Houston Harriers Newsletter | December 2020 Edition
Dec 14, 2020 6:41 pm
Harriers Monthly Newsletter — Fall/Winter 2020 Edition
By Emilia Benton
Happy Holidays, Harriers! Welcome to the fourth edition of our newsletter. As a reminder, feel free to email any updates for future newsletter consideration to emiliamariebenton@gmail.com.
Our Saturday long runs from Memorial Park are back on as of this weekend. As a reminder, if you wish to join group long runs and track workouts, you must review and sign our COVID-19 guidelines and waiver.
A Note From the Houston Harriers Board
The Houston Harriers are committed to creating a diverse, inclusive, and equitable space for all members. We are striving to improve representation among our membership base and wish to make clear that we welcome and encourage Black, Indigenous and people of color of all running paces and experience levels to consider joining the club. Email houstonharriers@outlook.com for more information.
Upcoming Events
The Annual Harriers Cup Challenge, originally scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 12, has been postponed to a later date. Stay tuned for updates.
As far as races, we are looking forward to logging our virtual Houston Marathon and Half Marathon in a little over a month. We are also staying optimistic that the Rocky 50, Rocky 100, and The Woodlands Marathon and Half Marathon will take place as scheduled, as many team members are slated to participate.
New Harriers Swag Available For Purchase
In the market for a new hoodie, T-shirt, gaiter, or even a koozie? Check out the latest merch at our Ram Shirts store and make sure you’re ready to represent this winter. We all know you can never have too much club gear, even when you’re just lounging. As the shirts say, “I’m not a normal runner, I’m a Houston Harrier.”
Harriers Take Home Awards at Jalapeño Hundred
It’s been a while since we’ve been able to line up to race, so several Harriers jumped at the opportunity to cover some ultra distances at the Jalapeño Hundred trail races in Cat Spring on Nov. 7. The Harriers unsurprisingly had a good showing on the podium as well, with Nele Lefeldt taking first overall in the 100K, Chelsea Barr as first female in the 50K, and Aracely Richardson as 2nd female in the 100K.
Harriers Members Complete 50 and 100 Miles Entirely on Memorial Park Loop
Congratulations to Daniel Barron, Sarah Cherington, Nele Lefeldt, and Aracely Richardson, who took to the Memorial Park loop on Friday, Dec. 4, after the cancelation of the Brazos Bend ultramarathons that were set to take place Dec. 5. Barron, Cherington, and Richardson completed 50 miles, while Lefeldt eked out her first-ever 100. It’s safe to say they’re now the official Local Legends of the Loop. Many thanks to Stacy Holden of People of Memorial Park and Bohemian Photography for giving the Harriers some extra publicity and exposure for this accomplishment.
The following morning, Kirsten Stefan and Pamela Skaufel took to the trails at Brazos Bend State Park for a taste of the actual race experience, with support from Harriers Coach Doug Storey. Mandi Reynado also logged 50 miles around the streets of Houston that day. These Ultra-Harriers also raised more than $2,500 for A Second Cup, a local organization working to provide support for victims of human trafficking. Many thanks to everyone who donated.
Nele Lefeldt Invited to Compete in 2021 Ultra X World Championships
(Photo by Fredis Benitez)
Congratulations to Harriers Vice President Nele Lefeldt, who has been invited to compete in the Ultra X World Championships next June in Slovenia. Lefeldt was one of 100 elites invited to participate in a total field of only 250. Lefeldt earned her invite thanks to her overall win at last year’s Habanero 100 50K.
Harriers President Daniel Runs Virtual Annual “30 for Ana”
Harriers President Daniel Barron ran his annual 30 for Ana run on Sunday, Nov. 1 completing 60 parking lot loops for 31 miles in Pasadena. The annual run serves to honor his sister Ana, who passed away from breast cancer in 2009. The run also serves as a fundraiser for The Rose, a nonprofit breast cancer organization that was instrumental in Ana’s diagnosis and care; this year, Barron raised close to $8,000. Shout-out to fellow Harrier Omar Vazquez, who joined Barron for his final 10 miles of the run.
