RunCharlotte

RunCharlotte

Uncategorized

How Long is Too Long to Miss Training Before It Affects You?

by

We love to run. We have training plans, schedules, and blocks marked off on our calendars just for the “me” time on the open road (or trail or greenway). But then life happens — a big project, a sore ankle, a sick child, or — if you’ve been there — giving birth or having surgery. Suddenly, you’re out for days or weeks.

So how long is too long before we have to worry about losing the condition we’re in?

The answer is akin to asking, “How fast can I run in 5 years?” or “How far can I ride when I’m 52?” It depends — on a lot.

“There really isn’t a one-size-fits-all for this — we are all a study of one,” says Lisa Landrum, creator of runCLTrun and head coach and owner of ForwardMotionXC. “A lot of factors come into play, like how long you’ve been running prior to the break, or how much you’ve been training and at what intensity.”

Research backs that up, agrees Dr. Karan Shukla, a physician at Novant Health Randolph Family and Sports Medicine.

“It depends on the baseline level of functioning,” says Dr. Shukla. “It’s different for a high-level athlete or basic athlete, or non-athlete.”

A study of adolescent athletes who have been training for a year (I know, we’re past that, but it’s still good data) could go as long as three weeks without losing muscle mass and aerobic capacity.

On the other hand, beginners lost their fitness a lot more quickly. Researchers put sedentary individuals on a bicycle training program for two months, which increased their aerobic capacity, then took them off for another two months. The subjects regressed to pre-fitness levels.

And a study of active seniors in a residential home found 12 weeks off caused them to lose their fitness levels, but they could regain quickly after they returned to activity. Sedentary seniors who started a fitness program and then took 12 weeks off lost their fitness more quickly and had a longer road to regaining it, says Dr. Shukla.

Okay, we know most of us fall somewhere in between. When should we worry?

“In a moderately active person, 12 weeks of inactivity is associated with the most measurable decline in physical function,” says Dr. Shukla. “It’s too long.”

For active runners in training, two weeks is about the limit of time off before losing aerobic capacity. Studies back this up: Runners who’ve been training at least 4-6 months don’t lose the capacity for the body to transport and use oxygen during exercise for up to two weeks. After that, levels start dropping.

Landrum sees this “where the rubber meets the road,” so to speak, with runners she works with. “Theoretically and very generally speaking, aerobic capacity starts to decline after a week or two of no running,” she says.

But if you must — we all need time off sometimes — cross-training will get you through it and reduce loss.

“Strength training, cross-training, flexibility, and core exercises,” advises Dr. Shukla. “Your body has muscle memory.” He also acknowledges some illnesses or injuries require longer recoveries. Childbirth or surgery often require 6 weeks of rest. COVID-19, even in mild cases, can sometimes affect long-term health with fatigue or lung capacity. Start slow and build from there, he recommends.

“First, return to health, then add daily activities, then exercise,” he says. Remember that a holistic approach with daily sleep and a proper diet works best. From there, listen to your body as you rebuild your routine. “Engage in light exercise — a brisk-pace walk, then convert to a trot, and follow with a higher-intensity sprint after that. Maybe you’re not running that long run until you feel like you can engage at shorter distances at higher intensity,” he says.

How long will that take? Again, it depends on variables like your age and your pre-inactivity fitness levels.

“For every 2 weeks of inactivity, you should give an extra week to recondition,” says Dr. Shukla. “Give yourself a little time, and give yourself a break. The older you are, the longer it will take.” And give yourself a little grace — think long-term. “The last thing you want to do is recover and re-injure yourself on your first run, or be so sore you can’t run again for another week.”

Every Mile Matters

by

We get it… we know how hard it is to get up and get going when the year has been so uncertain. And face it, you don’t want to hear us tell you again how running is great exercise. You know that, right?

Well, we’re going to tell you again. Actually, we’re going to have a doctor tell you if you haven’t seen yours lately.

“Lack of exercise can magnify pre-existing conditions,” says Dr. Karan Shukla, a physician at Novant Health Randolph Family and Sports Medicine. Are you ready for the rundown?

