week 6 and new gear!

Here I am at crunch time & feeling pumped, each run from here on forward I'm striving to do better.  This past Monday was Labor Day and I'll be honest I just wanted to relax and sleep in, but I got up at 5am, ate breakfast and made my way out the door for a 7mi run - it felt awesome and I was on a runner's high for most of the day until I crashed and needed a catnap to recharge.

Tuesday brought me NTC 45 min Intermediate Get Toned Competitor  workout loaded with pulse lunges and froggers - oi! Hamstrings and quads did not like me at all that day.

Wednesday was a 3 mile tempo run.  I didn't fair too well as I read the weather wrong and was not prepared for the sticky humidity in the morning. I finished the run and there was no runner's high - I was exhausted! 

 The one thing that kept me going was the reward of chocolate soy milk :P  

Yesterday also rewarded me with box 3 of goodies from Nike Women! 

NIKE LUNARGLIDE+ 4 (fuschia)  - I've yet to try them - Friday I have a 4mi run so I'll be sure to review.  I am hearing amazing things about this runner, so I'm excited to give them a spin!

NIKE LUNARFLY+ 3 (to replace the current ones I own)

NIKE SPEED LONG-SLEEVE  - loving the laser-cut thumbholes for additional coverage around the hands, this will be key depending on the weather in San Francisco 

NIKE PRO HYPERCOOL BRA - I now have a complete rainbow of bras - woot!

NIKE RELAY tank top

NIKE RELAY PRINT capris - the print is kinda funky, but I'm sure I won't mind when the cooler weather arrives

NIKE TECH capris

The new compression gear will definitely help me on my long runs and prevent chaffing. I was sweating like a beast those days and started chaffing on my underarms. I'm new to long distance running, so it's good I am going through the trial and error phase now instead of on the day of the marathon.

Today brings me another NTC workout -  Intermediate 30 min Get Strong Perfect Score. Squats, jumps squats and core are the main focus.  Wish me luck :)

Tomorrow is a 4 mile run, followed by a 9 mile on Saturday and Sunday REST...

Total miles this week = 23miles.

Lunges, you know you love 'em!

"It burns so good!" I keep telling myself as I do these on my cross training days with the NTC APP. I used to dread doing them, but incorporating them w/my marathon training as helped a lot.  Lunges are a great way to boost your muscle and your speed.  The faster you run, the greater the range of motion in your stride, and the more you’ll rely on your glutes, hamstrings, and hip flexors.

Lunges are also practical because you can do them just about anywhere, and you can easily modify the lunge to suit your needs. You can add weights, perform more reps, increase the width of the lunge, or use a bench or declined surface to add variability to your practice.

Here are some lunge workouts that I do during my training.

Around The World Lunges

(love that it targets all key areas)

Alternating Forward Lunge to Shoulder Press

(def feel this one the next day ;) Gets quads toned and sculpts shoulders)

If you run, I highly encourage you to add lunges to your fitness routine. I would start with two sets of 10 lunges per leg. They are also a great conditioning exercise for downhill skiing, (ice/roller) skating and cross country. Yep, I think the everyone in the world could benefit from lunges!

First things first! It is always important to consult your physician before starting an exercise program. This is particularly true if any of the following apply to your current medical condition:

• chest pain or pain in the neck and/or arm
• shortness of breath
• a diagnosed heart condition
• joint and/or bone problems
• currently taking cardiac and/or blood pressure medications
• have not previously been physically active
• dizziness

If none of these apply to you, start gradually and sensibly. However, if you feel any of the physical symptoms listed above when you start your exercise program, contact your physician right away.

Where I'm at with 2 months to go...

I can't believe there is just 2 months to go until the Nike Women's Marathon! I will be among 25,000 participants ( the largest woman's marathon in the world).  From running on behalf of a loved one,  overcoming fears, taking on a new challenge or setting a new PR,  one thing we will all have in common is finding our own greatness and running for a great cause -  The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, funding blood cancer research education and patient services.

These past 2 weeks had me entering the double digit miles on my Saturday long runs.  Unfortunately though, the weather hasn't been so kind with on and off thunder storms, so I had to break up the 10 mile runs indoors on the treadmill - YUCK! Fortunately this Saturday looks promising with mild temps and clear skies :)

The long runs at first seemed daunting, but I've been able to break them up mentally ie) 1mi warm up, then two 4mi segments, then a 1mi cool down. 

I've also been running on various types of terrain from trails, sand and side-streets.  My cross training days have helped out a lot as well, lots of pulsing lunges and core workouts, making my body more efficient and stronger at running.

