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IN LATER LIFE, INCREASED SUSCEPTIBILITY TO INFECTION AND DEMENTIA are common themes. During the influenza season, there are annual alerts from the CDC that older individuals may develop serious complications of the illness. Partly this is because persons aged 65 years and older are more likely to have acquired medical conditions that place them at risk.
In addition, advancing age leads to immunosenescence, in which the production of infection fighting immune cells by an atrophying thymus gland is diminished. To make matters worse, levels of pro-inflammatory substances (cytokines) circulating in blood are increased with aging, which has been referred to as “inflamm-aging”. ventura Furthermore, this age-related increase in pro-inflammatory cytokines “is associated with dementia, Parkinson’s disease, atherosclerosis, diabetes type 2, sarcopenia, and a high risk of morbidity and mortality.” Pharmaceutical company ads for medications that can slow progression of dementia in Alzheimer’s Disease feature older individuals because of its relationship with aging. If you’re looking for a push off the couch, to start regularly exercising to become physically fit, a recently published scientific study has provided a hopeful reason to begin doing this before middle age. Because the involution of the thymus “accelerates rapidly after 40 years of age”, lord lets set this age at 40. The research study, “Major features of immunosenescence, including reduced thymic output, are ameliorated by high levels of physical activity in adulthood” was conducted by Niharika A. Duggal and colleagues at the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom and King’s College in London UK, and published March 8, 2018 in the journal Aging Cell. The UK scientists showed that compared with healthy but more sedentary, non-exercising older adults (age 55-79), long-time, fit, active cyclists of the same age showed less of a decline in immune cell output by the thymus gland. The frequency of some immune cells produced by the thymus (Recent Thymic Emigrants) in older active cyclists was that same as that seen in much younger, non-exercising adults! Also, there was evidence that the older cyclists’ cytokine environment was protective of the thymus gland, showing reduced ‘inflammaging’. They showed higher circulating levels of a thymus-protective cytokine (IL-7) and lower levels of a thymus-atrophying cytokine (IL-6) than BOTH younger and older inactive persons. Participants included 125 master-cyclist and 75 age-matched sedentary-older (55-79 years) adults, and 55 younger adults (aged 20-36 years) who were not involved in exercise. To be included in this study as “master cyclists”, the 84 male participants were required to have the ability to cycle 60km in under 6.5 hours, and the 41 female participants to cycle the same distance in 5.5 hours, at least twice in the 3 weeks prior to testing. This group of cyclist participants had been previously studied in depth and were known to have “maintained their cycling activity for much of their adult lives”. Pollock 2105) Blood was drown from these subjects from which immune cells were obtained If being protected from common serious infections in middle- and old-age, as well as diseases that are thought to be related to the inflammation of aging like dementia, seems important, now is the time to start developing that protection. If you don’t want to see yourself represented in pharma advertisements directed at the high-risk aged, commit to exercise you are likely to enjoy for the coming decades. Choose one or more endurance activities and mix-up your routines with strength training. Inside and outside of the gym, there’s more to be gained from reasonable levels of regular intense exercise than can be measured on a scale or seen in a mirror. RUN & MOVE HAPPY! http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/acel.12750/full https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/disease/high_risk.htm https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5731094/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5731094/ https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/disease/65over.htm
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'WHO I AM - WITHOUT RUNNING" Hillary Allen explains in an article for motivrunning.com’s Voice of the Athlete series. The piece is subtitled, “Pro Runner Hillary Allen gets a bigger picture look at life while sidelined with an injury.”
I have posed the question "who am I without running?" to myself, as have others; friends and acquaintances of mine and my family members. This crisis of identity has arisen when, just like Allen, injury or illness forced us off the roads and trails. The elite trail runner Allen, sponsored by The North Face according to the brief bio-sketch at the article’s end, is temporarily not able to run and train after a serious injury. A potentially devastating situation can develop when permanent acceptance of this status is necessary (would she be writing if her condition was career-ending?) Allen’s telling of her feelings of isolation, anger, and grief is heart-wrenching, as she recounts no longer struggling to be a top-rung runner, but to “walk normally” and eventually become “the ‘runner I was’” again. She berates herself for this mental attitude of assumed isolation, calling it “a self-inflicted ailment.” The author describes a full and brilliant working life teaching science, and how it is being adversely affected by her need to recover and resume running in order to be whole again, possibly better than whole. The introspection forced by this time of injury-recovery has caused her to attempt a re-definition of herself. One that is not singularly tied to her sport. Allen says the “injury and break from running has been immensely difficult” but sees that a ‘blessing” was bestowed on her by the “lessons it has taught me about myself.” Hillary Allen writes about the dangers of looking at “oneself through the lens of singularity”, with that eyepiece represented as running. And suggests there are other single-viewpoint lenses through which we can see ourselves, for example by relationship, occupation, area of expertise, residence location, etc. The point being made is that we can find ourselves in an emotional tailspin due to the temporary or permanent cessation of other lifelong, identity-affirming, activities or relationships, not necessarily related to running. It can occur because we have loved a sport, person, place, idea, or other entity and are no longer able to receive enjoyment from the association IN THE EXACT SAME WAY. We probably should expect to experience such frame-shifts in identity, almost as a natural occurrence in our lives over time. Realizing that the ending of a specific association may actually represent evidence of personal growth, like Allen says, and be a ‘blessing’ in disguise rather than a disaster. If prepared, we can move on and move forward more easily after the initial disruption. Perhaps there are preventative measures that can be taken to lessen the impact of a life without running or other sport, temporarily or permanently. It may help to pre-emptively shift the focus of our self-identification away from the specific sport to athletics in general. As runners (walkers, cyclists, swimmers, and tennis players, and so on) we might:
It’s likely that most runners don’t wish to be ‘blessed’ in the way Hillary Allen was, with a serious injury, in order to gain a healthy perspective of self. But she is saying, “this could be you, so feel blessed that I am showing the way for you to experience less personal upheaval” in the same situation. We might respond to, “Who I am - without running”, in this way: “I am an athlete, in training lifelong to be active, fit, and healthy regardless of my sport participation status. One who enjoys challenging myself physically, and takes inspiration from the struggles, shortcomings, and triumphs of other athletes in many sports...’ And after reading Allen's piece, add, "...Who does not define my life by a single subjective thing." RUN & MOVE HAPPY! https://www.motivrunning.com/running-life/the-voice-of-the-athlete/who-i-am-without-running THE EARNED RUNS HALF MARATHON WITH ‘SAINTS’ DAYS 5K &10K Training Plan for Beginners was designed for runners. This year I converted the first 10 weeks of the plan to allow walkers to train for the 5K (St. Valentine's Day) and 10K (St. Patrick's Day) events, because I was going to walk-train rather than run-train myself.
