Good Runs

I am striving to always do good, high quality runs!! I am not always successful, but I am trying!!! It is so hard to do. My running has always been an "outlet" or "me-time".  So, I can just go out for a run and veg, but not all workouts can be "veg" workouts. During my high-quality runs, I really push myself to at least 80% of my max and don't veg. I do still get the good endorphins from these workouts, but they are harder to get motivated for, especially on my own.  I trained with an awesome coach, Gilbert Tuhabonye, for a couple years and learned a lot from him. I still run with his group on weekends, but miss the high quality weekly workouts. I would really look forward to these workouts because I had a lot of new friends doing them. Now, I am doing these on my own, because of my "all over the place" work schedule.

Are you wondering why do high quality runs? Well, there are a lot of good reasons, even if you are a beginner or are not training for a race. Even as a new runner, running more high quality workouts, that change your stride and use different muscles will improve your running in comfort, ease, strength, and quickness.

As a seasoned runner, training for races, speed workouts and hill workouts will improve your times and increase your fitness.

So, remember hills, track, farleck and tempo...and long runs!!

Does Kombucha really do a body good??

I don't know about the kombucha, but I am trying it.

I have tried Monavie..I liked the taste and the idea of it. But, it was very expensive and I really couldn't tell it changed anything for me? I tried for 2 weeks first and even for a month.

Now, I am drinking Kombucha. It is still a little expensive. I tried Synergy first, then Buddha's Brew. I really like Buddha's Brew Ginger!

But, now I have tried a friends that is locally made. I can't remember the name, but drank their Pina Coloda Ginger flavor. Good stuff and a better price than the stuff you find in the stores.

There are all kinds of claims of health benefits, including:

Restores hair color



Thickens hair


Dissolves gallstones Increases energy


Lengthens lifespan


Arterioscrosis/softens veins


Speeds healing


Lowers cholesterol


Lowers blood pressure


Increases blood circulation


Eliminates wrinkles/skin humectant


Improves menopausal symptoms


Strengthens leg muscles


Chickenpox /herpes zoster remedy


Colitis/improves digestion/ nervous stomach


Poultice for wounds/ulcers


Cleanses gallbladder


Lessens anxiety


Levels glucose


Protects teeth from cavities


Activates glandular system
 
So, I am going to try it and see. I have been drinking it for a couple weeks now. Not every day, but on the weekends. I do like the taste!

The Importance of Rest!!!

I am taking a rest day today! Enjoying my coffee and not going to workout! I have worked out hard this week and am sore! I have been a runner since my teen years and worked in the fitness industry since my early 20's. One thing I have learned is that your body needs a rest day! Since, I have started this (rest thing) I have not been injured from over-training. I have certainly taken tumbles down the trails, streets and stairs and gotten injured, but not from training. I always rest at least one day a week now!...no working out for one day!

I know it is so hard to take a day of rest when you are a triathlete, marathoner, runner, swimmer, someone trying to lose weight or other daily fitness addict. You feel that it will derail your fitness or weightloss...or just throw you off your fitness regimine. But, that is wrong, especially, if you are pushing yourself 75-90% of your max and feeling tired...even if you aren't particulary tired- you need at least one day of rest from any kind of working out each week. Unless, you are an elite, but most of us aren't!

Rest will help with your mental outlook, help your fitness level (yes!) and help your body recover (to prevent injuries). Cross-training on one of the other days you work out helps, too. Also, getting a good nights sleep helps training, too. Check out this article in Runners World on sleep. There are more, I think you get the idea, but a good night's sleep is important, too!

20 Mile Ride Today!

I finally got on my bike today for a real workout! and what a day. It was 68 degrees when we were getting our the door to get to school this morning. I didn't get to ride until 10:00, but the weather was still awesome! I have been riding my bike to take Cams to school and back home, to work and just whenever I can for an errand or to the pool. But, have not worked out on my bike since early August!

I made a loop from Lake Austin, up Exposition to Balcones over to Shoal Creek and back around Scenic to Lake Austin. It was very hilly, but I kept and avg pace of 14 mph with a max of 29mph...it was a fun and hard workout!

I tried something new last night! I tried Camp Gladiator boot camp. I am very picky about workouts, but would recommend this to anyone and would do it again! We did a lot of running drills, arm work and core work. I am sore today! It was a lot of fun, we even finished with "tug o war" and I happened to be on the team that won. What fun! I think that it is a good workout for runners and triathletes, too. We don't always have time to get to the gym for weights or core workouts.

