Eat This Now- Good Luck Food

Keith and I got to talking about New Year's Eve traditions one day on the way to the track. He said that they always ate black-eyed peas for good luck. I had never heard of that, but I had heard of eating (or trying to eat) 12 grapes, 1 for each ding of the clock at midnight. Turns out, there are other food myths... like not eating lobster (because they move backwards) and eating pork (because pigs eat moving forward) and sweets of all descriptions (circular ones are the best). In fact, there are a whole bunch of lucky foods, some of which are even pretty healthy!

Other traditions include toasting and a midnight kiss. In terms of luck, apparently you should wear old clothes and hope the wind is blowing from the south.

Weekend Outlook

Well... more of a Monday/Tuesday outlook... there's not many races going on on Saturday/Sunday:

• R.I.T.N.Y. (Mon. @ Midnight, Cary)
• Running of the Lights 5.5k (Mon. @ Midnight, Clemmons)
• Commitment Day 5k (Tues. @ 11AM, Raleigh)
• Resolution Run (Tues. @ 11AM, Rocky Mount) 

A New Type of "Running" Shoe

Kangaroo Jumps... they're like ski boots on springs... big springs...

While they look just a little ridiculous, they've actually helped people regain fitness and get back to running, so I guess they can't be all bad. They work like a Newton on steroids... same action-reaction concept... the harder you push down, the more spring you get back... except I doubt they're tuned for 180 steps/min.

Mario Godiva invented and popularized the shoe. He teaches at several fitness clubs in NYC, and holds free classes in parks. The shoes aren't cheap though- $229!

Christmas Trees and the Environment

Not a topic that I've often pondered, but if I did, I would have thought artificial trees were better. I mean, cutting down a tree just seems bad for the environment. However, I would be wrong. As it turns out, real Christmas tress are 60% better for the environment than artificial trees, at least through 7 years. However, if you can't buy a real tree (or even if you can), try using LED Christmas lights because they use a whole lot less power.

Happy Holidays!

The Santa Circuit

You want to know why no one messes with Santa? Well, he's one tough dude. I mean, delivering all of those presents is like running an ultra with a million pound backpack. To prepare, Santa does the following workout:

• Bicep curls with overhand grip
• Back extensions using a physioball
• Front raises with dumbbell
• Balancing exercises
• Depth jumps
• Box jumps

Make sure you eat healthy and stretch too!

Weekend Outlook

Not much going on this weekend in terms of racing in NC. This was all I found:

• Naughty or Nice 5k/10k (Sat. @ 9AM, Wilmington)
• Frostbite 5k (Sat. @ 9AM, Kannapolis)
• Christmas Elf 5k (Sat. @ 9AM, Mount Mourne)
• Following the Star 5k (Mon. @ 9AM, Matthews)

I kind of feel that fruit cakes are like candy corns... the same ones keep getting recycled from year to year. Anyways, the largest fruit cake was made by Just Bake (India) in December, 2011. The cake weight over 8400lbs and was on display at the Palace Grounds in Bangalore.

Further workout related uses for iPhones

A while back, the most well know athletic everything company and the most widely used smart everything company got together and synched up two of their products- the Nike+ footpod and the iPhone. Turns out, you can do more than just use this combo as a GPS watch replacement.

Cool App #1
In an earlier blog post the beats per minute (bpm) of music was mentioned as a way to increase your cadence to the golden 180 that is experienced by many of the top runners, but what about target heart rates? On nearly all exercise machines we see charts that detail which ranges we should shoot for for different types of workouts, but we were fully responsible for getting our heart rate to these ranges. Well, now a team of researchers led by Shahriar Nirjon at University of Virginia in Charlottesville are making this easier to accomplish by embedding a microphone into a set of headphones so that they can listen to your arterial pulse. Then, the current heart rate, the target heart rate, and the activity level (as gathered by accelerometers) are sent to a "recommendation engine" on the web to choose the next song.  It also learns as it is used what songs worked to raise or lower the user's heart rate.

Cool App #2
If you need to make sure your training is providing the cardiovascular benefits you were hoping for you can look to using  the Tinké from Zensorium. 

All you do is place your thumb on the sensor and the Tinké measures heart rate, blood oxygenation and respiratory rate.  Using this data the associated app calculates a "Vita Index" which it stores for later comparison.  It can also use fluctionations in heart rate to determine your "Zen Index".  The "Vita Index" and "Zen Index" can also be shared on facebook or Tinké's own network to allow you to compare your progress among other users.

Lower Back Exercises

The more distance you run, the more likely you are to suffer from a tight lower back (basically due to a lack of core strength). And, although you might not notice it right away, you'll probably start to notice other nagging aches and pains (like tight hamstrings). So, try the double leg pelvic tilt exercise to fix this problem before everything from your neck down locks up!

Group Workouts

 As much as I like actually running with y'all, researchers at Kansas State tell me that I can get the same workout if we just "track skype". Yup, this is my new plan for when I'm home. In fact, if you guys just videotape yourselves running 100m and loop it over and over, I'm apt to push myself harder than if I was actually running with you. And, if you trick me into believing that if I keep that pace up for longer than the looped version of you (that will never tire) that I'll score points for some imaginary team, then I'll run a workout PR. Just make sure you change your outfits between days though, or I'll catch on that you're not really running.

Sound ridiculous? Well it's not. In fact, researchers at Kansas State did something very similar with undergrads and exercise bikes and it worked.

Candy Cane Protein Shake

One more recipe (only because it looked really good in the picture)...
 
1/2 cup cottage cheese
1 scoop plain or vanilla protein powder
1 tbs instant vanilla pudding mix
5-10 ice cubes
4-6 oz of cold water
2-5 drops of peppermint extract
Sweetener of choice (to taste)
5-10 drops of red food coloring 

Recipe from Dashing Dish.

