Thankful for Today

Happy Thanksgiving! Today, I am thankful for spending a wonderful day with my boyfriend's lovely family and for the opportunity to run!

I'm in southern Utah for the holidays, near Zion National Park. I finally got in a run today with southern Utah's stunning landscape as a backdrop. I did a 4 mile out and back but only ran 3 of those miles until my hips began to hurt too much to continue on. Kind of disappointing, but I'm pretty happy I could run at all!

 

As I said, it was a gorgeous run, temperature in the 30s and a rolling, curving, single-track trail to follow. I hope to get in one more run before I have to leave on Sunday.

Crisis Averted?

My right hip miraculously stopped aching this morning. What a relief! I felt ready to run, but based on my personal experience, I didn't. I've learned that when you think you're recovered, give it more time. The mind can be very good at tricking itself into thinking everything is ok. Plus, another day or two of rest can only help.

Tomorrow, I am planning to make up the 3-mile run that was scheduled for today. I'll run until I feel anything at all in my hip, at which point I'll walk. As anxious as I am to get on with my marathon training, I have to be patient with this latest injury. An ounce of prevention now will be the key to whether I'm able to run in March.

Disaster Strikes

Today was a bad day for my running career. I set off this morning to do the 8-mile run scheduled for today. It rained for the last two days in Berkeley, so I headed for a trail that I knew would be dry. It's a paved trail but has nice gravel shoulders for the most part.

I was only 2 miles into the run when I started feeling something in my hips. This something soon escalated to near-pain, so at mile 4.5, I forced myself to stop running. By that point it was hard to even walk. And because of the route I had selected, I still had 2 miles to go before reaching the parking lot, so I had a nice, long walk to feel the pain and think about everything it would mean for my upcoming half marathon and training schedule.

The pain is now mostly in my right hip, which is interesting because it was my left hip that was injured earlier this year. I guess I shouldn't be too surprised given that my hips were starting to ache on the treadmill just a few days ago. For now, all I can hope is that the pain is just a muscle strain that needs a few days rest.

Rain Rain Go Away

The rain forecasted for this weekend came earlier than I thought it would. I had planned to run 5 miles in the early afternoon, but it started raining much earlier. I contemplated running in the rain so many times but in the end couldn't bring myself to do it. So, I did what I did earlier in the week and headed back to the gym. Ugh. 

I wanted to do 5 miles on the treadmill, in line with my training program, but I didn't have the willpower. Even with "Born To Run" on audiobook (which is really interesting so far), I could only manage to run 2 miles, take a break, and then run another mile. I wasn't feeling it mentally, and my hips were aching a bit. While I'm pretty sure the ache is just a healthy muscle ache from yoga last night, I don't like to play around with hip pain. When it starts, I stop.

So, I didn't get in the 5-mile run my training plan had scheduled for me this week, but I figure the extra 3-mile run I threw in earlier this week will make up for that somewhat. 

For now, I'm waiting for the rain to stop so I can get back on the trails.

Sweat and Devotion

I made yet another alteration to my marathon training plan today by attending a yoga class instead of doing the scheduled 5-mile run. If it's not obvious yet, these first few weeks of my training plan won't be followed to the letter because of ongoing preparation for my first half marathon in 2 weeks. I'm getting in all the mileage that is scheduled for this week, just not on the exact days it is scheduled. The forecast is calling for rain Saturday and Sunday, so I'll most likely switch my scheduled long run of the week from Sunday to tomorrow and hit the treadmill for the 5-mile run once the rain starts.

I went to a bhakti flow yoga class today at Flying Yoga in Oakland with Pradeep Teotia. I read that "bhakti" is often translated to "devotion" in Sanskrit. For me, it translated to lots of sweat, planks, and ab work. While not particularly pleasant in the moment, I know this class will be very beneficial for me for injury prevention, so I'll be back.

My favorite part of the class was when we were holding the second or third plank for twenty seconds, and Pradeep told us in the midst of our suffering to either hold the pose or not to hold it, to choose one and go for it. He said too often in life we go back and forth, should we or shouldn't we, and that life is too short to spend so much time in this state. I really went for that plank (that approach became harder to take with each subsequent plank), and I intend to apply that thinking to other aspects of my life.

