the aging runner

I read an excellent article in the November issue of the Running times by Richard Lovett on the Science of Aging. I will summarized some of what I read and add some of my thoughts as well.

the bad news

Runners will slow approximately 7% per decade starting in their 40's/ 50's/ 60's and then more quickly. Why? VO2 max declines, flexibility and strength declines, body fat may increase, max heart rate drops 1 beat per minute each year and we (the aging) have a reduced ability to clear lactic acid.

the good news

VO2 max in sedentary people declines by 10% per decade after age 30. VO2 max in runners who stick with training can cut that decline in half. Long runs of at least 1 hour at a moderate pace and continuing to race can help maintain VO2 max. We should maintain the intensity of our harder workouts but we may need to reduce the frequency our of hard runs. We need to allow more time to recover/ more rest days.
I swim twice a week with a pull buoy. This allows my legs to rest while I still get a cardio workout.

Flexibility and strength: We must keep our functional mobility or in other words our ability to squat and kneel. How many of our peers can't get out of their chairs without using their arms or squat to check their tire pressure? If functional mobility/strength is lost our running will suffer. We will be at a higher risk for injury. We should work on dynamic stretching, foam rolling and careful static stretching. We need to use the range of motion that we have during everyday activities. Use or lose it! Strength training with manageable amount of weight to the point of moderate fatigue or "burn" will help maintain our baseline strength.


"Long may you run"
Neil Young

"Cherish it. Its a beautiful thing, when you can click the miles along. Its a beautiful thing, and you better cherish it." Meb Keflezighi

So true. We sometimes don't realize this until its gone. Train smart, seek help early and stay healthy.

Meb wins New York!

Check out this link about MEB.

Cross Country is the best!

New 5k American record

12:56!

Ritz breaks Bob Kennedy's 13 year old 5 K American Record.
The race video
Flotrack interview

An amazing race and effort!

Runner or a gymnast?

Over the years of working with athletes, I have observe that many of our physicians, physical therapists, trainers and coaches seem to be trying to turn runners into gymnasts. They are very good at finding tight muscles and telling the runners to stretch. However, we need to be aware of why a muscle group is tight and what the impact of stretching may have on the the body. Care must also be taken on when stretching is performed and on the intensity of the stretch.

For example a runner may have tight hamstrings. Is that runner tight because they are hamstring dominate from too much time on a hamstring curl machine or from muscle imbalances?

In the case of hamstring dominance, the hamstrings are tight likely because they are too strong as compared to the gluteals (buttocks muscles). This along with a rapid growth spurt can lead to further muscle imbalances (as seen in the picture). The core muscles become weak, especially the lower abdominals. The back extensors (lower back) and hip flexors (front of hip) are tight. These two groups work together to tilt the pelvis into an anterior position which increases the curve in the lower back

This runners hamstrings are tight partially as they are trying to help prevent the pelvis from tilting even further (increasing the low back curve). Aggressively stretching the hamstrings alone to improve their length just because they are tight may not be successful because of these muscle imbalances. Furthermore great care must be taken with the intensity of stretching and when it is done. All runners should avoid going into an aggressive static stretch (strain). Static stretching should graded in the gentle to moderate intensity range and should never be used as a warm-up.

A more wholistic approach would be to include core strengthening of lower abdominals, internal/external obliques and the gluteals without overloading the tight hip flexors. Stretching the hip flexors should be done while engaging the core.


Why are some runners stretching when they are already too flexible? Running performance is not a stretching competition. Runners require stability. An example of this is the female teenage runner who can stretch her hamstring over her head. These runners often say, " I don't feel a stretch" or must lean way into the stretch.

As this highly flexible athlete runs she displays a swing leg hip drop (as seen in the picture) which creates an un-level pelvis. On the stance leg, her femur and knee rotates inward. As her leg goes through swing, the knees almost touched. In other words she has a lot of wasted motion and it all started with the hip drop (Gluteus Medius weakness). These issues could eventually lead to injury. I have seen this gait pattern many times, especially in flexible young female runners. This type of runner is, dare I say TOO flexible! She could improve her running mechanics and prevent injury by actually spending more time strengthening. She needs to work on hip stability/ NOT flexibility.

