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Nov 01 2011

Bike Fit 101: trying to figure out why you might be experiencing pain with riding??

by Maggie Phillips-Scarlett in Maggie's Posts, Peak Performance

BIKE FIT 101

There is nothing more exhilarating than purchasing a NEW BIKE~ except maybe USING it!!! Unfortunately, when bike manufacturers make a “small”, “medium”, or “large” frame, they don’t take into account all of your personal fitting requirements that make you YOU. SO, the next crucial step after making the purchase but BEFORE riding the bike for that first long epic ride is to ensure that your bike fits you properly!! Bike position is paramount in both your comfort and efficiency. We recommend speaking to your knowledgeable bike dealer

Nov 01 2011

To Shoe or Not to Shoe: That is the Question

by Maggie Phillips-Scarlett in Half Marathon Training, Maggie's Posts, Peak Performance, Running

There is a lot of discussion being generated lately regarding the pros and cons of using running shoes to run. It has only been since the 1970′s that we have used running shoes, however, we’ve managed to run since the start of our caveman days. A great new article has been published by Lieberman et al. (2011), looking at running forces with and without shoes…it may help to shed a little light on this area for you.

Background Information: Runners typically are injured at the moment their foot makes contact with the ground. This can happen in three ways: a rear-foot strike (RFS), in which the heel lands first; a mid-foot strike (MFS) where the heel and ball of the foot land at the same time; or a forefoot strike (FFS) where the ball of the foot lands before the heel comes down.

Mar 29 2011

Caffeine for Runners: good or bad?

by Sue in Half Marathon Training, Peak Performance, Running

Great news! Seems that caffeine (and here I am thinking of coffee, in particular) is OK and probably “performance enhancing” for endurance sports people. Good news for us coffee drinkers. But if you aren’t a coffee drinker, should you start???

Here are the pluses to being a coffee-drinking runner:

1. Caffeine isn’t as much of a diuretic as was previously touted, unless taken in high doses, so the fear of dehydration from caffeine is less of a major issue.

2. Caffeine heightens alertness and increases performance, helping athletes runner harder and longer. It makes effort seem easier (by about 6%) with improvements in performance of about 12%, more in longer duration type exercise than shorter (8-20 minutes). It is thought that it increases the concentration of hormone-like substances in the brain called beta endorphins which give us a senes of well-being and reduce our sensation of pain…COOL!

Mar 29 2011

Hill running technique 101

by Sue in Half Marathon Training, Peak Performance, Running

In case you missed our last Thursday session with Jen Segger, local ultra athlete and owner of the new Challenge by Choice Studio, I thought I’d pass on the tips I remembered from the class.

Since I was getting over the flu and definitely pushing myself to run and not puke, I may have mixed up a few things or forgotten others so I’d appreciate your comments at the bottom in case I goofed! Thanks!

Uphill Running: look up the hill, pump the arms, shorten the stride length a little. Arms are at 90 degrees at the elbows, hands are relaxed.

Mar 15 2011

Eating while running

by Sue in Half Marathon Training, Peak Performance, Running

Hmm. When I contemplate that title I shake my head- how DO those two things go together?

When I trained for my first full marathon years ago, when Power Bars were basically the only energy bars on the shelves, I practiced on my long runs to figure out what my body tolerated. Because the full marathon was going to take me 3.5 hours of continuous running and I would be burning about 2000 calories or more, which was an entire DAYS worth of calories, NOT eating would mean crashing.

But for a half marathon, with the duration being between 1.5 and 2.5 hours for most runners, how much food is necessary? Can you get by running without eating during the race?

The best advice I can suggest is PLAN and PRACTICE. Plan to eat properly BEFORE your run and what you will eat during your run. Practice eating during your run so your body is used to it and you can figure out what doesn’t digest well. Learn what works and what doesn’t for YOU. Everyone is different. That said, here are some general guidelines:

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