Live.Run.Turkey... I mean PIE.

Live: It's the holiday season which means it's marathon mania, lots of food is to be consumed, and surroundings consist of family and friends. Being surrounded by family and friends brings a sense of comfort to people. Enjoy your time with your loved ones, all the great food, and go for a run.

Run: The Atlanta Half Marathon, which was on Thanksgiving, was a great start to a wonderful day! Ross and I not only accomplished a personal best of 1:49, but also made plenty of room for all the scrumptious food! I'm so proud to say we had such an awesome race. He's got the speed, and I got the distance. We make a great team. If you love to run, I recommend finding a race for next year's Thanksgiving. The atmosphere is different than any other half, and it beats watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade on TV. Just remember to keep running and exercise during the holiday season to help keep off those unwanted pounds. Below is a picture of Ross and I after the half.

Turkey PIE: Forget the turkey, pass the pie! After running 13.1 miles on Thanksgiving the pie and dessert eating was on! I've stated in previous blogs that motivation is key to being successful during training for a race. My motivation consisted of eating guilt free after completing the half, and I did just that! I made oatmeal raisin cookies, pumpkin cheesecake, and a pumpkin cake roll for the festivities. That's where we will leave my list of sweets that were consumed.

Thanksgiving is over and now it's time to start training for Atlanta ING Full Marathon. Only 112 days to go till our first marathon! It's important to let your legs rest after completing a half or full. The rule of thumb for rest depends on the runner. I recommend if you are new to running to rest for a couple of days after the race. Then gradually build back up your mileage. However, if you are an experienced runner, or been running longer distance than the training guide for a half then rest will be less. You know your body best so pay attention to any signs of fatigue or weakness.

Training Exercise of the Week: Stretch. Remember to stretch your legs more than normal for a few days after a race. Your legs are more likely to feel sore or tight.

• Stretch your legs in 2-3 different positions. I recommend standing, sitting, and lying down.
• Stretch your quadriceps, hamstrings, and calf muscles.
• Hold your stretch for 30-60 seconds.
• Repeat each stretch 2-3 times per muscle group.

Training Tip of the Week: Don't take too much time off for rest. It's important to take time off to let your muscles heal and rest. However, I don't recommended more than a week off of running. If you take too much time off your body will start to lose the adaptation you had built during all your hard months of training. If you still feel sore after a week slowly build your mileage back up. Remember the more time you take off the longer it will take to build your endurance back to baseline.

Training Songs of the Week: Two songs that will help add a bounce in your step. Enjoy!

1. Slumdog Millionaire- Wyclef Jean ft. Cyndi Lauper

2. Super Duper Love- Joss Stone

Happy Running,

Jayme

And Now We Taper

With the Atlanta Half Marathon (and Thanksgiving) only less than 6 days away, it's tapering time. Well, after a semi-long run we will then begin to rest and reduce mileage. Tapering is the time to let your legs rest, recover, and rejuvenate for the big day. Reducing your mileage the week, or sometimes 2 weeks, before the half will allow your legs and other muscles to avoid fatigue and possible injury. However, decreasing mileage for some runners can be tough, but here are some activities and/or possible to-do-list to keep you occupied in your free time.

• Make your ideal playlist of songs that pump you up! Don't include any songs that you feel may have a "next" potential. Remember to add enough songs (think about your pace in regards to 13.1 miles in "hours") to get you through the entire half without having to hear the same songs... unless you really want to hear the same song 2+ times. Your choice. Below is a sample of my in-progress-playlist:

* Turkey Jingles is currently in development, but will include:

