Curing the Burning

When we hear the word running, everyone assumes pain is involved. However, if everything is done right, there should not be pain. Realistically however, there is going to be pain, especially if you are training long and hard. Currently, my legs are going through this. My lower calf is swollen and very sore, which is making my knee act up. Now, I am not allowed running for a few days. Fortunately, I can still run in our district meet. My coach however has suggested that I do not run for a couple days. She looked at my legs and made the suggestion of icing it or massaging it because it is defiantly swollen and very sore. So, you are probably wondering what are ways that I can help to make my legs better?

First and most importantly, even though it is hard to face, is to take time off.  Take a day or two off without running, then ride a bike, then return to running. This allows your legs time to heal and then slowly reintroduces you to running. Also, stretch. Sometimes, the problem has nothing to do with overrunning, but you are simply too tight. By stretching, you will loosen your leg muscles, which may help to relieve the pain. Then, use ice. Ice is one of the best things that you can do for your legs. By icing, you reduce the swelling of your muscles, which will then allow them to return to normal size. If your muscles do not get better within a few weeks, it is best to seek medical attention. Hopefully by doing everything that I tried will help you. It is slowly helping me so hopefully it will you too!

Marathon Mama Amber Miller

Marathons are something that thousands of runners every year take part in. These marathons can be extremely challenging, especially if one is not properly trained. However, there is one natural occurrence that made this event much harder for Amber Miller…pregnancy.

Amber Miller, a 27 year old female runner, recently completed the Sunday’s bank of America Chicago Marathon. Even though this task would have been challenging for any participant, for Amber it was different. Amber was 39 week pregnant and expecting any day! This was not Ambers first marathon while she pregnant however, it was her third! She ran one at 17 weeks with her son, at the same with her daughter, and then this one at 39 weeks. Now some of you are probably wondering is this actually safe? Well, Amber says that she got the okay to run half of the marathon and walk half, which is exactly what she did. She said that she drank plenty of fluids and ended up finishing only three hours above her best time. She finished with a 6 hour and 25 minute marathon. Only hours later, she delivered a healthy baby girl named June. Currently the mother plans on hanging up her shoes and focusing on her job as a full time mom.

I found this to be very interesting. She said while she was running she began experiencing contractions. She said that she was unsure if it was actual labor or not because she experiences contractions while running. However, when the race finished she was experiencing constant contractions. So, she went and grabbed a sandwich then headed to the hospital. Welcome baby June! This is an amazing story don’t you think? Below is the link for the video of her which you really need to watch!

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Moms/marathon-mom-pregnant-woman-amber-miller-finishes-chicago/story?id=14706286              

Running With an Onboard Passenger

As a follow up to the blog regarding Amber Miller, I thought that I would post about running while pregnant. Many people wonder if it is actually safe to run while carrying a child, so I started looking for the answer. Throughout this, I found many different answers that vary from person to person, and in the end, I found no definite answer.

When I was reading an article on Amber Miller, I found a comment from Doctor Shari Brasner. From her standpoint, she was not for running. She says that most of the time, a fetus can tolerate exercise, but that’s moderate exercise. Also, she says that when running, oxygen and blood flow may not flow to the baby, which would restrict its growth. Her main concern however is the temperature.  "Body temperature is going to rise," Brasner said. "A baby can't sweat to cool down."

In that same article, there was a comment from Doctor Angela Chaudhari, who is on the other side of the issue. Chaudhari feels as though it is okay to run and train while pregnant as long as there are no complications with the pregnancy. Her philosophy is to listen to your body while you run. If you feel tired, stop. If you are thirsty, stop and immediately replenish your fluid. She says that if you are elite before you conceive, you can be elite while pregnant.

After hearing those two sides of the story, you may still be thinking, well, is it safe or not? So I continued to look around and get opinions. I found a site with Julie Turner who is a registered nurse and founder of the Maternal Fitness in New York. Turner is saying that running is okay; however, while you are pregnant, you should not start running. She also has some recommendations about running. During the whole pregnancy, she stresses the importance of hydration. If you start to become dehydrated, you may have premature contractions, or even reduce your baby’s blood and oxygen flow. In the first trimester, you need to get good, supportive shoes and a sports bra. Then, as your belly begins to grow, stay on flat surfaces to avoid falling. Lastly, as your due date gets closer, run places where if an emergency would happen, you will not be stranded. So, from her article, I concluded that she thinks running is okay as long as everything with your pregnancy is okay and you are used to running.

