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THE HISTORY OF EarnedRuns "RUN HAPPY" SIGN OFF did not start with the slogan used by BrooksRunning.com. It started with a friend sharing a Sports Illustrated article ("Race Against Time") about late-blooming, 36 year old Andrea Duke's difficult quest to qualify for the US Olympic Marathon Team, slated to compete in Rio the summer of 2016.
In a December 4, 2015 Facebook posting I highlighted her story and supposed that she could not, like "most non-elite athletes...FULLY ENJOY THE QUIET PEACE and joy of our solo runs, the COMARADERIE of runs with friends and family, and the EXCITEMENT of an occasional local race." Henceforth, my decision was to say "RUN HAPPY!" instead of "Happy Running" to sign off blogs, because most of us CAN RUN in a happy frame of mind. BUT recently I learned that BrooksRunning had an ad campaign with this title (in coming across the Zombie ad posted March 5). It is best to recognize this and assure all that my use is a sign-off farewell wish, not a company slogan! Check out the Brooks use on: https://www.brooksrunning.com/en_us/meet-brooks/run-happy RUN HAPPY! Note: Andrea Duke finished in 170th place in the US Olympic Marathon Trials Feb 13, 2016. Congratulations for an outstanding effort! https://thecauldron.si.com/race-against-time-b06831e25dfa#.hlh2iimsm
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THE COMPETITOR.COM ARTICLE “Love Your Maximalist Shoes? What You Need to Know” by Amanda Loudin discusses the current trend toward maximalist comfort in running shoes. Although this type of shoe provides maximum cushioning, the article presents reasons to be cautious about adopting its use. In it, elite runner, physician, and natural running advocate Mark Cucuzzella provides an opinion that “running in a big shoe prevents the foot from functioning as it is designed—as a spring rather than a shock absorber”. He maintains that changing the forces which impact the foot in running, by adding cushioning, may not allow for proper activation of structures “that perform that function.” Understand that his opinion comes from the perspective that less shoe is better.
One of the article’s other experts seems to say that simply cushioning the foot won’t correct existing problems, especially with balance, mobility, and stability, that often stem from weaknesses in muscles of the “posterior kinetic chain”. This makes sense as it reflects most of what is preached about training in general. To explain the term “posterior chain” (the low back, the glutes, the hamstrings, and the calf muscles) you can read an excerpt from Stronger Legs & Lower Body by Tim Bishop. Exercises that strengthen these muscles will recruit most or all the entire chain rather than each muscle in isolation, because this is the manner in which they function in athletic activities, along with the core muscles. An understanding of exercise physiology is needed to fully appreciate this discussion and the article. Readers who are educated in this field have an advantage over those of us who are not. My take-away message is that the maximalist shoes may help us feel better running, and this added comfort may allow us to run more and harder. However, we will be at risk of overuse injuries, especially if parallel training does not work to correct strength imbalances and existing problems with stability and flexibility. I am not qualified to take a stand on this issue (as I could not with the wearing of minimalist shoes/barefoot running). Some runners may confidently endorse maximalist or minimalist shoes. As an average person who wishes to avoid injury, I will proceed slowly in making changes from running shoes in which I have not thus far developed injuries. Thanks to Ms Loudin for her work. RUN HAPPY! http://running.competitor.com/2016/03/injury-prevention/love-your-maximalist-shoes-what-you-need-to-know_146421 http://www.humankinetics.com/excerpts/excerpts/hamstring-and-posterior-chain-exercises. DO YOU RECALL THE POST ABOUT THE SOCIOLOGICAL BROKEN WINDOWS THEORY on February 25? There was discussion about how trying to mend ONE thing that we felt was “broken” about our fitness level might put us on a path to improving our health more globally. One benefit of this approach is that, if we concentrate on this one task we are likely to try several recommended approaches, and settle on those that best meet our specific needs. If we get off track, it’s much easier to get back on quickly, with tried-and-true routines, before damage accumulates!
