We have enjoyed a long relationship with Moab's Earth Studio (they make the awards for Canyonlands Half Marathon and The Other Half). Their newest creation is a custom picture frame that features our runner logo and cutout text. Thanks, Earth Studio!

Registration for The Other Half is now open!

Every April we breath a big sigh of relief that Canyonlands Half Marathon went well...then turn around and dive into preparations for The Other Half. Before registration opens, there are permits to secure, decisions to be made about race shirts, bags, pint glasses, parking. There were a few more things to consider this year, as we've been able to increase the race cap to 2500 people.

We're thankfully at the end of that process (shirts will be long-sleeve tech, men's and women's sizing; parking near the finish has been expanded) and registration is now open. If you enjoyed Canyonlands and want to run a new stretch of River Road; if you've run The Other Half before and know how fun (and sometimes challenging) the course is; or if you've never run a road race here but are interested, check out The Other Half!

Personal Record Without Injury

It’s been a few weeks since the Canyonlands Half Marathon, and many of you have set your sights on a new challenge (hopefully the Other Half Marathon on October 17th!).  You may be setting up training logs, scouting new running routes, and adding up mileage.  One aspect you should also focus on is improving your running technique.  Having the correct technique can not only improve your running efficiency, but also prevent many injuries.  Here are a few common mistakes and how to improve them.

Body Position:

Many runners tend to keep their upper bodies either too far forward or too far back.  If the upper body leans too far over the hips your stride becomes very high impact and can lead to leg and back issues   When the body is too far back, sometimes called the “sitting position” the feet strike out too far in front of the body.  This leads to striking the ground with your heel first which can break your stride and increase stress on your back, knees, ankles and shins.  The correct running position should be a slight forward lean with the upper body stacked directly over the hips.  This should create a “falling forward” feeling, and you will essentially be using gravity and mechanics to increase your forward momentum instead of just your legs.

Foot Strike:

The correct part of the foot to land on has been highly contested in recent years, but most experts agree that the heel strike is the least efficient and most often leads to injury.  When you end your stride on your heel it often means you are over-extending your stride and not keeping your body weight over your feet.  Ideally your foot should come underneath you in a shorter stride; the closer your foot hits to your body the stronger stride you will have.  In the other extreme, springing off your toes isn’t efficient either.  It tends to draw your knees up high creating an up and down bouncing motion which takes away from forward momentum.  It’s best to aim for a strike on the middle or ball of the foot for the best power and least impact.

Arms:

Your want your arms to swing on a pendulum track back and forth.  They are used to help with forward momentum and rhythm.  Any excessive movement or twisting of the arms can set you off balance, add unwanted torque on your back and joints, and lead to inefficient energy use.  Keep your arms loose and relaxed.  For longer distances keep them lower than you would for sprinting or running harder at a shorter distance.

These are just a few ideas to get you started, but it may be beneficial to hiring a running coach for a few sessions.  A professional can assess your strengths and weaknesses narrow in on what you need to adjust.  Running is the same as any sport, it takes practice and guidance to hit the next level, improve your PR, and reduce potential for injury.

Now What? Avoiding the Post-Race Blues

You did it.  You trained hard.  You ate right.  You got up every morning in the dark, rain, snow, and cold to run up hills, sprint and get your distance in.  Those 13.1 miles were amazing.  Now what?  There are many post race effects that can put a cramp on your training routine or even put you in danger of injury.  

It’s common for runners to fall into a slight depression after the adrenaline of the big event has worn off.  So much time and energy has been focused into that one goal and there may be a feeling lost and uncertainty.  Runners often stave off this feeling by planning another goal like a 5 or 10k race in the future.  Make sure your new goal is far enough away that you have time to slowly build up your workout.  Otherwise you may increase your risk of injury. You can also link of with running buddies or find new paths to help keep up motivation.

Some runners jump right back into running, hungry for the next feeling of elation; but hard workouts on still-recovering muscles, tendons and joints can set you up for injury and take you completely out of running.  Runners World suggests recovering with short cross training workouts on a bike or running in water for the first few weeks before building into a regular running routine.   For more ideas on post-race recovery and work-outs check out these articles   http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-238-244--8957-3-1X2-3,00.html  http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-238-263--12976-0,00.html

Thanks to Everyone for a Great Canyonlands Half Marathon!!

The 35th Annual Canyonlands Half Marathon was a screaming success!!!  Thank you so much to all the runners, sponsors, volunteers, staff, and supporters who made this event possible.  Congratulations to Evan North of Louisville, Co, three time men’s overall winner with a time of 1:09:45; and Kristen Ogden of Provo, over all women’s winner with a time of 1:20:46.  

After a hail storm greeted participants and complicated the set up of the race, the sun shone brightly and the cool weather kept everyone in great spirits.  Thanks so much to our race sponsors: Clif Bar, Gatorade, Sore No More, The Moab Valley Inn, Moab Adventure Center, and The Eastern Utah Community Credit Union.

