Team CRAVE: celebrate National Running 6/02/10

Because of changes in diet and lifestyle, Americans are increasingly at risk for diseases that can significantly diminish the quality, productivity, and length of their lives. The time to act is now. > Nationwide, the annual medical expense for juvenile obesity is more than $127 million annually. > Health-care expenses and productivity losses related to obesity problems cost Americans more than $100 billion annually. > Currently, obesity-related illnesses cause some 300,000 deaths a year. Inactivity and poor diet will soon overtake smoking as the leading cause of preventable death in the United States. > Overweight youth ages 10 to 15 have an 80% chance of becoming obese adults by age 25. > Only one in four kids gets at least 30 minutes of physical activity each day. Kids and teens obesity rates have doubled in the past 20 years. Exercise-and running, in particular-is one solution to combating these health issues. > According to the American Sports Data 2007 Superstudy of Sports Participation, 39.5 million people in the United States ran or jogged at least once, and 11.7 million ran more than 100 days/year. > In 2008, according to Running USA, there were 9.2 million finishers in road races (ranging in distance from the 5K to the Marathon), a 4 percent increase from the 8.8 million finishers in 2007. The above 7 reasons to run were copied & pasted from thofficialal website: http://www.runningday.org/events/index.php  Team CRAVE will be celebrating National Running Day by meeting at our usual Wednesday morning spot, Charlotte St Starbucks, at 6:30am for a run/jog/walk down Kimberly Ave & back. Plan to be out there for 30min (I'll be there for 60min if you wanna stay a little longer) & bring a friend! Marty Harwood-Edes, PFT  www.cravechange.com 828-280-1867   Some things have to be believed in to be seen.

Team CRAVE: building the base for running strong

Fartlek (for speed and pace) Intervals (for speed) Tempo Runs (for speed and pace) Hills (for strength) The Long Run (for endurance) Easy run (for recovery)   These are the basic training techniques used to create "runners".  You didn't think it was all about simply getting on your feet & moving faster than usual, did you?  The getting on your feet part is just the start, at some point there needs to be some focused training if you want to squeeze as much out of your training time as you can.  Want to be leaner, faster, go further?  Then we need to implement the above training techniques in your schedule.  Lucky for you you have a whole team of women & a personal trainer willing to train with you as you put your body through its paces!   During our Spring Training (now 'til June 14, 2010) we will be focusing on getting comfortable with the different training elements.  Here's how the breakdown will work during the week:   Mon 6:30am Easy Run   Tues 6:30pm Hill or Speed (fartlek/interval)   Wed 6:30am Tempo: find a pace that is not so fast that you cannot sustain it for 15-25min, but not so slow that you do not feel challenged toward the end.  Roughly 80%-85% of maximum heart rate or a 8RPE on a scale of 1-10.   Thurs 6:30pm Hill or Speed (fartlek/interval)   Sat 8am Long Run   If all of your runs are Easy (walkers, joggers & even runners can slip into this habit) or if you feel all like you've been running all of your runs as Speedily as you can you are doing your body & your training a disservice.  There are many facets to a well rounded athlete.    Oh, yeah.  Don't forget that Rome wasn't built in a day so trying to run as fast as you can over a mountain for your long run isn't the way to go either.  I'm just saying...    See YOU out there! Marty Harwood-Edes, PFT  www.cravechange.com 828-280-1867   Some things have to be believed in to be seen.

