Things I Don’t Understand About Running…

Post By Emily

So we are four weeks out from our half marathon in OKC. Where has the time gone? As my runs get longer I am finding there are many things I do not understand about running and the affects it has on the body. So here is my Top 5–enjoy!

1. Long runs tend to be easier than weekly runs.

I know it sounds strange, but my long runs on Sunday are usually more enjoyable than my regular weekly runs. I think my mind is very different for long runs–I am mentally prepared for them to royally suck, while my regular weekly runs I am thinking along the lines of “Easy three and then I am done.”

2. Running 6 miles does not mean you can eat 6 times the amount of food to recover 🙂

Okay, maybe not six times–but running longer distances (for me anyway) has not been a shortcut to turning into those super-skinny runners we see on TV. Proper nutrition and portion sizes still remains important in the overall scheme of health and wellness. Bummer.

3. People in small towns find runners to be the best form of evening entertainment.

Seriously. People drive by me up to five times on my runs. Which means they are bored, nosy, stalkers, or all of the above. So people, I will only waive once. End of discussion.

4. My GPS watch and phone are never the same when tracking distance.

I have been using the RunKeeper app (it will do timed intervals for FREE!) and my Soleus GPS watch and they are never the same. No matter where I run. I don’t understand. But I stick to my phone as far as accuracy and my watch for intervals–if I am going to run different paces for certain distances.

**Side note–If you are running any form of timed intervals, find an app or watch that will alert you when to change paces so you don’t have to constantly check the time. It makes the runs go so much faster.

5. I keep signing up for races

Whit and I are running a 10K this Saturday to use it as a prep race for the half. I am going to use it to practice my race strategy for the big day. But we also have decided on another race this summer–and I have been looking into races in the fall. I guess it is my addiction to finishing things–and race t-shirts. But I still do not like to run. I know….there is something wrong with me.

Why core and strength matter for running

Post by Whitney

Running injuries are unfortunately fairly common for runners from beginners all the way to seasoned pros. The monotonous motion using the same muscles over and over can lead to issues. That is part of why I chose to make the investment in a running coach last year while training for my first full marathon. I am a naturally inflexible human….. like there are rocks with more range of motion than I have. I knew that combined with past injuries from my high school glory days and that one time I tried to beat the softball to third base (I was safe), my intense training could lead to problems. I needed the expertise of a coach to help me train holistically.

How did it go? I didn’t suffer one single injury! How you ask? Core and strength. Hands down. I have always been active and have even lifted weights quite a bit, but having a naturally flat stomach lead me to neglect core workouts. I have read much literature about how important a strong core is. What the heck does core mean, though?! I pretty much knew abs were good but that was it. Core basically includes all the muscles in the core part of your body (duh). They are what provide stability and take a lot of pressure off your legs as you cover many miles. It’s not just your abs either. It’s your sides (obliques), back, hips, and glutes, too.

The red areas are what comprise your core muscles.

Having a history of hamstring injuries, I truly believe that focusing on building core strength and even greater leg and upper body strength through weight lifting, kept me from injury. I did have a tiny twinge of a tendon issue in August from slipping on gravel, but that was a freak incident, not from overuse.

A strong core may allow you to learn weird, useless tricks.

So, how do you add core and strength to your training? I enjoy random videos, pinterest ideas and body weight moves. Think crunches, planks, light dumbbell weight moves like bicep curls and shoulder press, superman back extensions, lunges, squats, calf raises galore.

Core can be a game, too! Challenge friends to hold death moves like “6 inches” where you hold your feet up as long as possible.

If you want more specific ideas, look for my next few posts where I will suggest work outs to try!

Until next time, Whitney