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Winter Woes and Ultra Training

March 17, 2014 by Leave a Comment

Back on February 14th, I signed up for the Back on My Feet Ultra Marathon. It was my intention to post weekly vlogs, updating on progress, covering tips for training, thoughts, failures and successes. Sadly, I have yet to take out the video camera. While I am hoping to share some video documentation along the way, I figured I should at least sit down and update you on what has been going on thus far. it is my intention to sit down with the camera soon, I promise.

Boy do I wish I were running here right now! St. Thomas, and I ran on this beach back in August.

Boy do I wish I were running here right now! St. Thomas, and I ran on this beach back in August.

The last month has been insane. Weather has been anything but kind this Winter. While I have been out there day after day with my athletes, running beside them, I have had little motivation to go out on days I am not coaching and clock additional miles. Some of my decisions were safety-related, as the amount of snow, slush and ice on the streets and sidewalks of NYC has been awful many times, and black ice is a nasty beast. I will also confess that I have felt slightly “down” and uninspired to work hard on my own goals.

Another difficulty has been my pacing load. I love my runners, and I am happy to be out there running next to them – even when it’s 5 degrees. I am so proud of my warriors who have hit the streets, day after day in this awful weather. The struggle for me has been that all of the miles tend to bundle within 4 days per week – which obviously is tiring, but also potentially dangerous. I need to make sure I avoid injury, and cramming 50-60 miles within 4 days is a lot for me right now. Therefore, I tend to take the remaining days of the week to rest, because I feel beat up. I need to be more assertive, and move around my coaching to protect myself.

Lastly, my health has been an issue. The last two weeks I have been fighting a terrible chest cold that just won’t quit. It has made it difficult to pace, as my chest often feels tight and I begin to feel light-headed and my legs feel heavy. I am currently finishing a round of antibiotics, and was prescribed an inhaler and nasal spray to help me get over this bug. Not only have I barely run the last two weeks, but I didn’t want to put myself on camera for a vlog while congested, coughing, and blowing my nose. Blah.

I am not worried about my training, because I know I have lots of time between now and July. Right now my focus is on my runners and their goals, and getting healthy. I am excited about daylight savings time, as that should now help a bit with motivation.

I suppose a lesson I have learned and can share with the class is this: the terrible Winter has been grinding at my gears too. You are not alone if you feel unmotivated, frustrated, and simply annoyed with this weather. I feel it too. I am pissed that every single track in NYC has been snow-covered for MONTHS, and that the bridle path in Central Park has also been a slick, snow-covered mess for so much of the Winter season. But I tell myself that this too shall pass, and to relax and just do the best I can until Spring arrives – whenever that will happen.

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Tackling Track Etiquette, Rules, and Benefits

March 14, 2014 by Leave a Comment

Coach086-460x306Running coaches and experienced runners have a few weapons of choice for improving running. Luckily, some of these tools benefit all runners, veteran and novice alike. One of my favorite weapons of choice: track work.

Okay, so you may be assuming that only track athletes belong on the track. You know who they are. They are strong, powerful and confident. They make many of us look and feel like tortoises. You might think if you aren’t a sprinter that there is no reason to ever set foot on a track. You may not even know how to use a track, or wonder about track etiquette. Never fear, I have some basic track rules, tips, reasons why you should use the track, and more!

Regardless of running experience, reasons you run, or race goals (if any), running fast once per week benefits all runners. Running hard calls to action fast-twitch muscles, spikes metabolism, increases cardiovascular strength, and often improves running form. Running fast is also FUN. Yes, its hard, but feeling like you are flying, even if the track athlete next to you whizzes by with ease, will make you feel accomplished, strong, and badass at the end of your workout. Plus, over time you will see incredible improvement in running performance in every road distance from the mile to the marathon.

