Ramp up your Run for 2016!

I love to run and running is what brought me to endurance sports and triathlon.  Years ago I started doing triathlons because I loved a challenge. I was never a runner who got hurt and then turned to triathlon. I was a college volleyball player who loved to run.  For a long time I did way more triathlons, than running events.  For a while I was strongest at running, then for some time strongest at biking, and for a while I was a true triathlete.  I was never the strongest at swimming, but did have a few years when I was working hard at swimming I could hang in the in the middle of the main pack. I haven't stared at the black line in 2 years!

Don't get me wrong I still love to ride my bike, and push the pedals hard. More often than not these days, I love riding off road and on CX courses way more than in aero.

riding outside in Jan !

 But I have always loved to run. I love going to the track, the trails, the hills.   Lately I've loved running more than ever.  It fits into my life right now the best. A pair of good shoes, the right layer workout clothes,  a good workout, and a little time is all you need.  Often I run with music, sometimes in pure silence.  I love to push and challenge myself by going fast, or long or over a challenging course. I love being outside and exploring new trails. I love being healthy, sweating on the treadmill sucking air with my heart pounding, and I love just cruising with Zoey through the forest preserves.

 Running helps keep me sane during the most insane and crazy days. I love to run and feeling younger than my age. I love to run because I can. 

My favorite 2015 run/ ColoradoRun!

Ownder and founder of Betty Designs Kristin Mayer shares why she loves to run in this Kristin 's badass video

Why do you run?

Run Free

Do you have some 2016 running goals?….

to be faster, more efficient, less painful, free of injury,

to qualify, PR or beat your friend in a race?

LetsRun

I work every day helping people return to daily life following injury, athletes return to sport, and helping runners make to to the starting line stronger, efficient, and injury free. I could give a 3 day seminar on running mechanics, strength, flexibility and all that goes into smart running. I teach and preach these all the time to my patients, athletes and clients I work with. Here are just a few of my running essentials for 2016

1. A plan/goal: a goal with a proper plan to get there is crucial to smart running. Random acts of intense training, rapid build ups, jumping into to friends/ group workouts can lead to overtraining, injury, and poor performance. Having a goal motivates me to work harder, stay focused and get out the door when its nasty. Find a training plan tailored to your needs, a coach, or mentor that can help guide you safely to a successful finish. 

2. Strength: I'm amazed to find how weak runners can be in their core. (I confess, its even been me at times and I know better) Weakness in the trunk, core and glutes can and will most likely lead to injury at some point and put a halt to training and forward progress towards your ultimate goal. The hips and trunk need to stabilize 3x or more of your body weight landing on 1 leg every step you take while running. Thats a lot of steps in even a 5k, but think about 13.1 or 26.2  A few sides steps with a band and a few side planks and bridges most likely won't get the job done for someone training for half marathons, marathons or triathletes creating huge muscle imbalances. Run specific strength and core exercises are essential to successful running plans. 

One of about 100 or  my favorite strength exercises for running:
side plank with forward/back tap

don't drop the hip or flex the trunk

3 Flexibilty: most runners don't like to stretch, and is mostly the component that gets neglected the most due to time, impatience or just being too tired. Repetitive use of muscles shortens them, creates tension in them can inhibit proper firing. Runners don't need to be able to do the splits,  but should have enough flexibility to not place strain on joints, tendons, or interfere with proper mechanics. Foam rolling takes only a few minutes, and 2 of my favorite stretches for runners is 90% passive meaning you don't have to do a thing, and can still look at the tv or your phone

lazy stretch for posterior chain

tight hip flexors/ root of all evil

4. Form: proper running mechanics can make a huge difference how fast you get to the finish line and weather you make it to the starting line in the first place. Efficient form and proper mechanics can reduce the risk of injury, lower the impact and time spent on the ground or moving sideways instead of forward, therefore ultimately getting you to the starting line faster. When we were little we could run fast without thinking, then we grew up and got jobs, our muscles got tighter, weaker and we got sloppier. Having a running evaluation to assess your strengths weaknesses and form can make a dramatic difference in your running performances. I love to help athletes every day with their running strengths and weaknesses. If you are interested in a gait evaluation you can contact me at 

lindsaysfree@gmail.com

fine tune your form

5. Recovery: resting and allowing your body, and muscles adapt to the stresses you've put on it is essential to healthy running, staying injury free and not becoming stagnant. Backing down the mileage through periodization, cross training and even doing nothing helps let all systems in the body recover adapt and become stronger. After a little rest you'll be surprised how amazing your next few runs can be.  

