Youth Runners and Cross County Running

 

Trackmom.com’s favorite Middle Distance and Long Distance 

Guest Contributor Alisa Harvey.

 She’s wriiten a great article on the basics of cross country competiton and your youth athlete. 

 Youth Runners and Cross Country Running  

Once a young runner has devoted a few solid weeks of training on the grass, dirt, and/or trails and their bodies have endured workout sessions of hill repeats, and interval training it is time to race competitively.  A competitive youth cross country runner should follow a regular race-day plan that will make them better prepared to race well. Read more

A Winner

 

 

 

 

“You have to believe in yourself when no one
else does. That’s what makes you a winner.”
- Venus Williams

For Makiah Green Track and Field Is Just The Beginning

 

 Makiah Green is the youngest child of Kent and Valarie Green of Clinton Maryland. She is a member of the Speed Tech Track Club .She attends Stephen Decatur Middle School. The outgoing 13 year old’s favorite subject is Science. She enjoys reading, listening to music, and going to parties to eat the food.  This young dynamo shines on the track and in the classroom. Read more

Tips For Packing A Great Lunch At A Track Meet

I know your thinking ,”Track Season is over so why is she writing tips on track meet food now”?  Simple, I now have what I call clear ”Brain Space”  with the season over to think about things, that will help next season. These tips just may help you get ahead of the curve next season and feed your youth athlete  and  family a little  better in the process.

1. Always Make A List during the week for your Track Meet meals. If you go  shopping for your weekend without a list, you may as well just throw your money away. Poll your family and see what it is they like to eat.Think about your athletes events and types of food that best serve his fueling needs during the day. Example: Lauren runs the 100m usually in the morning so I know I have to get her fueling needs for the race in the early am usually around 6am so that by 9am she is fueled and ready to go.   My list would for sure have bananas on it because she likes them in the shakes I give her in the mornings . Usually most mom’s or dad’s that pack the meals week after week know what the family and athlete likes ,so this step of preparation is very important and easy.Do it at work during lunch on a break while watching TV. Pulling from your weekly menu (next tip) and checking to make sure you don’t have it in your pantry, fridge or freezer. Make sure you’re not forgetting anything. Now stick to that list.

2.Plan out a weekly menu. This is the best way to ensure that your list is complete, and that you have enough to serve your family atthe meet. It’s smart to plan a weekly menu and then duplicate it for the next week - this way I can shop for two weeks at once. of course you will have to go to the store more than once for the fresh items. 

2. Have a budget. When I go to the store, I have to know exactly how much I can spend.  Otherwise I will always over spend and get things I don’t need. I try my best to stick within that limit. 

3. Keep a list on your fridge, and write things down immediately. When you run out of something, don’t leave it to your memory. My memory is shot so I can leave to my memory If I want it  :-) Jot it down immediately, and you’ll never have to run back to the store because you don’t have turkey meat or bread.

4. Keep things stocked for quick-n-easy meals. Easy meals for us might be turkey sandwiches or  in our house baked chicken wings which Henry loves a the meets. I try to always have these the ingredients on hand, so I can whip something up fast  and tasty when I am  feeling lazy.

5.Think Variety not just tradtional lunch foods.  We have vegetarian meals  some times even a litttle California rolls , pasta. Think Asian, Indian and other such cultural food. 

6.Pack your own lunch snacks. Buying pre-made snacks is convenient, but a big waste of money. Buy little baggies and buy the snacks in bulk, then it will take just a few minutes to pack some snacks for lunch  over the weekend.

7. Bake a cake every once in a while.  Instead of number 6  above ,if you have time (make time) bake a cake and cookies(more often cookies) for a nice change of paste. When  make them I know I have put healthy ingredients in them and I don’t have concern about HFCS or perservatives. Our friends love them and really it feels nice to share homemade items with the team and friends. 

8.Always have batteries, paper towels,napkin,water even toilet paper and other necessities that you always seem to need. I have a bag we bring every meet that is ready stocked with those items so I don’t have to repack every week.I do it as soon as I get home  from a meet so I remember what needto be restocked inthe bag.

9.Don’t buy junk food (or buy as little as possible). Junk food not only costs a lot of money for about zero nutrition, but it makes you and your family fat and kills you. Talk about a bad deal! Opt for fruits and veggies instead. The food athte meets is not that healthy so we make a habit not to go to the stand unless absolutely necessary (which it has been from time to time) Lets face it we are out there weeks on end,you could really pack some extra pounds on the “tasty fat they serve there”. I realize this is how teams make money so we do purchase sometime to support but never for a meal,if i can help it. 

