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HAVE YOU BEEN HIT WITH A COLD THIS WINTER? If so, you may have tried to “tough it out” and continued running without resting and treating your body with extra TLC. How did that work for you? Coach Jay Johnson’s newsletter brings up the topic and refers followers to articles that he wrote earlier, “Should You Run with a Cold?” and “How Should I Run Now That I’m Over My Sickness?” for Active.com.
He cautions against skipping the needed rest. Instead he explains why it's better for your running plan to skip a few days on your feet, saying that those who don't take time off are likely to pay for the few days running with greater delays in getting back to meaningful training workouts. “If you can find the discipline to take days off from running when you are sick, then you will probably miss fewer days in the long run.” Running with a cold is likely to prolong its duration and delay your performing the next scheduled high quality workout or long run on your plan, he says. To get back to training after an illness, Johnson follows a “85-90% rule”. He recommends runners take a few days off when sick, and if feeling 85% better on the 3rd day, allow themselves an easy aerobic run of about 10-15 minutes or 1-2 miles. He advises that to safely run a long or tough workout run, you should be 100% fully recovered, and also be at 100% on the DAY BEFORE that hard routine! He provides scenarios that help to understand how this might work in everyday training. Another IMPORTANT bit of caution from medical experts: not all ‘colds’ are the same. Common viral infections that cause head colds are accompanied by a sore throat, cough, sneezing, nasal congestion, and a runny nose. Usually symptoms are confined to areas above the shoulders, although there will often be mild fatigue. BODY-WIDE symptoms like chills and aches indicate the body is reacting more significantly to an infection, either viral or bacterial. If you have a cold with FEVER, which means a temperature of 100.4 degrees F or higher, you SHOULD NOT be running. PERIOD. Always check your temperature with a good thermometer when you are sick, everyday, especially in the evening. Usually a fever is accompanied by a headache and muscle aches, and a greater level of fatigue that is called malaise. The presence of fever with a head cold suggests you have an influenza (flu) virus infection or flu-like illness. The only way to know for sure if you're infected with an influenza strain or some other virus is to perform a culture. An article from WebMD explains how to decide if you have a common cold or the ‘flu’. There is an EXCELLENT article written by A Marc Harrison MD, originally for Triathlete magazine and later published by Active.com, "Scare Tactics to Prevent You from Exercising While Sick". In it he explains what happens in your body during an acute febrile (with fever) illness and why you should refrain from working out when you are experiencing systemic (body-wide) symptoms. A FEVER is not always present but is such a reliable and objective indicator of the systemic physical response to infection that it should not be ignored. One of the dreaded complications of a systemic acute infection is inflammation of the heart muscle, or myocarditis. Be sure to read this part of Dr. Harrison's article, as it is what will scare you sufficiently to take appropriate care of yourself when sick. Be mindful also that a simple upper respiratory tract (URT) viral infection which results in a common cold can spread beyond the air passages of the head and neck into ‘deeper” parts of your respiratory system, like the airways to the lungs (bronchitis) and lung tissue itself (pneumonia). A viral head cold can weaken the normal defense mechanisms of the respiratory tract and allow bacteria to cause a secondary infection. Therefore, the days you rest with a simple cold represent a kind of insurance policy against developing something more serious. Think a bit beyond running when you have a cold, to your total health and to that of others around you to whom you are contagious early on in the illness. I had a cold without fever over the holidays and followed Johnson’s advice. Although feeling 100% before and after running a few miles and throughout most of each day, for about 7-10 days I became much more tired after sundown. So, another bit of advice to runners recovering from colds is to anticipate needing a few additional hours of sleep on the days you run, and expecting to want to get into bed earlier. RUN AND REST HAPPY! http://www.active.com/running/articles/should-you-run-with-a-cold http://coachjayjohnson.com/how-should-i-run-now-that-im-over-my-sickness/ http://www.active.com/health/articles/scare-tactics-to-prevent-you-from-exercising-while-sick http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/cold-guide/flu-cold-symptoms#1 http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/discomfort-15/better-sleep/healing-power-sleep
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WEEK 1 HALF MARATHON with SAINTS DAYS 5k and 10K Training Plan
