When Racing is Fun

It's been a hard year for me when it comes to running. I was injured most of last summer and fall. I spent the winter focusing on rehabbing my leg and doing lots of yoga. Physical Therapy was great and I learned a lot - about my body, why I was breaking down and why I was not getting faster. When I started running again, it was slow and short. I got stronger and faster and thought I could race a half marathon this fall. Unfortunately, that did not happen. Life threw me some obstacles and, of course, right around the time of the race! My July half marathon didn't go as planned and it took a little bit to get out of the funk. I was totally bummed- it was one of my slower half marathons. However, I have found some great running friends here in Seattle and they helped me get out of my funk; I ran Ragnar Relay Northwest Passage and just this past weekend, the Woodinville Destination Races Half Marathon. I did both of these events as fun runs and ended up with fast times and feeling great.

Sometimes you need to shift your focus and make races less about a time or a PR and more about the experience and the joy of running. I was able to wave to people on my half, enjoy the scenery and the post race wine and beer tasting event. I'm now ready to run again and focus on specific workouts and racing. I just needed a little fun in between. So, if you find yourself in a running funk or just can't get faster, take a different approach. You might even surprise yourself with the result!

Planning for Postpartum Running

Jessica & Little Birds

Today @ 38 weeks

Little Bird onesie!

Life is about to change yet again for this Hot Bird as I prepare the arrival of our second little bird on or around September 30th! I can’t wait to meet the little one, but I also can’t wait be able to move again.

As anyone who’s been pregnant knows, these final weeks are the most grueling. You are uncomfortable, anxious and ready to reclaim your body. Additionally, like a lot of people will tell you, the second time around has been a little bit tougher on my body. When it comes to exercise, I had to stop pretty much all impact related activity (including running) beginning at the end of June due to what I call an unhappy right hip/pelvis.

Since then I’ve become an “avid” swimmer only to be lapped quite frequently by women more than twice my age.  It’s kept me sane and in shape, but I am literally counting the days until I get to trade in my swim cap for my running shoes and hit the trails again. 

This is a dangerous time though because it’s easy to forget that I will not only be recovering from labor and delivery, but also from 9 months of growing a baby (and an unhappy hip). All that extra weight and the crazy hormones cause changes to your body that don’t bounce back as quickly as the size of your uterus (which shrinks back up to it’s original size, not tone, in around 6-8 weeks postpartum).  As a result, I have to remind myself that although my body will be baby free by the beginning of October, it won’t be until 2016 when I start to feel whole again on the trails. 

So, it’s time to set realistic goals for my postpartum return. I encourage other expecting runners to do the same. As my guideline, I will follow the advice I provided in my Trail Runner article, “Returning to the Trails After Pregnancy.” In this article, I remind expecting mothers and newly postpartum runners that it’s best to hold off from running for at least 6 weeks. During this time you should work on reconnecting with your core and realigning your center of gravity. Stick to low impact activities and rather than intensity, set goals for frequency. Begin to figure out how exercise fits into your new schedule.

Once ready to start running again, it is essential to avoid overdoing it. Believe me, this is hard, but patience pays off. If you want a race to motivate you through your recovery, choose one that gives you ample time to build back up. Since I’m due at the end of September, I’m looking at a mid to late spring half that I can train for and feel strong about without feeling like I’m pressed for time or racing to get to the starting line feeling ready. This worked really well last time.

After the birth of my daughter two years ago, I waited 6 weeks full weeks to run, then enjoyed two months of running without stressing about my mileage, my time or how I felt. During this time I truly soaked up the ability to run and feel good about it before worrying about how fast or long I was running. By springtime, I was feeling strong. Then, in the fall, a year after my first birth, I PR’d the NYC marathon with a 3:16 finish (6 minutes faster than my previous best).  I credit this success to my patience and a slow, safe return to running postpartum. It is in these final weeks of pregnancy and the weeks immediately following my delivery that I will need to remember this!