One fitness issue that effects all ages and is important to mastery of nearly all sports and life activities is BALANCE. I must work on this constantly. Below are some YouTube videos that demonstrate very simple balance exercises. The last one By Fabio Comana has the greatest range from simple to more challenging. The simplest of these is still CHALLENGING for me and for many others. I broke down the routines a bit for my own benefit, and included these lists of moves below for you. There are other videos out there; those I chose incorporate moves taught to me by a physical therapist. CAUTION: make sure you have something nearby (doorway, chair, counter, etc) to keep from falling as you do these routines, even if this is not demonstrated on the video!!!. Jimmy Fallon tripped and fell and almost lost a finger last year. He wasn’t exercising, but accidents do happen when precautions aren’t taken to prevent them in balance work. Very Basic Single leg Balance; with multiple modifications - One leg balance in doorway; eyes open; then eyes closed - Stand on pillow eyes open; then eyes closed - Stand on exercise disc; eyes open; the eyes closed Brent Brookbush -Single Leg Balance with Reach (Excursion) ACE Exercise Fitness, Fabio Comana (exercise physiologist) Balance Training Exercises FIRST FIND FOOT POSITION THAT CHALLENGES YOU Foot Positions (easy to more difficult) A) Standing on both legs -- feet In hip- width stance -- staggered or step position -- split position -- heel-to toe position - Standing on Single Leg NEXT ADD CHALLENGES --Both arms overhead --One arm up/one arm to side; then lean --One arm up/one out forward; then lean forward or back or rotate --Finger in front of face; move it up/down/side with eyes following; head still --Finger in front of face; move it up/down/side with head following; eyes open --Finger in front of face; move it up/down/side with head following; eyes closed B) Standing on single Leg Try same moves as above or ADD OTHER CHALLENGES 1st plane: forwards/backwards - Swing leg forward and backward - Reach arm forward-down/leg back; arm forward-up; leg up; slight knee bend 2nd plane: lateral movement (right to left; left to right) - Move leg out to side, then across body (opposite arm moves in opposite direction) - Same movement as above, but add slight squat 3rd plane - Leg out front across body then around and back behind (opposite arm moves in opposite direction) - Same movement as above, but add slight squat Start with 10 repetitions of ANY move, each leg if done as single leg balance. RUN HAPPY! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1Mss4A193s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWuKEt96Jjs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4OB7wcYTJE THIS IS THE LAST FULL WEEK OF THIS PLAN. GOOD LUCK if you're running your race. The 10th week is merely the Sunday on which some St Patrick's Day themed races will be held in which some of you might run. Congratulations on persevering with training and accomplishing this 10k goal race! Remember to FOAM ROLL, as soon as you can after the race, even if it's the next day.
RUN HAPPY! BUILDING ON YOUR "SAINTS DAYS" TRAINING
Interested in running a half marathon by building on the training plan for the 5K/10K Races? Uploaded on the RESOURCES page of the website is an "ON TO A HALF MARATHON" training plan DRAFT. It starts officially March 13 (TOMORROW) but you can move that out a week or so depending on when you planned to run the 10K, and when you hope to race in a half marathon. The DRAFT is presented in a one page format that does not employ a graph. Possibly this will be easier to mentally grasp now that 6 days of the week's training will remain the same and all that really changes is the length of the long run. The plan does not include advice to warm up with the MYRTL flexibility or dynamic stretches routines, spell out the specific strength training, or advise you to foam roll. You should know this by now! THINK ABOUT COMMITTING TO A NEW GOAL! RUN HAPPY! NOTE: BELOW ARE THE FIRST WEEKS OF THE PLAN FOR YOU TO PREVIEW.... The numbers in parentheses after the long run mile number indicate a longer long run if you are able to pick up training at a slightly higher mileage level, especially if you want to run your "half" earlier in the spring. ON TO A HALF MARATHON 8 weeks, building on “SAINTS DAYS” training (LONG RUN ON 10K PLAN = 6.5MILES; 6day total 4 + 3.5 + 3 = 10.5 = 17 MILES) March 13 / WEEK 1 Sunday: 20 -30 Minute WALK Monday: 4mile easy run Tuesday: 4mile tempo run or 2mile warm up/ 4-6 hill repeats/1mile easy run Wednesday: strength train Thursday: 3mile run Friday: rest or strength or cross train Saturday: long easy run 6 miles (7.5) 11miles (6 day total)+ LONG RUN 6 MILES = 17 MILES; no increase from biggest "SAINTS DAYS" week March 20 / WEEK 2 Sunday through Friday same as previous week Saturday: Long easy run 7.5 miles (9.0) 11miles (6 day total) + 7.5 MILES = 18.5 MILES; increase 1.5/18.5 (<9%) March 27 / WEEK 3 Sunday through Friday same as previous week Saturday: Long easy run 9.0 miles (10.5) 11miles (6 day total) 9.0 MILES = 20 MILES; increase 1.5/20 (<8%) THE MYFITNESSPAL BLOG UA 411: "Has Technology Really Improved Our Health?" provides 4 brief opinions about how technology has affected health in the areas of sleep, fitness, activity, and nutrition.
