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NUT BUTTERS TO-GO: Justin Gold, the founder of JUSTIN'S is quoted on the nut butter company’s 'About Us' page as saying, ”The most important thing is to just start. You will never end up anywhere if you don’t start somewhere.” The rest of the quote explains, “If I hadn’t started making jars, it wouldn’t have given me the opportunity to get to where I am today.”
What began as a quest to feed his vegetarian-self with better tasting food turned into an entrepreneurial adventure and huge success story. The budding nut butter manufacturer whipped up various flavors in the kitchen he shared with roommates, and stored the assortment of tasty experiments in its cabinets. Soon he started labeling them, “Justin’s- DO NOT EAT!”. Apparently, the delicious spreads were being stolen by hungry friends. The company story is familiar, but one many of us are afraid to write for ourselves, regardless of the “product” we plan to sell to ourselves or others. Gold starting slowly, working during the day at a job and making butters at night. He sold jars at farmer’s markets then to small stores, then a larger chain (Whole Foods) who awarded the company a grant to expand and grow. The purpose of featuring Justin’s products in an Earned Runs post has to do with a “eureka” moment experience by Justin as a health-conscious athlete in 2006. He realized no one had ever packages a “clean protein” in an on-the-go squeeze pack, like the sugar/caffeine-filled gels on sale at sport specialty stores. To Gold, a cyclist, the squeeze pack “provided a portion-controlled and convenient source of protein”. I discovered Justin’s Honey Almond butter when I stayed at a runner friend’s home while she and her family vacationed. I returned late in the day to Mary’s big-city apartment hungry and too tired to go out and grocery shop. I did what Justin’s roommates did, and stole her nut butter. Of course, I replaced the by-then empty jar, but I was hooked. Then I discovered the squeeze packs. There are several reasons I spend the extra money on this pricey product. It tastes great. The honey in it is just enough sweetness to satisfy a craving for a treat, and I don’t seem to need to eat as much as when I eat regular peanut butter. And, it comes in a squeeze pack for travel. This butter is made from a “tree nut”, and has different nutrient mix, thus is a way to increase dietary variety. Both tree nuts (true nuts) and in-the-ground grown peanuts (legumes) are considered by nutritionists to be of equal benefit to cardiovascular health. The Honey and Maple Almond Butters have a slightly lower protein content than classic almond or peanut butter (about 6 grams versus 7-8 grams per 2T serving). One of the main goals in my personal Fall 2017 House Cup Challenge is to increase protein intake in order to build muscle and replace fat. Justin’s is a nutty aid to reaching it. The other reason JUSTIN'S is featured in GEAR LOVE is his quote, mentioned above. It’s what Earned Runs believes. RUN HAPPY! https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/9-proven-benefits-of-almonds#section11 https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/peanuts-linked-heart-longevity-benefits-pricey-nuts-201503057777 http://shop.justins.com/Classic-Almond-Butter/p/JNB-000315&c=Justins@NutButters
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WEEK 6 TURKEY TROT 2017 WITH TRACK DAY 5K Beginner Training Plan Monday is the first day of Week 6 of the 10-week (plus part of a week) plan. On the track you have graduated to running FULL laps only; no more half laps, except when walking, during the remainder of the plan. The reasons and importance of foam rolling and rest days have been discussed recently. Have you remembered to perform MYRTLs every week? The mobility routine is scheduled only once/week on this beginner 5k plan, but ideally you should be loosening up before each run. Jay Johnson’s video demonstration is no longer available online. However, the pdf is on the RESOURCES page (and below) and contains images that should help you to learn the basic moves. An excellent YouTube video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmHjMCN0nx0 presented by the Wolf Creek Track Club’s USATF Registered Coach Brandon Wise, does a beautiful job with demonstrations of 12 moves from several angles. Pay close attention to the words superimposed on the video describing the move. Coach Wise progresses so quickly through the exercises that you might miss one as the camera switches views and the coach moves. This video is also always available on the RESOURCES page Not only do these exercises help you to improve and maintain mobility in the hip girdle (mobility + girdle = MYRTL) some also assist with hip strengthening. The side leg lifts and clamshells included in this set of moves are often prescribed to build the gluteus medius (GMed) muscles. The GMed help to prevent runners’ and walkers’ knees from wobbling, as one leg after the other is alternately set down in a linear forward motion. Outside of this routine, you may wish to work on GMed strength and add light ankle weights for the side leg lifts and a mini-resistance band just above the knees for the clamshells. Once you master the routine and perform it regularly before runs, you will “feel” ready to move, especially early mornings or evenings after sitting all day. WEEK #6 (3.0 miles) START: One lap warm-up walk RUN: 2 full laps and WALK: half lap Repeat: 3 times = 1.875 miles then RUN: 4 full laps and WALK: half lap Repeat: 1 time = 1.125 miles END: One lap cool-down walk You are more than halfway through the plan. Thanksgiving is approaching. Great work! RUN HAPPY! http://www.njsportsmed.com/files/myrtl_routine.pdf https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmHjMCN0nx0 http://orthoinfo.org/PDFs/Rehab_Knee_6.pdf SAMPLING OF PICTURES TAKEN ON RUNS OR WALKS, MORNINGS AND EVENINGS, 2015 THROUGH 2017. There are too many to post, but this selection shows roughly a progression through the seasons from October to October. It became apparent early on that the need to find images for the blog posts opened my eyes to the beauty awaiting on everyday runs and walks, both at home and while away visiting. Now one of the highlights of a business trip is the hunt for interesting photo opportunities. The surprise is that the most familiar places may suddenly reveal hidden visual gems at just the right time. Like the unexpected glint of a rising or setting sun reflected off a natural or structural surface. A prism of color, plume of fog, or a frosty coating created by atmospheric vapor on a hazy or brightening day. Vibrant colors that show themselves when the sun doesn't dominate the scene. And glowing light that is most precious because it is scarce, distant, or small. Share your pics of last year with Earned Runs! RUN HAPPY! FOR A BLAST FROM THE PAST EXPERIENCE and a great workout, consider dusting off the DVD tapes stored in the basement, or check out the thrift shop, and go retro. If you still have a DVD player that is. We have an old Denise Austin tape I think. The internet is another place to locate some retro classes. Jazzercise offers a subscription to updated online classes. Some original Jack LaLanne Show videos are posted on YouTube.
