In Motion

I'm back

2011-05-15T18:09:00.004-04:00

Hello again. Is anybody out there?

With high school cross country summer training just a couple of rest weeks away I thought I would share a link I came across in Running Times magazine. It is a video link for a progressive general strength and mobility for runners. GSM Running Times by Jay Johnson

Myth Busting Links

2010-08-02T08:16:00.004-04:00

Here is a link to a couple of good posts: myth busting on latic acid and stretching.

Hamstring strain recovery

2010-03-21T12:39:00.008-04:00

Here is my post on recovery after a hamstring injury. Check out my previous post on hamstring strains for structure, function, signs, symptoms and risk factors.

Recovery:

When a hamstring injury is suspected it is advised to seek early medical attention from a sport medicine physician and physical therapist. They will be able to identify the severity of the injury and prescribe a very careful rehabilitation program. They will also be better is assisting you with return to sport thus minimizing the chance for re-injury. I see many patients that have made a minor injury significantly worse by trying to run too soon after the initial injury. They often feel the need to “test it” with a short run even though they don’t have a pain-free and unrestricted normal walking stride.

In the early stages of recovery stretching is avoided, as this actually slows the healing process by prohibiting muscle regeneration. I use the analogy of pulling the edges of an open wound apart. We don’t do that as it slow the healing process. When many “ old school” family practitioners diagnosis a hamstring injury, they often tell the patient to rest, heat and stretch. The research shows this is definitely the wrong approach and will likely lead to re-injury.

Restricted mobility of the hamstring is addressed by moving in the pain-free range of motion. Ice will help if it is done 2-3 times per day. The duration of ice depends on how the ice is delivered./ 5-8 minutes with an ice cup and up to 10 –20 minutes with a cold pack. Early stage exercises are done in a pain-free range of motion without direct resistance to the injured hamstring (no hamstring curl machines).

When pain-free and normal walking stride is achieved more functional strengthening is added. Aggressive stretching to end range should still be avoided. Core work and gluteal strengthening are emphasized. Hamstring curl machines are avoided as this is not strengthening the hamstring in a functional manner. Exercises that work the hamstring eccentrically (contracting but lengthening) are recommended. Speed of movement is gradually introduced and is one of the last things to improve. Return to running programs begin with downhill walks and uphill jogs progressing to continuous jogging to running over several weeks.

Hopefully this is helpful. Remember to seek help early, ice, avoid stretching an injured hamstring, avoid hamstring curl machines and don’t try to return to running too early!

Hamstring strains

2010-03-21T12:24:00.009-04:00

Hamstrings strains are a very common running injury. These can be serious injuries, slow to heal. Nearly one third of these injuries return in the first year. The high chance for re-injury may be the result of the failure to identify several factors such as the underlying muscle imbalances, weakness, mobility and faulty movement patterns.

Structure:

The hamstring consists of the semimembranosus, semitendinosus, and the biceps femoris muscles. The long head of the biceps femoris is the most often injured.
These muscles originate at the back side of the pelvis off of the ischial tuberosity. The ischial tuberosity is the part of the pelvis that we sit on. The semimembranosus, semitendinosus insert on the inside of the lower leg and the biceps femoris inserts on the outside of the lower leg.

Function and mechanisms of injury:

When most of us think of the hamstring function we think hamstring curl or bending the knee to bring the foot toward the buttocks (knee flexion) and bringing the thigh backwards (hip extension). However, with movement (walking and running) the hamstring primary function is not knee flexion. Think of the hamstring in terms as reigns of a horse. With movement, the primary function of the hamstring is to decelerate the lower leg as it swings forward. The hamstring is contracting but lengthening(eccentric contraction). This is when most hamstring injuries occur with running. In other words, the hamstring is not strong enough to handle the velocity of the lower leg before the next heel strike.

Other severe injuries, such as partial or full ruptures, may occur with sudden hip flexion with the knee extended. This commonly happens with water skiing when the skier falls forward over the skis. Dancers, yoga enthusiasts and gymnasts also often rupture the hamstring with an extreme stretch.

Signs and symptoms:

When a hamstring is injured a "grabbing" sensation is felt, followed by pain, which may limit activity. A normal stride may not be possible. When the injury is near the ischial tuberosity (sit bone)it usually indicates a severe injury which is very slow to heal. With sitting the injured hamstring will tighten up and often body weight is shifted off the injured side. If excessive ecchymosis (bruising), severe tenderness to touch and significant loss of range of motion are present, the hamstring may be fully or partially ruptured. However, even in the absence of these signs, hamstring strains are very difficult to heal and shouldn’t be taken lightly. Even after rest, normal everyday activities such as kneeling, squatting and walking may be limited and may easily re-strain the hamstring.

Risk factors:

Age and prior history of hamstring injuries
Hamstring eccentric weakness with fatigue
Muscle imbalance
(very strong quadriceps to weak eccentric hamstring and glutes)
Lack of mobility
Hip flexor tightness with lower abdominal weakness

In my next post I will discuss the recovery process.

Momma Knows Best

2010-03-16T18:04:00.003-04:00

Over the years, I've had many patients that complain of middle back, low back, neck and shoulder pain. Many of these patients also happen to be competitive or recreational runners/exercisers. A disturbing trend is developing where these clients aren't always adults. More and more, we are seeing children and teens with legitimate pain from poor posture not only in running and athletics, but in just day to day activities.

Postural weakness and pain develops from muscles being continuously put into a lengthened state (think slumped over at a computer). These muscles in between your shoulder blades and down into your lower back are much less effective in this state. They work much harder and fatigue much faster. This may result in muscle pain, trigger points, shoulder pain, back pain, or neck pain.

Now consider running. If these same muscles that are supposed to support your upper body, trunk, hips, and most importantly, your legs, are getting tired after 10 minutes of running, your body is going to fatigue much faster. Not to mention the fact that if you're slumping during a run, your lung capacity and overall breathing is going to be compromised, making your body work that much harder.

The next time you watch a race on TV, notice the form and posture of the some the world's greatest runners. They are all running with great form and posture. Now, I'm not saying that if you change your posture, you're going to be an olympian, but it will improve your stamina, prevent injury, make you more efficient over time.

Remember some of the things we talk about in this blog: core strength and functional strength. Most people think of abdominals when they hear the word "core". But, your abdominals are not the only part of your core. The muscles between your shoulder blades and throughout your trunk are all part of your "core". Your core is only as strong as the weakest link.

In the future, I will post some pics of simple postural exercises. Until then, remember what mom (or dad) said: Sit up straight! Stand tall! They were right, after all!

2010-03-13T19:58:00.003-05:00

Here are some cool lyrics to 2 of my favorite running related songs.

"Middle Distance Runner" by Sea Wolf

Well I'm so sad tonight
And the words won't come out right
It's been a long day on the track
And its stamina that I lack

So won't you run to me tonight?
Tonight we could pretend that we're just lovers
But I'll only ever be a middle distance runner

Well my heart is beating hard
And I'm off with a shot at the start
And my legs tremble from strain
But by the finish line I am drained

So won't you run to me tonight?
Tonight let's not talk about next summer
Cause I'll only ever be a middle distance runner

Well I'm so proud tonight
Of the woman you've become
And I'm just too tired to fight
So my darling, I'll succumb

But you'll have to run to me tonight
Tonight I will love you forever
But I'll only ever be a middle distance runner

"Slowpoke" by Neil Young

I got some medals
hanging on my chest,
I've seen some good ones,
but I missed the rest.
Lady luck don't you turn on me,
I'm just a student of your history,
I'm just a student of your history.

Slowpoke I'm gonna run with you,
Wear all your clothes and
do what you do.
Slowpoke
we got some things to find,
When I was faster,
I was always behind,
When I was faster,
I was always behind.

Let the body adjust

2010-03-13T19:07:00.006-05:00

With further reading of the April edition of the Running Times, I found a another way for us to increase our mileage after lay off or an injury. Jack Daniels (the exercise physiologist) suggests that the old 10% a week rule is arbitrary. He recommends staying at a certain mileage for 3-4 weeks then adding approximately 10 more miles in the next week. He suggests adding 1 mile or 10 minutes to each run you do in a week. Then you would stay at that level for 3-4 weeks before the next jump. This method give s the body a chance to adjust to this stress level before a new level is introduced.

More on dynamic warm-ups

2010-03-12T20:22:00.007-05:00

I just got my April edition of the Running Times magazine. This issue is full of some great articles, one written by Mackenzie Lobby on the benefits of a dynamic warm-up rather than static stretching. This author shares more on how static stretching inhibits muscles action. Static stretching actually relaxes muscles which is obviously counter productive when you are about to run a hard workout or a race.

Dynamic mobility exercises will better prepare the muscles involved in running to begin their work and help to avoid injury. Static stretching is better suited for post workout routines. St. Vincent Sports Performance suggests a pre-race /workout routine of slow jogging then performing dynamic mobility exercises followed by some up tempo striders.

This has been my approach for several years. I no longer do any static stretching before any work-out or race. I also avoid static stretching after a hard race or workout as well. It is my opinion that it is safer to stretch a least 1 day after a heavy load is place on muscle. Give the sore muscles groups a chance to naturally stretch during your average day. It has been my experience that runners who stretch after a hard run or race actually predispose themselves to injury.

Here is a link to view what they are doing at St. Vincent Sports Performance.