Are you ready to begin training? If so, commit to performing the pre-run hip girdle mobility (Myrtl’s) and flexibility (pre-run dynamic warm-ups or “DWarmups”) routines, post run stretches, and foam rolling work that is incorporated in this plan along with the days of running. The upper and lower body strength training can be simple; a strength session is scheduled for one day each week but of course you can do more of this as desired. CROSS TRAINING can be incorporated into your training schedule on days you are not running. The RESOURCES page has links to suggested routines for these workouts, a few include video demonstrations. Most trainers will say it’s good to mix up or rotate exercises, such that you never quite become comfortable performing them. You can also go online and find versions that differ from the tried and true classic exercises posted there. Many can be made easier or more difficult. Any lower body exercise that can be performed with one leg will increase the difficulty and also work on improving balance, especially if it’s done standing. If you feel unsteady while performing ANY routine, make sure you have nearby stable support structures to prevent falls. In watching video demonstrations produced by trainers for young and fit athletes, like football players, there is always a caution that even sport elites can be a bit unbalanced initially. Personally, if I haven’t done walking lunges in a while I tend to tip to one side especially when combining upper body rotation with this move. CLASSIC LOWER BODY exercises that can be performed without extra weights include: Lunges: forward, reverse, side/lateral, and forward with rotation Bridges/hip raises: both feet on floor (easier), single leg (harder); on stability ball (harder) Squats: front and split Side leg raises: without (easier) or with a resistance band (harder) Clamshells: without (easier) or with a resistance band (harder) Resistance bands walks: lateral and “box” stepping CLASSIC UPPER BODY exercises that can be performed without extra weights include: Push-ups (variations) Triceps dips Floor “Y’, “T”, “W” and “I” arm raises; done on stability ball (harder) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHfkpPYSgzs CLASSIC CORE/STABILITY exercises include: Planks: prone, sideways, supine; there are many easier/harder variations Dead bugs: without (easier) and with a stability ball (harder) Mountain climbers (variations) BALANCE exercises: One leg stand: harder on unsteady surfaces (folded towel, pillow, Bosu) or with closed eyes Step downs: front, side, and back http://www.knee-pain-explained.com/knee-strengthening.html Most training plans will recommend similar supportive work on mobility, flexibility, balance, and strength, but actual routines WON’T BE LISTED ON THE DAILY/WEEKLY schedules. Notes will state the importance to running of doing this work, but mostly other plans leave details of when and how to incorporate this work into training regimens to individuals. EARNED RUNS plans strongly EMPHASIZE the IMPORTANCE of this work to INJURY PREVENTION over the course of the training period by scheduling these components on specific days. However, you can customize the plan and change things up to meet your needs. For example, the "Dead Bug" is a safe and effective (abdominal and back) core exercise scheduled every Wednesday, but another exercise can be substituted and it can be performed any day(s). Your 2017 running season officially begins! RUN HAPPY! JEFF GALLOWAY’S RUN-WALK-RUN Training Strategy May Be Perfect for Some Runners
The method of training and running races by inserting intervals of walking between running was pioneered in 1973 and has since been promoted and encouraged by Olympian Jeff Galloway. The biosketch offered on the RunDisney.com training website describes him as a “world class athlete” and goes on to list his accomplishments, numerous publications, and awards and honors. Galloway is featured in the organization’s popular running festivals training section because he is the official trainer. Disney race festivals attract so many participants that events often sell out shortly after registration opens. My daughter, her friend, and I attempted to sign up for the Princess Half Marathon in Disney World one year. Because we did not coordinate appropriately we had to settle for the running the 5K that weekend. It’s no wonder that Disney is seeking to keep all who register and run in their races happy, injury free, and returning. The Disney site explains that this standout runner, trainer, and author “has led thousands of runners across the finish line, while reducing the chance of injury to almost zero”, and demanding relatively little of trainees. It says that his plans require 3 training days, with 30-45 minutes of running on Tuesday and Thursdays, and long runs on the weekends. Not every weekend is a killer distance; “on half of the weekends, most will be running and walking for an hour or less”. Check out the plans; it’s true! If you are uncertain about running a longer distance race have not yet settled on attempting to finish a half marathon or marathon in 2017, you might consider trying the Galloway method. You can visit the RunDisney.com or to his company website to find free plans. Most are 18 to 20 weeks in duration, so browse race dates that allow sufficient time to complete a plan. RUN HAPPY! http://www.rundisney.com/training/running/ http://www.jeffgalloway.com/ https://www.jeffgalloway131.com/pdfs/JG131Training.pdf “SAINTS DAYS” 5k and 10k “Tune-ups’ for Your Spring Half Marathon. Pete Magill wrote a piece, “Tune-up Races Are Essential to Producing Peak Performances” for RunnersWorld.com in 2011 that provides a SECOND REASON why you might like the HALF MARATHON WITH ‘SAINTS DAYS” training plan that starts Sunday, January 15.
