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WHEN TO WALK Jessica Migala seeks to remind exercisers who plan to walk to achieve specific fitness goals that there may be optimal times to do so. In her article for Under Armor‘s blog, MyFitnessPal.com, Migala discusses the health benefits to be gained from walking, which include lowering blood pressure, controlling blood sugar, losing weight, relieving stress, improving sleep, and boosting mood.
According to scientific studies referenced by Migala, morning routines are best for sleep and weight loss, evening times are most ideal for decreasing blood pressure, after meal strolls will help get blood sugar levels under control, commuting walks will help bust stress, and lunch breaks can “boost happiness.” However, knowing that your walking sessions are not scheduled during time periods when science suggests they could deliver the greatest benefits is NOT a reason to become discouraged or distressed. The 6 health issues that walking is reported to improve addressed in Migala’s piece, are likely to be linked for many of us. In the long term, weight gain leading to obesity threatens the development of hypertension and glucose intolerance, and ultimately, other dangerous diseases. Poor quality and inadequate sleep can contribute to obesity, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease, as can stress. Perhaps the specific time that walking exercise is performed it is less important than simply getting it done regularly. Doing so at a fast pace also seems to be critical to lifelong good health. There is evidence that brisk walkers with a bodyweight within in a healthy or even overweight range may enjoy longer lives. A Luminate article posted by Medium.com quotes the lead researcher of a recently published observational United Kingdom study about brisk walking as saying, “Fast walkers have a long life expectancy across all categories of obesity status, regardless of how obesity is measured”. Great news! Walking in the early morning at sunrise on a clear beautiful day is a definite mood booster. Getting it done in the wet and gloom of a sloppy weather day isn’t so much fun. However, consistently completing an exercise session before each day’s work begins takes this item off the “to-do” list and puts it into the “accomplished” column, which contributes to a positive mental and emotional state. The same sense of accomplishment can be experienced with a consistent evening, lunch, or afternoon break session. The Earned Runs perspective is that making and fulfilling a regular commitment to walk at moderate to high intensity for fitness may bestow multiple inter-related physical, emotional, and mental health rewards, regardless of the time of day it is performed. Summertime days present two “golden” opportunities in which to establish a brisk walking habit and, at the same time, enjoy peak times of outdoor beauty. In their work, photographers utilize the golden hours of the day, the time periods just after sunrise and before the sunset, to create gorgeous images. In Northern Hemisphere summers these hours occur at times when many are not commuting to or at work, making it a perfect season* to get hooked on a daily exercise walk routine. This summer enjoy the outdoors and boost your health, mood, and longevity with a fast walk any time of the day. RUN & MOVE HAPPY! *Check out the six Earned Runs 2019 SUMMER CHALLENGES on the RESOURCES page if you’re at a loss for how to start a brisk walking routine. https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/the-best-times-to-walk-depending-on-your-goals/ https://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/features/important-sleep-habits#1 https://www.webmd.com/balance/stress-management/qa/what-are-the-consequences-of-longterm-stress https://medium.com/luminate/brisk-walking-linked-to-remarkably-longer-life-regardless-of-weight-c4332b001ace https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/article/S0025-6196%2819%2930063-1/fulltext https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_hour_(photography)
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EARNED RUNS 2019 SUMMER CHALLENGE VI BUILDS UPPER AND LOWER BODY STRENGTH. Those planning to take on this exercise might consider boosting strength improvements with mobility work.