11. Go for whole foods.  When preparing remember,the processed kinds of foods are lacking in nutrition and will make you fat. Look for things in their least processed form - whole grain instead of white or wheat bread, fresh fruit instead of canned or juice, whole grain cereal or oatmeal instead of all other kinds of cereal. You get the idea.

 12. **My Favoritie **  Make a Crock Pot Meal  and salad before you leave for the track and when you get home you will have dinner ready and not be tempted to grab fast food.  These meals are easy, cheap and tasty.  Put a few pieces of seasoned chicken(I use 6-7 thighs or drumsticks with a tiny bit of water in the bottom, cut up a bunch  veggies and spices , throw them in the pot in the morning,  cover and go and have dinner ready for you when you get home.  sometimes I mix up corn bread batter and place in the fridge,when I get home just pop that in the oven. A complete meal FAST…….Can anything be more perfect than that?

Until Next Time

 

Tips For Safe And Healthy Traveling During The Holidays

 

 

Here come the holidays - Thanksgiving, Channukah, Christmas, and New Year’s. And the travel - Thanksgiving is one of the biggest travel days and the day before Christmas is just as busy.

If you’re flying, you know what to expect - long lines, delays, crowded flights. But knowing what’s to come doesn’t necessarily provide reassurance. Traveling - particularly traveling by plane - makes many people crazy. Sitting in the terminal, waiting for your boarding call, you can see the deep lines of care, worry, and anxiety etched into peoples’ faces.

However, whereas air travel may not be the funnest thing in the world, there are many action steps individuals and families can take to de-stress the experience. Read more

Great Things

“The greatest things ever done on Earth
have been done little by little.”
- William Jennings Bryan

Don’t Forget the Gluteus Medius

 

 So What is the Gluteus Medius Anyway???

Gluteus Medius syndrome is characterized by  pain in the buttocks, lateral hip,groin or the sacro iliac joint. Often times prolonged sitting can increase pain.The pain is caused by overuse and inflammation of the gluteus medius or the sciatic nerve which is right next to the muscle. Usually symptoms are elicited only during sports participation, but gradually can become part of the athletes routine. When the athletes buttocks is  palpated, he  experiences deep pain and  soreness,it  may be localized or radiated to an adjacent location in the groin area.

Athlete may also demonstrate limited range of motion in the hip area. Stretching the muscles of the hip and buttocks area is highly recommended as a first line of conservative care. along with ice. In my private practice I also include cold laser therapy, specific chiropractic adjustments, excercises to strengthen the gluteus medius and pelvic stabilizing exercises.

Who Needs a Strong Gluteus Medius?

If your youth athlete tends to experience sore or tight hips in early season as they are getting accustomed to the additional training and participation in track meets  then you may want to incorporate several of the following targeted exercises for a few weeks  to help strengthen the gluteus medius and balance out the larger hip and thigh muscles. The following exercises are simple and quick to do daily.

 The gluteals are very important stabilizing muscles, especially when walking or running. When one foot is in contact with the ground the abductors(muscles that bring the leg and hip outward) are working ‘quasi-isometrically’ to control the pelvis, preventing it from dropping down on the swing leg side. The hip abductor muscles need good strength endurance to be able to perform this movement consistently well.

Start the exercises below with 2 sets of 10 reps each side. Perform the exercises slowly, lowering for one count and raising for one count. Progress to 3 sets of 15-25 reps each side. Once the athlete is at this level he will develop good strength endurance in the hip abductors specific to their stabilizing task during running. To progress the exercise further, add ankle weights to the free leg side.

Gluteus Abduction

Gluteus Medius II

Sydnie Bunel A Special Athlete

 LSI student-athlete Sydnie Bunel is 9 years old and in the 4th grade is recognized for her outstanding academic record. An Honor Roll Student, Sydnie is  interested in sleep-overs with friends and Track and Field. In her second year with LSI this is the first academic honor for her.

She was the lone Bantan Girl to represent LSI through the 2008 season. In her first year as a Bantam Sydnie has developed into quite the talent. Competing through the season she improved several times to run the National Qualifying Standard at 100, 200 and 400 meters. Read more

AAU Youth National Cross Country Championships

 

AAU National Cross Country Championships
 
    The 2008  AAU Youth National Cross Country Championships will be held in Decatur, Alabama on December 6. Entry deadline is November 30.
 

Read more

Speed Training With Lots Of Fun

 

    Looking for fun and a great training too for your super youth athlete?  

Henry and I are always on the look out for cool inexpensive ways to train Lauren and have a ton of fun in the process.This little tool ,the “Rocket Trainer” does that and a lot more.  It’s not only  economical,  The entire family can all use it athlete or not. You are only limited by your imagination and if you have none, there are many pre-planned layouts to perform drills. Read more

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