It is the moment all runners dread. You turn the corner and right in front of you is a big, imposing hill. But don’t make that funny face Stephanie, focus!! Shift gears both mentally and physically and prepare to attack the hill; don’t let it attack you. Running hills well is all about rhythm; if you let the hill break up your rhythm you will slow dramatically. But if you make the proper adjustments and maintain a cadence, you’ll maintain a decent speed. This was what we did on Monday to work on the hills;

Round #1 (Short hill, 20 yards)

Uphill (25% effort)

Uphill (50% effort)

Uphill (75% effort)

Uphill (100% effort)

Round #2 (Short hill, 20 yards)

Uphill (33% effort)

Uphill (66% effort)

Uphill (100% effort)

Round #3 (Short hill, 20 yards)

Uphill (50% effort)

Uphill (50% effort)

Round #4 (Short hill, 20 yards)

Uphill (100% effort)

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Here’s some details on going uphill and downhill;

• As you start uphill, shorten your stride. Don’t try to maintain the pace you were running on the flat.
• You are aiming for equal effort going up as well as down, not equal pace. Trying to maintain the pace you were running on the flat will leave you exhausted later in the race or session.
• Take ‘baby steps’ if necessary and try to keep the same rhythm that you had on the flat ground.
• Your posture should be upright – don’t lean forward or back – your head, shoulders and back should form a straight line over the feet. Keep your feet low to the ground.
• If your breathing begins to quicken it means that you’re either going too fast, over-striding or bounding too far off the ground as you run.
• Use a light, ankle-flicking push-off with each step, not an explosive motion, which will waste energy. If the hill is long or the gradient increases, keep shortening your stride to maintain a smooth and efficient breathing pattern. If the gradient decreases, extend your stride again. Try to maintain the same steady effort and breathing throughout.
• In a race, or when you’re training on a undulating course, run through the top of the hill. Don’t crest the hill and immediately slow down or pull back on your effort.
• Accelerate gradually into the downhill.

Coming Down
Most runners make one or two obvious mistakes when running downhill. They either sprint, which causes severe muscle soreness later on, or they’re so hesitant to surrender to gravity that they’re constantly braking, which fatigues the quadriceps muscles. The optimum pace is somewhere in between. Try not to let your feet slap on the ground when you are running downhill. Step lightly and don’t reach out with your feet. Slapping can be a sign of weak muscles in the shin area, in which case you need to strengthen them. To help your downhill technique, follow these simple tips:

• Try to visualize gravity pulling you down the hill.
• Try to maintain an upright body posture, keeping your torso perpendicular to the horizontal.
• Keep your feet close to the ground for maximum control, and land lightly.
• As you increase your pace, emphasise quicker turnover rather than longer strides, though your strides can be slightly longer than normal.
• The key to efficient downhill running is to stay in control. When you start, keep your stride slightly shortened and let your turnover increase. When you feel in control, gradually lengthen your stride.
• If you start to run out of control when descending, shorten your stride until you feel you are back in control again.

Tofu Burger Recipe

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Be sure to seek out the firmest tofu made from organic soybeans you can find. Also, I suspect you could grill these, they seem like they’d hold together. The next time around I’m going to try it. If anyone else gives that a go before I do, let me know, and I’ll update the recipe.

1 pound / 16 oz / 450 g extra-firm tofu, drained and patted dry, then sliced
2 large eggs
1/2 cup / 2 oz / 55 g fine dried bread crumbs
1/2 cup / 2 oz / 55 g cashew nuts
1/2 cup / 2 oz /55g sunflower seeds
1/2 cup / 2 oz / 55g sliced mushrooms
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon shoyu or soy sauce
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne
1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

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Place all the ingredients except the olive oil in a food processor. Pulse until the mixture comes together and is free of most chunks, stopping to scrape down the sides of the food processor once or twice if needed.

Divide the mixture into eight equal portions and use your hands to press and form into round but flat-ish patties.

