BRF’s (Best Running Friends) 

Running friends make all the difference!

As we prepare for our weekend long runs, take a minute to reach out to your best running friends and make sure you have a plan to go long together!

Because having a friend who listens, doesn’t judge and somehow makes 2+ hours of running fun is priceless!

Some pics of our #CoreCrew family’s best running friends. 

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One of my best running friends, Amiee Cords, gave me a copy of the Lolo Papers sometime last year and I loved it. Recently, she sent me the link to author, Amy Marxkors, blog Project 3(ish) – One runner’s not-impossible-but-highly-unlikely quest to break 3 hours in the marathon.

Amy L. Marxkors is the author of The Lola Papers: Marathons, Misadventures, and How I Became a Serious Runner and Powered By Hope: The Teri Griege Story.  She is also a former Fit Professional at Fleet Feet St. Louis.  Click here to read some of Amy’s previous columns.

Below is a recent blog post by Amy Marxkors. This is from week #7 of her sub 3 hour marathon quest and reveals how grateful she is for her long time best running friend.

Find Your Rick Astley Running Buddy

I never knew an Ace Hardware store could contain within its walls chockfull of two-by-fours and garden hoes so much sentimentality. Yet there it was, just as it had looked almost 10 years ago, when I had to make an emergency pit stop and Jake, who by consequence was forced to wait inside to avoid hypothermia (it was winter and well below freezing), experienced a hitherto undiscovered level of social discomfort in the fantastic combination of running tights and home improvement.

I remember the women’s bathroom in detail because of the urgency with which I had to use it and the intractable wooden door wedge that prevented me from doing so. After a panicked and self-conscious struggle, however, I was able to dislodge the wedge and close the door—to my great and literal relief. Jake, in the meantime, endured a silent struggle of his own.

“Never do that to me, again,” he said as we walked through the automatic doors and back into the cold morning air.

As it turns out, tights aren’t the pants of choice within the hardware store male demographic.

Recently, Jake and I returned to Grant’s Trail for a mid-week run. I had to run 16 miles. He would join me for 10.

“This is like old times!” I said as we began.

Grant’s Trail had been a regular route for us when we first started running together. It was the location of my first really strong progression run. My first true bathroom emergency. My first long run death march.

“I can’t believe we’ve been running together for almost 10 years!”

The trail sparked a tidal wave of memories and nostalgia. I had been a true novice when I started running with Jake, a baby runner whom he had taken under his wing and guided through the miles. He made my first training plans when I had no idea what I was doing. He ran my first track workouts with me when I had never before been on a track. He led the way during my first tempo runs when I didn’t even know what a tempo run was. He ran next to me, stride for stride, when I raced a marathon for the first time. He rode his bike alongside me when he was injured and I had a 20-mile long run scheduled. In the winter. In the rain. In the dark. He dissolved my dread of looming workouts and calmed my nerves before big races. He reminded me to trust my training and to trust myself. He was there when I ran my best. He was there when I ran my worst. And either way, he’d pat me on the back and say, “Good job, kid.” He reminded me that the best you can do is your best on that day, and what more could you want?

The miles passed beneath us, and I realized that everything was as we had left it. The Budweiser Clydesdales. The inexplicable numbered markers placed at random intervals along the path. The Marks-A-Lot factory that’s not really a Marks-A-Lot factory but Smells-A-Lot like one. And when my stomach began to cramp and a bathroom emergency was upon us, I was glad when we hopped off the trail and found ourselves in a strip mall parking lot standing before the only commercial establishment open at that early hour, Ace Hardware.

Per usual, our conversation was easy and familiar and unreserved. We recapped our week and talked about mutual friends. We jabbered on about training. We discussed news headlines that spanned from the amusing (“Thieves Steal $18 Million of Maple Syrup from the Global Strategic Maple Syrup Reserve”) to the thorny and controversial (“Anything That Has To Do With Politics”). And even though Jake planned on running 10 miles with me, he ran 13, because I overslept my alarm and managed only 3 before I met up with him.

“What’s another 1.5 miles?” he said as we blew past our turnaround point, effectively adding 3 miles to his run.

“Thanks, coach.”

Last week, when I was in a bit of a slump and not certain how to handle my sluggish legs, I gave Jake a call.