(1) Empire State of Mind- Jay-Z ft Alicia Keys

(2) Cousins- Vampire Weekend

(3) Free Me- Joss Stone

(4) She's A Genius- Jet

(5) Body Language- Jesse McCartney ft. T-Pain

• Remember to hydrate/ proper nutrition the week following up to the race. Drink water throughout the day even if you don't feel "thirsty". Also, eat fruit as a healthy alternative snack (apples, oranges, bananas, etc). This will ensure that your muscles are well hydrated and will help dodge cramping.
• Plan out your outfit for the big day. Don't wear any piece of clothing you have never ran in before. Plan your running gear according to the weather. Weather.com shall be your new BFF! You want to be sure not to over dress. Some people like to include "throw aways" in their running gear. This can include an old/cheap sweat shirt, or even a garbage bag made into a pullover, you can shed and throw out when your body warms up during the race.
• Trim your toenails (if needed).
• Plan out and enjoy your CARB dinner ideally 2 days before the race. You should still eat some carbs the day before, but not as heavy as the dinner a couple of days before the race to avoid major cramps. Some running groups plan "Carb Dinners", but if you are hosting yourself here are some simple pasta dinners you can prepare:

(1) Basic Baked Spaghetti

(2) Lasagna Roll Ups

(3) Tofu Lasagna

Remember you can always tweak the pasta the way you like it such as adding some extra veggies, with or without meat, whole wheat pasta, etc. Have fun with it!

• Enjoy the Expo! At the expo you pick up your race number, timing chip, shirt, and other goodies! There are different vendors from multiple running/exercise/ fitness/ health companies at the expo for you to mingle with, or even purchase new gear from! Walk around, but not all day, and check out all the fun stuff.
• Stay motivated and positive. You've made it this far and 13.1 miles (or 26.2 if you are training for a full) should seem "easy" at this point. The hardest part is behind you. It's time to show off all your hard months of training. Always remember why you started this journey and now finish it. Here's a little boost of extra motivation: Full Article

• Reward yourself after the race. Be proud of all your accomplishments. Think of the ways you will reward yourself. It can be with certain types food, new shoes, new clothes, new electronics, or whatever you got your eye on! Hold your head high with your shiny new medal... once you cross the finish line that is. :)
• Start planning new goals you want to set out to accomplish after you finish your race. It could be anything to training for a full marathon to running 13.1 miles backwards. Oh yea, I said BACKWARDS. Leave it to a Cajun to set out to be the Guinness Book of World Records Holder for running a Half Marathon (13.1 miles) backwards. Daily Comet.com for full article.

*Tapering week can be fun and much needed! Just remember to enjoy the relaxation and stay positive. Don't worry about not being able to complete the 13.1 miles because it will come natural on race morning. I bet it will probably even be your best run yet, physically and mentally.

Training Exercise of the Week: Shoulder Raises. This is a good exercise to help bulk up your deltoid (the muscles that sits on and around your shoulder). It's not the same as your rotator cuff muscles that are on your shoulder and shoulder blade. Your deltoid muscle has an anterior, medial, and posterior aspect. This week we will focus on the medial aspect. You want good upper body strength while running to help support your breathing and aid in reducing symptoms of fatigue. Follow the steps below to perform the exercise:

Basic Shoulder Raises (Medial Deltoid)

• Stand up straight with your feet shoulder width apart. Arms are to be down by your side.
• Lift one arm up horizontally out to the side of your body while the other is still down by your side. Hold for 2-5 seconds.
• Place arm back down to your side.
• Lift the opposite arm up horizontally out to the side of your body while the other is still down by your side. Hold for 2-5 seconds.
• Completion of 1 set. Repeat for 5-10 sets.

Basic Shoulder Raises Progression (Medial Deltoid)

• Stand up straight with your feet shoulder width apart. Arms are to be down by your side.
• Lift one arm up horizontally out to the side of your body adding weight (10-20 pound dumbbell) while the other is still down by your side. Hold for 5-10 seconds.
• Place arm back down to your side.
• Lift the opposite arm up horizontally out to the side of your body adding weight (10-20 pound dumbbell) while the other is still down by your side. Hold for 5-10 seconds.
• Completion of 1 set. Repeat for 5-10 sets.