Easy ways to warm up

For many of us, we roll out of bed to run or bolt out the door after work. In both those scenarios, and probably countless others, our bodies have been in a state of rest or static for a long period of time. Running is a jarring activity, thus, you want to ease your body into your run. A fast walk or slow jog works well. Do that for about 2 minutes or a few blocks and then pick it up.

If you feel like your legs are not turning over or if the run is a faster run, you will want to do a few extra exercises to warm up the body. Here are 2 of our favorites that are easy to implement and do as part of your mileage. Do each exercise 2x for 30 seconds (or 1 full city block).

High Knees

Butt Kicks

For a more complete warm up routine, check out our dynamic stretching for runners. Dynamic stretching is a great way to warm up before running because the movements take the joint and muscles through motions, getting them ready to fire, as opposed to static which is designed to relax muscles. We recommend this before any track or interval workout.

Staying motivated

Training for a marathon isn't an easy endeavor. There are early morning runs to avoid the heat, lots of long weekend runs, speed workouts, cross training, and to add to it, sleeping, eating and your non-running life! It can be hard to balance everything, especially during the summertime when we are taking vacations and enjoying the nice weather and longer days. Losing motivation or finding yourself skipping runs is a natural by product of training. When you find yourself in this predicament, try these 4 tips. They've helped me and Jessica out of a few ruts.

1. Meet a friend, or a group, for a run. Use your easy or recovery days to run with a friend. Use the time to chat and keep yourself honest with your pace (this should be your slower run). Group runs are great because of the different paces; one week the group pace might challenge you and another week, it's might help you hit that slow, easy pace.

2. Pick a destination. Use your running time to reconnect with friends and then continue the conversation over drinks, brunch or coffee. Or, head out by yourself - plot out runs that end at your favorite brunch spot, new coffee shops, or your local wine bar and reward yourself at the end.  Don’t forget your money (we keep our money and IDs in a plastic sandwich bag- it works)!

3. Change of scenery.  Keep things fresh or re-inspire your running by exploring new routes through your city. Hop on a subway, train or drive out to a park or lake you haven't run around.  If you’re traveling, look online for local running spots instead of leaving directly from your hotel. 

4. Accountability. Find a coach, a buddy, or a family member to hold you accountable. Give them your training schedule and ask them to ask you about your runs.  If that's too much, print out your monthly plan and tape it to the mirror in your bathroom or leave it on the fridge so you'll see it everyday.

How Speed Workouts Improve Your Running

With fall marathon season in full swing many runners, both seasoned marathons and newbies, are taking to the track for some faster paced running. Ever wonder if it's worth it? Here are five reasons why interval workouts are for every marathoner:

1. Build Strength
Speed work gets fast-twitch muscle fibers firing, and recruits more muscles than slow runs do. As you lengthen your stride to sprint, you engage your glutes, hip flexors, and extensors. This improves range of motion and helps alleviate tightness.

2. Faster Feet
When you run a fast pace, your feet turn over at a more rapid rate. So with enough practice, this quicker cadence becomes more natural, which means you'll need less effort to move faster on any run.

3. Improve Stamina
Speed sessions help maximize your aerobic capacity. When you hit a fast pace, you force the heart to pump oxygen through the body at a quicker rate. Over time, that makes your heart stronger, so it can deliver more oxygen to the muscles, and helps your muscles use oxygen more efficiently.

4. Run Stronger and Longer
By sustaining a comfortably hard effort, you condition your body to hold a faster pace for longer before lactic acid—the waste produced when the body burns glucose—starts accumulating. That helps stave off the burning sensation that's so often linked with running hard.

5. Make the Joy of Running Last
Even if you don't care about getting fast, you'll enjoy the post track euphoria and the fitness gains that go along with speed work. When you're fitter, you can cover the same miles with less effort and bust through plateaus.

The Do Anywhere Speed Workout

by Meghan Reynolds

We created this workout for people who are short on time, don't have access to a track and want to lose weight. It consists of alternating speed and recovery intervals, i.e. a HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) workout. HIIT workouts increase your metabolism and bring a new quickness to your running. Your body burns more fat and calories after a HIIT workout than you do after a long run. This type of a workout is a great way train efficiently without having to buy a lot of equipment.

