Details for the RRKC Group Run This Saturday June 6th!

We can’t wait to see your smiling faces live and in person this Saturday (June 6th) for our group run. Your health and safety is our top priority. RRKC is following the USATF guidelines for returning to group training, as such we are making some short term changes to our hydration stations (see below). Thank you for your patience as we navigate this new territory together. We want all of our athletes to feel comfortable and have fun.

Checklist for Runners Attending the Group Run

• Runners who have traveled outside of the Kansas City area must wait 14 days before attending a group run.

• Runners with or exposed to anyone with active cold or flu like symptoms (fever, cough, sneezing) within the last 2 weeks may NOT attend group runs.

• RRKC registered runners must agree to notify Coach Amy immediately if they develop symptoms related to or are diagnosed with COVID-19.

Checking IN/OUT

Homebase will have a sign in sheet, hand sanitizer and maps only. No fluids or aid. Hard copies of maps will still be available before the run, but digital maps are also available on our events page. Runners must use sanitizer before handling any supplies at homebase. When you sign in, you are agreeing that you have read and understand our Covid-19 policy and exercise liability waiver.

Hydration Station Updates

In the short term we are switching our water offering from water coolers and cups, to small individual water bottles that will be available for each runner at each aid station. We regret having extra trash and waste at the aid stations, however, this is the best short term solution for keeping everyone safe.

• The small disposable water bottles will be placed at each aid station prior to the run by a volunteer who is pre-screened as healthy, and who will take extra sanitary precautions when setting up the aid station supplies.

• All runners must use hand sanitizer at each aid station prior to touching any of the supplies provided (including your individual disposable water bottle, even though you’ll be the only one touching it).

• In the short term, we will not be providing an electrolyte hydration option (only water). Please bring and carry your own electrolyte tablets or fluids if that is your preference over water.

• If you run with your own fluids, you will be able to refill your water bottle with the water from a disposable water bottle at our aid stations if you run out.

Group Run Highlights & Benefits

The wait is over and the time is finally here! We can get out and enjoy these summer months, be social in small groups, and get back to doing the things we love. The energy and motivation that we will all receive by physically training together will make all of the extra precautions worth it.

We are proud to be offering new routes this season, inspirational run leads that are there for your safety as you run in the heat and humidity for long distances, and plenty of water at aid stations to keep you hydrated. Maps and details for all of our June runs can be found on our RRKC Events Page.

Please stay tuned to the website for announcements, as things will again change in the coming weeks with the reopening into Phase III. 

RRKC Group Runs Resume June 6 - READ THIS FIRST

Many of us have realized from our social isolation, how much we rely on our run buddy relationships. We’ve done a great job running virtually together #solidaritywithcoachamypt and staying in touch with our Zoom Coffee and Zoom Happy Hours (thank you JJ). And now, the wait for group runs is almost over!

Our local government is lifting some of the restrictions for group gatherings which allows us to resume our RRKC group runs on Saturday, June 6th. It’s been way too long since we’ve seen your smiling faces in person and we can’t wait to be reunited. However, we will be implementing some changes and precautions as your health and safety is still our top priority. Read on….

Self Screening and Transparency

Runners with or exposed to anyone with active cold or flu like symptoms (fever, cough, sneezing) within the last 2 weeks may NOT attend group runs. Runners that do attend group runs must agree to notify Coach Amy immediately if they develop symptoms related to or are diagnosed with COVID-19.

Checking IN/OUT

Homebase will have a sign in sheet, hand sanitizer and maps only. No fluids or aid. Hard copies of maps will still be available before the run, but digital maps are also available on our events page. Runners must use sanitizer before handling any supplies at homebase. When you sign in, you are agreeing that you have read and understand our Covid-19 policy and exercise liability waiver.

Maintaining Sanitary Aid Stations

Cleanliness of our aid stations has always been important, but now with COVID-19, it is even more vital.

• All volunteers involved with preparing aid stations will be screened to make sure they do not have cold or flu like symptoms (fever, cough), or have been exposed to anyone with these symptoms within the last 2 weeks.

