3 a sport for alldoc.mediaplanet.com/all_projects/5167.pdf · In 2009, Megan ran the Disney World...

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AN INDEPENDENT SUPPLEMENT BY MEDIAPLANET TO USA TODAY RUN/WALK AMERICA A SPORT FOR ALL We are one team. Together let’s jump start a healthy, active lifestyle. 3 TIPS Getting started Join a local club and run for a cause July 2010 Be inspired Young and old thrive and share their stories Race-day tips Expert advice and the key to proper preparation PHOTO: RICH CRUSE / IRON GIRL

Transcript of 3 a sport for alldoc.mediaplanet.com/all_projects/5167.pdf · In 2009, Megan ran the Disney World...

Page 1: 3 a sport for alldoc.mediaplanet.com/all_projects/5167.pdf · In 2009, Megan ran the Disney World Half Marathon four months after starting training. She com-pleted the full marathon

An Independent supplement by medIAplAnet to usA todAy

Run/walk ameRica

a sport for allWe are one team. Together let’s jump start

a healthy, active lifestyle.

3tips

Getting startedJoin a local club and run for a cause

July 2010

Be inspiredYoung and old thrive and share their stories

Race-day tipsExpert advice and the key to proper preparation

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cHallenGeSWalking and running—two of the most popular activities/sports in our country—are a big part of what it means to be human, but we often take this ability for granted. The running industry wants to raise awareness of this uniquely human trait and its benefits as well as encouraging more people to make walking or running part of their daily lives. We were indeed “born to run.” Let’s celebrate that fact!

a sport for every body

a

ccording to our data at Running USA, running and road races are experiencing a “second boom” that started in

1994 thanks in part to the ubiq-uitous training programs for the new runner, and now running, compared to its “first boom” in the 1970s, has reached mainstream America and grown accordingly.

Breaking records For example, from 1980 to 2009, the number of U.S. road finish-ers has increased from one mil-lion to more than 10 million and from less than 20 percent female finishers to 50 percent of fields being female. And today, despite the lingering recession, road races across the country from Boston to San Diego and places in-between are either selling out or reporting record event fields.

In addition, road race spon-sorships are holding steady and according to the 2010 Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association report, running shoes sales are up

and a record 16.4 million people run at least 100 days per year.

In short, there are more people of all ages and abilities running and finishing road, trail and ultra races than any time in our coun-try’s history. That’s the good news.

Yet even with this participa-tion explosion, our country faces challenging and costly, but often preventable health issues from adult and childhood obesity to the rise of type 2 diabetes. Last Febru-ary, First Lady Michelle Obama launched her Let’s Move cam-paign to address and solve some of these nationwide health prob-lems that threaten to bankrupt the U.S. healthcare system.

A healthier, fitter AmericaThe running industry applauds and supports the First Lady’s ini-tiative, and those of us who have caught the running “bug” know for certain that running and walk-ing are affordable, accessible and fun and can be part of the solution for a healthier, fitter America.

Our sport has successful plat-forms from large and small com-munity-based road races to train-

ing programs to family-centered youth programs to the recently held National Running Day on June 2. The running industry’s mission is to expand and promote these platforms—and partner where appropriate—to reach more people, and put simply, to get more people “off the couch and out the door.”

Let’s get startedRunning and walking are so

simple, so basic, and the RUN/WALK AMERICA report can help spread the word about their many benefits: burn calories, strengthen your cardiovascular system, tone muscles, clear your mind, reduce body fat and more. If you are already a walker or run-ner, invite a loved one, neighbor or friend to join you. For those of you who haven’t tried this most human of activities, we encourage you to try it. Join a group or a club. Take that first step and discover running and its benefits today!

susan WeeksCeo, Running usApHoto: theresa lee photography

two is better than one

1 If you are already a walker or runner, invite a loved

one, neighbor or friend to join you.

Join a club

2 Join a training group or running club. You can start

at RunningUSA.org and RRCA.org. Take that first step and dis-cover running and its benefits today!

