Alameda Runners – Get After It!

We went back to Sausalito to tackle the hills again.  We have no reason to run in the hills other than the pure joy of running there.  It makes think about doing the Point Reyes 25K.  Point Reyes is a very hard run that you get nothing for finishing the run except the possibility of poison oak.  You also get a huge sense of accomplishment.  We had a lot of fun this week running along the hills.  My photo blog can be found here Saturday run photo blog.

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.

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… »

I have a bad habit of not properly pacing myself when I’m out on a solo run.  I definitely can log miles on my own, but I feel more comfortable when I have at least one person running with me.

In the March edition of the Runner’s World magazine, the following advice is offered:

Starting out too fast can lead to a sudden increase in muscle waste products that can make you feel sluggish.  Head out slowly – and remember, no pace is too slow.

Ah.

“No pace is too slow” is something I need to remember each and every time I head out on a training run.  Hopefully this little tip serves as a friendly reminder for others who also have a hard  time keeping the first few minutes under control.

Michael

Welcome to Alameda runners   A site for Bay area runners who primarily run in the East Bay.  I live in Alameda and primarily run in Alameda.  I also run in Oakland, Emeryville, Berkeley and San Francisco.

I see a lot of the same people every week on different runs.  It seems there are a lot of people all over the bay area who like to run at the same time.  We often say hi to each other and sometimes stop to chat.  This site is an effort to bring people together and share routes, events and recipes.  A lot of us are rather fit and it is interesting to see how other people manage a similar lifestyle.

Ted