Running in Texas

Thanks to pandemic triggered WFH and Distance Learning and also being apart for more than a year, we took the plunge and drove from Minnesota to Texas to stay with family from Thanksgiving to New Years.

Being half-minded about lot of things and also about running, impacted my packing. I knew it's not sub-30 in Texas in Dec, I knew I had to run outside. So I packed the bare necessities of running. But wondering about continuous rain & pandemic, I skipped a few important items, like the phone-belt. Which meant I couldn't run with phone the first few times, until Amazon delivered a new one. And so I missed capturing picture of the one & only Armadillo I spotted on the trail - the first I have ever seen outside a zoo. The other item I forgot was a cap. Now after a Saturday morning run, I felt flashing hot cheeks, which usually cool down after the shower; but this one didn't & stayed till night. I was panicking if I had already hit menopause so soon. But by morning I deduced it was a sun-burn. Bah, how would I make that co-relation ? Who think of sunscreen & sun-burn in December ? It's not like we have been close to Australia ever. And the third item I forgot was Aquapor - but again Amazon to the recuse.

Anyway so here is my travel running bag checklist so I don't forget again:

1. Run clothes
2. Phone Belt
3. Run cap
4. Body Glide
5. Aquapor
6. Water bottles (buy disposable ones)

Flora & Fauna

CHAMPION Trail had the usual Social distancing PSA message boards along with the usual Wildlife warning signs. About wildlife I assumed them to be the usual deers & bunnies. But one fine run, I spotted a baby Armadillo crossing the trail ! Such a celebrity-sighting thrill. I had never seen one outside the zoo. Uff I did not have phone to click picture. Such a missed chance.

Then there were loads of Ducks, Cranes & Turtles, to watch upclose and who did not scatter away if approached close.

 

 

Its still Fall in TEXAS. This was a beautiful colorful tree, on a canal sidewalk side.

Route

My runs were on the closet trail - which is CHAMPION TRAIL. Every weekend I looked for the farthest point with car-parking spot; and arranged to get dropped there next weekend. This way I got to cover 7.5 miles of the trail. This way my initial out&back run soon became point-to-point. I would hide the water-bottle among the bushes at calculated midway-point.

My start of the route was along the canal.

Mile 1 was at this Bridge on a Lake. I have to say this hump was the only "hill" in the entire stretch on Champion Trail. It did wonders to my run-times.

Next up is Sam Houston Trail Park. A mile on this stretch is a dense trail, brings to the car parking spot.

Further up stretch, is below rows & rows of flyovers. Its a sight to see.

There are small ponds with tree branches rising out, reminding of Gupt song "Mere Khwabon Mein Tu".

Further up is Keenan Crossing Trail Park stretch. This is along the Elm Fork Trinity River.

After this the trail goes through Spring Trail Park.

At Mile 2.5, there is beautiful water canal and some construction. This area did give me a dread and I turned back from here first 2 times. Later I crossed and got to see more beautiful landmarks.

It curves and runs along Riverside Drive road and Elm Fork Trinity River.

Bird's Fort Trail Park is a great picnic location with car parking. 

This is along Elm Fork Trinity River Paddling River

1.5 miles from Bird's Fort Trail Park is Caliornia Crossing.

With lovely river-view offshoots on one side

and impressive real estate on the other side.

At this point the trail is closed for construction and I turned around from here.

Race Medals - What's the Alternative now ?

One of the integral aspects of Running Races is medal. In my first year of running, I had an aspiration for a medal. So when I was ready to move to the next level, I signed for a GiG2014 10K in April. As I finished that 10K, I actually asked the volunteer for the medal and she replied its only for Half finishers. That popped my balloon. So I promptly signed for a Half in June. I got over the medal-mania here, when I was handed the medal after this Half Marathan was cancelled for weather conditions and their mis-management. You can say I sobered up after that. The disquiet about not running a Half when I had trained, lasted for a few days and so I again signed for a different Half, which was in the next weekend. That way Lolas 2014 became my first Half which I finished well and hence have happy memories attached to its medal. That's about it about my medal-mania period.

There are many things given in road races now-a-days - free shirt, water-stops, food at the finish-line,  medical aid, and any free gifts coming from the sponsors. All of them are very useful and reusable in regular life. All but the Medal.

