BREATH EASY

I received my Respirfix Nasal Dilators on Friday morning and tried it out on my afternoon run.. As an aging runner, I am constantly searching for new products that will enhance my running performance. I inserted the Respirfix dilator prior to my workout, and I was astounded how well it worked. It actually did enhance my breathing.

On Saturday, I used my Respirfix Nasal Dilator on my 20 mile bike ride. Again, I was extremely pleased with the way it enabled me to breathe more easily.  I plan to use it on all my workouts in the future.

I also did some research and found that many European cyclists use this product.

I plan to use the Repirfix Nasal Dilators on all my workouts in the future.


 In addition, after working a long shift, my wife used the other set that came in the pack when she took a nap. She usually uses nasal spray to help her breathing and keep her from snoring. She was delighted when she was able to sleep soundly using the Respirfix dilator. We are sold on this product and plan to order again. I would highly recommend it.


Check it out at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07HCQKNCY.


You are going to love this unique product.

NO SWEAT!

My wife has always been the ultimate cross trainer.

For nearly 40 years, I have been grinded out the miles through running, she has taken a much more practical approach to training.

She runs, lifts weights, practices yoga, power walks, and logs miles on the elliptical, usually cranking the machine to the steepest incline.

During most of these endeavors, she is bothered by sweat pouring down her face, or hair flying into her eyes.

Recently, she solved those problems by purchasing several headbands from the Ohio Fitness Garage, https://ohiofitnessgarage.com/collections/headbands, an American company that sells a variety of products, and has now designed a perfect, non-slip headband.

The Ohio Fitness Garage headbands are not your headbands of the last century. They come in widths of one-half or one inch, are made from a non-slip silicon that keeps the headband firmly in place, no matter what the activity. The headband holds hair back during workouts, preventing obstruction of vision.

After her first workout wearing her new Ohio Fitness  Garage headband, my wife was extremely pleased that the headband did not slip and her hair was held in place.

One size fits all, and the headbands are machine washable.

Ohio Fitness Garage headbands are sold in multipacks of two or four, depending on the width, and they are reasonably priced.

Visit the Ohio Fitness Garage, https://ohiofitnessgarage.com/collections/headbands, and check out these high quality headbands. With the Holiday season approaching, these headbands are an ideal gift for the active women in your life.

IYZER SOCKS

During my forty years of competitive running I always contended that socks were the second most important piece of equipment, following closely behind a good pair of running shoes.

Bad socks can make a workout very uncomfortable, and they can absolutely ruin a race. Many a runner has suffered a race collapse thanks to a blister that formed due to a cheap pair of socks.

A good pair of socks should be lightweight, cushioned, and most importantly, dry. Socks that retain moisture can be at best uncomfortable, and at worst can cause blisters, and even frostbite during winter months.

A few weeks ago, I tried Iyzer socks. https://runningsocks.iyzer.com

Without a doubt, these are the best workout socks I have ever worn.

 Iyzer Competitive running socks feature CoolMax technology and super thin breathable mesh, a moisture wicking toe guard, with extra cushioning at the ball of the foot, and compression in the arch that serves as a natural orthotic.

These days I'm doing quite a bit of cross training, and on a bike ride through the mountain last week, I drove through a massive mud puddle. My Izyer socks dried in a matter of minutes, leaving my feet comfortable for the remainder of the ride.

For running, walking, competition, or even if you are on your feet all day, you will find Iyzer socks to be a sound investment for your feet.

Go to https://runningsocks.iyzer.com, and check out their special offers on these incredible socks.

 

ACC CHAMP AND ALL-AMERICAN

Following is a column I wrote, which was published today in the Republican Herald newspaper.

While some college students were spending their final days of summer vacation at the beach, Pottsville’s Paige Stoner, a senior cross country runner at Syracuse University, spent her August mornings and afternoons grinding out 70-mile weeks.

On the weekends she would toss in her weekly long run, a distance of 18 miles, in preparation for a season of high expectations.

After a successful track season, in which she placed 15th in the steeplechase at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon, for her 2017 cross country season, Stoner and her coaches, Chris Fox and Brian Bell, had mapped out an aggressive training plan that they hoped would maximize her extraordinary running skills.

Her season began with an invitational meet at Penn State. Still logging long, intense miles during the building block phase of her training, she placed second at the 6K distance.

