BLOG
|
JENNIFER FOX ASSEMBLED A SLIDESHOW OF NUTRITIOUS SUGGESTIONS an article for ACTIVE.com, “9 Best Protein Bars and Products”. Because of food sensitivity, social concerns, or other issues, some may be more appealing than others to individuals. The nine are listed below by Earned Runs with a quick blurb that identifies the feature which may be most significant about the product’s formulation.
RXBAR: protein source is egg whites; free of dairy, soy, and gluten OPTIMUM NUTRTION 100% Whey Powder: consists of whey isolate rather than concentrate ASCENT NATIVE FUEL Micellar Casein Powder: good source for pre-sleep protein dose VITAL PROTEINS Collagen Peptides Powder: for added collagen, can be used in baked goods ORGAIN Organic Protein Powder: vegan; kosher; pea-based; free of gluten, dairy, soy ORGAIN Organic Vegan Protein Shake ORGANIC VALLEY Balance Chocolate Protein Shake STACK’D Protein Pancake Mix: whole wheat and casein are notable ingredients DOUGH BAR Donuts: Baked; 11 grams of protein; toppings and glazes come separately Fox provides additional information in the captions of each product, identifies the price, and allows readers to link to a company purchase site. My sporting goods store doesn’t change-up the protein supplement inventory very often. It’s doubtful I would have known of these products without putting extra work into a personal internet search or going to health food stores. Fox’s article might save time and energy if you are hoping to change-up your home pantry’s ‘inventory’ of protein products! RUN & MOVE HAPPY! https://www.active.com/fitness/articles/9-best-protein-bars-and-products
1 Comment
TRAINING PLANS for every level walker are available through the webpage link and they are wonderful. As amazingly epic as the walk! Even if you don’t plan to join the group, this valuable information is worth saving. There are sections on “basics”, like form and pace, and “listen to your body” that deal with the physical aspects of this effort like pain, stretching, and using ice, and “equipment and fuel”. The link will be posted on the Earned Runs RESOURCES page for later reference. Diana and Bonny are leading a huge movement. It is so very exciting to think that these two women and their supporters might transform us into a nation/continent*/world that highly values walking, such that training becomes an ordinary activity for many, and epic adventures are readily available across many regions. RUN & WALK HAPPY! *NOTE: The Wikipedia entry for "Pacific Northwest" Identifies this region in terms of geography, not national borders. Interestingly, so does EVERWALK! The North American course starts in Canada and ends in the United States. https://everwalk.com/events/everwalk-pacific-northwest/ https://everwalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/EverWalk-Training-Guide-Seattle.pdf https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Northwest https://www.facebook.com/groups/EverWalkNation/ Image: By PacNW_satellite.JPG: The original uploader was SebastianHelm at English Wikipediaderivative work: Hike395 (talk · contribs) - PacNW_satellite.JPG, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=14585503
LAST JUNE 20(2017), EARNED RUNS PUBLISHED A SUMMER-THEMED MUSIC PLAYLIST of tunes that might rev-up outdoor exercise sessions, especially on hard-start days that may have required a mental kick in the behind just to get going.
In that post, “Cruel Summer” was identified as my all-time favorite. It perfectly expressed my feelings during teen summers when I was working horrible temporary jobs, feeling separated from my friends and the happy routine of school. The single, initially released by the English group Bananarama in 1984 in the US, and covered by Swedish Ace of Base (my preferred version) in 1998, came along too late to help me during those hard times. But now I hear the song and am able to look back, happy such days are behind instead of in front of me. And that’s why Earned Runs places such an emphasis on making summers wonderful experiences, physically, mentally, and emotionally. The song’s lyrics start out, “Hot summer streets and the pavements are burning, I sit around, Trying to smile but the air is so heavy and dry…” In those teenage days, I hated the heat. I wasn’t active and did sit around a lot. My running life did not start until after college. It was as a runner that I learned to handle the heat of a workout and then the heat of summer days. Learned that my friends might not be accessible but aloneness did not necessarily put me in a prison of loneliness and despair. There’s more to my history of hating summers, but that’s not the point today. The point is that if summertime isn’t usually something that’s happily anticipated, it CAN BECOME FUN without a major upheaval to life circumstances. Earned Runs suggests a number of physical activity challenges to help organize and bring focus to summer fitness routines. Challenges that each have a specific schedule and an end date. They are not programs to attain general wistful goals that could take years to realize (lose weight, get fit, build a beach body, etc.). Challengers aren’t required to transform themselves, just stick with a reasonable plan to stay active and achieve a goal. Each takes advantage of the Northern Hemisphere’s longer days from the end of May to early September, and the greater chance of vacation time and the increased availability of nearby fun events. BUT Earned Runs Challenges aren’t required to enjoy summer. You can custom design one yourself. Construct a personal music playlist that heightens the enjoyment! And lists of “got to see” movies, favorite summer food treats to eat, and places to visit items that can be checked off as each experience is realized. For convenience, check out the Earned Runs playlist selections from 2017. RUN & MOVE HAPPY! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cruel_Summer_(song) EARNED RUNS SUMMER CHALLENGES I & II CAN ACTIVATE NICKELODEON’S WORLDWIDE DAY OF PLAY. ACCORDING TO AN ITEM FROM YPulse.com, a company that tracks opinions, trends, news, and insights of Gen Z and Millennials, Nickelodeon is suspending its on-air programing for 3 hours on September 29, “across all of its kid-focused channels, Nick Jr., Nicktoons, Nick Teen, and Nick Music”.
