RunRome

Quadriceps vs Hamstrings?

2005-03-21T12:22:00.000-05:00

As previously promised, I will start with the answer to last week's trivia question. Those of you who emailed your answers to me were absolutely right! A highly respected local health professional who works with National level athletes says:
"Typically, the average person has under developed Hamstrings - this often also applies to runners... whether this is because at some point almost everyone was 'average' I am not sure!! - regardless, typically it is Hamstrings. To further this... the reason for this is that the quads push us off the ground when they contract (extension at the knee), and the Glutes extend the thigh back - not so much the hamstrings. That is when you look at sprinters they tend to have really developed Quads and Glutes - as those are the primary muscles (as well as the calf)."
A great way to strengthen your weaker hamstring muscles is to crosstrain. Adding other activities into your regimen will make you fitter by challenging your body in different ways. Cycling and running are fantastic complimentary sports, working opposing muscles. Now that it's spring, pull out that bike!

That settled, on to bigger things....like thanks to the generous support of runners from the Pickering and Whitby Running Rooms, we raised $750 for Canadian Diabetes Association! Thanks to all who rode Church on Wheels to Hamilton yesterday!! As a surprise bonus, no one had to miss church service.

Many achieved personal bests yesterday, while others ran their very first road race. Although the weather started out a little wet and blustery, it soon stopped raining and snowing, making for a great day for our first spring run.

This week calls for some rest and recovery before resuming vigorous training next week. Be sure to "re-fuel" with proper nutrition and lots of water. Treat your weary legs to a nice hot epsom salt bath. Do lots of gentle stretching. If you head out for a run over the next couple of days, make it an easy one. Head to your massage therapist for a post-race flushing massage.

Rest easy and congratulations to all!

Race Day!!

2005-03-14T08:50:00.000-05:00

I have to extend a huge "Thank You" to those who participated in our very first fundraiser for Team Diabetes. I hope you enjoyed the 30km Around the Bay clinic as much as I did.

This Sunday, bright and early, we will be heading down to Hamilton on a sold out bus, some to run their very first 5km race, others to participate in a relay team of 3, each completing a 10km portion of the 30km run, and still others to complete the entire 30km distance. Regardless of the goal, we are all heading down to run an event that has taken several weeks of dedicated training to prepare for. As such, today's blog entry will be dedicated to offering a "pep" talk to all of these amazing athletes.

My first words are "have confidence". Have confidence in the fact that you have several weeks of sound training behind you. Erase from your mind all of the runs that you missed, and focus on the miles that you did log. Remember all of the runs that felt great, when the sun was shining, your spirits were high, and it felt great just to be alive.

Next words - "rest easy". Rest easy knowing that you did all you could do to train for your event. Rest your body, knowing all the hard work is over. Rest your mind, feeling no guilt, knowing rest is the right thing to do.

"Visualize". Visualize yourself on race day, feeling strong. Feel the energy you will draw from the other runners and the spectators. Picture yourself crossing the finish line and receiving your medal.

Get lots of sleep this week, eat properly, don't miss any meals, and drink lots of water. The most important night of sleep is Friday...chances are you may not sleep well the night before your event, so make sure you sleep well the night prior. Eat a good solid meal for lunch on Saturday, and eat a lighter dinner. Have a light snack before you go to bed Saturday night.

DO NOT TRY ANYTHING NEW!!!! If you head down to the expo this weekend, collect all the free samples you can get your hands on...but don't try them til after the race!!! Go ahead, treat yourself to some new socks....but don't wear them race day!!! By all means, try the new mexican restaurant that just opened.....after the race!!! You get the point....and if you are still tempted to ignore this....ask me about my first Around the Bay race, run in brand new shoes.

Race day....start slow. You will have plenty of time to pass all of those people who started too fast and run out of steam. Aim to finish the second half of your run faster than the first half. Save some energy for the end. If you feel good during the final kms of your race, pick up the pace. If you start to tire, shorten your stride, think positive and dig deep.

