Getting ready for your first Marathon?

Should I or shouldn´t I run it?

"We are different, in essence, from other men.  If you want to win something, run 100 meters.  If you want to experience something, run a marathon."

        -Emil Zatopek

That´s still my dilema, and I can´t talk about marathon experience because I haven´t run one....YET....

Today I just woke up with a huge idea "Running my first Marathon"; should I or shouldn´t I?

I think the real question on the last past week was "Am I prepared?

Lots and lots of questions come to me while I am writting this, but I think there are no good answers when it is about a personal gain, it is something bigger than a "I am or I am not prepared" because of course you need trainning, and of course you need time to be ready for a Marathon, it´s just a sense of attitude, patience, self-reliance, positive energy and a personal theory. 
Search your inspiration.

"WORKOUTS ARE LIKE BRUSHING MY TEETH; I DONT´T THINK ABOUT THEM, I JUST DO THEM. THE DECISION HAS ALREADY BEEN MADE."

-Patti Sue Plumer, U.S. Olympian

I can not give advices about a marathon, but I can write about my experience by making run a part of my life.

I am sure that if you had run 10 km, and had experienced the sense of greatness at the end of each carreer, you can imagine the feeling when you finish a MARATHON. 
When I started this blog, the first  title that came to me was 
"RUNNING FOR LIFE", because that is the way it is, everybody run for a reason, but a reason is not enough, is running for a Good Reason enough, a star, a boy, family, children, the planet, music, women, water, just search your motivation and run!

Check out the calendar for this year:

Rome Marathon 20 March Los Angeles Marathon 20 March Marathon de Paris 10 April London Marathon 17 April  Boston Marathon 18 April THE GREAT WALL MARATHON 21 May Copenhagen Marathon 22 May Edinburgh Marathon 22 May THE BIG FIVE MARATHON 25 June Gold Coast Marathon 3 July PETRA MARATHON 9 septiembre Berlin Marathon 25 septiembre  Budapest Marathon 2 October Chicago Marathon 9 October  Dublin Marathon 31 October New York City Marathon 6 November  Athens Classic Marathon 13 Novembe Las Vegas Marathon 4 December  Honolulu Marathon 11 December

Adriana H.

"The reward is not so great without the struggle."

Basic foods for runners....

The essential nutrition guide every runner needs:


6 magic options...

EGGS

 Protein, protein & more protein...the protein in eggs contains all the crucial amino acids your hard-working muscles need to promote recovery. And eggs contain choline, a brain nutrient that aids memory, and leutin, a pigment needed for healthy eyes. Choose omega-3 enhanced eggs and you can also increase your intake of healthy fats. Don't worry too much about the cholesterol: Studies have shown that egg eaters have a lower risk for heart disease than those who avoid eggs. It is very common to eat eggs on the breakfast but you can also use them in wraps or sandwiches for a  healthy lunch.

ORANGES 

Oranges supply over 100 percent of the DV for the antioxidant vitamin C, so it can help to prevent muscle soreness caused most of the time during a downhill training.

PASTA

One of the most common basic foods for runners, pasta is an amazing friend for a post or pre-run (one day before your race) because it contains digestible carbs, Whole-grain versions are a must over refined pastas because they contain more fiber to fill you up, vitamin b is crucial to energy metabolism. This food is perfect for busy runners, it is easy to cook, fast, and really healthy, you can combine it with vegetables or chicken to turn it to a perfect meal.

BERRIES
 I love berries!  The color that compounds these fruits are called anthocyanins, blue for blueberries, dark purple for blackberries, and red for raspberries, the anthocyanins is a group of antioxidants that may help stave off Alzheimer's disease and some cancers; also helps with the post-run recovery and muscle repair.
The good news: Frozen berries are just as nutritious as fresh ones, but they keep far longer (up to nine months in the freezer), making it easier to always have them ready to eat.

ALMONDS

A small handful of almonds is enough to eat at least three to five times per week. Nuts, especially almonds, are an excellent source of vitamin E, an antioxidant that many runners fall short on because there are so few good food sources of it, eating nuts several times per week lowers circulating cholesterol levels, particularly the artery-clogging LDL type, decreasing your risk for a hearth disease.

CHICKEN

More protein! actually runners need about 50 to 75 percent more protein than nonrunners to help rebuild muscles and promote recovery after tough workouts. Along with protein, chicken contains selenium, a trace element that helps protect muscles from the free-radical damage that can occur during exercise, and niacin, a B vitamin that helps regulate fat burning during a run. New studies also suggest that people who get ample niacin in their diet have a 70 percent lower risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. Chicken works well with almost everything; sandwiches, salads, solo, anyway is delicious and healthy.

