{Monday Motivation} Take Chances

Posted on July 8, 2013 by Hannah McGoldrick

I was on vacation last week and spent a few days in York, Maine, and was able to just completely relax before Marine Corps training begins (this week!). I spent some quality time with my family, friends, and loved ones and it was just what I needed to recharge. My little cousin, and basically identical twin, started running last week and decided to run the Four on the Fourth with myself and my friends. She took a chance, a leap of faith, and did an unbelievable job. I was so proud of her and she really inspired me to take a chance. Life, and running, is all about taking chances and jumping at opportunities. If you don’t go out on a limb, you’ll never know what you might be missing out on. So here’s to taking chances, I know I will. Happy running!

(source: Pinterest)

{Monday Motivation} Renew Your Inspiration to Run

Posted on July 1, 2013 by Hannah McGoldrick

I have a pretty concrete running schedule each week. I run five days a week, do at least one speed workout, one long run, and easy runs to fill in. I cross train on Mondays and take a rest day on Friday. This has been my running schedule every week since January. It gets old though and sometimes, especially when I’m not training for anything in particular, it gets boring. I’ll admit sometimes my runs are very un-inspiring. Yesterday I had planned to do a long-ish run, 8-10 miles. But I woke up, it was hot and very humid and I just wasn’t feeling it so I didn’t do it- and that’s OK. Sometimes it’s better to take a rest day when you’re not feeling it than to go out and slog through a run, especially when you aren’t training for something. Sometimes you need to start fresh to feel inspired again. That’s what I’m doing now and I think it’s working. Happy running!

(source: Pinterest)

It Was Love at First 400m

Posted on June 29, 2013 by Hannah McGoldrick

I ran in my new racing flats for the first time this week and it was love. On Wednesday, I went to the Lehigh University track to tackle some 400 repeats. It was a hot, humid evening with storms looming in the distance but the minute I put on my Fastwitches I knew it was going to be a good night.

Megan came with me and our plan was to do 6-8 400m repeats, depending on how we felt. I’m still very new at speed workouts and my pacing tends to be all over the place. For 400m I usually do anywhere from 1:44-2:00- much too wide of a range. Megan told me to try to hit 1:50 even for all of the repeats.

After a 1.25-mile warm up we stretched and got to work. The first 400m I went out a little fast- 1:37. I chalked this up to excitement and trying to chase Megan and just told myself to calm down and take the next one super easy.

Well, the next three were 1:44, 1:43, 1:43. I was feeling good but usually this is the beginning of a gradual slowing down for the rest of my speed workout. We rested a bit, I took a swig of Nuun-infused ice water and we got back to it. Except now, Megan told me to try to maintain the speed I had been doing and hit the final four 400s at 1:44/1:45.

I hit the next three all at 1:40 flat. We were about to do our eighth and final 400m and Megan gave me a challenge- sub-1:40. I was still feeling great and after all, it was the last one so you might as well go balls to the wall because then you’re done.

That’s exactly what I did and ran a 1:34- three seconds faster than my first 400m repeat. Needless to say, I was absolutely pumped and praising my new racing flats for all of their hard work.

We cooled down and did some hurdle walkovers and called it a night. This was my first run in the new Saucony Fastwitch 6 racing flats and I thought there was a noticeable difference. My feet and legs felt light, I was able to maintain a faster turnover, and they seemed to grip the track better than any of my other running shoes. I know it’s still early on in their running shoe life and I’ll have to try them on different surfaces and different runs but so far so god with the Fastwitch 6s. It was love at that first 400m.

Workout summary:

1.3 mile warmup at 8:40/mile pace
8x400m
(1) 1:37
(2) 1:44
(3) 1:43.2
(4) 1:43.6
(5) 1:40.2
(6) 1:40.4
(7) 1:40.8
(8) 1:34.7 (!!!)

400m cool down

7 Reasons to Get Racing Flats

Posted on June 26, 2013 by Hannah McGoldrick

Between my 5K PR, third place age group win, and the USA Outdoors Track and Field Championships, I’ve had speed on my mind. Now I know I’ll never be able to run an 800 as fast as Kate Grace, her nickname is fast Kate after all, I can’t help but feel inspired by the incredible strength and speed of the runners at Nationals.

