If you have cats, then you already know the key to living your best life is to spend all your time sleeping, snuggling, rolling around on the floor, and eating. But can cats teach us anything about running?
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Caraway on
Tag: Friday
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Caraway on
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Barley on
It’s officially Boston Marathon weekend! For about 30,000 runners and their friends/family that means making the trek to Beantown to dive into the madness that is marathon weekend. The banners, the expo, the photo ops, the shakeout runs, the schmoozing, and of course one of the most epic races on Earth.
For many this is the highlight of their running career. Other runners have barely heard of it. Over the years I’ve experienced marathon weekend in many different ways, from “what marathon?” to PR’ing on the tough Boston course. Each time, embracing the life phase I was in allowed me to enjoy Marathon Monday as much as possible.
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Sal The Snail on
Originally posted by Caraway in March 2017
It’s that time of year again! After a long winter of slogging out miles on the treadmill, the ladies are again venturing outdoors. It won’t be long until we’re flooded with articles reminding us of the many ways these ladies are asking to be attacked by creeps every time they leave the house. You know the ones telling women they should never run without varying their routes, or bringing mace, a phone, that plastic claw-thing that turns them into Cat Woman, their barbed … uh … inserts, and their Rottweilers?
But the research suggests there are more sure-fire ways for women to run safely and here they are.
Read more >>
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Sesame on
You regular readers probably know me. I mean, after all, I’m kind of big deal. People know me.
BUT, for those of you who don’t know me, let me introduce myself. I’m Sal, the Salty Running mascot – that’s me up there at the top left of the page. I am a 4-year-old 77-hour trail marathoner (2 hours and 56 minutes per mile). My goal is shave 60 hours off my time (2 hours and 17 minutes per mile faster).
My dream is to qualify for the snailympic trials, and I’ve been working harder than ever to make my dream a reality. If your dreams don’t scare you, they’re not big enough, I always say.
Here is what my training looked like the week of 02.12.18 – 02.18.18:
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Cinnamon on
So they say your bra shouldn’t have a birthday, do they? Bullshit, unless your goal is to sell more bras. I’ve been rocking my favorite for the last four years and it’s still holding my boobs in place like it’s supposed to.
Oh, and another thing: if bras really aren’t made to last longer than a year, why don’t manufacturers just start making better ones? Srsly.
Anyhow, when you get unnaturally attached to things like I do, you’re bound to hang onto your stuff a little bit longer than most people would. With that in mind, here are my standards for finally pitching a bra:
10. You can stretch the straps over your head without taking it off.
9. You’re getting scratched by the safety pins you put in the band after it stretched too much
8. It smells like you already ran in it even when it’s freshly laundered
7. It’s easier to take it off by pushing it down over your hips instead of pulling it up over your head
6. No, you’re not just paranoid: dudes at the gym are definitely watching you in puzzled awe while you’re on the treadmill.
5. “What’s that slapping noise…?”
4. There’s a permanent chafing line around your entire torso from the “elastic,” which…
3. …doesn’t “stretch” so much as it “crackles.”
2. You can fit your phone in there. And your wallet, keys, ipad and actually your whole purse.
1. It hasn’t had a birthday, it’s had ten.
How old are your sports bras?
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Sal The Snail on
This post was originally published by Coriander in 2016.
Valentine’s Day! First it was a celebration for a bunch of saints named Valentine (seriously, there were three of them), and then Chaucer had to go and write a drippy poem connecting the saints’ day with lovers, and then came the flowers, chocolate, chintzy cards …
and Tinder?
Maybe ol’ Valentine of Rome and Chaucer didn’t see that one coming, but for many a single lady, online dating is all the romance she’s going to get on Valentine’s Day. I oughtta know. I used to be there.
Although on this Valentine’s Day, I’ll be happily celebrating with my soon-to-be husband and, like many couples you’ll see out and about, we met online. (It actually works! Keep the faith!) But before my endurance-sports-loving Valentine and I deleted our Tinder profiles and made it official, I came across a lot of duds. Of course, because being active was a must for me, I focused my search on endurance athletes. So when I say I came across a lot of duds, I specifically mean I encountered a ton of runner duds, all of whom fit into one of five categories.
