Recover, Rest, Re-charge: Post-run care

Sweat drips from your temple and onto the sidewalk below as you slow your pace into a walk—a movement that suddenly seems foreign for your body. Finishing a run, and stopping the time on your stopwatch does not always indicate the end of your workout. In order to stray away from the soreness and lactic acid build-up that has haunted you time and time again, try implementing some variation into your cool-down process.

One of the best ways to supplement your stretching routine is with a foam roller. Like an inanimate masseuse, the foam roller can target most any body part you’re experiencing soreness with. Most often, I put my ankles on the roller, holding my body up with my arms, and roll up to my hamstrings. Additionally, the foam roller is good for treating shin splints.

As a long-term recovery method, you can elevate or ice your legs. Elevation can promote blood flow back up towards your heart, and “eliminate waste products”, according to, “Your Best Rest”, from Runner’s World.  This article also suggests bags of ice, or ice baths (up to 15 minutes) to reduce inflammation and achy joints.

Bettering your recovery routine makes for genuine strides and more productive training. 

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Combatting Candy: A post-Halloween lower Abdominal Workout

Whether your Halloween plans included handing out candy, or going out looking like a haphazard version of your favorite movie character, you probably were exposed to handfuls of candy temptations. Here are a few abdominal workouts for you to try at the gym, or at home on a soft surface, to shed that candy cushioning from your belly.

1. Bicycle: Lying on your back, lift your shoulder blades up and off the ground. Position your legs so that one is fully extended, and the other is at a 90-degree angle. Put both hands behind your head, and alternate touching each elbow to the opposite knee, simulating the motion of a bicycle. Try completing three reps of 20 bicycles.
2. Opposite crunches: Lying on your back, with your hands at your side, bring your feet in towards your butt, so your knees rise towards the ceiling. Slowly lift your feet from the ground, bringing your bent knees towards your chest. Bring your knees as close to your chest as you can for one repetition. Remember to squeeze your core. Repeat three reps of 15 opposite crunches.
3. Leg-raises: Again, start lying on your back, with your arms extended at your sides. Extend your legs, and lift them about four inches from the ground. Raise your legs up to a 90-degree angle with your torso, and press your feet up towards the ceiling. Lower your legs back down, stopping them four inches from the ground. Repeat this motion 15 times for three separate reps.

Even though Halloween is behind us, the barrage of full candy bowls will haunt your workplace break room, and your kitchen counter for some weeks to come. Since you’re human, eat a piece or six, and make up for it with these lower-abdominal exercises.

If you like these exercises, check out this lower ab tutorial from Davey Wavey on YouTube for a full 5-minute routine. 

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Strength Training: A 7-minute workout

Strength training is often regarded as a less than favorable workout amongst runners—aside from rest days, that is. Though your favorite running trails may look much more appealing than a weight bench and dumbbells, strength training is not only for preventing a disproportionate upper to lower body, but it’s necessary for a runner’s good form and endurance.

All you need for this workout is a dumbbell or plate that is challenging for you (I used a 25 lbs. plate), a stop watch, and an open space. The goal is to work quickly to complete three sets of four exercises within seven minutes.

The Breakdown – 1 Set

1. Over-head lunges (30)

• Holding your weight directly overhead, lunge forward with your left leg so that your right knee touches the ground. Come back up to a standing position and repeat for your right leg. Alternate legs for 30 repetitions. Remember to keep your weight above your head for the entire 30 repetitions.

2. Mountain climbers (20)

• In a push-up position, bring your left leg up as close you’re your left hand as you can, then back down to your right leg. Alternate between your right and left legs for 20 repetitions. When you get into a rhythm, you might begin to bounce—try to minimize bouncing and keep your body parallel to the ground. You should feel toning in your hamstrings.

3. Side-to-side Planks (10)

• Starting in push-up position with your arms fully extended, turn your body to the left so that your left foot rests on top of your right and raise your left arm to the sky. Bring your arm down, and turn into push-up position. Repeat this, facing the right side now, and continue for 20 repetitions. Remember to put your feet on top of one another for a full rep.

4. Standing Squats (30)

• To finish, stand with your feet at shoulder-width, toes facing forward. With your weight held in front of you, lower your butt until your quadriceps are parallel to the floor. Tip: keep an upright back and don’t look down at the ground.

Aside from learning just how quickly seven minutes passes, you’ll also gain high-level cardio and hints of muscle definition in your quadriceps, hamstrings and biceps. Chip away at that layer of stored sweets and coffee you may have gained thus far into hibernation season.

Though you may not complete three sets of these exercises on your first attempt, don’t subject yourself to boring strength workouts. With a workout like this one, it’s easy to set a goal for yourself because it is divided into separate movements.

Don’t get me wrong, I am an offender of talking myself out of strength workouts, as well. Yet, this seven-minute burn will prove to you that efficiency is not always positively correlated to length of a workout. You’ll find that this routine gives you an adequate mixture of cardio and muscle pinpoint movement.

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Running free of frostbite: 3 tips for running in the winter

With Halloween nearly knocking on our doorstep, the looming winter weather is not so far away. Getting motivated to run in colder temperatures is the first feat. Next, you want to ensure that you will be warm and dry from the start of time on your stopwatch, ‘til the end. Below, you’ll find some tips to avoid icy workouts.

1. Getting Dressed: According to an article from Runner’s World, ’10 Tips for Running in the Cold’, there’s a rule of thumb for dressing for colder runs. Mark Grandonico, the president for the Maine Track Club, says to dress as if it’s 20 degrees warmer outside. With technical fabrics, that wick moisture, you’ll allow for enough body warmth to accumulate within your run without overheating.
2. Deep Breaths: On a vigorous run, taking deep breaths from your stomach can make your throat dry and cold. An easy way to avoid this is to run with a mesh or cloth cowl neck warmer covering your mouth. This will filter warmer air into your mouth while breathing. If you dislike running with a cowl, try altering your breathing pattern so you breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. This can also aid in avoiding side aches.
3. Before Leaving: Don’t start the time on your watch if you haven’t performed some sort of warm-up. “The cold doesn’t feel so cold if you’re warm,” says Lauren Salmon on Runner’s World. Not warming up is an easy way to let the chilly winter air stifle your performance during a run. Get a head start and prepare your muscles and cardio for the low temperatures outside.

Now go out and run atop the loud, fallen leaves, or the melting snow-covered pavement this winter. Run happy and run warm. 

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