This week's TiART allows us to the questions, and with any kind of luck, generous readers will share their knowhow to make us better runners. For me, I have one recurring issue; how to play the mental running game and win.
I'm the kind of person who lives in her head. I think through everything from every possible angle, to the point that I sometimes make myself crazy. And instead of going with the positive thoughts, I have the tendency to think of every possible reason I might fail at anything I try. Lately I've given myself over to believing that a BQ is a pipedream for any number of reasons. And while I know, again intellectually, that I have as good a chance as anyone to achieve said goal, I'm having a hard time keeping it positive. I'm floundering.
What does a runner do to keep the mental game positive? I need ideas about how to keep my attitude on the upswing during training as well as the hard miles in the long run. How do I silence the critic that reminds me just how hard this running fast thing can be? What do other runners think about when they are trying to go fast? Am I the only person who counts "1,2,3,4" over and over in an attempt to pick up the pace? (And is there a more interesting variation to this tactic, because it truly sucks!!)
So there you have it - my burning question. I hope someone takes pity on me; I need the help. And something to think about : )
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Running Injuries Explained
Not by me, though. If I could explain them, I'd be making a heck of a lot more money than I am right now. But as I'm not making any, I guess that wouldn't be too hard. But I digress.
So here's the scoop. This month's issue of Trail Runner has one of the best articles I've ever seen on running injuries, and I've read a lot of on the subject. I've both purchased and checked out books from the library, but this one comprehensive article could have saved me a lot of time and money. All of the major regions are covered, with excellent diagrams, strengthening exercises and real life case studies. I'm already a big fan of the magazine, but this one article has made the year's subscription worth it.
You can find the magazine at many running retailers: here's a list; but I think I've seen it at regular bookstores as well.
So here's the scoop. This month's issue of Trail Runner has one of the best articles I've ever seen on running injuries, and I've read a lot of on the subject. I've both purchased and checked out books from the library, but this one comprehensive article could have saved me a lot of time and money. All of the major regions are covered, with excellent diagrams, strengthening exercises and real life case studies. I'm already a big fan of the magazine, but this one article has made the year's subscription worth it.
You can find the magazine at many running retailers: here's a list; but I think I've seen it at regular bookstores as well.
Hagg Lake 25k Race Report
I guess I'm an official trail runner.
Yesterday was the Hagg Lake Mud Run, and like its name would imply, it was a slog. And while I knew going in to the run to expect mud, I had no idea just how much mud the course entailed. I had the optimistic hope that the relatively dry February we've been enjoying would have dried the course out, but even with the relatively "good" conditions, it was tough. If you are considering this run, know that there is going to be a lot of mud no matter how dry it has been. Still, it was a lot of fun, and I had the biggest grins when I let myself go to splash through the really mucky parts.
The race starts off from the Sain Creek Picnic shelter, and it was fantastic to wait for the race to begin under the large heating lamps. Some of the 50kers were on their way through for their second lap as we waited for the start; it was cool to see how strong they were at that point. We could all only hope we'd be looking that good as we finished. The start is low-key; no big countdowns or anything like that, just a simple whistle and we were off for a quick out and back to make sure we got our mileage for the 25k. It's a short, steep hill for the out and back, which is great to warm up and work out some of the nervous energy - you can drop off clothing on the way back past the shelter. My gloves may still be sitting underneath the trees there . . .
And then you are off around the lake. Up and down and up and down and up and down and ... well, you get the picture. Slip, slide, jump from solid ground to solid ground. Climb up to the road, back down to the lake, and up again. Running across the dam was a welcome rest for the legs - solid, flat ground, but you see the hills coming. The first aid station is actually about 6 miles into the course for the 25k; you have to remember where you're at because there is are only two mile markers on the course.
It was interesting running on a trail like this; people will line up and you'll run in rhythm, but I worried a lot about being in the way. People seem friendlier on the trails - lots of "good jobs" from the people who pass you, slower pauses at the aid stations. It was a great vibe.
After the first aid station it seemed like ages until I made it to the second. Lots of exposed running, which was actually getting warm in the mid 50's weather we had yesterday afternoon. The signs along the way were entertaining, especially the reminder sign - "And you paid for this!" which brought a big grin to my face. At one point I remember looking across the lake and seeing the picnic shelter we started at, only to crest the hill moments later and see how much of the lake was hidden to the right.
More up and down and up and down, jump, slide, spin in place, slog, slog, through the mud. This is the point when the cool mud started to feel good on my feet. I started to slow on the hills, sometimes not being able to get good footing and having to go in to the bushes on the sides to get traction.
