Advice about running in high humidity climates

Running in hot and/or humid weather is not recommended unless you really have to. This is because such conditions can take its toll on your bodily functions, especially your heart rate (HR). We always stress on the importance of proper … Continue reading

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/runaddicts/~3/yFrA0JTKBS4/advice-about-running-in-high-humidity-climates

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Why Trainers Say 'Slow Down' (Wall St Journal)


Ultra-goddess Julie Fingar was featured in the Wall Street Journal yesterday in an article about overtraining. Some fascinating stats on exercise-related anorexia too - 50% of women in endurance sports? That's scary. Definitely worth a read.

Why Trainers Say, 'Slow Down'

By KEVIN HELLIKER

When his running coach implored him to take rest days, Bill Carr didn't listen. Slated to run a 100-mile ultramarathon this month, the 36-year-old cranked up his workouts over the summer, running more and harder miles than his coach recommended.

Running coach Julie Fingar guides Bill Carr, who ran too much and injured his ankle, in drills at a Twin Rocks trail near Folsom Lake in Granite Bay, Calif.

"I wanted to make sure that I got to the event fully prepared," he says. But Mr. Carr won't get to the 100-miler at all. Last month, his ankle sustained an over-use injury during a workout, sidelining the Rancho Cordova, Calif., project manager for a vision-benefits company.

"Type A personalities will increase their training load until something backfires," says Julie Fingar, Mr. Carr's running coach, who says her biggest challenge is convincing her clients to take an adequate amount of rest. "In their minds, taking rest means they're not working hard enough."

Today, says Mr. Carr: "I'm taking Julie's advice and starting to cross train."

Roughly 10% of athletes preparing for an endurance event are training too hard, estimates Jack Raglin, director of graduate studies at the Indiana University's department of kinesiology. Research in the field has shown that injury rates rise as runners increase their weekly mileage. Besides injury, excessive training can contribute to or cause major depression, loss of sleep, anorexia and sometimes death.

"The overtrained athlete is so fried by race time that he either performs very poorly or can't perform at all," says Dr. Raglin, who specializes in overtraining problems.

A more-is-better mentality permeates the endurance-exercise culture. Novice runners in particular tend to think that finishing a marathon requires no end of training. In fact, however, under-training is rare. After all, more than 95% of marathon starters reach the finish line.

Statistically, the harder line to reach is the start line. Of the tens of thousands of Americans who pay as much as $180 to register for marathons, as many as 25% fail to make it to the race. Injury, illness and loss of motivation as a result of overtraining are major reasons for this.

Coach Julie Fingar guides Bill Carr on abdominal exercises to break up the pounding intensity of running.

But moderation is a hard message to promote among runners determined to reach extremes. For such athletes, no matter how conclusively science may prove the value of rest and recovery, the culture of endurance sports lionizes those who seemingly never rest.

"In running circles, there is huge pressure to do big mileage, to do the big training, to do the biggest races," says Sandra Ross, a 47-year-old runner in Auburn, Calif.

It also can be difficult for runners to know when they are training too hard. One red flag, sports-medicine specialists say, is an intensifying obsession with performance. Exercise, after all, is supposed to be stress-reducing, and amateur competitions by definition are recreational. Yet marathon fields are populated with runners who are visibly stressed out about whether they'll set a personal record or win their age group.

To head off overtraining, some coaches urge athletes to remain alert for the point at which greater doses of exercise cease to produce improvement.

"The body responds beautifully to the right schedule of training stresses," Lynn Bjorklund, who in 1981 set the still-standing female course record for the Pikes Peak Marathon, wrote in an email. "However, too much stress and not enough nutrition or recovery pushes your body toward injury and illness. You need to stay in that zone of just enough, and that takes a very high tuned and honest appraisal of yourself."

Ms. Ross, the California runner, says that for years she would suffer injuries while training for marathons. To help pace herself, Ms. Ross hired Ms. Fingar, the running coach, who enforced rest days, cross-training and trail-running as a lower-impact alternative to pavement.