Learn to read/injury prevention

2010-01-17T13:07:00.004-05:00

Learn how to read

January. Time to start our spring Mini Marathon training. For some of us this means building on our winter base training. For others it is time to find our shoes and our winter gear and to head out the door for the first time. Over the next several weeks we will be adding miles and possibly introducing some quality (speed). During any change in our training, which requires an increase in effort, it is important to determine how our bodies are responding to this change in work load and give them time to adapt. We need to know when to push and when to back off. In other words we must learn to read our aches and pains to determine what we can ignore versus what may be trouble brewing.

I would like to clarify this with a scenario that occurs every year.

“Jeff” decided to begin his Mini Marathon training program. He has been active over the winter doing the elliptical and spinning classes. He found the same shoes that he wore in last year’s race. They have about 400 miles of wear on them.

In the first two weeks of the training program he ran 2 miles on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. He continued to do his Friday spinning class. Later that day he felt a dull ache on the back of his heel where the Achilles tendon is attached. Saturday when he woke up he felt fairly stiff and noted that his Achilles was even stiffer and a little sore. He stretched his calf muscle really hard. By the time he started his scheduled 45 minute tempo run his aches had gone away. He was really feeling good, so he pushed the pace. Half way into his run he felt that ache again. He stretched really aggressively but it seemed to make the aching worse. Sunday was a scheduled rest day but he decided he would run anyway. His Achilles ached the entire run. On Monday morning he was almost limping on the way to his spinning class. His Achilles was sore the entire class and during his day at work. He really had to push himself to finish his Monday night run.

On Tuesday he could barely stand and walking was very painful. When he tried to stretch he thought he felt a “pop” on the back of his lower leg. Jeff now has a very severe injury to his Achilles tendon.

Where did Jeff go wrong in this scenario? How could he have avoided this injury?

First Jeff should have started out by purchasing a pair of new running shoes. Wearing shoes that are worn or have greater than 300 miles on them increases the risk of injury significantly.

Sunday he should have stuck to his training schedule. Rest is rest and is just as important as a training day. Our bodies need rest in order to recover and remodel so we can become stronger. Ignoring rest days will lead to burn out and injury. Jeff may have benefited from decreasing the intensity and frequency of his spinning class as he is starting his Mini marathon training. Spin class should be considered as a hard training day. It is not to be considered as a running rest day just because it isn’t running. They have very similar demands on the legs and in Jeff’s case, spinning continued to load his irritated Achilles tendon. Cross training is generally fine but sometimes doing an activity that doesn’t load the legs is a safer option. Swimming with a pull buoy is a good choice.

Jeff’s biggest mistake was his inability to read and listen to his symptoms. When he felt the aching the first time, he should have used ice on his heel/Achilles and avoided the aggressive stretching. When symptoms are felt during a workout and they don’t go away or if they worsen, STOP. At least slow down and shorten the work out. ICE and avoid aggressive stretching. If an area is aching, stretching needs to be gentle and non painful. Stretching aggressively may make a minor injury much more symptomatic.

If the symptoms go away and don’t return, a work out may be completed. It is still prudent to shorten the workout and ice. If symptoms are felt during the day just walking around, it is better to not workout. REST or cross train without loading the sore area. ICE frequently. Do no running until pain-free during everyday activities. Then the return to running needs to be short and easy and should be followed by a rest day. This will allow Jeff to evaluate how the Achilles is handling the return to running with less chance for re-injury.

Learn to read your body.
I hope this is helpful!

Log it

2010-01-17T12:40:00.006-05:00

2010!

This marks my 31st year of using the Complete Runner's Day by Day Log. Sure there are some great online logs such as RunningAHEAD and Active Body.org but I still enjoy having a hard copy of my running data. A hard copy allows for a quick reference of past workouts,splits, times and long forgotten races. It is useful to look back and see training errors and past injuries. I have also use my running logs to record important events in my life such as family accomplishments and vacations.
What ever log you use, I hope you find it useful and enjoyable.
Happy New Year!

the aging runner

2009-11-15T18:26:00.007-05:00

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

2009-11-15T17:16:00.005-05:00

"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!

2009-11-03T13:12:00.001-05:00

Check out this link about MEB.

Cross Country is the best!

2009-10-21T19:30:00.005-04:00

New 5k American record

2009-08-28T22:16:00.003-04:00

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?

2009-07-26T10:09:00.023-04:00

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

2009-07-07T21:12:00.004-04:00

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!

2009-06-08T20:30:00.002-04:00

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

Stuff in our food...

2009-06-08T19:40:00.004-04:00

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

2009-06-08T18:19:00.004-04:00

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!

2009-05-19T19:15:00.009-04:00

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.

2009-04-29T13:56:00.006-04:00

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

2009-04-20T19:51:00.003-04:00

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

Ryan Hall

Boston Elevation

2009-04-14T20:06:00.002-04:00

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

2009-04-14T19:33:00.003-04:00

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!

2009-04-10T07:31:00.005-04:00

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

2009-03-25T20:10:00.007-04:00

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

More on P90X....

2009-03-14T13:09:00.008-04:00

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

2009-03-13T19:08:00.003-04:00

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

2009-03-01T14:31:00.018-05:00

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

2009-02-20T07:35:00.001-05:00

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

Running out of Rhythm/ my PVC story

2009-02-16T17:33:00.010-05:00

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!

2009-02-11T18:03:00.002-05:00

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

Simple running injury prevention tips

2009-02-11T17:53:00.003-05:00

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

Stretching

2009-02-07T09:00:00.004-05:00

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

Simple injury prevention tip 6...Treadmill running

2009-01-28T07:28:00.012-05:00

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

2009-01-14T19:14:00.011-05:00

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

2009-01-05T18:48:00.008-05:00

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!

Early season half marathon guidelines

2008-12-30T21:02:00.018-05:00

Well, It is almost that time of the year to begin half marathon training. It seems that January and February are the most common time for clubs to begin their organized training programs for the May and June races. Locally these races include the 500 Festival Indy Mini, Geist Half and the Flying Pig. Hopefully prior to beginning these programs all of you have been running at least 3 miles 3-4 times per week in December. If you are not currently a runner and are thinking about a spring half marathon we would encourage you to re-think that as a goal for much later in 2009. Stick to the 5k or 10 k distances and have fun with those distances. Let your body adapt to the demands of running for several months, injury-free before committing to a half marathon. For the more experienced runners, hopefully you backed off your weekly mileage in December as compared to November and October. This downtime is important to allow the body a break from the rigors of late summer/ early fall training and the late fall racing schedule. Give the legs a break! Here in the Midwest, it also works out well as our weather begins to really SUCK! Late December is also a good time to work on our functional strength and mobility exercise or add swimming as a way of cross training. Over the month of January and February most half marathon programs begin with a gradual buildup of weekly mileage and long runs. No speed or quality workouts yet. This is a good time to begin to get into a pattern of "de-loading" (2 weeks up / 1 week down). This will allow the body time to recover between the harder work load weeks and will help to decrease the risk of injury. In another post, we will share our guidelines for the next phase of half marathon training for the month of March. Check out some of the online programs but make sure to adapt them to your schedule, skill level and perhaps some of the guidelines on this blog. Good Luck in your training and Happy New Year!

Cool Video on Core work

2008-12-23T09:44:00.005-05:00

Sorry it has been awhile since our last post. Here is a link for a video which shows is what is going on here in Indiana at St. Vincent Sports Performance Center. Remember these are elite athletes!

http://www.flotrack.org/videos/coverage/view_video/234127/100476-episode-13-team-indiana-elite-core

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

"neutral" shoes

2008-11-18T11:43:00.011-05:00

Don't you hate when your favorite running shoe gets a "model update"? At least if it is discontinued you know it gone and you have to start over with a new shoe. When I hear things like, the new model is coming soon, I just cringe. A couple of years ago, after alot of searching and wear testing, I found that the New Balance 1061 was the a great neutral shoe for me and most of my clients. It provided clients that wear orthotics, a good firm start without a large soft crash pad. I was getting 400 miles on my shoes which was the best mileage on a pair of shoes that I have accumulated in several years. But then with the new year, the 1061 was updated to the 1062. It looks similar but it is not. They extended the crash pad which significantly change the shoe. With video, I am finding that I am no longer able to recommend it as often as I could the 1061. With my running, I now only get 200 miles prior to it wearing out to the point when I can no longer wear the shoe.

Never fear, I think I have found my new favorite "neutral shoe"without a large crash pad: The Brooks Defyance. On video tape it looks to be as good as the 1061 and much more "neutral" than the 1062. It has gotten similar kudos from my clients. I don't have many miles on the shoe, so I don't have a feel for it's durability. Let us hope that Brooks doesn't screw up a good thing with the "new models". New Balance is coming out with the new model replacement for the 1062, the 1063!

Maybe it will be an improvement.

Neutral shoe without large/soft crash pads:

Brooks Defyance, Adidas Boston (no formotion), NB 1062, occasionally the Asics Landreth

Indy Mini-Marathon

2008-11-10T21:57:00.000-05:00

For any readers out there that are interested in running the Indianapolis One-America Mini-Marathon in May, the field is 75% full as of today. You can sign up at: www.500festival.com

the runner's core exercises

2008-11-07T14:10:00.011-05:00

In this post we have listed the key exercises which Lou & I use in order to keep up our baseline strength and mobility. These exercises load the key muscles involved with running. Each of these phases have a different goal and we try do them in this order to achieve these goals. More reps is not necessarily better. As I do these exercises, I try to think of the goal and concentrate on the quality or control of the movement. We try to do these 2-3 times per week on easy running days or rest days. In the off season, in our case winter, we may do these more frequently. Click on the highlighted words for a link to the post which will demonstrate each exercise. I will also eventually add these to our sidebar with updates for the exercises which I don't have a description. Remember give us some feedback with a comment. I never really know if anyone gets anything out of this blog.

