Running Question Challenge- What is your Favorite Strength Training Exercise?

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Having been to PT more than once, there are many exercises I could pick from.  Single leg bridges, the plank and lunges are frequent rotations in my schedule.  But my favorite exercise is the monster walk.  A big rubber band around my ankles and enough space to walk around and I'm all set.  Check out this link to learn about monster walks.

What is your favorite strength training exercise?

Happy Running!

Running Question Challenge- What is your Favorite Running Movie?

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What is Your Favorite Running Movie? 

There are so many good running movies to choose from (and some bad ones too).  When I think of running movies Forest Gump running cross country with his band of followers comes to mind.  Another favorite is The Spirit of the Marathon and the emotion it evicts watching the runners struggle through the miles and feeling elated when Deena Kastor wins the marathon. 

My favorite running movie is Saint Ralph. Ralph attends a catholic school coming into puberty and gets into plenty of humorous trouble. His unpure thoughts and actions leaves me in stitches.  To keep him out of more trouble he joins the cross country team.

Ralph's mom is extremely sick and falls into a coma. After learning it'll take a miracle for her to survive he decides if he won the Boston Marathon that would be a true miracle. He begins his training for Boston by reading from a book on what to do.  It's a riot watching him consume 3000 calories because that's what the book says to do.  

I recommend this movie for all runners because of the humor in the training but it's also a great, feel good movie even if you aren't a runner.

What is Your Favorite Running Movie?

Happy Running!

Running Question Challenge- What Five Words Describe Your Running?

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blog and let me know and I'll stop by. Click here to see past questions.

Short and sweet but tough to narrow down to only five words

1. Freedom
2. Sanity
3. Love
4. Self-identity (ooops does that count as 2?)
5. Fun

What are your five words to describe your running?

Happy Running!

Running Question Challenge- What is your First GU Experience

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What was your first experience with GU or a similar product?

Somehow while training for my first half marathon I heard about GU.  Probably from my girlfriend who was training with me and had done the research on training plans.  We drove to the store during lunch and picked up the foreign substance in the little squishy package and not only did we have to choose a flavor but choose if we wanted caffeine or not.  I can't remember if it was on a 9 or 10 mile run but we got to the top of the gradual hill we were running at the halfway point and stopped.  It was like tasting on a meal when I was 8....smelling it, squeezing the gooey substance out with a scrunched up face, licking the edge of it and making another face and then taking a mouthful. I can't say that it was pleasant but it certainly wasn't as bad as eating hot dogs and throwing them up.  Now I've tried many flavors and brands, know what size packages cut the edges of my mouth and which ones don't.  I like caffeine and dislike vanilla and still hate it when I get the sticky substance on my hands.

Tell us about your first experience with GU.  Did you like it? Do you have a favorite product?


Happy Running!

Running Challenge Question-Do you chafe and what do you do for it?

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Do you chafe, where at and what do you do for it?

The challenge with this question is it feel so personal, which it certainly can be.  The areas I've heard of people chafing are nipples, thighs, under the arms, the butt and private parts. I chafe underneath my arms on the long runs. I won't wear shirts with a lot of seams because that aggravates it. I used to think the chafing would only occur if I wore shirts without sleeves and the skin rubbed together.  Glide didn't work but Aquafor did wonders.  Now, even shirts (tech shirts) cause chafing and Aquofor doesn't help as much.  At the PF Changs expo I purchased TriSlide and it helps but it still isn't fool proof.  John suggested to go with the old fashioned bandaids. So what about you?

Happy Running!

Running Challenge Question-Why do you read running blogs?

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Why do you read running blogs?

This goes along with last weeks question about why you have a running blog.  Many of you already touched on the friendships you've developed by reading other blogs or learning about running.  I started reading blogs because Lesley of Going the Extra Mile befriended me through Buckeye Outdoors.   Finding other people that shared a passion of running led me to following everyone I could find and reading what they were doing.  I've developed many virtual friendships and love seeing what my friends are up to.   I was even able to meet Lesley last summer and because I followed her blog I knew about her races and training.  When we met we talked like we were continuing a conversation from yesterday.  

Besides the friendships I also like hearing what they are eating, what works/doesn't work.  I love it when people share healthy recipes and often I'm encouraged to eat healthier myself.  Hearing about their training schedules, while I wish they didn't have them, helps encourage me through my bouts of bad runs or injuries. It's like we are all in this together and we understand each other.  We are surrounded by friends.

Happy Running! 

Running Challenge Question-Why do you have a running blog?

