Winter, 2004
Rosemary Selberg, Editor
CONTENTS
The Holidays are past and even though they may have interrupted our training and we may have eaten too much, all is not lost. There is still plenty of time to pick up where you left off and catch up with the schedule. This is one of the most important functions of the Lopers Club, to encourage you and help you continue your training at this critical time. Yes, it is more difficult. The days are shorter, distances longer and the weather colder. But you can do it! Yes, you can! And we are here to help. When you read this, if you have missed a few Sundays, not to worry. Since last August, you have gained a good running base by faithful and hard work. You don’t want to lose it now. Also, if you know of some of the running/walking buddies in your pace group or other Lopers who have missed some days, please encourage them to resume their training.
I want to congratulate all of you, especially our volunteers, for being so faithful and making this L.A. Marathon Training Clinic one of the best ever. We have a great team that we are especially proud of this year.
Just a few more weeks and all of you will complete your first marathon.
What a thrill to cross that finish line the first time! And what a thrill
it is for us to share it with you!
We have more interesting and informative speakers planned for you on
Sunday mornings. One of them is Coach Pat Connelly of the L.A. Marathon.
So be sure not to miss the programs by leaving early. Oh Yes, we will have
busses available for L.A. and we will provide a sign-up list at the booth.
See you Sunday morning, rain or shine.
by Judy Remele
December 7th finally arrived. After months of planning the Lopers were ready for the 14th Annual Holiday Classic. The day started out a little iffy with the weather, but it didn’t rain. Everyone was there; even the Loper Coyote ( Max Aldridge). Over 1,200 runners, walkers and elves showed up to participate. There were medals and T-shirts for everyone. And many lucky participants went home with great prizes from the drawings. KOLA radio was there, playing all the oldies. Master of Ceremonies, Dave Carreon was the hit of the day with his great sense of humor and crowd appeal.
We had a huge group of the cutest kids running in the Elves Trot, lead by the main elf, Hal Orshall. Did you see his outfit? Hal really got into the Christmas spirit!
125 volunteers gave of their time to assure that the Holiday Classic went smoothly and that the participants were safe out on the road. Thank you to all who gave up Sunday morning to come and help out. There would be no race without you folks.
This year there was an incentive of a cash prize to anyone who could break any of the previous years’ running/walking records. Two people were able to accomplish this: Doug Stephens of Temecula broke his own 15K walk record with a 1:42:14 and Erica Aklufi broke the women’s 5K run record with a 19:47.
Father/daughter Jeff Ambos 42 and Jayme Ambos 18 came in first overall in the 15K run.
The Rotary Club of San Bernardino Crossroad was there in force flipping pancakes and pouring orange juice. They served a terrific breakfast to all the runners and volunteers.
We had some wonderful and generous sponsors this year. Please frequent their business and say “thank you”. The City of Loma Linda, The Press-Enterprise, KOLA 99.9, Loma Linda University Medical Center, The Running Center, Loma Linda Market, J.Z.’s Party Charm, Total Fitness, Geri’s Screen Printing, Star Trac, Unique Gifts, Inland Center Mall, Big Bear Mountain Premium Spring Water, Loma Linda Safety Department and Loma Linda Emergency Services.
Plans are already in the works for next years Holiday Classic event. The date is Sunday, December 5, 2004. Mark your calendar, because it will be another great race.
Terry Wolfe is a 51 year old runner who completed the 15K run. This was the 8th Holiday Classic she has participated in. She says it was one of the best organized races with lots of volunteer effort she has seen. Terry has completed 63 marathons and has been a runner for 9 years. She was also 3rd in her age group today.
Henry Wolfe is a 60 year old runner who came in 2nd in his age group in the 15K run. He has been running for 12 years and has completed 15 marathons.
Kathy Callaway is 72 years old and has been running with the Lopers for 12 of those years. She has completed 72 marathons, and remembers going to Hawaii with Christel and the rest of the gang. She ran the 15K and says the race has something for everyone even the kids. Lopers is a good place to meet people. They teach you the discipline to get out there and run.
