Watchung Hills Municipal Alliance Run 2014

Those looking to enjoy some fall foliage and engage in a small, hometown race can find it in the annual Watchung Hills Municipal Alliance 5-K Run, benefiting Drug Education programs in area schools. Starting and finishing around the bucolic Watchung Lake in Somerset County, the race usually has a field of less than 100 runners, most of them the same, year-after-year. The race has a long sloping uphill and downhill section on Sunlit Drive in Watchung, and a short but challenging hill near the end, on Stirling Road. "Team Mountain Fitness" had about 15 participants in the race this year, myself included. The race date has varied, but this year was held on Sun., Oct. 23rd. It was one of the first true fall days in New Jersey, a brisk 50 degrees at race-time, with a blustery but manageable wind. Running my first race since tearing my right meniscus this summer, I made sure I warmed up over a mile before the start, to loosen up the sore right leg. I also prepped with two Aleve in the morning. Not sure of what to expect, I took it out hard at the flat start, knowing the hills (both up and down) are the roughest on the knees. With a field of about 50, I was in fourth or fifth place in the early going, close enough to the lead to keep me motivated. The first mile marker is halfway up Sunlit, on the steepest part of the race. I think my watch read a disappointing 7:06, but at least I was running without much knee pain. As I've gotten older (my 56th birthday was in September), 5-K's have become more and more of an anaerobic sprint. I basically start at near full-out pace, and just try to maintain it throughout. Let's face facts: my heart-rate max (now 166) and spring in my legs have dropped at about an equal amount through the years, and I just have to be in oxygen debt all the way to have any respectable showing. Strategy? Run as hard as your body allows! With that in mind, I put injury concerns aside, and tried to push the downhill on the second mile to get a decent split. By now alone in fourth place, with no one right in back or front, I passed the two mile mark in 13:50. Now, it was just about maintaining solitary focus. I tried to take advantage of a 1/4 mile flat straightaway on the Mountain Blvd. side of the Lake, and, gasping, pushed as hard as I could up the hill past Water and Wine restaurant. The final 1/4 mile is flat to downhill, and is well-committed to memory from years of running this race, and practicing along the course. Although about a minute slower than my best this year, I was not disappointed to pass the finish line in 21:46, knees still intact! There was a lot of post-race comradeship and picture-taking, and nearly everyone involved got some type of age-group medal. Add in a nice long sleeve T-shirt and some late-morning sunshine peaking through the tall trees - it was good to be able to run and enjoy the low-key charm of the Alliance 5-K!

Running Through Injury

I am running (hobbling) through knee pain! What started as an annoying tightness in both knee-caps early this summer, segued into a torn meniscus in the right knee in August, which was treated with cold laser therapy. Three weeks of swimming and light elliptical followed, before running (ever so gingerly) on the track and gravel paths. Foam rollers and stretching, as well as ice and Aleve followed every run. I've ventured out on the roads since then, even though the difference in surface pounding is noticable. I've also tried some 400-meter repeats, but I'm sure anyone who saw me out on the Watchung Hills track was wondering what that gimpy middle-aged guy was attempting to do! Yesterday, I completed my first hill workout since the injury, and my six-mile tempo runs (unbelievably) have been at the same pace I was doing pre-meniscus tear. The first mile is always a totally painful near-limp. Then the 56-year old legs gradually loosen, and by three miles, I'm usually able to think of something other than my throbbing knee-caps! Going down stairs has gotten more manageable, although I'm still staying away from weighted step-ups and lunges at the gym. The swelling has gone away significantly, but not disappeared, yet. Part of my recovery issue is my profession. I usually train about six clients a day, and like to join in on the walking lunges in the parking lot and "prisoner squats" inside the gym. And then, of course, I have to get my own workout in as well! The upright bike was impossible for me when I first got injured, with the downward force creating too much pressure. I know I'm getting better, because I've been able to resume that cross-training mode. I tried the rower just after the meniscus tear, and the flexion on the knee was not a good idea. I think I can get back to that soon, as well. My real test will be my first 5-K since the injury: the Watchung Hills Municipal Alliance 5-K on Oct. 19th, at Watchung Lake. Many members of our club are entering, and it's usually my last race of the Fall, before the cold weather sets in. Last year, I was battling a groin strain, and struggled through in 21 minutes and change. The year before that, it was an achilles issue...This year, meniscus tear..next year, something else, I'm sure!

