Staying Safe During Winter Running

It can be pretty hard to get outside for a run during winter months. So when you do, you want to be sure you don’t ruin it by being unprepared and getting hurt. Bad weather, slick roads and darker skies can make it much harder to get through a run in peace. Make sure you’re following these tips to keep yourself safe. They may seem to be common sense, but you’ll be surprised how little you may think of these things while getting ready for your run if you don’t remind yourself of them.

Know the weather

Don’t just check the weather for when you’re leaving. Know how long you’ll be out and how the conditions could change. There are few things that will stop you from going on another winter run faster than remembering when you got caught in that storm without a warm or waterproof jacket. Bring layers and be prepared.

Wear correct footwear

Know the surfaces you’ll be running on and how they’re taken care of. You may need to invest in some clip-on traction for the bottom of your shoes to be sure you can stay upright on your run if there’s ice or snow. Honestly, this is the most non-negotiable area for us. If there’s not an outdoor area that you have correct footwear for, stay inside. Find a treadmill or do some cross-training until you have the correct equipment or your area has been cleaned up.

Be visible

During daylight hours, you may not think enough about your visibility. Make sure your outfit contrasts the environment and is as reflective as possible. For example, we’re based in Utah, so when everything is covered in snow and snow is still coming down, it’s often easiest to see people in darker colors with reflective gear in multiple places. It’s amazing how many runners we almost don’t notice on a daily basis during the winter because they don’t realize how camouflaged they are with their environment. Make sure you’re not one of them!

If you’re bothered by reflective gear that doesn’t stay in place while you run, use a couple pieces of Race Bib Tape to keep it in place during your run and easily remove it afterward.

Pay attention to air quality

The air can be pretty rough on your lungs in the winter. If you live in an area with bad air quality, it can often get worse in the winter months. Do your research and find up-to-date information about the air quality in your area. Many areas discourage exercising outside when the air is in a certain state, so be sure you know and follow the recommendations. Regardless of the air quality in your area, the most important step to protecting yourself is to know yourself. Whether or not you have any breathing problems, you can run into problems if it’s too cold outside. Know your limits and don’t try to push them.

How do you keep yourself safe on winter runs? Let us know on our Facebook page!

How to Keep your Eating on Track for Winter Running

As the holidays wind down, you may be noticing a few extra inches around your midsection. You may also be thinking about New Year’s resolutions to make them go away. Sometimes it feels like it should suddenly become easy to stop the binge sessions after the holiday treats are gone. But it’s still winter. You’re still probably craving warm, carb heavy meals. You’re still probably dreading going out in the cold to make it to the gym or run around the block after a little too much comfort eating. We’re here to tell you there is hope! Here are some simple ideas to help you keep your eating on track so you can keep up with your running schedule.

1. Plan your workout, including your pre-workout food. You don’t have to go too planner crazy here. Simply have a plan of when you’re working out and how you’re managing your food before hand. If you don’t have it planned, you’re not going to get it done. And if you don’t plan your food, you’re much more likely to get thrown off course, even if you’ve made a plan for your workout. If you’re heading to the gym first thing in the morning, this is pretty easy to do. Just have something ready to grab when you wake up. If you’re working out later in the day, arrange your lunch or dinner times to give your stomach time to settle before your workout. Make sure you also know whether or not it will be a while after a meal before you can workout. Have something with you that you can eat closer to your workout so you still have energy. Make sure to plan accordingly so you can’t use a full stomach or an empty stomach as a way out of your workout. That’s the biggest take-away here. Having a plan gives you less excuses to skip your workout.

2. Clean out your pantry. After the holidays you probably have some goodies laying around. Unless you have crazy willpower, it’s incredibly difficult to stay on track when you have your favorite cheat foods around the house. Go through your house, your cupboards, your pantry, your nightstand… wherever you tend to stash treats and just get rid of them. Then, do not restock. If there are foods you just can’t resist or you just can’t stop eating once you’ve started, don’t even bring them into the house. It’s much easier to hold yourself accountable if you remove temptation.

3. Find healthier alternatives to what you’re craving. This can sound scary at first, but you can tailor it however you want. If you know you’ve been craving baked goods and just can’t get over it, find a recipe that uses less sugar and hides fruits or veggies inside, then decide what your limit is. Wait until after you’ve eaten a meal so your stomach is more full. The more full you are, the more satisfied you will be after your treat instead of craving more. You’re much less likely to overindulge if you give yourself what you want, but have a limit and eat slowly so you enjoy it. If you just want something warm and filling, find a healthy soup and bread recipe. Switch your hot chocolate or warm latte for a regular coffee or herbal tea. Play around and find things that give you the same satisfaction with less calories and more nutrition.

