Everyone talks about how the tween and teenage periods (basically from 11 to 18) can be a trying time for parents due to the puberty-triggered wild mood swings of their progeny. But, because it’s so thoroughly discussed, I felt ready to tackle the unpredictability of my two tweenagers. And, so far, we are riding the wave fairly smoothly. However, one side effect of all these bodily changes that doesn’t get enough press, and thus for which I was woefully unprepared, is the smell! Yowza! Pheromones must be going through a trial run at this phase, because man, the human race should have died out a long time ago if attraction to the opposite sex is based on THAT smell! The feet, the armpits, the extra body hair, the constant sweating…ICK!!!

So, where am I going with all of this? Laundry. We are a very active family: Pete and I both run; I hike a lot and practice yoga; and the kids are all involved in sports (and are going through puberty…see above). We have a lot of tech-wicking athletic apparel, which, I’m sure any runner knows, gets pretty funky smelling even after washing. The odors emanating from our laundry basket were so awful, that I would routinely have to rewash whole loads due to the horrible, residual stench. But even that didn’t work. Nothing was getting rid of the smell! Knowing I could not go on like this for another decade (my littlest is only 7), I made it my mission to find a detergent that works. I tested four detergents and/or detergent additives and have shared my opinions on them below. Hope it helps!

Product 1: FEBREZE IN-WASH ODOR ELIMINATOR

Febreze In-wash Odor Eliminator was the first thing I tried, and with fairly good results. You add this product to the detergent well along with your regular detergent, adjusting the amount depending on how stinky your clothes are. I assure you; I always used the maximum amount!

Pros: It did the trick maybe 85% of the time and didn’t leave an overly perfumey smell on the clothes.

Cons: There were still some clothes that had a lingering odor, at least some of the time. Also, unless I ordered it on-line (which, I didn’t like doing because of the impacts of shipping large, heavy things…my own issues, I admit), I had to buy it at Wal-Mart. I really, really dislike Wal-Mart, so every time I went, I would buy the store’s whole supply. I felt kind of silly with eight bottles of Odor Eliminator at check out! Plus, it’s not cheap ($8.84/50oz at Wal-Mart), especially since you have to buy it in addition to your regular detergent.

Overall Rating: B

Product 2:  IN-WASH SCENT BOOSTERS

In-Wash Scent Boosters are added directly to the washing drum with your laundry, again in the amount you deem necessary. There are numerous products like this on the market now, with each major brand having its own version in a variety of scents. I tried Downy UnStopables Fresh Scent.

Pros: These products are readily available at all major big box stores and supermarkets. And, if you like strong, flowery smelling laundry, this is the product for you. It definitely masked the nasty smells.

Cons: My biggest dislike about this product is the strong, artificial smell it left on my clothes. I’m kind of a toxic chemical freak, who believes that if you can smell your clothes from half way across the room, there are probably some synthetic, not-necessarily-good-for-you particles free floating in your environment**. Again, I may have some irrational issues with this kind of thing, so if this doesn’t bother you, go for it!

Downy Unstopables is available for purchase at Amazon.com.

**Meyer’s has an environmentally friendly version of this product that I have not had a chance to try yet.

Overall Rating: C

Product 3: WIN: HIGH PERFORMANCE SPORTS DETERGENT

WIN and WIN GREEN High Performance Sports Detergents are used in place of your regular detergent.

Pros: It really did the trick. I used this product exclusively on our laundry until the bottles ran out, and it left even our stinkiest clothes smelling normal, without any obnoxious, over-powering flowery smell. I also really like that it came in a Fragrance & Dye-Free version.

Cons: You can only buy it on-line and it’s not cheap. On Amazon, it’s $10.95/ 32 ounces, which works out to about 34 cents an ounce. If you compare this to a major brand like Tide, where you pay around 11 cents an ounce at WalMart, it’s pretty pricey, especially if you have a large family that creates a lot of laundry.

Another down side, though it may seem silly, is the cap. There are two caps on the bottle, a white one that keeps it closed, and a bigger, colored one for dispensing the liquid. Most detergent bottles have a dispensing cap system (a lip and well on both the cap and the bottle) that is designed to catch any remaining residual liquid back into the bottle with very little mess. Not so with this product. The cap is just a cap, slightly bigger than the neck of the bottle, so that when you go to put the cap back on after pouring the detergent into your machine, the remaining liquid pours out all over your hand and the bottle. For some reason, this really bugged me.

WIN Sports Detergent is available at Amazon.com.

Overall Rating: A-

Product 4: SWEATX SPORT

SweatX Sport was my favorite of the four products tested. Like the WIN above, this product replaces your regular detergent.

Pros: SweatX really got the smells out and left a fresher scent than the WIN without being artificial or overbearing. I started using this product in the summer, when we not only had to deal with sweaty clothes, but constantly damp ones due to continual use of our in ground pool. Kids, for some reason, are incapable of hanging wet clothes to dry, thus by the time I found suits and towels, they had been festering in damp heaps for who knows how long. The SweatX detergent was even good at tackling the resulting nasty mildewy smells in these loads.

