January 3, 2009 Newsletter

THIS SATURDAY AT-A-GLANCE

Mileage: 14

January Volunteers:
Set-up – Naomi Kress
Breakdown – Rafael Gonzales
Supplies – Tom McKiernan, Naomi Kress
Aid station/s – Tom Santangelo

TRAINING CORNER
By George Arita, Training Committee Chair
Georgerunvta@aol.com

Happy New Year Everyone!

Another new year is upon us presenting some of the same and many new challenges for us to experience. Let us all make the most of our life experiences. Two thousand and nine should be a good year for most if not all of us. However, a new year or not, the 5K, 10K, Half Marathon, and Marathon distances still remain the same, so our training continues.

Saturday's LSD Run

The 14-mile run for this Saturday is the last of our “holding” mileage. For the remainder of our training schedule leading up to our target race in May, we will be steadily increasing our LSD miles (with the customary “fall-back” every other Saturday). With these sane and slow mileage increases in our LSD runs, I anticipate only very few or no injuries for the rest of the program. But it is essential that you not miss the Saturday runs or the mid-week speed and hill workouts.

Although some chance of precipitation was mentioned for Sunday, Saturday’s conditions should be nice and not as cold as the previous several Saturdays. Enjoy your run.

Los Angeles Marathon Course Change

A recent email from the LAM organization announced that the 2009 LAM course has been changed to the 2006 route. That means the upcoming marathon will return to the loop course starting on Figueroa and ending on Flower in downtown LA, within short walking distances from the major hotels.

Essay

As I mentioned in the previous newsletter, I am taking a mental break from essay writing, so there is another blank column below.

However, I would like to clarify one point that I made in my “Mental Toughness” essay of several weeks ago, in which I stated that you should always complete your run, unless pain from old or new injuries, illness, etc., makes it impossible to continue. To this list of acceptable excuses, I would like to add “unrealistic increases in mileage for your fitness level.” For example, if your longest run this season is 5 miles and you are planning to run 10 or 15 miles today because the group is running that distance, that is risking injury and should not be done. Planning such an increase in mileage is “mental dumbness,” and cutting the mileage short is not “mental weakness” but “mental smartness.” Remember, George says: “Run smart today, so you can run smart again tomorrow.” Have a good, smart run.

CLUB NEWS

* Run Ventura Now On Facebook

Just a note to those socially networked folks in the group, or those who want to be more socially networked – Run Ventura is now on Facebook Groups! With discussion boards, picture sharing, and more, we welcome all to join and share. See the link to join on the “About Us” page or look us up on Facebook Groups. And yes, I do believe you must have a Facebook account to join.

*Birthday greetings
Jan. 7 – Pat Romero
Jan. 12 – Rick Kanatzar

*Anniversary greetings
Jan. 21 – Naomi and Sterling Kress (20th)

*Please e-mail Mira Reverente at mirarev@hotmail.com if you want your birthday, anniversary or other milestones to be included in the weekly newsletter. We only have a partial list of birthdays.

December 27, 2008 Newsletter

THIS SATURDAY AT-A-GLANCE

Mileage: 12
*download revised training schedule for 2009 LA Marathon at www.RunVentura.com

December Volunteers:
Set-up – Denise Ellison (Dec. 6), Mira Reverente (Dec. 13, 20 & 27)
Breakdown – June Muller (Dec. 6, 13 & 27), Naomi Kress
Supplies – Tom McKiernan, Mike Miskel
Aid station/s – Tom Santangelo

TRAINING CORNER
By George Arita, Training Committee Chair
Georgerunvta@aol.com

LSD Run

Saturday’s post-partying run is a comfortable 12 miles. To break from the monotony of “being on hold,” except for those who are still recovering from a recent race, let’s do a little change of pace. Run the six miles out at the usual easy pace, but after the turnaround, run the 6 miles back at a slightly faster pace. Make your return pace 15 to 30 seconds faster than your “out” pace. We will be doing faster paced runs during the last several weeks before our target marathon race, but we can throw in this variation at this time for a change of pace during this “quiet” holiday period.

Weather

According to the weather forecasts, the winter storms are expected to continue during the week but to ease off by the weekend. Watch for the latest forecasts on Friday and dress appropriately on Saturday. As usual, watch for and avoid water and mud accumulations on the course.

We are now officially enjoying winter (Winter Solstice was Sunday, Dec. 21), so the days will slowly get longer, although not necessarily warmer and drier. As always, we have much to look forward to in all aspects of our lives.

Essay

Because of the holidays, I have decided to take a two-week hiatus from my essay writing chores (can’t I still enjoy the benefits of a two-week academic term break?). So I will not post an essay in this and the next Newsletter. Please forgive my “mental weakness.”

I WISH EVERYONE GOOD AND INJURY-FREE RUNNING THIS WEEK AS WELL AS GOOD AND INJURY-FREE RUNNING AND RACING FOR ALL OF 2009.

WATER STATION SITUATION

For this Saturday, December 27, make sure you bring enough water and/or Gatorade for the 12-mile run. There will be no water station.

The same will be true in January if we are not able to recruit any water station volunteers. Please spread the word. Recruit your spouse, significant other, teenage kids, siblings, etc.

Contact: Naomi Kress at nukress@yahoo.com if you have any questions or would like to volunteer

CLUB NEWS

* Run Ventura Now On Facebook

Just a note to those socially networked folks in the group, or those who want to be more socially networked – Run Ventura is now on Facebook Groups! With discussion boards, picture sharing, and more, we welcome all to join and share. See the link to join on the “About Us” page or look us up on Facebook Groups. And yes, you must have a Facebook account to join.

*Birthday greetings
Dec. 9 – Eduardo Arce
Dec. 10 – Cherril Glazer

*Anniversary greetings
Dec. 18 – Rebecca and Jeff Lowell (14th)
Dec. 26 – George and Harriett Arita (44th)
Dec. 30 – Mira and Jimbo Reverente (12th)

HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL!!!

December 20, 2008 Newsletter

THIS SATURDAY AT-A-GLANCE

Mileage: 14
*download revised training schedule for 2009 LA Marathon at www.RunVentura.com

December Volunteers:
Set-up – Denise Ellison (Dec. 6), Mira Reverente (Dec. 13, 20 & 27)
Breakdown – June Muller (Dec. 6, 13 & 27), Naomi Kress
Supplies – Tom McKiernan, Mike Miskel
Aid station/s – Tom Santangelo

TRAINING CORNER
By George Arita, Training Committee Chair
Georgerunvta@aol.com
LSD Run

We’re still in our holding pattern for another month (please be patient) – good news for me: I’m starting my running comeback so I might be able to join all of you at LAM in May. Saturday’s LSD is for 14 miles, 7 out and 7 back. We will have one water station near the turnaround to refill your water bottles.

Weather

The forecast is for cold weather on the weekend but hopefully no rain. Watch the latest weather reports and dress accordingly. The heavy rains earlier in the week might have caused mud to pile up at the usual places along the course. Avoid running through the mud as best you can.

Also the winter storms might initiate high surf. Coupled with high tides, large waves might come over the seawall and cause sea water to accumulate on PCH. Salt water is not good for running shoes (any kind of shoes for that matter), so do your best to run around the puddles. But be careful of the south bound traffic on PCH if you run in the traffic lane to avoid the puddles.

Another New Race

The Dole Great Race of Agoura added the Pacific Half Marathon to their 5K and 10K list for March 28, 2009. Information: www.greatraceofagourahills.com .

Essay: Eco-Mindedness

Back in the 1960s, when I was in grad school at UCSB, the keyword was “Ecology.” From the 1970s through the early 2000s, during my tenure at Ventura College, the term became “Environmental Awareness.” Today, the word is “Green.”

