I just landed in Denver Colorado. Over the next 3 days I will be teaming up with two other great snowboarders from Charlotte, NC and one from Colorado; we will be riding Steamboat Monday and Tuesday [Pictures Soon]. This will also be my last snowboarding trip of the season; spring training is coming up

When I return, I will be joining my wife Adrienne, in training for Cooper River Bridge Run in Charleston SC on March 28^th. This will be her first 10k, just a tad longer then a 4 miler, which she enjoys doing. Here is a copy of her program for anyone interested, 10-K Training

During the months of January & February, I scaled my running back to 10-14 miles per week. Gym work has consisted of 4 workouts per week, mostly free weights- involving heavy core work. During my last few runs, my body has felt refreshed and strong.

Off to the mountains…

After accumulating over 550 miles in 2009, I need a break. January-February is considered my off-season. Why do you ask? There are three reasons:

1. Recovery time
2. Running in the cold is no fun
3. Snowboarding season

Two weeks before Thunder Road Marathon (12/12/09), I developed an upper quadriceps strain. With the race nearing, I knew it was going to be an issue, but I ran anyway. Post-race my left quad was in bad shape. I took two weeks off, ran while I was in Jamaica for Christmas, and then immediately put a stop to all running until my leg was healed.

Instead of running outdoors in the cold, most of my time is spent indoors working out with free weights or playing racquetball. Twice a week, I will sneak in a run outside when the weather is mild, while keeping notes of how my body and legs respond.

The third reason why I take a break is due to snowboarding. I learned to snowboard when I was 14, and have never missed a season. This year, some friends and I went to Sugar Mountain, NC to ride in extremely cold weather, 8 degrees to be precise. In a few weeks, we will be going out to Colorado to conquer a few mountains. See you on the slopes, not on the road…

The Ab Wheel, a simple piece of equipment to strengthen the abdominal area. You can find the Ab wheel online or at your local fitness store for under $9.00. This thing has been around for years, yet I rarely see anyone using them.

While using the Ab Wheel you engage muscles thought your midsection, erector spinae, hip flexors and extensors. This is an exercise that will strengthen your core, but does not burn fat. Be sure to get your cardio in if you are trying to build magazine cover abs.

To begin, put a hand on each grip, kneel down and combine your knees on the floor. Be sure to lock your arms while holding the ab wheel at your knees. Slowly, roll the wheel out away from your knees until your arms are perpendicular with the floor.

Avoid touching the floor. Keep your entire body 2-5 inches above the floor. Return to the starting position by pulling in with your abdominal muscles and arching your back. Keep your arms straight and use your core muscles to return to the starting position again. Breathe in at the start and exhale on the way down. 10-12 repetitions equal one set. Get started!

For a good visual on how to perform this exercise, view this video.

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The hardest part about any task or exercise is starting. This is especially true when waking up to exercise. When the alarm clock goes off, what is your first thought? It should always be optimistic, think of mentally preparing your body for exercise. Second you should determine if your body is ready for exercise- are you sore, do you have any injuries, do you have a race coming up? Third, set your goals and get out of the bed. The longer you lay there, the less likely you will even get up and get started.

Of course the key to starting the morning right is ensuring you get enough sleep.

This seems like a simple task, yet so many athletes get this wrong, or have a misconception of sound sleep. It is critical to achieve between 6.5 and 7.5 hours of sleep per night. Experts challenge study linking sleep, life span.

3 things that help get a good night sleep

1. No eating 2 hours before bedtime. A full stomach can result in discomfort, causing a restless night. Avoid stimulates 4-6 hours before bed, caffeine, alcohol and nicotine just to name a few.
2. When you are tired go to bed. If you start falling asleep on the couch at 8:30 go to bed- don’t try to get to sleep at a certain time, just go when your body tells you.
3. No interruptions. This is difficult if you have children or something else that will awaken you during the night. Turn off all light sources in the room, close the blinds and enjoy the darkness.