“What I would do,” he said over the phone, after I had relayed my troubles, “is cut back my mileage over the next three days. You can still hit 100 miles next week. You’ve already hit 95 miles these past few weeks. It doesn’t matter if this week is 80 or even 70. It’s almost like a taper for your 100-mile week. Your body won’t forget how to handle the miles.”

“Okay. That sounds good.”

“And,” he said, “eat pasta and ice cream. It’s my special Slumpbuster Diet.”

“Ha! Slumpbuster?”

“Yep. Whenever I’m in a slump, I load up on pasta and ice cream, and I feel better. Works every time.”

“Got it.”

The Slumpbuster Diet, needless to say, was a success.

I spent this past weekend in Chicago. I was there for a wedding, and the timing for a cutback in mileage couldn’t have been better. I ate pasta (rehearsal dinner) and cake and ice cream (wedding reception). And I ran very little.

But on Monday, the first day of my 100-mile week, I was back in St. Louis. Once again, I overslept my alarm (this time deliberately).

Hey, I texted Jake at 9:15 a.m. I overslept. Wanna run at 10?

Caught me just in time, he texted back. Sure.

And so he delayed his own run from his house (convenient) for a hotter and more humid run from somewhere else with me (inconvenient).

Do you remember how I rediscovered ‘80s music a few weeks ago? Well, the other day, as I was blasting the “’80s Smash Hits!” playlist in my car, Rick Astley’s “Never Gonna Give You Up” came on. You know the song…

Never gonna give you up, never gonna let you down
Never gonna run around and desert you
Never gonna make you cry, never gonna say goodbye
Never gonna tell a lie and hurt you

Perhaps I was in a sentimental mood, but as I belted out the lyrics, I thought of Jake. I realized that he is the Rick Astley of running buddies. For the past 10 years, he’s been there for me, come rain, come shine, come hell or high water, come overslept alarms. I can say with 100 percent certainty that I would not be the runner I am today if not for Jake. I would not have the confidence I have. I certainly would not be attempting a 100-mile week.

I am humbled and almost overcome when I think about how much fullness and joy running has brought to my life—and how much Jake has done to make my love for running possible. How easy it would have been to quit. How much Jake sacrificed to make sure I never did.

Running is wonderful, but it is also tough. Yes, we can accomplish much on our own, but sometimes we need our Rick Astley Running Buddies to get us through the early mornings, the long run death marches, and the tough marathons. Sometimes we need our Rick Astley Running Buddies to give us a Slumpbuster Diet. Sometimes we need our Rick Astley Running Buddies for entertainment or encouragement or to stand guard if we happen to choose the shrubbery instead of Ace Hardware.

Find your Rick Astley Running Buddy. The miles—even the bad ones—will fly by. You’ll do more than you thought you could, and have more fun that you thought you would doing it. And, before you know it, you may just find yourself on Grant’s Trail, reminiscing about a bathroom in a hardware store, and saying, “I can’t believe it’s been 10 years.”

It’s time for our long runs! Remember that “long” is relative to where you are at in your training, so whether it’s 2 miles or 20 miles…your long run is just as fabulous as every one else. Embrace it, love it…share it with a friend!

This weekend, find your best running friend and share a picture and a quick story with your Crew…share how your BRFs make all the difference in your training and running life. 🙂 Next week I will make a new picture slideshow for our blog with all the awesome pictures you take this weekend.

Our weekend days are always interchangeable so make it work for you. Go long on Saturday and make sure to get in some yoga or other type of active recovery on Sunday. Or switch it up and do some stretching or cross training on Saturday and go long on Sunday!

Day 8: Hip Hike (hip hurdles) warm up + Long Run + :60 Wall Sit + 7 Key Stretches for Runners

Day 9: Yoga for Runners (saw below for links to yoga options) or Active Recovery (easy short (20-30 min) run, bike, swim, walk, or some form of cross training that mimics running movements)

Yoga for Runners:

• Yoga for Runners – “Unknot Yourself”
• Yoga for Runners – “Tight Hips & Legs”
• Yoga Poses for Runners

Don’t forget those pictures this weekend. I wanna see TONS of fun groups and LOTS of smiles! 🙂

It’s time to work our arms to tighten and tone our biceps and triceps, while sculpting shapely shoulders and building strength to go the distance!

