There’s perhaps no better time to take stock than at the beginning of a new year. Traditionally a time of resolutions, the turning of a new year can galvanize, providing the momentum we need to shake off old habits and break out of winter stasis. It’s a time to tackle new projects, see new sights and pursue new (or not so new) goals. And as it happens, getting back ‘in shape’ after the excesses of December reveling is a goal at the top of many people’s lists. 

Of course, running is a great way to improve overall fitness, burn surplus calories and relieve stress. So in this issue, we include information on healthy ways to shed holiday pounds and get back to setting PBs. After all, a new year means a new race season. And the time to start training for that big event you’ve been meaning to enter is now. Here’s wishing you happy trails and much success in 2010!

Ottawa Race Weekend Update

New year, new decade, new reason to register for Ottawa Race Weekend 2010. It may not seem like it at the moment, but spring is just around the corner. Indeed, Race Weekend is only a few (okay, four and a half) months away! Plus, registration fees increase on February 15.  So go ahead and register to participate in an Ottawa Race Weekend event today. It’ll save you money and motivate you to get out there and train for race day. To register for Ottawa Race Weekend 2010, click here.

Wear Your Race Number!

Imagine wearing a technical shirt printed with your race number, race logo and name or a personalized message in place of the ordinary paper bib. Now that’s running with style – plus it makes a perfect Race Weekend souvenir. These customized technical shirts were extremely popular last year and we’re delighted to be offering them to Race Weekend participants again this year. Made of moisture-wicking Intera-Micro fiber that keeps you comfortable and dry no matter what distance you’re running, these official race shirts come in a variety of functional styles. But bear in mind that supplies are limited. Go to www.WearYourNumber.com for more info or to place your order today!

Run Ottawa Club News

The Run Ottawa Club already has 93 members and continues to grow as more and more people discover the joy of distance running, the thrill of running with other enthusiasts, and the benefits of club membership (e.g., discounts from local retailers and cheap registration for all ROC-sponsored events). Whether you’re looking for people to train with on a regular basis, or just looking to connect with other people who love running, the Run Ottawa Club is open to people of all ages and abilities and joining is an excellent way to tap into all that the Ottawa running community has to offer.

Upcoming races in the Ottawa area:

Sunday January 17, 2010 – Richmond Road Races (10K and 5K)

For more info on future events, click here.

Youth Athletic Series

The 2009 edition of Run Ottawa’s Youth Athletic Series came to a close at the “Rattle Me Bones” 5K race on Sunday, October 25th.  Over the course of ten races last year, athletes 19 years of age and under competed to earn points in each race by placing in the top five within their age group. The male and female participants with the most points at the end of the 10 races will be awarded a $1,000 scholarship and all other runners who competed in at least 5 races will be eligible for participation prizes. Congratulations to all our young athletes who participated! We hope to see you out again next year.

See the official standings for the 2009 Youth Athletic Series below. 

Male division final standings  

1st Sam Miliken, Merivale High School – 40 points

2nd Kieran Day, Holy Trinity High School – 17 points

3rd Zachary Verret Borsos – Ecole Secondaire Franco Cite 17 points 

Female Division final standings 

1st Joanna Brown, All Saints High School – 30 points

2nd Lindsay Anderson, 17 points

3rd Erin O’Higgins, Bell High School, 17 points 

Participation awards

The following two runners, both from Vankleek Hill, qualify for participation awards. 

Alexandre Dupuis

Dominic Dupuis 

All prizes will be awarded at the post-race ceremony at the 2010 Richmond Road Races, which take place on Sunday, January 17, 2010 at South Carleton High School. 

Please visit www.runottawaclub.com for event details and online registration.

Youth Athletic Scholarship: Deadline Fast Approaching!

Are you a young distance athlete? Could you use an extra $4000 to further your education and athletic training? The National Athletic Scholarship is a $4000 bursary intended to encourage rising stars in the Canadian running scene. Each year it is awarded to a promising young Canadian track athlete. Last year it was awarded to Allan Brett, a second year student in Biological Engineering from Guelph University. Maybe you deserve to be this year’s recipient.

To apply for the 2010 National Athletic Scholarship, click here. The deadline for applications is 5:00 p.m., Monday February 15, 2010. The winner will be notified by Thursday April 1st, 2010.

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!

MOTIVATION

Wisdom in Motion: Tips for Finding the Right Shoes

The fit of your running shoe is very important. In general, the shoe should fit snugly, particularly in the heel cup, to avoid ankle and knee problems. And you should be able to wiggle your toes at the front of the shoe. Below I describe running shoe designs that suit specific types of feet.

Motion Control

Motion control shoes are for runners whose feet roll in, with low arches and knees that move towards each other in a bending position. In this case, the foot strikes on the outside of the heel and rolls inward excessively. This runner needs a firm midsole and a sturdy heel counter.

Cushioning

Cushioning shoes are for runners whose feet roll out, with high or rigid arches and knees that stay neutral or move outwards through foot strike. They wear out their shoes on the outside of the sole. This runner should wear a cushioning shoe with a flexible forefoot and no motion control features.

Stability

Stability shoes are for runners whose feet land on the outside of the heel and then roll moderately inward, with a normal size arch. They have a semi-flexible arch and their knees roll in slightly when bent. These runners require extra cushioning and some degree of stability to prohibit excessive pronation.

Drop by your local Running Room and visit with one of our experts to find out what shoe is right for your feet.

Click here to read John’s other tips.  

One Reader’s Cure for Side Stitch 

Last issue John Stanton wrote about that bane of all distance runners, the side stitch. One of our readers was kind enough to write in with her strategy for alleviating these unwelcome bouts of running-related pain.  See below.

