February can be a wild month. One week we may be locked in a freeze so deep and blustery, it seems like we’ll never feel the sun’s warmth again. The next week, the sun’s out, the ice on the canal is sloppy, and it feels like spring is practically here. Of course, there’s no great challenge to running outdoors during a welcome mild spell. But what about running during one of February’s aforementioned deep freezes, when the temperature drops to -20 and it feels like -35 with the wind chill? It can be punishing! And those brave (or foolish) enough to continue training on the streets when it’s that cold must take proper precautions to protect themselves from hypothermia, frost bite, or plain old severe discomfort. With that in mind, we’ve compiled a few basic tips for safe training in cold weather.

Protect your hands and feet – it may seem obvious, since these extremities are often the first to get cold, but protecting your hands and feet with appropriate garments makes an enormous difference. Indeed, 30% of your body heat escapes from hands and feet, so if they’re not protected, it’s hard to keep the rest of your body warm too. For hands, mitts work best in colder weather. For feet, avoid cotton socks, which retain moisture, making your feet feel colder and causing uncomfortable chaffing and blisters. And it’s not a bad idea to have a pair of winter running shoes, which leave extra space for thicker socks.

Layer your clothing – wear a base layer made of a material that insulates while wicking moisture away from your skin, such as merino wool or a synthetic like polypropylene. Same goes for the legs. Invest in a good pair of long underwear in a merino or synthetic material. You’ll be glad you did. Again, avoid cotton. If it’s really cold, a middle layer is also a good idea. Something like a polar fleece works well. Finally, put on an outer shell that repels moisture and breaks the wind. The tricky thing is not overdressing. It’s amazing how much you heat up during a run. Ideally, you should be a little bit cold when you start out in anticipation of the body heat you’ll be generating once you really get going.

Cover your head – This is not rocket science. Wear a toque! And if it’s really cold and the wind is biting, be sure to cover your face too (e.g., with a scarf or a face mask). Noses and cheeks are very susceptible to frost bite.

For more information about running in cold weather, check out http://running.about.com.

Race in Style!

Ottawa Race Weekend technical shirts printed with the race logo and your race number are back again this year! These stylish, functional shirts, which are made of a state-of-the-art moisture-wicking fabric, can be worn instead of the customary paper bib. Plus, you can customize them with a name (e.g., your name or a team name) and/or a personal message. All of which make them great race souvenirs. And after race weekend, you can wear them during training sessions to remind you of last year’s accomplishment or to push you towards a new PB for next year!

These shirts were extremely popular last year, and bear in mind that supplies are limited. So go to www.WearYourNumber.com for more info or to place your order today.

While you’re at it, go ahead and secure your place on the start line this May by registering for any Ottawa Race Weekend events you plan on running, walking or wheeling. To register for all Ottawa Race Weekend 2010 events, click here.

Exciting Volunteer Opportunities

Each year, we rely on the support of thousands of dedicated volunteers to help staff one of the most exciting events in this city – the Ottawa Race Weekend. Volunteers provide integral support throughout race weekend at many exciting areas of the event, including registration and race-kit pickup, start and finish line support, water stations, the recovery area and information booths. If you have time and are looking to meet great people and participate in an exciting event, come on out and volunteer with us!

For more information, or to register as an Ottawa Race Weekend volunteers, click here.

Other Upcoming Events!

Organized by the Run Ottawa Club, runners of all ages and abilities are welcome to take part in the Beaver Chase Running Series, which kicks off on May 11. The Beaver Chase Running Series features 1-mile or 4-mile courses, which meander through the Monk Conservation Area in Kanata Lakes and Morgan’s Grant. And yes, runners have been known to spot (and in rare cases have even been pursued by) the resident beavers – hence the name of this series.

These events represent an excellent opportunity to run with friends or family at a pace that suits personal fitness levels. Each run also has support along the route to simulate race conditions, including a water station, marshals and distance markers. Which makes the event on May 11 a great way to ease into race season and get your legs ready for the Ottawa Race Weekend, which takes place a couple of weeks later.

For more info on the Run Ottawa Club and future running events, click here.

Help turn the 2010 Ottawa Hospital Race Weekend Challenge into a million dollar success!

Last year, participants in the MDS Nordion Ottawa Hospital Race Weekend Challenge raised more than $900,700 for The Ottawa Hospital, an all-time record. This year, we need your support to reach the million-dollar mark!

Do your part and fundraise for The Ottawa Hospital as part of Ottawa Race Weekend. You can support any area of The Ottawa Hospital that is important to you.

Sign up to fundraise today and make a difference in your community.

Don’t forget: Raise $250 and run for free!

RSS feed for The Pulse!

You can now subscribe to an RSS feed for this newsletter, which automatically informs you whenever newsletter content is updated on the Run Ottawa web site (www.runottawa.com). To subscribe to The Pulse RSS feed, or to learn more, click here. 

