MadMayo Running Club » Training Tips

Slow and Steady Wins the Race (of Life)

Iris — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 13:18:06 +0000

The nice thing about running is that there’s a pace for everyone. News & Record writer Margaret Moffett Banks talks about accepting hers:

“When you spend a lot of time working on fitness, it’s easy to become a Type A Exerciser: Obsessed with performance. Constantly striving to improve. Always comparing yourself to others. Never stopping to enjoy the moment, or appreciate the positive benefits the activities can bring.

“I don’t want to live like that, dude.”

It can be tough for beginning runners—and not-so-beginning runners—to keep a healthy perspective about their pace. After all, every race we enter is timed and awards are given for speed. Heck, usually by the time many of the slower runners cross the finish line, the post-run snacks have been reduced to peels and crumbs and the awards ceremony is well underway. Maintaining an upbeat attitude in those circumstances should garner a medal—or at least an intact banana!

Remember: It’s not about anyone else’s run but yours. Walking isn’t a crime. And crossing the finish line, whether you’re first or last, or whether the finish line is at the end of a 5K or the end of your block, is your only goal. No, check that—your only goal is to keep moving and HAVE FUN!

Have fun at the next MadMayo Running Club Run/Walk Meetup: Saturday, June 19, 9:00–10:00 a.m., Chinqua-Penn Walking Trail. Shop at the Rockingham County Farmers’ Market afterward! Scenic 1.68-mile smooth dirt/gravel loop. Kids, leashed dogs welcome. BYO drinks/snacks.

S2H Replay Review: Replacement Works Great

Iris — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 23:20:19 +0000

UPDATE 4/24: The nice folks at S2H replaced my Replay in lightning speed and spotted me an hour for the time I lost from the wonky watch. Thanks! The new one works like a champ—keeps great time and logs all of my activity. I’m up to 30 hours of activity as of today, and filling those bars is as motivating as ever. I used the replacement for a couple of weeks before re-reviewing, and I feel confident enough about both the watch and—maybe more important—the excellent customer service I received from S2H to recommend it as a motivating workout buddy. Verdict: Thumbs Up!

DIY Natural Sports Drinks

Iris — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 00:33:08 +0000

Here at MMRC HQ, we’re always on the prowl for cheaper, healthier ways to fuel up before, during, and after our runs. We generally eschew chemical-laden bars, chews, and beverages, but there aren’t many good alternatives on the market—and they’re rarely on the shelves in our corner of the world! These easy recipes from Canyon Ranch for all-natural sport drinks feature super-healthy tart cherry juice (which reduces inflammation in arteries and tired muscles) and current food craze coconut water. Both drinks are high in healthy carbs and potassium, and include sea salt to replenish your sodium, but have no artificial blechy stuff. Bon appetit!

S2H Replay Watch Review Update

Iris — Sun, 04 Apr 2010 13:35:20 +0000

UPDATE 4/24: The nice folks at S2H replaced my Replay in lightning speed and spotted me an hour for the time I lost from the wonky watch. Thanks! The new one works like a champ—keeps great time and logs all of my activity. I’m up to 30 hours as of today and still moving. I used the replacement a couple of weeks before re-reviewing, and I feel confident enough about both the watch and—maybe more important—the excellent customer service I received from S2H to recommend it as a motivating workout buddy. Verdict: Thumbs Up!

REVIEW UPDATE 4/4: Since my first review of the S2H Replay watch, I’ve logged 17 hours of activity for a total of 1,020 points. Great, I know, but… I’ve requested a replacement watch because this one is wonky. As a watch, it loses about 30 minutes a week. Also, it frowns at me even when I’m running my guts out! Over the past couple of days, for instance, I logged more than two hours of running, run/walking, and vigorous hiking. The Replay, however, clearly isn’t satisfied with my efforts and registers less than six minutes of activity! Stay tuned for reviews post-Replay replacement.

Coach Jenny: Make Friends with Hills

Iris — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 15:18:28 +0000

Jenny Hadfield is one of our favorite running coaches. She’s particularly motivating and helpful to beginning runners (she is, after all, married to John “the Penguin” Bingham). Living in the Piedmont (literally “the foot of the mountain”), we know from hills. They ain’t easy, but they make us formidable foes on race day against a field of flatlanders. In this video, Coach Jenny helps us makes friends with the hills and use them to train effectively both for everyday fitness and race day.

[Via Globe and Mail]

Would a Wii Motivate You?

Iris — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 12:23:42 +0000

Sticking with a training plan isn’t easy. I play all kinds of games with myself to get moving: “If I run two miles, I can enjoy this Pepsi.” “If I run two miles, my ‘thin pants’ will fit.” A couple weeks ago, I found new motivation while editing newsletters for iVillage: the Switch2Health Replay watch. It records when I’m active, kind of like a pedometer. After 60 minutes of vigorous activity, the watch gives me a code that I enter into my profile at the S2H website. An hour of activity equals 60 points, which can be redeemed for stuff like DVDs, gift cards, even a Wii or a Playstation 3. Note: The downside for long-run days is that you can enter only one code per day.

