Girls on the Go Races

One thing I have neglected to mention on my blog is the fact that I'm a Girls On The Go Race Series Ambassador.  A race series created by Debbie Adelman and Rosemarie Gibson, these races are "every girl’s chance to commune with mothers, daughters, sisters, grandmas and friends in a run, walk, jog or samba to the finish line.  This is not just any race. This is a celebration of women of all ages and fitness levels. The finish line includes a Girlicious medal, stylish T-shirt, festival, and so much girl time fun!"  The Race Ambassadors were found through a facebook essay contest and chosen for their experience, love of running, and passion for motivating people around them to get up and be active!  I am VERY proud to be a part of the Girls On The Go family.  

As a race ambassador, I promote the GotG race series at expo booths, by wearing the series gear during my training runs and races and by encouraging people to sign up for races!  The upcoming GotG races that you can sign up for include

Girls On The Go Sacramento 10k/5k 

Sunday, Feb 10th, 2013

Crocker Park

Sacramento, CA

Girls On The Go San Diego Half Marathon/10k/5k

Saturday, May 11, 2013

Fiesta Island - Mission Bay

San Diego, CA

Girls On The Go San Dimas Half Marathon/10k/5k

Sunday, Sept 22, 2013

Bonelli Park

San Dimas, CA 

Another Ambassador responsibility is providing inspiration for "girls on the go" and I get to do that through the Girls on the Go Training Tips page.  I just posted my first blog entry yesterday, so please go check it out!  This entry is focused on Running Moms who now have kids at home for the holiday breaks.  

You might be wondering about the PERKS of being an ambassador.  Well, the BIGGEST perk is getting to meet other like minded women.  The other Ambassadors have just as much enthusiasm for running and racing as I do.  It's always great to meet other women who don't mind when you talk about PRs or race day nutrition or gear.  I also get free tech tees from my sponsors, to wear to promote the race series.  It's definitely a perk since the race series color is raspberry pink . . . my FAVORITE color.  And the last and most beneficial perk is that they allow me to race the series for free!  

Men are welcome to run the series, but are ineligible for prizes.  If you are interested in any of the Girls on the Go races and want a discount code, please ask!  I'm usually able to get discount codes from the race directors.  Come join me in a fun, woman-centered, race with all the girly perks you could ask for!

Twofers, marathons, and Wheat Thins

The Hubby and I are both runners.  He prefers the mud covered intensity of Obstacle Course Races (OCRs) like Tough Mudder, while I'm a dedicated Road Racer.  With two racers in the family though, we have have to have a MASTER calendar of all the events we're signed up for.  "Check the Calendar" is an often heard phrase in our house, and it's an instruction to go check the desk size calendar that's attached to our brag wall.  Imagine my surprise when I discovered that I'm running TWO races in the same weekend.  I often get carried away by race sign ups when they offer discount codes or when a bunch of fellow racers are all signing up.  That's what must have happened when I managed to sign up for BOTH the Electric Run in Del Mar, CA and the Cardiff Kook in Encinitas, CA on the same weekend.  I've never run a two-fer before, but there's a first time for everything.  And luckily my two-fer is just two 5ks.  Some day I might feel up to running a 5k followed by a 10k or even a half marathon the day after.  Right now I'll stick to accidentally registering for two small races.

During Thanksgiving Break my Daddy (a 100 mile Ultramarathoner) told me I'm ready to run a marathon.  Since I'm like him in every way (except for that crazy 100 mile race thing he's got going on), he must have known that his comment would circle around in my head until I couldn't ignore it.  I found myself checking the most "walker friendly" marathons at MarathonGuide.com  Perhaps this time next year I'll be planning to do one of those . . . if I haven't worn out the legs running 8 half marathons in 2013.

Runners need carbs and lately I find myself fighting against eating conventional processed carbs.  I miss the crunchy saltiness of crackers.  My flaxseed crackers are great, but they're quite delicate, which makes them useless for dipping.  Thank Goodness for inventive cooks who make low carb/paleo versions of brand name crackers!  This recipe for "ALMOND THINS" was found at a website called lowcarbfriends.com, a message board for those following the gluten free or low carb lifestyles.  And I am EVER grateful for this recipe!

Almond Thins

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup almond flour
• 1 packet of Splenda
• 1 egg white
• pinch of salt, garlic powder, & onion powder

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven 325. 
2. Mix ingredients well. 
3. Place mixture onto a well greased piece of tin foil. Lay a piece of saran wrap over top of mixture. Use a rolling pin to roll out to a cracker thickness. Gently remove saran wrap. 
4. Sprinkle more salt on top if desired and press lightly into dough. Score with knife or pizza cutter into 1.5 inch squares. 
5. Lay tin foil on rack in oven. Bake until golden brown about 10 minutes. Makes around 30 crackers.

Nutritional info: serving size 7 crackers fat 13.1g  sat fat 0.9g  cholesterol 0mg  sodium 12.8mg  carb 5.7g  fiber 2.8  protein 6.4g

Running to make a Difference

Runners are selfish people.  We run to get thin.  We run to get "me" time.  We run for glory, for medals, for prizes.  But we can also be the most UNSELFISH people too.  In 2013, my hubby will be running the LA Marathon as part of Team Autism Heroes, a team for Train 4 Autism San Diego.  He plans to run 510 miles when the milage for training and the race are totalled.  Please consider helping him get to his goal of $510 ($1 for every mile run towards this goal) by making a donation at his 

TRAIN 4 AUTISM DONATION PAGE.  

