Thu Oct 28, 2010 

(Reporting by Alison McCook at Reuters Health; editing by Elaine Lies)

http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE69R0K520101028

Resources to help you master the Chi Running basics:

• Chi Running Book: A Revolutionary Approach to Effortless Injury-Free Running
• Chi Running DVD: A Revolutionary Approach to Effortless Injury-Free Running

Brisk walking protects against breast cancer after menopause

Published: 28/10/2010 15:36:43 - PDF Version (103 KB)

by ecancer reporter Janet Fricker

Undergoing brisk walking for five hours each week can reduce the risk of breast cancer in post menopausal women by nearly 10%, reports the latest publication from the Nurses’ Health Study. The study, published in Archives Internal Medicine, found  also that women who increase their activity levels after menopause experience benefits.

Prospective studies have shown that women with the highest levels of physical activity have a 10 to 30 % lower risk of developing breast cancer than those with the lowest levels. Indeed, physical activity has been shown to decrease circulating oestrogen levels in post-menopausal women, and lower circulating oestrogen levels are associated with lower breast cancer risk.  There are, however, still gaps in knowledge concerning the timing, type and intensity of the activity required to achieve  reductions in  breast cancer risk, and whether the association varies according to different study groups.

In the current study, Heather Eliassen and colleagues, from Brigham and Women’s Hospital (Boston, MA, USA), used data from the Nurse’s Health Study to investigate the importance of long-term activity, changes in activity, and specific types of activity. Although the Nurses’ Health study began in 1976, it was only in 1986 that participants started to report their average levels of weekly physical activity, in 10 categories ranging from zero minutes to greater than 11 hours. Categories recorded included walking, running cycling, tennis, aerobic exercise, squash and racquet ball. The participants also reported their usual walking pace (less than 2 mph, 2-2.9 mph, 3 to 3.9 mph or greater than 4 mph) and the number of stairs climbed daily. Answers were translated into hours of metabolic equivalent task values (MET-h).

During follow-up, investigators documented 4,782 cases of breast cancer among 95,396 post menopausal women.  Results showed that women who underwent  27 MET-h/week (equivalent to 1 hour of brisk walking a day) had significantly less risk of breast cancer than women who underwent less than 3 MET-hours per week (equivalent to less than one hour walking  a week) (HR 0.85; 95% CI, 0.78-0.93; P<.001 for trend).

When women who had increased their levels of activity from less than 9 MET-hour/week at menopause to at least 9 MET-h/week during follow-up  were compared with the least active women (less than 9 MET-h/week) it was found  they had reduced their breast cancer risk (HR, 0.90, 95% CI, 0.82-0.98).

When all the individual types of activities were included in a single statistical model, only brisk walking  for 20 MET-hour/ week (equivalent to 5 hours per week) was found to be significantly associated with a lower brisk cancer risk (HR, 0.91, 95% CI. 0.84-0.98, P=.01). The study demonstrated similar risk reductions among active lean and overweight women regardless of their hormone therapy status.

“Our finding that brisk walking is associated with lower breast cancer risk suggests that women do not need to engage in intense activities to appreciate a benefit,” wrote that authors, adding that the strengths of the study included its large cohort size and long follow-up, with the limitations including the fact that physical activity was self-reported.



Article:

A H Eliassen SE Hankinson, B Rosner, et al. Physical Activity and Risk of Breast Cancer Among Postmenopausal Women. Arch Intern Med 2010; 170, 1758-1764.

http://www.ecancermedicalscience.com/news-insider-news.asp?itemId=1322

Walking now may give you a brain boost later

October 13, 2010

Walking promotes good physical health, but it may also help maintain memory and cognitive function for years, a study finds.

The research, published online Wednesday in the journal Neurology, is based on a study of 299 men and women, average age 78, who were followed for nine years. The study participants were asked about their physical activity, which was calculated as number of blocks walked per week (walking was the most common exercise). Study subjects walked from zero to 300 blocks over a one-week period. High-resolution brain scans were done on the participants nine years after the beginning of the study.

The more the participants walked at the beginning of the study, the greater their brain volume nine years later. This was still the case after researchers controlled for a number of factors, including age, gender, body mass index and education.

