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]]>

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 pumping through my headphones. This isn’t so bad! I pass other people walking their dogs and I start to feel a little self conscious. Can they tell I’m not “really” a runner?

Uh-oh, my legs are starting to hurt.  I turn the corner and enter the park and my lungs begin to burn. I get a stitch in my side. I look down at my stopwatch to see how much time has passed.

A minute and a half.

Crap.

Fast forward to a little over three years later.  This morning I registered to run my first ultra-marathon.

Yeah. Anything is possible.

Riding the waves of Lake Michigan with my sister

The thing that surprised me was how much of a workout it was. Everything from pushing the jetski away from the shore, climbing . . . → Read More: Jetskiing: A Surprise Workout]]>

Last weekend I was in for a treat. I was able to try out jetskiing for the first time! At first I was scared to get on the jetski because I thought it would tip me into Lake Michigan’s cool August waters. But with a lifevest and a little encouragement, soon I was zipping across the choppy water on my own, getting up to speeds of 50+ miles per hour!

Riding the waves of Lake Michigan with my sister

The thing that surprised me was how much of a workout it was. Everything from pushing the jetski away from the shore, climbing onto it, and driving it all contributed to a full body workout.

I had to use my core muscles to keep me steady, my arms to hold onto the handlebars, and my legs to keep me stable on the machine. I’m sure I also worked my core pretty good laughing so hard when my sister Kim and I went out together and hit some good air on those waves! We didn’t even wipe out once.

The next day or two, I was feeling muscles I didn’t realize I was using on my ride. This is one reason I really like trying new activities instead of always heading to the weight machines at the gym. Those machines are ok for isolating and working one specific muscle group, and they don’t really mimic any real life activities. When you get out and explore your world and try new things, you will engage your whole body, and maybe have some fun in the process!

Sometimes the strangest things can end up being a workout. Imagine how you feel a day or two after gardening, dancing, or raking leaves (you’re ready for that, right?). Delayed onset muscle soreness sets in and our muscles ache with that ‘good hurt’.

What activities do you do that are a great ‘surprise’ workout?

Question: I’ve really only run in warm temperatures. As it gets cooler outside, do you have any tips for running gear/attire? - Amy Kant Answer: Rather than reinvent the wheel here, I would first point you to Runner’s World – What to Wear which does a pretty good job of suggesting what to wear based on the weather conditions you enter. Otherwise, A good rule of thumb . . . → Read More: Virtual Running Buddy #4]]>

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:
I’ve really only run in warm temperatures. As it gets cooler outside, do you have any tips for running gear/attire?
- Amy Kant

Answer:
Rather than reinvent the wheel here, I would first point you to Runner’s World – What to Wear which does a pretty good job of suggesting what to wear based on the weather conditions you enter. Otherwise, A good rule of thumb I have heard for what to wear when running is to dress for weather that is 20 degrees warmer. You might be a little chilly at the start, but once your warm-up is done, you should be pretty well dressed for the conditions. Dressing in layers is also a good idea, concentrating on windproof outer layers and light, wicking inner layers. If you notice that you’re starting to sweat a lot, you’re wearing too much. Shed a layer and let that sweat evaporate before it becomes a bigger concern.

Image courtesy of Kasia

During winter, things like snow and ice become more of a concern. You might want to look into YakTrax, which slip over your shoes to give you added traction (it’s like putting chains on tires). Also, some have a hard time breathing the cold air while running. If that’s the case for you, I’d recommend a balaclava (not to be confused with baklava, which should be saved for after the run) because it can serve so many different functions (hat, scarf, ski mask, etc).

And, just because there’s snow on the ground doesn’t mean you can forget common sense things. Carry a water bottle to keep from dehydrating, wear sunscreen to protect from sunburn and wear sunglasses to help prevent snow blindness. Also, as the days get shorter, it’s more likely that you’ll be running in less than full light (before dawn, after dusk, middle of the night, etc). So, make yourself VISIBLE! You can wear bright-colored or reflective clothing, put on a reflective or lighted vest, wear a headlamp or lighted arm band, etc. Just make sure that you can be seen!

