Track Workout for Wednesday December 13
Should be a pleasant evening, assuming the rain passes through. The workout will be 600M repeats at Tempo Pace with a 200M recovery jog. Number of repeats will vary, anywhere from 6 to 10. Don't strain this week -- last week was a bit tough, and next week, we will do our annual Christmas Relays, at which all bets are off as far as pace is concerned!
Bread Run 2007
As for other Club News, thanks to Bob Thurston and his volunteer crew (listed below) for another successful Bread Run 10K last Sunday at Glen Echo. Thanks to all!
Martha Beltran
Sharon Good
Jim Hall
Mary Alice Cahir
John Churchman
Bob Johuston
Lauren Stoloff
Anne Francis
Lee Glassco
Norman Brand
Jeanne Brown
Emily Grossman
Chuck Evans
Laura Bullis
Lauren Brinkac
Jennifer Richmond
New York Times Article
There was a bit of "traffic" today regarding the NY times article reporting on a small (60 runner) study of marathoners showing an elevated level of material associated with cardiac trauma -- a situation that, thankfully, resolved itself within days of completion of the marathon.
No aerobic exercise, running included, is an absolute insurance policy against heart disease. This is particularly true of so-called "electrical" as opposed to "plumbing" issues. Regarding the latter, running, like its vigorous cousins swimming, biking, cross-country skiing, and rowing, spurs the creation of entire new networks of capillaries that provide the collateral circulation necessary to handle the increased blood flow such exercise brings on. This is truly life-saving and life-prolonging. But other, often congenital, conditions, such as that which caused the death running guru Jim Fixx, are another quantity. Likewise, a congenital tendency to high chloresterol cannot be managed by exercise alone. And "electrical" problems, such as that which require pacemakers to control, need close monitoring in creating an appropriate exercise regimen.
It should come as no news to anyone that running a marathon is a traumatic event to the body, and that would include the heart. Keep in mind that the fittest athletes on the planet usually run only two per year, and most of these take as much as a month off from serious training at some point every year.
The study in question was small, far too small to control for the myriad factors of age, genetic history and propensities, training volume, onset of training (it's better to start early in life, but better late than never), etc. But it's a caution to all of us. Know yourself, your medical history, and how your body responds to the racing and training you do over the course of time. Yes, marathoning can, for some, be too much of a good thing. But in the right hands, and with the right training, it is just that -- a good thing.
2006 Racing Season Draws to a Close
The Bread Run was our last race for 2006, and a new year of racing begings on Monday, January 1, in Rosslyn Gateway Park with our annual 5K. I'll have more to say on the subject next week, but this has been a great year for the Club. Enjoy each other's company on these last few Wednesday night workouts and SLRs of 2006, and see you in the New Year!
Run well!
Ed
