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Posts tagged ‘health’

May 15

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Lesson #4 – Running is a Complete Body Sport

Perhaps one of the most valuable lessons I have learned over this year long journey is that running is a complete body sport. It’s as much about every other muscle group in your body as it is about the power of your legs.

From my personal experience, I can tell you that your back and hips play an important role in efficient running. In particular, if your back muscles are tight or weak, some other part of your body will start compensating. At first, this isn’t such a big deal, but over time it adds up. Back muscles might not be such a big area of concern for other runners, but for me, it is. I take 10 minutes before every run and do stretches specifically for my back. So far, so good. And I’m thankful I came to realize this.

With regards to hips, I’ve always thought I had pretty flexible hips. Many of the hip opening yoga poses are fairly easy for me. What has needed work is my hip strength. Back in February when I really injured myself, I think it was a combination of weak hip flexors and tight back muscles. I spent a month working on my hip flexors and the difference has been amazing. I can now feel my hip flexors engage and facilitate smooth running. I feel more upright when I run and overall, my hips feel stronger. Hip exercises have become a routine part of my workout schedule.

Runners get injured. It happens. But I think it’s incredibly important to analyze why we get injured. What part of our body is weak or tight? How has our mileage increased? Have we been too hard on our bodies without enough rest? We have to reflect and we must get in tune with our bodies. Many injuries don’t have to happen.

Happy Trails & Happy Running,

Tracie

Running Update: I have to admit, I didn’t want to run today. I was incredibly tired and it was almost 90 degrees outside. But I spent some time reflecting on my running goals and made it out the door. It was hot. Really hot. And I had 8 miles on my schedule. Much to my surprise, in spite of the heat, I had an awesome run. The goal was to focus on easy and not push to a point where I felt like I was really trying. My last two miles were 7:40 and 7:35 and that actually felt easy. Perhaps all the hill running is starting to pay off. Stats are here. 

May 14

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The Top 5 Things I’ve Learned in a Year- #5, Running Form

In five days my one year blogging journey will come to an end. In 360 days, I have learned A LOT of things but there are 5 that I think will carry my running a new level. I would like to share my list of the most important things I’ve learned this past year…

#5 – Running Form

Running form is particularly important to me right now because I’m coming back from an injury that I know was caused by bad running form. I could feel it when my form started to deteriorate, and because I chose to ignore it for so long, I realize how incredibly important it is.

Back in June, after seeing a few race photos, I realized my form needed a little work. In comparison to the super fast runners out there, my form was a mess. In July, I took a Chi Running class and was amazed at the things I learned. For a while, I focused on my chi running techniques and it worked quite well. However, over time, as I got more interested in speed in distance, I let the form go.

My lesson from this is the following: bad running form exacerbates a running injury. Everything in the body plays an important role – your legs, your hips, your core, your back, your shoulder position, your head position… everything. Two Saturdays ago a guy went flying past me. His running form was beautiful. Efficient. Effortless. And clean. I immediately tried to imitate it and found my pace quickly increase.

I have learned that when you feel your form start to go, slow down. Rest. Take a break. Stretch. Speed and distance are never worth the numbers, at the price of bad form. It will catch up with you.

Happy Trails & Happy Running,;

Tracie

Running Update: I had a pyramid fartlek run today. 1-2-3-3-2-1 minute intervals with :30,1:00:1:30 minute breaks in between. I was not excited about it. I found myself really taking it easy on the warm up mile because I didn’t have the energy to do anything else. I did my intervals and at the end I realized I only did 1-2-3-2-1 and missed my second 3 minute interval, or so I thought. I made up my second 3 minutes at the end. Turns out I was wrong… I did do all of my intervals plus an extra one because I can’t count. Or at least speed and hills make me forget how to count. I did a 2.5 mile cool down and was incredibly happy with how strong I felt up that one beast of a hill. For 7 miles with some intense speedwork, I was very happy with the end result. Warm up mile is here, fartlek run is here, and cool down miles are here.

 

Seeing my bad form for the first time...

Seeing my bad form for the first time…

 

An improvement after my chi running class...

