I've run two races so far - Hollydays 5K & Cane Field Classic - both great experiences! TOP: Shopping & socializing after Hollydays. BOTTOM: Tough race & muddy shoes, but a great feeling finishing the Cane Field Classic 4-miler

The funny thing is, I set out to write this blog to help keep me accountable for my running.  I knew that without a firm commitment like this, I would probably bail out. Now it seems that my running keeps me accountable for my blog. It’s easy to make it out to the runs and stay motivated in a group like this, and now they are the ones that have to encourage me to update my blog more often!

In other words, I think I’m officially hooked on running.

I can understand now how people say that running is addictive.  Even more so, I think it’s therapeutic. I’ve been pretty faithful to my weekly runs, but last week, life got in the way and I missed a couple runs. I immediately noticed a change in my attitude, and I swear, even in my immune system. I was moody, tired, and generally run down. I felt like I was getting sick, so I decided not to risk it and skipped the Saturday run. Monday, I was determined to run, but when I got out there, the sky fell. It was pouring rain, lightening, dark and cold, so again, I decided not to risk it. I had come too far and trained too hard to jeopardize my half marathon now because of a stupid cold. By Tuesday, I felt like I just had to run, so I headed out to the Happy’s run. I realized how close-knit the running community here really is when I noticed that I actually knew a few people there. I had a great run, and it seemed like I was instantly cured of the week’s ailments. Maybe I wasn’t getting sick after all – maybe my body had just gotten to the point that it craves running now. I never thought I could be that girl – the one that just has to exercise to feel good – but it seems like I am becoming just that… and that’s not a bad thing at all.

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So tell me, how has running become your medicine? Whether it’s physical, mental or emotional, how is running therapeutic in your life?

Mizuno Wave Riders - just right!

• Shin splints=Gone!! Had a foot evaluation and turns out I’m neutral as can be. Got some Mizuno Wave Riders (in purple & gold!) with just a bit more cushioning than my old ones and feel a big difference during my runs. Continued icing the area daily (frozen water bottle works great), wearing compression socks in my down time, and practicing all the crazy stretches I’ve learned like the Duck Walk. Now I’m back to 100%!
• Reached a new milestone – 4 miles straight, no stopping to walk, in under 50 minutes! Two Saturdays ago, we had a beautiful run through the LSU Lakes and all throughout campus. The gorgeous weather and passing by all of the eager tailgaters setting up for the day made it go by in a flash. I may be slow and towards the back of the pack, but I felt great about the fact that I didn’t have to stop and walk at all! Mission accomplished!

My new Garmin from my boyfriend! Best gift ever!!

• Took my first free day from running this past Saturday. Headed to New Orleans with some friends to celebrate my birthday and 7:30 AM just came way too fast… I figured I’ve earned it, so I didn’t dwell on it too much. I enjoyed the day eating and drinking (and eating and drinking… and eating and drinking) with family and friends, especially my awesomely unexpected birthday present from my boyfriend – a Garmin watch! It’s my favorite new toy. After each run, I can’t wait to get home and upload my info to the website and see everything I’ve done. Best present ever!!
• Signed up for the weight loss challenge this week. I’ve been running for 5 weeks now and I haven’t lost a pound! Instead of focusing on the number on the scale though, I’m trying to keep telling myself that I’m getting stronger and fitter. I think the weight loss challenge will motivate me to work out even harder and watch I eat. After all, there is a really cute North Face jacket at stake!!
• Eager for the 5-mile run tomorrow – my longest run yet. Im feeling good about it, and running in this cooler weather is wonderful! I’m hoping to do as well as I did with my 4-mile run. I’ll keep you posted!
  

  Birthday lunch - NOT thinking about running!