Hopefully I have peaked your curiosity, and you now want to know any rules for using the track. Great. Here are some basic tips:

  • Run counter-clockwise. Everyone on the track should be going in the same direction.
  • Share the space.
  • Most outdoor tracks are 400 meters once around, if run in Lane 1. Many indoor tracks are 200 meters.
  • Lane 1 (the inner lane), is often the speed lane. If you are running hard, feel free to hop in lane 1. If you are taking a recovery lap, warming up, or cooling down, be courteous and move into the outer-most lane. Just be sure to check over your shoulder before changing lanes.
  • If you are in Lane 1 and need to pass a runner who is also in Lane 1, you can choose to go around them by cutting into Lane 2, or you can try to stay in Lane 1 and yell “Lane 1″ or “Track!.” If the runner you are gaining on hears you and knows track etiquette, they will move out of your way and into Lane 2 so that you don’t have to work hard to pass them.
  • If you are in Lane 1 and hear someone shout “Track!” or “Lane 1″ behind you, glance over your shoulder and move out of their way into lane 2 so they can pass you. Then move back into Lane 1.
  • Do not walk or take recovery jogs in Lane 1, as you’ll probably be in the way of someone doing speedy repeats.
  • Do feel free to tell other runners that they look strong.
  • If your track doesn’t have a water fountain, bringing a water bottle and dropping it somewhere along the track is a good solution.
  • Many tracks have restroom facilities. Some may also have lockers.
  • If you prefer to be on the track when it’s least crowded, avoid “after school hours,” when many school teams will be using the track for practice.
  • Most tracks are open to the public. If you use a track on a school campus, look into if there are any hours the track is not open to the public.
  • Do go to the track with a workout plan. Going to the track and winging it will leave you without much focus.

Runners new to track workouts don’t know what they should be doing on the track. I suggest only going to the track once per week, for your speed session. If you go to the track for all of your training, you will feel like a mindless hamster. You will also fall into a rut. Keep the track for those hard workouts, where you leave all distractions behind and simply focus on the track.

As a coach, I tailor my track workouts to my runners and their race goals. However, you can certainly make up your own workouts! Some popular track workouts: 8X400, 8X800, 4X1200, 3X1600 – you can mix and match and combine all kinds of variations. A general guideline: if your goal is speed and shorter distances (for example, a 5K race), 400s are a great distance for repeats. If you are gearing up for a Half Marathon or Marathon, 800s-1600s will benefit your training.

What the above examples mean in non-track terms: 8X400 @ 5K race pace = run 400 meter repeats 8 times at your goal 5K race pace, with a recovery between each repeat. The recovery times are up to you, but it’s usually beneficial to recover for half the distance of the repeat (in this case, 200 meters), at a SUPER easy jog.

Or say you decide to run 2X400, 2X1200, 2X400 @10K race pace in a workout – that would mean you’d recover with 200s between the 400 repeats, and 600s between the 1200 repeats. Once again, you can mix and match as you choose, depending on your strengths, weaknesses, and goals.

It’s always important to warmup and cool down when hitting the track. While running hard is fun and great for your training, you need to be careful and make sure to not go from 0-60 without waking up your legs. Take your warmup and cool down at super easy paces, in the outside lane.

If you are still intimidated to try out the track, bring a running buddy. Not only will your nerves calm, but you will both probably work harder if you are running together and pushing each other. So find a buddy, bite the bullet, and head to your local track. You’ll realize after your first workout that it really isn’t so scary, and its a training weapon that just might lead to some big person bests this season!

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Go, Go, Garmin Gadget!

March 10, 2014 by Leave a Comment

81J8WsZmJoL._SL1500_When I first started marathon training, I bought myself a Garmin 405. With a time-specific goal, I wanted a tool that would keep me honest, accountable, and aware of my progress. At the time, a $300 “investment” in my training seemed a bit steep. I was a full time actor in NYC, and when you don’t know when your next paycheck will arrive, or if you’ll even love running marathons, $300 was quite the expense for my running quest.

