The rubber band idea. Brilliant!

Participating in the Montana Meals Challenge this month? Here’s a helpful tip from one of our MSU Billings Wellness Champions: Calculate how many of ‘your water bottle’ you need to drink to meet your daily water goal. Then put that number of rubber bands around the outside of your water bottle each morning. Each time you drink your water bottle, take one of the rubber bands off the water bottle and put it on your wrist. Makes keeping track a cinch! Thanks for the great tip Triniti!

Maybe for you it’s not tracking that’s a challenge, but just drinking water in the first place. I often hear from people that drinking plain water is boring. They would much rather drink soda, juice, or anything with more flavor or carbonation.  For those of you that share that sentiment, try adding a little natural flavoring with slices of citrus, cucumber, berries, or fresh herbs such as mint or basil. This turns a glass of water into a nice, refreshing treat.  Adding these flavors to a glass of water is easy enough to do, but special water bottles like the one pictured below are also available that infuse flavor into the water and allow for even more creativity (think ginger, cinnamon, celery, tomato, etc.).  And guess what? One lucky Challenge of the Month participant will win one of these water bottles! It’s not too late to join the Challenge, so check out the Challenge of the Month tab at the top of the page and start today.

Our May Challenge winner will receive one of these!

If you often just forget to drink water when you get busy and bogged down with work, try the following:

• Set a reminder on your computer or your phone
• Drink a glass of water before each meal and snack
• Neal’s favorite water drinking tip:  Every time you pass a water fountain, take a drink. Make it a habit, and this could really add up throughout the day.

Drinking more water might mean you’ll have to take a few more bathroom breaks throughout the day. While you might find this bothersome, it’s actually great for your health as you’ll be breaking up the time you spend sitting at your desk. To learn more about the reasons we need to take breaks from sedentary sitting time, tune into our Webinar on May 22^nd, “Sitting is the New Smoking”. Sign up here:  https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/911004007788697856

Staying hydrated becomes even more important as we get into the hot summer months, particularly if you are exercising in the heat. So keep track, make drinking water a habit, and stay hydrated!

CS

The most obvious preparation for donning your two-piece is exercise.  Use that late evening sun or the early morning chirping birds to motivate yourself to get out and enjoy the fresh air.  I understand that most people expect more creative answers than this though, so here come some other ideas.

Dry Brushing: This is one way to help reduce the appearance of cellulite and also give you healthy glowing skin.  It is really easy to do and if you add it to your morning routine it will help wake you up and get you ready for the day ahead.  There are many health benefits to dry brushing.  Check out this blog entry (http://drybrushing.net/) for detailed instructions about how to do it.  (Start from your feet and work your way up, then your arms – this is important!)

Another obvious topic – Eat fruits and veggies:  It may not make a lot of sense to you but your body typically uses less energy in the warmer months making it easier to gain weight if you don’t watch your caloric intake.  Mother Nature has provided us with low calorie, hydrating snacks for all of the warm months, take this as a clue.  Stay hydrated and watch produce prices plummet, good for your wallet and your waistline. 

Don’t fear the sun: As one of my favorite Nutrition professors once said “the sun is not some cancer causing ball of fire in the sky.” Sun is actually good for us in moderation (a sunburn is good for no one).  In order to make Vitamin D we need to get our skin out in the sun every day.   Use this as an excuse to get a tan but remember I said sun in MODERATION.  *If you have had skin cancer follow your Dermatologist’s recommendations regarding sun exposure. 

Drink plenty of water:  Many people think that because they have been sweating they need to consume more calories, this is not necessarily the case. If you are sweating you need to maintain hydration.  Drinking water reduces the amount of food cravings you have throughout the day resulting in dropped pounds and a better bathing suit bod.  

Of course, we all know the health benefits of staying hydrated and making sure to drink at least 1.5L of water a day. But for some people, like me for example, drinking water can be challenging! I’ve recently discovered this little hydro-beauty and I was surprised that it made me want to drink more! Flavored water has become highly popular later but Sassy water seems to have more benefits than just a nice taste:

• SOOTHES STOMACH

Each batch of Sassy water contains 1 tsp. fresh, grated ginger for soothing your gastrointestinal tract and making your stomach feel calmer. Ginger is a common herb for treating nausea, gas and diarrhea, according to Medline Plus. However, because Sassy water contains spearmint and lemon, which is a citrus fruit, a potential risk of drinking this water is exacerbating heartburn and increasing your risk for gastrointestinal reflux disease, or GERD, according to Medline Plus.

• HEALTHY NUTRIENTS

The lemon in each batch of Sassy water provides 45 mg vitamin C, or 75 percent of the daily value. Sassy water promotes a healthy blood pressure because it is nearly free from sodium, and it provides about 400 mg potassium from the lemon and cucumber. A high-sodium, low-potassium diet can lead to high blood pressure and an increased risk for heart disease, stroke and kidney disease, according to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

I personally prepare my Sassy Water the day before and put: half a cucumber, half a lemon, 7 mint leaver, 1 tsp grated ginger and put everything in a 2L bottle of Evian (it’s a 1.5L on the picture cause I didn’t have any left :/)

SOURCE: http://www.livestrong.com/article/449867-what-are-the-benefits-of-drinking-sassy-water/

We are made up of 60% of it and it is essential to every cell in our body.  We use it to cool our body with sweat, to circulate oxygen and fuel to our organs, and eliminate waste products via blood.  Drinking more water is the simplest task we can do to improve our health.  Did you know that the most common cause of mid afternoon fatigue is actually caused by mild dehydration?  Go ahead and  embrace one your most natural and essential needs. Try to drink at least 1/3rd of your body weight in ounces of pure water each day.