“Circulatory changes — the inability to eliminate toxins from our bloodstream — leads to poor control of blood sugar and blood pressure and can cause physical changes in body composition” that lead to worsening health over time. Whew. Let’s unpack this.

Basically, lack of exercise leads to a lot of physical problems that compound themselves as you get more out of shape with each passing year. Regular running — 30 minutes, 3 times a week — can add the activity you need to avoid the downward slide.

Dr. Shukla lays it all out:

  1. Running allows the heart to circulate blood, and pump more efficiently
  2. Better circulation helps eliminate toxins from the bloodstream and provides nutrients to organs so they can work better
  3. Efficient oxygenation helps increase neurotransmitters in the brain — which helps us cope with stress more effectively, improves our moods, and helps us sleep
  4. Being well-rested, in a better mood, and better able to handle stress helps us — wait for it — stay more active
  5. Running also strengthens our bones and muscles so we’re stronger, won’t get as sore, and are less prone to injury, which — you got it — allows us to run more. Running outdoors also activates your Vitamin D, an important factor in bone health.

All this, and it helps us keep excess weight off, which in turn, keeps us more active, too. Or… the opposite can happen.

“When we’re physically inactive and immobile for a long period, the increase in body fat and mass can also be associated with a decrease in physical performance,” says Dr. Shukla (a nod to the “quarantine 15” some of us have experienced).

Sending that spiral in the right direction is the idea behind national running group Black Girls Run, which has a Charlotte chapter 900 women strong (and we mean STRONG!) Their website cites some strong statistics, too — like African American women are 60% more likely to be obese than non-Hispanic white women.

“We gear the group towards African American women because we face the health problems, the obesity, the diabetes, in great numbers,” Wendy Berry, a BGR Ambassador, told the Running Around Charlotte podcast. “But all women are welcome.”

Fellow Ambassador Kotassa Glover had been running with the group for six years when she found out she has Type II Diabetes — a real shock considering her active lifestyle.

“African Americans also have a higher rate of diabetes, and I had no idea I had a family history of diabetes,” she says. “Now our purpose is a little bigger.” The other women in the group are “accountability partners,” says Glover, and keep her consistent. A good diet and consistent running keep her blood sugar in check.

“Pre-diabetes and early diabetes are best managed through modifying diet and engaging in exercise,” Dr. Shukla agrees. Inactivity and weight gain can put you at risk of expanding “body composition,” which Dr. Shukla says “can lead to decreased efficiency for the body to use insulin which leads to higher blood sugar levels.”

Do you need more reasons than that?

Running helps you look great, feel great, and stay healthy — and science proves why. Don’t worry if you can’t go far — walk, trot, and sprint a little in every workout to get the intensity you need to burn those calories and make it work for you. Here’s to your health!

 

In Tune: Can Music Make Us Run Further, Faster?

by

If you’re someone who needs a little rhythm to complete your run, you’re not alone. There’s something about the thump, thump, thump of the bass or drums that keeps our feet hitting the pavement at a steady pace.

“Just like in most settings, music can lift our mood and put more pep in our step!” says Juliet Kuehnle, a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor at Sun Counseling and Wellness. She was also a music minor in college, and studied both the sounds and the psychology behind it. “We also tend to have such an emotional connection to music, so if you have a personal playlist of songs that resonate with you, you’re going to have an endorphin release along with positive memories triggered.”

Aha! So there IS a scientific reason our tunes help our trot! “With all of those feel-good hormones flowing, you’re likely to feel much more motivated,” says Kuehnle. “Pay attention to what tempo, energy, and even emotional delivery of the singer resonates with you and build a badass playlist!” So if you start with Disney’s “A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes” and end with Black Eyed Peas’ “Pump It,” that’s PERFECTLY NORMAL.