Today’s workout consists of the routine below, one :60 Plank with shoulder taps and some arm stretches after the workout while our muscles are soft and limber. 1 round….power through!

Day 7 exercises:

• Sexy Arm Workout
• Plank with Shoulder Taps – :60 – see video below
• Arm Stretches – see descriptions below for bicep and tricep stretches

Extras:

• Quick Morning Workout
• Negative Pull Ups – 3-5
• Update on monthly mileage goal

Bonus: 7 Key Stretches for Runners – time to get ready for our long runs. Before you go to bed, take a few minutes to go through some stretches. Make sure you are hydrating because it is hot out there!

Day 7 “how to” videos:

There’s lots of exercises here and most of them should be familiar to you. If you aren’t sure about an exercise, tag me in our daily post comments and I will post a video for the exercise you are looking for.

Plank with Shoulder Taps:

1. Start in pushup position with hands under shoulders.
2. Keep toes flexed and head neutral and maintain a straight line from your head to your heels
3. Keep your movements slow and controlled.

Arm Stretches:

Bicep Stretch:

Tricep Stretch:

Our days are short and numbered but that doesn’t mean we should ignore our health and wellness. Instead of choosing to let our days go by without striving for a strength of body and mind…why not choose to give ourselves and our family the gift of a healthy lifestyle.

This health we strive for is a lifestyle choice. It’s a choice we make everyday. A choice to do something for our heart, body and mind. Because exercise makes our heart stronger, our body healthier and our mind clearer. Exercise helps us clear the cobwebs, gives us the strength to push forward, and the clarity to make positive, healthy choices for ourselves and our family.

Choose to gift yourself and your family the gift of a healthy you. It only takes a few minutes but the effects last are long term and widespread. Show your family how much you love them today by choosing to be healthy and strong. Choose those endorphins that get you moving and keep you sane.

Day 6 exercises: 2-3 sets of 10

• Squat with pulse
• Reverse lunge with pulse
• Lateral Speed Runners
• :60 Wall Sit

Extras:

• Quick Morning Workout
• Negative Pull Up Challenge
• July Miles – keep logging those mile!

Bonus: It’s Legs and Glutes day… you know what that means right?

Modern Moms/Dads Hip Strength! 🙂 One round per leg!

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Speed Work: Seeing some awesome speed work this week y’all. I want to see more! Click here and scroll down for this weeks workout.

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Day 6 “how to” videos:

Squat Pulses: This exercise is not too intensive cardio-wise, but it will give you a good burn in your legs and butt.

Reverse Lunge with Pulse: Step back with the right leg (bending from the back knee) pulse up and down and then switch legs.

Lateral Speed Runners: Leg and core stability exercise for runners

Wall Sit: The wall sit is a really great exercise to target the entire thigh area, your quad, your inner thigh, the back of the leg, the hamstring, and your gluts.

Runners don’t spend much time thinking about the strength in their Arms. And why should they – in the end, it’s their legs that count…so runners don’t need to work out their upper body, right?

Wrong! While we do rely on the strength of our legs in a race, having strong arms and a strong core will not only keep us upright moving forward, it can also mean the difference in the final push towards the finish line.

Our arms provide additional thrust, catapulting us forward. Strong arms, shoulders and core are particularly important for running uphill. Standing tall and using our arms as leverage to get us up those hills are essential!

According to Herwig Natmessnig, a sport scientist and former professional athlete, and currently a writer with Runtastic.com,

Naturally, strong leg muscles are crucial for running fast, but many runners underestimate the importance of upper body strength for good running performance. The abdominal and back muscles play an important role in stabilizing your upper body. A weak core leads to compensatory movements, thus decreasing your forward propulsion. A strong upper body is essential for guaranteeing an efficient transfer of energy from your body to your legs. Without this, the proper arm technique cannot provide optimal support to your legs. An efficient running form helps you to run faster and expend less energy.

Now is a good time to talk about arm swing too…the right arm technique makes your running form efficient. However, you can’t run with optimal form until you build up your upper body, which includes your shoulders, arms and core!

