A Guide to Running in Costume

Because I'm less of a runner and more of a have-runner, I'm always looking for something to spice up my runs and races. Fun, silly, super scenic locale, anything so that its not just another miserable 3-6 miles...

Confession time: I am both a huge Halloween nerd, and a massive Disney fan. For running, this means that it was only a matter of time before I ran a race in costume.

I've been looking for a good costume race (and trying to convince hubby to run it with me) for a long time. We actually have several costumed Half Marathons near us, but I wasn't ready to commit to that many miles in costume just yet. And then a wonderful thing happened: one of those Half Marathons added a 5K! I signed up myself and my two kids, and even convinced hubby to slum it with us in the 5K instead of doing the half. So without further ado, a few things we discovered about running in costumes:

DO: Work with what you have.

The best running costumes use running gear. No surprise, right? There is a reason we run in tech fabric and why we choose the the styles and cuts of running gear that we do. We choose our running gear according to what we're most comfortable running in. So, if you can work running gear that you already have into your costume - awesome!

Case in point: Hubby ran as Zorro.

He wore black running tights and a black running shirt that he already had. The cape is one we've had for years and was in our costume box. The hat was a re-use from a past pirate costume. The only new thing that we got was the fabric for the mask which we literally bought on the way to the race, and I cut eye holes while he drove!

DON'T: Use big accessories.

Think about it: you don't want to have to carry extra crap. Another thought though - there are usually A LOT of runners on the course, so not only do you not want to carry this stuff, but if its big, you have to worry about not hitting/running into other runners with it.

Example: fairy wings.

As you can see, her wings expanded way, way out past her shoulders. This became a pain for her in a number of ways. First, at the race start, everyone within 10 feet of her got smacked, poked, whacked, or stabbed with fairy wings. Then, nearly everyone she passed on the course got hit too. Also, fairy wings move. I know, shocker. Her wings spent much more time folded up and shifted down so that they were on her sideways. By the end she was so annoyed, that she took them off and carried them.

If you're going to do wings, a couple of pointers: 1) keep it small - the smaller they are, the less they'll move around. 2) consider immobilizing them - maybe use safety pins to attach to the back of your shirt instead of just relying on the shoulder straps. 3) take them for a test run - yes you will look like a crazy person running around your local park wearing wings, but if they annoy you after 100 yards, you definitely don't want to wear them in a distance race.

DO: Be careful of too many layers. 

Ok, so this one was my own fault. I was trying to go with my first point about wearing running gear if possible. I was going as Lady Zorro, so I was wearing a black knee-length skirt with a red stretchy corset and fishnets. That sounded like it would be awful to run in, so I wore some knee-length running shorts and a tank top underneath. Now, due to the nature of how a corset is worn over a skirt, that means that around my mid-section, I had undies, fishnets, running shorts, a wool skirt, and a corset. That's FIVE layers!! That wound up being hot, constricting, and generally uncomfortable. 

As hot as my middle got, I'm surprised that my race bib didn't melt off by the end...

DON'T: Assume that a mask will be 'fine'

We had mixed results with the masks. Mine was TORTURE. I made it a little over a mile before I took it off. It was hot and made me sweaty way earlier than any other part of me got sweaty (including the parts that were wearing 5 layers!). To make matters worse, nothing stays exactly in place when you're running, so the mask kept riding up and bothering my eyes. Hubby, on the other hand, had no such issues. We made his mask to mirror the original Zorro mask, so it covered his whole head. He still wore it for the whole race with no complaints. To be fair, we were running WAY under his pace, so he never really got hot or sweaty.

Do: Be make small changes to make some things more running-friendly

We made minor modifications to several things to make them more running friendly. For hubby's costume, the cape was one of the cheap Halloween capes that ties at the neck. You can imagine that running along with that flapping behind you and the ties pulling on your throat would get old fast. So we safety-pinned the ties to his shirt. Similarly, my son dressed as Bill Nye the Science Guy, who famously wears a bow-tie. We had a bow-tie in the costume box, but it was one with an elastic band to wear around the neck. Again, we just safety-pinned it to his shirt. Small modifications, but they make a big difference!

We're running another costumed race this weekend, so I'll come back and update with any new lessons learned. Do you have any tips? I'd love to know your tricks!

Injuries and Motivation

I have a bad knee. When I was in high school, I worked at a fast-food place and I was riding my bike home after having worked the closing shift. I wasn't wearing a helmet, anything reflective, nor did I have a light on my bike. The F250 didn't see me. I was lucky that it had been stopped at a stop sign and didn't have much accumulated speed when it hit me. I also came out very lucky injury wise: a concussion, scrapes and bruises, and a wrenched knee.

I've been told that I will eventually need a knee replacement, but as I am young yet, the doctors don't want to do it until it is absolutely unavoidable. In the meantime, I sometimes overwork my knee and subsequently have to take a couple days of near complete rest just to be able to do the day-to-day stuff. When I took up running, my doctor warned me that I would need a strict 1 day on, 1 day off regimen so as not to overwork my knee. Yes well, I thought, I now run 3-4 miles at a time several times a week with no problems, things will probably be just fine if I move the days around a bit. Nope.

So, after my long run on Sunday my knee was a little achy. I gave it a day and it was still bothering me, so I decided to take a few days so as not to make it worse and be sidelined for weeks. After it had been 3 days I was itching to run again. Odd, I'd been struggling with motivation for weeks. And now all of a sudden I wanted to run again. You don't know what you've got 'til its gone? Absence makes the heart grow fonder?

