Has anybody else been out in the crazy heat and bad air? Travis (my boyfriend) and I just got back from vacation. We left before it got hot and before the fires started in CA, we came back and are bombarded by heat and smoke, it is quite the change to adjust to. In fact, we both did our workouts yesterday and afterward I felt like I had been smoking cigarettes and he couldn't fully expand his lungs. My mom has been more wary of the air quality and has joined a gym with my dad so she can run inside and spare her lungs the air and her body the heat. This is a good idea for anybody who does not deal well with heat or who has bad lungs, or who just wants to be more comfortable during workouts. Mom said one of her coaches said if you incline the treadmill two to four degrees you will get the same workout as if you are running outside. Just something to keep in mind during the hot days coming up. Running in the morning is also a good idea. I ran this morning at about 6am and my lungs were fine when I got home.
On another note...I got an email the other day from a Cowtowner. She was concerned because she has not started training yet and isn't sure if she should sign up for the 5k instead of the half. It is not too late to start training for the half, especially if you are running for the experience and not for a specific time. But if you have not started, now is the time to start so you don't get injuries on or before race day :) But the 5k is respectable too if that is what this Cowtowner decides to do :D
Keep up the running!
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Training Has Begun
Hello Fellow Cowtowners!
I am happy and excited to say that my training for the Cowtown Marathon/Half Marathon has begun. I had to drag myself through these first two runs because I raced the San Jose International Triathlon on Sunday, but I managed to get through them!
Has anybody else started their official training plans as opposed to building base miles? One thing in my training that I am excited about is this is the first event for me this season where I can forget about training on hills, and just train on the flats. Very exciting in my humble opinion!
Happy Running!
I am happy and excited to say that my training for the Cowtown Marathon/Half Marathon has begun. I had to drag myself through these first two runs because I raced the San Jose International Triathlon on Sunday, but I managed to get through them!
Has anybody else started their official training plans as opposed to building base miles? One thing in my training that I am excited about is this is the first event for me this season where I can forget about training on hills, and just train on the flats. Very exciting in my humble opinion!
Happy Running!
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Hardcore Mom
My mom, Mary, has decided to sign up with Team in Training and complete the half marathon at Nike Women's marathon. She will be raising money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Below is a letter from her. I have donated and would encourage anyone who can to donate what they can, and remember, your donations are tax deductible:
Why would a 61 year old non athletic woman decide to run a half marathon and raise money for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society? My commitment to run my first half marathon and to raise a minimum of $2,100 came after I watched my daughter, Megan, complete the Nike Women's Marathon, sponsored by The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, in San Francisco last October. Standing at the finish line I watched thousands of women finish a half or full marathon. Excitement and joy were in the air but they were sharply tempered by prominent reminders of cancer survivors and those who lost their battle to survive.
I had time waiting for Megan to cross the finish line to think about people I know well who were diagnosed with cancer in the last 3 years. Donald, in his last semester at UCLA and accepted into Santa Clara Law School, did not survive his fight. Michael was a wonderful outrageously funny friend from Nebraska; he did not survive his fight. Naomi, a sister-in-law, is surviving two bouts of cancer; she always thinks of her family rather than talk about her illness. Tom was the most unlikely person I ever thought would contract cancer; he was a paragon of integrity and generosity who helped find resources for my handicapped brother while chemo dripped into his body. John, the maker of the best ice cream in California, while fighting to be in a 10% survival group, worried and talked about helping his son with homework rather than his illness. Each person fought a fierce fight and continued to care for others while they fought.
I decided it was time for me to begin actively participating in efforts to control cancer. While not all my friends had blood related cancer I decided supporting research and patient services benefiting people who have blood related cancer is a beginning.
My preparation for running the half marathon this October began last November. The first day it took 20 minutes to labor through a flat mile, now over 330 miles later I have an average mile pace of 11.5 minutes a mile and am part of a runner*s group training for my first 5K. I begin training for the Nike Half on June 7th.
Please support me and the The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society with a donation. I am personally donating 25% of my goal, this is the part of the funds I raise that will go to administration, all monies you donate will directly go to research and patient services. Donations are tax deductible and this event qualifies for corporate matching funds.
You will find my fundraising page at http://pages.teamintraining.org/sf/nikesf08/mreinke . Please help me by spreading the word, if you have friends or family who may support my run feel free to get information to them or let me know and I will get it to them.Thank you so much for reading this and for your consideration,
Mary Reinke
maryreinke@gmail.com
Why would a 61 year old non athletic woman decide to run a half marathon and raise money for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society? My commitment to run my first half marathon and to raise a minimum of $2,100 came after I watched my daughter, Megan, complete the Nike Women's Marathon, sponsored by The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, in San Francisco last October. Standing at the finish line I watched thousands of women finish a half or full marathon. Excitement and joy were in the air but they were sharply tempered by prominent reminders of cancer survivors and those who lost their battle to survive.