• Aid station volunteers are taking extra sanitary precautions when preparing drink coolers and prepping supplies.

• All supplies, coolers, and spouts at the aid stations will be wiped down with an alcohol wipe or cleaning wipe concluding set-up.

• All runners must use hand sanitizer at each aid station prior to touching any of the supplies provided, including cups and spigots.

• If you are more comfortable running with your own fluids, please do so.

RRKC monthly memberships will be reactivated in June. As a gift to current and potential new members, our two Saturday runs in May are FREE! The first five runners to sign up for a monthly membership will receive a FREE reusable, collapsible cup which is sanitary and eco friendly! Mileage and maps are on our events page for each of our weekly runs.

Friends and community have a way of motivating and supporting us, especially when we’re working towards challenging goals. With races either canceled or postponed, we've had to adjust both our training schedules and the way we think about our training. Join us and get re-energized with fellow runners to help establish new goals and move forward into our new reality. Hope to see you soon!

Miles for Charity Virtual Run Challenge

Roadrunners of Kansas City (RRKC) is excited to announce our very first VIRTUAL charitable run challenge open to all runners in the Kansas City area: Miles for Charity.

As a running community, we are all mourning the cancelation of our half-marathons, triathlons, and group training runs. But that doesn’t mean we cannot still run together virtually as we distance ourselves physically. 

The Dates

This week-long virtual run challenge begins Monday, April 27, 2020 and ends Sunday, May 3, 2020.

The Inspiration

A CoachAmyPT patient participated in a small neighborhood virtual, distance-based contest to raise money for charity. The winners chose which charity the funds benefited. We were INSPIRED!

The Beneficiaries

Well, that’s up to you … if you win!

Winners will choose among several types of organizations impacted by COVID-19 in the Kansas City Metropolitan area, including: 

• Hospitals and healthcare workers. 

  Example: Children’s Mercy Kansas City

• First responders (including firefighters, police officers, and ambulance workers). 

  Example: KC KS Fire Department 

• Housing support. 

  Example: reStart, Inc 

• Food insecurity. 

  Example: Harvesters - The Community Food Network 

• Critical human services.

  Example: Working Families' Friend 

We gave examples for each type of organization, but our winners may choose their local hospital, food pantry, etc.

The Match

Let us know if you work with a company that would like to match funds raised. 

The Plan

RRKC will pair each participant with another runner. While the teams will not run together because of the need for social distancing, the pair’s miles will be combined together. 

Runners will log daily miles for one week. RRKC will tally the totals and announce the winner. 

The Cost

The cost to enter the challenge is a minimum donation of $25. You may donate more if you’d like.

Details for payment will be provided following registration. 

The ONE Non-Negotiable Rule

To prevent injury and protect your immune system, participants may not increase their weekly mileage by more than 10%. 

To determine this number:

• Look at your total weekly distance for the last 4 weeks. 

• Choose the week with the most miles run. 

• Take 10% of that number.

• Add it back to the original distance. 

For example, let’s say your last 4 weeks look like this: 

week 1 - 40 miles

week 2 - 50 miles

week 3 - 45 miles

week 4 - 43 miles. 

Here are your calculations:

• Take the largest number (50 miles).

• Multiple it by 10% (5 miles). 

  50 x .10 = 5 miles

• Add it back to the original number (50 miles)

  50 + 5 = 55 miles

• You may not exceed 55 miles during the challenge week. 

Please read the Racing and Training Virtually RRKC blog post to learn more about this rule. 

While that’s our only rule, you must, of course, also follow all social distancing mandates decreed by our state government.

The Final Step

Please join RRKC’s first-ever VIRTUAL charitable run, Miles for Charity, by registering here. 

Our Big Ask

Let’s raise as much money for these charities as possible! Help us encourage our entire KC running and triathlon community to participate. Please share this blog post or our social media posts on your social media accounts or email the link to this post to friends and family.

We look forward to seeing you, virtually, on the run!

Questions? Contact RRKC at info@roadrunnerskc.com.

