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| "Marathon Month!" |
May 2008 Newsletter
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Greetings!
"No doubt a brain and some shoes are essential for marathon success, although if it comes down to a choice, pick the shoes. More people finish marathons with no brains than with no shoes."
~ Don Kardong
As May rolls around, we here at Fleet Feet Bonney Lake are definitely in "marathon mode." With eight of our running team members participating in April's Boston Marathon and with our own Tacoma City Marathon fast approaching, the marathon is the most common topic of conversation around here. We invite you all to join us at Tacoma City Marathon on May 10 - as a marathon, half marathon, or 10k runner, a volunteer, or a spectator. We hope to make this year's Tacoma City Marathon even better than last year's, and for that we need YOUR help!
Keep running,
Paul Morrison
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 Boston Report
On Monday, April 21, eight Fleet Feet team members competed in the 112th Boston Marathon. The oldest annual marathon in our nation, Boston is "the" marathon for many runners and hosts some of the fastest runners from around our nation and the world.
For a more personal look at the legendary Boston Marathon, here is what some of our own runners had to say:
Paul Morrison, Owner of Fleet Feet Sports - Bonney Lake
"The physical aspects of running the Boston are many but the experience of running a race that has been around for 112 years and the community support you receive along the route well out weigh the physical pain endured. Although I didn't quite meet my personal goal in this race, I am satisfied with my accomplishment because I left nothing on the table. That is all you can give for any race, so in that aspect I am very proud of my Boston run. The marathon itself also is exceptionally well organized, and the weather for this year's race was beautiful - even though several of us returned home with a bit of a sunburn. All in all, it was an exceptional experience; I would happily endure the pain again to be able to participate next year."
Judy Revell, Fleet Feet Team Member & 2-time Boston Marathoner
"While I did not have quite the race I wanted at Boston, it was still a great experience. The [US Women's Olympic] trials the day before were inspirational to watch, and the weather all weekend was great. I feel the marathon itself is a privilege to participate in, and I was just glad to be able to run. The spectators are awesome and very helpful when you need them to be. I'm glad I was able to be there."
Molly Kline, Fleet Feet Team Member & 3-time Boston Marathoner
"This was the 3rd time I ran the Boston Marathon and my 5th marathon overall. I would have to say this was by far my best experience at Boston. I ran a PR which generally doesn't happen on the Boston course, but things fell in line. The weather was also beautiful, and the crowds were out in full force! The best part of the weekend was the Women's Olympic Trials on Sunday. Having the oppotunity to watch and cheer for the fastest female marathoners in the US (including several women from the Seattle area) was the most amazing experience!"
Tim Campbell, Fleet Feet Team Member
"The spectator participation along the Boston Marathon route was incredible. Entire communities along the way got together to cheer you on mile after mile. It helped to me to focus on the race at hand instead of my leg cramps and Heart Break Hill!"
Mark Stockslager, Fleet Feet Team Member
"This year's Boston Marathon was spectular!! The weather, the organization, the logistics, the expo, the volunteers, the DVD option, and the athlete alert all added to the experience. By far the greatest feature is the crowd with the highpoint being the screaming at Wellsley and high fiving my wife and friends at the finish. No other marathons compare." |
Tacoma City Marathon
It's time for the 2nd annual Tacoma City Marathon! On Saturday, May 10, runners will hit the streets of Tacoma for this major athletic event. Even if you're not running or volunteering at the race, we invite you to come out and support our runners along the course. Cheers, cowbells, applause, and encouragement are all very welcome, so check out the course map and be on hand to cheer those runners through the course.
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 Tips from the TriGuy
Spring is here, and this means it's time for the early triathlon season and spring races. After training all winter and getting into prime race condition, we are all excited to get out and see what this season has in store. However, in the midst of race day excitement, it is extremely easy to forget something. And nothing could be worse than training all spring for a race and then forgetting your numer (or another essential piece of racing equipment) at home on race morning. Race day is all about getting up, making it to the start line on time, and being prepared to give your all for that race. This in mind, here are some things that I do to help race morning go smoothly.
A few days before the race, I like to put everything I need in my designated "race bag." This would include things like nutrition items, Body Glide, water bottles, etc. I also decide what I will wear on race morning by wearing my race outfit for a quick run one or two days before the race. This way, I can be sure my race gear is appropriate for the weather as well as make any adjustments for race morning, if I should overheat or freeze. This is especially helpful before early season races, as our weather can be unpredictable and often chilly or rainy. Once I've determined my race gear, I throw that in my race bag, along with all my other race morning necessities.
With this preparation, on race morning I don't worry about running around frantically trying to find things. Instead, on race morning, all my energy can be spent focusing on getting to the start line and completing my best race ever.
Have a great season opener!
