Running: How to Get Started

September 6, 2016

Maury Marathon Photos-0056 I get asked so so many times how I got started in running or how to get started in running. I know I’ve written about this before, but lets do it again because if it helps one person find joy in running, I’ll write about it as many times as it takes! Going from nothing to running isn’t easy, but it is possible. I’ve done it once in the beginning and then once after each pregnancy with my girls so I consider myself somewhat of a starting-out expert.

Make a time goal, not a distance goal. Make a goal to go for a certain amount of time (not that you will run to a landmark or distance.) Run when you can, walk when you must.
Be consistent. Your endurance won’t improve much if your runs are sporadic. Try to make a habit out of it.
Go outside. I’m not a huge fan of treadmills- especially in the beginning. It’s too easy to step off when it gets hard and your feet should set the pace, not a belt. Plus, one of the biggest benefits of running are the ones that you get from being outside- sunshine and fresh air.
Find something that will help keep you motivated- a friend, a playlist, or an upcoming running event that you’d like to participate in. Don’t let a 5K or 10K scare you. You can do it! I promise promise promise. Everything seems impossible until you do it.
It will be hard. There will be good days and there will be not-so-good days. Don’t get discouraged. If you are consistent, the good days will eventually start to outnumber the not-so-good.
No comparing allowed! The only person you should compare yourself to was who you were yesterday.

Running is very rewarding. Some people only see the pain, but if you look for the good, you’ll see that there’s a whole boatload of it.

Happy Running!

Click here to see my available training programs.

Marathon Training with an Infant

August 2, 2016

(Once upon a time the only pictures my boys would take were silly face pictures….)

I have trained for full marathons twice while my girls were infants (Posey was 12 months when I ran my first marathon after having her, Lou was 8 months.) I don’t pretend to be an expert, but I’m here to pass along any tips that might help the moms of tiny ones out there. I compiled ten tips for training with an infant at home.

Listen to your doctor always! Duh.
When you start running again, take it slow and steady. Do not do too much too soon. Right after having a baby, your joints are still loose from pregnancy and birth, so be careful. Your health is top priority, training is not, so don’t injure yourself trying to make sure you’re ready for race day. Marathons will always be there. There’s no need to be in a hurry. (Read more about starting out here.)
Recruit a friend. Friends make everything more fun. And the extra girl time will be good for the soul when you’re used to talking in baby voice all day long.
Set realistic goals- for training and for the marathon. Just like how it is running your first marathon- sometimes it might not be the finish time or the weekly miles you log that should be the focus, but the shear fact that you are training and running a race after having a baby. That’s a huge accomplishment.
Do not, do not, do not beat yourself up for missing runs. You will miss training runs. Training and running shouldn’t add stress to your life- this is supposed to be fun, guys! Take a more relaxed approach. Keeping your stress levels low and caring for your family are number one. Your runs should not be.
Although I am a HUGE advocate of getting your training runs in before the kids wake up, I don’t think this should start until after baby has been sleeping through the night for a few months. I always give my babies 12 weeks to sleep through the night, then I let them cry it out (controversial subject I know, but that’s what I do.) After baby started sleeping straight through the night, I gave myself a few months of good nights of solid sleep before I made the goal of getting up early. It is hard work creating a human plus caring for them day and night- give yourself some rest! Then start getting up early to run when you feel ready (if that’s your goal.)
Don’t start dieting right away. I know for me, dieting is stressful. The last thing a new mom needs in her life is more stress. So don’t worry about weight loss right away. Give yourself time to adjust to your new normal. Worry about weight loss when you have a grip on the changes. (Read more about my weight loss in this post.)
If you’re breastfeeding and that’s your top priority, figure out first whether or not training affects your supply before registering/paying for a race. Some moms’ supplies aren’t affected by logging lots of miles, some moms’ supplies are. Either way, hydrate! (Read more about my crappy breastfeeding skills here.)
This next one isn’t necessarily running related, but be aware that you are wearing pregnancy/new mom goggles when looking at others from afar or on social media or even old pictures of yourself. Pregnancy/new mom goggles can obscure everything, and it can be discouraging. Whether it be running friends getting faster or running races or even non-running friends. Picture this: Your baby is up for the 12th time in the night and you are so exhausted you could cry. You start feeding baby and mindlessly open Instagram. Then you see your friend Alice. Alice is in Hawaii with her husband for their anniversary. Alice looks amazing in her swimsuit. Alice is skinny. Alice is full of energy. Alice has it all. Alice is perfect. Then you see Jen. Jen just ran a half marathon and PR’d and she just keeps getting faster and faster and she looks so fit! Then the tears come because, will I ever get to go to Hawaii? Will I ever be able to wear a swimsuit again? Will I ever be able to run more than a half mile again? Will I ever PR again? I’m here to tell you that you will sleep again. You will lose the weight. You will get speed and endurance. You will get to leave the house one day without your baby. And when that happens, Alice or Jen, or someone like them, will see your photo on social media and have the same reaction. A time and a season for all things, ladies. It is your time to care for the precious little one you’re holding and feeding for the 12th time tonight, and it’ll pass before you know it.
Make it a team effort. Marathon training is a team effort when you’re a parent, so this is especially true when there’s a new baby involved. I recommend sitting down on Sunday night with your spouse to let him know what days you would like to run that week and how he can help. When I was training with little ones, most runs took place pushing a jogging stroller, at the gym on the treadmill, or at night after Brian got home. My long runs were on Saturdays when he was home. A note about leaving Dad in charge: leave Dad in charge without any nagging or criticizing. Don’t tell him he’s holding the baby wrong, or he’s making the bottle wrong, or he put on the wrong outfit for bedtime. Let Dad and baby make their own routine. Dad is a grown man and I promise that you will come home and everyone will be just fine. He will make his own routine with baby and that’s a special thing. And don’t forget to thank Dad for his help. If you are thankful and grateful, then he will be more than willing to continue helping.

