Category Archives: Training Runs

Run Solo Or Join a Group? That’s the Question!

Posted on by by Lisa Pozzoni

Run Solo Or Join a Group? THAT Is the Question!

Is running better alone or with a group of people? By the end of this blog, you’re going to be able to make that decision for yourself. Hey, it’s Coach Lisa here from The Running University, and I’m here to help you put the fun in your run!

I remember when my running journey started, I could only run ‘with people’. It was the only way I would do it. I didn’t like listening to music and I kind of started off running with a group of people, because that was really what I enjoyed the most. I truly just love being in groups and I hated running by myself. It wasn’t fun at all. As a matter of fact, I couldn’t keep myself accountable running alone. I just really didn’t like it.

Today, it’s a whole other story.

So, is running in a group better than running by yourself or not?? Let me give you some pros and cons for both.

ACCOUNTABILITY

So if you’re somebody who’s not self-motivated, then meeting a group of people at a specific time will help you stay more accountable. Because of this, I would definitely say, from that perspective, meeting with a group will make you more accountable.

Conversely, if you’re already a very self-motivated person, then maybe you don’t need a group for accountability.

SCHEDULING

Maybe it depends on your schedule? A lot of group runs have very specific times and days that they run, so they may or may not work with your own personal schedule. If you are lucky enough to have a more flexible schedule group runs might work for you, but if you don’t, then it might just be easier to go run on your own. That might be in the morning, afternoon, or whenever works best for your schedule.

MENTAL STRENGTH

I would say that you develop your mental strength with both of these, maybe in different ways. If you run alone, it does require a lot of mental strength to initially get motivated to get out there on your own and to do some of those harder workouts on your own.

With a group run, you might have a little bit of the different mental strength being worked with as far as, once you’re already out and moving, trying to push yourself a little bit more. Many of use are afraid of being the last person in the group, so if you know you have to push yourself a little more to keep up and avoid that, then maybe that’s also going to strengthen your mental capacity performance.

PERFORMANCE

You might be better with one or the other at different times and for different reasons. Again, this is going to be on an individual basis. Sometimes running with people who are maybe a little bit faster than you, it might help push your speed workout a little bit more, so that would be a great performance benefit to running with a group.

It’s also sometimes easier to get motivated to go run those harder performance-focused runs with groups, whether it’s hill workouts or track workouts. Whereas, if you can do this better when you’re running alone, you also might be more motivated to do those things on your own. Again, a lot of this depends on your own personal motivation.

SAFETY

Safety is something to consider I definitely always feel safer when I’m with a group of people. Of course, this also depends on what time of the day you’re running, but from a safety perspective, you know when it’s better to be with a group of people vs being by yourself. Running by yourself, you just need to remain super aware about staying safer and also about expending energy.

FOCUS

I know that when I’m running with a group of people, I tend to talk a lot more, which also helps the time go by but I’m also expending more energy. Another thing I’ve noticed is that I can’t really focus on my technique as much, so I’m probably a little less in tune with my body when running in groups.

When running alone, I definitely can focus inward better. I can feel what’s happening in my body. I can be more in tune with what’s happening. Choosing to run alone or with a group might depend on your own personal running goals for that specific day, whether you want to focus on technique, body sensing, or if you just really need to be social that day.

COMMUNITY

One of the biggest reasons for me is really that sense of community! Sometimes, I just really enjoy being with an awesome group of people! I love the energy that I get from running in a group. The time goes by so much faster. I’m often chatting a little bit more. I know maybe I’m not running as hard, but I’m just having a good time that day using that time to be more social. This is one of the ways I like to make running fun for me.

I do a lot of group runs with my athletes and we do those because they’re a lot of fun! Sometimes, at group events, they become even funner, because we create themed events. I’m the organizer for Running For Brews – Tempe, so sometimes we’ll have specific themes. Like, we’ll do a pajama night, or maybe a Hawaiian theme. Sometimes, by working with a group of other runners, you get to experience some different runs, which makes it a lot more fun.

Finally, as somebody who leads a lot of group runs consisting of runners at various and different levels of speed, abilities, and distances, I’m going to tell you THE BEST WAY that I have found to to keep a group somewhat together when you’re running.

I always like to to have each person coming into a group run feel comfortable in their pacing, so I call my groups, ‘Nobody Left Behind’! (OK, you might be left behind for a little bit, but not for too long!) It really depends on all the other people that might show up that are at that pace group. Usually what I like to do is that I want people to be able to do their own pace for that run, so I will instruct all my faster runners to go run at their own (faster) pace, too. So, they’ll get a little bit ahead, whether we’re on a trail or canal, BUT… then I’ll give them either a time or a mileage to turn back around. So what happens is that the faster runners get to go farther ahead at their own pace. Maybe I tell them, “OK, after each mile, turn around and run back toward the last person in the group.” So what happens is that they’ll run back and they’ll collect the other people (running at a slower pace) on the way. That way, the faster runners end up being at the end together with the slower-paced last runner. We all stay together and run for, you know, maybe a few minutes to chit-chat, and then I send the faster runners back out again.

So, that way, the people who are faster will also get a little extra mileage because they’re looping back, but also the person at the end, whether they’re running alone or running with somebody else at their own (slower) pace, will still get the chance to be with the larger group.

So that’s my way of keeping everyone more-or-less ‘together’ in my group runs. I actually have rules and I tell people, “If you don’t like looping back, or if you don’t like being looped back in as the last person, well then, you probably don’t want to come to my group runs, because those are the rules and my intentions for our group runs really are about social and all the extra camaraderie on our longer runs.”

That’s all! It’s about getting the mileage and having fun! Sometimes, we go out to breakfast after, so, again, for me personally, now that I’m a running coach and I’ve been doing this for a while, I really like both, honestly. Based on all these points that I shared with you, sometimes I just want to focus on myself and focus on my form and to, you know, be in my own body and work on my own technique.

Then, other times, I just want to socialize and just get the run done, so we can get to breakfast and chat.

Both of these work for different reasons and different times!