Building speed and strength for races against the best runners in the country centered around workouts on Sweet Road, a challenging incline near the Syracuse campus. A typical workout would consist of a 4 to 5 mile run, with four minutes of hard running, followed by a short rest before beginning another four-minute interval. As the sessions neared their end, Coach Fox instructed Stoner to run at all-out race pace for the final four minutes.

Stoner’s next meet was held in Boston where she placed 24th, in a race that included many of the runners she would face at nationals.

On Oct. 28, Stoner ran the Atlantic Coast Conference championship meet in Louisville, Kentucky.

Her coach instructed her to, “Be patient, hang with the leaders, and don’t make a move until you have about 800 meters to go.”

She ran most of the race in a pack with four North Carolina State runners and a runner from Louisville. At the 4K mark, the race came down to Stoner and her Louisville adversary. With 300 meters to go, the Louisville runner surged into the lead, but Stoner responded, passing her with 100 meters to go and winning the ACC cross country championship with an extraordinary time of 19:52 on the 6K course. She finished a mere three seconds ahead of her opponent.

At the Northeast Regionals, held in Buffalo, New York, Stoner braved 20-degree temperatures and 30-mile-per-hour winds to place second and qualify for nationals.

A week later at the NCAA Championships held in Louisville, Kentucky, Paige Stoner, from Pottsville, Pennsylvania, faced the best collegiate runners in the nation and placed 17th, earning All-America honors.

Stoner is an exceptional runner and an excellent student. More than that, she is a humble young lady who, when asked what advice she would give to young runners who want to run like Paige Stoner, replied, “Don’t overdo it in high school. Run 30 to 35 miles a week, and keep it fun. Do other things. Swim and play Frisbee.”

We haven’t heard the last of Stoner. Track season is coming up in 2018, and she has another year of track eligibility in 2019.

Oh, and the next Summer Olympic Games will be held in 2020.

RUBY THE RUNNER...FIGHTER

Sharp Mountain, with its many trails, sits directly behind my house. For many years, I ran the trails to find solitude, and soft-surface comfort for tired legs. My Redbone Coonhound, Ruby, logged many miles on those trails with me. Last November, she was diagnosed with a severe liver disease, was given only two months to live, but she fought, and finally lost her battle on Friday. Since her illness, she was reduced to walks rather than runs, and last Wednesday she took her final walk, a brave, but fun, 1-mile trek.

Run with your pups as long as you and they are able. It is good for them and it's good for you. I hope Ruby is running trails and sniffing rabbits in doggy heaven.

GET IN THE MEDZONE

Running is a tough sport.

Every time we lace up our shoes and hit the roads, we encounter external obstacles like hills, extreme weather conditions, motorized vehicles, and unfriendly creatures.

So before we begin our daily workout, we need to prepare our bodies for the road ahead.

Blisters, chafing, pain, and skin inflammation are problems encountered by every runner. Any one of these issues can often negatively impact our workout or race, and sometimes sideline us if the problems persist.

I am constantly searching for products that will make my running life more pleasant.

Of course the products must work, they must be reasonably priced, and the company must be customer-friendly.

Medzone, www.medzonecorp.com, began in 2001, by designing its products based on requests from medical professionals, athletes and in 2002, U.S. Military Special Forces. Over the years their products have been adapted to work for athletes, law enforcement, military and for certain healthcare needs.

ChafeZone®, BurnZone® and PainZone® BlisterZone have proven to help triathletes, cyclists, team sports, dancers, rodeo, hiking, swimming, hockey, basketball, baseball, football, BMX riders, motorcycle riders, industrial athletes, people who suffer from Chub Rub and with any other high intensity activities. Whether you chafe, sunburn, windburn, blister, ache or have arthritis one of Medzone's products can help you.

Over the past few days the temperatures and the humidity have been unbearable. Chafing in one of those high friction areas can be extremely painful and very common on these hot days. Rub some of Medzone's ChafeZone on those problem spots and you will glide through your workout.

BlisterZone will do for your feet what ChafeZone does for other abrasive areas. Blisters can slow you to a stop. They can ruin a race and they can become infected. BlisterZone is an excellent product for your feet.

Mosquito bites and sunburn are relieved by using BurnZone. BurnZone incorporates a natural, local anesthetic in addition to 1% Lidocaine for maximum pain relief. A proprietary blend of essential fatty acids takes the sting and burn out of blisters and minor burns, relieves insect bite itching, and calms skin irritations.

