Marty Kinsey
Interval training is a great way to focus on your leg speed, your pace, and get your legs running fast. There are wide ranges of interval programs. Today we are going to focus on lactic threshold workouts as well as pure speed and power days. The common routine is to complete a lactic threshold workout (typically repeats that last from 2-10 minutes in length and are ran at about 10k pace, with short rest) in the beginning half of a week, and then hit up some speed work (typically faster than race pace lasting from 30 seconds to 2 minutes in interval length with an equal time for recovery) in the seconds half of the week .
These interval days compliment each other as the LT workout will teach your body how to run at a faster pace than your recovery days for a sustained period of time, thus making your body more used to running close to race pace. The speed days will teach you body how to run faster than race pace, making the LT days easier and easier as your training progresses. This ying and yang of interval training over time will naturally make you a faster runner on race day.
An example of a Lactic Threshold workout would be to find a local track, warm up, and run 4-5 1200’s (3 laps) at roughly 8-10 seconds per mile slower than your current 10K pace. Your recovery should be about half the time it takes you to run each interval. Don’t forget to cool down.
An example of a speed day would be to find a local track, complete a warm up, and then run10-12 300’s with an equal recovery time as the time the repeats take you to complete. Start the first few repeats at your current mile pace and build up to about half mile pace to finish. Again, make sure to get in a good cool down.
This training isn’t just beneficial for your long-term improvement, it is actually quite fun as you can see and feel yourself improving as time goes on – Enjoy!
Living the Run is thrilled to welcome Marty Kinsey’s Weekly Blog, “Running With Coach Kinsey!” Coach Kinsey is the head coach for the men’s and women’s cross country teams at St. Mary’s College (Division 1) in Moraga, California. You can look for Running With Coach Kinsey every Thursday.
Other Running With Coach Kinsey Blogs:
Marty Kinsey
Men’s and Women’s Head Coach
Cross Country Coach
Saint Mary’s College
www.smcgaels.com
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Saint-Marys-College-of-California-Cross-CountryTrack/108895645803973?ref=ts
Posted in Fitness Running With Coach Kinsey Blog by .
I’m done with dairy! At least for now. I’m giving up dairy products for 30 days in hopes of FINALLY clearing up my sinus congestion. I’m sick and tired of one nostril working and the other one taking most of the day off. I have had seasonal allergies for years, but this season has not ended. I only sneeze once or twice a day, and deal with relatively minor allergy symptoms, except for the fact that my sinuses have been consistently congested for about six months or more. In the past I would just take a once-daily allergy medication for about three days, then I wouldn’t need to take it for a while. Not this time. I have been popping pills on a daily basis for months to no avail. When I run or plays sports the excess mucus train really comes flying down the tracks. Pretty picture I know 
. I’m frequently clearing out my throat and lungs, and having to blow my big nose. I know there are both sides to the dairy debate. Some people swear by removing dairy from their diets. In fact, I interviewed nutritionist and best-selling author Raymond Francis for a podcast, and he calls dairy “poison.”
Raymond Francis
One of the main arguments you hear against dairy is that humans are the only species that drink another species milk. Basically, cows don’t drink horse milk, and horses don’t drink elephant milk. But the dairy folks will tell you how nutritious and delicious their products are. I’m not arguing either actually. Trust me, I already miss my gooey frozen cheese pizzas from Trader Joes, frozen yogurt anytime/anywhere, and dipping my salt-free fries in ranch dressing! However, I already gave up milk almost a year ago. I had a major revelation… I always hated the taste and never drank a glass of it. So why was I still using it in my cereal? Once I discovered delicious alternatives like soy and almond milk I have never looked back. I’m a big fan of almond milk now.
I’m doing this 30 day dairy detox experiment to find out if my body does better without dairy, which many people say causes excess mucus build up and congestion, which can lead to poor health and disease. I can not say myself what dairy does, or if it’s healthy or not. But, after my 30 days I may have an answer to that. Today actually marks my sixth day without dairy. I have also started taking calcium supplements to make sure my calcium levels remain normal. I decided last week that I was going to give up dairy after having what I thought could be sinus/pressure headaches, and of course being really tired of being congested. After three days of moderate headaches and no dairy, the headaches went away. But, I’m not exactly sure what caused those headaches in the first place. My sinus congestion is still the same after six days on the detox. But, many people say it will take at least two weeks, if not longer to see any difference.