Although the terminology has changed, the concept is still the same: We must be aware of and do our best to lessen our impact on the world’s environment. Every living thing, be it microbe, plant or animal, consumes resources from, and releases wastes to, the environment. However because of the Balance of Nature, all resources come from other organisms and all wastes are consumed by other organisms. Should any group of living things consume more resources than is available in the environment, their numbers eventually become reduced as a result of the resource limitation.

We humans, early in our history, were also subjected to these rules of Nature. However, because of our manipulative hands and our well-developed brain, we were able to develop a technology that enabled us to free ourselves from these rules. The Balance of Nature no longer applied to humans. As a result, we were able to quickly increase our numbers (there are almost 7 billion of us today!), consume all the resources we needed or wanted, and produce as much waste with no regards to consequences. Well folks, those days are over.

At VC, I wanted my students to be aware of these environmental issues. On the issue of trash, I pointed out to my classes that the solid wastes (trash) that we generated mostly ended up at a landfill. A landfill eventually reaches its capacity (usually in about 20 years). It is then covered with soil and a new landfill must be located. There is only so much land area available for landfills.

A temporary solution to this problem, I felt, was to reduce the amount of trash that we produced. To this end, I had my classes evaluate their weekly household trash production in terms of amount (weight) and kinds of materials (paper, glass, metals, plastics, etc.). Then I asked them to suggest means by which they could reduce the amount of each item going to the local landfill. After analyzing their reports, I presented the numbers back to the classes and gave them my recommendations for reducing their household trash production.

The State government, in 1990, finally saw the light and passed a bill that required all counties, cities and municipalities to develop programs to reduce the trash headed for the landfills by 50% by the year 2000. This is the reason why most of us today have curbside pickup of recyclables, green wastes and trash. But still, to my disappointment, many households fail to earnestly participate in this waste-reduction program. How about your household?

Now what has the above presentation got to do with running and racing? We runners and walkers consume a lot of resources and generate a lot of wastes in performing our activities. Everything from our running apparel (including shoes) to our performance nutrients to our driving to and from running venues puts a heavy toll on our resources and landfills. We at Run Ventura are trying to mitigate our impact by asking our members to make some sacrifices, such as carrying our own bottles or cups for water and sports drink, depositing our post-run wastes into the appropriate boxes (compost, recycle or trash) for proper disposal, and reading our newsletters electronically.

We all must do our part today for the sake of our children, their children and their children, and so on.

NEEDED: JANUARY VOLUNTEERS

We are looking for a few people to help us out in January. Yes, that’s next month!

We are in need of a:

*Purchaser – preferably someone with a Costco membership card; to purchase bananas
*Bagel Pick-up person – can pick up bagels from Noah’s Bagels in Camarillo or Ventura
*Plus the usual set-up, breakdown and water station people….

Contact: Naomi Kress at nukress@yahoo.com if you have any questions or would like to volunteer

CLUB NEWS

*There is a Run Ventura group on Facebook that everyone is welcome to join. You can post pictures, add events, share race stories or just stay in touch with the group. Join now!

*Birthday greetings
Dec. 9 – Eduardo

*Anniversary greetings
Dec. 26 – George and Harriett (44th!!!)
Dec. 30 – Mira and Jimbo (12th)

HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL!!!

December 13, 2008 Newsletter

THIS SATURDAY AT-A-GLANCE

Mileage: 10
*download revised training schedule for 2009 LA Marathon at www.RunVentura.com

December Volunteers:
Set-up – Denise Ellison (Dec. 6), Mira Reverente (Dec. 13, 20 & 27)
Breakdown – June Muller (Dec. 6, 13 & 27), Naomi Kress
Supplies – Tom McKiernan, Mike Miskel
Aid station/s – Tom Santangelo

TRAINING CORNER
By George Arita, Training Committee Chair
Georgerunvta@aol.com

LSD Run

The holding pattern continues for LAM. Saturday’s run is a piece of cake – 10 comfortable miles! Take advantage of this breather; do some shopping in the afternoon, or get some yard work that you’ve been neglecting over the past several weeks done.

Congratulations!

Congratulations to those who represented RV and ITRC at last Sunday’s Las Vegas Marathon, California International Marathon or Lasse Viren Run. I don’t know the names of everyone who ran (there were quite a few), so I won’t name any for fear that I will leave some out. But I know you all did well. If you ran a marathon last week, be sure to go very short and easy on Saturday, or just rest.

No Essay

I will not be present on Saturday. Tom will fill in for me at the gathering place. I have not had sufficient time to write an essay for this newsletter. Sorry. I will come up with one for next week.

Have a good run on Saturday. I will see you all next week.

RUNNER OF THE WEEK

Name: Carole Comstock
Why you know him/her: Club Membership Chair
Marathons completed: Only two so far. 5 Halfs I think. A few 5 and 10k's thrown in for good measure.
Favorite marathon and why: Only LA, see above. So many more on my list.
Proudest accomplishment: Besides the obvious- my kids, it's definitely getting involved in the Running club and completing LA feeling good.
Little-known facts: If you run with me, you know I talk- A LOT! So there's not much that's little known...how about this: I can also touch my tongue to my nose.
Greatest weakness: Uh that would have to be cookies- LOVE them!
Pre-race rituals: Still learning these things. I carry a pewter heart in my pocket for my Mom, Grandma and Aunt. I have my bagel with peanut butter, one cup of coffee and always do sit-ups!
Post-race recovery strategies: I have gotten quite fond (I know that's crazy) of ice baths after long runs. I am going to try getting a massage and having someone stretch me. That really helps.
I would rather be a little faster/a little richer/a little smarter (choose one)… Gonna go with smarter...obviously faster would be great but I am working on that and having fun. Never been rich so I don't know what I am missing.
What do you like to do when you're not running? Read, hang with my kids and friends, watch movies, go dancing. I enjoy mountain biking, camping, talking about running, eating...
Funniest thing that has ever happened to you during a run or race? Nothing really yet. I do like to jump in front of the cameras and give my *V*sign.
What made you want to do a marathon? It's something I always wanted to do, push myself, prove to myself that i could do it.
Is there anybody in our group that you admire? If so, what/why? Gosh, I really admire all of you. I feel so privileged and so very lucky to have met every single one of you. When I first started running, Jill Jackson invited me to join Road Runners and told me how great everyone was and how friendly and inviting you all are. I seriously have met some people who I consider some of my BFF's through this running group. You all have such great, inspiring stories, solid advice and are so fun to be around. We've had some great times and laughs and I love listening, learning, running and of course eating with you! Thanks for the friendship! Here's too many more miles and memories!

NEEDED: JANUARY VOLUNTEERS

We are looking for a few people to help us out in January. Yes, that’s next month!

We are in need of a:

*Purchaser – preferably someone with a Costco membership card; to purchase bananas
*Bagel Pick-up person – can pick up bagels from Noah’s Bagels in Camarillo or Ventura
*Plus the usual set-up, breakdown and water station people….

Contact: Naomi Kress at nukress@yahoo.com if you have any questions or would like to volunteer

SOCIAL EVENT ALERT

This Friday, December 12th, is the 1st Annual RunVentura Holiday Celebration. It will be at Rick Kanatzar’s House, beginning at 7:30 pm. Rick’s contact info plus what dish to bring is in a separate blog/e-mail.

CLUB NEWS

*Some of our club members who did the Nine Trails 50K recently were mentioned in this article:

http://ovnsports.blogspot.com/

*There is a RunVentura group on Facebook that everyone is welcome to join. You can post pictures, add events, share race stories or just stay in touch with the group. Join now!

