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Mar 15

Bust Out While Training!

The L.A. Marathon is approaching quickly! Know what else is coming quickly? That’s right! Spring!

It is almost time to lay the treadmill to rest for the season and start getting your marathon running behind out the door and into the world of pavement running!My friend from Runner’s World have an amazing article all about doing just that- safely!
When runners first move to pavement after months of hibernating indoors on the ‘mill, they’re in for a shock. Treadmills help you run because the machine provides the forward motion. When you run outside, you have to push against the solid ground, which requires more energy and puts a different stress on your ankles, feet, and legs. These steps will help you make a safe, enjoyable transition to the great outdoors.

EASE INTO IT Start by going outside once a week. If you’ve been running continuously for 30 minutes on the treadmill, when you head out, run one minute and walk one minute for 30 minutes. On the second week, add another outdoor run and increase the run/walk ratio to 2:1. Gradually decrease your indoor time as you increase your outdoor time.

SLOW DOWN I believe that many treadmills aren’t properly calibrated and tell runners that they’ve run farther and/or faster than they really have. When you start running outside, you might feel frustrated because you’re running slower than normal. Here’s how to compensate: If you run a nine-minute-per-mile pace on the treadmill, start your outdoor runs at 11 minutes per mile. After 10 minutes, speed up to 10 minutes per mile—which is likely equivalent to the pace that you were running inside.

REDUCE THE MILEAGE If you slow down and add more walk breaks, you will probably be able to cover the same distance you’ve been logging on the treadmill. But feel free to cut your mileage back a little as you adjust.

PREPARE FOR BAD WEATHER Layered technical gear can keep you comfortable even if the weather changes during your run. Remove a layer before you start to sweat.

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Mar 3

10 Winter Training Tips

The LA Marathon is only a few weeks away and I am keeping my training up! The 8th Continent Soymilk Crew  is teaming up with one of our favorite charities Child S.H.A.R.E.  to make it through this 26.2 mile route.

Right now I am in a snow-covered environment, but need to stay in shape. As a lot of you have seen- I train even in the snow, which can be an amazing and refreshing experience with the crisp air against your skin, but it can also be dangerous if you don’t know the correct way to train in frigid weather.

Luckily, active.com has provided me with an awesome list of 10 Winter Training Tips!

Use base-layer clothing made from fabrics that are designed to wick moisture away from your skin. This will keep you dry and warm for the duration of the workout.

Do not overdress. Though this may feel nice and comfortable at the beginning, you will sweat much more than you would otherwise, making your clothes wet. Wet Clothes = Cold Body. Generally speaking, if you feel slightly cool before starting your activity, you have dressed perfectly for the conditions.

Dress to your training plan. Hard workouts will require less clothing than easier workouts. If you are unsure how to dress, bring a shell jacket that can be used for your warm-up and cool-down, but can be easily taken off and stowed for the more difficult part of the workout.

Wear shades. In most cool or cold weather conditions, sport sunglasses will protect eyes from the bright sun reflecting off of the snow and prevent them from watering due to the cold or wind.

Keep it down. The down coat is king when it comes to cold environments and intermittent activities that involve stopping. A light-weight down coat is the perfect solution to keep you toasty during winter sports that incorporate periods of prolonged rest.

Staying on your feet and keeping them warm go a long way toward enjoying outdoor winter activities. Over-layering your feet will cause them to sweat, which can lead to cold toes. For cardiovascular-based sports, a single pair of warm, wicking socks will normally do. In very cold conditions or for gravity-based sports, use a double layer of socks.

A good trail running shoe provides extra traction for slippery surfaces and many offer waterproof features that help keep your feet dry. In areas with deep snow, a pair of light gaiters will keep the snow out of your shoes.

H2O. One of the biggest challenges for training in cold temperatures is avoiding de-hydration. While it may feel unappealing, drinking regularly during these lower temperature workouts is just as necessary as in warmer weather. Filling water bottles with lukewarm fluids will help to prevent them from freezing or being too cold to drink comfortably.

Plan your route ahead of time. Use a loop course to avoid getting too far away from home in the event something were to go wrong during your activity.