The proper way to hold your arms when running:

• Bend your elbows at a 90-degree angle or less
• Let your arms swing loosely in the direction in which you are running (your arms should not cross the centerline)
• Keep your hands relaxed with your palms facing inward. Your thumb and index finger should be touching lightly
• Focus on pushing your elbows back rather than pulling them forward

Next time you go for a run (hopefully today), think about your arms. How do you hold them? Are they hanging uselessly by your side? Do they cross your body, expending extra energy that does not promote forward motion? Are your arms and shoulders relaxed or hunched up and tensed? (I’m so guilty of tensed up arms and shoulders!) Do you use your arms to help push you forward by driving your elbows backwards?

These are just a few things you can think about and work on while your running to help you develop a more efficient running form.

An additional benefit to a strong core: Well-developed abs and back muscles help protect your spine from the impact of running. A strong core is essential for minimizing the risk of injury!

The best exercises for building up your stabilizing muscles (pelvic, abdominal and back muscles) are complex total body exercises like planks, push-ups and burpees.

Burpees…..yes we should do some of those this month… 🙂

Final reason we should work on our upper body strength? Because no matter how you look at it….

STRONG IS SEXY!

Day 5 exercises: 2-3 sets of 10

• Mountain Climbers
• Weighted Russian Twists
• Crocodile Rows
• Crouching Hover Plank – :60

Bonus: BURPEES and Push ups! Add 2-3 sets of 10 burpees and 10 push ups with today’s workout! Your push ups can be done from your knees, on a bench up against a wall, whatever is best for you. Break the burpees and push ups into smaller sets if you need to but work them in today. I can hear the grumbling from here…that’s ok…grumble through them and get it done Crew!

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Quick Morning Workout: Everyday y’all! 🙂

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Negative Pull Ups: Don’t forget to add these in 3-5 reps. These are a great way to build arm and shoulder strength! Check back with on July Challenge main page for a reminder on how to do these properly.

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Speed Work: If you ran a race yesterday, THAT is your speed work for this week. You do not need to additional speed work after a race, unless you just ran for fun and didn’t push the pace….then you can still throw in a speed work day. This weeks speed work can be found on Monday’s daily post. Click here and scroll down for the workout.

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Day 5 “how to” videos: Not sure how to do today’s exercises? Watch the videos below for the proper form to get the most out of each exercise and to avoid injury!

Mountain Climbers: Mountain climbers are great total body exercise. You are going to be utilizing your core because you are starting from a plank position. Your shoulders have to stabilize your upper body. Your triceps have to work isometrically to keep you in place. And then you are gonna be moving your legs, so you are getting some work in the hip-joint. And also because you are usually doing them pretty quickly, it becomes a very cardiovascular type movement.

Weighted Russian Twists: Take your medicine ball, lean back, you should already feel the contraction in the abs, and then you’re just going to tap the ball from side to side. Bring the legs up for a greater burn.

Crocodile Rows: The Crocodile Row exercise works your back, shoulders, biceps, and abs. Please watch the video to avoid someone making fun of you at the gym….Pam, Sharon and MJ… 😉

Crouching Hover Plank: The crouching hover plank is an isometric exercise that trains the abdominal muscles and strengthens our core. If you are new to planks, hold the move for :10 – :15 take a break then do it again. Breaking it into sets is a great way to build up strength and works towards being able to hold it for longer.

Gotta keep it short today since we are up at St. Simons Island for the 4th of July holiday for the Sunshine Festival 5K. I’m not running…just here to cheer on Chad and everyone else running! 🙂

No bonus today but make time to get in our Day 4 workout, the Quick Morning Workout and your negative pull ups! Get up and get it out of the way early so you can have guilt free fun with friends and family!

Day 4 exercises: 2-3 sets of 10

• Squat Jacks
• Lunge Series – Multi-directional Lunges – 2-3  times per direction per leg
• One legged Bridge Lift
• :60 Wall Sit

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Quick Morning Workout:

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Speed Work: This week’s speed work can be found in Monday’s post. Click here and scroll  down for the workout and pacing guidelines.

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Day 4 “how to” videos:

Squat Jacks: Squat Jacks burn a high number of calories and and strengthen and tone our lower body!

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Lunge Series – Multidirectional Lunges – 2-3 per direction per leg

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One Legged Bridge Lift: Lie flat on the floor on your back. Bring your feet close to your glutes. Raise your hips as high as you can. Keep core drawn in as well as your glutes contracted. Make sure you keep your back straight during the entire exercise.

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Wall Sit: How long can you hold your wall sit? If you can go past :60 hold it longer!

