Category Archives: Running

Week 2: Sub-50 10K Training

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This past week was another great week for training. I’m nervous to get too excited about how my training is going because, in the past, I’ve had problems with injuries/soreness but so far so good! That being said, it’s only the second week so I’m taking it day by day.

It’s been really great though to run five days a week. Most training plans I did before had me running four days a week, sometimes only three, but I really like running more often. I’m a strong believer in the fact that the more you run, the better you become. Which, is really starting to prove true in my times and how I’ve been feeling on my runs.

The week started off with cross training on Monday. I went to the gym after work and did two miles on the arc trainer (elliptical type machine) and then did a bunch of strengthening exercises- squats, lunges, lifting weights and ab exercises. I also made sure to stretch a lot too because I want to avoid any muscle tightness-related injuries.

On Tuesday, I had a 2.5 mile tempo run at 8:12/mile. I did this run during my lunch hour and nailed the pace time which felt amazing. It was fast but my breathing was really steady and my legs felt strong.

Wednesday was an easy paced 5 mile run. Unfortunately I had to do this run on the treadmill but I got it done. I ran 5 miles at 9:50/mile. When I first got going, my ankles were really bothering me for the first mile. I think this is due in part to the treadmill but after the first mile I felt really good and finished the run with no problems.

Thursday was my speedwork day and I had to do 4x800m at race pace (8:02/mile) with 400m resting in between. This was a 10 percent increase from last week’s speedwork but I was able to finish it and feel good. Eight hundreds are HARD, there’s no doubt about that, but I am really seeing results in my long runs and easy runs.

Friday was a complete rest day!

Saturday was my long run of 6 miles. According to my training plan I was supposed to run 6 miles at an easy pace (9:50-11:05/mile) but, instead I ran at 9:23/mile average and my fastest mile was at race pace (8:02)!! I was so happy on this run but I just felt amazing. I actually really wanted to keep running but I need to stick to the training plan to avoid injury. I don’t know what it was- the speedwork, my tempos, running more frequently- but I felt amazing on this run. Also, this was the first time in a VERY long time that I actually ran on the road with music. I always listen to music when I run on the treadmill but I usually don’t when I run on the road. However, I think this had something to do with my faster paces because I was jamming the whole time!

After my long run I came home and did some post-run yoga stretches and foam rolled.

Sunday (today) I just did an easy 4-mile recovery run. I ran at 9:27 pace and felt really good. It was a bit colder out today but I felt comfortable and strong. I also did some post-run yoga after my run today and was home in time to congratulate my cousin on finishing her first full marathon!

Training is looking good this week as well, although I’m a little concerned with when I’m going to get all my runs in because I’m traveling home for Thanksgiving. I may have to juggle the training plan around to accomodate my travel plans and some much needed family-time.

Also I officially signed up for my goal race 10K and it will be on February 3- it’s a Superbowl 10K! This actually gives me an extra week of training so if my schedule gets messed up because of the holidays, I have some wiggle room on the outset of the training program. I hope y’all had great training runs last week and I know everyone will run happy this week because it’s finally the start of the holiday season! Happy running!

Running the Race for Recovery Virtual 5K/10K

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Yesterday as I was browsing through Twitter I came across a bunch of tweets about a virtual 5K and 10K dubbed the Race for Recovery to raise money for relief efforts for the destruction in NY and NJ caused by the monstrous storm, Hurricane Sandy.

As I started to read more about the virtual race, hosted by Michele, author of the running blog NYC Running Mama, I knew I had to take part. I have been looking for a way to get involved with some of the volunteer efforts but because I don’t live in New York or New Jersey, the only option was to simply donate money. While that’s a really good option, I wanted to do something a little more proactive to show my support.

I also felt a need to support Michele in her efforts. She decided last weekend to begin organizing this amazing effort and has been able to raise almost $5,000 already. Michele reached out to different running brands and running companies, including my amazing place of employment, Runner’s World, to donate prizes for race participants.

