A hot & sunny 6 miler

A couple weeks ago it was still summer (at least weather-wise) in the Northwest. And although I know better, it just so worked out that on one particular day, I had to do my run in the late afternoon.

For kicks, I decided to take my camera and share my adventures with you. It sure made it seem more like "fun" and less like "work!"
Beautiful location for a run, eh? It is! This is one of my very, very favorite places to run at the moment. It's in University Place, Washington at the new Chambers Bay Golf Course. If you haven't been there, it's worth visiting. They have PAVED trails, a dog run, restrooms, and lots of great vistas, such as this:
This was taken at the halfway point of my run, at about 3 miles out. To prove to you that I survived, I decided to snap a quick self photo. Yes, it was hot!

Remember, if your running routine has you in a rut, get out there and have fun! Try a new route, bring your camera, run with a friend and chat about old times. Keep things spicy!

Hot and Hilly 8 Miler Yesterday!

So it turns out I will NOT be doing Torchlight next week, so I decided to run 8 miles yesterday and save the 16 for next weekend. This is a better training strategy anyways. I don't like to increase my long runs back to back when I don't have to! It gives my body time to adjust and helps prevent overtraining.

If any of you live in Western Washington, you know we've had an unseasonably wet and cold summer. Which is perfect for running! I do not particularly enjoy running in hot weather. But yesterday, the sun came out just in time for my 8-miler. HOORAY. (Huge dose of sarcasm here.)

Fortunately, I had significant shade for most of the run, but I still managed to get a decent sunburn by the time I was done. Reminder to self: wear sunscreen! I also had a nice coat of salt on my skin and face.

The run felt harder than my 14-miler from the week before. I just felt stiff, though I can't say that my joints hurt. I just felt...tired. I've had to learn to not let this sort of thing discourage me long-term though. I have some good runs, some OK runs, and some bad runs. I'd say this one was OK because I was able to run it all (except the last monster hill at the end!).

My good friend Heather will be in town next weekend, and I can hardly wait! Heather and I used to work together and we've done several races together. My half marathon PR (Mercer Island in 2:10) was completed thanks to her kickin' my butt the whole way! I also trained for and completed my first and only sprint triathlon thanks to Heather! But alas - she up and left me to marry her husband and moved to Texas. (OK, Heather...I'll forgive you!!) Anyhow, she asked if I'd be interested in doing a long run with her while she's here this weekend. What a trooper - planning a long run on her break home! I'm not sure that I'll be able to keep up with her, but I'll try for old times' sake!

Four long run recovery tips

Today I thought I'd share my best advice for what to do to recover quickly from a long run!

1. Ibuprofen! I've not tried this personally, but I think I'll give it a whirl on my 16-miler this weekend. The idea is to take a couple BEFORE you start running, to help prevent any muscle aches. I've heard other runners swear by this, so I'll have to give it a try and tell you what I think.

2. Ice bath. Now this is going to sound rather masochistic, so just bear with me for a moment. When you get an injury what do you often do? Ice it! The idea is that the cold helps reduce swelling. This works wonders on achy leg muscles following a long run. I've done this two different ways. The first is the hard core method: fill the bathtub with a few good inches of the coldest water possible and sit in it! It is murder at first, but just trust me on this one. I try to sit for about 10 minutes or so and I may keep my upper body covered or wrapped in a towel while I do this. AFTERWARDS, I'll hop in a hot shower. The other, simpler method: run the shower on cold for a few minutes and direct the water at your legs. Then turn it to hot. I know this sounds awful - and it sort of is at the time - but I promise, it will do wonders for your recovery!

3. Short 2-miler next day. I know the last thing you want to do is run following a long run, but even getting out there and doing a gentle 2 or 3 mile run will help keep your legs from stiffening and work out the kinks. I did this yesterday following my 14-miler on Saturday. The 2-miler wasn't bad at all - I actually felt I could've gone much farther. But I didn't. The point here is to just recover, not to do a full workout. If you really do NOT want to run, get out there and do a fast walk for 20-30 minutes.

4. Rest! This is my favorite post-run activity! It's important to kick your legs up, maybe have some nice person rub your feet, and if you're able - take a nap. You've earned it!

What are your favorite ways to recover from a long run?

Photo credit Ariel da Silva Parreira

7 tips on running 7 miles

Still smiling after my 7-mile run today!

Ah...7 miles! Finally we're getting to distances that surpass a 10K. Today I want to spend some time sharing my tips for how to successfully run what I call "middle distances" - runs between 7 and 13 miles.

Tip #1: plan your route! To plot a good 7-mile route, you can always use the odometer in your car and hit the neighborhood. However, I prefer mapmyrun, and others like Google Earth. There are also fun apps you use if that's your thing.

Tip #2: safety first! Once I planned my route for today, I made sure to tell my husband of my plans and a rough approximate of when he should expect me back. I also ran with my cell phone on. It's a good idea to run with some form of ID too. You might check out Road ID for easy options if you prefer not to carry your license.

Tip #3: water! Contrary to popular belief, I do NOT think it's a good idea to drink a ton of water just prior to running (unless you want a full bladder, that is). Have a glass an hour or so before your run. Then just sip. I also start carrying water with me when I run distances beyond an hour (which for me is anything more than 6 miles). Today I just carried a water bottle, but some like a camelback style. The idea is to find something that's easy for you to take sips from without having to stop.

Tip #4: dress comfortably. Even if it's chilly out there, be smart. You will soon grow warm and you might regret having layered on that fleece jacket. I personally like to wear long sleeves with shorts on a cool day - and maybe layer my running vest. I also wear an ear warmer, but not a hat. Sometimes I'll add some light gloves that I can shove in a pocket if I need. I also recommend against wearing 100% cotton socks. I often notice this causes blisters (for me anyways). I like using cotton/poly blends. Just look for those running/fitness socks at your store. They'll work.

Tip #5: leave the music at home, or turn it DOWN! Studies have shown that running with music can leave you distracted. Bottom line? I think unless you're on a treadmill, it's unsafe. You may not hear that car approaching - or that bicyclist. What's worse - I've even read that some attackers may look for pedestrians and runners wearing headphones since they're less likely to be on their guard. While many runners swear by "needing to have music," please think again. Or turn that volume WAY down and PAY attention to your surroundings. What do I do without music? Think. Today I came up for the idea for this post while running. I also got some ideas for blogging. Other times, I pray. I often find my best ideas come when I run. I couldn't imagine NOT having this quiet thinking time to enjoy!

Tip #6: break the distance into sections. This is one of my best tips when approaching long distances. Instead of just counting off miles, think of your run as sections. Today there was the section from my house to the gym, the section from the gym to the Walgreens, and the section from the Walgreens to the coffee house that looks like a teapot. Focus on moving through each section. If you find yourself really tiring, break each section into smaller subsections. I use this approach on my marathons too, incidentally.

Tip #7: sprint at the end! It can be SO easy to just fizzle and collapse at the end. Don't! Here's what I want you to do. For EVERY long run you do, dig deep that last .1 - .2 mile and go at your best all-out sprint. I truly believe this will do something wonderful for you mentally as well as physically as you train for those longer distances.

I had someone recently tell me that she can't seem to get past 5 miles. So how do you take it from 5 miles and work to 7? To quote Nike, "Just Do It!" At some point, you have to believe you can, lace up the sneakers, and hit the pavement.

Happy running!