TriGuy |
Physical Therapy Points to Ponder: Injury Prevention - A Series of Articles 
This article marks the start of a three month series of articles on injury prevention through nutrition, supplementation and electrolyte/fluid balance. This month's focus is basic nutrition.
What you eat and drink or what you don't eat and drink has a drastic impact on performance as well as injury prevention. Many athletes never consider the potential detrimental impact of their nutrition on their training, but perhaps they should. Here are some tips:
Improper protein intake can lead to cannibalizing of lean muscle mass, which basically means your muscle fibers become a source of energy. Thus, protein intake is critical to prevent this. In the first half hour after workouts of an hour or more, an athlete should make sure s/he consumes protein. S/he should then continue to consume protein within the next 2 hours following the workout to stop any sort of detriment to the muscles. A Runner's World source suggests runners consume 1.0 to 1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight a day (or .45 to .72 grams per pound of body weight).
Carbohydrates - Be aware that not all carbs are good carbs. Focus on foods that don't increase the "% glucose response" above 50%. These include beans, black eyed peas, apples, milk, yogurt, peanuts, and soy beans. Foods that do increase the response above 50% include maltose, honey, candy bars and glucose. This latter group aren't necessarily "bad" carbs; however, they aren't quite as good as the former group.
Processed Foods - Avoid processed foods and meats from mass penned livestock. Processed foods are manufactured in a way that often "bleaches" the nutrients from the product. 50-89% of the vitamins and minerals are lost to processing. Additionally, chemicals are used that can be harmful to the athletes body. Stick to raw fruits and vegetables. Try to choose free-range meats. Mass penned livestock aren't allowed to be physically active and show muscle atrophy. Their diets are then often supplemented with steroids in order to overcome this effect.
Medications - Be aware that if you are taking prescription medications (including antibiotics, birth control pills and anti-inflammatories), these can impact the uptake and metabolism of nutrients. You may want to consider meeting with a nutritionist or dietician to formulate a proper diet that takes into consideration your specific situation.
All of these issues can lead to a slowing of the normal physiological response to tissue healing that takes place after exercise. Don't sell yourself short. You're putting too much time and energy into training to let poor nutrition set you up for injury and overall poor performance. The old adage rings true: You are what you eat!
Next in this series: Supplementation
Last in this series: Electrolyte/Fluid Balance
* Guest writer Dennis Eldridge is a local runner and physical therapist, who works for Outpatient Physical Therapy in Enumclaw and Bonney Lake. Dennis also does monthly Medical Q & A nights at Fleet Feet. *
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 The "Dish" on Asparagus
You know it's almost spring when bright green bunches of asparagus start popping up like crocuses in your local market. Asparagus is one of the most nutritionally well-balanced vegetables in existence and one of nature's true heroes as a source of protein, folate, magnesium, calcium, iron, and vitamins C, K, and B6.
Health Benefits
- 5.3 oz. serving (1 cup) provides 20 calories, 3 grams of protein, 3 grams of carbohydrates, and no fat.
- Asparagus, next to orange juice, is one of the top whole foods source of folate, which is necessary for blood cell formation and growth, prevention of liver disease, and plays a significant role in the prevention of spina bifida.
- Many runners - especially those who avoid meat - don't get enough iron. Non-meat sources of iron aren't as readily absorbed; however, eating foods high in vitamin C, like asparagus, increases iron absorption from non-meat foods.
- One serving of asparagus supplies 115% of your Daily Value for vitamin K, which is vital for bone health and blood clotting.
- Asparagus offers a large source of vitamin B6, which helps with over 100 reactions in the body, including breaking down muscle glycogen into needed energy. This is a function runners depend on often!
- Asparagus is rich in magnesium, helping boost muscle recovery from exercise.
Selecting and Storing Asparagus
When selecting asparagus, look for firm, brittle spears with tightly closed tips that are bright green almost their entire length. Avoid any with fibrous or shriveled stems, as these are signs of age. You can store asparagus in the fridge for several days. Do not wash, rinse, or trim it until it is ready to be cooked.
Cooking Asparagus
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Cook until crisp and tender. You can steam, grill, roast, or saute it, eat it raw, or mix it into a baked dish.
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Steam asparagus spears for about 5 minutes, until tender. Drizzle with olive oil and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
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Add raw asparagus tips to salad greens.
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Stir-fry chicken pieces or lean beef with asparagus spears. Serve over brown rice and sprinkle with fresh grated parmesan cheese.
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Quinoa & Steamed Veggies - 3 cups quinoa (cooked as directed), 3 cups steamed veggies (asparagus, broccoli, carrots, peppers, etc.), 1/4 cup roasted pine nuts, 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese, pepper
* Guest writer Leslie Funkhouser is a local nutritionist who owns and operates Wellness Concepts. * |
| Upcoming Events
Don't forget to add these exciting events to your running calendar!
See Fleet Feet's Online Calendar for more information on these events and more!
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