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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
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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 ![]() WEEK 4 TURKEY TROT 2017 WITH TRACK DAY 5K Beginner Training Plan Starts. Monday is the first day of Week 4 of the 10-week plan. Your mileage is increasing, so getting in the Foam Roller session sometime this week becomes more important. If you have not yet performed this routine, you might be surprised at how it helps you to recover after a longer run. It’s best to start this practice early on in training, before your soft tissues (muscles and surrounding connective tissue) significantly ‘tighten’ from repeated cycles of micro-injury and repair. At a later point in training you will likely experience exquisite tenderness (otherwise known as pain) when the tight tissues are compressed by your body weight during rolling. Recommendations have included foam rolling immediately after running and every 24 hours on subsequent days as needed up to 72 hours (3 days later), to prevent delayed-onset of muscle soreness, called DOMS. Even though you might be able to grit your teeth and endure the DOMS, another reason to foam roll is that it can help prevent injury. This may be specially helpful if you are planning to run or exercise 24-72 hours after a tough long run. A bonus of this session is that you work your arms, core, and upper body as well. If you're new to foam rolling, feeling a little DOMS in these areas the day afterward will be proof! I’ve confessed before that I find it best to hit my tightest spots (piriformis, calves, quads, back) prior to a long run and then hit all areas after the run. Personally, it lessened my need to ice sore areas after a really long and tough run. If you find yourself forgetting it or skipping it due to lack of time, foam roll at least one time each week, after your toughest run. If foam rolling helps you, there won't be need for reminders like these. RUN HAPPY! See the RESOURCES page for the plan calendar, track day schedule,and minutes to miles calculation. Check out these research and trainer articles if you'd like to know more about foam rolling: www.researchgate.net/publication/272165454_Foam_rolling_for_DOMS_and_dynamic_performance_measures http://natajournals.org/doi/abs/10.4085/1062-6050-50.1.01 https://www.menshealth.com/fitness/injury-prevention-workout-plan http://www.upmcmyhealthmatters.com/injury-prevention-the-foam-roller/ http://running.competitor.com/2014/02/injury-prevention/roll-away-injuries_35211 HIDDEN SWEETNESS Earned Runs is highlighting this ACTIVE.com article, “20 Foods with the Most Added Sugar” by Jackie Veling to share the useful information it contains for several reasons.
First, to help runners, walkers, and fitness enthusiasts decrease the amount of un-natural sugar they may unknowingly be adding to their diet in processed food. Some products we expect and want to be sweet. We buy them, well aware of the sugar content, and thus accept responsibility for the effects on our health. Second to energize the consumer in you. If these items aren’t purchased and sales fall, companies must eventually get the message to offer new products that don’t contain, or at least are lower in, added sweeteners. “Sugar” may be otherwise disguised as honey, fructose, molasses, and corn syrup, as the article indicates. Third, to suggest that as a group we spread the word on social media. If a check of a frequently purchased product’s ingredient list shows an added un-natural sugar, without that addition seeming to be necessary, snap a picture and share the information. An example might be a fruit drink or juice, number 3 in the slideshow article. Normally fruit juice is naturally sweet and it would be surprising to see that it’s been added. Especially if the product package says its “100% pure” or “not from concentrate” as Veling’s article indicates. In my experience awareness of the hidden addition of sugar, in any of its forms, comes when a product has a different taste, as if it’s been reformulated but that information isn’t on the packaging. It was wheat bread (#4 in the slideshow) that surprised me last year. It seemed to have a new oddly sweet flavor, which may have been due to the presence of high fructose corn syrup. Veling offers thoughtful suggestions in the article about lower-sugar alternatives to foods that might be your favorites. More help in figuring out product sugar content is on the way, in the form of revamped nutrition labels, expected to be on foods beginning in July 2018, which will list “added sugars” (see earlier 2016 BLOG post). Until then, be a smart consumer, especially if you want to benefit the most from all the hard work you’re doing to become and stay fit and healthy. RUN HAPPY! https://www.active.com/food-and-nutrition/articles/20-foods-with-the-most-added-sugar ![]() OCTOBER