Kara Goucher is a rock star in the running world.  She is beautiful and sweet and tough and strong.  She has become the paradigm for the modern running woman and fast becoming it for the modern running mother.  I am waiting for her to meet me in the lobby of a hotel in NYC and enjoying the surreal feel of the moment…a journey that began months earlier by a simple gesture.   I have sent many of my Remanents running (and otherwise) inspired cards and tees to people I have genuinely admired over the years, and have received some of the most gracious responses.  The one I received from Kara Goucher was just that–a heart felt note and sincere interest in my running and business.  She makes her own cards to inspire her friends.  So I asked her to design one (just for fun) with me for charity and she was in.  Wow.

We live on opposite coasts, but with e-mails and mailings laced with reassurances like “less is more” and “keep it simple” flying back and forth, we very easily find common ground. We go with a Keith Haring-ish drawing by Kara and a Remanents pun (Kara is often described as a world-class runner “with a heart of gold”…she’s that, and BOLD).  It was an effortless collaboration as she picks a shirt style, envelope color and tells a story to inspire on the back.  She’s a designers dream.  Kara chooses MADD [Mother's Against Drunk Driving] as her choice of charity.  Her father was killed by a drunk driver years ago and this will honor his memory.  As a mother of teenagers and a young adult, this one is a cause close to home. (See article on Kara’s family and MADD)

I am really excited to see Kara coming through the front door of the hotel.  She greets me with a warm smile.  She introduces me to her good friend Paula Radcliffe (yes, I am kind freaking out a little to be among these ladies).  They have come from a luncheon and were just discussing the specifics of working out later in the hotel gym.  It could have been any one of the running women I know scheduling their next workout.  I am struck by their “normalness” and by the fact that they are working out the night before a race.  Paula catches the elevator back to her room and Kara and I head off to get the new “Kara-tee for Charity”.   She runs upstairs and returns shortly looking SO adorable with her baby belly and with husband Adam in tow.  LDFs Jane and Jamie have tagged along to help out and are masters at keeping her engaged in conversation while Andrea takes some shots.  Adam is charming and kind.

I get to jump in with Kara for a few of the photos and we head out onto the street in front of the hotel to take a few more.  We are amazed that this incredible couple is still hanging with this forty something crowd.  They are full of genuine excitement for the arrival of their son, a new house and the next part of life.  It was hard to remember that they are world class runners and not just another really nice couple from Oregon trying to give back.

So Kara and I hope you will consider buying one of these cards or one of these tees so we can donate 100% of the proceeds to MADD to honor her father.   They are only available online at Remanents.

Thanks Kara and Adam, you are a great couple and great sports and we know you will make incredible parents.

10 Questions for Kara:

1. Running skirt, friend or foe?

I have to admit this to everyone. I modeled one for a Nike catalog in 2007 and I really liked the skirt. I wore it a lot, even in the Olympic village! I got a lot of compliments on it. But I could never wear it for a hard serious workout, I just couldn’t.

2. What is your idea of the perfect run (details please…when, where with whom)

The perfect run would be on a beautiful sunny day in San Moritz. I have been lucky enough to enjoy several days of sunshine on the most amazing trails there. But for a perfect run, my dad would be there. That would be absolutely perfect.

3. What training tools/items/gear can you not live without? Will you use a jogging stroller?

I cannot live without my sports watch. I have never been able to just run and not worry about time. I like to document how far and fast I ran. No matter how fast or slow it was. I’m a bit obsessive about it. I love my sports watch! I doubt I’ll use a jogging stroller. When I run it’s my time, and I’m at “work.” I can’t imagine worrying about pushing my son around during that time.

4. What is your present state of running mind? Goals?

I am in my 7th month of pregnancy so running has taken a very different role for me right now. Instead of running as hard as I can and getting as fit as I can be, I have been able to just enjoy my running for what it is. It is time to reflect, time to see beauty, time to dream. I still have the same goals that I always have. Win a medal in the 2012 Olympics and win a Major Marathon here at home in the United States.

5. I was struck by the bond between you and Paula, what qualities do you value most in a (running) friend?

I value someone who is kind and thoughtful. I admire people who dream big and who hold themselves to high standards. I really appreciate people who are successful but don’t feel threatened by others. Paula is the greatest female distance runner of all time, but she doesn’t hesitate one second to help me out. That is a rare and wonderful quality. And you have to be able to be totally honest with a running friend. I love to talk, talk, and talk! I’ve gotten the closest to people on runs. There is an honesty there, you can share anything with each other.