This year we had over 5,100 registrants coming into the Expo on Friday.  62% of those runners were from Utah and 25% came from Colorado.  We had people from 47 states, and on Saturday Afternoon nearly 15,000 racers, supporters, and spectators came together to cheer each other on and check out all the great vendors, music, and entertainment at Swanny Park.  Thank you all for making the 2010 Canyonlands Half Marathon safe, fun, and successful.  Time to start getting ready for The Other Half!

For race results, more information on the Canyonlands Half Marathon, the Moab Half Marathon, and our sponsors visit our website at www.moabhalfmarathon.com.

Happy Racers

Thank you Moab Adventure Center

Ranna and Faye making everything come together

Thanks to Our Sponsor The Moab Valley Inn!

Tonight nearly 5,000 racers will be gearing up to run the Canyonlands Half Marathon in the morning, but before they line up at the finish line many will take advantage of one more chance to carbo-load at the Pasta Dinner sponsored by the Youth Garden Project.  The Pasta Dinner is always held at the Moab Valley Inn, which has been a continuing and valuable sponsor for many years.  Without the help of their event staff and facilities in conjunction with the Youth Garden Project Staff, we could never pull off the Pasta Dinner which serves as a major fundraiser for this environmental education based non-profit.   Many of our runners stay at the Moab Valley Inn before each of our races, and they have always been accommodating with later check out times and extra support for competitors and their families.

The Moab Valley Inn is one of the best places to stay, not only for the race weekend, but for any getaway whether with friends or family.  They have rooms for couples, suites for families, and pet friendly rooms which can be difficult to find.  When it’s hot in the summer, the Moab Valley Inn’s pool is a great place to spend the heat of the day.  Wi-fi is available for those who are taking a working vacation, and the friendly staff is always excited to give you the best adventure, shopping, and dining advice.  Stop by to say hello and thanks or consider the Moab Valley Inn as your base camp the next time you stay in Moab.  Find their Website here.  

Thank You Moab Adventure Center

This Saturday morning racers will be greeted by Moab Adventure Center buses and drivers to whisk them away to the start of the course.  The MAC has been a major sponsor of all our racers by providing not only transportation for our competitors, but also equipment like tables, coolers, and ice.  When the race is finished you can still find all the great race apparel at their store on Main Street.

If you are staying in town for a while or plan to visit Moab again, MAC has a large variety of trips, tours, and activity for any kind of adventure.  You might want to rest your legs with a tour through Arches National Park, or use different muscles with a mountain bike trip.  The MAC can help you plan your vacation with daily activities such as horse back rising, river rafting, hiking, and hot air balloon rides or plan your week with a Moab Vacation Package.  To learn more and say thanks check out their website here. 

Time to Taper

The Canyonlands Half Marathon is almost here! You’ve logged your miles, increased your distance each week, and now you should be tapering your routine.  Tapering, the decrease of distance and intensity of your training, should begin about two three weeks out and workouts should decrease between 30 and 80%.  This can sometimes be one of the most challenging periods for a runner, but it can increase your time by about 3% which makes a big difference in long distance races.

During the taper the tiny tears your muscles have sustained throughout training will have a chance to heal.  Many runners will worry that this long period of time will decrease their fitness, but in actuality the recovery time will make them stronger and increase performance.  Many experts suggest that workouts should be shorter and a speed workout the week before the race will help you perform at your peak.

Tapering can be difficult for many reasons.  Through the weeks of training runners can be come addicted to their sport, and the easing off can induce psychological consequences such as craving carbs, cramming in extra miles, or phantom pains in joints that had no pain before.  Rest assured that these feelings are normal and that continuing to ease off workouts will help you run your best.  For more information on easing the side effects of a taper check out this article at runnersworld.com.  Good Luck and keep going.     

When and What to Snack During Training

Distance runs, speed workouts, and opposition training are all important parts of preparing for a Half Marathon, but how you fuel these workouts can make all the difference.  We all know the importance of eating smaller meals through out the day to keep blood sugar from spiking, switching to whole grains and carbs to keep our energy steady and consuming lean protein for muscle conditioning.  The biggest question may be when to consume which foods based around our workout schedules to keep up energy and replenish our stores.  Check out this article from Runners World that lines out the best snacks to eat each time of day to make the most of your workouts.Snacking Nutrition for Runners

The Bane of Runners Everywhere...

PLANTAR FASCIITIS : The worst two words in a runner’s repertoire which bring aching heels and arches, painful steps when you get out of bed, and a throbbing pain that can extend through your whole foot.  Plantar Fasciitis is a common injury in long distance running and occurs when the Plantar Facia Ligament (which runs from your heel across the bottom of your foot) becomes over stretched and develops small tears. Often over-pronation or collapsing in on your arches is a cause.  This can sideline a runner for months and develop into a chronic problem.

To avoid this painful condition it is imperative to keep your ligaments stretched out and protected.  Wear proper shoes that counter pronation or inserts that prevent your foot from collapsing in.  Make sure to stretch your feet out before and after long runs.  If you start to feel even slight pain, rest for a few days and stretch or ice your foot.  For more information and preventative exercises check out this article at herfitnesshut.com.