Tell Me Tuesday: How to Get Started Running + 5K Finish It Plan!
A tweet came across the Twitterverse today: Hi Dimity, love the FB page & the podcasts are on over dinner prep! I’m a complete newbie, any chance of a post with hints?
So happy to help: the more mother runners there are in the world, the better the world will be. Here are a few of my thoughts:
My biggest priority for beginning runners–yes, I get to have a priority for you–is to embrace the running lifestyle. I want you to be a lifelong runner, to want and need to run. So you have to make it a habit. For the first few weeks, make your priority simply to get out the door. Whether you go 1/2 a mile or 3; walk most of it or none of it; come home feeling elated or dejected, just go. Just like anything else worth doing, you have to practice moving when you’d rather stay prone in bed or on the couch. Eventually, it’ll just become part of your routine and your body will expect it.
A perfect plan to get you across your finish line (complete plan in .pdf below).
Not sure what you should do for the first few weeks? Oh, I have just the answer for you. Here’s the 5K Finish It plan from Train Like a Mother. (It will open to a .pdf.) Along with the Half-Marathon Finish It plan, we’re shelving this at the top of the site under Training Plans + Workouts, so you can access it whenever you need it.
Since we’re talking about races, I’m a big believer in starting with a 5K, then progressing to a 10K or 5 miler, then jumping up to half-marathon, followed by marathon, if you’re so inclined. By slowly bumping up your mileage and race distances, you’ll help your body get used to the mileage and hopefully stay injury free. Crossing a marathon off a bucket list is certainly a worthy goal–and one I’ll never discourage–but the marathon finish line will be that much sweeter if your body and mind are ready for it.
Join a group. We’ve got a plethora of women’s clubs listed here. Reach out and tell them you’re a beginning runner, and you’d love to find some newbies to run with too. I promise, you’ll be so glad you did; running is so much easier–and more fun–with a buddy. If you don’t have a club in your area, call a local running specialty store and see if they have a beginner class.
When you take on any race distance for the first time, the only goal should be to cross the finish line injury-free–and ideally, with a smile on your face. There is so much to learn and just experience by racing 3.1, 6.2, 13.1 and 26.2 for the first time; once you have a certain race distance under your soles, then you can get all crazy ambitious with your time goals.
Once you get rolling, there is no shame in walking. Yes, I know we’re all runners, but sometimes a short break brings back your mojo. Limit the walk–one minute, to the top of the tough hill, to that mailbox, whatever–and then get your booty moving again.
Get out of the sprint mentality. Whatever notions you have of running being a empty-your-lungs-and-legs experience need to go out the window. You want to be able to talk when you run. If you’re alone, try to recite the Star Spangled Banner or some Shakespeare or your grocery list. If you can only croak out one or two words, slow down.
One day, it’ll feel easier. For some, that might be six weeks; for others, it could be six months. One day, your breathing will regulate itself into a nice little rhythm, and you’ll look down at your watch and think, “Wow, I’ve already been running for 30 minutes! I feel so good!” Trust that it will come, and that it’s worth every mile you put in until that point.
Even when it feels easier, not every run will be great. Or even good. But, as the cliche goes, you’ll never regret a run you did–and the tough, blech runs just make the good runs feel amazing.
Those tips just scrape the tip of the iceberg: what are your best beginner tips?
From Elation to Exhaustion: a Team Running Relay
Spirits–and runners–are flying high at the start. (Kelly is the gal sporting the pink Team Sparkle skirt and a massive blue hand.)
The “Mother of All Relays,” a.k.a. Oregon’s Hood to Coast Relay, had its 30th running this past weekend. We suspect many of the 20,000 participants might be wanting to relive the 200-mile party, so we decided to share an excerpt from Train Like a Mother: How to Get Across Any Finish Line – and Not Lose Your Family, Job, or Sanity
. It’s a fictional start-to-finish recap of a relay race. (But photos accompanying this post are very real: They are courtesy of Kelly Lewis of the blog according-to-kelly.com, who was one of 36 women runners on teams sponsored by nuun. Thanks a ton, Kelly!)
