Tag: running

Member blogger Kathleen Hermann talks about ways for families to engage in fun fitness activities during the holiday season.

We all have holiday traditions, from Aunt Linda’s green bean casserole to fireside carols to the annual donning of the matching sweaters.

However, a lot of our traditions around the holidays focus on heavy, fat-laden foods. And there’s nothing wrong with that. Traditions are important, and the holidays are a good time to indulge as long as we do not indulge to excess.

Still, it is a good time to assess whether your family has any healthy holiday traditions, namely involving physical activity. If not, then why not consider starting one?

Growing up, we watched my father every Thanksgiving morning amble through a Turkey Trot 5k. A former college basketball star measuring 6’8″ in height, he was by no means a runner and it was often humorous to watch him lurching down the final stretch. Nevertheless, he loved how running that race (which was, in fact, the only race he ever ran each year) made him feel on Thanksgiving Day.

As soon as we were old enough, us kids joined him, engaging in a friendly competiton with eachother for place and time. There was something special about knowing no matter the weather — and we had our share of unseasonably warm days as well as days with a foot of snow — we knew where we would be Thanksgiving morning. After an endorphin high of running a race like a Turkey Trot in a huge crowd of like-minded runners, the rest of the day was gravy (pun intended).

There are, in fact, many different ideas for holiday traditions involving fitness, with  new opportunities forming each year. It’s not important what you do as long as you do your best to mix the holiday, family and friends (or even pets) with fitness. Here are some ideas for healthy traditions you may not yet have tried:

1. Run a Turkey Trot Next Year
Did you know that the first “Turkey Trot” was started right near us in Buffalo during Thanksgiving of 1896? Back then it had only six runners, but today that same Buffalo race regularly has over 10,000 participants. Now there are Turkey Trots all over the country, of differing lengths and terrains. If running bores you, look for a Turkey Day challenge obstacle-like race. The feeling of having accomplished something will make the food taste that much better.

2. Backyard Touch Football
This is a fun, special tradition that many families have already incorporated into their holidays for generations. Instead of sitting on the couch in a food-induced coma, head out for your own friendly-family or neighborhood competition. Children especially will cherish watching adults take part in a fun family game with them.

3. Take a Holiday Walk
There’s no sweeter image to me on holidays than when I see entire generations of a family out walking down the road in a big pack. The sight of an elderly grandmother pushing a stroller, uncles and aunts engaging in jesting banter, and mixed-age children running ahead just seems to be one of the best ways to unite as a family. Even if it is only you and your dog celebrating this year, take a special walk -perhaps on a nature trail- and enjoy the time to reflect on the holiday and giving thanks.

4. Engage in a Seasonal Activity
The holidays are a great time to let your inner child run free. Whether there are young ones with you or not, there’s no reason you can’t go tobogganing, ice skating, or build a large snowman. All of these activities will  have you sweating off enough calories for that pumpkin pie you ate.

Holiday traditions don’t have to be focused only on sugar cookies and stuffing. Embrace a tradition involving physical activity and your holiday will combat stress, lift your mood, and make the time richer and brighter. More importantly, you may not end the holiday season five pounds heavier and feeling like a sloth. It is never too late to start a new tradition!

Does your family have a healthy holiday tradition or story?

I am very uncoordinated, which is part of the reason why I enjoy running. It’s basically one foot in front of the other and very hard to screw up. There’s no equipment to use. No complex movements. And unlike a group exercise class setting, there is no instructor to follow when your head knows which way your body should be moving, but your body refuses to cooperate.

I took the first “Ramp Up Your Run” conditioning session on January 14th, which was co-taught by personal trainers Bruce and Laura.

And while I’m still uncoordinated as heck, I learned a number of exercises and stretches to not only improve my coordination, but also to take my sport to the next level.

The class was modeled around the idea that running is a full-body sport.

You need strong legs to run (obviously), but you also need balance, coordination, agility, and endurance.

Bruce taught the first half of the session and ran the class through a series of bootcamp-style drills and exercises designed to strengthen every part of our bodies.

And he knows running like no one I’ve ever met. With 17 marathons under his belt, including 10 consecutive Bostons, he could write a book about the importance of plyometric exercises (specialized, high-intensity training techniques used to develop athletic strength and speed) and how to use them to improve your run.

We performed many drills and exercises,  but here are the highlights:

• We placed resistance bands around our calves and did side-step moves to strengthen our leg muscles.
• We did agility ladder drills to improve our speed and footwork.
• We worked on balance by standing on one foot and then jumping up to land on a box.
• We learned the importance of foam rolling to prevent and treat running injuries.
• We performed a series of running drills, including one that included skipping.

