I despise running hills. Not all hills, the gently inclining ones don’t bother me, and of course, going down a hill is no problem, but I hate those steep, evil looking ones that you can see from a mile away that you know are going to suck all hope and happiness from your legs and mind. And, you may be thinking, … Read More
Keep Your Training on Track!
You know the excuses: “I’m too tired”, “My stomach hurts”, “It’s too early”, “I just don’t want to run today”, and the one I use the most: “It’s too hot!”. Sticking to a training plan can be hard, it requires an equal balance of motivation, reward, sacrifice, and fun; your whole schedule changes, you don’t get to see your friends … Read More
Unlikely Heros: Inspiring Stories from this Year’s Olympic Runners
We all expect Usain Bolt and Lolo Jones to draw huge numbers to the TV screen during this year’s Olympics. They are outstanding athletes and most likely will get a spot on the podium, but there are also some absolutely inspiring runners who are competing this year who may not even finish 4th, or 5th, or 20th. I’ve put together … Read More
The 4iiii Sportiiiis Review: Using Your Eyes to Train
Manufacturer: 4iiii Innovations Model: Sportiiiis Heads Up Display Base Price: $149.99 As much as I love my Garmin, I am constantly bothered that I can’t read off my pace and heart rate at the same time. Obviously, the two are intricately connected. The Sportiiiis easily solves this problem with a nifty LED indicator that sits below your eye and lets … Read More
Old Shoe Blues
Today, I got to go to the local running store, Fit2Run, here in Gainesville. My boyfriend, Dylan, has been complaining of sore feet and bad shin splints for a while now after running in his Brooks Pureflows, a minimalist shoe with a small foam cushion. Surprise, surprise, our helpful sales assistant, Scott, told him it was time for new pair … Read More
Choose Your Own (Running) Adventure
“You step onto the road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there’s no knowing where you might be swept off to”. Bilbo Baggins’ famous quote in the Lord of the Rings is spot on for runners. We know that the beauty of running is its simplicity; yes, we can just step out our door and go. But as Bilbo suggests, … Read More
Preventing the Chocolate Mess
Disclaimer: I will be mentioning poop in this post, if you don’t want to read about poop, a normal daily function, or human anatomy go no further. The iconic photo from the 1982 Women’s Ironman in Kona shows the leader, 23-year-old Julie Moss, collapsed, delirious, and covered in her own poop after 140 miles of swimming, biking, and running. She had … Read More
Fartlek, Hills, and Honey: An Introduction to the Lydiard Training System
After committing to run a half or full marathon comes the decision of what training program to use. The options are endless; your best bet it is to talk to a marathon finisher and see what they think. My next marathon training season starts in October, and with the desire to decrease my time, I talked to a fellow marathoner … Read More