Runner’s body rebels, but there’s still hope for a strong finish

You can follow C.J.’s day-to-day training on her twitter page and watch for her stories in the Los Angeles Daily News.

By C.J. Lin, Daily News Staff Writer
Posted: 12/11/2011 01:00:00 AM PST

One step forward, two steps back.

Unfortunately, that’s not very helpful when you’re trying to run a marathon.

For the last few weeks, my training has been at a literal standstill.

I did eight miles one freezing morning about a month after I started running, and I guess I pushed too much too soon. What I thought was a lingering soreness in the arches of my feet was actually plantar fasciitis, where the tissue connecting the heel to toes becomes inflamed.

Oh, and somehow I blew out my knees, too.

Unfortunately, (again) these types of injuries are inevitable for runners, whether they be newbies or veterans, said Rayna Drago, coach of the L.A. Roadrunners marathon training group in Westlake Village.

“Marathon running is a real shock to your body,” Drago said. “Even if you’ve been athletic, it’s just something different for your body to take in all those miles. Your body is just waking up and saying, `Hello, what are we doing here?”‘

The most common injuries are shin splints, runner’s knee, plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendonitis, and some type of foot fracture, according to Dr. John Pagliano, a Long Beach sports medicine podiatrist.

And there’s more bad news – they’ll probably keep popping up for the first year for new runners.

“Your body’s just kind of got to learn what’s coming,” Drago said. “But it does subside after the first year.”

I don’t have a year. I only have three more months until the L.A. Marathon.

Suffice it to say, I’m getting pretty nervous. The finish line always seemed just a bit out of my reach, but even more so now.

But, I (and you) shouldn’t be discouraged, Drago said.

“It’s more frustrating than anything,” Drago said. “But it’s good when it happens at the beginning of training rather than at the end.”

For these types of overuse injuries, it doesn’t take too long to heal and get back up to speed, Drago said.

Be sure to ice anything that hurts and rest. But the key is to keep moving, just not in high-impact exercises.

“It’s also for your mental balance, that if you’re not running, at least I’m doing something,” she said.

Take a break by hopping on a bike, getting on the elliptical, going for a walk, swimming laps or even jogging in the pool, Drago said.

Take ibuprofen for the pain, and make sure you stretch sufficiently.

You’ll want to build up the muscles around the knee by doing strength training such as squats and lunges to help support you on those long miles, according to experts.

Pagliano recommends strength workouts three times a week on alternate days, which should include upper body strengthening.

And if the pain lingers for more than two weeks, that’s when you should go see someone.

Some tips to avoid running injuries include: shortening your stride, running on even surfaces, cross-training, and getting shoes fitted to your gait at a specialty running store, according to Runners’ World magazine.

So, there’s hope yet. I just have to take it easy for a couple of weeks.

“It’s possible to get right back out there and get back on it,” Drago said.

“And your body will just come along for the ride.”

Holiday Survival Guide

We’re bringing back an oldie, but goodie!  Our Holiday Survival Guide has 10 nutrition and running tips to get you through the Holiday Season and its festivities without slowing you down!

Whether you’re a seasoned athlete or an everyday Joe, the season from Thanksgiving through New Year’s can wreak havoc on the waistline – and more. Rod Dixon, LA Marathon Director of Training, and Matt Mahowald, LA Marathon Nutrition and Supplement Consultant, offer their tips for enjoying the holidays – and holiday menus – without sabotaging your diet, exercise or training routine.

1. Never show up hungry to a holiday party or meal. Make sure you have a big breakfast and enjoy at least two good meals or snacks before the feast. This will minimize the amount of overeating. For instance, 12 almonds and an apple will help to quell your appetite so that when you get to that meal you don’t overeat.
2. The most important item during the holiday season is water. Water helps your body synthesize carbs. It helps with the high and lows of blood sugar that come with desserts and sweets that we don’t normally have in our diet.
3. If you are going to attend a holiday party and plan on drinking alcohol, consume a full eight to 10 ounces of water in addition to a beverage of your choice. This will minimize the amount of alcohol you drink.
4. When eating appetizers or pot luck style, the best choices are vegetables, lean proteins and fruits. If you’re designated to bring a dish to a gathering, bring something that’s a healthy choice for yourself. You never know what’s going to be presented in front of you and you always want to have good options.
5. Fill your plate modestly, and wait 30 minutes after you finish before going back for seconds. This will allow your blood sugar and insulin levels to adjust. You may find that you won’t really be hungry for that second plate.
6. Treat dessert as a treat. Serve yourself a small portion, and stop there.
7. A good cardiovascular workout for 2-3 days after your holiday will help deplete excess storage of carbs and fat that you picked up during the holiday.
8. If it’s possible, throw in an extra two days of 30 minute cardiovascular activity. Remember that walking is just as good as a slow jog and easier on your body.
9. Consistency is key to your exercise program. Don’t let the holidays derail you by missing too many days in a row of your routine. Don’t try to make up what you’ve missed by overtraining – just get back on your plan.
10. Remember that it is a holiday, so do let yourself enjoy. The following day wake up and get right back on your food plan and exercise.

A support system can go a long way

Follow Rachel’s day-to-day training on her twitter and facebook pages and read more of Rachel’s marathon experience every other Sunday in the San Gabriel Valley Tribune.

