A Case of the Runs

The day before I went on vacation last week, I stopped by Whole Foods to pick up a few bars to pack and also picked up a pouch of their soy protein powder to try. I had been thinking about getting a can of the stuff, but I definitely wanted a trial run before that. Fast forward to a week later. I was sore from weights and such for the second day in a row, which reminded me that I had the pouch. I've had protein powders before, though in whey form. I used to swirl them around in ice water, and it really didn't taste half bad. Expecting the same thing, I mixed the soy protein and drank away. To put it simply, it was gross. No flavor, thick, gag-worthy (I nearly vomited, but I guess you didn't need to know that). I looked on the label and noticed that there were no carbohydrates, 110 calories per serving (the whole pouch), and 24 grams of protein. So I guess it tasted like that for a reason. I ended up having to chase it down with additional water and the skin of a muffin that...

EVENT : Rose Bowl Inaugural Half-Marathon DATE : Saturday, December 8, 2007 LOCATION : Pasadena, CA RACE BEGAN : 8:00 am FINISH TIME : 02:05:04 The start time for this race was supposed to be 8 am, but I think they lingered and started at 8:03. The national anthem could barely be heard, even though there were maybe about 1000 people out there. This was the first of many things that made me wonder why I signed up for an inaugural run that pretty much cost $90!! The course was definitely tough. Pretty tough incline between miles 2-3, then the trails began at around mile 6.5. Oh yeah, and I should probably mention that my speed-demon sister passed me shortly before mile 6. My 10k split was probably around 0:57, not bad for me. At mile 7 as we were about to turn a corner, a guide said, "If you see people walking, just run around them." I turned the corner and found myself at a rocky, VERY steep, VERY narrow trail, where falling would mean serious injury. I obviously walked there...

In this entry, I talked about how Aquaphor helps with chafing, so now it's time to get a sample of your own (while supplies last)! ------ Link: http://www.eucerinus.com/aquaphor_newsletter0506/

Running makes your heart big (I'll probably write more about that later), but it also gives you more guts. At my first track meet ever in the spring of 2000, there were not enough JV hurdlers to sweep up points in the 100m hurdles. I had trained with the sprinters for about 3-4 months, and although I was already signed up for other sprint events, my team duty was salient. I had exposure to SOME hurdling, about 50m worth during a "hexathlon" that took place to find our strengths, and no, hurdling was not one of my strengths found that day. I rememeber kneeling in the blocks, wondering how this would go. Gun. Boy, those hurdles are a lot taller in the 100m than the 300m, I thought. I probably cleared the first five hurdles and then started faltering. Anyone who hurdles knows that once you lose your rhythm, it's VERY difficult to settle back into it. So I was intimate with the ground and slowly finished the race, even though everyone else had long finished. My finish wou...

So I made a run to Whole Foods recently, since I had an hour to burn. I spent WAY too much money there (you'll find out on what in a future entry), and one of the things that contributed to that was this yogurt. I've heard so many things about Fage (pronounced: fah-YEH) and finally decided to give into the hype. For $1.89, I was thinking, "It better be good!" I got this 2% kind, because the 0% next to it weighed less, ha ha. The 0% has 80 cal and 13 g protein, and the 2% has 130 cal and 17 g protein (the "whole" has 200 cal and 20+ g protein). But yeah, after a 6-mile run, I didn't want to settle for the weenie one, especially if I was paying $1.89 for it. Okay, enough gripes, I guess. So I cracked open this baby in my car and tried to poke at it, only to find it is covered by parchment paper. After getting through that weirdness, I tasted what was the creamiest yogurt ever. I sometimes get a carton of plain low/non-fat yogurt, but this was just, as my ...

Guest review of Zipfizz: I was at Costco recently and there was a sample table hawking this Zipfizz stuff. Zipfizz is a healthy alternative to sports drinks and coffee to give you energy for whatever you may need energy for. This guy made this stuff sound so wonderful that I bought a box. Yeah, I am easily sold and am always on the look out for anything that will help me better my running abilities. So this guy was saying that this powder in a tube that you mix with a bottle of water has 30% more electrolytes than Gatorade and has all these vitamins and this and that. He made Julie and I a bottle each and we sampled it in the store. Julie drank her really quickly and got a "caffeine buzz" from it. It has 100mgs of caffeine, which is about 1/4 the caffeine in a tall Starbucks coffee, just to give you some comparison. Not much if you think about it. I really like the stuff and am glad I purchased it. I mix a bottle up everyday and take it with me to my noontime run or workout a...