Keeping Hydrated can help with:

• Improves energy
• Increases detoxification
• Eliminates headaches
• Moisturizes skin
• Improves concentration

The Nathan HPL #020 front view.

First is some background information about why I’m trying this pack in the first place. To get to the nitty-gritty, skip down to the section with the heading “INITIAL THOUGHTS”

Well, here it is. My first ever attempt at a gear review!

With several long races coming up over the summer and into the fall, I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how I want to handle my hydration and storage concerns on my long runs. The Vermont 50, in particular, is a single loop 50 mile race that will present quite a few logistics issues depending on the weather. Taking place in New England in late September, it could be 35 degrees or it could be 85 degrees. It could be rainy and muddy or it could be sunny and dry. I won’t have access to my own gear until mile 31 (or so I’m told), so I’ll need to be self-sufficient until at least then. So it all boils down to needing to have a hydration/storage solution that gives me the flexibility to prepare for as many situations as I can while still being able to run comfortably.

Currently, I have two setups.

First is a simple handheld bottle with a zippered pocket along with a storage belt. ( I have two belts of different capacities depending on my needs.) This setup is great for most runs including multi-loop 50K’s where I have regular access to my drop bag. The problems occur on longer loops, let’s say 2 hours or more in duration. This is when I need to have more storage for both water and gear. Another issue with carrying a handheld water bottle for extended periods is that eventually, my arm starts to get sore. Last year, a couple of days after my first 50 Miler, my shoulder was killing me! It took me a couple hours to realize that it was the same shoulder that was swinging that 20 ounce water bottle back and forth for almost 10 hours. Not a huge deal, but something I’d like to avoid in the future.

This brings me to my second solution is a CamelBak Octane XCT running pack. The CamelBak is a good pack, but it has a couple of flaws. Most importantly, it has very little storage in front for gels, salt pills, food, etc. What it does have is down by the sides of the stomach in zippered pouches. Not easy to access. The second issue with the CamelBak is that it sits low on the back. When full of water, the bladder sits snug against my lower back, basically creating an airtight seal. No airflow means overheating. Just fine in winter, but in summer… not so much.

With a couple hundred bucks in REI gift cards living in my wallet, I decided to look into Solution #3. Undoubtably, the running pack is the best type of equipment for my needs.They offer the most storage while keeping the hands free. Truth be told, I can’t stand hydration belts or waist packs where the bottle is stored in the small of the back, so this sentence is all I will say about them. Some online research steered me to the new Ultimate Direction Signature Series line, but they are really geared towards a non-bladder setup where larger water bottles are stored in pockets on the chest. Probably fine, but  it just seems like it would be so bulky in the front. Makes me think of when I was a kid and my buddy would sit on my handlebars as I tried to pedal down the trail. (ok, it’s probably not THAT bad..) Add to that the fact that REI doesn’t carry them, and well, there you go! What REI does carry is a couple of packs from the Nathan line. The HPL #020 ($100) and the VaporWrap ($175).

I picked up the HPL 020 because, well, it was cheaper and they carried it in the store as opposed to the Vaporwrap’s online only availablility.

INITIAL THOUGHTS:

I took the pack out for a quick 5 mile trail run last night, and here are my initial impressions….

COMFORT/SIZING/DESIGN:

Without question, the first thing stood out when checking out this pack at the store is the design of the bladder. It is unlike any other bladder system pack I’ve ever owned, (mostly biking packs). Instead of having a cap that you screw on and off to fill with water, this bladder is more like a sack with a wide open top. The top folds over, and a clever plastic device seals it shut. Since a picture is worth a thousand words, here you go…

the top of the bladder opens up completely, allowing for easy filling, dumping and cleaning!

The top of the bladder folds over and is then sealed with the black plastic clip gizmo seen here.

To me, this seems pretty clever. First and most importantly to me is that this makes the bladder a snap to clean! You can literally flip it inside out to dry. The other benefit, at least in theory, is that the bladder can be filled much more quickly at aid stations. We’ll have to see how that works in practice…

The pack is very comfortable when first putting it on. Two straps on each side (at the rib cage), and one across the chest allow for easy adjustment of the sizing. Pulling on the side straps also compresses the pack against the back, keeping the bladder from swishing around too much. When first putting it on, I was concerned about the placement of the pockets on the front of the shoulder straps. It seems like they would get in the way of regular arm swing and possible cause some rubbing and chaffing. However, I figure that the fine people at Nathan wouldn’t have gotten very far with this pack if it had such a huge design flaw. So I gave them the benefit of the doubt. First impressions when trying it on were that the pack was much more form fitting than my CamelBak, particularly at the chest.  Now to see how it felt on the run. I filled the bladder up halfway with water, and off I went.

