How to stay away from injuries

How to stay away from injuries
By Maxim Nazaire, CSCS
Team Challenge Run Coach


Let me be the first to say that injuries are no fun! Nothing throws a monkey wrench into your training like a good old fashion injury. The few times I had running injuries, they were pretty bad. I am a big believer that there are ways to get around injuries, but my feelings on the matter is this: If you can avoid injuries, then avoid them!!! Although injuries can be complex, preventing them can be easy. Here are two simple tips that can significantly reduce your chances of injury.

1. Drink lots of water. Water will keep the joints lubricated, and the muscles hydrated. Most injuries will be associated with either a joint problem or a muscular let down. Drink water! It's good for you.

2. Stretch after your workouts. Let's face it, when you are pushing yourself to do things that you've never done before, there will be some soreness and tightness in the muscles. If you stretch, it can improve blood flow throughout the muscles and reduce your soreness. Stretching can also improve your muscle recovery.

When I look back at some of the injuries that I've witnessed, 8 times out of 10 they occurred because the rules above weren't followed. Hydrate and stretch so that you can make it through the finish line in stride!

Join Team Challenge In Napa Valley This Summer!

Experience California Wine Country and the Napa-to-Sonoma Wine Country Half Marathon on July 17th with Team Challenge, CCFA's endurance training and fundraising program. When you join us, you'll run or walk this great destination race through winding vineyards from Napa to Sonoma.

Our 16-week professional training program is designed to meet your unique walk or run fitness needs. We'll get you ready for the finish! While you're training, we'll also help you to raise critical dollars to fund research and programs for the 1.4 million people suffering from Crohn's and colitis, two chronic digestive diseases.

Our Team Challenge information meetings are taking place in March. When you attend an information meeting, you'll meet a coach, talk with a CCFA staff person, and learn more about how Team Challenge can help you and help others! The Napa-to-Sonoma Wine Country Half Marathon is sold out to everyone BUT Team Challenge participants. Find a meeting near you todayand join us in California Wine Country! Experience California Wine Country and the Napa-to-Sonoma Wine Country Half Marathon on July 17th with Team Challenge, CCFA's endurance training and fundraising program. When you join us, you'll run or walk this great destination race through winding vineyards from Napa to Sonoma.

Our 16-week professional training program is designed to meet your unique walk or run fitness needs. We'll get you ready for the finish! While you're training, we'll also help you to raise critical dollars to fund research and programs for the 1.4 million people suffering from Crohn's and colitis, two chronic digestive diseases.

Our Team Challenge information meetings are taking place in March. When you attend an information meeting, you'll meet a coach, talk with a CCFA staff person, and learn more about how Team Challenge can help you and help others! The Napa-to-Sonoma Wine Country Half Marathon is sold out to everyone BUT Team Challenge participants. Find a meeting near you todayand join us in California Wine Country! Experience California Wine Country and the Napa-to-Sonoma Wine Country Half Marathon on July 17th with Team Challenge, CCFA's endurance training and fundraising program. When you join us, you'll run or walk this great destination race through winding vineyards from Napa to Sonoma.

Our 16-week professional training program is designed to meet your unique walk or run fitness needs. We'll get you ready for the finish! While you're training, we'll also help you to raise critical dollars to fund research and programs for the 1.4 million people suffering from Crohn's and colitis, two chronic digestive diseases.

Our Team Challenge information meetings are taking place in March. When you attend an information meeting, you'll meet a coach, talk with a CCFA staff person, and learn more about how Team Challenge can help you and help others! The Napa-to-Sonoma Wine Country Half Marathon is sold out to everyone BUT Team Challenge participants. Find a meeting near you todayand join us in California Wine Country! Experience California Wine Country and the Napa-to-Sonoma Wine Country Half Marathon on July 17th with Team Challenge, CCFA's endurance training and fundraising program. When you join us, you'll run or walk this great destination race through winding vineyards from Napa to Sonoma.

Our 16-week professional training program is designed to meet your unique walk or run fitness needs. We'll get you ready for the finish! While you're training, we'll also help you to raise critical dollars to fund research and programs for the 1.4 million people suffering from Crohn's and colitis, two chronic digestive diseases.

Our Team Challenge information meetings are taking place this week. When you attend an information meeting, you'll meet a coach, talk with a CCFA staff person, and learn more about how Team Challenge can help you and help others! The Napa-to-Sonoma Wine Country Half Marathon is sold out to everyone BUT Team Challenge participants. Find a meeting near you today and join us in California Wine Country!

For more information call 404-982-0616, email Awhitworth@ccfa.org or visit our website at www.ccteamchallenge.org.

Week Eleven .... with 11 miles!

This week was our 11th week of training, and it was so appropriate that we were up to running 11 miles this week! This is the longest run that many of our participants have ever done, and everyone did such an amazing job! This is also the longest run that we will complete before heading to Las Vegas in THREE SHORT WEEKS, and it really helped to pump up our participants! We did our run this week at the Chattahoochee River at Columns Drive. Many of our participants opted to run 5 miles on Columns Drive and finish the remaining 6 on the trails by the river, while others chose to do the full 11 miles on the river trails. Regardless, it was a great run and everyone did awesome! It was a cold morning, but gives our Team Georgia folks a chance to experience running in the cold weather! Make sure to layer and to prepare for these temperatures in Vegas!

In the next few weeks, we will be tapering our training schedule to prepare for the big run. We are in the final countdown and our team is ready!

Halloween with Team Challenge!

Over Halloween weekend, Team Challenge had a brisk 9-mile run through Decatur! Our participants were challenged to come up with their best costume and we had some awesome creativity!


Chris was a super hero .... out to battle the evil Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis!



Karin, aka Hit Girl, and Amanda, aka the running clown!

It was fun to run in costume and to have lots of (good) stares from the community!



And of course, Angel, had an awesome costume! Team Challenge participants should all be on the front of a Wheaties box .... they're amazing!

Introducing .... Lindsay!

1. What's your name? Lindsay Sullivan

2. What's your occupation? teacher


3. What's your favorite sports team? Georgia Bulldogs!!!!


4. How did you get involved with Team Challenge? orignally looking into volunteering at Camp Oasis and while I was on the CCFA website I saw Team Challenge. A family friend was recently diagnosed with Crohn's so I knew I had to do it!!!!


5. Do you have an honored teammate? Yes, Nick Marion (14 year old boy)


6. If there was 1 song playing when you entered into a room, what would it be? Keith Urban - These Are the Days


7. Have you ever been to Vegas before and what are you looking forward to the most while we're there? never been...never been out of the Eastern/Central time zone so looking forward to getting out of my "bubble"...also looking forward to corssing the finish line!!!!

8. What do you miss most about your childhood? playing outside until after dark

9. What phrase/phrases do you say a lot? I'm told that instead of saying "No, thank you" I always say "Actually, I'm good" ....I'm not convinced that I do but that's what I'm told :)

This is Lindsay and her honored teammate, Nick! You can check out her fundraising page at http://www.active.com/donate/lv10georgia/LVLSulliv

Introducing .... Alexis!

1. What's your name? Alexis Story



2. Are you from Atlanta originally? If not, where did you grow up? Born in Sacramento, CA but only lived there for 8 months. Grew up in Slidell, LA until 11 and then Cincinnati, OH until 17



3. How did you get involved with Team Challenge? My friend Amanda Ramsey told me about it and I was interested because of the entire process - goal setting, a great trip, and the fundraising to a great cause



4. Have you ever played sports, been athletic, run, or participated in a half marathon before? I played sports throughout high school, have always been athletic, am a nationally certified yoga teacher, but never trained for or participated in a half



5. If there was 1 song playing when you entered into a room, what would it be? Bubble Toes by Jack Johnson



6. What is your favorite food? (Can we settle for Top 3?) Avocados, Popcorn, Creme Brulee (but definitely all at very separate times!)

11. Favorite color? teal-blue/green





14. What phrase/phrases do you say a lot? I LOVE YOU!







You can check out Alexis' fundraising page at http://www.active.com/donate/lv10georgia/LVAStory

Injury Free!

This past weekend, we met at Big Peach Running Company -- Brookhaven for an injury prevention clinic and a lovely 7-mile run!

We are so lucky to have Dr. Peebles from Atlanta Foot and Ankle to be such a big supporter of Team Challenge. He came and gave a wonderful presentation about foot and ankle health and about the mechanics of running. He so graciuosly brought our team copies of his partner's book and if we are all lucky and careful, we will have an injury-free finish at the Las Vegas Rock 'n Roll Marathon with Team Challenge Georgia!

This is Dr. Peebles giving his presentation. We are all so greatful to him for his time and energy -- especially early on a Saturday morning!

After the clinic, we set out to the streets of Brookhaven for a lovely 7-mile run! The weather was perfect, and the neighborhood we ran in was beautiful! I'm pretty sure we all picked out our future homes! :)

Here are a few pictures from before and after our run this weekend ....

Mentor Ross --- always has a smile on!

Our team huddle --- "When I say Team, you say Challenge!"

And even after our run, everyone looks good and feels ACCOMPLISHED!

Way to go Team Challenge Georgia .... you're all doing amazing!