Running a race during the summer is a popular way to motivate yourself to exercise.  All summer long, races of varying lengths are put on by all sorts of organizations and events.  Signing up and training with a friend is a great way to keep in shape for the summer.

After you have made the initial and middle steps of signing up and training, what you do right before the race is also important.  As race morning approaches, you want to minimize time on your feet and take care of important things such as finding directions to the start and deciding what you’ll wear. Saving these tasks for the last minute can increase pre-race anxiety and potentially slow you down.

Two Days Out:

Pick your clothes:  Use a checklist and lay out your clothes from head to toe in a corner of your room

Check the weather:  If cold temperatures are expected, consider donning a long-sleeved shirt to stay warm.

Get some sleep:  Pre-race nerves and excitement can keep you from sleeping well the night before, so two nights out is a great time to go to bed early.  If you can, shut off the alarm and sleep in.

One Day Out:

Go to the expo early:  Your race packet can often be picked up the day before the race, saving you from the rush to get it right before as well as easing your mind by taking care of business

Finalize logistics: Read through race instructions, get directions to the starting line and parking area, learn about road closures, etc.

Drive the course: It wont’ hurt to see where you are running, how steep and how many hills there are, etc.

The Evening Before

Final prep: Review your racing items, making sure you have everything you need, as well as what you want for breakfast in the morning.  Note where you put your car keys

Relax:  Try and be off your feet and resting by mid to late afternoon.  Read a book, play a board game, watch a movie, anything ot eliminate stress.

Set two alarms!

Race Morning:

Arrive early: Make sure you have plenty of time to park and go to the bathroom before a race.

Warm up: Do a 10 minute brisk walk or jog to warm up your muscles

Soak it in:  The energy before a race can be extremely exciting.  Make sure to take a second to enjoy it and to congratulate yourself in accepting this challenge.  If you are nervous, take a few breaths and think back on your training.

Unless you swim, the basics of any fitness wardrobe are shorts, pants, tops and jackets. For runner and cyclists, Tighter fitting, but nonrestrictive pants are helpful. Fitness walkers or hikers may prefer looser fitting bottoms. If you lift weights, be mindful of how loose the shorts fit to avoid catching the edge of a dumbbell.

The fabric of your clothing should contain a small percentage of spandex to help them retain their shape between washings and during your workout. While you may enjoy wearing your favorite t-shirt, cotton workout apparel absorbs your body’s moisture directly onto your skin, while specially designed workout fabrics wick sweat away from your body, helping you feel cooler. Wool, fleece, and nylon are good for winter workouts.

Try and avoid 100% cotton socks when exercising. Choose a specialized fitness sock made from a blend of material that keeps blisters at bay while helping your feet stay dry. Also look for socks with an extra layer of padding in the ball of the foot and a supportive band around the arch of your foot.

If you are a woman, a sports bra is an essential piece of fitness clothing. Choose a sports bra that offers you support and minimizes breast bouncing and movement while running or working out to stay comfortable and help avoid breast injury.

Store Manager: Eric Waklee

Address:
2300 W Memorial Rd
Oklahoma City, OK 73134
Get Directions

Phone: 952-544-5249
Fax: 952-544-5053
Email: ewaklee@2ndwindexercise.com

Store Hours:
Monday-Friday: 10AM-8PM
Saturday: 10AM-7PM
Sunday: 11AM-5PM

The 2nd Wind Exercise Equipment store in Oklahoma City is located in the Quail Springs Shopping Center right next to Five Guys

We carry New, Used, Re-manufactured and Refurbished equipment from all the major brands. To help you get your 2nd Wind, we offer professional delivery and setup on these high quality name brands:

• • Treadmills: Life Fitness, Vision Fitness, Pacemaster, LifeSpan, Cybex
• • Ellipticals: Octane Fitness, Life Fitness, Vision Fitness, Pacemaster
• • Seated Ellipticals: Octane Fitness
• • Suspension Trainers: Cybex, Vision Fitness
• • Exercise Bikes: LeMond, Vision Fitness, Life Fitness, LifeSpan
• • Steppers: Stairmaster, Bowflex, and Nautilus
• • Home Gyms: Hoist Fitness, Torque Fitness, Life Fitness, Bowflex, York
• • Vibration: Power Plate
• • Fitness Accessories: Spri, Hampton, Schiek, Polar, Ecore, Power Block

If your existing fitness equipment is in need of repairs, your service and repair solution is right around the corner! Our 2nd Wind Exercise store in Oklahoma City, OK offers:

• • Treadmill Repairs
• • Elliptical Repairs
• • Excercise Bike (Spinner, Recumbent, Upright) Repairs
• • Home Gym and Commercial Repairs

Over the last two decades, 2nd Wind Exercise Equipment has grown to become the nation’s largest specialty fitness retailer. From residential to commercial, our Certified Fitness Consultants are committed to one thing: helping you get your 2nd Wind.

