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Register Now for the 2010 Inaugural Princess Run

Princess Run Logo_2

Registration is now open for the runHers 2010 Inaugural Princess Run. This run is a one-mile run/walk/stroll for girls 12 and under. It will benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Oklahoma. You can register your little princess online at Active.com.

You can also download the full version poster here to print and display at your school, church or gym. Let everyone know how much fun the Princess Run will be!

Sunday, March 28

2:00pm

Stars and Stripes Park

at Lake Hefner


Memorial Marathon Training: Week 9

Welcome to week 9 of our training season.  What a great turnout last weekend and a beautiful day for a run.  All training groups push up with mileage again this week with those training for the half running 9 miles and those running the full doing 14-17 miles.  RunHers is supporting the Deer Creek Classic this Saturday.  It’s a great 5K, 10K and 1-mile fun run that support the Deer Creek Schools.  The 5 and 10K races will be our “official” runs this week so those training for the marathon will want to tack on another 8-10 miles this weekend.  Team in Training will still be meeting at 7 on Saturday morning at Keller Williams at 5600 N Classen Boulevard. They are having a nutrition clinic after their run that we are welcome to join!

March Monthly runHers Meeting

Funky Monkey is the Presenting Sponsor for this year’s Princess Run and features the coolest clothing for both children and women, including the unusual and hard-to-find lines!   The store is providing dinner. So, let’s have a great turnout to show our appreciation for their support!  We will have new spring gear to show off and our own Jenny Graef will be on hand at the meeting to lead us through her leg workout and stretching routine. Wear comfortable clothes.  Jenny will also answer all your running, nutrition, marathon and training questions!  If you have a question, send me a short email and I’ll forward it on to Jenny. Also, we’re going to be talking about pace groups, so we can introduce members to other people who run similar paces.

Monday, March 8th at 7 pm

Funky Monkey

14101 N. May Avenue in Oklahoma City


A letter from runHers Member, Christina Eckert

This is the time in training when you start perfecting your race day routine.  One of the most important aspects on race day will be how you re-fuel during the race.  Having the right long-run nutrition plan can make the difference between finishing strong and not finishing at all.  Carbohydrates are a good source of glucose, the form of sugar that our brain, nerves and muscles need to function.  A small amount of glucose circulates in our blood, but most is stored in our muscles and liver as glycogen.  According to Runner’s World, when you deplete your glycogen stores, your muscles and brain run out of fuel and you feel physically fatigued and mentally drained.  You “hit the wall”!  Consuming the right amount and right kind of carbs can keep that from happening.  Our runHers expert Jenny Graef says,  “Gu/gels or some sort of carbohydrate replacement should be taken at regular times throughout the race.”  Registered Dietician Amy Jamieson-Petonic adds, “The goal is to consume 30-60 grams (100-250 calories) of easily digestible carbs every hour on runs lasting longer than an hour.”   Most experts suggest you fuel before you start to get tired, which means taking in carbs between 30-60 minutes into your workout or race, depending on your intensity.  That’s the equivalent of 1 to 2-1/2 sports gels or 16 -40 ounces of sports drink per hour.

Some runners have stomach trouble with gels though.  Fellow runHers member Ashley Loftiss takes chocolate Gu with pretzels.  Kate Hughes really likes the Sports Beans.  Jenny Graef has been known to eat Starbursts during long runs.  Some others turn to alternatives you may already have in your kitchen like orange slices, LifeSavers, Fig Newtons, Gummi Bears, jelly beans or even small packets of honey.  Remember, try these out on long runs.  What works for your running buddy may not work for you!  Consider taking your carbs with water too.  RunHers expert Graef says “You can drink Gatorade/powerade with gels, but it might be too much sugar at once if you take the whole gel. Your body can only process so much sugar at once. However, you definitely want to be taking Gatorade/powerade throughout the race to replace electrolytes, but you might want to skip it when you take the gel just to be safe.” Just remember to look for foods that are made mostly of simple sugars.  You want that sugar in your blood as soon as possible to help fuel your efforts and make the most of your training runs and race day!