Knowing that a playlist can be as intricate as the people who make them, we asked our Novant Health Charlotte Marathon Ambassadors to share the tunes that help them step up their pace in training. We heard everything from Bollywood to Metal to Podcasts to… nothing at all. Ah, nature… sometimes hearing the birds chirp is just what you need! Check out what our Ambassadors like:

Arun Kallikadavil

Just like every phone book starts with AAA, we’re starting with Mr. AAA Plan, Arun Kallikadavil — aka Mr. Positive. He got our year started right with some positive pointers on setting new and attainable goals, like his own “Acquaintance, Accomplishment, and Acceleration” to get started, get stronger, and get faster. https://runcharlotte.com/2021-goals/  So what does he listen to?

“My choice of what I listen to is dependent on the type of run,” he tells us. “On a day which is focused on speed workouts or tempo runs, I focus on listening to upbeat music. It is all based on the intensity I want from that run.” That means Bollywood dance music, house beat, or pop. Jai Ho!

A combination of upbeat and inspirational songs power him through hill repeats or tough altitude runs. For his long run, he listens to ebooks, devotional music, or podcasts on interesting topics — or nothing at all. If you want to listen to an interesting podcast, try Running Around Charlotte! Our chat with Arun will get you started: https://runningaroundclt.blubrry.net/2020/03/17/arun-kallikadavil/

Mandy Carter

Mandy calls herself a “late bloomer” and “average runner” who just wants us to get moving. She got us up off the couch with her 20×21 Project in January and is another fan of running with podcasts — saving the ones she’s most excited about for her longer runs. (A favorite is Popcast with Knox and Jamie if you want to “join” her runs.) She takes it up a notch by updating her playlist continuously, but when she needs a kick, it’s Sir Duke by Stevie Wonder. Can you feel it all over?

If you want to listen to a podcast with Mandy, you can hear her talking about her 20×21 Project with Running Around Charlotte: https://runningaroundclt.blubrry.net/2021/01/26/mandy-carter/

 

Judy Caswell

Judy’s story will inspire you to run through your “wall” — She’s 65, and 5 years ago she was diagnosed with Stage 3 colorectal cancer. It was a shock because she eats right and runs often. Since finishing 6 months of chemo and her surgeries in 2017, she’s run 65 marathons.

Yeah… I’ll have what she’s listening to, please.

“My playlist is one for a person who doesn’t know what genre they like, so real oldies,” she says. “Bob Dylan, Peter, Paul and Mary, Bon Jovi, to the other extreme of Pit Bull, Dua Lipa, and in betweens of Imagine Dragons and David Childers!!”  It makes a lot of sense to mix it up, especially after all she’s been through.

“I find the music can help me keep a more consistent pace, but especially, it distracts me so I don’t notice discomfort or realize the effort I’m putting in,” she admits. She likes running alone because it has a meditative effect. “Afterwards I’m calmer and more focused,” she says.

In addition to a peek inside her AfterShokz, she gave RunCharlotte these tips last October for getting better with age as you run. ( https://runcharlotte.com/running-against-time/ ) You can hear more about her story from when she joined us on Running Around Charlotte. https://runningaroundclt.blubrry.net/2020/11/03/judy-caswell/

Michael Sweeting

Michael has done a turn as the leader of NHCM’s Rucking Division, where competitors often find silence is golden (and most rucking events don’t allow music or earbuds). But when training, he likes to listen to Joe Rogan’s podcast or Spotify Daily Mixes like Beastie Boys, Tool, Weezer, RadioHead, Led Zeppelin, or “old school Metallica.”

Check out his spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1DX5M59nhwFlWl?si=B9BPFVXMTrGGQaZKLGH2cg Or the Running Around Charlotte episode where he describes Rucking https://runningaroundclt.blubrry.net/2020/06/02/michael-sweeting/  Or his other favorite:  nothing at all.

“I do enjoy, at times, no music,” says Michael, “just the organic sound of shoes on pavement.” Ah, cue the birds chirping and frogs croaking. There’s value in being one with nature, says our counselor Juliet Kuehnle. It can, perhaps, make us more mindful.

“We spend so much of our days bombarded by sensory input that can keep us from paying attention to our thoughts, or being truly aware of our surroundings,” she says. “There is such value in learning how to feel comfortable in our own heads and really mindful of the beauty around us.”

