Check out the brochure for the Baltimore Running Festival and you will see our own Willie Gumula and daughter in the lower left corner.  Looking good!!

Wednesday’s Track session also went very well –  we did the 5 Yasso 800’s on the track.  The track is being resurfaced but is very runable.  Tom Nelson reports he was able to do his intervals this (Tuesday) morning.

Rosaryville Trail Runs are coming up Sunday 18 July, Start at 7am for 10k, 15k, 25k, or 50k.  If not running, let me know if you can volunteer.  WE NEED YOUR HELP.

Did everyone calculate your SWEAT RATE ???

The recent conditions have inspired a number of questions about cramping. Muscle cramps are involuntary, intensely painful muscle contractions that nearly every athlete has experienced at some point. Some people experience them often and simply seem to be prone to muscle cramps.

What Can You Do?

Cramps usually hit at the end of intense workouts or during endurance events because fatigued muscles are more likely to cramp. Novice athletes are more likely to have cramps as they fatigue more quickly than seasoned exercisers. If you carefully progress your workouts, you will avoid unnecessary cramps. Heat, and not being used to the heat, increases the frequency of cramps. When the season changes and summer arrives, ease into workouts in the heat.

Additionally, carefully plan your fluids, electrolytes and carbohydrate intake to help avoid or delay muscle cramps.

Are You Drinking Enough?

Studies on fluids and cramps have produced mixed results. Some studies find no associations, while others show that consuming fluids and electrolytes to avoid dehydration will prevent, or at least delay, muscle cramps. The benefits of avoiding dehydration are widespread, so even if it’s not 100 percent guaranteed that you won’t cramp, consuming adequate fluids during exercise will still improve performance.

How would dehydration cause muscle cramps? Fluids in the body are either inside the cell or outside of the cell. When we become dehydrated, the fluid outside of the cells decreases. Reductions in fluids cause nerve endings to be squished together, overexcited, and spontaneously discharge. That spontaneous discharge is a muscle twitch, which can lead to a muscle cramp. By maintaining proper hydration, you can prevent dramatic shifts in fluids that contribute to abnormal muscle contractions.

To prevent dehydration, start by drinking fluids according to your thirst. Weigh yourself before and immediately after exercise, preferably au natural. Any change in your weight is a change in fluid balance. Weight loss greater than 2 to 3 percent of your body weight increases your risk for muscle cramps. If drinking based on thirst prevents fluctuations in your weight during exercise, then you can rely on thirst to be your hydration guide. Otherwise, you need a hydration schedule to meet your fluid needs.

The Need for Salt

Fluids aren’t alone in the task of maintaining your body’s fluid balance. Electrolytes control the shift of fluids in and out of cells. The electrolyte of most concern during exercise is sodium. Found as sodium chloride in table salt. We lose more sodium in sweat than the other electrolytes. Both water and sodium are lost in sweat. Replacement of water without sodium can lead to dangerously low blood sodium levels, called hyponatremia. Hyponatremia will also occur if you are sweating a lot and simply losing a lot of sodium in sweat. This is most likely to occur during endurance exercise or with repeated sweating throughout the day. Muscle cramps may occur when the concentration of sodium in the blood decreases; cramps can progress to a serious medical emergency when hyponatremia is not treated.

To prevent hyponatremia and the muscle cramps it may cause, sodium should be consumed with fluids. This is particularly useful for cramp-prone individuals. High sodium sports drinks can delay muscle cramps in those who cramp often. Sodium may be consumed from salty foods (such as pretzels) or through sports products.

Don't Be Afraid of Carbohydrates

Carbohydrate depletion will also lead to muscle cramps. Carbohydrates are the primary fuel used during exercise. There is a finite amount of carbohydrate stored as glycogen in our muscles to provide the energy to exercise. Once that store of glycogen has been exhausted, we are at high risk for muscle cramps. The muscle requires carbohydrate (or energy) to contract; it also needs energy to relax. When there isn’t adequate fuel circulating yet we continue to exercise and contract our muscles, muscle relaxation is impaired, and the cramp occurs.

