Don't Crunch It, Plank It!

When you say "core exercises", more than likely doing crunches comes to mind. Crunches are fine and they'll definitely help you get that "beach-buff" body with the nice six-pack, but beyond the aesthetic benefits there's not much more that crunches provides. When you do crunches, you actually workout your hip flexors more than your abs. If you're a runner, you're already giving your hip flexors plenty of attention and sometimes doing a ton of crunches on top of that can be overkill and even lead to injury.

So what's a runner to do? Well, there are plenty of core exercises to choose from that are much more functional and benefitial to runners. First of all, when you think of "core" try to think beyond your abs. There are a lot more muscles than just the abdominals that make up the core. Core muscles consist of the muscles that run along the trunk and torso and generally include the following:

Rectus Abdominis—the "six-pack" muscles that everyone strives for

Erector Spinae—three muscles that run from your neck to your lower back

Multifidus—found beneath the erector spinae

External Obliques—positioned on the side and front of the abdomen

Internal Obliques—found beneath the external obliques, running in the opposite direction

Transverse Abdominis—muscles that protect your spine and provide stability; found beneath the obliques

Hip Flexors—a group of muscles (psoas major, illiacus, rectus femoris, pectineus, and sartorius) found in front of the pelvis and upper thigh

The problem with a crunch is that it's only one movement—crunching forward. Think about it. How many times during the day do your crunch like that? Now think about how many times you twist up, down, sideways? Your core exercises need to include more of a full-range of motion. Incorporating the elements of stability and balance into you core exercises is also great. Doing core exercises on a stability ball, medicine ball, core-board, or bosu helps you recruit more than just the targeted muscle group. This "extra recruitment" helps develop a stronger core as well as better balance and stability.

One of the best core exercises a runner can do is so simple, yet extremely effective—The Plank. To do a plank, lay face down on the floor. Put your forearms on the floor so that your elbows are aligned directly under your shoulders. Your forearm and upper arms should be making a 90°angle. Your legs should be stretched out behind you and you should be resting on your toes like you're doing a pushup. Engage your abdominal muscles to help you hold your body in a straight "plank" position. Your back should not be arched and your butt should not be drooping or stuck up in the air. Your body should be making an even diagonal line that's moving slightly up from your toes to your shoulders. These looks simple but they can be tough. Try holding the plank in good form for 30 seconds. See if you can work up to a full minute. Last check I could hold a basic plank for 4:02 minutes. TOUGH!

Once you've mastered the plank try some variations such as the basic plank with one leg lifted, a side plank, or a side plank with a raised leg. When you feel confident, try upping the difficulty even more by putting your feet and/or hands on a bocu, stability ball, and/or medicine balls. Another good plank workout is to alternate plank positions, moving from one to another (never letting your butt hit the ground) for 5 minutes. Mastered that? See if you can go for 10 minutes!

For a complete core workout from RunnerDude using a medicine ball, [click here].

Multiple-Race Training Manual—Something for Every Runner!

In my 20+ years of running, it didn't take me long to learn that a lot of the endurance race training books on the market are very similar in content and strategy. So, when I saw this odd-sized, spiral-bound training manual, I figured it was the same old plans in fancy packaging. I quickly discovered I was wrong. From the spiral-bound lay-flat binding, to the laminated “sweatproof” pages and the built-in cover-flap page holder, not to mention the 21 training plans for 7 different types races—Run Workouts for Runners and Triathletes (Velo Press, 2009) has it all!

Beyond the bells and whistles, I was delighted to see that the authors were none other than legendary running coach, Bobby McGee and one of South Africa’s greatest marathoners, Mark Plaatjes. This gifted pair has drawn from their more than 80 years of experience in running to write a practical training manual for any runner or triathlete who wants to enhance his/her performance as well as gain a better understanding of the complex connection between their physical and mental bodies.

The book offers something for just about every runner. Twenty-one training plans for 7 different races (5K, 10K, Half Marathon, Marathon, Olympic-Distance Triathlon, Half-Ironman, and Ironman) as well as 15 different types of workouts (that are incorporated into the training plans) are provided. In addition to the immense content, equally appealing is the flexibility built in by McGee and Plaatjes. For example, the workouts are designed so you can train by pace, heart rate, or perceived effort. Also, you can use the material to supplement a plan you’re already using or you can use one of the 21 plans provided.