1 p.m. Friday
Start! Lots of pictures, lots of laughs from everybody in their matching “Tough Mothers” tanks and black skirts. Excitement—and nervous energy—course through your veins. As the vans pass by your runner, you hang out the window and scream like you’re a teenager seeing Justin Beiber.
1:45 p.m. Friday
First hand off. Again, everybody enthusiastically gets out of the van. Go team! High fives all around.
5 p.m. Friday
Contemplate an apple, but break out the Red Vines instead, rationalizing the high-sugar content qualifies as carbo-loading.
5:25 p.m. Friday
Your first leg: 5.4 miles. A few uphills, but it feels so good to run after sitting in a van for five hours. Cakewalk.
7:20 p.m. Friday
You climb out to cheer on the final handoff of this series of six legs, and those hills, which had seemed so mild-mannered, are reverberating through your legs with every step you take.
8:40 p.m. Friday
Poll vanmates about what to do during the first big break while Van 2 runners are blazing through the course. Despite your hard but tactful lobbying, your suggestion to grab drive-through, then some shut-eye, gets voted down in favor of a sit-down meal at Olive Garden.
12:25 a.m. Saturday
Hustle teammates to the van—you’re worried you’ll miss the handoff with Van 2 in the dark.
12:40 a.m. Saturday
Spy your first nighttime runners. Get chills from envisioning yourself out there running—and the 48-degree night air.
Kelly, a costume-creator-par-excellence, ready for her night run.
1:15 a.m. Saturday
The skuzzy camping feeling has set in. You deeply regret the Olive Garden meal, which meant no time to shower at the team captain’s house. Judging from the stench wafting off your teammate who is co-piloting as you drive, you must be smelling rank, too. Vow to brush your teeth and wipe your pits at the next transition.
2:35 a.m. Saturday
Consider drinking a bottled Frappucino to revive, but the mere thought makes you throw up a little in your mouth. The flat of them at Costco had looked so appetizing.
3:55 a.m. Saturday
Your second leg: 7 miles. Wearing a headlamp and a sweaty reflective vest and carrying a glow stick in each hand, you look like a Christmas tree. Despite the cool night air, your legs start to cooperate after a mile. Birds start to twitter; it’s beginning to feel like morning instead of nighttime. Rejoice as you contemplate how amazingly different this run is from the basement-treadmill ones you are often designated to do during your toddler’s naps. There’s nothing I’d rather do in the pre-dawn darkness than running seven miles, you think to yourself. Until you hit more hills, which you don’t see until you’re at the bottom of them. Why do my legs have all the hills?
4:55 a.m. Saturday
You know it’s anti-social, but you doze off instead of getting out of the van to cheer on and hand water to a teammate halfway through her (way-less-hilly-than-my) leg.
8 a.m. Saturday
The smell coming off the two port-a-potties at the transition is so revolting, you decide to squat by the side of the road, and realize you’ve forgotten the TP, which isn’t as pristine as it was a day ago. Drip-dry, or so you think, until you stand up and dribble all over your inner thigh. Contemplate sharing anecdote with a teammate, but realize it may only be funny to you—or at the end of the race. Anybody know where the Purell is?
8:35 a.m. Saturday
Spy the van of the Fairfield Fairies, a team of tutu-clad, 20-something women runners your team has been jockeying with since the early stages of the race. The urge to overtake them is less compelling than it was, oh, 18 hours ago. (Is that really all it’s been?)
9 a.m. Saturday
Tally of what you’ve eaten so far: flavorless, too-salty Spaghetti Puttanesca at the O. Garden; half an Egg McMuffin (you would’ve eaten the whole thing, but it fell into a puddle at a transition area…the five-second rule couldn’t apply); four bags of mini Mrs. Field’s; three bottles of Powerade; a PB+J; at least 15 Red Vines; two bananas; five handfuls of Frito’s and, to make sure you had enough fuel to finish your legs, two gels while running. Decide you’ve consumed far more calories than you’ve burned running.
Rainbow bright: one of the nuun team vans
9:10 a.m. Saturday
After the handoff with Van 2, you navigate the now-dust-caked Sienna into a massive field that resembles a Civil War battlefield, if fleece hoodies and running shoes had been standard issue for Union troops. Scope out a secluded spot—a relative term when you’re talking 213 decorated vans and 1,200+ runners—to spread out your tarp and sleeping bag. Pull on eye pillow to block out the sun and hook your hand over your ear to block the noise of other racers having Hershey squirts in the nearby wooded area.
