Archive for external conditions
Race to Meet the Day!
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What time of day do you run? Many people like to start their day with a run, and that may be an excellent strategy for reasons of weight loss, getting the day going, and getting the blood circulating. Let’s talk about some of those benefits.
What’s so special about doing cardiovascular exercise a.k.a. cardio first thing in the morning on an empty stomach as opposed to doing it any other time during the day? Actually, the amount of stored body fat that might get released and burned for fuel is greatly enhanced. ISome say as much as ”300% more fat” is burned when you perform cardio first thing in the morning on an empty stomach and whether that’s true I’m not sure but from a physiological standpoint, there definitely is an advantage.
The key here is “empty stomach” meaning you haven’t eaten anything after waking (duh!). Let’s say you go to bed at 10 p.m., your last meal was at 8:30 and you wake up at 6 a.m. That’s 9 ½ hours you’ve gone without food. Although you’re asleep, your body is still burning calories to sustain basic metabolic processes. You’re burning some fat, some protein and carbohydrates. After going 9 ½ hours without food you’re body reaches a state where it is pretty low on stored carbs know as glycogen which is stored in the muscles and liver.
When performing aerobic exercise you’re body is capable of burning glucose and/ or fat but when those carbs aren’t present you’re body will readily tap into more fat stores. So if you were to wake up and perform some cardio on an empty stomach, you’ll be giving your body a chance to access more fat stores because there’s not as much stored glycogen to burn.
As for me, I like getting the heart pounding and the blood circulating as early and as often as possible during my day. It makes me feel good. It makes my day more productive. And also that way, if I’m able to get in a second workout later in the day, I’ll feel especially good for several days afterward.
Have a great workout!
Hurricane Ike Affects Many Soles
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We’ve all seen the news reports of devastation in the Southeast United States left behind by Hurricane Ike. And perhaps you thought to yourself, “There, but for the Grace of God, go I…” And if that were you, you’d probably be unable to relieve your stress by running because like as not, you didn’t grab your running shoes as you hurried to evacuate.
Several groups have come forward reminding us that we can donate our “gently used” shoes to our sisters in the hurricane’s path. Contribute your old running shoes to this cause and others by sending your old running shoes to:
Alabama (Primary Warehouse Facility)
Soles4Souls, Inc.
315 Airport Road
Roanoke, AL 36274
Tennessee
Soles4Souls, Inc.
619 Old Hickory Blvd.
Old Hickory, TN 37138
Nevada
Soles4Souls, Inc.
Foreign Trade Zone #89
6620 Escondido Street
Las Vegas, Nevada 89119
For more information, go to www.soles4souls.org,
call (615) 391-5723, or e-mail info@giveshoes.org.
The Shoe Bank
Founded in 1989, the Shoe Bank provides shoes for twenty thousand people every year – primarily children, both here and abroad. Send your old running shoes to this address:
Michael Barringer
Shoe Bank
205 Becky Lane
Rockwall, TX 75087
For more information about the Shoe Bank, go to www.shoebank.org or contact Michael Barringer at 971-771-7658 or michaelbarringer@sbcglobal.net
Warren Striders Track Club, Inc.
Provides running shoes to local and area low/moderate income families who often are unable to purchase adequate running shoes to their children. Send your old running shoes to:
Jack Thornton, Jr.
Head Coach/Program Director
P.O. Box 3440
Warren, Ohio 44485
For more information, go to warrenstriderstrackclubinc.com, or contact Jack Thornton, Jr. at 330.372.6252 or jthorntonjr1@msn.com
If your shoes are too far gone to be reused, you can still help:
Nike Reuse-A-Shoe
Grinds your old running shoes into material that makes athletics and playground surfaces.
Send old shoes to :
Nike Recycling Center
c/o Reuse-A-Shoe
26755 SW 95th Ave.
Wilsonville, OR 97070For more information about Nike Reuse-A-Shoe, go to: nikereuseashoe.com or call 800-344-6453.
Let’s help get our friends back on the path.
Man’s Best Friend = Woman’s Best Running Buddy!
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A Great Running Buddy!
A dog can be a runner’s best training partner, particularly for female runners.
A canine running partner, like my friend Sasha in the picture, offers many benefits. A dog adds a sense of security. A dog is always ready and willing to run. A dog never criticizes your running form and never mocks your attire. (Or says it makes your butt look big!) A dog does not mind running the same boring path or complain if you spontaneously change your daily route to check out the latest running fashion on the roads.
And they like it! A dog that exercises is a happy dog.
On the down side, a dog has favorite trees and water hydrants, may try to chase a squirrel or attract other dogs. An erratic dog may alter your running form. So let’s consider carefully choosing the right running partner.
Guidelines for picking a canine running partner:
- Carefully choose your breed. All dogs are not created equal. The ideal running dog is medium-built, weighs 50 to 70 pounds (Sasha weighs in around 95 pounds), and has short light hair. Greyhounds and Labrador Retrievers are good runners. Avoid large dogs like Great Danes, and small dogs like Chihuahuas, since their body proportions do not favor distance running.
- Avoid engineered breeds. The breathing system of Bulldogs is ill-developed and does not permit intense aerobic activity.
- Respect the heat. Dogs do not sweat. They dissipate heat through their paws and mouths. Long-haired dogs like Chows and Collies have more difficulty in the heat. Plan your running route to allow drinking stops, and let the dog run through puddles.
- Beware of genetic defects. Some breeds suffer debilitating inherited conditions such as hip displasia.
- Do not take puppies on long distance runs. Wait until the dog is 2 years old to begin distance training. Start with half a mile every other day. Increase the distance by 10 percent each week. Give the dog a day off for every day of running.
- Watch the paws carefully. Check the paws before and after every run for any cuts or abrasions.
- Run on a soft surface. The best running surfaces for dogs are grass fields and dirt trails. Concrete and hot asphalt impair a dog’s ability to dissipate heat through the paws. At the other extreme, frozen roads, ice and salt are harmful to the paws.
- Keep the dog on a leash when running on public roads and trails. It is safer for everyone, and it is the law in many communities. A 6-foot leash held to your waist by a belt keeps your hands free and gives the dog room to run around you.
- Keep the dog visible to traffic. At night, use a reflective dog harness, a reflective tape the length of the leash, or flashing lights around the collar.
- Train your dog to obey you and ignore distractions. A simple jerk on the leash should bring the dog back to your left side.
- Spay or neuter your dog. A dog in heat may spoil a good run.
By following simple common sense, many runners enjoy long partnerships with canine training partners.