| February 2000
Women
in Motion
Newsletter
enhancing
female performance
Vol 1.
Issue 7
February 2000
WOMEN
IN MOTION NEWSLETTER - February 2000
Vol. 1, No. 7
This
Month Contains:
~Articles
Recovery
Heart Rate
Getting Ready For
Race Day
~From
Around the 'Net
1.
Age and Running
2.
Exercise During Pregancy
3.
Stress Fractures
4.
Exercising in Cold Weather
5.
Exercising When We Don't Realize It
6.
Massage
7.
Health and Fitness
8.
Heart Rate Monitors
~Words
of Inspiration
~The
Running Woman Board
Articles
1.
RECOVERY HEART RATE
One
indicator of heart health is heart recovery rate after
exercise. People who are physically fit may recover more
quickly as their cardiovascular systems are usually more
efficient.
There
are two stages: the first minute right after exercise, in
which the heart rate drops sharply, and the resting
stage, during which the heart rate decreases. The first
stage in heart rate recovery is the indicator of fitness.
To determine your recovery heart rate, take your pulse at
the end of your exercise for six seconds. If you multiply
that number by 10 you get your heart beats per minute.
Take your pulse one minute later for six seconds and do
the same thing.. Subtracting the one-minute pulse rate
from the exercise pulse rate and dividing by 10. give you
a value that can indicate how healthy your heart is. A
higher number is an indication of a healthy heart. Use
the following scale:
6+: superior
4-6: excellent
3-4: good
2-3: fair
2-: poor
2.
GETTING READY FOR RACEDAY
a.
Race Strategy
If
you are racing against the clock (beat your own time) the
race plan should be to run at a constant effort for the
whole race. When you are racing against others you need
to consider tactical strategy in order to psychologically
affect your opponent. In most cases the best strategy is
to just 'run your own race'. Even effort racing means
slowing down up hills and speeding up going down them not
simply running at the same pace all of the time. It may
also mean to run 15-20 seconds per mile slower in the
first half and then 15-20 seconds faster in the last
half.
There
are a couple of thing to be on the lookout for. The most
common is to start out at too fast a pace. It is very
easy to get caught up in the excitement of the event and
start out past your ability. So take it easy for the
first mile or two kilometres. The next is racing too fast
too soon and developing lactate buildup early in the
race. You start hurting, your breathing becomes ragged
and you have to slow down.
The
best strategy would have you at a constant race pace till
about 70% - 75% of the race distance. Then you can run
faster for the final leg of the run.
b.
Two Days Before
Get
plenty of rest, make sure your glycogen levels are up,
and you are fully hydrated. Get plenty of sleep, eat a
high carbohydrate diet and drink plenty of fluids. Don't
count on sleeping well the night before.
c.
The day before
Consider
having a light run. Make it only about 15-20 minutes with
a few light accelerations.
d.
The night before
Get
organized before bedtime. Pack your bag with your running
shoes, socks, shirt, shorts, water bottle, bandages and
vaseline, money, race number and safety pins. It is a
good idea to pin your race number on before you pack it.
Eat
a light evening meal and drink plenty of water.
e.
Race Day
As
soon as you wake up start drinking to keep hydrated.
Drink water about 20 minutes before the start of the
race. Don't worry about eating, it won't do any good. Tie
double knot your shoelaces to avoid them coming undone.
Start
the warm-up about 30 minutes before the race.Walk, light
jog, stretch, acceleration. The relax just 15 minutes
before race start.
Find
a comfortable position in the group to line up. Don't go
to the front of the group if you know you will finish
middle or back of the pack. There is no use in seeing
great numbers of runners past you (and get in their way).
When the gun goes off start slowly try to hold your
excitement and stick to your race plan. After the race
cool down, stretch and drink plenty of water, eat the
refreshments and talk to the other runners. Don't forget
to wear your T-shirt the next day.
Gord
- Women in Motion
       
FROM
AROUND THE 'NET
1. AGE AND RUNNING
There are many misconceptions about getting older
and running. The concept that older people are feeble,
weak, and lack vitality is incorrect. Research has
indicated that the benefits of exercise for the elderly
are similar to the benefits of exercise for younger
individuals. Physical exercise can prevent and even
reverse about half of the physical decline normally
associated with growing old. It is estimated that only 7
- 10 percent of retirees exercise.
One area of fitness that still does not get the attention
it deserves is weight training. For the elderly, weight
training can improve strength, balance, flexibility, and
appearance, and it can reduce the risks of falls and
fractures. Just one year of regular strength training can
take 15 to 20 years off the person's physical condition.
Much of what we consider normal aging is no more than the
lack of muscle use resulting in muscle atrophy.
The number of senior people is increasing and due to a
longer life span, we can expect many years of leisure
time after retirement. Many retirees who never had the
time to participate in a sport are now spending time at
the gym, courts, pools and outdoors.
The best way to get started in an exercise program is to
talk with your physician about exercise. Your health
history should be considered when selecting the best
physical activities for you. At any age it is always
important to start slowly and build gradually.
2. EXERCISE DURING
PREGNANCY
Most physicians recommend exercise during pregnancy;
however, you must be aware of the risk of prolonged
exercise. Studies indicate exercise over long periods can
result in an increase in the body's core temperature.