Have fun!! You will finish this, maybe even "upright and smiling"!!
I would like to sign off today with a trivia question.....
Do runners typically have underdeveloped quadriceps or hamstrings?
The correct answer will be posted at the beginning of the next blog entry....

Congratulations!!

2005-03-07T07:44:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to everyone who ran the Chilly Half Marathon yesterday!! Some ran their very first half marathon, while others set a new Personal Best. I hear the Chilli wasn't too bad either!!

Only 2 weeks til our clinic's goal race...the Around the Bay roadrace. Everyone seems to be in fine form with no injuries. This week will be our last "training" week, and next week we will taper. Be sure to eat well over the next two weeks...concentrating on feeding your body proper "fuel" for race day. Also, be sure you are consuming lots of fluids and perhaps even limiting caffeine intake. Get lots of sleep, and start mentally preparing by visualization. Those of you running the ATB for the first time...visualize crossing the finish line, feeling strong, "upright and smiling", receiving your medal. Those of you who've run the course, try to remember the course, visualize running it strong and steady. Picture climbing the hill, feeling strong.

More on preparing for race day on Saturday....have a great day!!

Should runners strength train?

2005-03-03T14:21:00.000-05:00

Wow, the snow has finally stopped! And the sun returns....along with the biting cold! Reflecting back to last winter's running season, I recall running the Around the Bay roadrace on the last weekend in March.......wearing SHORTS! At this point, I'm a little skeptical that my knobby knees will be exposed on March 20th for this year's race...but we'll see! The temperature only has to reach 8 degrees for me to trade in my tights!
So as runners, should we weight train? When you are running the high mileage that is required to appropriately train for a distance event such as the half or full marathon, is it really necessary to do strength training? ABSOLUTELY, in fact if anything, it is even more important!! As runners, strength training is even more important for several reasons, one being that we are known as having significant imbalances in our bodies, and imbalance is a major contributor to injury. Runners are notorious for sporting weak abdomen muscles, imbalanced quads and hamstrings, and weak upper bodies. Also, strength training is critical in successful weight loss, building stronger bones, and improving posture.
1. When strength training, the most important consideration is proper form. If you've never strength trained, be sure to get started under the supervision of someone who is properly versed in proper form.
2. Be sure you are lifting a weight heavy enough that you are struggling to perform your final one or two repititions. Perhaps you can't even perform the last 2 without sacrificing proper form. (don't ever sacrifice good form) In order for your muscles to build strength, you need to fatigue them.
3. On that note, don't ever stress the same muscle 2 days in a row. Muscles grow during rest.
4. Change your exercise program every 4 to 6 weeks. The body will at some point adapt to the stresses you place on it. In order to continue to experience improvement, you have to change the stress. (don't waste your time!)
5. Avoid using momentum. Perform slow, steady and controlled movements.
6. Breathe! Never hold your breath, and generally exhale during exertion.
I am considering teaching classes that focus on building strength specifically for runners, starting in April. If you are interested, please let me know! This will be one aspect of my "Boot Camp" program.
Lastly, I would like to share with you an interesting quote I found.
"People who run distances they ought to be driving aren't necessarily superior athletes. They're actually a bit freaky physically, born with the kind of biomechanics that can take repeated pounding."
Bill Saporito, Time magazine, March 7
My thoughts: Isn't being born with a "freakish" physical ability what defines one as a superior athlete? I mean isn't one of the reasons Lance Armstrong is the astounding athlete that he is, is his "freakish" lung capacity? Well, that and is super human tolerance for pain....
Comments?

Heart Rate Monitors

2005-02-24T12:05:00.000-05:00

Ok, I apologize for slacking on the posts lately...what a week it's been! Doesn't it always happen that you get sick the very week that is the busiest you've had in ages!! Oh well, I'm on the mend and hope to be good as new by Sunday, as I have a 35km plus run planned!

So last Saturday, we started to discuss pros and cons of the heart rate monitor, but got sidetracked when I announced my plans to hold a "Boot Camp" training clinic this spring/summer! So allow me to start with a recap....