*Birthday greetings
Dec. 9 – Eduardo

*Anniversary greetings
Dec. 26 – George and Harriett (44th!!!)
Dec. 30 – Mira and Jimbo (12th)

Social Event Reminder: Holiday Party

LET’S PARTY!!!

Time to toast the holidays and celebrate another year of running, racing and reliving good memories…

WHEN: Friday, December 12, 7:30 pm

WHERE: Rick Kanatzar’s House
2070 Marino Way
Ventura, CA 93003

WHAT TO BRING:

If your last name starts with:

A-E appetizers or salads
F-J carbs (pasta, rice, potatoes)
K-P meat/main course
Q-U desserts
V-Z drinks (wine, soda, juice)


*RSVP please to Rick Kanatzar

Email: rkanatzar@aol.com
Cell: (805) 746-6895
Home: (805) 647-8745

See you then!

P.S. Running shoes not required.

December 6, 2008 Newsletter

THIS SATURDAY AT-A-GLANCE

Mileage: 15
*download revised training schedule for 2009 LA Marathon at www.RunVentura.com

December Volunteers:
Set-up – Denise Ellison (Dec. 6), Mira Reverente (Dec. 13, 20 & 27)
Breakdown – June Muller (Dec. 6, 13 & 27), Naomi Kress
Supplies – Tom McKiernan, Mike Miskel
Aid station/s – Tom Santangelo

TRAINING CORNER
By George Arita, Training Committee Chair
Georgerunvta@aol.com

Training Run

Winter will be visiting us in a couple of weeks with the shortest day of the year on Dec 21. Then we can look forward to a gradual lengthening of the daylight hours. In the meantime, we must deal with the cool temperatures and possible rainfall (What! It never rains in Southern California!). There was some mud just past the rec-vehicle park which probably will be dried up unless more precipitation occurs before Saturday as was the forecast.

Our long run this week is for 15 miles, 7.5 miles out and 7.5 mile back. As always, take the run slow and comfortably and continue to religiously do your hill workout (this week) and speed workout next week. You will be rewarded on race day following this routine (see the copied article below).

Those who are new members or are returning following recovery from injury, be sure to follow the mileage posted for the early months of our training calendar. Don’t start by running too long! Talk to me before heading out if you’re not sure how far you should run.

Antibiotic Caution

I read in the “THIS JUST IN” column in the November issue of Runner’s World of a warning by FDA that fluoroquinolone antibiotics increase the risk of tendinitis and Achilles tendon rupture. Following my recent surgery, I was prescribed Cipro (Ciprofloxacin HCl), which is in this group of antibiotics and which I had taken for several weeks. I looked up looked up Cipro online and sure enough, the latest cautions mention tendinitis and Achilles tendon rupture. I immediately called my doc and changed to a different antibiotic.

I always check with my Johns Hopkins Consumer Guide to Drugs but my 2002 issue is dated and did not mention these particular side effects. I recommend that you google your prescribed meds to be aware of the side effects. In the past, I had prescription drugs that affected my running performance. I quickly had my doc switch me to something else that was without such unacceptable side effects.

In Place of My Usual Essay

There are those who are dubious of my training strategies of running the Saturday LSD run comfortably to prevent injury and burnout while doing the mid-week speed or hill workouts to develop speed and strength. Some runners still insist on running fast on Saturdays. During the last month prior to our target race, we will do tempo runs and marathon pace long runs that combine our endurance, speed and strength and will demonstrate our abilities to run at marathon race pace. Save yourself for the marathon.

I borrowed the following passages from Coach Brad Hudson’s 2008 book Run Faster From the 5K to the Marathon to show you that I’m not the only runner advocating this training strategy. Pay special attention to the third paragraph.
Progression from General Training to Specific Training

One of the most important principles of sports performance is the principle of specificity. It refers to the fact that the body adapts very specifically to the demands placed upon it in training. Due to the principle of specificity, there is no such thing as truly all-around running fitness. The running fitness of every runner is always limited, reflecting the specific nature of the training he or she has done.

The most important ramification of the principle of specificity for competitive runners is that race-specific fitness requires race-pace training. Doing highly race-specific workouts in your peak weeks of training will ensure that your body is specifically adapted to your particular race time goal.

The principle of specificity only goes so far, however. If you took this principle to the extreme, you would perform challenging race-specific workouts throughout the training cycle. The problem with this approach is that the body can progressively adapt to this type of training for only a few weeks before it reaches a temporary adaptive limit, or peak. Therefore it’s crucial to have a very high level of non-race-specific running fitness before you start to do race-specific workouts. By taking the time to build your fitness to a high level with an emphasis on the types of training that serve as a foundation for race fitness, you can perform your race-specific workouts at a higher level and therefore race at a higher level. But if you start trying to do race-specific workouts in the first week of a training cycle, when your base fitness level is relatively low, you will not be able to perform these workouts at a high level, and when you reach your adaptive limit four to six weeks later, you will not have made much progress from your starting point.

RUNNER OF THE WEEK

Name: CAROLINE CONNOLLY
Why you know him/her: 12:00 group pace leader; club secretary
Marathons completed: 6
Favorite marathon and why: Disney marathon in Orlando is one of my top marathons. I went to Orlando with several friends and after running the half marathon together the day before, four of us stayed together for the full marathon and finished together. We talked the entire way and just enjoyed the day.
Proudest accomplishment: Watching my son grow up and every time he responds in kindness and confidence.
Little-known facts: When running (especially a marathon) were first recommended to me, I thought it was a crazy suggestion. When my friends would run a few miles, I would ride a bike alongside knowing that running was just plain silly and I was NOT going to do THAT!
Greatest weakness: Oh gosh, rather focus on my strengths and not waste my time on weaknesses – anyway should the term “weakness” be changed to “opportunity”?
Pre-race rituals: Spaghetti for lunch the day before and for breakfast on the day of the race.
Post-race recovery strategies: Beer, duh!
I would rather be a little faster/a little richer/a little smarter (choose one)…always smarter – I just love to learn!
What do you like to do when you're not running? I’m currently in a Lego phase.
Funniest thing that has ever happened to you during a run or race? I’m willing to bet that all of us have stories that relate to nature – well, I’m not telling.
What made you want to do a marathon? I just wanted to see if I could do it – and now that I know I can, I want to see if I can enjoy a marathon all the way through.
Is there anybody in our group that you admire? If so, what/why? I admire everyone in our group – they set a goal and even for those who don’t make the goal of running a marathon, they come out most weeks and run. For many of us, showing up to run is a huge accomplishment. I respect everyone for their efforts and how they push their personal limits.

FINANCE CORNER

Did you volunteer recently and purchased supplies? If so, please don’t forget to turn in your receipts for reimbursement.

Contact: Yinyin Goh at yin2goh@gmail.com if you have any questions

SOCIAL EVENT ALERT

Next Friday, December 12th, is the 1st Annual RunVentura Holiday Celebration. It will be at Rick Kanatzar’s House, beginning at 7:30 pm. Rick’s contact info plus what dish to bring is in a separate blog/e-mail. Flyers with all the party info will also be available this Saturday.

CLUB NEWS

Birthday greetings
Dec. 9 – Eduardo

Anniversary greetings
Dec. 26 – George and Harriett (44th)
Dec. 30 – Mira and Jimbo (12th)

Good luck to our runners who are racing this weekend (Las Vegas, Sacramento and Lasse Viren)!

RunVentura Holiday Celebration

LET’S PARTY!!!

