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HIDDEN SWEETNESS Earned Runs is highlighting this ACTIVE.com article, “20 Foods with the Most Added Sugar” by Jackie Veling to share the useful information it contains for several reasons.
First, to help runners, walkers, and fitness enthusiasts decrease the amount of un-natural sugar they may unknowingly be adding to their diet in processed food. Some products we expect and want to be sweet. We buy them, well aware of the sugar content, and thus accept responsibility for the effects on our health. Second to energize the consumer in you. If these items aren’t purchased and sales fall, companies must eventually get the message to offer new products that don’t contain, or at least are lower in, added sweeteners. “Sugar” may be otherwise disguised as honey, fructose, molasses, and corn syrup, as the article indicates. Third, to suggest that as a group we spread the word on social media. If a check of a frequently purchased product’s ingredient list shows an added un-natural sugar, without that addition seeming to be necessary, snap a picture and share the information. An example might be a fruit drink or juice, number 3 in the slideshow article. Normally fruit juice is naturally sweet and it would be surprising to see that it’s been added. Especially if the product package says its “100% pure” or “not from concentrate” as Veling’s article indicates. In my experience awareness of the hidden addition of sugar, in any of its forms, comes when a product has a different taste, as if it’s been reformulated but that information isn’t on the packaging. It was wheat bread (#4 in the slideshow) that surprised me last year. It seemed to have a new oddly sweet flavor, which may have been due to the presence of high fructose corn syrup. Veling offers thoughtful suggestions in the article about lower-sugar alternatives to foods that might be your favorites. More help in figuring out product sugar content is on the way, in the form of revamped nutrition labels, expected to be on foods beginning in July 2018, which will list “added sugars” (see earlier 2016 BLOG post). Until then, be a smart consumer, especially if you want to benefit the most from all the hard work you’re doing to become and stay fit and healthy. RUN HAPPY! https://www.active.com/food-and-nutrition/articles/20-foods-with-the-most-added-sugar
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![]() OCTOBER WILL SOON BE HERE; IT'S BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH The American Cancer Society (ACS) sponsors “Making Strides Against Breast Cancer” walks throughout the country during this month. You can participate whether you’re solo, bring your own friends and family, or join in spirit with someone who is in an event far away. You can run or walk. Regardless, in each instance you will be surrounded by a multitude of caring people taking action to fight this disease, support a survivor, or remember a loved one. If you have 2017 Earned Runs bibs or REQUEST a set you can schedule and design YOUR OWN walk or run. You can also request Earned Runs large PINK RIBBON stickers (image) that will be sent free while supplies last. Thus, if you are unable to make one of the ACS Making Strides organized events, you can assemble people “together” to walk for your personal cause. Participants may gather in the same place or simultaneously at multiple, different, distant locations on a date and time that will be determined by you. A very young breast cancer survivor, Stephanie, who was 25 years old at the time of her diagnosis less than three years ago, inspired this sticker. She underwent surgery and endured chemotherapy, ultimately triumphing over her cancer. This brave, strong young woman gathered her family and friends for a run/walk last October 2016, on the same day that she joined the American Cancer Society event in Santa Monica CA, but most were scattered across the country. Under the banner name “Cookie Strong” Steph organized her personal event, “in spirit”, with all who wished to show support with the help of Earned Runs. She asked each person to request a set of four Earned Runs bibs and Breast Cancer Awareness PINK RIBBON* stickers. Many did so, and then posted pictures of their finish, wearing bibs, on the Earned Runs Facebook page. She’s hoping to do the same in 2017. You can find an event organized by a group like the ACS or design your own awareness or memorial run/walk with Earned Runs bibs and stickers. If each request includes a set of 4, there potentially are 3 extra bibs and stickers for participants. This makes last-minute inclusions and invitations very simple and easy. Consider involving the men in your life. Women sometimes forget that they also are “survivors” of this disease, and have struggled and experienced loss. In 2016 my sister walked in California and I ran in Texas on the October Saturday