I'm finding the time, somehow, to run 3 days per week. I'm up to 6 miles this week, average 9.25 min mile. I don't have a time goal. I just want to run consistently for the next 5 weeks and complete the race! It's easier with a friend. Cherie came with me yesterday and we ran by the River at Palisades State Park.
I'm enjoying it. Thankfully, I have my bike fitness to rely on.
Next week 7 miles, then 8...
Andy says I need to get to 11 miles before the race; then 13 miles is doable. He's my coach. I trust him.
Thank you to my friends and colleagues who have already donated money to the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation. I'm inspired. I can do this.
Emma
Friday, October 29, 2010
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Emma is Running again. Think you do a lot in a day?
Emma is back to training for the RnR Las Vegas Half Marathon again. As her coach I think she can do it. She has taken some time off from running due to a bicycle crash that left her pretty bruised and sore. She ran 4 miles Tues and will run again tomorrow. The adaptation process is pretty short when you are fit from the bike and have run before. She is also strength training so her muscles have the abillty to stay stronger longer.
Here is the link to her donation page. I want her to hit $10,000 so she qualifies for a suite. Help her out. Send her encouragement, too. This is a big deal for her.
http://www.active.com/donate/lv10fairwest/emmanelson
Here is the link to her donation page. I want her to hit $10,000 so she qualifies for a suite. Help her out. Send her encouragement, too. This is a big deal for her.
http://www.active.com/donate/lv10fairwest/emmanelson
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
After Injury - Knee
Coming back from an injury
by Andrew and Emma Nelson
www.getfitnyc.com
We were recently presented with a situation from one of the athletes on Team WE Sports: She is a cyclist and a runner who has pain in the knee. The MRI showed significant edema, inflammation, and bursitis. The bursitis developed from a fall. Inflammation is often the result of trauma; edema is a fluid buildup in the tissues of the body usually the hands, legs and ankles and can be from injury or pregnancy).
As a longtime athlete, she has worked hard to overcome some injuries (Runner’s Knee, most recently) and is concerned about losing the fitness she has gained.
The doctor gave her 3 choices - 1) cortisone shots; 2) 4-6 weeks of immobilization and crutches; 3) PRP, physical therapy, and complete rest (not even swimming).
Here is our take from years of coaching, running, racing, and being athletes:
1- If you can manage it financially, get the PRP and the PT.
2- If you gained fitness once, you will not go back to “zero” if you take the time to heal. It may seem like you are "losing ALL of your fitness," but the reality is that is just not the case. If you make things worse by not recovering fully then you will be out longer.
3- Treat fitness and exercise as an investment in your body; a long term investment. There will be ups and downs; as well as plateaus. Fitness and health are not just for this season or this training cycle. Athletes, especially highly competitive ones, do get injured.
4- You can strength train without mobilizing the knee joint. Straight leg raise w/ankle weights, hip abduction w/cables, straight leg dead lift- all of these will strengthen the hips/legs without bending the knee.
5- Swimming can be done while still immobilizing the knee. Swim with a pull buoy and a band around your ankles (and maybe even your knees). It feels strange at first but makes your upper body swim form and rotation come from the hips; where you’re stronger anyway.
6- Take it slow! If you were running 6-10 miles/session before the injury, start with a 1/2 mile easy jog. That’s right, 1/2 mile. Your body will need to reestablish neural pathways for optimal muscles ordering. This will help the body to break the old injury cycle. If you try to come back too quickly and resume where you left off, you risk re-injuring yourself.
Even great doctors who are athletes often fail to see what great trainers and coaches are able to do to keep athletes moving.
We understand the head game of an injury, but the “career” of an athlete can be cut short by not taking the proper downtime or doing too much too soon after an injury. Take time to recover fully from an injury. Sometimes a longer time recovering can mean a stronger next season and a longer athletic career.
Stay Healthy and use a great coach to help you achieve better results for next season.
by Andrew and Emma Nelson
www.getfitnyc.com
We were recently presented with a situation from one of the athletes on Team WE Sports: She is a cyclist and a runner who has pain in the knee. The MRI showed significant edema, inflammation, and bursitis. The bursitis developed from a fall. Inflammation is often the result of trauma; edema is a fluid buildup in the tissues of the body usually the hands, legs and ankles and can be from injury or pregnancy).
As a longtime athlete, she has worked hard to overcome some injuries (Runner’s Knee, most recently) and is concerned about losing the fitness she has gained.
The doctor gave her 3 choices - 1) cortisone shots; 2) 4-6 weeks of immobilization and crutches; 3) PRP, physical therapy, and complete rest (not even swimming).
