Running Break: Sunday Morning Hike

I decided to give myself a break from my usual Sunday cross training workout and head up to the mountains for some hiking. Three hours up and down the mountain proved to be a great time, I'm sure I'll be feeling it tomorrow!

Already looking forward to the next one!

Wear your Sunscreen!

My current product of
choice when out for a run:
Coppertone Sport SPF 100+

I'm fortunate for not having developed much of an interest in sun tanning. For one, I've battled skin complexion issues since my teenage years and was always warned against spending excessive amounts of time in the sun as it would have negative effects with the treatments (which is really a challenge when you're a cross country runner in Las Vegas, that's like saying to a fish 'you know you really shouldn't spend a lot of time in the water'). This shaped the healthy sun habits I still practice to this day.

From a young age I've been pron to lathering on my SPF 5000 before heading out of the house, whether to go on a run or run an errand.

I consider myself an advocate for skin care and promoter of sun protection, which is why I feel the need to share some tips as someone who spends a considerable amount of time in the sun. I am no stranger to the affects prolonged exposure (think lifetimes) can have on an individual, as I have witnessed family members in ongoing battles to keep cancer at bay.

Skin cancer is a growing concern everywhere, and more people should be working on prevention, rather than having to take a reactive approach later in life.

There's nothing wrong with a healthy bronze glow to your skin, as long as you are mindful of the time you spend in the sun. Here are a few of my tips I've integrated into my daily routine for skin protection.

• Get to know yourself. Make a note of any freckles, marks, bumps or moles you may have and regularly check to see if anything changes. A small growth is enough reason to visit a dermatologist. 
• Cover Up. I always lather on some SPF 50, minimum, before leaving the house on a run and use make-up with at least SPF 15 to protect me during the day. Especially at high elevations, you're closer to the sun. For the men out there, grab some lotion with SPF 15 to do the job.
• Don't forget your ears. The ear is the third most common area for skin cancer to appear, and is often overlooked when applying sun block. 
• Lather, Sweat, Repeat. If you're going to be swimming or sweating don't forget to reapply if you're outside for more than a couple of hours.

Check out this list from Competitor.com for sun protection products catered to the endurance athlete.

What are some of your favorite products and skin protection tips?

I Love Rock 'n' Roll (Marathon Series)

Showing off our bling

For those of you who don’t know, I’m a proponent of the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Series. I ran my first half marathon and Rock 'n' Roll race at the inaugural Chicago event in 2009 and was instantly hooked. Two races down (Dallas and Denver, both inaugural events as well) and I’m eager to find another. I've had my sights set on the Las Vegas race coming in December. This year the race is going to take place later in the evening, something I've always wanted to do, but no official plans have been made yet (I still need to convince Stu that we should train for another half this year).

2009 RNR Chicago

Why do I love Rock 'n' Roll?
The energy and excitement surrounding road races is a great way to keep me motivated on a long run, throw in some music and you've got a winning combination. The Rock 'n' Roll races become enjoyable enough that you almost forget your running 13.1 miles (or for those over achiever runners, the full 26.2). Not to mention the sweet schwag you get for participating.

Going along with my goal to run a race in all 50 states and all 7 continents, you can imagine my extreme excitement over the announcement that Rock 'n' Roll will be taking their race series overseas. First stop, Edinburgh, Scotland. As if the Rock 'n' Roll series could get any better after their addition of triathlons, TriRock.

Sadly, I don't think I will be making it over to Scotland for their inaugural race in April, my excitement has not been squandered though. I only hope that they continue to spread across the pond adding more stops on their European tour. Could a world wide tour be in the works? I sure hope so, count this groupie in!

When Allergies Attack

I was finally off to a good start. I allowed two weeks to acclimate to my new altitude and head back on the road again. My Saturday and Sunday Runs started off well. Since I had not been running consistently due to the move, I gave my self a modest 10 mile a week goal to start building a solid foundation and continue easing into my new environment. The weekend was good, I logged about 3+ miles, leaving a good distance to cover over the next three to four runs that week to reach my 10 mile goal. My plans were quickly thwarted due to a series of severe allergic reactions, the cause yet to be officially determined.

The weather has started to heat up in Denver. I turned on the AC for the first time on Sunday evening, for only an hour, just long enough to cool the place off before bed. I tucked myself in with plans of logging another two miles on Monday morning. I awoke bright and early with a mysterious case of hives covering my face and the top part of my neck. I was determined to get back in my routine, popped some Benadryl and headed out for my morning run. By the time I got to work most of the hives had faded, I was still a bit swollen, but feeling better and less concerned than when I started my day.

Monday evening, AC was back on and I was back to bed, hoping that I would not face the same fate on Tuesday, and possibly have to skip the run to deal with matters of personal health. I attributed Monday's hives to a fluke and slept again. Tuesday morning, the hives had spread and I felt a cold like tickle in my throat. I opted to take the extra hour in bed to recoup and skipped the run. After some thinking and deductive reasoning, and three more days of hives, I determined something blowing around in the AC was the culprit causing my hives (probably a combination of dust and mold sitting in the unit for the last six months as the apartment was vacant).

What do you do in this situation?

My common sense, and investment in my long term health, tells me that the best approach is to take it one day at a time and listen to your body. I did just that. After four days of open windows and a deep clean of the AC I had my first hive free morning in five days. Four of which were also run free, but I was back on track Saturday morning.

Now that I can safely say I'm back in a solid training plan I will be back to regular posts...health pending, as I have yet to turn the AC back on for fear of hives. Stay tuned, I'll be hitting the switch next Friday night to await my fate next Saturday morning and see if my hunch on the cause was correct. In the meantime, I've set myself up form ten miles again this week, and a couple days of core training to continue building my base.

I don't recommend running after/during a severe allergic reaction. For those of you that are chronic sufferers check out this article found on LiveStrong for some tips and tools for better understanding how to survive while running with allergies.

On the Road Again

Mission accomplished. My fiancée and I have successfully packed, moved and unpacked all of our belongings to  our new home in the great state of Colorado. This will be our place of residence for the next few years as we begin a new chapter of our lives.

Between the moving and packing and all the other -ings my running was put on hiatus. I have been here in the Mile High City for one week now and figured that was a good time to get back into my routine. However, I don't plan on running an races coming off of a three week break.

I made it a point to get myself moving in honor of National Running Day, what kind of runner would I be if I ignored this celebration of all things running?

Starting back has been a bit of a challenge. The inactivity paired with acclimating to the new elevation has forced me to reduce my weekly mileage in order to adjust slowly and prevent possible injuries from over exhaustion. Here are a few things to keep in mind if you are coming back from a break, and some things to consider before you jump back to you pre-break training schedule.

• Be Proactive. Pay attention to your body and create a realistic plan for training. If you were running 20+ miles/week pre-break start with 10 to 12 total miles split over 4 to 5 days and gradually increase by 20% each week.
• If you're feeling pain or discomfort after the first few runs, consider that maybe you need to take a step back and  make sure you're goals are achievable without over exerting yourself. 
• Run less, more. Spread your distance out over more days to give your body time to adapt to the stress.
• Be patient, depending on how much time you took off it could take weeks or even a couple of months before you're back to your regular training schedule. Don't rush the process, as it will only lead to a longer recovery.

What are some of your tips for starting over? How did you celebrate National Running Day? I hope you got some good workouts in before National Donut Day on June 3rd.