Make the first few runs in colder weather trials of your gear. Determine what works for you and what doesn’t. Do you need to wear wool socks to keep your feet warm? On a windy day, are you better off adding another warming layer or will your windbreaker do the trick? Is it close to 32 degrees (if so, footing is going to be slippery)? It’s a good idea to keep these test runs close to home, in case you need to make some changes.

So, get out there and run this winter! Remember, like running in the rain, the hardest part is the first few minutes. Once you’re warmed up, it’s actually pretty fun (and really badass) to be running outside when others have been driven indoors to their treadmills.

More Resources:
Running in the Cold

Cold Weather Running Safety Tips

10 Tips for Running in the Cold

Question:
I’ve been trying to incorporate more speed work into my training- right now mainly by doing interval sprints on the treadmill. I’m a little confused though by all the different speed workouts I read about: Mile repeats, Yassos, ladders… What do you think are the best workouts to do in order to get faster as a longer distance runner?  Are you going to tell me to just do them all?
- Tracey Gessner

Answer:
Wow! Talk about a loaded question! Any time you ask for the “best” workout for a particular distance, you’re bound to get quite a few answers (and large groups defending their answer as the only right one). If ever there was a question that made me wish we would get an abundance of comments discussing the merits of various approaches, this is one.

That being said, it seems there are a few generalizations that can be made. In order to run long distances, you have to train at long distances, right? So, assuming a runner is putting in the requisite long run each week, but wants to do more in order to improve their race times, how would that be accomplished? It seems to me that there are 3 very distinct workouts that could help such a runner: hill work, interval sprints and tempo runs.

Hill workouts will help build leg strength (some compare hill workouts to lifting weights). Interval sprints will help teach quicker leg turnover and also improve a runner’s VO2max. Tempo runs help push back a runner’s lactate threshold (the point at which your body fatigues at a certain pace). Combining each of these workouts with a weekly long run is the surest way to improve your running.

But, if you’re looking for the single best workout to concentrate on (to give you the most bang for your buck), I think I’ve come up with a pretty good way to figure it out. You see, of all the runners I’ve spoken to, each has their favorite “go to” workout. Likewise, everyone has those workouts that they know they should be doing, but just don’t like. In my experience, the workouts we avoid are the ones we need the most. So, figure out which type of workout is your least favorite and commit to working hard at that particular style of run. I think you’ll be surprised at how quickly you become good at (and start to like) those runs. And, improving any individual aspect of your fitness is bound to improve your running as a whole.

As for specific workout descriptions, I’ll leave that to someone more qualified than me. I will say that as I researched this topic, the single most common workout I came across was mile repeats. Depending on your race distance, the number of repeats and pace can change, but based on the frequency at which it appeared in my search results, it would seem as though this is the most versatile of speed workouts.

More Resources:
The Magic Mile

We All Need Speed

Your Perfect Tempo

Have some information to add to these answers? Please share in the comments. Otherwise, please send in your questions so that we can have future Virtual Running Buddy installments.

As . . . → Read More: Be Prepared: A biking lesson learned at 6:30 am]]>

Meg

About Meg: “I’ve been active since 1st grade when I started playing soccer.  As I got older (through high school) it got more competitive and became a year round activity.  Ever since, not working out doesn’t feel right.  In college I was a coxswain for the men’s crew team at MU.  When I started working I realized that fitting ‘fitness’ into life is much harder.  So now, I bike, go to the gym, and started going to Bikram this past winter.  Doing and having available a variety of things allows me to fit something into most days, because business and life are different every day.”

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]]>

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 place at the peak of supercompensation, the baseline of fitness is raised to this peak level. This allows another cycle of breakdown, recovery and supercompensation to raise fitness even higher. If, however, you have not sufficiently recovered from your last workout before your next training session, your starting point is beneath your initial fitness baseline. Repeated workouts started before complete recovery will eventually result in injury from overtraining.

So, remember to allow rest days in your workout schedule so that supercompensation can work for you! If you can’t bring yourself to take a rest day, at least try to alternate the workouts you do to work different areas of your body. Maybe upper body one day followed by lower body the next?