that Steph gathered everyone for “Cookie Strong”. We were supporting her AND remembering our own mother and aunt. The malignancy is so common in women that many of us have one or more beloved family members or friends for whom we can make this effort. Donation to charity may or may not be a required component of certain events. Earned Runs promotes a spirit of GENEROSITY for runners using our free bibs. The donation of a small portion of the usual race registration fee is a kind gesture that is easy to accomplish online. Go Stephanie!!! RUN HAPPY! *This particular color has been designated “charity pink” and the pink ribbon has come to symbolize the fight to cure breast cancer. The Earned Runs sticker has space to write a name or message. http://www.earned-runs.com/request-bibscontact.html http://makingstrides.acsevents.org/site/TR/MakingStridesAgainstBreastCancer/MSABCCY17CA?fr_id=84629&pg=entry https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/breast/statistics/index.htm ![]() COLLEGIATE CONTRIBUTOR: MICHELLE D* The September 11 post featured an interview with Michelle that provides background for her discussions, which began with a September 14 post "Finding Time to Run" and followed-up with a September 21 post, “’Climate’ Change”. Today her 3rd and last post is presented. “Recovering from an Illness” When I had a health issue in mid-March I thought my running career was over. The doctors advised me to take at least 6 weeks off from any exercise to ensure that I would fully recover and not relapse. Knowing the importance of a good recovery; I wasn’t going to mess with it. Going from running a full 8 miles two or three times a week, to not being able to do anything and having to sit on the couch or lay in bed all day was the hardest thing. Even after feeling in perfect health, I still needed to wait 3-4 weeks before I could slowly ease my way back into running. In January 2017, I had signed up for what was going to be my second half marathon, The Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon on May 21st. My parents said I wasn’t going to be able to run it, but I told them that I wasn’t giving up that easy. Once doctors gave the all clear to begin exercising again, I slowly got back into a running routine, easing up to my usual 8 mile morning route, and starting to cross train with the elliptical at the gym. Time flew by. Soon it was final exam season with 2 weeks until race day. I was confident of finishing but with a time not as fast as my first half marathon. For me it was important to make sure that I was fully recovered before starting any exercise. As frustrating as it can be, it is important to make the well-being of your body into your priority. It may feel like taking a few weeks off from working out will cause you to lose your fitness, but you would be surprised at how strong and how much energy you will have coming back. At first it will be hard to get back in to your running routine, but taking it slow and starting at low mileage at a steady pace will help you build back up quite quickly. For me, taking a break allowed my body to recover completely and be able to come back very strong. It took me a few weeks to get back into it, but I ended up being stronger than I was before I was ill. I was able to run my half-marathon in May, and to my surprise I finished in 1 hour 38 minutes, beating my previous half marathon time by 4 minutes. I was ecstatic to say the least and couldn’t believe that after a spring semester full of recovery that I had done so well. Being able to find motivation to push through and take a break from running to recover was definitely hard for me. Running is such an important part of my life, so it was quite an adjustment not to be able to complete my daily routine, but it all worked out in the end. RUN HAPPY! NOTE: Thank you Michelle for sharing your experiences and insights with Earned Runs. Best of luck and success with 2017-2108 academic year. Perhaps you'll discover more about running to write about next Fall! *Earned Runs is pleased to introduce our first ever guest contributor, TULANE UNIVERSITY junior MICHELLE D. To get into the swing of the Back-To-School theme and to kick off the new academic year, Michelle will write on three topics of interest to students. She is pursuing a business degree as a “Green Wave” fan at the New Orleans, Louisiana institution, with a dual major in Marketing and Management. www.clevelandmarathon.com en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cleveland https://tulane.edu https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulane_University https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marine_Corps_MarathonHELP FOR COMPETITION The article, “How to Sleep on Any Flight, According to Top Sleep Docs”, written by Cassie Shortsleeve for SHAPE.com, opens by saying how important sleep quality is to enjoyment of a healthier trip.
