Ok - here we go.  Essentially no running for the past 2 wks and the foot isn’t getting much better.  So, as I mentioned in the last entry, we’re going to see what happens with some creative (non-running) workouts over the next 3 1/2 wks (5+ wks total) and see what happens on race day.

Today’s workout -

• 1 hour swim (10 x 100’s plus some easy swimming and a killer 8 x 40 sec all-out sprints with 20 seconds in between and about 20 min of kicking)
• 1 hour eliptical (with 5 min t-mill walk at 15% incline in middle).  Intensity pretty low throughout except for the same 8 x 40 second all-out sprints with 20 seconds in between

Thoughts - intensity will clearly be the most difficult part of this journey.  Running - even at moderate paces, increases the heart-rate considerably in ways the eliptical cannot touch.  Once we get home, I will add some intensity on the bike.  And then there’s the congruency issue  (cyclists don’t make good runners).

We’ll figure it out!  At the very least, it’s good to have a new goal and strategy on the horizon rather than just waking up each morning hoping I can run…

Bummer!

After an almost perfect run training cycle coming off of triathlon  season this fall, everything came to a standstill 2 wks ago with what turned out to be a foot injury. 

First thought - depressed.

Second thought - still depressed.  So much training - on track for a PR and likely a sub-2:40 after holding 6:15/mile for a 2 hour run at altitude (marathon is in Houston) just before the injury.

Third thought - remember  the goal Cooper (thanks K).  It’s not worth throwing away the entire 2009 Tri season because you’re stubborn about this one race. But then what what do I do?  Run it half-heartedly after trying to run every 4-5 days? Try to train through the injury and see if it resolves itself? Pursue a bonescan that would confirm the  presence (or absence) of a stress fracture?

Or - we could do a science project.  How valuable would it be to find out how well my body is able to run a marathon after 5 weeks of no running?  As an endurance athlete who’s always walking the line of potential injury to maximize performance, that could be some great knowledge to have for future reference.  So that’s what I’m going to do!  With 3 1/2 weeks remaining until the race, I’m not going to run (except for maybe a brief one before the race to be sure I’m not risking further injury by doing this) until race day.

But that doesn’t mean I won’t be working out.  I’ll try to get creative in creating a variety of workouts that will - hopefully - allow me to maintain some sort of run fitness for the January 18th race.  And, by documenting it here, maybe it’ll be helpful to all the other runners who may be battling an injury prior to a big race.  Believe me - I understand how discouraging it can be.  I hope this helps encourage you.  And, if the results turn out to be poor, well then I guess we’ll discover that too  ;- )

US Corporate Wellness among first in the nation to pursue accreditation for URAC’s Comprehensive Wellness Standards and Measures program

Employers now have a comprehensive set of standards to judge wellness companies

Washington, D.C., Dec 18^th, 2009 – URAC announced that US Corporate Wellness is among the first to pursue accreditation for its new Comprehensive Wellness program. Pursuit of this status means US Corporate Wellness is committed to industry-recognized program quality standards as it undertakes the URAC seal of approval.  Less than a dozen national wellness providers are in pursuit of this accreditation.

US Corporate Wellness, the premier Colorado-based employee wellness provider, implements personalized, high participation employee wellness programs for organizations nationwide. With clients ranging from The Children’s Hospital (3,200 employees) to the American Humane Association (103 employees), they are seen as the premier choice for personalized and effective wellness programs nationwide.

”This is an exciting time in the field of employee wellness,” noted Brad Cooper, CEO of US Corporate Wellness, Inc.  “Employers are seeking a way to enhance their bottom line and improve their organizational culture of health.  They’re looking for a program that is both enjoyable for their employees but credible in reference to improving long term healthy behaviors.  The existence of this accreditation allows them to be certain of both.”

Comprehensive Wellness is the first new accreditation program from URAC with integrated program evaluation and performance measurement components. The standards were developed by an expert advisory group of employers, health plans, consumer representatives, public benefits organizations, health care professional associations, providers and wellness companies.