Avoiding frost bite and hypothermia is the most important consideration when preparing for cold weather activities. Make sure all of your skin is covered and carry an extra layer in case the conditions change during your workout.

Are you inspired to run the LA Marathon with us? Then feel free to join the event!

Have any useful tips? Make sure to let us know! Feel free to leave a comment or hit us up on Twitter or Facebook!

You can also check out the other tips that have been posted:

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Feb 22

Marathon Motivation

We have all had those spurts of energy that last one or two or even three days where we feel on top of our workout routine and we are full of sticktoitiveness. However, they are usually just that- spurts. What do you do when that feeling has worn off? You are training for a marathon! And you need to keep training. I teamed up with my friends over at Marathon Rookie to bring you some tips to keep you motivated and help you cross that finish line.

Visualization
Set aside a few minutes each day, or at least a few times each week, to relax and picture in your mind the runner you want to be. Picture yourself making a great training run or running the actual race. As you are creating that image, try to get other senses involved by trying to feel what it will feel like to achieve your goal or push through any obstacles you envision.

Affirmations
Flood your mind with positive thoughts by talking to yourself every day. Tell yourself that you are a marathon runner. Our minds operate in the present so the more we tell ourselves something, even if it is not yet true, the faster our mind believes it and begins working now to make that affirmation a reality. Also, put an affirmation, race brochure, or inspiring quote somewhere you will see it every day like on your desk or bathroom mirror.

Block the Negative
Be aware of negative thoughts creeping into your mind. When you catch them, stop them cold in their tracks by telling yourself the opposite. For instance, if you catch yourself thinking you are tired during a run, tell yourself several times, with emphasis, that you feel great or feel strong. Do the same for any pain during a run. By telling yourself the opposite, you are diverting your focus from the negative to the positive.

Change into that Running Gear
Sometimes simply changing into your workout gear can get you in the mood to work out!

Get a Dog
OK, by now you all know I am practically obsessed with getting a dog sometime in my near future. Make a promise to your dog that you will take him/her on a walk daily. You will play fetch with him/her every other day… which is a great workout especially if your dog has not learned the step of bringing the thrown object back to you.

A Little Friendly Competition
Link up withe friends/co-workers/people online and start a little competition! Keep in mind everyone has different levels of running/exercising skills. But it isn’t about comparing apples to apples. It is about the improvement and progression! Knowing other people are going through similar challenges can help keep you motivated.

Over the course of training, you may find yourself lacking motivation at some point. This is very common. Maybe you get discouraged because unexpected events have caused you to miss a run, a few runs, or even a week or more of runs. Maybe something in your life diverts your focus from training and your goal. Whatever the case, do not let it stop you from achieving your goal!

Think of supporters cheering you on as you run with ease through the marathon or half marathon. Think about how rewarding it will be when you cross the finish line and reflect on what you have just accomplished.

Surround yourself with positive, motivating things. Watching running movies is great for marathon motivation. Find something that connects with you emotionally and you will find that your intensity and desire will grow to where you don’t just want to achieve your goal, you have to achieve your goal.

Take a step back and think about why you have set this monster goal for yourself and see yourself enjoying all the benefits you expect to have once you accomplish your goal.

Want to run the LA Marathon with me, the 8th Continent Soymilk Crew, and Child SHARE?

Well you can! Sign up here!

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Feb 19

Free Iphone Apps for Training for a Marathon

If you know me, you know my Iphone is like my freckles, constantly attached. So when I started training for the LA Marathon that I am doing with 8th Continent Soymilk and the awesome charity Child SHARE… one of my first priorities was to look up useful Iphone apps to keep me motivated, track my progress, and give me some awesome tips.

Here is a list of some of the Iphone applications that I use while training, and even some I don’t use… mainly because they are specifically for men. And because I like to call myself “thrifty”, they are all free!