So, I’m committing myself to 30 days without an old and dear friend. We had a good run, but we definitely need a break. Really… it’s not you, it’s me. I just think we may have grown apart. Yes, I do remember the good times, they were great. But if we were meant to be, we will be together again. If not, can we still be friends???
Posted in Nutrition Ryan's blog by .
Aug 10
31
Living the Run With Jordan Hasay
Before the run, and right after we begged Jordan not to run too fast!
It’s not every day you get to lace ‘em up with one of the best runners in the country, but the Living the Run Running Group got that chance on Saturday. Jordan Hasay, who runs for the University of Oregon, was kind enough to be our guest runner. And what a treat it was! After a remarkable high school career, in which she was a seven-time junior national champion while setting 13 age group records and nine high school class records, Hasay went to Oregon as one of the most decorated athletes to ever sign with the prestigious program. Hasay immediately made an impact last season for the Ducks, and took home All-American honors.
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How about all our Hasay gear! The "Go Jo" hat on the little guy, the Oregon hat on mom, and my team Jordan shirt!
She says on a slow training run she cruises at about a 6:30 or 7:00 min/mile pace, she only takes a rest day once every two weeks, runs about 40-50 miles (I think she said) during the off-season, she is a big believer in the ice bath , which she does pretty much after every run, and she is having a great time running for the Ducks. Jordan says she and her teammates aren’t necessarily on a strict nutrition program, but they do have a nutritionist on staff who will design diets for athletes, and they definitely watch what they eat. In fact, she explained that the team lives in on-campus apartments as opposed to the dorms so they can cook for themselves. In addition to the nutritional guidance, the athletes blood levels are also regularly monitored for deficiencies, especially iron.
Obviously it was very fun and extremely informative running with Jordan. The main group did about 5.2 miles at a blistering 10:22 min/mile pace! Jordan couldn’t have been nicer or more patient. I’m sure she’s never run that slow in her life, or answered that many questions! But everyone who came out to the running group commented to me that they really had a blast, and appreciated Jordan coming out with us. It’s a rare experience that we will all remember for a long time to come. Plus, it will be pretty cool to say we “trained” with Jordan Hasay. Especially when we’re watching her go for the gold at the 2012 Olympics in London. Go Jordan and Go Ducks!
*You can check out Jordan’s official University of Oregon bio here.
*Here’s a blog post from KSBY’s Danielle Lerner about the run.
*KSBY News (NBC affiliate) also did a preview story about our big run!
Check out Jordan’s historic race at the 2008 Olympic Trials! This is where she set the national high school record and advanced to the finals of the 1,500 meter race at just 16! After setting the record, the crowd started chanting, “Come to Oregon, Come to Oregon”. A pretty nice recruiting tool for the Ducks!
Posted in Fitness Ryan's blog by .
Aug 10
27
Our Running Group Makes the News!
Thanks to KSBY TV in San Luis Obispo, our running group received some great publicity! The NBC affiliate ran a story on the fact that University of Oregon super runner, Jordan Hasay, will be our guest runner tomorrow. The fact that the local community can join us and run with her is truly a unique opportunity. While Hasay is very well known on the national level within the running community, she has a very large fan base on the Central Coast where she lives. When I covered her while working at KSBY (I used to work there full-time, now I’m just part-time so I can Live the Run), it was the first time I’ve seen a high school athlete sign autographs! She is truly a rock star in the running world. She’s also super nice and friendly, which makes it very easy to root for her.
Jordan after she broke the national high school record in the 1,500 at the Olympic Trials
So we’re obviously more than thrilled to have her at our running group, and very appreciative of Andrew Masuda and KSBY for running the story. Here’s the link to the story on their website–http://www.ksby.com/news/area-running-group-invites-you-to-run-with-jordan-hasay/, you can also watch the story air live during KSBY News at 11:00 p.m. If you don’t live on the Central Coast they stream all their shows live on www.ksby.com. Hopefully we’ll see you at running group! You should come we’re pretty famous now 
. If not, we’ll post some pictures next week! Thanks for Living the Run!
