Read, Run and Write

Twenty days have gone by and this is the only time that I once more got to sit and write. The holiday rush has taken its toll. My running activity has diminished to once or twice weekly but I have increased my distance to at least 10k per run. This is not to compensate for the decrease in frequency. I just realized I liked running long slow distances more than short and fast ones.

Yesterday, I once more stepped inside Fully Booked in Serendra and inhaled that delightful scent of fresh, new books that I just love as soon as my 8-year old daughter and I entered the glass door. I was holding her small hand and instructed her to take deep breaths with me. We shared a love for books and the smell was just pure bliss. I left her at the kids' section on the second floor with my 3-year-old kid and their nannies and I went to the third floor, scanning the book shelves along the way.

Just as I turned the corner, I caught sight of this hard-bound book titled "What I Talk About When I Talk About Running" by Haruki Murakami. I took it out of the bookshelf and sat on the nearby single-seater black leather sofa. As I read the first few pages, I started to get excited. I suddenly felt the urge to write. Suddenly the vision of the Moleskine flashed in my mind. I hurried to the ground floor, took one Moleskine out of the rack, looked at the price, gave out a big sigh and went straight to the cashier before I get cold feet. I have tried to write in various cheap, small notebooks before but somehow never found inspiration in them. Whether it's pure marketing or some sort of spell casted by Hemingway and other great artists to this so-called legendary notebook, the moment I sat down on the sofa again, I began to write instantaneously. Before long, I have completed what looked to be a query letter for the book that I have completed the past 3 months that I have been running.

The reason why I am so hooked into running is because of my Eureka... the discovery that all these years I've always wanted to write a book. And ever since I have done that, I felt a sense of peace and contentment like no other. It's as though I have found my place in this world. I can read, run and write the whole day, the whole week or the whole year for all I care. Everything else that truly mattered in my life became more meaningful and more significant and the things that were superfluous and superficial just lost their colors because I have found what I truly love to do. Such is the sweet discovery that I made because I took the time to run.... not to lose weight, not to stay fit., nor to compete but simply to spend more time with myself and in the process discovered more of me and my Maker.

Long, Slow Distance Runs to Prayer

Now that I am comfortable running 10 kilometers, I have decided to start with my base training. My plan is to enter a half-marathon next year, perhaps on my first year anniversary into running sometime in September-October 2009. To prepare for this, the recommended training for a beginner like me is to do base training for at least 8-12 weeks, strength training for 4-8 weeks, speed training for 4-8 weeks, and peaking/tapering for 2-14 days. But I need to adjust my training depending on when the 21k event will be. For now, I will use the 2nd International Subic Marathon on October 24, 2009 as basis of my training program because there is a 21k event listed there. I will not aim for the marathon yet because experts would advise that in order to train for a marathon, you should have been running for at least a year already, which is definitely not the case for me.

For the base training this afternoon, I started with the LSD (Long, Slow Distance). This means running at a relaxed, conversational pace lasting for at least an hour to an hour and a half. The heart rate is approximately 70-78% of your maximum heart rate. How to compute for your maximum heart rate? There are many ways:

Running for Fitness gives a formula to predict for this: For men - MHR = 214 - (0.8 x age) while for women - MHR = 209 - (0.9 x age).

If you want a more accurate way of determining your own maximum heart rate, you can do it on the track or on the treadmill. You must do your warm up first and then run at an even pace, as fast as you can. Do this for three minutes then recover by jogging for two minutes and then do the fast paced three-minute run again. Your maximum heart rate is the one taken during the second three-minute run. But please don't do this latter exercise without medical clearance especially if you are overweight or have problems with high blood pressure or hypercholesterolemia.

Anyway, it was much of an effort for me not to look at my stopwatch and note my distance because this only tempts me to increase my speed. So, I decided to enjoy the music and the cool evening air. Eventually I began to relax and to meditate. Yes, I have discovered that running is actually a form of prayer for me. While your body is busy doing the motion of running, your mind and your spirit can lift itself to heaven. I always found my running time so conducive to prayer except when I am conscious about my speed especially when am preparing for an upcoming race. But now that the race I am preparing for is still months ahead of me and I am forced to do long, slow distance (LSD) runs I am able to relax and switch to prayer mode. Running does not only refresh my body, it also refreshes my soul. LSD is the one that makes a runner addicted to running. Perhaps that is the reason behind the acronym.

Running Jargons

I guess until you've really ran your first marathon you will not be able to appreciate these jargons that I will be mentioning. But it is worth reading anyhow just in case, one of these days one of your running buddies would mention it and you would not want to be left totally in the dark. These running jargons are taken from the Complete Running Manual:

1) Bail - simply put, you dropped out of the race for a variety of reasons. You bail with composure when the reason is due to injury, illness or an emergency. You bail with embarassment when it is due to oversleeping or undertraining. You bail silently when you have diarrhea in the middle of the race.

2) Bomb - use the term when you feel you are underperforming or your personal expectations are not being met.

3) Bonk - imagine a huge rock hitting your head and creating that sound "bonk". Yup, that may just be the most appropriate term when you suddenly get depleted of energy. Most likely this is caused by hypoglycemia or low blood sugar. You should have brought a banana with you if your budget is too tight for an energy bar. Lately, I've been trying to save on grocery to accomodate extra Christmas expenditures, I had to sacrifice buying my energy drinks. To prevent bonking, I make sure I have something sweet and salty to eat after I drink my plain water. They all get mixed in the stomach anyway.

4) Bus - is when you run as a group. It can offer real support and camaraderie among yourselves but can also be a cause of irritation for other runners who want to overtake your group if you are running at a leisurely pace. Hmmn, reminds me of buses along EDSA. Totally irritating when they overtake you and then suddenly swerve and block you to unload a passenger.

5) In the zone - when you are at your best performance and everything is just as how you predicted your run to be. This is opium for the runner.

6) PB - never forget this jargon... your "personal best" because even if you finished last in the race, if you finished earlier than your previous race, it is still a cause for celebration. At least this time, you were not picked up by the sweeper anymore. (That's the special vehicle assigned to pick up runners who have gone beyond the decent time and are causing undue traffic and annoyance to the other motorists). PW is personal worst. Remove that in your vocabulary. Unless your PW is your enemy's personal best. You can freely brag about it then.

7) Split/negative split. - this pertains to the time you have covered between markers in a race. When you run faster after the designated marker, then you have a negative split.