My good friend Clare, an avid and excellent tennis player, had made me aware of the importance of shoulder girdle mobility in activities that utilize the upper body about a year ago. Those planning to test themselves by following an Obstacle Course Training plan might wish to use a mobility routine as part of their warm-up sessions. MYRTL’s (physical therapy slang for movements that help with mobility of the hip girdle) work to mobilize the hip joints, so it was wonderful to find shoulder moves that Clare demonstrated she used to prepare for tennis in an article by Gabrielle Kassel for SHAPE.com. The article’s title highlights how a length of PVC pipe will serve as equipment and describes how a broom-stick can be substituted, just as Clare had told me could be used for the “1. PVC Pass Through” and “2. Figure 8” exercises. The number 3, 4, 5, and 6 stretches make this mobility routine one that assists with working the shoulder as well as the wrists, posterior chain, hips, ankles, and full-body. Whether or not the obstacle course training is on your summer exercise calendar, consider this routine or other shoulder and upper and lower body stretches (see links below) for improving overall fitness. RUN & MOVE HAPPY! https://www.shape.com/fitness/tips/pvc-pipe-mobility-exercises https://gmb.io/shoulder-mobility/ 6 Stretches:
https://www.orthoinfo.org/en/recovery/?bodyPart=Shoulder https://www.orthoinfo.org/globalassets/pdfs/2017-rehab_shoulder.pdf 5 Stretches + 13 strengthening exercises https://aaptiv.com/magazine/stretches-to-improve-strength-training https://aaptiv.com/magazine/shoulder-mobility-stretches https://www.shape.com/fitness/videos/charlee-atkins-upper-back-shoulder-mobility WEEK 2: RUN-WALK-BIKE ACROSS AMERICA 2019 STARTS TOMORROW
Segment 3: Hood River OR to WA Segment 4: Prosser WA to Walla Walla WA This week the route continues to follow the Columbia River, crossing into Washington State and heading north. According to a Wikipedia entry, the Columbia River Gorge is a canyon of the Pacific Northwest United States which “stretches for over 80 miles” as it flows across the Cascade Mountains. You can see by the segment maps that it forms the state-line boundary between Oregon and Washington. The entry also says that this “water gap furnishes the only navigable route” through this mountain range, bringing water from drier eastern grasslands, over transitional woodlands, to the temperate rain forest of the western slopes, on its way to the Pacific Ocean. The different climates of these regions lead to dramatic scenery changes over the short distance of 80 miles along interstate I-84, the highway the route follows, until we make our way north into Washington. Because of differences in atmospheric pressures between these regions, the gorge creates a ‘wind tunnel effect’ that draws windsurfing and kite-surfing enthusiasts as well as other recreational sports-minded visitors. Like us! I googled "movies filmed in Oregon", thinking I could better picture this part of the nation if I had seen a movie that featured its best scenery. There was a long list on Wikipedia, including "Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey" in the Columbia River Gorge. There were many, many more. The "Twilight" series, more recently in theaters and well known, was filmed in Portland and other OR locations. The route through Washington into the cities of Prosser and Walla Walla will be taking us into one of this state’s wine making regions, known as the Columbia Valley American Viticultural Area (AVA). According to Wikipedia, this ‘wine country’ is situated within the same latitude lines as the famous French Bordeaux and Burgundy regions. In this northern location, these vineyards receive two hours of added daylight during the summer growing season, compared with the wine regions of California. There are other reported advantages that the area soil contributes to the wine making process. Perhaps a great reason to sample some Columbia Valley wines this week! RUN & MOVE HAPPY! NOTE: Our travels though the country will allow us to learn more about the history of Native Americans, much of which is a story of forced removal from familiar lands and resettlement into reservation lands which were then reduced in size. North and west of the Segment 3 route, in Washington state, is the Yakama Reservation, home to the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation. Farther north is the land of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation. Official websites, Wikipedia, and a newsletter provide additional information about the origins, culture, and modern-day activities of Native Americans who inhabited this beautiful land. Most of the information provided in this blog is from Wikipedia entries. Facts shared in the newsletter about the Yakama Nation gives readers a look into the protective actions taken by leaders to preserve the well-being and