1:15 p.m. Saturday
Last leg: 3.6 miles. Relive the McMuffin as it reappears as you hit yet another hill on your final leg, which is, thankfully, mostly flat and downhill. All good, except it starts to rain.
2:00 p.m. Saturday
Go through all your clothes—you thought you brought enough for a week—and realize you don’t have anything that is both clean and dry. Settle for your sweat-stained team tank and a random black fleece you found stashed in the back seat, along with McDonald’s wrappers, used Kleenex, a stash of celebrity gossip mags (score!), and a smooshed bran muffin. Your kids are less messy than your friends.
2:15 p.m. Saturday
Forget dancing by the side of the road or flirting with the Midnight Cowboys team of youngins from the University of Texas. Try to sleep in the van. Get so annoyed by a teammate’s high-pitched voice you put on your iPod, but Lady Gaga’s “Edge of Glory,” which got you so fired up yesterday afternoon, doesn’t really have the lullaby vibe you need. More like “Edge of Insanity.”
5:42 p.m.: Saturday
Finish! Big group hug, lots of pics (that will never make it past Facebook), and a few tears. We did this! Vow you’ll definitelydo another relay again next year.
#nuunHTC teams MORNING and NOON were all smiles after the finish in Seaside, Oregon
Eavesdrop on an AMR House Party
Animated Dimity talks as Sarah looks on in admiration
Thanks to modern technology, the second half of this podcast allows you to be there as Sarah and Dimity read from Train Like a Mother and chat about their work together in front of a lively audience near Portland, Oregon. This episode was recorded at one of the house parties the gals hosted this spring to promote the publication of TLAM and to bring mother runners together. As you listen, decide for yourself: Is Sarah that drunk, or not?
[audio:http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/podcasts.pagatim.fm/shows/amr_082312.mp3]Producer’s Note: At 17:22 SBS states, very matter-of-fact, that the name of Beyoncé’s daughter is Ivy Blue. This is incorrect. Her name is Blue Ivy Carter, so Dimity had it right all along.
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Eating Clean: 10 Days In
I’ve been getting intimate with the produce aisle. Or at least figuring out what it all is.
So it’s been about 10 days since I waved the white flag on my mood and my motivation. Thank you again for all your thoughtful sentiments; part of the reason I write entries like that is because I think we all–or at least I definitely do–get these imaginary ideas that her life is so polished or she has it so much better than me or why does life seem so much easier for everybody else?
I think it’s vitally important to let the curtain down every once in a while–probably not everyday, or you’d get sick of my virtually living in baggy sweatpants–and let others know you’re struggling. In addition to you badass mother runners, I had so many neighborhood friends and pals from other parts of my life reach out and make me feel so loved and not alone, so I encourage you to to do the same- if you’re feeling beyond blah and can’t figure out how to get over it.
I’m happy to report that I’m feeling much better. I know I haven’t cured my depression, but I’ve made some important discoveries: namely, that what I put down my trap makes a massive difference in my moods. (Shocking, I know: but sometimes you have to experience for yourself to believe it.)
I started the Clean program last Monday. about 10 days ago. The first step was elimination week: no caffeine, no sugar, no wheat, no alcohol, no dairy. What is allowed: almost all fruits and veggies, most white meats and some fish, brown rice and similar grains, oils and nuts, green tea and pretty much anything else you’d grow, has less than 3 ingredients or would be found at a typical co-op.
Then, on Monday–three days ago–I started the real cleanse: a smoothie in the morning, a big (approved) lunch, followed by something liquid for dinner. Two snacks a day as well. And you water yourself like you’re a golf course. You can throw in a lemon or lime into the drink to spice things up.
Here are the high–and low–lights so far:
*Day two: killer headache. Could.not.think. The book warned of that, and recommended not taking anything to relieve the pain. I’m pretty sure the author didn’t know I had two kids who were bouncing off the walls and needed dinner. So I popped three ibuprofen and continued to drink water. By the next morning, it was gone.
Coke Zero: a good name since it does zero for my mood–or health.