Time to toast the holidays and celebrate another year of running, racing and reliving good memories…

WHEN: Friday, December 12, 7:30 pm

WHERE: Rick Kanatzar’s House
2070 Marino Way
Ventura, CA 93003

WHAT TO BRING:

If your last name starts with:

A-E appetizers or salads
F-J carbs (pasta, rice, potatoes)
K-P meat/main course
Q-U desserts
V-Z drinks (wine, soda, juice)


*RSVP by Wednesday, Dec. 10th please to Rick Kanatzar

Email: rkanatzar@aol.com
Cell: (805) 746-6895
Home: (805) 647-8745

See you then!


P.S. Running shoes not required.

NOVEMBER 29, 2008 NEWSLETTER

THIS SATURDAY AT-A-GLANCE

Mileage: 12
*download revised training schedule for 2009 LA Marathon at www.RunVentura.com

November Volunteers:
Set-up – Naomi Kress and Philippe Naveau
Breakdown – Caroline Connolly
Supplies – Veronica Santangelo
Aid station/s – Luz Lyon

TRAINING CORNER
By George Arita, Training Committee Chair
Georgerunvta@aol.com

Personal News

Hope everyone had a very nice and thankful Thanksgiving Day. If I may share a personal note with everyone, my wife Harriet and I had a very, very thankful day. Harriet’s older sister Carol underwent surgery on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving Day to remove a suspected cancerous lump on her right lung. The surgeon removed the middle lobe of her right lung but the lump was found to not be malignant. This was one of the best news we’ve had in a long while. Thank you all.

1st Annual Ventura Thanksgiving Day 5K Run/Walk & YMCA Kids 1K

Hope many of you participated in this event that was supported by Inside Track. I won’t have results while I’m writing this message, so let me know how you all did during the pre-run talk on Saturday.

Back to Training

We are still in the “holding pattern.” On Saturday, we will have it easy with “only” a 12-mile LSD run. Once again, you will not lose in fitness level as long as you continue with the mid-week speed and hill workouts as prescribed in the Training Schedule. In fact, you might find yourself getting stronger and faster. Please resist the urge to run faster on Saturdays – save your long distance racing for the marathon.

With the rains we have received this week, there might be some flooding and mud deposits on the bike path. Take caution.

Other Marathons in May

In addition to our target Los Angeles Marathon on May 25, 2009, the Orange County Marathon & Half Marathon will be on May 3, 2009 and the Rock & Roll San Diego Marathon will be on May 31, 2009.

This Week’s Essay: MENTAL TOUGHNESS

You have faithfully followed your training program for the past several months. You have no running-related injuries and you are in excellent condition. Today you’re doing your long run and you have five more miles to go. But you are not having an especially good day - your legs are tired, you’re getting hungry, it’s too humid, it’s overcast, it might rain before you’re done, you can take a half-mile short-cut to your home. You can think of a dozen other reasons to quit. You want to quit. Well, DON’T QUIT!

Whether you’re doing a long run, hills or speed work, unless you’re suffering from an injury, NEVER QUIT or otherwise cut your run short just because you feel tired or whatever excuse your mind can come up with. ALWAYS COMPLETE YOUR SCHEDULED RUN!

Quitting before completing a scheduled run or cutting a run short for any reason other than an injury can become implanted in your mind as an “easy way out.” Most people’s minds are always looking for an easy way out. And once implanted, this behavior can become habituated.

Remember in any race (mile, 5K, marathon, etc.), the distance is always fixed. No matter how tired you are, the race distance will never be shortened, and you must either quit or complete the race distance. Especially in long-distance races such as the marathon, as your legs tire, continuing on and completing the race could be one of the toughest physical tasks you’ll ever experience. You will not only need to be physically prepared but you must also have MENTAL TOUGHNESS to carry you to the finish line.

Develop mental toughness during your training runs. Even though your legs may be “dead-tired,” use your mind to keep you legs moving. Don’t give in to that “brain devil” that is telling you to quit. [EXCEPTIONS: You are allowed to quit running and seek treatment if you have a running-related injury that is acting up, or if you are experiencing acute pain that does not subside thus indicating a new injury, or if you were just run over by a Mack truck.]

Here are my recommendations to help keep you moving forward despite your spent legs. First and foremost, be adequately trained and nutritionally prepared for the distance you plan to run. Don’t try to run 20 miles if the most you had run so far is 10 miles. Second, always maintain your form; no matter how tired you may be, always maintain good running form! Third, slow down your pace a bit, or take short walking breaks if you must, but always keep moving forward. Fourth, rhythmically recite some distracting words such as “tick-tock,” “one-two,” “a-b,” “run-run,” “keep-form,” etc. Don’t recite the words out loud (you will distract other runners). Instead, recite these words in your mind or silently with each exhalation (most runners exhale with every other left foot or right foot plant). Fifth, visualize yourself running the last mile of a race that you had successfully run before and recall how good it felt as you approached the finish line.

Try some of these techniques or develop some of your own to keep yourself from quitting during your next tiring run. MENTAL TOUGHNESS is an important factor that will help you cross the finish line on Marathon Day.

FINANCE CORNER

Did you volunteer recently and purchased supplies? If so, please don’t forget to turn in your receipts for reimbursement.

Contact: Yinyin Goh at yin2goh@gmail.com if you have any questions

SOCIAL EVENT ALERT

There is still time to RSVP for this weekend’s “laugh affair” at the Ventura Harbor Comedy Club. The show starts at 7 pm, but join the rest of the gang at 5:30 pm for dinner and/or drinks at Brophy Brothers, which is right next door.

For the SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 29 dinner/drinks and show, please RSVP to:

CAROLE COFFMAN
(805) 338-6177 cell
ccgirl6@live.com

For the SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 30 dinner/drinks and show, please RSVP to:

MIKE MISKEL
(805) 407-4816 cell
mmiskel@att.blackberry.net

*Please RSVP by THURSDAY, November 27th so we can get an accurate headcount. No RSVP, no free admission!!!

Come see what it’s all about. Join us for a much-needed laugh break!

NEEDED: DECEMBER VOLUNTEERS

This December, we could use some help in setting up and breaking down home base, purchasing supplies and manning aid stations. Would you like to help out?

Contact: Naomi Kress at nukress@yahoo.com if you are interested in volunteering

CLUB NEWS

Good luck to our members who are doing the Nine Trails 50K in Sta. Barbara and the Xterra Topanga Turkey Trot 15K this weekend! Make the club proud!

Find upcoming races here:

http://www.runventura.com/raceresults.html

Contact: Mira Reverente at mirarev@hotmail.com if you have some good news to spread

Social Event Alert!!!

TIME FOR A LAUGH BREAK

Take a break from running and join us this weekend at the Ventura Harbor Comedy Club! All RunVentura members get free admission (with two-drink consumption), this weekend only.

The show starts at 7 pm, but join the rest of the gang at 5:30 pm for dinner and/or drinks at Brophy Brothers, which is right next door.

For the SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 29 dinner/drinks and show, please RSVP to:

CAROLE COFFMAN
(805) 338-6177 cell
ccgirl6@live.com

For the SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 30 dinner/drinks and show, please RSVP to:

MIKE MISKEL
(805) 407-4816 cell
mmiskel@att.blackberry.net

*Please RSVP by THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 27th so we can get an accurate headcount. No RSVP, no free admission!!!

Come see what it’s all about. Join us for a much-needed laugh break!