With March 17, St. Patrick’s Day, almost here, many of the 10K competitions will have been finished by walkers on the training plan. The question that is posed now is what can walkers do afterward? Walk a Half Marathon? I have no experience training to walk this 13.1-mile distance event or adapting a running plan to a walking training plan going forward. Should some wish to take up this challenge, I searched for plans online. Wendy Bumgardner recently posted an article on verywellfit.com that included a 16-week plan (actually only 15 weeks of training) along with other training advice. Bumgardner lists two pre-requisites to train on the plan: 1) the ability to walk comfortably for 4 miles on a long day and for 3 miles on 3 days a week, and 2) the willingness and ability to commit to one long session/week that involves 2-5 hours. Each week there are 3 “off” days, 1 long walk day, and 3 days of 3-4 mile walks. Sunday is the long day, but this can be adjusted to fit personal schedules by shifting the training week’s start to a day that works best. I would want to shift the long day to Friday and leave my weekends open. (a Friday to Saturday week). The longest walk is 14 miles on week #13, followed by a 2-week taper. Other adjustments might be made. Just as with running, one day could be a hill or tempo workout. One low-mileage walking day might be swapped for a cross training day, to ‘save’ the legs from too much wear and tear. One or more of the “off’ days could be used for strength training. Mobility and stretching should be done before and after walk sessions. The Earned Runs ‘SAINTS DAYS’ plan has walkers covering 6.5 miles as the longest distance, which could allow those who trained on it to start on week 4 of the half marathon plan rather than week 1. The article suggests finding a walker-friendly organized race and then scheduling the start date of your plan as needed, 12-16 weeks prior to that day. If you use Earned Runs bibs you can set the date yourself. Hal Higdon offers a free training plan that is only 12 weeks in duration, with 10 miles as the longest distance. It seems a bit too ambitious in that it may not allow safe training to avoid injury. But check it out if the Baumgardener plan doesn’t appeal to you. I’m not sure if I will continue with the half marathon walking plan. I hope to train for an epic adventure, and this plan may be adaptable. More information will be required and a date and distance set first. Good luck if you decide to take on the ‘half’ as a walking challenge goal! RUN & MOVE HAPPY! Note: Links to these 2 walker plans will be posted on the RESOURCES page also. https://www.verywellfit.com/half-marathon-walk-training-schedule-3435465 http://www.halhigdon.com/training/51134/Half-Marathon-Walk-Training-Program IN AN ARTICLE FOR Under Armor’s MyFitnessPal.com blog, “6 Signs You Need to Strengthen Your Glutes", Julia Malakoff explains that a common problem for many is weak gluteal muscles. Otherwise referred to as “buns”, “butt”, or ‘bum” muscles, the gluteus maximus, medius, and minimus of the core act in many ways; to stabilize the hips and back while standing, walking, and lifting; move the thigh while maintaining balance; climb stairs/hills; and rise from a squatted or seated position.
The author proposes there are six situations in which you might identify gluteal weakness, and more fully explains each in the item: “You have unexplained knee pain Your lower back is always sore Your glutes are never sore You have unexplained tension headaches Your posture is out of whack You can’t isolate your glutes” Possibly the one BEST predictor of weak or “sleepy” gluteals (the term Malakoff uses for inactivated muscles) is the amount of time they are used to cushion the backside while SITTING. Not just while watching a computer screen or in a meeting at work, but riding in a vehicle, spectating sports in the bleachers/stands, studying in the library, checking social media, and bingeing on movies or television series. There are many more opportunities during the day to sit than to stand or move. My guess is that unless a workout routine that specifically targets theses muscles is on your schedule 2-3 times a week, you are likely to have “sleepy” glutes because It’s hard to limit sitting time. It may be wise to assume that a gluteal muscle exercise maintenance program may be the best protection against developing one or more of the signs of gluteal weakness that represent risks for injury: knee or back pain, tension headaches, and posture misalignment. To help remedy this situation look over the menshealth.com article, “The 17 Best Glutes Exercises”. Use it to create a personal exercise plan to maintain or improve gluteal strength in 1-2 sessions/week. Start by choosing 3 to perform in one workout, and 3 for another change-up workout. Use the article to swap exercises as needed. To be safe, it may be best to avoid the barbell exercises unless you have prior experience using this piece of equipment. Or initially, try performing them without the weight (just the bar) or without any equipment (bodyweight version). Caution should be used with the kettlebell and the back-extension station exercises too. To keep motivation high, visualize the not-so-athletic image of a “sleepy” backside. It may be a great prod to start standing more and exercising. RUN & MOVE HAPPY! http://blog.myfitnesspal.com/6-signs-need-strengthen-glutes https://www.menshealth.com/fitness/best-glutes-exercises https://www.livestrong.com/article/374009-daily-function-of-gluteal-muscles/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gluteal_muscles STRETCH AND STRENGTHEN At the end of a long run or walk I frequently find myself, almost subconsciously, performing shoulder rolls. This comes after miles of consciously pulling back my elbows in coordination with forward striding legs, and trying to maintain an upright posture and good form throughout the entire session.
