Blog - Mojo for Running

MFR 137: Boston

Boston. That word inspires emotion in every runner, as it does with me. I’ve always been a word person, which is just part of the reason I was an English teacher for 15 years. I think about words. Those six letters move me. They have for years but much more, now. Six letters that, to me, carry a level of emotion just below the word, family, and that is saying a lot.

Whether you’ve only watched the race on TV, been one of the thousands lining the race course on marathon race day, or you’re working toward a BQ right now, the word has the power of few others.

I hope you enjoy this podcast about my Boston Marathon race a couple of months ago, the first time I have ever qualified to run it. Whether you ever get to do that race or not, I highly recommend you travel to Boston and do one of the many races there that you can get into every year. I took my Run Tampa group to Boston to do the Boston Run to Remember Half and 5 mile in May of 2018, a fantastic trip. The course is different, but we went out and ran the last mile of the marathon course, a great experience for all.

If you aspire to run it, then go for it. Most people can qualify, but it will require a year of careful planning and strategic training. For others, it might seem impossible, and may require many lifestyle changes and several years to get there.

If you want to do it, and qualifying is out of the question, then, by all means, seek out a charity bib and commit yourself to honoring the opportunity and raising the money you pledge to raise.

One way or the other, it can be done, and I hope this podcast inspires you.

Boston Marathon qualifying times

Athlete’s Village in Hopkinton

The video is too big for my site, but I will put it on Facebook.

Run Tampa

Carly qualified in her very first marathon and requalified in this year’s race with a blistering time of 3:19. Yowza!

Podcast (mfr): Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSS

MFR 136: Three Reasons to do a Plank Every Day

By Debbie Voiles

If you just do one exercise for your core, this should be it. Planks have many benefits for runners. In this episode, I explain the various ways of modifying the standard plank for even more benefit.

Adding this exercise to your cross training, will, I guarantee, impact your running performance and go a long way toward preventing injuries.

With publication of this episode, I’m launching a Plank Challenge. Instructions in the podcast. I hope you’ll participate. It starts on Sunday, May 26th.

Podcast (mfr): Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSS

MFR 135: How to Crush Your Goal Race With Microcycles

By Debbie Voiles

I know very few runners not focused on getting better, improving their running performance, scoring PR’s, but sometimes there are ways to improve, even quite basic ways, that never become common knowledge to non-elite runners, certainly not common knowledge to people who aren’t working with a coach.

One of the most basic concepts is periodization, which means, in case you didn’t listen to Episode 134, the period of training, usually several months, leading up to your goal race, and that period of time is broken into three segments or microcycles. In this episode I explain what those three segments should look like and why.

Podcast (mfr): Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSS

MFR 134: How to Optimize Performance with Periodization

By Debbie Voiles

Mojo for Running Podcast Most runners run because they know it keeps them fit and because it’s a great hobby. For some, it’s mainly the camaraderie. Others are attracted by the endorphin rush, but virtually all runners also want to get faster.

Is that you? Even if you only do the occasional race, you may want to keep improving, set a new PR at least once in a while.

Then there are also the hard core runners that mainly enjoy the competitive aspect.

Whichever group you fall into, you will benefit from some basic knowledge of periodization, the concept of training cycles that facilitate your fitness. Unfortunately, unless you’ve worked with a coach, and most runners have not, then you probably haven’t even heard of it.

Well, no worries. In this podcast and the next, I explain the concept of macro and micro cycles that comprise periodization. Knowing this concept will improve your running, even if you don’t go all in to apply it fully. Once you listen, you’ll see what I mean.

Podcast (mfr): Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSS

MFR 133: From Brutal to Boston

By Debbie Voiles

Mojo for Running Podcast 133

The topic of Episode #132 was dreadful runs. This is a followup that, I hope, will always help you put those runs in perspective. But more than that, it shows you what can happen later in your running career. No matter where you are, now, in your running journey. You can still set lofty running goals and achieve them, but you may need to make some changes.

It’s always the same with running, and maybe this is just as true with other sports, but you continue to evolve as an athlete. You learn more from your body, your experiences, the experiences of your friends, and from running coaches. You become more skilled, your body changes, and you change the way you train and the way you respond to the messages from your body and race performances. That’s a lot, but if you keep an open mind and are willing to continue to try new things, you just may experience a level of success you never thought possible.

This episode is about the contrast between the worst run of my life and the best run of my life, separated by just three weeks. I hope it inspires you.

Three weeks from today, I’ll be running the Boston Marathon for the second time. The first time I was offered a charity bib, which I, of course, enthusiastically accepted, but every step of that 26.2 miles, I was envious of all the runners who had qualified, and I pledged to continue to work on my marathon until I, too, qualified. Well, it took a while, but at age 65, last summer, I did qualify, when I had the best marathon of my life.

