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ANKLE BIOMECHANICS AND AGE: Competitor.com ran an article about an 89 year old woman, Ellen Lem, who completed her first 5k at Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend on September 2 and became one of the oldest persons to do so. What’s the secret to her success as an older runner? It might be her ankles! A research paper was recently published that look at the running biomechanics of runners by decades: 20’s, 30’s, 40’s, and 50’s.
“The Relationship Between Age and Running Biomechanics” by Paul Devita and colleagues appeared in the journal, Medicine & Science In Sports and Exercise. “The purpose of this study” they stated, “was to investigate the age-related adaptations in the biomechanics of running throughout the age range of 18–60 yr.” They felt the results could have a significant impact on the development of “training programs and performance equipment” that are specifically designed to reduce injuries in aging runners (over 45 years). There were 59 males and 51 females enrolled in the study, ranging in age from 23-59 years, who had been injury free for 6 months and whose current training was not affected by a previous injury. Participants were grouped by age: 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, and 50-60 years. Runners were recruited through newspaper, Internet, and local running stores ads. They had no chronic diseases or orthopedic conditions. Body mass index (BMI) was not significantly different between the age groups (mean 23.4), weekly mileage was not correlated with age (mean ~33 miles/week), and experience increased with age (mean ~11.3 years). They ran at their own individual training pace on a special platform while “motion and force data were captured“ by various scientific instruments (like cameras, photoelectric timer) and analyzed by software. Their results and conclusions: “Overall, our data show that running biomechanics decline linearly” (which means that the measurements followed a straight line downward from younger to older ages). “Reductions in the basic running characteristics of stride length and velocity between the ages of 23 and 59 years are DUE PRIMARILY to reduced ANKLE moment and power production during the stance phase but NOT reduced knee or hip function.’" The scientists admit that it is yet to be determined whether these reduction were due to actual physical limitations or the conscious decision of runners to change ankle mechanics. Reduced ankle function may be due to a general decrease in muscle strength and power, reduced elasticity in the Achilles tendon, plantar flexion weakness, or other causes, possibly related to the amount of running performed over the lifetime of the older runner. WHAT SHOULD WE TAKE FROM THIS STUDY? The function of our ankles (and attached feet) might be as important or even more important to our running health than the bigger joints that tend to receive more of our attention, the knees and hips. It may be that our ‘running age’ is more closely related to our ankle ‘age’ than hip or knee age. It’s not too late to work on strength, mobility, and flexibility for the ankles and feet if you hope to keep running beyond age 45 when overuse injuries are known to increase. To help you, below is a link to “GMB Fix Your Feet” by Jarto, a website page that provides information and routines to improve foot and ankle health. The physical therapist first introduces the basic anatomy and movements in these structures, then discusses the importance of working on this area, and lastly how to incorporate the demonstrated exercises (foot mobility and strength, calf stretches, self massage) in a training routine. Many can be performed watching TV or listening to music, in the morning, evening, or during work breaks. I used them (different physical therapist but she prescribed same moves) to recover from a foot injury, over 5 months. By the way, Mrs. Lem is planning to run the Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend again, but next year will register for the 10K! RUN HAPPY! http://running.competitor.com/2016/09/news/nearly-90-ellen-lem-rocked-disneyland-5k_155249 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26258853 https://gmb.io/feet/
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THE 13.1 MILE DISTANCE RACE IS A YEAR-ROUND FAVORITE, of course!!! It's a race for ALL seasons. If you consider this running year to extend from Fall 2016 through Summer 2017 (like Harry Potter’s academic years at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry), now is the time to start filling your race calendar.
