March 28, 2024

7 Steps to Race Ready by Nicole Bryan

This article is sponsored by RunnerBox.

ATTENTION ATHLETES: Want to sample the latest and greatest products just like the pro’s? RUNHEALTHY code is good through 12/11/13 to save $2 on RunnerBox, TriBox or Gluten Free Box. Order yours HERE! Runnerbox is a subscription box full of great running, triathlon and fitness products! Delivered right to your door, you’ll explore and learn about new products to make your fitness better. RunnerBox is a great way to sample new gear before investing in larger quantities. They make it easy and convenient to find new products to love! Treat yourself with a subscription, or gift a friend with a one time GiftBox. www.therunnerbox.com

 

7 Steps to Race Day Ready by Nicole Bryan

 

Whether you’re racing a 5K or an ultra-marathon, or any distance in between, the preparation required is similar. You’ve logged many miles, spent many hours insuring you have the appropriate gear and you’re now ready to toe the line. Every race veteran will tell you there are a few essentials to being race ready. Here’s the inside-track:

Skip the last minute miles. While last minute cramming may have helped you pass a college exam, it won’t help your racing. Your job is to arrive at the starting line 100% refreshed and ready to race. In fact, those last minute miles may do more harm than good. Running fitness is cumulative. One run missed or added will not make or break your running performance. Leave your miles to training, not to the week before the race.

Confirm your race start time. It sounds silly, but race schedules change! Don’t risk a morning panic attack by foregoing this easy step. Upon your race check in, simply confirm the start time. In fact, take a picture of the posted schedule and wave starts with your phone so you may easily refer to it when planning your arrival time.

Stick with food you know. Go online beforehand and do a menu search of the available eateries in the area. Once you’ve chosen your familiar meal, go one step further and make reservations for your dinner time two weeks before. Doing so, takes the guess work out of where to eat and when to eat. Plan to eat early to allow for proper digestion. The night before a race is not the time to try a new recipe or food choice. What you usually consume the night prior to your long runs is what you should consume the night before your race. The same applies to your breakfast the morning of the race.

Plan for an early evening. Three of the most challenging words for athletes to hear: Take it easy! You may be too nervous to go to sleep early, but you can still rest and relax. Watch a movie, chat with friends. Lounge, guilt-free!

Safety first. Before pinning your bib to your shirt the night before, take two extra minutes and write your emergency contact number on the back, as well as any vital medication/treatment information. Even with a timing chip secured to you, providing this easy accessible information on the back of your bib, may save valuable time during an emergency.

Be aware of the weather forecast. Know the temperature and wind conditions as both of these specifically can alter your run efforts. Do you need to pack warm-up or cool-down clothes? There’s nothing worse than shivering your way through a race or overheating due to lack of planning. Be sure to heed the warning of nothing new on race day as well. This applies to clothing, as well as shoes and technique. If you haven’t worn it, consumed it, or tried it in training, don’t try it on race day!

Allow time for a warm up. Regardless of the distance you’re racing, a proper warm up is an essential part of every athlete’s race day regime. This could mean simply walking from your car to the race start, or walking around the starting line. The goal is to increase heart rate and increase circulation, therefore preparing your body for the work of exercise.

YOU ARE READY.

Sample This…RunnerBox!

Sample This…

Have you ever wished you could sample new athletic gear and supplies a few items at a time, without purchasing an entire box or bag full? Now, you can! Meet  RunnerBox.

Here’s your opportunity to demo and test products just like the pro’s, only on your own time, on your own schedule and in a cost-effective manner!

“RunnerBox is a mini shoebox full of running and fitness based products” shares founder Staci Dietzel. Finding the perfect products to complement your individual exercise program doesn’t get any easier, or more convenient than RunnerBox. The box arrives on your door step packed full of products to try out and sample. “We search out great products from the tried and true, to brand new, and then send them to you in our custom box” shares Ms. Dietzel. The RunnerBox was developed by athletes, for athletes! Ms. Dietzel is also an experienced marathon runner, endurance cyclist and duathlete. So who better than a fellow athlete to know what products we want, need and will benefit most from sampling?

