Half Marathon Training

3 August 2012

: HckySo / Free Photos

I often have a hard time getting out the door to run if I don’t have a goal in mind. Typically, training for X race or X time is my best motivator to wake up at 6am to lace on the running shoes. You’d think having to fit into the White Dress, alone, would send me into a workout tizzy. However, the pre-wedding workout adrenaline has yet to fully kick in. So, in a somewhat last-ditch effort to get into “my wedding shape” my very good friend (and bridesmaid!) and I decided to dangle the race carrot and sign up for a half marathon in early September.

We registered for the race and then panic set in. Early September?! That gives us . . . just over a month to train!

Typically, I follow the trusty advice of Hal Higdon to train for my races. I used his training programs for my marathons and half marathons. But, with far less than the twelve weeks to train per his schedule, I needed to find a much abbreviated program. I came across the Smart Coach through Runner’s World, which seems to fit the bill. (Note, you need to do a free registration first with Runner’s World in order to use this feature.) The Smart Coach lets you set a race date, plug in your current running distance, initial weekly mileage, recent race pace and preferred long run day, and it will populate a training schedule. In my case, I now have an (uncomfortably) short under two-month training program, with my longest run this Saturday set at (eek!) 8 miles. With fingers crossed, this program might just actually get me into shape for the half marathon… and, more importantly, my wedding.

If you’re training for a race, the Runner’s World and Hal Higdon websites are great training resources. Wish me luck!

Running Attire Favorites

18 July 2012

1 Comment

For me, when it comes to working out, nothing is better than running. Yoga and Pilates are a very close second.

I understand that appearances (technically) should not matter during workouts. However, as a petite woman, I tend to look significantly younger than my actual age. While a youthful appearance will hopefully serve me well in the future, in the present day, I can’t help but feel like I resemble a pre-teen when walking into a fitness center sporting a t-shirt and basketball shorts from the last decade. Not to mention, while training with some friends for a marathon, they enlightened me that my old-school cotton tank tops and baggy shorts did little to wick away the sweat during hour-long training runs…

Enter my obsession with lululemon.

What started as a yoga company, lululemon has expanded to offer running, cycling, dancing and, more recently, swimming gear, with a focus on technical athletic fabrics. Much of lululemon’s running gear is made of a form of Luxtreme®, a lightweight, moisture-wicking fabric that shames my former cotton running attire. Although the prices are a bit higher than I would like to shell out for workout gear, the technical materials and thoughtful construction are effective, and my purchases have lasted me for years.

With that said, I have gradually replaced my much worn out running attire with some lululemon gear, starting with the basic running crop and shorts:

Pictured above: Run: Inspire Crop II; Run: Speed Short.

The Run: Inspire Crop II (also available here) is my go-to running crop. The length is right; it hits me about an inch longer than on the model. The zippered pocket in the back waistband is surprisingly spacious. I have been able to fit shot blocks/gels, money, a credit card, keys and a small music player. The two pockets in the front waistband easily fit extra gels. Even with the pockets fully filled, I have had no issues with the waistband sliding down. You’ll find shorter, more summer weather-friendly versions available here, here and here.

For running shorts, I recommend trying the Run: Speed Short. Coming from knee-length gym shorts, I admit the 2.5 inch inseam took some adjustment. In fact, I was so nervous wearing them the first time, I kept asking my friends whether anything inappropriate was showing. They assured me I was covered. Having since seen myself in a few photographs wearing these shorts, I can breathe easily that, in fact, is the case. As with the Run: Inspire Crop, the handy back zippered pocket and front gel pockets are extremely useful and do not detract from the fit of the shorts. Fast forward a few runs, these have become my favorite shorts. I haven’t raced in anything else.

For sizing, the size 2 in crops and shorts fits me similar to a size 24 jeans.

Unfortunately absent from my recommendations on lululemon basics is my favorite running tank, the Push Your Limits Tank, pictured below, which appears to be currently sold out online. I have this tank in sizes 2 and 4. The size 2 fits snugly around the waist; the 4 has a little breathing room, which is much needed on a hot day. If you can grab this tank in one of the lululemon stores, I would suggest not letting it go! A few other currently in-stock options are included below.