Runners making a difference by doing what we love.

Paleo and Running: what has it done for me?

"You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you stop to look fear in the face."

                                          --Eleanor Roosevelt

My 6th half marathon was the Silver Strand Half marathon.  It was also my second half marathon that I've run paleo.  I've been asked what being Paleo has done for my running.  I initially chose to start paleo for weight loss and to help with recovery.  I had heard that there were elite runners, like Dean Karnazes, who also run Paleo.  So for more than 90 days now, I've followed the restrictions of the Paleo diet: No soy, dairy, legumes, processed grains or sugars or oils.  And I have seen a difference.  

My legs felt incredibly strong on race day.  I had also included hillwork in the last 3 weeks (after half marathon 5, the San Jose Rock N Roll) so I'm sure that training helped build muscle in my legs.  I attribute the quick recovery and increase muscle growth to paleo though.  Its difficult to NOT be high protein on a diet based on fat burning.  

The high fiber, high water content that comes with eating a diet of whole foods, ensured that I was also well-hydrated on race day.  Dehydration can be such a huge factor in race day performance.

Knowing that my diet was well-balanced and HEALTHY led to a confidence that makes the biggest difference.  I didn't wonder if what I had eaten in the days before would lead to GI distress on race day.  Poor diet mixed with nerves can be a terrible combination when you're trying to run your best race.  You don't want to be stopping at every single port-a-potty on the course.  The paleo diet purposely eliminates all foods that can cause irritation and bloating.

Today is the second day after the race and I feel great.  I do have muscle soreness, but my legs feel STRONG.  This is in direct opposition to the halfs that I've run where my muscles are literally DYING because they were consumed in the effort.

I hope that my experience allows anyone who is considering to run paleo to feel confident that others have had positive experiences.

Race Review: Silver Strand Half Marathon

The Silver Strand Half Marathon - November 11, 2012

• Location: From Sunset Park in Coronado to Imperial Beach Pier
• Distance: 13.1 miles
• Surface: paved highway, city roads

I'm spending today gingerly lowering myself onto toilets, and grimacing every time I go up stairs.  But I'm also glowing with accomplishment and pride for having completed my 6th half marathon.  It was a great race for lots of reasons: The last half marathon in San Diego for the year, running it with some dear running friends, planning to have my family at the finish line for the first time.  Emotionally, it was a great race to wrap up 2012.  

Running with friends 

Even from a Runner's perspective though, it's STILL a great race.  

The sign up was easy, and two weeks before the race they sent a confirmation through the mail!  I don't think I've ever had a race send me the race day instructions in the mail before.  It was oddly sweet.  The parking was the most complicated part of the sign up.  You had 4 options for parking.  Since it's a point-to-point race you could either park at the start, park at the finish or be dropped off.  Having to make a decision WEEKS (or in my case MONTHS) before the race about parking was a little confusing.  The packet pickup at Road Runner Sports was efficient and quick.  The tech tee race shirt was of a good quality (although I'm not a fan of gender neutral shirts).  

The day of the Silver Strand came after 3 days of rainy weather.  This being San Diego, it kind of wigged most of us out and we had debates over what we were going to wear.  I decided on the "Ultra runners" uniform: split leg shorts with clothes to keep my core warm.  I had my Girls on The Go tech tee, my Sugoi sleeves and my new Nike runner's gloves.  I was definitely chilly when I got to the start area but as the sun came up I was fine.

The start area was well set up.  It was obvious where gear check was, and race day registration, and the port a potties.  I was glad that they offered gear check!  It seems like a lot of races aren't offering that perk anymore.  I like being able to have my favorite post-race treats (Honey Stinger Chews and Cherry Juice) at the end of a race.  The race announcer was easy to hear, and had lots of jokes, especially for those who had mistakenly come north for the 5k instead of being about 10 miles south!  The race did start a few minutes late, but once it did, the small crowd of 4500 went across the timing mats pretty quickly.  I started as far back as I would let myself, and it only took me 3 minutes to cross the start mat.  

So flat!

The course was one I was mostly familiar with.  I run the Silver Strand as part of my training runs. It's flat, and although its a bit windy, it's fast.  The majority of the course was run on the Silver Strand Highway and was indeed flat.  There were only 3 inclines, a bridge over wetlands, a slight uphill into residential homes and a long incline inside the Weapons Station.  Nothing that a little extra arm pumping and a good attitude can't handle, even at mile 10.  There was a bit of cambering to the highway, which I hadn't expected (having run only on the bike trails on the northbound side of the highway) but there was always a flat spot to be found.

The aid stations were excellent and well manned by volunteers.  They were stationed about every 1.5 miles of the course, usually right when I'd need them.  The volunteers seemed to consist mostly of high school or college students, and they were cheerful and encouraging the whole way.  They appreciated when I cracked my "Who's got the GLUTEN FREE water?" joke.  Or at least pretended to.  They offered energy chews at mile 6, which I chose not to take.  I carry my own fuel with me.

Every race has its challenge, and in the Silver Strand it has to be the miles 10-12, where you run into the Naval Weapons Station in Imperial Beach, and run a 2 mile switchback.  I had the benefit of running into my friends as they finished the switchback during my mile 11.  Having to run 1 mile out, only to run 1 mile back is definitely mentally difficult when you're so close to the finish.  Throw one of the only hills on the course into that mix and its a killer challenge.  We don't earn a medal for it being easy though! 

My amazing friend Dave volunteered at the Finish Line so he could award me my medal.  