*Day four: the hardest. The kids started school, which meant I was finally back to my routine. The routine that involves a Coke Zero at 11 a.m., handfuls of sugar and Ritz and whatever else I can find when I’m either a) feeling writers block or b) want to procrastinate. Which means at least 8 trips up the stairs per day for junk. I made it through, but at the end of that day, Ben was eating a chocolate ice cream cone near me after his soccer practice. I could smell the sugar and would’ve downed it in 3 bites if I could’ve.
*I have eaten more nuts and seeds than a squirrel in hibernation. Cashews, almonds, pumpkin seeds: I eat them by the handful, and they’re oddly satisfying:. I used to think when I read how somebody loved to snack on almonds, I used to think, bullcrap. Sliver me some almonds in a salad or throw them in GORP, and I’ll happily eat them. But a snack by themselves? Not so much. Now, I can’t believe how filling and tasty the seem. I haven’t gone totally raw yet, as Clean suggests–sorry, I like some salt and roast with my nuts.
*I have cheated. Ibuprofen and salty nuts notwithstanding, Grant and I split a beer (I know: crazy, right?) the night before the first day of school; every day, I’ve been having at least one piece of Ezekiel 4:9 bread with peanut butter. (Ezekiel is what Scott Jurek of Eat & Run fame eats, so I figure that’s the best it’s going to get); every morning, I’m still having a splash of my beloved Chai, but now I mix it with Almond Milk; on Saturday night, there was a luau at our neighborhood pool, where I had two beers and a brownie, among other things. (And I felt totally off on Sunday. Not sure if that was the food or the 3.5-hour bike ride I did on Saturday. Probably a combo.)
If I could reach into the screen and eat this, I would.
*I’ve stopped myself from cheating. Making grilled cheese for my kids, I wanted to wolf one down so bad. Same with the cream cheese bagels I make for Ben in the morning. I definitely crave a glass of wine each night but a drink, to me, is signal I’ve made it through the day and I can relax. I need to change my way of thinking there.
After getting through the first few days, I’ve craved some sugar as well. Tonight, I can’t get a slice of Whole Foods carrot cake out of my head, but I’m not so in need of a crazy up because I haven’t been crazy down. (And it bears noting: the candy aisle holds zero appeal for me currently.)
The book that has guided me to a much better place.
*It costs money.* While I only invested in the Clean book–I’m not using any of their other products–my grocery store runs have been costlier than usual. I had to stock up on random things like chia seeds and cardamom (made one Energy Smoothie with the spice yesterday and gagged it down: hoping to find some other recipes that need it so they $9 bottle doesn’t go to waste). Obviously, I’m not going to need to restock my flaxseed every week, so I’m betting cost will go down.
*Also, It wouldn’t cost as much money if I would read the fine print near the recipes. Little did I know, until tonight, that each recipe made two servings, not one. So I’ve been doubling them for Grant, my fellow cleanser, and me. Which leads me to the next point.
*I need more calories, especially since I’m a big girl and I’m exercising pretty regularly. So doubling those smoothies and soups is much better than eating non-approved foods. I’ve also added a salad and fresh fruit to dinner, and I snack pretty much all day long: fruit, nuts, and today, I had some leftover roasted broccoli with this amazing tahini dressing from this salad. (I LOVE this dressing, and the salad is great too.) So I’m not following it to the letter–more like 85%– but I feel like I’m still getting the main benefits.
*I still need to fuel for exercise. On my recent rides (and one run), I eat (non-caffeinated) GU and Jurek-approved Clif bars, as well as drink my beloved Nuun. My energy is decent, but not great, when I’m sweating. I did a long ride last Saturday, and my quads felt empty sooner than usual, and on my six-mile run this morning, I brought a gel in case I needed a shot of sugar. I did. The Clean program talks about this amazing burst of energy you’re supposed to feel, but I haven’t felt that yet.
*I suck at planning. But eating Clean forces me to plan because I can’t be left in that no-food-so-let’s-eat-quesadillas state. So I spent Sunday planning my menu for the week so I’m stocked with plenty of pineapple to make pineapple and avocado gazpacho. (LOVE this one too. I think of it as the healthy person’s margarita.)
