5k Run on Cal Poly Campus
I did this 5k run around Cal Poly’s campus today. A friend led me through the trail she had learned from a fundraiser for Cal Poly’s Triathlon team in February. What’s cool about this run is that it starts and ends at Cal Poly’s Recreation Center which is convenient for locker storage and continuing a work out with weights.
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I have placed eight markers on my map that give previews to the type of terrain you will be running on. This 5k has a good variety of uphills, downhills and flat sections that make it an achievable fun run for any level.
A 5k is 3.10 miles making it long distance but not out of question. Many fundraisers are 5k and it is also the run for a sprint distance triathlon.
When I really started to enjoy running I was doing a 5k everyday (it’s got a nice ring to it). Running at about six miles per hour it will take a little over 30 minutes. My best time for a 5k was on the treadmill and I clocked in at about 25:16.
When I did this run with my friend Jocelyn it only took us about 25 minutes. What was really fun for me was to sprint on the way back from the turn around point. The land is really flat and I had plenty of time to recover from the hill on Via Carta so I challenge Joc to a quick race. There are these metal arches on Pinnacles road that make for excellent start and finish points. The quick sprints bring the heart rate up and brought excitement to a dull part of the run.
I did the run again alone after Jocelyn had shown me the trail and I added more parts for sprinting. College avenue is a very small incline after a downhill start. I like to sprint up hills to make them go by faster and strengthen my leg muscles. It will also bring up your heart rate if that down hill was too easy.
What’s great about this run is that all of it is on Cal Poly‘s campus. It can conveniently be run before, during or after classes. Safety is less of an issue since campus is usually filled with people and the University Police Department is constantly roaming campus and headquarters are near by. All of the streets that the run is on are lit as well.
Filed under Outdoor Running
Why you should run
I do agree that starting a running exercise program isn’t the easiest thing to do. At first it will be difficult and boring, it may seem time consuming and results can be slow, but don’t give up! I’ve found that running has not only helped my body and physical appearance, but I’m also healthier on the inside and running has benefited me mentally as well.
Physical Benefits
On average running will burn 100 calories for each completed mile, making running a very effective way of losing body weight. The heavier a person is, the more calories they will lose. Beginning runners often quickly lose weight and then reach a plateau. If this is the case for you, a change in diet and increased intensity of your workout will help shed the remaining pounds-easier said than done. To lose one pound you need to have a calorie deficit of 3500, or burn about 500 calories in your work out.
Health Benefits
Running is one of the best aerobic exercises that physically conditions the heart and lungs. The improvement in cardiovascular health will lower blood pressure and help arteries maintain elasticity which lowers risk for heart attacks and strokes. The physical demands of running also increase bone strength which will make someone less likely to get osteoporosis as they age. Running also has a positive influence on the immune system; it creates a higher concentration of lymphocytes in the blood.
Mental Benefits
Believe it or not, after a hard run your brain releases endorphins that will make you feel happy and positive, often referred to as the “runner’s high”. Running can also make you feel good by increasing confidence in a few different ways. After a hard run I am proud that I’ve pushed myself and didn’t give up when I was exhausted. My confidence has increased because I have achieved a goal or beat a previous best time.
Running has also helped me tremendously when dealing with stress. Multiple times I have gone into the gym frustrated, mentally exhausted and strained from school, work and relationships. Running gives me a chance go forget about those things and focus on things I can control, like my breathing. After the work out, I feel refreshed and ready to go back to my busy life with a positive attitude. Also, I’ve found that the days that I’m more depressed and stressed out are the days that I run the hardest.
Filed under Running Tips
Shin Splints-Causes, Treatment and Prevention
Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome (MTSS), more commonly known as shin splints, is the throbbing or aching pain felt along the shin bone that many runners experience in their careers. Shin splints develop over time and the pain can be felt during a workout or throughout the day.
Image from WomenFitness.net article
Causes
Prevention
Warm up: Highly overlooked, a warm up is important before any vigorous activity. An efficient warm up will increase muscle and body temperature which improves speed, strength and flexibility. It will also improve range of motion and the hormonal balance responsible for energy production. Not only does a warm up prepare the body physically, it helps psychologically as well; increasing focus and clearing the mind.
Stretching: Stretching lower leg muscles is important in injury prevention. When muscles are stiff they are more likely to be forced out of their range of motion. Keeping muscles and tendons flexible will improve performance and minimize small injuries.
Strengthen: A strengthening exercise you can do if you are sitting is to quickly raise and lower a foot while keeping your heel on the ground. Basically, tap your toes excessively for sixty seconds. Very soon you will feel soreness along the shin bone. Another easy exercise is to lift your leg and write the alphabet with your big toe. Walking around the house on your heels with toes pointed toward the sky will also strengthen the muscle that causes shin splints.