It takes about 60 to 90 minutes of exercise to deplete glycogen stores. Therefore, it is appropriate to consume carbohydrate during any activity that will last longer than 60 to 90 minutes. Even very intense exercise lasting only 45 minutes may deplete glycogen stores. Be sure to eat a carbohydrate-rich meal or snack prior to endurance or intense exercise. Plus, you will need to consume carbohydrates through food or sports products during longer duration exercise. Consuming carbohydrates appropriately is well-worth it to prevent a muscle cramp.

Follow these five steps to prevent muscle cramps:

1. Train appropriately.
2. Acclimate yourself to the environment.
3. Consume the right amount of fluids for your body to prevent dehydration.
4. Choose salty foods or sodium rich sports products before, during and after exercise.
5. Prevent carbohydrate depletion by consuming carbohydrates before your workout and during your workout if it is longer than 60-90 minutes.

 .  LEARN TO LISTEN TO YOUR BODY

If anyone in the group is interested in running long on Sundays, let me know.  We have a couple of our group that often do their long runs on Sunday due to schedule conflicts. Tom regularly puts water out Sundays and I can as well.  Tom will add Sunday information here: http://www.runningahead.com/groups/truman/forum

Saturday, 10 July will be our second  14 miles .  The route will be a little different.  See below.

Wednesday Track Session -   START 6:00pm .We will do   5 x 400 (one lap), 200m cool down between each; after the 400’s, do 4 x 100 Sprints with 15 seconds recovery between each.   Half Marathoners/10 do 3 of the  same. Do one mile Warm Up and one mile Cool Down.  During the Warm up do some Knee lifts on one curve and Butt-kicks on the other curve, and jog the straight-aways. THIS is IMPORTANT. J..

Saturday Run –  ***START AT 6:00am.  The sun will be up before we get to the 2 Mile Stop.   14 Miles steady state (70%) for the entire run. 8 miles for Half marathoners, at your 70% pace. Don’t forget your post run Dynamic Cooldown!!  The route this week will encompass more of the Ben Moore Memorial Half Marathon. Normal Start point out to the South Haven intersection. à Turn LEFT à Take the first RIGHT onto Mastline Drive, follow it all the way around back to South Haven à South Haven to the 2 MILE STOP à Rt 450 à RIGHT onto St Stephans’àRIGHT onto Chesterfield to the 6 MILE STOP àLEFT onto Hawkins à 1.5 miles then RIGHT onto Crownsville Rd  à and back to the 2 MILE STOP à and back to Truman for right at 14 miles – nice scenery, shade, and a few more hills J  Here is a map of the route!

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=3861612

Let me know when you sign up for this:

Marine Corps Marathon Guaranteed Entry for Moore’s Marines Registration information.

Hyperlink: http://www.active.com/framed/event_detail.cfm?event_id=1831100

Group name: MOOR’S MARINES

Password: BOWMAN

Form Open Date: June 4^th 2010

Form Close Date: August 25^th 2010

Cost Per Registration $90.00 + processing fee

Mark the Date: 

WE NEED VOLUNTEERS!

July 18 – Rosaryville 10k, 15k, 25k, 50k Trail Runs

http://www.active.com/event_detail.cfm?event_id=1840306

Aug 7 – Ben Moore Memorial Half Marathon and 10k.  From our own Truman Park N Ride and a great mid-program Time Trial.  Register at:

http://www.active.com/event_detail.cfm?event_id=1868506

Tom Nelson has constructed a site to show our routes and water stop locations for the long run coming up each week.  You can indicate your intention to run and see who else is planning on showing up – one more incentive for getting there. Check back to the following website later in the week for the latest info on water support:  http://www.runningahead.com/groups/truman/Forum

NOTE:  Steve has added a rotating photo feature to the web page. I have sent him some photos but if you have any you like, send them to Steve at: steve.carton@retrievalsystems.com  Take a look.

“"The sometimes bitter fruits of the JOURNEY will make reaching the FINISH LINE all the more sweeter - I guarantee :-)

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Posted by Steve Carton on July 7, 2010 9:46:00 AM EDT #