Finally, PainZone addresses muscle, joint and tendon pain with a no-mess, roll-on applicator. PainZone boasts a concentrated no-water formula with the FDA-required 3 anti-inflammatory agents plus two additional anti-inflammatory ingredients to banish your pain. It uses blend of essential fatty acids transports the active ingredients deep into the tissues for long lasting pain relief.

Arm yourself with any or all of these Medzone products, and your running, walking, cycling, and other athletic activities will be much more pleasant and pain-free.

 

SUMMER SALES

The summer season is here, and for many of us, that means it's time to relax and catch up on our reading.

Whether you are going to the beach, the mountains,  or lounging in your own backyard, if you want a good dose of running inspiration, I have a deal for you.

 Both of my books, Personal Best and Running Shorts are available now, for the lowest price yet, $7.99 each, AND, we'll pay the shipping and handling.  Visit www.muldowneyrunning.net, and just click on the 'store' tab. Heck, that's about what we pay for a pair of socks today.

 

You can also go to Amazon, at: amazon.com/author/joemuldowney where you can find both books, reviews of them, and the Kindle version of Personal Best for $1.99. Try finding a pair of socks for that price these days!

 

The books are also available from my publisher's site: www.lulu.com

 

Fact is, if you plan to take you first running step, run your first marathon, or want to learn how to drop that marathon time, Personal Best will offer ways for you to achieve your goal.

 

If you want to be inspired, to laugh or cry, with stories from the road, read Running Shorts.

 

And, as my readers know, I pride myself as a "hands on" author. Having trouble with plantar fasciitis? Let me tell you about the 'donut' cure.

Trying to break 3 hours for the marathon? We can develop a training plan together to make that happen.

 

Summer is here.

 

Want to achieve your personal best?

 

Let me know.

 

I'll help you get there.

 

EAT, SLEEP, RUN

     Like many of you, I'm kind of a running junkie, and I truly enjoy finding new, interesting, and different products.

Check out what I discovered at: https://teespring.com/runrepeat

 

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IT RAINED TODAY

It hasn't rained around these parts for three solid weeks. The grass has turned brown, and leaves are already beginning to lose their green color and are falling from some of the trees. Late summer temperatures, which topped the 90-degree mark for the past week, made running uncomfortable, to say the least.

Today, a steady rain, measuring over an inch, more in some areas, cooled the torrid temps, and made running a joy again.

Dropping nearly thirty degrees, into the high 60s, running through and between the rain drops felt like a refreshing, cool shower.

Most runners appreciate a cool summer rain, as long as it is not accompanied by thunder and lightning, so we best enjoy it while we can.

Soon, chilling precipitation will soak us to the bone. You know, that raw, penetrating rain that, despite our modern fabrics, chills our bodies and stings our faces, causing us to curse and cringe.

But, for today at least, we enjoyed and appreciated nature's shower.

www.muldowneyrunning.com

THE ONE "RUNNER'S HIGH" THAT WILL KILL YOU

 I recently receive an article from Jean-Marc Saint Laurent which contained some very pertinent information that can be used, and should be heeded, by all runners. 

Here in the northeast, and in many parts of the country, we are in the middle of the summer's most dangerous heat wave.

Following is Mr. Saint Laurent's article.

A few short years ago, in a summer like this one, a young man named Jeff Fink was rushed to a Kansas City area hospital after suddenly collapsing during the Warrior Dash, one of many adventure races happening across the U.S. at any given time.

Crawling in so much mud that you ended up looking like a human earthworm was to be expected; the 20 foot vertical wall called the Dead Man’s Drop that sent adrenaline addicts speeding towards solid ground at breakneck velocity was even old news—but some suspect it was the intense heat empowered by the accompanying wall of blazing fire that cut his racing career and life short.

THE KILLER RUNNERS’ HIGH

And while we might not be 100 percent about everything around this case, this much is clear, his body temperature had risen to the insurmountable height of 108 degrees.

In some locations this is not far from the summer average.

STOP HUGGING YOUR OWN SWEAT

According to the LiveStrong Foundation, choosing the right training clothes could be a matter of life and death in the heat:

“Cotton is the worst material to wear in the summer heat,” says Sports Editor Dan Capello. “It soaks up sweat like a towel, holding the moisture against your skin and causing your body temperature to increase. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend you wear lightweight” clothing.