8) Ultra - not the stadium in Pasig. In the runner's lingo, this means longer than the usual marathon distance (42 km or 26 miles). If it is 80 km or 100 km, then it is an ultramarathon. It's funny that for non-runners, a marathon is being used interchangeably with the word "race" even if it was just a 100-meter sprint. When I was new to running, I thought that too. Then when I started reading about running, I soon realized how terribly ignorant I have been. So now, whenever my friends would say that I just completed a marathon when in fact, I only joined a 5-km or 10-km race, I'd gracefully correct them. But I claim it in my mind at the same time. As much as running is a very physical activity, it is even more a mental activity.

Sports Experts

I am now reading about injuries again but this time from the Complete Running Manual. I like this book because it gives detailed but simplified explanation of basic topics on running.

Did you know that there are actually many sports experts with different specialization? There's the sports physician who is what you may refer to as the "general practitioner in sports". He can refer you to the right specialist after he assesses your problem. The physiotherapists are those who specializes on muscles and bone movements involving joints and spines. They can give therapy using various modalities such as ultrasound, massage, electrotherapy and the like. Locally, they are the physical therapists. No, they are not your regular masseaus at the spa. They've earned a bachelor of science degree in physical therapy and are licensed under the professional regulations commissions. The osteopaths are also trained in the anatomy and physiology of the musculoskeletal system but their focus is on the body's self-healing capacity. So they create a state of balance by touch and pressure. I just do not know if we can categorize our local "manghihilot" under this category. What about the chiropractor? They seem to function like the osteopaths but with more focus on the limb and spine and easing fluidity of movement in these areas. The biokineticists are those who will analyze a runner's move and relate it to how it can potentially cause injury. They can prescribe a training program to correct any muscle imbalances. The posture therapist on the other hand cuts the yellow pages of a telephone directory into wedges and puts it in the shoes of the patient to balance uneven posture. Hmmn, sounds weird to me. The orthopedic surgeon is the specialist who you want to avoid as a runner because he can charge you expensively and his treatment is really invasive. Recovery from his treatment is also long. And to avoid him, you should consult the earlier specialists that I have mentioned if you think you have a minor injury that is not relieved by the usual RICE self-treatment (rest, ice, compression and elevation). Oh, before I forget, there is one more specialist that I have not mentioned. It is the podiatrist. Contrary to what my husband suggested that this is a specialist closely related to the OB-gynecologists because of how the name sounds (my eyes are rolling), the podiatrists focus on the feet and foot-related conditions such as overpronation and supination and other biomechanics which may require the use of orthotics (those special foot accessories that may be inserted in the shoes, but not the yellow classified ads used by the posture therapists). There are many podiatrists in the US but I do not know of anyone in the Philippines. Perhaps I should get a special training for this particular specialty. It's good to diversify into something which you are particularly interested in, i.e. the foot of a runner.... not that other like-sounding part.

Have You Heard of Fartlek?

Does the word 'Fartlek' sound familiar to you or is it totally foreign? I can't blame you if you answered... 'totally foreign' because it is actually a Swedish word. What does it stands for?

If you've heard about intervals for speed then this concept is just related. When you do speed training and you do it in intervals, you follow a more structured course. This means you run as fast as you can at your planned distance, say 200-400 meters then you follow it up with a fixed recovery time, say 1-2km. You do this for a couple of repeats according to your speed training plan.

As for Fartlek, it is a much more flexible and fun way of doing speed training. There is no fixed interval of speed and recovery runs. Instead the speed runs is determined randomly. For instance, if you're running in an oval track, you will decide to run your fast pace whenever you pass by Mr. Grandpa Walker and return to recovery runs when you pass by him again. If you are running in a subdivision, you will decide to run fast whenever you pass by a red gate then proceed to recovery runs when you pass by a brown gate. You create your own rules to determine when to do your speedwork and when to do recovery runs. This adds excitement and variety to your runs. Try it!

Hill Training

I enjoyed the UNICEF run yesterday though we had quite a panicky start. We left the house rather late, 5:15 a.m. thinking that we would arrive on the site just in time. We did not anticipate that we would miss a road turn thereby spending additional minutes trying to find our way to McKinley Hill. And when we finally arrived in the area, further confusion ensued as we looked for the parking space. And when we finally got into the parking building, we had to run to the start line as this was still a couple of meters from the parking area. It was our first time to run in a race where the start off point is not in the vicinity of high street of The Fort so there was much disorientation for us. As soon as we arrived in the start line, the signal for the 10-km run just went off. I had to push my husband to join the group as he was not sure if he still needs to look for the man with a marker to mark his number off. There was no time to warm up nor to stretch. Five minutes after, the 5-km event started. The challenge was of course the hilly terrain of McKinley Hills. Since I did not really prepare for this, I am feeling a bit sore today though I just covered my usual 5-km run yesterday.

I figured that it is really essential to include uphill/downhill training in your weekly runs not just to prepare yourself for runs to McKinley hill or the flyover at Buendia, but because it is a very effective way of building your leg strength. Consequently leg strength can be transmitted to improvement in endurance and speed. From the Complete Running Manual, the recommended frequency is once or twice a week. However, there must be a day of flat running in between hill trainings in order to allow for recovery.

The way a hill repeat is described, you need to find a hill that is 400-600 meters long or a 100-200 meter steeper incline. You have to warm up for 15 minutes first before you tackle the hill. When tackling the hill, you run uphill in a fast, steady pace then slowly run or walk downhill. You have to maintain a form wherein your body is leaning into the incline and you can use your arms to pump yourself uphill. You do this 5 times then finish your hill training with a slow easy run. And the most important thing, do your stretches after your training because hillwork tends to shorten your muscles.

Keeping a Running Diary

My husband's running diary is his Nike+ kit, a small gadget which he puts on his shoes and is linked to his i-pod. This records his distance and his speed as he runs. He conveniently uploads his mileage to his PC at the end of his run and he is able to maintain a running log. As for me, since I just have an i-pod nuno (my MP4 player which resembles an i-pod nano in appearance) and am still waiting for my Nike+ kit December present, I am currently doing my training logs manually. I have this neat little notebook which serves as my running diary.

Keeping a training log is very helpful because you will be able to see patterns in your running and from there will be able to make adjustments for improvement. So what should be included in your training log so that it will provide you with the most information?

