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Posts tagged ‘marathon’

May 28

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Pain.

Pain is an interesting thing. People do not generally submit themselves to pain and it’s generally not a fun thing to experience. However, sometimes in order to improve, we must experience it.

This afternoon, in nearly 90 degree weather on a hot track, as I ran my 3rd interval, I started to question why I wanted to experience this discomfort. Yesterday I learned about the difficulty of running with a bloody blister on my foot and today, I was reminded of the pain. My shorts were too short today which caused some chafing and oh yea, it was hot. Somebody please, remind me why I want to do this? Oh that’s right. Now I remember…

I can not achieve my goals without a little hard work. I will never get faster unless I am willing to hurt a little. Training in the heat and on the hills, it’s an added advantage. I saw a video once and it said the following: In any fight, it’s the guy who’s willing to die who’s going to win that itch. I realize that unless I’m willing to do more than the next person, I’m never going to get where I want to be. Pain and hard work are part of the training. Embrace it. Welcome it. And let it make your stronger. Stay focused on the goal and it’ll always be worth it.

Here is the video:

 

Happy Trails & Happy Running,

Tracie

Running Update: A successful track workout today but I was a little tired afterwards. Going into the workout, I was a little down because I wasn’t looking forward to working out in the heat. However, after the workout, I was proud of my consistency, my effort, and how I felt my form was improving. My next marathon is many months away but I’m really excited to make a gradual progression to (hopefully) my peak condition. Stats are here.

Apr 29

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Cortisol

As my running is going better that I could have expected, I find myself starting to push a little harder on my runs. Today I know I went faster than a typical easy Monday run. Therefore, tomorrow’s run will be a goal pace of 8:30-8:45/mile.

One thing that I am doing in order to stay off the injured list (in addition to lots of  yoga poses and strength training) is paying closer attention to my diet. And all of these food documentaries we have been watching just reaffirm the power of fruits and veggies. I am getting a little stricter with my vegetable intake because I know it helps with my recovery and performance. I want to take care of my body and I need to give it the fuel it needs.

One thing I have been reading about is cortisol. Cortisol is a hormone that is produced in response to stress. Over trained endurance athletes (like myself) can experience elevated levels of cortisol and this isn’t necessarily a good thing.

First Endurance: 

Cortisol, known as the regulator of immune response, is a hormone controlled by the adrenal cortex. This powerful hormone is also known as an adrenalcorticol hormone, a glucocorticoid and hydrocortisone or simply cortisone. Cortisol has a catabolic (muscle breakdown) effect on tissue and is associated with a decrease in anabolic (muscle growth) hormones like IGF-1 and GH. Thus reducing levels of cortisol is ideal for an athlete to achieve tissue growth and positive adaptations to exercise training. Playing many different roles in the body, cortisol can have a negative impact on sleep, mood, sex drive, bone health, ligament health, cardiovascular health and athletic performance, potentially causing fatigue and inflammation.

As I was running home tonight, I was thinking to myself, What can I eat for dinner that will help keep my cortisol levels down? Well luckily there are quite a few options that I just happen to have in my kitchen. Green leafy vegetables, in particular those high in vitamin K, whole grains, and lean protein are all good options to keep your cortisol levels down. My dinner tonight consisted of spinach, kale, bell peppers, carrots, tomatoes, smoked salmon and quinoa. In addition, my afternoon snack was a kale, apple, celery, cucumber, and lemon veggie juice. So yummy!

I think my cortisol levels are feeling pretty low this evening.

Happy  Trails & Happy Running,

Tracie

Running stats from today are here. Seven miles at a comfortable pace, although a little on the quick side. Tomorrow will be slower. And how do you like the pic of our breakfast yesterday morning? Delicious veggie juice ;)

Apr 20

glutes

Tight Glutes

Any time I’ve ever had a sports massage, I have always been told I had extremely tight glutes. In my mind I took that to mean you have really strong glutes but it seems this isn’t the case. This morning, as I started out my run, I could tell I was holding a lot of tension in my glutes and it was affecting my running form. Once I focused on letting the tension go, my stride really opened up and my running felt so incredibly efficient. It was awesome.

When I got home, I decided to look into tight glutes. Well it turns out, I think this may have been a big contributing factor to my injury in February. Glutes are important.