RUNNING WITH THE PACK :

The very first thing I noticed as I started my run was that the pack makes quite a bit of sloshing noise. “Oh my god!”, you’re thinking. “Doesn’t this guy know about the sucking out the air trick??” Yeah, I did that, but the pack still seems to make a lot of noise. I’m not sure why. To be honest, I stopped noticing the sound within a few minutes. By no means a deal breaker.

The next thing I noticed is that I couldn’t get a good flow of water from the valve. The design is such that the runner bites on the valve and sucks water out. I don’t know if this particular valve just takes a little getting used to, but I had trouble getting a good mouthful of water. Messing around at home later, I didn’t seem to have much of a problem. hmmm… I’ll reserve judgement on this one until I’ve used the pack a little more extensively.

As I said, I only did a quick 5 mile run, but I found the pack to be very comfortable to run with. My concerns about the placement of the pockets in regards to arm turned out to be unfounded. The only issue I had at all was that I had to be very deliberate when snapping the hose into its fitting after having a drink. Just slapping it on there willy-nilly always resulted in the hose falling out and dangling to the side. Again, maybe just another small learning curve.

AFTER THE RUN:

I was discouraged to find that when I got home, the bladder had slipped off of the hanger and was slumping down in the bottom of the pack. Some quick playing around at home revealed that with just a little bit of jostling, the bladder would consistently slip off of the little cloth hanger loop almost immediately. The only way I could get it to stay on was to tie it in place. Not a huge problem, but for a $100 pack, I shouldn’t have to do this. Never had to do it with the CamelBak. Maybe I’m missing something. Maybe it’s no big deal. I’m doing a long tough trail race this weekend where there will be plenty of time for chatting up other runners. I’ll ask around and get other people’s feelings on the pack.

rigging up the bladder with my wife’s hair elastic to stay on the hanger loop

Which leads me to the end of my initial thoughts.

The pack is comfortable and functional with lots of room for gels, salt tabs, food and even a small water bottle or camera in the front. It sits high enough up on the back, but if I’m being picky, I’d like it to sit a bit higher. On paper it takes care of all of my needs, but there are a few functional issues that concern me which are

• lack of water flow through the bite valve
• the poor design of the bladder hanger inside of the pack
• how easily the hose snaps (or doesn’t snap) into it’s holder. (really not a big deal, just takes a little bit of paying attention.)

After my first quick run, I found myself continuing to research Nathan’s higher end model the VaporWrap. With more storage and a few more bells and whistles, I am intrigued by it. With a hefty price tag of $175, I am skeptical. The point is that it’s not a good sign that I’m still looking. I really WANT to like this pack though, and I think I might. I’ll reserve final judgement on the HPL #020 until after this weekend when I will be doing a rugged 21 mile trail race in rainy conditions. That should be enough of a test to know if this is the pack for me or not.

See ya in a couple days!

_______________________________________

and I’m back!

This past Saturday I loaded up the pack and ran the Wapack and Back 21.5 mile trail race. Between the less-than-marathon distance and the ample aid stations, I didn’t NEED a pack, but it was a good opportunity to try to run self-supported and test out the HPL #020. Furthermore it was a wet and rainy day so I was able to test how the pack would do with rubbing and chafing on my wet skin and shirt.

I filled up the bladder to the top, stuck some Hammer bars and my iPhone in the back pocket. In the front pockets I stored 6 gels, my salt tabs and a small camera.

The Right breast/shoulder strap has a pouch which is suitable for a small bottle or other small items. It was the perfect place for me to put my little camera.

pouch pocket storage on the left breast strap. I stored my little baggie of salt tabs in the front non-zippered pouch.

pouch pocket storage on the left breast strap. I stored 6 Hammer gels in the zippered portion of the pouch. I could have easily gotten a couple more in there.

FINAL THOUGHTS/RESULTS:

I must say that for ALMOST all of the crucial elements of a long distance running pack, the Nathan HPL #020 performed very well.

My main needs during a long run are access to energy gels, salt tabs, water and sometimes a camera or iphone for pictures and music. My gels, salt and camera were easily accessible all day. In fact, because of how easy they were to get to, I found myself being able to take salt tabs and suck down gels while running! Normally I have to stop and fish these items out of my waist belt, wasting time and effort.

For the most part, the pack is very comfortable to run with. I did notice that as the bladder emptied over the course of a few hours, the pack would loosen up a bit and need to be cinched down. Completely reasonable and easy to do!  There was absolutely NO rubbing or chafing from the pack. A post race shower confirmed. (you know what I’m talking about!) Temperatures were cool, really only getting into the mid-60′s, so there was not really any opportunity to see if the pack would make my back hot.

Refilling the bladder at the aid station was quick and easy. I had practiced smoothly opening and closing the bladder before-hand so I wouldn’t be fumbling around with it during the race.

Now for the 3 concerns I had with the pack during my Initial Thoughts section.