An improvement after my chi running class…

 

City of oaks

I think I have good for in this too…

 

 

May 11

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Juicing

There is an amazing juice bar right beside work and I absolutely love it. I had never been much of a veggie juice person before, mainly because I had never tried it. However, since trying the many fruit/veggie combos at Juiced Up, I can’t imagine my diet without them.

Today, Mario and I had a class with Liz, one of the owners of Juiced Up who was kind enough to sit down and answer all of our questions. Why juice? What type of juicer should we buy? How do you make juices? How do you do a juicing cleanse? It was quite informative and I am sold now more than ever on the benefits of juicing.

I’m one of those people, who once I get an idea in my head, I share it with everyone and strongly encourage you to do the same. So here you go…

In my mind, I can’t understand why anyone wouldn’t want to juice. First and foremost, it tastes absolutely delicious! It’s not the nasty V8 stuff you think about it a can. The juices are light, sweet, and super easy to drink. Second, juicing does so many great things for your body. It heals you from the inside out and gives your body exactly what it needs… lots and lots of micronutrients. Juicing also detoxifies the body, which I’m sure we could all use.

The way I think about it is the following: Your body is like a factory. Put a bunch of crap into your body, and your factory starts to break down. Your cells are weak, your organs aren’t functioning properly, and pretty soon everything on the outside starts to get affected. Low energy, bad skin, restless nights, etc. However, if you give your body all the micronutrients it needs, your factory is booming. Your cells are happy, your organs are happy, and everything on the outside is glowing. Liz, the owner of Juiced Up, is an excellent example of this. She is always beaming with positive energy and has a radiant glow about her. She does a reboot every Monday and juices twice a day.

Juicing takes times. That is a given, but your body deserves a little kindness. Sure, it’s is not the same as eating the fruits and vegetables but who says you can’t do both? Juicing just allows your body to be flooded with micronutrients, and for me, it helps me to get my veggies for the day. Since I’ve been juicing more, I’ve cut down drastically on my meat consumption. I’m loving the way I feel – even more energy, well rested, and overall, just very positive. We plan to buy a juicer next week.

Look at all this goodness! I had my first juice with aloe vera today... yummy!

Look at all this goodness! I had my first juice with aloe vera today… yummy!

Happy Trails and Happy Running,

Tracie

Running Update: Well today wasn’t the 12 miler I was hoping for. I did a slow 2 miles with a new member to our run club (super awesome lady!) and then did another 10. The workouts from this week have made my legs feel a little heavy, and I could really feel the fatigue. Tomorrow, I will only do strength training and stretching. Stats are here (warm up miles) and here.

May 10

A New Approach

Mario and I are sitting here watching the Miami Heat vs. the Chicago Bulls in game three of the NBA playoffs. I just saw this commercial and absolutely loved it…

 

 

Sometimes you have to follow your gut, go with something new. Just because everyone else says it’s right, doesn’t mean you have to agree. Perhaps you have a new way of doing things and that is the way to go. Dick Fosbury revolutionized the high jump and maybe one day you’ll revolutionize something as well. You can see more here.

Happy Trails & Happy Running,

Tracie

Running Update: Today is my rest day but thanks to all these veggies and clean eating, I had more energy than I knew what to do with and had to get outdoors. After making kale chips, sweet potatoes, and roasting beets, I went out for a super short run. It got me super excited for my 12 miles tomorrow. Stats are here.

May 9

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Broken Toes and Running

My little toe on my left foot is broken – I’m 99.9% sure of it. It is super swollen and it has been that way for well over a month. I’ve been taping it to my other toe but it doesn’t seem to be getting any better. Sometimes it hurts when I wear shoes but luckily, it never bothers me when I run. There are two reasons I haven’t gone to see a doctor about it. First, there really isn’t much you can do for a broken toe and second, I don’t want him to say the dreaded words, stop running. Especially since my running is going so well. So my question is, can I still run with a broken toe?

Well according to Jackie Carmichael from Livestrong, it’s not such a good idea:

Your feet hit the ground approximately 800 times per mile, according to Cool Running. This type of beating will put a lot of stress on a fractured toe. Since the initial treatment for a fractured toe is rest and elevation, resuming a running regimen with a fracture is not advisable. If your fracture has healed and you have allowed the appropriate amount of time for recovery — this will vary depending on the injury — resuming running is probably fine.

