Get Race Ready for Your Next 5K
5K races have become the most popular road racing distance for beginner and recreational runners. In this episode, Coach Lisa Taylor is back to talk with Heather about gearing up for the 3.1 mile race distance. There is a 5K available throughout Michigan almost every weekend, particularly during the racing season. Even during the off season, there are usually 5K races available -- you can find one on most winter holidays, including Thanksgiving and Christmas and even Valentine's Day. Lisa gives the low-down on her 8-week 5K training plan, which the newly-formed Michigan Runner Girl Race Team is following for the Farmland 5K on Dec. 5 in Traverse City. The plan, which listeners can find online at MichiganRunnerGirl.com, is best for runners "who can currently run at least 25-30 minutes without stopping ... If you are not currently up to that level, slowly build up to running this duration without stopping before you start this program. This program is general in nature," Lisa explains on the show. The importance of rest days and sleep, and the benefits of speed work, are explored as well.
Links:
Coach Lisa's 5K Training Plan for MRG readers and listeners - http://michiganrunnergirl.com/coach-lisas-5k-training-plan/
Farmland 5K - http://www.xcchallengetcruns.com
Cross the finish line, grab a banana and bagel, and ... get your beer! This is the case at more and more races in Michigan and across the country, and we runners are loving the chance to sample some local brew after logging our miles. Sometimes races even offer tastings on-course. This is the case with next month's Great Beerd Run 5K at the Grand Traverse Resort and Spa in Acme, near Traverse City. In this episode, Heather Durocher sits down with fellow Michigan Runner Girls and beer lovers Jill Cobb and Kelly Yauk to talk about running races and beer. Jill is the marketing coordinator for Short's Brewing Company, a Bellaire, Mich.-based brewer that often provides samples of its beers at both running and mountain bike races in northern Michigan. Short's is one of three Michigan breweries that will have on-course beer tastings at the Great Beerd Run on Nov. 14. (Other breweries featured are Right Brain Brewery in Traverse City and Beard's Brewery in Petoskey.) Kelly, e-marketing manager for the Grand Traverse Resort and Spa and the event's race director, gives the low-down on the second annual Great Beerd Run, including runners' clever choices for beards (awards are given!) and the costumes she and her family will be wearing on race day. A race discount code and lodging special just for runners are shared during this episode, too.
Cross-training: Power of Pilates
Cross-training, as we're often told, is essential if we want to stay healthy and strong, and wish to continue running for as long as possible. In this episode, Heather Durocher talks with certified Pilates instructor Jennifer Cutler, owner of Pure Pilates in Traverse City, Michigan, about the benefits of this form of exercise. Heather began twice-weekly Pilates sessions about seven years ago and believes she's a stronger runner as a result. "With a stronger core, I feel stronger running. Jen's voice sometimes comes to mind, her words of 'shoulders back and down, belly button pulled to your spine' reminding me that my core muscles are what propel me forward and play such an important role (along with my legs, lungs and arms) in putting one foot in front of the other," Heather says. "The stretching and strengthening that I experience leave me feeling re-aligned, centered, balanced and ... just happy."
Jennifer shares the Stott Pilates philosophy, how moves on the mat as well as on what's known as the "reformer" machine helps build core strength, and what listeners should look for when searching for a Pilates studio in Michigan. Jennifer Tank, a fellow northern Michigan runner and Pilates devotee, also joins the conversation, sharing her own take on how Pilates has helped her in everyday life as well as in her athletic pursuits.
Links:
Pure Pilates, Traverse City - http://www.purepilatestc.com