Reflection Archives - Page 17 of 18

The Joys and Benefits of Running on Sand

by Coach Adolfo Salgueiro | Mar 2, 2021 | Article, Exercises, Reflection

By Coach Adolfo Salgueiro

Back in December of 2020, something called The Barefoot Mailman 5K Virtual Race popped up in the South Florida racing calendar. We talked about it among my peeps from No-Club Runners and decided we would make an adventure of it. Not only that, but we would also run it barefoot, so we could emulate the 19th Century mail carriers who took the 100-mile mail route down the beach from what today we know as Palm Beach to the little fisherman’s village we now know as Miami.

If you have access to a beach and an appetite for a running adventure, gather your running buddies and go for a barefoot run. The smiles of all the people in this photo should give you an idea of what a cool experience this is.

We were not sure what to expect. We ran about 1.5 miles to the beach as a warm-up, left our shoes and started running. It was an overcast day, with choppy waters and the start resembled the opening scene of Chariots of Fire. The rest of the 5K was even better. Running on the packed sand, waves coming in and sometimes splashing water up to your knees… Magic!

It was so freaking cool, that we decided to make it a regular occurrence. On February 27th, a larger group met at the same place in Dania Beach to run the 5K to The Pier and back. This time we were in for a surprise. Sand was not as hard-packed as we remembered it, and each step required additional efforts. It didn’t take much for most of us to start walking. Once we got back, with burning legs, exhausted and sweaty, we still decided we had to do it again, sometime in the near future.

A couple of months ago I wrote about the wonderful experience of running barefoot on grass. Most of the benefits of grounding yourself are perfectly transferrable to doing it on the sand. But the sand offers a few extra challenges and benefits, that running on the smooth grass doesn’t.

The first requirement to enjoy your sand run and do it safely, is to forget about your watch. Your time, cadence, VO2Max, etc., are irrelevant. You must switch off your data-driven brain. This is about fun, not about PRs.

Nicolas Vitale, Coach with Club 10K, stated in a recent article that running on sand could provide benefits in the areas of agility, equilibrium, strength, power, joint strength, adaptivity to effort and endurance. After your first mile on the sand you will agree with all seven of these items. The variability of terrain the sand offers from step to step will force you to make many adaptations, sometimes simultaneously.

The start of our 2020 Barefoot Mailman 5K reminisced the opening scene of Chariots of Fire.

To get the most out of your run in the sand, you can always move from the hard-packed sand on the shore to other areas of the beach where the sand is looser. This will help you use other muscles, go through a harder effort, get less return from the ground, and adjust on the fly to adverse conditions. All at the same time.

By the way, the fact that No-Club Runners runs it barefoot doesn’t mean it is the only way to do it. If it works better for you in shoes, nothing is stopping you. Personally, I enjoy the multiple advantages that direct contact with the ground provides. We have plenty of opportunities to run in shoes.

My recommendations for running on the sand include:

1 – Regardless of the instability of the terrain, work on maintaining correct running posture.
2 – Start with a shorter distance or time until your body gets used to it. Don’t overdo it.
3 – Shorten your stride if the sand is too loose and you feel you are overworking.
4 – Don’t forget hydration, especially on hot or humid days.
5 – Focus on having fun and recharging from the direct contact with the ground. Forget you have a watch.
6 – Take advantage of the water and jump in once you are done.

If you have access to a beach and appetite for a different running adventure, grab your running buddies and meet at the shore. You won’t regret it.

SUBSCRIBE TO MY NEWSLETTER

The Road to My Skydive 100-Mile Ultramarathon

by Coach Adolfo Salgueiro | Feb 23, 2021 | Guest Perspective, Personal, Reflection

By Ethel Belair

My name is Ethel Belair. I am 51 years old and I am a runner. I enjoy long distances. At one time half marathons were my favorite. I\’ve ran over 25 of them. But I wanted to try something a little more challenging.

Not much explanation needed on how Ethel felt after achieving her goal. Just look at her face.

In 2016 I signed up for the Miami Marathon. It was tough because I had just lost my father, Jean Belair, to cancer. He passed away three months before my running, so I ran in honor of his memory. He always inspired me, reminded me to be strong and keep going. After running that marathon, which was on my bucket list, I was done. Or so I thought.

