Have You Thanked Your Pacer?

When it comes to running a half marathon at a particular pace, you have a few options:

1. One going to Runner’s World Website to print a wristband http://www.runnersworld.com/cda/marathonpaceguide/0,7167,s6-239-283-317-0-0-0-0-0,00.html

2. Running Times website http://runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=6763

3. Run PaceCalc which is an iPhone app, but there are all kinds of apps to help with this also

4. You can find a pacer if your race provides them

5. Talk your faster friend into registering for the race and running with you to your target pace

If you’ve run or watched a marathon or half marathon you may have seen a pacer or two. These are those individuals who wear the time marker typically on a long stick raised in the air so you can locate them at the start or during the race if you “get lost”. Some dress up in fun or crazy gear and some just wear the regular running gear and blend in other than the extension that is attached to the arm.

Let’s face it if you are running that far, a few laughs and cheering along the way can really help if you have a crazy, fun pacer.  For instance, when “that guy” who happens to appear at EVERY marathon at the half way point with the sign stating the obvious “You Are Halfway There!” NO KIDDING!  “Who gave you the date and time of this event?” “Note to self, ensure he gets the wrong date for next year.” These are some various thoughts that may go through your head at that point-at least the “kind” thoughts anyway. If you’ve not been fortunate enough to run a half or full marathon, trust me when you do, you will be WELL aware of each mile you have run.

If you aren’t lucky enough to have a person pacer you can use your Sharpie BFF and mark up your arm from the paces you can find from the above websites. This picture was my left arm (OCD Melinda wears her watch on her left arm EVERY race) from the PF Chang’s Rock and Roll Marathon. I refer to it as “light reading” during the marathon. Unfortunately I made it to mile 23 on target and then had a serious sugar issue and was put into an ambulance. Other than the super stud runners I was able to meet at that race, I also got to see Tiffany Amber Theissen as she ran the half…dating myself. Setting that aside, it is a great race and (even though it’s a little blurry) you can see how I set up my splits. My arm is only so long so I had it all laid out in 5 mile increments. If you are blessed with a forearm longer than mine OR have handwriting that is not as large, feel free to put what you can on it.

If you are lucky enough to have a friend who is willing to pace you, make sure they register for the event. As long as they are registered they can run with you (legally) and help pace you. We want to encourage all people who are running the race to register and not be a “race bandit”. (see article http://anywhere5k.com/2012/04/race-bandit/)

Best of luck in your next race and hopefully you’ll give the half marathon or marathon a try! Get your gait on and be sure if you use a pacer, thank them…they are doing it to help you achieve a race goal.

Are you a PURIST?

Once in a while I see in an article or hear a runner who claims to be a purist as they don’t run with an iPod or MP3 player. REALLY!?! That makes you a purist? Scratching my head at the fact that you wear a watch that syncs with the satellites, high tech shoes, and high tech clothing while you run doesn’t discount your purist definition? Merely removing tunes from your ears makes you a purist…I beg to differ.

So I began to think on yet another run, since I have LOTS of time to do that while running, what makes someone a “running purist”? I wear cotton t-shirts and cotton shorts for many of my runs, does that make me a purist? Perhaps if I got some of the cotton knee socks with the colored stripe around the top band, I would be more of a purist? If I run barefoot would that make me a purist? Perhaps taking racing to the same standard as in the first Olympics truly makes you a purist! (http://www.neatorama.com/2008/08/02/10-fascinating-facts-about-the-ancient-olympic-games/)

By definition on Wikipedia, “A purist is one who desires that an item remain true to its essence and free from adulterating or diluting influences. The term may be used in almost any field, and can be applied either to the self or to others. Use of the term may be either pejorative or complimentary, depending on the context. Because the appellation depends on subjective notions of what is "pure" as opposed to "adulterating" as applied to any particular item, conflict can arise both as to whether a person so labeled is actually a purist and as to whether that is desirable.”

While looking at the definition it appears that it truly is up to the individual. So perhaps whoever claims they are a running purist is correct. When you take a look at the advancements in running, is there anyone who can truly claim to be a purist by definition being “free from adulterating or diluting influences”? 

