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Heidi Splete
Expert Guru
I am a freelance health and fitness writer for general audiences and a medical journalist for a group of specialty newspapers for physicians.
I have an undergraduate degree in English from Colgate University and a master’s degree in journalism from Syracuse University. I have been an avid runner since my early teens, and the marathon has become my favorite distance. Running isn't just my favorite workout; it's my passion. When I’m not running, I enjoy baking desserts from scratch, traveling, and spending time with my husband.
I have always enjoyed sports, but I am amazingly uncoordinated, so I was thrilled to discover that distance running requires almost no coordination. If you can put one foot in front of the other, you’re off to a good start. I have been an avid runner since jr. high school, and the marathon has become my favorite distance. Running isn't just my favorite workout; it's my passion, and my running my personal time to think about anything or nothing, depending on the day.
Testimonial
I haven't been working for LifeTips for very long, but Melanie is fantastic to work with, and I am looking forward to a mutually beneficially relationship and the opportunity to provide the services that LifeTips clients need while developing my own career as a health and fitness guru and writer. My long-term goals include developing ongoing writing relationships with LifeTips clients, and I would like to write a book about some aspect of running, marathoning, or running injuries that seems under-addressed by the current literature. I'm open to suggestions.
Interview
What books have most influenced your life? The books that have most influenced my life are Watership Down, by Richard Adams, Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott, and The Runner’s Repair Manual, by Dr. Murray Weisenfeld. I first read Watership Down in fifth grade, and to me it is one of those books that has “re-readability” and gives me some new insight every time I read it, which I do about every other year. The same goes for the other two books, to a lesser extent. I get some new insight every time I re-read them, depending on what is going on in my life at the time.
Who are your favorite music artists? I don’t have very specific tastes in music; my husband is the music aficionado in our family. I don’t listen to music while running, and when I’m at the gym I am willing to be subjected to whatever the gym staff chooses to play that day. I will listen to almost anything, but I confess to nostalgia for 80s music, and I am one of those people who genuinely likes show tunes. The two old tapes that live in my care are “Monster 80s” and a collection of songs from Rogers and Hammerstein shows.
What are your favorite websites and why? My favorite website is the Weather Channel, weather.com. I’m a weather nut. I have always had a side interest in meteorology, and after I started running I became even more interested in the details of the weather so I could plan what to wear when I went out to run. I travel often, and I can check the weather channel for local forecasts at my destination. Of course, lifetips.com is another favorite site. Seriously, the lifetips content is so diverse that if you browse around you’ll inevitably learn something new. For instance, I am much more adept at applying mascara after checking out the lifetips makeup tips site. I also check out runnersworld.com periodically to see what’s new in the world of running.
Where else can people find you on the web? If you search my name online, you’ll find a lot of race results, from the 10K to the marathon, as well as a variety of articles from my work as a medical journalist for a group of newspapers aimed at physicians in different medical specialties. You can find my Lifetips books on Barnes&Noble.com and on Amazon.com.
What are your professional highlights? My professional highlights to date include the publication of two books in the Lifetips series: 101 Marathon Training Tips and 101 Sports Apparel Tips. I am thrilled with both of them and I think they can be helpful and interesting to anyone considering training for a marathon, or anyone who feels overwhelmed by the array of sports apparel available these days. I also am proud of my work for Lifetips as an expert guru on fitness and health topics, and of my freelance work for the Health section of the Washington Post. I have written several short items for the Post over the years on topics including marathons, cold weather exercise, and core fitness training.
What advice do you have for the journey of life? Balance is important in all areas of life. I believe in working hard and playing hard, and I think it is important to keep all elements of life in perspective. Life is messy and unpredictable and doesn’t fit into neat boxes. Most problems and issues are points on a continuum, but you can set priorities, do your best, and enjoy life while keeping a balanced perspective on the ups and downs.
What are you most passionate about in life? I’m passionate about making time for your favorite people and your favorite things. Any activity that suits your lifestyle and makes life more fun is worth pursuing and worth making time for, whether it is playing sports, traveling, reading books, writing books, or baking from scratch. And be sure to tell the people who enrich your life how much you appreciate them.
What ticks you off? People who hold grudges bother me. Although it’s important to learn from a bad experience so you don’t repeat your mistakes, you need to be able to let bad experiences go and forgive, learn, and move ahead.
Any thoughts or ideas on living a greener life? I’m an avid recycler whenever possible. In my capacity as a health and fitness expert guru, I also recommend recycling sports apparel and running shoes. When your shoes are too worn out to run (after 400-500 miles) ask at your local running store or running club about periodic shoe collections. Many local running stores or clubs arranges to collect shoes a few times a year to be donated to charities, often overseas. Some local charities that take other clothing will take slightly used sneakers, too. Wondering what to do with those pricey moisture-wicking socks after they wear out in the heel or toe? Put them in your rag bag and slip one over your hand for dusting or polishing furniture.
What would people be surprised to know about you? Although I am a health and fitness guru, I also have a huge sweet tooth, especially for desserts that I make myself. I am an avid cookie and brownie baker for all occasions, or no occasion other than I felt like baking. Baking is a creative outlet for me, and I enjoy how I feel when I brighten someone’s day by baking homemade treats. Chocolate and peanut butter are among my favorite food groups.