Medals give the great feeling of accomplishment. I will wear it at the finish-line, through the ride back home. If I am exceptionally happy, then I will wear it through the weekend. But after that, the medal goes into the pile of past medals. I have even considered skiping the part of accepting it, at the finish-line. But the temptation of getting my pic clicked, with the latest medal on, is just too much.

I know I am not the only one thinking this. Frequent racers all face the problems of storage of the increasing pile of medals. I have seen numerous articles by run bloggers and discussion threads talking about the same.

Frequent racers have many reasons to run multiple races. Medal disposal headache is just a side-effect of this habit.

• Upcoming race gives a deadline to continue training for. 
• Friends and run club may have signed up for the same. 
• Spending a weekend morning running through scenic routes. 
• Or it could be the free t-shirt and other swag. 

In some races, medals are not be given out to all finishers. Only division winners. If they stop giving to those finishing after a certain time limit, it will make those runners bitter - I know I would be. It would impact the non-serious-runner participation in those races; and financially that is a huge chunk. 

I mean we paid so much for a race, we do need something to display. So what are the alternatives ?

(1) Medal is definitely important for a new runner or for a milestone race. Those are collectible which will be prominently displayed at home. So maybe make it optional feature. Like sometimes, T-shirts are optional. A checkbox to click during registration and Bib shows if this finisher wants a medal or not.

(2) A shared medal. Wear it & get a pic taken and return it.
Cons of this solution: The medal strap will go through so many sweaty (dried or sticky) necks, no one would want to share.

(3) Display on some lovely Medal hangers. They work well as a wall display. But for a frequent racer, I have run out of space for a beautiful display.

(4) There are numerous articles on how to DIY to reuse the medals ? But seriously how many can you do, even if you are inclined to DIY ?

(5) Alternates: Make the medal in the form of something that can be used - bottle opener, necklace, belts, coasters. These article are really creative in their lists: theclymb, running competitor, active endurance.
     Some races do it differently. City of Lakes race does not give shirts to all runners, but only to division winners. Instead they give a lovely tall drinking glass and medal to every finisher. They could easily swap the medal for shirt or something else.

(6) Recyle & donate - Here is an article which gives more details about Sports Medal Recycle and Medals 4 Mettle.

Road races are large in terms of participation. Sheer number of medals, their manufacturing, shipping and disposal costs are definitely worth pursuing alternatives.

Bhaag Hero Bhaag

Running has been a part of the Indian movies cardio-dance sequences.
Hero-Heroine running towards each-other from the 2 sides of the wide-screen. Or running around the trees.Or slow-mo running for Hero entry scene.

But thinking about some realistic running, I feel there is no better runner than Anil Kapoor.
My favorite Mr Fittest.
This is him running in the movie Saaheb. The most real jog ever seen in a movie.
Then so was his sprinting in Tezaab. And many others.
I think there is a gif of him running in Badhaai Ho Badhaai. Very unrealistic speed for someone in bulky prosthetic. Got to look for it.

Anil Kapoor in Saaheb.

And here are a few instances of slow-mo glamorous running. I heard there was a superstition for a long time, that any movie featuring SRK running, was a sure-shot hit-blockbuster. Hence many showcase this.

SRK in K3G

SRK in K3G

The one in KKHH song is done right. The music tempo and running speeds match perfectly well.

SRK running in Kuch Kuch Hota Hain

Running Fuel

On the topic of nutrition for a long run, a whole lot of articles have been written in detail. I don't want to copy-paste any, so have the links in below section.

Here I will just summarize the points which I would usually say verbally to anyone in concise manner. But reading about fueling, is very good for the understanding this concept and then come up with your own solution for your long runs.

Any run beyond 1 hour means blood sugar/glucose is exhausted and you are running on empty tank. Since the wheels are still rolling you don't notice. And then suddenly legs and brain come to a stand still and you wonder what happened ? Sheer will-power will get you only so far. This is the reason to eat up something before that 1 hour is up. And then every 30-40 minutes.

And that something is at least 200 calories with sufficient carbs in it.

If you run in loops, then leave the food/nutrition with water at your rest stop. If its a no-repeat trail, then many belts & backpacks are available to carry nutrition with you.