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Weather elements can be extreme at times. This is especially true when a Record-Setting Blizzard dumps inches of snow up and down the East Coast. Staying indoors is painful, especially when an amazing snow covered world exists just outside your door.

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With my first marathon in the bag, I wanted to do a brief reflection on my experience. Running 26.2 miles was amazing. The course was a great tour through Charlotte, and everything was organized very well. During the marathon I had great support from many friends, plus locals that came out to support the runners. Below are a few things that I will remember for next time…

1. Start out slower. My first 13.1 mile split was 1:37, and my finishing time was 3:34. The last half of the race I slowed down considerably. At mile 18 and mile 23, I had to stop and stretch due to leg cramps.

2. Stretch more before the start. Yes, I am guilty of not stretching before the race. I did go for a 10 minute jig-jog, and when I got back to stretch it was too close to the start, so I just lined up.

3. Better diet. The night before the marathon I ate a few pancakes and a couple pieces of bread. The morning of the marathon I ate a banana with half a bagel. Next marathon I will eat a bit more food to ensure extra calories are stored.

I wanted to extend a special thanks first to my wife Adrienne. She provided amazing support and dealt with my training program / diet for the last 4 months. Second, my parents who made the 5 hour drive to run in the 5k, and support me at the finish. Third I would like to thank the local Charlotte Running community for all the tips and support prior and during the marathon; especially Tony Jabon, Shelby Harrington, Ieva M. Augstums, Kristen Rigby, and Rasmus Eger Pedersen – thank you!

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Well it’s officially 3 days before my first Marathon (Charlotte Thunder Road, Dec 12th). There is a lot going through my mind right now. I am going to sum up the feeling as anxiety & nervousness mixed with confidence. Over the past 4 months I have stuck to a strict intermediate I Marathon Training Program, provided by Hal Higdon- yet I still feel that I could be more prepared.

Workouts have been very light this week to continue tapering and avoid lactic acid build up.

Monday – Shoulders/core

Tuesday – 3 miles/stretch

Wednesday – 3 miles/stretch/core/light back

Thursday- Rest

Friday- 1 mile run/stretch

Saturday- *Marathon*

My legs feel ok, with the exception of my left quadricep and achilles, which I injured running in the mountains Thanksgiving morning. Today I actually went to a sport therapist for any relief prior to Saturday. Work was done in the area that was causing the pain (massage, electrotherapy) and kinesio tape was applied for comfort and stability.

Kinesio Tape

Meals have been consistent with a normal week before a race.

Monday

Breakfast- Oatmeal peanut butter

Snack- Half a pomegranate

Lunch – Chicken & rice

Snack – Orange

Dinner-Pepperoni pizza (yes 5 slices)

Tuesday

Breakfast- Cheerios and milk

Snack- Nuts & apple

Lunch- Peanut butter and jelly sandwich

Snack- Brownie

Dinner- Blackened chicken pasta with asparagus

Wednesday

Breakfast- 3 slices of French bread & butter

Snack- Nuts & blackberries

Lunch- Leftover blacken chicken pasta & asparagus

Snack- Brownie

Dinner- Lobster pasta with vodka sauce

Thursday – ?

Friday – ? But pancakes for dinner

Sound sleep is key tonight and Friday, so I am cutting this short.

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Yes- running is a great workout for your abs, but there are many other great exercises you must do to strengthen your abs/core.

The most important result of a strong core is stability. As you run, all of your movement originates from your core, thus validating the statement, “The core is really the key part of the body in any sport,” says Mike Huff, coordinator of sports performance at Duke University. Being able to maintain good posture through a strong core will enhance performance and decrease injury. The deep abs, made up of the transversus abdominis (TVA) and internal obliques, are the keystone for core stabilization. Unfortunately, running bio-mechanics expert Michael Fredericson, Ph.D, found that about 90 percent of runners have weak abs leading to faulty running patterns.

If you keep a strong core and flat belly all year, you never really have to worry about getting in shape for the beach. Trust me on this one- its way easier to keep your abs in shape all year vs. diet and train for a specific event.