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Why do you have a runnning blog?
Bloggers have different reasons for having a blog. My blog started off as a chronicle of my running and my journey to run a Boston qualifing marathon. Looking back over the last two years, I have any awesome running scrapbook of my runs and races; I may even use one of the websites to make a book out of my blog to add to my scrapbooks. Some days my blog helps me sort out my own feelings or keeps me along the straight and narrow path for my goals.  By putting it out there in writing for all to see puts more pressure on me and helps me.  I've also discovered along my bloggie path that I want to help other runners.  Maybe they can learn something from my good runs and bad runs too. Maybe I can inspire them to get out there and start that run they are dreading. Maybe I can teach someone something about running that makes them a better runner.  So my question to you, is why do you blog?

Happy Running!

Running Challenge Question- What is your favorite distance?

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What is your favorite distance to run in a race or just out on a run?

For a race, the half marathon is a good distance.  A 5K, while short in distance, makes me attempt to run fast.  That's hard work. The half marathon gives me time to warm up, enjoy the scenery and maybe you'll even see me put my arms straight out making like I'm an airplane.  As far as my favorite distance for a normal, everyday type run that would be 4 miles.  Short enough to fit into my morning before work and long enough to feel like I did something and to splurge and eat the jalapeño potato chips.  

Happy Running!

Running Challenge Question- What would you want in an Ultimate Goody Bag?

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On November 7th I'm running the Women's Half Marathon in Tempe, Arizona. The turnout for this first time race is going to be large and I continue to run into women that are signed up.  I signed up because it has the coolest medal and the inside can be worn as a necklace. How cool is that?

The race also advertises the ULTIMATE GOODY BAG.    

 

An ultimate goody bag has to have more than just advertisements for future races and flyers for gyms. The trend has been less goody and more paper that gets tossed as soon as you take off your shoes after your race.  Aquafor and chapsticks aren't even standard fare anymore.  When I ran the PF Changs Rock n Roll a couple years ago they didn't even have anything cool in their goody bag. So that leads to my question.  What would you want in an ultimate goody bag?  For me, an ultimate goody bag would have a chain (for my new finishing medal necklace), running socks and chocolate.  Oh, and having a technical T, rather than a cotton T shirt insures that I'll continue to wear the shirt for running and workouts and essentially help them advertise future races.

What kind of goodies would make it an ultimate goody bag for you?

Happy Running!

Running Question Challenge - What Food Rules do you Live By?

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What Food Rules do you Live By?

On a day to day basis I avoid fast food (although McDonald's has great fries), avoid processed, frozen meals (lots of sodium), and try and eat fresh fruit and veggies and eat whole grain breads. This doesn't mean that I won't eat cookies, candy and cakes and when its a homemade item I find it really hard to turn down.

I'm focusing on a half marathon in November and to help me reach my goals for the race I have vowed 

• To avoid cookies, candies and cakes except for special occasions (like my nieces birthday this Friday night)  
• To avoid fried foods (this is probably a good one to avoid even when not focused on a race)
• Eat something every 2-3 hours with balanced snacks. (like fruit and a couple Triscuits).

Happy Running!

Running Question Challenge- What is your running weakness?

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What is your Running Weakness?

While my first instinct would be to say that I'm not as fast as I want to be, I know I'm exactly where I'm at based on my talent, my skill, my effort, my training and my commitment.  Sure I could be faster but I would have to give up time including sleep and fun times and put a lot more effort into my training.

So my running weakness is my lack of patience.  I want my training to give me IMMEDIATE results.  I want the core exercises I've started with Jamoosh to give me immediate results so I can feel stronger and hold the plank longer than one measly minute.  Jamoosh can hold the plank over 100 seconds and my friend Alicia can hold it until the cows come home and go back out again . I want to feel strong and stand tall when I run instead of feeling my body crunch into a ball when I run up a hill and get tired.  With Jamoosh's money back guarantee program I'm going to get stronger and ultimately faster plus loose the muffin top.  Anyways, patience is done one step, one exercise, one muffin top loss at a time.

Happy Running!

  

Running Question Challenge - What are your Running Strengths?

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What are your Running Strengths?

Spelling "strength" is not one of my strengths.  Time and time again I misspell that word.  Maybe if I write on the board 100 times "strength", I will get it right first time and without spell checker (don't worry, I too can't function without spell checker).

My running strenght (see, darn it...can't spell) is my desire to run.  I love to run and generally have no problem getting up in the morning to run and don't think I make a lot of excuses not to run.  I'm in Sacramento today and could sleep in but I have a 6 miler in morning and am looking forward to it.  It will be cool and green.  My goal for the run is a goal pace run to start preparing for a November half.

Another strength is I like to run long. I'd much rather do a long run than a tempo run and find that generally I recover well from them.