Posted in Fitness Ryan's blog by .
The Central Coast Cancer Challenge is much more than just a race, it’s an event. While there are 5k and 10k trail races, 50k and 100k bike races, and fun runs and rides for the kids, there is much more. There will be a wellness expo, a concert by the Damon Castillo Band, and the big draw, a beer and wine garden . In all seriousness, and more importantly, it’s for a GREAT cause! The event raises money for The Wellness Center and Livestrong. The big day is September 18 at Laguna Lake Park in San Luis Obispo. I’m (Ryan Foran) also thrilled to be the MC for the silent auction which will be the kick-off bash for the Central Coast Cancer Challenge.
For the inside scoop on what all the participants can expect come race day, we talked to Samantha Pruit, the race director. We discussed all the different races, the courses, registration, and much more. Podcast does not play via Firefox 
http://centralcoastcancerchallenge.com/
Podcast Summary, Fast Forward to these topics:
0:45– Beneficiaries of CCCC
1:45– Different races
2:50– Spin-a-thon
3:25– 5k and 10k course descriptions
5:05– Advice for trail runners
7:45– 50k and 100k course descriptions
8:50– Other activities
10:15– Registration and cost
12:45– Honoring cancer survivors
Another upcoming race that I will be running in is the City to Sea Half Marathon and 5k on October 10th.It was a blast last year, and I can’t wait to get to the sea on the scenic course once again this year! At least that’s the plan… Stay tuned for more information on that. Living the Run is a proud sponsor of the City to the Sea which is a fundraiser for Cuesta College Track and Field.
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LOS ANGELES (AP) – Fruiti Pops, Inc. of Santa Fe Springs has recalled its mamey frozen fruit bars because of a possible link to a rare U.S. outbreak of typhoid fever.
The company said Thursday that the fruit bars were distributed in California, Arizona and Texas since May 2009.
Fruiti Pops says retail stores, ice cream trucks and vending machines sold the frozen fruit bars, which have the UPC number 763734000097.
The company says the frozen fruit bars were made from contaminated mamey pulp that Goya Foods, Inc. voluntarily recalled on August 12, after it was linked to a typhoid fever outbreak in California and Nevada. So far no illnesses have been reported from the mamey fruit bars.
Mamey or zapote, is a tropical fruit popular in Latin America and the Carribean.
Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
Posted in FDA Warning Food Recall by .
Marty Kinsey
Take it easy! Runner’s are determined individuals. No matter how you look at it, people who engage in our physical exercise on a daily routine are determined people. Our sport is often referred to as “other sport’s punishment.” With this determination comes a level of stubbornness. It’s this mix of attitude that leads many to injury. Runners often get out and want to push hard every day. Each step is analyzed into “am I going fast enough? I need to push harder.” There is a time and a place for this type of thinking. However when we push too much and do not allow our bodies enough time to recovery, all of our efforts become fruitless when we injure ourselves. This is also referred to as “over training.” So what exactly is recovery?
Recovery is a part of every training program no matter what the approach. Recovery is a part of our daily routine when it comes to diet, icing, stretching, sleep etc. However today we are going to discuss recovery training, I like to call these our “easy” days
After a speed day it is a good idea to have a recovery day. This day should be a sustained effort where you never find yourself “pushing the pace.” You should feel after the run that you cold easily run a few more miles. So how does running slower than you can and at a short distance than you can help you become a better runner? It does sounds contradictory, however when we engage in our speed days, long runs, tempo runs, races (what I like to call our “hard” days), we need to give our bodies a time to recovery from the harder effort. Your muscles tear in these hard days, lactic acid builds, and thus your body feels sore and tight. 
Your body is screaming “IT’S TIME TO SLOW DOWN.” As runners we like to ignore this voice and push hard. This is a lot like ignoring a check engine light in your car, the longer you ignore it, the higher the odds become that your car will soon break down.
So, the day after your hard days, complete a controlled paced run and use this day to recover. Let the hard days make you faster and let the recovery days mend your body. Take it easy folks and have a great run!