Expert Paul Schwartz MD, of Johns Hopkins University Sleep Disorders Center, discusses how technology can help us achieve a more objective definition of a "good night's sleep" and thus a diagnosis when problems exist. However, sleep is one aspect of health on which technology can have a harmful effect. The problems associated with lack of sleep, which include obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, always seem to be in the news. The MyFitnessPal blog Wellness Advisor, Liz Arch, a Yoga instructor and Martial Artist, who also provides an opinion in this piece, admits that technology can wreak "havoc on our health" if we spend an excessive amount of "time hunched over computer, smartphone, and television screens". A study posted on the website of the American College of Sports Medicine in 2011, "For Best Sleep Work Up A Sweat In The Morning", suggests how technology's use in research can help to sort out the links between restful sleep and exercise. Scott Collier, PhD and his team of researchers at Appalachian State University "studied the effects of exercise timing on the sleep patterns " of 9 college students (6 men, and 3 women). Each performed 30 minutes of treadmill exercise at 3 different, predetermined times (7 a.m., 1 p.m., and 7 p.m. ). At night, the subjects' sleep-stage time and quality was measured with a headband monitor. The results showed that significantly greater improvements in quality of sleep were invoked when aerobic exercise was performed at 7 a.m. compared to that performed at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. Morning exercisers spent more time in light sleep (85% increase) and deep sleep (75% increase). "Exercising at 7 a.m. also caused a 20 percent increase in sleep cycle frequency." I could not find this particular study in a journal, and thus did not examine the methods in detail. It was presented that year at the 58th Annual Meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine and the 2nd World Congress on Exercise is Medicine. The same researcher has also studied the effects of aerobic exercise (AE) timing on blood pressure and sleep in subjects who were prehypertensive, and resistance exercise (RE) timing on night-time blood pressure "dips" (thought to normally occur as a way of reducing stress on the cardiovascular system) and sleep. In the AE study, the 7a.m. exercisers seemed to experience greater benefits of blood pressure reduction and sleep quality than those who exercised later in the day. In the RE study it was suggested that engaging in RE at ANY time of the day might improve sleep quality as compared with no RE. The study authors also proposed that "resistance exercise may offer additional benefits regarding the ability to fall asleep and stay asleep to populations with osteoporosis, sarcopenia (muscle wasting), anxiety, or depression" who might also benefit in other ways from RE. If the findings of these small studies on college students can be replicated in general populations, and are the same with running as with "treadmill exercise", it may be that one small way to beat some sleep problems that come with living in a high tech/stress society is to run/exercise early in the morning. Another remedy for sleep problems, especially in those who cannot engage in aerobic exercise might be to incorporate resistance exercise into training regimens. Competitive runners who follow smart, safe training plans to prepare for races should have a good shot at sleeping well. These plans always include strength training (another term for resistance exercise), and of course call for regular aerobic exercise. Perhaps running in the morning is a way to tweak your training to improve sleep. To get back to the MyFitnessPal article: I also appreciated the comments on fitness by expert, Paul Winsper. As easy as we wish technology would help us to become fit, he says, it's still up to the individual to make the effort. With running we must still put in the miles and pay attention to strength training and flexibility, stretching, and recovery activities. RUN HAPPY! http://www.acsm.org/about-acsm/media-room/acsm-in-the-news/2011/08/01/for-best-sleep-work-up-a-sweat-in-the-morning Effects of resistance exercise timing on sleep architecture and nocturnal blood pressure http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25426516 Effects of exercise timing on sleep architecture and nocturnal blood pressure in prehypertensives. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25540588 http://blog.myfitnesspal.com/ua-411-has-technology-really-improved-our-health/ [NOTE: Those who dislike early morning running may benefit from a bit of introspection: is waking up tired because of poor sleep the reason you don't? Perhaps your sleep might improve if you change to an early a.m. session AND you incorporate resistance training into your regimen? ] I AM ALWAYS ON THE LOOKOUT for reviews of phone apps that help me make good choices for download. An excellent Runner's World slide show article by Jeff Dengate, Caitlin Giddings, Danielle Whitis (link and discussion below) reviewed 27 running apps.
Author Erin Beresini (link below) discusses some very advanced training aids in an article that doesn't specifically apply to running in Outsideonline.com. “How Apps Are Replacing Coaches With Personalized Training Plans.” I liked her focus and decided to check out the apps she mentions. One app discussed as free was not completely so (free trial period), and was mostly about non-running related training. She describes how the "coach" apps provide training plans and make adjustments based on information the user supplies. To really know how things work, the app must be installed, of course. It seems potentially to be too much work and I am reluctant to set up a trial period. Maneuvering out of an automatic monthly subscription can be tricky and costly. The article did not help me in a practical way to find an app, but it set me thinking that eventually a coaching function I was excited about setting up and using might be perfected. ANOTHER APP: Runner’s World (RW), my favorite running information source, released a new free app “RW Go” that openly declares it has embedded opportunities in it for purchases, possibly plans and tracking capabilities. It might a good app for a specific race. From experience I know that purchases can unwittingly be made (by the witless). The app almost seems like it offers most of what the magazine publishes in the way of support advice in articles and videos, possibly free or for purchase at some level. For some it could be ideal. Personally i love having the physical magazine to read. RW ARTICLE DOESN’T DISAPPOINT: I also found that RW published an online slide show article “27 Apps Every Runner Should Know About” in late 2015.The required operating system is noted and the slideshow DOES IDENTIFY which apps are FREE. Generally free apps are basic versions that make a daily effort to sell an upgrade. Of course, the first app to be reviewed was RW Go. Other apps in the slide show were well-known leaders in the field like Runkeeper, Strava, MapMyRun, Nike+, Runtasic. Included were apps with a specific focus, like Charity Miles (helps with charity donations), Outsider (tracks weather), Treadmill Trails (provides videos of great places), PaceJam and PaceDJ (helps with pacing), Zombies, Run! (aids motivation), RoadID, bSafe, React Mobile, and Kitestring (help with safety). Thanks are due to the article’s three authors for their work. I'd like to try many of the "specific focus" apps. IT”S UP TO YOU: I took a deeper dive to more fully evaluate the 27 apps, but realized after the first 3 on the list that, even without getting on the road to test drive any, it could take a full day to accomplish this task with the entire list. And, that evaluation would only reflect MY preferences. Each runner will need to invest time in searching for the perfect app or the app that is perfect for a specific task. In the meantime, I’ll work to become more tech-savy, and continue looking for apps that are a bit more sophisticated and that go beyond simply providing a free GPS function to track distance, pace, and time. This function alone has made my training SO MUCH MORE ENJOYABLE! RUN HAPPY! http://www.outsideonline.com/2047501/could-app-really-replace-human-coach http://www.runnersworld.com/electronics/27-apps-every-runner-should-know-about Q: Is EarnedRuns just proposing we follow OLD SCHOOL guidelines of working hard at running?