Just for fun, I’m including a recipe that was in this months Runner’s World (might be a great post-run treat!)

3-1/2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

½ cup honey

1/3 cup hottest possible tap water

Grated zest of 1 lemon

1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

8 ounces dried figs, stems removed, finely chopped

8 ounces unblanched almonds, toasted and coarsely ground

72 paper petit-four cases, or mini-muffin liners

In small saucepan, combine chocolate, honey and tap water.  Heat mixture over moderate heat until chocolate melts.  Stir to combine.  Remove from heat.  Stir in zest, salt, cinnamon, figs and almonds.  Arrange paper cases side by side on baking sheet.  Spoon mixture into paper cases filling about ¾ full (about 2 teaspoons each).  Refrigerate at least 30 minutes to firm up before serving.  Makes 72 pieces. Calories:  47   Carbs:  5 g   Protein:  1 g  Fat:  2.5 g

One final note from Thoreau this week, “If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams and endeavors to lead a life which he has imagined, he will meet a success unexpected in common hours.”  Expect success!

Have fun this training season and remember runHers is for life!

Christina Eckert


Princess Run Sponsor Announcement

pastedGraphicrunHers announces Funky Monkey as the Presenting Sponsor for the 2010 Inaugural Princess Run.  “We are very excited about being a part of the Princess Run,” say Funky Monkey owners Brittany Faulkner and Jennifer Najera.  “We have little girls ourselves, so we feel as if this event hits home to us.  We know how important it is to make your little girl feel special. There was no hesitation on our part to jump on board when we were asked to sponsor the race.”  White says runhers is thrilled with the partnership.  Najera adds, “I am very excited to know that there is a great group of women who are getting out there and promoting healthy living and raising money for such a great cause.  We are so happy to be a part of runhers and plan on more partnerships with runhers on these lifestyle events.”


“The Princess Run is really a great opportunity to bring young girls together in an event that focuses on fitness and exercise as a fun activity,” says run director Amy White.   “As a group, runhers is a diverse women’s association who have found that healthy lifestyle, running and walking is great for themselves – inspiring to their families, friends and communities – as well as an outlet that allows women to stay healthy while spending time with friends. We want to pass that spirit of camaraderie and healthy living onto the next generation.”

The race will be held rain or shine on March 28th at 2:00pm at Stars and Stripes Park on Lake Hefner and will feature a one-mile course for the Princesses to run, walk or stroll through. At the finish line, all Princesses will be awarded a medal and treated to chocolate milk and a cupcake.   Other activities at the event include inflatable jumpers, face painting, a nail “salon”, craft area and more!  It’s a run so fun you’ll think it’s a fairy tale!  The Princess Run benefits the Leukemia and Lymphoma society of Oklahoma.


Register your Princess in advance on Active.com to guarantee a race t-shirt.

You can download the poster here to print and display at your school, church or gym.

Memorial Marathon Training: Week 8

Welcome to week 8 of our training season.  This week marks the half-way point with eight more weeks until Oklahoma City!  What a great turnout last weekend to run/walk with Team in Training.  We will be running with them again this weekend.  This week those training for the full will be running 12-13 miles, while those running the half will be doing 8. There will be a group taking off from the Casady School Parking Lot at 9500 North Pennsylvania Avenue in Oklahoma City.  Those doing the marathon will meet at 7 am and everyone doing the half and shorter distances can meet at 8 am with Team in Training. Please come out and join us even if you’re doing a shorter distance or if you feel like you’re “just walking”!  We’d love to see you out there this weekend… and if you have a runHers shirt try to wear it!

You can view this in more detail at Map My Run.

You can view this in more detail at Map My Run.

