Don't let the drop in temperature cause you to drop your mileage! We've reached that time of year where snow fall is pretty common (at least in the north east US) and roads and sidewalks can have icy patches. If you're having trouble getting your runs in during the winter, I've got a few ideas that might help you out! First, you've gotta have the right gear. You'll want to have gloves, warm socks, reflective gear, a headlamp (if running at night), hat / ear protection. One thing to keep in mind is that it's really easy to overdress in the winter. If you overdress, you'll cause your body to get too warm which will make you sweat. Then, your sweat will start to freeze and you'll be even colder than you were to start with. It took me a while to find the right amount of winter gear. My best advice is to feel a little cold when you start. If you go outside and you're already warm, you've overdressed. If you're running while it is snowing, you may want something to protect your eyes from the snow. I would recommend wearing a hat and sunglasses. Don't care about snow flakes pummeling your eyes? Me either! Enjoy those frosty eye lashes. Be sure to show them off in your post run selfie! Go slow! I wouldn't recommend doing any speed work outside when there is snow and ice on the ground. It's too easy to slip and fall. Keep the pace down and be aware of each step you make. On particularly slippery days, I keep my cadence up and my strides short to prevent slipping. I keep my cadence up because if I hit some ice, my steps are quick so my foot has already been pulled off the ground, making the slip have less impact on my center of gravity. My goal is to have my foot begin to lift as soon as it has touched the ground. I try to pretend the road is lava and I'm lifting my feet off of it. Also, by making my strides shorter, I'm keeping the center of gravity right under me. Leaning forward or backward will make it harder for you to stop yourself from falling if you slip. Don't be afraid to take your run indoors. Running inside, you won't need to worry about the elements. Many gyms have indoor tracks and there is always the treadmill. If you're hitting the treadmill you can watch some Netflix or listen to a podcast. For me, doing either of those really helps to make the time fly! If you don't have a gym and are in the market for a treadmill, I've got a great resource for you! After all, a treadmill is a large purchase, so you're going to want to make sure you have the best one for your needs. Reviews.com has reached out to me with a great guide I wanted to share. It'll make choosing a treadmill so much easier. They've done a TON of research and they even put the treadmills to the test. Check out their full guide on treadmills here: https://www.reviews.com/treadmills/ Enjoy your run! Running in the snow can be really enjoyable. On a snowy day it seems like the world has slowed down. There are less cars on the road and less people out an about. Don't think about a to-do list or work, live in the moment. Take in the the sound of snow crunching beneath your feet. Look around at the trees with snow accumulating on the branches. Feel the crisp air. Catch a snowflake on your tongue!
Xoxo, Chelsea
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While the desire to improve is always there, sometimes the motivation to actually get out and do it isn't. I'm coming off of a week where I had no motivation to run or blog. My feeling is, if you want something, you should make time for it. I want to improve my running. I want to continue to blog. My lack of motivation kept me from accomplishing both last week. Normally, I'm pretty driven. But with everything, there are always ups and down. So far this week, I'm back on track which got me to thinking about motivation. One thing I will admit I'm actually good at is staying motivated. My personality is to go at things 150. My good friend K.S. said it best "You overdo everything you do". BUT there are times, like last week, where it diminishes a bit. It's important to re-set and re-motivate yourself. Don't get down on yourself because you had no motivation. It's normal. It happens to everyone. Let that go, and move forward.
Motivation isn't forever. You need to replenish your motivation every now and again. I'ts like a pillow that needs to be fluffed. It's like lipstick, you need to reapply it from time to time. Here are my tips and tricks to stay motivated: 1. Preparation. Before the week began, I sat down a listed all of the days I planned to run along with planned mileage. Now I've got something in writing that I want to complete. This will keep me accountable on days that I'm feeling meh, to get out an accomplish the daily goal I set for myself. I use a planner for this and it is EXTREMELY helpful. I do not think I'd hit my goals without my planner (Side note: I went jumbo sized again this year, up from large last year, and I'm in love. SO MUCH ROOM FOR ACTIVITIES, er, I mean WRITING). 2. Attitude change. I was treating things that I love like a chore. I choose to do these things because I love it. No one is forcing me to do it. Once I reminded myself the "why" behind running (and blogging), I was able to change my attitude away from treating running like a chore and back into the mind set that I'm lucky to be able to do it. I remembered how frustrated I was when I was injured and couldn't run. During those times, I said I'd never take it for granted and yet, I was. 3. Set goals. Having a purpose for what you're doing makes it a lot easier to stay motivated. For me this year, first I was training for Broad Street, shortly after that a half marathon and now I'm aiming 1,000 miles for the year. Knowing there is a bigger reason than just that one run is really helpful. 4. Bribe yourself. A new lipstick just came out that you reallly want? A top, sneakers, bag? Do not allow yourself to make that purchase until you hit your goal! This will give you some extra incentive to hit your goals on days your motivation is low. PLUS, you get something you've coveted. Sometimes, that "thing" you've been wanting, doesn't end up being as important as it was when you set your bribe. 