Nutrition choices are enormous. It can be locally available fruits (banana, figs, dates, candied pineapple, Agra petha) and/or processed options (Clif bars, Gu, beans, gels, electrolyte/Gaterade/Powerade).

Getting an electrolyte drink along with water is crucial. It will refill the electrolyte lost in sweat. And it will help body absorb the plain water you are drinking.

The glucose-dense food will quickly nourish, after the stores are exhausted after 1 hr run. They give the jump needed to go the extra mile.
The main tip here is, to remember to refill before your body exhaust. Cause the newly ingested food will take sometime to kick in.

This covers for runs which last longer than an hour.
If your intention for running is weight-loss, then these food items are not the ones you want to skip. You can skip carbs from some other meal. But you need these run-nutrition, simply to finish your long runs in good shape and mood.
For short runs, lasting below 1 hours, there is no need to indulge in these supplementary foods (candies really).

Plug to my old post: How to get started with Running - 101

 

Runner World Links:

How to Fuel for a Half Marathon | Runner World

How to Eat During Long Runs | Runner's World

The Proper Way to Fuel Before a Long Run | Runner's World

What to Pack for Fueling on Race Day

Mid race Fuel - Runners World

Fueling For Long Runs

Best Sports Drinks for Long Runs

Stay Hydrated on a Hot Run

The Proper Way to Fuel Before a Long Run

For Super athlete:

A Fueling Plan for Every Distance

Fuel the Machine: Eating to Maximize Endurance Exercise Performance

Power Up Your Performance with Taper-Week Nutrition

Workout Water Bottle Review - CamelBak, Pogo, Nathan SpeedDraw

I have to call this out first - I was not paid by these bottle companies or anyone to review these.  I am doing this because I have owned tons of bottles in my life,  and never thought they are anything which needs any thought. For the first time, I struggled with CamelBak a lot and one internet post helped me with it. So that makes me want to create my own post too. So here come more details.

CamelBak Eddy Water Bottle - Rain (0.75L)

Lovely cute bottle. I choose the one in Blue. I wanted to try out CamelBak since I saw a lot of people using it. I had heard some vague praise for the spout & non-leak ability. When I started using it, it was so frustrating. I struggled & struggled at the spout, no water came up. Imagine that in the middle of a tiring workout. That would be a first for anything which calls itself a water bottle. It was so silly, I thought I was wrong, cause how could the manufacturer go wrong in such a simple thing. Finally I stopped doubting myself and looked up the packing label. Nothing specific. Then finally, I turned to God..Google.
Lot of responses, numerous material. But none speaking about my problem.
Finally, this community post on a bike forum was the one which solved my problem. After that I was like ahh, that how it is !!!  The video here is correct.

1. 
   

   Pennylane 

   Ruby level (4000+ posts)
   

   Join Date

   Dec 2005

   Location

   .

   Posts

   4,990

    *Upate in first Post *Camelbak water bottle...What am I doing wrong??

   Update :
   
   Just got off the phone with Camelbak. The directions on the packaging are kind of deceiving. You need to pull open the valve and then press the bite valve open with your thumb and finger. It took a few times but mine finally popped open and works! Obviously they have received numerous calls about this sort of problem! He also said you should never have to cut the straw to get them to work.
   
   
   Thanks for everyone's help!
   
   
   
   
   I purchased the Eddy for my ds. Took the first one back to Target yesterday because no water was coming out. Just assumed it was defective. Tried the new one this morning and it doesn't work. The only directions are flip it open, bite, and drink.
   
   I feel like an idiot!
   
   Ann

   Last edited by Pennylane; 08-29-2013 at 02:45 PM.

   Reply With Quote
2. 08-27-2013#2

   123LuckyMom 

   Diamond level (5000+ posts)
   

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   6,778

   

   You're not an idiot!!! Most of the bite valves come closed. You have to work on them a bit to get them open. If you just bite and suck, the valve may still be shut, and you'll get nothing. Try squeezing and manipulating the valve a bit with your fingers or teeth. Make sure you can squeeze the valve and see that there's a hole there! If you can't get it open, you should exchange it, but I've never had that happen.