Here are my top 3 exercises for a strong core, plus six pack abs.

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What do you do after your double digit run? Everyone has their own ritual, and recently I have adopted one that helps speed my recovery. A good running friend (Tony Jabon) suggested that I try an ice bath after a long run to keep my legs from becoming sore the following day. Believe it or not it worked, not only the first time, but sequentially since then.

Ice bath facts:

* Cold Therapy or (Cryotherapy) decrease cellular metabolic activity and constrict blood vessels, resulting in reduced tissue breakdown and swelling.

* After exiting your ice bath, your tissues underneath warm up the blood flow faster. This allows for oxygen to improve cellular function- resulting in built-up lactic acid being flushed out, returning it to the lymph system to be recycled by the body.

* Too much lactic acid can cause poor muscle function- if allowed to build up over time, the athlete can experience tired, heavy legs.

* Immersing the legs in cold water produces a longer lasting change in deep tissues and is more efficient for cooling many muscles simultaneously than using ice packs.

There are 4 stages of an ice bath:

1. Extreme cold
2. Burning/pricking
3. Aching
4. Numbness

Once the athlete has reached the “numbness” stage, they should remove themselves from the ice, or cold water (normally all the ice will melt.) Depending on the length of your run, you should stay in between 5-20 minutes.

Here is what works best for me:

1. Before you long run, visit your local grocery store and buy 3-4 large bags of ice. Store them in a cooler at your house. Going to the store after a long run is the last thing you want to do.
2. After your run, fill your bathtub with all of the ice. Turn the cold water on, and fill the bath tub with enough water to cover the hips.
3. Keep your running socks and shorts on; grab a sweatshirt, thick hat and something warm to drink. Book, cell phone, or something else to keep you occupied is optional, but helps.
4. Ok- this is where it gets tough. This might not work for everyone, but just get in.
5. Avoid screaming, just take deep breaths. After about 10 minutes your legs will become acclimated to the temperature and go numb.

Runners and athletes are not the only ones that benefit from ice baths. In the October issue of Rolling Stone, Madonna says that she comes home and sits in an ice bath for 10 minutes after performing. (“Madonna Looks Back” 53). If you have never tried an ice bath, I highly recommend it.

Just for fun, last Sunday I took a video of my ice bath.

-P

With 2009 almost over- I am approaching a total of 500 miles for the year, which I should surpass in the next few weeks. 70% of those miles have been run on the road (asphalt), not sidewalks (concrete). Running safely on asphalt is a challenge. Depending on where you live, there is always traffic, a mediocre bike lane, or the dreadful limited shoulder. Below is some information that will get you off the concrete and onto asphalt.

The following will be different for various runners- but the ideal surface is smooth and moderately (but not too) soft, and the worst is rock hard, like concrete, or irregular, like the gravelly shoulder of a crowned or banked road. According to a clinical study of 4,000 runners, co-authored by Southern California podiatrist Dr. John Pagliano, one of the five leading causes of injury is “improper” running surfaces. The other four are training errors, inadequate shoes, faulty biomechanics and muscle dysfunction/inflexibility.

Pagliano comes down against concrete, saying that “if you switch to softer surfaces, you can cut your injury risk by 50%.” Here is an exert from Dr. John Pagliano & Robert Chasen -  Grading Running Surfaces:

Kathleen M. Naughton, DC, CCSP, puts it best; Dynamic Chiropractic – September 1, 1992, Vol. 10, Issue 18  “The forces generated at heel strike are dissipated through the musculoskeletal system. Harder surfaces result in increased pounding and subsequent deleterious effects.” Because of this, something like concrete is far less forgiving than asphalt.

Concerned about running on asphalt with cars present? Here are some tips to help drivers spot you easily on the road.

1. Wear bright or reflective clothing. Dressing to be seen will make it safer for you and drivers.

2. Always look both ways- even on a one way street. Be careful and pay attention to your surroundings.

3. Never take chances when sharing the road. The pedestrian always has the right away, but drivers may think otherwise.

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