Trying to Rein in the Holiday Spending on My Running Obsession!

Posted on December 13, 2012 Written by Leave a Comment

Seriously, why does Running Warehouse have to do a 12 Days of Christmas?? Some of the deals have been too good to pass up, and I LOVE Running Warehouse. Who doesn’t love FREE two-day shipping? My hubs actually let me order a Brooks Running backpack the other day for an early Christmas gift (thanks honey!). He got it for $21.77 instead of $40!

Brooks backpackI know that running is supposed to be a lower cost activity compared to some sports, but some times it doesn’t seem that way! Winking smile Between new shoes every 350-500 miles, appropriate running gear for the season, GU, etc.; it seems to add up quickly!

But, you know what? I love running retail therapy! When my new shoes arrived last week—I was so excited and couldn’t wait to wear them running. It’s pretty much like that with every piece of running gear I get!

I guess it could be worse. I could have an unhealthy addiction or an insatiable need to purchase $500 pairs of shoes or handbags. Winking smile I will probably buy myself a few more running Christmas gifts this year.

On a running related note, I am back at it after the back spasms of the weekend! I went to the chiropractor on Tuesday, and he said it was fine to run. He gave me some good stretching and strengthening exercises to do. It was so great to sweat again after an unexpected four days off!

Have you bought yourself any running-related Christmas gifts? If so, what did you buy?

Filed Under: Gear, Injury, Training

Back Spasms and Secret Santa Gifts

Posted on December 11, 2012 Written by Leave a Comment

What a weekend! We went to the Cape last Thursday and got back Sunday night around dinner time. There was a holiday party and lots of food, but no running for this mother runner. Why you ask? Well, I had my first (and I can only hope last!) experience with lower back spasms.

My back had been a little sore last week, but nothing huge. On Friday, I went down to the local paint/wallpaper store in Falmouth for some inspiration for the boys’ room. When I bent over to pick up one of the wallpaper books, BAM!

I can only liken them to contractions, but in your back. It felt like someone was stabbing me in the back for a about 30 seconds and then it would stop. When I would bend forward or twist, they would start again.

I haven’t cried from pain since I gave birth, but I cried Friday. I will not lie, it hurt like hell. After an emergency trip to the chiropractor, I felt a little better. He confirmed it was muscle spasms, so I had to rest and try to stay comfortable Friday and most of Saturday.

I did start feeling improvement Saturday and I feel much better today, though I can still feel some strain when I bend forward. We hit the Wild Harbor Association Christmas party on Saturday night—after some Christmas shopping with my Mom. On Sunday, we moved some more boxes into storage at our soon-to-be new home.

I haven’t run since a great 7-miler on Thursday. I am headed to the chiropractor this morning for another adjustment, and I will see how it feels tomorrow. I may run, or I may not. I am just glad I can bend over again. Winking smile

Yesterday, I was super psyched to receive my Secret Santa gift from my Supermoms running group. Check out the pic—some awesome locally made granola from Michigan, an Athleta headband, Balega socks and a cool magnet. It made my Monday!

How was your weekend??

Filed Under: Injury Tagged: ,

Increasing Your Weekly Mileage Safely

Posted on September 11, 2012 Written by 4 Comments

One of the biggest risks for running injury is increasing mileage too quickly. The old logic of more is better seems to happen rather quickly with new runners. Hey—it’s exciting when you find your running groove. You start to feel the runner’s high and thus the addiction begins… Smile

While there are no firm “rules” on increasing weekly mileage, it has been suggested that you not increase your weekly mileage more than 10% each week. Obviously you don’t have to follow this rule of thumb to the tenth of a mile, however it is a good way of preventing yourself from getting overzealous!

One of the main reasons for not increasing you mileage too quickly is that it simply takes your body and all of its bones, muscles, and tendons time to adapt to your newfound activity level. Rather than shocking them, you are allowing them to gradually adapt to your higher activity level.

There are situations when you can make an exception to the rule and maybe bump up by 20%, but it isn’t really recommended to jump more than that. In the end, it’s not really worth the risk of injury.

I think it’s also a great idea to incorporate down weeks into your training. For example you may build up mileage over 3 weeks, and then take a down week on the 4th week. It’s nice to give your body a little more time during that week to relax and get ready for the next increase.

As always, everyone is different. Some people seem to be able to handle larger weekly mileage increases. I am certainly not one of them! The older I get, the more I realize the prudence in this training suggestion!

