Greetings From Your 2015 Member at Large

Kim A.

Well hello there Flyers! I'm the club's 2015 Member at Large, and I had the great pleasure of meeting a lot of folks at the Annual Awards Gala this year. For those whose memory of the night is a little foggy (mine sure is!), I was the short person stood next to Alan G. I had an absolute blast co-MCing the event, and it was an honor to be able to give out so many awards to such great people.

Running is a relatively new thing in my life. Having moved to NYC from London in 2012, I was looking for things to do that would get me out of the 5 block radius I found myself frequenting simply because my office was at the center. A friend of mine asked me to come for a run so I begrudgingly agreed. A few weeks later I completed my first 10k, and 18 months after that I completed my first marathon! Somewhere in amidst the romance that I began with this sport, and on advice from good friends (who I am sure I have name-dropped enough by now), I joined the best running club in New York!

I’m hugely delighted that I now can combine my new passion (running) with my other passion (socializing) as your Member At Large for 2015. In order to get this year off to a Flying (haha) start, I have set up a Social Committee to help organize events and Gary H and Steve K have very kindly stepped up. And whoa Flyers, have we got a fun-filled 2015 in store for you!!

We have some new ideas and are looking to organize a wine tasting event later in the year, plus all the usual events you have come to enjoy such as the NYC Marathon Pasta Party and the Holiday Party. We are also bringing back some much-loved events such as TGIFF (Thank Goodness It’s Flyers Friday) every second week beginning Spring. A full calendar of events will be published soon on our website as well as regular Facebook updates.

We’re also going to publish Flyers meeting points both pre- and post-race for NYRR and NYCRUNS races throughout the year so that Flyers always know where to go to get that moral support before a race or share the kudos afterwards. The first race we have coming up is the Washington Heights 5k on March 1st. After the race we plan to go to the traditional bar - Coogan’s - and I will personally be there racing and hoping to see as many Flyers as possible. You may click HERE for the details and to sign up for the festivities.

Looking forward to working with you all this year.  For those interested in participating on the Social Committee, please contact me by clicking HERE. And if you ever need to contact me throughout the year for assistance on anything pertaining to the Flyers, please feel free to reach out to me by email, through the website or via Flyers Facebook.

GO FLYERS!  

-Kim A.

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WARM WISHES

Dave K

When heading out for a run, it sometimes may be tempting to not bother to warm up properly. Yet for both maximizing performance and preventing injury, especially before a speedwork session or a race (and extra-especially in COLD weather), a proper warm-up is essential.

WHY WARM UP?

Going for a run without a warm-up is a shock to the system. A warm-up eases that shock by getting the heart pumping, the blood flowing, the nervous system activated, the joints and ligaments and tendons loosened, the muscles ready to work, and other good stuff.

Don't believe me? Here's what Runner's World has to say:

"Once we get revved up to run it’s tempting to shoot out the door at top speed. But heading out of the gates at full speed—without a proper warm-up—is a recipe for disaster, and injury.If you start out too fast, you run the risk of pulling a muscle, tweaking a tendon, bone, or joint, or getting into a pace that you can't sustain. The result? You end up slowing down and burning out before you're done with your workout. The worst part is that you’re likely to end your run feeling exhausted, discouraged, and dreading your next workout.A smart warm-up gives your muscles, bones, and joints a chance to loosen up; it gradually and gently brings up your heart rate and makes it easier to get into the rhythm you want to sustain so you can run—and finish—feeling exhilarated and energized enough to go longer, and excited to set out for your next workout."

HOW TO WARM UP -- THE DELUXE VERSION

For those who may want to develop or enhance your warm-up routine, here are various warm-up options. You don't have to do them all, but for the most part, the more the better.