Ventura Harbor Comedy Club
1559 Spinnaker Drive, Suite 205
Ventura, CA 93001
(805) 644-1500
http://www.venturaharborcomedyclub.com

Brophy Brothers Restaurant
1559 Spinnaker Dr
Ventura, CA 93001
(805) 639-0865
http://www.brophybros.com

November 22, 2008 Newsletter

THIS SATURDAY AT-A-GLANCE

Mileage: 14
*download revised training schedule for 2009 LA Marathon at www.RunVentura.com

November Volunteers:
Set-up – Naomi Kress and Philippe Naveau
Breakdown – Caroline Connolly
Supplies – Veronica Santangelo
Aid station/s – Luz Lyon

TRAINING CORNER

NEW TRAINING CALENDAR - The second change in the LAM XXIV date necessitated another revision of our training calendar. Please download the latest calendar and incorporate the changes into your training schedule if you plan on participating in our target marathon.

Surely it is frustrating for all of us having to make all these changes, but let’s look at this latest change positively. It will give us more time to adequately train for the 26.2 mile distance. It will also give those who are injured or aching time to recover and get back to their training. And lastly, it will give newly arriving members a chance to catch up with the rest of us.

The revised training schedule is not meant to have you continue extending your LSD mileage, otherwise you will peak your fitness much too early before the marathon date (you want to peak at the time of the target race date). So we will be on holding pattern for a couple of months, keeping our LSD at around 15 miles (it is not unusual for runners to hold at 15 miles throughout the year – I had done this for many years).

However, it is important that you keep up with your midweek speed and hill workouts. You need to do these workouts to continue developing your speed and strength. These are hard workouts at shorter distances. We do not run hard and fast on our LSD runs, except during the last month of training.

Pace Group Feedback I’ve asked your Pace Leaders to give me feedback about their group’s pace and responses to the pace. Now I would like to have feedback from as many of our members as possible, preferable from everyone. Please email me your answers to the following questions: (1) Which Pace Group are you in? (2) What pace (or finishing time) are you hoping to achieve in the marathon? Now that you have several weeks of running under your soles, you may have a more accurate idea of this pace or finishing time. (3) How are you finding the pace of your present Pace Group to be, that is, is it too fast, too slow or just right? Remember the LSD pace should be comfortable for you.

THIS WEEK'S ESSAY

EAT WELL
by George Arita, Training Committee Chair

Passionate runners and walkers, such as members of RV and ITRC, realize the value of regular exercise as a vital component in maintaining a healthful lifestyle. However maintaining good health requires not only an active lifestyle but also an awareness of and a vigilant care in what we take into our bodies. The substances that we take into our bodies may become incorporated into our tissues and organs and can have beneficial or deleterious effects on our wellbeing.

As highly active individuals, we take in a lot more air than the average or the sedentary person. We know that today’s air contains not only the necessary oxygen but also many pollutants that can cause short-term and life-long damage to our cardio-respiratory systems. So we try to take in clean air by exercising during early morning hours, and we try to avoid the bad air by not running or walking outdoors during high smog periods.

As highly active individuals, we drink a lot more fluids than the average or the sedentary person (not counting alcoholic and carbonated beverages). We try to avoid drinking water coming from polluted sources.

As highly active individuals, we require a lot more calories (food) than the average or the sedentary person (although many people in the latter categories often out-eat us). And we try to consume food that is healthy for us. But do we? Most of our foods, fresh or processed, that are produced by conventional means may be nutritious but may not necessarily be healthy for us in the long term. Food grown using conventional farming and ranching methods, for example, are usually tainted with residues of chemical fertilizers and pesticides that may be declared safe by FDA and USDA, but the safety declaration is usually based on the minute quantities of residues found in individual foods eaten in individual meals. What about the long term and cumulative effects of all the foods eaten in all the meals over the entire lifetime of a person? These effects are not known! It is a fact that we are experiencing higher incidences of illnesses such as cancer, heart and vascular diseases, stroke, diabetes, autism, ADD, and so forth. The higher incidence of illnesses is not due to changes in our genetic make-up (genes don’t dramatically change in just a few generations). The more likely culprits are the changes in our environmental conditions and our constant exposure to new and human-created chemicals, many of which we breathe and ingest via food and drink.

Because we are super active people (we are or soon will be marathoners!) who need to maintain a relatively high intake of food, I recommend consuming pesticide-free (i.e., California Certified Organic) foods as much as possible. These foods are grown or produced without the use of artificial fertilizers, chemical pesticides or chemical additives. Nutritionally the organic foods are not necessarily better than conventionally grown foods, and the cost may be a bit higher, but for long-term health benefits (for you and your family), organic foods are the best way to go. Also producing foods (and other consumer products such as cotton) without artificial fertilizers and pesticides benefits our environment. Fertilizers and pesticides adversely affect wild terrestrial plants and animals. Fertilizers and pesticides also leech into ground waters and run off into surface waters where they affect aquatic life. Minimizing or eliminating the use of fertilizers and pesticides in the growing of foods and other products would minimize or eliminate this source of environmental contamination.

We take care of ourselves by exercising and running marathons. We must also take care of ourselves (and our families) by breathing clean air, drinking clean water, and eating “chemical-free” foods.


NEEDED: DECEMBER VOLUNTEERS

This December, we could use some help in setting up and breaking down home base, purchasing supplies and manning aid stations. Would you like to help out?

Contact: Naomi Kress at nukress@yahoo.com if you are interested in volunteering

CLUB NEWS

Do you know anyone in the club who just got married or engaged? Just had a baby or a job promotion? Just qualified for Boston? Let us know!

Contact: Mira Reverente at mirarev@hotmail.com to help spread the good news

ERRATUM

Mike Miskel’s e-mail address should have read: mmiskel@att.blackberry.net

COMING SOON: SPOTLIGHT ON… (a feature on runners)

RUNVENTURA COMMITTEES: UP AND RUNNING

Do you have a special talent or interest aside from running? Would you like to get more involved and meet more people like yourself?

If you answered a resounding “yes!” to both questions, then you are just what RunVentura needs right now. The people behind RunVentura have been “all ears” lately and think that a committee-driven club suits the current needs of our members.

After much thought and deliberation, seven (7) committees seem like a good starting point. We now have the following committees, chairs and a brief description of each committee’s responsibilities:

1) EVENTS – races; fundraising events
Co-chairs: Mike Miskel and Rick Kanatzar
E-mail: mmiskel@att.blackberry.com (Mike) or rkanatzar@aol.com (Rick)

2) FINANCE – dues collection; payables/receivables
Chair: YinYin Goh
E-mail: yin2goh@gmail.com

3) LOGISTICS – purchase of supplies; volunteer schedule
Chair: Naomi Kress
E-mail: nukress@yahoo.com

4) MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS – weekly newsletter; flyers; publicity
Chair: Mira Reverente
E-mail: mirarev@hotmail.com

5) MEMBERSHIP – roster/directory; member recruitment
Chair: Carole Coffman
E-mail: ccgirl6@live.com

6) SECRETARIAT – minutes of the meeting; meeting announcements
Chair: Caroline Connolly
E-mail: optocc@yahoo.com

7) TRAINING - training; race schedule; pace groups
Chair: George Arita
E-mail: georgerunvta@aol.com

Tom McKiernan, one of our esteemed, most experienced and senior runners was selected as RunVentura Chairman. Tom will work closely with Josh Spiker, Inside Track owner and club adviser to ensure the smooth flow of club operations.

Now all we need are at least two (2) dedicated, hard-working and selfless members per committee, namely YOU! Send an e-mail or talk to any of the committee chairs this coming Saturday to get more information or to signify your interest.

Newsletter for November 15, 2008

MESSAGE FROM GEORGE


RUN VENTURA REORGANIZATION

Josh and I, with the help of several RV Pace Leaders, are in the midst of modifying the organizational structure by which the club will be run. The results of our work, we hope, will be a better gathering and running environment for you, our members. The reorganization will not involve nominations and elections, as announced last Saturday.

