Greetings Spring Runners; Week #7
Great morning for the run last Saturday! This past Saturday was pretty nice – 74degrees, 64% humidity. I scored the Friends of the SUDAN 5k and everyone had a great race. I did the EAGLEMAN Half IRONMAN triathlon on Sunday. My early (read ‘old guys/gals’) wave spared me from the jellyfish and the chop. It was nice to have overcast for the early part of the bike but the wind picked up for the last 20 miles and the sun came on strong for the run.
Congratulations to Kim Couranz on her Sailing National Championship!!
There should be another good turnout for this Saturday’s run as more people join the group. The Baltimore 10 Mile run, Truxtun Kid’s Tri, and the Father’s Day 10k are all this weekend. I am working the Kid’s Tri and know we could use some more volunteers, if you are available.
If you are racing this weekend, or any weekend, be warned, especially after a long run the day before. REMEMBER, your goal is the marathon - not some race between now and then. A lot of you mentioned that you felt the track workouts were helping. It's a GREAT feeling isn't it; when you feel your body getting stronger!! And some people wonder why we do thisJ
Again, let me know if you are planning on doing the Wednesday and/or Saturday, or Sunday sessions. We should have a couple of new faces.
Wednesday Track Session - START 6:00pm. This week we will do 5 x 400 + 4 x 100’s; Up Tempo pace with 1/2 lap rest. I plan to be there. The session will be dependent on if the rain is anything other than a drizzle. Gather at Squisito’s after.
Saturday Run – START AT 6:30am. This will also be a Build Run. 14 MILES again or 10 miles + 4 miles (one loop) of the AHS Trails for those training for a Trail Run. If you are just joining the program don’t jump to the 14 miles unless you have done two or three 10 mile runs.
The route will be out Rt 450 to the 7 mile mark (just before Staples Corner)
Sunday Trail Run – The days are getting warmer so let’s start at 8:00 am. This should NOT be a tempo run. You ran long on Saturday and do not want to overdo it Sunday, even if it is on the trails.
The Intermediate Group will be doing their run at 9:00am from Truman Park N Ride, for 4 mile run out to South River Road intersection, turn RIGHT, under the Rt 50 overpass and out to the Rt 450 intersection at the Arundel Sign Water Stop - and back with two 2 minute walk breaks.
A good Max HR test session should be in your sights in the next few weeks. Let me know and we can set it up - Wednesday track session’s are good for this. Remember, your MHR is YOURS. Don't try to compare it with anyone else's or make judgments on performance. Remember I said the three most important numbers a runner needs to know are their Max HR, Min HR, and AT (anaerobic threshold) or VO2 Max (the maximum oxygen your system can process in one minute). I showed you how to calculate your level of effort Zones based on your MHR.
Test Your Posture (from Peak Running Performance)
The running and rehab experts tell us that we have flat feet, that one leg is longer than the other, or that we have too much or not enough of an arch in our low back. You should be asking the following questions if you have heard any of the above: Why are my feet flat? Why is one leg longer than the other? Why is the arch in my back excessive? These are great questions that we all should be asking and, unfortunately, you will probably hear that you were born this way and there is nothing you can actively do to correct these deviations. This is simply not true. As for fixing the root cause of your pain, it is a matter of figuring out which of the many possible factors is ultimately responsible.
With an overwhelming majority of people suffering from lower back pain at one time or another, an athletic lifestyle offers no guarantee against the problem. These simple postural tests will give you a baseline of where your body ranks on the functional scale.
- Standing Relaxed Posture. Change into a pair of running shorts and no shirt (males), running bra (females). Stand in front of a full-length mirror and visually assess your standing relaxed posture. Ask yourself two simple questions: 1. Are your shoulders level with each other? 2. Are your feet pointing straight ahead? (5 points for both feet pointed straight ahead; 5 points for shoulders being level.) If you scored a 10, your deviations are minor. If not, you can be assured that these postural deviations will eventually lead you down a path to pain.
- Balance Relative to Hip Stability. Stand on one leg with your eyes open and try to hold the balanced position for 20 seconds. Any gross arm movements away from the side of your body demonstrate hip instability. This hip instability will eventually cause an improper strike of your foot during running and lead to muscle and joint pain.
- Flexibility. How far can you reach when trying to touch your toes from a standing position? Try not to bounce or bend your knees. This test will give you a baseline of your low back, hip and hamstring flexibility. More importantly, it is a test of how your pelvis moves during the forward bending flexion demand. Remember the old sit-n-reach test from junior high school? You could either touch your toes or you couldn’t. How is your range of motion now? “Low back and abdominal work must be accompanied with specific upper back and specific lower extremity leg work in order to be effective.”
"Life Is Not A Rehearsal;"
Stay Healthy
Ron
Ron Bowman
BLUEPOINTTIMING.com
410-573-1929
c: 410-570-0003