• Self-Massage. Use a foam roller (and a small ball) to knock knots out of tight muscles before and after each run. Click HERE for why and how to do it, courtesy of Finish Line Physical Therapy.
• Body Loosening.  For years now, before going out for a run, I'll usually do a few of the Chi Running body looseners that I learned from Danny Dreyer's Chi Running book and at one of his workshops. If you don't want to buy the book or DVD, click HERE for a video link (not by Danny Dreyer) for demonstrations. Or talk with Chi Running-certified running coach and NY Flyer -- Joel M (click HERE for Joel's website and HERE for a Daily News article featuring Joel and Chi Running).  Joel led a series of free Flyers Chi Running Clinics this past summer that included attention on body loosening exercises.
• Active Stretching. Experts on stretching, Wharton Health, promote Active Isolated Stretching to increase range of motion, mobility and health of muscles, tendons and ligaments to reduce the risk of muscle strain and tear. They developed the NY Road Runners Team for Kids pre-run stretch routine, which you can view HERE
• Other Active Warm-Ups.  Before I head out for a run, I also like to do leg swings and butt kicks. Here's a good leg-swing demonstration video posted on Runner's World that you can see HERE.  The butt kicks I do are different from the dynamic drills version in the bullet further below, as I do them standing in place/not while running (I do the running version during my warm-up run). And for more great warm-ups, I like the warm-up routine at inMOTION Workouts (new users can create a trial account and receive instructions for a great warm-up and work-out routine)
• Dynamic Stretching. Recommended dynamic stretching exercises for different muscle groups are provided by Finish Line Physical Therapy, which you can view HERE on the Flyers Blog.  
• Dynamic Drills. When heading over to a race or for a speedwork session, after my
  
  warm-up job I like to do a series of dynamic drills. For me, this includes bounding, skipping, high knees, butt kicks, fast feet, and a few strides. Sometimes I'll also do carioka or grapevine drills/crossover drills. I do my drills during my warm-up run so they require no extra time. Some of the drills I just mentioned are described in this Competitor Running piece (click HERE) and are shown in this Runner's World video HERE. Or to see elite distance runner Lauren Fleshman demonstrate many of these drills in an old but still timely video, you can click HERE.

FOR SLACKERS: A VERY ABBREVIATED WARM-UP

I know, I know -- not everyone will heed my wise sage advice by doing a complete and proper warm-up. And I know that I may do only some (or none) of what I posted above because I don't always feel like I have the time or the patience, so I'll try to keep my self-righteousness to a minimum. 

In these cases, I'll suggest to just do something quick that at least will get the heart rate up and the muscles primed for a work-out. For example, do 10 of the following:

- Burpees (or half-burpees/squat thrusters if you hate burpees) 
- Mountain climbers 
- Jumping jacks (yes, I'll spare you a demonstration video for these :) ) 
- Air squats, and/or 
- For us yogi Flyers, a few Sun Salutations.

And there you have it. 

Warm (up) wishes, Dave K

NY Flyers Blogmaster

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FOTY: STEVE K

Steve K

What does Beethoven’s Sixth (Pastoral) Symphony, a work composed early in the nineteenth century, have in common with our sport of running and with the New York Flyers? Inquiring Flyers want to know, and I promise to provide you with some answers by the time you have finished reading this blog entry.  For now though, let’s go back in time to some recent events in the twenty-first century…

*     *    *

When I found out that I had been nominated for the Flyer of the Year Award, I felt flattered and stunned. To that end, I send a warm think you to the 2014 Executive Board (Alan, Linda, Pei, Cassandra, and Louie) for my nomination. Now, I feel supremely honored to have been voted Flyer of the Year, and I would like to thank you for your support in choosing me for an award that, prior to my nomination, had not even been on my radar. I felt warmed by your cheers and congratulations at the Gala. Walking up to the podium, while hearing the uplifting strains of the last movement of the Pastoral Symphony was an emotional moment for me, and I consider this award to be my proudest moment as a runner.

I would like to congratulate my fellow Flyer of the Year nominees: Stephanie T, James C, and Douglas R. You all contributed significantly to the club in 2014, and any one of you would have been a worthy recipient of this award. In addition, I must recognize my FOTY predecessor, Scott C. Scott, you are missed (along with your lovely wife Elle), and your role in spearheading the first Laurie Harris race will never be forgotten.