I started training diligently with a heart rate monitor about a year ago. I would never dream of performing a workout without it...however I have certainly come to recognize that there are times when it's readings are more beneficial than others.

Let me start by saying that the greatest advantage I have realized from my HRM is knowlegde of my own strengths and weaknesses. To me, this is critical information for both training and race performance. A well monitored heart rate will offer clues as to what the body is experiencing....for example fatigue, illness, ovulation (ladies only, of course!) etc. and allow you to adjust your training accordingly, hopefully avoiding injury. During a race it will tell you well ahead of time if you've started too fast, offering the opportunity slow down and avoid "bonking" later. (that's provided you listen....) It will ensure you are running in the appropriate heart rate zones for a given workout. Ie. it will ensure you remain aerobic on slow days, and work hard enough on anaerobic days. Wearing your hrm on race days will tell you what hr you are capable of maintaining (or not maintaining) and at what comfort/discomfort level.

The main drawback to using a heart rate monitor is the varying factors that elevate your heart rate - everything! Hunger, stress, excitement, anticipation, adrenaline, pretty much anything will cause your hr to rise. Therefore, sometimes it is very difficult to keep a heart rate low and still be running! Which is why many people advise not wearing a heart rate monitor on race day.

Here's what I think...a heart rate monitor is a fantastic tool for monitoring your fitness level because as you become fitter, your resting heart rate should drop. It is vital for "easy" workouts to avoid working harder than you should. It is essential for aerobic training to remain in the hr zone that will optimally train your aerobic efficiency and burn fat. Wear it when you race merely as a tool to get to know what you are capable of maintaining.

The time to ignore it....? If you are like me and generally have a high heart rate, ignore it on hard days when you are supposed to have a high heart rate. When I am running my tempo run which should be at 85%, but my heart rate is closer to 95%.....if I can maintain pace for the duration I had planned, I go for it.

To figure out your heart rate:
[(Maximum Heart rate - Resting Heart rate) x percentage level] + Resting Heart Rate

in order to figure out your maximum heart rate:
1. 220-age
2. run hill repeats till you cry/vomit!

in order to figure out your resting heart rate:
take your heart rate first thing in the morning before you've risen from bed. keep in mind any little thing will spike your hr, so I prefer to take it as I am falling asleep at night...no 2 footers to wake you up, no alarm going off, you get the picture.
repeat a few days in a row, and take the average

Happy Training!

There is something to be said for the Recovery Run

2005-02-16T11:01:00.000-05:00

Some say they are wasted time and mileage, that if you are going to run, make the mileage count. Which made me wonder this morning...when I arose with an angry achilles and calf, should I bother with my scheduled 10-12k recovery run, or should I take a rest day? How do you know when an "ache" is a sign for rest, or just a kink that can be worked out with an easy run?
The golden rule of thumb is "never run through pain, if it hurts, rest." The problem is pain is relative, what one person considers pain, is another person's slight discomfort. I myself tend to be somewhat over cautious believing that rest is never a bad choice and that perhaps if one rests at the point of slight discomfort, the problem can be solved, and injury can be avoided. However, the problem is that improvement in fitness evolves from a constant cycle of stress and rest, and if the body is never stressed, improvement can't occur. So I decided to head out for my planned run, with the intent to return if my achilles objected.
Leaving my watch and my ego at home, I headed out on the unplowed sidewalks, with no goal other than to run for an hour. Everything looked so pretty covered in a clean white blanket of snow. I exchanged pleasantries with several shovellers, and to my surprise had a great run! My achilles is much happier now, as am I for getting my planned mileage in.
Moral of the story? Sometimes it's a good idea to leave the watch at home, and run just for the sake of running. Look around, take in your surroundings, who knows - you may even like what you see! Also, while 2 or 3 "quality" workouts per week will definitely benefit your running, the easy "recovery" runs play a vital role too....at least in my humble opinion.
What are you waiting for? Get out there, run easy, and live strong!

