May 8, 2014

Fave Fix: My must-have gear for trail running

If there’s one thing I’ve learned from the past few months on the trails, it’s that running off the roads is a whole different beast than running on ’em. Aside from the obvious terrain and elevation challenges, it requires a new approach — from gear to strategy to fueling — to get from Point A to Point B, especially when we’re talking ultra-distances.

Because of that, I wanted to share an inside look at how I’m planning for my first ultra marathon — the Canyon Meadow 50K — at the end of the month. See below for what I’ll be wearing, eating, drinking and using to help me recover when all is said and done…and (fingers-crossed) run 🙂

– Feet First: The Brooks Cascadia 8 came highly recommended from several trail runner friends due to its traction and responsiveness, plus it was my favorite of all the brands and styles I tested at San Francisco Running Company. I like to buy my running shoes a half size up to allow for feet to swell, and I may add a Superfeet orthotic insole for a little extra support.

– Keeping Cool (& Chafe-Free): I love a trucker-type hat with breathable mesh and a wide brim to block the sun. And under my technical, sweat-wicking t-shirt, I’ll be wearing a Coeur Sports Checkmate Sports Bra, which has anti-chafe seams that are perfect for long race days. On the bottom, I’ll pair the Lululemon Groovy Run Short with CEP Progressive+ Calf Sleeves to promote circulation and protect lower legs, plus Balega Blister-Resist Trail Socks to try to keep my feet from getting too torn up.

– Accessories & Extras: Because I’ll be in and out of the sun, I’m slathering on Banana Boat Sport sunscreen and wearing Tifosi sunglasses, which adjust automatically when exposed to UV rays. Electronics-wise, I’m taking my Jaybird Bluebuds bluetooth headphones and am hoping for an early birthday present (hint hint, Hubby) — the Garmin Forerunner 910XT — to help me track mileage and stay on pace. I’ll also use the easy-on, easy-off Fuel Belt Race Number Belt and apply ample amounts of TriSlide to avoid hot spots.

One of the most essential items on the trails, though? A good hydration pack, which not only allows you to carry and consume water between aid stations, but also makes it easier to have other essentials — such as fuel, extra clothing, first aid items, etc. — at your fingertips throughout the race.

Focus on fit and function; you want something that’s comfortable, compact and efficient so you have everything you need without extra bulk. My favorite is the 2013 Trail Runner Magazine Gear of the Year Award-winning Ultimate Direction Jenny Women’s Ultra Vesta, which is made specifically for women with an adjustable fit.

No more water bladder slapping against your back here; the Ultra Vesta’s front strap-mounted holsters offer quick, immediate access to twin 10-ounce water bottles, which are concave against the body and positioned higher on the chest to keep from bouncing against…well, you know.

Besides all the pockets for my cell phone, gels, keys, etc. there’s also a main rear compartment that will accommodate a 70 oz. reservoir (sold separately) for longer treks. And, believe it or not, there’s even an ice axe loop, two trekking pole loops, plus reflective accents for low-light visibility, making this a virtual Swiss Army Knife of packs for all kinds of outings and conditions.

So what am I planning on putting in the pack while running? Well, hopefully not too much…I’m aiming for that delicate balance of being prepared between aid stations (which are usually very well-stocked) and not over-packing, which will fatigue me more quickly.

– Ward Off Hanger: What’s been working well in training runs is a mixture of PocketFuel for sustained energy, Salted Caramel Gu Energy Gel for a quick hit of sugar and Bonk Breaker energy bars for something more “food”-like. And, of course, Gin Gins Candies from The Ginger People and good ‘ole TUMS to help keep my stomach settled.

– Quench Thirst: I’ll fill my water bottles with Osmo Nutrition Active Hydration for the first leg, and I’m aiming to drink every 10 minutes or so throughout the day. Ideally, I’ll refill the bottles at each aid station, most likely with a mix with water and whatever electrolyte drink they’re providing on the course.

And although the first goal of the day is to cross that finish line in one piece, setting myself up to recover well comes in a close second. The body takes quite a beating over the course of 30-plus miles, so it’s key to remember a few things to aid with muscle repair and regeneration.

– Refuel and Rebuild: Immediately after finishing (while hitting up the post-race buffet!), I like to mix a packet of Vega Recovery Accelerator in a bottle of water. It’s an all-natural, plant-based recovery drink mix specifically developed to replenish energy and electrolytes, reduce inflammation, muscle and joint pain, support immune system and protein synthesis, and reduce recovery time. Then when I get home, I mix up a recovery smoothie made with Osmo Acute Recovery for Women, a banana, almond milk and ice for an extra boost of nutrition.