Sometimes during the run/walk I will remember to ease my shoulders, as suggested by a trainer several years ago, first lifting them and in a single smooth motion, letting them drop. Doing this regularly prevents continuous, tense, shoulder shrugging for an hour or more. It helps avoid unnecessary fatigue. And then I foam roll afterward. It feels so good. Thus, when I read an article by Stephanie Bengel for Active.com, “4 Ways to Loosen Tight Trapezius Muscles” I recognized I was probably trying to loosen these muscles as well as a few others. I’ve never had significant shoulder or neck pain, possibly because in addition to running I did not spend much time playing at sports or performing activities that regularly used my arms. But now that I’m swimming, I may have increased my risk. Exploring a bit more, there were other ‘trapezius’ articles that offered similar remedies. Few offered demonstrations, which would have been helpful. Dr. Alan Mandell posted a YouTube video of a strain reliever move (shoulder shrugging) that he says exhausts tight trapezius muscles in order to relax them. A search of the ‘neck and should tightness’ topic produced another article, “16 Simple Stretches for Tight Shoulders” by Amy Eisinger for the greatest.com. Eisinger’s piece includes videos of most moves. Some are stretches and other seem to gently mobilize the shoulder joint. Included are “T, Y, and I” strengthening movements. It occurred to me that muscles in other parts of the body become tight because they are not as strong as they need to be for the level of athletic effort at which we are forcing them to function. Repeated exercise of weak muscles can lead to overuse injuries in running. When training to improve performance and prevent injury, strength building of the lower and upper body and core is prescribed in addition to stretching. It seemed likely that tightness of the shoulder muscles, including the 3-part trapezius, might also be prevented or treated by strengthening exercises. But NOT the bodybuilder moves than promise massive ‘traps’, a huge ‘V’-shaped back, and a thick neck; this is what populated the results of my internet searches. I was looking for injury prevention moves. Since people recovering from injury/surgery would need this gentler type of rehabilitation I went to the American Association of Orthopedic Surgeons website. The AAOS offers a shoulder conditioning instruction unit. There are five exercises that target the trapezius. I am most familiar with #6 the Standing Row with Resistance Band, having performed it faithfully for 5 years, after it was recommended to me by trainer/coach Tim Broe. (Which may have also prevented me suffering from tight ‘traps’, as well as the ‘Y, T, W, I’ strength exercises he prescribed using a Swiss ball.) #6 Standing Row with resistance band - upper and lower trapezius #12 Trapezius Strengthening - middle trapezius #13 Scapula setting – middle trapezius #14 Scapular retraction/protraction – middle trapezius #15 Bent over horizontal abduction – middle and lower trapezius As Bengal's article indicates, there are many reasons for 'tight traps'. Possibly one or more of these moves will help relax them. RUN & MOVE HAPPY! “4 Ways to Loosen Tight Trapezius Muscles” by Stephanie Bengel for ACTIVE.com https://www.active.com/fitness/articles/4-ways-to-loosen-tight-trapezius-muscles https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lF58M-25CoM https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trapezius_muscle “16 Simple Stretches for Tight Shoulders” by Amy Eisinger https://greatist.com/move/stretches-for-tight-shoulders https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09QpFgESbrs https://orthoinfo.org/en/recovery/rotator-cuff-and-shoulder-conditioning-program/ https://www.acefitness.org/education-and-resources/lifestyle/exercise-library/249/prone-scapular-shoulder-stabilization-series https://www.livestrong.com/article/78810-stretch-trapezius-muscle/ Melanie Woodland for Livestrong.com WEEK 9 HALF MARATHON 2018 with SAINTS DAYS 5K & 10K Training Plan The fun continues this week if you are anticipating running the “tune-up” St. Patrick’s Day 10K scheduled in this plan. Last week’s post discussed how this shorter distance race fits into your half marathon training. This week will be about the fun of the holiday! Did you know the Irish in the United States can take credit for the first St. Patrick’s Day parade? The year was 1762, and the day was March 17 which commemorates the saint’s death in the year 461. A History.com item indicates that Irish soldiers serving in the British army had the bright idea of marching through the city streets that year in New York City, to celebrate the holiday. “Early Irish settlers to the American colonies, many of whom were indentured servants, brought the Irish tradition of celebrating St. Patrick’s feast day to America.” In their home country, the Irish had observed this day as a religious holiday. They attended church services in the morning and then spent the afternoon enjoying food and drink. History.com says that over the years parades eventually they became “a popular celebration of Irish-American heritage”. And here we are now, running races on that day as well! Enjoy your ability to compete that day, earned by hard work and perseverance, the post-race revelry, and the promise of spring. RUN & MOVE HAPPY! FULL PLANS: see the RESOURCES page REQUEST BIBS http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/first-st-patricks-day-parade DAY LIGHT SAVING TIME SWITCHES ON TOMORROW. The need to reset clocks one hour later, in advance of the “spring forward” rule for DST’s start this weekend will evoke different responses. Early risers might be dismayed that the mornings will once again be very dark during a pre-pre-dawn morning outdoor run or walk or trip to the gym. To make it to work, school, or an appointment on time, they may need to skip seeing the sunrise. The time switch may cause evening exercisers to exult, as there’s more available light now to attempt a late session.
Some will welcome the technological event as a sign that winter will soon be losing its grip on the earth’s northern hemisphere. In spite of recent, discouragingly huge March snow events that have caused widespread power outages, dangerous travel conditions, and a LOT of shoveling in some parts of the country, the change means that spring weather can be expected in April. However, that thought may not be enough to compensate for the internal body clock adjustment that will be required for the first week or so. What to do? Perhaps it’s possible to get all the whining, grumbling, and resenting of this forced change over in a day, by meeting it head on with a single voluntary event. Turn the tables* on the time change. Make it work to motivate fitness efforts going forward rather than briefly discourage them. Get up even EARLIER than scheduled for a physical activity challenge of your own design, of your own free will. Run, walk, bike, swim, exercise. You choose. Do it Sunday or Monday am (Saturday morning if you are reading this just after midnight when it will be posted). OR stay out LATER than usual and enjoy the lengthening daylight hours to reward yourself for accommodating the official time change. My event will be the Earned Runs DAYLIGHT SAVING DASH. It may be a two-part, morning plus evening personal event, using my #1 Earned Runs bib, that will coincide with the rising and setting of the sun. RUN & MOVE HAPPY! *NOTE: Origin of the phrase "turning the tables" according to Grammarphobia.com" "It originated with the playing of board games in the 17th century, according to the Oxford English Dictionary. It means “to reverse one’s position relative to someone else,” the OED says, especially “by turning a position of disadvantage into one of advantage; to cause a complete reversal of the state of affairs.” In its literal meaning, the phrase referred “to the position of the board in a board game being reversed, hence reversing the situation of each player in the game,” Oxford adds. But apparently it was used figuratively from the very beginning." https://www.grammarphobia.com/blog/2013/06/turning-the-tables.html MARCH 3, 2018, ROGER BANNISTER PASSED AWAY at the age of 88 years. If you aren’t already aware, the United Kingdom’s Sir Bannister was the first athlete to run the mile distance race in under 4 minutes on May 6, 1954. He was a medical student at St. Mary’s Hospital in London. With little time to devote to serious training, he reportedly ran on a track near the hospital during his lunch hour.
