Tackling the Treadmill Turmoil

The treadmill has been my nemesis for quite some time.

I'm not afraid of it. I'm not intimidated by it. I'm certainly not in a battle with it. But I avoid running on it at (almost) all cost.

A bigger-than-BIG goal of mine, this winter, is to have a much more open mind and a welcoming heart when it comes to indoor running. Heck, if I can make it through a Polar Vortex (and endure upwards of 20 Milly runs, all in one season), I can probably survive most any (near) catastrophic experience.

That's not an exaggeration.

My 2o2o Focus

Do you have a vision for 2020?

Any goals, or ideals? New habits to implement?  Bad habits to kick to the curb?

Recently, I came up with a personal mantra of sorts. Kind of a slogan, kind of a theme. More of a focus, though, than anything else...

Five Fun Features from my recent Run Streak

Have you heard? The Streak has ended.

The 2019 Winter Run Streak, that is. This was my seventh year taking part in the annual Runner's World-promoted event, this one encompassing 35 days of continuous daily runs.

There were morning runs, after-work runs, runches and even a couple races. There was no time for boredom to set in or burnout to take over.

Care to hear a few highlights?

Holiday Bowl National Funding 5K

When one travels cross-country for a bowl game, isn't it a given there would be an affiliated road race to do as well?

Or is that just a fortunate coincidence?

When the bowl games were announced earlier in December, the hubby indicated it would be fun to follow our Iowa Hawkeyes to the Holiday Bowl in San Diego. We didn't have much time to consider the travel options...there are many Hawk fans (who are even crazier than us) and the airline tickets would go fast.

Flights booked, rental car secured, lodging accommodations reserved. Done!

Just Cool It...and don't skip the cool-down

What happens after the run?

There are many benefits to warming up before a run (or a race), but did you know a proper cool-down is also beneficial? Taking a few minutes to cool down not only benefits your body, but also your mind. It gives your heart rate a chance to return to normal as well as your breathing.

And let's not forget about the muscles that made the workout possible. A little stretching and TLC will enable them to relax and cool down as well.

Blinging It in 2019

The year was 2019, and it served me well.

Lots of races run, 19 in total. And, there was a nice haul of bling brought home.

Shall we play a quick game of Show and Tell?

The Streak is ON!

Here we streak again!

Well, let me rephrase that....here I streak again.

I know, I know. It's that time of year. The racing season has come to a close for many of us. The weather is a bit dismal. Besides, a little incentive to stay active through the holiday season never hurt anyone.

Grateful. Joyful. Blessed.

Grateful. Joyful. Blessed. .

There is SO much to be thankful for...and not just this time of season, but year-round.

I've written previous Thankful posts (in 2018, in 2017, in 2016, in 2015 and in 2014), and I honestly don't know if I could say it any better. Bear with me, I'm gonna go with (mainly) what's been said before, but tweak some of it to make it more current.

Winter Running - We Got This!

Inside hibernator or opt-outside warrior?

If you're a runner and have ever debated about staying in (on the treadmill or indoor track) or heading out (in the snow), what option would you choose?

I spent my first-ever winter, as a runner, paying homage to my treadmill. In all honesty, I seriously was so new to the running gig, I did not know any better.

Summer eventually returned, and I took most of my runs outdoors. Only, when winter came back that next year, I had changed as a runner. The comfort zone of the treadmill had morphed into a vortex of boredom for me. Having gotten used to rolling hills and varying terrain, my body no longer liked the repetitious belt and unchanging scenery of my treadmill's locale.

UGH. What's a runner to do?

Let's Warm Up!

I runfess...I was a late arrival to the Warm-Up Party.

Sure, I would do a few (static) stretches before a race, and maybe an occasional march-in-place. But an actual warm-up? Even before a training run?  Not likely.

It's not that I thought I was above going through a warm-up ritual, I just never really thought it was especially necessary for just an average runner like myself. After all, I was never in contention to win any races (spoiler, I'm still not LOL). Did I really need to "warm up" if I wasn't seriously "racing?"

The short answer...yes.

2019 Hillbilly Hike Half Marathon

Yes, there are hillbillies in Iowa. And some of them show up for races on cold mornings.

Let me set the scene....