 

 

Product Review: Team Zealios Sunscreen

Posted on by by Lisa Pozzoni

🌞Product Review: Team Zealios Sunscreen 🌞 

Do You HATE Getting Sunscreen in Your Eyes?

If you’re anything like me, you hate getting sunscreen in your eyes!

I’m here to help you put the fun in your run and learn all the things that’ll help make running so much funner instead of hating it. So today I want to talk about a very specific product that I love. It took me a while to find this, but I finally found it and ironically today, as I’m shooting the video for this blog, I’m in beautiful sunny Tempe, Arizona. This is where I live and usually, it’s very sunny. Of course, the day I’m talking about sunscreens, it’s NOT! 🤣 But you know that it’s very important to use sunscreen on  your runs, even when there’s cloud coverage, right? So today I’m going to share with you my favorite sunscreen.

You can probably already tell by how much I love this, because I have the biggest size bottle possible!  The brand is Zelios and I absolutely love this product.

If you go to their website, you can see all the science behind why it’s a great product. I don’t like to get all sciency on stuff, but I do like to have products that are as good and as natural as possible, so I always look for that in a product. But the thing I love most about this brand is the way they’ve created this sunscreen so that it doesn’t drip down into your eyes.

Since I live in Tempe (a suburb of Phoenix, Arizona) and it’s (USUALLY! lol) always sunny here, I have to apply sunscreen pretty much daily. So, once I found Zelios, this is now absolutely my favorite sunscreen. They have it in a couple of different sizes. I just showed you the biggest size (32 oz), because that is my absolute favorite (the one I buy and the best value). They also have these little trial sizes. I usually order these because I like to give them away here locally to my people and as samples at different events.

Chapstick / Lip Balm

Finally, they also have my absolute favorite chapstick. Again, I’ve gone through I don’t know how many different brands of chapsticks in my life, and I have finally found this one. The reason I love this one so much is that I just love how soft it is on my lips. There’s also no flavor (I’m not really big on flavor with these things.), so I just love it. I even put it on before I go to bed at night. It’s just my favorite chapstick and, of course, here in Arizona. It’s very important that we take care of our lips as well, being out in the desert and sun. 

Other Team Zelios Products  

Zelios also has other products, by the way, but I’ve never used those so I can’t honestly say whether I like them or not. What I can say is that a number of my TRU Tribe ladies have used some of their other products and have told me that they absolutely love them, too. 

Here’s an affiliate discount link,  if you’d like to try out any of Zelios’ products and get 15% OFF. Regardless of where you live, putting sunscreen on is really important, especially if you’re a walker or runner spending lots of time out in the heat and sun. 

Where else can you find me on social media?  

Hey, out of curiosity, did you know that you also can find me on Instagram?? I’m at @TRUCoachLisa. I do post there daily, so hopefully, I can inspire you over there, too. If you go check out Zelios, I’d be interested to hear what you think about their products, too. 

I Was Dead Effin’ Last & Here Is What I Did About!

Posted on by by Lisa Pozzoni

I Was Dead Effin’ Last & Here Is What I Did About!

First, the Acronyms…

I just got back from a race weekend in Colorado with my true tribe team – literally, I just came back – and I trained them for this event, but somehow I came in DFL! If you don’t what DFL means that means ‘Dead F__ing Last’!! That’s right! The coach was Dead F__ing Last@ Do I look worried about it at all?? Of course I’m not! Well, outside of the fact that my ultra sign up score is going to get affected by it. lol But really… who cares?

First, let’s talk about a couple of these acronyms that you may have (or may not have) heard, depending on you where you are in your running journey. Right now there are three acronyms:

  1. DNS which means Did Not Start, then there’s
  2. DFL which is Dead F__ing Last, and then there’s
  3. DNF which is Did Not Finish.

There’s a common running community saying that says, “It’s better to be Dead F__ing Last than not finishing than not starting.” And, honestly, I used to subscribe to this idea, but not so much anymore. Why? I’ll tell you a little bit about that in a bit, but let me get back to my story.

My Race Goals…

So, on Sunday morning we were getting ready to do the race. We were doing an 11K and this is a really hard race. It starts at 9200 feet of elevation. You climb 1700 feet in three and a half miles. Then you turn around and come back down the same route. So, it’s a lot of elevation very quickly. It’s a very steep race.

So, as I prepared for this race myself, I really only had a couple of goals. The first goal was that I really wanted to keep working on my pole technique because at this point, I knew that I would be helping out at the TransRockies race – I volunteered to lead the back of the pack group and we use poles a lot. With this in mind, I just wanted to keep honing in on my poles technique and this race was perfect for that.

My second goal was that I just wanted to get more experience at altitude, because, again, I’m going to be back in Colorado at altitude for the TransRockies race. So, my two goals for this race really were not to ‘race’. My goals were really more to focus on those skills and experience. I wasn’t really focused on ‘racing’ that day.

DFL 

As I started, with a couple of the ladies in my tribe, we kind of just really noticed that we were at the back of the pack. We were ‘leap frogging’ with some other people for a while, but then, as we got farther and farther into the race, I kind of felt like we were going to be last. And, as a matter of fact, if you go look at the race stats right now for that race.. I ended up being Dead F__ing Last!

When we came in more-or-less together, they were a little bit ahead of me, but really, much of that was intentional on my part. I may have started the race thinking I didn’t care when I was going to finish. I was there to have fun with my tribe. Also, I had already decided that I was there to work on other things – elevation, poles, and altitude. I was not there for speed at all, so that was that. So, basically, even though I was DFL, I really don’t care, since the purpose I had chosen for my race that day was about the elevation, poles, and the altitude. So, I reached my goals for that race! That’s awesome!

How I Measure My ‘Running Success’

Generally speaking, I’m not the type of person who who measures my running success based on speed. If you go to this video, you’ll hear a little bit more about what I do, as far as what my success is and how I measure my success in a race.

So, let’s go back to that idea where we say a DFL is better than a DNF, which is better than a DNS, and break this down. Basically, this says that coming in last is better than not finishing is better than not even starting. Now here is why I don’t believe that anymore…

I used to believe this, but because I’ve grown in my running journey and I’ve coached more people along the way, really all of those just really depend on what’s happening on that day. Once you start your race, pretty much anything could happen to anybody.