An article in the scientific journal, Cell Metabolism recounted that he used “the 9-minute jog to a local track to warm up, after which he promptly ran 10 x 400m in a little over 60 sec each, with 2 min recovery. He then ran back to work leaving 15 min to eat his lunch and (hopefully) shower.” Although he made sport’s history at Iffley Road Track in Oxford that night in 1954, Bannister was proudest of his achievements in academic medicine; he was an eminent neurologist and neuroscience researcher. His record lasted only 46 days. Of course there was more to Bannister’s training methods than noon-hour track sessions, but it was his high intensity interval work that was singled out for mention in the Cell Metabolism article, “Sprinting Toward Fitness”, written by Drs. Martin J. Gibala and John A. Hawley. The authors begin their discussion by explaining that although intense interval training has recently received attention for its potential to improve the health of persons with diseases originating from lack of exercise, it has been recognized “for over a century” by coaches and athletes as performance enhancing. By employing sprint training, Bannister and his coaches had been following the lead of past, pioneering Finnish and innovative German trainers of the 1920’s and 30’s. The article indicates that scientific investigation into the physiological basis of the intense interval training method was not initiated until the 1960’s. Over the decades, it reports, researchers came to recognize that intense interval exercise could be of benefit not only to elite athletes but to any person wishing to “condition himself for health purposes”. And ultimately to those who could not tolerate continuous exercise at a moderate level, like patients with heart failure. Gibala and Hawley make the argument that in present day, “identification of time-efficient exercise strategies that confer health benefits”, like intense interval training, “could favorably impact public health by reducing the economic burden associated with inactivity related disorders.” “Lack of time” they propose, would no longer be a barrier to getting regular physical activity. With this historical perspective, the article begins the discussion of interval training, which they say can be “broadly classified into two categories: high intensity interval training (HIIT) and sprint interval training” (SIT). Roughly, HIIT involves less-than-all-out power/speed efforts at or above 80% maximal, and SIT involves an “all-out” efforts, at or above 100% maximal, as determined by each individual's VO2max measurement. For comparison, moderate intensity CONTINUOUS training (MICT) is performed at about 50% effort. Tabata and colleagues are identified as making important contributions to the study of SIT exercise, which is described as a particularly POTENT variation of intensity training. The gist of Tabata’s and others’ research has shown that that the body’s beneficial, clinically significant, physiological adaptations to MICT exercise performed over longer sessions (45+ minutes) could be obtained with intervals of greater, more intense effort, but measured in seconds, and separated by recovery periods of a few minutes. In one such study, 60 seconds of SIT within in a total 10-minute period of exercise resulted in the same changes brought about by 50 minutes of MICT. The authors say that this evidence is begging scientists to determine how “a few hard sprints in such a short intervention period elicit such profound remodeling of physiological systems” They explain the different molecular-level physiological adaptations associated with 3 different modes of exercise:
The scientists put forth the concept that an “acute” exercise session of any training type sends a “signal” to the body that induces widespread, unseen physiological adaptations to maintain normal functioning during this period of increased metabolic muscle activity and whole-body oxygen demand. However, in order for exercise to “induce physiological adaptations that ultimately result in long term phenotypic changes”, or observable alterations in tissues and organs, a certain “threshold stimulus” must be exceeded in each session. [Non-research example: a ‘threshold stimulus’ signal for me to diet and exercise seriously might be reached on the first day of a run/walk training plan for a late spring race, when my weight on the scale is 10 pounds heavier and best mile pace is 1.5-2 minutes slower than in the previous fall. A 30 second/mile slower pace plus 2-pound gain would not reach the ‘threshold’ level that prompted my taking daily sufficient actions that, over the long term, would bring bodyweight and pace-time down] The second- to- last portion of the article discusses how the body-wide changes evoked by MICT exercise sessions compare with those caused by HIIT and SIT. In summary, “in contrast to MICT, the rate of change of cellular dynamics and disturbances to whole body homeostasis induced by intermittent exercise and SIT in particular, is extensive”. In my understanding, this means that although an intense training effort is very brief in duration, the signals sent to the rest of the body systems seem to totally shake up the body’s status quo. HIIIT and SIT “evoke perturbations to both local (muscle) and systemic (cardio-, vascular, respiratory, neural, and hormonal) homeostasis.” The publication suggests that intensity level may not be the only aspect of HIIT and SIT that cause such exercise to lead to “superior” or at least similar beneficial body-wide adaptations as MICT, despite less total work being performed. The “’stop-start’ nature of INTERMITTENT exercise and the ‘spikes’ in various intra-cellular signaling pathways” may represent one mechanism that explains such differences in skeletal muscle response. There’s a bit more ‘intense’ science discussion related to the intermittent/interval aspect of this training and how it may also be key to induction of changes that lead to improved health. Finally, Gibala and Hawley suggest the directions future research could take to explain how and why SIT is able to fight chronic metabolic diseases. The information could be helpful in the development of personalized exercise prescriptions, they propose, which will allow individuals to obtain the maximum benefits of regular exercise activity; one option among many possible interventions. “After all,” they conclude, “interval training is just one aspect of the multi-faceted, periodized training strategies that have been used by competitive athletes for over the century.” And that’s the message we can take from all this science. THAT HIGH INTENSITY INTERVAL TRAINING ESPECIALLY SIT, CAN ACCOMPLISH IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, WITH LESS WEAR AND TEAR ON OUR BODIES, THAN WHAT WE HOPE TO GET FROM REGULAR CONTINUOUS AEROBIC EXERCISE. Perhaps more, as was shown by Sir Roger Bannister in the 1950’s. We may not have information about our individual maximal capacity to exactly follow SIT protocols published by scientists. But we can certainly change some MICT-type workouts to HIIT sessions that alternate short periods of moderate-to-very vigorous effort with longer recovery intervals of lower effort, in a start-stop manner. If we become comfortable with such training methods now, later on, when time available for exercise decreases, physical performance is limited, or our health declines we can more easily maintain the benefits we receive from regular exercise. Mentally and emotionally we might not feel cheated or lessened by circumstance or disability. “Sprinting forward; where to from here?” the scientists asked. To the road, the gym, to the exercise floor we can answer. RUN & MOVE HAPPY! NOTE: When I contacted the corresponding author about his work, Dr. John A. Hawley, Director of the Mary MacKillop Institute for Health Research and of the Exercise and Nutrition Research Program of the Australian Catholic University, Melbourne commented: “The bottom line is that HIT provokes widespread changes in muscle signaling pathways and metabolism that are also seen with much longer workouts. People also enjoy HIT a lot more than cycling/running for an hour or so.” https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/mar/04/sir-roger-bannister-obituary http://www.cell.com/cell-metabolism/pdf/S1550-4131(17)30237-1.pdf By Photograph by user: Jonathan Bowen - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1725293 RUNNERS, WALKERS, RUCKERS, AND HIKERS may have wondered about certain aspects of sport performance, especially which factors lead to faster or slower forward progress. For example, when choosing shoes they might struggle to balance a need for cushioning and support (heavier) with a desire for speed (lighter).
