I would like to qualify this by saying that I really don’t like running the 5K distance. It hurts too much. There is no padding in it. That is exactly what I was thinking when I lined up at the starting line on Sunday night (July 3rd) for the Firecracker 5K in Charlotte. Why was I doing this to myself? Actually it wasn’t just me. My son Peter (15) and daughter Annie (13) were doing it as well. The worst part was that it was an evening race, and it was 93 degrees by our car’s thermometer. We had to walk a few blocks from where we parked to the start, and I looked at my sweat-filled shirt before the race began and thought it looked more like I was at the finish of a race rather than start of one. [Read more…]
Why Run a 5K?
July 5, 2011 by 3 Comments
The Beach and the Baby Jogger
June 22, 2011 by 3 Comments
My children and I are in Bald Head Island for two days visiting some friends who have a house here. To get to the island you take a ferry, bringing whatever bags and gear on board with you. Since we are staying such a short time, we didn’t bring much. One item was large and a little unwieldy, but essential for the trip…the Baby Jogger. [Read more…]
Happy Father’s Day!
June 19, 2011 by 6 Comments
I am Bert Belt’s daughter. 20 years after his death I still miss him and think of him often, as I do on this Father’s Day. My dad instilled in me a love of sports. Whether he was participating in them (he loved golf, running, and skiing) or watching them (his favorite team was the Iowa Hawkeyes), my dad valued athletics. I remember that on most Sunday mornings when we were growing up he would go out for a 12-mile run. The funny thing is, I don’t ever remember him running any other day of the week…just that one weekend run. That was sort of how he was. I recall one morning when I was about 10, he announced (after he had been at a party the night before) that he and his friend were going to run the upcoming Chicago Marathon. This was way before running marathons became a popular thing to do. Whether it was pure spontenaity or the influence of certain beverages at the party, it was a little insane. He didn’t have much time to think about a training regimen since it was a matter of days before the race, not weeks or months! [Read more…]
Don’t Want to Pay for a Massage? Use a Foam Roller!
June 16, 2011 by 2 Comments
I like a massage, just like the next person (or runner, at least). But let’s face it, sports massages are not cheap! Just how much are we willing to do to keep running and exercising? For me, it depends on a few factors. If I am training for something, and it’s pretty close to race date, or if my insurance pays for it (some do), then I can justify a massage. Otherwise, it fits into the luxury category, and I usually do without. Although there really isn’t anything like a good deep tissue massage for tight muscles, these days I am relying more and more on the foam roller to do the job. [Read more…]
Do We Need to Exercise More as We Get Older?
June 13, 2011 by Leave a Comment
A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association shows women need 60 minutes a day of moderate exercise to prevent weight gain as they age if they consume a normal diet. This is an increase in exercise time from the current guidelines of 30 minutes five days a week of moderate to intense activity. I don’t know about you, but this seems like a lot! That’s seven days a week! But it really isn’t the whole story. [Read more…]
Have You Tried Pool Running? Great Workout!
June 11, 2011 by Leave a Comment
If you haven’t tried pool running, now is a great time to give it a whirl! With the heat of summer upon us, a good pool workout can help you stay fit and cool at the same time. I have had the Aqua Jogger for about 20 years, but you really don’t need one to run in the pool. You can run without any device, or you can use a “noodle” that most kids use to play with in the water. Many runners (Mary Decker Slaney and Joan Benoit Samuelson to name a few) have used water running to combat injury in the height of their training. In the water, running can be continued without the impact of the hard surface of the roads. In fact, water running has an added workout benefit…resistance. You can feel the resistance immediately, and because water pressure in a pool is 12 times greater than air pressure, a pool provides two extremes at once–the resistance to stress the body, and the liquid density to protect it. [Read more…]
Quote of the Week: “When I Run I Feel His Pleasure”…
June 9, 2011 by 4 Comments
On Monday I wrote about endorphins, those neurotransmitters in the brain that have been known to induce euphoria. Today I am writing about another kind of euphoria that can also come from running and exercising…the spiritual kind. Although we have all heard of the slogan “mind, body, spirit“, it can sometimes seem strange to integrate the three in a literal way. One of my favorite quotes comes from the movie, “Chariots of Fire”. In the movie, runner Eric Liddle of Scotland (a missionary and winner of the 400 meters in the 1924 Olympics in Paris) is explaining to his sister his desire to run in the Olympic Games. He says, “God made me for a purpose. But he also made me Fast. And when I run, I feel His pleasure.” [Read more…]
Is Glucosamine/Chondroitin for You?
June 8, 2011 by Leave a Comment
The jury isn’t out yet on the efficacy of glucosamine/chondrotin supplements for the treatment of osteoarthritis. However, some people have found that after taking the supplements, they experience fewer symptoms.
According to physical therapist Alan Tyson, owner of Architech Sports and Physical Therapy, interesting results have been reported from studies about glucosamine/chondroitin intake. Basically, there are some who say the supplements have been shown to help those who experience moderate symptoms of osteoarthritis, but not those with mild symptoms or those with severe symptoms. Alan’s recommended dosage is 1500 milligrams of combined glucasamine/chondroitin. [Read more…]
Endorphins and The “Runner’s High”
June 6, 2011 by Leave a Comment
I wrote a post recently called Five Reasons Exercise Makes Me a Better Mom. Endorphins was the first reason I listed. Most of us are familiar with the term “runners high”, which refers to the euphoric feeling one sometimes gets after exercise. We know that exercise stimulates endorphin production, and research has shown that endorphins improve mood. But what is the best kind of exercise and how long do you need to do it in order to benefit from these endorphins? [Read more…]
Be Careful Running in the Heat if You Are Pregnant
June 2, 2011 by Leave a Comment
I was on a local running trail last night with a few of my cross country runners and we ran by a pregnant woman pushing a baby jogger. She caught my eye, not just because of her bump, but also because she was wearing black exercise tights…and it was 98 degrees! She was running at a slow pace, and was smiling, so I’m sure she was fine, but my alarm bells were ringing. As I have confessed before on this website, I am a hypocrite when it comes to seeing pregant women running. Although I ran through each of my nine pregnancies, except my first (I started getting cramps at six months and so stopped running), I still wanted to scream at that woman to stop running and get out of the heat! [Read more…]
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