Lightweight running tees like Lumiere’s  InnerStrength EXO Tee are made with a fabric blend that keeps you cool, fights odor-causing bacteria and keeps your body dry longer.

The CDC also recommends that if you are out exercising in the heat you should remember to:

· Limit your outdoor activity to morning and evening hours.

· If you must exercise, drink two to four glasses of cool, nonalcoholic fluids each hour.  A sports beverage can replace the salt and minerals you lose in sweat. Warning: If you are on a low-salt diet, talk with your doctor before drinking a sports beverage. Remember the warning in the first “tip” (above), too.

· Try to rest often in shady areas.

RECORD HIGHS ARE HERE TO STAY. PROTECT YOURSELF.

As late as 3 months ago, the Weather Channel reported that some portions of the Western United States “reached 104 degrees setting a new record for all-time March high temperature” and places such as Phoenix, Arizona often clocked five consecutive days within 10 degrees of that mark. They are predicting from “Above Average” to Severe Heat for both the Western and Eastern Coasts through September. Be sure to keep yourself protected.

For more info on the InnerStrength EXO Tee from Lumiere, visit http://jolljo.com/lumieresportswear/

DON'T BE AFRAID OF A VACATION

Summer is a great time of year, and we're right in the middle of it.

Temperatures have been high, and the humidity has been drenching. Great beach weather, but not so great for running.

Perhaps you're getting out there for your daily run and you are frustrated. Your scheduled 10-mile training run has been reduced to a 7-miler.

On your routine daily workout, you glance at your sweat-soaked watch in frustration and you can't believe how slow you've become.

Not to worry.

It's time for a vacation.

Here's the deal.

You're not going to run your best races in sweltering summer heat, so chill out and scale back your training.

Recognize, that for a few weeks in the summer, your distances may decrease and your times may be slower.

On days when the conditions are 90 by 90, relax with easy miles.

Then, when Mother Nature offers you a break, seize the opportunity.

For example.

On Monday, conditions were brutal. The temperature hit 90 and the dew point was in the 70s. I struggled through a 5-miler. Pools of sweat formed at my sides when I finished.

Yesterday, after a cold front passed through, the temperature dropped to 80 degrees, with a crisp humidity of only 35%. I ran the same course 2 and 1/2 minutes faster than I did on Monday and I felt great.

So the word for summer running is: Maintain!

Try not to lose your fitness level. Do not be afraid to give yourself a short running vacation. Your body will appreciate the rest, and some of those nicks might be given an opportunity to heal.

Soon, ideal fall conditions will begin and you will be able to return to intense training, refreshed from your summer vacation.

And, speaking of that training, check out my website: www.muldowneyrunning.com for a great training offer.

TIMELESS?

Running is timeless.

Wait, let me rephrase that. Running is all about time.

We strive to achieve our personal best times each time we race.

We glance obsessively at our watches when we train.

We overextend those last few strides when we near the finish line of a speed workout.

Each day we hope we will be able to find the time to squeeze workout into our busy schedules.

But, in my experience, running IS timeless. Maybe I'm one of the lucky ones, but yesterday I logged 5 miles on a beautiful, shaded mountain trail with a friend of 38 years, Brian Tonitis. Although our race times have diminished with the passage of time, we still check our splits, we talk about races, about who's running well and who isn't. Like senior citizens on the bench at the mall, we reminisce about old times, and we talk about the glory days of road racing.

In August, I'll travel 100 miles south to Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, where I'll run the annual Tom Ausherman Memorial 5-Mile race. The race is conducted by my friend and rival for over 30 years, John Ausherman, in honor of his late father, a pioneer of running in Southern Pennsylvania. John and I have run countless races together, but more than that, we have attended each other's daughters weddings, our families have vacationed together, and we have hunted elk in Colorado. Whenever we get together, we include a brisk run into our schedule.

And, with both Brian and John, I have run with their sons, Matt and Tommy, both excellent runners in their own right.

In a couple of weeks, Wayne Parfitt will travel from Newport News, Virginia to visit his family here in town. We will run together, and we will unpause the pause button and pick up where we left off, having run the Boston Marathon together, all the way back in 1984.

All these outstanding individuals are members of the Cast of Characters, a chapter in my first book, Running Shorts. www.muldowneyrunning.com

Running is an individual endeavor, but your running partners can motivate, you, pull you along to faster race times, encourage you, and even counsel you. Good running partners can be as essential as a good pair of running shoes.

