GVWC Weekly Newsletter | July 31, 2018

Greetings!

It was a beautiful Saturday for a walk. Thanks to Frank for leading the group while I was in Chicago. This week is the first Saturday of the month, so you know the route: Winans to Winans. Club shirts for new members are in, which I will hand out Saturday at downtown Winans. If you’re a new member and haven’t received your shirt yet, you’ll want to be there.

Here’s what you will find in the newsletter this week:

• Shirts, shirts, shirts
• African American Male Wellness 5K Walk – August 11
• 10-20-30
• Winans to Winans Half Marathon
• GVWC Members and Partners – Footprints and Footnotes

Shirts, Shirts, Shirts!

Well, we have plenty of shirts now. Club shirts, the one get when you officially join, just came in. I will have them to distribute on Saturday to recent GVWC members. Club members can purchase additional shirts for $25. (For non-Club members, shirts are $35 and come with a free Club membership!)

Our special edition GVWC t-shirts are for sale! The shirts have pictures of scenes from our Saturday morning walks in a cool abstract format. Men’s shirts are crew neck and women’s are V-neck. Though intended for casual wear, they are made of technical fabric making them good for exercise, too. The $40 shirts are available exclusively at the Columbus Running Company’s Short North store or at the CRC on-line store. All the profits go to the Club, which allows us to provide cool programs. Here are the shirts displayed at CRC. How many GVWC partners and landmarks can you spot?

African American Male Wellness 5K Walk – August 11

It is almost here, the African American Male Wellness Walk 2018! This is the 15^th year, and they expect 20,000 participants! It is all free, along with free health screenings. In addition to fielding a Passion Team, the GVWC will have a booth at the event, and Andrea and I will arrive to set up at 7am. The walk, which will be the Club’s weekly walk that morning, starts at 9:30am—and you should plan to meet at our booth at 9am that morning. For those who want to get in a few extra miles (and have an easier time with parking) you can meet at Schiller at 8:30am, walk the ~1 mile to the start at Livingston and Parsons, then walk back to Schiller. That gets you about 5 miles. The over-under for participation on GVWC’s Passion Team is 30, so I’m counting on you to get us to the “over.” Be sure to represent the GVWC by wearing your Club shirts!

10-20-30

Looking for a new walking routine to spice up your week and give you more of a challenge?  Here is a routine that has proven to build speed (reducing 5K race times by 1 minute) and reduce blood pressure and cholesterol according to this article from the VeryWellfit blog. The premise is to run at low speed for 30 seconds, moderate speed for 20 seconds, and high speed for 10 seconds. Repeat for 5 minutes, recover for 2 minutes, and repeat the interval for 20 to 30 minutes. This type of routine is commonly called high intensity interval training (HIIT), and is an effective way to improve fitness. Pick a day this week and give it a try. I bet you will be energized and maybe feel just a little tougher.

Winans To Winans Half Marathon – September 9

The Winans To Winans Half Marathon will be held Sunday, September 9 this year. It is beautiful, paved path along the Great Miami River – a point-to-point race – that starts in Troy and finishes in Piqua at the Winans Headquarters and Chocolate Factory. (Yes, that’s right, I said Chocolate Factory!) Participants receive a t-shirt and choice of finisher medal or Winans travel mug. There will also be a Chocolate Fountain at the finish line. (Yes, that’s right, I said Chocolate Fountain!)

GVWC members get a $10 discount. Email me for the code. You find more information and registration information here.  There will be shuttle service between Piqua and Troy.

GVWC Members and Partners – Footprints and Footnotes

• Congratulations to the GVWC’s amazing Cindy Wildman, who completed her SECOND 50-mile race, the Burning River 50-miler. The scenic trail race runs along the Cuyahoga River Valley Corridor. Way to be, Cindy, the Ironwoman of the GVWC. Amazing accomplishment.

Route of the Week

This week’s route can be found here.

Motivation of the Week

(Thanks, Emily Smith, for the submittal.)

Finishing Line

I hope to catch you all this Saturday. Until then, whatever you do, finish strong!

Larry

GVWC Weekly Newsletter Club | July 24, 2018

Greetings!

On Saturday, we dodged rain showers, the Jazz & Rib Fest, and the start of The Color Run. This is no surprise to veteran GVWC walkers. There is always something going on in downtown Columbus. Though I will be out of town on the 28^th, Frank will lead the group. You all are in great hands. Enjoy the morning!