Basic information will include the date, length of the run, time you finished the run, your route and its description (if it is on flat oval track, hilly forest track, urban pavement, etc) , time of day, and weather conditions. The Complete Guide to Endurance Training has record sheets for an entire week and at the end of the week, a weekly summary can be done. The record sheets cover additional information like the feeling after the run, the benefit, nutrition, sleep, aim, intensity and other comments. Other books would also recommend taking note of your morning weight as well as your resting heart rate, average heart rate and maximum heart rate. The latter would require a heart rate monitor while you run. But you can also detect your heart rate manually, though it can be quite challenging while you run. Just feel for your pulse just below the angle of your jaw and count it using your stopwatch. No need to do a entire minute. Six seconds will do and this will provide you with a rough estimate of your heart rate. Multiply the heart rate taken in six seconds by 10 and you get your heart rate in beats per minute. Just a reminder though, do not rub your carotid pulse vigorously as this can lead to the immediate slowing of your heart rate which may cause you to feel dizzy and faint. This is what we call the carotid massage and we only employ this in emergency situations when a patient experiences severe sinus tachycardia.

Blister on my Foot!

I recalled my husband complaining about having a blister during the 10-km King of the Road Race which caused him to suffer on his last few kilometers to the finish line. The culprit, his thin socks!

A blister can be pretty nasty and painful. This is caused by pressure and friction which is exacerbated by moisture from water or sweat. How to prevent having a blister? Know which part of your feet is most prone to it so you will know what caused it. If it is thin socks, better invest in thicker once. Some books would advise wearing a thin sock under a thick sock. This would put the friction between the two socks instead of your feet with your socks. If the cause of the blister is an ill-fitting shoe, better buy a new pair which provides a snug fit and does not allow too much sliding of your toes inside your shoes. Others apply band-aid or plaster on the areas most prone to blistering.

What to do with your blisters? If it is small, ignore it. It usually heals by itself. If it is huge and painful, you can ease the pressure by pricking it with a sterile needle. Use alcohol to sterilize the needle, release the fluid from the blister and leave the skin on. Apply an antiseptic and cover it with sterile gauze. Keep the site clean and dry and always observe for any signs of infection like redness and swelling.

Running with a Stitch?

Remember that painful discomfort just under your ribcage? That is what you call the stitch. When we were still kids, I'd often hear adults warn us not to run right after a meal because we would get an "appendix" (a term commonly used to mean appendicitis). Of course, we never heeded the advise of the adults and would still proceed on running and then one of us would suddenly come crouched down with a stitch and he would be shouting, "I have an appendix!" Of course, he has an appendix. All human beings have an appendix unless you've gone through the surgical removal called appendectomy.

Anyway, we all knew that the stitch does fade away with rest and did not warrant any surgical intervention. It is just interesting to note that the actual physiology of a stitch is actually caused by spasm of the diaphragm. I never really encountered that in medical school. Perhaps it was too benign to be included in our discussions. But for a runner, this can be detrimental especially if it hits you when you are crucially competing and nearing the end of the race. So what can you possibly do about it? The Complete Running Manual advises that you take in deep breaths with your chest and stomach and blow it out deeply as well using your abdomen. If this does not work, you can raise your arms above your head and slow down to a walk. If still this does not work, you may press through the stitch with your fingers which may bring temporary relief. But it does go away in time and definitely it is not your appendix that's causing the problem.

Fine-tuning Running

I've missed blogging. The business has occupied me the past few weeks, I did not have time to write. Just glad I was still able to run thrice last week. The other week, when I was only able to run once and did an 8-km, I felt lousy. So this time, no more compromises. I will stick to my thrice a week routine and improve from there.

I have also concentrated on reading financial books lately that it was only by sheer chance that I picked up the Complete Running Manual again when I misplaced the financial book I was currently reading. Am so glad I did because I came across the section on Perfecting Running Style.

It is interesting to note that there is a difference between foot strikes of walkers and runners. The walkers hit the ground with the entire heel then rolls from heel to toes as they move whereas the runners, if you want a perfect form should "strike the ground with the outer edge of the heel, roll through the outer midfoot, then gently pronate through the forefoot to the big toe, which pushes off from the ground." I had to lift that out of the page since it was difficult paraphrasing the foot movement. Anyway, though many runners would differ in their movements, such basic principles may improve running performance.

So what are the other recommended stance? An upright posture, with open chest and shoulders at the back and not hunched forward is ideal. There is a slight forward lean and the hands are bent at roughly 90 degrees at the elbow and swinging in a relaxed way. It is also advised that arms should not move across the chest as this is energy-expending.

What about the stride? I always thought I must lengthen my strides in order to move faster ahead. No wonder my training log revealed slower, tiring runs lately. Shorter, lighter steps actually is less traumatic to your body and is more efficient. The way to determine if you are not over-striding is to look at your lower leg which should not extend out in front of your body. Your feet must remain under your body if you want to avoid injuries to your hamstrings and quadriceps. This way, you will also prevent bobbing up and down which also uses too much energy. Just remember, smaller steps close to the ground is the way to go...

Photo courtesy of: www.performancetrainingsystems.com

My Foot Type?

I wrote something about runners who are pronator, supinator and neutral in one of my previous blogs and a friend of mine still admitted being unable to totally comprehend the whole concept.

Then I got to read about this once again in The Complete Running Manual and learned a more practical way of finding out if you are a pronator, supinator or neutral.

Go to your bathroom, wet your feet and then leave an imprint on your bathmat. I have a bathmat which has the fabric of a bath towel just like those that you find in five-star hotels. Don't think I bought it for a fortune at Rustan's though or somewhere like Bed, Bath and Beyond. I bought these inexpensive bathmats from Puregold for less than P150. Anyway, before I get sidetracked, let me get back to the foot imprint. With your wet feet, leave an imprint on your bathmat and check from the images above which one resembles your imprint the most. The one on the extreme left is a pronator. The one in the middle is a neutral and the one on the extreme right is a supinator. Easy does it!

Now, let me get back to Puregold... my friend recently told me that they sell sports drinks there in packs at a discount. So you might want to drop by that big store one of these days. I have to stop making all these Puregold endorsements though before I get tagged as a discountrunner. But just between us, I don't mind being branded as one. The only thing that you can't make me buy is a P900 Nike-imitation at Greenhills. I am telling you, you may save a lot from that running shoes but getting an injury because of improper footwear will cost you more in rehabilitation or surgery.

