Almonds and other nuts are easy to add to your diet.  Sprinkle them in salads or pasta dishes, use as a topping for casseroles, or my personal favorite, add chopped up almonds to a bowl of oatmeal.  You can make your own trail mix, too.  Mix almonds with soy nuts, dried fruit and chocolate bits for an on the go treat.  I also recommend trying almond butter which is lighter and has more health benefits than peanut butter.  Try it spread on whole wheat toast or on a whole grain tortilla topped with raisins and rolled up.  Store nuts in an air-tight container such as a zipper bag in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.  Or place them in the freezer.  Almonds will keep between two and four months in a bag and one to two months longer when in the freezer.

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A 5K is the perfect distance.  You don’t have to be in amazing shape to run 3.1 miles, in fact, many walkers enter 5Ks.  If you’ve hit a rut a 5K will help you see how far you’ve come since you started running, stirring up memories of that person that never thought they’d run in an actual race!  Or, if it’s been awhile since you hit the road, running a 5K will jump start your routine.  Your time probably will be slower than it was when you were running regularly, and this will be motivating.  You’ll remember a fitter, healthier you and you’ll work to get back to that person.  Lastly, if you’ve been running consistently and are looking for a challenge a 5K can provide just that.  You will be able to run with a group of like-minded people and it will inspire you.  Likewise, you may push yourself to a pace you didn’t think you could run.

Regardless of why you decide you sign up for a 5K, make sure to seek out a race that has perks you’ll enjoy (some people like the beer garden while others are more interested in the tech t-shirt)!  Most of all, make it a fun even you will remember.

Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/dawn-pinkchick/2919558349/

Be an Early Bird

Run as early in the morning as possible.  Summer days are some of the longest days of the year so it gets light earlier making it safer to run in the early morning.  You’ll be able to combat the combination of heat rising from the pavement and the sun beating down which make running virtually impossible.

Plan Your Route

Pick a running course near the water, where there’s a nice breeze or where there’s a lot of shade to help you stay cool.

Take a Sponge Bath

Carry a sponge during a race or long run.  Wet the sponge at water stops, sponge off, then place the cool sponge in your hat to keep your head cool.

Trust Your Heart

Use a heart rate monitor.  In extreme heat you may feel like you are barley moving but your heart rate monitor can tell another story.  Trust the monitor to tell you how hard you are working.

Be Inventive

Escape the heat by heading to the gym.  Run on the treadmill for half your distance then hit the pool for some aqua jogging.  Or run to the gym, cross train, then run home.  Whatever you do keep it fun!

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What’s the best way to cross train?  Strength training is great.  As you build muscle, your body becomes a more efficient machine.  Muscle helps to cushion joints, too.  If you are looking for something to get your heart-rate up trying biking or swimming.  Both are low impact and can be a lot of fun.  At the gym, hop on either the recombinant or upright bike, or try a spinning class (just be sure to arrive to the class about 15 minutes early to insure you get a bike and so the instructor can help you adjust the bike for optimal comfort).  You can also hit the road on a road bike or the trails on a mountain bike.  You’ll enjoy the fresh air and the multitude of places to discover.  If the idea of swimming laps sounds daunting, don’t fret.  While swimming laps is a great workout, it’s not the only thing you can do in the pool to cross train.  Slap on a floatation belt and “run” in the deep end.  Pay attention to your form and use the water to make improvements you’ll see on land.  Most of all, have fun.  Try not to get intimidated by incorporating cross training into your routine.  Find something you like and do it.  It will pay off!