Avoiding Dementia

Dementia. The word, itself, is ominous and scary. Living with it, or being a care-giver for a dementia patient, is a true nightmare. We all know someone who's had it. What can you do to not get this dreaded illness? First, a recent syndicated article by Drs. Mehmet Oz and Mike Rotzen pointed out that 25% of Americans have a gene mutation known as APOE4 that increases your dementia risk.So, even if you do everything "right," there is a chance anyone can get dementia. That being said, let's focus on the lifestyle changes that can lessen your risks. First, is to learn to manage stress. Easier said than done, especially here in New Jersey, I think! However, try to compartmenatlize life's challenges, and not make it all-consuming. Often, back and neck pains are stress-related, and of course, heart problems can be triggered by it, too. Find out what is good and relaxing for your mind, whether it's reading a book on the back porch or the daily newspaper. Socializing is important in retaining brain health - connect or re-connect with family and friends, and try to get out and interact every day (Not only by computer!) Just as importantly, get some exercise. Drs. Oz and Rozen point out that people who are physcially fit in middle-age are 35% less likely to develop Alheimer's disease later on. Walking, preferably with the sights and sounds of the outdoors, is great, and an exercise class or health club memebership adds that social element mentioned above. Brain power can actually be increased up into our 80's! Eat a Mediterranean-type diet. Whole grains, cold-water fish, olive oil and nuts, and a lot of fruit and vegetables. Supplement it with flax-seed or Omega 3 fatty acids for increased heart health. Reduce your risk factors. No smoking and limited alcohol. Visit your physician regularly and try to watch for the "silent killers" of high blood pressure, high LDL cholesterol, and diabetes. All of these damage blood vessels that carry blood and oxygen to the brain. This inceases your chances of both dementia or stroke! Try new things to stimulate your brain. An adult-ed class, learning a new language, or a musical instrument (hard as it may be!), are examples of expanding our minds in different directions. Activities that stiimulate the brain in this way during middle-age can stave off dementia for three to eight years, studies say. Don't get caught up in the past, don't let depression get the best of you, interact with friends and family, and exercise. A simple formula to keep your brain healthy for many years!

Too Little Salt?

Prosciutto. "Cape Cod" Vinegar Potato Chips. Soft, "Philly-style," pretzels. Beef Jerky. All guilty pleasures for me, that I enjoy in great moderation, due, in part, to their high salt content. Most research backs up my hesitation, although a new study says the amount of sodium most people consume is okay for heart health, and too little may be as harmful as too much. Runners and heavy exercisers do lose quite a bit of salt during their workouts, which is often replenished by energy-type drinks that mix varying amounts of salt, sugar, and potassium to rehydrate the body. I've always read that the average American gets more than enough salt in their everyday diets without ever having to use a salt shaker. If you think of all the processed foods we have in our diets, that statement must be true. The study that said to look at all salt as part of your overall diet, rather than a single element that needs to be reduced, was published in the August 14th edition of the New England Journal of Medicine. Highlights were published in many newspapers. It was conducted by McMaster's University Population Health Research Institute. The University is located in Canada, and observed 100,000 people in 17 countries from the general population (not just people in high-risk categories.) Ironically, Americans were not included in the study. China had the largest percent of participants (42%). About 40% of the total population studied had high blood pressure. It found that people who consume 3 to 6 grams of sodium a day (about 8 to 15 grams of salt) had the lowest risk of heart problems or death from any cause in the course of the four-year study. More or less sodium raised the risk. Americans average about four grams a day. The American Heart Association recommends no more than 1.5 grams. People who had consumed a large amount of potassium (found in bananas, nuts, salmon, and leafy greens, amongst other sources) seemed to have a counter-balancing effect that offset the sodium. One of the researchers noted, aptly, that it's easier for people to add something that is healthy than to take away a staple like salt. Other scientists and nutritionists feel that, essentially, the higher the salt intake, the greater risk for high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. Simply, the less salt, the less potential problems. I feel balance is the key. If you have a heavily salted meal or snack, counter-balance that with a lot of water to flush it through your system. Your next meal should be low in salt content, to even out the day. Exercise really helps get rid of bad things in your body, too, and keeps the blood pressure regulated. Tuna with mayo on a toasted bagel, with a slice of tomato, and a handful of chips on the side? Delicious! Just drink a ton of water with it, and go out for an eight-mile run later in the day!

