Running/Yoga in Williamsburg

W&M and local Williamsburg friends! Where are your favorite places to run in the 'burg? The area around where I live is great for short runs (2-3 miles, tops), but I need somewhere where I can log longer distances without going in circles, while I train for my half. I know the colonial part is always pretty, but it's peak tourist season, so I'm not anticipating running there everyday. Are there good parks with nice trails to run on, or are there routes that you recommend? I also enjoy running on bike paths and I think there's one near our apartment, down at Jamestown-has anyone ever explored this?

Also, what are some good races to do in this area? Right now, I'm only registered for the Rock 'n Roll half in September and Will and I are registered for the Busch Gardens Christmastown 8K. Otherwise, our race schedule is open. Any suggestions?

And lastly, does anyone have a recommendation of where to practice yoga around here? I've found one studio that I'm interested in, but it offers a little more hot yoga and a little less variety for flow classes, than I'm accustomed to.

Thanks in advance friends!

Race Highlights

A lot of Saturday mornings over the last few weeks, I've been feeling a bit of race nostalgia. I had gotten so accustomed to having a race or run to complete, that my Saturday's feel a little emptier without them. So for this Saturday morning, as I pack up to move out of Tallahassee, I will share a little bit of race nostalgia with you guys in my appreciation to the people and environment in Tallahassee that inspired me to run.

Run for the Cookies, Feb. 2013 (first 5K!)

KD Color Run with Kensley (her first 5K)

Shamrock Scurry 5K with Mitzi (my inspiration!)

Lucky Leprechaun 5K (where Will and I 

both placed 3rd in our age category)

Springtime 10K (our first 10K)

Palace Saloon 5K (where we both set PR's, 

thus my excitement in this picture)

5.2 at 5 for Boston with Patty and Michelle

Tails & Trails 5K with our moms 

for graduation weekend

Lower Body Burn

Friends, I just have to share this workout with you. I did it yesterday morning, not even in its full entirety, and had jello legs by the end. I woke up this morning to do my run and I knew it wasn't worth dragging myself out of bed to do a 50-minute run, because I could feel the sore muscles all throughout my thighs/hamstrings/glutes. I opted for a 30-minute run, which was a struggle enough with my tired muscles (I've never felt my quads burn like that on a run!).

However, despite the struggle, I actually really enjoyed this routine! I rarely target my lower body because I assume that with running and whatever else I do, it gets a workout whether I intend it to or not. Well that was a somewhat false assumption! I've been trying to incorporate more squats into my non-running routine, but with little success. This workout targets your lower half without having to do traditional squats and it gets much more than just your glutes! Wowza! It also recommends doing three sets of each move for 20 reps....needless to say, I made it through one set on most of these and some of them I didn't even get to 20 and I still feel it. So congrats Self Magazine for coming up with this (literally) kick-ass routine! I think I know what I'm doing more often on my "days off" for cross-training...

Oh, and did I mention you have no excuse not to try it because it doesn't require any equipment?

Routine: Nine Moves to a Tighter Butt

(Killer first move of the series....burpee bonus!)

Trail vs. Street

What's your running preference? Most days, I prefer trail running to street running because it's easier for me to get lost in the time and distance I'm running when I have beautiful surroundings. However, for making better times and getting further in less time, street running (or park running or paved trail running) help me achieve some of those goals quicker. I read recently in Runner's World that it's good to mix up what kinds of surfaces you run on, not only to give your body a break from pounding pavement, but also as a way to build strength. I'm assuming this is a good idea to do, even when training for a flat event, but would appreciate some input on it!