4. Tell someone close to you about your goals. Don’t do this alone. Tell someone you live with or see daily what your goals are and ask them to help you hold yourself to them. Make sure it’s someone who can be real with you and tell you when you need to get it together. You’re much more likely to stick to something if someone knows that you’re doing it and will ask you about it regularly.

5. Don’t be too hard on yourself. So many of us end up giving up on goals, resolutions, eating plans, workout plans, etc. because of guilt. We miss a few runs and then use those missed runs to justify missing more runs since we’re already ‘failing’ in our own eyes. Or we go a little crazy at the buffet for lunch and then continue it through dinner and then throughout the next week because we already ruined our diet anyway. Not. Worth. It. It’s fine to miss days here and there. It’s fine to indulge every once in awhile. What’s not okay is continuing to beat ourselves down because we aren’t perfect. Nobody is. Think of the most fit, put together person you know. They’ve missed days too. They’ve gone crazy at dinner too. The difference is, they got over it and moved on with their plan. Just because you didn’t do what you wanted yesterday, doesn’t mean that today is already ruined. Guess what, tomorrow hasn’t happened yet. Your life is in your hands. Pick yourself back up, forgive yourself and move on.

How do you keep yourself on track during the winter months? Let us know on Facebook! And of course, when these tips help you get to the starting line of your next race, be prepared with Race Bib Tape.

5 Tips to 'Clear Your Head' While Running

By Tuesday, this was already a long week for the United States of America. No matter what your views are, you’ve most likely experienced strong emotions as you heard negativity from all sides over the past few weeks(...months...year…). Maybe now more than ever, you’re looking for an escape. If you’ve ever gone for a run to ‘clear your head’, you’ll understand how restorative it can be. Here are five tips to make your run even more relaxing.

1. Forget about your training and/or goal pace for the day.

    If you’re training for a race, let it go for one run. Let yourself focus on rejuvenation. Getting your mind back to a healthy place will do far more for your well-being, and ultimately your training, than pushing it when you need a brain break.

2. Turn off your running app and leave the watch at home.

    Don’t worry about mileage, your pace, your splits, your cadence, etc. Just get out there and run. Listen to your body and do what feels good.

3. Try matching your steps to your breath.

    There are many reasons breath is so important during any type of meditation. Breath gives you something simple to focus on and helps to calm your heart rate. Try matching your breath to whatever amount of steps feels right. Focus on your steps, your breath and nothing else (besides keeping yourself safe while you run!). Getting lost in your breath can give your brain the perfect break and leave you feeling more calm and relaxed.

4. Bring only calming music.

    For some people it sounds odd, but many elite athletes listen to classical music (or other types of soothing music) before or during their exercise routine. Many say that because of the calming effect it has on their brain and body, they actually perform better because they’re relaxed. Create a calming playlist to listen to on your run, or don’t bring any music at all. For some, having quiet music playing while they focus on their steps and breath is the ultimate calming experience during a run.

5. Set your intention and reinforce it with positive affirmations.

    This might sound like new-age, hippie stuff, but you should definitely give it a try. More and more fitness and life coaches are talking about the importance of setting intentions and repeating positive affirmations. Our brains believe what we tell them. Remember the old saying, “whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right”? If you want to clear your head, but set out for your run thinking about how frustrated and angry you are and continue to tell yourself those things, you’ll still feel them at the end. Here’s what you should do instead. First, set your intention. It can be something like… “I’m going on this run to clear my head and come back feeling more positive and happy”. Throughout your run, reinforce that intention with positive affirmations. Some examples would be… “This run is changing my outlook. I feel more positive with each step. I’m going to return to my day happy and alert”. Obviously these won’t work for everyone. Maybe you’d feel silly repeating those sentences over and over. Find what works for you. Maybe it’s as simple as… “I feel SO good!” or “This run is changing my day!” or even “My life is awesome!”. Something to reinforce the feelings you want to have when you return home from your run.

As you try to clear your head on your runs, you’ll learn new tips and tricks that work for you. We’d love to hear what you do to calm yourself down while running. Let us know here or on our Facebook page.