Three races. One special medal. One friend who talked me into it. One heck of a challenge. Carlsbad - January 20, 2008 La Jolla - April 27, 2008 America's Finest City - August 17, 2008 I guess this means my race plans for next year are changing. And the traveling will be nice. OC Half-Marathon: January 6, 2008 Carlsbad Half-Marathon: January 20, 2008 LA Marathon: March 2, 2008 La Jolla Half-Marathon: April 27, 2008 (deleted) Palos Verdes Half-Marathon: May 2008 America's Finest City Half-Marathon: August 17, 2008 (not sure anymore) Pasadena Marathon: fall 2008 ------ Link: http://www.carlsbadmarathon.com/triplecrownc38c.htm

Since Julie has been so busy lately, I thought I would fill in with some reviews and such. I remember when I first started working out, I use to love eating those protein bars and just about any food in bar form. I was really into Power bars and Clif Bars. I still like these but they can have a strange taste to them. Eventually, I just stopped eating bars. Don't remember why but recently I started looking into them again. Well, I guess it also has to do with the fact that I've been running more in training for the LA Marathon. It's weird but the more exercise I do, the less appetite I have. But knowing how important it is to eat when training, I've been trying to find bars that are easy to eat and digest and will give me enough energy to run. I was at Costco one day and bought a big box of Zone Perfect bars. I didn't know what to expect from them since I had not had them before but the bars have 14g of protein, 7g of fat and 210 calories. Let me just say that they a...

I haven't been updating as much as I should, so I just thought I'd talk about the first 2-3-ish weeks of marathon training. Mainly, I am going to rant a bit. While everything started off well, I was hit with a familiar pain in mile 4 of 5 a few days ago. I had to finish the run because I was away from my starting point, and since it was hurting more to walk than run, I went on. Fast forward to a few hours later. The pain was along the right side of my foot, the exact opposite of the left side foot pain I had last year after running 20 miles. I guess I was tackling too many hills too strongly. I limped over to CVS and got some athletic tape/bandage so the Icy Hot patch I tacked on the area would stay. So I spent two days in this wrap, the second day in a boot, which actually helped a lot. Strangely, even wearing these heeled peep-toe shoes feels better than wearing sandals at this point. I slapped the running shoes on again today and ran three miles. I think I was feeling worse ...

Update: I just finished watching the program described below. I thought it was a very inspiring piece, though it made marathoning seem scarier than it usually is. My favorite part was one of the team member's (Steve) statement that he went for the challenge because it was so ridiculous that it's "intriguing." The segment featured 12 people who rarely exercised and put them on a 9-month (yikes!) training program to run the Boston Marathon. Many of them had other issues besides being sedentary, such as stress fractures, previous heart attack, obesity (common), and even a guy with HIV. Obviously, they had their struggles. I thought it was cool how they talked about some of the physiological aspects of running, such as VO2-MAX, glycogen, and other muscle and bone issues. It didn't make it sound very alluring, to be honest. Watching those novices cross the finish line reminded me how good it will feel in Los Angeles in March. I gotta start training my huge muscular...

Monday marks the official first day of the 18-week marathon training program a-la Hal Higdon. I'm doing the Novice 2 program because I want to improve my time but don't have the number of days to train that are called for in the Intermediate. I am probably going to make some modifications to the program. For instance, once in a while, I like to do repeats, so they may take the place of some short/moderate runs. Also, the long runs are going to flip-flop around due to my horrendous schedule. I am starting the training off with an 8-miler on Monday either at 6 am or 5:30 pm depending on how things go, though I am opting for the earlier time in the event that I get worn out going hundreds of miles on an off-site. I always like to have one week without a long run scheduled in the event that I get sick, too busy, etc. It's a safety cushion, of sorts. So I guess in a way, my training has already begun, though I'm still feeling a bit worn from the half that was almost two week...

I've had my legs sprayed with analgesics before, but by the time I resorted to them, my legs were too numb to feel anything. I have a soft spot for these because I associate them with the emotional highlight of my first marathon. However, I learned that you don't have to run 26 miles to benefit from such sprays. The Kool-n-Fit spray feels tingly, and as its name implies, cool, when it hits your legs, much like a menthol cough drop. It has a slight citrus scent, which makes it slightly more tolerable to the olfactory nerves than other sprays. I headed over to a Kool-n-Fit booth after my recent half-marathon, which was lucky for me, since that's where I found my sisters, almost as if they had been counting on me to be in pain, ha ha.