• poor bladder hanger design. This turned out to be no big deal after rigging up the bladder with my wife’s hair elastic. (shown above) Again, I really don’t think I should have to do this with a brand new $100 pack,  but it’s certainly not a deal breaker.
• how easily the hose snaps (or doesn’t snap) into it’s holder. Another thing that turned out to be no biggie. I think I only had the hose fall out of it’s little snap-in thingy once during the race.
• lack of water flow through the bite valve. And now we get to it….  Big time problems. I don’t know if I just got unlucky and got a bad valve, or if this is just the nature of the Nathan bite valve system, but I just COULDN’T GET ENOUGH DAMN WATER TO COME OUT!! Now I’m not saying I couldn’t get ANY water out, but I simply could not easily get a good mouthful of water. I mean, it would take me two or sometimes even three good sucks on the valve to get a good gulp of water. By the time I had the drink I needed I was breathing heavy from the exertion! Even if I was walking! The race had 3 aid stations. and at every one I found myself asking for a cup of water to quench my thirst. Not good. I tried everything I could think of. I can’t count how many times I turned the valve to the “off” position and then back to the “on” position hoping I would activate some secret trigger! Biting the valve in different places and with varying degrees of effort helped a little bit, but nowhere near enough to make the water flow acceptable.

So I sit here finishing writing up this review with plans to head to REI afterwards to return the pack. This really makes me sad because this hydration pack performed SO WELL in just about every way except for actually helping me stay hydrated! I can’t help but feel like I must have gotten a bad valve. I mean, how can other Nathan pack users not be complaining about this?? Just to be sure that I’m not crazy, I dug out my CamelBak pack that I mentioned earlier in this review and took a drink from it. Yup, just like I remembered, the simplest of effort rewarded me with a nice surge of water. I think that I will try the other ultra-running specific pack that REI carries which is the VaporWrap. It’s still a Nathan, but is a brand new design and I believe it uses a different bladder. I should note that I COULD buy a third party bladder with a better performing valve and put it in the Nathan pack. (this was suggested to me at an aid station when I was obviously frustrated!) Ultimately, If I had absolutely no choice, I would do that, but I’m not spending $100 on a top level piece of gear knowing that I’m going to have to spend another 20-30 bucks just to get it to work right!

So that’s it. The Nathan goes back (with regret) to the store. If anyone out there happens to read this review and has had similar issues with the bite valve on the Nathan HPL #020, please comment and let me know your thoughts!

following my recent revamp of my blog I have also changed the theme -it will change again soon once I’ve found something ‘perfect’ -bear with me. 

My plan of action at present is to change my lifestyle and my mindset. Top of the list is:

• Detox 

They say ‘food fuels your body’, ‘food is soulful’ and ‘you are what you eat’. Long-story-short, I eat junk, constantly, so is it any wonder I feel lethargic on a daily basis? Today is day one of my detox, it is not a diet, it is a change of eating habits. Set meals, set times, moderation and healthy food. 

Foods to avoid:

• Animal fats (pork/red meat)
• Dairy products
• Chocolate and commercialized sweets
• Alcohol
• Spicy foods (curry/chili)
• Caffeine
• Oranges and strawberries

These foods are all either congesting foods or stimulating foods, which lead to poor skin colouration, build up waste in the liver (drug residues) and overall they overload the skin with waste that’s not properly eliminating. Detoxing from inside combats all of this, improves digestion, increases nutrient intake, moisturizes skin and drinking lemon water (which i am as of now) helps stimulate liver function and hydration.

Its 13:58 here in England and so far today this has been my food consumption:

Breakfast:

Multigrain toast with peanut butter (Fiber, natural fats, protein, energy)

Lemon water (Hydration, cleansing)

Scrambled eggs, beetroot, cherry tomatoes and lettuce. (Protein, nutrients, hydration, fiber)

Dried apricots (nutrients).

Normally my diet would consist of diet coke, probably a few packets of crisps, chocolate, toast and a ready meal. This is a huge improvement for me and its the start of a new way of life. The benefits take about 12 weeks to have steadily kicked in and from there on they continue improving your body condition so long as you stick to the plan. 

I may make a new page on this eventually, we shall see how long it lasts.

Throughout training, we keep a huge record of every supported run, how I felt and any notes for improvement. This could be about how many 1/3 cup pancakes I ate for breakfast or how long I let them digest or what flavor tastes better to me at what point in a run. The goal is to have a locked in nutrition plan for the 24 hours up to and through the marathon that gets me there as comfortably as possible.

Welcome to taper!

Being properly hydrated is very important, however finding healthy options can be challenging. Unsweetened Green and Barley Teas are a great option.

Speaking of fuel, I tried out Bikram Yoga the day before the race. I knew that was a risky proposition but I’ve been wanting to do it for so long and I was up early enough to make it, so I went. It was cool, well not really cool because they heat the room to 105 degrees. But it was an interesting experience. Who knew stretching could be so strenuous? I was dripping sweat early in the session. Due to the yoga water loss, I tried my best to rehydrate during the course of the day and decided that I would stop at all the hydration stations during the race. Otherwise, would probably only stop at one or two for a 6 mile run.

The race was in my favorite place to run, [cue sarcasm] Central Park. So I knew there were going to be rough times ahead. I am so unfamiliar with Central Park that I never quite know where I’m going so I followed a guy who looked familiar with his surroundings. I checked my bag and started off to my corral and was greeted by this sight:

Yes, an obscenely long line of porta potties. I could immediately hear angels singing and all was well in the running world. If you’re around runners long enough, you’ll realize that runners can get obsessed with porta potties … they are our friends. My personal feelings toward porta potties could be described as a love/hate relationship and so I was thankful that I didn’t need to make a visitation.