5. Remember how you felt when you didn't accomplish your goal. Sometimes, it's important to reflect on a time you've failed. Don't beat yourself up about it. But remember that feeling. Remember all the 'what ifs' that you had. You know you could have accomplished your goal, but you didn't get out and get it done, Let that feeling fuel you to get out the door, or to write your blog post. You can do it, so get up and do it now. 6. Just do it: as Nike says, "just do it". There are days when I'm feeling lazy and do not want to blog or run. But I make myself do it anyway. Why? Oh. Because she's dead... whoops, went off on a T.Swift tangent.. Let's bring it back in (told ya, it wouldn't be my blog without a side note here or there). I will just make myself go out and run or sit down and write because a lot of times (most time), once I've gotten started, I remember why I do what I do. I remember the feeling you get from a run (runners high is real!). I remember how good it feels to get my brain moving to come up with ideas or colorful language. xoxo, Chelsea Stretching is so important! I'm guilty of not stretching enough but this past year, I've really made an effort to stretch after my runs. Happily, I haven't had any real IT issues, stress fractures or knee pains this year, so I wanted to share my stretching routine. I also foam roll, but I'll cover that in a different post. Don't just take my word on how important stretching is, here's what Mayo Clinc has to say about stretching: Stretching can help improve flexibility, and, consequently, range of motion about your joints. Better flexibility may:
I personally do not stretch before most runs. For races, I will stretch but only after a warm up. Stretching cold muscles can actually end up hurting you. So, if you stretch pre-workout, be sure to do a quick warm up prior to stretching. A few notes before getting into the nitty-gritty:
Standing Quad StretchQuadriceps are the large muscle group in on the top front of your leg. They're called quadriceps because the group is made up of four different muscles. They're critical to running, squatting, walking, A LOT. Being such a large muscle group, it's important to stretch them. Pretty basic stretch, you've probably been doing this since elementary school gym class. Remember to stand tall and gently pull up so you feel the stretch on your quad. If you don't feel a stretch, gently move your quad back, so instead of being parallel as shown above, your knee will be slightly behind the standing leg. You do not want to pull the lower half of the bent leg too close or past the top half of the bent leg. Changing the angle of your hips will also deepen or lessen the stretch depending on your personal flexibility. Be sure to do this on both sides. Downward Facing DogTypically, in downward dog, your head should be in alignment with your arms. However, I push through my arms to get a nice stretch in my shoulders, too. My gaze is toward my shins. I love this because it stretches my calves, hamstrings and shoulders. Elongating my body also helps with posture. I'll hold this longer than 30-seconds. I like to breathe nice and slow while in downward dog. Stretching my calves in downward dog has helped to eliminate shin splints (which untreated, can turn into stress fractures... I learned that the the hard way.... twice). Shin splints are usually caused from over use, this pounding of the pavement on the shin bone causes the muscles to become irritated and swell. The swelling of these muscles causes them to pull on your shin bone. Shin splints are painful and can be dangerous if left untreated. By focusing on stretching, I'm helping to increase blood flow and prevent the muscles from swelling. Standing Pike - lEGS cROSSEDThis is another simple stretch that hits a few muscles groups. It will stretch your calf, hamstring and bum. Step 1: Cross your legs. Step 2: Fold forward and try to touch your toes. If you're not able to go all the way down, add a block (or a book) so you can rest your hands on it. Be sure to do this for both legs. This stretch has been great for me for preventing knee problems. The hamstring is an important muscle, making sure to stretch it really well has helped me stay injury free. sTANDING pIKESimilar to the last stretch, just not with your legs crossed. This can also be done in seated position. sTRADDLEThis is another stretch that is simply but effective. It stretches your hamstrings, your calf, and your groin. If you're not able to touch your toe, keep your back straight, look toward your foot and gently reach forward keeping your back straight. Maybe it is the former cheerleader and gymnast in me, but I still love the straddle stretch. You can do this with your toes pointed and flexed. Just be sure to do the same on all three sides to keep everything even. Crossed Leg IT Band StretchThis is the IT band stretch that has been SO helpful for me. I didn't even know what an IT band was until I started running. IT band aka iliotibial band is a pesky one. ITBS is iliotibial band syndrome, aka runners knee. The IT band runs from your hip to your knee. If it isn't stretched properly, it can cause severe pain. Runners knee is one of the most common injuries for runners, so preventing is very important! When I had ITBS, it felt like someone was stabbing the side of my knee. It was just awful. Finding this stretch has been great for me. Start by crossing your legs. You want to keep the bottom leg and the top leg parallel. Make sure both your cheeks are on the ground and that you're not leaning to either side. Once you've got yourself set up, apply pressure to the top knee. You'll feel the stretch on your bum and outside of the leg. LungeThe lunge is another stretch I'm sure you've been doing most of your life. I like to start in downward dog and step through to my hands with one leg at a time. Make sure your knee is over your toe. This will prevent any pressure on your knee. Push through your heal on the back leg. Depending on your flexibility, this may look different for you. Your hands do not need to be on the ground, If you're performing this standing, make sure to keep your knee over your toe. If you push your hip forward, you'll feel this more in your hip flexor and the back of your leg. The great thing about a lunge is there are SO many different lunges you can do, this one just happens to be my go to! And that is my stretching routine! Don't stretch regularly? I can't recommend it enough. It's been so helpful for me and I will definitely continue to stretch. xoxo, Chelsea Shop The Post: |
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