6 Tips for Turning Resolutions Into Reality

Coach Jenny Hadfield 
For Active.com

It’s New Year’s resolution time again and a chance to make positive changes in your life. This year, use Coach Jenny’s Evolution-Resolution system and make good on those resolutions.

Start With a Specific and Realistic Goal

Goals that are too lofty don’t stick and can be overwhelming. Go with a realistic goal and aim low. For example, train to run and participate in a 5K in May. The race makes the goal specific. Plus, it is very realistic to train to run a 5K in four to five months. 

• Make it stick: Register for the race. It will keep you accountable to your resolution and keep you going.

Follow a Realistic Training Program

The number one way to reach a running goal is to follow a training program that matches your current level of fitness and build from there. You will progress faster and reach your goals more quickly and with less risk of injury and burn-out.

• Make it stick: Do a personal inventory of your activity. Match your current activity level to the first few weeks of the training program. Less is more in the first month of training.

Break it Down

Break your resolution into a few smaller, more digestible pieces (check points) throughout the year. For instance, start with a 10-week run-walk program on your journey to learning to run continuously. It is a smaller and more achievable goal and will lead to the next goal of running the race.

• Make it stick: Set one goal for spring (5K) and one more for the fall (losing 15 pounds). Connect the two with smaller mini-goals to get you to the first, then the second.

Let Your Goals Evolve

Change takes time. Getting active and losing weight are fantastic goals, but they take time. Put your mini-goals into your calendar and focus on one at a time. Be patient and persistent. There will be ups and downs; but if you stick with it and stay on target you will reach the next check point.

• Make it stick: Stay motivated by keeping a log or diary and look back every few weeks to see your progress. You may not notice change over a few days, but a few weeks makes a big difference. 

Reward Yourself

Treat yourself to a massage or special gift when you reach a mini-goal. It is a great way to stay motivated and celebrate reaching the next checkpoint.

• Make it stick: Put your major- and mini-goal somewhere you can see it daily.

Surround Yourself With Support

Join a group, program or club. Tell everyone you know about your goals. You’ll have a built-in motivational source, plenty of friends to chat with along the way and someone to get you going when you’re not inclined.

• Make it stick: Invite your support team to celebrate reaching your mini-goals. Positive reinforcement goes a long way in staying on track.

Tips on Choosing Running and Jogging Shoes

Running and jogging exert brute force on your feet, legs, hips and spine. Proper shoe selection is very vital to protecting these from injury or long-term problems.

Some general tips:

• Fit the shoe to your longest toe, which is often your second toe.
  
• Shoes should be comfortable when you first try them on. Don't buy shoes and plan to "break them in" by wearing them.
  
• Take the same socks you'll use for jogging. They should fit well, be made without seams, which could cause irritation to the foot. If you use extra-thick socks while running, select shoes with enough room. Socks should be made mostly out of synthetic materials which "wick" moisture away from the foot. This reduces the chance of developing blisters
  
• The shoe should grip your heel firmly.
  
• While the shoe is on your foot, you should be able to wiggle all your toes.
  
• You should have at least 1/4 inch of space beyond your longest toe.
  

Weight, foot structure, and running regimen are all deciding factors. Be mindful that all shoes have a different shape, and sizes and widths are not uniform from shoe to shoe.

Consider whether a special insert will be placed in your shoe, and whether your running style is flat-footed or on the balls of the feet.

Shoes should provide cushioning for shock absorption, and ought to be able to fully bend at the ball of the foot area.

Damage Control

Feeling sore and achy after your last run? When to press on and when to back off.By Liz PlosserFrom the December 2010 issue of Runner's World 

It can make you limp down the stairs or struggle to get out of your chair. But that doesn't mean muscle soreness is all bad. "Muscles go through physical stress when we exercise, and the discomfort that stress causes may be perfectly normal," says Allan Goldfarb, Ph.D., a professor of exercise physiology at the University of North Carolina-Greensboro. In fact, muscle soreness is often a good thing. "It's proof your body is adapting and growing fitter," Goldfarb says. "You're reprogramming your muscle structure and making weaker cells stronger."