Monday’s are usually the busiest days of the week. Back to work, to being pulled in many directions, to having our day go by so quickly taking care of the needs of others that we don’t find the time to do what we need for ourselves.

According to a study done by the Harvard Business Review,

“The more time that adults spent taking care of themselves, the better were the emotional and physical health of their children.”

It’s easy to ignore ourself because the only one to whom we’re accountable is ourself. With intense pressures to meet the expectations of people around us at work, at home, and in the community we’re naturally inclined to give yourself the short end of the stick.

Focusing time and attention on ourself is too quickly construed as being selfish, so we’re likely to feel guilty. While it might seem noble in the short term to sacrifice your own needs, over time it’s a recipe for burnout.

Think about how you’re more likely to perform better at work and at home if you get a full night’s rest, exercise regularly, eat well,  go for a run, do yoga…the things that rejuvenate and restore you.

Not Enough Time or Not Enough Will?

“I want to get into shape, but I don’t have time to workout.”

This is one of the biggest lies that we tell ourselves. The truth is that you do have time.

What you are really saying is 1 of 2 things:

1. 1. You don’t have the willpower to do it.
   2. You are putting something else before your exercise.

You can tell yourself that you don’t have time to workout… But, what you are really saying is that something else is more important than your health.

Even in your busy life, you can find time to exercise. You may have to get creative or sacrifice something else,  but you can fit that workout into your day.

Reasons Why You DO Have Time To Workout:

1. You May Have to Get Up Early  – Many people tell themselves that they don’t have time in their day, yet they have the same amount of time as everyone else. You may have to use that time differently. It may require you to get up early to fit in your workout. You can be an early bird.
2. First Thing in the Morning – The best time to workout is first thing in the morning. It gets your day moving. (Literally!) When you do your most important things first, it empowers you all day long. You will feel great starting your workday knowing that you have already done your workout.
3. It Doesn’t Have to Be a Long Workout – Some use the excuse that working out takes too long. However, consistency is more important that duration when you are starting out. Short intense workouts are better than long effortless ones.
4. Working Out Increases Your Productivity – Often, I hear the people use the excuse that if they workout, then they will be too tired for their day. Well, you may be hurting for a time, especially if you have not been exercising for a while. However, you will pass the point that your workouts actually energize and improve everything else in your day.
5. You Don’t Have to Go to the Gym – Why not workout at home? Or simply go outside for a run or walk? Sometimes the simplest answer is best (and quickest.)
6. Just Do It, Even When You Don’t Want To – The most important way to ensure you have time to workout, is to do it even when you don’t want to. Those are the days that you need to prove your willpower. You are stronger than you think. Push yourself, especially when you don’t feel like it.

Make the Effort

You do have the time to workout. Like everything else, you have to decide that it is a priority. The rewards are tremendous. Better health. Increased productivity. More self-confidence. You have to ask yourself,

“How badly do I want it? Will I make time to be good to myself today?

Day 3 exercises: 2-3 sets of 10 

• Squat to Overhead Press
• Dumbbell Reverse Lunge with Front Raise
• 100 Jump Rope or Jumping Jacks
• :60 Side Planks – each side

Bonus: Quick Morning Workout, Negative Pull Up Challenge

We’re starting out slow and not adding anything additional. Let’s get through these first few days and get into the swing of our daily commitments before we add more! For more info on the Negative Pull Up Challenge click here and scroll down for the challenge info.

Quick Morning Workout: No matter if you workout first thing in the morning, or later in the day, this quick morning workout will get you moving and give you a little extra energy to start your day.

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Speed Work: We have some new members this month so I want to take a minute to chat about why speed work is important. Yes, it helps us get faster…but that’s not all it’s good for!

The simple reasons you should incorporate speed work into your training:

1. It improves your running economy. Shorter, faster repeats train your body to burn less fuel while going further. It’s like getting better gas mileage for your legs. When you run faster in your speed workouts, you get more efficient at running. Speed work helps us reduce how much energy we burn and increases the speed that you remove waste products from your muscles. By running at faster speeds, you become more efficient at running at slower speeds!
2. Increase aerobic capacity or VO2Max, which is a combination of maximum oxygen uptake and your body’s ability to process the oxygen to muscles where it’s needed to burn glycogen and fat for energy. Speed work helps us learn how to breathe more effectively through though workouts!
3. Improve anaerobic threshold (AT) or lactate threshold (LT), which determines pace at which you go into the anaerobic zone and lactic acid begins to build up in your muscles, which causes fatigue and reduces muscle fluidness.
4. It breaks up the boredom. While just getting in the miles is important, it’s fun to get in some speed, knowing it will make you faster overall.
5. Short, fast repeats allow you to insert some volume of running at a pace that is significantly faster than race pace. If your goal is a 9:00/mile, you’ll do workouts at 8:10-8:50/mile, which allows 9:00 to feel easier!

