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THIS COMING DECEMBER, ONCE YOUR 5K OR 10K TURKEY TROT has been accomplished you may wish to stay trained-up through the end of the year and be ready for a New Year’s Eve or Day competitive walk or run.
Next week Earned Runs will roll out its annual ‘ON TO THE NEW YEAR’ plan for that purpose. Whether or not you wish to continue training, you likely are able to easily walk or run a Jingle Bell Run, organized by the Arthritis Foundation. The course is USA Track & Field-certified and chip timed for those interested in an official finish time. This event claims to be the “original festive race for charity”, with the aim of championing arthritis research and resources. Having run a couple of these races in the Cleveland area in years past, when living in the city, I can attest to the joyous holiday atmosphere it engenders in participants. Elves, reindeer, and Santa’s seem to be everywhere, identified mostly by headgear. There are Christmas trees and wrapped gift boxes, and gingerbread people too. All are running AND walking amidst the tinkling of jingle bells (there’s one in every race packet). The race website says ”100 percent of your registration fee and fundraising efforts go to a great cause, the fight against arthritis, a disease which affects about a quarter of the US population. The mental image many may have of someone suffering with arthritis is a bent-over, elderly man or woman walking with a cane. In reality, a decade-later selfie might be more typical, especially of a person now in their 40’s. Risk factors include genetics! If you have a family member with OA you are more likely to develop it too, says the CDC, regardless of how well you take care of yourself. Carrying extra weight stresses weight-bearing joints like knees and hips, which are likely to be involved. Many of us have those additional pounds. Yes, it’s not only joint injury or overuse that increases the risk of OA in that joint, or obesity. Just being older, or female, or having a relative with OA is enough to heighten the chance that you’ll be dealing with joint degeneration later in life.The ‘poster child’ face of arthritis could belong to any serious runner who’s had a previous joint injury, or a genetic risk, or who is overweight. Perhaps pain medications or general willingness to tough-it -out will allow continued sport activity like running, you think. The CDC indicates greater disability is possible, because the joint can be destroyed: “Osteoarthritis can cause severe joint pain, swelling, and stiffness. In some cases it also causes reduced function and disability; some people are no longer able to do daily tasks or work. Severe cases may require joint replacement surgery, particularly for knee or hip OA.” Verywellhealth.com correlates the kinds of irreversible changes seen on radiographic images with what’s happening in the joint tissue/space. The damage that’s occurring that translates to pain, swelling, and loss of function: joint space narrowing, osteophyte formation, and subchondral (below-the-cartilage) sclerosis and cyst formation. There isn’t a cure…yet. Having arthritis in my knees and likely elsewhere, I’ve opted to walk rather than run in competitions, hoping some new treatments will be developed in the near future before any severe changes occur. I want to keep, not replace, my original joints. Surgery isn’t necessarily a forever solution with the current man-made replacements and the procedure is not without risks. A previous Earned Runs blog discussed the younger age trend that been noticed in patients seeking these operations. Perhaps you’ll realize that participating in a Jingle Bell Run this month is worth the effort ‘in the long run’ (pun intended). To assist with prevention and better treatments for a disease than potentially can sideline “1 in 4 people in the US.” Above all, these events pack in a lot of holiday fun! If there isn’t a Jingle Bell Run near you or circumstances prevent your participation in the organized event, design your own JBR. With Earned Runs bibs, you can create holiday fun with friends or do it solo, wherever and whenever you please. And donate to a charity. The Arthritis Foundation National Office, which has research support programs and fundraising activities like the JBR, has a score of 87 (out of a possible 100) on the charitynavigator.com site. The Arthritis National Research Foundation has a 97.3 score on that site, with 100% going to research. RUN & MOVE HAPPY! https://www.arthritis.org/get-involved/jingle-bell-run/ https://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/basics/osteoarthritis.htm https://www.verywellhealth.com/x-ray-evidence-of-osteoarthritis-2552141 https://www.charitynavigator.org/index
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EARNED RUNS IS NOT ABOUT WEIGHT LOSS. This statement has appeared repeatedly on this blog. It is about regularly committing to fitness challenges that encourage consistent training, in order to improve and maintain aerobic capacity, strength, balance, mobility, and flexibility throughout life.
