Tag Archives: Training

How To Get Started Running

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I feel like a perpetual new runner. I’ve started and stopped running so many times in my life, I’ve lost count. If anyone knows how to get started running, it’s me.How To StartRunning

I took a break from running when graduate school and working full-time became too much to add running into my schedule. After a cross-country move and settling into new job, I wanted to start running again and found that I felt like a brand new runner again. Every step felt like it was hard, breathing was an effort, even the two-mile loop around my neighborhood was too much. I had to return to the basics of when I first started running. In case you’re new to running too, I want to share some of what I have found important in my many seasons of being a new runner. Continue reading How To Get Started Running →

Runner Spotlight: Deborah Brooks

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Shh...don't tell anyone Supergirl's secret identity!
Shh…don’t tell anyone Supergirl’s secret identity!

I met Deborah Brooks when I was running past a water stop during my first half marathon. She is a Moms Run This Town (MRTT) Chapter leader in McLean, VA where she has successfully raised a husband and two teens.  She currently coaches Girls on The Run and hopes that she is helping to inspire the next generation of female runners. As a lifelong vegetarian, she is passionate about healthy living and exercise. She loves to showcase her vegetarian creations each week on her “Confessions of a Mother Runner” blog’s Meatless Monday link up. You will find her running with her crew or sweating it out at the gym training for the next crazy race someone talked her into. Continue reading Runner Spotlight: Deborah Brooks →

Bring Some Good Luck to Your Race

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Good Luck Box is teaming up with the Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run to bring you an extra shot of luck the week before the race. What is a Good Luck Box? It’s a selection of handpicked items from running experts to give you the edge before, during, and after an upcoming race. Boxes are tailored to the recipient and their race. In the case of the Cherry Blossom box, the contents will be specially chosen with a cherry blossom theme. Continue reading Bring Some Good Luck to Your Race →

Jen’s Sweeping Finish

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Jen's "sweep bus selfie"
Jen’s “Sweep Bus Selfie” on the Arlington Memorial Bridge

We are privileged to be able to use the Washington Monument Grounds during the National Cherry Blossom Festival, its busiest time of the year. Our permit agreement specifies all runners will be off the course by 10:30 am. To meet this agreement, runners not maintaining a 14-minute-per mile pace (calculated from the start of the final wave) will be required to leave the course and board our sweep vehicle (if you are unsure that you can maintain this pace, you can switch to the 5k by completing this form). One brave runner shares her 2015 sweep bus experience.  Continue reading Jen’s Sweeping Finish →

Runner Spotlight: David Heyman

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David after completing Havana Half Marathon in November 2015
David after completing Havana Half Marathon in November 2015

I “met” David Heyman on twitter in 2014 when we were both preparing for the Philadelphia half marathon. His twitter feed is one of my favorites & is full of insights on what’s happening in Washington, DC – everything from sports, to politics, to the metro system. He also tracks how long it takes media outlets to report breaking news, shares travel tips, and (of course) has running-related content!

Continue reading Runner Spotlight: David Heyman →

Runner Spotlight: Jamie Seifert

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Jamie tackles Marine Corps, her second marathon, with ease
Jamie tackles Marine Corps, her second marathon, with ease

Jamie and I met a little over a year ago during Potomac River Running Distance Training, but she’s the kind of person that you feel like you’ve known your whole life. Now our kids run track together, she gives me mom advice (who knew elementary school would be so hard for me to navigate?!), and comes over to run on my basement treadmill when the winter weather makes an outdoor run treacherous. Everyone should have a friend like Jamie! 

Continue reading Runner Spotlight: Jamie Seifert →

Tips for Training for the CUCB Ten Miler!

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Happy February! Before we know it, the Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Miler will be here! I thought this was a good time to talk through some training tips as we all prep for the big day.

CUCB 2015
This race is such fun!

This year will be my fourth year running the CUCB and each year, I’ve picked up a few more tips on how best to train for the race. I hope you all will find these helpful as you move forward with your training.