You know its a great race when by mile 9 you're already thinking that you want to run it again next year.  I like the sentiment of the race, that its the LAST half marathon in San Diego for the year.  A nice bow to put on your accomplishments.  I'll be back Silver Strand, after I run some more hills, and I'll finish you faster.  

Count Down to the Silver Strand Half Marathon: One Day left

The word of the day is HYDRATION.  Everyone say it with me: Hy-Dray-Shun.  The day before a big race, I make sure that I am NOT dehydrated.  So T-minus 1 day means I'm in the bathroom a lot.  But it's okay, because I'd rather be in the bathroom today than stopping for port-a-potties throughout the race tomorrow.  Some of you may wonder at that last sentence.  Hydrating the cells in my body, making sure my fluid levels are adequate today means that I will NOT feel as thirsty tomorrow.  The feeling of THIRST actually means you're already dehydrated.  Thirst triggers a need to drink, and what happens next is a need to eliminate.  And THAT means stopping at port-a-potties, with long lines at Aid station #1.

Of course I still hydrate while I run.  A good rule of thumb is 1 ounces for every mile that you're running.  I tend to sip on my hand bottle as I run along, keeping my mouth from getting dry and keeping my body temperature regulated.

I will warn you against hydrating TOO much.  You can flush all the electrolytes that your body needs to make your muscles function properly.  You'll experience cramping and bloating if you drink too much.  And while I'd love to give you a guideline on how MUCH to drink, it's really dependent on a person's individual hydration needs.  As long as your urine stays light colored all day, you're drinking enough.  Avoiding things like soda and other caffeinated drinks will help you manage your hydration.

Besides hydrating, I also ate THE BEST pumpkin waffles for breakfast (with a side of sweet potato).  My best friend (FOREVER), who is just ocmpleting her first 30 days of paleo sent me this recipe.  It's incredible that it doesn't contain flour, because the pancakes REALLY have that familiar pancake texture.

Last day of taper means pancakes!

PUMPKIN WAFFLES

Ingredients

• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 2 tbsp coconut oil (plus a little extra to grease the skillet)

Directions

1. Whisk the eggs, pumpkin, vanilla, and honey together.  Sift the spices and baking soda into the wet ingredients.

2. Melt the coconut oil and mix into batter

3.  Grease the skillet and spoon the batter in.  When a few bubbles appear and the edges get firm, flip the pancakes once to finish cooking.

4.  Serve immediately   

So yummy, and such a great way to end my carbo load.  For the rest of the day I snacked on nuts, and kale chips and I had roast chicken and mustard wraps.  For Dinner we're having turkey burgers with bacon, avocado and tomato, wrapped in lettuce.  I try to eat light foods, more fiber to help my digestion before tomorrow's race.

For everyone who's running tomorrow, GOOD LUCK!  Maybe I'll see you at the Finish Line!  

Taper week (again)

Guess what I got in the mail yesterday??

It's my Silver Strand Race Confirmation!

It's so quaint that they mailed it!  It harkens back to the early days of racing, when you still had to SIGN a race entry.  But with only 4,500 entries allowed, it's definitely a smaller half marathon than what I have been racing in.

Taper has started which means I'm anticipating some moodiness, some freak outs about how my legs feel (already happening), and excitement about race morning.  This will be my 6th half marathon in a year and a half and I still get excited about race day.

I'll be doing just light 30-45 minute runs this week.  Just enough to stretch the legs and keep them limber and loose.  I'll be eating my normal calorie restricted diet until Friday night, when I get to start my carbo loading.

I'm also running my 13.1 miles to support Run 4 NYC, a virtual race that is raising money for the Red Cross efforts to aid the people affected by Super Storm Sandy.  So far they'd raised $3,070!  You can choose to run a 5k, 13.1 miles or 26.2 miles as part of the effort.

Race Review: The Color Run San Diego

The BEFORE Pic

The Color Run San Diego - November 3, 2012

• Location: Qualcomm Stadium
• Distance: 5k
• Surface: paved, parking lot

I'm addicted to Color Runs.  I hate mud and obstacle courses, but apparently running through gauntlets of people throwing colored cornstarch are just fine.  I've run three in 2012, and now I'm very interested in the upcoming Neon Run in 2013.

I ran my first Color Run in Sacramento, CA with my extended running family.  The differences in that race in April and the San Diego Color Run make it apparent that the race's organizers have found quit a bit of success.  First of all, there were 30,000 people signed up to become human rainbows.  That's enough people that they needed two waves, a 9a and a 1:30p.  It's also a record number of signups for the Color Run.  

image credit: The Color Run        
Wave 1 wrapped up around the
stadium parking lot!

The second indication that these runs have been profitable for the organizers is the introduction of their mascot: Runicorn.  A rainbow-maned unicorn wearing running shorts and a Color Runner Headband, he's definitely not necessary for a race.  But he and the t-shirt cannons and Color Throw Stage all add an element of "festival" to the event.  And this is definitely not a race for Serious Runners.  It's a gateway race into running for those who haven't found their reason to join the rest of us.

The sheer number of racers made it impossible to start of at a decent pace. The race organizers make no attempt to keep walkers and people with strollers or slow moving children at the back of the corral.  But again, this isn't a race for serious runners.  Once you get past the walkers and the strollers and the beefy young men who don't realize that 5k is longer than they've ever run (and so they're sweating and wheezing and walking), you can run at your pace . . . .  Until you hit the Color Zones.  

