Practical Advice | Ultra Runner Girl

Tension, tightness, and twitches: Five physical signs you may be stressed

Posted on February 19, 2013 by ultrarunnergirl

As runners and ultrarunners, we get quite adept at learning how to listen to our bodies in training (to avoid injury) and ignore our bodies in racing (to get to the finish line!). But how good are we at listening to our body while going about our day-to-day business?

I can say with certainty that I am terrible at this and I think I always have been. I tend to take a ‘race’ approach to life rather than a more sensible training approach, and I don’t realize I’m stretching myself beyond my limits until I crash and burn – hard. As a kid, I used to pop out of my bunk bed, which I shared with my slumbering older sister, the moment my eyes opened for the first time. I was eager to get a start on the day and accomplish all of the very important things that a four or five year old should – like gluing bottle caps on cardboard decorated with glitter paint (creating important art installations), pouring my own bowl of rice krispies (honing my culinary talents) or spying on the raccoons on the neighbour’s roof next door (engaging in important wildlife research). It was not uncommon to see me run around the house at 5 or 6am, even on weekends.

I’m never taking a nap, ya!

Then around 3pm, my crankiness would begin to creep out. My mom would look at me at say hopefully, “time for a nap? I think you’re tired.” But I always refused to believe her. My eyes would narrow and I would cross my arms in defiance. Tired, bah! What does she know. I still have to race around the yard on my tricycle and eat my afternoon snack. Naps are for wimps! Yes, I was a nightmare. Queue sympathy for my mother. As I continued to ignore the clear signs of fatigue, the day would inevitably end in some kind of exhausted tantrum when my tiny kid brain finally gave up.

So fast-forward to present day. I’ve recognized that I’ve been maybe ‘a bit down’ or ‘a bit stressed’ lately, but I thought I was coping rather famously. I was still focused on accomplishing all of the very important things that a 30 year old should. So when I started getting pounding headaches and weird dreams, I just ignored it. I was doing just fine. But then a couple of days ago, my chest really started to hurt. Every time I breathed in, I felt like I had a pain right in my heart. Hmm. Maybe this was something to worry about.

I went to the doctors early the next morning inside the compound. They sent me for ECG tests, which of course they had to do three times because they ALL came out abnormal. (Side note: some of you may have experienced this as well because if you’re an endurance athlete, you’ll likely have weird heart test results as a result of having an enlarged heart!). So then they sent me for blood work to figure out if I was in heart failure. Yeah, I knew I wasn’t, but it still wasn’t exactly comforting!

We’re still not really sure what it is, but it turns out that it is probably just stress. There I was in the doctor’s office and he tells me “I think you’re just stressed.” My eyes narrowed and I crossed my arms. Stressed, bah! What does he know… But upon reflection, he may be right.

I didn’t think stress could manifest itself in such a tangible physical pain like that, but I’ve looked into it a bit and it seems it actually pretty common. In fact, our bodies have pretty amazing ways of telling us we are stressed, even when we don’t want to listen. We can ignore our feelings as much as we want, but at some point, our feelings will come out in physical ways. Here is a short list of a few physical signs that you may be stressed out:

1. Chest pains

Given that this is what I’ve been feeling, I’ll start here. Of course, chest pain can be a sign of a real physical problem or illness, but in otherwise healthy people, it can be a sign of emotional stress. There is even something called “broken heart syndrome” (can you believe it?!). According to the Mayo Clinic, people who have suffered through the death of a loved one or an emotional breakup may experience sudden chest pain or even think they are having a heart attack. In broken heart syndrome, “a part of your heart temporarily enlarges and doesn’t pump well, while the remainder of the heart functions normally or with even more forceful contractions.” Thankfully, the symptoms usually go away in about a week.

2. Tight muscles

Stress can also lead us to tense up our muscles without noticing it, causing tightness and even muscle spasms. This can include jaw pain (clenching), back pain, and tension headaches.

3. Eye twitches

It has happened to all of us before – the dreaded eye twitch. It can be triggered by stress or extreme fatigue, but in my experience, it usually comes on at the most awkward and inconvenient of times. Like when you are giving an important presentation, meeting someone new or trying to put on mascara. Ha!

4. Upset stomach

One of the most annoying symptoms of stress can be stomach problems. We’re talking about diarrhea, constipation, acid stomach and yes, gas. Gee, that’s just what we need when we’re stressed out, eh? Uncontrollable flatulence. Well, if you weren’t stressed before, you will be now!

5. Weird dreams or recurring nightmares

This isn’t really a physical symptom, but it is definitely a real one that I’m sure more than a few of you have experienced. Often when we don’t want to deal with things in our waking hours, our brains try to sort it out while we are sleeping. If we are stressed out, this can often produce some strange dreams. I have one horrible dream in which I find out that it is just days before my grade 11 calculus test with Mr. Capron and I haven’t studied. I have to somehow teach myself the entire course in a matter of hours and it is terrifying. It has been 15 years since I was actually studying calculus in high school, but there have been times when the dream was so vivid that I have actually woken up and started searching for my textbooks before I realize it was all just a nightmare.

If you’ve been experiencing any of these symptoms (and there are others!), stop for a minute and ask yourself – am I stressed? If so, do yourself a favour and be kind to your body and your brain. Go for a run, do yoga, try to get to bed earlier, cut out alcohol and caffeine for a while, or read a good book. If you keep on ignoring your physical symptoms, you will only make things worse. Every once in a while, we all could use a nap (see Mom? I’m finally listening!).

Have you had a similar experience? What do you do to reduce stress? I’d love to hear about it! And if you have a chance, I’d be grateful if you’d click here to nominate my blog for top fitness blog of the year on Breaking Muscle (just post ultrarunnergirl.com in the comments section!).

Sources: Mayo Clinic, Livestrong , Medline plus , American Psychological Association , Prevention.com, Shape

Filed under: "Life" (aka misc.), Practical Advice | Tagged: headaches, stomach, stress | 1 Comment »

Putting off Exercising? Tips for fighting procrastination

Posted on February 15, 2013 by ultrarunnergirl

I woke up this morning and 101 reasons NOT to get up for a run popped into my head. I had a bit of Delhi Belly leftover from my trip to India last week, I had a throbbing pain on the right side of my back that has been keeping me up at nights, and I had a four-pack of vanilla pudding calling my name from my freezer (my version of Kabul ice cream). What good is one little run going to do? I thought. Nah, I’ll just wait until I can do a proper run next week when I’m out on R&R. You may not be in an armed compound with a twinging back and dodgy belly, but we ALL have our own excuses for not working out. Maybe you are super busy at work, your kids/parents/in-laws are breathing down your neck, or you are feeling tired. Maybe it is raining outside or there is ice on the ground. Perhaps you can’t commit to a run because you need to “wash your hair”. Whatever the reason, it is always easier to say you’ll just do it tomorrow rather than get out there and do it today.