This increase may also raise the core temperature of the
fetus. Exercise of 15 minutes or less will not likely to
raise the mother's core temperature enough to cause
problems to the fetus. If the mother exercises longer
than 15 minutes, she must monitor her temperature; it
should not go higher than 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. STRESS FRACTURES
Stress fractures are hairline breaks in bones caused by
repetitive jogging, jumping, and landing. They are caused
from more stress being placed on a bone than it can
withstand, often when the intensity or volume of the
physical activity has been increased over several weeks
or months. Stress fractures occur frequently in the foot,
shins, outer leg, thigh, and backbones. The injury may
cause a dull persistent pain and, if left untreated, may
become extremely painful.
If you have a stress fracture, applying ice packs every
30 minutes for two to three days or until the pain goes
away may help. Anti-inflammatory drugs may help to reduce
swelling. Light exercise after a week may be attempted,
with a gradual increase of intensity/time over several
weeks. This is an injury of overuse.
4. EXERCISING IN COLD
WEATHER
Prevention of cold stress is mainly a matter of dressing
properly for the weather. The American College of Sports
Medicine has recommended one or more of the following
techniques:
1. Layer clothing
Several
thin layers are warmer than a single heavy garment.
Layers can be added or removed to ventilate the skin
surface.
2.Cover the head
Heat
loss from the head and neck can account for up to 50
percent of the loss of body heat.
3.Protect the hands
Gloves
should be used whenever there is the slightest risk of
frostbite. Mittens are better than gloves for warmth.
4.Stay dry
Water,
whether from sweat, rain, snow, or sleet, significantly
increases body-heat loss. Keep feet dry. A fabric, such
as wool or polypropylene, will absorb moisture from the
skin and still insulate the body. Cotton is not suitable
because once it is wet it no longer keeps the body warm.
5.Drink liquids
Fluids
are as important during cold weather as in the heat.
Dehydration increases the risk of frostbite.
The body's rate of heat production is less when
exercising on a cool or cold day, especially in windy
conditions. If you're not prepared for weather
conditions, frostbite or hypothermia may be the
result.
5. EXERCISING WHEN WE
DON'T REALIZE IT
People who are physically active often exercise without
realizing it. They perform activities without knowing
that they are exercising. They are the people who are
always on the move, never sitting down for long periods
of time.
Studies indicate that overweight people spend a
significantly higher amount of time during the day being
inactive.
During exercise, we take in oxygen to burn calories. The
burning of calories can result in a higher metabolic rate
that lasts for several hours. Since exercise effects are
cumulative, the active person will burn many more
calories than the inactive person.
Generally, overweight people find ways of eliminating
exercise out of their lives. They can perform the same
activity as a fit person but will find ways unknowingly
to use less movement. They also seek ways to avoid being
active. To become fit, they have to include more exercise
in their daily routine, such as walking while talking on
the telephone, using stairs instead of the elevator, or
parking at a distance from shops at the malls.
6. MASSAGE
The muscular tension associated with running requires
that a massagetherapist work the entire body: neck, upper
back, lower back, buttocks, hamstrings, calves, shins and
feet. Massage encourages the muscles to relax, thereby
helping the athlete to recover from the last training
session. It can breakdown the toxins and although you
might feel exhausted after it, the next day is excellent.
7. HEALTH AND FITNESS
Speed up the beat: If you need some motivation to stay on
the treadmill for a longer period of time, try changing
the type of music in your Walkman. A recent study in
Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness found that switching
to faster tempo music later in a workout can add
motivation to counteract feelings of fatigue.
8. HEART RATE MONITORS
Monitoring the target heart rate (60 percent to 85
percent of maximum heart rate) is the safest and most
effective method to getting fit and it eliminates the
guesswork. Studies indicate less than 22 percent of
people are not exercising hard enough to maintain their
target rate for 20 to 30 minutes. Heart rate monitors are
beneficial because they calculate the intensity of your
workout, giving you an instant measurement of how hard
you are exercising.
Basic heart-rate monitors range in price from $60 to $80
and are excellent for beginners wanting only to measure
heart rate in beats per minute. The more expensive
monitors calculate calories burned, lap times, average
heart-rate time, recovery time, and time spent
below/above the target zone. The most sophisticated
models are capable of downloading data to a computer or
manually recalling data on the face of the watch. These
monitors range in price up to $375.
Words
of Inspiration
"During
the past 10 years, I have learned strength.
I
have learned suffering, battle and self-conquest.
I
have learned courage to accept all with joy."
-Yukio
Mishima, novelist
The
Running Woman Message Board in Diet and Fitness
The Running Woman Board Takes
Off in January!
The board has been extremely
active this past month. The weekly reports used to show
between 40-65 posts occurring each week. Lately there
have been 150 - 170 posts. It has been a little
overwheming to say the least. Let's hope that the sudden
increase is due to people realizing the benefits of
running and establishing running as their lifetime goal.
February and March posts will be the key to whether or
not this flurry of postings is to continue.
Good Luck and Good Running
Gord - Women in Motion
About This Newsletter
A reminder that experts - we
are not. Information presented here is a collection of
research with a taste of experience and opinion added for
flavour. I don't get upset if someone disagrees with
anything that has been said or written. In our experience
with running groups here at home, it is difficult to get
agreement on most anything. If it works for you, then it
works.
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Women in Motion
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Women in Motion
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Practice doesn't make
perfect, perfect practice makes perfect.
-Fariyal
Samson, B.PE, B.Ed
 © Women
in Motion February 1, 2000
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