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Heart Health: It’s More than Just Running

March 4, 2022 by admin

If you’re like most of us, there are two big factors that decide when you need to stop pushing your body to new limits:

  1. Your legs (or other muscles)
  2. Your cardio

We feel you. Sometimes your heart is in it, but your body can’t keep up. Or maybe your legs feel great but your heart starts pounding out of your chest and you have to slow down. Either way, we all know darn well how important a healthy heart is for us to live and perform our best.

The CDC says one person dies every 36 seconds in the U.S. from cardiovascular disease, making it the leading cause of death nationally in adults. Heart disease is responsible for 1 in every 4 deaths.

Runners generally bust the curve on these sorts of statistics, but running alone isn’t a singular prescription to overall heart health. We asked our partners at Novant Health for some fast facts to keep hearts healthy year-round.

Men and Women May Have Different Indicators of Heart Disease

Because women are underrepresented in research and clinical trials, doctors don’t have a wide pool of data about how they respond to heart disease. Women are more prone to some of the risk factors that cause heart disease, like obesity, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. African American women, especially, have a higher incidence of blood pressure than any other race or gender and are at higher risk of heart disease.

Because of these differences, women may have different symptoms of heart disease and need different approaches to treatment, according to Go Red for Women. Women often need to look for different signs of heart trouble than men. So:

Know Your Symptoms

Chest pain is probably the most obvious sign of heart disease, along with a feeling of tightness in the chest or shortness of breath. But there are less obvious signs that you may just chalk up to a tough workout or a bad meal – but may be signs your heart needs attention! For women, especially, the symptoms are more likely to be upper back or neck pain, indigestion, heartburn, nausea or vomiting, extreme fatigue, upper body discomfort, and dizziness, and are more likely to occur while resting rather than working out.

And here’s one you might not expect: Pain, numbness, weakness or coldness in your legs or arms. What you believe to be soreness from a hard workout could be a sign of heart disease or heart attack, if the blood vessels in those parts of your body are narrowed. If you’re experiencing any signs or signals from your body that are unfamiliar, call your doctor. Or call 911 immediately if you think you are in cardiac arrest.

LISTEN: Black Men Run Works to Upend Health Disparities 

Risk Factors Play a Part

If you’re a runner, you’re off to a good start: Lack of exercise is one of the biggest risk factors for heart disease. The others are high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and smoking. The CDC says nearly HALF of Americans have at least one of these risk factors!

Anyone with these four big risk factors should also be aware of other indicators that may lead to heart disease, like diabetes, obesity, substance abuse, and poor diets high in trans fats. Tackling any one of these risk factors is a good start towards heart health.

How-To for Heart Health

There are ways to limit your risk, starting now. If you exercise and get your heart rate up for 30 minutes, 3 days a week (like going for a walk or an easy run!), that’s a good start. Runners, fine-tuning that cardio is what we do. But just because we run doesn’t mean we can forgo the other essentials to heart health. Here are a few other tips:

  • Forget the fast food. Yes, it’s convenient, but no – and you know this – it shouldn’t be an everyday thing. At most, it should be occasional treat, which means you should really limit how often you eat it.
  • Be a good shopper and a lazy cook. A good shopper fills the carts with a rainbow of fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, and very little processed food. Throw a piece of chicken or fish in a pan, and a bag of veggies in the microwave. Add seasoning (but limit salt if your diet calls for it). Eating healthy can be easy if you keep it simple. And make sure to drink plenty of water, too.
  • Walk when you can! If you can take stairs instead of an elevator, do it. Working from home? Take a trip around the block when you feel like snacking. Going somewhere? Park at the end of the lot and walk to the store – or take your bike if you can.
  • Quit smoking and lose weight, if these apply to you. Don’t be afraid to ask for help – a personal trainer or program can help you take a leap and break bad habits, or exchange them for new, healthier ones.
  • Go see your doctor. It may have been years, but your doctor can check you out for overall health and spot any problems before they develop into something more serious.

If you’ve got this covered, good for you! If not, no worries. Like the saying goes, the best time start something was yesterday. The second best time is today.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Runner’s Reading List: Books We Love

February 22, 2022 by admin

Runners love to run. Runners love to talk about running. Runners love to plan and analyze their runs. Runners love to dream about running. Runners love to read about running, too. In this list of running books we love, you will find humor, practical advice, adventure, and some insight into what pushes us to the boundaries of our mental and physical limits.