Best tiP

“...leading a healthy lifestyle is a key part of prevention.”

DougUlmanlIVeSTRONG’s Ceo and three-time cancer survivor

We recommend

pAge 7

We make our readers succeed!

running2nd edition, July 2010

Country Manager: Kayvan [email protected] Manager: jackie [email protected] Manager: Carrie [email protected]: missy [email protected]

responsible for this issuepublisher: geraldine [email protected] Contributors: jill geer, jim Whiting, jill Coody smits, eve mills, dave Watt

Distributed within: usA todAy, july 2010. this section was created by mediaplanet and did not involve the usA todAy or its editorial departments.photo credits: istockphoto.com unless otherwise noted

C’mon get happy! p. 6Running’s endless benefits for your body, mind, and spirit.

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Don’t miss the magical Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend – with spectacular races throughout all four Theme Parks. From the Disney Family Fun Run 5K to the all-new Marathon Monday celebration, be here for a weekend of runs where every mile is fi lled with Disney fun. This is your chance to come home with a Donald Duck, Goofy or newly-designed Mickey Mouse medal!

Register now for a weekend of Mickey, marathons, medals and our fi rst-ever

Marathon Monday celebration!

disneyworldmarathon.com to register and learn more.

presented by

JANUARY 6–9, 2011

inSPiRaTiOn

Beyond personal achievementMegan Lott wanted to do some-thing when her cousin Shana Par-due—an avid runner—contracted Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Though Megan wasn’t a runner, she joined the Leukemia & Lymphoma Soci-ety’s Team In Training, one of a few programs that offers sup-portive training and entry to an endurance event in exchange for fundraising.

In 2009, Megan ran the Disney World Half Marathon four months after starting training. She com-pleted the full marathon in 2010.

An amazing partner“It was the perfect way to honor my cousin,” Megan said. “I couldn’t have done it without the

amazing coaches and mentors of Team In Training.”

Disney’s Kathleen Duran said, “We have a great relationship with charities. They bring new runners to the sport, with a goal and a purpose.”

Jason Contreras ran the 2010 Rock ‘n’ Roll Dallas Half Marathon to benefit the Susan G. Komen Marathon Race for the Cure and honor his sister Sharla Schooley, driving down the day after her funeral.

“She inspired me to do things that are hard because they’re for a good cause,” he said. “She was diagnosed with breast can-cer when she was seven months pregnant. Because of her strength I have a wonderful rambunctious four-year-old nephew. She will

always be my hero.”

Giving backRyan Hall is a top-level mara-thoner who also gives back. A 15-mile run when he was 13 pro-vided the catalyst: “I knew from that moment I was supposed to

use my gift to help people.”Ryan and his wife Sara—an

elite miler—formed the Hall Steps Foundation to raise funds for clean water and other projects in Africa and the United States. The Foundation offers training pro-grams in conjunction with sev-eral marathons.

One is the Bank of America Chicago Marathon. Race direc-tor Carey Pinkowski says charity running “partners well with what marathoning is all about. It’s a life experience.”

hoW We made it

Jim whiting

[email protected]

january 7-9, 2011 january 16, 2011orlando, fl Phoenix • ScottSdale • temPe

chooSeyourevent

and let Team In Training get you ready!

800.482.teamteamintraining.org

A USA Track & Field survey esti-mated $520 million was raised by runners and walkers in 2002; $714 million by 2006, and today may exceed $1 billion. Races now offer robust charity pro-grams, and more organizations have adopted running events as fundraising opportunities.

“Charity running has brought (on) tens of thousands of people who may not otherwise have participated… even professional athletes are actively support-

ing charities,” said USATF CEO Doug Logan.

run for a charity

Champion giverRyan Hall (left) with wife sara, both avid runners, continue to use their talent to benefit others. pHoto: john barnhart

Jill geer, usatf

[email protected]

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newS inSPiRaTiOn

Running offers something for everyone—including fun.

If you need proof that running is fun, just stop by your neighbor-hood playground. As you watch giggling toddlers dash wildly around, you’ll have to acknowl-edge the thrill of hurling your body fast and free through space, with no particular place to go.