Phase 1
Foam Rolling Goal- relax/release key muscle groups / Hamstrings, ITB, quads & hip flexors
I do 20 reps on each muscle group

Phase 2- Gently lengthen muscle groups which were released with foam rolling.
My key areas are my hamstrings and hip flexors.

Hip Flexor stretch

Lower Abdominals -This is a good way to indirectly work lengthen my hip flexors by increasing
the strength of my lower abdominals and stretch my back extensors without
actively loading my hip flexors as with the majority of Pilates exercises.

Phase 3 - With this group of exercises, the goal is to strengthen muscles by isolating the weak ones which try to get out of doing the work (primarily the glutes).

Clams

Bridging series

Arms

Phase 4 Goal- Strengthen the key muscles in a more functional way or to integrate the muscles which were stressed in phase 3. I don't do all of these in one session but rather I pick 2-3 of these. In the next workout I do the ones I skipped in the previous workout.

Step Overs /Balancing
Step Downs
Lunges/Front Step up (modified lunge)
Squat

Note to readers: Always consult a physician before starting any exercise program. The posts on this blog are purely for educational purposes only. The information written in the posts is the opinion of the authors and should not be taken as medical advice.

2008-10-30T19:38:00.009-04:00

The Take and run Thursday topic today at the Runner's Lounge is to image what super power we would have if we could.

Super twins power activate…Make as a time traveler and a super runner! Wouldn't it be cool to be able to go back in time to run anywhere and with anybody regardless of your running ability. Image going back to 490 BC to run with the Pheidippides from Marathon to Athens. Maybe I would suggest that he slow down a little so he could deliver the news of victory without dying. I would check out the first Boston Marathon in 1897 then first Olympic marathon in 1908. I would do the Chariot’s of Fire thing in the 1924 Olympics with Harold Abraham. I would run with my grandfather and suggest that he stick to 100 and avoid the hurdles. He injured his knee cap on a hurdle and wasn't able to participate in 1924 games in Paris. Then I would run with Clarence Demar during his 7^th Boston win, with John A Kelly while winning his first Boston in 1935. It goes without saying I would be in Berlin just to see the look on Hitler's face when Jesse did his thing. I would be there in 1954 on that cold blustery day in Oxford, when Sir Roger Bannister ran 3:59.4. How about checking out the 1964 Olympics for the greatest upset EVER when Billy Mills came from nowhere beat the world’s best in the 10,000 meters (watch the video). I would run with Frank Shorter in 1972 Olympic marathon as he wins gold. I would run with any of Steve Prefontaine's races and I would definitely call him a cab on May 30, 1975. Billy Rodgers, Seb Coe, Steve Ovett, Grete Waitz would be fun to run with. I would like to be there when Joan Benoit won the first gold medal for an Olympic woman's marathon in 1984. I would run with Haile Gebreselassi as he runs the world's best marathon 2:03:50 in Berlin last month.

Finally, I may go back run some of my races again to correct some tactical errors. It would be interesting to see what kind of results I would have if I made those post race what ifs during the race.

2008-10-22T20:21:00.008-04:00

On Sunday I went on my last trail run in Michigan for the season...see ya next spring...

Hip strengthening/ Clams

2008-10-22T14:12:00.010-04:00

Clams:

This is a great exercise to work runner's weak gluteal muscles. The athlete will lie on their side, knees together and bent at 90 degrees. They will rotate their upper leg upward, keeping their feet together. After 15 slow repetitions, a low grade fatigue will be felt in the glut region.

The Bridge

2008-10-07T20:30:00.008-04:00

This is a simple exercise that will help to build functional strength in your gluteals and core.

Start with the level one bridge. Both feet are on the ground with knees bent. Toes up to minimize the activity of the hamstrings during this exercise. Contract your gluteals or buttock muscles and tighten lower abdominals simultaneously. Push through your heels and lift pelvis off of the ground slowly and under control. Lift until your pelvis in line with your thighs. Do not arch back. If you are arching you're probably going to high. Lower your pelvis back to the floor under control. Remember are to keep both sides of pelvis level as to not let either hip drop during the movement.

Once you are able to perform level one with minimal fatigue and with good form and control, move on to level two. This level is performed using a single leg. The same principles apply. Use buttock muscles or gluteal to lift pelvis off of the floor. It is important to remember while performing this movement to maintain a level pelvis. Weakness can be seen if the unsupported side of the pelvis drops during initiation of the movement or throughout the movement. Keep core tight and perform slowly to maximize gluteal activation.

This exercise along with clams and standing band exercises are a great functional warm-up before a run. We also recommend doing these exercises on off days/strength training days to increase functional strength and prevent many lower extremity injuries.

Core strength/ Lower abdominals

2008-10-07T20:24:00.014-04:00

This is a great way for our runners to strengthen their lower abdominals without further loading their hip flexors (Pilates or full range sit-ups).

The runner will lie down supine with their knees bent at 90 degrees. They will then tighten their lower abdominals (rolling the pelvis toward their nose/flattening the lower back toward the floor). This position is maintained as they slowly raise their arms overhead holding a ball. The lower back should not arch away from the floor. The higher the arms are raised the more difficult it is to keep the "core" engaged. They will continue to slowly raise and lower their arms until the lower abdominals are fatigued.

We then have them load their External and Internal Obliques by repeating the same exercise but they start at the side of the pelvis and raise the ball at diagonal toward the opposite ear.

Once this is mastered we advance them to a more difficult position. They repeat these exercises but with the legs straight out. In this position it is much harder to keep the core engaged as the hip flexors are in a relatively lengthened position. This is a sneaky way to work on lengthening tight hip flexors and back extensors while strengthening the muscles that oppose them.

XC motivation

2008-10-07T19:18:00.011-04:00

Take and run Thursday

On this post you will find a couple of my favorite quotes. Hopefully they will provide some motivation for you cross country runners approaching gut check time!

"It is simply that we can all be good boys and wear our letter sweaters around and get our little degrees and find some nice girl to settle, you know, down with...Or we can blaze! Become legends in our own time, strike fear in the heart of mediocre talent everywhere! We can scald dogs, put records out of reach! Make the stands gasp as we blow into an unearthly kick from three hundred yards out! We can become God's own messengers delivering the dreaded scrolls! We can race black Satan himself till he wheezes fiery cinders down the back straightaway....They'll speak our names in hushed tones, 'those guys are animals' they'll say! We can lay it on the line, bust a gut, show them a clean pair of heels. We can sprint the turn on a spring breeze and feel the winter leave our feet! We can, by God, let our demons loose and just wail on!"
Quentin Cassidy, fictional miler in running cult classic, Once a Runner by John Parker

"A runner is a miser, spending the pennies of his energy with great stinginess, constantly wanting to know how much he has spent and how much longer he will be expected to pay. He wants to be broke precisely the moment he no longer needs his coin." -John Parker, Once a Runner

Wail on fellow animals and misers!

Ultra-Motivation

2008-10-04T17:06:00.001-04:00

When you think about giving up on anything....

Functional Strength & Mobility / a gentle reminder

2008-09-25T13:02:00.004-04:00

This last weekend I decided it was time to finish a remodeling job that I started 2 years ago. You know, the last part of a project that isn’t that important, just cosmetic, a hassle. I never had the time to get into it. This job required me to do some wood working and getting into work positions low to the ground (squatting and kneeling). These are not positions that I spend much of my normal work day doing. Needless to say come Monday my hamstrings and quads were feeling pretty tight and sore.

Usually, over the summer I lower my running mileage and work more on my functional strength. That didn’t happen this year. I really dropped off on my functional strengthening as I just never seemed to have the time to get it done. It was a hassle. We runners with healthy joints must keep our ability to squat and lunge (functional strength and mobility). As I approach the age of 45 this is becoming more and more obvious to me. Because my home improvement projects are becoming less frequent, I could lose this ability if I don’t continue to work on it. My running could eventually suffer. So my home improvement project served as a gentle reminder to get back to my functional strength program. GET IT DONE & DON’T PUT IT OFF!

Hood to Coast part 2

2008-09-22T20:45:00.002-04:00

Hood to Coast

2008-09-19T19:31:00.003-04:00

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;iframe src="http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/invitation/accept.mb?senderPk.pkValue=221200&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;unitSystemPkValue=2&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;episodePk.pkValue=6617668&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;backgroundDatasourcePk.pkValue=20&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;view=portlet" width="530px" height="300px" title="MotionBased Activity Viewport" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

Two of John's legs during the Hood to Coast 2008! The team was 1st in master's division! Nice job John and the rest of his team in the "Mother of All Relays"

The Gluteus Medius

2008-09-16T17:48:00.003-04:00

The gluteus medius muscle. Maybe one of most important muscles for running. Weakness in this muscle can lead to many injuries such as IT Band syndrome, knee pain, hip pain, and even back pain. Functional strength and endurance of this muscle is crucial to any athlete that spends much of the time running. The muscle is hidden underneath the big gluteus maximus (buttock muscle) and the fascia/fibers of the ITBand and Tensor Fascia Lata. This muscle is the muscle that keeps your hip stable while your foot is flat on the ground whether you are running or just standing on one leg. A weak glute med will allow your hip to drop too much leading to changes in your mechanics all the way down to your foot and up through your spine. A person might have a strong glute med muscle during muscle testing or even standing on one foot for 30 seconds, but the question is whether that muscle has the endurance to last for miles. And can that muscle perform the same when positions are changed such as when kicking a soccer ball or moving laterally to make a tackle? Both males and females are at risk for this weakness, however, the biomechanics of a female pelvis make them much more suceptible (wider pelvis) to weakness. A good video analysis of running can identify weakness as well as specific functional tests. In future posts we will have pics and videos to demonstrate these self-tests and strength training for this important muscle.