Did I leave anything out? I hope someone out there finds this helpful!!

Are you training for a race with a tiny one? Talk to me about it!! Also, can I babysit? 😉

Click to see my Full Marathon Training Plan for Beginners and Half Marathon Training Plan for Beginners.

Happy Training!!

Maury

Attention Phoenix Marathoners!! Discounts Abound!!

November 6, 2015

Remember how I mentioned in this post that I am running the Tokyo Marathon on February 28th? Well… it is the same weekend as the Phoenix Marathon (February 27th.) I was so sad when I found this out because I LOVE racing right in my own backyard and I love the course. Plus it’s not very often that I get to race and see all of my friends and neighbors! Boooooooo…

But….

At the same time, it is kind of cool because I will be training right along with all of you running the Phoenix Marathon! I will be using my Full Marathon Training Guide for Experienced Runners (use link below.)

How many of you are running it? There’s a 10K, a half, and a full. The course is so so great. And I love that it’s a Saturday race (Why aren’t there more Saturday races? Who doesn’t want an extra recovery day before diving back into real life??) Here’s the Course Elevation Chart for the full:

Course Elevation chart for the half:

Training for the full using my full marathon training plan starts on November 9th. That’s Monday, folks!!

Training for the half using my half marathon training guide starts December 21st.

And since I am so excited about training for Tokyo at the same time as my Phoenix friends, I’m gonna discount my training guides by 15%! To get the discounted rate on my guides, be sure to use the following links (as opposed to the link on the sidebar):

AND….. how about a discount on the Phoenix Marathon entry fees? Use code “myheartraces10” to get 10% off!! Woo hoo!!

Click here to be directed to the Phoenix Marathon website.

Let’s do this!!!

