Saturday, June 13, 2009
Run Those Hills!
As I was running the Martinez Brickyard Hill Race my mind went back and forth between listening to my breathing and wandering. I love running as a time to process things. It's done wonders for me in helping clarify "issues" in my life.
But yesterday the mind was geared to racing and when I wasn't thinking pace I wandered to BALANCE. I mean the kind of balance that we use to run well. I was thinking about running uphill (we had plenty of them) and how you shorten your stride to maintain a forward balance. When you run downhill you lengthen your stride to balance out the effects of gravity pushing you ahead.
The downhill seems to stymie a lot of people. I think it's important to take advantage of that huge opportunity that gravity provides and trust in your balance. Your body will land properly without "putting on the breaks" if you let your feet take you forward as much as they want to go, as extensions of your legs.
When you try to stay upright (instead of moving forward with the slope of the hill) you lose all that wonderful opportunity that comes from not having to lift your foot up to produce the next step. Instead, when running downhill you only need to push off with the ball of your foot and the slope takes care of the elevation part by sloping away from you. I've come to realize that it takes strong, well balanced knees to allow runners to run hills the way I've described because you MUST be landing with shock absorption in the right places or your lower body, (especially your knees) will suffer.
When landing, place the heel first, but LIGHTLY, NOT as if digging in for the long haul. Continue the forward momentum with an immediate rolling to the ball of the foot where you push off at the ball and also with your toes to continue the movement. This is not a static motion. It is very dynamic with gravity being your guide. LISTEN to your body.
So, the next time you're running hills, think about letting yourself go on those down hills. Let natural balance and rhythm be your guides. You might surprise yourself at how easy it is and how well you do. Interestingly, the more strength and agility workouts you do at the gym, with free weights, and with a flexibility component, the better you will do on the up and down hill! Go for it!
But yesterday the mind was geared to racing and when I wasn't thinking pace I wandered to BALANCE. I mean the kind of balance that we use to run well. I was thinking about running uphill (we had plenty of them) and how you shorten your stride to maintain a forward balance. When you run downhill you lengthen your stride to balance out the effects of gravity pushing you ahead.
The downhill seems to stymie a lot of people. I think it's important to take advantage of that huge opportunity that gravity provides and trust in your balance. Your body will land properly without "putting on the breaks" if you let your feet take you forward as much as they want to go, as extensions of your legs.
When you try to stay upright (instead of moving forward with the slope of the hill) you lose all that wonderful opportunity that comes from not having to lift your foot up to produce the next step. Instead, when running downhill you only need to push off with the ball of your foot and the slope takes care of the elevation part by sloping away from you. I've come to realize that it takes strong, well balanced knees to allow runners to run hills the way I've described because you MUST be landing with shock absorption in the right places or your lower body, (especially your knees) will suffer.
When landing, place the heel first, but LIGHTLY, NOT as if digging in for the long haul. Continue the forward momentum with an immediate rolling to the ball of the foot where you push off at the ball and also with your toes to continue the movement. This is not a static motion. It is very dynamic with gravity being your guide. LISTEN to your body.
So, the next time you're running hills, think about letting yourself go on those down hills. Let natural balance and rhythm be your guides. You might surprise yourself at how easy it is and how well you do. Interestingly, the more strength and agility workouts you do at the gym, with free weights, and with a flexibility component, the better you will do on the up and down hill! Go for it!
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Women Train for your First Event - from 5K thru a Marathon
Yes, women, YOU CAN do this!
Join us on August 5 at Fleet Feet in Berkeley, 1758 Solano Ave to discuss the details of training for your first competition or a new distance. Walkers and runners are welcome. Coach Stephanie Atwood will go over the women's only program that can take fitness goals and turn them into realities.
Fleet Feet, Berkeley, 7:00 PM, Tuesday, August 5
Stephanie Atwood, AAAI/ISM Certified and RRCA Long Distance Running Coach Trained is founder of The WOW Team - Fit Women of the World. The team's focus is on long term fitness and meeting fitness goals.
We Want YOU!!
Go to http://TheWeeklyPepTalk.com, http://CaliforniaInternationalMarathonGroupTraining.smmsite.com or contact her through Stephanie@AskAboutRunning.com
Join us on August 5 at Fleet Feet in Berkeley, 1758 Solano Ave to discuss the details of training for your first competition or a new distance. Walkers and runners are welcome. Coach Stephanie Atwood will go over the women's only program that can take fitness goals and turn them into realities.
Fleet Feet, Berkeley, 7:00 PM, Tuesday, August 5
Stephanie Atwood, AAAI/ISM Certified and RRCA Long Distance Running Coach Trained is founder of The WOW Team - Fit Women of the World. The team's focus is on long term fitness and meeting fitness goals.
We Want YOU!!
Go to http://TheWeeklyPepTalk.com, http://CaliforniaInternationalMarathonGroupTraining.smmsite.com or contact her through Stephanie@AskAboutRunning.com
4 Week Beginners Training Guide For Your First 5K
Where there's a will, there's a way. You can do it! Just check with your doctor first to confirm that you are in good health. We humans are meant to move. 5K (3.1 miles) is within any healthy person's realm of accomplishment. So, start now and participate in your first race. It's so much fun!
Week 1
Monday, Day 1 - Start walking! Walk until you feel tired or have reached 30 minutes, whichever comes first. Do not worry about your speed, or your distance, just stay upright and moving. Write down how long you walked today. Try for a minimum of 10 minutes.
Tuesday, Day 2 - If you walked 30 minutes yesterday, please repeat the same thing today. If you walked less than 30 minutes, add 1-2 minutes to yesterday's time. Do not worry about your speed, or your distance but be certain to increase the amount of time you are on your feet. Write down how long you walked today. Good job!