I had time waiting for Megan to cross the finish line to think about people I know well who were diagnosed with cancer in the last 3 years. Donald, in his last semester at UCLA and accepted into Santa Clara Law School, did not survive his fight. Michael was a wonderful outrageously funny friend from Nebraska; he did not survive his fight. Naomi, a sister-in-law, is surviving two bouts of cancer; she always thinks of her family rather than talk about her illness. Tom was the most unlikely person I ever thought would contract cancer; he was a paragon of integrity and generosity who helped find resources for my handicapped brother while chemo dripped into his body. John, the maker of the best ice cream in California, while fighting to be in a 10% survival group, worried and talked about helping his son with homework rather than his illness. Each person fought a fierce fight and continued to care for others while they fought.
I decided it was time for me to begin actively participating in efforts to control cancer. While not all my friends had blood related cancer I decided supporting research and patient services benefiting people who have blood related cancer is a beginning.
My preparation for running the half marathon this October began last November. The first day it took 20 minutes to labor through a flat mile, now over 330 miles later I have an average mile pace of 11.5 minutes a mile and am part of a runner*s group training for my first 5K. I begin training for the Nike Half on June 7th.
Please support me and the The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society with a donation. I am personally donating 25% of my goal, this is the part of the funds I raise that will go to administration, all monies you donate will directly go to research and patient services. Donations are tax deductible and this event qualifies for corporate matching funds.
You will find my fundraising page at http://pages.teamintraining.org/sf/nikesf08/mreinke . Please help me by spreading the word, if you have friends or family who may support my run feel free to get information to them or let me know and I will get it to them.Thank you so much for reading this and for your consideration,
Mary Reinke
maryreinke@gmail.com
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Welcome to Summer!
At least here in the Bay Area, summer seems to truly be here. Forecasters predicted our first triple digit temperatures to be here today, and they're not too far off with the temperature at 2:00pm being 99 degrees in the Dublin/Pleasanton area. An important hydration note, when you are working out in weather that is very hot, if you are doing a long workout or you tend to sweat a lot make sure you are drinking something like Gatorade, Accelerade, Gu20, etc. during workouts and after them. If you sweat a lot and drink a lot of water, you can flush your system of electrolytes and even though you have plenty of water in you, you are dehydrated and your body is missing key nutrients.
On a happy note, my mother Mary, has joined Team in Training and will participate in the Nike Women's Marathon, she will complete the half marathon this coming October. Don't worry though, unless her coaches tell her otherwise or it does not work in her training schedule, she will still be participating in the Cowtown half marathon. So this will be an exciting fall for her! In addition to running the half marathon, Mary will be raising a minimum of $2100 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. She will be sending a letter to me which I will post here in the next week or so, so keep your eye out. In the meantime, here is the link to her website:
http://pages.teamintraining.org/sf/nikesf08/mreinke
Keep up the running/walking/wajjing! I know my official training plan starts in just a couple of weeks!
On a happy note, my mother Mary, has joined Team in Training and will participate in the Nike Women's Marathon, she will complete the half marathon this coming October. Don't worry though, unless her coaches tell her otherwise or it does not work in her training schedule, she will still be participating in the Cowtown half marathon. So this will be an exciting fall for her! In addition to running the half marathon, Mary will be raising a minimum of $2100 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. She will be sending a letter to me which I will post here in the next week or so, so keep your eye out. In the meantime, here is the link to her website:
http://pages.teamintraining.org/sf/nikesf08/mreinke
Keep up the running/walking/wajjing! I know my official training plan starts in just a couple of weeks!
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Cowtown & Nike Women's!
Hi Everybody!
First, from what I can tell, only one person of everyone who applied got into Nike Women's. Congratulations Bonnie! For everyone else, it looks like it's going to be Cowtown!
Emails have been coming in and it looks like there is more interest in the Sacramento Cowtown Marathon being held on Sunday October 5, 2008 than in the San Francisco Marathon. The link to the website is: http://www.sacramentocowtownmarathon.com/
Another advantage to doing this event is that it is only about two weeks before Nike Women's so Bonnie and anybody else who did make it into that even can still come and do some of the long runs together because the training schedules will be fairly similar. So we can still all work together and support each other!
I have already signed up for the full marathon (in cowtown), they also have a half marathon, marathon relay and 5k. My brother and his girlfriend have also already signed up! If you have any questions about the event, take a look at the website or you can ask me. I will still be using superwomenrunners.blogspot.com for updates, etc. so check back here for any questions or training plans!
And, let me know when you sign up!