WILL SOON BE HERE; IT'S BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH The American Cancer Society (ACS) sponsors “Making Strides Against Breast Cancer” walks throughout the country during this month. You can participate whether you’re solo, bring your own friends and family, or join in spirit with someone who is in an event far away. You can run or walk. Regardless, in each instance you will be surrounded by a multitude of caring people taking action to fight this disease, support a survivor, or remember a loved one. If you have 2017 Earned Runs bibs or REQUEST a set you can schedule and design YOUR OWN walk or run. You can also request Earned Runs large PINK RIBBON stickers (image) that will be sent free while supplies last. Thus, if you are unable to make one of the ACS Making Strides organized events, you can assemble people “together” to walk for your personal cause. Participants may gather in the same place or simultaneously at multiple, different, distant locations on a date and time that will be determined by you. A very young breast cancer survivor, Stephanie, who was 25 years old at the time of her diagnosis less than three years ago, inspired this sticker. She underwent surgery and endured chemotherapy, ultimately triumphing over her cancer. This brave, strong young woman gathered her family and friends for a run/walk last October 2016, on the same day that she joined the American Cancer Society event in Santa Monica CA, but most were scattered across the country. Under the banner name “Cookie Strong” Steph organized her personal event, “in spirit”, with all who wished to show support with the help of Earned Runs. She asked each person to request a set of four Earned Runs bibs and Breast Cancer Awareness PINK RIBBON* stickers. Many did so, and then posted pictures of their finish, wearing bibs, on the Earned Runs Facebook page. She’s hoping to do the same in 2017. You can find an event organized by a group like the ACS or design your own awareness or memorial run/walk with Earned Runs bibs and stickers. If each request includes a set of 4, there potentially are 3 extra bibs and stickers for participants. This makes last-minute inclusions and invitations very simple and easy. Consider involving the men in your life. Women sometimes forget that they also are “survivors” of this disease, and have struggled and experienced loss. In 2016 my sister walked in California and I ran in Texas on the October Saturday that Steph gathered everyone for “Cookie Strong”. We were supporting her AND remembering our own mother and aunt. The malignancy is so common in women that many of us have one or more beloved family members or friends for whom we can make this effort. Donation to charity may or may not be a required component of certain events. Earned Runs promotes a spirit of GENEROSITY for runners using our free bibs. The donation of a small portion of the usual race registration fee is a kind gesture that is easy to accomplish online. Go Stephanie!!! RUN HAPPY! *This particular color has been designated “charity pink” and the pink ribbon has come to symbolize the fight to cure breast cancer. The Earned Runs sticker has space to write a name or message. http://www.earned-runs.com/request-bibscontact.html http://makingstrides.acsevents.org/site/TR/MakingStridesAgainstBreastCancer/MSABCCY17CA?fr_id=84629&pg=entry https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/breast/statistics/index.htm ![]() COLLEGIATE CONTRIBUTOR: MICHELLE D* The September 11 post featured an interview with Michelle that provides background for her discussions, which began with a September 14 post "Finding Time to Run" and followed-up with a September 21 post, “’Climate’ Change”. Today her 3rd and last post is presented. “Recovering from an Illness” When I had a health issue in mid-March I thought my running career was over. The doctors advised me to take at least 6 weeks off from any exercise to ensure that I would fully recover and not relapse. Knowing the importance of a good recovery; I wasn’t going to mess with it. Going from running a full 8 miles two or three times a week, to not being able to do anything and having to sit on the couch or lay in bed all day was the hardest thing. Even after feeling in perfect health, I still needed to wait 3-4 weeks before I could slowly ease my way back into running. In January 2017, I had signed up for what was going to be my second half marathon, The Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon on May 21st. My parents said I wasn’t going to be able to run it, but I told them that I wasn’t giving up that easy. Once doctors gave the all clear to begin exercising again, I slowly got back into a running routine, easing up to my usual 8 mile morning route, and starting to cross train with the elliptical at the gym. Time flew by. Soon it was final exam season with 2 weeks until race day. I was confident of finishing but with a