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When You're a Pro, What Does Time Off Mean?

FitSugar — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 07:00:49 -0700

Runner Kara Goucher made her marathon debut a year ago in the Big Apple, but she's skipping the New York Marathon this year. At the Nike Running Summit, she explained she wasn't planning on racing again until Boston because she's doing some planning of a different nature - family planning.

When you're an elite runner, skipping an event doesn't go unnoticed, making it difficult to keep it a secret that you're trying to get pregnant. Kara explained to me in a short but sweet interview that she's "taking a few months off to see what happens in her personal life."

But what does "time off" mean after running 120 miles a week? For Kara it means only running 30 miles a week, a number I would love to have as my hard-core weekly mileage. Although she does admit to getting a little softer now that she's only running a quarter of what she's used to, Kara's relationship with food hasn't changed, since she has always been "a healthy eater." Body fat is an issue for runners, but her attitude is pretty simple: "It is just weight and it will come off." Which is great since this runner, a proclaimed "queen of the 30-minute meal," is spending her newly found free time cooking, mostly Italian, and making sauces from scratch.

To see how Kara answered when I asked her if she could be an elite athlete in another sport, what would it be, just read more.

She admitted that this was a tough question, but that she has always leaned toward tennis. Kara finds the combination of individual strength and one-on-one competition quite compelling. Then there's the fashion side of things: "They wear cool outfits."

Kara's long-term goal: racing in the London Olympics in 2012 and bringing home the gold. Go Kara!

Speak Up: What's Your Workout Mantra?

FitSugar — Tue, 05 May 2009 16:00:00 -0700

It is often said that running is 90 percent mental, but I wouldn't limit that ratio to running. For me, a large part on any workout is mental. I could always just hop off the elliptical and head toward the sauna, so I have a lot of convincing to do. Having a workout mantra is a great way to keep your mind on task while exercising, and if a phrase is too long you can always try a word.

Marathoner Kara Goucher told me that when she's competing, she uses power words that are distilled from the phrases she mentally repeats during practice. When competing on a track, her word is "fighter" to remind herself to fight until the end and to be a little scrappy if need be. When racing 26.2 miles, her word is "courage." It takes courage to keep going for the long haul.

What do you tell yourself to keep on keeping on during your workouts? Do you have a phrase, a mantra, a power word? I know for some folks, a certain song can help them hang on when the going gets tough. Tell me what works for you in the comments section below.

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Exercising Outside? Don't Forget the Sunscreen

FitSugar — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 09:00:00 -0700

While the weather might not seem balmy, the warmer temps of Spring do allow most of us to work out in the great outdoors. Damaging sun rays accompany the warming sunshine, so I am here to remind you to not skip the sunscreen. Even when it is cloudy (in SF we can just say foggy), damaging rays make it to the earth's surface and your skin. When preparing to exercise outside, you should put a teaspoon of sunscreen on your face and an ounce (or handful) on your body. Apply your sun protection a half hour before heading out to bike, run, play tennis or soccer, stroll, or roller blade.

Marthoner Kara Goucher spends a lot of time in the sun logging miles, and she trains at altitude as well. Since runners seem prone to skin cancer - marathoner Deena Kastor has had many malignant spots removed - I asked Kara about her choice of sunscreen. It turns out that she and her running husband, Adam, are Coppertone people. They apply the spray before training in the mountains. Kara says that it is easy to apply, has an "I'm going outside today scent," and it doesn't get her eyes unless she is super sweaty. Do you have sporty sunscreen to recommend? Tell me in the comments section below.

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Kara Goucher: Heartbroken but Happy and Ready For 2012

FitSugar — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 06:00:00 -0700

I had the pleasure of speaking with marathoner Kara Goucher, 30, yesterday, and she is one sweet runner. Kara placed third in the Boston Marathon on Monday, coming in just nine seconds behind the winner. Her frustration was visible as she crossed the finish line. When I asked her which part of her body hurt most the day after the marathon, Kara said, "Honestly, still my heart just hurts the most."

Although heartbroken, Kara explained that her body didn't feel that beat up from the race - explaining that this race was like an easy 20 miles followed by a really hard 10k - so just her hip flexors felt tight from the running downhill. Her disappointment with not winning combined with a lack of aches and pains led her to consider running the London Marathon next week. She wanted to put the tactical lessons learned in Boston to work immediately, but ultimately decided racing a marathon again that soon wouldn't help with her long-range goal: competing in the 2012 London Olympic marathon to win.

To learn Kara's favorite Pilates exercise, the last movie she saw in a theater, and what she did after finishing the marathon, read more.

Kara switched coaches about three years ago and began working with former marathon star Alberto Salazar, and with this change came regular cross training. Salazar, who also coaches her husband Adam Goucher, wanted the running couple to become better all-around athletes, and to do so, Kara started Pilates. Although she hates them while doing them, Kara loves the ab series of Pilates, including the 100s, as well as the back stretch saw off your toe. Her favorite core exercises: "I like plank and lunges. In the plank position lifting up one leg is good core work. I like basic stuff that you could do anywhere: in a hotel room, at the gym, on the sidewalk if you needed to."

After running the Boston marathon, Kara went out to dinner with a group of family and friends. Although the party drank many bottles of wine, they are waiting to pop the champagne cork when either she or Adam wins. She admitted that it was nice to "act like normal people" for the evening, not having to worry if the food might upset her stomach and interfere with running or if she should be getting to bed. Speaking of "normal," I also asked Kara the last movie she saw in a theater. "I saw The Curious Case of Benjamin Button around New Year's, but I have no idea of what I saw before that," she told me.