  • iHeart Run Free
    Compatibility: Compatible with iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS.
    Requires iPhone OS 3.0 or later.
    This app utilizes your GPS and shows where you are on a map. It also tracks your distance and time and one of my favorite features is that you can detect your heart rate by holding the speaker up to your chest or neck! It saves up to 5 trips so you can track your progress.
  • JogBuddy Lite for Men
    Compatibility: Compatible with iPhone and iPod touch.
    Requires iPhone OS 3.1 or later.
    JogBuddy™ Lite for Men is your mobile jogging companion on the treadmill, around the track, or around town and trail. Keep track of your weight, jogging (or running) time, miles, calories, and speed, as you listen to tunes or talk on your iPhone.
    JogBuddy does not use GPS or report your location to Google Maps. It works anywhere and consumes very little battery power.
  • Pace Calculator
    Compatibility: Compatible with iPhone and iPod touch
    Requires iPhone OS 3.0 or later
    This is a simple application that takes a running time and distance and calculates a specified pace. All you do is input a time, distances in miles, kilometers, or meters, and specify a pace in miles, kilometers or meters.
    This application is not constrained to specified values, so you can pick whatever pace you want for whatever distance choose. This is good if you want to calculate uncommon splits like 2k, 5k, 800m, etc. It can also work backwards. Lets say you want to know what 10k time a 68 second quarter-mile pace will produce? Just put 68 in for the time, 400m for the distance, and 10k for the pace.
    Use it to help plan or analyze your races and workouts. Or use it too see how fast the Olympians run each mile in the Marathon!
  • Hill Run Calculator
    Compatibility: Compatible with iPhone
    Requires iPhone OS 3.1 or later
    If you do a lot of trail running or just run up and down hills a lot then you need this application!
    It’s really difficult to compare runs where you are doing a lot of hill climbing, as they’re all different and hills make a big difference to your pace. So how do you know how you are doing in your training?
    Hill Run Calculator to the rescue. Simply set the sliders to the distance and Ascent that you have done, add your time round the course and you will be instantly given a graphical representation of the equivalent run on the flat along with the equivalent flat pace. The perfect way to compare your hill runs.
    Perfect for Fell Runners, Trail Runners, Ultra Runners, or anyone who trains in hilly or mountainous areas.
    It’s as simple as that! Go give it a try!
  • Utahrunning.com
    Compatibility: Compatible with iPhone and iPod touch.
    Requires iPhone OS 3.0 or later.
    The UtahRunning.com Application is for all you Runners in Utah that want information about upcoming running race events and other types of running information. This app gives you instant access to the Utah Running Race calendar, their blog, their Twitter Updates and more.
  • NikeWomen Training
    Compatibility: Compatible with iPhone and iPod touch.
    Requires iPhone OS 2.2.1 or later.
    This may be a shocking revelation, but men and women have different physical fitness needs. Yet, among the plethora of fitness applications available on the iPhone, few include workouts designed for women. The free NikeWomen Training Club application attempts to fill this void with a variety of exercise routines for women.
  • Fitness Pro
    Compatibility: Compatible with iPhone and iPod touch (2nd generation).
    Requires iPhone OS 3.0 or later.
    Fitness Pro is an iPhone and iPod Touch application with a massive exercise library.
    Clean pictures and a right to the point descriptions, gives you the detailed reference you need in the gym!
    Plan your own Fitness workout or just search the library for new powerful training ideas.
  • Running Log Free 3.0
    Compatibility: Compatible with iPhone and iPod touch.
    Requires iPhone OS 3.0 or later.
    Record your workouts and rest days with RUNNING LOG, and see your history and trends on the visual calendar and summary.
    To log a run, touch any calendar day. Then record:
    * distance (km/mi)
    * duration
    * effort level
    * type of run (cross country, intervals, race, etc. – choose from 15!)
    * route name
    * group runs
    * rest days
    * freeform notes
    Associated icons appear on the calendar to give you a clear picture of your workout trends. View weekly or monthly totals below the calendar.
    A summary screen provides statistics for the current month and grand total, including distance, duration and pace totals and averages. The summary screen also displays a scrollable list of all notes and data entered to date.
    Whether you’re a pro or a casual runner, RUNNING LOG is an invaluable tool to help you stick to your goals and track your progress.
    Some benefits of using Running Log:
    * Make yourself accountable for each day
    * See changes and improvements over time
    * Share your success and strategies with others
    * Better understand trends that may lead to injury
    * Motivate yourself to improve your fitness
  • iMapMyFitness
    Compatibility: Compatible with iPhone.
    Requires iPhone OS 3.0 or later.
    The new iMapMyFitness makes tracking your outdoor fitness activities and adventures easy
    iMapMyFitness uses the built-in GPS technology of your iPhone 3G to enable you to track your outdoor fitness activities and gets you closer to achieving your health and fitness goals. Step out your front door, hit the road or trail, and this app will effortlessly mark out your path along an interactive map and record essential metrics including duration, distance, pace, speed and elevation. Once you finish your workout, save your data and it automatically uploads to MapMyFitness.com where you can view your route, workout data, and a comprehensive workout history. Plus, the new iMapMyFitness gives you the ability to easily share your workout data with friends and family via email and Twitter.
    The new iMapMyFitness boasts all of these great features:
    • Real-time tracking that measures and displays time, distance, pace, speed and elevation
    • An interactive map that lets you view your current location and exactly where you have traveled along your route
    • Synchronization with your online Training Log on iMapMyFitness.com
    • Manual entry of workout data directly from the app so you can easily record your indoor activities like gym workouts and cardio sessions on the treadmill
    • Twitter integration that enables you to tweet your workout data to friends and family
    • Voice Feedback detailing distance, pace, or speed information. Get your run data in real-time through your headphones

