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What Body Part Would You Remove for Your Running?

Written by Mace on May 21, 2013 · 9 Comments

Angelina Jolie at the Cannes film festival. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I enjoy a good movie as much as anyone, but for me to sit still for two straight hours requires three things: bad weather, a long run finished, and the possibility that Russell Crowe might appear on the screen. Otherwise, count me out.

But I snapped to attention last week upon hearing the news that Angelina Jolie had removed her breasts. Or rather, surgeons did, at her request, to dramatically cut her risk of getting breast cancer. It was one more step in the canonization process of a bad girl turned saintly mother, and while I think hers was a reasonable decision for a woman of privilege and means (not so much for women in the undeveloped world), there was a tiny part of me that was a little bit jealous, thinking, “Man, if I only I could have a double mastectomy, I would be so much faster!”

Yes, horrible, I know. And I can say that only because I am blessed (so far) with good health, and have never had to wage fierce battle with the Big C. But my friends who have fought it bravely did so with a generous dose of black humor, and so I hope they understand. This is my truth: My breasts get in the way of my running. They affect my gait, my speed, my self-image. Read more

Windermere Marathon Race Report: Almost a DNF

Written by Cilantro on May 20, 2013 · 21 Comments

It was good to be home with my family

Was I overtrained? Yes.

Did I carb-load enough? No.

Did I peak too soon? Yes, for my PR in the Hurricane Half Marathon three weeks ago.

Was the course unexpectedly hilly? Yes.

Does that explain why it took me over 4 hours to run 26.2 miles? No.

Not exactly.

Why not? It was mental.

Weekly Roundup 5.19.13

Written by Cinnamon on May 19, 2013 · Leave a Comment

Git along, little Salties

First things first: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SALTY! Our fearless leader turned “29″ again yesterday, and we hope she had the best day ever!

Second, woohoo! We had a heck of a racing weekend! More on that later, of course, in the race reports.

Third, we had TONS of incredible comments from you gals this week on all of our posts. YOU make us a community, and we love hearing from you, so keep ‘em coming! You never know, you just might win the Comment of the Week one of these weeks here…

And now, the roundup!

Last weekend, Salty brought us down to earth a little. Between Boston and kidnappings and explosions and more shootings, there’s a lot of heavy stuff hanging over us, and caring about running can start to feel selfish or trivial. When Running Feels So Insignificant, how do you handle it?

Once Upon a Time, Pepper Was a Fast Running Chick, but now, a year into a debilitating injury and slowly coming back, she’s not so sure she still has the need for speed, especially with other sports and interests making their way to the forefront.

Cilantro is worried that a couple of weeks training at lower intensity and volume hurt her chances for a Boston qualifying marathon, so she did something crazy! Just how crazy do you think it was? How to Salvage a Marathon Training Plan (I Hope)

It’s not just race fees, people. Running is for Rich People, and Cinnamon (hey, that’s me!) is speaking up for those of us in the lower tax brackets.

Does running have you in stitches? Ginkgo‘s got horrible side cramps, and she’s re-examining possible causes and solutions: Those Stinkin’ Stubborn Side Stitches

Ginger‘s curious about the possibility of trackstar Nick Symmonds as ABC’s new guy on The Bachelor, but she’s come up with a few other runner candidates for the producers’ consideration as well! 5 Other Runners Who Should Be the Next Bachelor

And which awesome Salty Reader won Comment of the Week? You’ll have to click through to find out!

Thanks for an awesome week! Now get out on the road and get salty!

Comment of the Week 5.19.13

Written by Cinnamon on May 19, 2013 · Leave a Comment

It’s that time again, Salty Runners, time to bestow upon one lucky member of our community the highest achievement in commentary:

Who wins the badge this week?

This week we had a ton of great comments, and it was really really hard to choose! Ultimately the competition came down to three fantastic Salty Readers, but once the final votes were cast, one stood out among them. Man oh man, did it ever.