Below are the seven oldies-but-goodies and their corresponding modern updates, as assembled and discussed by author Jessica Smith for SHAPE in "Then & Now: Seven Retro Workouts That Still Get Results.” Earned Runs is highlighting these workouts as potential opportunities for cross training, which is scheduled within a plan to “save your legs” for important endurance runs, intervals, and speed work. Besides, these sessions could be fun way to sneak in a workout while getting together with the family or friends. If you’re watching “Blade Runner”, “Ghostbusters”, “Star Wars”, and other movie hits that had their origins decades ago, why not try old school exercise methods. Then/ Now: *Jazzercise/Zumba *Lotte Berk Method/Barre workouts *Hi/Lo Aerobics/ Dance cardio *Calesthenics /Bodyweight training (bootcamp) *No frills weightlifting/CrossFit *Mini Trampolines/Urban bounding * Kettlebells/Kettlebells!!! In addition, the multi-directional, stop-and-go nature of some of these types of workouts can benefit bone health in men and women. GirlForce is a global initiative recently rolled-out by Jazzercize, “to support young women in creating healthy habits”, indicates Shanna Missett, the company’s 48-year old president (daughter of founder Judi Shepard Missett). What a timely program, offering free classes to young women 16-21 years old, who typically reach peak bone mass by age 18. Most old school exercise programs did not require the extensive use of gym equipment, making them, even in modern times, a potentially economical choice for consumers hoping to improve and maintain fitness on a budget. This weekend, in cleaning out the closet or basement you might uncover a fitness treasure. It's a win-win! RUN HAPPY! http://www.shape.com/fitness/workouts/then-now-7-retro-workouts-still-get-results http://www.shape.com/fitness/cardio/jazzercise-dance-cardio-classes-get-modern-update https://www.youtube.com/user/JazzerciseInc/playlists http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=a00127 https://www.bones.nih.gov/health-info/bone/osteoporosis/bone-mass
“THE UPPER BODY WORKOUT You Can Do Even If You Have Wrist Pain" For males or females, this easy-to-learn upper body strength (UBS) workout is performed with a single set of light weight dumbbells; heavy weights are not needed. It is perfect for a post-run/walk strength session.