First-timers might benefit most from the advice provided by Fara Rosenzweig in an article “Essential Tips For Surviving First Half Marathon” for GrindTV.com. However, if you’ve run one or more and thought the experience could have been better or your preparation was lacking, and you just cannot figure out why, check it out. I thought it was a very good piece. RUN HAPPY! http://www.grindtv.com/fitness/essential-tips-for-surviving-your-first-half-marathon/ PLAN YOUR OWN UNSUPPORTED ADVENTURE
“Do Something Epic: Test Your Limits With An Unsupported Adventure Run”, by Amanda Loudin for Competitor.com tells you why you might want to make this kind of personal effort your next big challenge. The runs are called “personal epics” in the article and are not part of an organized event. Participants identify a longer route or trip with help from online information and advice, and arrange for food/fluid and shelter (if multi-day) support, mostly without outside assistance. The self-designed, ‘Do-It-Yourself’ attitude of this type of endeavor appeals to EarnedRuns, as “enabling personal competition” is OUR THING! According to Ms Loudin’s piece, the impetus for attempting an unsupported adventure run may come from various sources. A runner or walker could be looking for a change of ‘pace’ (pun intended) goal, something to fire-up training. Or a change in circumstances may necessitate that alterations be made to a previously planned event in order to avoid total cancellation. She reports that one adventurer was no longer excited by running marathons, and wanted to “test herself in an uncontrolled environment”. She first ran a Grand Canyon trail and then a Bryce Canyon route. Another was unable to participate in a 100 mile race for which he was registered. Not wishing to “waste the training”, he opted instead for a DIY run of the same distance in which he carried all needed water and food. A couple said they converted an originally planned, 10-12 day, 105-mile European hiking trip into a 5-day run/fast pack adventure, because of unforeseen time constraints. “They offer no recognition or finisher’s medal, no aid stations, no 26.2 sticker to serve as bragging rights”, the article says. “So what’s makes them (unsupported adventure runs) so appealing?” it asks. EarnedRuns knows that immeasurable internal rewards can be won in personal athletic contests. The challenge can be a solo race, a streak, a long distance virtual trip, an obstacle course, or an unsupported epic adventure. The appeal and draw of personal tests is that they are when, where, and what you design them to be! SEE the website MAIN page; “unsupported adventure run” will be added to the list of SUGGESTED USES FOR EARNED RUNS BIBS RUN HAPPY! http://running.competitor.com/2016/08/trail-running/something-epic-test-limits-unsupported-adventure-run_15374 26.2K SIMULATION TRAINING, WORLD MAJORS, AND QUALIFYING TIMES
Okay, marathons are run all year, but it just seems like the fall and spring seasons have quite a few more than summer and winter. Those of you training for a marathon might appreciate this piece in Competitor.com “Marathon Simulator", which it says was excerpted from Hanson’s Marathon Method 2nd Edition (Velopress, 2016). It outlines a 26.2K training run that should be performed about 4 weeks in advance of the 26.2 mile goal competition. This past summer I met a woman in training for the November 6, 2016 TCS New York City Marathon, who is likely to have this run scheduled for October 8 or 9. Carla told me about her quest to complete the Abbott World Major Marathons, finishing all of six premier races run around the globe: Tokyo, Virgin Money London, BMW Berlin, B.A.A Boston, Bank of America Chicago, and TCS New York City marathons. See links below to the World Majors. Besides being an incredible athletic feat to accomplish, consider that there are qualifying times for all races but the one in Tokyo, it’s also a registration miracle! Merely meeting a qualifying standard won’t necessarily earn you an automatic bib number in the most popular races. It may allow you to register according to your time (faster qualifiers have earlier registration times for Boston). There appears to be such great interest in marathons worldwide that additional measures have been taken by organizers to limit participant numbers and hold them to manageable levels, especially in big cities. In some, qualifying times have been adjusted downward, registration is additionally assigned in waves (like for Boston) until the race is filled, or lottery systems have been put into place. If your goal is to run a particular marathon be sure to check the details/rules of the race registration process before it opens to be sure you have a chance at meeting all requirements. It’s best to assume that at least some time limit is in place. Look for finish times to be specifically identified; at the very least there should be a cut-off. Typically it is at or near 6.5 hours for most marathons. Some training plans are designed to help you hit this mark (see below a link to one such strategy). Smaller or newer up-and-coming marathons likely will be thrilled to have you participate and appreciate your efforts to train and travel to their event, without presenting significant qualifying barriers. Check out BibRave for race reviews, and BibSwitch to determine which might allow you to transfer a bib. I’ve not registered or trained for a marathon; advice from 26.2 mile-finisher-veterans will be most helpful to newbies! RUN HAPPY! http://running.competitor.com/2016/08/training/workout-week-marathon-simulator_154473 http://marathonbasics.com/content/6-12-hour-marathon-survivor-race-strategy https://www.worldmarathonmajors.com/about/how-it-works/ Berlin, September 25, 2016 (September 24, 2017) http://www.bmw-berlin-marathon.com/en/ Bank of America Chicago Marathon October 9, 2016 http://running.competitor.com/2016/01/news/want-to-run-the-2016-chicago-marathon-heres-what-you-need-to-know_143216 TCS New York City, November 6, 2016 http://www.tcsnycmarathon.org/plan-your-race/getting-in/2016-time-qualifying-standards Tokyo, February 26, 2017 http://www.marathon.tokyo/en/runner/guideline/ B.A.A. Boston: April 17, 2017 http://www.baa.org/races/boston-marathon/participant-information/qualifying.aspx Virgin Money London, April 23, 2017 https://www.virginmoneylondonmarathon.com/en-gb/how-to-enter/good-age-entry/ In “How to Beat Six Common Excuses for Not Running” Mark Eller, for Competitor.com, lists some of the most common excuses for not performing a workout. If you employ any of them but really wish you would run more consistently or follow a training plan, read the entire article. The excuses, re-capped below, are:
“Not a morning person…” “Weather is bad…” “Too stressed out…” “I suck so why try…” “Burned out on running…” “Running hurts…” Eller doesn’t give a pass for these rationales, and offers reasons why you might no longer wish to consider them valid. His article links to another Competitor.com article “Rise and Run: How to Become a Morning Runner” by Linzay Logan. The last of the three ‘how-to’ suggestions (behavior change) may be difficult and more of an obstacle to making the switch to morning running than the first two (gradual change, exposure to natural light) offered by Ms. Logan. The behavior to be changed involves watching TV. Needing to watch favorite TV series shows on a certain night of the week is not as much of an issue in these days of boxed-set binge watching, video streaming, and encore repeats. But keeping up with current events-based shows, like the late evening news or post-news late night talk shows might be more difficult to eschew. The topics are timely, dated, and in the case of late night shows hosted by comics, provide a humorous look at what might otherwise be grim daily happenings. From them we can learn what the weather will be the next day, sports scores, and about local community doings. Such shows might help us get through each day to its end. How to break this habit and go to bed early in order to rise early? It’s obvious but not so easy, if giving up those shows is a barrier to changing your bedtime. The trick is to shift the time-frame of viewing anticipation and reward by about 5-8 hours. Record and watch “your” programs, normally broadcast/scheduled from 10pm to 1am, in morning hours, 5am to 7am (earlier or later as need be) as you grab a cup of coffee or a soda and get ready for the run, or prepare afterward to head off to work or school. There are other ways to keep up with these shows with mobile devices. The point is to reward yourself with these favorites in the mornings rather than evenings and, in the process, give yourself additional reasons to look forward to getting up in the morning. Fast-forwarding through commercials shortens the time committed to watchable segments. Behavior change may be difficult for good reason and you’ll need to provide better alternate reasons to rise a bit earlier each day to run. Perhaps, freed from the obligation of running before/after dinner-time, you’ll be able to catch-up on current events by viewing the early evening news, savor time alone or with family, friends and pets that welcome your arrival, and enjoy the satisfaction of running consistently. RUN HAPPY! http://running.competitor.com/2016/09/training/how-beat-common-excuses-not-running_155180 http://running.competitor.com/2013/10/training/rise-and-run-how-to-become-a-morning-runner_43936 WEEK 1 TURKEY TROT WITH TRACK DAYS 5K Beginner Training Plan
Monday is the first day of the 10-week plan. If you haven’t yet done so and hope to follow the plan, spend some time today locating a track to use for your TRACK DAY workout. DOWNLOAD the plan calendar, track day schedule, and minutes to miles calculations sheet (links below are always on the RESOURCES page). Another reason to explore the RESOURCES website page is to to find MYRTL hip-girdle mobility routine demonstrations, dynamic stretching, and strength training exercises. Below is the workout for your first TRACK DAY! WEEK #1 (1.5 miles) START: One lap warm-up walk RUN: the straight-aways and WALK: the turns Repeat: 6 times (full laps) = 1.5 miles END: One lap cool-down walk RUN HAPPY! TURKEY TROT WITH TRACK DAYS 5K Beginner Training Plan Calendar TRACK DAYS Schedule MINUTES TO MILES Calculations TOMORROW IS SEPTEMBER 11, 2016. It’s the 15th anniversary of the World Trade Center terrorist attack that changed life for most in the US. Since that day there have been other attacks throughout the world resulting in many deaths and heart-rending personal loss for survivors and families. After such attacks the people of the involved countries have been joined in their grief and resolve to stand up to evil by the wider international community. Thus the date is different in these other sites of violence but the remembrance is similar.