MOTIVATION

Wisdom in Motion: Threshold or Tempo Training

Tempo sessions are run at a steady pace, hovering just over your lactate threshold. About 85% of your maximum heart rate if you are wearing a monitor. If you are not wearing a monitor, it is the point at which speaking would become difficult. Do not be discouraged by these hard effort runs. Take a short break to get your breathing under control. These sessions increase your lactate tolerance, your capacity to exercise with high levels of lactate in your blood. These sessions also improve your ability to run faster with the same energy. Tempo training uses carbohydrates for energy rather than fat; we burn more calories with the higher intensity. You improve your ability to run under stress, build confidence and running economy. Tempo runs are an essential part of your running program. Try them with a buddy or in a group environment for some added fun.

Click here to read John’s other tips.  

One Runner’s Journey

We’re pleased to be able to include another runner’s funny and informative training blog leading up to this year’s Ottawa Race Weekend. By her own admission Rebecca Gardiner is a very average runner, committed to proving you don’t have to be serious to go seriously fast - maybe. Will she ever make it out of the back of the pack? This blog-for-the-everyman is packed with death-defying feats of endurance, record-breaking attempts -- and occasionally some actual running. Read on as Rebecca trains to beat her PB by almost half an hour to finish the Ottawa marathon in under 4:20.

Need for Speed, February 5, 2010

Day 22 of 130
Ks covered: 140
Ks to go: 962
General mood: Pretty good
Running highlight:  Perfect happy long run. -4 degrees, no wind, lots of sun, could even see into Lake Ontario.
Equipment status: Wore new orthotics to pick up daughter from school. No blisters yet.
Body status: A couple knee twinges here and there

Ask Crazy Haruki and he’ll tell you that “serious” runners don’t take walk breaks. “Serious” runners would rather shave a hyena with their teeth than be seen walking in a race. I, on the other hand, have been schooled in the Jeff Galloway ten and one theory since I started running long distances seven years ago. For me running right through would be like wearing someone else’s underpants — it does the job but somehow, it doesn’t feel quite right.

Now that I am following Crazy Haruki’s path I find myself in a quandary. Is it possible to keep my walk breaks and still shave 30 minutes from my PB? My gut tells me no. But, running and drinking/eating at the same time is a deadly combo for me (do you know how hard it is to find a running belt that holds a Big Mac?). Thanks to my running buddy Alison, who achieved a glorious 4:20 in her last marathon,  I’m trying a compromise; taking mini walk breaks every 4K to refuel. So far, my body has co-operated, in that I haven’t died between breaks…but my time isn’t budging.

Compared to where I used to be, I am now kicking butt in my shorter runs - consistently running 10K in under an hour, but it’s just not translating to the longer ones. Today, I ran 20K in 2:07:38. Last fall I ran the Toronto half in 2:13:37 - with ten and one walk breaks. Obviously, I need to change something. My husband suggests I run out 10K in one direction, take a brief pause, turn around and run back. Voila - 20K in two tens - thus no problem with time. He also thinks if I run on the treadmill, jack up the speed and jump higher as the belt goes past, I can cover more distance in a shorter amount of time.

But there have to be better options: A spoiler fitted to the back of my running jacket? Racing stripes painted down my sides? A Honda Civic emblem around my neck (those cars always seem fastest on the highway)? A fancy mouthpiece (I’m talking golden mouth grill)? Red Bull in my Gatorade?

What do you think? Help, please!

If you like Rebecca’s blog, drop her a line and she’ll add you to her mailing list to let you know when she updates the site.

Training Jukebox

Running is about rhythm: measured breathing, timed heartbeats, purposeful pumping of arms and legs to carry you forward on your journey. When you run, there’s music in you (to borrow a phrase from Whitney Houston).  These days, there’s also often music in your ears, courtesy of ultra-light and near microscopic mp3 players. So we thought it might be fun to explore and share the different songs that soundtrack our training sessions: what music motivates us, grounds us, allows us to kick it up a notch when we didn’t think we had any gas left in the tank. For example, do you transform the funk of the JBs into PBs? Do you put on some Daft Punk to help you go harder, better, faster, stronger? Does every running playlist feature at least one AC/DC song? We’re curious.

Send us your hour-long (approximately) playlists and we’ll try to publish a new one each month. This month, we kick things off with a playlist from Andrew Vincent, a local (more or less) musician and PhD candidate who plans to tackle his first marathon at the Ottawa Race Weekend in May.

1. Sympathy for the Devil – by The Rolling Stones
2. Hate It or Love It – by The Game
3. Genesis – by Justice
4.  It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Want to Rock n’ Roll) – by AC/DC
5. Young Offenders – by the Constantines
6. Hello New World – by Clipse
7. Emergency Street – by Hilotrons
8. Daddy Never Understood – by Deluxxe Folk Implosion (off the Kids soundstrack)
9. Drain the Blood – The Distillers
10.  99 Problems – by Jay-Z
11. Jesus Walks – by Kanye West
12. Express Yourself (Remix) – by N.W.A
13. A Pillar of Salt – by The Thermals

14. You Got Yr Cherry Bomb – by Spoon

15. Let’s Not Belong Together – by Paul Westerberg 

HEALTH AND NUTRITION

Eating for Peak Performance – Are You Getting Enough Vitamin D?

