Pain in the Plantar Fasciitass (See what I did there?)

Marathon training mileage is ramping up.  Financial times are tough and people are using their running, walking, and everyday dress/casual shoes a few hundred miles more than they should.  Our feet are abused and overused in general.  There are several reasons why so many people are suffering from Plantar Fasciitis, but the important thing is that none of them are happy about it.

Plantar Fasciitis is pain in the arch or heel of the foot and is generally pretty difficult to kick once you have it.  Doctors may suggest everything from Cortisone shots to time off to specialized orthotics.  If you are suffering from this type of injury, the most important thing is making sure whatever you are doing to get rid of it is also going to keep it from coming back.  For most people, this means establishing a routine of a battery of strengthening and stretching drills.

As part of a Plantar Fasciitis remedy, you really want to focus on stretching your lower calf.  It's all connected, and often this is the cause of a bad case of arch or heel pain.  You can use a foam roller or Trigger Point Therapy tools to get some great deep massage results and loosen up a tight lower calf.  Stop in and we can give you several good exercises to get you started, or you can sign up for one of our free injury screens to speak directly to a physical therapist, orthopaedic surgeon, or chiropractor!

Beyond the exercises, keeping Plantar Fasciitis away is a lifestyle change.  It can mean wearing an insert in your shoes every day or switching to more supportive footwear, even for work and casual use. You will also need to continue strengthening and stretching even when it's not flared up, or it might come back!  We carry tons of products at the store from flip flops with arch support to massage products to supportive socks.  Stop by and let us help you!

If you've had a battle with Plantar Fasciitis (and so many of us have!), feel free to comment and share your words of wisdom about what worked for you with us!

Be Your Own Valentine Every Day!

Valentine's Day is a day most often spent pampering those we love, giving gifts, and generally showing our friends and family how much we care for them.  This is WONDERFUL.  The problem is, when do we do this for ourselves??

This year, take some time today to love yourself!  Make your health a priority, and you'll have more energy and be around longer to spend time with everyone else.  Focus on healthy habits from nutrition to exercise to sleep, and you will be giving the greatest gift to your "other" Valentines... a fit and happy YOU! :)

 

If you're new to fitness and healthy living, you're not alone!  It can be super overwhelming to figure out where to start, so don't do it by yourself.  Let us help!  From our free beginners running groups to our cross training classes and nutrition clinics, we want to help you make YOU a priority.  Check out our website at http://tristaterunning.com/training-tri-state-5k.html to learn more about our 5K training groups starting next week.

Happy Valentine's Day! Enjoy your time loving on everyone else today, and start loving on yourself tomorrow.

Race Day Nutrition (Clinic Recap)

We had TONS of interest in our free nutrition clinic this week, so we wanted to do a quick recap of the clinic for anyone who was unable to attend!  We found that lots of people wanted to take care of themselves with proper nutrition when they are training, but many of you simply didn't know where to start.  It truly is the little things that add up to make all the difference in how you feel and how you perform.

Rules of Nutrition:

1. Practice makes perfect!  You need to train your body to process nutrition to fuel your body during distance runs/walks.  You have to experiment with different gels, chews, and drinks to figure out what your stomach can handle and what keeps your energy levels up.  You'll need to plan for how to carry your nutrition products (fuel belt, pockets, aid stations) and how often you need to eat/drink something.

2. There is a big difference in how many calories you will burn if you are running 10:00 minute miles (600 calories per hour) or 6:00 minute miles (1000 calories per hour).  Plan accordingly.  Your body can absorb 240-260 calories per hour.  Make sure you are taking fluids and nutrition before you "hit the wall" or it is already too late.  Most people should plan to take in about 100 calories per 30-60 minutes of exercise.

3. You need to replace your electrolytes (like Sodium and Potassium), as well!

4. NEVER try anything new on race day!  This is a big risk should it not agree with your system.  Stick with what worked during training.

