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Monday, August 29, 2011

Fair

If you wanted to know the plan, you should have come to the fair :)

See you at the usual time and place!

[Editors note: And Kelly used to criticize me for mailing in posts? *sigh* "You write it on the run, baby. And if that's the way you write it baby, then I don't want you around." -Just kidding. But needed to throw in a "Speedwagon" reference.]

Sunday, August 28, 2011

More Meat Introduction and Volume 1

More Meat Introduction:

When TRY started up and a majority of it's members were new to running or distance running, I actually used to put useful information about running topics pertinent to the group in the emails (first year) and eventually the blog. But as time went on, I ran out of helpful topics to put in (and the now experienced group had less need of that information), so the blog entries became fluffier and fluffier, to the point that they are are so fluffy that I'm gonna die:



With Kelly doing a great job with the weekly TRY blog entries and nailing down the week-to-week details, it has freed me up to be more creative in what I have time to post. And I believe it has been long enough that some new topics are out there that are worth exploring. So, over the next couple months I plan to do a few updates that I think will be informative and useful to at least some of us each week. By the end, I hope to have hit on something that everyone has thought "that's good to know" at least once.

Since the topics are meant to be helpful (and not entertaining) and in honor of our very special member Adam Duerr (who thinks the solution to EVERY problem is "more meat") I came up with the meaty name. (For any Mary Moe's out there reading this, please note that there is no actual meat in this entry...it's a metaphor. So you can keep reading.) Enjoy: (Well, that's what I would normally say, but this isn't meant like that....hmmmm. I guess I should say...) Enlighten yourself:

More Meat Volume 1. Topic - Knee pain, osteoarthritis and glucosamine

It's actually taken me a couple weeks to put this together, because, well, the results are very mixed. Some articles rave about the positive results from taking glucosamine and chondroitin. Others point to studies that showed no improvement from taking the supplements. So, this will be an even-handed description of what I've found, but an overall thumbs-up from me. I've heard from running friends who swear it has helped them with their knee pain -- to the point of allowing them to run pain free for the first time in months/years, so I do believe it's worth trying if you are in that position. (I'm looking at you, Malinda.)

The first link is to a Runner's World article from 7 years ago. Seems very positive on the benefits. The highlights:
The medical literature in support of glucosamine/chondroitin is cautiously positive, though some observers are concerned that many of the studies have been funded by supplement manufacturers. This is particularly true in Europe, where the supplements are big-business prescription medications.

If you have temporary joint pain, by all means try glucosamine or glucosamine and chondroitin. The products are little regulated in the United States, so go with a respected, big-brand company that produces quality products. This way, you're unlikely to have a bad reaction. Be sure to stick with the program for two to three months, as these are slow-acting supplements.

Don't use glucosamine/chondroitin to push through the pain barrier, however. That could lead you down the road to permanent damage. Run sane, not sorry. It's more important to preserve your knees than your running.

The second link is from a supplement manufacturer (I picked one - Wellesse - that is available at BJ's for those shopping for it)- so of course they are going to recommend it. Note that they don't claim that it works, only that it "may provide..." Their big finish:


Something that many runners find can help them combat knee problems, especially those leading to osteoarthritis, is glucosamine and chondroitin supplements. These two substances, which can be found naturally occurring in human cartilage to help cushion the joints may help to prevent further knee problems and bring relief. Glucosamine and chondroitin may provide better mobility, flexibility and lubrication for all joints but especially knees.

If you are an avid runner, try taking a liquid glucosamine and chondroitin supplement with MSM for at least 30 days while continuing your normal exercise routine. It may make a huge difference and allow you to keep on going! Isn't it worth a try to keep doing something you love?


At this point, I switch over to wikipedia where some of the more neutral results show up. I am linking to the three components that are almost always sold together (and other articles I'm not linking to, recommended to look for a package that contained all three.)

Glucosamine
:
Plenty of details and goes into multiple studies with mixed results.
A 2009 scientific review of available studies concluded that glucosamine sulfate, "glucosamine hydrochloride, and chondroitin sulfate have individually shown inconsistent efficacy in decreasing arthritis pain", though "many studies confirmed pain relief with glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate in combined use".