I got one last opinion from a nurse of my local community named Mike. Mike is a nurse in the operating room, emergency room, and also runs his own gym, which has many different specialties. I was talking to him the other day about Amber Miller, and he was shocked. So, as our conversation progressed, he started talking about running and pregnancy. He said that he believes running is not safe when pregnant. He feels that it is too much stress for the body and that it can be very harmful for the developing fetus. He said that when a woman knows she is pregnant, she should stop running and walk.

Once I heard all of these different viewpoints, I still couldn’t come up with one definite answer to give to expecting women runners. However, I did find out a few tips that would help a women decide if she were capable of running. First and most importantly, check with your doctor. If your doctor tells you that you are good to run, then you can. Also, you need “feel” it. If you are tired or just feel different, then do not run. During pregnancy is not the time to push yourself because this can cause negative effects on the fetus. In other words, your ability to run may change from day to day depending on how you feel.

Now that I gave you all of the facts, I wanted to voice my opinion. I think that a person needs to ask their doctor before they run. However, I feel as though this would be risky because it could harm the fetus. Below, is a link for a video regarding running while pregnant.
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/video/running-pregnancy-safe-safety-baby-fetis-infant-health-excercise-workout-fitness-11825606                               Video link





Information:
http://www.babycenter.com/0_running-during-pregnancy_7877.bc
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2011-10-11/news/ct-talk-marathon-baby-20111011_1_body-temperature-america-chicago-marathon-elite-status

Flushing and Finding Fluid

Hydration is something that runners have a tendency to forget about. You start running then you got other things to do and water, which is almost as important as training, is thrown on the back burner so to speak. Well I am here to tell you that hydration is super important! However, you can’t just wait to hydrate until the day of a race and think that will cover. NO! You have to start early, and it is best to just do it every day.

Recently, I was experiencing leg pain in my thigh. Assuming that it was from running in the mud and on hills, I just continued to put bio freeze on and let it go. However, this did not take care of the problem and after a race, I was crying because I was in such pain. This had never happened to me before and I was wondering what could make it hurt that badly. I put the blame on training and the soft running surfaces caused by the rain. However, my mom pointed out an important point. Before, I was drinking five and six bottles of water a day to help recover from a kidney stone. When I was doing this, my legs felt fine, as if I wasn’t running at all. However, for some reason I still don’t understand, I quit doing that. I went back to my old habits of one or two a day, which when running is definitely not enough. This was causing to me to experience that all so painful muscle cramps. Once she pointed this out to me, I started drinking more. Currently, I drink around 10 bottles of water a day at the least and my legs are feeling much better! However, you may not need that much. Also, you need to be careful not to drink too much. Too much fluid consumption of low sodium drinks can lead to lower blood sodium levels which can cause severe health problems. The amount of water you need depends on so many factors that I could not tell each and every reader what they need to drink. The goal is to match the amount of fluid taken in with what is lost. When considering what is lost, make sure to not only include sweat, but also what you are leaving in the toilet. By doing this, you will prevent dehydration and over hydration. Hydration is super important and should therefore be taken very seriously. Even though you may feel like you are not thirsty, you still need to drink. It will make all the difference later when you head out for a run. 

There are some general rules of thumb when determining if you are hydrated or not. First, the always popular urine test. This is just what it seems to be. After you finish urinated, your urine should be clear or a pale yellow. If it is dark yellow, you are dehydrated and need to drink a lot more to replenish your body. Below is a general chart of colors of urine with their state of hydration:

Also, if you have dry mouth or headaches, you are probably dehydrated. Fatigue, muscle cramps, vomiting, decrease in sweat, and increase of heart rate or body temperature are also good indicators that you are dehydrated. If you have any of these signs, it is best to make sure you are rehydrated before you run again. If dehydration is left untreated, it can lead to many severe health problems such as brain damage or kidney shutdown. 