That got me to thinking. What if we treated motivation as an injury? Now, I don't mean the normal hesitancy, or trouble getting our butts out of bed in the morning. I mean REALLY struggling outside the normal. What if we recognized this as a mental injury? After all, a huge part of endurance running is the mental challenge. So, just like with any physical injury, what if we decided to take a few rest days and run strong, instead of forcing our way through it and having mediocre and unsatisfying runs? Just like it is critical to take rest to heal physical injuries, maybe we need to just take a few days to rest, and then come back mentally strong.

What do you think?

Lacking Motivation

The past 2 weeks have been hard. Really hard. As I mentioned earlier, I have now started on Hal Higdon's Half Marathon Training Plan. This is week 2 and I'm already fighting to keep my motivation up. Its not the training plan - its me. As lame as it sounds, its true. I admit that I was a little nervous about the first long run - at 4 miles it was just short of a full mile longer than any run I'd done before. But as a pleasant surprise, it wasn't a big deal at all. In fact, I didn't feel much different than at the end of a 3-miler.

I suspect that this whole motivation thing is temporary, largely because I don't have the motivation to do much of anything outside sleep and other calming things like knitting. Yes I knit. In the past couple of weeks work got crazy busy and even more demanding than usual, there was some serious family crap that had to be dealt with, my daughter's birthday is in a week and a half and in a moment of insanity I agreed to let her have her first slumber party - so now all of that has to be planned. Add to all of that that like most of the country, if not the world, finances are super tight and I just don't have the energy to care.

Also, the summer is killing my training schedule. I don't mind the running so much, its the f-ing heat and beating sun. See, here in Salt Lake City it is hot, and even over night it doesn't ever really cool off. If we're lucky, it'll dip below 80 somewhere around 3 o'clock in the morning. Since I absolutely abhor the idea of running miles and miles on a treadmill in a gym full of overly perky (read: judgmental) co-eds where you can feel the dank sweat in the air, that means I have to get creative. And frankly, I haven't had the desire to get creative. I don't want it to be hard. I want to go back to when the only thought that I had to give to the weather was to be sure I was dressed appropriately.

For the time being, I am trudging on, but this utter lack of motivation is starting to royally piss me off. Seriously. And ironically, the only thing keeping me sane is the stress relief of my runs...

Break it Down: Half Marathon Training Programs

There's something eye-popping about a half-marathon. I told one of my coworkers that I don't see all that often that I planned to train for, and run, my first half-marathon in October. He was pretty stoic when I said I had just run a 5k, and that I will run a 10k around the end of August, but when I said 'half-marathon', there go the eyes.

And its no surprise. I mean, face it, if it were easy everyone would have done it by now - not everyone can run 3.1 miles, let alone 13.1. And it is due to this difficulty that one needs a training program - at least if you don't want to hurt yourself along the way. Fortunately, half-marathon training programs are widely available for free all over the internet. Being on the path to the next big thing will also allow for the sense of working toward something bigger, which will keep me motivated for the long haul.

So, having just completed my first 5k, and already being registered for another, I began my search for a good program. I decided that with the plethora of plans out there, I may as well look at as many reputable ones as I could, and a couple obscure ones too, just to pepper in some excitement. I wound up doing this comparison with the training programs from Runner's World, Jeff Galloway, Hal Higdon, Kendrick Fitness, Fitness Magazine, About.com, MarathonRookie.com, and Cool Running (the developers of the Couch-to-5k program).

Factors that I used to compare programs included whether or not they adhered to the 10% rule (to prevent injury, increase weekly mileage by no more than 10% each week), number of running days, rest days, whether or not cross-training was integrated, the length of the longest long run, and the total number of weeks the program lasts. Being a very new runner with no history of running at all, it was important to me for the mileage buildup to be very gradual so that I wouldn't get overwhelmed. Because I run with plantar fasciitis, rest days are critical, so a balance of run and rest was also important. Related to that point, cross-training was important as well so that there would be cardio going on, while not necessarily pounding my feet - and also for variety. I also considered the length of the longest run, because despite the notion that if I could make it 10 miles in training, the last 3 on race day wouldn't be a big deal, I would feel more comfortable getting closer than that. And lastly, my chosen half-marathon is on Halloween weekend, so the total length of the program needed to correspond reasonably well with that timeline. Lastly, because I train with my husband (who is far more athletic than I am) we were interested in possibly doing speed-work, so we looked at that as a factor too.

Runner's World

Prerequisites: Have run at least 1 year, able to run 5 miles without trouble, have completed at least one 5k (more is better), average 15-20 miles weekly.

Pros: Runner's World is a highly respected publication, and their book for beginner runners is absolutely indispensable. The first week of the program started at a mileage that I could be comfortable with, and the total length of the program, at 12 weeks, was perfectly reasonable.

Cons: I don't exactly meet the prerequisites, there is vigorous speed-work (hubby could probably keep up, but I don't know if I could).

Jeff Galloway

Prerequisites:None. The beginner program is designated for those who have been running for less than 6 months.

Pros: Jeff Galloway is a legend, an Olympic one. As the official trainer for the runDisney race series' (some of the most beginner-friendly distance races), beginners are par for the course. Also, Jeff Galloway's run-walk method is nearly as famous as he is for getting people to the distances they want to go, injury free.

Cons: I don't especially relish the idea of walking if I don't absolutely have to. I am perfectly fine with those who choose to use a run-walk method, but for me, it feels like cheating unless I physically have to. Also, at 18 weeks, this program is easily the longest one, and frankly, I'm just not that patient.

Hal Higdon

Prerequisites: Able to run 3 miles, 3-4 times per week.

Pros: Jeff Galloway may be super famous in the running world, but Hal Higdon isn't that far off himself. In fact, he has written numerous books about running and training, has run over 100 marathons himself, and actually holds several running records. Of even more note is the fact that his training programs are known for being easily approachable, and for turning out beginner distance runners with little to no injuries.

