Even I can't believe I've been visiting Paris pretty regularly for 35 years now. Over the years, I've explored some fantastic running routes in the City of Light and wanted to share them with you in this slightly overdue post. You can bookmark it if you are traveling to France for work or vacation and want to plan some runs.
Read MoreHeat running can be super uncomfortable – whether you are a total newbie or you are Shalane Flanagan or Meb Keflezighi. Your body will eventually acclimate to running in the sultry summer weather, but even then, you'll still need to get through those extra-soupy days, when the dew point, humidity and temperature all conspire to create a triple whammy of hell-fire conditions.
If you live in a climate that experiences 4 seasons like my city, Philadelphia, take heart. This is only temporary. Running in the summer swelter increases your capacity to appreciate those crisp fall mornings. And the good news is, studies show that heat training can be just as beneficial to runners as altitude training – good news for those of us at sea level. (Philly may not have mountains, but we do have almost-tropical summer weather.) Heat training increases your blood plasma volume, just as altitude training does, leading to improved cardiovascular fitness.
Here are a few tricks that have helped me get get through some extremely hot summer runs and races...
Read More... On Saturday, I got to the running path by 6AM in an effort to beat the heat and humidity. But there's no outsmarting or outrunning Mama Nature. It was 77 degree when I started and 82% humidity. Worse yet, the dew point was 71. The dew point is the true measure of how much you are going to struggle when you run. Anything over 55 will affect your running performance. As you can see from the chart below,a dew point of 71 is in the "Expect to suffer greatly" range. ...
Read MoreWhen it comes to improving as a runner, there's talent, and there's hard work. Sometimes, the stars align, and both elements are in place. But hard work - and consistency – will almost always get you farther than talent alone. Part of that hard work involves completing a running apprenticeship. This includes, but is not limited to:
How long does an apprenticeship last? ...
Read MoreI was slated to run the Boston Marathon this April, but since I was not "feeling the love," I had decided to skip it and instead concentrate on speed and shorter distances, which I tend to prefer, probably because I'm better at them. (We all prefer to do things that we are better at.) It turned out to be a good move. I enjoyed a sweet spring season, PRing in every distance I raced (5K, 15K, 10-mile) and even winning #1 female in a 5K – something I didn't expect to do at age 52,
As anyone who has done it will attest, marathon training is hard work and requires a huge time commitment, not only because you have to run higher weekly mileage than to train for shorter races, but also because you need to devote many hours to building up muscular strength in the gym and/or yoga studio. You have to be in the right headspace to do all this or you will have a miserable time.
After the spring racing season was over, the marathon bug started playfully nipping at my heels again.
Read MoreWhat's the #1 way to become a better cook? Cook every day.
Want to improve your cello-playing ability? Practice early and often.
Aiming to be a better runner? Then (wait for it!): run consistently.
Whether you are an elite or sub-elite runner looking to shave a few seconds off a fast PR or a total running newbie, just trying to break a 10- or 11-minute mile, consistency will afford you more gains than the latest fancy-pants training trend or a pair of sub-2:00 sneakers. Making running a regular habit – and not talking yourself out of doing it – is the easiest way to improve both your running and your mental grit...
Read MoreBetween my trip to Paris and being super-busy with my job, I've fallen a bit behind on reviews. But today I have a double feature for you – plus, the nice folks at Stridebox have offered to give away free Strideboxes to two lucky readers! Contest details after the reviews.
if you're the kind of runner who likes trying the latest running gadgets, gizmos & fuel, you'll live StrideBox. It's a great value & a lot of fun - like getting a surprise each month.
Read MoreAfter returning from Paris, I felt a bit of reverse culture shock when resuming the fast pace and daily grind of East Coast American life. Of course, I was thrilled to see my 3 little furballs. Plus, it's always nice to get back to your own familiar space, things – and running routes. But still, I miss the ease and presentness of Paris. Eating French food helps me feel a little more connected to the sense of stillness and gratitide that I experienced during my stay there.
Last week, I posted a photo of some vegan, gluten-free crêpes I made out of longing for Paris. Several of you asked for the recipe, so here it is, along with some filling ideas.
Read MoreAs part of my working vacation in Paris, I thought it would be fun to run a race in in the City of Light. Races are few and far in-between in France, so I had to go with what was available. I registered for a women's only 10K called "Paris Pour Elles" (Paris for Her).