Then Laura took over to cover the stretching portion of the session.

Laura is not only a talented dancer, but she is also an expert on stretching and teaches the Essential Stretch class on Sunday afternoons. I did not stretch enough during my half-marathon training last summer, which may have contributed to my calf-injury, but after listening to and watching Laura, I have now become a stretching machine.

• We did balance ball stretches designed to improve our leg strength.
• We worked on our cores and how to improve our posture.
• We learned about the importance of both pre- and post-run stretches and how stretching prevents injuries.

 The class moved quickly, but we were encouraged to stop Bruce and Laura at any time to ask questions about what we were doing, which all of us there that night did.

Our class had the personal attention of two awesome trainers for 1.5 hours.

They watched our form and adjusted us when necessary (I needed a lot of adjusting).

They took the time to answer all our questions, long after the session ended.

They addressed our specific injuries (and runners love to talk about their injuries), and what we can do to prevent them from happening again.

And while at times my stretching form was a hot mess, and I could not properly execute the skipping drill to save my life, Bruce and Laura never made me feel inadequate. They were nothing but encouraging, positive, and supportive. 

 After the session ended, I asked my fellow classmates what they thought of “Ramp Up Your Run.”

Here’s what they said:

“All of the core strengthening stretches and exercises were awesome -I am still feeling it days later.”

 ”Stretching my calf muscles was exactly what I needed that day! I was pleasantly surprised that they included a lot of yoga-like moves, which is nice (since I do try to do yoga).”

“I’m sold on the exercise ball and will be going today to get one of my own. I can still feel the sore muscles from some of the exercises that utilized the ball and I know those core muscles need some serious work.”

“My favorite bit of advice focused around strengthening my ankles. This is crucial to me because of a recent sprain. I’m really hoping that these suggestions will make me run stronger and longer!”

“The instructors made a great point that a strong runner needs a strong core….I will be working on that.”

The next session of “Ramp Up Your Run” is this Saturday, January 29th, from 12:30-2pm. I loved this class, and if you run, I think you’ll enjoy it too.

As a runner, I’m always looking for ways to improve my performance.

I set new goals, such as a sub-2hour Flower City Half-Marathon on May 1st, after being unable to run the Rochester Half-Marathon this past September due to injury). I register for local races in pursuit of PRs, one of which I did not achieve in a disastrous (but fun) Pumpkins in the Park 5K this past weekend). And I experience gadget-and-gear-lust as new products hit the market with the promise to make me a stronger, faster, or more effecient runner.

So when Personal Trainer Bruce Hedlund told me about an upcoming seminar at the club called “Ramp Up Your Run,” I was immediately intrigued.

He and fellow trainer Laura Regna are teaming up in early December to present a two-session seminar called “Ramp Up Your Run.”

One class will run on a weekday, and the other will take place on a weekend day. Each day’s session is 90 minutes. The seminar will include:

• A dynamic warm-up
• Strength-training exercises
• Core training
• Injury prevention exercises (I’m bringing a pen and paper)
• A 30-minute stretch class focusing on three different styles of stretching that are most beneficial to runners

Bruce and Laura are the perfect trainers to host this seminar. Bruce has run 17 marathons, including 10 Bostons. He’s also the Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Rochester Amerks and for Penfield High School.

Laura teaches stretching classes at the club, and she specializes in flexibility. She’s also an accomplished dancer.

If you’re a runner and interested in this seminar (of course you are!), Bruce and Laura want to know which weekday time slot best fits your schedule. If you look in the right sidebar of the blog, you’ll see the Running Seminar Poll. Cast your vote for the weekday time slot of your choice. If none of these times fit your needs, please leave a comment and suggest an alternate time.

The weekend session will most likely run from 8-9:30am on either a Saturday or a Sunday.

I hope to see you in class!

On June 12th, I ran “The Fast and the Furriest” 10K to benefit the Verona Street Animal Society in Rochester. I took more than three minutes off my time from the Lilac 10K back in May, and ended up with a PR (personal record) of 50:31.

The very next day, I could not run at all.

I had experienced a lingering pain along the inside of the upper thigh of my left leg for a week previous to the race. It never bothered me while I ran, but it would hurt after my runs. I finished the race and felt fine, but later that day the sharp pains would hit with virtually every step. Walking up stairs was exceptionally painful.