If you’re looking for motivation, inspiration, a good laugh, or a thoughtful gift for your running bestie… read on!

North: Finding My Way While Running the Appalachian Trail by Scott Jurek

After years of success in the ultra running world, Scott Jurek decided to up the ante and run the Appalachian Trail. This book tells the story of the emotional and physical strength needed to conquer this Herculean task as well as the personal transformation that resulted.

Mike Cooke, a runner who spoke with us says this about any Jurek insight: “I love Scott’s books because he has every right to brag about being an amazing ultra runner, but comes off in this, and other books that talk about him, as a very humble down to earth person. He makes it easy to believe that everyone can achieve greatness if they do the work. He doesn’t claim to have the heart of a champion or say he’s blessed, gifted, or special, as a way to set himself above the people he competes against.  He’s great because he worked hard and enjoyed doing it. Hearing someone speak passionately about their craft, in a way that urges people to just try things, is fantastic. I read about him winning races and then standing on the line to welcome every runner until the last one had crossed.  I don’t care if it happened once, or a hundred times, that’s a class move. He strikes me as a “me vs me” guy and not a “me vs everyone” guy.”

The Rise of the Ultra Runners by Adharanand Finn

The author, Adharanand Finn, was challenged by his editor to run an ultramarathon after writing two successful running books. He got hooked and decided to write this book which examines the question many have about this extreme form of running… is it an antidote to modern life, or a symptom of a modern illness? He talks about what it took for him to become an ultramarathoner and offers insight into what pushes people to test the boundaries of what the human body can handle. Expect to find interviews with “many colorful characters” as well as descriptions of the highs and lows that come along with ultra running. A can’t miss for anyone considering an ultra race!

Running & Being: The Total Experience by Dr. George Sheehan

This is a book is as much about running as it is about life. It provides a philosophical outline for a lifetime of fitness and joy, showing how the body helps determine our mental and spiritual energies.

DC Lucchesi has been running (and writing) for a minute, as the kids say. This book still holds a special place on his shelf. “Sheehan is the runner’s writer, or perhaps the writer’s runner. Depends on from which angle you’re looking. Regardless, the 1978 classic still holds up in many respects. Most notably in Sheehan’s philosophy on why runners must run. Would you take training advice from a 40-plus-year-old manual? Most likely not. Sheehan (almost) predicts the shelf life of this part of the book in pointing to the constantly changing and sometimes conflicting information about diet and exercise. In the end, he says, it is all still a practice and we’re all really just an experiment of one. Those of us who embrace the opportunity to keep “play” — whatever that looks like — as part of our lives, will finish with a life fully-lived and completely experienced. It is play that keeps the body and the mind young and in balance with the intellectual, the labor, that is our work.”

Runner’s World How to Make Yourself Poop: And 999 Other Tips All Runners Should Know by Meghan Kita

If you know, you know, and if you don’t this book will tell you. It’s not just about hitting the portajohn before a race, though. “Despite the title, this book really does have a ton of super helpful information. From nutrition tips to racing strategies, Kita has done her research and lays out simple pointers from experienced runners, physicians, dieticians and coaches. It’s a great reference,” says Lisa Landrum of Forward Motion and runCLTrun.

In addition to the entries above, check out these fan favorites that have been staples for years:

Can’t Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds by David Goggins

If you are looking for a story of triumph over adversity, this is the book for you. The author endured poverty, prejudice, and physical abuse during his childhood but managed to transform himself from a depressed, overweight young man into a U.S. Armed Forces icon and one of the world’s top endurance athletes. This book is chock full of inspiration for pushing past the pain to reach your full potential. The advice applies to running and to life. A can’t miss if you are looking to not only be motivated but to be inspired!

Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen by Christopher McDougall

Tired of dealing with running injuries and eager to know the secret to avoiding them while training? Look no further than this story centered around the Tarahumara Indians. This tribe resides in Mexico’s Copper Canyons and has honed the ability to run hundreds of miles without rest or injury. The author brings you along on his journey across North America as he researches what gives ultra runners the ability to push their bodies to the limit. The book ends with a climactic race in the Copper Canyons that pits America’s best ultra-runners against the tribe. McDougall’s incredible story will not only engage your mind but inspire your body when you realize that you, indeed all of us, were born to run.