To my SpeedPass coaches, Brian Rosetti and Joe Yates: SpeedPass has played a big role in my recent progress in races, and I owe a big thanks to you guys as well.

Over my sixteen years as a runner, I have made some rather, er, dubious decisions. For example, during my first year of racing, I thought it would be a good idea to try to break 8:00/mile in a 10K for the first time ever…on a sunny, hot and humid summer morning. On the other hand, one of the best decisions I have ever made was to join the Flyers eleven years ago. In appreciating the acknowledgment of my involvement with the club, I’ll say that it’s easy to want to contribute when I have such wonderful and supportive teammates.

Our just-completed 25^th Anniversary year was a tremendous year for our club. I still feel so fiercely proud to be a Flyer when I recall that cold November morning on Roosevelt Island, when we held the second annual Laurie Harris Hope and Dreams 5K. To me, this race speaks of the wonderful spirit and warmth of our club, that dispelled the morning chill, and of Laurie’s grace and courage in facing her disease. The bib you see below, that I displayed at the Gala, is from Laurie’s race, and hangs on my wall along with my other race numbers. As fate, perhaps, placed it at a corner of my wall, I will sometimes reach out and touch it, in tribute to Laurie, as I walk past it.

No matter how I have fared in races, whether I have nailed a challenging goal, or ran through the race at a leisurely pace, I have always appreciated being made to feel a part of this team, and the same holds true when I have been injured. Back in 2009, a horrible fall down a flight of stairs landed me in the hospital with multiple injuries. When I received two Get Well cards with so many of your signatures, I felt touched, and your kindness during that time warms my heart to this day.

*     *    *

Now, what of my promised revelation about the association between Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony and our sport? For those not familiar with this masterpiece, completed over 200 years ago, its five movements depict various scenes in the country. The fourth movement is a powerful portrayal of a thunderstorm; the fifth, the beginning of which you heard at the Gala when I received my award, represents the grateful and happy feelings after the storm, and is one of my all-time favorite Classical works.

As I think about it, this music contains multiple connections to running and the Flyers.  While I originally chose this piece for its personal significance – it’s a part of me – I did not realize these links, both general and specific, until the Gala and its aftermath.

First, just as this symphony is timeless, and has endured for centuries, isn’t our sport timeless? Long before sports such as baseball and basketball were invented, weren’t our forebears running, either for recreation…or survival?

In addition, haven’t so many of us, either over a course of a year (when overcoming injury), or during a race (when fighting through a rough patch), weathered, and persevered through our own personal storms and emerged into sunlight, having defeated adversity? Finally, as that last movement can be viewed as an anthem of hope, aren’t the Flyers about hope, in more ways than one?

For those who would like to listen to this symphony, in particular the last two movements, I invite you to check out this link from YouTube by clicking HERE.

The fourth (storm) movement starts at 27:27.

The body of the fifth (joyful) movement begins at 31:33.

In closing, I want to wish all of you the best in attaining your running (or beyond-running) goals this year, whether they are setting a PR, completing a distance for the first time, finishing a triathlon, returning from injury, or simply being out there  running and enjoying this wonderful sport that has brought us all together.

GO FLYERS!

-Steve K

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A Strong Runner Has Balance

Caroline Varriale

In my work as a physical therapist, I would say that more than half of my clients state during our initial evaluation, “I have terrible balance” (or something to that effect). And guess who more than half of my clients are? Runners.

Runners are notorious for having poor balance, but it doesn’t have to be that way. In fact, it shouldn’t be that way at all! Running is a fast, plyometric (jumping) activity that occurs entirely on one leg. Single leg balance and control are thus essential skills for a strong runner. Let’s start with the basics and talk about how to incorporate balance into your training.

What exactly is balance? It has to be more than just standing on one leg…

Balance is a complex function of multiple body systems. With input from the inner ear, visual system and sensory/proprioceptive system, our central nervous system synthesizes a picture of where our body is in space and directs what our body does to respond to the environment.

So why is balance important for an athlete, especially a runner?

