Know When to Say When

If you are like most people, you do not know when to quit. It is just a little pain. Well, pain is our bodies way of saying something is not right. About 4 years ago I had a really good set of arms. Arm workouts were my favorite. While at my drill weekend, I was particularly determined to do my workout even though my left forearm did not feel right. To make a long story short it is now four years later. I am still not able to do a bicep curl and my well shaped arms have disappeared.

Lesson learned….LISTEN TO YOUR BODY! This is actually the second time I’ve had to learn this lesson. I have a similar injury to my left pectoral muscle. I can bench press (after 12 years), but I will never be able to find out how much I can bench without tearing it.

There is no shame in stopping your workout if you feel pain. Had I know that four years ago, I would enjoy my gym workouts much more.

Hydrate

This week we are going to take a look at the importance of staying hydrated. Our bodies do an amazing job at recycling water. From reabsorbing excess water in our large intestine to doing the same in our sinuses. Our body tries to conserve the precious substance known as water. However, our bodies are not closed system. Through our breath, bodily functions, and sweet, we are constantly losing water.

During physical exertion, we lose even more. Most in the form of sweet to cool our bodies, but also from rapid respiration. Think of oxygen as fish and our blood as the stream. When the stream is at the right level, many fish can freely swim around. When that stream is low, fish cannot move as quickly. The same goes for your bloodstream. You need water in your system to allow the blood to flow. If you are dehydrated, blood is not going to move as well. As a result, oxygen is not going to make it to your muscles as quickly and lactic acid will not be removed as efficiently. The end result, you get tired.

Drink fluids regularly before, during, and after physical exertion. If you wait until you are thirsty, you are already dehydrated. While lifting, take a drink while moving from one apparatus to the next. During cardio exercises, such as cycling or running, take a swig every mile. Drink more often on those hot days. While hiking, I like to use a hydration pack in my back pack. The drinking hose is always right there. No fumbling with water bottles.
During the winter months, water is your key to staying warm. Even if your water is getting cold you need to stay hydrated. Proper blood circulation is extremely important in keeping the fingers and toes warm. If the stream is moving slowly, less warm water will make it to where it is needed.

Enjoy the Colors

Fall is upon us. The days are cooler, the air is drier, and the leaves are starting their show. It is time for you to get out and enjoy yourself. It is time to find a trail. I recommend finding a trail at your local State Park or check out the National Park Service website or the National Forest Service website for some incredible places to run. I remember hiking up Mt. LaConte in the Great Smoking Mountains National Park. It was a beautiful day. The air was clear, the sun was bright and the views were excellent. As I passed the 4500 foot mark and took note of my increasing heart rate from the altitude, a man came up from behind me. As I was huffing and puffing up this mountain, he ran right on by. Being a flat Lander, I was amazed at the ease this guy passed me. At the top of the mountain, I got to see his reward. He was lounging on a rock, high on a cliff with a view that was nothing short of inspiring. Nice place to have your turn around point.

You do not need a mountain to enjoy the fall. Just head on out to some place with lots of trees. Many cities are building more and more greenways that don not stay green during the fall. Take care not to turn your ankles during you run. Mother Nature may have blanketed the ground with a carpet of reds, oranges, and yellows, but she may have also dropped some big seeds just waiting to be stepped on. As always, let someone know where you are going and when you will be back when heading into the wilderness.

Energy Gels and Drinks

They come in bottles and containers. Powders, concentrates, and in little packs. They can flow freely or be a handful of goo. They are the magic potions that are going to keep you going. They are the energy gels and drinks. The market is full of them. Here are a few tips on how to choose what is right for you.



For the gels, taste is very important. They come in many flavors and consistencies. Try them all and remember the ones you like. They are all designed to help restore your depleted energy stores during those long runs. Read the package for the recommended time between refueling. You will need to carry enough (say one shot for every 30 minutes) to get you through that run. Also with the gels, you need to drink water with them. A side note, you may want to carry a little zip lock bag to dispose of the wrappers.



Energy drinks, in my opinion, taste better. Because you are now transporting liquids, there is more weight involve. I recommend a hydration belt. I tried a hydration pack also. For many, the back pack variety is a must. I run a bit hot and like to get some air on my back. I switched to a belt and discovered that it works well for me. Make sure it is comfortable and has enough padding to prevent chaffing your hips while running. I like the type with the four small bottles. Fill one bottle up with a concentrated solution of your favorite powdered energy drink. Fill the rest with water. As you go, you have water. When you need that energy boost, grab 1 water bottle and your concentrate. Squirt both in your month at once to prevent being overpowered by the concentrate. Just keep refilling your water bottles and you are good to go. Try to get a squirt of the concentrate in every mile to keep your running consistent.

There are also gummy energy products now. I like them to give me some variety from the gels. They take some getting used to since you have to chew and run at the same time. When it comes to taste though, they beat the gels.



Try these products on your next long run. I gave them a shot after my first 18 mile run. At the end of the run I found myself dizzy, flat on my back, and not in a good part of town considering it was dark. My first instinct was to drive to the nearest place to eat. I tried the energy gels on my next long run. Not only did I feel great at the end of that 20 miles, I ran that 20 miles about 15 minutes faster than I ran the 18 miles the previous week. BIG difference!

Add Some Variety

Have you ever noticed that when you try a new activity, you feel ten years older the next morning. You wake up and discover that you have muscles that you have not felt in….well maybe you just discovered to begin with. Variety helps build muscle. Are you always sore the day after your regular run or after your normal weight routine? Of course not. Your body has adapted to the stress you apply to it. That is your queue to make a change.



This past weekend, I had my first taste of the Nintendo Wii. As I was getting my butt kicked at boxing by my 5 year old niece, I realized that I was working up a sweat. The next morning, I was hurting bad. Now mind you, the Wii controls weigh next to nothing. The extreme movement that I put myself through was way out of the norm. You should also do that in your workouts.

Here are a few suggestions:
- Run hills instead of flat terrain.
- Run trails instead of roads.
- Vary you speed. You can use telephone poles, driveways or intersections to tell you when to change speed.
- Do a century workout. That is when you reduce your weights to one third of normal and do one set of one hundred reps.
- Cross train in the pool or on your bike.



Mix it up and keep it fun. You will enter a new level of health. Don’t believe me. Check out the blogs of some of our Olympians. They will tell of their tales on Pikes Peak, which is just a few miles from the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, and the workouts the mountain gives them.