Cons: Not many. At 12 weeks, the timeline is, again, just right. There is ample running, and adequate rest as well, and opportunities for cross-training should you so choose. At the novice level, there is no speed-work, however.

Kendrick Fitness

Prerequisites: Able to run 30 minutes continuously, weekly mileage of at least 15 miles, have completed several 5k races and at least 1 10k race.

Pros: Gradual increase in mileage, plus speed-work for variety. 12-week plan, again, fits well into my timeline.

Cons: Here we are with the 10k requirement again, sheesh! So, right off the bat I don't meet the prerequisites. Also, with only 2 days of non-foot pounding in the plan, this one could be tough on my plantar fasciitis.

Fitness Magazine

Prerequisites: Able to run 2 miles without stopping.

Pros: This program goes quick! At only 8 weeks, this is the shortest program, which plays well to my impatient side. With 2 days full rest, and 1 day of cross training, there is adequate rest.

Cons: This program goes quick! Training for a half marathon is no joke, and 8 weeks could be too much, too fast. Also, the week-to-week mileage seems to multiply pretty quickly. Lastly, 2 days per week are spent with a walk-run-walk where the longest run is only 3 miles, and the walks are either 1 or 2 miles each. I personally am a bit anal-retentive about getting in a good warm-up and cool-down walk, and I don't know why I would want to walk that much or what the benefit would be, so I don't know how well this walk-run-walk thing would work out for me.

About.com

Prerequisites: Have been running at least 2 months and have a weekly mileage of 8-10 miles per week.

Pros: Weekly mileage addition is comfortably gradual - an addition of just 1 mile on the long run of each week. Rest days are either 2 or 3 days per week, and there is some cross-training peppered in too. Also, the longest long run clocks in at 12 miles - the longest of all of the plans.

Cons: While undeniably straight-forward, this plan seems tedious and monotonous - if you are a running purist, this may very well be the plan for you, but I bore easily and this plan nearly screams monotony.

MarathonRookie.com

Prerequisites: Have been running consistently for at least 4-6 weeks and can run at least 30 minutes continuously.

Pros: This plan is in-between in length at 10 weeks - enough time for me to be done, and pushing my distance, or bettering my time. Like the About.com plan, the longest long run is again 12 miles.

Cons: This plan is regimented running - no cross-training, just you and the road. Again, that means risk of boredom for me. The long runs also seem to taper very soon - the 12 mile run is in week 7, and the weekly mileage decreases from there. Also, the plan seems a little random, and disjointed - the weekly mileage for example increases by 2 miles, then 1, then 3, then 2, then 3, then 2, then decreases by 4, decreases again by 4, and finally increases by 3 during race week.

Cool Running

Prerequisites: Be able to run this schedule comfortably for 4-5 weeks:

Mon.Tue.Wed.Thu.Fri.Sat.Sun.
Off 3M 4M 4M Off 3M 5M

Pros: 1 day per week of speed-work adds variety, without being overwhelming. The total program length is 12 weeks, and as with the previous 2 plans, the longest run is 12 miles.

Cons: The mileage of the long run bounces around unpredictably - good for variety, tough for new runners to do a jump of 2+ miles week-to-week. Also, with 5 days of running per week, this was the least plantar fasciitis-friendly plan.

For your reference, here is a chart I made in order to compare them all side-by-side:

So, what did I decide? Well see that's a funny story. Since hubby was so intent on speed-work, that was the first thing we used to narrow the list. So initially, I decided on the Kendrick Fitness plan - the mileage was nice and gradual, the speed-workouts offered a good amount of variety, and despite the fact that I didn't meet the recommended prerequisite, I was ready to tough it out anyway. But then you all came to my rescue :)

In an earlier post, I talked about my new challenge of finding a half-marathon training program and asked for your recommendations. I was happily surprised when I received several. I was even more surprised when they all recommended the same one. Eerie, right? Well, not really. I mean if something is good, word gets out. All of those recommendations were for the Hal Higdon plan, so I went back and looked it over more closely. In particular, one comment had said that the importance of each week is explained, and I was curious to see what kind of explanation was given. Upon doing that additional reading, I came across an important fact: new runners should NOT try to improve distance endurance and speed at the same time - doing so is a certain recipe for injuries. Whew! Glad I dodged that bullet! And I have you all to thank, so THANK YOU!!

So, in the end I have decided to go with the Hal Higdon plan. Its not perfect (it topping out at a 10 mile long run is my biggest concern), but I will finish it with a couple weeks to spare, so there's time for some tweaking where necessary. The plan seems well rounded, incorporating cross-training, strength training, and copious amounts of stretching in addition to piling on the miles - but in a slow, healthy way.

Forget Curiosity, Competition Killed the Cat...

I may have mentioned that I'm running my first 5k this Monday - the 4th of July. Normally, I run with my hubby and kids. Now, to give you a little perspective, my hubby is one of those 6-ft tall, eat whatever he wants, natural-born athletes. When we first started running, he decided to see how fast he could do a 5k - no training, just a base time. He did it in 25 minutes - with a 6 year-old in tow. So plodding along at my snail pace is entirely a show of moral support, he gets nothing whatsoever out of it. However, like most guys, when it comes to sports, he's highly competitive. And I mean ANY sport - soccer, running, puzzle assembling...anything.

