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Monday, June 25, 2012
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Speedwork
Written by Malissa:
I've been doing a bunch of speedwork lately. I'm working on getting my 5k time down. I will be running a 5k for myself, for the first time since October. Lately the humidity is getting to me and I'm having a hard time staying motivated. Tonight I had 8x400's and Alicia wanted to run them with me. I just love my girl to pieces. She has Owen's drive and determination and is the perfect running partner for me. After my 4th 400 I was ready to call it a night, she was so sweet and said, "you can do it Mommy." I made it through the last 4. Guess I just needed a little boost from my girl.
She's still a little faster than me on the short runs. Once I focused in on her cute little ponytail going back and forth I was able to keep up with her a little better.
I'm so thankful she loves to run. I look forward to running with her as she gets older. I wonder what will be her favorite distance.
Thursday, June 7, 2012
My Favorite Olympic Moments
Written by Owen:
I am very much looking forward to the Olympics. That got me thinking about some of my favorite olympic moments. These are the ones that came to mind. What are some of your favorites?
Miracle on Ice in 1980:
Mary Lou Retton's Perfect 10 in 1984:
Derek Redmond in 1992:
Kerri Strug in 1996: (This is probably my all-time favorite)
US Men's 4x100 relay in 2008:
Usain Bolt's 100m in 2008:
Usain Bolt's 200m in 2008:
I am very much looking forward to the Olympics. That got me thinking about some of my favorite olympic moments. These are the ones that came to mind. What are some of your favorites?
Miracle on Ice in 1980:
Mary Lou Retton's Perfect 10 in 1984:
Derek Redmond in 1992:
Kerri Strug in 1996: (This is probably my all-time favorite)
US Men's 4x100 relay in 2008:
Usain Bolt's 100m in 2008:
Usain Bolt's 200m in 2008:
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
National Running Day
We declare our love for running on National Running Day:
Written by Owen
I truly love running. I love the way it makes me feel. I love the results. I love being healthy. I love it so much I ran my 4 miler this morning in a very heavy downpour of rain.
Written by Malissa
I started running a little over a year ago in hopes to gain my health back. I learned this week that I now run for my sanity! I've been sick the past couple of weeks and haven't been able to run much. On Sunday I was having a blah day, nothing was going my way, everything was bothering me. It was almost 8pm and I was about to snap. I turned to Owen and said, "I'm gong for a run, I'm about to snap." My first two miles were pretty fast because I was mad but by my third mile I was cooling down and had a nice easy jog. So yeah, running keeps me sane these days!
Written by Owen
I truly love running. I love the way it makes me feel. I love the results. I love being healthy. I love it so much I ran my 4 miler this morning in a very heavy downpour of rain.
Written by Malissa
I started running a little over a year ago in hopes to gain my health back. I learned this week that I now run for my sanity! I've been sick the past couple of weeks and haven't been able to run much. On Sunday I was having a blah day, nothing was going my way, everything was bothering me. It was almost 8pm and I was about to snap. I turned to Owen and said, "I'm gong for a run, I'm about to snap." My first two miles were pretty fast because I was mad but by my third mile I was cooling down and had a nice easy jog. So yeah, running keeps me sane these days!
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Stretching and Running Form
Written by Malissa
Stretching is very important to runners-Owen learned this the hard way. Owen always did a few small stretches before his runs but hardly ever stretched after. When Owen ran the Bi-Lo Mrytle Beach Marathon he was hoping for a PR so he pushed it harder than he ever had, both in his training and in the marathon. His calf muscles were very tight and he ended up having servere plantar fasciitis in both feet. Stretching is most important after your runs. It's best to be warmed up before you stretch.
Here are a few of our favorite stretches:
Against the Wall
Target: Calf and Achilles
Hold for three seconds and repeat five time with each leg.
Hurdler Stretch
Target: Hamstring
Repeat five times.
Ankle Grab
Target: Quadriceps
Repeat five times with each leg.
Knee Clasp
Target: Hamstrings and Lower Back
Lay on the floor. Bring both knees to your chest. Hold for three seconds. Repeat five times. Then do the same exercise but with one leg at a time, while keeping the other leg straight.
Chest Push-up
Target: Abs and Lower Back
Lie face down on the floor with your legs, hips, and abdomen pressed flat on the floor. Place your hands on the floor beneath your shoulders. Push your chest up with your arms as far as you can go without pain and hold for three seconds. Repeat five times.
Lying Glute
Target: Glute
Owen's Two Favorites
Target: Calf and shins
and writing his abc's in the air with his toes.
Stretching is very important to runners-Owen learned this the hard way. Owen always did a few small stretches before his runs but hardly ever stretched after. When Owen ran the Bi-Lo Mrytle Beach Marathon he was hoping for a PR so he pushed it harder than he ever had, both in his training and in the marathon. His calf muscles were very tight and he ended up having servere plantar fasciitis in both feet. Stretching is most important after your runs. It's best to be warmed up before you stretch.
Here are a few of our favorite stretches:
Against the Wall
Target: Calf and Achilles
Hold for three seconds and repeat five time with each leg.