OK, enough about running…

6. Best card you ever received? Given?

Asking me what is the best card I have ever received is like asking a mother which one is her favorite child. I have always loved cards. I have huge plastic tubs of them in my garage because I always save them. My mother is an amazing stamper and she has made me some of the most beautiful and clever cards, they are truly artwork. One of my closest friends always seems to send me a card at just the right time, when I am stressed or under the weather. Getting a piece of art in the mail is so amazing. To know that someone thought of you, that someone took the time to write it out and address it. That is a wonderful feeling. I am like my mom, but not as talented. I prefer to make a card, but I don’t have the skill she does. I am horrible at remembering birthdays or holidays, but I always send a card when I know one of my friends or family needs a smile. I have even given them to competitors who I see struggling! I just think that a card can lift someone’s spirits. It really can.

7. Why did you want to do a card to benefit MADD?

A few days before my 4th birthday my dad was killed by a drunk driver. It has forever changed the course of my life. MADD is a wonderful organization that helps families deal with the grief of such an event. I am proud to support it.

8. You look so cute in your “Run with a heart of [BOLD]” tee! Describe your personal style:

Why thank you! Because of my job, I spend a lot of time in workout clothes. I would say that I am a bit sporty but with a girlie edge. I love pink, I love hearts, I love all that stuff. I like to feel “cute” even when I workout, so that carries over to my personal style off the track as well.

9. Here is a pop culture quiz:

Favorite magazine to pass the time in an airport? I love Self. All the little tidbits of information, I can’t get enough!

A TV show you watch on a regular basis? How I Met Your Mother and Modern Family. Give them a chance, they are hilarious! I also love So You Think You Can Dance.

Movie you could watch over and over? Notting Hill. I have watched it a hundred times on my treadmill.

Last book you read that you loved? I read a lot and I’ve read a lot of great books. But the two I have loved the most I reread once a year. To Kill a Mockingbird and The Great Gatsby.

What music would we hear in your house on a relaxing evening? I am a total top 40s girl. I like music that makes me feel happy. I listen to a lot of 80s, pop and rock, and a lot of what is current now. My husband is so ashamed! I am a sucker for the radio. I hear it, download it, and listen to it till I can’t stand it anymore.

10. What other things have you been up to (besides designing cards and tees) since you have not been running as much? I hear you are writing a book…what is it about, and more importantly, when is it coming out?

I have been writing a book. It is a book of advice and motivation for women based on my experiences though running. I am not an expert, and I am not a coach. But I have learned a lot along the way that I think can help other women, from beginners to elite, improve and discover the joy of running. It has been such an amazing project. It will be released in April 2011. I have also been going to a lot of of races and expos, just exploring a whole different side to the sport. Being around people who run for so many different reasons, but not because it is their job. It has been such an inspiring time for me. I have loved it.

Extra credit: If I wasn’t a runner I would be …?

Honestly I think that I would have gone on in school to get my PhD to be a Psychologist. I absolutely loved being a Psychology major. I still reach for Psychology Today first when I need something to read at the airport. I am fascinated by how people’s minds work. I would definitely be doing something in the Psychology field.

Kara and Monica

Photos by runner/marathoner Andrea Mihalik

Ignorance is no longer bliss…my recently purchased Garmin is my new best friend. This week I went from zen runner to the slightly obsessed wrist watcher.  It took the urging of a new running friend (“this is a ‘need’ for you Monica, not a ‘want’ “) and a sale at REI to push me over the edge.  And although this new tightly wound persona may take some adjustment for me (and my LDFs), it’s making me a more efficient runner.  I thought a Garmin would force me to work harder, but it never occurred to me that it would give me a break.  As an aging runner, efficient training is becoming key.

In the quaint town where I live, there is a Starbucks less than a mile walk from my house.  We pass it everyday on the run as it sits in the center of all running routes.   I wore my new Garmin for the first time on Sunday for a gruelingly hot, humid 20 mile long run.  I had to do the whole thing in town (we usually hit the beautiful trails for these long ones, but motherhood was calling) and for various reasons, I was out on my own.  I pieced together the miles of several routes, monitoring my Garmin as I ran.  Then the most amazing thing happened…I hit mile 20 right at the door of Starbucks.  It was then that I realized I loved that Garmin.  It allowed me to stop guilt free and head in for a double iced soy latte (with the disgustingly sweaty five dollar bill in my pocket) and enjoy the walk home.   My usual guesstimating of distances and pace was eliminated by my Garmin.  I know I would have continued past Starbucks and run home had I not known the exact mileage. 