Running has come along way from the “olden” days. We have moisture wicking fabrics for every important spot of your body, GPS watches, and amazing kicks! Call me an “impurist” if you want but I will keep my iPod, thanks, and all the cool gadgets that make running what it is today. By the way these also seem to satisfy my OCD nature to keep stats on everything during my run. Personally, I feel if you are out running, you are a purist. You are keeping your body doing what it was designed and intended to do and that is MOVE. Does it get any purer than that? Enjoy where you run, what you wear and listen to while you run, and feel free to claim that you are a purist! I am a purist BECAUSE I RUN!!! Get your gait on…

How many of you would like to look this “smiley” during a 5K race? ME TOO! If you watched the Olympic 10,000m run Tirunesh Dibaba smiled during her 62 second last lap to win the gold. (http://www.tiruneshdibaba.net/) Obviously it can happen as I saw it on TV! I will be honest, this picture was taken an hour after I had finished and cooled down so I was literally “jogging” as I posed for this picture that was put onto a website and my running resume at the time.During my 4 miler this morning it got me thinking about what I wished I would have known in 2005 when I decided to come back after a nine year hiatus:

1.  Just do it! Yes that Nike phrase can certainly sum it up. Get out there and just run. Of course do so slowly and build up mileage no more than 10% every week or two.

2.  Run on various terrains. Train on a treadmill, trails, grass, gravel, cement, track, and asphalt. You will have your favorites of course but I can assure you that by working other leg and foot muscles from the various terrains you are doing yourself more favors than you realize.

3.  Get some books and READ as much as you can BUT do not become overwhelmed. Just read and learn all you can about the various systems like anaerobic, aerobic, and neuromuscular etc. how do these work together? Hal Higdon, Brad Hudson, and Jack Daniels (no not the adult beverage) all have great books. There are others.

4.  Find a 12-20 week training plan to train you for your specific distance. The authors mentioned above offer training plans for beginners, intermediate, and elites.

5.  If your workout calls for 1000m repeats or a particular interval maybe find songs that are the same in length to your pace and run through that song with the race effort and then take it easy for the prescribed time. Amazing what music can do for you! Also find new music every so often.

6.  If you feel uninspired, go to the Running Times site or Runners World site. Also look up some of the elite runners or find other runners who post stories etc. Maybe they have blogs that have suggestions as everyone has days and months of feeling sluggish etc. Maybe just reading will get you out the door that day. Get with a group. Many communities have groups for all levels and it’s a great way to meet people with similar goals. Also fun to have people to cheer you on and you for them during races.

7.  HILLS ARE YOUR FRIEND! You may not think so but hill workouts exert more of your muscle groups you typically do not work on a flat surface. They also help your running economy and your aerobic and anaerobic systems and SO MUCH MORE.

8.   Get a new pair of shorts or a shirt or some “go-fasters”. A new pair of shoes always makes you run faster! My daughter loves the new CRAZY colored running shoes they are manufacturing these days. Me---I’m the bland white shoe gal. My husband purchases a new pair just about once a month and we call it his “crack”. His eyes light up like light bulbs when the Nike shoes arrive.

9.  Find a pair of shoes that work for your gait or running style. If you pronate, supinate, or neutral, find a shoe to work with that so that you are less prone to injury. 

10.  WARM UP/COOLDOWN. I can not emphasize this enough. I am not one for stretching after or before my runs and physiologically there are articles out there that agree to either side. Regardless of your position on stretching, please get a good mile or two warm up and cool down before workouts and races. 

11.   Keep your music updated and count your strides. Physics, for those of you who may be science majors or had Mr. Krenichyn, moving forward is more efficient than up and forward or bouncing as you run. When you are running SUPER slowly for your warm up and cool down focus on this; are you taking short strides with 45 for 15 seconds, 90 for 30 seconds, or 180 for a minute? I put the figures in for you because when I am running, 2+2 does not always equal 4…HAHAHA! The shorter your stride, the less pressure you are placing on your leg muscles, which should help avoid shin splints and other jarring injuries.

12.   REST! Take rest and recovery seriously. Run slow on the easy days so that your body is ready to work hard on race day and workout days.  Don’t be afraid to take a day off

13.   ENJOY YOURSELF! This is the most important and one I lose sight of periodically. BUT find out what you love about running. My husband loves racing. He loses all sense of common sense when racing. I on the other hand LOVE the training that leads up to the racing. I have trouble racing if I do not feel I am at my peak shape. So I train more and race less. 

This list doesn’t stop here; add to it. DO what you love and what inspires you to run. Figure out ways to take the monotony out of various runs or workouts. Take some of my advice to heart and find what works for you. As always get your gait on and move forward!