The EarnedRuns Honor Series memorializes those lost in this and other attacks. The first portion is the 11K RACE TO REMEMBER 9/11. 2015 was the INAUGURAL RACE of the Series. The second portion of the series is the 7K PEARL HARBOR REMEMBRANCE DAY RACE which will be run on December 7, 2016. There are too many organized memorial races to provide a complete list, so below find a portion of what’s out there this upcoming weekend, starting today, September 10 and 11; some are later in September as well. If you won’t have the opportunity to participate formally, consider using your EarnedRuns bibs, or just taking a quiet run or walk, of any distance, alone or with family or friends. 9/11 Heroes Run, Travis Manion Foundation, Annapolis MD and multiple locations http://www.travismanion.org/911-heroes-run/ Stephen Siller Tunnel2Towers 5K and Tower Climb, multiple locations and several dates http://tunnel2towers.org/ Run To Remember 9/11, Sacramento CA http://www.sac911run.com/ 15th Annual Arlington Police, Fire & Sheriff 9/11 Memorial 5K, Arlington VA http://arlington911race.com/ Charm City Run, 15th Anniversary Mercy Foot & Ankle, Run to Remember, 11K & 5K presented by Mizuno, Baltimore MD http://www.charmcityrun.com/calendar/2015/4/30/run-to-remember-5k-11k George Washington Patriot Run Mount Vernon VA http://www.mountvernon.org/plan-your-visit/calendar/events/george-washington-patriot-run/ 911 HeroRun, Holt MI https://runsignup.com/Race/MI/Holt/911HeroRun RUN IN REMEMBERANCE! The 2016 TURKEY TROT with TRACK DAYS 5K Beginner Training Plan calls for days of cross training to save your legs the excessive pounding from daily running. Check out this article from US Master’s Swimming on MyFitnessPal.com “Try This 30-Minute Swimming Workout That Burns Big Calories”. It’s discussed here not so much for the calories-burning benefit but for it’s potential as a cross-training routine.
