Mobile Bay Runner

So, let’s catch up.

Monday evening’s Yoga for Runners went really well! I was much more comfortable this time and just knowing what to expect helped so much. We worked on stretching and elongating the muscles that are typically over used in running and strengthening the muscles that are under used. Definitely a good reminder not to give up on something just because you don’t necessarily like it the first time you try it.

Tuesday’s workout was a 2 mile warm up, 10 X 600M (with a 1:30 recovery), and a 2 mile cool down. My goal range for the 600s was 6:00 – 6:05 pace, so 2:15 to 2:17 per repeat. I modified the workout a little and actually did a 2 mile warm up, 6 X 600M, 4 X 400M, and a 1 mile cool down.

Track workouts can be a bit of a mental struggle for me. Even today, I stayed within the pace range I was supposed to for the whole workout (which tells me that physically I was doing just fine), but I still ended up cutting the workout short. After the first two or three, I tried to tell myself that I would stop at five. Half a workout is better than no workout, right? After I did the fourth one, I tried to convince myself that I could do eight. Somewhere in there I thought maybe I could just do some 400M and 200M repeats to equal 600M, but what I ultimately settled on was that I would still do 10 total repeats, but I would shorten the last four. Whew. I was mentally (and physically) exhausted after all of that run around (get it?)!

I think we are all guilty of focusing so much on all of the physical aspects of running that we can easily forget that a big part of running is mental. Overall, I am pleased with what I was able to do, but I still have been trying to figure out why it is that I “get in my head” so much when I am on the track. Give me a long run, a treadmill workout or even a race for that matter and I am good to go, but make me run around the oval hamster wheel and I am done. So even though I could have done this workout on the treadmill (and I think probably completed the entire workout), I decided to go to the track anyway and that in itself was a small victory.

I met up with a fellow blogger Tuesday morning and she gave me some wonderful tips on how to grow my blog and reach my target audience. Thank you Larisa!

During our “meeting” I tried a new to me drink at Starbucks and it was amazing. I got the orange mango smoothie and it was a very refreshing post-workout treat.

Tuesday evening was group run at Running Wild. They had reps from Topo and Soleus there and we got to test out some shoes and GPS watches. I wore these and this. It is always fun to try different gear out and I really liked both of these products.

This is somewhat off topic, but has anyone else tried a sugar kiss melon? We randomly decided to pick one up at the grocery store this week and it is really tasty. It basically seems like a really sweet small cantaloupe. We really like it, so I figured I would just pass that along.

I hope y’all had a good day! Gotta run!

Sunday morning is usually long run day and today was no exception, as I had a moderate pace long run of 14 – 15 miles @ 7:30 to 8:00 minute pace on the schedule. I decided to call it a day at 14, as I was feeling good, but starting to get a little fatigued. I didn’t want to push myself too hard just for the sake of getting one more mile in.

We had a good turnout this morning and everyone left super sweaty, but feeling happy thanks to the endorphins, the cold fountain and the coffee that was consumed afterwards.

I love my sweet running friends!

After our run, Daniel and I headed to church for the second week of our study on Ephesians. We looked at the first half of chapter 2 today. Here are a few of my takeaways:

• To understand our identity in Christ, we must also understand our identity apart from Christ. Paul uses contrast in the first few verses to remind us of who we were before we were living in Christ. We were dead and sinful, living according to our own fleshly, worldly desires.
• We were dead to sin, but God made us alive and His amazing grace saved us. Grace is a gift. Ephesians 2:9 says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
• It can be hard for us, as human beings, to fully grasp this amazing gift because we are used to thinking in terms of transactions, where something is exchanged on both sides. But this is not an exchange, as that would nullify the concept of the “gift.”
• Grace is the unmerited, undeserved favor of God.
• Mercy is not getting something that you deserve, but grace is getting something that you don’t deserve.
• We are saved for something. We are saved to do something. We are saved to do His work, but we do not have to do work to get saved. We don’t work to get God’s grace, but we work because of God’s grace. Grace should color everything that you do. Everything that we do in Christ, for Christ and like Christ becomes sacred, no matter how mundane the task may seem.
• The lyrics to Steven Curtis Chapman’s song “Do Everything” are a good representation of this.
• The first thing that we see God do in the Bible is work. Work is not a necessary evil, but a gift of God’s grace and a mark of God’s image in us.

