Unbreakable The Film
- At March 19, 2012
- In Community, Events, Uncategorized
The Runner’s Edge is bringing World Class Ultrarunners to Missoula for the Screening of Unbreakable, a film about the Western States 100 Mile Endurance race!
Three of the four athletes profiled in the Movie (Geoff Roes, Hal Koerner, and Anton Krupicka) will be attending the screening and will be participaing in a Q and A following the film.This event is going to be a great kick off to another great year of trail running and we will be donating all profits to Five Valleys Land Trust, an organization that is dedicated to protecting our open spaces.
Sunday, April 29th, 6:30 P.M.
The Wilma Theatre in downtown Missoula.
Buy tickets online (Click Here)
Tickets: $10 in Advance and $13 at the door.
See Film Trailer (Click Here)
This event is a Five Valleys Land Trust Fundraiser
Dialing in Your Nutrition & Hydration
- At March 6, 2012
- In Tips, Training
Dialing in Your Nutrition and Hydration Strategy
In this month’s edition of Trail Talk we are going to cover hydration and nutrition options for both trail and road runners choosing to tackle longer distance training runs and races. We have all found ourselves in the middle of a long run where we hit the proverbial “wall”. Suddenly you lack energy, your vision gets blurry, and although you are exerting even more effort, you cannot help but begin to slow down. If you have had this experience, there is a good chance it could have been avoided by better managing both your nutrition and hydration during your run. In this article we will go over some general rules of thumb to help you stay on top of your nutrition and hydration strategy. After reading this I encourage you to test the many options available to you. Training is the time to dial in a system that suits you best. Do not be that person who is trying something for the first time the day of a race!
Fuel For The Run
The energy we have stored in our bodies when we start a run comes in the form of glycogen. In general we have enough of this stored to last us around 90 minutes of exercise. Once you have depleted your glycogen stores, it is imperative to begin taking in calories to keep from bonking. A general rule of thumb is to begin taking in 200-300 calories an hour after reaching this point. This will, of course, depend on many things such as your body weight, level of exertion, etc., however, this is a good baseline to begin with.
Gels and Gummies
Energy gels are a great way to take those calories in because they are easy to carry, digest well, and come in convenient packets of around 100 calories each, which makes it easy to track your hourly intake. They also provide the right type of calories, in the form of carbohydrates, which can be converted into energy quickly. Gels with various amounts of caffeine also exist and can be utilized for an extra boost of energy. Gummy bear consistency chews are also extremely popular for those who may not enjoy the consistency of gels. These chews are offered by multiple brands and come in a variety of flavors to choose from.
Electrolytes
Neglecting to drink enough fluids and replace electrolytes is another common mistake by runners. By managing hydration and electrolytes well you are also more likely avoid cramping. The Runner’s Edge carries electrolyte drink mixes as well as flavored electrolyte tablets, which you can dissolve in your water bottles. As the days get hotter, and your runs get longer, it is important to practice what amount of liquid and electrolytes will keep you feeling strong.
Post Run/Recovery
Just because you are done with your run doesn’t mean you can slack on your nutrition strategy! Now that you have properly depleted yourself with a good workout or longer run, it’s time to replenish your glycogen stores with some calories. Studies show that eating directly after a run or workout can be very beneficial to recovery. By getting these calories on board early you will minimize post-exercise soreness, rebuild muscle tissue, and restore muscle glycogen. Nutritionists have found that not only the timing of the food intake, but the type of food you take in post run is very important. What has proven most beneficial to replenish your body is a protein to carbohydrate ratio of 3 to 1. We carry Hammer Nutrition’s Recoverite drink mix as an easy and convenient option for getting those essential calories after a run. This will allow you to focus more on training and less on recovering!
So come down to the Runner’s Edge and check out the multiple brands, flavors, and options we carry for your nutrition and hydration needs. Our staff have road and trail tested these products, and are happy to help you with figuring out what will work best for your specific training. Remember to test your system early and try multiple brands, flavors, in order to be dialed come race day! The right strategy will keep you feeling strong over the long run!
Mike Foote
Mike recently mismanaged his electrolytes on a long run and may have had to borrow some water and electrolyte tabs from his running partner before their fourth ascension of Mt. Sentinel. He hopes to someday practice what he preaches and carry enough food, liquids, and electrolytes for himself!
Run 4 Kids 2012 Team!
- At March 4, 2012
- In Community, Training
Grab a Friend and Do Some Good! This is the theme of our Run 4 Kids 2012 Team! Last year 133 runners, walkers and rely teams made a commitment to go beyond finishing the Missoula Marathon and dedicated themselves to ensure that kids in the Youth Homes have the help, care and support they need to heal and become healthy.
This year we are back again and we hope that you will consider joining the Run 4 Kids Team! Through our generous team sponsor, Montana Rail Link, you will receive free registration for the full, half or relay in the Missoula Marathon on July 8th. You will also receive half off marathon (full or half) training with our partner Run Wild Missoula. The first day of training is Sunday, March 4th, so be sure and mark your calendar!
As a member of the Run 4 Kids Team you make a commitment to fundraise $500 (individuals) or $750 (partners, team of 2). We have a great new on-line fundraising tool, Crowdrise.com, or you can collect cash and checks from your supporters. And we promise to keep you motivated, encouraged and supported as you train and fundraise over the next several months.