Down the street at the high school track, a different story is unfolding. Automaton adults, slogging lap after lap around an oval of withered grass, are stead-fastly moving toward that ever-elusive goal: fitness.

What happened? Somewhere between the toddler years and adulthood, some people come to associate running with some-thing more tedious than joy-ful—something called exercise. Ugh. Exercise is a chore. Exercise involves guilt. Exercise is hard.

Except when it’s not. Just ask someone who loves running. Elite, novice, young, old, skinny, thick, fast, slow. Runners will tell you their sport rules. Just ask running guru Jeff Galloway, coach to more than 250,000 runners and walkers.

“If running were a medication,

it would be the most heavily pre-scribed in history. It doesn’t cost anything significant and gives the body, mind and spirit a chance to come together that is unique among life’s activities.”

BodyThere is no denying that running is good for your health. It can help you lose and keep off weight, improve cardiovascular health and increase muscle mass and bone density. And while all sports bring some risk of injury, the com-mon perception that running “wears out your joints” simply isn’t true.

“Running is associated with increased risk of short-term ortho-pedic injuries such as sprains and strains, but there are no proven long-term negative effects such as joint degradation,” says Dr. Timo-thy Church, director of preventive medicine at the Pennington Bio-medical Research Center.

MindRunning, like all exercise, has a positive affect effect on your mental health. In fact, feeling blue is no excuse not to run—it’s pre-cisely the reason to get moving.

“Exercisers experience a wide range of mental health benefits including lower hostility, stress and depression, as well as an increased sense of well being,” says Dr. Michael Otto, professor of psychology at Boston University.

spiritThough running is inherently solitary, the opportunities to find camaraderie are endless. Join a marathon-training group. Meet like-minded individuals through a 5K fundraiser. Enlist your spouse for a mud-drenched adventure race. According to Galloway, a goal is good for the soul, as well as motivation.

So grab a friend, set an objec-tive, lace up your shoes and hit the trails. With the right attitude, you might actually have some fun.

MoveMent forthe Masses

Jill coody smits

[email protected]

I run to stay in shape. I run so that I can enjoy my love of food. I run because it brings with it a level of discipline which I like to have in my life. I love to set goals, and running allows me to have fitness goals for my train-ing. It allows me to always be working towards something.

As a three-time cancer sur-vivor, I know that leading a healthy lifestyle is a key part of prevention, so I make that prac-tice part of my daily life. I have to work out and I have to be pushing my body to feel really alive.

Avoiding heat illness: ■ Drink fluids before and after

a run. Drink to thirst and don’t over-drink.

■ Avoid hot periods of the day. ■ Wear light, loose-fitting run-

ning clothes that breathe or wick-away moisture.

■ Run in shady areas or trails. ■ Watch for signs of dehydra-

tion and illnesses: thick saliva, headache, dizziness or fatigue, nausea, cramping, concen-trated or dark-colored urine.

If so…stop running, get inside and seek treatment.

running health tiPs

Physical limitations and age are no barrier for these triathletes

In 1994, a group of friends orga-nized the San Diego Challenge Tri-

athlon to benefit Jim MacLaren, a quadriplegic after being hit by a car during a triathlon. Since then, what is now the Challenged Athletes Foundation has raised over $25 million and helped 4,800 American and foreign athletes.

One beneficiary is UCLA junior Scout Bassett. Born in China,

Scout lost most of her right leg before turning one years old and was abandoned. An orphanage gave her a prosthetic McGyver would admire: leather scraps, nuts and bolts, masking tape. Scout received a much better pros-thetic when she was adopted and came to the United States, where she developed a love of sports. But a succession of softball and soc-cer coaches kept her glued to the bench.

Things changed with a sport-specific CAF prosthetic that let Scout take up triathlons in 2007. No longer dependent on win-at-all-cost coaches, Scout thrived and has competed in several national and world championships. “I sur-prised even myself,” she said. “It gave me confidence.”