Cons: The real drawback to this product is the price! It was, by far, the most expensive of the four. I bought mine at Dick’s Sporting Goods for $22.99 for a 45 oz. bottle. Yikes! That’s over 50 cents an ounce. You can get it slightly cheaper at Amazon, but not much.

And, regarding the cap (clearly an issue for me), it wasn’t bad. It doesn’t have a well like most major brands, but at least there isn’t a double cap system that makes no sense. Plus, the liquid in this product is much thinner than the WIN, so it pours back into the bottle a lot easier if any detergent is left over.

One last con, there is no dye/fragrance free version that I am aware of.

Overall Rating: A-

So, there you have it. Admittedly, I only tried four products, but feel I got a good sense of what was out there: products added with your detergent, products added directly in with the clothes, and detergent replacements. Unfortunately, the products that cost the most were the ones that did the best job. This is one area, however, at least for my family, where I feel like the money is worth it. I needed to rewash whole loads of clothes with my regular detergent, which wasted money, energy, and time. While I feel I need to use the odor-eliminating products on every load, you could make the bottles last longer if you only use it on select loads, like sweaty sports clothes.

A side note on liquid fabric softener:  I read somewhere that liquid fabric softener retains odors on clothes, especially synthetic wicking fabrics. This seemed counter-intuitive to me, since my fabric softener has a really nice lavender scent, but I decided to test run a few loads without it.  I have noticed the laundry odor is not as strong since I’ve stopped using it, even if I don’t use any special odor-eliminating products.

As an alternative to ward off static, I’ve started using wool dryer balls, which seems to do the trick. And, as an added bonus, you can add your favorite essential oils directly to the balls to further improve your laundry’s potential! The balls are re-useable, all-natural and chemical-free…win-win-win!  You can find them at Amazon.com.

If there are any effective odor-eliminating products I’ve missed, or you have any other suggestions for improving laundry odors, please leave a comment. Thanks!

Feeling more than a little worked at Forest Hill (mile 62). Photo – Sue Henry

by David Henry

As I write this, it has been just a little over 3 weeks since I dropped out of the 2015 Western States 100 at mile 78.  I wanted to let things sink in a bit before writing some thoughts about things I learned through the experience; I now feel ready to do so.

I’m not looking to provide a recap of the race per se, but instead want to focus on some of the lessons learned.  However, to set the context, I’ll provide a brief little overview of the day.

First, the buildup to the race had gone really well physically, especially when compared to my buildup to the Bighorn 100 last year (read my Bighorn race report here).  In the 6 weeks of training (before tapering) for Western, all but one week involved 11 hrs or more of running (compared to pre-Bighorn with only 2 of the last 6 weeks of training being 11 hrs+). The final week included running 13 hrs (83 mi) with 14k total of vert, including a 30 mile, 7k ft vert long run at the end of that week (I felt very strong on that one).

An additional big difference from last year was that I included at least one uptempo day each week. In my peak week I did a 30′ tempo on Wed at 6:15 pace, which was faster than I had done my tempos leading up to my first Boston Marathon Qualifier (3:03) this February. I then ran the 30 mi long run on Friday, only two days later. I took my ability to do this as a good sign that I was not overtrained volume-wise, and I was feeling fit and confident that my goal of a sub 24 hour Western States was not unrealistic if I executed well on race day.

Travel to the Tahoe Lake area went as well as it could for a 10 hour drive in 100+ deg temps with the full family (wife, 3 kids 6 yo and under). Plus, my wife’s youngest sister came along to help with the kids. We camped up at 9000 ft at the Mount Rose campground east of Tahoe on Wednesday night, then enjoyed a fairly relaxed day in Tahoe on Thursday. Friday was a hot, and slightly less relaxed, pre-race day that included check-in and a pre-race meeting.  Race morning came quickly with a 3:30ish wake-up to brew some coffee and get to the Olympic Village by 4:30 to check in and be ready for the 5:00 am race start.

Awaiting the start with my brother (middle) and Dad (right). Photo – Sue Henry

Ready to head out! Plenty warm even at 5:00 am and an elevation of 6200ft; foreshadowing of the heat to come.  Photo – Sue Henry

The rest of the race basically went like this: Warm early morning temps made for only a couple hours before things started to feel pretty hot (as early as mile 16 if I remember correctly).  I was already soaking myself in water at Duncan Canyon aid station at mile 24 (and every creek or aid station thereafter), and even ran out of water for 30 minutes from Duncan to Robinson despite taking 1.5 liters with me for a 5 mile section.

