http://www.runwellfinishstrong.com/ Leave Everything on the Business Side of the Finish Line en Copyright 2009 Mon, 05 Jan 2009 21:13:44 -0800 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/ http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss I am. Here they are: 1. Stop trying to take care of everyone. 2. Early to bed and early to rise. 3. Take care of business. 4. Live within my income. 5. Be aggressive. 6. Eat healthy. 7. Exercise. 8. Stop expecting others to be good to me. 9. Require nothing from others. 10. Help those less able. Some of those may sound strange to you. I am not sharing the specific intended steps so you have limited idea of what they really mean to me. I will let you know at the end of the year how I did. Do you have goals for this year or are you a floater? Have you written the goals down? Have you broken the goals into specific attainable steps? Have you set a reward system for yourself based upon achievement? Have you shared with others so as to engender social support? http://www.runwellfinishstrong.com/2009/01/are_you_making_new_years_resol.html http://www.runwellfinishstrong.com/2009/01/are_you_making_new_years_resol.html Mon, 05 Jan 2009 21:13:44 -0800 One study in 2007 followed about 3000 people over the year. The results found that of those who made resolutions, at the beginning of the year about 52% believed they would be successful, but by the end of the year only about 12% had succeeded with their resolutions. I have attended a local gym for several years. Every January there is an influx in new members with resolutions to improve their health. I know this because the exercise machines and the locker room are always much more busy than normal. However, by March everything is back to the normal amount of traffic. WHAT KIND OF YEAR ARE YOU GOING TO HAVE?]]> http://www.runwellfinishstrong.com/2009/01/the_new_year_is_upon_us.html http://www.runwellfinishstrong.com/2009/01/the_new_year_is_upon_us.html Nutrition/Health Sun, 04 Jan 2009 10:41:06 -0800 Of course you have heard of Mona*Vie. This drink states to have tremendous health benefits including:
* Antioxidants
* Phytonutrients
* Amino acids
* Vitamins
* Trace minerals

Mona*Vie includes the açai berry and 19 other body-beneficial fruits, including cupuaçu, camu camu, aronia, acerola, blueberry, bilberry, white grape, apple, purple grape, cranberry, passion fruit, apricot, prune, kiwi, wolfberry (goji), lychee, pear, banana, and pomegranate. The drink blended for active people also contains plant-derived glucosamine and esterified fatty acids. This link contains descriptions of each of these ingredients and stated health benefits as indicated by sources other than Mona*Vie. http://www.runwellfinishstrong.com/2008/12/monavie_the_brazilian_acai_ber.html http://www.runwellfinishstrong.com/2008/12/monavie_the_brazilian_acai_ber.html Fri, 12 Dec 2008 22:57:46 -0800 Saturday December 7, 2008 is the California International Marathon (CIM). 26 miles, 385 yards from Folsom to Sacramento, CA. Reasons to run this marathon? 1. Runner’s World Magazine lists the CIM as one of the “World’s Best Small Marathons.” 2. Runner’s World Magazine ranks the CIM in the Top Five as a Boston Marathon qualifier. 3. “A fast, if not THE FASTEST, course in the country,” says Bart Yasso, Runner’s World Online "At the Races." 4. USA Today quotes Bart Yasso who places the CIM in the Top Ten as a Fall Destination Marathon. 5. The CIM ranks in the Top Five marathons sending the most number of qualifiers to Boston - 2008 BAA Statistics.]]> http://www.runwellfinishstrong.com/2008/12/california_international_marat.html http://www.runwellfinishstrong.com/2008/12/california_international_marat.html Wed, 03 Dec 2008 22:12:19 -0800 Ultra distance running is running a distance longer than the typical marathon length. Ultra runs are typically trail running. Wikipedia has a good basic description of runs and locations. Ultra distance is not a new phenomena. In 1861 Edward Payson Weston walked 453 miles from Boston to Washington DC. This first distance walk began as the result of a bet regarding the inauguration of President Lincoln. In 1867 Edward Payson Weston walked from Portland to Chicago in 25 days, captivating the nation. A rivalry quickly developed between Payson and Daniel O'Leary, a recently-immigrated Irish farmer, and this rivalry spurred a series of 6-day races. The ultra race was born. The ezineArticles site offers a History of Ultra Distance Running. ]]> http://www.runwellfinishstrong.com/2008/11/ultra_runs_1.html http://www.runwellfinishstrong.com/2008/11/ultra_runs_1.html Ultra Endurance Runs Sat, 29 Nov 2008 17:22:42 -0800 Updated Saturday Run List contained here. Updated November 20, 2008,]]> http://www.runwellfinishstrong.com/2008/11/updated_saturday_run_list.html http://www.runwellfinishstrong.com/2008/11/updated_saturday_run_list.html Fri, 28 Nov 2008 14:42:42 -0800 Plantar fasciitis (PT), formerly called "a dog's heel" in the United Kingdom, (gotta love those Brits--they see things in a perspective us Yanks miss) is a painful inflammatory condition of the foot caused by excessive wear to the plantar fascia that supports the arch or by biomechanical faults that cause abnormal pronation.