To prevent you from doing all of your training at “one speed”, McGee and Plaatjes have created plans that put runners through a balance of endurance, strength, speed, and rest. Each of the seven race distances has three levels of training plans. Each training plan is broken into five phases—base, general, strength, specific, and taper. The 15 workouts implemented in the various training phases typically contain a warm-up, a main set, a cool-down, and a training tip.
Another extremely helpful tool that McGee and Plaatjes provide are six test s that help you establish several baselines to help you make sure you’re training at the most effective intensities.

The only drawback to the book is the multiple coding used for the different workouts and tests in the various training plans. It takes a little time to familiarize yourself with all the codes, but this extra time is well worth the solid, quality training plans you get in return.

In the book’s Foreword, Samantha McGlone (2004 Olympian and 2006 Ironman 70.3 World Champion) states, “Bobby McGee has coached all kinds of runners—from amateurs to world and Olympic champions. I’m confident he can make you a better runner too.” I couldn’t agree more.

How Running Changed My Life: Ron's Story

I got to know "Ron the Runner" through Twitter. He's a man of few words, but he has such an awesome story to tell, that I asked him if he'd share it with you. In his own words, here's Ron's story.

My name is Ron. I decided in June it was time to get back in shape. After losing my wife to cancer, I spent a good year just sitting on my ass drinking all day. I knew how upset she would be to see me that way so, I stopped drinking, stopped smoking, stopped drinking soda, etc.. I have since lost 42 pounds and taken up running, so far I am horrible at running, my best run so far has been one mile, but I keep trying, eventually I will get to the point I can run 5k, hey maybe...—Ron Kops

Ron sent me his story back on August 30th. In just a month, not only did Ron surpass his 5K goal, he ran his first 10K (The Alminians 10K) this past Saturday! Here's Ron's posting about his newest running accomplishment on his blog—Ron The Runner: From Couch Potato to Runner.

"I didn't get the sleep I wanted the day before, Only had about 3 hours in two days. It was cold raining and a 2 hour drive away. I was questioning WTH I was thinking getting into this ! It was a fairly small race not a lot of people there. I was really nervous, I don't at all think of myself as a runner. I don't even run outside unless I have to... It was a very narrow course, I think I ran faster just because of that, defiantly my fastest time. Sadly my knee and groin are paying for it now ! but I did win entry into next years race series. so I can look forward to the same pain next year"

Ron now has the VASA Trail 10K in Michigan as his next quest to conquer. You da man, Ron! Keep up the great job! Rest assured your wife is very proud of you and your accomplishments!

New Site for Runners!—Runnertalk.net

I'm such a social-media nerd, especially when it comes to running-related social sites. There's just something so cool about connecting with runners from all over the world. In previous posts, I've mentioned various great social network sites for runners such as Athlinks, Dailymile, seriousrunning, and Runners'Lounge. Now I've come across another site with a slightly different twist that I'd like to add to the list—Runnertalk.net.

Runnertalk was initially started as a blog by 20-year-old runner and information technology student Patrik Pettersson from Sweden. After lack of time updating the site, Patrik forgot about it for a while. Almost a year later, he decided to reinvent Runnertalk as a social media site for runners. Patrik loves how there are many good blogs and websites about running out there, so he designed Runnertalk as a place where all the best articles from those sites can be made available. Before he started the site he had seen a lot of sites like this (digg clones) in other niches such as finance, health, and web design, but he had never seen such a thing for runners, so he thought it was about time one was created.

Patrik's vision is to make Runnertalk THE place to find and discuss great articles about running. His dream is that it can be a site that's available to everyone. The members will find great posts and the bloggers (whose posts are submitted) will hopefully find new readers. He knows at the beginning there won't be a lot of submitted stories, but as the traffic grows to Runnertalk so will the traffic to the stories. The site is in constant development and new features will continue to be added. For example, Patrik's planning to add some buttons for bloggers and webmasters to put on their sites to make it easy for their readers to submit and vote on their stories.

So how does it work? When a user submits a link it will land in the upcoming section. Other users can now vote on the link. If the links get a lot of votes it will be transferred to the Popular section, the main page of runnertalk.

Do you have to become a member? By signing up as a member you will be able to affect the content on the site by submitting, voting on and commenting on the links you like the most. The sign-up process is quick and most importantly, it's free!