Now, I have to share about the entertaining trail run I did the other night, while Will was playing soccer. I was supposed to run 55 minutes according to my training plan, and I figured the perfect way to do it would be on the trails at Maclay Gardens. Well, my idea was pretty good but in practice, it had a few mishaps! First of all, it was a bit cloudy on Sunday and right at the point where I was going to turn around, the wind picked up and it got suddenly dark in the woods! Even though I had my phone with me, I have to admit how utterly terrifying it was to think I would be trapped in a thunderstorm in the woods with no one around. Reflecting on that panic though, I realize it was a bit silly because 1) I had just passed a boat dock, so I had a place to wait it out 2) I had my phone, to call Will to come rescue me 3) I was no more than 30 minutes walk back to the soccer fields and 4) I was in a state park, which is a pretty safe place to be. Either way, I immediately pulled a 180 and took off. I had been going pretty "slow" to enjoy being out and about (plus we had ridden 32 miles on our bikes the day before, so I wasn't feeling super energetic), so when I say "took off," it's kind of relative. However, I felt like a speed demon. I'm also pretty sure I've never sprinted up hills quite like that before! In the long run, it never rained, I got chased by a very aggressive horsefly, and by the time I got back to the soccer fields, it was only partially cloudy, so it was all for naught.

Or so I thought! My "take off" actually made me realize I could run at a faster pace for a longer distance than I realized. Fancy that! So this morning on my run, I messed around with my speed and realized I'm actually more comfortable running at the slightly faster speed, and have a hard time slowing down. Is this normal?!?! I always read about "pace" when I read running blogs and Runner's World, but I've never paid very much attention to it. However, this morning, around mile 3, I hit a groove and I think I discovered what a good pace felt like. I'm hoping it was as much of an epiphany moment as it seems like it was at the time.

In sum, my two major questions are:

1. Do you prefer trail or street running? Why or why not?

2. Can you discover that you have a faster pace that is preferable to where you thought you were comfortable?

Leave me some love in the comments section!

Biking with Sweet Tea

Today marks the day that we finally completed biking the entire St. Mark's Railroad Trail! Last spring, we bought my first bike that I've had since I was a kid and Will had to reteach me how to ride it. Contrary to popular belief, you do forget things like how to ride a bike! This trail was an integral part of that experience because it's a flat, out and back trail, that offers shade and nature. In essence, it was the perfect trail to re-learn to ride. After a few nervewracking trips out there last spring, where I gripped onto the handlebars for dear life and learned how to deal with gears (I've never had them before), I finally started to get the hang of things. We biked this trail more and more throughout the summer and fall, usually covering either the first half (16 miles out and back) or the preferable second half (14 miles out and back, from the Wakulla trail station). We kept saying we would pick a Saturday to do the whole thing, but life got in the way and biking actually took a seat on the backburner for a few months. This spring, most Saturdays were tied up with races, traveling, or other activities and Will has soccer on Sundays, so there was no logical amount of time to go ride. We needed a Saturday where we had flexible activities on our schedule so we could take as long as necessary to bike.

Well that Saturday had to be today, since next weekend we will be packing our truck for our move back to Williamsburg! After a fun night out at Alchemy, we slept in this morning and then geared up for our ride. We kept a pretty good pace out there, at about 5 min/mile. Once we were there, we treated ourselves to fresh blackened seafood sandwiches at the Riverside Cafe and several cups of sweet tea. We then filled our water bottles with the sweet tea and got back on our bikes, saying goodbye to St. Marks, probably forever. Despite our sore callipygous, we actually managed to pick up our pace, clocking about 4:40/mile. I think we had both forgotten how much we enjoy riding and what a different physical challenge it is from our other activities! Needless to say, we're pretty happy that we finally went out and did the trail. And the 32 miles weren't so bad...perhaps there will be a duathlon in our future?

Oh and in case anyone was wondering, the last "mile" is totally not a mile. It's around .6 miles, not a full mile. So it's a lie when the trail claims to be 16 miles long!

When Is It Injury vs. When Is It Slight Pain

Playing off of the title, "Pain Now, Wine Later" I am curious about what makes a difference between a slight annoyance when running and other pains felt while in your shoes (and out). I have been battling what I believe is a tendinitis issue in my left ankle for the last couple months. It typically makes me aware of its presence when I'm running, but some days it's worse than others, usually the day after a longer run. For example, this morning it's beautiful out post-storm, another low 70's morning, so perfect for a run! According to my half-marathon training plan, I was supposed to run 30 minutes today. However, I only made it a mile before my left ankle made me decide to stop. I'm sure I could have kept running and managed the pain that I was feeling, but I also thought it would be better to stop since I have my longest "long-run" planned for Sunday. I also figured I've still got 12 weeks until the half-marathon, so I probably shouldn't screw myself over now. So like a good little girl, I came home to ice it and blog about it.

