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The Long Run

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“Where are you running this weekend?”  

The long run. 

Whether you’re officially training for a specific race or just heading out for a little longer than usual, the long run is a staple of a runner’s week.  

The problem is the same old routes can get soooooo boring.  It’s not very fun if you know exactly what you’re going to see each step of the way.  We asked some of our Charlotte Marathon Ambassadors to let us in on some of their favorite routes in the hopes of helping you mix it up and explore some new areas of Charlotte.  

Chris Zuerner has a few options: “I typically find my long runs these days on either of two routes, down the Little Sugar Creek greenway or the back half of the CLT marathon course. I’m running Around the Crown in Sept, Boston in Oct, NYC in Nov, and the CLT marathon just a week later. Long runs for me are 18 right now, but will work up to 22 during the heart of the training block.” 

He lives in Sedgefield, so it’s about 3.5 miles to the start of the Little Sugar Creek greenway (headed south) starting at Tyvola. “The greenway is nice, flat, shaded in areas, and oftentimes not very busy (especially early mornings for those fun Saturday long runs!!). It’s also nice now that the greenway extension is open all the way down to the Polk historic site in Pineville, about a 6.5 mile stretch” 

Chris doesn’t not only not hate the back half of the Charlotte Marathon route, he also uses it as training! “I’m a stone’s throw from Southend, so I pop on the light rail at the New Bern light rail stop, take that basically into uptown and jump on the route from there. This long-run is very different from the Little Sugar Creek greenway, given its urban environment and challenging, rolling hills throughout. It’s always nice to practice on the actual course to experience firsthand what race day would entail.”

Joseph Smith also likes to use uptown as part of his long runs.  “I usually park at the Scaleybark light rail stop and run the rail trail to Morehead, into uptown to 7th and take the light rail trail to optimist hall or further into Noda then back is 10-13 miles depending on when you turn back around.”

And how about South Park and Myers Park?  “My favorite long run starts at the Taj Ma’Teeter on Colony.  From there, I run up Colony towards the Booty loop, hop on the Greenway, and can run for as long as I want before looping back.  This is a great run for shorter days, too, and is always so pretty.  I’m not training for anything specific (and I rarely am!); I just run for fun”, says Meg Taylor. 

If out and backs are your thing, how about our lovely greenways? That’s where CJ Langely goes.  He hits up the Mallard Creek and Toby Creek Greenway for about 18, but the best thing about out and backs is that you can make them as long as you want.  For this one, he enters the greenway via Fairlea Road off Prosperity Church Road and runs all the way to UNCC. One of the good things about greenway runs is that there are great places to park.  For this one, check out the Stonebridge Church parking lot and the RFYL University parking lot.

Another one of CJ’s favorites is on the Highland Creek Parkway.  He can get 7 miles of rolling hills here and parks at the Ridge Middle School parking lot. 

Tired of the pavement? How about hitting some trails for a long one?  The US Whitewater Center has plenty of miles to choose from, and our favorite is Beast…we mean… East Main plus Lake Loop for about 10 shaded, hilly and rooty miles. Another way to do a long run on trails is to go by time, not miles.  Don’t be discouraged if you don’t cover as much ground on them! 

Wherever you log those long ones, remember that the benefit of the long-run has a lot to do with time on your feet, not always the speed at which you cover those miles.  Coaches recommend a pace 60-90 seconds slower than your normal pace for them.  

Do Your Pushups!

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Runners sometimes cheat themselves from doing upper body strength because of the notion that running is all leg. Strength training for runners is important for a lot of reasons, injury prevention and good form included, so we need to make sure we aren’t ignoring our upper body.

Dr. Josh Kollman from Carolina Sports Clinic and an avid athlete explains, “Strength training helps to improve muscle activation which can assist in preventing posture-related injuries as well as increase performance by maintaining an ideal run form.”

When we get tired, our bodies recruit muscles from everywhere, so it’s important to strengthen muscles that are everywhere. How many of us have seen pictures of ourselves at the end of a race and thought “geez, do I really run like that?” At the end of a long and/or hard effort, when we’re tired, our form just goes – our arms get all wonky and tend to move less efficiently, our core destabilizes and we get that sloppy feeling. The stronger we are all over, the less this happens. “Strength training allows for a faster pace to be maintained especially late in the run/race when a kick is desired to pass a runner or finish strong at the line”, says Dr. Kollman.