The Ultramarathon Man

My husband and I went to R.O.X. Tuesday night to register for the UNICEF Walk on the Child's Side 2008. For the first time, we also registered other family members like my 8-year old daughter, my mother-in-law, my aunt and her son for the 2-km Walk. When I went to the Backpacker's area, I once again saw the book The Ultramarathon Man and urged my husband that we pass by Fully Booked to look for this particular book. We were to leave for Cagayan de Oro for a business meeting the next day and I wanted to have a reading material which will occupy me during the plane ride.

Fortunately, I found one copy of this book at Fully Booked. It was a such a lucky find. This is a one-of-a-kind book on running and will really inspire you to do more than what you are doing now. It opens your mind to your vast possibilities and potentials. It is just amazing. The one and a half plane ride passed by so quickly as I was caught up by the adventures of ultramarathonman Dean Karnazes. When we landed in CDO, I spent the short rest time in the hotel covering some more of the pages of this funny, heart-stopping and very inspiring book. After lunch, the business meeting 'interfered' with my reading and I was only able to pick up the book again to cover the final few pages after midnight when our hosts drove us back to the hotel. I still had a couple of minutes left while waiting for my turn to use the bathroom. What I missed in running, being unable to run for these past 3 days, I completely made up for with reading. I was able to finish the 292-paged book in just a few hours which I think, makes me an ultramarathon reader.

One of my favorite part in the book was when Dean participated in the California State Long-Distance Championship in junior high and won the race. When his coach-mentor asked him 'How'd it feel?' and he answered, 'going out hard was the right thing to do. It felt pretty good.' The reply of the coach-mentor was a simple, 'If it felt good, you didn't push hard enough. It's supposed to hurt like hell.' When I read out this part to my husband, he commented, "Sounds more like a tormentor than a mentor to me." ha, ha, ha. I just love the book! Now, my next book stop is the Complete Running Manual by Marielle Renssen. Expect to get some running nuggets from this reference in the next coming days.

How I Have Transformed from a Non-Runner to a Runner

The Isuzu Fun Run last night was one of a kind. Though it was drizzling at the beginning, the skies cleared up to accommodate the racers who were in costumes. It was fun running with angels, fairies, cows and chicken. I just got confused with the number of rounds that I had to do to complete the race. I thought I still needed to do another round and was pleasantly surprised to be informed that I have already completed the race. Though we ran for the 5-km event, my husband told me that the actual distance that we covered with our four rounds was actually 6.4 km. At least that explained in part why my time was much longer compared to that of the Octoberun Fest last Sunday.

I can't help but reminisce and look back on that day when I decided that I will take on running. That was 11 weeks ago. From a non-runner who was only able to run 200 meters of that 10-km Miracle Run event and walked the remaining distance, I can now run a 5-km event without stopping for a drink or a walk. There is something about such an experience that only someone who underwent what I have gone through would understand. I have the Podrunner Interval 1st Day to 5-km program to thank for. Just being patient with myself and closely following the weekly program saw me through the graduation mixes after 9 weeks of training.

When I saw this book, the Ultramarathon Man: The Confessions of an All-Night Runner and read its first two chapters, I realized that a huge transformation has happened in me these past weeks. It was unbelievable that I can now relate to the inner life of a runner. Indeed there are subtle differences between a jogger, a racer and a runner. I am not a jogger because I do not look at running as a form of exercise or a way to lose weight. I am simply a running addict. I race not to win but to evaluate my performance. It is something that breaks the routine of running and a device that helps me plan my next training program. Now I shall start with the Gateway to 8-km and delve more on different training programs to improve ones performance.

Running teaches you not to be satisfied with what you have accomplished but to continue on searching for challenges and overcome your weaknesses. It will teach you to celebrate your personal victories and unravel your potentials. Running is to the human spirit as fire is to gold. It serves to purify and strengthen. It exposes and reveals. In the end, it pushes you to soar beyond your limits. I am no longer quoting from some books I have read because you see, running has unlocked the writer in me.

Preparing for a Race

I am excited about the Octoberun Fest this Sunday because a lot of our friends will be joining the race and it will be their first time to join.

This blog entry is for all novices in racing, including me (this is just my 3rd race to date but I will be running the 5-km event for the first time).

Here are the General Racing Tips from Running for Ftness:

1) Enter in advance. I guess many have done this already since Octoberun Fest does not have an on-site registration.

2) Plan what to bring. Here is a checklist of the things which you need to prepare the night before the race. I have modified the list to suit a Filipino racer:

• race clothes
• running shoes
  
• running watch
• clean dry clothes, including t-shirt, underwear, socks
• change of shoes
• toilet roll
• money
• banana
  
• recovery drink
• safety pins
• race number

The following stuff are my personal recommendations which you might also want to bring:

• sunblock - it was scorching hot during the King of the Road race and this Sunday's event might bring on the same heat
• cap - highly recommended
• sunshades/ eyewear - if you don't want to end up squinting during your last few kilometers
• i-pod/ headset - for the first time runner, it can get lonely out there when your friends have gone ahead of you or have fallen behind you
  

3) Arrive early. Preferably arrive 30 minutes before the race time to go to the toilet, warm-up, stretch and familiarize yourself with the route.

4) Start slowly. Running too fast too soon is a big mistake. It will cause the build-up of lactic acid in your muscle which will make you tire easily. What is suggested is that you maintain a comfortable pace and chat with your co-runners then in the last 2 km, pick up your speed if you are able to and get ahead of those who ran ahead too soon. If only I read this sooner, I would not have allowed myself to be swept off by the runners during the KOTR race.

5) Don't weave. Believe me, you will be tempted to especially if there are many participants in the race and you just wanted to get ahead of everyone. It is said that trying to overtake runners at the start will make you lose energy in the end.

6) Finish looking good. When you see the finish line, pick up your speed to gain composure. Some local networks might be covering the event. Better to be looking good when people see you at the primetime news. However, the past two races I have participated in, the media were actively covering the beginning of the race and not the end.

7) Enjoy it. I will not paraphrase this sentence. This is so true. "Your first race is very special, and you will remember it for years to come."

Read my blog entry on Warming up and Warming down because you need to do this during the race.

Glycemic Index

What is glycemic index?

According to my reference, The Complete Guide to Endurance Training, "it measures how much glucose levels rise in the blood after eating carbohydrates".

The following are the given values to classify food:

1) High glycemic food have values greater than 85. Examples given from Running for Fitness are as follows: Glucose, cornflakes, weetabix, brown rice, white rice, bagel, baguette, parsnip, baked potato, raisins, and Mars bar.

