Left and Right Side PlanksMay 20, 2010
Many of you probably worry about having "love handles." This exercise works your lateral ab muscles (which includes your external and internal obliques) and systematically eliminates "love handles."
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Whole Body Workout
CobraMay 18, 2010
Don't neglect the stretching part of the routine! You're going to be working your abs in later exercises. It's important to loosen those muscles up before you start challenging them.
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Whole Body Workout
To pass along to your non-running friends! From CNN.com Story Highlights
Full story here.
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Running Research
As a perfect example, I am amazed that I can make it through months of training with only minor aches and pains and then my second to last run before race day I am running a few miles of the course and take a spill on a set of train tracks. A few cuts and bruises later I am back up and running and doing ok but it is a strong reminder that the first goal of running a marathon is making it to the starting line. Sometimes I forget that concept and get too focused on my paces and miles logged. No matter what level runner you are, making it the start is the most important part of race. Despite my fight with the railroad tracks today, I am ready and excited for Monday. Honestly, it cannot get here soon enough. I am ready to race and ready to feel the energy of the race! The Boston marathon has an energy that is unlike any other and a crowd that makes heartbreak hill worth the sweat, tears and pain. I look forward to sharing my race story with you next week! Attire for the Changing SeasonsOctober 20, 2020It occurs to me that we spend a good deal of time with emphasis on the keys to our training approach:
However sometimes I see even the most organized, motivated runners miss out on some of the basics. Everyone knows to wear sweats and bundle up in the winter months, but what about the kind of cold Fall presents. It's tricky to dress for the 40 - 50*F (5-15*C) days. As always I am most concerned that all you remain healthy. Remember if you're healthy, you're aerobic economy can be continuously developed through stress, recovery and compensation/conditioning. So here are a few basics for running attire in the 40-60 degree temperature range.
As you run you will feel warmer, that's your body's engine heating up. That's why I suggest dressing for how you will feel 20 minutes into the run then the first mile. If you are running long, bring a change or clothes of a warm sweatshirt to change into after you finish up. It's never fun to be sitting in your frozen sweat on the drive home.
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Training
What Do I Do With My Arms?April 01, 2021Updated by Rosie Edwards. Form Tip: Arms Q: What should I do with my arms when I run?
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Training
Pre-Race SleepJanuary 31, 2022Everybody’s been there: sleepless on the night before a big race. Countless articles and anecdotal stories have been shared on this topic. Certainly, Focus-N-Fly’ers probably have an entire wing to add to the library. However, it takes a little bit of time to become comfortable and game plan your race “eve” strategies. When you do this game planning, here are some key pieces of info to keep in mind:
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Racing
Why do your plans include workouts at different paces?February 27, 2021What would happen if you ran the same pace over the same distance every day you went out to run? Many people do it, and you may have even been that person yourself at one time. You may have also wondered why your Runcoach plan has workouts at various paces and distances on your way to your goal race. We wanted to take a few moments to explain a few objectives to changing pace within workouts and/or running intervals.
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Training
Q: After some of my long runs I completely crash for the rest of the day, and I can't afford to be down for the count - I have stuff to get done! What can I do?
A: Make sure you are leaving for your runs with a full tank - hydrated, and with 100-200 calories at least in the hour or two before you start. Plan for and consume 4-8 oz of electrolyte replacement beverage every 2-3 miles (25-30 mins.) for long runs beyond an hour. And, most importantly, replenish with carbohydrates as soon as possible after your run = 15-30 minutes max. A banana, apple, orange, peanut butter sandwich, or energy bar with primarily carbs and some protein included are great choices to save in your car or keep ready at home for your return. We know that in a depleted state your body will grab carbohydrates and convert them to working glycogen quickly. So the post-run quick meal (100-200 kcal) within 30 minutes is key. Miss this window and you'll be playing catch up the rest of the day!
A: You should eat familiar foods at a normal dining hour. The day before a race, incorporate plenty of carbs, but do not stuff yourself with two pounds of pasta. Eat a moderate amount of a well balanced meal (pasta, chicken breast or bolognese sauce, salad, roll is one example) at dinner, and sip both water and sports drink throughout the day. Steer clear of alcohol. One mistake a lot of people at destination races make is to set out from the hotel for dinner at 7, head to a casual dining restaurant which is busy on weekends, wait 45 minutes or an hour for a table, and all of a sudden, start dinner at 9pm when the alarm clock is set for 5am. Plan ahead and give your body time to assimilate the food and get ready to sleep! You and the line of people behind you at the porta-potties will be grateful.
A: First of all, we recommend taking a drink to the start line and consuming 4-8 oz right before the gun goes off. This is your first water stop. Plan to consume 6-8 ounces of fluid every 2-3 miles or 25-30 minutes. For bigger races with aid stations every mile or two, one good rule of thumb is to just take fluid every time (so you don't have to think about it). A good strategy is to alternate sports drink and water. Pinch the top between your thumb and fingers, and you can nurse it for a few more yards. Most importantly, do not wait to consume fluids until you are "thirsty". At that point, you are already playing catch-up. Drink early, and when in doubt, choose the electrolyte replacement drink over water - then you'll get both the minerals and the H2O necessary for hydration.
A: Practice! Your initial long runs serve as trial and error nutrition workouts. Once you find your comfort zone with a particular drink, gel or bar include consumption in your longer and more rigorous workouts. Nutrition-wise, nothing you do on race day should be brand new territory. We recommend consuming a gel packet (always with fluid) or similar amount of carbs through another source such as a banana every 45-60 minutes during a marathon or half marathon, which means you should also be doing this on your Big Kahuna long runs. Keep in mind if you are following the earlier recommendation of energy drinks every 25-30 minutes you may not need the additional gel/bar/banana replacement. Many utilize a combination of drinks, gels and food to provide quick available carbs within the race. Everyone's body is different - make your refueling plan during workouts as deliberate as the other parts of your race preparation and you'll have one less unknown to worry about!
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Nutrition
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I love Boston! The rain, the cold and the chance of snow flurries tonight!! I prefer running in cool weather but really snow?! No matter what the weatherman says I am keeping my hopes high that Monday will be perfect running weather; high 40’s, low 50’s, even a light mist would be ok at the start. The hard part with marathons is that you can make it through months of training but come race day there are so few factors that you can actually control. Weather, wind, water stations, your stomach, and other runners are just some of the many factors that you must deal with on race day but none of which you can really control.