Tag Archives: Health

Off-Season?

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Do runners really have an off-season?? Does any athlete really have an off-season???

“Off” might not be the best word to describe what happens between the end of one season and the beginning of the next. Maybe down time or to use a more technical term: periodization.

Periodization is often used in the triathlon world to help them focus on the three different sports within their event.  Runners also sometimes use the term in training, such as a base period, a hill period, and a taper period.

Webster defines the off-season as:

a time of suspended or reduced activity ; especially : the time during which an athlete is not training or competing

If you tear it apart and redefine it as: a time of reduced activity or a time during which an athlete is not competing, then we can have a real off-season. Most athletes of all makes and models probably don’t take more than a few weeks off with out any physical activity.

In college we would take 2 weeks off at the end of cross-country and then start base-building for track.  Then when our track season ended we took 2 weeks off and started the process all-over again for cross-country.  In our program we had some flexibility but that was the expectation and you suffered the consequences for your action or inaction!

So what does all this babble really mean to you and me?  For the most part we should be doing some type of cardiovascular workout all year long.  Lots of research has shown that two-three weeks is a safe amount of time to take off without any real detriment to your overall fitness.  For some of us, after our fall races we’ll take some time off and then bounce back up and run all winter long.  Most people cut back completely on their running.  I think the key is to find a nice balance during the winter down-time.  It is important to keep the cardiovascular system strong and healthy all winter long – so any type of cardio work is a must.  This is a good time to let your legs, feet, hips, or whatever to completely heal.  Use the bike, elliptical, or row machine.

I ran through the winter last year, trying to avoid the dreadmill at all costs. I was training for an April half-marathon so I needed to be running as much as possible.  Beyond running though winter is a good time to pick up some other activities – here in Minnesota many runners cross-country ski to maintain fitness.

This winter I am really going to focus on building my strength.  During our down-time, off-season, or winter period it is a good time to focus on the other important aspects of running.  Things like a strong core that can really improve your running form and stamina.  Or what about flexibility?

YES!! This winter I am going to work hard on my core and maybe hit some weights at the gym.

I have all the equipment I need at home to work on my body’s core.  I just need the focus and determination.

Will you help hold me accountable?  I haven’t decided on what exactly I will do, but just the idea of work.  It will probably include push-ups, maybe even 100 of them.  Stay tuned for more details…

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Take Care of Your Buds

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That is your ear buds.

A recent study showed that personal ear bud use may cause permanent hearing loss.  I use a  Sansa E250 2GB MP3 Player as my personal music player of choice. It is quite versatile (including an FM tuner and microphone) and has lasted pretty well, not to mention dirt cheap! I’ve talked about my mp3 use before, especially the safety issues and sharing my personal playlist (which is now a little outdated).

In the back of my head I have thought about the impact that all of this mp3 usage might have on my ears.  But never thought enough about it to worry too much.  I’ve thought more about my safety while running than the impact on my hearing.  I remember as a kid getting yelled at to turn down my Discman or Walkman, with the threat that I’d lose my hearing.

Now a study conducted for the European Union confirms that permanent hearing loss can come from too much and too loud of music being played in your ear drum.  The New York Times reported that

The report said that those who listened for five hours a week at high-volume settings exposed themselves to more noise than permitted in the noisiest factory or work place. Maximum volume on some devices can generate as much noise as an airplane taking off nearby.

That is a lot of noise!

The report issued by the Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks, a name which implies they probably don’t use too many iPods, had some more bad news.  We might not feel the effect of our usage for many years. 5-10% of listeners may have hearing loss within 5 years, if they listen to music at a high volume for more than an hour a day. The now famous earbud may make things worse since the overall sound exposure is higher than the older, more traditional models.

A 2006 lawsuit claimed that the Apple iPod can produce music at 115 decibls, while 89 is the border line for safe listening.  It begs the question of why they would produce something at that level.  Well probably the same reason we keep building faster computers or cars with more horsepower.  Bigger, Faster, and Louder means something is BETTER!

SO WHAT! Maybe you want to go deaf or you don’t believe in scientific research, well you can stop reading! For the rest of us they study recommends limiting listening through headphones/earbuds to no more than an hour a day – with the volume set at around 60% of the maximum volume.  Got that? No more two hour long rungs with the ear buds – unless you skip a day somewhere else! This is just a guideline they offer so feel free to disobey – at your own risk and don’t sue me when you lose your hearing.

I guess I won’t be blaring my music anymore so that my training partners can hear the latest MPR program or Phedipidations episode – sorry guys.