Since that purchase in July 2010, my trusty Garmin has gone through a lot. Humid summers, rain showers, snow and ice storms. Training in NYC, Philly and LA. Races all over the country. Thousands of training miles, dozens of marathons, half marathons, and countless other races. Moments of pure bliss and triumph – big PRS, overcoming what I thought was possible, and some wins. Moments of complete agony – injuries on race courses, DNFs, the trauma of the Boston Marathon in 2013 – My Garmin was there on my left wrist for all of it.

All of those miles have turned my once perfect and shiny Garmin into an old, weathered-looking device. The band has been held together with black tape for months, and there have been times where the device has completely malfunctioned, or rebooted mid-race. But like a trusty friend, these errors were forgiven.

Sure, newer models have come and gone within the last few years. Friends have tempted me to upgrade, but why? My Garmin worked just fine. Call me old fashioned, but why replace something when what you have does quite a good job? But over the last few months, it became clear that our daily journeys were going to have to come to an end.

With mixed emotions, I recently purchased a new Garmin – to 220. Part of me was excited. A new running toy, oh boy! It’s pretty and purple, and has new technology my old 405 couldn’t dream of! This new Garmin can literally be a tracking device – which is awesome for safety reasons but also means that I’ll always have a back-up tracker at races – which is pretty darn sweet! The new model does a done of other new things, that I have yet to fully explore.

While my old 405 will be “retired” as far as daily responsibility, I’ll be holding on to the old guy for as long as he decides. He’ll be my backup buddy for my Ultra in July, and will be swapped in when the new Garmin needs to be charged. I’m sure he and I will still go on other journeys too. I know my watch is an inanimate object, and so to be attached to the old ticker is silly. But the person and athlete I have morphed into during my journey with that piece of technology is unbelievable.

Which made me think – do you have a training device or tool that you have stuck to for years? Any part of your running ensemble that you feel incomplete without? If you have never run with a watch, I recommend it. Sure, you can drag your phone along with you and use a running app, but I love that I don’t have to carry a heavy device, my hands are free, and I have some time to myself that isn’t interrupted with emails, phone calls, updates, etc. from my phone. I encourage you to look at all your options. There are dozens of brands out there, and devices that cater to different kinds of athletes.

I should probably mention here that I have no incredible loyalty to the Garmin brand. I am not sponsored by them, and am only writing about my watch because it was meaningful to me. Personally, I go to different brands for different things. I have never found one brand that fulfills my every need as a runner. my watch is a Garmin, my shoes are Mizuno, my sports bras are Nike, most of my apparel is a mix of different brands – chosen based on how they fit me and feel, not on the logo. But hey, if the folks at Garmin want to sponsor me, I wouldn’t object!

Looking back, I’d say that Garmin 405 was the best $300 I’ve spent in a long time. I’ve certainly gotten my money’s worth!

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Staying Motivated

March 3, 2014 by Leave a Comment

img_8482aweb-320x444Its the time of year where many people find themselves in a rut. Perhaps Winter has been grinding on you with arctic blasts, or you’ve lost the momentum you charged into 2014 with back on New Years Eve. Fear not, I have a few suggestions and tips that can get you out of your rut and having fun!

Consider signing up last-minute for a local race. Hopping into an event with no expectations but to have fun and see what happens mixes up our routines. You may surprise yourself with your fitness level, and cross the line with a PR! You may also find the company of a couple hundred fellow runners reignites your reasons for running. With weather being unpredictable, signing up last-minute also means you can pick and choose your race with the forecast in mind. If nothing else, a short race is a great speed workout.

Perhaps you don’t want to participate in an event as an athlete but still want to be involved. Volunteering always feels good, and you’ll be greeted and thanked by the warriors on the course. As a volunteer, you’ll see every runner go by – from the speedy leaders to the back of the packers and everyone in between. If seeing folks of all shapes and sizes out there pushing themselves to the best of their abilities doesn’t motivate you, I don’t know what will.

I love grocery shopping. I find that if my nutrition habits start slipping, heading to the store and stocking up on healthy options makes me excited to cook and eat yummy things! Looking for new recipes and trying them out is always fun.