The very next day I went for a recovery run and friends though I was crazy. But after running three miles and walking one, my legs felt okay. I wasn\’t tired at all, so I said to myself: “I think I\’ll do another one”. I\’ve ran 6 full marathons so far.

What led me to ultramarathons? A week prior to my 50th birthday, I ran a “Birthday Unofficial 50k” (31.069 miles) with a few friends. Then, on June 26th of last year, my actual birthday, I met up with friends and had another birthday run, this one was 51 miles.

A fellow runner, Lucien, asked me why not run a hundred miles? “You\’re a distance runner”, he said. I told him that I didn’t believe I was ready for that. He then suggested 100k (62.137 miles) to get started. I prayed about it and got the go to do it. Two months later, I ran and finished 100 kilometers. Two weeks later, I signed up and ran an official 50 miler.

On December 26 of last year, I ran a 40-miler in Atlanta. This was the toughest race I\’ve ever done. It was held under freezing conditions (23°), with hills galore and hurting inclines. Grateful to God, I completed the race despite injuring some tendons. My Doctor recommended two weeks of rest. I was not a happy camper.

Yep! That’s right! First you skydive and then you run 100 Miles.

Despite the harsh experience in Georgia and the injury, I was still considering the Skydive Ultra 100-miler in February. I was registered since October. I had to pray, dig deep in my faith, ask God\’s grace for strength and healing. I was battling feelings of fears and anxiety. Should I still do the race? I prayed to God and found the peace to do it. “You will finish. You are strong. Be strong and courageous”. Strong is the word I kept hearing.

On January 16th I ran 5 miles for my very first run of the year. By the end of the month, I ran the #MiamiFamous Virtual Half Marathon and felt great for most of the race. At mile 10, while I was doing a recovery walk, I felt pain in my tendons, so I decided to do intervals—more running than walking. I was overly concerned as the Skydive Ultra 100-miler was only a week away. I even considered calling an Uber. But I pushed through to completion, with some additional mileage for or a total of 16.67.

Race day was here. I wanted to skydive when I turned 50 but didn\’t get a chance to do it. I\’m one who fear heights, yet I took a chance by participating in \”The world\’s only running race that starts with a skydive”: The Skydive Ultra in Clewiston, Florida.

I got on the plane and my instructor asked me if I wanted to deploy the parachute. I Did. I was the 2nd person to jump. I just looked down and jumped. I felt great free falling 14,000 ft. (4,267 Mts). The endorphins… Wow! After landing, it was time to run my hundred-miler.

Somewhere along the 100-mile route sporting her trademark million-dollar smile.

The loops were 7.25 miles. I met people along the way. My amazing crew of Monique and Gerda supported me with anything I needed. I had many fellow friends and runners who called to check on me through my crew and cheered me from afar. I ran strong with God\’s grace and power. I felt the prayers of my friends and family. Every mile I felt happier and stronger.

Mile 86 was a turning point in the race. This is where my entire body started to hurt. I had to summon my will power and remain focus on my faith. I had to dig really deep and from the kindness of friends to push through to the end. Marcus, a runner himself, who was working as the DJ for the event, was kind enough to help me run two loops through a very dark night. Monique walked 2.5 miles with me, and Gerda accompanied me the last two loops. She held my hands as I pushed through the pain. My left pinky toe had a big blister, which it caused me to slow down tremendously. Then, my left knee began to ache. I told Gerda that if I had to crawl to the finish line, I would.

I am grateful to God, for the prayers, persistence, perseverance through pressure and great support from my friends. I finished 101.50 miles, my first hundo in 33:29:38. I am forever grateful. Never, ever give up!

\”The most powerful tool you have to run long distance is your mind, and when you master it, the boundaries of your endurance disintegrate.\” Michael D\’Aulerio

“Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.” Hebrews 12:1

SUBSCRIBE TO MY NEWSLETTER

A Tough, Yet Successful Coaching Day at the A1A Half

by Coach Adolfo Salgueiro | Feb 16, 2021 | Coaching, Personal, Reflection

By Coach Adolfo Salgueiro

The expectations for February 14th were high. It was the first live race for most of us in almost a year. But the South Florida weather was not on our side. The temperature at the start was 77 degrees and the humidity was at 90%. Tough running for conditions any given day, so we adjusted expectations as we walked towards the beach to the starting line of the A1A Publix Half Marathon.