Also a quick note about next week’s training.  runHers is supporting the Deer Creek Classic next Saturday.  It’s a great 5K, 10K and 1-mile fun run that supports the Deer Creek Schools.  You’ll want to register by February 26th to guarantee a t-shirt.  Students/Children are $15 and adults are $20.  The 1-mile fun run can also help all the runHers kids log more miles for the Oklahoma City Marathon!  The 10K race will be our “official” run next week so for those training for the marathon who are running 14-17… there will also be a group getting together on Sunday for an unofficial run of 8-10 miles.  Team in Training will still be meeting at 8 on Saturday morning and I will send that out in next week’s email but we would love for as many members as possible to support the race! Click here if you’d like more information.

Letter from runHers member, Christina Eckert

As the weeks go by and your miles increase, this can be the time when injuries pop up so I turned to Amby Burfoot of Runner’s World on how to prevent those.  He developed several “rules” of injury prevention over the years that most experts agree on… and while these rules won’t guarantee you won’t get hurt, if you incorporate these guidelines into your training, it will probably make your running life more enjoyable! First, know your limits.  Physical therapist Irene Davis says, “I believe that every runner has an injury threshold.”  What you are trying to do is not cross that threshold and get hurt.  Sports podiatrist Stephen Pribut warns runners to beware of the “terrible toos”… doing too much, too soon, too fast.  Experts agree this is the number one cause of self-inflicted injuries.  The body needs time to adapt from training changes and jumps in mileage or intensity.  Muscles and joints need recovery time so they can handle more training demands.  If you rush that process, you can break down rather than build up.  Second, listen to your body.  If you don’t run through pain, you can nip most injuries before they become serious.  Most running injuries don’t come out of nowhere.  They produce signals… aches, soreness, persistent pain… but it’s up to you to acknowledge those signs and take action!   Third, don’t race or do speed work too often.  Researchers have found a direct link between injuries and frequent racing or maximum efforts.  Just remember, running hard can be hard on your body, so give yourself plenty of recovery time.  Only add speed work to your training once a week. Even Olympic gold medalists only do about five percent of their training at 5k pace or faster!  Fourth, stretch the back of your legs.  Runners are tight in their hamstrings and calves and most experts say stretching may help prevent injuries there.  Fifth, crosstrain!  Most runners can benefit from at least one non-running day a week and crosstraining like swimming, the stationary bike and elliptical machine can provide a great aerobic alternative.  And last, be sure you are wearing shoes that fit properly.  While no-one believes shoes can cure your injuries, you should wear the pair that fits and functions best for your feet!  One interesting study from the Stanford University School of Medicine found there was no greater incidence of osteoarthritis or knee replacements among runners than non-runners.  That study went on to find regular running actually delayed medical disabilities (like heart attacks and strokes, along with cancer and neurological diseases) by more than 16 years in runners compared with non-runners!  Bottom line:  keep running to stay healthy, young and injury free!

A few other notes as we get ready for the Oklahoma City Memorial… now is the time to start thinking about your race day “routine”.  What do you like to eat before a long run?  What will you wear?  What gel or goo will you use and when.  How often should you re-hydrate?  If this is your first race, talk to people who’ve run these before to get some advice and then use these long runs to find what works for you… so you have your routine perfected on April 25th.  For example, runHers founder Wendi Weaver doesn’t usually need goo on runs less than 12 miles.  But I found out this weekend, that I probably need a boost around mile eight!

And one final note from my favorite source, The Runner’s Book of Inspiration, “You will never know who you are until you first admit who you are not.  What are you strengths and weaknesses as a runner (and a human being)?  What do you do well?  Is it your unwillingness to quit, your toughness, your speed, your ability to work hard?  You may compare yourself with other runners and find yourself lacking in some respect. But remember:  no one else has your unique gifts.  You possess talents and capabilities that other people, including the ones you admire, can only dream of.  And those unique gifts are what you must bring to the world.”

Have fun this training season and remember runHers is for life!

