Blizzard Nemo Recap

Posted on February 11, 2013 Written by Leave a Comment

Well, I can safely say that Nemo was nothing to take lightly! I manged to get in a recovery run of 5 miles on Friday morning. My legs felt so flat, it was all I could muster. It was so nice to get out and get some exercise though, since I knew I wouldn’t be going anywhere on Saturday!

There was light snow on and off on Friday. I would say that the heavy snowfall didn’t really start in Falmouth until around dinner time on Friday night. I couldn’t believe how big some of the snowflakes were! The snow started accumulating rapidly soon after. The winds also picked up a lot. We lost power for about an hour around dinner time, but then it came back on. It went off again around 7, and then it was off for good.

IMG_20130210_123628_425We had a brief time to jack up the heat before the power went out for good. We went to sleep, but I woke up at 1 am when my older son came back into our room. I wanted to go into the kids’ room where my youngest was, to make sure it was warm enough and he was okay. It was a little chilly and the wind was howling so loud. I was actually afraid a tree was going to fall on the house. I think right around 1 in the morning must have been the height of the wind gusts, since I awoke again a few hours later and it wasn’t nearly as bad.

We were able to mange inside during the day on Saturday, since we had a wood stove. There was a driving ban, so we couldn’t have left if we wanted to! When the driving ban was lifted at 4 pm, we headed down to my mom’s, since she never lost power! It was so nice to have power and heat!

On Sunday, I was scheduled for a long run, but I made an impromptu decision to go sledding with my husband and the boys instead. Since we had some epic snow, and it was a beautiful and sunny day, it was a no brainer. Long run on the dreadmill or super fun sledding day in the sunshine?!

We headed over to a local country club that’s a hot spot for sledding. There are ocean views and some great hills. We had SO MUCH fun! The boys enjoyed being outside in the fresh air–my youngest took a 3 hour nap when we got home! :-) I spent his  nap time stripping more wallpaper from the boys’ room, and I am happy to report that I am more than half way done!

 

 

Filed Under: Family Tagged: , ,

Ahh, the Joys of Chilly Long Runs

Posted on February 4, 2013 Written by 6 Comments

On Saturday morning I set out for a twelve-miler. I will admit that I was less than enthused when I checked my phone and saw that it was 24 degrees (13 with wind chill). It has been SOOOO windy here these past few weeks!

I rounded up my cold weather gear and set out with my Nathan hydration belt, a GU, and some tunes. About a half mile into the run I realized that I had forgotten my sunglasses- FAIL! I have kind of sensitive eyes, and it was very sunny.

Source: http://www.capecodbikeguide.com

Source: http://www.capecodbikeguide.com

Thankfully my peepers were okay and I enjoyed the sunshine along the bike path. The wind wasn’t too bad, and I finally warmed up after a few miles. It was cool enough, however, for the water on the tops of my bottles to freeze!

I ran from North Falmouth to Falmouth along the bike path and then another two miles before arriving at our house to start home improvement project number one—stripping the pink wall paper from the soon-to-be boys’ room. I was pretty happy with the 8:27 pace, especially since I had run at half marathon pace for my 7-miler the day before.

I didn’t think that stripping wall paper would take too long, but clearly I miscalculated. After about 3 hours on Saturday and 2 1/2 on Sunday, I have about one full wall done. My plan is to do a bit each day and hope for the best—maybe I will be finished by the end of the month!

I am looking forward to getting more home projects done this week, in addition to writing up my Bill Rodgers/MFNE interview to share with you guys. So much fun stuff, so little time!

How was everyone’s weekend? Did you race?

Filed Under: Training Tagged: , ,

How Long Should You Run on Your Long Run?

Posted on August 7, 2012 Written by 4 Comments

My long runs aren’t going to be that long for a while since I am making the switch to minimalist shoes, but I wanted to write a post on this crucial piece of race training.

When runners formulate a training plan there are typically four different components: the easy run, the tempo run, speed work, and the long run.

Zensah Calf Sleeves

The general consensus is that the long run should be about 20-30% of your weekly mileage in distance. So if you run 20 miles a week, your run would be anywhere from 4-6 miles in length. This rule is not set in stone—you will often see college athletes logging 13 mile long runs on the weekend, even though they only compete at the mile distance.

Long runs are very important for increasing your aerobic endurance. You should complete your long runs at a conversational pace, although it’s perfectly okay to throw in some speed bursts when you become more accustomed to the longer distance.