Kennie Boeckeler was at the gym at 5am She brought with her about nine home-made coffeecakes for the volunteers which she is in charge of. Then she went out and ran the 15K run and came in 2nd in her age group. She said she got caught up in the good spirit and the feeling of fun and anticapation
If your goal is the LA Marathon then you will have committed yourself by now! If you have stayed on the Loper schedule, are healthy and injury-free, you will do it! It’s pretty much mind-over-matter now. Psychologically, it is becoming more difficult for walkers to stay on track. The mornings are colder and darker, the evenings are worse and it is harder to do the distance on Sundays and be among the last Lopers back to the gym. If you are staying with your pace group, hang together and encourage each other. It is really important to keep healthy now. Try to avoid the flu and get lots of rest. If you do get sick or injured please take it easy and listen to your body! You should have gone enough distance that you may have experienced blisters and other problems with your feet. Remember hearing about moleskin, Blister Block Band Aids, and Body Glide? Start planning now what you may need for the marathon. As a first time marathon walker you will be out there more than 5 hours and you may be there for 7 hours. Get used to it! Find the energy gel, food, and drink that works for you. You do need to carry your own water/fluid replacement as walkers may find water stops closed towards the end. It’s good if you have your support person out there at about Mile 18 with bananas, raisins and extra water. Remember, do not wear anything new for the marathon and prepare for all kinds of weather. I keep a plastic box always packed with everything I might need for a race. I carry it with me to every race (unless I have to fly). It contains everything from rain poncho to extra socks and energy bars. LA has provided rain, wind, cold, heat, sun and cloud (one year we had them all). So, be prepared and you WILL have a great marathon.
I encourage you to try some speed work during your weekday workouts. Join me at the Drayson track on Thursdays and discuss marathon strategy with some veteran walkers. We can help you get to the Finish Line!
As we approach the last 10-12 weeks before the marathon it is a good time to start doing more marathon specific speed work.
Marathon specific would mean that the intervals and repeats should be of a longer distance. The distance should range form half-mile intervals to 5K distance at 10K race pace or better. Yasso 800’s are a very good way to do this marathon specific workout.
Bart Yasso, a contributing writer with Runner’s World Magazine, found that if he could work up to doing ten 800 intervals in 3 minutes and 30 seconds each that he was able to run his marathon in 3 hours and 30 minutes. He would start by running 5-6 800’s and try to increase by one more each week until he was 2-3 weeks out from the marathon.
To do Yasso 800’s (half-miles), one would first warm-up with 10-15 minutes of easy jogging followed by about 3-5 minutes of faster paced running like strides or short sprints to get the lungs used to breathing harder before starting the 800’s.
It just happens that this recommended pace for the 800’s is about 5K race pace and each one would be followed by a jog of the same duration of time that the 800 was run in. In other words, lets say your goal is a 4:22:00 marathon, you would run your 800 in 4 minutes and 22 seconds and then jog for 4 minutes and 22 seconds then do another 800 in 4 minutes and 22 seconds and so on. It is a good idea to start with only about 4-5 800’s and try and add another each week. If you start to fall off your time on the last one then the next time try and raise your time by about 5-10 seconds. You should be able to do the same approximate pace for each 800. Also it is best if you can do about the same approximate distance for each jog instead of each one ending up being less and less distance each time. The most important thing is that the 800 is done at the same approximate time each time. If it starts to fall off then you are either going too fast to begin with or you are not ready to do as many as you tried to do that time.
Other marathon specific workouts could be running 1200 (3/4 mile) intervals or mile intervals. You will have to adjust the pace for these longer intervals and you would not do as many. The total number of quality miles for the workout should equal at least 3 miles if possible. If you find this too difficult then cut it back a little and progress slowly.
Always leave something in reserve when you are done with your workouts. You should not feel as though you have nothing left in the tank. Try and finish each workout feeling as though you could have done a little more.