The FIRST REASON is that Valentine’s Day (originally and officially “Saint Valentine’s Day”) and Saint Patrick’s Day are winter/spring holidays that inject a bit of color, fun, and group joy into a season that has mostly been cold, wet, and dreary. Spring will not arrive for several weeks or more in most locales, and beyond celebrating past American presidents, there hasn’t been much impetus to generate a party atmosphere during the dark winter months. There are numerous races and fun runs surrounding these holidays that urge people to come out of frigid weather hibernation to test their legs and anticipate the spring and summer running seasons. So, the social purpose of running these themed races is to have FUN! Magill discusses the more serious SECOND training reason for inserting shorter distance races into half marathon training plans, as well as those for 5K/10K’s and marathons. He refers to them as “tune-up” races and says, “While we can simulate many of the physical demands of racing by running hard intervals or a time trial, that simulation is far removed from the experience of toeing the line.” Tune-up races help runners learn to deal with nerves, situations, and obstacles to top performance that they may be faced with on race day he explains, and refers to problems with weather, port-a-potties, and parking, among other issues. With the confidence gained from participating in these ‘practice’ events, runners may be better able to put their best mental and physical games together to achieve a personal win in their goal race. In discussing tune-ups for a half marathon, Magill obtained advice from expert Paul Aufdemberge, who said that a couple races could be run roughly 1-2 months from that event, and that distances longer than 10k should be avoided. The "SAINTS DAYS" 5K and 10K schedule follows this advice. Specific recommendations for tune-ups races before 5K/10K and marathons are also provided by Magill, who sought input from and quoted other competitor-coaches. Each expert cautioned against running too hard in and expecting too much from these events. Regardless of whether you’re training to run a half marathon later, consider wearing your heart on your sleeve (or bib) for Valentine’s Day and going “green” on St. Patrick’s Day by planning personal or organized races in celebration of those holidays. FOR REASON #1. There’s less than one month until February 14 and after that a wee bit more than a month until March 17. These FUN runs can break up the long stretch of winter running from now until spring. RUN HAPPY! http://www.runnersworld.com/race-training/tune-up-for-successful-racing The article, “25 Must-Do Marathons in 2017” by Jeff Banowetz for Competitor.com lists some of the most well-known US long distance races according to the dates they will be run this year. By ordering them in this way, rather than by rank as “best”, “largest”, or “most prestigious”, runners can more easily find competitions that coincide with their training plans. There's a brief description of each that explains why it is a special, "must-do" race.
Not wishing to a train or register for a 26.2-mile effort? Popular marathons sometimes hold lesser distance races on the same weekend, festival style, that you may be interested in running. Although not participating in the main event, you can still enjoy the excitement and atmosphere of a well-orchestrated competition, run a shorter race, and find inspiration while cheering the marathoners to their finish line. Give these 25 marathons a good looking over. Those with a half marathon are identified with an asterisk (*). If not hosting a concurrent half marathon, the most popular and difficult to enter races will oftentimes schedule a half marathon on a separate date. Another reason to examine this list is to identify an "in spirit", personal, themed race to train for and run while wearing an Earned Runs bib. Race at the same date and time as the actual competition, but in a location of your choice. The distance can be the same or "customized". For example, having lived in one of Southern California's beach communities, I would find it fun to run a 10K or half marathon "in sprit" with the Surf City Marathon of Huntington Beach. Maybe wear Hollister-like attire beneath winter running clothes, listening to Beach Boys music, and recover with an indoor pool swim and hot spa session. There is sufficient variety in venue location to inspire multiple "in spirit" runs, especially with friends. It's a nice sampling of the country, in attractive destinations. Notice that: 1) the month of October has the most highlighted races; 2) August is the only month without a marathon; and 3) the state of California hosts the most number of races on this list. January: Walt Disney World Marathon, Orlando FL* February: Surf City Marathon, Huntington Beach CA* Mercedes-Benz