Kara is one busy runner. She trains hard, loves racing, and won't be giving up track events anytime soon. She and her husband have both publicly stated that they would like to start a family - just think how fast those little Gouchers could be. I for one am looking forward to seeing Kara run in London, be it next week or in three years!

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Boston Marathon: Kosgei Wins, Goucher Takes Third

FitSugar — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 12:30:00 -0700

It was a dramatic finish for the women running the Boston Marathon today, and the official results are in. Crossing the finish line first was Kenyan runner Salina Kosgei, with a time of 2:32:16. Congratulations to the champ! Just one second behind Kosgei was Dire Tune of Ethiopia, who collapsed soon after finishing the race and had to be carried out on a stretcher. I sincerely hope she is OK; stay tuned for updates.

Meanwhile, third place went to one of my favorite runners, Kara Goucher, who had a time of 2:32:25. She was one of just two American women to finish in the top 10. Pretty amazing considering the Olympic middle-distance runner just started marathoning last Fall!

To see who won the men's marathon and the amount of prize money the winners receive, read more.

American Ryan Hall came in third as well, with a time of 2:09:40. He was a little over a minute behind Deriba Merga of Ethiopia (2:08:42) who won the marathon. Second place winner is Kenyan Daniel Rono with a time of 2:09:32. The prize money for men and women is the same and the winner takes home $150,000, while second place wins $75,000, and the third place purse is $40,000.

Are you watching (or running) any marathons this year? . . . Oh, I'm sorry, can you repeat that? I missed your answer because I was too busy coveting these runners' quadriceps.

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Mommy Marathoner Wins NYC Marathon Again!

FitSugar — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 02:00:00 -0800

British mommy marathoner Paula Radcliffe did it again! She won the NYC Marathon for the third time. Radcliffe, whose daughter will be two years old in January, finished the race in 2:23:56 with the second place winner crossing the finish line almost two minutes later. That is what I call an impressive lead! Congrats Paula!

Paula wasn't the only runner we were rooting for here at FitSugar. To see how newlywed Ryan Reynolds fared in the race, just read more.

Ryan finished the marathon in under four hours with the respectable time of 3:50:22. Not bad for a first timer at all! Speaking of first timers, one of my favorite runners, Olympic middle distance runner Kara Goucher, made her marathon debut and came in third place! Her finishing time of 2:25:53 is the fastest finishing time for an American woman in the history of the New York City Marathon. Goucher is definitely a runner to watch.

Reading about other people running always makes me want to hit the asphalt, but I am not sure I want to run 26.2 miles like these folks. Tell me, how do you feel about running a marathon?

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5 Things About the NYC Marathon

FitSugar — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 09:00:10 -0700

On Nov. 1, the New York City Marathon celebrates not only the fastest endurance runners in the world but its 40th anniversary as well. Runner's World was chock-full of information about the race, and it got me all fired up. Here are five things about the marathon I think you will want to know.

Back in 1970 there were 127 participants running in the first NYC Marathon, all of them American, and the entry fee was only a buck.
This year there will be 40,000 runners participating, and they won their places at the starting line through a lottery. However, 5,000 spots are held for charity programs. Christopher Reeves's son Matthew will be running 26.2 miles to honor his father, the actor who played Superman, as well as to raise money for his father's foundation.

For three more facts, keep reading.

Spring Running Essential: Arm Warmers

FitSugar — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 03:30:00 -0700

Spring weather is unpredictable, which means layering is important. When headed out for a long run, you can wear a tank but keep your arms covered with arm warmers. No longer just for the legs, or the dancers, arm warmers are a great accessory for runners and cyclists alike. Marathoner Kara Goucher sported a pair while running Boston yesterday.

Arm warmers range from $18 to $40 depending on the material used. You can opt for classic black like Kara, or go for some conspicuous stripes to make you more visible on the road. Check out some options below, from classic black to tattoo sleeves.

Sugoi MidZero Arm Warmer ($26)	SockGuy Acrylic Arm Warmers ($20)
Sock Guy Hottie Arm Warmer ($20)	Pearl Izumi Woolie Seamless Arm Warmers ($15)	Primal Wear Tatto Arm Warmer ($23)

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Workout Mantras

FitSugar — Wed, 20 May 2009 14:30:00 -0700

When your workout gets tough, you need to be mentally prepared for the self pep talk and the occasional mental smackdown of negative self talk. Kara Goucher powers through with power words when racing, and many of you FitSugar readers have great workout mantras as well. A couple of weeks ago, I asked you all to share your personal pep talks. Here are some of my favorite workout mantras, and if you're in need of a power word or phrase, you can adopt one of these.

"You CAN do this. You ARE strong enough. It's not an option to quit."- elenaperez64

If you're more into talking about yourself rather than to yourself, try this little rhyming ditty of a mantra:

"I can do this. I am strong. I can do this. It's not that long." - syako

This one is blunt and to the point:
"You don't want to be a fata$$ again so keep moving." - wackdoodle

This mantra works for yoga, running, or biking up a steep hill:
"Breathe. Breathe and it all changes." - juliet

Although she wrote that she doesn't actually believe her mantra, she chants it regularly:
"Pain is a sensation; sensations are to be enjoyed." - Sugar_Rush

One word to help you power through interval sprints:
"Cheeseburger." - NikkiRuby

Thanks for sharing everyone and keep on moving!

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FitSugar Roundup

FitSugar — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 12:32:00 -0700

The week started with the Boston Marathon and ended with a funny Tweet about squats. After finishing third in bean town, marathoner Kara Goucher took time out of her busy schedule to speak with me. She's not only fast, but super down to earth and uses Pilates for cross training.

See what else we covered this week when you start the slideshow.

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