If you’re just starting out in the wonderful (and not-so-wonderful) world of online dating, here’s the five types of “runners” to watch out for. (The quotation marks there will make sense shortly.) Read more >>
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Barley on
I love football, and I love the Super Bowl – it’s a good excuse to get together with friends and hang out, eat a lot, and watch the big game. As a Buffalo Bills fan, I haven’t been able to cheer for my hometown team in the playoffs or the Super Bowl for most of my life, so I’ve always had to find ways to make the big day something I can relate to. Usually I pick a team to cheer for because one of my friends is rooting for them, or just because I can’t stand the other team.
But the Super Bowl isn’t just about food, beer, and cheering! We runners can learn something from the burly dudes in protective gear.
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Dill on
We’ve all been there. It’s Mile 15 of the marathon, and things are looking mighty familiar. You started too fast…again. Didn’t you mean to dial it back for the first half this time? You’ve gagged down your gels…again. What happened to your plan to try other, less mucosal fuel sources for a change?
You start to curse yourself and your decisions, and that’s when you hear it…again. Heavy, shuffling footfalls right behind you, and breathing that sounds like some sort of steam-fuelled machine. Yep, it’s that guy, the one who doesn’t know how to pick up his feet and really needs to see a pulmonologist. He’s back. Right behind you. Just like in all your other marathons.
It’s at this moment that you hear the song:
“Then put your little hand in mine, there ain’t no hill or mountain we can’t climb. Babe. I got you babe.”
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Cilantro on
Look. I get it. You’re tough. You run uphill both ways at 4 a.m. in the freezing rain. You have to get outside, no matter how many layers it takes to avoid losing a limb to frostbite. You just can’t do the treadmill.
That’s fine. You do you. Because I f’in love the treadmill.
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Ginger on
Karen Abutnuttin, a 35-year-old mother of none from Canada, recently surpassed the record for least amount of social media posts during a training cycle. The record was previously held by the local Beardy Guy, Jack Ingoff, at two posts, both of which featured Ingoff complaining about the rising cost of local 5ks.
“Jack set the bar pretty high,” Karen said. “But I wanted to test the boundaries of what it means to not only be a runner but a woman runner as well.”
Karen went an entire 16-week training cycle without sharing a single post about her training.
“It was tough some days when I had a really good workout and wanted to shout it from the rooftops,” she said. “There were times when I sat staring at my phone, debating whether to hit send on a long post I had just written. In the end it was worth it to hit cancel instead.”
Karen’s biggest challenge came halfway through the training cycle when Twitter announced it would increase its character allowance to 280. It was at this point in the training cycle when Karen decided to commit to chasing the record.
“It was a difficult time when that happened and then when I decided to continue forging ahead, I was tempted to tweet about my attempt to set the record but figured it would go against the Guinness rules if I inadvertently mentioned running in a tweet.”
At the culmination of the long and quiet 16 weeks, Karen ran her local marathon and continued to extend her record by not even posting a picture of her medal the following Monday. The internet only learned of her feat after her mother posted a proud congratulatory message on Facebook. Friends started texting her immediately asking if her mom’s claims were fake news.
“Some were hurt that they didn’t know I had been training for the race,” Karen said. “They felt deceived. But when I told them about the record, they were fine.”
Karen recently submitted her record to the coveted Guinness Book of World Records. Her attempt was met with some criticism from internet threads such as Letsrun.com, who felt that if no one was watching her not post to social media sites, should the record still be ratified?
“Who’s to say she didn’t post a picture of her watch in a weak moment at 3 a.m. and then delete the post?” asked one poster.
Others tried to research her activity on less-known social media sites, such as Google+. A “Karen Abutnuttin” was found to have a profile on the site and as a result posters attempted to friend her to view the private profile. When asked why she didn’t accept the requests Karen responded, “Google+ is still a thing?”
In the meantime, Karen began posting pictures of her post-long run meals and foam rollers as soon as she started training for her next race.
“All that hard work and I still didn’t qualify for Boston,” she said. “I guess it doesn’t matter whether or not you post about it on social media.”
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Cardamom on
Let’s be real: at some point, we’ve all been single. We’ve dated, sometimes successfully, and sometimes we’re sending an emergency escape text to your BFF.
But you know what’s funny? Dating is an awful lot like marathon training. Don’t believe me?
Let’s compare.
- There’s an app for it.
- You spend too much money on it.
- You swear you’re too busy with life to do it, but do it anyway.
- You’ve been hurt (physically, emotionally and mentally) by it.
- People love to tell you how you’re doing it wrong.
- You wonder why other people are so invested in what you do with your own time, money and body.