The Foam Roller Revisited

2008-09-15T20:12:00.003-04:00

The foam roller is an excellent, inexpensive piece of workout equipment that can be used to mobilize tight muscles, increase flexibility, and prevent injury. It can also be used for a number of core strength exercises. There is a great link to the Perform Better website that outlines a number of exercises that can be performed on the foam roller: http://www.performbetter.com/catalog/assets/Exercisesheets/PDF/FoamRoller.pdf

The number one injury that we use the foam roller for is Ilio-tibial Band Syndrome (ITB Syndrome). We see many runners and athletes that have lateral knee pain or hip pain that is due to or at least in part by an IT Band that is full of adhesions and trigger points. Usually, these restrictions are the result of some other impairment or muscle imbalance (weak gluteals or hip stabilizers, shoes, leg length discrepancies, cycling mechanics, etc.)

During rehabilitation, we have patients perform ITBand release techniques daily. We start out with 1-2 minutes of rolling and progress to 5-10 minutes. The first few times usually are not very comfortable especially if a person has multiple trigger points or "hot" spots. We will instruct clients to roll until you "feel" a hot spot and hold at that point for 15-20 seconds and then continue rolling.

We recommend after rehabilitation is complete performing foam roller muscle release exercises 1-2 times or more (depending on the person) per week to keep tissues and muscles flexible.

In the future, we will post video of several myofascial release techniques using the foam roller.

Cool places to run...Indy

2008-09-04T09:18:00.006-04:00

Today at the Runner's Lounge, we are to share our favorite places to run. My hometown of Indianapolis has several cool places to run. Downtown try hitting the IndyCanal loop. A little further north of downtown run on the Central Canal Towpath. The best place to start is in the village of Broad Ripple. From here you can either run on the gravel/ dirt canal path or hit the paved Monon Trail. My favorite place to run is Eagle Creek Park. The trails are especially beautiful in the fall. Check out these links and our sidebar for other cool places to run.

A proper hip flexor stretch

2008-08-29T10:50:00.005-04:00

Hip Flexor Stretch: Kneel onto one knee. Perform a gentle pelvic tilt by contracting your abdominal muscles. This motion is similar to "rolling the belt buckle toward the nose." When the pelvic tilt is performed, a slight stretch should be felt down the front of the thigh. If no stretch is felt with the pelvic tilt, then leaning forward slightly is allowed but the pelvic tilt must be maintained and the back should be straight. If no stretch is felt in this position then it is not necessary to stretch this muscle group. Again it is important that the stretch should be light to moderate in intensity. 3 times each leg, holding 20 seconds.

Hamstring stretch

2008-08-29T08:20:00.011-04:00

Hamstring stretch: Lie on back holding behind one knee with hands as shown. Begin to straighten the knee slowly until a gentle stretch is felt in the hamstring. Hold twenty seconds then let the knee bend. Repeat 3 times.
Pictures from mckinley.uiuc.edu.

This is a safe hamstring stretch as it protects the lower back and provides a stretch over the entire hamstring belly. However, it is important to be aware of each person's limitations and to recognize that not everyone will be able to straighten the leg all the way. It is very important to stretch only into light to moderate stretch, NOT a heavy stretch.

Run. Rest and recover. Repeat

2008-08-27T19:42:00.031-04:00

I have an extreme example of this week's topic on Take it and run Thursday.
This last weekend, I finished my first Hood to Coast Relay. This was a true test of physical and mental endurance especially because I only had about 4 weeks of quality training. HTC is a 12 person relay from Mt. Hood 197 miles finishing on the beach at Seaside Oregon. It is an extreme example of run, rest, recover and repeat all within 24 hours. Each runner runs 3 legs staying in order. For example, runner 1 hands off to runner 2, who then hands off to runner 3 etc.. until the order begins again. The runner is then picked up by their team van while the other van transports the next runner up to the next exchange point. I was runner 10 who ran legs 10, 22 and 34 of 36 legs. The race began early Friday and started in waves of teams with similar projected finishing times. Our team started at 6:45 PM. I took the hand off at 12:03 am Saturday and ran in the dark on a rolling paved trail for 6.88 miles. I tried to hold my goal pace despite the feeling that I had to cut my stride as I was having a difficult time seeing the trail. Upon finishing this leg, I was very hungry and felt depleted. I would now have about 6 hours to rest, recover and race again! I decided to try a new energy replacement drink, chocolate milk. In this case it was organic soy chocolate milk. After chugging this I felt 100% better. I then ate some bagels and peanut butter. Later I drank water with a Nuun tablet. The resting part of this phase was difficult as I found it impossible to sleep in a van with 7 people. We were unable to take advantage of the designated sleeping areas as our very experienced team captain felt it was important to keep the vans traveling together from each exchange point. However, this would have allowed me to get 1-3 hours of important shut eye. Many will argue that sleep is not necessary in a racing scenario but for me I believe it would have helped me in the 3rd leg.

My second leg began at daybreak around 7am. This leg (22) started with a 1.5 mile uphill climb and the a long 5 mile downhill along a beautiful tree lined Oregon road and a creek. I ran fairly consistent despite now being awake for over 24 hours and having to be careful to avoid Hamstring and Quad spasms from the hills. I again drank the soy chocolate milk and almost instantaneously felt better.

In the final legs, the exchange points began to get congested as we were catching the slower teams. This made it difficult to stay loose as we had to get our next runner up the road before our current runner passed us. I had the most trouble on leg 3 as most of this 4.10 (34) was in direct sun and it was hot! I wasn't in road kill mode, but I did back off my goal pace. I was on the edge of a hamstring spasm again and I was in need of water. When I finished my legs and I were happy to be near the end of this journey through Oregon. Our team hit the beach 19th overall and 1st in our division, just about 2 minutes off our projected finish!

This truly is the mother of all relays and is an extreme example of run, rest, recover and repeat!
Now it is time for me to really get some REST! Good job everybody and thank you.

the mother of all relays...

2008-08-17T19:44:00.007-04:00

Next Friday, I'll be starting my first Hood to Coast. This is going to be interesting. I agreed to do this about 4 weeks ago after I had lowered my mileage for my summer vacation from long runs. I then didn't follow my own advise and really entered into a rushed training program. I don't usually do much hill training but I felt that I had better start. Training has gone well but I have had slight right Quad tendon pain after the hills. Last Monday I was assigned to be runner 2 (3rd hardest). At first I thought this would be awesome as I get to run down Mt. Hood. I knew runner 1 had the hardest downhill and I was grateful that wasn't going to be me. But then I looked up runner 2's first leg. Runner 2 gets the pleasure of a 5.67 mile 5% downhill run with no level ground to break it up. Panic began to creep into my mind as I could almost feel my knee saying, " Don't do it stupid, not on the very first leg." I realized that if I ran this downhill leg first, I would likely have problems finishing the race, which would let my team down. Having always volunteered to hard legs (6&8) at River to River, it was hard for me to make the calls to look for someone who would be willing to switch legs. I got lucky when one of my friends from college, who is on the team agreed to give me runner 10 (4th hardest) instead. Runner 10's legs are no picnic. The hardest leg of runner 10 is the second one. It begins with a 1.5 mile 4.7% uphill climb and then drops downhill for 5 + miles. This downhill on paper, looks better as it levels off at times. At least this isn't the first leg. I feel that I have a better chance of not dropping off race pace as runner's 10 last leg is short and more level. As I said, this will be an interesting adventure!

Simple injury prevention--Tip 5

2008-08-14T07:24:00.009-04:00

Today on Take and run Thursday the topic is taking care of your feet. I find myself repeating these tips frequently during my work week so I thought I would share them with the Lounge.
1. Avoid wearing poor shoes... high heels, flip flops, or any other shoes which are uncomfortable. I know this is easier said than done, but at least avoid wearing them for long periods of time especially when standing or walking.
2. Don't continue to run in worn running shoes too long. I usually advise my patients to purchase a new shoe when the out sole of the current shoe begins to wear down or if approaching 300 miles. Get a second pair and start using them for the longer or harder runs.
3. Be careful buying a super soft cushioned shoe especially if a foot tends to over pronate. If a new shoe feels really soft and cloud like, there is a good chance it is too soft. Don't just buy the same shoe again. Make sure there haven't been any major changes to that model. Video taping running in the shoes and studying the way a foot reacts to that shoe is the best way to find the proper shoe. Compare the old shoes to the new shoes.
4. Avoid sitting on the foot when sitting! This is a very common mistake which will not only over stretch the soft tissue of the ankle but will likely cause knee, hip and back issues as well.
5. At the end of the day or run, if the feet are sore ice and take a day off. The sooner the soreness is addressed, the quicker they will heal. Too many times I hear patients that have had plantar fasciitis for over a year say, "but it didn't really hurt that bad".

I hope this is helpful.
In one week I leave for my first Hood To Coast and will be sporting a Runner's Lounge T Shirt.

Functional Strengthening

2008-07-31T16:14:00.001-04:00

Functional Strengthening/Mobility
I decided that it would be beneficial to provide an occasional link to our previous posts/ video regarding functional strengthening and mobility exercises.
the why...
Got Strength?You don't have squat?Be Hip
the video...
Squat Lunge Step downs Step overs
more to follow...
Note to readers: Always consult a physician before starting any exercise program.
The posts on this blog are purely for educational purposes only. The information written in the posts is the opinion of the authors and should not be taken as medical advice.