Here’s what you will find in the newsletter this week:

• Welcome New GVWC Members!
• Cool New GVWC T-shirts Are In!
• BMI or BS?
• Winans to Winans Half Marathon
• Can You Outrun a Bad Diet (I corrected the link from last week)
• GVWC Members and Partners – Footprints and Footnotes

Also, cool new GVWC shirts are in. Get to Columbus Running Company to pick one up!

Welcome New GVWC Members!

Welcome to the following folks who joined the GVWC over the last few weeks:  Neil and Kristen Cole, Roberta Winch, and Colleen Manley. We are excited that you have become official members of the GVWC. Y’all contribute to making this the coolest place to be on Saturday mornings. Welcome!

Cool New GVWC T-shirts Are In!

We are excited to roll out our GVWC special edition T-shirt. The shirts have pictures of scenes from our Saturday morning walks in a cool abstract format. Men’s shirts are crew neck and women’s are V-neck. Though intended for casual wear, they are made of technical fabric making them good for exercise, too. The $40 shirts are available exclusively at the Columbus Running Company’s Short North store—coming soon to their on-line store. All the profits go to the Club, which allows us to provide cool programs. Here are the shirts displayed at CRC. How many GVWC partners and landmarks can you spot?

BMI or BS?

Most of you have heard of the BMI, which stands for body mass index. You will see a lot of information about what it measures. Indeed, many doctors use the BMI to assess a person’s healthy weight. This article from the VeryWellfit blog touts the relevance of the BMI. (Though I am not a doctor, I have no medical training, and I am not dispensing medical advice here), I find the BMI to be a substandard measure of health. There are many factors, including muscularity, age, and body shape, that impact a person’s BMI. As an example, my BMI puts me at the TOP of the normal weight BMI range. This means, according to the BMI, I am about a biscuit or two away from being overweight. The lower end of the BMI for my height shows that I could weigh 10 to 15 pounds less, and still be in the “healthy BMI” range. I can’t imagine what I’d look like if lost 10 or 15 pounds, but I’m certain I wouldn’t feel healthy. But that’s how a health professional might judge me if they only used the BMI as an indicator of good health. I caution people to avoid relying exclusively on the BMI. It is just one of many rules of thumb for judging good health. Alone, the BMI is not a very good one. The article suggested using waist size in combination with BMI and other factors. As always, consult a certified medical professional to evaluate your health.

 

Winans To Winans Half Marathon – September 9

The Winans To Winans Half Marathon will be held Sunday, September 9 this year. It is beautiful, paved path along the Great Miami River – a point to point race – that starts in Troy and finishes in Piqua at the Winans Headquarters and Chocolate Factory. (Yes, that’s right, I said Chocolate Factory!) Participants receive a t-shirt and choice of finisher medal or Winans travel mug. There will also be a Chocolate Fountain at the finish line. (Yes, that’s right, I said Chocolate Fountain!)

GVWC members get a $10 discount. Email me for the code. You find more information and registration information here.  There will be shuttle service between Piqua and Troy.

Can You Outrun a Bad Diet?

Sorry, the link to the article in this blurb last week was not right. So, here is it again.

Most studies show that you CANNOT outrun (or out walk) a bad diet … especially as we age. Even if we are at our optimum weight and we exercise diligently, there is evidence that a bad diet will still do damage to your body. This article from Runners World Magazine explains why.

GVWC Members and Partners – Footprints and Footnotes

• The GVWC was represented in Dallas recently. Sporting his club t-shirt, GVWC member, Brian McCann, and his daughter, Leah, snapped a selfie overlooking the Dallas Cowboys’ practice field. Leah is the yoga instructor for the Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders—which seems like a pretty fantastic job. No wonder we haven’t seen Brian walking with us on Saturday mornings for a few weeks. Thanks, Brian, for taking us with you on your travels!

• On Sunday, some GVWC members headed down to the farm … Jorgensen Farms, for the Healthy Living Festival. Darla reports that Jorgensen Farms Oak Grove in New Albany was the perfect landscape for this event. Highlights of the festival included finding a pasture farm raised eggs, pork and stewing chicken vendor called Copia. A restaurant called Veranico (401 N. Front St. Columbus) had samples of delicious tandoori spiced chicken salad and housemade protein bars. Also, there were yummy mini buckeyes made with healthy ingredients from Propello Life (recipe online propellife.com). A couple photos of the gorgeous farm and friends (Linda, Karen, Deb, Jim, Darla, & Priscilla). Thanks, Darla (our resident foodie) for sharing your experience.

