Last time, we talked about how important it is to stay hydrated, especially during the summer months and especially during activity outside.

The weather so far this spring and summer has been . . . unpredictable to say the least. As runners, we are always dealing with heat and humidity living in the Northeast, but we are now dealing with Air Quality issues thanks to the Canadian wildfires too. Its important to be mindful of these conditions before lacing up and heading out to run.

Jennifer Heiner-Pisano is a New Jersey-based professional who formerly served as the retail director of a high end running specialty store, where she was responsible for a variety of tasks, including inventory control, hiring associates, and more. During her time with the organization, Jennifer Heiner also helped host a variety of races. Throughout her career, she has also been involved in a variety of professional organizations, including the two major New York City running clubs and organizations. There, Jennifer works with runners and volunteers alike in a customer service role to ensure that their experience at races is the best it can possibly be.

An avid runner herself, Jennifer Heiner has been tasked with helping draft training tips for runners participating in some of the aforementioned organizations’ races. Here are some highlights and things to keep in mind when training for a race, whether it is a Half Marathon or a full 26.2.

Believe it or not, we as runners can experience a noticeable decline in performance with as little as 2% fluid loss. When fluid loss exceeds 2%, performance rapidly deteriorates, and the rate of fluid absorption from the intestines decreases even further once you reach 4% fluid loss, making it nearly impossible to counteract while you’re running.

Nutrition and running experts alike recommend the following to ensure you’re staying hydrated throughout your run, and throughout your day!

1. Start your hydration BEFORE you run. Make sure you are drinking an adequate amount during the day based upon your body weight and activity level.
2. Carry water with you when you run, especially if your route doesn’t have adequate water stops. Many supplements or additives are also available, which can add some much-needed electrolytes to your hydration routine.
3. Plan on running when the effect of dehydration will be at its lowest — either earlier in the morning or later in the evening when the sun isn’t at its strongest or hottest. Just remember to be safe if you are going out in the dark.

Also keep in mind that what works for one runner won’t necessarily work for another — practice your hydration routine now, well in advance of race day, so that you get yourself to the start line and through the race in the best shape possible.

However, a recent study was published about the pros and cons of water fasting. Keep in mind that this is not for everyone and not for athletes who are engaging in activities that are going to lead to hydration. Please use your best judgment and consult your own doctors!

https://www.healio.com/news/primary-care/20230712/qa-pros-and-cons-to-water-fasting?utm_source=selligent&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=news&M_BT=3449163138025

Q&A: Pros and cons to water fasting

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Key takeaways:

• Consuming nothing but water can cause significant weight loss but without sustained metabolic benefits.
• One researcher said the practice seems to be safe but comes with risks.

Water fasting offers clinically significant weight loss, but metabolic benefits seem to be short-lived, according to an expert.

Krista Varady, PhD, a professor of nutrition at the University of Illinois, Chicago, and colleagues wrote in Nutrition Reviews that water fasting — the practice of consuming little to nothing but water — has grown in popularity recently.

So, Varady and colleagues conducted a narrative review to summarize the effects that prolonged water fasting might have on various metabolic health measures like weight, glycemic control, blood pressure and more.

Healio spoke with Varady to learn more about water fasting, the difference medical supervision can make and more.

Healio: What is water fasting? Why do people decide to do this?

Varady: I didn’t really realize how popular this was up until probably last fall, when I started getting a lot of journalists who were contacting me about prolonged water fasting. I think it might have gotten popular because intermittent fasting became popular 5-ish years ago, and intermittent fasting — where people have a shortened window of time per day [to eat] — definitely works for weight loss. But it’s not a crazy amount of weight loss. It’s usually 2% or 3% over the course of 6 months. So, I’m guessing maybe people are trying to boost their weight loss by just eating nothing for 5 to 20 days or so. In general, water fasting involves eating very little food, like 250 calories per day. Usually it’s a juice, or a soup, or no food at all, then just consuming water. That’s what’s been tested in the literature.