Feet up to recover

6. Favorite Treadmill W/O : the treadmill serves it purpose. I don't love it, but do when its -20 outside, or I'm short on time.  My favorite treadmill run comes from a former coach of mine from many years ago who is from Austraila and happened to finish 10th in the Olympics one time. I never forget this workout and resort to it when I'm bored or in a pinch because it a great way to focus on form, technique and turnover!
After a good warm up increasing the speed gradually by 2 mph for 10-15 min at 2% grade. then decrease the incline to 0% MS is: 3x
  :30 sec race pace :30 "float" 
  :45 sec race pace :45 sec "float"
  :1:00 min race pace 1:00 "float"
  :1:15 race pace/ 1:15 float
then 1:00/1:00
:45/:45
:30 /30
Race pace is 10-15 sec faster than goal pace, float is 10-15 sec slower than goal race pace, but not full recovery.
On recovery days or days feeling tired, float can be easy recovery pace.

7. Favorite Outside Run: too many to pick from! but I'd have to say over past year its been long runs over crazy hilly trails in the mountains to build endurance, strength and stability. But when I can't do that I love race specific tempo efforts over long course similar to:

30 min warm up
2 x 2 miles at goal pace, 5 min easy recovery
3 x 1 mile descending splits,  3 min recovery
easy c/d

8. Team/support: having a support crew, training partner, coach, team or someone to lean on run to with those amazing workouts, the epic fails, the days its hard to bundle up and face the wind and the days you cross the finish line with a smile makes the journey more successful.  

TeamBetty2016 is one badass team of amazing athletes and support with incredible sponsors to help make 2016 beyond amazing!

Of course there are more essentials such as nutrition, shoes and mental preparation, but I'll leave that for the professionals in those fields to write about.

Thank you to Stephanie who let me use some of her pictures from a recent gait evaluation and Pound4Pound Fitness and their awesome gym!

Happy Running

2016……its on!!

2015 was an incredible year full of so many fun adventures, racing, getting stronger, managing life as a single mom with a 12 y/o, work in a very busy PT clinic , and more. There were trips to Colorado to play in the mountains, racing in new fun places like Austin, Fort Collins and Portland, and many local run races where I ran faster than I could have imagined.  Seeing Jack play football, make honor roll and get 4th at conference wrestling as a 7th grader was as fun as any trip, or race. 

4th at Conference

  

Lots of amazing running in 2015

But 2015 is in the books. Ill check it off as a major success especially, considering the life detour from the year before.  

champagne toast and bonfire to welcome 2016

2016 is here now. New year, new goals, new adventures, new perspectives. No new year's resolutions for me, just facing the new year with mission to becoming stronger inside and out, and accepting each day as it is and what it brings and putting that mindset in all areas of my life:  my career , racing, training, parenting,  taking care of my house.  I may not nail it every day, but thats what the gym, running shoes and bikes are for. 

Ride Outside!

Fun with friends

I've been doing a lot of strength work this winter trying to make it to the gym more for tons of core, and  functional strength. I've also been doing the 100 push/up day challenge with TeamBetty.  100 push ups a day through January isn't something Id think up as a goal for myself, but its different, a new challenge and  maybe it will help my little chicken arms toughen up, plus its fun playing along with my BettyDesigns teammates.  I've done push ups off the bike, between interval sets, and between snow shoveling,  and between patients.   I love getting stronger.  Being and feeling strong on the outside, helps me feel strong on the inside to face challenges, face the day, toe the line at the start of a race, handle tough patients, and take it to the next level.