I had been reflecting over the past day or two about my blog and what, if anything, I was accomplishing by continuing to write it. The message today was the perfect thing for me to hear (isn’t it cool how God does that). Hopefully I have adequately articulated here that I want my life and my running to bring glory to God and tell the story of His grace poured out into my life. While the majority of my posts may be about running, I feel like that is potentially my biggest platform to reach people. It is something that I am passionate about and is a huge part of my life and my “story.” I felt God’s encouragement today to continue “working” on the blog.

While this wasn’t a part of the sermon, I couldn’t help but think of Colossians 3:23 which says, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.” I have always used this verse as encouragement to get me through the 60 and 70 hour weeks of tax season, but I realize even more so now that the word “work” here doesn’t just refer to what you and I would typically think of as work (i. e., our jobs/occupations). It means that everything in your life should be done for the Lord. As long as we are living here on this earth, we are here for a reason. God is using us to do great work for His kingdom. Obviously, we don’t know exactly how this will play out in our lives, but God surely does. I encourage all of you to pray and ask God what he is calling you to do and I pray that we would all have open ears to listen and receive His word, and that we would be obedient to follow through.

And to tie this back into running, I can’t help but think of this famous quote by Steve Prefontaine.

“Pre” was an American middle and long-distance runner who competed in the 1972 Olympics and once held the American record in seven different distance track events from the 2K to the 10K. While I am fairly certain, he is not referring to the ultimate “gift” (he could be, I don’t really know) and whether he meant it this way or not, he is saying to get out there and work hard, using whatever talents that God gave you to make a difference in the world.

That’s all I’ve got for now. I am going to go be obedient to His calling to “rest.” 🙂  What does He want you to do today?

Since the first day of summer is just about a week away (June 21st), I wanted do a post about some (hopefully) helpful summer running tips related to adjusting your paces to account for the heat and humidity and staying hydrated.

Dew point is the best measurement of how humid the air feels because dew point is literally a measurement of how much humidity is in the air. Dew point is associated with relative humidity. A high relative humidity implies that the dew point is closer to the current air temperature. Relative humidity of 100% indicates the dew point is equal to the current temperature and that the air is maximally saturated with water. When the moisture content remains constant and temperature increases, relative humidity decreases.

We have a thermometer that shows us the temperature and relative humidity, so I was curious how to calculate the dew point.

I get geeked out over formulas and excel, so I have added a column to my training spreadsheet that calculates the dew point for me, after I enter the temperature and humidity. For any other dorks out there, the spreadsheet ready equation to solve for dew point (replace RH with the relative humidity and T with the temperature) is =243.04*(LN(RH/100)+((17.625*T)/(243.04+T)))/(17.625-LN(RH/100)-((17.625*T)/(243.04+T))).

And for anyone that wants an easier way, check out this calculator.

Once you have determined the dew point, you add the temperature to the dew point and adjust your pace as follows (adapted from my coach’s super informative blog post here).

Assume I would typically do my long run at 8 minute pace. Today (pictured above), the temperature is 89 degrees and the humidity is 76%. Using the calculator linked above, I figure out that the dew point is 80. I add the temperature and dew point together and get 169. This means that I need to adjust my pace by 6 to 8%. Based on the chart below, my goal pace in these conditions would be between 8:28 and 8:38 pace.

By adjusting your paces and expectations during the summer, you will shift your focus to the perceived effort of runs. It is important to recognize you will be slower than you hoped but effort is the most important factor and are still working at an equivalent effort of your unadjusted pace.

Know that we know how to adjust our paces, let’s talk about hydration.

Water is the main component of every cell and tissue in your body and if you don’t get enough, you’ll feel rundown and tired. It is estimated that under normal condition the average person loses 8 cups (2 liters or 64 ounces) of water per day. We sweat off several more cups during every hour of moderate exercise, even in normal conditions and much more so in the heat of the summer. The rate we lose sweat depends on a variety of factors including individual sweat rate, and the temperature, humidity, and length and intensity of your run. On a hot humid day an average sized person (110-165 lbs) can lose 1.6 to 2 liters of fluid, or 2.5% to 3.5% of body weight. So assuming we lose 2 pounds of water in sweat, we would need to replace at least 96 ounces or 12 cups per day.

