Q & A x 3

Don't be jealous of the yellow scout shirt...  : )  I actually had a pretty great day at scout camp yesterday.  It was up Millcreek Canyon above Salt Lake City and the scenery was gorgeous!  My friend, Lindsay, was up there with me watching over 6 scouts. 

Q&A x 1:  'Can we tip our boat over?' 'Please, Mrs. Lauti?' 'No, it's 10 am and we still  have to be here 5 more hours guys.'  3 minutes later...  'Can we go tip their boat over?' 'No boys, they have to be here 5 more hours too.'  3 minutes later... 'Boys, really stop rocking the boat - if we go in we're going home!'  'Aaah, man.' They actually had a really good time and only tried to capsize our row boat 5 times.  We never ended up all the way in the lake, but I was soaked none the less.  Super fun! This canyon is a favorite for cyclers and I am definitely going to go back and run it!  It's about 20 degrees cooler than the city and you seriously cannot beat the surroundings. 

Q&A x 2:  So last night was my first initial training session with the trainer I mentioned in a previous post. He will be working me out for the next year. It started out with the hopes and dreams discussion...Aaaah!  I know that they have lots of clients and have to get to know you, exactly what you're after, but that is what our whole session was!  A little frustrating and I'm sure he was a little frustrated with me too. He has a basic gameplan in his head that he uses on everyone and I pretty much told him to scratch that - here's what we're doin' my friend.  I hate having to throw out the 'I run marathons' card, but he gave me no choice.  I really have specific things I'm looking for, namely core & speed.  He did concede to doing 2 sessions next week instead of one since we didn't really get a session last night. So thats good.  I think I'll know pretty quick once we actually get started how well this is going to go.  For now I remain optimistic! 

Q&A x 3: Lastly, I received a great email from a friend yesterday asking me a few questions about running.  I get a lot of the same questions so I thought it would be fun to go over some of them here!  Let me first say that I am obviously not a doctor, nor a health care professional.  My answers are based on the research I've done and through my running experiences.

1.  Do you jump out of bed and go running immediately or do you go after you've been up for a while?

When I go running in the a.m., right when I get up, I eat a half peanut butter sandwich, usually on white bread - the white bread will digest faster and give you the quick carbs to get you going. Then I change clothes, lace up and drink a cup of water. I can do this in about 15 minutes and then be out the door. This works for me. Most sites say eat a 1/2 hr before you begin your run but if I have to go at 5:30 a.m., I'm sleeping as long as I can. I also go running at night too. Everyone is so different, and you gotta do what's best for you. You get to learn what's best for your body as you try various routines.

2.  Do you eat or drink before you run (I always have to pee really bad at about mile 4)? If so, how long before?

I eat the pb sandwich and then drink only 1 a cup of water before a run. You need to hydrate before you head out, especially in the morning to get some flow to your muscles...to wake them up, if you will.  I have a bladder of steel so I don't have a lot of helps for weak bladders. I know lots of runners plan their runs by where they can stop to use a bathroom at a gas station or a friends house. I also know women runners that actually bring baby wipes with them just in case they have to squat! I know, crazy huh? I totally couldn't do that!  If you get the runs while you're on the move, ginger snaps are a must before your run to help hold the gates back from opening. If I'm running at night, I try not to eat the hour before.  For me, stomach cramps and side stitches are sure to follow. We all know that those can really ruin a workout.

I have heard from many that getting past the 3 to 4 mile range is tough and have a hard time getting passed it. It really is the first hurdle when trying to add mileage to your runs.  For me getting from 4 to 6 was tough.  The next hurdle for me later in training is getting from 13 to 16. You just have to push through and trust your body will remember the next time you are there and get you through. Stick with a plan and don't give up! 

Stay strong and you will get there!

Oh, another silly but good tip... I always chew gum! It is a lifesaver! Orbit lasts the longest for me - I can run a whole marathon with the same two pieces! They should totally sponsor me. : )

Let me know if any of this helps! I hope it does.I plan on answering more questions on supplements and specifics of training plans soon. I would be happy to hear your feedback and would be glad to answer other questions you may have. You can post them here or shoot them to my inbox at racingdawn@gmail.com. Happy Running everybody!