7 Lessons of the KINETIC Sculpt® 10K Rockin’ Warm up Run

October 16, 2011 | KS® OUTSIDE, KS® Sport!, Move | Share

KINETIC Sculpt®-ers w/ the amazing Setsuko Maruhashi pre-run warm up

KINETIC Sculpt® On-the-RUN visited Prospect Park for a special training in preparation for the Rock and Roll 10K. (By the way, it is still not too late to register for the race. You don’t need to register for the 10K to join us before or after the actual event.) A new athlete joined the KINETIC Sculpt® OUTSIDE team to help ease her transition to running. Upon arrival we were surprised by the amazing Setsuko Maruhashi welcoming us to Brooklyn.

Setsuko Maruhashi was the first Asian Radio City Music hall Rockette and is also an avid supporter and student of KINETIC Sculpt®. I hope to share more of her story with you on The Perspiration Journal© in the near future. We all performed a warm up together then went over to the park to find our starting line.

Here are some lessons for the road that you may benefit from.

KINETIC Sculpt® OUTSIDE: Limber

1. No excuses.
One of our athletes dropped out at the last second citing a lame excuse. Meanwhile another athlete had just arrived on an overnight flight from Europe and was there on-time despite jetlag. There comes a point when you no longer own your excuses and your excuses own you.

2. Warm Up
It is crucial you do a warmup. There are a variety of ways to stretch and you can pick the one that works best for you. It is not advisable you go from the bed or the desk straight to the road.

3. Know the course
Whether you are running a race or simply going for a run, you should map your run. You can use a GPS device, or a phone, but know where you are. Also, tell people your plans.

Prospect Park is a lovely park and half the size of Central Park. It is two laps around the park to perform a proper 10K. I printed a map and sent it to all my runners so they understood where they will be running. Things to consider…

Take notice of the terrain and public facilities. Restrooms? Stores? Police? Emergency phones? Lighting? Water fountains?
What is the elevation like?
How busy is it? Cyclists? Walkers? Runners? Pets? Kids?
What surface will you be running on?
If running in a public park, go online and see if there will special events that will block the road or thwart your efforts.

Apparently there was a Breast Cancer Fundraiser/ Walk scheduled. It wasn’t on the Prospect Park Events Calendar. The park was lively to say the least. What got me was how out-of-shape and morbidly obese the participants were. If you are going to walk the walk, you should at least walk the talk. The best way to end cancer is by guarding your diet, exercise and lifestyle choices. Cancer is not the enemy, ignorance is.

After the run, we stretched in an open field.

4. Partner with runners based on ability
As a coach and organizer, I am managing athletes of varying ability. I had one athlete brand new to running so she was going to stay with me. I paired the other runners based on ability. I required that athletes declare their intention.

How fast do you want to run this 10K?
What is your average mile time?
Use each other to push the pace. You will not grow by working with lesser able or unmotivated athletes.
Don’t feel guilty dropping your partner if they slow you down. We are all adults and will meet at the end of the run. Our egos are not on display, our athleticism is.

As a rule, I don’t keep the company of, nor do I train people, who lack courtesy or respect. The point of friendly competition is to bring out the best in one another. If we go out together, we return together. No person gets left behind or left with bad feelings.

5. “What biofeedback did you gain today?”

Are you sore after the run?
Were your muscles tightening during the run?
Do you need to perform more speed work?
How was your endurance?
Were you able to maintain your race pace?

Use your training for growth and development. The day of a race is energy filled. You can usually get by just on adrenaline. The training is always the hardest part. It can also be incredibly enjoyable. Don’t forget to stretch.

6. Do your work and live your Life.

After a workout is the perfect time to eat. The longer you wait, the less the benefit. When the work was over, we went to the Food Truck Rally. Most of the group settled on fruit drinks, except for two of us who happily had a lobster roll. Sugar is not a meal. A lobster roll may have higher fat but lobster is a good source of protein. According to “The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods,” Atlantic lobster is one of the leanest meat sources of protein available because it provides a good dose without being high in saturated. I last had a lobster roll 6 years ago. No guilt. No regrets. It was Good! Then onto the train back to Manhattan.

Next week, we race. I hope you are planning something interesting for yourself if you are reading this.

7. Say Thank You.

We all need acknowledgement. I want to thank all my athletes and supporters, I especially want to thank you, the reader, for giving so generously of your attention to help spread the word, EXERCISE CONSCIOUSLY.

Your partner in wellness

- Erwin

P.S. Send us an email and let us know what you are up to.