Coming in to Robinson Flat (mile 30) already hot and a little behind on water. Photo – Sue Henry

Running out of water led me to take some extra time at Robinson to get re-hydrated, cooled off, and back on the right track.  Regardless of taking the necessary time and steps, I still felt somewhat nauseous for the following 2-3 hours from Robinson, something I’ve never experienced in my running up until that point.  I kept drinking tons of water, eating gels nearly every 30 mins, and supplementing the cooling effort with ice in my hat and the back of my inov-8 Race Ultra vest.  By the Last Chance aid (mi 43) I felt back on track nutritionally, and no more nausea. However, my legs were feeling much more beat up than I’d hoped at that point.

The descent down to Deadwood Canyon was much steeper than I expected, but I really enjoyed it, and caught a handful of people on it. The climb up to Devil’s Thumb, however, was a slog and probably the hottest point in the day for me.  I sat in a chair at Devil’s Thumb longer than I care to admit, but eventually made my way out feeling like things were unraveling pretty quickly, and I wasn’t entirely sure why.  The descent down to El Dorado Creek (mi 53) went pretty smooth, and things were feeling better on the climb up to Michigan Bluff than they had up to Devil’s Thumb.  My spirits were lifted running Bath Rd (mi ~60ish) to Forest Hill (mi 62) with my dad, and I got to see my family in Forest Hill.

My awesome family/crew taking care of me as I got into Forest Hill. The kids had all kinds of questions and were filling me in about their day. Photo – Sue Henry

Ready to see what I could do on Cal Street. Photo – Alyssa Henry

It had been quite the effort to make it to Forest Hill, but I was feeling good about getting to the smoother terrain on Cal Street (miles 62-78) with my brother. He had been working in Japan temporarily, and flew back just to pace me at Western States. We took off down Cal Street after I changed shoes, and we were moving pretty well for the first 8 miles or so. Unfortunately, the wheels came off hard somewhere around mile 70, and I was literally reduced to a walk for the final 8 miles to the river. I felt that I didn’t have it in me to continue forward in that state. All of my family, as well as the aid station volunteers, were so gracious and encouraging, but I had reached the limit of what I had prepared to handle on that day.  I felt significantly more beat up at mile 78 than I did at the end of Bighorn last year.

Three weeks post race, my recovery has been much quicker than after Bighorn, and I have suffered no injury issues from the race. For a while after the race I was left scratching my head thinking, “Did I just wuss out before I truly was done?” “Would things have come around if I had just kept walking for who knows how long?” “Was I not fit enough?” “Did I not manage the conditions well enough, or pace right?”  After three weeks, my answer to these is generally “No.”  I feel that I truly gave all I had come to give on the day, was the most fit I’ve ever been, probably wouldn’t have come around significantly (although I still wonder :) ), and managed the heat and pace just fine.  What was the problem then?  Here is my take-away at this point:

1. 100 milers are stupid hard!  This may be an obvious point, but I think given that I’m relatively inexperienced in long mountain races, and Bighorn (my 1st 100) went so well last year, I assumed that being more fit overall going into Western, it would go just as well (if not better) than Bighorn.  I was not even considering a fight to just finish the race. I spent my time and energy in training focusing on being fit enough to run sub 24, and figured I’d still be able to jog things in even if it went poorly.  I won’t go into another 100 as unprepared for a really hard day as I was for Western.  Chances are it is going to feel very hard at some point regardless of how things are going time-wise, and best to be mentally prepared for everything.

2. Mental preparation for the effort required is more important than physical.  I was physically quite fit, but mentally pictured a smooth sailing day till at least Forest Hill, then figured I’d have the ability/fitness to get it done in those last 38 miles.  Turned out I was behind pace starting quite early, and the suffering started much sooner than I expected, thus leading to feeling maxed out in my capacity to suffer by the time I staggered into the mile 78 aid.  I need to work out my “mental muscle” much more pre-100 with harder buildup races and long runs so that I’m adequately prepared for the effort required on race day.  Training and racing leading up to Western had gone well, but I hadn’t suffered much, consequently my mind wasn’t as fit come race day.

3. Goals are great and completely necessary, but I got them in wrong order.  I had the goal of a sub 24 hr finish and figured if that didn’t work then surely I’d get it in shortly after 24 hours.  In 100 milers especially, I now see the need to prioritize the finish first above everything else (everybody always says that too!), being prepared to take the full time allotted if necessary. Then, if it goes well, great, but if not, at least you are prepared to do what it takes to finish.  Even though I would have been just as disappointed with myself for a finish longer than 24 hours, I had the big realization that my crew/family (especially my wife/kids) would have been much happier with a finish! They could care much less for the time goals and expectations I had, and were more interested in seeing me enjoy the experience and complete the race. There is something very hollow feeling about coming away from a race without finishing when so many people gave up their time and energy to support you.  I won’t go to another 100 miler without being prepared to do everything possible to finish (aside from serious injury).  I owe it to those who support me to do that, and I can wrestle with the disappointment of not reaching my goals during the recovery after the race.