At that time, 12pm-3pm EST/PST the brand will be hosting actual “grassroots” kid play activities “with its partners across the U.S”, per the official press release. Prior to the fall date, all summer long, the upcoming Day of Play celebration will be ‘hyped’ by Nickelodeon and in kid-activity events in several large cities. Kidscreen.com, a trade publication that serves the informational needs and interests of kids’ entertainment professionals, covered the story and added more insight about the event. This will be the 15th annual Worldwide Day of Play (WWDoP); events have been held in Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Columbia, Germany, Italy, Mexico, the Netherlands, the Phillipines, Poland, and Russia in previous years. The Nickelodeon press release indicates the multi-city tour visited Phoenix AZ (May 24), and that it will go to St. Louis MO (June 21); Pittsburgh PA;(August 19); Oakland CA (Sept 8) and Brooklyn NY (Sept 15).The purpose, it says, is “to encourage kids to get outside and be active”. Also included was information on the announced renewal of four top-rated Nickelodeon pre-school programs: PAW Patrol, Blaze and the Monster Machines, Rusty Rivets, and Top Wing. The WWDoP celebration seems like it may be just another entertainment industry ploy to keep kids glue to video screens. But if your children are fans of any of this network’s offerings, consider that it may represent an opportunity to do exactly what Nick is saying they are attempting: getting them outside to play! Perhaps making a big deal about this date and the preceding activities will enable parents and play leaders to regularly entice the youngsters to come outside to bicycle, swim, and play games with the family and friends. Unfortunately, the network/organization isn’t offering any kind of online support to encourage play. I couldn’t find a plan or schedule of suggested activities that parents could use to promote free play before September 29. The possibilities for involvement appear to be limited to attending one of the tour stop events. This lack of a high-visibility individual participation aspect calls into question Nick's commitment to the stated cause. There are oodles of show episodes and video games on the website, and radio. I could not find a mention of the WWDoP, other than the NickPress item, which links to the press release. Sadly, it’s disappointing that an entertainment company which has so much influence on pre-school children cannot get its act together to offer real support to families in this area. If kids discover the joys that come with outdoor play, screen time might decrease. However, they will still find time to watch favorite Nick shows, and possibly be healthier in doing so. Parents, check out the six Earned Runs 2018 Summer Challenges. Perhaps one will fit the needs of your family to be active together over the next few months. Especially the 2018 CHALLENGE II: Run-Walk-Bike ACROSS AMERICA, which can be scaled up or down to accommodate adults’ and children’s fitness levels. Or Challenge I: STREAKING, that only demands a mile be covered each day walking, running, or biking. To adapt to a family, the distance can be decreased to one city block, one loop through a park, a walk to and from a playground or turnaround spot. The duration of each challenge can be shortened to a time period that is manageable for the younger set and accommodates busy family commitments. Request bibs and stickers to make your activity effort official. Decorate the bibs for more fun and to increase involvement. Plan to have a regularly scheduled family team dinner to discuss progress and encourage perseverance. An awards banquet might serve as an exciting finish to the outside play season, before the fall television season kicks-off. RUN & MOVE HAPPY! https://www.ypulse.com/ http://kidscreen.com/2018/05/28/nick-to-suspend-programming-for-day-of-play/ http://www.nickpress.com/press-releases/2018/05/23/nickelodeon-kicks-off-summer-celebration-of-play-bringing-worldwide-day-of-play-events-to-cities-across-the-country WEEK 2: RUN-WALK-BIKE ACROSS AMERICA 2018 STARTS TOMORROW Segment 3: Hood River OR to WA Segment 4: Prosser WA to Walla Walla WA This week the route continues to follow the Columbia River, crossing into Washington State and heading north. (The image above is from an area farther west along segment 2 of the route, not this week, but it helps us visualize this region and important river.) According to a Wikipedia entry, the Columbia River Gorge is a canyon of the Pacific Northwest United States which “stretches for over 80 miles” as it flows across the Cascade Mountains. You can see by the segment maps that it forms the state-line boundary between Oregon and Washington. The entry also says that this “water gap furnishes the only navigable route” through this mountain range, bringing water from drier eastern grasslands, over transitional woodlands, to the temperate rain forest of the western slopes, on its way to the Pacific Ocean. The different climates of these regions lead to dramatic scenery changes over the short WEST TO EAST distance of 80 miles along interstate I-84, the highway the route follows, until we make our way north into Washington. Because of differences in atmospheric pressures across the Cascade Mountains, between the wet windward and dry leeward regions, the gorge creates a ‘wind tunnel effect’ that draws windsurfing and kitesurfing enthusiasts as well as other recreational sports-minded visitors. Like our virtual selves on the Across America route! I googled "movies filmed in Oregon", thinking I could better picture this part of the nation if I had seen a movie that featured its best scenery. There was a long list on Wikipedia, including "Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey" in the Columbia River Gorge. There were many, many more. The "Twilight" series, more recently in theaters and well known, was filmed in Portland and other OR locations. The route through Washington into the cities of Prosser and Walla Walla will be taking us into one of this state’s wine making regions, known as the Columbia Valley American Viticultural Area (AVA). According to Wikipedia, this ‘wine country’ is situated within the same latitude lines as the famous French Bordeaux and Burgundy regions. In this northern location, these vineyards receive two hours of added daylight during the summer growing season, compared with the wine regions of California. There are other reported advantages that the area soil contributes to the winemaking process. Perhaps a great reason to sample some Columbia Valley wines this week! RUN & MOVE HAPPY! Image top: Snottywong - Own work A view of the Columbia River Gorge from the near the top of Hamilton Mountain, looking south from the Washington state side of the gorge. On the left side of the image, the Bonneville Dam is visible. On the left-center is the small town of North Bonneville. Behind the hills in the center of the image, the peak of Mt. Hood is just barely visible. The large rock at the river's edge on the right side is Beacon Rock. NOTE: Our travels though the country will allow us to learn more about the history of Native Americans, much of which is a story of forced removal from familiar lands and resettlement into reservation lands which were then reduced in size. North and west of the Segment 3 route, in Washington state, is the Yakama Reservation, home to the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation. Farther north is the land of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation. Official websites, Wikipedia, and a newsletter provide additional information about the origins, culture, and modern-day activities of Native Americans who inhabited this beautiful land. Most of the information provided in this blog is from Wikipedia entries.
South and west of the Segment 4 route is the city of Kennewick WA, the largest municipality of the Tri-cities region (with Pasco and Richland). The name might be familiar to some. The skeletal remains of the prehistoric Kennewick Man were discovered on a nearby bank of the Columbia River in 1996. A Wikipedia entry indicates that difficulties in accurately dating these remains led to controversy surrounding the rights to the remains, between scientists, who thought they weree more primitive and not related to modern day Native Americans, and the region’s tribes. In 2017, by Congressional legislation, the bones were returned to a coalition of Colville, Yakama Nation, and other tribes for proper burial. NOTE: Check out the ACROSS AMERICA IN PHOTOS page Go to the RESOURCES page for Itinerary, Calendar, Segment Maps https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbia_River_Gorge https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_films_shot_in_Oregon http://www.gotastewine.com/columbia-valley-wineries.php https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbia_Valley_AVA https://indiancountrymedianetwork.com/news/native-news/10-things-you-should-know-about-the-yakama-nation/ https://indiancountrymedianetwork.com/history/people/10-things-know-confederated-tribes-colville-reservation/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colville_Indian_Reservation https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kennewick_Man YESTERDAY WAS NATIONAL DONUT DAY AND EARNED RUNS MISSED THE OPPORTUNITY to celebrate it with the rest of the country! No matter, when an event is important we can prolong the mood of appreciation several days, or longer. This is my long-held belief about birthdays; they are meant to be enjoyed for at least a week.
According to a Wikipedia entry, the history of Donut Day involves one of my most favorite cities. In Chicago in 1938, the first Friday in June was proclaimed as the annual date to honor the Salvation Army’s provision of donuts to American soldiers in France in World War I. The event was created to raise funds to assist those suffering in the Great Depression. It is still a fundraising event there and in other cities. In 1917, the Salvation Army determined that canteens/social centers staffed by SA “Doughnut Girls” could support US enlisted men by serving donuts and providing assistance with communicating home and mending clothes. The soldiers loved the home-grown TLC so the tradition was continued in World War II. There is additional fascinating history if you care to read more. The Wikipedia site seems to be where other articles derive their facts. Delicious donuts happen to be, historically, the reward I have given myself for braving the cold snowy conditions of Chicago’s Lakefront Trail along Lake Michigan in the winter on trips to the city. Not only is it difficult to get out in the weather, it’s an effort to bring/pack all the clothes needed to survive the experience. Jacket, under-layer shirts, hat and earmuffs, mittens, gater, and under-tights and barrier pants. There’s not much room for other apparel items in the suitcase. After my workout, I head to a Stan’s Donuts on the corner of N. Fairbanks Ct. and E. Erie Street. This location is in a building that is part of Northwestern University’s downtown medical complex. Although it could be a tough decision, I usually order a powdered-sugar or chocolate-covered cake donut, or both. The hot coffee + donut totally hits the spot after a tough session. I now have a pair of mugs to use at home and a hat to wear on summer days. I did not know until researching this post of the cool background behind the national day and the caring efforts of the Salvation Army to support overseas troops. It seems that after enduring harsh conditions, as trivial as a winter run or serious as wartime service, a delicious donut and cup of coffee can bolster spirits. If you missed the official National Donut Day there’s still time to celebrate. Otherwise, June 8 is International Jelly-Filled Donut Day and September 14 is National Cream-Filled Donut Day. RUN & MOVE HAPPY! NOTE: Stan’s is sponsoring a 5K on August 11, 2018 at Chicago’s Montrose Harbor, to benefit the Greater Chicago Food Depository. I wish I could participate; will check my schedule. And plan to have a donut afterward! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Doughnut_Day http://www.stansdonutschicago.com http://donut5k.com EARNED RUNS BLOG POSTS ON THIS DAY OF THE WEEK WILL HAVE A DIFFERENT VIBE during the summer. Postings will present links to articles or abstracts on a health or science topic accompanied by a discussion in an attempt to be briefer and leave more of the day for fun.
SEASONS MATTER WHEN IT COMES TO FEELING LOW, ESPECIALLY FOR WOMEN! “Seasonality of depressive symptoms in women but not men: A cross-sectional study in the UK Biobank cohort” Laura M. Lyall, Cathy A. Wyse, Carlos A. Celis-Morales, et al. YOU CAN STOP AFTER READING THE ABSTRACT AND GO OUT AND PLAY, OR READ ON! This study utilized data collected from 2006-2010 by the UK Biobank. About 480, 000 participants, aged 37-73 years, visited 22 different intake “centres” where they filled out questionnaires that dealt with lifestyle, health, mood, and demographic information. They underwent cognitive and physical assessments as well. In a “computerized touchscreen assessment” questions were posed and answers scored regarding how often over the previous 2 weeks each participant had experienced low mood, lack of interest or pleasure in doing things, and feelings of tenseness and tiredness. The results were self-reported, not backed up by medical notes or prescription history. “Seasonality of total depressive symptom scores, anhedonia and tiredness scores was observed in women but not in men, with peaks in winter” was reported in the published results. Women were less likely to report low mood and anhedonia (inability to experience pleasure in normally pleasurable acts) on days of increased length. Temperature may also have had an effect in the type of responses given. This type of research, in which a large number of persons of different backgrounds and ages were queried one time is considered to be a cross-sectional study. In a longitudinal study, each person would have been queried several times over the duration of the project. The conclusion was that the information on seasonal mood variation, especially in women, could be helpful to clinicians in recognizing and then treating depression and sub-clinical depressive symptoms. The paper acknowledges the existence of the seasonal subtype of major depressive disorder, which in the past was called “Seasonal Affective Disorder” and that patients with depression often show seasonal variability in symptoms. This study provides specific evidence that day length has an effect on mood, they contend. Earned Runs comment: This study questioned people living in the Northern hemisphere, in a country rather far to the north, who anticipate shorter days and longer periods of darkness in winter. The participants weren’t patients seeking help but just ‘people.’ The findings reflect what many think and feel is true without needing a scientific study to confirm it. It’s likely to be the reason why we in the north wish to take vacations in sunny, warmer southern climes in winter! It’s also the reason why we should take extra care, each year at this time, to USE THE SUMMER when we have it, and to get outdoors regularly for exposure to light and warmth. Yes, the results show women are affected and not men, but doesn’t the timeless men’s happiness joke refer to the women in their household? “A happy wife makes for a happy life”! Our own outlook might be improved when those around us are not feeling low; it’s possibly worth a bit of self-serving effort. Potentially the research instrument (questionnaire) was not able to measure men’s moods as well as women’s. Perhaps they too had experienced depressive feelings and thoughts in the previous 2 weeks but were not as self-aware when answering questions. Thus far research has not examined or proven whether we can build up or ‘bank” a surplus of good feelings from experiencing bright and pleasantly warm days. Do we need a study? We could test this hypothesis on a personal level this summer. Make an effort to stockpile mental images and sensations of lovely summer days that can be called up during December, January, and beyond. It’s worth a try and might heighten our real-time enjoyment of the pleasures of SUMMER. RUN & MOVE HAPPY! https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29329063 THIS YEAR EARNED RUNS STICKERS WILL BE AVAILABLE, IN LIMITED SUPPLY when bibs are requested. If you have bibs you can also request the set of stickers.
Check out the Gallery of Stickers pictures (BELOW) and on the REQUEST BIBS page. Request options will include:
I use my stickers for MOTIVATION. It can be a struggle to get out and perform a workout each day it is scheduled. Imagining that goal sticker on my bib helps to reinforce reasons to persevere. I put in on AFTER I’ve earned it, not before. But you may decide the reverse strategy is more effective, of putting the sticker on as your train. Whatever works to help reach a goal is the way to go. Let’s get out there! RUN & MOVE HAPPY! OBSTACLE COURSE PULL-UPS STRENGTH WORK & PROGRESSION If you are thinking of taking on this Earned Runs summertime activity you should note that the plan by Pete Williams includes pull-ups. Or you may already have been discouraged by them if you’ve started the 6-week program, as I did 3 weeks ago.
In addition to a palm blister, I quickly gained respect for the amount of strength required to master this monster of a body-weight exercise. Last year, prior to attempting this obstacle course training regimen, I had researched the topic of how to learn to perform a pull-up. It seemed like a ‘crusher’ move that would be cool to do. None of the articles helped very much, and I gave up on this vanity quest. However, once the obstacle course training plan was logged on my calendar, every exercise needed to be performed as indicated, or swapped out or adapted to a manageable version. The problem was that there really weren’t alternative moves offered in the strength training references I checked, which would build strength in quite the same way and lead to sufficient power to eventually enable my performance of pull-ups. There were progression suggestions, consisting mostly of versions that ‘assist’ performance. However, I felt that jumping to a progression might not be safe if I lacked strength in necessary muscle groups. Since I started the SUMMER CHALLENGE VI, someone walking by the park in the early mornings would have seen me just hanging, straight-armed, from the bar when the program called for pull-ups. I absolutely was able to do the move ‘to failure’, but without a single success! Thus, to be true to the training program I would need more guidance, and the online search was resumed. This time I hit on the right query, and found a totally terrific set of exercises that would help train me without significant risk of injury. “The Best Upper Body Exercises When You Can’t Do a Pull-up (Yet!)” by Amy Schlinger for Greatist, October 15, 2015 is perfect for a novice pull-up performer. Schlinger provides 12 total exercises for beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels, and a 5-phase progression sequence. Respecting her intellectual property, Earned Runs lists the individual exercises and the duration of holds and repeats, but directs readers back to her article for all information on performance. The instruction and demonstrations are brief and adequately descriptive. It’s a wonderful resource and will be listed on the Earned Runs RESOURCES page! Beginner: 1. Dumbbell holds: (30 seconds, rest 60 seconds, repeat 3 times) 2. Timed Hangs: ground (10 seconds; repeat 5 times) 3. Scap-ups: press; hold for 1 count; repeat 15 times) 4. Prone Bat-wings (acquire position, hold 10 seconds, repeat 5 times) Intermediate 5. Planks (hold 60 seconds, repeat 3 times) 6. Hollow Hold Bananas (acquire position, hold 15 seconds, repeat 5 times) 7. Supine Cable Pull Down (perform move, repeat 15 times) 8. Plate Pinch (hold between thumb & index finger 30 seconds, rest 60 seconds, repeat 3 times Advanced 9. Kettlebell Bottom–up Press (perform move, repeat 15 times, switch sides) 10. Inverted rows (acquire position, no indication of # repeats) 11. Stability Ball Roll-outs (15 times) 12. Empty-bar lifts (perform move 100 times as fast as possible without losing form) Pull-up Progression: Start with phase 1; with mastery, move to next phase Phase 1: Isometric Holds (“Goal: hold chin above bar for 60 seconds”) Phase 2. Negative (“Goal: 3 sets of lowering in 15 seconds”) Phase 3: Leg Assisted pull-up (“Goal: perform 3 sets of 8 reps with the lightest band possible”) Perform first using two legs, then one leg. Phase 4: Partner Pull-ups (“Goal: perform a pull-up without band”) Phase 5 Pull-ups (“Goal: perform an assisted pull-up”) Sclinger suggests how her guide might be used and reminds us that performing any of these exercises, with or without the goal of mastering the pull-up, can benefit fitness. Her piece contains a link to another Greatist.com article that describes, “How to Do the Perfect Pull-up” by Joe Vennare, posted July 10, 2014. Hopefully I, and some of you, will be able to report pull-up progress by the end of the plan. RUN & MOVE HAPPY! https://greatist.com/move/upper-body-moves-cant-do-pull-up https://greatist.com/move/how-to-do-the-perfect-pullup UPPER BODY STRENGTH/RESISTANCE TRAINING ROUTINES that can be performed standing up. Without getting down on the floor or ground, or using weights or a Swiss ball, it’s possible to perform an upper body strength workout and warm-up using stretch tubing. A gym or fitness area isn’t required either.
Sara McLarty offers two Triathlete.com articles aimed at swimmers, which demonstrate a total of 13 exercise moves, many of which simulate components of swimming strokes. It makes sense that triathletes would be interested in such workouts; it’s not easy to find an accessible body of water or pool for training when away from home base. And in the day or so leading up to a destination triathlon, getting warmed-up for the swim part of the competition while traveling could be a challenge. The piece, “9 Stretch Cord Exercises to Improve Swim Strength and Technique” includes a split picture format to show the moves: scull, catch, finish, recovery, triceps extension, and single and double arm pulls.McLarty writes, “You can replicate an entire swim practice if you don’t have access to a pool or if you missed a swim after a busy day of work. After 15–20 minutes of these exercises, you’ll leave with a bit of sweat and a lot of fatigue in your major muscles. Do 10–15 reps of each exercise and each arm when applicable.” In “Warm-up Without Water: 4 Stretch Band Exercises” the Freestyle Pullback, Rows, Cross-body Shoulder Raise, and Chest Fly are explained. McLarty had me at “triceps extension”! My triceps lack tone and definition. Because in me, arm tone reflects arm strength, if there’s little tone in my arms, it’s because I haven’t been working them. Conversely with strength building, my arm tone just naturally seems to improve. It’s a great side benefit. I am convinced that someone else could copy McLarty’s exercises, write a different story, and slap on the title, “Moves to Get Super-sexy and Toned Arms for Summer”. It would be released in a different kind of magazine. When testing the moves (looping the tube around the handle of an open door at home), I found the “Warm-up” 4 to be more easily learned and performed at beginner-level. I swim recreationally, but not competitively, and can’t evaluate them from the perspective of a triathlete. But as a runner, walker, and fitness enthusiast, these two routines seem to provide a wonderful and portable set of fresh new exercises that I can learn to use to perform at home or away, to change up or supplement my same old tired upper body strength routines. They might be perfect for an outdoor “park bench” session after a endurance walk/run . RUN &MOVE HAPPY! http://www.triathlete.com/2018/02/training/stretch-cord-exercises-swim-strength_129863 http://www.triathlete.com/2015/08/training/swim-warm-up-exercises-with-a-stretch-band_81944/5 WEEK 1: ACROSS AMERICA 2018 STARTS MONDAY MAY 28
Segment 1: Astoria to Portland OR Segment 2: Portland to Hood River OR WELCOME CHALLENGERS! You are starting this virtual 3700+ mile journey in Astoria, Oregon. The tour route trip starts in the city, but before getting on the road you might want to jump in a virtual car and take a ~30-mile ride southwest to Cannon Beach, to see the Pacific Ocean and Haystack Rock, made famous in the 1985 classic kid cult movie, “The Goonies” (released June 7 that year). Astoria*, located in the northwest corner of the state, lies “near the mouth of the Columbia River where it meets the Pacific Ocean” according to a Wikipedia entry. This entry reports that “the city was named after John Jacob Astor, an investor from New York City” whose fur company founded a fort at the site in 1811. The route takes you along the Youngs River, through the beautiful Clatsop State Forest, and along winding roads to the Scappoose-Vernonia Highway into the city of Portland. The Lewis and Clark Expedition wintered near Portland. You’ll come to learn that this exploration group is part of the history of quite a few places along the first part of the journey. The next segment from Portland to Hood River follows the course of the Columbia River Gorge along a highway that separates the state of Oregon from Washington. The TREK Travel bike tour description indicates that small hikes can take travelers to many spectacular waterfalls that are near this scenic route, including Latourell Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, and Multnomah Falls. Mt. Hood is a potentially active but currently dormant volcano about 50 miles southeast of Portland and 15 miles south of the city of Hood River (on our route). It is the tallest mountain in the state of Oregon, rising to an elevation of over 11,200 ft. Possibly you will recognize its frequently photographed image. The ‘WEST’ sticker of the Earned Runs Across America challenge displays it Although this is a virtual tour, looking at images of and reading about the astonishingly beautiful geographic features of these two segments inspires me to put Oregon on my “Top 100 List” of places to explore in real life. Crater Lake is another natural feature of the Cascade Range that is much farther south of the Across America route in Oregon. It is known for the clarity and blueness of its waters and seems to be worth mentioning, as long as we are traveling electronically to the area and there isn’t much effort required to take a detour to mention it. You might end the week with a viewing of “The Goonies”, “Kindergarten Cop”, or “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, 2 and 3” that were filmed in Astoria. RUN & MOVE HAPPY! SEE RESOURCES page for Itinerary, calendar, and Map segments. Check out the ACROSS AMERICA IN PHOTOS gallery too! https://roadtrippers.com/trips/10313969 http://thatoregonlife.com/2016/01/12-awesome-movies-filmed-in-oregon/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portland,_Oregon https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astoria,_Oregon https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Hood *Travelers may wish to read, “10 Don’t Miss Spots on the Oregon Coast” for ideas of sites to see and visit. https://www.travelastoria.com/trip-ideas/top-10-dont-miss-spots-on-the-oregon-coast.html Lauren Bedosky provides succinct and referenced advice on the order that exercise should be performed in an article for the Under Armor’s blog, MyFitnessPal.com, “Should I Lift Weights Before or After Cardio?”
To answer the question, Bedosky says, “it depends on your goals”, and indicates the purpose of training is the key to planning a session. She presents 4 training goal scenarios: endurance event, strength/power building, weight loss, and multi-goal. She lays out reasons for each sequence based on goals. To respect Bedosky’s work, the details will not be revealed here. Check out the article; it’s a quick read. You won’t need to take notes; the advice makes good sense, is backed up by research, and is easy to remember. Earned Runs Note: in all the workout programs that I’ve been given for running there have been 2 constant components: a warmup first and balance work last. The warm-up has consisted of MYRTLs (hip girdle mobility routine) and dynamic stretches. The purpose of the mobility work is to lubricate the joints, and that of the dynamic stretches is to warm up the soft tissues and muscle before working them hard. Injury prevention is the ultimate goal with a warm up, although performance will also be improved. Balance work, usually drills performed on one leg at a time, have come last. It’s when the muscles are tired and maintaining balance is a struggle. I asked my physical therapist to explain. She told me that when the body is most tired, the need to maintain stability and balance is the greatest. At the end of a long run, she wanted me to avoid wobbling on my knee (a painful knee was the reason I was prescribed PT). The hip strength and core stability exercises I was doing were the foundation of this program and the balance work was designed to perfect it. Bedosky’s article leads me to think that the order in which balance drills are performed may also may depend on goals. There will be a follow-up blog post soon that discusses this topic. Whether you are working to build endurance or strength or lose weight, you may find this piece helpful with regard to the order in which you plan to perform specific exercises. RUN & MOVE HAPPY! https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/should-i-lift-weights-before-or-after-cardio https://runnersconnect.net/benefits-of-balance-exercises-for-runners/ OBSTACLE RACE TRAINING!!! NEW TRIAL!!!
PREPARE TO ANSWER "THE CALL OF THE MUD”, OR NOT! Entering and competing in an obstacle course competition is NOT required!!! When resistance training is combined with aerobic exercise the health dividends are increased. A 6-week obstacle course training plan will be offered for those who are looking for a structured approach to incorporating strength work into aerobic sessions. Earned Runs will feature a plan developed by Pete Williams that was released in 2013 by womensrunning.competitor.com. It was updated in October 2016, and presented in the article “Train for An Obstacle Course Race.” It’s designed to be performed outdoors. The plan can be downloaded; it comes in 2 portions, weeks 1-3, and weeks 4-6, Monday to Sunday. The exercises are clearly meant to prepare trainees to function under conditions presented on an obstacle course: burpees, pull-ups, mountain climbers, push-ups, triceps dips, planks, squat jumps, and monkey bars, to name some. The workouts are defined as “Park Bench Routine” (PBR), “Interval Run” (IV), “Obstacle Run” (OR), “Park/Beach/Playground” (PBP) workout, “Active Recovery” (AR), and “Rest”. The total amount of workout time, spent repeating the exercise and run sequences, begins at 25 minutes and increasingly lengthens to 65 minutes. Each workout is different. I am currently attempting to follow this plan, to “test drive” it in order to adapt it for use by those who won’t be aiming to finish an actual obstacle course. It’s for someone like me who likes to perform strength exercises outdoors after a walk or run, in a park or area with benches or structures that can be used to perform certain moves. I am walking the ‘run’ sections and swapping exercises that require jumping for those that do not! Trying to make it friendly for myself and other challengers who want to strengthen, but not competitively test the functional limits, of their bodies. And those who need to be kind to their backs and knees. Williams article is a good read. He spills the “dirty little secret of these races”, that “many participants walk the majority of the course”. Having completed just one and a half weeks of the plan I know why. After the exercise sets (initially I did the burpees), my legs are so wobbly it takes a bit of effort just to walk fast during the running portions of the session before heading into the next exercise set repetition. Plus, I am trying to stall for extra time to recover. As stated, 2018 will be a trial for this challenge. So far, I love the fact that I’m forced to fit in a number of tough exercises while still outdoors after a HIIT walking session. Even in rainy and foggy weather the obstacle course training session has been a great experience. When it's time to head home, the day’s work is DONE! As soon as an alternative set of exercises for the plan is developed, by testing each workout, that program will be offered (roughly another 4.-5 weeks). But you don’t need to wait for the Earned Runs version; try making changes that fit your abilities and needs. RUN & MOVE HAPPY! http://womensrunning.competitor.com/2013/11/training-tips/6-week-obstacle-race-training-plan_17987 LONELINESS HAS BEEN A TOPIC OF TWO EARNED RUNS BLOG POSTS this month, on May 9 and May 11. The first post introduced a suggested use for Earned Runs bibs, in response to newly released, nation-wide Cigna Health survey results that revealed roughly 54% of Americans who had completed it would be considered lonely.
The survey sited lack of ‘in-person’ contact as a major factor. Research has shown that lack of social connection is a health determinant, increasing the risk of premature death, even in youth. The survey also revealed that the generations most likely to score higher on the loneliness scale were those 18-22 years old and then 23 to 37 years of age, Generation Z and Millennials, respectively. The second post discussed the survey in greater detail as well as scientific literature which examined loneliness as a significant health risk. The risk, some scientists contend, may be more serious than obesity and could potentially reach epidemic proportions in the Unites States. Earned Runs announced that it would trial a new SUMMER CHALLENGE to bring exercising people into closer contact with one another and encourage “in-person,” connections during less-than-highly-vigorous exercise sessions, in which conversation is possible. In 2018, “BUDDY-UP!” will be number 5 of 6 seasonal activities featured by Earned Runs to help exercisers enjoy and benefit from the healthy vibe and outdoor opportunities of summertime. The goal of SUMMER CHALLENGE V: “BUDDY-UP!” is to replace at least one weekly solo exercise session with one performed alongside, or on the phone in conversation with, another person, a buddy. All 14 weeks of the Memorial Day to Labor Day season. Challengers are encouraged to request a set (4) of Earned Runs bibs and to use them to record the days in which “buddy-up” sessions are accomplished. The Cigna survey showed that persons who feel that they spend more than the desired amount of time exercising tend to be lonelier than those in whom the time is just right and even those who think this time is less than desired. One suggestion for a “BUDDY-UP” session would be to ask someone to power walk with you at lunch-time instead of running alone, or calling a friend or loved one during that vigorous effort and asking them to also walk while you both talk. For those with more discretionary exercise time, lacing up the shoes and heading out-the door as soon as the phone rings might work if an agreement was made beforehand to do this when either of you walks. A buddy walk of 30 minutes would translate to ‘in-person’ contact for an amount of time. Running or jogging at a slow pace could be a buddy-up activity as long as the exercise session was conducted at a low enough effort to permit talking. As mentioned in the May 9 post, the physical and social logistics may be too difficult to arrange such sessions for the sake of increasing connectedness. At the end of the 14 weeks, BUDDY-UP! might be determined to have set reasonable, achievable goals and be a success, or not. I’m trying it now. RUN & MOVE HAPPY! NOTE: Why doesn't this challenge encourage joining an exercise class or running/walking group? In my experience classes tend to be intense, physical activity sessions in which every attendee is focused on performance. There isn't opportunity to talk at length or in-depth, one-on-one. Conversations are, by necessity, superficial. It seems better to choose to connect with a friend or family member with whom there is the chance of a relationship, than a casual acquaintance. Especially if most contacts with significant others have tended to be text messages or social media encounters. This challenge is intended to fight loneliness, a feeling that can occur in the midst of a crowd. |
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
CategoriesNew! Search Box
Earned Runs is now searchable! Check it out...
|