Sunday morning runs

As much as getting up early on a Sunday morning to go for a run seems hard to do, once you get dressed and mentally prepare yourself for this 10km run it gets easier.

Today we run a 10.81km with an average of 6minutes per km so that's not so bad considering half the run was a gradual uphill. Once we were done I felt great ready to tackle our Sunday activities.

Running is not easy it's definately a mental game but running with a partner or a group makes running 10km a lot easier and much more enjoyable. Not only do you push yourself harder to keep up with your partner or group but you are able to take your mind of the pain by talking and encouraging each other to keep going just a little bit longer.

Winter is coming and it will get tougher to stay motivated during the dark raining days of the lower mainland.

So for today here are 10 tips I found helpful to keep on top of my running during the fall/winter season.

1.Try not to get out of or gain too much weight in the winter

• maintain a basic level of fitness, and never take more than two weeks off from activity.

2. Cross-train all year

• used to challenge your cardiovascular system while minimizing the chance of injury.
• try some harder bike intervals, pushig your heart rate near maximum for a short periods.

3. Try snowshoing or Cross-country skiing

• these two activities are a great way to maintaining a good winter endurance, great cardiovascular fitness and great outstanding structual strength and balance. With minimal ground impact forces allowing for longer training sessions you can add some weight to your pack or ankles to keep your body challenged.

4. Speed and conditioning

• before starting some intense running, add some conditioning activities within your run circuit. Find a park with a track. After you run your laps practising speed, you should add some abs, lower back, hip stabilizing and upper-body strengthing exercises.

5. Longer hill intervals

• hard running intervals are necessary to reach peak form.
• find a hill. Intervals hsould be close to 90 seconds in time and move up to 6 minutes.

6. It's ok to hurt :)

• you need to challenge yourself and get out of your comfort zone. Find some stairs and run them for an hour. By running stairs you will build muscle strength and massive fitness.

7. Trail running for strength and leg speed.

• off-road running naturally forces you to increase leg speed on the downhill and develop leg strength on the uphill. Find a good trail to run ( there are some great trails all around us, I'm sure you can find one near your home) Trail running keeps your mind busy, resulting in a happier, longer run. Enjoy!

8. Warm up and cool down to avoid injuries

• we often skip the warm-up to in order to get the run over with. A warm up can be as simple as a walk before you start your run. Warming up  allows the body to increase its core temperature, lubricating the joints and allowing all the energy systems to ease into faster running.
• I have heard that swimming after a long run, helps to minimize injuries... if you have a pool available to you, jump in!

9. Train with a group and hire a coach

• Often the harder workouts/runs require discipline. Sometimes by being accountable to your group and coach can be enough to create that breakthrough performance.
• If you need a coach, motivation or a challenge contact me.

10. Lighten up

• To be successful in running we have to maintain a healthier lighter body.  You can reduce the chance of injury by simply eating right and losing weight. Weight loss comes from a recution of body fat, which can be achieved primarily through nutritional modification. Nutritional change can be the HARDEST part in running and mainting a healthier body, but you CAN do it.

I hope these 10 simple steps will help you to become healthier and a faster runner. Have a great run everyone.

Easy Circuit

All you need is:
Treadmill, (or a park), exercise ball, a pair of free weights ( you chose how heavy), yoga mat and a towel

Dynamic Warm-up: (meaning you are moving the entire time)
1. knee-up with chest fly
while standing, alternate driving your knee up at the same time pull elbows back and squeeze shoulder blades together. Keep going for 30 seconds
2. squat leg kicks with exercise ball
squat down and as you come up kick one leg back squeezing butt as the same time lift the ball up. Alternating legs. Squat low, feet shoulder width apart and don't forget to tighten your belly button. Keep going for 30 seconds.
Repeat 2x

The Circuit
1. start with 2 minutes of running on the treadmill or at the park

2. using the exercise ball, do some mountain climbers. Keeping your core tight and breathing keep a
neutral spine while performing the climbers. Continue for 1min

3. side lunge with exercise ball. Stand feet shoulder width apart, take a wide step to the side with one leg, now sit a little bit lower at the same time bring the ball across your chest to the same side as the bent leg. Come back to standing position and switch to the other side. Continue for 1 minute

4. 2 minutes running .... GO

5. Push Ups with a Row

• down in a push up position weights by your sides. Nice wide arms, down do a push up, come up pick up your weight and row. All while in the push up position. Alternate, continue for 1 minute

6. Chest press with Hamstring bridge

• on your back holding weights arms out to sides nice and wide, one knee bent other leg straight up in the air; as you lift hips off the floor you will bring arms in. Drop the hip grace the ground and go back up at the same time as your arms. Continue for 1 minute, than switch legs.

7. Plank hold with out, out, in, in

• in plank position, elbow in line with your shoulders, feet together. Take one foot move it out a little wider, then the other foot, the bring it back in. Continue doing this move speed it up but be careful of your back. You want to squeeze your butt together while pulling the belly button in and breathing, very important to breath. Continue for 1minute.

8. 2 minute running....GO!

9. Alternating lunges with Bicep curls

• stand feet together, kick one leg back into a lunge and as you are going down the arms are curling up into a bicep curl. Bring the back leg back up, bicep releases, switch legs and do again. Continue 1 minute.

10. Exercise ball - Hamstring Curls with a triceps dip

• lie on your back with heels on the ball, lift hips of the floor body should be nice and long, straight legs. Bring the ball in towards your butt hold for 2 seconds, release then lift entire body using your arms of the ground and perform a dip. Be careful as this requires a lot of core stability. Alternate between the dip and the hamstring curls

11. 2 minutes running

12. Crunches

13. cool down, by walking
14. Stretch.

Hope you enjoyed your workout!

Monday Blues a myth......

Well it's Monday morning, ready for another week of busy activities, bootcamp and family gatherings.
I finished my morning workout and feel great. I recommend to everyone if you can, get up early and get moving, it will help you be more energized through out the day, your metabolism will kick in a lot faster and use up all the stored fat for energy. Keep working hard, your body will thank you!

The weekend was great with Saturday being so nice and sunny we enjoyed a nice day in Richmond in Stevenston, it was their Scaredrow celebration, there were some very interesting scarecrows and some not so scary.
Sunday I ran with my running class, we did a total of 10km and just about half of it was hill work. Hard work but it felt so great to get out there first thing in the morning and wake up those muscles with some fresh air and hard work. We are now up to 7:1 next week 8:1. This should definitely help me with the upcoming 7mile race I have signed up for.
Running is never easy and is one of the best ways to lose weight and tighten everything, but it's hard I know. I hated running for the longest time until I did my first half marathon. That was a turning point for me, now I don't mind it. I don't think I will ever get to the point of loving running, but I can enjoy a good run today.
How do non runners start running? Well, you build up. First start by walking at faster pace, meaning your heart rate has to come up a little bit. The next week run for one minute and walk for two or three minutes if you have to. Then week after week you just add to your running time and if you keep up with this routine, you will be able to run 10km in 8-10 weeks guaranteed!. If you can't motivate yourself, find a friend and commit to meeting once or twice a week for a run. I find running with a partner is a lot more fun.