Wednesday, Day 3 - If you walked 30 minutes yesterday, please repeat the same thing today. If you walked less than 30 minutes, add 1-2 minutes to yesterday's time. do not worry about your speed, or your distance but be certain to increase the amount of time you are on your feet. Write down how long you walked today. Looking good!
Thursday, Day 4 - Rest day! Take a break.
Friday, Day 5 - If you walked 30 minutes before, please repeat the same thing today. If you walked less than 30 minutes, add 1-2 minutes to your previous time. Do not worry about your speed, or your distance but be certain to increase the amount of time you are on your feet. Write down how long you walked today. Going strong!
Saturday, Day 6 - Already at 30 minutes? Great! Just keep it up for a little longer. Then things will get interesting. Still working up to 30? Keep adding 1-2 minutes. Write down how long you walkd today. You're getting there!
Sunday, Day 7 - Women, join my group for a 3 mile walk. We'd love to meet you and, you get some great exercise. Or...take a hike to some place beautiful. Bring a picnic. Walk for health and the wonder of movement. Enjoy the day!
Notes:
Keep your recorded times on a calendar where you can see them. You'll feel good about what you're accomplishing.
If you are already a fit walker or jogger you may use stronger arms and or walk/jog for the 30 minutes.
Please refer to http://www.altbgo.blogspot.com for the rest of the schedule or contact me if you have any questions at Stephanie@AskAboutRunning.com
3 more weeks are coming soon...
Week 1
Monday, Day 1 - Start walking! Walk until you feel tired or have reached 30 minutes, whichever comes first. Do not worry about your speed, or your distance, just stay upright and moving. Write down how long you walked today. Try for a minimum of 10 minutes.
Tuesday, Day 2 - If you walked 30 minutes yesterday, please repeat the same thing today. If you walked less than 30 minutes, add 1-2 minutes to yesterday's time. Do not worry about your speed, or your distance but be certain to increase the amount of time you are on your feet. Write down how long you walked today. Good job!
Wednesday, Day 3 - If you walked 30 minutes yesterday, please repeat the same thing today. If you walked less than 30 minutes, add 1-2 minutes to yesterday's time. do not worry about your speed, or your distance but be certain to increase the amount of time you are on your feet. Write down how long you walked today. Looking good!
Thursday, Day 4 - Rest day! Take a break.
Friday, Day 5 - If you walked 30 minutes before, please repeat the same thing today. If you walked less than 30 minutes, add 1-2 minutes to your previous time. Do not worry about your speed, or your distance but be certain to increase the amount of time you are on your feet. Write down how long you walked today. Going strong!
Saturday, Day 6 - Already at 30 minutes? Great! Just keep it up for a little longer. Then things will get interesting. Still working up to 30? Keep adding 1-2 minutes. Write down how long you walkd today. You're getting there!
Sunday, Day 7 - Women, join my group for a 3 mile walk. We'd love to meet you and, you get some great exercise. Or...take a hike to some place beautiful. Bring a picnic. Walk for health and the wonder of movement. Enjoy the day!
Notes:
Keep your recorded times on a calendar where you can see them. You'll feel good about what you're accomplishing.
If you are already a fit walker or jogger you may use stronger arms and or walk/jog for the 30 minutes.
Please refer to http://www.altbgo.blogspot.com for the rest of the schedule or contact me if you have any questions at Stephanie@AskAboutRunning.com
3 more weeks are coming soon...
Get Fit This Summer, Stay Fit For Life!
Starting June 1 and continuing every Sunday in June, get fit, lose weight, make new friends. Women! Meet for instruction and exercise every Sunday from 8AM - 10AM on how to get fit and stay fit using running or walking as the main catalyst. Topics include weight loss, nutrition, motivation, injury prevention, setting goals, controlling stress and depression, how to stay with a plan.
Taught by trainer/coach Stephanie Atwood. Sign-up at http://www.theweeklypeptalk.com/
Want to see the written version of Week 1. Look below...
Taught by trainer/coach Stephanie Atwood. Sign-up at http://www.theweeklypeptalk.com/
Want to see the written version of Week 1. Look below...
Articles About Fitness, Running, Walking, Women Stuff
These articles have been exported from The Weekly Pep Talks, back to the beginning. This way you can refer to them easily, without searching through weeks of gossip and old weekend site descriptions. Your comments are encouraged. I would love to get feedback. Enjoy!!
These articles are available for reproduction at no fee based on fcomplete reproduction of the article and all its contents as well as credit to the author, Stephanie Atwood and referral to website/blogs http://www.TheWeeklyPepTalk.com and http://www.altbgo.blogspot.com
These articles are available for reproduction at no fee based on fcomplete reproduction of the article and all its contents as well as credit to the author, Stephanie Atwood and referral to website/blogs http://www.TheWeeklyPepTalk.com and http://www.altbgo.blogspot.com
Holabird Sports - Get That Free T-shirt!
Free T-shirt Offer Holabird Sports is an online company that sells sporting goods stuff only online. I contacted them and now have their products on my site. They currently have a promo offer for a New Balance Tech Tee for anyone who is a new customer who purchases more than $59.95 worth of products. Well…one pair of shoes will do that very nicely, thank you! So, if you want a New Balance Tech Tee, moisture-wicking long sleeve tee featuring a screen-printed New Balance logo on the back and Holabird Sports logo on the front, use code RRWE29602 in the promo field during checkout. Limited to the first 250 new customers!
Shop for deals on all things running-related with this link or go to our blog. Either way use the code above for your free t-shirt (if available, still).
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