Trail Running for Women

Special announcement and new Website

2010-12-02T14:32:00.003-07:00

I have recently launched a new website and branding strategy.

Trail Running for Women is now Run Wild Retreats. Over at the new website, www.runwildretreats.com, you'll find a blog, article archive and news about 2011 running retreats in Colorado, Canada and elsewhere.

Please also join the Run Wild community on Twitter, @trailrunwomen, and find me on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/elinorfish

Thanks to all my followers for making the change with me! Not only is the new site slick and more sophisticated, it will be updated much more frequently--promise!

Run wild,

Elinor

Is there a right way to run?

2010-11-05T09:47:00.003-06:00

Experimentations with running form.

After running basically the same way for 20 years, I never saw the need to mess with a good thing. But this barefoot running fad and minimalist footwear trend got me wondering, is there a better way to run?

I've seen people (mostly men) at trail races--even 100-milers--running totally barefoot or Vibram FiveFingers, and all I could think is how much their feet must hurt with no cushioning, rock protection or pronation control. After reviewing hundreds of shoes for Trail Runner magazine, I had become a firm believer in the value of a well-designed running shoe to enhance one's natural biomechanics.

But as I began testing minimalist models like Merrell's Trail Glove, Inov-8 X-Talon and New Balance Minimus, I discovered that when using these shoes, I unconsciously changed the way I ran.

1. Forward Lean

A few years ago I attending a running clinic with a local professional track runner named Carrie, who pointed out that I have a tendancy to "sit back". By running this way, I had developed extra-strong quads and very weak hamstrings, which I suspect may have contributed to ongoing issues with IT-band syndrome and chronically tight hips. Having my center of gravity too far back was limiting the range of motion in my hips and had caused significant muscle imbalances.

So Carrie took us a local high-school track and had us perform short sprints while leaning as far foward as possible (without bending at the waist) until we were basically "falling" forward. There was do doubt that I ran faster this way, but after practicing this technique for a few weeks, I developed a badly inflammed piriformis (butt muscle). So I reverted back to my old ways, and the piriformis problem cleared up.

2. Shorten Your Stride Length

I think what triggered the piriformis injury was combining the forward lean with a longer stride. At that time, I wasn't thinking about how my foot was striking the ground. But when using a minimalist shoe that has less padding under the foot (especially the heel), I was landing on my midfoot, which was easier to do with a slight forward lean (originating from the ankles, not the waist).

It turned out that the only to avoid heel striking was to keep my center of gravity slightly forward and my stride short.

3. To go Faster, Increase Cadence, Not Stride Length

But when it comes to running faster, lengthening my stride is not a good idea, especially on trails. It's easier to be agile and dodge trail obstacles when you are balanced with your feet underneath your center of gravity. So to speed up, I focused on cadence, upping my turnover and taking more steps per minute, while concentrating on landing on my midfoot.

By not landing with my heel extended in front of my body, running felt swift and effortless. While I am far from being a barefoot-running convert, the barefoot movement has certainly given me pause to think about what I could be doing better. As a result, I don't have problems with IT-band syndrome and, combined with specific core training exercise (that I will discuss in my next blog post), I am finally correcting the chronic muscles imbalances that have held back my running quality and mileage for so many years.

For more about good running form, see this great video by New Balance.

Trail Running & Wellness Retreat Photos

2010-08-30T16:15:00.006-06:00

A group of amazing women assembled at Vagabond Ranch for the inaugural Trail Running & Wellness Retreat for Women was held on July 30 to August 1, 2010.

We were lucky with fabulous weather and dry trails (well, except for Friday night's soggy mud run).

Yoga instructor Wendy Kennedy leads the group through a series of strengthening and lengthening yoga poses for runners.

Sparkle and Jodi enjoy the sweet singletrack between Lost Lake at the Wolverine Trail.

After practising technical trail-running techniques on the rocky trail around Lost Lake, we take a relaxing break beside the water before a swift jaunt back down to the trail head.

Dana, Jane, Megan and Kimberly enjoy a water break on the Wolverine Trail. This day's 10-miler was a highlight of the weekend, taking our group of women of diverse running backgrounds--from "occasional" runners to others who have completed ultramarathons--to a spectacular ridge at 11,500 feet.

Thanks to (top row): Tamara, Tonya, Jenny, Joan, Lisa, Jodi, Kimberly, Jayne, Sparkle, Elinor (bottom row): Jane, Dana, Megan, Lauren, Leslie and (missing): Gina and Jackie for making it a fantastic weekend!

Trail Running Camp Recon

2010-06-22T19:27:00.009-06:00

I spent last weekend at Vagabond Ranch, site of the Trail Running & Wellness Retreat for Women in Arapahoe National Forest.

The weather was perfect for trail running and ranch staff were busily preparing the lodges for the summer season, making sure that all the facilities (including the solar-heated pool) were in fantastic condition in time for the retreat.

Vagabond is the ideal place for immersing yourself in the alpine wilderness and letting go of your hectic routine, commitments and responsibilities back home.

We'll enjoy rejuvenating yoga classes, trail running through alpine meadows and past alpine lakes, evening campfires will immersed in the forest's stillness.

Vagabond Ranch lies at 9000 feet in elevation at the foot of Cascade Mountain (shown here). Unfortunately the mountain pine beetle have ravaged the forests in this area, but regardless, this alpine landscape is rich in beauty. Wildflowers were in full bloom during my recent

visit, and I was lucky to spot moose, elk and deer during my brief two-day visit.

One of our runs will take us to Lost Lake, by way of a short, rocky, rooty trail where we'll practice technical-trail running technique. Since there isn't an official trail around the lake, we'll have fun scrambling over boulders and scooting around trees to circumnavigate the small body of water that takes about 15 minutes.

Semi-shaded Sherman Creek Trail will take us from Vagabond Ranch to Lost Lake and the other connecting trails.