How can bloggers participate in the site? As a blogger, your posts will get more exposure and more readers will be driven to your blog by submitting your articles to Runnertalk. When they are available, be sure to add one of the links/buttons to your blog, making it easy for readers to vote on your posts.

So, take a few moments and check out Runnertalk. If you have a running blog, try submitting a few of your favorite posts!

New Contest! Free "The Stick"

RunnerDude is proud to announce that The Stick is sponsoring the newest RunnerDude's Blog Contest! If you're not familiar with The Stick, it's an awesome massage tool designed to
• prevent & predict muscle injuries
• dramatically improve strength, flexibility and endurance
• rapidly prepare muscles for physical activity
• disperse the effects of lactic acid following activity
• accelerate muscle recovery

In "medical talk," The Stick converts non-compliant muscle to compliant muscle by performing what Dr. Travell calls stripping massage. In fact, this noted medical physician relates that, "deep stripping massage of the tender spot in the muscle was generally the treatment of choice for muscular rheumatism (myofascial trigger points) long before the turn of this century, and for fibrositis afterwards." The Stick allows people to self-perform general as well as segmental therapeutic procedures with a high degree of precision. These procedures remove the barriers to peak physical performance. It is the unassisted rolling, stretching, twisting and compressing of the muscle that diffuses barrier trigger points and converts non-compliant muscle to compliant muscle. In layman's terms? Short-term and long-term PAIN RELIEF!

I've used The Stick for several years along with another product (The FootWheel) made by the same company. Both have done wonders in alleviating post workout pain and muscle fatigue. For more information and a demo on how The Stick works, check out the video clip below.

How to Enter:
To enter, simply email RunnerDude at runnerdudeblog@yahoo.com by midnight (EST) Saturday, October 17th. Be sure to put "The Stick Contest" in the email's subject line and put your name in the body of the email. That's it! Each email will be assigned a different number based on the order that the emails are received. The winning number will be selected by The True Random Number Generator at Random.org on Sunday, October 18. "Whatcha" waiting for? Email RunnerDude today!

It's Okay to Walk!

It took me running the same 30K three times to finally learn that it's okay to walk. It's been a while since I've run the Salem Lake 30K, but each time I do, I act so surprised when I reach this fairly big hill towards the end of the race. The first year I ran it I wasn't properly trained for the race and I was really feeling it by mile 17. I'm usually good on hills and often if I speed up on a hill, it helps me somehow recoup and get beyond the fatigue. That strategy, however, only works when you've done your training. I hadn't, so when I reached the top of the hill, there was no recouping, just visions of my impending doom. Instead of getting a bit of a respite, I was in the first stage of bonking. It goes with out saying that the last 1.5 miles of the race was no picnic.

The second year I ran the race, I had a similar experience. Again, I found myself completely pooped after running up that dreaded hill. This time, however, I noticed that the walkers I passed running up the hill were now flying past me on the downside. Those guys finished the race well ahead of me. Then it finally hit me and I kicked myself in the butt (well I would have if my foot would have reached). I finally realized what I was doing—using up my last bit of fuel 1.5 miles from the finish by running up that hill. I should have walked up that hill, saving my energy and I probably would have avoided bonking and ended strong.

For so many years, my only goal was to finish a race as fast as I could without walking. It never occurred to me that by walking (just a little) I could possible finish a race stronger and maybe even with a faster time. After the Salem Lake 30K epiphany, I was able to make myself walk a year later during the hardest marathon I've ever run—Chicago '07. Yep, that's the year they closed the course after 4 hours due to heat and lack of water. Luckily because I recognized the signs of dehydration and fatigue setting in, I began to intermingle the last 8 miles with some walking. I didn't make the 3:30 that I was shooting for, but I did PR with a 3:42. Given the race conditions and the fact that I walked a fair amount in the last leg of the race, I don't think I did half bad. I know without a doubt, that if I had let my "runner's ego" take over and had not allowed myself some walking breaks, I probably would have been one of the many runners bused back to the start.

Many beginner as well as long-time runners find themselves feeling discouraged if they have to walk. I know of one runner, who stopped running completely (really, I mean completely), because she started out way too fast and had to walk the last part of the course. She felt defeated and demoralized. She never ran again after that race. Sadly, she never realized that she had just made a tactical error. We all have bad races and when they happen (after you've had some time to recover) you need to evaluate what went wrong. Was it the weather? the temp? a stomach issue? starting out too fast? Learn from it. Then move on.

