Over the years I have built up my endurance to the point that I can easily run 2+ hours a time over and over and over…no joke.  Its just one of those things that I can pace myself and keep putting one foot in front of the other for hours at a time.  

I bring that up because I have been doing some reading on doing back to back long runs as a way to train for ultra distance races.  

So I thought I might give you a few tips on adding the double long run weekend to your training routine.  

1.  Keep the pace down:  If you are used to one long run and a short run on the weekend.  Or, just one long run a week with some short and intermediate runs during the week, adding the extra miles is a challenge.  One way to combat the extra wear and tear on your body is by slowing down the pace a little bit.  I do this by making my goal the amount of time on my feet and not the distance.  

2.  Trust your body:  The principle behind an extra long run is to train your body to keep going when its tired.  So when you are doing a second long run, you probably just want to focus on listening to your body and letting your body settle into a rhythm that works for it.  The first rule of running should be “Trust Thy Body.”  

3.  Hydrate, a lot:  One of the problems you get when you run your long run is that you can become dehydrated because you aren’t doing a great job of hydrating during your run.  Happens to all of us.  If you are going to add another long run, you need to be aware that you need to be extra careful about getting enough fluids.  

4.  Add some extra protein:  As I have mentioned before, I am no big fan of pasta and carbs, but even if you eat a lot of carbs before your long runs, its going to be a wise decision to add some extra protein to your diet.  You are going to need the extra protein to aid in the repair of your muscles and since protein takes your body a bit longer to process, this can also help you sustain energy on back to back long runs.  

Those are just a few ways and tips on adding an extra long run on the weekends…what do you think?  Any suggestions?  Tips?  

12:46 pm  •  2 June 2013  •  1 note  •  View comments

I would not be doing my job if I didn’t offer you some tips for running in the heat of the summer.  As I sit here preparing to run this afternoon, it is over 90 for the 4th straight day and tomorrow should hit at least 89.  

What I am telling you is that you need to take some steps to stay fit and healthy during the summer.  No matter how much you run.  

1.  Stay hydrated:  Year round this is a big one, but when its hot and humid, this is more important than ever.  I’ve said it before and I will add some emphasis today, but make sure that you are drinking enough fluids so that your pee pee is clear or slightly tinted.  If its sludgy and yellow, you are dehydrated or close.  

2.  Don’t run between 12-3 PM, if you can avoid it:  Like going to the tropics when you have been shut in your apartment all winter long, be careful because your body isn’t acclimated to this stuff.  Same thing with running.  You are going to find that in most cases the hours between 12-3 PM are the hottest and if you can avoid exercising outdoors during these times, do it! 

3.  Wear looser clothes:  Here in DC I see girls with their long running tights in 100 degree temperatures and I want to get out and scream, yell, and jump up and down because its stupid.  Your body cools itself in the heat by sweating and having the sweat evaporate.  If you have tight clothes on, your body can’t effectively do that.  In the heat, that’s bad news.  

4.  Eat lighter foods:  Man, I love some beef stew.  I love all those heavy wintery dishes…you know I do, but during the summer months, I try to switch it up and eat more fruits and vegetables, especially ones that are local and in-season.  First, they are less filling and that helps with just not feeling miserable during the summer.  Second, the water that makes up a lot of the bulk of fibrous fruits and vegetables will help keep you hydrated.  Call it a two-fer.  

5.  Be smart:  Runners have trouble resting or taking it easy.  We all ask ourselves whether or not we are doing the right thing by taking a day off or doing a double.  Let me tell you, its ok to rest.  It is ok to not go as hard as you were planning.  Its ok to use your head to change your training to fit the weather and how your body feels.  This tip is in the summer section, but mark this one down as a year round kind of good idea.  

You guys have any tips you would like to share?

12:34 pm  •  1 June 2013  •  2 notes  •  View comments

We’ve made it to June…

Wait! What?  

Yes, it is June.  And now is a good time to check in and look at your goals.  

I’ve set the goal of running 100 miles a month, each month.  I’ve hit on that 3 of 5 months so far.  January, April, and May.  Not great, but overall I am on pace to hit the 1200 miles I would run if I was only going to run 100 miles a month.  So a partial victory.  

How about you?  How are your goals coming?

12:12 pm  •  1 June 2013  •  View comments

Typically a blog about running means that we are all runners anyway, or interested in running, at the least.  

Yet, since the bombing at the finish line of Monday’s Boston Marathon, we have been treated to days to think about a lot of the reasons why something like this would happen and how it will effect us as runners.  

Knowing the runners that I know, it won’t slow us down one bit.  We will continue to make our effort to run our races, get our miles in, and make ourselves a little bit better through our running.  

In that way, we are all the same, runners or not.  In the face of a despicable act that killed, maimed, and injured, people still got up to go to work, school, or a ball game.  Just like running, it is these small acts of faith that conquer terror and evil.   

So, with that, I think it is safe to say, we are all runners today.  

5:52 pm  •  20 April 2013  •  View comments

In 2011 I ran 1,000 miles.  I felt pretty good about that.  If you break it down, its about 2.8 miles a day.  Its a big, round number, but not so far out there that it seems impossible.  

In 2012, I set myself a goal of 1,500 miles.  I didn’t come close.  Like less than half close.  

Which sucks.  

In setting my sights on a mileage total for this year, I haven’t set a big, end of year goal.  Instead, I am setting a smaller, monthly goals of wanting to hit 100 miles a month.  This is a goal that I have hit any number of times in the 7 years I have been running.  

Now the fun thing here is that, if I hit 100 miles each month, I am going to have at least 1,200 miles.  Another nice big number.  And, since I am unlikely to hit 100 right on the nose each month, I will probably go a bit higher.  

The point being that, sometimes you can set short term goals that will move you towards a bigger goal that you might be freaked out about if you just set that big goal.  

As an example:

Instead of saying you want to lose 20 pounds this year, just look at it like I am going to lose 2 pounds in January.  (If you adjust the macronutrient breakdown of your diet, you can lose more than that in a week…but that’s another topic.)

Instead of saying you want to run 20 miles a week, break it down into needing to run 5 days a week.  Or, whatever makes it easier to notch wins for yourself in the shorter term.  

I think you can get the point from those two examples.  

What goals are you setting this year?  Short and long term?

10:19 pm  •  1 January 2013  •  View comments