Race corrals sort the runners so the fastest runners are in the front and the slowest are in the back. My corral was so far back that they didn’t even put out a number for it. So, I went to the last corral and waited for the gun, which occurred right after the national anthem was sung. I think the singer of the anthem may have been having a bad day. That’s all I have to say about that. Then the race began.

When we finally crossed the start line, the woman in front of me saw family and/or friends cheering for her and decided to stop and cut across to greet them. There is always one. This happened during the Scotland Run but I have to say that this race was not congested like that one. Maybe they made the running lane wider. After getting by the greeter, I was off to a good start. I was feeling great and oops, I missed the first hydration station. It was less than a mile out and by the time I saw it I was too far to the right to cross over and safely get water. No worries, I was having a wonderful time and figured this is probably how Mo Farah feels when he’s running but decided to run closer to my left so as not to miss the other stations. Cat Hill was conquered and I caught the next hydration station and before knew it mile two was completed.

At this rate, I was looking at a PR. I was a little hot and sweaty and considered tossing my hat. No chance. I paid good money for that. But I felt like my form was good and was picturing myself bounding along like a gazelle and then … stop the presses. Before me was the ugliest hill ever. As I started to tackle it, I thanked God that I stopped at he last station. Then I realized that what I thought was the top of the hill was not, it just seemed to keep going and going. Then, I saw a woman about 50 meters in front of me throw up her hands in victory. At this point I’m dying and I’m thinking, “Does this idiot not realize that we still have almost four miles to go?” Then it dawn on me that she was celebrating the fact that she had finally reached the top of the hill. I was encouraged and kept going and sure enough I too was on top of the world. Yay, turns out I had just run Harlem Hill. I tried to enjoy the downhill but I was so wiped from the climb that even that seemed hard. I started to get my legs back and BAM, another hill. At this point, I realize I am sweating like crazy and I am not liking this race.

By the time I got to the third hydration station, I walked through it and made sure I got good drink. I had a hard time getting my running rhythm back, which is why I don’t like to stop a the hydration stations and if I do I try to keep running even if it is at a much slower pace. And of course there were more hills. I passed quite a few people who were walking. I was almost at mile four when I got to the fourth hydration station and I walked through but got most of the water on my face anyway because I just didn’t have the energy to focus on swallowing it. Mercifully the next mile wasn’t so bad but by this time I was so tired and was mad at myself for the whole Bikram yoga thing. I didn’t even see the five mile marker but I did stop at the fifth hydration station. I was probably delirious. I remember seeing the 800 meter marker and equating it to twice around the track. Quantifying that way just made it seem more attainable. When I finally crossed the finish line I started to feel light headed. I grabbed more water and wished it was Gatorade. A guy told me to take a bagel and said it tasted like French toast. I nibbled on the bagel. The guy lied. I managed to retrieve my bag from the baggage check and broke out my trusty chocolate milk. Bye, bye bagel. The milk was still cold and just a few sips hit the spot. For me, there is nothing like chocolate milk for post race recovery. I was still thirsty for Gatorade and remembered that I had a six pack in my trunk. I whipped out the GPS to figure out how to get out of the park and that’s when I realized that even after all of that pounding my achilles felt fine. Maybe Bikram wasn’t such a bad idea after all. I just won’t be doing it the day before a race. Turns out humidity was at 97%, so maybe all that sweating wasn’t from the Bikram class.

Next stop: THE BROOKLYN HALF MARATHON on May 18th … yes next week. And yes, I’m nuts.

STOP…… DON’T PANIC… This situation CAN be resurrected…… and yes you will be on that start line next Sunday morning!

First and foremost you are probably not as unfit and under-prepared as you may think. If you haven’t quit running altogether your body will still have a base fitness that you can work from. The last thing you want to do however is go crazy psycho on the training this week in an effort to cram in some last minute preparation because all you will end up doing is fatiguing your legs and they will give out on you when it comes to race day. Kind of like pulling an all nighter before a school test.. completely ineffective.

So take it relatively easy this week. BUT you do need to get a few maintenance runs in.  Try and get out one slightly longer run in the next day (remember its Monday you are less than a week out, ideally this would have been done on Saturday). This will help you get into the game mentally, figure out what pain you’re in for. Follow this up with a few shorter efforts over the remainder of the week….. 5-8km, mixing it up with speed and interval work if you like. Friday is the lightest day and Saturday is a day of rest. You could even treat yourself to a pre race massage if you need to flush through your calves, hamstrings and quads. Yoga or a stretch session in the sauna will get your muscles ready for action.

Aside from your body’s physical preparation nutrition plays a huge role. One of the biggest thing that I notice with clients I treat in the lead up to a race, and definitely more so in a novice runner than regular racers is that they have this idea stuck in their head that they have to suddenly do all these different things with their diet the days before! Carb load this and have a huge pasta meal etc etc. This is most definitely not the case. Yes ‘carb loading’ to an extent can be helpful but the last thing you want to do is fill your body with food it’s not accustomed to having, for example if you never eat pasta don’t feel the need to stuff your face with a huge serving of spaghetti bolognaise the night before! Instead moderately increase your carbohydrate intake in the few days leading up to the race for a little bit of extra fuel. Make sure you are well hydrated pre race and make use of the water / sports drink stations along the way.