Exercise and vitamin D are both important for musculoskeletal health and bone health. Vitamin D may also have a beneficial effect on some types of cancer, in particular colorectal cancer, and other immune-related diseases. Skin exposure to UVB radiation from sunlight promotes vitamin D production in the skin. While outdoor exercise is the cause of higher vitamin D levels in many athletes, this effect is seasonal and is likely only seen in younger runners who train outside between the months of April and November, between the hours of 10 am and 4 pm.  Why?

1. In Canada, for most of the winter months, there is insufficient UVB radiation from sunlight to have an effective amount of vitamin D production.
2. Throughout the summer months, the time to get some UVB radiation is during the day – and many runners train early in the morning or late in the afternoon/early in the evening.
3. Most Canadians do not get enough dietary vitamin D. It is found in the skin of fatty fish, some mushrooms, fluid milk, soy beverages, and some yogurts. Unless you are eating and drinking these foods daily, you likely are not meeting your needs for vitamin D from foods.

4. Skin cells get old too – and the skin’s production of vitamin D decreases with aging. 50 years of age seems to be the cut-off.

Which runners are at greatest risk for inadequate vitamin D?

• Older runners (> 50 yrs) - as one ages, there is reduced production of vitamin D in the body. If this is combined with eating few dietary sources of vitamin D then risk of inadequate vitamin D is even greater.
• Runners with lactose intolerance - this inability to digest milk sugar means that the main dietary source of vitamin D – that found in milk – is absent from the diet.

• Runners with dark skin – the ability to produce vitamin D from sunlight exposure varies with the amount of skin pigmentation; the darker one’s skin, the lower the production of vitamin D.

What should you do?

• Runners over 50 yrs of age should take a supplement containing a minimum of 400 IU of vitamin D.
• Including good food sources of vitamin D in your diet will help you get the vitamin D your body needs.
• Look for fortified foods (foods with vitamin D added to them). In Canada, milk, margarine, and some yogurts are fortified with vitamin D.

• Fish and eggs are other good sources of vitamin D. Listed below are common sources of vitamin D.

Food                                                                           IU’s
Fortified soy beverage* 250 mL (1 cup)                          120
Margarine 5 mL (1 tsp.)                                                 60
Milk 250 mL (1 cup)                                                     100

Fish
Mackerel 90 g (3 oz.)                                                  310
Salmon, canned 90 g (3 oz.)                                        650
Sardines, 1 can 100 g (3.75 oz.)                                  250
Tuna 90 g (3 oz.)                                                        236

About Beth Mansfield and Peak Performance

Beth Mansfield is a Registered Dietitian, Sport Nutrition & Exercise Specialist with Peak Performance, a sport nutrition and corporate wellness consulting company in Ottawa. Beth educates Canadian athletes of all levels, including Olympians, national and provincial team athletes, as well as University, masters and recreational athletes on sport nutrition for health and performance. Beth is a popular corporate wellness speaker throughout Canada and also maintains a therapeutic lifestyle change (TLC) clinic for people with elevated cholesterol at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute. She is currently working on her PhD at McGill University focusing on energy balance and body composition in health and disease. You can check out her show on CJOH/CTV the 1st Wednesday of every month with Leanne Cusack on the News at Noon.

Email Beth – beth@peakperformance.ca

Eat and Run

You need food to fuel your body – to help you push further, to run faster, to perform at the highest possible level. But food should be more than just fuel. It should also be a pleasure to prepare and eat. Each month, we share a simple, nutritious recipe to help stoke your energy for the race, or help replenish energy spent during long training miles.

The night before a race, you don’t want to squander your attention or energy on dinner. That’s when a dish like this one comes in handy. It’s satisfying, nutritious, and can be whipped up in a jiffy. Plus, it provides a liberal serving of carbs that will help you go the distance on race day. Enjoy!

This month’s recipe is by Fiona Haynes and sourced from http://lowfatcooking.about.com.

Ingredients (serves 6)

12 ounces penne or shell pasta (or any other variety that you enjoy)

2 tsp olive oil

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

2 garlic cloves, minced

10 ounces baby spinach, roughly chopped

1 ounce basil, chopped

1 cup low-fat ricotta cheese

1/4 cup nonfat milk

Directions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, saute onions and garlic in a large skillet until onions are soft and fragrant.

Add spinach and basil to the skillet and stir until wilted. Then add ricotta cheese and milk to skillet and stir well.

Drain pasta, reserving a ¼-cup or so of cooking water. Combine cooked pasta and ricotta mixture in a large bowl. Add the ¼-cup of cooking water to mixture if needed.

Serve immediately with some freshly ground black pepper and/or grated Parmesan.

Nutritional Info:

Energy 296cals

Protein 13.8g

Fat 5.9g

Carbs 47.2g

Fiber 3.1g

RUNNING WITH YOUR FEEDBACK!

Over the past few months, we’ve been tweaking our Ottawa Race Weekend Newsletter format and content to offer more inspiring stories, training tips and nutritional info. Now we’d like to hear from you about what’s working, and what you’d like to see covered in future editions of the newsletter. And we’re also interested in hearing your inspiring stories of athleticism and endurance. So don’t be shy! Send your impressions, ideas and stories to media@runottawa.ca.