Relay Races

2008-07-30T20:04:00.009-04:00

If you are looking for a different race experience, you should get a group of friends together and enter a relay race. This last weekend, I had the pleasure of joining my daughter's coaches for a 42K relay. Three of us ran 3 x's 2 mile loops. The fourth lucky soul got to run 3 x's a 2 mile loop as well 1x 2.2 mile loop/ for a total of 26.2 miles. Runner 1 hands off to runner 2, runner 2 hands off to 3 etc.. and repeat. I had just enough time to recover, rehydrate and it would be my time to run again. Despite the heat, we all ran very well and finished in the top 10. It has been my experience that I tend to run better in a team situation. Running with some team pressure helps to prevent that mid- race slump. Besides all that, it is just really fun. Here are some links to some great relay races. River to River, HTC, Wild West Relay, Sunrise to sunset relay and of course the Relay for Life.
So for a different type of race, check for a relay race near you.

Running and visualization

2008-07-23T18:58:00.010-04:00

Today's topic on take and run Thursday is overcoming the tough stuff. I decided to re-post one that I wrote just last month. I don't think too many folks read this one, but I like it. Sometimes it is tough just to get through a workout and you need to get creative just to get it done.

6-30-08

Today's scheduled workout was to run some quality speed for my up coming 5K racing season. After training for my spring half marathons, switching gears to 5k pace was less than appealing. The plan was to run to the track and run 8 X's 400 meters at LT pace with 1:15 rest...ALONE. During the first 400 I felt like I was towing an elephant. I had no legs and dwindling motivation. Needless to say, my first split was disappointingly slow. During my recovery, I decided that I needed to change my attitude or bag it. During the next 400 I remembered last Friday's women's 10,000 m US Olympic trials. It was a great race with gusty performances. Thinking about this race seemingly helped me to hit my next split 2 seconds quicker. On the next 400, I visualized a full stadium, cheering crowds and heavy competition. My imaginary crowd brought me home 3 seconds quicker than my first split, but more importantly I felt like a new runner. It turned out to be a great run. I was able to complete the rest of the workout with my first split being my slowest. I guess I owe it all to the my imaginary crowd support! I always tell my kids you are never too old to use your imagination.

the next race...

2008-07-19T13:41:00.004-04:00

One week until my next race. 42K relay . Hopefully this 42k relay will help my training for "the mother of all relays". I just found out I have been invited to join a team for the Hood to Coast! I would love to hear any and all advice from anyone who has run HTC before. I would be interested in comparing it to the River to River relay as well as sleeping and eating advice.

Cool places to run...

2008-07-19T11:12:00.014-04:00

I've just returned from vacation in Michigan and was able to go for
a couple of runs on one of my favorite trails. Last Monday my family and I sailed to Muskegon State Park. There is good anchorage just off a sand dune on the north shore near the Channel Camp grounds. It is also an easy drive off of US 31 through North Muskegon. In this park there are "12 miles of marked hiking trails from easy to difficult. The trails are a diverse series of loops that meander through a variety of landscapes, from flatland to marsh and from lowland to the top of scenic sand dunes. All are self-guided."
After dropping the hook, I set off with one of my daughters in order
to share with her the beauty of this park. She wasn't as excited as I was primarily due to the heat. We set off along the beach of Lake Muskegon, up along the breakwall/ channel to lake Michigan and then along the beach on Scenic road to the Park entrance. From here, it is possible to go straight up a long steep up hill to the historic Blockhouse, for a great view of Lake Michigan. On this run we decided to turn right onto Memorial Drive, away from the lake to pick up the trails again. For the next two miles we enjoyed the shade of the woods and the rolling trails near Snug Harbor, through Devils Kitchen and Old Bay Mills Village, back to our starting point. The next run was a solo effort and turned out to be quite a hard pace as I was trying to beat a thunder storm. On this run I stayed on the trails and covered the upper dunes. Up was 2-3 minutes of torture, but the view from the top was worth it! So if you find yourself in southwestern lower Michigan, check out Muskegon State Park. It is a cool place to run! For my other cool places to run, check out the side bar on the In Motion page. Oh yeah, I did beat the storm. Isn't that the strangest cloud?

Dead legs?

2008-07-09T19:34:00.009-04:00

The topic this week on take and run Thursday at the Runner's Lounge is overtraining. Back in March I put a link to a excellent article on overtraining. This article helps to explain the science behind over training. I decided to post it again just in case you missed it. Crash and Burnout! The second link is to another interesting post by Vern Gambetta on recovery. I hope you all find it this helpful.

Gut check time in the 800m

2008-07-02T19:36:00.002-04:00

Here is a link to one of the most courageous races I've ever seen. USA Olympic trials Men's 800 meters. If you didn't see this race, watch the first 400 meters and try to guess who will finish first and second. Who wants it the most?

Did you Fartlek?

2008-07-02T19:03:00.011-04:00

"That is a great running T shirt!" that's the topic for the Runner's Lounge Take and run Thursday. The picture says it all....
This 5K race is on Saturday in Grand Haven Michigan.
Happy 4th of July!

Running and visualization

2008-06-30T19:39:00.007-04:00

Today's scheduled workout was to run some quality speed for my up coming 5K racing season. After training for my spring half marathons, switching gears to 5k pace was less than appealing. The plan was to run to the track and run 8 X's 400 meters at LT pace with 1:15 rest...ALONE. During the first 400 I felt like I was towing an elephant. I had no legs and dwindling motivation. Needless to say, my first split was disappointingly slow. During my recovery, I decided that I needed to change my attitude or bag it. During the next 400 I remembered Friday's women's 10,000 m US Olympic trials. It was a great race with gusty performances. Thinking about this race seemingly helped me to hit my next split 2 seconds quicker. On the next 400, I visualized a full stadium, cheering crowds and heavy competition. My imaginary crowd brought me home 3 seconds quicker than my first split, but more importantly I felt like a new runner. It turned out to be a great run. I was able to complete the rest of the workout with my first split being my slowest. I guess I owe it all to the my imaginary crowd support! I always tell my kids you are never too old to use your imagination.

13 words for why I run

2008-06-25T19:45:00.004-04:00

Runner's Lounge /Take and run Thursday
Long runs, tempo runs, intervals, cross country, track: why? Because I still can!

Simple injury prevention--Tip 4

2008-06-17T20:14:00.012-04:00

This week's topic in the Runner's lounge: "Take It and Run Thursday " involves training tips for the 5k or 10k. After reading a couple of great posts on periodization it reminded me how often we see clients who either don't know this concept or have forgotten it. Periodization is an important concept to include when planning a training schedule for up coming race or series of races. It will help a runner peak at the right time and minimize the risk or injury. In the clinical setting we continue to see runners who put the cart in front of the bull. In other words they, just start a running progression after being off from an injury but then ask if they can run a race in a couple of weeks. We usually respond by saying why? Why risk it? We remind them that their time would not be anywhere close to their potential and they could re-injury themselves.

In phase one of periodization, a runner needs to build a strong healthy running base. This should be a return to pain-free running and a gradual build-up of mileage with a occasional deloading. I also feel this phase should include function strengthening and mobility exercises which works each runners muscle imbalances. This will set the ground work to add more stress later. After this phase, it is time to work on faster paces or quality workouts. Next, the quality work outs can be more specific for the planned race distance. The best time to race fast is after these specific quality workouts have been completed. Now of course there is overlap during each phase and it should continue to include deloading. It is possible to race after some quality workouts have been completed but it must be understood that the times may not be to the runner's highest potential. Remember a runner can't remain at a high level of peak too long without having a period of rest, reduced mileage and effort. Then a new cycle of periodization may begin. It doesn't matter if the runner is elite or a beginner, these are important steps to follow with the distance and speed appropriate for their skill level.

Race recap/Funny how things work out

2008-06-16T17:33:00.008-04:00

This weekend I had planned to run one of my favorite half marathons in Ludington Michigan, the Lakestride but the Midwestern flooding even reached Michigan. The Ludington State Park was closed thus the half marathon was canceled. No worries, the 5k was still on, so I switched races and cheered on my daughter. Didn't need that taper after all! It worked out because Saturday was a beautiful day so, the family & I went on a nice sail on Lake Michigan. If I had run the Half I wouldn't have had the energy to do anything. Sunday, I was able to go for a nice long run along the lake Michigan with a cool dip afterwards. I had a great father's day weekend.

Cool places to run...

2008-06-05T20:30:00.008-04:00

In this post, I will start to share stories about some of my favorite cool places to run. This list is on a sidebar with links to further information on each site. The first cool run is Rim Rock Farm in Lawrence Kansas. This is the home cross country course for the Kansas Jayhawks. My daughter and I did a early December road trip between Midwestern ice storms for the Jr. Olympic National Cross Country Championships. Race day it was 22 degrees with a below zero wind chill. I'm sure on a nice fall day it would be beautiful and a much quicker course. Despite the cold, I enjoyed running the course with my daughter the day before her big race and treasure the time we got to spend together.

Our first In Motion guest blogger is my daughter. She will share her summary of the race course and her experiences.