Its also important to reel back your expectations. The goal is now to finish, obviously you can have a time goal in mind but make sure you are realistic. You haven’t trained as hard as you hoped so you may need to re-think these to avoid disappointment.

Start out conservatively and try and find a steady pace that you can maintain throughout the race. Take in the scenery and enjoy the experience!

One tip.. if you’re under-prepared you WILL BE SORE and lactic come Sunday afternoon and Monday and probably tuesday. This is your body’s response to a workout it’s not accustomed to. Also known as delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) Check out one of our older blogs HERE for some more info on this.

There is no point spending this week stressing over what you should have done to prepare. Just have fun, and remember this feeling so next time you won’t find yourself in this situation!

Good Luck Runners. Remember DON’T PANIC. ( If you still are and none of the above information has made you feel remotely better about the situation….. go to the costume shop, find a CRAZY arse costume and wear it come Sunday…. No-one has a bad time when they are dressed as a superhero.. and that’s a fact!)

I hope your week is off to a productive start and you have your workouts and meals scheduled for the week.

Beach to Bay Prep

If you are running in the upcoming Beach to Bay marathon I wish you luck. The four-plus miles may be a little tough on you if you haven’t been putting in the time. For a successful and less painful race I have added a few tips that will help you perform better and recover faster.

1. Hydrate: Pre-race check your urine color. You want it to be a light yellow like lemonade. Don’t drink too much and get water logged, just enough to take the dark orange color out of your urine. Research has shown that just a 2% reduction in hydration can lead to a 20% reduction in performance.

2. Roll Your Feet: While standing or sitting place a tennis ball, softball, or golf ball under one of your feet and roll the bottom of your foot against the ball. If the bottom of your foot is really tender use a softer ball. You may want to work up to a more rigid ball later. Roll behind your toes, the arch of your foot, the outside of your foot and the heel. If you find any bumps (trigger points) roll on them for about 30 seconds until they release. Spend 2-minutes on each foot.

3. Don’t carb load the night before: The 80′s are over and so is carb loading for a 5K or anything under an hour run/walk. Research shows that we want to begin the process of carbohydrate loading several days before. For 4-plus miles you don’t really need to carb load at all. Eat a healthy non-greasy meal the night before and you will be fine.

4. Eat a light breakfast: You want to eat a light breakfast with minimal fiber. You don’t want to run on an empty stomach and you don’t want a full bloated stomach. Bananas and peanut butter usually do the trick.

5. Encourage others: Every person you pass give them “atta boy/girl” or “keep it up”, or my personal favorite, “TIGHT GLUTES, TIGHT ABS, SHOULDERS BACK AND DOWN”!!! Just kidding about the last one. Encourage those who are struggling a bit. We all need a little encouragement.

6. Lose the New Shoes:  Don’t wear a pair of new shoes for your run.  Make sure you have logged a good amount of time in your sneakers before race day. New shoes can cause blisters and possibly hurt your knees.

7. Ice any sore joints or muscles: Ice any sore joints or muscles post race as soon as you can. Icing will help take the inflammation out and get you back on your feet for more training.

If you are not running join the after-party at the park across from McGee Beach where the Coliseum once stood.

Committed to Your Success,
Adam

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I didn’t drive thru. I walked.

Well, I didn’t walk thru the drive thru (although I certainly would if necessary).

I walked into the store. For an iced coffee.

My intention yesterday was to take a full rest day. But it was gorgeous out when I put the boy on the bus that I decided a walk couldn’t hurt me.

I hate walking. Especially walking the path I normally run.

I feel like I am not getting anywhere because everything passes so slowly.

Or I pass everything slowly. I don’t know, something like that.

I decided I needed a destination.

I watched the building of this Dunkin Donuts all winter. I daydreamed while sitting at the red light opposite this Dunkin Donuts everyday thinking about how nice it would be in the spring to land myself on Dunkin’s doorstep after my long run.

I couldn’t wait though until this morning for my long run (just ran a little over 10 miles by the way).

So I walked there yesterday – 1.5 miles each way to be exact.

It was quite exciting. I think.

Hear me out on this:

I love iced coffee. I love it even more when it is made for me at Dunkin Donuts.

It is a real treat for me since I cut my Dunkin habit a few years ago to save the $3 and change a day.

A little over $3 a day adds up to over $21/ week which is roughly over $80 something a month (if you are looking for exact numbers ask my son, he is a math wiz).

As a preMother’s Day gift, I treated my motherly self to a medium iced coffee with a drop of skim milk.

Delicious? Yes. Satisfying? Not quite.

I WAS THIRSTY.

It tasted as good as ever but when one is thirsty, iced coffee is no quencher.

Smile! You’re on Candid Camera! (I always wanted to say that!)

Let’s let this lovely employee think I wanted her photo –  I was really after the donuts.

The creme-filled shelf to be exact.

I am not a big donut eater but I always had a thing for Dunkin’s chocolate creme filled donut.