A visit to a Physical Therapist with experience treating runners is the best way to identify muscle imbalances and the muscle groups which may need more flexibility.

Check out the posts which Lou and I have written on the importance of hip stability.
Gluteus Medius Be hip

All-comers track meets

I had the pleasure tonight of participating in an small town All-comers track meet. This was a well organized low key event. Just show up, sign up, warm-up and go fast! These types of events are a lot of fun regardless of your skill level and are usually free. They serve as an opportunity to run distances which we don't often get to run. When some competition is added fast times usually will follow. Tonight I jumped in the 1600 with some high schoolers and was able follow them to a pretty good result. In previous meets, I would also run the 800 and sometimes the 400. In larger meets, they will have a fast and slow heat. These events are a great way to introduce kids to running. So check out your local running calendars or check with the high schools and give one of these meets a try. They are a great way to spend a summers evening, especially if you get some ice cream on the way home. Don't be afraid to try something different!

Now that is a kick!

Check out this link to the 1500 finish at the Pre Classic. Jenny Barringer is the real deal.

Stuff in our food...

Well sorry the previous posted link to the 11 worst additives didn't work but here they are:

1. Acesulfame Potassium (Acesulfame-K)
2. Artificial Flavoring
3. Aspartame
4. BHA and BHT
5. High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)
6. Interesterified Fat
7. Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)
8. Partially Hydrogenated Vegetable oil
9. Red #3 and red #4
10. Saccharin
11. Yellow #5 yellow #6

Most of these are nearly impossible to avoid. Good Luck!

Energy Drinks

Here is a link to a Men's Health article on The Truth About Energy Drinks on Yahoo

Here is a link to the 11 Most Controversial Food Additives

Food(or drink) for thought....

Stay sharp!

Track is winding down and it is time to maintain your peak. It is often hard to stay sharp without over working the quality. Check out this link to the High School Runner. There you will find a great workout which will help keep your acceleration in the days before a big race without a negative impact on your legs.

This Saturday at 7:33 am I will be joining 35,000 of my fellow runners for the One America 500 Festival Mini Marathon. This is the largest half marathon in the country. Let us hope for cool and dry weather. I just did my last run with short race pace pick ups. Overall, I am taking it real easy this week as it is better to go into a half marathon well rested.

Good Luck to everybody and I will see you at the beer tent!

Boston Finish

Check out this post race interview with Kara Goucher and Ryan Hall on Flotracker.

Ryan Hall

Boston Elevation

Here is a good visual on why running a more conservative early pace at Boston is prudent. Check out the total elevation of the Boston Marathon from Marathon Guide.com.

Tips for a better Boston Experience

Good Luck to everybody who will run that little race on Patriots' Day. You may want to check out this excellent post on fueling for race day by Nancy Clark "Don't make any drastic dietary changes that might upset your intestinal tract."

In the 100th, I learned this the hard way. I spent too much time at a crowded expo trying to get all the cool gear. I didn't make plans for dinner and settled for a really lousy meal that I would normally never eat. I shared a hotel room with non-runners who insisted on staying up late. Needless to say, I woke up tired and ran a poor race with GI issues.

Remember to go out easier than you would in a different race. I wish would have gone out slower in the first half of the 1983, 1984 and the 1996 Boston Marathon! The first several miles are cumulatively downhill, it is easy to get tricked into a pace that is faster than you would normally attempt. At Boston, this is a much more costly mistake. The wall could hit much earlier which makes for a miserable last 6-8 miles.

Check your running shoes!

A brief reminder to check your shoes! April is a good time to check the wear pattern on the out sole. If you have been training for a May half marathon, now is a good time to break out a new pair (175- 250 miles). Is it time for a new pair?