By Rachel Luna, Staff Writer
Posted: 12/04/2011 06:37:06 PM PST

It’s official. I ran a half marathon. Well, a half marathon length (13.1miles) in my training, not a race.

But it still counts. It’s definitely a major breakthrough.

My training group even rewarded me with a chocolate medal of excellence for my accomplishment, which I ate shortly after showing it off.

Hunger and a desire for a chocolate treat are to blame. It was my first running award … darn!

My photo instincts managed to kick in just in time to snap a memorable photo before it was too late.

It’s the little things keeping me running. I’ve gotten so used to having a support group behind me through this experience.

And there’s nothing better than training with a group to top it all off.

Each Saturday, 200 of my closest running buddies from the Inland Empire L.A. Roadrunners and I run together, encouraging one another to keep up the training and stay focused on our marathon goal.

The program has become an automatic reliance to keep my training consistent. The extra bonuses with being a part of a running group are all the water stations that keep me hydrated along the routes and the complimentary treats table to enjoy after a long run with everybody.

I don’t have to worry about a thing when I stick with the group.

However, I faced a big hurdle when I had to complete the 13-mile-training. I had to do it alone and had no idea what to expect. Without my accustomed “safety net,” I prepared myself for a lonely half marathon in the Northern California countryside in the middle of nowhere.

It was a thrill knowing I’d reach the half marathon point, but nerve-wracking to face the reality I wouldn’t have anyone talk to or train with during the run.

It was a long run – a two hour and 52 minute run/walk to be exact (it took a little longer because I kept slowing down to take photos). But it flew by.

And the best part was I still had my support group interacting with me via social media. I got the pleasure of sharing my experience of running in the boonies with others.

It helps that I’ve somewhat learned how to tweet while running … when it’s safe.

My first half marathon experience was an unusual accomplishment in my training process. It never felt like the lonely 13.1 miles I expected.

So to all my running mates, followers and readers out there, thanks for your continued support in my endeavor.

I’m nearly halfway through it and at the rate I’m going, I think it’s safe to say I’m going to stick around to see how my adventure ends.

Design an LA Marathon T-shirt

Have you ever been to a local running race or marathon and thought, “I can design a better shirt than this!” Here’s your chance. Enter our first-ever LA Marathon t-shirt design competition at 99designs.com for the chance to have your shirt printed and sold at the event. In addition, we’re offering $295 cash to the winner of the contest. The competition is open now and we’ll accept designs until January 31st. At that point we’ll narrow the field to the best six designs and put it out to an online vote to determine the winner.

Here’s the t-shirt design contest.

Get to work and give us your best shot!

Peter

 

Make the LA Marathon course your own

After Stacy, Ginger and Theresa’s holiday run of the LA Marathon course, along with Jimmy Dean’s 5,000 calorie course expedition, I’ve come to expect that our runners will start to take ownership of the route. So it comes as no surprise that two of my favorite bloggers and Twitterati, @chicrunner and @LARunr, have started running parts of the course while writing and tweeting about it. In my opinion, a measure of a brand’s success is the extent to which customers co-opt and personalize that brand. I’m thrilled to see that starting to happen with the Marathon. Go forth and create your own LA Marathon, folks. I’m here to tell you that I will happily support, and promote, your endeavors. And if you should find yourself on Twitter, be sure and give a shout out to our two friends. Here’s LARunner’s blog post about the jaunt.

New Year’s Resolution

LA Marathon HQ is up and running after the holiday break, and it’s busier than ever as we get ready for the 2010 event. The race is only 75 days away and approaching like a freight train. Our New Year’s resolution is to put on the best LA Marathon ever. What’s yours? Are you going to run a PR this year? Get off the couch and run your first marathon? Use running as a way to affect positive change in your life and those around you? Think about it. However, if your plans include this year’s LA Marathon, don’t wait too long. The registrations are coming in at a record pace, and we’re capping the field at 25,000. We hope the Marathon and running are both part of your New Year’s resolution, and we look forward to seeing you all on the starting line on March 21st.

New Pavement for Sunset Strip Portion of Route

This must be some kind of sign. And yet another reason for 2010 LA Marathon participants to get excited. For the first time in 75 years, the Sunset Strip will be repaved. As we can attest, having run that stretch a couple times ourselves, the pavement is in sorry shape. How sweet will it be to run that section–Miles 12-14–on nice new asphalt? Read all about it here.

How to survive the holidays, revisited

Holiday Cheer, from Stadium to Sea

Today I had the pleasure of following along vicariously as the LA Marathon’s Ginger Williams and Stacy Embretson ran the entire Stadium to Sea route in full costume. Assisted by our volunteer coordinator Manon Levenberg and joined by Theresa Brennan for the second half, they said “Happy Holidays” to about a thousand people on the route. Fox 11 stopped by at a couple locations to get interviews with them, and as if that wasn’t enough of an expedition on this cool and windy day, they stopped at least every mile to shoot photos and document the experience. A huge and creative effort in the name of holiday spirit! I’ll just call them our guerilla goodwill team. Hopefully, you were lucky enough to catch a glimpse of them on the street today. If not, you can see the photographic evidence on our Flickr page.

Jimmy Dean’s 5,000 calorie run

You saw my post a couple week’s ago on Jimmy Dean Freeman’s heroic run of the LA Marathon course while stopping for food at high-calorie establishments all along the route. It was a legendary effort that has turned Jimmy Dean into a viral video star. Here’s the grease-stained footage.

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