EVENT: Long Beach International City Bank Half-Marathon DATE: Sunday, October 14, 2007 LOCATION: Long Beach, CA RACE BEGAN: 7:30 am FINISH TIME: 02:11:58 This race was particularly special for me for three reasons: - It was my longest race since the marathon. - It was the first race I've repeated so far. - It was the first time I ran a race with people besides my sisters. I was trying to PR in this half-marathon, though my secret goal was to hit 2:00. It might have been able to happen had the weather not been so hot (it was low/mid 70's pretty mu ch in the beginning, which was a huge contrast to last year), my stomach didn't hurt, a chest muscle didn't cramp, and my hip didn't suddenly give up in the tenth mile. I had other forces working against me that morning, but I probably shouldn't elaborate. Anyway, the first few miles went smoothly. I was forcing myself to slow down because I knew I would lose it if I didn't. I hit the 10k point pretty quickly (for m...

Readers, Long before I picked up the running habit, I was a consistent Dance Dance Revolution (DDR) player. This game comes from Japan and popped up everywhere in US arcades, then made its way into PS2 consoles. You play by simply stepping on a dance mat's arrows that correspond to what appears on the screen, while short songs play (although this is probably an oversimplification). It is difficult because you need to have some sort of rhythm and stamina. After I started running a lot, it became even more difficult because after a few songs, all the muscles in my legs started tightening up. Not giving up, I still played... just less often. Now that I am very busy and the weather is not amenable (yet), I haven't touched the mat in months. But with the advent of a new game (DDR Supernova 2), I am preparing to lug out the metal dance mat we have and stop by a store to pick up the new game. I am determined to bring this fun hobby of mine back into my life, and the story below confir...

October is here and that means that the weather will be getting colder and perhaps wetter. It is also that time of year to get your flu shots. I just started to get them last year because I was afraid the flu would hit me hard and take me down and out of training. Some people say that getting the flu shot causes you to have the flu which in my experience is not true. I felt perfectly fine after I got the shot so this year I will be getting it again, that is unless they have a shortage again, in which case I will not get it so that those who need it more can. I personally think it is a good idea since to get sick right before the big race is just unfortunate. Also, as the weather gets colder I start to be more mindful of germs and getting sick which is why Vitamin C and Airborne are my friends during this time. I take Airborne in the tablet form. I just drop a tablet into a bottle of water and shake it up and drink it. I can't say that it is delicious because it isn't. It isn...

On Sunday, September 30, the Pasadena Humane Society hosted a 1 mi/3 mi walk called the Wiggle Waggle Walk for Animals at the Rose Bowl. I think I saw hundreds of dogs there with their loving owners who wanted to help raise money for less fortunate dogs with no homes. Two of my favorite pups, Bear the Shiba Inu and Teddy the Yorkshire Terrier, walked 3 miles in the hot morning sun. They had several water stations for the dogs, as well as one or two for the humans. The reason I mentioned this is because when I got to the mile 2 marker, I really thought we had walked more. It was really some of the longest 3 miles of my life because I was not really allowed to run. I guess running and walking are two very different animals (pun intended). ------ Link: http://phsspca.org/about/walk/2007/

I am back once again and this time to review the Ipod shuffle that I won as a door prize a few weeks ago. I am so lucky! I had the original shuffle and loved that it was so light and portable for those long runs but when I got this baby, wow, it is even better. Aside from the fact that it smaller and has a built in clip, it can hold up to 240 songs (1 GB). I love the clip part because I use to have to wear my old shuffle around my neck or hold it in my hand since I was too cheap to buy an arm band. I also really love all the colors it comes in. Mine is pink. I saw it in purple yesterday and am only slightly jealous. I really like mine. Great improvement over the old design.

You Know You're a Marathoner If... (excerpted from a website the ones that apply to me) ~ You roll your eyes when people talk about low carb diets. ~ "18 weeks" becomes your most important unit of time. ~ You'd rather run a marathon than go on a "real" holiday. ~ You no longer think people who run marathons are crazy. ~ After finishing a really tough 26.2-mile run, your first thought is: "Next race, I'm going to...." ~ You have a pile of shoes in your closet because you feel like you have to have new running shoes every 400 miles. ~ You spend too much time on the Internet reading about other peoples' workouts. ~ You think high 40s/low 50s and overcast sounds like perfect weather. ~ When someone mentions that they live in another city, you immediately think, "Oh, I hear that's a good running city" or "Good God! I couldn't live there! Their marathon is cruddy and there's nowhere to run!" ~ You get up earlier on...