An athlete is someone who is repeatedly taxing their body and challenging their ability to respond to different environmental stresses. Depending on the sport or activity, the central nervous system adapts in different ways to maintain physical balance and equilibrium so that the next time you repeat the activity it becomes less “new” for the body. Running is inherently an extremely repetitive activity. Thus, the more adapted the body and brain become to spending time absorbing shock and propelling weight on each leg, the more efficient a runner becomes.

Okay, I’m convinced...now what do I do to work on my balance?

The great thing about balance is that it is fairly easy to train and see improvement. This is because it is primarily a nervous system response, and once the brain is connected to a movement in a certain way, it adapts quickly and remembers what it is supposed to do.

The best ways to work on single leg balance are:

1. Being barefoot - stimulating the small, intrinsic muscles on the bottom of the foot through direct contact with the ground is the most effective way to activate the corresponding chain of muscles in your hip, core and trunk in single leg stance.
2. Starting simple - like anything else, balance is most effectively built by starting with the basics and layering on complexity once the fundamentals are mastered. You may begin your balance training by standing on one leg while you brush your teeth, but pretty soon you will be wanting to add reaching with your other leg, reaching with your arms, standing on different surfaces and jumping/hopping in different directions.
3. Thinking in 3D - one of the most important principles to remember with balance training is that the tissues of the body all function in three planes of motion: sagittal plane (forwards/backwards), frontal plane (side to side) and transverse plane (rotation). When we are trying to improve balance, we benefit the most from working in all three planes because our environment is constantly asking our muscles and soft tissue to react in 3D. Keep this in mind and be sure to move forwards/backwards, side to side and in rotation to cover all of your bases.

As mentioned, balance is a unique and complex body process that is especially essential to train in runners. I recommend incorporating balance training 2-3x per week into your workouts, but it doesn’t have to be more than 10-15 minutes. In fact, new research is showing that athletes who activate their feet without shoes and socks for just 5 minutes before playing their sport demonstrate improved performance and decreased incidence of injury. Start challenging your barefoot balance quickly before you lace up your shoes, or add a 10-minute routine of single leg balancing and jumping on different surfaces to your cross training days.

Here are a few balance exercises that are easy to practice at home. If you find that they're too easy for you, or when they become easy through practice, try them with eyes closed or while standing on a balance disc or other prop that challenges your balance. While doing these exercises, make sure to contract the glutes of the standing leg, and activate your core to help you balance and stand tall. 

Balance Disc

Single-Leg Balance with Bent Knee  

- Stand with feet shoulders-width apart and pointed straight ahead.

- Lift one leg with bent knee (raising thigh parallel to the floor) directly beside the standing leg.  Hold for 5-20 seconds.  10 reps on each leg.  
- As a progression -- and for an extra challenge -- at the end of the balancing motion, do a heel raise with your standing leg.

Single-Leg Balance Reach

- Stand with feet shoulders-width apart, feet pointed straight ahead.

- Lift and move leg forward without bending the knee. Hold for 5-20 seconds. 10 reps on each leg.

-  As a progression, do the exercise again but reach the floating leg to the side of the body.

-  For another progression, do the exercise again but this time reach the floating leg behind the body.  

Single-Leg Hip Rotation Balance 

-  Stand with feet shoulders-width apart and point straight ahead.

-  With bent knee and thigh parallel to the ground, rotate the hip externally/outward to turn the bent leg out to the side, hold for 5-20 seconds, repeat for 10 reps.  Then switch legs.
-  Repeat the exercise, but this time rotate the hip internally/inward to turn the bent leg across the body, hold for 5-20 seconds, repeat for 10 reps.  then switch legs.

Caroline Varriale received her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from Duke University and has been with Finish Line Physical Therapy since 2013. She is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) and is recognized as a Fellow of Applied Functional Science (FAFS) through the internationally acclaimed Gray Institute. A long-time runner, Caroline also enjoys varying her workouts with biking, resistance & strength training, plyometrics and yoga. She ran the 2013 New York City Marathon as part of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training and completed the 2014 New York City Triathlon.

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