Unless you are training for a race in Texas or Florida, winter is typically not peak racing season. A majority of runners focus on developing their base during winter, which means a focus on strength and endurance rather than race-specific workouts. Typically, base building features mostly easy miles, which can become monotonous on the treadmill - which is why you want to have some engaging treadmill workouts for winter training for when you do run harder. Hard interval workouts are fun to do ...
Weekly Workouts: Strength Phase, Week 2
Last week ended up not being a very fruitful week of workouts. I dealt with congestion early in the week, which turned into a full-blown cold later in the week. I took a few days off of running in order to get better. I knew a few days off would lead to better training overall. Plus, it's tiring to be sick while taking care of a baby! Monday: 5.3 mile treadmill run I followed another simulation of the Boston Marathon course. This segment involved 360 feet of climbing. I'm really enjoying ...
Functional Core Exercises for Runners
We all know now that crunches are not an effective core exercise, but is your core workout really all it can be? Basic core exercises such as basic plank and V-ups aren’t detrimental, but chances are, if you have been doing core work for more than a few months, you need to progress your exercises. Sure, you could complete more reps, but that won’t necessarily train your core through the full range of motion it needs to become strong and functional. So it’s time to think beyond the basic plank to ...
Weekly Workouts: Strength Phase, Week 1
This week I resumed structured training for the first time since 2018. I have a couple of spring races in my sights, including a 10K that I'm registered for and a possible 10 mile race. I'm not greedy for PRs yet, but I still want to race to the best of my abilities. I ran a 48-minute 10K last spring while 16 weeks pregnant; my goal for this spring is to beat that time. I am starting with a strength phase before tackling harder speed workouts. A C-section truly saps you of your strength, both ...
Should You Take a Break from Running?
Most of the time, running is enjoyable. That’s ultimately why we all lace up our shoes, log those daily miles, and train for distances that seem crazy to the average person. But what happens when running is no longer enjoyable? When should you take a break from running? Obviously, there are situations in life that necessitate an extended break from running. The postpartum phase, stress fractures or serious injuries, surgeries, and other medical reasons all warrant several weeks off of running ...
Weekly Workouts: Start of 2020
The combination of mild weather and Ryan being home from work allowed me to enjoy several outdoor runs both last week and the week before. I slacked on strength workouts last week. I wanted to enjoy every moment of family in town and Ryan off of work during the start of the week, and then the second half of the week was busy with onboarding new athletes. If I'm short on time, I'll choose to run rather than strength train because of the mental release. Postpartum hormones are no joke, ...