According to Jordan Smotherman, who authored the article “Run/Ruck Training Thumb Rules You Can Use” for Mountain Tactical, there are “rules” that can help inform your choice. He lists and fully explains the following five: One: 1 pound on your feet = 5 pounds on your back. Two: 1 pound on your feet = 5% more energy expended Three: Each 1% of your body weight makes you 6 seconds/mile slower. Four: A 10% grade incline (increase) cuts your speed in half. Five: Going up slows you down twice as much as going down speeds you up. The information can be merely interesting if your activity involves moving on your feet over mostly flat terrain without a backpack or hydration system, wearing average weight shoes, and lighter weight technical apparel. And if your outing duration is planned to be less than a couple hours. If heavier gear, nutrition, and water is added to sustain performance over a longer period, or allow for a longer distance session, the explanation and discussion in Smotherman’s piece is likely to lead to better planning and realistic expectations. Check out this short math-friendly article if you hope to take on walking, running, or hiking adventures that require transporting anything in a backpack or moving up and down hills. It’s convinced me that lighter rather than heavier hiking or trail shoes/boots are the way to go, and to limit what's carried to the essentials. RUN & MOVE HAPPY! http://mtntactical.com/knowledge/5-runruck-training-thumb-rules-you-can-use SUGGESTIONS FOR USING EARNED RUNS BIBS THIS SPRING Check out potential Earned Runs EVENTS you can custom design for yourself! OR find an organized event to run near these dates.
March 11, 2018 “DAYLIGHT SAVING DASH” Celebrate the start of the time change that adds daylight to the later portion of the day with a distance race or walking event of 1 mile or 5K. Your clocks should be set to “spring forward” at 2am. Run or walk your event early in the morning at the later SUNRISE time, or in the evening at the later SUNSET time. March 17, 2018 “SAINTS’ DAYS” St. Patrick’s Day 10K This is a 6.25-mile distance race or walking event that can be completed on St. Patrick’s Day (3/17/17) or any day through the preceding or upcoming weekend with your free Earned Runs bibs. Those training to run a Half Marathon in May with the Earned Runs plan will have this race on the schedule. March 20, 2018 SPRINGTIME WARM-UP (5- 10 miles) Just like the position of the sun in the sky and the increased sunshine help to warm the earth and melt the frozen ground, runners can get warmed up for the new running season with an event that’s not a short 5k or a longer distance half marathon. Pick a distance between 5 and 10 miles and plan to run it about 10-15% slower pace than you would run a half marathon. (a 10-minute mile pace in the half would mean an 11-minute mile pace in this event). March 29, 2018 (or later for first 2018 HOME game openers) MLB OPENING DAY MASH-UP (any distance) If you’re a runner who also loves major league baseball, mark the start of the season with a personal race, run, or walk using Earned Runs Bibs. Create an annual ‘ceremony’ to solemnize your team’s run at a championship this year with your own GOOD LUCK send-off effort. April 1, 2018 APRIL FOOL’S DAY NO FOOLING 50 (any distance) Demonstrate that you’re no fool. Get out today and test your resolve not to be silly about health. Run a serious 50 MINUTE Fartlek. If your start time is prior to when the first pitch is thrown in a night game, you can head to the favorite local team hangout afterward. Or if it’s an afternoon game, set the distance and start time to coincide with everyone’s lunch breaks. Each person can run the distance that fits their schedule, but make a point to wear gear and meet up to watch the game. April 6, 2018 NATIONAL WALK TO WORK DAY EFFORT This national day was officially declared by US Department of Health and Human Services Secretary, Tommy G. Thompson, in 2004. Participating in this holiday means you are willing to spend 30 minutes walking. If you tend to ‘work’ at a coffee shop on many days, that’s a great spot to finish! TGIF; IT'S ALWAYS ON THE FIRST FRIDAY OF APRIL! April 16, 2018 CELEBRATE (USA RUNNING) TRADITION RUN (any distance) The Boston Marathon is run annually on the day set aside in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as Patriot’s Day, the third Monday in April. This race was the original marathon to be patterned after the modern Olympics contest of 1896, and was first run in 1897. On this day in the United States, anyone can celebrate the tradition of competitive long distance running. Without necessarily covering 26.2 miles, achieving a qualifying time, or being in that location, run or walk in sprit with those in Boston with a personal custom race + Earned Runs bib. Start your race at 9:32am (elite women start time) or 10am (elite men start time). DON’T LET INTER-CITY MARATHON RIVALRY GET IN YOUR WAY. Today needn’t be about the city of Boston itself, but about the running history which began with that event. April 22, 2018 EARTH DAY EARNED RUN (any distance) Feel free to name this anything you like, but since Earned Runs promotes earth-friendly running, we will make a claim to some ownership. This is one of the best excuses to gather your friends and neighbors and walk-run your way along a favorite running course, or one that sadly needs a lot of effort at beautification, cleaning up trash as you go. Make Mother Nature proud! May 5, 2018 DAY OF 5THS FIVE (5-miles or 5K) Of course, today is the celebration of the Cinco De Mayo holiday, but this date can also be an opportunity to be happy about the 5th day of the 5th month, and your ability to finish the 5th kilometer or the 5th mile of a personal Earned Runs race, run, or walk. Afterward, join everyone else enjoying the festivities of CDM! May 13, 2018 MOTHERS CHOICE COMPETITION (5K) Moms, since your family is often willing to do what YOU want this weekend, ask everyone to accompany you on a nature walk-run, without electronic devices. Keep the pace at slow enough to allow laughing, joking, talking together. Request that they wear Earned Runs bibs decorated like Mother’s Day cards. Estimate the money that would have been spent on cards and treat everyone to an icy dessert (slushy, ice cream cone, popsicle, etc.) or make a charity donation. Since the full weekend is yours to command, there is plenty of time to enjoy other activities as well. May 28, 2018 MEMORIAL DAY REMEMBRANCE (mile, 5K, or 10K) This federal holiday is for remembering the men and women who DIED while serving