If you decide to incorporate the long run into your weekly training schedule, try taking a recovery day the day after. This recovery day can be total rest, cross-training or a VERY easy run. Personally, I like to move the day after a long run. I think it helps my muscles recover and flushes out any lingering soreness.

Always make sure that your are well hydrated on your long runs (try to take a hand held or wear a Fuel Belt if you are going out for more than an hour or if the weather is really warm). You also want to look into nutrition on the run. For me, I take along a GU or other sports nutrition when I run 9 miles or longer.

You may also want to look into compression socks or calf sleeves to help minimize soreness from long runs. I finally had a chance to try out some calf sleeves a few weeks ago. Zensah sent me a pair of bright pink tie-dyed ones to test out.

I went out on a pretty warm morning and felt a bit warm with them in the beginning. But after a mile or so, I didn’t really notice it. I will tell you that I got more compliments on my “socks” than I have ever received on a run. Everyone loved them. They were very comfy and did their job well. You can check out all of the colors they come in HERE.

Zensah provided 30 Something Mother Runner with a pair of calf sleeves in exchange for sharing my opinions on the product with my readers. All opinions and writing are 100% mine.

Filed Under: Gear, Training Tagged: , ,

It’s Friday and I’m Cape-bound Again

Posted on July 13, 2012 Written by 1 Comment

I am not going to miss the hot and humid weather we are supposed to have in Providence this weekend! Tonight we are celebrating my sister’s birthday, since she is leaving early Saturday morning. I am glad I got to see her for an extra week, even if it was a result of less than favorable circumstances!

While at home over the weekend, I am going to try and help out with some stuff around the house for my Mom. I will most likely split time between visiting with my Grandma at the nursing home (her recovery is going great!) and helping my Mom with chores, errands, etc. I really wish there was more I could do to help her. Sad smile

I will try to squeeze in my miles while at home for the weekend. I am going to shoot for 7 on Saturday and my planned 15 on Sunday. I never break up long runs, but I am thinking about running down to the nursing home from my in-laws’ house in North Falmouth, visiting my Grandma, and then running back! It will be like a little adventure, complete with a water and bathroom stop and some A/C,

I have been taking it kind of easy since the low iron levels are extending my recovery from tough workouts. I have been diligently eating iron-rich foods, taking the supplement, and waiting for my Popeye moment! Winking smile

Filed Under: Family, Training Tagged: ,

Running Skirts Over the Long Run

Posted on June 20, 2012 Written by 8 Comments

It’s no secret that I love my running skirts. I think they are functional and very cute, but not for long runs any more. I have come to the personal conclusion that skirts are not great for me when I am running for over an hour.

Last week, I did an 8 mile run with speed work, and I almost threw out the skirt I was running in because it created such chafing on my inner thighs. A nice burning sensation is not my idea of a pleasant post-workout shower experience!

Before you ask, I do use Body Glide, but I find that I still have the issue once I hit the hour mark. So, I headed to Rhode Runner to find some suitable replacements for my increased training volume. The new store is AMAZING and about four times bigger than the old one!

I am not into compression shorts that are too short—I just can’t go there. After rifling the clothing racks, I found a pair of Brooks Infiniti Short Tights. Although they are compression shorts, they are a bit longer than the boy shorts, so I think I can work with them. I am going to give them a test drive later this morning over 6 miles. The true test will be my long run this weekend. I will keep you posted on their performance! Winking smile

Also, for anyone considering the ZOOMA Cape Cod Half Marathon, there will be a price increase on June 22, so go ahead and register now. Don’t forget to use the code to the right of this post to save $10 on the half marathon and $5 off the 10K!

Filed Under: Gear, Training Tagged: , ,

Long Runs and the Time Drain

Posted on June 5, 2012 Written by 8 Comments

This past weekend I was reminded of the time drain that accompanies running long on the weekend. I love long runs, and I really don’t mind being out on the road for two hours or more. I do NOT, however, enjoy the scheduling difficulties that sometimes accompany long runs.

This past Sunday, I had to do a 10-mile run. Since a graph of my daytime energy would probably resemble a hockey stick, I decided that it would be best to get my run out of the way in the morning. Apparently, this is not what my husband had in mind. We like to try and do some family activities on the weekends, and he wanted to go hiking or some other physical activity in the morning–which I COMPLETELY understand. There was no easy answer.