Pogo Tritan Chug - Grey ( 32ounce )

I got a smaller one for my kids for their school purpose, which they promptly lost in a few weeks. Then they saved a bad design one for rest of the school year. Irony.
I liked how the cap fits and won't leak any water. No pipes, so I don't have to be in suspense about mold of any kind. Spout is of firm plastic and right size - to drink or to cleanup. So I have the convenience of a cap-bottle, without the inconvenience of opening the cap & swirling it back on.
It's size is perfect fit for most treadmill water holders.
32 ounce size is perfect for any hard exercise lasting 1 hour.
The hard plastic of the spout can hurt the teeth a bit, if you drink while on the move on treadmill.

Nathan SpeedDraw Plus Flask, Black

I got the one in Silver & Black. It's for outside runs, esp on routes that are new to me. Earlier all my long runs around a lake, multiple laps of the 3 mile distance. So I could leave my bottle and fuel bars on any bench. And I got used to running without carrying any load. I still am not ready for the jiggle of a hydra-belt. Since now I was going to run out & back on unfamiliar routes, I decided to give the hand-held bottle a try.

Initially, I was not sure how I would feel about the sploshing inside. I have used this for runs lasting 3 miles to 9 miles. When it is completely full, there is hardly any sploshing. It doesn't weigh bad too. I am training myself to drink less. So it does last for about an hour. Anything more, and I need to refill it. So I plan accordingly and refill it at any water point I see.

Spectating TCM Marathon 2015

Every year when this comes up I so wish I would run this one. Indeed this is the one from which I learnt about races. Studying the TCMarathon route, I feel like now I have covered most of those places via all the other races I have run so far. And they are all beautiful spots. I think my primary motivator for all the races is to see the corners of Twin Cities which I wouldn't explore otherwise. And it turned out to be true.

TCMarathon is a highly publicized one. In 2012, it started showing up in my FB newsfeed, and once I checked out their site and studied all pages, that was my first time knowing, whatever is a Running Race ? Till then all I knew was at the school levels. I never knew that grownup adults too indulged in it. Till then, running was just a boring torture tool, I knew people used to loose weight. TCM started that train of thought, which pushed me on the way to learn way more now then I ever did. I keep jotting them in my blog-post How to get started with Running - 101. Its a lot of info, that I learnt in bits and pieces, from different articles I read. It's not complete info, because there is always something new going on. But its enough to get started.

So in a way TCMarathon is the one, which got me dreaming about Marathons, while I was still in "couch" stage. In the past 2 years, I keep looking at their registration page, but lack all courage to sign up. Doesn't help that they close in July and I need to be confident by then. Also this Fall Marathon needs training in Summer, which is the time I can do it least. I just can't run in summer heat and have most of the vacation distractions at this time.

Hence TCMarathon remains in back burner for now. And I do the next best thing. Which is to check it out :) Their Specatator guide is pretty informative.

For the 2014, I went to Lake Calhoun with my daughter. It was 35F that morning and we were bundled up in coats & gloves. We rang the cow-bells and shared one with a toddler whose Dad was running. Saw the leaders who eventually won the race in Mens & Womens. We high-fived the middle pack. Saw the guy who juggled 3 footballs throughout the course. This sport is called Joggling, I learnt. We stayed on, till the escort car passed with the last runner. So I got to see the leaders, the middle packers and the ones in last batch. This was Mile 6 and it was amazing to see the varying degree of energy each batch had.

This year, I saw the TCMarathon 2015 at 25th Mile. I wanted to see the state of runners at this close to finish. Temps were a pleasent 50F+. I reached at 10:10 at Summit Avenue, after parking in Grand Avenue. Spectator guide was helpful to figure this out. One of the leaders just passed at that time. He turned out to be 2nd place. This was my first time witnessing a leader actually so close to finish, so early ! Long back, when I would reel off the times of the winners from the result pages, we would kid, "Did he ride a motor-bike ?" Haha.

Wheelers went by and I was quite out of respect & disbelief.

Watching women runners was exciting. I was stunned to see these 3 Women leaders. One in the middle came first place later. But here all 3 stuck together all the while.