Marathon, Revised and Updated 5th Edition  by Hal Higdon

Hal Higdon is a household name when it comes to running. He progressed from running in college, to the Olympic trials, to placing fifth in the Boston Marathon. He is the longest-lasting writer at Runner’s World and has written more than 3 dozen running books.  Countless runners of all levels have used this book as a manual for how to start training, how to maintain motivation, and how to improve their marathon performance. Marathon running has changed in the seven years since the fourth edition—there are more runners than ever before, the popularity of half-marathons has grown immensely, and guidelines for best recovery and diet practices have changed. This revised fifth edition includes a new chapter on ultramarathons, along with material on recovery techniques, several new training programs, and advice on how to win a Boston qualifying race and improve your personal record. If you are looking for advice and training plans that are tried and true- this is the book for you!

So there you have it. From practical advice to inspiration and everything in between. Enjoy these books about running that will stoke your love for the sport, and fill you with the desire to stay moving!

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Making the Case for Breakfast

February 11, 2022 by admin

We all know how easy it is to sleep a little longer, then get up and run out the door (literally or figuratively) without fueling up for the day. Too busy, right? Breakfast takes too long! I have to get that run in! Then get to work on time to prepare for my meeting/project/event! I’ll grab something on the way –

Okay, we may be preaching to the choir – we ALL know breakfast is important, right? – but we also know not everyone eats a healthy meal to start their day. You know who you are. We’re talking to you!

“A healthy breakfast not only kick-starts your day but also replenishes your glucose stores and helps boost energy and alertness levels,” says Ashley Muschiatti, a Performance Specialist & Dietitian at Novant Health Sports Performance. “Starting off your day with a meal and continuing to eat throughout the day results in less impulse snacking.”

If you fall victim to the 11 a.m. sleepies and your stomach is letting you know you’ve been ignoring it too long, you’re more likely to grab unhealthy snacks or whatever looks tasty from the office vending machine. STOP. Your brain and your body need better food than that!

Breakfast doesn’t have to be elaborate. Something you can put in a bowl or pop in a toaster is just fine if it’s made of the right ingredients. These are Ashley’s suggestions for days you run before work, and days you just run out the door:

Running Days

A small, easily digestible simple carbohydrate snack food is best. It needs to provide energy for your run, but not sit in your stomach and cause GI problems. Avoid high fat or high fiber foods that can take longer to digest, and don’t forget to hydrate! Here are good options:

  • Applesauce
  • Sport Gels
  • Fuel for Fire
  • Fruit
  • Peanut Butter & Banana toast

After your run, Ashley suggests eating a nutritious breakfast with starch and color, and with a little extra protein to help you recover:

  • Black Bean Omelet (~25g Protein) or Breakfast Burrito
  • Breakfast Bento Box – 1 hard boiled eggs, ½ cup cottage cheese, cucumbers, berries, & almonds (~22g Protein)
  • Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal – Oats, salt, bananas, peanut butter, almonds, agave syrup (~14g Protein)
  • Turkey sausage, egg, and cheese on an English muffin (~28g Protein)

Non-Running Days

We admit these are the days we’re a little lazier with our breakfasts because we don’t need the fuel right away – but you still need to eat a small, balanced meal with a starch, a color, and a protein. Here’s a handy guide to choose from:

  • Starch – Oatmeal, whole grain toast or English muffin, bagel, or granola
  • Color – Fruits and veggies including spinach, berries, peppers, and avocados blended into a bowl or smoothie to take with you
  • Protein – Eggs, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, ham, bacon, or turkey sausage

Use any of the foods from the list to make up a simple meal:

  • Eggs & toast with a glass of milk
  • Overnight oats with fruit added
  • Avocado toast with mashed, hard-boiled egg and fruit
  • Make-ahead omelet cups with eggs & veggies – bake on a weekend and eat all week!

The key for any of these is balanced, easy, and portable. Fuel up and rev up your day!

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Room to Run?

February 4, 2022 by admin

One of the best things about running is that most everyone can do it. As long as you’re moving forward, you’re pretty much doing it right. While running is arguably among the most easily accessible activities, not everyone feels comfortable running. As a group we have to ask ourselves: Is our running community really open and representative of our community as a whole, and what is our role in making it so?

While there are many amazing people in the Charlotte area working behind the scene and in the spotlight to make it more equitable and accessible, it would be a tall order to hear from them all. We think you’ll appreciate the perspectives from three who are making a difference right here in our local running scene.

Tyrone Irby, Together We Stand NC

Tyrone Irby is a certified personal trainer in Durham, North Carolina, and former strength and conditioning coach at NC Central University.