I had three running pupils in the starting corral. They came from different walks of life as well as individual challenges and race goals. Given the trying racing conditions, I am satisfied with the final results, and my runners have expressed the same. This makes for a successful day.

Yolmer G. set up a PR with 1:31:12… Now it is time to focus on his next two, 2021 running goals.

I have been working with Yolmer G (44) for a couple of years now. His goal was to run a sub-1:30 half. He just overcame a broken big toe earlier last year and was back in top shape. The 13.1 miles were not an issue for him. Despite a physically demanding job, he committed to the battery of hard speed workouts prescribed to work towards maintaining the 6:50 pace throughout the race. He came to the race with a PR of 1:32. Unfortunately, he spent the last week keeping a bout of plantar fasciitis at bay. Even though it was a tapering week, it messed up the final tune up process. By Friday he wasn’t sure if he would be able to run.

I crossed paths with Yolmer twice during the race and he looked strong, focused and with good form, which suggested the PF was under control. He passed the 10K mark within range of the goal, but the weather conditions took their toll, and a negative split was not in the books. His final time was a PR of 1:31:12. A success nevertheless, and with plenty of time to make up for those 73 seconds. After a rest period we are focusing on two other goals for 2021.

Sally K (33) is one of the most strong-minded people I’ve ever met. She excels in a high-stress job that demands a lot of her time. Originally, we started working towards a 4:20 for her first marathon. The goal was within range but a trip half around the world, two 2-week work trips, and a sick week, took their toll on her training. I have no doubt she could have ran a 5-hour marathon but at the expense of tremendous suffering through the experience. We talked about it and 10 days before race day she switched to the half.

Sam and Sally battled the heat and humidity to reach new heights on their running journeys. This is just the start.

Because of the constant interruptions on her training we could not work much on speed, so she ran on endurance alone. We planned for a 2:12-2:15 finish. The weather took its toll and yet she pushed through. She had a huge smile the two times I crossed paths with her. Finishing time was 2:14:38, ahead of 1099 participants and over half the ladies in her age group. Her 4:20 marathon is one solid training cycle away.

Samantha C. (27) approached me requesting assistance to complete her first half marathon in 20 weeks. She had run a bit here and there but nothing organized or recent. In her first week she struggled to complete 5K. She struggled with side stitches through the first half of the training. But she trusted the plan and followed it as close as possible to overcame self-doubt and realize she is indeed a distance runner. Our original plan was for a 2:30 finish. Two weeks before the A1A, we had a trial run at the Miami Virtual Half, where she surprised everyone with a 2:09:03 finishing time.

Even though an improvement of the previous mark was the A-goal, we knew in advance that weather conditions were playing against it. So the new race plan called for a 2:12ish finish unless there was anything left for a final kick. There wasn’t. At the finish line she told me she had nothing left. She gave her all to finish in 2:12:59. This young lady has such a bright future in running. All she needs is experience, the commitment is already there.

Personally, I couldn’t be prouder with the results of my trainees, especially under such trying weather conditions. So I take the day as a win. As an amazing day for the adventure that is Foultips.run. Thank you Yolmer, Sally and Sam for trusting my experience and guidance. I look forward to taking you all to your next running goals.

SUBSCRIBE TO MY NEWSLETTER

Dear New Running Shoes

by Coach Adolfo Salgueiro | Jan 26, 2021 | Guest Perspective, Opinion, Reflection

By Michael D’Aulerio*

You may not understand what’s about to take place. There’s a great deal of wear and tear coming your way.

Ups and downs, countless miles, and a whole lot of struggle.

However, I can promise you that if you stick with me . . . in the end . . . when you are completely broken, worn down, and beaten . . . when layer upon layer comes off . . . a funny thing happens.

With less, you will feel more.

…and you will experience a profound wholeness that you never knew existed, safe and enclosed, back in your original little box.

It’s going to be a beautiful struggle of a journey, but a journey worth taking.