  • Get ready to run with {lots of} friends. The CUCB Ten Miler is a VERY popular race and if you are not used to running larger races, you might find yourself thrown off your game during the first mile or so. Don’t let this happen to you – prepare mentally for a somewhat crowded start and resolve to use that first mile to settle in. Each year that I’ve run, my first mile has been my slowest. Don’t let that bum you out – it’s the perfect way to try and negative split the race (negative split = run the second half faster than the first).
  • Check out the course map (including the elevation chart). You’ll note that the course takes you through a pretty scenic route – you will start and end at the Washington Monument, go over the Memorial Bridge and run through Rock Creek Park before heading around the Tidal Basin towards Hains Point. If you are paying attention, you can see numerous other monuments, memorials and museums while racing. While looking at the elevation chart, you’ll notice that this is a really flat course. It’s great to try and push it for a PR, because it’s so flat. There is one teeny (extremely teeny) hill at the very end of the race, but it is so close to the finish that you can ignore the pain and finish strong.
  • Prepare mentally for Hains Point. The last couple miles of the race take you through Hains Point. Hains Point is flat, isolated and many runners nightmare. There isn’t a ton of crowd support because it’s isolated and it can feel like it stretches on forever. However, you can be prepared to not let Hains Point take you down! The best thing about it is that once you reach Hains Point, the end is near. Take advantage of the quiet and the flat portion of the course to concentrate on slowly increasing your pace for a strong and fast finish. I like to just put my head down, run hard and push it in. Once you start hearing the crowds again, you’ll have made it through Hains Point and be pushing up that last tiny hill. Don’t let Hains Point defeat you – own it and you will have a great race!

What are your tips for CUCB newbies? 

Keep Calm And Volunteer

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If you’re in the Northeast United States, or at least the Mid-Atlantic, then like me you’ve spent much of the past week hiding from the cold and snow.  Here in Washington DC, we reacted to #Snowzilla with our customary coolness under fire (just picture a ballroom of cats given enough catnip to power several zip codes’ worth of Christmas lights, and then setting a herd of Roombas upon them.  Did I mention the ballroom was on the Titanic?).

This probably has resulted in you being cooped up, or stuck on your treadmill.  Runners get a little crazy when they can’t Do That Thing They Do (that song is in your head now, you’re welcome).  All of this snow, slush, and ice might have you feeling a little behind when it comes to training, especially if you’re new to running, or if the 10-mile distance is a new frontier.  I suggest remembering this mantra:

volunteer

You might well wonder what the heck volunteering has to do with training. You’re a long distance runner.  You gotta think Long Term. Continue reading Keep Calm And Volunteer →

5 Ways to Stay Motivated to Run This Winter

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Running in the winter can be tough, especially if you are in an area like the Northeast or Mid-Atlantic regions where we get hit with snow, ice, and even big blizzards (Hello, Storm Jonas!). Sometimes it’s tougher to convince yourself to suit up and get out the door to stay on track with training for spring races like the Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run. Here are some of my tips to make sure that I stay motivated and stick to my training plans through the winter months.
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1.Buy the proper gear.

If you are going to be running outside in the winter make sure you have some warm-layering essentials and accessories including socks, gloves and a hat. I like to layer a tank top tucked into some cold weather long tights and layer a half zip plus a shell coat on top and finish it off with gloves and a hat or fleece headband. Keep everything by the door or laid out the night before so you aren’t scrambling to find what you need in the morning.

2. Join a local running group or make it a date.

One of my biggest motivators for getting out the door on cold, dark winter mornings is having someone to meet up with. Find a local running group that meets at specific times or make a date with a friend to go for a run. If you are meeting someone, you are far less likely to hit the snooze button and miss a run!

3.  Keep your spring goals in mind.

If you have signed up for a race like the Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run or have a spring racing goal in mind, mark your calendar or print out a countdown of how many days it is until the race.  Also print out your training plan and mark off each run you complete.   Keep in mind your target race or how it will feel when you accomplish your goal every run as motivation.

4.  Have a backup plan.

Sometimes running outside in the winter may not be an option for you.  If you belong to a local gym, be prepared to complete a treadmill workout. I also like to keep a bunch of at-home strength and cardio workout DVDs and Youtube videos on hand. If I can’t get a run in I can at least do some cross-training or just switch my training schedule around for the week.

5.  Make your long runs an event.

Getting in my longer runs is the biggest challenge for me in the in winter so I like to create little rituals for myself to stay motivated.  After my weekend long runs I like to treat myself to a coffee or hot chocolate and a breakfast snack. It seems silly but having that big mug of hot chocolate and a bagel is sometimes motivation enough to get my miles for the day done.  Treat yourself to something small on your long run days, and it can be something to look forward to all week. It could also be getting a manicure or taking time to snuggle up on the couch and watch a movie you’ve been wanting to see-only after you finish your run!

 

Make Your Race Goal a Reality with =PR= Training

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Are you ready to run your best race on April 3 and have fun while you are training? Did you miss out on the lottery but don’t want to miss out on The Runner’s Rite of Spring®? Read on to learn more about the Potomac River Running Training Programs presented by New Balance–including an option to get your very own Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run race bib!

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The training programs kick-off in Reston and DC/Arlington on Sunday, January 24, and registration is still open. Continue reading Make Your Race Goal a Reality with =PR= Training →