I am a RUNNER

Marathon Motivation

Got enough marathon motivation to push you across the finish line? It’s one thing to be motivated to start training, it’s another to stay motivated every day.

Training the mind should be considered equally important to physical marathon training. Following are a few simple techniques to help build mental toughness and create the proper mindset.

Visualization

Set aside a few minutes each day, or at least a few times each week, to relax and picture in your mind the runner you want to be. Picture yourself making a great training run or running the actual race. As you are creating that image, try to get other senses involved by trying to feel what it will feel like to achieve your goal or push through any obstacles you envision.

Affirmations

Flood your mind with positive thoughts by talking to yourself every day. Tell yourself that you are a marathon runner, a sub-four hour marathoner, or whatever it is your goal might be. Our minds operate in the present so the more we tell ourselves something, even if it is not yet true, the faster our mind believes it and begins working now to make that affirmation a reality. Also, put an affirmation, race brochure, or inspiring quote somewhere you will see it every day like on your desk or bathroom mirror.

Block the Negative

Be aware of negative thoughts creeping into your mind. When you catch them, stop them cold in their tracks by telling yourself the opposite. For instance, if you catch yourself thinking you are tired during a run, tell yourself several times, with emphasis, that you feel great or feel strong. Do the same for any pain during a run. By telling yourself the opposite, you are diverting your focus from the negative to the positive.

Over the course of training, you may find yourself lacking motivation at some point. This is very common. Maybe you get discouraged because unexpected events have caused you to miss a run, a few runs, or even a week or more of runs. Maybe something in your life diverts your focus from training and your goal. Whatever the case, do not let it stop you from achieving your goal!

Think of supporters cheering you on as you run with ease through the marathon or half marathon. Think about how rewarding it will be when you cross the finish line and reflect on what you have just accomplished.

Surround yourself with positive, motivating things. Watching running movies is great for marathon motivation. Find something that connects with you emotionally and you will find that your intensity and desire will grow to where you don’t just want to achieve your goal, you have to achieve your goal.

Take a step back and think about why you have set this monster goal for yourself and see yourself enjoying all the benefits you expect to have once you accomplish your goal.

http://www.marathonrookie.com/marathon-motivation.html

What Motivates a Runner?

What would drive someone to jump out of bed in the early morning hours and run for countless miles before most people even hear the alarm go off? Are they crazy? Maybe, but probably not.

Once someone dedicates themselves to running, whether as an avenue to lose weight, have more energy, look better, or simply live a healthy lifestyle, they begin to realize the full range of benefits running provides. Running then becomes a habit. For many, it even becomes somewhat of an addiction (a good one). The "runner's high" is just something they must have.

Running is about a lot more than just being in shape and looking good. It provides a great mental escape during the run. Running allows your mind to run free and thoughts to flow. It provides stress relief as one can not only feel good during and after the exercise (as those endorphins get pumping), but can relax and enjoy the run, the moment. For many, running becomes a spiritual thing.

The challenge for many beginning runners is getting to the point of habit. While they may be motivated during the first weeks of running, they fall into the trap of making simple excuses to take a morning off and then find themselves losing motivation.

See if this sounds familiar: Someone decides to start running to get into shape. They run 3-4 days per week for two weeks. Week three arrives and Monday morning the alarm clock goes off while they are cozy in bed and they think, “I’ve been doing so good I’ll treat myself to a morning off and some extra sleep.” Just that one morning off early on can create a big-time setback for many as they may take another run off or even longer, thus delaying them from getting into the habit of running or preventing from ever even getting into the habit.

If you are new to running or just trying to get back into the mode, do yourself a favor and stick with your plans early on. Do the simple things like laying out your running gear the night before to help motivate you the next morning. Run consistently for 4-6 weeks, at a minimum, and you’ll be on track to a healthy life of exercise. Consistency is the key and staying motivated is the way. Run!

by Brad Boughman

http://www.marathonrookie.com/what-motivates-a-runner.html

Is Running Bad For The Knee?

BEING a runner and also a sports medicine practitioner, I shall look at perhaps one of the most common questions asked by runners and patients alike.

“Is running bad for the knees?” This is the question I have been often asked.

As a general rule of exercise, running and walking do no damage to the knees nor will it cause arthritis of the knee when you grow old. Studies done on marathon runners have shown no evidence of degeneration or arthritis of the knees as a result of long distance running.

However, there are exceptions to this finding:

• When a runner has a previous knee injury.
• When a runner has inborn abnormal knee and patella bone.
• When a runner has an established disease in the knee joint such as arthritis, runner's knee, meniscus injury, ligament tear and unstable knees.
• When the exercise is excessive (long hours and high mileage). The risk here is probably from running itself but more from the failure to notice the injury.
• When the exercise has a component of speed with the knee in flexion and rotation (rugby, football, basketball, taekwondo) and is a type that has a high injury risk.
• Obesity.
• Runner with job that required long hour of standing and squatting.

Case of a runner
To make it easier for readers to understand my stand about running and knee injuries, let me bring up the case of this runner. Mr Singh, who had taken up running for the past year, was worried about his knees which had been aching for the past two months.

Before he took up running, he already had an old knee injury. He normally runs about 4km, three times a week at the Subang Jaya Lake.

Three months ago, he decided to run a half marathon and increased the frequency of his run to six days a week. Sometimes, he ran as much as 10km. His initial aches and pains were interpreted as normal soreness after exercise.