Jeanette Jenkins of The Hollywood Trainer Club demonstrates the moves in a video. By doing so she also shows the fluid transition between each different exercise. The entire routine is explained in the Fitnessmagazine.com article by Sophie Dweck: *Wrist Stretch *Back Row and Fly *Triple Fly (this is a combination “I” - “Y”- “T” Raise exercise with weights!) *Biceps Curl with Shoulder Press *Medial Delt with Rotator Cuff (this move incorporates the “W” and “L” Raise moves!) *Triceps Kickback with Rotation *Triceps Press and Lift For those hoping to achieve a youthful upright posture that contributes to good running and walking form, this is a terrific routine. Each time your arms are elevated from the resting position at your side and PULLED BACK (you must feel the squeeze), the muscles of the back are worked. The benefit of the I-Y-T Raise exercise (Jenkins refers to it as a “Triple Fly”) is that it can alternately be performed WITHOUT WEIGHTS. And it can be made more difficult when lying on a Swiss Ball (engages the core muscles) or on an incline bench. When traveling, I-Y-T’s can also be done lying on a hotel room floor. A complete upper back workout can be achieved using a full “I-Y-T-W-L” exercise, by adding “W” and “L” moves. The Men’s Health, ”BIG Book of Exercises” Upper Back Chapter includes a 6-page section demonstrating the “I-Y-T-W-L” Raises with LIGHT weights! What are the “W” and “L” moves? Jenkins combines these moves and calls them the Medial Delt with Rotator Cuff exercise. [As the arms are elevated in a “T” move, the “W” move involves bending the elbows at a 90-degree angle with the hands UP. An “L” move involves bending the elbows at a 90-degree angle with the hands FORWARD from a “T” position.] My “secret” very easy UBS session is to perform I-Y-T-W-L Raise sets (15 repetitions of each ‘letter’, 3 sets, holding each move for 3 seconds) during my cool-down walk on the way home, without weights. The key to getting a benefit without using weights is the HOLD of the position for 3 seconds in which the back muscles are squeezed together. I concentrate on pulling my elbows back just behind my ears to achieve a good SQUEEZE, without arching my back (see below). I LOVE the “I-Y-T-L-W Raise” exercises because they represent a TOTAL upper back workout that especially strengthens the trapezius muscle, as well as the rotator cuff muscles and muscles of the shoulder/deltoids. The important point to be made with all these exercises is that the back should NOT be abnormally arched but in a normal upright position, just as Jenkins does in the video. Keeping the head/chin level (not tilted back), eyes forward, will help prevent arching. Something I might try next is to stow a set of 5 pound dumbbells at the end of my drive (if leaving from home) or in my car (if driving to a route) and performing this full routine. For those who hate planks, especially because doing them hurts your wrists, Jenkins has prepared a gift of this workout. RUN HAPPY! https://www.fitnessmagazine.com/workout/arms/upper-body-workout--even-if-you-have-wrist-pain https://www.webmd.com/pain-management/what-is-my-rotator-cuff#1 THE ‘ABOUT’ PAGE EXPLAINS: EARNED RUNS...“…Is a company that enables runners and walkers, alone or in small groups, to train and compete in affordable, personal events by providing FREE PROFESSIONAL RACE BIBS and online RESOURCES. In addition, Earned Runs promotes personal challenges that improve overall physical fitness.
Earned Runs bibs can be used as a means to self-motivate, track progress toward fitness goals, and record achievements. We encourage competitors to train wisely and safely, and to be charitable and earth-friendly.” The remainder of the page tells the Earned Runs CREATION STORY and includes the MISSION STATEMENT. There’s a quote from Sir Roger Bannister, the physician who ran the world’s first sub-four-minute mile: "We run, not because we think it is doing us good, but because we enjoy it and cannot help ourselves…The more restricted our society and work become, the more necessary it will be to find some outlet for this craving for freedom. No one can say, ‘You must not run faster than this, or jump higher than that.’ The human spirit is indomitable." Do you think of yourself as an athlete, like Bannister? Would you like to? Are you the only person in your family or group of friends that seems to possess a SIMILAR “craving for freedom”? Do you keep secret the dream to “run faster than this, or jump higher than that”? To train consistently with purpose, to take on a challenge and commit to a program of preparation? To elevate your exercise or sport performance to a higher level, such that you can answer, “YES! I AM AN ATHLETE”? Earned Runs wants to help you get there. First, understand first that you are not alone; there are others who quietly wish to be inspired, to be motivated, to push beyond their current limits. Second, know that regardless of your physical abilities and experience, you can improve at least one aspect of fitness with concentrated effort. Third, accept that a regular routine of running, walking, or working out, just to ‘get exercise, without a target performance toward which to aim and a plan to reach it, will not move you toward “better”. Fabled UCLA basketball coach John Wooden said, “Never mistake activity for achievement”. Just doing ‘something’ over a period of months or years is not likely to generate the thrill of victory that many yearn to experience. Wooden was a victory expert; his teams at the Westwood Village university campus achieved 10 NCAA National Championships in 12 years! How does one begin to become an athlete? Requesting Earned Runs bibs could work for some. When you have one in your hands, turn it over and write a brief statement that roughly describes a goal or challenge on the back side. Put the blank front side up where it can be seen or touched every day: on a refrigerator, inside cupboard door, bulletin board, or mirror. You might place it in a book or calendar you access frequently. Fold it into a jacket pocket or purse. Mentally refine, edit, and adjust that goal until satisfied it reflects your athletic dreams, and then re-write the statement. Search the internet for ideas and resources to determine how to accomplish it; the Earned Runs website is one place to start. When you have identified a specific event in which to participate or challenge to meet, write it on the front of the bib, with the date of expected competition or completion. Consider it a contract. The next task is to find a training program/plan and adapt it to your needs. Information on the CHECKLIST page might be helpful in this task. Jot down the daily schedule into a log book or make a paper copy to use; be sure every day has an entry, including “rest” when there’s no required physical workout. You’ll be on your way at this point. Start the plan and check off each completed workout. To paraphrase the old saying about insanity (which doesn’t make sense), stagnation and frustration are created by “doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”. Stop that. RUN HAPPY! NOTE: If you become stuck in the process, post a question through the CONTACT page to get help navigating the Earned Runs website for information. Look at the HOME and RESOURCES /WALKER RESOURCES pages for ideas as well Examples of rough goals that dont' involve running an organized race 5K or longer: * Run a personal one mile race on a track. * Gain upper body strength to stow a carry-on in an overhead bin, without help * Condition in preparation for a best ball golf tournament, to hit the longest drive. * Backpack and hike a long trail on a camping vacation. * Gain balance and strength to paddle board standing up. * Attain an athletic, youthful posture * Decrease my waist-to-hip circumference ratio https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jefferson_Memorial https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Bannister https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Wooden SAFETY FIRST! DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME (DST) WILL END NEXT MONTH. THE CLOCKS WILL BE TURNED BACK AN HOUR in the United States on the first Sunday, November 5, 2017 at 2:00am local DST to 1:00am Standard Time. The change will mean that the sun sets with darkness following about an hour earlier than the previous day.