After a brief disagreement, I decided to just head out the door and run. I knew in my heart that if I didn’t run in the morning, the 10 miles wasn’t going to happen after a late afternoon birthday party. In retrospect, I was totally right on this decision. After said children’s birthday party, my older son was in dire need of a nap, and of course, didn’t take one. The afternoon went downhill after that.

I guess the point of this rambling post is that training for longer distance races can definitely put a strain on the family relationship. When you have to run for an hour and a half or more, it starts taking up precious weekend time. It’s often hard to make everyone happy on this front.

After some experience in this situation, I think it’s probably better to discuss the running schedule before Saturday or Sunday morning, when you are inevitable forced to make a game time decision. If both parties can agree to a predetermined run schedule, things would probably go a lot smoother.

This weekend I have 12 miles on tap, and I am going to try to make a better effort to work with the hubs on the schedule. While I also have a lot of fun things I would like to do on the weekends, I also want to make sure that I get my training in when I have the energy to do so!

Have long runs ever caused a disagreement in your household?

Filed Under: Family, Training Tagged: ,

Resting Up to Be a Running Buddy!

Posted on June 1, 2012 Written by 2 Comments

Today is a rest day for me, which is definitely a good thing after yesterday’s run. I had a great 5-miler Wednesday and followed it up with 7 miles yesterday—2 mile warm up, 2 x 2 miles at 8:13 with 3 min jog in between and finished with cool down until I hit 7 miles. My legs are worked, so they are very happy to have a day off!

Yes, I dominated you yesterday! ;-)

Tomorrow I am going to be a running buddy for the Shape Up RI 5k benefiting Girls on the Run RI! I cannot wait! As a running buddy, I will be matched up with a girl and run/walk the entire race with her. I love that they do this—it’s like having your own running coach/personal cheerleader. Girls on the Run is truly a wonderful group that I am so happy to support.

Later on Saturday, the hubs and I will head to Boston for dinner and a play at the Huntington Theater (an awesome Christmas gift from my dad and stepmother!). Then it’s a long run on Sunday again. I am kind of nervous for this one. I am scheduled for 10 miles again, but 6-9 are 8:30 or faster. Hopefully my tired legs will be able to kick it up a notch at the end of the run!

I feel like I am slowly but surely getting back to baseline in my training. It’s a good feeling!

Who’s racing this weekend?

Filed Under: Family, Racing, Training Tagged: , ,

Why Wear Compression Socks on a Long Run?

Posted on January 25, 2012 Written by 18 Comments

I first discussed compression socks a while back (when I bought my first pair in October), but a number of people have asked about whether or not they should wear compression socks/sleeves for long runs.

During the recent Olympic marathon trials, you may have noticed a number of men and women wearing compression socks during the race. Although I am by no means an elite runner, I too, wear compression socks for my long runs. Here’s why: [Read more...]

Filed Under: Gear Tagged: , ,

Ice Bath Intro

Posted on November 15, 2011 Written by 5 Comments

For many people training for the half-marathon and marathon, long runs are an essential part of the training plan. Unfortunately, these runs can leave your legs feeling like they have lost the spring in their step. This occurs during long runs, because you are experiencing tiny little tears in the muscle tissue in your legs. As a result, you experience inflammation which causes soreness in your lower legs. One of the best things for preventing lingering soreness is to reduce the inflammation as much as you can soon after your run. This is where the ice bath comes in–it will help reduce inflammation and stimulate muscle tissue to begin repairing itself.

When should I take the ice bath?

Try to get into the tub within 15 or 30 minutes of ending your long run.

How much ice do you need, and what should the temperature be?

Fill your bathtub, and then add 2 to 3 bags of crushed ice. You are aiming for a temperature between 50-59 degrees Fahrenheit (10-15 degrees Celsius).

How long do I need to stay in the ice bath?

Try to stay in the ice bath for 10 to 20 minutes–you may not be able to stay in as long the first time you do it!

Are there any tips or tricks to make the ice bath more bearable?

Yes! One of the best things to do is take a hot cup of coffee, tea, or hot chocolate into the bath  with you. Also, make sure to bundle up on top (you are only submerging your legs). It also helps to have some good reading materials on hand to distract you from the cold!

If you haven’t already, don’t forget to check the Road ID Sweepstakes for a chance to win a $15 gift certificate to Road ID!

Filed Under: Training Tagged: , ,