Kuehnle reminds us that music is the one thing that is completely individual, and can be changed at will. Her playlist has Usher to Sara Bareilles to Broadway, “because it checks all the boxes for me.”

Or surprise yourself like Ambassador Margaret Taylor — throwing the old-school rap on her shuffle and letting it play whatever comes up. “It’s always a surprise what comes on!” she says. That, alone, can be motivation!

 

Get More Miles

by

Thinking about running a marathon, a half, or your first 5K? No matter your starting point, to safely ramp up and get more miles requires a long-term plan. While “run more and more often” may seem like a place to start, you need a more practical and tactical plan than that. We picked the brains of three people who train themselves and others for distance events to find out how to properly add the extra miles to your routine. They know how to start small, and go big. Here are 6 pieces of advice they shared:

Baby Steps

“Very incrementally,” advises Richard Sexton, an experienced ultra-marathoner, about how to add distance. “Step by step.” We know that the first step is often the hardest, and Richard has experienced it after a serious bout with COVID last summer that hit him hard. But in January, he started training for his ultimate ultra: 30 straight days of marathons to raise money and awareness for Autism services.

Read more about Richard’s journey here

Sexton trained with a coach because he wouldn’t be running alone — he would do all 30 days of marathons carrying “Slappy,” a 25-pound weight ball, in a backpack.

“I built up my distance with the slam ball, then compressed them together,” says Sexton. He learned to carry Slappy — who he had already run one marathon carrying — a little further each week. When he got comfortable, he compressed his days to go two days back-to-back, and so on.

The 10% Rule

Most runners have heard about this — only increase your mileage 10% at a time. No, not per day, or per run — but per week.

“So if you are running about 20 miles a week, add no more than 2 miles,” says Lisa Landrum, running coach and owner of Forward Motion XC. But, she adds, “There are a lot of variables that come into play, like the level of training you’ve been doing and the amount of miles that 10% actually means. The key with this, like most things, is to make sure that makes sense for YOU.”

An experienced runner who is used to running 60 miles a week can feel out that 10% better than a beginner who is still happy doing a mile or two in a row.

Consistency

Ah, consistency is key. The best way to train more miles is to hit the trails regularly. If you miss a run, hold your distance. If you miss a week, you may need to back off.

“The most important thing is consistency in your running,” says Landrum. “Adding in miles the smart way, even if it means taking some extra time to do it, will pay off in the long….run.” Pun intended? Consistency, she adds, also lessens the chance of injury.

What’s the Frequency?

If you want to add a few miles to your weekly total but feel maxed out at your daily distance, look at your calendar, says Jamey Yon of TRiYON Performance.

“Incorporate more frequency instead of more miles each day,” says Yon. Adding another run during the week can help you reach your goals, especially if staying out too long can be a health hazard. “Depending on the time of year, it could be dangerous to run more miles because of dehydration and weakness,” he says. “Split up into two runs so you can increase your fluids properly.”

Yon believes adding a day to your weekly schedule will get you a lot closer to your marathon goals than adding miles on fewer days.

Shuffle Your Distances

Even if you add days to get some extra miles, you need some experience with a long run if you want to be ready for a marathon. Shuffle your daily distance, says Yon, and add your miles to one of them.

“Do one long run a week,” says Yon, “and increase that by a mile a week.”

Take a Break!

Holding your mileage as your body gets stronger will allow you to add the endurance you need with less chance for injury.

“For new runners, it’s important not to add too much, too soon.  This is a recipe for burnout, injury, and discouragement,” says Landrum. “Adding mileage slowly usually won’t backfire, but adding it too quickly may sideline you.” Landrum says it’s important to really listen to your body as you add miles, to make sure little twinges and poor sleep aren’t trying to tell you something.

Yon suggests adding miles for 3 weeks, then maintaining for one, as a way to help your body adapt to the extra workload. Don’t forget to take a ‘rest day’ if you need it. Sexton says his training includes the same advice: “Spike it up, and back off — then do it again a little higher,” he advises. “So many people overtrain and then try to race.” Rest and Recharge are an important part of Running.