As soon as I finished reading her post, I was on her Crowdrise page before I knew it. Michelle has set it up so all of the money donated will go towards the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Hurricane Sandy Relief Fund, a foundation focusing on clean-up efforts on the NYC, Long Island and New Jersey coastlines- the areas most severely affected by Sandy.

All you have to do to register for the virtual race is as follows:

1. Make a donation here!

  • Make a minimum donation (your race entry fee) of $20 on Michele’s Crowdrise page.
  • This money will also be your entry into the more than 40 different giveaways.

2. Register for the virtual race here!

  • Date- Saturday, Dec. 8 (Can’t run that day? No problem. Run whenever you want!)
  • Where- Anywhere!
  • Distance- Michele is asking people to run, walk, bike a 5K, 10K or both!

3. Download your race bib here!

  • Oh yeah, this virtual race even has race bibs! Download yours and where it on your run to let everyone know you’re supporting the Race for Recovery

4. Complete a 5K and/or 10K- also don’t forget to snap a pic and tweet it to Michele (@NYCRunningMama)

5. Enter your race results here!

  • Michele will use the results to randomly select winners of the giveaways.
  • Finish time is not important. This is about raising money for a good cause and having a little fun while we’re at it!

6. Have fun!

Oh yeah and I forgot to mention, the grand prize is a dream visit to our very own Runner’s World headquarters in PA! We’ll give you a tour, go on a run, bring you to our test closet filled with goodies and so much more! According to Michele’s website, the grand prize will be awarded to whomever raises the most money. So, if you’re planning on running on Saturday, Dec. 8, or really any other time, why not do it for good? It’s only $20 (a lot less than many “formal” races) and you’ll be helping out countless people affected by Sandy.

I know I’ll be out there on December 8th running a 5K and a 10K, along with some other RW staffers and maybe a few folks from Men’s Health. If you need more details please visit www.nycrunningmama.com.

Have you ever done a virtual race? Will you do this one? (Pretty please!)

Week 1: Sub-50 10K Training

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Last week was a week of first in the life of Fit Girl Happy Girl. For one, I became a Greatist ambassador and it marks my very first ambassador-ship as a blogger! Also, I ran my very first lunch run and PR my mile time (according to my Garmin at least). Another first, which really wasn’t a first, but I ran five days last week, something I hadn’t done in a little over a month (I’ve been sticking to three or four times a week). And, to top it all off, I feel great!

As you may or may not know, I’m following a new training plan that will hopefully get me on track to run a 4?:?? 10K. I’ve never officially run a 10K race, although I have definitely run 6.2 miles (plus!) and know I can do it in under 60 minutes. Naturally, my next goal was to run it in under 50 minutes.

I’m following a training plan I saw in this month’s issue of Women’s Running. The plan has me running five days a week, cross training one day a week and taking one full rest day.

I started the plan last Monday and Mondays are cross training days so I hit the gym to do 20 minutes on the elliptical (really an arc trainer) and strengthening exercises afterwards. I want to get better at strengthening my leg muscles to avoid injuries so I’m hoping with this new plan, and the extra down time that comes with winter, I’ll be able to focus on that.

Tuesday I had a tempo on tap and I was determined to run my first lunch run. At my knew job, most of my coworkers go running during their lunch hour, so I thought I had to try it! Well, I LOVED it! It was great to not only get my run out of the way in the middle of the day but it was also amazing to get outside and get some fresh air! What made the run even better was I nailed my tempo pace of 8:12/mile and felt really great.

Wednesday I had to do 4-5 miles at an easy pace of 9:50/mile. I did a little over 4 because I was exhausted from work that day and my legs felt a little tired.

Thursday was by far the hardest day because it was speedwork. I hadn’t done a track workout in a few weeks and since I’m still new to the area, I don’t have a track to workout on so I had to do it on the treadmill. The plan called for 3 x 800m at race pace of 8:02/mile, with 400m easy pace in between. This was my first time doing 800s and they are no joke! I finished the workout and was pooped but glad I was able to power through it. (According to the plan, I increase this workout over the next 11 weeks!)