2) Moderate glycemic foods rate from 60-85. Examples: All Bran, muesli, buckwheat, basmati rice, spaghetti, muffin, carrots, peas, baked beans, banana, and orange.

3) Low glycemic foods rate below 60. Examples: Chick peas, green lentils, red lentils, soya beans, kidney beans, apples, pears. plums, peanuts, milk and yoghurt.

What is your guide for intake?

Before long work-outs, you must eat foods with low to moderate glycemic index. During long work-outs and for recovery, you must eat high glycemic foods. On ordinary days, you must consume more low glycemic index foods so that your blood sugar level is maintained at a stable level and you also maintain your weight, emotion and good immune system.

Am I Ready for a Marathon?

Perhaps most of you who have hurdled the 10-km event now feels that the next goal to go for is the half-marathon or the marathon.

I do not have much details regarding the half-marathon for now, but for the marathon, it is recommended that you have a running history of at least a year with the frequency of three times a week. That is according to the Running for Fitness book. That makes me ineligible until August 2009. Though my husband thinks we should set our goal towards the half-marathon by middle of next year. This morning I ordered some books from Amazon.com which covers this topic but I will not get my hand on these precious treasures until December, when my sister-in law comes home from the US.

Anyway, for now, let me use the Complete Guide for Endurance Training as reference. According to this book, there are different periods for training: 1) Base training which is the preparatory building phase and the most essential foundation of the training which covers aound 8-12 weeks; 2) Speed training which is when you push your body to prepare it for the demands of the event which covers your next 4-8 weeks and finally, 3) Taper and Peaking which gradually reduces your training in 2-14 days.

So for the base training, the rule of thumb is to run slow for long distances. The goal is to build your endurance. You can start shedding unwanted weight at this stage. The speed training will initially deal more with training intensity rather than duration. So you decrease the length of time you run but you increase the speed. However, you should mix this with intervals of slow, long runs in order to maintain your endurance. Then towards the end of your speed training, you do the overtraining. This part is when you push your body to the limit but this should be done only during the third or second week before the competition. The most important part about the overtraining is that it should immediately be followed by the taper because it is during the taper when the adaptation occurs. Without the taper, the body will not be able to recover and this can lead to serious injuries or overtraining.

This kind of training can also be adapted for shorter races but this is more important for long races. A lot of people may get away with doing a 10-km without much training (that's me!) but the marathon is entirely a different thing altogether and should be planned carefully. That can mean looking at the Takbo.ph calendar and looking at the possible races for 2009 so that you can carefully lay out your training program.

How to warm up and warm down

I have this mistaken notion that warming up is only for those who will be running the marathon. That is defined as a long distance run of 26 miles, 385 yards, or 42.195 km. How greatly mistaken I am. On the contrary, warming up is actually geared more for those who will be running short distances than for the marathoners. Surprise!

You see, the purpose of warming up is to actually prepare your body for that sudden burst of energy. It increases your muscle temperature so it can do its function better , which is contraction and relaxation. It also increases blood flow so that blood can continue to bring oxygen to the different parts of your body especially where it is needed the most,....our muscles for running. Have you ever experienced muscle cramps? Well, it is not just due to lack of stretching, but mainly it is due to production of lactic acid, a toxic waste product of anaerobic metabolism. Sounds like a lot of hype?! I would not want to delve into biochemistry here. Let us keep this simple. You just have to know that lactic acid can cause you fatigue and muscle cramps.

If you are running less than half a marathon (21 km), then you SHOULD warm up 20-30 minutes before the race. Why? Because it will take time for your body to get well-oiled for that short run and the sudden burst of energy will cause the body to shift to anaerobic metabolism which will in turn lead to easy fatigue. How intense should be your warm up? Start with a slow jog and gradually increase pace just up to that intensity where you can still do the Talk Test. Then stretch for 5-10 minutes then continue with running at an easy pace until 5 minutes before the race starts.

For those who are doing longer runs, however, you do not need to do as much warm up because what you want to avoid is the depletion of your glycogen stores. Meaning you want to conserve as much energy as you can for that long hurdle. You may just want to do a light jog, nothing of great intensity, for a shorter duration.

What about warming down? I guess a lot of you out there are guilty of not doing a warm down. After approaching the finish line, you just want to be with your friends, drink your sports drink and exchange anecdotes. But a warm down is just as essential as a warm-up for those who ran distances less than the half-marathon. Again, another surprise!

The purpose of a warm down is to eliminate the toxic wastes from your body. So you need to keep moving in a slow pace (jog or brisk walk) for 10-15 minutes and allow the blood to wash off the metabolic wastes that were produced during your heavy exertion. This will help your body recover faster, otherwise, the sudden halt will also bring down your metabolic rate abruptly and this will cause the waste products to remain in your system. The warm down also prevents the dizziness from occuring because it will keep the blood from pooling into your legs which can make you wobbly. As for the marathoners, warming down may just consist of continuous movement for a while since only a few would still have that energy left to do a jog or a brisk walk.

Basic Training Concepts 2nd round

I guess by now you have already assimilated the first seven basic training concepts. Good for you! Let me continue with the remaining seven.

8) Maintenance

Some countries have off-season for running competition so those who live in these countries tend to stop training during these seasons. Maintenance simply means to continue on doing your running program even when it's off season. Since I am new to running, I am not sure if there is an off-season in the Philippines at all. I'd presume not. Perhaps there may just be cancellation of scheduled races when a typhoon hits the country but other than that, I'd say races tend to be scheduled year-round. If weather restricts your running on your usual outdoor track, hit the gym instead, just to keep up with your programme.

9) Listen to your body

I think this is the most consistent admonition that I encounter in running books. All runners must learn to listen to their own bodies before, during and after training. There is a big difference between the usual soreness that you feel after a hard workout and a specific pain in a specific part of the body. The latter needs a consult with your physiotherapist or a sports medicine specialist. An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure. You must also know the symptoms of overtraining and learn when to just lie in bed and recover or to hit the tracks.

10) Quality vs. quantity

More does not necessarily mean better. Have a good training plan that will put the right type of training for your particular goal, with the right type of intensity and duration.

