We are three weeks away from Savannah's inaugural Rock 'n' Roll marathon event!
(Pet peeve alert: Please take note, event planners everywhere, there is no such thing as a "1st Annual Insert-Your-Event-Name-Here." Only after you've had the second one can we be certain that a trend has been established. Cynical, yes, but true.)
I'll be doing the half-marathon this year due to that achilles tendon tear I suffered in August. A couple of our full marathon trainees in the C.R.E.W. training program will be doing likewise. Sorry to say a few others will not be able to race this year due to injuries, but with smart rehabilitation and progressive training they will certainly be racing again! I am not only looking forward to seeing their faces in the cheering section at the November 5th race, but also expect to be running alongside them at the Bridge Run, the Tybee Race Festival, the Shamrock Shuffle, the Komen Race for the Cure, the Savannah Mile, and/or next year's Rock 'n' Roll :-)
Will I be jealous of the full marathoners as they go by? You bet I will. But also absolutely thrilled and electrified to be in their presence, empathizing completely with the effort and exhileration at meeting this astounding goal! And the thrill of it all will seize the day, I know from experience.
In April, 2000, after 12 weeks of training and just 3 weeks before the Sugarloaf, Maine Marathon I tore my quadricep during my last long training run. No running for 3 months, but I was able to volunteer at the race as a bicycle safety marshall. After a good cry at the pre-race pasta dinner, I joined a few hundred runners and a couple of bike marshalls for a very safe and breathtakingly beautiful ride/run down the mountainside. Even saw a moose. Probably would have been too tired to see it while running....
In September, 2006, while not training for anything in particular, I experienced an acute greater trochantric bursitis. It was only 2 months without running that time. Couldn't bike for a time, too, come to think of it. Ooh, I was definitely Ms. Cranky-pants from lack of exercise with that injury! Less than a year later I ran in the San Francisco half-marathon, and I can remember clear as day how elated I was to be running long distance again without pain. Passing the Giants new ballfield in downtown San Francisco, amidst hundreds of cheering spectators including my husband, brothers, nephew and niece, I felt a surge of joy everytime I spotted a runner wearing a full marathon bib number. From 3.1 miles to 26.2 and everywhere in between, there's something very special about each and every finish line, unique in its importance from one runner to the next. I think I cried at the finish line for this one, happy tears for feeling so good.
And I cried tears of pain at the end of 2008's Vermont City Marathon. Note to all runners: Do Not, and I cannot emphasize this enough, Absolutely Do Not Spend 5 Days On Your Feet Working A Trade Show In A Convention Center With Concrete Floors The Week Of Your Marathon Race. Oh lord, that was a painful finish, what a spectacle. A debacle, really.
Let's leave this section on a high note: Tears of joy at the Maine Marathon in 2004 when I finished with a Boston Qualifier time! Even though I had no intention of running with 40,000 people in Boston. And here we are in Savannah about to host 23,000 runners, it's going to be nutsy-crazy-crowded.
Marathoning brings you face to face with your limits. Sometimes your limits are not happy to see you. Sometimes they are. It is a magnificent boost to your self esteem to meet them with a smile and a tear, when you work that hard to rise to a challenge. There's nothing quite like it.
But marathoning could be a metaphor for any challenge you rise to conquer, couldn't it?
And in these last few weeks before the race, a lot of us runners are praying to stay healthy and strong from now until the big day, so all our efforts will not have gone to waste. I am here to assure you, people, that even if, heaven forbid, you get sick or injured between now and then, your efforts will not have been in vain because you have already climbed higher and pushed farther than you ever thought you possibly could -- and you can do it again and go all the way! Even though getting sick or injured now would really suck. No doubt. But it's temporary -- what you've already accomplished is within you forever. And if you want to badly enough, wisely enough, you'll reach new milestones.
Being a coach with Fleet Feet Sport's C.R.E.W. training program has been one of the most rewarding things I have ever done in my running career. To think of the pitfalls, the exasperation, the trials and errors I could have avoided in my marathon training years ago if I had access to a program like this... on this level, it's very gratifying to save these dozens of runners from making those same mistakes. In addition, I have established Savannah connections with amazingly energetic, doggedly determined, and wholeheartedly caring people who share my passion for running -- COOL!