4. Western States is much more mountainous/difficult than most of the ultra media/race reports portray.  This one surprised me, and it would have helped to have had some course knowledge prior to the race.  I had heard/read that Western Sates is a faster course compared to other mountain 100s (like Bighorn for ex.), and it has even been given the nickname of the “Track Meet” by Karl Meltzer in past years.  Consequently, I tailored my training and build-up races to include more gradual, runnable grades and faster miles than I had in the past for mountain races.  I felt I was actually sacrificing the type of training I prefer (more mountainous) to be better prepared for Western.  Turns out, the first 62 miles are pretty dang mountainous and rough, just as much or more so than Bighorn or many other mountain races I’ve run.  The first 30 miles is at an average of 7500 ft elevation, and is quite rocky, which didn’t allow for a flowing stride for much of it.  Then the heat really kicks in and never lets up, even at night (whereas at Bighorn it was 85 in the day, which at 8000 ft felt pretty hot like Western, it dropped to 45-50 deg at night…due to the downhill nature of Western, it was still 80+ at 2 am when I dropped).

5. The canyons are for real!  They were some of the most inhospitable terrain I’ve ever run in, and were truly one of the highlights of the day as in “I can’t believe I’m running down into this desolate canyon in 90+ degree heat after having run 45 tough miles.” Most of us would never subject ourselves to those conditions in any other circumstance!  Going forward, I’d never describe Western as a faster race, even though the front guys run it ridiculously fast.  I’d describe it as a mountainous 100k followed by 38 smoother miles that you hope you can still run when you get to them.  Unless you are Rob Krar or the few other folks near the front, you are not going to be moving super quick come Cal Street.

6. Prioritize staying positive and joyful for as long as possible.  I never got super negative, and I tried to encourage all the runners I came across. I thanked all the aid station folks that I could, but I also didn’t do enough to keep the positivity as high as possible.  I went into slog mode too early, and stayed there too long!  Because 100s are so long, and our human capacity to endure (while significantly greater than we think) is limited, it is critical to stay positive and enjoy the race as long as possible because it will eventually extract a small piece of your soul by the end :)!  One common theme you see in successful 100 mile runners from all spectrums of finish times is an almost delusional positivity throughout their racing and running despite the ridiculously difficult nature of the tasks involved.  I believe this is critical to success in these long events, especially if one wants to do them on a sustainable level for any length of time.

A major highlight from the day running with my kids out of Forest Hill. They don’t get to come to most of my races and I really enjoyed seeing them out there. Big props to my wife for all the effort it took the other 23 hrs 58 mins of that day! Photo – Alyssa Henry

Thanks for reading. I’m planning on taking a redemptive crack at another 100 miler in September at the IMTUF 100 in Idaho and hopefully I’ve have taken my own advice to heart by then!

Happy trails – David.

The 119th running of the prestigious Boston Marathon ended recently, and needless to say the field was full of very fast runners. A good friend of mine finished in 2:59:50, though if I put his amazing time in perspective, the winner of the men’s race, Lelisa Desisa of Ethiopia, broke the tape in 2:09:17. This is fifty minutes quicker.

Two days before the marathon, thousands of runners also participated in the Boston Athletic Association (BAA) 5K race. Ben True finished the men’s race first with a jaw dropping time of 13:22; Molly Huddle finished the women’s race first with a time of 14:50. Huddle and True are both sponsored by Saucony.

As it turns out, another buddy of mine, who previously worked for Big Peach Running Company and is now employed by Saucony, also competed in the BAA 5K. He finished the 3.1 mile course in 14:51. To put his accomplishment into perspective, he finished in 15th place overall in a crowd of 8,892 runners. Wow is an understatement.

In contrast to these athletes, I recently completed a half marathon in 1:32:09 (which translates to a 7:02 mile pace). Though I’m happy with this finish time as it was a humid morning in Georgia, I believe it serves as an effective framework for pointing out how the word “fast” has great variation from runner to runner. Numerous people come into the store (Big Peach) for shoes and remark on how they are not fast or are not a runner.

Frankly, I’m asking myself more and more these days what fast truly means. I would say that my buddy who finished the BAA 5K in 14:51 is fast, along with my friend who completed the marathon below three hours; these guys might say that Ben True and Molly Huddle are wicked fast; we would all agree in unison that Usain Bolt is fast, perhaps the fastest man alive. Would Bolt nominate someone, or would he simply own that statement outright? I believe he can own it – for now at least. Is Bolt’s successor coming one day?

Fast should also be considered in the context of distance. Consider Usain Bolt again. As a sprinter in track races, he’s very hard to beat. How would he fare in a half marathon though, or a full marathon? Men like Meb Keflezighi, Lelisa Desisa, or Robert Kiprono Cheruiyot may have him beat on the 26.2 mile course.