I am trying now to learn how to control my pace.  I aim to run the long runs slower and the fast runs faster, instead of getting caught in the same pace on all runs.   I see this displayed on the Garmin downloads and look forward to figuring out how to remedy that (thoughts?).

I did manage to leave the Garmin home for my hill repeats the other day.  I saw no point in focusing on anything other than the grade before me.  I am not sure how I will do racing with it, but look forward to trying that out.  I know I am late to the party on this, but didn’t realize all the fun I was missing:)

I first came to know of Doreen years ago on the streets of my home town.   LDF Dora and I were on our way to an early 10 mile race at the shore, when we saw Doreen run by us at a stop light.  Dora, who already knew of Doreen, was thrilled to have so easily fulfilled the good luck omen requirement of seeing a “really good runner” before a race (a very good sign that the race would go well).  And indeed it had…that race still holds as my 10 mile PR.    So it is serendipitous that Doreen be the first competitive runner to answer our “10 questions”.

Meet masters runner Doreen McCoubrie… At 48, her name inevitably would appear as the top runner of our age group in many of the local races…and never by marginal minutes, but by huge gaps of time.  She is now training to secure her spot on the starting line of the Olympic trials in the marathon for the second time (she already qualified in 2008).  She is a local hero to us forty somethings in our running community, so I am thrilled that she agreed to answer some of our questions.

Here is an excerpt from a recent Running Times article about Doreen:

“After competing in cross country at Paul VI High School in Haddonfield, NJ, McCoubrie went on to Penn State and recorded times of 4:16.9 for 1500m and 9:30.50 for 3,000m, earning All-American honors. She continued running after college and did her first marathon in 1999, a 3:12 in Maui, then broke 3:00 for the first time the following year with a 2:56:56 in Philadelphia. But the real improvement began around 2005, when she recorded 17:46 in the Freihofer’s 5K and 58:41 at Broad Street. “I didn’t really get serious about it until four or five years ago, when the kids were old enough,” explains McCoubrie, the mother of three teenagers. “I started putting in more mileage then.”

Although she recorded her personal best marathon of 2:46:33 at Chicago in 2006, she considers the 2008 Olympic trials in Boston her most memorable running experience.”  (full Running Times article here)

10 Questions for Doreen:

1. Running skirt, friend or foe?

I personally don’t see myself ever wearing one, but I think they look nice.  I just pull out whatever is on top in my drawer and hope it matches a little.  Don’t usually think about what I’m wearing when I run.

2. What is your idea of the perfect run (details please…when, where with whom)

My favorite time to run is very early in the morning as soon as its light enough to see a little.  No cars and you feel like you have the neighborhood to yourself.  I live about one mile from Valley Forge National Park and I NEVER get tired of running there it is sooooo nice.  I love to be alone in my head thinking about all different things or nothing at all and having a day when you feel like your run is effortless.

3. What are your running goals at this moment? 2012?

My most immediate goal is the Chicago Marathon and trying to qualify for the Olympic trials.  The standard is 2:46 which would be a PR, so some luck is definitely needed, but its fun to try.  Ironically, I just hurt my calf yesterday so I’m hoping its not serious.  My next goal after that is to try an ultra if my body feels okay and up to it.

4. What training tools/items/gear can you not live without?

The only thing I really worry about is good shoes.  I’m not a gear person, but I did finally get a Garmin and I like it just to keep track of distance.  I pace myself mostly by feel and don’t even keep much of a log, just distances.

5. What trait do you most value in your training partners? Are they men or women or both?

I mostly train alone but that’s more because of scheduling than anything else.  The best training partners just click. You push each other, but don’t race each other.  It just feels very comfortable.  And NO whining!

6. How has running affected you as you age, what if anything do you do differently? Take us through a typical training week in mileage…

The biggest thing is recovery.  It just takes a little longer to recover from hard workouts or minor aches and pains. I’m just careful to be smart about it so little things don’t turn into major injuries.  I don’t really do anything differently, a typical week during marathon training ranges from 80 to 95 miles per week.  I basically train all year round to get to this point as the marathon draws closer.  My training would include tempo runs, long runs of 22+, some track work such as mile repeats, striders to work on leg turnover and marathon pace runs.  I have used Pete Pfitzingers book Advanced Marathoning for the last seven years.  It’s a great book!!

7. How did training for the Olympic trials in the marathon effect your family life? Have any of your children caught the running bug? If so, do you run with them?

