2021 Ascension Seton Austin Marathon presented by Under Armour Archives

What Causes Side Stitches and How to Prevent Them

December 14, 2020/in Blog post /by Austin Marathon

Understand the causes of side stitches and learn how to avoid them

Do you ever feel a sharp pain in the middle of your abdomen during a run or workout? You probably have a side stitch. It is not exactly known what causes side stitches. According to some researchers, the continuous flow of blood to the muscles and diaphragm can cause it. Side stitches could also be caused by excessive movement of the torso that leads to irritation in the abdominal lining. Beginner runners are more prone to getting side stitches as their bodies become more acclimated to running. Below are some ways to prevent side stitches and tips on what to do if you get one.

What to do if you get a side stitch while running

Every runner has experienced this. You’re in the middle of a run, feeling good, in a rhythm. And then you get a side stitch. There are times where it’s a minor one and slowing your pace and breathing deeply makes it go away. However, if it persists then you should address it with the steps below before it becomes more painful.

Stop running, but keep walking
Inhale and exhale slowly
Raise your arms above your head and stretch the affected side
Hydrate
Follow this cool-down routine

Cycling can help improve your performance and endurance as a runner.

Advice to prevent side stitches

1. Strengthen your body

Over-activation of the respiratory system leads to the tiring out of muscles if they are not in shape. Adding yoga or pilates to your regimen can help strengthen your core. Cycling is great for strengthening your lower body and reducing the pounding your legs take while running on the road.

2. Stretch before you run

Loosen your muscles and allow your body to warm up before you take off. Taking 10-15 minutes to stretch before you run will get your muscles ready and increase blood flow. Try the three lower-body stretches below.

Quadriceps – stand upright and hold your heel to your back with the knee downwards
Hamstrings – stretch one leg sideways and tuck the opposite foot into your inner thigh, then bend forward and hold the foot of the stretched leg
Calves – put your knee forward at a 90-degree angle while keeping your left leg straight and behind you

Stretching and hydrating can help prevent side stitches.

3. Hydrate

Experts recommend drinking 16 ounces at least 90 minutes before a run. If you are hydrating 30 minutes prior to running, drink 4 ounces. Hydrate with electrolyte-based drinks and water. Avoid sugary sports drinks if you can. The more you keep your body hydrated, the lesser your chances of cramping.

Side stitches happen. They’ll pop up if you’re running more miles or trying to increase your speed. Your goal should be to prevent them from occurring so you can complete your entire run or workout. Should one pop up, follow our advice so you can take care of it immediately.

High Five Events Ranked #35 on 2020 Inner City 100 List

December 8, 2020/in Blog post /by Austin Marathon

Placement marks the company’s first time on the 2020 Inner City 100 list

The Initiative for a Competitive Inner City (ICIC) announced that Austin’s High Five Events is a winner of the 2020 Inner City 100 (IC100) award which recognizes the 100 fastest-growing firms in under-resourced communities across America. The winners were picked based on revenue growth and job creation during the four-year period from 2015 to 2019. Winners were revealed at the 2020 ICIC National Conference held virtually on December 8th. The full list is available here. High Five Events is led by Stacy Keese, Dan Carroll, and Jack Murray. They were ranked 35th on the 2020 Inner City 100 List based on its four-year revenue growth rate of 240.17% and job creation of nine.

Great achievement

“This is a proud moment for us to be included on the IC100 list,” said Stacy Keese, co-owner of High Five Events. “This is another proof point that what we are doing is working. It is incredibly rewarding to be recognized alongside leaders from so many industries across the county.”

Beginning with the launch of a single triathlon in 2003, High Five Events has grown to become one of the largest privately owned event production companies in the United States. High Five Events is a community-centric company based in Austin, Texas. Their staff has more than 100 years’ combined experience organizing large events across different venue types in a variety of locations. The 18-year-old company owns and produces the Ascension Seton Austin Marathon, CapTex Tri presented by Life Time Fitness, Rookie Triathlon, Jack’s Generic Triathlon, and Kerrville Triathlon Festival. They also produce 3M Half Marathon presented by Under Armour and Cap10K.