In the middle of this section, you see a sign that says "7.1 mile around the lake." This doesn't count the out and back, so if you see the sign and you aren't thinking clearly, you can get pretty discouraged that you aren't getting anywhere and you've been out running a long time. It's actually about 8.6 miles in total distance.
At the second aid station at Tanner Creek, I was suddenly energized to see my little brother getting some water. I had caught him! I burst in to the station and shouted, "I'm coming for you!" but then he let me know that his calf was pulled, and he was really struggling. That's not the way I wanted it to be. (I'm sure that I will never, ever be able to truly compete with him in a race if he is healthy.) We talked for a bit and I offered to run him in, but like the competitor he is, he told me to go on. At this point, there is about 4.2 miles left, and they are probably the longest ones of the race.
Somehow I thought the trail would get easier as we got closer to the finish - that somehow it would be drier and flatter, possibly even downhill. No. It's not. It's more hills, more mud, more everything, and it was a long, lonely haul back in. I had lost the people I had been tailing after the stop at the aid station, and I didn't catch anyone until the last half mile.
The sign that tells you to "PUSH!" because you have one mile left is so welcome, but the last little bit through the open fields with the thigh high divots is a mental battle. When you finally hit the parking lot and the trail you walked to get to the start, you are flying again, and all too soon, you've finished.
The finish was fantastic. The smell of roasting hotdogs greets you, and there are space blankets to warm you. They were well stocked with soup, soda, chips and cookies, as well as energy drinks from the sponsors. Because the race has some great sponsors, they have lots of raffle prizes. The shirts were terrific - the women's was a true women's long sleeve technical shirt - one that I know I will be wearing. Overall, a great, well organized race that was well worth the slightly higher entry fee.
If I have any advice for those who are running Hagg Lake for the first time, I would say make sure you've got good trail shoes. The better suited your shoes are to the mud, the better off you'll be. Also, make sure you've got socks that can get wet. Even on this dry year, my feet were soaked. I can only imagine what the course like if it is wet. Don't worry about trying to run the course for speed - it's going to be slower than the roads. The hills and mud are a one-two sucker punch combo. You'll get a great workout just by completing the distance.
This trail running is a different experience than a road run, and I loved it. I'm ready to try another one, but I think I would like to try one on a dry trail...
My results:
2:29:58 (9:41 pace)
Overall place: 60
Yesterday was the Hagg Lake Mud Run, and like its name would imply, it was a slog. And while I knew going in to the run to expect mud, I had no idea just how much mud the course entailed. I had the optimistic hope that the relatively dry February we've been enjoying would have dried the course out, but even with the relatively "good" conditions, it was tough. If you are considering this run, know that there is going to be a lot of mud no matter how dry it has been. Still, it was a lot of fun, and I had the biggest grins when I let myself go to splash through the really mucky parts.
The race starts off from the Sain Creek Picnic shelter, and it was fantastic to wait for the race to begin under the large heating lamps. Some of the 50kers were on their way through for their second lap as we waited for the start; it was cool to see how strong they were at that point. We could all only hope we'd be looking that good as we finished. The start is low-key; no big countdowns or anything like that, just a simple whistle and we were off for a quick out and back to make sure we got our mileage for the 25k. It's a short, steep hill for the out and back, which is great to warm up and work out some of the nervous energy - you can drop off clothing on the way back past the shelter. My gloves may still be sitting underneath the trees there . . .
And then you are off around the lake. Up and down and up and down and up and down and ... well, you get the picture. Slip, slide, jump from solid ground to solid ground. Climb up to the road, back down to the lake, and up again. Running across the dam was a welcome rest for the legs - solid, flat ground, but you see the hills coming. The first aid station is actually about 6 miles into the course for the 25k; you have to remember where you're at because there is are only two mile markers on the course.
It was interesting running on a trail like this; people will line up and you'll run in rhythm, but I worried a lot about being in the way. People seem friendlier on the trails - lots of "good jobs" from the people who pass you, slower pauses at the aid stations. It was a great vibe.
After the first aid station it seemed like ages until I made it to the second. Lots of exposed running, which was actually getting warm in the mid 50's weather we had yesterday afternoon. The signs along the way were entertaining, especially the reminder sign - "And you paid for this!" which brought a big grin to my face. At one point I remember looking across the lake and seeing the picnic shelter we started at, only to crest the hill moments later and see how much of the lake was hidden to the right.
More up and down and up and down, jump, slide, spin in place, slog, slog, through the mud. This is the point when the cool mud started to feel good on my feet. I started to slow on the hills, sometimes not being able to get good footing and having to go in to the bushes on the sides to get traction.
In the middle of this section, you see a sign that says "7.1 mile around the lake." This doesn't count the out and back, so if you see the sign and you aren't thinking clearly, you can get pretty discouraged that you aren't getting anywhere and you've been out running a long time. It's actually about 8.6 miles in total distance.