Procrastination at its best

We’ve all done it (and not just with exercise!). Promises to do something later are easy to make, but they don’t get us anywhere because later will come and go while we are still sitting in the same place. What we need is a way to ensure that our promises for the future are converted into action in the present. I’ve written about my own problems battling the motivation monster before here and unfortunately the monster has come back for another appearance. I’ve been putting the “pro” in “procrastinate” for the past few weeks now. As the days went by and the excuses piled on top of one another, it just seemed harder and harder to get back into my routine. I would try every once in a while to get out for a bit of exercise, but I would quickly become discouraged as I felt my fitness levels slip away. Earlier this week, I was having coffee with a former boss at the fancy-schmancy Serena Hotel (a little pocket of heavily-guarded and sterile luxury in the middle of Kabul), and I decided to take advantage of the gym while I was there. I was shocked to find myself literally blacking out after 20 minutes on the step machine. What?!? I used to crank out Everest-sized mountains on the step machine, and now I was having trouble staying upright before I had even finished my warmup. I was so embarassed that instead of asking the gym attendant for help as my vision started to close in that I sat down on the floor and pretended to stretch until I returned to normal. Oh dear.I knew I needed a kick in the pants and fast. Thankfully, I finally snapped out of my funk today. Enough is enough! I threw on my running gear, grabbed my ipod and set out for some kompound kilometers. After my little Serena episode, I was expecting the worse. This run was going to be ugly, painful and definitely not as fun as lying in bed with my frozen vanilla pudding… But as it turns out, it was AWESOME. Having made the decision to just get out and do it, it seemed to wake up my legs, lungs and heart. I felt lighter, happier and more content pounding the same tired stretches of pavement than I had in ages. I bopped along to Kanye West (“Stronger”), Black Eyed Peas (“Shut Up”) and most appropriately, Passenger (“the Girl Running”). I looped around the helicopter, which was parked on the helipad near the top of my ‘running course’ and waved at my guards. I noticed that most of the ice had melted and maybe, just maybe, I had made it through winter. The air was thick, as usual, with smog and dust, but somehow it smelled a bit more like spring. I felt like I was right back where I was when I first arrived in the compound last April, discovering the nooks and crannies of the confined space for the first time.

My run this morning made me really stop and think, why didn’t I just get out and do this earlier? There are plenty of articles out there about how to make real changes in your fitness levels over the long-term: hire a trainer, start an exercise program, join a running club, or sign up for a race. But sometimes I think we forget how important it is to find motivation in the short-term – like TODAY! In case you find yourself in a similar motivation funk, I thought I would jot down some of my tips for getting yourself off the couch… NOW!

1. Set small goals

Sometimes the more we put off running or exercising, the more we raise our own expectations of what we want to accomplish when we do eventually get back out there. For instance, if I skip my workout today, I tell myself that I’ll just do a harder one tomorrow… And then when tomorrow arrives, suddenly a regular workout doesn’t seem good enough anymore. If I don’t have energy for that hard workout I promised myself I would do, I put it off again… You see where I’m going with this.

I’m used to doing a minimum of one hour runs, but after my lengthy period of laziness, an hour seemed insurmountable, which is why I kept putting it off. So today, instead, I told myself I would only go out for a 30 minute run. Not so scary! The reality is that once I got out there, I smashed out an hour with ease, but if I had started out with an hour as my goal, I would probably still be in bed.

Set yourself a small goal to start. It could be 30 minutes, 60 minutes, or even just a goal of getting outdoors and around the block. It is great to set high goals and try to push yourself to the limit, but if you’re in a slump, this is only going to work against you. If you set a goal you KNOW you can reach, it’ll be way easier to convince your motivation monster to get yourself out there. And once you’ve reached your goal, you may just surprise yourself and keep going. I’m so energized from this morning that I think I’m going to head out for a second run this afternoon.

Running in the Afghan sun

2. Make the workouts as easy as possible

The easier the workout is, the harder it will be to talk yourself out of it. When I’m really struggling with motivation, I will set everything up the night before so that as soon as I wake up, I can be in my running clothes and out the door before my motivation monster can really start arguing with me. I make sure my running clothes are laid out, my shoes are there in plain view, and I have a glass of water by my bed. I don’t even have to think in the morning – I just go into auto-pilot mode and before I know it, I’m already exercising. And then I have an energy boost the rest of the day!

Perhaps morning running is not your thing, but regardless of the time of day, try to set things up so that it is easy to exercise and hard to avoid it. When I lived in Vancouver and wanted to make sure that I got in a workout in the evening, I used to bring my running clothes to work with me and leave my bus tokens behind. That meant that the easiest and quickest way for me to get home at the end was to run – I didn’t leave myself any choice. Worked every time.

3. Give yourself a reward to look forward to

Whether it is frozen vanilla pudding, a cold beer, or an episode of your favourite television show, give yourself a treat that you will only get after finishing your workout. It helps to know you have something to look forward to at the end! Of course, ultimately, we all want to be internally motivated, but when it is lacking, external motivation might just do the trick!

You know you’ll feel good about yourself once the workout is over, but it is hard to remember that before the workout starts. If you have some tips of your own that have worked against your motivation monster, I would love to hear them!

This week before I head out for my last R&R, I’m looking forward to some gentle 30 min runs (tip #1), some auto-pilot mornings in the gym (tip #2) and some bubbly champagne (tip #3)…. Hopefully I’ll have some great stories in a few weeks of my fabulous jungle trekking and trail running in Sri Lanka! Thanks for reading xx

Filed under: Practical Advice, Training | Tagged: procrastination, training | 10 Comments »

Chiropractic Care for Runners: Info and Advice from an Expert!

Posted on July 13, 2012 by ultrarunnergirl

I’m a sports treatment junkie. It’s true – the more treatment I get, the more I want! From physiotherapists to massage therapists to neuromuscular skeletal specialists, I want them all. I love learning more about how my body works, where the trouble spots are, and how I can make it work better. Living in Afghanistan I have realized how much I miss having access to my extended team of miracle workers in New York, London, Vancouver, and of course back home in Ontario. In addition to the fully-stocked fridge and unlimited wine supply, one of the best benefits of visiting my parents in Kingston, Ontario is that I get to pop in to see Dr. Peter Pain, chiropractor extraordinaire at the Live Well Centre, to put my abused running body back in working order.

Before I left Canada for my Afghan Adventure, I asked Dr. Pain (yes, I know, ironic name for a chiro but he should really be called Dr. Awesome) for a crack good enough to last me for an entire year. Tall order, but I have to say, almost three months in and going strong!

I asked Dr. Pain if he would do an interview for my blog because I think it is SO important to have all of the information at hand about what kind of treatment is out there – whether you’re a runner or not. Dr. Pain answers some key questions I had about what chiropractic care is all about – read on!!

Dr. Peter Pain, BSCH, DC at the Live Well Center

Ultra Runner Girl: What are the most common problems you see in runners?

Dr. Peter Pain: The most common injuries we see in runners are related to the foot and lower leg, such as shin splints, knee conditions and foot pain, followed by hip and spine injuries. Most injuries will be related to simple over-stressing the supportive tissues. The muscles, tendons, fasia and ligaments, especially if they are inadequately supported. This means it is important to look at the structures that support proper running biomechanics, both intrinsically (your own muscles and joints) along with the types of footwear you are using.

Think about a car that has the proper supporting undercarriage and struts. This is what your lower body needs to absorb the shock and impact of running while giving you the power to propel you forward. The proper strength and mobility is crucial to support the repeated demands of running.

Along with adequate leg strength, we also have to look at the runner as a whole. The central part that stabilizes the whole body that many runners are deficient in is the core. These are the muscles that stabilize our body. Without a properly firing core, it is hard for any body part to work properly. Think about trying to fire a canon from a canoe, versus a massive ship to absorb the impact. The loads on the extremities have to be stabilized and distributed properly through out the body to ensure adequate and normal compensation patterns are followed.

The next major issues to think about are the surfaces you are running on, and the training schedule to ensure adequate rest and recovery. Even with the right mechanics, if you are running in extremely stressful conditions without the rest your body needs, eventually we will see injuries. The key here is to train the body properly to handle these conditions and to minimize the risk.

Ultra Runner Girl: (mentally taking note of the fact that Dr. Pain is advocating for adequate rest…. hmmmm…..) So, okay, Dr. Pain, I come to see you every time I’m visiting my parents, but how often should a runner ideally see a chiropractor? Only when experiencing pain or on a more regular basis?