Get yours today by scheduling a free fitness consultation!

1. No need to worry about the weather:

   Running on a treadmill means running inside a temperature controlled environment. You don’t need to check the weather forecast or worry if those clouds up ahead looks like rain. No need to force yourself to run through extremely hot and humid weather or through bone chilling wing in the winter. You don’t need to stress about what to wear on your run or if you put enough sunscreen on too.

2. Easier on your body

   Most running outdoors takes places on pavement. While the smooth surface is great since you don’t have to worry about tripping in a hole, pavement is incredibly cruel to your knees because it places a large amount of strain on them. Treadmills offer shock absorption, creating less stress for the knees. The extra cushioning and smooth surface also allows for easier runs.

3. Simulate a race course

   If you are training for a race course, you can create a similar version to it using a treadmill. Most of the Midwest is pretty flat, and running on an endless flat road can get rather repetitive. Try mixing up your workout by adding in some hills to your run on a treadmill program.

4. Running inside is safer

   Falling, cars, cyclists, dogs, getting lost, these are all hazards of running outside that can be avoided by running on a treadmill. You can also safely listen to music without having to worry about having to pay attention to your environment.

Try pushing these healthy snacks to the front of your fridge so that the next time your tummy grumbles you reach for the good stuff:

Apples

Not only are apples good for us, but they are considered a great substitute for unhealthy sweets such as cakes, candies, and other calorie-rich snacks and desserts. Besides carrying cancer risk-reducing nutrients, apples can offer an energy boost that some say is stronger than coffee!

Veggies and Hummus

When you are craving something crunchy with zest, crispy vegetables like carrots and celery paired with tasty hummus can satisfy your craving. Try pre-cutting a bunch of veggies at the beginning of each week so you can easily grab and munch away without being deterred by the thought of having to prepare anything!

Cheese Sticks

Part-skim cheese sticks are a great snack – especially for those on the go! Eat one by itself or pair with some whole wheat crackers for a tasty and filling snack that will keep you satisfied and feed your need for a salty snack.

Greek Yogurt

This low fat snack has two times the protein of regular yogurt and much less sugar. This thick, creamy yogurt contains healthy probiotic cultures that are great for eliminating toxins from your system. Drizzle a half cup of this stuff with honey to make a treat that will make you think you are eating a decadent dessert!

]]> http://www.2ndwindexercise.com/snack-healthily/feed/ 0 http://www.2ndwindexercise.com/benefits-exercise-has-on-your-skin/ http://www.2ndwindexercise.com/benefits-exercise-has-on-your-skin/#comments Mon, 15 Apr 2013 17:00:36 +0000 Eilise Rooney http://www.2ndwindexercise.com/?p=4147 more »]]> Exercising truly benefits a person from the inside out – from a healthy heart to toned muscles to a healthy, glowing complexion. When it comes to your daily skincare regimen, exercise should not be overlooked, because working out can help improve your skin health in a number of ways:

1. Exercise makes you sweat, which helps your body flush your pores of the toxins and impurities they accumulate throughout the day. If not flushed from the body properly, these toxins can clog pores and result in breakouts! When you sweat out these toxins, it is important to wash them off so you don’t leave them sitting on top of your skin.
2. Exercise gets the heart pumping, which increases the flow of blood and oxygen to the skin. This boost in blood and oxygen flow to skin cells also carries nutrients that improve your skin health which can help keep your skin having a smooth texture and healthy, radiant glow.
3. When you exercise, your skin begins to produce oils that help naturally moisturize the skin and give it a healthy glow. These natural oils the skin produces helps keep your skin looking supple and radiant!
4. Exercising is a major stress-reliever. Since some studies have shown that stress can worsen acne and even trigger the onset of it, the stress-relieving power of exercise can help keep skin breakout-free.