When I ran the Sacramento Color Run, there was a good deal of humidity, which seemed to keep the color dust under control.  At the San Diego Color Run, the Color Zones were a COMPLETE blinding experience.  The organizers did suggest that runners stay to the left, walkers to the right.  But I did NOT feel safe running through the Color Zones with the lack of visibility.  I didn't see anyone run into a volunteer, but I came close a few times.  

The After Pic                              
image credit: Jeffrey Hoffman

The location of Qualcomm was good.  There was ample parking, along with the availability of the SD public transit system.  The trolley system here in SD is great for events at Qualcomm, as there's a trolley stop for the stadium itself.  The parking lot provided space for both the pre/post-race festival and the race course itself.  The actual SURFACE of the race wasn't very good though.  The parking lot is riddled with potholes, cracks and metal gratings.  All increase the chance of turning an ankle or tripping.  And these hazards were not marked off with neon paint or cones, which have been present in other road races.  

The Finish Line provided water and granola bars, sufficient for a 5k distance.  My running buddy noticed that they had brought in a tanker truck for the water, which I had never seen before but seemed like the BEST IDEA for providing water at such a large event.  Kudos to the organizers for taking that extra measure.  

Color Toss Finale
Image Credit: The Color Run

The best part of the Color Runs is the COLOR TOSS Finale.  Not many race experiences give you the opportunity to come together as a community is such a grand celebration of effort.  For many people, the Color Run is their FIRST 5k, and hopefully its not their last.  In 15 minute intervals, starting from when the first people cross the finish line, the DJ at the Color Stage count down to the color tosses.  With music blaring, you all open up your color pouches (provided in your race packet) and toss the colored cornstarch in the air.  The scene from a distance is fun, but being in the color cloud is almost euphoric.  It really encompasses the feeling of "I JUST RAN A RACE!"  It's a physical manifestation of Runner's High.  

Will you likely get a new PR at a Color Run?  No.  Will you have a fun, colorful time with some of your favorite runner friends??  YES!  

Massage for Runners

I promised I'd come back and give you my opinion of massage for runners after I got my first one.  I was fortunate to have received a complimentary 1 hour massage from San Diego Spine and Rehab from a 5k I had done earlier in the year.  After running 10 miles of hills on Sunday, I figured what better time to get a massage than when I could hardly walk due to tight hip flexors.

San Diego Spine and Rehab is NOT a "Spa".  You don't walk in to an elegantly decorated foyer with piano music tinkling in the background.  It's a medical treatment facility, where they provide rehab and theraputic treatments.  Being a runner doesn't mean that I forgo girlie stuff, but my inner runner was glad that this seemed like a place where they'd KNOW how to treat my muscles.

After an initial interview with a licensed physician (who tried to sell me on getting chiropractic exams and treatments) I was taken back for my massage.  It was definitely a painful experience.  After a few questions about my activity level and where I exprience pain she started up at my neck and shoulders.  From there she moved down to my glutes and legs.  The massage therapist informed me that my Ilotibial Bands (IT bands) were tight and she proved it as she manipulated my muscles.  I didn't even I had any overly tight muscles until she proved otherwise.

I didn't run today because I had run the three previous days in a row.  But I do think that I'd be much more sore and gimpy from my 10-mile run had I not gone to get a massage.  Despite the pain and the soreness from the areas she worked extra hard, I've already booked my second appointment for the day after the Silver Stand Half Marathon.  Hopefully, these treatments will help my overall recover and in the end, help me PR in at least one of my races this season.

How I stayed paleo on a busy weekend

Anyone else surrounded by candy and Halloween treats?  Man, do I want a Twix right now.  But I'm gonna stay strong, although I promised myself a mini-binge ON Halloween.  After all, who else is going to eat the Almond Joys and Mounds bars that my kids hate?  (Hey, Coconut, almonds and chocolate are paleo)

This was the last weekend before Halloween, so of course it was crammed full of parties and events. On Saturday, my 11 year old and I ran the Spooktacular 5k.  We were the cute mommy/son pair dressed as Superman and Super girl.  This was the inaugural race and I hope they run it every year.  Lake Murray is am awesome location, with gentle rolling hills that provide a challenge for those who make 5ks their preferred distance.  The medals and bibs were adorable.  There was such a great turnout of costumed runners too!  A decent sized vendor fair, with 2 races and a few local businesses represented.  I'll definitely run this again.

We followed up the race with a Halloween party for military families at the Harley-Davidson of San Diego.  Put on by the USO, they offered BBQ, games and trick-or-treating.  I knew that BBQ meant hot dogs or hamburgers, probably chips or beans too.  So with mine and my son's special dietary needs, we just bypassed the "free" lunch and I let the boy choose McDonald's for his awesome effort at the 5k.  I find that being paleo, I have to skip meals at events often.  I have had luck calling ahead and asking for a special meal.  But only when its an event that I've had to pay for my dinner.  I've also found that being paleo, places like McDonalds are NOT a fun option.  Even their healthiest options, the salads and wraps, contain CHEESE and LEGUMES.  So I have to be prepared to do some doctoring.  I order the bacon ranch salad with grilled chicken.  I have to painstakingly remove ALL the cheese from the salad.  If I'm lucky, the preparer has clumped it all together.  Ironically, this is something I HATED before I was paleo.  Then, I make sure to bring an avocado with me and instead of dressing, I cut up my avocado and add it to my salad.  I like to mash it with a bit of salt.  Yes, it takes me forever to start eating, but I'm MUCH happier with my lunch this way.