First, from what I can tell, only one person of everyone who applied got into Nike Women's. Congratulations Bonnie! For everyone else, it looks like it's going to be Cowtown!
Emails have been coming in and it looks like there is more interest in the Sacramento Cowtown Marathon being held on Sunday October 5, 2008 than in the San Francisco Marathon. The link to the website is: http://www.sacramentocowtownmarathon.com/
Another advantage to doing this event is that it is only about two weeks before Nike Women's so Bonnie and anybody else who did make it into that even can still come and do some of the long runs together because the training schedules will be fairly similar. So we can still all work together and support each other!
I have already signed up for the full marathon (in cowtown), they also have a half marathon, marathon relay and 5k. My brother and his girlfriend have also already signed up! If you have any questions about the event, take a look at the website or you can ask me. I will still be using superwomenrunners.blogspot.com for updates, etc. so check back here for any questions or training plans!
And, let me know when you sign up!
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Update
Hello Everyone:
Here is a link to see whether or not you were selected to participate in the Nike Women's Marathon or Half Marathon: http://www.active.com/uploads_search.cfm?UPM_ID=2842&CHECKSSO=0
Many of us who signed up were not selected, but for those who were selected...congratulations! I will be there to support you and I imagine I will not be the only one there :) Now, for those who did not get selected for Nike Women's (which quite sadly is most of us) don't lose hope! We can find another race to do that will have half and full marathon options, and instead of a tiffany's necklace you will get a finishers medal, but the important thing is you will still get to run. There are two runs I have in mind that I think would work. The first is the San Francisco Marathon (there is a half as well) and the Sacramento Cowtown Marathon (this also has a half).
The first half of the San Francisco Marathon course will follow fairly closely the court of the Nike Women's Marathon except that it goes out and back across the Golden Gate Bridge instead of running through Golden Gate Park. It will be held on Sunday August 3 this year. The link is: http://www.runsfm.com/home.html
The Sacramento Cowtown Marathon will be held on October 5 of this year. It is a flat course and seems like it should be a fun one if only because of the name :) The link is: http://www.sacramentocowtownmarathon.com/
Anybody intersted should look at these two events and we should decide which one we would rather do. So let me know what each of you think. I will also post this email on the blogsite so everyone can see it! Please email with any questions! Megan
Here is a link to see whether or not you were selected to participate in the Nike Women's Marathon or Half Marathon: http://www.active.com/uploads_search.cfm?UPM_ID=2842&CHECKSSO=0
Many of us who signed up were not selected, but for those who were selected...congratulations! I will be there to support you and I imagine I will not be the only one there :) Now, for those who did not get selected for Nike Women's (which quite sadly is most of us) don't lose hope! We can find another race to do that will have half and full marathon options, and instead of a tiffany's necklace you will get a finishers medal, but the important thing is you will still get to run. There are two runs I have in mind that I think would work. The first is the San Francisco Marathon (there is a half as well) and the Sacramento Cowtown Marathon (this also has a half).
The first half of the San Francisco Marathon course will follow fairly closely the court of the Nike Women's Marathon except that it goes out and back across the Golden Gate Bridge instead of running through Golden Gate Park. It will be held on Sunday August 3 this year. The link is: http://www.runsfm.com/home.html
The Sacramento Cowtown Marathon will be held on October 5 of this year. It is a flat course and seems like it should be a fun one if only because of the name :) The link is: http://www.sacramentocowtownmarathon.com/
Anybody intersted should look at these two events and we should decide which one we would rather do. So let me know what each of you think. I will also post this email on the blogsite so everyone can see it! Please email with any questions! Megan
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Registration
Welcome to the first registration day to Nike Women's Marathon 2008!
I wanted to address a suggestion posed to me yesterday about signing up as a group. There is an option in this event to sign up as a group, and the even encourages people to participate with family and friends. However, in reading through the registration information available, it said two things about registering as a group that dissuade me from registering this way: 1) registering as a group will give you no advantage to being chosen to participate over someone who registers as an individual and 2) the group goes into the pot as one entry and has only one chance to be chosen.
So far it looks like we have about 7 people who are interested in participating in this event which is spectacular! I think it would be best if everyone registers separately because then 7 people have the chance to get chosen to participate as opposed to just one group having the chance. If you are concerned about not being chosen, email me and I have some suggestions about some extra steps you can take :)
Lastly I would recommend getting your name into registration early because that way it is done and you know your name is there and ready to be drawn.
Also, another idea I had for anyone who does not get chosen to participate, there are a few options. 1) You can run/walk the course anyway on that day or on a different day. 2) We can find another marathon/half marathon near the date of the NWM and I will be more than happy to come out and support those people who don't get chosen for NWM.