time not as fast as my first half marathon. For me it was important to make sure that I was fully recovered before starting any exercise. As frustrating as it can be, it is important to make the well-being of your body into your priority. It may feel like taking a few weeks off from working out will cause you to lose your fitness, but you would be surprised at how strong and how much energy you will have coming back. At first it will be hard to get back in to your running routine, but taking it slow and starting at low mileage at a steady pace will help you build back up quite quickly. For me, taking a break allowed my body to recover completely and be able to come back very strong. It took me a few weeks to get back into it, but I ended up being stronger than I was before I was ill. I was able to run my half-marathon in May, and to my surprise I finished in 1 hour 38 minutes, beating my previous half marathon time by 4 minutes. I was ecstatic to say the least and couldn’t believe that after a spring semester full of recovery that I had done so well. Being able to find motivation to push through and take a break from running to recover was definitely hard for me. Running is such an important part of my life, so it was quite an adjustment not to be able to complete my daily routine, but it all worked out in the end. RUN HAPPY! NOTE: Thank you Michelle for sharing your experiences and insights with Earned Runs. Best of luck and success with 2017-2108 academic year. Perhaps you'll discover more about running to write about next Fall! *Earned Runs is pleased to introduce our first ever guest contributor, TULANE UNIVERSITY junior MICHELLE D. To get into the swing of the Back-To-School theme and to kick off the new academic year, Michelle will write on three topics of interest to students. She is pursuing a business degree as a “Green Wave” fan at the New Orleans, Louisiana institution, with a dual major in Marketing and Management. www.clevelandmarathon.com en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cleveland https://tulane.edu https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulane_University https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marine_Corps_MarathonHELP FOR COMPETITION The article, “How to Sleep on Any Flight, According to Top Sleep Docs”, written by Cassie Shortsleeve for SHAPE.com, opens by saying how important sleep quality is to enjoyment of a healthier trip.
Runners and other athletes who must travel by air to compete in away events know that being able to sleep on a late or very early flight can help with performance. Work or home commitments may not allow the scheduling of a flight more than a day in advance of a race for the purpose of adjusting to time zones. The chance to get in a few hours of restful sleep on the way to an event might benefit both body and mind. Knowledge that one will arrive alert and refreshed at the starting line can be a boost to mental preparedness. The tips in this piece may include some you’ve not heard before or learned from experience. They involve pre-trip planning to help remove potential distractions and disruptions, like noise, light, and movement, and inflight practices that may ease the way into sleep. I especially like the mental exercise explained by one of the experts. It can be a tool to help with sleeping at home, while not traveling, as well! Skipping alcohol and other sleep aid medications is bit of not-so-new advice. However, in this article readers are reminded that the after-effects are why they should be avoided, especially if a competition is the trip’s purpose. The information about melatonin is potentially helpful. Earned Runs cautions that like trying new nutritional aids just before a race, trying new supplements should be on the “don’t” list. And of course, even if over-the-counter, adding any non-prescription medications should be an action approved by your doctor. Not being able to sleep on a plane when you really, really, need to in advance of a race can be upsetting. I think this article goes further than any other I’ve read to provide practical suggestions for the traveling runner/competitor. RUN HAPPY! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marine_Corps_Marathon http://www.shape.com/lifestyle/mind-and-body/plane-tips-sleep-on-any-flight-airplane http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-940-melatonin.aspx THE TENNIS WORLD was amazed and delighted in early September when 24-year old Sloane Stephens took home the Women’s US Open Grand Slam singles trophy in New York, NY. She had only returned to professional tennis action in July 2017, after being waylaid by a foot stress fracture that occurred in early 2016, which ultimately required surgery. The amazing part of the story is that after playing with pain, then months of rest waiting to see if the injury would heal itself, an additional 6 months of rest kept her from merely walking.
