It's Not About Running

It's not. Its all a lie. What it's really about...are you ready:
  Shedding the thin shell of your 'being' and finding yourself. Realizing that 'other' voice was right. You are rad and strong and wonderful. It's about the sweat, tears and laughter that is shared. You becoming better, fitter. Your heart strong. Your sweat earned. Time to yourself. Reflection. Pounding on the road, trail, mountain, pasture. 
     Your world is turned on. 
It is really, well for me, about is escape, freedom and getting out of the way of myself, to find out the person I want to be, and get my body to do what it was made to do. 
Move. 

Ask A Coach 7/29.

Question: "what is the most effective way to breathe while running"
Answer: Through the big hole in your head. No, seriously. First time runners just focus on breathing any way possible. If you DO get stuck in your head and need to focus on something, you can play around with exhaling through your mouth and short inhales through your nose. But please, breathe. 

Question: "Have trouble controlling my breathing when I run, someone suggested music as a diversion and keep pushing, your body will level out. Your thoughts ?"
Answer:  Starting off slow, really slow will help. Your breathing will plateau, but it's hard and unnerving hearing it ramp up in your head. Music does help or a pod cast too. But go slow. 

Question: "How do I not fall apart on runs 15 miles +?! my body starts to hurt so bad after 13 miles, do I need to eat more energy gels"
Answer: Could be a nutrition issue. On long runs, stick to what you know what works, eating wise the days before and the day of. And don't mess with it once you got it nailed down. Are you eating more carbs? Carbs are like the gas in your tank and when your glycogen levels dip into E, your toast. You could also be over trained, or that time of the month. *Awesome.* Note it, but don't worry about it, and get back out there next weekend.

Question: "How fast is too quickly in increasing milage? Is it ok to add a .5 mile each long run a week?"
Answer: Take your overall, weekly milage and add that up. Then you add 15% percent every week to it to increase distance safely. Do it to just one run, and not all of them, like your long run on the weekend. After 6 weeks, you take the long run and cut it by 2/3 so your body can rest. 
Good Luck!

Question: "What do you think of SportLegs? "
Answer: I just looked it up and see it's some serum. Be wary of snake oils, and stick to what you know. 

Question: "I have a 1/2 marathon in 10 days - is that enough time to break in a new pair of running shoes? or should I stick with my trusty pair even though they are worn through?"
Answer: As long as they are the same make/model, you are good and better off in your new ones. I once had to replace a pair of shoes the night before a marathon because my cat threw up in my old ones. ... dumb cats. 

Question: "Where do I begin in making a training plan for my first full? Do you help one on one with stuff like that?"
Answer: I do. I will for you. e-mail me. 

Question: "What was the name of the stuff you told us about in class that was good for chafing?"
Answer: Blue Steel. Super Jock and Jill sells it. Awesome. 

Question: " I frequently get tightness and cramping in my calves/soleus. How do I get rid of them or how do I make them happy?" 
Answer: Roll baby roll. And water, baby water. And stretch baby, stretch. 

Question: "Have I lost all my marathon training endurance? I had to take two weeks off for shin splints & July was a slow running month. 12wks till my next full. Where should I start? Thx."
Answer: It takes 6 weeks to lose fitness. The best thing you can do is rest and it'll make you go faster too. Really! Hop back into double digits when you are ready and go from there. Go slow and you'll be up to your high milage in no time. 

Ask A Coach 7/22

Question: "WTF was I thinking?"
Answer: I assuming you are talking about Ragnar. I remember you being in my van last year and saying the same thing. I am sure you had fun. 

Question: "How long was the drive to Missoula and was the race worth it?"
Answer: Oh my God, yes. It was wonderful and relaxing and the race was perfect. I highly recommend it. Maybe add an extra day. 

Question: "My husband and I enjoy long vigorous walks (20+ miles) on the weekends. However, after the walk we both suffer from insomnia and the next day I am famished. Any suggestions on how to resolve these issues?"
Answer: The insomnia, I hear, is caused from your body still utilizing it's fat stores and your body is getting a "buzz" from it. The more you do it, your body figures it out and doesn't do it for as long. A few things you can do to help both issues is to snack during the walks and eat something within a half an hour after being done. And exercising on the weekdays as well, but maybe for not AS long. 