It seems like a lot of celebrities or athletes are doing this now, so since I was getting so many questions about it … I thought I should do a formal data synthesis to figure out what’s really going on with these diets. So that’s what we did.

Healio: Is there any medical benefit to this?

Varady: I think in the short term, definitely, yes. People lose anywhere from 2% to 10% of their body weight and then blood pressure tends to almost always go down with these diets — probably because their salt intake has gone down. And then people sometimes see improvements with decreases in the bad cholesterol, LDL cholesterol. Sometimes, fats go down so triglyceride levels go down too. And it’s also been shown to help out with some diabetes risk indicators, so it decreases glucose levels, insulin levels and insulin resistance.

So yeah, I think there is benefit. But then in any of the studies that look at what happens after you’ve done the water fast … they all found that none of those metabolic benefits were maintained, even if people maintain their weight loss, which was interesting. So short-term metabolic benefits? Yes. Long term? I don’t think so.

Healio: What are the pros and cons?

Varady: It definitely works for weight loss. I think the first 2 to 3 days … are pretty difficult, but then once the ketone levels are high enough, that kind of shuts off your hunger response. I think it does become a little easier after 3 or 4 days of fasting, so I think that’s one of the benefits. And if people can maintain the weight loss, that’s great, but I think we need more studies showing what the long-term effects on body weight are.

It would be super difficult to socialize doing this. I don’t know what you do when you’re sitting with your family or going out with friends for dinner. Do you just sit there, drink water, tea or something? I’m assuming it would just make you kind of have to stay at home because, when you’re fasting, being around people who are eating is pretty difficult. It makes you want to eat, just being around that. So, I think socializing would be difficult. I think the hunger in the first couple of days would be really tough, too. It seems like it’d be really hard to cope with the hunger issues.

Healio: After completing this research, what is your conclusion? Would you recommend this any patients?

Varady: I probably wouldn’t, honestly. I’m a little bit biased though, because I study intermittent fasting … and with that diet, we’re noticing that people lose weight — we usually see about 5% of body weight loss over a year — and then they actually keep it off as well and then they tend to notice a few metabolic benefits as well that are sustained. So, I would probably do that instead.

I worry that if people are doing water fasting on their own and have any medical conditions, it could be really dangerous. People with type 2 diabetes and type 1 diabetes, if they do this without their doctor and without modifying all their medications … they could pass out from hypoglycemia. So, I would probably not recommend it.

But you know, if somebody wants to do it for 2 to 3 days, I guess go ahead, but definitely not without medical supervision long term. Also, probably not just because we don’t even know the long-term effects and, right now, the minimal amount of research we have is pointing toward no sustained metabolic benefits.

Healio: What should primary care providers tell patients who are asking about this? What should they take away from your study?

Varady: It does result in weight loss, but it’s probably pretty difficult for people to do. Also, there’s not actually a ton of safety issues, which I was surprised by. A lot of these studies were medically supervised, so I think that’s why we didn’t see many adverse events. When they’re medically supervised, they can be safe. But I definitely wouldn’t recommend people do this on their own. And as I mentioned before, people can do it for weight loss if they wanted, but I probably wouldn’t do it if you’re looking to lower your cholesterol levels or blood pressure long term, because there’s no data showing that it works long term.

Healio: Is there anything else that you would like to add?

Varady: The study showed that it resulted in a lot of muscle mass loss even though this was only measured in a couple of different studies. That’s pretty concerning. How much muscle mass you have dictates your calorie needs. It’s the main thing that drives what your resting metabolic rate or your metabolism is, basically, so the fact that people lost so much muscle mass is definitely concerning.

Also, as people get older, they tend to lose muscle, which can make people kind of frail, so I probably wouldn’t recommend it for older people — people over the age of 50 or 60.