The discipline paid off, and this summer Ms. Ross completed a 100-mile race. That accomplishment wouldn't have been possible if she hadn't resisted the impulse to match the weekly mileage of her younger running partners, she says. "If I ran as much as they do I'd be faster. But as an older runner I need more rest, and I also have a child, a husband and a career," says Ms. Ross, who works as an environmental consultant.

Overtraining can contribute to exercise-related anorexia, a potentially fatal syndrome that strikes nearly half of all women in so-called lean sports such as running, according to a book published this year, "Eating Disorders in Sport."

"I was diligent about cutting down the calories and increasing my workout schedule. The pounds fell away and it seemed to result in better racing," recalls Ms. Bjorklund, who says that soon after setting a Pikes Peak Marathon record she entered a hospital near death from anorexia.

"It is easy to think that if a little is good, more should be better. After a period of time, however, I would always crash and be forced to cut back," the 53-year-old wrote in an email.

Ms. Fingar, the running coach, says that early in her athletic career she was prone to overtraining and exercise-related anorexia. As a result she says she studies her clients and friends for signs of chronic fatigue, depression, compulsive training or privation. "It can be really destructive," the 35-year-old says. "When someone becomes addicted in a non-healthy manner, all other things suffer?work, family, friends and of course their performance."

Ms. Fingar says she tries to set an example for her clients. She refrains from aerobic exercise one day a week. Often, if she listens to her body instead of her mind, "I'll realize that I'm tired and I'll take another day," she says.

When training for an ultramarathon, Ms. Fingar runs about 70 miles a week, far fewer than the 100 miles that many other ultramarathoners log weekly. But unlike some other runners she is rigorous about cross-training weekly in the pool, on a bicycle and in yoga and Pilates studios. She says this training offers a break from the monotony and physical pounding of running, and provides flexibility, enhanced aerobic fitness and a strengthening of core muscles.

"Especially with trail running and endurance events, you need upper-body and core strength to ascend and descend the hills," she says.

Source: http://runtrails.blogspot.com/2010/09/why-trainers-say-slow-down-wall-st.html

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RIP, Rocky the Pug, and Thank You

Rocky, our beloved pug of nine years, passed away suddenly and unexpectedly yesterday morning in the midst of his morning game of frisbee. I'm not sure what happened, but I was with him in his final moments and I can assure you it was quick. He will be missed.

Rocky, I thank you for reminding us to always have fun, and that any trip outdoors can be a fun adventure with the right companionship. Thank you for dragging me out of bed each morning, despite my protests, and starting a ritual of running trails that has become a endless source of optimism.

A few pictures to remember you by:


You were just a little scamp when we got you from the Pug Rescue of Sacramento, fresh off the streets of Oakland, CA.


But soon you were thriving with your larger-than-life smile and attitude.


You were always so patient waiting for me to get home/get up and get on with the adventure of the day.


 
They said pugs shouldn't run trails, but you would go as fast as you could all day long. I just tried to keep up!

 


You even wanted to go to the triathlons.


In fact, as long as you "got to go", you were game for just about anything.


You taught Sophie not to be afraid of a little sledding...


...to always wear your lifejacket when on the boat....


...and that the best part of a hike is the snacks.


You showed us that anyone can run with the big dogs...


..and there's nothing wrong with sporting your colors when your team was playing.


You were always up for a game of frisbee...

...and never let anyone win unless they earned it.


You were a great big brother to Sophie, putting up with endless costumes.

And never met a beach you didn't like.

You were my best friend.

Thank you, Rocket J, for filling our lives with your love and sense of adventure. I will miss your warm, semi-snoring body snuggled up to my feet every night, and that donut tail that never stopped wagging. You may no longer with living with us now, but you will be a part of our lives forever. 

I miss you, buddy.

SD

PS - If you like the pictures of Rocky, you can still get copies of his kids book.