Weekend Outlook

So apparently I time traveled a bit when I was writing last week's "weekend outlook" post... the Reindeer Romp 5k (Sat. 10AM, Cary) and Holiday 5k (Sat. 1PM, Durham) aren't until tomorrow! There's also the Reindeer Dash (Sat. 9AM, Goldsboro) if you feel like driving a bit.

FYI: the fastest marathon dressed as a gingerbread man is 3:42:20. This record was set by David Smith in 2011 at the London Marathon.

Q: Is there any way to prevent chafing?

Km: Yes. Body Glide. Seriously. People should buy stock in this company before the summer hits. Vaseline works in a pinch, and there are some other ways people have prevented chafing, but Body Glide is the best.

Q: What is the best sports bra?

Continuing on the trend from yesterday... while I don't consider someone asking me this question to be that odd, I would not ask a guy their opinion on sports bras... although some definitely know more than me about them.

Km: The best sports bra is runner-specific. Put it on, jump up and down a few times... if it feels supportive enough, it probably is because no one jumps when they run! I also recommend picking your arms up and down and back and forth to make sure it doesn't creep up or do something else weird. That sums up the "Kilometer Test"... and making sure that it's a darker color so it won't become transparent with rain/sweat.

However, I am not exactly picky about sports bras. There are other people that probably need to be a little bit more picky. I have heard great things (in terms of support) about the Moving Comfort brand, and they seem to have a lot of options. Runner's World also did a review of sports bras just a short time ago, and here are some other tips. 

Q: What type of underwear do guys wear when running?

I am interrupting this second week of healthy Christmas food that I never have any intention of making to answer this very important question.

And yes, I have been asked this question by a guy more than once.

And yes, I was working with other guys when they asked this question.

And no, I have no idea why they thought I would be the best person to ask.

And also no, I have never been asked this by a woman with respect to either gender.

And also yes, I'd like to keep it that way.

Km: Many running shorts are now made with built-in underwear. However, some don't, and many running tights don't, and some people do like to wear underwear even with shorts that have them built-in. For these cases (or if your shorts are white... just saying), they do make make running-specific underwear, many of which are reviewed here. The current issue of Runner's World (which they haven't put up online as of yet), also has an article related to the subject.

Snickerdoodles for breakfast

Ingredients

• 1 and 1/2 servings oats (or other grain) (60g)
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• a little over 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 to 1 tsp pure vanilla extract (I use ½ tsp)
• 2 tbsp milk of choice (plus extra if you cook your cereal in milk)
• Sweetener to taste (sugar, stevia, agave, etc.)

Directions

In a large Pyrex-type measuring cup, combine the flakes with about 1 and 1/2 cups liquid. Add a little salt (I use ¼ tsp plus 1/8 tsp).  Microwave for 4 minutes, 30 seconds (watching so it doesn’t spill over). Leave out for around 10 minutes, then stir and put in the fridge, uncovered (it’s ok if the flakes are a bit liquidy, it will evaporate).

The next day, the hot cereal is ready for you to play. Mix in the vanilla, cinnamon, sweetener, and almond milk and stir (you may also want to add 1/8 tsp more salt). If you like your cereal to be hot, you can microwave it again at this time.

 
Recipe courtesy of Chocolate-Covered Katie.

Weekend Outlook

I love December in North Carolina! On the schedule for this weekend:

• Jolly Elf Trail Run (Sat - 9AM, Cary)
• Reindeer Romp (Sat - 10AM, Cary)
• Jingle Bell LEAP (Sat - 10AM, Durham)
• Holiday 5k (Sat - 1PM, Durham)

And, for the most awesome Christmas tree ever:

Egg Nog Protein Shake

1/2 cup of lowfat cottage cheese
1-2 scoops of plain or vanilla protein
1 tsp rum extract
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 cup of water
8-16 ice cubes
Sweetener of choice (to taste)

Recipe from Dashing Dish.

Pumpkin Pie Granola Bar

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons ground flaxseeds
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 cups old-fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 cup almond butter
• 1/3 cup pumpkin puree

Directions:

Preheat oven 375 degrees F. Grease an 8×8 inch pan with baking spray.

In a small bowl, stir together flaxseeds and water. The mixture will start to gel. In a large bowl, stir together all dry ingredients: oats, flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, sugar, and chocolate chips. Add maple syrup, almond butter [microwave for ~30sec to soften it], and pumpkin to the gelled flaxseed mixture. Stir together well, then fold into dry ingredients until fully combined [the mixture will be thick]. Spoon batter into prepared pan and use the back of a spoon to even out the mixture. Bake for 14-16 minutes or until set. Do not overbake, bars will harden a bit as they cool. Cool completely before cutting.

 Recipe courtesy of The Pajama Chef.

Gingerbread Energy Men

Ingredients:

• 20g dates (packed 3/4c) If unsure what dates to use, see Fudge Baby FAQ.
• 38 g raw almonds (about 3T) 
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• 1/16th tsp cloves
• tiny pinch salt
• 1/4 to 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions: 

Using a food process, blend, blend, and blend some more. Then form the dough into little gingerbread runners!

