Heart & Sole Training: Warm Ups, Cool Downs and Stretching

Posted on March 27, 2015 by lexingtonmedicalcenter

We have just under a month to go until the Lexington Medical Center Heart & Sole Women’s Five Miler, set for April 25 in downtown Columbia. This all-women event, with a 5-mile run, and 3- and 5-mile walks, celebrates the power of a healthy lifestyle and raises awareness about heart disease, the #1 killer of women.

Amanda Castles, personal trainer at Health Directions, Lexington Medical Center’s fitness and wellness gym, is your guide to getting ready for race day! In the video below, she talks about the importance of warm ups, cool downs and stretching.

Do you have a question about running or training for a race? Ask us in the comments section below! We’ll get your question to Amanda and she’ll be happy to answer it for you.

To register for the Heart & Sole, visit HeartAndSoleRun.com.

Getting On My Nerves And Off My Chest

Posted on March 20, 2015 by Kate Gillmer

By: Lara Winburn

In my last blog post I was gearing up to lace up my sneakers for the LexMed Heart & Sole 5 Miler. Let me just say I am slow moving and my shoes are barely tied. I would love to write a post about my training success, the running endorphins, and how I cannot wait for the next mile. Unfortunately, at the risk of sounding like a whiner, this post-baby body is keeping me more in the tortoise category hoping to be a hare.

Before I started training I noticed I was having some sciatic nerve pain. This pain (like a litany of other ailments) started during my first pregnancy. If you have never been blessed with sciatic nerve pain, it starts in your rump and runs down your leg. I have only known one thing to remedy this, so I went back to my physical therapist who had “fixed” me before. After being sidelined by my physical therapist, I spent a few weeks just walking…slowly.

Then I felt like my legs were ready to cooperate, but my lungs were not. I am now in day nine of antibiotics and still struggling with stupid bronchitis. Turns out when you have bronchitis you should lay off the running as well. And I can’t even blame that on the post-baby body.

So here is what I am aiming for now….I have a solid six weeks of training if my lungs are given the “all clear” on Friday. Six weeks is plenty of time, right? 42 days, minus a few resting days here and there. Who’s with me? I have the schedule in hand and I am ready to go. I’ll keep you posted.

First Steps

Posted on February 24, 2015 by lexingtonmedicalcenter

By: Crissie Kirby

An old Chinese proverb says, “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.”

And so, it would seem preparing to run a five-mile race also begins with one step.

I was overwhelmed by the support I received after posting my initial blog post about running in the LMC Heart and Sole Five Miler. I’ll be honest, even after posting that I was going to do it, I questioned whether I could really do it. Did I really want to do it? But, as anyone who knows me, once I say I’m going to do it, I’m going to do it, or die trying. Ok, maybe that’s not the best saying for right now.

The training guide said to start the week of February 15th. So, I set my sights on 2/15 and tried to mentally prepare for battle.

The 15th dawned cold and I had started coughing a few days before. (For me this almost always is a sure sign that bronchitis is on the way.) I honestly just didn’t want to do it. But I knew that if I made an excuse one day, I’d find reasons to keep making excuses, and April 25th would come with disastrous results.

I journeyed to Aiken for my first run. Why? Well, one of my dearest friends and supporters, Ivy Harmon, lives in Aiken and I knew that she would make me run. And she did. Fortunately, Ivy lives near beautiful and historic South Boundary, so we had a wonderful place for my inaugural training session. Fortunately, Ivy is more active than I am and she was able to really help and encourage me along the way.

For anyone in Aiken during my initial run, yeah, I’m sorry. I doubt it was very pretty, and I’m pretty glad that there wasn’t anyone who could hear some of the things running through my mind (yes, bad pun intended) during my initial run. But, you know what? I did it. I made it. I ran those six one-minute intervals. And I didn’t die.

So, on to the next steps.

LMC Heart & Sole Five Miler Training Tips – Nutrition

Posted on February 20, 2015 by lexingtonmedicalcenter

Whether you are training for your first race or are an experienced marathoner, just about everyone has questions about running. Our Every Woman Bloggers training for the LexMed Heart & Sole Women’s Five Miler, Crissie Kirby, Sherree Thompson and Lara Winburn, will share their questions about how to best prepare for the race. Here’s our first question, from Sherree:

Question: I was wondering what types of food I should be eating so I have appropriate fuel. Is there a calorie count I should am for?

Answer: When it comes to nutrition and running, it is not only a matter of what you eat, but also when you eat. A diet rich in complex carbohydrates (whole grains, fruits, and vegetables), lean protein, and healthy fats (olive oil, avocado) is key in properly fueling your body for running. It is also important to stay hydrated throughout the day with a recommended daily intake of at least 64 ounces of water.

Planning the timing of your meals is also crucial. Just like a car, when your body does not have enough fuel, it cannot perform properly. Likewise, too much fuel or eating too close to the time of your run can interfere with your performance. Establishing a healthy eating pattern of smaller meals more frequently throughout the day will help to keep your blood sugar levels regulated and your metabolism stimulated.

– Amanda Castles, Health Directions Wellness Coordinator