Christina Eckert

PS:  Don’t forget about registering for the upcoming Princess Run. The race will be held rain or shine on March 28th at 2 PM at Stars and Stripes Park on Lake Hefner and will feature a one-mile course for participants to run, walk or stroll through.  At the finish line, all princesses will be awarded a medal and treated to chocolate milk and a cupcake.   Other activities at the event include face painting, a nail “salon”, craft area and more!  It’s a run so fun you’ll think it’s a fairy tale!  The Princess run benefits the Leukemia and Lymphoma society of Oklahoma. If you would like to print out a flyer that you can display at your school or gym you can download one here!

Memorial Marathon Training: Week 7

This week those training for the full marathon are pushing upward 12-15 miles.  Those running the half will also be increasing to 8 miles.  We will meet this week with Team In Training (TNT) at Java Dave’s at 10 NE 10th Street (On the edge of downtown, right off of I-235 and 10th street).  View the course map here. TNT is walking/running six to eight miles this week so that matches up for those of us training for the half, relay, and 5k.  If you are training for the half marathon will meet at 8 am.  Those training for the full marathon, will meet at 7 am at Java Daves and run the course once, before meeting up with the rest of the girls training at 8 am.  If you’ve been hesitant to come out and walk or run with us, this would be a great week.

Letter from runHers Member Christina Eckert

Welcome to week 7 of our training season.  Hope you all had good races and training runs this past weekend!  I know those of you who ran on Sunday had some brutal weather!  Those are the stories that make you “real” runners :-)

One of the hardest aspects of running for almost everyone, beginning and experienced runners, is the mental aspect of the sport.  It can be tough out there some days and its hard to keep running. Especially as the miles increase.  I’m not talking about running through pain, just through that mental block.  That little voice that sometimes says, “This is hard… stop.”

I turned to our own runHers expert, Jenny Graef, and here are some of the tips she had. (She admits even she has hard days!)

  • “One thing I do (and this will sound weird…) is that I talk myself through it.  If I’m going through a tough stretch in a long run, I will start talking out loud (not too loud, I don’t want to scare innocent pedestrians!) and telling myself “You can do this” or “Doing great” or “You’re okay”  or something like that.  The minute you let yourself think anything negative, the long run immediately feels harder. The mind is a powerful thing, so the talking out loud, repeating postive things eventually makes me believe those things.  Fake it til you make it. :)
  • Graef also says she runs with friends and listens to music to keep your mind off how tired you are.
  • Another tip she says is “I also have a fun treat that I get to have after each long run! :)  So I love donuts, but I don’t let myself eat them every day, and now they’ve become my treat if I make it through my long run.  A little extra motivation never hurts! :)

Here are some more tips from Runners World.  First, let your imagination run wild.  Pretend you’re in the Olympics (or any big race) and you’re about to win, but only if you keep going.  Imagine the crowd cheering you on.  Think about the other runners you’re passing… or those trying to pass you!  And keep pushing until the run is over.  Also, use your surroundings.  Pick objects along your run… a tree, lightpost or stop sign… and focus on running to it.  When you reach that object, pick a new one and keep going.  You can also pass the time and distract yourself by planning ahead.

Think about a work project. Mentally write your grocery list. Write a letter. Plan dinner.  I often write next week’s runHers email during my long runs!  Music always seems to help pass the miles, too. You know you have that song that never fails to inspire you.  I love Melissa Etheridge’s I Run For Life  and Train’s Hey, Soul Sister. Make a playlist with your top tunes and save it for your long runs.

Also, don’t underestimate the power of a running partner or group like runHers.  ”Training allies will get you out the door on those days when exercise might otherwise be reduced to a finger on the remote control button.”  I use group runs as my girl time,  my therapy sessions and my time to laugh!  And last, remember the power of positive thinking just like Jenny pointed out!  Come up with a mantra to rally your strength.  It could be a word “push” or “strength” or a phrase like “you can do this.”  When it gets tough, don’t think “i’m so tired” or “this is so hard.” Think of your phrase, and think “I can do this!”