Here is my tip to eliminate stitches, which always seems to work for me.  When I feel a stitch coming on, I alter my breathing.  Instead of long, smooth, deep, single breaths in and out, I change my breathing pattern to two sharp breaths in, two sharp breaths (pushed) out. I continue this breathing pattern until the cramp passes, which is usually quite quickly.  Thought this might work for others too.

Cheers,

Shirley

HEALTH AND NUTRITION

Eating for Peak Performance

Some of us think that exercise can effectively counteract a poor diet. But if that were true, then why would some people who exercise regularly (and some athletes too!) have extra body fat? Nutrition and physical activity scientists and athletic coaches now agree that we simply eat too much of everything – especially during festive times. And some of us also exercise too little to balance out the excess calories consumed during these times. Unfortunately, the most common strategy people use to lose that extra weight is to go on a crash DIET (Did I Eat Today?), rather than trying to eat a healthier diet with slightly lower calories. 

How much do you need to eat?

To effectively manage your weight and body composition it is important to know your daily caloric requirements. Here is an equation that you can use to estimate your overall energy requirements.

For an adult male:

662 – 9.53(age) + PA level [15.91(weight in kg) + 539.6(height in meters)] where PA level (physical activity level) is defined as Sedentary = 1.0, Low Active = 1.11, Active = 1.25, and Very Active = 1.48.

For an adult female:

354 – 6.91(age) + PA [9.36 (weight in kg) + 726(height in meters)] where PA level (physical activity level) level is defined as Sedentary = 1.0,  Low Active = 1.12, Active = 1.27, and Very Active = 1.45.

Once you’ve established your basic energy needs, you need to translate this into food – and numbers of servings from each of the food groups to meet your nutrient and calorie needs. Dietitians of Canada have a great site www.eatracker.ca that helps you determine this information. Track your intake for a few weeks to see if eating this much on a regular basis maintains appropriate weight and body composition, and maintains your energy levels while training over a 3-4 week period.  

Do You Need a Little Motivation to Get On Track?

• Get a personalized meal plan from the Registered Dietitians at the Eat Right Ontario website: http://www.eatrightontario.ca/en/MenuPlanner.aspx#
• Develop your own personal nutrition goals that you would like to achieve. Be sure to follow the SMART principal (Specific; Measurable; Attainable: Realistic; and Timely) to design your goals.
  1. Portion Size Goal: Make a goal based on the types of foods that you need to decrease/increase in your daily diet.
  2. Healthy Eating Goal: Make a goal that will improve the timing/frequency of your meals or snacks.

Some healthy weight loss tips:

• Aim to lose one pound a week – to be successful, weight loss must be gradual.
• Take smaller food portions and use smaller plates – you are less likely to over eat, and you can always go for seconds if you are still hungry.
• Stock up on healthy snacks such as cut up vegetables and high fiber fruits. If they are available, you are more likely to choose them when you feel the urge to snack.
• Sit down together for a family meal, away from the television.
• Eat healthy snacks in-between meals to keep you from becoming too hungry at meal time.
• Fill at least 1/2 of your plate with vegetables, and split the remaining part of your plate between a lean protein such as a lean meat, and starchy foods such as potatoes, legumes and/or whole grains such as brown rice, whole grain pasta.
• Choose whole grain foods more often, such as oatmeal for breakfast versus highly refined cereals. They are more nutritious, and can keep you feeling full for a longer period of time.
• Eat breakfast everyday. You will be less likely to overeat the rest of the day.
• Drink water more often, and sugar-laden soft drinks or juice drinks less often- or cut them out all together.

It’s all about timing…

Food and fluid intake around workouts should be determined by your gut’s characteristics as well as the intensity of your workout. For example, you might tolerate a small meal consisting of soup and a sandwich one hour before a low-intensity workout, but would be uncomfortable if you ate the same meal before a very hard effort.  If you are running in the morning and doing other physical activities at other times in the day (i.e., multiple daily workouts) you may need to eat more than three meals and three snacks per day. It would be a good idea to consider eating right after each workout, as well as having a snack in the morning, afternoon, and before-bed.

Eating before exercise has been shown to improve performance. The meal or snack consumed before an intense workout should ensure that you are well fueled but neither hungry nor left with undigested food in the stomach.  Use the following general guidelines for choosing your meals and snacks:

• sufficient fluid to maintain hydration,
• low in fat and fiber to facilitate gastric emptying and minimize gastrointestinal distress,

• high in carbohydrate to maintain blood glucose and maximize glycogen stores,

• moderate in protein, and familiar foods. Know what works best for you by experimenting with new foods and beverages during training sessions.

Stay tuned next month for Beth’s next tip: Are You Getting Enough Vitamin D?

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.

Squash is a fantastic, hearty winter vegetable that stores well and packs a nutritious punch in its dense orange-yellow flesh. That’s why it’s a perfect follow up to a long run. It’ll meet your body’s need for rehydration and nutrients while satisfying your craving for a delicious and filling meal. Plus, this recipe is quick to prepare and can be tweaked to suit just about any taste. Enjoy!

This month’s recipe is adapted from www.runnersworld.com.

Ingredients (serves 4)

1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
21/4 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cubed
Salt and pepper to taste
Dash cayenne pepper
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup dried cranberries or grated
Parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions

Toast pecans in a dry skillet and stir to avoid burning. Set aside. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over low heat and sauté onion and garlic until tender (about 15 minutes). Add squash to the skillet, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender (about 20 minutes). Season with salt, pepper, and cayenne. Stir in half the pecans and half the parsley. Transfer to a good-sized serving bowl. Garnish with remaining pecans and parsley. Option: Sprinkle with cranberries or Parmesan.

Nutritional Info:

Energy 270cals

Protein 5g

Fat 15g

Carbs 36g

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.