Rim Rock Farm Lawrence, Kansas

I'll never forget that road trip. We had a big adventure driving to the race. We went through a snowstorm so bad that you couldn't see the road. Dad and I had to stop at Wendy's and wait for my teammate. We weren't sure if we could make it in one night. Well, luckily we did! The next day was really fun hanging out with my teammates and going to the expo. It was cool to hear where everyone was from and their times. Everyone was really excited for the race.
Rim Rock Farm is a really cool place to run. I remember it looking similar to Antarctica, but I’m sure if you went in the spring, summer, or fall it would be fun. For a course in Kansas I thought it would be flat, but this course has some challenging hills. I wouldn‘t expect to be running PR‘s. It is a few miles off the highway, and you have to drive down a dirt road. The day of the meet the dirt road had so much traffic some kids had to get out of the car and run to their race! We took a “shortcut”. Dad drove out of the line of cars and drove up to another random dirt road and started driving down it. We had a GPS, but it didn't show all the roads because they were to small. We were just about to turn around when we saw this huge hill! Dad didn't think our car could make it up. It was quite an adventure, but his fabulous shortcut worked. (Yes, for the first time in his life a shortcut actually worked!) (Sorry, Dad)
The starting line is huge! It was so cold that my feet were frozen before we started. My team hung out in a tent, but you couldn't ignore how cold it was. The course starts out on a slight uphill, but there’s plenty of space. It takes a little while, but you loop back around and go in the woods. You go up a few monster hills, then you get to a brown covered bridge. A minute later you go over the prettiest part of the course, a bright red covered bridge that goes over a pond. You go up another large hill called “Billy Mills Hill”. (I also got to hear him the night before at the opening ceremony) It was very steep and long. Then you run up along a ridge where you can see the arch where you finish. The finishing stretch is downhill. (Thank goodness!)
We had to get in the car less than 15 minutes after my finish to drive home because another storm was threatening to keep us there until the following week. My feet were freezing until Kansas City! You could tell who had come from the race because all of the cars had a deep red mud on them from the dirt road! Overall this course is very cool and I would recommend it to anyone. I had a really good experience here and I hope you will too!

Simple injury prevention--Tip 3

2008-06-04T19:04:00.009-04:00

Learn how to read!

This week's topic in the Runner's lounge: "Take It and Run Thursday" we were asked to share the "best" of our blog. I don't know if this is my best, but I feel it is one of the most important simple injury prevention tips for all of us to learn. I also like the picture, which I took in Whitehall Michigan.

This is a re-post from March 11, 2008.

My input this week involves learning how to read your body. As the weather finally warms up and the spring races draw nearer, most of us are adding to our training. We are either adding some miles and or introducing some quality (speed). During any change in our training which requires an increase in effort, it is important to determine how our bodies are responding to this change in stress levels. We must learn to read our bodies / to be able to determine what we can ignore versus what is trouble brewing.

Here is a common scenario:

Fred ran 4-8 X's 400 in the first week and that this is the first time he has done any up tempo workouts this season. He wore the same shoes that he has been wearing all winter (250 miles) and they are showing some wear. On this workout, he felt really good and went quicker than scheduled. The next day was an easy run and he felt just a little tight. The next time he ran, his legs felt great so he pushed a little, but toward the end of the run he noticed a slight tightness or pinch in his distal Achilles. After the run, he gave it a good stretch. The next day he felt slight soreness during the day but a mile into his scheduled 10 miler it went away. At 3 miles it comes back and by the end of the run it is more of an aching pain. After he stopped, it goes away so he stretches it out some more. The next AM, Fred can barely walk as his Achilles is very sore and tight.

Where did Fred go wrong in this scenario? How could he have avoided this injury?

The biggest issue here, was his inability too read and listen to his symptoms. When he felt the tightness the first time, he should have used ice on his Achilles and avoided the aggressive stretching. But the biggest mistake was continuing to run during the long run when his symptoms got worse. I advise that when symptoms are felt during a run and they don't go away or they worsen, STOP! At least slow down and shorten the work out. ICE and avoid aggressive stretching. If the symptoms had gone away and not returned, he could have finished the work out. It still would have been prudent to shorten the run and ice. If symptoms are felt during the day just walking around, it is better to not run. REST and ICE! No running until pain-free during everyday activities. Then the return to running needs to be a short and easy, followed by a rest day. This will allow Fred to evaluate how the Achilles is handling the return to running with less of a chance for re-injury.
Learn to read your body!

Other contributing factors:
Stick to the scheduled pace especially on the first quality run of the season.
Never a bad idea to break out a newer pair of shoes when doing quality runs or long runs.

I hope this is helpful!

Functional Strengthening/Mobility

2008-05-28T19:31:00.009-04:00

I decided that it would be beneficial to provide an occasional link to our previous posts/ video regarding functional strengthening and mobility exercises.
the why...
Got Strength?
You don't have squat?
Be Hip
the video...
Squat
Lunge
Step downs
Step overs

Note to readers: Always consult a physician before starting any exercise program. The posts on this blog are purely for educational purposes only. The information written in the posts is the opinion of the authors and should not be taken as medical advice.

Hit the water!

2008-05-21T19:44:00.012-04:00

At The Runner's Lounge, this week's "take and run Thursday" topic involves cross training.

As I begin to share my thoughts on cross training, I feel the need to remind everybody that cross training is NOT a REST day. We get quite a few victims in our PT clinic who forget this small fact. Many victims of overuse injuries like to sell themselves that a day without running equals a rest day. Face it, we've all done it. Remember that just as cross training is a great adjunct to your sport so is true rest.

Over the years I have done a variety of cross training activities. I would have to say that off road biking and swimming are my favorites. I picked these up after a hamstring injury put my running on hold. I couldn't believe the total body work out that off roading gave me. The thrill of zipping through woods on a single track trail and getting airborne reminded me of snow skiing. I was hooked! The next season, I upgraded my bike and actually entered an off road race. I would ride after work 2 or 3 days a week and really felt that this helped my running. My riding came to a sudden end with a fairly bad end over in which I fracture my clavicle. This made working at my job difficult. I realized that I was lucky that this was all I injured. Because I am a father of three and can't afford to miss days from work, I decided that I better stick to safer cross training.

Thus, I returned to swimming. This has been a great way to help my running. I don't enjoy swimming nearly as much as biking but, I do like the strength changes in my upper body & core. I have found that swimming with a pull buoy is a great way to decrease the load on my legs. I get a great cardio workout by increasing my strokes per breath. The pull buoy eliminates the need to kick and it helps to keep my legs up in the water. As a result, I don't need to swim very far to get a good cardio workout. I work my core my contracting my abdominals as I pull down into the stroke. I was swimming 2 times per week but have gotten away from this over the last year. Hopefully with warmer weather and writing about this, I will find the motivation to hit the water again.

Simple injury prevention--Tip 2

2008-05-19T20:45:00.006-04:00

More on deloading.
I thought I would help to make deloading easier to follow with a quick glance chart.

Deloading
Miles per week	Deload week
50	37
45	33
40	30
35	26
30	22
25	18
20	15
15	11

For example: If I have been training 2 weeks at 40 miles per week with 6 miles of quality, I would "deload" my third week to 30 miles with 3-4 miles of quality and I would probably add a rest day. Deloading is a great way to allow the body recover & remodel itself. This format of 2 weeks up and 1 week down will allow an athlete to become stronger for what is next.

Geist Half Marathon

2008-05-18T09:59:00.010-04:00

I ran the Geist Half Marathon yesterday. This is a new race and I wasn't sure if it was going to go smoothly as it was a point to point race. They did a good job with the shuttles to the start line and from the finish line back to the parking area. There was a minimal wait to catch a ride.

The course was surprisingly hilly, scenic and fun. There is good shade until about 6 miles. The hills return at 7 miles. The support crowds were few and far between but I enjoyed the bands. The finish area was great, with a slight Jimmy Buffett party feel in the air. Too bad that one hour after I finished it clouded up, the wind picked up even more and actually got colder. I think finishers would have stuck around longer if the weather had stayed nice.

How did I do? It took me a long time to feel like I should be running (woke up tired) but I felt better at about 9 miles. I ran a strong last 5 K to finish in the top 10 and win my age group in 1:21:44. I think the hills & wind slowed us all down, but it was a nice day for this inaugural race.

Next up!

2008-05-15T19:53:00.008-04:00

Just 2 days until the Inaugural Geist Half Marathon & 5K!

Weather report
The latest weather forecast for Saturday from the National Weather Service calls for an overnight low on Friday of 51 and a chance of showers on Saturday with a high of 68.

Just Do It

2008-05-14T21:18:00.003-04:00

Just Do It. With all credit going to the fine people at Nike for making this little saying known worldwide, I start my "it's so obvious" essay for "Take It and Run Thursday" at the Runner's Lounge.

About 8 years ago I graduated from college and started to be an adult. Job, car payment, no afternoon naps, etc. Note that I started 8 years ago and still not sure if I've accomplished that goal yet;) I found myself without sports that i had played and trained for throughout high school and college. I didn't have an outlet for stress. I didn't have an outlet for the many calories that I love to consume throughout the day. I remember sitting on my couch one saturday morning in May and watching the Indy Mini Marathon on a local channel. I couldn't believe that 40,000 people got up on Saturday morning to run?! Run 13.1 miles! As I continued to watch and the reporters did various reports on inspirational stories and interviewed several "ordinary" runners that just did it. I wonder if I could do that? I contemplated this question for several weeks and ironically, it was a good friend of mine that was not a runner who gave me this obvious advice: Just do it. Just sign up and see what happens. What's the harm in that?

A couple weeks later, not quite ready to take that leap yet, I signed up for a local 5k. I was still really wondering what possibly could be the point of getting up so early to run. I can understand getting up early to hit the football field or take batting practice, but just to run? I'll start small and see what happens. I didn't even train for that first 5k, but when I started the race I felt that competitive spirit start to flow again. I knew i wasn't fast enough to win, but i could compete with the people around me. Awesome! I felt revived and new again. When I finished I wanted to go again! I wanted to beat that guy who caught me at the line. Let's go again buddy! I started training daily and yes, I got up early on Saturday morning to do a "long" run. Even though a long run in those days was 3-4 miles. A week later I sent in my registration for the mini. I didn't know if I could do it. I didn't know what I was getting into. I didn't know a bit about running. I had a pair of old Nike shoes, some workout shorts, a ratty t-shirt, and my hat. I just wanted to run. And all I had to do was sign up and see what happens.