For those who work from roughly 8 or 9am to 5 or 6pm it will mean traveling home in twilight or near dark conditions when visibility is decreased. Drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians will need to be more aware of each other while on the road and use more caution. Runners and walkers who enjoy evening or after work exercise will be wise to retrieve reflective and blinking light safety aids that were stored in the brightening months of spring and summer. Or try some of the new products on the market. Some are featured on the GEAR LOVE page. Of course, those who get out in the morning will enjoy an hour of additional light. But that ‘gift’ is time-limited, as the total amount of available daylight will progressively shorten until later in December. Running.competitor.com issued an article by Ashley Lauretta, “This Rule of Good Running Can Help Save Your Life”. It advises runners/walkers on the safest practice when using the shoulder of the road. It’s simple, and many may already know it, but sometimes we get lazy. The article explains how dangerous not paying attention to this detail can be. You’ll need to read the article though, as we don’t want to steal Lauretta’s thunder. The rule should absolutely be followed in darkness, and it’s a safe bet in daytime and on bad weather days as well. RUN HAPPY! NOTE: Time changes (from standard to daylight saving and back) were introduced in the United States in 1918, to save fuel during World War I. In the United Kingdom, the changing began in 1916, and DST is referred to as British Summer Time. UK clocks ‘fall back’ on the last Sunday in October, which this year will be on the 29th. Not all the countries of the world observe the practice. The Wikipedia item about DST has a chart that describes some interesting periods in the UK, when there was “Double” Summer Time, Year-round Summer Time, and Two-Stage Double Summer Time http://running.competitor.com/2017/10/news/road-running-rule-save-life_168718 http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/bs-md-time-change-fall-back-20171001-story.html https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Summer_Time https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daylight_saving_time_by_country IF YOU READ THE ARTICLE, “5 Culprits Behind Your Fitness Plateau” by Amy Schlinger for MyFitnessPal.com perhaps you will zero-in on the specific habit or tendency unique to your fitness situation, one which has perhaps resulted in a performance plateau or possibly pain and injury. You may then unwisely dismiss its importance to you personally, or hopefully, change your ways. Regardless, don’t miss the overall message of the piece: listen to expert advice about training.
What are Schlinger’s training culprits for runners? To oversimplify and too briefly summarize an article that deserves complete reading, these “causes of a problem or defect” involve not getting enough variation, challenge, rest, or recovery in your training. How will listening to expert advice help? Nearly every formal race training plan above the beginner level will: 1) incorporate workouts of varying intensity, duration, and type, 2) recommend optional cross-training for rest days, plus schedule complete rest days, and 3) increase the difficulty of each workout in a gradual, safe fashion. Plans won’t specifically include this warning, but the decision to stop training and remain on the sidelines because of injury is the responsibility of each individual. When you evaluate a race preparation training program, do you look over the ‘run’ days and ignore other training components? Possibly because you don’t consider them essential to the prep or your ability to run your best race? The mark of a great plan, if we interpret Schlinger’s piece a bit more broadly and deeply, will be the scheduling of these ‘extra’ components. They have been designed to provide appropriate challenge, variety, and rest such that plateaus AND injury are avoided, and a BEST performance can be achieved. If the title of the article grabbed your attention, it’s possible you are experiencing frustration. I am. Why? It’s because I’m in the middle of recovery from an injury. Waiting until healing is complete, worrying that resolution won’t allow performance at previous levels, feeling lack of control, doubting myself in general. I was reminded that culprit #5, “You were recently injured” likely explains my injury. It would have been best to completely back off running, training, and other activities that added stress, much sooner and for a longer period of time. AndI should have recognized that culprit #4, not scheduling enough rest, would eventually land me in trouble. As fall training begins, take advantage of the advice of experts. They make a living helping elite athletes achieve their dreams. RUN HAPPY! http://blog.myfitnesspal.com/5-culprits-behind-fitness-plateau/ WEEK 5 TURKEY TROT 2017 WITH TRACK DAY 5K BEGINNER TRAINING PLAN STARTS Monday. After four weeks of training you