And then came the 2:30 to 3 hour finishers. They too ran at consistent pace. Back straight, hands paddling their body, feet just going one step in front of the other. I hardly heard them breathe or know about their breathing at all. If anyone could be in monk-like steady state, that would be these runners. Except they were running. Moving forward. And they had been doing this for the past 2+ hours, across 25 miles. This was across different age groups - younger ones, 45 year old women, men in 60-65 range. Even the ones coming around at 11 AM were running. I saw maybe 1 or 2 stop for a walk break of 5 seconds. That's all. #Goals.

I stayed till 11:15 but could not stay longer to see the middle pack and the last runners. I did want to see, in what state they would be. Surely they could use more cheer from spectators.

I was the last few finishers in my first Marathon run in May-end this year. This Nike: Last ad is so me. I hope to be better next time.

How to get started with Running - 101

I started running in this year and here is all that I learnt in 2014.

1. There is lot of material on running on the internet. And a great place to start is about.com.
2. And here is the great glossary for the running catchwords: http://greatist.com/fitness/ultimate-guide-running-lingo



Training plans:

3. Once you start running, it makes sense to fix a goal and train for it. Every running site provides it own training plan and guidance, for free or fee. Here is one I used. It has a variety from Couch to 5K to 10K to Half and then Marathan. http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml
4. Hal Higdon - Marathon Training Guide - Novice 2
5. In general all training plans suggest workout for 4-5 days a week, with other days being rest days. And if you want to up your level, target a weekly increase by 10%. So the guideline is always your own capacity.
6. Many runners and running websites have created Facebook pages. They are great to follow for daily dose of Motivation, Inspiration and Information. Just create a Running interest page on facebook and add them. It won't clutter your regular newsfeed. On a mobile device, I find this a very powerful tool.
  

Stretching:

7. If you plan to run 2-3 times in a  month, then not-stretching is not an issue. But if you want to run the day-after as well, its better you stretch before and after every run. Otherwise the shin pain, maybe hip pain won't let you go again. And that is discouraging. Stretching videos I would recommend:
   
   • How To Stretch for Beginners, Safe Stretches for Full Body Yoga - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZFJpaOD3Cc
   • Pre run stretch  - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2q_0qQcBZw
   • Post run stretch - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgu6poYC-lk
   
   

   Cross-training:

8. Practically every training plan accounts for rest days. And those are the days to cross-train. Chose your favorite. Here is a list to help you with that: http://www.runnersworld.com/photos/16-cross-training-activities-to-try



Run gear:

9. Once running catches up, nothing can stop from spurlging on the running gear.
10. Fit: Its better to have comfort fit shirts & pants. That good old image of loose cotton t-shirts and slack pants are best left out. All those loose clothing will flop over our head in case of yoga and provide added resistance incase of running. No use. 
11. And cotton is a sin, go for wick-dry stuff. See next section for details. I haven't run in summer yet, but I plan to use wick-dry, 1 layer with shortest possible sleeve.
12. Yoga mat - awesome for stretching or doing shavaasan (i.e. legit way to nap; just don't snore). Links: Flipkart, Amazon
13. Sport bra for ladies. Stock up on those and get the right match. Guys use bandaid I think, if they need really really long run. I won't write the details, please google.
14. Rash cream - for chaffing that will happen after you try anything new (new speed or distance or new clothes or shoes)
15. Chapstick or lip-balm 
16. Hankerchief or Kleenex - for the snot
17. Phone, ipod, water bottle - depending on your needs.
18. Shoes - this shouldn't be the last in the list, but .... Get running shoe which fit correctly, maybe with a gap in the front. Try out a run in the store. And it needs replacement every 300-400 miles in general.



Winter running gear:

19. This video is the best resource I could find about the right clothing for cold weather running or snow running: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8eC5toC0vms
20. 22 Genius Running Hacks For When It’s Cold AF Outside
21. Here is the list for running in sub 30F weather:
• Tech shirts - Layering tech shirts is very useful. In sub-30F, 2-3 shirts and in sub-10F, 3-4 shirts will be needed. What is different about tech shirts, is that they are made of synthetic material and designed to wick the sweat away from your skin. If the cloth touching you skin is wet, pretty soon it will freeze up and frostbite that area of your body. On those lines, cotton is sin in cold weather running. Because cotton absorbs the moisture and keeps it there. So always look for "wick dry". (Target Tech t-shirts)
• Wind-sheeter jacket - to stop wind from entering inside and cooling your core.
• Compression tights - those pants are a blessing to run outside in temps below 60F
• Neck gaiter - protects neck from cold wind. Also from breathing in that freezing air.
• Cap
• Chapstick or lipbalm
• Here is my updated list in new blog post.




