Before I became a runner, I was obsessed with ab exercises like crunches (that didn’t give me a 6 pack anyway). But as I became a more well informed runner and triathlete, I learnt about the value of core strength. When I asked experienced runners and coaches what else I could do to improve my running, their answer was yoga/pilates to strengthen my core. Benefits of a Strong Core A strong core can improve running posture. While running longer distances,…
When I first started running, I ran on the treadmill exclusively. Yes, I had taken a mad leap by signing up for a half marathon as my first race, but I was like a beached whale, 190lbs, size 16, nursing my almost 1 year old (we all know what nursing does to certain parts of the body!) – very very conscious of my body. And so I was definitely not going to be running out on the streets huffing and puffing…
My favorite and most common place to run is a 3 mile FLAT gravel loop that has a 5 mile FLAT out and back on the road. Hills are hard. I don’t like hills. Sure, hills build character. But I don’t like hills. I usually pick races that are not hilly, even though I run my uber hilly hometown race Georgia Half Marathon and Thanksgiving Half almost every year. And of course, Boston Marathon with it’s (in)famous hills is next…
Last week I ran with Barbara in midtown Atlanta and as we navigated uneven sidewalks with mix of dirt and concrete, I realized that it was my first run in many months that I had run on concrete sidewalks and definitely my longest run on concrete since mid-summer last year when I ran a 15 mile run with the group. I gave up on running on sidewalks after I discovered the more convenient spots to run from and still get…
With the weather getting warmer (wait – is it REALLY getting warmer or is it pretending to get warm and then go back to cold?!!) and more daylight hours in the evening, lots of runners are stepping away from their winter hibernation and getting back to running. Or you might have cross-trained in the winter and are on the path to preparing for a summer/fall race. Before you start enthusiastically ramping back miles, here are some tips for spring running. Ramp…
For the past week and a half, I’ve been involved with a very talented and a tad crazy group of people to compete in a hackathon – where we produce a fully developed product delivering actual value to our users and company. Yesterday was the final presentation and judging; we had to pitch to senior leadership. My stress levels were through the roof, even as we were having so much fun! My workouts a chore that was keeping me from doing…
These past few days have been very weird. My runs don’t need any planning since they are only an hour or less in duration, so I’m not as mentally engaged in the runs as I was a few weeks ago. I have a lot of time to actually sit down and look through the minions projects!When I finished my run this morning, a 5-4-3-2-1 ladder speedwork, I was surprised at how short it was (only 45minutes) and very flustered at the low…