So, get registered, feel free to email me with any questions or for my ideas about getting a leg up during registration and don't forget, it opens at 10am pst!
I wanted to address a suggestion posed to me yesterday about signing up as a group. There is an option in this event to sign up as a group, and the even encourages people to participate with family and friends. However, in reading through the registration information available, it said two things about registering as a group that dissuade me from registering this way: 1) registering as a group will give you no advantage to being chosen to participate over someone who registers as an individual and 2) the group goes into the pot as one entry and has only one chance to be chosen.
So far it looks like we have about 7 people who are interested in participating in this event which is spectacular! I think it would be best if everyone registers separately because then 7 people have the chance to get chosen to participate as opposed to just one group having the chance. If you are concerned about not being chosen, email me and I have some suggestions about some extra steps you can take :)
Lastly I would recommend getting your name into registration early because that way it is done and you know your name is there and ready to be drawn.
Also, another idea I had for anyone who does not get chosen to participate, there are a few options. 1) You can run/walk the course anyway on that day or on a different day. 2) We can find another marathon/half marathon near the date of the NWM and I will be more than happy to come out and support those people who don't get chosen for NWM.
So, get registered, feel free to email me with any questions or for my ideas about getting a leg up during registration and don't forget, it opens at 10am pst!
Monday, March 3, 2008
IMPORTANT Registration Update
I checked the Nike Women's Marathon homepage to check on registration and found some important information. First, the homepage has moved to:
http://insidenikerunning.nike.com/category/events/nike-womens-marathon/
Second, the registration process for this year will be different from previous years due to the overwhelming popularity of the event. Here is what the site says about it:
RANDOM DRAWING PROCEDURE:All interested participants must register for the random drawing online thru Active.com between March 4th and March 18th. We will randomly select runners to meet our cap of 20,000 participants. Only selected participants will have their credit card charged for the registration fee. Random drawing results will be posted on the Nike Women’s Marathon website on April 1st. An email with results will be sent to each applicant on April 1st.
(from http://insidenikerunning.nike.com/2008/02/29/2008-nike-women%e2%80%99s-marathon-registration/)
There is more information on the registration site which I would encourage you to read, but I thought this was the most important information. I would recommend signing up for the random drawing as soon as possible tomorrow morning because it can't hurt to have your name in there early. And after you have entered your name, do lots of positive things so you have extremely good karma and hopefully get chosen to participate!
http://insidenikerunning.nike.com/category/events/nike-womens-marathon/
Second, the registration process for this year will be different from previous years due to the overwhelming popularity of the event. Here is what the site says about it:
RANDOM DRAWING PROCEDURE:All interested participants must register for the random drawing online thru Active.com between March 4th and March 18th. We will randomly select runners to meet our cap of 20,000 participants. Only selected participants will have their credit card charged for the registration fee. Random drawing results will be posted on the Nike Women’s Marathon website on April 1st. An email with results will be sent to each applicant on April 1st.
(from http://insidenikerunning.nike.com/2008/02/29/2008-nike-women%e2%80%99s-marathon-registration/)
There is more information on the registration site which I would encourage you to read, but I thought this was the most important information. I would recommend signing up for the random drawing as soon as possible tomorrow morning because it can't hurt to have your name in there early. And after you have entered your name, do lots of positive things so you have extremely good karma and hopefully get chosen to participate!
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
A Bit About Hydration
Hello Superwomenrunners!
I hope the new month is treating everyone well and hopefully the weather will slowly improve for us. Has anyone else noticed the days getting longer? I find this exciting because soon runs after work will be warmer with more sun and runs before work will start to get sunny too! And for those of you who like to tan (cough cough Kate cough cough) getting out during prime tanning hours lets you get sun and exercise at the same time.
One thing to remember that I have not talked about yet is the importance of staying hydrated, and not just hydrated, but making sure you have enough electorlytes after a workout where you have sweated heavily. Electorlytes are important because
"...they are what your cells (especially nerve, heart, muscle) use to maintain voltages across their cell membranes and to carry electrical impulses (nerve impulses, muscle contractions) across themselves and to other cells. Your kidneys work to keep the electrolyte concentrations in your blood constant despite changes in your body. For example, when you exercise heavily, you lose electrolytes in your sweat, particularly sodium and potassium. These electrolytes must be replaced to keep the electrolyte concentrations of your body fluids constant. So, many sports drinks have sodium chloride or potassium chloride added to them. They also have sugar and flavorings to provide your body with extra energy and to make the drink taste better."