The weather so far this spring and summer has been . . . unpredictable to say the least. As runners, we are always dealing with heat and humidity living in the Northeast, but we are now dealing with Air Quality issues thanks to the Canadian wildfires too. Its important to be mindful of these conditions before lacing up and heading out to run.

Jennifer Heiner-Pisano is a New Jersey-based professional who formerly served as the retail director of a high end running specialty store, where she was responsible for a variety of tasks, including inventory control, hiring associates, and more. During her time with the organization, Jennifer Heiner also helped host a variety of races. Throughout her career, she has also been involved in a variety of professional organizations, including the two major New York City running clubs and organizations. There, Jennifer works with runners and volunteers alike in a customer service role to ensure that their experience at races is the best it can possibly be.

An avid runner herself, Jennifer Heiner has been tasked with helping draft training tips for runners participating in some of the aforementioned organizations’ races. Here are some highlights and things to keep in mind when training for a race, whether it is a Half Marathon or a full 26.2.

Believe it or not, we as runners can experience a noticeable decline in performance with as little as 2% fluid loss. When fluid loss exceeds 2%, performance rapidly deteriorates, and the rate of fluid absorption from the intestines decreases even further once you reach 4% fluid loss, making it nearly impossible to counteract while you’re running.

Nutrition and running experts alike recommend the following to ensure you’re staying hydrated throughout your run, and throughout your day!

1. Start your hydration BEFORE you run. Make sure you are drinking an adequate amount during the day based upon your body weight and activity level.
2. Carry water with you when you run, especially if your route doesn’t have adequate water stops. Many supplements or additives are also available, which can add some much-needed electrolytes to your hydration routine.
3. Plan on running when the effect of dehydration will be at its lowest — either earlier in the morning or later in the evening when the sun isn’t at its strongest or hottest. Just remember to be safe if you are going out in the dark.

Also keep in mind that what works for one runner won’t necessarily work for another — practice your hydration routine now, well in advance of race day, so that you get yourself to the start line and through the race in the best shape possible.

Recently, the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) recently published an article regarding how to know whether or not you are staying hydrated while running.

How to Know If You’re Staying Hydrated While Running | HSS

How to Know If You’re Staying Hydrated While Running

Dehydration can be a serious issue for runners. HSS sports nutritionist Heidi Skolnik explains the signs of dehydration and shares tips for working fluids into daily and workout routines.

Taking in enough fluids each day is important for everyone, regardless of your level of activity. While individual needs vary, the National Academy of Sciences recommends 2.7 liters a day for women and 3.7 liters a day for men. “This number includes both beverages and other fluids as well as fluid your body processes from foods like veggies and fruit,” says Heidi Skolnik, MS, CDN, FACSM, sports nutritionist at the Women’s Sports Medicine Center at HSS, adding that 20 percent of our fluid needs come from food. This leaves approximately 9 cups of fluids for women and 13 cups for men that still need to be consumed each day.

www.hss.edu

Hydration is particularly important for runners. “Running and sweating increases the amount of fluid we need,” says Skolnik. This can potentially lead to dehydration, which can cause symptoms including headache, rapid heartbeat and fatigue—and it can also slow you down during your run. “Dehydration is influenced by multiple factors, including temperature and humidity, the length and intensity of your run, your body weight and your own personal sweat rate,” adds Skolnik. She offers these tips to help keep dehydration from derailing your progress.

How to tell if you’re not getting enough fluids

Thirst is an obvious sign that you need more fluids. But “as we get older, our thirst sensation may lesson,” says Skolnik. “As we exercise and we dehydrate, our thirst mechanism may not keep up.”

One way to check whether you need more fluids is to consider your pee. If you pee less often, a lesser amount than usual, or it’s darker than straw yellow, that indicates you’re dehydrated, she says.

Another way to monitor your fluid intake when running that can also give you a better sense of your personal sweat rate is to weigh yourself before and after you run. Make sure you have minimal clothing on (“Nude is even more accurate,” Skolnik says) when weighing yourself and noting your “before” weight. After your run, wipe the sweat off your body, then take your “after” measurement. “Make sure to add back to your ‘after’ weight any fluid you had while running,” she says.