Runners and other athletes who must travel by air to compete in away events know that being able to sleep on a late or very early flight can help with performance. Work or home commitments may not allow the scheduling of a flight more than a day in advance of a race for the purpose of adjusting to time zones. The chance to get in a few hours of restful sleep on the way to an event might benefit both body and mind. Knowledge that one will arrive alert and refreshed at the starting line can be a boost to mental preparedness. The tips in this piece may include some you’ve not heard before or learned from experience. They involve pre-trip planning to help remove potential distractions and disruptions, like noise, light, and movement, and inflight practices that may ease the way into sleep. I especially like the mental exercise explained by one of the experts. It can be a tool to help with sleeping at home, while not traveling, as well! Skipping alcohol and other sleep aid medications is bit of not-so-new advice. However, in this article readers are reminded that the after-effects are why they should be avoided, especially if a competition is the trip’s purpose. The information about melatonin is potentially helpful. Earned Runs cautions that like trying new nutritional aids just before a race, trying new supplements should be on the “don’t” list. And of course, even if over-the-counter, adding any non-prescription medications should be an action approved by your doctor. Not being able to sleep on a plane when you really, really, need to in advance of a race can be upsetting. I think this article goes further than any other I’ve read to provide practical suggestions for the traveling runner/competitor. RUN HAPPY! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marine_Corps_Marathon http://www.shape.com/lifestyle/mind-and-body/plane-tips-sleep-on-any-flight-airplane http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-940-melatonin.aspx THE TENNIS WORLD was amazed and delighted in early September when 24-year old Sloane Stephens took home the Women’s US Open Grand Slam singles trophy in New York, NY. She had only returned to professional tennis action in July 2017, after being waylaid by a foot stress fracture that occurred in early 2016, which ultimately required surgery. The amazing part of the story is that after playing with pain, then months of rest waiting to see if the injury would heal itself, an additional 6 months of rest kept her from merely walking.
“In July”, a SHAPE.com article about her comeback indicates, “when she made her official return to the court, she was ranked 957th among female pro tennis players.” The September 9 victory made her the” lowest-ranked player to rebound and win the title in New York since computer ranking began in 1975, according to the US Open.” In a MyFitnessPal.com blog piece Stephens writes how she coped with the injury, which she initially thought was “just another pesky problem that would go away”. When the injury-related pain diminished with rest but did not disappear, the next prescription was to wear a boot and wait another 10 weeks. Because the problem again did not resolve, further imaging was performed, and surgery was scheduled. The post-surgical recovery period left her feeling “helpless” she said in the blog, “and she found herself getting depressed”. “For the first time in my life I could not exercise or travel, and I had very limited mobility” She decided to work on what she could control, her mental attitude and other aspects of the recovery, that included nutrition and physical therapy. Stephens’ story has a happy ending. The last chapter of this particular tale of athletic injury has the heroine healing in record time and beating everyone in spectacular fashion. It’s an ending we all hope to write for ourselves when down and out with pain and dysfunction. I am in the middle of a much less dire injury situation. There’s no fracture and no professional career on the line. But I’m in the period where there’s resting, non-surgical physical therapy, and waiting. There’s no guarantee in this middle period that my small injury will heal in a few more weeks. The imaging is yet to be performed which might provide information leading to additional weeks of rest and rehab work. Not knowing, like Stephens, I feel out of control. The journey started months ago, and there’s no immediate end in sight. The several articles describing Sloane Stephens’ victory on the tennis court appeared JUST IN TIME to energize, inspire, and motivate me going forward! I had devised a plan of my own, to concentrate on the components of treatment and recovery over which I have control, just like she did. But then I read her MyFitnessPal.com article about coping. Not yet allowed to practice on her feet, she wheeled around the tennis court seated on a backless office chair while her coach tossed tennis balls in her direction. She became