Just a reminder….As a general rule, you should allow yourself 1 day of recovery for each mile you covered in your race…ie, you went 13.1 miles, you should allow yourself…well…er…13.1 (Typically rounded down to 13 or up to 14) days before starting to resume your usual training.  This doesn’t mean that you don’t do anything during this time…It just means that you should train with a lower intensity level, and cut back on your mileage. Consider doing more cross-training activities.  Allow more time for stretching and sleeping in.  Make sure you stay on top of your hydration and nutrition and get plenty of rest…This will all ensure a timely recovery so you can get back out there and after it again!  (just what you wanted to hear…no…you don’t get to stop your exercising just because the race is over!;-)

I’ve had several people ask about what to wear on Sunday…Here are a few suggestions…

* Avoid cotton…It will absorb moisture.  Choose moisture wicking (technical) clothes (like our TT shirts, smart wool, fleece) that won’t absorb the moisture.  They’ll still get wet, but they will dry more quickly and won’t get as heavy.
* Wear a hat, gloves (TT hats make it easier for us to see you and cheer for you!)–Again…no cotton…fleece, wool, synthetic materials preferred!
* Wear a jacket if it’s breezy or rainy…stick with something that breathes…otherwise, you run the risk of getting really hot and sweaty.  Remember if it’s pouring, nothing is going to keep you dry.
* Consider bringing an extra pair of socks.  It may be a pain to stop to change socks along the way, but it may help prevent blisters if your socks have gotten really wet!
* Bring warm, dry clothes to put on after the race.  You can leave these at the clothing check which will be at the finishline in Memorial Stadium.  Okay to break out the cotton here:-)
* For additional suggestions, go to Runners World’s interactive site:  http://www.runnersworld.com/cda/whattowear/0,,s6-240-325-330-0-0-0-0-0,00.html

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Here’s more on Chilean miner, Edison Pena……

http://news.bbc.co.uk/panorama/hi/front_page/newsid_9097000/9097701.stm

hmmm…I’ve always wondered...Do women sweat differently than men?

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/10/20/do-women-sweat-differently-than-men/?src=me&ref=health

Some pointers for our warm-up leaders?
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/18/health/nutrition/18best.html?_r=1&ref=personal_best

The Second Annual Seattle Rock’n Roll Half Marathon…a wonderful celebration of everything you’ve accomplished over the past 16 weeks!  The whole process of getting to this point can seem so mundane…going out for your daily walk or run…eating right…stretching…hydrating…pacing. Just looking at any one individual day, it may not seem like much…but when you add them all up…each day that you followed through on your commitment to exercise; all of the time you shared with your teammates….or enjoyed the solitude of a walk or run in the rain…or spent reading one of Alysun’s lengthy e-mails; every healthy lifestyle behavior that has now become routine…it all becomes something incredibly special!

It becomes the bundle of memories, learning experiences, relationships, improved health, and sense of peace that makes all of the hard work and early mornings worth it.  It redefines how you see yourself…adjusts what you see as your limitations…and expands  how you see your role in this world.  Finishing a half marathon is a big deal…there’s no doubt about that…but even bigger is the ripple effect that accomplishing such a feat can create.  If you can walk or run 13.1 miles…what other things are out there waiting for you to conquer?

Yes…training can be a grind…but having the discipline to stick to a plan…to set a goal that you actually reach…to put yourself out on the start line on race day…well…those are mighty powerful things!  And they’re the things that you can take with you to your next great endeavor…

But…let’s not get ahead of ourselves.  Before we solve the problems of the world…and yes…I believe this group could make some great strides toward doing that…let’s not overlook the specialness of this Saturday morning.  You’ve worked hard to get to this point, and it’s going to be an amazing day….an incredible reward for sticking to the daily grind.  So soak it up!  Enjoy the bands…enjoy your teammates and all of the people around you…and enjoy the fact that you truly belong out there…It’s going to be a wonderful celebration!

Go Team!

A few final tips…

It may be warm tomorrow…
Remember to hydrate! Both during the race…and before. If you have a long wait at the start, be sure to bring (or seek out) water to sip on.
Dress appropriately! If it seems chilly at the start, remember that it (and you) will warm up!  Layer your clothing for easy removal later in the race when you may not want all of it.
As the sun comes up, try to run and walk on the shady side of the road…
…and remember SUNSCREEN!!!!

For those of you not participating in the race, consider meeting up with Lenore Miller and Laura Lewis out on Lake Washington Blvd where the racers connect with I-90.  They’re planning to show up around 8:00am.

That’s all for now…Take it easy today…Get some good rest tonight.

I’ll see ya at O’Dark Thirty tomorrow morning!

And,  you thought I would be out of ideas…As a general rule, you should allow yourself 1 day of recovery for each mile you covered in your race…ie, you went 13.1 miles, you should allow yourself…well…er…13.1 (Typically rounded down to 13 or up to 14) days before starting to resume your usual training.  This doesn’t mean that you don’t do anything during this time…It just means that you should train with a lower intensity level, and cut back on your mileage. Consider doing more cross-training activities.  Allow more time for stretching and sleeping in.  Make sure you stay on top of your hydration and nutrition and get plenty of rest…This will all ensure a timely recovery so you can get back out there and after it again!  (just what you wanted to hear…no…you don’t get to stop your exercising just because the race is over!;-)