How many blocks of walking per week did it take to see improvement? The magic number was 72, or about six to nine miles. Walking more than that didn't further improve gray-matter volume.

Although all participants were deemed cognitively normal at the beginning of the study, 40% developed cognitive impairment or dementia four years in. However, those who walked the most reduced their risk of acquiring memory loss by half.

Lead author Kirk Erickson of the University of Pittsburgh said in a news release, "If regular exercise in midlife could improve brain health and improve thinking and memory in later life, it would be one more reason to make regular exercise in people of all ages a public health imperative."

-- Jeannine Stein / Los Angeles Times

http://www.latimes.com/health/boostershots/la-heb-memory-20101013,0,4121990.story?track=rss

My first race using the Chi Running technique was in 2009, the Houston 1/2 Marathon. It was a great experience and I’m looking forward to running it again in 2011.

After completing and setting a new PR on the very hilly Asheville running course in September of this year, I’m recognizing the possibility of running a PR again, in Houston. The interesting thing about running Asheville is that I wasn’t concerned with my time at all during my training or during my race. I was concerned about finishing strong and finishing/training without running injury. Mission accomplished!

Houston is a flat course, and very well supported. I couldn’t believe how many people were out on the course with music, food, signs and even Kleenex! As I consider my training for the next race, I’m very much contemplating how I can PR again.

I am not sure I like this idea, however. I have liked running so much just for the sake of running. The idea of trying to hit a target pace of 9:00 min.  mile at the race, and all the planning and timing that it requires during training, may or may not be where I am with my running practice right now. I’d love to hear from anyone else who has been in the same boat and took on the healthy challenge of running a PR.

I figure in order to beat 2 hours, I’ll need to run a 9 min/mile pace. The good thing about the Asheville race is that I had the downhills to make up time and get up fast even to a 7 min/mile pace. In Houston, there are no such things as hills to speed my little legs along.

So, I’m just beginning this process. I will start my official training in the next week or so and plan to use the Pain-Free Beginner 1/2 Marathon Training Program again because I really enjoyed it and it most certainly helped me stay healthy and avoid injury by training in a mindful, gradual, sustainable way.

Although I have run many times at the famous track at the University of Oregon (Hayward Field) where Pre won many races, it was only recently that I ventured to Pre’s hometown of Coos Bay, Oregon, to run in the annual Prefontaine Memorial Run. This 10K course was one of Pre’s favorite training runs so it was especially of interest to me to participate in this event.  Having heard how hilly this course was, I also planned to do some serious focusing on my “runnable hills” Chi Running technique (i.e. not so steep as to require switching to Chi Walking). I find that there is something different about focusing on form during a race as opposed to a casual training run.

On race day, Oregon lived up to its reputation by providing plenty of rain; consequently, my Chi Running scanning and focusing techniques became even more critical. Maintaining control of my downhill running speed and staying aware of my footing in general took on even more importance due to the potential for slipping. Focusing on my pelvic rotation while landing with soft knee under my column was critical to staying on my feet. Luckily, I survived running the race without any problems but I can’t say I will miss the rain blowing in my face as I tried to imagine Steve Prefontaine running the same course some 40 odd years ago.

One unique and uplifting feature of the Pre’s Memorial is the preponderance of high school and college cross country running teams. With so much of Pre’s reputation based on his performance and records occuring while a student, it was fun to share in the excitement of the hundreds of young student runners participating. Pre-race activities took on antoher dimension as they and their coaches went through their physical and mental preparation routines - and, of course, the kidding around that went with it was a delight to see.

As far as my performance in the race itself was concerned, I was struck by the sizable number of older runners so I couldn’t help wonder if I would be able to enjoy the pleasure of “placing” in my age group. Luckily, I had saved enough energy to move into Chi Running technique's 3rd gear in the final mile thereby passing several of the gray-haired male competitors including one on the track where we finished, so I did end up with a nice Pre Memorial Second Place ribbon. I hope Pre would have been proud, even if I did have to come from behind.  

P.S. The DVD “Fire on the Track: the Steve Prefontaine Story” is an accurate and touching story of Pre’s life.

The movie, “Without Limits” is an entertaining Hollywood film about Pre.