their country in the Armed Forces (compared with Veterans Day, in which the SERVICE of all U.S. military, veterans and active, is celebrated). It’s a solemn day. US flags and wreaths are placed at gravesites. Many remember others who have passed away in their lives, including non-military. One way to do this by running or walking at quiet times, like sunrise or sunset, when we can reflect back on their lives. If you've never requested bibs, try doing so this spring. Keep your plans to yourself, if shy about planning personal events. You'll be surprised how scheduling a few self-competitions will keep you in a training frame of mind. Your body will thank you this summer. This list will be posted on the RESOURCES page. RUN & MOVE HAPPY! I HAVE HAD AN INTEREST IN PLANNING AND COMPLETING an epic adventure of some sort for the past three summers. Ever since a runner friend told me she and her sister had finally completed hiking the last segment of the Appalachian Trail. Beth declared it was an amazing experience and accomplishment. She explained that together the sisters had been sequentially hiking the segments of the Trail over 20+ years and this last adventure was a long time in coming.
I asked about the trip because she looked terrific and in total shape. As a runner, Beth is younger/faster than me and has the same sturdy and solid body. After the Trail hike, she looked lean and finely muscled. The difference she said, was possibly because they had had to carry their own food and fluids in backpacks, so only the essentials were taken. Their trip was self-designed, not organized by a company that waited at day’s end with a sumptuous meal. It was ‘Earned Runs for hikers’. I started exploring this idea the summer of 2015, but have yet to determine what might be attempted (and successfully completed). Since mid-summer 2017 I’ve been recovering from a running injury; even walking moderate distances has been challenging. Thus, my adventure probably will not involve running; anything epic would risk re-injury or worse, since “loaded running” with a backpack would be required. Which leaves walking, backpacking, and biking (possibly with an e-bike) as top contenders. Organized walking/hiking and cycling adventure trips are advertised that employ guides and support crews. The prices are budget busting and advance registration is required. Just as with organized running events, there is always the risk of needing to drop out of a trip that is scheduled 12 to 6 months in the future. If a buddy/partner is a must for double occupancy rates, the risk is compounded. So, before putting big money down for a first-time epic adventure it seems best to plan one or more shorter distance, DIY, less-than-epic, practice trips of a few days duration. Backpacking seems ideal if daily crew support won’t be available. I don’t know If I can find a partner for the first trip; it might need to be a solo experience, although I would prefer company. The scenery may be less than epic for such short trips. So how to motivate myself for what might be boring practice runs? Photography. I recently ran across a product offered by Huckberry.com, “The Adventure Photography Workshop” developed by National Geographic professional Alex Strohl. Some but not all adventure photography is focused on capturing images of outdoor sports; Strohl’s images are not confined to depicting extreme athletic feats and include a variety of beautiful and awe-inspiring scenes. In the promotional video, he says will demonstrate how to create “strong” images “that withstand the test of time”. Strohl promises to talk about ‘what it means to be yourself” and stand apart from what others are doing, using a few “tools”. One camera and one lens, is what I think he will be employing in the lessons. His YouTube video indicates that the purpose of the workshop is to teach professional adventure photography. The goal is having students attract paying clients “by the end of the month”. However, Strohl’s underlying message seems to be more inspirational and passionate than commercial. His approach to photography is like that of an athlete to a sport. To be better at it is to be “stronger”. “We’re all unique” he explains, and “have had different upbringings, so there’s no reason your photos should look like anybody else’s.” “Stop using other’s pre-sets” he urges. “Motivation is like a muscle and you must train it.” “Every day you take actions toward this big picture”. After watching the video, it occurred to me that photography could be a component of my short distance hikes (or bike rides), that not only could I practice backpacking/cycling before embarking on an epic adventure, but photography as well. Using my phone camera or one like the workshop promotes. I could learn to cover miles carrying the essentials of nutrition as well as photography. Become ‘lean and mean’ with a camera, while exercising and developing a strong personal style, before heading out on the big adventure. The downloaded workshop is expensive (depending on your perspective), $249 on the Huckberry.com site (regular price $300). There are free articles from other sources that offer professional tips that can be found online. Incorporating photography into my epic adventure will require more thought before taking action. It could significantly change the times of day I would be out and about; sunrise and sunset are best for picture taking with my phone camera. It would definitely influence the route selection. Starting small would seem to be the wisest course. Perhaps I’ll train to backpack a half marathon over familiar roads and use my phone camera to test the concept. That should be a small enough scale for a trial run. RUN & MOVE HAPPY! https://huckberry.com/store/alex-strohl/category/p/53665-the-adventure-photography-workshop https://workshop.alexstrohl.com https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appalachian_Trail https://www.outsideonline.com/2157421/best-adventure-photography-exposure-2017 https://www.instagram.com/alexstrohl/ https://www.outdoorphotographer.com/tips-techniques/nature-landscapes/ THE NATIONAL BLACK MARATHONERS ASSOCIATION’S WEBSITE INFORMS VISITORS that “40% of its members have NEVER completed a marathon and many are walkers.” Why join a marathoners’ club if you don’t run races of this distance? The NBMA says it’s mission is to “encourage Black Americans and others to pursue a healthy life-style through long distance running and walking.” It also provides “scholarships to deserving high school boy and girl distance runners”; reportedly more that $24,000.
