Don’t Forget Your Fans

I write a lot of notes to all of you. This one is actually a shout out to your friends and family. Those who show up at your half marathons or marathons to support you. They cheer you on and congratulate you when you accomplish this life-changing event for which you have been training so long. They wear the neon T-shirts so you can find them, and they help us spread awareness about NF. They bundle up, find a good spot on the course and wait for quite literally hours for you to run or walk by.

I can also attest to the fact that they are, for the most part, just a little unfaithful to you too. I have caught them at almost every race cheering and encouraging thousands of runners who are ahead of you. They shout words of encouragement, ring bells and clap for hours. They even lie by telling these runners they look good, or that they’re almost done. They even cheer for those guys wearing the purple TNT shirts! Can you believe it? You should know this! Your friends and family are actually out there for hours before you get there, and probably cheering for all those people who are ahead of you. People who are going to beat you to the finish. The nerve! I hope that you will forgive them for this, but I thought that it’s my duty as your coach and director of this team to let you know what your friends and family are doing behind your back.

Honestly, I cannot say enough about the army of volunteers that I see nearly every week out there helping us spread the word about NF. Your friends and family are one amazing group of people. We all owe them so much. If you have never stood and watched a marathon waiting for a special someone, you should. It’s hard! I mean really hard. Your feet will hurt. Your hands will hurt. Your back will start to ache. You’ll get cold. Your kids will get cranky. I’m not downplaying the effort you’re putting forth. I know it’s probably the hardest thing you’ve ever done, but please know that your support crew is out there giving up their day to stand in the cold, or rain, or snow, or sometimes when we’re really lucky, sunshine, for you.

Thank them! I can’t tell you how many times I stand with families waiting for one of our teammates to come by so they can holler at the top of their lungs, jump up and down in congratulation, only to see their runner nod at them or quickly wave at them. Or, the runner throws a piece of sweaty clothing at them and then goes on plugging away towards that finish line.

Folks, I’ve got some news for you. You are probably not going to win the event. If you think you have a chance, by all means pass your family by without looking back. Don’t wave, don’t high five them, and don’t even say, “hi.” But for the rest of you, (I’d say the other 99.99% of you) take some time to acknowledge those waiting for you. High five them, stop for a picture, and give ‘em a big old sweaty hug. (Little sisters especially enjoy that big old sweaty hug.) I know you can’t stay long. You shouldn’t. BUT, take a few seconds to acknowledge those heroes who are there for you.

And another thing… You’ve trained a long time for that event. You’ve gotten up when you didn’t want to. You’ve done the long runs in the rain. You’ve done your part to get yourself to a point where you can accomplish something you probably thought you’d never do. ENJOY IT! Don’t fall into the mentality that this is the final exam. Think of it as more of the celebration after the exam is done. Relax, find your happy place and enjoy yourself.

I’ll see you on the course.

Steve

Anna’s Six-Pack Circuit

“Small deeds done are better than great deeds planned”
-Peter Marshall

FAQ: Why is core strengthening beneficial for runners and what are the best methods to improve core?

Answer:
It is important to understand that core strengthening refers to creating stability of the entire torso region of the body; the abdominals, back and gluteus. As stated by Michael Boyle, core stability is “the ability to create extremity movement without compensatory movement of the spine or pelvis.” This is extremely important for runners who constantly absorb ground reaction force and must maintain stability of the core, hips and shoulders.

The primary exercise that must be obtained to strengthen the core is activation of the deep abdominals (transverse abdominals). This is first achieved by learning how to perform draw-in exercises, which is simply creating a hollowing effect of the torso by pulling the belly button inward towards the spine. This exercise must set the stage for any other exercise performed for core strengthening.

There are several exercises prescribed to strengthen the core muscles of the body. Remember that while performing each of these exercises it is important to focus on the draw-in exercise to activate the deep abdominals that support the spine.

Try the following exercises in this short video to strengthen the core:

• Lying Scissor Kicks
• Lying Scissor Bicycle kicks
• Sidewinder Twists
• Side Plank with Lift
• Spider Crawl

Are you in the San Diego area? contact Anna for a more personal plan: (Enable Javascript to see the email address)

Looking for Ladybugs

On Sunday, Nov. 1st  NF Endurance will have more than 60 runners on the 2009 ING NYC Marathon course. Team Julia Ladybug will bring eight runners to the ING NYC Marathon in honor of Julia “Ladybug” Perfetti who, at just 7-years-old, has to have an MRI every six months to recheck her brain stem.  Composed of eight of our Endurance teammates, this group has their fundraising goal set at $20,000 for the  Foundation. They are running to raise awareness about neurofibromatosis research. Their motto is: The miracle will not be that we finished, but that we had the courage to start. To learn more, please visit www.teamjuliabug.com.