Friday was my full REST day! Phew!

Saturday was my “long run.” I put long run in quotes because according to the plan, I only had to run 5 miles at easy pace, which is nothing compared to the half marathon training I just finished up. I felt good on this run except for a little knee pain towards the end but I finished strong.

Sunday was a 4 mile recovery run at an easy pace but I ended up running about a 9:09 average mile. The weather was so beautiful and I felt great so I thought I’d kick it up a bit.

Overall I thought the week went really well and I’m excited to see what’s in store this week!

Are you training for something? If so, how did you runs go last week?

Monday Motivation: Fortunate to Run

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Sometimes there’s really nothing better than hitting the road, clearing your mind and forgetting all of the stresses in life. At least that’s how I feel when I am stressed and need to forget about it all. It’s important though to remember that some people don’t get to do this and don’t have the fortune to run. This week I’m going to remember this more than ever and be thankful that my legs and feet have taken me as far as they have. I hope you do the same. Run happy!

Registered for my second half marathon!

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Exciting announcement folks! I have registered for my second half marathon! Literally before I even crossed the finish line at the Smuttynose Rockfest Half Marathon I kept thinking, I cannot wait to sign up for another 13.1. Well, as of yesterday morning I am registered for the St. Luke’s Half Marathon in Allentown, PA on April 28.

I’ve heard really good things about this race already. For one, it is in the town next to me so it will be really nice to not have to travel far for a race. Also, it’s a scenic course through some of Allentown’s parks. The race is about medium sized with a 4,000 runner limit and has a course time limit of 3 hours so it should be pretty competitive.

Why did I sign up? Well, I’ve come up with a semi-informal race schedule for 2013 that will (hopefully!) end in a full marathon in the fall. My plan is to first work on some speed by training for a sub-50 minute 10K, which I’ll run in January. Then, I want to run two half marathons in the spring/early summer before I start training for a full.

I realize this is a little bit ambitious but if all goes as planned I know I’ll be able to have the endurance to run a full marathon and with any luck I’ll lower my half marathon time. While the St. Luke’s Half Marathon is about six months away, the 14-week training plan, designed by Runner’s World’s own Chief Running Officer, Bart Yasso, begins on January 19- the weekend after my 10K (perfect timing, right?). So for now, I’ll focus on my 10K training until it’s time to ramp up for the half!

Have you been thinking about your 2013 race schedule? What’s your running goal?

Running Rut Reversed

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Lately I’ve been in a bit of a running rut. In part I think it’s because: 1. I just started an AMAZING new job 2. I just moved 3. I’ve been super busy but most importantly I haven’t been following any kind of training plan.

When I first started running I started with a goal- to run a 5k. Quickly, I realized I was actually good at running distance so I decided to run a half marathon. It’s now been a month since I ran my first half and I’m thinking to myself, now what? I remember when I was training for the half, I kept thinking, I can’t wait until the half is over and I don’t have to have a training plan dictate when and how much I should run. But now I miss that consistency and scheduling. While it has been fun to run whenever I want to and for however many miles I want, I miss the guidance you get in a training plan.

So what should my next goal be? Well, I have a larger picture goal of running a full marathon in 2013, but I think I need to do a few things before I start looking for the perfect first marathon. First off, I want to focus on getting my half marathon time down. I want to run at least one (hopefully two) half marathons in the spring before I start training for a full marathon. However, that still leaves me without a training plan for a very long winter. Solution?

I’m going to run a 10K in January, or February. I’ve actually never run a 10K and I found a great training plan in this month’s Women’s Running magazine to run a sub-50 minute 10K. This is a little bit of an ambitious time for me but I think I can do it! Also, I think focusing on a speedy 10k will help me then gear up to train for a faster half marathon.