Source: http://runtrails.blogspot.com/2010/11/rip-rocky-pug-and-thank-you.html

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P90X ~ Week 3

Yes, that's right.  Week 3 is behind me.  Now I'm preparing for a "transition week".  Not sure what to expect but I'm ready, so "Bring It"!

I have talked in detail about the progress seen over the past three weeks.  It is beyond anything I could have expected, but what I'm most excited about is the fact that I have barely scraped the surface of the program.

Beyond my expectations not because I doubted the program, but because I'm was not sure if I was going to be able to stick to this regimen past a week or two.  The further I get into it, the more determined I get to get to the finish... an beyond.

I'm not particularly a fast runner by any stretch of the imagination, nor are my intentions to be one.  Improvement I want to see, yes.  But speed is not what I'm looking for.  So to take off 26sec/mile of identical runs just one week apart is pretty awesome.  At least for me it is.


And that's what happened last week.  Sunday's seven mile run was 9:55min/mile whereas one week ago it was 10:36min/mile!  This I had read, would happen but I was a bit skeptical about claims of fast progress.  I am slowly beginning to understand the power of P90X!

Source: http://www.triathlonat55.com/2010/11/p90x-week-3.html

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Motivation Comes From the Most Unlikely Sources

A couple of weeks ago, I was discussing my IM Louisville training plans with a triathlete friend.  I mentioned to him that for the remainder of this physical year, my intention was to, in addition to maintaining my swim, bike and run base, I would work very hard on strength and core conditioning.
We both agreed that this was a great plan to have.  He disagreed with me (although he did not come out and say so), however, with my plan.
I have been researching strength and conditioning programs suited for the triathlete.  With the help of my tri coach, Endurance Geeks' Barry Baird, we came to the conclusion that if I had the motivation and dedication required, that P90X would be the route to go.
So I have made the commitment to the program.  Additionally, I have made the commitment to the nutrition plan required to make the best of the program.  I have been reading everything I can get my hands and eyes on and I have learned a lot.
As I mentioned this to my friend, his remark was one that was very surprising to me.  He said:  "I have yet to meet anyone that has stuck to the program and finished it."
I am pretty sure that my friend did not understand at that point that by making that one simple, innocent statement, he was giving the the final motivation to get this done.  Yes, motivation comes from the most unlikely sources.
So, this morning I started the program.  First on the agenda was the "Chest & Back" followed by the "Ab Ripper X".  It was hard and tough and I can only guess that it is going to get harder and tougher.  The "Ab Ripper X" was brutal.  But, motivated to continue to the end I stand.  By the end of this, my friend will no longer be able to say that he has not met "anyone" that has finished P90X.

Source: http://www.triathlonat55.com/2010/10/motivation-comes-from-most-unlikely.html

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Another 5-mile run is in the log

Today is a beautiful day. Temperature in the 60s (F), a few clouds, and lots of sun. The visible peaks in the Wasatch mountains are snow covered (about 1/3 of each mountain). I ran 5 miles again, going south from 100th South.

I felt fine during the first half but was tired coming back. I kept my ratio of running and walking of 96 steps running and 66 steps walking for most of the run, but during the last half mile I switched to 46/33. Running the shorter distance before I walk helps, because I walk before getting really tired from running.

I haven't been carrying water with me, because I've been getting drinks from the fountain at the East pavilion. However, I found out today the fountain has been shut off for the winter. I knew that would happen, but I hoped it wouldn't happen for a couple more weeks. I had eaten a banana, two energy bars, and two small packages of gummy fruit just before I left, and I needed some water. Oh well, I'll start carrying water again.


Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OldManRunning/~3/TR8EIW08F5c/another-5-mile-run-is-in-log.html

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NYC Running Clinic

Sorry for the late notice, but Danny and Ian are coming to NYC for our marathon expo and will be hosting a couple of free running clinics this Friday and Saturday morning. See details below (click image to enlarge). If you’re running the marathon or live nearby, we’d love to see you!

Source: http://www.therunningfront.com/events-expos/nyc-running-clinic/

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