A: The principle of needing to work hard to accomplish important running goals is timeless. The offer to provide free personal bibs and information support to assist runners in designing, training for, and competing in personalized races is novel; it follows NEW SCHOOL thinking but adds the dimension of custom racing. There's no example of a previous similar offer of which we're aware (please share this information If you have it). OLD SCHOOL = focus is on quantity of miles run + organized racing. NEW SCHOOL = focus is on overall training + mileage quality + organized racing. EARNED RUNS = focus is on overall training + mileage quality + racing often, organized + custom. [NOTE: Younger generations help us understand the subtle difference between simply liking old stuff and cherishing product quality and authenticity by their appreciation of brands. The resurgence of interest in Polaroid cameras, vinyl records, tape deck players is lead by these younger consumers. Companies that offer high quality goods of yesteryear have devotees of all ages, although they may not consistently enjoy mass appeal or lead trends. EarnedRuns will appeal to some runners, and those runners will appreciate having the ability to run quality races created to meet their competition and training needs.] RUN HAPPY! "12 AMAZING EXERCISE BENEFITS THAT AREN'T ABOUT WEIGHT LOSS"
This piece from MyFitnessPal.com HELLO HEALTHY blog by Kristina LaRue is aimed generally at exercise but it can reaffirm, for runners and walkers, the many reasons they value being able to participate in and love their sport. It would be a copyright infringement, I think, to print the list here. For this reason, and because she gives a nice explanation for each benefit, it's best to directly access the article (link below). My favorite is #7." Provides a Bonding Experience with Loved Ones" but with an added TWIST. Those of us who live far away from our loved ones can still share the experience of exercise/running from afar. We can ask each other regularly how our running or walking training is progressing, discuss specific workouts, and trade tips. It can be by a phone conversation, perhaps on FaceTime, and include texting and sending pictures during runs and events as well as postings on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. We can also trial the same workouts, train for the same race, or plan to meet up and run the same race in person, or equivalent races, apart. Ms. LaRue rightly urges us to ESCAPE technology for the real world, but we can USE it for this good purpose too. One way that I would "share" the experience of television with my distant loved ones in years past, would be to watch the same shows on the nights they were broadcast and discuss them in the following days by phone. Sometimes the shows were ones that ordinarily I would not view, but this shared viewing experience gave me a look into what captivated their interest week to week and made them laugh or cry. It kept us up-to-date with each other emotionally, without needing to have heavy personal conversations. In more modern times, technology can improve our sharing of physical activity experiences. I love it when we do this within our family, especially when we use our EarnedRuns bibs as a tangible connection! The LaRue article started by providing a very brief summary of the Physical Activity Guidelines (PAG) for Adults issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (those for adults are identified in part, below). The full PAG can be accessed on the website, including more specific recommendations for older adults, children and adolescents, pregnant women, adults who are frail or have disabilities or chronic medical conditions. - 150 minutes (2 hours and 30 minutes) per week of moderate aerobic activity, or 75 minutes (1 hour and 15 minutes) per week of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity, or an equivalent combination of the 2 levels of activity, performed in episodes of at least 10 minutes, preferably spread throughout the week. - 2 or more sessions per week of muscle-strengthening activities that are moderate or high intensity and involve all major muscle groups. Making an effort to share running/exercise experiences with others, in person or from a distance, can enable us and those we hold close to our hearts to meet the PAG for age, gender, and health status, AND strengthen bonds of friendship and love. RUN HAPPY! http://health.gov/paguidelines/guidelines/summary.aspx http://blog.myfitnesspal.com/12-amazing-exercise-benefits/ 5K AND 10K RACE REGISTRATION DONATION by EarnedRuns: It’s time to make a donation for the equivalent registration fees of both my St Valentine’s Day 5K (run last month) and St. Patrick’s Day 10K (soon to be run) races. Because it’s now meteorological Spring and there’s an increasing risk of violent weather and natural disasters, the American Red Cross was chosen as the charity. People will be displaced from and possibly lose homes and neighborhoods in places where damage occurs. Compared with the injury and even death that may result, a trivial consequence will be the destruction of the running routes of people living in these areas. In times of great stress, a main source of stress relief will be denied them.