more involved in youth tennis and her own tennis foundation. And she watched a lot of tennis. I realized that greater creativity might be needed to fuel a good attitude, develop a stronger resolve, and persevere in spite of big or small disheartening setbacks. Running involves more than merely moving forward on two sound legs. Definitely it also requires balance, flexibility, and strength. But it can also be about relationships, community responsibility, charity, and sportsmanship. Stephens’ story suggests that the path to her brilliant win at the US Open might have begun when she faced and managed the difficulties that tested her spirit and developed her character during this time. The SHAPE.com article and a NYtimes.com item highlights how the new champion responded to friend Madison Keys, her US Open Finals opponent, immediately after the win. Stephens enveloped “Maddie” in a 19-second hug. Keys herself had worked to return to tennis after wrist injuries that year, which made her playing for the trophy a long shot. Superior physical performance is certainly a key factor in athletic success, but it seems that true champions famously possess intangible traits for which they become beloved outside of sport. The average person can’t hope to compete at this level. However, perhaps we too might benefit athletically and personally from making the very best use of prolonged enforced rest and recovery time. Although of necessity focused inward on rehabilitation, we can also turn our attention and efforts outward. The three articles are worth reading in their entirety. Runners and fitness enthusiasts who have recovered or are in the process of recovering from injury will be able to identify with the issues she struggled with during this period. With so many devastated by natural disasters this past summer and caught up in ongoing conflict, we are able to gain new perspective of our own situations. RUN HAPPY! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther_King_Jr._Memorial “Coping: Inside the Mind of Pro Tennis Player Sloane Stephens” by Sloane Stephens http://blog.myfitnesspal.com/coping-injury-inside-mind-pro-tennis-player-sloane-stephens “Sloane Stephens Beats Madison Keys to Claim U.S. Open Title” by Christopher Clarey https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/09/sports/tennis/us-open-womens-final-madison-keys-sloane-stephens.html “The Epic Comeback Story of How Sloane Stephens Won the U.S. Open” by Lauren Mazzo http://www.shape.com/node/318069 BACK TO SCHOOL: EARNED RUNS HOUSE CUP CHALLENGE
Now that summer is officially over and the ‘academic’ year has begun you might think Earned Runs Challenges have come to an end. Not exactly. For those not excited about training for a goal race this fall, we’re offering a new PERSONAL customizable competition that might be fun to try, the HOUSE CUP. At Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry of fictional Harry Potter book series fame, the HOUSE CUP was an award presented to one of the four student houses at the finish of the academic year. Griffindore, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin all competed for this trophy. It was won by earning the most total points, which were added and subtracted over the months school was in session for the various good deeds and misdeeds, respectively, of its members. “While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn you house points, while any rule-breaking will lose points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honour.” Professor Minerva McGonagall thus explained the point system. Earned Runs will help you create a customized PERSONAL HOUSE CUP competition, to provide an incentive to adopt some needed health and fitness habits. Materials needed for the HOUSE CUP CHALLENGE; (one set for each participant or team) 1) Coins or tokens (Hogwarts used precious gems; Earned Runs is using dimes) 2) Two containers, preferably clear to make changes in content levels easily visible 3) Custom rules and duration/days the competition will run when rules are in effect. 4) Chart of point awards 5) Honesty & Commitment 6) Optional: Earned Runs bib or calendar to mark days Instructions: 2 Containers: a starter container and the HOUSE CUP (decoration is optional). Tokens: Place all the coins/tokens in the starter container. Move coins/tokens from the starter to the HOUSE CUP container as you complete daily tasks to which points were assigned. To start the competition each participant/team must accrue sufficient points to have enough tokens to subtract as the days go by. Move coins back from the HOUSE CUP container to the starter container to SUBTRACT points. A participant/team that enters into ‘negative’ token territory drops out of the challenge. Point chart: Assign positive (+) points to habits or activities to be encouraged; negative for those to be avoided. Greater value should be assigned according to the importance of adopting (+)/eliminating (-) the activity. See the sample Earned Runs system and make changes if you decide to borrow the basic rules. Rules: Identify a time period over which you will be holding the competition. Add a few extra days or so to allow for unexpected issues that may temporarily prevent good faith participation. Calculate approximately how many total tokens and tokens per day or week you will need to add to the Cup to achieve your goal. Check that the number of daily/weekly points to be won is reasonable, even if there are occasional subtractions. MY PERSONAL HOUSE CUP CHALLENGE will be available as an example of what you might design for yourself. I was a bit nervous about starting it and failing too soon so I ran a trial run in the month of September and made adjustments. It's not going to be easy. During the trial I was tempted to cheat every day! The assigned positive (+) tasks are actions I have difficulty with! Having to report progress and results in this blog is a daunting prospect, but I plan to persevere; I want to win the $100!!! If you would like to encourage yourself to adopt certain fitness habits consider designing your own personal HOUSE CUP CHALLENGE. Share with us if you do, to help inspire others. RUN HAPPY! IF you REQUEST bibs, you can also request free HOUSE CUP stickers! Those with bibs can also request them . http://harrypotter.wikia.com/wiki/House_Cup 2017_house_cup_challenge_points_and_rules_my_personal_challenge.pdf my personal tally chart ![]() WEEK 3 TURKEY TROT WITH TRACK DAY 5K Beginner Training Plan starts Monday. If you weren’t able to locate a track, struggled with the track workout the first two weeks, or did not have the chance to find specific strength training exercises, it’s not too late to get organized. The stresses of harder training will take a toll later in training, so there’s still time to get into good habits beforehand. The track day schedule advances from walking: running half laps to full laps! It was amazing to me how far that quarter mile (one lap) felt the first few trips around. Believe it or not, the distance will seem to ‘shorten’ as you become accustomed to the track environment. It’s hard to imagine, but you might need to devise a way to count laps as the number completed increases, and your mind starts to wander onto topics other than discomfort and exhaustion. “When can I walk again?” becomes, “Oops I missed the walk mark!” One thing to keep in mind is that all the effort expended and miles run in following THIS training plan becomes part of the base you’ll establish for FUTURE runs of the same or longer distances. Many runners train at a lowered level almost ALL YEAR long, not just in advance of a specific race, so that the agony of starting from months off is avoided. For example, the long run distance might be maintained at 3-4 miles most weeks, unless a specific plan was started in advance of competition. Consider mentally adjusting your goals early on in this plan to thinking you’ll maintain a minimum weekly mileage AFTER your 2017 Turkey Trot 5K, to be ready for the NEXT RACE. RUN HAPPY! Remember, go to the RESOURCES page for all 2017 Turkey Trot related downloads: TURKEY TROT WITH TRACK DAYS 5K Beginner Training Plan Calendar TRACK DAYS Schedule MINUTES TO MILES Calculations THE ASTRONOMICAL FALL SEASON BEGAN on September 22. There will be less available daylight, which means more running sessions may be performed in darkness. The weather will eventually turn a bit wetter too, and there may be interest in finding workouts that make the best use of outdoor time.
Jason Fitzgerald offers great coaching advice about how to train using hill repeats in an article for RunningCompetitor.com, “3 Key Hill Workouts That Target Speed, Strength, and Endurance”. These shorter sessions may help us adjust to autumnal conditions. Fitzgerald first outlines WHY hill training can be more beneficial to runners than sticking to flat terrain. It:
Next, the USATF certified coach explains three different hill sessions: 1) long repeats on lower hills (4-5% incline), 2) short repeats on steeper inclines (6-8%), and 3) sprints on the steepest hill to be found. Very importantly he identifies how each workout fits into a training plan. For beginners #1 is recommended and should be considered a part of base training. The article is filled with expert and detailed information. If running or walking hills does not fit into your current Fall training regimen, you might be helping yourself by filing it for future use. Darkness and precipitation will lead some runners to take workouts indoors; some might question if these hill workouts can be run on a treadmill. Coach Jenny Hadfield’s piece in RunnersWorld.com “What Incline Should I Use On My Treadmill?” in 2009 explains how the settings on this piece of equipment work. Hadfield’s answer to the reader’s question includes comments on training for a specific hilly race. She also