To eat, or not to eat

2005-02-10T13:49:00.000-05:00

Good Afternoon,
What a beautiful day! I can't wait to get out for my run this afternoon! Plus this Sunday is supposed to be 5 degrees...spring is just around the corner....I can almost taste it!

As mileage starts to creep up, be aware of any aches, pains or twinges you may feel. It is important to pay attention to warning signs before they turn into injury. If you are experiencing anything other than the usual fatigue, rest is the best way to prevent it from turning into anything serious. A good massage never hurts either...

Last Saturday, Lisa gave an amazing talk on nutrition. For those who missed it, here's a brief recap:

* best "diet" out there - Canada's Food Guide!!
* eat frequently - 3 meals a day and 2-3 snacks in between
* eat something at least every 4 hours
* Junk Food? - moderation! we all need a little indulgence in our lives!
* drink enough water to pee clear
* experiment with what to eat before exercise BEFORE race day!! everyone is different....
* replace fluids and refuel with a carbohydrate rich snack and some protein immediately following exercise
* to lose weight - aim for a 20% calorie deficit each day, losing no more than 2 lbs/week

If you have any questions, or are interested in nutritional consulting, contact Lisa at 905 655-2444. She is a nutritionist with a BASc in Food and Nutrition, and she is also a runner!

This Saturday, Sheree is going to teach us some core strengthening exercises. I attended her Yoga Class last Saturday and was very impressed! Yoga is a great way to increase flexibility and build core strength which will absolutely improve running ability!

Happy Running!

Reaching Our Goal

2005-02-04T20:50:00.000-05:00

Well, we are 1 month into our fundraising campaign! And What a month it has been. We have had countless ideas and great support. Thanks to all of you for helping us along the way.

To date we have raised $745.00 through the clinic, personal contributions and item sell offs! Our target is $1,000/per month and we are not too far off. With some great plans for the months to come I'm confident we will reach our goal.

Here's whats in store:

Bus transportation to the Around the Bay and the Chilly Half
Prerace Pasta Dinners
Silent auctions. A great way for you to pick up some amazing deals; and if you have anything to contribute...get rid of some of those gently used or "new" items around your house.
BBQ's and other fun things at local events... Al has promised we could be involved with his Alphie Shrubb event!
Of course, we always look for other ideas you may have to help us along the way.

Keep running and have fun.

Send me your nutrition questions!

2005-02-02T19:26:00.000-05:00

Hey folks,
I hope you guys did some hill training tonight....but if not, don't despair, I will be doing hills with Dan's 10k clinic tomorrow, and you are more than welcome to join us!! Running hills either as repeats or incorporated into your route is a great way to build strength. Also, hill training becomes especially important if the race you plan on running is hilly such as either Around the Bay or the Flying Pig. (and you half marathoners in Cinci who think you're avoiding "the monster"....check again, cause my understanding is you get to meet him too!)
Great turnout last week, the balmy weather surely had something to do with that!! The orders you placed for gels etc is in and I will bring them this Saturday. Just in time for your Sunday long run of 26k! Remember, take one at about the 1hour mark, then every 30-45 minutes afterward. Also, drink plenty of water with them, in order to assist absorption. Some even like to mix them into water beforehand....
Also, as our mileage is rapidly creeping up, it is important to pay particular attention to diet. Be sure you are taking in enough calories to support your increasing energy expenditure, and that ever so important post run snack goes a long way in assisting in your recovery. My good friend and nutritionist Lisa Monk is going to join us this Saturday to answer any questions regarding nutrition that you may have....if you could email me with any specifics you would like addressed, that would be great! Core work will be the following week...
Due to the interest shown last week, Angela and I are going to offer a pre-race pasta dinner, great way for some last minute carbo-loading and to share all that positive energy! Specifics to come...
One last thing, spots on the bus are quickly going, so talk to Angela to reserve your seat! Only $22 for clinic participants....
See you Saturday....anyone wearing shorts?
Jocelyn

Brrrr

2005-01-27T13:56:00.000-05:00

Good afternoon!
Hope everyone's been getting their mileage in, although between the frigid weather and illness...it's been challenging! At least we can enjoy the sunshine - finally!

