Great Core Routine

Before our run today we had a stretch clinic to go over some basic streches and core exercises that are essential to preventing injuries while running and to make us more effective runners. I found a great core training program in Runner's World magazine last month that Team USA does to get ready for the marathon, it is simple, easy to learn, and takes about 10 minutes, 3 times a week. I have been doing it for the past 3 weeks and already notice a difference.

There are two phases, base and dynamic. You do the base routine for 4 weeks, and the dynamic after that. Here are video instructions of the 4 base routines to show you how to do them. If you are looking for an easy and attainable way to build your core, give these a try! Visit http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-238-263-266-12415-0,00.html to read more and check out the dynamic routine.

Plank/Side Plank

Lie in a push-up position with your forearms on the ground, keeping your body in a straight line, your elbows directly below your shoulders, and your abdominals pulled in (top, right). Hold. Shift to your side, keeping the elbow directly under your shoulder and both feet on the floor, top foot in front. Lift your hips until your body is in a straight line. For all variations, start with 30 seconds, build to 2.5 minutes.

PHASE TWO
Hold plank as you have been, but lower and lift into a side plank for four sets of six reps, holding each rep for a count of four. The plank was originally used to test lower-back strength, says Kline, and if you can hold it for two-plus minutes, your likelihood of having lower-back problems is low.

PAYOFF
Develops abdominal and lower-back muscles that support and stabilize the middle of your body.

Bird Dog (My favorite)

Start on your hands and knees, back flat. Raise an opposite leg and arm to hip and torso height. Hold for 10 seconds, build to 30.

PHASE TWO
Perform four sets of six reps, with each side, holding each rep for a count of two.

PAYOFF
Strengthens the muscles along the spine, the upper back, and the glutes.

Back Extension (this can be done at home while rolling a mat on the floor and holding)

Start face down on a Roman chair with your legs hooked and lift your torso up until it's parallel to the ground; your back should be straight, not arched. Hold. Start with 45 seconds, build to three minutes. (The focus is on muscular endurance, not pure strength, so don't add additional weight.)

PHASE TWO
Do four sets of six reps.

PAYOFF
Improves strength and muscular endurance of the erector spinae and other back extensors.


Swiss Hip Extension (can be challenging at first, but don't be discouraged!)

Swiss Hip Extension

Start sitting upright on a stability ball, then walk your legs forward so the ball travels up your spine until it reaches your shoulder blades. With your arms extended out to the sides, lift your hips up until your torso is parallel to the floor. Then lift one knee about 45 degrees, lower it, then lower hips toward the floor, and repeat on the other side for one set. "Don't be frustrated if you can't do this well at first," says Kline. Do three sets of five to seven reps, with two minutes rest between sets.

PHASE TWO
Same as above.

PAYOFF
Mimics the running motion, but on an instable surface (the ball), engaging the hip flexors (psoas, iliacus) and extensors (the glutes) to work together with the abs and back to stabilize the body

Mapmyrun.com

For those of you not familiar with mapmyrun.com, you have to check it out! It is a great site that lets you map out runs anywhere you want and tells you the mileage of the run. You can also search the public run forum for great trails and routes that people in your neighborhood have created. Here is a map of my run today at Blue Jacket Park, it's right next to Baldwin Park.



This was a great trail, we did 4 loops today, making 6 miles. I think this will be my new spot for evening runs, as it is well lit with lamp posts all along the way. I have been running at a few spots over the past few weeks in the evening that are not well lit and I have not felt safe. This route is really nice.

You can also log your training on mapmyrun.com, which is how i keep track of how many miles i run, which routes i run, and any other activites (cross training, abs) that I do during the week. It's free, so check it out, you will love it!

Training Week 3

So this week was definitely a success! I had set my mileage goal at 15 for the week, and did 15.64, so I am happy and feeling great. Today was group training for TNT at Blue Jacket Park (which is awesome, see map below) and we did 6 miles, probably the longest I have run since my half marathon back in December, and I had a PR of 58:57 :) TNT is an awesome way to train, i am starting to get to know the people in my group better so it's fun to see them each week, and I know that as we get further into our training we will become good friends. For those of you in my TNT group, thank you for reading my blog! I am going to try to post as much good info about training, performance foods, gadgets, and helpful running sites, so please keep checking back!

Thank you to those of you who have donated so far, i am up to $600! I still have a ways to go, so please visit my site, www.active.com/donate/tntcfl/tokeeffe and show your support!