DNS

A DNS is a Did Not Start. I also had one of those once. You know I very rarely get injuries, since I use body-sensing and ChiRunning, but making a call that morning of deciding not to start was very important for my growth as a runner. I had a little bit of an injury – I had ignored some signs recently and had overextended my running, so I was starting to get some plantar fasciitis. I had made some changes in my shoes, so I could have started the race that day. I had already spent the money on the race and I started thinking about all the training I’d already done to get to this start line. But, at the end of the day, I decided NOT to start. So, yes, I have a DNS on my record, but it was a really good call, because I could have made that injury so much worse if I had decided to push through and run.

So, I just decided not to start, and guess what? I volunteered instead and still had a fabulous time! I got to help out the other runners. So, if you decide not to start a race, maybe because you’re feeling a little injury or for some other reason, and you’re making the call not to start, that’s a great idea! That’s a much better and smarter plan versus starting it with an injury, then possibly injuring yourself Then maybe you won’t be able to run for the next six months. So really, at the end of the day, it boils down to what are your goals and how will this decision affect them?

DNF

If you think about a DNF (Did Not Finish), another great example that I have for a Did Not Finish was the same exact race last year. I did the 12 miler I was training for to get more mileage and I know that, at the top of the race, there’s a pretty steep short scramble up some rocks and loose gravel to get to the turn-around point… and I happen to be afraid of heights! lol So, when I got to that point in the race, I kind of looked at it, wondered if I should give it a good college try, and then I was like, “Nope! I’m out!” And that was my very first DNF. Of course, again, it goes on my ‘permanent record, on UltraSignup that I didn’t finish, but who cares? Right? My goal for that race was to get the elevation and the altitude and it was training I had done a for marathon the day before, so for me, the question was, ‘What is my goal for this race?’

‘Racing’ A Race

I’m rarely ever really ‘racing’ in a race. For me, they’re ‘events’, not ‘races’. Most of my races are training runs for another race and when I DO ‘race,’ I’m usually not racing others, but trying to beat one of my previous times or distances, instead. I know I’m not a fast runner. I’m not going to win the race, so, for me, it just depends on what goals I set for myself for that event.

Writing Your Own Running Story

One of my number one mantras that I’ve learned to use (and I really encourage all my runners to use) is to think about the fact that I am ‘writing my own running story’ and that everybody else also is writing their own running story. You just don’t know what’s going on in people’s lives and, you know what? Who cares if you’re there to do your own thing? Just keep focusing on yourself, regardless of whether it might be a DNS or it might be a DNF or it might even be a DFL. YOU have to make that call for yourself and for that one race.

Develop Your Own Personal Running Mindset

I believe this really speaks to the whole mindset part of running. It’s very easy to be disappointed in yourself if you’ve made a decision not to start or to DNF a race because you might hurt yourself. Or even just being Dead F__ing Last. Who cares, right? But these could be things that could affect you mentally, so these are exactly the type of things that we go over in my Tribe community. Who is the TRU Tribe, you ask? The TRU Tribe is my group of ladies. We train together. We learn together. And we grow together. These are the types of things that I teach in the TRU Tribe, so, if you’re interested in checking us out, send me an email at Lisa@TheRunningUniversity.com and let me know you are interested in a 30 day free trial. 😊

My favorite speed (or hill) workout 😁

Posted on by by Lisa Pozzoni

Depending on your running goals, you may find yourself doing speed and hill workouts. Just about every training plan will have these types of workouts. There are definitely many ways to do these. Just google hill or speed workout and you’ll get ideas.  Although I don’t recommend that. I always recommend working with a coach who can you help you become the best runner you can be because they have the knowledge and experience to help you. Any of the free plans you find online are generic and may not fit you, your lifestyle or goals. If you’re not sure if you need a running coach, read this!

This is one of my favorite speed and hill workouts, especially when done with a group. I stole the idea from Danny Dreyer, the founder of ChiRunning. He played it with us one year at an Instructor weekend and I added my own twist:

Please make sure to follow the directions!
Don’t do speed work if you don’t have a base.
Don’t do speedwork if you are not warmed up.
Make sure to cool down as well.

A few extra tips:

  • After your first set, make sure to drop your 2nd Emoji (hopefully not too far from the first one) and then pick up your first one. Every set you will repeat dropping the one in your hand and picking up the one you left on the last set.
  • You can change the timeframes. I usually like to double the recovery time.
  • Depending on your current level, be realistic about how long the intervals are. This one takes a few sets to start feeling your heart rate creep up so make sure to listen to your body and pace yourself!

I hope you enjoy this one!

ChiRunners VS Runners: What’s the difference?

Posted on by by Lisa Pozzoni

Why are ChiRunners different than other runners?

Since I’m the Community Manager of our Online ChiRunning/ChiWalking Community which is all ChiRunners and ChiWalkers, I definitely see that we have a different mindset than most other runners. Add that to reading some of these posts in running facebook groups and sometimes I can’t help but cringe at some of the questions and advice given there!

Then I remembered that Danny Dreyer, the founder of ChiRunning, had addressed this in the ChiMarathon book.  Here is what he shared on page 11:

The difference between ChiRunners and Runners

In this video I combine a few and add my own spin to them but here it is in a nutshell:

  1. Mind WITH body, not mind OVER body: we don’t push through pain. We are our own body detectives. If we feel pain while running, our body talks to our mind, we reach into our toolbox to figure out why that pain may be happening, and then make adjustments in our technique to help the pain go away. You learn how to listen to your body and body sense.
  2. Intelligent movement vs physical exertion: our goal is to maximize running economy. Yes we do hill repeats, speed workouts etc. But we have a different spin: we try to figure how we can “push” our bodies but without increasing physical effort. How can the movement be more efficient? How can we maximize gravity, balance and relaxation vs powering through?
  3. Conserve energy vs burning it: as mentioned in the last one, this is a priority. Instead of pushing through to go faster or longer, we listen to our bodies, take into account external and internal factors and work from there.
  4. Core strength vs leg strength: we prefer not to use our legs for propulsion. This is a good way to get injured as well as wasting a lot of unnecessary energy. Most runners use their legs to propel forward. We use good postural alignment, which requires core strength, and gravity to help us move forward. When your legs aren’t working so hard, you’re less likely to hurt yourself and running is more effortless because you are not using all the muscle to push you through.
  5. Learn and listen TO our bodies, we don’t test or push: our bodies have the answers. Too many times people push through pain hoping it will go away or they will get over it. I’ve had too many people come to my ChiRunning workshops who have said, “I wish I knew this information before my {insert injury issue/surgery here}. If you are in pain, your body is telling you something. Ignoring it can possibly make it worse.