Team CRAVE: FAQ

Hi Ladies,   I hope those of you who didn't make it out for our team run in Biltmore Forest this morning still had a chance to enjoy the mild temps & lovely sunshine today.  There seemed to be so much miscommunication & confusion about today's run that I thought it might be helpful to answer some common team questions...   "When do you meet?" Mondays 6am in front of FDNSC (119 Brevard Rd)   Tuesdays 4:30pm in front of the Carrier Park picnic pavilion   Wednesdays 6am in the Charlotte St Starbucks parking lot  Thursdays 5pm in front of the Carrier Park picnic pavilion   Saturday's times, locations & distances vary but we strive for at least one Carrier Park long run each month "Speaking of long runs..." Our long runs are scheduled for Saturdays (a few times a year it is necessary to have them on Sunday instead, but that is pretty rare).  After a few years it became super tedious to always run around the Carrier Park trails for mile after mile so we elected to have running field trips, so to speak, for our Saturdays.  Teammates can offer up routes that fit our team needs, but we often explore new routes too.  Sometimes they workout wonderfully (Biltmore Forest), sometimes not (Brevard to West Asheville on the BRP).  The meeting times change depending on many factors (weather, location, traffic, team needs).  The distance is always stated on your team training calendar that each teammate has a copy of.  Most importantly YOU DO NOT HAVE TO RUN the long run.  It just means more miles/more time spent on your feet.  I will always work with you on your specific needs.   "How will I know if there is a change in plans?" Good, no GREAT, question!  There are many of you.  Only one of me (Nancy does stand in nicely for me from time to time though).  If you want info on a particular run, or you just want me to look for you at the start (it can get very busy at Carrier Park) you should definitely let me know.  The best way is via txt, the next best way is a phone call, Facebook is good & Twitter will give you all my updates.  Please do not expect a txt from me.  I will reply to your txt but I simply cannot txt everyone.   Email.  I get a lot of email (I know some of you can relate) so this is not a great option.  Current & active clients of mine get moved to the top of the email list but very often I cannot get to team emails before they get shuffled down onto the next page of my inbox.  Also, team emails tend to ask similar questions like "so where are we meeting Saturday?" when I forget to attach a map to an email.  You may have noticed I have replied to your email via the group, usually because you asked a great question!  Please don't get me wrong; I love reading the emails you send, especially when you let me know your thoughts on a particular topic, I just can't always respond personally.   "Wait!  What if YOU (Marty) are sick or out of town?  Do we still meet? YES!  Nancy will always know if I am stuck in traffic, sick or simply on vacation.  If you sent me a txt saying you plan on running that day I will pass it along to her.  Don't bother looking for her car, she may run down to that park on any given day :) She'll find you!   "So, who's Nancy?" Nancy is many things besides wonderful!  She helped create the team with me way back when, she is our team Event Coordinator (she does an outstanding job working with race directors), and she is our fastest & most consistent runner.  And, most importantly, she is always in the know.  Sometimes when I get a team email that needs a response it will be forwarded on to Nancy.   "Are there really walkers that train with the team?" Yes, but, they are the shyest of the group.  I know you're out there reading this!!!  Wednesday mornings seem to be the most popular for the fitness walkers but Thursday evening has a good share too.  It should be noted that we don't all just line up & race each other around Carrier Park.  Some runners like their music & to run their own pace but really enjoy the warm-up & stretch portions with the team.  Some runners will naturally pair up & chat.  We often run in different directions & for different distances.  The more teammates that make a habit of supporting the team regularly, the more opportunity there will be for everyone to have a pace partner.   "Is everyone a marathoner???" Heck no!  This will be the first team marathon coming up in a couple of weeks.  Who knows?  It might be the last!  When the team was first formed it was meant for clients who were looking to loose weight & new runners to have a safe & supportive environment.  Each season we have a goal race to train for but until this year the goal race was always a 1/2 marathon.  Not everyone who trains with the team has intentions of running a 1/2 or full marathon, but it is an option.   "Why does it cost money to join? And how much does it cost?" It takes money & supplies to keep the team safe & comfortable.  I donate 5-8hrs of my work week to the team but the cost of ice, water, first aid supplies, chewing gum, cups, tissues, extra gels/gu's/beans, gatoraid/cytomax, body glide/Vaseline, gas for team support drivers, map print outs, sunscreen & all the other bits-n-pieces that get used adds up.  Just think; if you run 45 long runs out of 52 Saturdays a year that's more than $50 in gels, but if you pay the $20-30/year to the team you get access to the team supply of extra gels.  And all summer long you'll be treated to ice water & sunscreen :)   "Do I need to let you know if I am not coming?" Only if you told me you were coming to a particular run, because I'll be holding up the team waiting on you.  Otherwise I'll rather know who is coming, so I can hold up the team to wait for them :)  Seriously, you should let me know if you plan on attending a morning run since they are most likely to be canceled due to lack of attendance (believe me, you don't want to just show up & find out all the other girls bailed because it was so cold/rainy).  You should also let me know if you plan on attending a run at Carrier Park in questionable weather since the park has flooded more than once this year.   So in short...come out & get your run on!  Take time to inform yourself, assume little & call or txt me with questions.  Believe me; I would rather answer 10 phone calls than deal with one accusatory email by someone who felt left out.  DON'T be left out.  Be informed!  Take advantage of someone else planning your run.  Feel safer knowing that there is a group looking out for you.  Feed off the awesome team energy & support.  Be an inspiration to someone new to the sport.  Learn from the mistakes of others (always funnier to hear those stories in person).  Make fitness, yourself & your team of women a priority in your daily life; you'll feel AND look better.   Happy running! Marty Harwood-Edes, PFT  www.cravechange.com 828-280-1867   Some things have to be believed in to be seen.

