Running Tips

I love to watch Jake play! It's fun to see him learn new things. Plus he's very entertaining! :)

I had a friend ask me some questions about running, and I remember having a lot of these sames questions when I started running! I thought I'd share a couple here. Even as I told her, everyone is so different, so what I do may not work for you...but the more we share with each other the more we can learn!

Q: How many times a week is it "good" to run?
A: For me, I like to get in 3 runs per week. Some weeks I do 2, some 4, but ideally I like to do 3. I try to work on speed 1or 2 times and distance the other time. Sometimes on the 3rd run I just like to have an enjoyable run and not really focus on anything. Just enjoy being able to run and the beauty around me (mountains, trees, flowers, houses...).

Q: Are running clothes important?
A: Yes!! Again, to me they are. I used to run in cotton tank tops...now I get actual running shirts (mostly from Target - spandex/polyester). They are so much more comfortable and absorb sweat a lot better! And I mostly run in shorts because I get so hot! I'll wear shorts well into the fall before I switch to capris.

Q: How often do you do strength training?
A: 4-5 times per week. I switch off between going to ASI and workout DVDs. Sometimes I do other things too, but these are my typical strength trainings. Both incorporate cardio too, which is the only way to burn calories. Remember you can't spot reduce fat! Cardio is the only way to burn that fat!

Q: What do you use to keep track of your runs/time/etc.?
A: Up to just a couple of months ago I used my $10 sport's stop watch and my car to track my courses! :) For my birthday, my husband got me a nike+ band...and I love it! He had actually gotten me something different but we continued to research to see what would be best. We finally decided on the nike+ band. It's great. It tracks your pace, calories burned (you enter your height and weight so it's pretty accurate), and miles. The only thing it doesn't track is heart rate. I may invest in a heart rate monitor some day but for now I'm good with this.

Q: What do you eat before a run?
A: I am planning to adjust what I eat before a run and a workout because of what I learned from the nutritionist last week. He encourages protein before a workout (1-1 1/2 hours in advance) to give you the energy you need and then carbs immediately after to give your body what it needs to recover. Before a long run I typically have oatmeal or a bagel. For my 1/2 marathons I took a gel pack - that really helped during the run! I struggle with drinking too much/not enough water. I am still trying to balance that out.