Don't Die: New Years Resolutions

January 1^st, 1:03pm : FitSpace, A Local Binghamton Gym

Your fingers are tingling with the visions of a futuristic you.  A future you with leaner, stronger legs, a more defined muscles, a healthier complexion, a spring in your step.  Today is the first day towards a healthier you.

“Make a plan but don’t be made by that plan” – David Malinowski

January 1^st, 1:15pm : FitSpace

You walk into FitSpace and can feel the intense energy of everyone who is feverishly working towards their 2016 goals.  You can see their goals on each one of their faces.

“Lose 50 pounds” 

“Bench 210” 

“Tone my arms”

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January 8^th, 1:45pm : FitSpace

You are 35 minutes into your elliptical training.  Only 25 minutes to go.  Each minute seems to pass by dreadfully slow.  You watch as the seconds tick by, 35:21, 35:22, 35:23, 35:24.  The gym’s atmosphere doesn’t seem to have that electrified feel that drove your workouts in the first week.  You feel sluggish, your legs; heavy.  Your calves have been sore to the touch for three straight days and you have been having difficulty walking down the stairs. 

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January 15^th, 1:01pm : Fitspace

You look around in the 10,000 sq ft facility.  Many of the familiar faces you’ve seen over the past two weeks have disappeared.  You no longer need to fight for the lat pull-down, you no longer need to worry about staying on the cardio machines past the allotted times, you can get right onto the treadmill with no hesitation

But do you want to?

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Solution

We must realize that behavior modification does not occur all at once.  It takes months of small consistent efforts to successfully bring lifestyle change to life.  Daily tasks, weekly efforts, and monthly visions should be all part of the plan to positively improve your physical, emotional, and spiritual life. 

All too often we see gyms packed in the first few weeks of the new year only to be deserted two weeks later.  Our motivation, our goals, and our golden visions become deflated by the bubble of energy that dissipates as more people fall off the wagon. 

Your New Year’s Resolutions Start Today.  Pick a simple task for your overall goal and vision. 

•          Financial: Putting a quarter in a jar every day.
•          Physical: Do 15 minutes more exercise every day this week than you accomplished last week. 
•          Mental: Take 10 minutes out of your day to stimulate your mind, read 6 pages of a book.
•          Emotional: Take 5 minutes to breathe and relax, just for you, whether it’s meditation or just truly taking the time to enjoy that morning coffee.
• 
  

Take your time.  Goals and accomplishments do not occur all at once.  They are typed letter by letter.  They take step after step.  They accomplish one small task after another.

                      

  “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”  - Lao-Tzu

I challenge you to accomplish 1 small, minuscule task for 30 days.  That’s all.  The future is now.

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Training Program.  

Drills, Plyometrics, and Running Form

As most weathered athletes have heard, we do drills to increase our running economy, power production, and agility.  Though many of us don’t understand WHY we do these drills.  We go through the movements, have a picture in our mind, but can’t quite put two and two together of there specific purposes.  With 16 weeks to go before the Binghamton Bridge Half Marathon, form training is essential.  This article will attempt to put a clear understanding of the purpose of drills. 

 Sign Up for the Binghamton Bridge Run Training Program!
 

Running speed is a combination of (Stride Length) x (Stride Rate).  The following drills allow for an athlete to develop different sections of his or her stride.  While not all the drills directly relate to a particular variable (Length vs. Rate), many of the drills increase general running economy and allow for a passive movement to be graceful.  

Passive Movements

"Increase Efficiency = Increase Stride Rate"

Unlike common perception, almost all movements of running should be passive, except for the push off phase.  These first few drills allow the runner to learn these passive motions in an active way.  The stride rate not only requires higher speed of passive movements, but the ability to “fire” and contract  muscles quickly. 

Drill                                           Focus                                                              Purpose

Learn how to do High Knees	This drill focuses on driving the knee forward	Form Movement
Learn how to do Butt Kicks	Drive the heel of the foot toward your butt	Form Movement
Learn how to do Egg Shells	Fire your legs up and down as quickly as possible	Muscular Adaptation

Bounding

"Increase Strength = Increase Stride Length"

(3 Variations)    

Bounds

Learn how to Bound.  This drill allows for an Athlete to develop a longer stride length.  Without worrying about stride rate, the athlete can focus on taking the longest stride per step possible.  This drill needs to be practiced properly as an athlete can develop an “overstride” which can lead to inefficiencies and injury.