The next morning, I foolishly got up at 6am, laced up my sneakers, strapped on my ancient Shuffle and set out to run. I didn’t get very far before I had to stop. In the light drizzle of a cool Sunday morning – weather that would have been perfect for the seven-miler I was planning – I had to stop and limp back home instead.

The next morning, I headed to Midtown, tracked down the club’s unofficial trainer for runners, Bruce Hedlund, and asked for his advice and help. I was in full-on panic mode, terrified that I would lose to this injury my training progress, pace, and leg strength that I had been working so hard for during the last four months.

He talked me down from the ledge by assuring me that I had plenty of time before the half-marathon, and told me I should cross-train instead until I felt better. He set me up on the Arc Trainer (who knew there were cardio machines at the club besides treadmills?), and said he would introduce me to the magic of the foam roller later in the week when my injury wasn’t as acute.

Two days later, Bruce showed me a bunch of exercises similar to these that I could use to speed up my recovery. Bruce said the foam roller is the runner’s best friend, so if you run, I would highly recommend you check them out because the exercises helped me quite a bit.

After eight days of cross-training and no running, I did my first treadmill run on Tuesday and another yesterday. I am off pace and running shorter distances than my half-marathon training plan dictates, because I am hesitant to push myself this week.

But after wallowing in self-pity and experiencing daily panic attacks brought on by the belief that I would never run again and that my half-marathon dreams were over, I am running again.

I know that injuries are part of training. A marathoner friend recently told me that runners are always a single step ahead of an injury, and now I know that’s true. Training for the half-marathon has become a part-time job of sorts for me: I have to get my miles in, I have to do my intervals, I have to stay healthy. And with the relative insanity of balancing training along with my work, caring for three children under the age of four, and ensuring the health department doesn’t condemn my house for unsuitable living conditions,  for a brief moment I thought that a break from the rigors of training would be welcome.

But it wasn’t. I hated each and every day I was off the road or the treadmill.

On Saturday night, I watched Spirit of the Marathon for the first time. Admittedly, watching this movie while injured was not the wisest choice I’ve ever made. I was a blubbering mess through most of it. But while I was sobbing quietly in the dark and hoping my sleeping husband wouldn’t hear me, I was watching some of the most incredible stories of perseverance and triumph over adversity I’ve ever seen.

Most of the runners profiled were “ordinary people.” While two were superstar professional athletes, the others in training for the Chicago Marathon included a 30-something single mother, a 26-year-old PhD student, and a 70-year-old man who ran his first marathon at age 65.

Each of them had a reason why they were training for the marathon. Whether it was to mark a return from a devastating injury, attempt to qualify for Boston, or simply to accomplish something many people just cannot do, the people profiled in this documentary would not be side-tracked by pain, personal circumstance, or the allure of a warm bed on a freezing cold morning when a 20-mile run is on tap.

I might not be training for a full marathon (yet), but I could completely identify with the runners in this film. And watching this movie made me really think about why it is I’m adding yet another “thing” (as my grandma calls my training) to an already very busy life.

I am running the Rochester Half-Marathon in September to prove to myself that I can do it and to show my children that with hard work, they can achieve anything they want to do.

I’ve set a goal. And I will achieve it.

Period.

(Of course, I may achieve it from the back of an ambulance because I have passed out from exhaustion at Mile 5, but either way, I’ll get there.)

“When you cross the finish line, it will change your life forever.”

-Dick Beardsley from “Spirit of the Marathon”

This dinosaur of the MP3 age is my iPod Shuffle, circa 2005. It lacks a display. It requires frequent charging. And I haven’t replaced the ear-bud covers I lost years ago.

But it was my first (and only) digital music player, and it gets me through my runs like no amount of positive thinking, grit, or determination does.

Of course, that’s because I have several power songs on my playlist. These songs infuse me with bursts of energy when the last mile of a long training run is threatening to drag me down. They kick-start my speed intervals, which help me run faster for longer stretches of time. And they push me to run a mile or two farther than I did the week before.

My general tastes in music are definitely in the alternative vein, but some of my power songs are not. Here’s my list:

“She Sells Sanctuary” by The Cult

Okay, so I was 9 when this song came out, but I’ve long held a penchant for 80s-era British rock bands. The meaning of the lyrics is somewhat of a mystery. Some say it’s about social isolation. Others insist that it’s about a man in love with a “lady of the evening.” But I love playing this song during the last half mile of my runs. It’s my “the finish line is near” power song.

