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World Record Marathon Holder in the 55–59 Age Group Jenny Hitchings’ Advice to Run Boston Strong

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Boston 2021 was the fastest marathon in her career so far

Photo by the race photographers. Jenny Hitching crossing the Boston Marathon finish line, 2021 

Whether you are a runner or not, there is a magic marathon revered and appreciated by many: Boston.

With the Boston marathon taking place on April 18th, 2022, let’s hear some wise advice from Jenny Hitchings, who lives in Sacramento, CA with her husband, Andy, and their dog, Mia. Hitchings is the world marathon record holder in the 55 to 59 age group. 

“And now at 58, I am still getting faster and still running PRs. My time at the Boston Marathon on October 11th, 2021 of 2:45:32 was a lifetime PR. This is where people ask, how? I wish I had an easy answer that I could deliver in a box with a bow. But I don’t.” — Jenny Hitchings in an interview for Run in Rabbit blog

A five-time Age Group (55–59) American Record holder in various race distances and an Age Group World Record holder in the marathon, Hitchings is also a running coach for individuals, youth, and middle school cross-country. Besides her exciting running and coaching career, Hitching has two grown girls, Molly and Maggie, and is a newly crowned grandma to Olivia (Molly’s baby).

Hitchings’ advice on training and running a strong Boston marathon 

  1. Doing harder workouts within her long runs with her fast runner friends and teammates from SRA Elite team has helped her be well-prepared for Boston. Some of Hitching’s favorite workouts were: long runs with fast finishes to practice picking up the pace even though legs are feeling tired, progression runs where the pace starts slower and gets faster with every mile, as well as running GMP (goal marathon pace) tempos and longer GMP mile intervals, such as 3x 2, 2 x 3, 2 x 4.

2. Running many 20-mile runs, or longer. Occasionally, Hitchings tried to run on courses that mimicked the Boston course hills by starting on a slight 3-mile downhill and returning on the same hill around mile 16 to simulate the challenging Boston course. She also advises running on rolling hills to strengthen the quadricep muscles that need to help you transition in downhill and uphill running, which can also be done on trails.

3. Do NOT go out too fast, as Boston starts with downhill running. “If starting too fast or beyond what you know is reasonable, your legs will fatigue and cramp by Newton hills and beyond. Try and run effort based on the inclines, and let it flow on the declines,” advised Hitching. 

4. And last, but not least, enjoy the crowds! Smile, pump your fists, and hands in the air, as spectators will scream and cheer louder, which can carry you a long way.

Photo by the race photographers. Jenny Hitchings running with joy at Boston marathon, 2021. 

Improving running and athletic longevity 

“I have been running since college (for fitness) and more competitively since I was 40, so I don’t have all the wear and tear on my legs like if I had been running at a high level in high school and college,” said Hitchings. “I have a flexible schedule that allows me to run when I want. I have a coach. I train hard, and I have good genes,” she added. 

Hitchings’ advice to women runners of all ages, but particularly women over 50 regarding running the best races of their lives:

  1. The first and most important thing is to love running because it makes it easier to be consistent and do what it takes to get out the door, instead of making excuses about why you can’t run or train. 
  2. Success has nothing to do about comparing yourself to others, and everything to do with being the best you can be at any given point in your life. 
  3. As far as reducing injuries and increasing your running longevity, Hitchings can’t say that she has stayed injury-free over the years. She had an Achilles/heel surgery and a PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma injections) procedure on her glute/upper hamstring. Hitchings added that running with no pain felt enlightening! Although she admits to not being great at doing strength or cross-training — Hitchings does enjoy riding outside or on her Peloton — she regularly sees her sports chiropractor doctor and gets deep tissue massage. She also thinks that walking her dog 1.5–2 miles after runs helps her stretch and feel loose.
  4. Hitchings pointed out that getting good or better at running (or anything) takes time: practice pacing, fueling, hydrating, running on different courses and terrain, and adding mileage. “In the end, your training doesn’t lie,” she said.
  5. Sometimes, Hitchings watches dogs run and thinks, “they have it right. They just do it organically. Warm up with a trot, run fast and chase things to get the energy out, slow down because they’re tired, find a stick and chew on it in the shade, because, why not? Then get up and repeat. Interval training at its best without getting injured.”
Photo by the race photographers. Sacramento, CA

 Although Hitchings is not running the Boston Marathon this year, she hopes to see her granddaughter Olivia at her next Boston, wearing a T-shirt that says:

“My nana is FAST as AF.”

Meanwhile, happy tapering for Boston, and don’t forget to wave at the crowds! 

For more inspiration on how to let “AIR,” which stands for adaptation, inspiration, and resilience guide, please consider buying my print edition or e-book The PR- The Poetics of Running, A Book of Poetry in Motion and Morsels of Love, A Book of Poetry and Short Forms on Amazon, or buy it straight from my blog by clicking on my books link, which will take you to Amazon.