Who wants to be sidelined with another running injury? Not us!

Who wants running to be exhausting and hard? Not us!

Who wants to feel like crap right after a race or the next day? Not us!

Who wants to keep running in a way that your likelihood of injury is so much lower, where running can be easier and you can have a joyful, sustainable running practice for the rest of your life? That’s us!

Click here to win a free online gait analysis of your running form

To find out more about running technique visit ChiRunning

My first DNF: Did Not Finish 🙄

Posted on by by Lisa Pozzoni

Who celebrates a DNF with a shot of Fireball?  THIS girl!

DNF stands for Did Not Finish and can be a runners worst nightmare.  

Some runners put a lot of time into training for an event, money into gear, traveling etc. Making a call to DNF can seem like you’re making a decision to QUIT.

Depending on what race it is, a DNF shows on your “official” record and drops your overall “score”down.  Some sponsored athletes are “forced” to DNF if it looks like they won’t place well at a race because it may make the company they are representing look bad.

So there are a lot of negative emotions around DNFing.

Several of my athletes have DNFd races before.  Some were “valid” reason while some were not (in my opinion).

Making the decision to DNF is a big one because it could be construed as quitting and most people don’t like to be quitters.

While the reason to DNF is personal, here  are a few reasons why it would be a consideration in the middle of a race:

  • you got injured during the race and continuing to run could cause surgery or not running again for awhile 
  • you’re not feeling good (sick to stomach, etc) and you could be in further danger of hurting yourself 
  • you’re putting yourself in harms way 
  • you die (morbid idea but possible!)
  • at some point you decide it’s ok to make the call to quit because you’re not having fun anymore, it’s not your A race or it just doesn’t matter and the world won’t end because you have a  DNF 😃 (THIS!!)

I went into this race knowing the very top of it was going to be a big challenge for me. A few friends did it last year and the last 500 so feet is scrambling on hands and knees to the very top. I have no problem scrambling but it was at high elevation and I’m deathly afraid of heights. 

Heading to the top of that mountain behind us! 3500 feet of elevation gain in 6 miles!

I signed up for this race because it was perfect timing for some altitude and elevation training for TransRockies (my bucket list and A race of the year!). I had never done it before. One of my #trurribeteam members Jan, did it last year and said it was the hardest yet best thing she had ever done.  I decided to make it a Ladies Training Program and a few of us decided to get out of our comfort zone. 

When I picked up my race bib, it was number 252. This is a special number for Greg and I. It was our first apartment number. When we moved into it, we found 2 quarters and 2 pennies! (coincidentally Sunset Point of the I-17 is Exit #252 too)

Anyways….it was a lucky number for me.

As I started climbing up, I had the voice in the back of my head whispering about that final scramble.  From the start, this race was no joke.  First of all I was tired from my cumulative training which included doing the 2nd hardest race I’ve ever done the day before (Silverton Alpine Marathon).  Add the altitude and hard climb and I was averaging 35-45 min miles.  I checked the cutoff the day before and say that I had 5.5 hours to complete it.  The higher I climbed, the less likely it looked like I could finish in that time.  Mind you, it was an out and back so the return would be downhill but it was also a pretty steep downhill so not as runnable for me. I finally got the “top” and was greeted by 2 of my friends who were volunteering at the aid station.  I looked at the scramble and my first thought was:

I told them I was thinking of DNFing right away.  They encouraged me to go so I figured I’d put in my big grill panties and suck it up.  While I looked up at everyone on their hands and knees scrambling on loose rock, my heart was pounding as I made the attempt. My feet kept slipping and I really wanted to be one of those people doing it….but I realized I was completely miserable in that moment, was not having fun, I was more than likely not going to finish on the 530 hrs AND my A race was happening in 3 weeks!

I laid there for a few minutes with my face inches from the dirt, got really present and debated sucking it up or DNFing. 

One of the things I ask my athletes right away when they are signing up for a race is what’s your Why?  My why for this race was strictly getting a good training run in.

TRR has been in my bucket list for years, I volunteered a few years ago and was supposed to run it last year but Covid…there was no way in hell I was letting this race get in the way.  Anything could’ve happened and I wasn’t about to really to take the risk.

I turned around and told my friends I was making the call.  They were so sweet.  They tried to convince me not to DNF and offered to help me up the mountain but I had already made up my mind.  I was making a very mindful choice to take the DNF. Once the decision was made, a weight was lifted off my shoulders and I could relax.  I “celebrated” with an Instagram live and a shot of fireball and starts climbing back down.  Good news is that I wasn’t swept off the mountain so I only missed about .4 miles of the 12 and still got a great day of training done.

I won’t lie and say I was a little bit disappointed in myself…. however Kendall Mtn was not my A race and I truly believe that I made the right decision. 

The key was getting present, think about my WHY, being mindful and not letting my ego get the best of me!

I remember listening to a podcast from Trail Runner Nation awhile ago and one thing stuck in my head. Coach Jimmy Dean Freeman used these words instead for the acronym: Do Nothing Foolish.

I am super proud of myself for not doing anything foolish and at the end of the day, I still had an epic weekend of training mileage at altitude with elevation gain so I’d say it was a success in my book!

 

Race Report

Every Damn Street Race Report

Posted on by by Lisa Pozzoni

The only thing that should surprise us is that there are still some things that can surprise us.      Francois de la Rochefoucauld

Who would’ve ever thought that this race would motivate me as much as it did?  DEFINITELY NOT ME!