Beyond this, stick with the basics.  Endurance athletes (this includes you, walkers!) need carbohydrates to fuel working muscles.  Protein is also necessary to repair muscle damage after exercise as well as to make red blood cells (which get oxygen to muscles!).  Make sure you always have enough of these nutrients, as well as maintaining a balanced diet rich in vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats.  Above all else, have fun!  Listen to your body and enjoy the experience.  Feel free to stop by the store or comment on this post if you have more specific nutrition questions.  Happy training!

Active Rest: Oxymoron or Novel Concept?

Do you ever think back to an old hobby and wonder why you ever gave it up? Blame it on burn out. Running is one of those activities that people sometimes stop making time for after they overdo it or fail to give their body and mind the necessary time to rest. While the sport requires year-round training and commitment, a body can only train at a high level for so long. If you don’t make time to enjoy cross training and active rest, you may find yourself feeling burnt out on running.

As a college athlete, that’s just what happened to me. After years of high-mileage and intense workouts, I was exhausted and took a year-long hiatus from running shortly after I graduated. During the time that running and I “took a break”, I filled my time with several other active hobbies to recharge my batteries and get back to the fun side of working out. The best thing about taking some time off from running was that I got to miss it for the first time, and I truly enjoyed it again when I started back up. Plus, I found some new activities that I appreciate almost as much!

When the weather warms up, my husband and I love to take our kayaks out to the lake for the day or go water skiing with my family. As you Kentucky folks know, lakes are about as close as we get to a beach around here in the summer. To keep my feet dry and comfortable when I am jumping in and out of the water all day on the boats, I have started wearing Merrell Cambrian Emmes. They are made specifically for water activities, with a waterproof upper, drainage ports, and sticky tread so I don’t slip if I decide to do a little hiking or wade in the water on slick rocks.

I also enjoy hiking. From Sedona to Gatlinburg to trails we have found all around Ohio and Kentucky, my little family spends a lot of time exploring the outdoors by foot. To be comfortable on hikes, you need a moisture wicking shoe with good traction like the Merrell Siren Sport. I even like having these comfortable multi-sport shoes on when I go for casual walks with my dogs in the neighborhood.

The point is that “active rest” simply means taking some time to cross train and do less strenuous exercise than running. These types of activities minimize your loss of fitness during training breaks. Hiking, water sports, strength training, yoga, and other kinds of cross training are also just plain fun, and they keep you feeling young and fit! In my experience, the skills you gain from doing multiple sports usually translate back to running by improving your balance, flexibility, foot speed, endurance, or even mental stamina.

The best part is that there are shoes to fit your lifestyle no matter what it is you decide to do when you’re not running. Talk about a good excuse for a shopping spree! If you are a hiker, lake bum, or even just someone who spends a lot of time on your feet at work, stop by Tri-State Running Company to get some help finding the perfect shoes for your lifestyle. We would love to help you enjoy your active rest just as much as you enjoy your running training.

Why Running?

Especially during these cold winter months, I am often asked why I choose to put myself through the “torture” of distance running. Considering how physically and mentally taxing a task running can be, I can understand the question. For those who have never called themselves a runner, it can be difficult to understand why anyone would go out of their way to get a workout in at all hours of the day and night and in all kinds of weather when they have a thousand other things to do. But for those who have, they cannot imagine their lives without the sport. For the non-believers out there, I wanted to share a few of the reasons I make time for running in my busy routine.

Initially, I started running because finishing a race gave me a sense of accomplishment. Racing allows me to test myself mentally and physically, and every time I finish a race in a new personal best time or I overcome whatever obstacles I encountered along the way, I feel like I have passed that test. I love the competitive aspect of the sport, both against myself and my fellow race entrants. Running bolsters my self-confidence and makes me feel like a stronger person who can take on the world. And I do take on the world every time it throws snow or rain or wind or cold at me - and I win!