From Sherman Creek and Lost Lake, we'll enjoy soft, smooth singletrack on the Gilsonite and Wolverine Trails. This area offers a combination smooth singletrack and rooty, rocky sections that are mostly shaded by tall trees. If we get high enough, we'll be rewarded with spectacular views of Grand Lake, Cascade Mountain and other parts of Arapahoe National Forest.

We have a wonderful group of women coming together for the retreat so far, with a few more spots still available (as of June 24).

We will have two run leaders guiding the group, so everyone will be able to run at a pace and distance that is comfortable. The emphasis of each outing will be on even energy expenditure (pacing), trail-running technique, staying fueled and hydrated on the trail and having fun! The presentations will cover training, building endurance, preventing injury, gear and our experts will answer your running questions!

If you are interested in participating, email elinorfish@hotmail.com today!

Spaces filling fast at trail-running retreat!

2010-05-26T18:14:00.002-06:00

Spaces are going for the Trail Running and Wellness Retreat for Women and I can hardly believe it's only two months away!

Putting this retreat together has been a long-term personal goal because when I think about all the ways in which running enriches my life and how much I wanted to share those experiences with other women.

So far we have women from California, Idaho and Denver! Many questions I have received regard how to get to Vagabond Ranch (pictured) from Denver International Airport, and the answer is that it's only about a three-hour drive. If you fly to Denver, I suggest taking a morning flight so that you arrive by midday, and then take a shuttle service or rent a car at the airport for the weekend. I can provide specific information about both these options.

Aside from the logistics, the more important questions are about trail running! I have reports that the trails are going to be in fine shape this summer, though it's still a little too snowy to test-run them quite yet. But I am heading up to the ranch in a few weeks to scout our routes. The women registered so far vary greatly in their running experience, so as planned, there will be a faster and a slower pace group to accommodate everyone.

My dear friend Wendy Kennedy will be our yoga instructor. I've taken many classes with Wendy over the past couple of years in Carbondale, and her calm manner and in-depth knowledge of Anusara yoga means that she'll have all us runners limber and relaxed by the weekend's end.

I am also excited to report that several running companies have offered gifts for the goodie bag. Everyone will receive items and or deep discount coupons from these fantastic companies:

Montrail trail-running shoes (www.montrail.com)
Mountain Hardwear clothing (www.mountainhardwear.com)
Sugoi clothing (www.sugoi.com)
GoLite (www.golite.com)
GU energy gel (www.guenergy.com)
Road ID (www.roadid.com)
Ryders Eyewear (www.ryderseyewear.com)
Trail Runner magazine (www.trailrunnermag.com)

We hope you'll join us!

And you'll soon find more updates and news about the retreat on our Facebook page!

Friendships Built on Long Distance

2010-05-10T16:11:00.002-06:00

When I read this fantastic story in the New York Times today by fellow running writer Sarah Bowen Shea about elite marathoners Paula Radcliffe and Kara Goucher (pictured), I instantly thought about the women I am so lucky to have in my life who inspire me, motivate me and teach me about what it means to be a mom, a runner and a friend.

I began the perfect Mother's Day with a trail run on Carbondale's Red Hill with my good friend and training buddy, Joy Schneiter. As we always do, we spent almost the entire 3-hour run talking about running, our careers, being moms and wives. Along with another good friend, Sari Anderson, we've shared many wild experiences related to our first ultramarathons, training through pregnancy, resuming running after childbirth, and now, training for our first 100-milers.

You would think we'd planned to have our children at the same time (my son Reed and Joy's daughter Selah were born four days apart), but it's funny how fate has a way of working things out. Now, as we ramp up our mileage in anticipation of our upcoming 100-mile debuts —Joy is running the Tahoe Rim Trail and I am running the Leadville Trail—we are learning the ropes together.

And despite having given birth to her second child, Axel, barely a month ago, Sari is already back to running, though we consider her somewhat of a superwoman considering that, three years ago, just five months after giving birth to her first child, Juniper, she competed in the grueling Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge, placing second against other world-class teams. During the the six-day event in the United Arab Emirates, her four-person team spent each day desert running, sea kayaking, mountain biking and doing ropes challenges in the blazing heat. Late at night and early each morning, while the other athletes slept, Sari was up pumping breast milk to keep her milk production up while away from her baby for 10 days. Her strength and dedication—to her sports and motherhood—amazes me.

Thanks Joy and Sari!

AKALI Project Athena Racing Series kicks off with "Mom-orable" Experience on Mother's Day Weekend in San Diego

2010-03-30T13:11:00.004-06:00

Survivors of Serious Illnesses or Injuries Race for Free

The AKALI® Project Athena Racing Series begins its inaugural season on Saturday, May 8 (Mother's Day weekend) in San Diego, California. This unique recreational series offers a variety of run/walk/adventure activities for all skill levels and age groups—15K God/Goddess Race, 6K(ish) Athena Team Trek, and Merrell Mini Athena and Mini Zeus Kidz Challenge.

Adult women - mothers, sisters, girlfriends—are encouraged to fill the field of over 200 entries for the Athena Team Trek. This has been created as a non-competitive “scavenger hike” for teams of two to six women who will hike together and encounter fun team challenges, like the Electric Slide dance, along the way.

And for either the 6K Team Trek or the 15K Race, Survivors of medical or physical challenges, such as cancer patients, will receive complimentary registration courtesy of Project Athena. All other registration fees are 100-percent deductible, assisting San Diego-based Project Athena Foundation. The Foundation helps female survivors of medical or traumatic setbacks to live their athletic dreams as part of their recovery.

Event Details

8 a.m. 15K God/Goddess Trail Race. Men and women will be challenged to run or walk 9.32 miles on mountain trails*. This timed event is open to individuals and teams. For teams (two to six people), one time will be posted when all members cross the finish line.

9:30 a.m. 6K(ish) Athena Team Trek. This is an adventure “scavenger hike” exclusively for women, with two to six members on each team. This journey combines elements of education, fitness and fun, customized to each market. In San Diego, the Mission Trails Regional Park route will highlight regional geological and ecological history, with participants winning prizes for doing fun team challenges, like the Electric Slide line dance, along the way.

