Hi All
When we set out to run or walk a marathon or 50k event
(or other serious event), we venture into a world of unknowns. Starting the
race and doing the goods is only part of the process. How many of you have set
a goal to complete such an event and not had the best of preparation, not
because you weren’t motivated, but because….
There are many stories out there and they all lead to the
intrepid athlete getting to the start line in a state of unpreparedness but
still with that spirit of getting out there and conquering the unknown.
Some athletes will have done many of these distance
events and although not as well prepared as they might be, the participation in
the event is not such a big deal. The distance to be covered is only a small
part of the “miles in the bank” as Arthur Lydiard used to say. This proportion
of event to training ratio goes a long way towards the result. Although the
finish might not be as quick, or as comfortable, as intended, the outcome is
usually no more taxing than a “hard day at the office” type of training session
and is usually treated as such.
However, when you are trying one of these events for the
first time, when the preparation doesn’t go to plan, all sorts of
non-motivational aspects can add to the lack of preparation and getting to the
start line is in itself a big plus. To then complete the event may well be an
even bigger testimony to the character of the athlete.
In the recent Rotorua Marathon, one of the front runners
Phil Costley, suffering from tight
hamstrings, was reduced to a walk at one stage. In a gutsy effort Costley
carried on to the finish in 1193rd overall place in 4h 31m 38s. Costley
was a contender for first placing and was running with three others at the
front at the 10k mark. Many, many other elite runners would have withdrawn from
the event. To continue, and to place so far down the list, was a great effort
and will hopefully encourage other not so-elite future entrants to take heart.
The winner’s time was 2h 27m 14s.
In this very event, one of our own
Program Fitness members overcame a much disrupted training schedule to doggedly
take part in this prestigious competition.
Nearly a year ago Debbie Twiss made the
decision to compete in the competitive walkers section of the marathon and
embarked on a program that was intended to prepare her for this gruelling
event. To go into the work-related and injury- related problems that were
strewn along her intended path, would be a significant story in itself.
Needless to say, Debbie wasn’t as prepared as we would have liked, and in her
own words (more-or-less) she said that a carbo-loading program that I had
supplied wouldn’t be of great use as she wasn’t fit enough to gain the best
benefits.
Nevertheless, Debbie took on this daunting
experience, her first marathon attempt, and as expected, her finish wasn’t the
hoped-for feel-good result that had been aimed for – but it was a result.
As any race walker will tell you, the
mere fact that there are judges on the course that can have your performance
expunged from the competitive results, the finishing of the event with a
recognised time is an achievement in itself.
I feel that Debbie’s after-race
comments are a tribute to her motivation and her attempts to prepare well, often
in the face of adversity. To overcome the problems that arose during the event,
makes her a winner. Her edited words are as follows:
”Unfortunately my dreams of great weight loss and excellent adherence to
a training plan did not entirely come
to fruition. I was worried about going out too fast and fading too
soon -as my usual tactic in a half marathon is to go like the clappers for as
long as I can and then push home through what ever is left of race. I did not
think this a good plan for a distance I'd never completed especially as I had
not had good training in the last 6 weeks and was starting the marathon with a sprained
ankle that was still swollen. I decided to start at a pace of 7km an hour and
then if I was good at the 30km mark to start increasing pace. I did
race a smart race for me and I climbed well on the hills, maintained form and even sped up in the last 10km to
pass people with arms pumping. -A few bystanders and racers even commented on
my form of still looking strong in
the final 8kms -I liked my photo heading to the finishing chute -my friend who supported me, has bought it as a birthday
present. I finished the marathon in 6hr16min and 22 sec with no
disqualification (that I'm aware of). -unfortunately I was not able to make up
time I lost between 21-32km mark, so could not finish with a 6hr time.
At the 27km mark I started to feel euphoric, that I might actually
get the race in under 6hrs, but I was still very cautious about speeding up
with more than 10km to go so held back until my planned time to start pushing
ahead. I felt good at the finish, and was
relieved to stop because I had realised with 4km to go that I had a stone in
my shoe that was very irritating, by the time I crossed the line it was
painful. When I took my shoe off I found I had a blister the size of a large
matchbox covering the inside of my right heel. Apart from the blister I felt
good, no pain in leg muscles and only slight soreness in feet -the same pain I
felt with 3 hours training on sand. I was mostly
just weary the next day -walked very slowly. I went walking on the beach on
Monday...got sand in blister and had to cut top off to clean out the debris...now my foot hurts and I'm
not sure how to get foot to ground for correct placement for RWT session today!