(http://health.howstuffworks.com/question565.htm)
So, when you do have those heavy duty workouts or longer workouts, make sure you find a sports drink you like. There are many out there, one that many people are probably familiar with is Gatorade. (Be careful too not to overhydrate, drink if you are thirsty, or should be dehydrated, but be reasonable about it. Drinking large quantities of water will not make your legs indestrucable, drinking the correct amount for your body will make you tire less quickly :) ) If anyone has any questions about this feel free to post a comment!
I hope the new month is treating everyone well and hopefully the weather will slowly improve for us. Has anyone else noticed the days getting longer? I find this exciting because soon runs after work will be warmer with more sun and runs before work will start to get sunny too! And for those of you who like to tan (cough cough Kate cough cough) getting out during prime tanning hours lets you get sun and exercise at the same time.
One thing to remember that I have not talked about yet is the importance of staying hydrated, and not just hydrated, but making sure you have enough electorlytes after a workout where you have sweated heavily. Electorlytes are important because
"...they are what your cells (especially nerve, heart, muscle) use to maintain voltages across their cell membranes and to carry electrical impulses (nerve impulses, muscle contractions) across themselves and to other cells. Your kidneys work to keep the electrolyte concentrations in your blood constant despite changes in your body. For example, when you exercise heavily, you lose electrolytes in your sweat, particularly sodium and potassium. These electrolytes must be replaced to keep the electrolyte concentrations of your body fluids constant. So, many sports drinks have sodium chloride or potassium chloride added to them. They also have sugar and flavorings to provide your body with extra energy and to make the drink taste better."
(http://health.howstuffworks.com/question565.htm)
So, when you do have those heavy duty workouts or longer workouts, make sure you find a sports drink you like. There are many out there, one that many people are probably familiar with is Gatorade. (Be careful too not to overhydrate, drink if you are thirsty, or should be dehydrated, but be reasonable about it. Drinking large quantities of water will not make your legs indestrucable, drinking the correct amount for your body will make you tire less quickly :) ) If anyone has any questions about this feel free to post a comment!
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Last Day of January
Hello Everyone!
I hope January has been a good month and I am very excited that we are one month closer to spring/summer and one month closer to October! There has been a lot of rain this past month, but I want to congratulate everyone for sticking with it during the colder weather, especially Kate who has rain and clouds all the time, not just during the winter.
As you can tell by the title of the post, I am aware today is the last day of January. I am so aware of this because it is the last day to add miles to our mileage corner for this month, so don't forget to email me your miles so we can update before the monthly counter goes back to zero tomorrow (the odometer will stay the same, that never gets erased)!
I hope January has been a good month and I am very excited that we are one month closer to spring/summer and one month closer to October! There has been a lot of rain this past month, but I want to congratulate everyone for sticking with it during the colder weather, especially Kate who has rain and clouds all the time, not just during the winter.
As you can tell by the title of the post, I am aware today is the last day of January. I am so aware of this because it is the last day to add miles to our mileage corner for this month, so don't forget to email me your miles so we can update before the monthly counter goes back to zero tomorrow (the odometer will stay the same, that never gets erased)!
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Accumulated Distance
Mary had an idea I ran across the other day in a comment she posted on Kate's blog that I would like to pick up on. She wondered if it would be possible to add an area to this blog where people could post the distances they have run so we can see our cumulative total. I have looked through blogspot, and I don't see a tool like that I can use, what we can do though is people can email me the distance they have run and I can add a cumulative total to the right-hand column of the blog with that total. Email me your total distance at meganreinke@gmail.com it would be helpful if you titled the email superwomenrunners so if I ever need to search for emails I will easily be able to find it. You can email me your daily distance, weekly distance, biweekly distance or monthly distance, or your distance when you think of it and I will add it!
I think this is a great idea and seeing that number grow will be inspiring to us all! Keep up the good work everyone, and Kate, good job getting started in a foreign country, Mary, good job listening to your body and not pushing yourself so hard you get hurt but at the same time keeping up your distance!
I think this is a great idea and seeing that number grow will be inspiring to us all! Keep up the good work everyone, and Kate, good job getting started in a foreign country, Mary, good job listening to your body and not pushing yourself so hard you get hurt but at the same time keeping up your distance!
Friday, January 25, 2008
Hardcore Runner
This woman has just finished a 15 mile run in the bitter cold, now that is commitment if I have ever seen it :) I know the picture looks a little strange and wish I could post a bigger version of it, but don't have one. The white above her eyes is ice on her eyelashes. I assume the ice formed from steam from her breath and her eyes condensing on her eyelashes. There is ice on the hood of her jacket, I assume that is her frozen sweat. And she is still smiling.