High Skips

Learn how to High Skip.  High Skips are a variation of the Bounding technique where an athlete develops the push off phase of running.  The over exaggerated arm swing allows for a higher jump and therefore requires more strength on impact yet can develop a stronger push off phase. 

Swims

This drill is a variation of Skips and is used by many jumpers.  The only subtracted difference is there is no “skip” phase between push offs.  This drills focuses on force production rather than stride length, or rate.  This bounding drill requires and develops the most strength.  

Active Movements

"Sustains Momentum = Increase Efficiency"

 

Straight Legged Bounding

Learn out to Straight-Leg Bound.  While this drill does not focus on stride rate or length, High Kicks allow for an athlete to better understand how their foot should make contact with the ground.  The foot should have a constant “pulling” motion rather than the usual “stop and go” impact that usually occurs with most runners. 

Falls

Learn how to use the Falling Drill (“Segway” drill in Video).  This drill teaches an athlete the proper lean for running which is usually a neglected part of running education.  As described above, running is almost an entirely passive motion.  The proper lean forward recruits and allows passive motions to take place more efficiently. 

Tip: While on a treadmill, lean on the forward handle while running.  This will allow you to practice the forward lean while running without feeling uncomfortable and unsafe.

Backwards Running

Learn how to use the Backwards Running drill.  With this drill an athlete can more easily experience and recognize the “falling” motion that should be felt when running forwards. After the feeling is learned, the athlete can apply this experience of “falling” or consistent momentum when running regularly. 

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Conclusion

We may do drills regularly, and may even execute them properly, but we don’t always actively think of each drills purpose.  We passively execute drill after drill without consciously thinking about what we are developing.  The next time you do your drills, actively think about what you’re doing to properly execute and learn the required movements and adaptations.  Tune in week to week for more information! 

Short Days and Frozen Snot: Surviving Running Through the Winter

by Dan Young

Winter has arrived! It’s cold, and it feels windy, there is never any light, and when there is light, the glare burns your eyes out of their sockets. Maybe I just have sensitive eyes. In any case, it’s time to find what makes us runners. Running isn’t fun this time of year, and it’s not easy either. Let’s tackle the problems one at a time.

First of all, it’s cold (not really the defining winter thing, but it’s first anyway). Your fingertips hurt, the wind cuts through your soul, your ears may be covered by a hat, but your nose is going to have problems, your legs itch when warming up after your run or else you wore pants (who wears pants?), and you feel bulky wearing enough to not die. So, solutions: gloves, a windproof jacket, a hat, there is no solution (you are doomed to a cold nose every winter), depends on your attitude on pants, and finally I suppose you could move south. Or run on a treadmill (hint: this is not a solution to anything). Let’s face it, I just named three pieces of clothing and then doomed you to eternal misery. Nobody wants to wear the same thing over and over and over again for a whole season, so really there are no solutions here at all. Moral of the story: you need to decide what makes you a runner.

Second, the days are short (this is the defining winter thing, in case you were wondering). So, you could run early, but then you run into the “it’s really really really really really really really cold” issue. And it’s dark. You could run in the middle of the day, except you probably have other obligations then, so that is a no go. Finally you could run at night. When it’s dark. And cold again. This is another lovely picture I have painted for you. Moral of the story: you need to decide what makes you a runner.

Next problem: your nose runs (this is pretty much unrelated to winter, except that it happens a lot during winter) all the time. When you are running, and still when you have finished running. I’m not even going to pretend this time. This is always going to be a problem. We can jump straight to the moral of the story: you need to decide what makes you a runner.

