sadness or euphoria

I'm pretty sure that this question has been asked before, but I can't seem to find anything in memories about it. When training, what does yoga count as. I just started yoga and it's great to line up training so that there's a yoga day after a running day. I'm wondering, though, if yoga counts as crosstraining or if it can be done during rest days/used as stretching after a short run day. I would like to use swimming as my crosstraining because I have a lifelong background in swimming, but have already started to love yoga so I do want to do that (plus it's free for faculty/staff at the college I work!). I just want to make sure that if I decide to swim on crosstraining days and do yoga on off days or do yoga on short run days that I won't be overdoing it. I am training for my first marathon (goal being to finish, not necessarily to run the whole thing, if that matters to this whole dilemma).
Thanks for any advice!

For Nike+ people - sorry I haven't been in the game this week! I've been rather violently ill this week and haven't run since Tuesday. Gah...I have a very hilly 5 mile race tomorrow morning and I have no idea what to do about it. I think I'm going to give it a shot even though I still feel weak and icky.

Also--I mentioned in my race report for the Nike+ Human Race that a woman had been assaulted on the trail while I was running it? I just belatedly saw the newspaper article about the assault (http://www.journalstar.com/articles/2008/09/03/news/local/doc48bd5b2a36006692183431.txt) and it's beyond creepy...I had run into that same guy twice on that trail in the previous week, both times under very suspicious circumstances (he had a tendency to pop out of the woods when I ran by, and he just gave me the heeby jeebies). In fact, when I first was told of the assault, I asked the ladies who'd informed me of it, "Did he have a mustache?"

That creeps me out to no end :( And I honestly think my dog prevented me from being attacked, more than once, in fact.

Labor Day brought a 15k my way, the longest I've raced in years.  However, as it was the first week back at work (I'm a school teacher), it took me until this following weekend to type something up.  If you're interested, you can read it HERE.

Today, I only have 2 more long runs, another 18 and a 20 before my first marathon. Getting out of bed was not fun, it was cold out and I was quite content to stay in bed. I probably would have, but my 16 month daughter was calling. This is good, because then I was up at 7, got down my high carb bagel/coffee breakfast and was able to get out the door at 9 for my planned 3 hour run. 54 degrees, overcast and a light breeze. I am not a warm weather running person, so I really couldn't ask for better conditions. The weather stayed this way up until the last couple of miles and the sun fought its way through the clouds. What was better today was my end point was a local harvest festival. It was like better than many races, home made ice cream, locally raised beef, kettle corn. It was a good day!

I think I am ready for this race, pending I don't do something dumb. The schedule I am following calls for the last long run 3 weeks before the marathon. It still calls for 3-5-8-10 runs in the weeks right up to the race. Does that seem adequate? I like running, but planing for a 3 hour run is work and time consuming. I am assuming there is a point of diminishing returns over the last 3 weeks prior to a race? Like, not putting in any unnecessary effort. My goal this year is just to finish the race running and I would be pleased if I maintained a 10 minute pace.

I ran a race on Friday night, that while I ran my best race pace in over six months, left me feeling like "less than a runner".  This was all thanks to our local police force.  Those interested can read on Here.

This morning I raced the Stryker "Double Crown" event in Burlington, Ontario, in the pouring rain and substantial wind. It wasn't the most ideal conditions, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.

It's a unique event - there's two separate races: a 5k at 8:30am, and then an 8k at 9:30am. Those that enter both of them are "Double Crown" competitors (and gluttons for punishment!). There's some pretty serious competition for it, as the prizes for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd are $300, $200, and $100, respectively. This means many local elites from Toronto and the surrounding area show up.

The 5k went pretty well for me - there's a portion of the race that goes through a very muddy, slippery section with some puddles, and it slowed me down a touch. Nevertheless, I managed a 17:30, which was good enough for 4th overall out of about 400 - 500 people, most of whom were only entered in the 5k. Unfortunately, the three guys in front of me were Double Crown entrants!

Immediately afterwards, I went back to my friend's car to grab my change of race clothes so I wouldn't be standing around in my dripping wet outfit. That was a good move, indeed. After doing that, I had about half an hour to prepare for the 8k, and the time seemed to go by very quickly. I jogged around a little bit, but mostly just tried to stay dry - the rain was coming down pretty heavy at this point. Once the second race started, I was still pretty sore from the 5k (surprise, surprise :). My plan was to run the first couple miles of the 8k at a somewhat moderate pace and finish strong, so I went out with a pair of 6:00 miles to test the waters. This turned out to be a lucky decision, as I ended up with heavy legs that didn't want to finish the race any faster. I crossed the finish line in 29:56, which really shows how tough it is to race twice in short succession - in comparison, I raced an 8k on 'fresh' legs a couple weeks ago in 28:07. Big difference.