On our normal routes, we run around our neighborhood. This means sometimes having to stop at corners or wait for a light to change, etc. We very rarely stop for more than 30 seconds, but there are stops. So this morning he suggested that we go run in this park that has a 1.4 mile loop to get an idea of my actual 5k time. "Why?", I asked, "At the 5k distance they don't separate you out by estimated finish times." "Well we'll still want to know where to be in the pack at the starting line." he says. "But why? What does it matter? My only goal is to run the whole thing and finish." I asked again, doubtfully. "Still, its annoying to have to stop all the time for lights, and it would still be nice to know about what time we're running." (notice he said "time we're running", not "time you're running"). So, I said fine, and we ran the park.

Now the problem here is that I'm competitive too. Really competitive. So, he's got his running app on full volume right next to my head (because he's tall and I'm short, so on his bicep is right next to my head). And it keeps saying "Estimated final time: 37 minutes" or 39 minutes, or at one point it was even 41 minutes. So it didn't take very long before I was ready to shoot the f-ing thing. I even told him it was pissing me off, and he said we'd just finish and see what happens.

Now here are all the reasons why I should have felt good about this morning's run: I ran the whole thing - no crosswalks, no slow kids getting in my way. I found my rhythm and stayed there until the last half mile or so, and then I pushed - not to a sprint, but to a comfortable fast run. I stayed strong all the way through the end. And 2 months ago I couldn't have done any of that.

But no, I finished the run and burst into tears. Why? "Workout complete. Final time: 39 minutes, 58 seconds." Yep, even running the whole thing, and really pushing through the end, and I still only finished in the same amount of time that I could have walked it. I felt like a complete joke. Now, because someone had to go and get all competitive over knowing where to be in "the pack" (for a 5k?!), my strongest run yet wasn't good enough. It wasn't good enough for me, and there will probably be people pushing strollers who will finish before me.

Moral of the story: if all you want to do is feel strong, and finish your runs, then for god sakes DON'T TIME YOURSELF!!

I'm a "Have Run-er"

I had an interesting conversation with one of my coworkers over lunch the other day. He was intrigued by my sudden rabid interest in running. It turns out that he and his wife go for frequent walks in and around my neighborhood so he knows many of the routes that I often run. We were discussing interesting routes in my neighborhood and he mentioned several that are particularly scenic, or have some other nice feature, but they all had the same stinking problem - hills! I've mentioned before that I detest running hills - it just absolutely kills me. So on this particular day, I was explaining this to my coworker. He seemed to understand, but also like he wanted to ask me why I was being such a baby about the hills - he was too polite to actually ask though.

At some point in the conversation, he said something that amounted to a comment about me really enjoying running. To which I replied, "Well see, that's the funny thing about me as a runner, because I really don't enjoy the actual running all that much, its what comes after that keeps me going." I then mentioned things like the feeling of relaxation, energy, increased focus, and of course the feeling of accomplishment. He leaned back, and nodded sagely, and said "Ah, so its not that you like to run, its that you like to have run." Exactly! He then went on to add "So by avoiding hills, you're trying to keep the actual running part from being as unpleasant as possible." Once again, he was dead-on.

See, here's the truth of the thing. Running hurts. It is sweaty, your legs will hurt, things will chafe, and at times it will be just plain miserable. There will be mornings where you won't want to do it. You are going to feel self-conscious - if you're over-weight, you're going to feel like people are staring and judging you. You are going to sweat buckets. Your calves will be sore. If you have stairs, you may have trouble going down them the morning after a run because your legs are so stiff.

But you know what else? There will be days when your run is perfect. You will feel strong, and accomplished. You will feel completely empowered because YOU did this. No one else can do this for you. You will feel energized and happy. And you will feel healthy. You may even reach a point with your health or size that you haven't seen for 5, 10, 20 years - or maybe a point that you've never seen before, ever.

So yeah, at times running can suck, but that's why I'm a Have Run-er.

An ounce of prevention...

I confess: this post is a direct result of my run this morning. It SUCKED!

I live on a hill. This makes it somewhat tricky to plan loops that start and end at my house - no matter where I go, there is up-hill running involved. So last night I was playing with the run mapping on My Loops on livestrong.com that I mentioned yesterday. I had the idea that since it is a rather big hill, that I could plan the run to go along the crest of the hill, and therefore have no up-hills. It ended up looking like an out-and-back kind of loop - 17 blocks down, turn right, go 2 blocks, turn right again, 17 blocks back. The elevation chart under the map concurred - it showed only very minimal changes in elevation, and nothing very long in duration. Yay!

So we went out this morning, and the minute we stepped out the door a feeling of foreboding hit me - it was already 80 degrees out, and only 8 am. Uh-oh. Well, I thought, I may have to stay late at work tonight, and according to my hubby it only got down to 73 overnight anyway, so it wasn't likely to get any better. So, off we went.

First problem: there were a lot more side streets on this route than there are on the one we normally run. That means more stop-and-go's, more holding the kids' hand across streets, and just a generally difficult time keeping a rhythm of any kind.

Second problem: there was a section of about 2 blocks on the "out" leg that had no sidewalk! Not a big deal for adults, but with little kids, it threw a kink in things.

Third problem: it was really hot, and despite a lack of clouds, managed to be humid too. Also, for whatever reason, my son is more comfortable in pants than running shorts so he was roasting not long into the run. This made for uncomfortable, overheated, and therefore, whiny kids.

Fourth problem: the elevation chart LIED!! The whole 17 blocks back were UPHILL!

But how could this have happened? That's what I wanted to know! I had left the map open on my computer and when I went to look, there had been some kind of glitch where it registered my starting point at sea-level. This means that the whole rest of the route looked about level. After going back and reloading the page, and setting up the run again, the actual elevation chart looked like this:

D'OH!!!

The moral of the story: maybe drive new routes first?

You must run, before you run hills...

