SIT SIT SIT

SNAPSHOT

Oh sitting, how you have crept into my day.

DIGGING DEEPER

During breakfast, traveling, desk work, waiting room, coffee with a friend, phone call, lunch, dinner, kids' swimming and soccer practices, and on the sofa, we sit, sit, sit.  Look deeply at the normal physical routines of your day. Does sitting consume your body’s day? 

Throw running into the equation, which relies heavily on the hamstrings, glutes, and core to move the body forward, and you have a combination for lower back pain.

The one semi-heavy object that you lifted that caused you to drop to the floor and live on the couch for a few days wasn't the culprit.  It was weeks or months of strain and weakened muscles shouting, “I QUIT!” 

Sitting with a ninety-degree bend in each of the hips and knees creates a strain on the hamstring and glutes.  It also weakens the surrounding muscles since they go unused for many hours of the day. You can imagine and feel the damage of sitting.

I am not taking this battle sitting down and am seeking a healthy restful position to impact this world. This is my change list:

• Sit in the lotus position whenever possible
• Stand when on the computer 
• Keep a straight back when sitting, with my shoulders on by back
• Stroll throughout my thinking and talking periods of the day
• Pilates class once a week
• No screen time after 8 pm

Recommended Book- Deskbound: Standing Up to a Sitting World by Kelly Starrett

SOLUTION

Copy this list and stick it near your computer for a reminder of avenues to better physical health.

Lemonade Recipe

SNAPSHOT

Stir up lemonade when injuries come your way.

Help Please

DIGGING DEEPER

Keys to your unique body come from periods of injury and recovery. An injury is a significant opportunity to learn about how your body operates.  What do your muscles and bones need in order to preform super human feats?

Each time I have dealt with an injury, I discover new tools and hints to keep my body happy.  Here are a few gems I have collected during periods of recovery.  Loose calves and gluts keep my hamstrings from tightening up. Stretching my hip flexor after a run will keep my stride smooth.  I must lift lightly in the weight room, keeping me from fatiguing secondary muscles. It was a tough day when I realized I needed to eat enough beef in order to keep my iron levels high.  All these keys to success came from failure.  They came out of the crushing blows of injury.  

Step back and remember that gains will come from this injury.  A rebuilt, stronger, wiser body will emerge.  That is the mindset of goal achievers: learn and grow from failure.

SOLUTION

Make tasty lemonade from lemons by using your unique recipe.

Thanks Bro!

Friendly Influence

1996 Fort Collins Varsity Team - 2nd place finisher in the Colorado State 5A division race

SNAPSHOT

Join me for track practice.

DIGGING DEEPER

It was a friend that brought me to running.  She wasn’t a runner or even an athlete.  I don’t know why she even wanted to join the middle school track team.  I was not an athlete either.  Since my family was in a constant state of change and my father was parenting on his own, sports had not been an option.  The extent of my athletic experience only entailed winning the elementary school field day races once a year. 

Middle school track in Fort Collins, Colorado was only 6 weeks long with just a few meets.  It only took that one last race where I was flying through the finish line to capture my heart.  When the fall cross country season came a few months later I quickly lined myself up to run on the high school team.  Running in the shadows, I was the most wide-eyed, innocent, quirky little girl with a bit of pudge and not real running shoes. I tagged along on a team that had a serious history of winning and a coach that took us to the podium at state meets.  

Start line focus

While riding to the first cross country race, the fast girls pulled a prank by convincing me that gullible was not in the dictionary.  With that same innocence, I accepted the pointing out of the race course thinking I would just be following all the jerseys in front of me.  The JV race gun went off and I dashed out to the front.  No one stepped ahead of me.  In the lead, I took the wrong turn and was guided back by the spectating parents.  A lesson I would never forget as I became the course strategist on all my racing teams.  To the surprise of my team, I finished with a win. 

During the next practice, the varsity boys walked by exclaiming, “So, you are the one that won the girls' JV race.”  I blushed as bright as my red trimmed glasses.  I knew the joy I felt while running was worth being watched. It was the beginning of a love for running.  

My future was altered by a friendly invitation. So I encourage you to reach out to a friend and experience a new endeavor together.  You may help them find their love.

SOLUTION

Come along side of me.  Together we explore.

1996 Fort Collins High School's winning teams

Beginners Welcome

My friend Ashley leading the Coach 2 5K team at a local race.

SNAPSHOT

Shelly’s Original BIG THREE for Beginner Runners

DIGGING DEEPER

Follow these three beginner runner tips to reach 30 consecutive minutes of running.  After coaching over 100 beginner runners through walk-run programs, these are the keys that have rang true through the years. Trust me.

The original Couch to 5K team. Suzanne, Donna, and Lisa inspired and entertained me during every Tuesday adventure.  Thanks, Girls!

RUN SLOW - Be able to talk while running. Chat with a friend, take in the scenery, and breathe deeply as you run comfortably. You need to go the distance, not a fast speed.  Once you can run an entire 5K distance then you can work on speed.  However, until then just the act of running will improve your overall fitness and speed.