Causes include activity overload (PT is common in distance runners), faulty foot mechanics (such as being flat footed like me), arthritis, diabetes, and improper shoes. This Mayo Clinic site provides a good basic explanation of PT including causes, treatment, prevention, and risk factors. This 41 second Google Video illustrates a runner's foot action and shows the plantar fasciitis as the foot pushes off. This site of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons suggests some simple treatment exercises. Here is a long, but interesting paper in a pdf file regarding sports injuries including PT and other foot/shin pain. It was found on a Kendo site, written by Kosi Gramatikoff, PhD, and goes into various treatments including acupuncture and magnets.

Click For Large View of Reported Areas of Pain.

]]> http://www.runwellfinishstrong.com/2008/11/more_foot_pain_plantar_fasciit.html http://www.runwellfinishstrong.com/2008/11/more_foot_pain_plantar_fasciit.html Pain/Injury Sat, 22 Nov 2008 00:45:42 -0800 Foot pain has stopped me from running for about two months. Gout! Do you know what that is? It is a type of arthritis...specifically, an excess of uric acid in your system. The excess usually settles in the knuckles of your toe, often big toe. The uric acid crystalizes. The area swells and feels like needles stabbing. Very painful. This problem has occurred with me occasionally, only lasting a week or so. This time is has lasted a long time and has been much more painful. If you suffer this problem, read this Mayo Clinic site for more information including causes, symptoms, treatment, and prevention.]]> http://www.runwellfinishstrong.com/2008/11/foot_pain.html http://www.runwellfinishstrong.com/2008/11/foot_pain.html Pain/Injury Fri, 21 Nov 2008 00:57:15 -0800 What stops you from running? Seriously. There could be a million reasons given, but they probably boil down to just a few basic reasons. SO....No matter what kind of runner you are, what gets in your way or what causes you to not do your run? Take the survey. Let us know what barriers you encounter. ]]> http://www.runwellfinishstrong.com/2008/11/lets_talk_personal.html http://www.runwellfinishstrong.com/2008/11/lets_talk_personal.html Wed, 19 Nov 2008 20:51:11 -0800 October 18, 2008 was the running of the Polar Circle Marathon in Greenland. Are you a cool weather runner? Well, my fleet footed friend, the average temperature for this typically sunny run is -5 degrees C / 25 degrees F. Leave your running shorts at home. You will need a parka, gloves, long pants and other gortex clothing. You missed the fun? Sign up for next year's run on October 24, 2009.]]> http://www.runwellfinishstrong.com/2008/10/did_you_miss_the_polar_circle.html http://www.runwellfinishstrong.com/2008/10/did_you_miss_the_polar_circle.html Mon, 20 Oct 2008 23:54:18 -0800 Sponsored by ING, there are just 14 days before the running of the New York City Marathon. Expected are 2,000,000 local spectators and 315,000.000 spectators on television. More than $600,000 in prize money will go out. ]]> http://www.runwellfinishstrong.com/2008/10/the_new_york_marathon.html http://www.runwellfinishstrong.com/2008/10/the_new_york_marathon.html Sun, 19 Oct 2008 11:00:00 -0800 Be part of the inaugural run of the Petra Marathon and Half Marathon in Petra, Jordan, near Aman. Quote from the Petra web site: "Petra, an ancient city carved in the sandstone mountains, is a UNESCO World Heritage site. It was elected as one of the ‘New 7 Wonders of the World’ in 2007. Runners can look forward to astonishing sights and a challenging course through a unique landscape." Petra is a magnificent new addition to Adventure Marathons who sponsor some of the great marathon experiences in the world for both the run and the atmosphere/locations including Polar Circle Marathon in Greenland (no running in tee-shirt and shorts here), Great Wall Marathon in China, Great Tibetan Marathon in the Ladakh Region of India (elevation 3500 meters), Big Five Marathon in South Africa (where the start time depends upon where the pride of lions slept the night before), and numerous others.]]> http://www.runwellfinishstrong.com/2008/10/petra_marathonhalf_marathon_ne.html http://www.runwellfinishstrong.com/2008/10/petra_marathonhalf_marathon_ne.html Fri, 17 Oct 2008 23:09:44 -0800 Burn calories, lose some weight, and train for a run all at the same time. This article in Runner's World UK shows how.]]> http://www.runwellfinishstrong.com/2008/10/calorie_burning_run_training.html http://www.runwellfinishstrong.com/2008/10/calorie_burning_run_training.html Training Thu, 16 Oct 2008 20:23:41 -0800 Often sports injuries are not a result of strength, flexibility or endurance. More often than not, sprains and strains have to do with balance. Proprioception, to be exact. The term proprioception refers to a sense of joint position or, according to Dictionary.com, as "awareness of the position of one's body." Proprioception training is common in rehabilitation of injured athletes. It can also be used to prevent injury. Even a strong ankle can sprain when running on uneven ground if the runner has not trained the neuromuscular system to react appropriately. Another excellent site regarding proprioception and function training.]]