Pictured above: Push Your Limits Tank; Run for Your Money Tank; Run Swiftly Tech Racerback (this runs a bit larger, so if you can wear a 2 or a 4, go with the 2).

In addition to lululemon, as evident in this post, I am a huge Nike fan. Stay tuned for my Nike running attire selections. In the meantime … happy running!

Related Posts:

————————————————————————————————————————

Running Shoes that Fit

The Hunt for Running Sneakers

15 July 2012

Leave a comment

In addition to my short height and even shorter legs, I have been “blessed” with a difficult-to-find shoe size, ranging somewhere between size 5.0 – 6.0, but usually landing around a 5.5 narrow in running sneakers. Many runners have a hard time finding that perfect sneaker, whether it be the result of a narrow foot, wide food, overpronation, supination, low arches …. the list is endless. However, in an effort not to cover too much unknown territory, I’m going to focus this post on the quest for the narrow running shoe. I am by no means an “expert” when it comes to fitting sneakers, but I certainly have racked up my hours hunting for a narrow fit.

Some starting tips:

First, know your foot. Not all shoes are built the same. Running sneakers are generally grouped into four categories: neutral cushioning (high arch and neutral pronator); motion control shoes (low arch, moderate to severe overpronator); stability shoes (normal to medium arch, mild to moderate overpronator); minimalist shoes aka “running barefoot.” Pinning down your foot type will help you focus on the proper shoe to buy. Take a look at some of my favorite shoe guides here, here, here and here, which should help runners of all foot sizes find that perfect fit. Some aspects to focus on are:

Do you have a high arch, low arch or a normal arch? To tell this, look at your footprint when you’re walking away from a pool or on hard beach sand. (Indoors? Grab a piece of cardboard, wet your foot, and step on the cardboard to create an imprint of your foot.) Does the band between your toes and heel look thin? If so, you may have high arches. If almost your entire foot is visible in the print, then you may have low arches.

Checking the tread of your shoes will help determine whether your foot moves inward (or “pronates”) when you run. Take a pair of your old sneakers or a pair of flats and check the wear. If the outer edges are worn significantly, you might have a supination issue, meaning your foot does not pronate inward when you land; instead, you land on the outside of your foot. In contrast, if the heel and the ball of the foot by your big toe are worn excessively, you may be an overpronator. Many specialty running stores will be able to assess your foot and perform a gait analysis. A simple gait analysis will record you running on a treadmill from one or more angles, one of which will be from behind (certainly not where most of us want the camera focused!). The analysis will review your foot-striking pattern and pronation and help assess the best shoe for you. And, it’s never a bad idea to get an opinion from someone who actually sells the sneakers!

Second, has the model been updated? At least with Nike (my go-to brand) and I suspect with many other brands, the models tend to change slightly over time, despite the constant name. For instance, I had worn the Nike Pegasus for years (including for one marathon). However, to my great dismay, when I went to buy Pegasus sneakers for another marathon, the shoebox of the updated version fit awkwardly, and I was forced to change models. (I now wear the: Nike Zoom Vomero.) Something to keep in mind.

Third, try on multiple models. Therefore, it’s a good idea to try multiple sneakers to get the best fit, even if you have used X brand/model for many years. As with many of my other purchases, extended sizes are not always available in stores. I find that Zappos is a wonderful resource for purchasing shoes (with free shipping both ways), and it has a wide range of sneaker sizes. For comparison sake, I tend to order a few sizes at one time and then return whichever sizes do not fit.

Fourth, make sure there’s some wiggle room! A running sneaker needs to be snug, but not too snug. Technically, you want about the width of your thumb in front of your toes to the edge of the sneaker. I have often tried to avoid this warning and sized down instead of looking for the proper size in a narrow version. Unfortunately, a too-short sneaker has resulted in too many toe nail issues…

A sampling of narrow sneakers: