As I finished my run on the Reservoir trails this morning, I passed a dog that was also finishing his workout. His fur was frizzy, he was panting heavily and his tongue was hanging way out of his mouth. He looked exactly how I felt. Yup, the dog days of summer are here!

I will admit to not being much of a summer runner. I can handle some heat, but I hate the high humidity. It feels like I am trying to breathe through straws; never getting enough oxygen to fill my lungs. Even on my easy runs, I breathe hard. And then there is the sweat - copious amounts pour from every pore in my body. After an hour run last week, you could wring out my shirt, and my hat was dripping water like a faucet. It looked like I had run in the rain.

Fortunately, August isn't prime racing season for most of us. It's more a time to build-up our foundation for the fall. Pace isn't as important as just getting out there and running (or walking). I like to think of it as making a deposit in my Bank of Fitness. The small weekly deposits may not seem like a lot individually, but in a couple of months, there will be a sweet payoff. Sometimes you get a glimpse of the payoff when Mother Nature surprises us with a cool, non-humid summer day and you feel like you could just run forever.

Knowing that I'm not going to be breaking any records, I have been trying to get into a different mindset - relax a bit more, enjoy the scenery or company, take a different route, walk if I really feel out of rhythm. Lynne Tapper, tri coach and co-founder of Team Training New England, reminded me the other day about two key ingredients that every run should include: deep breathing (not heavy breathing, but relaxed, cleansing breaths that allow more oxygen to get to your muscles and brain) and smiling. Yup, smiling!  If it always feels like work, it's becomes more of a mental challenge to get out and run.

Yes, there are times when you need a tough workout, but more times than not, you should enjoy your time on the run (or in the gym or on the field). That means not exercising in what Sally Edwards called the Black Hole in her book Be a Better Runner. Sally recommends that 80% of our runs be "easy" and 10-20% be "very hard" (based on heartrate threshold values). Unfortunately, most of us run in that in-between "Black Hole" zone - too hard to be easy and too easy to hit the "very hard" threshold.

Contrary to popular belief, research proves that running in that Black Hole is not very productive. Runners who trained 80% of the time in the easy zone, improved 26% more than runners who ran in the Black Hole. And you can bet the easy zone group enjoyed their training a whole lot more.

So take a cue from Lynne and Sally and relax and smile more on your summer runs. Enjoy the journey towards fitness...and speed!

Be Fit,

Steph

S! Caps: The secret to staying cramp-free in this heat and humidity! S! Caps by Succeed, are a salt/electrolyte tablet that alleviates muscle cramping, buffers the stomach and protects against hyponatremia.  It is a very popular product among endurance athletes.  The easy-to-carry capsules provide just the right amount of sodium, potassium, chloride, bicarbonate, phosphate and citrate to keep you going.  It contains no fillers like sugar or maltodextrin. Just swallow with some water and keep on going!

Is finishing a Half Marathon on your Bucket List?  Join us this summer for our 12-week training program and cross "Finish a Half Marathon" off your list this fall.

Our training program officially kicked-off with a 5-mile run last week, but registration is open through this Saturday so it's not too late to join! 

The program is designed to culminate with the ING Hartford Half Marathon on October 15, but you can use the training to run a different fall half marathon.  Your training plan includes three group runs a week including a Saturday morning long run (first run is at 8am - then we will move to 7am), a Wednesday run of 3-5 miles (6:30pm) and a speed workout on Thursday (6:30pm).  You do not have to make all of the practices - but training is more fun with friends!

This training program is best for runners who can sustain a 12:00 mile for 6 miles (run/walk intervals are fine).  The program cost is $125 and does not include your race entry fee.

Sign-up in store or online. Contact Coach Randy for more details.

Ever thought of running through Disney World?  Read on because this might be the opportunity for you!   We are teaming with Run Disney to offer a marathon training program to help train you to complete the Disney Marathon on Sunday, January 8.  

Fleet Feet staffer Deb Stroiney and her husband Dave Cilley will be coaching this program.  Deb and Dave have run the Disney Marathon the past 2 years - with Deb conquering the Goofy Challenge this past January!   Whether you are a first time marathoner or looking to PR, Dave and Deb can help you on your way.  

The training program will start in October.   Participants should be able to complete a long run of 11 miles before the first practice (Deb & Dave can create a training program to get you to 11 miles this summer).  Program cost is $100 and includes your training program, coached long runs, mid-week speed workout, a cool tech team shirt, product samples, as well as Run Disney perks (discounted race entry fee and park tickets). 

If you are running Disney and training on your own, you can join our group virtually for free and take advantage of special Run Disney Perks like discounted race entry fee and park tickets.

Contact Coach Deb for more details. 

ALERT: the Disney Marathon is 60% full - so don't delay registering if you want to do this program.

What was once a little known treat is now turning up more frequently. Coconut water is being touted as the new, natural energy drink. Promotional images on company websites display runners, mountain bikers and other active individuals happily playing outdoors. But is coconut water a good substitute to sports drinks?

Coconut water is the clear liquid taken from the center of the coconut. It differs from the white coconut milk that is high in calories and fat and most often used in soups and curries. Instead, coconut water is low in calories (50-60 calories per serving) and fat free with electrolytes (sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphate) and small amounts of many amino acids. It has a high amount of the electrolyte potassium, 15 times as much as the average sports drink. Sports drinks have been engineered to provide the body what it needs the most, sodium since our sodium levels are most depleted after an intense workout.

Post workout is a key time to rehydrate and rebuild fatigued muscles. Containing 95% water, coconut water will boost hydration levels. However it lacks protein, a key component of recovery. Coconut water fails to provide the recommended 15-17 grams of protein.

It is important to be vigilant about reading food labels. It is promoted that sugar has not been added. However the drink is not without sugar. The water naturally contains about 11-12 grams of sugar. Flavored varieties have additional quantities of sugar and more calories. Additionally, the price can also put a dent in your weekly budget. At $2 a bottle, the price of your weekly coconut water fix can get pricey very quickly. A glass of water and a banana will accomplish the same replenishing goals.