This can make your job as a responsible runner who wants to avoid injury tricky. If you park yourself on the couch after feeling any inkling of tenderness, your training could come to a standstill. But if you push through the pain, you might hurt yourself. So how do you toe the line between a healthy dose of creakiness and pain that's a sign of trouble?

ON THE RUN
Sometimes the physical stress of exercise manifests itself as soreness while you're still running. That's because the action of running pushes your body's weight downward—and even the most cushy shoes can't alone handle the shock. "Some of the force goes back into your muscles," Goldfarb says. "That shock-absorption process releases chemicals that can activate pain receptors."

You can minimize midrun soreness by making sure you are in good shoes that aren't too worn (replace them every 400 to 500 miles) and choosing softer running surfaces when possible. And consider doing the next day's easy run on the treadmill, which has more give to help your recovery. When soreness escalates beyond slight discomfort, back off the pace (take walk breaks) and distance (take a shortcut or stop running and walk the remaining miles). Follow up with at least one rest or cross-training day—don't try to make up for the missed mileage.

AFTERSHOCK
You may feel fine during and right after a workout, only to discover you're quite sore a day or two later. "The gradually increasing discomfort that peaks 24 to 48 hours after activity and disappears five to seven days later is called delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS)," says Carol Torgan, Ph.D., an exercise physiologist in Bethesda, Maryland. DOMS usually occurs when the leg muscles have performed an eccentric contraction (which increases tension on a muscle as it lengthens). Speedwork, races, long runs, or any type of workout you're not used to are other causes. "Intense or new activities put a lot of stress on muscle cells," Goldfarb says. "Some of those cells are strong from your regular workouts, but when you work your body in a new way, you hit some cells that are weaker. The weaker ones develop microtears." This damage causes achiness. The good news is that once your muscles repair themselves and grow stronger, they are more resistant to damage for up to eight weeks.

While it's okay to do an easy run while you're dealing with DOMS, hold off on doing another intense workout for a few days. And expect to feel a little stiff during the first mile or so. It's important at this point to recognize the difference between a Wow, I really pushed myself and a worrisome Oww, I really hurt. "If the soreness lasts longer than a week, it develops into pain, or there is any sign of swelling or redness, see a doctor," Torgan says.

That said, running or racing your best does not necessarily mean hobbling for the ice pack afterward. "If you are perfectly trained for a race, you may not be sore afterward because you didn't stress your muscles in a new way to lead to damage," Torgan says. "If you think of times that you were really sore after a race, typically there's an element that you didn't properly train for, such as not enough hill work. Or you raced significantly faster than your training pace."

AGE LIMIT
As our muscles become conditioned to certain activities, they are less likely to become sore. "Muscles that are stressed will rebuild and adapt and cause less discomfort over time," Torgan says. "Think of it as a survival mechanism." There is, unfortunately, an exception to this rule. As we age, we become more prone to pain. There are two reasons, according to Goldfarb. First, we lose muscle cells—typically because of inactivity, but also just because, shoot, that's part of the aging process. That means there are fewer cells to recruit during a workout. The ones that are engaged will work overtime to get you to the finish line, but they'll also suffer the repercussions: tears and inflammation. Aging also slows down the body's muscle-repair mechanisms. "The protective processes in muscles are down-regulated and our connective tissue doesn't work as well," Goldfarb says.

That's why even the most talented masters runners take extra rest days and spend more time cross-training than they did in their younger years. You can still work hard and perform well as you age—so long as you prioritize recovery.



What a Relief

Achy, sore, tender muscles? Six ways to ease the hurt

ICE BATH Sitting in a cold tub for 10 to 20 minutes after a hard run helps flush out waste products and reduce swelling and tissue breakdown, Allan Goldfarb, Ph.D., says. You can also apply an ice pack to individual sore spots.

HEAT THERAPY "When muscle temperature is increased, blood flow increases, bringing nutrient-rich blood to the damaged muscle," Goldfarb says. Wait 24 hours after a run to apply heat.

ACTIVE RECOVERY Twenty to 30 minutes of low-impact exercise increases blood flow to muscles to reduce trauma and re-establish the body's pH level, Goldfarb says. Cross-training the day after an intense workout can help you recover from a race, speed session, or long run, Carol Torgan, Ph.D., says.

MASSAGE Researchers in Australia found that sports massage may help reduce muscle soreness by as much as 30 percent. "Massage may increase blood flow to the damaged muscles and enhance recovery," says lead study author Ken Nosaka, Ph.D.

GENTLE STRETCHING "Stretching loosens muscles while lengthening them, and this allows them to relax and get back full range of motion," Goldfarb says. Hold gentle stretches for about 30 seconds at a time, postrun.

NSAIDS Aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil and Motrin), and naproxen sodium (Aleve) alleviate muscle soreness by preventing the body from making prostaglandins, substances that control pain and inflammation. "The problem is that NSAIDs slow the repair process by disrupting the re-synthesis of proteins, so use them sparingly," Goldfarb says.

Fully Recycled Running Shoes

They might not be the most technical running shoes, but Worn Again's recycled footwear shows that it is possible to enjoy your favorite sport while respecting the environment literally head to toe. The collection features two unisex styles ofshoes, the model "Escape" and the model "Jack", designed by some of the most creative talent in the United Kingdom, Ajoy Sahu (formerly from Prada) and Asher Clark (from Terra Plana).

Salvaged leather rescued from old automobiles, used coffee bags that have shipped coffee beans from Shanghai to Sichuan, unwanted vintage T-shirts and surplus military jackets denied action, are not the materials you would expect a pair of trainers to be made out of. Both shoes have soles made from recycled rubber, lining from second-hand granddad shirts and the foot beds are covered in reclaimed jeans. Additionally, variation in colour and texture, due to the reused materials, guarantees slight differences in each pair, providing undeniable individuality.

The Worn Again shoe collection (www.wornagain.co.uk) is brought to you by Partners, Terra Plana and Anti-Apathy from a desire to change attitudes and behavior around consumption and recycling. The small, independent companies have joined together with a vision to create a recycled collection in an innovative and aesthetically pleasing way. With an emphasis on improving social and environmental standards in all areas of its operations, Worn Again invites the consumer to become part of a transparent and growing company, which aims to create the ultimate in responsibly-produced footwear.

Part of the profits generated from Worn Again help to support Anti-Apathy's innovative public outreach work, which aims to inspire and engage a wider audience in social and environmental issues. Part of the profits from every pair of sold shoes also goes to Climate Care to offset carbon emissions from the manufacture and transport of the shoes.

Exercise relieves pain from plantar fasciitis

Exercise relieves pain from plantar fasciitis

Medical Daily Staff Writer | 05 November 2010 @ 09:49 am EDT

Researchers have found that treating patients with acute plantar fasciitis with stretching exercise provides better relief than shockwave therapy.

In a study published in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, researchers found that patients responded to stretching exercises and in fact most of them could resume their normal activity.

Around 102 patients with acute plantar fasciitis pain were part of the study. Doctors in the US treat more than two million patients with plantar fasciitis every year, making it the most common cause of pain the bottom of the heal. Most of the patients can find relief doing simple treatment methods.

“The earlier you understand how stretching fits in, and the earlier you learn how frequently to perform the simple plantar stretch, the less likely you will require a more invasive treatment method,” said John Furia, MD, an orthopedic surgeon in Pennsylvania and one of the study authors.

“Shockwave therapy has been shown to be a very effective treatment for patients with chronic plantar fasciitis (pain for more than six to eight weeks), however acute cases are probably best treated with more simple measures,” he added.

Patients are advised by the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS) to use seated position for doing these stretching exercises.

“I am a firm believer in this type of stretch and nearly 80 percent of my patients have shown improvement in just eight weeks of stretching therapy,” said Judy Baumhauer, orthopedic surgeon and president-elect of the American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS), who was not part of the study.