Now that I am out of the world of high school and collegiate athletics, I have new motivation to run. In a world where we are all busy juggling responsibilities from work to family to education, running forces me to take some time for myself. I am able to collect my thoughts for an hour or so and clear my mind, allowing me to return home to “real life” feeling more energetic and able to be productive. Other days, I am fortunate enough to use my running as a social activity. My running partners are wonderful friends, and they inspire me look forward to my workouts more than anything else. When you train through good and bad days together, you form the strongest bonds and learn to lean on each other when you need it most. Some of my closest friends are those who have laced up their shoes and hit the trails with me over the years.

Additionally, there are a variety of smaller reasons that add up to a lot of motivation for me to keep running. For one thing, after a good run, I have earned the right to relax and eat whatever I want for the rest of the day! Plus, running outdoors gives me a great excuse to buy a new athletic wardrobe when the season changes, which I tend to get fairly excited about. More importantly, running allows me to be involved with the community and support positive causes when I enter road races to benefit non-profit organizations. These races are an exciting way to meet new people and explore different parts of my community by foot.

When it comes down to it, running is a lifelong activity that allows me to get and stay fit. It helps strengthen my mind and body and keeps me feeling energetic. I hope to one day be an excellent role model for my children by showing them how to live an active healthy lifestyle. Each day that I run, I prove to myself that I can meet my goals and overcome difficulties. On top of that, this sport has inspired and developed some of the closest friendships I have ever known. If you have never tried it, today may be the day to lace up a pair of shoes and hit the roads to see how running can change your life.

Is it Time to Break Up With Your Sports Bra?

Many of us are still clinging to sports bras that we have had for years because we "have to wear two anyways" or they "still look fine".  No matter how good they have been to you, they can't give you what you need anymore.  It's time to break up with those old sports bras!

Your girls are only connected to your chest by small Cooper's Ligaments, and once those stretch or tear, there's nothing to keep them from sagging.  Prevent damage by wearing a bra that supports them properly (not just one that smooshes them down into a uni-boob) and by replacing sports bras regularly.  You don't need to have one in every color... just rotate through 3 great bras and replace them about once a year.  Trust me - when you explain this logic to the man in your life, he will be more than happy to get you a couple of new sports bras every year.  My husband is deeply concerned for the well-being of my Cooper's Ligaments now. :)

We have a great selection of Moving Comfort sports bras that are designed by women for women and are made for high impact activities like running.  If you are in need of a new sports bra (or two), stop by the store, and we will be happy to fit your girls with their new favorite bra.  You'll never have to worry about missing that old bra that never gave you the support you deserve anyway!

Yoga for Runners... Ahhh-mazing!!

Yoga isn't usually the first thing you think of when you hear "cross training", but if you've never tried it, you are missing out!  It's a low impact way to get your heart rate up and improve your performance by strengthening key muscle groups and working on mental focus.

Both running and cycling can take a major toll on the hips, knees, and lower back. Over time, this tightens the musculature and limits movement. (This is why distance runners notoriously have terrible flexibility.) Endurance athletes who incorporate Moksha (hot) yoga into their training report improved stride length, better mental focus, and fewer aches and pains after runs.

Just last weekend, our very own Moksha Yoga NKY studio did a beginning Moksha Yoga for Runners class for our running groups.  Let me just say - Ahhhh-mazing.  I was new to yoga, and in true runner form, have zero flexbility.  All of the postures can be modified as needed, so our whole group was able to get an excellent workout without overdoing it.  Most of us were newbies, and I have never heard so much positive feedback from anything we have done as I heard about our class at Moksha.  You leave feeling so relaxed!  As a former Division 1 collegiate athlete, I figured yoga would be super easy, but everyone can get a workout if they are truly focused on their form and breathing.  I canNOT recommend trying it highly enough.  Plus, if you're new, you can get your first month unlimited for $40 right now!



http://northern-kentucky.mokshayoga.ca/home/

The heat really warms up your muscles effectively, allowing you to do the postures more deeply to get a better stretch and workout with less likelihood of injury.  Plus, hot yoga allows you to develop strength, flexibility, and toned muscles along with a cardiovascular workout.  You get a great core/back workout (which is so critical for runners), and total boday strengthening.  If you've never tried it, get your booty over to Moksha Yoga and see what it's all about!