“I am scared,” he says. “I wake up scared. I drive to work scared. And I go to bed at night scared But fear is not new to me, because I am a 55-year-old Black man living in America.”

Tyrone founded a small, grassroots organization called Together We Stand NC after the murder of Ahmaud Arbery, a Black man shot while running in a neighborhood near Brunswick, Georgia. Police arrived on scene, but no arrests were made until cell phone video of the men chasing Arbery down and shooting him surfaced three months later. Two years later, the three men have been convicted and sentenced to life in prison. The process outraged Tyrone and many others.

“Why did it take the killers of Ahmaud Arbery three months to be arrested when the evidence via videotape was readily available?” says Tyrone. “Arbery was shot and killed on Feb. 23, 2020, and Travis and Gregory McMichael were finally arrested on May 7, 2020.”

To get to some answers, Tyrone founded Together We Stand NC. “The goal of TWS is to initiate and facilitate brave, authentic conversations between races and genders for better understanding and heightened awareness of their daily challenges,” he says. TWS launched a series of MAUD 2.23 runs across the state to take place February 20-26 to honor Arbery and provide an atmosphere of fellowship that can facilitate these conversations.

Together We Stand 2022 MAUD 2.23 Runs:

  • 2/20 Kick-off at NoDa Run Club NOON
  • 2/21 Pizza Peel Matthews Run Club 6:30
  • 2/22 RunBots at Wooden Robot Brewery OR Mad Miles Run Club 6:30
  • 2/23 NoDa Run Club 6:30 OR Resident Culture Run Club 6:30
  • 2/24 Divine Barrel Run Club OR Ballantyne Run Club 6:30
  • 2/25 Fleet Feet Charlotte 6:30
  • 2/26 Mad Miles Run Club 9am


Jeff Cooper, NoDa Run Club

Jeff Cooper is the director of the NoDa Run Club. The large and popular brewery-based running club meets twice weekly for casual runs and camaraderie, and a post-run pint or two, if that’s your thing. If you’ve been, you know. If not, it won’t take long to pick up the vibe.

“NoDa Run Club is a place where everyone is welcome,” says Jeff.

You can feel it from the first moment you walk up to the table. NoDa Run Club Ambassadors and other runners will be there to greet you and get you started. The group attracts a pretty diverse crowd, which is backed up by pictures on the social media accounts – which is intentional, says Jeff.

“More than anything, inclusion is at the heart of our club and the heart of this sport. Running and inclusivity go hand in hand, and there aren’t many sports where first-timers can compete with seasoned professionals,” he says. “And not only ability levels, but we also want our runners to know that they are welcome regardless of age, race, sex, sexual orientation, and anything else. If you want to run, we want to run with you at NoDa Run Club!” (We also want to have a beer with you too, he adds.)

Take it from Jeff: “Our differences make us stronger. Also, you can’t learn anything new if everyone you meet is a carbon copy of you, and that would be a boring world indeed!”

Haley Heartley, NHCM Ambassador

Haley Heartley is a runner, banker, and dog mom – and one of our Ambassadors for the Novant Health Charlotte Marathon, where representation matters. She also made history as part of the FIRST all-Black team to complete the Blue Ridge Relay, a 208-mile relay race on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia and North Carolina. Her team placed 54th of 143 finishing teams. She says the occasional stares and comments were worth it to bring diversity to the sport of distance running.

“In the black community, distance running is not a prominent sport. We see so many black sprinters, but not nearly as many distance runners,” says Haley. “Focus and attention on black representation are paramount.” 

Haley says finding another Black woman – Sika Henry, the first Black woman professional triathlete – to be her mentor was an important part of her growth. Sika responded to Haley’s many questions about being a Black female athlete and a professional, and how to succeed in both together.

“Subconsciously, when we do not see other people who look like us, it can be a deterrent from becoming involved,” says Haley. “Sika has been a true role model and inspiration. It was essential at the beginning of my running journey to have another black woman to ask questions and seek guidance. I believe that by breaking the stigma that this sport is ‘not for us’ by increasing awareness of African American representation will increase inclusivity.”

Haley says bringing attention to black representation in the running community will help alleviate the subconscious biases within the sport.

“We all run for different reasons, to be healthy/fit, to compete, or just for the fun of it. Running is not only about success and victory in competition, but about building relationships and community,” she says. “I am so thankful for the Charlotte running community and have met some of the most incredible people. Everyone should have the opportunity and feel included to be in such a phenomenal community. We can grow, expand, and continue to enhance the running community with inclusivity of all people. This begins with exposure, and showing others that running is not only a sport for the White person. My running journey has a large emphasis on bringing more DE&I into the distance community.”

