Tag: Running

5 Tips to Train the Brain: Mental Training for Endurance Athletes

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John and I were just moments from jumping into the river at Ironman Louisville. The line was moving at a fast pace, and I was quiet. John asked, “Are you okay?” “Yep,” I replied. “I’m just getting ready to go to work.” I was calm and prepared. Flashback to Ironman Mont Tremblant in 2012. John and I are on the beach, in the moments before the start. He asked me how I was doing. I burst into tears. I was nervous and scared. What was the difference between these two moments? Simple: My brain. Most of us spend 7 days a week training our …

Moments of Movement

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Tuesday night, I went to bed with a feeling of physical satisfaction and mental contentment. In the previous week, I had had moments of flashing brilliance in my workouts. My mind and my body were giving me all of the right signs to indicate that it was time to look forward to the 2014 triathlon season. As I fell asleep that night, I dreamt of sugar plum fairies, Ironman trophies, and Kona slots. When I woke up, I swung my legs around to get out of bed. Huh. That doesn’t feel right. There was a niggle inside of my left hip. A little tender, I thought. …

A Pretty Big Run with a Pretty Important Meaning

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There has to be more to life than going to work, spending money, and complaining about the weather. At least, I certainly hope there is. Life must mean something–or even a whole lot of somethings. The actions we take and the paths we make have to contribute to some greater good, whether that is through supporting others, improving social justice, or just simply being a positive influence. Endurance sport adds considerable meaning to my life. But, the significance of running and triathlon goes well beyond the physical acts of training and racing. Sure, the human body is pretty amazing, and I’ve learned …

Pure #awesomesauce: Rosaryville 50k race report

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Not long after I finished Ironman Louisville, my coach Vince and I talked to discuss what was next. “I want you to run a 50k,” he said. “Squeeeeeeaaaaaaallllllll!!!!” I was so excited, and so very loud in my exclamation. I do feel optimistic that Vince will regain full hearing at some point. Prior to this talk, I had assumed that his recommendation would be another 6-months of cycling, with a side of cycling. But, I was wrong. Gloriously, wonderfully, happily wrong. I had about two months to focus my training on the thing I loved the most: the run. And …

Yes, running hurts, but it’s just pain

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Ironman training is hard. But, more than anything, Ironman training involves loooonnngggg hours. Ultramarathon training doesn’t have as much volume – but oh boy, it packs a much more painful punch. It’s been a few years since I trained for an ultramarathon, and after the third or fourth looooonnnnggggg run, I remembered just how painful ultra running can be. But, let’s be honest, here. The pain is part of what I like about it. Yes. Running hurts. But, that’s living, as the nerves fire and the muscles strain. With each footfall, you get a very tactile sense of the kinetic …

The fog lifts to reveal the present moment

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The last two months have been busy. In fact, I haven’t been this busy since I-don’t-remember-when (which explains the poorly updated blog as of late…). When I get this level of busy, and I have limited “me” time, I tend to get cranky, anxious, and fatigued. Needless to say, a busy work schedule is not optimal for training. And, I’ve felt a little off most days, as if my body was not 100%, and my mind has felt foggy. At first, I thought these feelings were simply a result of my I-can-do-two-ironmans-in-one-month stint. To be sure, that trick left a …

Instant Gratification & Endurance Sport

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As a culture, we’ve become increasingly absorbed by products, services and experiences that promise instant gratification. In the world of endurance sport, maybe this translates to taking supplements (legal or illegal) to lose weight quickly, to build strength quickly, to boost endurance overnight, to eliminate fatigue. Maybe it means we expect unrealistic results, before we’ve put the time in, before we’ve done the work we need to do in order to achieve the goals that are worth achieving. Maybe it means we compare ourselves to others, thinking if we do exactly what they have done, we’ll have the same results. …

We will always run

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On the afternoon of the Boston Marathon, I had planned to publish a post about how to qualify for Boston. For me, qualifying for and running the Boston Marathon several years ago was a triumph, a celebration of hard work. I wanted to help others experience that same joy, that same extraordinary experience. Instead, just as I was preparing the final touches on the post, I heard the news. Stolen was the triumph. Unfulfilled was the celebration. The extraordinary joy of Boston became a violent tragedy in just one moment. Since the bombings, I’ve struggled with what to write about …

All in a Day’s Eating: Nutrition for the Endurance Athlete

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I can eat some food. Upon seeing my plate of food after a long day of working and training, some have remarked that I have the appetite of a football player. Or a triathlete. Either way. I carry a cooler of snacks with me almost everywhere I go. At work, my colleagues have yelled “SNACKS!” just to get my attention. Suffice to say, endurance athletes burn a lot of calories, so we need to eat a lot of calories. If I didn’t do any training or exercise, a woman my size (5’3″, 125 lbs) and age (39) would need a base of …

Road Noise Vest Passes the 100 Mile Test

[Note: Road Noise provided  John and I with road noise vests for our review. We agreed to review the vests and provide our honest assessment.] “So, how did you like the Road Noise vest during the race?” I asked John the morning he ran 100 miles at the NJ Ultra Festival. “It’s the sh!t.” He replied. If you’ve never heard of the Road Noise vest, then I am excited to be the one to introduce you to this invention which solves problems for endurance athletes of all type–runners and cyclists in particular. In sum: Road Noise is a headphone-free way to …