Many of you may have questions about caffeine. What is it? Is it good for me. etc.? Well, caffeine is a stimulant that increases mental alertness so you feel good.
Some sports studies have found benefits to consuming caffeine and that it may enhance marathon performance when taken properly. Research also shows that it stimulates the release of adrenaline from your adrenal glands. This allows more fatty acids to be released into the blood so you are burning fatty acids at the beginning and can save muscle glycogen to the latter miles of a marathon.
Caffeine does have benefits like increasing your speed by just a few minutes. But how important is several minutes to your time? The goal of the GBI Marathon team is to train for a healthy marathon pace in order to reduce injuries and prolong your walk/run so that you can finish the race feeling good. Our primary goal is maintaining a healthy lifestyle, not increasing our speed.
The bottom line is caffeine can benefit performance, but in the end, water is the most important fluid you should consume. Remember you need at least 8 additional ounces of water for every 10 – 15 minutes of exercise. Also, you should drink 1 pint of water approximately 30 minutes before training and race day. So, the fluid to focus on the most is H2O!
Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns about caffeine intake.
In 2008, the New York Times published an article that estimated only 650,000 people in the U.S. had ever completed a half marathon. That’s less than 1% of the U.S. population.This proves that our Gastric Band Institute Marathon Team is very courageous and special!
Last week, you finished a distance of 8.55 miles. What a feat! You are more than half way there with only eight more weeks until the half marathon on December 6, 2009. Your dedication and pace have been amazing.
By conquering this goal, you are redefining the scope of what is possible in all areas of your lives. You are now a part of something extraordinary that you will remember for a lifetime.
You should all be very proud of yourselves.Keep up the good work and we will see you at the finish line!
The weather is changing and you may have noticed the internal dialogue seducing you to stay inside: “You would much rather stay inside under the covers than tackle the wind and the cold.” Be aware of those thoughts in your head as we continue to train and the weather continues to get colder. Keeping on track with training and not missing training days is important to help prevent injuries caused by increasing long walks/runs too quickly.
Here is a list of what we can do to prepare ourselves for Jack Frost! (Ok, I may be exaggerating but it was pretty cold this last week!)
1.As the song goes; “Prepare your mind, the rest will follow.” Be aware of the internal dialogue, “the seducers,” and talk back. This training is as much about a mental training as it is a physical training. You are mentally tough! Every time you follow through with your intention vs. giving into the internal dialogue you have won a battle which will result in winning a long-term war of being in control of your choices. On your rest days you may want to work on training your brain by using guided imagery, visualization or meditation techniques. If you have never done anything like this, there are CDs you can purchase to guide you through the process.
2.Resist the temptation to overdress. Excessive sweating under too many layers may actually cause you to feel cold during the training.Layer your clothing instead. The material closest to your body should wick moisture away. Get wicking materials like acrylic or cool max fabrics. Champion brand sells wicking material clothing or you can go to http://www.coolclothingusa.com.The best fabrics for cold weather training are polypropoylene and capillene. If it is windy, think about wind protection by wearing an outer layer of gortex or nylon. Remember, the layers can come off as you warm up.
If you’ve been following the training schedule, you’ll notice that we’ve included at least one day of cross training or strength training in each week’s routine. While our major focus is building our mileage up to 13.1 miles, I wanted to discuss the importance of these cross training days and how they will help us train for our big day.
Why cross train?
Each week we work on our speed and endurance during our short and long walks. Cross training days keep our bodies moving but also provide us a rest from the regular trainings. As light, easier workouts they allow our muscles to recover from the walking sessions. Cross training decreases the chance of having a burnout and can strengthen muscle groups and soft connective tissues in our body. Upper body strength building is also important as neck and shoulder muscles assist in walking up hills and can become fatigued during the marathon. On a fun note, cross training days shake up our training week and add a little variety to the schedule!
What activities count as cross training?
Are your muscles sore?Try swimming on a cross training day. Swimming is one of the best forms of full body exercise. It can soothe some of the most stressed walking/running muscles by providing a non-contact workout. Upper body strength is built up and your ankles gain flexibility as you swim. Swimming requires you to pay close attention to your breathing – these breathing patterns can be used while walking as well. Your muscles will also benefit from a gentle massage as they move through the water.
Do you want to reduce your risk of injury?Try biking. This cross training exercise can be done on the road or on a stationary bike at your gym. Cycling helps release sore leg muscles and supports connective tissues in ankles, hips and knees.
Need to build your body strength?Try rowing or elliptical machines. These are low-impact cardio exercises that build strength in you quads, hips, and buttocks. Row machines also assist in upper body building.
Need something more relaxing?Try yoga or Pilates. Both exercises count as cross training or strength training and use your body mass instead of weights as resistance. Both are also great for stretching and relaxing sore muscles. If you’d like to improve your breath, check out these Pilates Breath Enhancing exercises: http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-238-263-266-12996-0,00.html
Remember, these are just a few cross training ideas – there are tons to choose from! Have fun trying new activities and even switch them up each week.
As always, listen to your body to prevent injury as well as to enhance your mileage training or cross training sessions. Rest when you need to rest. Stretch when you need to stretch. Ask questions when they arise!
What do you think about while you train? Does your mind wander or do you think of each step as it lands on the pavement and anticipate the next? This week, let’s be mindful of our minds and see what improvements come from different types of concentration.