Will it be easy? No, every step can be a painful step to the finish.

But will it be worth it?

YES, every step of the way . . .

With much love and gratitude,

~The One from Above You, Running with You, Every Step of the Way

Published in this blog with permission from the author.
A passage from his new book “Mindful Ultramarathon Running”.

* Michael D’Aulerio is an accomplished ultrarunner and author. A dad, husband, sales professional, a brand ambassador athlete, and has completed over 50 ultras. You can follow him in Instagram at @longrunliving.

SUBSCRIBE TO MY NEWSLETTER

5 New Year Running Resolutions

by Coach Adolfo Salgueiro | Jan 5, 2021 | Article, List, Reflection

By Coach Adolfo Salgueiro

Based on where you are in your running life, your goals for a new year will vary. While for some people, making it to 1000 miles may seem like an insurmountable goal, others have been accomplishing this distance year in and year out. Some athletes break 1:30 in the half marathon on a bad day, others struggle to go sub-3.

Making achievable New Year resolutions is the key to keep your athletic goals relevant.

The point here is that to set up your running goal, or goals, for this brand-new year, it must be done in an individual and feasible fashion. These goals can’t be compared with what your friends are doing or what you were able to do when you were a young runner; and they can’t be so out-of-touch that you will be off track at the first sign of trouble or the first day when life gets on the way. Also, you don’t want to get injured because of overstress.

If you haven’t etched in stone your running goals for 2021, or if you haven’t thought about them yet, do so, now. This is what will keep you focused, especially while it is uncertain if and when normal racing will return.

The following goals ideas you may consider:

1 – 1000 Miles – Depending on where you are in your running life, one thousand miles could be a challenging yet achievable Goal. You can also set your eyes on 1500, 2000 or 3000. The key is to break it down in small chunks so you can visualize it. I.E. For 1000 miles, this is just 83.33 miles per month, or 4.8 a day if you run 4 times a week (way less if you include a long run one of those days). Last year, over 1000 members of the 1K Club made it to the 1000 mark. If you have never done it, this may be a great goal for the year.

2 – One more day of activity per week – If you don’t want to focus your running year on counting mileage, adding another day to your training is a good way to increase your activity. If you run only 3 times a week, that 4th day becomes feasible. If you run 5 or 6, this may not be a goal for you, but you can always add a yoga class, a cross training session or an easy, long recovery walk to your week. The key is to increase your activity if you feel you can fit it in without sacrificing your recovery.

3 – Strength training – It is the most neglected part of every training cycle. When we are focused in our training and our work or personal life gets on the way, strength training is the first aspect of the program to be sacrificed. As runners, we pound on our musculoskeletal system on a daily basis. Consider that every in mile you dump 3-4 times your weight into each leg, about 800 times. This is about 2500 times per leg, per 5K. If we don’t prepare our bones, muscles, tendons and ligaments to take on the workload, they will break down, and you will be rehabbing instead of running.

Sleeping 7-8 hours a night will improve both your athletic and your personal life (Photo: Pexels.com)

4 – Specific Distance PR – This goal can be handled in two ways. A) You can set up your sights and training on one specific distance where you feel confident performing and go for your best time, ever; or B) you can get out of your comfort zone and pick up a distance where you don’t feel confident and go for it. If you’ve been chasing the elusive Sub-2 half marathon or sub-3:30 marathon, you have a full year to make it happen. Or, if you dislike the 5K because it is too short or too fast; or if you are afraid of what lies beyond the mythical 13.1, then you have a few challenges right there.

5 – Sleep more – It may sound odd that sleeping more is part of a running goals list for a new year, but sleep is one of the most overlooked aspects of recovery, and thus, training. It is also the one that may take you down, if not with an injury, at least by robbing you of your chance of peak performance. In our society, lack of sleep has become a worthless badge of honor, while in reality (and science), our sleeping time is key to our recovery both as athletes and as functional human beings. The benefits of a hard workout are not seen once you finished, the body needs to repair itself and adapt to the stress we just put it through. This doesn’t happen with an easy 5-miler on 5 hours of sleep. The body heals itself and flushes the day’s metabolic waste while we sleep. So, 7-8 hours a night is part of your daily training and a worthwhile running goal for 2021.

