Month: February 2017

Blisters on the Move

Nicole Lowe McBride3 Comments

pop-blisters

The sun is rising behind the mountains. It’s first rays touching the west side of the valley. Your feet move along the trail, a cool breeze brushes your cheeks. You’ve been training for this race for six months and know this is your day.

And then you feel it. A hot spot begins to develop on your forefoot. Just below your big toe, you know the spot. It’s been an issue in the past, but you haven’t had any problems for months. Since you changed the type of socks you run in. But none of that matters because it’s there now.

What do you do? If you wait you know it will become a blister. Blisters are not good, they can destroy your race, at a minimum you’re going to hurt.

It’s best to deal with blisters as soon as you feel the hot spot or as soon as you know a spot on your foot is going to be problematic. Prevention is the best solution to blisters, but sometimes, regardless of all the blister free socks, shoes, tape, powder, lubrication or whatever, you still get them.

If you’ve done all the prevention you can and know a blister is still a possibility (as it always is); be prepared for them. Take a small blister kit in your hydration pack. They don’t take up much space, well mine don’t.

A mini blister kit should include: a safety pin, alcohol pads, kensiotape and/or hepafix tape and second skin squares. If you get to the offending spot before a blister forms, clean the area with the alcohol pad and tape over it with one of the tapes. If a blister has formed, use the safety pin to drain fluid, after cleaning it and the blister area with the alcohol pads. Make sure the hole you make is in a place where the fluid will continue to be squeezed out as you run to prevent it from refilling. Once this is done, tape over it. If the roof of the blister has ripped off, clean the area with alcohol, put a second skin square down, and tape over it.

If prevention didn’t help and you didn’t come prepared, find something to put between your sock and your shoe to stop the rubbing. A gel wrapper works well or any piece of plastic. You can ask other runners if they have them, if you don’t. No plastic, take your shoe and sock off and see if rearranging things stops the rubbing. Doesn’t help, try running on your foot a little different, just don’t do this for long because it will screw up other things, cause you to fall, or pull some little tendon that will then hurt for the rest of the run.

 

Eat before you run, after you run, or both?

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breakfast

Way back long ago, I never ate before I went out for my morning run. Then my runs grew. My weekday runs went from five miles to 10-12 miles. As they became over an hour, I had to eat something before or take something along. I just got too hungry and my energy would drop off, especially, on harder midweek runs, speed or hills.

When this began to happen, I wasn’t eating solid foods while I ran because my stomach couldn’t tolerate it. I didn’t want to use my Gu on a midweek run, so I opted for eating before my run.

Running with food in your stomach can be a big adjustment for some runners. Others are blessed with the ability to eat pretty much anything and then run or eat it while they run. I am of the later sort.

Training your stomach to run with food in it, is a process. Your other option is to eat far enough in advance of your run that you’ve digested enough of the food that your body doesn’t have to focus on both fueling your body and digesting at the same time. Not many people want to get up an hour earlier to eat before they go out for a run, at least those of us who run at 5 am already. Nor do we want to get up eat, and go back to bed for an hour.

This double focus, digestion and fueling exercising muscles, is what causes the stomach issues. Your body chooses fueling over digestion leaving the food to sit and slosh around as you run.

Not an extra early riser? Start with eating something small that is easy to digest. I began with one slice of toast. I was able to slowly move this to toast with peanut butter and a banana. Eating a small breakfast before I run is a part of my routine, even before races. I eat things I know wont upset my stomach, especially if it’s before a race. I sometimes try new things during training.

Eating after a run is essential if you want your body to be able to gain something from the run you just did. You should eat within 15 minutes of finishing a run. It doesn’t have to be anything big, but make sure it has both carbs and protein, a 4:1 ratio is recommended. Your body just worked hard and it needs nutrients to rebuild muscles and replace energy stores.

If you miss the 15 minute window don’t freak out, just eat something. After your mini meal make sure and get a full meal within about an hour. If you don’t feed your body after a workout, the workout can be mostly pointless. You’ll still get the mental benefits, but not the physical.

Gearing UP

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gearing-up

It’s time to gear up for spring races in the norther hemisphere. Hopefully, you’ve been following a maintenance program through the winter months. How much you need to increase your miles will depend on where you are at and what your race distance is.