Every team member will receive a high performance race shirt or singlet for race day, enjoy fun team gatherings, are eligible for top fundraising prizes and will share in the great feeling of helping vulnerable kids in our community. As an added bonus for those who exceed their fundraising goal and raise $1,000 (or more) you will get a special half zip embroidered training jacket to showcase your accomplishment.
Please check out our team website www.youthhomesrun4kids.org for more information. If you are ready to join us, download your form, send it back and look for a confirmation email from us. The first 100 people to join the team get a great training hat from Head Sweats compliments of Kalkstein, Johnson & Dye and Prudential Montana, so don’t delay!
We hope that you will “Grab a Friend and Do Some Good” once again for the Run 4 Kids Team. And for every friend that you recruit, you’ll be entered into a drawing for great prizes! Our team is a success because of people like you. We hope you’ll join the Run 4 Kids 2012 Team!
Run 4 Kids Staff
Ramey Kodadek, Chris Carey and Laura Henning
Dynamic Warm-Up For Runners
- At March 1, 2012
- In Community, Tips, Training
DYNAMIC WARM-UP FOR RUNNERS
Useful Pre-Running Exercises For Performance and Injury Prevention
John Fiore, PT
Sapphire Physical Therapy
Choosing the proper warm-up routine for your daily training runs and race day is a necessary component for both performance and injury prevention. Often overlooked due to time constraints, our pre-running warm-up sets the stage for the run to follow. A dynamic warm-up routine for runners targets the key muscles involved in both stabilizing and propelling us forward.
Controversy exists regarding static stretching programs. Does stretching a muscle in a lengthened position truly prepare us for a dynamic activity such as running? The answer is probably not. Does static stretching improve running performance? The answer is no as several recent studies have concluded (J. Wilson, PhD; Journal of Strength and Conditioning). Is static stretching harmful for runners? The answer is probably not, provided you are stretching correctly and not over-stretching. Stretching to address an asymmetry in the body can be an effective treatment in conjunction with addressing muscular strength issues, but static stretching will not make you run faster and farther.
A dynamic warm-up routine for runners will prepare the upper body, the core, quads, hamstrings, gluts, gastroc-soleus, and intrinsic foot musculature for running. Dynamic warm-up is simple, requires no equipment, can be done on your front porch, outside your office, or at the start line. The warm-up may look impressive to your friends and may even intimidate your competition at the line, but the philosophy is simple: Move the joints, wake-up the muscles and the associated connective tissue (fascia, tendons, ligaments) for the orchestra of motion we know as running.
A happy joint is a joint in motion. Joint range of motion stimulates the release of synovial fluid from the joint capsule (synovium), providing a low friction cartilage surface. Synovial fluid is the most effective lubricant on the face of the earth, period. Osteoarthritis in our hips, knees, and spine occurs as a result of trauma or stiffness. It is logical, therefore, to move your hips, knees, feet, and ankles prior to running to pre-lubricate the joints.
Performance can be enhanced by waking up cold and sleeping muscles. When we sit at work or drive to the trailhead, our glutes are dormant. A dynamic warm-up routine wakes up the glutes and prepares them for the extremely important job of stabilizing us, propelling us, and transferring the force of impact associated with running into forward progress. Your heart rate will begin to increase as well which will make that first mile feel like less of a shock. Do 10 repetitions of each illustrated exercise. If you have time, do a second set. Save your static stretching for the end of the run or in the evening when you can relax. Give the illustrated dynamic warm-up routine a try for a week and see if you notice a difference.
Happy Trails!
John Fiore, PT (sapphirept.com)
KICK OUTS #1 KICK OUTS #2
TOE JUMPS #1 TOE JUMPS #2
SIDE HOPS LUNGES
BUTT KICKS HIP HUG
Runner of the Month: March 2012
- At March 1, 2012
- In Featured Runner
Name: Andy Drobeck 
Age: 30
Hometown: East Lansing, MI
Occupation: City of Missoula Firefighter
Miles Run Per Week: 30-65 depending on what I’m training for.
Currently Training For: The Seattle firefighter staiclimb is up next, but my main focus is Ironman Texas 70.3 where I like to win my age group and qualify for the 70.3 world championship outside Vegas in the fall. Its all about the Tri’s this year and if the world doesn’t end then maybe I’ll focus on a winter marathon in 2013.
Favorite Race or Run: My favorite runs are usually trail runs because they’re the only runs I do where I don’t have to focus on my watch, paces, etc. I can just run and let the terrain do its work on me.
Personal Best (in whatever race you choose – OR highest accomplishment in running): Marathon PR 2:32:16 at Rock n Roll Arizona 2012, but my biggest accomplishment running was probably my first marathon which was the 2006 Montana marathon in Billings. I had never done a race of any distance before that, used a training program out of Runners World, and didn’t know anything about fueling. I didn’t drink anything or take any gels during the race. I was the quintessential first timer, but I managed to run a 2:48:00 and finished 3rd.
Words of Wisdom For Other Runners: Only seek words of wisdom from people who are wise.
Anything Else You Would Like to Add: Winter sucks.