Here's the workout: warm up with a 10-15 minute easy jog and then do 2-3 rounds of this set: 120 seconds, 90 seconds, 60 seconds and 30 second speed intervals with a 1-minute recovery jog in between each speed interval.  Aim for a consistent pace within each speed interval and to be able to maintain the same pace for each one. Rest for about 2-3 minutes between each set. Run at least 1/2 mile as cool down and then stretch.

What is the appropriate pace for the speed intervals? That is up to and depends on your pace. We recommend running at 80% of your max heart rate. This is not an all out sprint - just below that. You should be able to finish each interval without feeling like you have to bend over to catch your breath or throw up. I let my breath guide me: when I'm wheezing (or my breath is raspy), I'm running too fast.  When we say recovery jog, we mean a SLOW recovery jog. It's more like a shuffle (without getting sloppy on your form). Seriously. 

To complete this workout all you need is a watch and maybe some fun tunes to help you pick it up on the speed intervals and get your feet to turn over faster. Have questions, feel free to reach out to us.

Have fun!

Review - Mizuno's new Wave Enigma 5

I was provided this test pair of Mizuno Enigma 5 as part of a Fitfluential Campaign in exchange for my honest opinion.

I have been a long time Mizuno fan so when I got the opportunity to review a pair of their new Wave Engima shoes, I said "yes"! They sent me the Wave Enigma 5, a neutral shoe the delivers a soft, responsive and cushiony ride. I usually prefer a lighter, racing sneaker so I was interested to see if this would feel heavy and slow me down. It didn't. I have run 5 mile tempo runs and 10 mile slower runs and both have felt great; not heavy or slow. These shoes are now part of my weekly running rotation. I keep them for my easy or recovery days and run in the Wave Sayonara for my speed days.

Here is the tech info: gmail

I recommend the Wave Enigma 5 to people who are coming off injury, have chronic foot pain or just want a more cushioned run. They reduce the shock of foot impact without being clunky. Happy Running!

5 Tips for Newbie Runners

The most common mistake new runners make is deciding to just go and run. It's easy to do – just lace up those sneakers and head out the door, right? Wrong. Running without building up a base or starting out too fast can lead to injuries and burnout. Follow our tips below to enjoy the run and want to keep lacing up those sneakers.

• Begin with run/walk intervals. Even if you are fit (go to the gym, take spin classes, etc), running is hard on your body. If you're not used to running, there’s more room for injury and soreness.  that's why we recommend newbies start with a Run/Walk approach. If you're off the couch, start slowly because an injury will only hamper your progress. Your run/walk intervals might be 1/3 (1 minute running and 3 minutes walking). If you're highly active, you might want to try 5/2 or 7/2 intervals.
• Measure progress in minutes, not miles. When you first start running, aim to exercise for at least 30 minutes. Once you hit 30 minutes of run/walk intervals, slowly begin to increase the run intervals by a minute or two each week. Once you reach 30 minutes of continuous running, you can begin to measure your progress in miles.
• Focus on effort, not pace. During the run intervals, you want to be able to talk without feeling winded. If you start to feel winded, slow down. Monitor how your body responds to the effort during training (i.e. how you feel) as opposed to your minute-per-mile pace.
• Frequency is important. Aim for three days of run/walk intervals and don’t run/walk two days in a row. The non-running days allow your muscles and joints to get use to the pounding. This doesn’t mean you shouldn't exercise. Go for a bike ride, take a yoga class or adopt a strength-training routine. You want to build up your cardiovascular health, so aim to be active five or six days a week.
• Invest in the proper shoes. It's true that running is a pretty low-cost, low-maintenance sport. However, there are a few key pieces of "equipment" that require an investment. The most important piece is finding a proper shoe. Not all running sneakers are created equally, nor are all correct for you. Go to a specialty running store (not a store like Sports Authority) and talk to the sales person about your new endeavor and fitness history. Don't be embarrassed! They are there to help you find a shoe you love so you, in turn, will love running.