Your glutes are the largest, most powerful muscle in the body. When they are inhibited, they can affect everything from your hip flexors to your lower back muscles. (Wait, isn’t that what was wrong with me for 5 weeks?) If your glutes are inhibited, this means they can be either too tight or too weak. Want to know if you have inhibited glutes? Try the hip extension test. Right now it seems mine are pretty normal. (The goal will be to keep them this way as I slowly pick my running back  up.) Your glutes are the muscles that help keep your pelvis, femur, ankle, and knee in alignment. If that gets out of whack, you could potentially have issues with your lower back, your IT Band, or even your knees. Um, not good.

This website has some great stretches and exercises for getting the glutes firing properly. In addition, it has some stretches for the piriformis. I know I’ve said this before but it continues to amaze me how running is a complete, whole body, activity. In order to be an efficient runner, all the parts have to be in sync with one another. Kind of like a nice, fancy car… :)

Happy Trails and Happy Running,

Tracie

Running Update: This morning was a glorious run. The weather was perfect, my body felt great, and everything went by effortlessly. I ran 9 miles and that is my longest runs since my injury. I keep reminding myself that some of the best female runners are in their 30s. I turn 30 in two weeks so maybe my time is approaching. ;) Stats are here.

Apr 17

martin

The Crazy Ones

Today a coworker asked if I planned to stop running marathons.

Someone else asked if I was afraid of big races.

Then a student told me he would one day run the Boston Marathon.

My faith lies with those who never give up. 

Happy Trails & Happy Running,

Tracie

Apr 16

Tracie
3 Comments

The Runner’s Spirit

The runner’s spirit is undeniably compassionate. It is not easily broken nor is it quickly deterred.

The runner is unique. With eyes wide open, he attempts to defy the norm and embrace the pain. It is a spirit in the forever pursuit of another level.

The runner is humble. Kind. Selfless. And supportive. I’ve never met a mean runner and I’m not sure they exist. Oprah once said running is a metaphor for life and she is right. Running is easy. It is hard. It can go uphill, and it can go downhill.

But above all, the runner takes each of these challenges and perseveres. Not only are we connected by our countless miles, we are brought together by a common understanding of what it means to suffer. And what it means to prevail.

Yesterday the running world changed forever, and although none of us can say exactly how, one thing is for certain. I, along with so many others, am damn proud to belong to this remarkable community. I have never been prouder to call myself a runner than I am right now. May our kindness, compassion, and relentless resolve continue to support those in Boston. For in the end, goodness will win and our community, those in Boston, and those around the world will be stronger than ever before. Because we are runners, and we do not back down.

And in the words of Martin Richard, No More Hurting People, Peace.

Happy Trails and Happy Running,

Tracie

Yesterday and today I ran for Boston. As I watched the news yesterday, I became so overwhelmed and left the house in tears. Today, I wanted to be out there with the thousands of other people wearing our favorite race shirts, supporting those affected by yesterday’s tragedy. And with every runner I saw, there was a smile, a nod, and a silent understanding. In our own way, hundreds of miles away from Boston, we were showing our support the best way we knew how. By running. There truly is no better sport.

 

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Apr 15

3 Comments

Boston

Today, my heart is heavy as I am sure are so many others. A dark cloud has been cast over one of the greatest running events in the world and tonight, many are experiencing a pain that I can’t even imagine. But the running community is resilient. We endure. We help. And we are kind. This will only make a strong community even stronger, and in this darkness, goodness will prevail. My thoughts, prayers, and all my love in my heart go out to those in Boston tonight. May you hold your loved ones a little closer.

Praying for Boston,

Tracie

 

Fred Rogers

Apr 13

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4 Comments

Goal Reversal

My friend Tania got me thinking about running goals a little differently a few weeks ago. She commented on one of my posts that for the elite Kenyan runners, if they were  to run 7:15 min/mile for an easy workout, but instead ran 7:00 min/mile, they would view that as a goal not met. They would view it as a failure.

