Okay, I admit my bias in this article because the majority of my friends are indeed runners. Nevertheless, I really do think runners are the best friends to have, except for really generous and rich friends. However, those friends are hard to find while  runners are really easy to make friends with, because all you have to say is, “wanna go on a run sometime?” Then on this run they may tell you about a time they peed/crapped their p

ants while running. What gets you closer to someone faster then sharing embarrassing, personal stories about bodily functions? Nothing, except maybe seeing 98% of their legs. That is assuming they wear split shorts, and they may not, but I am an advocate of men in split shorts. Stay tuned for a split short blog, because they are deserving of their own spotlight.

Its also nice to have someone who won’t be annoyed if you have to make plans around your running schedule. Friends who try to encourage you to not run are the worst. Real friends don’t do that. Better yet, scheduling a run with a friend is great time management because you can accomplish your socializing and your workout for the day in one shot.

Runner friends will let you complain about your injuries, and relate with sympathy and encouragement.  They know what shin splints are and how bad IT band syndrome really hurts and don’t assume you are just a pansy. Although some runners are pansies, but they can still make for good friends. Runner friends encourage you by saying things like “suck it up” or “HTFU”, which can make you a stronger person.

Often times a runner friend is someone who you can eat a large amount of calories with sans judgement. Even if they don’t participate in the consumption of all these calories and only observe it, they do so without looking at you like you are a glutton on the verge of a heart attack.

Depending on the closeness of the friendship, a runner friend might help you stretch out really tight, hard to get muscles; or even massage tight spots. My friends have dug their elbows into my gluteus many a times. They are less likely to care if you show up a little stinky or slightly disheveled, looking less than your best in running clothes. Finally, racing can be so much more fun with a friend by your side at the start line, and throwing around high fives at the finish.

There you have it, a pretty solid argument for why runners are the best friends. Hopefully, we can all be a little more thankful for the runners we have in our lives. If you don’t have many runner friends, come by our 700 East store’s free running group Saturday mornings at 8am. All paces are welcome and the running route has an option for varying distances.

I will share what I have learned through my experiences to motivate and encourage you. Winter is the perfect time of year to start training. Plus, you will have a whole group behind you to keep you accountable and make the long runs fun. We will enjoy the great outdoors, make new friends, meet and exceed our goals and make this a great year.

I was able to discover my passion for running and athletics at a very young age, which has given me the opportunity to enjoy and learn so much through hard work, consistent training, and amazing races. I have completed 7 half marathons, 3 marathons, 28 triathlons and has coached several swim teams. Through my experiences I have learned the value of honest hard work. Nothing is more important than sticking to your training, listening to your coach, asking questions and soaking up as much fun as you can.

Salt Lake Running co.’s half marathon training schedule will start Saturday January 14^th with a 3 mile group run, and will end with a spring half marathon of your choice. Training doesn’t have to end with the race. Running is a lifestyle, and my goal through this program is to help you catch on to running, to train efficiently so that you will enjoy it and make it a part of your life. A half marathon is a great goal, it’s a huge goal, but it is absolutely attainable. Everyone has the ability to do it; sometimes it just takes a little coaching to bring out the confidence in yourself and see what you are really capable of.

I am honored to have this opportunity and I am excited to be your coach!  I hope to meet you Tuesday January 10^th at our Launch Party/Information meeting.

Until then, happy running!

Linnley

Hi, I’m Deveree. I’ve been running for 8 years. I originally started to run as a way to lose the “freshman 15” I gained during my first year of college, but I quickly fell in love with the sport. I still remember the day I completed 1 mile without stopping to walk!  In 2006, after casually running for 2 years, I joined a local marathon training group and started training for the St. George marathon. At that point I had never run more than 5 miles, so every week’s long run was a huge accomplishment for me. After completing the 26 week training program, I crossed the finish line in 3:57. It was such a great feeling! The actual marathon itself was amazing, but even more amazing was the people I met and the experience I had training with the running group. I loved it and knew that I wouldn’t have had such a great race had I trained on my own.

In 2007 I trained with the group again, and then in 2009 and 2010 I coached for the group. Last year when SLRC was looking for a coach for their winter half marathon training group I jumped at the chance. Besides my experience with coaching running groups, I have a Master’s Degree in Health Promotion and Education. I absolutely love promoting health and wellness to others, so training with other people and watching runners fulfill their goals throughout these training groups is the perfect way to do that. 2011’s training group was a huge success and I’m so excited to be back again this year!