Ok so its not as catchy as "You must walk before you run", but its still just as true. The reason why toddlers must walk before they run has to do with muscle development. There must be a base amount of muscle tone and development, all of which is acquired by walking. Once the muscles are sufficiently developed, toddlers stop simply toppling over when they try to run, and finally take off.

As a runner, you are once again a toddler. No, that doesn't mean that you can wear a diaper to work. Unless your boss treats you like a baby and you want to make a statement - in which case, please send pictures! No, new runners are just developing and slowly strengthening key muscles and tendons. Here's where the hills come in: don't do it!

When I first started running, my husband and I were trying to figure out what to do with the kids. We came to the conclusion that we would have to bring them with us, so we asked them whether they would rather run with us, or play while we ran (probably around a track while they played in the grass in the middle). They said that they wanted to run too. So then we had to find a place to run that would be safe with young kids. There is an absolutely adorable park near us that has nice rolling hills and a 1.5 mile jogging loop with its own lane. Perfect!

I had wondered about the wisdom of running hills, but as my husband pointed out, you have to run hills sometime, and if you do it from the beginning, then it won't be such a big deal when it comes up - after all, you'll have lots of practice. The logic was seemingly airtight.

So we did our runs for the first several weeks - and a couple repeated weeks due to allergies and the flu - in this lovely park with the bucolic rolling hills. But then I got the weirdest sensation in my left hip joint. It felt like it needed to pop, but it wouldn't - no matter what I did - and it hurt to walk. After a really good, deep stretch it felt better, so I decided to investigate what it might be. I went to the library and checked out several books on sports injuries, injury prevention, and so on. The culprit: strained groin muscle.

It turns out, I was trying to run before I had spent a sufficient time walking. I hadn't built up enough of a base strength to be able to run those nice, rolling hills. And the really funny part? It wasn't the up-hills - it was the down-hills! When you run down-hill, you shift your weight back, take shorter strides, and basically just run completely differently. Now don't get me wrong, the up-hills can be just as bad - after all, its just like down-hills but in reverse: we lean into the hill, and really dig to try to get up the hill (or just take tiny steps, which still alters which muscles you're working). Going up-hill puts even more strain on your knees than you were already subjecting them to, and it makes the run more difficult than it needs to be for a beginner runner.

So what to do? Plan your runs to avoid hills if at all possible. If its not possible, minimize how many hills there are, and try to keep the incline as low as possible - the steeper it is, the worse it is. And above all, don't try to pop your groin muscle!!

Gear: Shorts/Pants/Tights, etc.

Since your legs do most of the work of running, it is understandable that there are a multitude of options for how to clothe them while running. Firstly, know that as long as it is made from some sort of active-wear type fabric, it will probably do. After that though, come the options.

Tights

Guys - don't worry, they're not see through, and usually aren't pink or have flowers on them (although I understand that pink ones can be found for support of breast cancer research) . Nope, running tights are those things you see runners wearing that look like a sleek swimsuit for legs. They are meant to be worn like a second skin, and are surprisingly warm despite the lack of appreciable amounts of fabric. However, because of this inherent warmth, they are really meant for cold-weather running. They are perfect for late fall, winter, and exceedingly early race mornings. Running tights come in several lengths from all the way to your ankles, to just above the knee, and everywhere in between.

Lightweight workout pants

These are sort of the catch-all workout pants that seem to be good for everything - running, yoga, ellipticals, chasing those damn kids off your lawn, whatever you want really. I personally like to wear them when its a bit chilly for shorts, but not cold enough for tights. These are arguably the most flexible of lower-body running wear. They come in all sorts of lengths, colors, designs, brands, and so on. In fact, you probably already owned some before you even started running!

Shorts

Ah, running shorts. We've all seen them. Some of us even have nightmares about them. But as a runner, they are absolutely indispensable. As noted in another post, there is no need to wear underwear with them. They come in a number of different cuts and styles. There are the ones that look like the love child of boxer briefs and a swimsuit, the ones that are flowy, brightly colored daisy dukes, and there are the ones that combine the two (yep, it looks like you're wearing the daisy dukes over the boxer swimsuit, but its really one piece). Then of course there are ones that come to about mid-thigh. They are loose and airy, moisture-wicking, and excellent for keeping you cool. They come in all sorts of colors, patterns, and levels of ridiculous-ness. And they are absolutely essential.

In general, for a year-round runner that plans to run outside, all of these are necessary additions to the running wardrobe. There will be days when each is most appropriate to the current weather.

A note on sizing

As aggravating as it may be, most running clothes run small. I know, right? So that means that if you are normally an XL, you'll likely need a 2- or even 3X. As if that isn't demoralizing enough, most stores that carry running clothes don't stock extended sizes. Its not that they're not out there, the stores just don't carry them. For example, Nike makes running shorts all the way up to 3X, but good luck finding them in a store. An exception may be a factory store, but that will depend greatly.

However, there is hope! Reebok has managed to stay sane. When I first started running, I was an XL (about a size 18 or so). However, when I tried on Nike, Adidas, Under Armour, etc, not only were their XL's too small, they fit tighter than my underwear! It was ridiculous! I couldn't even pull some of them on! And then came Reebok...as far as I can tell, Reebok fits true to size. Sure enough, their shorts fit! Last weekend, I went to my Dick's Sporting Goods (which has an enormous running wear section) to see if I could find these mythical extended sizes. Nope, they don't carry them. They carry men's sizes up to 3- or even 4X, but no women's sizes over XL. Dick's even carries the extended sizes on their website, but come on! Running shorts are sized weird, and frankly, most bigger people are shaped differently than the bean-poles that they design these shorts for, so if anyone needs to be able to try on running shorts, its fatties! I would love to start a campaign to demand appropriate exercise wear for bigger sizes be carried in stores, but where to start?