Lunch Break

I threw in a nice 3-miler at lunch today that wasn't on my marathon training plan because I'm getting scared. I have my first half marathon, the North Face Endurance Challenge, coming up in two weeks. Preparation was going really well until about 3 weeks ago, when life problems hit and caused me to stop running. I got back into my routine last week, but it's been really hard coming back. The half marathon course has a good amount of elevation gain, hence my fear, fear that at best, the race will be incredibly painful, and at worst, I won't finish.

So, I woke up this morning planning to go to a yoga class at lunch, but the combination of the looming half marathon and the absolutely gorgeous weather caused me to change my mind. I know in the grand scheme of things, the short run today won't do much for my race preparation. But, it felt great getting out there, and at this point I'll take any confidence booster I can get.

About the run: I ran a loop starting at the parking lot at Inspiration Point in Tilden Park. This is one of my favorite loops! Thanks to the clear and sunny day, I got a nice view of Mt. Tam in the distance.

Treadmill Tuesday

Day two of my 16 week training program is complete. Today called for a three mile easy run. I had originally planned to complete this run in the Berkeley hills as soon as I got off work, but my boyfriend needed the car for the afternoon. By the time he returned from his errands, it was too dark to run outside. So, my only option was to head to the gym later in the evening.

It's funny how magical a training plan is. Any other day, I wouldn't have come close to even considering a run on the treadmill, that's how much I dislike it. But because the training plan had miles scheduled for me today, I was willing to do whatever was necessary to get in the distance.

The run wasn't so terrible. I set the treadmill at an easy pace and zoned out to "Once a Runner" on audiobook. In fact, tonight was probably good for me. As a trail runner, I take beautiful scenery and fresh air for granted. However, with the (relatively) rainy season coming upon us, I'll probably find myself in the gym more often than I'd like. So, I better get used to it and be thankful I'm able to run at all.

So far, so good for my training plan.

Marathon Monday

I've wanted to run a marathon for a long time. Six years ago, my first and only attempt at training for a marathon ended in a stress fracture. Today, I've made the decision that I'm ready to try again to meet my goal of completing a marathon. My one goal for the race? Getting across the finish line!

I've tentatively chosen the Umstead Trail Marathon in Raleigh, NC, on March 5, 2011. Umstead is a beautiful park where I did all of my long runs for my marathon attempt six years ago, so it seems fitting that I would return for my first marathon. Plus, it's close to my home town, so it will be a good opportunity to visit with my family. I say I've tentatively chosen the race because registration is limited to 200 runners, and I've heard all 200 spots go very quickly. So when registration opens on November 29 at 5am PST, I'll be at my computer, credit card in hand.

Changing It Up

Variety is key in running. Mix in speed and tempo work with long runs. Cross train. Cut back on mileage every now and then to aid recovery. Variety should apply to running surfaces as well. 

However, since I started running in May 2009, I've been exclusively a trail runner. Lately I've been wondering how that monotony in running surface has affected my running.

I came across an article entitled "Get Off Your Asphalt" by Mario Fraioli at Competitor Magazine. The article is primarily geared toward convincing road runners to step off the asphalt onto trails. However, the article also addresses trail runners who don't hit the pavement.
 

Deals on Yoga Classes

In one of my earlier posts, I discussed the benefits of a yoga practice for runners. The one drawback to yoga is its cost. Many of you may be interested in giving yoga a try but don't want to throw down a lot of money before you know if you like it. Alternatively, some of you may know you want to practice yoga but haven't settled on a particular studio. I've compiled a list of yoga studios in the Berkeley area that offer specials for first-time students. This provides the opportunity to try out yoga or to sample different studios and yoga styles. Check them out and report back!

• Adeline Yoga: 2 classes for the price of 1. 3320 Adeline St., Berkeley
• El Cerrito Yoga: $29 for 30 days of unlimited yoga. 10078 San Pablo Ave., El Cerrito
• Funky Door Yoga: $29 for month of unlimited yoga. 2567 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley
• Monkey Yoga Shala: $20 for two weeks of yoga with certain instructors. 3215 Lakeshore Ave., Oakland
• Yoga Kula: $20 for 3 classes. 1700 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley
• Yoga Mandala: $30 for 3 classes. 2807 Telegraph Ave., Berkeley

Benefits of Massage Therapy for Long-Distance Runners

Need an excuse to get yourself to the nearest massage therapist? I'm going to try to give you one.