It’s really exciting how, being a newbie, each workout gives me the opportunity to do something I’ve never done before, or at least beat a personal record on some level. The interval and speed work during the week beats me up every time, but I’m starting to see the benefits of it now. Saturday I ran three miles straight, without stopping – something I never even imagined I could do! On top of that, I completed it within my goal time at 35’08″, a pretty decent improvement from my 12.5-minute mile the first day! It felt great when I was done, and I can’t wait to keep tacking on the mileage and improving my times. When the 13.1 mile goal starts to feel daunting, I think about what the training has done for me so far. I may only be running 3 miles, but that’s 3 more miles than when I started just a few weeks ago!

One of the not so exciting new feelings, however, is the way my shins have felt for the past few days. It started as a dull pain last Monday that I misdiagnosed as sore calf muscles (that somehow extended to the front of my legs), and misattributed to the adorable, but painfully high wedges I wore to work that day. It has continued to turn up as a dull, but steady pain throughout my workouts that seems to disappear soon after the run with some good stretching (thanks to Jane’s pointers!). After talking to a few people, I can see now that this is the beginning of the dreaded shin splints, and something I need to nip in the bud right away if I want to continue with my training. Today I made it a point to wear sandals instead of heels, but it seems that made it just as bad, if not worse! Walking in my flats all day, I started to feel the shin splints even before the run this time. Needless to say, the workout today through the hill-acious Fat Boy course was brutal, and the pain was worse than ever. After the run, Jane showed me some more stretches and exercises I can do to help alleviate it, and I iced & massaged the area (while watching the Saints game, of course) using a freezing cold bottle of Powerade. It was a big help and definitely alleviated the pain.

If you’re suffering from the same thing, one of the best (and simplest) exercises I’ve learned is to walk on your heels. I call it the “duck walk,” and it may look silly, but you’ll feel so much better afterwards that it won’t even matter!  Basically, you start by standing on your heels with your toes pointing up and out, like a V shape. The higher you can point your toes, the deeper the stretch. Walk on your heels in this position about 20-30 steps. Then, staying on your heels but pointing your toes inward, walk back. Repeat this 2-3 times. Try it before your run, after your run, or on the way to the refrigerator – I’m positive you’ll feel some relief! If it sounds crazy and you can’t picture what I’m talking about, here’s a short video I found about it on YouTube:

I’m not sure if the shin pain is simply from my body adjusting to this totally new activity I’m putting it through, or if I’m doing something wrong. I know a possibility is that I’m running in shoes that don’t offer enough support for me. This is going to sound ridiculous, but I’ve never gone through the foot evaluation process at Varsity, and I think it’s due time! In the past, I’ve picked shoes out based on how many matching outfits I have to go along with them. Obviously, not the smartest choice. I love my Brooks Ghosts and how light they are, but maybe I do need a bit more support. I’m willing to give it a try if it will prevent injury and help me continue with my training.

If you’re suffering from shin splints too, or if you find yourself suffering from any type pain that seems to go above and beyond the normal soreness of a good workout, don’t hesitate to ask someone about it! Everyone is different and what works for me may not work for you. The thing I love about this group is what an incredible resource it is and how willing everyone is to offer their knowledge and advice. Ask an advanced runner, Jenni or Jane – I guarantee that if they are not able to help you, they can at least point you in the right direction. If you’re unsure about your shoes, bring them to the store and have someone evaluate you. Whatever you do, don’t write it off! The smallest pain can turn into a serious injury in no time if you don’t do anything about it…

Take care, and see your Thursday!

Last Saturday was my first “long” run and my first super-early run. I’m really not a morning person, but I was actually looking forward to it because the weather was so great! To my surprise, my boyfriend (who hates running) even asked if he could come with me, so I had some good company too. Our task was to run 1 mile from Lod Cook to Baton Rouge Beach, then try to beat our time on the way back.  After our 1.25-mile run the week before where we had to do 2 minutes “on” and 2 minutes “off,” I really didn’t think that I would ever feel “on” enough to beat my very average pace. However, my buddy Lizette decided to run with us that day (even though she is in the advanced group), and she really provided the push I needed.  Every time I tried to stop, she’d convince me to keep going. She helped me settle into a good pace by focussing on my steps and counting them. It helped me develop a rhythm and kind of took my mind off the run for a little while. Then she told me to keep my eyes on someone ahead of me (my new running buddy, Danielle) and try to keep up with her. All of her little tips really worked, and I’m so grateful that she was there to keep me going! Towards the end, when I really felt like walking, I met up with another sweet newbie (Parrish) who pushed me to keep running and told me to try relaxing my hands and arms to exert less energy. I ended up finishing the second mile in a shocking 11’45″, about 45 seconds faster than my first mile! While most runners would call that a slow day, I was just ecstatic to have improved my time. Oh, and my non-running boyfriend? He really impressed me too – he was right on my heels the whole time!