– Relax and Recover: Finally, one of my favorite post-race treats is a hot shower followed by an afternoon nap in compression gear, which helps reduce swelling and just plain feels good on tired legs. I’ll usually layer Coeur Zipper Tights with Vim & Vigr socks and elevate my legs to start the healing process and make it easier to get out of bed and maneuver around the next day.

What’s your favorite gear to get you through those long trail runs?

Posted in Ambassadorship, Endurance, Fave Fix, Favorite Products, Gear, marathon, Racing, Recovery, Reference, San Francisco, Training, Ultramarathon
6 Comments

May 6, 2014

4 Reasons Not to Skip Your Warm-Up and Cool-Down

If you consider “warming-up” and “cooling down” to be the walk back and forth from your car to the gym (guilty!), there’s a good chance you’re missing out on some added health benefits that come from book-ending your workout properly.

Not only does it help you make the most of your current sweat session, but it also helps protect and prepare your body for your next workout. Here are four more reasons to prime your muscles pre- and post-exercise:

1. Decrease perceived exertion. Refer to Newton’s law of inertia (“A body at rest remains at rest, and a body in motion continues to move at a constant velocity unless acted upon by an external force”), and it’s easy to see why a workout feels easier when you’ve taken the time to ease into it versus starting out cold.

2. Work harder, reduce injury risk. A gradual warm-up circulates oxygen-rich blood throughout the body, fueling muscles and safely preparing them to better absorb shock, impact and other demands associated with all types of exercise.

3. Remove waste products. Anaerobic exercise (think intense bursts where you’re out of breath) builds lactic acid in muscles and can cause painful swelling, so cooling down properly can help the body flush toxins and usher in oxygen and other healing nutrients.

4. Burn more calories! Every little bit counts, and stacking an extra 10 minutes of movement to both the beginning and end of your workout means you’re getting more bang…er, burn…for your buck every time you exercise.

Stay tuned for an upcoming post where I’ll be covering some suggestions for simple warm-up and cool-down exercises!

Posted in Exercise, Fitness, Healthy Habits, Recovery, Reference, Training
2 Comments

October 29, 2013

I just ran 26.2 miles…now what?!

If you read my race recap, you know that as soon as I crossed the finish line of my recent marathon, I actually told Hubby I never wanted to do it again. Ever.

But he called my bluff: “Ha. I give it two weeks, and you’ll be planning your next race.”

As much as we joke (and he was right, by the way), it got me thinking about the inevitable post-event letdown.

You see, the marathon’s not over once you cross the finish line. Whether you ultimately rock it or it rocked you, there’s a lot of buildup to that big day. Those months of preparation become all-consuming and include hundreds of miles, a roller-coaster of emotions and a hell of a lot of commitment.

So how do you fight boredom, stay sane and find a sense of purpose once the intensity of training has ceased? It’s actually quite simple, when you think in terms of planning for it with as much care as you plan for everything that precedes the race…

1. Replenish your body. Now’s the time to re-stock what you’ve depleted during months of hard training and a grueling race. Not only will it help move the recovery process along, but rewarding yourself with a favorite treat can also help lift the spirits (just don’t make a habit of it).

2. Kick up your feet. Although it feels counter-intuitive to avoid the very thing that helps you release stress and anxiety (working out), it’s important to let your body rest and recover because it sets the stage for your next round of training.

3. Set a new goal. Think both short- and long-term here. Start by assessing your race performance, then set a master goal, along with incremental goals to help get you there. Maybe one marathon was enough, so you choose a new distance and focus on training toward that. Perhaps you’re hungry to PR in your next marathon, so you focus on building speed and endurance to create a stronger base. Or if this marathon was a stepping stone to a longer race (ultras, triathlon), you can use it as a learning experience to inform your training going forward.

4. Ease back in slowly. Hit it too hard too soon, and you may end up setting yourself back with illness or injury. The general rule of thumb is to take an easy day for each mile you run in a race, so now is the perfect time to pick up a non-impact cross-training activity that will help strengthen your running down the road.

5. Listen to your body. Again, it can be tough to shift gears after months of putting pedal to the metal toward a singular focus, but make a concerted effort to quiet your brain and allow your body to lead the way. Did you notice any weak links during the race? Are you feeling lingering aches and pains in particular spots afterward? Now’s the time to address imbalances so you can “train up” those weaknesses for the next time you toe the start line.

