New Runner Tips

It’s been estimated that outdoor running has increased by 400% since the pandemic shutdowns began. That’s a huge increase! If you are new to running – WELCOME!!!! I am dedicating this blog to answering some of the most common questions for getting started, staying healthy, and having fun. Seasoned runners may also learn a thing or two, so here we go!

How do I start?

Start where you are. If that means running around the block – that’s great! Running isn’t defined by a pace or a distance. The most common mistake: starting too fast/far too soon. Ease into every run with a 5-minute walk or light jog, and cool down the same way. It’s 100% okay (and sometimes recommended!) to do a run/walk. Alternate between running for 2 minutes and walking for 2 minutes, a total of 10 times – for example. Focus on breathing and running at an aerobic, comfortable, and sustainable effort. On a scale of RPE (rated perceived exertion), aim for a 4-6 out of 10 for all runs in the first 3-4 weeks.

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Training through quarantine

After months of life as we know it changing in much of the country (and world), we’ve all in our own ways been adjusting to our new normal. Many aspects of our lives have been forced to change. It’s safe to say we all view this as temporary, but how temporary this will be is the million dollar question. Are we looking at weeks, months or years?  Perhaps the worst thing right now is not knowing the end date. Today on my own run, I had a “come to Jesus moment” – if this “new normal” were to last for years versus months, how do I navigate my own life and assist in the lives of my clients? What habits and routines have I established since mid-March? Are they positive or negative? Are they sustainable for the long haul?

On my run today, I thought about hypothetically what role my relationship with running would take if it didn’t involve races, group runs with my team, or treadmill classes. What would I do? What purpose would running fill? What goals would I set? What structure, accountability, and support would I need or want? That’s a pretty personal answer, and one that no doubt can and will change. The GOOD news is that running outside is literally one of the safest forms of exercise during this pandemic.

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St. George Marathon: My Personal Recap

This is my second blog regarding St. George Marathon. If you’re looking for the one regarding logistics, race course, etc – go back an entry and you’ll find all that fun stuff there. This blog is going into the personal side, my experience 100% as a human, an athlete, and a gal with a big goal. **Fair warning: if abortion or topics of that nature make you uncomfortable or mad, please stop reading now – because I am going deep on this one.

Pre-race. Full of big dreams and optimism.

My training for Saint George was overall really great. I gave myself a solid 18-week plan, peaked at 70-mile weeks, and was determined to feel like the elite bib I’d have strapped to my chest was one thousand percent deserving. I did have some aches and pains through training, and I was quick to address them. With Saint George being my 20th marathon, I’ve learned over the years that its best to be undertrained and healthy than overtrained and held together by KT tape, crossed fingers and a wish. Going into the taper, I knew I’d done everything right, and it was simply about executing the plan. There was only one thing that made me nervous: my race day fueling. With having the opportunity to have my own personal bottles at the elite tables, I’d overhauled my fueling and switched to Maurten for some of my long runs. Honestly, I had mixed experiences.

Attempting to smile with Chris through tears of disappointment.

Some runs had felt fine, and others had me a bit nauseated. But I felt I should abandon my gels and use this opportunity to perhaps make improvements. After all, many of the top marathoners in the world swear by Maurten.

Race morning turned out to be a complete mess after mile 6 or 7. For the final 19-20 miles, I was essentially ill. Vomiting, dry heaving, etc – I could hardly keep down my fuel. Even water was hard to stomach. I lost track after the 8th time I fought the next wave of nausea – but for about 2.5 hours I was in complete hell. Obviously paces suffered. The odd thing was that my heart rate felt incredibly high at one point and impossible to regulate – even on the smooth downhills. I assumed it was the Maurten – my fueling choice backfired and cost me my race. I crossed the finish line in 3:11 – a solid 11+ minutes off my goal. I was so mad at myself. Physically in destress. Mentally, I questioned everything. After all, I had 2.5 hours to suffer and question my choices, my training, my potential – like, was my goal just simply outside my potential? I burst into tears at the finish line. Not the happy or emotional tears some marathoners experience, but tears of devastation, pain, frustration, and doubt.

Incredibly long story short – 36 hours after the marathon, I took a pregnancy test. I have an IUD, so the assumption was that there’s no way I’m pregnant. But I was a few weeks late (it’s happened with training before), and my nausea hadn’t subsided. It turns out my IUD had slipped (apparently this can happen!), rendering it useless, and I ran the marathon 6-weeks pregnant. Pregnancy with an IUD is often dangerous, as an ectopic pregnancy is common with an IUD and the female can bleed out. So off to the ER we go, in Utah, 36 hours post-marathon, to see if I was ectopic. Thankfully, because the IUD had slipped (irony, I know), it wasn’t ectopic and so I could pause, process and still attempt to enjoy a few days in the Southwest. Chris and I both were on the same page with not wanting to keep it, and so I scheduled an abortion for the day after we’d fly back to NYC. We attempted to enjoy the rest of the trip – though I was often nauseas, exhausted, and experienced blurred vision.