Route of the Week

This week’s route can be found here.

Motivation of the Week

Finishing Line

I hope to catch you all this Saturday. Until then, whatever you do, finish strong!

Larry

GVWC Weekly Newsletter | July 17, 2018

Greetings!

What a great walk this past Saturday with the African American Male Wellness Initiative! About 70 folks walked with us followed by “social hour” at Winans Chocolates and Coffee. It’s such fun to see the collaboration between two like-minded organizations as we promote health and wellness in our community. Thanks for everyone’s support. This is good and important stuff.

Here’s what you will find in the newsletter this week:

• Successful Spring To Your Feet Series
• 20 Secrets to a Happier Life
• Can You Outrun a Bad Diet
• GVWC Members – Footprints and Footnotes

Successful Spring to Your Feet Series

Last week we held our final Spring to Your Feet walk with the African American Male Wellness Initiative, featuring Dr. Shari Hicks-Graham, dermatologist, Downtown Dermatology, as our guest speaker. It was another great outing as we collaborate in creating healthy habits in our community. Thanks to Dr. Hicks-Graham for reinforcing the need for regular exercise and emphasizing the importance for protecting our skin from the harmful rays of the sun. Thanks to our partners for supporting this event: Columbus Running Company for the raffle prizes, Winans for the sample chocolates and raffle prizes, and to the AAMWI for treating all the walkers to complimentary coffee drinks. The next time we all get together will be on August 11 for the AAMWI Walk. The GVWC’s Passion Team is ready to roll.

We look forward to continuing our partnership with the AAMWI in the coming years.  Congratulations on your 15 years of raising awareness of the health issues facing African American men in our community. You do important work!

20 Secrets to a Happier Life

rat race. noun informal. “a way of life in which people are caught up in fiercely competitive struggle for power.” Sometimes we get caught up chasing things—chasing the wrong things, it turns out—thinking they will bring us certain happiness. If I only earned this much. If I only lived in that house. If I only had those pair of shoes, I’d be happy. (Well, Andrea tells me the shoes always bring happiness.)  We chase things—chase happiness—hoping that, once we own something or achieve something or attain something, we will really be happy. I have lived long enough to understand that life doesn’t work that way. And the sooner we relieve ourselves of the pressure to chase this false happiness, the better off we’ll be. Entrepreneur magazine has 20 recommendations for living a happier life. You won’t find anything on the list about gaining material things, making boatloads of money, or keeping up with the neighbors. You will find notions about collecting experiences, strengthening personal relationships, expressing gratitude, and surrounding yourself with positive, happy people. Thanks to Andrea Applegate for contributing the article—and for being one of the main reasons I am able to be a truly happy person.

Can You Outrun a Bad Diet?

Most studies show that you CANNOT outrun (or out walk) a bad diet … especially as we age. Even if we are at our optimum weight and we exercise diligently, there is evidence that a bad diet will still do damage to your body. This article from Runners World Magazine explains why.

GVWC Members and Partners – Footprints and Footnotes

• Chuck Marshall represents the GVWC in Grand Teton National Park as he travels out west to paint the breathtaking scenery. He always makes time for a little fishing. And walking, of course.

• July (ish) birthday celebration at Delaney’s Westerville.  Happy birthday Mo, Jim and Linda!  Thanks, Brian Zuk, for the submittal!

• The Healthy Living Festival is this Sunday at Jorgensen Farms.  It is an event to celebrate living a well-balanced lifestyle with tasty local fare, free fitness sessions, farm tours, local artists and brands.  Darla Kaikis has a few extra tickets for the early session (10am to 1:30pm) for sale if you would like to go; tickets with the fee are $23 each.  Some people are walking with the New Albany Walking Club that morning and leaving directly for the event.  Please email Darla if you are interested.

Route of the Week

This week’s route can be found here.

Motivation of the Week

Finishing Line

I hope to catch you all this Saturday. Until then, whatever you do, finish strong!

Larry

GVWC Weekly Newsletter | July 10, 2018

Greetings!