It’s easy to let those hard runs get inside your head.  ”Every runner has a good angel whispering in one ear, telling her that she’s strong and confident, and a bad angel whispering in the other ear, saying she’s weak and unworthy,” explains running coach Jeff Arbogast.  ”The idea is to listen to the good angel and shut out the bad angel.”

I’m also including a great hamstring stretch in this week’s email. And trying to inspire myself to do a little more stretching this year.  Many runners complain about soreness in this group of three muscles in the back of the thigh. According to Nikki Kimball, a physical therapist in Bozeman, Montana stretching helps reduce the risk of aches turning into full–blown injuries.

HAMSTRING STEP STRETCH
Put one foot on an eight–inch step. Keep your toes pointed forward and knee slightly bent. Looking straight ahead, lean forward from the hips and pelvis while maintaining an arch in your lower back. Once you feel a stretch in the back of your thigh, hold the position for 15 to 30 seconds. Repeat on the other side. If you feel a stretch in your calf, then you’re stretching the sciatic nerve. Reposition yourself so the sensation in your calf disappears.

One final note from The Runner’s Book of Daily Inspiration , “Inspiration comes and goes.  You can never be sure where, or when it will alight.  Inspiration is like a hummingbird, constantly in motion. When it finally lands, it sonly for the briefest of instants.  One small noise and it flashes away so quickly that you wonder if it was there at all.  Every runner needs inspiration, but the best runners and the ones who have been doing it a long time mainly get their inspiration from running.  The act itself is what gives them the motivation.  Some days you’re not going to feel like it.  You’re going to feel like practicing your avoidance techniques rather than your running techniques.  That’s inevitable and normal.  But if you can find the wherewithal to drag yourself out of bed or the office (or wherever you happen to be” and run, you will receive an instant supply of motivation.  You will be flooded with motivation;  it will surge through your veins like a drug. You will be reminded once more why you run and why you make the effort. And you will wonder why you hesitated at all.  Remember that feeling… and how good you feel after a run… the next time your wellspring of inspiration seems dried up.”

Have fun this training season and remember runHers is for life!

Christina Eckert

Memorial Marathon Training: Week 6

Welcome to week 6 of our training season.  What an awesome meeting Monday night at OK Runner.  There was a great turnout with lots of familiar faces and it was so nice to meet some new ones too!  In fact, we had nine people join runHers at the meeting!

This week those training for the half marathon will be running 7 miles and the long run for those doing the full will be 10-11 miles. The Frigid Five is taking place this Saturday morning at Mitch Park.  Please feel free to work the race into part of your training this weekend.  For those not taking part, we will meet at Louie’s on the Lake at 7 am Saturday morning.

Letter from runHers member, Christina Eckert

This is usually the time when mileage starts to increase for those training for both the full and half marathon and it can seem a little overwhelming.  Remember, your training plan is just that… a suggested plan.  ”A training plan assumes you’re 100 percent, 100 percent of the time,” says running expert and coach Greg McMillan. “Impossible.” Work, family, stress, nutrition, and sleep all affect how you feel on a run. Whether you follow your own daily plan or a race-specific program, whenever stress increases, reduce your normal weekly volume by 10 percent. McMillan says this will give you more “life room” without compromising your training… either taking the miles off a single run or across the week.  Don’t be afraid to switch your runs up either.  If your child’s soccer game gets rescheduled for an early Saturday morning… run on Sunday… or even Monday.  If your plan calls for a rest day, but work was stressful and you NEED a run… run… but rest the next day.  I also find it helps to keep a training log.  Tom Holland, a sports coach and author says, “The more notes you take the better.  The training log is the single most important tool for the self-coached runner.”  Besides the obvious of how far you ran, your route, and the time… write down things that influence your run… like the weather, how much you slept, what you ate.  Holland says this helps you identify what works for you and what doesn’t.  Here’s a look at what I write down after every run (yes I have a bit of OCD! :-)