What do you think? What's your preferred running bottom? Have any suggestions for the rest of us?

Fatty Tip: You're Gonna Get Hungry...Really Hungry

You know all those products on the market that claim to 'boost your metabolism'? You know the ones, pomegranate extract, B vitamins, etc, etc, the list goes on forever. Well, it turns out that if you're looking for a metabolism booster, running is an excellent source.

In the process of ramping-up your muscle building and fat burning, your body becomes a calorie burning furnace. In order to keep that furnace burning, your body demands food. A lot. I find that I get hungry (noticeably) about every 2 - 2 1/2 hours. Hmm, isn't that interesting, isn't that about how often all the experts say we should be eating to maintain weight loss? Coincidence? I think not.

The key here is how you deal with the hunger. First of all, be aware that its coming and plan for it. All that hard work you put in this morning will be for naught if you satisfy that first pang with an entire bag of Doritos. Or a bucket of chicken. Seriously, you'll be starving! So, remember when I said that boatloads of veggies and fruit are essential for fat loss? This is a great place to apply that knowledge! This is also an excellent opportunity to stay on top of hydration. Every time you find yourself hungry, drink some water. Now, I'm not saying drink water instead of eating, I'm saying drink water in addition to eating. Remember, feeding the furnace is essential to keep it burning.

As an example, here's what was in my "lunch" bag today:

- Morning snack: celery and carrot spears with peanut butter

-Lunch: leftover whole-wheat spaghetti with lean ground turkey and chunky fresh veggies, with a fresh side salad with more carrots and fat-free Italian dressing

- Afternoon snack 1: Apple

-Afternoon snack 2: Banana, coffee, and a snickerdoodle (hey, I am human...)

Ok, so it wasn't all in my lunch bag - afternoon snack 2 I had when I got home from work :). But the point is to eat small snacks throughout the day. Notice the near complete lack of processed carbs, and the presence of lots of fiber, this too will help.

To avoid boredom, have lots of variety. For my veggie snacks I may have celery, carrots, cucumber spears, or sliced bell peppers. Also, don't be afraid to spice it up! Italian dressing makes a very flavorful dip with very little actual dressing used. Also, peanut butter is a great way to add in some protein. For fruits, mix it up there too. Good packable fruits include apples, pears, bananas, cantaloupe, watermelon, and honeydew. Sliced kiwi, anyone? Oranges, grapefruit? The list is limited only by your imagination and personal taste. The key is to move on from one as soon as you start to feel the slightest boredom - just leave it out of the rotation for a while.

How about you? What are your go-to snacks?

Fatty Tip: Your Underwear are Going to Fall Down

Or roll down, whichever. You know how hard it is to find underwear that fit right? Yes well, "fitting right" is a completely different story when it comes to running. See, all that bouncing, jostling, and jiggling, makes it harder for your undies to stay where they belong.

As you're running along, bouncy, bouncy, bouncy, little by little your undies are going to slide - or roll- down off your belly. And then what? You leave them there so that they can fall all the way off your ass? Or you try to find a way to pull up your underwear in the middle of a public park and hope the concerned parents don't call the cops?

There are two things you can do here. 1) Wear big underwear. The bigger they are (as in the higher up they come on your belly), the more room you've got to move around without them falling down. 2) Weather permitting, wear running shorts. They have the underwear already built in, so the CAN'T fall down!

Stumbling Block: Running with Allergies

In case you are lucky enough to not suffer from an outdoor allergy, let me just say: it sucks. Hard. Now here's the really fun part: you may have them, and not even know it.

I had never really had a problem with allergies, until after 1) I started running, and 2) the trees started blooming. Apparently, allergies are dose-dependent. Think of it like a bottle of wine. After one glass, you're still fine - no real inebriation. But after the whole bottle...

Allergies work something like the bottle of wine. While just walking around outside going about your normal business, you body may be able to handle pollen just fine and any effects you feel are minimal. But when you're running, you're huffing down the pollen at such a high dose that your body can't take it anymore. That's exactly what happened to me. I had been running just fine, until one day in April. The run itself went fine, but after about 5 minutes of cool down I started sneezing uncontrollably. My kids helpfully counted over 20 sneezes in the first 5 minutes. Plus, my nose was running like a faucet. I was a mess.

That's where my exploration into running with allergies started. There is good news and there is bad news. The good news: there is relief in sight. The bad news: there's no quick fix. First, if you do have allergies, you'll need an anti-histamine. Most over-the-counter ones will work just fine. However, anti-histamines don't work like painkillers - when you first take them, you likely won't notice any difference at all. In fact, it takes about 2 weeks to build up a good amount of anti-histamine in your system.

So, what to do for those 2 weeks? You basically have 2 options: suffer through it, or take it easy. If you opt to suffer through it, there are some things you can do to make it less painful:

1. Pollen levels are highest early in the morning and late in the evening, so run in the afternoon.
2. Try a nasal spray before your run. The idea here is that the spray acts as a barrier between the pollen and your nasal tissue. It works for some, and not for others, so you'll need to experiment a little.
3. Take a shower the minute you walk in the house, and quarantine your clothes. This keeps the pollen from lingering on you and continuing to aggravate you.
4. Stay super hydrated - the better hydrated you are, the better your body can fight allergens.
5. Ladies: beware your period. For whatever reason, we're more susceptible to allergy attacks during and just before our periods.

Lastly, know your allergy. Sometimes its obvious, sometimes not, but by knowing what it is that you're reacting to, you can track the specific levels of that pollen to know when to tough it out, or when it might be better to skip it. Even better: you'll be able to find out when it will stop blooming....