Make sure that you replenish your glycogen stores by eating 100 – 200 grams of carbohydrates within an hour of your workout. This will keep the legs from having that dead feeling the next day and give you the energy needed for your next workout. After an hour passes your body does not replenish the glycogen as quickly and you may not be ready for your next run. It is also a good idea to have a little protein with the carbohydrates as studies show that a ratio of about 4 parts carbs to 1 part protein provides maximum uptake of glycogen stores in the muscle.
by Rosemary Selberg
All these years I have been walking, I always considered myself a power-walker. Then it happened.
For the past five years, Ron and I have been going to St. George, Utah to participate in the Huntsman World Senior Games. I’ve done the road races while Ron plays in the golf tournament. This year, all that was available during the week we could be there was race-walking events. Soooo, I signed up for two of them and Ron signed up for one. We practiced race-walking around our house, went to Christine’s class at the Drayson Center, and took the race-walking clinic in St George which was held right before the first race. Our pre-race clinic instructors were nationally ranked racewalkers who also participated in the races. This was a sanctioned race-walking event with certified race-walking judges watching every step to ensure that one foot was on the ground at all times and your knee wasn’t bent when it wasn’t supposed to be bent. The first race we’ve been to where the judges even had a dress code. Blazers and ties. Very proper and very intimidating. We were both convinced we would be disqualified due to lack of experience.
The 1500 meter was about to begin and I was out there with about 15 other women in what they call a heat. At first I thought I was at the tail end. I was so concerned about my form and nervous about being watched by those judges. Suddenly, I felt like Seabiscuit. I passed one lady, then another, and another. I’m headed for the finish, almost there when someone else must have felt like Seabiscuit and left me in the dust. However, not only did I not get disqualified, I was the 5th woman in and walked away with the bronze medal in my age group. Was that really Rosemary? Later, it was Ron’s turn. He also accomplished his main objective by not being disqualified and came in 5th in his age group. And the winners? Well, we’ve never seen anyone walk that fast, both the men and women winners in every age group from 50 to 70 had pace times around 7 to 8 minutes per mile. As they say in racewalking, that’s turnover!
The next day Ron had his golf competition. I had a 5K to race-walk. It was held on a little street in Ivans. The same judges were there in the same proper attire. About 25 women lined up to start the race. Off we went. Once again I was consumed about bending my knees or looking foolish or maybe even falling. Wouldn’t that be a nice memory. Back and forth for 3.1 miles. Each walker was assigned a lap counter who tells you how many laps you have done so you know when to quit. I was really feeling tired but I forced myself to keep moving as fast as I could., Surprise!!!. I came in 10th overall and once again took home the bronze medal in my age group. 30 years a power-walker and 2 days a race-walker. I’m confused, but happy. I can’t wait to tell Christine.
Hello fellow Lopers, new and old alike! By new Lopers, I mean new to the club and by old, certainly not old in years! If I’ve learned one thing in my third year with the Lopers, with the exception of Dave Carreon who is as old as the hills, we are all young at heart and if we keep running, walking and leading healthier lifestyles, we get “younger” by the day!
Anyway, let’s talk about the Long Beach Marathon! Earlier in the year, Mike (my better and smarter half) and I decided to run in the Long Beach Marathon, October 12, 2003. We got into town on Saturday, October 11th, an unusually hot and humid day for October. Many recall that in past years, with the ocean breeze and coolness, one can expect running temperatures in the 60s’ and 80s’; but since we were experiencing hot weather throughout Southern California, it is not surprising that Long Beach was hit as well! Much to our dismay, the local merchants and residents were telling us, “Gee, it was nice and cool here yesterday!” I guess they decided to warm the city up for our benefit!