11) Goal Setting

Goals should be specific, reasonable and realistic. Do not set to train for a marathon in just four weeks! There are specific guidelines for the duration of training and the frequency with which you train depending on the type of event which you plan to participate in. You can check the table on the left. I'd surmise that the half-marathon event would require a preparation time between 12-16 weeks. It's not specifically stated in the book but you can actually deduce from the other given information in the table. Actually ,I am very guilty of not following this type of guide, since I did not know this existed at all. My first walk-run was for a 10-km event (remember the Men's Health Miracle Run?) and my history for training at that time was archaic, if any. The angels have been very kind to protect me from injuries.

12) Trainability

You may not be consistent with your progress but the key is you should be very patient with yourself.

13) Warming up, warming down

You do warming up before your training and warming down after your training to reduce injuries and improve your performance. I think there's a good material for this and I might tackle this on my next blog.

14) Technique

There are techniques and strategies that may work well for you. Refine these techniques.

Hope these basic training concepts will come in handy for you. My husband and I just recently registered for the Isuzu Shake, Rattle and Run event. I think it's gonna be cool... I mean, literally (!) since it's gonna be a night run. But this time, I will just do the 5-km event. The Adidas King of the Road run last October 11 was extra challenging not just for the run on the flyover of Buendia but for the scorching heat of the sun! Now, I have added to my basic paraphernalia a sports sunglasses and a sunblock. The Spyder eyewear is nice because it is not so expensive, not so heavy and you won't mind your sweat soaking the rims.

I hope the Night Run is just as prompt as the Adidas KOTR event. My husband and I were really impressed with the organizers of the KOTR. Our salutes to them!

Basic Training Concepts

Now that my husband and I have been monitoring the races that are being scheduled, I wanted to have a more laid-out plan for my running so I can improve my performance in races (in terms of personal best) as we go along.

I got this book by Jon Ackland, The Complete Guide to Endurance Training and I would like to share with you the 14 Basic Training Concepts that I found quite interesting:

1) Specificity

This simply means you have to be very specific in your training. It should simulate your racing performance as much as possible. So if your goal is to run a 5-km in 30 minutes, then that should be the pattern for your training. The closer you get to the day of the race, the closer should be the simulation. I think that really makes a lot of sense!

2) Frequency

This I find easy to do. It simply means being consistent with my running schedule. I usually run 3x a week now for 30-40 minutes with a day or two of recovery intervals. That is far better than running for 1 and a half hour once or twice a week. You cannot cram with running as you cram for your exams.

3) Overload

This simply means "do not baby yourself"! The only way that the body can adapt to greater stress is to increase your load each time your body has already adapted to the current workload. Nothing static about training for running here. It is increasingly dynamic.

4) Recovery

Do not kill yourself either! The best way to gain improvement is to provide for periods of recovery. It is said that the period of adaptation happens while the body is undergoing recovery. So if you do not rest, you will not improve!

5) Reversibility

What you gain now is not permanent. Once you stop training, you will lose what you have gained thus far because it is reversible. Do not expect to maintain those firm abs when you assume a couch potato profile.

6) Flexibility

Do not be obsessive-compulsive when it comes to your training schedule. Of course, typhoons will sometimes visit the country. Stay at home rather than risk being struck by a lightning or a falling tree. Try to weave your training into your schedule which will not compromise your work, family or your health.

7) Adaptability

It simply means your training should be gradual and continuous for more effective body adaptation. Do not rush! You will not run out of races anyway.

I shall continue with the remaining seven basic training concepts on my next blog, lest you get diarrhea and indigestion from information overload. Besides, my little one is already clamoring for my attention.

Oh, Is There Such a Thing as Overtraining Syndrome?

Most running enthusiasts love running because of the feeling of high after a run. They say that running has improved their overall disposition and that is one of the major reasons why they are hooked up with running. But what if one day, you just suddenly lose all your enthusiasm for running and you feel lethargic all day?

Have you heard of Overtraining Syndrome?

It is essential that all runners have a knowledge of this syndrome because if caught early, a simple rest of 24-48 hours would completely reverse this. However, if this is ignored, then you may have to forego running for 6-12 weeks to recover completely. Can you afford that?

Here, I share with you the symptoms of overtraining as lifted from my favorite book Running for Fitness.

But in order to diagnose overtraining, it is important to have a training log which includes the following information: your weight, the number of hours you sleep, and your pulse rate when you wake up and when you get out of bed.

Symptoms of overtraining:

• increased resting heart rate
• increase in difference between heart rate before and after getting out of bed
• susceptibility to infections, allergies, headaches; swollen glands;
• sharp reduction in training performance; sluggishness;
• lethargy; loss of enthusiasm, energy or drive;
• irritability, loss of concentration;
• insomnia;
• loss of appetite;
• lack of sexual energy and loss of libido;
• rapid weight loss;
• diarrhea and runners' trots.

Author Owen Barder emphasized on the heart rate as a good early warning indicator. If the gap between the heart rate before and after getting out of bed is 5 beats per minute or more when you get up, then you should not train on that day. Remember, haste makes waste.

Stretch, stretch and stretch

This morning I joined the Adidas King of the Road 10-km event. There were 5,000 registered runners. I just don't know if all those who registered actually ran, or just registered for the Adidas singlets that were given away.

Anyway, the event started promptly and for a while, I was in a panic because I still did not get to do my stretching exercises. Fortunately, I was able to find a space in the crowd where I was able to do some stretches. After the 10-km run, I also made sure I did the stretches again right after the run and even when I got home. It totally paid off because I did not feel sore at all. I'm sure the 8 weeks of training also contributed to my conditioning but the stretches were the major keystones. I will share with you some of the key stretches that were discussed in my favorite book Running for Fitness.

There are 8 key stretches for runners: the hamstrings, calves (gastrocnemius and soleus), quadriceps, back, hip flexors, groin and iliotibial band. The right way to do the stretches is to perform the action and to hold the position for 30 seconds before releasing.

1) Hamstrings:lying & standing 2) Gastroc 3) Soleus 4) Quads

5) Lower Back: lying & sitting 6) Hip Flexor 7) Groin 8) Iliotibial Band

According to this book, it is more important to stretch after the run than before the run. The function of stretching is to facilitate muscle recovery, reduce soreness and reduce the risk of injury. So if you want to maintain that running form, don't forget to stretch, stretch and stretch.

Drinking Rules?

