Don't Quit

Ahh, cold and flu season: that wonderful time of year when the only thing that seems to be running is your nose.  I myself have been dealing with congestion and coughing in the last week.  Coming down with the common cold, however, doesn’t mean you have to resign yourself to your couch or bed until the sniffles stop.  Evidence shows that it is safe for someone with the common cold to work out. (Source)

Not sure if you should hit the trails or not?  Here are a few general rules of thumb to follow.

Green Light on Work Out:

• You want to and have the energy
• Your symptoms are relatively mild (i.e. a runny nose)
• No fever

There’s nothing worse than getting up the day after a run and feeling that ache in your lower legs.  Shin splints occur during physical activity and result from too much force on your shinbone and connective tissues that attach your muscle to your bone. (Source) For runners, shin splints are a common problem and are the cause of 13% of running injuries. (Source) In addition to lower leg pain, some people may experience swelling.

Causes

Shin splints might be caused by:

• Irritated or swollen muscles from overtraining
• Stress fractures
• Overpronation or “flat feet”
• Running on a different surface
• Increased intensity of workout
• Running downhill
• Running in worn-out footware

Treatment

Sometimes the best treatment for shin splints is to simply rest.  If your legs are swollen, ice them for 20-30 minutes every few hours for two to three days, or until the pain is gone.  Anti-inflammatory painkillers will also help pain and swelling.

If your issue is flat feet, it’s best to invest in arch support for your shoes or a new pair.  If you are a severe overpronator, motion control shoes are best for you; if you’re a mild overpronator (which is the most common foot type), stability shoes will work best. (Source)

Check out this guide from Runner’s World to find the right type of shoe for you.  

If none of these suggestions work and pain persists, it’s best to consult your doctor. Always listen to your body!  Take care of yourself when you have shin splints and give your body time to heal.  You hear the expression “no pain, no gain” frequently, but that is awful advice to follow.

Prevention

Here are several tips to help prevent shin splints.

• Always wear supportive shoes with padding. Choosing the right shoe is essential for successful training!
• Warm up before working out and stretch.
• Incorporate cross training into your workout routine.  Begin new activities slowly.
• Add strength training to your workout.
• Limit running on hard surfaces like concrete.

Good luck!

When I signed up for the Pittsburgh marathon, I decided to run on behalf of the American Cancer Society.  I did it because all four of my grandparents have/ have had cancer.  Sadly, I lost my Nana last week after a brief battle with extremely aggressive cancer.  She was one of my best friends and biggest supporters, and I miss her so much.  In memory of her, I am more motivated than ever to train hard and meet my fundraising goal.  

If you’re planning to complete a race, I highly encourage you to consider running for a charitable organization.  There are so many organizations which would greatly appreciate your contribution, both locally and nationally.  Just be sure to do a little homework before signing on: some charities have a required minimum amount and you could be on the hook for what you don’t raise.  Either way, it’s a great way to make a difference, and it provides a little extra motivation to stick with your goal of completing your race!  

I made this *light* Italian Wedding Soup (recipe courtesy of Food Network Magazine) the other night, and we both absolutely loved it!  It was super easy, delicious, and perfect for a winter night.  Enjoy! 

Ingredients

·         1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

·         1 small onion, finely chopped

·         3 carrots, finely chopped

·         2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

·         2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

·         2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage

·         3 cups fat-free low-sodium chicken broth

·         1 parmesan cheese rind, plus 1 tablespoon grated parmesan, plus more for topping

·         1/2 pound ground pork

·         3 tablespoons breadcrumbs (preferably panko)

·         3/4 cup orzo

·         8 ounces baby spinach (about 8 cups)

** I used about half of the spinach it called for, and I used garlic powder for the meatballs.

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and carrots and cook, stirring, until slightly softened, about 4 minutes. Add half of the garlic and 1 teaspoon each Worcestershire sauce and sage; cook 1 minute. Add the chicken broth, 3 cups water and the parmesan rind and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 7 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix the pork, breadcrumbs, 1 tablespoon grated parmesan, the remaining garlic and the remaining 1 teaspoon each Worcestershire sauce and sage in a bowl. Form into 1-inch meatballs.

Increase the heat to medium high and bring the soup to a boil. Stir in the orzo and cook 6 minutes. Add the meatballs and cook until they are firm and float to the top, about 4 more minutes. Stir in the spinach and cook until wilted, about 1 more minute. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with parmesan.

Per serving: Calories 350; Fat 18 g (Saturated 6 g); Cholesterol 62 mg; Sodium 304 mg; Carbohydrate 29 g; Fiber 5 g; Protein 19 g

So I picked a hectic time to start a blog about training for a marathon and eating healthy foods.  In the past week, I moved to a new city and started a new job.  98% of my meals have come from fast food restaurants and time for the gym has been non-existent.  It doesn’t help that I moved into our place on Friday and had to head out of town last night for orientation.  Everything else in my life is going great, though, so I really can’t complain.  Plus it’s Monday: as much as Monday’s usually suck, I was able to give myself a new start at the gym.  

Since I’ve been so lax in the last week, I decided to step it up tonight and do a 45 minute interval workout on the treadmill.  If you’re trying to lose weight, interval training is a great way to blast fat.  If you’re training for a race, interval training can help boost your endurance, speed, and reduce the risk of injury from over-training.  Doing the same workout all the time can cause you to plateau: add intervals to keep it challenging!  

Here’s a good interval workout to try from FitSugar

Here’s another treadmill interval workout from LiveStrong

(Source)