For endurance training, try starting with your mind alert. Be focused on your mileage or time goal. Think back on the marathon tips and training information that you have gathered so far. Check your form and pace as well as how your body is feeling that day and make adjustments as necessary.
Having a purpose to progress during your training is important. Whether you want to increase your walking pace or you want to increase to a run/walk, you need a clear focal point. A good way to start is by counting your steps in your head. You can start by doing 100 – 200 fast pace walking or running to 300 – 400 steps of regular walking. You can slowly shift to where you are doing 400- 500 steps to fast pace walking or running to 200 steps of regular walking.
As your mind drifts from extreme focus into the next few areas of concentration, remember to occasionally bring it back in to a physical focus and re-examine your path and the steps ahead of you.
Next, try incorporating moments of external focus into your training session. Training is still your mindset but try thinking of it outside of your body. You can do this by shifting into a character. Try to imagine you are someone else, someone you admire. Imagine how they look and feel running or walking 13 miles. Imagine you are them and act it out. Try to boost your energy with the energy of your character.
Also, try having moments where you are internally focused on yourself in the present moment.This means you are not thinking about the next step, next cone, or next mile, but your feet are continuously moving you forward while your mind is focused elsewhere. You can do this by concentrating on your breathing, how your clothes feel on your body, your heartbeat or how your body feels.
Finally, during a training session or other free time this week, start thinking about what you want to get out of your trainings as well as the half marathon. What are your other long-term goals associated with this achievement? Become aware of your motivating factors so that your mind will become more open to your capabilities and the possibilities of future ambitions. Repeat your goals to yourself while training in order to build your motivation and momentum.
Remember believing is achieving. Believe you will cross the finish line - you will!
There was a good turnout for Lap Band Support Group last Tuesday night with a good mix of veteran, new, and potential lap band patients.I found it interesting that so many of our patients put years of thought into their decision to have a weight loss surgical procedure.I really feel that this surgery does more to improved patients’ lives and health than any other.
I appreciated the honesty of one gentleman who admitted he was still not sure if he was ready to make the lifestyle changes and sacrifices to be successful with a gastric band.The group recommended he take his time making his decision and to ensure he was ready to have a surgical procedure to help him cut down his meal portion size.This was great advice.No patient should feel forced or pressured into having the lap band procedure.Patients sometimes tell me, “My doctor wants me to get a Lap Band.” Dr. Atkinson and I need to hear, “I want to have a Lap Band.”
We recently posted a YouTube video about a patient named Becky and her involvement and utilization of our support groups.Check it out!
Congratulations team!You have completed two weeks of training and did four or more miles at your last long walk!
I want to thank everyone for coming out to the group trainings on Thursdays or Sundays. Your dedication is awesome! You are all off to a strong start.
We are on week three of training and will be doing five miles this week for our long run. Looking forward to seeing you there. On individual training days this week, possibly try new trails or tracks for your three, 60 minute walks and a new activity for your cross training day. Whatever you do, have fun with each session and don’t forget your two days of rest!
As the miles continue to grow, also remember to stay focused on the prize and keep yourself motivated. Log your struggles, trial and error methods and of course your successes. Collect bits of encouragement, such as a friend’s inspirational words or other quotes.Look back on these entries for extra motivation in the coming months.
“Nobody trips over mountains.It is the small pebble that causes you to stumble.Pass all the pebbles in your path and you will find you have crossed the mountain.”~Author Unknown
Remember, it is just one step at a time!How are you guys staying motivated and continuing to commit? Please share your strategies!
Finishing your first marathon is a special experience – it’s something that you will never forget. Due to the excitement of training and looking forward to the race, many people have high expectations that do not benefit them in the end. Remember, you have already committed. For your first marathon your only expectation is to finish the race safely. Enjoy the journey and remember not to over do it!
Check out the article link below for more info on managing expectation. Let’s focus on goal #1 and goal #2.
The Annual Healthy for Life Celebration Picnic is this Saturday, September 19, 2009 from 11:00 am to 3:00pm at Centennial Hills Park.The Healthy for Life picnic is a special event for patients to celebrate their successful journey to becoming healthy along with their families, fellow patients and the Gastric Band Institute staff.
Also, the next lap band support group meeting is Tuesday, September 22, from 6:00-7:30pm in the seminar room behind our office.All patients pre and post-op are welcome, as well as persons considering the lap band procedure.If you are a patient and have yet to attend a support group, I highly recommend it.It’s a great opportunity to meet other patients, voice your thoughts and learn tips for how to be successful with the gastric band.
I know a few of you mentioned at training on Sunday that you usually train on a treadmill and how much more difficult it was for you to train outside. Both the treadmill and the track serve a purpose during your training for the half marathon.With treadmill training you are given many constants like running surface, forced pace, assisted momentum from the track, wind resistance, etc. A treadmill can be great for conditioning and easing you into running/walking outside. When you train outside, there are a lot of unknowns that affect your training and mental focus, making your workout more difficult. There is no assisted momentum from below you moving you along and assisting you to keep up with a certain pace. There are up and down hills, wind resistance, etc. It takes more effort to train outside on a track than on a treadmill.
Overall, a combination of both treadmill and track training is great. You can use the treadmill to assist you into increasing your speed and creating a pace for yourself and you can use the track for an experience that will be more similar to the half marathon. Please do not do all your training inside on a treadmill as you will have a rude awakening the day of the half marathon.