Truth: When I was a little girl, I used to choose the pink frosted donuts simply because they were pink.

RARE FIND: I was pleasantly surprised to see this location has the Dunkin cookies.

You don’t see them often but if you do, I highly recommend the peanut butter chocolate chip.

The fact that this location is a Baskin Robbins too is very exciting. I can see walks for ice cream (or the frozen yogurt) on the horizon for the boy and me.

At least we are incorporating exercise as a family into our lives.

Good luck to anyone who is racing this weekend!

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This is the terminology used for the ability of products to penetrate into the deep living tissue of the skin.  Transdermal absorption has been used effectively throughout the ages within the medical and beauty industry. As explained in my last blog ‘Needles and Pins’, the use of Skin Needling can greatly assist the use of active ingredients on the skin.

Skin Needling Rollers contain microscopic needles that when inserted into the skin (preferably by a trained practitioner and with sterile implements!) they pierce the epidermis creating ‘pathways’ for active ingredients to pass through.

Considering my love of the Image Skin range and their abundance of active ingredients including Peptides, Stem Cells and Antioxidants this is a very exciting concept.

Once the Skin Needling is performed the use of Image Vital C Hydrating A C E Serum can be applied. The products, being Cosmeceuticals penetrate at a deeper level, however,using them after this procedure ensures faster and more effective absorption.

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I love using this product after Skin Needling. It has hydrating and anti ageing effects on the skin. It contains a 20% blend of potent antioxidants that protect against free radical attack and nourish, BV-OSC a stable form of  vitamin C which accelerates collagen synthesis (Skin Needling boosts the collagen matrix so this is a great booster!) Polypeptide complex that improves immune function and skin healing as well as supporting fibroblasts.  This is a great serum on it’s own but used as a ‘transdermal absorption’ product it does wonders. To complete the treatment I use Image Daily Defense Hydrating Moisturiser containing Green Tea extract that has anti-inflammatory benefits, Anti-oxidants and of course an SPF 30.

Skin Needling is very effective on Scar Tissue and Cellulite. The product I use with Cellulite Skin Needling treatments is Image Body Spa Cell-U-Lift Creme with a potent Poly Enzyme Complex.

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Keep posted as I am going to be writing about Collagen Induction Therapy that also links with this blog and Needles and Pins!

Hydration right after a round of golfing is crucial and for some this may contain a Gin and Tonic or beer. Nonetheless, changing dropped fluids by ingesting drinking water is essential. This rewards muscles and joints and will also increase total effectively-currently being, trying to keep you suit and lively for the next spherical of golfing.

You’ve most likely heard a catchphrase similar to this: “Rehydrates much better than water”. Some may possibly think it, other folks might feel of it as just income discuss. Right after all, isn’t h2o the resource of lifestyle? Could there be everything else that rehydrates better than water? Yes.

In phrases of hydration and rehydration, sporting activities beverages do a better occupation than drinking water. In less difficult phrases, osmolality is used to refer to the concentration of particles found or dissolved in a given remedy or fluid. The osmolality of these beverages is extremely similar to that of blood’s, which makes it possible for it to be simply absorbed by the human body so we can feel the hydrating consequences more quickly as when compared to drinking water.

There are loads of minerals dissolved in athletics beverages. For case in point, we have sodium, carbohydrates and even protein. These minerals support athletes in maintaining up their strength and stamina. The aforementioned particles play a vital position in fluid retention and regulation all through the body. It is their task to help figure out how much fluid goes where. Equilibrium in phrases of hydration is an important aspect when retaining up energy specifically for athletes.

The dissolved particles also support in offering strength and endurance. This means you can do much far more than you usually can with regards to physical routines. It also helps more quickly restoration for muscle mass hurt. These variables and benefits are not provided by drinking water. At the very least not on a amount that sporting activities drinks supply.

Also, if you have been drinking sports activities beverages, you could recognize that you seem to be obtaining thirsty a bit quicker as in contrast as when you drink h2o. Don’t fret. Detailed details about morning detox drink can be found at main website.
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Well to start the weather was iffy and I almost just hit the trainer for a couple hours.  At the last minute the weather looked better, so I threw things in the car and headed out to Chatfield.  I got there and started putting my bike together and realized I had forgotten water, plus I had already forgotten my phone at home or so I thought.  The water so not too big a deal, I knew I could get some in the park, so  put the half bottle I had into the aero system and then put some Perform powder in my two empty bottles, figuring i could just add water when got there.

The ride started with me bonking almost immediately, which was when I started to realize I had not had anything to eat in about 4 hours.  So I grabbed a new oatmeal raisin bar I was trying.  While I’m eating the bar, my rain jacket, which is clipped around my waist comes undone and falls into the the front spoke of the bike. It proceded to wrap around the hub and jam in there good.  Luckily it didn’t cause an accident.  I stopped and spent 5 minutes untangling the jacket and then getting back on the bike for the rest of the ride towards my planned water stop.

Once I stopped for water, I realized that the Perform powder doesn’t mix well when it sits in the bottle first and I had a bunch of chunky water instead of electrolyte drink.  It just seemed that nothing wanted to go right for this ride.