Earned Runs focuses on developing healthy habits of movement and activity rather than dietary restriction. On changing total body composition, rather than numbers on a weight scale. However, making changes to improve personal nutrition is a natural consequence of working to improve overall personal fitness. If we want to better our physical selves, a common-sense approach will also include evaluating what we eat and drink, and making desired changes. For that reason, occasionally a weight loss article will be featured on the blog. Not so much to help specifically with dropping pounds of bodyweight but persevering with nutritional habits that support our athletic endeavors. Katherine D.McManus MS, RD from Harvard Health Publishing wrote an article “10 Behaviors for Healthy Weight Loss” proposing how to begin the process of changing diet quality (to make it healthy) as well as quantity (to lose body weight). She offers a different perspective on the usual advice of how to diet. In what way? Six of the 10 behaviors involve steps that McManus recommends be taken BEFORE attempting changes, which involve self-examination and re-education. For example, 1. “Know where you are starting” Discusses why keeping a food diary BEFORE attempting to make changes, not only during the diet, makes sense. 2. “Home in on your goal and make a plan” provides specific examples of small goals, that should be set PRIOR to starting on restrictions, that are designed to lead to the one big goal of weight loss. 3.” Identify barriers to your goals … and ways to overcome them” Again, McManus provides a slightly different spin on a common piece of advice, to be undertaken in ADVANCE of devising and executing a diet plan. The next 3 “behaviors” (4-6) describe more ways to know oneself before attempting to change oneself. The 3 that follow (7-9) encourage practicing acts of self-love; numbers 8 and 9 are my favorites. Number 10 is a reminder not to treat food as an enemy, but to take time to savor and enjoy it. All 10 suggestions might inspire you to take reasonable approaches to changes you find are necessary to athleticism and health. Although similar to other weight loss help articles, McManus’ piece seems to emphasize preparation, making self-awareness a requirement for successful self-regulation. I generally try to stay on track with healthy eating habits, and for the most part do so. However, sometimes a significant change is needed because I’ve fallen too far off the wagon for too long. My first impulse is to immediately start an extreme program; it’s not a smart plan. Just like with physical exercise in which we train to get in shape, nutritional ‘exercise’ will provide benefits only as long as we continue to perform prescribed dietary ‘workouts’ (aka diets). Just as we cannot expect to successfully train physically at unrealistic levels indefinitely or haphazardly, we cannot expect to experience nutritional success from unrelenting or sporadic severe restriction or regulation. A better approach, as McManus is advising, may be to first spend time examining the reasons for the current situation, then make alterations to daily living that can be reasonably sustained in perpetuity. Yes, that means FOREVER! If increasing running mileage from 2 to 10 miles a day will quickly improve my aerobic capacity initially, I can’t rely on knees/hips, work and family schedules, and enthusiasm to sustain that level of effort over the next 2-4 decades of my life. It would feel wonderful to suddenly accomplish this strenuous goal, and then carry-on with it forever, but such a simple approach won’t work over a lifetime. It may not work for more than a month. To devise a successful strategy to achieve a healthy body, McManus urges us to customize tactics. To know/understand, sometimes by actually measuring serving sizes or taking pantry inventories, where we are and what we have been doing, in order to create a plan. Before reading the McManus article it had not occurred to me that possibly, like with fitness training, the more time and effort spent preparing a sensible nutritional program designed specifically to fit my life, the greater the likelihood that the desired outcome will be achieved. After all, without a well thought-out, long-range/seasonal challenge plan, my daily training falters. I feel adrift and lack confidence, unable to steadfastly commit to completing difficult sessions designed to generate significant gains in strength or speed, and prevent injury. And so, it may also be true with nutritional training plans! RUN & MOVE HAPPY! https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/10-behaviors-for-healthy-weight-loss-2018102415074 THE FOLLOWING ARE ARTICLES THAT MIGHT BE OF INTEREST on topics of nutrition, training, fitness, and technology:
