness where I ran 6 miles in 56 minutes – I was promising myself not to speed through the workout. Just complete the mileage and keep it slow, but around a 9:30 pace or so. 

I proceeded to leave the gym, get my oldest son from school, go home, whip up dinner, bake a batch of organic chocolate chip cookies (where I added twice the requested amount of chocolate chips), clean the house, decorate for Christmas, and write a little, all before midnight while everyone else was asleep by 10.

I always wonder how moms do what we do.  Even as I sit here writing this blog, my youngest is calling for me and I am trying to ignore him.  Come on, come on mommy!

We supermoms are under a lot of pressure.  I don’t know how I would manage if I did not have running to keep me sane. Dylan’s running in and out of my office, my oldest is playing video games while my husband is in the shower. Dylan is literally throwing things, slamming doors , messing up the scotch tape, and has probably just pooped but her I sit, composed, cool.  The running keeps me that way. The fact that I ran for an hour yesterday will keep me sane until tomorrow when God willing, I will run again. 

Of I go to pay attention to my coughing, yellow-nosed snot ridden little guy who is now throwing his ball at the computer. He is so cute!

Keep running ladies!

Race Virgins – Two Women Run their First Road Race

Karen Rossi and Amy Rauschman have a few things in common. Both are in their thirties, both work, both have families. Both are tall and slim. Both wear the Asics 2120 series running shoe. Both are running their first races this fall.

Karen has been a runner for a number of years but never took the plunge to run her first race until a friend egged her on. This friend, a runner who was also a “race virgin,” wanted someone to run with. Karen met that challenge and completed her first 5K race last weekend.

“I was hooked” she told me over the phone.  Karen’s goal was simple – run and maintain a 10 minute pace for the duration of the race. She found it easy, considering she’s been running up to 4 miles a few times a week pretty consistently over the past year. Proof that even running 15 miles or less a week can yield a strong race.  For a 5K, I know that all of these running magazines have these elaborate running plans, but let’s do a reality check:

Running three miles is not that far…..if you have been running consistently.

And you can quote me on that.

Now let’s look at Amy. Amy is not a runner. She ran a few hurdles races in highschool, but for what it’s worth, Amy is very much into yoga and not so much a runner. That said, she’s run a little before and she’s training for her first race next month.

I told Amy to follow the following plan for this week.  Run 2 miles on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. On Monday, run 5 minutes, walk 1, etc. until she hits two miles. On Wednesday and Friday run one mile, walk 1 minute, then run 5 minutes, walk 1, run 5 minutes, walk 1 and voila, you are done.

On Saturday, run one mile, then do the run walk for the last two. This will give her an easy base week of 9 miles. 

On Monday evening, Amy called me. “Man, Alix, I feel great,” she said, “but tired. I ran the first 5 minutes and thought, this is easy! But then as I passed the first mile and went into then next, I started to tire. I was happy for the walk breaks.”

The run-walk is an excellent alternative if you are trying to get into shape. I used this method while training for the San Diego Marathon in 2002 while pregnant with my son. I proved easier on my joints and great for me who was tired all the time because I was pregnant.

I say take the plunge into your first race. Racing can be expensive because you have to pay about $20 or so and it adds up but doing one every so often is invigorating.  As Karen learned, you get to be in the spotlight without being on the stage. You get to reap the glory of crossing the finish line just like everyone else and you can sometimes get a great t-shirt. I have been known to skip the t-shirt so I don’t accumulate too many.

Run on, run fast, run wild.