So where am I at this point? Well, I’m happy it’s done, but sad that it’s over.

I’m thrilled with how my marathon went, although there are some things I might tweak next time around. Yes, I said “next time.” And no, I’m not signing up for one in the immediate future…but I’d be lying if I said I haven’t thought about giving that elusive sub-four goal another shot at some point.

For now, though, my main goal is to focus on increasing my speed so I can shoot for PRs at other distances — the half marathon and 10K, in particular. In terms of smaller goals in the interim, I crave the consistency of a regular training schedule, so I’ll be putting together a mix of speed-focused workouts, along with complimentary cross-training.

And, after allowing my body to properly bounce back, I’ll hopefully be ready to hit it hard in the next training cycle.

How do you beat the post-race blues?

Posted in Fitness, Humor, marathon, Nike Women's Marathon, Recovery, Reflection, Running, Training
17 Comments

October 1, 2013

Nike Women’s Marathon SF: Week 13 training recap

I’ve been referring to this week as “lucky number 13” for a few reasons: First, and most obviously, it’s week no. 13 of the training plan; second, it contained the final looong run before the taper; and third, if I made it this far without major injury, I would consider myself fortunate.

Source: Nike

So far, so good. Fingers crossed, but the marathon gods seem to be smiling down this time around, and aside from a few proverbial bumps in the road this week, here’s what the schedule looked like:

Tempo run – 5 mi
Track workout – 6 x 1200s
Long run – 20 mi

If last week’s weather didn’t signal the start of a new season, Tuesday’s packed track certainly did. The kiddos are back in school, and training for fall sports is now in full swing.

It’s also starting to get darker earlier (and lighter later), which is probably part of the reason fall races are so popular. We love to take advantage of the extra-long summer days for training!

Aside from dodging munchkins and steering clear of sprinters, my speed workout went smoothly. The goal was to keep each 1200 in the 5:42-5:45 range, which I did pretty well (5:41, 5:43, 5:47, 5:41, 5:40, 5:35)…and I even had a little left in the tank to kick it up a notch on the last one.

The only real hiccup was that my Nike GPS Sportwatch, which has been sputtering lately, looks like it has finally gone on the fritz. It skipped a few sections of the track, so my recorded distance was off, and now it won’t sync to my computer, so I’m in the process of troubleshooting with Nike support (fingers crossed).

Side note: I may have found a new favorite workout headband in the process, as well. Bic Bands sent me two of their Minnie Sparkle Bands ($12) to test, one in Gunmetal and another in Ocean Ombre.

As you can tell from my hair in the shot, there was some wind on the track that evening, but the Bic Band didn’t budge…

I’m a fan, not only because they’re snazzy (not scratchy) and snug (not strangling), but because there’s also a great story behind the product. The name, Bic, stands for “Because I can,” and the owner, Sandy, originally came up with the idea as a way to raise funds for her first Team in Training half marathon.

After she met her fundraising goal, demand for the bands continued, so she decided to keep making and selling them, donating a portion of each hand-made band to a different charity each month. Visit BicBands.com to learn more and check out the other styles, sizes and colors.

But back to the schedule…because we were headed out of town for the weekend, I moved my long run to Thursday again. This time, thank goodness, I had had a full week of recovery between runs. It was a dark start, though, as I made my way into the Marina.

I hit the water just as the sun started to rise, and the weather was that perfect not-too-hot-not-too-cold temperature for running, so it was shaping up to be a beautiful morning.

As I made my way through Fisherman’s Wharf, I did get momentarily sidetracked by the smell of freshly-baked bread from Boudin Bakery. It took a massive amount of willpower not to tear into one of the arms of this sourdough ‘gator.

The game plan was to meet up with @PavementRunner a few miles into my 20 and run 90 minutes of the midsection together before I finished up on my own. We both had number goals for the morning (me for training, him toward a 200-mile challenge for the month), so we were aiming for an out-and-back nine.

That was before the dreaded GI issues hit about 12 miles in, however. Don’t let the smile above fool you – although the company, the scenery and the weather were all truly awesome that day, my stomach wasn’t cooperating at ALL for the second half of the run.

Like any great running buddy, @PavementRunner reminded me of the bright side, which was that I could use the experience as a learning opportunity for race day in case a similar situation occurs. Well, three pit stops later, there was finally a light at the end of the long-run tunnel.

The final result? Not terrible in terms of timing, considering, but definitely not on pace for the four(ish)-hour goal with which I’ve been toying. And, needless to say, I’ll be re-evaluating my pre-run nutrition routine. I thought I had it figured out, but the last thing I want is to get thrown for a loop like this on race day.