After the run, we even got to catch up with an old friend that we found at Baton Rouge Beach. Megan is working for another local running store, Fleet Feet, and she was out there passing out drinks to the very appreciative runners. Barrett had his Varsity shirt on and I couldn’t pass up the local running store photo op! I thought we would have been exhausted at this point after waking up at 6am and running 2 miles, but we had so much energy and the day was too beautiful to waste, so we headed downtown to the Farmer’s Market. It was such a rewarding feeling to have accomplished so much before lunch time! All in all, a really great way to kick off the weekend and finish up my first week of running.

Monday we had the day off for Labor Day.  I really intended to go for a run anyway, but it just didn’t happen. I’ve never been one for group workouts, but I think the running group is converting me! Besides everything I had to do that day, what really got in the way was the fact that I didn’t have anyone to run with. It was really tough to imagine dragging myself out there and not having the support of the group to push me along.  I know I’ll have to run alone eventually, but for now, I’d rather stick with my sweet, supportive newbie group!

On Thursday, we picked back up with a 2-mile run downtown, with the mid point being a Rocky-style jog up the Capitol steps. All week, I was looking forward to my first “social” run and eager to get back after almost a week off, but Thursday morning I woke up looking and feeling like I got hit by a bus. The past few weeks have been pretty non-stop for me and it seemed like it was finally catching up with me.  I really couldn’t see myself running that afternoon, but Jenni assured me that I would feel a million times better after I ran. I couldn’t see how that was possible, but I pushed through the day and dragged myself downtown for the run. Somehow, the crud I was feeling seemed to magically disappear as soon as I started running. Maybe it’s because I was focussing on the daunting steps ahead, or the terrible heat, but either way, it was working. I somehow finished the two miles in 19’55″, a pretty good improvement to any of my previous runs, especially considering how I was feeling earlier. I was really proud of myself for just making it out there when the only place I felt like running to was my bed. I didn’t just feel better, I felt great – and most importantly, I made it home just in time to watch the Saints kick some Viking butt! Like a good little New Orleans girl, I planted myself in front of the TV with the best intentions, but my roller coaster day caught up with me and I passed out in the 4th quarter. When I woke up Friday morning, I felt like a million bucks and I was glad to find out that the Saints got the W!

By Saturday, I was feeling a lot better, but nervous about my longest run yet – 3 miles total, with two .5-mile pickups in the middle.  I wasn’t totally sure what that meant going into it, but I learned quickly! The first mile felt great, and I really pushed myself through the two pickups – maybe a little too hard in fact.  I think my pickup times were pretty good (both just under 5′), but by the last mile, I was worn out, parched, and unbearably hot. I ended up walking quite a bit of that last mile, which was really disappointing to me. Next time I’ll need to work on pushing myself enough to improve, but not so much that I sacrifice the rest of my run. Anyway, I was ecstatic to finish that run, because the end held the promise of peach pancakes from Zeeland St. Market – quite possibly my favorite breakfast in the world!

I can’t believe I’m going into my third week of training now. Already, I feel like I’m accomplishing things I never thought my body could do.  Even though the most I’ve run is 3 miles, my 13.1-mile goal is starting to feel more realistic with each run. Thanks to everyone for your support so far – hope to see you out there!