As you can see and I have learned, hydration is very important, though it is like everything else; It is good in moderation but too much can lead to consequences. Let me know how your hydration has changed or improved! Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Want more? Feel free to visit these lovely sites:

http://www.hartfordmarathon.com/Assets/Training%2BProgram/ProperHydrationForDistanceRunning.pdf

http://www.mylivingfit.com/

http://www.resultsfitnesscoaching.com/blog/page/2/

6 Pack Bound

Last week, I posted about leg strengthening exercises. Well, you may now be wondering what are ways that you can gain strength in other parts of the body. As most runners know, abdominal muscles help create faster runners. So, abs will be the next strength topic that I focus on, not only because of running, but don't we all want to have a flat stomach? This workout that you are about to experience will help you with both. You can do these after or before your leg strength, but it is a good habit to do them at the same time as your legs. So, let’s get those abs burning!

All of these need to be done on a surface that is smooth and comfortable to you. Then, you will need to lie down on your back. You will first be doing what are called bicycles. These are very easy to do but will help to tone your ab muscles. You will need to raise your shoulders and legs off the ground. Then, extend one leg and bend the other (the same motion as riding a bike), making sure to twist your body so that when your left leg is straight, your right elbow is toward that side. Your hands should be on your head, but not on your neck. If they are on your neck, it can put a lot of unnecessary strain on your neck. Eventually, you should try to touch your elbow to your knee every time. At first, however, you may not be able to do this, so try to touch as much as possible. Make sure that even if you do not touch your elbow to your knee,  you are still twisting. Continue to do these, making sure to do two sets. The number you do will vary from person to person.  Below, is an example of how you should look when doing this exercise.

After completing those, your abs will be burning. You may be thinking, wow, thank goodness it’s over…but it’s not! Next, you will do planks. To do a plank, you need to roll over to your stomach. Then, bending your elbows at a 90 degree angle, prop yourself up on your forearms and toes. Once in this position, make sure that your body is flat and your eyes are looking straight ahead. Hold this position for 10 seconds.

Once that time is up, lift your left leg. Keep your left leg up for around 20 seconds and put it down, lifting your right leg. Hold for the same amount of time and then repeat. Again, this is one of those exercises where you will have to determine how long to hold or how many to do.  Once you have completed the most that you can, hold the regular plank for 20 seconds. Times may vary from person to person depending on your fitness level. The great things about these are that they not only work your abs, but they work your butt, back, hips, thighs, and shoulders.  

Now, you will move onto the side planks. To do these, you will need to be in the same position as the plank only on your side. This will require you to do these on both sides of your body. With your body on your ONE forearm and side of your foot, you are ready to work! Again, the number of sets you do and the amount of time you can hold it will vary from person to person. The important thing to remember is to do the same on each side of your body. When you are ready, raise your body off the ground and keep your top hand in the air or on your hip so you are not tempted to cheat and use it to help hold you up. Hold for around 20 seconds and then drop. Make sure to do as many sets as you can on one side before you switch. This will help to build up your body faster than if you switch each time. Also, this will be hard on your elbow, so if you have a towel or shirt that you can ball up to put your elbow on it will help it to hurt less.

Congratulations! At this point you are halfway through an ab workout! Now, you are on the bridge. Return to your back position and bend your knees so that your feet are flat on the ground. Then, lay your hands and arms on the ground. For this though, you should NOT use your arms to help hold you up. Now, all you need to do is push your back off the ground using your feet. Your knees should stay bent and your body should be straight. Hold this for as long as you can. This will not only work your abs, but your butt as well.

Last are push-ups. Typically, people think that they only work your arms. However, this is not true. Push-ups help every muscle from your fingers to your toes. So, to do this, you need to be on your stomach. Then, get on your toes and hands. Once in this position, all you need to do is bend your elbows to a 90 degree angle then push back up. The most important thing when doing these however is to keep your back and butt parallel to the ground.