Marathon, Birmingham AL* March: Napa Valley Marathon, Napa CA Asheville Marathon, Asheville NC* Sketchers Performance Los Angeles Marathon, Los Angeles CA April: St Jude Rock N’ Roll Marathon, Nashville TN* May: Cincinnati Flying Pig, Cincinnati OH* Capital City Marathon, Olympia WA* June: Rock N’ Roll San Diego, San Diego CA* Lake Placid Marathon, Lake Placid NY* July: San Francisco Marathon, San Francisco CA* September: Air Force Marathon, Dayton OH* October: Twin Cities Marathon, Minneapolis MN Chicago Marathon, Chicago IL Portland Marathon, Portland OR* Maui Marathon, Maui HI* Seven Bridges Marathon, Chattanooga TN* Marine Corp Marathon, Washington DC Toronto Waterfront Marathon, Toronto, Ontario Canada* November: New York City Marathon, New York City NY GEICO Rock N’ Roll Las Vegas Marathon* Space Coast Marathon, Cocoa Beach FL* December: California International Marathon, Sacramento CA Honolulu Marathon, Honolulu HI Be sure to check desireable race websites for registration details; some are so competitive that a lottery is used to award entry. It may not be too early to start planning 2018! RUN HAPPY! http://running.competitor.com/2017/01/features/25-must-do-marathons-in-2017_160650 IF YOU LIKE TO RUN SOLO OR THINK IT'S WEIRD, READ “The Lovely Loneliness of the Solitary Run: for some, like me, the alone time is one of distance running’s attractions” by Jonathan Beverly for RunnersWorld.com. Beverly describes the pleasures and benefits to be derived from running alone, without the distractions of conversation and even music or other electronic entertainment. He is careful to provide evidence that he is NOT anti-social and that much of his running life involves interactions with other runners.
His piece gives readers a look into earlier days when relatively few people wanted to spend extended time running on trails or roads. Endurance running was a small and mostly a solitary sport back then. Social media had not yet lead to the creation of ‘tribes’ and clubs of enthusiasts, mass events, and the public sharing of experiences and accomplishments. This earlier solitary environment is the one in which I and many others took up running decades ago. Although the group-joy mentality seems to dominate today’s running world, many future runners may turn to solo experiences out of necessity that then becomes preference. The topic is introduced with a referral to the 1959 short story written by Alan Sillitoe, The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner. “It’s a treat, being a long-distance runner, out in the world by yourself with not a soul to make you bad-tempered or tell you what to do”, says Smith, a fictional juvenile delinquent. He is allowed to run each morning while serving a sentence at a reform school in poor northern England (see end note for more of the story*). This athletically-gifted but imprisoned teenage character authenticates the feeling of escape that can arise during solo runs, even when serving true prison time is not an issue! Beverly’s article shines a favorable light on the under-appreciated historical dimension of endurance running that is overshadowed by its modern, popular, brighter, and sociable side. Rather than being apologetic or defensive of loners he encourages “you are NOT alone”, and affirms that “OUR TRIBE dates back to before the first running boom” (I added the upper case emphasis). He reassures us that “We are not outcasts. We’ve chosen this loneliness, and it defines and enriches us”. There’s room for all types of runners in our sport; it’s wonderful in that way. Earned Runs was created to help runners compete personally, without having to depend on an organization’s sponsorship of a formal event. The Earned Runs free race bibs are perfect for single runners as well as small groups. As Jonathon Beverly indicates, lone runners are not alone. RUN HAPPY! *[The ‘governor’ of the school hopes that Smith can help win a meet against a prestigious rival school, and offers him a lighter work-load and the ability to train. The story ends in a way that provides comment on serious societal issues in post-war Britain and highlights the independent and stubborn nature of the young runner.] http://www.runnersworld.com/these-running-times/the-lovely-loneliness-of-the-solitary-run LAST MONTH’S SNEAK PEEK: In a December 2016 Competitor.com article “Sneak Peek: Cool New Running Gear, Apparel, and Accessories Coming in 2017”, authors Lisa Jhung and Sam Winebaum present some standout running–related items they previewed at The Running Event Trade Show last month in Orlando FL. It’s possible a few items will attract your attention as things that might benefit your running, upgrade your look, or increase your comfort on/in the roads or treadmill/gym. At the start of each running season the hype about new gear is highest. Enjoy learning about the latest shiny toys and togs!