10:30 a.m. Merrell Mini Athena and Mini Zeus Kidz Challenge. Children 12 and under can showcase their skills on a quarter-mile obstacle course. The start/finish is adjacent to the 15K course so that adults can participate in one event and then become cheerleaders for the children.

WHERE: The inaugural venue of Mission Trails Regional Park is eight miles northeast of downtown San Diego. The park has a total of 5800 acres, including over 40 miles of mountain trails.

Registration is available at www.akaliprojectathenaracingseries.com. Fees range from $55 per adult, $35 per child, Survivors are free.

About Project Athena

Project Athena was founded in 2007 by southern California resident Robyn Benincasa (pictured), an accomplished athlete, firefighter, motivational speaker, and women’s advocate. The two-time adventure race world champion and 10-time Ironman finisher was diagnosed with osteoarthritis, a degenerative joint disease, in 2007, and this nearly ended her athletic dreams.

But 20 weeks after hip-resurfacing surgery, she completed a marathon. Inspired by a supportive group of girlfriends who are also survivors, Benincasa then formed the Project Athena Foundation to create a “goddess” network, helping other women who face medical setbacks embrace recovery and conquer physical fitness goals.

Project Athena owns and operates the AKALI® Project Athena Racing Series, which benefits the Project Athena Foundation. In just two years, the Foundation has helped women across the U.S. complete running, walking and adventure events, from a 5K race to a marathon on the Great Wall of China, and an ultramarathon in the jungles of Costa Rica.

More Races

After May 8, there are two more U.S. stops for the AKALI Project Athena Racing Series-

Saturday, August 28 – Nashville, Tenn. at Percy Warner Park
Saturday, October 23 – Raleigh, N.C. at North Carolina State University

Fore more information, go to www.akaliprojectathenafoundation.com

Run Like a Mother

2010-03-04T15:08:00.003-07:00

Finally a book about running for moms!

To be released March 23, 2010, the new book Run Like a Mother, by Sarah Bowen Shea and Dimity McDowell (two writers/runners/moms I have long respected and turned to for advice on juggling a writing career with motherhood and fitness), delivers practical advice to expecting mothers, new mothers and experienced moms about reconciling the need to run with the demands of a screaming baby or brood of needy school-age kiddos.

I only wish this book had come out a year ago! This time last year, I was over nine months pregnant, counting down the days, hours and minutes until little Reed would finally join this world ... and give me back my body!

Since then, my body is slowly remembering what it means to be a runner (when I can find the time and energy to run!). But it sure hasn't been easy.

Dimity and Sarah deliver practical advice for managing expectations of yourself (don't feel like a failure for having no energy left at the end of the day for a run) and your body (how about those huge post-partum boobs and all that jiggling around your middle?)

Dimity's chapter on trail running explains the mental and physical benefits she's experienced from running off road: "As I ricochet off rocks, hop over roots, and keep track of my route, my brain actively controls the joystick attached to my feet and fires the 'jump' and 'turbo' buttons endlessly. Like road running, I forget my worry du jour on the dirt—the trails command my attention—but unlike when I'm plodding along on ho-hum streets, I rarely forget the run. (...)

"I happily walk when the uphills get too steep and I don't force it when gravity gifts me on the downhills. The places on my body that scream after a road run barely whisper after a trail run. For good reason: Loamy trails are downright pillowy when compared to unforgiving concrete. Another trail bonus: Useful stabilizing ligaments in ankles and knees, which don't get engaged on the pavement, full-on fire on the trail, building a more bombproof body."

Any woman with a family (or thinking of starting one) will enjoy the entertaining personal stories from running moms of all levels interspersed with useful tips for hill running, nutrition, building speed, endurance and much more.

Check out the Run Like a Mother website, www.runlikeamotherbook.com

(Disclosure: I received a complimentary advance reading copy from the publisher, Andrews McMeel Publishing, LLC).

Ultra Mom Liza Howard Rocks at Rocky Racoon 100-miler

2010-03-01T17:45:00.004-07:00

I recently corresponded with Liza Howard, winner of the Rocky Raccoon 100-mile trail race in Huntsville, Texas on February 6 for a story in the April issue of Trail Runner. As I begin training for my first 100-miler this August (Leadville Trail 100), I had to ask this busy 38-year-old mother of a two-year-old and teacher for the National Outdoor Leadership School and Wilderness Medicine Institute for how she found time to train.

Rocky Raccoon was only Liza’s third 100 miler, but she improved her finishing time over her time there last year by almost 6 hours! She won in 15:45:03, which is extremely fast for a trail 100-mile race. The terrain at Rocky is relatively easy, however, endless roots on the trail and rolling terrain still makes it a lot harder to run on than a smooth, paved road.

Liza’s next big trail race is the famous and highly competitive Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run on June 26, 2010, where she’ll be up against many of the country’s top ultrarunners.

How do you find time to train for a 100-mile race?

I am sorely tempted to email you a picture of the mountains of dirty dishes in my kitchen sink or the dirty clothes that completely bury the hamper—or really any part of our house—to answer that question. But basically, I've traded tidiness for training time. And my husband hasn't arrived to work unwrinkled in two years.  I don't live near baby jogger-friendly roads and Asa (who’s two) just hates being in the jogger, so I never use it anyway.

When Asa was one, I enrolled him in a day school two days a week, so I’d run then and on the weekends, and one evening a week. Asa always awakes at 5 a.m. so I can’t get it together to run at 4 a.m. or earlier.  I only work about two weekends a month or 11 days a month, which makes things manageable. I'd love to teach more, but I'm not good at keeping things peaceful when I do. It got a lot easier when Asa hit 18 months of age.

What contributed to your nearly 6-hour improvement over last year’s Rocky Raccoon [she finished in 21 hours 32 minutes]?

Last year I'd come from my grandmother's funeral (she died of pancreatic cancer) to run Rocky Raccoon. I ran well this year because she was smiling down on me the entire way.