Who do you race for?Now eleven, Winter Vinecki has been a triathlete for more than

half her life. An ambassador for the IronKids National Triathlon Series, she planned on forming Team Winter to fight childhood obesity when she was only eight. Things took a tragic turn when her father was diagnosed with prostate cancer, a disease that soon claimed him.

Winter immediately changed her focus to combat the disease. Team Winter has already raised $150,000, and hopes to generate $200,000 in 2010. That sum will fund the Prostate Cancer Founda-tion’s Young Investigator Award for three years.

With a maturity belying her youth, Winter—who trains as much as three hours a day—says, “Everything happens for a rea-son. If my Dad hadn’t died, Team Winter wouldn’t be here now.”

■ Question: How can young atheletes turn devastating los-ses into something positive?

■ Answer: they use their tri-athalon accomplishments to raise money and awareness.

Jim whiting

[email protected]

Kid-centric running programs respond to child-hood obesity with tools for a healthy, happy life.

Though the cultural, behavioral and social causes for America’s childhood obesity epidemic are complex, there is a simple reason why kids gain weight: they eat too much and exercise too little.

And while there is no single solution to the societal problem, programs like Michelle Obama’s national “Let’s Move” campaign to more grassroots-driven organi-zations like Girls on the Run aim to help children adopt healthier eating and activity habits.

Fit and happyKay Morris is founder and director of Marathon Kids, a free program that challenges children to run or walk 26.2 miles within six months while on a wholesome diet.

“Overweight kids often have a self-image of being sedentary,

but many of these same children rediscover their natural vitality when they successfully complete the program. Kids who were hard-wired to believe they weren’t ath-letic have a positive shift in their self-perception.”

Lessons for lifeMorris says completion-based programs offer a different expe-rience than recess or competi-tive sports because some kids sit around or drift to the sidelines. Additionally, as communities come together to help a child suc-ceed, good health habits become contagious to parents and others. Ultimately, she says the goal is to give children life skills.

“We aren’t trying to create mar-athoners; we’re giving children an outlet to experience the joy of movement and, hopefully, a great coping mechanism for life.”

When stamina runs out, Inspiration kicks in. Consider running your next full or half marathon in support of susan g. Komen for the Cure® and promise to save lives and end breast cancer forever.join us at these upcoming events:oct. 3- Rock ‘n’ Roll san jose Half marathonoct. 10- bank of America Chicago marathonoct. 10- portland marathon and Half marathonoct. 31- marine Corps marathon- Washington d.C.nov. 14- Rock ‘n’ Roll san Antonio marathon and Half marathon

to register or learn more, visit marathonforthecure.org or call 888-405-pInK.

Run, child, run

Ready...set...go!the community comes together to support a group of marathon Kids embarking on a six-month fitness program in Austin, texas. pHoto: marathon Kids

Mr. C. HawkinsRRCA’s oldest member is 92 years of age.pHoto: penny photography

DougUlmanpresident & CeolIVeSTRONG

DaveWattexecutivedirectorAmerican RunningAssociation

three-time survivor

RELEntLEss yoUtHscout Basset (left) is a mentor to partici-pants at the Challenged Athletes Foun-dation. Winter Vinecki (right) formed team Winter in honor of her father.PhOTO: (lefT, luiS GaRcia; RiGhT, ScOTT zaGaRiNO)

!

Jill coody smits

[email protected]

challenged athletes Foundation® (caF) recognizes the athletic great-ness inherent in all people with physical challenges and supports their endeavors by providing grants for adaptive sports equipment, training and competition, as well as programs and events that enable them to get off the sidelines and into the game.

help change lives by signing up for caf’s san diego triathlon challenge, or by joining caf’s race for a reason® program. your next race can make a difference.

www.challengedathletes.org

“if running were a medication, it would be the most heavily prescribed in history. it doesn’t cost any-thing significant and gives the body, mind and spirit a chance to come together that is unique among life’s activities.” -Jeff Galloway

get moving with Iron girl, an event-based brand that empowers women toward a healthy lifestyle. join a community that supports you from start to finish.

begin your journey today at www.Irongirl.com

pHoto: Ali darvish/Iron girl

MAKE it FUn

1tip

ELiMinAtE HURDLEs

2tip

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GU.USAtodayOL.x.pdf 5/28/10 11:03:48 AM

1People have been run-ning barefoot since the dawn of time, but

only recently did it become a craze. If summer asphalt dis-courages you, consider the mid-dle ground inhabited by prod-ucts like the Vibram FiveFin-gers or Terra Plana Vivo Bare-foot shoe.

2toning shoes are curved or bumpy soles designed to keep the

wearer slightly unstable, which manufacturers say tones mus-cles quicker. Fairly new to the marketplace are products like the Sketchers Shape-Up and New Balance Rock&Tone.

tiPs on trainers

2sHoEs. Your most important purchase! For optimum results, visit a running specialty store. Employees are experienced run-ners trained to help you find the best shoe for YOUR feet and YOUR running goals. AppAREL. Fabrics that wick per-spiration away from your body are better than cotton, which traps moisture. Long-sleeved shirts and wind/rain resistant shells help keep you toasty in bad weather, as do tights and running pants. HEAD CAsEs. Hats help retain warmth while shielding your face from sun and rain. Sunglasses ease glare and keep bugs out of your eyes.CHAFinG. Balms and/or band aids on your nipples can ward off chafing during long runs. sUnsCREEn. 2004 Olympic

marathon bronze medalist Deena Kastor—a skin cancer victim—urges runners to lather on sun-screen to help prevent the disease.ELECtRoniCs. Digital wrist stopwatches time your workouts. Heart rate monitors provide sci-entific underpinning for your training. GPS trackers gauge your actual distance. Some devices, such as Polar’s RS300X, perform

all three functions. Other models include Timex Ironman Global Trainer and Garmin Forerunner. HyDRAtion. Drink water an hour or two before your workout, then again just before starting. On longer runs you can carry water or sports drinks. If sloshing annoys you, drive the course beforehand and stash bottles at strategic points. Be sure to retrieve them!

GRAZinG on tHE Go. Energy gels and chews don’t take up much room, hit the spot, and offer added oomph on long runs. tRiED AnD tRUE. Races are not the time to experiment. Test everything from apparel and pre-race meal to toleration for food and drink while running during your training. You don’t want nasty surprises at mile 15 of a marathon. CooL DoWn. Cooling down after hard running is vital. Put on your sweats and walk or jog about a mile. Then do at least five minutes of stretching. Because this is the best time to replenish depleted muscles, drink plenty of water and eat something.

gearing up for good running

facts to helP your Performance

■ taken from green coconuts, coconut water has more po-tassium than bananas, several important electrolytes, and no fat or cholesterol. coconut wa-ter has even been used as an iv solution in emergencies.

■ A wool sweater makes good emergency raingear because

wool retains body heat even when it gets wet.

■ Midsole cushioning material in running shoes breaks down after about 400 miles.

■ some sunglasses come with interchangeable lenses for optimum vision in all conditions. Jim whiting

[email protected]

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PROFeSSiOnal inSiGHT

is distance running a soli-tary pursuit? Do you visua-lize a lone runner winding his way through vacant streets, plodding across empty fields, trekking along deserted beaches?

Well, running need not be a lonely sport! Running can be a highly social, community-oriented act-ivity. How? Join a local running club, where runners at all levels benefit from the support, train-ing and camaraderie. Many clubs have “walk-to-run” programs for beginners, along with progressive programs to get new runners to the starting line without injury and, ultimately, to the finish line. Local clubs can also provide train-ing for experienced runners and information on nutrition, equip-ment and injury prevention. Clubs prepare members for events rang-ing from “fun runs” and distance walking to competitive road races and trail runs. Clubs provide disci-pline, motivation and inspiration.

But the primary benefit of run-ning clubs is camaraderie. Mem-bers train together, race together

and accomplish goals together. Many clubs organize excursions to races in other cities, participate in charity programs, and engage in community activities. Along the way, members and training groups bond and become life-long running partners and close friends. Many local clubs now host youth programs and races, too, like Kids Run the Nation, cre-ated by the Road Runners Club of America, instilling a lifelong love of running in a new generation.

So add running to your social agenda! Join an existing club, start a new club or organize a race.Good luck, and safe running!

How much exercise earns you that burger and fries?

It is not a coincidence that two-thirds of American adults are overweight or obese, and only about one-third get enough exer-cise. “Though it’s fairly easy to lose weight, it is nearly impossible to keep it off without physical activ-ity,” says Dr. Timothy Church, director of preventive medicine at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center.

your weekly doseFederal guidelines recommend that adults get at least 150 min-utes of moderate exercise or 75

minutes of vigorous exercise each week, performed in increments of at least 10 minutes.

Keeping it realIt is important to be aware that it is quite possible to be “fat and fit” because exercise alone won’t keep you trim. Finding the bal-ance between food and exercise is key for everyone trying to keep off weight. Church says, “If you’re running an hour a day then ingesting a giant latte and a muffin, your workout’s effect on weight is neutralized.”

a place for every pace

will move for food

Jill coody smits

[email protected]

eve mills

Road Runners Club of America

[email protected]

Jill coody smits

[email protected]

■ Question: I haven’t run in years—how should I get started?

■ Answer: The best way to start running is to start walk-ing. Whether you are a begin-ner or returning to the sport after a hiatus, begin at a gentle pace and gradually increase the distance. When you are comfortable walking for 30 minutes, insert five to ten seconds of running into each minute of exercise. Gradu-ally add five more seconds of running and subtract five seconds of walking from each minute, and eventually you will come to a ratio that allows you to stay in motion without aches and pains. The key is to go at your own pace as you find a run-walk-run strategy that allows you to feel good each day.

■ Question: Is it better to run

with a training group? ■ Answer: Yes, but it’s criti-

cal to find a group that incorpo-rates liberal walk breaks and sup-ports runners at a wide range of paces, including beginners. That

said, individually oriented train-ing groups are powerful motivators and provide connections with other people who are responding to a chal-lenge. Oftentimes, it is those relation-ships that will get you running even when it’s hot, the distance is long or you are feeling lazy. Group training enhances the blend of body, mind and spirit that running creates naturally.

■ Question: Am I too old to start

running? ■ Answer: No one is too old to run,

as long as they adhere to the guide-lines I’ve mentioned. I know many

runners who started running in their 70s or 80s. The challenge is to check your ego at the start line and embrace the walk break. If you can back off your pace and focus on the joy and sense of vital-ity that come together in a run, you can

enjoy your running endorphins until you’re 100.

Beginner’s tips and getting back into it

JEFF GALLoWAyone of running’s best, fin-ishes the Lost Dutchman race in Gold Canyon, AZ.PhOTO: action Sports images

ZICO.COM Dean KarnazesUltramarathon runner,

Philanthropist, Best-selling author

I am pure. I am natural. I endure. ZICO Pure Premium Coconut Water keeps me running with five essential

electrolytes including more potassium than a banana. ZICO. The ultimate hydration drink.

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siGn Up FoR A RACE

3tip

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We Are Team LIVESTRONGWALK, RUN, RIDE OR TRI

We don’t compete in the same events. We’re in different zip codes, cities, states. Some of us have been at this for years. Others are just getting started. But we’re one team. We believe we can make a difference—in the fi ght against cancer and in our own lives. We are more than one.

JOIN US AT TEAMLIVESTRONG.ORG

© 2010 LIVESTRONG, a registered trademark of the Lance Armstrong Foundation. The Lance Armstrong Foundation is a 501(c)(3) under federal tax guidelines.

We are proud to announce that, due to the generous support of our corporate partners this year, 100% of participant and donor gifts to the LIVESTRONG Challenge Series will go directly to support our programs and initiatives in the fi ght against cancer.