Yes, someone was actually using these shoes.

Track and Field Pictures

Track season is near! Here are some interesting track and field pictures of my grandfather 1914-1922, Chariots of fire style!

More on P90X....

diagram credit: Gray's Anatomy



Yesterday, I wrote some thoughts on the workout called P90X. I was writing those thoughts after watching the workout from the comfort of my recliner with a glass of wine. This morning, I was intrigued enough to give it a shot. Now, I have some more practical thoughts and I can speak from experience and not just from analyzing the exercises.

First of all, I still hold the same opinions from my last post on the workout even after going through it.

Second of all, can I be honest? This workout kicked my rear end! And every other part of my body for that matter! Getting through this workout is a slight overstatement because I got through the first 7 exercises and I was dead. I would consider myself to be in fairly good shape and have taken lots of core classes and pilates, but the intensity and duration of this workout is nothing like i've experienced (except for maybe a spin class or military training).

Third, let me say that before you start this workout or any other for that matter, watch each exercise and make sure you are using correct form and engaging the proper muscles before actually trying to go through the workout. I say this because once you start getting fatigued (in my case around the third exercise), you will think less about your form and more about how tired and how much work you're doing. This is true for any exercise or activity.

Fourth, unless you've been through it before, don't try to do the whole workout the first time. My goal the next time is get through first 10 exercises. This sounds crazy, but i looked up after 7 exercises and the clock still showed 38 minutes left in the workout!! Now, I understand that many reading this are in much better physical condition than I am, and this advice won't apply. I am speaking mainly to the crowd of people that are looking for a new workout or who are fairly new to the core/functional type exercises.

Lastly, let me again say that the exercises in this workout are outstanding for building core strength and most of all core endurance! These can be great for any type of athlete or for protecting the weekend warrior from sidelining injury. I use lower level variations of these exercises in a rehab setting, so I know they are effective. I would suggest taking the exercises that are the most challenging for you and practice them individually or ask a professional if there are modifications or lower level exercises that can be used to strengthen the muscles necessary to complete the exercises in the workout correctly. Also, the developers of the program do offer a free P90x "fit test" to complete before starting the workout. I would highly recommend doing this and being honest with yourself during and after the test. Don't risk an injury by trying to just get through the workout! Remember: Correct muscle engagement and form, form, form!! Have Fun....i'm going to be sore for the next week!!

Just a few words on....P90X

I recently acquired a copy of one session of the P90X workout series. This workout was titled, "Core Synergistics".

First of all, I want to say that this is a great core workout. The series of exercises are taken from a variety of disciplines and has a great foundation in functional strength and fitness. The workouts can be performed with minimal accessories and there is no need to join a gym to get a great 45-60 minute total body workout. From a fitness point of view this is cost-effective and most of all, functional!

My only warning is this: From a physical therapist's point of view, this workout should only be attempted by someone who has had some core strength/functional strength training. I have had several patients that have tried to perform the workouts and ended up with back/shoulder/hip injuries. Many of the exercises performed in this series are very advanced. Even the "modifications" that are demonstrated for beginners are somewhat advanced.

The instructor in the video is very explicit (and I agree with him totally) that if you can't perform the exercises with good form you should 1) decrease the weight 2) change the movement to an easier form 3)perform less repetitions or 4) stop!

My advice would be to consult a health care professional (doctor, physical therapist, athletic trainer) or a reputable fitness professional before beginning these workout programs. Many of these professionals will be able to assist with demonstrating lower level exercises that will eventually lead to successful performance of the more advanced exercises in P90X.

Again, I give a thumbs up to the P90X workouts. Just use common sense when trying to complete the workouts and remember that your form when doing these exercises is the most important thing. If the form is not good and you're not engaging the right muscles at the right time, you might be risking injury.

