It’s a Saturday morning in May. I’ve got my iPod on, a new cute running top, bright white sneakers and some shades. I burst out the front door of my house on a mission: I’M GOING TO RUN. I’m tired of looking on wistfully at all the local runners with their nicely toned legs as they stride down by the lake like gazelles, sweat running down their backs. I’m headed down to the neighborhood park and I’m going to make myself a runner if it kills me. I tear down the street at top speed with a carefully selected Run Playlist . . . → Read More: Chapter One
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What do you do when you are down in the dumps? Some people curl up on the couch with a pint of cookie dough ice cream. Others plow through hours of Law & Order reruns on the dvr. (Who, me?) And let’s face it, sometimes you just need a really good cry. I’m an advocate of all three of these options but when I’m done with the above I find that the best therapy of all is to simply get moving again any way you can. It’s amazing what a good sweat session can do for the mind . . . → Read More: Running Therapy Cold weather running and speedwork for distance runners are covered in this week’s Virtual Running Buddy. We’re running low on questions for upcoming weeks, so please be sure to send them in if you’d like this series to continue. Question: Answer: Image from Wikipedia I recently read a great post on Fellrnr’s site about the concept of supercompensation and the effects training and rest have on your body as you try to get fit. Basically, he states that “Exercise does not make you fit. It is the rest that follows exercise that makes you fit.” In other words, after exercise “breaks down” your muscles, your body recovers and adjusts to a higher level of fitness in anticipation of the next training session. If you do nothing else, your fitness level will eventually return to the initial baseline. If your next training session takes . . . → Read More: Supercompensation In this installment of Virtual Running Buddy, I take questions regarding the effects of caffeine on performance and mistakes runners make. If you missed them, you can find the previous Virtual Running Buddy posts here and here. Photo by Jenny Downing Question: I love the boost I get from the GU gels on my longer runs. I just bought a multi-pack and some of the flavors have caffeine, but I’m hesitant to try those flavors. What kind of effect/benefit does caffeine contribute to performance? How do the caffeine levels of GU compare to that of coffee or pop? Answer: I started a new job last week, and it’s close enough that I can bike to work! I gave it a test drive 3 out of 5 days last week and here’s what I’ve discovered: Slow down I’m always looking for new and fun ways to work out. Though running takes up the bulk of my fitness schedule it’s nice to work my body in different ways, whether it’s through cross training, yoga, or Pilates. A while back I wrote about my experience trying a boot camp style workout through IMPACT Milwaukee Fitness. Since then I’ve been noticing just how many boot camps there are in the Milwaukee area and that many people I’ve met have had positive experiences working out this way. Photo by Lululemon Athletica Boot camp work outs are great for a number of reasons. First of all they burn . . . → Read More: Catch the Boot Camp Bug One of my favorite race experiences so far this year was actually at an event I didn’t even run in. While on vacation in California in July, my husband and I decided to cheer at the finish of a little race called the Napa to Sonoma Wine Country Half Marathon. (You may have read about that race on this very website here and here.) Cheering friends and fellow athletes to their goals can be an exciting and inspiring experience. It’s something I recommend trying even if you’re not necessarily an athlete. Anne even wrote up a few tips for cheering at . . . → Read More: Clap, Cheer, Volunteer! This week, I give you my take on two more Virtual Running Buddy questions sent in by readers. If you have questions you would like answered, please send them in! Question: Taking a cue from Anne’s running funk post, I wanted to illustrate a way in which working out and/or running doesn’t have to be a chore but in fact can sometimes be just the opposite. This past weekend we participated in a scavenger hunt called “Adventure in the City” that in a way “tricked” us into running nearly eight miles while we were- get this- having tons of fun. Now you may remember a little event that we helped put on earlier this summer called “The Great Milwaukee Race?” Well, Anne and I were so excited to be able to . . . → Read More: Fighting the Funk: Adventure in the City |
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