In my time off between training cycles, I’ve made a habit of doing at least one speed workout every week. I’ve been going to intervals on the track at work every Wednesday and then I try to make one of my other weekday runs a progression run.

After reading Lora’s post about her coach recommending she buy racing flats, I started thinking, maybe that’s what I need. Last weekend I went to my local running store, Aardvark Sports Shop, to “just look” at what they had. After talking with the owner, he picked out some for me to take some test runs in. But the minute I put my feet into the Saucony Fastwitch 6 I knew they were the ones. They felt like an extension of my own feet and when I went running in them I swear I already felt faster.

Weight: 6.2 oz

Drop: 4mm

If you’re thinking about getting your own pair of racing flats here are 7 reasons that may sway you:

Improve Running Economy– It’s kind of a no brainer that the less weight you have on your feet, the easier it is to speed up your stride. If you need more evidence, studies show the less weight on your feet, the better your VO2 max.
Mental Boost– You will feel faster the moment you put them on (I did!). While this may not be science, feeling fast will give you the confidence boost you need during a hard workout or race to push the envelope.
Elites Where Them– I’m not an elite, and I never will be, but look at the elite field at any major race, are any of them wearing a stability shoe? No. There’s a reason elites where them and it’s because the less weight on their feet, the faster they run.
Shoe Rotation– It’s good to train in multiple shoes. I have two right now in my rotation and I’ll be adding the flats in for speed work and short races.
Increased Muscle Strength in Feet and Lower Legs– This is in line with the theory behind minimalist running shoes. The less shoe you have on your foot, the harder you muscles have to work. This is a good thing! The stronger the muscles, ligament and joints in you lower legs and feet, the better runner you will become.
Better Form– Again, like minimalist shoes, a lighter racing flat has proved to improve running form overall.
They’re pretty!– This is by no means a legitimate reason to ever buy a pair of shoes but there’s something special about putting a pair of racing flats on. With their neon colors and sleek design you’ll be feeling like Shalane Flanagan in no time!

I haven’t run in them yet (besides the test run at the store) but I think I’m mostly going to use them on the track and maybe for racing short distances. As I look toward the beginning of Marine Corps training I’m planning on taking note in my log of what shoes I wore with what workout. I didn’t do this with Big Sur but I think it’ll be beneficial to keep track. I can’t wait to try out my new flats this week, you can be sure I’ll write a follow up post.

Do you run in flats for speedwork or races? If so, what’s your go-to pair?

{Monday Motivation} Don’t Let Fatigue Make a Coward Out of You

Posted on June 24, 2013 by Hannah McGoldrick

Is there anything better than a Pre quote to brighten up your Monday morning? I don’t think so. I also think this quote is perfect as we head into the warm summer months when heat and humidity leave runners feeling more fatigued postrun (sometimes during the run) than we’re used to. But don’t fret, it may be getting hot out there and you may be feeling tired, but you’ll feel stronger and faster when fall goal races come around. So stay strong and happy running this week!

(source: Pinterest)

{Friday Faves} Reads, Runs, and Raves Track Edition

Posted on June 21, 2013 by Hannah McGoldrick

Tons of great stuff on the interwebs this week, but my Friday Faves seems to be completely devoted to track (runnerd alert, my apologies). I never ran on my high school track and field team (I was a tennis girl) but since I started running in March 2012, I’ve become a certified track nerd and this week the USA Outdoors National Championships are happening out in Iowa. The following faves pretty much wrap up my love of the sport and total geekdom over this week’s festivities.

The Evolution of a Fangirl – This post on Oiselle’s blog by Sarah OUaL completely summed up my sentiments toward Nationals this week. Basically, Sarah, you described me in this post. I totally get where you’re coming from.
USA Outdoors National Championship- Want to watch Nationals? You can! It’ll be on T.V. but if you for some reason won’t be near a T.V. you can watch it live on USATF.org
OMG, a Baby! – Lauren Fleshman, track star extraordinaire and stuffed jalepeno aficionado, wrote this awesomely hilarious and endearing post for RW this week. If you haven’t read it yet, you should.
Speaking of track, Lora of LV Runs NYC, bought racing flats this week but first she tested out a few to find a pair that fit just right. Look at the pretty colors! – Feet Meet Flats
Hurdle Walkovers – I did hurdle walkovers at the Lehigh University track on Thursday night for the first time with Megan, and let me tell you, my hip flexors were singing their praises. Definitely give them a try! (video)

When Should You Get a Running Coach?