Yes, there are rules as to how much and how often you should drink when you are running. It is estimated that you lose half a liter of water for every hour that you run. So you should replenish this. According to Tim Noakes in the book The Lore of Running, you should drink around 500 ml an hour but make sure you do not drink plain water because according to the book Running for Fitness, there are already reported cases of death due to hyponatremia, which means low sodium level in the blood with excessive hydration of plain water. It is therefore recommended that you take those drinks with electrolytes and some form of simple carbohydrates.

If you are joining a race, it is advised that you hydrate yourself prior to the run. Try to stop drinking within 2 hours prior to the run to avoid the urge to urinate during the run. You can drink again just before the start of the run. For those preparing for marathons, it is suggested that you do carbohydrate-loading three days prior to the run. That means eating complex carbohydrates like pasta, rice and bread.

After running, hydrate yourself again and consume carbohydrates within half an hour immediately after. Make sure you urinate within six hours after the run. If you do not urinate after 12 hours, this could mean acute renal failure due to dehydration.

Other Running Apparels and Paraphernalia

What are the recommended running apparels?

Well, if you intend to buy clothes for running, do not buy cottons because according to the book Running for Fitness, when it gets wet, it gets heavy, irritates skin, does not insulate and dries slowly. You can buy the ones made of synthetic materials that are light and easily dries up.

As for gadgets, just go slow on the pocket because there are lots of it out there.

There are those watches with special functions like stopwatch. Just make sure it has a large display for easy visibility, it is water resistant and with easy-to-press button for lap functions. There are the other gadgets like heart rate monitor, pedometer, speed and distance monitors but these are not really all necessary for running though some people cannot do without these.

What I consider necessary for me are a shoe pocket where I put my car keys and a bottle of mineral water for hydration. With my MP4 player or i-pod, I'm good to go. Of course, when the sun is up, I use sunblock or a cap. Those are the basics. The rest, I just consider as mere decorations.

There Are Different Types of Running Shoes?!

I was just talking to another friend of mine who confessed that she really wanted to run, however, she always ends up with a hurting knee after a run that is why she switched to swimming instead.

I told her that it might be because of her shoes which she immediately refutes, declaring that she has a good pair of running shoes. I then explained that some people need to have a special kind of running shoe if they tend to overpronate or oversupinate. This brought a furrow to her forehead. I then realized that not all people who run actually know this. So here goes the different major categories of running shoes to choose from depending on what kind of a runner are you:

The Motion Control is said to be the most aggressive at preventing overpronation. The Stability helps to limit overpronation but not as much as the Motion Control. The Neutral is for the runners who also run neutrally. Lucky people! The Supinators are for the minority who oversupinate. You will not see the difference at first glance but the difference lies within. Those tiny details are built into the shoe which may be invisible to the eye but "visible" to the feet.

Yesterday, when my husband and I went into two Adidas stores to register for the Adidas King of the Road race, I asked whether they can analyze if I am a pronator or supinator. They pointed me to the Trinoma branch which they claim, does that analysis. Though I feel I am a neutral runner, I want to double check just the same because I am currently using NikeFree 5.0iD which has a really great cushion but I think is a Neutral shoes. I run as though I am running barefoot.

Though a good pair can cost quite a bit, the life expectancy of most mid-sole running shoes is somewhere between 480-960 kms. So it is also wise to log your distance to give you an idea when to change your shoes. Some people look at the bottom of the running shoes to see the extent of wear to the outer sole which is actually a common mistake. What is recommended in the book is to check the mid-sole, the spongy layer between the outer sole and your feet because this is the one that hardens and eventually reduces shock absorbency. So try to compress this with your thumb and if this is no longer compressible, you should replace your shoe. A new shoe is less expensive than physiotherapy. Other tips for care of your running shoe is not to put it in washing machine nor to use hot water to clean it.

Now you see, investing in the right pair of running shoes is just as important as having a good running program because this can actually make or break your knees... I mean your running performance. And I thought all along it was just a matter of choosing the right color that goes with my outfit or getting the one that is most comfortable on the foot. This only goes to show that indeed little knowledge is a dangerous thing.

Overpronator or Oversupinator?

When I was still not into running, my friend Ciela mentioned something about having her feet analyzed in a sports store to know whether she overpronates or oversupinate. I never heard about such a thing as pronation and supination in running. I thought it was just a marketing strategy for shoe stores. However, after reading something about it in Running for Fitness, I saw how important it can be for you to know if you overpronate or oversupinate because it will help in the choice of your running shoes. Here's how...

How do you run? It involves two basic movement of the feet. The pronation and supination. Pronation is when the heel hits the ground and the foot naturally rools in from the outside. This helps to absorb the impact of running. On the other hand, supination happens just before the take-off phase of running when the foot rolls back towards the outside. Some people tend to overpronate, that is, their feet roll in too much which makes the knee bend in across the center of the body towards the other leg. In the same way, some people tend to oversupinate, however there are more overpronators in the population than oversupinators. Overpronation and oversupination can cause injuries like stress in the ankle and Achilles tendon, knee pain, hip strains, torn hamstrings, pain in the lower back and overuse injuries.

So how do you check for overpronation? Again, let me lift it right from the page of the book:

1) Stand in front of a full-length mirror, barefoot, on one leg, with your hands behind your back, and your toes facing forwards;

2) Keeping your pelvis level and your back straght, slowly bend the leg on which you are standing;

3) Your knee should go straight forwards, over your second toe. If it bends in towards the other leg, past the big toe, then you probably over-pronate when you run.

N.B. There is also a hi-tech way of doing this. I just recently visited an Adidas store in Trinoma and I asked if they can diagnose if I overpronate. They made me run over a huge tablet which was connected to a computer and that registered my foot imprint as it landed on the tablet. I am glad to know that I am one of the fortunate ones who run in a neutral way.

Now, how does this relate to your footwear? Would you believe that there are now different categories of running shoes depending on whether you are an overpronator or oversupinator?

Check out my next blog entry on There are Different Types of Running Shoes?!

Injury? Heaven Forbid!

I was surprised to read that most beginners get injured during the first 6 months of running. And guess what the two most common culprits for these minor injuries?

First is trying to do too much and second is wearing the wrong kind of shoes.

I can just totally relate to the first reason. When you finally decide to take up running, you get so fired up and want to do it everyday, hoping that you can make up for the lost time. Sometimes, you also want to increase your mileage immediately to have that sense of accomplishment. I have to caution you.... do not get tempted to fall into these temptations. Because if you do, you may suffer an injury that will make you unfit to run for months! That will definitely suck!

