Alameda Runners – Get After It!

Many athletes have to travel to events across the country, and Southwest likely is a leading choice if you’re thinking about flying.  The airline company has focused exclusively on travel within the United States, with great success as it’s one of the more reliable airline companies.

I recently caught up with Southwest to ask the company several questions regarding its business and flight information.  I normally fly Southwest out of the Oakland International Airport – just a couple of minutes away from Alameda – which is the company’s Bay Area hub. Read more… »

A great thing about writing blogs here on Alameda Runners is the ability to offer reviews of various products I stumble across.   I recently ate my first package of GU Blueberrry Chomp energy blocks during a 12-mile training run in the Marin Headlands.

As much as I enjoy eating the gel-like substances, actually being able to chew something while running has been beneficial.  I like to eat the Chomps a bit earlier than when I need an energy boost — remember that the gel products lead to faster effects.

Four Chomps (with each package shipping with eight pieces) have 90 calories, 11g sugar and 23g carbs, among other important nutritional needs for endurance athletes.  Full ingredient list can be found here at the official Gu web site.

No caffeine in the blueberry GU Chomps, which is just fine for me.  I’m a big fan of caffeine, but never have really enjoyed it during my activities.

My complete thoughts, including something I didn’t like much, can be found after the jump. Read more… »

More inspirational running guidance, with today’s tips from Ed Eyestone (tips found in Runner’s World):

Stick to It
These four principles should be part of your training plan throughout the year.  Tailor them according to your goals, interests, and needs.

Get Moving: You don’t need to run every day, but be sure to run more days than you don’t.
Go Hard: At least once a week inject speed into your routine.  For example, perform four- to five-mile tempo runs or long intervals at 5K race pace.  Mix up repeats by running 4 x 1 mile one week, 5 x 1200 meters another, and 3 x 2000 meters another.
Ease Back: Follow hard workouts with at least one easy day and don’t worry about how fast you’re going.  Let your energy level be your guide.
Run Long: Once a week, run 1.5 times longer than your normal run.

I haven’t started mixing intervals into my runs yet, as I remain more interested in getting my legs used to running long-distance.  We completed a 12-mile run in Sausalito on Saturday, with more hilly slow runs expected in the future.

I think I’m going to focus on intervals and chipping time away after my first half marathon (Oakland Half Marathon at the end of March), but we’ll see how that goes.  I’m integrating intervals into my bike rides around Alameda, but that obviously isn’t the same intensity I use while running.

We are ready for the Oakland half marathon.  We got out for a 12 mile run in the hills today.  The hills made us work a bit harder than usual.  The views from the Sausalito hills are beautiful.  I think we are going back again next week to go deeper into the hills.

Pictures can be seen here:  San Francisco Run.

The city of Alameda is wonderful for so many reasons I’d likely need a few different blog posts to discuss the reasons I’m happy to live here.  A leading reason is the number of bike lanes on public roads and running trails on the main island and Bay Farm.

I end up walking, running or riding on these trails almost every day, and most of the trails are kept in great condition.  (A different blog post will be dedicated to the great job the city has done maintaining these trails.)

This blog post is a reminder that these trails are for everyone, not a single group of people!  Cyclists, joggers, walkers, families, kids, and everyone looking to enjoy a view of the bay is welcome on these trails.

As such, I feel it’s up to the people who are on bikes to make sure the trail is safe for everyone.  Be courteous to those around you.  DO NOT fly down the trails at 20 m.p.h. while buzzing people when you’re on your bike.

It’s rude, dangerous, and takes away from the wonderful trails.  Don’t be afraid to call out and let people know you’re coming by.  Slow down and call out before passing.  It takes a couple of extra seconds, but can avoid a dangerous collision that could ruin everyone’s day.

I’ve had people refuse to move over for me when they turn around and see me on a bike.  One person actually said, “You bikers are dangerous and shouldn’t be here!”  I was perplexed.

I just thought he was an old grumpy man walking his dog – but I’ve recently spent more time running on the trails, and have noticed how rude some people are.  I spoke with one person who was riding a bike and asked him why he came so close to all of the people he passed.

