Read this...get healthy,ready, inspired!

Our first guest blogger Shanna Fehrs has compiled some great information to help us all stay healthy and ready to "Rock the 1/2"
Read on.....Tips and Tricks to a happy and safe race day:

Hey ladies! I thought it would be nice to share with you some of the things I learned while training for my first half marathon. If you feel overwhelmed with the journey you have begun to complete the upcoming half marathon these things will help you start improving your performance and should help you stay injury free, and hopefully answer some of the questions you may have like I did, such as, “ Why was today’s run so agonizing when yesterdays was so easy?” Now I have to let you know that I am NOT an expert and am not claiming to have all the answers but following the below helped me go beyond my original goal of just simply crossing the finish line to crossing the finish line with a smile on my face and a time I was proud of!

Lets’ face it, running 13 miles is not easy, and training for it will not be a piece of cake but doing it the right way, the safe way, will make it more enjoyable and attainable. You can do this!

BEFORE YOU RUN
FOOD AND WATER:
We wouldn’t fill our gas tank with trash and expect our car to run, would we? We have to treat our bodies with the same care. What you put into your body one day will affect your performance the next, so think twice before grabbing that cookie. If you had a really “off” run take a moment to think about what you ate the day before. I suggest keeping a food journal for the next few weeks to track your intake and adjust it to make sure you are getting more of what you need and less of what you don’t. Here are some specific foods that are great for runners and should be consumed on a weekly basis:

*almonds *eggs * sweet potatoes * salmon * chicken * black beans * whole grain cereals, pastas and breads (more fiber than white and less will fill you up ) *stir fry veggies ( offer a good mix of antioxidants ) *oranges ( helps alleviate muscle soreness ) *frozen mixed berries *leafy greens *dark chocolate!
Also, make sure you are well hydrated before you run. Drink plenty of water throughout the day, while you run, and after.

SLEEP:
Get adequate rest. We need to have the energy for a long run and let our bodies heal and repair afterward. Try to get a full night sleep before a run and if you feel completely exhausted later in the day take a nap (if your kids will let you: ) Your body probably needs it, as it is being pushed harder than ever before.
SHOES:
Good shoes are SO IMPORTANT! Shoes should not be worn more than 400 miles. Beyond that the proper support is gone and it’s an injury waiting to happen. Most of you are probably thinking, “ I have no idea if I have worn my sneakers for 50 or 1000 miles!?” Well if you have owned them more than a couple of years and you are going to be serious about running consistently a few times a week you need to consider treating yourself to a new pair. I know a handful of people, including myself, who have had injuries spark from old shoes.

DURING YOUR RUN

If your run exceeds 60 minutes it is wise to refuel during your run with sports drinks, or gels, such as Shot Blocks or Gu’s. It is an instant shot of carbohydrate and quickly replenishes what you have lost and gives your body what it needs to keep going. Someone recently asked me, “Isn’t that kinda cheating?” Um, NO! You are doing your body a favor and once those carbs get into your system it’s like a breath of fresh air. Trust me. Some of the gels are caffeine free and they are small and convenient to carry with you while running. They don’t taste fantastic, but they have improved over the past few years I think. You can find them at most sports stores.

AFTER YOUR RUN

REFUELING:
Once I learned how to take care of myself post-run I started doing and feeling much better. It is so important to help your body repair itself after all that work so that you can feel good throughout the day and be ready for the next workout. It is vital that within 20 minutes of finishing you replenish your energy. Have a light snack mostly all carbs with a little protein too. Some of my favorite post-run snacks that are recommend include a glass of fruit juice, yogurt smoothie, chocolate milk ( which I have read over and over is a better alternative to Gatorade post-run. Less sugar and more vitamins. YUM! ) , fruit and nuts, and a whole wheat bagel with peanut butter.
STRETCHING:
Stretching afterward will loosen you up and keep you injury free. Don’t skip this! Hold each stretch for 20 to 30 seconds as your muscles are resisting the stretch for the first 10 seconds. Spend quite a few minutes stretching either before, after, or during ( if you’re like me J) your post-run snack.

AS RACE DAY APPROACHES
Taper your runs so that you are well rested for race day. Don’t skip running but keep the distance short and don’t push yourself too hard. This is also the time to be extremely picky about what you eat. About 48 to 72 hours before a race I don’t put anything into my body unless it is healthy. I like to know my system is full of nutritious things and nothing that could potentially hold me back. I personally stick to fish, greens, eggs, beans…pretty much everything above in the Before You Run section. The night before I like to have whole grain pasta for dinner and hit the hay early.

I know if you put your heart into this you can have a great experience like I did. If you want a little more direction I would suggest reading Marathon training for Dummies. I thought it was great and it provided pretty much all of the above info and then some. I wish you the best of luck with your training and encourage you to stay positive. Together we will truly Rock the Half!!! See you all October 16th : )

Thanks Shanna that was some great info that I know I needed! If any of you have some good information that would benefit us all please drop me a line and we will get it up on the blog for all to benefit from! My e-mail is tarapugmire@cableone.net
Happy Running/walking!

Welcome to the girls rock the 1/2 blog!

Ok girls this is getting very real! This blog will be used for information and updates regarding our upcoming 1/2 marathon on October 16th! We are having Starmedia Promotions work on our logo that will go on the race tee shirts and will also be our blog header logo. We will be contacting all of you soon if you have not filled out an official sign up sheet, along with this we will let you know the official total for race fees. We are working with the local police department and City Hall to have an approved route. We will post this within a week. Now is the time to start training! If you are unsure how many miles you need to be logging in a great tool is www.runnersworld.com they have a training coach that will let you know just how many miles you should be running/walking every day! So log in and get to training.
Our next post will be a guest blogger who is going to offer some valuable information about how to take care of your bodies when training. Such as hydration, proper foods, and recovery time. Really important stuff when you begin pushing your body further and further.
Good luck with your runs/walks over the next few days. You can do anything you put your mind to! Remember girls rock the 1/2!!!