One of the funny things about signing up to race in France is that you need a doctor's note confirming you are fit to run. In the US, you just sign a waiver, basically saying if you die, it's your own damn fault.
This was truly a race scheduled for "fun." My season was finished. I had met and exceeded my goals beyond my wildest expectations in my goal races - PRing in every distance I raced this spring and best of all, coming in 4th in my age group in the wildly competitive Broad Street Run. I even won a 5K!
So I was tired. My body was creaky and my legs felt anything but fresh. All the signs that I should slow down were there. Even my coach directly told me to back off.
But I didn't. *rolls eyes* ...
Read MoreWith respect to running, after about a week in Paris, my body started to scream "oncle!" At the end of the spring season when my body was already beaten up, putting in running mileage plus 3-5 solid hours of walking each day was proving to be too much. Toss in a helping of serious jet lag and it added up to accumulated fatigue. My gastroc started to light up, plus my hamstrings felt like they were housing bowling balls, and I just felt sizzled.
Soon fall marathon training will begin. Keeping my eyes on the future, I need to back off on the running now so my body can heal. It is a bit of a bummer because I love running on vacation, especially in Paris where there are so many beautiful routes and vistas. But at the same time, it's also nice thing because it gives me a hall pass to slack off for a bit. Since I take very good care of myself in terms of exercise and nutrition, many signs have indicated that it's time to spend time in the City of Light nurturing my soul.
Perfect segue for a "rest day" post – a post that really has nothing to do with running....
Read MoreBonjour from Paris!
Sorry for my absence but it's been a crazy week. I arrived here last Tuesday morning. I'm apartment- and cat-sitting for my friend, who is a translator, while she visits her family in the US. It's fun living in Elisabeth's apartment and exploring her neighborhood – the 17th arrondissement, aka Batignolles. Trying on Elisabeth's expatriate freelance life and living in a different neighborhood is intriguing. I could get used to this, especially since I work from home and via technology. In fact, I already am used to it....
Some people like to take a vacation from running and exercise while they vacation, which is certainly understandable, but it's not for me. I'm not doing my strength work, core or yoga here, but I skipped only one scheduled run yesterday, because my gastroc was lit up. Otherwise, I have been happily running in Paris, exploring new vistas and routes. (Watch for my upcoming Paris running route post.)...
Read MoreLast Sunday, May 7, 2017, I joined nearly 40,000 other runners and completed my 7th Broad Street Run, the country's largest 10-miler. It is truly an amazing event: a fast, flat course positioned north to south, past some of Philadelphia's colorful neighborhoods, screaming spectators, several universities, silly signs and architectural gems. If you're running for fun, it's a great way to experience a real slice of the City of Brotherly Love.
Besides competing for personal reasons, the Broad Street Run is part of the Midatlantic USATF Grand Prix, so many local track teams, including my team, the Philadelphia Runner Track Club, were competing .
We have little to zero control over how life unfolds, and the week leading up to the race was far from ideal....
Read MoreNow that I've run 100+ miles in my Mizuno Wave Rider 19s, I feel i've had enough experience to review them. A small matter that the Wave Rider 20 is now out: I'm not an early running shoe adopter. When I find a running shoe I like, I tend to remain loyal to it until it's discontinued – which also happens to save money and time. When you find a good thing, stick to it. This applies to most things in life.
First things first, Mizuno has an almost cult-like following. Personally, I never would have tried the brand; nothing about the Mizuno remotely interested me, except for the fact it's a Japanese company. But a few years back, someone from Mizuno contacted me through Instagram and offered me a free, no-strings-attached pair of Wave Rider 18s to try. Free is my favorite price so, of course, I said yes and gave these neutral shoes a go.
I didn't expect to like the Mizuno Wave Rider 18s but I did, in spite of myself....
Read More...When a person says "I would like to be a runner BUT...", to me, it's a telltale sign there's a passionate runner lurking inside, just waiting to burst out and run joyfully. All wannabe runners need is a little nurturing and good information to get started.
I say this with certainty this because I was once that person. I used to say, "I would like to be a runner BUT." I thought of myself as a jogger, not a runner. And so that's what I was. And that's what I did.