I thought I was being eccentric by wearing a skort to race, but check out (well, I take that term back... just look at) these alternative running bottoms. ------ Link: http://www.runningkilts.com/

I recently received a sub-batch of these (using cranberries and omitting coconut) from a friend, and I thought I'd share because they supposedly have 10 grams of protein per 2 cookies (they aren't big, so that's pretty darn good). These are soft, a tad dense, but not too sweet. Very good post-run snack. ------ From the Food Network Show: Good Eats Prep Time: 30 minutes Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes Yield: 4 1/2 dozen Ingredients: 9 1/2 ounces whole-wheat pastry flour, approximately 2 cups* 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice 8 ounces sugar, approximately 1 cup 6 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature, approximately 3/4 cup 1 egg 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 1/2 cups lentil puree, recipe follows 3 1/2 ounces rolled oats, approximately 1 cup 4 ounces dried fruit, approximately 1 cup 2 1/4 ounces unsweetened dried shredded coconut, approximately 1 cup *Cook's Note: If desired, a quarter of the whole-wheat...

Sadly, I can get through a jar of this in a week and a half. Peanut butter has such a bad reputation. People complain that it's fatty and addictive. Yes, peanut butter has 16 grams of fat per 2 tablespoon serving, but it's monosaturated, aka "good" fat. Also in that same serving, you get 7-8 grams of muscle-building vegetarian protein and good satiety. I wouldn't recommend eating this too close to a run, but it's a great post-run snack when combined with whole grain breads, fruit, or vegetables. Maybe even out of the jar.

Geez, the words "fanny pack" don't sound cool at all, and believe me, wearing one is certainly not cool, either. However, I had to give myself a bigger butt than usual wearing this because a few weeks ago, someone took my water bottle while I was doing a long run. I had hidden it behind a tree, and when I came back for it around mile 6 (of 10), it was gone. Defeated, I had to cut my run short. I picked this up at Sport Chalet. I am a fan of JanSport because I used to envy all the kids who had JanSport backpacks that seemed to last forever and ever without breaking (plus they looked cool), while my ghetto, un-cute, boyish, hand-me-down Chinatown backpacks would develop holes that would have to be sewn up over and over again. On that note, don't get me started on "Adidos" items... Anyway, now that I am older, there was some glee associated with the purchase of a JanSport item. I was finally able to give this a spin this morning on an 11-mile run, and I th...

This was a strange (ongoing) sequence of events... When I crossed the finish line at the Nike Run Hit Remix on Saturday, I stopped the clock on my Nike+ iPod thing. I briefly noticed a small red symbol in the upper left-hand corner of the screen, but I thought that it was just an indicator that I was on a 5-mile course. A few days later, I was checking to see what the kit had recorded my race time to be, which was when I saw a "Sensor: Low Battery" message. I Google-d a bit and discovered that this message appears when about 2 weeks of battery life remain in the sensor (the red oval piece). NOOOOOOOO , I thought. The battery is not replaceable, meaning I'd have to fork another $30 for a new kit. But wait... it's Apple... don't they have good customer service and a one-year warranty on all their products? I had to fax in documentation of my purchase in order to change my warranty period, but all went well, and I'm receiving a replacement in the mail soon. Upon...

I am briefly posting this link as an attempt to get people to sponsor me for the half-marathon I'm doing next month. I figure it's better to try than not. Every little effort counts. I chose the Lance Armstrong Foundation because a close friend of mine lost a parent to cancer a few months ago. This charity helps those affected by cancer to life the best life possible through education and attitude alignment. ------ Link: http://www.active.com/donate/laf07/nobel4lit

EVENT : Nike R un Hit Rem ix DATE : Saturday, September 15, 2007 LOCATION : Los Angeles, CA RACE BEGAN : 9:00 am FINISH TIME : 45:55 (gun); 44:58 (unofficial Nike+ time) NOTE: The "Start" mat failed to work, so the "gun" time above is my time assuming I was at the front of the line. Of course, there was a gap between the gun and when I actually crossed the start line, thus beginning my timing. Luckily, I used my Nike+ kit pretty adeptly during the event, so I actually have a more accurate (though still not the best) time to report. HALF-SPLIT: 23:30, meaning second 2.5 miles done in 22.25 Oh well, I shouldn't be obsessing about such small things anyway. ------ I have attended two of these Nike runs before, though only as a spectator. The former 10k distance of the race seemed daunting before I took up running as a hobby. So I would join my other non-running sisters for breakfast once the race started and finished before the race's end. No more of that. The o...

