The Second Annual Seattle Rock’n Roll Half Marathon…a wonderful celebration of everything you’ve accomplished over the past 16 weeks!  The whole process of getting to this point can seem so mundane…going out for your daily walk or run…eating right…stretching…hydrating…pacing. Just looking at any one individual day, it may not seem like much…but when you add them all up…each day that you followed through on your commitment to exercise; all of the time you shared with your teammates….or enjoyed the solitude of a walk or run in the rain…or spent reading one of Alysun’s lengthy e-mails; every healthy lifestyle behavior that has now become routine…it all becomes something incredibly special!

It becomes the bundle of memories, learning experiences, relationships, improved health, and sense of peace that makes all of the hard work and early mornings worth it.  It redefines how you see yourself…adjusts what you see as your limitations…and expands  how you see your role in this world.  Finishing a half marathon is a big deal…there’s no doubt about that…but even bigger is the ripple effect that accomplishing such a feat can create.  If you can walk or run 13.1 miles…what other things are out there waiting for you to conquer?

Yes…training can be a grind…but having the discipline to stick to a plan…to set a goal that you actually reach…to put yourself out on the start line on race day…well…those are mighty powerful things!  And they’re the things that you can take with you to your next great endeavor…

But…let’s not get ahead of ourselves.  Before we solve the problems of the world…and yes…I believe this group could make some great strides toward doing that…let’s not overlook the specialness of this Saturday morning.  You’ve worked hard to get to this point, and it’s going to be an amazing day….an incredible reward for sticking to the daily grind.  So soak it up!  Enjoy the bands…enjoy your teammates and all of the people around you…and enjoy the fact that you truly belong out there…It’s going to be a wonderful celebration!

Go Team!

A few final tips…

It may be warm tomorrow…
Remember to hydrate! Both during the race…and before. If you have a long wait at the start, be sure to bring (or seek out) water to sip on.
Dress appropriately! If it seems chilly at the start, remember that it (and you) will warm up!  Layer your clothing for easy removal later in the race when you may not want all of it.
As the sun comes up, try to run and walk on the shady side of the road…
…and remember SUNSCREEN!!!!

For those of you not participating in the race, consider meeting up with Lenore Miller and Laura Lewis out on Lake Washington Blvd where the racers connect with I-90.  They’re planning to show up around 8:00am.

That’s all for now…Take it easy today…Get some good rest tonight.

I’ll see ya at O’Dark Thirty tomorrow morning!

And,  you thought I would be out of ideas…As a general rule, you should allow yourself 1 day of recovery for each mile you covered in your race…ie, you went 13.1 miles, you should allow yourself…well…er…13.1 (Typically rounded down to 13 or up to 14) days before starting to resume your usual training.  This doesn’t mean that you don’t do anything during this time…It just means that you should train with a lower intensity level, and cut back on your mileage. Consider doing more cross-training activities.  Allow more time for stretching and sleeping in.  Make sure you stay on top of your hydration and nutrition and get plenty of rest…This will all ensure a timely recovery so you can get back out there and after it again!  (just what you wanted to hear…no…you don’t get to stop your exercising just because the race is over!;-)

This Saturday is our last long workout before the race…After this weekend, we’ll begin what is called the taper.  This is when you begin to cut back on the volume of your workouts so that your body can rest up for race day.  Too many times, people overlook this aspect of training because they’re afraid they’ll lose fitness if they don’t do as much. Remember all those workouts you’ve done over the past 3-1/2 months…Those are what have gotten you fit. The next 2 weeks…there’s really not much you can do.  In fact, you’ll probably cause more problems for yourself  if you try to cram in a bunch of last minute training.  Relax…You’ve done what you need to do.  After tomorrow, you’ll have run or walked at least 10-12 miles; you’ll have climbed the hill on Stone Way; conqured the hills out at Alki and Discovery Park; and you’ll know what to expect on the race course.  Remember your goal is to finish the Seattle Half Marathon to the best of your abilities…Don’t sabotage yourself by not giving yourself a chance to rest up for it!

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/12/health/nutrition/12best.html?_r=1&ref=health

Now that we’re well into fall, it’s time to discuss training apparel.  Our Northwest weather provides us with unique concerns when it comes to outdoor training and fitness attire. Keep in mind that wearing cotton shirts and pants to exercise in will only make training more difficult and unpleasant. With it’s tendency to retain moisture,  cotton clothing will only leave you feeling colder, wetter, and probably heavier by the end of your workout. It’s also more likely to result in chafing. There are many new materials out there that are designed to keep you warmer and drier while still allowing you to enjoy your exercise regimen in the great outdoors.

Interestingly, you’ll find that most of these materials contain polyester or some kind of polyester blend…Polyester is very effective in “wicking” moisture away from the body and, being a very smooth fabric, it can help reduce friction against your skin.  It not only keeps you warmer in cold weather, but will keep you cooler in warm weather. Keep this in mind not only when looking for workout shirts, shorts, and pants, but also with socks.  Cotton socks, which will hold in moisture, are much more likely to cause blisters. Look for socks made from something else, a synthetic material like polypro or even wool, to help reduce your risk for blistering. Most of these items are more expensive, but in the end, I think you’ll find that you’ll get a lot of use out of them and find training more pleasant with the appropriate gear…You can find appropriate training attire at pretty much any running or walking store or at places like REI.  For more guidelines, the Runners World website offers some good suggestions for choosing apparel: http://www.runnersworld.com/topic/0,7122,s6-240-320-0-0,00.html

Listed below are a few places that offer great training clothes at reasonable prices:

