It's Turkey Trot Season!

Happy Thanksgiving week! I started the week off with a trail race this morning. I ran the Ukiah Turkey Trot. It was a 3.5 mile out and back course that ran along Lake Mendocino. It was a chilly morning and I had to bundle up more than usual to stay warm. You can see my warm race gear below.  

My Athleta and Nike race gear

I haven't been running too many trails lately so I wasn't sure what to predict as far as time goes. The 

course itself was challenging with a lot of rolling hills. It was an out and back loop and I kept a pretty good pace in relation to my training. I finished to cheering locals and enjoyed hot beverages and scones at the finish. One of the girls from the running group invited me to yoga after the race and I decided to try my first hot yoga class.

I have always been terrified to try hot yoga. I sweat enough in yoga class without extra heat added. I braved it today, partly because I needed to stretch my tight muscles and partly because I didn't want to let my friend down. Surprisingly, it wasn't as bas as I thought it would be. I do still prefer regular flow yoga and if given a choice, I'll stick with yoga in a cooler room. I am proud of myself for giving it a try though. 

What do you think? Are you a fan of hot yoga? Do you have any Thanksgiving races coming up? Let me know!

Treat Your Feet

My feet take a lot of pounding. Day in and day out they are one of the hardest working parts of my body. I run miles at a time without allowing them to rest and then I continue to walk, hike, kick, lunge and jump with them. I treat them with massage and try to change out my shoes on a daily basis. Admittedly, switching out which shoes I run with isn't hard for me. As a runner, I have a lot of shoes to rotate through that give my feet varying workouts. Recently I have been rotating through the minimalist Nike Free Flyknit, Nike Lunarglide 5, and a recent addition of the Nike Trail Zoom Terra Kiger. I want to make my feet stronger and less injury prone and mixing up my workouts is one way to do this. Since my marathon, my feet have needed some rest, but it's time to get back on the road and start logging long miles. 

Me and my Lunarglide 5 - NWM 2013 Edition

I have only done one trail race. It was a 10k race just the day after my 20 mile long and run and my body was tired. I had a blast doing it though. Most of my races and distance events have been on the road, which is admittedly harder on the body. I am planning on doing a local Turkey Trot race this next weekend and it is on the trails just outside of town. Trail running is challenging and mixes up the way the body moves. Dodging tree roots, rocks and shrubs on trails is always fun and trains the body to adapt to constantly changing terrain. I'm excited to see where this path takes me in my running journey.

Nike Zoom Terra Kigers

I just recently purchased new trail shoes to help me continue to run in good form while on new terrain. I have never owned specific trail shoes, so I am excited to see how they improve my running. The traction on the sole is excellent and I can really feel it gripping the ground as I run. It's important to have the correct shoes for each different activity that you do so that your feet are properly supported. If you run on the road be sure to buy shoes that are correct for your running gait. If you run on trails, make sure your shoes are built to handle that terrain.

My feet are a part of my body that cannot be replaced. I only get one pair and I want to treat them with the utmost care so that I can continue running for years to come. I encourage you to make sure you always have the proper footwear for your running terrain as well. If you don't know what gear to buy just head to your local running specialty store and talk to an expert. Feel free to ask questions on my blog as well!

~Happy Running! 

My First Trail Run

Today was my first experience with trail running. One of my relatively new running buddies had signed up with her friend to run the "Run on the Sly" 12k race. Her friend got injured about a month before the race and had to give up her entry. I was asked to run the race and I couldn't say no to the chance to test out how my running would be on a trail run.

We drove an hour to get to the scenic race in the hills of Tahoe. The race began at 3,500 ft and rose to 4,400 ft throughout the race. There were two huge hills, one at the very beginning of the race and one that led to the halfway point. My legs were tired before I started the race from my 17 mile training run the day before, so I started a bit slow, but picked up my pace as the race went on. With trail running, the pace is much slower than a road race due to the unsteady nature of the trails. There are rocks, sticks and other obstacles you have to watch out for. I was very careful during this race to watch where I stepped to keep myself free of injury.

I finished the race at 1:22:48 and was pretty happy with my time considering the nature of the race, my tired legs and the crowd of people I was following. The second half of the race I ran much faster than the first half. Once I warmed up I was able to push myself and run strong to the end. If you haven't done a trail run before I would recommend that you give it a try.

Some of the positives are of trail running are:

• Soft trail to run on 
• Beautiful Scenery
• Challenging

This weekend was a challenging one. My 17 mile run the day before was difficult. I had a very hard time getting started and pushing myself. I need to find a new running route because I tend to find it hard to run the same route every week. My task this week will be to research a new place to run that will challenge me.

What did you do to stay active this weekend? Do you prefer trail runs or road runs? 

Holiday Exercises for the Family

This is me after a trail hike sporting my Nike gear! 

The holidays have arrived and sometimes it is hard to fit in a trip to the gym when relatives from across the country are crashing on your living room floor. This year turn your exercise time into time with the family. Here are some fun activities to do with you family and friends that will get you moving without feeling like exercise. 

1. Go on a hike through the woods, or go on a trail run. Not only will this up your heart rate and burn off those Christmas cookies and holiday parties, but it is also a great way to relax the mind and body. Nature has a way of healing the soul and a brisk walk through the woods may be just the thing you need to get your mind off crazy aunt Gertrude and back into the Christmas spirit.

2. Go sledding. Trudging through snow and climbing up and down hills is a MAJOR calorie burn. So grab the kids and some inner tubes and head for the nearest snow covered hill. You'll be having a blast in no time! Only an hour could torch up to 600 calories!

3. Take a few extra laps around the mall when finishing up your Christmas shopping. You'll feel better about yourself once your heart is pumping and you will be less likely to stop in the chocolate shop if your are speed walking by rather than merely taking a stroll and window shopping. 

4. Do 10 jumping jacks and squats in the fitting room in between trying on clothes. Every small movement counts and this is an easy place to get in a few quick leg strengthening drills. Plus it'll make you feel like you have earned your purchases because of all your hard work.

5. Do lunges around the kitchen while baking. Every time you take a dish out of the cupboard or go to the oven lunge your way there, you'll be surprised how quick you feel the burn! Tired of  lunges, then power press your rolling pin over your head. It's your kitchen, make up a workout...squats while mixing, back kicks, it's up to you! (Just be careful of sharp objects and be aware of the space around you)

I hope you are all with family and friends this Christmas and enjoying yourselves. Merry Christmas everyone, I hope these simple tips helped. Let me know if you did any of them and how they turned out in the comments below!