Dr. Peter Pain: An active athlete should definitely see a chiropractor any time there is pain, muscle imbalance or joint restriction. This may sometimes be felt in a runner as just not being smooth, or something is not quite right, as a more experienced runners develops an innate sense for how their body should feel. There is usually a poor compensation pattern or imbalance before the outright signs of an injury, and for this reason, it is often a good idea to be assessed by a chiropractor every 2 to 6 weeks during high training periods for prevention.

Ultra Runner Girl: Cool. How do you feel about flying out to Kabul every 2 to 6 weeks then? Afghanistan is LOVELY this time of year!

Dr. Peter Pain: (Silence)

Ultra Runner Girl: Okay, fine, moving on. What are the benefits of chiropractic care?

Dr. Peter Pain: Chiropractic simply helps with keeping the body moving efficiently, to ease the mechanical loads and stress on the body, whether it is a marathon you are training for or simply everyday repeated movements. A trained and experienced chiropractor can also help determine the likelihood of a future injury by identifying muscle imbalances or joint restrictions. These lead to more physical wear and tear on the body, will produce compensations which may be harmful in the long term and eventually an injury.

Ultra Runner Girl: Is there any danger of going to a chiropractor?

Dr. Peter Pain: As with visiting any health practitioner, there is a risk of inappropriate treatment being used instead of the right treatment in a misdiagnosis. Again, this can happen in any profession, so be sure to research who you choose to see, to get the right diagnosis and the fastest resolution.

Ultra Runner Girl: What is the difference between a chiropractor and a physiotherapist? Is there a need to see both?

Dr. Peter Pain: There are a few similarities, sometimes some overlap, but also a few differences. In my view, a physiotherapist will typically treat damaged tissues, primarily using modalities and exercises, while a chiropractor will look at function and screen for injury prevention. Physiotherapists are best used when treating damaged tissues in extremities, ie complete muscle tears, joint sprains. A chiropractor is most capable at treating spine-related injures and nerve related problems. Often times you will get one professional doing both, but be wary of a jack of all trades and master on none. If there is definite injury and tissue damage involving an extremity (knee), seeing a physio will help decrease the recovery time, while seeing a chiropractor will help the injury from re-curing in the first place.

Ultra Runner Girl: What general tips do you have for runners?

Dr. Peter Pain: There would be three key tips for runners.

The biggest issue we see in runners is balancing their training schedule to include some core stability and mobility work. As said before, any limited joint function will cause compensation and eventually can injure. Many athletes can adapt, but to ensure a long career that is healthy, make sure you are balancing out the running with things like yoga, pilates, or simply some stretching and core work.

The next is to always remember your form and include good posture when running. This will minimize stress to your body, reducing fatigue and wear and tear.

The last is to make sure you follow a training schedule that builds milage and speed in a logical way. It takes time and training to to be able to run big distances. Break down your training into small goals using a calendar that extends far out. We want to avoid over-training which can cause a nagging injury as the projected race day nears.

Ultra Runner Girl: I usually run to and from your office when I come in for an adjustment. Is it okay to exercise after getting an adjustment from a chiropractor?

Dr. Peter Pain: Exercising right after an adjustment is actually a great time to exercise, as it will re-enforce the right motor pattern. Think of the adjustment as a re-boot on your body’s musculoskeletal software system. After you reboot your body, you want to reload the proper software by training lightly. Keep the exercise light to moderate, ensuring proper technique and form. You don’t want to exercise to the point of fatigue, just enough to get the body used to working with the new mechanics. This lays the ground for continued neuro-communication, and re-enforces the proper patterns. Thus the right firing pattern of your joints and muscles takes over, avoiding the faulty mechanics. It also just feels great as your body just works more efficiently!

Ultra Runner Girl: Thanks Dr. Pain!!! So you’ll think about that offer to come out to Kabul every 2 to 6 weeks?

Dr. Peter Pain: I think I hear a patient calling…. Gotta run!

For more info on Dr. Pain and his practice, click here!

Dr. Peter Pain completed his undergraduate studies at Queen’s University with an Honors BSc. in Life Sciences, and his Chiropractic Doctorate at the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College in 1997.

In 1989-1992, Dr. Pain was a member of the Queen’s Golden Gaels Football team, winning the National Championship Vanier Cup in 1992. The rigors of playing and competing in football also led Dr. Pain to chiropractic.

Dr. Pain worked as a certified Personal trainer with The Sports Clubs of Canada in Toronto for 4 years while attending the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College. He has continued to expand and maintain his expertise in sports injuries, exercise and fitness over the years with many courses. This includes meeting and learning from the world’s most highly regarded experts, including courses taught by Paul Chek, Paul Gagne, Stu McGill, Arnold Swarchenegger, Tudor Bhompa and many others inside the world of sports injuries and fitness.

This education and experience has given Dr. Pain the honour of being able to work with many athletes at all levels, including professional football and hockey players, Olympic athletes, provincial and national amateur athletes as well as the Weekend Warrior.

In addition, Dr. Pain enjoys running marathons and triathlons,cross-fit training, cross-country skiing and his latest passion, kite-surfing!

Constantly striving to give his patients the most up-to-date care possible, Dr. Pain will continue to attend post graduate courses in sports injuries, nutrition, pediatrics, whiplash, personal injuries and health and fitness. Dr. Pain promises to always give you the excellent care that he is trained to within his scope of practice.

Filed under: Interviews, Practical Advice, Sports Treatment | 6 Comments »

Packing for a Multi-Day Race: What to Bring and What to Leave Behind!

Posted on May 10, 2012 by ultrarunnergirl

In preparing for my move to Afghanistan, I had to whittle down all of my belongings for the upcoming year to two bags. I chose to fill the first bag with work clothes, head scarves and sandals. The second bag was dedicated to running clothes, head torches and running shoes. The hardest part was figuring out which of my fourteen prized pairs of shoes I could bring with me, and which ones I would have to leave behind. I narrowed it down to eight pairs, then five, and finally three. Okay fine, I added one more pair back into the pile, leaving me with four lucky pairs of running shoes that would get to tread on Afghan soil I hated to leave the others behind, but it had to be done – I simply didn’t have any more space. I was practically bringing more pairs of running shoes than underwear as it was already (er, almost).

Packing for Afghanistan was tough, sure, but I knew that if I missed out on something vital, I could at least pick it up on my R&R after just six weeks. Any mistake I made could be rectified with a little bit of time. Packing for a multi-day race, however, isn’t as forgiving. If you pack the wrong thing, or forget something important, it could mean the end of your race – or at least guarantee a very unhappy one! Generally speaking, you want to bring as little as possible in order to keep the weight of your pack down, but you want to avoid the pitfall of taking it too far, leaving behind some key essentials and making yourself uncomfortable, hungry and unhappy. That is why I’ve dedicated this blog post to imparting a few tricks of the trade that I’ve picked up over the last few years…

**Feel free to add some of your own ideas in the comment section below, especially those of you that are competing in RacingThePlanet’s 250 km self-supported race in Jordan starting this upcoming weekend!

1. Triple-check your mandatory equipment

Usually in a multi-day, self-supported race like RacingThePlanet or Marathon des Sables, there are certain mandatory items that you will have to bring. This is NOT where you want to cut corners! They are mandatory for a reason. Not only are these items probably pretty important to have, but there may be serious penalties – including disqualification – if you fail to show that you are carrying them with you throughout the race. In RacingThePlanet Nepal in November 2011, I thought I had double-checked my mandatory equipment. Sleeping bag, check. Flashlight, check. Two pairs of socks, check… But when I unfurled the pairs of socks, it turned out that it was only three individual socks instead of four. Darn it! For the next six days of running, I had to rotate my three nasty socks from foot to foot to make sure that I didn’t wear any of them out too much. Sigh. Like I said, triple-check, okay?