The final problem (ha, that’s funny, this is just the last one I’m going to mention) is the weather/clothes relationship being very finicky (also not really winter specific, but let’s face it, you wear shorts and a t-shirt in the summer and are good to go). If you wear the wrong clothes, which were the right clothes when you decided to run, then you get all sweaty and freeze your butt off. Or if your clothes are now to light, you just freeze your butt off from the start. Woo! It’s about time to get to the point now, so moral of the story: you need to decide what makes you a runner.

Now is the bit where I am supposed to wrap this up for you all, but I think everyone has a pretty good idea where this is going. There is some reason, or set of reasons, for each of us that gets us out the door. That reason is your best friend this time of year, and there is no such thing as a bad reason. I have a pair of things motivating me, my goals for next year and the changes running makes in my life. My winter will have two parts, first, running because all I can think about is running next year, and second, thinking about running next year which makes me want to run. This is going to be a fun time. I hope to see you all out there over the winter. Stay warm, and always have tissues at your run’s end.

You Know You're a Runner in Binghamton if...

We asked and you answered.  You know you're a runner in Binghamton if...

• You think a spiedie is a nickname for a local running club. 
• You consider a course with rolling hills as an easy day run.
• You've raced in Otsinango Park 500 times.
• When someone mentions Riverside Drive, all you think about is that stupid hill by the CVS.
• You're supported by the crowd whether you're the first or last in your age group.
• You've heard the local running lore of the nearly mythical "King of the Hill" race, or you've run that race yourself.
• You talk about watching the Chris Thater Memorial Races 5k so you can watch the Kenyans run by.
• TCRC is your middle name.
• You remember running in the St Christopher's Race.
• You run the Bridge Run Half Marathon or 5k every year.  
• You know every inch of the rail trail and got excited when they finally opened the new extension.
• You have a love-hate relationship with the January Freeze Series.
• You forget to put on sunscreen before a run because you're just not used to that being needed very often.
• You're extremely familiar with techniques for stepping over potholes or jumping over uneven sidewalks, but have probably managed to twist an ankle once or twice (or more).
• You've had to listen to Mike Cordi talk about his M-E cross country team. 
• Everyone at Confluence Running knows you by name & vice versa...or when your grandma goes shopping there & you know exactly who helped her.
• You can run to Pennsylvania and back in under 2 hrs
• You dress as the Can Man for Halloween races.
• You have ran to all the carousels and have a button to prove it.
• You have run stairs in an EJ House.
• You have done fartleks between Giants.

Please post a comment if you can think of more!  We'd love to hear them.

Remember, the Binghamton Bridge Run opens registration next week.  Don't miss out!

Need a coach?  Sign Up for the Binghamton Bridge Run Training Program at:

www.BinghamtonBridgeRunTraining.com

Why I Run: Bridging the Gap to Fitness

Flipping through my mental rolodex to the afternoon of February 24th 2012 as I stood on a scale in my doctors office watching in horror while the nurse continue to slide the weight on the scale higher and higher. The weight kept climbing like the thermometer on a summer afternoon. Two hundred pounds, two hundred and fifty, finally the mercury stopped at three hundred and eight pounds. I was mortified!

That afternoon while sulking and depressed I made a life altering decision to lose weight. The very next day drastic change came to my diet. I began to walk six miles a day five days a week and slowly things began to change for me. My body started feeling better. The digestive issues I had been having were suddenly gone. I began to have more energy and my walking began to speed up.

Fast forward to an afternoon in late April as I returned from the local Agway where I had purchased some fertilizer for our lawn. After lifting these extremely heavy bags from my car I happened to notice that each bag weighed forty five pounds. Taking a step back, standing there in amazement it had just hit me: I, myself had lost forty five pounds. Lifting those bags of fertilizer really put things into perspective for me.

Joe becomes a runner in his first 5k, 2012

A week later several friends had begun to push me to run a 5K race. Now, I had not run since playing high school lacrosse twenty two years prior. I was resisting all I could but my curiosity would eventually get the best of me. Our family registered for the Binghamton Bridge Run 5K as we had planned to walk it. Race day finally arrived and upon our arrival the half marathoners had just begun to come in. The atmosphere was electrifying. I was so excited to be a part of what was going on but really having no clue what was going on. All I knew is that it felt good.