provides instruction on how to gradually transition from treadmill-only to outdoor road running. My preference for outdoor hill repeats originated from a personal quest for workouts that did not take me far away from car or home in inclement weather, or from a hotel in an unfamiliar setting. If conditions were too chilly or wet to continue as long as needed to complete the session, I wanted to be not too distant from a dry and warm location. The same was true if I was traveling and needed a safe route. With hill repeats I could drive to a parking structure with a ramp and be nearly within sight of my vehicle. Or walk out the door of my home, or hotel or place I was visiting if there was a hill nearby. Even if you are not thrilled with the concept of hill repeats for the purpose of building strength, think of them as shorter distance but high-value runs that might rescue a skipped training session because of weather conditions or other circumstances. Be sure to follow Fitzgerald’s directions to avoid injury. RUN HAPPY! http://running.competitor.com/2017/09/training/hill-workouts-speed-strength-endurance_168151 https://www.runnersworld.com/ask-coach-jenny/what-incline-should-i-use-on-my-treadmill ![]() NOT TOO LATE TO START TURKEY TROT TRAINING Have you enjoyed the last days of summer and put off planning a fall season running or walking schedule? Not yet registered for a Turkey Trot on the upcoming Thanksgiving weekend? Nothing to worry about if you have Earned Runs bibs. If not, you can REQUEST a set of 4 now and request a FREE set of stickers for BIB decoration and motivation. There is a link to free training plans (various distances) available for download from Hal Higdon on the RESOURCES page, including a walking plan. Other plans are listed there as well. Programs can be found on the internet. Some races provide training aids to registrants. If you’ve been running all summer long, and can easily master 2-3 miles at one time, you can jump into the 2017 TURKEY TROT WITH TRACK DAY 5K training plan for beginners AT WEEK 3. A separate TRACK DAY SCHEDULE provides the workout distance each Monday; run or run/walk that distance on or off the track, wherever you please, if the structured session is not to your liking. There are 8 full training weeks until The Thanksgiving holiday, the length of many training plans. Don’t put off starting! RUN HAPPY! ![]() COLLEGIATE CONTRIBUTOR: MICHELLE* The September 11 post featured an interview with Michelle that provides background for her discussion, which began with a September 14 post "Finding Time to Run". Check back on September 28 for her 3rd and last post. "'CLIMATE' CHANGE" When the time comes for me to go back to school it causes me to think about changing my fitness routine. Moving from the Midwest to the deep South is a completely different ballgame for running and fitness. The increases in heat and humidity force a change in running habits for a couple of weeks, until my body becomes accustomed to the temperatures and change in air. There are a couple ways in which I’ve learned to cope with a different ‘climate’. Running early in the morning before the heat of the day, or at night after the sun sets. Running at different times of the day than I would run at home in Ohio, to manage the temperatures we get in New Orleans, is the only way to be able to run outdoors! My advice to others dealing with this situation is to test yourself. Find your limits in the different weather conditions. In this way, you’ll figure out when running works for you. Start slow and build up mileage to see how you are feeling; use cross training to build up tolerance. Another way to deal with the instances when heat and humidity mess up your running schedule is go to the gym! Running on an indoor track or on the treadmill is a great way to stay fit while beating the heat. RUN HAPPY! *Earned Runs is pleased to introduce our first ever guest contributor, TULANE UNIVERSITY junior MICHELLE D. To get into the swing of the Back-To-School theme and to kick off the new academic year, Michelle will write on three topics of interest to students. She is pursuing a business degree as a “Green Wave” fan at the New Orleans, Louisiana institution, with a dual major in Marketing and Management. https://tulane.edu https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulane_University en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audubon_Park,_New_Orleans SIMPLE CORE STRENGTH ROUTINE Three easy core exercises to try, if you positively won’t do planks, are described in an article for SHAPE.com by Rebecca Dancer. Highlighted because the person who developed this routine, professor of spine biomechanics Stuart McGill, believes that each will help strengthen the back, these moves are simple and can be performed on the floor in front of the TV. So, potentially they are perfect for early morning news/weather watching or after dinner favorite-series bingeing.
