Happy Birthday, VITA! The women’s athletic casual boutique nestled between TechLab Photo and the recently opened martial arts studio in Belvedere Square is celebrating one year of business with the Charm City Run family.
12 Scenic Spots You'll Race Past During the Charles Street 12
It's almost that time of year again: The Charles St. 12 is only about a month away. Haven't registered yet? Click here to claim your spot before the race sells out! Not only is a great way to race 12 miles, it's a route filled with historic, religious and social Baltimore landmarks that you don't want to miss. Check out our favorite spots!
Frederick Runner of the Month: Craig Combs (August 2015)
Craig started back into running to just shy of 5 years ago, and has worked hard to find his way to finishing his 1st marathon this past spring. Despite the well known "bonk" at mile 20, he is eager to come back for more. While training for his next marathon, Marine Corp in October, he always finds a way to soak up the simplicity of running with friends while also getting in his "me time."
My Successful Step Saga
When I was in college, I met my friend Patty from Milburn, NJ, located half an hour outside of New York City. Patty once took me to a walk-in dance class on 62nd and Broadway. The teacher was the famous Luigi, “King of Jazz Dance,” as he was dubbed by admirers. I’ll never forget Luigi ending the class with his famous catchphrase: “Never stop moving…never stop moving.” Little did I know that these words would become my mantra while participating in three RPCS VivoFit Step Challenges sponsored by Charm City Run and our Wellness Committee.
How Yoga (and Barre!) Changed My Run
In honor of the Summer Solstice and International Yoga Day tomorrow, I’d love to share how developing a consistent yoga practice has not only helped me quiet my mind, but has made my running stronger as well!
I stumbled into my first yoga class five years ago, while training for my first marathon, having been told it was “good for me.” Every Wednesday evening I reluctantly rolled out my mat, considering the class an opportunity to stretch out, let my muscles recover, relax…anything but an actual WORKOUT, despite the fact I left every week a sweaty mess, wondering why I felt sore the next day.
An Average Joe's Trail Running Tips
When I first switched from road running to trail running, I thought I was going to die. At that time, I couldn’t fathom how people were able to run these gnarly paths (if you can even call them that sometimes). I was used to flat road, where I didn’t have to concern myself with my footing or thinking about where I was at. It was a set a pace and go on autopilot type of mindset. Mind numbing, if you ask me. It took me some time, but I’ve finally become quite comfortable on the trails; they feel at home and warm to me. Trails may not be for everyone, but if you are thinking about giving them a go, here are a few tips to get you started.
Shopping the Baltimore Farmers' Market to fill the Healthy Runner's Plate
Spring is here and the roads are full of runners! If you’re logging serious miles this spring, it’s important to eat well to repair and restore your body, and to keep your immune system healthy.
One of my favorite places to shop for healthful food isn’t a store—it’s the farmers’ market. The produce there is freshly picked, containing more nutrients than produce that’s traveled across the country for days and days. I can talk to the farmer who grew it and ask for tips on storing and preparing it. Plus much like when I shop at Charm City Run, when I by directly from local producers, my dollars are going directly to the local economy.
Mother's Day Gift Guide
Mother's Day is rapidly approaching, but there's no need to stress just yet. Is mom getting ready to run our upcoming Baltimore Women's Classic on June 26th? Help her dress to look as great as she's going to feel with some of our favorite new running styles! Do you think mom could use a nice outfit to wear out and about? Well, visit Vita in Baltimore, our all women's store featuring today's best brands for women's clothing and accessories!
Check out some of our top picks for all of our well-deserving mothers from Charm City Run and Vita!
Charm City Run: 1. The North Face Women's Play Hard Tank | 2. UA Streaker Running Long Sleeve | 3. Nike Women's Tempo Running Shorts | 4. UA Speedform Gemini 2
Vita: 5. Prana Kara Jean (color: Silver Spain) | 6. Velvet Briley Lux Slub Scoop Neck Short Sleeve Tee | 7. TOMS White Linen Women's Avalon Slip-Ons | 8. Garmin Vívofit 2 | 9. Yurbuds Inspire 200
Frederick Runner of the Month: Elaine Greisbach (May 2016)
This month we showcase a Mom that truly captivates the essence of Supermom. Raising 4 teenage girls and homeschooling her youngest she still manages to find time to run and run well! When you talk to this Mom she is humble, kind, sweet, sincere and you would have no clue that she finishes in the top 5 female at nearly every race she runs. This supermom began running ultras about 3 years ago and has surely made her podium appearance, even while overcoming and recovering a serious foot surgery last year she still manages to bring home the trophy. With a recent 1st female finish at Gunpowder Keg Ultra 50k in 5:42 and a 1st female win at Seneca Greenway Trail in 5:48, this Mom’s determination and grace shines as she gracefully glides along the trails. If you haven’t guessed already who this Supermom is, we present to you Elaine Greisbach as your May - Runner of the Month.
A Taboo Topic: GI Issues on the Run
There’s a topic that is taboo in polite society. It’s a topic that runners talk about quite openly, though—especially long-distance runners. That topic is poop. Or more politely, ahem, gastro-intestinal (GI) issues during the run.
Why do so many of us have GI issues during running? It's actually quite natural. Consuming food before or during a run is like asking your body to multi-task: 1. Send blood to my digestive system to digest this food I just ate, and 2. Send blood to my muscles so I can run.
Throw in the fact that exercise, and running in particular, stimulates the muscles in our GI tract, causing many of us to need to go shortly after beginning activity. Plus as we log more time on our feet on those double-digit mile runs, our circulatory system directs more blood to our legs, and less to our digestive system, making urgency and diarrhea par for the course for some runners.
I know many runners who skip breakfast altogether before their races and training runs, sacrificing performance to avoid GI issues.
Other take over-the-counter anti-diarrheal medications and live in fear of running in areas without bushes or porta-potties.
It’s important to identify whether there are underlying medical issues causing this urgency, so visiting with a doctor is necessary for some.
For most of us, though, there are a few very simple adjustments that will dramatically reduce or entirely prevent GI issues on the run, including…
- Eating your pre-run meal 90-minutes to two hours (or even longer for especially sensitive
- systems) before a training run or a race
- Choosing foods with very little fiber, fat and protein as your pre-run meal (fiber, fat and protein
- are part of a healthy diet, but they take a long time to digest and don’t provide immediate fuel
- like carbohydrates do)
- Training your gut the way you train your muscles: Begin by eating something small a couple
- hours before your run, then add a bit more to it over several weeks
- Cutting back on fiber the evening before a long run
- Reducing alcohol consumption, especially on days before runs
- Cutting out artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols, including those present in some popular
- sports drinks and electrolyte tabs
- Experimenting with different fueling options during your runs
…and other habits unique to each of us.
If you’re skipping breakfast or popping medication, it may be time to consult a physician or to talk to a health coach like myself who specializes helping runners fine-tune their diets to achieve their training goals.
Learn about the Author: Lauren Shafer
Lauren received her formal training as a Health Coach from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition's cutting-edge Health Coach Training Program. She studied over 100 dietary theories, practical lifestyle management techniques, and innovative coaching methods with some of the world’s top health and wellness experts from Dr. Andrew Weil, Director of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine; to Dr. David Katz, Director of Yale University’s Prevention Research Center; to the no-nonsense Dr. Walter Willett, Chair of Nutrition at Harvard University; to the amazing Geneen Roth, emotional eating expert and bestselling author of When Food Is Love. To learn more about Lauren, click here.