Arrange a social event with athletic and fit friends. The social event doesn’t have to be athletic at all. Being around positive, supportive and active people can motivate you to get back to your routine. If fitness and/or training comes up in conversation, reach out and ask for support. Having a running buddy or fellow gym-goer makes the commitment one thousand times easier! I promise that your friends have all gone through training ruts at some point themselves. They won’t view you as weak, but simply as human.

If you have a goal race or fitness goal on your calendar but feel unmotivated to train, force yourself to figure out why. Denial is common, but doesn’t fix anything. Get real. Perhaps this isn’t the time to be committing to a race and you should bag the idea until a later date. Perhaps your diet goals were simply too ambitious but can be tweaked to guarantee success in the big picture. Maybe you need to reconfigure your schedule to make time for training. Sometimes watching a running movie or going to a race website is enough to get your training mojo back. Whatever you do, take an active approach to figuring out why you are in a slump.

We all fall off the wagon now and then. As long as we get back up, we are back in the game.

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Winter Warrior

February 3, 2014 by Leave a Comment

img_6789-editUnless you live in Southern California, you are probably aware of how cold this winter has been. Inspired by the “Polar Vortex,” here are some tips for how to train outside as safely and comfortably as possible.

Training for a spring race (especially a marathon!), fitness goal, resolution set back on New Years Eve – often requires getting out of the gym and into the fresh air. If conditions are dangerous – icy, deep snow, high winds – sometimes heading to the gym or taking a rest day is the smart decision. However, if you can stomach the temperature, here are a few tips that can make your miles as safe and comfortable as possible under the given conditions:

  • Hats and gloves are a must. You lose heat from your head, which is good in summer but bad in Winter. Keep your head covered, and you’ll hold onto your heat. Hands and feet will quickly lose heat, as your body will work hard to regulate your core temperature, pulling blood away from your hands and feet and directing it towards your core. Gloves and compression socks can help you feel better and reduce the risk of frost bite.

  • Adjust your pace for extreme temperatures. Just as I’ve mentioned in the past that extreme heat has an impact on athletic performance, the same is true with extreme cold. Because your body is working hard to regulate your temperature and work hard to meet your demands, your body and brain won’t function as well as they would at 50-60 degrees. It’s best to run by feel and effort instead of focusing on your pace.

  • Breathing hard in cold climates can be hard. Again, you are sucking in very cold air into a body that is comfortable at 98.6 degrees. Warming up and cooling down is always important, but in Winter it’s even more crucial as it will give your body a chance to ease into your workout.

  • Do not wear cotton. Running in cotton can be unpleasant, but is also dangerous in Winter. When you sweat in cotton, it dries very slowly and pulls your body heat out of you. If you must run in cotton, get out of it as soon as you are finished your workout. Hypothermia and other dangerous things can happen if you are in cold, wet cotton.

  • Wear compression/sweat-wicking gear. Yes, Winter running gear can be expensive. I feel your pain. But if you plan to train through days that don’t go above 20 degrees, you need to invest in proper gear. It will make a world of difference.

  • Wearing layers can be great. As a general rule, dress for the current temperature +20 degrees. When running, your body heats up and “feels” like its about 20 degrees warmer outside than what the thermometer says.

  • In extreme conditions, like when it’s 5 degrees and you are out running before the sun comes up, hand warmers can be useful. I sometimes stuff them in my gloves, or in my compression shirt on my back if I am coaching and not running the whole time.

  • Upon finishing your run, drink or eat something hot – like soup or hot cocoa. Personally, I like to make chocolate milk and heat it on the stove. Warming yourself up from the inside feels pretty awesome. Pair that with a hot shower, and you’ll feel great.

  • If you can plan to run at the warmest time of the day, that can certainly help. While not everyone can plan their work and life schedule around the weather and training, if you do have the ability to duck out of work for a long lunch break, that can make Winter training a bit more bearable.

  • Watch for icy patches on the road or sidewalk. Wiping out could lead to injury, which is never good. Keep your eye on the path in front of you, and take short, quick steps – making it easy to navigate icy patches.

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