This non-profit organization responds to help victims recover from disasters and performs other good works (see below in italics). This March has been designated “Red Cross Month” across the US by President Obama, a tradition begun in 1943 by President Roosevelt. “The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families.” RUN HAPPY! http://www.redcross.org/news/article/President-Obama-Proclaims-March-Red-Cross-Month SOME OF YOU WILL BE RUNNING YOUR 10K RACE at the end of the week or the start of next. Because St. Patrick's Day does not fall on a weekend, the celebrations and fun can start the weekend before and extend to the weekend after the actual feast day March 17 ..... and the races do as well. Try to use the FOAM ROLLER as soon after you finish as you can. You'll feel better. GOOD LUCK!
RUN HAPPY! SPRING SHOE SEASON HAS A HOLD ON ME...Check out this fun video from brooksrunning.com. It's also on their website, with a current theme, "Live the Way Your Run".
With the past few closely-spaced cold weather snaps and snow events, this is how I feel at the start of a long run in the dark early morning, like today. Especially when the sun rises in a clear sky, causes the darkness to recede, and starts to burn off the icy, dangerously slippery patches on the road. Seriously, the birds have started to sing again; it's like the music shift in this video. GET OUT THERE! RUN HAPPY! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XH7W60V4X2E THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES' Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion publishes the governments’ Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans (see link for the latest, 2008 version). A post on the Office’s blog, BE ACTIVE YOUR WAY: PROMOTING PHYSICAL ACTIVITY titled, “Active Lifestyle as Pursuit, Not Destination” on February 24, 2016 was written by Alexandra Black. She begins by exhorting readers to see health as a lifelong pursuit rather than a specific goal to be reached and enjoyed in that moment. “Many athletes will tell you that you never really ‘arrive’ when it comes to sport. With each win comes hunger for another. Every personal best leads to a new goal to pursue. Yet when it comes to health and fitness, there is so much focus on arrival – on the “after picture” and the weight on the scale. But active living is an ongoing pursuit, a day by day journey to living a happier life. “
Ms. Black is a Health Promotion Manager at IHRSA (International Health, Racquet, & Sportsclub Association), which represents businesses that can assist with these lifelong activities. The piece goes on to encourage readers not to focus on weight loss or a fitness goal as the end point of your efforts, but to think of maintaining a lifestyle that involves activity and a healthy diet. She offers very helpful advice. Perhaps many will be motivated by this perspective and take the recommended steps to become more active. However, nothing more is mentioned about becoming athletes, who she seems to think have an ideal perspective on activity. Has having a NEBULOUS GOAL of living an active, healthy life worked for YOU? Do you dream of being considered an “athlete” in a sport? Do you wish you had a bit more “hunger” to win? Want to be driven to have “each personal best lead to a new goal to pursue”? YES! That’s me, and possibly it’s you too. We can compete as recreational athletes in many sports, and find great satisfaction competing with ourselves (longest run, best golf score of the season, most points shooting baskets in the backyard, longest bike ride, etc.) and with others in organized or pick-up events. I think running is the most accessible and affordable sport, and easiest to master. Strength building is an essential training component, of benefit to general life activities and other sports as well. Power walking is a great alternative for those challenged by running for various reasons, and potentially a gateway habit to a running if physical limitations don’t exist. What’s the best way to become an athlete runner? According to Bill Bowerman, the legendary University of Oregon track coach, “If you have a body, you are an athlete.” A pathway that enables athletic competition involves first committing to compete, then setting competition goals, safely training to meet them, charting progress towards goals, and taking bows when you reach them! Following this pathway breaks the BIG GOAL (HEALTHY LIFESTYLE), which initially may seem despairingly unattainable, into several that are smaller, step-wise, measurable, and achievable. Along the way to those goals you’ll