Most of us live in places in the country where we don't have to face the elements quite like this which is very nice. But her commitment is something we will all develop though the training process leading to the Nike Women's Marathon. There will be days when it is hard to get going or it's cold or you don't feel 100%, but it's those days when it is important to get out there and get your workout in. And when you need inspiration, you can look at this woman and think that she has spent 15 miles running through the snow and ice.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Email Updates
There is now a link on the Nike Women's Marathon website to receive email updates about the event! I am not sure if in signing up you will receive emails only about the Nike Women's Marathon, or if you will get emails about all things Nike. However, I think it is probably the place to enter your email address if you want to receive notice of registration opening for this event.
I again want to emphasize the importance of entering the morning registration opens if you are going to be participating in the half marathon. If you want to participate in the full, it does not fill up as quickly, but I would still recommend entering early as this event does fill extremely quickly.
So, go enter your email and start getting updates! :D
I again want to emphasize the importance of entering the morning registration opens if you are going to be participating in the half marathon. If you want to participate in the full, it does not fill up as quickly, but I would still recommend entering early as this event does fill extremely quickly.
So, go enter your email and start getting updates! :D
Monday, January 14, 2008
Journal
One last suggestion for today...workout journal.
I keep track of all of my workouts in a calendar. It's not fancy, it doesn't glitter, it's not electronic, but it is a place I write them all down. I only write down the workouts I did on a particular day, I don't go into great detail, I don't write down my pace, the specific route I took etc., but I find it easier to stay disciplined if I have my little green calendar to report back to. It is also immensley satisfying to look back at my calendar as the weeks progress and see all of the workouts I have done, see the distances increasing and to know I have done it all myself. So that is my suggestion, treat yourself, go find a pretty/fun/exciting journal or calendar or spreadsheet to write your workouts down in. Make sure it is something you will use, not something too complicated or time consuming...maybe we will have a monthly perfect attendance club for everyone who doesn't skip any workouts each month :D
I keep track of all of my workouts in a calendar. It's not fancy, it doesn't glitter, it's not electronic, but it is a place I write them all down. I only write down the workouts I did on a particular day, I don't go into great detail, I don't write down my pace, the specific route I took etc., but I find it easier to stay disciplined if I have my little green calendar to report back to. It is also immensley satisfying to look back at my calendar as the weeks progress and see all of the workouts I have done, see the distances increasing and to know I have done it all myself. So that is my suggestion, treat yourself, go find a pretty/fun/exciting journal or calendar or spreadsheet to write your workouts down in. Make sure it is something you will use, not something too complicated or time consuming...maybe we will have a monthly perfect attendance club for everyone who doesn't skip any workouts each month :D
Distance & Pace Calculators
Once you have decide on a training plan, and you have start walking and/or running, or as Mary calls it, wajing (walking/jogging) you will probably want to know how far you have gone and the mile pace you have managed to do it in. There are a few very useful links I have found to get this information. I know they work for the United States, but Kate, you may have to search for a similar site for Europe/Germany. Another alternative is to do your workouts by time instead of by distance.
Distance calculators are what you use to calculate the distance you have gone in a particular workout, or to decide the route for an upcoming walk/run/waj. The best ones I have found are:
www.geodistance.com
and
www.mapmyrun.com
These are both excellent sites and both work well. The only significant difference between them for the purpose of distance calculating is mapmyrun will also tell you the elevation you have climbed on a given route. So if you are going to be doing some hills, use mapmyrun and you can see how many mountains you have climbed!
The pace calculators are what you will use to find out the pace you ran/walked/jogged on a particular route. Your pace will be important because the marathon will have a cut-off time after which they will close the course and participants will not be allowed to finish. Once the Nike Women's Marathon site has been updated these time limits and schedules should be posted. But you need to know your pace so you know when you will be finished. It is also fun to watch yourself improve as you go through your training! There are many pace calculators out there, but the one I use is:
http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/4/4_1/96.shtml
Another useful feature of this calculator, is if you know approximately the pace you walk/run/waj you can enter that in the appropriate field, enter the distance you will be going and it will tell you approximately how long your workout will be on a given day. This gets to be more useful as the workouts are longer and it is harder to calculate when you will be done.
I think this is the last of the basic tools you will need to get started on your training. But don't wait until the training schedule itself starts. Get out there today, or start on Monday the 21st. You don't need to do a lot, but walk/run/waj for 30 minutes per day. You will start building muscle, it will be a gentler beginning to training for your body than jumping straight into the training schedule the months before the race, you will be healthier and much less injury prone starting sooner and easing into it. I will have another post soon on base miles, which is what this gentle easing and training before the race training schedule begins is. It is important and rewarding, so get out there and get exercising!
Distance calculators are what you use to calculate the distance you have gone in a particular workout, or to decide the route for an upcoming walk/run/waj. The best ones I have found are:
www.geodistance.com
and
www.mapmyrun.com
These are both excellent sites and both work well. The only significant difference between them for the purpose of distance calculating is mapmyrun will also tell you the elevation you have climbed on a given route. So if you are going to be doing some hills, use mapmyrun and you can see how many mountains you have climbed!