Core and upper body work can have a positive effect on form. Even solely doing bodyweight exercises like push-ups helps. Consider the arm swing.  Energy being thrown side to side during a run doesn’t do any of us any favors when we’re doing our best to move forward.  If we are able to use our shoulder and chest muscles to maintain that rhythmic, forward arm swing, we’re better off. A simple exercise like the row can help with the arm movement behind the body, which typically could be improved.

As Dr. Kollman explains, “The lats and back muscles are also part of the “core”. Strengthening this tissue will result in the body’s ability to transfer force as well as improve the efficiency of the upper extremity arm swing during running.  Research correlates arm swing influences every movement from our hips down.  Our upper body arm swing can dictate cadence which our body’s neurology syncs with the lower body while running.  This increase in cadence can help reduce the impact forces the body is exposed to during the run.”

When form is good, efficiency follows – our gait is inherently connected to our arms. If you’ve ever heard a coach yelling “use those arms!”, it’s because driving those arms through the whole range of motion with proper form, especially at faster paces, makes a huge difference in our cadence and gait cycle. 

Our core strength is important because sometimes when running, we get off balance.  To put it simply, if our core is strong, we’re more solid and balanced.  Planks, side planks, and back planks (google them) work great in strengthening our stabilizers, particularly important in trail running. 

It doesn’t have to be a ton, but it does have to be something. The body, of course, is all connected.  If we’re off-balance, so is our running. Let’s get balanced!

Dr. Josh Kollmann’s philosophy is to utilize treatment plans founded on science and care of patients compassionately utilizing a variety of chiropractic, soft tissue mobilization, and Rehabilitative techniques which will eliminate symptoms and improve the overall function of the human body.  He is an avid triathlete and competitor.  He and his team of professionals can be found at Carolina Sports Clinic. 

Lisa Landrum is a USATF and NFS coach and the founder of Forward Motion which offers run and sports conditioning for all ages. 

 

5 Swimming Exercises for Runners

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We know runners like pounding the pavement — or trails – but we all need days to give it a rest. But if the idea of doing nothing leaves you feeling antsy, you can hit the weight room, or hop on a bike and get a good workout. Or you can do the best non-weight-bearing, gravity-free, zero-impact exercise out there: swimming.

“Swimming is a great cross-training exercise for runners,” says Natalia Flores, former Novant Health Charlotte Marathon Ambassador, and current Ironman Triathlon coach. “Swimming can serve as an effective way to recover between hard runs or long training runs… (and) can help you improve your strength, aerobic fitness, and flexibility.”

Have you tried swimming as your day-off workout? Let me guess: yes, and you were exhausted and needed a nap. Then you raided the fridge and ate an unusual amount of ice cream (not admitting anything here, but….yes). Swimming is an all-over body workout that will stretch out your running muscles and limber up those tight joints.

“It can also improve lung capacity, strengthen hip flexors, IT band, and hamstrings; and increase ankle flexibility — all with very little impact stress on your knees and ankles,” says Flores. It’s also a great way to flush out residual lactic acid while building your endurance on a non-running day.

But if you’re not usually a swimmer, where do you start? First, find a pool. In the summer, many neighborhood pools offer lap swim hours. A few local swim teams also offer adult practices. Then get a suit and adult goggles, and if you have long hair, buy a cap (latex or silicone will do). You’ll need about 30 minutes a couple of times a week if you’re just starting, and trust us — it takes a few weeks, but it gets easier!

Ready? Here are some quick ways to get started.

Just Swim Freestyle

“Front crawl” is probably the first stroke we all learned and the one that is the most efficient for distance swimming. Do one length at a time, and rest at walls until you catch your breath. When you get the hang of it, try two in a row, then four, then eight. Do a series of 50-, 100-, or 200-yard swims to build strength and endurance.

Do you still feel winded even though you know your endurance is getting better? It’s probably your breathing — or lack of. The first thing instructors teach new swimmers is to blow bubbles, for good reason. Every time you put your face in the water, blow your air out. Then roll on your side (or back if you need to) and take a breath while continuing to kick. You wouldn’t hold your breath while running, would you? No, you’d pass out. So don’t do it in swimming — we wouldn’t want you to pass out in the water. As your breath control gets better, you can breathe every 3 or every 5 strokes to improve your lungs.

