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Whether you are a beginner or advanced runner, what Cliff Temple calls the "Golden Rules of the Track" in the New York Road Runner's Complete Book of Running and Fitness (an outstanding book, by the way), are a great introduction and reminder to proper track etiquette.
As a runner and a trainer, I think that the integration of track training is essential to understanding and improving your performance. The track offers controlled conditions, with exact distances so a runner can establish a baseline and set benchmarks of improvement as training progresses. And, the track is the best environment for interval training, We all start somewhere, and it's important to remember that. Many newbies to the track don't know the following bits of etiquette and can be intimidated to share the track with others that they perceive to be more experienced. The simple structure of the rules and being in the "know" builds confidence. And for those of us who are seasoned, this reminds us of our manners. Rules to Live By When Running on a Track Like I mentioned, these originated from Cliff Temple, but I've added a few of my own.
Have a great workout! To learn specific track exercises and drills and learn how to integrate them into your unique workout, contact Coach Travis at learnsafemovement@gmail.com.  There is no doubt that the landscape of our active lives has changed over the last several decades. The car has become paramount to our daily lives, taking us everywhere we need to go and everywhere that we need to go spans greater distances than it once had. TVs, computers, and video games are now integrated into our every moment keeping us productively on task or complacently occupied. Our jobs have also become more sedentary and the hours that we work, longer. These changes have impacted us greatly. Globally, there are more than 1 billion overweight adults, 300 million are obese. Alarmingly, some studies have found that up to 70% of our kids are inactive. Childhood obesity is steadily on the rise. And, children are suffering from health problems, like high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and elevated blood cholesterol, that previously weren’t seen until adulthood. Quite literally, we have to get moving on change.
Personal Trainer, Travis Grosjean, explains 4 healthy habits that you can integrate into your families life! Active play. The art of having fun, actively! Everyone benefits from unstructured play. Adolescents benefit greatly from vigorous play, like tag, chase, random running, swimming, cycling, walking, racing, jumping rope, tree climbing, playing at the playground. Even infants require active play, in a safe, nurturing and minimally structured play environment. Active play should be fun and is a wonderful parent/child bonding opportunity. A simple game of catch, shooting some hoops, or just running around the grass with your tot not only gets the blood pumping and the muscles moving, but can be great time spent together. Active Transportation. Try to get some active transportation in where you can. You won’t be able to walk or cycle everywhere that you go, but you can do your best. If you need to go to the convenience store or restaurant around the corner, walk or cycle instead of driving. If you have to drive, park your car in the furthest parking space that you can and walk the distance to the entrance. Physical Activity Participation or Organized Sports. I say physical activity participation -or- organized sports, because physical activity does not have to be athletic. It should be vigorous and enjoyable. It has been found that kids enjoy sports because they enjoy learning and improving their skill, getting stronger and healthier, and develop role models. But, organized sports aren’t for everyone and they don’t have to be. What is most important is that the activity is enjoyable, and easily continued. Limited Screen Time. Children who spend more time playing outdoors are more likely to remain active through adulthood than children kept indoors. With that said, it is important to limit TV, video game and computer time, keep TVs out of bedrooms, and create opportunities for active outdoor play for kids and as a family. And, if you are up to it, power your television and other screened equipment with Cycle Power, such as seen in Mother Earth News (I have often wondered why gym equipment wasn’t designed to be self -sustaining.) For your kids, besides the obvious body weight benefits, they benefit greatly from being active at an early age. They typically are in better physical and mental health, have higher academic performance and with these healthy habits, they are more likely to live a healthier lifestyle through adulthood. These early years have also been identified as a critical period for growth and acquisition of motor skills that are needed to be physically active throughout life. How much activity should our family strive for? Here are the general recommendations, as reported in Pediatrics, the publication of American Academy of Pediatrics and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. However, check with your doctor if you are starting any new exercise routine.
Best Practice Guidelines for Physical Activity at Child Care http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/reprint/124/6/1650 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans http://www.health.gov/paguidelines/default.aspx Additional Resources American Heart Association www.heart.org ChildStats.gov www.childstats.gov The Obesity Society www.obesity.org Centers for Disease Control and Prevention www.cdc.gov World Health Organization www.who.int Department of Health & Human Services www.health.gov American Academy of Pediatrics www.pediatrics.org By: Coach Travis
For most of us, our bathing suit hibernates during winter, and as the birds chirp with the approaching spring, we begin to feel the summertime siren calling us to the icon of California- the beach. But, for many of us, along with the bathing suit, our bodies have been in hibernation. This pattern, though indicative of the emergence of the summer season, can occur anytime of the year, and does! Are you ready to get your body back? Here are a few ways to get going.
 By: Coach Nettie Being centered and grounded is paramount to performance. When your mind, body and spirit are in alignment, you are performing in the present moment. That is the focus that some athletes call “the Zone.” Athletes figure out how to access this “zone” in various ways. I’m an endurance lover, energy practitioner and yoga trainer. Over the years, combining all of my tools has given me the greatest gift in identifying how to strengthen my efficiency in getting into my present moment. I can quite literally kinesthetically understand when the trifecta comes to be, and I am in “my zone.” The dedication of spiritual discovery and athletic passion has amortized life lessons that I could never have imagined. One of the greatest gifts that I could receive in this lifetime is that my spiritual practices are the key to running longer distances with less effort and pain. My endurance training was the key to understanding my spiritual being. I pushed my body to feel my spirit. On the flipside, when I learned to listen to my inner being, I could push further without injury and found passion in my body, it’s optimization and not its physical shape. Within the discovery of working hard, and harder, I learned that harder isn’t always best for a lifetime of athleticism. “Harder” does produce results, but it is satisfying to all ends, and doesn’t equate to a lifetime of continued movement. At some time, there is an end to how hard we can work. Our physical being becomes injury prone. I have come to understand this, and become curious about how to overcome this challenge of being in the zone without working harder. My most current athletic practices are pursuant to translating my world to my children. In doing so, these little gifts of knowledge help them help themselves become the lifetime athletes that they desire to be. I developed this athletic meditation that I take them through before each practice and game. It boosts their confidence, and bonds us in the shared moment. They walk out with strength, and knowingness in their presence.  A Champion Mindset
Imagine your feet rooted to the ground, you’re centered in your physical body. Tap your forehead between the center of your eyes. Still your mind. Become one. Mind, body, spirit. In this alignment you find clarity. This is the present moment. Only in the present moment are you in control. Be in control. You are in control. This is NOW the moment to bring your mental acuity, practiced skill and mindfulness together to play the best game of your life. You are a champion. Your skill gained from practice meets opportunity. You feel it in every cell of your body. You are the champion that you set in your mind. If you don’t think you can do it, you can’t. But the reality is, you can be anything you want to become. Be. Just be. Be present in the moment. You are stronger than you ever thought you could become. You are more skilled than you’ve ever been. You are focused like a laser, and in tune with your team. In tune with your coaches. You know the game. You own this game. You are the boss of you. You are a champion. And you are out to have the best game of your life. The best game is the game that you feel in power of your strength. In power of your courage. In power of your love for sport. In power of your heart for the team. In power of your presence. Be one with your mind, body and spirit and own the present moment. You are a champion. Now, go have fun! |
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