Race Details

Event Details 

Run along a fast and very flat out-and-back course through the area known to locals as the "Olde Naples" section of town, the Naples Daily News Half Marathon takes runners through the city streets, residential neighborhoods and waterfront districts of this south Florida city that lies near the state's southern tip and just a short drive from perhaps its greatest ecological treasure, Everglades National Park.

Sponsored by the Naples Daily News local newspaper and the Gulf Coast Runnersathletic club, the race is a longtime tradition in the Naples area and features both natural and man-made scenery, from the waters of the Gulf of Mexico to the architectural beauty of the multi-million-dollar homes runners pass on their way along the race route.

Following an out-and-back course that starts and finishes in Naples' Cambier Park, runners leave the starting line at 7:00 AM and begin heading first west and then southward along Gordon Drive, which they follow for the next three and a half miles all the way down to the turnaround point at the lands' end spot at the end of the road. There, they turn around and head back along the course they've just run until they hit Kings Town Drive, where they turn and head into the Champrey Bay and Galleons Cove neighborhoods.

Thanks to the race's multiple turnaround points, at the end of Gordon Drive and inside the neighborhoods, runners get a chance to view the elite competitors in the race multiple times and see any friends who are running either ahead or behind them at several points during the race, past participants say. After the stretch of the race along Galleon Drive and the turnaround, runners then head back out of the neighborhood and onto Gordon Drive once again for the reverse route back toward Cambier Park and the finish line festivities.

One of the race's really interesting and unique traditions takes place along the stretch on Galleon Drive, where a clergyman at Trinity-by-the-Cove Episcopal Church blesses the runners passing by (all runners pass by the church twice during the race) with holy water, which has become a landmarkmany runners look forward to in the race each year. 


Race Weather & Climate 

Located along the southern tip of Florida's Gulf coast, just over a two-hour drive west across the Everglades from Miami, the city of Naples tends to see typically mild to moderately warm weather in the winter, with relatively low precipitation compared to the spring and summer seasons. In January, average monthly temperatures range between 75°F and 53°F, while rainfall totals average just over 2 inches for the month.


Fees 

$30 if registered before December 1, 2010
$50 between Dec. 1 - January 9, 2011
$60 between Jan. 10 - 15


Registration 

To reserve your spot in the winter 2011 running of Florida's Naples Daily News Half Marathon,register online at Active.com. 


Website 

www.napleshalfmarathon.net 

Most Common Marathon Injuries

How to Prevent or Keep Racing with Common Marathon Injuries

By Wendy Bumgardner, About.com Guide

Updated November 13, 2008

Running or walking a marathon of 26.2 miles is a grueling endurance challenge. Marathoners need to prepare properly to prevent common injuries. When a minor injury or symptoms of a problem occur during the marathon, learn how to deal with it and whether it is safe to continue to the finish.

1. Blisters

Almost everyone will end the marathon with foot blisters. If you have put in your full training schedule, you will have been toughening your feet and building calluses. You will also have experimented with which combination of shoes, socks, drying agents, covering pads and lubricants work best for you. Blisters endanger your race when they occur in the early miles of the marathon and upset your usual gait for a longer period of time. It is best to stop at the first sign of a hot spot and cover the area with a gel bandage or moleskin pad. If a blister has already developed, you may want to sterilize the area, drain it, and then cover with the bandage or pad.

2. Black Toenails

A black toenail is caused by a blister or blood pooling under the nail. During the marathon, this is most often caused by the repeated trauma of your foot sliding forward in your shoe with each step. You can prevent black toenails by lacing your shoes to retain your heel in the heel cup and prevent your foot sliding forward in the shoe. Often, you only notice the black toenail after the marathon, rather than it hurting during the marathon. You will lose the toenail and it will grow back over the course of three to five months.

3. Chafing

Chafing occurs where skin rubs against skin. Add salt from sweat and you have raw, painful areas. The chief areas that chafe are the underarms, nipples, under-breast area, groin and thighs. As you discover on your long training days which areas chafe, take measures to keep those areas dry with cornstarch, or lubricate them with petroleum jelly or roll-on silicone products. People who don't wear bras should cover their nipples with bandaids to prevent nipple chafing. If your marathon is in a different climate than your training days, you may chafe in new areas. Most marathons provide petroleum jelly at water stops. Take advantage of it to generously lubricate the areas that are chafing.