We all know what a crazy year 2020 was. Virtual races became all the rage for many runners. Not only was this a good way to stay in training mode but it also gave us the opportunity to support some of our favorite race companies that were being effected financially by the pandemic.  Honestly, I didn’t do that many of them because I don’t race for medals or swag (well, sometimes 🤣). I picked my races this year very strategically.

When I heard about Every Damn Street (and Every Damn Trail), I was intrigued.  You can read more about it here. I was immediately attracted to the idea of running in my community. I love the idea the race was built on.  I also love first time experiences.

From the Aravaipa website:
“inspired by Ricky Gates’ Every Single Street project where he toured the streets of San Francisco, we are asking runners everywhere to connect to each other by sharing their hometown with this virtual community.”

If you know me, you know I am not a big fan of road running. However, I had a plan to run my first 100 mile race over 2 days on 12/30 & 12/31 at Across The Years as we entered 2021 (the year I turn 50!) This race is flat, mostly road and a 1 mile loop.  I figured Every Damn Street would be a great way for me to get road miles in as training for my 100 miler.  Bonus:  the logo and feel of the race swag was Sesame Street, which was one of my favorite shows when I was a kid.  It was a 3 month challenge and my goal was to run my 85283 zip code. I started out not thinking that I would do the whole thing because it looked like A LOT.   But the more I kept chipping away at each section of my zip code, I could start seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.  At the end of November, I decided I was going to run every damn street in my zip code.

Love the swag!

I decided to document my journey via Instagram Stories.  I actually had to create a Part 2 in my Highlights because apparently you can only have 100 stories in each one.🤪  I may have got a bit carried away with them but this was a fun part of the challenge for me.  Not sure if you need to have an Instagram account to view them or not but here is EDS Part 1 and EDS Part 2  (you can use your arrow keys to scroll forward).

Here are some things I learned in the last few months while doing this race:

  • Strategy was more important than I anticipated: From Day 1, this was all about strategy.  My first run was Labor Day weekend and I wasn’t sure what the best way to start was. Greg (my BF), suggest to start out with the perimeter of the 85283 zip code.

My first run for this race

And so it began…

    • Tools: Aravaipa suggested using the Caltopo app. After every run, I could upload my Garmin file and it would continue to add my mileage as I went (see pic below).  I would keep this open in my browser on my phone so I could tell what I had done on previous runs.  I couldn’t see what I was doing real time though.  I finally figured out to use my All Trails app and record as I was running so it would capture what I had just done. It sounds crazy but when you start going in and out of streets, it’s easy to lose track of what you did.  I had to keep taking out my phone to see what I had done and where I was going next.  This was much more mentally challenging than I expected.
    • Brought to you by: 
      • I was an Altra sponsored athlete last year so every shoe I wore was theirs (they are the only brand I wear and love)
      • My Noxgear Tracer 360 vest for early morning and evenings helped me be visible and safe. My Noxgear 39G Bluetooth speaker kept me company with music, podcasts and audiobooks. I am also an Ambassador for them: use code RUNNINGU1 for 35% off
      • I am always focused on my technique and there is no way I would’ve been able to do all that mileage without ChiRunning and ChiWalking. No injuries in 7 years because of it! (and I walk/run a lot of miles! I averaged 31 miles a week in 2020! I never say this to brag but to really point out how much I avoid injuries because of good technique).
  • Miles flew by:  I was really surprised at how quickly I could get mileage done in a small space.  I would assume 3-4 miles and it would end up being double.  As much as I don’t like street running, I know I will use this in the future because time went by quickly.
    • I did anywhere from a 2 mile run to a 22 mile run for this project.
    • My total miles were: 202.95 in 23 runs!  I just totaled this up yesterday for this blog.  I would’ve been so mad if I ended at 199 on 12/31.  🤣 
    • Speed work goes by faster this way than on a track
    • I did 20 miles on Christmas Day since my family had decided to not get together
    • My boyfriend Greg joined me a few times for exercise dates!
    • In the last month, I felt like a drug addict having to get a fix.  I was obsessed and have never been that motivated to go out for runs on the road in my life before.
    • It was awesome to finish my last run on 12/31/20 with a rainbow!
  • I love my neighborhood: when I first moved to AZ as a freshman in HS, we were in  Tempe. I went to McClintock High School and I am an ASU alumni.  I have always loved this city but I have a much bigger appreciation for it after this experience.
    • There was a Little Free Library on just about every run I did!
    • Ironically Sesame Street was in my zip code and I loved seeing it every time. The theme song would come in my head and it would always make me smile.

    • So many treasures found!  From beautiful lakes and houses to funny election signs.  In one neighborhood I was staring at house all decked out with human rights signs and across the street there was a house full of Trump signs.  My favorite election sign was “In Dogs We Trust” “Dogs 2020 Because Humans Suck”🤣  From election signs to fun Halloween decorations to Christmas ones. At one point I even found a purple house!  (you all know this is my favorite color!).  I had no idea Mission chips was local and also found The Early Bird (have not checked them out) yet but I saw their cart parked in a driveway so I had to google it. I love supporting local businesses.

I challenge you to try something like this out.  Pick your immediate neighborhood and/or zip code and just start chipping away at it.  This blog post and my Instagram Stories don’t even do my experience justice.  As I rewatched my IG stories, I got fuzzy feelings of the memories I created with this event.  As a matter of fact, it ended 13 days ago and I still have weird withdrawals.  I know I can go out and run in the neighborhood (I am about to as soon as I get done writing this!) but it’s not the same without the deadline of the “finish line.”  This has given me a new appreciation for road running for training as canals get old after awhile.

Huge thank you to Aravaipa Running for giving me something new and fun to do in the crazy 2020 year.  I just thought this was going to be another virtual race but I had no idea that it would impact me the way it did. 🥰

The final map!

 

 

Our Favorite AZ Trails

Posted on by by Lisa Pozzoni

Did you know that the first Saturday of every month is National Play Outside Day?