5 Ways to Prepare for Marathon Training

Wondering what you should be doing to get ready for fall marathon training? You’re not alone. Here’s how we recommend you fill those precious weeks leading up to the start of your marathon training:

(1) GET HEALTHY. Now’s the time for a little TLC for any extra tightness or nagging pain that’s been creeping it’s way into your spring running. Maybe this means taking a week or two off from running or a couple visits to your favorite therapist. Also, don’t forget the value of a good non-running shoe. Women, with warmer, summer weather comes flat sandals, flip flops and high-heeled sandals. None of these are good for your achilles or your feet. Instead, spend more time in shoes with about a 1-inch lift and some arch support.

(2) SETTLE INTO A ROUTINE. Marathon training must be a priority for it to be successful. So, make sure you’ve figured out a way to fit in at least 3 runs a week including one day a week that will work for your longer runs. If you figure out how to make your schedule work in advance, it’ll be a lot less stressful when training officially begins.

(3) PICK UP THE PACE. Get your body used to the faster paced workouts included in most marathon training plans with at least one run a week that includes speed bursts in the middle or at the end of your run. For example, after a couple miles into your run, pick up the pace 4-6 times for 15 seconds to a couple minutes. You don’t need to sprint, but get out of your easy, regular pace. Alternatively, finish your run with a fast last mile at a comfortably hard pace similar to a tempo pace. This pace should feel challenging, but you should still be able to control your breathing.

(4) LONG RUN PREP. Take a look at the long run distance in week 1 of your training plan. Now make sure you’re ready to tackle that distance by building up over the next couple of weeks to a mile or two below this distance. For example, if the first week of your plan has you running 10 miles, you should be able to run 8 miles before starting week 1. This way you adhere to the 10% rule of only increasing your long run distance by about 10% each week. 

(5) FIND A PLAN! No marathon experience is the same, so we believe no plan should be exactly same. Make sure your training plans works for you – not just your training partner. For a fully customized training approach and a fun, supportive environment, check out our 16-week training plans.  

Tips for Running with a GPS Watch (or not)

Get the most of tracking your runs with these GPS watch tips:

1. Pace setting: I prefer lap pace over current pace. Current pace bounces around way too much for me. If you have it in lap pace, then it measures your average pace thus far for the current lap (i.e the distance travelled thus far for that lap and your total time in transit for that lap – and calculates your average pace). Calculating the average pace prevents the watch from jumping around when you’re on a slight hill or have a quick speed burst within your lap that might screw you up if you were to look down at your pace at that exact moment.

What is a lap? It’s whatever you set your watch at. For current pace it’s based on one mile. If you want your average mile pace, then keep your lap set to 1 mile.

If you want to reset the pace before your lap is up, just hit lap on your watch and wait a few seconds for it to recalibrate.  Note that it does not adjust immediately. 

Overall, I find that current pace can really mess with your head if you’re trying to stay on pace using your watch.

2. Auto Pause: Turn this off. It's annoying (i think).

3. Auto Lap vs. Manual Lap: Auto lap is great when you are running tempos or long runs or somewhere without mile markers, but when you're on the track or in a race, turn off auto lap. It will mess with your tracking.

In a race, opt for manual lap every time. All you have to do is manually hit lap as you pass each mile marker. This way you know for sure exactly how fast you are running each mile according to the race course not the gps - often they are not exactly the same. If you forget at one mile, then hit lap at the next mile and divide by two for your average pace over the last two miles. 

I actually prefer a good ole timex stopwatch during races or turn off my gps altogether and manually hit lap.  This way I don't have to worry about losing satellite connection or low battery issues and I know I'm tracking myself the same way the race course is tracking me. Manual lap is also good for track workouts because you don't want it to accidentally lap you when you in the middle of an interval and often times your laps are shorter than the auto lap setting.