Now it was our turn and as we stood waiting for the gun my wife looked at me and said “You know you want to run.” I politely replied no I’m going to walk.  BANG, the gun goes off and the tightly packed crowd of runners begins to move. My wife looks at me and says again “You know you want to run” and I looked back with a huge smile and I was off. Mile one, I am feeling great as a gentle pat on my back gets my attention and WOOOSH, my thirteen year old son goes flying on by.

Now with the finish line in sight, my adrenaline pumping I noticed that most of the runners who
ran the half marathon were lined up along the finish line clapping and cheering the 5K runners as
we crossed the finish line. Wow, I thought to myself, what a sense of community.  Runners of all skill levels cheering and supporting one another. I was hooked!

My first ever 5K race was now complete, finishing in 35:19. The Binghamton Bridge Run sparked an entire new lifestyle. Today, September 2nd, 2014, I’m in training for my first ever marathon. On November 2nd 2014 I will be running the New York City Marathon.





About the Author:
Joe Geronimo is a father, husband, runner, photographer & throw in locomotive engineer for good measure.  He is also an active member of Triple Cities Runner's Club and Team Confluence.

Just a 5k: Why Even After Two Marathons I'm Still Intimidated

I hear it all time time at packet pick up for races or running groups on Facebook: "I'm only running the 5k."  As if the only thing that mattered in running was the distance you're capable of enduring.  As if someone who can "only" run as far as 3.1 miles is not a "real" runner. 

I, too, was guilty of this when I started running.  Running even a 10k distance seemed completely unimaginable to me, though I knew others could do it.  I never thought I'd run a half marathon, let alone complete a full marathon distance.  I knew I was the bottom of the barrel, distance-wise.  "I'm not that kind of runner," I'd think,  "I'll never be the person that can go so very far."  It was all I could manage to pull off my 3 mile training runs a few times a week.  I remember making the decision to run a half marathon and wondering whether I'd ever really be able to make it that far.  

That far.  That's what entered my head.  Speed wasn't my goal, though I liked the idea of it.  I had a tendency to obsess over the numbers and find where I ranked among other runners after a race.  I loved hitting those PR goals.  But instead of pushing for personal speed records, I pushed for distance records.  How far is my body capable of going?  Ten miles?  Twenty miles?  Fifty miles?  I still don't know.  I have yet to find that limit and it's still very interesting to me to go the distance.  

A 5k race is a very different beast, however.  It's not the long, slow endurance of discomfort, but the short, fast endurance of as much pain as you can manage.  Contrary to the attitude of most beginner runners, who treat it as if it's just a stepping stone, the 5k is it's own entity.  It's its own race.  It's worthy of respect, in its own right.  How many Olympic 5000 meter runners say "oh, I'm only running a 5k" on race day?  My guess is not a single one in the history of the games.  The 5k is a difficult race - not quite a sprint, but still short enough to push yourself extremely hard.

Now I find myself in the position of being close to really competing against the top athletes in my area in a 5k.  I was never a runner, I started running at 30 years old after having 3 babies and years of neglecting my body.  I began running just to add some interest to my life and hopefully, finally, lose the last of the baby weight.  Those local elite athletes were placed on a pedestal that I never expected to approach, yet now, several years and thousands of miles later, I find myself nearing their pace, slowly but steadily.  The pedestal I placed them on in my head is now completely intimidating to me when I consider racing them.  I'm inexperienced in racing, anyway, having tried many different distances but no single distance frequently.   

Now, however, I've landed in a place where I'm approaching the runners I idolized.  It's exciting and terrifying all at once.  I keep thinking "how did I get here?  I'm not a 'real' runner."   I feel like I don't deserve to reap the benefits of all the work I've done. I feel like I'm not worthy. But the reality is, I am worthy, and I am ready to take that step.

This evening, I'll be running my first 5k in more than two years.  "Only" a 5k, but I find my heart racing and panic building every time I think of it.  I know I can run the distance, but the speed is a completely different question in my head, let alone the pain involved in pushing myself as hard as I possibly can for 3.1 miles.  I realize now that it wasn't a pedestal that I've put them on, but rather a stepping stone. And today, I'm taking a deep breath, swallowing my panic, and taking that terrifying step up to that stone.