I hope you’ll tune in for my videos and posts from Boston three weeks from today. In the meantime, you may enjoy this post about the time, a year ago, when I took about 35 members of my club to Boston to do the Run to Remember Half Marathon. It was a blast, something worth doing for any runner. That race is not on the Boston race course, but while we were in town, we went out to the one-mile point of the Boston course and ran it in and took photos at the finish line. Pics and comments here.

Podcast (mfr): Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSS

MFR 132: Explaining Dreadful Runs

By Debbie Voiles

Mojo for Running Podcast

If you have never had a bad run, then you haven’t been running long.

Truth.

Every runner of every level has bad runs now and then. Now if you have them often, that is, of course, a problem, but as a rule, if you haven’t had a lousy run in a while, I’d say you might even want to accept that you’re overdue. Not that you should dwell on that. You shouldn’t dwell on bad runs, ever, for any reason, and you certainly shouldn’t worry if you haven’t had one in a while. What would that accomplish? Instead, celebrate your good fortune.

No, my point is just that you must accept that the occasional bad run is both inevitable and unavoidable.

This episode is focused, not on preventing bad runs, but rather on what might cause them and, most importantly, what not to consider.

Often runners, especially newer runners, reach for the easy answers, easy solutions, but more often, the easy answer, or what seems to be the easy solution, isn’t, but if the runner assumes that, it can actually lead to more bad runs because the problem is not corrected. In fact, jumping to the wrong conclusion may just exacerbate the cause.

Absolutely, do evaluate the terrible run, search for the cause, but don’t spend a lot of time on it. Let it go. Letting it upset you for days, or even for the rest of that day, will accomplish nothing.

In this episode I help you look at the possible causes, and I try to steer you away from jumping to the all-too-attractive conclusion.

Become a Patron!

Podcast (mfr): Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSS

MFR 131: Gifts for Runners

By Debbie Voiles

Mojo for Runners Episode 131

One of the things I appreciate most about running is that it’s such a simple sport. You can do it anywhere, and the only equipment you need is a pair of shoes.

That said, everybody loves running gear and most of the runners I know love gadgets as well. So, since it’s the holiday season, I thought I provide you with my best gift suggestions for runners. I have no ties to any of these companies, and where I have linked, below, I get no financial benefit if you click and purchase the product. I just wanted to make it easy for you.

I hope this post/podcast will help you with your Christmas shopping for the runners on you shopping list.

Here are the links to these products. I do not get any kind of commission if you use the links to purchase any of them. The links are just provided to assist you with your shopping.

THE HUMAN RACE documentary
Metronome
Gymboss
Watch
Headlamp
Wobble/balance board
Massage stick
Foam roller
Resistance bands
Balance cushion
Kettle bell – I would buy these, locally. You should be able to get it for about a dollar a pound.
Jump rope
Agility ladder
Hydration pack
Compression gear
Medal rack
Run shirt quilt
Treadmill/stationary rower

Podcast (mfr): Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSS

MFR 130: Running Through the Holidays

By Debbie Voiles

episode 130 of the Mojo for Running Podcast

Of the 52 weeks in every year, most runners find the ones between Thanksgiving and New Year’s to be the most challenging from a running perspective. There are just too many things competing for your precious time. I get that. In this episode, I help you with putting it in perspective and managing to do enough to be able to bonce back to normal in January.

Podcast (mfr): Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSS

MFR 129: Electrolytes Part 2

By Debbie Voiles

Not all electrolyte replacement products are the same, not even close.

Jen has been running a while, but she hasn’t ever trained for marathons. Now, she’s often running for two hours, and she’s finding that she really starts to feel fatigued. She assumes it’s that she’s not eating correctly or that her training hasn’t been sufficient. She’s even wondering if, maybe, she shouldn’t have committed to the marathon, that maybe she just isn’t strong enough.

That’s sad, because in my experience, that’s never the explanation. Very often electrolyte imbalance is the problem. Maybe Jen isn’t taking any electrolyte replacement; maybe it’s that easy of a fix.

Listen to this second episode about electrolytes. I discuss the variance in which ingredients are included – or not included – and amounts of each, plus so much more.

Podcast (mfr): Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSS

MFR 128: Electrolytes

By Debbie Voiles

Mojo for Running Podcast

Have you ever had a dreadful race but were unable to put your finger on the cause? Of course, there could be many causes, but one of the first places to look is at your electrolyte replacement regimen. What? You don’t have an electrolyte plan? Well, that’s okay if you’re not running farther than 90 minutes, but if you are, then electrolytes may be an area where you can make strides toward a better race experience.

There are many options from deciding whether you’ll use capsules or dissolve a powder to deciding which combination of ingredients will be best for you to whether quantity and frequency.

Here are several articles that will be helpful:

Trail Runner Magazine, What You Need to Know About Electrolytes

Electrolyte Replenishment: Why It’s So Important and How to Do It Right

Fluid and Electrolyte Imbalance

Podcast (mfr): Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSS