Run to Win

As I was at an out of state wedding last weekend I never rounded up last year’s topics for the week, and it was a busy week.

• I discussed why breakfast is important, and anybody trying to attain or maintain a healthy weight would be well served to eat a good breakfast every day.
• I offered 7 tips for running in the heat, which is a good reminder for those of us up here in the Northern hemisphere that are just getting into Summer.
• I asked how often you used running as a means of transportation. The reason that we have legs isn’t so that we can just go out and pound out miles without actually producing anything; we have them so that we can get from place to place. Now and again it is nice to get something useful out of our hobby.
• I featured a radio interview of Matt Hartman, who started up a team run/bike race in New Hampshire last year. The race was very popular and will be held in August this year.
• I presented a case study for how a body builder could run sub-7 in the mile. I should send Chris an email and find out if he ever completed the program; his last update was a week before the time trial.
• Last week two years ago, a 7 year old swam to shore from Alcatraz. Amazing what you can do when you put your mind to it. The Nike+ system was announced and Bud Gibson described how to do a bridge with a knee tuck.

• Avoid running during the worst heat. Early in the morning is best, and late evening trumps a lunch time run. Temperatures may not be quite as high, and it will be easier to find shade to run in since the sun will not be as high in the sky.
• Avoid running with traffic. Your body absorbs up to 8 times more oxygen and pollutants when you breath through your mouth instead of your nose. Try to avoid running with traffic and definately do not run with rush hour traffic. Your lungs will thank you.
• Drink plenty of water before your run. This should go without saying, but being hydrated before you begin your workout is important. You will have more energy to do the work itself, and your body will not have to work quite as hard to cool itself down.
• Drink plenty of water during your run. If you can manage it, drink plenty of water while you are working out. The ultimate goal is to weigh the same after your run as you did before your run, but this is especially difficult on hot days. If you have extra water you can dump some over your head or shoulders, but be sure that you have had plenty to drink first. Your body will cool off better if you consume the water instead of splashing yourself with it.
• Slow down. In extreme heat, you will require more effort for a slower pace. Don’t try to push it, and if you start to feel dizzy or nauseous then you should immiediately slow down or even stop.
• Wear sunscreen. If it is sunny out, wear some sunscreen that will stay on through your sweat. It will help prevent your skin from getting burned (which will decrease the likelihood of getting cancer later in life) and can help provide another layer between your skin and the hot air. It won’t keep you cool on its own, but every little bit helps.
• Wear technical fabrics. Cotton and sweat are a bad combination; wear technical fabrics such as gore-tex that will wick the sweat away from your body. Cotton absorbs the sweat which will then provide an extra layer of insulation that you do not need. Technical fabrics wil help keep you cool, and will help prevent chafing and blisters.

This is by no means an exhaustive list, but it is a quick list of the easiest steps to keeping cool if you are going to run in the heat.

The London Marathon was today, and over 5000 runners were treated with over 70 being sent along to the hospital after the temperatures got up near 70°_F. This equals the 1996 heat record for the race.

Martin Lel won the men’s race by three seconds in 2:07:41, outsprinting Abderrahim Goumri and Felix Limo. The lead men went through the halfway mark in 63:39, and just about everybody in the pack of elites got a turn to lead early in the race. Ryan Hall led the race at 35km, but fell back to 7^th by the end of the race to finish as the first American.

Chunxiu Zhou ran a commanding race to finish first amongst the women in 2:20:38. Gete Wami finished second over a minute later, with Constantina Tomescu-Dita trailing in third. The women were right on their goal pace for the halfway marker, coming through in 69:58. Yolando Mercado Torres was the first American woman, finishing over 22 minutes behind the Chunxiu Zhou. She kept a very consistent pace throughout the race.

The marathon had a record field size this year, with 35,674 finishers. Almost 50,000 registrations were accepted of the 125,000 applicants, with over 36,000 reaching the starting line.

(Sources: Flora London Marathon – BBC.com)