Moving forward in the water for 30 minutes seems like a piece of cake workout at first glance. However if the middle portion of the session consists of swimming laps at a relatively hard-for-you speed interspersed with short periods of rest, be assured it will leave you tired. This workout could interest those of you who like the idea of swimming to run better, especially on days in the colder months of the year when exercises must move indoors. It’s do-able if you have access to a lap pool. In the article's HIIT routine, a minimum 15 total minutes is spent in warm-up and cool-down periods and the actual higher intensity effort is a minimum of 15 minutes = total 30 minutes. As an individual you determine how long it takes for you to swim a lap; those a bit slower will swim fewer laps initially in 15 minutes; more later if you become stronger and pick up speed. There is flexibility to stay in the water longer in the higher intensity mode and an extra BONUS period to keep the burn going. Warm-up: 5-10 minutes KICKING laps: 5-10 minutes SPRINT interval (swim 1-2 laps fast and hard, rest 10 seconds, then repeat until your intended exercise time is up): 10-15 minutes BONUS: up to 15 minutes Cool down: 10-15 minutes Read the article to get the best directions on performing this workout. NOTE: It may not be necessary to swim such tough intervals to get a health benefit from HIIT swimming. In a study of 62 inactive, pre-menopausal middle-aged (44-46 years old) women who were mildly hypertensive, researchers found that that low-volume high-intensity swimming had a larger impact on improving insulin sensitivity and glucose control (factors involved in the development of diabetes) than high-volume low-intensity swimming. In other words the best effect was seen with shorter intervals of swimming harder than with a prolonged session of less intense effort. High intensity-low volume HIT group participants completed a total of about 45 training sessions over the 15-week intervention period, corresponding to roughly 3 sessions per week. Each session lasted ~15–25 minutes (3–5 total MINUTES of effective swimming) and consisted of six to ten, 30-SECOND all-out free-style swimming (front crawl) intervals interspersed by 2 MINUTES of passive recovery. “In the first 6 weeks of training each comprised 6 intervals, the following 6 weeks comprised 8 intervals and the final 3 weeks comprised 10 intervals.” The low intensity-high volume (1 hour) LIT group completed the same in training sessions that lasted 1 HOUR and consisted of continuous “front-crawl swimming, with the participants encouraged to swim as far as possible in every session”. A control group, CON, performed no swimming but was non-specifically said to be involved in "football" (soccer). In HIT women, insulin levels were lowered by about 17%, but in LIT and CON women remained unchanged. Following HIT the women’s 60-minute Oral Glucose Tolerance Test insulin and glucose levels were lowered ~24 % and ~10 % respectively “but remained similar after LIT and CON”. Other markers of blood vessel health (plasma soluble intracellular cell adhesion molecule-1 and soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1) had decreased significantly after HIT. The take-home message is that if you find a rest of only 10 seconds between intervals in the swimming HIIT workout is too difficult, don’t give up. Resting for as much as 2 minutes may still have a significant health benefit that is worth the effort. Perhaps aim to decrease the rest time as you keep training, realizing it may take many weeks to show improvement. One more note: the study cited other research that showed all HIIT may not have the same beneficial effect in this demographic. Others “found no change in” fasting insulin and glucose levels or insulin sensitivity “following 8–16 weeks of cycling interval training in overweight females (27–40 years)”. A reason given for the discrepancy between this and the cycling studies may be that the swimming study utilized “front-crawl training” that primarily had women use “upper-body muscles which have a lower baseline training status than the legs and, hence, a higher improvement potential”. I think this is GREAT INCENTIVE TO CROSS TRAIN periodically with swimming, if you tend to exercise the lower body more than the upper body. The research study does not address the issue of burning calories, but a personal trial should be able to tell you if it helps with weight loss. Also beware that swimming is not weight bearing and won’t help as much as other exercise with bone health. It's also another plug for upper body strength training! RUN AND SWIM HAPPY! http://blog.myfitnesspal.com/try-30-minute-swimming-workout-burns-big-calories/ Connolly LJ, Nordsberg NB, Nyberg M, Weihe P, Krustrup P, Mohr M. “Low‑volume high‑intensity swim training is superior to high‑volume low‑intensity training in relation to insulin sensitivity and glucose control in inactive middle‑aged women. Eur Appl J Physiol published online July 29, 2016. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27473445 THE FINALIZED 2016 TEN-WEEK TURKEY TROT WITH TRACK DAY 5K Beginner Training Plan will be posted this Sunday September 11. It is a plan adapted from one developed by Mario Fraioli for Competitor.com. Why was the fact it had a track day scheduled each week one of the reasons it was selected by EarnedRuns for beginners?