In this day and age where we spend so much time insidoors and on our technology, it’s great to have a specific day to encourage us to get outside and play.  Trail running or hiking is a great way to go do that! There are many benefits to spending time outside in nature.  Here are just a few:

Mental Health and Increased Happiness. Spending time in nature and the natural light can improve your mood and reduce stress and depression. Anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues can be eased by spending time outside.
Increased Self-Esteem. Outdoor exercise stimulates all five senses in a way that indoor activities cannot. Additionally, being out in nature impacts the brain in a positive way, making you feel better about yourself.
Getting a boost of vitamin D You can improve your health just by soaking up the sun. Vitamin D is essential for bone growth and regulates your immune system
Better brain function. Spending more time outdoors is also linked to higher levels of concentration, creativity, and improved mental clarity.

I am borrowing this idea from Altra Running (my absolute favorite pair of shoes). Recently they asked us Ambassadors to share our favorite trails.  They created a few different blog posts about our favorite trails across the country. I am featured in the Southwest one. You can find other ones for the rest of the country here.

I reached out to my TRU TRIBE Team and asked them about their favorite trails.  If you have not used the All Trails app, I recommend it!

Here are some of our favorite AZ trails:

From Jan Rice:

No surprise here! Has to be the Prescott Circle Trail.
Why I love it? The views of Watson lake can’t be beaten. The variety of terrain makes for a super fun interesting day. And following the white dots feels like a treasure trail. Just epic trail fun.
Check out this trail on AllTrails.

From Barbara Brownlee:

While I love our low desert trails in AZ, I found the Rainbow Rim Trail at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon spectacular! It’s 38.5 runnable miles alternating between views of the canyon, pine forest, lush green ferns and wildflowers (in summer). There is dispersed camping along the route. It’s popular with bikers but I didn’t see many.
Check out this trail on AllTrails.

From Korrie:

My favorite place to hike is Spur Cross Ranch. There are sooooo many trails out there, you can go forever in various directions. The Maricopa Trail connects to portions of trails out there as well. The desert is more lush the higher you go, and parts of the year you will get to experience multiple creek crossings! Also, not too crowded! Here is one of my go-to hikes there:
Check out this trail on AllTrails.
Also highly recommend Elephant Mountain at Spur Cross as well: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/arizona/elephant-mountain?p=31301417

From Melissa:

Love this question. I love all the above although haven’t been to the north rim but that sounds perfect! My favorite is Soldier’s Trail in Flagstaff. I love the smell of pine trees. I love the rolling hills and I love that it isn’t crowded(early in the morning) so I can enjoy it with the dog on a long lead. It is also rejuvenating to get out of the hot desert and run in the cool temps.
Check out this trail on AllTrails.

From Meaghan:

Brown’s Ranch Perimeter Loop is my favorite trail because not only is it GORGEOUS it is easily accessible. The trial takes you about 15 miles around McDowell through various terrain. You can visit the amphitheater and balanced rock while on your journey. It’s very runnable, and has spectacular views!! Can’t wait to run it again!!
Check out this trail on AllTrails

From Barbie:

This Hieroglyphic Trail is the one I take people to when they visit me here in AZ as it is so spectacular with the views of the Superstition Mountains, lots of cactus, and it is breathtaking to see the creek when it has water.   The trail is 2.8 miles and is a good one to run or hike with only 567 feet of elevation.  There is a large parking lot so you can easily find a space as long as you go early in the morning before the crowds arrive.
Check out this trail on AllTrails

P.S. I always make it a point to promote TRU TRIBE women owned businesses. You can find Barbie at www.respectrealty.com and on Instagram.

Here is mine:

We have so many beautiful trails all over Arizona so it’s hard to pick! I love McDowell Mountain Regional Park and one of my favorite trails to run there is the Escondido Trail.
This trail has fun switchbacks and what I call “roly-poly” hills. It’s fun to go up and down them like a roller coaster. It’s mainly single-track and the views are spectacular. It’s in the Arizona desert, so plenty of saguaros and cacti. Flowers will also appear in the spring. I’ve done this trail during a night race and it’s just as fun at night! Although it’s showing as an out and back trail, towards the end of the trail you can link up with others in the park.
It is closer to a road than I would normally like, but it’s never bothered me since that road is not heavily trafficked (at least not the early mornings or nights). There is no shade so be prepared to be in the sun as well.
Check out this trail on AllTrails

Whether you get out on National Play Outside Day or not, we recommend getting outside as often as you can, weather permitting.  There is nothing like some spending some time outdoors with family and friends…or even alone (just be safe)!

 

Congratulations to Me: 120 miles in 14 days!

Posted on by by Lisa Pozzoni

I still can’t believe that I did it! In retrospect, I realize that this is the most miles I’ve ever done in this short period of time and the longest I’ve gone without taking a day off!  It’s one of the hardest things I’ve done and yesterday I turned 49 and 1/2!  GO ME!

8/16/20: As soon as I hit my 120 miles!

Quick background about this race (TransRockies Run: 120 miles in 6 days with 20,000 ft of elevation gain):

  • It’s been on my bucket list for about 5 years.  When I heard about it and saw the pictures, I wanted to do it. It’s not a cheap race though so I wasn’t sure when I’d ever have the chance.
  • Last year I had an opportunity to volunteer at the race which would help me get some credits to run it.  It was one of the most amazing experiences and you can read about that here.
  • This was my bucket list and A race this year.  (While I absolutely love what I do for a living as a running coach, I have learned that I need at least one major event a year for me). But then COVID19 happened…and of course they had to cancel the event.

They announced a virtual option for either 60 or 120 miles to be completed in the 15 days and I had to sign up!

My original plan was to do the 60 miles because I’m in the middle of a few big projects and I knew it would be hard for me to try to make 8 miles a day happen with the 120 miles.  However, the AZ Girls (last year’s volunteer crew) were all doing 120 miles and twisted my arm pretty quickly.  I also had been averaging 25 miles weeks and I wanted this to be a challenge….and IT WAS!

If you follow me on Instagram, you’ll know that I posted an IG Story for just about every walk/run of the challenge.  You can see the highlights here if you’re on IG.(tap on each story to move forward faster).