I try not to let my training affect my family life. Other than being a little tired I don’t think they notice too much.  They are teenagers now so they are usually still asleep by the time I get done.  Both daughters run track and have even run a couple road races with me.

8. What is your all time favorite pre-race meal?

I almost always eat pasta before a marathon, but anything resembling a carbohydrate!!  And dark chocolate.

9. Describe your favorite all time running moment or specific race?

I have lots of favorite moments, from my college days any race at Penn Relays.  From my master years it would have to be the 2008 Olympic Trials.  Just being in a race with all those women was terrific.

10. How do you keep it together mentally in a tough race? Do you mantra?

In a marathon I try to break it down into smaller pieces and give myself something to look forward to like a gu at mile 12 or seeing family or friends at mile 16.  I try to zone out in the early part of the race and run as comfortably as possible knowing that the end of the race will be hard.. I am periodically making a mental note of how I feel and try to always think of positive thoughts. If I start to think negatively, I’m done.  I also just focus on competing in a race, looking ahead to try to catch someone or run with a group, things like that.

Thank you Doreen for sharing your experience and insights.  We wish you all the best on your quest for the Olympic Trials!

When Piper Kerman was incarcerated for a year on a ten year-old drug charge, she ran everyday around the track to keep from losing her mind.  The kindness of fellow inmates in this stripped-down world provided her comfort.  This book reminded me of the redemptive qualities of running.  And although this story is not about running, it plays an intimate part in the outcome.  Running sometimes saves us from ourselves.  It can provide peace to a troubled mind or solace to a busy soul.  It can act as a catalyst to knowing that we are capable of coming back from pain.  If life is like a race, we keep running, even when it really hurts.

The unexpected friendships that developed for Piper within the walls of the prison camp brought to mind threads of running friendships.  Although not even comparable to prison life, a shared experience of long training hours and personal triumphs (reduced to the toughness and the kindness within us) can bring forth some of the most unlikely bonds.  True colors are shown and respect is earned.  Humor and connection trump competition and rivalry.

Orange is the New Black – My Year in A Women’s Prison is a really good read that opens your eyes to the injustices within the walls of our prisons.  So much of it made me cringe.  Piper is one tough cookie.   I could not put this one down and was left wanting more.

If you’re looking for more about this book and Piper Kerman, see these videos and interviews:

• NPR interview (Talk of the Nation)
• Book TV (Video of interview w/ Piper)

“Training mode” requires a restructuring of a casual life…obsession must take hold.  Part of this change involves products that aid us on the journey of soreness and fatigue caused by repetitive workouts and long hours on the run.   Running is a relatively low cost sport (unless you travel to races in far away places), but we love any gear that get us through the tough moments.   Sometimes discovering such things as ‘freezing your Gatorade the night before a long run on a hot day’ can be a revelation.  But more often, it’s the discovery of ’a running bra that doesn’t chafe’ or ‘a recovery drink that you can no longer live without’ that brings momentary bliss.  My children refer to these as “mom’s new running thing” when they discover them on a counter or in my running cubby.  Training for the San Francisco marathon has begun and although some of these items have been resurrected (partially tested from another training session), these are my favorites of the moment (we are affiliates for some of the products listed below, however, we only recommend products that we personally use and enjoy):

1) KT tape : I have been using this on my foot and knee as I got back into training.  I no longer need it on my knee, but continue to use a strip of it each day on my foot.  On the site it claims: Supports sore or injured muscles, joints, and tendons without restricting motion like compression bands or wraps. KT Tape is like a brace, but better, and even more comfortable to wear.

2) This Wooden Foot Massager sits under my desk and really seems to loosen my foot muscles as I work.  I just slip off my shoe and roll the heck out of the inside fascia.  It really feels good…I mean, hurts so good:)

3) Nuun natural hydration Gogi Berry/Green Tea tablets: I add these tablets to my water when working out or after a run for the vitamins and electrolytes without the calories.  I like the light taste and appreciate that I can keep the tablets in my bag and just add to my bottle of water.

4) Trader Joe’s Almond Butter with Roasted Flax Seeds on crusty whole wheat bread, Trader Joe’s Simply the Best Trek Mix and roasted and salted almonds from Wegman’s.   All becoming staples in my pre and post run meals.

5) The music playlist my husband made and loaded onto my ipod.  I like it for workouts and weight training…gets me going.  I just recently tried it on the track and loved it’s motivational vibe.