2020 Inner City 100 list explained

In order to measure the impact of COVID-19 and the resulting economic crisis, ICIC conducted an in-depth survey of winners. They gathered information on the companies’ estimated 2020 end-of-year revenue versus 2019. They also estimated 2020 end-of-year employment versus 2019 and information on a company leader’s approach to leading through the COVID-19 crisis.

Each winner shared stories of how they had to pivot due to the pandemic, from transitioning manufacturing centers to produce PPE, to learning how to sell virtually for the first time, to even holding free office hours with tech experts on a weekly basis – countless examples of innovation, grit, and resilience.

In addition to the survey, ICIC has collected demographic data on all the winners. They also used metrics around revenue growth and job creation, included below.

2020 IC100 Winners by the Numbers

Average Company Age: 17

Cities Represented: 56

States Represented: 29

- Industries Represented: 25

Woman-Owned/Led: 42

BIPOC-Owned/Led: 51

Veteran-Owned/Led: 7

First-Time Winner: 71

Hall of Famers (will have won the IC100 for at least 5 times, including this year): 15

Average Four-Year Revenue Growth Rate: 310%

- Average 2019 Revenue: $8,986,862.31

Total Jobs Created: 3,230

Total Employed by IC100 Winners in 2019 (year-end number): 7240

These numbers bear out some encouraging trends. This year’s IC100 list had the highest number of women-owned/led companies. There was an increase of eight companies from 2019 and 17 since 2015. The 2020 list also contains the highest ever number of BIPOC-owned/led companies. This is an increase of seven since 2019 and 11 since 2015.

“IC100 companies are forces of economic opportunity, optimism and transformation in their communities, and it’s an honor to recognize High Five Events’ leadership,” said ICIC CEO Steve Grossman. “Especially during this incredibly challenging time, as small business owners reckon with the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic, these pioneering entrepreneurs have demonstrated a deep commitment to and passion for their local communities.”

Lactate Threshold Breakdown for Runners

December 7, 2020/in Blog post /by Austin Marathon

Understanding lactate threshold and how it impacts runners

Running can be as simple or as complex as you make it. Some runners are content with completing a few miles every other day. Other runners like to take a deep dive into their data and analytics. They want to understand their bodies and improve their performance. One frequently used term in the running community is “lactic acid.” But what exactly is that and how does it impact you? Ascension Seton Sports Performance’s Dr. Jakob Allen explains lactate threshold and how it impacts runners. To get tested, email Dr. Allen at Jakob.allen@ascension.org for more information and to schedule your appointment. Their goal is to help you become a better runner!

Lactate threshold explained

The burning, aching sensation that accompanies intense efforts is all too familiar to athletes. This feeling can also occur when runners begin to increase their mileage and running pace. Most athletes have probably heard the terms lactic acid or lactate threshold thrown around by coaches. What do these terms actually mean? Lactate was originally believed to only be produced when the body lacks oxygen. It’s now known you produce lactate even at rest. Far from the cause of fatigue, lactate is shuttled around the body to areas where it is needed as a fuel source such as the heart, muscles, brain, and liver.

During high-intensity training, muscle contractions result in a build-up of metabolites and depletion of glycogen (the fuel inside muscles). This is when lactate is associated with fatigue. At rest and during low-intensity activity, lactate doesn’t build up in the muscles. It is shuttled to areas where it is needed faster than it is produced. Lactate threshold is the point at which the rate of production of lactate is greater than the rate of removal from the muscles. Athletes can only sustain exercise above this threshold for a limited amount of time before exhaustion. Pro tip: this is great information for boosting your mental toughness.

Why you should know about this

While lactate does not directly cause fatigue, it is still the best metric available for detecting when the body shifts away from mostly aerobic metabolism to rely more heavily on anaerobic metabolism. Anaerobic metabolism can only be sustained for a short period of time before fatigue occurs. Studies show that lactate threshold, or the point at which this transition occurs, is the best predictor of overall endurance performance abilities. If two athletes have the same VO2max, but one athlete can maintain a higher fraction of that VO2max without build up of metabolites (i.e. lactate, hydrogen ions), the athlete with the higher lactate threshold will always win. It’s an objective performance metric that gives invaluable information about your endurance abilities.