LOS ANGELES MARATHON XXIV

Surely everyone is now aware that the date for the running of the 24th Los Angeles Marathon has been changed for the second time, from March 1, 2009 to February 16, 2009, and now to May 25, 2009 (Memorial Day). Those who intend to run LAM on this new date will have to follow another modified training schedule. However, I have sent to your Pace Leader a list of marathon races (thanks to Caroline Connelly) that will be held between January and March. If you decide to run one of these, the present training calendar will need just minor adjustments. Your Pace Leader will be asking input from each of you as to which race you would like to run. NOTE [mostly for veterans, but for hardy souls (soles) also]: For those of you who decide on a January, February or March marathon, barring injury in this race, you may be able to run LAM XXIV in May by recovering and performing easy training between races. I will guide you if you are interested.

PARKING

The owner of the antique furniture shop (next door and in back of Josh’s shop) has asked us to leave several parking spots vacant for their customers to use between 8 AM and noon. Let us be friendly and reasonable about this situation. Let us leave at least six (6) spots directly in back of the shop vacant for them. And do this every Saturday. Thank you. I will try to remember to make several “NO RV PARKING” signs and place them at the appropriate places.

CHAFFING

Now that we are running longer distances, chaffing will, if it hasn’t already, demand attention and prevention. Imagine the constant rubbing between two body parts or between a body part and an item of clothing over long distances and over long periods of time. The body part or parts will almost always be the loser – chaffing. You may not notice the abrasion soon after the run, but you certainly will during your next shower.

Chaffing commonly occurs around your waist if your shorts or belt of a waist-pack have rough spots, in your groin area if the liner of your shorts has rough seams, between your thighs or knees if these rub as you run, and in your armpits. You can apply some plain old petroleum jelly if you have hot spots in these areas. A commercial product called Body Glide is specially made for runners and walkers (at added cost). Vaseline (petroleum jelly) works fine for me.

For women, a rough edge of the bra strap can be problematic. A sports bra with no seams or with hidden seams (is that the correct term?) should be the choice of undergarment, never a regular bra. I can’t give you much advice on this subject so you will have to ask one of the veteran women runners.

For men, a common problem is chaffing of the nipples. I recently had a question from a newbie who said: “I have a question about a silly thing, but….” I told him: “Nipple chaffing is not a silly thing.” One usually doesn't notice any problem with short distances but as you start running over 10 or 15 miles, the hurt becomes quite noticeable, especially when you take a shower. For one thing, don't wear cotton shirts for running (I stated this caution before). A tech shirt (polyester) is best, not only is it they lightweight but it also wicks sweat off your body, dries fast, AND is less abrasive. But even with a tech shirt, I always apply a band-aid over each nipple when running full and half marathons. You can buy Nip-Guards but band-aid works just as well and is cheaper. Much too often have I seen male runners with bleeding nipples. I feel sorry for them during their next shower.


SATURDAY’S RUN

Our distance this Saturday is 16 miles! We go eight out and eight back. Wow! Try going slower out and slightly faster back (negative split). In a later essay, I will address the “Finishing Kick” technique. Water station will be at Mile 8 and manned by Hugh (?). Don’t hold me to this but the weatherperson said it might be warm and windy on Saturday. Plan to dress accordingly. Have a good run.

My essay on “Hills” follow.

HILLS

To complement your speed workout during the midweek to develop your running speed, you will also be doing hills to develop your running strength. Veteran runners can do speed work on Tuesday and hills on Thursday, but I don’t recommend this for new or returning runners, who should alternate speed and hills every other week.

You can run a course with multiple up-hills and down-hills, but I recommend doing hill repeats. Find an uphill road, 200 to 400 meters long with no cross traffic and with a steepness that causes you to increase your effort if you try to maintain your pace. Run up and then down without stopping. Start with four repeats the first and third week (remember you’re alternating with speed work), increase to six repeats the next two hill workouts, then eight the next two and finally ten.

Try to run the uphill leg as fast as you are able to make it to the top without dying. If you can't make it to the top, you are going too fast. If you are not huffing-n-puffing when you get to the top, you are going too slow. Turn around and go back down, letting gravity take you down but under your control. Then head back up again. If you cannot finish four repeats the first time, you are going too fast, or the hill is too long. Make adjustments.

Your body should always be perpendicular to the horizon, like you are being pulled to the sky by a string tied to the top of your head. Keep your head straight with your eyes looking at the road surface ahead, not down by your feet. Your stride will be shorter than normal but keep moving straight forward, almost like a shuffle. Your shoes should just clear the road surface (bring them too high wastes energy). Use your arms to pump you forward but always keep your forearms moving straight forward, not toward the center of your body or crossing to the other sides and don't swing your hands up to your chest. Always keep your fingers cupped loosely.

When running down, again keep your body perpendicular to the horizon with head straight forward and eyes looking ahead. Gravity will make you run faster but don't purposefully lengthen your stride. Stay under control by running as in a fast shuffle. Keep your feet low so the impact won't be so hard. When you reach the bottom, turn around without resting and go up again. If you can do this four times at first and up to 8 or 10 times as you progress, you will have the strength to tackle the hills in a marathon. Speed workouts will develop your speed to run a fast marathon. The long, slow, distance (LSD) runs (always at a pace slower than your hopeful marathon pace) will develop your endurance to cover the 26.2 mile distance. Put the three workouts (LSD, Speed, Hills) together on marathon day to carry you successfully to the finish line.

SPEED WORK/FARTLEKS/INTERVALS

My essay for this week: November 8, 2008

SPEED WORK

It is time in our marathon training to do SPEED WORK to increase leg turnover and develop running speed. This is accomplished by doing Fartleks or Intervals. Fartleks are less structured, intervals are more structured. You can choose to do one or the other, or alternate between the two but not do both during the same week.

Fartleks can be done on any road, bike path or trail. Start your run at an easy, slow pace for a mile or two to warm up your muscles. Then pick two landmarks such as utility poles, mailboxes or trees that are 200 to 400 meters apart, and pick up your pace as you run from one landmark to the other. Your “faster pace” is around your usual 5K or 10K race pace. When you reach the second landmark, run easy for about 200 meters to allow yourself to recover. Then find another pair of landmarks and repeat the process.

You can run your first Fartlek session with 4 accelerations, then every second or third week, add two more accelerations until you can do up to ten. Later in your training, as you get stronger and faster and the sessions seem easier to you, you can increase the distance between landmarks by 200 meters every 2nd or 3rd week until you’re doing up to 800 meters. Don’t forget to run 1 or 2 easy miles afterwards to cool down as usual.

If you prefer a more structured speed workout, you can do Interval Training, where you pre-select a certain distance, usually 200 meters, if you’re new to doing speed work, or 400 meters if otherwise. Intervals are best performed at a track (with measured distances) or on a quiet road with a flat and straight section of known distance (I do mine on a relatively flat and straight, quarter mile (about 400 meters) cul-de-sac in my neighborhood).

After completing the usual one to two mile warm-up, run the 200 or 400 meter lap at your 5K or 10K race pace, then run slowly or walk for 200 meters. Repeat the process. Try to do four repetitions the first time and add two more reps every 2nd or 3rd week, working up to ten reps. As you improve your strength and speed, the 200 or 400 meter workouts will become easier. Now you can increase the distance by 200 meters every 2nd or 3rd week, up to 1600 meters (you probably will be able to do no more than four repeats at the maximum distance). After completing the last interval, run easy for 1 to 2 miles to cool down.

For a variation, when I get up to the 1600-meter interval distance, I like to do “ladder” intervals two or three times during my marathon training. I run intervals of 400, 800, 1200 and 1600 meters, then work back down, 1600, 1200, 800 and 400 meters. The total of 5 miles of fast running provides a challenging workout!