4. Ditch the GPS altogether.  Do one run a week without tracking your pace. It’s healthy to forget about pacing sometimes.

Jesssica's favorite watch these days is a good old fashioned sportswatch. The best part is you never have to charge it!

Strength exercises we all need

If you are a client or follow our blog, you know we love our cross training - yoga, strength classes, spin, and any other fun class that is out that. I've been reminded of how important it is to running this past month. After coming off an injury and doing a ton of physical therapy work, I started running in mid February. I started off slowly - no more than 30 minutes, every other day. I was doing my therapy exercises and feeling good. Somewhere along the way, I started to slack off on the therapy exercises. I can't pinpoint it exactly but I think it was after I ran 6 miles pain free. I thought "I'm better!" And that equated to not having to continue my exercises - WRONG!

I'm still running pain free but after a few weeks of not really doing any strength (yikes - Jessica would scold me), I can feel it - little aches and pains, my legs are too sore after hills. So, I signed up for some strength classes and recommitted to doing my exercises. I do them 2x a week and go to a strength class 1x a week. For now, this is what works with my schedule and life. The results? I feel stronger on the hills and I'm now sore but in the right places!

If you need some ideas, here's what we recommend:

• Clamshells
• Bridge lift series
• Sit ups (with knees at 90 degrees)
• Squats
• Backward lunges
• Plank (30-60 seconds, option to move into side plank)
• Multiplanar single leg exercises

And, for those of you who need some extra motivation, a class is always a great idea. Find an instructor you like and a smaller class so you get the form correction.

Running Trails in Central Park

Central Park's Bridal Path during a Saturday morning run

Did you know that you don't have to run on pavement in Central Park!? It recently came to my (Jessica) attention that this is not widely known by everyone, so I'm here to inform (or remind) you about the Bridal Path. It is a little hidden gem in Central Park that offers more shade and significantly less people than the main running loop and it's dirt! Check out the picture above that I took last Saturday at 9am - there's no one on it!

Also, unlike the bridal path in Prospect Park, which is hard to run and truly for horses, the bridal path in Central Park is definitely runner friendly. Similar to its neighbor, the road, it's packed with undulating hills that are great for training. If you run the full bridal path loop, you can get almost 4 miles of trails.

If you're running counterclockwise around the park, enter the bridal path at the south-eastern corner of the reservoir. Stay on the lower trail that circles the reservoir and then as it begins to break hard left, take a hard right turn to stay on the path parallel to the road. This winds you up and across the 102nd Street crossing (along a dirt path of course) and then you can follow the path all the way down the west side of the park until the Columbus Circle exit. Here's a map of all the trails with the bridal path identified by the white dots.

Next time you're in Central Park, take the less traveled and more serene route along the bridal path. It's amazing.

Happy Earth Day!

Thank you, Earth, for giving us beauty and peacefulness on our runs. You inspire us to be mindful, appreciative of our health and ability to enjoy your wonders, and to continue setting new goals and taking on new challenges. We understand all too well that there's nothing better than recharging on one of your awesome trails. Thank you, Earth, for these trails that bring our runs (and worlds) to life and the water that sustains us and cools us down after them!

To all of you trail lovers out there, get out on your favorite trail today and take a second to truly embrace how lucky you are to be surrounded by such scenery.

With love and gratitude,

- The Hot Birds

ClassPass is Worth Every Penny

By Jessica Green

Last month I fell in love with ClassPass. If you’re like me, and looking for assistance in getting your butt to a cross training class, you will love ClassPass too. 

After completing the NYC Marathon last fall, I took some time off from running and cross-trained a bit (once or twice a week). But, in all honesty, as soon as my three weeks off from running were done, I dropped all strength work and returned to the trails as my exclusive form of exercise. After two months of pretty much zero strength training, I was left with a weak everything. Then I started ClassPass and for the last four weeks, I’ve spent at least two days a week adding strength classes to my weekly routine and I already feel like a stronger, healthier runner. Plus, I’ve found some pretty awesome classes in Portland!