Keep your friends close, but keep your running friends even closer.

Through them, your running can become timeless.

ACCLIMATIZE

In mid-May, a good friend, Samantha Snukis, and one of the runners I personally coach, Father Chris Zelonis, ran the Run for the Red Marathon in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania. After a cold winter and a cool spring, the athletes, who had prepared diligently for the race, awoke to morning temperatures approaching 80 degrees. By the time they finished, the mercury hovered near 90 degrees, with high humidity. While both runners ran their personal bests, their times were negatively impacted, and Chris Zelonis suffered severe dehydration.

The reason for their diminished performances was simple. There was just no way they could acclimatize themselves to the temperature increase that quickly. Now, place the race in September, and their results would have been different.

Even during the coldest winter months, the body heats up rapidly when we run. During the summer months, we need to take precautions in order to avoid heat-related issues. But, sooner or later, we are going to be forced to run races under hot conditions, so, we need to acclimatize.

Last week, I left Pennsylvania for a week in Myrtle Beach. Each day my Weather Channel app warned me of "dangerous heat." My daily runs were conducted between 7:00 and 7:30 a.m., yet, most of the days, the heat index stood above 90 degrees. Like a moth to a light bulb, I darted toward shade whenever possible, and used the Atlantic Ocean for my cool down. I ran every morning, and my workout times improved each day. On Saturday morning, before we left for the airport, I ran my fastest workout of the week.

It was dismal  here in Pennsylvania yesterday. It was cool, temperature around 68 degrees, cloudy, and breezy. My dogs didn't want to go outside. Finally, around 3:00 p.m. I decided to go for my longer run of the week. My legs felt light. My breathing felt as though a plastic bag had been removed from my head. I ran my fastest 9-miler of the year.

Running through the Myrtle Beach blast furnace had helped,

The moral of the story?

If you're gonna race in the heat, you gotta train in the heat.

Be careful, but select a hot day here or there and train in the heat. Plant water along the way if you have to, but get your body accustomed to the brutal conditions. Granted, your training time may be slower, but come race day, you'll be better prepared when others aren't.

Get home to a garden hose, a cold shower or bath, a swimming pool, or an ocean and cool down immediately.

Embrace the heat in order to race in the heat.

www.muldowneyrunning.com

                                             Samantha Snukis

COOL DOWN...LIKE A TRIPLE CROWN

It;s that time of year.

Heat is smothering runners in many parts of the United States, and we are still a few days away from the official start of summer.

This morning, avid runner, Ken Shapiro, from Oviedo, Florida, posted that is was a steamy 79 degrees when he began his 10-mile training run at 5:00 a.m. A cool 97 degree day today will be followed by three consecutive days when the temperatures are expected to reach 99 degrees in the Sunshine State.

At Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, where I'll be headed on Saturday, temperatures will hover in the mid to high 90s for the next week or so.

Don't beat yourself up. Practice all the necessary means of staying relatively cool and safe during periods of tropical temperatures. Try to run in the morning or evening. Seek shade whenever possible, and stay hydrated. Resign yourself to the fact that your workout and race times will suffer as temperatures rise, and use these days as "maintenance" days. Maintain your fitness and try not to slide back.

Back in the last century, in 1980 to be exact, I was afforded the opportunity to run and spend some time with a superior runner, and a great, personable individual.

New Zealand's Rod Dixon captured the bronze medal in the 1500 meters at the 1972 Olympics, and went on to win the 1983 New York City Marathon.

 In 1980, world-class runners were not yet "professionals," so Rod Dixon received sponsorship from an athletic store chain to train near Reading, Pennsylvania, a city 35 miles south of my home.

Among the many things I learned from this Olympian was an easy method of coping with hot weather training.

Simply, one can employ a technique that Triple Crown winner, American Pharoah, has used.

Finish your training run and go directly to your garden hose.

Rod Dixon told me, "If it works for horses, it can work for you."

Spray that garden hose on your tired, sore legs, from your hips to your feet, for as long as you feel is necessary.

The cool spray will drop your overall body temperature, but what's more important, it will reduce inflammation in your legs, and freshen you up for your next workout.

It's the same concept as an ice bath, but a lot less painful.

So, stay safe and hydrated during this summer heat, and even though we may not rank as a Triple Crown champion, at least we can cool down like one.

www.muldowneyrunning.com