On The Run . . . with Matt McGowan

A year ago I had a heart cauterization and my right coronary artery had a 95 percent blockage. Three stents were inserted into the artery to open it up.

Last year my overall cholesterol was 168, which is not that high, but due to family history (my father died of a heart attack at the age of 59) was the main concern and cause of this problem.

After rehab my cardiologist wanted my LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) fewer than 70. After six months of medicine my LDL was down to 84. The doctor made an adjustment to my medicine and four months later my LDL was at 64.

Hopefully, this will aid me to lead a healthy life.

Cardiovascular disease risks include – uncontrollable factors – family history, age and sex. However, we can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by addressing the controllable risk factors such as diet, high blood cholesterol, high blood pressure, exercise regularly, reduce stress and weight if we are overweight, and not to smoke.

Registration for the March 7, 2010 Arnold 5K Pump and Run started at 12:01am on November 1st and is now CLOSED. The limit of 800 athletes was reached at 10:18 p.m. on November 1st. There is no waiting list for the 2010 Arnold 5K Pump and Run. You can still register for the Arnold 5K (a run/walk only).

An entry form for the Arnold 5K is in this issue and more information on the race is on www.runohio.com

A number of outstanding races were held last month including the All-Ohio Intercollegiate Cross Country Championships, Minster Oktoberfest and the Columbus Marathon. Those results and other race results are in this issue.

Check out the RUNOHIO Race Calendar section for an upcoming race. There are numerous races held on Thanksgiving morning. Good luck with any races you do this fall and hopefully the winter will be conducive to training.

Check out one of the three NCAA Cross Country Championships races which will be held in Ohio and Indiana this month.

Baldwin-Wallace College, in conjunction with the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission, will host the 2009 NCAA Division III National Cross Country Championship Saturday, November 21st at the Highland Heights Golf Course.

The University of Southern Indiana and the City of Evansville will host the NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships on November 21st.

The NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships will be hosted by Indiana State University and Terre Haute on November 23rd at the Wabash Valley Family Sports Center. The NCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Championships will be broadcast live on VERSUS, marking the third consecutive year the championships will be seen on live television.

Also, check back on the RUNOHIO National web page for more race coverage http://www.runohio.com/home_national

Race directors don’t forget to send RUNOHIO your upcoming race information so it may be listed in the most comprehensive Race Calendar in the Midwest. Feel free to complete the form in this issue and return it or mail RUNOHIO a race entry form. Also, please list your race in the new RUNOHIO/ The Searchable Running

Network National Race Calendar, just go to http://www.runohio.com/content/national-calendar and complete the information.

Also, don’t forget to send RUNOHIO your race results.

A reminder also to renew your subscription to RUNOHIO or subscribe for the first time. Take advantage of the 21st anniversary special. You can subscribe for a year for only $10. http://www.runohio.com/subscribe-run-ohio

The deadline for the January/February RUNOHIO is December 8th.

I hope you are able to enjoy Thanksgiving and the Holiday Season with family and friends.