When do you prefer to run? I prefer to run about 6am on a summer weekday morning after waking up early enough to have a cup of coffee before I head out the door. Kids and husband still asleep knowing that I'll be stretched and showered before the kids even wake up for the day.
What's your mantra? I had two children naturally with NO painkillers, I can do this run!
What's your favorite piece of running clothing or outfit? My new running tights in winter, my DUMMIES tank-top in summer.
When do you know its time for a new pair of shoes? I can just feel it. Usually every 500 miles or once a year, whichever comes first.
What's your favorite piece of gear? My iphone with the Nike+ Running app, in an armband
What music fires you up? Changes over time but for a long time its been Sarah Bareilles and Ingrid Michaelson, it doesn't have to be up-beat either, its all about inspirational lyrics and music
Do you run with a partner, group, or dog? Actually I've run with all 3, depends on what's going on in life. I love a friend to chat with one-on-one during a run, my dog Gracie goes with me on runs less than 3 miles long (she's nearly 12 years old), and if a group of friends is training for a long run we'll run a couple long ones together.
What does the path of your running career remind you of?
What's your favorite speed workout?
Do you walk up hills? No! Never! Even when I think walking would be faster, I get up on my toes and dig-deep.
My favorite or most-effective hill workouts?
What's your favorite distance workout? Out to the country club and back. It's 7 miles, long enough that it gives me a good, exhausting work out, but short enough where I can push myself with speed too.
What's your favorite trail?
What's your best cross-training work out? Jillian Michaels, kickboxing, yoga, zumba
What's your favorite pre-run fuel? peanut butter and jelly sandwich
What's your most memorable race? Dam to Dam, I trained with friends for the first time, the weather was beautiful and it was my first half-marathon, something I never thought I'd be able to do
What's your ideal racing distance? Love the half-marathon! Long enough that I do need to train and plan ahead time, and every year different friends take on the challenge. Still feel the wonderful running burn the next day and feel that amazing sense of accomplishment when I see 13.1 miles on the race shirt.
Did you run during pregnancy? Yes, with my first child I ran for 6 months, and then I just felt when it was time to quit. I continued cross-training until the day he was born though. Probably what made me go into labor:) I didn't run with my second child as long, mostly because with another child to take care of I couldn't find the time or energy. I stayed active and walked a lot with the second pregnancy.
What was the hardest thing about post-pregnancy running? Having to take it slow with both speed and distance. Remembering the workout my body had just been through carrying and delivering a baby and that it will take time to get back to where I was pre-pregnancy.
Do you run with your husband? No. My husband is to say the least, not a runner. He is completely supportive of my need to run and will even find trails for me to run on when we are on vacation and will even offer to watch the kids when he can feel I need a run. He will hike miles and miles with me, but never run.
What's the most memorable thing your kid has said about running?
How do you cope with time away from running? Not very well:( I do yoga and strength train, but nothing is as endorphin producing as a good long run.
How much of your running is for weight control? It used to be all of it. But as I've continued on this amazing journey through life; gotten married to an amazing man that helps me deal with my weight insanity issues, have given birth to two amazing children whose bodies I completely adore, every inch of them and don't want them EVER to feel guilt or shame about their bodies, I have to keep my insecurities in check. I am the adult and the role model for my children and how they feel about their bodies. Now I run for the alone time, confidence, and running-high.
Are you addicted to exercise? Used to be, and still sometimes am. But getting older, busy with 2 children, and sometimes lazy I wouldn't say so anymore:)
When I run, I feel .... peaceful.
Favorite quotes:
I am alone with my thoughts and tunes. When I run, I'm not a mother or a wife or a writer.
I don't doubt myself in tough situations because I am a runner. I know how to keep on keeping on, even when I'm sure I've got nothing left to give, because I'm a runner. -- I especially felt this more than ever after Relay Iowa 2014
I'm merely doing an activity that is as essential to my existence as food or water. -- Yes!
You have to decide you deserve to take enough time in a week - 2 or so hours, at least - where running, and consequently you, is the priority. -- Some busy weeks there just doesn't seem to be even 30 minutes to catch a run:(
The mental high I know I"ll coast on after a workout.
The stream-of-consciousness river that appears about 10 minutes into a run.
Being able to drink a beer (or three).
...disease-fighting machine . . .
The soothing exhaustion a morning workout creates.
The active lifestyle my kids think is the norm . . .
The mellow demeanor my post-run self brings to being a parent and a spouse.
The very tangible, improving results that come with structured, consistent training.
Uninterrupted girlfriend time.
Go long enough so you're super uncomfortable and every fiber of you is screaming at your brain to tell your body to slow down. Then go at least a minute - or 5 - longer.
With running, it's holding onto the distinct memory of conquering pain that lets us do it all over again.
Favorite t-shirt sayings, Front: Half-marathon ready. Back: At all times.
Find your happy place.
Sometimes running is the only thing to do when you don't know what to do.
I'm going to encourage my children to find their own version of running, something that alternately challenges and calms them, makes them feel alive and proud, and surrounds them with lifelong friends.
Sooner or later, every daughter becomes their mother.
New ideas - try a skirt, Bodyglide, socks - sweat-wicking wool or polyester ($10-$12), Nike Sport Music in iTunes, try some speed workouts,
Speed workouts to try;
two-mile warm up, 6 x 5-minute tempo intervals (between 5K and 10K pace) with 2:30 recovery, and a couple miles for a cool down
1-mile warm up, 2 miles at tempo, 1 mile easy. Followed by 4 x 400 5K pace with 400-meter recovery in between. End with 2 minute cool down.
Strength training workouts to try;
2 sets of 12 - 15 reps;
Lower Body - squats two ways; one legged or wall sits, step-ups, lunges, crab walk
Upper Body and Core - back extensions, plank, side plank, crunches, tricep dips, push ups
Work out to try: Warm up with a 2-mile jog, run 400 meters at 5K pace, 12 burpees, 6 assisted chin ups, 30 crunches, 12 push ups, 24 body-weight squats, run 400 meters, 10 squats with shoulder press, 8 push ups, 12 tricep dips, 30 back extensions, 30 lunges with biceps curls
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