Time to go faster

Running fast is great. For me, that is the moment when I actually feel like a runner.

Today I’ve decided to take it ‘easy’ and try out my speed. The weather seemned nice and the tempareture was decent.

Luckily I own several pairs of running shoes, so I didn’t have to wear the ones that are all covered in mud and dirt. (I know I should wash them, but it seems like a such a hard work! Maybe another time…)

Anyhow. I got all dressed up (forgot my hat and gloves though) and went running against the wind. I must stay, it is quite a workout! Already after 5 minutes I felt like opening my jacket and trying to catch my breath. I would recommend windoroof gear for these situations, but like I said, after few minutes, you’re warm enough, and might not need anything fancy except for a running jacket (although a headband would also be quite useful – as my ears were getting cold….).

I did a 6.5 km run in 36.5 min = 10.68 km/h ! That is really good. I am aiming to run in 11 – 12 km/h a 10k distance somewhere in the summer. Going through online tips for improving the speed, it is recommended to aim for the hills, quit eating sweets and do some sprints. I know I’m not good at following any tips that dont allow me to eat things like chocolate, so I’ll try to train (run) more often and go little bit faster each time. That’s more doable.

This month I haven’t done as much running as I did in October, so that is another key element; consistency. It really does feel harder to run and have a good performance after skipping few runs! My excuses were university and other nonsenses I do daily (like facebooking and checking e-mail), when I could have had even a short 15-20 min run.

But I hope I will do better in December. I have to. And for anyone reading this blog, I really recommend keeping track of your activities. I think it is important to see and compare the runs, logs and everything! Because then you can learn if you have gaps in your activity calendar, and how to add exercise into them. Also have a goal and check how are you performing/are you getting there?

That’s all for now.

XO

M.D.

Running in dark

I’ve just returned from a late run. My 10k run took place on road and forest trail. There are no any street lights and it gets literally pitch black.

Wearing a head torch, I’ve managed to complete the run, but there are few things I’ve learned from this run, that even I need to improve for the next time.

1. Visibility: check your gear, and make sure you have 360 degrees reflection.  Your reflectors might be as thin stripes/dots/various shapes on your jacket and pants. Wearing a reflecting vest is another option making sure you are seen. Doesn’t matter are you running in the city with street lights or not, it’s for your own safety.
2. Head torch: From personal experience, I recommend investing in quality torch, that lights up big time and doesn’t move around on your head or feel uncomfortable when wearing it. You won’t see far, but with better light you can spot puddles or bumps.
3. Stay motivated and brave: When you are unable to see far, the run can start to feel to take for ever. Or you might even get scared of empty roads and darkness. Just try to think of something positive – the run will be over soon!

XO

M.D.

Trail running

Trail running is a new thing to me. Sort of. Back few years ago when I first started to run, I went running in to the woods, because my run was only 3k (there was a small forest patch on a hill with really good trail). When my body got used to run 3k, I had to change my run, and started to run on roads.

Now I have rediscovered the joy of trail running. Biggest benefit that pops into my mind is, that you are changing your running style and you need to concentrate on the path. Jumping over muddy puddles, skipping over roots, and non-stop ups and downs.

I must admit, my time for 5k trail run is much slower than one on a road, but it feels harder and really gets heart pumping.

If you don’t have a trail near your home, once a week or even once a month try to get to one. I’m not an expert, but you could skip your strength training at the gym for a good trail run (not all of them though! Because you still need to do some strength training), since you will be using whole bunch of other muscles than what you do when running on a flat land.

Think about it and give it a try. You can even walk it, because sometimes a good walk equals to a run. 🙂

XO

M.D.

Mixing things up

If your running starts to feel “too good”, easy or boring, you could mix up your training with other activities, or spice-up your run.

Making a big change, is by changing the sports. From running to cycling, gym classes or at home workouts by watching videos online. Doing something completely different will have an affect on what you feel about running and what you can feel about new activities. Who knows, you might pick up a triathlon after some time.

Relatively small and easy change is by changing the scenery and running type. E.g. From road to trail or from jogging to interval running.

Spicing up your run with extra activies is very common, and I have seen this done by runners in different countries! Here are few examples;

• Slowing down your pace and adding boxing. Shadow boxing is a great way to add something new to your run and warm up your upper body.
• Stopping for strength training and stretching. Pull-ups, push-ups, squats, ect. You might be lucky and have a outdoor gym nearby, but kids playpark work as well! If I run in the forest, I try to find a nice solid rock to jump on and off from, and smaller ones to use as weights. There are plenty cool ideas online on how to use the outdoors as your free gym.
• If you’re not tracking your runs, start doing it now, and try to beat your runs by distance or speed.