Who’s the big winner? Find out after the jump! Read more

5 Other Runners Who Should Be the Next Bachelor

Written by Ginger on May 17, 2013 · 8 Comments

If you haven’t already heard the news, track and field heartthrob, Nick Symmonds, is being considered for the next season of ABC’s The Bachelor. Symmonds represented the United States last year at the London Olympics, running an impressive 1:42.95 in the 800 meters final, a time that even shocked him. A couple weeks later, he went on to break his own American Record in the Beer Mile, running a 5:19. And if that isn’t impressive enough, he even attempted to court Paris Hilton leading up to the Olympics. He has the perfect credentials, but if I am going to make the attempt to watch the Bachelor for a full season, I’d rather watch these other guys instead. Read more

Those Stinkin’ Stubborn Side Stitches

Written by Ginkgo on May 16, 2013 · 5 Comments

Do you ever feel like this is happening in your belly while running? (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Ever since my half marathon at Capital City in the beginning of May, I’ve been experiencing some nagging side stitches on most of my training runs. What. a. pain. in. the. butt. (Well, actually, the abdominal area).

Back in high school, I struggled with side stitches often and it seriously affected my racing. I tried going to specialists and was told many possible causes – spasms, gas, and diaphragm irritation- but I was never able to concoct a remedy, other than waiting until it dissipated and praying that it didn’t come back.

Throughout my running years, side stitches have come and gone. Often once I get one on one run, I will get one on all my runs for a week or two. After that, it will dissipate and I’ll be in the free zone until the next one hits a few months later. I tend to have a sensitive belly to begin with, and I’m curious if other runners with their 1,000,511,685,967 (approximation) stomachs deal with this same occurence.

Do side stitches ever get in the way of your running too? Read more

Running is for Rich People

Written by Cinnamon on May 15, 2013 · 22 Comments

Scrooge says “No running for you!” (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

It’s all relative. Some of us are willing to do more than others to get faster.

Huh. Willing.

If you’ve read my sister’s post about recognizing what you’re willing to do to maximize your training, you know that it’s all relative: super fast runners Shalane and Kara earned their success at Boston this year because they were willing to make sacrifices necessary to pursue running as a career. Runners like them shape their lives around training: they pay coaches and therapists, they travel all over to races and push hard. But why not you? Why not me? If we’re willing to sacrifice everything, if we train as long and as intensively we could do it too, right?

Well, maybe. But a lot of us have other stuff going on in our lives that precludes all that. For me, and I know for many of you too, it’s a financial burden, and I can’t run away from that. Does that make me unwilling, or is it okay to feel like I’m not able?

This stuff is expensive! Read more

How to Salvage a Marathon Training Plan (I Hope)

Written by Cilantro on May 14, 2013 · 13 Comments

So you missed part of your training plan. Think your marathon goal is kaput?

If you miss training runs, should you kiss your marathon goal goodbye?

Say somewhere during the heaviest part of the training cycle, you missed runs for marathon training. Maybe things got busy, maybe you got sick, maybe there was an injury threat…no matter what the cause, is there a way to recover from missing workouts?

I think so. I hope so, or I have totally screwed up my Boston-qualifying marathon goal.

When I decided on a race and created my training plan, just like any of us would, I anticipated a perfect training cycle: no injuries or unexpected travel. I generally expect to exceed my planned mileage since I view a training plan as the minimum miles required, but in mid-cycle I had a big setback that left me barely training at all. Been there? Maybe you’re there right now?

Don’t worry, there’s hope for us yet! Read more

Once Upon a Time I Was a Fast Running Chick

Written by Pepper on May 13, 2013 · 12 Comments

Fast Running Chick or Turkey? you decide ;)

Once upon a time I was a fast running chick. It’s hard to believe that just a year ago I was 38th overall female at the Boston marathon. It’s hard to believe that in 2011 I ran a 2:52 marathon on less than ideal training with a bum foot and calf. It feels like I am worlds away from that stars-aligned moment in 2010 when I ran 2:49:53 and came in 2nd place at a large marathon. Where on earth is that runner chick now? Read more

When Running Feels So Insignificant

Written by Salty on May 11, 2013 · 6 Comments

I prefer a hobby of actual precious moments to figurative (or figurine) ones. (Photo credit: pchow98)

Sometimes I take my running too seriously. My husband is usually the first to tip me off that I’ve gone over the edge from enjoying it to stressing out about it. When he does this, his favorite phrase for reminding me of running’s place in my life is, “it’s just a hobby.”

He is always half joking, acknowledging that it matters to me and is important to me, but truthfully reminding me that in the end it’s not a matter of life or death. If I don’t PR or *gasp* get a day’s workout in, the Earth will continue to turn.

Lately, I uncharacteristically don’t need that reminder. Read more