To increase your running speed during the “pick-up-the-pace” segments of the Fartleks or intervals (in fact, do this anytime you intend to surge), emphasize increasing your leg turnover rate rather than increasing your stride length. As your leg turnover rate increases, your stride length will invariably increase slightly as well, but it will not be exaggerated. It’s more efficient and less injurious to run as in a fast shuffle than by taking longer, loping strides.

A word of caution! If you find that you are having difficulty completing or are unable to complete the speed portion of the workout, this indicates that you are attempting to run the segment too fast or the distance is too long for your level of training. Ease off on the pace or the distance for a couple of weeks. Progress will come. I had a runner tell me that he hated doing speed work in high school because he often felt like throwing up after each 200 meter interval. His coach obviously was pushing him too hard. Speed work-outs are “hard work” and exhausting but you should not feel like throwing up or “falling over and dying” during or after the work-out!

Finally, during any speed workout, or during any run for that matter, always maintain good running form: head up; chest out; jaw loose; shoulders squared but relaxed; arms swinging straight forward and back with elbows bent at 90° and forearms parallel to the ground; hands loosely cupped and relaxed; and body tilted only slightly forward. As you tire, you may start to lose your form, so you must concentrate and always maintain good running form throughout your run.
George

November 8 Run Ventura Weekly Newsletter

Welcome to Run Ventura!
Inspiring Miles of Smiles

November 1, 2008

Today’s Distance: 14 Miles

Turnaround time is:

One hour 45 minutes

Deborah’s View…… Behind the Scenes

Last Weeks Rain did not dampen our Spirits!
The few, the brave, the Rain runners of Run Ventura - ran the distance!

Thank you to all the Pace Leaders, the replacements and RV members for their dedication and your commitment to training for the LA marathon and beyond.

Thanks, Deborah

WATER STATION TODAY: will be at 7 mile- ish mark! No disposable cups! If you are not running today, due to a race event or an injury, consider supporting your club by beinga Water station volunteer! Umbrella included if needed.

Still need a volunteer for Saturdays - Please help!

NOVEMBER VOLUNTEERS:
Set up Home Base: Naomi Kress and Philippe Naveau,
Breakdown Home Base: Caroline Connelly,
Nutrient Purchasor: Veronica Santangelo,
Water Station: ???
Home Base - George Arita
Your time helps us have a smooth training day start and finish!

YOUR GOODY BAG AWAITS YOU!
If you have not received your goody bag, further distribution will be AFTER Training - see George. Limited exchanges are available.
WEAR YOUR RUN VENTURA TRAINING SHIRT
EVERY SATURDAY - WITH PRIDE!

THE WEEKLY NEWSLETTER –
Confirmation of your email address required via Blog!! If you hear of anyone not receiving the newsletter, please pass this important detail forward.

SOCIAL OPPORTUNITY:
Anyone interested in organizing a Pot Luck in celebration of Run Ventura reaching the HALF marathon training mark for sometime in the near future?

RACE CALENDAR: Share with RV members what races you would like to recommend coming up in the near future. Either post as a reply or email us at any time with your recommendations. Any Races anyone?

Tip of the Week: Use a marker to date the inside tongue of your runnings shoes to help you keep track of when you purchased them. This will serve as a reminder to help determine when it would be the best time to replace them. Depending on your weight, running style, and the amount of miles you train will determine when and how often you will need to replace them. Your feet carry you all day and sometimes all night long and they deserve to be well taken care of!


Suggestions? Questions?? Complaints?? Deborah4RunVentura@verizon.net

NOW.......A few words from George........

MY CONTRIBUTION FOR NOVEMBER 8, 2008

Congratulations to all who raced last weekend. No doubt you all did well!

This Saturday, we go beyond the half marathon distance. Fourteen miles is our distance. For some of you, this will be a record distance. For others, this will be your longest distance since your last marathon or ultra-marathon race. Whatever the situation, it’ll be another milestone!

A word of caution (it seems I’m full of this). As we get into the longer distances, we put our bodies under greater stress. Yes, I know I’m always cautioning you about injuries, but this one has a different twist. The stresses of running longer distances and the accompanying microscopic damage to the muscle fibers compromise our immune system, making us more susceptible to colds and other communicable diseases.

You may experience a slight fever the evening after a long run, although those who take analgesics such as Advil or Aleeve for pain relief may not notice the fever due to the fever reducing effects of the drug.

In addition to a good meal and rest to speed recovery from your long runs, refrain from attending all-night parties, large crowds and hospitals with sick people for a day or two. Coming down with a cold or flu can put a damper on your training.

For those who have not received a goodie bag, I have yours in my vehicle. I may be late arriving this Saturday, but if all goes well, I should be there to greet you on your return to home base.

George

November 1 Weekly Newsletter

Welcome to Run Ventura!
Inspiring Miles of Smiles
November 1, 2008

Today’s Distance:

Up to 13 miles

Turnaround time is:
One hour 40 minutes

Please excuse some of the formatting.....every time I look at the "preview" it keeps changing.....

Deborah’s View…… Way ....Behind the Scenes

Welcome New Members!
Lindsay Ferro

Welcome New Grandmother !

Congrats to Linda Sutton, Pace Leader 10's,

on becoming a grand mother to a little boy this past weekend.

Water Station Today at 6.5-ish mark!
Our First water/refilling station will be located approximately 6.5 mile marker! No disposable cups!

Still need a volunteer for Saturdays - Please help!

November Volunteers

Set up Home Base: Naomi Kress and Philippe Naveau,

Breakdown Home Base: Caroline Connelly,

Nutrient Purchasor: Veronica Santangelo,

Water Station: Deborah Nesbit - Nov 1,

Home Base - George Arita

Your time helps us have a smooth training day start and finish!

YOUR GOODY BAG IS NOW COMPLETE!

Run Ventura Hats and IT Bottles are here!

Distribution will be AFTER Training - see George.

Those who missed receiving their Run Ventura training shirts, Inside Track cotton T and Inside Track socks - see George.

Limited exchanges are available.
WEAR YOUR RUN VENTURA TRAINING SHIRT

EVERY SATURDAY - WITH PRIDE!

THE WEEKLY NEWSLETTER –

Please Confirm your email address via Blog!! Ten plus of RV members have not verified their email address, therefore, chances are..... they are not reading this........If you hear of anyone not receiving the newsletter, please pass this important detail forward.

Anyone interested in organizing a Pot Luck in celebration of Run Ventura reaching the HALF marathon training mark for sometime in the near future?

With the upcoming holiday season calender upon us, what race events have you scheduled? Consider sharing and have them listed in next weeks newlsetter. Share with RV members what races you would like to recommend coming up in the near future. Any Races anyone?

Tip of the Week: As you push your body further past the mileage you have never experienced before - the meanie gibbies - as I call them may rear their ugly heads. Thoughts include feelings of being inadequate, of intimidation, fear of failure, not being good enough, anxiety and irritations flare over petty things...like "that bird almost hit me!". These too, will pass. Take time to slow down your breathing, take a few extra, slow and real full belly breaths, ......realize and keep telling yourself, you are going to make it, you are safe, plenty of friend RV members are supporting you....and just think...YOUR picture at the finish line with a Big SMILE is going to look GREAT!
Suggestions? Questions?? Complaints?? Deborah4RunVentura@verizon.net

NOW......A few words.....from George.

My contribution to the November 1, 2008 Newsletter.