PUMPKIN EATING Pumpkin is not a miracle food cure for hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, immunodeficiency, muscle weakness, poor eyesight, or whatever ails you, etc. Nutrition articles sometimes seem to go over the top in extolling the health benefits of a specific food. However, pumpkin can be an excellent, affordable source of vitamins and minerals in the fall, when fresh brightly colored berries are not available from local farm markets. It's high in fiber, free of refined sugar, and can be used in recipes for baking to add flavor and mistness. SHAPE.com has an article that emphasizes its nutritional features, “7 Health Benefits of Pumpkin that Will Inspire You to Eat More Squash” by Karla S. Walsh. https://www.shape.com/healthy-eating/diet-tips/pumpkin-health-benefits TRACK WORKOUT The track is a kind of a fitness equipment. It can be used in various ways to enliven or increase the intensity of a exercise session. Matt Fitzgerald has devised a descending time trials workout for those who like the track. Begin with 1-2 or 2 to-3 miles of a warmup. Then run 1600 meters (4 laps), paced as if to win this event, followed by 3-4 minutes rest, or about as long as needed to start running again. Resume with another fast-paced, all out 1,200 meters (3 laps) all out run, then 800 meters (2 laps) all out, and finally 400 meters (1 lap) all out. Each run is followed by a passive rest of roughly 3-4 minutes. Check out the article for more explanation. https://running.competitor.com/2018/10/training/workout-of-the-week-descending-time-trials_20960 6 MUSCLES These are six seriously important muscles that are difficult to isolate and strengthen says the article “6 Muscles that you Can’t Ignore” by Bananastock and Ted Spiker, for MensHealth.com. For each muscle or muscle group the piece instructs, how to know, test, and improve it. There are other stretches and strengthening exercises that can be performed if the moves provided don’t seem to work for you. The value of this article is that it raises awareness. https://www.menshealth.com/fitness/a19534281/muscles-you-cant-ignore/ FITNESS TRACKERS Some Earned Runs followers love their fitness trackers, and have encouraged me to start wearing one. To fight dependence on technology in running training I resolved to stop using phone tracking apps. Since switching from running to speed walking, fat tire biking and swimming I have begun to reconsider. It’s more difficult to train ‘by feel’ in these new-for-me activities, so there’s an increasing appeal to again get help from technology in these efforts. There are new wearable tracking products that might serve the purpose. https://www.shape.com/fitness/tips/exercise-heart-rate-training-zones Enjoy the first full week of November! RUN & MOVE HAPPY! MEN: NO SHAVE NOVEMBER IS GREAT FOR FITNESS! WOMEN: SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR MEN, especially if the guys in your life rallied for Breast Cancer Awareness Month this past October.
Not having to perform this grooming routine each morning leaves more time for men to work out, whether it be running, cycling, walking, or other forms of exercise! According to the organization’s website, “No-Shave November is a month-long journey during which participants forgo shaving and grooming in order to evoke conversation and raise cancer awareness.” The non-profit organization behind this movement, now “10 years strong”, says it is “devoted to growing cancer awareness and raising funds to support cancer prevention, research, and education”. NSN* charity partners include St Jude’s Children’s Hospital™ (charitynavigator.org score 91.4 of 100), Fight Colorectal Cancer™ (96.46 score), and Prevent Cancer Foundation™(91.2 score). The ‘story’ behind NSN is a personal one. Eight siblings of the Hill family in the Chicago area started it in the fall of 2009 to honor their father, Matthew Hill, who died from colon cancer in 2007. If someone is rude enough to suggest that having more facial hair is not a flattering style for you (or your man), righteously inform them that you are/he is doing it not for personal convenience but to benefit others who have suffered and will suffer with cancer. “The goal of No-Shave November is to grow awareness by embracing our hair, which many cancer patients lose, and letting it grow wild and free. Participants are encouraged to donate the money typically spent on shaving and grooming to educate about cancer prevention, save lives, and aid those fighting the battle.” Actually, trimming and grooming is allowed, so you don’t need to go totally native. The website 99centrazor.com takes a semi-serious but at the same time fun approach to explaining the advantages and disadvantages of joining the movement “7 Things No One Tells You about No Shave November”. If you started November 1, strong work! If not; stop shaving this weekend! And consider using the time advantage it brings for exercise, and giving the extra bit of change saved for a donation to charity. RUN & MOVE HAPPY! *No Shave November is not listed by Charity Navigator but posts its financials on the website. https://no-shave.org/ https://fightcolorectalcancer.org/ https://99centrazor.com/no-shave-november/ WEEK 9 TURKEY TROT 2018 Training Plan starts Monday.