See you soon!

Deveree

A few years ago I recognized I was creating a dysfunctional routine that was sabotaged my fun. Every winter I would get excited about the upcoming racing and training season so I would begin to plan my schedule before the holidays so I could hit the New Year already “on track”. In December I would develop these grand plans about how I was going to squeeze every available workout in every possible minute. In my head these ideas seemed very doable; all it would take is controlling my time and staying on schedule.

It took a few years of repeating the same pattern until I started to notice a trend. I wasn’t a robot that could constantly follow the “ideal schedule” (life tends to throw things in our way) and more importantly, I would get burnt out by mid to late February and be totally bored of trying to squeeze everything in. It was starting to feel like a second or third job and the joy was gone.

With this in mind I made some changes that have definitely helped.

• Anchor workouts: I now create a schedule for myself that has “anchors” at certain times of day that I KNOW I can do. This provides me the foundation of structure and makes sure I have specific hours of training time per week no matter what. These keep me motivated.
• Rigid Flexibility: I schedule these secondary workouts day by day but know they can be done anytime during the week. Sometimes even after the anchor workout.
• Holiday festivities and food: I do not worry about what I’m eating or what kind of weight I’m gaining from Thanksgiving through to New Years day. As long as I am committed to training all year, I can enjoy the fun for 5 weeks out of the year.

• Timing: If I have a 6am workout planned and I need to get to get up at 5am, I MUST get to bed around 9-9:30pm, which means setting my phone to go off at 8:45 as a reminder to wrap up the evening.
• Lunch: Because I feel quality food is so important to health and performance, I try and either take my lunch every day or coordinate a healthy restaurant to eat that I can call ahead to pick up something after my lunch swim. This means preparing the food either the previous weekend or planning what I’ll need and getting it from the grocery store the night before.
• It’s worth it: Yes, it’s a bit of a hassle having to throw 3 bags over my shoulder every morning (lunch, work backpack, swim bag) but it pays big dividends long term and many times can be the difference between getting to work out in or missing it because the hunger pangs redirected my brain.

I’ll post a few podcast links on my Facebook page next week that can help you get more ideas for time savers, scheduling and your training. I would also recommend www.runtri.com and the book “Qualifying for Kona” by Raymond Britt. He does a nice job of breaking down how get the most out of your day.

As always, let me know your thoughts.

Dr. Michael Cerami is an avid runner, cyclist and triathlete. He is available for a no charge consultation one Saturday per month at The Salt Lake Running Company (Salt Lake store) by appointment. He can be reached at 801-486-1818 or online at www.utahsportsandwellness.com

****Dr. Cerami will be at Salt Lake Running Co on 700 east on Saturday Jan 14th 2012 Please call 801-484-9144 to schedule and appointment.

Congratulations, you’ve made it through another year. Are you where you hoped you’d be? Did you waste the last year staying the same? Are you happy with the trajectory of where your life is headed?

Honestly answer these questions. Now take out a piece of paper. You are about to plan the next 1o years of your life.

Take a few minutes to really think about what your life will look like in 10 years. In paragraph form, answer the following questions to help you visualize your future better :

Your VISION is set 10 years in the future, is clear and concise (one to two paragraphs) with enough detail to feel complete, and incorporates all major domains of our life: health, personal and career. Your vision should move you emotionally and make excited – maybe even a little nervous. Use present tense language and  write it as if you are already there. Make sure it is authentic to you and grounded in your most sincere passions. Use the following questions to help you write your vision.

1.What would you dare to do if you knew you could not fail?

2. Describe what you see, hear, and feel in your ideal life.

3. Who is there?

4. How do you spend your time?

5. Where do you spend your time?

Now that you have written down what you want to see, lets come up with some POWERFUL goals to help you accomplish your dream. Goals are what it takes to make your vision happen. It’s the “work” part.

Join Our Half-Marathon Training Program!

The cost of the 14-16 week program is only $49. You can choose any spring half-marathon! The program begins with a three mile run on Saturday January 14th, 2012. The group members train alone during the week and then come together on Saturdays for the group long run. To register for the program, please call 801-484-9144 or stop in to any of our locations.

I encourage you to take that first step toward becoming the runner you have always wanted to be.  I personally didn’t start running with any real purpose until about November 2010. I had a distant goal of one day having a medal hanging on my wall, but never really intended for race day to come as soon as it did.  The Half-marathon training program Salt Lake Running Co. created was a new adventure for me, and one that I was terrified to attempt.   It was 14 weeks of exhilarating physical tests and roof-raising accomplishment.  Just by following the training program, I was able to run the Salt Lake City Half Marathon in 2 hours and 9 minutes.

Like I mentioned, running a half-marathon was something I never thought I would be able to do. Ever. But I knew if I was disciplined, I would be able to do it. I also knew that if I had a group to run with, the cold morning runs wouldn’t be so bad. There were about 100 people in the training program. Some had run marathons before, some had only walked a 5K, but we were all there to help each other.

One of the coolest things about the training program for me was seeing the number of miles increase with my ability to run them. I remember looking at the training program realizing that after the first “long” run, every week would be a new milestone, with a run longer than I had ever run in my life staring at me in the face every Saturday. It is amazing to see our bodies adapt to the things we put them through.

The greatest perk about the program, and the whole reason why the program costs money, is Coach Deveree.  “Dev” is a great coach and she really makes the runs fun and less intimidating. Every week the route is sent in an e-mail with instructions on where to meet and what to expect on the run.  Week after week I wondered if race day would ever come, then I realized it was a week away. Had I trained enough? Had I done enough cross training? What if my new shoes were a bad idea? What if I cramp up? What if I go to reach for a gel and it has fallen out? So many what ifs!

Being in a real race and feeling great on the run because of diligent training, is so exhilarating! You feel like nothing can hold you back. The best moment of the race was when I was coming around the corner at the top of State Street realizing I was about a mile away from completing my very first (and certainly not my last) half–marathon.  I felt awesome, tired, and so ready to be done, but great at the same time.  As I rounded the corner, my friends from the store began to run toward me. It was so good to see them and to hear their encouraging words! They had already finished hours before me, and came back to find me, and celebrate with me. This put a huge smile on my face.

This Winter we are starting the program again and if you are considering a half marathon come to the kick-off meeting on Thursday January 10th at 7:00 pm at our 700 East store. We are very excited about the extended program and hope many of the half-marathon participants will continue on to the full distance and prove to themselves they can do anything.  The program is geared toward runners who can already run 2-3 miles without stopping. I was in this group, but barely…. Let me tell you this: If I can do the training program, anyone can do the training program.  Come and prove something to yourself!

See you Thursday!

I get questions almost every day about this month’s topic.  Some people are totally confused and some are rigidly certain about what runners should use. I can only relay my personal and professional experience with the hope it may help you choose what’s best for you.

In my 26 years of practice I’ve seen a lot of different kinds of feet and in my opinion, no one product is going to work for everyone. Like a personal diet, not one diet will work everyone or there would only be one diet book not thousands of new ones every year.

First, let’s talk about shoes. The most inexpensive part of a running shoe is the insole. This part of the shoe is usually removable and it’s where the bottom of your foot contacts when you put the shoe on. This is also the part that’s most overlooked by runners as it’s isn’t designed for your foot. Look at it this way; Nike can research and engineer the outside bottom of the shoe for runners of all weights and styles. Year after year they improve their shoes and provide many options across their whole line of shoes (trails, racing, and simple or complex). What they can’t do very effectively is make an insole that matches up to your specific need. The arch of everyone foot varies widely so they and other manufacturers put an insole in the shoe that feels comfortable but provides little or no support.

For this reason, I believe that most runners will benefit from an “over the counter” insert. The insert will provide minimal but flexible support for the interface between the bottom of your foot and the top inside of the shoe. Inserts are usually made with about 4 degrees of correction so they will not over or under correct most runners.

Let’s dig a little deeper into shoes. In my opinion the new trend toward a minimalist shoe is a good progression. The over engineering of shoes that was occurring up until recently was creating shoes that got too heavy because they tried to do too many things. A good shoe should provide effective contact with the ground and allow us to move though our running with ease and some support. It should also give us proprioceptive feedback so our joints, ligaments, tendons, muscles and nervous system can be active in the run and accommodate as necessary. Overbuilt shoes removed us from the “feel” of running like some automobile manufactures try to make us so comfortable with driving we can’t feel the road anymore.