A Change of Pace/Half Marathon Training Part 2

For those of you who are planning to run a May or June half marathon, March is a good time to begin thinking about a change of pace. This is especially true if you want to do more than just finish. With two months in the books with a gradual increase in long runs and weekly mileage now is the time to add anaerobic threshold workouts such as tempo runs, cruise intervals and maybe even some aerobic capacity runs (vo2 max). To get the most out of speed training, it is important to understand what these terms mean and how do these types of workouts. Click on the underlined words for the McMillan running calculator for pace goals and for excellent definitions of these terms.

Two examples of anaerobic threshold training (AT)are tempo runs and cruise intervals. A heart rate monitor really helps keep my effort on these workouts in check. It keeps me from pushing too hard and from slacking off. The Runner's Web is a good place to find heart rate training zones.

My early season speed workouts are blind tempo runs of 20-60 minutes. For example, on my first tempo run of the season I ran for 20 minutes on an unknown course length. My goal pace was to keep my heart rate in my AT heart rate zone of 157-163 bpm. When I got home I measured the distance on USATF course calculator. I am not concerned about the distance until after the run. On the next tempo run I ran the same workout but on another unknown course. This time I was able to cover more distance was able to still keep my heart rate in my AT zone. Sometimes, I will do tempo runs in the last half of a longer run. I will usually alternate between these tempo runs or cruise intervals from week to week.

Cruise intervals are described in Jack Daniel's book, Peak Running Performance. These are another form of anaerobic threshold workouts. For example, I will do 3 to 6, 1 mile repeats within my AT heart rate zone or at 10k pace. After each 1 mile I will take a very short rest (for me approximately 1 minute). Each 1 mile repeat must be maintained at the goal pace with a variation of only 2-5 seconds. These miles should be hard but manageable.

I will sometimes add in an aerobic capacity workout. These are nearly all out speed workouts with a long recovery interval. I may run 3-4, 1 mile repeats but much harder/ within my AC heart rate zone. However instead of a short rest interval, I will take a full recovery approximately 3-5 minutes. For example, I may run 3 x's 1 at a pace near 5:30 or faster while keeping my heart rate between 163-177 bpm. Between each 1 mile, I will take a full rest (no jogging) until I am completely recovered.

Basically, these speed workouts will improve my ability to handle a faster pace for longer periods of time. I now am at the age where I can only do one speed workout and a long run a week. If I do more than that very often I don't recover well and run the risk of an injury. I still will deload every 2 weeks by lowering my quality miles as well as my weekly mileage by 25%. I also will alter these workouts around any tune up races. Remember rest is also a very important part of training. After a heavy load the body must have enough time to recover and rebuild. When in doubt, I will reschedule a hard run if I am having any symptoms or pain during my average day. Hopefully this post was helpful in explaining the need for speed and how to include it in half marathon training. In April, I will review tapering for the big race.

Note to readers:
Always consult a physician before starting any exercise program.

Night-time muscle Cramps

Here is another link to more of Nancy Clark's wisdom on Nutrition/ Night-time muscle cramps.

Running out of Rhythm/ my PVC story

I thought I would share a story about my heart specifically about PVCs (premature ventricular contractions). Put simply, PVCs are an extra heartbeat that disrupts the normal heart rhythm. PVCs are very common especially in athletes. Treatment is recommended if symptoms are frequent or if there is a history of heart disease.

To me, PVCs felt like a deep skipped beat in my chest. Initially I would only feel these while at rest (sitting or lying down prior to going to sleep). After I turned 40, and when training in hot and humid weather, I would notice these more often. This summer I participated in the Hood to Coast relay. Shortly after this event and during my fall training my symptoms increased in frequency. I began to notice them daily and while standing as well as rest. My MD and I then decided it was time to get some tests. I opted for a echocardiogram. This test would look at the structure of my heart. It came back normal, but it did confirm I was having PVCs.

