Category: Running

Balancing Running and Traveling

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Over the past month and a half I’ve been doing a lot of traveling. I’ve actually spent more time on the road than in the office or at home, so balancing working out and traveling has been a bit of a challenge. But over the past couple of years, I’ve come to accept the fact that January and February are the hardest training months because of travel and I’ve come up with ways to work around it. Whether you’re traveling for three days or for three weeks, each of these tips can apply to you and hopefully help you find some balance!

  • Stay hydrated! People tend to forget to drink water when traveling, and usually end up drinking more coffee or alcohol during trips. While it’s ok to have some fun, your body depends on water to keep you feeling fresh, especially when you’re training. When flying you should have 16 ounces for every two hours you spend in flight, and you should make sure to finish it before you land. Can’t stand the taste of water? Try adding Nuun to your drink to pump up the flavor.
  • Get enough sleep. Just like staying hydrated, not getting enough sleep can really wear you down on a trip. If you’re able to, try to stay on your regular schedule or adjust to your time zone. Sometimes, like traveling 3 time zones, you can’t stay on your own schedule. If this happens, then try to get as much sleep as you can the first night, this will help so you’re not playing catch up through the rest of the trip.
  • Plan your workouts ahead of time. Take a look at your schedule and try to find open gaps of time where you can fit in workouts. I know I can usually get a workout in on the first day of the trip because it’s set up day. You may have to switch to a morning run or evening run, but at least you’re still putting in the time and you can follow your training plan.
  • Explore the city. The best way to explore a new city is on foot, and what better way than by lacing up your shoes and heading out for a few miles? I love running in new cities because you get to see more than you would on a regular trip, plus the miles go by quickly! If you’re not sure where to go, ask the front desk of the hotel or check out lo-ca-lei-kki, a website and app that helps you find a local place to run while traveling!
  • Try new workouts. If you’re stuck inside and have to use the hotel’s gym, try to make it more exciting than limiting. Get on a machine you’ve never tried before or lift weights that you thought would be too heavy. You may be surprised to find what you like and add it to your regular routine.
  • Sign up for a race! Check online ahead of time to see if there will be a race going on while you’re in town. It’s a great way to get a workout in and see a new part of town. Plus you never know, you could end up running a PR or place in your age group! Check out Running in the USA to find local races when you travel.

There you have it, these are my top tips for balancing traveling and running. It can be a challenge to get all of your workouts in when you take a trip, but hopefully these will help you get them accomplished!

What are your tips for balancing running and traveling?

Medina Half Marathon Training

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The time has finally come. In just 16 short weeks I’ll be running the Medina Half Marathon and working towards my mission of sub 2:00! I’m finally out of my non running funk and couldn’t be more excited to get some major mileage back on my shoes. Last year was the trial run of the race, and it went so well that I couldn’t wait to sign up for the race again this year. I’m more than confident that I can run sub 2:00, and without any injuries I should be able to ramp up training to push me to my limits. 2013 was a rough year of running for me, so this year, I’m determined not to let anything get in my way. So with out any more delay, let’s take a look at the facts for the race and see what the next 16 weeks will bring!

Medina Half Facts:

  • The half marathon is capped at 1000 runners for the first year, and it just sold out last night. Amazing how many people will be running the streets of Medina on May 31st!
  • There is a 5k option available with no limit of runners. It’s only $20 until April 1st, and you can sign up here.
  • The medal is one of a kind and created by the same company that does Boston’s medal.
Love, love this medal.

Love, love this medal.

  • If you can’t run the race, or happen to be in the area on race day, you can sign up to volunteer here!
  • Medina Half has a race specific training plan you can follow if you’re looking for some help. There are also group runs and course runs available as well.
  • All other info can be found here or on the Facebook Page.

As you can tell, I’m excited for this race. I know the course and I know what to expect as far as hills and when I need to push it and when I can take it easy. As far as my own goals and training, I went back to Runner’s World Smart Coach to set the basics. From there I added my cross training ( Body Fusion & Yoga) and moved a few things around to where I’m comfortable. I’ve included speed work and hills again and this time I don’t completely hate them. I also included optional running days that help to keep me from running too much, but can help if a workout earlier in the week didn’t go as planned.

