Races as we knew them are indefinitely put on hold. So what now? COVID 19 has been and will continue to be an extraordinarily difficult experience for many in our nation and around the world. Many of my close friends are on the frontlines in healthcare and I am so grateful for their sacrifices. They make it possible for me to do something fun, like run a marathon in 25 hours. 2)How do you stay motivated to continue to be active? I live in Florida with two young boys so inactivity has not really been a choice! I am surrounded by great weather and lots of energy! We have been doing lots of running, biking, swimming and kayaking through the quarantine which has been such a blessing. However, the biggest motivator for me is that I truly believe in the mental and emotional benefits of exercise in addition to the physical effects. So even on days that I do not feel motivated or excited about exercising, I remind myself of the reason I stay active: to practice self care. Not only for myself but also to hopefully be an example to my kids and students. 3)Tell us a bit about the quarantine challenge and how you completed it? I completed the “Marathon in 25 Hours” Quarantine Challenge. My training partner Mellissa found the challenge on Instagram and we decided to try it! The challenge began on Saturday at 12:00 noon. The plan was to run two miles on even hours (12:00, 2:00, 4:00 …) and on odd hours we would run one mile until we reached 18 miles on Saturday. Towards the end of the evening Saturday I was losing motivation so I modified the plan and ran 3 miles at 7:00pm and 4 miles at 8:00pm to reach 18. On Sunday, we began running 1 mile on the hour every hour at 6:00am. We completed 8.2 miles to finish the full 26.2 in 25 hours! Admittedly, when I first saw the challenge, it did not seem intimidating. We had just completed the Dopey Challenge in January which consisted of 48.6 miles in 4 days (5k, 10k, half marathon, full marathon). Then I completed another full marathon in February. So this seemed doable. However, I grossly underestimated the effect stopping and starting would have on my body and mind. The first several rounds were great but eventually my legs started tightening in between runs. It was difficult to get them moving again! It was also challenging to find motivation to get up and start the next round as the day continued. This is why I modified the plan and increased my milage towards the end of the day. I knew eventually I would succeed in talking myself out of getting off the couch so I just got to 18 as fast as I could! Sunday was a little bit easier as it was just a mile per hour. But with 6 miles left, I found myself fatigued. I reached out to a friend of mine and she encouraged me to dedicate each mile to someone in my life and focus on them rather than myself. That was hugely beneficial in helping me finish out the last 6 hours. An additional component of the challenge that I did not anticipate was fueling properly. In retrospect, I should’ve had a better plan of what I was going to eat and when to eat it. Spreading the miles out over so many hours but running every hour made it difficult to eat enough calories throughout the 25 hours. One fun thing about this challenge was that I was able to run at a pace much faster than my traditional marathon pace. I completed this marathon 40 minutes faster than my PR! 4)How did you find Runcoach? I am new-ish to running. I started running two years ago because of a deal I made with one of my students (I am a college professor). My first goal was to complete a half marathon which I thought was certainly impossible. I have never been a runner, much less a long distance runner. Once I completed the first half marathon, I fell in love with running. It has truly made me a better mom, wife, professor, friend etc. I then set a goal to complete a full marathon. I have now completed 2 ( 3 if you count the challenge) marathons, 5 half marathons, 2 10Ks and several 5k’s in a little less than 2 years. I had proven to myself that I can, in fact, finish. So I set a new goal to improve my time and become a stronger runner. I felt overwhelmed trying to plan my speed workouts, tempo runs and guess my goal paces so I started looking into finding a running coach and that search lead me to the runcoach app. It was such a relief to find the app! I have been using the app for a little over a month and my speed has already increased significantly and I feel much stronger during my long runs! I plan to run a marathon in November and cannot wait to see the progress I have made with the help of the app and coaches. 5)What’s your advice to folks struggling with motivation due to race cancellation? My advice is to remember why you are running. Races are certainly one of the best and most exciting parts of running. However, the health and wellness benefits are undeniable and more impactful than medals and race shirts (which are admittedly awesome and the only things I collect!)