 Another big difference was that I wasn't stopping to nurse my son every 20 miles. And, while that made for a quicker turn-around at the aid stations, I did miss seeing the shocked looks on the faces of the people around Dogwood aid station when I came in yelling ‘Hand me the baby!’”  I also didn't take a nap on the fourth loop this year [the course is comprised of five 20-mile laps].   

But the biggest difference is that after last year’s Rocky Raccoon, I wanted to see what I could do if I really trained well, so I hired a coach, Amanda McIntosh. She had me start using a heart-rate monitor so that I would run within specific training zones determined by our VO2 max testing.   It was hard because I had to run so slowly to keep my heart rate within the zone, but I've gotten used to it now and it works well for me. As a coach, Amanda is mindful of keeping time with my family a priority and arranged my long runs so they don't cut into family time.

How did you feel during the race?  

I mostly felt good. My gluteus bothered me early on, but some ibuprofen took care of it. I planned to run at a comfortable pace, and that pace just turned out to be a lot faster than I thought it would be. If the "wheels came off" later in the race, it would be a lesson learned. I struggled during the fourth lap because I got behind on my nutrition a bit.

Later in the race, the darkness really slowed me down. The roots seem to multiply and get bigger during the night, as there seemed to be more mud, too.

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 Later this week, I’ll bring you an interview with winner of the Rocky Raccoon 50-miler, Melanie Fryar.

Trail Running & Wellness Retreat for Women

2010-02-25T10:35:00.012-07:00

Update March 2011: For information about the 2011 Trail Running and Wellness Retreat, please visit our new website: http://www.runwildretreats.com/.

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July 30-August 1, 2010
Vagabond Ranch
Granby, Colorado

Treat yourself to an inspiring weekend of trails, mud and fun at this unique running camp designed just for gals! Join Trail Runner magazine's managing editor, Elinor Fish, for an educational and fitness-oriented training camp for active women interested in learning the basics of trail running.

All you need is basic running fitness, such as being able to run five miles at 10-minute-per mile pace on the road. No other special skills are required. If you don’t run regularly but are otherwise generally fit, then this camp is also for you. During the retreat, you will gain the knowledge, technique, confidence and fitness to enjoy the of adventure and invigorating nature of trail running.  

Participants will be divided into two pace groups so there’s no pressure to match someone else’s pace. Each day includes shorter and longer run options, ranging from 4 to 12 miles.  There are also yoga classes designed specifically for runners, theory sessions about training, sports nutrition, gear and injury prevention, plus free time for hiking, canoeing, volleyball, fishing, swimming in the solar-heated pool and soaking in the hot tub.  Evenings we will have camp fires and on Saturday evening a special guest speaker (to be announced shortly).

RETREAT ITINERARY (subject to change)

Friday, July 30

4 pm Arrival and check-in at Vagabond Ranch, Granby, Colorado
4:30 pm Orientation with your host, Elinor Fish and introductory easy trail run
7 pm Welcome reception and dinner. Presentation: goal setting, what is trail running; safety, training

Saturday, July 31

7 – 8 am Healthy breakfast, coffee, tea
8 - 9 am Rejuvenating and lengthening yoga for runners
9:00 am Depart for morning trail run (focus on trail-running form and technique)
12 – 1 pm Lunch
1 - 4 pm Free time for hiking, canoeing, volleyball, fishing, swimming, or relaxation massage (book in advance).
4 – 5:30 pm Theory session: sports nutrition
7 pm Dinner followed by presentation by a special guest speaker

Sunday, August 1

7 – 8 am Healthy breakfast, coffee, tea
8 – 9 am Rejuvenating and lengthening yoga for runners
9:00 am Depart for morning trail run (focus on pacing, building endurance)
12 - 1 pm Lunch
1-2 pm Theory session: training programs, injury prevention
Afternoon Departures

All-inclusive package: $675 (shared room), $725 (single room)
(space limited to 20 participants)

Package includes:

Two nights’ accommodation at Vagabond Ranch
Healthy, wholesome from Friday dinner through Sunday lunch
Strengthening and lengthening yoga classes designed specifically for runners
Trail runs with experienced and knowledgeable trail runners
Individual assessment of running form, tips for trail-running technique
Classes on training, sports nutrition, goal setting, trail-running gear and injury prevention
Goodie bag
Complimentary issue of Trail Runner magazine

Click here to download the registration form.

To receive an information package or ask questions, contact Elinor at: elinorfish@hotmail.com

Training Time

2010-02-15T11:17:00.003-07:00

The training has officially begun! I recently registered for my first 100-mile race, the Leadville Trail 100 (LT100), taking place August 21-22 in Leadville, Colorado. I've been a runner for 20 years, but have never run the century distance non-stop. The closest I've come is the TransRockies Run stage race three years ago, which covered a little over 100 miles from Vail to Aspen, Colorado, over five days. We would run about 20 to 30 miles a day, then hang out in camp each afternoon, recovering, getting massage and physiotherapy and enjoying huge dinner buffets and a cozy sleeping bag each night.

This 100 miles, however, will be very different. Instead of spending only six hours on my feet at a time, I will be moving for close to 30 hours (which is the cut-off time for official finishers) without sleep. To prepare, I am upping my mileage by lengthening my weekly long run by about 15 minutes each week, and doing more hiking and snowshoeing (which I can do with my 10-month old in the backpack).

A limiting factor to how long I can hike with Reed is his tolerance of being in the Ergo baby carrier, which is a frameless canvas backpack that is great in that weighs almost nothing and keeps him close to my body. However, Reed likes to look around (and wiggle around) and I suspect he gets overheated when pressed against my back for an hour. When he's had enough, he twists his upper body and plants his pointy little elbow between my shoulder blades and throws his weight to one side in an attempt to peer around me. This completely throws me off balance and I end up staggering down the trail, hopping and jiggling him around in an attempt to get him to straighten out.

Anyway, I am soon getting one of Deuter's best-selling Kid Comfort II backpacks, which I can't wait to try out. I'll post a full performance review here once we've taken it out a few times.