Costume Races: Not Just for Halloween

October is a month of corn mazes, pumpkin patches and Halloween costume races. If you enjoy running in disguise or dressed as your favorite Disney character, you might be getting a little bummed about the running costume season being over. Well, we’ve got great news! In many places, there are costume races all year.

Shape posted an article on their website featuring the best costume races in the United States. The list features awesome events like Santa races, the Denver Gorilla Run, the Cupid Panty Run and Disney races.

Las Vegas Great Santa Run. Photo: Opportunity Village. Found on Shape.com.

As always, Runner’s World has our back for all running related topics. They put out an awesome list of costume ideas and evaluate whether or not they are race-worthy. While it obviously can’t show every possible costume and how they rate for running, this article gives you good tips and things to look out for in a great running costume.

Have you always imagined the surreal feeling of breaking a world record for running but never thought you’d get the chance? Looks like it could definitely be in your future. Apparently, there are several Guiness World Records for the fastest races in specific costumes. For example, if you’re male, you could beat the “fastest marathon dressed as a crustacean” with a time under 3:34:23. If you’re female, you could beat the “fastest marathon dressed as a bottle” with a time under 4:36:19. Runner’s World gives you the low down and step-by-step instructions to make it happen.

London Marathon. Record for “fastest marathon in a three-person costume” time: 4:56:24. Photo: Guinness World Records. Found on Runner’s World.

Many runners who want to dress up often shy away from the costumes they want or even ditch dressing up all together. Often, they’re worried about parts of their costume flying off or rattling around and messing with their run. To them we say, Race Bib Tape to the rescue! Our tape is made for fabric, so you can feel confident holding on your cape (without tying it around your neck), holding down your accessories, or even holding on a mask while you run.

Noah, four years old, modeling a Race Bib Tape cape.

The best part is, if you decide you can’t handle an accessory anymore during your race, you can easily peel it off at any time. Expert Tip: Keep some extra strips of Race Bib Tape in an accessible place during your race to make quick adjustments while you run. After all, you’re never quite sure how something is going to feel on mile 10 until you get there.

Make sure to pick up your Race Bib Tape on Amazon to perfect that costume. Happy Running!

Running Motivation: Finding Your ‘Why’

No matter how much you love running, you’re going to have days when you’re not feeling it. Sometimes these days can really interfere with your training plan. If you read our last motivation post, we gave you five tips for these days (check it out here if you missed it). Today’s tip is a little more simple, but a little more complex all at the same time. This concept comes from Simon Sinek’s Start with Why. The concept is simple. No matter what you’re trying to accomplish, you must first start with why you’re doing it. Sinek describes your why as “the purpose, cause or belief that inspires you to do what you do”. To find it, he says “all you need to do is to have the will and the desire to want to understand what drives and inspires you”. If you can truly figure out what the underlying motivation is for what you do, that will fuel you to continue on the hard days.

Earlier this week, we shared a story on our Facebook page about a mother, who has never been a runner, who is training for a marathon. She has a daughter with a rare genetic condition that causes almost constant seizures. She found that when she pushes her daughter while she runs, the movement and feeling of the air on her daughter’s face is one of the few things that brings a little relief. Her daughter is her why.

We’ve heard stories of runners with why’s from losing weight to proving they can do it with a disability. We’ve heard many people say their why is that they know how they feel when they don’t run. Maybe your why is that you signed up for a marathon to prove to yourself you can do it. Fitness trainer Chalene Johnson says to “only work out on days you want to feel good". Is that your why?

We challenge you this week to figure out why you run. Find your deepest motivation. When you wake up in the morning, remember your why, then get out and log those miles.

Your Race Day Planning Checklist

The week before race day is an exciting time. You’ve put in months of hard work training, nourishing your body, skipping nights out with your friends and picturing yourself crossing the finish line with a sweet PR. Make the most of all that hard work by having your race checklist all ready to go before the morning of. You’ll most likely already have some jitters the morning of your race, so make sure you’re not stressed trying to get things together at the last second. Here’s a race planning checklist to make sure you’re prepared for the big day.

Shoes

Starting from the bottom and moving upward is an easy way to make sure you’ve thought of everything. Although your brand new shoes would look great in your race-day pictures, you shouldn’t wear new shoes to your event. Make sure your shoes are well broken in and have plenty of room for your toes (see our last post about keeping your toenails happy for awesome tips). If you haven’t trained in the shoes you wear to an event you are much more likely to be uncomfortable during the race, get blisters, and possibly injure yourself.