The Brooks Outlet Stores
•    Bothell    22627 Bothell-Everett Highway,  Suite C, Bothell, WA, 98021                (425) 402-1632
•    Auburn    1101 Super Mall Way, Auburn, WA, 98001                                           (253) 735-1999

Seattle Running Co, Everyday Athlete, Foot Zone
•    Team Transplanters receive a 10% discount on all purchases…

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Safety...always a timely topic but as the days are getting shorter and the weather, grayer, and with all of the scary ”Breaking News” stories, it’s important to make sure that we’re doing our part to stay safe and visible while training.  Here are some tips from Runnersworld.com:
1.    Face the traffic: If a bike path or sidewalk is not available, and you have to walk/run on the road, go in the direction facing oncoming traffic.  That way you can see what is coming at you.
2.    Dress correctly: If you have to train in the dark, make sure you’re dressed to be seen. Drivers at night or early mornings are rarely on the lookout for walkers or runners so you need to do your part to make yourself visible. Wear light-colored or reflective clothing like shocking-pink or brilliant orange. Many brands of running shoes have reflective material on the heels, and tracksuits, bibs and rainsuits can now be purchased with reflective strips. Reflective belts are also extremely useful as they are easily noticed by drivers, and can be worn with little or no discomfort. The worst type of clothing to wear while training in the dark is a blue, black or navy tracksuit or T-shirt, which renders the walker virtually invisible to traffic. If you don’t have reflective gear or light colored clothing, pull a white T-shirt on over your other apparel.
3.    Train with someone: There’s safety in numbers and training partners will not only make your workouts more enjoyable, they’ll also make you a less desirable target. If you’re forced to go solo, always let someone know where you’re going and when to expect you to return.
4.    Walk/Run defensively. Don’t assume that all road-users know about the ‘pedestrian has right-of-way’ rule. Many don’t. This is includes bicyclists as well as motor vehicles.
5.    Leave the valuables back home. The only accessory you need is a wristwatch with a stopwatch function.
6.    Vary your routes: Don’t establish regular patterns by walking or running the same route at the same time each day. Keep one step ahead of any would-be attackers by varying your routes and the times that you go out. Not only is it safer, but it’s a lot more interesting!
7.    Self-defense: Some individuals carry hand-held spray devices that contain mace or something similar. These are designed to fit comfortably in your hand, are very light and easy to use. Just make sure that if you do need to use it, the wind is not blowing into your face at the time.
8.    Carry ID: Always carry some form of identification in case of an accident or medical emergency. If you are away from home on holiday or business, make a note of the address where you are staying.
9.    Keep right: If you’re walking or running on a cycling or pedestrian path, always walk on the right hand side so that faster walkers, runners and cyclists can easily get by you. If you’re training with a group, don’t hog the path.  Be sensitive to others using the trail.
10.    Leave the walkman at home: That way you will be alert to any potential dangers, be it a dog, a fast-approaching car, or the sound of other people around you.  If you simply can’t workout without listening to music, here are some suggestions to make your training safer:  http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-241-285–8498-0,00.html

Basic Sports Nutrition 101

With all of the nutrition claims and diet ads out there, it can get pretty confusing trying to figure out what nutrition information you should follow. As boring as it sounds, nutrition almost always comes back to balance. While you need to include the proper amount of protein in your diet to help with muscle building and tissue repair, you also need to make sure that you’re consuming the carbohydrate that your body needs to fuel your long runs and walks.  Follow these tips when trying to put together the appropriate training diet:

1.Load up on the carbs.

A high carbohydrate diet is still the best way to fuel your active lifestyle. Limit the sugary foods such as desserts, candy, and sodas, which provide little in the way of nutritional value anyway. Instead, choose high carb foods such as whole grain breads, cereals, pastas, and rice that are low fat, full of B-vitamins, enriched with iron, and provide lots of good fiber. Potatoes, another great carbohydrate source, will also provide you with vitamin C and potassium while helping to top off your energy stores. And, fruits and vegetables are also packed with carbohydrates as well as vitamins, minerals, and fiber.  Including 5-7 servings/day will only enhance your athletic performance.

2.But that doesn’t mean that you should forget about the protein.

Low-fat sources of protein are important to help rebuild muscle.  Good choices include lean beef, skinless poultry, fish, tofu, beans, and legumes.  In addition, these foods provide performance-important nutrients such as iron and vitamin B-12.  Low-fat dairy products are a must as well.Three to four servings/day is the general rule to ensure enough calcium to protect your bones and to help meet your overall protein needs.  If you prefer soymilk, make sure that it’s fortified with 25% of the Daily Value for calcium/serving, the equivalent to a cup of regular milk.

3.Hydrate!

Make sure that you’re drinking plenty of fluids. You need to drink at least 8 cups of non-caffeinated, non-alcoholic liquids every day.  When you’re active, you need even more. Add an additional 2 cups/day for every pound you lose during exercise.  Water should be sufficient for activities lasting 60-90 minutes, but if you’re exercising more than 90 minutes/day, include a sports drink to help maintain your energy stores and electrolyte levels.  Keep in mind, however, that sports drinks do contain sugar (as should all energy drinks…if they don’t, they aren’t going to give you any energy).  They’re not necessarily “healthy” drinks and they shouldn’t be what you choose to drink the rest of the day.  Use them as a tool to help with your workout…during and after you exercise…but then choose something else…like water, juices, milk, de-caf tea…to hydrate with at other times.

REMEMBER. There are no secret potions or supplements that will magically get you into shape and make-up for missed workouts or dietary lapses.  It’s consistent training, adequate rest, a well-balanced diet, and, of course, the right equipment that will make the difference.  All together, they make up the formula for success and are what will actually get you to the starting line in tip-top shape on race day.

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