For more info on running and real estate, whether buying or selling, please e-mail me at carmenmicsa@yahoo.com, or call me at 916-342-2446. Also mention this blog and receive a great offer whether buying (credit for closing costs) or selling (commission discount). Running for real estate with joy!

Long runs, Running, Running and real estate, Running and Spirituality, Running in new places, Running keeps us younger, Sacramento real estate, The joy of running, vegan running

Making Long Runs in New Places, Towns, & States Fun, Enriching, & Memorable!

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Traveling to new places with my family means bonding, having fun, laughing, trying new foods, and exploring. We love to play sports, hike, visit museums and caves, and enjoy being together. Yet, my favorite way to explore new places is to do it at my own running pace before our children even wake up and are ready to start their day with us.

We have recently visited the Midwest and have enjoyed Chicago, the impressive, unforgettable, and most beautiful American city in my humble opinion, the sweeping and undulating corn fields of Illinois and Indiana, the magnificent lush forests, the balm weather, the history, and spending time with our friends.

After having spent a week in Illinois, we headed to French Lick, Indiana, a quaint, small town with a population of around 1,800. I also wondered about the name and found out that this town used to be a French Trading Post built near a spring and salt lick. Known for its Pluto Water and healing springs, French Lick is also the hometown of basketball legend Larry Bird.

 

The signs pointing to the many adventures around French Lick, IN.

From the moment we drove into town, I noticed the winding paths. As always, my husband helped me plan and plot my run, so I had a route ready for the next day.

THE HISTORY

 

On a crisp June morning with 55 degree temperatures, I took off for my long run that had to be at least 10 miles. I was soaking in the fresh air and was giddy with excitement. I was also thinking of my friends back home in Sacramento who had to put up with the 107-degree sweltering weather. In less than a mile, I arrived in front of the French Lick Springs Hotel, which is on the United States National Register of Historic Places for its architecture and old charm in our modern world (the hotel first opened in 1855).

 

Front of the French Link Springs Hotel, where I took the path leading to the next small city West Baden and the other historic hotel West Baden Springs.

Running down this paved trail was enjoyable.

 

After about two miles of running, I  reached the next town and hotel West Baden Springs Hotel,  also named the Carlsbad of America. I loved the arched entry and the brick path. I stopped to take some pictures, as well as learn about the history of  the hotel and its mineral water and baths that were alleged to cure more than fifty ailments.

The double arches confer a European appearance to the hotel.

 

As I ran on the brick path towards the hotel and the beautiful gardens, I learned that it was the original brick street installed when the hotel was built in 1902.

I loved running through the garden of West Baden Hotel, as the brick road reminded me of some streets in Romania, where I grew up.

I could not resist taking a selfie of the water fountain in the middle of the garden that was a healing place many years ago when visitors came to find cure to their illnesses by drinking the springs water.

 

Running is social – connecting with a local runner

 

Around mile 3 into my run, I ran into a local runner. I asked him how long the trail outside the West Baden Hotel was and he told me that the path ended right after the bridge. At that point, I  figured I might as well repeat the same loop and asked him  if I could join him. David told me that he was running his usual three-mile  loop, so I was happy to have company and talk to a local runner. I found out that he was a teacher, married with two small children, and that his wife was a nurse. We talked about Indiana and why he liked it. I also told him a little bit about California and our lives there. He told me that  he enjoyed running 5K races and that he also ran a half marathon with his wife in Kentucky. David was polite, kind, and a good running companion, which made my long run more enjoyable. No matter where I meet new runner friends, I feel so blessed to be part of a worldwide running community. Our universal love of running does not need translating; it simply resurfaces like a well-balanced surf board above high and tall waves.

David kept me company for about three miles and regaled me with stories from his hometown French Lick, IN. I enjoy meeting new runners who are passionate about our sport and run with happy feet.

 

After an enjoyable run, I said good-bye to David and thanked him for his company. I only had four miles left to make it to 10 miles, so I  headed  back towards French Link, passing by churches, small restaurants, a  mini golf course, and small antique stores.

I loved the brick church and what it represented: Christianity , warmth, friendliness, and hospitality of Southern Indiana.

Our Lady of the Springs Church  founded in 1887 faces the street sign reading Indiana Street.

 

TRIVIA

 

Besides exercising, socializing, learning about the history of French Link and West Baden, I also gathered some fun trivia knowledge that I can share during my runs with my runner friends back home.

TOMATO JUICE 

In front of the French Link Hotel, there is a sign about the invention of the tomato juice. In 1917, French Lick Chef Louis Perrin ran out of oranges to squeeze for juice during the breakfast rush. With a group of Chicago businessmen waiting, Chef Perrin improvised and squeezed some tomatoes. The businessmen loved it and spread the word: tomato juice was great stuff. By the 1920, tomato juice was promoted as a health drink.