culture of its peoples. In addition to banning alcohol use in 2000, this source says prohibitions were placed on marijuana use and sales followed the passage of the Washington State law that allowed recreational marijuana use. South and west of the Segment 4 route is the city of Kennewick WA, the largest municipality of the Tri-cities region (with Pasco and Richland). The name might be familiar to some. The skeletal remains of the prehistoric Kennewick Man were discovered on a nearby bank of the Columbia River in 1996. A Wikipedia entry indicates that difficulties in accurately dating these remains led to controversy surrounding the rights to the remains between scientists, who thought they were more primitive and not related to modern day Native Americans and the region’s tribes. In 2017, by Congressional legislation, the bones were returned to a coalition of Colville, Yakama Nation, and other tribes for proper burial. NOTE: Check out the NEW ACROSS AMERICA IN PHOTOS page https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbia_River_Gorge https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_films_shot_in_Oregon http://www.gotastewine.com/columbia-valley-wineries.php https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbia_Valley_AVA https://indiancountrymedianetwork.com/news/native-news/10-things-you-should-know-about-the-yakama-nation/ https://indiancountrymedianetwork.com/history/people/10-things-know-confederated-tribes-colville-reservation/ https://plateauportal.libraries.wsu.edu/community/confederated-tribes-colville-reservation https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colville_Indian_Reservation https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kennewick_Man WEEKS 1-3 SEGMENT MAPS FOR THOSE WHO HAVEN'T YET COMMITTED TO TAKING ON THE "FASTEST 5K OR SUMMER OF FUN 5KS" SUMMER CHALLENGE III.
TINA MUIR HAS ADVICE FOR ELITE RUNNERS WHO DO NOT CONSIDER THEMSELVES TO BE IN PEAK FORM. THOSE WHO ARE NO LONGER FAST enough to train and race for a personal record (PR) as they had done in the past. In her article for Podium Runner.com, Muir describes running her first Boston Marathon as a mother with a one-year old daughter, as a former elite who took time off to enjoy experiences not related to sport competition. Although she is NOT addressing the population of ’never-racers’ and pure fun-runners, Muir’s piece can be motivation for this group. In it she explains why she decided to make an emotional and mental break from the pressures of life as an elite to “enjoy the entire marathon journey”, while ‘just doing her best”. The experience seems to have been difficult; possibly she continues to struggle with performing as a non-elite. However, Muir’s story serves as testimony that committing, training, and then completing a race represents a life ‘prize’ that’s worth the effort. She described the non-elite-status experience as empowering. Tina Muir’s race was 26.2 miles. It was the Boston Marathon! From personal experience I know that a newbie racer can set their eyes on a far less ambitious and glorious goal of 3.1 miles, 5K, and be totally thrilled when crossing the finish line. Whether the accomplishment is achieved by running, jogging, run-walking, or walking, it can be exhilarating. Last summer, because of a year-long knee issue, I decided to train to walk a 5K that nearly everyone else I know would be running. I had run that race many times for decades with the intent of winning my age/gender group. It was embarrassing to have previously slower friends and acquaintances pass me after the start signal was sounded. But soon enough, I was alone on the road and concerned only with my walking form and breathing. At about the halfway mark I realized walking a race was as demanding of my mind and body as running; I was aching! The finish was joyous. Yay for me. I walked another race at Thanksgiving, an 8K Turkey Trot, and this summer my sights are on completing a 5K race, which I will be walk-running. To avoid injury and keep my knees healthy I’ll likely not ever run continuously when training or racing again, instead incorporate a few 5-10-minute run segments in each training walk session. Like Tina Muir I’m delighted to just be doing my best, and able to join in the race fun. If you have not yet decided on a summer challenge, consider the “Fastest 5k or Summer of Fun 5K’s”, the 2019 SUMMER CHALLENGE III. It requires committing to training for one 5K whether walking, run-walking, or running. The joys of racing can come from being fast, as well as working toward a goal to have fun. RUN & MOVE HAPPY! See the Blog post describing 2019 SUMMER CHALLENGE III ; it's also provided on the RESOURCES page, as well as other SUMMER 2019 CHALLENGES https://www.podiumrunner.com/enjoying-racing-even-if-you-arent-in-pr-shape_177389 |
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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