Roll Over

For one, breathing is easier on your back — which is less stressful for new or out-of-shape swimmers. It’s also a survival skill — which means in a triathlon or other open water swim, it allows you to catch your breath if you inhale water, panic, or get uncomfortably winded. Learn to float and swim on your back as a way to ease the stress of swimming and “unwind” forward-swimming muscles. If back floating is hard, think of the 3 basic elements — lay your head back with eyes looking up, push your hips up, and flutter kick your toes.

Another benefit of backstroke is that the muscles you use on your back balance those used in forward strokes, which will keep your shoulders square and your neck in alignment to avoid “freestylers’ slouch.” If you get shoulder and neck cramps after swimming, throw in a generous amount of backstroke. Backstroke also relies on your legs much more than freestyle, so rev up those glutes and hamstrings with a strong flutter to keep your hips rotating and afloat.

Add Fins

Fins are a great low-impact way to strengthen leg muscles and can help you balance your body in the water when you slow down to stretch out your stroke. The extra work it takes to kick with fins is also great for another problem common to runners — stiff ankles.

“Using fins in sets can increase ankle mobility,” says Flores. If you’re someone who kicks like crazy (without fins) and still stays in one place, you need fins. Fins hold your feet in the proper kicking position and lead you to the flexibility you need.

To maximize your legs, kick on your side with your lower arm outstretched and your upper arm by your side. The back-and-forth motion of side-kicking with fins stretches and strengthens the muscles used for both forward and back foot sweeps. (Roll your whole body up to breathe.) Make sure you switch sides on each lap to get greater balance. Then roll onto your stomach and be a dolphin! The undulating motion of butterfly kick with fins (and arms by your sides) loosens up your back. For an additional ab exercise, try doing dolphin kicks on your back. For the best balance and flexibility, don’t use a kickboard with fins.

Drop Your Legs and Pull

“Using a pull buoy allows your legs to recover while making your upper body do most of the work,” says Flores. Pull buoys are great after a set of kicks, or to work your breath control while your hips and legs get a little help staying afloat. Slow down the arms and reach further forward with every arm stroke, rolling your body as you reach. Keep your elbows bent and pointed upward on the underwater pull, with fingertips pointed to the bottom, for best technique and to save your shoulders from excess strain.

For additional arm strength, add hand paddles. They’re great for building muscles, but make sure you use proper technique with them, or you could tear up your shoulders. It may be worth getting a little coaching once you get a feel for the water.

Add Intensity!

Swimming laps is the easy part — now push yourself! Just like you add sprints and high-intensity interval training to your runs, add intensity to your swims. A series of short swims at top speed increase the strength-building propulsion of swimming and gets your heart and lungs pumping. (Just remember to use good technique here, too!)

You may need a lot of rest for starters, but as you do more high-speed “repeats,” dial back the rest between them. Start with 4 one- or two-lap swims with :30 rest. As that gets easier, try 20 seconds, then 15, then 10. Check your heart rate after 4, and as always — stop if you feel distress and rest some more before continuing. If one lap at a time is too easy, do two or three.

Are you ready to hit the pool? Great! The time you spend building your non-running muscles and flexibility in the pool can balance your body and save you from injuries further down the road. Enjoy some of the many pools open this summer!

 

Summer Reads for Runners

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Summer feels GREAT. Longer days, warmer nights, and okay — you may need to run very early or very late to beat the heat. BUT, who doesn’t love to see those fireflies as you make your way around your route on a twilight run? And don’t forget vacation — and a book to read by the beach or pool.

We asked some of our Novant Health Charlotte Marathon Ambassadors for what they’re reading this summer. Answers range from pure fun reads to motivational memoirs. Maybe you’ll like them too! There’s still time to find them before summer winds down —

INSPIRATION

Ambassador Judy Caswell’s story is inspiring enough — she picked up running in her 40’s, was racking up the PR’s, beating her college-age son at marathons, and BAM! Cancer. It’s enough to change anyone’s life, but Judy kept on truckin’. So what is she reading?

