Where's the Beach?

Yesterday was all about running, and today will be as well. However, today's post was not inspired by some great runs I had in Boston. This one is inspired by a run I had on Saturday - my 13 mile run - when I had some super sweet chick yell at me. Oh being a runner can be so fun. I was probably 10.5 miles into my run. It was a good run for me. One of the better long runs I've had in a while actually. There was just enough of a breeze to help with the temperatures. I had found a good rhythm and was humming right along. At that point, I knew I was going for 13 miles, the longest run I've done since spring. I was happy. I was coming up a street that happens to be part of the Little Rock Marathon route. I don't usually run up that particular road, but I was just zig zagging along enjoying myself, so I ended up headed that direction. I should back up to say that the majority of this particular run had been done on the river trail system and I was just coming off a stretc...

I think it's well known that runners are a unique group of people. We get up at dark-thirty or squeeze in a run during lunch breaks or after work, we hit the pavement in the rain, sleet, snow, heat and humidity. We often complain that the run was hard, but in the same breath start talking about it in terms of unicorns and rainbows.  What drives runners? Where do they find that motivation to do something that's not always pleasant? Let's face it, running can hurt (hello chafing, blisters, black toenails, lungs on fire). Running can be mentally tough as well. We talk bad about ourselves, doubt ourselves. But somehow, we keep going. Why? How? For me, it's almost impossible to really explain why I keep at it. It makes me happy. It clears my mind. It makes me feel accomplished like nothing else. That isn't to say that I don't lose motivation from time to time.  There are days when the thought of waking up early once more sends me into a 2-year-old tan...

As a runner, I am always looking for ways to safe-guard myself from injuries, ideal strength training workouts, and ways to improve my overall performance. It's not always easy to incorporate in the necessary cross-training into running, especially when you itch to get out and run, run for fun. I will admit that I had gotten really lazy about my leg workouts, but finally forced myself to re-incorporate them into my workouts. Not just for aesthetic reasons, but for injury prevention and power/strength. Another way to increase your power and strength is through plyometric exercises. Another admission is that I've slacked off with plyo workouts. I used to do them at least once a week, sometimes twice a week in conjunction with leg workouts. You're probably asking, "Why is this a bad thing?" or "What's your point?" As a personal trainer and running coach, it's not just important for me to train properly, but to learn how to train others properl...