I guess my question becomes, am I experiencing something that I should classify as an injury, or am I only dealing with a slightly annoying pain? I know only a doctor can truly tell me that, but I imagine lots of runners (and other fitness buffs) out there deal with slight pains that they can manage through, instead of stopping everything for something seemingly minor. I mean, it's my own fault that I didn't ice it yesterday, so I guess I paid the price today by having to cut my run short. But in the next breath, I feel like I shouldn't have to be icing after every run to manage my ankle. Or should I?

On another note, beyond the pain that occur in my ankle, does anyone else get shoulder pain? I hold tension in my shoulders no matter what, from being a musician, but I notice on runs, I tend to keep my shoulders tense like I do when I'm playing clarinet! What gives? I consciously try to tell myself to relax, but the more I'm "out there" the more it seems to happen. Sometimes after I run, the part of me that is the most sore later that day are my shoulders, which is just hilarious to me. Is it a me problem or do others experience this too?

Anywho, as always, advice or suggestions are always appreciated, especially in regard to this ankle issue! I just want to wish it away!

Summer Training

Maybe not my best idea. But I found some advice from this blogger for Brooks who helps to account for all the changes you need to acclimate to when the weather changes. Running this morning in the mist before Tropical Storm Angela hit, made me realize how hot the weather has gotten!! I have been choosing to run more in the evenings with Will, which can be cool around 7:30 as the sun starts setting. However, I forgot how good it felt to run in temperatures that are in the low 70's and not sunny, like this morning! I realized that my pace and enjoyment of running have been suffering more than I have been admitting, which kind of makes me happy because it's not just me beating myself up mentally, but rather that I really am struggling! On the other hand, it makes me a little more intimidated about training for my first half over the summer--how come nobody stopped me from doing that?!?! Here's hoping I get a "big-girl" job soon that will force me to wake up early and run before it gets hot. While I enjoy running in the evenings with Will, I also enjoy not suffocating with each step.

Anyways, this post wasn't meant to complain. Instead, I was hoping to gain some insight on how other people have been dealing with the rapid approach of summer and how that affects their running. I have seen some struggles being admitted on Facebook, which helps me feel less alone about it, however, how are we supposed to battle it? What are your recommendations to keep yourself going, hydrated, and safe as we combat the ever-rising temperatures? Should I be dragging my tush out of bed in the wee morning hours to catch the best temperature? Should I be swapping in some treadmill days to balance out the outdoor temperatures?

I'm dreading our move to Williamsburg because I already know that the summer temperatures and humidity are worse than Tallahassee, so I'm thinking this training will be a potentially regrettable decision. However, come race day, I know I will be motivated, happy, and thrilled to reach the finish line and will not care about all the struggles I'm having now and will be facing over the next 12 weeks!

Keeping my goal in mind!

Debated Topic: Stretching

I have read so many conflicting things about stretching before running. I've gotten the point very clearly that it's more crucial to do some good stretching after running, but it seems to be a topic of debate about how to warm up muscles before going out for a run. I know for me, the spots that get me the worst if I haven't stretched at all are my ankles and my calves. The ankles get a little stiff and the calves tighten up, usually after  my first incline. So I try to do just a teeny bit of stretching before taking off, to try to prevent these, but even then it doesn't always work.

As far as my post-run stretching goes, I like to use a simple post-run yoga sequence that gets into some of the tighter spots. However, I would definitely like some suggestions of other ways to stretch post-run because sometimes this is kind of like "yeah, okay, sure...I think I'm stretching" because I use these stretches frequently enough in my normal yoga practice.

So leave me some thoughts-what do you do pre-run to prep your body? What do  you do post-run to help it recover? Do you do the same stretching routine every time or mix it up? In particular, what do you do to curb calf and ankle issues?