So yesterday's workout, for example, was a 1:45 run with my friend Joy (who's also training for her first 100-miler this summer) pushing her daughter, Selah, in a Chariot. We ran 9-minute miles for 11 miles, which is decent considering the Chariot and snow patches on the road.

Immediately after finishing the run, I headed solo over to the Arbaney-Kittle trail near my home in Basalt, and hiked with Yaktrax on my running shoes for traction and trekking poles for uphill propulsion. Trekking poles are permitted at the Leadville race (they are forbidden in many trail races) so I plan on using them for the long uphill section over Hope Pass, the course's highest point at 12,600 feet in elevation. (For more about the use of trekking poles in long-distance running, check out the next issue of Trail Runner magazine, due out April 1, or check back here later for more on this topic).

After hiking uphill as quickly as possible for about 45 minutes, I turned around and ran back down, carrying the poles horizontally. My quads are certainly sore today, which is a good reminder that I'll have to work on my downhill endurance, since there is a lot of downhill in the LT 100.

Happy trails!

(P.S. Check back soon for an exciting women-only trail-running event hosted by yours truly!)

What's really causing the pain in your butt?

2010-02-09T17:39:00.004-07:00

Have you ever felt pulled in a million directions at once? Have you felt as though you were going full-tilt from dawn until dusk, but still falling short of your obligations? Well that's where I have been the past few months, but I am happy to say that things are back on track!

I didn't run much through to November and December, largely due to a pain in my right leg that I'd never felt before. I assumed it was due to physiological changes resulting from the pregnancy. Perhaps my hips are a little off kilter after expanding to accommodate the birth of my son, who was a hefty eight-pounder. But then the pain migrated down to the back of my right knee, then the back of my left knee, went over to the right ankle then shot up into my right shoulder blade. It was ridiculous.

What kind of running injury floats freely around the body, making its home wherever it chooses?

Last week, while perusing the dusty bookshelf that serves as the "library" at the Trail Runner magazine world headquarters, a slim paperback caught my eye. I picked up the book, Get Rid of the Pain in your Butt Now! and flipped through the pages.

Publishers often send us books to review in the magazine, but they are usually written by sports psychologists, coaches, exercise physiologists or doctors, but this seemingly self-published book was written by Monte Hueftle, who cites his only credentials as being a "long distance runner." I was curious to know what made Monte so confident that "physical pain can now be eliminated forever in just weeks" without drugs, physical therapy or surgery.

Monte discusses his never-ending migrating pain that plagued him until he came across a book suggesting that chronic back, sciatic and neck pain was a result of the autonomic nervous system processing tension, stress and anxiety. And the cure, he says, is merely to understand that this is the pain's origin.

I have no idea if there is any scientific merit to this theory, but it prompted me to examine my stress levels over the past few months, and indeed, I noticed a positive correlation between my stress/anxiety and my physical pain.

So over the past week, I tried to get a grip on areas in my life that were overwhelming stressful. I also took stock of my values and obligations and identified where they were not matching up. The result has been no pain in my legs or shoulders, and, as a side benefit, I am also sleeping through the night instead of waking at 3 a.m., my mind racing over my enormous to-do list.

Thanks to being able to run pain-free and get a good night's sleep, I have 10 times more energy, can concentrate better and am in a much better mood. I'm not suggesting that all running injuries are merely in your head--I know, the pain is real!--but before you blame your running, take stock of what's happening in all aspects of your life. Perhaps taking a few days to off to let a muscle or joint heal is a good idea, but also consider what caused the injury in the first place, and address that, too.

Speaking with Kara Goucher at the Nike Women's Marathon

2009-10-19T21:08:00.006-06:00

There's no better way to break up the daily routine of work and diapers like a a trip away to a race. I spent last weekend in San Francisco at the Nike Global Media Summit, which coincided with the Nike Women's Marathon. I got a sneak peek at Nike's spring 2010 apparel and footwear line up and hit the pavement with fellow running journalists from Running Times, Runner's World, Self and Shape magazines (and many more) in the half marathon.

Besides the race, a highlight was meeting Olympian Kara Goucher. The 31-year-old from Portland, Oregon, has made a phenomenal transition from the track to the marathon, scoring third place at this year's Boston Marathon with a time of 2:32:25 (she set a marathon PR of 2:25:53 at the 2008 New York City Marathon, which is the fastest time there ever by an American woman). On the track at the Olympic Trials, she won the 5000 meters and was second in the 10,000 meters, and went on to finish 9th and 10th, respectively, in those events in Beijing.

Kara is now taking some off of the marathon to focus on starting a family with husband Adam Goucher (also and elite runner) before returning to the marathon in 2011, with her sights set on Olympic marathon gold at the 2012 Games in London.

Kara is a smart and talented athlete who is unafraid to publicly declare her goals. Despite that knowing that sometimes she may fall short (as when she placed a disappointing 10th at the 2009 Marathon World Cup in Berlin earlier this year), she says that its unlikely you'll reach your dreams if you can't state them with conviction. "I used to not say my goals out loud," she says. "But now I'm not afraid to say that I want to win a marathon on U.S. soil [such as Boston] and win gold in London [at the Olympics].

They don't call her "America's toughest sweetheart" for nothing. She's a fierce competitor who says she has the best job in the world, but doesn't forget to have fun. Under the guidance of her coach, Alberto Salazar, Kara's marathon training has her logging up to 120 miles a week, usually running twice a day (morning and 5 p.m.), with one weekly long run of up to 23 miles. As much as 80 percent of that is run on trails near her Portland home, as long as they are dry and not too slippery. "Trails like Wildwood are my favorite," says Kara. "I like being in the woods where I can't hear the road."

But the most important ingredient to her success, she says, is courage. "I had to take a leap of faith that I could handle the [marathon] distance," she says. "And I had to believe that I'd made the right choices in training and was prepared as best I could be."