Meanwhile, a friend had done some reading on endurance athletes and low magnesium levels. There were several reports of improvements of PVCs with making sure these athletes were getting their normal amounts of magnesium. I decided that it would be worth trying to change my diet and making sure I was getting enough magnesium. I stopped drinking coffee and started eating magnesium rich foods such as almonds and pumpkin seeds. I made sure I took my multivitamin and added a magnesium supplement to make sure I was getting my RDA. I also began my recovery month (lower training mileage. Within a month (December), I could not feel any PVCs in standing and felt very few while at rest. I had my blood tested and requested they check my magnesium levels. My blood work came back normal. In January, I began to ramp up my training. At this time I no longer feel PVCs even at rest.

The moral of this story: SEE A DOCTOR with any heart related symptoms. It is worth getting checked out even if it is just for peace of mind. When I was having my symptoms in the fall, I couldn't train hard without worrying about what was going on with my heart. Get some tests done to make sure everything is alright. Consult a doctor about your diet. There are several research articles on this subject which can be found on Google Scholar. Here are some links to easy read articles on endurance athletes and magnesium deficiency.
sri chinmoy marathon team

Not all sugar is bad!

Check out this post by my favorite sports nutritionist, Nancy Clark RD, CSSD.
Is sugar evil?

Simple running injury prevention tips

Check out the side bar on In Motion for a summary of past posts on simple injury prevention tips.

Stretching

Here is a link to a excellent article on stretching by Vern Gambetta. Too Lose Too Much

Simple injury prevention tip 6...Treadmill running

Today, here in central Indiana we received 9 inches of new snow. This is great to look at and for skiing. Alas, here in central Indiana we don't have any ski slopes nearby. Running outside is going to difficult and will drive most of us to the dreaded treadmill. I decided that I would remind everybody of some common treadmill running/walking mistakes which can lead to injury. This is especially true if you don't run on a treadmill often. There is a tendency when running on the treadmill, to run the same pace for the entire run. This doesn't happen when running outside. We are constantly varying our pace for wind, curbs, terrain and stop lights. Another common mistake is to run an entire workout on an incline. It is very rare to find a 5 mile uphill at 5% incline. Furthermore, when running on the treadmill the trail leg travels further backwards thus increasing the load on the Achilles and 1st toe. On an incline, those forces are even greater which will significantly increase the risk of injury. We advise our clients to avoid sustained inclines and vary the pace frequently during the workout. The treadmill still beats trying to run outside in poor footing.

The neutral shoe quest

If you are looking for a neutral shoe for fitting an orthotic, it just got harder to find. I just got to check out the New Balance 1063 and I am somewhat disappointed once again. In my opinion, the 1063 is nowhere near the feel of the 1061. The 1063 now has a large crash pad resting on a Mizuno like midsole. In my opinion, if you weigh more than 130 pounds and heel strike on the outside edge of your heel, this type of crash pad will increase the angle of heel strike (supination or lateral heel strike). This could contribute to lateral hip, knee pain or shin splint symptoms. It will also likely change the effectiveness of your 400$ orthotic. We try to fit our clients in a running shoe with a more traditional midsole without a large soft crash pad. If you have a neutral shoe that works for you, please share in a comment below. Thanks
Check out my previous thoughts on this topic: Retro Shoes / Soft Crash Pad /Neutral shoes

Darn rocks

My New Year began with a feeling of being well rested. I just completed my downtime month and started my January training with a couple of nice long runs. I was thinking about running a couple winter cross country races. That all came to a screeching halt on Sunday. I had decided that I would go out for a nice easy 3 miler on my favorite trail. After about a half mile I felt a sharp pain in my ankle dove to the ground. Yep, I rolled my ankle. After a few choice expletives, I looked back to see what I got me. I expected to see an unknown stick or root. No, it was a perfect round rock in the middle of my beautiful dirt trail and it didn't belong there. I promptly threw it back into the creek. I have no ligament issues, no severe swelling and no knee issues. I am fairly confident I strained my Peroneal Brevis. This can be a serious injury if it is not treated carefully.

So, time for me to try to listen to my own medicine! I will be hitting the ice bucket, iontophoresis and kinesio tape. No running until pain-free with everyday activities. Time to hit the pool!