Drying the prized possessions

2. Identify other ‘essential’ items… and then only take half

I guarantee that a lot of the items you think are ‘essential’ now, won’t seem like it after you carry them a couple hundred kilometers. Make a pile of all the things you think you can’t do without for the race. Then separate that pile into super essential and only moderately essential. You got it – leave the latter pile behind. This might seem like a ridiculous process, but trust me, you will be happy to get rid of the extra weight.

For example, I often get asked how many pairs of underwear I take with me on a race. Underwear? Are you kidding me? No way. If I’m bringing shorts, they usually have built-in underwear and that’s good enough for me. And if I’m wearing compression tights, underwear is completely pointless. Shampoo, deodorant, soap? No, no and no. Leave it behind. You’ll survive. This is a race, not a beauty contest (er, or contest in hygiene… get comfortable with throwing that out the window…). Everyone else is going to stink to high heaven, so you might as well join the crowd. The better you smell, the more aware you will be of how badly other people smell, so save yourself the trouble!

That being said, everyone is different, so really try to think about your own comfort level. I know a couple of gorgeous (and tough!) South African runners who wouldn’t dare go on a race without a little pink lip gloss and a compact mirror. Y’know what? Rock on ladies!! But for the purposes of this post, just know that what seems like a tiny item now can feel like a major burden later on.

3. Plan your calories, test your food

Your food is probably THE most important item in your bag and this is where you should focus most of your time in planning. You want calorie-dense food to get the best bang for your buck. I know it seems a bit overboard, but really, the best way to do this is to do the math! Yup, head on over to that grocery store with your calculator. Divide the number of calories by the number of grams per serving and you will get your magic calorie-to-gram ratio. Generally, you want to be hitting at least a 3 and up to a 5. To give you a sense, here are some popular items:

Gels/gu: these only have around a 2 or 2.5. While they might be good for marathons, they are REALLY heavy to bring in a self-supported race, so I usually only bring a couple caffeinated ones for a little pick-me-up during the long stage of the race. Not a weight-friendly source of calories!
Potato chips (crisps for you English folk): these have around a 4.5 or 5, so they are a favourite race food of mine. Plus, they are a good source of carbs for energy as well as salt (don’t get the low-salt variety), which can help keep your salt levels in check during those hot desert races. Crush them up to save space and voila, you have a space-saving, weight-saving snack.
Nuts: as one might guess, nuts are a really good source of high-calorie food. Macadamia nuts top the list at around a 5.5 or 6 calorie-to-gram ratio, while other nuts are around a 5. Just remember though that it is tough to really digest a lot of fat while you are on the go, so don’t really too, too heavily on nuts as a food source. Mix them with chocolate-covered raisins for a good fat + sugar boost.
Pepperoni sticks: very calorie-dense – around a 5! And again, you’ll appreciate the salt. Yum.

I usually take a dehydrated meal (such as Expedition Foods or Mountain House) for my breakfast and dinner, and then eat a bunch of little snacks throughout the day while I’m running. I then have a package of good ol’ ramen noodles for my post-run meal, which sometimes falls around lunchtime but sometimes doesn’t come until much later in the day! Ramen are a good race food because they are high-calorie (around a 4), you can crush the dry noodles up into a small, compact bag to save weight, and the high-salt content tastes REALLY good after a long run.

In terms of snacks to eat on the go, I split my calories about 50/50 between my liquids and my solids. So that means that I get half of my calories through drinking (adding powders such as accelerade or perpetuem to my water) and half through eating. Everyone is different, but I find that this helps give me a steady flow of calories without making me feel sick. You don’t want too much food bouncing around in your stomach, but if you’re out running all day, you can’t survive on sugary juice alone (helloooo gut rot). Plus, the powders tend to be heavy….

Now, the food game is a tricky one. You are usually required to carry 2000 calories a day, which would be fine if you weren’t running a marathon over sand, dirt or mud. 2000 calories is woefully little, but it is difficult to bring much more. You WILL be in a calorie deficit the whole time. Bring additional calories above the 2000 mark depending on your size. Some like to live on the edge by bringing as little as possible and relying on the fact that others will drop out of the race and leave extra food behind. This is a tricky strategy that can seriously backfire (and technically you are violating the ‘self-supported’ rule, although I tend to think this strategy is all a part of the game… at your own risk…).

4. Get rid of packages, containers, and any sort of wrapping

This is a key one. Look at every item you have and get rid of any sort of wrapping or package that it came in. Take batteries out of the cardboard covering, take nuun tablets out of the plastic containers, advil or tylenol out of the plastic, dehyrated meals out of the foil, nuts/chips/chocolate out of the bags…. And put everything inside ziploc bags and cling wrap, which is much, much lighter.

This WILL save you weight. Before my race in Australia, I weighed everything before and after replacing commercial packaging with ziploc bags. I was shocked to find that it made POUNDS of difference. I won’t go as far as snapping my toothbrush in half (okay, I did that once), but you get the idea.

5. Allow yourself one treat bag

I am pretty keen on the treat bag. Yes, it is extra weight… but you are guaranteed to have at least one really low moment during the race where you will NEED a boost. This could be a good cup of tea, a piece of chocolate, a little ball of peanut butter (ah, my fav), photos from home, an ipod, or that pink lip gloss. Whatever. Just figure out what makes you feel better in your lowest moments and put it in that emergency bag.

6. Pack one contingency bag

This is your little ziploc bag of non-food emergency items. Among other items you might think of, I always take with me a needle as well as duct tape. Why are these important? I’ll give you two real examples. In my race in Namibia, I was wearing some fancy gaiters that I had bought from the States to help prevent sand from getting into my shoes and tearing up my feet. Well, little did I know that I would be running on some sharp rocks rather than soft sand on the first day. These gaiters lasted about an hour before the straps holding them onto my shoes broke and my shoes were filled with grating sand. Darn it. Well, with my trusty little needle and thread I took my two head buffs and sewed them over my shoes as a form of makeshift gaiters. They worked brilliantly!!! Without them, I definitely wouldn’t have been able to make it over those dunes.

In Australia, the holder of one of my water bottles on my backpack broke right a couple of days into the race. With the help of my duct tape, I was able to hold everything together and carry on. I would have been really struggling without it! (Tip: make your own little roll of duct tape by wrapping it around a pencil to save space/weight).

7. Don’t play the comparison game

Okay, you’ve read the tips, you’ve packed your bag and you’re ready to go. You show up at the race thinking you are fully prepared. Then, you turn around and see someone with the tiniest, smallest bag you’ve ever seen. Panic ensues. You think, “what did I do wrong???” The answer is, probably nothing. Sure, it is good to collect tips from other people on packing (like now!), but it can be really stressful right before a race, especially if you can’t do anything about it. Try not to get too caught up in the pre-race panic. Some of those people with those super tiny bags – even if they are seasoned runners – are going to wind up seriously struggling in the race, and their packing style shouldn’t necessarily be followed. I’ve seen it happen. Just try to think about it logically before you throw away half your food and gear.

So, this is just a start, but I hope these few ideas will get you on your way! I’m always picking up new ideas so please post your own comments/tips below. And gooooood luck to everyone this weekend in Jordan!

Filed under: Practical Advice | Tagged: multi-day, packing, self-supported | 2 Comments »

Trail racing etiquette – rules for roaming the trails!