Socks

Same story goes for your socks and any other clothing you wear during your race. Make sure everything you wear on race day has been worn during your training. Hopefully during training you’ve found the perfect pair of socks using our guide to keeping your toenails happy. If not, use what you’ve been running in and try new socks while training for your next event.

Shorts/Pants

Check the weather to see what conditions will be like during your race. If it’s going to be hot, shorts are a great option. If it’s going to be cool in the morning and warm up during the race, you might want an easily removable pair of pants to wear over your shorts. Cool weather might call for a pair of lined running tights. Whatever you choose, make sure it fits the conditions and is something you’ve worn during training that doesn’t rub in the wrong places or cause chaffing.

If you’ve read our previous posts, you’ve learned our rule for choosing clothing layers. Start by dressing as if it’s 20 degrees warmer and you’re going to watch a soccer game outside. This is a good gauge for your base layer, the layer you’ll be in when you’re warmed up and the weather is nice. Then, add another layer that you would be comfortable in if you were going on a short, slow walk in the current temperature. Make sure it’s easy to remove or has zippers to let more air in as you warm up.

Running Top

Same story goes for your running top. Check the weather to know what’s best. Will you wear a t-shirt or tank top? Will you need a rain jacket or wind-breaker at any point? Would a long-sleeve be better? Be prepared for what will keep you comfortable without making you feel like a pack mule.

Race Bib

Generally, you’ll pick up your race packet, including your race bib, before your event. Make sure to get your Race Bib Tape on Amazon Once you have the race bib, you can put your Race Bib Tape on the back of your bib and leave the back lining on so it’s ready to apply to your shirt in the morning. Alternatively, you can attach your bib to your shirt so it’s one less thing to think about on the day of. Having extra Race Bib Tape in your hydration belt or a zip pocket can be useful in case your clothing isn’t staying in place how you want, or you switch layers during the race and want to move your bib.

Gear and Nutrition

Don’t forget your hat or sunglasses if it will be sunny. If you’ve been using a hydration belt, fill your bottles the night before. If you’ve been training with goo or chews and want to use them during the race, make sure they’re in your belt or ready to go in your pocket. Again, this is not the time to try something new. If you haven’t tried a specific drink mix, goo or chews, do not risk an awkward bathroom moment during your race by trying something for the first time on race day.

This is also a good time to plan what, if anything, you’ll eat before your race. Again, be sure it’s something you’ve been eating before your runs. Have it all ready to go so you don’t have to think or stress in the morning.

Directions and Race Day Plan

Make sure you have directions or know how to get to the location you are to meet at for your race. There are few things more stressful on race day than showing up at the wrong place, not knowing where to park, or not being able to find the pickup location on race day. Have a plan in place so you know who will drive you, where you are going and how to get there.

To Carb Load or Not to Carb Load?

There are a lot of schools of thought behind this question. Do what you feel is right for you. Make sure you have enough nutrition going into race day to help you feel energized and ready to go. Don’t eat anything or any amount you think might give you any bathroom trouble the morning of your race. It’s always a good idea to try different things before your long runs in training to know what will work best for you before race day.

GET SLEEP

Because you used this awesome checklist and got everything ready to go early, you can sleep easy knowing you’re prepared! Your training is complete, your race day items are ready to go and you’re well fed. Now get to bed and give your body the rest it needs before you crush your PR in the morning.

Did you find this list helpful? Share it with a friend, save the info-graphic and have a great race day!

How to Keep Your Running Toenails Happy

Sometimes, no matter what you do, it seems like you can’t prevent your toenails from falling off or hurting like crazy after an event. However, most of the time, there are things you can do to prevent or at least lessen the pain that can come to your toenails from running. Don’t take this advice for granted, especially if you’re new to running. If you haven’t experienced toenail pain, just know that you don’t want to! Here are some steps you can take to help yourself out.

Get Bigger Shoes

    Wearing shoes that are your size or smaller can leave your toenails pushed up against the front of your shoe. Think of how many steps you take during each mile. Now think about that multiplied by the number of miles you’re running each week. That can equate to thousands of steps, meaning thousands of times that your toes are forcefully hitting the front of your shoes. Ouch! You’ll want to get running shoes that are half a size to one full size bigger than your normal size. How big you’ll want your shoes depends on what’s comfortable and what keeps your toes safe. You may want to try out a few sizes to see what works for you!