As for my run at the Nike Women's Half Marathon, I was happy to run 1:35 and change, a slight improvement over my 1:38:50 half marathon at the Glenwood Canyon Half Marathon two weeks ago. While training is going well these days, the idea of being ready for a 100-mile trail race by next August is still daunting. Some days I think I'm nuts to think I could possibly train for a 30-hour race during my first year of motherhood.

But then again, as Kara says, taking a simple leap of faith is sometimes the first step toward reaching a goal.

First Female Amputee to Run a 100-Mile Trail Run Wins the Race

2009-10-13T14:21:00.002-06:00

I just received this press release from A Step Ahead, the company that makes the prosthetics used by runner Amy Palmiero-Winters. What an amazing woman! I plan to interview her for Trail Runner, so check back here for more about Amy's story.

HICKSVILLE, NEW YORK—Amy Palmiero-Winters—single mother of two, below-the-knee amputee, and world record holder in over 10 events in running and triathlon—has set a new standard for long-distance running. On October 10th and 11th at the Heartland Spirit of the Prairie 100 mile Trail Run in Cassoday, Kansas, Ms. Palmiero-Winters not only became the first female amputee to finish a 100-mile race; she also won the women’s division and finished in 8th place overall.

Starting at 6 am on a cold, windy day with temperatures in the low 30's and winds upto forty miles per hour, Ms. Palmiero-Winters finished the race early the next morning in 18 hours and 54 minutes to claim first place in the women’s division. Her time was the second-fastest female time in the history of this event. Although Kansas is known as a very flat state, the 100 mile out and back course covered 6000 feet elevation changes and rough terrain.

Running on a customized running prosthesis specifically designed by A Step Ahead Prosthetics in Hicksville, N.Y. to handle the demands of trail running, she endured the weather, terrain, fatigue, and all of the other challenges of running 100 miles on a prosthetic leg to set a new standard for what can be done if you don’t give up.

Amy competes as a proud member of Team A Step Ahead, a team of amputee athletes supported by A Step Ahead Prosthetics. She currently holds world records in running five kilometers, the marathon, and ultramarathon as well as world records in triathlon from the Olympic distance to the Ironman. This is her 11th world record. Through her work as the director of Team A Step Ahead, she coordinates sports programs for amputee athletes as well as serving as a coach and mentor for young children with limb loss.

Team A Step Ahead is a team of amputee athletes from around the world who compete in events including the Hawaii Ironman Triathlon, multiple marathons, road races around the world, and the Paralympic Games. Team A Step Ahead's members have been very competitive against able-bodied athletes, placing and winning numerous age group awards. These elite athletes hold or have held world records in the 100m, 200m, 400m, track and field events, marathons, and triathlons. Athletes receive training from coaches, prosthetists and physical therapists that are experts in working with amputee athletes, including world record holding Paralympians. The company's motto is "Live Life Without Limitations." For additional information on Team A Step Ahead visit: www.astepaheadonline.com

A Day with Diane

2009-09-18T15:26:00.002-06:00

Diane Van Deren's incredible comeback story to appear in December issue of Trail Runner

Last week I spent the day with Diane Van Deren, mother of three grown children, professional athlete, motivational speaker and an all-around remarkable woman. I arrived at her place in the rolling plains south of Denver on Thursday evening, just as the sun was setting. Sitting on her living-room couch with our dinner plates on our laps, I didn’t even have to ask her questions, as Diane opened the door to her personal life and let her story pour out.

She spoke about hauling a 50-pound sled for 430 miles across Canada’s Yukon territory last February—the only woman to complete the heinous trek. She spoke about finishing Colorado’s Hardrock 100—arguably the world’s toughest 100-miler—five times. About finishing third at the Big Horn 100-miler in Wyoming earlier this year, and The North Face 100 in China (where she was fourth overall). And that’s just a tiny sampling of the races on her long resume.

Diane has always been a gifted athlete (she was formerly a professional tennis player) but what is remarkable is what lies behind her motivation to run and race, and why it’s amazing she’s running at all.

In 2005, Diane received a phone call notifying her that she’d been nominated for the Everest Award, to be presented at the Teva Mountain Games, for her incredible performances on the trail. She’d only been running ultramarathons for about a year, but quickly became a dominant figure in the sport. And the folks at The North Face noticed too, inviting Diane to join The North Face endurance team, comprised of outstanding runners like Kami Semick, Nikki Kimball and others.

As the date of the Everest Award presentation approached, Diane was in close contact with a six-year-old boy named Hunter Nelson. Hunter, who had epilepsy, suffered from 20 to 30 seizures a day. He was running out of treatment options, and his mother was desperate for hope that her chance still had a chance at a normal life until Diane told them about a procedure she was familiar with that could mean the end of his seizures forever.

To find out if Hunter was a candidate for the procedure, doctors would place electrodes on his head during a seizure and try to pinpoint exactly where the seizures originated. If they could identify the source of the scrambled signals Hunter’s brain was sending his body, and it was a spot on his brain they could operate on safely, they would cut it out and Hunter might live the rest of his life seizure-free.

The morning Hunter was to go to the hospital to begin testing, his mother entered his bedroom and found her sweet boy still and lifeless. He’d suffered a seizure during the night and suffocated in his bed.

Profoundly saddened by Hunter’s death, Diane promised that she would do whatever she could to help others with epilepsy. So when she climbed onto stage at the Teva Mountain Games to accept the Everest Award for her athletic accomplishments, she dedicated the award to Hunter. From that moment forward, Diane would use running as her platform for raising awareness for epilepsy, a condition she lived with for 12 years and nearly died from before the radical brain surgery that entailed removing the kiwi-sized chunk of her right temporal lobe.

In the December issue of Trail Runner magazine, you’ll get to read about how Diane copes with the loss of her short-term memory and how she won the incredible 430-mile Yukon Arctic Ultra despite her inability to read a map or use a GPS.