Consider these words from John Bingham: “If you run, you are a runner. It doesn’t matter how fast or how far. It doesn’t matter if today is your first day or if you’ve been running for twenty years. There is no test to pass, no license to earn, no membership card to get. You just run.” Bingham summarizes the simple art of running so well: “You just run.”

Though I’m unlikely to ever beat Ben True, Molly Huddle, or my Boston buddies, I can continue to improve my own speed. Every runner can become faster, and the way to do this comes down to one word – practice. And more practice. Think mile repeats; tempo runs; fartlek workouts; 400 repeats; 800 repeats and more. Fast begets faster. Incorporate speed work every seven to ten days to improve form, foot turnover, and that trusty finishing kick for upcoming races.

Though most runs are usually (or should be) done at an easy pace, there’s nothing like the thrill of a race. A crowded field of other runners stir up the energy level to heighten the moment the horn or starting pistol is sounded. I suppose that in this moment of the ringing sound and pistol smoke filling the air, the immortal words of legendary stock car driver Ricky Bobby capture the feeling of every runner stepping forward in anticipation: “I wanna go fast!” Go fast then.

Yesterday I went for a seven mile run. Nothing too special about that, but it was the first really hot day we’ve had this year in New Hampshire. The temperature was 89 degrees Fahrenheit when I checked after the run, and it was fairly humid. After a frigidly cold winter, my northern blood was definitely unprepared for a run in these conditions.

To top things off, I didn’t bring any water. “It’s only seven miles”, I told myself. I ran eight just a few days before and had no issues.

The splits in the table at the top of the post tell the tale of this one. I went out easy for mile one, then settled into my comfortable pace by mile three. That’s about when things started to fall apart. My legs were dead, and the heat radiating up from the asphalt was getting to me. I started feeling lightheaded. It was time to walk for a bit.

The second half of the run was a walk-run slog. At times I could barely manage two minutes of running before I needed a walk break. I briefly thought about calling my wife to come pick me up. It was truly ugly.

When I got home I had goosebumps all over my skin, and my mouth way sticky and dry. My kids were in the yard splashing around in the kiddie pool – they’re much smarter than me (and I wound up in there with them after some water and a bit of recovery)!

In checking the my activity feed on Strava, I saw a few others who had similar issues to me. I saw one run posted with splits that were almost identical to mine – a dramatic slowdown in the second half of a run. Yet others seemed to handle the heat ok. I’ve always wondered if I’m particularly sensitive to heat for some reason. It seems to take me a long time to acclimate, and I always seem to have a run like this in the Spring where I feel like dying.

Some year maybe I’ll ease into Spring/Summer heat with short runs where I carry cold water. That would be the wise approach. Maybe next year I’ll get it right? Or maybe I’ll just be writing this post again next Spring. If nothing else, I hope this helps you to be smarter than me – respect the heat!

I met Sarah Canney back in August 2012 at a running workshop that I taught along with my friend and co-worker Brett Coapland. At the time, Sarah was 8-months pregnant with her second child, and she’s the first and only near full-term pregnant runner I have ever captured in a slow motion gait video. Sarah had a goal of running a 3:30 marathon the Spring following the birth of her son, but she revised her plans and opted to run the Big Lake Half Marathon in Alton, NH instead due to setbacks encountered in her return to running (she discusses her regrets about her approach to returning to running below).

Sarah left her job teaching high-school English to be a full-time stay-at-home mom in 2012, and she now coaches runners and writes about running and life on her blog, Run Far Girl. She’s also written extensively on her experience of running during pregnancy and post-partum. I’ve long been wanting to publish a post on the topic of running during pregnancy (and for obvious reasons I can’t speak from experience on this one!), and Sarah was thus the first person I thought of to ask about tackling the subject.

Here goes!

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your running history.

I started running shortly after my freshman year of college. I was looking for a way to be active and find a competitive outlet; I had played basketball in high school and at the AAU level. The first race I trained for was the Maine Marathon in 2003. It was a “bucket list” thing. I thought I’d do one and be done (we all know how that goes). In preparation I ran a local 5K and 10K and placed first in my age group in each race. At that point I was hooked.

I didn’t really race or run seriously for about three years from 2007-2010, then re-entered the running scene in 2010 after my daughter Sophia was a year old. I PR’d in every distance in 2010-11 and then ran through my pregnancy with Jack in 2012. Last year and this spring have been my most successful running seasons to date and I have a few overall wins under my belt now.

You have two children – did you run through both pregnancies?

I do have two little ones, Sophia is 4 and Jack is 22 months.

During my first pregnancy I ran very little. I was just coming off a time (two years) of not racing or running more than three or four miles at a time. During my pregnancy I mostly used the elliptical and did weight training. I ran up until about seven months, while pregnant with Sophia, but never more than three miles.