For example, say you ran for 90 minutes, and you weighed 164 pounds before your run and 163 pounds after. During your run you drank 8 ounces of water. Adding the 16 ounces from the pound you lost, as well as the 8 ounces of water you drank, adds up to 24 ounces of total sweat loss. Dividing that number by the time you spent running will leave you with your sweat rate. “If you’ve lost more than 2 to 3 percent of your body weight in sweat during your run, it’s time to be more strategic about your fluid intake while running,” Skolnik says.

When and how much to drink

Getting enough fluids during your run is just one part of the equation. “You’ll have a much easier time staying hydrated if you make it a part of your overall fueling plan,” Skolnik says. Just keep in mind that more is not better. “Overconsuming water will not make you more hydrated, and can actually be harmful,” she explains, as your kidneys will note you have reached your limit and signal you to pee more.

On a daily basis:

• Have a glass of water (or more based on your needs and patterns) when you wake up, before you go to bed and with each snack or meal. “The body absorbs fluid better when our stomach is partially full,” Skolnik says.
• Keep a water bottle with you during the day and take sips frequently as, again, your body will absorb this better than waiting and drinking a lot at one time.

Before, during and after your run:

• Have about 6 to 16 ounces of water about 1 to 2 hours before running.
• Based on your own personal sweat rate from the above calculation, divide how much you lose per hour by three or four. Try to try to drink this amount every 15 to 20 minutes during your run to match your fluid loss, Skolnik says, especially on long runs. “If you are a heavy sweater, you may not be able to be exact, so just try to minimize the amount lost.”
• For every pound lost during a run, replace it with 24 ounces of fluid. Depending on the length of your run, Skolnik says, it may also be helpful to have a recovery snack that includes some protein and carbohydrates along with fluid. “This can in the form of a smoothie or shake or can be as simple as a yogurt and banana or bar along with fluid.” Make sure on long runs that you include sodium, which is essential for fluid balance.

What to drink

All beverages count toward your fluid needs, says Skolnik, including juice, milk, plain or flavored seltzers, herbal tea and even caffeinated teas and coffee. “If plain water bores you, try adding some berries, sage, or cucumber slices to a pitcher of water and letting them soak overnight, and you’ll have flavor infused water to sip on throughout the day,” she suggests.

During your runs, cool or cold water is always a good option, especially on runs less than 60 minutes. Sports drinks provide carbohydrates to help delay fatigue and electrolytes to help with fluid balance. This is particularly important when your run is longer (more than 60 to 90 minutes), unusually intense, or in extreme conditions, such as high temperatures or altitude, Skolnik says. Sodium, an electrolyte that is essential to fluid balance, is extremely important to take in along with fluids when sweating heavily.

Another fun tidbit is that the stomach is also trainable and adapts with practice. “You actually can train your gut to maximize absorption and help you run strong,” Skolnik says. As your miles increase, make it a habit to up your fluid and carbohydrate intake as well. When running for more than one hour, coordinate hydration (including sodium) with fueling, she advises. “‘Chunking’ your runs into 15-to-20-minute segments and starting hydration and fueling early will help you stay ahead of your needs.”

Jennifer Heiner long worked for a New Jersey-based running company as retail director. In that position, she was responsible for operations at the three (soon to be four) commercial locations for the high-end performance apparel brand. Furthermore, she worked directly with the company’s founders on matters of business expansion and strategy. A few of her daily responsibilities include hiring, inventory control, and productivity optimization. Jennifer Heiner was also involved with race directing and coaching at the five annual races hosted by the company.

Currently, Jennifer Heiner works part time for a New York City based running company, assisting with customer service issues and in race-day production. Running races, and marathon season, is back in full swing for the summer. Unfortunately for Jennifer Heiner-Pisano, training has been rather stop and start over the past 5–6 years, as she has battled cronic pain due to several congenital issues, as well as a broken ankle (and two subsequent ankle surgeries).

