“Maybe not thriving…but surviving.” That was the best Facebook status I could come up with after my first venture into ultramarathon running. Back in May, I had trained for the Madison Marathon with team DetermiNation, and after the race, my friend and teammate Meghan Ross mentioned that she was interested in running an ultra. Because I was on a post-marathon … Read More
Nutrition Experiment Week 4: Protein
Week four is here and it’s time to delve into the fun and exciting world of protein! So what the heck is protein, and what does it really do? Personally, protein brings to mind images of body builders at the gym slamming weights, drinking Muscle Milk, and yelling as they do curls. But it’s not just about building muscle. Proteins … Read More
Nutrition Experiment Week 3: Carbs, Part 2
My week of carboliciousness has given me a lot to think about. Carbs have a reputation of being the Jeckle and Hyde of the nutrition world: you either love them as a super-fuel, or you shy away from them in fear. So how do I feel after my dualistic encounter? Lets find out. Following my stellar last week of upping … Read More
Your Brain on Running
Lately, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about what’s really going on inside my head when I go for a run. When you consider running in terms of the technology you utilize during a run–your MP3 player, heart rate monitor, GPS, etc.–your brain is likely the most advanced piece of equipment you take along with you. From controlling every … Read More
A Guide to Being King (or Queen) of the Hill
I despise running hills. Not all hills, the gently inclining ones don’t bother me, and of course, going down a hill is no problem, but I hate those steep, evil looking ones that you can see from a mile away that you know are going to suck all hope and happiness from your legs and mind. And, you may be thinking, … Read More
Cruz Control: An Interview with Rolando Cruz – Part 2
This is the second half to an interview I recently conducted with our friend Rolando Cruz from Berkeley Running Company in Madison, WI. If you missed the first part, you can check it out here. This part of the interview is focused on Rolando’s experience with minimalist running shoes. His story about how he started wearing minimalist shoes is an … Read More
Cruz Control: An Interview with Rolando Cruz – Part 1
I recently had the chance to sit down with our friend Rolando Cruz, the manager of Berkeley Running Company in Madison, WI. Rolando is a 34-year-old ultra-marathoner from Spain who moved to Wisconsin as a foreign exchange student during high school. Rolando, like many of the all-star running staff at Berkeley Running Company, has proven to be extremely informative, very … Read More
Nutrition Experiment Week 3 Carbs
It is week three, already, and that means it’s time for Carb Week! Second only to Shark Week, this is the week that I was looking forward too. First, I love carbs. Bread, in my mind, is probably one of the greatest inventions in human history right after beer (which, incidentally, is also a carb and therefore fair game this … Read More