Monthly Archives: May 2011

May 27, 2011 · 7:15 AM

When You Must Run in the Dark

A few years ago, a childhood friend of mine was running very early in the morning, before the sun had come up. She was running at a park in San Francisco when she was hit by a car. The car fled the scene and my friend was left in a ditch by the side of the road unconscious for hours before she was found. Unfortunately it was too late to save her and she died shortly after. What’s more, she had no identification on her, so she was Jane Doe for hours in the hospital while her family had no idea what had happened. The only way the authorities were finally able to identify her was through her ipod – Apple was able to look up who it was registered to.

I’m not telling you this story to make you paranoid, but rather to get the point across of how important it is to take extra safety precautions when running in the dark. Sometimes we have no choice – especially during the winter when it is dark late into the morning and early into the night – but to run in the dark. No matter if you are an early morning runner or evening runner, if you are running in the dark, there are some extra safety precautions you should take.

1. Wear light colors and reflective clothing. Good colors to wear at night are white, orange, or yellow. It’s also a good idea to invest in reflective gear, such as a vest. Some items such as running shoes and jackets come with reflective pieces on them, but you can never wear too much! I would also recommend running with a headlamp. This not only helps other people see you, but it helps you see where you are going.

2. Leave your ipod at home. If you must listen to music, turn it down very low so that you can hear cars, cyclists, dogs, or people approaching you.

3. Always carry ID. If you don’t want to carry your driver’s license with you, a good investment is a Road ID tag. Simply attach it to your shoe and you don’t have to even think about it – it’s already there for every run.

4. Run with a friend. Sadly, women have to be a bit more concerned about safety, and there is safety in numbers. Get a group of women together to run with, or find a local running group in your area to join. If you must run alone, tell someone the route you are running and approximately how long you will be gone.

5. Run someplace well-populated or well-lit. A college or high school track is a good option because it is usually lit at night and may have security officers patrolling the campus.

6. Avoid busy roads and those with no shoulders or sidewalks. If you are running on a road, make sure you always stay on the sidewalk. If there is no sidewalk, find another street to run on that does have one. Also, if you are running on a road, run against traffic. It is easier to avoid cars if you can see them coming.

7. Consider varying your running routes and times. Potential attackers can study runner’s routines and loom in a particularly dark or isolated area. Don’t make yourself an easy target.

8. Carry a cell phone in case you need to contact the police.

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Filed under Finding Time to Run, ipod, Marathon Training, Running with Friends, Safety, Women's Running

May 25, 2011 · 7:07 AM

Minimalist Shoes

I’ve had a request to write a post about minimalist shoes. While I cannot speak about any particular brand or model, especially since it seems there are new ones coming out every week, I will speak about the movement and practice in general. I cannot make any specific recommendations about shoes for an individual – specialty running stores are the best place for that – but this is a topic that is huge in the running community right now and does warrant a discussion.

First of all, what exactly are minimalist shoes and why are they suddenly becoming so popular? Minimalist shoes, such as Vibram FiveFingers, the New Balance Minimus, and the Nike Free, to name a few, have come around in response to the barefoot running craze. Minimalist shoes are shoes that generally provide little to no arch support, stability, or heavy cushioning like the running shoes we are all familiar with. They are for runners who want the barefoot running experience, but also want some form of protection on their feet. In order to be considered a minimalist shoe, there are generally 4 factors that are most critical: 1. It is lightweight (usually less than 10 ounces). 2. It does not have a lot of structure to the upper. One layer of fabric sufficient to hold it to your foot is all that is needed. 3. It should not have a thick, heavily cushioned heel. 4. It should be as flexible as possible to let the foot move and flex naturally.

Any pair of the newer minimalist models is going to set you back around $100. Why are we paying more money for less shoe? Because the shoe companies know that there is a demand and that people will pay it. There is a cheaper option, however. Traditional racing flat are the original minimalist shoe and usually cost less than $60. That is, until the shoe companies feel that they can charge twice as much for these, too. Racing flats meet all of the requirements for a minimalist shoe that I listed above, so if you are thinking of giving minimalist shoes a try, why not start with a cheaper option?

The most important thing to keep in mind if you are considering incorporating minimalist shoes into your training – or transitioning to them altogether – is to do so very gradually. If you have been running in a stability shoe, for example, for the past 5 years and suddenly switch to a minimalist shoe, you are guaranteed to get injured. You must treat running in minimalist shoes as if you were running barefoot – all of the same rules apply. I discussed it briefly in a previous post here.