“US Corporate Wellness has distinguished itself by being among the first Wellness companies in the nation to pursue accreditation in this arena,” said Alan P. Spielman, URAC’s president and CEO.  “It demonstrates the organization is committed to the objective criteria surrounding its quality practices, and is a signal to employers of US Corporate Wellness’s commitment to excellence.”

According to the Society for Human Resource Management, about 86 percent of U.S. employers currently offer wellness programs to their employees.[1] Employers have embraced worksite wellness programs as a means to improve, maintain and support employee health and to enhance productivity.  URAC’s Comprehensive Wellness Standards and Measures provide a tangible means for employers to evaluate wellness program capabilities and performance.

About URAC

URAC, an independent, nonprofit organization, is well-known as a leader in promoting health care quality through its accreditation and education programs. URAC offers a wide range of quality benchmarking programs and services that keep pace with the rapid changes in the health care system, and provide a symbol of excellence for organizations to validate their commitment to quality and accountability. Through its broad-based governance structure and an inclusive standards development process, URAC ensures that all stakeholders are represented in establishing meaningful quality measures for the entire health care industry. For more information, visit www.urac.org.

About US Corporate Wellness, Inc.

US Corporate Wellness, Inc. is a nationally recognized provider of effective and personalized employee wellness programs.  With a focus on creating a true culture of wellness within each organization, US Corporate Wellness consistently demonstrates high participation rates, long-term engagement levels and consistently solid results.  For more information, visit www.USCorporateWellness.com   

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When it comes to employee health and wellness (www.uscorporatewellness.com), weight management is often the focus of a large percentage of people.  A recent study confirmed what we’ve been saying for a long time - breakfast matters (a lot).

This study showed that for both men and women, those who eat breakfast (pastry not included) tend to weigh less.  Surprised?  We shouldn’t be.  That’s one of the basic strategies in an effective weight management program - start the day with a healthy breakfast.

Here’s the full article if you’re interested:  http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE4BH4U020081218

Here are some highlights from the past week around employee health and wellness (www.uscorporatewellness.com), thanks to Michele Baker…

Exercise Eases Obesity and Anger in Kids

December 3, 2008

HealthDay

http://news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/20081204/hl_hsn/exerciseeasesobesityandangerinkids

Happiness Can Spread Among People Like a Contagion, Study Indicates

December 5, 2008

Washington Post

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/04/AR2008120403537.html

CDC Report Suggests Many U.S. Adults Fall Short of Exercise Guides

December 5, 2008

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

http://www.rwjf.org/publichealth/digest.jsp?id=9109&c=EMC-ND141

Rise in Unemployment Leads to Rise in Uninsured

December 7, 2008

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

http://www.rwjf.org/coverage/digest.jsp?id=9140&c=EMC-ND132

Scientists find nutty risk reducer: Eat more nuts

December 8, 2008

Associated Press

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081209/ap_on_he_me/med_nuts_diet

New data: High-fructose corn syrup no worse than sugar

December 8, 2008

USA Today

http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2008-12-08-fructose-corn-syrup_N.htm

Colorado educators ban selling sodas at schools

December 10, 2008

Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/dec/10/colorado-educators-vote-ban-all-sodas-schools/

Lunch money: Donation jump-starts Boulder Valley food revamp

December 10, 2008

Daily Camera

http://www.dailycamera.com/news/2008/dec/10/big-donation-launches-boulder-valley-food-revamp/

Soda Pop Banned In Schools

December 10, 2008

Denver Channel 7

http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/18250097/detail.html

Employee Weight-Loss Programs Can Work — With The Right Financial Incentives

December 10, 2008

The Wall Street Journal

http://blogs.wsj.com/independentstreet/2008/12/10/employee-weight-loss-programs-can-work-with-the-right-financial-incentives/

PricewaterhouseCoopers Identifies the Top Nine Issues for Health Industries in 2009

