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| "Heat up your Running" |
August 2008 Newsletter
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Greetings!
"Gold medals aren't really made of gold. They're made of sweat, determination, and a hard-to-find alloy called guts."
~ Dan Gable
In this month of Olympic competition, we will see many athletes triumph and come home with gold medals in hand. As we watch the excitement and victory of the Games, take time to appreciate the blood, sweat, and tears of the Olympiads -- and perhaps that will inspire us to rev up our own running. Each day, as you step out the door for your run/walk/bike/swim, strive to make that workout one of gold medal quality! We can't all go to Beijing, but we all can turn in gold medal performances in our own right.
Happy running,
Paul Morrison |
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Meet the NEW Fleet Feeters 
To meet the growing needs of our customers and running community, the Fleet Feet staff is growing! As of the beginning of August, two new recruits have joined our staff: Emily Selmer and Danae Harter. Check out the Employee section of the Fleet Feet website to get to know Emily and Danae. Better yet, stop by the store to help us welcome them to the family! |
| Physical Therapy Points to Ponder: Infrared Light Therapy
At some point or another, many athletes get injureda and need to turn to physical therapy and other methods of healing in order to return to training safely and effectively. One "newer" therapy option is infrared light therapy, which can be a beneficial addition to an injured athlete's treatment.
What is infrared light therapy?
Recently approved by the FDA for use on certain health conditions, infrared light therapy is used primarily to encourage tissue healing and treatment of the "itis" type of injuries. This refers to conditiosn like tendonitis, bursitis, arthritis as well as bruised soft tissue. Many walkers and runners at some point or another deal with tedonitis or bursitis as well as general inflammation and pain in specific areas. If you are dealing with one of these issues, infrared light therapy in conjunction with an individualized physical therapy program may be effective in returning you to full participation in your walking or running program.
What does infrared light therapy do?
Infrared light is believed to have a therapeutic effect by stimulating the production of ATP in the mitochondria. (ATP is bascially an energy source and is used for normal cellular actions, and mitochondria are intercellular structures.) The increased production of ATP results in increased tissue healing because there is more "energy" available to spend on healing. Tendons, which have low blood flow, can be slow to heal after injury. Increasing the productin of ATP in the cellular tissues of tendons can facilitate the healing process.
Additionally, infrared light therapy has been shown to reduce pain. It does so affecting a mechanism that alters the pathway on which pain signals are sent (the nerve conduction velocity). Certainly, the benefits of infrared light therapy can be helpful to injured athletes who are itching to get back on their feet again soon.
Interested in in infrared light therapy? Contact your primary care provider to find out if a referral to a physical therapist and use of infrared light therapy could be beneficial for you.
* Guest writer Dennis Eldridge is a local runner and physical therapist, who works for Outpatient Physical Therapy in Auburn, Covington, Maple Valley, Enumclaw, Renton and Bonney Lake. Dennis also does monthly Medical Q & A nights at Fleet Feet. Our upcoming Q & A night will be August 18.* |
 Tips from the TriGuy
Now in the middle of our competitive season, we get to see the fruits of our training and effort. However, no matter how much we've trained or how experience we are, most of us have a bit of jitters and nervous excitement on race day morning. To help with that, I have developed a race day routine to help me focus on the race at hand and prepare me for a spectacular race.
On the morning of the race, I start by getting myself settled into my spot. I make sure my bike is racked, shoes layed out, and my body is marked with my race number. After getting all these aspects in place, I then take time to familiarize myself with the transition zone "flow." I visualize coming in from the swim and knowing exactly where my bike is. Similarly, I imagine the bike out, bike in, and run out routes.
Once I have this transition zone flow down, I like to jog out from the finish line to get a feel for the last 1/2 mile or so. On this short jog, I also like to get some landmarks in my head so on the final push in to the finish I know how much further or when to kick it in.
Finally, after running back into the transition zone, I get my wetsuit on and head for the swim start. Here, I always make sure how many laps and how many buoys there are on the course. This way, when my goggles are half way fogged up, I have another navigational tool to rely on. If time allows, I will even swim out to the last buoy and then swim toward the shore, looking for a land mark to sight on to get oriented with the swim finish.
By following this routine, I find that I am mentally prepared to race and perform at my best.
Happy racing,
TriGuy |
 Go Green @ Fleet Feet
Here at Fleet Feet we are doing our part to "go green." One major initiative is our reusable Fleet Feet bags. For just $1, you can help our environment by taking home your new shoes in a spiffy, reusable Fleet Feet tote bag. Even better, you can use it at your other favorite shopping spots to spare the plastic bag and help the effort to live more efficiently, responsibly, and "green."
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 "Magic" Relief for your Aches & Pains
Feeling some aches and pains after your long workout? Feet callusing too much from all your running and training? Looking for more flexibility during your workout? Stop into Fleet Feet and try one of our newest products, Grace Harbor International's Sport Cream. Made entirely from natural ingredients, this Sport Cream provides relief from pain due to sports injuries and workouts, increases flexibility when used prior to exercise, helps heal dry and cracked skin, and softens calluses. Those who have used Grace Harbor's Sports Cream - including several of our staff members - rave about its effects.
Stop into Fleet Feet today to check out this "magic" cream for yourself!
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 Spike Nights for Local XC-ers
Cross country season is right around the corner for many of our local high school runners, and Fleet Feet will once again be hosting Spike Nights for local XC teams.
What is a "Spike Night?"
Fleet Feet recognizes the need for high school runners to have proper footwear for training and competition. For that reason, we host spike nights in the fall for local XC teams. On a designated evening (scheduled in advance between a team's coach and Fleet Feet's staff), your XC team will come into Fleet Feet after regular business hours. We then provide a short, informative shoe talk about running biomechanics and different types of shoes. Following this brief shoe talk, we then have staff on hand to fit and do gait analyses for all your runners. In addition to our FIT process, each runner receives a discount on training shoes and cross country spikes. It is a great way to bond as a team as well as ensure you're in proper footwear for your season.
How do we schedule a Spike Night?
Coaches should call Fleet Feet (253.862.8890) to schedule a date with our staff. Generally, spike nights begin at 6:45 or 7 pm.
Schedule your Spike Night today to make sure you have all the essentials for a great cross country season! |
| Upcoming Events
Don't forget to add these exciting events to your running calendar!
- Monday nights - Group Runs @ 6:30 PM (Meet at Fleet Feet Bonney Lake. ALL paces & abilities welcome!)
- August 2 - Tacoma Narrows Half Marathon
- August 8 - Friday Night Stampede 5k, Auburn
- August 18 - FREE In store Medical Q & A Night with Physical Therapist Dennis Eldridge
- September 20 - Run Wild! Race at Northwest Trek
- September 27 - Sumner Rotary Run
- September 28 - EdgeRace
- October 4 - Mud Mountain Dam 5k Run
See Fleet Feet's Online Calendar for more information on these events and more! | |
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