6) My Newtons: I love these shoes.  They feel good on my feet and light in my training.  I just purchased my second pair of trainers (wish they were a little less expensive-ouch!) but feel like they have been great for my injured feet.  I must add, however, that whenever there is an update on ones favorite running shoe you hope it’s a tolerable color combo (as we do not choose our shoes for their color).  But whomever designed the newest women’s stability trainer might have been on something.  The bright lime green laces with glittered green logo (and I am a fan of glitter) have elicited many comments…most referencing clowns.

7) The Under Armour Form Tank is my new favorite running top.  It’s long so it covers the tummy but the fabric is light.  Love the stylish back.  I wore it for the oppressively hot Broad Street run and it really kept me really dry.   They also have it in black but I love this pink…

courtesy of www.chrismcdougall.com/blog

Christopher McDougall’s Born to Run has ignited a raucous, ongoing debate in the running (and larger) community about the benefits of barefoot running and the integrity of the running shoe industry.  The book’s influence has extended to our feet; both Monica and I have switched to the lighter Newton’s and I am not automatically replacing mine after 300 miles.

But Born to Run is more than a book about barefoot running.  Christopher McDougall is a storyteller extraordinaire.  The book is a page turner, replete with an adroit portrayal of the Tarahumara of Mexico and incisive characterizations of singular people, such as the awesome Ann Trason and Jenn Shelton.  He brings to life the colorful and robust world of ultra runners, the exhilaration of the Leadville Trail 100 race and the history, lore and physiology of endurance running.

I recently re-read Born to Run via CD.  My husband (a non-runner) and 13 year-old daughter (not particularly interested in adult pursuits) were captivated by the stories.  The Tarahumara and ultra races became dinner table fare. High praise!

What’s more, after reading a few chapters and I felt the urge to get out there—and run long…

10 Questions for Chris McDougall:

1. The Jon Stewart appearance, interviews with major newspapers, the NY Times Best Sellers list, that Jeopardy question…..describe a memorable moment on the best selling author circuit.

Jon Stewart telling me the bottom of my foot felt like a dog’s paw was definitely one for the scrapbooks.  but the wildest had to be when I met Caballo’s old girlfriend after a book signing in seattle.  she gave me a picture of him from 25 years ago that showed him holding a scruffy dog and leaning against an old pickup … and he was doing EXACTLY the same thing last time I saw him.

2. At what moment after the publication of Born to Run did you realize that the book had taken on a life of its own?  Do you think that the book’s release date, in the midst of the economic crisis, contributed to runners’ willingness to embrace the debate about barefoot running?

barefoot running is really just a fraction of what the book is all about. the heart of the story is the message that running can be a total blast, and not just a punishment for pizza. and if people are responding
to the less-is-best revelations about running shoes, that’s probably because we’ve hit critical mass when it comes to injuries and frustration. for decades, we’ve been told that fancy shoes will make running better,
and now it’s clear that we’ve been fooled by a bunch of marketing blather.

3. We both wear Newton’s.  What do you think of them? Are your daughters wearing running shoes?  If so, which type?

i’ve never tried newtons. personally, i feel more comfortable wearing nothing (interpret that any way you like). my kids are just yung’uns, so they crash around in whatever cheapos we can find. during their school’s race for education, we were the only one running barefoot — for about 10 minutes. as soon as the other kids realized they didn’t have to wear shoes, they started chucking them. soon, there was a mountain of discarded sneakers and an army of grinning kids whizzing around the soccer field.

4. Born to Run is about so much more than barefoot running.  What other transferable skills should we take away from the Tarahumara?

my apologies if this sounds unhelpful, but i’d like to avoid trying to distill their culture into self-help tips. Caballo has been down there for 15 years and he’s still getting his arms around things.

5. How has the success of Born to Run shaped your approach to your current project?  Any hint on the subject?  Have you learned anything more about a Born to Run movie?

it’s been a wild week. yesterday, i closed a deal for the next book, and today (literally, four hours ago) i signed the movie contract. i have no clue what happens next with the movie, if anything. as for the book,
believe me — if i tried to describe it, you’d yawn. i still haven’t figured out how to pithily summarize born to run without it sounding weird and nerdy.

6. We are fascinated that women are racing and beating men at the Ultra level.  Are men running these distances slower or are women running them faster?  Does the 100 miler finally level the playing field?  Can you talk about this a little…or write a book about it?

wait, i thought i just did! what i was getting at with the anthropological evidence about ultrarunning is the idea that if humans truly did evolve as persistence hunters (that is, as hunters who ran their quarry to death through heat exhaustion), then it would only make sense that the hunting pack would have to remain a pack — men and women, old and young alike. so it’s not that women get stronger as distances get longer — it’s more that the differences between men and women diminish.