However, on the plus side…

…a minor fracture in a small toe may not require medical treatment or set you back from your daily routine for any length of time.

Ok, so maybe it’s not that bad.

I broke my big toe once and couldn’t bend it for a year. Eventually I went to see the doctor about it and his response was, you don’t really need to bend your big toe anyway. I was pretty livid after that statement and that’s why I’m hesitant to go see a doctor now. I think I’ll go ice for now and try and give it a rest from the pointy shoes.

Happy Trails and Happy Running,

Tracie

Please don’t judge my feet. I don’t have time to make them look pretty for the pic.

 

My swollen left toe.

My swollen left toe.

Running Update: Tonight I did a very easy 4 miles with the run club girls. It was probably exactly what my body needed after a fartlek workout and my longer hilly run yesterday. Felt great the entire time and I’m so happy to be training out on the hills. I can really tell I’m improving. Stats are here.

 

May 5

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Spinal Erectors and Running

I don’t remember where I first heard about the spinal erector muscle group, but I do remember thinking I have weak spinal erectors. I had no knowledge about these muscles but they sounded pretty important. Fast forward a few months and the more I in tune with my body I become, the more I realize my left back muscles are not as strong as my right back muscles. Perhaps weak spinal erectors??

Leslie Truex:

The erector spinae is comprised of a group of muscles and tendons that run the length of and support the spine. They work with abdominal muscles to help support the torso, and they should be strengthened in conjunction with ab exercises. In fact, according to Spine-Health.com, trying to develop strong abs but ignoring the back can increase your risk of back injury.

The way I understand it is spinal erectors keep your spine straight. With regards to my running, as I pick up the mileage and subsequently become more tired, my weak left side stops engaging as it should and my right side takes over. In my non-expert opinion, this has contributed to my many injuries. In fact, because I’ve been running consistently for about a month now, I can feel my left side starting to disengage and my right side take over. As much as I wanted to do an easy run today, I decided not to and worked solely on stretching and strengthening my back. There are a few good exercises here and here.

I think because my long run yesterday was a little on the fast side and I’ve been running almost everyday for a month, I’m going to go easy this week. My body is starting to tell me that it needs a little break (and variety).

Happy Trails & Happy Running,

Tracie

And completely unrelated, here are some pictures from the birthday festivities last night. Check out the cake!

Thanks Emily for the cake!!

Thanks Emily for the cake!!

 

With my fabulous sister, who along with my parents, made an amazing video using pictures of me from when I was a baby until now.

With my fabulous sister, who along with my parents, made an amazing video using pictures of me from when I was a baby until now.

 

Best friends since kindergarten

Best friends since kindergarten

With Mari, Baby Ravi, and Emily

With Mari, Baby Ravi, and Emily

 

 

 

May 4

Running & Head Position

One of the reasons I like running at the American Tobacco Trail  is I don’t have to watch out for potholes, uneven sidewalks, or speeding cars. I’m not worried about tripping or falling on my face which allows me to focus on looking ahead. While I was running this morning, I noticed how much more efficient I felt when I was looking straight ahead as opposed to down at the ground. Everything just seemed to flow more smoothly. It got me thinking about head position. How much is looking down at the ground affecting my running form? Does it even affect it at all?

Posetech.com:

The head position is a crucial point in making the muscular system of the whole body engaged in a specific way, which could be more or less efficient and balanced depending on the head position orientation. Therefore, as a consequence, the movement of the body could be more or less balanced and efficient, as well.

Balance. The head position can affect balance.

And then I found this quirky video demonstrating the importance of proper head alignment while running:

 

I love the accents… Here’s to looking ahead ;)

Happy Trails & Happy Running,

Tracie

Running Update: Amazing run this morning. 10 speedy miles to start out my day. I’m really happy with how I’m feeling and the speed I still have, even though I haven’t done any real workouts. The 6:53 mile made me happy. Stats are here. And now it’s off to the birthday festivities… Celebrating 30 years with friends and family. :)

 

May 2

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Thankful

I want to take one night to write about something that is completely unrelated to running, health, fitness or nutrition. I want to take this one blog entry to say how thankful I am for my fabulous friends, family, students, and of course my husband. They have all made this birthday the best ever.