- Some are great, some are truly awful, but most are kinda mediocre and forgettable.
- When you don’t feel like talking about it, people ask you about it.
- You see how for other people, it goes so effortlessly and you wonder why you can’t have that yourself.
- Some you’re very eager to go on, some you dread, but most are just well, here we go again.
- Sometimes you wonder if you really are doing it all wrong.
- Sometimes you feel really lonely and frustrated.
- After an incredible one, you’re on a high and life is beautiful.
- And then a crappy one brings you down again.
- When things are going really well, you don’t want to say anything for the fear of jinxing it.
- It doesn’t matter which one you pick, there will always be someone who tells you that you should have picked the other one.
- There will be times when you’re rolling along and things are going well — or so you think — and then BAM! All of a sudden, out of nowhere, you hit a wall with no way around it. You’re left battered, bruised, and you don’t think you can do this again. In fact, you’re sure you’re not going to do this again.
- And then you go out and do it again.
Now, if only there was tinder for marathons. I’d swipe left on, say, a course that was historically too short and right on one that almost guarantees a BQ (I’m looking at you, St. George).
Convinced? What are the other ways marathon training is like dating?
How to Navigate the Awkward Water Cooler Chat (Once Your Co-Workers Find Out that You Run … FOR FUN)
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Sesame on
SCENE: Several co-workers mingle around the water cooler before an onsite lunch meeting.
Co-worker A: I hear that you are a runner.
Runner swallows some water. Nods head in agreement.
Co-worker A: So, how many miles do you run each week?
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Avocado on
I know I’m not the typical Salty contributor and you’re probably wondering how I got my paws on this post. But rest assured, the humans know I’m here. Avocado belongs to me and asked if I would be interested in guest posting to share my experiences and expertise on how to train for a 6-legged 5k.
Of course, I was excited. The humans rarely ask me for running feedback, which I can’t seem to make heads or tails of seeing as I’m twice as capable as them (double the legs, duh). Anywho, happy to share my take and offer a little guidance to any of our pup readers looking to take on this challenge with their human.
To begin, let’s talk about training, and not the kind that involves us fooling our humans into countless treats until we “learn” to stay. As a rescue, much of my early days were spent on the run so the cardio and endurance came naturally to me, as it does for many. If that’s the case for you, the most important thing in training is learning that there is, in fact, another speed besides “Go” or “squirrel.” It takes practice and patience to hone those skills. Personally, I think the most challenging part for us pups is teaching our humans to heel. In my experience, they have a tendency to want to keep a consistent speed. Humans, am I right? While it’s not in our nature, allow them to lead for the most part, but don’t be afraid to add that occasional fartlek training, especially in particularly wooded or squirrely areas.
If endurance isn’t your forte, it’s important to start by getting those miles on your paws. Morgan’s mom, Chicory, wrote about this here. Be consistent and try to get your human out with you at least a couple times a week. Pups, most of you know the basics on how to do this but a few effective tactics include: whining incessantly, destroying precious property, pooping in the house and the one I’ve found most effective, an uncontrollable bout of the zoomies. Get out and practice these 2-3 mile jogs a few times a week until you start to feel like that dash-out-the-door energy becomes more sustainable.
When it comes to race day, it’s up to you to help push (or in this case pull) them a little when they start to slow. Don’t be afraid to let that race day adrenaline take over and pick up the clip toward the end. Sniff some butts in front of you and work that tail. There are treats at the end so when your four dogs start barkin’, just remember, it will be worth it!
Most importantly, have fun! The majority of us pups are your average fur-to-5k type, so take off the pressure. The likelihood of you making it to the PuppyBowl is pretty slim so just enjoy it! Your humans will thank you and you’ll likely score an Insta feature (#goals). So buckle down that collar and get your furry butt in gear — it’s 5k season!
Reminder: Check with your vet before starting running with your dog. This post gives some guidance on the age and types of dogs suitable for running, but always get the go-ahead from your vet!
Any training tips from humans or pups on 6-legged 5ks?
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Chicory on
This pedicure survived 26.2, don’t judge.
There are no shortcuts to running — the most sure way to become a better runner is to, well, run. We’ve talked about the importance of #extrasalt to balance what you’re doing, from cross-training to recovery. But in between training and foam rolling sessions, I’m willing to try a lot of other things to recover faster and become a magical injury-proof running unicorn.
