Can it be? Can winter really be over? All signs are pointing that way: my daffodils are in bloom, the grass is greening, the peeper frogs are making a cacophonous ruckus at night, my house stayed at 65 degrees without assistance from the furnace and I put two "h" words in my running log today - humid and hot (thanks to my over-dressing).  

These cues and the 12-week countdown to the unofficial start of summer and my goal race tell me that it is time to shift from casual exercise to focused training. Instead of going for a run to stay in shape, clear my head, socialize or enjoy a few extra calories, my runs begin to have more purpose. Weekly runs become more structured and feature labels like long run, recovery run, tempo, intervals and hills.  

My days become defined by my training plan. It tells me when I need to rest and when I need to run (as well as how far and fast). It's usually the first thing I look at in the morning and the last thing at night. Oh how I love checking off that day's workout! Seeing my progress fuels my sense of accomplishment and motivates me to stick with the plan. It makes me feel young and alive!

As good as a training plan is there are two other principals just as important to achieving a goal and not getting waylaid by injury: recovery and preparation. If your body and mind haven't recovered from your last workout, the next workout won't be quality. In fact, it will probably feel a lot like work which isn't very fun or empowering.

Like a race car, your body needs quality fuel and TLC to help it get - and stay - in tip-top shape. Things like remembering to eat right, hydrate properly (before, during and after your run), stretch, foam roll, strengthen your core, do yoga, wear compression socks, ice and rest.

The problem is that while most of these tips take a short time, doing all of them isn't plausible when you have a job, school, family and other obligations. So this spring, I encourage you pick just one or two training tips to do regularly to sharpen your training and make your goals reality.

Be Fit!

Steph

P.S. Share your Spring Sharpening Tip on our Facebook page. The tip with the most likes on Friday at Noon wins a Fleet Feet tech tee!

Join us on Wednesday, March 14 as we help Moving Comfort celebrate their 35th birthday with a Cuperware Party! They will be treats, gifts and special savings on all Moving Comfort sports bras.  Save 10% on one Moving Comfort bra and 20% off two or more Moving Comfort bras.  Email Amy or call the store to reserve an appointment today and get a free gift too!

Adrienne Cook said, "St. Patrick's Day is an enchanted time -- a day to begin transforming winter's dreams into summer's magic" and what a fitting quote for the recent shift in weather and for all of the spring running/walking events sprouting up all over the place! From head to toe, we have the apparel and accessories for your weekend St. Patty's celebrations!

Nike Dri-Fit Hat: From watching a parade this weekend to running one of the many festive St. Patty's themed races, this GREEN hat is perfect! Nike's Featherlite Hat is incredibly lightweight and it never loses its cool. The Dri-Fit fabric wicks away moisture and the four black mesh vents increase breathability. In addition, the black underbill and binding soften visual glare. The back closure has quick-adjustability - delivering secure, one handed, on-the-go adjustability.

Fun Socks from SockGuy: Two fun designs to choose from: the ever-popular "Claddagh Ring" that symbolizes love, friendship and loyalty and the limited edition "I Shamrock Shenanigans"! Both are made with a blend of ultra-wicking micro denier acrylic, nylon and Spandex for amazing comfort, strength, durability and moisture management. These socks feature a "Stretch-to-Fit" sizing system, double-stitched heel and toe and an "Easy-Fit" cuff for a perfect fit. Say goodbye to blisters, hot spots...and boring socks!

SweatyBands "Run for Beer": SweatyBands did it again! They designed another must-have, holiday-edition headband! This St. Patty's themed band is irresistible with its GREEN background and "Run for Beer" slogan, adorned with beer mugs and four-leaf clovers. We only received a dozen so don't wait too long to get yours or they will be g-o-n-e! OMG, they don't slip!!.

Shoelaces: Who would have thought $3 can instantly take a pair of sneakers from blah to "Oh Yeah"? It does when you purchase a pair of fun colored shoelaces. Usually, we have a hard time deciding whether we should choose a lace color that matches the shoes or go for something totally different, but with the St. Patty's holiday the easy choice is to go with neon green! A little flair goes a long way!

Nike Pro Combat Shirt (Men): Nike is now the official gear of the NFL making it easier to channel your inner Tom Brady or Eli Manning while you work out. This lightweight, long-sleeve shirt is built for speed, coverage and comfort. Special flat seams along the side and shoulder are designed to help reduce irritation caused by layers while Nike's Dri-Fit fabric wicks sweat away. Add in a healthy dose of Spandex for stretch and incredible range of motion (and a super athletic look). From the racing, cheering to pub crawling, this shirt can do it all!

Singlet (Men): Give it all you got in this ultra-lightweight running singlet from Nike! With its strategically placed mesh panels for optimum ventilation and Dri-FIT fabric, the only thing heating-up will be the road under your feet! Plus, the flat-seam construction will help minimize chafing. With its cool green color, this singlet is sure to bring a little extra luck to your run!

Tempo Shorts (Women): Nike's Tempo short is the most popular women's running short in the world with millions sold each year. The design allows for unrestricted movement and ventilation thanks to side mesh panels, a stretch waist with draw cord o adjust the fit, interior key pocket and a built-in brief that offers support and comfort. OK, so what we really love about this short is its bright colors and jazzy designs. And this green short definitely does not disappoint!