Many beginning would-be racers will not have run, trained, or walked on a standard track. They may not know where the nearest or most accessible high school, college, or community facility is located. It may seem to be a training site that is off-bounds to them, more appropriately used by ‘serious’ athletes, who are faster runners and in great shape. In my experience as a non-professional recreational runner, there are three characteristics that make a standard track a piece of essential EQUIPMENT and a place all runners should learn to consider a training ‘home’. A track is MEASURED, SAFE, and ATHLETIC. MEASURED: Distance assignments in a plan can be difficult to mentally measure for those accustomed to ‘just running’ rather than training, especially shorter rather than longer stretches. You can get in a car and map out miles on a road, but it’s not always easy to be precise with lesser distances or trails. Use of a phone app generally requires covering the route to be measured on foot or on a bicycle before it can be used to train. Marking precise distances by these methods is problematic too, as rarely are there memorable physical features at exact points to help runners visually recall the start and end of a distance. If a training plan calls for varying distances the measurement difficulties are compounded. A standard track lap or fraction of a lap is obviously a limited distance that stays the same every time you run or walk it. The straight lengths are easily distinguished form the curved ends. The time it takes to cover specific distances is relatively easy to measure with a clock function on a watch or app. Using a track regularly for training helps your body to develop a ‘memory’ for different distances. SAFE: Safety is a quality that has several dimensions. A running SURFACE can be safe to run on from an injury prevention perspective, especially at higher speeds or in adverse weather conditions. It is even, consistent, textured, slightly cushioned, and appropriately drained. A standard track designed specifically for competition is more likely than other surfaces to be safe for running faster-paced, precise intervals. A running course can be more or less safe to run when weather conditions will vary over the duration of the workout or the runner is uncertain about his or her abilities to perform a given workout in it’d entirety. Fluids, food, dry or warm clothes, and shelter from the elements is more readily available at a track when there is a nearby parked car or open facility in which to seek such support items. There is less likelihood of incurring bodily harm from accidents due to running in high traffic or lowlight conditions on a track than on a city street. However, any running area should be considered questionably SAFE from criminal incidents if it’s an isolated location at the time of the workout. ATHLETIC: Performing a workout on a track is one way for beginners to feel and act like the athletes they aspire to become. Acquiring this mental attitude will help a runner persevere in the tougher training regimens and possibly to adopt healthier eating and sleeping habits. The track is a great place to perform pre- or post- running dynamic stretching and mobility routines and to get in some location-friendly, body-weight strength exercises (step-ups and step-downs, dips and push-ups, etc) on benches and stairs. Holding oneself to the rule that you cannot start the running portion of the workout or depart from the premises before completing them increases the chances that at least a portion of the recommended routines will be done that week. In some races the finish line is located on a track and the very last portion of the race includes a partial lap. Performing some workouts on a track can help beginners to visualize a successful goal race finish. IF TRACK WORK IS NOT WHAT YOU WANT IN A PLAN, the Track Day Schedule identifies the approximate distances that will be run in that session. You can tinker with the plan and find a way to accomplish those runs without utilizing a track. GOOD LUCK! RUN HAPPY! THERE ARE MANY DIE-HARD FANS OF WALKING who would rather not take up other activities or sports but simply love to walk. There’s no other more convenient or accessible form of exercise. It’s also a reliable mode of transportation over short distances!