And one last strength is setting a schedule and following it.  Its a process goal that once I set it, I can keep it.  I may change the schedule around, but setting that schedule and having it out and visible, I will stay on task.  

What are your strengths?

Running Question Challenge- Would you let your boss win a race?

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If your boss was running a race with you and you were equally matched would you let him/her win?


The question should be do I kiss my boss's butt or kiss my job away?  First of all, my boss isn't a runner so you'd never catch him at a race anyways.  But I can't let myself off that easy and answer the question that way.

I guess it would depend on the attitude of the boss.  If he/she was an ego maniac who would possibly fire me then I would probably let him/her win. After all, he pays my salary, gives me raises and bonuses.  If the boss was competitive but wanted a fair race and would know if I was slacking, then maybe I'd beat him to the finish.  However,  I know how I am at races that I can push only so much and then I just give in and let the person pass me.  So to finally answer the question, if equally matched, I would let him/her win (and then replay the race in my head where I win.  )  


Happy Running!

Running Question Challenge - What top three things do you do to pass the time while running?

What top three things do you do to help pass the time while running?  

I'm going to make this a little tougher by excluding listen to music.  And two of the three things need to be different than generic "thinking". You can list the things all the things you think about on the same line, ie think about work, think about what to have for dinner, think about you dressing your brother baby up in doll clothes (sorry bro...I thought it was funny).  If you want though, you can do list than three things and then include more "thinking".

1. If running fartleks by time or even distance, I'm watching the watch to see how many minutes/distance before the next phase starts.   Usually I'm wondering when the rest phase starts as compared to wanting to start the fast part again.
2. I count my steps, usually my left steps and if I'm really struggling with a run and I'm counting, I'll count in German. Why left steps you wonder?  Well,  I started counting my left steps years ago when trying to get rid of a side stitch.  So now when I count steps its automatically my left steps.  I'll count steps to help distract me.
3. I'll focus on my form.  If I'm slouching, I'll imagine a string attached to the back of my head pulling my body and helping me straighten it.  I'll try and pick up my feet or unclench my hands.
4. I'll plan about what to post in my blog and future topics.
5. I'll figure where my mileage is for the week, think about my next long run, think about my next race.

Happy Running!

Running Question Challenge - Have you ever had to be picked up on a run?

Have you ever had to be picked up on a run?

Feel free to comment or answer the question on your own blog.

One friend of mine called her hubby to come pick her up.  She didn't want to run up a hill with the stroller and it was hot out.  He told her no and she had to run up the hill anyway. Another friend had to go poo, called her hubby and she was picked up and brought home.  

Me, I've called a couple times.  Once, I was having IT and foot issues and I asked a service guy working on the side of the road to use his cell phone.  My call went into voicemail.  My boyfriend got the message and drove around looking for me but something happened in communication of direction or road or something and I ran/walked home anyways.  Another time was when I sprained my ankle and needed my brother to come pick me up because I couldn't get a taxi.  That story is here.

What about you?  What are your stories?

Happy Running!

Running Question Challenge - What motivates you to run from day to day?

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What motivates you to run from day to day?

My competitive streak, the desire to be faster gets me out the door.  I want to be better and know that I have to get out the door and run in order to achieve that.  The other motivator is weight management.  Running allows me to eat without too much (additional) worry about what I'm eating.

Running Question Challenge-What is your favorite "running" song?

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What is your favorite "running" song?  

This could either be the one song or a song with the word running in it

Showing my age, I love Running up that Hill by Kate Bush from 1985. I was a sophomore in high school and while I don't remember running to that song then, I do love running to it now.  The verses of "be running up that hill, be running up that road" can get me moving faster, stronger and lift my spirits.

t doesn't hurt me
Do you want to feel how it feels
Do you want to know, know that it doesn't hurt me
Do you want to hear about the deal I'm making
You
It's you and me

And if I only could
I'd make a deal with God
And I'd get him to swap our places
Be running up that road
Be running up that hill
Be running up that building

Say if I only could oh...

You don't want to hurt me
But see how deep the bullet lies
Unaware I'm tearing you asunder
Oh there is thunder in our hearts
Is there so much hate for the ones we love
Tell me we both matter don't we
You
It's you and me
It's you and me, you won't be unhappy

And if I only could
I'd make a deal with god
And I'd get him to swap our places
Be running up that road
Be running up that hill
Be running up that building

If I only could...

You
It's you and me
It's you and me, you won't be unhappy

Come on baby, come on darling
Let me steal this moment from you now
Come on angel, come on, come on darling
Let's exchange the experience, oh...

And if I only could
I'd make a deal with God
And I'd get him to swap our places
Be running up that road
Be running up that hill
With no problems...