(Running/workout Log
Route :  8 Miles Louies to Nichols hills
Interval or race times : 8 miles 1:16:51 (9:36 pace overall, 7:55 best)
Temp : 30
Time of day : 7 am
Morning weight : 120.3 (Yes i’ve gained 6 pounds since San Antonio… i’m trying to get rid of it!!!!)  719 calories burned
Mood : uninspired before
Aches or pains : AWFUL run… ankle sore… stomach queasy… YUCK!
Food before : waffle, PB, banana, diet coke
Partners :  kami and tori
Goals :
Ideas/brainstorming :
Notes :  Really struggled today… think i started out too fast for me and then really had trouble at the end.  glad I had girls to run with or I would have quit long before! Better run next time!)

Be sure during the next few weeks of training to listen to your body. It’s not unusual as the mileage increases to feel a little tired.  But if you feel tired and irritable… if running becomes a chore rather than enjoyment… or if your legs feel unusually stiff or sore… its always better to err on the side of caution… and REST!  Try not to run back to back days.  Especially during this time your body needs rest. And lastly, remember to stay positive. When you have a good day, its no accident.  You can’t fake that.  Those are the days that represent your true capacity as a runner.  On the other hand, bad days are flukes.  We all have them (you saw my log from Saturday!)  They mean almost nothing so let them go.  Reward yourself mentally for the good days.  Don’t obsess about the bad.

One final word from the The Runner’s Book of Daily Inspiration … “The main goal of running is not to finish first, or run faster than you ever have before, or beat your competitors, although any one of these can be, at times, a very worthy goal.  The main goal of running is to enjoy yourself.  Whenever you run, keep that in mind. Everything starts with fun, a sense of play. Lacking that, all is lost.  Though runners often work desperately hard at it, most love what they do and get an elemental charge from it.  To borrow a line, at the heart of every runner is a little boy or girl. Inevitably some days seem more like work than pleasure.  When this occurs, ask yourself, Are you focusing too much on duty and routine, times and mileage?  Every day is a good day when you run.  Remember that and you’ll be fine.”

Enjoy this training season and remember runHers is for life.

Christina Eckert

Memorial Marathon Training: Week 5

Week 5 Training:

This week we have a rest week for those of you following the runHers Basic Full Marathon Training program. Recommended mileage is 6 to 8 miles. Runners following the Basic Half Marathon Training program will run 7 miles. We will meet at Louie’s on the Lake at 7:00 a.m. for both runs and run out and back from the fire station in Nichols Hills. As always, water is provided!

Upcoming Informaiton:

The next runHers meeting is Monday, February 8th at 6:30 p.m. at the OK Runner Store on South Broadway in Edmond. A bra-ologist will be on hand to help you learn correct fit for your running bras. The OK Runner is giving away prizes to runners who RSVP to this event either via the Facebook Event page or by email. Don’t lose out on a chance to win! Other door prizes include Memorial Marathon full and half marathon entry fees. Drinks and appetizers start at 6:30 with the official business starting at 7:00. We hope to see you there, and don’t forget to RSVP for your special chance at a door prize!

Letter from runHers Member, Christina Eckert:

Welcome to week 5 of our training season! Let’s hope for some warm weather to melt the snow and ice this week! I know ten miles on the treadmill was a LONG run this past weekend :-) This is a step back week for those training for the full marathon at OKC. The long run is between 6-8 miles. Those training for the half will be running 7 miles. We are all meeting at Louie’s at Lake Hefner at 7 am Saturday morning and running out to the fire station on Western and back!