I just finished an awesome lunch!! It was a grilled sharp cheddar cheese sandwich with avocado and heirloom tomatoes on sourdough! Yum!! Awesome reward for a good workout!

Glucosamine and MSM

I think that Glucosamine and MSM must be miracle supplements!! Seriously! If you follow my blog, you know that I injured my knee back in June (through a fall) and have had a hard time running after the injury because of the pain. Well, I recently kicked up my mileage and have had a "sore" knee after my long runs. It has been more like an over-worked knee than an injured knee though. I started thinking about my supplements and realized I haven't been taking Glucosamine and MSM because I ran out. Just bought some Saturday night and ran on Sunday morning (15 miles!) and didn't have any pain and don't today!! Yippee!! I feel like I could run today. I am going to take off though. When I got back into marathoning at 35, I noticed a little bit of ligament and knee pain and started taking Glucosamine and MSM. It worked the same way at that time, like magic.

Well, off to swim a mile at Barton Springs!...thinking about the Longhorn 70.3 now!!

Fifteen Mile Run Today

Well, I am really loving all this rain. Normally, I love getting out in the rain when it is warm, but I have allergies and am lacking all my normal motivation!!!  Yesterday, my girlfriends and I decided not to do our long run and save it for Sunday. It rained the entire day here in ATX.  Somehow, I was having a hard time getting motivated for our Sunday run. Unconsciously, I  unset my alarm and was woke up by Charlotte texting me that she just left her house. I was so  deep in sleep that it took me about 5 minutes to call her back. She was late, too. So, we met at my house and ran to Exposition and met Maryanne and continued down to the trail. I didn't even think I would run 10 with them, but we got on the trail and got to I35, then decided to run further. I am so glad I did. I feel much better that I ran and ran long.

So, I get home ready to stretch and my little energizer "10 year old" bunny wants me to put on the YogaToday.com. and do yoga with her. Today's yoga was so core-intensive, that I had to quit early. It was still good and I got some good stretching, too.

I hope you got in a good workout this weekend!

Yoga!!!

I have never blogged about how important I think Yoga is to a runner. I have been doing yoga for 4 years now, sometimes I am more consistent than others. When I was most consistent I had the strogest core ever. Having a strong core helps with fatigue and speed! It helps you to tire less quickly and to pump your legs faster for quicker turnover. There are other benefits, too, like stress reduction,toning of your entire body and increasing flexibility. I try to do some at home and some at a studio....and I wanted to pass on a great website I just found and recommend. It's called Yoga Today.

Another help for me has been these nifty laminated cards. You have to know a little about yoga to use this, but it helps aid your memory in your Yoga practice. Yes, practice is the word Yogis use...gotta love that...perfection is not mandatory!!

I have practiced yoga twice this week and feel so much stronger and relaxed. I am going to try and keep it up 2 times every week. Wish me luck!!!

Running Lately

I hope you noticed that I have cleaned up my blog! I have tried to get back into the blog mood for a few weeks, talking about healthy food. It hasn't been the greatest writing (sorry), but it is getting me back in the saddle.

I got injured in June this summer (June 1st to be exact)! It was such a stupid injury and I think I had "runner's depression" after my injury for a couple months. I fell less than 1/2 a mile into my run! Downhill..on rough asphalt. So, I know you are wondering how...well, I just bought new running shoes and stuck my right foot through my left lace...while running! I slammed myself down onto my knees and skid. I could barely walk for a week and had road rash on my hands, knees, and left hip.

After, all the injuries healed, my right knee still hurt. It was the knee that took the brunt of the fall. It swelled up like a balloon on my kneecap. So, all summer, I have rehabilitated it. I have swam at Barton Springs and ridden my bike all summer. Even biking and swimming hurt for the month of June and a little in July. I am finally running...I started by running a couple miles every other day, but have now worked up to 14 miles. I am estatic about it. I am also back to running with my girlfriends. That was another thing I wasn't doing, it took so much thought to put my foot and my leg down, that I couldn't run with anyone.

So, I am getting through my injured runner depression and "running with joy" (thanks for that saying Gilbert!) again!!

I am looking forward to fall running and fall races!!