“RunnerBox was started last year after my sister and I were enjoying another subscription box, but being an avid marathon and half-marathon runner wished it were filled with running stuff” shares Ms. Dietzel. “There are a lot of boxes out there, but when we started last year not one that we could find was for runners or triathletes” she continues. RunnerBox caters to runners and triathletes of all abilities and distances. Their products include the RunnerBox, TriBox and even a GlutenFreeBox, as well as a GiftBox Option for all three categories. They also offer a customer-service focused option of a gift card. Simply present the gift card to your loved ones and allow them to choose which Box they prefer!

Why should you become a subscriber? Prevent boredom when logging those miles month after month, and stay on the forefront and cutting-edge of what’s new and popular in the athletic world. RunnerBox is the way to try out a new product to determine if it works for you. Upon opening your box you’ll find everything from bars, protein shakes, energy gels and chews to apparel and various accessories designed to better your training and your racing experience.

“We set it up the way we would want it to be set up as a customer, with options.” Ms. Dietzel says. Customers may purchase a single Box as a gift, participate in the monthly or bimonthly program. RunnerBox also offers a 6 month subscription option to span a training season allowing athletes to explore and test many new products. Their great go-to GiftBox option makes a thoughtful birthday gift for any athlete, as well as a fun congratulatory gift for a completed 5K or marathon. Their GiftBox even includes a handwritten note customers can compose upon purchase on the RunnerBox website.

For as little as $10.00 athletes can sign up for monthly subscription (5-8 products per box) for the RunnerBox, the TriBox or the GlutenFreeBox, or $20.00 for a bimonthly subscription of a box of their choosing (includes 12-15 items per box.) The RunnerBox received on a bi-monthly basis is their best selling product. All GiftBoxes (consists of 12-15 items) are also $20.00, with shipping investment of under $6.

Subscriber Ali Jones touts RunnerBox saying, “my favorite part of the service is that I know I can expect high quality items that I’ll actually use.” She continues, “with RunnerBox, I have been impressed each month and have found great new fuels for my long runs.” Ms. Jones has been a subscriber to the RunnerBox service since February. She describes her experience with RunnerBox in three words, “reliable, quality and exciting – I’m always excited to see what’s inside!” Why not see what the fuss is all about for yourself?

RunnerBox’s motivation is simple and clear as described by Ms. Dietzel, “whether you are a seasoned runner or just getting started – this is a fun way to try out some great new healthy things.” Check them out at www.therunnerbox.com, or call them directly via 517-290-2785.

Be sure to connect with them via Facebook and Twitter as well!

Come Chat with Us and Let’s Play!

When: Beginning MONDAY March 18, 2013.
What: Motivational Monday LIVE TWITTER CHAT; Summer Shape-Up!
Where: Twitter #HealthyWayMag
What time: 5pm(pacific)/ 8pm(eastern)

YES, YOU CAN! Yes, you can have fun and get in shape at the same time. Making your fitness fun means motivation sticks with you. When you’re motivated, every workout happens. This means exercise consistency is right on, and consistency is where results happen! Meet others who share your commitment to get in shape at Health Your Way Online.

Our Motivational-Monday Live Twitter Chat’s are every Monday 5pm(pacific)/ 8pm(eastern) beginning next Monday March 18th. Our focus is to offer you Summer-Time Shape Up tips, accountability, support and FUN! So, come play with us!

This 7-week Chat Series begins with co-host Jessica Matthews. Jessica is a health and fitness expert, @acefitness Exercise Physiologist, fitness blogger, yoga educator just to name a few. Follow her @fitexpertjess and get inspired to get fit by checking out her blog Fit for Life, http://community.weightwatchers.com/Blogs/UserBlog.aspx?blogid=1158298. Prepare to be motivated!

We are proud to introduce the Sponsors of our Motivational Monday Summer-time Shape-Up Chats. Check them out and learn how they can help you realize all your health and fitness goals this summer!

Today’s Miles.Wear your miles and go the distance! Check out their website, www.todaysmiles.com. They love running so much, they wear the number of miles they’re running on their shirts! Join them and get motivated. Be sure to follow them on Twitter as well, @TodaysMiles_com

Obstacle Course Racing Magazine.If you love obstacle racing then this magazine is a must-have for you! They are the worlds first Obstacle Racing Magazine. You’ll find News, Interviews, Race and Gear reviews, Training Tips and an Event Calendar. Get all the latest in #OCR news with www.obstacleracingmagazine.com. Find them on Twitter @ObstacleMagUSA.