likely learn new workouts, find yourself exploring new ways to improve performance, and meeting benchmarks. With evidence of accomplishment you’ll gain confidence. Certainly you’ll also fall short on performances and fall off from training intermittently (no one’s perfect), but get back on track, because of your athletic “hunger”. Running is one sport among many in which mastery requires not merely acquiring specific skills and building physical strength, but developing mental toughness. Yes, athletes feel they never “arrive” and THIS IS WHAT MAKES SPORT COMPETITION to use Ms. Black’s words, “A DAY-BY-DAY JOURNEY to living a happier life.” By the way, EarnedRuns strives to help you become a competitive athlete runner. RUN HAPPY! http://odphp.tumblr.com/post/139910834545/active-lifestyle-as-pursuit-not-destination http://health.gov/paguidelines/guidelines/summary.aspx RUNNERS WORLD HAS PUBLISHED ITS 2016 SPRING SHOE GUIDE. This issue is highly anticipated by many runners, even though earlier leaks about new models have been appearing online and in manufacturers’ ads.
By this time in late winter (meteorological spring begins March 1, did you know, not March 20?) runners shoes have been subjected to many weeks of exposure to cold precipitation coming from the sky and that which covers or splashes up from the ground. They have gone through multiple dry-wet-dry cycles, sometimes as they were worn on long runs, and other times in the spot by the door where they were immediately kicked off after a training session. Dirt has subdued their once bright or rich, clean colors. They looked tired. Are we imagining it, or has this pair already lost the soft float-y cushioning it came with out of the shoe box in the fall? Time to replace? This pair has been with us through the hard times; is it a righteous act to discard them for a new pair? There can be angst involved, partly because new shoes are so expensive. But as runners take shoe-finder “tests”, follow guide advice, or shop the stores, we catch new “shu” (like in “flu”) fever. The 2016 SPRING “SHU” SEASON is upon us and there’s no effective vaccine! So to first address the issue of whether or not to replace your shoes, there’s a lot of advice ( links 5-7 below). The mileage estimates of when old shoes are no longer helping you run comfortably (to avoid injury) and efficiently (to be fast) range from 200 to 2,000 miles! As in most cases you can throw out the extreme ends of this estimate. Professional runners who receive free shoes from sponsors may replace shoes every other month, after about 200 miles of running in them. Rugged individuals who are minimalist-minded may wait until they can actually feel the road surface under their feet, after 2,000 miles of wear. Most other advice puts replacement miles at about 300-600. If you run 20 miles/week that's after 15-30 weeks or 4-8months. The next issue is how to find the best shoes for you. There are reviews, guides, or shoe-finders to help. The “Shoe Trivia” post last week had an item (# 2 in the article found in link 1) about how science may be questioning the assumed influence that pronation has on causing injury to runners, such that there may be less emphasis on having shoes correct over-pronation (tendency to roll on the inside of the foot) or supination (tendency to roll on the outside of the foot, also called under-pronation) in the act of running. (See NOTE below for more on this research study, it has limitations.) The item says Brooks incorporates this thinking in its new shoe finder (link 5 ). The problem with using it, is that you will only be advised about models of that brand. There are reviews that rank shoes (link 8), but it’s difficult to imagine that a popularity rating will help an individual find what best for their feet. The Runner’s World Shoe Finder (link 9), to me, is still the best method to research what’s NEW and UPDATED out there BEFORE going to a running specialty store; the older models you will know about if you have experience with them. One nice feature about the RW Shoe Finder is there are 3 tabs: a “Shoe Search” tab (search by manufacturers, models etc), a “Shoe Advisor” tab (answer questions to get recommendations), and “Shoes Like Mine” tab ( if you want something like what you already have run in, but perhaps is discontinued or you just want a change). These 3 options allow 3 different ways to search. A shoe model from a manufacturer can undergo a lot of changes over several seasons, and that same model may not work as well for you after it is updated. Plus, there may be something new introduced that is even