Philosophy
My philosophy of life, in a nutshell, is to work hard but to play hard, too. Strive for excellence and challenge yourself in your professional life, but make time for whatever form of play recharges your batteries.
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10 Tips from Heidi Splete
Moisture-wicking Clothes Keep Athletes Comfortable from Head to Toe
Moisture-wicking fabrics are one of the most helpful innovations in sports equipment in recent decades. The clammy cotton t-shirt is a thing of the past. No matter what your event, invest in a few moisture-wicking shirts, shorts, and pants. They are more expensive than a basic t-shirt, but wash these clothes in cold water with a mild detergent and they will last for years. Don't forget socks; moisture-wicking socks keep your feet drier than cotton and significantly reduce the risk of blisters.
Shot Putters Need More Than Big Biceps
A beefy upper body is not a prerequisite for shot put success. Strong legs and a strong core put the “kinetic chain” in motion and propel the shot forward. When working on leg strength, remember to work opposing muscle groups equally. For example, try to lift similar amounts of weight with both the quads and the hamstrings. Keeping the opposing muscle groups at a similar strength will help your shot put form.
Race Walkers Need Strong Arms, Too
Race walking involves the repetition of a very specific motion over a long period of time, longer than many running events. Race walkers who make the effort to strengthen their arms will find that their arm movements are more efficient, and they can rely on their arms to help propel them forward in the latter stages of a race when they get tired and need more energy. To build arm strength, try this: hold a 5-pound weight in each hand and pump your arms up and down. Swing your arm through a full range of motion so your hands brush past your hips. Pump your arms for about one minute, rest, and repeat. Try to do this exercise 2-3 times per week.
Keep Your Eye On the Black Box: Intro to Visualization
Visualization is an important element of jumping events. The athletes must be able to tune out distractions and crowd noise and almost think themselves over the bar. A visualization technique for beginners that has been used by some high jumpers and other track and field athletes is to stare at a piece of paper with a black box in the center for about 2 minutes. Then look away from the paper at a blank wall and you should see the reverse; a white box on a dark background. The purpose of this drill is to learn to focus your attention. Future tips on this site will address more advance visualization drills.
Track Meet Day: What to Pack?
All track and field athletes need to take responsibility for their personal equipment needs and bring gear including spikes, gloves, their specific shot put, discus, or javelin. But a few other things are helpful for athletes in any events to have in their bags: -Band-aids, both small and large, for mid-meet blisters on fingers, toes, or heels -Toilet paper/Kleenex -Water bottle/sports beverage of choice -Energy snack of choice (bars, gels, crackers, etc.) - Pain reliever (Advil, Tylenol, etc.) -Warm-up jacket; even on a warm day, sprinters, jumpers, and hurdlers in particular need to stay warm between events
Don't Try Anything New on Track and Field Meet Day
This tip applies to all track and field athletes. Avoid using, wearing, or eating anything on a race day that you haven’t tried in practice. You never know whether that new mango-flavored gel will disagree with you midway through the race or whether going barefoot in the new long jump spikes will cause blisters, and you don’t want to find out during a competition. Maybe everything will be fine, but why take a chance? Test snacks, equipment, socks, and shoes in practice first. You don’t need anything else to be nervous about.
Don't Overdress for Winter Running Success
Many distance runners train outdoors during the winter indoor track season. Layers and warmth are important, but remember that after about 1-2 miles, you will warm up significantly, and too many heavy layers will leave you hot and uncomfortable. A good rule of thumb is to think of the "running temperature" as about 15 degrees warmer than the air temperature. Of course there will be variables such as wind chill and humidity, but if you feel chilly during the first mile, you are probably dressed right.
Ice, Ice, With Veggies
Any track and field athletes get hurt now and then. For post-workout muscle strains, keep a few bags of frozen peas or corn in the freezer. They easily shape to fit around a knee, elbow, or ankle, and can be secured in place with an ace bandage if needed. Keep ice packs in place for about 15 minutes, and then return them to the freezer until after your next workout. Caveat: Make sure to mark the bags or remember which frozen veggies are your ice packs and don’t eat them! Repeated thawing and refreezing render the veggies unfit for eating, but as ice packs they can last for months, or until the bag breaks.
Skip Your Way to Better Hurdling
Not only hurdlers, but all runners and jumpers can benefit from one of the simplest plyometrics drills: skipping. Just like you did in elementary school, but with the goal of lifting your knees high enough so that your upper leg is parallel to the ground. Alternate legs, and continue “high skipping” for about 50 meters. Rest, and repeat 4-6 times after a workout. This drill will build leg strength and help hurdlers refine their technique. Skipping also can help runners achieve a more efficient stride and mitigate the distance runners' tendency to shuffle as they get tired late in a race.
If You Only Do One Stretch, Make it a Calf Stretch
If there is one stretch that no athlete should be without, it’s probably a calf stretch. Tight calves have been implicated in several common sports ailments, such as plantar fasciitis, but they also can contribute to muscle imbalances that lead to more serious injuries. Try this great way to stretch both calves at once: Stand with the balls of your feet on the step and hold onto a wall or railing for balance. Slowly lower your heels. Hold for a count of five, and slowly raise them. Repeat 3 times. You can do this stretch as part of a pre-workout warmup or post-workout cool-down. Stop if you feel pain or discomfort.
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