RUNNERS, the run: walk workouts this week are the longest in total time sessions you will experience. If running at a 10-minute mile training pace*, 15 minutes of running + 1 minute of walking will very nearly mark a 1.5+ mile distance, the halfway point in a 5k (3.1mile) race. The schedule calls for three, 15:1-minute run: walk cycles next Saturday, November 10. Consider MENTALLY training that day as if you are running the race, to gain confidence. Spend the first 15:1 cycle thinking of it (in your head not legs) as a warm-up. At the end of that cycle, imagine you are crossing the ‘start’ line and run: walk the second 15:1 cycle (in your head, not legs) as if you were beginning the first half of a 5k event. Start at a low easy pace as you will do on race day. After the second cycle, run: walk the third 15:1 cycle (in your head, not legs) as if you had passed the 1.55-mile marker and were speeding up in the last half of the race, headed to the finish line. Remember this is a MENTAL exercise; DO NOT physically move as if you were racing. Save your best for the Turkey Trot. After completing the full 58-minute session, take a moment to reflect on the past months of training and the progress you’ve made. Don’t wait to cross the finish line on November 22 to acknowledge your accomplishment. You have demonstrated the perseverance required to arrive at this calendar mark! In week 10 you will RUN continuously for the longest time periods in the plan, 20 and 25 minutes, without walking. The total time (and possibly total distance) moving will decrease, but you will be maintaining intensity, so technically you will be on a taper! Can you imagine telling the people who know of your running goal that you are cutting back on your timed workouts after the upcoming weekend to rest for best race-day performance. Like a pro! WALKERS, you continue to increase mileage this week that will prepare you to finish a 5k, 8k, or 10k race. Your longest training walk (6 miles) is scheduled to take place at the end of week 10 but the total time spent walking this week is the greatest yet. Depending on pace, the week 9 effort could be the peak. Stay the course and stick with the plan. Continue to stretch and foam roll. Keep your eye on the prize of a victorious finish. What a terrific Thanksgiving Day it will be. RUN & MOVE HAPPY! NOTE: There's still time to request Earned Runs competition bibs (set of 4, free)! RACE DAY: ADVANCE PLANNING FOR YOUR TURKEY TROT Megan Harrington introduces information about race day running/ walking that first time Turkey Trot participants may wish to consider in her article for ACTIVE.com, “How to Run a Better Race.”
Harrington’s race day strategizing includes developing tactical plans for: starting position, pacing, where on the road to run, hill running, and finishing. Although Thanksgiving is several weeks in the future, reviewing the event’s course on line might help decrease last minute jitters for newbies. Obviously, walking or running it in person can further familiarize those who wish to finish with a speedy time. Asking a friend or family member to recall surprises encountered on a first-time run is another way to prepare. If finish time isn’t a concern, planning is simplified, but still important. Note should be taken of packet/t-shirt pick-up time and place, race accommodations for parking, checking clothes, expected weather and potential for taking shelter before and after the race if conditions will be wet or snowy. Seeking advice from event veterans is always helpful. Turkey Trot races are meant to be fun events. Planning ahead can insure that you and your group get to the start line, cover the distance in the expected time period, experience the accomplishment of finishing, and return home to enjoy the remainder of the holiday without significant discomfort or incident. Planning can be one of the most fun aspect of participating in a Turkey Trot; the time has arrived to start! RUN & MOVE HAPPY! https://www.active.com/running/articles/how-to-run-a-better-race? TIME CHANGE SAFETY MESSAGE (2018 UPDATE) The days have more dark hours now that we are into the heart of fall headed toward winter, regardless of how time is kept, by standard or saving method. When we ‘fall backward’ this weekend it means we will be experiencing more darkness in the late afternoon and evening than in the morning.