should be settling into a groove and hopefully becoming accustomed to track days, if you decided to stick with that part of the program. Running duration and distance is increasing and you should be feeling confident as you successfully progress through the plan. As you pick up your mileage, you may decide you need FULL REST DAYS and will SKIP THE CROSS TRAINING option. This is perfectly fine and a smart thing to do if you notice too much fatigue carrying over on your running days. 42-year old Olympian marathoner Meb Keflezighi* provides great advice for runners in an article that was featured in a blog last year (October 11, 2016). “Meb’s Tips for Performing Into Your 40s and Beyond”. He says to listen to your body; it’s safer to err on the side of doing less than more, if it means avoiding injury. BUT HIS ADVICE APPLIES TO BEGINNERS TOO! No matter what your age, the risk of injury increases with overtraining. So, take a break, get enough sleep, make sure you stretch an foam roll, and perform weekly core and strength training work. RUN HAPPY! *NOTE: Meb is running his 26th and last competitive 26.2 kilometer race this November, the TCS NYC Marathon. https://gearjunkie.com/meb-keflezighi-marathon-champion-training-tips-in-40s http://running.competitor.com/2017/09/new-york-city-marathon/meb-prepares-final-race_168584 https://www.si.com/olympics/2017/08/28/nyc-marathon-us-elite-field-meb-keflezighi-shalane-flanagan IF YOU ARE IN THE MARKET FOR SOME NEW running shoes, in late summer and early autumn the new shoe reviews are published. Below are 3 guide/reviews for you to assist in this task.
1) The Active.com 2017 Fall Running Shoe GUIDE is introduced in this way: “We know the options are plentiful and your feet are unique, so we assigned a handful of ACTIVE.com's most accomplished runners the task of testing (and testing and testing) the newest sneakers on the block, in an effort to help our readers make the most educated decision when they hit their local running store.” The slideshow review is divided into sections: Daily Trainer (slides 1-7), Fast (8-11), Cushy (12-16), and Trail (17-21). https://www.active.com/running/articles/the-active-fall-running-shoe-guide 2) Runner’s World 2017 Fall Shoe Guide, published in late August and written by Jeff Dengate and Martyn Shorten PhD, reviews 25 NEW shoes. RW testers wear them, data is collected, and the lab analyzes the data. (explained in another linked article). A short review of each shoe is available free online, but to access the men’s or women’s full review a subscription is required. A cool video demonstrates each product. The magazine issues top awards in several categories: BEST debut, BEST update, and BEST buy. There is an “Editor’s Choice” award which kicks off the list. A free shoe finder function includes other shoes previously reviewed. I prefer the paper magazine article over the online feature for my first look at the new shoes. The RW Guide to 2017 Fall Trail Shoes was published in late September, with the same procedure followed, same article format, and same authors. If this the type of shoe you’re interested in finding, check out the 12 pairs in this guide. https://www.runnersworld.com/shoe-guide/runners-world-2017-fall-shoe-guide https://www.runnersworld.com/running-shoes/runners-world-2017-fall-trail-shoe-guide 3) RunRepeat.com’s guide, “473 Best Running Shoes in 2017: 67,093 runners reviewed these shoes with an average score of 85/100” is, like the title implies, a ranking by runner reviews. You can see the entire list or search by category or brand. Additional shoe and review information is available on each ranked model. The #1 shoe by “runscore” is the Adidas Adistar Boost ESM. in this ranking category, Adidas grabbed 5 of the top 10 spots. https://runrepeat.com/ranking/rankings-of-running-shoes Good luck with your search; shopping is part of the fun! I always gravitate toward choosing the brightly colored shoes but always come to the realization that other factors will determine the best shoe for me, including size, experience, running mileage, and footstrike. Don't be disappointed if appearance doesn't win out over utility in the recommendation you receive from shoe experts. The answer to fashion versus function is to save up for an extra pair to wear just for looking good. RUN HAPPY! LAST YEAR, AS THE 2016 TURKEY TROT Training Plan was progressing, it seemed helpful to encourage the practice of foam rolling by participants as mileage increased weekly. Beginners who might never have heard of ‘self-myofascial release’ could be inspired to start early in their running life to receive relief from stiffness and soreness, and possibly prevent injury. What better way to motivate than to find scientific evidence that foam rolling MIGHT have a beneficial effect on reducing cellulite! The short version of the story of my literature search on PubMed is that there wasn’t published evidence that foam rolling could lead to smoother, beautiful thighs, buttocks, and arms.