12/1-2 Race Reports

Team E3/RRO started off December on the right foot, turning in some speedy times over the weekend:

• Keith B. and Win B. took 2nd and 5th in the Run at the Rock 7-miler, and John G. ran a great race as well. Our friends Pat P. and Joe D. finished in the top 50. (results)
• At the Jingle Bell 5k, Elaine L. and Jennifer C. took 1st and 3rd on the women's side (and Elaine broke the course record!), and our friends Amelia V. and Lisa G. got 1st in her age groups. Bill C. also ran well, coming in 4th in his age group. (results)
• Kelcy C. took 1st in the Get Fit NC 10k, and the Banks sisters (Marissa and Emmie) crossed the finish line together, taking 1st and 2nd in the 5k. (results)  
• In the third installment of the Triangle Expressway Trot, John G. (second race of the weekend) and David H. took 3rd in their age groups, and Jerry B. was 4th in his age group. (results)
• And last, but not least, Dave M. ran his first marathon back from injury! (results)

Sugar cookies for breakfast

Mmmmmm... candy, candy canes, candy corns, and syrup. Yes, in the season where these are the four main food groups, I decided to look for some nutritionally-sound twists. So, I'll start with a "holiday-inspired" oatmeal recipe because (1) I have oatmeal, (2) I like oatmeal, and (3) it's hard to screw up oatmeal (although I did the first time I tried to make instant oatmeal when I was 7 or 8 because I had never seen a fraction written as x/y and interpreted 2/3 as 2-3 cups... yes, I was quite the chef even then).

Sugar Cookie Oatmeal

• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup milk of choice (I used almond milk)
• 2 Celestial Seasonings sugar cookie teabags (or perhaps a different tea?)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
• sweetener of choice, as desired

Weekend Outlook

Here's this weekend's lineup:

• Run at the Rock (Sat @ 9AM, Burlington)
• Get Fit NC 10k/5k (Sat @ 9AM, Wake Forest)
• Jingle Bell Run/Walk (Sat @ 10:30AM, Raleigh)
• Reindeer Dash for Cash (Sun @ 1PM, Greenville)
• Triangle Expressway Trot (Sun @ 2PM, Apex)

And, if you didn't think that Hostess going out of business would affect runners, you're wrong. There is/was apparently a KrispyKreme-esque style run in Ann Arbor, known as the April Fool's Day Twinkie Run, that raises money for ALS. Guess they'll have to switch to Cloud Cakes this year.

Water Stops

I joked during my last marathon that we should have "water stop practice". Actually, I was only half-joking. I don't think this is necessarily a bad idea, especially if it's someone's first race. Maybe incorporated into a longer pace run... that also features consuming an energy product of choice to get used to that...

Anyways, I can really only manage to drink water effectively at marathon pace (until I get too tired and end up dumping the water on myself in a half-hearted attempt to get the cup all the way to my mouth), and I can throw it somewhere near my mouth and choke some down at half marathon pace. So, the people at Running Times suggested carrying your own water. In fact, they say that this is a good way to PR. To me, this seems weird. I mean, you don't see any of the elite athletes carrying water bottles, people hand them theirs just like everyone else. I have to think that there is a reason for this. They address some of my "concerns" at the bottom of the article (for example that 21oz of water is only 1.3lbs, which is nothing). And, I do see their point about drinking when you want to, as well being able to drink what you want (especially if you have a sensitive stomach).

Having said that, I'm still not sold... I think I'll stick to drinking the water on the course!  

Embrace the winter

 Training in "adverse" conditions actually makes you a stronger runner. I mean, we all knew this after the 100 degree, 100% humidity summer we all suffered through. But the same also holds true for the winter. Running on icy roads in the wind and cold builds running and core strength, flexibility, total body awareness, and mental toughness. While this is good for base training, and even maybe a little bit of tempo work, it's hard to keep any sort of pace on a dark, slippery road. So, although many of us hate it, running on a treadmill for hard workouts every once and a while isn't the worst idea in the world. Other cross-training options such as spinning, swimming, cross country skiing, and snow shoeing are also good for mixing it up.  

How to race a race

Different race distances require different strategies. However, as the article points out, there is a fine line between too fast and too slow (aka stick to whatever plan you come up with and don't try and "bank" time).

• 5k-10k: run the first mile 3-6% faster than your goal pace (I'm guessing closer to 3% for a 10k and 6% for a 5k), settle in during the middle miles, and kick the last 800m
• 10M-13.1M: hold back a little at the start (5-15sec slower for your first mile or two) and try and stay below your lactate threshold as long as possible to have the "energy" to finish strong
• 26.2M: DON'T BANK TIME!!! There are two acceptable strategies- (1) run the first half a little bit faster than goal pace (2-3%) or (2) run the first 3-5miles a little bit slower than goal pace, maintain goal pace through 20-22miles, and then pick it up for the rest.

The end of the article has some example workouts for how to develop your sense of pace (some of those sound a little too familiar!)

Race Reports

Team RRO/FASTcoaching had a busy Thanksgiving! At the Ridgewood Turkey Trot, Elaine L. was 3rd female, and Rita B., Chris G., and Roger W. were 1st in their age groups, Keith F. and Mike C. were 2nd in theirs, and Jonathan W. was 3rd in his (results). Dan H. (3rd Master's + sub-19), Jacci P., and Colby M. (1st 5k) represented the team well, battling the hills of Wake Forest (results) and Dave M. is officially back to his old self, placing 1st in his age group in The Streets at Southpoint Turkey Trot (results). 

Five days earlier, Team RRO/FASTcoaching scored big at the Goose Creek Trail Races (results). Rita B. and Jennifer C. went 1-2 in the 10-miler (and beat a former Olympian), and Marissa B. was 1st in the 7k and Sarah C. was 1st in her age group. Brian F. was 2nd overall, Sean K. was 1st masters, Gavin C. was 1st in his age group, and Mike C. was 4th in his. Win B. and David O. went 2-3 in the Raven Rock 5-miler (results) and Chris G. was 1st in his age group at the Apex Turkey Trot (results). I know Andrew W. and Rusty and the runner he was guiding did well in the Raising Cane 5k, but I can't find results for that race.

And, in the final major November marathon, Jim M., Cody C. (sub-3), Robb H., Jason P. (PR'd), Greg J., and our friend Brad B. (PR'd) ran great (results)!