Published in
Runcoach Success Stories
This month in Ask the Practitioner, we inquired about high hamstring tendinopathy with Renee Songer, Clinical Director of Agile Physical Therapy.
Read on to find out more about one of the most common injury problems among runners. Coach: What is high hamstring tendinopathy? RS: Tendons connect muscle to bone. Tendinopathy is a degenerative condition of the tendon structure. High hamstring tendinopathy is a degeneration of the hamstring tendon at it's insertion near the buttock region. Coach: What are the primary symptoms of this injury? RS: Primary symptoms include local pain at the top of the hamstring. Often these injuries can be painful to the touch, painful with stretching and painful with forceful muscle contraction. While running you may feel the pain as you are pushing off the back foot or as the leg is swinging forward. A quick test is a Reverse Plank (see picture). Pain or weakness compared to your non-injured leg indicates possible problems with hamstring tendon. Coach: What are some tips for addressing these symptoms or preventing their onset? If you feel pain in this area acutely, it is often best to rest and ice for the first 24 hours. If pain allows, gently stretch the area and working on a foam roll or massage can help. Slowly return to activity over the next week avoiding activities that cause pain. If pain persists beyond a week see your physical therapist or physician to assess the problem. This type of injury can also start with a gradual onset as a localized buttock ache, first noticed after a workout and with sitting on harder surfaces. To prevent high hamstring tendonopathy make sure your glute muscles are strong through a full range of motion. Often we tend to avoid the last 20 degrees of hip extension (straightening) with exercise but we need it to be strong for running. Bowing, single leg bridge, and single leg curtsy squats are excellent exercises to maintain adequate glute strength for running. Curtsy Video Version I Curtsy Video Version II
Published in
Injury Prevention
How to Implement Our Whole Body Workout Into Your TrainingApril 17, 2020This is Coach Tom’s favorite routine which will target many of the running muscles and also areas of weakness. It takes just 20 minutes and it will develop your flexibility, strength, and core muscles. (Core muscles include the muscles in your abdomen, back, pelvic floor, and glutes.) We recommend that you do 8-10 reps, 2 times per week. If any of the exercises are too challenging at first, please shorten the duration. Over time, you will get stronger and be able to increase the duration. Left and Right Side Planks - Targets the lateral abs Hamstring Bridge - Targets the hamstrings (back of the thighs) and gluteus maximus (buttocks) Cobra - Abdominal Stretch Close Hand Push Ups - Also known as Narrow Grip Push Ups Glute Stretch - Stretches the buttocks muscles Single Leg Squat - Challenges balance, quadriceps (front of thighs), hamstrings (back of thighs), and glutes (buttocks muscles) Quad Stretch - Stretches the front of the thighs Partner Punishment - Targets abdominal muscles Pointers - Core Body Stabilization Hamstring Stretch - 3 different stretches that target the back of the thighs Pretzel Stretch - Stretches the muscles of the back Calf Stretch - Stretches the calves (back of lower leg) and achilles (back of feet) Leg Swings - 3 different exercises that target the core muslces and stretch the pelvis, hips, and hamstrings Foam Roller - "Self Massaging" routine
Published in
Whole Body Workout
What is mental health?
Published in
Movecoach Success Stories
My Race Has Been Canceled – Now WhatMarch 12, 2020My Race Has Been Canceled – Now What
Now that we are in uncharted territory with the spread of the coronavirus as a global pandemic, many of you must deal with the cancelation of your respective events. I want to share my thoughts and empathy with you. First off, running to many of you, as it is for me is much more than exercise. It is a stimulus toa path forward when your road gets muddy and blocked. I have used running throughout my life to “get unstuck” and continue forward. So, I’m acutely aware of the personal disappointment that many of you currently feel. Our race goals are more than just fun and certainly not fleeting. This can only be understood by you – the walkers, the runners, the goal-setters that you are. There is an incredible personal loss when someone moves the finish line or in this case, takes it away. I nearly experienced this in 2001, after weeks of 100 miles running in preparation for the New York City Marathon. Fortunately for me, that race took place after the tragedy of 9/11, and I can only imagine what it would have done to my morale had it been canceled. All of us at Runcoach are right there with you and share your disappointment.