...Want to start running but not sure of where to start? Consider these 10 tips for wannabe runners from a girl who's been there:
Read MoreThis month, partly out of laziness and party because of time constraints, I decided to do a video review of this month's Stridebox. My usual cost analysis is below. Please bear with my newness at DIY video editing, recording and lighting. The lesson for me has been, just as with running, you have to start somewhere.
Read MoreI believe the 80/20 rule applies to most things in life. Eg, if you eat healthily 80% of the time, then it's okay to "sin" 20% of the time. Although I eat pretty cleanly, my hedonistic love of acidic foodstuffs – sugar, coffee, wine and white sugar – had my daily diet teetering uncomfortably past 79%. Plus I was feeling stressed – like there wasn't enough time in the day to accomplish everything that needed to be done. It was time to cleanse.
About once a year, I do a 21-day cleanse, loosely based on the cleanse in Kris Carr's Crazy, Sexy, Diet. The cleanse does not involve deprivation: you eat all you want. Your daily diet consists of vegan (aka plant-based), gluten-free, mainly alkaline foods (60-80%) and some healthy acidic foods (20-40%). The cleanse is not just about nutrition; it also involves self care, like daily mediation, dry brushing, news fasting, exercising, etc.
This cleanse is a ritualistic return to clean eating and radical self care. It counters the manner in which we are socialized to attend to everything and everyone but ourselves. Fact is, taking care of yourself is not selfish. It's necessary.
Luckily, 70 of you decided to join me in our closed group on Facebook. Cleansing is more fun – and much easier – when done in the company of like-minded people. We shared recipes, tips, successes, funny stories – and even transgressions. (Yes, we are human. Perfection is a dangerous myth.) On April 22, I officially finished my 21-Day Badass Adventure Cleanse. Hello, morning soy latte! Here's the recap.
Read MoreIf you follow my blog, you'll know that even though I registered for Boston this year, I decided not to run it. In terms of specificity, you can't train to properly race both a marathon and 5-10Ks. That would be like studying French to pass a Spanish exam. My heart beats faster for the shorter, faster races (pun sorta intended), and so far, my season is showing that I made the right decision.
Since Sloan, some of my friends, and several teammates were running, I decided to go to Boston to support them. I wondered how I would feel when I got to Boston. I expected to feel some minor pangs of regret about making the wrong decision? But happily once I arrived, I felt absolutely no desire to have run the race this year. I had already run it last year and had a great time. I was stoked to be on the other side of the running fence for a change – the spectator side!
Read MoreI'm fairly disciplined and can usually will myself into doing speed work or a tempo run solo. But doing it as part of a 5K keeps me honest about my speed and makes it mentally easier to push myself. Plus, it's more fun! What can be more life-affirming than getting up early on the weekend and soaking in all healthy, active energy with like-minded people? So, this Saturday, I decided to jump into the Cherry Blossom 5K at the last-minute as a more inspiring way to get in a tempo run.
I had run the race before a few times (I actually won it once) and knew the new course included a steep, long hill at the finish. But I figured this would make for a great workout. As a special added bonus, this was the first year I remember when the cherry blossoms were actually blooming on race day.
Read MoreAbout 2 years ago, I read Marie Kondo's Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing, and no hyperbole: it really was a life-changing book and it really was a one-time reorganization. After reading it, I donated, sold or discarded roughly 50% of my possessions. I tossed items that were worn, donated items that were still good but that I had no use for, and sold or consigned items, like clothing that I no longer wore....
Although I had Kondo-ed my running gear, racing and blogging means you are constantly accruing new, some useful, some not. ... I decided to embark on an expedition to clean out my 3 drawers of running gear.
Read MoreLast Saturday, I ran the Hot Chocolate 15K. Race day happened to dovetail with the start of my 21-Day Badass Adventure Cleanse, so I was curious to see what affect, if any, the regimen would have on my performance...
I lined up in the first corral. Runners are usually packed in, but this one was strangely loose. The gun went off more or less right on time. The 5:57 on my Garmin told me I was going way too fast – normal for a race start – so I concentrated hard on holding back. It can be difficult when runners are flying past you, but in a race of this distance, I knew I would catch many of them down the road....
Read MoreGet faster as a master. Masters running.Training, tips and inspiration for runners ages 40 and older. Plant-based recipes. Training plans.
