we asked

@lululemon: Why do you run? Tag your answers with #WeAsked & we'll share our favourites in our blog on Friday!

you answered

@MissRedWing: I run because I love the music of my breaths and feet hitting the pavement.

@ashleykoehn: After an 8 mile lakefront run, I feel BEAUTIFUL. No need for heels & mascara. Strength, health & confidence is beauty.

@AshmoeNY: I run to prove to myself that I can go the distance & conquer my goals/fears. I run to finish what I started.

@Glorious_Greens: I run to escape the chaos of the day and to feel the strength my body possesses. It is my time to just be in the moment.

@kelhilder: When I run the whole world disappears and I feel completely free.

@khourinya: I run because it is thousands of dollars cheaper than therapy

@chrissybajcar: It's a time to clear my head, get away, and just be. I also like pushing my limits

@c5mccorm: I run for my sanity! also, for the feeling of accomplishment that comes with finishing a race or a grueling training run

@erinmarie9: To get outside, push my limits and remove stress with each stride

@syyong: It's my meditation, nothing else matters when i run, the only thing on my mind are my breath, enjoying the air that comes in and out, my steps, my awareness of my body in space

Look for our next #WeAsked question on Tuesday, August 10th!

what is we asked?

Every week we ask you for your thoughts and opinions on a specific topic via Twitter, and share our favourite answers here on our blog. Want to share your wisdom in 140 characters or less? Follow us on Twitter. If you’d like to suggest a topic, feel free to email askanexpert@lululemon.com.

View running clothes:

• Run: Dash Tight
• Run: Speed Skirt
• Push Ur Limits Tank

what is ultra running?

Ultra running is considered to be anything longer than a traditional marathon. Most people will say it's got to be at least 50km to be considered a true ultra marathon. Ultra distances range from 50km to over 200km in races such as the Badwater, which takes place in Death Valley, CA -- quite possibly the most unforgiving climate in all of North America.

Ultra marathons can be up to 200km long!

how to get into ultra running

I came upon the ultra scene after completing several marathons and started to look towards goals of running further instead of faster. I completed my first 50km road race in Canberra, AUS in April of 2009, which was a very humbling experience. I felt fine past the marathon distance until I got to the last 5km where I completely fell apart, or “hit the wall” as most people have come to know it. It seemed like a life or death situation taking place in my head and I was losing the battle. Somehow, I managed to overcome the struggle of my legs not responding to the instructions my brain was giving them, and made may way across the finish line.

I have since run several 50km races both on trail and roads and have become much more comfortable with the distance. My biggest problem in the first race was my pacing and my mindset. I was running as if I was doing a marathon, and ultras require a bit more patience and planning, not to mention mental toughness.

Brian's a goal-setting machine. Check out his BHAG below!

Recently, I set out to accomplish one of my latest goals: to finish a 50 mile (80km) trail race in under 9 hours. I was really nervous, since this was much longer than I have ever run before, but I was also confident in my body, my mind, and my training. Part of setting goals is setting them high enough so that it extends your comfort zone and forces you to go beyond your previous limits. That I did, while learning many different things along the way.

ultra running insights

• Don’t waste energy running up hills. You'll make up your time going down them and your legs will thank you.
• Running for many hours gives you loads of time to create new friendships and become inspired by other runners' stories. I ran side by side with runners who have completed Badwater, the Western States 100 and beat Scott Jurek in the National Championships. It’s comparable to cycling with Lance Armstrong, or shooting hoops with Michael Jordan.
• After a few hours, it becomes an eating event. Your body will only keep going as long as you feed it the right things. At an ultra race, the aid stations are stocked with cookies, chips, pop, gummies, gels, fruit, sandwiches, potatoes and much, much more. If you like to eat, run ultras!
• You can start to enter a meditative state after a few hours where you begin to realize that your limits are mostly based in your thinking, not your physical ability. This realization brings you peace, and then you keep on running.
• After 5 or 6 hours, you can become very emotional, starting to think about those closest to you and how grateful you are for everything you have. It is like if you knew you were going to die, all the things that don’t matter disappear and you focus on what’s most important: your family and friends and all their support. It pushes you to keep going.
• After 7 hours, you think Steve Jobs is the greatest man alive for inventing the iPod. As the runners are more spread out and you are running mostly by yourself, a little music does amazing things to your motivation and drive. Songs like Rhapsody in Blue by Gershwin never sounded so amazing.
• After 8 hours, the finish is drawing near and you feel a second wind coming on. There are always going to be ups and downs in an ultra race so you just need to be strong through the downs until you come back around. If you keep stepping one foot in front of the other, you WILL reach the finish line.

