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WOMEN IN
MOTION
April 2002
Vol. 3, No.
6
This Month Contains:
NEWS ~Women in Motion now in Honolulu, Hawaii
~Article: Getting Started in a Running Program.
~From Around the 'Net
1. Your Optimal Level of Training
2. Dealing With a Black Toenail
3. Atherosclerosis
4. Motivational Kick
5. Watch Out For Your Knees
~Words of Inspiration
~The Running Woman Board
Women in Motion - Honolulu Hawaii
Women in Motion has expanded its running service to Honolulu, Hawaii. In addition to training marathon runners in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, we have set up part-time residence in Honolulu. At present the plan is to be in Honolulu for the month of December for the Honolulu Marathon on December 8th as well as being there in the months of April and July.
The University of Calgary operates it's Honolulu Marathon program from April to December each year. Women in Motion may consider training runners for the Kona and Maui marathons as well. Long runs start Sundays at 6:30 a.m. from 1700 Ala Moana Blvd along the Ala Wai Canal to Diamond Head and back.
Come run with the Kolohe Girl.
Getting
Started in a Running Program
Here's How:
- Make an appointment
with your doctor and get his/her OK to start.
- Make an appointment
with yourself. Set an hour aside devoted to you.
- Put on your old running
shoes and lace them up.
- Get up off the couch.
-
Go outside.
- Look both ways and
decide on a direction to go.
-
Begin walking - briskly.
- If you run out of
breath - slow down.
-
Repeat steps 2 - 7 at least three to four days a week until you can walk at a
fast pace for at least 45 minutes continuously.
- At this point it is
time to begin a slow jog for short periods.
-
Jog easily for just 30 seconds then continue your walk until recovered, then jog
again.
- Increase the jogging
periods gradually until you are able to jog continuously for the entire 45
minutes.
-
It is now time to go and use a planned running program. See the article, 'Beginners
Programs'.
Tips:
- When jogging you
should be able to hold a relaxed conversation with a companion. If you
become breathless, slow down or begin walking again, you're running too
fast. This isn't a race.
-
As soon as you can afford it you should purchase a pair of 'real' running shoes.
Find a store in your area that caters to runners. There you will find people
that know how to help you make the right choice in shoes.
- Find a local
running club or running store and join. They often have weekly races and
'fun runs' for runners of all levels. Many have clinics for new runners and,
most of all, you will meet others runners.
The Running Woman Message Board
The Running Woman Message board has
picked up
in the number of posts. Spring has arrived and new runners
are emerging with an interest in using running as part of a renewed lifestyle
and seasoned runners set goals for 2002. Let's hope they continue to connect with the benefits of running. We continue to offer
advice to all posts. Thanks to all of you who have provided assistance to members old and new. Good Luck and Continued Running to all.
Gord
If you wish to have us feature a picture of you and an article about a road race you have enjoyed, contact us.
From Around the 'Net
1. Your
Optimal Level of Training
Doing what you normally do, or a little more than your normal exercise
will not
cause improvement. The threshold of training is the minimum
amount
of exercise necessary to produce gains in fitness. Beginners
need to
start their exercise program near threshold levels and
progressively
increase those levels. As you progress, you will enter
into a
fitness target zone. You are now reaping the benefits of
exercise.
This fitness target zone begins at the threshold of training
and stops at
the point where exercise becomes counterproductive. That
point is the optimal level of
training.
Some
people expect to see large losses in body fat or increases in
muscle
strength within a few days of beginning exercise. Research
indicates
that it takes several weeks for the benefits of exercise to
become
apparent. Start slowly and don't do too much too soon.
Persistence is the key.
2. Dealing With a Black Toenail
If a black toenail isn't painful, lubricate it with anti-fungal cream
and
cover it with a bandage. When the nail falls of, continue to apply
the
antifungal cream. Meantime, buy a pair of running shoes with more
room
in the toe box."