What did I learn while doing one of the?  Here are a few of my key takeaways….

  • I will be forever grateful for ChiRunning/ChiWalking.  I never recommend doing mileage you are not trained for…but if you do, having good technique under your belt makes a HUGE difference.  Although I walked about 60% of the mileage, I doubled my weekly mileage for 2 weeks.  While I could feel a bit of tension (I stretched just about every day too) and fatigue in my legs, my body felt great the entire time.
  • FOMO is real. I’ve blogged about this before too. Many of my TRU TRIBE teammates had signed up for the Great Race Across Tennessee (1000k to be finished from 5/1-8/31). I really really wanted to join them but I knew it would not be a good decision.  I had too much on my plate and I really didn’t want to burn myself out (which I’ve done before and learned from that experience!) before this virtual race as it was my priority this year and I didn’t want to get distracted.  I was planning on the 60 miles but as I mentioned before, between some arm twisting and a wee bit of FOMO, I decided to go for it.  I don’t regret it even though I had a breakdown on social media in the middle of the challenge.  (more on that below)
  • I had a plan and followed it.  As much as I would’ve liked to simulate the real race and do the 120 miles in 6 days, I knew that was unrealistic for many reasons. I planned to do 8 miles a day which was the daily average necessary to complete the challenge.  I looked at my calendar for the 2 weeks and saw some days where I’d get more in and vice versa.  I started tracking on my Fit Bit but that was using passive workouts which were not intentional and didn’t count.  I switched to tracking with my Garmin mid race to get more accurate results.  I was adding and averaging daily to see how much I had left as I progressed. This worked well for me. Although apparently on the TRR page, my totals ended at 118.3  because someone messaged me late on the last day to let me know this. I get in freak out mode but checked my Fitness Rankings totals.  I sent a FB message to Houda (the race director) with pics and he said I was fine! Phew!
  • Multi tasking and getting creative was necessary to get mileage done!  Managing my time was probably my biggest obstacle. I had to get creative to get my mileage in:
    • while I was walking, I used some of that time making phone calls and listening to podcasts
    • I was able to schedule some of my mileage with friends and my TRU TRIBE.  Some days I got one walk done and on some days I broke it up into 3 different workouts.
    • I woke up before my “work” group runs a few times and ran 1/4 mile loops in my apartment parking lot just so I could get it done before it was a bazillion degrees
  • It always boils down to mindset!  While I am not a believer of mind over body (I’ve seen too many people get injured with this mind frame), I do believe in mind with body. Another principle I’ve embraced from ChiRunning. There is a big difference between ignoring your body and pushing through until you get injured VS.  pushing through to overcome your mental setbacks.
    • We’ve had the hottest summer on record in Arizona and this challenge was from 8/3-8/17: prime summer heat.  I had to try and schedule runs early morning or after the sun went down.  This was not always possible. Although I could not make the heat disappear with my mindset, I could certainly embrace it and know that “it is what it is.”.  I had several days that I had to go out when the sun was beating down but I was safe by minimizing that time and being prepared for it and I embraced it. Constantly repeating how hot it is will not make it go away, as a matter of fact, it makes it worst. Accepting the heat and driving to my runs with my windows down rather than going from the AC cold car to the blazing heat really helped me acclimate.  Here is my recent blog about how and why to run in the heat. 

    • Once I had my mid race melt down, I was able to dig deep and remind myself of my Why.  This is a question I ask all the athletes before they start training for a race with me. Even more important now that we don’t know if races are happening. This was going to be my big bucket list A race this year and I would’ve been training for 4 months leading up to it.  That opportunity was taken away from me by COVID19 so I replaced it with the virtual event.  I was going to finish this race no matter what it was going to take.  Here is my IG post about my meltdown and the IGTV video that I did later that day.
    • One of the things I loved/hated about the challenge was trying to figure how I was going to get it all done.  It was so rewarding at the end to know that it all came together although I doubted myself several times!

Yesterday was 8/19, my half birthday.  I turned 49 1/2 and I’ve never felt better!  I know too many people that keep repeating how old they are, and how much harder things are….while some of this is fact that I can’t deny, mindset and how you take care of your body have a lot to do with this as well.

As I age, I keep surprising myself by doing things I never thought possible. This is a first time experience for me as far as number of miles in this short of time, without taking a day off….I have some pretty big goals as I prepare for my 50th year around the sun in 2021, and the real TransRockies Run is definitely on the list among a few other crazy endeavors…..stay tuned!

How and Why to Run In The Heat

Posted on by by Lisa Pozzoni

I find it pretty humorous during this time of the year when I start seeing these types of memes on social media…

…..like everyone in Phoenix has amnesia and forgets how hot it is here….E.V.E.R.Y. single summer…🤣 I guess when it’s perfect weather the other 9ish months of the year, we need something to complain about!

This topic has been on mind lately. Not because I’m surprised how hot it is here, but because this is the first year that I have a group training for an ultra in the summer (thank you COVID-19 🙄).  The Crown King 50K is one of my favorite ultras (this will be my 5th time). It’s normally at the end of March….it got canceled with everything going on and postponed to October 17th.  We all had options on what we wanted to do with our race entry.  Several of the ladies from that training program, including myself, decided to do the race in October (crossing all fingers and toes that it happens!)…..but we all knew what that meant: training in the heat.  UGH  But the decision was made and now it’s time to train….we just started a few weeks ago so not doing real long runs yet.

Earlier this month, I was jazzed up when Danny Dreyer, the co-founder of ChiRunning, asked me to be on his ChiSchool webinar because the topic was running in the heat. He’s lived and ran in enough places to know exactly what to do but of course I took him up on the chance to co-host with him! 😊

I was inspired by hanging out with him so I decided to do a video with some tips on training in the heat which you can find below.I thought of a few other things to add so I figured why not write a blog about it!