7. What do you think the next big debate in running will be about?

there’s still a lot of life left in this one… Dr. Lieberman, the harvard professor who’s spearheading the best research into barefoot running, is making it clear that we still have a lot to learn about running technique. style had been ignored for too long in favor of sales and marketing, and it’s going to take a while to turn that ship around.

8. It’s been a snowy winter in Pennsylvania…what is the state of your  running?  Are you planning any ultras?  Do you think about writing on the run or is it more of a quieting experience?

i’ve had some great runs. luckily, i live in dairy country, so the roads get plowed pretty snappily so the milk truck can get thru. the second i’ve got a clear path, i’m gone. the best runs of your life are always on a snowy morning when everyone is too afraid to drive. no plans for any races it’s been much more fun being a pacer for friends rather than entering them myself. if you ever want to see a look of pure love on someone’s face, be waiting for them at mile 60 with a bag of M&Ms. you’ll never feel so adored in your life. sure, i think about writing while i run, but i think about everything.

9. What is Jenn Shelton up to these days?  Are runner tourists attempting to visit the Tarahumara?  How do they fare?

Jenn is living in Oregon and tearing up the trails. here’s an update:
http://outside.away.com/outside/culture/200907/jenn-shelton-ultramarathon-1.html
Caballo managed to stage his race again this year, and he had a whopping turnout — over 200 Tarahumara runners, and 60-some Americans and other visitors. Caballo said it was a total party.

10. Who are some of your favorite authors and runners?

i’m old school. Emil Zatopek, Nelson Algren, Patricia Highsmith, Marshall Ulrich.

Extra credit: Did you persuade your family to eat chia?  Do you have a favorite recipe?

just soak it and slip it into pancake batter. my kids don’t mind the chia, but the wheat germ and flax seeds really piss them off.

Jean Metzinger painting from the Picasso exhibit courtesy of the PHA

Yesterday was a carpe diem day.  There is something euphoric about checking off items from a “things I want to try out/do” list. There are so many that somehow never happen. Yesterday was a day of accomplishment to temper the more frequent sentiment of a ”I didn’t get enough done ” type day.

I was up at 4:30am to get dressed, stretch and drive a few towns over for a 5:15 11 mile run.  Hilly and challenging, in the way that makes you finish knowing you had nothing left (and probably should have eaten something in your groggy haste).  By 10 am I was off to see the Picasso and the Avant-Guarde exhibit at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.  Cubism art history and comparative studies, a very enjoyable show followed by a yummy veggie sandwich on olive focaccia at the cafe to fuel me ahead.  It felt great to walk so much after a hard run, I often don’t have the opportunity to do that and sit stiff in my office chair.  Yes, playing hookey today, an occasional must!

In the early evening, Jamie and I decided to finally try out the run/yoga sessions advertised on the Lululemon website.  They offer this in many cities around the country in conjunction with local running stores, in this case Philadelphia Runner.  I have run twice in one day only a few times but with all quiet on the home front (husband in town taking the reins), I could not forgo this perfect opportunity.  We arrived early at the running store and browsed a well stocked, very friendly-staffed establishment.  Runners are so friendly aren’t they?  I love that.  A group of about 20-30 people headed out from the store in small groups.  A 5 mile group, a 2 mile group and a 2 mile walk/run group.  Many of them were beginning a training program for the Philadelphia Broad Street 10 mile run.   Broad street is a fun, flat race through the center of Philly.  We opted for the 2 miler and followed a young lady and man throughout the streets of a bustling downtown.  It was a beautiful 60 degree night and a welcome change from the suburban landscape that backdrops our standard route.   We got the feeling that most runners were new runners, perhaps there to take on their first race.  We met afterward at the Lululemon store around the corner for oranges, bananas, a little stretching and some ab exercises…yoga?  Everyone was very welcoming and friendly and seemed to be catering to a new/beginning runner crowd.  There was no yoga to be found, but I was able to find a pair of technikini mesh underwear in a fabulous shade of purple (which brought up a discussion for a future post topic: do you wear underwear when you run?).

