Monthly Archives: January 2015

You’re a Speedy 5k/10k Runner, But Are You A Speedy Double Race Runner?

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Jannine Myers

Ever heard of double racing? Some of you have probably heard about double races, but if you haven’t then keep reading.

Bob Anderson, the founder of Runners World magazine, is also known for his running, photography, publishing, and film producing skills, but beyond those, he can also be credited for creating what is now officially known as Double Racing.

2014 San Jose Double Febv

While some people think that Double Racing is basically just running two races in one day, there are a couple of key rules that distinguish it as something quite different. First, it is technically one race, done in two segments – the first a 10k, the second a 5k – with a timed recovery break in between. The 5k race begins exactly 105 minutes after the start of the 10k, so the length of each person’s recovery break will differ depending on how fast or slow they complete the 10k.

The Double Race is all about strategy – knowing how to pace yourself through the 10k and then learning how to make the most of your recovery time – these are both important factors to consider. In fact, to show just how seriously the race organizers are about race strategy and optimizing recovery periods, each race has a Recovery Zone that includes nutrition, hydration, exercise equipment (for those who want to stay loose and keep moving), massage, and several other forms of physical therapy.

6D6T5965

One other distinguishing factor about Double Races, is that winning is based on a runner’s total race time; that means that a win in the 10k or 5k will not necessarily result in an overall win. The best Double Race competitors are those who have learned how to run both race segments with equal or near-equal pacing and stamina.

Interested yet? If so, click here to find a list of upcoming events (sorry Okinawa WOOTrs, you’ll have to make your way to the States if you wish to participate, or maybe Bali might grab your attention). There are Double Races held in California, Florida, Illinois, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Kansas, and as far abroad as Africa, Greece, Mexico, and Indonesia (Bali). For more information, check out their website, and let us know if you have completed a Double Race before – we’d love to hear your feedback.

For tips on how to train for a Double Race, click here.

Current Records:

Men’s World Record Holder: 31 year old Julius Koskei from Kenya – Time: 44:24 (10k time 29:45 / 5k time 14:39)

Women’s World Record Holder: 25 year old Risper Gesabwa from Kenya – Time: 48:45 (10k time 32:55/5k time 15:49)

We Are Runners – But We’re Also Much More

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Jannine Myers

I read an article recently in the Running Times magazine, about New Zealand ultrarunner, Anna Frost, and her return to competition after taking time off due to a double shin injury. What was interesting about her story is not so much her impressive come-back wins in New Zealand and the U.S., nor her part in pacing Killian Jornet to a course-record win at the Hardrock 100 in Colorado, but the depression she experienced during her time of recovery.

© www.annafrosty.blogspot.com

© www.annafrosty.blogspot.com

Hearing about runners feeling depressed because of forced rest and recovery is nothing new; we may have personally experienced it ourselves, or if not we’ve certainly seen it discussed on various running forums and in blog posts and articles (including this one I wrote for Breaking Muscle). What might not be a new concept, to some, is the idea that depression occurs because running strips a person of their identity.

That’s exactly what happened to Anna Frost; she encountered the reality of possibly never running again, and found herself asking the question “Who am I, then, if I’m not Anna the runner?” She wondered how she would spend her time, and worried too about peoples’ reactions, specifically those who knew her as Frosty, one of the world’s leading female ultrarunners.

I suspect even some non-elite runners, if deprived of the ability to run, might also let the feelings of a lost identity push them into a vulnerable and sad place. Most of us, after all, wake up each day and anticipate our morning, afternoon, or evening run, and some of us may even have started thinking about it the night before. And for many of us, much of what we do on a daily basis is scheduled around our runs; versus our runs being completed only after everything else gets done.

It’s easy then, to imagine the downward spiral that Anna Frost experienced; she struggled to fill her time and thoughts with anything unrelated to running – which triggered depression – which led to unhealthy habit replacements such as partying, neglecting sleep, and drinking too much caffeine – which resulted in weight gain and a general decline in both physical and emotional health – and so on. Fortunately, she managed to overcome all the negatives by allowing only positive and empowering thoughts to enter her mind, and eventually, as her emotional health improved she slowly regained her physical health – and, in time, her ability to resume running.

Now, after a full recovery and more wins under her belt, Frost says that her attitude towards running is much healthier and her lifestyle much more balanced. Besides running she also spends time swimming, making jewelry for her online business, and enjoying quality time with friends and family. Her experience can serve as a reminder to those of us who can’t imagine our lives without running, that if such a time comes, we are more than just runners!

 

Review of the S-Lab Exo Twinskin Skort

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One of our many awesome WOOT runners, Corinne, came in first at Kunigami trail race in December. One of the sponsors is Salomon and the cool thing about winning, is you get stuff from the sponsors. She wrote up the following review on the running skirt or skort she received as part of her winnings. Congratulations, Corinne and thanks for the review!