With Jack things were different. The year prior to my pregnancy with him I had started training more seriously and had just PR’d in the marathon with a time of 3:48. Nothing stellar, but after a few disappointing races I was pleased with my time and was eager to train for a Boston qualifying time (Sarah earned her BQ in May of this year). When I found out I was pregnant with Jack I was running about 40-45 miles a week. My mileage immediately dropped to about 25-30 miles a week as I battled nausea and general fatigue that comes with early pregnancy.

For most of my pregnancy with Jack my mileage hovered around 25-30 miles a week. I also ran a few races while pregnant: a 5K at 16 weeks, a half marathon at 21 weeks, a 5 miler at 26 weeks and another 5K at 28 weeks. My last run was a four mile run three days before Jack’s due date.

I will add though, that after my pregnancy with Sophia I noticed that I leaked on occasion while I ran–something I’d never experienced before. This slowly went away after about a year. But it immediately returned when I started running during my pregnancy with Jack. The incontinence was due to a weakened pelvic floor (which I didn’t know about at the time) and laxity in the muscles due to hormonal changes.

In your personal experience, what was the hardest part about running during pregnancy?

I think the hardest part of running through pregnancy is learning to listen to and adapt to your bodies’ limitations. One of the first things I noticed early on in pregnancy was an increased shortness of breath. It can feel frustrating early on in pregnancy, especially in the first few weeks when nothing else has really changed, to feel completely out of breath at a pace that would normally be easy.

As pregnancy progresses running becomes more uncomfortable. And probably the biggest annoyance is that feeling of constantly having to use the bathroom. But that’s pretty much par for the course for every pregnant woman, not just those who run.

You wrote a post titled “I wish I hadn’t run during pregnancy.” Can you explain why?

I was very eager to return to running after Jack’s birth in September, 2012. My goal was to run a spring marathon and BQ. I ran during my pregnancy with him in hopes of maintaining some sort of fitness (also because running is an outlet for stress and is really my “me” time), so that a return to training postpartum would be (in theory) less difficult.

My first run after having Jack was at three weeks postpartum. I felt good and had been given the OK by my midwife to go for a run. The run was a success (and by that I mean there was no leaking). I ran the next day and continued to run the remainder of the week. By the fourth or fifth day I had a feeling of laxity in the pelvic area and was experiencing leaking/incontinence. At that point I realized I’d done too much too soon.

When I returned to my midwife she recommended I see a women’s health physical therapist. After my initial assessment I realized that if I hadn’t stopped when I did, I could have done quite a bit of damage (possibly a prolapsed bladder requiring surgery). I took four weeks completely off from running and spent those weeks in physical therapy. I didn’t really return to running until about 12 weeks postpartum. And at that point my physical therapist advised me against marathon training.

My pelvic floor wasn’t strong enough or recovered enough to run in the way that I wanted to run–which was frustrating. But after that initial assessment and conversation with the physical therapist I realized that I really had been uneducated about the risk of prolapse and the importance of pelvic floor, hip and core strength when it comes to running during pregnancy. I think that often runners assume that we are in great shape because we can bang out a ten mile run. What I realized is that there were areas of weakness and imbalance in my body that had been severely strained as I ran through pregnancy.

For a pregnant woman (especially one who already has children) time and energy are limited; I wish I had focused more of my time and energy on strengthening my body and using pregnancy as a chance to focus on correcting weakness and imbalance rather than simply running.

If you had to give advice on running to other women who are pregnant or are planning on trying to have children, what would be the key things you would suggest they consider?

I think the most important thing is to be assessed by a physical therapist who specializes in women’s health. In many instances (at least this is my personal experience and the feedback I’ve received from many readers) doctors and midwives aren’t always up to date on the latest information regarding pelvic floor health as it relates to running during pregnancy. An assessment by a PT can yield a lot of helpful information regarding weakness and imbalance that may be exacerbated by running during pregnancy. The more you can prevent the better.

I’ve had hundreds of comments on my post; a large majority are from women who have not been able to return to running after pregnancy–and this is after physical therapy and often surgery. It seems to me that there is a growing trend of the “uber fit” pregnancy. It’s a trend that can lead to women feeling pressure to stay active even if their body or doctor is telling them otherwise. I would encourage women to be informed about their own bodies and to not buy-in to fear of losing fitness. Yes, there will be fitness loss, but ultimately you want to be in a place postpartum where you can solidly begin building your fitness. You don’t want to have to deal with setbacks where you’re in PT because you did too much too late into your pregnancy or too much too soon after your delivery.

How about post-partum running? What were the biggest challenges, and what advice do you have for others?

I think the biggest challenge is holding back.

In my opinion it is important to wait the six weeks that doctors traditionally advise. After speaking with my physical therapist she outlined what happens with the muscles, fascia and tissue during that time. That six week recommendation is not antiquated – it is necessary to allow your body to recover. It can be frustrating to feel “ready” to run; but know that on a cellular level things still need time to strengthen and rebuild.