Thats all for now!

XO

M.D.

What to wear?

I am living in a country with 4 seasons, so we get +30 in the summer and up to -30 in the winter. With changing weather from warm to cold and dry to wet in spring and autumn.

So deciding what to wear for a run can be challenging at the times, especially if you haven’t invested in ‘weatherproof’ running gear.

In this post I will only talk about running gear for autumn/fall season.

Starting from top to bottom, if the weather is semi-warm, with a bit of wind and possible rain; I would personally recommend these items:

Head: A running hat or band to keep your head and ears warm. You can also find ones with wind proof piece on the forehead, but that’s just plain luxury. If it gets warm, you can take it off and put into a pocket. (With headband I usually pull it down and wear as ‘necklace’, if it gets too warm)

Upper body: There are two options. Long sleeved shirt with a vest or top/t-shirt with a jacket. Jacket/vest should be your usual, thin and water repellent (mine is Nike storm fit, where you can zip-off the sleeves). Don’t wear any heavy, thick jumpers, even though it’s cold outside – you’ll get warm soon enough while running (other option is to do a quick warm-up before heading outside).

Lower body: Again two options; shorts with long, thin thermal pants or long running tights/leggings. I prefer running in my usual leggings, on warmer days I wear 3/4 leggings. You shouldn’t wear too much nor wear winter gear yet.

Feet: Your usual socks and running shoes. If you want to be fancy, you can buy yourself waterproof running shoes for rainy days, but you don’t really need them.

Now if it rains, it really doesn’t matter. You’ll get wet anyway. Just take off your wet clothes as soon as you get back in.

And don’t stay out stretching. You might feel warm after a run, but the weather is still cold (and you might get sick).

That’s all for now!

XO

M.T.

Running blind

Short insight of an inspiring article from Runners World SA (October 2016 issue) Out of Sight.

Being relatively new to the running, and “runners world” (talking about runners in general, not the magazine), I haven’t put much thought regarding other runners out there. I run alone, I have never entered any competitions and I do not have any running buddies (few of my friends run, but we all train by ourselves).

After reading an article Out of Sight by Lisa Nevitt, about Richard Monisi, who was born blind, really made me think about runners who are achieving so much, even with their disabilities.

Monisi has achieved 11 Ocean Ultras and 12 Comrades Marathons! (Marathon PB 3:15)

Imagine, that a someone who cannot see what is infront of him, runs. There has been falls, runs into walls, and you will never see the finish line, but you still run. There is so much more to it, than just getting from A to B or finishing the race. What is it to you? Have a think about it, what your runs really mean to you.

In the end of an article, there are good tips, if you want to become a guide for a blind runner. Now I am not sure when or where I am going to sign up for a race, but when that day comes, I am quite sure I will try to be the helping hand if needed, as there is only so little but at the same time so much to give.

Thank you for a wonderful story Lisa!

XO

M.T.

Skipping your run?

Sometimes you might feel like your legs are too heavy, you’re not motivated and generally feel lazy or tired, and you want to skip a run. Most of us has had those days, but if you’re running a lot, you might have earned a ‘day-off’. But honestly speaking, if I skip one of my planned or even ‘not-so-planned-runs-but-shall-go-for-a-run-anyway’ I feel bad or disappointed in myself later that day or latest the next day.

So how to have the will and desire to go out for a run?

These couple tips have and still do help me:

Get dressed in your running gear. Once you’re dressed, your running motivation might kick-in. And you’re technically ready to go – all you need to do, is change your attitude.

Do a warm-up. Or some stretching. Your mood can change with a slight exercise, and you’ll be back on track in a glimpse!

Turn your run into a competition. If you’re competitive type, you might find your motivation in challenging yourself to trying to break a record from one of your previous runs. It can be anything. Distance, time, pace or you can try something new, like sprinting or jogging.

Change your run. Once I’ve decided to actually run to shops. I did my shopping, and ran back home. The other day, I went running to a place I haven’t been before. Exploring new roads while running can turn out into a great experience.

If you have any tips, please share them by leaving a comment!

XO

M.T.

Physical activity guidelines

Useful information from nhs.uk:

How much physical activity do adults aged 19-64 years old need to do to stay healthy?

