Cory has been telling me a lot lately how important it is to hydrate during a race. The same message has cropped up repeatedly in a fantastic book I’m reading at the moment called “Performance Nutrition for Runners” by Matt Fitzgerald.

One of the most illuminating facts I’ve read so far is how much more important it is to drink a sports drink instead of water. This applies before exercise, during exercise (if participating in a distance greater than 10k) and always (no matter what the distance) after exercise.

I am now in the habit of drinking a sports drink before and after a run instead of drinking water. One important note to make is that, to maximize the benefits a sports drink provides after a run, it’s important to drink it within the first hour after exercise, but preferably immediately following your run.

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Now, please don’t take my post title the wrong way. It’s not a lack of creativity or dedication to the cause, but rather I believe Scott must’ve read my mind when he published his last post.

My mom’s training for the ING half marathon in Atlanta, GA. She wanted to spend some quality time with me, so we went running last Saturday. Our desired distance was eight miles. I was a little nervous because the last time I ran that distance, I ended up killing myself for the sake of having a better ranking in the challenges. This has been stated before, but I really feel that it can’t be reinforced enough: while it’s good to push yourself, you definitely SHOULDN’T over train.

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Does anyone remember the Far Side cartoon, “Roger Screws Up?” Roger is a cymbal player in an orchestra. He’s thinking to himself, “Don’t screw up, don’t screw up, don’t screw up . . .” The punchline? Roger is only holding one cymbal. Roger screws up.

I was Roger this weekend at the Celebrate everyBody 5k. I packed all of my running gear into my gym bag the night before (don’t screw up). I made sure my iPod was charged and full of great tunes (don’t screw up). I got to the race early to make sure I got good parking and to get registered (don’t screw up). I pulled my iPod and ear buds out of the gym bag and went to plug in the receiver and, oh no! I forgot my receiver!

What a monumental mistake! I had fallen victim to one of the classic blunders. The most famous is never get involved in a land war in Asia, but only slightly less well-known is this: never leave for a race without ensuring you have every component of your Nike+ Sport Kit!

I couldn’t believe that I had forgotten my receiver. By the time I realized it was missing, it was too late to go back to the house and get it (no way was I giving up my sweet parking spot). I had two choices: go home now and run a 5k in the neighborhood with the receiver or stay and run the race without it. For those of you who don’t yet know the joy of Nike+, staying for the race might be a no-brainer. For a Nike+ addict like myself, it was a thinker. Ultimately I decided to stay and run the race sans Nike+. It was a bitter pill to swallow, but having paid the price for my forgetfulness, you can be sure I won’t forget my receiver next time.

When I first started running, I had no idea how much fun racing could be. This weekend was no exception. Held in the beautiful Shelby Farms park, the Celebrate everyBody 5k was a blast! The race was small but well attended, the course was beautiful, the event organizers were friendly, and the weather, while a little on the cold side, cooperated nicely. All in all, a fantastic experience.

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Danny Dreyer, author of Chi Running, a revolutionary book that focuses on running technique to not only heal and prevent injuries, but also to help you run faster, has started to syndicate some extremely useful tips on Amazon.com. Here’s a couple of tips that Danny has already offered:

Running Form
“The longer the distance you run, the more amount of time you’ll need to spend landing on your midfoot instead of your forefoot (as sprinters do). If you spend too much time up on your toes, the small muscles of your legs will become overworked and/or over trained and you could end up being a candidate for some form of overuse injury of the lower leg (shin splints, calf pulls, achilles tendonitis, plantar fasciitis, and even metatarsal fractures).”
Danny Dreyer, Chi Running.

Another useful tip from Danny:

Whether to breathe through the nose or mouth
“As for breathing, it is best to work your way towards breathing through your nose as it gets the air deeper into your lungs than mouth breathing. Nose-breathing also stimulates nerve endings in your head as the air passes through the sinus passages, which help to relax the brain. In the winter it pre-heats and filters the air going into your lungs. Practice nose breathing for short periods at slower speeds and you’ll gradually be able to nose breathe at the faster speeds. I can run at a 7:30 pace comfortably with my mouth closed at this point and it’s very relaxing.”
Danny Dreyer, Chi Running.

Ice Cold Running

I knew this morning’s run was going to be tough when the thermometer read 22° F. With wind chill in full effect, it felt more like 5° F when I stepped outside and got on the track. The breeze was so cold that it brought tears to my eyes for the first mile or so, making me wish I had access to a treadmill or an indoor running track.

I originally planned to run a 5k this morning, but considering how cold it was, I changed my mind and set out for a two-miler. Even though it was a short run, it was a really difficult run. Not only was I fighting the cold, but I was fighting a battle with my head the whole time I was running. My brain kept telling me things like, “Hey, man, it’s way too cold to be out here!” and, “Why don’t you just wait until tomorrow. I’m sure the weather will be much nicer tomorrow.” Try and keep up a decent pace while your mind is being dragged kicking and screaming around the track. It ain’t easy!

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Nike would have you believe that the best and only official way to connect the Nike+ sensor to your running shoe is by spending at least $60 on a pair of Nike+ compatible running shoes. There are always many ways to skin a cat however, so here’s a roundup of 10 alternative, and significantly cheaper ways of attaching the sensor to any brand of running shoe.

1. SwitchEasy RunAway, $8.99 + shipping

The RunAway is one of the most attractive and functional sensor holders I’ve seen so far. Even Apple would be proud of this design. Not only is this attachment weather-proof and super-sturdy (there are multiple locking mechanisms), but it also comes complete with a slot to store your Nike+ receiver if ever you need to travel or store your Nike+ kit.

2. Lacelid, $4.95 +shipping

This functional, cheap case is made of durable rubber, and attaches to the outside of your shoe laces. The Lacelid Web site offers several bundles should you want to purchase multiple items, and you can choose either black or white versions. The only downside to this solution is that there is no protector/cover for your sensor and is therefore always exposed to the elements.

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I’ve recently noticed the toenail on my left big toe turning black. I had no idea what was going on and I was worried that I might be growing something nasty under there. This morning, while hanging out on the Runner+ Forum, I found out that I’ve got a simple case of a bruised toenail, also known as “Runner’s Toe” or “Black Toe.”

SpartanGirl started the conversation by asking about bruised toenails and what to do about them. Rasmus pointed us to Jeff Galloway’s post on black toe, what it is, and what you can do about it. Jeff explains it like this:

“If a toe is under pressure from the shoe or a sock that is too tight or too thick, the sustained pressure, step after step, produces an impact or a friction problem between the toenail and the tissue surrounding it. When the tissue gets damaged, fluid accumulates.”

Jeff goes on to say that it’s best to simply ignore the black toenail, as long as the pain is manageable. If it gets too bad, he offers some advice on how to relieve the pressure.

Thankfully, my case of black toe isn’t causing me too much pain at the moment. Now that I know what’s going on down there, it’s like a “black badge of courage.” If the problem persists, I can always pick up some of the Deluxe Gel Toe Caps that Rasmus recommends.