There are 22 product slides to the show, which do not link to online sites that provide additional information, possibly because they were not released at the time of the Event, or will be released later this year. They are roughly categorized (some crossover) below, with the slide number ( ) in which they are featured in the slide show. I was intrigued by the idea of the Saucony Stride App (#3), so downloaded it and went through the evaluation; it was terrific, almost. It took quite a bit of time to complete, as I had difficulty in the small spaces of my home to get the correct image position within the camera frame. I was lucky to have an old treadmill in the garage which was needed for the stride evaluation portion of the program. Unfortunately, the treadmill video segments froze up at the start and would not play, only showing the treadmill without me on it yet! As a result, I could not choose a frame on which to evaluate various aspects of my stride. It was disappointing as the analysis (I answered the prompted questions just to get to the program end for the analysis, without having a picture of myself mid-stride) was presented and then a corrective workout was offered. Not sure if I would spend more time sorting it all out in another attempt. Perhaps the app worked for you? The other item that caught my eye was the handheld hydration/phone carrier by FuelBelt (#11). This year I am attempting to decrease or at least limit my dependence on digital devices, so the cool monitoring products not will be making my list of things to acquire or incorporate into a training regimen. If you trial these products, let Earned Runs know if they worked for you. RUN HAPPY! http://running.competitor.com/2016/12/photos/sneak-peek-cool-new-running-gear-apparel-accessories-coming-2017_159772 APPAREL & SHOES: Brooks Fly-By Hoody (1) Zensah Grit running socks (4) Oofos OOMG comfort footwear (5) Altra HIIT XT cross training shoes (7) Rabbit long leg running tights (8) Balega silver (ion-embedded material) socks (9) Craft Repel Wind Jersey (13) North Face Flight Trail Shirt and Skort (15) 2XU Women’s High-rise Compression running tight (16) Altra Reflective Hoodie (18) GEAR Wiivv Wearables custom orthotic insoles (2) Ultimate Direction FKT (hydration) pack (6) FuelBelt Tech Fuel Handheld hydration bottle - straps to mobile phone (11) Yurbuds Inspire 500 for women (20) ELECTRONICS/APPS Saucony Stride Lab App (3) Runkeeper App for Apple Watch Series 2 GPS (12) Amazfit Pace smartwatch (14) Scosche Rhythm+ heartrate monitor (17) Zoom HRV waterproof heartrate monitor pod (21) Plantronics Backbeat PRO 2 headphones (22) NUTRITION Infinit Tripwire Fuel Shots powder to make a liquid nutrition gel (10) Nuun Vitamin (19) ta “TOP 20 FITNESS TRENDS FOR 2017” written by Julia Naftulin for the FoxNews.com HEALTH blog is an interesting mix of items that you’re sure to encounter as you search to find ways to improve your health this year. The article originally appeared on Health.com with embedded active links that are referred to in the text. Unfortunately, the advertising is so distracting that it is difficult to get much useful information, so the secondary piece is reported on here.
Accoding to the article, the list represents the results of a survey conducted by the American College of Sports Medicine and published in the ACSM’s 11th annual report. Approximately 1,800 fitness professionals were queried about trends that have been sustained over several years. You should not be surprised to find that the topics highlighted and discussed on the Earned Runs BLOG, like high intensity interval training (HIIT), bodyweight and free-weight strength training, and foam rolling made this list. The exercise physiologists, coaches, trainers, and college faculty researchers who provide the articles on which the Earned Runs BLOG is based, helping runners improve speed and avoid injury, likely participated in the survey. The article discusses each trend in detail, but the groupings below represents an overview of what it identifies as being HUGE in fitness this year: Gear: wearable tech, smartphone apps, foam rollers Training: body weight and free-weight strength, HIIT Flexibility/mobility/balance: yoga, functional fitness, older adult fitness Exercise as medicine and integral to weight loss programs Personal outdoor adventure: hiking Formal indoor coaching: exercise classes, personal and group training, worksite wellness If you’ve been working to become a stronger and safer runner/walker for a goal competition in 2016, you’re likley to be ahead of the curve for 2017. Look over this list and perhaps there will be an item you can incorporate into your current training regimen to enhance it. RUN HAPPY! http://www.foxnews.com/health/2016/12/27/top-20-fitness-trends-for-2017.html Earned Runs™ HALF MARATHON WITH “SAINTS DAYS” 5K & 10K