And don’t forget to fuel, hydrate, and get enough sleep! If you got to sleep in a little longer this past year, you know how great it feels to be rested. Self-care is not selfish, it’s imperative if you want to run further!

 

5 Common Training Mistakes That Will Push You Back Instead of Forward

by

We are raised to believe more is better – that if we fall short, we need to work harder, go longer, and do more. While the notion still holds many truths, your self-reflection needs one more essential element that isn’t always at the top of our list: work smarter.

We asked our experts about common training mistakes we often make when trying to push ourselves further, faster, longer each day. It’s the mental reassurance you need to let yourself know that sometimes less can be more when it comes to training.

Doing Too Much

In particular, doing too much too soon will set you back quickly. Unrealistic training expectations are usually to blame, says Will Hayes, Performance Manager at Novant Health Sports Performance.

“Do less than you think if you haven’t run very much,” he says. It’s best to work up slowly then set an unrealistic expectation based on something you used to do “last time.” If you get hurt going too far, you won’t be able to get back to work until you have rested and healed sufficiently.

“Set goals that are habit-based,” says Hayes, “not outcome-driven.” Distance and time goals are great, but the important part is consistency — making good habits.

Running Through an Injury

This is a no-brainer. Just like doing too much, running injured will set you back more than just taking a few days off to heal. Running Coach Lisa Landrum of Forward Motion XC and runCLTrun says it’s okay to take a rest day or more if needed. Use this time to focus on your strength work, stretching for flexibility, or doing other activities you enjoy that will take the stress off your injured limb.

Check out some great ideas Meghan Fillnow gave us in Get Out of Your Training Rut.

Lack of Proper Strength Training

We’ve said it before — a good muscle structure around your core gives you stability as you run. All sports have their major muscle groups, but cross-training keeps you from ruining your form from overuse of just a few running muscles.

“Running is an impact sport, so it’s important to incorporate strength training,” says Jamey Yon, Ironman competitor and owner of TRiYON Performance. He compares pounding the pavement to tackles in football. — they’re both hard hits. “We’re constantly breaking our tissue down. When you’re running you’re impacting the road.”

Yon suggests simple bodyweight exercises like walking lunges, deep squats, lateral exercises, and calf raises to add some strength to your stride. Remember to keep them slow and controlled for the best results.

Here’s what Will Hayes had to say about get us started.

Running “Junk Miles”

You know we’ve all done it — added more distance to our runs because we feel like we should, our friends are doing more, or our high-tech watch says we haven’t reached our pace or weekly goal yet. Landrum says Staaahhhhhppp! Those miles don’t serve a purpose, so don’t feel like you need to do them if your legs are dead.

“There is a time for a hardcore training cycle, and yes, we do want to improve as runners,” says Landrum, “but be wary of the notion that to be a ‘real runner’ you have to be ‘fast’ or run X amount of miles a week or a run.”

“It’s all relative,” she adds. “There will always be someone faster and someone who runs longer than you.  Who cares? Go out, run for the health of your body and your mind.” Sweet.

Not Warming Up/Cooling Down

We all know we should do this, but sometimes it feels like it takes a heroic effort just to find time for a run of any length in our schedule — so skip the intro? Y’all…. It makes a difference.

“If you don’t do this consistently, you’re setting yourself up to get injured because you’re not preparing your body appropriately,” says Hayes. Got a sore heel? Stiff ankles? Leg cramps? Your body is telling you that you’re jumping in before you’re ready.

And cooling down after your run is important, too, if you want to avoid the soreness that comes from a hard workout or run.

“Cool down is a reset to bring the body back down into a more of a resting level,” says Hayes. “Cool down is effective at getting out of the ‘fight or flight’ syndrome your body engages in while exercising. You have to bring it back down to ‘rest and digest,’ to get yourself into a recovery state and feel better the next day.” Flush out that lactic acid and set your body at ease!

Remember, training for a marathon is a — uh — marathon, not a sprint! Take your time to do it right. Make good habits and you’ll get farther… Faster. Good luck!