Of course, these are not the only athletic goals you may set up for 2021. They are just ideas to help you define what you would like to achieve this year.

What are your running goals for 2021?

SUBSCRIBE TO MY NEWSLETTER

The Joy of Barefoot Walking on Grass

by Coach Adolfo Salgueiro | Dec 15, 2020 | Article, Exercises, Reflection, Science

By Coach Adolfo Salgueiro

We all know about how important it is to run or walk in the right shoe. Depending on your foot and the way you strike the ground, a shoe may be the right one for you, but this doesn’t mean it is the best option for your running buddy. There are forefoot runners, heel strikers, neutral steps and all the variations in between. But there is one variety where we are all equal: barefoot. We all have the feet we were provided at birth.

Let’s be clear that I am not advocating for barefoot running. It is not for everybody. After the minimalist craze of the early 2000s, lots of people shifted to five-fingers and barefoot without the property transition, assuming it made sense, and a barrage of injuries followed. Some people can handle it, some people don’t.

But what I passionately believe after reading about it and experiencing it, is that barefoot walking on grass is wonderful. The joy of being in direct contact with the earth below you in invigorating and will recharge you for the rest of the day. As I was researching this blogpost, I learned that this practice even has a name, actually two: it is called “grounding” or “earthing”.

I started walking barefoot in my back yard about five years ago. One day, my wife and I decided to go for a barefoot walk around the neighborhood and, surprisingly, it was an invigorating experience. We came back with more energy and more relaxed that than we set out. Since then, I put some 3 to 4 miles out there once every couple of weeks. Getting your feet wet, dirty, stained, and constantly adjusting for the irregularities of the terrain has become a pleasure. I wish I could fit it in more often.

According to an article by Carrie Denner, from The Washington Post, published in July 2018, research suggests physical contact with the Earth’s surface can help regulate our autonomic nervous system and keep our circadian rhythms — which regulate body temperature, hormone secretion, digestion and blood pressure, among other things — synchronized with the day/night cycle. The idea behind it, is that “humans evolved in direct contact with the Earth’s subtle electric charge but have lost that sustained connection, thanks to inventions such as buildings, furniture and shoes with insulated synthetic soles.”

Regardless of what you may think, your feet are ready for the task. In his book Run for Your Life, Dr. Mark Cucuzzella, states that “each foot is an orchestra of 26 bones, 33 joints, 107 ligaments and 19 muscles and tendons, providing cushioning, spring and control in three planes simultaneously”.

I’ve heard people complaining about the possibility of a rock or a piece of trash damaging their feet, but my experience is that, of course you may get a cut or stung by an insect, but in general terms your feet are ready to avoid it. According to Dr. Cucuzzella: “Our feet have 200,000 sensory receptors that are constantly, an unconsciously, appraising our position so that we can make micro adjustments to our balance”. And believe me when I tell you that it works like a charm.

As for where to go for a barefoot walk, it is understandable that not everybody has a backyard where to go even 100 times around if necessary, but most likely there is a park you’re your place where you can set up for this experience.

In their book “Barefoot Walking”, Michael Sandler and Jessica Lee talk of barefoot walking as an experience to free your spirit. They do so in a very poetic way, that, as someone who has experienced it, is not far from reality: “When you go barefoot you’re plugging back into the soil, back into the earth, and back into our global community. As Henry David Thoreau said, ‘Heaven is under our feet at well as over our heads’ […] In essence, by going barefoot, it is as if you are plugging back into the Source—whatever that spiritual connection means to you—because you are going back to the ground from which we came”.

As if this wasn’t benefit enough, you will make your feet stronger by making them work harder without the benefit of shoes. As Dr. Cucuzzella well puts it: “shoes have eased the burden on our feet so that they need to work less. But our feet are designed to work hard. In doing work, they gain strength. Our ancestors did not have golf courses”.

If you don’t believe in the hype I am placing into this barefoot walking on grass thing, find a nice patch of grass at your local park and invest 15 open-minded minutes of your life into giving it a shot. It may not become a transcendental experience, but who knows, it just may. Isn’t it worth finding out? Let me know how it went.

SUBSCRIBE TO MY NEWSLETTER