Bad Patches. Strong Opinions on This. Make This.

I think any athlete goes through a bad patch. I liked your techniques and honestly I can’t even imagine running 30 miles. I go through bad patches in a 5k! Lol. I try and remind myself that they don’t last forever and we will make it through if we want too.

First, my condolences to Andrew and your family on his grandfather’s passing.
Men in running tights: when they’re running and not TOO tight, it’s fine. At the gym…not so much, without shorts over them.
I try to really focus on form and anything I can do to change my movement, even a bit: lift my knees higher for a few strides, spread out my toes inside my shoes for several paces, lower my shoulder blades, shake out my hands…etc.
My protein bar for this morning’s breakfast had a chocolate coating :)
Hope all your runs this week are relaxed and comfortable!

My thoughts are with your family. Death is not easy, and when loved ones are far away–oof. Nothing can prepare you for how that feels, and no words are the right words.

As for men in running tights–whatever makes the person feel free to focus on the running instead of be self conscious about the people around them! I know that I have a hard time when people debate on what I should wear when I run/when I practice yoga/when I go from spin class to errands to brunch with friends to whatever, so I am in absolutely zero place to say what another person should wear (OR to have a say in what’s most appropriate for a person with different body parts to wear, so long as they’re covered/comfortable/wearing the right stuff to keep bad chafing at bay/ETC…).

As for chocolate, after my run yesterday I went to my favorite little smoothie shop, Frutta Bowls, and got chocolate whey/almond butter/banana/almond milk/nutella and it so totally hit the spot. I think though that I need to replicate that chicken bowl–or, at least, the sauce since I have shredded smoked pork on the meal prep menu for this week and that sauce would probably be BOMB over it (whether Tom would wrap it all up in a tortilla or I have it over greens for a salad and with lots of pico…).

I don’t know what workout I am most looking forward to, to be honest. I’m pretty exhausted and my whole body has been aching and sore. Sometimes in the last few weeks or so I think I have “backed off” of my schedule by sleeping instead of going to a morning class at the gym or taking a bit of a ‘break’ from running or whatever, but then that same week I’ll take on a sub class for someone else’s spin class or Body Flow class and I’m not really RESTING. It’s all work and it just looks different or happens at a different time of day. THAT SAID, though, this past weekend I ended the little break from running I had with a short loop around one of my favorite run spots and it felt REALLY GOOD. I wore my new pair of Ghost 11s (along with a new sports bra, because isn’t it fun when the feet AND the body both have something new to symbolize a ‘new perspective’ of sorts on an activity after a bit of a break? Or is that just me??), so I think I have to say that I am looking forward to my next run tomorrow morning. I have to decide, though, if I want to run a bit farther than I ran on Sunday in my new ghosts or if I want a nice short loop to begin breaking in my fresh pair of Launch 6s. I don’t know what would ‘spark joy’ more right now. ;)

Bad patches–those are tough. Your mental game is ALREADY strong, and it’s just gonna get stronger! I love that each training run helps build the mental game in a FINITE sort of a way–you focus on the mental game to get you through the run–but the entire training cycle, and the reading and self-talk and visualization you keep on doing THROUGHOUT your cycle–that’s just building the “bigger picture” mental game that lets you approach the start line and help you understand the kind of SHAPE you’re creating for the memory of your ultra so that the “inside the run” mental game has space to do its thing, like you have practiced over zillions and zillions of miles already.

Ah, Skye is the best.

Last chocolate thing I ate – part of a chocolate hazelnut bar.

Most of my guy running friends won’t wear tights unless it is freezing out (case in point on our snowy trail run yesterday up in 3 feet of snow…one of the guys was still wearing shorts) ha. And most of them do wear shorts over their tights. To each their own I suppose.

Last bad patch during a race – well, it was like why I am doing this? I must be crazy. Also, will the finish line ever come. But you eventually get over it, or I did – because it was either going forward or being plucked off the course. Thinking about the sway (sometimes) but mostly a hot bath, food and reminding myself I paid to do this usually does it hahaha.