Thankfully, however, I have found no shortage of places and occasions to “practice” running focuses just for the sake of practicing running focuses. It’s pretty fun to make a list of the places/times when you can make seemingly every-day habits into a practice:

• Washing dishes. We eat a lot of of homemade food and tend to dirty lots of dishes. Standing at the kitchen sink is an excellent place to practice: posture, patience, focus.
• Driving to work. I don’t have a very long commute, but for the few miles that I am in the car, I try to notice 3-4 landmarks on my route and make note of their changes: leaves go from green to yellow, cars in the driveway change as tenants come and go, children’s toys cycle through the seasons… even traffic patterns change from day to day.
• Riding a bicycle. It’s been a long time since I got on self-propelled two wheeler. This weekend, we decided to ride 4 miles to downtown to go to the City Farmer’s Market. It was a beautiful day, and made for great cycling. I did notice however, that I was significantly out of practice, and it make me realize what a gift it is that I can be a runner who has a practice of running… so why not have a practice of riding bikes?

Even though I don’t get on bikes very often, instead of feeling badly that I was “out of shape” or couldn’t go terribly fast, I had a really fun moment of realization that riding my bike was just like running: it doesn’t matter the history, the day, the time of year — all that matters is that I am focused on the activity at hand, and observing the experience, feeling the experience, but not judging it.

Approaching every-day activities as a practice instead of a “do” or a goal makes life much more forgiving. Instead of setting yourself up for running goals, try setting your self up for running experiences. That’s what’s important anyway, right? Try it for a day. It’s fun.

Here are the 10 most-common mistakes and how to avoid making them.

1. Disregarding walking technique: Most people think walking does not cause injury and that you can just go out walking as you always do. Walking is a fitness activity that deserves the same kind of training as any other sport. Walking a long distance can cause pain and injury that can keep you from being active after the event. We all walked beautifully as children, but few of us have the same healthy, flexible bodies we had when we were young, and years of poor movement patterns and lifestyle habits have changed our bodies to where our walking technique is no longer optimal for long distances.

   The Chi Walking technique will improve your biomechanics, making any distance event easier and more enjoyable. It will also enable you to experience more benefits of distance walking because you’ll be able to walk consistently and properly, without taking “recovery” breaks or being sidelined by pain or injury.

2. Under-training: Although walking is recognized for being a great fitness program, the need for training for distance walking  events is not understood. Walking for an hour or more can be a strain on the body if you have not walked regularly and trained for your event. The longer the walking distance, the more training you need.

   Walking is the perfect health and fitness program, but you need to walk consistently during the week, including one long walk, in order to sufficiently train for an event. Walking a minimum of 45 minutes, 5 days per week, plus one weekly walk of 60+ minutes will condition you sufficiently for a 5K distance walking event. For longer events like a half/full marathon or multiple-day walk, you should walk a minimum of 60 minutes five days per week, including one weekly long walk, starting at 60+ minutes, incrementally increasing to two-four hours, depending on the event you’re training for. Make sure that you’re comfortable walking for extended periods of time before your event.

3. Over-striding: Almost everyone walks with too long a stride. Shortening your stride protects your hips, knees, Achilles tendon and helps prevent plantar fasciitis. In Chi Walking you learn to walk with a shorter, quicker stride and a slight forward lean using the strength of your core muscles.

4. Not using your arms: When your arms are left hanging at your side, you are losing a great deal of energy and momentum. Hold your arms at a 90-degree angle and make sure they swing to the rear and do not cross your front centerline. Always balance the swing of your legs with a brisk arm swing.

5. Leaning back with your upper body: Most people lean slightly back with their upper body as they walk forward (leading with their hips). A slight forward emphasis with your head and shoulders will help you engage your core muscles and will make distance walking much easier.

6. Wearing new shoes: It is so tempting to walk an event with a brand new pair of shoes, but it can cause blisters and other foot problems. The best shoes for walking distance are neither too old nor too new. Old walking shoes lack shock absorption and are very hard on the legs and back. Walk in new walking shoes for at least 5 hours, over different walks, before you wear them in a distance walking event of 5K or more.