Many things in this life happen because people are willing to face the unknown and just do it. Taking this little, in the grand scheme of things not really huge, risk I have found many interesting places, friends, accomplishments, and memories that I will always cherish. I have taken my body to limits that i didn't really think were possible. I have learned many things about life and living through this little thing called running.

Now I'm training for a marathon.....i still have questions in my mind. Can I do that? I would really like to do a triathlon. Can I do that?

Can I do that? The answer is so obvious: sign up, just do it, and see what happens.

Pilates vs. Yoga

2008-05-14T18:12:00.012-04:00

Photo credit: Chris Fanning, www.fitnessmagazine.com

Pilates and Yoga have gained significant popularity over the last 10 years with athletes of all sports, genders, and ages. Many studios are now offering pilates and yoga for kids. They have both become the cross-training choice of many endurance athletes. I have taken a series of classes in both basic yoga and pilates. Yoga, the older of the two disciplines (originated in India over 26,000 years ago), literally means "union". This union is between the mind, body, and spirit. There are several different branches of yoga (8), but the one we mostly identify with is described as Hatha Yoga, which refers to the practice of physical postures and poses (asana). Depending on the tradition of the instructor, classes can combine these postures and poses with relaxion and meditation to acheive a therapeutic healing of the mind, body, and spirit. Pilates, originally developed and taught by Joseph Pilates 80 years ago, is a series of exercises that are performed with the goal of elongating the muscles of the spine, developing core strength (the powerhouse: abdominals, postural muscles, gluteals), muscular control, and balance. Both disciplines are very concerned with quality of movement and being connected with your body in order to control movement. A meditative state of body awareness can be acheived with both disciplines in order to have a therapeutic stress relieving component.

All of that being said, I find that there are great benefits to both. As with all types of fitness and strength activities, I believe one has to identify their own goals when beginning a program whether it be going to the gym for a workout or starting a yoga class. The word that comes to my mind is balance. In my experience, yoga poses tend to focus more on flexibility. This is not to say that the poses don't require strength, because I can tell you that this is far from the truth. There are several poses that I couldn't even start because i didn't have the strength to hold the position. On the other hand, Pilates classes seem to focus on strength and control. To be honest though, some of the movements in the class I had trouble performing because, you guessed it, I wasn't flexible enough. To solve these dilemmas, I found that many of the pilates and yoga instructors would incorporate movements from both disciplines to supplement those deficits. I'm by no means an expert in either of the disciplines, so I don't know to what extent they overlap, but I did find that many of the movements overlapped each other i.e. flexibility movements in pilates and core strength movements in yoga.

Balance is the key. In my field, I see muscle imbalances everyday. I can see a muscle imbalance from a mile away when i'm watching a track meet. There's millions of opinions out there as to the cause of these imbalances. Is one muscle too tight? Is one muscle weak? Is the joint or joints hypermobile (too flexible)? Why are they in this state? Do they have a faulty postural habit (sitting on feet)? Do they have a faulty movement pattern (squatting or bending)? Have they had an injury or surgery that caused this compensation? Do they have a genetic trait (true leg length difference)? The list goes on and on. I believe that in most cases the cause of muscle imbalance is a combination of two or more of these.

Too often, I see athletes that have chosen to focus on only one part of the puzzle. For example, a runner who runs 50-60 miles a week and does yoga twice a week comes into the clinic with hip pain. In this situation the person was focusing on flexibility and neglecting stability. Their hamstrings, glutes, piriformis, and lower back muscles were above average for range of motion and flexibility, but their hip strength (buttock muscles and abdominals) were weak leaving muscles that were being overworked in order to control the hip and pelvis while running. Correcting the muscle imbalance with functional hip and core strength allowed them to return to running. This is just one example of many.

I am not saying that everyone who does either yoga and pilates and is a runner is going to end up injured or with a muscle imbalance. I know many athletes who do both, just one, or neither and never have a problem. My goal is to make people more aware of balance between strength and flexibility in order to perform better. I did both at separate times and felt stronger while running. I felt like my body was more stable and was able to be more efficient during workouts. Yoga definitely made me more fluid and relaxed while pilates made me feel longer and more powerful.

If you are injured or question whether you might have a muscle imbalance that might be hindering your performance there are many good (and some, not so good;) articles on the internet. Consult a sports medicine physician, physical therapist, or athletic trainer for a postural analysis or movement screen to identify problem areas.

Both pilates and yoga are great options for cross-training. Just remember to keep balance.

Deloading!

2008-05-13T20:44:00.010-04:00

Here is a link to a fantastic post on deloading. Elitetrack
This could be my new favorite link.
I may not need to write another word; these guys just plain get it.

Simple Injury Prevention--Tip 1

2008-05-10T07:58:00.012-04:00

At The Runner's Lounge, this week's "take and run Thursday" we are to share the obvious. We will call these topics simple injury prevention. Lou & I will share these tips over the following weeks. Here is tip 1.

With summer approaching, flip flops suddenly become one of the most popular shoe choices. I see them everywhere. My wife & daughters like them because they are convenient and stylish. But unfortunately flip flops are not good for the runner's foot. Runners as well as non-runners, should avoid wearing them for long periods of time (shopping, school, anytime with long-term standing or walking). Why? Next time you are at the mall, take some time and watch people walking in flip flops. Notice how the heel slides off to the inside and sometimes even off the sole. If you look up from the foot at the ankle, you will see an increase in pronation (rolling inward). The toe flexor muscles have to contract more to help keep the flip flop on the foot. The combination of these actions will cumulatively increase the stress to the soft tissue of the foot and leg. This choice of shoe combined with your running and training will lead to a higher probability of injury. These injuries may include: Plantar fasciitis (heel pain), Posterior Tibialis tendonitis (shin Splints), Achilles tendonitis, knee and hip pain. So try to avoid wearing flip flops for a long periods time; it will help you in the long run!

Goals

2008-05-07T16:56:00.013-04:00

At The Runner's Lounge, this week's "take and run Thursday" we are to share our wisdom and experiences. I decided to tackle marathon goals and to share a story about one of my races in which my goal planning was challenged by the weather.

I just read a great article in the June edition of the Running Times on the Two-Plan Rule of Racing (page 18) by Greg McMillian. A group of USATF coaches suggest setting 2 goals rather than 3 goals produce better results. They recommend going into each race with 2 realistic but attainable goals. Goal 1 would be a goal that you would achieve with a perfect day with your best effort. This goal must be supported by your previous training and racing.

The second goal (Goal 2) is the goal that you set which would be the "minimum achievement" for you to be satisfied with the your race. In other words, this is a "must have goal with no excuses".
If you don't attain this goal, you absolutely had a bad race and should learn from your choices during the race.

If all systems are go, meaning your fitness level, the race course and the weather are favorable then, goal 1 is the one you go for. On the other hand if any of these are off then, goal 2 is the one to shoot for.

I feel that this is a great approach to do for the upcoming marathon season. In the marathon you must have a second goal. There are so many variables that can ruin your original race plans.

In the 1998 Detroit Free Press Marathon I definitely used this goal system to my advantage. In the days before the race I determined that as a result of my training & race I was in shape to run below 2:45. This was goal 1. The night before the race, I was watching the Notre Dame at Northwestern Football game on ESPN. It was absolutely pouring down rain and was very windy. This weather system was heading straight for Detroit and I knew goal 1 was in jeopardy! Race morning the weather was actually perfect 50 & no wind or rain. The guys that I had planned to race with took off at our original goal pace. I was very tempted to go with them. It was painful to watch them leave me. The night before I had decided that based on the weather forecast & high winds my goal 2 was to run under 2:55. I knew that the in the first half of the race we would have a tail wind and the second half coming back south toward downtown we would be facing a heavy head wind. The rain came first at around the 9 mile mark. I caught my first friend at the 14 mile mark. On Belle Isle, the wind hit hard at 19 with gusts up to 35 mph. The next 4 miles were brutal! Each mile got slower / from 6:30 to 7:50. The tail wind and the early pace claimed another victim as I past my other friend near 23. At 24 the course turn out of the wind and I was able to pick it back up to 7:10 pace to finish at 2:52:42. Goal 2 MET! Despite the slower time, I still feel that this was one of my best races. If I had gone with my original goal pace, I 'm sure I would have ended up in the medical tent with hypothermia. Having a realistic goal 2 and sticking to the slower pace allowed me to make a positive out of rough weather day.

It is my hope that this helps somebody out there to set some good goals and have the courage to achieve them. Good Luck and may the wind be at your back!

Last week we asked the question, In your typical training week, how may rest days do you take?
The results (20 votes): NO rest days 5% / 1 rest day 25%/ 2 rest days 30% / 3 rest days 15%/ 1 rest day with 1 cross training day 25%

Indy Mini

2008-05-04T21:01:00.003-04:00

Great pic right before the start of the One America Mini Marathon. Can you see John? He's the one wearing the trash bag!! I'm back a little farther!!