Why will Baltimore, Maryland be important to these marathoners and less-than marathon-distance runners and walkers in 2018? The Charm City’s October running festival has been selected as THE SINGLE EVENT for the organization’s annual meet-up and summit, the place where “Black American distance runners across the nation” will gather ‘en masse’ at a single marathon. In October 2016, the annual event was held in Columbus Ohio, and in April 2017, in St Louis Missouri. This year that national meet-up will again take place in the Fall, at the Baltimore Marathon Festival, October 18-21, 2018. The Baltimore festival is perfect for such a gathering of running and walking talent. There’s a marathon, marathon relay, half marathon, and a 5K. A local radio station is hosting a charity .05K! Several race series challenges can be run as well. The BaltiMORON-athon requires participants to finish the 5K + Half Marathon on the same day. However, the Maryland Double requires participants to finish races in the Frederick (MD) Running Festival held May 6, 2018 and the Baltimore Running Festival in October. The King Crab Challenge is more complicated, involving finishes at 3 races: Frederick (May), Baltimore (October) and the Baltimore 10-Miler in June, all in 2018. Best to check out the race website for accurate details. If you’re not yet convinced to join others for this special event consider that an African American marathoner, Catherine Pugh, the current mayor of Baltimore, is said to have founded the 1981-1989 Baltimore City Marathon (re-named from the Maryland Marathon of 1973-1980). The Baltimore Running Festival brought the marathon back to the city in 2001. You have plenty of time to find a training plan for an October race in Baltimore, but probably would be cutting it too close to run a May 6 Half Marathon in Frederick. On March 1, both Festival’s websites issued a news release about a free 30-day trial of a personalized app plan offered by Mbition.com. It looks as if each week’s schedule is provided as you go, such that after the free trial period the cost is charged to you monthly or annually. In other words, it's not completely free. Earned Runs urges runners and walkers to plan activities as far out as a year in advance, if needed. The earlier you start the process the more likely you are NOT to be shut out of registering for fun and important motivating experiences. Also, every competition requires training. The longer the race distance, the longer the preparation, and the better the protection against injury. Participation in the Baltimore event may require advance effort. There are free training plans offered by various online sites (the Earned Runs RESOURCES page lists a few), so you don't need to spend extra dollars. Usually these free downloads are simple printable calendar schedules, not personalized interactive phone apps. If interested in the Baltimore Marathon Festival this Fall, summer activities may need to be adjusted to accommodate the training plan for your specific distance race. It is possible that a spring and early summer season of lighter, 'recovery' racing or challenge activities will be the best preparation for an autumn that will focus on finishing a long race. Baltimore is a lovely running city in the fall. I watched my daughter finish the Baltimore Running Festival half marathon years ago. She inspired me to commit to train for my first half marathon. Then we both registered for the Maryland Double. Injury sidelined me, but she and a friend finished both races with personal bests. There's a lot to see, do, and eat in Baltimore after the running and walking have been accomplished. RUN & MOVE HAPPY! http://www.runningusa.org/baltimore-hosts-NBMA http://www.blackmarathoners.org/2017/07/14/2018-annual-summit/ http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/outdoors/bs-sp-marathon-black-runners-summit-20180226-story.html http://www.thebaltimoremarathon.com http://www.alexandriawill.com/2017/12/07/baltimore-running-festival-guide/ http://www.frederickrunfest.com/race-information-2/maryland-double/ http://www.frederickrunfest.com/race-information-2/king-crab-challenge/ WEEK 8 HALF MARATHON 2018 with SAINTS DAYS 5k and 10K Training Plan At the end of this week some may be running or walking a St. Patrick’s Day-themed 10K RACE DAY! If you are training to run a half marathon later in the spring it will function as a ‘tune-up’ event rather than a goal race. You’ll plan to expend LESS effort than when attempting a personal best 10K. For this reason, there wasn’t a scheduled taper or a ‘peak’ . If you don’t remember the BLOG post from January 11, 2018 that introduced this training plan, explained the concept of training or “tune-up” races, and linked to a Runner’sworld.com article, you might check it out. The advice given in that article was to run the 10K evenly all the way through, finishing as if you felt you could have run faster. This race is about gently testing yourself before the half marathon. It provides you with a ‘practice’ race that should build confidence. In other words, easy-does-it, especially at the start. Don’t blast out of the gate and wither before the end. Also, there’s an article in Competitor.com “How to Use Races to Train for Other Races” by Kelly O'Mara that provides more explanation. Enjoy an early St. Patrick’s Day celebration with this tune-up. RUN HAPPY! http://www.earned-runs.com/blog/saints-days-5k-10k-tune-up-races.html http://running.competitor.com/2016/04/training/use-races-train-races_148413 http://www.runnersworld.com/race-training/tune-up-for-successful-racing WHEN SPRING WEATHER IS AROUND THE CORNER and winter wetness and cold are not expected to in the daily forecast much longer, the urge to buy new athletic shoes can be strong. In past years, I have shopped early with the thought the new pair would stay in the box until roads cleared and piles of plowed snow melted. And once the shoes were purchased, regardless of the state of ground thaw, would have convinced myself on the first sunny, warm-ish day that a first run to break them in was warranted. Even though modern running shoes are designed to not require much ‘breaking in’. And after that it seemed a shame not to enjoy their wonderfully lighter and cushioned feel during each training session and the cheery brighter colors (my preferred selection over darks).