Turkey Trot trainees who are shopping for core exercises that also incorporate a bit of balance work will like the “bird-dog”. Those who want to eventually gain more strength and transition to a lateral plank will appreciate the “side-bridge”. And some who hates sit-ups will find the “curl-ups” manageable. As the article title indicates,”3 Exercises Everyone Should Do to Prevent Back Pain”, these exercises are designed to help strengthen the core, which includes the low back, hip, and abdominal muscles. I have experience with performing the “quadruped bird-dog”, but not the others. However, the remaining two seem perfect to do at those times when I am literally laying around and don’t want to put myself through the paces of other more challenging exercises. Every little bit of daily work on the core helps strengthen it. And changing-up moves can recruit small muscles that may not be challenged by other routines. The proof of this additional muscle recruitment will be the feeling of some soreness the day after the first session. It will be a what I call a “Good Ow!” experience; welcomed because it means something needed strengthening that wasn’t being reached by another exercise. And because potentially, left to function in a weakened state, it could be strained/ injured during running and force me off my feet for weeks to months. RUN HAPPY! http://www.shape.com/lifestyle/mind-and-body/prevent-back-pain-easy-exercises https://uwaterloo.ca/kinesiology/people-profiles/stuart-mcgill http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/core-exercises/art-20044751 IMAGE http://www.fairmont.com/richelieu-charlevoix/ TRAIL SHOE REVIEW AND BROOKS NATIONAL PARKS COLLECTION
CompetitorRunning.com posted 2 articles recently that highlight trail shoes. The review, “10 Best Trail Running Shoes of Fall 2017” by Lisa Jhung, is especially helpful in that the feel and best purpose of each featured shoe is included in the discussion. I love the look of many of the models and must force myself to pay attention to the qualities identified as important by testers. Shoes that can transition from road to trail fit my usage pattern. I don’t want them to be highly inflexible or heavy. Although I am attracted to flashy appearance, wetness protection is more important. I want to buy shoes I will wear up to the mileage limit. Reviews from a trusted source are an important starting point for later shopping. Based on what’s written, the shoes I would like to try on are: Inov-8 ParkClaw 275 GTX, New Balance 910v4, Brooks Adrenaline ASR 14, and Saucony Koa TR. The second article announces the debut of Brooks National Park Collection, officially launched in early August and available at REI stores and online. The collection includes limited edition Brooks Cascadia 12 trail running footwear and technical t-shirts. The company added an incentive for runners to purchase the gear, by announcing it will donate 5% of the wholesale cost of each item to the National Parks Foundation. The four parks honored with themed-color shoes include: Great Smoky Mountains, Yellowstone, Mt. Rainier, and Yosemite. The fifth salute goes to all National Parks generally; the clothing/shoe designs for it were inspired by “the look and feel of park ranger uniforms”, according to the article. Each shoe has an identifying round-edged, wedge-shaped heel ‘patch’. Trail runners interested in learning about REI corporate efforts to take responsibility for sustainability and to advocate for protection of public lands can click on a “stewardship” link on the REI.com webpage that advertises the Collection. The Competitor.com article has a link to another piece which describes the effort being made by a group of trail runners to play a meaningful role in influencing legislation effecting public lands. Perhaps advocating for the great outdoors can become part of trail-runners shoe buying strategy. RUN HAPPY! http://running.competitor.com/2017/08/shoes-and-gear/best-trail-running-shoes-fall-2017_167657 http://running.competitor.com/2017/08/shoes-and-gear/brooks-new-national-parks-collection_166744 https://www.rei.com/b/brooks https://www.rei.com/stewardship.html http://running.competitor.com/2017/05/trail-running/behind-initiative-advocating-public-lands_164356 US PHOTO CONTEST: ATTENTION RUNNERS AND WALKERS
Wikimedia Commons, one of the websites from which Earned Runs gains access to great photos without charge, runs an annual contest, “Wiki Loves Monuments”. This is the first year It came to my attention, just this week. According to the announcement, the contest is “an international photo competition where participants capture cultural heritage monuments and upload their photographs to the Wikimedia Commons for use on Wikipedia and other free knowledge projects.” It runs through the month of September. “Anyone is welcome to contribute” it says, “by uploading photos they’ve taken of registered cultural and historical sites throughout the United States.” Cash prizes are awarded for winning entries, which are then submitted for the international portion of the competition. First prize is $200, second is $125, and third is $75. There are links to rules and listings of eligible sites, state by state and county by county. Those interested are instructed on how to participate. The photos NEED NOT BE TAKEN during the month of September, but must be properly SUBMITTED by the end of this month. Judging is based on “composition, technical quality, originality, and potential usefulness and value of the image to Wikimedia projects”. Very well- known and commonly photographed sites will be scored lower, it seems, which is in line with the purpose of the campaign, which seeks to expand and improve Wikimedia Commons coverage of US cultural and historic sites. The little known, restored or preserved and officially registered historic