The pace calculators are what you will use to find out the pace you ran/walked/jogged on a particular route. Your pace will be important because the marathon will have a cut-off time after which they will close the course and participants will not be allowed to finish. Once the Nike Women's Marathon site has been updated these time limits and schedules should be posted. But you need to know your pace so you know when you will be finished. It is also fun to watch yourself improve as you go through your training! There are many pace calculators out there, but the one I use is:
http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/4/4_1/96.shtml
Another useful feature of this calculator, is if you know approximately the pace you walk/run/waj you can enter that in the appropriate field, enter the distance you will be going and it will tell you approximately how long your workout will be on a given day. This gets to be more useful as the workouts are longer and it is harder to calculate when you will be done.
I think this is the last of the basic tools you will need to get started on your training. But don't wait until the training schedule itself starts. Get out there today, or start on Monday the 21st. You don't need to do a lot, but walk/run/waj for 30 minutes per day. You will start building muscle, it will be a gentler beginning to training for your body than jumping straight into the training schedule the months before the race, you will be healthier and much less injury prone starting sooner and easing into it. I will have another post soon on base miles, which is what this gentle easing and training before the race training schedule begins is. It is important and rewarding, so get out there and get exercising!
Friday, January 11, 2008
Notification of Sign-Up, Preregistration & Registration
Good Day Ladies:
There have been many questions about signing up on the Nike Women's Marathon website for a notification when registration opens. This link is not yet up on the website. Most of the information on the website is for the 2007 run which happened in October of last year. What people who are interested in signing up for this event need to do is check fairly frequently (approximately once per week) at the Nike Women's website to see if the site has been updated and the link added. When it has been added, give an email address you check frequently. In my experience, they have not sent spam, but instead have sent useful updates before the race and registration information.
As for registration itself, once you know the date registration will open (the website will have that date once it has been updated for next year's race) mark it on your calendar and mark the time it opens. Keep in mind the time listed will probably be Pacific Standard Time since it is an event taking place on the West Coast. The next step is to make sure you sign up race morning since this is an extremely popular event and could fill up in a matter of a few days. The half marathon is the more popular of the two events and will probably fill up well before the full marathon, so it is important to sign up the morning registration opens so you know you have reserved your spot in this incredible event.
I will put the link to the marathon at the top of the right-hand column of the blog so it is easy to get to, or you could just make it a favorite place in your bookmarks :D
Lastly, I want to encourage anyone reading this blog to post comments. You can post encouragement, goals you have achieved, ask questions or just talk to others who are interested in this event and have found this blog. Don't be shy!
There have been many questions about signing up on the Nike Women's Marathon website for a notification when registration opens. This link is not yet up on the website. Most of the information on the website is for the 2007 run which happened in October of last year. What people who are interested in signing up for this event need to do is check fairly frequently (approximately once per week) at the Nike Women's website to see if the site has been updated and the link added. When it has been added, give an email address you check frequently. In my experience, they have not sent spam, but instead have sent useful updates before the race and registration information.
As for registration itself, once you know the date registration will open (the website will have that date once it has been updated for next year's race) mark it on your calendar and mark the time it opens. Keep in mind the time listed will probably be Pacific Standard Time since it is an event taking place on the West Coast. The next step is to make sure you sign up race morning since this is an extremely popular event and could fill up in a matter of a few days. The half marathon is the more popular of the two events and will probably fill up well before the full marathon, so it is important to sign up the morning registration opens so you know you have reserved your spot in this incredible event.
I will put the link to the marathon at the top of the right-hand column of the blog so it is easy to get to, or you could just make it a favorite place in your bookmarks :D
Lastly, I want to encourage anyone reading this blog to post comments. You can post encouragement, goals you have achieved, ask questions or just talk to others who are interested in this event and have found this blog. Don't be shy!
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Who Is This Blog For?
Just to clear up any questions about who this blog is for, it is for everyone! However, the runs we will be doing will take place in the East Bay in California. Specifically they will take place in primarily in Dublin, CA and San Ramon, CA. So if you are in this area and are interested in doing some of the long runs/walks with others, keep an eye out for the dates we will do them, these will be posted as the even gets closer. If you are not in the area, but want to come out and participate in the event in San Francisco, just use this blog as an information source and complete the training on your own or with others in your area. There are many local running clubs in various areas throughout the country!
Mark Your Calendars
October 19, 2008
This is the date to put on your calendars, this is the day it will happen. Don't worry, registration has not opened yet, but make sure you keep the 19th open so you can complete the distance you sign up for.