Beyond this week, the dark portions of the days will lengthen until the middle-end of December. Running/walking/cycling outside on streets, sidewalks, and paths narrowed by piled-up snow or made poorly visible when precipitation falls in the cold air will require taking extra care with and paying attention to safety. Vehicles can’t see us all that well and we also cannot see our way easily. Outdoor exercisers can make themselves more visible, make their way more visible, or do both for protection from harm. Wearing clothes, shoes, or accessories decorated with reflective material is one way to increase the visibility of our persons. Head lamps and clip-on strobe lights can do this for us also. Lights such as these may also be able to illuminate our paths. A YouTube video titled “No White At Night Challenge”, by FlashBrite Reflective Products makes the point of how wearing white to be visible isn’t always an effective strategy. The conditions in which the 7 people in the film are moving forward toward the camera, and are not seen, are unusually dark. Therefore, the demonstration is a bit extreme considering most of us wouldn’t run in a pitch-black area where we cannot see where we are going! But considering the terrible view I get through a cold wet automobile windshield at night, HIGHER visibility is essential for runners, walkers, and cyclists this time of year. Even the act of crossing well-lighted streets can be dangerous, especially wearing dark clothing. Experience has shown me that when driving in the city, it is difficult to see pedestrians who dart into the street between parked cars. It stands to reason that if we choose to share the roadway with autos while exercising it is our responsibility to take steps to be seen. My warning is that tiny strips and dots of reflective material applied or sewn onto shoes, sleeves, hats, and pant legs are probably NOT going to help all that much in making you more visible. There won’t be sufficient time for a vehicle’s driver to see you and avoid a collision. The positioning of this material may render it visible only from the front as you move forward (on wrists, sleeves, hats, headlights) or from the rear (heel, pant cuffs, jacket backs). The ‘high viz’ material may be so small as to appear to be bits of light reflected off nearby objects. Be wary of apparel that has a few dots or dashes of the material on it but claims to be a safety purchase. If you wish to be protected, employ multiple means and be inventive. An intense headlight that shows the way in the dark can be set on strobe/ flash and, when carried in the hand, can be shone in any direction to warn of your approach. Heel flashers can be clipped to the front of a jacket or the back of a hat rather than worn on the shoe. If relying on reflective clothing, make sure the materials cover a large enough surface area that the shine can be seen to bounce with your motion. A moving bigger bright spot will more readily catch the attention of a driver than a small glimmer that seems to be stationary. I walk in very quiet streets in the early morning when drivers are rushing to get to work and not expecting other cars, let alone people, to be on the streets with them. Even in low traffic areas precautions are necessary. You’ll want experiment to find what fits your needs, starting with items within your budget. Nathan Sports has a variety of products that can help in this regard. Other reflective vest products are available that vary in price. Earned Runs recently reviewed the Noxgear Tracer 360 visibility vest, a device with colored light tubing. While supplies last, Earned Runs will mail a complimentary sample of 3M Scotchlite Reflective Material reflective strips to those who request a bib set with a mailing address in the United States. The restriction is due to the higher postal cost of international mail. RUN & MOVE HAPPY! https://www.runnersworld.com/gear/g20843279/12-items-to-keep-you-safe-on-the-roads/ NO WHITE AT NIGHT CHALLENGE By Flashbrite Reflective Products Shows runners wearing 3M Scotchlite reflective materials https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37U0tQjEkRU https://www.nathansports.com/visibility https://runnerclick.com/best-night-running-gear-reviewed/ |
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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