Tomato juice trivia

 

WEST BADEN – THE CARLSBAD OF AMERICA

According to one of the signs in  front of the hotel,Carlsbad means “Charles’ bath,” named for the Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV, who is believed to  have discovered the mineral springs at Carlsbad in 1347.

ORIGIN OF THE WORD HYGIENE

West Baden Springs Hotel had four springs all known for their amazing healing properties. One of the springs was named Hygeia, based upon the goddess of health in Greek mythology. Thus, the word hygiene comes from this Greek goddess’ name.

With running tours becoming more popular, I am grateful to go on my own running tours and learn on the go, as well as immerse myself in  the culture of the new places I visit. During this trip, I have become fascinated with fireflies, brick homes and buildings, the dancing corn fields extending for miles, and the ubiquitous  red barns.

When traveling, I also like to apply this German saying: “we grow too soon old and too late smart,” which matches with my philosophy to explore new places we visit with the eyes of a curious and inquisitive child and the soul of a wiser traveler.

 

This teapot was hung on the wall of the German Restaurant we had lunch in French Lick. Our kids loved the Polish sausage and the home-made pretzels.

 

For more info on running and real estate, whether buying or selling, please e-mail me at carmenmicsa@yahoo.com, or call me at 916-342-2446. Running for real estate with joy!

Running, Running and real estate, Running and Spirituality, Running keeps us younger, Solo running, The joy of running, Uncategorized, vegan running

10 Ways to Make Your Solo Runs Fun, Interesting, and Challenging!

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“When you reach a dead end road, don’t despair. Instead, watch the sky, the swimming clouds, and the narrow paths that open up.  After this exploration, pick yourself up and elevate your soul and mind with jumping joy.” Carmen Micsa

 

Jumping with joy!

 

Let’s be honest: it is always more fun to run with friends, especially those long runs. Yet, many times we need to run on our own for various reasons, such as time constraints, pace desired, coming back from an injury, and so forth.  This Thursday, May 11th, I had a terrific solo 6-mile run in the high 8s and felt so great after not having run for more than a month due to my tendonitis. While running, I usually listen to some of my favorite podcasts, such as The Hidden Brain, Runner’s World, The Moth, The Nutrition Diva, and a few others. This time, I was ready for a selfie running video, as an idea came to my mind. I wanted to explore running and exercising alone and how we can make it fun and exciting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ow3SAkci4DI

 

During my solo runs, I love to stop more often and capture the pretty views that unfold in front of me.

 

I took this picture at Ancil Hoffman Park on Good Friday before Easter. Only after I  looked at my picture, I saw the divine cross burning in the sky at sunset. I was thrilled with my discovery and took my time before getting back to my run.

 

Ever since I got into running, I felt that I needed to test my body and lungs on my own first. From that first day in 2015 when I ran down the street from my house for half a mile, or so, I have discovered different ways to enjoy my solo runs. It wasn’t always easy, since I am quite a social person and love company, but here are my 10 ways to make your runs solo more fun, interesting, and challenging.

  1. Turn your solo run into that much needed mediation in motion, which is why it is good to leave the headsets behind sometimes.
  2. Listen to interesting podcasts that you like, which feels like running together with an intelligent, fun,  and well-read friend.
  3. Make an appointment with yourself and write it on your calendar. You can write something like: “Running 6 miles tomorrow around Ancil Hoffman Park with my new podcasts to listen. ” By penciling the run on your calendar, you won’t dread going by yourself. It will almost feel that you are meeting someone and you have to stick to the schedule and be punctual.
  4. Combine workouts, such as speed workout with hill repeats, one of my favorite combinations. Another combo I like is tempo run on a hilly course.
  5. Wear a silly hat, or piece of costume around the holidays (Christmas, Halloween) and enjoy the smiles you get from other runners and walkers, as well as from the drivers passing by you.

Wearing my Santa hat and my Christmas top.

 

6.  Find a new running route and create as many different routes around your neighborhood to have choices and be excited to get out the door and start running.

7.  Solve whatever problems you are having during your solo runs and you will be amazed at your creativity and ease of finding the right answers and solutions.

8. Stop to talk to other runners and make friends, or even run together just like I did in Las Vegas when I met two wonderful guys from Canada. We ran down the strip up to Mandalay Bay Casino and Resort and it was wonderful to chat with them and run together. We have stayed friends and are connected on Strava.

 

Picture in front of Paris, Paris with my new running friends. They were kind, fun, and interesting to run with! They had the right pace, too! Runners are the nicest people!

 

9.  Allow yourself to be poetic  and philosophical when running in beautiful places. I love writing little poems in my head, coming up with my own quotes, which makes my run quite exciting and interesting.

