First Strides® - North Myrtle Beach Workshops

WEEK 5 - April 1st - 7th

Dear First Striders –

As the news predicts bleaker weeks ahead for the Coronavirus, I hope you all are following the recommended guidelines intended to keep you and yours healthy.  I hope that allows you to get some exercise daily.

Our workshops continue to be cancelled as directed.  I will be sending a communication from RunSignUp (our registration site and website host) very soon. Sorry for the delay.

WEEK 5 WORKOUT (April 1 – 7):  2 Easy minutes; 3 Hard minutes x 5 repetitions.  Always begin with the 5 minute warmup and end with the 5 minute cool down.  3 times this week – every other day.

ATTENDANCE CREDIT CHALLENGE*:  For those of you that were able to complete your 3 homework sessions this past week (March 25-31), please REPLY to this email with the following sentence:

“(First & Last name) completed all 3 workouts for Week 4.”

*NOTE:  With all that is going on, I am sure many of you are not able to complete all assigned workouts each week.  But, if you miss a week or have had to miss a couple of weeks, we encourage you to continue to report in for those weeks you ARE ABLE to get out and do your homework.  Don’t give up!!!  Getting outdoors and accomplishing something good for yourself (and consequently for the “others” in your life) is what we wish for you.  It is (or may be) something you can control during this time of chaos.  If you have missed a whole week, go back and use the previous week’s homework assignment and work up chronologically each week from there.  You may not get through all 12 weeks  but, 10 or 8 weeks are still good for your health!

TIPS FOR CHOOSING LOCATIONS and TIME FOR YOUR WORKOUTS:  As long as there are not restrictions on using the streets (and some parks), these are things to consider:

• SURFACES:  Concrete sidewalks are harder on your joints than asphalt or dirt trails or hard sand or level-grass, etc. 
• RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS:  Rather than taking a sidewalk along a highway, there is less traffic in parks and residential areas so you can walk/run towards traffic on the asphalt roads.  RECOMMENDATION – If there is a sidewalk in that neighborhood, some drivers (with no sense of humor) will not be happy that you are using the road!  Understand that perspective.  But, rather than drive them to road rage, it’s better to move off the road until they pass.  Then safely go back to the asphalt road.
• SEEK SHADE:  We are going to see our temperatures rise now that spring has arrived.  HEAT is a stress!  It will (and should) slow you down.  Accept that important fact.  Shade is your friend.  That usually means tall condos along the beach in the morning or older residential communities that have long-established trees.  Many new communities do not have shade.  You might have to drive to places that do.
• VARY YOUR ROUTE:  It is a good idea to have several different routes to alternate throughout the week.  Or vary the direction or timing of your workout … although having a regular time each day does accommodate good discipline.  This is helpful to prevent boredom AND is a safety factor too (to deter predators).
• CONVENIENCE:  Walking out your door is the easiest way to start your workout.  But taking a change of clothes (if you’re still working) and working out from work or stop at a park or shady neighborhood on your way home may work well for you too. But, trying to drive 15 minutes (both ways) to get to a park may be a deterrent to your success – because of the time spent driving.  Do everything you can to make it simple, pleasant and convenient to be successful.
• AVOID THE HEAT!  Do NOT do your workout in the middle of the day if it’s hot!  It can be dangerous!  Respect that heat is an additional stress to your effort. Choose the early morning or early evening in the summer.   Do not try to be “tough” and push through at your usual pace.  Back off and realize that you are still getting a workout … even if your pace is much slower!  Trust me on this, please. 

NO HANDOUT THIS WEEK:  Consider the above commentary the topic.  But, do review the attached Week 1 handout about “Hot Weather Tips!”   

Stay well all!

Jane
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For details, go to:  www.FirstStridesNMB.com

For questions, email:  FirstStridesNMB.gsrc@gmail.com

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