Here are the five weirdest things I’ve tried to help my running: Read more >>
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Sesame on
Whether or not you want to admit it, there is likely a special place in your heart for the 2003 rom-com “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days.” Andie Anderson pretends to date Benjamin Barry (please take a second to acknowledge this amazing alliteration), but meanwhile and unbeknownst to him, she is writing a dating “how to” column in reverse. She is actually trying to drive him away using classic relationship mistakes. You might be thinking to yourself, “What does this have to do with running?” Great question!
Over the years, we’ve all made lots of questionable decisions that have impaired our relationship with running. In this post, I want to delve into a few of these so that you can learn from our collective mistakes and avoid the “it’s complicated” status with your relationship with running. You’re welcome.
- Don’t devote all of your mental, emotional and physical energy to running. This might seem like a no-brainer, but it is surprisingly easy to get overly invested in your relationship with running. Just like in dating, this is a real quick ticket to scaring off your potential partner. The key is always balance! Most of us are not professional runners, so let’s not pretend like we are. Running will thank you and you’ll likely be able to stay with it for the long-term.
- Don’t run every single training run at goal race pace. You want to run a half marathon at 7:30 pace, so you might as well try to run every single run at that pace to make sure that you can do it on race day right? Of course not! Unfortunately, lots of us are guilty of running our easy runs too fast. SLOW it down, girlfriend! Slow and steady is usually best (if you know what I mean).
- Don’t train through injury. Throw some Icy Hot on that niggle and hit the track! Uh yeah … this is a good way to get burned (in more ways than one). Every relationship has its broken moments. Andie and Ben went to couples therapy to work through their issues. If you find yourself on the verge of injury, take it easy for a few days and go see your local sports chiro/physical therapist/medical pro of choice. Chances are he or she will be able to fix you up and keep you running! The key is jumping on it early and not letting it escalate (true in running and relationships, eh?).
- Not ever missing a workout (i.e., live or die by your training plan). You will not get an extra award on race day for perfect attendance during training. Life happens. You will miss a workout here or there. You might even miss a Monday. What?! Even though “never miss a Monday” is trendy these days, your body might be extra tired on Monday (especially if you are doing your long runs on Saturday or Sunday).
- Don’t choose your race day outfit for style over function. You want to look good, I get it! I hate to admit how many times I’ve made this mistake myself (Nike booty shorts … I’m talking to you), but really, don’t do this! Choose comfort and function over style. You don’t always have to dress to impress. Running loves you no matter what you look like! (Also, pockets. Pockets always win.)
- Don’t get knocked up! Kidding — while wanting to have a baby might scare off some men, it won’t scare off running. With some adjustments and following their doctor’s advice, a lot of Saltines have run through and/or soon after pregnancy. Some have taken more time off during pregnancy and after. It’s up to you (and your doctor). All those options are fine — running will still think you’re beautiful.
- Don’t experiment with your race day fuel ON RACE DAY. We know this isn’t a good idea and yet, we’ve probably all done it at least once. The orange Gatorade and orange gel fiasco of 2013 was the final straw for me personally. I actually haven’t had an orange Gatorade or gel since. The time to experiment is during your long training runs. You’ve got to figure out what works for you. The same thing doesn’t work for everyone!
- Don’t train in the heat of the day to make yourself stronger! Running knows that you are tough. You don’t have anything to prove. Just like you don’t want to willingly put your dating relationships directly into a pressure cooker, let’s keep running away from any unnecessarily brutal conditions as well. It’s hot enough out there as it is.
- Don’t try to get as many miles as possible on each pair of running shoes. Shoes get expensive for sure and you’ve got that one special pair that you just keep wearing and wearing and wearing some more, because they totally messed up the newest model. It happens. Sometimes you just have to let it go and move on. You will find your next true love. You just might have to try out a few before you find the one. Try it before you buy it! We’ll let you be the one to decide how to this applies in other relationships.
- Don’t treat yo’ self to a pre-race pedicure and let them trim up all of those nasty calluses. Gurl, your feet look turrible. Trust me, I know. But please, whatever you do … do not let them take those calluses off! You’ve worked hard to earn those bad boys. Wear them proud (and possibly wear closed toe shoes on your next date).
Chances are that even if you have tried your best to push it away, running is still there for you. Let’s face it, this is likely the most stable relationship you’ve ever been in. You two were simply meant to be together!
It’s time for us to hear from you! What are some good mistakes that you’ve made that you want others to learn from?