Some running facts

I'm on my last 4 weeks of training and still going strong!  At this point I feel like I know a thing or two about running.  Luckily I also have a great running mentor, who I turn for help from time to time.  He just happens to be our neighbor and Professor of Kinesiology, Health & Sport Studies at Wayne State University. Lucky me!  Makes me feel like I'm in good hands. But as running gets more intense and with many projects at work (I promise to share soon, as some are super exciting!), I have very little time to blog.  So today after my short mid-week 6 mile run I decided to make it short and sweet :) Here it goes:

• first 3 miles are a killer! I just want to stop.  After 20-25 minutes running is like flying;

• shortest runs are the hardest, because I know that the end is near, it's like "are we there yet?";

• I keep my pace better when running on concrete slabs.  Counting slabs and not stepping on cracks helps me stay focused;

• cotton tops, even the tiniest ones, suck!  They make me warm even on a cool day;

• running is not just getting out there in good running shoes.  You have to have a strong body to avoid injuries and to enjoy running;

• more than 7 hours of sleep lead to lazy runs (this doesn't happen often);

• dogs LOVE licking sweaty legs.

There you have it.  Weird but true...at least in my case.

Hope you are enjoying this gorgeous fall!
Till next time,
Liana.

 

My 16 mile run and what I didn't know.

Last weekend was my longest run ever!... this is how I’m going to start most of my posts from now on, because from now on I’m running A LOT.  I ran 16 miles (for some reason, when I hear this number, I think about cars). 

The run was everything I expected it to be – brutal.  After checking the weather a day before, I figured, I can start late since the new day promised to be cool, so I went to bed late.  Not doing it ever again…  I started my morning late, had pancakes for breakfast (not my usual choice), grabbed my 10 oz running bottle, energy gels and drove off to the park.  It was 11am.  The trail was already bustling with bikers, joggers, walkers and runners.  I’ve never been to this trail before and due to my curious nature, I was gawking and gazing at surroundings. 

It was great to be around nature, but, needless to say, I forgot to set my timer, oops.   As I was running mostly in shade and there was some breeze at all times, I didn’t feel hot.  I thought the run was normal, as usual.  What I didn’t take into account is that it was a VERY long run and it must be approached differently from regular runs.  After first five miles I had to swing by local Starbucks to refill my completely empty water bottle.  I had to do that three times.  By the end of the run my bottle had only a couple of sips of warm water in it, and I was still thirsty as hell!  On top of that and as a result of dehydration, I got a pretty bad cramp in my entire left leg, so my last mile I had to jog/walk/limp to finish my distance.  It hurt. It really did, but at that time I had no idea what was happening, why it was happening and how to prevent it.  

I thought I already researched and read everything I could about running and marathon training, but after that miserable mile, I read even more! 

Here are a couple of articles I found very useful:

Hydration Myths

Sodium and Potassium Balance

Muscle Cramps

Long Run Hydration

This weekend I’m running 18 miles in Detroit.  It is a training run on Detroit Free Press Marathon Course.  *gulp* Wish me luck!

In case you just joined me here, or you forgot why I am doing this to myself, here is a link to my motivation!

Till next time,

Liana.

Half marathon mark + natural energy gel recipe

Last weekend was my half way point in training.  That means I ran my longest distance ever - 13.1 miles or half marathon.  Looking back at it, it was not bad, but during my last couple of miles all I could think was “Why, 2 months ago, did I think this was a good idea!?!?!”   Now it’s behind me and I’m pretty amazed with myself.  I would never think my legs and my mind could carry me this far!  

For my route I didn’t do anything special this time, just tried to stick to low elevation and paved neighborhood roads vs. concrete, as I find it much easier on my body.   I did have to hit at least 10 traffic lights and make too many to count turn-arounds, which no doubt affected my pace... 

...but I ran, and that’s all that matters!