*All that said, it bears repeating: I feel so much better. I haven’t shed a tear in 10 days, which is huge for me, given my recent track record. I have not crashed and exploded. I haven’t felt hangry–a beautiful, low-blood-sugar term I stole from a friend–in 10 days. (Hungry, yes. But hangry, like I.must.eat.now.or.I.will.scream.? Nope.) I can see how a slight lifestyle shift–more planning for meals made with nutritious, balanced foods–can make a really important shift in my attitude and life.
Curious: have you noticed a pattern between your food and your attitude? What about your food and your running?
Tell Me Tuesday: How to Get the Stink out of Workout Wear
At least most of us now have machines to help with the problem of stinky running clothes.
If your running partners can smell you coming from a mile away (I’m often guilty as charged!), it might be time to take action. Last week, we posed the question of how to get the funk out of running clothes on our Facebook page, and we got about 10 hampers-worth of responses. Here are eight sweet (-smelling) suggestions:
Add a little something-something. Some washer-women add OxyClean, while others toss in white vinegar or hydrogen peroxide, and others swear by baking soda. “But,” as Rachel cautioned, “NOT all at the same time!” (Janine, however, adds eucalyptus oil with white vinegar, which sounds mighty Martha Stewart-y to us. Bonus points for you, Janine!) If you opt for OxyClean, consider going the route Janice does: pre-soaking overnight in the miracle substance, then adding more to the load when you turn on the machine.
A favorite, based on FB comments
Try a sport detergent. Lots of mother runners swear by Tide Plus Febreeze Sport, while others pledge allegiance to Win detergent or Penguin Sports Wash. A fan of Tide Sport, Katie recommends using it on sweaty garb only as, “the detergent smells so strong.” Good to know. Another detergent-additives to consider are Febreeze (there’s a new one just for sport gear), Borax, Biokleen, or Odoban, which is available at Home Depot, according to Tracy who puts a squirt of it in her front-loading washer.
Soak overnight. Several plan-ahead types attest to soaking stinky duds overnight before washing them the next day. Some mother runners use baking soda or vinegar, while Molly uses Rockin’ Green Funk Rock. “It was originally meant to take the funky smell that can build up in cloth diapers out. Works amazingly but it’s not sold in many stores so you have to order it online.”
Don’t overload the washer. Anne Marie insists, “clothes need room to move around.” Makes sense that it allows water and cleaning agents to move more freely–and have less bacteria-poop (ew! But, seriously, it’s the cause of the odor) to combat.
Rinse–and repeat.Several gals, including Kristen, swear by a second rinse cycle.
Sunlight kills odor-causing bacteria (as well as vamps!)
Line dry clothes outdoors. Robin, an ultrarunner, points out that sunlight helps kill bacteria-causing odor. And some gentle breezes never hurt, either. (As long as we’re talking drying clothes, two quick points: Air dry your wicking gear whenever possible. If you put them in dryer, do not use fabric softener, as that hampers the wicking properties.)
Experiment with nature’s scents: Like Janine with the eau du eucalyptus, Kerri goes above and beyond, storing her workout wear with cotton balls dabbed with a few drops of tea tree oil.
Leave your cares behind. Sara and Jennifer are in agreement: “Just run.” They insist no one will say anything if you’re running outdoors. Or take the tact Yeiko does: “I thought I smelled…maybe I can blame it on my clothes.”
Tips and Advice to Prep for a Relay Race
With Oregon’s Hood to Coast rapidly approaching, Dimity and Sarah want to remind you of their podcast of relay running strategies and anecdotes. (Sarah is a 9-time vet of the H2C, twice on the same team with dear Dimity.) The lessons the mother runners impact can apply to any relay race—or life in general, including managing expectations, staying hydrating, eating real food, and, the all important, peeing mid-run.
[audio:http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/podcasts.pagatim.fm/shows/amr_082511_101232431.mp3]If you’re digging our podcasts, we’d be super-grateful if you’d take a minute (because we *know* you have so many to spare!) to write a review on iTunes.
**Also, the quickest way to get our podcasts is to subscribe to the show via iTunes. Clicking this link will automatically download the shows to your iTunes account. It doesn’t get any simpler than that!
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