I placed the dreaded position: 4th overall. The same three guys were in front of me again, and I was out of the money for the Double Crown. They were substantially better than me, so it wasn't like it was really close or anything. However, there had to be close to 500 people in each race, so I did great in that aspect. In fact, if I had entered either race separately, I would have won (admittedly, most of the top runners enter the Double Crown, however, because of the cash prizes). I'm still a little tired from the half marathon I raced 5 days ago, as well, so I'm "doubly" happy. I also won a $25 gift certificate to the pub that hosted the event. :)

So I was all set to run the Nike Human Race from Black Rock City - more commonly known as Burning Man. While I've done some minimal running there before, I thought it would be neat to compete in this global virtual race from such a surreal locale.

I hadn't gotten any running in during the week I was out at Burning Man. I kept waking up way too late, when it had already started getting hot (I knew I'd fail at this). On Sunday, I got up earlier than I had been (I hadn't gone and partied it up on Burn night) and it was a beautiful cool sunny morning (low 60's). Got dressed, made the trek to potty camp, ate breakfast - all the while expecting that it would get way too hot before I could get started. Nope! All ready and it was still beautiful out.

I planned on running fairly aimlessly with my Nike+ to guide me on distance, so I started at the Esplanade. The ground is a little sketchy - an interesting combination of hard-packed potholes and loose beach-like sand. It requires a bit of focus to keep from twisting an ankle, and I know I'm not going to hit a PR or anything, but the novelty of it is what I'm going for.

I'm 1K into my run and my ipod reboots. Oh no! Plenty of charge, hmmm. Okay, so it'll be an 11K run, I set it again and go. Nope, reboots again at 1K. Phooey!

Okay, I'm already out and running. I've been enjoying my run. So what if I don't get to upload my time for the race...I'm going to make the best of it. I run a really rough estimate of a 10K based on some rusty geometry skills. I did the whole Esplanade 2-10, to temple, to babylon (did the stairs too), to trash fence, and back (I think this will only make sense to one of you). Map of the whole site.

The best parts about the run -
1. People's reactions - they ranged from people making lighthearted fun of me, people giving mad props, very high people very confused at me running by, one singing of Eye of the Tiger.
2. Getting to see more art - bike riding was rough this year due to the terrain, and I spent most of my time on an art car. I got to stop and look at things while still making rapid progress.
3. The beautiful weather!
4. The fact that I could mix normal life with not-so-normal life.

So yes, I'm bummed I could get my time recorded, but immensely pleased with my run. I think if anything, that run gave me back some of my momentum for training that the heat and humidity at home had been slowly sapping away. Since I've been home, I've written out my training plan for the Pasadena Marathon which I had been previously doubting that I'd still be signing up for... Woot!

This will be the first time I've updated without questioning anything, so don't read if you're not interested.

I ran my first dual 5K meet on Wednesday. I didn't feel awesome or anything, but I didn't feel totally crappy? This really disappointed me, though, because this course was almost entirely flat, and I wanted to come in 6th place--or at least 7th! (I came in 8th, with a time of 25:05). My coach really wants me to be 6th on the team, but I'm not. I'm tied for 7th right now -- the final varsity spot. It's my senior year and all I want is to run varsity. The sad part is that I would be on varsity if it weren't for some half-hearted freshman who's more into soccer than cross country. Is it completely wrong to be upset over this? Running JV my senior year makes me feel terrible about myself. It's my third year in cross country, my team is absolutely amazing, and I'm losing a varsity spot to a freshman.

I technically have one more chance to get 7th on the team -- but I have to beat the girl who's basically my equal. See, the thing is, I never know whether or not I can beat her. She's had leg problems for a while, but she's getting better now. I only run twice a week (I bike/cross-train the rest.. long story), but when I do, it's usually a hill workout. Either we run different things, or she begins ahead of me and continues to beat me for the rest of the time. I know she usually goes out really fast and slows way down, but I don't know if I have enough to catch her. If she gets even the slightest lead, I can't catch her. I don't know why!

Anyway, as for my race the other day, I felt really .. heavy? I'm sure every runner has experienced that. Sadly, I don't know how to fix it! I don't know what causes it, and how to react to it. Does it mean I'm not stretched enough? Am I tired? Am I dehydrated? Am I just physically exhausted? Was it too hot? Is biking really not helping as much as I wish it were?

Sometimes I wish I had someone to blame but myself. At least in other sports, you can blame the coach for not putting you in. In running, it's all about times.

If anyone has any motivation at all, it would be very much appreciated. I just want to do well -- and I've been 8th on the team for 2 years now. It's MY turn to be on varsity. That's all I want, and it's 10 feet in front of me. All I need to do is sprint to it. Sadly, so does she.

(And I hope that no one takes my annoyance at this for anger at the girls mentioned in here. Both are very good friends of mine, and I know it's not an unhealthy competitiveness that's driving me.)