10. Give yourself a weekly challenge, such as taking a beautiful pic of wild flowers, animals, taking a selfie jumping picture, etc. You can do the same challenge a few times that week and that will give you even more purpose and something to look forward to besides your tempo run, speed workout, or easy run that day.

 

Besides making your solo runs more interesting as I mentioned above, there are also three gifts that come from running alone:

 

In other words, running alone should be practiced weekly  for all the reasons above-mentioned and many more that you might have yourself, as well as to become mentally stronger for your races when you are mostly likely to run by yourself surrounded by the other runners.

 

  1. Running alone is the gift of solitude and peace that your soul needs on a weekly basis to recharge itself.
  2. Running alone is also the gift of gratitude, as it will teach you to be more humble and grateful for that great running friend and partner who helps you pick up your pace and lifts up your spirits the days you do run together.
  3. Running alone is the gift of good health and extended life, as it will offer you so many physical, mental, and spiritual benefits.

And to find out how running with others will make you a stronger and happier runner, stay tuned for my next blog.

For more info on running and real estate, whether buying or selling, please e-mail me at carmenmicsa@yahoo.com, or call me at 916-342-2446. Running for real estate with joy!

 

Running and real estate, Running and Spirituality, The joy of running, Traveling, Uncategorized

Traveling and Running – 6 Tips to Explore New Places

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Ever since I became a runner, I have changed the way I see the world. I pay more attention to details, I am more creative, and I love to see nature, animals, plants, trees, and new places and cities in motion.

My first breakthrough came last year (2016) when we traveled to the East Coast, and I got to run from the mountains in Tennessee to the beaches on Hilton Head Island. During that trip, I thought to myself that every city should have a running tour, as it is so much easier than creating our own tours when traveling to new places, although it feels great to be explorers.  Sacramento, for instance, has Sac Running Tours http://www.sacrunningtours.com that offers two 4-mile run tours: Capital City Highlights featuring Sacramento history and places of interest and Urban Art featuring the large murals, public art, and graffiti around downtown/midtown, which I went on last year ( 2016). Both tours are $30 each. They also offer personalized tours at any distance for individuals or groups.

Last month, our family traveled to Las Vegas. This article http://www.bootsnall.com/articles/10-11/running-while-traveling.html about running while traveling is right on. In my case, I chose to run up and down the strip in Las Vegas in the morning and late afternoon to experience all its bustling, music, street shows, and lights  at my own pace.

Not many people around during my morning run.

Yet, exploring busy cities and new places takes some preparation as well as spontaneity to make your running adventures even more fun and exciting.

 

  1. One of the best times to explore a new place is in the morning, as it is more tranquil, less traffic, and less busy.

Treasure Island Casino before its visitors show up. The stillness of the pirate ship and the uneventful dock made me enjoy it even more while snapping a quick pic.

2. Plan your route ahead either by searching online, Strava, MapMy Run, or even better asking the front desk at the hotel you’re staying, since they know the area and will have some great recommendations.

I knew that I needed to do a 10-mile run, so I fugured that running from Westgage Hotel, where we stayed past Luxor would get me close to my running and exploration goal.

3. Try to join local runners/running groups, or simply join other runners that you come across during your run.  Around mile two into my run, I was fortunate to come across two tall, handsome, and very polite Canadian runners who allowed me to run with them after I asked to join them. Making friends in a new city takes us beyond the geography of that place; it places us closer to the locals and visitors from all over the world, which makes  it much more rewarding and fascinating.

Enjoying the company of my tall Canadian friends who ran with me about 4 miles.

4. Best way to immerse yourself in the new place you’re visiting is to allow yourself to stop and smell the flowers, so to speak. In my case, I stopped to take jumping pictures, watch the street shows,  and visit the inside of the Bellagio Casino to delight in their Chinese New Year flower exhibit (the year of the rooster) during my two days of running and exploring Sin City.

Jumping with joy in front of Caesar’s Palace.

Watching the knife juggler who travels all over the world with his shows.

Exquisite topiary celebrating the Chinese New Year.

The vibrant red carnations sure make this stand out.

5.  The joy of running in a new place is to listen to its throbbing arteries, so leave your headset at home and be aware of your surroundings, while staying safe.

Looming casinos, shiny and bright.

6. Besides making us feel good, the joy of running in a new place is to bring your family back to some of  the sights and rejoice together.

Our family enjoying the water fountain show in front of Bellagio.

Our sweet children being silly in front of the Tour Eiffel Tower replica.

Traveling immerses us in the heart and soul of new places; traveling and running connects us to the deeper beats of new places we visit and revisit. Let’s strive to stride around the world!

Please share your stories and running adventures be commenting on this post. Happy feet!

For more info on running and real estate, whether buying or selling, please e-mail me at carmenmicsa@yahoo.com, or call me at 916-342-2446. Running for real estate with joy!