Flip2BFit. Flip2BeFit simply put is your Fitness in a Box solution for incorporating fun and fitness into your daily life! Flip2BFit is more than just a board game, its fitness, nutrition, education and eye opening self-esteem building all realized through the spin of a wheel and the flip of a card! Order yours today for hours of family fun time. http://flip2bfit.com/ and check them out on Twitter @Flip2BFit.

ENERGYbits®. This high protein, low calorie snack gives unlimited energy as it is 100% organic spirulina algae. Spirulina contains as much gram for gram of calcium as milk, as well as containing 5 times more iron than spinach. Read more about the many health benefits here, http://www.energybits.com. Be sure to follow them on Twitter @ENERGYbits for more tips.
We are honored to announce that Brand Manager Jeff White will be joining us as Co-Host of this Chat!

ViewSPORT. Because they recognize the power of sweat and hard work, they focus on motivating athletes. When athletes and fitness lovers wear our apparel and sweat, hidden motivational messages appear. Check out their products at www.viewsport.us. Motion Revealed with Sweat Activated Technology (SAT.) Find them on Twitter @ViewSPORT.

LOCKLACES. Made for competition, Lock Laces are the only patented performance lacing system engineered to meet the demands of endurance athletes like runners, triathletes, and marathoners. Unlike other products, Lock Laces sustain simple compression across the top of the foot increasing the amount of oxygen available to the muscles to help manage fatigue. Take a look for yourself at www.locklaces.com. Follow them on Twitter @LOCKLACES .

Getting fit takes time, so why not have FUN while you’re doing it?

Running 101 by Kristie Cranford

So you’ve decided to become a Runner, how do you begin?

There is nothing more exciting and energizing than waking up one morning and deciding, today is the day you’re going to make the leap and add the title “runner” to your resume of life. Here are some important tips to get started:

Talk to your doctor. As with the start of any physical activity, make sure your body is as ready as your mind. Get a physical. You need a healthy foundation to begin.

Get properly fitted for shoes. Go to a local running specialty store and get properly fitted. They will watch you walk across the floor. Some will even analyze your gait on a treadmill. Good fitting shoes are crucial. Remember, running shoes are equipment, not an accessory. Don’t just go out and buy a pair of shoes just because they look “cool.”  Be prepared to spend $100-$125 (average) for a high quality pair of shoes.
 
Eat right. Your body is a fine tuned machine, don’t put the wrong fuel in it. Just because you are running does not mean you can eat everything and anything you wish. Eat clean, and remember you can never have too many fresh fruits and vegetables. 

Don’t buy a whole new running wardrobe. Ditch the cotton (it will weigh you down) and wear clothing with moisture wicking fabric that will take the moisture away from your skin. It’ll take time to learn what works best for you during a run. Get a couple shirts and shorts to start and build as you find what is comfortable and suits your needs and running style.

Wear sunscreen. Sunscreen should be something you put on every day just like your clothes.

Experiment. Running for fitness is a learning experience. What works for your friend will not necessarily work for you. There are so many different shoes, energy gels, etc on the market. Be open to trying out different products and gear, and don’t get discouraged if something doesn’t work for you. Keep experimenting!

Distance before speed. Work your way up to where running 30-40 minutes continuously is manageable before even thinking of adding speed work.

Find a support group of running buddies. Non-runners simply won’t relate and may not be interested to hear your constant chatter of races, energy gels, shoes, etc. Find a friend, buddy, social media group with whom to chat up running. The support, camaraderie, and motivation in the running community is like a big happy family. Your support group will cheer you on and lift you up.

Running is a fun and challenging workout! Enjoy the experience.

Written by Kristie Cranford, CPT. A wife, mother, cancer survivor and competitive athlete, Kristie is an ACE Certified Personal Trainer as well as a Running/Triathlon Coach for PRSFit Nation. Living in Las Vegas, she is the Chair of Long Distance Running for USATF-Nevada Association, a Coolibar sponsored athlete, and Raw Elements Sunscreen Ambassador. Contact Kristie via email, CoachKristieLV@yahoo.com. Or via the web on www.prsfit.com and http://coachkristie.com.