Check the damage
It is not entirely true that people who have knee injuries should not run. If the injury has healed, you can return to running. The amount of running you can do depends on your recovery and the previous degree of knee degeneration or arthritis. It is better to get a doctor or specialist to check your condition before you return to running.

In the case of Mr Singh, his knees had already suffered some damage and X-rays had revealed a mild degree of osteoarthritis. Thus, he will face the risk of more pain and possible injury should he continue his present form of 10km running daily and long distance runs.

The anatomy of his knees had already been altered as a result of his old football injury. His knees will no longer function as well as before. He can no longer put abnormal loads and stress on his knee joints, cartilage and meniscus. Running is a weight-bearing exercise and has considerable impact on the knee joints. One kg of body weight is equivalent to 3 kg of pressure on the knee joints.

This pressure could further damage the cartilage and meniscus of the joints and aggravate arthritis. The end result could be damaged knee joints and the possibility of a knee replacement.

Sports less likely to harm the knees
You can run less and alternate your run with those non-weight bearing sports such as swimming and cycling which place less stress on the knees. Water aerobic classes, water running and exercises using resistance machines are good alternatives If you want to pursue sports which may aggravate your knee problems, seek medical advice.

You should do proper warm-up and stretching before exercising. Run on grass which is softer and less impact on the knee. Runners who run less than five kilometers and three times per week usually have low injury of injury to their knee.

Running won't hurt the knees. Many veteran runners, who have been running the 42km event and training for marathons, will agree with me. In my opinion, the benefits of running outweighs the risk of injury to the knee.

GOOD LUCK! RUN FOR FUN! ")

How to prepare yourself before a marathon run?

After the giving my talk on sports injuries, many runners often ask me about their own injuries. From my experience as a marathon runner and running the sports clinic over the years, I can reassure the public that running is still a very safe sport. You can reduce your risk of injury in many ways. One of them is the way you prepare yourself for the run. After registering yourself for the run, how do you prepare yourself for the run? There are four important aspects before a run; these are training, shoes and clothes, food and rest.

Training

If you're not ready by now, it's far too late to prepare yourself if your 42 km run is next week. I often hear athlete telling me about their last minutes training before a competition. Some runners desperately try to cram in as many kilometers as possible in the last week. It will only make things harder on the big day. Your body is exhausted and your legs are too sore to run. By now your long runs should be well behind you and your last two hour-plus run should be a few weeks ago. Take it easy and save your strength for the race day. The week before the run, on Tuesday and Thursday, do a short run of about four to six km at an easy pace. You should rest for two to three days before the race day. You need to stretch your muscles daily even when you are not training.

Shoes and clothes

It is not the time to use your new pair of shoes for this coming long run. Experienced runners will tell you that you'll be experiencing yourself a few painful days if you do. Using a brand new pair of shoes just before a competitive long run is not a good idea. Running a half or full marathon in shoes or clothing that haven’t been broken in is asking for injuries. Wearing new clothes may cause bleeding and chafing. Using a pair of new shoes may cause blisters on your feet by the time you reach the finishing line. Stick with the most comfortable clothes that you has been using during training and don't waste any time worrying that you might not look your best.

Food

During your training your body burns off extra carbohydrate to burn. This is a sure way of losing weight compared to using diet pills. By now you'll be used to eating meals that comprise about 70% carbohydrate - noodles, potatoes, fruit, bread and rice. Some experts believe that an increase in carbohydrate intake of up to nearly 100% in the two days before a run - a practice known as carbo-loading - will increase your chances of getting through the race without hitting the wall (the point at which your body has exhausted all available supplies of energy). Others disagree. Either way you should be eating plenty of high carbohydrate content food, less fatty food and drinking lots of non-diuretic fluids (i.e. water and fruit juice rather than bear, tea or coffee). On the morning of the run have a couple of slices of toast or bread, a bowl of cereal or noodles and a cup of juice or milk. Most runs in Malaysia are in the early morning. It is common to hear many runners run without breakfast. If they do eat, some of them eat too close to the run and cause stomach upsets. A quick and simple energy supply for many regular and top runners is PowerBar and PowerGel. During my run or training these days I often eat one PowerBar with 500ml of water the moment I get up from the bed. By the time I arrived at the run it is about one hour later. The PowerBar can easily provide me with one hour of energy for my run. If the run is more than one hour, then one PowerGel will help to maintain the energy requirement for every half hour. Do carry a high-energy PowerBar or PowerGel in the mid-to late stages of the race to recharge your energy. Always practice using PowerBar and PowerGel during training before the race day. Sports drink like 100Plus and Excel are also an excellent source of liquid carbohydrate before and during the run. The drink helps to ease the thirst and hungry feeling very quickly. Practise drinking sports drinks during training and drink plenty of fluid the day before the race.

Rest

Take it easy one week before the race. Your body is about to undergo the biggest test of endurance. Get lots of sleep and rest. It is not the time for late night and long hours of shopping. The night before, after a high carbohydrate meal go to bed early. If your muscles are sore or tight, a relaxing massage a day before is beneficial.

Questions to Dr William Chan can be directed to him. His contact number is 03-563 55113 or 012-252 1898. His e-mail is spinesportmed@yahoo.com. See also the Sports and Backcare Specialist page.