Posted on June 19, 2013 by Hannah McGoldrick

(source: Pinterest)

I’ve been mulling over the idea of getting a running coach for a few weeks now. I’ve seen progress in my running over the past year but I know that’s due in part to my inexperience- every race is a PR or close to it. So I thought I’d ask, to improve, should I get a coach?

Hannah McGoldrick @FitHappyGirl

To get a running coach or not get a running coach, that is the question. Thoughts?

Tue, Jun 18 2013 14:23:57

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Tons of people were pro-coach…
leticia ana @LAMhookem

@FitHappyGirl Get one. Improvements and accountability :)

Tue, Jun 18 2013 14:26:31

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FitChickinTheCity @FitChickNYC

@FitHappyGirl well, I of course say get one!

Tue, Jun 18 2013 14:36:26

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Shannon @MulcahyShannon

@FitHappyGirl get one! I love having one and have improved tremendously. Ex 2:03 half from oct 12 to 1:49 this April

Tue, Jun 18 2013 15:13:58

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Megan Hetzel @megrunnergirl

@FitHappyGirl YES YES YES

Tue, Jun 18 2013 17:12:33

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Holly @fashionablemile

@megrunnergirl @fithappygirl agree, YES! Money well spent. :)

Tue, Jun 18 2013 17:34:48

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Some people said it depends on your goals and finding the right coach (but were mainly pro-coach)…
Lora @LVrunsNYC

@FitHappyGirl So important to find one who’s the right fit, philosophically and personality-wise. Otherwise you lose a lot of benefits, imo.

Tue, Jun 18 2013 14:28:42

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Lora @LVrunsNYC

@FitHappyGirl But great to have someone monitor your performance, give advice, and adjust personalized training as you progress!

Tue, Jun 18 2013 14:29:32

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Brian Martin @BrianRunCoach

@FitHappyGirl Absolutely, but a running coach should help you as much with what not to do as pushing the envelope at the right time.

Tue, Jun 18 2013 14:32:15

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Abby @Abby_NYC

@FitHappyGirl If you haven’t met your goals on your own, try a coach. Make sure he/she works FOR YOU. Then take a leap.

Tue, Jun 18 2013 15:01:44

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Erin Strout @erinstrout

@FitHappyGirl If you have the right coach you’ll love running even more!

Tue, Jun 18 2013 17:12:10

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Michelle Roos @elleroos

@FitHappyGirl i hired @SpeedySasquatch for speed work! so mainly on my own but needed guidance for certain aspect! #justathought

Tue, Jun 18 2013 17:19:02

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Then there was this…
Preach @RVAgreenrev

@FitHappyGirl can’t you just get your boss to be your running coach? @runnersworld @BartYasso

Tue, Jun 18 2013 15:52:58

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Bart Yasso @BartYasso

@FitHappyGirl I want Hannah to be my coach @RVAgreenrev @runnersworld

Wed, Jun 19 2013 06:42:48

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Hannah McGoldrick @FitHappyGirl

@BartYasso Ha! That’d be the day! @RVAgreenrev @runnersworld

Wed, Jun 19 2013 06:50:22

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And you can count on Jason to be the odd man out (just kidding!)…
Jason @JaseFace1

@FitHappyGirl nah.

Tue, Jun 18 2013 16:58:12

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Luckily I work at Runner’s World so I have plenty of resources here but it might be good to have an objective person (who I don’t work with every day) as a coach instead. I’m nervous it might be too closing to the start of MCM training to get a coach now but maybe not. I’m also wondering about in-person coaching vs. online. I know plenty of people have had success with online coaching but the main reason I want a coach is to have someone push me, especially when I tend to sell myself short. I’m going to keep doing some research into it and see what I come up with.

Tell me, have you hired a running coach? Was it in-person or online and did you see improvements?