When to Run

With everyone being busier than ever, how on earth are we supposed to find an hour or more to do something like exercise? If its not already a part of your routine, it can be incredibly difficult to work it in.

When I first started running it was March - which is still cold and snowy. It wasn't so cold that there was ice on the pavement though, so it was okay for running. I am completely not a morning person, so when I first started running, I went after school/work (whichever ended later that day). And that worked out great. Until the weather turned nice.

See, while a 65 degree day is perfect for walking, gardening, picnics, and general sun worshiping, it is rough to run in. It turns out that while you're exercising and your body is working like mad to keep you cool, you actually make yourself a warm little personal bubble. In fact, as a general rule, you should plan for a full 20 degrees warmer than the actual temperature. That means that on a brisk 45 degree morning, you'll be experiencing a pleasant 65 degrees. And that perfect sun-worshiping 65 degree day? Yeah, it just became 85 degrees that you have to run in. Around where I live, our day time highs right now are averaging in the high 70s, so that means that I either run in the morning or the evening. And lets face it, by the time the evening rolls around, I'm tired, likely frustrated by my day, and I've gotten stubborn.

It took a significant amount of trial and error before I finally admitted to myself that I was going to have to get my pillow-loving ass out of bed in the mornings to run before work. Sigh. I've gotten pretty okay with it though. I have a feeling my coworkers can tell which days were running days based solely on my mood and productivity. I feel better when I run in the morning. Plus, its still nice and cool, so my personal bubble rarely gets over 70 degrees. My only real struggle is the weekend.

A lot of runners love the weekend. Why? Without the constraints of weekday obligations, they have more time to run. For those training for long distance races, that is when they often do their 'long' runs - runs that can be up to twice the distance they run during a weekday run. They merrily get up early and run for a few hours. Now, assuming that I was physically able, I don't have a problem with the 'few hours' part. Its the getting up early. I HATE getting up early, especially if there are no obligations that mean that I have to. I like sleep, so sue me.

This tends to make running on the weekends tricky though. If I sleep in, it is likely to already be in the 70s by 9 or 10am. A 90 degree bubble is no es bueno. I still haven't worked out all the kinks on that one yet. Take this morning for example. Today is a running day - at some point, I will get my 2 miles in. My hubby helpfully asked if I wanted to get up and go run at 7:30. I said 'not yet', and we went back to sleep. I next woke up at 10am, when it was already 63 degrees outside. Nice. I could have gone and done my run then, but this is likely the only time I'll get with the kids to work on their Father's Day projects without him around (he's still sleeping) before the big day tomorrow. (Or at least that's what I'm telling myself.) So now, I am forced to wait for the evening.

How about you? When do you run? Pros, cons?

Running for Weight Loss

Or rather, for fat loss. For this journey, you're going to have to let go of the number on the scale for a little while. Running is indeed the granddaddy of all cardio, and is an ideal exercise for weight loss - the kind that stays off. However, it is by no means a quick fix.

Hard truth: you're going to gain weight. At first. Now there are those that will say that if you're on the right diet, that won't happen. If it doesn't happen, you're doing something wrong, and you're likely going to hurt yourself.

See, it comes down to a somewhat simple equation. Muscle weighs more than fat. At first, you'll be building muscle faster than you can burn the fat. However, the mere presence of all that muscle will make you a fat-burning machine! Muscle burns fat just by its very existence, so even when you're sleeping, you'll still be burning fat! Little by little, the muscle will stop building and start maintaining. Also little by little, you'll be burning more and more fat.

So at first, you'll gain a little weight (I gained ~ 10 lbs). Then, you'll start losing it again - slowly at first, but then faster. The weird thing is, while you're gaining weight, you'll be losing inches. I swear to you, I had stopped weighing myself (it got too depressing), but I noticed that all my clothes were fitting loose, or not fitting at all, so I excitedly hopped on the scale. Bad idea.

To help things along, be careful what you eat. TONS of veggies and fruit are absolutely essential. But also, eat whole grains a few times a day. Whole-oat oatmeal with raisins makes for a power-packed, run-fueling, fat-burning breakfast. Also, drink copious amounts of water, it helps to flush your system.

I weighed myself this morning for the first time in a couple of months. I was about 3 lbs less than when I started running. But, I'm also 2 pants sizes smaller.

Where to Run: Surfaces

One of the many things that I had no idea about when I started this thing, was the importance of where you run. For new runners, especially those of us putting even more strain than usual on our joints, the surface you run on can make the difference between a good run and an ice pack.

The four most common surfaces are concrete, asphalt, chip trails, and packed-dirt trails.

Concrete: This one is probably the most accessible to the most runners. Concrete is the white pavement that sidewalks are made of. It is also the toughest of these four on your joints. As the firmest surface, it increases impact and therefore strain on your joints. If you have no other option but concrete, just be aware of this and try to land as gently on your feet as you can.

Asphalt: You remember this one from Driver's Ed, right? I still shudder when I think of "Red Asphalt"...For runners though, asphalt is pretty decent choice. It has more give than concrete, and so is less stressful on joints. It also, however, is most commonly found as a street. Where there are cars. So, good for your joints, bad for you as a potential target for that kid who's texting and driving at the same time. However, lots of parks have paved running/walking trails made of asphalt, which makes for a better running surface and less chance of you as roadkill.

Packed-dirt Trails: These trails are exactly what they sound like. They've been used enough that the dirt has gotten packed down to a nice firm surface. Believe it or not, there's probably one in your local park. Runners often wear these trails into the outer perimeter of a park by running that path all the time. Dirt surfaces have plenty of give, and can actually be a bit springy - allowing you to get a better push-off with less exertion. One caution though: in wet weather, these can get really slippery, so watch your footing.