Swoosh!! I first knew of the existence of this visor while picking up a race packet at Sport Chalet. However, they did not have a black one, and knowing how I like to wear green, the blue and pink ones abound were not going to cut it. Upon trying it on, I noted how light it was compared to generic visors I've worn previously. Also, the moisture-wicking Dri-Fit material seemed alluring. I called many places and drove around looking for this, until I finally came upon one at A Snail's Pace. I happily swooped one up for $18, which sounds steep for a hat, but hey, it's Nike. I wore this on an outdoor run today. I was supposed to do 8 miles, but I stopped after 5.5 because I didn't want to be in the heat anymore. My hair did not poof up like a souffle like usual, and it was indeed light. Plus, I felt really cool with the swoosh on my forehead. I washed this in warm water like the care instructions said, and it seems fine to use for another day. All in all, totally worth ever...

I bought a pair of these Nike shorts over the weekend at a Sport Chalet while I was there picking up a race packet. This is about the most high tech and expensive pair of shorts I had ever bought. I have always just thrown on any old pair of shorts but I thought I would test these out and see if they are any better. I actually got this because I was looking for a pair of shorts with the hidden key pocket to hold your key(s)s while you ran. Up to now, I had been tying my car/house key to my shoelaces. Not the most comfortable feeling as I was always worried that I would lose the key during my run. I must say that these shorts look very cool. I got a black/dark grayish pair in an XS. I think Nike clothes run a bit bigger because I normally wear a small. It fits nice, not too loose and not too tight. I have copied and pasted some specs on these shorts below. Wore these for the first time today doing the Nike Run Hit Remix in LA and I really liked it. It kept my skin dry, didn't ride ...

I found this in this morning's local newspaper (San Gabriel Valley Tribune). ------ Marathon helps bond troops, Afghans By Alison Hewitt Staff Writer SAN DIMAS - When Army 1st Lt. Amanda Wilson crossed the finish line Tuesday to win a marathon in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, it was both an echo of and a long way from her cross-country racing days at South Hills High School. The San Dimas resident organized the Sept. 11 memorial races on her Army base to honor fallen comrades, but also to build morale among her fellow soldiers and neighboring Afghans. Ninety people joined the race run inside the base perimeter to keep safe from enemy attacks. Twelve of the competitors were Afghans, including four interpreters, Wilson said. "When I had my interpreter running side by side with me, it made me realize how far we have come," she wrote in an e-mail interview from Jalalabad at the end of the race. The Afghans who ran congratulated the U.S. soldiers, she added. "For the first time...

And now for something new. I recently asked Julie if I could review some products on her site and she agreed. So this is the first of the guest reviews. ******************************************************************************** I got a sample of this powder in the Nike Run Remix race packet that I picked up over the weekend. It is the berry flavor one. It also comes in lime/lemon flavor. I read somewhere that Walmart is selling a box of 10 packets for $2.96. I have not personally seen them there myself for this price but I wasn't looking for them. I have heard that this item may be difficult to locate, so if you come upon this somewhere for a good price, please feel free to share. I like the idea of this product because they are portable. Propel fitness water is really refreshing, but I think it is only good for replenishments after short runs. I tested this out on a 5-miler yesterday and it was quite refreshing after my run. You just open the packet and pour into a 16.9 oz b...

Jamba Juice, a place that causes pure addictions through their nutritional smoothies, has renamed their Berry Protein Pizzazz to the Nike Protein Berry Workout. Available in both whey and soy (my choice) varieties, you can drink this after a workout for muscle recovery! They come in at about 280, 420, and 530 calories for the small, medium, and large sizes, respectively. I got to try a sample (or many samples, depending on who you ask) of this while picking up my race packet the other day. It has a predominant banana flavor as well as a good shot of strawberry. Since this is my favorite smoothie combination (Matcha Green Tea Mist/Blast is a very close second), I'm glad it now has the Nike name associated with it! (The picture below is not of the said smoothie, but you get the point.) Straight for their site : Power this smoothie down before or after your workout to help build muscles and promote cell growth. An Original sized smoothie is packed with 19 grams of protein, as well as ...