 “The Other Side” by Pendulum

The first minute of this song builds up to a great switch-up in the beat, and once the song reaches that point, I start running a speed interval. Running intervals within the first two miles of a run is relatively easy for me. Running them six or seven miles in is not. So, I try and have this song queued up just before I start.

“You Spin Me Right Round” by Dead or Alive

The 2009 re-mixed version of this song gets me in my sneakers and out the door on cold, rainy mornings, it helps me power up hills, and it makes me want to go dancing in the tinfoil paradise known as Vertex in downtown Rochester, a place where I spent a great deal of time in the early 90s.

And last, but not least…

“Lose Yourself” by Eminem

I realize Eminem doesn’t exactly fit the genre to which my other power songs belong, but I can’t help it. I love this tune. It helps me push through to the end of my run, when one mile back I thought I didn’t have anything left in me. The lyrics make me think of crossing the finish line at my half-marathon in September, of achieving this goal of mine that I’ve held on to for so long.

(Oh, and sometimes I do a little above-the-head fist-pumping while this song plays. Don’t tell anyone, or you’ll ruin my street cred.)

“Feet Fail Me Not.”

Admit it, it’s a perfect running song.

What are your power songs for your workout?

I was not always a runner.

In high school and college, I was the classic bookworm. I studied. I co-edited my high school paper and wrote for my college one. I read stacks of books and wrote short stories and poetry. I ate whatever I wanted, and didn’t give much thought to what I was putting into my body. My eating habits were awful. I was the only vegetarian I knew who didn’t eat vegetables.

One day, I stepped on the scale and was horrified by the number staring back at me. I turned to my sister, a long-time runner, and asked her about her sport. She encouraged me to lace up my sneakers and get back into shape. That was almost seven years ago.

I ran 30 miles a week and was in the best shape of my adult life. Running had given me back my strength, my energy, and my body. I was addicted. On the one day a week I did not run, I felt as if I had accidentally worn my slippers to Wegmans. Something was just off.

I set a goal to train for a half-marathon.

Of course, my journey has had detours. My detours are now three and 17 months old.

In 2006 my daughter was born, and 30 miles a week, plus a full-time job, plus freelance work was no longer possible. Instead, I ran 20 a week, and while it wasn’t enough, it had to be enough.

Image Courtesy of Timtak

In 2008, my twins were born. And a life that seemed chaotic before their arrival suddenly morphed into the very definition of mayhem. Running was squeezed into the crevices. Five miles one week, fifteen the next, and three the week after that. I had no schedule. No rhythm. And certainly no speed. They had colic for six months. I functioned on less than five hours of broken sleep a night until well past their first birthday.

My runs suffered.

And in October of last year, I stopped running. We moved. I had taken on a number of large freelance projects. I had three children under the age of three. I told myself that there wasn’t time. That I would start again soon. That there would be plenty of time for running in the future.

It was the wrong decision.

Running makes me a better writer. It makes me a better mother. It makes me a better human being. It is something that is mine, and mine alone. Whether I am on a deserted road or on the treadmill at Midtown surrounded by fellow runners, I am completely centered, focused, and driven. My outside distractions, my kids, my deadlines, my mountainous piles of laundry cease to matter in the slightest.

I needed to find a way to bring running back into my life.

In February, I joined Midtown. The club has, in many ways, given me back my life. I am “me” again.

I drop off my children in Kidtown, where a wonderfully kind, patient, and dedicated staff takes incredible care of them. I can complete my runs knowing that they are in a safe and fun environment, which means so much to me. The social scene of the club is something I’m looking forward to enjoying as well. My family and I attended the Bunny Brunch recently, and we all had a blast.

And the half-marathon plans are back on. I’m running in the Rochester Half-Marathon in September.

My Midtown story isn’t that different from yours, minus, perhaps, the Twinsanity. Each of you has made healthy living a priority. Each of you belongs to Midtown (or would like to) for a reason. Whether it’s the pursuit of a lifestyle change, a fitness goal you want to attain, or a sport you want to perfect, Midtown is serving an important purpose, and I would love to hear about it. Write a comment, use the form on the Contact page, or send me an email at Kristi@meetme-atmidtown.com.

This blog is for you, Midtown’s members and future members. It will feature member profiles, an “Ask the Trainer” series, commentary on current health news, and special posts, such as “Midtown’s Best-Kept Secrets,” which will highlight aspects of the club you might not know about.  And of course, I want to hear your ideas, too. If you have a suggestion for a post on this blog, please share it.

Welcome to your blog. I hope you’ll return often.