While Jennifer Heiner has taken a drug free approach to treating her chronic pain, many turn to opiods and medicinal marijuana to help the side effects of these long-term and often life-long conditions. A recent article by Helio explores how marathon running can lead to foot injury and damage.

The article reads in full:

“

Published results showed that marathon running may be associated with extrinsic foot muscle damage and changes to longitudinal foot arch height.

“These results suggest that the damage induced by prolonged running was less prominent in the intrinsic foot muscles than in the extrinsic muscles,” Mako Fukano, MD, of the College of Engineering at Shibaura Institute of Technology in Japan, and colleagues wrote in a study published in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports.

Fukano and colleagues utilized MRI to evaluate intrinsic and extrinsic foot muscle damage, as well as longitudinal foot arch height changes in 22 collegiate runners following the completion of a marathon. Researchers measured the transverse relaxation time (T₂) of the abductor hallucis (ABH), flexor digitorum brevis (FDB), quadratus plantae (QP), flexor digitorum longus (FDL), tibialis posterior (TP) and flexor hallucis longus (FHL) both before the marathon and at 1, 3 and 8 days after the marathon.

Fukano and colleagues found that T₂ measurements for QP, FDL, TP and FHL significantly increased on day 1 after the marathon. The T₂ measurements of TP continued to increase up to day 3 after the marathon, according to results. In addition, researchers found a direct correlation between T₂ changes in FDL and FHL with corresponding longitudinal foot arch height ratio.

“This study demonstrated that marathon-induced damages appear as T₂ increase in the FDL, TP, FHL and QP, and can provide the basis for developing better recovery schemes focusing on these muscles before resuming daily training for runner’s conditioning and/or injury prevention,” the authors wrote in the study.”

https://www.healio.com/news/orthopedics/20230530/marathon-running-may-be-associated-with-foot-muscle-damage-arch-height-changes?utm_source=selligent&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=news&M_BT=3449163138025

It is probably the most commonly asked question by non-runners to runners – how are your knees? Runners roll their eyes every time they get asked this question, because for most of us, knee issues simply are not a thing just because we run. Healio also explored this topic recently:

“

Moderate-distance runners and non-runners alike demonstrate similar rates of radiographic knee osteoarthritis, according to systematic review data published in the Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine.

The researchers additionally concluded that non-runners in fact experience a significantly higher prevalence of knee pain, as well as possibly a higher risk for total knee replacement, compared with runners.

“This is kind of a classic question that we get from patients all the time,” Matthew J. Kraeutler, MD, of the department of orthopedics and sports medicine at Houston Methodist Hospital, in Texas, told Healio. “Patients come in with early arthritis of the knee joint and they say, ‘Can I keep running, will running make my knee worse?’ and we wanted to answer that question.”

To determine if runners have a higher incidence of knee pain or OA compared with nonrunners, Kraeutler and colleagues conducted a systematic literature review of the PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane Library databases through Oct. 3, 2021. The search was conducted using the terms “knee and osteoarthritis and (run or running or runner).” Studies that evaluated the impact of running on knee OA formation, or the accumulation of chondral damage, based on imaging or patient-reported outcomes were included. Studies were excluded if they did not evaluate knee damage, investigated knee damage in non-humans or were not in English.

Outcomes of interest included patient-reported and radiological outcomes. Two of the included studies used the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score. Another study used the Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index to report patient-reported outcomes. Regarding radiographic evidence, studies used the Kellgren-Lawrence scale, MRI T2 mapping, the MRI Osteoarthritis Knee score, the Ahlback criteria and the Osteoarthritis Research Society International Atlas.