Most workout I am looking forward to – not sure yet, but yesterday’s trail run with my trail family was a lot of fun. It was only 11.5 miles but took a few hours because it was in the mountains and we hit 3 feet of snow, and it was beautiful even if it involved a lot of hiking and some tumbles. And of course the impromptu photo shoots.

Have a fantastic day Janae!

Thoughts are with your family during difficult time.

Men should absolutely wear running tights in the winter. With or without shorts over them, as long as they keep themselves warm.

Whenever I hit a bad patch, I give myself a tiny pep talk. I tell myself that I can do this run because I have done it before. Sometimes it helps to focus on my feet. Left foot. Right Foot. Left foot. Right foot. Until I forget that I am in not enjoying the run.

You got me thinking and unpacking some thoughts… always good for me so thank you!
So my newly updated thoughts on men in running tights. Just like with women in leggings or running tights- they should be well made enough that people around you can’t see through them. If they’re getting worn out and are becoming transparent someone who loves you should tell you so.
My old thoughts were that they were a fashion no without shorts on top. Unless you’re actually running outside in snow. (Which Andrew clearly is.) But… I unpacked it and decided I’m not ok with myself thinking that. So I changed my mind. I think the ones most of the guys here wear to the gym are more sheer compression tights that would need shorts over them no matter who was wearing them. (it’s Florida)
I’m hoping to finally (finally, for reals) get back to the gym tonight or tomorrow. I can’t wait!!

Okay, first, on a very serious note, I didn’t get a chance to express my condolences to Andrew and the rest of you all/his family on his Grandfather’s passing. I am so sorry! As someone whose grandparents help to raise her, that always hits close to home for me when I hear of a grandparent passing away. Please know that all of you are in my thoughts, especially Andrew and his family.

Next, on a WAY less serious note, running tights on men…? Um, is this *seriously* a debate? Like, with everything happening in our world today, people are going to choose *this* thing to get worked up about? Alright, if that’s a thing, then let me tell you what fashion choice for men (and women) *I* get worked up about instead… ultra booty shorts that flap in the wind, with, quite literally, nothing on underneath. How about them apples? Oh yeah, I went there. There is a guy in my town I’ll call “Daryl” (I actually do not know his name but my 16 year old, whenever I am complaining about someone that we all know who the guilty party is but that person isn’t there, to keep things light, he’ll shout out to an imaginary “roommate” he’s dubbed “Daryl” to make us laugh stuff like, “Yeah Daryl, knock it off!” and “Why can’t you be more considerate of mom’s feelings Daryl, gosh! Get it together, man!” lol). Anyway… “Daryl” likes to run around our town anytime the temperature breaks 40, shirtless with THE tiniest and flappiest cross country style booty shorts EEEVVVVEEERRRR!!! I swear the first time my teenage daughter ever saw a grown man’s bare booty was “Daryl’s,” booking it down main street, in March, when it was probably 40.1 degrees outside. She turned about 22 shades of red and said, “Maybe one day I might like seeing a naked man’s butt, but today is not that day.” And the same goes the other way, ladies. I have three sons (one who is 21, but two teenage boys, okay?), and they FOR REALS hate seeing women in just their running bra and itty-bitty booty shorty shorts bibbidity-bobbing around town. So, I think “Daryl” and the ladies could maybe start a running club OFF Main Street of Small Town, Nowhere, USA perhaps? Good heavens…running tights any day, please. LOL!

Men in tights-yes of course! With our without shorts, whatever is comfortable. Let’s face it, we all know what bodies have for parts so whether there’s A LOT of material or less, it’s not like it’s a surprise. Also, a lot of sports involve tights: speed skating, cycling, cross country skiing…..Here in europe men wear tights in the winter. Okay, maybe in the fall and spring too because I take it Europeans do NOT do chill. It’s just not a big deal to me and I hope the men in my life don’t feel pressure to dress differently and are uncomfortable.

The last chocolate thing was a limited edition Ritter Sport.