At the second aid station at Tanner Creek, I was suddenly energized to see my little brother getting some water. I had caught him! I burst in to the station and shouted, "I'm coming for you!" but then he let me know that his calf was pulled, and he was really struggling. That's not the way I wanted it to be. (I'm sure that I will never, ever be able to truly compete with him in a race if he is healthy.) We talked for a bit and I offered to run him in, but like the competitor he is, he told me to go on. At this point, there is about 4.2 miles left, and they are probably the longest ones of the race.
Somehow I thought the trail would get easier as we got closer to the finish - that somehow it would be drier and flatter, possibly even downhill. No. It's not. It's more hills, more mud, more everything, and it was a long, lonely haul back in. I had lost the people I had been tailing after the stop at the aid station, and I didn't catch anyone until the last half mile.
The sign that tells you to "PUSH!" because you have one mile left is so welcome, but the last little bit through the open fields with the thigh high divots is a mental battle. When you finally hit the parking lot and the trail you walked to get to the start, you are flying again, and all too soon, you've finished.
The finish was fantastic. The smell of roasting hotdogs greets you, and there are space blankets to warm you. They were well stocked with soup, soda, chips and cookies, as well as energy drinks from the sponsors. Because the race has some great sponsors, they have lots of raffle prizes. The shirts were terrific - the women's was a true women's long sleeve technical shirt - one that I know I will be wearing. Overall, a great, well organized race that was well worth the slightly higher entry fee.
If I have any advice for those who are running Hagg Lake for the first time, I would say make sure you've got good trail shoes. The better suited your shoes are to the mud, the better off you'll be. Also, make sure you've got socks that can get wet. Even on this dry year, my feet were soaked. I can only imagine what the course like if it is wet. Don't worry about trying to run the course for speed - it's going to be slower than the roads. The hills and mud are a one-two sucker punch combo. You'll get a great workout just by completing the distance.
This trail running is a different experience than a road run, and I loved it. I'm ready to try another one, but I think I would like to try one on a dry trail...
My results:
2:29:58 (9:41 pace)
Overall place: 60
Friday, February 20, 2009
Hagg Lake Tomorrow
The beautiful blue skies this morning have me singing a happy tune. I should probably take a rest day today since I'll be heading out to Hagg Lake tomorrow morning, but I just can't resist the sunny skies. I have to hit the road.
We've been incredibly lucky to have a dry week, so the Mud Run may be a little less muddy than normal. This is a good thing. Apparently the trail can be quite a mess. I'm still expecting to get dirty.
Now is the time when I start getting spring fever, dreaming of the warmer days and my permanent watch tan. It's time to start thinking about relays and early morning runs, the joy of running through sprinklers and late into the evening. It's enough to make a girl a little giddy.
But I know that I live in Oregon, and I am sure this is just that teaser week that will lead to the steady March rains that have to be endured. There are a lot more wet, cold miles to go, but today, I'm dreaming of spring.
We've been incredibly lucky to have a dry week, so the Mud Run may be a little less muddy than normal. This is a good thing. Apparently the trail can be quite a mess. I'm still expecting to get dirty.
Now is the time when I start getting spring fever, dreaming of the warmer days and my permanent watch tan. It's time to start thinking about relays and early morning runs, the joy of running through sprinklers and late into the evening. It's enough to make a girl a little giddy.
But I know that I live in Oregon, and I am sure this is just that teaser week that will lead to the steady March rains that have to be endured. There are a lot more wet, cold miles to go, but today, I'm dreaming of spring.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
One Stretch: TiART Thursday
Picking just one stretch is more difficult than it would seem. Immediately after a run, I stretch my hamstrings with a simple forward bend. If I don't, I notice all kinds of strangeness in my back later in the day, so if I were to pick one essential stretch, this would be it.
But the question is not which stretch is essential, but rather which stretch has helped me to improve my running. (See, I can pay attention to the theme every once in awhile!) And that's where the lotus comes in.
Since I've started to do the lotus on a regular basis, I've noticed that my hips are not tightening up nearly as much, and the deep hamstring pain I've had off and on for the past two years is much, much less than it was. I'm only really feeling it when I'm out over 12 miles or so. I can't say with all certainty that this stretch is the reason - I've also been working my core - but I know that it has been part of the solution.
But the question is not which stretch is essential, but rather which stretch has helped me to improve my running. (See, I can pay attention to the theme every once in awhile!) And that's where the lotus comes in.
I have issues with my hips. As a soccer player, my hips get a lot of action during games. They are called on to switch directions, pivot to send long balls, and sprint down the field on a regular basis. Then throw in the abuse they get when I use them as a secret weapon to knock opponents off the ball (as well as the abuse they take when the other soccer players dish it right back), and they are usually feeling pretty sorry for themselves.