Capture

As for my goals, I’ve got quite a few. I’ll need to keep all of these in mind if I want to have the best race of my life come May 31st.

  • Run Sub 2:00. The giant milestone that I am currently 5 minutes and 56 seconds away from.
  • PR. As long as I run 2:05:54 I’ll have a PR, but I’d love to have a pretty big gap between my next PR and my current one. Even better if it starts with a 1.
  • Gain weight. Yes, such a troublesome topic that most people hate to talk about. I’m not happy with my current weight and know that I need to fill out a little. Let’s say add 10lbs, because we all know that 5lbs comes and goes easily.
  • Cross train at least twice a week. Whether it be Body Fusion, Yoga or getting on the bike, I need to keep on this. I know that cross training helps to keep me injury free, so that should be motivation enough.
  • Eat healthier. This goes alone with gaining weight. If you eat poorly, you run poorly. I also need to find the perfect foods for race day eve and race day morning. Tummy troubles no more.
  • Raise $1000 for Team JDRF. As you may or may not know, Darren was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes when he was 3 years old. Diabetes is now a part of my life as I watch him live with it every day. Team JDRF is fighting to find a cure for Type 1 Diabetes so that future generations won’t have this horrible disease. Each week I’ll be posting a fact as way to educate readers on Diabetes. If you want to help find a cure, you can donate here. I truly appreciate it!

So there we have it, the facts about Medina Half, my training plan and my goals for the next 16 weeks. It’s going to take a lot of work and dedication to reach this milestone, but I’m so excited and can’t wait for May 31st!

 

Base Week 4

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This week my body turned against me. Traveling finally caught up with me and I was sick as a dog Sunday evening through Tuesday afternoon. Knowing that I’d be traveling all week, I headed into the office Monday and tried to get a few things done. By the afternoon I felt miserable, stopped at the Minute Clinic and spent the rest of the day on the couch. I missed my Body Fusion class, but I knew I had to stay home if I wanted any chance of getting better.

I lucked out with the cold weather, my first flight was canceled on Tuesday, and I was rescheduled for the 5:50 flight to Toronto. A small delay in travel plans, but I was able to sleep for 11 straight hours and felt so much better when I woke up. It was still negative degrees when I got up and I knew I wouldn’t be heading to the gym, or outside to run. So I invented my own workout and ran the basement for 20 minutes straight, about 2 miles. It wasn’t your typical workout, but when you’re sick and need to get something in, you do what you can.

I finally made it to Toronto and spent a lot of time on my feet, working the show and walking the city. I only took advantage of the hotel workout room once, and I’m pretty sure that’s all I could handle on the treadmill. It was a small workout room and got hot quickly, but I got three miles in before I headed out for dinner. I wish I had gotten a chance to run the city again, but it was just far too cold and dark.

The 80's called...they want their treadmill back.

The 80’s called…they want their treadmill back.

Monday: Sick

Tuesday: 2 Miles

Wednesday: Off

Thursday: 3 Miles

Friday: Off

Saturday: 3 Miles

Sunday: 6 Miles

Total Miles: 14 Miles

Saturday I had originally planned on running the Blizzard Busters 5k in Ashland, but after being sick all week and not running that much, I opted out of the 90 minute round trip drive and ran my own 5k around town. I headed out on the country roads and took advantage of the warm weather. I even had a few rain drops fall on me, something I’m typically not excited about in winter. I felt good and even though I passed on the race, I was glad I got a few miles in to test the waters.