This Saturday should be a wonderful balmy day for our weekly group run, I look forward to it! I will go over the whole gel/sport drink/recovery drink subject again this week for those who didn't make it out for last Saturday's -33 run! Thumbs up for those who did! What a group of troopers!

Next week, we will do some core strenthening exercises following our run. Most runners lack in core strength, which is evident if you take note of those completing any long distance event. Often as we tire, our shoulders begin to drop forward, we hunch over and drop our heads. What we should be doing is standing up tall, with shoulders back and down and chest out! This helps deliver the most oxygen possible to those fatiguing muscles. 10 or 15 minutes, 2 to 3 times weekly while watching TV will go a long way in improving your running form and efficiency! Right after those yoga stretches....

For those 30k participants, this Sunday calls for a 22k run - don't forget slow! It is crucial to keep your heart rate below 70% on Sunday runs. These runs' sole purpose is to strengthen your aerobic system making your body more efficient at using oxygen and ultimately making you faster. This coming Wednesday, we are going to start adding a little more intensity into your weekly runs - hills! We'll talk a little more about hill training on Saturday....

Happy Running and keep warm!!

A Little Motivation

2005-01-24T13:53:00.000-05:00

This is an email written by a friend of mine about a girl whose goal was to qualify for Boston with a time of 3:40....I think it's incredibly inspirational and although it's a little early for race day motivation, when we are training in blizzards and temperatures of -35 degrees, we need all the help we can get to remember exactly why! So print it off and save it to re-read as race day approaches....
(names have been changed...)

"I give Tracey a lot of credit because she really had to dig down deep..she
hit the proverbial wall at 32km and never completely got through it...but
she found a way and man oh man was the last 400 meters difficult on my
heart!!! We came around the corner where the crowd was and I could see the
Timer was reading 3:39 50 and I just started screaming....COME ON COME
ON...RUN RUN...ONE MINUTE...YOU'RE GOING TO DO IT...GOOOOOOOO!!!!! I think I
blew out a lung...anyway she hit the finish line and literally collapsed on
the mat...but she was fine in a couple of minutes and she was up wallking
and talking with a big beautiful smile....her last 1k was her fastest of the
race at 4:56min./km

I haven't had a chance to look at the website so I haven't seen the split
times but there must be some confusion. I know from my watch that we ran
every kilometer between 5:00min and 5:30 with only 4 exceptions. The 1st km
we ran in 6:24 just because of the crowd ( i made sure we started back in
the pack to avoid going out to fast) and then at 32k Tracey had some
problems so we slowed down for 2k but even then we were at 5:38 a km. We
never got close to 6min a km except for the start. And the only other
variance was the last km when she gave it as hard as she could to be sure
she got her time. That includes that we did 10 and 1 for the first hour and
than after that we walked fast at every water station for 30 seconds. The
water was every 3km with gatorade and some had gel stations! We actually
had a 18km stretch that we maintained a 5:13 pace exactly within 1 second
either way. It was awesome to be a part of it...i am still worked up for
her...ummm you know what I mean.

Try not to overthink the pacing part of it too much...you know the average
you have to maintain but there will always be some km's that "feel great"
and your speed will creep a bit faster and then there will be a few "feel
like going home" km's but in the end they balance out ... honest! Just
don't start out to quick...we ran our slowest km's in the first 5km at about
5:30ish with the exception of the times i mentioned already."

Great story, eh?

2005-01-20T14:57:00.000-05:00

...and a somewhat conflicting point of view

2005-01-20T11:38:00.000-05:00

An interesting article on Periodization

Great turnout!!