Well that’s a different way to look at things…

For so long I have looked at my running goals in terms of faster times. Never slower times. If I was suppose to run easy and ran 7:30 min/mile, then I exceeded my goal. Right? Well at least in my stubborn runner’s brain I did. I never looked at it as missing my goal. Now, as I’m slowly coming back from my injury, I’m focusing even more on those easier runs and  slower miles. Today I ran one of my slowest long runs in a long time and I feel like I just ran a 1:25 half marathon. I am that proud of my pace and that proud of the fact that I had the discipline to take it down a notch. Not to mention physically, my body feels great. I didn’t stress it out and I didn’t push it too hard. My legs say thank you. :)

There is a time and place for everything. There is a time to run fast and a time to run slow. If the goal is to run 8:30 min/mile then we should strive to meet that. Not to exceed it by 30 seconds. After all, isn’t there a reason we had an easy run scheduled in the first place? Of course, there are always exceptions but for me right now, my goal is to get healthy. My goal is consistency and the easy runs help get me there.

Happy Trails & Happy Running,

Tracie

Running Update: I made a new running friend this morning and absolutely loved running with her. She was really awesome and made the miles go by quickly. We ran a total of 8 miles, which is my longest run since February. I feel great and stats are here. And don’t you love my pic of the beautiful sunshine this morning?

Apr 12

London Marathon, 2012
1 Comment

Want

Yesterday I ran like I haven’t run in almost two months. I ran one of the hilliest courses I know and I ran it at a pace that was kind of fast for the hills and easy pace I had originally planned. As I ran up one of the steepest hills, as I wanted to stop and walk, as I questioned why I wanted to hurt when I was suppose to be going easy, I told myself no 3 hour marathoner got there without a little hurt, no Ironman crossed the finish line without a little suffering, and my running hero, Ariana Hilborn, didn’t go from a 4:30 marathoner to Olympic Trials qualifier by walking the hills. Pain is just a part of it. Embrace it.

Love Yourself

Happy Trails & Happy Running,

Tracie

Running Update: No running today. Tomorrow will be my longest run since February. I can’t wait!

Apr 10

feet
1 Comment

Standing on Two Feet

I have presented myself with a challenge for the next week. It’s actually quite difficult but I can already tell a difference. My challenge is… stand evenly on both feet. Crazy right?

I’d venture to say the majority of people do not stand evenly on both feet. Unless of course, you’re talking about Tara Stiles or Danny Dreyer. Think about how you stand most of the time. Or even better, just look at the people around you. People tend to stand to one side or another. Once or twice and that’s not a bad thing. However, over the years, you create that muscle memory. One leg gets stretched out, one IT band gets tighter, one foot gets stronger, and one leg gets weaker.

For the normal person, that’s not such a big deal. However, for the athlete (runner) who is trying to reach certain goals, this can become a problem. Everything is connected in your body. Your spine affects your hips, which affect your quads, which affect your knees, which affect your ankles, and so on and so on. I’ve decided in order to achieve these very far fetched running goals I have, I have got to get in tune with my body and master it.

Since I’ve started really paying attention to distributing my weight evenly on both feet, I’ve noticed two very big things. First, I feel so much more grounded. Second, I feel taller. Granted, I’m only 5’2, but I feel a towering 5’4. The world looks different from  up here ;) .

Care to join me in the challenge? It’s a little harder than one might think.

Happy Trails and Happy Running,

Tracie

Recover/Running Update: I stuck to my word and did NOT run today. Instead I did an intense tabata session followed by lots of burpees, pushups, one legged squats, yoga poses, and back bends. it was a great workout and I loved the intensity. :)

On another note, it’s National Sibling Day and I have the best sister ever. I love you Toni!!

Toni & Tracie

See the love?

 

Apr 3

2 Comments

A 10 Year Record

This April marks the 10th Anniversary of Paula Radcliffe’s marathon world record. 10 years ago, in the London Marathon, Radcliffe ran 26.2 miles in 2:15:25. Even to this day, the next closest time is three minutes slower. Last Thursday an article came out, stating that Radcliffe fears she’ll never race again. I remember in 2004 watching Radcliffe drop out of the Olympic marathon and I almost cried with her. It was heartbreaking. But through her many injuries, Radcliffe has some amazing accomplishments. She has two world records, the 10K and marathon, along with a few other world bests (but they are unratifiable). Even if she never races again, she is amazing.

Here is her marathon finish in 2003:

Happy Trails and Happy Running,

Tracie

Recovery/Running Update: I ran an easy 3 miles this morning through Microsoft’s campus. Tomorrow I am meeting one of my running friends for a run through Seattle and I am really looking forward to it. :)

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