Wow! You are finally through an ab workout. This may seem like a lot, but believe me, it only takes about 10 minutes. In those 10 minutes, your abs should be burning like crazy, but the work will pay off. Stick with it! At first, I wasn’t that successful with it and I couldn’t do that much. Time and continuous work with it will make it easier for you, and you will be able to do more reps. Have a terrific Tuesday!

Want more?: http://www.google.com/imgresq=Bicycle+crunches&um=1&hl=en&sa=N&biw=1440&bih=712&tbm=isch&tbnid=XcptS1SrIAhFIM:&imgrefurl=http://www.infobarrel.com/How_to_do_the_Bicycle_Crunch&docid=mW5Aa0X-AWecnM&imgurl=http://www.infobarrel.com/media/image/1719.jpg&w=400&h=207&ei=ZyGcTqf9OobL0QGRuJm9BA&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=621&vpy=175&dur=6656&hovh=161&hovw=312&tx=171&ty=

60&sig=107750201873374421811&page=1&tbnh=111&tbnw=214&start=0&ndsp=17&ved=1t:429,r:2,s:0

http://www.glamour.com/bbg/2010/strength/abs/bonus-workout-abs?slide=4#slide=4

http://www.coachmefit.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/side_plank.jpg

http://masterexercise.com/the-bridge-is-the-best-exercise-for-the-butt/

http://pushuppursuit.blogspot.com/

Running shoes? Check. Uniform? Check. Water? Plenty! So, today I have a cross country meet, and it is currently pouring down rain. This brought me to the perfect topic idea which is how to prepare for a run on a rainy day and what to do when you finish the run.

I am sure that you've all heard that running in the rain makes you sick. Well, that's a myth. The truth is that it is staying in wet clothing and getting a chill that makes you sick. So, to prepare for your run, you should just do what you normally do. Wear the same clothing that you normally would, although you might want to wear another layer. It is important, though, to not overdress. Run the same distance that you normally would. The only thing that you should do differently is to take a hot shower when you get home and get into warm dry clothing. This will help to keep you from getting sick.

I learned this lesson when I began cross country. Like most people, I was under the impression that if I ran in the rain, I would catch a cold. One morning, I went outside, and it was raining. I decided to get ready and go to practice, but I was sure we would be inside. When I showed up, the coach told us where we were going. I raised my hand and asked her if she was serious. She said,  "Yes."  I then said, "Well isn't this a good way to get sick?"

Our coach, a very experienced marathon runner, looked at us and said, "That is all a myth. The truth is that running in the rain and staying in wet clothing is what makes you sick." From that day forward, I ran in the rain without concerns but made sure to shower and bundle up as soon as I got home. So, if you feel like running today ,but the weather is turning you away,  get out there and run! Just remember to go home and shower and get into warm, dry clothes. Tell me about your experiences with the rain and if the advice worked for you. Thanks for reading!!


Pictures courtesy of:
http://www.livestrong.com/article/211495-the-best-hats-for-running-in-the-rain/
http://smashinguniverse.com/30-pictures-of-people-in-the-rain/

Toning Thighs

Running is something that requires a lot of training that does not involve running. These types of training range everywhere from legs, to abs, and even to the mind, and can be done in a matter of 10 minutes. Today, though, I am just going to focus on one of the leg exercises.

When I go to cross country practice, there is some routine to expect. At least three times a week, I hear the words warm-up, active stretching, strength, run, and cool down. Strength is something that some people do not take the time to do. I am guilty of it myself. I mean, after a long day of school or work, who wants to take the extra time to do strength before you run? And then, you always wonder, is it actually working? Well, I am about to take you on a journey of my leg workout. This workout will not only strengthen your legs, it will tone your abs and get rid of the extra fat on your thighs.

When preparing yourself for a strength workout, it is very important to do a short warmup. Five to 10 minutes is all that you need, and it should be easy and relaxing. When you get back, you will need to find a surface that is supportive but not rocky. Then, lie on your back with your shoulders a few inches off the ground.

Once you are in this position, you can start doing the leg lifts. In cross country, we do them three ways. Simply turn your foot out, straighten it, then turn it in. Now, you may be wondering, what does it matter which way my foot is pointing? The position is important because when you change it, you work different thigh muscles. For these types, you only need to do one set with your foot each way. Try to do as many as you can, and then work your way up to higher numbers. Below, is a picture of when your foot is straight.