RUN EVERY OTHER DAY - Don’t run every day! Your body really does need a day of rest to adapt and prepare for the next run.  On your days off from running take a brisk walk for 30-60 minutes or perform 20 minutes of body weight strengthening. Beginners should be cautious of the wear on the body when running daily, which can lead to injury. Again, once you can run an entire 5K distance, then you can work in consecutive days of running training.

Training partners become forever friends. Catherine, Donna, Lisa, Donna, Colleen, and Shelly

RUN WITH OTHERS - Running can be a wonderful time of social activity, even if only once a week.  The group run can give encouragement and inspiration to reach your goal. Often runners get lost in the conversation and forget that they are running.  Training partners don’t even have to run the same speed.  The faster runner runs ahead until the walk portion, at which they circle back around to meet the slower runner for a few moments of talking and encouragement. Make a new friend and starve off loneliness and add in accountability.

Keep these keys in your back pocket and reach your running goals!

I recommend the Couch 2 5K plan. There is even an app!

SOLUTION

Enjoy your journey across the mountain in front of you.  Surprise yourself.

We finished!

Passing on the Joy of Running

Set aside your usual view of children running.

SNAPSHOT

Freedom is key

DIGGING DEEPER

Let your child run throughout their day.  When there are safe sidewalks, trails, or fields, let them surge ahead of you: exploring the environment and how they body moves.  

Don’t force children to run at an even pace for long periods of time.  I am jealous of children’s intuition of when to start and stop running.   While in the mode of running, they will slow to a walk when the body signals a need for rest.  Then once the pain has gone, they will dash off for the thrill of movement and discovery calls.  There are times in our adult training that this technique is advantageous. Let children benefit from interval training and encourage them to listen to their body.

Out of the box running

They will follow you.  If you enjoy running, they will want to enjoy it too.  That is if you encourage their curiosities. Let them bike along side of you and talk to them about their interests: growing your relationship.  Before they are tired, stop by your house or car and encourage them to leave their bike for a super short run with you.  I mean REALLY short run.  Just wet their appetite.  Go back to your house before they can get worn out.  It is ALL ABOUT ENJOYING the movement of running.

Perseverance is a developed mature characteristic that needs experience as a background. Often parents will point out that their child doesn’t know how to pace themselves: slowing down so they can go for a long distance.  It is important to remember that these are children, they have not developed the characteristics of patience and perseverance.  When they mature, so will their running. Their sprinting is not wrong.  It is good speed development, which is best built during childhood.

The joy of flying

Patience as a parent will pay off in the long run. My oldest son did not run his first 5K race until he was 11 years old.  After signing him up for the usual kid race, he asked why I had not signed him up for the 5K. “My friends have run a 5K.  I can do it,”  Sam proclaimed. After years of my patience, Sam chose the challenge of racing 3.1 miles.  He ran the race by himself and was proud of his own accomplishment.  At 14, he continues to enjoy runs throughout the week and has a healthy relationship with running.  Most importantly he can use running to be physically and mentally healthy into his adult years.  Let your child choose their challenges.

Pure Joy

Here are two ways to put running into your family’s life.

TREE TO TREE

In a group of 2 or more, find a field, forest, or playground.  Select a starting location (tree or another landmark) and gather as a group.  The first runner runs to a different tree of their choice.  They call out, “Go,” and the group races to the tree.  Once everyone is joined back up at the new location, a different runner is sent off to find the next tree.  This continues until everyone has been a tree selector and usually lasts several rounds.  It is important that the tree selector has the freedom to select any tree they want, even if it is 10 feet away.  Most will shoot for the farthest tree trying to out do the others.  What is great about this game is that the race to the tree varies depending on the who is racing and the distance that is run.

RELAYS

Kids love relays, especially if there is some type of baton to pass off between their teammates. You only need two people to do a relay, so loosen up and count yourself as one.  Create a course that goes over, under, or around obstacles.  Keep mixing it up between rounds of races.

You can't make me! If you have a child that won’t run. They just look at you and shout, “No, I don’t like it.”  Then start with walking.  Build up their fitness with inquisitive walks.  Then after a few weeks of walks, try a walk-run routine.  A walk-run routine for you, not for the child: be the example.  Start with 5 minutes of your usual inquisitive walking, then tell them that it is your time to start running. Only run for 30 seconds, then walk for 1 minute.  Return back to them during the walk breaks and continue your conversation. They will get so curious about what you are doing and want to join in.  The key is to not suggest or expect for them to join you, just accept their choice. Add in, “You are welcome to join my walk-run routine. I like to spend time with you.”

When children are done running, be done.  Don’t push them into pain or boredom.  They are not mentally strong enough to endure.  Let them be a kid.  A playful joyful, inquisitive kid.

SOLUTION

Let them run

A simple frisbee game elevates the heart rate and challenges the body.