CONGRATS EVERYONE!

I got nothing...

The Fitbit One

aka the most expensive pedometer ever...

The FitBit One has bluetooth, syncs to the iPhone, and has a "silent" vibrating alarm to wake you up in the morning.  So what data does this $100 device give you?

"it counts steps, flights climbed, calories burned and tracks your total mileage. And, of course, the device syncs with a personalized website, where you can log your meals and view all your stats in easy-to-read graphs."

Oh and it is also splash-resistant, not water-proof, so you can't take it swimming (why you would want to, I'm not quite sure, maybe water running?).  I really think anyone considering getting this should look into a standard $7 pedometer, or if you really want to track it with your iPhone you could try this free app.  So get to walking.

Happy Thanksgiving Running Friends!

Turkey Trot Outlook

Wahooo... Thursday races this week!

• Ridgewood Turkey Trot (8AM, Raleigh)
• Gobbler's Run (8AM, Wake Forest)
• Gallop and Gorge 8k (8AM, Carrboro)
• Inside-Out Turkey Trot (9AM, Cary) 
• Skinny Turkey Half Marathon & Just Think First 5k (7:30AM, Raleigh)

Tyson the Turkey was the heaviest turkey ever... weighing in at 86lbs!

Eat this now: Fall Foods

Thanksgiving is this week, which is awesome because it means that I get to eat "real" food that has marshmallows on it! I came across this article from Runners World that talks about the best fall foods for runners. Surprisingly, I actually eat some of the foods on their list, and that apple thingie looks delicious!

NIght

Oh how I miss it being light out when we run at 6PM... and warm... not shoe-sloshing warm, but short-sleeve weather would be nice again.

Fluorescent yellow, green, and yellow are the most visible colors. Yellow is best for daytime, orange stands out the most in fog, and green is best overall. Why? Well, our cones are most sensitive to yellow, but our rods (which we rely on more as it gets darker) are more sensitive to green. BUT, what we are really sensitive to is luminescence, which is where those retro-reflective strips come into play... or that crazy Nike jacket!

Weekend Outlook

The 26.2 / 13.1 races of choice this weekend are Thunder Road and Philadelphia. If you don't feel like running quite this long, there are still a bunch of races to choose from:

• Goose Creek Trail Run (Sat. @ 8:30, Washington)
• Raven Rock Rumble (Sat. @ 9AM, Lillington) 
• Raising Cane 5k Race (Sat. @ 9AM, Raleigh)
• SPCA Santa Paws 5k (Sat. @ 9AM, Raleigh)
• Turkey Trot 5k (Sat. @ 10AM, Apex)

Q: What is the function of K-tape?

Km: K-tape, short for kinesio tape, was first dreamed up by a Japanese chiropractor over 25 years ago. Its main function is as a second layer of fascia, which anatomically serves to support muscles and allow tendons and ligaments to glide over each other. So, K-tape basically supports your muscles and keeps stuff tracking correctly. As for the whole increased blood flow thing, anything that pulls your skin is going to increase blood flow as a result of contact.

We carry Rock Tape at Raleigh Running Outfitters

Murata Walking Measurement System

Instead of just allowing you to post to facebook how your couch-to-5k training is going, Murata is hoping to help you in more measurable ways (pun intended).

The new Murata Walking Measurement System consists of a piezoelectric sensor that sits in the sole of your shoe and measures pressure at different points. Then this data is transmitted over Bluetooth to a computer.  Some of the applications they mention include "precise shoe fitting for runners, posture detection for dancers and even golf swing analysis for duffers".  It also seems that it could be put into any shoe, they used a pink Asics for their display at CEATEC 2012.  For now it is only a prototype, but it would be cool is one day you could put this in your shoe, analyze your stride, upload the data to Raleigh Running Outfitters, and they could have the perfect shoe ready for your when you stopped by.

Cadence

Just out of curiosity, has anyone found a good way to count strides? I lose track somewhere around 75, or sooner if I'm not running on a perfectly flat surface by myself. And, that's progress... I never got past 5 when I triple jumped. I don't know what it is, but I cannot count footsteps and not run into things. And, of the two, I'd rather not run into things.

Anyhoo, I know 180 is the ideal number, and I know that I don't get close to that for any significant amount of time. When I do though, I feel better for the minute or so that I approach what I imagine is 180. However, maintaining that rate is hard, and I usually get distracted by something else (like not falling), and I revert back to my slower cadence. I'm guessing I'm not the only one with this problem (the increased cadence I mean, not having to concentrate on not falling or running into things). Anyways, here are some things you can try:

• Downhill accelerations (150-200m) down a gentle grade hill
• Take as many steps as you can in 10m while minimizing ground contact 
• Fartlek 0.5-1-2-1 (2 sets with counting strides on second rep)

11/10-11 Race Reports

Team RRO/FASTcoaching was well-represented at "the big marathons of the weekend". Nick M. ran just over 2:50 for his first 26.2, placing in the top 50 at the Richmond Marathon. Jonathan W. finished up in just over 3hrs, Jason B. clocked in at 3:13, and Roger W. crossed the line in 3:21 (Richmond Results). At the OBX Marathon, our friend Michelle H. was the 1st female, running a 2:55 (OBX Results). CONGRATS everyone!!!

Bolt vs. Keflezighi

Yup... it might actually happen... and that would be AWESOME! The debate is the distance. Bolt definitely has 400m on down, and Meb definitely has the 1500m on up. I think the break even point would be somewhere between 800-1000m, although the folks at Runners World say 600-800m. Any thoughts?