Yesterday was day 2 of half marathon training, and what an eventful one it was for the newbies! I don’t want to go into detail out of respect for those involved (I’m not here to plaster everyone’s business all over the internet… just mine!), but those who were there know what I’m referring to, and I know we will all be praying for a speedy recovery.

Anyway, what I had planned to talk about today is quite timely considering yesterday’s events.  Despite being a running novice, I have absorbed a good bit of knowledge about the sport just from being surrounded by runners on a daily basis. I am by no means an expert, and I know a lot of things will only come with experience, but part of my plan for this blog is to share with my fellow newbies some of the “tips and tricks” I have learned and those that I will pick up along the way. Also, I know us newbies would love it if you experienced runners would chime in with your own tips in the comment section!

The one thing I hear over and over again is the importance of staying hydrated, especially in this hellacious Louisiana summer heat!  Dehydration is often the culprit behind that woozy, dizzy feeling during or after a run, painful cramps, and post-run headaches. One of the most common misconceptions people seem to have about hydrating is that you can drink a glass or two of water right before you go out for a run and be fine. Even I know that’s a big no-no! Proper hydration starts way before that. In fact, it seems that hydrating the day before you go out for a run is just as important as the day of.  It’s a lot easier for your body to stay hydrated than to get hydrated, so your best plan of action is to be proactive about it instead of waiting until you’re parched to drink a glass of water. I’m actually pretty good about my water intake, but since I’m starting to run on a regular basis, I knew I would have to be even more cautious about staying hydrated. I asked my go-to girl Lizette about this (in case you haven’t noticed, you’ll be hearing a lot about her!). She gave me a few of her “keep cool” secrets for the summer heat and I did some of my own research. I’m going to give it a try for a few more runs and report back on how it makes me feel, but so far so good!

1. Drinks lots of water… duh! This is an obvious one. Of course we all know that we should be getting 8-10 glasses of water a day, but honestly, how many people really do that?? I used to hate to drink water, so I had to find some sneaky ways around it that worked for me.  I’ll add a lemon slice or some mint leaves to my water to give it a little flavor, and I’ve made it a point to keep a full glass of water at my desk all day long.
2. Don’t stop till you get enough. So how do you know if you’re getting enough water? Check your pee! And no, I’m not trying to be gross here – the most visible sign of proper hydration is clear to pale colored urine. So if it looks like you just ate a bowl of asparagus, drink up!
3. Speaking of bodily fluids… another important aspect of the hydration equation is the electrolyte balance in your blood stream.  OK, I really sucked at science, so I’ll admit I had to Google some of this…  What I do know is that when you sweat, you lose a lot of a key electrolyte – sodium. An electrolyte-supplemented drink (like Powerade) could be helpful post-workout to restore a healthy balance – but read the label and beware of the ones that are full of sugar!  A couple of other key electrolytes are potassium and calcium. I’ve heard of a lot of runners eating a banana about an hour before a workout, and refueling afterwards with a glass of (believe it or not) chocolate milk! Now, if chocolate milk consumption is really encouraged, than I think I’m going to like this sport!
4. Find what works for you. Everybody is different. It’s great to collect information from other runners, but at the end of the day, it will all depend on your own body. The best way to know what works for you is to try a few different things consistently and see how it affects you.  Before the run on Monday, I drank plenty of water all day, but I know my weekend was full of deliciously dehydrating Mexican food and margaritas. Yesterday, I was better prepared.  I drank water all day Wednesday and Thursday, had a light lunch (sans margaritas!), and tried one of the new electrolyte tablets by Nuun that we just got at Varsity. I filled up two water bottles to put in my car – one with fresh water to drink pre-run and one full of just ice to melt down to cool water for after the run (Lizette’s trick!).  All of this seemed to work great for me, but I’ll have to try it a few more times to be sure… I also know a lot of people carry little hand-held water bottles with them on their longer runs, but I don’t think I’m there yet! They do seem pretty handy though – they strap on to your hand or waist (like a tool belt!) so you don’t have to hold on to a bulky water bottle. Nathan and FuelBelt are the brands I’m most familiar with, and Varsity does carry both of them. Note: I don’t want to turn this into a “come spend your money at Varsity Sports” post… but I’d be glad to review a few items next week if anyone is interested! *wink, wink*

Now everyone do me a favor and go grab a tall glass of water! Remember, you never want to be the one they have to bring back on the golf cart…

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Anything I’m missing or any other helpful hints you have? Comment below!