*Note that if you are unable to hold the weight try decreasing the amount. You can always progress the amount of weight in future sets. It's better to start off light than too heavy. Also, be advised that this exercise is intended to concentrate on the medial aspect of the deltoid muscle.

Training Tip of the Week: Remember tapering is good. Being a runner you don't want to cut back on your runs especially when you are feeling the most confident you have since starting the whole training process. Part of training is to know when to cut back. Your body isn't made to go full force all day every day. Tapering will only help maximize your training benefits when it comes to the big day. However, every runner is different. So the degree of tapering will be different for each runner.

Training Songs of the Week: Random mix. I have no other words to explain it. :) Enjoy!

1. Body Language - Jesse McCartney ft. T-Pain

2. Free Me- Joss Stone

3. Keep On Lovin' You- Steel Magnolia

4. No You Girls- Franz Ferdinand

Happy Running,
Jayme

All Hallows' Eve and A Big Rock

It's always a good idea to test your pace before the big day by running an official race. This way you can adjust any techniques while you have a ton load of people running around you.

Having the field (other runners) running with you helps you to get in a rhythm of passing, pacing, and learning/experiencing a new course. I recommend testing all your training hard work by running at least a 5k (3.1 miles) before the race you are trainin

g for. If it's a 5k you are training for I recommend either run or run/walk a 5k, or most races offer a 1 mile run. Either way it will help you relax some, I say some, nerves on race day because you have a feel

of how an official race operates and your familiar with your race abilities.

*It's almost the end of training for the Atlanta Half Marathon and

just the beginning of the Atlanta ING Full Marathon training. Best way to test our pace: run around a big rock in the rain on Halloween morning. We (Ross and I) decided to particip

ate in the Run Around The Rock 10 mile race at Stone Mountain on this dreary and dismal Halloween morning.

• Wake up way before the sunrise- Check
• Drive out to Stone Mountain for 8 am- Check
• Change clothes in the car because Georgia weather is on crack- Check
• Cramp up the entire 10 miles- Check
• Realize Stone Mountain is REALLY hilly- Check
• Proceed to get soaked, better word would be drenched, at mile 9- Check
• Complete 10 miles around the base of Stone Mountain with a 8'00''ish mile pace- Cha Cha Check

It felt like if something could go wrong it did. I like to believe the spirit of Halloween is to blame for all the mini disasters today. However, I would label it as a good run mostly for truckin' through the toughness proving to ourselves we can conquer the tough obstacles. Bring on the half and all the hills it encompasses, Atlanta!

*In the previous blog What's Your Terrain of Choice? (08/15/2009), I compared different running terrains based on surface and location. I stated I was seeking out to find good trails in the Atlanta/ Downtown area and Stone Mountain was on my list. Through all my research Stone Mountain has been raved about numerous times and I defiantly wanted to experience what all the hype was about.

• My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars: Overall it's a nice 5 mile run around the base of the mountain. You get a nice view of the lake, falling leaves during this season, lots of colors, somewhat of a view of the mountain, but tough tough hills. I would have enjoyed it a little more if the view of the mountain was more visible and less of these Georgia hill. However, I do recommend trying out the course at least once if you're in the area.

Training Exercise of the Week: Planks: This is a great exercise to help strengthen your core muscles. Your core muscles are your abdominals, glutes, and some back muscles. Strengthening your core muscles can help to alleviate lower back pain and help prevent hamstring injuries.

• Performing Planks: Find a flat surface, get down on your knees, place your elbows on the ground while straightening your forearms, and straighten your legs behind you supporting your body with your toes and arms. Hold your position for 20 seconds. Then rest for about 30 seconds. Then repeat for about 3 sets.
• Progression Planks: Instead of a flat surface find a small platform to rest your arms on. You can hold the position for a minimum of 30 seconds. With each following set try adding more time to your hold.

