Doc’s Talk by Andrew Laurence:
A teleological question:
Why do our eyes point straight ahead? Think about it, next week Dr. Scaff will give you the answer. Believe it or not, this all relates to running in the long run.
Dr. Scaff talked about heat, how it benefits us, how it hurts us.
In previous weeks, Dr. Scaff likened your body to an engine or a car: You have a motor, a carburetor, a distribution system, fuel, and of course the byproduct or work is always heat. You cannot work without heat, and just like a car can overheat, you can overheat.
At rest your temperature is somewhere between 98°F and 99.4°F. As we start exercising, our core temperature starts to go up. After about an hour your temperature is between 100°F and 101°F, and that is the optimal temperature for exercise.
However, the byproduct of work is further heat and as temperature starts to increase you start to get into problems. When the temperature reaches 104°F, heat stroke can occur. Heat stroke, untreated can be 90% fatal. When your temperature gets to about 107° it is fatal.
Long distance running is one of the few sports where we can train you to run through the signs, i.e. we can train you to kill yourself.
After you have run an hour or 2 your temperature is 100°F – 101°F, and then you stop your temperature slowly decays back to normal over 5 or 6 hours. During that time, your basal metabolic rate is higher, you are burning more calories, so you are burning your own fat. It is a wonderful, wonderful situation to be in as long as it is not too good a situation. You don’t want to be running with a temperature of 99°F and you don’t want to be running with a temperature of 104°F.
Temperature starts to increase as you excessively sweat. When you have lost about 5 – 10% of your body weight, core temperature starts to increase, there is just not enough fluid in the veins and arteries to dissipate heat. So just figure out what 5% of your body weight is (5 lbs if you are 100 lbs, 7.5 lbs if you are 150 lbs). If you’ve lost more than that you are losing too much.
So water balance is extremely important. And although it is said that you should not drink until you get thirsty, that is a fatal approach.
For more information on heat, heat stroke, and related topics, read Your First Marathon – The Last Word In Long Distance Running, by Jack H. Scaff Jr., M.D., F.A.C.S.M., available for purchase at the Honolulu Marathon Clinic on Sundays and online at: http://yourfirstmarathon.net/buy-online-today/
Next week: Heat exchange.
To read full, unabridged summaries of the Doc’s Talks:
1) Go to the Honolulu Marathon Clinic web site (http://honolulumarathonclinic.org/)
2) Look under the “Categories” listing.
3) Click on “Doc’s Talk”.
Thanks to staffers Donna May and Tamara for doing another great job at table duty! As usual, everything was great!
Advanced Group by David FitzPatrick
(Pace < 9:00 min. per mile)
Hi folks! The advanced group welcomes everyone. Our goal is to run the marathon under 4 hours. To accomplish this you must run a 9:00/mile pace or faster. You should be running a minimum of 30-35-mile/week at this time, with speed work and hill training during the week. Please remember the 10% rule: all racing, intervals, and sprints should not exceed 10% of total mileage. The advanced group met at Kawaikui Beach Park at 6:15 am, ran about seven miles at an 8:30 min/mile pace to hear Doc’s talk. We ran back to the beach park for a total of about fourteen miles. Same workout next week as we gently build endurance. Good luck to our friends tapering for the North Shore marathon next week. Nancy and I will try to fill Les Young’s role going forward, and we really appreciate Les’s guidance and wisdom. As a reminder:
Rules of the road: 1) No headsets. 2) Run single file when encountering pedestrians and bikers. 3) Stop for traffic signals. 4) Do not step on utility covers if avoidable. 5) Keep one eye on the running path and one eye ahead. 6) Carry ID and emergency contact info. 7) Follow the Staff Leader. Pre-run check: 1) You passed the Pee Test. 2) You are properly covered with sunscreen and a cap if you don’t have enough hair protection. 3) You ate a runner’s breakfast. 4) You are not running with pain. Running attire: 1) Correct running shoes. 2) Golden Rule-No Cotton.
Pink Group by Rosie Adam-Terem:
(9:45-10:45 min. per mile)
The Pink group has split up temporarily because our usual leaders are unavailable for various reasons. There is a sub-group of Pink runners who start at 6 a.m. and end in time for Dr. Scaff’s talk. They run earlier in the summer and as the runs get longer.
Rosie will be on the injury list for an unknown length of time (skiing is great, falling not so much!) but will come down to the clinic to meet with the group on Sunday.
The shoe talk was informative today, and affords attendees a 20% discount on footwear from the Running Room. Thanks Gaston for your support!
Don’t forget the first picnic on May 5th. Sign up for your potluck contribution and come with $1 on the day for a feast among friends.
The Pinks should be running 6-8 miles on Sundays in April with two to three weekday runs in between. In May, we will start 8-10 miles for our long runs at a 9:45 -10:00 moving pace
Silver Group by Lynnae Lee:
(Pace- 11:00 – 12:00 mi. per mile)
Volunteer staff leader Alberto returned to clinic finally, but wanted to take it easy on a “test run” at a slower pace. So he and Mickey set out with their own small group. Thus, the Silvers joined the Gray group again. Andy, Ron, and Ivie were very gracious in welcoming the Silvers for today’s run. Andy and Ron gave a brief tutorial on how to run hills, immediately followed by opportunities to test out their theories (Andy admitted that his theory needs to undergo further testing). The large group of 30 split at Triangle Park, with half the group going to the Shoe Talk, while Jess and Mindy lead the rest to the gas station for 8 miles. The weather conditions felt like July!!! We could feel every bit of the 98% humidity in the air. I was glad that today’s run was short because the heat made it really uncomfortable. We discovered the best part about hills – the downhills.
The Shoe Talk was very informative and provided a good opportunity for HMCers to ask questions. The snacks were also a welcome treat! It became apparent that volunteer staff leader Ron is a wealth of information; we can pick his brain on any aspects of running as the year progresses.
HOMEWORK: Continue to do 2 homework runs of 60 minutes minimum duration with a rest day in between. Speed and pace do not matter at this point. You just want to get your body used to being in motion for a set duration.
I’m still recycling shoe boxes for needy children, and will gladly accept your donation. Bring them on April 21st or later. They will be decorated and filled with goodies for kids for the holidays.
Good luck to those HMCers participating in the Boston and North Shore marathons next week! Have a good run.
White Group by Blair Hoashi
(Pace – 12:00 – 13:00 min. per mile) Our largest group to date, 52 members, made up our group today. A few were members of the Blue Group whose staff leader Andy is still juggling his schedule between tennis competition and work. Leaders Val and Blair were fortunate as our “senior regulars” (experienced regulars) Diane, Gary, Russell, and others assisted in leading and organizing the large group. At Triangle Park, Blair led about one third of the group back to attend the shoe talk. Diane and Val continued on and did the usual 6 miler with the rest of the group.
A few of our other members joining us this morning were Quen, Monica, Jann (welcome back; where’s Sondra?), Glenda, Clyde, Dayna, Stacey, the two ladies back from our 2007 group, and Gary. I will get to know more of you as long as you continue showing up on Sunday.
Guru Sam should be back next week and also hope that leader Dwight will rejoin us soon! We continue our 6 milers for the time being.
As usual, Gaston’s Shoe Talk at the Running Room was informative and entertaining. I didn’t know that they had a 30 day return policy (within reason, of course).
(All walking speeds and 13-minute mile > running pace.)
Sweet Sixteens by Cliff Hand
It was a nice day for our first ascent of the formidable Mt Diamond Head. Leader Cliff (returned from cross training on the ski slopes of Idaho) challenged the group to pick up the pace going up the hill. And guess what? Nobody complained! After that it was a piece of cake. Our group numbered sixteen and included returnees Jespah, Linda, Chien-Wen and Phyllis (sorry if I missed anyone). Others included Rowan, Alan, Andrea, Kris, Melissa, Frank, Camille, Lynn, Sheila, Dawn, and a few others whose names I haven’t learned yet. Enthusiasm is high!
The Green 15’s by Louis Crompton:
Green 15 had 12 attending today as we went out for a 4.8 mi excursion… we overshot the 15 min / mile time by 40 seconds… couldn’t have been the heat, humidity and vog, we’re tougher than that… let’s blame it on the LONG red light. Lou [this time wearing his costlier $14 walking shoes] was out in front, Bailey breathing on his neck, Scott guarding the flank, and Karen protecting the rear. Good grouping, we all made it back safely and hardly breaking a sweat. Next week: about the same distance, around DH loop and a jaunt past KCC to see what’s happening there on a Sunday morn. Plan to be back in under 1-15 if you have a date… Be sure to do your two 1 hr homework runs and be careful… See you all next Sunday, bring a friend. Aloha.
Gold Group 14’s by Dean Takeshige:
This is the first week of April and we had 26 in our group.
The morning was hot humid and voggy. This month we are keeping the mileage the same at 4 miles but changing the route. We are doing our favorite part of the Marathon route coming down Diamond Head road.
For the first timers remember what it feels like going up Diamond Head, this will get easier. If it doesn’t then come see me and …..
Today was the second shoe talk geared for the advanced runners and anyone who couldn’t make the first talk 2 weeks ago. We had about 4 who were planning to attend the talk. We had them turn around at the first water stop going up Diamond Head road and head back so they would have enough time to get to the shoe talk. For the rest of us we continued to Triangle park.
We had a good run, still working on our hand signals for single file, watch out for hazards and we will be stopping.
We ran 4.21 miles in 1 hour and eleven minutes and burned 403 cals.
Do your homework, 2 runs for at least an hour.
We will see you next Sunday.
Da Comment Corner:
Doc on KZOO:
Japanese radio station KZOO AM 1210 interviews Doc, Sensei Norm and Maile about the Clinic this Friday at 6 p.m. There is also video streaming at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/kzoo-radio-shirokiya-studio. Let’s all tune in! The broadcast is held at Shirokiya at Ala Moana Center so check them out if you are in the neighborhood.
See you at the water stops,