Temps were cold (how does 32F grab you?), the trail was frosted over (and quite slick), and we had 13.1 miles between us and the finish line. It was a point-to-point endeavor, so there was no turning back. But, we were promised biscuits and gravy, chocolate milk and homemade pie at the finish line.

Sound intriguing?

Mission Accomplished: Marine Corps Marathon Race Recap

As they say in the Marine Corps, OORAH!

And, as I crossed the finish line, Mission Accomplished.

I have had the Marine Corps Marathon on my bucket list for a long time. After all, I'm very patriotic, my husband is retired military (Lieutenant Colonel, Air Force), and I have a love for running. Why not merge all of those factors into one big race?

Now in its 44th year, the Marine Corps Marathon takes place in and around Washington, DC. Sunday, October 27th was the date. I had spent the past (almost) three months training and was eager to see what I could do over the course of 26.2 miles.

IMT Des Moines Half Marathon 2019 Race Recap

Confession: I have a lot of favorite races.

Another confession: I'm SO guilty of going back, year after year, to these favorite races.

The thing is, I feel ZERO remorse is doing so. These races never get old, but still offer a comfy "been there-done-that" nuance.

One such race is the IMT Des Moines Marathon.  Now in its 18th year, it was in full force this past weekend in Iowa's capital city. This was my 10th time making an appearance for the weekend's festivities, and my 8th time running the half marathon.

Run for the Roses 10K

Windy and chilly and hilly. Those are three words that best describe a potentially tough race.

It just so happens, those were the exact race day conditions for the Run for the Roses 10K. The forecast had promised sunny skies, but the sun was a no-show. The wind was ever constant and ever cold. Oh, and hills? They were pretty non-stop as well.

But, it was kind of fun to have a face-to-face showdown with Momma N. Right there, on a chilly morning, on a new (to me) race course.

The Allure of a Themed Race

How do you feel about themed races?

Are you one of those who eagerly gets in the spirit (and dresses for the theme)? Or do you "ain't got time for none of that nonsense?"

I have to say that a great thing about themed races is that they draw a lot of participants to the start line. Many participants are people who may not have been interested if it was just a typical road race. Even though some participants may not know all the appropriate race etiquette, it's awesome that they're there, supporting the cause and being active.

I have been running for more than 14 years, and have done a fair share of themed races. Care to hear a bit about a few of my favorites? Read on...

Favorite Features of Favorite Races

I have run a lot of races.

What's that phrase...Too many races, too little time?

There are some races, though, that really stick out. Maybe the race course was fun, or maybe it was tough (and you really had to dig deep to stay in the game). Some race distances are easier than others, but all have their challenges. And then there are the select few that keep you coming back, year after year.

Taper - Yay or Nay?

How do YOU feel about Taper?

Dread it? Love it? Hate to love it?

Many runners dread the taper, fearing they will lose some of their fitness gains, endurance or speed by easing up on their training.

Myself? I'm a fan.

At-Home Workouts: Options Aplenty!

Did you know a gym is not a requirement for a good workout?

Easy for me to say, right? After all, I am a runner, and 98.999% of my runs happen in a non-gym setting (and, most of those runs also happen outdoors, in all kinds of extreme temps and weather conditions).

Granted, I do have a treadmill, but it's no secret that I seldom use it. I also have an elliptical, but that's reserved more for the colder months when it's too cold or dangerous to safely be outside. I don't have a gym membership, nor do I have a viable space in my house for a home gym. I do manage to work out almost every day, though, in some capacity.

I believe if I can find a way to make the workouts happen, anyone else can too.

NewBo Run Half Marathon Recap

There's something about the sweet taste of redemption.

It's also a lot of fun racing with friends. Add a fun race course that offers both challenges and a scenic route, and it's a total win.

Such was the case for the 2019 NewBo Run.

Running with your own Sherpa

 

Have you ever had the luxury of running with a sherpa?

A sherpa, in the most basic sense, is someone who is along for the ride (or run), with the sole purpose of supporting someone else. A lot of endurance athletes (for example: runners who do ultra races that encompass double-digit hours on their feet) have a support crew to assist them throughout their event.

In my case, I was the runner (embarking on a long run in a strange place) and my hubby was my sherpa (carrying some of my gear, keeping me company and acting as a tour guide), via his bike.

Sounds like a perfect scenario, doesn't it?