Training Tip of the Week: Stay positive no matter how hard it gets. Regardless if it's work, school, sickness, family, or running problems stay positive. Treat your run as a stress reliever. While you're running you release that negative tension. Once the tension grabs hold of you it will become a fight to overcome. I know it's tough to stay positive when things are hard. I know that. So have someone to vent to or even run with you. This way you have someone to help push through your run when you think about stopping. After you finish you should be filled with a sense of accomplishment aiding to eliminate any negative tension.

Training Song of the Week: Well, it's Halloween so it's only appropriate to select a song(s) to fit the season. Enjoy!

1. Halloween- DMB

2. My Body's A Zombie For You- Dead Man's Bones (So Good!)

Happy Running,
Jayme

Fall Running With A Little Lagniappe

What can I say? It's been a strange week. Maybe because it's almost Halloween? Anyway, I've decided to compile a list of random things I've had on my mind for this week. Enjoy my randomness of the week:

• First things first, Lagniappe = a little something extra. "Mmm, crab lagniappe." I've had "lagniappe" on my mind for weeks, and I really don't know why. I just like to say it. Lagniappe.
• It's FALL! Well, it's officially been declared Fall since September 22, but the temperature said otherwise. Georgia is finally consistent, for the most part, with the cooler weather. I love Fall running. I love this season so much because you can run in shorts with long sleeves, the cool and crisp air, the colorful scenery, and falling leaves!
• "I hate the first 3 miles!" I love long runs, but hate the first few miles. I don't know why, but once I get to about mile 4 I'm a new woman! I have to keep telling myself it gets easier after the first few miles... Then I think, my logic doesn't really make sense. Easier after the first three miles, huh? Yeah, I'm sure most people would agree...
• Why do some people run in shorts and sleeveless shirts, but have on WINTER gloves and ear warmers? A new trend? Don't send me the memo. Frankly, it looks odd and it bothers me.
• Thanks Nike+ for making me obsessed with numbers. It's like a drug; I want to reach the next level so bad I would convince myself to just go for longer runs than what I had planned. It's like I was tweekin' all week to just bank in those numbers... I'm back to normal, and hope to not abuse my Nike+ again.
• Have a backup place to do long runs. It sucks when your normal trail is closed and you have to wing it around town. Lesson well learned.
• The Atlanta Marathon/ Half Marathon is less than 5 weeks away... and Thanksgiving! I've attached the map for the Half for all y'alls convenience to check out where you want to stand to cheer us on! :) Atlanta Half Marathon Map
• The ING Atlanta Marathon / Half Marathon is March 21, 2010... I'm excited about this one because it will be both mine and Ross's first FULL marathon! So all you "curb crewers" I have, of course, attached the course so you can get ahead on your homework and map out where to stand! ING Atlanta Full Marathon Map
• Finally, I've been thinking all week that I need to start incorporating pictures into my posts. I'm on it! Enjoy the video below for last minute tips to running a Marathon. I came across it on one of the blogs I read and thought I would share:

  Last Minute Marathon Tips: shot with Nikon D90 from Mike Kobal on Vimeo.

Training Exercise of the Week: Step ups (calf raises). Keeping your calf muscles strong is key to preventing injury to your Achilles tendon. An injury to this tendon will keep you from running or performing any ADLs (activities of daily living), and takes an adequate time to fully heal. Last thing you want is to have an overuse injury and little to no muscle strength in your lower leg.

• Stand in place with your legs next to each other and slowly raise up on your toes. Then back down. Repeat.
• You can then progress to using weights and/or a raised surface. On a raised surface you will stand on the end of the surface with just your toes and raise up.

Training Tip of the Week: Trim your toenails. Remember to keep your toenails short, or the constant impact will cause tenderness to your nail bed. It can then progress into an ingrown toenail, infection, or even cause your nail to fall off.

Training Song of the Week: This week I have chosen three random songs that are on my running playlist(s):

1. Snow ((Hey Oh))- Red Hot Chili Peppers

2.The Fixer- Pearl Jam

3. Sex on Fire- Kings of Leon

Happy Running,
Jayme