Posted on January 30, 2012 by ultrarunnergirl

Earlier this month I headed out with my buddy Zandy Mangold to New Jersey for my first ultra trail race race of 2012: the Watchung 50k (or, if you decide to take the ‘scenic’ route as I did a few times, the Watchung 55k). I tried doing this race three years ago, but wound up with a nasty pelvic stress fracture about 15k in and had to tearfully drop out (…after another 15k hobble on broken bones, of course). The Watchung 50k was and is the only race I have never finished and I was equally apprehensive and eager to tame the beast.

It was an absolutely BRILLIANT day out – the sun was shining, the temperature was in the 50s, and above all, my pelvis stayed intact (bonus… or bone-us? *snicker* sorry). The best part about the race, however, had nothing to do with the weather or with my own race performance. It didn’t have anything to do with the honey-glazed donuts, mini-butterfingers, or doritos chips that were available at the aid stations. It didn’t even have to do with the fact that I avoided chafing (a rare occurrence for me – score!). The best part about the race was the brilliant company I was racing with.

This race made me start to think about one of the main reasons why I was attracted to ultras in the first place. I had done marathons before – okay fine, one marathon – but it seemed so, I don’t know, competitive to me. Everyone was standing on the start line with their headphones in, bouncing up and down nervously, and trying not to talk to anyone in order to “get in the zone”. I, on the other hand, would try to chat people up, crack a few jokes, even do a few crazy lunges while twisting my body from side to side really quickly to try to ham it up a bit. Little did I know that marathoners are NOT there to make friends. Oh no, they are there to get a PB (personal best)…. to religiously check their watch every five minutes to make sure they are on pace… and if they start falling off their intended split times, well, watch out for those elbows because they will poke you in the ribs if you get in their way! Yikes.

See, check out the guy to my right - not having nearly as much fun as I am pre-race start, right??

No, marathons were not for me. I wanted a race in which I could take my time getting warmed up. A race that took my eyes away from my watch and onto the trails. I wanted a wonderfully chilled out and competitive race. For me, that is ultras. Sure, they are intense and competitive at times – but in a fundamentally different way than marathons.

Like this girl and I at the Watchung race. We were neck and neck for pretty much the full 50 km. She was ahead… then I was ahead… then she was ahead… then we ran together… If we had brought a marathon mentality to it, it would have been exhausting. Quite simply, there is no room for that out on the trail! We chatted, we encouraged each other, we talked about other races we wanted to do… We were each running our own race, and we didn’t get caught up in the competition of it.

I realized afterwards that we had both followed the unspoken etiquette rules of trail running and that is why we meshed so well. Yes, like the cycling rules in the Tour de France, there are some key rules I’ve been able to discern over the years for happy (ultra) running on trails…

1. Running with others

DO: Suss out whether the person(s) you are running with want to talk, or whether they just want some silent company. If you are nattering away and getting grunts for responses, your running partner is either telling you to be quiet, or is so tired he/she has lost the ability to speak

Take turns taking the lead. It is more tiring to be out in front because you have to do all of the navigating, but some people find it harder to be in the back because they feel like they are mentally behind. Switch it up to keep things fresh.

DON’T: Clear your nose to the same side as your running partner, or if anyone is trailing behind you. Seriously gross.

Don’t go overboard with the ‘ultraspeak’. Ultrarunners get carried away when they are in packs… nothing wrong with it – and it can be darn funny – but it can also alienate the rookies and come off sounding completely obnoxious. For a HILARIOUS example, watch this (it had me laughing on the floor!!) (“I don’t even warm up until mile 30″ – yes, I have said this…)

2. Passing others

DO: In the words of my umbrella-toting diva, “to the left, to the left!” Give out a little warning when you are coming up behind a runner and shout out “on your left” (usual passing lane) or if you must pass to the right, “on your right”! I have to say though, after running in both North America and the United Kingdom, I think the running passing rules follow driving. If you pass on the left driving, do the same in running. So in the UK, “to the right, to the right!”

Give some words of encouragement, but don’t go over the top (or you’ll sound patronizing). A simple “good job” or “keep it up” or “how are you doing?”

And people pass you, definitely tell them “good job”. Try to feed off their strength, rather than resent the fact that they are passing you.

DON’T: Sneak up behind people. As funny as it is to make someone dive into the bushes, it is just not cool.

Don’t make physical contact when you’re passing, if possible. While runners are comfortable getting all cozy with other racers on the start line of the NYC marathon, trail/ultra runners prefer their space. A light pat on the back or shoulder is okay though (aww….)

Don’t wear headphones in both ears if you are on single-track trail. It makes it way too hard for you to hear people coming up behind you, and you won’t be as aware of what’s going on when you are getting ready to pass someone else.

3. Coming into aid stations

DO: This is an important one. If you’re running into an aid station with other people, generally try to keep the same order that you’ve been running in for the last little while. So, if you’re generally running in second place in a group of five, don’t try to sprint at the last second to reach the aid station first. That’s a quick way to lose friends FAST.

Say thank you to the volunteers. They often just get an earful of grumbles and complaints, so it helps to recognize that they have been standing outside in the snow/heat/rain all day just to serve you!

Exchange pleasantries with other runners if you haven’t been speaking on the trail. Come on, spread the warm and fuzzies.

4. Struggling runners

DO: Stop to help runners you see on the trail that are really struggling. You might be in first, you might be on your way to your best trail/ultra race ever, but you’re not going to win a lot of points with the trail running gods if you pass someone in need. I’m not saying you have to drop everything – 15 or 20 seconds is all you need to stop, make eye contact, and gently ask “hey buddy, you doing alright?” We all hit a low point at some stage of the race, or at some point in the season, and sometimes it makes a world of difference just to know that someone else is reaching out. That might be just enough to get that person through a slump.

Offer food. Offer water. Offer electrolytes. Offer whatever you have. You’re in a better state, and somewhere down the line someone else will pass on the favour.

DON’T: Make light of what a runner is going through (unless you can tell that person really needs to laugh at him/herself!).

Don’t do what a girl did in a race I was in a few months ago…! – and a runner actually stepped over my sprawled limbs and kept going with a cursory “oh you’re okay?” over her shoulder as she sped off. I’m not one to hold a grudge, but seriously?? Sigh. Hmph. I might think twice about offering her one of my gummi bears next time I see her in a race…

5. Finishing

DO: Finish strong, but if you’ve been running with someone(s) for a while near the end of the race…

DON’T: …try to rush ahead and sprint to the finish. It’s just not really fair (unless you both cheekily decide to gun it – then that can be F-U-N). If you’ve paired up with someone and you guys are within sight, it is a nice thing to wait for the other person. Come on, it ain’t the Olympics, right?

I’d be really interested to hear any of your etiquette rules/tips for happy running – comments welcome!

Filed under: Practical Advice | Tagged: race etiquette, trails | 16 Comments »

Training for a 100 miler (it is possible!)

Posted on January 12, 2011 by ultrarunnergirl

A few people have asked me about how to train for a 100 miler and my answer has always been “well…if I told you, then I’d have to kill you”. Just kidding! I love sharing training tips and strategies with people, so for what it’s worth, here’s my guide to training for a 100 mile race. Just remember, what works for me may not work for you, so make sure to listen to your body and be smart about it! (Yes, that was a feeble attempt at a legal disclaimer. You can take the runner out of the lawyer, but you can’t take the lawyer out of the…well, anyway).

Physical Training:

(1) Set a schedule.

This goes without saying, but give yourself enough time to train. When I trained up for my 100 miler, I really only had 6 weeks… but I was coming off of a 250 km multi-day race, so my base was pretty solid at that point (ah, those were the days). Anyway, be honest about where you are at and build a schedule you think you can work with. If you start training too early, you’ll get burnt out (and ultimately that turns into laziness). If you start too late, you’ll try to cram too much mileage in at the end and you’ll wind up either injured or completely spent. Not exactly ideal.