Hurdler Stretch
Target: Hamstring
Repeat five times.
Ankle Grab
Target: Quadriceps
Repeat five times with each leg.
Knee Clasp
Target: Hamstrings and Lower Back
Lay on the floor. Bring both knees to your chest. Hold for three seconds. Repeat five times. Then do the same exercise but with one leg at a time, while keeping the other leg straight.
Chest Push-up
Target: Abs and Lower Back
Lie face down on the floor with your legs, hips, and abdomen pressed flat on the floor. Place your hands on the floor beneath your shoulders. Push your chest up with your arms as far as you can go without pain and hold for three seconds. Repeat five times.
Lying Glute
Target: Glute
Owen's Two Favorites
Target: Calf and shins
Running Form
When you first start running you shouldn't stress about your form too much but you do want to pay attention to a few things so you don't get injured. When I first started running I always looked down and after a few months I noticed a clicking sound in my pelvis/hip area. It didn't hurt, but was really annoying. After a bunch of research I realized it was do to me looking down all the time and I had to re-learn how to run.
Here are a few things I learned:
Keep your body upright. Your head, torso, and legs should all align while you run.
Look forward. Your head should be level, eyes looking foward, jaw relaxed with mouth slightly open.
Breathe in through your mouth & nose, and then out your mouth. You want to get as much oxygen to your lungs.
Keep your shoulders down and arms relaxed. You don't want your shoulders to bunch up around your ears. I have to remember this all the time. I find my shoulders at my ears all the time when I'm really tired.
Take short, efficient steps so that you conserve energy. This is also suppose to help you land on the balls of your feet instead of your heels.
Again, don't stress to much. Just be proud that you are out there running!
Monday, June 4, 2012
Mother-Daughter Running
Written by Malissa:
This past year I have been thinking a lot about my running and how I can use it to help others. I've been helping a few of my friends that have just started running but I really wanted to do more.
I've always had a desire to help late elementary/middle school girls. It's such a tough age for girls, I know it was for me. I was tiny, like Alicia, in elementary but started developing a chest in late third grade and then went through puberty in sixth grade. I gained some weight during this time. Looking back on it now, I wasn't fat, even though I thought I was. I had a large chest and hips and no longer had a stick figure body like all the other girls. I was teased by the other girls and harassed by the boys, in middle school and high school. When I see a young, overweight girl my heart hurts for her, because I know she's getting picked on. She most likely has low self-esteem and she compares herself to the girls around her. Again middle school is so tough for girls!
During my getting healthy journey, I've really enjoyed doing research on better ways to eat healthy. I've decided to get my Nutrition & Wellness Consultant and Children's Fitness Specialist Certification this fall. I really feel that this is what God has been preparing me to do with my life.
I've also asked my running partner and good friend, Joana, to help me start a mother-daughter running group this summer. We have a few natural runners in the group and a few that aren't so we're going to try and make running fun. We're getting a list of games together that we can play while we run. We plan to start off slow and work our way up to a 5k. We'll most likely follow the Couch to 5k plan with a slight twist. We're also going to have a bible study once a week with the girls. Since most of the girls are late elementary/early middle school we want to talk about friendship, self image, and nutrition. At the end of summer or early fall we're planning on taking the girls to the beach for a 5k race and to celebrate all their hard work! If you're interested in following along , we will be posting weekly at http://soul2soles.blogspot.com/
Do you know of any ways to make running fun? Any games?
This past year I have been thinking a lot about my running and how I can use it to help others. I've been helping a few of my friends that have just started running but I really wanted to do more.
I've always had a desire to help late elementary/middle school girls. It's such a tough age for girls, I know it was for me. I was tiny, like Alicia, in elementary but started developing a chest in late third grade and then went through puberty in sixth grade. I gained some weight during this time. Looking back on it now, I wasn't fat, even though I thought I was. I had a large chest and hips and no longer had a stick figure body like all the other girls. I was teased by the other girls and harassed by the boys, in middle school and high school. When I see a young, overweight girl my heart hurts for her, because I know she's getting picked on. She most likely has low self-esteem and she compares herself to the girls around her. Again middle school is so tough for girls!
During my getting healthy journey, I've really enjoyed doing research on better ways to eat healthy. I've decided to get my Nutrition & Wellness Consultant and Children's Fitness Specialist Certification this fall. I really feel that this is what God has been preparing me to do with my life.
I've also asked my running partner and good friend, Joana, to help me start a mother-daughter running group this summer. We have a few natural runners in the group and a few that aren't so we're going to try and make running fun. We're getting a list of games together that we can play while we run. We plan to start off slow and work our way up to a 5k. We'll most likely follow the Couch to 5k plan with a slight twist. We're also going to have a bible study once a week with the girls. Since most of the girls are late elementary/early middle school we want to talk about friendship, self image, and nutrition. At the end of summer or early fall we're planning on taking the girls to the beach for a 5k race and to celebrate all their hard work! If you're interested in following along , we will be posting weekly at http://soul2soles.blogspot.com/
Do you know of any ways to make running fun? Any games?
Saturday, June 2, 2012
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