To stay healthy or to improve health, adults need to do two types of physical activity each week: aerobic and strength exercises.

To stay healthy, adults aged 19-64 should try to be active daily and should do:

• at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity such as cycling or fast walking every week, and
• strength exercises on two or more days a week that work all the major muscles (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders and arms).

OR

• 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity, such as running or a game of singles tennis every week, and
• strength exercises on two or more days a week that work all the major muscles (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders and arms).

OR

• A mix of moderate and vigorous aerobic activity every week. For example, two 30-minute runs plus 30 minutes of fast walking equates to 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity, and
• strength exercises on two or more days a week that work all the major muscles (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders and arms).

A rule of thumb is that one minute of vigorous activity provides the same health benefits as two minutes of moderate activity.

One way to do your recommended 150 minutes of weekly physical activity is to do 30 minutes on 5 days a week.

All adults should also break up long periods of sitting with light activity.

You can read the whole article here.

Eating after a run

How soon should you eat after a run? What should you eat? I have previously mentioned, that I am not a nutritionist, but I have done some reading, and I can share my own experiences on this matter.

After a hard long run, first of all, make sure you are well hydrated. For my runs, I do not take water with me (but that’s only if my run is less than an hour). So first thing you should do, is drink plenty of water. Just pure, still water. (I drink 0.5l bottle of water on one go)

From some fitness magazines, I have red that body is still burning fat for one hour after the exercise. So if you are aiming to lose some kgs, I recommend taking it easy, having a nice long shower and slowly prepare yourself for the meal. If you’re feeling weak and you feel like you must eat something, have a banana, nuts or glass of milk/yoghurt (soya milk and almond milk are great!).

Running magazines and websites say to eat as soon as you’re finished with the run. But this is to compliment your workout, if you’re training for a long run, trying to improve your performance and avoid muscle soreness.

20g of protein is something you should aim to eat. This can be a milkshake, yoghurt, lean meats or eggs.

I have also found another tip from verywell.com:

A good rule of thumb for post-run food is a ratio of 1 gram of protein to 3 grams of carbs. Carbs in the form of glucose are to break down and used as fuel. So high-glycemic index foods like potatoes, pasta, bread, and rice are good choices for refueling muscles. Pair one of those foods with a protein such as lean chicken or turkey breast (3 oz.), salmon (3 oz.), or a large egg and you’ve got yourself a solid post-run recovery meal.

Lean sources of protein and grams per serving:

• 85g chicken breast; 21 grams
• 85g salmon; 21 grams
• 85g lean beef; 21 grams
• 85g turkey breast; 21 grams
• 1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese;14 grams
• 115g fat free Greek yogurt; 14 grams
• 1 large egg; 6 grams

Links for further reading:

How to recover after your run (BBC Good Food)
What should I eat fater a run? (VeryWell)
What to eat after running (U.S.News)

Bouncing back on track

There might be a moment in your life, when you will have to stop running. And the next move is, is getting your habit back on track.

Once I’ve managed to broke my leg. Quite badly. And therefore I was banned from running for 4 months. When I got better, I had to work longer hours and eventually my days were scheduled from early morning to the very late with… life. Until I found time for my runs, after 6-7 months! Getting back on track felt – at the beginning- horrible. But it took me about two – three weeks to get back into habit. So not so bad, right?

But after a while I got pregnant. I did some research and found out that pregnant women can run too! Even on their last month of pregnancy (if it feels ok). I ran until I was 7 months pregnant, then I started to cycle indoors… But to be honest, after the baby was out, the running habit has been constantly on and off.

So with any changes in your life, you might need to work on your schedules. I know it sounds like a boring task, but there might be a chance, that you might not be able to run at your usual time with your usual distance, since you haven’t been out and about. Nor as often (to be honest…).

You might not be at the begginers state, but your run might feel a bit… meh. And if you’re not a running enthusiast, your motivation can drop and you might feel like quitting.

Try to look back at your tracks and running experiences. Search for that motivation! Maybe it is a quote, a photo or a competition (if you haven’t attended to any runs, maybe it is time to sign up for one!). Sometimes, just with buying new gear, like shoes or outfit, can inspire you to run again! Remember that you might need to start doing extra stretching, maybe even yoga or breathing exercises as well to support the run, but it will eventually all pay off.

It will feel hard in the beggining, but that feeling will change and the runs will be part of your life again. Don’t give up, start small, and you’ll bounce back in no time!