We headed back to the Philadelphia Runner as we had heard there was a speaker.  We felt positively lucky to find Runner’s World contributing nutritionist Nancy Clark already fielding questions.  She has written several books on sports nutrition (Sports Nutrition Guidebook, Fourth Edition, Nancy Clark’s Food Guide for Marathoners, 2nd Edition, and Getting It Right From The Start, Nancy Clark’s Food Guide For New Runners)  but hearing her explain the body’s needs for continuous daily fuel was an epiphany.  She used the car/fuel analogy to illustrate our body’s prerequisite for an energy source , it all made so much sense.  We hung on her every word and loved her warm, quirky, knowledgeable manner.  She suggested we think of eating on a time-line of four meals.  Breakfast (consisting of both pre and post workout mini meals), “first” lunch, “second” lunch (as opposed to snack which may be a much smaller, less healthy option) and dinner.  She introduced such ideas as cutting calorie intake at dinner at the back end of the day instead of at the beginning to lose weight while training.  She talked about keeping active all day vs. running in the AM and being inactive the remainder of the day.  She even purposed eating a Milky Way bar or a Twizzler in lieu of yet another gel packet on long runs.  She concluded with a couple of  helpful websites:  www.dayfit.com for nutritional info and www.scandpg.com to locate a sports dietician in your area.

This serendipitous meeting of yet another author was such fun for us.  I came home that night to a quiet household and a new disc of the defiant favorite Nurse Jackie to view before lights out–great day!

It’s amazing when you get to a certain age, and you talk about sleep in the same way you spoke about getting inebriated… I got eight hours last night. It was fantastic! Johnny Depp

Often, on running mornings, the first thing we talk about is our state of sleep. “I got to bed too late.” “I woke up at 3 and couldn’t get back to sleep.”  “I’m tired!!”  Sleep, like so much of youth, was a simple activity, taken for granted.  In middle age, I court sleep. And fret over it. While sleepy, I am cranky, tedious and famished. A good night’s sleep is the holy grail of comfort and restoration. I bask in it.

I recently read, Healing Night, by Rubin R. Naiman, Ph.D. Naiman is a clinical psychologist specializing in the field of sleep.  He works with natural wellness guru, Dr. Andrew Weil. The book is replete with new age flourishes. But, the vast amount of information about sleep is enlightening……I thought that I would share some of it here.

Yet another debt crisis to fear: sleep debt. Chronic lost and damaged sleep has a deleterious affect on our mood, physical well being, mental acuity, athletic ability and waistline. Falling asleep within 5-10 minutes of hitting the pillow signals a sleep debt. Sleep should be a gradual process (akin to walking into a lake).

Naiman recommends that we avoid looking at the time once we begin to enter the sleep state. If 20-30 sleepless minutes have passed, he advises us to get up, do something else and await sleepiness. My obsessive mind wanders–has it been 10 minutes? 20? 24? Should I get up now? In 5 more minutes? I’d better peak at the clock. What time did I go to bed again?

The term “cognitive popcorn” is bandied about. It refers to those thoughts (often anxiety filled) that enter our consciousness and prevent us from falling asleep or wake us up mid-sleep.

Sleeploading is recommended. That is, make up for sleep debt by spending a week or so going to sleep and waking up when the body chooses…even on vacation, this transcendent opportunity rarely presents itself!

Our bedrooms should be cool, dark and quiet.

We are biologically programmed to nap.

The BFF of runner’s, NSAID’s (Advil, Motrin,Aleve), compromise deep sleep by inhibiting melatonin production.

Encountering natural light in the morning stimulates the release of serotonin (associated with energy, activation and focused attention.) Is it any wonder that our recent sunlight dappled morning runs have been so sweet?

A good run is often preceded by a great night’s sleep.  For me, running is conducive to clear thinking and resolve. Sleeping promotes learning and focus. A powerhouse combination.  Without dwelling on a problem, I return from my run and the solution is often illuminated.

I decide I will give a full nights sleep its due.  But, waking hours are jam packed with family, work, mundane tasks and the black hole of the internet. I finally settle down to catch up on the books, magazines and newspapers eluding me all day and voila!  It’s time to turn off the lights!  What do I choose?

Last night, I chose the silver lake of sleep. And what did I hear? My popping thoughts. I lay there reorganizing my pre-sleep days to fit in New York magazine….and The 3 Weismanns of Westport, the Bon Appetit yet to be opened……the new season of Damages perhaps.