> http://www.runwellfinishstrong.com/2008/10/sports_injuries_proprioception.html http://www.runwellfinishstrong.com/2008/10/sports_injuries_proprioception.html Pain/Injury Training Wed, 15 Oct 2008 14:24:12 -0800 This information was taken from an article in Runner's World. Go there for more information. Easy Runs Top coaches and exercise physiologists believe that most runners should do 80 to 90 per cent of their weekly training at the easy run pace (this includes your long runs, done at approximately the same pace). Easy runs build your aerobic fitness, and your muscular and skeletal strength. They also help you burn more calories and recover for harder workouts. Tempo Runs Tempo runs help you improve your running economy and your running form. They are sometimes described as 'threshold' or 'hard but controlled' runs, and they will help you prepare for races of 10K to the marathon. Tempo sessions generally fall into one of two categories: steady runs of 2 to 6 miles; or long intervals with short recoveries. Here's an example of the latter: 4 x 1 mile at tempo run pace with 2 minutes of recovery jogging between efforts. You should do tempo runs no more than once a week, and they should make up no more than 10 to 15 per cent of your total training. VO2-Max Runs VO2-max training helps you improve your running economy and your racing sharpness. These sessions are sometimes called 'intervals', and are most useful when you are preparing for a race of 5K to half-marathon. Here's an example of a good VO2-max workout: 6 x 800 metres at VO2-max pace with 4 to 6 minutes of recovery jogging between efforts. You should do VO2-max workouts no more than once a week, and they should make up no more than 6 to 10 per cent of your total training. (When you run these workouts, you are running at or near 100 per cent of your maximum oxygen capacity, which scientists call VO2-max.) Speed-Form Runs Speed-form workouts help you improve your running economy, form and leg speed. These are also interval sessions tailored to help you prepare for races of 800 metres to 5K. Here's an example of a good speed-form workout: 8 x 400 metres at speed-form pace with 3 to 4 minutes of recovery jogging between efforts. You should do speed-form sessions no more than once a week, and they should make up no more than 4 to 8 per cent of your total training. Yasso 800s Yasso 800s are an invention of Runner's World US writer Bart Yasso, who has run more than 50 marathons and ultramarathons. They're simple: if you want to run a marathon in 2:45, 3:29 or 4:11, you should train to the point where you can run 10 repetitions of 800 metres in the same time: 2:45, 3:29 or 4:11. The only difference is that your marathon time is hours:minutes and your 800 time is minutes:seconds. Bart suggests doing Yasso 800s once a week as part of your marathon training. Start with perhaps 4 x 800 and build up to 10 x 800. Between the 800s, take a recovery jog that lasts as long as your 800s. A good Yasso 800 workout: 6 x 800m at Yasso pace with recovery jogs between the 800s. Long Runs long runs form the foundation of all marathon training programs. long runs build everything from your confidence to your discipline to your fat-burning. So, even when you're not training for a specific marathon, it's a good idea to do at least one semi-long run a week. Because long runs are done at a relaxed pace, there's great latitude in how fast you actually run. In general, we believe that slower is better than faster. Let your long runs be your slow runs, and save your legs for other days of the week when you might do tempo runs or maximum-oxygen runs. But there are a thousand theories about how to do long runs, none of which have yet been proven superior to the others. The important thing is building up the distance and training your body to keep going for 3, 4, 5 or however many hours it's going to take you. Putting It All Together Don't overdo your training! Hard Days We recommend that most beginner and intermediate runners do just two hard days a week. More advanced runners can do three hard days if they're careful. Each of the following is a hard-day workout: tempo runs, VO2-max sessions, speed-form workouts, Yasso 800s, long runs. Hard Days/Easy Days A hard session should usually be followed by one or (even better) two easy day sessions. Easy days can include rest days and cross-training days. Rest Days Most beginner and intermediate runners should run no more than 4 to 6 days a week. We recommend one or two rest days, when you do no training at all (or just take a relaxed 30-minute walk) and one or two cross-training days. Cross-Training Days The world of cross-training has expanded dramatically in recent years. While research indicates that cross-training probably won't make you a faster runner, it can make you a stronger and healthier and less injury-prone runner. Runners do best with cross-training exercises that are non-weight-bearing. This includes swimming and aqua-running, strength-training, bicycling and rowing. We also like non-impact exercises, which include nordic skiing, elliptical training and step climbing.]]> http://www.runwellfinishstrong.com/2008/10/race_training_the_basics.html http://www.runwellfinishstrong.com/2008/10/race_training_the_basics.html Training Thu, 02 Oct 2008 10:32:25 -0800