100 push ups

hanging around the gym/ Pound4Pound

so long 2015/ you were amazing

In 2016 I hope to:
run some fast races, maybe another marathon
play in the mountains more, and keep climbing higher
Get on the SUP board a few more times
jump into some cycling road races before CX season
do the Hincapie Grand Fondo with TeamBetty
Keep helping runners stay inure free, become more efficient and run faster
try new things
stand tall
say yes more, and say no more too
be fearless
push the edge of my comfort zone 
become stronger inside and out
live life
not hold back
be Badass/Beautiful (inside first, is what then shows up outside)

This showed up outside the Ortho Dept at work!
Dreyer/Advocate is huge sponsor of FVM

Take 2016 to a new level!  Cheers!

Thankful

Warning: this post is so cliche, and full of thanks and greatfulness it might make you cringe. So if hearing about all the tragic and negative things going on in the world is more fun, the news is always there. But it is Thanksgiving week;  and YES……I'm feeling thankful for so much….Even  though after the most amazing fall, I'm digging myself out from the first snow of the season that didn't bring just flurries and a dusting to break us into winter gently,but a dump of 8 inches of heavy wet snow with a nice slap on the a#$ welcome to winter.  

shoveling round 2

buried

Jack finished 7th grade football, made A team wrestling and A/B honor roll with all A's a B+, and B. He is driven, works hard, has a funny sense of humor, and blows me away when I come home and hear the drier going because he's done his own laundry without me asking.

amazing 7th grader

I'm thankful that through most of November I ran in shorts, without gloves or hat, and biked in a single layer with arm warmers only. This was top shelf fall weather. I made it a mission to seek as much outside time as possible.  Random Monday night fire pits with perfect  fall weather and my people made some fall  Mondays more fun.

Fire pit on gorgeous random Mondays

I'm thankful for my incredible and amazing friends that I have in all my different worlds. My friends have been there in good times and bad; to talk, to celebrate, to run/race, to vent, to support, and to have fun with, motivate me, and tell me it's ok.

Of course I'm thankful for my incredible family. They don't live close, and  I don't get to see them often, but miss them every day but still feel they are close to me. My nephew who is a sophomore played varsity football and just helped his team win 5a state championships in Boise.

I'm thankful for my house thats too big for me. Its challenged me this year, but I've learned about air conditioners, furnaces and doors. Its stressful and at times I've wanted to call a realtor, but at same time feels awesome to keep this place sailing on my own.  I think I'll try to one up myself and make my front porch better than last year.

when you can't have a fire pit outside

 1 year ago

I'm thankful for my job. Its also stressful, exhausting and I've been doing it for a long time. But I have amazing co-workers and after after all this time I still love seeing the total knee patient walk out without a limp and the injured runner back at the races. This fall  an incredible Geneva High School runner I've had the privilege of working with some in her off season, had an amazing performance at state cross country
Mackenzie

I'm thankful for incredible trips to Colorado to play in the mountains with Steve. Sun, mountains, and this guy make me smile

hanging in Fort Collins

trail run in the sun

I am thankful to have been chosen to be part of TeamBetty2o16. I love being a part of such a positive supportive team of amazing women with such incredible backgrounds from around the world  I can't wait to see what 2016 brings.

Portland Marathon…& Loving Oregon

I'm still walking a bit stiff, and my bags from Oregon aren't completely unpacked from my incredible trip home to Oregon to run the Portland Marathon.  I was on a 6:30 plane the next morning back here to make it in time for some 7th grade football and the world hasn't slowed down since.

Focused and Determined

With a completely jammed work schedule more football and a list a mile long I feel like I'm still running that marathon.  I'm tired and sore, and slowly recovering, but feeling excited and happy get moving again. Portland was the first big race I've committed to in nearly 2 years after my life went through some "reorganization". I have been racing and training and feeling fit and fast but haven't felt to need to live my life around a training schedule.  I still love to train race and push myself.  A new goal and something completely different  was motivating enough for me to commit and focus.  A marathon without swimming or biking a bunch first would be a fun challenge.