These are some ideas to eat healthy taking your body to a safety zone.

Adriana H.G

DIEGO SUAREZ: A story of faith....

SOON...

ALTITUDE VS SEA-LEVEL TRAINNING

I decided to write this article because there are a lot of people like me that have been changing of places for living, and therefore, changing of altitude and temperature.

I am from a City on the north-cental Mexico with an altitude btw 2,400 and 2,800 mts above sea-level, it is surrounded by mountains, now I am living on the beach and every time I visit my family I get trouble with my timing (it decreases) and the low temperature does not help.

Last year I had the opportunity to live in one of my favorite places in the world, Rome, Italy, located at 37mts above sea-level, but at the same time surronded of high points and mountains.

It was the perfect scenario to run, I enjoyed it to the fullest, I had the beach 20 minutes away, and the mountains 5 minutes away from my house, so I could vary the temperature and level anytime.

7 months later....

 I came back to Playa del Carmen, Mex.I continue my trainning

(obviously at sea-level).

After 3 years living at this altitude, and getting used to run at this level, it turns really hard to deal with the oxygen at 2,500 meters above sea-level, and it get worse in Winter....


I'll convey information on the topic from theory, research, and my own experience;

If you have the chance of making the "sleep high - train low" tecnique,

go for it!!!

Experts agree that to get the best effect of altitude adaptation with the intensity of training at lower elevations (more oxygen=higher intensity), you spend your training day 'low', and the remainder of your day 'high'. Clearly this is impossible for most of us, but can be done in certain locations.

For people like me  — who live at sea level — several devices exist to simulate the effect of 'sleeping high'. "Hyperbaric chambers" are sealed vacuum chambers you can sleep in that reduce air pressure exactly as living at altitude would.

http://hyperbaricinformation.com 

 

At altitudes of 1,500 mts or more, training at familiar sea-level intensities becomes progressively more difficult to sustain with less oxygen available. This applies especially to athletes who come from sea-level training environments whose metabolism is already working overtime to make altitude adaptations along with the regular stress of training.

So as conclusion,it is definitely TRUE that living on the beach makes it easier to oxygen your body while you are running, so if you live at sea-level and have a competition at a place above 1,000 meteres from the ocean,I highly recomend you to arrive at least 2 or 3 days before the race, so you can acclimatize your body and have a better performance,if the competition is 2,500 meters or more above sea-level, it would be necesary to prove yourself before the competition, even if you have done it before.

If you live in a town like Mexico City, (2,200 mts) you´ll feel inmediatly the difference in a race at sea-level;

so YES you "City people " have an advantage over "the Beach boys".

Some differences you'll feel coming from sea level to training at altitude is that your running will be slower for almost every workout.

On a recent trip I was about 3-seconds slower per lap on for a track workout, and about 12 seconds slower per mile for a tempo run at the same heart rates as sea level. The loss of run speed is less after the physiological adaptations take place, but because running is so oxygen intensive, I've never matched my best sea level run times at altitude even after spending months at 5000ft.


Patt Douglas(Amateur Runner)



Adriana HG

Don´t be discouraged, well-prepared mountain running can be even better, funnier and rewarding than running on the beach, just take note of which pair of shoes you are gonna take,wear a jacket, choose your perfect playlist and good luck!



How to choose the right running shoes?

How to choose the right running shoes?

Today I ran 5 miles at the beach, I was running good; Mile 4, I felt sand on my shoes, I kept running, then I felt water on my shoes;

I had to stop....

I have been almost 16 months with the same shoes....

TIME FOR A CHANGE!

The question is HOW DO I CHOOSE MY NEXT RUNNING SHOES?


Before I start this article take a look to this quote:

"No doubt a brain and some shoes are essential for marathon success, although if it comes down to a choice, pick the shoes. More people finish marathons with no brains than with no shoes." 

 Don Kardong

Now I`ll get you to the basics:


Choosing your next pair of shoes isn´t an easy work, running shoes can make the difference between having a good or bad experience, running in comfort or pain, and, most importantly, whether you stay healthy or get injured.