About the author:

Jenna Jenks runs, writes, and raises her 3 children in Binghamton, NY. In her spare time she knits and dreams about training for triathlons.

New Group: Binghamton Area Trail Runners

Here at Confluence Running, we believe that getting out to experience what the Binghamton area trails have to offer is a great alternative to the standard monotony of road running.  The store is working on organizing a trail running group for the area with the hopes of providing essential trail maps and the resources needed to enjoy a run out on the trails successfully.  Who can run trails?  The answer is Anyone!  You do not need to have any trail experience to be apart of the group.

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South Mountain Trails

 Benefits of off-road running:

*Breathing fresh air not car exhaust
*Going your own pace-never having to wait at stop lights or for cars to cross a road.
* Strengthing and toning the legs from uphill and downhill running
* Soft surfaces help reduce impact
*It boosts mood and brain function
* You burn more calories in less time
* You gain an enhanced level of balance
 *Running becomes more of an adventure rather than just simple training
* Running in the woods is just fun!

 

 

~Other Must See Events~

Youth Runners' Night Monday July 29th @ 6:30

Functional Running Analysis Monday August 19th @ 8pm

Lady's Nite - Thursday August 22nd @ 7pm

 

Links about the benefits of trail running:

http://www.runnersworld.com/trail-running-training/why-trail-running-is-good-for-you
http://www.runnersworld.com/trail-running-training/why-road-runners-should-run-trails?page=single

 

Team Confluence

Come join the team!  For ALL abilities.  Team Confluence is a support system for dedicated runners of all levels.  Runners will become ambassadors of Confluence Running.  We want individuals who have a true passion for the sport of running and want to give back to the community. We are proud of each member on the team and what they represent in the running community.

At Confluence Running we believe there is a runner in all of us and we want our team to reflect that belief. Whether you lead the race, are in the middle of the pack, or are bringing up the back, we are happy you are out there giving it your all. Our goal is to prepare you to get to the finish line healthy and happy.

Being on Team Confluence is like being a part of a family. You meet new people and inspire others and the friendships that are made will always be a big part.

If being a part of Team Confluence is something you would be interested in,
please click on the application tab.  

Team Confluence Running Application  

 

~Other Must See Events~

Youth Runners' Night Monday July 29th @ 6:30

Functional Running Analysis Monday August 19th @ 8pm

Lady's Nite - Thursday August 22nd @ 7pm

 

The Binghamton Bathroom Project

 Have you ever gone on a long run and find yourself trapped under a bridge trying to pee before someone comes by?  Have you ever sneaked into someone's backyard to steal a quick sip from their hose because you ran out of water in your Amphipod?  Have you ever gone into McDonald's during a blazing 95 degree day, no shirt, sports bra only, short shorts, dripping with sweat and tried to use the bathroom only to find dirty looks and the bathroom closed?

Confluence Running has started mapping the Triple Cities Area to find welcoming bathroom and water stops.  Confluence is speaking with all the local business to be placed on our map.  All stops will include address and operating hours for your convenience.  Any of the stops on the map will welcome your sweaty look to support you on your run.

This Includes Confluence.  Cold Water and a bathroom are always welcome.  Stop by and chat before heading out again.  Check out our Group Runs every Thursday night at 6:30pm.  

~Other Must See Events~

Youth Runners' Night Monday July 29th @ 6:30

Functional Running Analysis Monday August 19th @ 8pm

Lady's Nite - Thursday August 22nd @ 7pm

If you are an interested Business to add to our Water and Bathroom stops please contact Matt, ConfluenceRunning@gmail.com

The Confluence Miles Club

The Miles Club is up and "Running"

Join Now!

Those who wish to be part of the Miles Club please sign up - Miles Club Link

 

Confluence Running 46 S Washington St. Binghamton, NY

Miles Club Sample Rewards

~Other Must See Events~

Youth Runners' Night Monday July 29th @ 6:30

Functional Running Analysis Monday August 19th @ 8pm

Lady's Nite - Thursday August 22nd @ 7pm