It’s been over a year since I last raced and I decided it was time.  Jamie and I and a few other LDFs signed up for the all women MORE/Fitness Magazine Half Marathon in Central Park on April 25th.  This girl-power infused race around Central Park is a great energy boost.  And although this is not the ideal course (as Liz Robbins noted in her “a bold pace questionnaire”), it is a gratifying loop around a fabulous park.  Running with all women always proves to deliver a different experience than the co-ed versions.  All are so polite, positive and actually throw their cups in the provided trash receptacles instead of at your feet (nothing like a little Gatorade bath during a race).  Weaving through the abundance of walkers can be a challenge for runners, but the cheers and support from fellow participants can counter the annoyance.  I don’t think this is PR territory, but a fun girls-day-out in New York and an open door back to race mode.

So with race mode as the goal, it’s time to do some research and planning.   I hardly ever buy a book anymore.  We have a well-endowed town library that is always on the cutting edge of newly released titles.  Every couple of weeks I scan my favorite sources ( Book Beast, NPR Books, EW Book Reviews, NY Times, a list of highly regarded recommendations from Jamie) and fill my online library queue with a fine selection of books.  They are, however, not as interested in running as I am so I am sometimes forced to resort to Amazon.  I’ve had my eye on three books that I thought would fuel my training and they had all of them at a more than agreeable price. I received them yesterday and spent my night reading.

Running Anatomy by Joe Puleo and Dr. Patrick Milroy was a recommendation from LDF and running guru Dora.  She is a PT and I can see how she would love the clear textbook style of this book.  The detailed illustrations showing targeted muscles in motion shed light on how our bodies work when running.  Insight into how specific strength training exercises can effect running will be very helpful.

Racing Weight–How to get Lean For Peak Performance by Matt Fitzgerald is one I read about on a blog.  This is a 5-step plan for endurance athletes to improve performance by reaching optimal weight.  Not a new topic, but one that plagues me when racing.  So far there is nothing ground breaking here.  Rules like: eat early and often, stick to whole grains, and no refined sugar can be found but the sections on timing of meals and sport specific diet concerns make it interesting.  Of course I had to skip to the chapter that chronicles some of the exact training meals of such endurance athletes as Ryan Hall…no sign of donuts there!

And finally, I decided as a 47 year-old injury prone woman with menopause on the horizon, I need to run less.  But I don’t want to stop racing!  I thought Runner’s World Run Less, Run Faster was a program I would like to try for my next marathon.  Three key running workouts per week plus cross training may be the new balance I need to get me to the starting line of the Chicago Marathon, strong and injury free.

This morning, on my first 13+ mile run in a very long time, I felt like I could have run forever!  I promised myself I would stick to the plan (and I did), but I wanted to keep going…what is it about those days?  It got me thinking…”What makes a good run?”  Some days can be so hard.  A myriad of variables can contribute to the overall design of a run, some weigh heavier than others.  A solid 8 hours of sleep helped.  A nutritious well-balanced dinner that included my favorite pre-run/race food of rice kicked in a pre-run bathroom visit.  OK, too much information? Perhaps, but as Rachel Toor noted in her interview a pre-race poop can be sublime.  I wore my new super-soft powder pink running top (what is it about certain gear that makes us happy?).   A crisp 34 degrees and sunny day contributed to the euphoria, a warm and welcoming shot of vitamin D.   I was happy to be in the company of good- humored and great story- telling LDFs.  I have learned over the years of running that there are some combinations of running friends that can make the miles melt.  I find that personality, temperament, confidence or a wicked sense of humor can change the dynamic and mood.  Some days can be like a fabulous cocktail party and others more like a PTA meeting.  And then there is pace (which incidentally is never even mentioned on a day like today).  We start slow and gradually work into a faster pace near the end.  The negative split mentality is implied and somehow works to create a satisfying finish.  We feel strong.  And finally, no foot pain.  When you have a nagging injury, the mere absence of of its pain can spark energy.  We all need runs like these to get us through the more mundane or painful ones.  I sometimes equate training runs to a “crap shoot”…a game of chance we are trying to control as much as possible.  The outcome can sometimes depend on what is going on in our lives before we hit the road, but when the elements align, it restores my love of running.  Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that we met next to a Starbucks today and the icing on the cake was the double tall soy latte to sip on the ride home:)

p.s. I tried the Tide Sport laundry detergent and thought it was great.  For $10.99 at Target , I was able to make my running clothes and my husband and son’s tennis clothes smell- free.  It is strong, but not overwhelming (a hint of “Fabreze” mixed with Irish Spring Fresh).  I also picked up a bottle of the new Fabreze Sport odor eliminator for the shoe closet…so much better in there now!