... recent European League Against Rheumatism practice guidelines for knee osteoarthritis grants to glucosamine sulfate the highest level of evidence, 1A, and strength of the recommendation, A.

In the United States, glucosamine is not approved by the Food and Drug Administration for medical use in humans. Since glucosamine is classified as a dietary supplement in the US, safety and formulation are solely the responsibility of the manufacturer; evidence of safety and efficacy is not required as long as it is not advertised as a treatment for a medical condition.

In most of Europe, glucosamine is approved as a medical drug and is sold in the form of glucosamine sulphate.[58] In this case, evidence of safety and efficacy is required for the medical use of glucosamine and several guidelines have recommended its use as an effective and safe therapy for osteoarthritis. The Task Force of the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) committee has granted glucosamine sulfate a level of toxicity of 5 in a 0-100 scale,[58] and recent OARSI (OsteoArthritis Research Society International) guidelines for hip and knee osteoarthritis also confirm its excellent safety profile.

Chondroitin sulfate:
...The study also found chondroitin sulfate to have a significant effect in reducing joint swelling, effusion, or both. [31] These results indicate that glucosamine and chondroitin do not effectively relieve osteoarthiritic pain in the overall group of osteoarthritis patients, though it may be an effective treatment for those suffering from moderate-to-severe pain.[2] Some of the researcher's ties to Pfizer (who makes celecoxib), have brought into question the validity of the study.

In 2007, a review by Bruyere et al. about glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate for the treatment of knee and hip osteoarthritis concludes that both products act as valuable symptomatic therapies for osteoarthritis disease with some potential structure-modifying effects.


Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM):
"No definitive conclusion can currently be drawn" and there is no "definitive evidence that MSM is superior to placebo in the treatment of mild to moderate osteoarthritis of the knee."

Patients who took MSM reported reduced pain and improved physical function, but no evidence was found of a more general anti-inflammatory effect;

Overall conclusions:
Mixed scientific results. Very good anecdotal results (including from people I know). Take a version of the supplement with all three components in it. Give it several weeks to feel (or not) the results. Liquid forms are available if the pill form has caused problems in the past. Use a trusted brand since it is unregulated by the FDA in the US.

Final thought: If you are suffering from moderate knee pain: It's no guarantee but it's worth a try.

(Let me know if you found this interesting or helpful? And please post a quick comment if you've used glucosamine in the past and what your experience was with it?)

Try a Tri next year?

Since our current blog writer won't toot her own horn or incriminate herself with photos, I felt this had to be done behind her back:

Most of you have heard about this, at various levels, but I want to draw more attention to it -- we have three current TRY members who have done their first triathlons in the last 14 months. (And a 4th that has been doing them for a few years). So, for those of you who have done a lot of running and perhaps are burning out from running the same ol' 5k, or the amount of time it takes to train for a half marathon and beyond -- maybe next year is the year to consider breaking out of your rut and doing a triathlon? Since you are training for three sports, it still will take a lot of your time -- but there is less repetition, less wear and tear on the same muscle groups, and likely better overall body fitness for time you are putting in. I'll leave details to the experts - but know that just as in running, there are a few choices for distances and many growing training groups to help get your biking and swimming training in. I encourage people how are feeling to urge, to hit up one of the TRY tri-ers and pick their brains on how to attempt you first triathlon next year. We are lucky to have multiple recent experts among us -- should give a great and varied perspective on what it takes and tips that helped them turn the 'y' into an 'i'.

Need inspiration? Look at how much fun tri-ers have -

Kelly going GW on us:


Aaron taking it up a notch with some sort of crazy fingers salute (the GHLH?):



ITWAN smiling her constant mid-race smile thinking "I saw him standing there":


And perhaps the best two reasons I can think of to start doing tri's:


(Can you say that this doesn't raise your ....ummm, how shall I put it... "interest level"? It can't be that hard to learn how to swim can it? Can I do a doggie paddle? And supposedly you never forget how to bike, right? I think I'm all set.)

Monday, August 22, 2011

Who's in?

Who's in for TRY this week?  I'm planning 6 x 0.25 miles.  Others will be doing various distances...feel free to join in with someone.  I hope to see everyone out there.

Congratulations to Sue for completing the Turning Stone half marathon and Adam for completing the Tromptown half marathon!