No boundaries between the personal and professional here.
Be Well! See you at the start line on Bay Street on November 5th :-)
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Cholesterol Lowering Options
You can take a statin medication. Doctors have even begun prescribing them, and their patients (some of my clients included) have begun taking them, to prevent a rise in overall blood cholesterol levels where one does not currently exist.
I don't think this is such a great idea. But I'm a fitness professional. I believe in lifestyle change prior to trying prescription medications for chronic lifestyle related conditions. With consistent healthy eating and healthy movement, most can keep their cholesterol in balance most of the time. Not true for all, but certainly most. The same could be said for high blood pressure, type II diabetes, back pain, arthritis, osteoporosis, and so on. Is it easier to swallow a pill? Sure it is. It is not easier to live with the side effects of a pill, unless you keep blinders on and ignore the tangible and intangible effects you suffer. So be it.
If you are willing to take better care of yourself inside and out, if you want to feel better AND have better blood lipid profiles AND enjoy the positive side effects of healthy eating and healthy movement, read on. Here is a link to some research recently reported in the Washington Post about the benefits of adding cholesterol lowering foods to your diet:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/a-better-option-for-low-cholesterol-diets/2011/08/25/gIQAhKMhnJ_story.html?wpisrc=nl_health
Be Well! It's kind of up to you...
I don't think this is such a great idea. But I'm a fitness professional. I believe in lifestyle change prior to trying prescription medications for chronic lifestyle related conditions. With consistent healthy eating and healthy movement, most can keep their cholesterol in balance most of the time. Not true for all, but certainly most. The same could be said for high blood pressure, type II diabetes, back pain, arthritis, osteoporosis, and so on. Is it easier to swallow a pill? Sure it is. It is not easier to live with the side effects of a pill, unless you keep blinders on and ignore the tangible and intangible effects you suffer. So be it.
If you are willing to take better care of yourself inside and out, if you want to feel better AND have better blood lipid profiles AND enjoy the positive side effects of healthy eating and healthy movement, read on. Here is a link to some research recently reported in the Washington Post about the benefits of adding cholesterol lowering foods to your diet:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/a-better-option-for-low-cholesterol-diets/2011/08/25/gIQAhKMhnJ_story.html?wpisrc=nl_health
Be Well! It's kind of up to you...
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Turning On The Jets
This is not about football. Or hot tubs.
Walking home from work at Strong Gym Savannah this week (ask me how much I love love LOVE walking to work!!), I was happily inspired by a couple of seemingly mundane occurences.
Picture, if you will, Trainer Jane strolling southbound on one of the prettiest streets in the United States: Bull Street, Savannah, GA. (Get the street view on google maps, going south from 1321 Bull Street, the location of Strong Gym. Hint hint.) It's a sunny day, close to 90 degrees, but not humid for a very refreshing change.
Walking northbound on the opposite side of the street I see a young family. Man, woman, teenage girl, all in casual clothes, and three boys in football uniforms, complete with pads and carrying their helmets. (Oops, I lied, this is a little about football afterall.) The boys range from roughly 8 to 14 years old. They are laughing and talking on their way to Forsyth Park for football practice. I smile broadly and watch them for about a block. It's always terrific to me to see people walking from point A to point B. Especially when it's more than 20 steps.
Plenty of people walk around here because they can, there are sidewalks everywhere and the weather is pleasant 95 percent of the time. They have the option to drive but choose to live on their feet instead of inside a box with wheels. (I assume it is a choice. If they walk because they have to it remains a very beneficial thing to do.) It makes me smile that they have access to great recreation programs in walking distance. It makes me smile to see families enjoying their activities together, sharing time and experiences. It becomes apparent that I smile at the slightest thing, right?
Just as the northbound family across the street proceeds out of my peripheral vision, I see a young man approaching on my side of the street. A boy, really, a block away from me. He's about 11 or 12 years old, I guess. He's walking briskly. Then suddenly, he turns on the jets and starts sprinting toward and rapidly past me. It didn't look as though he was being chased or he was late or he was chasing anyone himself, he just looked focused on sprinting as fast as he could. And the first thing that popped into my head was, "What's he got to prove?"