Here is our take from years of coaching, running, racing, and being athletes:
1- If you can manage it financially, get the PRP and the PT.
2- If you gained fitness once, you will not go back to “zero” if you take the time to heal. It may seem like you are "losing ALL of your fitness," but the reality is that is just not the case. If you make things worse by not recovering fully then you will be out longer.
3- Treat fitness and exercise as an investment in your body; a long term investment. There will be ups and downs; as well as plateaus. Fitness and health are not just for this season or this training cycle. Athletes, especially highly competitive ones, do get injured.
4- You can strength train without mobilizing the knee joint. Straight leg raise w/ankle weights, hip abduction w/cables, straight leg dead lift- all of these will strengthen the hips/legs without bending the knee.
5- Swimming can be done while still immobilizing the knee. Swim with a pull buoy and a band around your ankles (and maybe even your knees). It feels strange at first but makes your upper body swim form and rotation come from the hips; where you’re stronger anyway.
6- Take it slow! If you were running 6-10 miles/session before the injury, start with a 1/2 mile easy jog. That’s right, 1/2 mile. Your body will need to reestablish neural pathways for optimal muscles ordering. This will help the body to break the old injury cycle. If you try to come back too quickly and resume where you left off, you risk re-injuring yourself.
Even great doctors who are athletes often fail to see what great trainers and coaches are able to do to keep athletes moving.
We understand the head game of an injury, but the “career” of an athlete can be cut short by not taking the proper downtime or doing too much too soon after an injury. Take time to recover fully from an injury. Sometimes a longer time recovering can mean a stronger next season and a longer athletic career.
Stay Healthy and use a great coach to help you achieve better results for next season.
Friday, October 8, 2010
Check out the form on that guy! (and the pecs)
Nuno, on the right, has FANTASTIC run form. Look at how his center of mass is directly over his foot. His shoulders are square over his hips. His arms are at 90 degrees, and his legs are in the PERFECT figure 4. The guy on the left has pretty bad run form(maybe he's a "just a cyclist" who jumped in to a triathlon). The other guy has his arms low, his stride too long, and his hips and shoulders all the way open. Nuno is a CrossFit Endurance coach so he should be in great form, but not all coaches practice what they preach. I got this image from:
www.crossfitendurance.com
I have used the CrossFit Endurance workouts while training for Paine to Pain (I got 3rd in my age group, 12th over all). You are "supposed to" stick with only their workouts but sometimes I like to go run 10 miles on the trail and they never have a workout that long. I also am not fit enough, nor do I have the time to do their 2 workouts a day (1 endurance, 1 strength and conditioning 3+ hours apart) since I coach and train full time while trying to blog, coach a team, manage a business and maintain a family(couldn't do it without my wife, she runs the business).
Take a look at the CFE site and do the Mobility WOD, you will be glad you did.
Have a great workout.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Paine to Pain RACE REPORT
Paine to Pain Trail Half Marathon: A Race Report
by Andrew nelson
andy@getfitnyc.com
When you train and race your first Half Marathon you are most concerned about running 13.1 miles. When you run trails for the first time you are concerned about whether you can handle the terrain. This race was neither my first half marathon nor my first time on trails. The race director wrote in the race description to add 15min to your road half marathon time. With a finish time of 1:32:05, this race was my fastest time out of 5 half marathons I've raced; all of which were road. Did I mention that I love to run on trails?
Oct 3rd was a cool 50F with low humidity in New Rochelle, NY, home of the Thomas Paine Cottage and the start and finish line for the 2010 Paine to Pain Trail Half Marathon. The course ran through New Rochelle, Mamaroneck, and Scarsdale, NY, along what is known as “The Patriots Path.” The race course terrain varied from technical climbs and descents, long patches of soft grass, wide and flat sections of trail, and some short sections of road. Trail conditions were good with most of the trails dry and clear of debris; thanks to the town of Mamaroneck clearing 15 trees after a recent storm.
At 8:55am, the Race Director, Eric Turkewicz, said a few words to the racers. At 9am, the sound of a black powder rifle sent 390 brave competitors out on to the course. The course started on a 1/2 mile stretch of blacktop, before turning into the trails. Since I was unfamiliar with the course I started pretty conservatively and tried to get a feel of the competition and the pace of the race. I settled into what I thought was the top 15 racers and went as fast as I could for the terrain.
After the 3rd mile I settled into a range of 6:45 - 7:15 min/mile as so far as the hills, tree roots, rocks and debris allowed. When the hills were steep I took short quick steps and stepped on large flat rocks as often as I could to save energy. I worked on staying relaxed, and drank from my water bottles when my mouth got dry.