Training Plan January 15 to May 14, 2017 This plan is 18 weeks long and picks up from the easy 5k that runners would have completed on New Year’s Eve or Day. It’s designed for those who wish TO FINISH A HALF MARATHON at the end of the plan. The two themed ‘saints’ runs, include a 5K about the time of St. Valentine’s Day, February 14, and a 10K about the time of St. Patrick’s Day, March 17. These races are incorporated into the schedule for fun and to give runners intermediate goals to reach before the ultimate goal, of finishing a half marathon race. The plan is constructed such that those following it can: 1) CUSTOM DESIGN PERSONAL 5k and 10K races using EARNED RUNS bibs, or 2) locate organized races to run alone or with friends. There are usually many races held on the weekends prior to and after each of these fun holidays. The 5K is scheduled to be run in weeks 5 or 6, and the 10K in weeks 9 or 10. A good number of organized races will be available from which to choose. However, some races are so distant from the actual dates, the Chicago Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle is on April 2 this year, that it was not possible to plan for every scenario. Each person will need to tweak the schedule a bit to accommodate their race dates. This plan ends such that the half marathon could be run on or about May 14. There are 142 events listed across the USA on the runningtheusa.com list from May 5 to May 15. However, because it has a significant taper, runners may decide they are able to run an earlier race. Some plans would have scheduled a half marathon the weekend after the 12-mile long run (April 3rd in this plan). It’s your call and depends on experience level and goals, like whether you are hoping to just finish (this plan’s purpose) versus running a specific pace. Personally I like to have run the full distance of a half in training before racing it, and tapered before the big effort of the race to decrease injury risk. Another advantage of setting your race date after the full 18 weeks is that there is built-in wiggle room to accommodate breaks due to unforeseen illness, travel, family or work or demands. Runners who register for an established half marathon with its own training plan should strongly consider using it in place of this one. It’s a chance to trial some different workouts and sequences that likely were time-tested by many participants of that event over several years; the change-up may benefit your running significantly. Another option for runners is to try a RUN/WALK half marathon plan. A discussion of this option will be posted soon. There’s one more week to enjoy the freedom of unstructured running and fitness work before the first week January 15 posting. Also, it’s time to gather apparel and gear for the workouts, and to put thought into how you’ll prepare to get them done each day. A DRAFT of the entire plan, in 2 parts, is on the RESOURCES page (and below). RUN HAPPY! half_marathon_with_saints_days_2017_part_1_training_plandraft_6january.pdf half_marathon_with_saints_days_2017_part_2_training_plandraft_6january.pdf http://runningintheusa.com/Race/List.aspx?Rank=Date&StartDate=5-5-2017&EndDate=5-14-2017&Special=halfmarathon&Page=1 AS YOU MAP OUT YOUR RUNNING AND FITNESS PLANS FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR remember that Earned Runs BIBS can help you commit to and stick with a training program. BIBS aren't just for racing. Last year I used them to tally summer running streak days and the completed segments of the virtual trip 'RUN/WALK ACROSS AMERICA'. The front and back of the bibs can be used to record daily or weekly training assignments that have been completed.
Simply click here to be taken to the REQUEST BIBS/CONTACT page. You will recieve 4 bibs to use for your own purposes or share. Friends can submit requests and each receive all 4 bibs for their own personal use. The HOME PAGE has some suggestions on how the bibs might be used as an individual or with others. The FAQ page has more information that may help you understand the reasons behind the EARNED RUNS emphasis on competition: "Why does EARNED RUNS™ think competing is so great? I like plain walking or running for pleasure! A: Competition elevates running or walking to a higher level; it becomes your SPORT rather than merely a healthy activity. It adds purpose and even excitement to everyday exercise routines. Deciding to compete increases your commitment to running or walking; you must train to perform better and avoid injury. The run or walk you took only when you felt like it becomes a scheduled effort in your training plan, on which all subsequent efforts depend. If you are to successfully cover a longer distance or finish a distance in a shorter time, this INVESTMENT in yourself is necessary. Training and competing can help you become not only faster, but physically and mentally stronger. Identifying, training for, and finishing several to multiple goal races, events, or challenges throughout the year allows runners to experience personal accomplishment frequently, which builds confidence." Find the athlete that's within YOU this year, with the help of Earned Runs! RUN HAPPY! http://www.earned-runs.com/request-bibscontact.html WHEN MUSCLE SHAKING IS A GOOD SIGN There’s an article, “Why Muscles Shake During a Tough Workout” on the MyFitnessPal.com blog that might have some runners interested in the explanation. Author Christina Goyanes turned to expert Trevor Rappa for an answer. Mostly he and the article are reassuring; we can continue and actually feel proud of doing the hard work that will result in strengthened muscles. A caution involves recognizing situations that might be dangerous. Advice includes remembering to breathe during exercise, replenishing glycogen stores immediately afterward, and resting for recovery later.