We got a short respite from Halloween events and during that time I ate an early dinner.  I tried the Coconut Chicken Curry from Fitzee Foods and coupled it with some Coconut Paleo bread from Julian Bakery.  It's nice to have some pre-made meals that are ready when I'm hungry on busy days like that.  We would shortly head off to an elementary school Halloween Carnival where my family would indulge in pizza, nachos, pretzels, popcorn and soda.  I was able to resist temptation by eating ahead of time.

I made sure to hydrate throughout that busy saturday because the next morning I got up to run a distance runs on hills.  I am committed to besting my PR of 2:48:24 at my next half marathon.  That means hill workouts!  I did 10 miles at a 15 min pace.  Slow, yes, but man did my hip flexors get a workout!  That means that my run did exactly what I wanted it to do.  I did get to refuel with a carne asada burrito, but the only non-paleo thing in it was the tortilla itself.

Paleo on a busy family weekend is completely possible.  You just need to pre-plan, have meals ready to go and be flexible when you're dining out.

My Favorite Race Gear

The night before a race is fraught with anxiety and excitement.  Did I eat right?  Hydrate enough? Has my training been adequate? DID I FORGET ANYTHING???

 Brooks put out this adorable checklist for race day, but I have my specific FAVORITE race day items that I HAVE to have.  I'd feel naked without them at the Start Line.

My Favorite Race Day Gear:

1. Brooks Glycerin 9 - This is an older model of the Glycerin 9s.  And they are my favorite shoe.  I buy them at clearance sales or at once worn sales.  I ALWAYS have a "new" pair waiting for when I've worn down my current pair.  To find YOUR favorite show, you should go to a running store where they offer you a personal fitting.  Yes, they cost twice as much as nikes from a shoe store.  But you're paying for the expertise and the gaurantee that you're running in a shoe that is made for your foot and running style.  Good fit = Less injury!

I love my shoes

2. Glide - This is a skin lubrication to prevent friction and the heat and pain that come with friction.  If you're new to running I reccomend investing in a tube of this.  It makes a WORLD of difference.  I put in on the entire bottom of my feet and sometimes at the waistband of my pants.  Many women need it for chafing that happens from sportsbras and men use it on their nipples to prevent those dreaded RED badges of courage.

3. And while we're on the topic of lubrication: CHAPSTICK.  I'm a mouth breather when I run.  It helps me maximize oxygen intake.  I don't care that I sound like a freight train coming up behind you.  It should just make you run faster.  I'm pretty sure I've helped people PR just because they didn't want to listen to me.  But chapstick protects my lips from the sun as well as from the effects of 3 hours of mouth breathing.

This belt has saved my
phone more than once

4.  iFitness Belt - I bought my first ifitness belt in Hawaii at the expo for the Diva Half marathon.  Bucking all race wisdom about NOT using brand new equipment on race day, I was so glad I had it.  The day was so hot and humid that in order to finish 13.1 miles I had to continuous;y dump water on myself.  My phone, tucked into the waterproof belt, survived!  I love my iFitness and now have several.     They all have a handy bib holders too, which mean NO safety pin holes in your favorite tech tees!

Can't run without a
bondi Band headband!

5.  Bondi Band Headbands - I LOVE LOVE LOVE this product!  The sweat wicking ones definitely live up to their promise!  I can run without getting sweat in my eyes and they are SUPER cute, with images and sayings for every runner.  

If you have a piece of essential gear, please share it with me!  I'm always looking for new ways to make race day and training more comfortable.  The better you feel on race day, the better you perform!

Run Recovery

After my first Hill Work session, I was inspired to write a post about stretching.  I wanted to throw up a bunch of stats about how many people don't stretch and how they injure themselves more often.  Imagine my surprise when my Googling brought up articles about studies that show stretching may be useless.  

However, from Runner's World: "Few running practices are as hallowed as stretching. And none have been debated as much in recent years. Studies have failed to reliably show that the addition of stretching to a warmup before activity reduces overuse injuries. "The jury's been out on stretching for about a decade," says Michael Ryan, Ph.D., a post-doctoral fellow at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. "And as far as I can tell, it hasn't come in yet." Yet few experts in the field are ready to abandon stretching. The reasoning: Runners are tight in predictable areas, they get injured in and around these areas, and therefore they should increase flexibility in these areas. The muscle groups at the back of the legs—the hamstrings and calf muscles—stand atop most lists of "best muscles for runners to stretch." Hamstring and hip-flexor flexibility seems to improve knee function (several reports link poor hamstring and hip-flexor flexibility with "larger knee joint loads"), and calf flexibility may keep the Achilles tendon and plantar fascia healthy."

I am a faithful stretcher, due to the work I did with a Personal Trainer for years.  My favorite stretches include:

Calf Stretch
Photo found at Mayo Clinic

Hip Flexor Stretch
Photo found at Mayo Clinic

My favorite Hamstring stretch
Photo found at Runners World

Sometimes regular stretching doesn't quite relieve you of the stiffness and muscle knots that can come with endurance training.  That's when you need every runner's Best Friend: a foam roller.

  

Foam rollers are high density foam cylinders 6" in diameter.  You use your own body weight to massage out the knots in your hard worked muscles.  Its a good alternative to weekly massage therapy visits, saving you tons of money, and it can be done while you watch tv.  Easy AND inexpensive!  Sorry for the Cheesy Video from Diet.com, but foam rolling is best taught through example.  

When regular stretching and foam roller use isn't enough to keep up with your training, you can use Sports Massage to help rid your body of lactic acid build up and to help your muscles recover faster.  I'll be trying massage therapy for the first time soon.  I'll make sure to post all about it and let you guys know if I survive.