It was a disappointment. Thus, the title of a recent article, “Can Foam Rolling Really Reduce Cellulite?” by Julia Malacoff for SHAPE.com caught my attention. Perhaps someone else had been more successful at this search? Or possibly newly published studies had found a link between foam rolling and less ‘cellulite’? As in many articles that ask a question that could lead to a dream-come-true answer about something, hope is not completely crushed, but neither is it completely fostered. This piece provides expert opinions that help us understand the potential short-term advantages of foam rolling when it comes to cosmetic effect. Regular foam rolling can make cellulite temporarily less noticeable, some say. Other treatments are identified in a second article on the same topic, which offer longer term changes, but are also not permanent, and likely quite expensive. Cellulite forms when subcutaneous adipose tissue (fat just beneath the skin) is traversed by bands of fibrous tissue that are tethered to the underlying muscle, which causes skin dimpling. The changes are more likely to occur in women and increase with age. Minimizing overall body fat through nutrition and exercise is a logical treatment method but one that seems discouragingly difficult. There are so many other important health reasons to lose fat and improve strength that reducing cellulite would seem to be low on the list. But it is a reason that might motivate a change in diet. A previous EARNED RUNS Science Friday BLOG post that discussed the International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand on diets and body composition. Many and various diets can lead to reductions in body fat; all require a sustained calorie deficit. How about aiming instead to improve the look of specific body areas that show cellulite? I am a woman who has a normal, sometimes deemed below normal, BMI and ‘cottage cheese’ on my upper arms (inner biceps area). I had been searching unsuccessfully for exercises that would not add bulk (this area is already muscled), but allow me to wear sleeveless tops and dresses without being conscious of my appearance. I felt fit, but my upper arm cellulite didn’t send that message. After a month-long commitment to perform passive stretches every morning before getting out of bed, I noticed the area of concern looked surprisingly better. Just a bit, but enough that I was encouraged to do more work. My upper arms aren’t perfect now, but the daily isometric exercise required to hold leg stretches had started to streamline what needed smoothing. Additional exercises have helped. Of course, my small success is anecdotal. But foam rolling isn’t a permanent solution it seems. And experts suggest the change is inevitable; that’s what saying females “genes” are to blame will mean to many. There’s nothing to lose in trying spot strength exercises to burn fat and build muscle. And perhaps success in cellulite ‘spot’ removal will empower our later efforts to increase lean muscle and reduce overall body fat for the BIG health reasons, not merely for cosmetic effect. RUN HAPPY! ISSN Position Stand: Diets and Body Composition BLOG POST SCIENCE FRIDAY: Preserving Muscle http://www.shape.com/lifestyle/beauty-style/can-foam-rolling-really-reduce-cellulite http://www.health.com/beauty/get-rid-of-cellulite-foam-rolling ICELAND, NORTHERN LIGHTS, ATHLETIC EFFORTS, AND LIFE LISTS Is seeing the Northern Lights on your life list’? Traveling to Iceland, the land of fire and ice? Finishing an obstacle course race? For those unfamiliar with a “life list”, it’s a more positive expression for the concept of a “bucket list”, which is an itemization of ‘things to do before kicking the bucket’, a euphemism for dying. It seems antithetical to strive to experience some of the most wonderful activities life has to offer and refer to it in terms of death, so Earned Runs is going with that thought in mind.
Several thrilling adventures that are likely to fulfill criteria for placement on the life lists of many have been packaged into a single event at the end of 2017, by the Spartan Race organization, in the form of a world championship event. THE SPARTAN RACE ULTRA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS “Unleash Your Inner Beast” says the Spartan Race Series webpage that provides access to the 2017 schedule. If you’ve trained to compete in an obstacle course race and prepared to free your personal animal athlete, Iceland might be in your travels plans this December. The Race announced the site of its first-ever Ultra World Championships will be just outside the country’s capital city, Reykjavik, December 14-17. An article, “Spartan Race Series is Heading to Iceland for Their World Championships” on Competitor.com describes 3 different competitions: 1) the Sprint race, (participants complete a 5-mile course), 2) the ULTRA World Championships (24-hour period to complete the 5-mile course as many times as possible), and 3) the Agoge, limited to 100 participants (60 miles of elite military-type challenges). Only the Sprint Race will be competed entirely within during the brief period, about 4 hours, in which the sun is in the sky providing daylight. At this time of year, the sun rises about 11am and sets about 3pm. The Spartan Race (SR) website indicates that persons who pre-registered for the Ultra by September 1 should now be confirmed to participate. It encourages all interested racers to quickly sign up because an additional 300 Ultra spots had just been released. The 5-mile Sprint race is explained as in the Competitor.com article. However, details on the Agoge are sparse on the official site. There is a team option for the Ultra. “The minimum distance required to earn a finisher medal is 6 laps per team (approximately 30 miles)” Part of the SR pitch to register for the event reads: “Picture this. You’re running through epic Icelandic scenery, overcoming Spartan’s brutal obstacles in golden twilight and the darkest of nights. The sky above you is lit up by the mystical glow of the Northern Lights. You experience the electric atmosphere of the first 24hr indoor Spartan festival.” CHASING THE NORTHERN LIGHTS Mystical glow of the Northern Lights? Yes! A search of the internet to determine if December offers the best opportunity to view the colorful spectacle of the Aurora Borealis