My goal is to lose weight by the October Long Distance Race Walks and 2010 Rotorua marathon entries
open. I will wear Sleek next year (possibly
for the feet), complete more race pace long distance walks so I
can go when the euphoria hits at 27km next year, and do enough training so I
know what I'm capable of so I don't stress the night before race -got splitting
headache and nausea the night before marathon –I was not the happiest camper at
the start line. I will also remember not to put judging band on my foot too
tight next year -at 7km to go I lost feeling in my left foot as the band
tightened up with leg swelling. All in all, I learnt a lot about how my
body/mind copes with distance, I learnt the benefit of sticking to a race plan so as to achieve my primary goal -completing a marathon before I turn 40, and now I
want to do it again to get things right before I finish being 40!”
Thanks for those thoughts Debbie. I’m sure there is someone reading this
newsletter that will benefit from hearing about your effort.
Cheers
Tips for Beginning Runners
Simple solutions to common problems.
By Jeff Galloway
From the April 2009 issue of Runner's World
Lots of beginners
(and veteran runners) make the same mistakes over and over. Getting stuck in a
bad pattern is not only frustrating, it limits your ability to run as well as
you should. Here are proven ways to correct the most common running errors.
Out of Gas: Each time I start a 5-K, I have to walk or drop out before
the finish.
The Fix: You're going out too fast. Next time, start a little slower so
you'll have the energy to finish strong. Practice race
pace once a week. At a track, run your goal pace for one lap (time yourself
so you don't go too fast). Walk for half a lap, and repeat. You can also do
this on a one-mile stretch of road, taking a walk break halfway through. If you
go out too fast in the race, walk for 20 seconds, then try to hit your goal
pace again.
Stuck in Slow Gear: Running my 11-minute pace makes me feel discouraged.
I have a hard time staying motivated.
The Fix: Remember, at one point, just the idea of a run felt daunting.
Improvement comes after consistent training over weeks and months. To stay
motivated, give each run a purpose. Reserve one day for a long run, a day for
speed, and a day for fun—explore a beautiful trail or make a date to run with
friends. On your speed day, warm up for 10 minutes, then run for two minutes at
a pace that's one-minute faster than usual, and walk for two minutes. Repeat
this cycle, then cool down with 10 minutes of easy running.
Injury Prone: Whenever I get into a groove, I get hurt and have to take
time off. I can't get momentum to improve.
The Fix: You're doing too much too soon. Increase your effort gradually,
and take more time to recover. Start with a short run of, say, 10 minutes, and
as you get stronger, extend it by three minutes at a time. Take walk breaks
more often, or run every other day. If you feel pain during a run, stop and
take a few days off. If the pain persists, see a doctor.
Ask Jeff a question at jeffgalloway.com
or jeffgallowayblog.com.
PROGRAM
FITNESS
If you should be aware of someone
who might benefit from being on a running or walking exercise program, please
get them to log on to www.profitness.net.nz
for more information on how I may be able to help. They may also wish to
contact me direct via my email address. If you wish to know a bit about our Homestay operation, the
website can be seen at www.foreststay.com
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"Methinks that the moment my
legs began to move, my thoughts began to flow."
HENRY DAVID THOREAU
"It is better, I think, to begin easily and get your running to be
smooth and relaxed and then to go faster and faster."
HENRY RONO
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Middle-Age Fitness Made Easy
By Thong Dao
Fitness over
forty is a hot subject in the bulk of doctors' clinics, people's get-togethers
and also between friends. Folks may complain about not being able to climb
stairs any longer because of painful knees.
You may
listen to talk of friends with coronary disease or elevated cholesterol, or an
acquaintance who may have been diagnosed with diabetes or raised blood
pressure.
Fitness over
40 programs and routines will help to lessen your risk of stress and age
related illnesses. Increased physical fitness will help to produce the muscle
strength to support joints and decrease pain related to arthritis.
Sadly, only
40% of individuals in the
Physical
activity is nearly pointless if it doesn't elevate your heart rate and breathing
for 30 minutes, and fitness over forty programs don't often start in the
gymnasium. There are several things you can do to get fit such as taking a 30
minute walk outside or getting on a treadmill, a bicycle ride, rowing a boat,
using one of those physical exercise balls or if you wish, try a trampoline.
The first
real step for a fitness over 40 program is to address lifestyle changes that
might affect your ability to start a program with things like dieting and
nutrition.