Honestly, at first I thought this watch was kind of funny, but the siren song of a Wii called out to me, so I bought one (and a low-key gray replacement band). So far I’ve logged five hours of activity, and I actually run an extra block or two when I’m close to earning my code—motivating! My goal is to keep moving until I earn a Wii (125 activity hours), at which point I might never leave the house again.

Treading, Not Dreading, the Trails

Barefoot Josh — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 21:30:15 +0000

Photo by Shannon Johnstone/ShannonJohnstone.com

I’m tired of winter already. It doesn’t help that it’s been colder than usual, and I’ve been letting my foot repair itself from MistleTOEgate. But there’s something about the general bleakness that makes me impatient for spring to arrive. To cope, I’m walking the dogs at Farris Park. And reading the funny trail run recaps on Running Down.

Few running experiences can top a really good trail run. Few things in life are as grueling as a bad trail run. How can a runner influence the whims of fate in his/her favor?

I’m probably not the best person to give advice on the topic; however, that won’t stop me from sharing my thoughts—so long as you don’t hold me liable.

1. Practice lifting your feet higher. I think that advice is applicable on the roads, too, but it’s especially important if you want to avoid tripping on roots and rocks (only if you want to; to each his/her own).

2. Practice lifting your feet faster and lighter. A heavier step = a heavier fall if you slip.

3. Walk if the terrain is frightening. Or don’t—maybe it’ll do you good to face your fears. Who am I to tell you how to live your life?

4. Make a trip/fall look like part of a dance routine. Actually, you probably shouldn’t do that. Me, I can’t help myself. But it won’t hurt to say “Ta-da!” even if nobody is around to see your rendition of the Roots and Rocks Rumba.

5. Make a vocal exclamation, such as “Woot!” or, my favorite, “Karate, Chop!” from time to time. You’re running like a crazy person in the woods, for crying out loud. A few centuries ago you’d be accused of being a witch or something and burned at the stake. Act like it.

6. But still be polite and civilized. It’s not all about you.

7. Chase the rabbits and squirrels, and try to catch them before they run off the trail. It’s a general policy with trail races to subtract 15 seconds from your race time for every creature you carry across the finish line.

8. Mind the vultures.

9. And the owls.

10. Relax. Stress is exhausting.

Well, there you go. That’s all you need to know about trail running. Now, go out there and get you some rabbits!

Cold-Weather Running Tips for Delicate Southerners

MMRC — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 20:31:53 +0000

Listen up, you delicate Southern belles: This arctic blast that refuses to go away doesn’t mean you have to stop running outside—but you do need to change up your running habits a little. Seriously, don’t just blast out the door and start leaping all gazelle-like when the thermometer’s barely hitting 30 at noon. First, check out Jeff Galloway’s advice for running in winter. He also debunks four cold-weather myths, leaving you even fewer excuses for stapling yourself to the couch and stockpiling DingDongs in your Snuggie. Not that we think that’s a bad way to pass a winter or anything.

The Early Runner Gets the… Less Effective Workout?

MMRC — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 21:43:10 +0000

You know those early bird runners lapping the town at the crack of the crack? Yeah, those people. Well, our bright-eyed pre-coffee pals may think they’re getting a better workout, but according to researchers at Liverpool John Moores University in England, “not only are performances better in the late afternoon and early evening, but, contrary to what exercise physiologists would predict, heart rates are also higher for the same effort.”

What’s more, you might feel like you’re kicking butt in the a.m., but you can’t always trust your perception: “Most components (strength, power, speed) of athletic performance are worst in the early hours of the morning. Ratings of perceived exertion during exercise have generally been found to be highest in the early morning.”

So go ahead and pull up those covers guilt-free. We’ll see you out there… later. [Via]

Need Help With Training? Check Out These Sites

MMRC — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 14:43:50 +0000

Furman Method
Popular FIRST training programs, used by MMRC member Dena to run the Chicago Marathon fast enough to qualify for Boston!

Lydiard Method (Marathon)
Old-school, lots and lots of miles. MMRC member Barefoot Josh is following this one for the Blue Ridge Marathon.

Off n’ Running
A nice mix of training plans for everyone, from beginners to experienced runners (and from a great group, by the way).

Gordon Pirie’s Running Fast and Injury Free
“Running with correct technique (even in prepared bare feet), on any surface, is injury free.”

Just starting out? Here are some good sites for you:
Cool Running Couch to 5K
Start your running adventure here! MMRC member (and beginning trotter) Iris used this to run her first 5K—the Eden Riverfest 5K.

Amby Burfoot 8-Week Beginner Program
Amby Burfoot of Runner’s World offers another comprehensive beginner program.

Galloway RUN-WALK-RUN™ Method
Good for beginners or runners recovering from injuries, Galloway’s system includes low mileage, three-day training plans.

Who needs shoes, anyway?
How to Run Barefoot
From the barefoot-running guru himself, Barefoot Ken Bob Saxton.