Healthy Eating Tips from Amy Golumbia, Canadian Mountain Running Champ

2009-08-26T10:18:00.007-06:00

The story I am working on for the October/November issue of Trail Runner has involved research into the health benefits of eating a pH-balanced diet. It turns out that most diseases, fatigue, muscle soreness and a foggy mind, to name only a few ailments, are all caused by the accumulation of acids in the body. A pH-balanced diet, comprised of lots of fresh veggies, nuts, seeds, healthy oils rich in essential fatty acids (Omega 3 and Omega 6) and small amounts of unprocessed meat and fish, is the best way to change your body from acid to alkaline.

I interviewed Any Golumbia, of Calgary, Alberta, mother to young twin girls and the 2009 Canadian National Mountain Running Champion, who along with the rest of the team, is heading to Italy for the World Mountain Running Championship on September 6. She is also a holistic nutritionist and founder of the Jump Start Nutrition Clinics, and an athlete-ambassador for Vega health-food products. She doesn't just preach good nutrition, she lives it!

Why is eating a pH-balanced diet important?

Because of the amount of training I do, if I didn’t ensure my body was alkaline all the time, I would constantly be dealing with lactic acid stress, sore muscles, poor digestion and the resulting lack of energy. That being said, I spent a long time “tuning in” to my body’s needs and we now have a very good relationship and it’s one of constant flux and communication. Kind of like the love relationships that we all strive for, it’s important to be in constant communication with your body and it’s needs.

What dietary rules do you follow?

My meal plans change from day to day, and certainly from season to season. I have a few rules I always stick to, and from there I just try to listen. One day, I may feel like blueberries, hemp seeds and rice milk for breakfast, and the next I might need eggs, tomatoes and spinach!

Rule #1: Obey the rules 90% of the time, and leave a little room for fun, family dinners and social eating. It’s important to stick to your goals but it’s also important to be flexible, especially with twins! I can’t let the fact that I can’t have a planned meal ruin my entire day.

Rule #2: Eat no grains of any sort. In all of my years of practice, I have found that almost 90% of symptoms go away when my clients eliminate grain and dairy from their diets.

Rule #3: Eat only whole foods. The closer the food is to the way it grows in nature, the easier it is for your body to use it and derive the most energy from it. Obviously certain supplements make sense at times and in situations of imbalance so I use Vega products as well as a few other supplements when I know I’m not getting enough from whole foods.

What does a typical day look like?

Breakfast: hot lemon water, organic coffee (my one vice is good, strong organic coffee. what can I say, I have twins and a full life). grapefruit or blueberries, or a fruit smoothie.

Lunch: Huge salad with mixed greens, spinach, tomatoes, avocado, Little Creek Dressing (my all time fav!), and a protein source, usually two boiled eggs. I am not afraid to eat fat as long as it is from clean sources and not saturated.

Dinner: Steamed vegetable in season (i.e. asparagus), another big salad and BBQ salmon or other protein source. In the winter I add home-made soups for their warming properties. In summer I eat more raw vegetables.

Do you have any time-saving tips for preparing fresh, healthy food for you and your family?

My kids have been eating chickpeas and spinach since they started on solids! They’re just starting to want packaged food but I try to teach them about where food comes from and what happens to the body when you eat a lot of processed food. They get treats once in a while, but in general they stick to the same rules as I do.

Making fresh, healthy meals for my family isn't hard at all. It takes planning but because we eat a lot of raw, whole, natural foods so there isn’t a lot of preparation. My girls always have a ton of energy, great mental focus, rarely get sick and are generally really excited to eat!

Tip: always keep a variety of fresh, colorful cut up veggies in the fridge. Make a few dips (i.e. hummus, tapenade, etc.) and keep them handy. I put out a big tray of veggies before every meal as I cook dinner and the kids gobble it up. Kids naturally choose foods that are colorful and full of flavor so pick quality produce and you’ll have no problem. Also ensure kids get a lot of fat in their diets... see the Weston Price Foundation for more information. Kids need a lot of GOOD fat for proper development ... at times up to 60%!

What is your training like?

Oh boy, the secret comes out. There is no method to the madness. My life used to fit in around my training and now it’s the other way around. Since the girls were born, I’ve really had to modify so I typically run at least an hour per day, five or six days a week. Throughout the summer I do a lot of mountain running on the weekends (20 to 50K on trails and mountain passes). But during the week I just do what I can.

During the racing season, I do at least one good speed workout day and one hill-training day a week. I am fortunate to live very close to an ideal training ground that has a lot of hills. I mix it up and go as hard as I can whenever I can!

With a mainly plant-based diet, how do you get enough protein?

I get protein from organic and, if possible, wild meat and fish. I eat a lot of organic eggs, wild salmon, bison, deer, chicken and turkey. I use only Vega for protein powder and meal supplements for my family. They are the cleanest and best I have every found and really have a lot of protein for a vegan source!

Dirt Inspires Women's Trail Half Marathon

2009-08-11T15:07:00.006-06:00

Women take over the trails August 30

When former professional triathlete and adventure racer Terri Schneider sustained a severe injury to her Achilles tendon 10 months ago that thwarted her plan to run across Antarctica, she poured her energy into creating a unique women-only event. A few months later, she announced creation of the Dirt Inspires Women's Trail Half Marathon to be held August 30, 2009, in Nisene Marks State Park, near her home of Aptos, California.

"If I can't run trails for a while, I want to support other women in getting out there," says Schneider. Her original event application permit to the state park for a race called Dirty Inspirations Women's Trail Half Marathon (after her blog, Dirty Inspirations) was rejected on the grounds that the name was too suggestive. (Men!). They granted the permit only after she changed the name to Dirt Inspires.

"For as long as I can remember, I have been asked by women how I learned to run on trails solo and safely," says Schneider. "'Wasn't I scared?' they asked." To address this common fear, Schneider is also offering trail-running clinics at the Fleet Feet in Aptos, California, and online running coaching and training programs.

And Dirt Inspires will reward you for your hard work. "As far as I know we are the first women's trail race (and possibly women's any type of race) that is offering prize money for not only 'open', and 'masters' divisions, but 'grand masters' (50 and over) as well!" says Schneider. "There are a lot of talented people who dedicate themselves to trail racing and very few, if any, who are rewarded for their efforts. As a former professional triathlete and adventure racer, I say bring on the prize money for the woman and spread it widely!"