In the ER in Utah and having an ultrasound done to determine if it was ectopic or not.

Planned Parenthood in NYC treated me with nothing but kindness and respect. I elected with the in-clinic procedure. Being only 6-weeks pregnant, I was told it would be a simple and easy procedure with minimal recovery. Chris came with me and waited in the lobby for 4+ hours, and then took me home after. I was groggy, a little uncomfortable, but otherwise feeling okay. In the days following, I cramped and bled a bit. I felt weak and tired. I was told to expect 2-3 weeks of bleeding and cramps, and that it may take longer for hormone levels to essentially go back to normal. (Side note: hormones are insane. My boobs literally doubled in size in a matter of days. Blurred vision was also due to hormones and blood pressure.)

As you can imagine – it’s been one hell of a ride. Between the marathon 4 weeks ago, the abortion 3 weeks ago, I am still recovering. Mentally and emotionally I am 100% at peace with the abortion. It wasn’t a decision I struggled with. But mentally I am still processing the marathon. I’m sure it sounds silly considering the circumstances, but I put my heart, soul, blood, sweat and tears into that race – and it was a painful failure. Just today, I told Chris I still am questioning my abilities. My confidence is shook, big time. And I need to deal with that. I have had overwhelming support from friends, family and complete strangers via social media. I am so grateful. Physically, I feel great after the marathon. It’s now been 4 weeks. Recovery from the abortion has been the harder, more painful and frustrating part. But I’m trying to be patient and to take care of myself.

Being an athlete is tough. Being a female is tough. Being a female athlete is something I’m struggling with. I want women to know that they aren’t alone – be it a disappointing race, a miscarriage, an abortion, a loss of a loved one – these tough life moments happen to all of us. It’s my hope that over time we can feel supported, empowered, and inspired by each other to keep climbing, to champion each other, and to always have each other’s backs.

Willing myself across the finish line.

 

How to be the wisest, strongest and happiest runner possible

Dear Runners, we need to talk. The statistics with runners and injuries is enough to make someone not want to lace up. However, much of the injuries runners encounter are 100% preventable. Sure, there’s a percent of runners who will be injury-prone for reasons they cannot control – one leg slightly longer than the other, a trauma from years ago, overuse from a childhood activity, and poor genetics. But that’s a small percent of runners. YOU are often responsible for those aches and pains. This isn’t about pointing blame, but informing, educating and perhaps preventing injuries in the future by making different choices.

  • Most runners, novice and experienced alike, tend to try to skip some crucial training steps. We can sometimes get away with blowing through or skipping some things, but it’s usually a matter of time before it backfires. You may not feel the consequence until weeks or months later.  Here are some things we can all do to improve our running experience – we’ll feel stronger, faster, fitter, healthier, and be able to make this sport a life-long activity instead of one sidelined with injury.
  • Start slowly and build base mileage. If you are new to running, start SLOWLY. Accept where you are and start there. It takes time to adapt to stress. Marathoners, it’s pretty risky (and stupid) to go from sitting on the couch to being 20-16 weeks out from a marathon. BEFORE the official training begins, you should have anywhere from 4-12 weeks of base mileage under your belt. Many marathoners skip this. Think about it – in marathon training you’ll be doing some speed runs and some long runs – both of which are high stress. If you don’t slowly prepare for the simple stress of 20-30 miles of easy running BEFORE that, you are in for a world of pain. This is why I never want my runners to rush their marathon training. Plan ahead. WAY ahead. It’s always better to do something right.
  • If you feel little aches and pains, don’t ignore them! They are signals that something isn’t happy. Address it asap. If caught early, most little problems can be managed. If ignored, it will most likely turn into a big problem. Going to a doctor or physical therapist shouldn’t be seen as a bad thing or failure. Quite the contrary – it means you are proactive in your training needs.
  • Lots of runners talk, and make it sound “badass” when they’ve pulled their bodies through races injured. Honestly, they aren’t badass. They are idiots. And them “bragging” about this achievement does nothing good for this sport. I’ve done some pretty dumb things in my running career, and I’d be the first to say “Don’t do what I did. It wasn’t worth it.” Part of this macho culture has stemmed from the plethora of races out there and peer pressure. It’s stupid to race every weekend, or back-to-back days. Yes, I’ve done it. Not in years, and there’s good reason. Pick and choose. You’re a human. If you want to be out there and it’s a social activity, volunteer or cheer.
  • Work on your weaknesses and don’t compare yourself to other runners. Some runners can run every weekend and somehow appear to never be injured – but they are not the norm. I’d also wager a guess that at some point will backfire, or they could race better if they raced less. Spend time working on your weaknesses. If you have incredibly tight hamstrings, don’t ignore that! If running causes discomfort in your foot, figure out why. If you are proactive about your body, you’ll reduce injury risk big time. I’ve found many of my athletes (and myself) have benefited greatly from serious strength training.