Pretty good article over on ESPN.com about a cancer survivor's 192 (!!!) mile run...

check it out here http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/news/story?id=3569221&lpos=spotlight&lid=tab7pos1

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=sr_gallery_5&listing_id=14604877

Ok, so I'm in the middle of marathon training and beginning my final year of graduate school. It's only the first week and my training schedule has already gotten all screwy. I realize I probably shouldn't have committed to doing a marathon in my third year, but psychologically I was ready and just needed to do it. But not I'm concerned about the plan I'm on and how to get all of the miles in. I'm using Hal Higdon's plan at the moment which is a pretty light training plan from what I hear. Does anyone have any advice on how to still train for a marathon when I'm pulling 19 hour days without running? Any help/suggestions would be awesome. Thanks so much!

My husband is a professional photographer (specializing in weddings) who just quit his full time job of 16 years in August to wedding photography full time! There is a small local run I ran last year, and they didn't have a photographer for the run (no race photos). So my husband called the race director, and they have approved for our crew to shoot the race (4 photogs along the course, 2 at the finish) and put a flyer inside each runner's goodie bag directing them to the website to view and order prints after the race. We're not getting paid by the race organization (this is a "get your foot in the door" job), so our only profit will be on prints, if the runners order them.

1. Do you order race photos?
2. If so, would you pay these prices?

4x6 - $2.00
5x7 - $5.00
8x10 - $8.00
11x14 - $12.00
wallets - $5.00/set of 8

3. If you found a photo/photos you liked, would you order more than one?

And, in case you were wondering - I'll be running the race, not photographing, LOL! There is a 5K, 10K and 15K, and I'm going for the 15K! *Someone* has to check on the photographer at the 15K turnaround after all, right?? (Oh, and I get the fun job of organizing photos and orders afterwards.)

Okay, so the last two times I've run my three miles, I've worn my new Asics, and they're nice shoes, but the ball of my left foot starts hurting, in a weird tingly, stabby kind of way, almost like the tingle from wacking your elbow or when your foot goes to sleep. But, it's only in this one area, and then the pain shoots to my toes. Even when I walk after the run it hurts, except this time it went away a lot faster. Also, my left calf muscle was feeling a little tight at the same time.

What is this? Does anyone have any experience like this?? Did I just blow 119 bucks on shoes that are evil on my foot?

If someone had told me twenty-five years ago that lady runners would favor skirts for our sport, I would have laughed.  Yet, now a running skirt is my gear of choice during hot weather runs.

What follows, however, takes the cake.  I don't think I'll be changing my favorite Brooks trainers over for a pair of these...LOL!
Running in Stilettos

It's the Atatlanta "commitment skirt" at skirt goddess. They want $54 for it, plus shipping. That seems a bit high to me.

The email I received from them says to enter "windy city" in the promotion code box to receive a 13.1% discount, but when I did, the price didn't change. But $54 was the price they were charging at the SheRuns booth at the race expo this past weekend.

It's the only purple running skirt or shorts I've been able to find, and I want something purple to go with my TnT singlet for Nike.

[edit] I wrote them about the price not changing with the promo code, and got a response thanking me for the info, and a promise to email me when it's fixed. That should bring the price down to $46.93. Still a bit pricey, I think. But if the quality is good enough, it might be worth getting.

I just came back from a week at Burning Man in the high Nevada desert and I ran my regular running schedule the whole time I was there. I got up at dawn most days and after a quick breakfast climbed into my running gear and hit the dusty roads before most burners started staggering home from a long night of crazy. In a community of 25,000-33,000 people involved in "radical self-expression" I saw about 6-8 other runners sweating through the dust and heat. Running into the sunrise while the city pounds to the "uncha-uncha" of techno music, passing large scale works of art, and crossing paths with people dressed up as Mermaids and Dusty Bunnies makes this my favorite place to run ever.

hello runners!

the remnants of hurricane gustav arrived in the my neck of the woods today as heavy rain. it occured to me while running 11 miles in said heavy rain that i have never invested in anything waterproof for running!

can anyone give me a good recommendation for a nice waterproof running jacket? i'm looking for something lightweight that i can wear layers under.

thanks in advance!

Three miles today, yay! Today was my second three-mile run, but I'm prouder this time because I ran for 30 continuous minutes with no walking breaks! I was running SLOW (about 12.5 min./mi.), so I didn't quite finish the 3 miles (the exact length of the trail is 3.3 miles, to be fair), but after my 30 continuous minutes I took a quick walking break and then finished the last stretch running FAST. Ok, it probably didn't look fast to anybody else, but it felt fast!

I would still like to be able to run a whole heck of a lot faster, but I am, quite frankly, amazed at myself. 30 minutes without stopping? What am I? Some kind of runner or something?

From Letsrun.com

Holed up in a Garden District house in the unsettling darkness of night without electricity, as the sounds of breaking glass and gunshots crept closer outside, he made a critical decision. He had to get out. He ran down the flooded neutral ground on St. Charles Avenue, four miles to the river levee as fast as he could. At the levee he took a right and ran another two miles to Oschner Hospital, where he finally found transportation out of the city. Who else could do that besides a runner? Stressed out and exhausted and scared and he still managed to run what he felt was sub-six-minute miles in standing water on the muddy streetcar tracks. Running literally saved his life.