Once I got going after getting some water things started to improve some and I ended up with a decent ride.  The lesson from todays ride is that no matter how short the ride may seem, it is still very important to plan out what your going to do and make sure you take all essentials, like water, with you when you leave.  Well, lesson learned and on to the next ride.

Examining your gasoline ranges

In any sport you should make sure that your physique is hydrated prior to you get started to enjoy. If you drink regular amounts of fluids day-to-day, you must be able to start exercising at any time. Certain beverages this sort of as liquor, tea, coffee and diet regime drinks will de-hydrate the human body and so should be prevented just before exercising. Drinking water or sporting activities beverages will support to hold your fluid levels proper. For golfers great hydration at the start off of and in the course of exercise is the key to functionality. There is 1 simple take a look at to ensure that the physique is correctly hydrated and this is to check the color of your urine. The darker it is the significantly less hydrated the body is, although a paler color means the entire body has a stable stage of fluids.

Most authorities agree that during any sporting activity trying to keep hydrated is very best achieved by consuming lots of fluid early on in the course of the recreation. This applies to golfing and you need to change the amount dependent on the temperature situations and the duration of match. For the duration of scorching weather conditions it is especially essential to up your ingestion of fluids early as you are probably to sweat a lot more. The loss of only a little percentage of the body’s fluids can raise your temperature and have an adverse impact on both actual physical and mental efficiency.

Sporting activities beverages or water?

Whilst golf may not be the maximum strength exercise when it arrives to sport, the game can be prolonged and the physical aspect to the recreation needs suppleness in muscles and joints, which will each be negatively affected by very poor hydration and also the power to have golf equipment and gear. Even though an electric golf trolley can certainly get some of the strain, maintaining well hydrated during the recreation retains your muscle tissues and joints doing work effectively. It also permits you to obtain a good swing and keeps your head centered on your match technique. Sports beverages can support to preserve a very good amount of hydration and contain carbohydrate or glucose, equally of which can assist to sustain vitality amounts. In the course of intensive physical exercise that lasts below an hour experts do not suggest anything other than drinking water, nonetheless, for for a longer time, constant durations of physical exercise a sports consume can have advantages.

Hydration right after a spherical of golf is crucial and for some this may possibly incorporate a Gin and Tonic or beer. Nevertheless, changing lost fluids by drinking h2o is vital. This benefits muscle tissue and joints and will also increase all round well-becoming, trying to keep you match and energetic for the up coming spherical of golfing.

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I’m pretty passionate about drinking water and staying hydrated. As an Ironman Triathlete it’s constantly on my mind: morning, day and night. The sadly outdated standard proposed by “I don’t know who” has us all thinking 8 x 8 oz. glasses of water per day is enough. This “rule” is not supported by any scientific data and simply doesn’t make sense.

Think about it… if you’re a 6’2’’ man weighing 225 lbs or a 5’1’’ woman weighing 105 lbs, does it seem reasonable that you both require that same amount of water per day? Do you think both of these people take in the same amount of food per day? Of course not!

Well, I don’t have any “hard data” either but I have more than 4380 days of anecdotal data that if you choose to follow, you’ll be feeling better than you’ve ever felt before. I can almost guarantee it!

Here are two rules you can follow for How Much Water To Drink Per Day and they’re pretty simple:

1. Your pee (i.e. urine) should always be clear and copious. (except when you take Vitamin B2, Riboflavin and then it will be bright neon yellow)

2. Drink at least ⅔ of your body weight in ounces of water per day (not counting workouts).

   1. For example, if you weigh 100 lbs, drink 66 oz. of water per day.

I know this may sound like a lot but trust me, you’ll feel great, beyond great! I know you’ll be heading to the bathroom every hour but it’s worth it. You’ll be more energized, need less sleep, be less grumpy, probably require less food, have better skin, fewer headaches and better poops.

A man and his 1L Nalgene Bottle – Attached forever.

I’m a 5’8’’ man weighing about 160 lbs so I should drink about 106 oz. of water per day. I just round up to 128 oz. (1 gallon or 4 liters). Here’s how I do it: 

1. I start my day with 1L (32 oz.) as I wake up and watch the morning news, checking Facebook and emails.

2. Even with my morning coffee (which is decaf and doesn’t count toward hydration) I finish another 1L through the morning and lunch.

3. Between 2-5pm, I’m able to finish my 3rd liter of the day.

4. Liter 4 is consumed through and after dinner and sometimes isn’t finished until the minute before I go to bed.

I know it sound like a lot but can you see how easy it breaks down throughout the day? And yes, I typically have to get up in the middle of the night to pee but I’ve learned that it is well worth it because waking up in the morning is SO much easier.

Water really is the key to life and too many of us, especially the elderly, live in a dehydrated state. Do the experiment for yourself, see how you feel and let me know what’s working for you. And if you don’t get there today you’ll have a chance to start over tomorrow and the next day….

PS. One final thought, if you’re afraid of Hyponatremia, I wouldn’t worry about it. As long as you’re eating normal meals throughout the day you will be fine. Hyponatremia (a.k.a. Water Intoxication) is a condition where you lose too many electrolytes and you’re only drinking water. This will basically only occur when you’re exercising and sweating a lot, not eating and only drinking plain water. (Disclaimer: I am not a medical doctor and I rely on you to determine what is right for you.)