Review of the S-Lab Exo Twinskin Skort

WOOT Runner #1

WOOT Runner #1

I desperately wanted to love this skirt! For 3 months I had been hinting to my husband that this is would be the perfect Christmas present.  At $150 this should be the ultimate skirt, but the problems with it just kept multiplying. 
skirt review
The size I received was a medium. I usually wear a small or medium. The first problem that I noticed is that the center seam is situated perfectly up the center line, giving a nice camel-toe effect. Which is fine as long as the skirt doesn’t fly up. Also, I would have preferred the waistline to come up a half-an-inch higher. As a woman who has had a child, I have a bit of extra skin that makes a little pooch that I’d like to tuck in a higher waistline, or at least have a lower waistline the does not highlight this pooch. But, this skirt is high in the back and lower in the front, exposing a bit more belly than I like. Another design flaw is the color. White inner lining in white shorts of a very thin fabric! I planned on wearing this skort during an 85k trail race in the forests of New Zealand. I don’t want to stress out the whole time about being a gross mess by the end! And, God forbid, what if I were start my period out on a long run!
Loved the compression skirt while running in it! I wore it (the one and only time) on a New Year’s Eve Marathon with friends. The compression shorts hugged my thighs and derriere very nicely. The posture control was surprisingly supportive. The fabric was light weight and oh, so comfortable. Luckily, the skirt never blew up revealing anything inappropriate. 
After the run, I washed the skirt by itself on cold in washing machine on gentle cycle, then air dried it. The dirt came out very nicely and the shorts were bright white again. But, the final complaint was the stitching. With one wash the stitching already started to unravel! 
skort review 1

coming undone after first wash!

For the price, this should have been the greatest running skirt ever! But, there were one too many design flaws, so it had to be sent back before it just ended up at the back of my dresser drawers.

A Tart But “Super” Nutritious Berry – Golden Berries

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Jannine Myers

golden-berries

Golden berries, a staple food item in some South American countries, are considered a “superfood” – due to their highly concentrated nutritional content and bioactive compounds. Some of the suggested benefits of golden berries include:

  • Antioxidant effects
  • Cancer protective effects
  • Counters bacteria
  • Kidney protective effects
  • Liver protective effects
  • Lowers fever
  • Lowers blood sugar
  • Modulates immune function
  • Reduces inflammation
  • Weight loss benefits

[http://renegadehealth.com/blog/2014/05/30/incan-golden-berries-10-benefits-of-a-peruvian-super-food]

Because of their not-so-sweet, more tart flavor, I prefer adding golden berries to savory rather than sweet recipes, such as the following Wild Rice Pilaf.

P1060023

Ingredients

1½ Cups any type of wild rice blend
2 Tbsp Coconut Oil

1 Cup Shallots, minced fine

1 Cup Water

2 Cups Organic Low Sodium Chicken Broth

2 sprigs fresh Rosemary

1/4 cup chopped celery

1 cup Golden Berries

⅓ Cup Pine Nuts
Sea Salt and Black Pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Rinse the rice well, and set aside.

Heat the coconut oil a large oven-proof skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook for 2-3 minutes until translucent. Mix in the rice and cook for a minute longer, stirring. Pour in the broth and water, and add sea salt and black pepper (to taste). Cover with a tight-fitting lid, and bring to a simmer. Add the rosemary and golden berries, cover again and place in the oven (transfer to a baking dish if you do not have an oven-proof skillet). Bake for 65-70 minutes, or until rice is cooked through and tender.

While the rice is cooking, toast the pine nuts: warm a small skillet over medium low heat. Add the pine nuts, and cook for a few minutes until fragrant and golden brown, tossing consistently to prevent burning. Remove from pan and let cool until ready to use.

Once the rice is fully cooked, remove from oven, add the pine nuts (and optional chia seeds), and fluff with a fork. Taste and adjust seasonings if desired. Best served warm.

A Fitness Resolution For 2015

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Jannine Myers

I was asked several weeks ago by the Marketing Manager of a diverse fitness site (top.me.com), to offer just one fitness resolution for 2015. An abbreviated version of my proposed fitness resolution was published several days ago – here – but I’d like to share with you the expanded version of what I submitted:

If I were to suggest just one fitness resolution for the New Year, it would have to be one with a two-fold approach. My recommendation for the ultimate fitness resolution would be to visualize what your lifestyle would look like if you were in the best shape of your life. What would it take to achieve that lifestyle, and considering all the influencing variables, ask yourself if it really is possible? If it isn’t, go back to the drawing board and visualize the next best scenario. That’s your “key” resolution!

Second, stop setting the same yearly resolutions! When you allow yourself to set the same health and fitness goals each year, you’re essentially selling yourself short. You’re giving yourself permission to repeatedly set those goals, but on the premise that you’ll probably abandon them partway through the year – because as long as there is always a new year there will always be another chance to “try again.” Don’t settle for that; instead, determine in your mind once and for all what it will take to live a happy and healthy lifestyle. Then, with fierce resolve, endeavor to spend every day from this moment on in such a way that you move yourself one step closer to your desired lifestyle.

fitness is a lifestyle