Rainy, Saturday bliss

Rainy, Saturday bliss

Sunday was one of those days where your feet decide the run. It had snowed and rained overnight so the roads and sidewalks were covered with snow on top of ice on top of slush on top of snow. Footing was touch and go at times, and my Yak Trax kept getting weighed down with slush, but I was able to get into a decent pace once in a while. I had originally hoped for 3-4, thinking that I had fully recovered from being sick. After about a mile and a half in, I decided to run down town and see how many miles I could get in. I ran to the square and then headed back, dodging puddles and slush almost the entire way. I got back towards home and ended up at 5 miles, still feeling pretty good, I decided for one more before I headed back in for some lunch. Sunday’s run was the longest I’ve run by myself since last fall and I felt great. I probably could have run a few more miles, but I was starving, and well, food always wins.

One of my favorite views

One of my favorite views

This week definitely wasn’t what I had in mind, but when your body needs a break you listen. I’m hoping that I won’t get sick again for a while so I can focus on my mileage again. This week is another week of traveling, so I’ll be trying to run between shows and customer dinners. Also, if someone could send some warm weather down to Texas this week, I’d appreciate it!

Do you exercise when your sick, or sit it out? Rain or snow, which do you prefer?

 

 

Base Week 3

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This week was a challenge. I really thought I could get ahead and log some great miles, but unfortunately my body had other plans. I drove up to Detroit Sunday night, but luckily was able to get home just in time to make it to my Body Fusion class. All day I had been pushing a sore throat, but it had disappeared by that evening, so I thought nothing of it, and figured it was from the dry air in the hotel.

Tuesday I had a show in the morning, but luckily it was in Cleveland so I was able to get to the gym on my regular day. However, my legs were feeling pretty tired and I struggled to keep my eyes open most of the run. I assumed I was worn out from the show last week, back to back runs over the weekend, and then more shows this week. So I decided to take Wednesday as a rest day and let my body recover. I never felt so guilty for switching a workout day, but my body thanked me by an amazing workout Thursday night. I ran a mock 5k and negative split the entire thing and keeping my miles at a sub 9:00 pace. I was completely surprised and realized that my body just needed a break.

The weekend was rough though, my sore throat kept coming back and I started to feel my nose getting stuffed up. Saturday we were under a Level 2 Snow Emergency and I debated if I should attempt to drive to the gym, or head out on the streets. I decided to stay close to home and bundled up in about 80 layers. The roads were covered in snow and the sidewalks weren’t any better. Footing was difficult to find and after about a half mile in, I started to struggle. I had too many layers on and my legs and heart couldn’t keep up. I knew it would be a short run based on how tired my legs already were from jumping around snow drifts, but once my chest started to tighten up, I knew I had to head in. I wasn’t satisfied with the run, but knew it was for the best.

Sunday we were finally out of Level 2, but the roads were still really bad. I decided to head out on the country roads because I knew they’d be empty, and they were actually cleaner that the development. I was feeling a lot better than Saturday and ended up with negative splits. I’m not sure what got into me, but the run definitely made up for Saturday’s disappointment.

Monday: Body Fusion Class – 30 minutes of lifting/abs/squats & 30 minutes of yoga

Tuesday: 3 Miles

Wednesday: Off

Thursday: 3 Miles

Friday: Off

Saturday: 1.75 Miles

Sunday: 3 Miles

Total Miles: 10.75 Miles

Just me and the road

Just me and the road

Mileage was low this week, but at least I still got miles in. My body was worn down and on the verge of getting sick, which is how I’m feeling now. This next week will be interesting. I’ll be traveling to Toronto Tuesday through Friday, and I don’t think the workout room was actually inside the hotel, but rather around the block. And considering I’m feeling pretty miserable, I’m not sure how much working out I’ll be doing.

Did you run outside this weekend? Where do you draw the line on weather conditions?

Running Vegas

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Last week I spent Tuesday through Friday in Vegas for work. We’re constantly working and I rarely get time to get outside, usually only when we’re taking the taxi to the hotel and then back to the airport. Luckily I had about two hours of free time on Tuesday, so I took advantage of the nice, warm weather and got my chance to run the Strip. It was definitely crowded, and something I wouldn’t recommend doing too late at night or alone, but it was definitely a great way to tour the city.

Beautiful Rockies

Beautiful Rockies

I love the Bellagio

Running fancy in my diamond Rogas

Picture perfect

Picture perfect

Welcome to Paris!

