SparkPeople Member and Certified Running Coach
Nancy Howard has a degree in nursing. Her mission is to help others learn the process of living a healthy lifestyle and to let them know it is never too late to start. An avid runner, Nancy has competed in more than 100 road races since 2006, including 12 half marathons and Hood to Coast Relay--the largest in North America. She has lost 80 pounds--and kept it off--since joining SparkPeople in 2005. In 2009, she achieved two amazing goals: She became a Runners Club of America Certified Running Coach and ran the Chicago Marathon. She wants to inspire the world and let everyone know you don’t have to be an Olympian to run.
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What To Do the Week Before Running a Race
As a runner ,you have probably have spent a grueling eight to 16 weeks training for your race. Depending on the distance of your race, this will determine the number of weeks you needed to prepare for your event. The shorter the race, the fewer number of weeks is needed to devote to your training, whereas a runner preparing to run a marathon may spend as long as four to six months training for their event.
One very common concern for runners, especially those who have never raced in an event or who have yet to race a particular distance, is what to do to prepare for their race the week leading up to the pinnacle of their training.
It is very common to have some nerves and doubts leading up to your big event. But as I frequently tell my runners, know that you have done all you can do to prepare for your race. Trying to cram in too many runs prior to your big day, may leave you fatigued or, worse, injured. No amount of running the week of your race will prepare you for your race. Your goal is to arrive on the starting line with the freshest legs possible.
No matter how experienced a runner is (even if you have raced the distance before) it is very common to question your training during this time. You may find yourself asking, "Did I do all I could in my training to prepare for this race? Did I do enough hill work, speed work and long runs? What will I do if it rains, sleets, snows or the temperature is too hot? What if I start out too fast?" The list can go on and on.
Posted 7/26/2011 2:00:00 PM By: : 34 comments 127,212 views
Doing Something Trumps Doing Nothing
Last month I had the privilege to attend a running symposium sponsored by one of my local area hospitals here in Dallas. The highlight of the event was having the opportunity to listen to and ask questions of legendary running coach, Greg McMillan. As a long time fan of his, I was like a kid meeting her local sports superstar. To me he embodies the sensibility of what it takes to become not just a runner, but a life-long runner.
One of the most important lessons I took away from that day was that even in times of stress many of us can carve out ten minutes to do something. And usually that ten minutes can make a huge difference in how we approach the emotional stress in our lives.
Posted 7/19/2011 2:00:00 PM By: : 42 comments 17,653 views
Is Endurance Exercise the Fountain of Youth?
For thousands of years man has been in search of the so-called 'The Fountain of Youth'. From Alexander the Great to Ponce de Leon's quest to modern day science, there seems to be a fascination that spans the test of time to fight the inevitable--growing old. It is something many of us have either learned to accept or we do our best to fight it every step of the way.
Having had the pleasure to visit the so-called Fountain of Youth 15 years ago, it was quite interesting to drink the very strong sulfur-smelling water that flowed from a PVC pipe into awaiting Dixie Cups. For the cost of admission, all I walked away with was a metallic taste in my mouth, a little less money in my pocket, and the same wrinkles and gray hair that I arrived with. Unfortunately, I never experienced any signs of turning back the clock, whether physically or emotionally.
Posted 7/5/2011 10:00:00 AM By: : 80 comments 36,017 views
8 Upper Body Resistance Band Workouts
Last week's fitness round-up blog featured eight lower body resistance band exercises. As mentioned earlier, resistance bands are a great investment to add to your fitness arsenal. Not only are they inexpensive, but they are quite convenient to tuck away in your luggage when you travel. And studies have shown that resistance bands can offer many of the same fitness benefits as using free weights or gym machines.
Posted 6/28/2011 10:00:04 AM By: : 53 comments 62,684 views
8 Lower Body Resistance Band Exercises
Now that summer vacations are in full swing, many of us will be heading off to destinations that may not allow us access to equipment to help us maintain our strength training routines. Finding ways to integrate cardio activities into our time away can be quite easy, after all walking and biking are two activities many of us can do. But what do we do when we do not have access to a gym or free weights? While there are many gym free exercises to do that offer some benefits, investing in a set of inexpensive resistance bands is another great option.
Because resistance bands are lightweight and take up little space in your luggage, this makes them easy to transport. And studies have shown that resistance bands are just as beneficial to helping us build muscle endurance and strength as free weights and gym machines.
Posted 6/21/2011 10:10:52 AM By: : 47 comments 130,720 views
8 Exercises for Better Balance
I was first introduced to balance exercises by my running coach when I developed a minor ankle injury a few years ago. However, before I even began using the balance board my coach had me do series of progressive balance exercises initially using only one-foot on solid ground, followed by doing these same exercises on a mat, than a rolled mat, followed by the BOSU trainer before moving up to the balance board. It took a solid six months for me to master the moves, but with these exercises I have been able to recruit the muscles in a different manner, therefore providing me with better ankle stabilization and muscle balance.