3. Atherosclerosis
Atherosclerosis, the build-up of fatty plaques in
the arteries
that can lead to heart disease, begins in childhood. Now
the
results of a seven-year study funded through the Centers for Disease
Control show
that reducing the fat in children's diets is a safe way to
lower
children's blood cholesterol and does not lead to nutritional
problems, or
inhibit growth or sexual maturation. To steer your kids
away
from fatty foods, set a good example. Have lots of sliced,
ready-to-eat
raw fruits and veggies around, and snack on them yourself
while the family watches television
or plays games.
Calorie Sources - fat,
carbohydrates, protein.
We really are what we eat. The five basic nutrients (proteins, carbohydrates, fat, vitamins, and
minerals) are necessary to sustain life. Each nutrient has an important role to play
in our diet.
Proteins form the basic building blocks of muscle, bone, hair, blood,fingernails, antibodies, enzymes,
hormones, and other body tissues.
Carbohydrates furnish the body with energy and give bulk to food. Fats nourish the skin, aid in the absorption of certain
vitamins, help form cell membranes and hormones, help provide
stamina, and serve to insulate the body from extreme temperature.
Vitamins are needed to maintain a variety of vital functions in
the body. Minerals are essential for various functions, such as formation
of bones and teeth.
The Food Pyramid lists the recommended number of daily servings from
each of the major food groups. Generally, daily calories should be
divided according to the following percentages: 55 percent
carbohydrate, 30 percent fats, and 15 percent protein.
In addition to gaining weight by eating excessive calories, a nutritionally poor diet can cause many other
unhealthy conditions.
Approximately one-third of the cancer deaths and a large number of heart disease related deaths are linked to
high-fat, high calorie foods.
4.
Motivational Kick
Need a motivational kick in the rear this spring? Volunteer for some
local races. Unless you're living in a
seriously rural area, there are
bound to be
some small races nearby. So get involved. Contact race
directors by searching our online race
calendar, and ask how you can
help.
Besides doing a very good deed, you'll get a chance to share your
enthusiasm and experience. Include your
family and friends, tell
co-workers, and make it a community event.
5.
Watch Out For Your Knees
Running is a great form of exercise, and can become addicting (after
three or four months of
feeling close to cardiac arrest). Running requires
good listening skills--you need to listen to your body.
Running "through" the aches and pains may not be the best thing
to do.
Excessive wear and tear on the joints may shorten your running career.
Here are some common knee problems to watch (and feel) for:
- Patellar tendonitis feels like a sharp pain between the tendon that
joins the kneecap to the
shinbone. It occurs with too much downhill running
or over training. Knee straps, leg-extension machines, and ice
twice a day may help.
- Chrondromalacia is a burning, achy sensation on top of the kneecap.
This is caused by weak
quadriceps muscles, overpronation, running in worn
shoes, downhill running, or sudden mileage increases. Leg-press
machines, straight leg
raises, and cross training by cycling may all help
with the pain.
- Iliotibial band syndrome is a stabbing pain on the outside of the
knee caused by bowed
legs, leg-length differences, tight quadriceps, overpronation,
or sudden increases in mileage. A hot shower massage and
proper stretching may help with this pain.
Words of Inspiration
|
| "No
matter what your natural physique, or how poor
your starting condition,
you can improve...The time required, and the
absolute magnitude
of the change achieved, are the variables." -
Joan Ullyot, M.D.,
Running Free |
About This Newsletter
Experts - we are not. Information presented here is a collection of research with a taste of experience and opinion added for flavour. We don't get upset if someone disagrees with anything that has been said or written. In our experience with runners, it is difficult to get agreement on most anything. If it works for you, then it works.
Neither Women in Motion nor the author of this newsletter provides professional medical advice. The information in this newsletter is intended to help you better understand running issues. It is not intended to replace the advice of a physician. If you read something in the newsletter that contradicts what your physician tells you in any way, always follow your physician's advice.
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If you have any suggestions for topics or questions please email us. We would like to publish a monthly newsletter that reflects the interests of the female runner.
Gordon Samson, Editor
Women in Motion
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Gordon and Fariyal Samson
Women in Motion
Visit us at
run.to/womeninmotion
"Practice doesn't make perfect, perfect practice makes perfect."
-Fariyal Samson, B.PE, B.Ed
© Women in Motion |
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