It is very important that we adequately replace what we are losing. Some of this replacement comes naturally from foods that we eat, but we also need to make an intentional effort to take in a lot of water and healthy beverages. The best options that count towards our daily total are water, seltzer and flavored water. Other very good options are 100% fruit juices, lemonade, tomato and vegetable juices, and low-fat or skim milk. Good options include raw fruits and vegetables (see below). Other so-so options are decaffeinated soft drinks, decaffeinated coffee and yogurt. Caffeinated beverages and alcoholic drinks do not count towards our daily water total.

It’s also important to drink at regular intervals during your run at a rate that replaces fluid loss, so about 5-7 ounces of fluid every 15-20 minutes. This is the biggest struggle for me personally. But I am working on it! Try to select running routes that have water fountains along the way and carry a water bottle or drop a bottle along the route if possible.

The carbohydrates and sodium in sports drinks can also have beneficial effects. Carbohydrate solutions help maintain energy levels for racing by replacing depleted muscle glycogen stores, and sodium helps retain water, stimulates thirst and prevents low plasma sodium. Preserving our blood plasma volume is a key factor in sustaining optimal summer running pace, especially in events lasting more than 2 hours. Studies show that carbohydrates consumed immediately after and up to two hours after exercise enhance muscle glycogen restoration. This is most effective if ingested from fluid, as fluid is absorbed faster. Many studies also show that electrolyte balance is restored almost to pre exercise levels when an electrolyte beverage is drunk immediately after exercise.

I try to make it a habit to drink at least 16 ounces of water with 2 Nuun tablets immediately after my runs. I also try to drink G2 each day, especially if I am doing a double (two runs or two of any sort of exercise combinations, such as running and playing tennis). These are (currently) my favorite Nuun flavors.

I also try to make it a habit to incorporate a protein shake or smoothie as one of my meals (usually as breakfast post-run). Two of my favorite brands are Bolthouse Farms and Naked. There are three specific benefits to this. First, the shake counts towards my daily fluid intake. Second, these shakes are providing me with a very balanced mix of fats, carbohydrates and protein.

Third, taking in protein after running helps me recover more quickly. When you run, microtears occur in your tendons, muscles and other tissues throughout your body, but specifically in your legs. After your run, these microtears elevate your body’s demand for the amino acids found in protein; these acids help with tissue repair and rebuilding. Protein shakes provide a rich dose of these amino acids your body can absorb faster than through whole foods. This can help enhance the speed at which your body repairs those tears, reducing the recovery time needed after your run.

That’s all I’ve got for now. Anyone have any other good summer running tips? Please share!

Since I am new to the blog world, I thought it might be fun to share some random facts, so that y’all can get to know me better. Here goes:

• I am a numbers person. Since I am a number cruncher CPA, this isn’t really all that surprising, but the catch is that I only like numbers that end in a zero or five. So this means, car volume, temperature setting, mileage, etc. all have to be “even” numbers (i. e., zero or five in my world).
• I make the bed every. single. day. I absolutely cannot stand to come home to an unmade bed. This is the first thing I do every day. Daniel is trained on board now too, after I explained that by making the bed, you are taking control of this day. I came home today to find that he had made the bed and even created a little heart-shaped towel origami with our blanket. Love it.
• My favorite smell in the whole world is the smell of the dishwasher when you open it up after it has just gotten done cleaning. A close second is the smell of a two-stroke engine when it is first cranked.
• I can sing all of the “rap” lyrics to TLC Waterfalls after all of these years. Just imagine what I could have been doing with that brain capacity!
• I don’t have my ears pierced. Needles are very scary torture devices.
• I am extremely nearsighted. I wear contacts, but otherwise can’t see anything more than a foot in front of my face. Daniel’s is just as bad. When If we ever have children, those little kiddos are going to be blind as bats.
• I learned to water ski when I was four and learned to slalom when I was five. I still love it!
• I love a good weekend nap. Daniel calls my naps “mini sleeps,” because my preferred napping duration is somewhere in the range of 2 – 4 hours. Falling asleep on the couch, doesn’t count either. Naps are done in the bed. I mean if you’re gonna do it, do it right.

Okay, so that’s enough of that. On to more interesting things … This morning was a little bit of running and a whole lot of tennis!

