Run Tampa

Runners' Cars Still Being Towed from Circuit City Lot

Most runners in Tampa run from time to time on the Upper Tampa Bay Trail, and many park at the old Circuit City on Gunn Hwy. That seemed to be fine with Circuit City, but the new owners are not at all tolerant of people parking there to access the trail. On the contrary, many, many cars have been towed. People continue to email me about this. One man had met his wife there, and when they returned to the lot BOTH of their cars had been towed.

Another person said she spoke with the park rangers on Saturday, and they reported that 7 cars had already been towed that day.

I've posted warnings on the wall of the Run Tampa Facebook group and in my weekly newsletter/invite, but we need to keep spreading the word. Every time I go by there - which is often since I live a mile away - I see six or eight cars there, parked along the trail side of the lot.

There is a public lot on Ehrlich near Ballyhoo's, on Wilskey, near Linebaugh, on Waters Avenue, across from the Northwest YMCA, and at the southern terminus of the trail just south of Alonso High School on Montegue Street. All charge $2 parking, by the way.

Missing water kiosk: If you have noticed that the water kiosk that used to be on the Upper Tampa Bay Trail between Circuit City and McDonald's is gone, you may be wondering if it will be replaced. The word I have is that it will not due to the fact that they have trouble with teens congregating there after dark. How unfortunate that so many people must be inconvenienced due to the behavior of a small group. That kiosk had great value for the hundreds of people safely using that trail to maintain their fitness, and in Tampa's heat, water access is critical. Sure wish there was another solution :(   

 

The Latest Research on Stretching

Great article in Sunday's Tribune, originating from the AP in London. The verdict is in, there is no evidence that stretching before a run is good for you, and, in fact, it could do more harm than good.

For years, people have been surprised that I do little stretching, and none before a run, and despite that have experienced no serious injuries in over 30 years of running. Well, this article supports my behavior and results.

"Most experts agree that this kind of static stretching before workouts is not just counter-productive, but potentially harmful."

In the article, Kieran O'Sullivan, an exercise expert at the University of Limerick in Ireland, says that it does help with flexibility but that the time to stretch is after the activity or "...at the end of the day."

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reviewed over a hundred stretching studies and concluded "... people who stretched before exercise were no less likely to suffer injuries."

They suggest emphasizing the warm-up instead, which makes great sense to me. I think it's good, even advisable to 'loosen up,' but not to stretch. The article points out that being tight may be your muscles' way of protecting against injury, and when you do a static stretch before exercise, the muscle may even compensate by contracting, its way of defending against overstretching, which could actually slow you down by keeping you from moving as freely.

Don't get me wrong; I'm all for stretching, carefully, at the appropriate time, and I wish I had done more of it earlier in my career, but I imagine not stretching, ever, before a run, has benefited me.

They say it will probably be a long time before the message trickles down to the masses. I imagine so; many, many people still go with the old adage of "Drink before you're thirsty," even though that was disproved a few years ago, in favor of the much more logical, "Drink when you are thirsty." More people die in marathons from drinking too much, hyponatremia; in fact that's a real problem, but I'll save that for another post.

Here is the stretching article. It is critical for athletes to keep up with the latest research. A good way to do that is to read running magazines, reputable mainstream health and fitness magazines, and listen to podcasts. There is plenty of info out there, and it is constantly changing. Be careful about getting advice from fellow runners; that advice is sometimes outdated. Stand near the starting line of any race twenty minutes before it starts, and you will see people sprawled on the ground, stretching, because, hey, that's what you're supposed to do, right? Those people should all be in the middle of an easy warm-up run at that time.

Safety Tips, Part 2

Deputy Mark Mitchelson of Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office provided the following tips for keep safe and avoid becoming a victim.

Lately, there have been many smash and grab crimes in this area. The thief watches for women leaving their car without a purse. Often these incidents occur at gyms. They smash the window, grab the purse, and it’s over in seconds. Locking your purse in the trunk might be a little safer, but remember, most trunks can be accessed through the backseat.

What to Wear to be Safe on a Run

On Thursday, members of  Take the First Step Club met for their monthly meeting at J. Christopher's Restaurant, and Deputy Mark Mitchelson of the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Department was our guest speaker. He remind us of the things we should be doing to be safe and to avoid becoming victims. It was a brief but information packed presentation that will keep us all safer.