Weekend Outlook

The two big 13.1/26.2 local(ish) marathons of this weekend are the Richmond Marathon (Saturday) and the OBX Marathon (Sunday). And, in case you can still walk and didn't get your fair share of racing last weekend, here are some to choose from:

• Run for History (Sat. @ 9AM, Hillsborough)
• 2012 KWayne 5k (Sat. @ 9AM, American Tobacco Trail)
• The Race Home 5k (Sat. @ 8:30AM, Durham)
• Urban Dare Raleigh (Sat. @ 12PM, Tir na nOg)
• Raleigh Fall Festival 5k/10k (Sun. @ 1:30PM, Raleigh)

So, as you've all probably heard by now, the New York City Marathon was canceled last weekend because of SuperStorm Sandy. And, even though many runners were quite disappointed, they decided not to waste the trip and helped in the relief effort.

Yeah I really do think!

Nike drops Meb.

Just a little too ironic

Nike Removes Joe Paterno's Name from Child Care Center.

Don't ya think...

Race Reports

Sorry I didn't get to this last week, but Team RRO/FASTcoaching ended October on a high note. Rita B. was 4th woman (1st age group) at the ATT 10-miler, and our friend Michelle was 3rd (female results). Brian F. was 2nd on the men's side (male results). Matt C. was 3rd male at the Day of the Dead 5k, and our friends David M. and Kimberlie F. were 1st male and female (results). NICE WORK EVERYONE!

And now on to this weekend and the City of Oaks races. Bri G. was 1st female in the 10k (female results; male results). The half marathon saw a bunch of new PR's, with Keith finishing in just over 1:20, Matt broke 1:28, and Rita broke 1:30 (and placed 2nd in her age group; 7th female). Dan H., David O., Robb H., Jason P., Greg J., Chris G., and who knows how many more of our teammates also ran great races. On the women's side, Jennifer C. was 1st masters, Jennifer H. finished in the top 10 females, and Paige W. and Kari M. finished in the top 20. There were more orange and green singlets out there I know (female results; male results). In the full marathon, Tim S. was 1st overall, Keith B. broke 3:10 (with a new PR), Mike C., also ran a PR, and teammates Sam B., Tom K., and Charlie D. ran great. On the women's side, Kimberlie F. (1st age group) was 6th, Laura B. was 10th (2nd age group), Kelcey C. (3rd age group), Meghan H. (3rd age group), Barbie D. (3rd masters), and Kristen F. rounded out the top 20 for our team/friends (female results; male results). As for the relays, RRO went 2, 3, and 7 (relay results). 1 word...

WAHOOO!

Isn't it ironic...

Nike knows Lance Armstrong did it.

Weekend Outlook

City of Oaks is this weekend.

If you're not running it, you should.

Seriously, there are bunch of options.

And, it's the biggest half/full marathon in Raleigh.

And, it's sponsored by the best running store ever.

The expo is from 4-7 on Friday and 10-6 on Saturday at the McKimmon Center. The races start at 7AM on Sunday (remember, daylight savings time is this weekend).

26.2 Ponderings

Trick or Treat

Here's some "healthy" twists on some delicious Halloween goodies:

• Candy Corn Protein Shake (going to stick with the candy because I haven't heard of half those things and refuse to make a 2-part smoothie recipe)
• Carmel Apple Pie Protein Shake
• Starburst Smoothie
• Snickers Smoothie
• Milky Way Smoothie (y'all just added those last 2 ingredients to make it look healthy

Costumes

Can't think of something to be for Halloween this year? Look no further than your running clothes drawer.

If you can't beat them, join them

Yup, Ryan Hall is going to Kenya this winter to train.

Smart.

Weekend Outlook

One(ish) week left until City of Oaks. So, what's in store for this weekend?

• Day of the Dead 5k (Sat. @ 9AM, Raleigh)
• ATT 10-Miler (Sat. @ 8:50AM, Apex)
• Hallowed Half Marathon and 10k (Sun. @ 7:30AM, Wake Forest)
• Monster Dash (Sun. @ 2:30PM, Raleigh)

Just Run

Turns out, there is no single best way to run. Well, I guess there is, but it varies from person to person. As long as you're not doing anything too wackadoodle, you'll be most efficient at the stride that feels most natural to you.  If you try and change it, you'll probably just wind up injured. Instead, don't think about the "ideal" stride, and just run. As you speed up, you'll naturally move more mid-/forefoot. Now, the article doesn't say this (and my credentials are somewhat lacking), but I do believe this could be the reason why the mid-/forefoot striking showed more benefits for elite athletes compared to the rest of us (aka they are faster than us). 

The same argument holds true for the shoes we run in. I do not doubt that we evolved to run without sneakers (mainly because they haven't been around for long enough to effect the course of evolution). However, humans also did not evolve to run on sidewalks, or roads, or any of the other unforgiving surfaces that we run on. Therefore, I think that we do need ~10mm of something on our feet to mimic the types of surfaces that evolution has made us most efficient at running on. In fact, lightweight shoes have been found to decrease the metabolic cost of running compared to barefoot running. 

So, if something is working for you, be happy it is. You can certainly try new things (there could be something else better afterall), just listen to your body.

And thank you Jennifer for sending me this article!

Wahoo Fitness

Wahoo Fitness, now this is a company name I could see Meghan using, except it would be Wahooo, Wahooo, Wahooo Fitness. It is a a gadgeteer's dream, now they can use their iPhone to run and bike.  Their new RFLKT is an iPhone-powered bike computer that doesn't require you to put your iPhone on your bike. It communicates with the iPhone via bluetooth, displaying data such as location, speed, and heart rate. 