The training plan will have me running five days a week with a mix of long runs, speed workouts, hill workouts, tempos- the works! I’ll upload the whole plan at some point this week and will fill you in on how the training goes throughout the training period. It’s going to be interesting to train as we head into winter but I think in the end it will be worth it. Plus, as the saying goes: “If you wait for perfect conditions, you’ll never get anything done!”

Have you ever been in a running rut? Tell me how you got out of it in the comments section below!

Running safety: plan out running routes

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As many of you know, I’ve just moved to a new city to start my job at Runner’s World. I haven’t been able to blog much mostly because I’ve been so busy at work (which is great!) and I’ve been trying to get settled into my lovely, new apartment.

However, of course one of the very first things I did when I had a second was to try out some new running routes. Being in a new city, I think running is one of the best ways to explore a new neighborhood (as long as it’s a safe neighborhood).

So, last Saturday morning I set out to do just that- explore my new neighborhood via running. I had a vague idea of where I was in comparison to some run-able roads but I was still getting used to the area. I pride myself on having a pretty good sense of direction so I figured I’d be fine.

My new city has a really cute historic area in the downtown part so my goal was to get there, run over a bridge and turn around to head back. I figured it would be about 4 miles.

Well, a mile into my run I was lost and standing next to a highway. What? I thought I went the right way and made all the right turns. Apparently not.

Usually I’m good about mapping out my runs ahead of time and planning my route but I wanted to explore (and I don’t have Internet in my apartment yet) so I thought I’d let my legs do the mapping.

As I stood in front of the highway, completely lost, I thought the only thing I could do was turn around and head back. On my way back I found the street I should have taken a left onto instead of going right. Duh! So, I headed down that street right into the downtown area, my original destination.

Moral of the story? Map out your runs if not so you don’t look like a complete idiot standing next to a highway like I did; do it for safety. November is National Running Safety Month and it is quickly approaching. Here are some tips on how to stay safe on the roads:

  • Map out your route- I like to use the Map My Run web application. It’s super easy and lets you map out a run and calculate the distance.
  • Bring a phone- I know it’s annoying but if you do get lost or into a sketchy situation you need some way to get help. You can get a SPIbelt or a phone armband to easily carry your phone with you.
  • Wear bright colors and/or reflective gear- countless runners get hit by cars every year and it’s not always the fault of the driver. So, be safe and make yourself visible!
  • Don’t wear headphones- people might hate me for this one but I think headphones can be extremely dangerous on the road. You lose your senses and can’t hear if a car is quickly approaching.
  • Run against traffic- for the love of God run on the left side of the road facing traffic! You need to see what’s ahead of you and running against the traffic will help you with this.
  • For my ladies out there, if you’re running in a sketchy-ish area, it doesn’t hurt to arm yourself. I have friends who actually run with a mini can of mace just in case they get in trouble.
  • Use your head- when in doubt, use common sense. If a path looks really lonely, poorly lit or just plain sketchy, don’t run down there. We all love running but it’s not worth your life.

Be safe out there!

Did I miss a safety tip? Tell me about your safety tips in the comments section below!

Coming to terms with a running injury

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The running Gods haven’t been too kind to me lately. Although I had a great race last weekend, got a new 5K PR and ran my first half marathon a few weeks ago, I can’t seem to shake these aches and pains from running. If you’ve been reading my blog somewhat consistently over the past eight months you know I’ve been plagued with my fair share of running-related injuries- runner’s knee back in the spring, IT Band Syndrome this summer and now self-diagnosed peroneal tendonitis.

I can be extremely thankful that none of these bumps and bruises have seriously sidelined me for any extended amount of time (knock on wood!) they have been extremely frustrating. This latest mishap has me more frustrated than usual. While it doesn’t hurt as bad as the IT band flare-up did, it’s more of a nagging pain. I can run with it, it even seems to go away after the first few miles, but I just want to run injury-free. Is that so much to ask for?