in this location reveals that visitors are not guaranteed this experience. A local expert tour site, northernlightsiceland.com, wonderfully explains the lights and the variables involved in predicting their occurrence and planning a trip to see them. According to the site, the overall best season is September to mid-April, during the darkest months of the year. The dates November – February contain days with the longest hours of darkness but also with increased chances of cloudy conditions that would obscure the sky and make for poor viewing. Best locations are away from city lights, including decks of whale watching tour boats that need only sail a short distance from Reykjavik. There are self- and company-guided tours of several different types. New on the scene are awesome “aurora bubbles” that allow campers to sleep in view-through structures to see the lights. The tour site offers more invaluable insights into trip planning. LIFE LIST ITEM The Spartan Race organization has introduced an exciting athletic element into Iceland tourism. It deserves credit for firing imaginations and opening eyes to new fitness contest possibilities in this startlingly beautiful country. Earned Runs enables personal competition by giving free bibs. Obstacle course races are very difficult to self-organize into personal events, and require a great deal of physical preparation. However, for many a trip to Iceland which includes camping and hiking or running, even without competing in an obstacle course race, will require advance training. It will represent a considerable, possibly an epic, adventure fit to be a life list item. Especially if there are also plans to chase down the elusive Northern Lights. The Ultra World Championship registration will close when the participation limit is reached, but there are no such limits to planning personal events. Perhaps some life lists will lengthen to include a run or hike in Iceland under the flare of a celestial light show. Thanks to the Spartan Race organizers for leading the way! RUN HAPPY! http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/iceland_fireandice?source=relatedvideo http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/news/iceland-timelapse-video http://running.competitor.com/2017/09/news/spartan-world-champs-iceland_168392 http://iceland.spartan.com/ http://www.northernlightsiceland.com/the-best-time-to-see-the-northern-lights-in-iceland-2/ http://www.whygoiceland.com/december-in-iceland.html https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aurora https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_De_Sena HAPPY 2nd ONLINE ANNIVERSARY EARNED RUNS! THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO HAS VISITED, ‘LIKED’, OR COMMENTED! The most humble and heartfelt "thank you" goes to my family and friends. They provide support and inspiration, sometimes unwittingly, and incentive to deliver high quality of content in postings and materials. Earned Runs is especially indebted to all who create the expert running and non-running original content that is posted about and linked to by Earned Runs: trainers, coaches, fitness specialists, gear/shoe enthusiasts, and numerous others. Also to the sites that provide images at no cost, like Wikipedia/Wikimedia Commons and Flickr.com. SPECIAL THANKS also goes to those who have requested, used, and (hopefully) ENJOYED the Earned Runs bibs and stickers. Here’s a bit of what was posted on the first anniversary, last year: “HISTORY: OCTOBER 1, 2015 the website went live, but it wasn’t until October 12 that friends and acquaintances were notified by Facebook that the running-related business had been formed. Regular Facebook postings have been provided since that day. BLOG page entries were spotty at first, posted more frequently as the months passed, and became daily in February 2016.” Overview October 2017: The number of ‘views” and ‘unique visitors’ to the website has steadily increased over the year, now more than 4 times as many as this time in 2016! We continue to stay solidly on schedule for modest growth. In October 2016 Earned Runs assisted with a personal Breast Cancer Awareness event. During 2016-2017 Training Plans for a Turkey Trot 5K, ‘On to the New Year’ Run, and ‘Saints Days’ & Half Marathon were again offered. The 2017 Summer Challenges included: Streak Running, Run-Walk Across America, Summer Full of Fun 5k/Fastest 5k, and the new Walker SERIES SWEEP. The Fall Challenge: House Cup was introduced in 2017. Earned Runs had its first guest contributor for our 2017 Back-To-School themed posts, Michelle from Tulane University. NEW DIRECTION: Earned Runs wants to further explore and promote challenges or activities that don’t exclusively involve running and walking competition. Runners/walkers may occasionally wish or need to take a mental and physical break from training. But that doesn’t mean we can’t design other exciting personal goal events in which the preparation will maintain or improve fitness. Look for other adventures, some epic, in which bibs can be used to motivate, chart progress, and record accomplishments. PLEASE OFFER SUGGESTIONS. What topics are you interested in or are most helpful to you as a runner, walker, fitness enthusiast? The intent of EARNED RUNS has been to provide a variety of offerings, to include some serious specific training and scientific information and links, broken up by items on the lighter side. It’s amazing how much of what we view, read, see online and around us can pertain to our running/walking/fitness lives. Express yourself via email through the contact page or in comments on the BLOG. RUN HAPPY! Wikipedia.org Wikimedia Commons Flickr.com RUNNING MATURITY AND SOCIAL MEDIA