And since we were traveling later that day, hubby was on ice duty and tripled the amount from last time for the post-run soak.

A 20-minute phone call to Mom helped pass the time (and take my mind off the searing pain!).

And although all I wanted to do was crash on the couch and take a nap, this was our view just a few hours later as we headed to the Great Northwest…Portland!

Powered by Stumptown coffee and VooDoo Doughnuts, I squeezed in a rainy five-mile tempo run on Saturday. Of course, it helped that we stopped by Nike Portland the night before to pick up some new gear, including these super-techy Luxe Running Tights.

I’m a tad obsessed with them – they look cool, fit like a glove and wicked well in the wet weather – but as you can see, the back zipper has a tendency to rub on the Achilles, so next time I’ll try keeping them slightly unzipped. Just another good reminder of why it’s smart to do a trial run with new gear before race day!

Stay tuned for next week – the taper has started, but the excitement continues: Hubby and I will be running the Rock ‘n’ Roll San Jose Half Marathon on Oct. 6.

I’ll be at @PavementRunner’s Tweet Up at the expo; hope to see some of you there!

Posted in marathon, Nike Women's Marathon, Portland, Recovery, Running, San Francisco, Training
4 Comments

September 3, 2013

Nike Women’s Marathon SF: Week 9 training recap

The theme song for this week? Ice Ice Baby.

Why? Well, I’ve been having some odd pangs in my left quad and hip, which I thought might be some old hip issues coming back to haunt me.

But between Advil, ice and lots of stretching, I think I’ve got it under control – plus, the good news is that it seems like just tight hip flexors, which I can manage with the help of foam rolling, yoga and…you guessed it: more stretching!

Needless to say, I proceeded with caution this week, especially after reading a great quote in Runner’s World about it being “better to get to race day 90 percent prepared rather than 50 percent injured.”

It’s always tough to walk that fine line in training; you’re constantly trying to find a balance between pushing enough to get better and holding back enough to stay well.

So, with that in mind, here’s what was on the schedule for week nine:

Tempo run – 3 mi
Track workout – 12 x 400s
Long run – 18 mi

After a conservative three-miler and a lap workout in the pool early in the week, I felt good enough to push the pace in Thursday’s track workout past the targeted 1:50-1:52 to a range of 1:44-1:48.

The reward was Friday’s dinner out. It’s uncharacteristically quiet in the city with the Bay Bridge closed, so we took advantage of the lack of congestion to hit up on of the best burger spots on the West Coast, In-N-Out.

Saturday’s 18-miler was still staring me down, though. Ben and I got an early start, which meant catching a pretty sunrise through the foggy haze.

The Marina was very calm; aside from a few other runners, the only real action was this bird taking a dip alongside a sea lion out for his early-morning swim, most likely trolling for breakfast.

By the time we made it to the bay Bridge, the fog started to lift, like a thick blanket rolling back, to reveal the sun behind it.

At this point I was feeling really strong – hips good to go, legs fresh and lungs not winded – but didn’t want to jinx myself because I still had about 13 miles to go.

As we cut across the city on Market Street, the city began to wake up…particularly the homeless population, some of whom enjoy entertaining themselves by trying to provoke runners.

But, as we found out, they have a pretty good sense of humor, if you play along. Case in point: Ben’s conversation with one gentleman who was enjoying his breakfast beer and, er, joint on the sidewalk:

Guy (at the top of his lungs): Hey! What are you running from?

Ben: You!

Guy (laughing): Good answer, man! Good answer.

After we finished eight miles, Ben headed home, and I met up with my new Saturday morning run group to knock out the final 10. (I have to admit, though, part of me was hoping no one else would show up because I was super nervous about attempting what would be the longest distance since my last marathon!)

It ended up being only three of us (the two Caseys and me), which was perfect, and those 10 miles through Golden Gate Park went surprisingly well. I was bracing for the worst (gels, water, chews, eyes looking out for a port-o-pottie), and although I wavered a bit around mile 14 (note to self for the actual race), I never hit the wall.

It could have been the awesome company, the 10-minute run/1-minute walk technique, or maybe I’m just making it over the hump with training…but either way, it just goes to show you that any run – even crazy-long ones – can end up being a pleasant surprise, so that alone is more incentive to get out there.

Oh, and the best part (besides the ritual post-run coffee)? Catching a sidewalk concert on the way home. What a lovely way to start the long weekend.