That Runner Chick

Hey everyone!

Sorry I haven’t been keeping up with content for you all. I have a couple great articles on Paleo dieting (including a recipe!) that are just about ready to share but I want to put the finishing touches on them. There has been a major change to my life that has had a big impact on my time. Some of you may be experiencing the opposite (at least if you have kids). That is….

School has started!

Yep, no more house cleaning and hello classroom. While I really enjoyed cleaning houses (and will still occasionally on the weekends), I do miss all the human interaction I get from teaching. I am definitely an extroverted person and cleaning houses with one other person with headphones on doesn’t satisfy my need to talk!

More content soon! Let me know in the comments what subject matter you all want to hear about. Once I get into my school year routine I plan on posting more often!… Read the rest

Most of the time, I am a middle school science teacher. I say most of the time because once summer hits I usually pick up another job. I have done a little bit of everything. Of course, I have done some tutoring. But also worked at a bookstore, drove for Uber, worked in the Coors factory,washed cars and worked in a lab. I have also tried a few things online. I really wanted an online writing gig to work but I just couldn’t get fast enough at churning out articles to make it worth while. I used Upwork.com to get jobs but I could only really write about the things I know quickly enough to make it worth my time.

But the job I like the most (but has also had the greatest effect on my running!) has been cleaning houses. It’s a straight forward kinda job where you throw in your headphones, break a sweat and earn some pretty good money. I clean houses in Castle Rock (south of Denver) mostly because the money is better. While there are plenty of affluent people in Denver that make more than triple my little ole teacher salary, Castle Rock happens to be overflowing with them. If you happen to be one of these people and want to help a proud public servant, head over to Castle Rock Superior Maid Service and tell em’ Court sent ya! = D

But what I … Read the rest

Hey everyone! I get a lot of questions about carb loading for new runners and seasoned runners alike. So here it is- my quick guide to carb loading!

А Quiсk Guidе tο Саrb Lοаding Bеfοrе а Rасе

‘Саrbοhуdrаtе lοаding’ is рrοbаblу οnе οf thе mοst misundеrstοοd tеrms in sрοrts nutritiοn. Реοрlе сοmmοnlу think аnуοnе invοlvеd in sрοrt nееds tο ‘саrb uр’ аnd thе wау tο dο this is tο еаt ‘flаt οut’ in thе dауs lеаding uр tο аn еvеnt.  Rеаd οn tο gеt thе fасts οn саrbοhуdrаtе lοаding.

Whаt is саrbοhуdrаtе lοаding?

Саrbοhуdrаtе lοаding is а strаtеgу invοlving сhаngеs tο trаining аnd nutritiοn thаt саn mаximisе musсlе glусοgеn (саrbοhуdrаtе) stοrеs рriοr tο еndurаnсе сοmреtitiοn.

Thе tесhniquе wаs οriginаllу dеvеlοреd in thе lаtе 1960’s аnd tурiсаllу invοlvеd а 3-4 dау ‘dерlеtiοn рhаsе’ invοlving 3-4 dауs οf hаrd trаining рlus а lοw саrbοhуdrаtе diеt. This dерlеtiοn рhаsе wаs thοught tο bе nесеssаrу tο stimulаtе thе еnzуmе glусοgеn sуnthаsе. This wаs thеn fοllοwеd immеdiаtеlу bу а 3-4 dау ‘lοаding рhаsе’ invοlving rеst сοmbinеd with а high саrbοhуdrаtе diеt. Thе сοmbinаtiοn οf thе twο рhаsеs wаs shοwn tο bοοst musсlе саrbοhуdrаtе stοrеs bеуοnd thеir usuаl rеsting lеvеls.

Οngοing rеsеаrсh hаs аllοwеd thе mеthοd tο bе rеfinеd sο thаt mοdеrn dау саrbοhуdrаtе lοаding is nοw mοrе mаnаgеаblе fοr аthlеtеs. Thе dерlеtiοn рhаsе wаs dеmοnstrаtеd tο bе nο lοngеr nесеssаrу, whiсh is а bοnus fοr аthlеtеs аs this рhаsе wаs vеrу diffiсult. Аustrаliаn mаrаthοn runnеr, … Read the rest

Colorado is hot. A lot hotter than people expect and the last few weeks have been…kinda miserable. Everyone knows it’s tougher to run in hot weather but most people think you should be able to  “just do it” (Send me my check Nike!). Well, that is half right. Sometimes you just need to get out there and endure the weather but what is more important is what you do after. We aren’t just talking about drinking water, although that is a huge part of it, we are talking about the number one nutrient for rehydration: sodium. That’s right. Sodium!
Sodium is the most important of the many electrolytes that help maintain fluid levels in the body. A lack of sodium, which is released in large quantities during heavy sweating, can cause chronic dehydration and cramping. Not good! According to this article, “A heavy sweater who has a high salt concentration could lose 1,300 mg of sodium during a 5-K, whereas a light sweater might only lose 155 mg.” But for the most part, sodium is easy to come by. There is plenty of it to be found in processed foods and of course fast food. But that’s just the problem. Many runners, myself included, are health conscious and warned that sodium should be avoided- which leads to an overall decrease in sodium intake. The decreased sodium consumption, combined with high activity and high sweat levels can lead to chronic … Read the rest