It’s important to remember though that we don’t go too far in the other direction and think we don’t need shoes at all. Since we didn’t grow up running barefoot on trails and most of the surfaces we run and walk on are concrete, blacktop and wood, we do need cushioning and support to avoid damaging our feet and legs. Walking and running increases the pressure on the foot 5-10 times above non-weight bearing activity. Overall, I like a balance of “feel” for the runner with proper support and I recommend my patients/runners spend no more than 15-20% of their total weekly mileage in a “barefoot” type shoe (your experience may vary).

Personally I made the switch out of 25 years of Asics a few months back. I now use a minimal, soft and flexible custom orthotic with a K-Swiss shoe and love the new feel. I recommend a low ramp angle simple shoe with some support to my clients and along with a few re-alignment office visits we’ve had phenomenal success.

I’d like to hear your experiences and opinions and will respond when possible.

Dr. Michael Cerami is an avid runner, cyclist and triathlete. He is available for a no charge consultation one Saturday per month at The Salt Lake Running Company (Salt Lake store) by appointment. He can be reached at 801-486-1818 or online at www.utahsportsandwellness.com

This time of year can cause for some unpredictable weather while you are running. Here are some quick tips to help you stay comfortable.

1. Get some gloves and a hat/ear warmer

When you hands are cold, you are more aware of how cold the rest of your body is. We lose a lot of heat through our extremities, so cover that head and those hands. Some of the higher-quality pieces of apparel we carry in our stores will have built-in hand covers. Nike and Pearl Izumi pieces use these frequently.

2. Wind-proof clothing

For windy days, consider a windbreaker or a wind-stopper jacket to go over your warm technical fiber clothes. The North Face, Nike and Pearl Izumi have some fabulous options for these types of jackets. Nike even makes a running tight with wind-proof paneling in the front. Running tights are warmer than pants because cold air can go up the pant leg. If you aren’t sure you are ready for running tights, you can put a pair of shorts over them to give you a little extra coverage and a little wind resistance.

3. Wool socks

Wool isn’t only for the colder winter months. I use it all year long for its superior wicking capabilities. Wool is the only fiber that can wick a vapor away from the skin. All other synthetics have to wait until the sweat turns into a droplet before it can move it away from the skin. For this reason, your feet stay dry and warm. Wet feet means cold feet, and that’s never good. Stick to Merino wool. Regular wool is not as high of quality and will shrink up and be scratchy. Merino is the way to go!

4. Wool or synthetic underwear

Cotton underwear wont do you any favors in the cold weather (or ever…). Get some synthetic underwear STAT. Wool or synthetic, both infinitely better than cotton. We have a few otpions in our stores. Ice Breaker makes some underwear for both men and women in a couple different styles. Ice Breaker uses Merino wool and their stuff is amazing. Asics also makes some out of a synthetic material which are also great. Nike makes the nike Pro Combat short which I have seen used as underwear (yes, I saw someone in their underwear!) and I’ve also seen and used them as a cool short for the hot months. The Nike Pro shorts come in a few different lengths for both men and women.

Beware of items claiming to be waterproof or weatherproof. When you run, you sweat a lot. The moisture has to be able to leave your body and travel through the clothes you are wearing to then be evaporated into the air. Waterproof materials prevent the moisture from escaping your clothes and body leaving you wet. This could lead to a couple problems. You could end up freezing cold or you could also end up over heating. Water resistant apparel is a much better option! This goes for shoes too. Waterproof or Gore-tex shoes are great for many purposes, but for running, stick with a breathable fabric and a high-quality wool sock. Your feet will thank you!

The S-V-I-P layering system is also a good way to make sure you are dressing the right wau. Read more about that here.

Or here:

The key to staying warm in cold weather it to stay dry, prepare for the temperature, and keep the wind off.

S- Support
Bra/Underwear (non-cotton)-snug boxer cut bottoms are great for winter for men and women. Men can also purchase a pair with a lovely windproof panel in the front.

V- Ventilation
Next-to-skin, base layer, wicking fabrics (non-cotton), A snug technical tee shirt or long sleeve depending on what you will be using for your insulation.