There’s not much to dislike in this helpful piece! RUN HAPPY! http://blog.myfitnesspal.com/muscles-shake-tough-workout/ THE ARTICLE, “WHAT FEMALE ATHLETES NEED TO KNOW ABOUT MENOPAUSE” from The Washington Post Health blog, with the story by Bonnie Berkowitz and graphic by Aaron Steckelberg has the promise of being a major downer. It’s a difficult decision to post it because I think women will avoid reading it, dreading what might be revealed. However, better to face the beast armed with facts than fears. And then learn of the advantages of the new life phase.
The piece starts, “Hey active women of a certain age: The good news is that you are probably going to weather menopause better than your sofa-bound sisters”. It then launches into a listing of what happens to various body parts and systems as a result of falling estrogen levels. Two very important points are made:
Areas that are affected by menopause include sleep, metabolism, body heat regulation, muscle and fat mass, bone strength, and mental attitude. The article identifies changes that may occur and how running can be of benefit in managing them. Although I am NOT AN EXPERT in the area, I am an expert of “me”. I can speak to the strengths that I think women (and possibly men) possess which will enable them to meet this challenge of physical change, based on my own experience, and thrive as runners Attitude: by this time in life it’s likely that we KNOW ourselves; we realize we have the capability to work hard on faith, then judge whether the outcome is worth future effort. Families have been made and raised, careers developed, and failures have been survived. More so than the younger set, we are equipped mentally to push beyond discouraging physical transformation in order to reach the life goals we have envisioned for ourselves. Not going to let hot flashes keep us off the roads! Outlook: the multiple divergent life paths on which we set out a few decades earlier have converged, and we are not as pulled in opposite directions by conflicting goals at this age. We start to see that in order to make our way forward toward enjoyment of travel, grandchildren, charity work, and other of life’s rewards we must follow the path of HEALTH. We understand the importance of increasing our daily activity and taking precautions to prevent injury to improving health. Drive: for years we have been adrift on a sea of monthly rising and falling hormones. The new lower, ultimately steady hormone environment may uncover a strong competitive streak and allow greater focus and purpose in the drive toward running success. Speaking personally, these years have been the best ever for my running life. RUN HAPPY! https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/health/aging-athletes/ EARNED RUNS THREE YEAR LOG; FREE DOWNLOAD!
KEEPING TRACK OF YOUR PROGRESS is one of the suggested methods for increasing adherence to a running plan, race training program, or exercise regimen. Keeping a log is often suggested. Most logs will be similar to a weekly or monthly calendar and very closely follow your plan/program/regimen. It can seem pointless to recreate the same information in a log. EarnedRuns has taken a bit different approach and designed a 3-year log. The idea was borrowed from a weather log that I kept for 5 years. I would faithfully record the outdoor conditions beginning in January, when I hungered for sunny and clear skies regardless of the temperature. The exact times of sunrise and sunset were important to me then, as the gradual lengthening of the day was sign of making progress toward spring. As soon as the weather improved significantly (in the Great lakes area, this was about April) I slacked off making log entries. As a result, this log will be downloadable one month at a time. It might be something that helps you some months but not others. You can find the JANUARY LOG added to the website RESOURCES page; the others will be posted soon. It's a printable PDF. If you print 2-sided pages the upper portion of the sheets include the first half of the month and the bottom portion include the last half (cut pages in the horizontal middle). Seeing your progress year to year is one way of getting a BIG PICTURE view of the effects of your hard work during the previous year. It also may point out HIGH and LOW points that repeat themselves over the years, that might guide your efforts in the future. RUN HAPPY! 3_year_personal_training_log_pdf__2017-19_january.pdf BUILD RUNNING STRENGTH FROM THE FEET UP in 2017. Allison Pattillo reminds runners of the importance of foot strength in her article for Competitor.com, which is not readily conveyed by the title, “When Imbalance is a Good Thing: Build Strength with Balance Boards.”
