Tales of a Runner: Run for Clean Air 5K April 21, 2012

So this past week's race - The Philadelphia Run for Clean Air - was pretty brutal...it was beautiful by any other standards, near 70 degrees and sunny by 9am.  The sun was beating down at 8:30 as a warmed up and stretched.  Yeah.  I wasn't too sure how this would go over on my body.

I ran it, heat headache and all, and finished, although not with the time I was hoping for.  I came away somewhat disappointed.  Warm runs are VERY difficult for me.  I spend the rest of the afternoon treating a headache and chugging the coconut water to replenish myself despite being hydrated the morning of the run.

I've since found a few solutions -- continue with some light runs during the summer months, either very early morning or late evening, and get myself to a track to improve my pace.  I've definitely plateaued and I need some speed and track workouts to kick that issue.  Staying hydrated with water and coconut water.  I may even need to invest in some sort of pack and bring some with me on warmer runs.  And some sort of wrap around shades may also be necessary.

At any rate.  When one has a crappy time, she compensates with a cute picture.  Thanks to Tom at Meta4Photo out of Berwyn, PA for the photography on race day. And it was for a great cause - Happy Earth Day friends. 

Tales of a Runner: Gear

Gear.  Running Gear.  It's one of my favorite things about the sport.  Now I'm not a super matchy matchy girl but I've noticed that my closet boasts a lot of magenta, teal, turquoise, and black.  I recently added a red short sleeved top into the mix and it really stands out!

So why is the right gear important?  There are a couple of reasons. First, for moisture wicking and second for form and function.  I'm sure you remember being in high school and just grabbing your favorite tee and sweats and there were your practice clothes.  Maybe I'll blame that on the 90s, on 90s fashion rather...or on lack of social media throwing tons of cute sporty fashion at me...I don't know.  But that's besides the point.  The point is sweats can be great for a fast get your heart rate up warm up.  You may see X country runners warming up in sweats.  That's what they are good for -- retaining some heat (usually in the heat) so your muscles are warm.  That's it.  Most sweats are pure cotton and cotton is your enemy.  It absorbs moisture and actually makes you cold - not good when you are training and practicing in cold months, and in the summer, it's not helping either because you are swimming in a pool of sweat.  You need some poly blend to help wick the moisture.  And you want something that is form fitting.  It's less about being cute and more about function -- the more form fitting, the less bulk and weight you are carrying when you run.  I'm always aiming to feel light on my feet and in a race, for my personal best time.  That means running in weather appropriate form fitting clothing.  That sweatshirt will slow me - and you - down.  And we all know a second in running is a be all end all.

So where do I shop?  City Sports is one of my favorite shops - it has everything for every sport and I can find great running tops there as well as pants that work for running and yoga.  I did say pants.  I don't run in shorts.  I can't handle the chaffing that occurs so even in warmer weather, you'll see me in capris.  That said, I saw these ADORABLE Puma shorts on CitySports website and I might break down and buy them - they are on sale for $10 and weather appropriate for us Philadelphia folks right now (update: as of 4/16, they are sold out).  I look for something that has a little spandex for stretch and a micro polyester or mesh for wicking.  City Sports ALWAYS has a sale rack and it's pretty sweet too.  So no need to think you need to drop mega bucks on gear.

Below is a cute capri, also at City Sports - I have a pair similar to these and they rock.

I don't have a favorite brand really, but I do look also for pockets - on bottoms and tops (those Puma shorts have a pocket!).  Pockets on the side or back for my iPod or phone, keys and chap stick.  Essentials, right?  Also great is the little thumb hole in the long sleeved tops.  How many times are we pulling the sleeves over our hands for warmth?  Some genius created thumb holes in shirts so our hands are warm but we still have the ability to clench our iPods sans a glove.  Brilliant.

PrAna is a great source for yoga and stretching.  Do check the outlet for better deals.  The PraAna sports bra below is cute, can work as a bra underneath your shirt alone for yoga, also found on City Sports' site for $10 (update: as of 4/16, it's no longer available).  If you are bustier (sigh, not me), I highly suggest checking out Title Nine and Athleta as they carry a range of sports bras for every shape, support and cup size.

This PrAna pant is also adorable.  I found this on their site.  I probably wouldn't go on a long run with this given the poofiness at the top, but it's great for a short mile, for yoga, and even spinning.

I have also had a little luck at Target and Old Navy for a shirt here or there. Again, no straight up cotton but sometimes they have cute colorful tops that wick on the cheap. I mentioned above Title Nine and Athleta - they really are fabulous companies and brands for the sporty lifestyle gal. 

An upcoming post will talk about how to find the best running sneakers for your feet.

Tales of a Runner: Cross Training

I've have a run coming up in about 10 days and I've been a little neglectful in my runs over the past two weeks.  I'll blame it a bit on work travel the end of March and beginning of April as well as Easter.  Nevertheless, next weekend's run is looming before me and I need to make sure I'm warmed up and ready.  So that said, about 4 runs between now and then should be good since I'm not out of shape but going a while sans much means muscles aren't as strong as they need to be.