We stayed at the Hyatt Regency, right next to the Long Beach Convention Center and ½ mile from the start and finish line. The view was spectacular! Another treat was that the lead runners from Kenya were staying at the same hotel! At one point, I was standing about 5’ from them in the lobby! It was a high and low point simultaneously; a high point to be 5’ from them and a low point to realize that on Sunday, when the race began, I would never in my wildest dreams be that close to them again!
One of the nicest features of this race is that the course itself is incredibly scenic. Over 80% of the course is adjacent to or has a view of the ocean! I know that sounds like a “plug” for the Long Beach Chamber of commerce, but it happens to be true. The views were spectacular! Running along Shoreline Drive, overlooking the marina with the Queen Mary in view, was awesome! Running past the Queen Mary, I tried to imagine what it would have been like to have been a passenger back in her glory days. At mile 3 or 4 I remember saying hello to Stu Drake (he had entered the ½ marathon). Fellow Lopers were all around. After looping around the Queen Mary, we entered Shoreline Village and ran along the beautiful bike path. Unlike the larger marathons, we had the luxury of running in more narrow areas, many of which were concrete as opposed to the usual asphalt!
Since his knees were bothering him, Mike decided to quit at the ½ marathon and opted out at mile 13.1. He still managed to finish that in 1 hour 15 minutes, sore knees and all! He is not only my better half, he is the faster half of our dynamic duo as well. I, on the other hand and a glutton for punishment, decided to continue the full 26.2 miles!
Coming up at about mile 17 or 18, we ran by the famous Long Beach Yacht Club. Nice indeed with many beautiful yachts in the harbor. If my left knee continued to hurt, I thought, I may want to sail the rest of the way instead of running!
Mile 20 to 26, although very scenic, is hard to remember! I do remember running by Cal State Long Beach and more of the beautiful Long Beach coastline! Usually at this point in a marathon, I am numb from the waist down (unlike usually from the neck up!), and a combination of sheer adrenaline and looking at the men running near me in Speedos (sorry Mike, I have to go with whatever works at this point), gets me to the finish line!
As they place the finisher’s medal around my neck, I grabbed some water and talked to fellow Lopers. I am not sure about the sequence of events since I am not thinking too clearly yet, but something to that effect happened! As I begin to get some feeling back into my body again, I decide that yes, the race was fun and maybe I will do it again someday!
As I make the walk back to my hotel room (only ½ mile but as others can tell you, the longest ½ mile you will ever do!!), I realize…. Life is good. I love running with the Lopers and being part of this club! Training and persistence pays off! I am very proud and honored to be the newest member of the Board of Directors this year. It is a chance for me to give back to an organization that has done so much for me!
A bit of advice to all the new Lopers – STICK WITH YOUR TRAINING!
I have learned so much from this outstanding group of men and women and
I KNOW THAT YOU WILL AS WELL! HAVE FUN!!
By Judy Remele
It seems as though carbohydrates are getting a bad rap these days. I thought that I would write an article that would explain carbohydrates, what they do and how many we need, in a simplified version. Simple, because that is how I first understand things and then I can add on the more complex ideas later. So, hopefully, this article will help better your understanding of this subject. Here goes:
How many grams of carbohydrates should an actively training individual
eat? Is there a formula?
Carbohydrate recommendations for actively training individuals
- 7 grams per kilogram of body weight (pounds divided by 2.2 = kilograms)
Training 1 hour per day 6-7 grams
Training 2 hours per day 7-8 grams
Training 3 or more hours per day 10-12 grams
**average person 4 grams per kilogram (maintaining weight) based on a healthy individual
Why are carbohydrates so important? Easy – ENERGY! Carbs (as they are sometimes referred to) are your body’s main source of energy for aerobic exercise. Your body converts the carbs you eat into glucose (a simple sugar). Glucose is then immediately used by your body for energy or stored in the muscles as glycogen. Glycogen stores are utilized by runners and keep you from “hitting the wall”. You’ve run out of carbohydrates if you have to slow dramatically to continue running.