What is ClassPass? “ClassPass is a monthly membership to the best boutique fitness classes in your city. There are thousands of classes available to ClassPass members, including cycling, pilates, yoga, strength training, dance, martial arts, and more. For $79 - $99 a month (price varies by city), ClassPass members get unlimited classes to studios in the ClassPass network. While members can take as many classes per month as they'd like, they can visit the same studio up to 3 times per monthly membership cycle.”

The best part of ClassPass for me is that I have a nontraditional work schedule and ClassPass allows me to find classes at anytime of the day by searching only one site. On ClassPass’ website and app, I can search for a specific type of activity by time (and location) and come up with several different class options at various studios throughout Portland. Once I choose my class, all I have to do is click “reserve” and I’m good to go.

No more remembering my log in information for each studio’s mindbody account.  No more hunting down class schedules and whether there is space. Also, no more wondering where a good studio is. I trust ClassPass to partner with quality studios and this way I’m way more inclined to try out new places.

The other best part – it’s completely worth your money. All you need to do is show up to six to seven classes in a month that each cost $15 each and you’ve made your money back. Chances are, with ClassPass, you’re going to show up to more than that and it’s likely that your classes are more expensive than $15! They make it so easy that you WILL go.  And you won’t get sick of any one particular class because you have access to what feels like a million others. 

Finally, while some might not like that you are limited to 3 classes per month at a studio, it’s perfect for those who like to change things up from week to week or can only seem to make one time a week at a particular studio. This way, you have access to the cheaper monthly rate for those 3 classes, plus a cheaper rate for all the other places that offer classes at different times on days you can make. 

New to ClassPass in Portland? Try 2 months of ClassPass for $79 (The typical price of 1 month).

Spring Reboot

by Meghan Reynolds

Now that we have longer days, it's time to get back out there for some runs and start training for some summer races. Begin adding in some speed on your weekday runs - your summer racing times will thank you.

Here is an easy plan to begin building up your speed. Always warm up before doing any speed work. We recommend warming up for at least 10 minutes and cooling down for 10 minutes.

Here is a progression:

1) 10x 30 seconds fast with 1 minute reovery

2) 5 x 30 seconds with 1 minute recovery, 5 x 45 seconds with 1 minute recovery

3) Pyramid series: 2 x (30 seconds, 45 seconds, 60 seconds, 60, 45, 30) with equal recovery

4) 10 x 1 minute fast with 30 seconds recovery

5) 5 x 2 minutes fast with 1 minute recovery

The "fast" part of each workout is not a full on sprint. Instead, you want to run about 70% of your max, which is being able to say 1 word every 4-5 breaths. The speed interval should feel challenging but doable. Run the rest of your weekly runs at your normal pace.

If you are training for a race and you want to improve your time, run a 2 mile time test before starting any speed work. This will give you a baseline.

Cross Training to Get a PR

Training for a PR in any distance race is a rewarding yet challenging endeavor. It can be tough on your body and mind. We have found that focusing on specific workouts and understanding how to recover and use rest days are the key ingredients to running a PR. Most training plans will have key workout days and rest days; what many plans lack is cross training. Understanding how to cross train and use recovery days will make you a stronger and faster runner.
 
We distinguish between two types of cross training activities: (1) Cardio, which is spinning, elliptical, bike intervals, walking, swimming, aerobics classes, and (2) Strength, Conditioning and Flexibility which includes Pilates, yoga, boot camp, and strength sessions or classes. Both types are important while training and for overall injury prevention and long term running health.
 
Cross training days are important because they help you help build aerobic fitness and muscle stability. By increasing overall aerobic fitness, you force the heart to pump oxygen through the body at a quicker rate. Over time, this makes your heart stronger, which enables it to deliver more oxygen to the muscles, and helps your muscles use oxygen more efficiently. Running is one of the best aerobic activities there is, however, just like your muscles, you need to switch up your cardio so your body can react and learn to work hard under all types of work. Muscle stability will help ward off injury and give you a much more solid base to increase speed. Running can overwork certain muscles, such as the hamstrings and quads, and essentially ignore major stability muscles including glute medius. Strength training brings more balance to your body.