4. Runners Trots and Nausea

Stomach and bowel upsets are very common during the marathon. Use extreme care in what you eat and drink the 48 hours before the marathon. No spicy foods or alcohol. Do not eat anything unfamiliar. Limit your caffeine before the marathon to the minimum you simply must have. Do not overeat as the sheer volume of food still in your digestive system can be the problem. Avoid dairy products if you are lactose-intolerant. On the course, only use energy snacks and sports drink that you used on your training walks and runs without ill effects. If you are prone to runners trots, try Imodium on your training days first to see if it helps. Know the locations of the porta-johns on the route.

5. Dehydration

It is important to know how your body handles its needs for fluids by keeping track of it on your long training walk or run. Weigh yourself before and after a long session. You should neither have lost or gained weight. Marathon fluid guidelines as of 2005 state that you should let thirst be your guide, unless your experience from weighing on training days shows it is not accurate for you. Signs of dehydration include dry mouth, fatigue, dizziness, stomach ache, back pain, headache, irritability and decreased urination. If you experience these, slow or stop and drink sports drink until you have recovered. It is unwise to continue the marathon once you have these symptoms.

6. Hyponatremia

Hyponatremia occurs when you drink too much fluid and your body doesn't have time to eliminate it. This dilutes the salt concentration in your cells, which is very dangerous. Signs of hyponatremia include nausea, headache, cramps, confusion, slurred speech, bloating and swollen hands. Stop and do not continue with these symptoms. Hyponatremia has killed runners during the marathon. A study at the Boston Marathon showed that hyponatremia is more common in marathon walkers and slow runners, who spend more time on the course drinking more fluids, regardless of whether they drank only water, only sports drink, or a combination. Don't drink when you aren't yet thirsty, unless your experience shows your sense of thirst isn't accurate.

7. Sunburn and Windburn

Wear a hat with a bill to protect your face and the top of your head. Apply sunscreen to every bit of exposed skin, especially your ears. Protect your lips with a sun-protecting lip balm. Marathoners will spend three to nine hours outdoors, at the mercy of the sun and wind. Slower runners and walkers may want to reapply sunscreen at the halfway mark. Don't be afraid to beg some from the course volunteers, they probably brought some along for their own use even if the course doesn't provide it. If you forgot the lip balm, use petroleum jelly at the water stops. For cooler, windy days I like to have a Buff neck gaiter to wear as a balaclava or scarf for extra wind protection.

8. Muscle Cramps

Classic leg cramps can hit you during the marathon, especially if you experience dehydration and salt depletion. If a cramp strikes, stop and gently stretch and massage the cramped muscle. Drink sports drink to replace fluids and salt. But you may also experience strange cramps or muscle spasms in muscles anywhere in your body. This can happen from the strain of using the same posture and gait for several hours. To prevent these, work on proper posture throughout your training walks and runs. During the marathon, think of your posture and relaxing your shoulders. Change up your stride and pace on uphills and downhills. Have fun waving at the crowds or dancing past any on-course bands.

9. Hitting the Wall

Hitting the wall -- completely running out of energy stores in your muscles -- is more common in competitive marathon runners than in slower runners or marathon walkers. Walkers have more time to absorb energy calories from sports drinks and energy snacks. To prevent hitting the wall, drink full-strength sugared sports drink throughout the event. Supplement that with energy gels or other energy snacks to replace the number of calories you are expending, approximately 80-100 per mile. If you feel fatigue on the course, have a snack immediately. If you simply can't go on, stop, snack, drink, and reassess your condition in 10-15 minutes.

10. Sprains, Strains and Stress Fractures

In the crush of runners and walkers, or after long hours on the course, you may sprain an ankle, pull a muscle, or experience astress fracture. Sharp, sudden, extreme pain that isn't a muscle cramp signals you to stop and signal for assistance from the course volunteers.