St. Johns bridge coolest part of the course

I felt so ready for this race. Jenny's workouts were perfect and I was nailing the long runs and feeling so fast going into the race.  I didn't want to put a lot of pressure on myself with a big time goal but that happened anyway. I just wanted to go have a good race and enjoy that I got to the start line free of injury, motivated and not burned out on running. 

My Dad still teaching me to dream big

As a competitive athlete its hard not to have something in mind to shoot for.  The course is hilly beautiful and I love being in Oregon. The weather was perfect for me for some marathoners maybe it got a bit warm into the 70s. I felt great and was hitting my paces and splits all along the way. My parents, brother and Steve made their way around the course to so many spots.

My brother in the far right, and Steve catching the pic
would appear from no where all over the course

I was surprised to see them all over the place.  I had the best support crew ever cheering me on.  After mile 20, I fell way off pace thanks to cramps/ charley horses in my calves causing me to have to do a fair amount  walk/running.  That will surely drop your average pace down.  I pushed through and finished still with a Boston Qualifying time, which wasn't my goal but feel accomplished that I was able to still get it even with falling apart at the end. It was such a fun race and I loved every moment of the training and most of the race. It definitely hurts at the end!  I'm already excited and looking forward to another one!

Finished, literally

As I mentioned I did have a time goal in mind and didn't get there even though I felt completely ready and prepared for it. I did feel sad for a little bit after the race because I don't like not achieving the goals I set out to. I think this is what most athletes who compete go through and is what keeps us going back for more. I didn't pout for long. I reminded myself that I am 40- something years old, manage a big house by myself, work 40+ hours a week, take care of an amazing 7th grader who loves to be in sports. ( who by the way is killing it so far in 7th grade with 89% as his lowest grade at midterm). These are my priorities now and to be able to still go out and race and compete on top of this is an added bonus. Plus who can pout when you are playing and having fun in Oregon.  

He makes me smile a lot!

Its almost been a week and the soreness goes away a little more each day. The only run I've done post marathon is a Virtual UPR with my very fun BettyDesigns team. This group of girls has been so inspiring motivating supportive and fun all year. We ran virtual 1 mile UPR in our team suits in honor of our teammates running and racing over in Kona. Sometimes being a grown up is not fun, being can be boring, thats why I refuse to grow up completely. Why not run a mile in my swimsuit one dark early morning with my other teammates across the country. 

Be Brave, Be Bold, Be Fearless, Smile, Live Life, Don't Ever give up!

Race Face

As the season starts to wind down there seems to be plenty of big racing going on especially locally.  Fox Valley Marathon is this weekend. Cross Vegas just happened, Chicago marathon around the corner. I just spent the weekend in Madison spectating and having fun cheering for friends and athletes. I haven't watched or payed much attention to any triathlons for nearly 2 years.  I forgot the faces of pain, fun, or completely clueless, or even fear even at just mile 48 of the bike in an Ironman.   And no, being away from it for a period of time and watching doesn't make me want to sign up for another one again. I did plenty of long distance triathlons to last a lifetime. 

Spreading some BettyStyle in Madison

Having fun on the hill

My big race for the season is an open marathon,  just about 2 weeks away. I didn't do many big races this season, but even the small local 5ks, local half marathons fired me up enough to tighten my pony tail and put on my race face. A race is a race. You might be going for a certain time, place, to not get chicked, or to beat your friend.  To be honest some of the small races Ive done this year have provided the best return in terms of fun and prizes.  I have won cool pottery, beer glasses,  cold hard cash, and gift certificates to running stores this year doing local 5ks and 1/2 marathons. 

can't get more local than Elburn days 5k

I recently  ran our local Batavia half marathon and shocked myself by running close to a minute off my PR for any half marathon at my 40 something year old self for second in the age group because the first old lady was a top 3 overall. 

Race Face

Even some of my workouts have worthy of a race face. Jenny has written workouts I didn't think were possible, but a few times during this marathon training I've treated these workouts like a race.  Sometimes it calls for fishtail braids, Badass Betty pink sport top and a race face. The Betty sport bra is so perfect to run in. No chaffing perfect fit and no jiggling to get in way of moving fast.  And with all the right ingredients I've been able to do what I didn't think I could. Its been challenging but so fun and with the long stuff behind me I'm not burned out and dreading putting on my running shoes. I just hope race day goes the same way. 