The researchers included a total of 17 studies, representing 7,194 runners and 6,947 non-runners, in their analysis. Overall, there was a “significantly higher prevalence” of knee pain in the non-runner group, compared with runners (P < .0001), the researchers wrote. Although a single study demonstrated higher levels of osteophytes in the tibiofemoral and patellofemoral joints in the runner group, “multiple” studies showed no real difference in the presence of radiographic knee OA, based on MRI, among runners vs. non-runners. Additionally, one study showed that nonrunners had an increased risk for requiring total knee replacement compared with runners (P = .014).

“The main takeaway here is that in moderate-distance runners, there is no evidence for a higher incidence of knee pain, knee OA, or a need for total knee arthroplasty at some point in life,” Kraeutler said. “In fact, there is actually some evidence that there is a lower risk for generalized knee pain in runners compared to non-runners. I think you need to look at the overall health benefits of running, and not just the effects of running on the knee joint itself. Runners are generally going to have a normal BMI and have an overall better state of health.”

PERSPECTIVE

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David A. McLain, MD, FACP, MACR

Osteoarthritis is a leading cause of worldwide disability, with OA of the knee and hip accounting for much of it. It is estimated that 250 million people globally have OA of the knee, more than half of whom are of working age (younger than 65 years). OA is associated with activity-related pain, which makes activity, particularly exercise, a difficult proposition. Physical inactivity, however, is an underappreciated causal factor of many chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and dementia, all of which are associated with chronic low-grade inflammation.

Physical activity and exercise therapy not only improve symptoms and functional impairments in OA, but are also effective in preventing at least 35, and treating at least 26, chronic conditions, with one of the potential working mechanisms being exercise-induced anti-inflammatory effects. Convincing evidence from more than 50 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in knee OA, and 10 RCTs in hip OA, supports the efficacy of land-based — as opposed to aqua-based — exercise therapy in reducing symptoms and impairments.

Aqua-based therapy also works but is less effective than land-based exercise. Compared to the two most common pharmacological pain relievers, exercise therapy seems to be at least as effective as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and two to three times more effective than acetaminophen, in reducing pain in knee OA. Biochemical analyses have been performed in the OA mouse and rat models, and have shown an increase in beneficial factors with exercise (IL-10, TGF-β, maresin-1, and collagen type I and II) and a decrease in detrimental factors with exercise (TRAIL, NF-κB p65, MMP-13, IL-1 β, IL-6, TNF-a, caspase-3, and NLRP3), all in articular cartilage. 

Exercise can even change gene expression by micro-RNA transcription. The old expression that “exercise is medicine” has a basis in research. Muscle strengthening and programs that include combinations of strength, flexibility and aerobic exercises are more beneficial for pain and disability than general activity (eg, walking).

In my own practice, I have been remiss in recommending an exercise program for knee and hip OA supervised by a physical therapist that has the correct “dose” — or frequency, duration and intensity — of supervised and home activities. The present study’s analysis of running shows that even this level of activity does not promote OA.”

https://www.healio.com/news/rheumatology/20230412/rates-of-radiographic-knee-osteoarthritis-similar-between-runners-nonrunners

Based in Teaneck, New Jersey, Jennifer Heiner serves as a retail director at a New Jersey running company, and is an avid runner who has competed in six marathons (and counting!). Jennifer Heiner volunteers with the New York Road Runners, and has helped organized numerous group training runs with local running clubs, which are focused on preparing runners for the New York City Marathon. She has also helped numerous friends and family members get ready for smaller, shorter races, which is a great way to introduce someone to the sport and work their way up for training for a full length marathon.

Based in Teaneck, New Jersey, Jennifer Heiner serves as a retail director at a New Jersey running company, and is an avid runner who has competed in six marathons. Jennifer Heiner volunteers with the New York Road Runners, and has helped organized numerous group training runs focused on preparing runners for the New York City Marathon. More recently, several of Jennifer Heiner’s friends enlisted her help to get themselves in shape for springtime races, which includes a training program consisting of various types of runs and workouts, strength, and PT focused band work to round out the training.

Recently, the Six Minute Mile included in its weekly newsletter information on some drills that can help runners with speed and explosiveness.