I also recently came across an iphone app created for Merrell in a marketing attempt to sell their line of minimalist shoes. The app is called Go Barefoot and I actually think it is a genius idea for anyone who wants to take the leap into barefoot or minimalist running but doesn’t know how to get started. It appears to guide you through 4 stages of training, helping you make the transition gradually, along with providing tips and videos on form and training instructions. I haven’t tried it and the reviews online are very mixed, but it is free, so it might be worth exploring.

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Filed under Barefoot Running, Minimalist Running, Running shoes, Vibram FiveFingers

May 23, 2011 · 2:23 PM

Melissa’s Update, Week 7

Today’s post comes from our guest blogger, Melissa. Below, in her own words, is an update on week 7 of training with Ashley. 

Ahhhhh – dare I say I’m back?!?!?!  So I’m not a religious person by any means but you know that idyllic picture of the gates of Heaven opening with a beautiful light streaming through?  THAT folks is how it feels when a mama gets past a certain postpartum stage and starts to feel human again!  Ahh – it’s glorious – not just from a running stand point but just energy in general, joint pain, extreme fatigue, you name it – last week was truly a beautiful sight for sore eyes (and knees and ankles and…).  It also happened to be my birthday week (yes “week”  – a day is simply not long enough to milk it with the hubs!).  So now I’m viewing 34 as much better than 33 already!   Like a fine wine – this mama plans to only get better with age!

While I avoided traditional runs most of the week due to the hubs working 12 hour days and me not wanting to so much as think about running with the double jogger in the wind, I did get to rock a little over 4.5 miles on Saturday coupled with a ton of circuit style training throughout the rest of the week.  Ashley pointed out the additional time off of running and other higher impact activities have certainly lead to a body that isn’t screaming back at me with each step.  The life coaching topic this week coincidentally was all about body composition.  I have always embraced strength training and yoga but not to the level of intensity I have been doing.  Aside from hopefully losing body fat, I’m noticing that the increased intensity is going to be key in rebuilding running endurance but also has probably been the missing key to a faster run.  I’m looking forward to trying to focus on a body fat percentage and faster mile versus being fixated on a number on the scale.   Because I don’t think of myself as a gifted runner – I know that muscle mass and a strong mind are going to be key to attaining my “run faster” goal.

I’m excited (and a tad nervous) for the week ahead – tonight’s plan for the intense bootcamp session I’m taking is for our group to tackle 6 miles together in an hour – I have never done that – pumped up to try!  In addition, the fam is headed south of the border for the holiday weekend.  My goal is to run fast enough to keep up with my husband for at least two 6-mile runs he always gets in down there.  The terrain is tough in areas but then opens up to a beautiful hard dirt road along the beach – talk about inspiration!  Wish me luck!

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Filed under Melissa

May 20, 2011 · 7:15 AM

Vitamin D: Do You REALLY Need to Supplement?

I’ve read a lot about vitamin D over the past several years, particularly in relation to running, and want to take a minute to discuss two sides of the story.

Vitamin D is obtained naturally through sunlight. Our bodies make the nutrient by absorbing UVB rays. Over the past couple of years, researchers have found that a large portion of the population is deficient in vitamin D. In fact, according to a March 2009 study in the Archives of Internal Medicine, more than three-quarters of adults are vitamin D deficient. If you don’t spend a lot of time in the sun or if you wear sunscreen every time you go outside, your body isn’t making vitamin D. Some foods, such as milk and cereal, are now fortified with vitamin D, but if you don’t drink or eat either of those, you could still be lacking the nutrient.

Vitamin D is important for bone health as it works with calcium to make your bones stronger. Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium, so if you are deficient in Vitamin D, your risk for fractures or even osteoporosis increases. Take Deena Kastor, for example, who fractured a bone in her foot three miles into the marathon of the 2008 Bejing Olympics. A blood test revealed that she was vitamin D deficient so her body wasn’t absorbing enough calcium and her bones were weak. Other benefits of vitamin D include a lower risk of cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. Some studies also show that vitamin D can increase athletic performance as it will aid you to run longer and faster, recover more quickly, and suffer fewer injuries.

Are you convinced yet that you should be taking a vitamin D supplement? Me too. I mean, strong bones AND increased running performance? Sign me up! So, for over a year now I’ve been taking a vitamin D supplement of 2,000 IUs. This is 500% of one’s daily value, but it’s hard to find a vitamin D3 (the best form of the nutrient) supplement that is much below 2,000 IUs. I simply added it to my daily routine of taking a multi-vitamin and calcium supplement. Let me also mention that I live in Arizona, run outside, and my kids love playing outside, so I get plenty of sun exposure. I am also terrible about regularly using sunscreen, which means I’m not normally blocking out the UVB rays. But, what harm could an additional supplement do? Especially if it could increase running performance.