“I LOVE books about running but especially the mind/body piece,” says Caswell. She’s reading two books about the mind-body connection through running. A Runner’s High by ultramarathon legend Dean Karnazes follows his many adventures as he trains for the Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run. The race is demanding, even for a man who once ran 50 marathons in 50 states in 50 days. As any ultramarathoner will tell you, physical fitness alone is not enough for a race like this.

Caswell’s second book is Endure: Mind, Body, and the Curiously Elastic Limits of Human Performance by Alex Hutchinson. Cutting-edge science is the star in the book as the “Sweat Science” author explores pushing the limits of mind and body — and how one controls the other. The Cambridge-trained physicist and distance runner even dives into a top-secret Nike project to break the 2-hour marathon barrier.

The psychology of the mind-body connection rings true for Caswell.

“I am a very strong believer in both: the power of your mind/attitude and exercise (for me running), and I really do think that’s what made me do so well and was able to continue to train and run all during my cancer treatments,” she says. Running is meditation to Caswell, who is grateful her mind and body held up as well as it did through surgeries and chemotherapy. She says she feels more confident than ever. “I like challenging myself, and don’t feel like I’m aging, but actually getting better.”

DEDICATION

Need a little push when that last hill gets hard? Ambassador Casey Cline has a few ideas for you, from her favorites. If you’re ready to run through a wall, or just get that PR, check out Casey’s list.

Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins is an incredible start for days you feel like the world is working against you. Goggins grew up in poverty, in an abusive home, to become the only man in history to complete elite training as a Navy SEAL, Army Ranger, and Air Force Tactical Air Controller. From there, he moved on to being an endurance athlete. This book is all about mindset, says Cline. “If you think you have limits, David Goggins will remind you that those limits only exist in our imagination,” she says.

In Braving the Wilderness by social scientist Brene Brown, she guides us through times when we seek to be a part of something, but need to know when to stand alone. “True belonging doesn’t require us to change who we are. It requires us to be who we are,” says Brown. Cline relates that the journey is worth taking. “Brene challenges us to embrace our struggles,” says Cline; (to) “get uncomfortable in the wilderness and find our way back to our true self.”

Cline is also reading Caswell’s choice, Endure, by Alex Hutchinson. It adds science to the emotion of pushing human limits.

EMOTIONAL STRENGTH

Ambassador Lindsay McClelland, a former collegiate swimmer, embraced the story told by Alexi Pappas in Bravey: Chasing Dreams, Befriending Pain, and Other Big Ideas. Pappas is a woman whose early childhood was marred by her mother’s suicide and grew up wanting to be great at not just one thing, but many things. She looked to female athletes as role models, but still wanted to express her creative side by making movies, writing, and acting. This is a book for anyone who experiences the rollercoaster of not wanting to stay in one lane.

“Alexi first captured my attention because she’s an incredible athlete and Olympian, but after reading the book I learned so much more about her story,” says McClelland. “She’s an incredible writer and storyteller, and her position on mental health awareness is so important!”

In the book, distance runner Pappas chronicles the struggle of post-Olympic depression that is now getting so much attention. “It really is a must-read, especially for female runners,” says McClelland.

HUMOR

“If you’re looking for a comical view of the ups and downs of running, I recommend The Incomplete Book of Running by Peter Sagal,” suggests Mandy Carter. Carter has visited the Running Around Charlotte podcast before — she calls herself an “average runner” who started running later in life; and juggles jobs, her law degree, and 2 kids, while finding time to talk up the life of a runner. You know mental toughness and humor are in her toolbox!

Peter Sagal, the longtime columnist for Runner’s World, started running seriously just before turning 40 (that time of life moves a lot of us!), and completed 14 marathon finishes during the next decade — including the Boston Marathon in 2013, moments before a bomb exploded near the finish. Running and a sense of humor, both, helped keep him in survival mode as he faced a personal crisis.

“The Incomplete Book of Running provides a comical and relatable narrative about a regular person’s journey to find himself on the pavement,” says Carter. “The book takes you on a journey of the love/hate relationship we all have likely experienced with the sport. But, through it all, the book reminds us that running is the companion that is there on the good days and bad.” A light heart makes lighter feet, we say!

JUST FOR FUN

For pure fiction, Meg Taylor likes the historical kind. “I am always reading!” she exclaims when asked about her reading list. Three fascinating, but fictional, titles make up her reading list.