I would advise not setting any time sensitive running goals until after that six week period. And even then I’ve noticed that I don’t fully feel myself until about 9 to 12 months postpartum. And of course every woman is different, be aware of what your needs are and don’t compare yourself with what others have done.

Anything else you’d like to share?

If I were to go through it all again, I probably would run during pregnancy. As most runners know, it’s hard to live without running. I would say even more so now as a mom than before: I need that me-time. However, I would approach it very differently.

I think I’d approach running during pregnancy as a chance to work on areas where I was weak. I’d maybe focus on form drills, core and hip strength and other elements that can still improve my running without me actually running. And maybe I’d run less often and try to incorporate complementary activities like spinning. And I’d probably stop when running became uncomfortable, rather than pushing through later and later into the pregnancy.

My return to running would also look very different. It would probably start with a postpartum PT assessment, that way I’d be informed of my bodies’ current weaknesses and be able to plan my return to running accordingly. And I’d try not to feel like I had something to prove, bringing life into this world is a pretty substantial feat in and of itself.

For more from Sarah Canney, check out her blog Run Far Girl.

I had 8 miles on my schedule, but honestly had not thought to look at the weather report this morning. I was working in my air-conditioned office at the clinic all day and never stepped outside. Around 2:30 I decided to head out for my run. When I stepped outside it felt pretty warm, not oppressively hot, but warm. My plan was to run a bit over a mile to a trail head, then do 4-5 miles on some tough trails, and finish with about 3 miles on the road back to the office.

About a quarter mile into the run I realized that it was indeed pretty hot, and that I had not brought along any water. “It’s only 8 miles” I told myself, not a big deal. That was the moment that I crossed the line into stupid-land.

I made it to the trailhead without incident, then had fun running the switchbacks up and down the hills through the woods. It was cooler under the trees, but it was tough going and I did notice that my mouth was getting really dry. But I was determined to get in the full eight miles. Another dumb decision.

I emerged from the forest around mile 5, and once I hit the asphalt I started to feel weak. For the next two miles I had no tree cover and I was baking in the sun. My legs felt completely fried, and it was a struggle to not walk. I was dying for some water, though I was still sweating plenty and did not feel dehydrated. Fortunately at mile 7 I reached a local park and found a water fountain. I drank a bunch, poured a bunch more over my head and legs, and managed to struggle through another mile and a half to get back to the office. I had absolutely nothing left, my legs didn’t want to move.

When I got in my car to head home the thermometer said that it was 88 degrees out. It was probably hotter where the direct sun was radiating off the asphalt. I honestly had no idea that it was that hot, but it explains a lot. That’s by far the hottest it has been so far this year in NH. For the next few hours I felt light-headed, occasionally dizzy, and weak. I had to leave the dinner table to go lie down. My legs felt shaky.

My wife told me that she was going to call me and warn me about how hot it was, but she thought I’d scoff and tell her I knew it was hot and that I’d be careful. I wish she had called, because I really had no idea and it would have at least prompted me to take water. She’s the more sensible one in this relationship.

I like to think that I continue to make stupid training decisions so that I can write about them here and tell others how to avoid doing the stupid things that I do. Today I was not smart, and I paid the price. It could have been worse – I probably would have had to walk the final mile if I hadn’t found the water fountain. I don’t think I’ve ever had full-blown heat exhaustion, but I may have come close today.

I’ll chalk this up as yet another reminder to me that I need to pay attention to the conditions outside as the weather continues to get warmer. A few weeks ago I flirted with dehydration, today it was over-exertion in the heat. Both made for pretty miserable runs.

So the take-home message here: Be smart, adjust your training schedule or run time if possible, and if you do decide to run when the heat is oppressive at least be smart enough to go really easy and bring some water.

In the past I’ve used YakTrax Pro cleats in cases where a bit of extra traction is needed. These are the standard YakTrax with the metal coils underfoot. They’ve always worked well, but the consistent complaint I hear about them is that the rubber bands inside the coils are prone to snapping, which renders them useless. I don’t use mine except when there is a layer of snow on the ground, so they don’t come out often, and never on bare asphalt. As such, I have never broken a pair, but I can see how durability would be a concern.

A few weeks ago YakTrax contacted me about trying their YakTrax Run cleats (Disclosure: Yaktrax provided the product reviewed here free of charge as a media sample). We’ve had a few decent storms so far this winter, so I’ve now taken them out a few times and feel comfortable commenting on their performance.

The big difference between the YakTrax Pro and YakTrax Run is that on the latter the coils under the forefoot are replaced by two studded rubber and plastic plates. The studs are made of carbide steel and the plates they are attached to are removable – apparently the stud plates can be purchased independently for replacement if needed (they seem to be hard to find, Amazon is out of stock). The studs are short enough that they don’t feel uncomfortable when you hit a patch of bare asphalt (feels kind of like running in a Newton shoe), and long enough that they dig in well on bare ice. I tend to load more under my midfoot to forefoot, and I found traction on ice and plowed (yet still snow covered) road to be very good.