How much do you generally increase your weekly mileage in a training cycle?

Filed Under: Injury, Training Tagged:

Some Help From the Podiatrist?

Posted on July 26, 2012 Written by 4 Comments

I am contemplating scheduling a visit to the podiatrist. I have long suspected that I may have some gait issues, and I am curious to see what a gait analysis might determine.

I made the mistake of looking down at my feet the past few days while I was running. No—I did not trip and fall on my face—but I did discover that my left foot does this weird thing when I run. It swings inward. Not really sure what that’s all about, but I wonder how it affects the biomechanics of my stride and the efficiency of my running.

This year as been a continuous exploration of how to be a more efficient and less injury prone runner. I wonder if a podiatrist might help me on this journey.

There are two things holding me back from scheduling that first appointment: 1) cost (if they suggest orthotics, I know those can be obscenely expensive) and 2) I want to see if I can correct the underlying problem rather than just putting a Band-Aid on it. Know what I mean?

I would love to know about any experience you guys have with the podiatrist. Please share!

Today we enjoyed a beautiful day at Roger Williams Zoo—three hours of running around with mommy’s friends and the boy’s friends. Everyone had a great time. We hit up the YMCA later for more play time and some run time for me. I just did a short three-miler in my Merrell Pace gloves. I love the feel of running in the Pace gloves!

I switch up my shoes a lot (to keep my foot and leg muscles guessing) and the Pace Gloves are great for the barefoot feel and making sure you are striking mid-foot. There is something liberating about wearing them, especially on the trails!

Filed Under: Health, Injury Tagged: ,

Revisiting My Running Form

Posted on July 19, 2012 Written by 4 Comments

Scott Jurek’s book Eat and Run inspired me to revisit my running form. In Eat and Run, Jurek mentions a book called Running With the Whole Body. I put it on hold at the library and can’t wait to get my hot little hands on it. I’ve read that it’s a little dated–we’re talking 1986 with a 1996 update (no Nook version for this one!). However,  I am sure it has some very valuable info on improving your running form.

A few days ago I started running with my metronome app again to make sure that my cadence is at 180. I also want to work on using my arms and shoulders for more power and to make myself a more efficient runner. Using your arms correctly gives you more power and takes some of the work off your legs.

I have been thinking about form lately because I feel like I have had some recurrent issues with joint soreness and hip flexors that have led me to believe that maybe adjusting my running form could help. Doesn’t hurt to try right?

I know that tuning up my running form is going to require me to slow down a bit, and I’m okay with that. Today was a great 50 minute run. I felt fantastic–that, to me, is priceless. :-)

For those of you that haven’t run with a metronome, I would definitely suggest it. I use an iPhone app from Steinway. Give it a try and see what you think!

Have you ever tried to tweak your running form? What happened (please tell me something good! Winking smile)?

Filed Under: Injury, Training Tagged:

Running (to the barre)

Posted on June 29, 2012 Written by 3 Comments

Hi everyone! I’m Jess from EatDrinkBreatheSweat and I’m so excited to be guest blogging for you today while Jessica is off celebrating her sister’s big day! I’m here to talk about my two favorite things in life: running + barre.

For those of you who don’t know me (yet), a little background. I love to run. Been running for a few years now and fairly recently made the decision to up my game a bit by committing to my first full marathon this fall (Chicago or bust, baby!).

However, up until recently, I had faced a fair amount of running-related injuries, all involving my knees. It wasn’t until I discovered – and subsequently fell in LOVE with – barre-style workouts that I’m now proud to say that I have the happiest knees ever.

…and I owe it all to the barre. Truly.

(for those of you who aren’t familiar with barre-style workouts, check out my post on it here. Essentially, this workout is all about strengthening while lengthening your muscles, using a combination of a ballet barre (for lower body work), light handweights (for upper body work), resistance bands and your own bodywork to tone and strengthen your muscles).

What’s been so incredible about the running + barre combo is just how complementary the two workouts truly are. I absolutely cringe every time I hear a runner say that they avoid strength work for their legs when they’re training for a race because they fear they’ll be too sore to run. With barre classes, sure you are working your legs REALLY hard during class (to the point of the ‘shake’!), but you aren’t left with dead legs the next day which means, yes – you can *still* get your run on even after taking a barre class the day before (or even the same day).

