Canadian Running Magazine

Check out my article in the next issue (Dec/Jan) of the Canadian Running Magazine!

Dynamic Forward Plank

“ Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving”-Albert Einstein

Heat Exhaustion

Recently I’ve struggled with bouts of heat exhaustion…this summer has been really hard on those of us training outside for extended periods of time
I have a tendency towards overheating to begin with-I’m a salty runner-you can see so much salt on me by the end of activity you might think it snowed.

When is it dangerous to continue activity?
just this past weekend I had intended on completing a 29km run but could only get to 22km. Symptoms were feeling the chills., light headed and feeling like I couldn't get enough fluids

the hard thing about endurance athletes is that we are trained to be mentally tough..long runs are meant to be hard….so when do you know when to stop?
well….it is important to listen to you body...we are bound to sweat profusely in this extreme heat so that on it’s own can’t equate to stopping.
If you notice that you’re no longer able to sweat..your skin is dry and hot…..you’re body thermoregulatory system is no longer able to function efficiency to cool you down. Sweat is your body’s way of cooling itself down.
The other key is starting to feel the chills, lightheadness or dizzy. These are all signs that the body is trying to tell you stop. If you feel like this it is best to get out of the heat, cool your self down gradually ( focus on head, armpits and groin)

On a side note, I recently taught a first aid class to hot yoga instructors-common concern among instructors was how to tell if their participants were experiencing a heat condition. In hot yoga everyone is sweating profusely. So things to look for are when a person looks or feels disoriented, getting the chills, isn’t able to transition from pose to pose smoothly.

What is your snapshot?

Some would agree that if they look at their pictures post-race... it is not a pretty site. For those that are not familiar, Photographers for triathlon and running events usually take picture of every participant as they approach the finish line and during the race for keepsake. Fatigue has set in so you often end up with not the most glamourous shot. Don't be tempted to discard these pictures too quickly-these snapshot's tell a story and can help you prevent injury!
When fatigue sets in your imbalances become more evident as your body tries to compensate to keep centred. You may see that one of your hips drops more on one leg or that one arm crosses your body more, or your knee collapses inwards.
The snapshot can help you pinpoint how your body is compensating, where your imbalances are, where your body is taking in more force or stress. You can take this valuable information from the photo to help work on unwinding the imbalances and help you pinpoint why you may frequently experience knee pain or hamstring strains or achilles tendonitis etc.
So....what is your snapshot?

Dancing in the streets! Happy Hips

I recently joined a cardio salsa class and had the best long run on the weekend. Not only did I have a good time shaking my hips to good music....it helped loosen up by hips for my run.
Dancing feels great for the mind and spirit..but I believe it also will help keep healthy mobility in your hips and build good core strength.
I challenge everyone to turn on your favorite music a couple times a week and dance away-practice moving your hips forward and backwards, side to side and in circles.
You will help nourish your mind and hips!

Get moving to prevent injury!

Most people today have sedentary jobs. The body is meant to move. Even if you're active outside of work, eight hours of sitting each day can easily lead to postural imbalances. The key is to get up frequently throughout the day. Stand, stretch, get a glass of water! Your body will love you for it and will help prevent injury through minimizing postural imbalances.