With my private clients, I try to be like a hawk in terms of keeping an eye on aches and pains. I also stress on day one that I want them telling me the second something doesn’t feel normal. At Mile High Run Club, I see hundreds of runners per week, so obviously I don’t know the individuals on a super personal level. I am asked probably a dozen times per week (so almost once per class) about injuries. Many runners expect me to diagnose them. That’s a tough one. First, I can’t diagnose  I’m not a doctor, and that’s way beyond my realm of expertise. And second, that runner decided to sign up and show up for a tempo run – so that means they think whatever is plaguing them can be run through without consequence. The amount of times I say “rest for a few days and then see a medical professional” is outrageous. I’m also asked pretty frequently by runners for my opinion on them running a race incredibly undertrained or injured. The answer and advice should be a no-brainer, but it’s not. Because running is something “everybody does” or “pushes through.” Or they signed up and can’t stomach the idea of not crossing the starting line. If it wasn’t a priority to train for, or something hurts, the race shouldn’t happen. If you are wanting to run a race and are clearly injured, ask yourself two questions: will I be in pain out there – and – will this race make the injury worse? If the answer is “yes” to either one, don’t lace up. If you don’t know the answer, you need to talk to a medical professional.

Running isn’t bad for us – not our knees, our feet, or heart, etc. But doing literally ANYTHING with poor form, a bad plan, or without balance – that’s bad. Too much cross training, too much lifting, too much water, too many vegetables – it turns the good thing into a bad thing.

Lastly, don’t compare yourself to anyone else. Your body may need different things than the next runner. Basic training principles apply to all of us, but you are unique. I would recommend you spend your time with fellow runners and coaches who promote and support good habits. It will make it easier to feel less peer pressure. If everyone in your camp is injured, overtrained, or simply burned out, be careful. We are often a reflection of the people we choose to spend our time with. I intentionally choose to prioritize running, racing and socializing with runners who are healthy and have what I’d call a “healthy outlook” on most things running, nutrition and life.

Springing into Action

It’s the time of year where many runners who hibernate during the dark and cold Winter months take their first few miles of the year. It’s also the time of the year for Newbies! Perhaps inspiration from a friend or family member, a stress in life is forcing a change, something has sparked the interest in the sport – new runners are testing out their running legs. If you’re new and flirting with the idea of running, or you’re coming back from a serious hiatus, here are some tips and tricks for getting started.

  • Check your shoes. If they are over 6 months old, you’ve used them for walks or time in the gym, or they don’t feel supportive or fresh anymore, get a new pair! Your feet are important. There is no “magic” shoe. Just see what feels right to you. Most decent running shoes will run you about $85-150.00.
  • Start where you are! It can be humbling for the first run ever, or the first run back after some time off. Aim for 20-30 minutes out there. Maybe it can’t all be a run. Maybe it can. No matter what, go at an easy/moderate effort. It’s important to ease into the sport.
  • Avoid cotton socks. Blisters can plague runners, but cotton socks are usually a leading variable. Running socks are a bit more expensive, but worth the investment.
  • Lots of runners want to know their data – how far they went, how fast, elevation, calories burned, heart rate, and so on. If that sounds of interest, I’d recommend investing in a running watch. You can find gadgets between $100-700.00 – depending on how high-tech you want to get. There are also a dozen or two apps you can download on your phone. I find the apps to be less accurate, but it’s a cost effective place to start – especially if you don’t know what your relationship with running will be.
  • Recruit a running buddy to help with accountability and reduce pressure in speed or distance. Focus on simply making running a consistent part of your life for 3-12 weeks. Run with a furry friend, push the stroller, simply build a habit and allow your body to slowly adapt.
  • Don’t compare yourself with anyone else. Your journey with running will be uniquely yours. Your paces, body, mental capacity, preference in route and weather – embrace all of it and own it.
  • Set realistic goals and expectations without dismissing your potential. It’s important to accept where we are at that time. For example, signing up for a marathon 18 weeks out from the 1st run of your life or in months is not advisable. But is a marathon 12 months from now? Sure! And can a 5K or 10K be a realistic and attainable goal in 18 weeks? Definitely. The same could be true with setting the goal of running without stopping around Central Park – for example. But can you run to Battery Park from Riverdale? That’s a bigger goal and realistically would take more time. The sky can be the limit, but maybe not by tomorrow.
  • If your schedule is stressful, add your runs to your calendar. Make gym dates to stretch, cross train or weight train. If you know you’ll be most successful at consistency if you run before work, plan to always run in the morning and start your day off right. If you thrive on a lunch time run, lace up and get in that afternoon sunshine. Set yourself up for success. Reduce obstacles.
  • Accept that your running journey can change and adapt. This doesn’t have to be a serious sport. It can be fun, a stress reliever, or whatever it is you want. It can be a lone experience or a social activity. It can be incredibly competitive and driven. Make it yours!