[tags] Hearing Loss, mp3, iPod, ear bud [/tags]

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Indiana is Obese

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I recently did some research on “healthy living” and needed data related to childhood obesity, physical activity, nutrition, etc. The results are a little staggering.

Some of the results are here:

The state and federal governments are trying to curb the rising trend in obesity across the nation. I personally tend to be more conservative and think the government should be a last resort to “rescue” us from our personal problems. But something has to be done to keep us and our kids healthier.

I was happy to report back in August about the increasing trend of more runners there was a 5% increase from 2005 to 2006.

The Trust for America’s Health report also included statistics on public opinion about specific related programs:

  • 81% of Americans believe that the government should have a role in addressing the obesity crisis. Majorities strongly support government working on proposals to expand education programs about healthy living, provide low-cost access to exercise programs, and reduce the marketing of unhealthy foods.
  • 55% of parents with children under 18 believe lunches provided in schools are not nutritious enough.
  • 66% of Americans rated proposals to establish higher nutrition in school lunches as very useful.
  • Over 2/3rds of Americans believe children do not participate in adequate amounts of physical activity during the school day or engage in enough physical activity outside of school. More than 70 percent of Americans rated proposals to increase physical education in schools as very useful.
  • 60% of Americans favor a proposal to measure students’ BMI annually and confidentially provide this information to parents or guardians.

I know the Anderson Road Runners has a Children’s Fun Run program and most races include some type of kid’s event. What do you think we, as people who value fitness, can and should do to promote a healthier lifestyle for today’s youth?

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Its a Raging Inferno Outside: Tips to Beat the HEAT

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Its hot outside (maybe an understatement). At noon today its about 85 degrees with a heat index at 92 and 68% humidity! The prediction for today is 98 degrees with heat indexes around 105! The National Weather Service has issued a Heat Advisory for today and also one for tomorrow with predictions for 97 degrees and a similar heat index. UGH!

I guess its time for some hot weather running tips! There is a lot out there about this topic, so here is a compilation of advice from all the running experts and actually Runner’s World did a big feature on this topic in a recent issue.

  1. Hydration is a must! Drink before, during, and after your runs. You can lose between 6-12oz of fluid per 20 minutes of running. Be careful with overhydration, if you are on a long run be sure to include some type of sugar such as Gatorade. A good indication of your fluid intake is your urine color (the darker the less hydrated you are). Also go ahead and pour some water over your body it will help cool you off! Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and carbonated drinks.
  2. Run early, late, and in the shade. I guess running indoors works too, but not an option I really like! Trying to finish your run before the temperatures really start to rise is the best idea, otherwise a late night run is best. Running in the shade and avoiding blacktop surfaces will also help keep you cooler. You can also split up your workout between a morning and night or do some cross training.
  3. Watch your pace – your times might be a little slower than normal, don’t push yourself too hard and be patient. Some would also say to start out a little slower than normal to prevent a serious time drop later in your run.
  4. Wear light-weight, light-colored, and loose clothing with SPF in them. This includes light-colored moisture-wicking socks to help keep your feet cooler. Experts differ on wearing hats and long-sleeved shirts. Depending on your specific case they might be helpful, I doubt in Indiana we need to worry about wearing long-sleeved shirts, but I don’t know about hats. They can provide a needed respite from the sun, but they also hinder the escape of heat from our body. Using a cold, wet, or even frozen bandana wrapped around your neck or head is a good way to keep you cool, but once its lost its cool it might be a hindrance by keeping heat at your body. Wrapping a cold sponge with ice cubes can also be helpful.
  5. Watch for symptoms of heat-related illness:
    1. Leg cramps, dizziness, increased heart rate, headache, and nausea are the initial symptoms of heat exhaustion, which could lead to (possibly fatal) heat stroke. Anyone experiencing these indicators should stop exercising immediately, get to a cool place, and continue to hydrate slowly. If you cannot keep fluids down, go to the emergency room.
    2. Other symptoms include confusion, loss of muscle control, clammy skin, feeling faint.
    3. If you stop sweating, have a throbbing headache or red, hot, dry skin seek immediate medical attention.
  6. Group running is more important so you can keep an eye on each other and provide assistance as needed.
  7. Stay rested – ensure you are getting at least a normal amount if not more sleep.
  8. Stay nourished – it is hard to eat or cook sometimes when it is so hot, but staying properly nourished will help your body fight the heat! Eating things like salad or fruits will help with hydration because of their high water content.

You can’t beat the heat. Nobody can–that is, nobody can race up to their potential in hot conditions. – Truman Clark

Hear is a link about indoor training. Also check out Gatorade’s hydration strategies website.

Sources for today’s post:

Also check out this Indy Star article about hiking (running) trails at Turkey Run State Park.


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