Running

I’ve always enjoyed running, but it didn’t become such an integral part of my fitness routine until a few years ago. Now, I can’t imagine my life without it. I’m hooked!

Race Recaps

I love running races! Of course, I enjoy the excitement of the day, but the best part is the competition with yourself. When I sign up for a race, I always set a goal, which motivates me to train hard and improve my time. I run about three or four races each year, and I’ve completed a number of different distances from 5K to marathon. You can read all of my race recaps and see how I display my medals.

Training & Workouts

Marathon

I followed Team In Training’s Milage Schedule to train for my first marathon. It lasted nearly five months and included a weekly speed workout, one short run (4-6 miles), three cross-training days, a rest day, and a long run on Saturday with our team. On my cross-training days, I did Body Pump, yoga, or the elliptical. As our milage increased, at least one of the cross-training days turned into a rest day for me. I was surprised how necessary it was to let my body recover after those really long runs.

Half Marathon

My current half marathon training program is from Smart Coach.

Treadmill Workouts

The winters are cold and long in Boston, so I take my running indoors to the treadmill on occasion. Here are some of my favorite treadmill workouts, which keep me interested and motivated, no problem.

Marathon

For as long as I can remember, I’ve wanted to a marathon. No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn’t get the idea out of my head. However, two major concerns held me back: injuries (details below) and motivation.

I had heard wonderful things about Team in Training (TNT), so when I found out that they are sending a team to Phoenix to run a marathon, I knew it was the one for me. A few days later, I called TNT and registered for the P.F. Chang’s Rock ‘N’ Roll Marathon. That same day, I told my husband about my plan to run a marathon with TNT and asked him if he had any interest in joining my 26.2-mile endeavor. I never thought in a million years he’d actually say ‘yes,’ but he knew how much this goal meant to me, so he signed up to run it too! (I still can’t believe it!) Running a marathon with my husband was a dream come true!

Our marathon adventures with Team In Training is well-documented on Carrots ‘N’ Cake, including:

• How to fuel for long runs
• Recaps of our weekly team runs
• Staying motivated
• Injury struggles
• Buying new sneakers
• What I did to fundraise for TNT
• How I survived winter training
• Why I gained weight during training

Gear

While training for my first marathon, I learned what I need (and don’t need) to run well. Some products are more essential than others, but these are the ones that I can’t live (run) without. Here are my favorite running products.

Fuel

Running long distances requires a lot of energy. Befpre a long run or a race, I eat the same breakfast: peanut butter and banana on whole wheat bread or an English muffin. During a long run, here’s how I fuel. Within 30 minutes of completing a long run, I typically ‘refuel’ with eggs, a smoothie, or a peanut butter sandwich.

Last July, I had the opportunity to ask a Certified Sports Dietitian a number of questions about how to properly fuel during marathon training. You can read our whole question and answer session here: Marathon Fueling Q & A.

Injuries

Unfortunately, I am much too familiar with running-related injuries! Here’s an epic post about my injury struggles and how I’ve recovered from them.

Here are additional posts related to my various injuries and preventing them:

• The Right Way to Foam Roll
• My experience with IT band pain 
• How I Keep My IT Bands Healthy and Happy
• Preventing a Body Breakdown
• Dealing with Plantar Fascitis
• How I Changed My Workouts

Tips & Advice

How to Start Running: Tips for Beginners
Running is great exercise and an effective way to tone muscles, but it can be daunting to take the first step! Here are some tips to make it less intimidating.

Tips for Increasing Your Distance
Training for a marathon taught me a lot about how to increase my distance. Here are the tips and tricks that have helped me build my mileage from one to 26.2!

What I Learned from Running Marathons
I’ve only run two marathons, so I don’t have a ton of expertise in this area, but I can tell you what I’ve learned from training and completing those two marathons. Here are some lessons I learned about myself from running marathons!

Get Out There and Run
On the days when I’m just not motivated to run, here’s what I do. Seven tips and tricks to get out there and run!  

How to Run on a Treadmill Without Dying of Boredom
Watching TV is a great way to keep me from getting bored on the treadmill, but I don’t always have the luxury of watching my favorite shows. Here are some other things that I do to prevent myself from dying of boredom on the treadmill!

Ways to Deal with Training & Cravings
After gaining weight while training for my first marathon, I vowed not to gain weight the second time around. I still experienced plenty of cravings during training for my second marathon, but I didn’t fall into them (as much), so I didn’t gain weight.

Marathon Fueling Q & A
Last July, I had the opportunity to ask a Certified Sports Dietitian a number of questions about how to properly fuel during marathon training. You can read our whole question and answer session here.

How I Survive Winter Running
I used to dread running outside in the winter, but learning how to deal with the cold and dress properly for the conditions has made it much more enjoyable. Here’s how I get myself out the door and running!

How I Prepare for Race Day
I thought it would be helpful to share my race day routine since it can be equally exciting as it is nerve-wracking. Here’s how I maximize the enjoyment of race day without stressing out over too many of the details. Additionally, here’s a great Q & A with Mark Remy of Runner’s World’s with some tips and advice for preparing for race day.

The Right Way to Foam Roll
Foam rolling is a flexibility technique where you roll your muscles over a cylindrical piece of foam using your body pressure to massage knots out of your muscles. “By applying gentle force to an adhesion or ‘knot,’ the elastic muscle fibers are altered from a bundled position (that causes the adhesion) into a straighter alignment with the direction of the muscle.” [source] Basically, if you foam roll the tight muscle, it will help restore the fibers back to an optimal level of function and your muscle will work much more efficiently. Here’s how to do it the right way!

Garmin 305 Review
I absolutely love my Garmin 305! It’s improved my running so much, and I can’t run without it now! My review gives the pros and cons of this particular Garmin model.