I've started to hear more about elite runners using massage therapy during their training and before and after races for preparation and recovery, so I was interested in learning more about the effects of massage therapy on long-distance runners.

Trail Racing

Nothing beats a good trail race. Trail races are the perfect opportunities to push ourselves, connect with fellow trail runners, and take in some beautiful scenery along the way.

If you're used to running road races, there are a few things you can expect from a trail race.

Running Shoes: Trail vs. Road

I've been running exclusively on trails for nearly a year and a half, yet I just switched from road to trail running shoes a few weeks ago. Why so slow to catch on? 

I think like many people, I wasn't sure there would be much of an advantage to running with trail shoes over regular running shoes. Also, I wasn't sure if the surfaces I run on - some single track but mostly fire trail - really warranted trail shoes. More importantly, I tried on several pairs of trail shoes but couldn't find a pair that felt good.

Yoga for Runners

My running has been set back several times over the years by various injuries. About 6 weeks ago, I was suffering from shin splints and a months-long ache in my left hip. On a whim, I decided to restart my on-again, mostly off-again yoga practice. Six weeks later, I'm injury free and back to running regularly.

I wanted to learn more about the effect of yoga on running to know if my experience was merely coincidence or if there is some underlying relationship between the two activities. I did some research and came across a great article in the Yoga Journal called Yoga for Runners by Baron Baptiste and Kathleen Finn Mendola.

Rethinking Tea

I recently decided to stop drinking coffee to see what, if any, benefits there are to having less caffeine in my diet. Instead, I did what I thought was the healthy thing to do and switched to tea. However, I came across this video from Competitor Magazine, and it seems as though I'm not realizing the full health benefits of drinking tea. Why? I use tea bags instead of loose leaf tea. 

In the video, nutrition expert Dr. John Berardi explains that the tea in tea bags is referred to as "dust," or "the waste product" that is left over after the higher quality loose leaf tea has been sorted out during the tea production process. Further, tea bags may not steep as well as loose leaf tea due to the restrictive size of the tea bag.

Trail Running Clubs: Berkeley Running Club

I love trail running, but sometimes it’s hard to motivate myself to put my shoes on. Even when I am self-motivated, it’s nice to have a way to meet new people or converse with others that share my interest in trail running. Luckily, there are several trail running clubs in the East Bay.

One of these clubs is the Berkeley Running Club, organized through Meetup.com. This is a very active running club that currently has regular Tuesday morning and evening runs, Thursday evening track practices, and frequent Saturday and Sunday morning runs.

Affordable Yoga Classes in the Berkeley Area

Yoga has several known benefits: stress reduction, increased flexibility, strengthening, and relaxation. However, yoga classes can be pricey. Check out these studios in the Berkeley area for affordable yoga classes.

• Niroga Center for Healing: Donations-based. Suggested $10/class. Free day of yoga classes first Wednesday of every month. A spacious and eco-friendly studio, offering healing yoga and meditation classes. 1808 University Avenue, Berkeley.

• Rudramandir: Donations-based. Suggested $10-12/1-hour class. Provides a nourishing environment for the journey towards profound physical and spiritual well-being. Mission is to serve the community by offering a breadth of programs to aid in the exploration of each individual’s full potential. 830 Bancroft Way (at 6th Street), Berkeley.

• Square One Yoga Collective: Sliding scale starting at $10/class; $6 cash-only classes Monday-Thursday evenings. A mission-driven business, committed to making yoga completely accessible to the entire community by keeping prices low, offering work-trade scholarships and maintaining a healthy, unpretentious community. 1540A 62nd St., Emeryville.

• Yoga Room: Suggested $10 donation for Community Classes. Offers a wide range of yoga classes and workshops for students of all levels. 2530 San Pablo Avenue, Suite D,
Berkeley.

• Yoga to the People: Donations-based. Suggested $10/class. A yoga studio with the goal of making yoga available to everyone. Classes are in the Power Vinyasa Flow style. 64 Shattuck Sq., Berkeley.