Get the whole family together and have fun at the 10th Annual Shamrock Run & Walk.  The morning of fun kicks off with a non-competitive Kids Run at 9:30am (prizes to all the kids who participate), followed by a 2 Mile Run & Fitness walk at 9:40am, and finally the 5 Mile Run at 10:30am.  Strollers are welcome!

If you register (either online here or via the mail-in registration form here) by March 16, the fee is just $22 for the 5 and 2 mile events and just $5 for the Kids Fun Run.  The first 3,000 registered runners and walkers will receive a goody bag, t-shirt, secure baggage check and entrance to the post-race party with music and tasty grilled burgers and dogs.  After March 17, the fee increases to $25

Carb load for the event with the "All You Can Eat" Pasta Dinner catered by Emily's Catering Group on March 23rd from 4:30- 7:30 at St. Gregory CCD Center (1043 Stafford Ave in Bristol).  Tickets are just $8.00 per adult; $6.00 for children 6- 12; free for children age 5 and under - tickets are sold at the door.  You can also register and pick-up your packet during dinner as well.  

All proceeds from the race and pasta dinner are donated to the Saint Vincent DePaul Society which provides shelter, food, counseling and referral services for people in our community who are in need.  Last year, thanks to the over 1,800 runners and walkers who participated, a $13,000 check was presented to the Society!   

At the event, there will also be a shoe drive for Soles4Soles (www.giveshoes.org) so bring your gently worn running shoes to the race.  If you can't make the race, you may drop off your gently used shoes at the UPS Store on 123 Farmington Ave in Bristol through March 30. 

For more information, click the race logo above.

This year the 34th running of the Bolton 5 Mile Road Race includes both a 5k and a 5 Mile race option. The highlight of the 5 mile race is "The Hill" at the 4.5 mile mark that will test your will, your heart and your quads! This event is known as a race for runners and is a great pre-Boston workout.

Both the 5k and 5M races start and finish at Bolton High School (72 Brandy Street, Bolton) which provides ample parking, indoor rest rooms and a warm place to change.  The roads will be closed and the views spectacular.  Since both courses are loops, every foot of elevation gain means there is a downhill to match! There will be mile markers and food/water at the finish. Prizes are 3 deep in age categories for the 5M race, with the first Bolton resident finisher getting their name engraved on a huge trophy that is displayed at the town library.

Race registration is $20 with the first 100 registered participants receiving a short-sleeve cotton t-shirt. Register online or via this mail-in form. Click the logo above to visit the race web site.

Fleet Feet Sports is proud to be a drop-off location for the Max Cure Foundation's Dunk Your Kicks program. For every pair of used sneakers donated, the Max Cure Foundation will donate $1 to Pediatric Cancer Research through a partnership with Green Sneakers, an environmentally friendly national company whose simple and effective programs for reusable "kicks" benefits local charities and impoverished countries.

Dunk Your Kicks and the Max Cure Foundation was started by David Plotkin whose son Max (then three years old) was diagnosed with B-cell Lymphoma. Fortunately, a two-year protocol of chemotherapy pushed the cancer into remission and now Max is a healthy 7 year old. Both father and son dedicate themselves to raising funds to advance cures for pediatric cancers, develop less toxic treatments for children with the disease and assist low-income families battling cancer in their children. They also seek to inspire children afflicted with cancer to face the disease with courage, hope and most important, bravery.

Max's goal is 500,000 pairs of sneakers. Working together, we can reach that goal!

With this uncharacteristically warm weather, I hope you are spending more time outside. Make sure to take care of your eyes. You may opt to don a pair of sunglasses and a running cap to help protect you from the sun's damaging rays.

Did you know that the nutrients in certain foods can help protect your vision too? Most orange-colored fruits and veggies, like squash, cantaloupes, sweet potatoes and apricots and dark leafy greens, like spinach and mustard greens help. These foods contain carotenoids, which help prevent age related vision loss, stave off eye infections and guard against more serious eye problems. Today's recipe will help protect the eyes, while boosting your veggie intake.

Coconut Sweet Potatoes with Shrimp and Mustard Greens

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 14 oz can unsweetened coconut milk
• 1 tsp coriander
• � tsp cayenne
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 medium sweet potatoes, cubed, peeling optional
• 4-5 cups mustard greens (you can easily substitute another green, like kale, here)
• 1 pound raw shrimp, peeled
• salt to taste
• Lemon, freshly squeezed 

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and saut� for about 5 minutes, until translucent. Add garlic and mustard seeds and saut� for another 2 minutes.

2. Add coconut milk, coriander, cayenne, cinnamon stick, and sweet potato to the onion mixture. Cook, covered, over medium heat for about 10 minutes, until the sweet potatoes begin to soften.

3. While the sweet potato is cooking, wash the greens and strip or cut the leaves from the stalk. Discard the stalks. Chop the greens into bite-sized pieces.

4. Stir in the mustard greens and simmer covered over medium-low heat for about 15 minutes. The greens should be tender and the sweet potato soft.

5. Add in the shrimp. Cook about 2 minutes on one side, flip over and cook about 2 minutes on other side, until they are pink all the way through. Be careful not to overcook.

6. Remove the cinnamon stick. Salt to taste and add a squeeze of lemon juice before serving.

Adapted from: Greens, Glorious Greens

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