I- Insulation
Middle layer for warmth (non-cotton). This could be a long sleeve top worn over the short sleeve base layer or a running vest thrown over the long sleeve

base layer option. For pants, you may choose either a winter tight or looser running pant. Another option is a 3/4 tights for temps in the high 30′s to low 40′s.

P- Protection
Shell for rain, snow or wind.  Not always needed and is combined on some fabrics like Sporthill’s 3sp top.

Hours: 10am-7pm, 700 E location only. Draper and Foothill Locations will be closed.

This year we have a lot of exciting deals to jump start your holiday shopping.

1. All Wetsuits are 50% off!

2. The Nike GPS systems are priced so low we can’t advertise it!

3. Buy any shoe at full price and get a clearance shoe for 50% off its original price!

4. Buy any piece of regular priced apparel over $50 and receive a piece of clearance apparel for FREE.

5. Buy 4 pairs of socks and get the 5th FREE. This includes 3 packs!

6. All purchases made on Black Friday will enter the customer into a drawing for a Free Suunto T4d with GPS Pod (Drawing will happen that evening and customer does not have to be present to win)

***All deals are subject to availability of merchandise already on hand. No rain checks will be given and no discounts will be applied to special orders. Deals apply to in-store purchases on November 25, 2011 only.

November Shoe Deal
Register for any 2012 running or triathlon event and bring in proof of registration for the event and get $20 off a pair of shoes! Regular priced shoes only. You have until November 30, 2011 to participate! Check out our race calendar for upcoming events!

Don’t forget about our free Saturday Morning Running Groups which meet every Saturday at 8:00 am at the 700 E store and the Draper Store.

Sincerely,

Salt Lake Running Co

By Elizabeth Jenkins

Looking to really WOW your running loved one this year? Looking for the perfect gift to make them squeal with excitement on Christmas morning? You’ve come to the right place. Here is a gift guide to help you figure out exactly what the runners in your life want under the tree this year.

This post will be organized by type of runner. Sometimes it’s easier to go that route rather than by wondering “what would so-and-so like?”

The Non-runner who doesn’t want to be a Runner. Ever.:

• A membership to the Jelly of the Month Club. That there is gift that keeps on giving.
• A VitaMix blender.
• An iPad.

The Non-runner who wants to be a Runner:

This group of gift-getters is probably the easiest to shop for because 1. They need everything, and 2. They don’t know what they like and don’t like yet so your chances of messing up are pretty slim.

• I would highly suggest a pair of running shoes. Nothing will be more well received than a shoe fitting from our knowledgeable staff at Salt Lake Running Co. We will take them through the entire fitting process, including the Biomechanical Analysis, to ensure they get into the right shoes.
• A running outfit. Giving the gift of non-cotton running apparel is welcomed by pretty much anyone who enjoys sweating daily. Cotton kills. Remember that.
• A running bra. A supportive running bra could save your loved-ones back, her life, and probably your marriage.

The Casual Runner:

• An iTunes Gift card to keep them entertained while on the treadmill.
• YurBuds. These head-phone adapters are quite possibly the best invention to keep your ear buds from slipping out of your ears while running.
• Non-cotton socks. Convert to them now. Avoid blisters later.

The Regular Runner:

• A Sweaty Band to keep their hair from going crazy!
• A running-themed Christmas ornament.
• A new pair of running shoes, because they probably burn through a lot of shoes. (If they have bought their shoes from us before, we can look up the right size and right shoe to make sure you get it right. We can also look up clothing sizes!)
• Stickers which scream “I’M A RUNNER”
• The Nike Sportband. It’s great for the regular runner because it gives all the important data, but none of the geek-out freak-out data.
• A foam roller to help them stay injury free!
• Nike Pro Combat half-zip long-sleeve top.

The Avid Runner:

• Garmin, Soleus or Nike GPS watch.
• Nutrition! Gels, electrolyte supplements, bars…always great to add a little extra oomph to your gift.
• Compression socks or sleeves
• SOCKS. Ask any runner… you can never have enough.
• Ice Breaker merino wool underwear. Help keep their keester from freezing off.
• Pay their way into their dream race. They will most likely do it if someone else has invested in them too!
• Pearl Izumi anything. Pearl Izumi makes amazing, high-quality products any runner will be sure to LOVE.

For any more suggestions, feel free to ask any sales associate while you are in our stores to help you find the perfect gift. We can definitely help!