Coping with Knee Pain

About a month ago, my right kneecap began to hurt when running. I iced it as much as I could (every time I have the television on!), increased my stretching routine somewhat, and just ran through it. On a run about two weeks ago, I felt a slight tear as I rounded a corner, but finished the eight-mile run, and ran the rest of the week without any more unusual pain. Finally, after a seven-mile tempo run on the treamill at seven-minute pace on a rainy Saturday, my right knee swelled up considerably. I spent the next few days eliminating risk factors. I bought new running and cross-training shoes (I tend to keep mine at least twice as long as shoe experts recommend). I also bought some "joint protectant" products, and took two Aleve daily. Exercise-wise, I did the rower one day (with mixed results), elliptical the next (no pain, but very little perceived "gain"), and swam a mile the third (which felt good, all the way around!). I had an appointment with my Chiropractor/Sports Therapist last Friday, and he found I have a torn lateral meniscus, as well as the beginnings of osteoarthristis in my knee. He performed non-invasive cold laser surgery, which took minutes, and applied spider-web like "kinesio tape" around my knee. One week in, the swelling has gone down considerably, and I'm able to walk around without pain. I'm still swimming a mile a day, and hope to get back to running shortly. In fact, I ran through a parking lot the other day, forgetting completely about my injury, and felt okay. I love running in the summer, and do most of my racing this time of year. I do miss it, but have been able to keep sane, and stay in pretty comparable shape, with my swimming. I see my doctor again later today, and hope to get some rehabilitative stretching ideas from him that I can do. Hope to be back on the roads soon!

Donating Blood for Runners

Two or three times a year, I try to make a blood donation. Most importantly, I think it's a good thing to do. I've read that donating a pint of blood can save up to three lives. Blood reserves are finite, too. In other words, the blood must be used in a certain amount of time to be beneficial to someone. So there is a constant need for donors, particularly in the summer months. My blood is 0-positive, the universal donor, so it's particularly important to help out. I also feel it is good for you to donate. Consider it an "oil change" in your body. You're donating blood cells, and your body is eventually replenishing that amount, in about a month to six weeks. Thus, the 56 day wait in-between donations. You do feel a little light-headed after donating, and it's suggested to refrain from heavy exercise for 24 hours afterward. As it concerns running and fitness, any loss of blood, from bleeding or donation, will affect your performance. The amount of red blood cells in your system, and the amount of blood your heart can pump are the determining factors for oxygen delivery in a healthy runner. The loss of red blood cells is a (temporary) detriment, that is eventually alleviated as the body produces new cells. Simply put, donate in the week after a big race, rather than before, or schedule three a year during down times in your racing schedule. Don't let running or racing be an excuse not to donate - just to do it at the proper time!

It's Official - Runners Live Longer!

Innately, I've always felt my moderate "sort the problems of the day out" runs were doing something to increase my longevity, but not, necesssarily, my performance. And those repeat quarter-miles on the track at mile race pace were increasing my Vo2 max, lactate threshold, and my body's ability to handle pain - but not lengthening my lifespan. In fact, many times, they felt like they were shortening it, considerably! Those feelings were backed up by a recent study by the Iowa State University's Kiniesiology Departemnt, which studied the exercise routines of over 55,000 people, ages 18-100, for 15 years. It found that runners had a 30% lower death rate from all causes, and a 45% lower rate of death from cardiovascular issues. You didn't have to run too far, very fast, or extremely frequently, either. The longevity boost helped everyone who ran even a couple of days a week, at paces slower than 10-minute miles (6.0 on a treadmill), and with less than six miles recorded though a seven-day period. There were no differences by age, sex, Body Mass Index, health conditions, or cigarette or alcohol use. Also, the joggers and recreational runners (say, 2 miles every other day at just above conversational pace) got as much longevity benefits as the serious runners who ran much harder, or longer. It's unknown why the more hard-core runners don't get additional benefits, but the researchers theorize that more intense running may somehow damage the heart, over the long-term. I've also read, separately, that very intense exercise can release free radicals in your body that may increase risk for cancer. The key to longevity was consistency, in the long-term. The runners who saw the most benefit had been at it at least six years, and those individuals had a 50% less chance of death from stroke or heart disease. I don't feel those "problem solving" runs I mentioned above will do much to improve my 5-K time, but it's good to know they could be extending my life. Get out and enjoy running, at any speed!