Spray on Sweat bands

I know it is a little late in the season to be looking into gear to keep you cool, but nothing says cooling like a spray-on sweatband.  Especially when the can says Cold Foam.  When you spray the foam it immediately chills to 1° F, and stays that temperature for 5 minutes.  The odd part about this product is that "It also solidifies and hardens after a few seconds, letting you mold it into wristbands, headbands, or a cooling compress".  I don't know about you, but how do you make something that "solidifies and hardens" into a headband?  Last headband I had was cloth and quite soft.

10/20-21 Race Reports

"Team E3" (with FASTcoaching/RRO), lead by Brian F. (2nd overall), got the Fixie Fest off to a great start by winning the club team race. The NCSU Club Tri Team (men) were close behind, and the NCSU Club XC Team (men) rounded out the top 3. The top finisher in this event was R. Baraldi (NCSU Club XC) with a time of 18:11. The top female was C. McCarthy (NCSU Club Tri Team) with a time of 21:37, and R. Beard (Team E3) was close behind in 2nd. Thanks to Wake Christian and Franklin Academy for also bringing teams. The open race the next day also went well, with teammates Keith B. claiming 3rd overall, and Bri G. finishing 1st on the women's side. Kory G. was the overall winner in 18:43. Thanks to everyone who came out and ran, it was a fun time! (results)

Post-Elite

As it turns out, elite athletes find it hard to be normal. That's not really surprising to me... normal people find it hard to be elite athletes afterall. In any event, some of the skills that they learned from when they were elite (like perseverance and organization) are useful, while others (like hyper-competitiveness and self-centeredness) are not as useful.

Weekend Outlook

THE E3 FIXIE FEST IS THIS WEEKEND

THE E3 FIXIE FEST IS THIS WEEKEND

THE E3 FIXIE FEST IS THIS WEEKEND

WAHOOO!

Yup, Saturday morning is the club team race (9AM @ Dorothea Dix... I think Rusty is putting together a small group from RRO/FASTcoaching), Saturday afternoon (12:30PM @ Moore Square) is the Alley Cat race, and Sunday morning is the open cross country race (10AM @ Dorothea Dix... lots of folks from the team are running in the open race). So, come join us for a weekend of AWESOMENESS!

In terms of other races, here's a few to choose from:

• Beach 2 Battleship Half and Full Iron Distance Triathlon (Sat. @ ?, Wilmington)
• Neuse River Bridge 13.1, 10k, 5k (Sat. @ 7AM, New Bern)
• Oktoberfest Run Green 8k (Sat. @ 3PM, Raleigh)
• Ramblin' Rose Half Marathon (Sun. @ 7:30AM, Durham)
• Tuna Run 200

Happy Running (pic from last year's E3 Cross Country Challenge)!

Green Racing

So, we've got exercise and better nutritional education out of the way... now on to the 3rd pillar of E3- environmental awareness. I came across an article talking about environmentally-friendly races. Turns out, there's a whole council dedicated to making races green! There are some obvious things, like using water bottles instead of cups and purchasing food, etc. from local vendors, but there were a lot of things that I didn't consider. For example, the B-tags (that I love) are actually not all that environmentally "good" because you can't recycle them due to the whole tag being integrated into the bib (oh dang). 

As you might imagine, it is difficult to put on a race without impacting the environment somehow (but here's a list of races that do a pretty good job). So, they set up a system where you can "bank" "good deeds credits" (ok, I'm paraphrasing here) by donating clothes to homeless shelters, cleaning up a local trail, recycling plastic bottles, etc. Anyways, the article is a pretty good read. Here are some links for environmentally-conscious athletic organizations:

• Athletes for a Fit Planet
• "Go Green" Program 
• Go Green Road Race
• Council for Responsible Sport

ElliptiGO: Outdoor Eliptical Bicycle

I remember seeing these when an RRO group when to the Houston Marathon and thinking that they were a neat idea, then we saw one earlier this month on the Tobacco Trail.

From their website, it is made for healthy runners, injured/former runners, and fitness enthusiasts.  I personally found it interesting how they linked injured and former runners in the same group.  It's an interesting device, but I think I will just stick to running or biking, especially since the EliptiGOs start at $1800.  However, if EliptiGO racing catches on you can get the EliptiGO 11R, it has carbon-fiber drive arms and 11 gears and only costs $3500.

One benefit I could see for these is if you were going to get an elliptical exercise machine, you could get an EliptiGO and a trainer.

Running Bicycle

I bet you didn't think you could do those together! But with the Fliz you hang in a harness and use your feet to push yourself along.  It looks like it could be fun for a while, but the harness seems like it might be problematic if you crash or fall.  Too bad there doesn't seem like a good way to use this and maintain good running form.  It doesn't appear to have any gears though (Fixie Fest!). This page has some more information and a video of it being used.

Meghan asked me to guest write every once in a while!

10/13-14 Race Reports

Strong showing for Team RRO/FASTcoaching this weekend! Tim S. and Sam B. took 1st and 2nd in the Medoc Trail Marathon, and Sandra C. was 1st in her age group (results). Gavin C. was 3rd overall in the Medoc Trail 10-Miler, and Jennifer C. was 1st female (results). Nick M. and Jonathan W. went 2-3 in the Cannonball Half Marathon in Greensboro (results). CONGRATS EVERYONE!

1 more week until Fixie Fest (Oct. 20th @ 12:30PM, Moore Square) in & the XC Challenge (Oct. 21st @ 10AM, Dorothea Dix)!

McDonald's Paves the Way

About a month ago, McDonald's began posting nutrition data on their menu. They also added some healthier options (like egg whites, grilled chicken, and fresh fruit), and developed a "favorites under 400" menu. They've also got a meal planner app in the works.

Weekend Outlook

I think there's an exponential relationship between cooler temperatures and the number of races in any given weekend!