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? - Adina

Answer: Most resources I . . . → Read More: Virtual Running Buddy #3]]>

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?
- Adina

Answer:
Most resources I have found tend to agree that caffeine can boost performance in both shorter as well as endurance events. All of the anecdotal advice I’ve received regarding caffeine usage on race day has been “Once you start using caffeine in the race, keep using it.” I assume this has to do with the crash that takes place once the caffeine wears off. This is similar to the way co-workers who drink coffee in the morning might also have a cup late-afternoon (combat the crash with another dosage).

In general, though, the info I am reading does not recommend starting to drink coffee in an effort to gain these performance benefits. I don’t drink coffee or soda on a regular basis, because when I need a boost I want it to really work. Similarly, the effects of caffeine on performance seem to be magnified for those who have not built up a tolerance to (or dependence on) caffeine. My advice would be to give one of the caffeinated gels a try late in a long training run, to see if it gives you an additional boost (more than an uncaffeinated gel) and to make sure your stomach can tolerate it. If it seems to work, do what I do: keep a caffeinated gel or two tucked away on race day for when you need a “turbo boost” (whether real or imagined) in the later miles!

As for how much caffeine can be found in GU gels, it looks like the “standard” dosage is 20 mg and the 2x flavors (such as Espresso Love) have 40 mg. The average cup of coffee contains 115-175 mg of caffeine. But remember, you probably wouldn’t drink 5 cups of coffee in a 4-5 hour period, but you might take that many gels during your marathon.

More Resources:
How Caffeine Affects Runners

Caffeine Effects on Weight Loss & Sport

The Caffeinated Runner

Java Jolt

Question:
What are some of the biggest mistakes you and/or other new/advancing runners have made/make?
- Oblivion

Answer:
This snippet from Coach’s Corner – Setting up your season seems fitting for those of us that are training:

“One top running coach who works with a gaggle of Kenyans was asked what is wrong with American runners. He replied, ‘They run their hard runs too easy, and their easy runs too hard.’”

I can relate to that statement. Not running my easy runs easy enough is probably the biggest mistake I make. I’ve been trying to combat this lately by changing my Garmin to not allow me to see my pace while on an easy run. Running by feel seems to fix the issue of “chasing the needle” to hit a particular pace, and also gives me a little break from the feeling of training. Some of these “pace blind” easy runs have been the most enjoyable I’ve had lately.

My guess as to the biggest mistake all runners make (regardless of what level they’re at) is not getting enough rest. [Expect a post from me in the near future discussing the role rest plays in training and the concept of supercompensation.] It’s easy to fall into the trap that the harder you work, the better you’re getting. However, your body needs rest in order to repair the damage you’re doing. The short-term effect of not getting enough rest is being too tired and/or sore to properly perform your next workout, making that workout less effective. But, the long-term side effect of not getting enough rest is overtraining which often leads to injury.

More Resources:
The Errors of our Running Ways

10 Common Running Mistakes to Avoid

What do you think? Is caffeine all it’s hyped up to be or is it a placebo that makes you feel more energetic? Have any running mistakes that you or someone else makes (or used to make, but have overcome)? Let’s hear about it in the comments.

As always, if you have questions that you would like addressed, please send them to marty@fitmilwaukee.com.

Slow down Even biking at a leisurely pace only takes a bit more time than driving there. Studies have shown that trips of less than 3 miles are often quicker by bike. It takes 10-15 minutes to bike the nearly 3 miles to my job. When I drive, it takes at least that long (by the time I find parking and walk to the building). 10 minutes of . . . → Read More: Bike to Work: What I Learned in a Week]]>

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
Even biking at a leisurely pace only takes a bit more time than driving there. Studies have shown that trips of less than 3 miles are often quicker by bike. It takes 10-15 minutes to bike the nearly 3 miles to my job. When I drive, it takes at least that long (by the time I find parking and walk to the building). 10 minutes of cycling is just enough time to get a little sweaty so I walk my bike the final block to cool down a bit before I enter the office.

Ride safe in the bike lane!

On the ride there, I’ll zoom past cars that are stuck in traffic and can often maneuver through a red light (carefully) to keep my momentum. Studies show that 60% of auto pollution happens in the first few minutes of operation, before pollution control devices can work effectively. So even a short ride like this is helping the planet just a little.