Today at work, I realized that event though my students may drive me crazy, they really do love me. I had several birthday cakes, homemade cookies, cards, notes, and even a gift card to the local veggie juice bar. I received one of the most heartfelt notes from student who told me how much he appreciated how loving and happy I always am. And that’s why I call  you Mama T-Rod, he said. Liz, the owner of the juice bar, gave me the gift of a delicious Hulk it Up with an extra shot of wheatgrass for free and I received the sweetest messages from my friends. Mario has gone above and beyond to make this birthday extra special and I look forward to celebrating Saturday night with my parents, my sister, and the best friends ever. I love birthdays. :)

Thank you everyone for the birthday love! Here is to an exciting new decade!

A delicious cake from Katherine

A delicious cake from Katherine… one of several homemade cakes today. 

 

Birthday messages left on my computer

Birthday messages left on my computer

 

Awesome birthday note

Awesome birthday note

 

Detox after too much cake at school

Detox after too much cake at school

 

I've been waiting 5 months to eat sweet potato fries!

I’ve been waiting 5 months to eat sweet potato fries!

Chocolate mousse

Chocolate mousse. Must run A LOT this weekend. 

 

 

Happy Trails and Happy Running,

Tracie

 

 

 

Apr 30

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Living to 100+

One of my goals in life is to reach the triple digits. I want to live to see 100 and thanks to one of my students, I now have a better idea of how to accomplish this. Eat lots of veggies, daily activity, relax, socialize, and engage in meaningful activity.

If you have 20 minutes, watch this TED video. My favorite is the 104 year old lady lifting weights, riding her bike, and cruising down the freeway.

 

 

Enjoy!

Happy Trails & Happy Running,

Tracie

Running Update: I didn’t go as slow as I wanted to this afternoon but I did go slower than I normally would. have.  An average pace of 8:23 instead of 8:30. I’m working on the easy runs. Stats are here.

Apr 29

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Cortisol

As my running is going better that I could have expected, I find myself starting to push a little harder on my runs. Today I know I went faster than a typical easy Monday run. Therefore, tomorrow’s run will be a goal pace of 8:30-8:45/mile.

One thing that I am doing in order to stay off the injured list (in addition to lots of  yoga poses and strength training) is paying closer attention to my diet. And all of these food documentaries we have been watching just reaffirm the power of fruits and veggies. I am getting a little stricter with my vegetable intake because I know it helps with my recovery and performance. I want to take care of my body and I need to give it the fuel it needs.

One thing I have been reading about is cortisol. Cortisol is a hormone that is produced in response to stress. Over trained endurance athletes (like myself) can experience elevated levels of cortisol and this isn’t necessarily a good thing.

First Endurance: 

Cortisol, known as the regulator of immune response, is a hormone controlled by the adrenal cortex. This powerful hormone is also known as an adrenalcorticol hormone, a glucocorticoid and hydrocortisone or simply cortisone. Cortisol has a catabolic (muscle breakdown) effect on tissue and is associated with a decrease in anabolic (muscle growth) hormones like IGF-1 and GH. Thus reducing levels of cortisol is ideal for an athlete to achieve tissue growth and positive adaptations to exercise training. Playing many different roles in the body, cortisol can have a negative impact on sleep, mood, sex drive, bone health, ligament health, cardiovascular health and athletic performance, potentially causing fatigue and inflammation.

As I was running home tonight, I was thinking to myself, What can I eat for dinner that will help keep my cortisol levels down? Well luckily there are quite a few options that I just happen to have in my kitchen. Green leafy vegetables, in particular those high in vitamin K, whole grains, and lean protein are all good options to keep your cortisol levels down. My dinner tonight consisted of spinach, kale, bell peppers, carrots, tomatoes, smoked salmon and quinoa. In addition, my afternoon snack was a kale, apple, celery, cucumber, and lemon veggie juice. So yummy!

I think my cortisol levels are feeling pretty low this evening.

Happy  Trails & Happy Running,

Tracie

Running stats from today are here. Seven miles at a comfortable pace, although a little on the quick side. Tomorrow will be slower. And how do you like the pic of our breakfast yesterday morning? Delicious veggie juice ;)

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