First of all you have to choose your foot type:


You have a normal arch (neutral pronation) if:

There's a distinct curve along the inside of your foot with a band a little less than half the width of your foot connecting the heel and toe.(Choose Stability Running Shoes)

You have a low arch (flat feet/overpronator) if:

There's not much of a curve along the inside of your foot and your imprint shows almost the entire foot. People with low arches are more likely to overpronate (roll too far inward), which can lead to overuse injuries.(Choose Motion-Control Running Shoes)

You have a high arch (underpronator) if:

There's a very sharp curve along the inside of your foot and your imprint shows a very thin band between your heel and toe. People with high arches typically don't pronate enough. (Choose Cushioned Running Shoes)

Typically, running shoes come in three shapes (straight, semi-curved and curved) which correspond to the three types of prints revealed by the wet test. Most experts believe that:

• Overpronators should choose a running shoe with a Straightshape.
• Underpronators should choose a running shoe with a Curvedshape.
• Normal/Neutral pronators should choose a running shoe with aSemi-Curved shape.

If you have flat feet and overpronate, choose a Motion-Control running shoe.
If you have high-arched feet and underpronate, you should choose aCushioned 
If you have normal arches and pronate normally, choose a Stabilityrunning shoe.

Personally I had try a lot of brands, Adidas, Asics, New Balance, Nike, Saucony, etc...I can now tell that it depends more on your foot shape, and of course the field you are get use to run, than the brand, but it helps to know that there are brands like ASICS, that are more specialized for Runners (guarantee)  the best shoes I have ever had are this brand, but in my case I like to try different ones, now I am going for Newton´s....

What do you think? 

Check out this link so you can learn more about this brand, & try them!

http://runnershabitat.com/product/31

I´ll write you as soon as I feel them.
Good Run everyone!

Adriana HG

Do you know which music is your favorite to take a Run?

My running favorite playlist...

Yesterday I took a night run, I decided to go slow for 30 minutes and then make 20 minutes velocity sprints, I always run without music, because I thought that hearing my respiration made me have more control of myself and my technique, but a good friend who also is a passionate runner gave me an idea....Running with my Blackberry with a perfect playlist and a a personal coach,

("Adidas micoach"...you can also use Iphone for this application).

Damn!  I loved it!!!!!  I ran more, I ran faster, happier and even wanted more! 

So if you are reading this please take a look to this playlist and I bet on your next race you will decrease your timing.

• Hometown - Miss Kittin and the Hacker
• Kids (Pet Shop Boys Synthpop Mix) - MGMT
• Hypnotized - Oliver Koletzki
• Surround me - Dash Berlin
• Armin van Buuren feat. Sharon den Adel - In and out love 
• Heavy Cross (Fred Falke Remix) - Gossip
• Djuma Soundsystem - Les Dijinns (Trentemollesr        Remix)
• N.A.S.A (Cryptontes Remix) - Futurecop
• He keeps me Alive - Sally Shapiro
• Fine without you feat. Jennifer Rene (Armin van buuren)
• All the lovers (toMOOSE Remix) - Kylie Minoge

"I  don´t run because of the pleasure of it, but for the pleasure of hearing my playlist, it just turns me on" 

Pablo Diaz-Morlet

Adriana H.Gallego

SMOOTHIE (post-run) OF THE DAY

After a long or hard run, the last thing you may feel like doing is eating a big meal, particularly if your workout left you queasy. But you need to refuel, preferably within 30 minutes, so you can recover. That doesn't mean you have to cook up a heavy omelet or big bowl of oatmeal. A quick, tasty smoothie will kick-start recovery. "Smoothies are a great way for runners to meet nutrient needs," says sports nutritionist Cassie Dimmick, R.D., "especially when it's necessary to quickly consume a mix of carbs and protein for muscle repair."

But runner beware: Smoothie bar options can top 900 calories, and bottled brands are often low in nutrients. By blending your own with your choice of ingredients and with as much or as little ice as you want, you can make flavorful smoothies with carbs, protein, fiber, and healthy fats. And at less than 300 calories each, these smoothies are easy on the stomach in more ways than one.

CRUNCHY COFFEE FIX

4 ounces chilled coffee

4 ounces fat-free milk

1 banana (preferably frozen), sliced

2 tablespoons whole almonds

2 teaspoons natural cocoa powder GOOD FOR YOU Not only does coffee taste great in smoothies, but it can speed your recovery, too. A 2008 study in the Journal of Applied Physiology found having caffeine and carbs at the same time helps your body restock muscle glycogen stores faster than having carbs alone. Natural cocoa powder—not Dutch-processed or alkalinized—provides anti-inflammatory antioxidants (and chocolaty flavor) for just a few calories. Bananas are rich in potassium, an electrolyte that helps maintain fluid balance. Almonds not only add crunchy texture, but also contain heart-healthy fats that help keep you full. This smoothie contains 252 calories, 35 g carbs, 6 g fiber, 10 g protein, and 11 g fat.