For more information visit 30forana.org
Member of the Month: Camille Boon
Camille Boon is a veteran Houston Harriers member who joined the club in 2017. She started running at age 12, inspired by her mom, who was training for the Houston Marathon. She started running shorter distances with her mom and worked her way up to marathons in her 20s.
“My favorite things about the Harriers are the camaraderie, getting to know team members, and especially winning the HARRA competitions,” she said. “My advice to new members should be to not be intimidated by the super-fast runners, as everyone is so welcoming. But if you are super fast, you will be right at home as well.”
To date, Boon, who works as an ob-gyn here in Houston, has run 18 marathons, including three Boston Marathons, counting this year’s virtual edition. Her most memorable race was the 2018 Marshall Marathon in Huntington, West Virginia, which she described as a small, scenic race with incredible fall weather. She set her current PR of 3:18:42 at that marathon.
“The PR feeling was even eclipsed by just feeling so great during the race, even the hard parts—it was a day when everything came together,” she said.
Boon’s current favorite distance is the half marathon, which she hopes to focus on and bring her times down in the future.
“Once racing is back I hope to be recovered from the lower motivation quarantine left me with during the first few months,” she said. “Around August I was feeling better and have been trying to get back in shape; hopefully I’ll work on some shorter distances up the half marathon.”
Training Tips From Coach Doug Storey
In the last newsletter, we discussed the purpose of threshold training. This time, we’ll cover the next level of intensity in run training, that of interval training (I-Training or Pace). According to Dr. Jack Daniels, the purpose of I-training is to maximize aerobic power. Aerobic power is defined as VO2 max. VO2 max, also known as maximal oxygen uptake, is the measurement of the maximum amount of oxygen a person can utilize during intense exercise. It is a common measurement used to establish the aerobic endurance of an athlete prior to or during training.
According to Dr. Daniels, the maximum amount of time that a person can exercise at VO2max is about 11 minutes. Since it takes 90-120 seconds to build up to VO2max from complete recovery, the optimal amount of time spent running at I-pace is between three and five minutes but it can also be less than three minutes with shorter recovery times. Generally, recovery times for I-paced workouts that are greater than three minutes is about half as long as the interval ran but around a minute for those intervals less than three minutes.
Like threshold running (and all training, for that matter) it is important to run the prescribed pace based on your level of fitness (using the VDOT tables that I provide when I post the track workouts). Working beyond your VO2 max pace will not benefit you more in a workout, but it can sabotage that workout very quickly. Running too fast during the early part of an interval workout will defeat the purpose of the workout since, as you get more and more tired, you will not spend enough time at aerobic maximum. I can give you workouts that are going to hurt (believe me; I can), but if I give you a workout with a purpose, it’s reasonable to keep that workout within the parameters of that purpose. If you planned to spend 15 minutes stressing your aerobic maximum and you can only run 10 or so minutes at that pace, you will miss that opportunity completely.
Nutrition Tips from Starla Garcia, M.Ed, RDN, LD
This month’s nutrition tip is how to increase iron content in your diet. If a runner is any of the potential types of runners at risk of anemia or low iron levels, they’ll want to make sure they get lab work done on both their ferritin and iron levels to avoid decreasing or plateauing energy levels during training.
Runners who are at risk or have been diagnosed with anemia can include animal iron sources such as:
- Beef
- Chicken
- Fish
- Bison
- Turkey
- Eggs
And plant-based sources such as:
- Leafy greens
- Whole grains
- Beans
- Lentils
- Fortified or iron-enriched foods shelf-stable foods (like cereals)
Runners also want to include Vitamin C into their diets to improve the absorption of iron. Vitamin C rich foods include:
- Orange juice (avoid calcium-fortified)
- Strawberries
- Bell peppers
- Oranges
- Grapefruit
If taking an iron supplement, here are some additional tips:
- Increase hydration and consumption of fiber-rich foods to improve symptoms of constipation.
- Take iron an hour before or after consuming calcium-rich foods or dairy products.
Houston Harriers Board
President: Daniel Barron
Secretary: Flora Lai
Vice Presidents: Fredis Benitez and Nele Lefeldt
Treasurer: Kelly Ramey
Advisory board members: Doug Storey, Sherry Fuller, Pamela Skaufel, Sarah Rabourn, and Sarah Cherington
Have a question for the board? Send it to houstonharriers@outlook.com