Your schedule should be firm enough to make sure you don’t wuss out on those long weekend runs when you get invited to the Hamptons/Cotswolds/cottage country, but flexible enough to take into account how your body is reacting to the training. Your training schedule should be like the spanx of ultrarunning. Enough structure to keep you where you’re at, but flexible enough to stretch if you’ve eaten too much over the holidays. (For my male readers who have no idea what I’m talking about when I say ‘spanx’, use google at your own risk. You may not want insight on this one.)

For instance, two weeks before the Vermont 100 miler, one of my best friends (Cat!) was coming to New York to visit me. As if I wanted to waste the entire day running. Instead, I woke up at an ungodly hour and started my 50 mile training run at 4am. She came to join me for the last three hours, and by noon we were done and ready to roll, just about the time that the other manhattanites were starting to surface for brunch. Awesome! If you give up too much for running, you’ll resent it, and if you don’t give up enough, you’ll feel unprepared. Find your own balance. If you need a day off, TAKE IT. But take it for the right reasons.

(2) Set your priorities

Are you aiming for a particular time? Or do you just want to finish? Or maybe you just want to see how far you can go? It is really important to figure out ahead of time what you want to get out of your race. Your mentality going into the race will dictate your experience – truly. For me, my goal in my first 100 miler was just to finish. That was my ultimate goal. I thought it would be a bonus to “buckle” (which refers to the silver belt buckle runners receive in finishing 100 milers in under 24 hours), but if all else failed, I wanted to finish. This meant that when I set my schedule, I wasn’t too concerned about speed – I was concerned about time on my feet and getting the distance in. It also helped me keep my priorities straight on race day, but more about that later.

Make sure you tell your support crew what your priorities are too. If your goal is to just have fun, then they will know not to call you a complete wuss/failure/waste-of-space if you mention the idea of dropping out at mile 70 (which is, in all other cases, a totally legitimate motivation technique). If your goal is to finish, then your support crew won’t be as concerned with rushing you through checkpoints when you are looking rough (aka puking…just kidding). However, if your goal is to finish in a particular time or to buckle, well, your support crew will have to implement tough love and push you on your way even when all you want to do is curl up and take a nap at the rest station with a protein bar clutched in your clammy little hands.

With that in mind…

(3) My 100 mile schedule

100 miles is a crazy distance. No doubt about that. But it is doable! I’m going to give you my general schedule, but remember that there are tons of different models that work. This is just one…I was lucky enough to have Ray Zahab’s advice on this one, so it is worth a thought!

My schedule was not based on mileage, but rather time on my feet. This was partly due to the fact that I am generally injury-prone and that my goal was just to finish. If you think you fall into this category, set time goals rather than distance goals. That way you won’t get too stressed out if you’re running really slowly or if you need to take breaks. You won’t be pushing yourself to run faster than you should. You can just focus on quality running, at whatever speed that entails, and enjoying the run. The point is on getting the time on your feet. Distance goals are great if you are healthy, strong, and you want to finish the race in a certain amount of time. Whenever we set distance goals in training, we are motivated to finish it as quickly as possible, and this means that we push the pace – sometimes subconsciously.

During the week I would do short runs – max 10 or 15 km – and mostly interval training. Intervals really help increase speed for races, even 100 milers. This is what will set you above the pack. I would usually do a combination from mon-thurs of the following exercises:

10 km tempo run
7 min tempo, 3 min slow run, repeat for 1 hour
intervals for 45 min: pick your distance – could be 500 m on (aka fast), 500 m off (aka slow) for ten reps, and then 400 m at an even faster pace, 400 m off for 8 reps, 300 m …etc.
5 km as quick as possible

You get the idea. Focus is on short, fast runs.

For a 100 mile race, you want ONE long run on the weekend. Multi-day races require back-to-back long runs on the weekend, but the bliss of single-stage races is that you only have to ruin one day/night of your weekend. I also chose to do mine on a Saturday so that I could go out Saturday night when it was done and act like a complete bum on Sunday guilt-free, but each to his or her own. Whatever day you do your long run, take the day before off (or do yoga or an easy 5 km) and take the day after off.

To recap: tempo/intervals on Monday to Thursday, Friday OFF, Saturday long run, Sunday OFF.

Now for the long runs. I usually set my peak weekend and then work backwards. Your ‘peak’ weekend is the weekend before your race when you will do your longest run, after which you will taper. Some people do a three week taper, some do a two week taper. I did a two week, but that was mainly due to timing constraints. Here’s what my weekend runs looked like for the five weeks preceeding the 100 miler:

5 weeks to race time: 2 hours of running (fast tempo)

4 weeks to race time: 4 hours of running (any pace)

3 weeks to race time: 7 hours of running (any pace)

2 weeks to race time: PEAK – 8 hours of running (any pace)

1 week to race time: 2 hours of running (easy pace)

Like I said, this as a particularly quick progression, but I had a really good base at the time so make sure you don’t increase your mileage too quickly! And keep track of your overall weekly mileage. I always made sure my total mileage didn’t increase by more than 10% per week (commonly known as the 10% rule)… as your weekend long run increases, consider making your weekday runs shorter. In my longest run, which was 8 hours, I ran 51 miles. Unlike the marathon, where traditional advice suggests running around 75% of the total mileage on your peak run (30-35 km for a 42 km race), for a 100 miler this isn’t necessary. Running 75 miles in training would be crazy.

Last point on this part: I never did a night run, but if you’ve never run in the dark before then it might be helpful for you to test it out before the race. Running when you’re tired is one thing, but running when you’re tired and the shadows look like dancing leprechauns is another. Trust me. Try a night run with a head torch and hold a hand-held flashlight as well. The head torch shines at a steep angle downward and often obscures obstacles like roots or bumps in the trail. If you hold a hand-held light down lower as well, this will pick up shadows from bumpy obstacles. Just a suggestion!

Mental Training

Get used to being out there. For a long time. Don’t think of your training runs as being training. Just think of them as being opportunities to be outside and see stuff you wouldn’t normally get a chance to see by car. The trick is to make yourself forget that you are actually running. If you are always looking at your watch or at your mileage, you will hate yourself pretty quickly! Running – and running without injuries – is an incredible privilege and the ability to complete ultras is what I would call almost a miracle. Seriously. Think about it. Your mindset can completely change how your runs go.

It isn’t all rainbows and fluffy bunnies, don’t get me wrong. Sometimes the training really, really sucks. But keep in mind that in the race, it WILL be so much easier. There is a magic of race day that simply can’t be replicated at any other time. The crowds (which is defined as a gathering of more than two people in an ultra, ha), the excitement, the anticipation, the abundance of M&Ms…. don’t underestimate how far this can take you and how much of an effect it can have on your mental AND physical performance!

Boring Nitty-Gritties

Set a race plan – which should be tied to your goals (see above) – and stick to it. Try to estimate how long it will take you to get to each checkpoint and what you might like to have at that point. This will help your support crew or help you figure out what you might want in your drop bags. It will also give you an indication during the race as to whether you are ahead or behind schedule. Here are things to think about:

vaseline and/or some kind of body glide. Always a good idea. Actually, always an essential idea. I can distinctly remember running into one aid station around the 50 mile mark with a crazed look in my eyes yelling “VASELINE!!!!” to a bunch of startled volunteers. When one of them offered to apply it for me, I gently suggested I should do it myself. Yes, you will chafe in areas that no person should.
change of shirt. It will make you feel like a million bucks. I changed my shirt three times during my 100 miler and it was one of the best ideas. Ever.
baby wipes. The shower of champions. Keep them handy. Once the salt starts to crystallize on your forehead and get into your eyes, it is game over. You’ll be running 100 miles in the wrong direction.
treats. A lot of 100 milers supply food, but nothing beats your favs. Make sure you have a variety handy – solid vs liquid, salty vs sweet, crunchy vs soft… you get the idea. It is kinda like being pregnant (or so I’ve heard). You don’t really know what you’ll want until you want it. So best to have it handy!