Including
extra fruits, whole grains and vegetables into your diet is an essential part
of anyone's fitness over 40 plan. You may possibly achieve from assistance of a
weight consultant who can guide you one step at a time to a life style change
in the way you are eating.
Try to
improve your health by having 5 - 7 servings of fruits and vegetables and
drinking eight to ten glasses of water and also by decreasing the amount of
white flour intake.
Exercise is
always essential but you also need a firm foundation of nutrition, diet, and
new lifestyles that will make you healthier. Your fitness over 40 program can
consist of cardiovascular and strength training.
Bicycling,
jogging, swimming, or many other types of work out can be considered
cardiovascular training. You'll have a better time and stick with it longer if
you vary your physical exercises and work out with friends.
When you do
the strength developing aspect of a program, you should skip a day before doing
it again - as an example, if you do it on Monday you should not do it again until
Wednesday.
Two to three
days per week, strength training can be done at home with hand weights or at
the gym. Not only will strength training improve your figure, it will also
increase the strength of your joints and diminish your chances of getting osteoporosis.
Thong M. Dao has been actively
exercising since 2005. He loves fitness and is experienced in weight
management.
Visit his site if you want free fat loss information and weight loss tips.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Thong_Dao
Easy
Fitness - A Faster Road to Fitness
By R Garcia
If you have
heard about race walking, you probably imagine overweight athletes waddling
like ducks, taking mincing little steps and not making much progress.
You would be
wrong. For starters race walkers don't waddle; the hips move forward and back,
not side to side. Second, it provides an excellent exercise option. If you're
serious about walking, fitness, and calorie burn, race walking is the way to
go.
Race walking
at a moderate pace can burn 600 calories an hour. Compare that to jogging at a
moderate pace, which only burns 400. Why does race walking burn more calories?
Unlike running, in which the upper body stays fairly still, race walking gets
most of the upper body - the arms, back and shoulders involved. It can be very
strenuous, but if you want to get the most from race walking, you have to do it
right.
Keep
the back upright - Walking fast with a bent or swayed back can cause
injury because stress is absorbed by improperly aligned body parts. You'll kill
your back or knees. So keep the back upright at all times.
Get
the steps down - Race walking is not merely fast walking. It has a
form all of its own. What you want to do is step forward with a straight leg,
landing with the heel first. Walking with the knees bent puts a lot of stress
on the hips, knees and spine.
Stay
Loose - It's good to swing your arms backward behind the body when race
walking, but be sure to keep them relaxed. This workout is about efficiency,
and tensing your arms waste energy.
Control
your hips - You want them to move forward and back with each stride, not side to
side. The reason is simple: You want every part of your body to be moving
forward. Side-to-side movements cost momentum.
While fast
walking is great for fitness, your muscles won't appreciate it if you plunge
into a 12 minute mile pace without giving them advanced warning. Use the first
half mile as a warm up. Accelerate slowly until you feel warm and loose.
Increase the middle portion of the walk to your maximum pace, then use the final
half mile to wind down.
Obviously,
walking uphill requires more effort than strolling on a flat surface. Depending
on how fast you walk, walking a moderately steep hill can burn anywhere from 8
to 15 calories a minute.
Roberto Garcia (Health
and Fitness Specialist)
http://www.newhealthandfitnessdvds.co.uk
Provider of easy fitness information and products.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=R_Garcia
Eating the right foods in between meals is key for
any running situation.
By Kelly Bastone
From the May 2009 issue of
Runner's World
Many people think snacks mean
junk—and they probably do if they come from a cookie jar or candy bowl. But for
runners, snacking is a valid nutrition strategy. It helps us fuel up for
workouts, get a variety of nutrients, and spread calories evenly through the
day. Snacks also sustain blood-sugar levels (which reduce cravings) and keeps
your metabolism
high, warding off weight gain. "Without a snack to take the edge off,
people eat faster, eat more, and choose higher-calorie foods because they're
overly hungry," says Suzanne Farrell, R. D., a runner and spokesperson for
the American Dietetic Association.
The key is to keep portions small—around 200 to 300 calories—and choose
healthy, nutrient-dense foods, says Kelli Montgomery, a coach and nutrition
consultant in Connecticut. By going for fruits, vegetables, whole
grains, and healthy fats, runners can get nutrients they may have missed at
meals. But it's important to know what to choose—and when, since some foods
offer runners the most benefit at particular times. Here's how to snack smart
to get the fuel your body needs.