The heel of the YakTrax Run retains the familiar coils from other models, and I find these do a better job in deeper snow. A good portion of my run today was on sidewalks covered by about 4-5 inches of light, fresh powder. Once packed down the forefoot studs aren’t deep enough to help much, so I found myself aiming more for my heel to provide traction. It’s tough to get good traction on fresh powder over ice, and I managed to not fall over the course of 3.5 miles. I did slip a few times, and if deep, fresh powder is a regular condition for you there might be better options out there (have not tried them myself, but I’ve heard good things about the Kahtoola Microspikes for when more extreme traction is needed).

It’s hard to comment on durability as I’ve only used these twice so far (I typically only use Yaktrax a handful of times each winter when storms hit), but in a quick perusal of reviews on Amazon I did not see a large number of complaints about them breaking (there were a few, maybe 2-3 out of 24 reviews). My tactic when encountering a short stretch of bare asphalt is to focus on a forefoot landing and avoid direct contact on the coils, hopefully this will keep them in good shape (the ability to do this is an advantage of the Run model over the YakTrax Pro). I would assume that if you have a pair and they break, YakTrax will replace them under warranty if you contact them within 90 days (should cover a winter of use – they are clear to say that these are not to be used on bare asphalt or concrete). I’d guess most retailers would also exchange a pair that breaks prematurely (Zappos carries them and they are typically great with returns).

Overall I found that the YakTrax Run did a pretty good job for the conditions I encounter on roads and sidewalks during or after a snowstorm. They are great on icy surfaces and snow-covered, plowed road, and decent in fresh snow as long as it’s not too deep. My runs are not suited to a spikier traction device so the Kahtoola Microspikes are not something I’d really need, but for occasional traction needs encountered by a road runner in winter they function well.

For do-it-your-selfers, you could also try screwing your shoes (get your head out of the gutter!) – my buddy Sam recently did this with a pair of Hokas and some Ice Spikes, and I’ve done it with La Sportiva Hobnails. It’s also possible to just use some sheet metal screws from a hardware store – minimallyshoddy recently wrote about screwing his Skoras, that’s a risky proposition!

Where to buy – YakTrax Run cleats are available for purchase at Amazon.com and at Zappos.

On Tuesday I went for a run in a snowstorm. The flakes were coming down pretty steadily, the roads and sidewalks were completely snow-covered, and the temperature when I left was 13 degrees Fahrenheit (my wife had run early in the morning when it was -11F!). Aside from having an incredibly fun run, I spent some time (as I often do while running) contemplating post topics related to running in winter. This is the first post in what may or not be a series on the topic, we’ll see (and if you have any winter running topics you’d like covered, leave a comment!).

I’m a huge fan of running tights, and I’m not afraid to admit that. I’m also very picky about my tights. I find that some irritate my ankles due to the material use to prevent them from riding up, others don’t fit quite right and tend to ride down from the waist (what’s the running equivalent of a plumbers crack?). A comfortable, good fitting pair of tights is like gold. My favorite is an old pair of Nike tights I bought at Dick’s Sporting Goods a few years ago (don’t even know the model – they look kind of like the one’s in the photo above but have no zipper at the ankle) – the material is soft, they don’t ride up or down, and the fit is perfect.

One issue I have though is that when it’s cold and windy, none of the tights I own do a good job of, how do I say this, shielding the man parts. Guys, you know what I’m talking about if you live in the northern part of the world.

An ongoing debate when it comes to running tights is whether or not to wear shorts over the tights. Probably the most common reason for wanting to do this is modesty. Let’s face it, tights can be a bit revealing, and I’ll admit that there are times when I have opted for the shorts on top route for this reason (like when I used to run on the college campus in winter). But, I’m also not averse to going sans shorts in other situations.

Putting the modesty rationale aside, I will point out a situation when I feel shorts over tights is warranted, and that has to do with the problem mentioned above. Wearing only tights when it’s really cold and windy can lead to some major discomfort down there. The post-run bladder empty is much like pouring hot tea through a popsicle. Not fun.

Putting on a pair of running shorts with the liner removed over my tights usually does enough to block the wind and keep things nice and toasty. Problem solved! This is only really necessary when it’s about 20F or below, but it seems to work pretty well.

I’d love to try a pair of tights where the fabric over the peecicle is reinforced with GORE Windstopper fabric (I’d like to emphasize that this post is not sponsored by GORE or any other company). I’m wondering if this would solve the shorts or no shorts over tights dilemma in the cold. I didn’t realize such things existed until I was about to hit publish on the post and I thought it might be worth doing a quick Google search. Anybody tried something like this, are they worth the price?

Stay warm men! (and women, do you have this problem? I honestly don’t know!)