For more information about the Dirt Inspires Women's Trail Half Marathon, visit www.ditrailruns.com.

For more information about Terri Schneider, visit www.terrischneider.net.

It's Official: BMI is Bogus!

2009-07-05T20:33:00.003-06:00

Whether you put stock in it or not, I'm guessing most of you have, at one time or another, divided your weight (pounds) by the square of your height (inches) and multiplied the result by 703 to discover your body mass index (BMI)? How did that number then influence your body image? Probably more than it should have, given what's understood now about the BMI's inaccuracy as a health indicator.

National Public Radio's recent story on BMI, which aired last Saturday, gave ten reasons why the BMI formula is so flawed, especially when it comes to athletes.

"It makes no allowance for the relative proportions of bone, muscle and fat in the body," writes Keith Devlin. "But bone is denser than muscle and twice as dense as fat, so a person with strong bones, good muscle tone and low fat will have a high BMI. Thus, athletes and fit, health-conscious movie stars who work out a lot tend to find themselves classified as overweight or even obese."

Read the rest of this article here.

Cougars on the Run

2009-06-19T17:19:00.007-06:00

What happens when three world-class female ultrarunners get together and decide to come up with a "girl thing" to do in the mountains for a week? They concoct a run of 273 miles and to the summits of 40 North Carolina peaks above 6,000 feet, and call it the South Beyond 6000 (SB6K for short).

And that's exactly what Rebekah Trittipoe and Jenny Anderson of Virginia, North Carolina’s Anne Lundblad completed on June 16 after 6 days 13 hours 31 minutes.

Who are these women? Trittipoe, nicknamed "Momma Cat", is a 52-year-old veteran ultrarunner, Anderson "Bohima-Lion" is a 35-year-old cross-country coach and teacher in Lynchburg, and Lundblad, 42, "Dixie Cat" is a national ultramarathon champion and six-time competitor at the World 100K championships.

The run raised money for the Project Athena Foundation, a charity created by professional adventure racer Robyn Benincasa, to help women with breast cancer and other medical or traumatic setbacks achieve their athletic and adventure dreams.

Read more in this great article from Lynchburg, Virginia's The News & Advance until I get a chance to talk to these amazing and inspiring women first hand!

Getting Your Game Back

2009-06-18T11:13:00.003-06:00

The other day I loaded Reed into the Chariot for an easy run along the paved bike path running through our town. After spending the first half of the day festering in the house--doing laundry, feeding and changing the baby--I couldn't wait to get moving, fill my lungs with fresh air and pump blood to my stiff muscles.

But after a few short minutes, Reed was fussing and crying and it soon became apparent that this run wasn't going to console him. I returned home disappointed that the workout didn't happen, especially after all the time and effort it took to get out the door in the first place.

For many of us, time is precious and it's hard to find the time to run even though we know it's important for our physical and mental well-being. So when runs do happen, it's more important than ever that they be specific to your training goals.

When your goals involve regaining lost fitness after having a baby (like me), an injury, or other lengthy layoff, the period of time you weren't running is called detraining, and your return to running is retraining. Coach and exercise physiologist Roy Stevenson explains both of these concepts in depth in the special performance issue of Trail Runner magazine hitting newsstands July 1.

After just three weeks of detraining, Stevenson explains, your heart goes through physiological changes that affect your VO2 max (ability to process oxygen) and endurance. You can lose up to 43 percent of your slow-twitch muscles and your muscle glycogen (stored fuel) can decrease 40 percent. How fast you regain what you've lost has a lot to do with how active you are during the detaining period. Were you completely laid up in bed or powerwalking several times a week? Also take into consideration your age, pre-detraining fitness level and overall health.

Arming yourself with an understanding of how the body loses and regains fitness is important to setting realistic expectations of yourself during retraining. Rather than finding your shuffling gait, pounding heart and stiff muscles discouraging, expect to feel these things as your unused body remembers what running feels like. Train smart, push through the discomfort (but respect sources of pain) and you'll get your game back.

Share Your Story, Win Gear from Mountain Hardwear

2009-06-18T10:34:00.003-06:00

For the month of June, my friends at Mountain Hardwear and Montrail footwear giving away four head-to-toe outfits (one per week) to women who share what motivates them through the Go To Girl contest.

Looking for some motivational reading? Check out what other women have already submitted to the contest here.

Welcome to Trail Running for Women!

2009-05-26T12:30:00.004-06:00

I created this blog is to inspire more women to seek out physical fitness and spiritual wellness through trail running. Weekly blog entries will include tidbits of advice from my personal experience as I return to the trails after giving birth to my son two months ago and train for the 2010 Leadville Trail 100 mile trail race. It will also provide practical training advice based on my research and interviews with coaches, nutritionists, sports physiologists and the sport's top athletes for articles to appear in Trail Runner magazine (where I have been the managing editor for three years) and other publications about health, fitness and well-being.

Trail running is one of the country's fastest growing participatory sports because it doesn't require much technical skill or lot of fancy or expensive equipment (though a good pair of trail-running shoes is indispensible), and suitable running trails can be found almost anywhere. While women proliferate the road-running scene, they turn out in relatively small numbers at trail races.

While I personally gain a strong sense of achievement and pride from racing, this blog is intended to provide women like you the knowledge and inspiration to improve as trail runners, not necessarily racers. Whatever motivates you to run--get fit after baby, improve your self confidence, seek out wilderness adventure, enjoy some solo time or banish stress, here you'll find the tools to help you achieve your goals--avoiding the usual superficial fluff found in many women's magazines, like how to get a perky butt (which could happen anyway as a result of all that running).

In return, you'll be helping me serve you better. I encourage you to post comments telling me what concerns you as a trail runner, what topics you're most interested about which stories you enjoy the most. Your questions and comments are likely to inspire a story idea for an upcoming issue of Trail Runner or other magazine!