Confessions of an Amateur Athlete

The countdown to the Phoenix Full Marathon is on! Just a few days out and that means I've been tapering big time.  A lot of friends have asked what I do during my taper (i.e. what I eat, how long/hard I run, etc.)  so I thought I'd list a few tapering tips that I like to stick to during the crucial days leading up to a race. Stay Hydrated.   I drink plenty of water throughout the week. Definitely no alcohol.  Lately, I've been adding in some Cocogo to my routine hydration. Not JUST because I'm an ambassador for this product, but also because it tastes great and doesn't upset my sensitive stomach! Stay Active .  Now that doesn't mean go run 12 miles three days away from a race.  Nor does it mean running to a track for a last-minute speed workout.  I stick to light workouts like moderate weight lifting or a little cross-training.  The light activity will help calm the "oh-my-gosh-I-need-to-go-run-now" nervousness. ...

  As I runner I meet so many people on my adventures.  Whether it's a 5K or a Marathon, there's always someone with an amazing story.  It's from those runners that I've met that I draw a lot of inspiration from.     The one that stands out the most to me was about ten years ago.  I volunteered at the Arkansas Traveller 100 .  An ultra-marathon through the Ouachita National Forest... close to my hometown.  I've always been interested in running an Ultra and this experience is what made me want to run a 100-miler in the near future. runarkansas.com    I was stationed at one of the mid-way checkpoints, at about mile 45 and around 75 (it was a loop course).  We'd hand food, drinks, grab bags, etc to the runners as they came through, and weigh them to make sure they hadn't lost too much weight.    There were only about 100 participants in this grueling race and I was told only two-thirds would actually finish. ...

We Runners live in a market saturated with powders, drinks, bars, gels, supplements, and clothing... all promising to make us faster, recover quicker, or provide an extra boost of energy.  And I'll admit, I love trying them all!  But not everything works for everyone. Each runner will swear by one product over another.  And there's always tons of conflicting studies debunking what we once thought as running gospel.  Nevertheless, we runners are also STUBBORN and when we find something that                                                                                 ...

     Exciting news! I've been selected as a Race Ambassador for the    COLOR FUN FEST 5K here in Phoenix ! But that doesn't just mean great things for me, it means I get to bring YOU some great stuff!  I'll be giving away TWO free tickets (one winner each) to the race!    Before I get to the giveaway, I'd like to take a little time to tell you what makes THIS race stand out from all the other color runs out there.     • What : COLOR FUN FEST 5K is an EPIC color fun run that heightens positive emotions by combining a 5k fun run with the energy of electronic dance music, all while coloring the crowd with thousands of pounds of vibrant colored powder. The event is family-friendly, and features a post-run celebration with DJ entertainment. The "powder" is simply cornstarch and dye, so no harm to you (except for maybe your shirt, but it makes for an AWESOME souvenir!)   • Why : A portion of the proc...

  Runners are typically creatures of habit.  It comes with the territory.  We know what helps us run better/faster, and we have to adopt a routine to fit the miles into the normal grind of everyday life.    So in anticipation of tomorrow's long run (22 miles... cross your fingers this tendonitis doesn't hold me back!), I thought I'd list the "five things" I always include as part of my long-run routine. 1.  Overnight Oats     I've mentioned before how much I love this for breakfast these days. And I've found I do much better on my really long runs if I've eaten enough to sustain me for a while (but not TOO much of course).  Overnight Oats are just right and I love the variety they can offer as well. 2.  Rolling/Stretching    I always try to "work out the kinks" the night before my big runs.  I use a foam roller to really loosen up my angry IT Band and do a couple of downward dogs for my screaming hammies. ...

People ask me a lot "do you ever have 'bad' runs"?  The answer is yes, absolutely.  If you only ever have easy runs, you're not doing it right.  My long run yesterday, was anything but fun or easy.  It was  a 20-miler, so I knew going in that it wasn't going to be a piece of cake.  But I also knew I'd pull through.   However, what I wasn't anticipating was the fact I was still getting over my cold and I was zapped of all energy.  My pace was super slow but I was determined to finish my goal.  By mile 17, I thought my knees would buckle. By mile 18, everything ached and was seizing. By mile 19, I was near tears.  But by golly I made it to 20! The pic snapped of me a few weeks ago is only partially what I must of looked like chugging along on the canal!   Luckily, I had a friend running with me for the last really tough part (15 miles worth in fact).  Had it not been for him I might still be out there trying to finish. ...