But, some wonder, can just walking alone as an exercise help with weight loss? What training activities contribute to a COMPLETE and SUCCESSFUL walking program? How does walking fit into an exercise plan that includes other activities? Jessica Smith writes an article for MyFitnessPal.com “Is Just Walking Enough To Lose Weight and Get in Shape?” that addresses these issues and pumps up the excitement for those who wish to get serious about walking for fitness and weight loss as well. She stresses that by incorporating strength, stretching, and flexibility work into your walking routine you will see greater total-body, long term gains and fewer setbacks related to overuse injuries. This is EarnedRuns philosophy for running! Read her article and be energized. Yes, Ms Smith says, walking can complete you! You might seriously consider walking competitively and train for a walking marathon, half marathon, or shorter distance race. The RESOURCES page and WALKERS RESOURCES page have links to walker training plans developed by Hal Higdon, the Walking Company, and PBS America's Walking (see links below). Also NEWLY POSTED is the finalized EarnedRuns 2016 Turkey Trot with Track Day 5K Beginner Training Plan, in it's original form developed by Mario Fraioli, can be adapted to walkers. In place of running the parts of the plan that call for a "run", walkers can increase their walking pace and, over the course of their training, build endurance for covering longer distances at higher speeds. You'll want to do this in order to participate in RUNS that welcome WALKERS and finish within the time-frame set by race organizers in order to receive an official finish time and finisher medal. A 15 minute mile walking pace is a good initial goal. You can use your EarnedRuns bibs to train or set up a personal walking competition. RUN AND WALK HAPPY! http://blog.myfitnesspal.com/just-walking-enough-lose-weight-get-shape/ EarnedRuns 2016 Turkey Trot with Track Day 5K Beginner Training Plan EarnedRuns 2016 Turkey Trot with Track Day 5K Beginner Training Plan Track Day Schedule Hal Higdon Walking Training Programs 5K, 10K, Half http://www.halhigdon.com/training/51238/Fitness-Walking-Training-Program The Waking Site™ 12 week walking plan (free) http://www.thewalkingsite.com/12week.html PBS America's Walking 22week marathon plan (free) http://www.pbs.org/americaswalking/health/health22week.html MY SUMMER CHALLENGE RESULTS: Mostly the words “my”, “me”, and “I “ are edited out of daily blog posts. This post isn’t possible without those words, unfortunately, and I am cringing a bit, still trying to omit as many as possible. However, this piece is an honest accounting of what went well and not so well with my personal challenges this season.
STREAK RUNNING My streak started before the unofficial beginning of summer, on May 8 (22 days before Memorial Day, May 30) and stopped on August 17 (20 days before the unofficial end of summer on Labor Day). I had not meant to stop. It was a travel day with flight delays. Although transportation arrangements were made to arrive home as soon as possible, the hours slipped away, thunderstorms continued, and the opportunity was lost to get out the door. On another earlier, train-delayed, July travel day I had not gotten home to run until 11:30pm, had quickly laced up shoes, and finished the mile with a few minutes to spare before midnight. There was no time for a warm-up or dynamic stretching. Afterward, I was proud to have gotten the run in despite the difficulties. Then, only about 3 weeks later, my streak ended. After missing that day in mid-August it seemed like there was no point in starting over, as the streak was only intended to last until September 5. I experienced a huge sense of failure. However, with the Memorial Day to Labor Day span equaling 99 calendar days of running, my 101 day streak was, in spirit, as long as the traditional summer season. Possibly I will trial a 1-mile-a-day walking streak this Fall to see how long it can be stretched. It might more easily be incorporated into an aggressive training plan, provide adequate recovery time, and be worked into days with scheduling issues. 2016 RUN-WALK ACROSS AMERICA, PORTLAND OR TO PORTLAND ME This challenge was truly fun because I learned so much about the countryside along and near the virtual route. How much more I could have improved my knowledge of the USA if I had actually traveled across the country on these roads! I felt excited and encouraged to bump up the weekly mile tally some weeks as needed, to accommodate the itinerary. The activity has spurred some serious thinking about planning an "unsupported epic adventure" (a blog topic later this month) for 2017. I hope to use the remainder of the year, if fall weather permits, to learn about my capability to hike/fast pack from point to point over long distances and arrange for food/water/shelter without organized support. I may design a spring or summer personal epic if the experiment goes well. RUN 5K’S (FASTEST) This challenge was successfully met in that I DID run my fastest personal 5K. I also ran a fastest personal half marathon on the Labor Day weekend. Weather conditions for both races were perfect and the courses were familiar, which helped immensely and for which I cannot take credit. I felt appropriately trained for the distances. Adding weekly speed-work sessions were the key change in training. The fastest 5K about 4 weeks earlier was a good test. The SUMMER OF 2016 is in the books! It was a busy schedule but was worth making the commitment to accomplish new goals. Did you meet your summer challenges? What would you do differently next summer or this Fall? RUN HAPPY! Segment 39 North Conway NY to Portland ME!!!