This is a short and sweet entry this week because I'm tired :)

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Another TRY Week!

Check out the post below for something new :)

Congratulations to Terry on his Mad Cow 5k finish last weekend.  I missed his finish last week, but better late than never!

Also congratulations to Aaron and Erin T. for having a great TRY showing at the Cazenovia Triathlon today (and yes, I survived).  We all had our challenges but all finished with age group awards.  Thanks to Terry and Catherine for being excellent supporters.  It was great to see the cow hats/bells out there in full force.  Even the gorilla got a cowbell!
Terry and the gorilla!  Funny that we swim with her at the Y.

Good luck to Sue next week in the Turning Stone Half Marathon!

Tuesday will be by Adam's lead.  I would suggest 3-4 x half miles to change it up, but I don't know if he will go for that.  I will be doing an easy run since I'm guessing I will still be recovering.

And about the race today?  I found out that even on a bad day full of struggles, I am lucky to be out there.  There are people who have a lot bigger issues in their lives than just a bad race. I fought through the day, and I am glad I finished :)

New - Featured Race

I'm going to test out a new thing on the blog. Aaron is the first victim, but I'll be contacting others who told me about their races. Comment on this post if you think this is something that you would like me to continue. If not, I won't continue it :)

This is Aaron's most memorable race. He responded to my questions. I added only a few notes, and they are designated with the italics.

Featured race and distance:
Woolsports Musselman 2011 - 70.3 Triathlon
Half ironman distance -1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, 13.1 mile run

Date:
17 July 2011

Location:
Geneva, NY

Best part:
Toss up between the residents hosing us down, the well stocked aid stations on the run course, and the ice bath at the finish line.

Worst part:
The heat and passing wineries without stopping in for a tasting.
It was a 95 degree and humid day!

Recap of your race:
Swam fast but between trying out my calf guards for the first time and not eating enough, the bike was a little slower than anticipated.  The run started off well but the heat caught up with me in the second half and my time goals were replaced with survival goals.  Nowhere near a PR but just finishing was a victory.

Everybody loves the Gerega Wave :)

Race tips:
- Swim fast, get out front and then cruise.  Drafters are posers and deserve to be kicked in the head :) Note - everyone drafts in the swim. Only silly people don't take advantage of it.
- Always have a backup goal in case the race doesn't go your way. Finishing vertical and healthy is always a good option.
- Carry a small flask or bottle of water on the run. You don't want to get thirsty in between aid stations.
- Practice running hills and running in the heat before attempting the Musselman.
- Eat something other than Jelly Belly energy beans.
- Sign up for the DoubleMussel so that you have an excuse if you don't PR at the Musselman.

Why should someone sign up for this race?
For a 70.3, the price is quite good and the event is very well run. I was faster at the Syracuse 70.3 and liked the bike a little better, but overall, the Musselman was a better total package.

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

The Five W's - WWWWWHooooooooosh...

The story of TRY, from an investigative journalists perspective -- we're ripping the lid off of it!

WHO:
Anyone who is looking for jogging camaraderie, looking to improve their running, and is willing to do so without offending other members who may not be as comfortable or as fast at running as you. (Kelly picking on people's weight is the ONLY exception. Cause that is funny!)

There is a lot of experience in the group with marathons, selling drugs, half-marathons, being a woman, triathlons, being a hottie, injury recovery, being a douche-bag, 5 ks, milking a cow, 15 ks, serving steaks, being blind, running a news station, etc... So, if you have questions about running (or life), this is a great place to get some useful answers from people who have been there, done that.


WHAT:
TRY - Tuesday Recreational Yogging. As explained by the two greatest minds of modern cinema. Ron Burgandy explains the exercise trend:



And master of the force, Yoda, explains the name:



Well, except that he got it wrong. Because there is a try, now. [Yoda voice] Wrong I was, hmmmmm?! Slipping, I must be? [end Yoda voice]


WHERE:
Physically, we meet at the Wegman's Playground end of Onondaga Lake Park. Or, if you prefer a visual aid, look at this map:



Electronically, the members are coordinated and meet at the website: http://www.thereisatry.com/ ("there is a try" is the smooshed together word in the middle). Yes, there is some internet magic at work and the "old" site is still where the content is hosted, so you can still go there. But please tell new people and please remember the simple name, so that you can always find the web site, even if you lose your bookmarks and your browsing history. No excuses! Even if you are blonde.