Prerun Snack
Attack
If you're like many runners, your workout often takes place hours after your
last meal. Morning runners haven't eaten since last night's dinner, and
late-afternoon runs take place long after lunch. To curb prerun hunger, 30 to
60 minutes before running eat high-carb, Continued low-fiber foods that are
easy to digest and provide fast energy. You can eat some protein and fat to
steady your blood sugar during a long run, but include them sparingly, says
Pick This Have a piece of fruit and pair it with
cottage cheese. Other options: fig cookies; half a bagel with nut butter and
jam; an energy bar; sports drink.
Postrun
Snack Attack
Even if you eat a meal before running, you may be hungry afterward—especially
if you ran long and hard and your muscles need fuel. Choose a more substantial
snack combining a 4:1 ratio of carbs to protein. The mix speeds muscle
recovery, especially if eaten right away since foods consumed within 30 minutes
of your workout provide the maximum recovery benefit. Not hungry? "It's
okay to skip a snack after shorter, easier runs," says
Pick This Save half of your turkey sandwich at
lunch for later as a snack with juice. Try a fruit-and-yogurt smoothie.
Pre-dinner Snack Attack
Lunch at 1 p. m. and dinner at 7 p. m. means six hours without food.
"That's longer than people should go," says Farrell, who suggests
eating every four hours. To stave off hunger without tons of calories, go for
fiber and protein—both are slowly digested and feel satisfying. Work in an
extra serving of veggies, which are less appealing before or after a run
because of their fiber content. Crave pretzels or carb-rich snacks? Measure out
a portion: A 2008 study found that people who eat 100-calorie snack packages
consume about 120 fewer calories a day than those who snack from a regular-size
bag.
Pick This A cup of vegetable soup; salad with egg
whites; hummus with carrots and celery; yogurt
with berries and almonds
Bedtime
Snack Attack
Sometimes the urge to snack after dinner isn't hunger but a craving for comfort
food. "Evening is a big time for emotional eating, especially after a
stressful day," says Farrell. Try to avoid overdoing sugary foods, which
can cause a spike in blood sugar and interfere with sleep. But if you have a
long run in the morning, you may need more calories before bed. Go for protein
and high-fiber carbs (which top off energy stores while you sleep), or snack on
high-fiber cereal: one study found that people who eat a serving of cereal 90
minutes after dinner consume fewer calories daily than those who don't have
cereal.
Pick This Need a sweet? Try a portion-controlled
dessert like a frozen yogurt pop. Have cereal and milk, instant oatmeal with walnuts,
or low-fat cheese and crackers.
Stealth Health
They might seem like junk, but these five snacks are downright good for you.
Jerky
With seven grams of protein per serving, jerky is a healthy postrun snack—just
make sure it has 480 milligrams of sodium or less per serving.
Popcorn
Four cups air-popped have only 125 calories and five grams of fiber. If you
choose microwave varieties, go with 94 percent fat-free versions.
Pudding
It's a good source of calcium. Make your own with powdered mix, or buy premade
low-fat snack cups (look for one that's vitamin D-fortified).
Dark
Chocolate
High in antioxidants, dark chocolate is good for you—in moderation. Have an
ounce, which is equal to six Special Dark Hershey's Kisses.
Chips and
Salsa
High in vitamins and antioxidants, salsa contains just 70 calories per cup.
Enjoy it with a single serving of baked, multigrain tortilla chips.
Whole
Body Vibration Does Not Enhance Recovery Following a High-Intensity
Interval
Training Session
Recently,
researchers from
achieved
at peak oxygen consumption after which they performed a 3000-m time trial and
8 x 400 meter high intensity interval session. The entire test battery was
performed two times. One time was a control condition while
the
other utilized 2 x 15minutes of 12 Hz whole body vibration. Twenty four hours
after the completion of the vibration or control therapy the subjects performed
the constant pace runs (60 and 80%) and the 3000-m time trial. There were no
improvements in performance for the 3000-m time trial as a result of the whole
body vibration. Additionally, there were no positive effects of whole body
vibration on blood lactate levels, oxygen consumption, or markers of muscle
damage. Based upon these results it
appears
that whole body vibration at 12Hz is ineffective as a recovery modality.
Edge
J, Mundel T, Weir K, and Cochrane DJ. The effects of acute whole body vibration
as a recovery modality following high-intensity interval training in
well-trained, middle-aged runners.
Eur J Appl Physiol 105:
421
– 428. 2009.
From
www.nsca-lift.org
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Good Luck
out there