Not only is walking a great way to help your fight fatigue in a race, it's a great way for beginners to ease into running. If a beginning runner (especially one who has never run before) starts by adding 30 secs of running into a regular walk, they'll more than likely notice that it wasn't that hard. Before long the beginner can increase the length of that "walk" as well as increase the number of 30-second intervals of slow running mingled throughout the walk. Gradually the beginner can turn those 30-second intervals into 60-second intervals. As the beginner becomes accustomed to the 60-second intervals, he/she can begin decreasing the walking so that eventually the walking becomes the 60- and then 30-second intervals and the running becomes the majority of the activity. This slower transition helps ease the beginner into running allowing him/her to see progress and helps keep the discouragement at bay.

Walking in marathons has also become a standard practice for many long-distance runners. Programs like the Galloway RUN-WALK-RUN™ method use walking throughout the running of the marathon. Don't be fooled. Runners (beginners and experienced) who use the Galloway Method, consistently run great marathons as well as injury-free marathons.

Jeff Galloway's quest for the injury-free marathon training program led him to develop group training programs in 1978, and to author Runner's World articles which have been used by hundreds of thousands of runners of all abilities. His training schedules have inspired the second wave of marathoners who follow the low mileage, three-day, suggestions to an over 98% success rate.

So, it's okay to walk. You may or may not be interested in using a complete run-walk marathon training plan, but know that walking is viable tactic (a tool in your running toolbox) that you can use during a race to help you recoup from fatigue or maybe even help to prevent fatigue from ever setting in.

Daughter Plans Run Across America as Tribute to Mom's Battle with MS

Multiple Sclerosis (or MS) is a chronic, often disabling disease that attacks the central nervous system. Symptoms may be as mild as numbness in the limbs or as severe as paralysis or loss of vision. The progress, severity, and specific symptoms of MS are unpredictable and vary from one person to another.

Multiple Sclerosis actually means "many scars," which refers to scarring left on neurons after the myelin has been damaged. The damaged myelin and scars are what contributes to the disruption of signals to and from the brain & body. MS is the most common, progressive, and disabling disease among young adults. An estimated 600,000 people in the US and 2.5 million people world wide, have MS. 200 new cases are diagnosed each week. The most common characteristics of MS include fatigue, weakness, numbness in the limbs, spasticity, balance problems, bladder and bowel problems, vision loss, tremors and vertigo

Ashley Kumlein, decided to make Multiple Sclerosis awareness her mission. Her mother, Jill Kumlein, has been battling MS for over 26 years! This disease has robbed Ashley's mother of the abilities you and I take for granted every day. Inspired by her mom's everyday fight, Ashley resigned from her job traveling the world as a cruise ship rock climbing and surf instructor to bring more awareness to MS.

To do that, Ashley Kumlien is aspiring to run across America starting the spring of 2010 departing from San Francisco and arriving in New York City. This run is a tribute to her mom's fight, and the thousands of others just like her fighting against the disabling affects of MS.

Ashley will average 20-30 miles a day. She plans on breaking each day into four separate runs, each about 5-7 miles long. This will provide Ashely with an hour or so of rest and recovery time before she heads out for the next 5-7 miles. The total mileage for the trip will be around 3,230 miles. Running a minimum of 20 miles a day, Ashley expects to complete the cross-country run in about 6.5 months. She's not expecting to break any records and that's fine with Ashley. Her one and only goal will be to raise as much money as possible towards finding a cure for MS, educate as many people as she can about MS, and enjoy a great adventure at the same time. Ashley won't be alone, she'll have a support team following her on her journey.

Ashely knows this cross-country trek will be a huge challenge to her physical and mental abilities, but she's willing to endure the many obstacles ahead to pay tribute to her mom and other individuals and families fighting MS. Ashely says that running across America for her mom will be the most rewarding accomplishment she's ever achieved.

Ashley's personal love for long distance running is one of her earliest memories and she's been competitive in the sport for over eleven years now. Ashley says she may not be the fastest runner, but she trains hard and usually finishes near the top. Ashley trains six days a week and has broken into the ultramarathon running circuit this year. Ashley also has earned a BS in Exercise & Sport Science (emphasis in Fitness) as well as become a Certified Adventure Boot Camp Instructor and a Personal Trainer.

To check out how you can help support, sponsor, or make a donation towards Ashley's quest to run across America, [click here].