Bike safe
Own the road. On wide roads, ride just to the right of the traffic lane; on narrow roads, you have a right to the road. Stay just inside the traffic lane a bit so that cars must partly cross the middle line to pass. (This removes the temptation to try to squeeze by you.) This might seem counter-intuitive but don’t bike all the way over to the right too close to the parked cars or curb. Instead safely take the space you need.  Use hand signals, bells, whistles. Be alert, and obey traffic laws. Wear a helmet!

No backpack
Some days I need to transport things to the office. I can wear a backpack to carry my books, change of clothes, and other necessities – however, I think I will invest in different kind of pack soon. Even from cycling just 10 minutes, my back gets hot and sweaty (not very professional!). I could look for a pack with a mesh back to keep me cool, or transfer that weight into a container away from my body. You can get racks for  your bike that accommodate packs called panniers. For many people it makes much more sense to carry items this way.

You can bike in a skirt!

Dress for success
Did you know you can bike in a skirt? As long as the dress/skirt isn’t too short (you wouldn’t be wearing it to work if it was, right?) and not too long (it could get snagged in the wheel) you will be fine. There are skirt guards available if you are worried about long coats, skirts, or other fabric getting caught in your wheels. One day I wore a dress on the bike to test that out, and the other two days I changed when I got to work. I definitely felt more comfortable wearing fitness gear and changing when I got there, although it was another step in the process to choose an outfit and then pack it up for changing into at the office.

This week I’ll have to test my dresses and see what else I can get away with wearing. If you wear pants on the bike, you’ll want to roll up the leg on the right side so that it doesn’t get caught or dirtied in the chain. When you get to work, take about 10 minutes to cool down and then you can use baby wipes to ‘clean up’ a bit. Fit Milwaukee reader Megan says she joined a gym near her work so that she can shower if she needs to, or fit her workout in right before or after her bike ride to and from work.

Putting a bike on a bus rack is easy!

Check with your workplace
Bike commuters are eligible for extra benefits. You could earn $20 a month for expenses like locks, tires, and tune-ups, thanks to the Bicycle Commuter Act. (Your employer needs to sign up to participate.)

Still can’t commit?
“I have to drop off the kids.” – Hop in the van, throw your bike on a Bones bike rack and bike from the daycare/school.

“It’s too far.”  – Cut the mileage in half: The first day, drive to work with your bike, then ride home that night. Ride to work the next morning, then drive home.

Or, take the bike halfway – park it and take the bus the rest of the way. The Milwaukee County Transit System now offers bike racks on buses! I tested out the bike rack at Chill on the Hill the other day with some help from Meghan, and it’s way easier than it looks. Don’t be intimidated – give it a try!

See, now you’re all out of excuses.

Additional resources for bike commuters can be found here:

Bike Your Drive – REI

BikeLeague.org

Paul Dorn’s Bike Commuting Tips

Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin

Do you bike to work? Do you have any tips to share?

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]]>

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 tons of calories. Your body is constantly moving and the movement keep changing so every last part of you is worked. Hard. (Disclaimer: With this comes the potential for every last part of you to be sore the next day.) Yes, straight up cardio is good for burning calories too but running on a treadmill for an hour works the same muscle groups over and over again. If you really want to be in top shape you can’t neglect all those other muscle groups that are screaming out for attention.  From my experience, boot camps don’t really leave a whole lot out so if you’re looking for a total body workout, classes like these can be very appealing. Second, working out in a group setting is fun! Even if you are sweating like pigs.  There’s something about that “we’re all in this together” feeling that is incredibly motivating. Finally, boot camp programs are famous for results. If you have the time and dedication to commit to a program, you’re going to see some major changes in your body by the end of the session.

So where you can find a boot camp in Milwaukee these days? It seems like they are popping up everywhere. I’ve compiled a short list below of boot camp classes but feel free to let us know in the comments if you want to recommend any others.

IMPACT Milwaukee

Ramp Up Fitness

Milwaukee Adventure Boot Camp

Mission Metabolism Boot Camp (formerly Get Sexy Boot Camp- you can read a review of this one from a FitMKE guest blogger here!)

Weekday Warriors – via Le Club Sports Club

(Pssst. Look for a “Try-it” FitMKE/IMPACT Saturday boot camp class coming in September. Check back here for more details!)

Have you tried a boot camp workout before? Did you get good results?