The kind gentleman said he wasn’t aware how close he was to us, and said he would try to make sure it doesn’t happen again.  Just chatting with him for a couple of minutes helped him understand that he needs to give people on the trail a couple extra feet when passing to ensure everyone remains safe.

Michael

It can sometimes be really difficult to find the motivation to go out and run.  Too tired, too cold, might get dark, have errands, and so on — nothing but excuses.  People overcoming injuries or who are new to running may find it even more difficult to put together a running plan, which can lead to people quitting on themselves a tad bit too early.

Ted isn’t a big fan of Jeff Galloway’s run-walk-run method, but it can be very effective for new runners.

A Twitter friend sent along a link from Active.com entitled “Find Your Running Motivation.”  As such, Galloway talks about how he found motivation during the 1964 Olympic 10K race after chatting with gold medal winner Billy Mills.

Here is a brief tidbit from the article:

Whether you’ve run a marathon or struggle to cover a city block, you can use the inspiration of Olympians to improve your fitness and find a level of competition that’s right for you. After I heard from more than 250,000 members of my Galloway training programs, running retreats, running schools or e-coach/consulting clients, I’ve come to understand that there is a competitive drive inside each of us–even those who deny it.

It may be easy to come up with excuses, but you have to do whatever is necessary to ignore those thoughts in your head.  I’ve never had a regret when I finally find the motivation to get out the door for a run, even if the weather is cold and foggy.

Michael

As I flipped through the Winter issue of “Competitor” magazine last night, I stumbled across Allison Entrekin’s “Your Top 10 New Year’s Resolutions … And How You Can Achieve Them” article, starting on page 20.  I know it’s mid-February, but that doesn’t mean the eating tip listed isn’t beneficial for athletes and people looking to improve their health.

I believe the most beneficial tip was resolution 4:

“Eat better.  We endurance athletes pack a lot into our mornings – a training session, a quick cup of joe and a long commute to work.  But if we don’t make time to eat a substantial breakfast, we’ll pay for it by dinner, when the only kind of vegetable that will sound appealing is a large bag of potato chips.  ‘If you skip breakfast, by the end of the day, you won’t want carrots — you’ll want carrot cake,’ noted says Nancy Clark, MS, RD, a Boston resident and author of Nancy Clark’s Sports Nutrition Guideblook. ‘Have a hearty breakfast and a hearty lunch so you won’t be as hungry at nighttime and can make better choices.”

Active.com image

Ah!

As someone who routinely skips breakfast — even though I certainly have the appetite to eat after I wake up, I just don’t like to force myself to eat that first meal of the day.  It’s something I definitely need to begin working on in the future, especially as I continue to run and go for bike rides in the morning.

Active.com also stresses the importance of a healthy breakfast to keep you powered up all day.

Michael

Saturday morning long run.

Here is how Ted’s morning practice goes.
Up at 8:00 A.M.
Make a batch of “Ted’s Terrific pancakes” ™ an Read more… »

It may seem crazy to spend a minimum of $19.99 for a piece of cloth and plastic with your name, emergency contact and other information on it — but this small exercise accessory could one day save your life.  Well, that’s at least the gist of RoadID‘s marketing angle for its products that includes the Wrist ID Sport, Shoe ID and Ankle ID.

It never really sunk in that I go out on all of my training rides and long runs without my driver’s license and cell phone.  It just isn’t something I actively think about while out enjoying life.  I’ve crashed on several occasions while out in the saddle, but have been able to return home safely each time.

I ordered a wrist band for myself and shoe ID for my dad.  Now we are both going to be able to train with identification.  My dad has been interested in one but the $19.99 price tag is a bit too much for some consumers, including my dad – so I decided to purchase one for the old man.  I’m going to wear the Wrist ID Sport, while he will use the Shoe ID product from RoadID.

I’m sure both of us will chime in on basic thoughts of the couple of products we receive in the next week or two.

If you’re interested in learning more about RoadID, I recommend visiting the company’s official web site.  A frequently asked questions section is available by clicking here.

Saturday morning long runs work best after breakfast.  I have been doing long events on Saturday mornings for about 15 years now with varying results.  One of my favorite breakfast recipes is what I call “Ted’s Terrific pancakes”. Read more… »