December 11, 2008

Market Watch

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/PricewaterhouseCoopers-Identifies-Top-Nine-Issues/story.aspx?guid=%7B177BB3FE-7A26-4094-8D22-2CDF83EC08BE%7D

This week, many of the US Corporate Wellness (www.uscorporatewellness.com) Trackers will be doing a looong SS run late in the week, so the track workout will involve some shorter, faster intervals…

• 10 min (or more) warm-up
• 5 x 2 min @ 1 mile race pace and 2 min jog in between
• 5 x 90 sec @ same pace and 90 sec jog in between
• 3 x 1 min @ same pace and 1 min jog in between
• 10 min (or more) warm-down

Go get ‘em!

A common question in the employee wellness (www.uscorporatewellness.com) world is around diets, especially the popular high protein/low carb diets that have regained momentum in recent years.  For those of you considering this option, a new study from the psychology department at Tufts University shows that when dieters eliminate carbohydrates from their meals, they performed more poorly on memory-based tasks than when they reduce calories, but maintain carbohydrates.

How’s that sound?  Yeah - didn’t think so.

High protein diets work to drop a few pounds out of the gate.  But the primary reason they work is that you suddenly become very conscious of all the empty, wasted carbs you’re eating everyday (soda, rolls, candy, muffins, beer, desserts, etc).  With your awareness at full power, you’re more easily able to eliminate calories, and thus lose weight.

The equation hasn’t changed.  Reduce calories and increase (vary) output and you’ll be successful. A smart, balanced diet continues to be the best long term solution, every time.

In the employee wellness world (www.uscorporatewellness.com), there are always questions about whether dieting is necessary.  An interesting study answered this question quite clearly…

A study reported this fall from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle followed about 100 men and 100 women for a year. They were encouraged to increase their physical activity six days a week. They weren’t given a diet plan.

Women who increased their activity by 3,500 steps a day lost five pounds. Men doing the same lost 8 1/2 pounds. Participants who exercised the most decreased their belly fat by 10 percent to 20 percent.

The study points up the good news, Robbins said. Some people aware of the dangers of belly fat think it’s highly resistant to exercise. But visceral fat is actually quite sensitive to exercise and calorie reduction.

“That’s where you’re most likely to lose the weight,” he said. “These fat cells shut off very quickly.”

People look at ideal weight charts, figure they’re never going to get there and give up, Robbins said. Or they notice that their fatty folds of skin don’t seem to shed readily as they exercise and cut calories.

But even a small weight loss shuts down some very dangerous signals from belly fat cells, the kind that put people at risk of disease, Robbins said.

“So even losing five to 10 pounds can have a disproportionate benefit to your health,” he said.

Here’s the link to the entire article: http://www.kansascity.com/238/story/926688.html

It’s the American way - don’t worry about taking care of yourself - a pill will fix me!  Employee wellness (www.uscorporatewellness.com) and personal health choices require a daily commitment, choosing to make the right decision on a daily basis.

Medications, when used wisely, can be extremely valuable and even life changing.  But could we all resolve to use those medications only as a last resort and not a first priority?  Here is a link to another article demonstrating negative outcomes (DOUBLE the risk of fractures) with Type II diabetes medication:  http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/547175/?sc=dwhn

There’s got to be a better way.  Oh yeah - there is!

The following is provided on behalf of www.uscorporatewellness.com for those looking for a serious workout.  With the winter chill hitting, consider performing the following workout on the treadmill, using a 1.5% incline to mimic the intensity of running on the road (where belt isn’t moving under you)…

• 10 min warm-up (or more, for those of you training for a winter marathon)
• 6 minutes at 5K pace…3 minute jog
• 5 x 90 seconds at 1 mile race pace… 90 sec jog
• 6 minutes at 5K pace (slightly faster than original interval)… 3 min jog
• 4 x 60 seconds at 1 mi race pace… 60 sec jog
• 10 min warm-down (or more)