Here is a link of the route for the 1/2 marathon: Nike Women's half marathon map

The race will kick off in downtown San Francisco at Union Square and head through the financial district past the famous TransAmerica Building. It will then proceed along San Francisco Bay past Fisherman's Wharf, Aquatic Park, Ghirardelli Square, Fort Mason, and Marina Green while revealing breathtaking views of Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge. (def taking pictures :P)  The course then weaves through the Presidio and Sea Cliffs districts out to the Great Highway, through Golden Gate Park, and south toward Lake Merced, finishing just north of the Great Highway along the Pacific Ocean.

Just 2 months and I'll see 13.1, miles of beautiful San Francisco scenery flashing by, awesome spectators cheering for us at every mile, the famous chocolate mile where Ghiradelli chocolate is given freely to all runners, and that iconic little blue Tiffany's box containing the  finishers necklace handed to us on a silver platter by tuxedo clad firemen at the finish line.  And of course finally meeting the  #sistersinnike whom I've been training with via twitter  (residing from Alberta, Montana and California)  - we've been keeping each other in check over the past few months.  

This will def go down in my books as one of the most rewarding experience of my 20's!

Tempo Run

Yesterday as part of my training schedule I saw I had a 3mi tempo run to do today.  A tempo run you say??...hmm should I be trying to run at a similar tempo to the tunes blasting out from my playlist?
Again I'm still a bit of newbie to all these running terms.

Thank goodness for Google and twitter for saving me from the embarrassment of attempting a running dance along the boardwalk. :P

Tempo runs are similar to high-intensity intervals, but with this strategy you don't sprint as fast as you can. Instead, you hold at a fast (but not too fast) pace for a longer time period, like 10 minutes, before slowing down. This helps you get past your running threshold. I've been running several times a week, and noticed I've been slowing down and my endurance waning, esp on my long runs Saturdays. Why is this happening?

Your body eventually acclimates to a particular pace and/or distance. So overtime, you won’t get what you used to out of that regular 5-miler every other day. Stagnation sets in. Active.com

Tempo runs help push out your lactate threshold (that burn you feel in your legs when you run fast). Tempo workouts teach your body to more quickly clear out the lactate buildup delaying or preventing that fatigue-causing burn. The goal of this type of practice run is to improve your race pace and help improve your overall efficiency.


So how did I do?

MILE	TIME	CHANGE	AVG PACE
1	11:06	--	11'06"/mi warm-up
2 *Fastest	20:08	- 2:04 (18%)	9'02"/mi tempo run
3	30:53	+ 1:42 (-19%)	10'45"/mi cool down

13 weeks to 13.1mi - 13 tips I've learned along the way

There are 13 weeks left until the NWM2012 - time is flying by so fast o_O


I've picked up a lot of tips/advice and learned from my own mistakes during my training, so I thought I'd share 13.1 of my favs.  These are can also be applied to other forms of sport/workouts.


BEAT THE HEAT

• hydrate! hydrate! hydrate!
On training days, make sure you’re taking in extra fluids before, during and after to keep from getting thirsty and dehydrated
• listen to your body
  When training/running gets sweaty and tough, take a walk break (try some run/walk intervals) or hit a Savasana. Know when to push through a mentally tough part of your run and know when to pack it in.
• sunscreen!!!Wear sunscreen – ‘nuff said

SMOOTHIES FOR 13 MILES

• Crunchy Coffee Fix - soooo yummy

• Mango-Coconut Water Smoothie  

  2 cups ripe mango chunks (from 1 to 2 mangoes) 

  2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice 

  2 cups unsweetened coconut water 
  Pinch of cayenne powder (key) ;)
  
  Combine all ingredients in a blender; blend until smooth. 

RUN MANTRAS

• run with your heart not with your legs 
• you’ve done harder things than this before…
• You’ve made it this far, only (insert distance left) left!
• Dig for that extra inch. Take the best you can do, and do better.

GEAR & GADGETS

• Nike Cheyenne Vapor Backpack
  This is a great bag, just what I need for my long runs, hiking and navigating the city. Big enough bag to carry all your necesities.

• Nike LunarFly+ 3  comfortable and nice fit 

• Nike+GPS app Nike has put together a very polished app that allows you to get accurate readouts for speed, distance, GPS mapping and listen to music. Voice alerts during your run give you the vital stats such as time, distance and pace, and post-run entreaties for you to go faster, longer, and further really do work. There's also a social aspect, where you and your friends can have friendly competitions, trash-talk each other into a fitter,and better lifestyle.  Post run you can sync you run onto Nike+ and see beautiful graphs of your run splits and see how you compare with fellow runners in the NIke community.  

• Nike Filament Capris  stays in place, does not bunch, and are very breathable. Back pocket is perfect for a house key!

Lastly, JUST DO IT! as Nike encourages us to do...get up and get moving!  Whether it's for a charitable cause, competition or just for yourself, your body will thank you.  You will reap the rewards by becoming healthier, stronger and confident because you achieved a goal.  