The handout from the Beginner Half Marathon Training informational meeting

Hey newbies! A few of you have been asking for the information from the first meeting on Monday. I got a hold of the sheet that was handed out and scanned it in.  If you didn’t grab one or you couldn’t make it to the meeting, save a copy to your computer or print it out for future reference.  I covered a lot of this in a little more detail in my previous post, but if you ever have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact me or Jenni! See you out there!

Yes, it was just a mile, but I was mentally and physically drained. I barely slept the night before, and I was a bundle of nerves all day. At this point, I have to give a big shout-out to my buddy Lizette N. who really helped pump me up all day long. The first thing she asked me when I walked in the door was, “What are you wearing? Does your outfit match?” She made sure I drank plenty of water all day and didn’t snack after three so I wouldn’t feel sick running in the heat. Then she did a really mama-bear thing – just like it was the first day of school, she made me take a picture at my desk when I changed into my running clothes! I was officially mortified.

Lizette took a picture of me as I dressed out for my first run, just like a proud mama!

As it got closer and closer to 5:30, the rain clouds came along and brought a torrential downpour with them. I thought I had found the perfect way out! I immediately asked Jane if I would still have to run, which was met with a hearty laugh on her part. Newbies, take note – apparently, as long as it isn’t lightening, we’re out there! Jenni told me that like a good little Catholic girl, I could pray as much as I wanted, but I would still have to run. So as I was mentally preparing myself to run in the rain and thanking the good Lord that I somehow had the foresight to bring a non-white top and a hat, the rain clouds dispersed and all of a sudden the sun was out and the birds were chirping. Let me tell you, I wish it would have just kept raining. In a few minutes, the steam was rising from the ground like we were at the Hot Springs, and by the end of my measly mile, I was drenched in sweat.

My goal yesterday was to run the mile without stopping, but I had a feeling the terrible humidity would get to me. I got through most of it, and even chatted with a few girls along the way, but towards the end, I started to slow down to a walk. I ended up just walking for a few seconds though, because I came up on some girls that were pushing each other along, and that motivated me to keep running with them. I told Lizette about this today, and she said that it’s always a good idea to get to know a few people that run at about your same pace or even a little better to help keep you motivated. I’ll definitely have to keep that in mind! I finished the mile in just over 12 minutes, which sounds like an awful long time to me, but I was just glad to complete it! After meeting everyone yesterday, I can’t wait to get to know everyone better and run along side with my fellow newbies. I feel like I’ve just stumbled upon 150+ new friends! Now, instead of being nervous and anxious, I’m excited about Thursday and can’t wait to progress with my training!

Before I go, I know a lot of people couldn’t make it yesterday, so I wanted to share some of the important info that Jenni gave us:

1. The training group will meet every Monday & Thursday at 5:30pm and Saturdays at 7:30am (bright and early!)
2. The only equipment you need to get started is a good pair of running shoes (I bet I know where you can find those!) and a sports watch to help you keep track of your times. Comfortable dri-fit clothes is great, but you can build your running wardrobe up as you progress. The most important part is to make sure you’re running in a good pair of shoes so you don’t injure yourself. If you need help finding the right shoes, stop by Varsity Sports or any other local specialty running store where the staff is knowledgeable about both the shoes and the sport.
3. Not all of the meetings will be at City Park! In fact, Jenni tries to switch it up as much as possible. Thursdays are typically the “social” run, beginning and ending at a fun location. Check the calendar section on www.varsityrunning.com for weekly info. Jenni will update the calendar every Sunday night, and Baton Rouge runs will be listed in purple. You can also check out the sidebar on my blog under “Upcoming Baton Rouge Runs.”
4. You can run as little or as much as you want to. This is your training, so tailor it to fit your experience level and your schedule. Each run will have 3 different workouts: Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced. Beginners will be able to run/walk 1 mile; Intermediates will be able to run 3-4 miles straight at any pace; Advanced runners will feel comfortable running 5 miles and up at any pace. Jump into whatever group you feel comfortable with, and feel free to move around as you see fit.
5. If you ever have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact Jenni. She is now your coach! If you don’t catch her at the store, the best way to reach her is by email: jpeters@lsu.edu