I met Lizzie early this morning to play tennis. Lizzie and I both played tennis competitively at the junior level and subsequently converted to running. We planned to run a few miles beforehand to warm up. I have noticed that I play much better after a run than if I don’t run beforehand. Running helps me warm up faster and get energized. Our warm up miles turned into a search for tennis balls, as neither one of us remembered to bring them. We had no success with that, as everywhere we stopped was either closed or didn’t have them. We settled for hitting with a few fairly damp balls that were left in the grass outside of the courts overnight. It wasn’t ideal, but we made it work!

I then headed across the bay to pick up my new rackets and play a practice match against another girl on my team who will also be playing singles at state. After testing out several different models, I settled with the Wilson BLX Juice Pro. It is a little heavier than the racket I was playing with previously, but it feels really smooth and I am able to get more power with it. The best news was that this racket is being discontinued and so I was able to get a really good deal on them, basically I got two for the price of one. Sweet!

I was worn out when I got home and I took a nice long nap (see above).

Friday evening I met up with some girls from small group to go to Sunset Yoga. A local yoga studio sponsors sunset yoga on the bluff twice a month from March through October. All classes are by donation and the proceeds go to a different charity each month. The class times vary with the sunset times throughout the year. I have seen the class out there before and it always seemed so picturesque, so I have been wanting to try it out. It was a very relaxed class and we all really enjoyed it! What a view, huh?

That’s all I’ve got. Tell me something random about yourself!

Today’s workout was 11 miles, with the first 8 at an easy pace and the last 3 at an up-tempo pace. My goal range for the tempo portion was 6:30 – 6:40 pace. I ran the first 8 with my training buddy and friend, Lizzie, and then immediately hopped on the treadmill for the final 3. My actual paces for the final 3 were 6:40, 6:36, 6:31, so I was very pleased.

I always find myself trying to figure out what speed I need to be running to hit certain paces on the treadmill, so I made myself a handy little chart to reference. Today I did the first mile at 9.0, the second mile at 9.1 and the third mile at 9.2.

I know that there are positives and negatives to treadmill running, and I try to vary it up and do more workouts outdoors than indoors, since we don’t race on the treadmill. A few of my personal “pros” for running on the treadmill instead of outdoors are as follows:

1. The treadmill offers a smooth, cushioned surface that is easier on your joints. Since I am coming back from a minor foot “issue” (I wouldn’t classify it as an injury) and haven’t done any workouts in just over two weeks (only easy runs), I thought that easing back into it on the treadmill might be smarter.
2. You can control your pace. When running outside it can be hard to establish and maintain a consistent pace. I know that if I take my workout inside, I will hit the paces I am supposed to because I don’t really have a choice. Once I figure out what speeds I have to run, I get going and that’s it (one instance where stubbornness can be beneficial).
3. You build mental fortitude. While some people find the treadmill to be boring or mundane, I actually enjoy it and find that I am more “in the zone” when doing workouts on the treadmill. There are often fewer distractions, which allows me to stay focused.
4. There are no weather or temperature issues. Heat and humidity are a huge factor here in LA, so the treadmill offers a little bit of reprieve from the elements.
5. There are no concerns about personal safety. This is often the only deciding factor for me. If it is dark out or if I don’t have someone to do a workout with me, then the treadmill is my only option.

Research has proven that setting the treadmill to a 1% grade accurately reflects the energy costs and simulates outdoor running. By setting the treadmill to a 1% grade, you offset the lack of wind resistance and the belt moving under you to make treadmill running the same effort as running outdoors. Research has also shown that your VO2 max (the maximum amount of oxygen that you can utilize during intense exercise) is the same when running on a treadmill compared to outside, which also supports that running on a treadmill is as effective as running outside.

Not a whole lot of other news to report from today. My car battery died, but luckily there was a Starbucks right across from where I was stranded. I think it was a sign.

Thankfully, Daniel is Mr. Fix-It, so he came to rescue me, jumped my car off and replaced my battery. I don’t know what I’d do without that man.

First things first. This morning’s run was a very humid 12 miles with Rebecca. It wasn’t pretty, but we survived. I took a tennis lesson in the late afternoon and then went to a core class at the gym before heading to book club.

The girls in my small group are doing a book club on Wednesday evenings this summer. When I say “small” group, I guess that is somewhat misleading. Check us out.

