Morning runs are back! Kind of…
I woke up early and ran a 1.5 mile loop before I went on my Mom walk and intended to complete another loop when we were done. Well…the weather had other plans.
While running my first loop, it was kind of misty out and I could see lightening in the far distance…ugh, not good. Thankfully by the time I made it home, the misting had stopped so my Mom and I headed out for our walk.
About 1/4 of the way in it started sprinkling so we turned around, but by the time we got back to my street, the rain had stopped! Gosh! We continued past my street a little while and by the time we turned around and got back home, it had started sprinkling again and there was lightening in all four directions. At that point I just threw in the towel – the second running loop was not going to happen. Oh well, it least I got a little somethin’ somethin’ in there!
Breakfast went better. Guess who was patiently waiting for me? An overnight Green Monster!
That’s 1/4 cup of oatmeal in the bottom, followed by a cup of skim milk, a scoop of almond butter and two big handfuls of spinach. Blend, add a couple handfuls of ice + a frozen banana and enjoy 
I added a splash of water to my smoothie today because the oats soaking in the milk overnight made it so deliciously thick, that my little blender blade couldn’t handle it!
I actually looooved what the splash of water did. It came out to the perfect smoothie consistency. I chugged this baby!
Served in my sweet Iowa glass, of course 
Today for lunch, I packed a big salad with spinach, fresh corn on the cob and some leftover tomato, cucumber, basil & red onion salad.
Cutting the corn off the cob makes it so much better, don’t you think? I love eating my corn in “sheets” if you will!
I’m packing some olive oil based Italian dressing + a splash of balsamic vinegar for my salad dressing.
So last week I stumbled upon an amazing, motivating article/tip list on WomensHealthMag.com that I wanted to share with you all. It’s titled: Beginning Runners Guide: 101 Greatest Running Tips. While the article is intended to motivate runners who are just getting into the sport, I thought the tips were applicable for runners at ALL levels!
I went through the list and picked out the tips that really spoke to me and want to share them in increments. Today’s tips come from the “Starting Out” section of the article:
Tip #2. Shoot for this (at least): Running 8 to 15 miles per week significantly increases your aerobic capacity, and positively effects many of the coronary risk factors.” –Dr. Kenneth Cooper, aerobics pioneer
- Running 8-15 miles/week is totally doable. They don’t necessarily have to be “runs” either – go ahead and jog it if you’re new to running. The point is to just get moving!
Tip #3. Be a minuteman: The biggest mistake that new runners make is that they tend to think in mile increments–1 mile, 2 miles, 3 miles. Beginning runners need to think in minutes, not miles.” –Budd Coates, four-time U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials qualifier/coach
- I always think in terms of miles when I’m running, but if makes so much sense to think in terms of minutes if you’re trying to build up your stamina and mileage. Tack on a few minutes each week or every other run, and you’re on your way!
Tip #8. Relax to the max: When running, let your jaw hang loose, don’t bunch up your shoulders close to your ears, and occasionally shake out your hands and arms to stay relaxed.” –Dave Martin, Ph.D., exercise physiologist
- This is really important and something I struggle with. I always seem to tense up the right side of my body when running, which expends so much energy. On Sunday’s run, I really focused on relaxing my body and checking in every few minutes to make sure I wasn’t tensing up.
So those are today’s tips! Hopefully you guys will find these worthwhile, I know I definitely did. Looking forward to sharing more with you!!
Have a great day everyone – oh, stay tuned this afternoon for a fun announcement!
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Do you follow any of these three tips? Which one can you identify with?
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the minutes thing makes so much more sense! if only i had that mentality! i’ll work on it though!!!!
I’m not even sure how I run — so i know i need to go to one of those runnign stores, to check out my running stride. i’d love to do 8 to 15 miles a week…..which i will cuz of my next half marathon training, but i have to keep it up once it’s done. that is gonna be my goal… maintain running (just gets hard when it gets colder outside!)
i always shake out my arms while running. I tend to tense up my shoulders about halfway through a run, so I try to make a point to shake out my arms/hands every now and then to make sure I’m relaxed.
I totally have to do the minute thing. Sometimes I think I can’t make it to the mile but I can make it another 5 minutes, which becomes 10, then 15. It totally helps.
I need to relax to when I run, my muscles tend to ache afterwards. I also think in miles and trying to get out of that so I use my Nike + iPod tracker now and that seems to be keepping me happy!
I love corn “sheets” too, Happy Monday!
I never thought about putting oatmeal in a green monster, interesting may have to try that.
I have only been running since April so these tips are great! Thanks for sharing.
-TexanCouture
Great running tips! I think I need to work on being less tense!!
Love the lunch salad! Looks delish! And the only way I eat corn is off the cobb in sheets
that green monster looks thick and amazing!
Great tips …
I think I may have to start adding on minutes to my runs as well. I have a good distance time, and I like to compare, but as long as I use my lap timer I’m good to go! Love this!
I wanted to read this article, but I don’t think I have a subscription anymore. lol.
it is also cool to know 8-15miles a week is what to shoot for. 3 days of 3 miles is so easy… i try to do that anyway!
of course i try to do it more days but something always gets in the way >.<
-Muffy
Great tips! I’m motivated to start running again this week!!!
I have a new love – the GREEN MONSTER! This is the greatest breakfast shake recipe I’ve found yet! I made it this morning, shared it with my boys and they loved it! THEN I told them what was in it. Really made eating healthy different to them…thanks for sharing all these wonderful tips and recipes! Up this week is trying your Chicken Pad Thai – hopefully, the boys will all like it too!
I love the corn off the cob thing too… its so sweet and delicious!
Thanks for the running tips. As much as I dislike running right now, I’m thinking that I need to try again.
Thanks for these great tips!! Just what I needed to get motivated and start running again
I still haven’t tried oats in my GM..I don’t know wy but it scares me!
I totally run to the minute. When I set out to run I go for time and not distance anyway, so it works for me. How ever many miles I accompish I figure out later.
Those are great tips! Thanks for sharing!!!
I definitely agree that new runners should focus on TIME rather than mileage, I’m trying to do that once a week and it’s really helpful!
I think I must tense up my neck, because I always have some neck discomfort the day after a big run. I run minutes not miles. I run on a treadmill because I don’t want to be far from home in the mornings in case I’m needed by family, and I play games with my minutes: 5 on incline, 5 off incline, 5 at increased speed, 5 at comfy speed, etc.
Good tips. Thanks! I may try and focus on relaxing my neck a bit…is that possible!
Great tips! I especially think the one on gaging your runs by min and not miles. That is so true but sadly I never do this!
Thanks for sharing these.
Hope you are having an amazing Monday so far.
Ya those are great tips, I agree. I actually tense up in my shoulders when I run – not cool!
Great idea to assemble the smoothie the night before–it’s like overnight oats AND a smoothie in one!
Thanks for the link to the running tips! Great resource!
Ronnie
I think I’ve seen that list before but lost it! Thanks for jogging my memory (pun intended) – I bookmarked it this time.
I think corn off the cob in “sheets” should be one of the 1000 Awesome Things! I love it!