Question: "Why do my feet feel stiff Dr. Beth?" 
Answer:  Please don't call me a doctor. If the IRS get wind of that, I would get an audit and ooof, I don't want that. Stiff feet? Stiff shoes. Try walking around barefoot when you can. You can also use a golf ball on the bottom of your feet to loosen up those little tendons and make em happy. 

Question: "How awesome is Ragnar?"
Answer: I have a bruise on  my butt from kicking myself that I didn't do it. 

Question: "I just did a half marathon and am now going to do bellingham bay full marathon. Do I just keep adding to distance I already have? How many 20 milers do you suggest?" 
Answer: Yes, add no more then 15% off your weekly milage to what you have in the bank. If you can get to 20 2 weeks before, that'll give your body room to heal, and recover before the big 26.2. Good Luck!

Question: "After signing up for an intimidating race, what do you do to not freak out?" 
Answer: Oh, you should freak out. I am freaking out. AHHHHHH. 

Answer: "Are you at Ragnar?"
Question: No. Kicking. myself. 

Almost 40

I don't think of my age. That maybe a "thing" that almost 39 year olds say. But I don't. I love being 38. I liked being in my 30's. They were good to me. I moved.  Located to Seattle. Found my passion. Made money for my passion. Bought a house. Had a kid. Let me correct.  THE MOST AWESOME KID. Loved my job some more. Business got bigger. Kid got HUGE.  
     A lot happened.

 I love my husband. He is looking for his passion. I am passionate about that. I love my job.  

                     I love people. 

 
I always long to run hills that I see in my dreams. They are long, and steep, but have glorious peaks. full of wisdom and views. From every angel. And man, those down hills are awesome. I love running.

 And 39 is going to rock it. 

misSOULa

I went to Montana with Amy. She is from there and was, I have to say, one of the best road trip people I have ever had. She drove. She listened. She was quiet. She had a van where I could crash out.
 It. was. awesome.
 She was also there to complete her second half marathon in one month. She just started running folks. She also put up with taking pictures at "scenic view" areas.

  We got to Missoula and it was amazing. It was nestled in a the semi circle of mountains. It's air was sweet and cool. We had sold our soul to the devil to get sub-100 degree weather for the race.
   It was worth it.
  My goal for the weekend was to: Relax and be outside for most of the waking hours. I had not really had a vacation for a while and needed it.
Desperately. (It's been a busy/stressful/good/sad year)
Amy's mom Karen, was our hostess for the weekend. She was excited to show her tired daughter and her equally tired friend a nice landing spot.
 Saturday, we jaunted off to a farmer market. It was so lovely! Big sky and big veggies. We got our bibs and got mini doughnuts. I have a mini doughnut fetish. They are so many of them.! We got our race gear and got to our needed place to go that had the following: Beer and water.
 Amy talked about this whole "float" thing. You float down a river.  She use to do it on vacations as a kid, for a week. I fell in love with this idea. Floating. Camp. Float. Camp. Right??? Ahhh.
 We headed out to the river with some beers and I laid around in the big sky and large river. It was just what I needed. Thank you river.

   We woke up the crack of 4 a.m. and headed out for the race. They lit off fireworks at the start. That was nice.
                                  Highlights/Lowlights: HL / LL

• Running along the river when the sun comes up. HL
• Long down hill. HL
• Listening to Simon & Garfunkel 'Cecilia' 2 times at mile 6
• Panic attack for no good reason at mile 9. LL
• Finishing with a lovely lady who did her PR, just in from of me. She's 65 HL.
• Watching Amy come in with a huge smile with a great time.
• Laying in the river at 8:30 in the morning with a free beer (and not a crappy light beer) HL

I do love my job.

Back to the drawing audio production.

Do you know when in Americas Top Model episode when they have to do a nation wide commercial, and some of the girls are so bad at reading the scripts, that they have to go line by line and edit them all together. You don't know what I am talking about? I know I am not the only one who watches ANTM.

This was me, for the first hour tonight of the first night of the audio version of The Couch to 5k.
I stumbled, stammered, talked fast and mumbled. I do all of these things when I get nervous. Oh, and i have this weird high pitched laugh. I also say um. A lot.
But the lovely and beautiful and, oh hey, a runner, Tina Nole (who met Ken Burns one time and I think that is so so very cool) swept in, and powered this little nervous nelly towards my great audio career.
I have to say,when I got my groove, it sounded good. Like Barry White good. (*no offense Mr. White. I love you Barry. )
  ---side note. I went to college and have a degree in audio engineering. I was also on the radio for 5 years. These things that I thought were going to save my nervous butt...did not. It's been a long time since I have seen ol Mr. Microphone.
 It was fun and Tine lit up when she came up with ideas about how to add music and sound effects to it.
I am just so excited about helping people learn how to run.  People who don't like groups. (me) people who don't have time to get to Green Lake. People in Minnesota. That guy over there.
Yes. I will help all of them run. I sure hope so.

Note my awesome Oiselle London Calling Shirt. It stinks really bad. I have been running in the hot sun all day.

The Reality Of Running

Running is the most authentic thing I know. It's just me and the run. The run unfolds itself before me with every step into a magical adventure. Sometimes it's therapy. Sometimes it's sightseeing. Sometimes it's just a crappy run. But the run is real and candid. It can't hide behind a bike, a machine or even an ego. You use own body to get from here to there, and maybe back again, different each time.
But there in lies the satisfaction. When I am done, sweaty and hopped up on endorphins, I can look back on the road, and claim the run as an accomplishment. You get what you put into it. And I love that.

Ask A Coach . July 5th.

The day after the 4th. Whose still has booming sounds still in their ear? Just me?

Question: How do I get over my fear of re-injury? I haven't run since fracturing my foot in the Disney Princess half (Feb 2012), spending 4.5 months in a boot, and then getting pregnant and having a baby this past April. I'm majorly out of shape and need to get back at it!
Answer: Very good question. The fear of getting re-injury is scary, and getting pregnant again, from running is terrifying. 
First check with your doc and make sure that your foot is good to go, and you might also want to get some labs to check your calcium levels. Also ask him or anybody how babies are made ( spoiler alert: not by running). Go slow and take your time getting back into it, and listen to your body. That fracture is all healed up and is stronger then before. Hit Green Lake and go trash can to trash can. Sign up for a 5k (Like the Women of Wonder) and do it momma! 

Question:  I am running See Jane Run half next weekend and just ran rock and roll a few weeks ago. I am debating of doing 10-13 miles tomorrow for my last long run.... too much? Or do you think it would be ok?
Answer: A) You're awesome. B) Na, I would go under double digits. 8 or 9. Your body is all trained up and you can't gain any fitness in a week, but you can get injured and that would be sad. And then you would cry. And I don't like seeing runners cry, because your losing valuable water. It's so sad. Then I cry. 

Question: My somewhat minimalist shoes (which i love) start to feel "hurty" right about at 10 miles. I replaced my inserts but that didn't help very much. Would it be strange to wear different (smooshier) shoes for longer runs? And by strange, i mean would it be hard to switch back and forth?

Answer: You may have to train your feet to go the distance. Do your "under 10" distance in your minimal shoes, and then your squishy shoes for over 10. No hurty. You can start trying out your shoes when every 10 or so and see how they feel. 

Fat. Ass.

So, I took my Fat Ass, my first fat ass to Lincoln Park in West Seattle yesterday. I was nervous about my fat ass. I was worried about no one showing up, I was worried that it would be too hot for my fat ass. I was worried that there would not be enough food for my fat ass. I could go on.
 A Fat Ass  Run is a free run for the running community. We had a Fund Run to support a couple of non profits in West Seattle. White Center Food Bank and West Side Baby. It was a great turn out, there was lots of food for afterward and we had the greatest water station ladies around town. I got to meet runners from beyond the Running Evolution community, which is cool. Thanks all for showing up and running in the hot sun for my first Fat Ass. (I had to get one more in there)
 

Runners, start your Garmins

Puget Sound. Natures ice bath. 

Runners coming and lying