Running and the Brain

Need to remember something?  Take a quick run around the block or hop on your bike for a few minutes.  A short burst of moderate exercise enhances the consolidation of memories in both healthy older adults and those with mild cognitive impairment according to research done by scientists at UC Irvine's Center for the Neurobiology of Learning & Memory. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121127094315.htm  "In their study, post-doctoral researcher Sabrina Segal and neurobiologists Carl Cotman and Lawrence Cahill had people 50 to 85 years old with and without memory deficits view pleasant images -- such as photos of nature and animals -- and then exercise on a stationary bicycle for six minutes at 70 percent of their maximum capacity immediately afterward.
One hour later, the participants were given a surprise recall test on the previously viewed images. Results showed a striking enhancement of memory by exercise in both the healthy and cognitively impaired adults, compared with subjects who did not ride the bike." From the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease - "Exercise significantly elevated endogenous norepinephrine in both aMCI patients and controls. (amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI))"  Norepinephrine plays an important role in memory modulation.  

Not only does a short period of moderate exercise help your memory, but running can increase neural stem cells.  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19544415

The study on mice showed that the running mice showed significant increases in neural stem cells.  "In this model of aging we found that the number of active neural stem cells dramatically declines with age, but exercise dramatically reversed this, increasing stem cell numbers." Professor Bartlett, the Director of QBI.

Blackmore DG, Golmohammadi MG, Large B, Waters MJ, Rietze RL.

Queensland Brain Institute,The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.

“Our findings suggest that moderate exercise, from early to late in life, can have a very positive effect,” Dr Blackmore said. 

So not only does running help you maintain a healthy weight, http://www.dukehealth.org/health_library/news/aerobic-exercise-trumps-resistance-training-for-weight-and-fat-loss
it's also good for your brain!

Peace! Happy Trails and Merry Christmas!

Three runs a week to Boston Qualifying

It's December and here in OKC it is about to turn cold.  The low temperature Tuesday morning is forecast to be 19 degrees F.  Brrrr!  Tuesday morning is usually my first day to run during the week.  So I am thinking that I may start a bit late that morning.  (I'm scheduled a couple of hours of vacation this Tuesday morning, so maybe I can do my run at 8:30AM)  Each week I run on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.  Saturday being the long run.  Tuesday and Thursday are tempo runs. For the last month and half I have been following the schedule in the book, Run Less, Run Faster  http://www.runlessrunfasterbook.com Created by the folks at Furman University, the FIRST plan calls for 3 runs a week with two days of cross training.  More than just three runs a week, it is three intense runs a week.  Long runs are not slow easy jogs, but rather they are run at pace closer to marathon goal pace.  15 to 30 seconds slower than planned marathon pace. The first few weeks were 30 to 45 seconds slower but now my long runs are within the range listed.  Today's 20 mile run was about 15 to 20 seconds slower. 

Renato Canova

Ryan Hall

I read today that Ryan Hall, US Olympic Marathoner and US Half Marathon record holder, has made a coaching change.  Hall will now be coached by world renowned Italian marathon coach, Renato Canova.  http://www.runnersworld.com/elite-runners/canova-101?page=single  It seems that much of the FIRST plan has many similarities to Canova's teaching.  "Following the Golden Rule of Canova, to achieve your best race-day performance, you must practice running at or around goal race pace for long periods of time."  "Perhaps no workout better represents Canova's system than 17-to 24-mile runs done at roughly 95 percent of marathon pace. These closely simulate the demands of the marathon race in terms of speed, distance and psychology."

I take comfort in knowing that what I am doing with my long runs lines up with what Canova teaches to his elite athletes.  With just five weeks and a day till the Houston Marathon, I am confident that I can run a BQ time minus 10 minutes.  And I 'm starting to think that maybe I could run 15 minutes under a BQ time. :-)

Peace and Joy in this season of Christmas!

And Sic'em Bears!