• Medoc Trail Races (Hollister, Sat. 8AM)
• Cannonball Run (Greensboro, Sat. 8AM)
• Triangle Run/Walk for Autism (Raleigh, Sat. 9AM)
• Paws for Life 5k (Wake Forest, Sat. 10AM)
• Esperanza 5k (Chapel Hill, Sat. 9AM)
• Matt Gfeller Doughnut Run (Winston Salem, Sat. 9AM)
• 5k/10k Run for Hope (Raleigh, Sun. 8AM)
• Beat the Bite (Cary, Sun. 2PM)

Squeaky Clean

Running clothes and shoes stink. No matter if you throw them in the washer as soon as you step in the door, let them soak forever, wash them a bazillion times... they never smell quite right. But, alas, that doesn't have to be. Starting with tech tees, skip fabric softener (even though it smells good) and let them air dry. For shorts, throw them in a cold water wash immediately. Similar to tech tees, let sports bras air dry (this also helps them maintain their shape) and forget the fabric softener when washing wool socks. Finally, for shoes, skip the washer and break out the toothbrush. Or, if you're not that patient, a bucket full of soapy water (for soaking) and a hose (for rinsing off).

Grocery Shopping

So I started laughing when I read this "ultimate list" from Runner's World. I do actually eat some of these things... although my "veggie burger I don't feel like cooking dinner" go-to did not make the list. This got me thinking about my "staple" grocery list. I really think I could live off of about 10 things and be happy, which isn't probably that great since I know I'm supposed to eat a varied diet. I mean, I try and eat different things, but I always revert back after a few weeks. This made me thing of comfort foods, although I imagine that a runners' list differs somewhat form the "normal" population (I've never seen any of us really crave fried chicken, but ice cream is a whole different story). So, I looked through some "runner's recipes", and I know a lot of runners... who wouldn't miss at least 1 of these 5 if they couldn't eat them again?!

1. Cereal
2. PB&J
3. Chocolate Milk
4. Sweet Potato Fries
5. and Girl Scout cookies!

Tips for Spectating

As I was looking on active.com the other day, I realized that I could look up articles about sports other than running, swimming, and/or cycling. Out of curiosity, I decided to look up cheerleading. Why you ask? Well, I really want to know how they train. I mean, they're pretty strong and flexible (both of which I'm not) and they can scream and yell at the top of their lungs while they are competing (and I can't even breathe). So, how do they do it?

• They stay hydrated
• They stay focused on what they're doing
• They keep up the appearance of a positive attitude
• They practice

Start the week off right with a good breakfast...

Top 10 Individual Career Records in Professional Team Sports - Funny blooper videos are here

Found the video I meant to post!!!

10/6-7 Race Reports

Wow wow wow... wow wow wow... wow wow wow... wahooo! CONGRATS EVERYONE:

• Keith F. was 1st overall in the Triple Lakes Half (or should I say 13.6-miler), and Keith B. was 1st in his age group (5th overall) in the Triple Lakes Full (which was his first marathon ever!). (results)
• Team RRO/FASTcoaching was well represented at the Railroad Days 5k. Greg S. was first across the line for the team, placing 2nd in his age group. Jennifer C. ran a new PR, finishing 2nd on the female side. Sara S. and Lauren S. ran great as well, placing 1st in their age groups. (results)
• Dan H. and Laura F. braved wind and rain at Crawlin' Crab Half Marathon. Dan ran a master's PR, placing 3rd in his age group, and Laura placed 1st in hers. (results)
• Brian F. ran a new PR at the Chicago Marathon, and our friend Tim Meigs did as well, running sub-2:40 for 3rd in his age group. (results)

Weekend Outlook

The last non-ridiculously long local triathlon of the season is this weekend at Pinehurst and Brian is headed to Chicago to run 26.2-miles, but there are lots of races to choose from:

• Triple Lakes Trail Race (Sat. 8AM, Greensboro)
• Selma Railroad Run (Sat. 8AM, Selma)
• Blue 5K at the SAS Championship (Sat. 8AM, Cary)
• Carborro 10K (Sat. 8AM, Carborro)
• Run for Their Lives: SAFE Haven 5K (8:30AM, Raleigh)
• Breathe Deep 5K (Sat. 10AM, Cary)
• Holly Springs 4 at 4 (Sat. 4PM, Holly Springs)

And, now that it's October, Ugg Boot and Tempo Short season is officially underway. We will not see a fashion crisis like this again until late February-ish when it becomes North Face Jacket and Gladiator Sandal season.

Less = More

Yes, the New Balance ad campaign for their shoes is significant in more ways than one... although shoes from almost every manufacturer are getting lighter across the board, the price is going up. So, basically, you're paying more money for less shoe. Huh? That makes no sense. I mean, there's not as much material, so shouldn't they cost less? Well, as it turns out, there are other factors to take into consideration:

• Higher fuel prices mean higher costs for shipping... this impacts both raw materials and finished goods
• China has been pressured to increase worker's wages

Ok, so shoes cost more to make now than they used to, but how much more? I have no idea... the article doesn't give me those numbers. Now, I know what you're thinking- if I were a good blogger, I would chase down the price of rubber (and whatever the heck else they use to make shoes), crunch the numbers, and make my own graph. Aside from the fact that I really don't feel like spending the time to do this, there's also another factor that I really have no clue how to price out:

Research.

Yup, it takes brains to make shoes lighter, more flexible, etc. And, people have to pay to do the studies to show that you really can feel that "8mm difference", and that it might be better (*for some*). Anyways, here is one of the graphs from the Runner's World article that basically sums this up:

Tying Techniques

This article doesn't need much of an explanation... it basically shows you how to better tie your sneakers to help with anything from narrow or wide feet, a high instep, etc. I've seen/used the first one myself, and it works, but I can't speak to the rest of them!