My strategy for a half marathon is generally to run to mile 8, then take a walk break. I was good at mile 8 so I decided to push through to mile 10. At mile 10 I thought I heard someone behind me so I did not stop to walk but instead ran faster so I would not get passed. Bad choice! I got passed at mile 10.8. I tried to stay with him, but red lined and had to stop and walk at mile 11.1. I walked for 30 seconds and then hit a blazing 6:45 on the wide flat trail.
At mile 12.5 I ran a little faster. I wanted to be done. I practically sprinted out of the woods and to the finish line. I was the 12th finisher overall (12/390) and the 3rd in my age group (men 30-39).
All in all a great race and fun time!
by Andrew nelson
andy@getfitnyc.com
When you train and race your first Half Marathon you are most concerned about running 13.1 miles. When you run trails for the first time you are concerned about whether you can handle the terrain. This race was neither my first half marathon nor my first time on trails. The race director wrote in the race description to add 15min to your road half marathon time. With a finish time of 1:32:05, this race was my fastest time out of 5 half marathons I've raced; all of which were road. Did I mention that I love to run on trails?
Oct 3rd was a cool 50F with low humidity in New Rochelle, NY, home of the Thomas Paine Cottage and the start and finish line for the 2010 Paine to Pain Trail Half Marathon. The course ran through New Rochelle, Mamaroneck, and Scarsdale, NY, along what is known as “The Patriots Path.” The race course terrain varied from technical climbs and descents, long patches of soft grass, wide and flat sections of trail, and some short sections of road. Trail conditions were good with most of the trails dry and clear of debris; thanks to the town of Mamaroneck clearing 15 trees after a recent storm.
At 8:55am, the Race Director, Eric Turkewicz, said a few words to the racers. At 9am, the sound of a black powder rifle sent 390 brave competitors out on to the course. The course started on a 1/2 mile stretch of blacktop, before turning into the trails. Since I was unfamiliar with the course I started pretty conservatively and tried to get a feel of the competition and the pace of the race. I settled into what I thought was the top 15 racers and went as fast as I could for the terrain.
After the 3rd mile I settled into a range of 6:45 - 7:15 min/mile as so far as the hills, tree roots, rocks and debris allowed. When the hills were steep I took short quick steps and stepped on large flat rocks as often as I could to save energy. I worked on staying relaxed, and drank from my water bottles when my mouth got dry.
My strategy for a half marathon is generally to run to mile 8, then take a walk break. I was good at mile 8 so I decided to push through to mile 10. At mile 10 I thought I heard someone behind me so I did not stop to walk but instead ran faster so I would not get passed. Bad choice! I got passed at mile 10.8. I tried to stay with him, but red lined and had to stop and walk at mile 11.1. I walked for 30 seconds and then hit a blazing 6:45 on the wide flat trail.
At mile 12.5 I ran a little faster. I wanted to be done. I practically sprinted out of the woods and to the finish line. I was the 12th finisher overall (12/390) and the 3rd in my age group (men 30-39).
All in all a great race and fun time!
Friday, October 1, 2010
Happy Wife...Happy Life
by Emma Nelson
Gentlemen, try to understand? If your lady's relaxed, energized, confident, and happy, YOUR life will be good. Help us help you. Here are some tips:
-foot rubs, often
-flowers, for no reason
-watching the kids is not a favor to us
-even if we make dinner every night, when you come home, act surprised and delighted that your meal is hot and ready for you
-pretend that washing the dishes is a pleasure
-set the coffee pot up for her
-ask her how her day was; and sincerely be interested
-sneak peaks at her in the shower (make sure she notices)
-notice when she's wearing a new outfit, a haircut, or fresh pedicure
-do the groceries (so sexy!)
-fill her gas tank
-build a fire (in the fireplace)
More tips later. Good luck!
Gentlemen, try to understand? If your lady's relaxed, energized, confident, and happy, YOUR life will be good. Help us help you. Here are some tips:
-foot rubs, often
-flowers, for no reason
-watching the kids is not a favor to us
-even if we make dinner every night, when you come home, act surprised and delighted that your meal is hot and ready for you
-pretend that washing the dishes is a pleasure
-set the coffee pot up for her
-ask her how her day was; and sincerely be interested
-sneak peaks at her in the shower (make sure she notices)
-notice when she's wearing a new outfit, a haircut, or fresh pedicure
-do the groceries (so sexy!)
-fill her gas tank
-build a fire (in the fireplace)
More tips later. Good luck!
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