So, how do you keep from “hitting the wall”? The trick is to store energy by eating carbs on a continuous basis. Experts recommend that your diet should consist of 60 – 65% carbohydrates. This amount will keep your muscles well-fueled so that you can meet both your sports nutrition and training goals.
Carbohydrates are broken down into two basic categories:
Simple Carbohydrates
Simple carbohydrates are the most basic form of sugar. Examples of
foods containing simple carbohydrates are candy and sodas. These foods
can provide a quick burst of energy – but it’s only temporary. For this
reason you should keep simple carbohydrate snacks to a minimum.
Complex Carbohydrates
Complex carbohydrates provide energy on a more consistent, long-term
basis. That is why experts recommend that the majority of the calories
you get from carbohydrates be in the form of complex carbohydrates. Foods
that are high in complex carbohydrates include cereals, pasta, rice, potatoes,
and vegetables.
The Los Angeles marathon is just a few weeks away. This is not the time to decide to go on a diet or to cut out carbs. To complete the marathon comfortably and successfully it is important that you maintain a diet high in complex carbohydrates to support your running/walking program and meet your sports nutrition needs.
You have been working hard. All those miles you have run/walked are
now in the bank. You can do it. Have a great race. I’ll see you in L.A.
on March 7th.
| Date | Race | Location |
| April 24 | Country Music Marathon and Half Marathon | Nashville, TN |
| April 24 | Salt Lake City Marathon | Salt Lake City, UT |
| May 2 | Run through Redlands Half Marathon, 10K and 5K | Redlands |
| May 2 | Avenue of the Giants Marathon, Half Marathon, and 10K | Dyerville Bridge, CA |
| June 5 | Fontana Half Marathon and 5K | Fontana |
| June 6 | Rock and Roll Marathon | San Diego |
The annual Loper Banquet will be held on March 21, 2004 at the Wong Kerlee Pavillon at Loma Linda University at 6PM. The cost is $20 before March 21; you can purchase your advance tickets at the booth at Gentry Gym any Sunday. You can also purchase tickets at the door on the night of the banquet for $25. For more information, contact Judy Remele.
By Chuck Harget
Heats Up!!! It was freezing! Yes, out there on the Loper LA Marathon Training Course the last few Sundays in December, IT WAS FREEZING. Oh what happened to warm, sunny California? The things we have to put up with on the long road to the LA Marathon.
So when Sunday, January 11th dawned with the weather forecaster predicting a high in the 70s, I knew it was time for another Loper Ice Cream Social. Just imagine, starting off on a long 16 mile training run with the temperature in the 40s, then coming back with the thermometer in the 70's. And there in front of you, a selection of tasty ice cream flavors to help cool you down. Yummy!
In the summer and fall, Ice Cream Socials can be planned because the weather is normally hot and sunny. But, between November and March, the weather isn't always so predictable. Therefore, Ice Cream Socials in these months have to be planned on the spur of the moment. And the hot weather on January 11th was the moment that spurred me to put one together.
For an Ice Cream Social, the most difficult decision is which flavors to select. Yes, there must always be a sherbet for those who don't like the cream in ice cream. But then the selection is wide open, limited only by what Thrifty (Rite Aid) Ice Cream has in stock.
I like to have at least one light flavor and one dark flavor. And lots of tasty bits and pieces in at least one of them. Can you guess that I'm a Ben & Jerry's lover because their flavors are usually filled with chunks of cookies and fudge and nuts and chocolate and candy and lots of other goodies.
For this Ice Cream Social, I selected Rocky Road and French Vanilla along with Orange Sherbet. Next time, I'll try a different set of flavors. Let me know what you like and I'll take your suggestion into consideration.
Runners had a choice of eating the ice cream from a bowl or cone. There was an assortment of cherries, nuts, and toppings to enhance the already tasty ice cream. Some people even tried to put some of the gooey toppings on ice cream cones. It made for sloppy, but delicious, eating.
Not everyone stopped at the ice cream table first. I saw some people actually bypass the ice cream and go straight to the sliced oranges. I guess it takes all kinds.