{Monday Motivation} Wake Up and Live

Posted on June 17, 2013 by Hannah McGoldrick

I had a really incredible weekend this past weekend with my mom and sister. They met me in New York City and we stayed in a very cool hotel (The Thompson Hotel) in East Village. We had never really explored East Village before, and we also took a trip over to Brooklyn, another new place for us, and just had a wonderful weekend together. It’s weekends like that I know I’ll look back on when I get older. We crammed a lot into one weekend but sometimes you just have to…

Happy running this week!

I’m Running the Marine Corps Marathon!

Posted on June 13, 2013 by Hannah McGoldrick

Last night I went to see the special theater-showing on The Spirit of the Marathon II. It did not fail to inspire, make me laugh, bring a tear to my eye, and bring the marathon itch roaring back to me. So, I find it extremely appropriate to announce today my plans for my next running move.

Drum roll please! (Just kidding, you all saw this coming.)

I’m running my second marathon this fall at the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, D.C. on October 27!

Honestly, I knew it wouldn’t take long for me to become addicted to the marathon distance. I’m kind of type-A when it comes to this stuff and mildly addicted to the adrenaline/endorphin rush you get when you finish a marathon. When I crossed the finish line at Big Sur, the race director told me it would change my life, and it sure did. So when the opportunity to run Marine Corps with the Runner’s World Challenge presented itself, there was no way I could say no.

Runner’s World Challenge

This will be my third race with the Runner’s World Challenge and I honestly couldn’t imagine running a major race without it. This is going to sound like a shameless plug right now (and it totally is) but Runner’s World Challenge is such a good program. Through the Challenge, you get guaranteed race entry to one of our event races- this year it was Disney, Big Sur, and Marine Corps. You also get a customized training plan to meet whatever goal your little running heart desires, as well as direct access to the Runner’s World experts. But the best part of Challenge is the V.I.P. treatment you get on race day. We have our own prerace and postrace tent filled with food and drink for days, and (probably the best part) we have access to our very own port-a-potties, so you can say goodbye to pre-marathon bathroom lines. You also get to run with the editors (like me!) on race day!

MCM Goals

Besides this being my second marathon, me being the type-A person that I am, I want to improve on my finish time. I finished Big Sur in 4:33, which for my first marathon and such a tough course, wasn’t too bad. But I want to do better. So, I’m setting a goal of breaking 4:15 and following a plan to help me do so. This is ambitious because it means PR-ing by more than 15-minutes but I think given the course at MCM and the typical weather, it’s possible.

I’m going to focus much more on maintaining my strength training and speedwork that I’ve become really consistent with during my time off from training. I also want to focus on my diet more during this training cycle. I didn’t have issues with it last time but I think I need to actively add more protein into my daily diet and just focus on trying to eat clean.

All of these goals pale in comparison to the reason I’m really excited to run Marine Corps which is my parents are going to be there! They have been at almost every race I’ve run since I started running in March 2012 but were not able to come out to California to see me finish Big Sur. But my mom has assured me she’s already booked the hotel for MCM and they will be there, on the course, to cheer me on at my second marathon. I’ve also heard MCM is a great race because of the military presence and patriotism throughout the entire weekend. While we don’t have any Marines in my family, my grandfather was a Navy and Coast Guard veteran and my cousin’s boyfriend (who’s basically part of our family) is also a Coast Guard veteran and my dad is in the Air Force auxiliary. The military has always been a part of my family’s life so I think running MCM will be a great way to honor that tradition.

While I will never forget my experience at Big Sur, it was my first after all and you never forget your first, I have a feeling Marine Corps is going to be really special. Training begins on July 8, let’s do this!

{Monday Motivation} There’s Something Magical About Running

Posted on June 10, 2013 by Hannah McGoldrick

I saw this quote last night and absolutely loved it. I’ve always known running was magical. The longer you go, the more magical it feels. But I’ve started to get faster in recent months and yesterday I set a 5K PR of 24:59. As I was coming into the final 800 of the race, I really started to open my stride. I was probably going around 7:45 pace and I felt like I was flying. Last week I ran a progression 5-miler and finished at 7:45 pace. I told Megan about it and she said to me, “You know, there’s something so incredible about 7:45 pace.” She was right, it’s magical. Happy running this week!