Live. Give. Run. Blog
To Inspire and Move the Human Spirt, One Sole at a Time
Running is something that, for me, evolved over time. It began with friends as a way to get exercise and connect with other women. Most races in the 1980s were co-ed…The Rite of Spring, The Constellation 10K, The Crustacean Crawl, and the Father’s Day 5K. The Lady Equitable was unique because it was a women’s only race. It was sponsored by Equitable Back and the course was in downtown Baltimore. After many mergers, Equitable Bank no longer exists nor does this race.
As a runner (although that term could be applied loosely these days), spring is one of my favorite times of the year. The weather is starting to turn and suddenly 50 degrees doesn't seem so bad after all. If you trained through the winter you are excited to see what you can accomplish early on as you build toward your goals for the year. If you took the hibernation strategy it's time to get back to business, and building fitness is a humbling but rewarding experience. After a spectacular crash-and-burn in my first marathon attempt, the allure of redeeming myself has me getting back in the training mix. Either way, the roads and trails are buzzing with runners and walkers anxious to enjoy time outdoors.
Training to become a better runner is an arduous journey. You dedicate hours per week to logging miles; each stride over the pavement bringing you closer to shaving seconds – or minutes – from your race times. Tempo runs, hills, sprints, and intervals all cycle in and out of your arsenal. Your nutrition is dialed in, and your recovery habits are on point. Though the process is challenging, you’ve been here before, and you know exactly what to do to get the needle to move. Well, until the needle slows. Or stops.
For Charm City Run Events, the festivities begin with the arrival of March and the Under Armour Kelly Benefits St. Patrick’s Day Shamrock 5K. I can’t imagine any better way to kick off the racing season than with the first race of the B3 Distance Series. The Shamrock 5K is one of the most celebrated annual Baltimore City events with support from thousands of city residents who, despite road closures and other logistic challenges, not only accept it, but embrace it! This can be seen by the large crowds that show up to cheer participants and celebrate Irish heritage. Shamrock is an absolute blast for everyone involved and having the ability to hold the race in person after two years of virtual events adds to the excitement. It’s the precursor to the warmer days of Spring around the corner and a calendar of amazing running Events.
I recently signed up for my 10th Sole of the City (SOTC) 10K race for 2022. I have run every SOTC race since its inception in 2012 and SOTC was my first race ever. I had been running for about 3 years when a group of us (about 7) from work decided to all run a 10K race. One was an avid running, one was a couch potato, there were some others and then there was me, a relative newbie runner. We heard about a new race in downtown Baltimore put on by Charm City Run (CCR) called Sole of the City, at their then new location at McHenry Row. After running the race I was hooked on SOTC.
As a running coach, one of the most frequently asked questions we get is what to do after your target race. This is a normal and valid question. You’ve just spent several months building up to one day to run one race. A certain sense of “let down” is normal, even when your race goes well. It is important to understand that allowing your body to recover from your race is just as, or even more important than the training that went into the race. So, what do you do?
My brain has two modes, the one that makes all the lists and triple checks to make sure I have everything. Then there's the other part of my brain that's running the Chicago Marathon this weekend and just read the participant guide yesterday to find out I can't use a hydration vest! No matter which type of runner you are, the week leading up to your race is definitely the time to get your s*** organized.
Among the many things to consider, nutrition is one of the most important aspects to focus on when incorporating more exercise and mileage. Conflicting nutrition messages emerging in the media can make it very challenging to figure out what you should be doing to fuel your body without underfueling or overfueling. Here are 4 key evidence based tips for new runners to help keep you focused and energized throughout your training.
I had never been a part of a running training group before signing up with Charm City Run Annapolis in February 2021. I knew after the year of the pandemic, I needed something to push me towards getting back into shape and always enjoyed running as a casual hobby. Running with Charm City changed that hobby into an obsession!