Minute 1: How plyometrics boost running efficiencyIf we told you there is an easy way to improve your running economy by about 4% – and it doesn’t involve a new pair of $250 shoes – you’d probably want us to hum a few bars of that happy tune. This new piece from Trail Runner says that plyometric exercises could be the key to improving your economy: “The Quest for a Simpler Way to Boost Running Efficiency.” Moves like box jumps and single leg hops can increase tendon stiffness, which many experts believe is a driving force behind running efficiency. That’s just the start of what they have to offer, according to the “9 benefits of doing plyometrics workouts no matter how fit you are.” Explosive exercises can increase the maximum force your muscles can generate instantaneously. That translates to a higher top speed for runners. For more ideas, check out this video: “5 Drills to Build Athletic Explosiveness.” Just be sure you don’t overdo it during a plyometric session, because less is more: “How many reps for Plyometrics?” To get the most out of your plyo, you want to be close to your max output with every rep. That means a quality over quantity approach could be most effective, and these moves aren’t the kind of exercise you should be performing to failure all the time.#RunningEconomyStimulus

Six Minute Mile, May 24th Email Newsletter

In addition to plyometrics outlined above, speed work is critical for runners to get faster and stronger for racing season, according to Jennifer Heiner-Pisano.

Some of Jennifer Heiner’s favorite workouts are:

1. Progression Run or “Cutdown Run” — this one starts with a mile warm up, and then increases in pace in sets of two miles, starting from a comfortable aerobic pace down to half marathon or 10K pace, concluding with a mile of easy cooldown. For example, 1 mile warm up, then miles 1–2 at 8:50–8:40; miles 3–4 at 8:30–8:20; miles 5–6 at 8:10–8:00, and miles 7–8 at 7:50–7:40; followed by a mile of easy cooldown. These workouts are hard because you need to CONCNTRATE to make sure you are hitting the assigned paces without going too fast or too slow, and without wanting to stop.
2. Tempo Runs — there are many variations of a tempo run, but again we start with a warm up easy mile, and then the middle miles are all at increased effort, and the pacing usually depends on what race you are training for. If you are training for a marathon, the tempo miles should be run FASTER than your goal marathon pace; if you are training for a half marathon, the tempo miles should be closer to 10K pace; all of this is followed by a cool down mile. One variation of a tempo run is to do 3×1 miles (3 one mile segments at tempo) with a prescribed “rest” period in between the tempo miles, whether its for 2 minutes, or a 1/4 mile, to gain some recovery between reps. This is especially helpful earlier in a training cycle when the speed and endurance may not be at max capacity yet.
3. Ladder workout on a track (or any straight, flat road or path you can find) — increasing distances up and down a ladder, paces will naturally get easier the further the distance, and then increase in pace again on the way down; 200, 400, 800, 1200, 1 mile; 1 mile, 1200, 800, 400, 200. Again, as with the tempo run above, some active or passive recovery in-between reps to allow the runner to recover for the next rep.

A passionate running enthusiast in Teaneck, Jennifer Heiner formerly served as a retail director for a New Jersey running company. She currently is an inside sales rep for a small company in North Jersey. Outside of the professional arena, Jennifer Heiner belongs to multiple running organizations including the New York Flyers, the New York Road Runners, and NYCRUNS. Welcoming runners of all skill levels and abilities, these organizations regularly sponsor programs and initiatives to help members in areas that range from marathon training to coached speed work. The New York Flyers have recently provided two different virtual training programs through its Run SMART Project. Despite its name, during the height of the pandemic, the 2020 Summer/Fall Marathon Training Program provided virtual training for general fitness needs and 5k or 10k speed improvement as well as half-marathon or full marathon completion. The program culminated in an optional virtual half-marathon or full marathon on October 31st. The New York Flyers Run SMART Project also recently offered its 2021 Winter Training Program and Spring 2022 Training Program on a virtual basis. Both of these programs feature a 16-week training plan and ongoing coaching support that includes weekly phone calls and monthly video conference workshops.