Like I said, my knees – never happier. And it’s because I’ve finally found a strength workout that targets my glutes and hamstrings and quads in a way that no other workout has ever done for me before. You’ve probably heard it before – many knee injuries arise because one of the muscles that surrounds your knee is weak…and in some cases, all three muscles that surround your knee could be weak. Hello, injury. I truly believe that a lot of runners can get so caught up in running and their sheer adoration for the sport that they quickly forget just how hard on the body/joints running is. So for me – strength training is so, so, so important to injury prevention as a runner.

Plus – who doesn’t want, long, lean, toned, strong legs, am I right? ;-)

So my blogger PSA to you all today? Embrace strength training as a runner! And, if you’re lucky enough to have a barre-style studio near you, seriously check it out. I promise you will not be disappointed (and remember: embrace the shake at the barre!!). I am so in love with this style that I recently became certified to teach at the studio near me (barre n9ne: http://barren9ne.com) and I am totally and utterly in love with both taking and teaching these classes.

It’s really amazing once you find that killer combo that works for you, isn’t it?

Filed Under: Cross Training, Injury Tagged: ,

Running as a Personal Trainer

Posted on June 28, 2012 Written by 3 Comments

Hi fans of 30 Something Mother Runner! I’m Samantha from Running and Cupcakes. I am pleased to be writing for you today while Jess is enjoying the Cape, time with her family, and her sister’s wedding.

I recently became a National Academy of Sports Medicine Personal Trainer and today I want to talk to you about the benefits of working with a personal trainer – especially for runners.

Honestly the #1 benefit that comes to my mind when I think “Why should people work with a personal trainer?” is ACCOUNTABILITY. You obviously don’t want to pay for something you’re not going to use. When you hire a personal trainer, you are being held accountable; you are responsible for showing up to your sessions and putting in the work.

However, I don’t really feel that is the best benefit. A personal trainer can assess your strengths and weaknesses and target the areas that need the most work – then work with you to improve your weaknesses, better your strengths, and help you achieve all of your goals.

Take me for example – before I started studying for the NASM exam, I ran, I did yoga, and I did occasional light weight workouts in the comfort of my home. When I started studying NASM materials, I said “I need to be in personal trainer shape if I’m going to train people!”

In January I started adding in upper body strength training twice a week, core work twice a week, and an hour long hot yoga class once a week – in addition to my runs. In no time I started getting faster, I started to build better endurance – I shaved 42 minutes off of my marathon PR (yet the half marathon still eludes me – I’m convinced that distance just doesn’t like me).

Another example – today I ran 4 miles at an 8:39 average pace, with my best mile being 8:16. It was hard, but it wasn’t all out hard, and I could’ve gone longer if I wanted to (I also ran 5 miles yesterday). Last year on this very day – I ran 3 miles at a 9:22 pace, and was shocked, excited, and pleased (after 4 days off of my legs).

I know I can attribute a lot of these improvements to the piles of miles I’ve run in the past year (including training for and running 3 marathons) – however, what it truly boils down to is strength. I didn’t start seeing true improvements in my speed and endurance until I started really strength training.

If you are a runner who feels “stuck” – perhaps your endurance isn’t improving, or your pace isn’t picking up, I think you should give a personal trainer a try. Like I said – I can assess your strengths and weaknesses and give you the workout plan necessary to get you on track, get you faster, stronger, with better endurance.

I have recently started my own business, RunCupcake Fitness. If you are interested in workout plans or private training sessions please contact me – runcupcake@gmail.com. I’m also offering online training programs, check out my Personal Training Services page!

Huge thanks to Jess for letting me take over her space for a day!

Filed Under: Cross Training, Injury Tagged: , ,

Plantar Fasciitis Explained

Posted on May 24, 2012 Written by 12 Comments

For those of you that have never experienced plantar fasciitis (PF), consider yourself very lucky! While I don’t have it now, I have had it in the past and it’s no laughing matter. I still find myself doing foot exercises to ward off a potential recurrence.

What exactly IS plantar fasciitis?

Yes, those are my feet! ;-)

As runners, we often hear the word “plantar fasciitis” tossed around casually in conversation—usually from a disgruntled runner who is currently out of commission.

Plantar fasciitis is an inflammation of the plantar fascia—the ligament that connects your heel bone to your toes. When it gets inflamed, it hurts REALLY bad. It kind of feels like someone is taking a knife and stabbing the arch of your foot repeatedly. Definitely not a pleasant feeling.

How do you develop plantar fasciitis?