OK! So now you have all of the awesome apps you need to reach success and the finish line!

Also make sure to check out my other posts for training!

What NOT to do when training for a marathon!

Fun new workouts that are actually really old!

Do you have any tips for me while I train for the marathon? Do you want to join us at the marathon?

You can hit me up on Twitter and on Facebook and go here if you want to attend the marathon with the 8th Continent Soymilk Crew and Child SHARE!

Fitness

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Feb 17

Start Your Training for the LA Marathon!

So most of you have seen the pics I have posted on Facebook and Twitter of myself rosy cheeked, bundled up, and sweating- proving that woman don’t necessarily just glow. I am officially training for the LA Marathon! Usually, you would need to give yourself around 6 months to train for a marathon. However, I don’t have time for that! But don’t worry, I will be walking the 26 mile marathon with the good people over at Child S.H.A.R.E. So not only will I have company, but I will have an excuse to not try to run the entire way.  (thank goodness)

Before we start going over tips on what to do…

I think it is just as important to go over things you should NOT do! So many beginners make so many of the same mistakes when they first start out!

My friends over at Runner’s World helped me out with this amazing list!

Mistake: Too fast, too soon
“Most first-time racers go out too fast and are miserable by the second mile,” says women’s running coach Jane Serues. Even veteran runners get caught up in the race-day enthusiasm–and other faster racers.

Easy Fix:
“Start out at a comfortable pace,” says Serues, “a pace where you’re not killing yourself and can still converse with deep breaths in between sentences. No huffing and puffing.” Then try to run each mile just a little bit faster, so that your last mile is the fastest. “A strong finish leaves a better taste in your mouth than a great first mile with a cross-eyed finish,” says Chris Carmichael of Carmichael Training Systems.

Mistake: Too much food
RW columnist Jeff Galloway says many first-timers eat too much before a race, particularly the night before. Carmichael agrees. “You don’t need to carbo-load for a 5-K,” he says. Most people have enough stored energy in their bodies to run a 5-K without taking in any additional calories.

Easy Fix:
“Eat less than normal before the race,” says Serues. Try small meals the day before, and something as simple as a banana and a glass of skim milk on race morning. “The key is choosing something easy to digest,” says Serues. “Not ham and eggs, which your body has to work hard to break down.”

Mistake: Too little warmup/cooldown
Your body needs to warm up properly before it can run well at the higher intensity required to race a 5-K. And a postrace cooldown helps you recover more quickly so that you’ll feel better the day after the race.

Easy Fix:
Include a 15-minute warmup before the race, and a 15-minute cooldown afterward, says Carmichael. For both, mix walking and jogging to help ease into and out of your race pace.

Want to come join me and the rest of the 8th Continent Crew at the Marathon? DO IT!

Make sure to keep tuning in for more tips and updates to get you to that finish line.

Fitness

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