Similarly, the New York Road Runners along with NYCRUNS offers fully automated programs that are 12 to 20 weeks in length to get you read for your next Half or Full Marathon. These programs collect data from the runners to discern their current level of fitness, and a program written by professional coaches is then tailored to each and every participant’s individual training needs. Jennifer Heiner has completed 6 full marathons and countless half marathons, and strongly recommends utilizing a coach or training program during the course of that training cycle – its best to leave it to the pros so that you can work on your fitness and improve your running in a safe way. Increasing distance or speed too quickly can lead to injury and overtraining – both of which lead to underperforming on race day.

Jennifer Heiner directs retail operations for a New Jersey running company, including performing the human resources function for the company’s retail stores, monitoring inventory, and overseeing customer service satisfaction levels. She also plays a major role in the firm’s sponsorship of five races in the metropolitan area. Prior to taking her current job, she worked as a client services coordinator at a northern New Jersey animal hospital.

An owner of an English bulldog, Jennifer Heiner volunteers much of her time with animal rescue groups. Running an animal rescue is hard work, though it can also be immensely rewarding. Some of the important elements of starting an animal rescue is determining the target animals, how they’ll be boarded and fed before adoption, arranging for medical attention, engaging the services of volunteers, paid staff, and board members, and navigating government regulations both for an animal rescue and a business.

Most animal rescues operate as not-for-profit organizations, a status which must be secured from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), which means that their income isn’t taxed like other businesses. They still incur expenses that must be met. They generate income by seeking contributions from the general public and area businesses by charging adoption and surrender fees.

They try to keep expenses low by recruiting volunteer labor and foster parents when appropriate and entering into partnerships with area veterinarians and animal welfare organizations. For animal lovers with entrepreneurial inclinations, operating an animal rescue might be the ideal career path. For those not oriented to the whole business side of the equation, an alternative option is to get a job working as paid staff for an existing animal rescue.

During the current economic crisis in the post Covid / still Covid world, animal shelters and rescue organizations are struggling. If you cannot provide a monetary donation, fostering a dog is one of the most effective ways to support an animal, short of outright adoption. While representatives of a shelter or rescue can help prepare a foster family prior to taking a specific dog home, there are a few basic considerations families can make on their own.

To begin, foster families should evaluate where a dog will eat, drink, sleep, go to the bathroom, play, train, and so on. Dogs desire this structure, and most humans prefer for dogs to relieve themselves outdoors. Without proper preparation, however, both parties will be confused and accidents are likely to occur. In most cases it is advisable to walk a foster dog when it first arrives, rather than taking the animal directly indoors. An initial walk helps the animal work out any stress or excess energy, while also allowing it to familiarize itself with the general area. Above all else, this walk will serve as an important bonding experience. With this in mind, a dog should also be kept on leash when entering and exploring a household for the first time. Foster families should also determine how responsible they are for the dog’s health. F

amilies should obviously take care of foster animals as they would their own pets, and may need to rush animals to an emergency room in the event of dire medical circumstances. That said, it is important to understand what the protocol is if the dog gets fleas, develops diarrhea, or has other issues, and what the shelter expects from foster families. A few additional tips to follow include minimizing the number of new people the dog meets on its first day (as it will likely already be overly excited and somewhat nervous) and to ensure the planned type of food and feeding schedule lines up with what the animal has grown accustomed to.

Recently, a heartwarming story came out of the Niagra Falls ASPCA, where there is an elderly dog, who was turned in as a stray, and left unclaimed. Lloyd, as the dog is named, has end stage kidney disease and the shelter staff does not anticipate he will be adopted prior to his passing. Therefore, they are asking people to foster him for the day, shower him with love, and show him a good time until his final day.

https://www.wkbw.com/news/local-news/niagara-spca-receives-outpouring-of-support-after-request-for-foster-for-ailing-dog