Upon initially glimpsing the title of the article, “Is Social Media Helping or Hurting Your Running” by Theresa Juva for Competitor.com, I wanted to check it out it but did not have the time just then. It was shuffled away into my mental “to read” file folder and forgotten for a few weeks. The item was not easy to locate afterward, since the exact title was forgotten as well as the source and author. A quick internet search (“is social media hurting…?”) turned up a long list of items that people were apparently worried about being damaged, from various personal body parts to relationships, career, image, politics, and society in general. Adding “running” to the search query took me to the article I sought. Juva takes a safe approach. She neither enthusiastically promotes or knocks it's use but offers thoughtful, helpful advice; benefitting from her suggestions requires maturity. You Can Do It Alone Earned Runs was founded on my real-life experience, of having to go it alone when it came to running while in medical school, raising or helping my family, working and building a career, etc. It’s all detailed on the ABOUT page, so no need to repeat it. The principle behind Earned Runs is that the most important commitment to train and face a challenge is the one made by the individual, alone, to himself or herself. The rewards are personal and the struggle is personal. Limited sharing of that commitment within a supportive close circle of friends or family members can 'up' the stakes and increase resolve. Others outside that close circle, like running groups or organizations may encourage and enable (like giving free race bibs). But the gains to be made and accomplishments to be achieved must be earned by the individual. You can do it alone, if that is the only option. Do you need to share goals and obtain widespread social media approval to initiate and then persevere in a personal quest? To overcome daily physical obstacles and chase away mental demons that threaten to derail your best efforts to reach a goal? Earned Runs says “no”. Information and inspiration can come from sources other than interactive social sites. Traditional media like magazine articles and books have long provided me with non-judgmental motivation. Runner's World, Running Competitor, Women's Running, Men's Health, and Women's Health (links below) have invigorated my training for years! I still prefer paper over online materials, but am grateful for having both available to read. Early in the process of developing a fitness program, one that will safely meet training needs and allow staying on track, trial and error is required. The trainers, coaches and athletes who contribute to one-way media give expert advice to help with that process. Usually there's opportunity to easily contact them, so it's not completely one-sided communication. Once you have begun to successfully train and have quietly proven yourself to yourself, engaging social media might further bolster your efforts. Juva’s advice can be helpful at this point: be prepared for negative comments, find a balance, and take breaks regularly. It’s not a coincidence that there are frequent online searches about the potentially harmful consequences of engaging social media. In the case of runners and walkers taking on significant new challenges, like children and adolescents, a certain level of maturity can prevent them. If you DO it alone, you won't BE alone. Whether you share experiences online or not, you'll join the community of runners and walkers striving to reach a personal goal. RUN HAPPY! http://running.competitor.com/2017/09/training/social-media-helping-hurting-running_167895 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_media Runners World Mens Health Women's Health Running Competitor Women's Running "One Runner Shares What It's Like to Run While Living in a War Zone" for Competitor.com. Not everyone will be interested in reading an article about how one man found ways to run in war zones. But the topic does raise a question: “Would you be willing to risk your life to keep running?”
I’ve never been in a war zone. I’ve been far away from home in unfamiliar locations for training or business. Or at home, running at times when locating people or places that would provide help if needed would not be possible. However, there are hotel concierges, friends, family, and other runners from which to seek advice and directions. And even though I should carry pepper spray when venturing into places that are strange, my only available weapon has likely been a car key. Thus, I wanted to learn the dangers faced by the author in these locations. One seemed very dangerous. In Kosovo, Alvin Burns described how he had to carry a weapon and 3 liters of water to stay hydrated for 3-mile sessions in the dry mountain air. In Afghanistan, a dust-blown helipad served as a substitute running track. In other places, treadmills provided a solution to the problem of where/how to run, but foreign-language TV, bathing challenges, and electrical outage issues made running more closely resemble a “sufferfest” session. Burns provided a glimpse into the tough running life experienced by some overseas personnel, in conflict zones in faraway places, that otherwise would be hidden from view. It made me grateful that my running life, when using good judgement, is relatively safe. The issue of how terribly difficult and dangerous life in general is for the people living in war zones and other UNSAFE or DEVASTATED places is not addressed, but is ever present in thought and heart. Safety is a significant concern as well in areas NOT ravaged by military action or nature. Earned Runs urges people to run or walk, train, and compete, and assists them with giving free bibs and support. But without the assurance of personal safety, these activities cannot be attempted in some neighborhoods or areas. Adding the expense and time to travel to find safety may break the will of some would-be runners and walkers. Earned Runs ran an OPINION blog post earlier this year (June 1) about a ‘listicle’ citing the “healthiest” cities in the US. The ranking company had not included information or based calculations on household income, but did consider opportunities for recreation. Like the author of the “War Zone”, some runners are at risk of harm when they workout. All the running community might consider their situation when it comes to supporting initiatives that create safe greenspaces and public athletic facilities in places we live and work. Not only can we help fellow runners, we can help our cities be highly ranked on “healthiest cities” lists. I would probably not run if doing so required carrying a weapon. RUN HAPPY! http://running.competitor.com/2017/09/running/running-war-zone_161464 https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/sufferfest |
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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