“In July”, a SHAPE.com article about her comeback indicates, “when she made her official return to the court, she was ranked 957th among female pro tennis players.” The September 9 victory made her the” lowest-ranked player to rebound and win the title in New York since computer ranking began in 1975, according to the US Open.” In a MyFitnessPal.com blog piece Stephens writes how she coped with the injury, which she initially thought was “just another pesky problem that would go away”. When the injury-related pain diminished with rest but did not disappear, the next prescription was to wear a boot and wait another 10 weeks. Because the problem again did not resolve, further imaging was performed, and surgery was scheduled. The post-surgical recovery period left her feeling “helpless” she said in the blog, “and she found herself getting depressed”. “For the first time in my life I could not exercise or travel, and I had very limited mobility” She decided to work on what she could control, her mental attitude and other aspects of the recovery, that included nutrition and physical therapy. Stephens’ story has a happy ending. The last chapter of this particular tale of athletic injury has the heroine healing in record time and beating everyone in spectacular fashion. It’s an ending we all hope to write for ourselves when down and out with pain and dysfunction. I am in the middle of a much less dire injury situation. There’s no fracture and no professional career on the line. But I’m in the period where there’s resting, non-surgical physical therapy, and waiting. There’s no guarantee in this middle period that my small injury will heal in a few more weeks. The imaging is yet to be performed which might provide information leading to additional weeks of rest and rehab work. Not knowing, like Stephens, I feel out of control. The journey started months ago, and there’s no immediate end in sight. The several articles describing Sloane Stephens’ victory on the tennis court appeared JUST IN TIME to energize, inspire, and motivate me going forward! I had devised a plan of my own, to concentrate on the components of treatment and recovery over which I have control, just like she did. But then I read her MyFitnessPal.com article about coping. Not yet allowed to practice on her feet, she wheeled around the tennis court seated on a backless office chair while her coach tossed tennis balls in her direction. She became more involved in youth tennis and her own tennis foundation. And she watched a lot of tennis. I realized that greater creativity might be needed to fuel a good attitude, develop a stronger resolve, and persevere in spite of big or small disheartening setbacks. Running involves more than merely moving forward on two sound legs. Definitely it also requires balance, flexibility, and strength. But it can also be about relationships, community responsibility, charity, and sportsmanship. Stephens’ story suggests that the path to her brilliant win at the US Open might have begun when she faced and managed the difficulties that tested her spirit and developed her character during this time. The SHAPE.com article and a NYtimes.com item highlights how the new champion responded to friend Madison Keys, her US Open Finals opponent, immediately after the win. Stephens enveloped “Maddie” in a 19-second hug. Keys herself had worked to return to tennis after wrist injuries that year, which made her playing for the trophy a long shot. Superior physical performance is certainly a key factor in athletic success, but it seems that true champions famously possess intangible traits for which they become beloved outside of sport. The average person can’t hope to compete at this level. However, perhaps we too might benefit athletically and personally from making the very best use of prolonged enforced rest and recovery time. Although of necessity focused inward on rehabilitation, we can also turn our attention and efforts outward. The three articles are worth reading in their entirety. Runners and fitness enthusiasts who have recovered or are in the process of recovering from injury will be able to identify with the issues she struggled with during this period. With so many devastated by natural disasters this past summer and caught up in ongoing conflict, we are able to gain new perspective of our own situations. RUN HAPPY! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther_King_Jr._Memorial “Coping: Inside the Mind of Pro Tennis Player Sloane Stephens” by Sloane Stephens http://blog.myfitnesspal.com/coping-injury-inside-mind-pro-tennis-player-sloane-stephens “Sloane Stephens Beats Madison Keys to Claim U.S. Open Title” by Christopher Clarey https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/09/sports/tennis/us-open-womens-final-madison-keys-sloane-stephens.html “The Epic Comeback Story of How Sloane Stephens Won the U.S. Open” by Lauren Mazzo http://www.shape.com/node/318069 |
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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