Be careful to not overdue it on your cross training days. Too much intensity within a week can actually weaken your muscles. Classes are great because the instructor takes you through an array of work - hills or intervals, for example in a spinning class or full body strength workout in a boot camp class. If you workout on your own, it’s important to vary your cross training and make it counts towards strength, stability and fitness.Below, we have listed a few cross training ideas that will help elevate your training:

Spring Intervals

6-8 Sets of 30 seconds max effort speed intervals (ideally you are standing and the resistance is high). Recover at a very low and comfortable level for 2 minutes in between each sprint. Warm up and cool down for at least 10 minutes each. Do this only 1x a week.

Easy, Recovery Ride

30-60 minutes at an easy relaxed pace that is similar to your effort on an easy run. This is a great option to improve blood circulation the day after a hard run workout. You can do this workout up to 2x a week.

Strength Workout Do 2 sets of each exercise 2-3x a week. Avoid doing a lot of lower body work the day before a hill or track workout. (you can watch a demo of each exercise on our YouTube channel)

• Month 1: Plank (60 sec) | Side Plank (30 sec each side) | Lower Back Extensions - modified superman (60 sec) | Push-Ups (10-15x) | Bridge lifts (15x) | Bridge with Single Leg Walks (60 sec) | Single Leg Deadlift (30 sec each side) | Single Leg Calf Raises (15x each side) | Glute Press Up (30 sec each side) | Clamshells (12-15 each side)

• Month 2: Plank Walks (45 sec) | Side Planks (45 sec each side) | Single Leg Bridge Lifts (30 sec side) | Pushups (20x) Single Leg Deadlift (45 sec each side) | Single Leg Calf Raises (20x each side) | Glute Press Up (45 sec each side) | Clamshells (20 each side) | Squat Jumps (30 sec) | Reverse Lunge (30 sec each side) | Lateral Lunge (30 sec each side)

Holiday Fun Runs

By Elizabeth Eckhart

It seems the days when it took an elite athlete and months of training to even consider running a full marathon are gone. Now, it is almost impossible to drive through any moderately sized city and not see a window sticker proudly proclaiming, 13.1 or 26.2. Races have evolved as well, from basic courses to themes and events. Runners can choose and are encouraged to run in costumes, mud, and even get sprayed with color along the route. Especially during the holiday season, one glance through your Facebook news feed will show someone who decide to forgo the after dinner nap in front of the television in favor of a nice chilly run.

For those of us who might be interested in participating in a holiday fun run, but may not be up to speed on what is available, let's explore some of the famous and most popular options for pounding the pavement this holiday season.

The Jingle Bell Run/Walk for Arthritis is a fun themed 5k race that happens across the country in December. Major cities include Portland, Or, Fort Worth, TX, and New York City. Participants dress up in their favorite holiday costume, whether it be reindeer antlers or ugly Christmas sweaters, and tie jingle bells to their shoe laces to raise both money and holiday spirit as they run.

If you happen to be near the Big Apple this holiday season, New York City Runs offers several different races throughout the winter, including the Frozen Bonsai Half Marathon, a race through Central Park, the Brrr-ooklyn Half Marathon, which will be offering hot cocoa and snacks at the finish line, and The Empire State Building Run-Up, a warmer race in which participants run up the tower's 86 flights of stairs.

The Santa Shuffle (or Santa Hustle, depending on your location) is another popular theme for 5k’s, 10k’s, or 15k’s that offer runners dressed in warm Santa suits candy along the route and cookies and cider at the finish line. Proceeds from this event go to various charities; for example, the Santa Shuffle in Wisconsin will donate to local food pantries and participants are asked to bring canned food for a food drive. CBS Sports, WGN, and even the Travel Channel (click here for provider info) have been known to take an interest in the Santa Hustles, so be sure to wave to the cameras during this run!