Once you start running distances over 10 miles it is recommended to take energy gels every 5-7 miles to help you keep going.   There is an endless selection of energy gels everywhere, but I always feel a little uneasy about “magical” energy boosting mixtures – their ingredient lists make me dizzy.  Plus, I couldn’t find anything with protein in it.  So I decided to make my own, natural energy fuel (big shout out to Pinterest for that).   Here it goes:

• 8 pitted dates soaked in warm water for few hours

• 1 tsp extra virgin coconut oil

• 1 TBS honey or agave syrup

• Sprinkle of sea salt

• 1 TBS chocolate protein powder (some suggest to include protein in addition to carbs, in order to avoid hitting “the wall”) 

• 2 TBS grapefruit juice

It came out perfectly and it tasted pretty good, I must say!   Bonus: I feel safe giving it to my daughter, who has been begging me to have some energy gels for her soccer games.

So that’s where I am at this point and from here, I start running some serious miles!  

Till next time,

Liana.

Approaching half-way point...

With marathon date getting closer I catch myself thinking about all kinds of “what ifs”. Maybe I am subconsciously looking for an excuse? Just last week I panicked: “What if my passport is expired?” (The marathon crosses the border into Canada). Nope, passport is still up to date. Al of a sudden now, for some reason, running through almost one mile tunnel is really, really bothering me. I think, I may very well be running my fastest mile ever, just to get out of there! Eeek… So, to tune out my little voice I have decided to make a commitment and dedicate this personal challenge to a good cause. You can read up about it here and I hope it will resonate with you. I will be posting more on my training progress. But have no fear, Marmalade Hills blog will not become a running blog! I will try to keep a healthy mix of different topics. This weekend Michigan weather was finally cooperating and I was able to run 10 miles outside.

Nice and cool natural path.

This picture was an oops, but I decided to keep it anyways.  It's kind of cool in a different/informal way. 

We have some really beautiful, natural roads and hills in our area. But I am slowly running out of space. I have no idea what course I am going to take for my half marathon run. Finding a course would be my homework for this week, as well as making my own natural endurance gels. I will let you know how that goes!

Till next time,
Liana.

New project!

I can't believe it's already July!  So much has happened with me and Marmalade Hills.  I promise to fill you in on everything.  We’ve traveled, launched new products, and acquired new accounts and friends!   But what I want to share with you today is one very special project of mine.  I am training for my first ever marathon!   I want to tell you how it all came to be and I hope not to bore you with too many details.  I feel like this experience is worth sharing, as I know it will inspire someone out there.

Here is how my training schedule looks like for the next 4 months:

I started running last spring.  One day I decided: I want a new project, set and break new limits, as well as feel and look good (of course).  I was also curious, what is this “running” trend all about.  Seems like, everyone is running in a race or a marathon, nowadays.   I was a pretty good runner back in my high school days, and this helped with confidence.  I started with jogging and after a few weeks of that, I felt like I wanted more.  After running my first mile I was alright, and that’s when I decided to invest in a new pair of good running shoes.  After a couple of months of occasional running and exercising I felt that I needed more!   And I started a new routine: one day run, one day workout.   You feel like with every workout or run, your body is getting stronger and helping you do that extra set of pushups or crunches.  No wonder I couldn't do more than 10 pushups at first, my body was one big blob of jello!  And then, once my abs, my back and my arms got a little stronger, I felt every muscle helping me get through few more pushups or crunches.  It’s pretty amazing and very rewarding stuff, once you notice some progress.  Just stick to it for couple of months, it will come and you will never be the same, I promise!  Exercise and strong body overall, is extremely important for running.  Why?  Because if your body is strong and can keep a good “form” (in other words support itself), there are less chances for injury, as you do not crash your blob of jello on your ankles and knees every step.  That is why I feel that occasional runners, who run here and there without regular upper body exercise, tend to get more injuries.  Unfortunately, that creates bad PR for running.  If you have been thinking about running, but afraid of injuries check out this article.   Without going into too many technical details and exceptions in one post, I have to leave it at this point and revisit this topic in the future.

Message of today: Need new project?  Buy a new pair of cute running shoes, go jogging and start light workouts, stick to it for two months… dirty dishes and laundry can wait!   

Please forgive me any typos, as my second pair of eyes left on a business trip :)

Till next time,

Liana.