I had my annual physical a few weeks ago, which meant I had my blood drawn and run through the regular tests. Because of these studies showing large vitamin D deficiencies, my doctor also routinely tests her patients’ vitamin D levels. She gave me a thumbs up for proactively adding the supplement to my diet and didn’t think there would be anything wrong with doing that. I was actually looking forward to getting a perfect report back that I was doing everything right. Much to my dismay, however, the doctor called me the next day and told me that my vitamin D levels were way too high. A normal number, she explained was 34. Anything below around 20 would be considered deficient. My vitamin D level was 120! Luckily I was still short of a toxic level, which is around 220. But I was ordered to immediately stop taking the vitamin D supplements and to come back the next day for more tests, just to be sure there wasn’t an underlying condition contributing to my high blood levels. Fortunately all other tests came back normal and it was determined that my body is just very good at absorbing vitamin D.

Yes, there is such thing as too much of a good thing. Too much vitamin D, or vitamin D toxicity, can lead to a buildup of calcium in your blood, causing things such as nausea, poor appetite, constipation, weakness, confusion, heart rhythm abnormalities, kidney stones, and muscle problems. I can’t help but wonder if my high vitamin D blood level contributed at all to my calf strain or the prolonged healing process. In fact, my doctor also detected a heart murmur for which I have been referred to a cardiologist to get an eccocardiogram. Coincidence? I’m starting to think not. As my doctor explained, everyone absorbs vitamin D differently. Some people absorb it very easily while others could take 10 times the recommended daily value and still be deficient. So my lesson for you all reading this is that if you are taking a vitamin D supplement or are thinking of taking one, make sure you have your blood levels tested first to determine if you even need it or not. And make sure you get your levels tested regularly while you are taking it to be sure that you are taking the correct amount.

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Filed under Calf strain, Feel Good Running, Marathon Training, Running Injuries, Vitamin D

May 18, 2011 · 7:13 AM

Running Mantras

I have personally never had a running mantra, although sometimes I think I’d like to have one. I would like to come up with something fun and clever that truly motivates me on a difficult run or race, but so far I haven’t come up with that witty saying. I do know that mantras can help people cross a mental bridge during tough runs. Many elite runners even use them. One of my favorite runners, Kara Goucher, for instance, relied on “Mind Over Mileage” to get her across the 2008 NYC Marathon finish line while Paula Radcliffe chanted “Concrete, Meet Courage” during the same race.

Running, especially long distances, is a mental sport just as much as a physical sport. If you are not confident and don’t believe in yourself, you are going to have great difficulty even finishing a run or race. To achieve your running goals, powerful legs and strong lungs aren’t enough. You also need a strong head. This is where mantras come in. A well-chosen mantra can keep you calm, on target, and help keep doubts and distractions away. Repeating your mantra during a run helps you keep focus and direct your mind away from negative thoughts and instead toward a positive experience. When you start experiencing pain during a run, such as a side stitch or tired legs, the worst thing that you can do is think about that pain or discomfort. Such negative thoughts pile on, reinforcing the pain and keeping you from achieving your goals. A good mantra will divert your mind from the pain or discomfort and instead will help you transcend it.

An effective mantra addresses what you WANT to feel, not what you are trying to overcome. Your mantra should be short, positive, energetic, instructive, and full of action words. It should be personal, something that really motivates you and not just something you borrowed from someone else because it sounds neat. It’s also okay to make up words if that’s what works for you. Tara Anderson, a 34-year-old runner in Boulder, CO, for example, recites “Lighter, Softer, Faster, Relaxer” with each footstrike and it helps her get in the flow and stay relaxed. You don’t have to use a phrase, either. You can simply select one word. Or better yet, choose several different words that you can tailor to various race challenges. When one word stops working for you, switch to another. Examples might be “Strong,” “Fierce,” or “Power.”

Here are some of the mantras used by elite runners:

“This is what you came for.”
—Scott Jurek, running 165.7 miles en route to breaking the American 24-hour record in May 2010

“Define yourself.”
—Deena Kastor, while winning the Chicago Marathon in 2005

“You’re tougher than the rest.”
—Sarah Reinersten, in a half-Ironman qualifier that would earn her a spot at the Ironman World Championship, where she became the first female leg amputee to finish the event

“Think strong, be strong, finish strong.”
—Renee Metivier Baillie, winning the 2010 USATF Indoor 3000 meters.

“Make it or break it.”
—NCAA steeplechase champion Jordan Desilets in 2004, while breaking the four-minute barrier in the mile

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Filed under Feel Good Running, Mantras, Marathon Training, Positive Attitude, Racing