Reaching a new goal and a mini review on the Nike+FuelBand

I still can’t believe I will be running the Nike Women's marathon in October.  I’m nervous, but so excited! I've never ran more than 5K, so running 13.1 miles is going to be quite an accomplishment for me!
Like most beginner runners, I started out running only a mile or two at a time and it was tough! I got side stitches, took walking breaks, and experienced plenty of frustration. Running long distances is not easy! But I've been keeping with the schedule Nike Women have customized for me and pushing myself to run farther each time I go out for a run.  Today I ran my farthest at 8 miles!  It was tough towards the end with the heat already hitting 31 at 8am, but I kept repeating my favorite running mantra in my head to motivate me. “Success isn’t how far you got, but the distance you traveled from where you started.” It always helps get me through the hard parts.

Most of the time, running is more mental than physical for me. 

Another motivating factor, this Thursday NikeWomen sent me a second care package full of training gear and the cherry on the top if you will a Nike+FuelBand - The idea behind the fuelband is simple, to measure, track and compare your athletic and normal activity over days, weeks and months. Keeps track of four metrics: time, calories, steps and NikeFuel, which Nike describes as “the ultimate measure of your athletic activity.” Not only that, but it doubles as a futuristic-looking watch, all at the click of just one button.  It's definitely a neat gadget to help get you off the couch and become more active.  Unfortunately it's not available in Canada until fall, so most of you reading will have to wait to grab on of these.

Today I set my goal at 5000 and as you can see, I'm almost at my target well before midnight when it resets.

Here's what I ran in this morning (1 of 3 outfits that were sent)

With or Without Music?

For me BOTH.

With:

Running with music not only keeps me company on runs, but helps me to escape my head, keep pace & motivation steady and fall in love with old tracks all over again.  I love to have music act as “white noise” while I melt into my run. 

Without:

Then of course there are days when I have a lot on my mind or life gets too noisy, so when I run, I choose to do so sans music.  I enjoy hearing the subtle sounds of my feet hitting the pavement, my heart beating in my chest,  my breath steadily inhaling and exhaling.  You really appreciate the sound of your body working hard to keep you going... breathing never sounded so good and also to be alone with your thoughts. 

What do you prefer?  

Gotta build that stamina...

Where I'm At...

Most of you by now have seen my FB/twitter updates/posts of my runs every week. The NIKE+GPS app allows me to hear real-time cheers for each "like" or comment and it really does help me to keep running :D Thanks guys! 

I am still slowly building my running time and it gets easier each time I go out. My last run was 6mi just shy of 1 hr!  I am taking it slow and gradually building up my time and then will work on my speed.  As I've stated in previous posts, upon learning I was invited to run the NWM2012 in San Francisco, I tried to do too much, go too fast and became discouraged. I have talked with a few people and this seems to be a common mistake. 

I am also running more up the hills around the neighbourhood (On Bellamy Rd between Lawrence & Eglinton - I run up and down 4x each way) This will be key, especially running in hilly San Francisco.  

A huge s/o to my fiance Justin for getting me up there! He makes sure I have my water nice and chilled for Saturday morning long runs and my CLIF bar for energy. He'll also be waiting at the top of the hill ready to spray me with water haha!

The heat wave we've been having hasn't helped much either, as early I try to get out there it's already hitting 25-27 degrees with humidity feeling like 30 degrees by 8am!  HYDRATE! HYDRATE! 

Anyways, that's where I'm at in my journey to the NWM2012 . 

Currently running in Lunarfly+3 - great support & bounce back feel.

EXERCISING ALONE OR WITH OTHERS?

Exercising with a buddy definitely has its perks, but when it comes to most of my workouts, I prefer to exercise alone.  Here are some of my reasons I find it’s better to sweat it out solo.

• You can work out whenever you want and when it best fits your schedule. Plus you never have to deal with someone being late.

• You can skip the chitchat and focus on your breathing and inner thoughts. It's a great time to make mental to-do lists, brainstorm, or daydream about weekend plans. Going solo means it's really "me" time.

• The type and intensity of the workout is up to you, whether you feel like going for a run in your neighborhood, doing a HIIT class, or following a gentle yoga video.

• You can stuff your ears with headphones and rock out to that new cardio playlist you made.

• It's easier to stick to training schedules or goals since there's no one else's agenda to support but your own.

• If you're under the weather and don't feel like getting your sweat on, no one will give you lip for it.

Do you agree or disagree? do you prefer working out solo or with a buddy?

The Ultimate Runner’s Guide (Infographic)

More Health and Fitness News & Tips at Greatist.

Clif Energy Bars review

I have learned many things during my marathon training, and one of the things I learned early on is that along with eating the right amount of calories, I also needed to eat the right amount of fats, carbs and protein too. 

I recently bought these from Whole Foods and they ROCK!  They are great before and after a long workout, the only downside being they do leave you feeling a bit thirsty afterwards.