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Many dieters shy away from strength training. They fear building muscle is akin to building bulk and adding on pounds. As a runner, however, it is important to strive for balance between running and strength training. Dieters know that an hour of intense cardiovascular training burns more calories than an hour of strength training. If you’re pressed for time it would seem that running would provide more bang for your buck, leading to greater weight loss than pumping iron. The truth is that taking time to add strength training to your routine a few days a week has many benefits that can actually boost weight loss. Studies have shown that strength training can improve body composition by helping maintain or increase your lean body mass thus decreasing your percentage of body fat. Less fat makes you look leaner and burns additional calories. Here’s how it works:

Muscle Burns More Calories

Typically, your body uses 4.5 to seven calories per pound of muscle every day. But fat burns almost nothing at rest. It follows that if a 160 pound runner with 20 percent body fat increases his muscle mass and decreases his body fat to 15 percent, he’ll burn an extra 36 to 56 calories a day at rest, simply by adding muscle.

In addition, runners benefit from strength training since it helps you to be more efficient, and to run faster and longer. Runner who strength train are less injury prone, too. Strength training increases your joint stability and strength.

Both runners and dieters can benefit from strength training. There are many free online resources to help you find a lifting regimen that will work for you. Good luck!

Photo Credit:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/spine/546150140/

Today’s food of interest is eggs.  Eggs boast some great health benefits and are easy to add to your diet.  They are also very economical.  Last week I bought a dozen eggs for $0.99!  Read on for more info on the incredible egg.

All About Eggs

One egg fulfills around 10 percent of your daily protein needs.  Runners need protein to re-build muscle and promote recovery.  And did you know egg protein is the most complete food protein short of human breast milk.  That is to say, eggs contain all the crucial amino acids your body needs.  One egg also contains about 30 percent of your daily value for vitamin K, vital for healthy bones.  This nutrition powerhouse also includes choline and leutin.  Choline aids in brain function and leutin is a pigment necessary for healthy eyes.  You can also find eggs enhanced with omega-3 fatty acids and further increase your intake of healthy fats.  In the past many were turned off of eggs due to the amount of cholesterol they contain, but studies have shown egg eaters have a lower risk for heart disease than those who avoid eggs.

Ways to Enjoy Eggs

Eggs can be enjoyed many ways.  Whether boiled, scrambled, poached or fried, eggs are great anytime.  Our family loves having breakfast for dinner.  Eggs can be used as a base for skillet meals, casseroles or quiches.  Or include them in sandwiches, burritos, or wraps as you would meat fillers.

Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/becstarr/362173963/

Workouts to get you running again an back into the swing of running.

What happens when life gets crazy?  You miss a run.  Then you miss another and with each passing day it becomes harder and harder to get back in the swing of things and start running again.  If you just pick up where you left off, say a 30 minute run, you’re a likely to feel sore the next day.  You may have sore muscles but your ego will probably be a little sore, too.  You’ll remember when running for 30 minutes was easy and you will probably feel a little discouraged.  These workouts are designed to help you gradually get back into the running groove, and keep it up.

Five Minutes:

If you’ve had an especially long running hiatus, just five minutes of running will be enough to give you an energy boost, and it won’t leave you tired.  Try this:  run for two and a half minutes from your starting point, then take a break and run back.  The next time you go out, build on this base and add another segment with a walk break in between.  You’re running for ten minutes!  As you begin to feel stronger add more segments and decrease your rest or walk breaks.  Gradually, you will build a foundation and in the mean time, running will begin to feel more natural.

10 Minutes:

For 10-15 minutes, alternate running for 30 seconds and walking for 30 seconds.  The running segments will be easy to handle both mentally and physically, and the walk breaks will give your muscles a chance to recover.  Once this becomes comfortable, increase your run by five to 10 minutes every other day.  Over time, decrease your walk breaks and increase the time you spend running.

Building Blocks:

Scope out a quiet block near your home or office and set a goal to run around the block just once.  Each time you run try to increase the amount of times you circle the block by one time.  To keep it interesting develop new routes.  As you take on more blocks, you’ll learn the neighborhood, and be back in the swing of running!

Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/hamed/258971456/

Last week was all about common mid-run mishaps; what to do when you get a blister, roll your ankle or get a muscle cramp. This week we will deal with several other common and pesky mid-run mishaps. We will also cover how to overcome them.

Mishap: Side Stitch

Recover: While running, note which foot is striking the ground when you exhale and when you inhale, then reverse it. For example, if your left foot strikes the ground when you inhale, and your right foot strikes when you exhale, switch it up so that you exhale when your left foot strikes the ground and inhale when your right foot strikes the ground. You may find additional relief if you breathe like you are breathing through a straw while switching your stride and inhalation pattern. Finally, if nothing seems to work stop running, stretch your arms above your head, and bend at the waist to the opposite side of the stitch.

Mishap: Stumble and Fall

Recover: Get up, and then assess yourself. Are you bleeding? If so how badly? Road rash and other minor scrapes can be addressed later, but if you are losing a lot of blood you will need to get immediate attention. At first, running might seem difficult, especially if your heart rate is elevated from your fall, but if you keep going it will get easier.

Mishap: Stiffness After a Pit Stop

Recover: When you stop for water, keep your break brief – less than two minutes. Don’t stop moving; instead walk during your pit stop. Lastly, start back up slowly and steadily increase your pace until you achieve your race pace.

Implementing this strategies will help you overcome any mid-run mishap so you can continue racing or training with easy. I hope this tips help you!

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Mishap: Blister

Recover: In a short run or race, keep going.  Otherwise, it’s best to confront a blister before it throws off your stride.  Covering the blister with a Band-Aid or moleskin is ideal.  If an aid station or home is miles away try adjusting your laces.  Tighten them to prevent rubbing, loosen them to relieve pressure on a hot spot.

Mishap: Muscle Cramp

Recover: Stop running and apply pressure to the muscle for 15 seconds, do not massage it.  Stretch the muscle, gently then repeat the cycle (pressure/stretch) until the cramp subsides.  Walk first, the slowly increase your pass.

Mishap: Ankle Turn

Recover: If you suffered a minor sprain, your first few steps might be painful, but if you continue to run your ankle will loosen up and allow you to proceed with your run.  However, you should stop if your pain increases with each step, a sign of a fracture.

These mishaps happen to everyone, but with these tips you should be able to get back into the game in no time.  Stay tuned next week as we address several other mid run mishaps including side stiches, falling and stiffness after a pit stop.  Until then, happy running.

Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/anitzsche/271557876/

Many runners have heard of fartlek training but not everyone knows what this type of training is and how it can impact your running. Fartlek is Swedish for “speed play.” When you run fartleks you force your body to work both aerobically and anaerobically. In other words, you work your body with and without oxygen making it a more efficient machine, thus increasing your ability to run at a faster pace.

A basic fartlek workout might look something like this:

• Warm Up: easy run, 5-10 minutes
• Work: steady, hard speed for 1-1.5 miles (this should be hard enough that you could answer a question if you were asked, but you’d rather not talk)
• Recovery: speed walk for about 5 minutes
• Start Speed Work: easy run with sprints mixed in, usually sprint 50 meters or so then settle back into an easy pace, repeat until tired
• Easy Running: easy run with a few quick steps now and then thus simulating suddenly speeding up to prevent being overtaken by another runner
• Full Speed: run full speed, uphill for 175-200 meters
• Fast Pace: run at the “work” pace for 1 minute
• Repeat the routine for the amount of time prescribed for your workout.
• Cool Down: easy run, 5-10 minutes

The above workout might look a little daunting. I understand. The beauty of fartlek training is that it can be customized for any level of athlete. The key is to work your body at 60-80% of its maximum heart rate then to let it recover, then repeat, if you can. For example, telephone poles and other landmarks make it easy to run fartleks. Choose a landmark and run towards it, gradually picking up the pace, running fast but not all out. Then hold that pace for the last 20 steps or so while concentrating on relaxing and allowing your momentum to take over. Recover for about half the time it took you to run the fartlek and repeat.

Give fartleks a try and see how adding just a little speed work can greatly increase your body’s ability to perform!

Photo Credit: Duncan Rawlinson, http://TheLastMinuteBlog.com