Living the Run is thrilled to welcome Marty Kinsey’s Weekly Blog, “Running With Coach Kinsey!” Coach Kinsey is the head coach for the men’s and women’s cross country teams at St. Mary’s College (Division 1) in Moraga, California. You can look for Running With Coach Kinsey every Thursday.
Other Running With Coach Kinsey Blogs:
Marty Kinsey
Men’s and Women’s Head Coach
Cross Country Coach
Saint Mary’s College
www.smcgaels.com
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Saint-Marys-College-of-California-Cross-CountryTrack/108895645803973?ref=ts
Posted in Running With Coach Kinsey Blog by .
The Back Buster!
A pain in your back can be a real pain in your butt! Like millions of people worldwide, I too have had the pleasure of a bothersome back. In fact, according to WebMD, 80% of Americans are affected by back pain at some point in their lives. There are a plethora of causes, ranging from stress to injury.
A few years ago when I was dealing with ongoing back issues, I realized my bathroom habits were not helping one bit, and they were actually contributing to my back pain. We all know bad posture can lead to back pain, now think about what you put your back through during your morning routine. The next time your brushing your teeth or shaving, take note of how much you are leaning over the sink, and how much pressure you are putting on your lower back. If you average just ten minutes a day shaving and brushing your teeth, that’s 56 hours every year of added and unnecessary pressure on your lower back! 56 hours a year! I never realized such simple tasks like brushing my teeth and shaving could lead to such pain until I was having lower back issues, and brushing my teeth and shaving was aggravating it big time.
If I ever strike it rich and have the fortune of designing my own house on the hill, my sink will not be made for your average 9-year-old. Sink manufactures dropped the ball on the height of sinks big time! Plus, most guys are probably nervous about annoying their wives even more than normal by splattering and getting the sink even messier, hence bending over further to keep their drool in the sink. But ladies, would you rather us sitting on the couch all day moaning about our backs and using that as an excuse not to take out the trash and clean up after Fido? Don’t answer that!
So here are my bathroom back-saving tips…
A great invention!
1. Shave in the shower.This alleviates the pain and pressure of bending over while you shave. You can purchase a fogless mirror for less than ten dollars at most big box stores. When your “fogless mirror” starts to lose its clear reflection, splash some soapy water on it to clear it up. Plus you get an added bonus! With the natural heat and moisture in the shower, your face gets an easier and much less irritated shave.
2. Brush your teeth in the shower. I didn’t even realize people did this until not too long ago. But just like shaving in the shower, when you’re brushing your teeth in there, there’s no need to bend over. You can let the spit and drool fly!
3. Use your knees. If you can’t brush or shave in the shower, make sure to be conscious of your posture at the sink. You may have more splatter for your wife on the sink, which may lead to a pain in the butt, but the pain in your back might be gone. It’s up to you to decide which will be more painful!
4. Get rich and design a big boy sink. If you have the cash and are building your own home, move up the sink a couple of feet and stop bending over! I hope this helps ease the pain in the butt of back pain…
Thanks for Living the Run! And as always, please feel free to share our posts with your friends.
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To eat red meat or to not eat red meat? That is the question. The debate continues with studies on both sides showing why you should or shouldn’t. It does seem like you can argue both sides until you’re red in the face, and still not have a clear cut answer. It’s a perfect case for law students who typically have to pick one side of an argument, and then argue for the other side. Recently our resident running blogger Marty Kinsey wrote about the benefits of getting your iron from red meat. He explains the importance the role of iron plays in runners, and says red meat is the best source of iron. Although, he does give plenty of suggestions for other sources of iron. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recently wrote about a study suggesting that substituting other protein sources for red meat could lower the risk of heart disease.
Nicole Weston, a columnist, wrote about both the pros and cons of red meat for Slashfood.com. Below is her list…
Benefits
- High in zinc, which is important for a healthy immune system.
- Contains more iron than most foods, and it is more easily used by the body than iron from other sources
- Also a good source of other vitamins and minerals, including phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, selenium and b vitamins.
- Excellent source of complete proteins
- A high-protein diet based on lean red meat has been shown to help weight loss
Risks
- An increased risk of bowel cancer was found for people who ate more than two servings of red meat per week.
- The Mediterranean diet, which is low in red meat, has been shown to decrease the risk of Alzheimer’s disease
- Excessive amounts of red meat can lead to a higher risk of osteoporosis due to an acid byproduct from digesting very large amounts of protein.