The one great thing about running is that you only need one piece of equipment… good shoes. That being said, this is not the time to go to any sporting good store and pick out any pair of shoes. You will probably want to go to a “running” store and have one of the experts help you find shoes. There are many good running stores in the OKC area who can assist you with finding the right shoes for you. Many of these stores also offer discounts to runHers members. These experts can help you determine if you overpronate or underpronate, if you are flat footed or have a high arch, and why your knee always seems to hurt around mile 5. I had to switch running shoes two years ago while training for Whiterock because of a case of plantar fasciitis that seemed to last forever! Since I’ve changed shoes, the problem is gone! Here are some other tips from Runners World for finding the right shoes for you. Shop late in the afternoon when your feet are their largest. Wear the socks you run in. Make sure the salesperson measures both of your feet since one is probably slightly larger. And the salesperson should talk to you about your running to help you find the right shoe. Most specialty stores also let you take the shoes out for a test run around the block or down the street so you can see the shoes in action! And remember, shoes last about 300-400 miles. So if you know you will need to replace your shoes, you might want to plan on doing that several weeks before the big race. One last tip from runHers founder Wendi Weaver… once you replace your shoes, use your running shoes just for running. Use your old shoes for other workouts or yardwork. That way it will be easy to keep track of how many miles are on your shoes and you’ll know when to replace them!

Even though this isn’t January 1, many of us still have resolutions and goals to run this year. So here’s one final note from one of my new favorite books, The Runner’s Book of Daily Inspiration. “This is the time of year for resolutions, so let today be the start of something grand Set your sights this year on a far target, such as running a marathon…. Or perhaps you like to run only for the sake of running, to feel fit and healthy and to hold a good opinion of yourself. Well, then, let this be the year for that. Running is a thing worth doing not because of the future rewards it bestows, but because of how it feeds our bodies and minds and souls in the present. Go out for a run today, and let it be the start of something grand.”

Have fun this training season and remember runHers is for life!

Christina Eckert

A look back at runHers Events in 2009. What a great first year!

runHers 2009

Training Run Cancelation

The training run for Saturday, January 30th has been canceled due to weather. Please be careful out there!

Memorial Marathon Training: Week 4

Week 4 Training Run:

This week the full marathon group will run 9-10 miles. The half-marathon group will run or walk 6 miles. We will meet at Louie’s on the Lake at 7:oo a.m., weather pending.

Upcoming Events:

The next runHers meeting is Monday, February 8th at 6:30 p.m. at  the OK Runner Store on South Broadway in Edmond.

Letter from runHers Member, Christina Eckert:

We’ve made it to week 4 of our training season…. and unfortunately we may have more winter weather.  Right now, we have our long run planned for Saturday morning at Louie’s at Lake Hefner.  Everyone training for the full and half marathon (along with those involved in the relays, 5K, and anyone just looking for a fun weekend run) will meet at 7 am. The full marathon group will be running 9-10 miles this weekend, while the half marathon group will be walking/running 6 miles.  This is also the weekend we kick off our season with Team in Training.  Please give them a warm welcome when you see them out at the lake.  Because of the possibility of winter weather, check back here or on our facebook page for possible changes and the latest information on our training runs.  All official runHers events will go on unless there are extreme temperatures (below zero degrees), ice on the ground or lightning… so be sure to check the website!

With this cold weather, its easy to forget about hydration.  Runners World Magazine says “surprisingly, one of the more common maladies in cold-weather marathons is dehydration. “Because runners don’t see their sweat losses in the winter, they’re not attentive to their drinking,” says Lawrence Armstrong, Ph.D., professor of environmental and exercise physiology at the University of Connecticut. But it’s possible to sweat just as much as you do on a warm day–especially if you’re layered up.” So I asked our runHers expert Jenny Graef.  ”Hydration is such an important part of training,” says Graef.  ”Just a slight reduction in your hydration status from sweat loss can make a run not very much fun. I can always tell when I’m a little bit dehydrated, because my body feels heavy and I feel the burn very quickly, even if I’m not running very hard.”  Jenny says it’s hard in the winter to remember to stay hydrated, because you may not feel thirsty even if you are dehydrated. The best way to monitor hydration is to watch your urine color–it should be clear to light yellow.
Another way to monitor hydration is to weigh yourself before you run and again afterwards.  The American College of Sports Medicine’s exercise and fluid replacement guidelines recommend you weigh yourself naked before and after a hard one-hour run. Convert the amount of weight lost to ounces to figure out your sweat rate per hour… so a loss of one pound means you sweated about 16 ounces of fluid. In this case, going forward, you would try to replenish fluids at a rate of about 16 ounces per hour.  If you don’t want to figure out your sweat rate… the ACSM suggests drinking about 14 to 27 ounces per hour… and when you’re out for more than 30 minutes, consider sports drinks over water, since the carbs and electrolytes they contain help you stay energized and better hydrated during longer runs.