Chip Trails: You know those pretty trails full of wood chip you sometimes see in parks? Try running on one some time. They are the easiest on joints since the soft chip has lots of give. However, they have A LOT of give, so its harder to use the ground to push off at each step. This tends to slow you down somewhat.

How to choose a surface:

The first thing is what's available. If there aren't any chip trails near you, then obviously that one's not an option. If you do have access to more than one, I would recommend switching them up every so often. For example, if you're having a lot of soreness, run on one of the gentler surfaces for a while. Been on gentle for a while, switch to asphalt or concrete, after all, most races are run on paved surfaces. After a few runs you'll come to notice that you have a preference for some surfaces over others.

Motivation (The Runner's High)

I was talking to my sister last night, and she said that she had thought about trying the Couch to 5K, but that she lacked the motivation. As a new mom, it would mean not only getting herself ready, but getting the baby ready, and then strapping her in and dealing with a stroller the whole way. Talk about a massive hassle.

This made me think about motivation. We all have our reasons why we can't do something -especially something monotonous and as seemingly pointless as running when our lives are not in danger. But what is your reason why you CAN? Or better yet, why you will?

For me, it was a combination of things. Firstly, let me just say that I HATE exercise for the sake of exercise. Seriously. Gyms kill me. I have 5 million better things to do with my time. I'm working on qualifying for my PhD for god's sake. On top of that, I have 2 kids under 10, part of my grad school requirements are that I not only have to take classes, I also have to teach them, and still find time for my research. There just aren't enough hours in the day. Secondly, I HATE feeling like I'm not in control of my life. I have spent way too much time methodically planning what I want to do, and where I want to be to just let go.

So that's where I was at the start of this thing. Stressed out, not sleeping well, not happy with myself physically. And then some jerk of a professor decides to pull a stunt that (it seemed to me) put my entire career in jeopardy (don't ask). I was a wreck! I had lost all control. I went from not sleeping well, to hardly sleeping at all. I was a complete mess. After a couple weeks, I decided that it was time to get a grip. I needed to find something to focus my energy on. Something that I could control. You always hear about how exercise makes for good stress relief, helps you sleep better, blah, blah, blah. So, hey, what the hell, I thought. After all, if I really hate it, I can just quit. That's the beauty of being in control.

But how does that fit in with the 'I hate exercise' thing? I may hate exercise, but I'm competitive as hell. I love a challenge. I love when people tell me I can't do something, for the simple joy of rubbing it in their self-righteous faces when I do. Plus, it wasn't pointless. At the end of this whole thing, I was supposed to run a race. That gave meaning to the exercise. In essence, it was no longer exercise for the sake of exercise, it was training - preparation for a competition.

That's why I started, but why do I keep going? Ever heard of a runner's high? Usually when you hear of such things, it applies to seriously long distance runners. Well, that's because their bodies are used to running a lot. As with any drug, over time, your body gets used to the adrenaline, endorphin, and other feel-good chemicals and it takes more and more to feel the effect. But for you, it won't take much. Caveat: every expert account I've read says that not everyone experiences the runner's high, but I sure as hell do. Seriously, I was never really into illegal drugs, but god I get twitchy if I go too long between runs. I get cranky. I get restless. I need my fix.

But oh man, that high. Truth: the actual running part can suck quite a lot. Afterward though, I think more quickly, I'm in a fantastic mood, I am insanely focused and productive. And it lasts for HOURS, sometimes most of the day. And then that night, I sleep like a baby. Of all the things to get addicted to, I highly recommend this one!

One more stumbling block to the motivation to get started: you feel like an idiot. This is totally common among new runners, but is especially common with us Fatties. We don't know how to do it right. We're going to jiggle and bounce worse than Homer Simpson. Jello is going to look down right graceful next to us. So F-ing what?! There are precautions you can take against the jiggle, to an extent. After that, screw what everybody else thinks! I saw a quote a few days ago that said, 'No matter how slow you go, you're still lapping all those people on the couch.' Damn right I am!

Why This Blog? Why Running?

One of my favorite paradoxes is fat people and exercise. People snidely say that fat people should get off our asses and exercise. But holy crap, look at their faces when we actually do! Those super fit people (think, overly perky girls in nothing but glorified undies) sneer, roll their eyes, and just generally adopt a 'holier than thou' attitude.

Also, I love how everyone says that exercise is so easy. Well of course they say that, the people doing the talking are those same perky pains-in-the-ass. So, when a fatty (like me) does decide to bite the bullet and commit to a serious exercise regimen, it is a) really easy to get discouraged, and b) really hard to find honest information about what to expect.

That's where this blog comes in. I have spent the last several months developing myself into a running neophyte. I've seen injuries, puzzled over running gear, got lost in shoes, and discovered a ridiculous amount of information about myself. So, I have chosen to graciously share the result of all of my information gleaning. I will tell you the truth. At times it won't be pretty. It can be pretty embarrassing. It will often be snarky. But most of all, I hope that it will be informative.

So, why running? To be honest, when I was coming to the decision that I wanted to find a way to exercise, I was pretty broke. Running seemed like a pretty good solution: no gym membership needed, no expensive equipment, no set schedules, just me, my feet, and a place to run. Also, I had never been able to run a whole mile at a time, ever. Never, ever. Not even as a kid. So, the idea that I could do that seemed pretty cool. I had also recently run across a beginner's running program to prepare you for a 5K race (more on that program later). And so, I took the plunge.

Where am I now? I've been training for 3 1/2 months. I did in fact hit that 1 mile mark - and I kept going. My plan is to run my first 5K race on the 4th of July. Wish me luck!