- Eating red meat every day can double the risk of Arthritis
- Red meat is high in saturated fat and cholesterol
- A recent study found that rating more than one serving of red meat per day can double the risk of breast cancer, especially in young women.
The following is from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
A study indicates substituting other protein sources for red meat could lower the risk of heart disease. Adam Bernstein of the Harvard School of Public Health saw it in 26 years of data on more than 84,000 women.
Two servings a day of red meat carried a 30 percent higher risk than half a serving. And, compared with one serving a day of red meat, a serving of nuts carried a 30 percent lower risk.
Bernstein’s advice for people concerned about heart disease risk:
“We’d suggest that they reduce or eliminate red meat from the diet and instead substitute other sources of protein, such as low-fat dairy, fish, nuts or poultry.”
The study in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association was supported by the National Institutes of Health.
SO WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?
It’s never fun trying to sort through contradicting studies and research, but here’s what I do…
I eat red meat, but in moderation. I am far from having the perfect diet, but I always use moderation as a guideline. Typically most things are much better for us in moderation. A glass of red wine or a beer or two can go a long way for heart healthy benefits. But, make it a bottle of red or a 12-pack, and we all know there’s pretty much no benefits to that. Even too much fruit with all its sugar isn’t a great idea. In fact, too much water has killed people! What water!?!? YES! A few years ago a Sacramento radio station had a water drinking contest, “Hold your Wee for a Wii”, where a woman died from water intoxication. There was also a hazing incident at Chico State that turned fatal. So keep doing your research, and keep moderation in mind. And as always, THANKS FOR LIVING THE RUN!
Posted in Nutrition by .
“I’m strong to the finish because I eat my spinach.” Who said it? If you guessed Popeye, and hopefully you did because he’s standing right there, you are pretty cool to say the least. Popeye the Sailor Man (take a trip down memory lane with the Popeye them song below) has been reminding us about the importance of eating our veggies since 1929! Popeye and his huge forearms are absolutely right, but it’s not always easy to pop open a can of spinach and throw it down the hatch.
I have a pretty easy solution for the rest of us who are usually running short on time, or are feeling a bit lazy. There are plenty of companies now making vegetable shakes that are easy to bring with you anywhere, and you can easily take a few sips and get a lot of veggie power. Most grocery stores now carry these shakes. You can usually find them next to the fruit drinks and protein shakes. There is one draw back to the veggie shakes however… they don’t exactly taste so yummy. But, they do make some veggie shakes that are also made with fruit. I’m a big fan of the “Very Green Juice Blend” that Trader Joe’s makes.
Very Green Juice Blend
There are several other companies that make pretty much the exact same drink with the same ingredients. The drink itself still looks like algae growing in the swamp where the Loch Ness Monster hangs out, but with all the fruit in it, it actually taste pretty darn good and refreshing. So don’t let the green swamp look keep you away, the sweet taste is actually quite surprising. After all, each 8fl oz serving has 28g of sugar, but it is 100% juice with no added sugar. While I wouldn’t drink more than 8-12 ounces a day myself, because of the high sugar content, I do think it is OK because of all the veggies you’re getting too.
SO WHAT’S IN IT
INGREDIENTS: Apple juice, mango puree, pineapple juice, banana puree, kiwi puree, spirulina, natural flavor (not sure what that is), chlorella, broccoli, spinach, barely grass, wheat grass, parsley, ginger root, blue green algae, odorless garlic.
NUTRITION FACTS: Serving Size 8fl oz (240ml)
Calories: 140
Calories from fat: 0
Cholesterol: omg
Sodium: 15mg
Potassium: 400mg
Carbohydrates: 33g
Sugars: 28g
Protein: 2g
Vitamin A, 50%
Vitamin B6, 15%
Magnesium, 6%
Riboflavin 10%
Vitamin B12, 25%
There’s no replacement for good fruits and veggies the natural way, which is raw. But when you don’t have time or you’re just feeling a bit lazy, take 30 seconds and drink your way to good health. You’ll be strong to the finish;) Popeye and I highly recommend it!
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Posted in Nutrition Ryan's Recipes by .
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