Pour the olive oil into your largest skillet over medium-high heat, and arrange as many patties as you can without crowding. Cover, and cook turning once, until deeply browned on both sides. Roughly ten minutes. You want to make sure the middle of the patties cook through. If the pan is too hot you’ll burn the outsides before the middle cooks up, so be mindful of that.

Makes 8 tofu burgers.

Whether you want to believe it or not, these fast foods are killing us off. The calories of your choices are now being displayed (right next to them) and it’s good if you have a conscience and can put moderation to the test. I checked out ShapeFit’s list of menus that they compiled so neatly. After looking through several of the foods and seeing that even the most healthiest choices are still high in calories, I’m a bit turned off by ordering out. The average Joe/Jane consumes about 1500-2000 calories daily (plus or minus). The last thing you want to do is eat a meal that is over 2500 calories in one-sitting, leaving you lethargic and over-stuffed. Choose wisely and check out that menu from above. It’s a bit freaky seeing that if you add a “supersize it”, “lemme get 2″ or “can you add a shake with that”, can cost you in the long-run.  HAPPY FA(S)T FOODING!!!

By the time you read this, you would have already participated or witnessed the TRAILFIGHT 5K in Banneker Historical Park on Saturday, July 17th. On behalf of HARDBODY OUTDOOR FITNESS, we would like to say “Thank you” for your support. This was not just a 5K in your neighborhood park, it was a chance to bring awareness to adults with cancer through The Ulman Cancer Fund. All funds received went directly to the organization and with your registration, you should have received a donation receipt. Cancer in young adults is on the rise and bringing awareness to the disease is half the battle in our communities today. TRAILFIGHT may have been a nice fitness event for you, but imagine this FIGHT on a daily basis for those with the disease. Read more about the Ulman Cancer Fund and see how I’m looking to bring awareness. http://www.active.com/donate/TeamFight2010/shawnchev

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In your goodie bag, many of you should have received a specially packaged Larabar from Hardbody Outdoor Fitness. There were hidden gifts in some of the packages and for those who received a “WINNERS” card, you received a 1-Month FREE Membership to Hardbody Outdoor Fitness. Send me an email (info@hardbodyoutdoorfitness.com) confirming that you received it and more information will be provided. You will not be disappointed!!!

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For those completing their first 5K..CONGRATULATIONS!!! You accomplished a well anticipated goal and I look forward to working with many of you to accomplish tons more.

START STRONG, FINISH STRONGER

Shawn “Chev”

HARDBODY OUTDOOR FITNESS

I was asked this question this week and it sparked my curiosity. While I always known beer to be a diuretic, having it prior to exercising (eg. running event, cross-training workout, etc.), would pose a conflict by dehydrating the body. The same thing goes for after a 5K race or marathon; the goal is to rehydrate after losing excessive fluids. There are so many opinions and of course, the choice is ultimately yours. I did search around for more definitive answers and ran across an article from RUNNERS.COM. Below is an excerpt from the article. The link to the entire article can be found below as well. Personally, I would not drink a beer (or any alcoholic beverage of choice) before exercising. With my low tolerance for alcohol, I may end up being the entertainment for the night:) Exactly what I would not want prior to exerting an abundant amount of energy. After a workout, maybe!! The cold refreshing taste is acquired, but I’m more focused on a cold shower, my remote control, National Geographic and the sofa rather than an a cold beer.

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“While you obviously don’t want to replace a midmarathon sports drink with a beer, a few sips on a short fun run isn’t such a big deal. In longer events, you’re already partially dehydrated, so even a small amount of alcohol can impair judgment and coordination. Alcohol can also dilate the skin’s blood vessels, which promotes heat loss and may make you colder. Hot days are no better; they speed dehydration. And carbonated beverages empty slowly from the stomach, increasing the risk of bloating and cramping.”

http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-242-300–12434-0,00.html