Welcome to Paris!

New York, New York

New York, New York

Chasing daylight

Chasing daylight

As much as I loved running in shorts outside in January, I really struggled with how dry everything was. I always forget how much harder it is to run in the desert, but it was definitely a great workout!

Have you ever been to Vegas? What’s your favorite casino?

 

 

Base Week 2

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What a week. It was week one of five that I’ll be traveling for work. For me, this was one of the hardest weeks, not only knowing how busy I’d be, but I had a three hour time change in my day. Talk about sleep deprivation. I spent most of the week in Vegas for the PPAI show, and there was barely any spare time. Luckily I did better than I had expected during a travel week and feel great with how the week went.

Monday was my Body Fusion class, and I was definitely glad I kept up with the class. I feel like I’m getting stronger, and have seen a little bit of definition in my back and arms. I can’t wait to see how well this class will help me this year!

Left: Before Body Fusion, Right: Two Weeks of Body Fusion

Left: Before Body Fusion, Right: Two Weeks of Body Fusion

Tuesday, I headed to Vegas and somehow ended up with two hours of free time. I took advantage of it and ran the Vegas strip! My boss joined me, and thankfully I felt a lot safer than had I ran by myself. I forgot how dry the air was, so it was a little tough, but it was great to stretch my legs after a long day.

Run the Vegas Strip, check!

Run the Vegas Strip, check!

Wednesday, I only had time for two miles on the treadmill, and I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have lasted any longer. With my iPod at home, and being rushed between the show and dinner, I struggled to stay focused. I forgot how much I dislike the treadmill, but I was glad to get a short run in.

Monday: Body Fusion Class – 30 minutes of lifting/abs/squats & 30 minutes of yoga

Tuesday: 3 Miles

Wednesday: 2 Miles

Thursday: Off

Friday: Off

Saturday: 4.5 Miles

Sunday: 5 Miles

Total Miles: 14.5 Miles

I made it back home on Friday night, but didn’t have any major plans for my weekend runs. I did 4.5 miles on Saturday in honor of #megsmiles. I got lost in the run and reflected on how fortunate I am to be able to run and how amazing the running community is. My pace dipped down to the low 9:00s and under for the last half mile. It felt good to be back to my old pace, but it felt better to have the honor to run for someone who couldn’t.

Sunday I wasn’t really feeling my run prior to the start of it. I still had some jet lag, so I was exhausted, but I also had to drive to Detroit that night, so I kept thinking about my giant list of things that needed to be done. I started with the intent of running just three miles, but the first 1.5 felt a lot better than I had expected. I ran a new route and had the wind at my back to push me along. Unfortunately the wind started to pick up and was coming at me from all directions. My pace ranged from 9:10-10:05, but I tried to keep it at 9:30. On the way back home, I took detours along every road I found that I had never ran. The miles flew by and I even found some short cuts through town to cut out traffic when it gets busy. Despite a brief moment of tired legs, I felt good and was excited to get some decent miles in back to back after a long week on my feet.

So week one of five travel weeks is complete and I’m glad I was able to get in as much as I could with small windows of time to workout. Thankfully this next week I’ll have more time to run and travel days fall during regular work hours.

 

Did you run for #megsmiles? How do you get your workouts in when you travel? Have you ever run the Vegas Strip?

Base Week 1

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I’m only a few weeks out from my next training cycle so it’s time to start getting my body into a regular schedule. These next 5 weeks I’ll be ramping up my running and figuring out the best way to cross train to stay injury free this year. Most importantly, I’ll be using DailyMile and this blog to help me me accountable and on track. I’m almost certain that this time frame will be harder than the actual training cycle because I’ll be traveling the entire time. Between five different states and three different time zones, working out will be a challenge, but if I want to run sub 2:00 this year, I’ve got to stick to my plan and not back down.