Breathing Rate

As I was sucking wind after cresting Corkscrew Hill one day, I was reminded of an excerpt from the Daniels' Running Formula on breathing rate. Usually, I try and ignore my breathing; the more attention I pay to breathing, the more nervous that I get that I'm not, which makes breathing more difficult... However, as ignoring it was no longer working, I decided to pay attention to my breathing rate.

What was it Jack Daniel's said? 2-2 is most efficient? Ok, breathe in for two strides, breathe out for two strides, breathe in for two strides... stop gasping and put your lips together! Withing ~30sec, I started to calm down and stopped struggling so much. Then I hit Cemetery Hill...

In any event, the 2-2 pattern allows for a substantial amount of air to be moved both into and out of your lungs. Although this is the "ideal" rate, there are times that it's ok to deviate from it:

• When you're really trying to push yourself (like at the end of a race), it's often necessary to switch to a 1-2 or 2-1 pattern (m-n where m is the number of steps for inhaling and n is the number of steps for exhaling). A 1-1 pattern results in too shallow a breath.
• On easy runs, a slower 3-3 rate may be used, and perhaps even a 4-4 (although the energy needed to maintain this rate doesn't pay off in the end).

Race Reports

Sorry I've fallen a bit behind on race reports, but we've had some awesome results from the past two weekends. Big shout out to Rita B. who won the Women's Distance Festival and the Urban Wetland 5k. Sarah C. was 3rd in her age group, and our friend Lisa H. was 1st in hers (results). Bill C. placed 3rd in his age group amongst some speedy competition (results).

Team RRO/FASTcoaching dominated the Urban Wetland 5k. Nick M. and Keith F. went 2-3 overall, followed closely by James L., Gavin C., and Keith B. (5-7 overall; 2-4 age group). Rita B. and Marissa B. went 1-2 on the women's side, narrowly out-springing Sean K. (2nd age group), Dave M. (3rd age group), and Bill C. (1st age group). Our friend Bobby B., in his second 5k of the day, placed 2nd in his age group (results). I know Jim and Carolyn M. also ran in a 5k and were 1st and 3rd overall!

CONGRATS EVERYONE!!!

Bolt

Weekend Outlook

Aghhh... forgot to "bank" my weekend outlook post! There's a whole bunch of races this weekend:

• Hinson Lake 24hr Run (Rockingham, Sat. @ 8AM)
• Salem Lake 30k and 7-mile Trail Run (Winston-Salem, Sat. @ 8AM) 
• APC 5k Run (Raleigh, Sat. @ 8AM)
• Scrub Run 10k/5k (Raleigh, Sat. @ 8:30AM)
• Fitness World 5k (Durham, Sat. @ 9AM)
• Duke DPT 5k (Durham, Sat. 10AM)
• Pink Shamrock 5k (Raleigh, Sat. @ 4PM)
• Urban Wetland 5k (Raleigh, Sat. @ 2PM)

Directionally Challenged

So, as some of you who run with me on a regular basis know, I am a *bit* directionally challenged. So, I am anxiously awaiting Dominic Wilocox's v2.0 of his No Place Like Home GPS shoes! These shoes are brilliant... you upload your desired destination, and the shoe communicates with your "ring of power", which points you in the correct direction. And, as if that's not awesome enough, the right shoe has a progress bar to let you know how close you are to home!

Secret to Running Success

Figured I'd follow up yesterday's post with something a little lighter.

140%

The marathon is 50% physical and 90% mental.

- Amby Burfoot

Ok, the math doesn't work out so nicely, but the take-away message is that a lot of racing is in your head. If you don't think you can do something, you definitely won't. If you trust in your training and don't doubt yourself, you just might (within reason... I can believe that I'm going to break 2hrs in a marathon by training in a weight vest all I want, but reality dictates otherwise). However, if I put in the training to BQ (like actually put in the training and have some race results to back it up), I shouldn't doubt that I will 1-mile in shoot myself in the foot by trying to "bank" time for when I die. Sound familiar? I know that I personally have run a few (ok, many) races like this. I mean, that anecdote looks good on paper, and Amby Burfoot's words sounds reasonable, but he's an elite athlete!

This is where I always run into trouble when reading advice from the "top". It's easy for them to say trust in your training... be more concerned with health vs. mileage and pace... they've run more miles in one week than I might hit in double that time... and at a pace that I might be able to hang at for a 1/4-mile! So yes, I've "listened" and "read" for a few years, and then completely ignored their advice because I am not them. However, after doing the same thing over and over with the same results, I decided to maybe try something different (because it's silly to do the same thing and expect different results). And, ya know, what they say kind of works for just "normal" runners too:

1. Starting with the second point, I finally decided to trust that I wouldn't forget the 3.5+ months of training that I put in when I got to the start line of my last marathon. I followed my plan, and actually managed to PR. This was in contrast to my previous two attempts, where I got nervous that my legs would suddenly turn to jello, and banked 3-5min in the first half only to crash and burn in the second. So, trusting in your training apparently works.

2. Speaking to the first point, I ran the exact same marathon two years in a row. One year, I really only got in 2.5-months of training (and one 20-miler) because my IT Band was "bugging me" early on. The next year, I easily ran 100 more miles in preparation, at a faster pace, with more long runs (I was definitely in better shape). I ran ~3.5min slower the second year (and no, it was not the weather, in fact, this race marks the fastest marathon ever run). The difference- I was exhausted the 2nd year. I was so concerned with making sure I stuck to my training plan that I ignored the fact that I was dead ~3 weeks out. Guess what, no one races well when they're not healthy!

So, take this for what you will. Reading this article "reminded" me of some of my new training/racing "philosophies" (haha... I don't philosophize... I've just run out of other things to try), so I figured I'd let y'all ignore a "normal" runner for a bit!