“I just wrapped up The Rose Code by Kate Quinn,” says Taylor. “I love historical fiction, and Quinn’s newest book is right up my alley.” The book follows three women codebreakers through World War II England as they team up to decode encrypted messages of the German forces. The tense situation splinters the relationship, but a mysterious letter pulls them back together for one more mission after the war.

Taylor calls Layla by Colleen Hoover a “fast thriller.” A love triangle consumes this book, focused on a sudden, mysterious illness, and a lesson about enduring love. “I did save (this) for the beach since it’s a lighter read,” Taylor admits. That’s okay, Meg, sometimes we need to get away — mentally AND physically.

Taylor’s third book, which she says she is “looking forward to,” is One, Two, Three by Laurie Frankel, which just came out this month. The mystery is told from the points of view of three triplets whose mother’s fight for justice has gone on their whole lives. In a small town where nothing seems to change, new residents shake things up by revealing old secrets.

Ready to read? Refresh your library card or google the best deals with two-day delivery. Here are 9 good reasons to put down your phone and get motivated, inspired, or entertained! Happy reading!

Find Your Crew

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If you’re looking for a place, a pace, or a partner (or more!) to run with, you’re in luck! The Charlotte area is chock-full of group runs, run clubs, and other opportunities. There’s hardly a day on the calendar, a distance, or part of town where you can’t find someplace or someone to run with. And y’all know how much we love a list, so we asked our Novant Health Charlotte Marathon Ambassadors and friends about some of their favorites.

Monday

  • Pizza Peel Matthews: 6:30 – 3.5 or 6 mile routes @pizzapeelrunclubmatthews
  • Amor Artis: 6:30
  • Grapevine Wine Shop Baxter Village: 6:30 – 1, 2 or 3 mile routes
  • Heist Brewing Barrel Arts: 6:30 – 1, 3, or 5 mile routes
  • Gaston County Runners (Rankin Lake Park): 6:00

Tuesday

  • Ultra Running Company: 6:00 – 3 or 5 mile routes @ultrarunningco
  • Wooden Robot: 6:30 – 1.2, 3.2, or 5.1 mile routes @runborsrun
  • Lost Worlds: 6:30 – 1, 3, or 5 mile routes
  • Model A Brewing: 6:30 – 1, 2, 3, or 5 mile routes
  • Dust-Off Brewing: 6:30
  • Fonta Flora: 6:30 – 1.5, 3 or 6 mile routes

Wednesday

  • NoDa Brewing: 6:30 – 1, 3 or 5 mile routes @nodarunclub
  • Pizza Peel Cotswold: 6:30 – 3 or 5 mile routes @pizzapeelrunclubcotswold
  • Legal Remedy Brewing: 6:30 – 3.1, 4 or 5 mile routes
  • D9 (Uptown): 6:30
  • Gaston County Runners (Crowder’s Mtn Linwood Access): 6:00
  • Sycamore Brewing Run Club: 6:30 – 3, 4, 5 or 6 mile routes

Thursday

  • Ballantyne Running Club (Duckworth’s) – 1, 3, and 6 mile routes @ballantynerunningclub
  • Catawba Brewing: 6:30 – 1, 3, and 6 mile routes
  • Rock Hill Brewing: 6:30 – @RHBCrunclub
  • Cabarrus Brewing: 6:00 – 3 mile route
  • Greenway Run (Anne Springs Canteen): 6:00
  • Divine Barrel Brewing: 6:30 – 1 and 3 mile routes
  • Primal Brewing: 6:30 – 1.5 and 3 mile routes
  • Legion Brewing Legendary Run Club: 6:30 – 4 mile route

Friday

Rest Day!

Saturday

  • Cross Conditioning Training: 7am – 1, 3 and 6 miles @cctrunclub
  • Saturday Urban Run (Growler’s Pourhouse): 8:00am – 10.2 mile route

Sunday

  • Flying Biscuit Park Rd: 7:30am – 3 & 6 miles @flyingbiscuitrunclub
  • Lenny Boy Brewing Run Club: 11:00am – 1-4 mile routes
  • NoDa Brewing: 12:00pm – 1, 3 or 5 mile @nodarunclub
  • Dust Off: 2:00pm
  • Pharr Mill Brewing: 2:00pm @runpharrmill

Is there a run club or group run we should add to the list? Let us know at ed@runcharlotte.com