The first full week of January was a great starting point. New classes were starting at the gym and with other people making resolutions, you can’t help but have a little extra motivation. This quarter I’ll be taking two classes, I was hoping for more, but classes are limited in the evening. Body Fusion is a new class at the rec this year, and I was excited to try it. It starts with a half hour of lifting, ab work and squats and the second half of the class is 30 minutes of yoga. This class couldn’t be more perfect for me because lifting was something I desperately needed help with. Following it up with a half hour of yoga was great to unwind and let me body relax again. The second class I’ll be taking will be Yoga again. Unfortunately because of the water issues this week, the rec center was closed Thursday, so that meant the only way to get some yoga in was a DVD that I had at home.

Monday: Body Fusion Class – 30 minutes of lifting/abs/squats & 30 minutes of yoga

Tuesday: 3 Miles

Wednesday: 2 Miles

Thursday: Yoga – 30 Minutes at home

Friday: Off

Saturday: 3 Miles

Sunday: 7 Miles

Total Miles: 15 Miles

This week I completely fell in love with running again. It’s taken a long time, but I finally reached the point where I look forward to every run again. I’m no longer looking for excuses, but rather keep pushing myself further. There have been points where I thought I was ready to come back, but now I’m ready to get out there and run as much as I can. I even made the decision on my fall race, but more on that later.

Tuesday was my first run on back on the track in a long time. I also started going straight from work, which helps combat the couch keeping me captive all night. Most of the machines were taken and the track was pretty busy, but I will gladly choose the track over the treadmill any day. I was a little tight still from Monday’s class, but nothing a few stretches couldn’t get rid of. I followed Tuesday’s run with a short run on Wednesday. My legs were extremely tight, so I kept it short, but gave it all I had, finishing in 16:29. I’m no where near what I used to be able to run, but I’m hoping these runs over the next couple weeks are the slowest I run all year.

Saturday I had to take advantage of the perfect weather, so I made sure to get a few miles in. I already had plans to get a long run in on Sunday, so I kept it short and managed to get in a little over three miles. The sidewalks were mostly clear, with a few exceptions, and I was able to explore some new streets in a nearby neighborhood. I’ve been fortunate enough to move to a location that allows me to run from neighborhood to neighborhood so the amount of routes I can take just keeps growing.

I finished up the weekend with my first long run of the year. I ran with Crystal, a fellow MCRR member and we headed out on a nearby trail. Footing wasn’t the best, as part of the trail still had some ice on it, but it was so nice to explore a new path and not have to run alone. With the trail and part of my neighborhood we ended up covering seven miles. I felt great and it was the perfect confidence booster to keep me on the right track. I’m thrilled with how much I was able to accomplish this week and hope that it continues to get better from here on out!

Did you start fresh in the beginning of January? Would you rather run on the treadmill or indoor track?

2014 Tentative Race Schedule

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A new year means new races! It’s time to reveal the 2014 race calendar! 2013 ended up being a bust in racing, so 2014 is the year to make that up. I’m ready to get back into racing and see what my legs are capable of doing.