Here's how to avoid injury when you begin and I lift it right up the page of "Running for Fitness":

1) If you are new to running, walk for the first month;

2) Build up slowly; never increase your mileage by more than two miles or 10 percent, whichever is greater;

3) Get proper running shoes from a specialist running shop;

4) Run on grass or trails rather than roads and pavements if possible;

5) Get advice from experienced runners;

6) Ignore the feeling in your first three months that you could be doing more;

7) See a physiotherapist to get advice on how you might improve your running style

Another practical approach to knowing if you're running too fast is the TALK TEST. I was amazed that there is such a thing as a talk test... How does this work? Well, if you cannot talk in complete sentences during your training runs, you are running too fast.

I have trouble doing this test because I do not want to talk to anybody when I run. I get autistic and I am in a world of my own... there is such great freedom in having your own space, your own time and your own world during that 30-60 minutes work out.

Anyway, why all these advice to be very patient and to pace yourself properly? It's because your body needs to adapt to the regular impact of the ground against your feet. It will not take overnight for your ligaments to strengthen and your muscles to develop.

Below is a sample training program for a complete beginner which you may want to adapt if you are totally new to running. What I used was the training program from Podrunner. My husband chose the podrunner interval because it gives you a program of walking and running intervals just like the one shown below but the 10 week to 5-km program from podrunner seems shorter compared to that of the table. What I do is to closely "listen" to my body and assess how it responds to the training program so I know that I am not pushing myself too much. Just thinking of the months of rest due to injury keeps me very patient and gives me the temperance I need in order to avoid such an unfortunate incident.

Getting Started

I thought that the only thing that I would need to get into running is simply to make that decision that I am going to start running. It came as a surprise to read that there are basic things that you need to do before you start running.

If you are generally healthy, meaning no chest pains, difficulty of breathing on exertion, no other medical conditions, no previous injuries and you are not middle-aged nor older, then you could go ahead and move on and get started. Otherwise, you should see a doctor first and get medical clearance. I agree with this because recently I have heard of many incidents when someone just collapsed and died after getting into a sudden rigorous activity. What's more surprising, even young people (as young as late 20's) have heart attacks. It's not a fable. I am a doctor. These are facts and current observations. So just to be on the safe side, when in doubt, ask your doctor.

Now that you've had your medical clearance, you should have the basic running gear... meaning a good pair of running shoes. Running can be the cheapest sports that you can get involved in. Perhaps the most expensive thing that you need to buy in order to get into running is your running shoes. And for females, it is also important to wear sports bra especially if you're a size C or D. You do not want to look so trim and fit on your belly and have dangling you-know-whats up there. The rest of the running gears are just accessories that will help you run but may not necessarily be that essential for you. As for me, the MP4 player is a must because my running program is from podrunner. My husband downloaded the podrunner interval for 5-km in 10 weeks and this has really helped me to be consistent with the sports. You can get a very cheap MP4 player nowadays. An i-pod is not a must. However, some people wanted to track their running activity through other gadgets like pedometer and the like. As for me, the public oval track with its meter-markings suffices to monitor my distance. I only pay P5.00 to use the facility and I'm good to go. No need to make this new hobby a burden to the family budget. 'Less is more'. That's a favorite saying of my husband. Just keep it simple. The "lower the maintenance", the better.

Jogger, Racer or Runner?

Do you know the difference between a jogger, a racer and a runner? I do.

I know it not because I am a professional runner, which I am not and you know that. I know it because I read it in the book, "Running for Fitness".

The joggers are those who take up the sport because they want to lose weight. They are the ever health conscious advocates of running as a form of exercise. The racers are the evolved joggers who got into a race and suddenly realized there's a world of competition out there. They become conscious of their time and they log down their records diligently. The runners are those who love the sport for all its health benefits and join the race not to outdo anybody but themselves. They run for peace of mind. Who are you?

Would you believe that in just a month of religiously following a 5-km running program (check on the link to podrunner to know about the 5-km program), I have evolved from being a walker... not a jogger, not a racer... mind you, a walker (!)..... into a runner.

I particularly love this paragraph written by George Sheehan in his book Running to Win which makes clear distinction of the above terms: "Jogging, they say is competing against yourself. Racing is competing against others. Running is discovering that competing is only competing. It is essential and not essential. It is important and unimportant. Running is finally seeing everything in perspective. Running is discovering the wholeness, the unity that everyone seeks. Running is the fusion of body, mind, and soul in that beautiful relaxation that joggers and racers find so difficult to achieve."

And guess what? According to Owen Barder, author of Running for Fitness, you only understand the real definition of a runner when you actually experience it first-hand.

I am a runner.

I say this with utmost humility because I know that it is pure grace that I should experience what these two authors defined running to be.

The Miracle Run

I am not a runner. I actually hated running. When I joined the 10-km Miracle Run last August 17, 2008 it was literally a 'miracle' for me. It is my husband who really loves to run and he was the one who pre-registered for the event. As for me, it was a very last minute decision. But for someone who hated running, you should congratulate me for finishing the course.... by walking.

I finished it at 1:41:08.

That's when it all started.

Two days after the event, I was still taking Eperisone Hydrochloride (Myonal), a muscle relaxant and Ibuprofen-Paracetamol (Alaxan) three times a day. I could barely walk straight. Then I decided to learn how to run. And not just that, I decided to learn to love running.
So I searched through my husband's library and saw this book, "Running for Fitness" by Owen Barder. It's just a 154-paged book, nothing to be afraid of. Totally looked harmless to me. It was very easy to carry around so I brought it with me to work. When my friend congratulated me, having heard from my husband that I completed a 10-km venture, I proudly held up the book and showed him my latest book-find.

He looked at me with disbelief and uttered, "Do you really have to read that in order to run?"

That caught me offguard. I did not know that there are actually people who just get into a hobby or a new interest without exerting an effort to read about the stuff. For me, if you are interested in something, you have to read about it and learn as much as possible about the object of interest if you really wanted to get the most out of it. Call me nutty, which I am, if nutty means being very theoretical about things first before putting it into practice.

Reading the book was very informative and I swear, it prevented me from falling into the many pitfalls that beginners tend to get into as they embark in this totally new world of running. For those who dislike opening a reading material which is thicker than a magazine, I welcome you to my blogsite, where I shall share with you little pieces of information about running which shall not cause you indigestion or diarrhea. This is for those who just love to run and do not want to waste their precious time idling around with a thick book on their hand.