If you have a story you can share about someone you know who has battled Leukemia or any other form of cancer, please share, the reason I'm doing this is to raise money for an awesome cause and help those people that deserve a second chance at life...so please give me some more motivation to get up at 6:30 am on Saturday!

T

Good News For Those Beer Drinkers!

I was reading Amby Burfoot's blog on Runnersworld.com today and saw this great tidbit about drinking and exercising...see, you can do both and be healthy!

"Exercise AND Modest Alcohol Consumption BOTH Contribute To Longer LifeIn the latest and perhaps the best study of the benefits of exercise and modest alcohol consumption, a Danish study team found that both contribute to decreased heart disease and decreased all-cause deaths. The researchers followed followed nearly 12,000 Danish adults for 20 years, and reached a number of interesting conclusions. For example, among exercisers, those who consumed no alcohol, or fairly high levels of alcohol, had higher death rates than those who consumed modest amounts, about one glass of wine or spirits a day for women, and two for men. Also, within groups formed by degree of alcohol consumption, those who did the least exercise had the highest death rates, while increasing levels of exercise were associated with lower death rates. Conclusion: "Leisure-time physical activity and a moderate weekly alcohol intake are both important to lower the risk of fatal IHD [heart disease] and all-cause mortality." Source: European Heart Journal. More"

http://peakperformance.runnersworld.com/2008/02/feb-3-the-lates.html?cm_mmc=nutrition%20-_-2008_02_21-_-nutrition-_-BLOG%3a%20Drink%20Up,%20Live%20Longer

Pic's from training days

Hey Guys, here are some pic's from week's 1 & 2 of training, thanks to Ernie for being the photographer! I hope to get as many as possible to cronicle my journey..


The Summer 2008 TNT Team! Can you spot me??


Week #1, Cranes Roost Park



Week #2, Weikiva Springs Trail

There's a first time for everything...

So this year is all about first's, first blog, first marathon, who knows what other firsts will come along. I never thought of myself as one to write a blog, but I thought that with the endeavor i'm about to take on, what better way for me to keep track of my journey than to share it will all of you. If you are reading this, thanks, it means a lot, and i hope you keep reading. The more support I have from family and friends, the more successful I will be in crossing the finish line.

You may be wondering, why on earth would you want to run 26.2 miles straight? I started running in January of 2007 on a regular basis, mainly to get in shape and lose a little weight. What happened is I found something that I really enjoyed doing, and the more 5k's I did, the more i realized the competetive nature I have. I set a goal in 2007 to complete a half marathon (13.1) by the end of the year, and I did just that, i completed the OUC Half Marathon in downtown Orlando in 2:09:30, far better than I had expected. I had been thinking all along, "what would it be like to run a full" I knew that if I could do the half successfully, then the urge to take it to the next level would be there. And that it was! The feeling I got crossing the finish line of the half was incredible, so many emotions all at once, but mainly the feeling of accomplishment. Now I would say I have accomplished things in my life, but never did I have the feeling that I did on December 1, 2007. I wanted to bottle it up and keep it with me everyday, and it was on that day that I made the mental declaration to myself..."I WILL run a marathon in 2008".

So here I am, taking the declaration out of my head and onto the page for all the world to see (or at least the 5 people that read my blog :) ). I knew that the first time I ran a marathon I wanted to do it the right way, with a good group of suppportive running mates to keep me on track. So it was a pretty obvious choice for me to sign up for Team in Training, the endurance training program run by the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. For those of you who know me, fundraising has been something that I have always been passionate about, so it was a natural fit. TNT (as i will refer to it from here on out) allows you an incredible opportunity: raise money for them, and they will send you to an incredible race somewhere in the world, all expenses paid. So running + fundraising + mini-vacation= my perfect match! San Diego was one of two options for the Summer group, and i knew that was definetly the race for me. A) it's beautiful and B) the race consists of a different musical act at every mile marker, which is why it's called the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon (check out the link to the right). So not only have i commited myself to running a marathon, I am also going to raise $4,000! More on that challenge later...

So, that's my story, maybe a little long winded, but when am i not? Here is my plea to get you to subscribe to this fantastic blog.... I need moral support for the days when i just won't want to run, I need encouragement to push it one mile more, I will need a place to share my thoughts and diatribes from a long run and it should be some entertaining reading material, I want to share more about the cause and how I'm doing on my fundraising goal, and, maybe encourage some of you who are thinking..."hey, maybe I could do it too". So comment, share your running experiences, or anything really, I want to hear from you!

-T