Here’s my tentative 2014 schedule…

February 1, 2014 – Blizzard Busters 5k/10k

February 16, 2014 – Frosty 5k

February 22, 2014 – Snoball Run 5k

March 16, 2014 – Shamrock 5k/15k

March 22, 2014 – Strongsville Super Saturday 5k

April 6, 2014 – Towpath Half Marathon

April 13, 2014 – Run for Home Half Marathon

April 19, 2014 – Oberlin Earthday 5k

April 26, 2014 – Hermes 10 Miler

May 2, 2014 – Run.4.Fun 5k

May 2014- Dash for Dignity 5k

May 2014 – Run to the Beach Half Marathon

May 2014 – Wadsworth Bookin’ 5k

May 31, 2014 – Medina Half Marathon *Spring Goal Race

June 15, 2014 – Towpath Ten-Ten

June 2014 – Park 2 Park Half Marathon

June 21, 2014 – Jim Klett 10k

June 2014 – Columbia Station Half Marathon

July 4, 2014 – Twin Sizzler 5k/10k

July 19, 2014 – Casey’s Challenge 5k/10k

August 2014 – Run, Wine and Dine 5k/10k

August 16, 2014 – Buehler’s Heart & Sole Half Marathon

August 2014 – MStar Foundation 5k

August 30, 2014 – Leave No Trace Half Marathon

September 1, 2014 – Run for the Trails 5k

September 7, 2014 – River Run Half Marathon

September 21, 2014 – Race with Grace 5k

October 12, 2014 – Northern Ohio Half Marathon or Towpath Half Marathon

October 2014 – Hale Harvest 5k

October 25, 2014 – Medina SPCA Paws for the Cause 5k

October 26, 2014 – Buckeye Half Marathon

November 2014 – Inland Trail Half Marathon

November 22, 2014 – Brunswick Devil Dash 5k

November 27, 2014 – Turkey Burner 5k

 

Races that are italicized mean that the date and information haven’t been released yet, but I want to keep them on my radar. As always this schedule could change at any time, races could get cancelled and more races are bound to show up later in the year. Life happens and not every weekend will go as planned, but if I can run at least half of these races, I’ll be happy.

There is one race that is missing from the schedule, and that’s my fall goal race. I haven’t quite committed to it 100%, so I want to wait until I do before I put it up on the schedule.

 

What are your major races for 2014? Is there a race I missed that should definitely go on my schedule?

Weekly Fitness Update

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This week was a lot better than the last and I can tell I’m getting back on track. I was able to get three solid runs in this week, including one in 60 degree weather. Luckily I saved up enough vacation time this year that my last day of work for 2013 was Thursday. This meant I was able to finally join the MCRR Friday morning run.

It was a small group, but we kept along the same pace so no one would be left behind. We ran 4.5 miles around town and followed one of my favorite paths. It was a little icy, which made for some fancy footwork, but it was great to have others to run with. We followed up the run with coffee and talks of training, races and running gear. I was even persuaded to sign up for my fall race, one I’ve had my eye on for a few years. I love running alone, but sometimes it’s great to have a group to motivate you along the way.

Monday: Off

Tuesday: 2 Miles

Wednesday: Off

Thursday: Off

Friday: 4.5 Miles (MCRR Group Run)

Saturday: Off

Sunday: 3 Miles

Total Miles: 9.5 Miles

My total miles are consistently growing and I have no doubt I’ll be back to my normal running routine in a few weeks. My biggest challenge will be traveling the next seven of eight weeks. It will be hard to get runs in, but I’m determined not to let myself start from the bottom again.

Would you rather run by yourself or with a group? How do you get your workouts in while traveling?

Weekly Fitness Update

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It’s been a few weeks since I’ve done a weekly fitness update, but it’s because I wasn’t putting much time or effort into working out. With about a mile or two each week, it wasn’t worth it to post it, but that’s all changing now. With less than six months to go until my goal race, I need to start taking running more seriously. With the holidays and some work trips, I’ve got a few challenging months ahead, but I definitely think I can get back into it and have the best training cycle yet.

I may have had some extra motivation from this view as well. I pass this road every day on my way to work and it always screams “Run Me!” One day I’ll venture to it and I can’t wait to see where it goes.

So tempting

So tempting

This week went really well. I wanted to get at least three days in and I did. I even got Darren to run outside with me one night. Running with Christmas lights decorating the neighborhood was definitely a great distraction from the snow and cold.

Monday: 1.5 Mile Run & 2 Miles Cycling

Tuesday: Off

Wednesday: 1 Mile Run

Thursday: Off

Friday: Off

Saturday: 3 Mile Run

Sunday: Off

Total Miles: 5.5 Miles (Running) & 2 Miles (Cycling)

My favorite run this week had to be Saturday. Even though it was snowing and windy the entire time, it was the best and longest run I’ve had in months. The sidewalks were untouched and running sans music, I was able to focus on my breathing and enjoy how peaceful everything was. Saturday’s run was a huge confidence booster in getting back in shape.

photo(1)

I’m hoping for more great runs and more snowy adventures this week, and hopefully no falls on the ice.