Here is my Top 5 List of what to do if your race has been canceled. 1) Go run the distance anyway on the day it was scheduled
Published in
Racing
How to treat the IT band -
What is IT Band Syndrome? The Iliotibial Band, or IT Band, is a dense band of connective tissue that originates in the hip (iliacus), runs down the outside of the leg and inserts just below the knee. Every time you bend your knee the IT Band crosses over a bony protrusion at the outside of your knee. If the band becomes tight it starts to snap more aggressively over this bone and it can then get irritated and inflamed. When this happens you have IT Band Syndrome.
Common signals or symptoms:
- The most common symptom is pain at the outside of the knee.
- Tightness at the outside of the hip. - Soreness in the lateral (outside) quad muscle. - Swelling around the knee Prevention Tips:
There are a number of things a runner can do to prevent IT Band Syndrome.
The easiest thing to do is use a foam roller, "the stick" or some other form of self massage. This is probably the most effective thing you can do to keep the IT Band loose. There are also various IT Band stretches but many people have a hard time getting into a position where they actually feel an effective IT Band stretch. Other causes:
The most effective treatment is rest.
Published in
Injury Prevention
Let's talk about Plantar Fasciitis
What is Plantar Fasciitis? Most often felt in the heel, over 50% of Americans will experience this pain during their lifetime.
PF occurs due to a variety of reasons: overuse of improper, non-supportive shoes, over-training in sports, lack of flexibility, weight gain, too much standing.
As with any pain ice and rest is the first step. Fill a bucket of water and add ice to it. Stick your foot in. Another option is to freeze a plastic bottle of water and roll your foot with it. If pain is present for more than three weeks, see a medical professional about the problem. Treatment options such as orthotics, foot taping, cortisone injections, night splints, and anti-inflammatories can help.
Published in
Injury Prevention
Teresa shares her incredible journey with the Runcoach community. She encourges us to first and foremost "START". However small the gains are, there are improvements!
Major milestone: I started with the desire to lose weight- started walking. Now I feel it is truly a miracle- I can run 10 miles. I lost the weight but the other effects are priceless! No more depression, or back pain, I have more energy and I feel like I look so much better. I can actually see muscles in my legs and arms.
What is the secret to your success? I started very small. Jogging for only 30 seconds initially. I continue to incorporate walk breaks into my run
What is the biggest obstacle to reaching your goals and how do you get over it? My biggest obstacle was the weather and day light kept me from gettin in my runs. Bought a treadmill to deal with this.
What is the most rewarding part of training? Seeing the success and improved health. My thinking has changed- other areas of my life I now use the same strategies. Start small and stick with it. Progress not perfection is what I strive for.
What advice would you give to other members of the Runcoach community? Don’t give up. If a 200 pound woman can do it anyone can!
Anything else you would like to share? You are worth it.
Published in
Runcoach Success Stories
We are beginning a new column where we will dive into some of the most common running injuries. First up: Shin Splints. This is the pain felt along the front of your lower leg, at the shin bone. Shin splints are common among runners who increase frequency, volume, or intensity of training, along with improperly fitting footwear or worn out shoes can cause problems. Also frequent running on hard surfaces can cause shin pain.
The first thing is to understand what they are. Then you know what stresses you are putting on your body. Consider the age and appropriateness of your shoes and review your training to make sure you aren’t making any huge sudden jumps. Many runners with shin splints also report tight calves and relatively modest strength in the lower leg muscles. Proper stretching and strengthening of the calf muscles can help. One productive exercise is heel walking. [Check out our Heel Walking Demo Video here.]
There is an inflammatory component here, so ice can help a lot. A reduction in training intensity and a change in running surfaces may be required to allow the symptoms to subside. Anti-inflammatories may be appropriate, but consult your physician to ensure they are a safe choice for you. If symptoms persist or become steadily worse, make an appointment with your doctor.
|
Blog Categories
|