7. Improper nutrition: Eating nutrient-poor food is a very common mistake, not only for distance walking events, but in everyday life. When walking a long distance event, feed your body lots of nutrient-rich foods: lots of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean protein. Foods with white flour, corn syrup and sugar actually deplete your system of the energy you need to feel good during and after your event.

8. Assuming pain or injury means you have to stop walking: Whether during an event or during your training, it is important to stop walking if you feel the kind of pain that can lead to injury. However, before you give up, it is important to realize that almost all pain is caused by improper walking technique or walking beyond your conditioning level. You can avoid pain by learning good walking technique. Then, if you feel pain while training, you can adjust your technique to reduce the pain.

9. Dehydration: If you want to enjoy your event, and not get muscle cramps, headaches, lightheaded or dizzy, you have to keep hydrated and have enough electrolytes in your system to prevent dehydration. We suggest drinking 2-4oz. of water every 15 minutes and taking an electrolyte replacement capsule every hour.

1. Disregarding running technique: The most common mistake most runners make is running inefficiently, or running in a way that could potentially hurt their body. The primary focus of the Chi Running technique is to teach you how to run farther, faster and injury-free. Anyone can learn correct running technique and, just like learning anything new, getting started running this way takes consistent practice. But when you can learn to run more efficiently, you'll be able to run for years. 
2. Being under-trained: Running a distance longer than you are conditioned for running is asking for trouble. People do it all the time by running a 10K, half marathon or marathon and just  “gutting it out.” Pushing your body beyond its limits can create long term damage and can take away your enjoyment of running and other activities as well. The Pain-Free Chi Running technique teaches you to listen to your body throughout your running training so that you never run farther or faster than your body is capable running. 
3. Unfocused training: It is best to train for an event knowing as many specifics of the event as possible, and then training accordingly. Our technique-based Training Programs show you how to "rehearse" all the details of your event during your pre-race training period. This improves your confidence and ensures that you run your best race possible. 
4. Over-training: Over-training can mean many things, but bottom line, it means running consistently faster or farther than your body can handle. Everyone's body needs recovery time. Pushing yourself too hard for too long can deplete your body's deep reserves and significantly increase your recovery time. Our training programs teach you how to Body Sense what your body needs instead of letting your mind (and ego) dominate your training.
5. Starting too fast: Most people get caught up in the excitement at the start of a race and run too fast. Chi Running will teach you how to get started running at your ideal starting pace and how to practice it before you show up for your race. You should know in advance how fast you want to start your event, and stick to your plan. Getting started running too fast will deplete your reserves, leaving you with nothing for the finish.
6. Trying a new fuel at the event: Have a fueling plan. Test it in your training and stick to it while running your race. You never know how your body might react to new food during an event. The best time to practice your fueling system is during your pre-race training.
7. Wearing new running shoes: It is very tempting to wear new running shoes out of the box for an event, but it’s a recipe for blisters and pain. Your running shoes should fit well and be broken in but not worn out.
8. Improper Nutrition: The common pasta dinner before a race is not always the best meal. If you eat pasta, it should be whole grain, as should the bread that goes with it. White flour, high fructose corn syrup, sugar and other low nutrient carbs can actually deplete your energy. Eating nutrient-poor foods is a mistake most people make in every day life. Give your body healthy, clean-burning fuels like vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains and lean protein.
9. Dehydration: If you want to enjoy your event, and not get muscle cramps, headaches, lightheaded or dizzy, you have to keep hydrated and have enough electrolytes in your system to prevent dehydration. We suggest drinking 2-4 oz. of water every 10 minutes and taking an electrolyte replacement capsule every hour. Also remember to stay well hydrated during your training. A good rule of thumb when is to always drink before you’re thirsty, whether you’re training or racing.
10. Running through pain: If you are in pain while training for or running an event, don’t just run through it ... do something about it. You could be causing long term damage. Taking a pain killer is not the solution either, as it only masks the symptom. Determine the source of your pain (it's almost always your running technique) and adjust your running technique until the pain goes away. Pain is your body’s way of telling you that you need to either make a change in your running technique or that you’re pushing yourself beyond your limits.

The Chi Running Training Programs address all of these mistakes during your pre-race training so that you're well prepared for safe and successful racing … year after year.