Maury

Friday Winter Running Picks

October 23, 2015

Winter running clothes are my favorite! Lululemon specifically has revived some of my solid favorites this season. I feel like that never happens. Usually, I fall in love with something there and they never bring it back, but I’m getting lucky this season. Here are some of those:

Brushed Speed Tights: hands down best running tights! Compressive, so soft, side pockets, reflective details. I have one pair that I bought three years ago and I wear them constantly during the winter months (they’re still in great condition. I don’t put mine in the dryer.)
Run With Me Mittens: I don’t know why, but I have yet to find a pair of running gloves that actually keep my fingers warm. Only mittens do the job. I have had my Lululemon mittens for ages, washed them several times, and they are still in excellent condition. I use them when I’m not running, too- I know I’ll wear them a lot in NYC.
Run and Done Ear Warmers: Mornings can get chilly, even in Arizona. I use these daily.
Swiftly Tech Half Zip: I love the swiftly material because it never gets too hot. There’s a big possibility I’ll run in this one in NYC.
Sweaty or Not Bra: A new favorite of mine! Super supportive, great coverage, and so comfy.
Go the Distance Jacket: I have this jacket in a floral print from a couple years ago and it is a winner. Just a great jacket for pre-race and post-race hanging out, and perfect for early morning runs with just a running bra underneath.
Run: Turn Around Tight: You need these in your life! They are crazy soft. I use them for everything- not just running. I never want to to take them off.
Rebel Runner Crop: These are my absolute favorite crops no question. High waist (tummy control- yes!), side pockets, the absolute best and flattering fit. There’s a a big pocket in the back, too. Pretty sure I’ll wear these for NYC (unless the weather gets hot at the last minute.)
Fleecy Keen Jacket: I bought this jacket shortly before I ran the Chicago Marathon and the Dublin Marathon in 2012. I remember the price was really hard to swallow, but I ended up wearing it (underneath my coat) all over both cities every day that I was there. It turned out to be the best investment. The next fall I wore it all over Washington D.C. and New York City, too. It is so warm, so comfy, and so versatile (the hood zips off and can be used with any jacket.) I’ll bring it with me to NYC and wear it underneath my coat to keep warm (I’m a cold weather wimp since I’m an AZ girl.) I’ll also have it in my check bag for after the race (again.)
Sattva Pant: I love pants that feel like sweats, but you can disguise them as non-sweats. These fit the bill. I’m wondering if I need these to slip into after the marathon in NYC…

Tell me some of your winter running must-haves! Can you tell that I’m excited to not be running in 1,000 degrees???
XO
Maury

Families that Run Together… and a Sale on Training Programs for Charity!

October 22, 2015

Like I mentioned before, I am running the Las Vegas Rock ‘n Roll half with my family. My brother Thad and his wife Lacy are training using my Half Marathon Guide for Beginner’s (see links below.) We’re gonna have so much fun! I really can’t wait.

I am proud of them for a few reasons….

Here’s an Instagram post of mine from last year. I mentioned to my brother at 10pm the night before the Hobbler half-marathon that I was running it in the morning (we were in Utah for a family reunion) and he said he wanted to do it, too. He had never run a race before, and he hadn’t trained, but that’s not what made me a little bit nervous- Thad has Type 1 diabetes and I was nervous about what that would mean when he was running for a couple hours or more. But I wasn’t about to tell him that he couldn’t do it. He had been spending the last year mastering a healthy lifestyle and I wanted to give him just one more reason to be proud of his amazing progress. He did awesome, by the way!!!!
Another reason: This will be Lacy’s first race!! And she said, “hopefully not my last!” Love that attitude. She has struggled with knee pain, and other setbacks a couple times in her life when she has tried to pick up running, but she is determined to cross that finish line. And she will. I can’t wait to see it. Being a mom and training for a race are no joke! I’m proud of her! Here’s a picture of them training together at her dad’s cabin in Idaho (beautiful!):
Lastly, they are using this race to raise money for The Pediatric Hydrocephalus Foundation. Their daughter Carly was born with a severe case of hydrocephalus. Today, she is 7. She’s healthy, beautiful, sassy, and hilarious, and she has been a fighter since day one. I have a huge admiration for runners who raise money for charity. Huge. Here are some pictures of Carly: