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Or, why the Boston Marathon should be given more attention in the USA!
LET ME GET IT SAID UP FRONT; I’VE NEVER RUN, ATTEMPTED TO RUN, OR TRAINED FOR A MARATHON. I’m a fan, having spent a little over 40 years running and occasionally competing in small-ish, lesser distance races. The higher profile events that I have run include a RunDisney Princess Half Marathon Weekend 5K (the only race in which registration was still open) and the Chicago Hot Chocolate 15K. But that makes me a perfect spectator and fan. I’ve got enough experience to appreciate the rigors of training and anticipation of challenge, have traveled far to toe the line (okay several waves back and hundreds of places deep); taken off with a mass of other hopeful runners at the start signal. And I’ve finished, surprised and giddy when placing first, second, or third in my age division in a few local events. Watching the 2018 Boston Marathon I was primed for an unexpected or thrilling outcome. As in the rest of the outdoor-competed, sporting event world, bad weather can change everything. The field of American and international elites this year was super packed with contenders, each capable of wearing the laurel wreath. I told the family of my plan to record it, wanting to capture history if it was made in any of the events. Afterward I was describing the wins of Des Linden, Yuki Kawauchi, Tatyana McFadden, and Marcel Hug to my husband, who is relatively unaware when it comes to running. He’s a golfer and totally gets into watching the big tournaments on TV. Trying to relate how crazily amazing the Boston Marathon was, I attempted to relate it to golf’s and other sports’ major championship-level competitions. That started the wheels turning in my brain. Marathons in which the world’s elite runners agree to compete are unlike any other sport competition of the best of the best. And Boston is the jewel race, with the history and tradition of being the first in 1897 to follow the example of the modern 1896 Olympics signature event. Below are 6 reasons why major marathons, with the Boston race leading the pack, are unique among championship sports competitions*: 1. Runners of any country can enter, although they need to qualify by time. Marathons are truly international competitions, every time they’re competed. 2. Elite women and men compete in the same event, under same conditions, although in separate groups with slightly different start times. Non-elites run together. 3. A field of very talented plus not-so-talented amateur non-elite participants competes nearly at the same time on the same course, and potentially can become overall winners with the best time. 4. Each competitor ‘plays’ the entire multi-hour event, exerting elite-level effort over the race’s duration, without lulls or breaks. 5. Race start times are not arranged to accommodate media coverage. Most of the rest of the world doesn’t have the chance to watch. Boston’s Monday event is a holiday of the people of Massachusetts! Even though that weekday morning slot may hurt event television ratings. 6. Marathons have embraced competition by persons with significant challenges, adding events for wheelchair and physically impaired athletes of both genders. Boston was first to hold a wheelchair event. What’s hard to understand is that so many high-profile people in the US who run for fitness and enjoyment, who proudly call themselves runners, but who don’t rejoice in the spirit of the Boston Marathon. Our country was first in the world in organizing this kind of competition. Why don’t we make it a big deal? How would everyday golfers react if allowed to play behind the professionals on a championship course just minutes after the tournament started? Or women, men, and physically challenged recreational league players if they could take the football field, soccer pitch, baseball diamond, or hockey ice at the Super Bowl, World Cup, World Series, Stanley Cup playoffs? Ridiculous of course, because logistics and common sense argue against this move. But that’s why US runners might consider celebrating Boston’s Marathon, and Chicago’s and New York’s as well others with a bit more appreciation. We welcome and host the world at these events regardless of gender or physical challenges. Major marathons are unique and inclusive championship events; Boston leads them all. RUN & MOVE HAPPY! * I attempted to verify that all the world major marathons had all the characteristics described. It wasn't possible to find that information in a timely fashion. Please provide specific corrections if you think there are terrible inaccuracies. Thanks. PKS
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![]() WEEK 15 HALF MARATHON TRAINING PLAN STARTS Today is April 22. It’s Earth Day 2018. Are you planning to do anything to help or show appreciation for our planetary home? Provide a little TLC? If not, do something tomorrow. Or this week. In our daily non-running, non-fitness lives, just like in a training program, sometimes we don’t accomplish what was in our hearts and minds to do on a specific day. It’s convenient to give a shrug of the shoulders and then completely neglect the necessary workout, task, or responsibility. We just don’t do it, forget about it, cross it off the ‘to-do’ list. Whatever the self-assigned duty, it was possibly going to be difficult to attempt or finish, or unexpected events may have prevented our accomplishing certain self-assigned duties. There’s nothing magical about April 22. We can take care of the earth any day of the year, or many days of the year, if we commit to making the effort. The same goes for a workout. If a specific critical workout is missed, like a long run, writing it off may not be the only option. If there’s enough wiggle room in the schedule before a race, get it done as soon as possible and take up the training week at that point. Long runs, or strength training, or hill repeats can be performed on days other than what the schedule dictates. Care must be taken not to pile up too many consecutive days of intense work. Pre-run dynamic stretches, mobility worm-ups, and foam rolls are most helpful in preparing for this kind of make-up work. Post run stretches, foam rolling, and massages can ease the body afterward. Don’t give yourself an easy pass when you miss a day’s training session. Carefully consider how you might go forward without risk of injury by re-scheduling it as soon as possible. This week the long run is tapered down to 10 miles. If weather or life circumstances prevent it, get it done the next day. It may help to ‘slide’ your training plan over one day, making it Monday to Sunday for the last remaining weeks. For races occurring on May 19-20 there is a 3-week taper period built into the schedule that can accommodate a few re-ceduled runs. If you’re using an Earned Run bib for a custom competition that you designed, the race day can be rescheduled as needed. Bottom line, hold to your training plan and make minor SAFE adjustments as needed. Oh, and pick up trash along the way on your cool down walk today, if your long run is yet to be performed, or along your recovery walk path tomorrow. It’s a chance to love our Earth!. RUN & MOVE HAPPY! Walkers training for a half marathon by the Verywellfit.com Plan are likely to be starting week 8 or 9, if the schedule began after the 10k with week 3-4 of that 16-week program. A screenshot capture image is provided below. Or visit the full plan webpage through this link. HERE’S ANOTHER WAY TO USE EARNED RUNS BIBS ON SUNDAY April 22, EARTH DAY. Run or walk the Earth Day ‘Earned Run’ (any distance).
Feel free to name this anything you like, but since Earned Runs promotes earth-friendly running, we will make a claim to some ownership. This is one of the best excuses to gather your friends and neighbors and walk or walk-run your way along a favorite running course, or one that sadly needs a lot of effort at beautification, cleaning up trash as you go. Make Mother Nature proud! WHEN WAS THE FIRST EARTH DAY? April 22, 1970. The date was chosen because it fell between most college students’ Spring Break and Final Exams, explains an item by the Huffington Post and on the earthday.org website. The national coordinator was at Harvard University it seems. Because college campuses were hotbeds of activism at the time, it was thought that that energizing students to support environmental protection would be effective in helping to save the planet. President Nixon had just signed the National Environmental Protection Act into law without much reaction. “The idea for a national day to focus on the environment came to Earth Day founder Gaylord Nelson, then a U.S. Senator from Wisconsin, after witnessing the ravages of the 1969 massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, California. Inspired by the student anti-war movement, he realized that if he could infuse that energy with an emerging public consciousness about air and water pollution, it would force environmental protection onto the national political agenda. Senator Nelson announced the idea for a “national teach-in on the environment” to the national media; persuaded Pete McCloskey, a conservation-minded Republican Congressman, to serve as his co-chair; and recruited Denis Hayes from Harvard as national coordinator. Hayes built a national staff of 85 to promote events across the land.” Earth Day has gone global. On this one occasion, we can all celebrate our shared ‘home’ together and raise consciousness about treating the planet with care; walk or run, alone or together to demonstrate support. RUN & MOVE HAPPY! [UPDATED POST FROM APRIL 2017] NOTE; Remember Earned Runs Bibs are FREE. You receive 4 upon request, and they are mailed to the address provided. Another person at the same postal mailing address can make a request and receive 4 bibs. Earned Runs will honor requests made in good faith. WHY only 4 BIBS? An item on the FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) page explains: "I want to organize a running event locally. Can I request more than 4 bibs? A: EARNED RUNS™ is meant to encourage self-motivated individual or small friendly competitions, comparable to “pick-up” games that are informally arranged between friends and family members. These events are intended to be "GREEN", that is, non-intrusive to local community life (no traffic disruptions or noisy gatherings), to have minimal effect on the environment (no waste or litter, no destruction of natural areas), and be safe for participants (no injury). We limit the bib numbers for this reason. There are an increasing number of small local races that wish to grow participant numbers; consider partnering with an existing race if a larger race best fits your purpose. Each person making a request can give one or as many as three bibs away, to other runners. Or suggest that other runners request a set as well. An individual runner who wishes to use all four bibs personally might designate each for a different purpose (a streak, for spring/summer/fall/winter season’s races, for training and competing in a single ‘big’ race, for stages of the RUN/WALK Across America challenge)." http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/04/20/the-history-of-earth-day_n_182928.html http://www.earthday.org/about/the-history-of-earth-day/ http://www.history.com/topics/holidays/earth-day RECENT RESEARCH STUDY FINDINGS SEEM TO SUPPORT the concept behind the opening of a novel chain of centers aimed at facial fitness and beauty. Rina Raphael reported on this for FastCompany.com, in an article, “The world’s first face gym wants to make your head sweat.”
FaceGym in London, was founded 2 years ago by Inge Theron, a U.K. beauty journalist. A New York City studio will be opening in Noho. FaceGym is s a spa-like operation offering 30-45 minute communal sessions, starting at $70, that resemble exercise routines. Warm-up, workout, cooldown. Theron says some of it might be considered relaxing, but other components makes the face hurt, just like muscles after a tough workout at a traditional gym. Trainers do the massaging, kneading, and contorting of muscles. The research study did not have trainers performing the moves. In the Northwestern University study, led by Dr Murad Alam who is vice-chair and professor of Dermatology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, participants were first trained to perform 32 separate exercises. Then they went home to work 30 minutes each day, for 8 weeks on the routines. During weeks 9-20 the exercise routine was performed every other day (3-4 times/week). An article by Sarah Knapton on the website telgraph.co.uk of British newspaper, The Daily Telegraph,explains the theory behind the research. “How 30 minutes of facial exercises a day can make women look three years younger”, reports that reduced facial skin elasticity with aging leads to the downward sliding of little fat pads that lie between skin and muscle. A plump youthful appearance is lost as the skin sags and the fat pads re-locate, causing the “face to fall.” Dr. Alam, and Dr. Emily Poon, an assistant research professor at Feinberg, were quoted in the story. If the muscles became bigger, it was thought, “the skin has more suiffing underneath it, and the firmer muscle appears to make the shape of the face more full”. The scientists concluded that “a regimen of at-home facial exercises maintained for 20 weeks seemed to improve mid-face and lower face fullness.” The mechanism, they proposed, was that muscles hypertrophied, or enlarged, just as they do in other parts of the body with training. Further research is needed to identify “causes and effects” and determine if the regimen works generally in all persons. The Knapton article has images demonstrating some of the exercises and a link to the website of the "face-yoga” trainer Gary Sikorski of Happy Face Yoga, who developed the 32 exercises and who co-authored the paper. Spending money on sessions in a face gym may not result in the same outcomes as in the research study, especially if the effort is passive. Just like in gyms that train the rest of the body’s muscles, you probably need to put in the work yourself. However, if the spa-like sessions are also used to train clients and encourage regular exercise at home, they could be a wonderful, if expensive, support system. Consider purchasing Sikorski’s DVD and spending 30 minutes at home each day in front of a mirror instead. Or perform the exercises that are demonstrated in the article and YouTube demonstration at no cost. RUN & MOVE HAPPY! Notes on the research: The twenty-seven women in the study were self-selected (volunteered) and between the ages of 40 -65 years. There were a mix of races and ethnicities, but predominantly non-Hispanic/Latino whites participated. The outcome was measured by 2 physicians who were blinded as to the participant age. They were asked to rate facial characteristics (wrinkles, lines, folds, fullness, crow’s feet etc.) by viewing photographs, and then estimate the age of each participant. Participants were also asked to rate their satisfaction with the changes on a 11point scale. “Blinded ratings of validated photoscales showed significant improvement in upper and lower cheek fullness”. The mean age estimate decreased by roughly 2.7 years after treatment (50.8y to 49.6y at 8 weeks, and to 48.1y at 20 weeks. Participants were all highly satisfied! https://www.fastcompany.com/40547973/the-worlds-first-face-gym-wants-to-make-your-head-sweat https://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/2018/01/04/30-minutes-facial-exercise-day-can-make-women-look-three-years/ http://www.happyfaceyoga.com https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4190816/ https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamadermatology/article-abstract/2666801 SOMETIMES IT DOESN’T SEEM TO PAY TO GET ON TOP OF WORK, especially on weekends when taking a break might be healthy. Last Saturday in the course of some simple website housekeeping tasks the entire content of the Earned Runs Resources page was accidentally deleted. Yes, gone in a single click.
After panicked consultation with the host help desk, the truth of the situation was confirmed; there was no way to restore content. It would have been better to delete the entire page than the one section that held all the links to various downloads, YouTube videos, PDFs, articles, websites, etc. Compared with other accidents, this one did not result in physical injury. The consequences did not include disability or illness. Family relationships or friendships were not damaged. It will be a tedious chore to locate and restore information to reconstruct the page. This time more than one section will be hold materials. A back-up method will be established even if labor intensive. The effort to imperfectly put all the pieces together again will be far more work than a routine manual back-up. Hopefully the restoration will result in an improved and updated RESOURCES page. Earned Runs asks for your patience. Each week materials will be added, starting with basics, like “MYRTLS” and “FOAM ROLLING”, below. Comments are welcome. RUN & MOVE HAPPY! MOBILITY MYRTLs Inside Nike Running™ Coach Jay Johnson Flexibility http://www.njsportsmed.com/files/myrtl_routine.pdf MYRTLs video demonstration by Wolf Creek Track Club USATF Registered Coach Brandon Wise https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmHjMCN0nx0 Earned Runs MYRTLs BLOG post FOAM ROLLING Men’s Health Magazine Warm up or between sets or workout sessions Embedded Video :360 ABS Foam Roller Warm-up (brief ad precedes the video) https://www.menshealth.com/fitness/a19515618/truth-about-foam-roelling/ Earned Runs Foam Rolling BLOG post THE KETTLEBELL MAY DESERVE MORE RESPECT THAN IT RECEIVES, it seems. Check out the in-depth story that KettlebellsUSA.com offers visitors to its website. According to the piece, this funny-looking weight has been around for about 350 years, first used “as handled counterweights (bearing the Imperial Seal) to weigh out dry goods on market scales.”
If the origins of the kettlebell inspire you to try exercising with this type of dumbbell, next read “Complete Guide to Kettlebell Training: Beginners to Advanced”. Author Greg Brookes delivers on the promise of his article’s title in a very helpful way. Far more educational than most kettlebell workout routines, it frontloads an infographic that summarizes much of the information proved in the following text. Topics include advice on selection of equipment and weights to use, an explanation of competition kettlebells, and how to get started. Brookes perspective in this area may be the most valuable portion of the tutorial. He recommends first working on “stabilization” training (Level 1), then progressing to “dynamic” training (level 2) and eventually “advanced” training (Level 3). For Levels 1 and 2 Brookes provides exercises and a 3 to 4-week workout plan. For Level 3 there are three workout circuits. Drawings offer frame-by-frame demonstrations of the exercises. There are videos as well. The very bottom of the guide promises links to a couple 12-week training programs bit the links are no longer active. Strength training with kettlebells is not an area of my/Earned Runs expertise. However, the GB Personal Training guide seems to take safety into account, emphasizing that beginners work initially to minimize risk of injury and then to maximize training benefits. Urging them to “start off with the basics and build a strong foundation” by strengthening small “Stabilizing” muscles before working large “Prime Mover” muscles. This approach is similar to what physical therapists have taken in helping me with rehabilitation. If you’re keen on trying kettlebell exercises without the expert help of a certified trainer, review the GB Personal Training before attempting workouts. It might change your perspective on the best way to incorporate them into a fitness program. A link to the GB "Complete Guide" can be found on the RESOURCES page for later reference. RUN & MOVE HAPPY! https://www.gbpersonaltraining.com/guide-kettlebell-training-workouts/ https://www.kettlebellsusa.com/what-is-a-kettlebell/ “IT RHYMES WITH ‘ENJOY’”Discovering LaCroix Sparkling Water years ago, before it surged in popularity, I found it a great way to slake my thirst after a long run while avoiding the artificial ingredients spiking up the sweetness of many zero-calorie carbonated beverages. Back then sucralose was not as widely used as today, which has since worsened the situation in my opinion. At the time I was taking in quite a bit of diet soda daily, mostly cola products.
Another worry was about the effect of phosphoric, citric, and carbolic acids in various non-alcoholic drinks on tooth enamel. Some flavors of LaCroix contain citric acid and two that did were my favorites: lime and grapefruit. To avoid this category of ingredient I then switched to only drinking water, but lasted less than a year on that regimen. I resumed drinking diet soda, but this time restricting myself to non-cola products. Once again, I’ve turned back to LaCroix and water only. There is research information suggesting artificial sweeteners can affect insulin levels just as real sugars do and potentially lead to insulin resistance. Nowadays, LaCroix is easy to find because it enjoys almost a cult following among young consumers. However, it can be daunting to pick a flavor from the shelf if you are tasting this beverage for the first time. Help comes from an article updated in December 2017 by Pete Cottell for Thrillist.com reviews “all 21 flavors”. I tend to mostly agree with his ranking but cannot fully endorse it because I haven’t sample each flavor. For nutritional information, the wonderful FAQ section on the company website is worth checking out. This is where the correct name pronunciation is given and the helpful ‘it rhymes with enjoy” is found. If you’re searching for an after-run drink alternative to plain water and diet soda, think about sparkling water, keeping in mind the advice of the NYT Blog AskWell article RUN & MOVE HAPPY! Full disclose: I am not a food purist, although I wish I had the self-control. I spend my artificial sweetener allowance on sugar-free gum mostly. https://www.health.harvard.edu/diabetes/ask-the-doctor-do-artificial-sweeteners-cause-insulin-resistance https://www.thrillist.com/drink/nation/la-croix-flavors-sparkling-water http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/08/magazine/letter-of-recommendation-lacroix-sparkling-water.html?_r=0 http://www.lacroixwater.com/nutritional-faqs/ Desiree Linden, first American woman in 33 years to win the Boston Marathon! https://www.sbnation.com/2018/4/16/17243134/2018-boston-marathon-des-linden-first-american-womens-winner-since-1985 Yuki Kawauchi of Japan, a once-a-month 'citizen' runner, first Boston winner from his country since 1987!
https://www.sbnation.com/2018/4/16/17235044/2018-boston-marathon-results-mens-womens THE DAY AFTER WATCHING A COMPETITION OF ELITE ATHLETES, like the Boston Marathon, it is possible to be wistful. Thinking, “if only…fill in the blank…I could have become good at …fill in the blank…and would not be so …. fill in the blank”.
And then, after the day after the day after, the thoughts and yearnings to have accomplished something, like the participants in that competition, have departed. Everyday life resumes, the justifications for why a significant achievement has not been realized fill the heart and head, and replace inspirational images of the competition. The dream goal is just as far away as ever. To get on an alternate ‘track’ that leads to accepting and meeting a challenge, sometimes an arm around the shoulders and gentle encouragement by friends or family will provide sufficient nudge to do so. However, depending on how far the current track is from the new track, a more forceful action is needed. Rather than an easing-over, only a kick-in-the-behind jolt will do. The jolt can come as a medical diagnosis, like diabetes or heart attack, or life event like the birth of a child, divorce, upcoming wedding, or retirement. If none of these jolts is likely to hit soon, what can substitute as an impetus to move in a new direction? An article from The Startup by Taylor J Wallace, “You Get One Shot: Earn It.” featured on Medium.com might work. The piece is subtitled, “The Pity Badge is Tired”. Wallace takes a hard stance on excuses. “If you want more, just shut up and do something” he writes. “Earn your screen time, earn your relaxation and your happiness.” His exhortation urges us to see that that any ‘thing’ worth having is earned through hard work, eyes-on-the prize focus, and perseverance. Wallace provides a pep talk that is all over the place, in a good way. Take action, responsibility, and abuse, but accomplish what you dream. And be generous afterward. It’s best to read Wallace’s piece if you need this sort of hard push forward to get going. “This is your life. You get one shot. Go get some”, he urges. If an athletic or fitness-related goal is what you want to accomplish, read from this perspective. Earned Runs feels that although others may be able to assist and encourage along the way, the commitment and effort toward accomplishing a goal must come from the individual. “It’s on you” Earned Runs would say. Taylor J Wallace seems to be saying it too. RUN & MOVE HAPPY! https://medium.com/swlh/you-get-one-shot-earn-it-ebcff1043815 ![]() WEEK 14 HALF MARATHON TRAINING PLAN STARTS Finally, on the last day of this week you can prove you have what it takes to run 13 miles! If you have an opportunity to watch TV coverage of the Boston Marathon on Monday, take note of the leaders’ running forms. Their heads will be up, chests out, torsos tall and erect, shoulders loose and down, and elbows pulling back. If possible to count the number of steps taken per 15 seconds (multiply by 4 to get steps/minute) to calculate cadence, you might see the number is greater than 180, possibly up to 200. Honestly compare what you observe in the elite runners’ forms with your own. When advised to do this by a trainer to correct my form, I scoffed at the idea. I wasn’t an elite, was my thinking, so why run like one? I am a plodder, with a pace about 2.5 times greater than the best in the world. It would be pretentious! But I followed the advice and started to check out running form on all images, including magazine covers, ads, and online articles. All the pros displayed similar form. Athletes who dedicate their efforts 24/7 to being the best runners in the world and building professional running careers that span decades don’t adopt a certain form to look pretty in pictures; they do it to be fast and prevent sidelining injuries. I wanted to be fast and avoid injuries too, so tried to model my form on that of the elites, just like coach instructed. There are other components to good form running. See the chart from New Balance on the RESOURCES page to refresh your memory. The secret to maintaining it throughout a long run is to build core, upper body, hip, leg and strength in training. The form for walking fast, but not race walking, is somewhat similar. I find that the greatest source of fatigue at the end of 13.1 miles comes from having a tired back, core, and arms. Which means there’s more work to do to become stronger in these areas. An additional benefit is that this work will translate into a more athletic posture. Congratulations on finishing 13 miles! RUN & MOVE HAPPY! "HOW AND WHERE TO WATCH THE 2018 BOSTON MARATHON" by Nicolle Monico for running.Competitor.com has discussion. Below are the times listed by the Boston Athletic Association, the organizing entity:
THE ESSENTIAL TIMES (Eastern Daylight Saving): 8:40 am First to take off, the athletes in the mobility impaired division 9:17 am Men’s Push-rim Wheelchair 9:19 am Women’s Push-rim Wheelchair 9:22 am Hand-cycle 9:32 am Elite women 10:02 am Elite men and Wave One 10:25 am Wave Two 10:50 am Wave Three 11:15 am Wave Four (last) NATIONAL TV COVERAGE, NBC Sports
Check it out! Local coverage is more extensive. INTERNATIONAL COVERAGE (COPIED and pasted directly from the BAA web page) "Below is a list of international broadcasters that will be showing the 2018 Boston Marathon (as of April 1, 2018)
RUN & MOVE HAPPY! http://running.competitor.com/2018/04/news/how-to-watch-boston-marathon_170001 http://www.baa.org/races/boston-marathon/event-information/tv-coverage.aspx http://www.baa.org/races/boston-marathon/marathon-weekend/marathon-monday.aspx BOSTON 2018: THE INTERNATIONAL ELITE RUNNERS WHO WILL BE COMPETING in the Boston Marathon were announced in January this year by the race’s long time primary sponsor, John Hancock, headquartered in Boston as a division of an international financial services corporation.
Andrew Mahoney, who discussed the field in a piece for boston.com indicates that 6 previous champions will participate and that, overall, 23 Olympians will be lining up at the front of the start. A complete listing of the top competitors was provided by the BAA in a news release. Earned Runs identified the elite USA athletes in an earlier blog post. The top ten athletes from countries outside the US (by personal best finish time) are listed below in the men’s and women’s races, per the BAA press release. This has nothing to do with science, you might be thinking. Be patient; it’s coming. A glance at the lists below will show that Africans are prominently represented in this event, especially the men. Kenyans dominated the race last year. Among the women will be the 2017 Boston Marathon champion Edna Kiplagat of Kenya, Buzunesh Deba of Ethiopia who holds the course record, and won the Marathon in 2014, and Mamitu Daska also of Ethiopia who placed third in the TCS -NYC Marathon after holding in with Shalane Flanagan for most of that race. This assessment was provided by Megan Roos in an article for womensrunning.competitor.com. Mahoney reports on the men’s field. It will include Geoffrey Kirui of Kenya, who won the 121stBoston marathon. He says several Kenyan men who ran personal best times in 2017 will debut at this year’s race: Norbert Kigen, Evans Chebet, Felix Kandie, and Philemon Cherop. Their PR’s were good enough to land them in the list below for this year by time! Because of Kenyan dominance there’s been a good deal of speculation on the reasons why. There have been investigations into the science of Kenyan running including physiology, biomechanics, nutrition, and hydration. Scientists Nicholas Tam and colleagues from the University of Cape Town, South Africa were interested in bone health, because it hadn’t yet been studied in this group. The Journal of Sport Sciences published their results in February 2018, “Bone health in elite Kenyan runners”, perfect timing in advance of the Boston Marathon it seems. Runners tend to consider their weight-bearing activity as protective when it comes to bone health All that leg pounding should be translating to the amount of impact loading that is good for bone mineral density (BMD), one measure of bone strength, we think. Unlike swimmers and cyclists, runners count the times per minute their feet strike the ground. We should have excellent bones, right? Possibly not*. Low BMD in the lumbar spine has been noted in white runners, and felt due to a variety of factors, including an absence of resistance training, increased running-only training volume (distance), and reduced energy availability. And since Kenyans are thought to be at high risk for reduced energy availability, the scientists who performed this research wanted to study bone health in this elite group of athletes. In their study, the body composition (fat mass, lean mass, etc.) and BMD at specific sites, including that of proximal femur (PF) and lumbar spine (LS), “was measured in 15 elite male Kenyan runners and 23 apparently healthy” controls comprised of male South Africans with different ethnic backgrounds. Variables associated with impact loading like training volume (running distance per week) and biomechanics were determined in the Kenyans. In terms of descriptive characteristics, the elite Kenyans were younger, lighter, and shorter than controls, with a mean body mass index (BMI) of 18.8 compared to 24.4 of the controls. Their whole-body fat mass, lean mass, and bone mineral content was significantly lower even after adjusting for age and BMI. Results of dual x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) studies that assessed BMD revealed that the Kenyans had scores in the femoral neck and proximal femur similar to that of controls, and that the proximal femur BMD results were tied to greater training load and higher leg joint stiffness. BMD scores in the LUMBAR SPINE were not significantly lower than controls BUT six (40%) Kenyans had scores in the range that would be considered ABNORMAL (<-2.0 Z-score) as opposed to only 1 of the 23 South African controls. There were no significant ties of lower lumbar spine BMD to training load or leg joint stiffness. Because BMD of the proximal femur was tied to impact loading and biomechanics (the higher these variables, the higher BMD) and BMD of the lumbar spine was NOT in their study, the scientists looked for an explanation. They considered that the type of bone at each site might be related. Cortical bone, as found in the proximal femur, is known to be influenced by impact loading. Trabecular bone on the other hand, as found in the lumbar spine, is thought to be less influenced by it, and more likely to be influenced by metabolic factors like nutrition. Other studies, they said, specifically suggested that a “negative energy balance” could affect bone density on the lumbar spine, “which has been previously identified in elite Kenyan runners” and has been “associated with a low [Lumbar Spine] LSBMD in adolescent runners”. Running as the only form of physical exercise might be a factor too, they thought. It was possible that adding resistance training which specifically targeted impact loading on the skeletal spine could counteract the changes noted in the elite Kenyan runners’ lumbar bones. The authors also felt population differences might be in play. The reference values against which the z-scores of BMD were compared came from a database that did not include Africans, specifically persons of East African descent. The low scores associated with risk of future osteoporosis and fractures might not be clinically relevant in Kenyans. This study did not collect diet information and did not specifically ask for training details from the Kenyan elites. The physical activity habits of the controls weren’t described at all, so could not be examined or compared. The researchers admit there were study limitations and that the reasons for the results were not determined. The article concluded with a proposal that a long-term injury surveillance system might be established to document incidence and types of injuries in Kenyans, who represent a significant proportion of international runners. The reason for Earned Runs highlighting this bit of science today is to remind runners that being healthy over an entire lifetime may require more effort that just running. Runners may feel and look healthy, especially with a light body that allows greater speed. But the price to be paid for this body composition or poor nutrition may be exacted decades later. At times of rapid bone loss, just after menopause in women, or greatest bone building, in adolescence, the cost may be higher. Endurance sport participants may be at risk for poor bone health it seems, when calorie intake to meet the demands of energy expended in high volume training and nutrients to repair and maintain muscle and bone are deficient. And when training is restricted to running rather than strength conditioning designed to load and impact spinal bones. Earned Runs thinks the idea of surveillance is brilliant. Perhaps in following and collecting injury data on this and other running groups, including both men and women, more can be learned about the bone disease osteoporosis, and how it can be successfully prevented and potentially treated in athletes and all people. Today, Kenyans and runners from around the world are marathon stars, dazzling spectators and followers with their speed and endurance. What is their fate tomorrow? In the sport of American football, it was learned that head impacts play a role in the development of a terrible degenerative brain disease. Best to study now what might be occurring in endurance sports than later observe the emergence of a preventable condition in athletes who now thrill us in competition but unknowingly sacrifice their future health. It’s not worth it. RUN & MOVE HAPPY! "Bone health in elite Kenyan runners" https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28406358 *NOTE: one article on the topic can be found through this link: https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/4987/3fdb8de585a53f534389bd772391552d48c7.pdf https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4955555/ https://www.boston.com/sports/boston-marathon/2018/01/11/six-previous-champs-among-elite-field-for-2018-boston-marathon http://womensrunning.competitor.com/2018/01/boston2018/boston-marathon-international-elite-fields-2018_84494 https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/17/sports/boston-marathon-2017-kenyans-sweep-the-main-events.html https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2014/11/04/361403249/what-makes-kenyas-marathon-runners-the-worlds-best http://www.baa.org/news-and-press/news-listing/2018/january/john-hancock-announces-2018-boston-marathon-international-elite-field.aspx https://www.johnhancock.com/who-we-are.html NOTE: MEN Athlete Name/Country/Personal Best Marathon Tamirat Tola/Ethiopia/2:04:11 (Dubai, 2017) Lemi Berhanu/Ethiopia/2:04:33 (Dubai, 2016) Lelia Desisa/Ethiopia/2:04:45 (Dubai, 2013) Robert Kigen/Kenya/2:05:13 (Amsterdam, 2017) Wilson Chebet/Kenya/2:05:27 (Rotterdam, 2011) Evans Chebet/Kenya/2:05:30 (Valencia, 2017) Felix Kandie/Kenya/2:06:03 (Seoul, 2017) Geoffrey Kirui/Kenya/2:06:27 (Amsterdam, 2016) Philemon Rono/Kenya/2:06:52 (Toronto, 2017) Yuki Kawauchi/Japan/2:08:14 (Seoul, 2013) WOMEN Athlete Name/Country/Personal Best Marathon Aselefech Mergia/Ethiopia/2:19:31 (Dubai, 2012) Edna Kiplagat/Kenya/2:19:50 (London, 2012) Buzunesh Diba/Ethiopia/2:19:59 (Boston, 2014) CR Eunice Kirwa/Bahrain/2:21:17 (Nagoya, 2017) NR Mamitu Daska/Ethiopia/2:21:59 (Frankfurt, 2011) Masai Perez/Mexico/2:22:59 (Chicago, 2006) NR Caroline Rotich/Kenya/2:23:22 (Chicago, 2012) Jessica Augusto/Portugal/2:24:25 (London, 2014) Gladys Chesir/Kenya/2:24:51 (Amsterdam, 2017) …DUNKIN” & SAUCONY. FEATURED IN AN ARTICLE ON BOSTON.COM by Megan O'Brien are six different shoes that celebrate the Aril 16 Boston Marathon. Three come in various shades of medium blue, reflecting the background color of the Boston Athletic Association’s logo and media materials for the iconic race. The BAA established the race and organizes the event with John Hancock as a sponsor.
One of these pairs (Adidas’ Adizero Boston 7 W) is in-your-face-Boston, emblazoned with the BAA’s logo, a signature yellow unicorn in profile. Adidas has been the official supplier for footwear and apparel of the Marathon, for 30 years. This shoe might not be a good choice if you don’t want to answer questions about your participation in the marathon while wearing them. Other blue shoes include Asics Nimbus 20, which scream “BOSTON” on the outer aspect of the uppers and portray the Massachusetts State House on the tongue. The Japanese company just celebrated the opening of its “creation studio” in Boston on Summer Street. Brooks says their Boston Launch 5 shoe is “For those who train in nautical miles”; the shoes have a fun nautical theme. Other shoes are offered in sophisticated gray-black with subtle labeling that identifies ties to Boston. New Balance is a local company that indicates its birthplace is Boston, and claims, “We Are Boston”, having been in existence as a company there for 100 years. The NB shoe is the Boston 890V4. And the craziest and possibly coolest pair comes as the result of a partnership between 2 Boston companies, Dunkin’ Donuts (in Canton, Massachusetts) and Saucony (as part of Wolverine Word Wide in Waltham MA) These shoes feature mostly white uppers with orange, pink, and magenta sprinkles that seem to be falling from a pink frosted and sprinkled donut on the heel. Reportedly the shoes come in an orange donut box! If you are wondering why the Boston marathon is receiving all this love from athletic shoe companies, consider that Massachusetts is being described as “where the heart of footwear business is” by some, according to a 2016 article in The Boston Globe. Possibly because so many companies have established headquarters in and around Boston. Alden of New England, Clarks (UK), Converse, Earthbrands, New Balance, Puma, Rockport, Reebok, Vibram, Wolverine World Wide, and now Asics. Not to mention that the state held the title of “Shoe Capital of the World” before factories began closing in the 1960’s and ‘70s. It seems that more attention is being paid to Boston’s marathon compared with those of other big cities’ when it comes to special edition offerings. There’s a reason; it has become the home town of many shoe companies. if you appreciate great performing and looking athletic shoes, that’s another reason to celebrate Monday, April 16 this year. RUN & MOVE HAPPY! https://www.boston.com/sports/boston-marathon/2018/04/06/these-2018-boston-marathon-shoes-show-off-serious-city-spirit THERE ARE FACTS ABOUT THE BOSTON MARATHON that may not be widely known, or at least not easily answered by those who havn't taken an interest in the race up to this point. Just in case Earn Runs posts have inspired watching or becoming knowledgeable, a number of quiz questions have been assembled to further spark curiosity.
In my years as an Associate Professor of Human Pathology I created hundreds of quiz items. Students like to test themselves. There’s little bit of intellectual reward that comes from each question correctly answered, even if from a guess rather than from firm knowledge. The answer key is at the post's end. There are links to sites with more information. Good luck! 1. What’s the history behind the unicorn being the symbol of the Boston Marathon? a. A rider on a unicorn rode at the front of the first race to show the way b. The ethnic heritage and heraldry of many Bostonians was linked to Scotland c. Plush toy makers in Boston sponsored the first race d. Early winners were promised a paid trip to the British Isles https://www.boston.com/sports/boston-marathon/2018/04/06/baa-unicorn-symbol-history-boston-marathon 2. What (where) is Heartbreak Hill? a. The first hill encountered on the course; it separates contenders from the pack. b. The hill in the middle of Boston’s historical ‘red light’ district is the highest c. The last hill, representing a huge challenge after 20.5 miles have been covered d. It’s not a hill; locals would put up warning signs to fool/confuse outsiders. http://archive.boston.com/marathon/course/stage4.htm 3. Why might runners look forward to entering the “Scream Tunnel” near Wellesley College? a. Students & faculty traditionally cheer runners with voices, encouraging/cute signs. b. It’s only one mile from the finish; spectators & fans scream for favorites. c. Runners making it to this point almost always finish, and scream for joy. d. Local college bar owners scream to runners to return after finishing for free beer. http://www.masslive.com/news/boston/index.ssf/2017/04/15_places_to_watch_the_2017_bo.html 4. What is the significance of the Citgo sign in Kenmore Square? a. If the sign is lighted it means a course record has been set. b. It’s the corner where Paul Revere first warned of British movements in 1775 c. The last portable toilets are available for runners to use at this area. d. This sign is the marker of the last mile. 5. Where is the finish line of the Boston Marathon? a. Middle of Harvard Bridge to MIT. b. On Boylston Street c. Entrance to Fenway Park d. At the Old North Church I have never qualified for, run, or attended the marathon, but have hopes of being present for one in my life. Anyone more in the know about the race is welcome to comment or submit a topic for a trivia question, especially to make the quiz more fun. Maybe we can together add a few questions to make it more challenging? RUN & MOVE HAPPY! Answers: 1. b; 2. c. 3.a. 4. d; 5. b ![]() “Detail from the mosaic floor in the Gallery Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan, Ital: the coats of arms of the four capitals of the Kingdom of Italy. The fourth and last one: Rome. Picture by Giovanni Dall'Orto, June 22 2007.”https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AIMG_4341_-_Milano_-_Galleria_Vittorio_Emanuele_-_Le_4_capitali_Roma_-_Foto_Giovanni_Dall'Orto_20-jan_2007.jpg THIS ROUTINE might be seen as being presented in a tongue-in-cheek manner, as the individual exercises may not be ancient and definitely aren’t new. (“Yeah right, I’ll be a Roman soldier as a result of following this program”, you might be thinking).
But sometimes a novel or unexpected perspective on a familiar routine can jolt us out of inaction. If we can imagine ourselves re-creating the training regimen of a person or persons we admire, we may be able to persevere with fitness building. This workout may benefit runners, walkers, hikers, and exercise enthusiasts who are looking for ways to spend time outdoors yet train to improve strength and performance in a no frills manner. Veronica Seder presents a plausible scenario for this workout in her piece for Huckberry.com’s Journal section of its website “Warrior Workout: The Roman Legion.” Seder said the workout was developed by teaming up with Myles Apparel. The plan involves carrying a weighted pack, starting initially with a lower load, on a run, walk or hike. Every 2 minutes, one of three exercises will be performed: 1) Weighted Push-up; 2) Squat and Press; and 3) Lunge. The cycle of exercises is repeated throughout the duration of the run/walk/hike, the length of which is determined by each individual. One of the fun and innovative features of Seder’s article is her reference/links to other resources, if readers wish to explore further the topic of the Roman Legion and its wartime and physical conditioning activities. Thanks to Seder for this great piece and to Huckberry for featuring it! Good luck becoming a legionnaire, who has been trained to march behind the standard of the Roman Republic, imprinted with the letters SPQR, an abbreviation for Senatus Populusque Romanus (meaning Senate and people of Rome).* RUN & MOVE HAPPY! *In modern times “SPQR” can be seen in Rome, emblazoned on man-hole covers. Our family saw this on a trip more than a decade ago. https://huckberry.com/journal/posts/train-like-the-toughest-military-of-all-time https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SPQR https://www.ancient.eu/Roman_Standard/ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3ARomeinse_vlag.jpg |
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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