Invest in Great Socks

    Socks are something a lot of runners take for granted. Many people don’t realize the HUGE impact they can have on your comfort during and after a run. Having the right socks can keep your toenails comfortable and healthy and prevent blisters. You’ll want a pair of socks that are moisture wicking and keep your feet dry. You’ll also want to make sure that your socks aren’t too small. When you stand in your socks, they shouldn’t be tugging on your toes. Playing around with thickness can be beneficial to you as well. Some runners do really well with thin socks while others have much more success with a thicker sock. Some companies even make toe socks that a lot of runners swear by. Invest in finding the sock that’s right for you!

Keep Your Shoes in Place on Downhills

    Even if you have the right size shoe and the perfect socks, downhill can be tricky for your toes. If you’re doing downhill running, make sure that your shoes are laced snug and secure so that your feet don’t slide around. Many runners don’t notice how hard their toes are hitting the front of their shoes until after their run. Nothing like taking your shoes off and finally realizing what a terrible mistake you’ve made. And then paying for that mistake for the next three days or more. 

Don’t Skip the Pedicure!

While some may argue that toenail polish is the secret to success, you probably won’t see a change in your running from a fresh coat. Really, just keep your toenails trimmed. Simple as that.

Foot Soak = Bliss

    Each run puts a lot of strain on your entire body, especially your feet! Reward yourself with a foot soak or full body soak. Not only will this feel amazing, but it can also help to prevent ingrown toenails. Whether you decide to soak just your feet, or take a full on bath, add some Epsom salts. Epsom salts contain magnesium which is important for muscle and nerve function and is better absorbed through the skin than through the digestive tract. Magnesium can help with muscle relaxation, stress and sleep which is important for your training and for health in general. Sadly, experts say that many people are not getting the amount of magnesium they need through their diet. Now you have lots of reasons to take time out of your day for bath-time!

Do you have any secrets to keeping your toenails happy during and after your runs? Tell us about it on our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/racebibtape/. 

Fall Running Gear for an Easy Transition

Can you believe it’s September already? Fall is on its way and, with it, a whole new world for runners. Sometimes Fall seems to creep up on us and all of a sudden, it’s darker and colder and we’re a little under-prepared. So, we’ve put together a little list of Fall running gear to make the transition a little easier.

‘Non-committal’ Clothing and Layers

Fall brings cold mornings that quickly turn to warm afternoons and just as quickly turn into cold evenings. This makes it almost impossible to leave the house in an outfit that will suit your needs on a long run. This is a great time for ‘non-committal clothing’, aka clothing that can keep you warm but also has features to let air in or help you easily remove it as you heat up. Half-zip pullovers, windbreakers, tights with calf zippers and lightweight tear-away pants are awesome options for Fall running layers.

Start by dressing as if it’s 20 degrees warmer and you’re going to a soccer game. This is a good gauge for your base layer, the layer you’ll be in when you’re warmed up and the weather is nice. Then, add another layer that you would be comfortable in if you were going on a short, slow walk in the current temperature. Make sure it’s easy to remove or has zippers to let more air in as you warm up. Always check the temperature to see if you might need rain gear or a heavier layer. And voila! You’re dressed for the perfect Fall running adventure.

Hydration Belt

As the days get cooler, it’s easy to forget how much water you need to drink during and after your runs. We’ve gotten used to the summer months when it’s hot and our bodies basically scream for water. In cooler weather, you may not feel the need to drink as soon or as often as in the summer. This leads many runners to drink too little water and end up dealing with symptoms of dehydration after their run. Bring a hydration belt and decide how often you’ll take a drink, especially on long runs.

Thick Headband

Have you ever been on a run and not noticed that your ears were cold until they started to hurt? It’s not fun and can really mess with your run. On days when it’s too warm for a full hat, having a thick headband to cover your ears can really make a difference.

Reflective Gear

During the long days of summer, it’s easy to take visibility for granted. You can run early in the morning or late in the evening without having to worry about reflective gear. Things are different now. Don’t assume drivers will be able to see you on the side of the road. Wear bright colors, a reflective vest or a blinking arm band. Anything to make sure you’re visible and safe.

Race Bib Tape

Of course we had to add this one! One of the hard parts of races in cooler weather is figuring out where to put your bib so it’s visible no matter what layer you’re wearing. There’s no way you’re moving those safety pins around mid-race! Here’s an awesome solution… Add an extra piece of race bib tape to your bib with the backing still on. This way, you can move your bib when you strip off your top layer mid-race. You’ll have peace of mind knowing that there’s extra, unadulterated stickiness waiting for you.

There you have it. Time to lace up those shoes and get ready for that Fall race!