WHEN:
With very few exceptions, we meet every Tuesday night from March through November, at 5:30. (With a courtesy 5 minutes provided, so we actually hit the pavement at 5:35.)

Come a few minutes early for socialization. Stay a few minutes afterwards for more socialization and for the occasional food or ice-cream outing.

Exceptions to the norm are late in the season (think November-ish) when we run out of daylight and have to meet earlier. Or the two times a summer when the Corporate Challenge or our play date get in the way.

A calendar is provided at the top of the website to help figure out the exceptions.


WHY:
There are a lot of reasons "why", but the final impetus has become known as "my marathon marathon story".


HOW:
We meet up at the park. We quickly triage what people are looking to run that night and sort of split up into groups that are doing like-minded runs. The group run has become an interval workout, because it is the most effective training run that keeps the group together (somewhat), while still allowing each individual to optimize their workout.

Here is a recent article from active.com about intervals-101. But I'll clip the highlights:
"The goal of interval training is to slowly "build up" time spent running at a very high levels, which increase our body's ability to run at a sustained anaerobic pace for longer periods of time."

"
The physiological change resulting from pushing the body past its normal comfortable speed of running is increasing aerobic and anaerobic capacity and recruiting the use of fast twitch muscles. This enables us to operate at a higher and faster level and increasing tolerance to lactic acid build up. The actual translation of interval training is to steadily increase your comfortable running pace."
"By effectively mixing intervals into your routine, you will find that you'll get much more out of your distance or timed runs. Interval training is a fantastic way to improve your stamina for those tough parts of the run when you would normally hit the brakes and slow down."

"By properly including intervals into your running routine, you'll find yourself not only pushing through the tough times in your training, but you'll also be astounded by that extra speed you have at the end of a race. Your mile pace will improve dramatically and you will be setting a new personal best in no time!"
Any level of runner, can gain from doing intervals - so I do encourage everyone to do them on Tuesday nights with us. If you haven't done them before - let a leader of TRY know - and we'll help ease you into them.

Monday, August 8, 2011

Triathlon Time

It seems that is a busy time for triathlons!  Today was the Iron Girl sprint triathlon at Oneida Shores.  Aaron, Erin T., and I spectated and saw a lot of great performances.  Congratulations to former TRY-er Maria on a great finish!

It was fun to watch all the women race, but it reminded me how much energy it takes to cheer.  It was a good reminder to thank all the people who have taken the time out of their lives to support me in my races.  Make sure you do the same!

Upcoming races:
The following people are doing the Cazenovia Triathlon this week:  Aaron, Erin T., and Kelly (me).  If you are interested in doing a triathlon in the future, feel free to ask any of us about our experiences.  We are having a great time doing them!

The plan:
This week the plan is 1 mile repeats.  You knew it was coming.  We will be doing a 1 mile warm up, 1 mile at 5k race pace or faster, half mile recovery, 1 mile a little faster than the first, and a 1 mile cool down.  That is 4.5 miles total.  I hope to see everyone there!

--Kelly :)

P.S.  I posted pictures from the TRY outing in Cicero in the next post.

Pictures from TRY Cicero Outing

This is a slide show of the pictures I took at the lake night in Cicero. If you don't want your photos on here, let me know, and I might remove them :)
--Kelly


Monday, August 1, 2011

Big Shock - Repeats Tomorrow :)

Hey all,

Tomorrow night is TRY night again.  Where the heck did another week go?  I'm in denial that today is the first of August already, but I look forward to seeing everyone out there again tomorrow night! 

The plan is 3-4 x half mile intervals with quarter rest in between.  For those not doing repeats, there are some newer runners doing 2-3 miles and maybe some others doing distance runs.

If you are have a distance/plan in mind, feel free to comment on this post.  Maybe someone else will want to join you on your run.  Remember, Tuesday nights are about meeting up to have a fun night running with others and finding new running partners.  It is a chance to work towards your goals and help others get there, too.

I also intend to update the calendar with upcoming races, so add a comment to this post if you have any upcoming races.

--Kelly :)