Below are links to balance exercises using various types of balance equipment. Feel free to modify the more advanced exercises by doing them first on solid ground, then standing on one leg, then on a mat, a rolled mat, etc until you have mastered the techniques where you can perform them a balance board. Even doing such exercises as a dumbbell curl standing on one leg or overhead shoulder press on one leg can do wonders in developing core strength as well as better proprioception and muscle balance.
Posted 6/14/2011 6:00:00 PM By: : 26 comments 82,307 views
The Road to Failure Can Lead Us Down the Path of Success
Many of life's failures are men who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up. Thomas Edison
Failure is something many of us have experienced in our lives and sadly something many of us have used to define who we are. Unfortunately, failure is genearlly seen as something negative and has kept many of us from living a life full of potential. It's far easier to never begin the journey, especially if expect to be perfect from the onset, than to have to endure one failure after the other. Our need for perfection can cause many us to view anything short of that goal as a failure. But what if we learn to use failure as a tool to move us closer to our goals? Do you think that you can let go of the past and use each failure as a stepping stone to success?
Posted 6/7/2011 6:00:41 AM By: : 57 comments 29,623 views
Celebrate National Running Day June 1st
Running has been a passion of mine for well over five years now and something I plan on continuing to do for as long as I can. All you really need to become a runner is time, patience and a good pair of running shoes. You can run solo or with a group. You can run night or day. You can run outside on the road or on a trail or inside on a treadmill. You can run slow or fast. You can run across town or just around the block. You can run for an hour or just 10 seconds. Whatever you do, this day is meant to celebrate the passion we, as runners, share in this great sport.
When I asked for help from my fellow SparkPeople runners as to why they ran I was overwhelmed at the responses. From members who run while fighting multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis to those running just to reclaim their health, I could feel their passion in each response. Reading through all the responses, not one member mentioned anything about finishing first or winning a race. Not one mentioned being faster than their running partner. Not one mentioned competing against anyone else. It is how running makes them feel,how it changes them and how it helps them to deal with some of life's obstacles.
Posted 5/31/2011 10:00:29 AM By: : 56 comments 16,313 views
Has the Restaurant Industry Gone Too Far?
This past Wednesday In-N-Out Burgers, a California based fast food chain, expanded its operation in the Dallas/Fort Worth market, one already saturated with restaurants galore.
When In-N-Out Burgers opened their doors in Allen and Frisco last week, it was reported that the line to get into the restaurants wrapped around the buildings and onto the adjacent roads leaving patrons to wait as long as three hours to get a burger. I understand that this more of an isolated situation, but three hours in line for a burger? Where do you draw the line?
And if you were looking for a burger with a little more substance, just head on down to the West End in Dallas where you can imbibe in a burger that boasts a whooping 8,000 calories, equivalent to four days worth of calories for me and that is if I expend 3000 calories that week via exercise. However, I will add that the burger is served by a waitress donned in white nurse's uniform, complete with cap. The name of the restaurant--The Heart Attack Grill. And if the size of the burger doesn't entice you to walk through the doors, as a bonus those patrons who weigh over 350 pounds get to eat for free.
Posted 5/17/2011 2:00:43 PM By: : 162 comments 25,019 views
8 Pilates Moves to Help You Get a Leaner Body!
My first exposure to Pilates was in summer of the 2009, but since I was in the midst of training for my first marathon, I found I did not have the time or the energy to devote to attending a weekly class. But the few months that I did participate in Pilates, I grew to have a deep appreciation for this amazing workout. I knew it would be just a matter of time before I found myself back in the Pilates studio.
This year in my quest to bringing more balance in my life I took up Pilates once again. My class is a combination of workouts where half the class is done on the mat and the other half is done on the Pilates Reformer.
What I love about Pilates is the focus and concentration one must have when doing the exercises. Because Pilates focuses on the abdominal and back muscles, also known as the core, it makes a great addition to my current workout routine which includes running, spinning and kettlebells. Pilates also helps with pelvic stabilization, flexibility, strength, as well as postural alignment, with an added bonus in helping one obtain better mind/body awareness. And because you do very few repetitions and do not take the muscles to full fatigue, Pilates can be done on a daily basis.
While many people equate Pilates to the reformer, I have received some really great benefits doing my mat exercises, especially at home. Below are links to some of my favorite mat Pilates movements.