My Indy Mini Experience

2008-05-04T12:28:00.011-04:00

Yesterday, I completed my 46th half marathon and my 27 th 500 Festival Mini Marathon. I ran a conservative race early because it felt a little humid and I knew the wind was going to be strong on the Indy 500 track & near the finish. The plan was to start pushing harder at the 9 mile mark but, there was still a pretty good head wind. I was stuck in no man's land (between 2 packs / unable to draft).
At 10 to 11 I was able to pick it up to 6:05 but this was short lived as 11 to 12 was back into the wind and I slipped back to the 6:20's. The last mile is a straight shot back to the finish so you can see the finish line and downtown Indy. I thought I was going to just cruise in and enjoy the cheers of the crowd, but then I noticed the finish line clock. 1:20:38 and counting! I can't stand finishing on the wrong side of a minute ie. 1:21.01. So I forced myself to find another gear and sprint in at 1:20:58! A small victory!

I collected my finish medal, food and went straight to the beer tent. I watched for Lou's finish as long as I could but then had to bolt in order to make my daughter's 1st communion. I had assured my wife that I could run the mini and be home in plenty of time to get to the church by 11:00am. I thought I allowed plenty of time to get back to my car but when I parked before the race it was dark and I really wasn't paying attention to street names. Needless to say after the race, I couldn't remember where I parked. After another mile of running around various cross streets, I finally found it. I made it to the house just in time to shower and get to the church. My wife was quite relieved.

Mini Marathon

2008-05-03T16:33:00.003-04:00

1:42.49. A PR for the mini. Not a bad day, but would have liked to go a little faster. In the last two miles, my legs felt like mush. On the positive side, I got to hang out with friends and enjoy the atmosphere of a great race.

500 Festival Mini Marathon

2008-05-02T18:18:00.004-04:00

Just a few hours now to the start of the largest Half Marathon in the country!
In downtown Indianapolis 34,998 runners & walkers will join Lou & I at 7:30 AM for the One America 500 Festival Mini Marathon. The weather looks good & dry but WINDY! The wind should make our lap around the Indy 500 track a tough task. Check back for our race reviews.

A Monster Question/Rest Poll

2008-04-30T19:43:00.010-04:00

At The Runner's Lounge, this weeks "take and run Thursday" we are to ask a question of cyberspace runners! I have a question and a poll option.

How many rest days do you take in your average training week? Rest day is defined as total rest from any form of exercise. You may answer in the sidebar poll or as a comment.

I also have a question for the nutritionists out there. Is there a downside to drinking energy drinks such as a low carb Monster?

Thanks for your votes and check back for the results!

13 words of advice!

2008-04-24T08:10:00.003-04:00

This week's Take It And Run Thursday is to write "13 Words About Running."
Thirteen words of advice is easy for me to come up with. As a PT, everybody knows I like to give advice.

It is as follows:
Please train smart, rest more often, listen to your body, and race hard!

13 Words of Wisdom

2008-04-23T22:26:00.004-04:00

At The Runner's Lounge, this weeks "take it and run Thursday" challenges us to give some advice on running in 13 words. As a former non-runner to currently a run-because-i-need-something-to-clear-my-head-runner, I have some words that might appeal to the middle class of the running world:

Ease your mind and let your body do the hard work for you.

Back on Track!

2008-04-21T19:53:00.005-04:00

It's great to feel spring & see kids back on the track! I just read a great post at the High School Runner
It covers an issue of an athlete not running up to his potential. It seems more high schools are being very aggressive with their training programs & racing schedules.

Roll on!

2008-04-18T18:03:00.006-04:00

Here is a link to a great summary article on foam rolling which, Lou & I do the day after our long runs and on rest days. I usually do this on my Quads, Hams & ITB. This helps my recovery and eliminates the need to "stretch" my ITBs.
Keep on rolling! http://www.sbcoachescollege.com/articles/Roll%20Out.html

"juggling: family, work, fun, and running!"

2008-04-09T18:37:00.013-04:00

This week's Runner's Lounge topic on Take it and run Thursday is training plans, programs & tools.

When I decide on a race, I write out on a calender my weekly workouts. I plan my long runs and my speed workouts and taper. After I write this beautiful race plan I sit back and admire what I have created, knowing that it will lead to the perfect race performance. Then I realize the schedule will NEVER go off as written.

I find that my training is best summed up by a paraphrased lyric by Jack Johnson: Move like a jellyfish, go with the flow. Meaning, I have to be very flexible with my training schedule. I know I'm not alone with this issue. My wife and I have three daughters who have crazy schedules with school, sports, music and of course, the ever important social life. This combined with the schizophrenic Indiana weather and dodging borderline injuries inevitably forces me out of my planned schedule. Usually I find myself squeezing in a longer run or speed workout in the 1 1/2 hour space after work and picking up my daughters after their practices. But this plan is often ditched, because at that time of day in the springtime here in Indiana we seem to get the "pop up thunderstorm". It seems it could be sunny all day, but just as I start my run I'll notice that western sky darkening. This is sometimes followed by those sirens indicating a severe thunderstorm warning. My long run, then turns into a quality aerobic capacity run back to the car before the lightning begins.

To help keep track of my crazy schedule I use the following tools & logs.
Activebody at http://www.activebody.org/index.php
Buckeye Outdoors at http://www.buckeyeoutdoors.com/login.html
This site allows you to sidebar your workouts on your blog.

For my running log hard copy I use the running log by Marty Jerome as seen in the above image (originally written by the late Jim Fixx). My mother got me going with these 28 years ago. Every Christmas, I look for the familiar package under the tree. As two of my daughters have now started their running careers, there are 2 more packages under the tree. The tradition continues...Pretty cool!

Six word memoir

2008-04-09T07:23:00.016-04:00

We were tagged by Steve at http://www.runbulldogrun.com/ to write a six word memoir about our running.

Here they are:

"juggling: family, work, fun & running!"

--John

"Will run for beer and t-shirt."

--Lou

Finally SPRING in Indiana!

2008-04-05T16:52:00.002-04:00

I can't believe it. I ran this morning in shorts and a short sleeve t-shirt! Those of you who don't get to experience the bipolar Indiana weather this time of year, probably wouldn't appreciate the happiness that goes along with a morning that isn't full of rain, snow, sleet, or freezing temperatures! I got out on the monon trail and the spirit of running, biking, socializing, walking, and fitness in general was booming! It's kinda like the first pitch on opening day. Everyone is very motivated, inspired, and looking toward the future. Now we can finally start to press on toward our goals without the help of a treadmill! The anti-depressant for the winter blues is a break in the weather! Everyone enjoy the beautiful weather. God bless the sunshine!

Hamstrings

2008-04-04T07:45:00.005-04:00

Here is a great post on Hamstring pulls written by Vern Gambetta. Here is a link to his blog. http://www.gambetta.com/blog.html

Wednesday, April 02, 2008

Hamstring Pulling Season
We have just started hamstring pulling season (AKA Major League Baseball Season) So far in first two days of the season there have bee two hamstring pulls. Do you ever wonder why? Is it the cold weather? No I don’t think so although can be a factor at times. Are they out of shape? I hope not they have spent six weeks in spring training getting game fit. Based on my observations over the years here is my take on the hamstring pull situation in baseball and for that matter other sports. Too much emphasis on static stretching in warm-up. Warm-up to stretch, do not stretch to warm-up. Flexibility of the hamstring is basically a non factor in hamstring pulls, it is dynamic hip flexibility that is important. You don't get that wallowing around on the ground in pregame stretch. Lack of sufficient warm-up. The current rage in warm-up does not involve enough movement, way too much at walking tempo, you need to build the warm-up in a crescendo to top speed sprints. Another reason is too much emphasis on linear running mechanics, very little on turns. The hamstring is a transverse plane muscle that is stressed when running a curve and on deceleration. There is too much strengthening using non functional exercises in prone and supine positions. The solutions are simple, but require understanding muscle function and compliance to a program. More lunges in all planes, step-ups both low and high, more emphasis on running turns and at least two days a week of all out sprinting outside the game. It takes time and preparation with attention to detail.

Our interpretation for distance runners. Stop doing static stretching as a warm-up! Stop doing hamstring curls for strengthening! As Vern says, we must keep our functional mobility (ability to squat, lunge and step up/down). Check out the archives on our blog for exercises to address functional mobility/strength.

The Step-Over

2008-03-30T20:33:00.003-04:00

In response to comments left on "Be Hip" post, I decided to post a new exercise for hip strength and stability. I had written it earlier in the year, but hadn't posted it yet. Here's the link: Step Over. Hope this helps.

Be Hip!

2008-03-27T19:17:00.014-04:00

(c) http://www.physiotherapy.co.uk/
This weeks topic on take and run Thursday is running injuries. This guy has a problem. Check out that hip position. This is a great picture of hip drop which is a problem we see often. The left hip drop is most likely because of right Gluteus Medius weakness. The primary function of this muscle during gait and running is to help stabilize the hip when the foot is in contact with the ground. It controls stance leg hip adduction. This can lead to multiple running injuries including ITBFS, knee, groin, lateral hip & lower back pain. The best way to correct this problem is to train/strengthen this muscle the same way it functions during gait. That is with the right foot on the ground. With my left groin strain last year, we noticed that my pain would increase in cushioned running shoes which allowed more pronation. We also noted that along with that I had more right hip drop (left gluteal medius weakness). I initially worked on left single leg stance exercises while simulating where my hip should be during stance (level hips). This is done by contracting or squeezing my left buttock/ leveling the pelvis. I would hold this position for 5 to 10 seconds and would fatigue very quickly. I then progressed to higher level functional exercises but only if I could maintain this position. In my case, flexibility had very little to do with why I was having pain with running. With a different neutral running shoe and increased functional strength of my hip I was able to return to pain-free running.

Our previous post on the step down, is an example of one of the higher level exercises. We will post some more video of others. Check out this related post. Got strength?
I hope this helped to explain this common hip issue.
Be hip!