08/17/09 - Week 1 of 16

Let the fun begin!

Here we are, week 1. The easiest week until the December 7! By now you hopefully did your homework, if not, go get your ruler and smack your hand for being tardy! Let's run down our checklist... Running program - check. Running shoes - check (speaking of which I got some really kickin new Asics, love them!). Registered for the race - check. Eating healthy - smaller check, well hopefully for the rest of you who are not on vaction it was a stronger check-curse the Iowa State Fair!! Well here we go, let's get to work!
Running tip of the week...Form & Breathing

You have 3 runs to get in this week, two short runs & one long run. Everyone's "Runner's World" training program is a little different, but the short runs are either tempo or speedwork focused. They are both meant to push you out of your comfort zone and build your body up to working faster & stronger. So be sure not to neglect those short runs. On your long run, do whatever you have to do to get your recommended mileage in. For some it's just jogging a little slower, others its doing a run/walk combo over and over again until you're done. The biggest mistake is to go out full force and dying half way out there. Next focus on your running form. Relax your shoulders & jaw, try to keep elbows bent at a 90 degree angle, & run tall (that just means don't slouch). If you are not already, make sure you are "belly breathing" while running, it allows your body to take in & make the best use of all of that oxygen.

Belly breathing is breathing in through your nose, out through your mouth, using your belly rather than your chest to breath. If you are a seasoned runner, or have taken Yoga or Pilates classes, you have probably tried this style of breathing. Ironically when were infants & toddlers, we did this naturally. However, as we age and our bodies adapt to less activity & poorer posture, and we naturally grew away from this more efficient style of breathing, which is extremly unfortunate. So here his how you do it... As you inhale, force your stomach to expand (imagine you are filling your stomach up with air), not allowing your chest to raise or move at all. As you exhale, pull your tummy tight (as though you were pushing all the air out of your body by tightening your abdominal muscles). Stand sideways in front of the mirror to see if you are doing it properly. If you are new to this style of breathing, it's hard to get & feels completely opposite of natural. After plenty of practice, you will get more comfortable doing this, eventually doing it all the time. This is one technique that promises a positive return on your running.

Cross & Flex Training - Classes vs. You

Dedicate 2-3 days, preferrably non-running days, to focus on your strength & flexibility. This week I want you to try to attend group classes. Group classes provide you a simple solution to your workout needs, while keeping it under 1 hour. Aim to do 2 strength training classes, check out Body Pump, Sculpt, Bootcamp, or TRX classes. For flexibility, try Yoga or Pilates. Every instructor teaches a little differently, some you will love, some not so much. The goal of going to these classes are 3 things:

• Improve strength


• Improve flexibility


• Learn proper technique to do exercises effectively on your own

If you cannot make it to classes, do what you can on your own this week. Keep your strength training workouts under 40 minutes, and adding 20 minutes at the end for flexibility. Your basic workout template should look like this:

• 5 minute warm-up


• 3 sets of 12-15 repetitions of each exercise, less than 1 minute rest between exercise (make sure that your muscles are tired by 12-15 reps, if not, you must make it harder)
  
• Do your workout in this order, Legs, Chest, Back, another Leg exercise, Shoulders, Abs


• Stretch, working your way up from ankles to neck, each stretch should take 1-2 minutes
  

Eating - Simple Snack Smoothies

A quick & easy solution for breakfast, snack, or post-workout snack/meal. Stock up on bananas, slice them when they are ripe & freeze them, 1 banana per storage bag. For these simple smoothie recipes, just combine all in your blender, blend until well mixed. Pour into a large cup & enjoy for breakfast or for a great post-workout snack. Both recipes are loaded with anti-oxidents, good carbs and a good amount of protein.

Chocolate-Banana Smoothie (240 calories, 10g protein, 3g fat)

• 1 banana, sliced & frozen
• 8 oz chocolate soy milk

or Berry-Banana Smoothie (300 calories, 13g protein, 3g fat)

• 1 banana, sliced & frozen
• 1 cup of frozen blueberries or strawberries
• 1 cup of vanilla soy milk

Coming up next week... Next week we will look at the mental side of running well, as well as creating your own strength & stretching program. We will also start the exercise & stretch of the week where we walk you through doing them effectively. Hopefully we will start getting your feedback on how your training is going. Have a great week!