Treatment
Following the basic injury treatment of R.I.C.E will help in minor cases of shin splints.
Rest your shore shins. Take a break from running for a couple days and work on the exercising I talked about in prevention. If you can’t stand to miss these days of cardio, change your workout to a stationary bike or elliptical trainer.
Ice your shins by rubbing ice cubes up and down the bone, placing an ice bag over the area of pain or for the more intense, stick your legs in a bucket of ice water. Wastebaskets are the perfect size for icing from the knee down.
Compression: use an elastic wrap to support calf muscle to the shin. Special supporting sleeves can be purchased online or at athletic stores like Sport’s Authority.
Elevate your legs above heart-level while performing the other elements of R.I.C.E.
If pain continues after proper care and treatment, contact a doctor.
Filed under Running Tips
Miracle Miles for Kids 10K
More than 2,400 racers crowded the starting line at Morro Rock Saturday for the 7th annual Miracle Miles for Kids 10k, a fundraiser forThe Family Care Network, Inc. (FCNI) that took participants from the rock to Cayucos Pier.
The event raises money for the agency and helps people learn about Family Care Network, Jim Roberts, CEO of FCNI said. The first Miracle Miles for Kids was a Cal Poly senior project by Marcy Collins in 1992.
“We did it again the following year, then brought it back in 2003,” he said. “It’s been growing with participants and sponsors every year.”
The race can be competitive, with awards given to winners who are divided by gender and age. Many people make teams such as a centipede in which members run leashed together. A lot of families run together too, said Jon Nibbio, FCNI chief operations officer and director of clinical services.
“It’s a race for all ages,” he said. “Infants are being pushed in strollers and some competitors are in their 70s.”
Sponsors, registration fees and pledges help offset the cost of the fundraiser. It also takes 250 volunteers, said Kathleen Grace, FCNI volunteer coordinator.
“Community members, service groups, sorority and fraternity members were some of the volunteers this year,” she said. “We also got a lot of people from Make-a-Wish Foundation.”
At the post-race party at the pier, Atascadero-based band Lakes played music while people wandered through a small block of vendors, a few offering massages. A goodie bag and hamburger lunch were additional perks offered to finished racers.
The proceeds fund direct services for foster and high-needs children.
“It can be used to pay for anything,” Roberts said. “The donations will let a kid go to prom, summer camps or to help with tuition.”
Miracle Miles for Kids makes a significant difference in closing the gap lost from state budget cuts, Bobbie Cherry, CFO of FCNI said.
“We’ve had a 10 percent rate cut from a budget that hasn’t been raised since 2000,” she said.
Filed under Local Running Events
Top Rated Running Dogs
Everybody likes a running companion and canine is man’s best friend. These dogs are top rated for their endurance and are sure to always be by your side and give you a good lick when the workout is done.
Breeds |
Temperament | Diet | Exercise | Life Span |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boxer | Very energetic and playful | Two feedings a day | Loves the daily walk | 8-12 years |
| Whippet | Friendly nature and attachment to owners | Meat and proper balance of fat, carbs, vitamins and minerals | These dogs are fast and compete in racing | 12-15 years |
| Labrador | A great family dog that’s eager to please | Gains weight easily | Take out daily for a long walk or jog | 10-12 years |
| Dalmatian | Energetic, best with older children | Twice a day | Very active lifestyle, usually unsatisfied with short walks | 12-14 years |
| Border Collie | Very demanding, energetic pets | Homemade meals twice a day | Highly active and demanding | 10-12 years |
| German Short Haired Pointer | Crave order and need structure in their life | Two to three cups twice a day | Will become frustrated, restless and destructive if not regularly exercised | 12-15 years |
| Greyhound | Reserved behavior and wont respond to harsh discipline | Two to three small meals a day | Loves regular routine and to run off the lease in an open field | 10-12 years |
| Siberian Husky | Very intelligent which can lead to obedience or boredom and destruction | Eats less than expected for a medium-sized dog | Loves to run! Does not do well in apartments | 12-15 years |
| Weimaraner | Highly intelligent dogs but protective of family members and hesitant towards strangers | At lease twice a day to avoid bloating | Needs lots of vigorous exercise-a daily run/walk and other play along with it | 10-12 years |
This list of dogs are some of my suggestions and it doesn’t mean that your favorite pooch can’t keep up. Every dog likes to get out and exercise with their owner. When picking a canine companion, find a dog that will fit your whole lifestyle not just the part of your life that involves working out. Remember, these creatures are capable of all the emotion any human can have and will be living for ten years or more. Any pet is a large commitment that needs to be taken seriously.
Filed under Outdoor Running