In my opinion, this weekend was the most beautiful of the year. A crowd of 35 joined us on Saturday making it a terrific morning. Be sure to join us again THIS Saturday. It is the last Spring to Your Feet event—a joint walk between the GVWC and the African American Male Wellness Initiative—before the AAWalk on August 11. Join us and bring friends!

Here’s what you will find in the newsletter this week:

• This Saturday – Spring To Your Feet – Dr. Shari Hicks-Graham
• Skin Cancer Prevention
• Lessons From an “Older” Runner
• Cottage Cheese
• Columbus Marathon and Half Marathon – Let the Training Begin!
• GVWC Members and Partners – Footprints and Footnotes

The group heading out of Schiller Park last Saturday:

THIS SATURDAY! Final Spring To Your Feet Event

Our final Spring to Your Feet walk is this Saturday, July 14 with the African American Male Wellness Initiative, and featuring Dr. Shari Hicks-Graham, dermatologist, Downtown Dermatology, as our guest speaker. Make it our biggest event of the season by joining us. Prior to heading off for our 3-mile walk through the Scioto-Audubon, Dr. Hicks-Graham will share some words of wisdom for staying healthy. You can find a cover story article of Dr. Hicks-Graham in the Summer 2018 issue of Buckeye Lifestyle magazine.

Our friends from Columbus Running Company will be on hand to showcase the AAWalk shoe and take pre-orders. Afterwards, we’ll head back to Winans for free coffee and drinks sponsored by the AAWalk, free chocolates from Winans, and raffles from Columbus Running Company and Winans. I look forward to seeing everyone on July 14.

Skin Cancer Prevention

Skin cancer prevention may be one of the topics Dr. Hicks-Graham discusses on Saturday. In anticipation, this article from the VeryWellhealth blog discusses ways to protect our skin from the harmful rays of the sun. At the GVWC, our preference is to exercise outside, breathing fresh air and feeling the warmth of the sun. But, we must be prudent about the amount of direct sun exposure we get.

Lessons from an “Older” Runner

Deena Kastor is an Olympic medalist and holds the American record in the marathon (2:19:36), which she set in 2006 when she won the London Marathon. When compared to other athletes in her sport, Deena is an “ancient” 42 years old. As most of us know, with age comes wisdom. The same is true for Deena, who has collected more than a few lessons over her 20+ years of running. Many are not just lessons about running, but lessons about life. As she ages and as priorities in her life change, she understands and embraces that she must adjust. Deena shares in this article from Runners World Magazine the five things “no one tells you about running as you get older.” Deena’s lessons apply to many areas of life. I particularly like her suggestion to join a running club – though I would, of course, replace “running” with “walking.”

Cottage Cheese

I love cottage cheese! It is a great source of protein, it’s not very high in calories, and it’s versatile. After recent periodontal surgery which left me with stitches in my mouth for 10 days, I found cottage cheese to be a staple of my diet. Now that I’m back on regular food, I plan to keep it in the rotation. This article from the VeryWellfit blog offers healthy ways to add cottage cheese to your diet. Enjoy. I know I will!

Columbus Marathon and Half Marathon – Let the Training Begin!

Are you interested in walking your first half marathon? Are you a veteran half marathoner and ready to hit the training trail again? Does the thought of pursuing 13.1 miles scare the bejeezus out of you and you are convinced you shouldn’t even try? Good news! It’s time to start training and GVWC member, Dr. Steph Ladson-Wolford, will be your coach for the Columbus Half Marathon on October 21. Dr. Steph and other seasoned veterans will serve as a resource for the training. For the half, the official training schedule starts the week of July 29. The marathon training already started. You can find both training schedules on the GVWC website. Contact Dr. Steph via email if you’re interested in taking her up on her offer.

GVWC Members and Partners – Footprints and Footnotes

1. GVWC partner, Columbus Running Company, is holding its largest sale of the year; its 14^th Anniversary Sale THIS Saturday, July 14. All the merchandise will be consolidated at their Dublin store. Be sure to get out after our morning  Spring To Your Feet event to take advantage of the sale.  You can find complete information here.

Route of the Week

This week’s route is the 3-miler through the Scioto-Audubon with the AAMWWI.

Motivation of the Week

Finishing Line

I hope to catch you all this Saturday. Until then, whatever you do, finish strong!

Larry

 

GVWC Weekly Newsletter | July 3, 2018

Greetings!