This annual ritual has lead me to the “Eureka” revelation that the purpose of a pair of new spring running, walking, or exercise shoes is to usher in the season. To help with the transition from wishing it were spring to the time when it actually arrives. They are like the early flowers, blossoming trees, and songbirds that herald the coming of this gentler, joyous season. But it can be a difficult task to choose which footwear brand and model is best for me. An article featured in a previous blog post indicated that preference should rule when it comes to buying expensive versus cheap. But I don’t know what I should prefer, except when it comes to color, as mentioned above. In the spring, I want the model color, if available, that has at least a a pop (or better yet, a big slug) of color. “The New Rules for Buying Running Shoes”, an article by Jonathan Beverly for MotivRunning.com, is a great place to learn about how to select the best pair of shoes when it comes to performance and comfort. Beverly’s 1st rule(“Get the right size”) is is a terrific piece of advice; it’s about SIZE. It’s amazing how an athletic shoe size will vary from street shoe size. I normally wear a 7 or sometimes a 7.5 (USA women’s) for anything other than a shoe used for sport. For running/walking/exercise my size most frequently is 8.5 (USA). The focus should not be on the number but the fit. The 2nd rule (“Get the right shape") is should be read carefully. It provides sound reasoning why shoppers should try on a variety of brands. Which explains why runners tend to stay with a brand and model season after season. But be aware that a model update can significantly change a favorite go-to shoe, often signaled by a change in model number. Rule number 3 (“Get the right support”) is can help shoppers evaluate the quality of assistance they are receiving from a store fitter. If the emphasis is on over- or under-pronation, the advice is likely out of date. That’s my personal bias. Rules 4 (“Get the right ride”) is and 5 (“Trust yourself”) is are perhaps the easiest to follow as they call on us to personally assess the comfort of the shoe. Unfortunately, after reading this piece I was a bit more anxious than beforehand. My learning of the new rules revealed there are more ways, than I had previously been aware of, to pick the wrong shoe! However, like with ANY purchase, realize that mistakes will be made. To reduce that chance of making a purchase mistake, shop more. Plan to make 2-3 shopping (not buying), trips before deciding on a shoe. If possible, go to different specialty stores or store locations. Or to the same store at a time when you might receive help from a different fitter. Listen to the advice other shoppers are receiving from various fitters. Does the advice significantly vary from store to store? Are fitters recommending the same shoe to everyone, or everyone in your demographic. I have had this experience and it was upsetting. Every woman my age was brought the same 2 shoe models by the same store fitter. When I ask about other shoe brands, my query was brushed off. I went to another location of the same store chain and the fitter brought 6 different models. Don’t be afraid to wait until you feel secure about a purchase. And then, don’t be reluctant to wear the fresh spring pair! Your shoes can be one of the early signs of spring that others are looking to celebrate, like crocuses, forsythia blossoms, pussy willows, and robins in the northern US. RUN & MOVE HAPPY! What do you see in your corner of the world as a first sign of spring? https://www.motivrunning.com/running-shoes-and-gear/new-rules-buying-running-shoes TO RUN WE RELY ON HEALTHY LUNGS. With aging, we expect to deal with stiffer limbs, degeneration of the joints, and less muscle/more fat mass. By not smoking, avoiding polluted air, and improving cardiorespiratory fitness with aerobic exercise, we hope to keep our lungs in as good a condition as possible.
A study recently published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine of the American Thoracic Society has revealed we might not be protecting our lungs from long term damage. Especially women who regularly clean house as little as once a week. The headline to come out of the press release announcing the study results is that the use of household cleaning products for 20 years may be as detrimental to lung health as smoking a pack of cigarettes each day, during that length of time. An article by Tom Porter for Newsweek.com, highlights the findings of research performed by scientists at the University of Bergen in Norway. The details of the scientific article "Cleaning at home and work in relation to lung function decline and airway obstruction" by Ø Svanes and colleagues are summarized below. Over 20 years, 6230 participants from 22 different European centers, representing random population samples of women and men, aged 20-44 years (mean age 34 at baseline; 1992-1994), were studied. The participants were surveyed at baseline and re-investigated again in 1998-2002, and 2010-12 by the research team. Each survey involved interviews, lung function testing, and body measurements. Information was collected by questionnaire as to whether each person was cleaning, and how often (more than once per week) and what type of products were used (spray or non-spray cleaning agent). About 85% of women and 47% of men reported cleaning at home; roughly 9% and 2% reported cleaning occupationally. Women not working as cleaners and who did not clean at home had the lowest decline in lung function over the study period. Women who cleaned on the job and at home had the highest decline. Among women, the use of sprays or other non-spray cleaning products at least once per week was associated with an accelerated decline in lung function as compared to not performing cleaning. Men did not show this decline pattern. More women cleaning at home and at work had more doctor-diagnosed asthma than those not cleaning. Men who cleaned at home had more doctor-diagnosed asthma than those not cleaning and those cleaning at work. The researchers suggested that detrimental lung changes might occur with repeated small exposures to agents, like ammonia and bleach, that irritate the mucous membrane lining of the respiratory tract and lead to fibrosis and other alterations inside the walls (interstitium) of delicate lung structures. Other agents might sensitize the tissue to immune reactions and lead to airway remodeling. The study admittedly has limitations, including the small number of women who reported not cleaning more than once a week, and the small number of men who reported they were occupational cleaners. Before getting into a war with men over who suffers from being designated cleaners at home, consider that gender differences in response to agents may exist. And occupational cleaning for men may involve different work. Should women stop cleaning at home and work to protect their lungs? The results of this study might cause us to examine more closely how house-cleaning is accomplished, consider the kinds of materials used to construct homes/buildings, and the use of protective gear. Flooring that cleans with simple wiping or mopping with water could be a better choice than that requiring harsh chemicals. Home-recipe cleaning agents and micro-fiber cloths that are kind to the earth’s environment and human physiology might be promoted. Perhaps mask-wearing could decrease inhalation risk. It’s discouraging to think that in spite of decades of regular aerobic exercise, my lung function might have declined more than what would have normally occurred due to aging because of house cleaning. It might have been prevented. And that exposure to chemicals at work would have caused additional harm. Going forward I’m going to try to only use mild cleaning agents that can be made from water, vinegar, baking soda, lemon juice etc.! RUN & MOVE HAPPY! https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29451393 http://www.newsweek.com/impact-cleaning-products-lung-health-bad-20-day-cigarette-habit-study-810277 Note: some of the homemade solutions on these two websites seem to be lung friendly; they are just an example. http://eartheasy.com/live_nontoxic_solutions.htm http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/cleaning/tips/a24885/make-at-home-cleaners/ |
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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