Now, for some training tips. If you are wondering what a training plan looks like for a full marathon, half marathon, running or walking and you are feeling overwhelmed, take a deep breath and relax in the fact that someone has already created plans that many people have used successfully (including myself) and which are free. When you are ready, go to:
http://www.halhigdon.com/#half
Scroll down this page and on the left-hand side you will see links to training programs for various distances. Look them over, decide whether you want to run your distance or walk it and what level athlete you are (that's right, if you do the training for a half or full marathon, you get to call yourself an athlete!). Additionally, this site is full of excellent information for runners of all ages and abilities, so take some time to look through it and familiarize yourself with some of the information. Then print out the schedule you want to use, put dates on it and start your running/walking program!
This is the date to put on your calendars, this is the day it will happen. Don't worry, registration has not opened yet, but make sure you keep the 19th open so you can complete the distance you sign up for.
Now, for some training tips. If you are wondering what a training plan looks like for a full marathon, half marathon, running or walking and you are feeling overwhelmed, take a deep breath and relax in the fact that someone has already created plans that many people have used successfully (including myself) and which are free. When you are ready, go to:
http://www.halhigdon.com/#half
Scroll down this page and on the left-hand side you will see links to training programs for various distances. Look them over, decide whether you want to run your distance or walk it and what level athlete you are (that's right, if you do the training for a half or full marathon, you get to call yourself an athlete!). Additionally, this site is full of excellent information for runners of all ages and abilities, so take some time to look through it and familiarize yourself with some of the information. Then print out the schedule you want to use, put dates on it and start your running/walking program!
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Welcome
Nike Women's 2008 Here we Come!
Completing a half marathon or a full marathon does not need to be some far-fetched dream you have you think you will never achieve or is impossible to you. It, in fact, is a very achievable goal to any person who has the full use of their legs and who has committed not only to the race but to the training. I read a quote somewhere once and it said champions are not created during races or competitions, but instead are molded during the training for these events. The catch is nobody can make this commitment for you. Only one person can walk the miles, talk themselves through the pain, go out in rain, shine and wind and only one person can wear that Tiffany's necklace. So if you are ready to commit, read on!
This blog will be updated in the near future with: training schedules for walking and running a half and full marathon, links to websites to check distances of workouts, pace of workouts, and calorie calculators, I can post a list of people who have decided to participate in the Nike Women's Marathon 2008 if people are interested in this and other useful information as people as questions and as the even gets closer. Additionally, in the months leading up to the race we can have group long runs/walks on Sundays so the long training day of the week can be completed with others and encouragement exchanged.
The link to the Nike Women's Marathon is http://www.nike.com/nikemarathon/. This event fills up quickly, especially the half marathon, so if you would like to participate visit the site frequently and in the near future there should be an option to submit your email so you are notified when registration opens. I would recommend entering your email address and registering for the event the morning it opens, especially if you are interested in signing up for the half marathon as it will fill before the full marathon. The course for 2008 should be similar if not the same as the course for 2007, so look that over if you are curious where your legs will be taking you!
Ladies, that is all for now, I will be posting training schedules very soon so those interested can get in some good base miles before actual training starts. Welcome to the life of the healthy and active!
Completing a half marathon or a full marathon does not need to be some far-fetched dream you have you think you will never achieve or is impossible to you. It, in fact, is a very achievable goal to any person who has the full use of their legs and who has committed not only to the race but to the training. I read a quote somewhere once and it said champions are not created during races or competitions, but instead are molded during the training for these events. The catch is nobody can make this commitment for you. Only one person can walk the miles, talk themselves through the pain, go out in rain, shine and wind and only one person can wear that Tiffany's necklace. So if you are ready to commit, read on!
This blog will be updated in the near future with: training schedules for walking and running a half and full marathon, links to websites to check distances of workouts, pace of workouts, and calorie calculators, I can post a list of people who have decided to participate in the Nike Women's Marathon 2008 if people are interested in this and other useful information as people as questions and as the even gets closer. Additionally, in the months leading up to the race we can have group long runs/walks on Sundays so the long training day of the week can be completed with others and encouragement exchanged.
The link to the Nike Women's Marathon is http://www.nike.com/nikemarathon/. This event fills up quickly, especially the half marathon, so if you would like to participate visit the site frequently and in the near future there should be an option to submit your email so you are notified when registration opens. I would recommend entering your email address and registering for the event the morning it opens, especially if you are interested in signing up for the half marathon as it will fill before the full marathon. The course for 2008 should be similar if not the same as the course for 2007, so look that over if you are curious where your legs will be taking you!
Ladies, that is all for now, I will be posting training schedules very soon so those interested can get in some good base miles before actual training starts. Welcome to the life of the healthy and active!
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