courthouse, sawmill, lighthouse, school building, cemetery, homestead, fort, inn, battlefield, or tavern you run past on your routine daily home course or away travel loop may make an excellent object to photograph for this purpose. If it’s image is captured from an unusual angle or in an innovative way the chance if winning is increased. When out on the road almost daily, runners and walkers have the opportunity to see some structures frequently, from ground level, in various weather and lighting conditions. We can discover beauty at odd moments at these places, whereas the visiting tourist has but one or few opportunities to do so. I’m going to enter some of the Earned Runs photos. At the very least, more people will be able to enjoy what I see on my runs, walks, and adventures. What about you? RUN HAPPY! https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:Wiki_Loves_Monuments_2017_in_the_United_States#Rules https://www.dar.org/national-society/historic-sites-and-properties https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Register_of_Historic_Places https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Historic_Civil_Engineering_Landmarks https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mackinac_Bridge ![]() WEEK 2 TURKEY TROT 2017 WITH TRACK DAY 5K TRAINING PLAN FOR BEGINNERS starts Monday. It's only the second week, but you should be feeling good about starting! Think back to all the previous times you intended to make this commitment but backed down. By the 3rd week you might start to look forward to the long run:walk session on Saturdays. Especially if you get out early and plan ahead to finish with a stop at a special coffee shop, or to come home to perform post-run stretches with a favorite hot or cold beverage waiting. This week the strength session targets the upper body. Are you looking at the schedule and wondering if the upper body strength (UBS) exercises might be skipped? One of the best ways to insure you will incorporate them into your routine is to determine in advance the specific moves you will be using to work out. (Check out the link to learn 3 reasons UBS and core exercises benefit running). If this part of the plan is a MENTAL CHALLENGE (you dread working out with your arms, the moves seem too complicated; no runners you know do them, etc.) why not start with just 2 bodyweight exercises. They do not require extra equipment and thus can be done in a variety of places other than a gym. Another option is to save this work for another time in the week. My favorite method for NOT skipping UBS exercises is to perform several after a run, before I allow myself to go home. I do 3 total sets of dips on outdoor park benches or walls, alternating each set immediately with a set of push-ups, on the ground next to the bench or wall. If there are 3 different benches along the path it's a great break to walk briskly between them. If not, I walk a short loop and circle back to the same bench I begin with the greatest number of repetitions that I can perform with good form, and decrease the number on the next set, and then decrease more on the final set (30, 25, 20 for example; or 20, 15, 10; or 10, 7, 5). The beauty of this tactic, borrowed from others, is that the very 'worst' is over first! If possible, add planks to the mix and you'll be working on your core as well. The RESOURCES page has links to help you find UBS, core, and LBS exercises some with video demonstrations. Good luck. Remain firm in your commitment. Think of the tradition you are preparing to enjoy on Thanksgiving, with thousands of other runners. RUN HAPPY! http://womensrunning.competitor.com/2016/09/fat-girl-running/3-reasons-build-upper-body-strength_65464#GfyrFwa8DTMFGsQJ.97 3rd Annual EARNED RUNS HONOR SERIES
The Earned Runs HONOR SERIES is an effort I make each year to commemorate two different but life-changing events that helped to define generations of Americans. Since 2016 I have used the last of my 4 personal bibs to mark these events, and to make them official and special for myself. THE FIRST PORTION OF THE TWO-PART SERIES is the "11k RACE TO REMEMBER 9/11". This past September represents the third year (2015 was the INAUGURAL year of the SERIES) in which the anniversary of the World Trade Center terrorist attack was memorialized by Earned Runs with an 11K run. Because of a strained calf muscle and still not being able to run, I was currently working to build up walking distance while continuing with Physical Therapy. As a result, this year for this event I walked 5.5K each day, on September 11 and 12 for a total 11k distance in stages. It was not a race, but I timed myself and bettered my walking 'record' on 9/11. The next morning, September 12, I slowed the pace to be safe. 7K PEARL HARBOR REMEMBRANCE DAY RACE is the series other EVENT, run several months later on December 7th. In 2015 the September and December races were solo competitions for me. I so very much enjoyed the quiet of the pre-dawn hour runs last year that in 2016 and this year, both were planned as individual efforts. The advantage of using EARNED RUNS™ bibs, is that you can design races that are meaningful to you alone or a much greater number of people regardless of everyone's location. In this instance I am able, 'in spirit', to join with the entire country in honoring the heroes of those days without traveling to New York City, Washington DC, or Pennsylvania in September, or in Oahu HI in December. If you want suggestions on how you might use Earned Runs bibs to improve your fitness level by consistently training for a competition (personal or organized), or involve others in fitness fun, see the HOME page. RUN HAPPY! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/September_11_attacks |
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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