In fact, I've finally realized that I have to take the day after a soccer game off for my running, because they just aren't up to the task. I tried treating my soccer games as part of my rest day, and I ended up with hip and psoas muscles so tight that I had to take time off.
To combat the effects of the second sport I love almost as much as running, I turned to yoga and discovered the lotus. Lotus has been called the ultimate hip opener. It is the pose we used to do easily as children, but with tight hips, is the pose that may be a super challenge. There is a great online video at yogajournal.com that builds to the lotus; it is definitely worth checking out. I start with half lotus, which is merely one foot on top of the hip, with the other one tucked under, and then I lean forward so that my head touches the ground. Holding this pose for 10 - 15 seconds and then switching sides is usually enough to release my hips. I will usually do the half on each side, and then go to full lotus, which I do for the same amount of time on each side.
Since I've started to do the lotus on a regular basis, I've noticed that my hips are not tightening up nearly as much, and the deep hamstring pain I've had off and on for the past two years is much, much less than it was. I'm only really feeling it when I'm out over 12 miles or so. I can't say with all certainty that this stretch is the reason - I've also been working my core - but I know that it has been part of the solution.
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Funky Smells & Drinking Well
While it's true that runners and stink go hand in hand, I've recently learned that not all stinks are created equal. If you smell like ammonia after a long run, you might need to adjust your fueling plan.
Apparently, when our bodies start to burn protein (i.e. the stuff that makes up our muscles), the process creates ammonia, which then seeps out of our body in our sweat. We begin to burn protein when our body runs out of carbohydrates for energy, so if we are getting that ammonia smell, we need to be ingesting more carbs.
I know that last summer I experienced this phenomenom during a few longer runs in the heat. I also wasn't very good with fueling - I hadn't yet tried Espresso Love GU to know that it was actually quite tasty and easy to get down. Had I known that this ammonia smell was not just part of being a runner, I would have adjusted everything sooner.
But now I know. So I guess I better stock up on some GU soon.
While I'm thinking about fueling, I thought I would mention that I recently ordered some Nuun electrolyte tabs. I had heard great things about these tablets, and I loved the fact that they only were 5 calories for 16 oz of drink. (Leaves more calories for drinking beer . . .) The short review - they are great! The flavors are light - not very sweet, so they are very easy to drink during running. But they are tasty enough that I will mix up a bottle to drink during the day to make sure I'm staying hydrated. I have found my go-to drink.
My favorite flavor is tri-berry, but citrus fruit and kona cola is good too. I have a lemon-lime I haven't tried yet. If you are interested in trying Nuun, Feed the Machine has a great sale going on right now - 1/2 off the regular price.
Happy fueling.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
To Boston or Not To Boston . . .
That is a good question.
Boston was a goal I never really had in my sights before. Boston was for the really good runners, those speedsters who would lap me on their cooldown runs. Thin, sleek gazelle like runners who ran track in college or former Ironmen triathletes who decided to get this notch on their belt. Not me. Not a full-time mom who was lucky to get in 20 miles a week.
But as my running has improved, my dreams have gotten bigger. The mileage increased, my physique started to look more runner like, and then . . . a 1:51 half marathon. An 8:35 pace. My magic number. At my age, I need to run a 3:45 marathon to qualify, which is, yes, an 8:35 pace. What before had never seemed possible now just slipped in to view.
I kept training. Kept pushing. Then a 1:46 marathon. Cushion time. Hmm. This Boston thing just might be possible.
So I'm training for the Eugene Marathon May 3rd. It's a nice flat course, and temperatures should be just about perfect (barring any crazy Oregon heatwaves which occasionally come up in May). Can I do it? My VO2 max calculations say yes. My recent races say yes. My training pace says yes. Even my running buddies say yes.
But I'm not so sure about me. I keep remembering how hard the last one was. I keep remembering how well trained my running buddies were who were on pace to qualify until mile 20, and then ran in to injury. I keep thinking that somehow, magically, those long runs will not be painful if I'm properly trained - but they still hurt - so maybe I'm not training right. I worry that I will end up injured afterwards, like my 1/2 marathon I ran so fast. Mentally, I'm all over the place. Mentally, I'm not sure that I'm ready.
So where does that leave me? I don't have the answer. I'm just going to keep on training and see if I can start to build the confidence to give it a real shot. Or I'll keep on training and come to the conclusion that Eugene is a nice training run for an ultra. I'm hoping to see some advice on TiART today that will address this mental issue - advice how to keep going when you are afraid. If anyone has ideas, I'm listening!
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