Besides runs, I do a lot of cross training.  I did not do this years ago when I trained for my half marathon and it was a big mistake.  Cross training is especially helpful in summer months, if you, like me, cannot run in temps above 70.  Seriously, I get a heat stroke if the sun is beating down on me and it's like, 74 degrees out.  So I've found that spinning, power yoga and some DVDs make ALL the difference - they work other muscle groups, mix up the workouts so I'm not bored, provide strength training and cardio training, keep me warm in between runs, and often mean a better run on race day.  AND, they keep me active in the summer.

A few of my favs:

Spinning -- I take classes at my local gym, ABSolute Fitness in Broomall, PA.  The spinning classes are great and often incorporate bands for some upper body work.

Jillian Michaels -- what can I say?  I love the woman.  She kicks my butt and makes me laugh as I sweat.  Her no BS style is right up my alley.  I have a collection of her DVDs but my favs are No More Trouble Zones, Shred it with Weights (she uses kettlebells), and her new one, KickBox Fast Fix.  Seriously, I'm always like, meh, how's she gonna challenge me THIS time?! (all snide and proud of myself) and it never fails to completely leave me sore and popping a few Advil the next morning.

Power Yoga -- I've been a devotee to power vinyasa since 2004.  I love this form because as you can see, I need intense, kick your butt workouts.  Vinyasa power yoga is a series of poses done sequentially in a faster paced flow usually in a heated room.  It delivers.  But more than that, power yoga is strength training, stretching and building flexibility (awesome for runners), toxin eliminating, and practicing thoughtfulness. It does quiet my mind because I'm very focused - on the pose, on letting go, on going a bit further or deeper in the pose.  I try to go once a week and right before a run - it's my internal and external cleansing of sorts. 

Yeah, I wish I could do this flying pigeon pose but not yet.  Bad ass, right?

Tales of a Runner: Bibs and Pins

How many of you racers out there save your bibs?  Your pins?  I generally save the bib for a week or so and then toss it.  The pins...well, that's another story.  I always have a need for safety pins and I accumulate them by the boat load this time of year.  Four pins for the bib, one more to pin my car keys to my pocket (if I don't have a zip pocket).  My problem is I need a whole other jar to keep them.  Come the fall, I'll be out and ready to stock up again.

The Winter Pickle Runs I just completed (I did two of the three runs) were super fun and the whole Pickle piece of it all made it more humorous.  I may hang onto those bibs for a while.  They award prizes based on how close you come to your predicted time and last week, I had predicted 36 min and came in at 35:52.  I was in the Top 10 Closest Predictions and won this here jarred pickle.  Complete with sparkles.  That's a keeper for sure.  I'm not one to rack up the race shirts but I opted to buy one this year to commemorate the Pickle series.
Below - my bib from the first run and the "pickle" I won from the second for being 8 sec off of my predicted time.

Tales of a Runner Series

I wanted to start a series to capture my running tales and document a little more of my eternal quest for wellness.  My back story is that I've been a runner since I was 10.  I would have done track in third grade had they let me but alas, I had to wait another year.  I ran through grade school and high school.  In college, I refused to sell my soul to the schedule that any college athlete must keep to compete so I just ran recreationally.  My races were always sprints.  In my senior year of high school my relay team made DE States and I made Second Team All Catholic.  Awesome.

I'd always wanted to do a 5K or something but just never made the time honestly.  Right after my mother in law was diagnosed with pancreatic in cancer in 2005, I made a decision to start training again and this time for a bigger race: the sprinter would do a half marathon.  Most people work their way up; Not me.  I think my second blog post here has some pics of me finishing that race in September 2005.  She had passed away by then and interestingly, finishing that race was part of my personal healing process.  Running is certainly therapeutic for me and at times it's provided necessary outs for stress relief.  The late night runs were always "outs" from the stresses of the day, from work and from the emotional toll her illness had on me especially planning my wedding.  She passed in August, about 6 weeks before the run.  I didn't run the entire thing...I ran about half of it.  But I finished.  Partly because I dropped $40 on it and damnit, I was there! I was over the Falls Bridge so I had to get my ass back to the Art Museum :)  But it was for her too, for all her courage and ultimately, ability to let go and trust.  Now it was my time to let go of bitterness and trust the next steps in my life.

I would still run after that, but I didn't return to any races until 2010.   That was when I was really bit by the race bug.  I did three that season and my best was the first.  I have found out a lot of things about myself since then --

• I hate running in hot weather - 70 degrees is my max and I am done; I prefer a 45-50 degree day to run
• I need great shoes and need them every 12-18 mo
• I'm not a real endurance and distance runner - evidenced by the aforementioned story - so 5K is kinda my max although maybe one day I'll shoot for the Broad St. Run (10 mi)
• I have to train and cross train
• I still love the sport because it isn't really a race against anyone else but rather myself
• Seeing the clock at the end pushes me
• I need music...and sometimes that music is totally cheesy
• I hate cross country courses...I prefer certified courses on pavement
• My best time thus far was 34:44

Naturally between runs and cross training, one has tales.  Lots of them.  So this series will document my spring running tales and I'll try to pick it up again in the fall.  Fall is tough with conferences but I want to shoot for two runs like late Oct/early Nov.

Happy Running.