If you are new to our Crew, new to speed work or aren’t sure if it’s right for you, watch for some others in the group who have put aside their nerves (yes, speed work can cause anxiety) and learned how to embrace the suck. It does get easier…and you get faster. It works but you have to take the leap and just do it!

The Workout:

• 1-2 mile warm up @ easy pace
• 400 meters (1/4 mile) x 4 @ 10% faster then 5K pace
• 800 meters (1/2 mile) x 2 @ 5% 10K pace
• 400 meters (1/4 mile) x 4 @ 10% faster then 5K pace
• 1-2 mile cool down @ easy pace

Pacing guidelines: Know your current pace. This needs to be a current (within last 1-2 months) 5K or a 10K race or run where you pushed yourself like you would in a race situation. If you’re not sure what pace you should be running, please reach out to me and let’s chat!

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Day 3 “how to” videos:

Squat to Overhead Press: The squat and the overhead press are two power-house moves that hit big fat- torching muscles like your glutes, quads, and shoulders.

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Dumbbell Reverse Lunge with Front Raise: This dumbbell lunge simultaneously works your legs, glutes, arms and shoulders to sculpt a stronger, leaner body.

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Jump Rope without rope: If you don’t have a jump rope and don’t like jumping jacks, you can still do this exercise and get your heart rate up. Watch the video below to see how to jump rope,,,,without a rope!

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Side Planks: Planks are among the best abdominal workouts and the side plank is a great way to work your obliques.

There is A LOT of info here. Don’t get overwhelmed! break it down into manageable pieces and make it work for you.

Plan your week in advance so you know when you will get in your important workouts. But most of all…be good to yourself!

We don’t workout to be skinny….we workout to be healthy, fit and strong!

We want to live in our “house” and feel good in our own skin. It’s not a fad or a trend…it’s a lifestyle.

We’re starting with the weekend so it’s time for our long runs, yoga, swimming, biking, playing outside with the kids, or whatever it is you like to do for active recovery. A few things to remember….

1. Post today with your July Challenge commitments – What are you committing to? Your options: Quick Morning Workout, Negative Pull Up Challenge, Global 5K Challenge and Monthly Miles Challenge are your “extra” options. Write them down on a note to yourself, take a picture of that note and where it is placed, and post it!
2. Make sure you have your buddy ready – If you are shy or just don’t know who to choose, reach out to me and I will help pair you up.
3. Print out the July 2017 Challenge Calendar and the Quick Morning Workout and put it with your daily reminder note.
4. GO FOR A RUN! – Go get some miles and start the month off with a BANG! 🙂

Day 1 exercises:

• Warm up with Hip Hurdles (see below for the video tutorial) and a brisk walk or easy jog
• Long Run
• :60 Wall Sit
• 7 Key Stretches for Runners

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Day 2 exercises: Active Recovery – Active Recovery is described as anything that gets you moving but is done easy and in a short time period. After a tough long run, you should not be adding another heavy or tough workout. Keep it short and sweet and just focus on stretching out those sore muscles and getting them moving. You can choose a Yoga option from below, go for a swim, a bike ride, or do some other form of cross training that mimics the running motion.

• Yoga for Runners – “Unknot Yourself”
• Yoga for Runners – “Tight Hips and Legs”
• Yoga Poses for Runners

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Hip Hurdles or “hurdle drills” – Everyone knows they should do a warm up before they head out for a run, but we often forget, so this month I will remind you as often as possible. In June, we added the “Hip Hurdles” exercise which is a perfect way to open up our hips and get them ready to go long, so we are incorporating them into our routine before EACH run.

Here’s a reminder about how to do the Hip Hurdles or “hurdle drills – these drills do not require a hurdle. Just imagine a hurdle and get those hips moving!