Is he showing off his sprint for one of the football-kids across the street? Is he proving it to himself that he can launch that turbo charger on a dime and run faster than he felt like he did before? Is he wondering how winded he gets from sprinting the length of a city block? Is there a crowd cheering in his head for his performance as he crosses his imaginary finish line?
I must have looked like a grinning idiot to other folks on the street, but I just got so tickled for sprinter-boy. It's so fun to have the ability to turn on the jets whenever you feel like it and go flashing around under your own power! As you get older you have to work harder to maintain some percentage of that ability, but when you do the work the results feel almost as good as they did when you were a kid.
I hope football-family and sprinter-boy continue to have the good fortune that allows them the joy of movement, as well as reaping the benefits of movement itself. I also hope they inspire other parents and children by their examples.
Be Well!
Walking home from work at Strong Gym Savannah this week (ask me how much I love love LOVE walking to work!!), I was happily inspired by a couple of seemingly mundane occurences.
Picture, if you will, Trainer Jane strolling southbound on one of the prettiest streets in the United States: Bull Street, Savannah, GA. (Get the street view on google maps, going south from 1321 Bull Street, the location of Strong Gym. Hint hint.) It's a sunny day, close to 90 degrees, but not humid for a very refreshing change.
Walking northbound on the opposite side of the street I see a young family. Man, woman, teenage girl, all in casual clothes, and three boys in football uniforms, complete with pads and carrying their helmets. (Oops, I lied, this is a little about football afterall.) The boys range from roughly 8 to 14 years old. They are laughing and talking on their way to Forsyth Park for football practice. I smile broadly and watch them for about a block. It's always terrific to me to see people walking from point A to point B. Especially when it's more than 20 steps.
Plenty of people walk around here because they can, there are sidewalks everywhere and the weather is pleasant 95 percent of the time. They have the option to drive but choose to live on their feet instead of inside a box with wheels. (I assume it is a choice. If they walk because they have to it remains a very beneficial thing to do.) It makes me smile that they have access to great recreation programs in walking distance. It makes me smile to see families enjoying their activities together, sharing time and experiences. It becomes apparent that I smile at the slightest thing, right?
Just as the northbound family across the street proceeds out of my peripheral vision, I see a young man approaching on my side of the street. A boy, really, a block away from me. He's about 11 or 12 years old, I guess. He's walking briskly. Then suddenly, he turns on the jets and starts sprinting toward and rapidly past me. It didn't look as though he was being chased or he was late or he was chasing anyone himself, he just looked focused on sprinting as fast as he could. And the first thing that popped into my head was, "What's he got to prove?"
Is he showing off his sprint for one of the football-kids across the street? Is he proving it to himself that he can launch that turbo charger on a dime and run faster than he felt like he did before? Is he wondering how winded he gets from sprinting the length of a city block? Is there a crowd cheering in his head for his performance as he crosses his imaginary finish line?
I must have looked like a grinning idiot to other folks on the street, but I just got so tickled for sprinter-boy. It's so fun to have the ability to turn on the jets whenever you feel like it and go flashing around under your own power! As you get older you have to work harder to maintain some percentage of that ability, but when you do the work the results feel almost as good as they did when you were a kid.
I hope football-family and sprinter-boy continue to have the good fortune that allows them the joy of movement, as well as reaping the benefits of movement itself. I also hope they inspire other parents and children by their examples.
Be Well!
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Ouchy. Yes, Trainers Get Injured Sometimes.
I would rather have, treat, and heal well from the injuries associated with my hyper-activity than face the chronic disease and pain which comes with a sedentary lifestyle.
Having said that, it stinks big-time that I can't run right now, smack in the middle of marathon training as one of the coaches of the C.R.E.W. program. I could run, but then I would be risking a much more traumatic injury, an achilles tendon tear or rupture, which would likely keep me from walking, working, and running for quite some time. Not worth the risk.
My local library is helping keep me sane, as I catch up on my long neglected reading list. Biking and pilates and lifting don't hurt, so meanwhile I can keep moving... but alas, it's just not the same.
I have had a slew of upper body, lower body, and back injuries in my career as a fitness professional. Ever tell you about the time I busted my tailbone taking snowboarding lessons? There's only so many times you can land on that same exact spot without breaking. Over time, though, I have gotten much, much better at taking my own advice in terms of listening to my body and incorporating appropriate rest periods into my work and my play. The support and treatment from some very open-minded, energetic, and talented doctors and health practitioners has been a tremendous benefit to healing and pacing myself. Let me thank Dr. Paul Lewandowski, Dr. Tim Maggs, Dr. Todd Titus, Dr. Mark Hyman, Sheila Fridholm LMT, Carl Braun LMT, and Georgia Decker ANP for their guidance.
When joint specific pain occurs, get to a doctor or a physical therapist and get it diagnosed. Period, end of story. When muscle pain lasts longer than a couple of days following vigorous activity, apply the P.R.I.C.E. treatment: Protection; Rest; Ice; Compression; and, Elevation. (In the presence of arthritis in a joint, ice usually feels awful and you may want to forgo it.) If P.R.I.C.E. doesn't work after a week or so, get to a doc or PT and get it diagnosed. If the symptoms are more like nerve pain than muscle pain, get to a doc or PT and get it diagnosed. How do you tell the difference between nerve pain and muscle pain? Nerve pain is usually more sharp, and may include tingling or numbness.
There are various combinations of stretching, stabilizing, and strengthening that can help treat and prevent injury. Athletic tape and kinesiotape can aid in keeping you moving and healing at the same time. Massage therapy, myofascial release, and trigger point therapy can reduce muscle tension, tissue inflammation, and pain. Then there's those good old over-the-counter non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications you know as aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen. Yes, they work. Should you rely on them long term? Talk to your doctor about it. I've read enough research about the liver and kidney problems associated with frequent, long term use of acetaminophen, aspirin, and ibuprofen that I would just as soon avoid them. But, gratefully, I don't live in pain every waking moment of every day.
Nor do I wish to. So I move as vigorously and as wisely as I can, with a liberal sprinkling of methodical, meditative activity. Because human bodies, inside and out, operate at their best when they are in motion most of the time. Not fidgeting or driving... but rather ambulating, pushing and pulling, dancing and reaching! See you on the roads before long, hopefully you'll recognize me, I'll be the one running.
Having said that, it stinks big-time that I can't run right now, smack in the middle of marathon training as one of the coaches of the C.R.E.W. program. I could run, but then I would be risking a much more traumatic injury, an achilles tendon tear or rupture, which would likely keep me from walking, working, and running for quite some time. Not worth the risk.
My local library is helping keep me sane, as I catch up on my long neglected reading list. Biking and pilates and lifting don't hurt, so meanwhile I can keep moving... but alas, it's just not the same.
I have had a slew of upper body, lower body, and back injuries in my career as a fitness professional. Ever tell you about the time I busted my tailbone taking snowboarding lessons? There's only so many times you can land on that same exact spot without breaking. Over time, though, I have gotten much, much better at taking my own advice in terms of listening to my body and incorporating appropriate rest periods into my work and my play. The support and treatment from some very open-minded, energetic, and talented doctors and health practitioners has been a tremendous benefit to healing and pacing myself. Let me thank Dr. Paul Lewandowski, Dr. Tim Maggs, Dr. Todd Titus, Dr. Mark Hyman, Sheila Fridholm LMT, Carl Braun LMT, and Georgia Decker ANP for their guidance.
When joint specific pain occurs, get to a doctor or a physical therapist and get it diagnosed. Period, end of story. When muscle pain lasts longer than a couple of days following vigorous activity, apply the P.R.I.C.E. treatment: Protection; Rest; Ice; Compression; and, Elevation. (In the presence of arthritis in a joint, ice usually feels awful and you may want to forgo it.) If P.R.I.C.E. doesn't work after a week or so, get to a doc or PT and get it diagnosed. If the symptoms are more like nerve pain than muscle pain, get to a doc or PT and get it diagnosed. How do you tell the difference between nerve pain and muscle pain? Nerve pain is usually more sharp, and may include tingling or numbness.
There are various combinations of stretching, stabilizing, and strengthening that can help treat and prevent injury. Athletic tape and kinesiotape can aid in keeping you moving and healing at the same time. Massage therapy, myofascial release, and trigger point therapy can reduce muscle tension, tissue inflammation, and pain. Then there's those good old over-the-counter non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications you know as aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen. Yes, they work. Should you rely on them long term? Talk to your doctor about it. I've read enough research about the liver and kidney problems associated with frequent, long term use of acetaminophen, aspirin, and ibuprofen that I would just as soon avoid them. But, gratefully, I don't live in pain every waking moment of every day.
Nor do I wish to. So I move as vigorously and as wisely as I can, with a liberal sprinkling of methodical, meditative activity. Because human bodies, inside and out, operate at their best when they are in motion most of the time. Not fidgeting or driving... but rather ambulating, pushing and pulling, dancing and reaching! See you on the roads before long, hopefully you'll recognize me, I'll be the one running.
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Fit and Thin Are Not The Same
From all walks of life, from people of all ages, I hear the statement, the question, the judgement: That people who are large, or fat, or stout, or "zaftig" -- whatever the heck -- are unhealthy, unfit, worse still, unworthy in some intrinsic or even moral way.
Can obesity be unhealthy? Certainly, when obesity is associated with a lack of regular exercise. But not always so please, don't assume it -- research conducted by Steven Blair at the Cooper Institute for Aerobics, by Glenn Gaesser at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, and David Levitsky at Cornell University demonstrates that fitness is attained regardless of weight. I once hired a woman fitness instructor who was easily over 200 pounds to lead classes in my studio. Boy, was she fit for the job... she was an energetic and engaging teacher, her choreography was fun and flowing, she was more flexible than I could ever dream of, as she had been a gymnast in high school. And her classes were packed with people. Yes, people of all sizes.
Inactivity is the problem. Being overfat isn't a cause of disease if you are active. Being "normal-weight" and inactive, or underfat and inactive, is just as hazardous to your health as being overfat and inactive. "Oh, you're thin, you don't need to exercise." Rubbish. Everyone needs to exercise, because it's vital to your overall health.
It'd be nice to see people who are comfortable in their own skin, regardless of how much skin they're in, and for people to be more comfortable with each other about it. Yes, even on the beach at Tybee. It'd be nice to hear people talking about quality in and quality out, feeling better from the inside out with healthy food choices, healthy activity, and a healthy outlook on life, whatever size they are. Not hating their friends for being thinner than they are, as if thin = better person or thin = happiness. Have you found yourself feeling sorry for someone who's big... and feels good about it? Maybe it's not delusional to be big and happy.
That's my opinion, sorry if I'm getting preachy but hey, it's my blog and I'll preach if I want to --preach if I want to -- pre-e-e-e-eeach if I want to! :-D
On a lighter note, Red Hot Mama Sophie Tucker had her own reasons for being happy just the way she was... Enjoy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PwH3Ep8DVQ&feature=related
Can obesity be unhealthy? Certainly, when obesity is associated with a lack of regular exercise. But not always so please, don't assume it -- research conducted by Steven Blair at the Cooper Institute for Aerobics, by Glenn Gaesser at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, and David Levitsky at Cornell University demonstrates that fitness is attained regardless of weight. I once hired a woman fitness instructor who was easily over 200 pounds to lead classes in my studio. Boy, was she fit for the job... she was an energetic and engaging teacher, her choreography was fun and flowing, she was more flexible than I could ever dream of, as she had been a gymnast in high school. And her classes were packed with people. Yes, people of all sizes.
Inactivity is the problem. Being overfat isn't a cause of disease if you are active. Being "normal-weight" and inactive, or underfat and inactive, is just as hazardous to your health as being overfat and inactive. "Oh, you're thin, you don't need to exercise." Rubbish. Everyone needs to exercise, because it's vital to your overall health.
It'd be nice to see people who are comfortable in their own skin, regardless of how much skin they're in, and for people to be more comfortable with each other about it. Yes, even on the beach at Tybee. It'd be nice to hear people talking about quality in and quality out, feeling better from the inside out with healthy food choices, healthy activity, and a healthy outlook on life, whatever size they are. Not hating their friends for being thinner than they are, as if thin = better person or thin = happiness. Have you found yourself feeling sorry for someone who's big... and feels good about it? Maybe it's not delusional to be big and happy.
That's my opinion, sorry if I'm getting preachy but hey, it's my blog and I'll preach if I want to --preach if I want to -- pre-e-e-e-eeach if I want to! :-D
On a lighter note, Red Hot Mama Sophie Tucker had her own reasons for being happy just the way she was... Enjoy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PwH3Ep8DVQ&feature=related
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Snappy Answers to Common Questions from Long Distance Runners
You will need the following toolkit:
A voice.
A straight pin or safety pin.
A handful of cotton swabs.
Adhesive bandages.
A bottle of hydrogen peroxide that is less than 10 years old.
Q: What do I do about this blister on my (insert part of foot rubbing raw on sneaker) ?
A: Get your toolkit. Swab the blister with HP. Swab the pin with HP. Stick the blister with the pin and drain the fluid. Swab the former blister with HP. Cover with adhesive bandage.
Q: What do I do about this bruise under my toenail ?
A: Toolkit :-) Swab under the top of the nail with HP. Swab the pin with HP. Slowly, carefully slide the pin under the nail, between the nail and the bed. Press down on your angry nail to drain the fluid out from under it. Swab under top edge of the nail again with HP. I know, EEEEWWWWWW. But what you have is in effect a blister under your toenail, and if you leave it alone without draining it, it will hurt a lot and it will eventually cause your nail to lift away from the nailbed and fall off. Which isn't fatal or even horribly painful, but it is extremely unattractive.
To prevent toenail bruising, wear thinner socks or larger shoes or shoes with a larger toebox to minimize toe friction. Also, take note as to whether you are digging or clawing your toes down during your stride. Wiggle them loose from time to time. They get tense when you're working hard on those miles, after all.
Q: What do I do about the bee sting I got in the car on my way home from the long run ?
A: Time to employ your voice tool. Yell, "OW!" really loud, because I don't care who you are, bee stings hurt a real whole lot. Scrape the stinger out sideways ASAP. Smush the bee and put it out of its misery, it's dying without its stinger anyway. Since you were driving to Starbucks on the way home, pull in and use your voice again to ask the nice person at the counter for a couple of ice cubes (before or after you order your coffee, up to you) because you just got stung by a bee. This will distract him or her from commenting on what a sweaty, rancid-smelling mess you are after having run a dozen or so miles in the nearly-90 degree Savannah morning heat. See, LD runners have quite enough unattractiveness going, thank you. Put the ice on your rapidly swelling, just stung body part to provide a cooling analgesic effect and reduce the swelling. If you are allergic, forget everything in this paragraph after, "Scrape the stinger..." and get an epi-pen stuck in you ASAP.
Nope, I do not know when the bee got in.
A voice.
A straight pin or safety pin.
A handful of cotton swabs.
Adhesive bandages.
A bottle of hydrogen peroxide that is less than 10 years old.
Q: What do I do about this blister on my (insert part of foot rubbing raw on sneaker) ?
A: Get your toolkit. Swab the blister with HP. Swab the pin with HP. Stick the blister with the pin and drain the fluid. Swab the former blister with HP. Cover with adhesive bandage.
Q: What do I do about this bruise under my toenail ?
A: Toolkit :-) Swab under the top of the nail with HP. Swab the pin with HP. Slowly, carefully slide the pin under the nail, between the nail and the bed. Press down on your angry nail to drain the fluid out from under it. Swab under top edge of the nail again with HP. I know, EEEEWWWWWW. But what you have is in effect a blister under your toenail, and if you leave it alone without draining it, it will hurt a lot and it will eventually cause your nail to lift away from the nailbed and fall off. Which isn't fatal or even horribly painful, but it is extremely unattractive.
To prevent toenail bruising, wear thinner socks or larger shoes or shoes with a larger toebox to minimize toe friction. Also, take note as to whether you are digging or clawing your toes down during your stride. Wiggle them loose from time to time. They get tense when you're working hard on those miles, after all.
Q: What do I do about the bee sting I got in the car on my way home from the long run ?
A: Time to employ your voice tool. Yell, "OW!" really loud, because I don't care who you are, bee stings hurt a real whole lot. Scrape the stinger out sideways ASAP. Smush the bee and put it out of its misery, it's dying without its stinger anyway. Since you were driving to Starbucks on the way home, pull in and use your voice again to ask the nice person at the counter for a couple of ice cubes (before or after you order your coffee, up to you) because you just got stung by a bee. This will distract him or her from commenting on what a sweaty, rancid-smelling mess you are after having run a dozen or so miles in the nearly-90 degree Savannah morning heat. See, LD runners have quite enough unattractiveness going, thank you. Put the ice on your rapidly swelling, just stung body part to provide a cooling analgesic effect and reduce the swelling. If you are allergic, forget everything in this paragraph after, "Scrape the stinger..." and get an epi-pen stuck in you ASAP.
Nope, I do not know when the bee got in.
Summer Training for Kids
This is reprinted from a reprinted blog (redundancy intended) by Mike Boyle, a phenomenal hockey coach, athletic trainer, and training facility owner in New England, who spends a lot of time sharing his expertise and perspective with personal trainers and athletic trainers alike. LOVE THIS GUY! Here he is:
Question - I need to put together a summer plan for my 9 yr
old hockey team. Obviously I don’t want to look like a crazy
person, but it would be something that I think could be good
for my own kids as well. Is it too young?
My first reaction was to say “are you crazy”? Instead, slightly
tongue-in-cheek I developed the plan below.
Step 1- play another sport. Lacrosse is highly recommended as
it has similar skills to hockey although baseball is fine. This
does not mean another sport in addition to hockey. Summer is the
off season.
Step 2- Cancel all hockey camp registrations except 1 week.
Pick your favorite that has the largest number of y our friends
attending and go to that one. Ideally look for a camp that only
has you on the ice once a day. No need to get blisters. You won’t
get better in a week anyway.
Step 3- Cancel any summer hockey leagues you are scheduled for.
The best players in the world never play summer hockey and, they
never have. The only conceivable exception would be a weekly skill
session lasting one hour. Another exception would be “play”. If
ice is available and the kids can play, let them. Please remember
play means NO COACHES or COACHING.
Step 4- Reread steps 1-3. Acknowledge that the key problem in
youth sports is applying adult values to children’s activities.
Step 5- Go to the nearest bike shop. Get nice bikes for everyone
in the family
Step 6- Ride the bikes, not in a race. For fun. Maybe put a few
hockey cards in the spokes to make noise.
Step 7- Head to Walmart and buy fishing rods.
Step 8- Take the fishing rods to the nearest lake and fish.
Now That is an off-season plan for any nine year old.
Step 9- repeat steps 5-8 while continually rereading steps 1-3
Question - I need to put together a summer plan for my 9 yr
old hockey team. Obviously I don’t want to look like a crazy
person, but it would be something that I think could be good
for my own kids as well. Is it too young?
My first reaction was to say “are you crazy”? Instead, slightly
tongue-in-cheek I developed the plan below.
Step 1- play another sport. Lacrosse is highly recommended as
it has similar skills to hockey although baseball is fine. This
does not mean another sport in addition to hockey. Summer is the
off season.
Step 2- Cancel all hockey camp registrations except 1 week.
Pick your favorite that has the largest number of y our friends
attending and go to that one. Ideally look for a camp that only
has you on the ice once a day. No need to get blisters. You won’t
get better in a week anyway.
Step 3- Cancel any summer hockey leagues you are scheduled for.
The best players in the world never play summer hockey and, they
never have. The only conceivable exception would be a weekly skill
session lasting one hour. Another exception would be “play”. If
ice is available and the kids can play, let them. Please remember
play means NO COACHES or COACHING.
Step 4- Reread steps 1-3. Acknowledge that the key problem in
youth sports is applying adult values to children’s activities.
Step 5- Go to the nearest bike shop. Get nice bikes for everyone
in the family
Step 6- Ride the bikes, not in a race. For fun. Maybe put a few
hockey cards in the spokes to make noise.
Step 7- Head to Walmart and buy fishing rods.
Step 8- Take the fishing rods to the nearest lake and fish.
Now That is an off-season plan for any nine year old.
Step 9- repeat steps 5-8 while continually rereading steps 1-3
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)