You're crazy if you like hillwork

I love a flat course just as much as I love breaking a Personal Record.  And usually they go hand-in-hand.  But I've hit a speed bump in my pace.  I'm slow, and probably always will be.  I'm asian, our people aren't known for breaking world records in the running community.  But I want to get faster.  I've trained for endurance the last 6 months, and I've changed my diet to help with recovery.  Now it's time to face the fact that without speedwork, I'm not going to get any PRs anytime soon.  And as Legendary Runner Frank Shorter once said, "Hills are Speedwork in Disguise".

I've never focused on getting faster, just finishing.  It was enough to cross that finish line and get my medal.  I did earn some PRs along the way, but I want to beat my current PR of 2:48 earned at the Inaugural San Diego Half Marathon in 2012.  So adding hillwork is new to me, and I've had to do a bit of research.

Two great articles on hillwork can be found at:

• Active.com : Speedwork in Disguise.  To paraphrase a portion of the article, speed doesn't come from the foot pushing off the ground.  It comes from the ability to bring the opposite leg forward FASTER.  Hillwork is resistance training and makes the hip flexors STRONGER and able to react FASTER.  
• Running Times Magazine: Hit the Hills.  Besides having great descriptions of different types of hill workouts, this article addresses an additional benefit of hillwork: Improved form.  Running hills will tire you out and mimic the fatigue that comes with the end of a race.  If you practice maintaining proper running form during these workouts, you're working towards running injury free, running faster and having a GREAT finish line photo.

As for my race training, I plan to add Hill Sprints at the end of one of my weekly short runs and my distance runs will be Hilly Up-Tempo Runs.  I'm not looking forward to the WORK but I am looking forward to the RESULTS.

Confessions of a Paleo Runner

I know some of you have been waiting for the post about my in-race fueling.  WHAT DO I EAT DURING A RUN?  It's a question asked by every beginner endurance runner.  And for those of you who have come looking for Paleo solutions to that question, I have a confession.  *stage whisper*  I don't stay Paleo during my races!

Before you close your browser tab in a huff, please consider this:  Dr Cordain supports using non-paleo  foods during an endurance event in his book The Paleo Diet for Athletes.

"Serious athletes, however, when it comes to immediately before, during, and directly 

after workouts,  need  to bend the rules  of  the Paleo Diet  a  bit  since we're  placing 

demands on the body that were not normal for our Stone Age ancestors. Hour after

hour of sustained high energy output and the need for quick recovery are the serious 

athlete’s unique demands. This requires some latitude to use non­optimal foods on a 

limited basis."

If you are participating in training or a race that's longer than 1.5 hours, you will need to supplement with high-glycemic index carbs.  You COULD carry a candy bar with you, but if you're trying to be as paleo as possible, sports drinks are a better option.  I prefer CYTOMAX brand sports performance drink.  It's a bit lower in sugar than Gatorade.  Rob Wolff also prefers CYTOMAX for endurance events.  

  

You will need 200-400 calories of some sort of carb replacement for every hour that you're performing.  This is of course based on your body size.  Smaller people need less than those big burly guys.  I sip on one serving of cytomax the first hour, then I use a GU with caffeine at the beginning of the second hour  and if I'm nowhere near the finish line, I'll use another GU without caffeine at the beginning of the third hour.  That's a total of 300 calories over 2 hours for me.  I feel great using this combo, and only occasionally have had GI distress after a race.  

If you are determined to stay paleo, I would recommend carrying 1/4 cup of raisins in place of gu and you can make your own electrolyte drink.  The raisins are an EXCELLENT source of carbs.  I found this electrolyte replacement drink at Mark's Daily Apple:

1. Slightly heat some coconut water on the stove. Don’t let it get anywhere near simmering. Just let it get warm enough to melt the next three ingredients easily.
2. Add a few dashes of sea salt, preferably one with high mineral content. Sea salt provides sodium, an important electrolyte, plus trace minerals. You’re going to be burning through a lot of it during the race.
3. Add honey, preferably raw and from a local farm (remember, many store bought honey isn’t actually honey anymore).
4. Add blackstrap molasses. Blackstrap molasses comes after the third boiling of sugar cane. It contains less sugar than either white sugar, brown sugar, regular molasses, or dark molasses, but far more minerals and electrolytes. See, sugar cane is a plant with roots that stretch deep into the soil to extract nutrients (some research suggests sugar cane roots may go down as far as six meters). Very few of those nutrients make it into white or brown sugar, and regular and dark molasses contain some, but it’s blackstrap molasses which gets the bulk of the minerals. So, when you add just a couple tablespoons of blackstrap molasses to your energy drink, you’re getting more than twice the potassium than a banana, more calcium than a cup of raw spinach, and almost 100 mg of magnesium.
5. Mix it all together until everything melts and it’s a dark brown murky viscous fluid. I didn’t include specific amounts, but start with a couple tablespoons of each sweetener and the juice from one coconut (or one carton of coconut water). You’ll be cruising for the first bit of the race, thanks to your effective pre-race training and fueling, but when you really start dipping into your glycogen stores, having a banana or two and a bottle of high-potency Primal energy drink will prove useful.


Read more: http://www.marksdailyapple.com/how-to-fuel-a-marathon/#ixzz2920LHavY

Paleo on the Road

It is indeed Happy Hour when your
paleo-friendly apps are 1/2 off!