After 5 or 6 hours of running, you start to think about people in your life you're grateful for: your biggest supporters.

Brian and his running buddy, John, who had just completed his first 50 km

I completed my first 50 miler in 8 hours and 55 minutes, at the Sulphur Springs Trail run, just outside of Hamilton, ON. The sense of accomplishment was indescribable. I passed 5 of the 16 people ahead of me during the last 20 kilometers of the race.

More supporters - a.k.a. the lululemon team!

I guess now I just have to up the bar one more time and start preparing for my first 100 miler (aiming to finish under 24 hours) in September. I’m putting this out there to the world so that I am held accountable and follow through. It really does scare me, but I know I can do it if I try. That is the power of goal setting. Share you goals with others and if it doesn’t scare you just a little bit, then try making some bigger goals. If you share your goals with others, it’s amazing how much you can do with their support.

Brian and his big, hairy, audacious goal.

you asked

Hi! I run for fun but have recently decided to enter a half marathon race (also for fun, just longer distance fun!). I have three months to train. Any suggestions on how to get to a half marathon from my current 20/25 miles a week? Jenny

a runner responds

Look at your race date, and write yourself out a schedule. I recommend picking up a copy of Jeff Galloway’s “Half Marathon: You Can Do it”. You will have to run a minimum of 3 days a week, one run being a long run. The other 2 or 3 runs should consist of shorter, more intense runs with a focus on speed and/or hills. Increase your long run distance by no more than 10% each week. Any more and you will put yourself at risk for injury. Three months is definitely enough time to train based on your current fitness level, but a smart and consistent program is critical for success.

Ainslie

you asked

My sister and I are both rowers but are looking into a triathlon in the fall (the Mermaid Tri in Santa Cruz). Any tips on triathlons for people who haven’t done one before? The race is in September so we’ve got lots of time to prep. - Libby

a runner responds

Libby,
Good for you and your sister! What a great way to test your mettle as athletes. Triathlons, while they may sound intimidating, are actually really fun and are a great goal for any fitness enthusiast. Here’s a simple yet effective training approach: practice each discipline at least once per week. If you have a particular weakness or are frightened by one of the triathlon legs (eg. swimming), practice that element an extra time per week, and seek extra help like a coach or even an experienced friend. On top of this, it is critical for you to practice “brick” workouts, where you do one discipline followed immediately by the other, eg. swim/bike, or bike/run. These brick workouts should be your longer workouts and you will be surprised how awful they feel the first few times around. This is why you should practice doing them!

As with any program geared towards a final race goal, your workouts, particularly your brick workouts, should be increased in duration by about 10% each week. For your shorter, single discipline workouts, let your focus be speed and form. A great book that I highly recommend for first timers is “Triathlon 101”, by John M. Mora. It gives specific workouts and programs, as well as sound nutrition advice.

My last suggestion is to get out into your community and join a local tri club! They will have scheduled club runs, rides, and swims for people of all levels in the group, and they can be a great way to gain more knowledge and experience in the tri world. Good luck to you both on your first tri!! Have a blast!

Ainslie

What are you putting in your pockets for marathon day?

you asked

Do you have any tips about training for a half marathon?
Should I bring my own energy gels? and how many should I take if I’m planning on finishing around 2h:30m? - Nadia

a runner responds

Nadia,
Find yourself a good half marathon program, like this one, http://www.marathonrookie.com/half-marathon-training.html.

Definitely bring your own gels if that’s what you like to eat during your runs. A simple formula which works for many runners is to consume one gel every half hour (taken with water). If you use this technique, that would require 4 gels. One tip that I also recommend is to also take in a gel 30-45 minutes prior to your race start. This would mean you should get to the race start with 5 gels in your pocket. Of course, this gel/30 min technique should be practiced during your long runs, as to ensure no surprises on race day. Good luck girl!

Ainslie

Ainslie is the first run expert featured in our Ask a Runner series. Check out her website to get to know her better: http://triplethreattraining.ca/

Upcoming run posts from Ainslie:

- What kind of shoes to wear – May 27
- How to stay motivated – May 28