]]> http://www.2ndwindexercise.com/benefits-exercise-has-on-your-skin/feed/ 0 http://www.2ndwindexercise.com/post-workout-meals/ http://www.2ndwindexercise.com/post-workout-meals/#comments Mon, 08 Apr 2013 17:00:33 +0000 Eilise Rooney http://www.2ndwindexercise.com/?p=4145 more »]]> The meals you eat before and after you exercise have direct influence on both the effectiveness of your workout and the results you get from it. What you eat after your workout (known as a post-workout meal) is crucial for optimizing the recovery process and ensuring that your body has what it needs to adapt and improve the way you want it to.

Since the meal you eat after a workout helps assist your body in the building up and strengthening of muscles, it is not surprising that the phase of getting post-workout nutrition is commonly referred to as the “anabolic phase”, since anabolism refers to the building or rebuilding of something. The meal you eat after your workout plays the largest part in supplying your body with what it needs to repair, replenish, and adapt to the training stimulus you underwent during your workout.

The specific goals of post-workout meals are to accomplish the following:

• Replenish glycogen in muscles
• Reduce muscle protein breakdown and increase muscle protein synthesis
• Reduce muscle fatigue
• Enhance overall recovery.
• Reduce levels of cortisol

In order to reach all of these goals, your body needs to be replenished with two things: carbohydrates and protein. The post-workout meal can be any size – if you only feel like a snack that is fine, and if you want to eat dinner after a workout that is alright too! The important things are that you eat relatively close to the time that you ended your workout (within an hour or so), that you don’t exceed your recommended daily calorie intake allowance, and that your meal consists mainly of carbs and protein. If you follow these recommendations you will surely reap the benefits of an effective post-workout meal!

]]> http://www.2ndwindexercise.com/post-workout-meals/feed/ 0 http://www.2ndwindexercise.com/pre-workout-meals/ http://www.2ndwindexercise.com/pre-workout-meals/#comments Thu, 04 Apr 2013 17:00:34 +0000 Eilise Rooney http://www.2ndwindexercise.com/?p=4143 more »]]> In order to maximize the efforts and results of your workout, it is important that you fuel your body with the right nutrients beforehand to keep you going. In addition to drinking water before a workout to keep you hydrated, you should also have an adequate meal to keep energy levels high.

What should you eat?

A pre-exercise meal should ideally consist mostly of slow-burning complex carbs, such as those found in vegetables, fruits, and whole-grain bread. The reason you should choose foods that are high in complex carbs is because these carbs take longer to convert to glucose than simple carbs. Eating complex carbs rather than simple carbs before a workout will keep your blood sugar levels consistent and prevent you from having an energy crash in the middle of your workout.

How much should you eat?

When it comes knowing how much you should eat, be sure to follow this one simple rule: the less time there is before your workout, the less you should eat. Bigger meals take longer to digest, so if you are going to work out in 4 hours or more, go right ahead and eat that big breakfast. But, if you are working out in just an hour or so, it is best to keep your pre-workout meal to a snack that is 300 calories or less so that it can be digested within the hour.

The most important thing is to listen to your body and do what is right for you! Maybe your body will be more energized if you have a light snack before the workout, and maybe your body will work better with a big meal that you consumed a few hours beforehand. Either way, providing your body with the right foods to fuel your activity will help you to get the most out of your workout!

]]> http://www.2ndwindexercise.com/pre-workout-meals/feed/ 0 http://www.2ndwindexercise.com/working-out-and-energy-levels/ http://www.2ndwindexercise.com/working-out-and-energy-levels/#comments Mon, 25 Mar 2013 17:00:17 +0000 Caroline Page http://www.2ndwindexercise.com/?p=4141 more »]]> Too tired to work out? Before you plop on your couch after a long day, try to go for a walk instead—even if you feel too worn out. University of Georgia (UGA) researched found that regular exercise has a big impact on increasing energy levels and reducing fatigue.

Patrick O’Connor, co-director of the UGA exercise psychology laboratory, Rod Dishman, a kinesiology professor, and lead author Tim Puetz analyzed 70 randomized, controlled trials that had a total of 6,807 subjects.

Of the studies analyzed, over 90% of them showed the same results: sedentary people who participate in a regular exercise program reported improved fatigue compared do groups that participated in no exercise program. Furthermore, the study found that exercise had a stronger effect on the treatment of fatigue as compared to drugs such as the narcolepsy drug modafinil.

So if you are tired at the end of a long day, don’t waste your money on coffee or an energy drink—instead enjoy the summer air, lace up your sneakers, and go for a walk around your neighborhood.

ScienceDaily. Retrieved June 20, 2012, from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/11/061101151005.htm

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