Team CRAVE: massage therapy

Most of us use massages to de-stress and pamper ourselves, but did you know that proper use of massage therapy should be used during your training, as opposed to only after the big event?   We all know that running requires sustained, repetitive movement.  The more you move, the greater the muscle contractions and the more force generated by your muscles. The amount of muscle fiber recruitment determines the amount of force generated by each contraction. When you run, these sustained, repetitive contractions translate into speed, power, and distance.   Massage is now reported to relieve muscle soreness, shorten recovery time, restore range of motion, remove adhesions and even improve performance. Massage, of course, most directly affects our muscular system, but it also has an impact on other systems of the body as well. Research has shown that the human body responds to deep, therapeutic pressure applied in a steady, even manner by a licensed professional.   Therapeutic deep tissue massage elicits very specific responses, such as...   -Promotes rapid removal of metabolic waste products; therefore improving recovery time   -Relieves muscle tension, soreness & fatigue through improved circulation   -Reduces excessive scar & adhesion formation   -Improves connective tissue healing   -Improves running efficiency and performance by increasing/restoring range of motion and flexibility   -Decreases pain through improved circulation and by triggering the release of endorphins   So...When should you book your therapy? Schedule regular massages throughout your training & racing period for the best results.  Keep a 3-5day window on either side of your longest/toughest runs massage free so your muscles can work on the task at hand (be it run, recover or rest).   Beth Watson is a local, WNC, licensed massage & bodywork therapist that regularly works with our running team.  To reach her for a Team CRAVE discount before the end of March 2010, call 828-450-7788.   Marty Harwood-Edes, PFT  www.cravechange.com 828-280-1867   Some things have to be believed in to be seen.

Calorie burn, or simply weight loss, is why many folks get into running in the first place.  And why not?  Running is a pretty inexpensive & efficient way to get rid of extra calories consumed.  Read below to figure out how to make the best use of your time to achieve your weight loss goals... Measuring Calories Burned Research on the metabolic equivalents (MET) of various activities ranks each activity by calories per kilogram per hour. Just sitting quietly burns 1 MET. If you weigh 150 pounds, that is 68 calories per hour. A runner and a fast walker, both at a speed of 12 minutes per mile or 5 miles per hour, achieve the exact same 8 MET. Their calories per mile and calories per hour are identical. Walking at various speeds burns between 2 and 8 MET. Running at various speeds burns 8 to 18 MET. That sounds like quite a difference, but you have to take into account the length of the workout. Do they run for a set number of miles, or do they run for a set period of time? It makes all of the difference. Calories per Mile Between the speeds of 5 and 9 miles per hour, runners expend almost the same calories per mile. The METs are higher for faster speeds just to reflect that they will go more miles in that same hour. This assumes they will run for an entire hour, rather than doing a set number of miles. Walkers also see very little difference in calories per mile at walking speeds between 2.5 and 4 miles per hour. While they burn the same calories per mile as runners if they can go 5 mph, they burn fewer calories per mile at slower speeds. They can easily make up that difference in a workout by going further in distance. Calories per Mile for 160 Pound Person Walking 2.0 mph - 91 2.5 mph - 87 3.0 mph - 85 3.5 mph - 83 4.0 mph - 91 4.5 mph - 102 5.0 mph - 116 Running 5.0 mph - 116 6.0 mph - 121 7.0 mph - 119 8.0 mph - 123 9.0 mph - 121 10.0 mph - 131 Weight is a Big Factor for Calories Burned   The numbers above are very different if you weigh 100 pounds or 250 pounds. Weight is part of the equation. The more you weigh, the more calories you burn at every speed. But this is something we can't easily change. If you wear a pack or weighted vest that adds 20 pounds, you only increase your calories burned per mile by about 11-12. It would be far better and easier to just walk an extra 2-5 minutes to burn those same calories. Why risk straining yourself? Should I Go Faster? If you can build up your walking speed to 5 mph, or 12 minutes per mile, you will be at the top calorie burn per mile and achieve the same burn as a jogger. If you are a runner, you don't get any calorie burning benefit by going faster than 10 minutes per mile or 6 mph. Should I Go Longer? The further you walk or run, the more calories you burn. You get the most benefit by adding distance to your workout, whether you walk or run. Should I Add Weight? You will burn more calories per mile at every speed by weighing more, but it is a very small difference and not worth the risk of strain. Every extra pound means more pounding on your feet, ankles, knees and hips. It is better to walk or run further than to add any weight. Should I Walk or Run? If you enjoy running, you can burn calories in less time and be done with your daily workout sooner. Many people enjoy the higher heart rate and the burst of happy brain chemicals it produces. But for others, running is a grind that they have to force themselves to do. In order to get any benefit from a workout, it has to be one that you enjoy and will do day after day. If you love to run -- run. If you hate to run but love to walk -- walk. You will just need to spend more time walking to go the distance you need to burn the calories you want to burn.   In a nut shell:  The average woman would need to run about 30miles/week to loose 1lb of fat!  The faster you move the less time it takes to loose that weight.     Marty Harwood-Edes, PFT  www.cravechange.com 828-280-1867   Some things have to be believed in to be seen.