Braids and Betty to go fast

Some days I even put on a race face with a side braid to go to work. The schedule and often  the people can be so demanding and requires so much energy.  Some days I need to try to speak Spanish, keep up with a high volume of patients all with a smile, and play politics. Usually I'm tired after getting up early, and now in the dark, to workout. But I win, when I get to see the athlete run again, return to the field, or the total knee replacement guy go back to golf. I even got flowers last week from a patient.  

Jack plays 7th grade football now and get to see his game face at least 1x a week. He has grown to love competing and I have watched him as captain fire up his team, and fight to the end with wins and losses. He won't let me slack on pre game meals. Truth. I have to step up my game and make lemmon chicken for his best pre game meal. Maybe he's watched me get ready to race a few times.

Post game face

Cross season is here. There is nothing like a cross race to bring out the best race faces. I love cross, have always wanted to do Cross Vegas and got so fired up seeing some of the pictures. My first cross race most likely will be Trek with shaky post marathon legs. Race Face required. 

TREK 2014 

Zoey even has race face when she gets to run the trails with me. Focused, driven, fast Zoey always wins. 

Zoey ready to race

Good luck to everyone racing soon, I hope  your training prep and recovery has gone well, but don't forget to pack  your race face. 

Been Running…..But Cross is Coming!

I am in middle of marathon training, so I've been running some!  My experience at marathon training has been during Ironman training. I am loving the focus of a single sport. But one single goal always leads to another.  I've not ever really trained for an open marathon. Right now I'm loving it.  I've been doing runs of all kinds.  Runs I've not done before, ever during triathlon training. Long runs before work, fun speedy efforts during long runs, hills,  trails, double runs and more.

Fun on Trails!

 So far I'm surviving and have had only a couple runs that made me feel like I …..

1.  got off the couch after 9 months of doing nothing  all winter

2.  just had a baby 4 weeks ago and am just returning to running (thank you no,  did that once)

 3. have never run in my life.

My coach Jenny has mixed it up so well, I'm not bored and plodding along,  and every week is a little different. While I"m tired sometimes,  I'm stressing myself in different ways each run.  A little trip to Colorado helped mix it up too. I did some running at altitude,  on trails,  and in the hills that was challenging for a flatlander.  The runs there were  hard, not very fast but good for strength and lots of fun.   I ran around a lake in the hot sun,   up and down steep rocky trails that made me suck air,  and a long run across"the dams". 

My last and long run of the trip ended up being an incredible adventure.  After some recovering and fueling up, Steve and I  packed up gear to hike/camp in the mountains. He was an incredible sherpa showing me all around the mountains.

Recovery, and fueling up

We hiked straight uphill with big packs and camped overnight.  I was treated to an amazing dinner on the campfire with the sun going down. 

Having just a little fun

Sexy Sherpa

 It must have worked because on tired legs we hiked back down and I started my long run  along "the dams" around Horsetooth Resevoir. I started from the campground and ran up and down the big hills all along the the beautiful lake. 

Big blue sky, Big hills, big running

For a girl who lives in the midwest but loves the mountains the whole weekend such an amazing adventure.  I came home tired and sore and facing an insane week at work and getting a 7th grader ready for the start of football, and school. It may sound easy, but it can be just as tiring as running the dams!  School physicals, open house, football parent meetings, shopping at Target during l lunch for school supplies, hair cuts, and more all in my spare time around work.  I'm tired……but I LOVE it.

ready for 7th grade

Even with all this running, …..Cross is coming!  Its just a little darker and cooler in the mornings, a few of my plants have thrown in the towel on summer and are looking crispy,  and there are a couple leaves on the ground. Cross is coming!  I've been turning to my cross bike more to ride between all the running.  I love riding it on trails  and dirt. My early season cross races may be interesting until the marathon is done.  Cross season is so long, I'd actually like to make it to Nationals this year.

Cross is Coming!  (MDula photography)