better for you! Don’t plan to stick with a shoe just because you think it’s easier and safer; it may not be. Of course specialty running stores offer so much help that it’s hard to beat them as a "go-to" source of advice. When you do visit, especially if you mostly run solo, you’ll be reminded that you belong to the wider RUNNING COMMUNITY. RUN HAPPY! [NOTE: More on the research referenced in ’20 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Running Shoes' by Brian Metzler (link 1): The results of the study (link 2) showed that novice runners with moderate pronation were not at greater risk of injury when they wore neutral shoes compared with neutral runners wearing neutral shoes. The study included only new runners. It also excluded those pronators who said they wore insoles. As a consequence, there were not as many persons as expected enrolled in the highly-pronated group. The authors concluded that “the results reported between high-pronators and neutrals should be interpreted with caution. “ More research will be required to see if similar results are obtained when experienced runners are tested, and when runners with pronation requiring insoles are tested. A big positive of this study and others, is that the focus of injury prevention in running is being shifted from shoe selection to training regimens. It is becoming clearer that overuse is the most common training error and that training errors are estimated to cause about 60-70% of all running injuries. Perhaps, as this research study's findings show shoe selection is not quite so important in some runners.] 1. http://running.competitor.com/2014/05/shoes-and-gear/sole-man-13-things-you-didnt-know-about-running-shoes_76099 2. http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/early/2013/06/12/bjsports-2013-092202 3. http://talk.brooksrunning.com/blog/2015/09/09/find-your-best-running-shoe-using-brooks-new-shoe-finder-with-stride-signature/ 4. http://www.runnersworld.com/shoe-guide/runners-world-2016-spring-shoe-guide?cid=OB-_-RW-_-TB 5. http://www.runnersworld.com/running-shoes/running-shoe-questions 6. http://running.competitor.com/2012/10/shoes-and-gear/how-often-should-i-replace-my-running-shoes_27680 7. http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/02/18/when-to-retire-a-running-shoe/?_r=0 8. http://runrepeat.com/ranking/rankings-of-overall-running-shoes 9. http://www.runnersworld.com/shoeadvisor Q: I want to be "GREEN" as a competitive runner. How can I do this other than making sure I don't leave trash on my runs and when I race, and don't despoil the environment along the way?
A: The general rules for being kind to the earth apply to running as they do to other activities, of course. Conserving energy in travel methods (carpool, bicycle instead of driving), purchasing re-usable bottles rather than disposables, and cleaning up after yourself are some examples of being a good Earth citizen. A unique way that runners who race can help the planet involves clothes layering. Often participants in a race must get to the starting line site much earlier than race start time. The weather may be cooler or inclement. As the race starts and bodies warm with the effort of moving rather than standing still, runners have been known discard outer clothing layers. Spectator family or friends are sometimes tasked with finding these tossed articles on the roadside. Another practice is to go before race day to second-hand stores, purchase low-cost donated jackets or sweatshirts, wear them as outermost but disposable layers that can be shed, picked up by race personnel, and donated once again. Kind of a race-day-recycling effort. Not sure how the race personnel feel about this, though. Taking thrift store fashion in a different direction, some runners are keen on finding classic old school running apparel in antique and charity-run secondhand shops, and wearing them instead of buying never-worn new clothes. This works well for clothes safely worn in situations in which high-tech fabrics are not needed for performance. NOTE: Runner's World has a "HUMAN RACE" item in the March issue p. 19 that features Tara Ehlis, co-owner of SPOOL NO. 72, a women's online boutique in Wenatchee WA. The piece describes how she searches thrift shops for vintage running clothes for her personal use, the most prized being throwback track jackets. This so so very cool. I love browsing antique stores and now there's another great excuse to do it! Thanks RW for bringing this to our attention. 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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