On December 31, 2011 and January 1, 2012, several Team ACSO members; C. Sass, T. Modeste and G. Verbeck, participated in the Brazen Racing Series for the New Years Eve 10k at Lake Chabot in Castro Valley. The 10k course was an "out and back" route, which began at the picnic area by the general store and followed the trial around the lake and up Towhee to the Brandon Trail.The course started out with nice n easy rolling hills. But at mile 1.5, turned straight uphill for 1.5 miles at a 7% grade! (That's VERY steep.) The good news was that running up the hill 1.5 miles also meant you would be able to run downhill for 1.5 miles on the return.
The hill was tough, both up and down, (*remember, downhill can be equally tough on the legs and knees depending on your fitness level and preexisting joint issues) but we all survived and felt invigorated by the challenge and having completed it. Believe it or not, when done properly, running hills can be enjoyable and will most definitely improve your race times, strength and overall running efficiency.
On New Years Day, G. Verbeck was back for round two! He ran the course again with J. Lucha tackling the mountain twice in two days and securing a special Brazen Racing interconnecting finishers medal representing both races only a day apart.
Next up: Brazen Races Bay Breeze 5k, 10k and 1/2 marathon, Saturday February 18, 2012, Hellyer 5k, 10k, and Half Marathon Saturday March 3, 2012, Lake Del Valle 5k, 10k, and Half Marathon Saturday March 17, 2012 and the Oakland Festival of Running 5k, Half Marathon and Marathon Sunday March 25, 2012. Please contact Team ACSO at teamacso@gmail.com for more information or if you would like to join us!
*NOTE: Remember that when running hills to pay attention to your body. If you haven't run hills before, have returned to running after an injury or break, the muscles in your legs may be weak and unable to effectively support your joints. Work on Quadriceps, hamstring and calf muscle strength leading up to your race. Be sure to warm up and stretch properly before beginning your hill run. know the course so you are aware of whats coming, anxiety of the unknown can cause you to tense up and add stress to your run. As you begin your ascent, check your shoulders to ensure you are not tensing up. If your shoulders are "creeping up to your ears, roll them forward and then back to relieve tension and keep them low and relaxed." Maintain posture; remain upright both up and down the hill. Resist the urge to lean slightly into the hill when ascending and slightly back when descending. Control your stride length and speed. Slightly shorten your stride uphill to maintain force. Resist the urge to maintain speed uphill as if you were running a flat; if you are not an experienced runner, you may raise your heart rate, overexert and burn out. When running downhill, focus on landing across the mid sole of your foot and NOT the heel. These and other tips can be found at http://www.runnersworld.com/.