If your thighs are burning, and you haven't been running, you must be doing a squat (come on, laugh at my attempt at a joke). As part of my regimen, I attend a circuit-type class called FitMoves once a week in which we often have to do many (many) squats. Upon telling this to my friend, she asked, "But don't squats make your legs big?" "I don't know," I said, keeping a mental note to ask the people who are telling me to do them whether that is true. I still did them anyway, thinking that my thighs are so huge that they really can't get any bigger unless I suddenly ate a truckful of muffins or started on a steroid cocktail. But before I had a chance to ask such an embarrassing question, I stumbled upon this really cool site. It is called Stumptuous and is basically a guide for women to weight train. Among its many useful pages is one regarding myths about squats and how to do them properly. The take-home message I got from the squat page was this: I s...

Each month, I seem to develop a new pain related to running that keeps me from doing as well as I hope. Sometimes it's a busted toe, shin splint, sore quad, or weak ankles. This time, it's a pair of sore hip-flexors. Why is this bad? My subjective experience is that a sore hip-flexor (I call it the area where your leg connects to the rest of your body) forces a short stride. No good. Time to stretch. Pictured here are variations of a lunging stretch that is said to loosen up in that area. However, be careful not to overdo the stretch, as I'm sure this can cause injury. I will be doing this myself over this week in preparation for my next race (which you will hear about early next week). P.S. Might I add the rule about stretching: after cool-down only, not as a warm-up. Links: http://www.exrx.net/Stretches/HipFlexors/KneelingHipFlexor.html http://www.pccoach.com/newsletters/May05/stretching.htm

(I WISH this was under the "Gear" category, but alas, I do not own one of these...) So just when I thought I was set with my gear, a new iPod came out yesterday. I don't think it's very attractive, but look at how much more fancy the Nike+ thing works on it. However, $199 for 8 GB sounds VERY sweet ($149 for the 4 GB, which is what I paid for my refurbished 2nd Generation Nano). Wi-Fi capability is nice, also, though I don't think it will automatically sync your run data onto the Nike website. Now if it did.... No, I'm not going to jump on this bandwagon... yet. I would much rather upgrade the Nike+ itself to keep track of things such as intervals and heart rate. Link: http://www.apple.com/ipod/nike/run.html

This morning at around 6:45 AM, I ran my thousandth (estimated) mile since I decided to take on distance running about 1.5 years ago. I'm sure this milestone (heh, no pun intended) would have come sooner, but laziness... and life... happens. Does anybody else have that Vanessa Carlton song ("A Thousand Miles") or Moby's "Thousand" stuck in their head? Okay, enough of this strangeness. It's 9 AM, and I am obviously up too early.

This is a really swell training tool. Since I've never had an official 5 or 10k time, I was looking for a target pace for my repeats. I just inputted my half-marathon time, and it went to work. I am pleased to know that I can run faster than the predicted times this calculator gave me, but it's a pretty good approximation. Try it for yourself if you're short-distance challenged like me! Link: http://www.mcmillanrunning.com/rununiv/mcmillanrunningcalculator.htm

Some good, sweet carbs.... Choose among: Oatmeal Dark Chocolate (cookie) Original 7 Grain (crackers) Trail Mix TLC (bar) Link: http://www.kashi.com/outreach/snack_drive

I'm surprised I have not discussed weight training, as it has become pretty important in my routine and has probably helped me avoid injury and run faster. Here are some of the things I do regularly (enjoy the varied pictures I found on Google). I usually do 3 sets of 10 with 30-40 seconds of rest in between. This is probably a bit minimalistic to some people's standards, but keep in mind that I'm not only a chick but a time-pressed one who crams these sessions in after runs. - leg curl : to bulk up my already huge hamstrings; usually between 30-40 lb. - leg press : to bulk up my already huge running thighs (quadriceps and butt); I've done up to 110 lb. - adductor machine : inner thighs; usually around 55 lb. - abductor machine : outer thighs; also around 55 lb. - standing calf raise : usually around 25 lb. - shoulder press : usually around 30 lb., though I know I can do more but don't want to grow that area any more than it already is - seated row : usually either ...