I celebrated Day 60 on the Paleo Diet on Monday!  It feels like quite the feat, considering that my last 3 days of were spent eating while traveling to San Jose for the San Jose RocknRoll Half marathon.  It was my first real experience of trying to stay paleo while not being able to cook and refusing to succumb to peer pressure to "just eat like a normal person".  I must have explained the basics of Paleo about 30 times this weekend, each time we ate with a new group of people.  My mom and I traveled with her running buddies, about 14 amazing women who were determined to live it up and run it out.

My race weekend started Friday evening, with a meal at The Counter with my family.  I'd reviewed this downtown San Diego restaurant just recently.  Before taking me to the airport, we decided to carb up at our favorite Paleo-friendly restaurant with sweet potato fries.  I also had a "burger in a bowl" for the iron.  It was going to help my body store and use oxygen more efficiently during my big race.

Not a pretty breakfast but
 it tastes good

Saturday morning, Mom and I woke up at 4 am to see my Daddy off on his 100-mile race.  He'd be running the Rio Del Lago 100 all of saturday and he'd planned to finish around the time we'd be getting up on Sunday morning to run our own race.  A Larabar and a banana continued the carb up while I shivered in the pre-dawn, waiting to see Daddy off at the start line.  (As a note: not ALL Larabars are paleo.  Stick to the ones that contain only dates, tree nuts, fruits, and coconut.  My favorites are Coconut Cream Pie, Lemon Bar, and Key Lime Pie)  We then headed home to pack for our own race.  I completed my carb up with an eggs, avocado and sweet potato breakfast.  That was the last time I was going to get to cook for myself before my race.

After arriving in San Jose (by the way, a car with 4 middle age and older women will need to stop at least 3 times to pee during a 2 hour road trip), we checked in, picked up our bibs and explored the expo.  One of the great things about Paleo is that you don't experience the drop in blood sugar that you did before when you were eating processed carbs and sugars.  So while everyone else was getting cranky, I was holding on pretty well.  We lunched at Baja Fresh, which isn't an ideal paleo choice.  But I made it work, ordering a Mango Chipotle Chicken Ensalada.  I suspect that the mango salsa and chipotle sauce contained sugar and possibly soy . . . but overall it was a paleo-ish choice.  I avoided eating the tortilla shell and asked for NO cotija cheese (even though I REALLY REALLY love cotija cheese).  For a pre-race lunch, the chicken salad option was probably the best choice.  It's heavy on fiber, high on water content and low on binding meats.  Red meat can take longer to move through your system, which may make you feel heavy on race morning.

Dinner was probably the most difficult to handle.  All of the group we were racing had arrived and there was much discussion on eating at the Old Spaghetti Factory.  Italian restaurants are nearly impossible for Paleo people, I try to avoid them all together.  It's a lesson that "Gluten-free" does not equate to Paleo.  Luckily they couldn't take our group of 14 for at least 2 hours, so our group ended up breaking up into smaller ones and Mom and I headed to a 50s themed Diner called Peggy Sue's.  They are a counter Service, sit down restaurant.  They're menu was simple and easy to alter for the Paleo diet.  I had a spinach salad (that was of massive proportion) and a bunless bacon, pineapple burger.  Once again, loads of iron to help with oxygen use.  I am also a proponent of fiber on the day before the race.  It'll help you with that pre-race elimination that is oh so neccessary.  (I wondered how long it'd take me to mention poop on my blog).  Everyone's fiber needs are different.  It's important to experiment during the training cycle to see how much fiber you can take in to help you on race morning.

 I woke up on race morning feeling amazing.  I had nine hours of sleep, and maintained my paleo diet while traveling.  Mom and I ordered room service and split a meal.  I got the eggs and bacon, she got the tomato juice and english muffin.  It's nice to travel with a non-Grok!  After breakfast I was feeling even better!

My race review has already been posted.  I've had people ask about my IN-RACE nutrition and will explore that in my next post.  If you have any questions about pre-race nutrition or about staying paleo while on the road, please feel free to ask!

  

Race Day Ready and still Paleo!

One Down, Six to go

The San Jose RocknRoll Half marathon is over!  I finished in 3:14:24, with an overall place of 8750 out of 14,000 runners.  I accomplished both goals that I had for this race: to stay with my momma and to get her a Personal Record (PR).  She beat her former PR by 10 minutes!  She now has an very unflattering nickname for me (rhymes with yahtzee witch) for pushing her, but I know she's also very grateful for that PR!

20 hours to go!

I went into this race weekend with one question: WHY SAN JOSE??  I understand the appeal of most of the RocknRoll cities.  San Diego is a vacation destination, Portland is full of culture, Los Angeles has tons to do . . . but San Jose???  Once on the course, my question was fully answered.  It's FLAT, and I mean FLAT.  It's definitely a course you can PR on.  It's also shady.  I did sunburn a bit, but who wouldn't after being in the sun for 3 hours?  The weather was a perfect 60 degrees at race start and stayed cool all morning.  The city is beautiful and clean and they shut down ALL the streets for us.  I'd recommend the San Jose RocknRoll to anyone who wants to run a half marathon.

The Brooks mirror of awesomeness

There were some negatives to this race and the location.  It is a big convention city, however there seemed to be a lack of accessible restaurants that WEREN'T pricey.  And it was difficult to stay Paleo in San Jose.  They definitely do not cater to "alternative dietary lifestyles".  You definitely need to speak up and ask for your food to be altered.  The bunless burger was my staple this weekend.  Another negative was the gear check for this race.  It consisted of our bags being left in a gated off area, on the street.  I definitely didn't feel comfortable leaving my gear check bag, even thought it only contained my post-race flip flops and my fruit snacks (my non-paleo post-race indulgence).