It has been amazing to see how God has orchestrated bringing us all together. As an intentional effort to get to know each other better, the girls did a weekend retreat last summer where we all shared our “stories” and testimonies. It was beyond powerful. As each one of us shared our stories and our struggles, whether it be anxiety, sexual trauma, miscarriage, losing a parent at an early age, etc., there was someone else in the group that had a very similar story. There was someone who could relate. Someone who God placed in our lives for a reason. And yes, we ALL have issues and struggles and have endured many storms, but until we shared this with each other, we really didn’t know just how deep our connections could be. Honestly, that weekend was a huge eye opener for me about the awesome things that can come from bringing light to your struggles and being transparent with people. It definitely planted a seed in my mind about starting a blog, and here we are. But I digress. This post was supposed to be about books.

The book that we are studying this summer is:

I am obviously not going to go into any sort of details on this book or our discussions, other than to say that I HIGHLY recommend it for any married or engaged couples. She does a great job of discussing a very sensitive subject and backs it up with wonderful passages from scripture and real life stories that are very relatable. I want to give you one excerpt from the first chapter that I feel like will do a good job of giving you a glimpse of whether or not you think this book could benefit you and your spouse. She writes, “We’ll look at the most common sexual intimacy headaches that crop up for women. As we explore problems like body image, the impact of the past, pornography and differences in desire, we’ll hit some of the highlights of research and other information about sex. However, the answer to these headaches is not simply for more information or even greater understanding. Although information and understanding are helpful, our relationships can be transformed only as God reveals and changes our hearts.” She goes on to say, “God is doing something in your life and in your marriage. He desires to transform your heart, to teach you how to love and how to be loved. Are you willing to surrender this part of your life to Him?”

I am also currently reading:

Love and Respect is a Christian ministry centered around a simple biblical truth found in Ephesians. Ephesians 5:33 says “Each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.” A wife has one driving need―to feel loved. When that need is met, she is happy. A husband has one driving need―to feel respected. When that need is met, he is happy. Without love, she reacts without respect. Without respect, he reacts without love. This can become a crazy cycle, which traps many couples in its grip. Love and Respect reveals why spouses react negatively to each other, and how they can deal with such conflict quickly, easily, and biblically.

Our small group did a series on Love and Respect this past spring. Unfortunately, due to my tax season hours, I wasn’t able to attend much, if any. But I am making up for lost time now and am really enjoying this book.

Next in line are:

Gaining: The Truth About Life After Eating Disorders by Aimee Liu is one of the first books about eating disorders written by a survivor that connects more than 40 personal stories from men and women to recent scientific facts and discoveries. Many people talk about eating disorders, finding treatment and recovery, but most don’t speak about what happens next: life after recovery. Her key revelations include the temperament required for eating disorders, the long-term effects of eating disorders on health, brain function, relationships and career, why some individuals recover while others relapse, and why many relapse in mid-life, which treatment approaches are most successful long-term and how parents can tell if a child will be vulnerable to eating disorders.

I know this is also a sensitive topic, but I really can’t wait to read this book! I love that the title is a pun on one of the common misconceptions about eating disorders. It is not about gaining weight. Eating disorders are so much more complex than that. It is about gaining back your life!

And:

Meb For Mortals describes how three-time Olympian Keflezighi prepares to take on the best runners in the world. More importantly, the book shows everyday runners how to implement the training, nutritional, and mental principles that have guided him throughout his long career, which in addition to the 2014 Boston win includes an Olympic silver medal and the 2009 New York City Marathon title.

I got this book as an award at a local 5K this past spring and I am excited to start reading it. I am hoping that he will have some good practical advice for me to implement in my own training and that I can incorporate into the training plan for the marathon training group that I will be working with this summer. I’m interested to read his fueling strategies for longer races and workouts. Meb is sponsored by and uses Generation UCAN, which is powered by SuperStarch, a healthy, natural, gluten-free innovation in carbohydrate nutrition. SuperStarch is a complex carbohydrate that uniquely stabilizes blood sugar and causes virtually no reaction from the fat-storage hormone insulin. It’s a healthier, more efficient energy source than sugars, caffeine, or high-carb meals. I used Generation UCAN as fueling before and during my last marathon and was very pleased with the results, so I can’t wait to learn more about it.

Oh, and check out my new reading spot …

I know it looks slightly perilous to be hanging directly over the rip-rap, but the views far outweigh any potential threat.

Well, that’s it for now. Gotta run!