Bad patches are hard, but I’m convinced the further you go, the more opportunity to get past it for the good patches. I think a bad patch in a 5km race would be so hard because the recoup time is limited! although you do get to finish sooner….Anyway, I do the “You can do hard things” and “savor this moment” etc. I don’t have the best mental game so I do a lot of self talk. It’s pretty tiring. Also just trying something-if I am nervous to pick it up and go faster I tell myself to try it! COunting down aide stations is great, too! In your 50 miler you may have a lot of highs and lows-just like a day at home. You’ll feel hungry, tired, thirsty, frustrated, elated, sad, mad, happy, joyful, tearful, exhausted, exhilarated……ALL THE EMOTIONS! Let yourself feel them, and think “hmmm, what will be next.” I’m so excited for you!!!

I’m going to add more: this will surely show my age but I remember when tights first came out for general wear. They were Hind tights, kind of thin, and only came in maroon and navy. Women didn’t really know how to wear them so they wore shorts UNDERNEATH! so think dolphin split shorts under non compressive running tights. Some wore them over. Eventually things evened out and we went sans shorts. Now to the guys. They wore them, too. But, then Sporthill stirrup pants/tights came out. Google them. I bet if you go to any road race you’ll see a bearded 73 year old man in royal blue sporthill tights (we’d now call them pants). Anyway, tights have come a long way and from what I’ve seen, most male tights are pretty thick or even have a slim cut pant look. Wear what you feel good in! That being said, I still think it’s a bit odd to see men in a male version of a bikini in triathlons but again, wear what feels good.

Guys in tights doesn’t bother me. My husband doesn’t wear shorts over his. I think he gets more comments about when he wears his capri tights which came from the male section. I can’t say a man running in tights has every distracted or bothered me on a run.

I have been using your advice to get through bad patches of runs…. take it one mile at a time. And lots of positive thinking. It definitely helped during a tempo run last week.

I just ate a snack size Hershey bar. Somebody at work left a whole bag sitting out to share and I rarely say no to chocolate bars.

I just wanted to drop a comment and say I made your sisters giant chocolate chip cookie recipe this weekend and OMG!! They are officially my new favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe. They are everything I’ve ever wanted in a cookie?? they remind me of CFA cookies o my better!

I’m totally cool with guys wearing running tights – they just better not put running shorts over the top of them because then they just look like a noob or a middle school XC runner. ?

Last chocolatey thing I ate was a ‘birthday bar’. My Mom gets them from Schwan’s. She gets them for each of us on our birthday. They are an ice cream car, with caramel and peanuts on tops, all of it enclosed by chocolate. But we don’t know the real name, just birthday bars.
I’m not sure what the debate is over men running in tights. Do the same people have a problem with mens biking in the tight’s that are shorts too then? For me I don’t even acknowledge that it’s even a thing. I would have never known this was a ‘thing’ had I not heard it in your interview and read it here. So I guess my opinion is, it’s all good, men in tights, if they are more comfortable that way, whether running or biking.

I didn’t know men in running tights was a big deal!? I see men in bike shorts all the time here in Florida.
For men and women – just check your tights and make sure they aren’t see through!

I’m a guy who doesn’t often run in running tights, but I use them *all the time* for hiking, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing when the temperature gets below about 40-45 degrees F. The reason is that they are about the same weight and warmth as a pair of long underwear bottoms, are slightly more socially acceptable, and MUCH easier to put on a pair of wind-and-rain pants over the top of (especially if those rain pants have full side zips—skis make that a necessity).
Of course there is a drawback for someone like me: I look like 5 pounds of potatoes in a 3 pound sack in running tights, but I’m also too old and curmudgeonly to care at age 59. As long as I can be comfortable, and get outdoors, I’m happy (and a lot easier to live with).
Oh, and I almost forgot…they also make the song from Mel Brooks Robin Hood movie rattle around in my head:
“We’re men…we’re men in tights…we go around the forest looking for fights…….”

Sorry about Andrew’s Grandfather ??.

I don’t even understand why wearing just tights is even a question. I think it is personal preference, what works best for them is all that matters. Compression helps the muscles and why add an extra layer/weight/bulk that can chafe the body or make it more uncomfortable? Women don’t want to be judged for wearing what works best for their bodies, why shouldn’t the same be applied for men. On that note, my husband wears compression pants for his muscles but isn’t comfortable wearing them by themselves. But, that’s ok because it works for him.