  • You stand on your feet (or run!) for long periods of time.
  • Your shoes are not properly fitted or they are too old.
  • Your feet pronate inward.
  • You have very high arches or flat feet.

How do you get rid of plantar fasciitis?

The frustrating thing about PF is that the fastest way to get rid of it is to rest. Your first step should be to stop (or at the very least, drastically reduce) the activity that is aggravating the plantar fasciitis. You can ice the bottoms of your feet, in addition to taking an anti-inflammatory medication like Motrin.

As a runner, you should also make sure that you are wearing the right running shoe for your foot. Try visiting your local running store and having them watch you run. They will be able to help make sure you are wearing the right shoe. Also make sure that your shoes are not past their expiration date.

What can you do to prevent plantar fasciitis?

One of the things I like to do to decrease tightness in my plantar fascia is to roll a golf ball (you can also use a tennis ball) under my feet. Hear me out—it actually feels really good!

  • Make sure you are wearing the right shoes (see above).
  • Resist the urge to do too much too soon when starting an exercise program—increase gradually.
  • Maintain a healthy weight.
  • Regularly stretch your Achilles tendon—a tight Achilles can make you more prone to developing plantar fasciitis.

Have you ever had plantar faciitis? How did you treat it?

Filed Under: Health, Injury Tagged:

Nice and Easy–That’s My Style

Posted on April 23, 2012 Written by 11 Comments

I just got back from a little extended vacation on the Cape. My husband had to go down to Florida to drive my stepfather’s car up, so I was sans kids again until last night. Since my mother and my mother-in-law are such a big help with the littles, I decided to head down there.

We got to the Cape late afternoon Thursday, just enough time to sneak in a walk to the beach to enjoy the beautiful weather. Friday and Saturday were gorgeous too, with lots of outside activities. Finally on Sunday we got some much needed rain.

I took Thursday off from running and ran three miles Friday and Saturday. I felt great, albeit a little slow–but I know this is normal.

I wrote a post a while back about making sure that your “easy” runs are in fact easy. This is especially true when it comes to rehabbing a running injury. Often times, runners are so excited to be back running that they do too much too soon.

I am no stranger to the feeling of wanting to do too much too soon—I think it’s a very popular sentiment among runners. I had the feeling last week when I was running on the dreadmill. I had completed my one mile warm-up and was thinking about how great I felt—my running felt so comfortable and natural.

Several times I contemplated kicking the speed up a couple of notches, but the other voice in the back of my head told me to take it easy since this was the first time I had run two days in a row since my injury.

I am so glad that I actually listen to that voice now—I never used to! I think this last injury (hip tendonitis) kept me out of the game for so long that I am deathly afraid of being sidelined again. It was such a frustrating experience trying to figure out what was wrong in the first place, and then trying to fix it. I will do WHATEVER it takes to keep that from happening again.

Yes, I realize I will probably encounter another injury during my running career, but hopefully trying to be wiser about not pushing my body too hard and pushing through the pain will get me back in the game sooner!

Now for a fun tidbit. Over on runningshoes.com, they are hosting a contest with New Balance. Every Wednesday, one winner will be selected to receive a New Balance technical shirt, shorts and their choice of New Balance running shoes. The contest ends this Wednesday, April 25, with the announcement of the final winner. So head on over and leave a comment with your favorite spring training tip!

Filed Under: Injury, Training Tagged:

Another Post-Injury Milestone!

Posted on April 18, 2012 Written by 7 Comments

Today I reached another post-injury milestone—I ran three miles! Before my injury, three miles would have seemed like a walk in the park. Today it represented a big achievement. I actually felt really good! Depending on how I feel tomorrow, I may be ambitious and attempt three again!

It’s amazing how much better a good run can make you feel. I know it sounds kind of cheesy, but for me it’s the truth. The hubs is out of town tonight for a business trip, so it was just me and the kids all day. No preschool this week for my older son, so I was anticipating a long and exhausting day (but fun at the same time!).

Running in the morning was just what I needed to get off on the right foot (pun intended). We had gorgeous weather here again today. It felt like summer! The kids enjoyed playing outside in shorts and t-shirts. We had a nice semi-relaxing dinner with friends and then before I knew it, it was bed time.

I relaxed in bed and caught up on all the shows I have DVRed along with a little dark chocolate with coconut. In the words of Coolio, “today was a good day.” Smile

Filed Under: Injury, Training Tagged:
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