When is the next Loper Ice Cream Social? I don't know. But
I'll consult the weather forecaster and when the signs are favorable, we
may just have another one.
By Michael O’Shea, Ph.D.
(Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine)
Water helps you stay hydrated during exercise, but it’s not the safest way to maintain the body’s fluid balance if you’re doing an endurance exercise that lasts more than 90 minutes. Drinking lots of water without adequately replacing the sodium you lose as you perspire may put you at risk for hyponatremia. This potentially fatal condition occurs when sodium levels in the blood drop because a large intake of water has diluted the blood.
To stay hydrated and avoid hyponatremia , replace fluid at a rate equal to your sweat loss, says Dr. Francis G. O’Connor, co-author of textbook of running medicine. Drink 13.5 ounces to 27 ounces of fluid for every hour you exercise. Switch to an electrolyte solution (sports drink) if the workout extends past an hour. Sports drinks not only replace the body’s lost sodium but also maintain the blood’s electrolyte balance and provide fuel for the working muscles.
Long-distance runners, especially those who run a marathon in four or more hours, should be aware of hyponatremia. Says Barbara Baldwin, programs director for the American Running Association. Symptoms include confusion, dizziness, nausea, severe fatigue, lack of coordination, swollen hands and feet, and headache.
By Liz Applegate, PH.D
(From “Runners World”, January, 2004 )
Water helps you stay hydrated during exercise, but it’s not the safest way to maintain the body’s fluid balance if you’re doing an endurance exercise that lasts more than 90 minutes. Drinking lots of water without adequately replacing the sodium you lose as you perspire may put you at risk for hyponatremia. This potentially fatal condition occurs when sodium levels in the blood drop because a large intake of water has diluted the blood.
To stay hydrated and avoid hyponatremia , replace fluid at a rate equal to your sweat loss, says Dr. Francis G. O’Connor, co-author of textbook of running medicine. Drink 13.5 ounces to 27 ounces of fluid for every hour you exercise. Switch to an electrolyte solution (sports drink) if the workout extends past an hour. Sports drinks not only replace the body’s lost sodium but also maintain the blood’s electrolyte balance and provide fuel for the working muscles.
Long-distance runners, especially those who run a marathon in four or
more hours, should be aware of hyponatremia. Says Barbara Baldwin, programs
director for the American Running Association. Symptoms include confusion,
dizziness, nausea, severe fatigue, lack of coordination, swollen
hands and feet, and headache.
Examples of Low, Moderate, and High Glycemic Index (GI) Foods |
||
|
|
|
|
|
Low-fat yogurt
|
Sweet potato
|
Bran-flakes cereal
|
|
Pear or Apple
|
Brown rice
|
Bagel
|
|
Tomato juice
|
Honey
|
Baked Potato
|
|
Old fashioned oatmeal
|
Spaghetti
|
Power bar
|
|
Banana
|
Granola bar
|
Sports drink
|
|
Lentil soup
|
White and wheat bread
|
Rice cakes
|
Nancy, Ruth and Cristine enjoying the first day of training and showing off our new shirt for our new year. |
By Rosemary and Ron Selberg
My husband Ron and I volunteered to be the editors of Lopergram for a year; that was four years ago. In the words of an old country song, we’ve enjoyed about as much of this as we can stand; it’s time for a change for the club and for ourselves. It has been a challenge, a lot of work, and it has been rewarding. One of the best parts has been receiving and reading the running, walking, and other adventures of a great group of people. We want to thank all the contributors who have helped make every issue fun and interesting. I also want to thank the club for having the faith in us to take on such a big esponsibility.
Loper Nancy Mitchell has agreed
to be your Editor. Please remember that she needs your encouragement and
support. When you submit your articles in to her on a timely basis, it
makes her job a lot easier.
Thank you for your support over the past four years.
Last updated by Bill Carter March 13, 2004.