 However, make sure that your shoulders are up off the ground. You can do it with them down, but you will not work your abs. If you have them off the ground, you will not only strengthen your legs, but you will get an abdominal workout,too. Do this on both legs and do as many as you can, making sure to increase the number gradually.

Next, roll over to your side. Do this exercise on both legs and do two sets of however many you can do. The most important part of this is to keep your hips either straight or rolled over to the front. All that you need to do is lift your leg up and down very slowly. The slower you do this, the more of a workout you will give your legs.








 Once this is finished, you do what are called clams. Clams are done in three parts. First, lie on your side making sure to follow the steps from above. Then, you bend your knees into about a 90 degree angle. Finally, keeping your feet together, you lift top leg apart from the bottom leg. After you do one set on both legs, you return to this position. This time, lift your feet off of the ground and do the same thing. Lastly, keep your feet off of the ground, open the legs like before, and extend your leg into the air. In order to get your leg back down, do the steps in reverse order.

This strength routine REALLY works! Take it from a person who has done it. I did a little experiment, unintentionally, and found that this truly works. Last year, I had skinny jeans that barely fit. They were tight in the thigh area. So this year, after a year of doing these strength exercises, I put them on and they are big around the thighs! This should be enough of an incentive to want to do these. Also, swimsuit season is right around the corner. Who doesn’t want to have toned thighs for summer? Try this, and let me know your personal experiences. Also, if you do any other strength exercises, please let me know!

Pictures:

http://anmolmehta.com/blog/2008/10/22/yoga-ab-exercises-workout-shape-stomach/

http://smallhomebigstart.blogspot.com/2010/10/fall-fitness-challenge-week-6-couch.html

http://runningtimes.com/Print.aspx?articleID=20262

Their Time is Up

How do I know when to replace my running shoes? It is something that you hear all the time, right? Well, this question is something that I have been asking myself for the past few weeks.

I got my running shoes back in March, and they made my legs and feet feel amazing when I was running. My coach kept telling me that I should replace my running shoes every three months. Even though I knew she was right, I kept thinking that mine would last a little longer. However, about two weeks ago, my legs started getting very sore after we ran. I thought that this was coming from the fact we were running a lot more and on harder courses. However, when we went back to easier workouts, the pain was still there. Then, it started going to my knees. When this started to happen, I asked my coach what she thought the problem was. She said that I needed new running shoes.

I went home and told my parents, and they said that they figured I would need a new pair soon because I am putting around 30 miles a week on them. So, on Saturday, I went to Rapid Transit and got a new pair of running shoes. I got the same exact same style because they made my feet feel great last time. Now, you may be wondering, what type did you get?

With the way my feet are, I got the Asics gel 2160. They have extra support throughout the bottom of the foot, but not too much that it brings my foot into an uncomfortable arch. As you can see in the picture above, the support is mainly toward the back and middle of the foot. The grey is the support, so there is a nice amount of it for me. Just because I purchased this type of shoe and like it doesn’t mean that they are right for you. Maybe your foot needs more or less support, or maybe you just need a different brand to support a wider foot. If you go to Rapid Transit or another store that specializes in running, they will fit you so that you purchase a pair with the right amount of support. Fortunately, after wearing my new shoes last night, my legs hurt less. I think that once I wear them more, my feet will get even better. What do you think?  Has anyone ever had a similar problem? Let me know what you did to help cure the problem. Have a great day!

Picture: http://www.asicsamerica.com/footwear/running-shoes/

"Hunting" Safety?

This morning my cross country team had an optional mountain run. So I went, and when we started running, I noticed that there was more traffic than usual. I was then reminded that it was the first day of archery season. So, I thought that I should just post a reminder with a quick tip or two of advice. If you are going to run today, just be extremely careful. It's a rainy day and archery season, so if you are going running in or near the woods, wear bright colors to alert hunters that you are not what they are looking for. Today is the perfect day to run, don't you think? Its only about 50 degrees. Have an awesome running day!