If you have a standard training program you’ve found on the internet (you can find mine above) or in a book, find the week that matches what you have been doing and start from there.

As you increase your miles, don’t forget the two golden rules of running: First, only increase your miles by ten percent each week; and second, every fourth week should be a rest week, reduce your miles by twenty to twenty-five percent.

After deciding where to start and working out the details of your training plan, think back to the things you struggled with last season. It could be loads of things, hydration, fueling during runs, falling a lot, climbing, or descending. Ideally, you worked on these issues while you were doing maintenance, but… Once you have a few things you’d like to work on, brainstorm different ways you can address the problem.

Hydration: this is something you have to stay on top of from the very beginning of a race/run. Find a way to remind yourself to keep drinking. Don’t chew gum because it increases saliva. You’ll drink if your mouth gets dry. Try taking little sips frequently or longer pulls every mile (when your garmin beeps). You could count your steps and sip every one hundred. Keep in mind you need to think about electrolytes too.

Fueling on the go: this is another one you have to stay on top of from the beginning of the race/run. You may want to eat something small before the race starts. Don’t over eat the night before to the point where you can’t eat the next morning. Eating something small every hour is the best way to sustain your energy throughout the race/run. Find different things you can tolerate, in case something makes you sick or is just unappetizing. Try different amounts of food too. It may be easier for you to eat more frequently, even every half hour or twenty minutes, just taking bites of things.

Falling a lot: You might just be clumsy, but I doubt it. Muscle imbalances can cause falling as can not paying enough attention to where you are putting your feet. Maybe your feet are not fast enough to prevent tripping or changing your foot placement once you figure out it’s precarious. Another problem could be your balance and proprioception. Muscle imbalances between your outer thigh and inner cause instability in your lower leg, ankle and foot. Having high arches can also cause some instability. Working on agility training with a speed ladder helps with foot placement and being able to move them quickly. Balance, proprioception, and core exercises will help as well.

Climbing and descending: just do it. A lot. You can also add strength training to your routine; for climbing focus on hamstrings and glutes; for descending, core and quads.

The goal is to go into your spring races stronger than you did your pervious fall races and certainly stronger than last spring’s races.

Superfoods?

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superfoods

A superfood is something that is nutritionally dense. Many are plant based, but things like salmon also have made the list. What does it really mean to be a superfood? Is there any research or is it a marketing tool?

There isn’t a set criteria to determine which foods are superfoods. Foods on the superfood list have extra-large doses of vitamins and minerals that can help ward of diseases and support a longer, healthier life, but so do fruits and veggies not on the list. Many of the superfoods are high in antioxidants shown to reduce risk of cancer; healthy fats to reduce the risk of heart disease; fiber which helps with diabetes and digestive problems; or phytochemicals which have many health benefits such as reducing certain heart conditions in young women.

What’s on the list?

Blueberries because they are rich in vitamins, fiber, and phytochemicals (but many other berries are too). Kiwifruit is very similar to berries in its nutritional value. It also contains serotonin, which is linked to depression and sleep.

Beans and whole grains are on the list because of their fiber content, loads of vitamins and minerals which are typically absent in American diets such as manganese. Quinoa is usually lumped in this group but it’s not a grain. It is a great source of protein, vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants.

Nuts and seeds have high levels of minerals and healthy fats. You do have to go easy on them because they are high in calorie, but don’t cut them out of your diet.

Kale and other dark leafy greens such as collards, swiss chard, mustards, spinach, cabbages, and broccoli. These are great sources of vitamin A, C, and K. They also contain fiber, calcium and other minerals. Sweet potatoes and squashes can be thrown into this mix too. Their added benefit is they are sweet and don’t need anything added to them to be loved.

You’ve got salmon, sardines, and mackerel on the list because of their omega-3 fatty acids, which you can also get from many nuts (walnuts are the best) and seeds (flax and chia) as well as vegetables. Omega-3 fatty acids lower your risk of heart disease.

Exotic fruits such as, acai berry, noni fruit, dragon fruit, rambutan and pomegranate, also end up on the list. It’s always fun to try new fruits and veggies, but if you think you’re getting something other superfoods don’t have your wrong.

I’ve also seen the following on the superfood list: goji berries, maca powder, cacao powder, hemp seeds, chia seeds, apples, cranberries, cauliflower, pumpkin, beets, lentils, papaya, seaweed, tomatoes, ginger, garlic, pineapple, spirulina (algae), and avocado, just to name a few.

Bottom line is scientist don’t use the term superfoods to describe any food. It appears that the term has been coined by marketing peeps. The best advice is to reduce the amount of processed food you eat. Buy whole grains, raw sugar, whole fruits and veggies. Eat different colored fruit and veggies.

Returning from an Injury

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ready-set-go

At some point we all end up injured and have to lay off the miles or stop running altogether. It sucks but it’s true. We push our bodies to their limit and then a little more. We don’t like to take rest days and many of us over train. We want to build our miles too quickly; we convince ourselves more is better even when we know it’s not (in theory).

Coming back from an injury can be an arduous process. Especially if your heart and lungs are still at top fitness making you feel like you’re going slow and could be going much faster or further. These modifications are not only good for coming back from an injury, but also for runners who tend to be more injury prone.

When you come back, make sure you have good shoes without a lot of wear and tear. If they are close to retirement, it’s best just to get a new pair. Start with low miles and a slower than normal long run pace. You may have to begin with a walk/run if you are coming back from a serious tear or a fracture. Try to keep the big picture in mind—you want to run for the rest of your life, not just for the next race. That’s always my line for dropping out of a race or for pushing through an injury.

Implement the up and down strategy by having a week of building miles and then have a week of lower steady miles. This is critical if it is a reoccurring or chronic injury. Slowly take out the down weeks as you progress without increased pain. A little pain when recovering from soft tissue injury is okay just make sure it doesn’t go over a 4 on a scale of 1-10. Only increase your miles by ten percent each week. If you’re coming back from a fracture, there shouldn’t be any pain.

Once you have removed the down weeks and are starting to build as you were before the injury, make sure your 4th week, the rest week, is really a rest week. Reduce your miles by 25% or even better take a week of gym time using a low impact machine or even running in the pool. Pool running is a perfect way to come back from a fracture because you can use all your running muscles and remove the impact.

As you increase your miles pay close attention to your form and your gait. You should be able to maintain good form. Also watch for an uneven distribution of your weight toward one side or the other. Either of those will cause a secondary injury.

Remember the goal is to come back stronger than before. You’ll get there; be patient.

Hamstrings-How I Love to Hate Them

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hamstring

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve pulled/strained my hamstring. I’ve done it doing speed work and I’ve done it by stubbing my toe, which caused me to flip my opposite leg back, throw my arms out into a one legged air plane. But, for what it’s worth, I didn’t fall. That was the last time I pulled it. And I’ve been trying to balance continued training with healing since early May of 2016. Yep. I’ve run a marathon, a 50 miler, 64 miles of an ultra-relay, and three 100 milers.

So here I am with it still hurting nine months later. I went to see my orthopedic doctor. I’m pretty sure it’s healed in a deficient way with lots of scar tissue and thus decreased flexibility and catching on the scar tissue as tendons and muscles slide against one another. Hamstrings take forever to heal because they don’t get a ton of blood.

She was impressed that I’ve been able to maintain my running gait/form enough to not cause secondary injuries. She also confirmed my self-diagnosis. The prescription— eccentric strength training. She says it’s pretty painful but thinks I can tolerate it (yeah I have a pretty high pain tolerance). She’s actually surprised I haven’t done online research and started it on my own (she knows me too well). I admit I’ve been negligent on that aspect of training.

She’s sent me to see a physical therapist twice. Once to learn the exercises and once to follow up. The first appointment is three weeks away, so of course I went back home and did the research I should have done eight months ago. I want to share it with you because I know how prevalent hamstring tears and strains are, how chronic they become, and how easy it is to re-injure them after you’ve done it once.

I do quite a bit of hamstring strengthening as it is because of all the climbing I do. It allows me to take some of the pressure off of my quads which I need to descend. I like to think they are well conditioned since I pass a lot of people climbing even late in a race (and with a painful hamstring).

After reading some research and looking over about ten rehab programs, this is what I’ve put together.I’m not a doctor or a physical therapist, listen to them before me. I can’t diagnose or prescribe anything. It’s up to you to decide if this could help you.

  1. Standing hamstring curl 3 x10 up to 4 x 20.
    1. Use an ankle weight if it’s too easy.
  2. Hamstring catches 3 x15
  3. Bridges 3 x 10
  4. Seated hamstring curl with a band 3 x 15
    1. Knee pulled up as close to chest as possible
  5. Single leg hip extensions on a step 3 x10
    1. Elbows on the step, belly up
    2. Knees bent,
    3. Raise one leg while other heel is on the floor,
    4. Foot is dorsiflexed.
  6. Stiff leg dead lifts 3 x 8-12
  7. Single leg ball pick up10 times
    1. Legs staggered like a lunge only your legs are straight.
    2. The ball is by your forward toe
  8. Lunge with a ball 3 x10
  9. Good mornings with bar 3 x10
    1. Use a pushup bar over your shoulders
    2. Feel a little more than shoulder width apart
    3. Knees slightly bent
    4. Bend at the waist until your torso is parallel to the ground
  10. Norwegian leg curls to failure.
    1. Kneel on the floor (you may want cushion under your knees depending on the surface.
    2. Tuck your feet under something that is low to the ground and can support your weight.
    3. Cross your arms over your chest
    4. Slowly lower yourself toward the floor.
  11. Stretching 2-3 times a day.

Remember to do both legs!

HURT 100 Finisher

Nicole Lowe McBride6 Comments

hurt-100-2

The HURT 100 was an incredible event. The entire HURT ohana (family) was welcoming, supportive, and showered every runner with the aloha spirit. I would absolutely go and run this race again. It was a mentally and physically challenging course but in the most beautiful 100 mile way. hurt-100-5

The HURT 100 is run in on the island of O’ahu near Honolulu. It’s a 20 mile loop through the rain forests including the tangled surface root systems of the Banyan trees, the clacking of bamboo, and multiple river crossings. Runners complete the loop five times. The total cumulative elevation gain is 24,500 ft and the same amount of loss for a grand total of 49,000 feet of cumulative elevation change. There are three aid stations on each loop with 5-7 miles between each aid station.

hurt-100-1

Less than 50% of runners who start the HURT finish the HURT. This year 125 runners started and 54 finished. You have 36 hours to finish the race. There are a lot of things that contribute to a DNF (did not finish). It would be interesting if races started tracking reasons for dropping from a race. HURT is a extremely technical race and I would guess many runners drop because they have twisted, sprained, torn, and broken various body parts. The heat and humidity is also a big factor in the DNF rate because it contributes to dehydration, stomach problems, and blisters/chafing.

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I finished HURT in 35 hours and 12 minutes. Not my fastest finish by any means, but a finish. I had two amazing men jump in and pace for me last minute. They live on O’ahu and run the HURT loop about once a week. It was great to get to know them as we made our way through the jungle.

So what did I learn from HURT? 1. train for the race you are going to run. I added hot yoga to my training to prepare for the heat and humidity. It helped immensely. I ran up and down a lot of stairs (the mountains are snowed in here). This helped keep my climbing and descending muscles strong and made sure I focused on foot placement. I also included agility training (thanks Dennis). If you are going to spend a day and a half running through roots and rocks while going up and down mountains, you  best be able to move your feet quickly.

2. Don’t chew gum while you are running because it keeps your mouth wet and you drink less.

3. if it hurts to walk and it hurts to run, run.

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There is a documentary being produced about the HURT 100. Here is a link to the trailer (which I’m in :0) That’s me in the white hat purple shirt kissing Cody at the finish line). HURT does have an amazing story and a beautiful soul. Every ultra course has it’s own personality and soul. I’t’s comprised of the passion and love of the sport through the race director, staff, volunteers and runners, but then there is this piece that you cannot know unless you run the race. It’s the soul of the course itself. Every race I’ve run has a different personality and soul and they draw different types of runners.

 

Mahalo to my HURT ohana and all my readers.