And if I only could
Be running up that hill
With no problems.

Some additional information from wikipedia. The song can be heard during the final credits of the 1988 film The Chocolate War.

The song was also used as the theme tune for the 1986 BBC childrens drama "Running Scared".

The song inspired the single "Speed of Sound" by the English band Coldplay.

Dutch band Within Temptation released a cover by the same name in 2003.

The song is referred to in the Hold Steady track, "Hornets! Hornets!"

The Placebo version of this song was used for a segment promoting The Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels match at WrestleMania XXVI, featured in the television shows Bones, The O.C.,C.S.I, the pilot episode of The Vampire Diaries, as well as used in the movie trailer for Daybreakers.

Happy Running!

Running Question Challenge - What is the best piece of running advice you've been given?

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What is the best piece of running advice you've been given?

You can find running advice everywhere.  Coaches, magazines, blogs, friends, heresay, TV, radio, running stores and podcasts. It ranges from the general, get your training in to more specific of get a good nights sleep 2 nights before a race.  The advice that sticks in my head is something I heard on the podcast The Running Shoe (which I don't think is an active podcast anymore), 

1. Tie your shoes 
2. Start slowly
3. Start slowly

I, like many other runners, have a tendency to dart out of the starting gate and weave my way through runners only to come up short on energy towards the end.  Not wanting to discriminate and have the shorter distances feel lesser, I do this 5K's, 10K,s and half marathons.   Why leave the shorter distances out of this "bat out of hell" mentality at the beginning of a race?   So I pass onto you, my advice for any race is go out slowly.

Running Question Challenge - Who got you started doing a running blog?

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Is there someone who you can give credit to for getting you started on a running blog?

Two people get credit for starting me on a running blog.  One, is my boyfriend.  He was joking with me telling me I should see if Lazy Bones Running was available.  Once I took that step, that's all it took.  But the reason that we were even talking blogs is my friend Lesley at Going the Extra Mile.  I met Lesley through Buckeye Outdoors, a great site to log all your workouts, diet, training plans, etc.  She commented one day on my workout.  I didn't know the commenting feature was even there.  I searched her out on Buckeye,  found her profile and saw she had a blog talking about my favorite subject, running.  From there I found other blogs about running too.  My world expanded into blogs and what other people were doing. Thanks Lesley for getting me hooked on blogging!

Running Question Challenge - Have you ever been lost on a run?

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Have you ever been lost on a run?

Today’s question was inspired by Giorgio at Giorgio's Runners Blog from Rome.  He reminded me of a run when I got lost in Rome and later that week lost in Florence.  Running in Europe is always a favorite part of a vacation and getting lost makes for an interesting story. Naturally a challenge with being lost is not knowing where you’re at but more importantly the lack or challenge of being able to communicate with others.

I went to Italy with some girlfriends and would run in the mornings.  In Rome I figured I’d have an out/back run and I was staying near the coliseum and ASSUMED that I would easily be able to find my way back to the huge, historic, well known structure.  Also, with an out/back course…how can you go wrong?

I did have my Garmin with me but didn’t think of using the feature to mark the location when I walked out my hotel door.  I also had a map with me tucked into a pocket.  I ran down a main road and headed to where I knew the river was and ran along the river. At some point, I figured I had run far enough and turned around.  It was raining and I was worried about my map getting wet but when I went to pull out the map, it wasn’t there.  I guess it didn’t really make it into a true pocket and I had lost it.  What I didn’t know at that time was I had run too far along the river and past the coliseum.  When I got back up to the main road, nothing looked familiar and there were no signs saying coliseum this way with gigantic arrows pointing me in the right direction.  I wasn’t really worried though.

Early morning there aren’t too many shops open but I found an open deli and asked if anyone spoke English, simply by stating the single word Inglesi.  Being the typical American in a big city, I thought everyone in the tourist area would speak English.  Not so much.  My question was met with a blank stare but the shop worker understood enough to call out and ask if any of the customers spoke English.  A gray hair, long bearded man stepped forward and rattled off a number of languages that he spoke…Italian, French, Hebrew, Spanish and German and probably a couple other languages.  Having some knowledge of the German language I pounced on that one and tried to ask “auf deutsch” where the coliseum was.  I didn’t know the German word (or the Italian word) for coliseum but eventually I got him to understand and he pointed me in the right direction.  I believe the guy was messing with me though and knew English.  If he knew so many languages, wouldn’t English be one of those?

I'm not running but this was taken later in the day and it was still raining (a lot)

I did find my way back to the coliseum and was on the opposite side of when I started my run.  My 6 mile run turned into 11 miles.  It was a great run and the story of being lost is just one of the great memories I have of Rome.