On Race Day

Talk to people, enjoy the experience, and remember – the race is the reward from all of your training! It is just one…long…day and then you have at least a couple weeks – if not a lifetime – of bragging rights. I usually go with a coffee, a protein bar and a banana on the morning of a race. The coffee helps wake me up and, cough, gets things moving if you know what I mean to avoid an embarrassing forest stop during the first 5km. The protein bar fills me up and the potassium in the banana helps with muscle cramps. Then, the next most important thing is to KEEP FUELING. Even if you aren’t hungry, eat. If you aren’t thirsty, drink. Ya, ya, ya, it is technically possible to over-hydrate during a race…. but seriously has anyone heard of that ever happening?? I find it difficult to get down the amount of water that I know I need to, so I always remind myself to drink whenever I can.

Generally, I get my calories from 50% solids (food) and 50% liquids. Too many solids and you’ll have too much bulk bouncing around in your stomach. Not fun. Too many liquids and you’ll be stopping to paint the trails waaaay too much. Over 100 miles, this can add up to 30-60 minutes easily. Think about it! And seriously, without solids in your stomach for 100 miles, you won’t be able to make it. But again, whatever works for you.

The body cannot digest more than 250-300 calories an hour, so you will automatically be in a calorie deficit. But that’s okay. I try to get 150 calories through liquid and I divide my food up into 100-150 calorie packs. That takes the guessing game out of it. Every hour or hour and a half, I just take another packet of food and I know I’m meeting my target. I also don’t deny myself anything if I am craving it. Take the energy where you can!

Post-race

Tell everyone. Come on… whether you succeeded or whether you chalk your race up to an “almost success”, the fact is that you’ve attempted what 99.9% of the population thinks is impossible. I think this is one of the few situations where you can’t really be faulted for being too proud. You rock, you’ve got balls, and you DID succeed, whether you crossed the line or not. Remember, if you fail, that is a blessing. Failing means that you had the guts to push yourself beyond your limits. GO FOR IT!!!!

Suggestions, criticisms, and comments welcome! Happy running!

(P.S. With this blog post, we’ve reached over 10,000 hits on my blog! Thanks for the support everyone!)

Filed under: Practical Advice, Training | Tagged: 100 Miler, race plan | 7 Comments »

Survival Guide to being a Support Crew

Posted on August 28, 2010 by ultrarunnergirl

About a month ago I had the unique opportunity to act as support crew for four of my close friends – Jenna Eastlake, Mark Mosimann, Alex Wilks and Ric Morris – as they walked their way over 100 km of trail on the South Downs in the 2010 UK Trailwalker. Now, I had been a support crew once before, but that wasn’t for a running event (see the video of here of Paul McQueeney successfully crossing the English Channel). I know it sounds awful, but I simply wanted to be running the race myself and I just wasn’t sure how good I would be at sitting on the sidelines.

I convinced myself that it would be a great experience. I would get to stand behind my friends and be a part of the race in some way, which is almost as good as the real thing…right?

Well, that is a bunch of crock. Truth be told, being a support crew is not a fun job. It is WAY more fun to be racing. Sure, I could talk about the sense of personal satisfaction at being able to help my friends achieve their goals…. But that would be kind of like giving the “it’s an honour just to be nominated” speech. Everyone knows it sucks just to be nominated, but no one is willing to say it. Well here I am, willing to say it – being a support crew is brutal!!! At the same time, you and I both know that it is one of those jobs you can’t turn down without upsetting the karma gods. So, in case you ever find yourself in the position of being asked, here is the ultimate ‘survival guide’ to support crewing:

5. Never say the words “I told you so”. At least out loud.

This one is really important to remember because you are going to constantly be wanting to say it. For example, at the start of Trailwalker, I gently suggested to one of the newbie ultrarunners on the team (cough, Alex) that he lube up his nipples with vaseline before the start. Having seen one too many male racers sporting the “bleeding bulls-eye” look in the past, I wanted to help him avoid the nasty consequences of nipple chafe. Maybe Alex thought I was trying to pull one over on him, or maybe he was just too stubborn to take my advice, but needless to say he set off on his 100 km walk with dry nipples.

Fast forward 20 km later and who do you think came into the checkpoint asking for the tube of lube? Now, as much as I wanted to say those four little words, I knew it wouldn’t make him walk any faster, so instead I smiled sweetly and got my revenge another way. I pretended I didn’t know where the regular vaseline was, and all I could find was an old tube of cherry-flavoured chapstick for him to use on his chest. (Okay, so that didn’t actually happen… but that would have been sweet. No pun intended. Instead I just bit my tongue.)

4. Get comfortable acting like an annoying cartoon character on uppers

When your team comes into a checkpoint, they will be tired, hungry, thirsty, and maybe a little cranky. You don’t just need to feed and water them, you need to do it in style. Think jazz hands. Rainbows, fluffy bunnies, and puppy dogs. Seriously. With any luck, your ridiculously good mood will rub off on them (at least a bit) and help them get to the next checkpoint a little bit faster. If you think you are laying it on too thick, you aren’t – crazy eyes and toothy smiles are what you want to go for here. Which leads me to my next point…

3. Use your “off” time wisely

No one can act like spongebob all the time and stay sane. Unless you really are on uppers. The good news is that you only need to put on the cheerful act for brief periods of time. Really, you’ll only be seeing your team for about 5-15 minutes every couple of hours or so, which is the only time you need to be (or look) happy. In order to conserve your energy, I suggest you remain as grumpy as possible in those long stretches when you’re waiting for your team.

Yup, that’s right. Just get it all out. Be as miserable as you want to be. Try out some new swear words. Have fun growling at other crews. Did you know it takes 43 muscles to frown versus only 17 to smile? Give your mouth a workout and frown away. Then when it is time to put on the happy show, you’ll actually enjoy the change.

During trailwalker, I would like to say that I mastered the art of illusion. When the team rolled in, I threw gold stars over them, waved them in with balloons, wore ribbons in my hair, painted my face with inspirational messages… you name it. However, the moment they left, those ribbons in my hair turned to snakes and I let the medusa in me out. It really helped, I have to say. What actually went on, I cannot say – these things are meant to be left behind the scenes…

2. Find amusement in the small things

At one point, I discovered that my head torch had a flashing mode on it (see here for a demonstration around 5:40 into the clip). That allowed me to turn the support van into an impromptu disco. Amused me for a good ten minutes. Hey, get it where you can, alright?

1. Use ‘selective honesty’

Your team will believe anything you tell them and really, if they are 20 km from the finish and they ask how far they have left to go, what is there to gain by telling them the truth?? They will only get demoralized and go slower, which means you will be out there longer. Here are some examples of how to use selective honesty to your advantage:

Q: Do these blisters look bad to you?

A: Blisters? Where are they? I can’t really see them… Oh you mean there underneath that patch of dried blood? Gee, they are so tiny I almost missed them. You should be fine until the end and we can sort you out then.

Q: Was that thunder I heard?

A: Thunder? Whaaaaat? Nah. I think that was your stomach growling. Here – have a cookie!

Q: I feel like we’re getting slower. Are we?

A: Slower? Are you kidding? You almost beat us to the checkpoint and we’re in a car. I reckon you guys will fly through the next stage!