Our next runHers meeting will be Monday, February 8th.  OK Runner at 3209 South Broadway (on the Broadway Extension at 33rd) is hosting our group and providing us dinner and drinks at 6:30 pm.  Also on hand will be a bra-ologist to help you find the best sports bra.  All the bras in the store will be marked down for runHers and be sure to check the website for details on how to win free bras and marathon entries!

And one last note from former Runners World Editor, Amby Burfoot.  ”… a positve attitude is the most important attribute any runner can have. You’ll need it often. Every runner has bad days, every runner has occassional injuries, and every runner eventually slows down.  But as long as you maintain a positve attitude, you’ll find ways to overcome the obstacles and continue running.  After all, running offers countless rewards.  Its simply up to you to find the ones that have the most meaning to you.”

Enjoy this training season and remember runHers is for life!

Christina Eckert

Memorial Marathon Training: Week 3

Welcome to week three of our training season!  In addition to posting information about our runs here, we also post the events and updated information on our facebook page, www.facebook.com/runhers and Twitter at www.twitter.com/runHers.

runHers member, Christina Eckert talks about running, weather and being an inspiration:
This is the time when most of us are getting back into our running routine after the holidays. This week those training for the half marathon are running or walking 6 miles for their long run.  We will meet at Louie’s at Lake Hefner at 7 am on Saturday. For those running the full marathon in Oklahoma City you’ll be running 8-9 miles this week.  We are also meeting Saturday at Louie’s at 7 am for our long run. Always check the runHers website for any updates about our long runs.  You can also find the entire training schedule at the website.

Remember this time of year the weather is unpredictable.  Last Saturday we ran in dense fog and chilly rain.  Right now the forecast for this
weekend shows its going to be about 39 degrees and windy!  Its hard sometimes to know how to dress this time of year and being too hot or
too cold for a ten mile run can make you feel miserable.  So you’ll probably want to dress in layers for many of these first long runs.  It
may be cold at the start of the run, but after about a mile, your body feels like its 20 degrees warmer.  If you like to run in cotton remember
it can also feel chilly if you perspire.   High-tech polyester pulls moisture away from your skin, which may keep you from getting clammy and
cold on a cooler day.  Also with the wind, you may want a light jacket or windbreaker to layer on top.  Runner’s World has a neat feature on
their site that helps you decide what to wear if you have any questions. You can view this on the Runners’ World website, What to Wear.  Also feel free to get a hold of me with any questions you have about clothes (or anything else) this training season!

By starting on this running/walking journey, you are all inspirations! To your family, your friends, and to all of us in runHers. A recent
study by the National Heart Institute found a startling discovery: “Happiness is contagious, as are other good behaviors like quitting
smoking and staying thin. These and their opposites—obesity, depression, and cigarettes with coffee—appear to spread between people as if they were viruses; groups of friends “infect” one another with good or bad habits. The science underlying the mechanisms by which the researchers arrived at their findings is detailed in the July 2007 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, but it was The New York Times that recently drew what might be the boldest conclusion from the results, reporting, “Staying healthy isn’t just a matter of your genes and your diet—good health is also a product, in part, of your sheer proximity to other healthy people.”

Have fun this training season and remember runHers is for life!

Christina Eckert