Watching the preview of the
completely flat course

But overall I'd give this race an "A".  The sponsored hotels were a 10 minute walk from the start and a 5 minute walk from the finish.  The post-race beer garden poured HUGE cups of beer, the post-race party had a great concert and the secure area had great post-race fuel (bananas, oranges, chocolate milk, Marathon Bars, bagels, pretzels, water and Gatorade).

As for how I feel?  I feel great.  My feet are sore and I'm tired but my muscles already feel pretty recovered.  I'm attributing it to my 60 days on the Paleo diet.  Loads of protein to help with recovery, and my use of fat to fuel over carbs allows my body to do less damage to itself on an endurance run.




For my Paleo followers, my next post will be on how I stayed Paleo all race weekend.  

If you're interested in running my next half with me, that'll be the Silver Strand Half marathon on November 11, 2012.

Thanks for the fun run San Jose!

                                             

Faster then Lightning . . . I wish

Video rights belong to DJ Steve Porter

Usain Bolt may not run more than 200 m for his medals, but all runners share his drive to be faster.  Runner's World Magazine had a great article on "Finish Strong: Ending workouts and races faster than you start them for a physical and mental boost".  The article coaches runners to try for a negative split in their workouts and races.  Negative Splits are where you end your race at a faster pace than you started.  You start at a slow pace and gradually over the miles build up to a faster pace.  This is such great advice!  Nothing makes you feel better than crossing the finish line sooner than you expected.  My personal advice to make this easier: create your running playlist for your ipod/mp3 player with songs that increase in beats per minute (bpm).  Start with songs that you can easily jog too, then continue to add songs that make your stride faster.  If you just stick to the beat and maintain good form while running, you'll be on your way to negative splits and new Personal Records!  I recommend using a bpm analyzer like Mixmeister BPM Analyzer to find the bpm of your favorite running songs.  Then you can rearrange them to fit the needs of your race plan.

Just as a side note: I'm running the San Jose Rock n Roll Half Marathon the same day this post goes live.  My race playlist starts with the song in the video above.  PUMP PUMP GET LOUD and wish me luck!  

RAQ: Recently Asked Questions

Although I'm not the creator of the Paleo diet, or a Professional Marathon Trainer, many friends look to me for help when they join me in my journey as a Paleo Runner.  I think this is the highest complement paid, when someone trusts my advice.  I do try to do as much research as possible, and I'm never afraid to ask those that I consider to be experts.  I also suspect my friends like me to be the Guinea Pig, trying these new fangled ideas of "running" and "not eating processed foods" first.  Give it to Juri, She'll Try it!!

What follows are some of the more recent questions I've been asked.  I'm proud to have helped these friends with some of their questions.

Q: Why do my feet hurt after a 3 mile run?

A: Provided that there's no injury there's a good chance you're wearing the wrong kind of socks.  A burning sensation at the end of a 30 minute run is a sign of friction.  Wearing athletic socks designed for running will help your feet breath, reducing moisture and will help with friction.  If you're already wearing appropriate socks, then you can try using GLIDE or any similar friction-reducing product on the bottoms of your feet.  I glide my feet before every race (no matter the distance) and before every long training run.

Q: What was the Biggest change to your diet when you started Paleo?

A:  As a runner the biggest change was the removal of all processed grains and sugars from my diet.  The Paleo Diet adheres to the idea that we were not meant to eat the foods developed through agriculture.  These foods may have been found in the wild, but have been altered by our need for bigger, faster plants to feed our growing populations.  These were not foods our bodies were designed to digest, and they can have drastic effects like bloating, gas, weight gain and even cause damage for those especially sensitive.  Giving up those processed grains and sugars meant giving up the "tried and true" source of energy for runners.  Pasta parties and pre-race carb loading have been an accepted part of endurance racing for many years now.  I've had to replace my carb loading pastas and breads with sweet potatoes and fruits.  A positive change to my diet was the emphasis of the Paleo Diet on proteins.  Getting a high level of proteins means that my muscles recover faster from long training runs.  My muscles develop faster for this reason, giving me more power and eventually I hope this translates into more speed.  This is something I plan to track as I run my next few half marathons.

Q:  Why am I so tired?  Isn't Paleo supposed to make me have more energy?

A: If you're past the normal 1-2 weeks of sugar detox that happens when you start a Paleo diet, then low energy can be caused by several things.  First, make sure you're drinking a lot of water.  Protein absorption does tend to make you slightly dehydrated.  Also, make sure you're getting enough sleep.  6-8 hours is ideal.  For those who are trying Paleo to lose weight, don't make the mistake of not eating ENOUGH calories.  You're shooting for enough calories to support your BMI, with 50% of them coming from fat.  Check out my article on losing weight on the Paleo diet here. If none of those apply to you, I'd check with your personal physician to make sure that you don't have any underlying problems that could be affecting your energy levels.

Q:  What do you mean by "Tapering"?

A: Tapering is the week to two weeks before a runner's Goal Race.  This is the race that we signed up for MONTHS AGO and have been logging hundreds of miles to prepare for.  For the two weeks before the race, runners will slowly reduce the number of miles they are running to help with the build up of glycogen in muscles (to fuel them during the race) and to prevent injuring themselves.  The lack of running may make them grumpy, and they'll complain of feeling fat and lazy.  Beware of the tapering runner and give them wide berth and consideration as they prepare to take on their next challenge.

If you have any questions that you think I could answer, feel free to send them my way!