See how it works?

I hope these few little tips will help you survive the task of support crewing in case you are ever put in that position. In all honesty, it really WAS an honour to support my friends and I was happy to do it. (Or is that me just practising tip #1? You’ll never know…)

-Ultra Runner Girl aka Stephanie Case

Filed under: Practical Advice, Race Reports | 4 Comments »

Barefoot running: get naked!

Posted on June 15, 2010 by ultrarunnergirl

A friend recently sent me a wicked book to help me get through my injury/recovery time: Barefoot Running – The Life of Marathon Champion Abebe Bikila (by Paul Rambali). It got me thinking though, what is the deal with this barefoot running thing? I’ve heard a little bit about it, talked about it, and even tried it… But I still don’t know - is barefoot running just another fad, reserved for hippies, Nike-haters, and runners too cheap to buy shoes? Or is barefoot running actually legit?? I decided to investigate! Yup, just call me Ultrarunnergirl P.I.

What is Barefoot Running?

Barefoot running is running without shoes on – in bare feet (I bet you’re glad I clarified that one). Although it has only recently emerged onto the ‘mainstream’ running scene, running with naked feet has been around on the fringe for decades. Modern running shoes weren’t created until the 1970s and before then, shoes were thin-soled and simple. As psychedelic and outlandish as the fashion was (and aren’t we glad that’s over), shoe designs were just the opposite. But as the sports shoe industry ballooned, so did the shoes! Air cushions, wavy plastic springs, fancy stitching, flashing lights, built-up heels and padding, padding and more padding. These days, running shoes are to feet what DD bras are to the pre-pubescent girl – completely unnecessary and filled with excessive padding and support. We’ve been taught to believe that our feet are delicate and fragile and we need corrective footwear to run properly. Well, sitting here in this surgical foot two and a half weeks after foot surgery, I’m tempted to agree. These little piggys like to be fully dressed when they go to the market and aren’t so keen on the naked approach. Don’t we need shoes to protect our feet and joints?

Well, according to some, no. In a recent study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine (2009), Volume 43, Issue 3, Dr. C Richards from the University of Newcastle, Australia, reported that there are no evidence -based studies to show that running shoes reduce injury. His review of the literature suggests that the notion we need cushioned heels and special support in our shoes to be able to run long distances safely and effectively is not fueled by scientific studies, but rather by the profit-hungry shoe industry. In fact, he challenged the shoe companies to produce evidence demonstrating the effectiveness of running shoes in reducing injuries… but to my knowledge, no such studies have surfaced.

Barefoot runners advocate shedding those clunky shoes in favour of minimalist or no footwear as a way of preventing injuries. Hmm, sounds circumspect. Ultrarunnergirl P.I. thought she should investigate further.

What is the rationale behind this crazy idea?

Supporters of barefoot running (the feet nudists, as I like to call them) claim that we are designed to run au naturel. Research by Harvard Professor Dr. Lieberman (and others) indicates that early humans were capable of running quite comfortably barefoot or with little footwear. How? By landing forefoot (on the ball of the foot) or midfoot (landing flat).

You see, when most of us run, we heel strike. In fact, 75 % of us hit the ground with our heel first, transfer weight onto the midfoot, and then push off the forefoot last. But try doing that without shoes on and without the benefit of all that DD padding… OUCH!!! But according to Dr. Lieberman’s research, we may only be heel striking because our padded shoes allow us to do so – in other words, our shoes may encourage running in a way that we aren’t meant to.

The visual research is pretty telling. From Dr. Lieberman’s website, take a look at the stride of a Kenyan adolescent who has never worn shoes in his life:

But yet if you stick a barefoot runner in a pair of shoes and even he/she will start to heel strike.Modern running shoes have approximately twice as much padding in the heel as in the toe of the shoe. Twice – just take a minute and think about how that alters the angle of the foot from its natural state. We have been running around in high heels and we didn’t even know it. With our feet angled forward by running shoes, it becomes much easier to heel strike than try to angle forward to land on the toe.

So why do we need to pay attention to foot strike and the effect that shoes have on the way our feet land on the ground? Dr. Lieberman explains:

“By landing on the middle or front of the foot, barefoot runners have almost no impact collision, much less than most shod runners generate when they heel-strike.Modern running shoes interfere with our natural running form and change the way our feet interact with the ground, which is to our detriment.”

Look at the relative impact forces of barefoot running versus shod (“shoe-d”) running:

Further, simply by wearing extra padding in normal running shoes, we may even be subconsciously landing harder on the ground in compensation. Robins and Gouw (1990) concluded that modern running shoes “provide poor protection” from running-related injuries, and further, that they may lead to “chronic overloading” (Robbins S.E., Gouw G.J. “Athletic footwear and chronic overloading: a brief review.” Sports Medicine (1990). Volume 9). Similarly, researchers at McGill University in Montreal, Canada found that when gymnasts landed on soft surfaces, they actually landed with more force than when they landed on hard surfaces in order to gain more stability.

Alright, I’m starting to be convinced that there is some merit to this barefoot running thing. But I know that not all of the research is so positive.

Do we know enough about barefoot running yet to really know if it is beneficial?

Vin Lananna, Director of track and field for the University of Oregon and seven-time NCAA Coach of the Year, said “I can’t prove this, but I believe when my runners train barefoot, they run faster and suffer fewer injuries.”

Dr. Lieberman’s (and gang’s) research seems to indicate that naked feet are the way to go. Whether barefoot or in shoes, forefront or mid-foot strikes in running do not generate the same nasty impact forces as when you heel strike, and most runners in standard shoes will heel strike whereas barefoot runners land forefoot or midfoot. But Dr. Lieberman is quick to point out that there is no study to show that heel strikes contribute more to injury than forefoot strikes. Yes, they produce more forces, but no one has yet proven that more forces lead to injury.

Some researchers do toe the party line that cushioned, running shoes prevent injuries, but much of this research is either dated or based on the unproven assumption that shock-absorbing shoes equal injury prevention. For instance, in 1990, Cook et al. concluded that “shoes providing cushioning, support and stability can play an important role in shock absorption, and as a consequence injury prevention.” (“Running Shoes: The relationship to running injuries.” Sports Medicine (1990). Volume 10, Issue 1). Similarly, C.A.M. Johnston et. al. reported in 2003 that “running shoes should be replaced after 500 to 700 km because they lose their shock-absorbing qualities” (“Preventing Running Injuries: A Practical Approach for Family Doctors.” Canadian Family Physician (2003). Volume 49, Issue 9).

So what can we conclude from this? The research supporting the benefits of barefoot running is promising, but more research needs to be done (see Michael Warburton, Sportscience 5(3), sportsci.org/jour/0103/mw.htm and Caroline Burge, Sportscience 5(3), sportsci.org/jour/0103/cb.htm). At any rate, I’ve read enough to be convinced that I should give it a shot.

If I am going to try barefoot running, what precautions should I take?

Just because barefoot running might be better for us, it doesn’t mean that you can ditch the bra – I mean shoes – forever and go out for a nice long run. Oh no. Running barefoot requires additional calf strength and muscle control, so the switch should be done gradually to allow your feet and legs time to adjust.

Once I’m back to training and my foot is healed, I plan to incorporate barefoot running into my training a lot more. Perhaps at least one or two 10k runs per week. But more on that to come in other posts…

For now, I hope this has been informative and I welcome your comments!!

FAMOUS BAREFOOT ATHLETES

Adebe Bikila (Ethiopia)

Zola Budd-Pieterse (South Africa)

Filed under: Practical Advice, Training | Tagged: barefoot running | 5 Comments »

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