Posted 4/26/2011 2:00:00 PM By: : 43 comments 71,977 views
A Memorable SparkPeople Weekend
The glory of friendship is not the outstretched hand, nor the kindly smile, nor the joy of companionship; it is the spiritual inspiration that comes to one when he discovers that someone else believes in him and is willing to trust him with friendship. - Ralph Waldo Emerson
This quote sums up what many of us felt when we joined together for one of the most life-changing experiences the last weekend in March. In one of largest SparkPeople events, outside the SparkPeople conventions, well over 50 SparkPeople members descended on the Pennsylvania community of Cranberry Township, just north of Pittsburgh, to participate in the Just a Short Run (JASR) event. This race consisted of a 5K, 8.1 miler, half-marathon and 30K, a distance for every runner or walker. After a year of planning by Bob and Anne Dawson, Jan Fransden, Lynn Aufman and John Parker, we were all eager to share the blessing that an event like this can make in our lives.
The icing on the cake was having SparkPeople members Britt -AKA BAM0827 and Bonnie- AKA SMILEITSALLGOOD present us all with homemade SparkPeople patches they lovingly made for us to wear proudly during the race so that we could identify one another at the event. I can't begin to tell you how many people came up to me during the race asking me what the SparkPeople symbol was on my back and why so many people were wearing them.
What made this event so special is, that while we all come from different walks of life, the one common denominator amongst us is that we all met on SparkPeople. For many, this was his/her first time ever running/walking a race of his/her chosen distance. For others it was an opportunity to solidify friendships that have been forged over the months in the SparkPeople running teams. And for others this was the opportunity to take the risk of fulfilling a life-long dream. And for those who did not participate in the event, they came to share in a celebratory lunch after the race.
Posted 4/5/2011 6:00:00 PM By: : 70 comments 20,770 views
7 Weighted Bar Exercises for Overall Toning
A few years ago I was introduced to a steel weighted bar known to many as the Body Bar. If you are not familiar with this particular piece of workout equipment, it is basically a steel bar in various weights encased in foam. They range between 4-6 feet in length. Not only are weighted bars used in resistant training workouts, but they can be used for balance, flexibility and core stabilization. And because they recruit more muscles than machines do, they make for a challenging yet very effective workout.
Posted 3/29/2011 6:30:55 AM By: : 51 comments 191,436 views
2 Full Body Exercise Routines for Better Sleep
This past Monday kicked off National Sleep Awareness Week (March 7th-13th) bringing attention to the important role sleep plays, not only in our overall health, but our weight loss journey as well. Studies have shown that over the years the amount of sleep many of us get each night has dropped from approximately 10 hours a night to just under 7. However, doing some form of exercise, including cardio and strength training, on a daily basis has been shown to give us a better quality of sleep, therefore making us more productive, have more energy and better concentration.
Performing a full body strength training routine just a 2-3 days, with at least one day's rest in between workouts, should be all it takes to get you well on the road to better health and better sleep.
Posted 3/8/2011 5:30:40 PM By: : 29 comments 26,950 views
Taking Time Off to Recharge My Batteries
There comes a point in our lives when we need to step back and take some time to re-evaluate where we are. As many of you may have read in my previous blogs, 2010 was a very trying year for the Howards. Having lost my mother-in-law to liver cancer within six weeks of her diagnosis and dealing with some other family issues, the stress was quite high. Thankfully our friends rallied around us and had it not been for my running, I could have easily found myself turning to food for comfort.
I was hoping 2011 would bring brighter days ahead. This was after all, the year I was hoping to find balance. What I am discovering is we are never completely in harmony for long. Just when all is going well, be prepared for life to take you in a different direction. A direction none of us can foresee.
Posted 2/26/2011 7:30:45 AM By: : 163 comments 24,096 views
My Journey of Self-Discovery
Merriam-Webster defines a journey as an act or instance of traveling from place to another; the passage from one place to another. This is precisely how I describe my life--it is a passage from one place to another.
Six years ago I took one of the most important steps in changing my life. A journey that would take me to places I never imagined I would find myself. After all, it's hard to see what lies ahead of us when we can only see the past and where we are today. It is difficult to see the place where we have yet to travel because seldom in our life does everything goes as planned.
When I was well into my journey I was talking with a dear friend who had noticed the changes I was undergoing. Now mind you, I had just started running and I was still actively trying to lose those last twenty pounds, but being 60 pounds lighter, there were changes. She asked me how this time was different. For me, a lot had to do with where I was in my life. I was no longer fighting to stay in a 'normal' size, I was literally fighting for my life. High blood pressure, pre-diabetes, gall bladder issues, aching feet and knees when I stood too long were becoming a daily battle. On February 9, 2005 I began my incredible journey and this is my analogy of the journey the way I see it.
Most of us don't just get in the car one day and decide to go on a trip. It takes planning, a destination, a means to get us to our destination, a map to follow and determination.
Posted 2/19/2011 8:00:25 AM By: : 139 comments 29,850 views
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