Run Disney is also a great choice if you want a holiday run, but don't relish the thought of doing it in 20 degrees with snow drifted around you. Disney provides its Disney Marathon Week every January and February, offering themes such as Star Wars and Disney Princesses, Neverland and Tinker Bell. Run Disney also offers children's races so that the entire family can participate in the fun.

If you do opt to participate in one of these chilly runs, it is important to remember to prepare appropriately for the weather conditions. Dress warmly, but not too warm, guidelines often suggest dressing as if it is 20 degrees warmer than the actual temperature. You should be slightly cool when you start, since your body will warm up as you run.

A waterproof windbreaker would also be a good idea to protect you from rain and wind. One place not to skimp on the dressing is your feet. Opt for waterproof shoes with gore tex uppers instead of the lightweight mesh that a runner might normally choose. Keeping your feet dry and warm will help to ensure you have a more enjoyable time during your run.

Before the run, be sure to warm up; if you're waiting for a running buddy, don't just sit in your car, get out and move around. During the run, pace yourself, cold air is hard on your lungs and you may not have the endurance that you normally have in nice weather. Post run, be sure to get out of any sweaty clothes and warm yourself up quickly with whatever treats the race organizers have provided!

Meet Coach Ashlee

Hot Bird Running has a new coach in New York City! Meet Ashlee Willaman, a runner, yogi and an awesome running coach. Ashlee is the owner of Run Like a Yogi, a yoga/running company. She incorporates yoga into training programs, providing athletes with more body/mind awareness. We are thrilled to have her as part of the Hot Bird team.

Why do you like working with runners?
I like working with runners because they are committed and will do just about anything to get stronger/faster. If I tell a client why a certain stretch or exercise is beneficial to them as an athlete, they do it and carry the awareness with them whether they're running or doing yoga or just walking down the street.

If you could tell a runner one piece of advice, what would it be?
Restoring and resting should be a valued component in any training program!

What is your go-to fitness activity (other than running) and why? 
Yoga because it restores balance to my body. Yoga points out muscular imbalances so that I can correct them before they become injuries. Yoga teaches me to perceive what I'm doing and do it at the same time, rather that push through everything regardless of what my body is telling me.

What is your favorite post workout meal?
Basically anything with peanut butter on it.

When did you start running?
I first started to run in high school on the Cross Country team. As a dancer, I had never been a part of any organized sport until a friend suggested that I try Cross Country. I loved it immediately. I was part of a team, but also alone running through the woods, pushing myself to improve. I loved it.

Favorite place to run?
Through the woods or the trails in Central Park.

Favorite running workout?
I love a long run because of what it does for me mentally. It's a lot like meditation and you have to find this perfect balance of being aware of what your body is doing, but not too aware otherwise your brain will veto it because it's hard!

Gifts for the runner who has everything

We all know those runners - they have the matching gear, the shoes, the GPS watches, the reflective gear, the right socks for any weather, the hats, the gloves. So, what do you get this person? We've come up with some fun, interesting gifts that would make us smile and excited to unwrap.

-JACKERY MINI A portable charger for phone or computer. It's lightweight, only 2.72 oz., so you can charge your iPhone on the run. $19.95.

-BODY and FACE WIPES - Great stocking stuffers. Runners can never have too many of these, especially if they aren't heading home right after a run. One of our favorite social outings is a run and then a drink with friends. We bring these with us so we can a little refreshed. $3-8.

-OISELLE RUNDIES - Cheeky underwear with different workouts imprinted on the bum: fartlek, tempo, long run, race, easy 6, track and rest. Set of 7 for $65.

-A RACE ENTRY - Keep them running! This is more of an experience but it's a great way to encourage your runner and offset some of the costs of traveling to a race destination.

-VIZLET LED LIGHTS - Versatile lightweight, flashing LED light. You can wear this on your arm, hat or shirt. It's a great addition to any runner's dark weather running gear.

-BLODDY MARY MIX - Who doesn't love a Bloody Mary after a long run?

Have some fun shopping for the runners in your life - they'll appreciate the creativity!