Here are my tips for running/walking in the heat:

  • You have a choice.  This sounds rather basic but it’s true.  No one is telling you have to do it. There are plenty of other options to exercise. You can swim, bike, use a treadmill, or not work out at all (I don’t recommend this 🤣).  If you truly hate the heat that much, don’t complain about it and do something different.
  • Embrace it.  What?!  You heard me….this is all about your mindset.  I know I can’t will the heat away, but if I choose to embrace it (rather than continuously complain about it) it won’t be as bad.  Since it’s my first time really training seriously in this heat, this is my number one strategy so far….and I feel like it’s working. One thing I started doing yesterday is not put my AC on in my car when driving to my running location.  I figure part of the problem is going from a nice cold car to a blast of heat.  If I can acclimate on my drive over, this will make the transition from the car to the outdoor air less shocking to my mind and body. Working on some affirmations next!
  • Pick a good time.  I’ve had to change the time I go to bed at night so I can get up and out the door and stay out of the sun as much as possible.  I normally try to get out before the sunrise. I also really enjoy being out on the trails at night time so that is also another option.  While it’s still warm in the evening here, there is a big difference when you don’t have the sun shining right on you. If necessary, and I have the time, I’ll take a little nap in the middle of the day when I don’t get enough sleep.
  • Pick a good location.  Ideally, stay out of the sun. Cacti are not really the best for shade so that’s a bit more challenging for us here. 😂Find locations that provide more shade. Get out of town for a quick road trip and head up north. You can also stay close to your house and have a short route that you go around so you can go home if run into any trouble.  I did an experiment the day of the webinar with Danny and walk/ran a quarter mile loop in my apartment complex at about 2:30pm.  My least favorite part was the heat from the asphalt but I got used to it after a few laps.  I did a few miles in 30 minutes but I didn’t die. I also considered jumping in the apartment complex pool but will save that for another longer session (Yes, I am intentionally trying to run in the heat…more on that below).  Here is a video I did on that day when I was done.
  • Have the right fuel and plenty of it.  Always carry water with you and make sure you have enough of it.  Freeze half of your water bottle or bladder from your hydration pack so you are ahead of the game. It doesn’t take much for ice to melt here. Staying hydrated on a daily basis will help too.  We also lose sodium and potassium when sweating so make sure you have the right electrolytes. This could be another blog post alone but if you google it, I’m sure you’ll find enough info.  I personally like to keep things as natural as possible so I use Saltstick capsules and Pickle Power. There are plenty of drinks out there but read labels as some of them have a lot of sugar and food coloring.  You can even google DIY electrolyte drinks and make your own! Make sure you have enough food for the distance you are going (there are many products like gels, etc) but I prefer real food: peanut butter pretzels, trail mix, potato chips.  It is harder for your body to digest real food vs gels so experimenting to see what’s best for you is my best advice.
  • Wear the right clothing. I always wear wicking fabric because it helps keep me cooler (relatively speaking) by evaporating the sweat instead of soaking up in fabrics like cotton. Nowadays you can even find clothes that have a cooling effect.  Modern technology is great for this.  As a matter of fact, as I was writing this, I started googling “cooling clothing” and “for extreme heat” popped up on it’s own.  Lots of good options here (huh, I may need to do some more shopping now!). I always wear a trucker hat as it keeps the sun directly out of my face. Sunglasses are a must for me and of course lots of sunscreen.  My favorite brand is Zealios and you can use discount code Zup-TRU20 for 25% off!
  • Spray bottles, ice and more ice. I usually have a cooler with ice and spray bottles.  If and when I have the chance, I put ice in my hat, in my sports bra and as many places I can think of.  Pour cold water on your wrists, head and neck (keep your neck cool with a bandana and ice).  I keep the spray bottles cold and will usually add some peppermint oil to it for even more of a cooling sensation.  You can also use peppermint candies, chew gum on your run for this same reason.
  • Learn running technique.  Good technique is not just about injury prevention.  When you learn good technique, you are learn how to move your body as efficiently as possible.  In ChiRunning, we teach people how to limit using their leg muscles (which are big muscles and use a lot of energy). When you are running more efficiently, you won’t be overworking your body which is already being impacted by the heat.
  • Adjust your pace.  Since our bodies are under more pressure with the heat, it’s important to adjust your pace. This seems like a no brainer but don’t go out and do speed intervals or hill repeats if it’s too hot.I have found myself ChiWalking a bit more than normal and I am totally OK with that.  ChiWalking is my secret sauce to ultra training/running.
  • Body sense!  This is a word you will hear every single ChiRunning/ChiWalking instructor talk about. Listening to your body (not your mind/ego) is a skill. It starts with self awareness and knowing that our minds/egos may not always have our best interest in mind. This is a main different between “power” running and ChiRunning.  It’s not mind OVER body, but mind WITH body.  The more you practice, the more you’ll know what your body is telling you when it comes to movement, how you are feeling, what you are eating, etc.  The body always knows best and it talks to us a lot.  It’s easy to choose to not listen but this can come at a cost.  Make sure you know how your body reacts in the heat and what it needs and when it needs it.

Why would I purposely run in the heat?

  • Running is my lifestyle.  It’s what I choose to do as my main form of exercise.  Just because summer is here, doesn’t mean I have to stop running because it’s hot.  This helps keep me stay consistent with my regular fitness routine.
  • Training for an event.  Races happen throughout the entire year.  Normally I choose not to train for a race during the summer so while I would still run, I didn’t have to worry about major long runs for my ultra training. I did an ultra in 2016 that was at the beginning of July (Capitol Reef 50K and the hardest one I’ve ever done!) but that was really only one month of running in the heat. This year I was supposed to be doing my bucket list race (TransRockies) which would’ve been 120 miles in 6 days on 8/3 but that was canceled…but I was ready for some serious heat training. So when I had the chance to sign up for Crown King in October, I figured why not?!
  • Improve performance! While this is not the main reason I am doing it, I am interested to see how it effects my performance.  This could also be another blog post but you can search for “heat training and adaptation” and there are several studies (some more compelling than others depending on sample size, etc) that suggest that training in the heat will improve performance.  As a matter of fact, many runners train in the heat for races at elevation rather than training in altitude. It makes sense so I’m curious to see how this impacts me later in the year.

Well, there you have it!  I hope that these tips help you and inspire you to keep moving through the summer!

Cheers!
Coach Lisa