Summer Running tips:









I totally love the outdoor runs in spring & fall; even winter. Its summer that I am scared of. The increased heat can tire us easily. Cloth choice should be using current temp + 10F as guideline. Water & electrolyte replacement is important. So is the time of day and location of run.
Both the below articles are very useful giving details to all these choices. Do read through them before start the summer runs.


• Running in the Heat | Runners World
• Tips for running in the Summer heat | Runner Unleashed



Running in Rain:

22. 10 Tips for Running in the Rain - How to Dress for Wet Weather Runs



Race info:

23. Race is such a moral-booster to participate in a race. Numerous website maintain the schedule location-wise. Find one for your location:


• http://www.runningintheusa.com/Race/
• http://www.roadracerunner.com/Races/RunningCalendar.aspx?state=mn
• http://www.halfmarathons.net/usa_half_marathons_minnesota.html
• http://indiarunning.com/marathon-calendar-2014.html


24. Race day gear should be as per the weather of the race day. Be prepared for all variations (like heat & rain on the same morning), coz it can be very unpredictable.
25. Likewise, ensure your cheering squad is dressed for the day. They may have to wait out in the open, exposed to all elements. So they should not forget their umbrellas, wind-jackets, caps and more.



Nutrition:

26. General rule is to have some nutrition if the run is last more than 1 hour. And then every 30-40 minutes. This will help sustain the run and not hit a wall, which pretty much makes us give-up on the long run. 
27. If you run in loops, then leave the food/nutrition with water at your rest stop. If its a no-repeat trail, numerous belts & backpaks are available to carry nutrition with you.
28. Nutrition choices are enormous. It can be locally available fruits (banana, figs, dates) and processed options (clif bars, Gu, beans, gels, electrolyte/gaterade/powerade).
29. The glucose-dense food will quickly nourish after the stores exhausted after 1 hr run. They gives the jump needed to go the extra mile.
30. Long Distance Nutrition Planning



Breathing & Posture:

31. Breathing: Inhale thru nose & exhale via mouth. Beginner tendency is to breathe from mouth. In the long run, it dries up the mouth & throat. So practice to inhale via nose & exhale via mouth.
32. Breathing: The recommended way to breathe is from diaphragm, and not just inflating chest. So the trick, is to tummy-out when inhale and tummy-in when exhale. This needs practice in 3 steps - in daily life, while practice runs and then graduating to when hard runs. 
33. Breathe Like A Pro
34. The Simple Technique That Will Help You Run Longer
35. Running form - in simple terms
36. And then there are whole lot of instructions about body posture. Numerous bloggers & run magazine write about them regularly. Here is a helpful pictorial:






Other tips:

37. While running watch the horizon. Not on the ground or sky. Helps keep the focus. In winter, snow or black ice made me watch the ground a lot and as much I loved the crunch of snow, in spring I realize it's so much freeing now to look away from ground.
38. Mucous generation increases. So carry tissue or hankie to clear nose when needed.
39. Race recovery .



More Links:

40. Stepping Up The Pace: 19 Ways To Shave Down Your Race Time
41. Hal Koerner's Ultrarunning Commandments
42. The Hardest Parts About Being A New Runner
43. http://www.nytimes.com/well/guides/how-to-start-running



Mandatory Buzzfeed lists:

44. 19 Insanely Clever Hacks And Tricks To Improve Your Run
45. 21 Secrets Runners Won’t Tell You
46. 25 Things Non-Runners Don’t Get About Runners
47. 75 Thoughts Every Runner Has While Out For A Run
48. The 71 Stages Of Running A Half Marathon With Little To No Training
49. Watching People Have To Walk Down Stairs After Running A Marathon Is Surprisingly Hilarious
50. 22 Unexpected Things That Happen When You Run Your First Half Marathon
51. All The Worst Things That Happen Running
52. 26.2 Observations That Every First Time Marathon Runner Makes
53. 24 Clever Tips To Get In Shape That Lazy People Will Appreciate