Welcome to July! And – yowzah, was that first day a hot one! You may have noticed new faces in the crowd if you’ve walked with us over the last couple weeks. Indeed, the German Village Walking Club now boasts 86 official members. It seems we have a different combination of 20 to 30+ walkers each week who keep things lively. There’s never a dull mile and I love the interesting mix of people. If it’s been awhile since you’ve joined us, get thee to Schiller statue at 8am on Saturday!

Remember this is the first Saturday of the month, so we will be walking the Winans to Winans route. I hope everyone has a fun and safe Fourth of July holiday! God bless America!

Here’s what you will find in the newsletter this week:

• Final Spring To Your Feet Event – July 14
• Getting Fit After 40. After 50.
• Foods That Affect Blood Pressure
• Smoothies!
• Total Body Stretches

Ahhh, the Dog Days of summer, Short North style:

Final Spring To Your Feet Event – July 14

Our final Spring to Your Feet walk will be July 14 with Dr. Shari Hicks-Graham, dermatologist, Downtown Dermatology. More than a few of our members are enthusiastic patients of Dr. Hicks-Graham’s. Please help make it our biggest event of the season. Prior to heading off for our 3-mile walk through the Scioto-Audubon, Dr. Hicks-Graham will share some words of wisdom for staying healthy. Our friends from Columbus Running Company will be on hand to showcase the AAWalk shoe and take pre-orders. Afterwards, we’ll head back to Winans for free coffee and drinks sponsored by the AAWalk, free chocolates from Winans, and raffles from Columbus Running Company and Winans. I look forward to seeing everyone on July 14.

Getting Fit After 40.  After 50.

I have read lots of articles that provide guidance on getting and staying fit after a certain age, such as 40 or 50. Though I am no health expert*, it seems to me that it really doesn’t matter what stage you are in life. You need to get fit and stay fit no matter what your age. And you need to start today. Any article that discusses getting fit after “fill in the blank” age, most experts have the same recommendations, which I can boil down to five common themes:

1. keep moving
2. work on strength, flexibility and balance
3. get plenty of rest/recovery
4. modify exercises as necessary
5. eat a balanced diet.

At the GVWC, we boil it down even further:  Create healthy habits for a life time of healthy living!

This article from Mens Health Magazine has recommendations for getting and staying fit after 40. This article from the VeryWell FitLife blog promotes strength training after 50. As the author in the Mens Health article says, “I used to consider happy hour a valid cooldown routine. Now I’m a fanatic about stretching and self-massage and have a closet full of straps, bands, foam rollers, and lacrosse balls to show for it.” See, you got to keep working on fitness, but we need to adjust as we age.

*I have dreamed on occasion of playing a health expert on TV.

 

Foods that Affect Blood Pressure

For those of you who, like me, need to pay attention to blood pressure, this article from the VeryWell health blog discusses how different foods may impact blood pressure in both the short and long terms. As with all the articles presented in this newsletter, check with your doctor to address your specific health issues. (You may want to take this information with a grain of salt. Get it? See what I did there? Salt impacts blood pressure…)

Smoothies!

Ok people, start…your…blenders! Smoothies are healthy, easy to make, and are cool and refreshing treats particularly this time of year. Find 10 healthy smoothie recipes in this article from VeryWellfit blog. Blend away. You can’t go wrong.

Total Body Stretches

I know I should do it. Stretching after workouts, that is. But, when I’m short on time, it’s the thing I cut out of my workout. But skipping stretching is not a good idea. Here is an article from the VeryWell fit blog offers 8 stretches to perform after a workout or after warming up. The advice in this article is to hold the stretch for 10 to 30 seconds, but from what I understand, stretches should be held for at least 30 seconds.

On a related note, I find myself using this newsletter as a confessional. So, I hereby profess to be more diligent in stretching and in holding the stretches.

GVWC Members – Footprints and Footnotes

1. The GVWC participated in Motorists Insurance Group’s Annual Wellness & Benefits Expo 2018 last Wednesday. This event is focused on connecting associates with exhibitors who support their healthcare, self-care, physical activity and access to community resources. The GVWC was proud to promote the Club to the 100 or so employees who came through the Expo. About 30 signed up for the newsletter (Hi, Motorists, if you’re reading this!) and we hope a few come out to walk with us on Saturdays.

Route of the Week

This week’s route can be found here.

Motivation of the Week

Finishing Line

I hope to catch you all this Saturday. Until then, whatever you do, finish strong!

Larry