Dr. Allen recommends athletes measure their lactate threshold at the beginning of the training season to get a baseline. This can be used to establish training zones unique to their individual physiology, optimize performance, and avoid overtraining. Additionally, he recommends athletes come in for testing once every 3-4 months. This allows the team to monitor training progress and reestablish training zones. As the racing season approaches, the lactate threshold pace can be used to determine exact pacing strategies, no matter the distance. For example, marathoners usually set their race pace right around their lactate threshold. Measuring your lactate threshold gives you the ability to establish your race pace while knowing it’s truly what you’re capable of. Pro tip: learn how long it could take you to finish a marathon with this helpful pacing chart.

How the measurement is performed

Lactate threshold can be performed in a clinical setting or in the field depending on the athlete’s preference. Ascension Seton Sports Performance adheres to the most stringent COVID-19 policies. They are also happy to offer the service outdoors if athletes would prefer that. The test involves either running on a treadmill or outdoor track or cycling on a stationary ergometer. As you exercise at increasing intensities their team measures the changes in various physiological parameters. This includes changes in lactate as measured from a drop of blood from the finger or changes in expired gases collected from a mask over your mouth.

About Dr. Jakob Allen

Dr. Allen received his Doctoral training from the nationally ranked University of Texas at Austin. He was an 8x All-American collegiate swimmer at Stanford, American Record holder, NCAA and Pac-10 Champion, and 2x Olympic Trials qualifier. Dr. Allen is now an avid cyclist and triathlete, frequently placing in the top-5 overall amateurs in Central Texas triathlons. He is driven to bring about the greatest potential of all athletes whether you are a weekend warrior or an Olympian.

Dr. Allen currently serves as the Sports Scientist for the Austin Bold FC team in addition to his work in the clinic. He believes that exercise remains one of the best ways to improve every physiological system in the body throughout the lifespan. Whether it’s helping prevent changes in mental acuity or improving muscle function, the benefits of exercise continue to be supported by scientific studies. Dr. Allen specializes in designing exercise training programs for improving muscle and cardiovascular health for aging wellness and masters athlete performance.

How to Properly Cool Down After a Run

December 1, 2020/in Blog post /by Austin Marathon

Why you should properly cool down and effective ways to do it

Running and exercise are essential to your overall health. Runners are known for pushing themselves to extremes, from increasing mileage to running on different terrain. One thing all runners have in common: you have to take care of your body. Everyone is different and takes care of themselves the best ways they know how. This blog focuses on how to properly cool down after a run and provides some effective ways to do so.

After a good run or workout session, you’re covered in sweat and your heart is racing. When you properly cool down after a run your heart rate can get back to its normal state. Stopping suddenly after a run without cooling down can cause dizziness. It is equally important to cool down after a run as it is to warm up before a run. Pro tip: effectively warm-up before your run with these four stretches.

The benefits of a cool-down routine

A good run gets your heart and body working harder. It is important to gradually bring your heart rate to normal after any form of workout. A good cool-down routine allows the heart rate to normalize gradually.

With an increased heart rate, a good running session also affects breathing in the same way. A good cool-down routine also helps the breathing to return to its natural rhythm. It can also help you relax after a rigorous run.

Running or working out promotes the flow of blood throughout the body. After a good running session, stopping suddenly can cause blood pressure to drop rapidly. A proper cool-down routine allows it to fall gradually.

Effective ways to properly cool down

End with a brisk walk or a slow jog for 5-10 minutes
Hydrate
Foam roll (avoid these foam rolling mistakes)
Stretch for 10-15 minutes (important muscles to stretch below)
- Groin, inner thigh, IT band
- Calves
- Quads and hamstrings
- Backs and arms
- Core

Remain relaxed and breathe slowly while you stretch. Don’t stretch to the point where it starts to hurt. You should not push yourself after a point where you begin to feel stiffness in the muscles.

A cold water bath for 5-10 minutes is another effective way to cool down after you’ve hydrated and stretched. Lying on the floor with your legs up against the wall is also a great way to cool down after a long run. This pose is also referred to as “Viparita Karani” in yoga.

Everyone cools down differently. By knowing how to properly cool down you start the recovery process as quickly as possible. If you want to further understand how temperature affects your running performance, check out this blog written by Ascension Seton Sports Performance’s Dr. Jakob Allen. It further highlights the need to properly cool down after a hot run.

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