Haley runs regularly with Black Men Run and NoDa Run Club.

“February is a time we can all get a little out of our comfort zones,” she says. “Let’s have those talks, take those runs, and move toward a better future!”

 

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‘I Will Say a Mantra. I Will Say a Mantra…’ Why Repeating a Positive Vibe Works

January 28, 2022 by admin

‘Mantra’ is a Sanskrit word that literally translates to, “instrument for thinking.” Runners often use these repeated phrases to motivate themselves when the going gets tough, because they distract your brain from what your body is saying, when you know you can and should keep going.

A mantra literally allows you to ‘speak’ your goal into existence!

“There is science that supports the benefit of repeating positive affirmations and mantras to ourselves,” says Juliet Kuehnle, an avid runner, and Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor at Sun Counseling and Wellness. “When practiced consistently, we strengthen certain neural networks and reprogram our thinking, which then positively impacts our feelings and behavior.”

“Run the Mile You’re In”

Let’s put extra emphasis on “positive.” Avoid the negative thoughts like, “Ugh! My legs feel so heavy!” or “I really should get home and make dinner instead.” (You know you’ve said this!) Instead, try “One step at a time!” or “Up the hill! You can do it!” Kuehnle says using mantras helps us be fully present in your workouts.

“While exercising, repeating mantras can also help keep our focus on the task at hand rather than other brain activity, and it can keep us encouraged,” says Kuehnle. “These statements help us overcome negative thought patterns, help us feel better about ourselves, and help motivate us.”

If you’re using a mantra that is active-based for the task at hand, use one that focuses on how you want to feel, not what you are trying to overcome. For example, “I am strong” vs. “I’m not tired.”

“Every step gets me closer”

“‘Run the mile you are in’ is my favorite thing to remind myself,” says Lisa Landrum, founder of runCLTrun and coach at Forward Motion. “It reminds me that I can only control the steps I am currently taking, not what I have already done, and not the next mile. It’s a reminder to be present.”

We polled some of our runners from our Novant Health Charlotte Marathon, Half Marathon, and 5K races, and here are a few mantras that runners used to tap into that extra gas in their tank:

  • Just. Don’t. Stop
  • Smile, wave, and be thankful.
  • You’ve done this before, you can do it again.
  • What would hurt worse, quitting, or the pain you’re feeling right now?
  • Remember your why.
  • It’s going to hurt when you walk and when you run. Why not run and finish hurting faster?
  • Every step gets me closer.
  • Let your legs carry you.
  • One mile at a time.

“You’ve done this before, you can do it again.”

Why take our word for it? These famous runners repeat these phrases to themselves – we’re sure they won’t mind if you use them, too!

  • “Run hard, be strong, think big” — Percy Cerutty, distance runner and coach
  • “I can run faster” — Haile Gebrselassie, distance runner, marathoner and Olympian
  • “To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift” — Steve Prefontaine, Olympic middle-distance runner
  • “Negative split every run” — Sean Wade, Olympic marathoner
  • “Think strong, be strong, finish strong” — Renee Metivier Baillie, middle- and long-distance runner
  • “All I have to do is manage this moment” — Stu Mittleman, ultra-distance runner and coach
  • “Fighter” — Kara Goucher, American marathoner, middle-distance runner and Olympian
  • “The will to win means nothing if you haven’t the will to prepare” — Juma Ikangaa, marathoner
  • “This is what you came for” — Scott Jurek, ultramarathoner
  • “Run the mile you are in” — David Willey, marathoner and editor of Runner’s World
  • “Because I can” — Janet Oberholtzer, amateur marathoner who overcame gruesome injury to run again
  • “I have met my hero, and he is me” — Dr. George Sheehan, physician, runner, author, and coach
  • “The only one who can beat me is me” — Michael Johnson, Olympic sprinter
  • “As we run, we become” — Amby Burfoot, author, 1968 Boston Marathon winner, former Runner’s World editor
  • “Just Smile” – Mikee H., Let Me Run Boy Award Winner

“This is what you came for”

Just remember that a mantra is about YOU, and nothing or no one else. Be inspired by what’s really inside YOU. It should be unique to your values and your goals, even if you have to add qualifiers as you get started.

“The power is in knowing that you own the words,” adds Kuehnle.

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