Greetings from California! This Saturday will be our first LSD training run where we all will be “equals,” that is, we are now all “Gold” level runners and walkers. No more “Bronze” or “Silver.” This means that we all run the same distance, that being 13 miles, according to our newly modified LA Marathon Training Schedule. We will go out and turnaround at Mile 6.5. I understand that some members will be running that distance at the Santa Barbara Half Marathon. I have done that race a number of times and encourage everyone to participate in it at some time during your racing career.
Be sure to examine the modified training schedule that is posted on our website. Because of the new date of the Los Angeles Marathon, we had to accelerate LSD training distances. As you run with your pace group during the weeks to come, should you find the going too demanding, drop back to a slower pace group. We must do the distances to develop endurance but we do not want to experience “too fast” injuries.
My first Saturday back from vacation presented me with a couple of members with foot injuries, injuries that were serious enough to keep both members from running. I wonder if there are any others? I believe a number of people, including some veteran runners, are trying to run their Saturday runs at too fast a pace for proper marathon training. Remember your LSD runs should be about 30 seconds per mile slower than your hopeful marathon pace. Also, you should set a realistic marathon pace, especially if you'd never run a marathon before. Running long and fast every Saturday is not a proper marathon training techinque.
Also, this will be our first LSD training run where we all are “equals” in that we all get to run in our club shirts. It should be an impressive sight along the course. I hope someone will be ready with a camera or two.

My essay below is not on a "nice" topic but one that needs to be shared.

DISCHARGING SALIVA

Saliva is produced by the salivary glands, three of which occur on each side of the mouth. The main components of saliva include water, mucus and salivary amylase, the enzyme that digests starch. Large amounts of saliva are secreted when food is taken into the mouth or when there is anticipation of food entering the mouth, such as when food is seen or smelled. However, even in the absence of food, the salivary glands continuously secrete saliva to keep the inside of the mouth wet and lubricated. The saliva that accumulates in the mouth is usually swallowed, but oftentimes, especially when one is outdoors and under dusty conditions, the saliva is purposely discharged forcefully from the mouth, an action called spitting.

In our American culture, it is generally more usual to see men spitting than women. In fact, in some activities such as baseball, it is a norm to see the male participants spitting, almost continuously in many instances. Still in everyday life, it is generally not considered appropriate for women to spit.

In running, however, many participants, including the manliest of men and the daintiest of women, often spit while running, and this is acceptable. But many runners, male or female, do so carelessly without proper consideration of neighboring runners. A number of times, I have been the recipient of the wayward discharge of its downwind spray.

I have a few recommendations for proper spitting. When running alone, you are welcomed to spit in any manner and direction as your heart may desire. However, when running in a group, such as in a training group or during a race, consider doing the following:
1. To minimize the spray, always roll the saliva into a “ball” and move the “ball” to the tip of your tongue before spitting. Rolling the saliva into a ball becomes easier as the saliva thickens after running a mile or two.
2. Always look to your right, left and back before spitting to avoid impacting your fellow runners.
3. Always spit downward instead of sideward or upward, especially when it’s windy, but even when there is only a slight breeze, do be considerate of downwind runners.
4. If you have a habit of spitting often, do your best to run along the right or left side of the roadway or trail so you can deposit your saliva off the course.
5. Always be discreet – minimize your visual and auditory display when you spit. Even though spitting is a common practice among runners, there are many people who are offended by the act.
6. Running is more important than spitting. If you are in a situation where you cannot spit without affecting another person, continue running but don’t spit. Wait until your situation improves.

I hope these few suggestions result in more happy runners and spitters. Have a good run!

George

LSD RUNS, PACE GROUPS, DUTIES OF THE PACE LEADER

PREFACE

I am aware that not all Run Ventura members are runners - some are walkers and some participants practice the run/walk technique. However, for simplicity, I will use the terms “run,” “running” and “runner” in all of my essays and messages. Please feel free to substitute the terms “walk,” “walking” or “walker” where appropriate. Thank you.

LSD RUNS

The objective of the Long, Slow, Distance, or LSD, runs that are performed on Saturdays is to develop the endurance that will enable the runner to cover the 26.2 mile distance of the target marathon race. The recommended training pace of the LSD runs is typically 15 – 30 seconds slower than the anticipated marathon race pace. This slower pace is designed to prevent overtraining injury and burnout. Also, by not running at marathon race pace every weekend, you will avoid “leaving your race pace on the training course” and not having it with you on the target race day.

In addition to the LSD runs on Saturdays, we have other training strategies for the week days and for later Saturdays during the training schedule. During the week days on alternating Tuesdays, you will be performing Speed workouts that will develop your running speed and Hill workouts that will develop your running strength. Combine these two training strategies with your Saturday endurance workouts and you will be able to finish your target marathon race at your anticipated race pace.

During the last four weeks before the target marathon race, you will be performing tempo runs and marathon race pace runs to test your endurance, speed and strength. It is important to follow the training schedule, especially the week day runs when you will essentially “be on your own” for the speed and hill workouts. In other essays, I will cover the essentials of the speed and hill workouts.

PACE GROUPS

The registration form asked for the anticipated marathon race pace of each member. Based on this information, I have determined the appropriate pace groups that we need. Tentatively, we will have six running pace groups from 9 minutes per mile to 14 minutes per mile, each at minute intervals, and one walking pace group. As the training period progresses, we may either split one or more groups by 30-second intervals or combine one or more groups as the need dictates.

The following table shows the tentative seven pace groups, the anticipated marathon race pace, and the expected marathon finishing time.

SATURDAY’S LSD PACE	MARATHON RACE PACE	EXPECTED MARATHON FINISHING TIME
9:00	8:40	3:47:04
10:00	9:40	4:13:16
11:00	10:40	4:39:28
12:00	11:40	5:05:40
13:00	12:40	5:31:52
14:00	13:40	5:58:04
Walkers	16:00+	7:00:00+

A Pace Leader will be assigned to lead and be responsibly for each Pace Group.

DUTIES OF THE PACE LEADER

The Pace Leader is voluntary position. Assignment as a Pace Leader will be for single marathon training seasons, but subject to approval for continuation into following seasons. A Pace Leader may also be removed from the position by the management team if the duties are not adequately performed. Persons to serve as Pace Leaders will be selected by the Director and presented to the Owner/Coach and Coordinator/Administrator for consensus approval.

A person agreeing to serve as a Pace Leader must be willing to uphold the following Pace Leader duties and responsibilities every Saturday and on other days as necessary.

Pace Leaders agree to:

• Be aware of and understand the importance of the LSD training pace.
• Be responsibly for maintaining the assigned training pace.
• Wear the Pace Leader’s technical T-shirt.
• Carry a personal cell phone and be prepared to use it in case of emergency, to secure arrangements to help any distressed Pace Group member and to report of any hazards on the training course.
• Oversee the well-being of all Pace Group members and provide aid and moral support to any distressed group member as necessary.
• Be knowledgeable of running-related health issues, at least to the extent as presented by the club’s lecture and essay series.
• Be responsible for accounting for all Pace Group members leaving from and returning to the Home Base, and reporting on the Group’s status to the Director and Coordinator/Administrator upon return to the Home Base.
• Maintain regular attendance at the Saturday runs, or if attendance on any particular Saturday is not possible, provide advanced notice, preferably a week in advance, to the Director and Coordinator/Administrator.
• Assign, preferably a week in advance, a responsible Pace Group member to serve as the Substitute Pace Leader for any particular day of absence, and inform the Director and Coordinator/Administrator of the person assigned to serve as Substitute.
• Maintain personal contact with Pace Group members such as via email and report any attendance or injury issues so they may be addressed in the future.

Anyone interested in serving as a Pace Leader, please meet with us at 7 AM on Saturday September 20, 2008 or send me an email stating your interest. Thank you.

George
September 18, 2008