Racing and Training Virtually

Janet, a Roadrunners of Kansas City athlete, set a personal record by two minutes in a virtual 10K race this weekend! Cue the band, the post-race treats, the medal, the t-shirt, the race stats chronicled online. Well, OK, there may not be any of those post-race rewards, but nothing supersedes the satisfaction of a PR, even without the extras.

When Janet’s goal half marathon was canceled, Coach Amy added this virtual 10K race to Janet’s personalized training plan to give her the opportunity to celebrate her training efforts and demonstrate her improvements in speed.

As the list of canceled and postponed races grows, runners are left in limbo, unsure about running virtual races and continued training. Many runners struggle without the motivation of a training buddy or run group.

Coach Amy’s suggestion for Janet might differ from her advice to you. Are you excited about an upcoming 5K’s, 10K’s or half marathons? If so, Coach Amy suggests running the race virtually. However, it can be difficult to muster up the same kind of energy without the competition and camaraderie of other runners. If you’re not feeling it, let it go, free from obligation and from the burden of commitment.

Most importantly, runners should focus on staying healthy and injury-free during the pandemic. Coach Amy recommends maintaining base mileage this spring and including one or two quality runs like tempo, hill repeats or fartlek runs to maintain strength. She does not recommend long training runs or virtual marathons.

“Long training runs in excess of fourteen miles temporarily decreases immune function, so running excessive long distances or virtually racing a marathon is riskier right now.”

— Coach Amy

If you’d like customized advice about virtual training and races or training in general, consider Coach Amy’s online coaching for runners. Spots are limited.

While running in a group isn’t possible right now, consider running virtually with Roadrunners of Kansas City. Sharing selfies on the run with friends and other runners in the community helps you stay accountable, and it also helps us all feel a little less alone out there. While we can’t cue the band and hand out medals, Coach Amy, Janet, and the other RRKC athletes’ likes and comments will come close.

Stay Strong and Stay Healthy While You Stay at Home

The past couple of weeks have led to changes in every single facet of our lives, and if we are going to come out healthy on the other side we must adapt. Due to public ordinances, many people are working from home. Since most of us don’t have an ideal home office setting, there is the potential for injury if we aren’t intentional about how and where we set up our home offices.

“I predict a rise in injuries over the next several months as people work in less than ideal ergonomic positions and move less. ”

— Coach Amy

It is tempting to slouch on the couch with a laptop and sit idle in the same position for extended periods of time. With no meetings to attend, parking lots to walk from or stairs to climb throughout the day we are at high risk for becoming petrified at our desks. This can lead to a slew of symptoms such as back pain, pain in the butt, headaches and forearm pain.

Here are some tips to help eliminate unwanted pain and injury while working from home:

1. Set an alarm to change your location every 30-60 min to vary body position. If your workstation is movable, consider relocating from sitting at the dining room table to a standing position at the kitchen island.

2. Set up your workstation far from the kitchen and fill your cup up halfway, forcing you to get up and walk more often back to the kitchen for refills.

3. Use the restroom furthest from your workstation so that you are forced to walk a longer distance or up and down the stairs.

4. Walk up and down the stairs 10 times for heart health and glute strength each time you take a break from your workstation.

5. Use a Swiss ball in lieu of a chair at one of your work stations to work your core while sitting upright.

6. Incorporate dynamic stretches into your lunch break and again at the end of the workday. Stay tuned for a video with our favorite mobility routines.

7. Set up your screen and keyboard correctly. For both standing and seated positions, your elbow should be in an “L” position at the keyboard and your eyes should line up with the top 2-3 inches of your monitor.

Who knew that working from home would be so much work?! Establishing new habits can sometimes feel like work, so incorporate these suggestions into your at-home routine from the beginning and you’ll establish a “new normal” with greater ease.

CoachAmyPT remains open to treat patients recovering from surgery, major injuries and debilitating pain. If you develop debilitating pain during this time, please email Coach Amy so she can assess whether you need to make an in-person appointment or a telehealth PT consultation.

As always, prevention is the best medicine. A little intentional daily effort can help you stay strong and healthy while you stay at home.