So how was everyone else’s first day? Will I see you out there on Thursday?

Well, this is it – my last day of freedom before I start half-marathon training!  I’m still not really sure how I got sucked in to this (*cough* JENNI PETERS *cough*), but let me tell you a little bit more about myself.  My name is Tina and I have worked at Varsity Sports as their Graphic Designer for the past 5 years, and I’m not really a runner. In fact, I’m not very athletic at all.  I’m a graphic designer, wine lover, and wannabe fashionista, but running has never really fit into my repertoire. I mean, I have a pretty solid Nike Tempo collection and a few pairs of really clean running shoes, but that’s about it. Until now. I have committed to going through Jenni’s infamous Half-Marathon Training this year and document it all here for you to follow along/laugh/wince in pain.

Even though training doesn’t start until tomorrow, I wanted to write this tonight for all of you “on-the-fencers.” I’m sure there’s a few people out there that would love to give it a try but are a little intimidated scared to death (ME!), and I hope this will help push you over the edge. I’ll be honest with you – if I hadn’t committed to this, right now I would be coming up with all sorts of excuses for not going to that informational meeting tomorrow…

“Ohh, that’s today?? Darn, I forgot all about it… and I didn’t bring my shoes, soo…”

So why do I even want to do this?? I’ll give you five good reasons:

1. I’m turning 25 this year. More and more, I find myself analyzing nutrition labels in the grocery store, eyeing the anti-aging skincare line, and wondering why on earth can’t I stay up past midnight anymore?? I know that now is the time to start taking care of myself and forming healthier habits.
2. I’ve always admired runners from afar. I’ve always secretly wished I could be one, but never really thought I could. In high school, I wanted to try out for the track team, but I was too chicken.  In college, I wanted to run the lakes instead of speed-walk, but I was too chicken.  Ever since I started working at Varsity and saw how much fun the running group had, I wanted to join in, but guess what? I was too chicken. I mean, it’s gotta end somewhere, right?
3. I hate it when people think I can’t do something. Don’t get me wrong, I’m surrounded by wonderful, loving, supportive people. But I know what they’re thinking! My mom stifled a laugh when I told her I was going to train for a half marathon, my boyfriend thinks knows that I would back out of it if I could, and my friend’s exact words were, “Like, 13 miles STRAIGHT? WHY??
4. I found the PERFECT half-marathon for me. It’s called Napa to Sonoma. You run from Napa to Sonoma. And there’s a lot of wine involved.
5. I have no choice. Not only did I tell Jenni I would do it, I said I’d write a blog about it too! I really can’t back out now even if I wanted to. I did this on purpose because I knew I would need that extra push. So if you’re like me and you’re thinking about backing out, try telling everyone you know about your half-marathon plans. Tell your mom, tell your co-workers, tell the lady behind you at the grocery store. Your friends and family will want to ask you often about your progress, and you want to have something to tell them, right?

So what are your reasons for wanting to run a half-marathon? Are you a first-timer like me or an ultra-marathoner?

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*DISCLAIMER: Jenni didn’t force me to do this. I wanted to join the group and she encouraged me, and so has everyone else in the group that I’ve come across. This has to be the sweetest, most supportive group of runners I’ve ever come across and you’d be crazy not to meet me at City Park tomorrow at 5:30pm! I hope you’ll find comfort in the fact that you won’t be the only scared-to-death newbie out there, so don’t “forget” to pack those running shoes and I’ll see you there!