After seeking advice from some friends and going on a Google frenzy in search for stretches and exercises to ease peroneal tendonitis, I came to the conclusion that it might not be a bad idea to take a few days off. I haven’t done that in the past eight months so maybe that will help? Hopefully. I know I sound like I’m complaining but it pains me to “rest” especially when I see my friends and the close-knit virtual running community logging their weekly miles. I want to go running, why can’t I log 30 miles, 40, even 50 miles a week?

Oh, that’s right, I only started running eight months ago. I think my ambition and sheer love of the sport is the real cause for these injuries that keep sprouting up. I love running so much and am always itching to get out on the road or to hit a trail that sometimes I forget to really listen to what my body is trying to tell me- I need rest.

This reminds me of a conversation I had with my dad a few months ago. My dad is a 16-time marathon veteran (he ran Boston eight times and boasts a 3:09 PR) and although he hasn’t been a consistent runner for awhile now, he can relate to my recent frustrations. He said to me, “Hannah, running is like a roller coaster. One day you can be high up and feel amazing and the next you come crashing down.” He explained to me that a lot of the time things happen for no apparent reason and you just have to take it easy to prevent further injury.

Old photo of my dad running Boston.

If this means resting a few days for me, so be it. I forget that there are so many people out there who can’t run. I get so down on myself when I get an injury and find myself getting jealous of those runners who say they’ve never been injured, but the truth is, every runner is different. I also need to be more patient with my running. I get overly excited by new PRs and longer distances that I forget I really haven’t been running that long. Moral of the story? I need to be more patient, listen to my body and be thankful for all of the progress I have made in the last eight months. The rest will fall into place over time!

Have you had any running-related injuries? What’s your advice on staying positive through injury? Share you stories in the comment section below!

A new take on race bling: Erica Sara Designs race jewlery

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A lot of runners set major goals to keep themselves motivated like deciding to run their first marathon or half marathon or maybe tackling your first 5K. No matter how big or how small a runner’s goal is, success is so much sweeter when there’s a reward on the other side! Most races give runners a free t-shirt for registering and more and more races are giving finisher medals to everyone who finishes the race.

These are all great and everything but honestly, how many race t-shirts can you have? I have at least a drawer-full and I’ve only been running for 8 months! Finisher medals are really cool too because they definitely feel great around your neck at the end of a race. But after race day, what do you do with the medal? You can’t wear it out and about or show it off really, so they usually end up around a mirror, maybe on display but not many people will see it.

Enter Erica Sara Designs, a New York City jewelry designer and runner herself. Erica Sara has a whole line of race jewelry designed to mark the accomplishments of runners of all abilities. Her designs are chic and sophisticated and are the best kind of reward a runner girl could ask for after crossing the finish line. According to her website, her mission is:

On our paths to becoming accomplished & empowered women, we’re constantly taking on new challenges, from the office to the gym, from our family to our friends, from our bodies to our minds. Something we can all agree on? It’s tough work! At the end of the day, we can also agree that our hopes and dreams, our beliefs and convictions, and our values and achievements, are well-worth the effort—and well-worth celebrating.

Wear your sense of encouragement, that burst of wisdom, that source of inner power, with Erica Sara Designs, an ever-growing collection of feminine jewelry for fiercely strong women everywhere.

So of course I had to order a 13.1 “Run Like a Girl Distance” necklace after completing my first half marathon. Erica Sara lets the runner personalize her necklace too by giving you the option of picking the metal, the font and even engraving something on the back. I got the sterling silver necklace with 9.30.2012 (the date of my first half marathon) engraved on the back.

My necklace was shipped to me super fast and came with a lovely little note from Erica herself! I couldn’t be more pleased with my necklace and I wear it now every day to remind myself that I did run 13.1 miles and I can do it again!

Interested in commemorating your race accomplishment with some race bling? Check out the Erica Sara Designs website! She also has a ton of other amazing pieces of jewelry that are not running related but beautiful! Be sure to follow her on Twitter as well @EricaSara and wish her luck on her upcoming New York City Marathon which I’m sure she’s going to rock!

What’s your reward for accomplishing a major running goal? Share your story with me in the comments section below!