I ate the chocolate chip version an hour before my 4mi run and noticed a BIG differance in energy.  I ran my fastest 5K just shy of 27 min.  It also gave me energy for my 6.6K trail walk the same day.

No matter what type of workouts you do, it's important to be properly fueled. I'm glad I found CLIF energy bars . So far the chocolate chip and almond fudge taste great, and they all offer amazing benefits that will help you get through, or recover from your most intense workouts.

Nike Free TR Fit 2 Women's Training Shoes

Short and sweet review of the Nike Free TR Fit 2 training shoes.
Pros: high performance, lightweight, good arch support, comfortable, good cushioning, breathable and most important ultimate FLEXIBILITY. 
These trainers are a MUST for any workout whether it be spinning, kickboxing, boot camp, to Pilates. I've done plenty of plyometrics and Nike Training Club workouts in them and I haven't had sore feet or ankles afterwards. As an added plus they look CUTE with jeans!

Show Your Running Feet Some Love = Happy Feet

Since increasing the amount time I run a few months ago, my feet have taken quite the beating with all the repetitive pounding, sweating, and muscle exertion.  Desperate for relief I did some research online and also seeked long time runners advice what they do.

   

• Grab a tennis ball: Sit or stand and place the ball under the arch of your foot, roll it along your arch, and shift to whatever part of your foot needs attention. I was surprised at how sore my feet really were. 
• Trim your toenails: Long toenails can rub against the inside of your shoe making it painful to run. When giving yourself a pedicure, cut or file nails straight (rounded nails can cause ingrown nails)
  
•  Exfoliate dry skin: Prevent heel fissures by exfoliating your feet using bath gloves or a pumice stone. Moisturize often to keep the skin moist.
• Stretch: To prevent injury and ease soreness, stretching after a run is essential.  
• Ease inflammation: If feet are swollen after a run, here's a trick I recently learned. Fill a water bottle halfway with ice cubes and fill the rest with cold water. Place the bottle on a towel to collect condensation and rest the arch of your bare foot on the middle of the bottle. Rock your foot forward and back, rolling the bottle underneath. Apply as much pressure as you want, continuing for a few minutes.  Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...

Happy feet will give back and make your runs more comfortable :)

Christmas in Spring! NWM2012 gear arrives...

This past Friday I came home from a long day at work to find a box from Nike Women at the door, I started clapping my hands in glee and proceeded to open.

Inside was the Nike Cheyenne Vapor Running Backpack. I was so focused on this very stylish bag, inspecting it, checking out the straps and reading the tag w/all the bags features, when I finally got to opening it I was in total shock!

Inside was packed nicely with Nike running gear to help with my training for the NWM2012!  I was like a little girl at Christmas, pulling out one by one all the cool gear.  I couldn't believe all that was inside the bag and fit comfortably. This backpack is AMAZING! I suggest every gym nut or runner grab one of these bags esp if you commute in the city like me via transit/subway.  Your back & shoulders will thank you, trust!

Anyways on to the gear, I tried them all almost immediately and they fit like a glove. The following Sunday morning, I took the Nike Tempo Track shorts , Nike Pro Victory Compresion bra ( which I already own 2 - LOVE this line, it's snug & comfortable esp great for cardio ), Nike Miler running shirt, Nike Lightweight Low Cut Tab socks and the Nike Lunarfly+ 3 runners out for a spin.  It was a hot & humid 29 degrees morning , but the gear helped keep me cool & dry and I sweat A LOT.  I was able to push through and keep running.  I did suffer a bit of heat exhaustion, my own fault for not hydrating more frequently - I'll be posting about the importance of that later.

NIKE LUNARFLY+ 3

During my 4.02mi run, my feet were comfortable and never hurt or tire. They also had a "bounce" back feeling as a I ran and offered great support.  I am so excited to go running again today!!

HAPPY NATIONAL RUNNING DAY!

Here are 2 techniques to challenge your run:

1. Intervals -  Running at a consistent pace is great for longer training runs, but make workouts more intense by doing intervals. By alternating between running a few minutes at a moderate pace and throwing in bursts at a quicker pace (or even sprinting), you'll burn more calories, build endurance, and become a faster, stronger runner. Not to mention, intervals have also been proven to fight belly fat. I've recently started adding these to my routine outside, it's fun! Pick a post, mailbox or any object and sprint towards it.
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. Hills - I'm doing the NWM2012 in San Francisco and the first thing I thought was "gaaaaah HILLS!" Hills are intimidating, but they really do make us better runners. What doesn't kill us makes us stronger, right?   Doing hill work on inclines also targets your thighs, calves, and booty ;) Who doesn't want a tight tush?! I do! I do!

It's so easy to get caught doing the same ol' thing everyday - but changing it up will increase fat burn and strengthening.