The LAST segment of travel on the route from Portland OR to Portland ME will be completed this week possibly on the first day (Labor Day) for some of you!!! The route courses southeast from New Hampshire toward the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. The city lies on a peninsula in Casco Bay on the Gulf of Maine. As a tourist you’ll likely wish to visit the charming and historic Old Port District, along the Portland Harbor, with its views of the Atlantic Ocean. Maine has nearly 230 miles of coastline; the easternmost point of land in the 48 contiguous states is near Lubec, Maine. President Franklin Roosevelt’s summer vacation home on Campobello Island, where he contracted the poliovirus infection that left his legs paralyzed, is east of Lubec off the state’s coast, in the Canadian province of New Brunswick, but it’s only highway access is a road bridge from Lubec. Famous for its rocky coast, the scenes familiar to most Americans of this state feature lighthouses, jagged cliffs, bays and inlets, beaches, offshore islands, and fishing villages. Inland are lakes, rivers, and mountains with “forested slopes sweeping down to the sea”. Blueberries and lobstering are traditionally attributed as mainstays of the Maine economy but tourism, shipbuilding, and other industries are also strong. Maine is home to Acadia, near Bar Harbor, the only National Park in New England, which is about halfway up the coast from Portland, north and eastward. If this endeavor wasn’t virtual, a trip to one or several the many restaurants and drinking establishments in the area that make Portland a foodie attraction would be next on the list of scheduled stops. Congratulations to all who completed this cross-country running and walking “trip” of 3630 miles over the summer. There’s still a lot to learn about the geography, history, and ways of the people in the lands traveled, but parts of the spaces in America previously unknown to me have become more familiar. Often times the revelations have been AWE INSPIRING! What about you? Take some time to bask in the glow of accomplishment that comes with attaining a far-reaching goal. You would have covered anywhere from 7-360 total miles in 14+ weeks. RUN HAPPY! You can link to the Segment Map here; it's also posted on the RESOURCES page. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portland,_Maine https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Campobello_Island https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maine IF YOU ARE IN THE MARKET FOR NEW RUNNING SHOES, this is the time of year when the FALL shoe reviews are published. Below are 3 guide/reviews for you to help you in this task.
The Active.com 2016 Fall Running Shoe GUIDE says it’s “gathered and tested some of the best and newest and road and trail running shoes” to help you find the perfect pair for the upcoming season”. There are 14 shoes on the slideshow. http://www.active.com/running/articles/2016-fall-running-shoe-guide Runner’s World Shoe Lab reviews 21 NEW shoes. Their testers wear and the lab analyses data from the shoes. The magazine issues awards in several categories: BEST debut, BEST update, and BEST buy. There is an “Editor’s Choice” award. A shoe finder function includes other shoes previously reviewed. I prefer the paper magazine article over the online feature for my first look at the new shoes. There are brand videos and ads embedded, but this slows down viewing and I think it’s harder to compare models online. http://www.runnersworld.com/shoe-guide/runners-world-2016-fall-shoe-guide/slide/1 RunRepeat.com's guide, “638 Best Running Shoes in 2016 (August): 103886 runners reviewed these shoes with an average score of 78/100” is like the title implies, a ranking by viewer reviews. You can see the entire list or search by category or brand. Additional shoe and review information is available on each ranked model.The #1 shoe overall is Asics Gel DS Trainer 21. I had this shoe several years ago and loved it’s lightness, so I posted a picture taken the summer of 2015 above. Apparently the 2016 model has undergone some improvements. http://runrepeat.com/ranking/rankings-of-overall-running-shoes Good luck with your search; shopping is part of the fun! RUN HAPPY! |
BRIDGE TO PHYSICAL SELF
Running, walking, and fitness activities enable us to experience our physical selves in a world mostly accessed through use of fingers on a mobile device. AuthorEARNED RUNS is edited and authored by me, runner and founder. In 1978 I began participating in 10K road races before 5Ks were common. I've been a dietitian, practiced and taught clinical pathology, and been involved with research that utilized pathology. I am fascinated with understanding the origins of disease as well as health and longevity. Archives
November 2023
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