2005-01-19T13:12:00.000-05:00

Good Afternoon!
Wow, what a turnout on Saturday! Our group grew from a mere 4 to a whopping 12!! In the words of our beloved Running Pal Al - "Awesome"!!
I think we've experienced it all in the last week - from 18 degrees on thursday to full sun and
-22 (not including the wind chill) yesterday, to an outright blizzard today!! Great for training is what I have to say...
So last week Sheree showed us some great Yoga stretches to improve our running, that's provided none of us gets stuck...keep in mind when you are stretching that form is number one - no bouncing, deep slow breathing and hold for a minimum of 30 seconds or as Sheree suggested 3-5 long, slow breaths. 2-3 times per week or after every run and before you know it we'll all be able to reach our feet too!!
As I previously mentioned, clinic members will be privvy to special product prices - some of the products available are Eload, Acclerade, Hammer Gels and Carbooms...I'll go into some detail this Saturday about what all these tasty treats do...and take orders to be submitted on Monday.
Each wednesday I will post the clinic email so check the blog - you may even find yourself starring in a picture or two....say cheese!
Remaining mileage for the week is 8k tonight, 8k Thursday, and 6k on Saturday. Bundle up!
See you Saturday!

Best part? Celebration afterwards!

2005-01-18T14:16:00.000-05:00

Bus Information

2005-01-15T17:36:00.000-05:00

Hi Everyone,

The Bus is secured for the Around the Bay and the Chilly Half. Our goal is to get at least 40 people on the bus for each trip. Please spread the word! Here are the details:

Regular Bus fee $30.00 includes a Nike Dri Fit Skull Cap while supplies last!
30 K Clinic people $22.00

The fee will also include, race kit pick up and water. The great thing about the bus is we have our very own washroom! No line ups before the race! I will be offering spots to the Pickering Running Room first and then open it up to Whitby, so be sure to tell your friends about this great opportunity they will not want to miss.

On our return I'm checking to see if it is ok for us to sell beer, just like last year. I'll keep you posted. One other thing to think of... usually a tip is collected for the driver, if you have some spare change to bring, I'm sure he will appreciate it.

Happy running!

What a Tease!

2005-01-14T08:40:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, January 13, I headed out for my nice and easy 5-6k, hoping to flush out my legs from the previous day's workout - IN SHORTS!! We hit a high of 18 degrees....Pleasantly surprised, (I was expecting to experience some serious 'lead' legs) I felt great! Perhaps it was the shorts...so of course I ended up running a nice and steady 10k. I also had my appointment with a personal trainer at the gym who had promised me a program that would complement my running. We'll see....he claims it will help raise my Lactate Threshold....at the very least, it should help my post-2-children lack of abs!

On the fundraising front, Angela and I will be offering bus service to both the Chilly Half Marathon in Hamilton and Around the Bay, also in Hamilton. Details to come...

we're on our way!

2005-01-12T13:49:00.000-05:00

On Saturday, Jan 8th, we started our first official fundraiser for Team Diabetes - a 10 week running clinic training for the legendary Around the Bay 30km Roadrace. Around the Bay, the oldest roadrace on the continent, will hold its 111th race on March 20th.
Angela and I have 9 people currently signed up for our clinic. Most will tackle the entire 30k individually, but others plan on entering as teams of 3 each running a 10km leg of the race.
My first official tip for the group was a nutrition tip and as reinforcement, I came armed with bananas - one of the best post exercise snacks. I recommended to my amazing athletes to replenish nutrients lost during exercise immediately afterwards, but at the very least within 1 hour. Bananas are full of potassium and are very easy to carry, which is why they are my favourite post exercise snack.
This Saturday, after our group run, we will be hosting a yoga instructor who will lead us through some stretches that will specifically benefit us as runners. About 15 minutes of stretching directly after exercise will go a long way in improving flexibility and preventing injury. Can't wait!! See you Saturday!

Welcome

2005-01-09T10:17:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the Run Rome Blog. Over the next year, Jocelyn and Angela will raise $11,000 for Diabetes and run the Rome Marathon as part of Team Diabetes if we indeed accomplish our fund raising goal. Visit often to take advantage of some great opportunities. We will be posting silent auctions and other fund raising activities on this site. You can follow along and see how we are doing!

If you are a runner, you will love the postings to come; everything from running tips, nutrition, new articles of interest and training recommendations.

Please visit again.