She quotes Eric Orton who is an endurance athlete, the author of The Cool Impossible, and a coach. “The health of our feet, good or bad, relates to our run health”. He goes on to say, “If you really think about it, our feet are the only thing touching the ground”, and “We are only as strong as our feet.” The athlete-coach indicates that exercises which focus on the foot and even ankle, hip, and spine muscles “that are often overlooked, are essential when it comes to developing healthy patterns in running muscles.” Patillo goes on to provide helpful advice on improving balance. There’s a link to another piece showcasing balance boards that can aid runners in this work. The message about foot strength is not as strong once balance is discussed in the article, so it’s being emphasized here. Runners and walkers who are spending time now to develop a training plan for 2017 might consider making improvements in foot and ankle strength, which can includes balance work, the foundation of their year’s effort. Earlier in 2016 an Earned Runs BLOG featured research results that pointed to functional ankle/foot mobility and strength as being equally or more important to running health as we age than that of the larger joints. “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.” Check out this article, "GMB Fix Your Feet” written by the physical therapist Jarlo, and perhaps you will decide to focus training first improving mobility, flexibility, and strength of the feet and ankles. The lengthy website page item “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 in a training routine.” Scroll down to the section, “Strengthening Exercises for the Feet and Ankles” to quickly review the exercise/massages and select some that will work for you. To be able to “run happy” into the future, perhaps it’s best to start with happy feet in 2017. RUN HAPPY! http://running.competitor.com/2016/04/training/when-imbalance-is-a-good-thing-build-strength-with-balance-boards_149005\ http://running.competitor.com/2016/04/shoes-and-gear/6-balance-board-options-for-unique-strength-work_149008 https://gmb.io/feet/ * Orton’s book, published in 2013, was described by Goodreads.com: “Featured in the bestselling book Born to Run, coach and performance guru Eric Orton has spent a lifetime learning and thinking about running and about the limitless possibilities of the human body and mind. In The Cool Impossible, Orton shares his wealth of knowledge in an inspiring step-by-step guide that will open up a new world of achievement for runners of all levels of ability and experience. “ https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15808539-the-cool-impossible RUNNERS, THINK YOU'RE SEXY? The answer is yes! Two articles written in 2014 and 2015 make this claim in different ways. Although I could not find more recent items on this topic, it would seem that the physical and sometimes mental attributes that contribute to sexiness would not be likely to change in a few years, although perhaps this could occur over a decade or more. Runners can likely safely enjoy registering high on the sexy-meter at least for the next couple years.
A 2015 article in The Clymb by Audra Rundle describes moves by runners that may be attracting the attention of others in a good way in, “5 Sexy Things Runner’s Do Without Realizing It”. Be sure to check them out to be careful in the future of causing heart palpitations in nearby admirers. She includes: 1) wearing a fanny pack - you’ll need to read this one to understand it, 2) the reach around move to get water, involving the showcasing of well-defined oblique muscles, 3) stretching in public, 4) hill climbs, and 5) a breath-recovering ‘bear pose’ after a hard run. Thankfully she also pays attention to the quality runners acquire over time that is evident whether you’re in or out of running shoes: confidence! In 2014 Scott Leitch wrote a piece for Running News, posted by Canadian Running, that revealed results of a survey “Survey: Runners Find Other Runners Sexy”. His article was based on findings released by the Brooks shoe company, of an online survey of 1,000 “U.S. residents who run at least once per week”. Leitch said it showed overall that “76 per cent of runners think other people look sexy while runner [sic]”. The number is higher for men “who responded they find others running sexy at a rate of 84 per cent” and thus is somewhat lower for women. About 75% of respondents indicated that if they found out someone was a runner, they would think they were MORE ATTRACTIVE. According to Leitch's piece, runners considered other runners to be more flirtatious and forward than non-runners. As you plan out goals for 2017, feel encouraged by this light-hearted discussion, and, if you believe what Rundle says, keep doing those side planks! RUN HAPPY! http://blog.theclymb.com/out-there/5-sexy-things-runners-without-realizing/ http://runningmagazine.ca/runners-find-runners-sexy/ |
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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